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Tag: "Frank Morano"
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
PodcastOne to Distribute CBS Evening News. Norm Pattiz-founded Lauchpad Digital Media’s new PodcastOne.com enters into an agreement with CBS to present the “CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley” as a podcast available at the destination website. The PodcastOne.com site also features CBS products “CBS
Weekend Roundup,” “Face the Nation” and “60 Minutes.” PodcastOne.com launched in February and the company says it is “home to over 200 popular podcasts including Adam Carolla, Dennis Miller, Ron Paul, Penn Jillette, Laura Ingraham, Maria Menounos, Tom Green, Dr. Drew and many more.” On the deal with CBS, Pattiz states, “Anytime we can work with CBS Radio News on anything, we jump at it. Our relationship with them at Westwood One goes back over two decades and we’re delighted to be working with them now in the on-demand digital world.” CBS Radio News vice president Harvey Nagler says, “We are excited to work with Launchpad in expanding CBS Radio News’ on-demand audio offerings and making our newscasts available for audiences to enjoy whenever, wherever and however they like.”
Radio One Awards Bonuses to Founder Cathy Hughes and CEO Alfred Liggins. In a filing with the Securities Exchange Commission, Radio One announces bonuses of $1.5 million for company CEO Alfred Liggins and $500,000 for founder Cathy Hughes. The company’s compensation committee decided that 
Hughes’ involvement in sales activities of its One Solution division “resulted in significant advertising commitments and revenue generation.” For Liggins, the bonus was based upon the radio division’s 2012 performance. The committee decided that “the radio division had met its EBITDA plan for the calendar year 2012.” The committee also noted that Liggins’ involvement in TV One – which saw revenue up 8% and the division’s EBITDA increased to approximately $40 million – was also reason for the bonus.
Salem Communications Signs New Contract with CEO Ed Atsinger. The new contract for CEO Ed Atsinger to continue in that role with Salem through 2016 takes effect after his current deal ends on June 30. For the next three years, Atsinger will make base salaries of $925,000 in 2013-14, $950,000 in 2014-15, and $975,000 in 2015-16. That contract will expire on June 30 of 2016. As is usually the case with chief executive officers, Atsinger will be eligible for bonuses at the discretion of the board of directors.
Radio Ad Spending Up 3% Says Kantar Media; Network Radio Up 16%. The figures for ad spending across all media according to research from Kantar Media were recently released and, according to the company, radio ad spending was up 4% in the fourth quarter of 2012 and up 3% for the whole of 2012. For the year, local radio spending was flat; national spot radio was up 3% and network radio – despite a down fourth quarter (-2%) – was up 16%. National spot radio spending enjoyed a very good Q4 – up 8%. Kantar Media North America chief research officer Jon Swallen comments on ad spending across all media. “The advertising market has grown for three consecutive years and in 2012 it added more than $4 billion in spend, with the Summer Olympics and political advertising contributing about one-half of the gain. Large advertisers also played a significant role. After reducing their media budgets in 2011 as a precaution against slowing economic growth, the top 100 marketers reversed course in 2012 and invested more.”
On the Nashville Talk Radio Scene, Premiere Networks Begs to Differ. Last week TALKERS ran an item from WWTN, Nashville-based talk host Phil Valentine in which he claims to have the highest-cuming talk show in the market
based on the Arbitron Fall 2012 survey and beats Premiere Networks hosts Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck. Premiere tells TALKERS that, while technically that’s true, the claim is misleading. The company states, “Valentine has five more hours of programming per week than Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity, and 10 more hours of programming than Glenn Beck — a key factor in Cume calculations; Rush has a larger Average Quarter Hour, Share and TSL; Valentine is on the FM dial during PM Drive in his home market; not only are they in different dayparts, but the Avg. Weekly Cume for the market is also greater during PM Drive than it is for 11:00 am to 2:00 pm; the PUR is also greater.”
Talk Host Michael Graham Announces Digital Initiatives. Talk radio personality Michael Graham – who spent the past seven years hosting a show at Greater Media’s former news/talk WTKK, Boston – announces a new digital component to his brand to coincide with his recently announced Massachusetts-wide show heard on three Bay State signals. Graham says his show is now able to be heard online and via smartphones through an app available at his site MichaelGraham.com. That’s also where he’s operating his blog.
Michael Harrison Talks Candidly About Radio and its Future on WNYM (970 The Answer), New York. In an interview conducted by weekend talk show host Frank Morano (morning host Curtis Sliwa‘s executive producer) this past Saturday morning (3/9), TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison discusses his views on the state and future of AM/FM radio. In it Harrison states that the longevity of what is increasingly being marginalized as “terrestrial radio” will be determined by its broadcasters themselves and their dedication to preserving its legacy and pertinence to life in the 21st century. Harrison offers his unfiltered remedy for radio’s problems and offers a simple-but-powerful formula for its continued relevance. To hear Frank Morano’s interview with Michael Harrison click
Dr. Daliah Wachs Becomes a Pawn Star! Las Vegas-based medical doctor and nationally syndicated talk show host Daliah Wachs appeared on the March 11 edition of History Channel’s super-successful “Pawn Stars” show. She’s pictured here with the show’s Rick Harrison during a break in the shoot. During the program Daliah brought in an old pair of dental pliers used for tooth extraction and sold it for $170. Members of the TALKERS editorial board who saw the show last night raved that Daliah was “articulate, charming, and her adorable self.”
Breaking Bad at KKOB. Stars of the AMC hit series “Breaking Bad” visited Cumulus Media’s KKOB, Albuquerque – the city in which the quirky and compelling series is set – to discuss the show’s final season and much more. Pictured here are (from l-r): actor Bryan Cranston, who plays protagonist Walter White; actor Steven Michael Quezada, who plays DEA agent Steven Gomez; KKOB morning show host Bob Clark; and morning show producer Jeniffer Davis.
North Korea Threats, New York Soda Ban Stayed, Unemployed and Job Seekers Down, Papal Conclave, Washington Sequester Battle and Funding of ObamaCare Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/11). North Korea’s nuclear threats and dismissal of 1953 truce; New York Mayor Bloomberg’s sugary drinks ban hits judicial roadblock; unemployment figures down along with numbers of unemployed still seeking work; the search for a new Pope; the ongoing battle in Washington over the sequester; and Republican funding attacks on the Affordable Care Act were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Doug Stephan Breaks New Jewel Song on National Radio Show. Nationally syndicated “Good Day” host Doug Stephan (r) is pictured here broadcasting his program from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Area resident and international music star Jewel (l) joined the program as co-host for the day. She treated Doug and his listeners to a live, public debut of a new song that will be included on her coming Greatest Hits album. Tarleton State University president Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio (c) is seated between the two and held up the lyric sheet as Jewel performed the new song.
Mike O’Meara Show Airs on WTNT, Washington. Longtime Washington, DC radio personality Mike O’Meara takes his program to Metro Radio’s WTNT, Washington for the 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm show. O’Meara, who partnered with Don Geronimo for more than a decade at WJFK, Washington and in syndication via Westwood One, has been producing his program as a podcast. Now the show that includes newsman Buzz Burbank, Robb Spewak and Oscar Santana is airing on WTNT.
Retired Talk Legend Michael Jackson Makes Guest Appearance on WNYM, New York “AM 970 The Answer.” WNYM “AM 970 The Answer” full-time morning show producer and part-time weekend talk show host Frank Morano interviewed legendary talk show host Michael Jackson on the Salem-owned Big Apple signal this past weekend. The two discussed Jackson’s historic career which centered mostly around his pioneering work in Los Angeles during the
pre- and early-days of consolidation – mostly on KABC during its heyday – in addition to some national syndication. When asked how he feels about today’s radio scene and talk radio in general, Jackson bemoaned the state of consolidation and the massive debt that today’s big licensees have incurred. He blamed it on one word - “greed” – and expressed serious pessimism about the industry recovering from its present condition. When asked how he was able to accrue such an impressive roster of guest interviews on his show (presidents, world leaders, movie stars, and a wide array of legendary figures) Jackson offered today’s crop of talk show hosts the following advice: “Make the calls yourself!” He suggested that hosts do not get into the position of having “my people talk to your people.” He strongly endorsed the idea of maintaining a personal connection with all contacts. Michael Jackson is presently ranked #16 on the TALKERS “Heaviest Hundred: The 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts of All Time.” To hear Frank Morano’s interview with Michael Jackson click here.
Fox Sports Los Angeles Hosts Don Mattingly. Los Angeles Dodgers field manager Don Mattingly (c) sits down with Fox Sports Radio’s Petros Papadakis (l) and Matt “Money” Smith (r) for an hour to talk about spring training, why he left the game to move into management, and Tommy Lasorda’s love for Dodger blue. During this Los Angeles local hour of the program, 50 lucky listeners were invited to watch the show live and participate in a meet-and-greet with Mattingly following the interview. Photo by Varon Panganiban.
Dr. Wachs Talks Flu Shots on FNC. Nationally syndicated talk host Dr. Daliah Wachs (whose program is distributed nationally via Genesis Communications Network) is pictured here on Fox News Channel discussing the flu epidemic and flu shots. The Las Vegas-based Dr. Wachs is not only getting more national exposure due to her radio program but hits like this on FNC are pushing her national profile even higher.
Jeff Katz Sits in for Todd Schnitt. Talk radio pro Jeff Katz will be sitting in for nationally syndicated talk host Todd Schnitt tomorrow (Wednesday, January 16) on his WFLA, Tampa-based and Compass Media Networks-syndicated program.
ESPN Obtains Rights to 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic. The coverage will include a lot of Spanish-language broadcasting for ESPN. The sports giant’s multiyear, multimedia agreement with World Baseball Classic, Inc. to present the World Baseball Classic in both 2013 and 2017 includes exclusive Spanish-language rights, audio rights and extensive coverage across ESPN’s studio programming and digital platforms. Under the agreement, ESPN Deportes will provide comprehensive coverage as the Spanish-language home for both events, with live telecasts of all 39 games beginning with the three opening games on Saturday, March 2. In addition, ESPN Deportes Radio and ESPN Radio will broadcast games in Spanish and English. Other World Baseball Classic coverage highlights include: Rights to qualifying games for the 2017 event; Rights to simulcast select games in Spanish-language on ESPN and/or ESPN2; Rights to broadcast games across ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes Radio, with digital simulcasts permissible and more. ESPN Deportes general manager Lino Garcia says, “We have been the Spanish-language home of the World Baseball Classic since it started in 2006, and we are thrilled to be once again working with World Baseball Classic, Inc. to continue bringing coverage of the event. Baseball is one of the most-followed sports among the U.S. Hispanic market and the success of the 2006 and 2009 tournaments on ESPN Deportes proved this is a must-see event for these emerging, passionate fans. In addition, our coverage across ESPN Audio strengthens our extensive baseball content for our listeners on both ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes.”
In the Belly of the Technology Beast. Nationally syndicated weekend talk host Dave Graveline (r) hosts his “Into Tomorrow” consumer technology program from the recent 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Graveline, whose program uses the latest technology to deliver content in a multi-media fashion, kicked off his 18th year broadcasting the program to his 180-plus affiliates at the CES.
Debt Limit Hike Debate, Gun Legislation Controversy, Mali Violence Escalates, Golden Globe Awards, and Iran Responds to ‘Argo’ Film Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (1/14). The political battle in Washington over the debt ceiling and taxes; heated controversy over passing new gun legislation; France ramps up military efforts in Mali in response to terrorist group activity; Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards; and Iran responds to the film “Argo” about the 1979 revolution were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
