Tag: "KARN-FM"
Friday, March 29 ,2019
Programmer Peter Thiele Exits KARN-FM, Little Rock. Talk programming pro Peter Thiele tells TALKERS magazine he’s exited Cumulus Media’s news/talk KARN-FM, Little Rock after two years and is looking forward to his “next success story.” He comments, “What an amazing experience. I am profoundly grateful to the talented staff at KARN in Little Rock. In two years, we experienced explosive, in-demo ratings growth. I am excited for what is next.” You can reach Thiele at: thepeterthiele@gmail.com.
WVON, Chicago Announces New PM Drive Show. Chicago media personality Cliff Kelley is putting the wraps on his afternoon drive show at Midway Broadcasting’s urban news/talk WVON today. Chicago media reporter Robert Feder reports that the station is bringing back former station morning personality Matt McGill to partner with attorney and community activist Kimberley Egonmwan for the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm program, beginning Monday (4/1). As Feder notes, McGill quit the station in 2017 after Maze Jackson was brought in as co-host of the morning show. McGill had been hosting a show on Newsweb’s crosstown progressive talk station WCPT. Egonmwan has been serving as a contributor to WVON.
The Epoch Times Newspaper has Good Source Material for News/Talk Radio per Mueller Report Aftermath. The aftermath of the Robert Mueller Report is currently the hottest topic on news/talk radio in America. For the past two years, The Epoch Times international newspaper – based out of New York – has been following the Donald Trump presidency from a unique and insightful perspective and working closely with radio and TV hosts in providing guests and resources of value and interest to illuminate the topic. Now, the news organization is booking interviews for talk media with its knowledgeable editor-in-chief Jasper Fakkert to discuss the
subject of Russian collusion. According to Fakkert, “The Special Counsel investigation has concluded that there is no evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia. Attorney General William Barr has also determined that there is no obstruction of justice case. The news confirms reporting by The Epoch Times over the past two years that there was no evidence of collusion.” Fakkert continues, “A lot of media outlets, for one reason or another, bought into this narrative that the president colluded with Russia to win the election… we never bought in that narrative.” To arrange an interview with Jasper Fakkert, please call Lisa W. at 917-521-6028 or email her at lisaw@epochtimes.com. For further material, check out the fascinating “Spygate” infographic published by The Epoch Times in October of 2018 by clicking here.
TALKERS News Notes. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that market news pro Bob Roberts is retiring from his position with Entercom’s all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM on April 16. Roberts has been with the station since 2000. He previously had worked at former, longtime news station WMAQ (now sports talk WSCR)…..Westwood One adds a new podcast to The Empow(h)er Network. The “Mommies Tell All” podcast is hosted by The Bachelor’s Carly Waddell and Jade Roper and is billed as “an honest and hysterical take on women and motherhood.” The show was formerly known as “Babes and Babies” and returns with new episodes and all new tell-all stories…..With the sale of WYAY-FM, Atlanta from Cumulus Media to EMF, Cumulus and the Atlanta Braves agree to move the FM play-by-play broadcasts to WNNX “Rock 100.5.” The games are also heard on Dickey Broadcasting’s crosstown WCNN-AM “The Fan.” Atlanta Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller says, “Rock 100.5 gives us a fantastic opportunity to bring the excitement of this young Braves baseball team to Atlanta’s favorite rock station.”…..Nevada Public Radio is being awarded a $500,000 Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to be applied to its “Give Voice” Major Gift Initiative. The grant awarded will be used to complete a critical technical upgrade to the Nevada Public Radio broadcast hub and statewide network. President and CEO Florence Rogers says. “Nevada Public Radio delivers the Humanities ‘at scale’ without barrier to access. This grant will help protect access and infrastructure for another generation. On behalf of our campaign committee we are very humbled to be a recipient of NEH funding to further our mission.”
Mueller Report Aftermath Top News/Talk Story for Week of March 25-29. The aftermath of the Mueller investigation report was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was President Trump’s battle to take the Affordable Care Act off the books. Coming in at #3 was the unusual turn of events in the Jussie Smollett case, followed by the status of the U.S.-Mexico border wall and migrant caravans at #4. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. See this week’s entire chart here.
Digital Entertainment Leader Reza Izad Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. One of the most influential leaders in the digital entertainment movement, Reza Izad, is this week’s guest on the PodcastOne award-winning series “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Izad is co-founder and global CEO of Studio71, a multi-platform media company that produces and distributes original entertainment programming and is the most engaged digital network on YouTube with 1,300 channels driving 11 billion views a month. Under his leadership, Studio71 has expanded globally by joining the ProSiebenSat.1 Group and taking investments from France’s leading commercial
network, TF1, and Italian broadcaster Mediaset. Prior to Studio71, Izad was a partner at The Collective Management Group, the world’s largest management firm, where he led the music department and worked with artists such as Linkin Park, Kanye West, Enrique Iglesias, Slash, Counting Crows, Alanis Morissette and Michael Bolton. Previously, Izad was an agent at United Talent Agency (UTA), where he launched the firm’s music and branded entertainment divisions, working with Eminem, T-Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Prince, and more. At UTA, Izad also helped create award-winning brand integration campaigns for Fortune 500 companies such as Ammirati Puris Lintas, Kenneth Cole, Bausch & Lomb, and Loews Theatres. With Studio71 representing some of the top talent in digital, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Tyler Oakley, Lilly Singh, Grace Helbig, Rhett & Link, and Roman Atwood and producing premium scripted and unscripted digital content, Izad is a proven industry leader in the growing big-time internet entertainment space. He and Michael Harrison discuss the emerging 21st century content creation, marketing, and distribution paradigm. Don’t miss this! To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here or click on the player box marked “The Michael Harrison Interview” located in the right-hand column of the TALKERS email newsletter and on every page of Talkers.com.
PPM Analysis: Classic Rock. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s February 2019 PPM survey, today focusing on classic rock. More classic rock stations on our panel saw their weekly 6+ AQH shares go up (54%) than saw them drop or remain without change from January’s survey to February’s. About the same percentage (55%) of classic rockers went up from February 2017 to February 2018, led by Shamrock Communications’ WZBA, Baltimore (+2.4). In February, three classic rock stations ranked #1 (6+) in their respective markets: Beasley Media’s WCSX, Detroit; Entercom’s KSEG, Sacramento; and Cumulus Media’s KCFX, Kansas City. See Mike Kinosian’s entire report here.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Programming pro Dave Hill is named SVP of programming for iHeartMedia’s Indianapolis cluster, effective Monday (4/1). He’ll also hold the PD title for both classic rock WFBQ “Q95” and alternative WOLT “ALT 103.3.” Hill was most
recently program director for iHM’s classic rock WBGG, Miami “Big 105.9.” He says, “I’ve been fortunate to be a part of some amazing brands throughout my career and I can’t wait to get things rolling with these legendary call letters. I look forward to working very closely with ‘The Bob & Tom Show’ and our tremendously talented team to ensure continued growth and success in Indianapolis!”…..Alpha Media Louisville names Phillip “PK” Kukawinski content director and afternoon personality on alternative WGHL “ALT 105.1.” Cluster operations manager Ben Davis says, “Louisville is experiencing the return of an alternative station for the first time in many years and I believe Phil will have no problem cultivating and attracting new listeners. Phil is a creative, out-of-the-box thinker who lives and breathes the lifestyle. I’m excited to welcome him to Louisville and watch him put his unique stamp on ‘ALT 105.1.’”…..Olivia Newton-John told the Kallaway on the Rise Show on Midwest Communications‘ CHR WIFC, Wausau, Wisconsin that she’s going to auction off the leather pants and jacket that she wore for the triumphal “You’re The One That I Want” scene in the iconic film, Grease! She broke the news in the interview that were set up through Envision Networks’ Guest Services. She said, “I have the leather jacket and I have the leather pants and I’m going to auction them off for my cancer research center in Australia this year. So, if there’s any millionaire out there who wants to buy his daughter the pants and jacket, I’m going to be auctioning them off.”
Wednesday, May 21, 2017
Fox News Radio Unveils New Shows Featuring Todd Starnes and Tom Shillue. The two new talk radio programs fill the afternoon daypart – the Todd Starnes show airing from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET (7/5) and the Tom Shillue show following from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET (7/10). They replace the John Gibson and the Tom Sullivan shows, respectively. Fox News Radio says both programs are nationally syndicated
on terrestrial radio stations along with satellite and digital distribution on all multimedia and social platforms. The programs will also be part of a new multi-media video component with live streaming capabilities on FOXNews.com for consumers and partners. Additionally, Fox is renaming the 9:00 am to 12:00 noon ET “Kilmeade & Friends program “The Brian Kilmeade Show,” beginning on July 5. Starnes has been with Fox since 2005 and is a featured columnist on
FOXNews.com. Shillue is a stand-up comedian and former host of Fox News Channel’s “Red Eye.” He joined FNC in 2015 and remains a contributor to the network. Previously, Shillue was a correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” As for Gibson and Sullivan, John Gibson will continue hosting his program on the gibsonradio.com digital platform. Similarly, Sullivan will host his radio program on a limited basis on tomsullivan.com.
Peter Thiele Named KARN-FM, Little Rock Program Director. Talk radio programming pro Peter Thiele is appointed program director for Cumulus Media’s KARN-FM, Little Rock “Newsradio 102.9.” Cumulus Little Rock vice president and market manager Keith Liesmann states, “We are thrilled to have Peter join
our team at Cumulus Little Rock. Peter is a proven news/talk leader and we look forward to seeing KARN-FM continue to grow under his leadership. Peter’s background and success in the format and his experience in many different radio markets makes him the perfect program director for Central Arkansas’ heritage news/talk station.” Thiele has worked in markets including: New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis, San Antonio, Greenville/Spartanburg, and Huntsville.
Jim Philips to Retire from WTKS-FM, Orlando. The 70-year-old radio pro told his listeners on Tuesday (6/20) that he’s leaving iHeartMedia’s hot talk ‘Real Radio 104.1’ and the radio business to retire after a career that’s spanned 30 years in Central Florida. The Orlando Sentinel reports on Jim Philips’ announcement here, quoting his on-air announcement, “I’m retiring. I’m not retiring from life, I’m just retiring from this business…Everything I can do on the air I’ve done. Everything.”
PPM Analysis: All-News. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of all-news stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s May 2017 PPM survey. This month, the report notes that “a whopping seven of 10 stations on the news panel are down April 2017 – May 2017 (70%); roughly one in five are up (18%) and the remaining 12% remain flat (6+)…year-to-year stats in the all-news format are considerably more encouraging than month-to-month figures, as nearly half the stations on our eligible sample improve May 2016 – May 2017 (47%, 6+); 41% show a decrease; and the remaining 12% are unchanged.” Eight all-news stations ranked in the top five (6+) in their respective markets, with two – WWJ, Detroit and KCBS-AM, San Jose – ranking #1 in the May PPM survey. See the entire report here.
Stephanie Miller Featured in LA Weekly Piece. Talk radio star Stephanie Miller is the subject of a feature piece in LA Weekly that delves into her current media efforts taking on the Trump Administration, and serves as a retrospective of her radio, stage, TV and digital career. Regular TALKERS readers know Miller’s history as a progressive talk show host and, more recently, her work headlining the successful “Sexy Liberal Comedy” tours (the current one dubbed the “Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour”). In this story, TALKERS magazine publisher Michael Harrison is quoted, speaking of her career (including her revenue-generating digital platform), “It’s an amazing feat. She’s a major player in American talk radio, one of the biggest stars in internet talk and one of a handful of progressive hosts who have developed a large following of listeners from coast to coast. She’s a pioneer in the evolution of radio from the 20th to the 21st century.” Read the LA Weekly feature here.
TALKERS News Notes. The winners of this year’s Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association are being announced and ABC News Radio grabs two – one for Excellence in Sound and another for Excellence in Writing. ABC Radio vice president Steve Jones says, “The best radio journalism relies on vivid storytelling and riveting audio to transport listeners to the heart of a story. I’m so proud that ABC News Radio was recognized with two Edward R. Murrow Awards for Excellence in Sound and Excellence in Writing thanks to the work of ABC’s Alex
Stone and Scott Goldberg!”…..E.W. Scripps’ country-formatted KFDI, Wichita “101.3 Today’s KFDI” grabs a national Edward R. Murrow Award in the “Breaking News” category for its coverage of the 2016 workplace shooting in Hesston, Kansas. KFDI operations manager Justin Case comments, “This is a significant recognition for the KFDI radio news team and our second national Murrow Award in as many years. Our ability to provide urgent information to our community in a breaking news situation is at the core of what we do and it is truly rewarding to receive recognition of our efforts from the RTDNA.”…..CBS RADIO New York launches
“FOMO New York City,” a daily e-newsletter that delivers the latest New York-centric news and updates right to a subscriber’s inbox. It features stories from CBS RADIO New York’s radio stations and websites, plus select content from the most-read NYC media, including: The New York Times, Gothamist, TimeOut New York and others. CBS RADIO New York SVP/market manager Marc Rayfield says, “FOMO New York City delivers top local news in an easy-to-read format that makes sense for how we live and consume media today. As a leader in delivering the most up-to-the-minute news in the most fast-paced city in the nation, we are uniquely poised to reach busy New Yorkers at the start of their day.”…..A new culinary podcast starring Richard Blair, winner of Bravo’s “Top Chef” and “Top Chef All-Stars” launches on the PodcastOne platform. PodcastOne says listeners will hear from anyone and everyone in the industry, including restaurateurs, television hosts, famous chefs, producers of cooking and competition shows and more.
Lars Larson Broadcasts from Baton Rouge. Pictured above is KXL, Portland and Compass Media Networks talk radio personality Lars Larson (second from right) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he was broadcasting from affiliate station WBRP. Larson tells TALKERS magazine that some of the station’s hosts joined him on a panel discussion at the Baton Rouge City Club with U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves that was aired on WBRP. Pictured (from l-r) are: WBRP hosts Clarence Buggs, Bill Profita, and Kevin Gallagher, Larson, and Rep. Graves.
Georgia Congressional Race, Trump-Russia Investigation, U.S.-Russia Military Tensions/Syria Strikes, Michael Brown-Ferguson Settlement, Uber CEO Resigns, New Saudi Heir, and MLB Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (6/20). Republican Karen Handel beats Democrat Jon Ossoff for Georgia’s sixth congressional district seat; the special counsel investigation into possible ties between Trump campaign operatives and Russian agents; the military tensions between the U.S. and Russia over recent U.S. strikes in Syria; the family of Michael Brown settles a civil suit against the city of Ferguson; Uber founder Travis Kalanick resigns his CEO post with the company; Saudi Arabia names 31-year-old Mohammed bin Salman successor to the throne; and Major League Baseball action among top news/talk stories yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
C. Crane Earbuds Were a Big Hit at TALKERS Convention. One of the unexpected hits at the recent Talkers 2017: A New Era was a product distributed to all attendees in the goodie bag – the new C. Crane’s “CC Buds Pro-Mic” earbuds that are specifically designed for talk radio listening on smartphones. Here at TALKERS, we have been hearing nothing but rave reviews from those who received a pair at the event. The vast majority of high-quality earbuds are built for music and have enhanced bass response. C. Crane’s CC Buds-Pro have high-quality materials but are designed for voice clarity, allowing voices to cut through better. They have accurate bass that’s similar to studio monitor-type bass response which is precise but not booming. Six different earbud covers are provided for custom comfort. Included are three sets of small, medium and large covers in soft silicone and the same three sizes in compressible foam. The foam covers provide enhanced bass and noise isolation. Users can select the best fitting covers for their ears. For more information about this talk radio-friendly product, please click here.
Where Is the Next Generation of Radio and Talk Media Talent Being Developed? Since the advent of consolidation, it is no secret that the small and medium market “farm system” that developed radio talent so effectively for decades has been decimated by budget cutbacks, syndication, automation and liner cards. Local radio stations that were once hotbeds of activity and lots of entry level opportunities have largely been replaced by computerized, less populated, more sterile operations. Fortunately, there are hopeful signs of life on college radio stations across America. One of the leaders in this arena is Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York (the
location of two recent presidential debates and 2016’s TALKERS convention). The school’s famous WRHU was last year’s recipient of the NAB’s Marconi Award as best non-commercial station in the nation and Princeton Review rated it the nation’s best college radio station for two consecutive years. Radio Hofstra University operations director John T. Mullen joins host Michael Harrison as this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “Up Close and Far Out.” They talk about the state of broadcasting going forward as well as the nature of millennials and today’s young radio hopefuls. To listen to the podcast in its entirety please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player box located in the right-hand column on every page of Talkers.com.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Programming and on-air pro Rex Long moves from Cumulus Media’s Montgomery cluster to the Colorado Springs operations to serve as program director and air talent for CHR KKMG “98.9 Magic FM.” He’s been programming
WHHY “Y102” in Montgomery. Cumulus Colorado Springs OM Bobby Irwin states, “There were dozens of remarkable candidates for the position and Rex stood out as so positive and creative, with the leadership qualities that a station the size of ‘Magic FM’ deserves.”…..SiriusXM is airing Guns N’ Roses live show at Harlem’s Apollo Theater on July 20. It’s a special, invitation-only concert for SiriusXM subscribers and it was announced on the Howard Stern show. It’ll air on SiriusXM’s Guns N’ Roses
Radio and the Howard 101 channel…..Non-commercial triple A WYMS, Milwaukee “88Nine Radio Milwaukee” is now broadcasting and streaming around the clock its new “414Music.fm” HD2 broadcast radio channel and mobile and online stream. The new channel and stream from the Milwaukee Public Schools-run station is the first to broadcast only Milwaukee music, bolstering its commitment to play and support local bands. Program director Jordan Lee says, “Radio Milwaukee is uniquely positioned to program an all-Milwaukee-music channel because of our focus on Milwaukee artists since we first went on air 10 years ago. We’re proud to play all Milwaukee music because it rivals music from any city in the country.”
Thursday, June 2, 2016
John Clayton to Host Daily Show on KIRO-AM, Seattle. Seattle-based ESPN writer and commentator John Clayton expands his role with Bonneville sports talker KIRO-AM “710 ESPN” to include hosting a daily 10:00 am to 12:00 noon show, effective June 6. Clayton has been appearing on
the station’s local shows for several years and he’ll continue to be heard weekdays at 7:15 am on “Brock and Salk,” weekdays at 4:00 pm on “Danny, Dave & Moore,” and Saturdays on his own 9:00 am to 12:00 noon show. Clayton says, “I’ve spent 30 years in the Pacific Northwest, and the time couldn’t have been better to expand my local presence here at 710 ESPN Seattle. I’m also excited to focus on the Seahawks, Mariners and the Seattle sports scene in an expanded role for 710sports.com.” Station VP/GM Dave Pridemore adds, “We are thrilled at the opportunity to include the most highly acclaimed local sports media personality to our local weekday lineup. With over 1.4 million Twitter followers and a Hall of Fame résumé, John Clayton will be a tremendous addition for both 710 ESPN Seattle and 710sports.com.”
The Presidential Race, Hillary Clinton Emails Investigation, the Zika Virus, UCLA Professor Shooting, Cincinnati Gorilla Case, and NBA-NHL Finals Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (6/1). The activities of the candidates for president; the ongoing investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server for State Department business; concerns about the spread of the Zika virus and the Obama Administration’s plans to combat the spread of the virus; the murder of a UCLA professor allegedly by a student upset about his grades; the aftermath of the euthanizing of a rare gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo after a child entered the animal’s enclosure; and the NBA and NHL Finals were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Longtime Central Arkansas Newsman Killed in Auto Crash. KARN-FM, Little Rock morning news anchor Gary Digiuseppe was driving from his home to the station early yesterday morning (6/1) when his car was struck head on by a woman driving the wrong way on I-430. Both Digiuseppe and the unidentified woman died in the accident. Digiuseppe anchored the news on KARN-FM’s “First News with Kevin Miller.” He leaves behind his wife, Mary.
Deirdre Palmer Named GSM for Beasley Las Vegas. Sin City sales pro Deirdre Palmer joins the Beasley Media Group, Inc. cluster there to serve as general sales manager. The company says that Deedy Palmer’s experience in the Las Vegas market includes two decades of radio industry experience, along with magazine and custom publishing, and most recently, vice president of sales at Las Vegas-based Kemp Broadcasting (operator of hip hop KVEG and hot AC KVGQ). Beasley Vegas director of sales Mark Sturcken says, “Deedy’s professional success and client relationships have secured millions of dollars in business over the years. I’ve had the pleasure working alongside my colleague Deedy for 10 years as senior account executives and most recently, I competed against her! Her talent, relationships and passion for our business in the Las Vegas market are second to none.”
Odds & Sods. Winston-Salem, North Carolina news/talk WSJS is moving its studios from the current location in Winston-Salem east to the town of Kernersville where the two other Crescent Media Group stations are based. Station manager Al Bunch tells the Winston-Salem Journal that the move allows them to centralize their operations. WSJS has been at its current location for almost 50 years…..Saga Communications is announcing it is paying a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share for shareholders of record on June 15. The dividend is payable on July 8…..SiriusXM is serving as the exclusive national radio broadcaster for the 116th U.S. Open Championship. The satcaster will offer listeners extensive coverage from historic Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania throughout U.S. Open week, including all four days of Championship play – June 16 through 19…..AudioBoom and the podcast series “Undisclosed” announces they’ve expanded their partnership with an exclusive premium ad sales agreement. The podcast investigates possible wrongful convictions, and producers say the series generated more than 80 million listens in its first season last year with a deep-dive into the case of The State of Maryland v Adnan Syed. The show is hosted by attorneys Rabia Chaudry, Susan Simpson, and Colin Miller. The weekly podcasts are followed by an addendum featuring Emmy Award-winning actor Jon Cryer.
Bold Gold Media Group CEO Vince Benedetto Interviewed on ‘Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison.’ One of the rising young stars of radio station group ownership, Vince Benedetto, is the guest on this week’s installment of the PodcastOne international hit “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison.” Benedetto, who just turned 40, bought his first station at 29. In slightly more than a decade, he has built Bold Gold Media Group into a chain that owns and operates nine radio stations, fifteen broadcast frequencies, and multiple digital media platforms throughout Eastern Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. Benedetto is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, a former Air Force captain and Air Force OSI special agent, where he worked on counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism and felony level investigative efforts for the Department of
Defense. In 2013, Bold Gold was nominated for a Pennsylvania Governor’s ImPAct Award for Entrepreneurialism and Vince was recently named by RadioInk magazine as one of the “Top 30 Under 40 Rising Stars in the Radio Industry.” Benedetto also established and runs a non-profit foundation providing support for young people entering broadcasting and studying the U.S. Constitution. In the podcast, Harrison and Benedetto discuss the extremely positive aspects of radio ownership that still exist in 2016 and analyze broadcast radio’s transition into the digital era. They examine the differences between the Boomer and Millennial generations (as well as Generations X and Y) and Benedetto applies his experience in the US intelligence community to the principles of operating a media business as well as commenting on the nation’s present positioning in the struggle against international terrorism. To listen to the entire podcast please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player box located on every page of Talkers.com and RadioInfo.com.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Limbaugh Commenting on Colbert’s Hiring: “War on the Heartland of America.” Clearly – not everyone was doing cartwheels regarding yesterday’s announcement that CBS-TV has selected Stephen Colbert to replace David Letterman as “Late Show” host when Letterman departs
sometime next year. Colbert will gear up for the new assignment by retiring his fake conservative persona (which he has described as a “well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot”) on Comedy Central‘s “Colbert Report” at the end of this year. Perhaps the most vociferous and vitriolic public comments concerning the late-night succession involving Colbert were made by Rush Limbaugh on Thursday’s (4/10) Premiere Networks broadcast. He claims that CBS-TV’s hiring of Colbert has, “declared war on the heartland of America. No longer is comedy going to be a covert assault on traditional American values, conservative values. Now it is just out in the open. What this hire means is a redefinition of what is funny, and a redefinition of what is comedy, and they’re blowing up the 11:30 format.” Limbaugh and Letterman are hardly allies, yet Limbaugh noted that, “The world is changing – people don’t want the kind of comedy that Carson gave us, or even Letterman gave us. It is the media planting a flag. There is no unity in this hire.” Furthermore, Limbaugh contends that CBS-TV has, “hired a partisan, [a] so-called comedian, to run a comedy show.”
WABC, New York’s John Batchelor to Debut Author Video Series on WABCradio.com. WABC, New York and WestwoodOne syndicated talk show host John Batchelor begins a new online video program titled “John Batchelor Author Series” (sponsored by online bookseller Entitle) in which he “takes his appreciation of literature, history, and political intrigue to a new level” via long-form interviews with today’s most intriguing authors. Batchelor comments, “I used to be an author, and I enjoy the enthusiasm of hearing in depth of a new book, well told by the person who survived the research, the writing and the publishing. It’s fun for me to learn the stories of the making of the stories.” WABC program director Craig Schwalb states, “No one does books better than John Batchelor, and the ‘Author Series’ proves that. This is a natural extension of John’s passion and we hope that his listeners in New York and across the country will enjoy it.” The program launches with an in-depth interview of Thomas Cahill the author of Heretics and Heroes. Future episodes include: Robert Klara author of FDR’s Funeral Train, Eri Hotta author of Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy and George H. Nash author of The Crusade Years 1933-1955. Fresh episodes will appear weekly on wabcradio.com.
KARN-FM, Little Rock Names PD; Seeks Afternoon Host. Little Rock news/talker KARN-FM names Adam Thomas program director for the station and the Arkansas Radio Network. Thomas takes over for longtime PD and PM drive host Dave Elswick who, along with morning host Bob Steel and news director Jack Heinritz, exited the station last week. Thomas is seeking a new afternoon drive personality for the station and says, “The afternoon show should be a compelling blend of information and entertainment. Opinion and point-of-view are important, but this program must appeal to a broad segment of the Little Rock community. Candidates must have a mastery of current events, a relentless curiosity, and the ability and desire to talk about more than politics. A willingness and ability to engage the audience outside the show via personal appearances, digital media and other channels is a must.” Send resumes and airchecks or links to cumulusradio.jobs@cumulus.com with “Little Rock PM Host” in the subject line. Cumulus Media is an EOE.
Former Governor, WTIC Host John Rowland Indicted on Federal Elections Violations Charges. A week after former Connecticut Governor John Rowland resigned from his afternoon drive talk show on CBS RADIO’s WTIC, Hartford, he has been indicted by a federal grand jury on seven counts related to alleged illegal campaign activity. Rowland, who resigned from the governor’s office in 2004 and eventually served 10 months in prison after being charged with corruption, is this time accused of scheming to work for two Connecticut political campaigns and trying to conceal from both the public and the Federal Elections Commission that he was being paid by the campaigns.
WTJK, Janesville to Flip to News/Talk. The newly acquired Janesville, Wisconsin sports talker that Scott Thompson’s Big Radio purchased from Craig Karmazin’s Good Karma Broadcasting is flipping to news/talk as “The Big AM 1380” beginning Monday, April 14. The station – an ESPN Radio outlet under Good Karma’s ownership – will focus on local content and Scott Thompson will host the morning drive show. The rest of the day will feature: Glenn Smith from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, Andrew Liebetrau & Andy Gannon from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, Tony Huml from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and Sly from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Program director Andrew Liebetrau comments, “We are incredibly excited to do more for our local listeners, partners and communities. Not only will we have a lot of great new and local content, but we will continue to offer some of the great local programs we have had for years.”
Odds & Sods. Former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer is producing a weekly podcast for Sports USA Network. Sports USA president Bob Moore says, “Jake Plummer is a true superstar with a huge following in the college and pro football sports world. We are excited to add Jake’s show to our growing list of digital audio programs as we continue to produce current, fresh, and informative sports programming.” Plummer is currently an NFL game analyst on Sports USA’s “Sunday Doubleheader” package as well as a college football analyst on the Pac-12 Television Network…..Alison Cuddy exits Chicago Public Media-owned WBEZ, Chicago where she has been serving as arts & culture reporter and producer. She leaves to become program director for the Chicago Humanities Festival…..The “Sports Business Radio” show, hosted by creator Brian Berger, celebrates its 10th year on the air. It debuted on KXL, Portland and then moved to national syndication via Sports Byline USA Network.
Meet the New Boss. The New York-based staff of ABC News Radio poses for a photo with newly named ABC News president James Goldston (at center). Goldston was given a standing ovation by the ABC News Radio staff when he visited them today just hours after getting the top job at the network. Goldston, most recently senior vice president overseeing content and development, succeeds Ben Sherwood who is stepping down from the president position in a few weeks after assisting Goldston during the transition phase.
ObamaCare Criticism Top Talk Story for Week of April 7-11. The ongoing scrutiny of the rollout and effects of the Affordable Care Act was again the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio during the week. At #2 was the 2016 presidential race tied with this fall’s mid-term elections. Following at #3 was global warming and at #4 was the move to charge former IRS official Lois Lerner with contempt tied with Kathleen Sebelius’ resignation as Health and Human Services Secretary. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Former Connecticut Governor John Rowland Resigns from WTIC, Hartford Show as New Corruption Probe Intensifies. The former Connecticut governor resigned from office in 2004 amidst corruption charges to which he eventually pleaded guilty and served 10 months in federal prison. He began a talk show host career on CBS RADIO’s WTIC,
Hartford in 2010 – for the first two years with co-host Pastor Will Marotti of the New Life Church in Meriden before going solo – but now that gig is over as Rowland stepped down yesterday without addressing the new allegations. The Hartford Courant reports that testimony from local businessman Brian Foley and his wife, Lisa Wilson-Foley (a former congressional candidate) stated in federal court that they used a phony consulting contract with Rowland to pay him for political assistance to Wilson-Foley’s failed 2012 campaign. Rowland faces possible indictment by a grand jury. WTIC program director Jenneen Lee tells the paper Pastor Will Marotti will step into the afternoon drive slot beginning Monday. Read the entire Courant piece here.
Big Changes at KARN-FM, Little Rock; PM Driver Dave Elswick Out along with AM Drive’s Bob Steel and ND. Longtime afternoon drive personality and program director Dave Elswick announces via Facebook that he’s out at Cumulus Media’s KARN-FM, Little Rock. Here’s his post: “I ask for your prayers tonight. After nearly 14 years on KARN I was fired by Cumulus Media. Bob Steel and news director Jack Heintz were also fired. I have no idea what will be on the station tomorrow. Know that I love every one of you who have supported me over these years. God Bless.” There were rumors of change at the news/talk outlet swirling but nothing concrete had been put out. As of now, the KARN-FM website lists the AM and PM drive dayparts generically. It’s possible Cumulus is clearing the afternoon deck to move Michael Savage into a live slot from the current late night delayed broadcast.
Criticism of Mets Infielder’s Paternity Leave Reversed as WFAN’s Boomer Esiason Apologizes. The decision by New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy to miss two games to be with his wife in Florida after she delivered their son on Opening Day was a hot topic of conversation on New York sports talk radio and both WFAN afternoon host Mike Francesa and morning drive co-host Boomer Esiason opined that two games was too many to miss. But during the initial chatter, Esiason said that he’d have asked his wife to schedule a C-section in order to be with his teammates for the games. The MLB CBA allows for up to three days of paternity leave. Esiason apologized on WFAN’s morning show today (4/4), calling his comments “insensitive” and expressing contrition for having put the Murphy family’s personal lives “under a spotlight.” He also said his C-section comment was not intended to mean he was telling women what to do with their bodies.
Nielsen Audio Quantifies the Obvious: Opening Day Is Big for Radio. What’s well known to radio practitioners is put into numbers by Nielsen Audio from this season’s Opening Day. While baseball – from a ratings standpoint – will be good to most MLB flagships this year, some of the Opening Day numbers are truly spectacular. In Cincinnati, flagship WLW pulled a 46.6 share with Men 25-54 on a 12+ cume of 270,700. Also, it’s interesting to note the difference in cume and share from the Cubs at Pirates broadcasts where the woebegone Cubs fans in Chicago didn’t appear to have the same passion (via radio, anyway) as the recharged Bucs backers in Pittsburgh. Check out the data here.
Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze Radio Network Reports Streaming Success. The digital side of Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze Radio Network reports that it makes its debut as one of the top 20 most-listened-to streams in America, according to Triton Digital‘s February 2014 ranker. TheBlaze president and chief content officer Joel Cheatwood states, “When we launched TheBlaze Radio Network in January 2013 we did so with the goal of being one of the top online radio stations in America. In our first month of accredited measurement, it is exciting to see our single stream on the same list as these established multi-stream services.”
Entercom Boston Boosts Mozdiez to Director of Integrated Media Strategies. It is a position the cluster specifically crafts for Carlson Mozdiez, who is elevated from director of digital operations. New responsibilities for the Syracuse University graduate include developing/executing customer-facing brand messaging, including live events, contesting and promotions, external advertising,
websites, video, and social media. Entercom Boston vice president/market manager Phil Zachary comments, “Streamlining our ever-expanding array of digital and marketing channels, which connect the most valuable radio consumers in New England to our brands and our advertisers, makes logistical sense. Carlson is the ideal leader to spearhead these innovative efforts.” Mozdiez remarks that, “It is an exciting time as we continue to develop and optimize the ways people interact with our stations while creating new means for advertisers to access our audiences.” Entercom Boston consists of rock WAAF, sports WEEI-FM, sports WEEI-AM, news/talk WRKO, the Boston Red Sox Radio Network and their respective web properties. Mozdiez joined Entercom in 2002 as promotion coordinator for WEEI and WRKO.
Dennis Miller Celebrates Radio Anniversary. Today marks the seventh anniversary of entertainer Dennis Miller’s nationally syndicated WestwoodOne radio program. The “Saturday Night Live” alum is commemorating the day with special guests including: Mark Steyn, nationally syndicated columnist and author of After America: Get Ready for Armageddon; Bob Saget, comedian and author of Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian; Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky; David Spade, comedian; Frank Sinatra Jr.; and fellow SNL alum Dana Carvey.
KDKA-AM’s Larry Richert to Be Roasted for Charity. Pittsburgh talk radio personality Larry Richert – co-host of the “KDKA Morning News on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA” will be the guest of honor at a Roast & Toast on Friday, April 25 to be roasted and toasted by friends and co-workers to benefit the Roxsan Betters Albanese Foundation. This foundation helps financially challenged families with children who are terminally ill or face a life threatening situation. Fellow KDKA-AM talk host Rob Pratte will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
Odds & Sods. When Premiere Networks’ “America Now with Andy Dean” hits the air tonight, WTAG, Worcester morning drive talk show host Paul Westcott will be in the host chair. Westcott has become a regular fill-in for Dean when he’s away…..This weekend’s NCAA Final Four is being covered by SiriusXM. The satcaster says it’ll offer subscribers comprehensive coverage of this weekend’s action plus analysis on the College Sports Nation channel from hoops experts such as three-time ACC Coach of the Year Bobby Cremins, Hall of Fame Michigan State guard Mateen Cleaves, former Villanova and UMass coach Steve Lappas, former University of Vermont coach Tom Brennan, plus Tim Brando, Mark Packer, Chris Childers and Jason Horowitz…..Birach Broadcasting’s sports talker KXRQ, Des Moines announces it’s the newest affiliate for Kansas City Royals baseball play-by-play……Sunrise Broadcasting strikes an agreement with Sea-Comm Media to use the latter’s translator W240AS, Wilmington at 95.9 FM to augment the signal of its sports talk WMFD “ESPN Wilmington,” heard on 630 AM.
ObamaCare Criticism Remains Atop Talkers TenTM. The major political issue of the past year – the passage of the Affordable Care Act – continues to be one of the top news/talk radio stories and was again the most-talked-about topic this week, according to ongoing research from TALKERS. Coming in at #2 this week was the deadly Fort Hood Shooting. At #3 was the looming mid-term elections tied with the potential candidates in the 2016 presidential election, and at #4 was this week’s Supreme Court campaign donation ruling. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Inside SportsTalkBoston.com. The surprising exit of longtime WEEI sports talk personality Glenn Ordway last year and the departure some months later of station programmer Jason Wolfe saw big changes in the Boston sports talk scene. Those changes are becoming even more high profile with the debut of Ordway’s new multi-platform sports talk destination
SportsTalkBoston.com. Regular TALKERS readers are aware Wolfe is signing on with the venture to serve as chief content officer. In this exclusive story, Wolfe goes into a bit more detail about not only what the future will bring to SportsTalkBoston.com, but he writes about Ordway’s place in the hearts and minds of Boston sports media fans and how that plays into the execution of the content. As Wolfe says, “Personality breeds engagement. Engagement breeds loyalty. Loyalty breeds ratings and ratings breed revenue. That is the formula hosts and shows need to embrace today if they want to win.” Read this entire piece here.
WTOP, Washington Takes ‘Top Biller’ Crown for Fourth Year Straight. The annual top radio billers report from BIA/Kelsey is out and although Hubbard Radio’s all-news WTOP, Washington dropped a little over $1 million in billing from 2012 to 2013, at a reported $63.5 million it still was the nation’s #1 biller, beating Clear Channel’s CHR KIIS-FM, Los Angeles by about $2 million. KIIS-FM had a good year, adding almost $5 million to its revenue total to report in at $61.6 million. Rounding out the top 10 for 2013 were: Clear Channel’s CHR WHTZ, New York “Z100” at $51 million; CBS RADIO’s all-news WCBS-AM at $50 million; Clear Channel’s AC WLTW, New York “106.7 Lite FM” at $45.5 million; CBS RADIO all-news WINS at $45 million; Clear Channel’s hot AC KBIG, Los Angeles “104.3 MYfm” at $44.5 million; CBS RADIO’s sports talk WFAN, New York “The Fan” at $43 million; CBS RADIO’s alternative KROQ, Los Angeles at $42.8 million; and CBS RADIO’s all-news WBBM, Chicago wraps the top 10 at $42 million.
Entercom Loosens Load on ‘ESPN Upstate’ Personality Greg McKinney. In addition to his work at Entercom Greenville’s sports talk duo WORD-AM/WYRD-AM “ESPN Upstate” where he’s host of “In The Huddle with Greg McKinney” from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, McKinney had been doing mornings on sister AC WSPA “Magic
98.9.” (He also handles anchoring the “College Football Today” pregame show on rock WTPT “93.3 The Planet.”) The company adds “Murphy, Sam and Jodi” on WSPA for morning drive and relieves McKinney of the daily double duty. Entercom Greenville VP and market manager Steve Sinicropi comments, “Our sports coverage in terms of talent, teams and signal coverage is unmatched in this market. We are thrilled that the person who will become the local face of ‘ESPN Upstate’ was already in our stable. Putting Greg McKinney on ESPN with a live and local show, not only plays to his strengths and talents, but it provides our clients with an additional and valuable touch point to connect with a highly sought after consumer.”
Entercom Sets Milwaukee and Madison Managers. Former Cumulus Mobile vice president/market manager Chuck Sullivan is tapped for similar duties at Entercom Milwaukee, while Entercom Madison director of sales Ed Schulz is elevated to vice president/market manager of that Wisconsin market. They succeed Michael Keck (see next story), who was overseeing both markets. Regional president Michael Doyle comments, “Entercom is proud to add two of the strongest people in radio to our leadership team. Chuck and Ed bring with them a wealth of experience, unique perspectives and a passion to make their powerful brands and their clusters not only the strongest in the state, but in all of radio.” Meanwhile, Sullivan remarks, “Entercom Milwaukee has some of the most powerful and iconic brands from [CHR WXSS] ‘Kiss-FM’ to [hot AC WMYX] ‘Mix’ to [WSSP] ‘SportsRadio 1250.” Schulz adds, “Madison is a special place and Entercom has distinct brands that not only connect with the community, but deliver results for our clients. I am proud of what we have accomplished in Madison and am excited for the future. Before joining Cumulus, Sullivan spent nine years as managing partner of Wilmington, North Carolina’s Ocean Broadcasting. Schulz joined Entercom two years ago and will be responsible for adult alternative WMMM “Triple M,” classic hits WOLX, and hot AC WMHX “Mix 105.1.”
CBS RADIO Twin Cities Names Keck VP/DOS. As referenced in the story above, sales pro Michael Keck moves northwest from Entercom Milwaukee to the Twin Cities where he’s the new vice president/director of sales at CBS RADIO Minneapolis, effective April 7. The company says that in this role, he will be responsible for overseeing sales in the market for news/talk WCCO, adult hits KZJK “104.1 Jack FM,” and country KMNB “BUZ’N@102.9.” Keck will work closely with Michael Weiss, CBS RADIO’s president of sales and report to Mick Anselmo, senior vice president and market manager for the Minneapolis cluster. Keck comments, “I am thrilled to be coming back to the Twin Cities. It’s a tremendous privilege to be associated with two powerful FM stations and one of America’s most legendary and successful AM brands in WCCO. I can’t wait to be a part of the CBS RADIO team in this vibrant radio and media marketplace.”
Sun Broadcast Group to Rep Envision Networks’ Spanish Content. An exclusive ad sales agreement has been struck between Sun Broadcast Group, Inc. and Envision Networks for Sun to rep Envision’s Spanish-language inventory that includes: CNN en Español, Fox Deportes and AccuWeather en
Español. Envision president and CEO Danno Wolkoff states, “Jason Bailey and his team at Sun Broadcast will increase our presence in the Spanish advertising arena. They will represent our programming, services and online audio product lineups to Hispanic advertisers and maximize the scope of our network’s reach and frequency and the amount of impressions it delivers for clients.”
Beasley Honors Pretzello with President’s Club Award. This in-house sales award for the calendar year 2013 goes to Beasley Broadcast Augusta senior account executive Debbie Pretzello for the third time. The President’s Club consists of Beasley sales executives inducted annually for their abilities to meet or exceed individual and market goals, attain accreditation from the Radio Advertising Bureau as Certified Radio Marketing Consultants (CRMC), and over-deliver their clients’ expectations on a daily basis. One account executive in each market in which Beasley operates is named to the Club monthly. At year’s end, each market names a winner based on overall performance. Additionally, the individual with the highest ranking from this notable pool of top-performers is named Beasley’s “President’s Club Overall Winner” for the previous calendar year. Beasley EVP of sales Heather Monahan says, “We are thrilled that Debbie Pretzello continues to lead our Augusta sales team and is recognized for her third time as our ‘Overall President’s Club Winner.’ Retaining talent in our business is of the utmost importance to Beasley. Debbie forges ahead year after year, raising the bar for our sales organization. Her ability to win multiple awards signifies her vast talent for delivering results for her local clients. Debbie Pretzello earned the title ‘Overall President’s Club Winner’ again this year by providing ROI for her customers, that’s something that makes us very proud.”
Odds & Sods. When the New York Yankees’ season kicks off on April 1, Spanish-speaking listeners in the New York area will be able to hear the games in Spanish on Univsion-owned WADO, New York. CBS RADIO’s WFAN-AM/FM – the new rights holder for Yankees games, agrees to the deal that will have WFAN producing the games with Rickie Ricardo and Francisco Rivera in the booth for the Spanish-language broadcast…..WMBD, Peoria afternoon duo “Robbins & Markley” – (pictured here) Scott Robbins (l) and Jamie Markley (r) – are sitting in for the vacationing Jim Villanucci on Alpha Broadcasting’s KXL, Portland this week…..The weekly two-hour “Both Sides Now” program – hosted by Mark Green and featuring talk media personalities including: Ron Reagan, Katrina van den Heuvel, Eliot Spitzer, Bob Shrum, Jonathan Alter, Mary Matalin, Erick Erickson, David Frum, Rich Lowry and Torie Clarke – signs up with Focus 360 to handle ad sales for the program.
Tackling Big Issues. KARN-FM, Little Rock program director and afternoon drive host Dave Elswick (right) poses for a photo with former Israeli Ambassador Yoram Ettinger (left) after two spoke on Elswick’s program about Israel and the country’s complex relationship with the U.S., Iran and the Palestinians. Ettinger served as Minister for Congressional Affairs at Israel’s Embassy in Washington. Elswick will be speaking on the “Big Picture” panel at Talkers New York 2014 in New York City on Friday, June 20.
ObamaCare Criticism, Michelle Obama in China, Hague Nuke Summit, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Fate, Mid-Term Elections/ 2016 Presidential Race, NSA Bulk Data Collection Policy and Nick Cannon ‘Whiteface’ Controversy Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/25). Scrutiny of the rollout and effects of the Affordable Care Act; coverage of First Lady Michelle Obama’s trip to China and her speech about America’s discriminatory past; President Obama’s comments about Russia and a possible NYC nuclear threat made at the Nuclear Security Summit at the Hague; the possible fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370; prognostication about the fall mid-term elections and the 2016 presidential race; the fate of the NSA’s bulk data collection policy; and musician/TV personality Nick Cannon’s “whiteface” photo controversy were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Les Moonves Still Says CBS Likes Radio. If CBS is interested in selling its radio properties, CBS president and CEO Les Moonves isn’t spilling the beans. CBS presented at Deutsche Bank’s DbAccess 21st Annual
Media and Telecom Conference yesterday and when asked by Deutsche Bank’s Douglas Mitchelson about the flat performance of radio in general, Moonves said the company still likes radio for its cash. “We like radio. Once again, low-single digit growth, revenue, OIBDA. It’s still a very great cash business with great margins. We still like running it. We have no intent to sell it as many people are watching terrestrial radio today as watching 10 years ago, even with all these things going on with satellite and everything else. It is what it is. We like the business, it produces cash every year. We like having the amount of cash we have, where our balance sheet is certainly in great shape, partially because of radio.”
Cumulus-Cox Suit Over Birmingham Sports Programmer Settle; PD Returns to WJOX. The battle between sports talkers WJOX – owned by Cumulus Media – and crosstown start-up WZNN – owned by Cox Media Group but soon to be officially acquired by SummitMedia along with Cox’s other Birmingham stations – has been a hotbed of legal action over the past couple of years. But as the closing by SummitMedia on WZNN “97.3 The Zone” nears, one battle appears to have been settled. Programmer Ryan Haney – who jumped from WJOX to WZNN back in late January only to have his move challenged in court by Cumulus – returns to WJOX. The Birmingham News reports neither side is commenting on any such deal. Haney’s contract had expired more than two years ago but he’d been working as an at-will employee. He left WJOX the same day popular sports talk personality Paul Finebaum left at the expiration of his contract. Finebaum is not working in the business as he is expected to join WZNN after his non-compete expires.
So, You Want to be Syndicated? Noted radio consultant and TALKERS columnist Holland Cooke says, “I can help you…but first, can I talk you out of it? Even though being syndicated seems to be the dream of most local or even wannabe radio talk show hosts, having your show run on a string of stations around the country is a goal that 1) is extremely difficult to attain; and 2) might not be worth the effort at this point in the industry’s evolution. Read Holland Cooke’s fascinating, eye-opening explanation of what you will be facing, in addition to suggesting workable and realistic alternatives, in a blunt, informative article by clicking here.
KYW, Philadelphia Promotes Cherri Gregg to Community Affairs Reporter. CBS Radio all-news KYW, Philadelphia ups reporter Cherri Gregg to community affairs reporter. In this new role, Gregg will be shedding light on the numerous issues, neighborhoods and area leaders affecting community life in the Delaware Valley across a variety of time periods for the station. Gregg joined KYW in 2011 as a general assignment reporter while completing a Masters in Journalism at Temple University. She came to the station from the legal field where she had practiced for eight years at two Am-Law 100 law firms. The company says that although she enjoyed the practice of law, her true passion is reporting on stories that matter to the community. In January 2010, she quit her job at a top Philadelphia law firm to pursue her passion full time. Director of news and programming Steve Butler states, “Cherri has been a terrific addition to the KYW Newsradio staff and we’re pleased she will be focusing on developing stories from the grass roots, Covering all aspects of the Delaware Valley community is job-one for our staff, and we’re glad to have her continue that Newsradio legacy.”
KGOW, Houston Shuffles Lineup; Granato and Pendergast to PM Drive. The lineup at Gow Broadcasting’s KGOW, Houston will feature Yahoo! Sports Radio morning personality Steve Czaban and current AM drivers John Granato and Sean Pendergast will move to the PM drive slot beginning Monday, March 11. The Houston Chronicle reports Adam Clanton and John Wessling – the afternoon drive team since last August have exited the station. In the Chronicle piece, owner David Gow addresses the station’s recent poor ratings which have failed to have the station appear in the most recent survey. “We look forward to our ratings coming back up with this lineup. We’ve been frustrated with the Arbitron results for a period of months. But the driving factor is the chance to put together this new lineup that will roll out on Monday.” Czaban will be followed by DIRECTV/Fox Sports Radio’s Dan Patrick with John Harris hosting the 11:00 am to 3:00 pm program.
Odds & Sods. Sports USA is presenting exclusive national terrestrial radio coverage of all three legs of horse racing’s Triple Crown. The company is partnering with Mike Penna’s Horse Racing Radio Network for the events. Each two-hour broadcast will begin at 5:00 pm ET and will feature the live call of each race from the track announcer along with live trackside reports…..ESPN Radio’s Championship Week coverage begins with the inaugural “Greenberg & Greenberg in the Morning” show this Friday, March 8 from 6:00 am to 10:00 am ET where Mike Greenberg will be joined by former Virginia Tech men’s head basketball coach Seth Greenberg for a hoops-heavy, four-hour broadcast. The network is also airing the Big 12 Semifinals and Championship as well as every game of the ACC Tournament……SiriusXM teams former NFL QB Rich Gannon with Bruce Murray for “The SiriusXM Blitz” program that airs weekdays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm ET on its NFL Radio channel.
A Capitol Idea. KARN-FM, Little Rock afternoon drive host and program director Dave Elswick is hosting live broadcasts twice per week from the Arkansas State Capitol in order to keep his listeners up-to-date on the latest state political news (and, of course, Dave’s opinions concerning said news!). Pictured here at a recent broadcast from the capitol building are (from l-r): guest host Laurie Lee, Elswick, Saline County Clerk Dennis Milligan, and Arkansas Tea Party activist David Crowe.
Sequestration Issue, North Korea Threats/Dennis Rodman Remarks, Iran Nuclear Build-Up, Surging Dow, and Jeb Bush in 2016 Rumors Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/4). The ongoing sequestration issue; North Korea’s threats against South Korea and Dennis Rodman’s cozying up to Kim Jong-Un; Iran’s nuclear build-up; the surging Dow Jones industrial average; and Jeb Bush’s not ruling out a run for president in 2016 were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.