Tag: "Mike Golic"
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
LA Times: Post White House Talk Show Career for Trump? The Los Angeles Times published an article today (11/11) by entertainment/arts/media writer Stephen Battaglio speculating on industry chatter about the possibility of President Trump launching a talk media career after leaving the White House that would involve either starting his own television network or joining an existing operation such as FOX News Channel or Newsmax TV as the host of his own program. The article also touches upon Trump’s option of doing a daily talk show on radio – perhaps even replacing Rush Limbaugh if and when the superstar is forced to leave the airwaves due to his battle with lung cancer. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison states in the article he does not think that would be a likely prospect. “With all due respect for the president, he cannot hold a candle to Rush when it comes to the demands and expectations of doing a high-profile, daily three-hour talk show, which requires hours of prep per day, an original take on the issues and the ability to connect the complex dots of presenting a thesis and then setting about supporting it in a cogent manner,” Harrison said. “Trump is a showman, but what Rush listeners expect is a much more sophisticated and nuanced approach to creating a meaningful listening experience than what it takes to hold court and mug over a campaign rally before thousands of adoring followers.” To read the entire article, please click here.
Beasley Media Group Enters into Distribution Deal with RADIO.COM. A deal between Entercom’s RADIO.COM platform and Beasley Media Group puts live-stream channels for each of Beasley’s 64 stations across 15 markets on RADIO.COM, along with all of its premium on-demand audio and podcasts. Entercom VP of business development Corey Podolsky says, “We’re delighted to bring Beasley Media Group aboard the RADIO.COM platform and its incredible stations across news, entertainment, music and sports. This partnership will give Beasley’s 20 million weekly listeners a new destination to consume their favorite audio content, while providing our existing consumers more options to satisfy their listening habits.” Beasley chief content officer Justin Chase says, “Beasley is proud to partner with our friends at Entercom and RADIO.COM. Listeners are consuming our content in more places than ever and we are excited to expand the distribution for our amazing brands on this first-class audio platform.”
WABC, New York ‘Ties a Yellow Ribbon’ in Honor of Veterans Day. Pictured above are singer Tony Orlando (left) and Red Apple Media owner John Catsimatidis (right) along with U.S. Marines tying a yellow ribbon on a tree outside the WABC, New York studios as a symbol of support for veterans and the military. Orlando, who recorded the 1973 hit “Tie A Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree,” recently joined 77 WABC as part of its Saturday night music lineup, hosting a two-hour show that airs at 10:00 pm. All day today (11/11), TALKRADIO 77 WABC is saluting the brave men and women who served in the military with special Veterans Day programming that includes interviews with America’s heroes and their families. The station has been promoting its Veterans Day programming on the air and social media for several days, and distributed hundreds of TALKRADIO 77 WABC Yellow Ribbons to listeners who want to show their support.
TALKERS News Notes. After the cancellation of the “America’s Trucking Network” program hosted by Steve Sommers, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WLW, Cincinnati has filled the overnight slot with a talk program hosted by Dan Carroll. The ouster of Sommers is part of an ongoing reduction in force of employees at iHeartMedia that, according to a tally by radio trade AllAccess, has put almost 80 on-air and programming staffers in the unemployment line. It’s unclear how many behind-the-scenes employees have been affected…..Former ESPN Radio morning drive personality Mike Golic is the host of a newly created college sports trivia program produced by Learfield IMG
College and Sidearm Sports called “The Fan Exam.” As reported by NJ.com, the free online program will air Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:00 pm ET on some 150 college athletics websites. Golic is quoted saying, “This sounds like fun. I’ve enjoyed calling the college [football] games. This opportunity came up and it reminded me of the ‘HQ Trivia’ game that was out for a while that I played all the time. So, this will be a lot of fun… Who doesn’t love to try to answer trivia questions? The beauty about this is you’re never eliminated through all the shows that we’re going to have. You can win for that week, there’s a cumulative score for the entire year. So even if you miss questions, it doesn’t matter. You still get to answer all twelve [questions]. Your score is logged — and you can win a bunch of different ways. It’s cool. You’re never out of it.”
Trump Refuses to Accept Election Results, COVID-19 Stats & Projections, Vaccine Quest, Trump Purges Pentagon, Georgia Runoff Elections, SCOTUS Hears Obamacare Arguments, and Tropical Storm Eta to Hit Florida Again Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/10). The challenges to the election results being put up by Donald Trump; the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and abroad and projections for winter cases; the race to produce an effective COVID vaccine and Pfizer’s statement its vaccine is 90% effective; President Trump fires numerous civilian Pentagon officials and installs loyalists in the posts; the January runoff elections in Georgia that will determine control of the U.S. Senate; the Supreme Court’s hearing of arguments in the Obamacare case; and Tropical Storm Eta on course to hit Florida again were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. In honor of Veterans Day, Cumulus Media’s classic rock KCFX-FM, Kansas “101 The Fox,” along with Price Chopper and Cars4Heroes, are giving 11 cars to 11 veterans. A special ceremony takes place at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City and legendary Chiefs player Deron Cherry will present the car keys to these 11 local heroes. Cherry will be accompanied by many other Chiefs legends to personally thank the veterans for their service and for protecting our freedom. For 26 years, Cars4Heroes has been helping people in the Kansas City area. Terry Franz, who is affectionately referred to as “Car Santa,” is the founder and president of Cars4Heroes. He says, “If somebody is down and out you can go hand them some cash and fix everything for today, but the money goes away. When we give someone a car, it is a tool that changes their life! We are proud to salute and honor these veterans here today.”…..iHeartMedia Boston’s country WBWL “101.7 The Bull,” in partnership with WBTS-TV “NBC10” presents “One Night Only,” a night of live music to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on Saturday, November 21 at 7:00 pm ET on NBC10 Boston and live on “101.7 The Bull.” Artists performing will include: Kane Brown, Old Dominion, Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Jon Pardi, Brett Eldredge, Jimmie Allen, Lauren Alaina, and special guest host Chrissy Metz of NBC’s “This Is Us.”…..Beasley Media Group’s classic rock WMGK-FM, in conjunction with City Team Philadelphia, is presenting the 19th Annual John DeBella Turkey Drop on Tuesday, November 24 at The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. Morning personality John DeBella will broadcast live from 6:00 am to 9:00 am and will accept monetary as well as turkey donations onsite. The John DeBella Turkey Drop is the largest, single day food gathering event in the City of Philadelphia. Last year’s collection raised over 11,000 turkeys.
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Herman Cain Dies After Battle with COVID-19. Business executive, talk radio host, and former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has died after an almost monthlong battle with COVID-19. Cain, 74, was admitted to the hospital around July 2. He’d traveled from his home base of Atlanta, appearing at President Trump’s Tulsa rally (where he was photographed not wearing a mask) and also visited the Phoenix area. The Herman Cain website states, “We knew when he was first hospitalized with COVID-19 that this was going to be a rough fight. He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal, but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.” Cain had a history of cancer. For years, he hosted a radio talk show on Cox Media Group’s WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta — taking over the late morning daypart previously occupied by Neal Boortz — and was in national syndication for a period of time. Recently, he’d been doing a talk show available via his website. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison states, “We in the talk media industry have lost one of our own with the tragic passing of Herman Cain. He was not only a luminous example of the African American entrepreneurial spirit and largely unheralded conservative political influence, but he was also an accomplished, dedicated talk show host who rose to the heights of the Heavy Hundred for his successful work at WSB and presence in national syndication. He was on the verge of adding yet another chapter to his talk media career with a new show on Newsmax TV. It is a shame our industry has lost such an important voice and yet another stark example of why we must take this wretched virus seriously.”
Urban One Reports Second Quarter Net Revenue Down 37.5%. The first big radio company out of the gate with Q2 2020 financial data is Urban One, Inc. – parent of Radio One. The company reports that net revenue was approximately $76 million, a decrease of 37.5% from the same period in 2019. Broadcast and digital operating income was approximately $30.2 million, a decrease of 33.1%. Operating income was approximately $20.4 million compared to approximately $29.1 million for the same period in 2019. Urban One CEO and president Alfred C. Liggins, III says, “The economic impact of Covid-19 is fully evident in our second quarter numbers: radio advertising was down 51%, and event revenues were -96% year over year. Our TV and digital businesses fared better, with TV advertising revenue down 4.4% and digital -20%, highlighting the benefits of our diversified media asset base. We had to make tough decisions to reduce costs, and I am proud of how our team, including on-air talent, made sacrifices and worked diligently to keep us operating smoothly through the pandemic. With the issue of racial equality featuring so prominently around the world, it is critical that diverse voices continue to be heard and I thank all our staff and talent for their exceptional work engaging with our audience and clients. The outlook for the rest of 2020 remains uncertain, but I anticipate a similar pattern of strong performance from our TV business offsetting some of the weakness in radio advertising and events. On a same station basis, our Q3 core radio business is currently pacing -41% and we continue to see sequential improvement. Our cost saving measures remain in place, liquidity is strong with $70 million of cash on the balance sheet, and I firmly believe that Urban One will continue to successfully navigate our way through these unprecedented times.”
Good Karma Brands Recognizes Mike Golic’s ESPN Radio Career. Tomorrow (7/31) is the last day of ESPN’s “Golic and Wingo” morning radio program as the company’s new radio programming schedule begins on Monday (8/3). While Trey Wingo’s future with the company is unknown at this time, Mike Golic is transitioning to a position as a college football analyst with ESPN and in recognition of his radio work, Good Karma Brands’ ESPN radio stations are celebrating his 22 years in mornings on ESPN Radio with “22 hours of Golic.” Good Karma Brands’ ESPN stations in Chicago, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Madison, and West Palm Beach will be featuring memories, pictures, videos, and stories from his career. Additionally, Golic will also be interviewed on 850 ESPN Cleveland’s “The Really Big Show” with Tony Rizzo and Aaron Goldhammer today (7/30). Golic played football at St. Joseph’s High School in Cleveland before heading to Notre Dame and the NFL.
CBS Audio and Skyview Networks Renew Partnership. After two years of their network sales and distribution partnership, Viacom’s CBS Audio Network and Skyview Networks announce they are renewing to continue their relationship. In a press release, the companies say, “Since partnering in 2018, the CBS network’s audience and revenue have grown through expanded programming and content integration campaigns that generate enthusiastic support and strong results from the advertising community. In the next phase of the partnership, the companies will further develop the CBS sales strategy that leverages its personalities and influencers in both long-form and short-form programming.” CBS Audio Network and CBS News Radio vice president and general manager Craig Swagler says, “Our CBS Audio Network partnership with Skyview Networks strengthens our ability to drive sales efforts. This collaboration continues to assure our 23 million weekly listeners that they will continue to get the highest level of quality journalism they are accustomed to, while also providing for new opportunities for growth.”
Industry Mourns Bob McCurdy. Radio sales and management pro Bob McCurdy died yesterday (7/29) after a long battle with cancer. The All-American basketball star at University of Richmond got into radio at WLEE, Richmond in 1976. He joined Katz Radio in Chicago in 1980 and, several years later, moved to New York to lead that office for Katz. In 1990, he was named president of Katz Radio. In recent years McCurdy returned to his roots in local radio taking on a leadership position with Beasley Media Group. Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley says of McCurdy, “Bob was a trusted confidant, a valued advisor, and an incredible ambassador on behalf of the Beasley Media Group family and the radio industry. His love and passion for the business could be seen and heard in everything he did within our company as well as the industry. Bob will be greatly missed and will be forever remembered as a beloved member of our family.” In a recently completed book about leadership, culture, and sales, McCurdy wrote, “It has often been said that one can never tell where a teacher’s influence ends. The same is true with leaders. As leaders, we are teachers and as with teachers you can never tell where an effective leader’s influence ends. That makes for an amazing legacy.”
Gordon Hastings: McCurdy. Retired Katz Television/Radio president Gordon Hastings writes a tribute to the late Bob McCurdy. He says, “I am not exactly sure why but he was always simply, ‘McCurdy.’ Stu Olds would say, ‘Get McCurdy in here.’ Jim Greenwald, ‘Who’s this guy McCurdy everyone talks about?’ ‘McCurdy taught me,’ said many of the dozens of ‘survivors’ of McCurdy’s legendary sales training program.” Read the complete tribute here.
COVID-19 Statistics & Projections, School Opening Debate, GOP Stimulus Bill, Tech CEOs Before Congress, Presidential Race, BLM Protests/Federal Troops, and U.S. Pro Sports Leagues Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/29). The rising number of positive COVID-19 cases in numerous U.S. states and in other countries, plus the projections for future cases; the debate over opening schools in the fall; the wrangling over what will be in the final Republican stimulus bill; CEOs from Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple appear before the House Judiciary Committee; the November presidential election; the Black Lives Matter protests and the controversial use of federal troops; and the issues pro sports leagues are facing playing games were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
TALKERS News Notes. Sports talk personality Dan Sileo says he’s launching a new, national program on Monday (8/3) via USA Radio Networks that will air 9:00 pm to 12:00 midnight ET. He says it’s debuting on stations in Dallas and Miami. Sileo says he’s also hosting a local show on Cielo Media Holdings’ WNMA, Miami “1210 The Man” from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm….. GCN-syndicated talk radio host Dr. Daliah Wachs tells TALKERS magazine
she’s had a busy summer having just published her 7th and 8th books. She says, “Generation Alpha: They’re Alpha for a Reason is a book on the generation that follows Generation Z, temporarily called Generation Alpha. It describes how their generation may be the most challenged when it comes to identity, social interactions, education, and health. The Art of the BooBoo is a guide written by me, some former students who are now physicians, and my own kids, for parents on how to navigate through minor illnesses, or
booboos, their children may incur.”…..ESPN Audio says it is collaborating with voice-over artist and host Cayman Kelly “to bring his contemporary sound to the network.” Kelly will work with ESPN Audio on a variety of sound for the network’s programming including updates, promotions, and more. Kelly’s career has included work across ESPN and other TV networks, radio stations of all genres, video games, live concerts and events and corporate presentations.
Multi-talented Talk Personality Steve Trevelise Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. He’s a news/talker heard weekday evenings on one of the most innovative radio stations in America – New Jersey 101.5. He’s also a sports/talk host heard weekends on one of the leading radio stations in that genre – WIP, Philadelphia. And he’s an established stand-up comic who’s opened for some of the greats for the past decade-plus at top clubs and venues all over the Delaware Valley. Steve Trevelise is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Born and
raised in the Garden State, Trevelise is described by TALKERS founder Michael Harrison as being “a real Jersey boy who, although not a member of the Four Seasons, is a man for all seasons.” Harrison and Trevelise take the listener on an insightful tour of today’s politically polarized society, the mask debate, similarities and differences between 1968 and 2020, the long-lasting impact of John Lennon and the Beatles, the state of pandemic-era sports, and the challenges faced by humorists during an age of hyper-political correctness. 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 on every page of Talkers.com.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. In Detroit, programming pro Scott Jameson is named director of programming for Beasley Media Group’s cluster there that includes: rock WRIF-FM, classic rock WCSX-FM, hip hop WMGC-FM, urban
contemporary WDMK-FM and the Praise Network. Jameson most recently was vice president of classic rock programming, program director of classic rock KQRS-FM and operations manager of KQRS-FM, KXXR-FM & WGVX-FM in Minneapolis for Cumulus Media. He says, “Joining Beasley Media Group in Detroit is a terrific opportunity. The Midwest is home for me, so it’s a natural fit. The legendary WRIF-FM and heritage WCSX-FM, joined with ‘The BOUNCE,’ ‘KISS,’ and ‘PRAISE’ boast exceptional talent across all five brands. Adding Beasley’s commitment to the community, along with an aggressive digital presence, turns listeners into fans. I’m thankful to Justin Chase for approaching me
about the Detroit situation and grateful to Mac Edwards and Brian Beasley for their endorsement.”…..Also at Beasley Media Group, the company announces that Al Beck adds evening jock duties at WRXK-FM, Fort Myers “96 K-ROCK.” Beck currently serves as the producer of the “Dave and Chuck The Freak Morning Show” at WRIF-FM, Detroit, is co-host of the Nerd Radio podcast, and can also be heard evenings on WBOS-FM, Boston “ROCK 92.9.” Beasley Media Group Southwest Florida operations manager Adam Star says, “We are excited to add Al Beck to our on-air line up at WRXK. Al’s on-air rock presentation is stellar, plus his connection with our syndicated morning show, Dave and Chuck the Freak, doesn’t hurt either! We felt bringing him on the air made perfect sense to embrace the Fort Myers rock world.”
Monday, April 15, 2019
Brown Parts Ways With iHeartMedia Denver. The approximately 12-year association between talk show host Michael Brown and iHeartMedia Denver has come to an end. While this turn-of-events isn’t something Brown wanted or anticipated, he emphasizes he has “fond memories” of his time in radio and is “looking forward to getting behind the microphone as quickly as possible.” He maintains radio is “a fantastic medium that will never disappear,” and he “readily embraces” the digital aspect of the business. Citing conversations he had with iHeartMedia regional senior vice president of Denver programming JoJo Turnbeaugh, Brown – who served as under-secretary of Homeland Security in both of George W. Bush’s administrations – reports his departure is owing to “format changes.” Brown’s Denver radio career began at news/talk KOA, where he did part-time work before becoming a full-timer. He then spent several years in afternoon drive on news/talk sibling KHOW, and recently returned to KOA. Regarding his highly-publicized experiences during Hurricane Katrina, Brown co-authored June 2011’s “Deadly Indifference, The Perfect (Political) Storm: Hurricane Katrina, The Bush White House, and Beyond.” In it, he criticizes the performance of several people and critiques his own performance by stating that he “failed to be ready for the press and was too timid in his response.” Politically, Brown describes himself as “very clearly center-right, conservative, with a strong libertarian bent.” He appears at #83 on The Talkers Magazine 2018 Heavy Hundred.
Thomas Inducted Into The Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame. In recognition for her career in radio and community service, Entercom Detroit WWJ “News Radio 950” reporter Vickie Thomas was honored yesterday (4/14) in a ceremony at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. Entercom Detroit senior vice president/market manager Debbie Kenyon states, “For more than 25 years, Vickie Thomas has been informing our listeners on major stories that impact our community in and around Detroit. Vickie is an incredible journalist who isn’t afraid to pose tough questions to city leaders and other officials to report a fair and accurate story. She is well deserving of this honor and we are extremely proud to have Vickie inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame.” Thomas comments, “In thinking about my over 30-year career in radio, with most of that time spent at WWJ, I can’t help but acknowledge all the people who took the time to encourage me and guide me. I’m really a reflection of those outstanding individuals. This award is extremely special because it comes from my peers. I’m blessed to have my body of work in journalism acknowledged by the selection committee; I thank each member who poured over all the applications and deemed me worthy of this honor.” Thomas, who joined WWJ in 1991, has earned awards from the Detroit Press Foundation, the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, the Michigan Associated Press, and the National Association of Black Journalists. She graduated cum laude and with honors in journalism from Wayne State University in 1989.
MONDAY MEMO: The Podcast Consumer 2019. In our on-demand culture, consumers have taken control of their media. We call the audio version “podcasting,” something everyone seems to be doing now. But who is listening? In this week’s Monday Memo, consultant Holland Cooke summarizes the recently released Edison Research “Podcast Consumer 2019” report. Click here to read how he outlines ways radio broadcasters can exploit this trend.
TALKERS News Notes. All remaining regular season and postseason play of the New York City Football Club will air in Spanish on the ESPN app, along with the iHeart and Tune-in apps. In addition, select games of the American professional soccer team will air locally in New York City on WEPN-AM “ESPN Deportes Radio 1050.” ESPN Radio Group senior vice president Tim McCarthy remarks, “WEPN-AM is proud to be associated with a tremendous brand like NYCFC. We believe giving our listeners a choice on quality play-by-play has tremendous value; this agreement with NYCFC does just that.” NYCFC chief executive officer Brad Sims notes, “We are excited to have our 2019 matches broadcast in Spanish on ESPN Deportes platforms. We want to give our fans many different ways to follow our club. This is a terrific alliance that will make our games even more accessible. New York’s Hispanic community is extremely passionate about soccer and is an integral part of our fanbase, so it continues to be a priority for us to provide Spanish-language presentations. ESPN is a leader in the sports media landscape and we’re looking forward to working together.” Roberto Abramowitz and Ariel Judas will give their commentary throughout the season ….. Changes to take effect in three weeks (5/6) at
Emmis-owned WFNI “Indy’s Sports Center – The Fan” will find Jeff Rickard and “Big Joe” Staysniak moving from mid-days (10:00 am – 12:00 noon) to morning drive (7:00 am – 10:00 am). “Jeff & Big Joe” will succeed ESPN Radio’s “(Mike) Golic & (Trey) Wingo,” while ESPN Radio’s “Dan Le Batard with Stugotz” will inherit the vacated 10:00 am – 12:00 noon slot …. A nine-year program director of iHeartMedia-owned WGAR “Cleveland’s Country 99.5,” Charley Connolly is named operations manager of Cumulus Media’s eight Youngstown stations and will be the day-to-day
PD of country WQXK “K-105” there. Cumulus Youngstown vice president/market manager Bill Kelly comments, “We are fortunate to have someone of Charley’s background available to us in Youngstown. This is going to be fun.” In addition to WGAR, Connolly programmed iHeartMedia Cleveland’s adult hits WHLK “106.5 The Lake.” Prior to that, he performed similar responsibilities for Cumulus Media Nashville’s news/talk WWTN “Super Talk 99.7” and country WSM-FM “95.5 Nash Icon.” In addition to WPIC “News Talk 790,” WBBW “Sports Radio 1240 AM,” and WLLF “Sports Radio 96.7 FM,” Cumulus Media Youngstown consists of aforementioned WQXK; CHR WHOT “Hot 101”; classic rock WYFM “Y-103”; classic country WSOM “America’s Music”; and classic hits-oldies WWIZ “Z-104.” ….. Approximately 250 guests attended last Friday’s (4/12) eleventh annual “Hurley in the Morning” charity dinner and silent auction, which raised $40,000. Fox News Radio’s Todd Starnes keynoted the festivities at Atlantic
City’s Resorts Casino – Hotel. “We are so grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from the highest levels of government, business, and industry sectors,” declares Townsquare Media Atlantic City news/talk WPGG morning talent Harry Hurley. “Todd is a kind and generous friend. He is such a well-respected talent and a wonderful gentleman. Todd took the time to greet every guest, making each one feel like the most important person in the Ocean Ballroom.” Resorts
Casino – Hotel president/chief executive officer Mark Giannantonio opines, “Harry could take his iconic event anywhere – it was truly spectacular. Todd Starnes was engaging and entertaining. Our audience enjoyed his humble, friendly, and unifying message. Resorts was happy and proud to once again host this charity dinner and we look forward to hosting Harry’s event again next year.” Starnes did his 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm Fox News Radio talk show onsite. Among dignitaries attending were congressman Jefferson Van Drew; New Jersey Senate president Stephen Sweeney; New Jersey Broadcasters Association president Paul Rotella; and current and past New Jersey state legislature members. Ahead is Hurley’s twelfth annual charity golf open (6/21) in Egg Harbor Township (New Jersey) ….. Following his tenure as Reach Media’s integrated ad sales
coordinator, Erick Vilson joins Sun Broadcast Group as national account manager and will be based in New York City. Sun Broadcast Group chief operating officer Julio Aponte, Jr. comments, “I was very impressed with Erick’s background, reputation, and his dedication to excellence. Bringing someone with his digital and event experience on-board will allow our team to offer greater business opportunities for our agencies and a deeper connection with our national audience for our advertisers.” Vilson notes, “Becoming part of the Sun Broadcast Group family is a fantastic opportunity. Their reputation in the industry, new approach to business, and clever ways to market their offerings was very attractive to me. I am very excited to bring my experience to the sales team.” Vilson has held sales and operation positions for iHeartMedia and Emmis.
Mueller Report Anticipation, College Admissions Scandal, 2020 Presidential Race, Assange Case Free Speech Implications Top Stories Discussed on News/Talk Radio This Weekend. According to the research of TALKERS, news/talk shows across the country this weekend (4/13-14) were largely focused on the topics of anticipation of the Robert Mueller Report’s planned delivery to Congress this Thursday, the next level of the College Admissions Scandal and charges filed against celebrity participants, the 2020 Presidential Race, and the Julian Assange Case’s implications on free speech and the free press going forward.
Progressive Talk Radio Champ Thom Hartmann Is Guest on Harrison Podcast. What is the state of progressive news/talk radio on the commercial and non-commercial dial? What is the liberal talk radio view of the early competition in a crowded field of hopefuls vying for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential nomination? And what is the general status of the “Left” in American politics in 2019? Nationally syndicated radio talk show host Thom Hartmann – consistently ranked the most important progressive talk radio host on the TALKERS Heavy Hundred – is the guest on the award-winning
PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Harrison and Hartmann (heard daily 12:00 noon – 3:00 pm ET) tackle these and other pertinent issues in an illuminating conversation that gets right to the heart of today’s talk media landscape. Harrison states, “Thom Hartmann has not only earned the respect of people on all sides of the political spectrum for his authentic, even-handed approach to today’s issues from the liberal perspective, but the unique and aggressive multi-platform distribution paradigm that he and his team have developed over the years stands as a model for independent radio syndication of all ideological stripes going forward into the digital era. The radio industry should pay attention to this innovative broadcaster.” 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 every page on Talkers.com.
Survey Says: Social Media Use Unchanged. Notwithstanding privacy controversies, “fake news,” and social media censorship, the share of adults in the United States who say they use certain online platforms or apps is statistically the same as it was this time last year. That is the conclusion of a Pew Research Center study conducted January 8 to February 7 (2019). The shares of adults who say they use Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter are each basically the same as in 2016. Instagram, however, shows an uptick during this same timeframe, growing from 35% of adults to 37%. Roughly seven of every ten adults in this country say they still use Facebook; nearly three of every ten visit Pinterest; and more than one of every five are Twitter users. Of all Facebook users, approximately three of every four visit the site every day – half check that platform several times a day. Those particular numbers identically mirror Pew’s 2018 survey results. At the same time, YouTube use remained at 73%, while LinkedIn users went from 25% to 27%. Slightly more than half of YouTube users (51%) visit the site daily – up from the 45% who said the same in 2018. According to the report, Instagram and Snapchat are especially popular with younger adults, with Instagram used by two of every three 18 – 29-year-olds and Snapchat used by slightly more than two of every five (62%) people in that demo.
Lilly Broadcasting Becomes A Radio Player. As a result of paying $900,000 for three Warren (Pennsylvania) stations it is acquiring from Frank Iorio’s Radio Partners LLC, San Luis Obispo, California-based Lilly Broadcasting enters the radio business. The three Warren-area outlets involved are WNAE “News Talk 96.7,” classic hits-oldies WRRN “92 Gold,” and WKNB “Kinzua Country 104.3.” Lilly owns television facilities in Honolulu, Erie (Pennsylvania), Elmira (New York), Marquette (Michigan), and the Caribbean. According to Lilly Broadcasting president Kevin Lilly, “The Warren radio properties create synergies with our current footprint in our Pennsylvania television DMA, comprised of Erie, Warren, and Crawford counties. They will allow us to better serve our viewers and now our radio listeners while in their homes, cars, and online. We look forward to providing the best content available for our listeners and will improve the news, weather, and sports information on all platforms.”
San Antonio’s New Vibe. KXTN “Tejano & Proud,” San Antonio transitions to KVBH “Vibe 107.5.” Of the rhythmic hot AC presentation that will mix “pop, hip-hop, and R&B artists from the 1980s and early-2000s,” Univision San Antonio vice president and general manager
Chris Morris states, “We are excited to launch a brand-new format that reflects the distinct musical tastes of San Antonio – one of the most diverse communities in the nation. By reformatting and optimizing our audio portfolio, we are able to better serve our audience and give them more of the content they love.” In conjunction with the format flip, the “Tejano & Proud” format shifts to a simulcast on KVBH-HD2 and KCOR, while “Univision Deportes Radio” moves from KCOR to KROM-HD3. Among persons 6+ in Nielsen Audio’s February 2019 survey period, KXTN ranks #14 (3.1). Its February 2018 through February 2019 high was 4.0 (6+) in February 2018.
More Than A Million Smiles. As part of its fourth annual “Laugh United: A Night of Cocktails and Comedy,” Westwood One’s “The Bob & Tom Show” raised a record $1,053,500 in Vienna, West Virginia for the United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley. Pictured here is show cast member Josh Arnold who performed with fellow veteran touring comics Greg Hahn, Jack Freeman, and Henry Phillips. Parkersburg (West Virginia) rocker WHBR “103.1 The Bear” is the local “Bob & Tom Show” affiliate.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. After nearly four years with iHeartMedia Denver CHR KPTT “95.7 The Party,” morning driver J.J. Kincaid (of “JJ & Nina”) departs. Immediately in advance of his Denver stint, Kincaid had a nine-year afternoon drive run in New York at co-owned/similarly-formatted WHTZ “Z-100” and spent three years in Dallas at another iHeartMedia CHR, KHKS “106.1 Kiss-FM” ….. On the heels of Beasley Media Group Boston flipping WBOS from “Alt 92.9” to “Rock 92.9” last Thursday (4/11), the station eliminates the music director position that was held by Joel Weiss, who exits. After having spent 13 years in a similar position at Cox Media Group Tampa’s WSUN, Weiss joined WBOS less than a year ago ….. Formerly the program director/afternoon drive talent at Martz Communications Group-owned WAMO “Pittsburgh’s #1 for Hip-Hop,” Jonathan Steele, will join Beasley Media Group Detroit’s WMGC “105.1 The Bounce” next Monday (4/22) as afternoon drive personality, using the air name “J. Steele.” According to WMGC vice president and market manager Mac Edwards, “When we heard J.’s demo, he jumped to the top of our list. Having the opportunity to meet him and discover his impressive skill set as both a person and personality, there was no denying J. Steele was the right talent at the right time to help us write the next chapter of success.” Program director John Candelaria comments, “We are very impressed with J.’s experience and his strong desire to entertain the listeners in Detroit. I am excited to hear his high energy interactive show and see him earn the community’s respect.” Steele adds, “This is the job I dreamed about as a little kid. I am beyond excited to light up the airwaves for this incredible radio station.” The revised weekday “Bounce” line-up includes: “The Gello Show with Joanna” (6:00 am – 10:00 am); J. Steele (3:00 pm – 7:00 pm); and DJ Dinero (7:00 pm – 12:00 midnight) ….. With Emmis Indianapolis’ WLHK “97.1 Hank FM” ever since the country outlet launched in 2005, morning talent Dave O’Brien exits, as his contract isn’t renewed. O’Brien started his Indianapolis radio career in 1996 at WRZX, later going to WNOU for two years and to WENS in 2004 ….. Jazz KUVO, Denver program and content director Nikki Swarn is appointed PD for Rocky Mountain Public
Media‘s new R&B/hip-hop streaming service, “The Drop.” Swarn comments, “It is such an honor to get to serve the Colorado community through this incredible opportunity. We anticipate engaging Coloradans with an exciting blend of their favorite artists, while providing a platform for new and Colorado-based musicians as well. The audience consuming R&B and hip-hop is vast and hungry for dynamic experiences in music; we want to fill that void.” Swarn previously was Entercom Denver’s director of promotions and marketing and spent six years as Max Media Denver’s director of marketing and promotions ….. In separate fundraisers for
their respective communities, two Alpha Media country-formatted properties (WFLS and KZKX) recently combined to bring in nearly $200,000. Completing its eleventh year of working with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, WFLS “93.3 – Today’s Country,” Fredericksburg (Virginia) accounted for $135,479 in a two-day event hosted by the station’s morning team – Steve & Jessica. That figure broke WFLS’ previous records. Alpha Media market manager Beth Vickers states, “It is a privilege to lead a team of individuals who are passionate about helping others. Steve & Jessica were amazing hosts, pulling long hours to make it all happen. Our community and our listeners were so generous with donations – results like this make a difference.” Meanwhile, co-owned/similarly-formatted KZKX “KX-96.9,” Lincoln (Nebraska) – along with the Starlite Event Center – raised over $60,000 for American Red Cross flood
relief during a one-night (3/29) benefit concert. Entertainment was provided by local bands Dylan Bloom, Bucka Ruse, and Sack of Lions. Alpha Media Lincoln operations manager Rob Kelley comments, “That night was a humbling experience as the people of Saunders County and surrounding areas – many of them flood victims themselves – came together with auction items and monetary donations to go directly to their friends, family, and neighbors. We are so blessed to have listeners like this in the KZKX family.” Severe flooding began impacting Nebraska in mid-March. The “KX-96.9” donation check was presented to the American Red Cross last Thursday (4/11).
Monday, June 25, 2018
Legendary Radio Personality Dan Ingram Dies at 83. New York all-news WINS-AM reports that legendary radio jock Dan Ingram died on Sunday evening (6/24) at his home in Florida after several years of dealing with health issues. He was 83. Ingram is widely considered to have been the greatest disc jockey in the history of American top 40 radio. Ingram first got into radio during his student days at Hofstra University on Long Island. He worked at WABC-AM during its heyday as a top 40 powerhouse (from 1961 to 1982). After that, he did several weekly syndicated radio programs and, in 1991, joined the air staff at WCBS-FM, New York. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison, who shared the honor of being one of the charter inductees into the Hofstra University Radio Hall of Fame with Ingram, issued the following statement, “Dan Ingram was larger than life on WABC in its pop music heyday. He was, in my opinion, the greatest top 40 radio disc jockey of all time – not just being a master of compacted content delivered by an awesome voice with a remarkable range, but a genius practitioner of timing that made the flow of elements, including his announcing, that rushed out of the speakers truly symphonic in nature. He raised the presentation of pop radio formatics to an art form. His influence on our industry’s music presenters and talk show hosts alike was absolutely profound.” Industry chronicler Art Vuolo created a tribute video to Ingram that you can see here.
Scripps Strikes Deal to Sell Tulsa Cluster. Regular TALKERS readers are aware that E.W. Scripps recently announced it is in the process of selling off its radio assets to focus on being a television company. Now, we learn that Scripps has entered into a deal with Oklahoma City-based Griffin Communications to sell its
Tulsa radio cluster to the company for $12.5 million. The stations include: news/talk KFAQ, CHR KHTT, country KVOO, country KXBL, and classic hits KBEZ. Although Griffin operates a statewide radio network, these will be the first radio stations it has owned in many years. It currently operates television stations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa as well as outdoor companies. Scripps has a total of 34 stations to sell, including the Tulsa group.
TALKERS Begins Posting Videos Today of the Recent TALKERS 2018: Full Speed Ahead! Convention – First Up: SiriusXM Host Karen Hunter Receives the Freedom of Speech Award. Today (6/25) TALKERS magazine begins posting individual events from the recent TALKERS 2018: Full Speed Ahead! convention held in New York City on June 8. Each day, another session will be posted in the order that they originally took place. Today’s first installment features the presentation of the Gene Burns Memorial Award for Freedom of Speech (“Freedom of Speech Award”) by TALKERS managing editor Mike Kinosian to SiriusXM Satellite Radio host, book publisher, Hunter College professor, and former New York Daily News/Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, Karen Hunter. The presentation was captured on video at the convention’s opening breakfast. To view the video, please click here.
National Radio Hall of Fame Inductees Announced; Public Votes in Mark Levin and Industry Panel Honors Six Talk Personalities. The public cast more than half a million votes for the two categories open to them for induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame: Spoken Word Format On-Air Personality and Music Format On-Air Personality, and Westwood One syndicated host Mark Levin will be inducted
in the former category while Kid Kelly was honored in the latter category. Four of the categories were decided by a voting participant panel comprised of nearly 1,000 industry professionals. Those inductees are: Jonathon Brandmeier, Active Local/Regional, 10+ years; Jim Kerr, Longstanding Local/Regional, 20+ years; Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg, Active Network/Syndication, 10+ years; and Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Longstanding Network/Syndication, 20+ years. The NRHOF nominating committee also decided to induct four individuals for their contribution to the industry. They chose: Nanci Donnellan, a.k.a. The Fabulous Sports Babe; longtime WFAN, New York sports talk host Mike Francesa; New York broadcast legend (WOR-AM and WABC-AM) Joan Hamburg; and classic rock programmer and consultant Fred Jacobs. NRHOF chairman Kraig T. Kitchin says, “It’s our mission to recognize the most impactful personalities and individuals to our medium and honor them. We’re proud to induct these individuals for their contributions into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2018, our 30th year.” The induction ceremony takes place November 15 at Guastavino’s in midtown Manhattan.
Glenn Beck Walks Off Camera During Segment with CNN’s Brian Stelter. Before Premiere Networks nationally syndicated talk star Glenn Beck unclipped his lavalier mic and walked off the set, he was already frustrated with CNN’s Brian Stelter and the way the segment was going. But when Stelter brought up Friday’s Daily Beast piece titled, “Glenn Beck’s Media Empire Implodes. Again,” Beck had had enough. See the video here. The story cites sources that report there’s been another round of layoffs at Beck’s TheBlaze. That news comes as Beck told his listeners he’s selling his Dallas-area house because he fears the economy and doesn’t “want to be sitting with a big huge house.”
Financial Talker Ray Lucia Wins at SCOTUS; to Get New Hearing in ‘Buckets of Money’ Case. Financial talk radio personality – and investment adviser – Ray Lucia won a major battle at U.S. Supreme Court that will have repercussions on how the Securities Exchange Commission will work going forward. Five years ago, an SEC administrative judge barred Lucia from the investment adviser industry and ordered him to pay a $300,000 fine related to his “Buckets of Money” strategy that the judge ruled misled investors. Lucia challenged the constitutionality of the administrative judge system and won a 7-2 decision at the Supreme Court as it ruled that administrative judges appointed by low-level staffers are unconstitutional. The doesn’t get Lucia off the hook in the “Buckets of Money” case, but it gets him a new hearing.
Michael Harrison Appears on HLN’s ‘Opinion Nation’ Hosted by Carol Costello. Pictured above is TALKERS magazine publisher Michael Harrison on HLN’s “Opinion Nation” discussing the topic, “Should we publicly shame people over their politics?” The other panelists were former Bernie Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver and GOP strategist Kevin Madden. Weaver and Madden argued over whether the separating of families at the border is egregious enough to warrant the kind of public displays against administration officials that we’ve been seeing in the news. Weaver said yes. Madden said no. Harrison said we must practice civility in public and engage in constructive dialogue over our differences and stop demonizing those with whom we disagree, or we’ll never reach consensus or the kind of compromise necessary to run a civilized democratic society. He said, “The place to settle these differences is the ballot box, not the street, theaters, or public restaurants.”
SRN’s Mike Gallagher Broadcasts Live from Rio Grande Border. With illegal immigration policy the most-talked-about topic on news/talk radio, Salem Radio Network star Mike Gallagher (above) spent the weekend talking to people in the Rio Grande valley in advance of his live broadcast from the region today (6/25). SRN calls it “a ground-level, three-hour exclusive report from the sizzling U.S./Mexico border…as only Mike Gallagher can deliver!”
TALKERS News Notes. WABC, New York morning personalities Bernard McGuirk and Sid Rosenberg are broadcasting live from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on Thursday and Friday (6/28-29) to celebrate the entertainment destination’s grand opening…..Westwood One News is exploring the music, movies, and TV shows of the year 1968 via the special “1968: Turn on, Tune in, Change Channels.” WWO says it’s a “half-hour news special, featuring archive audio and new analysis,” available to Westwood One News affiliates for the Fourth of July holiday and the following weekend. It will also replace “The Week in Review” July 7-8..…Indiana Radio Watch publisher Blaine Thompson reports that Doug Zook has exited his role as host of “Anderson Live” on Woof Boom Broadcasting-owned news/talk WHBU, Anderson, Indiana. Weekend talk host Steve Guinn is assuming hosting duties for the 7:00 am to 9:00 am program…..WTMJ, Milwaukee is presenting its inaugural “Brewers Classic” game celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Milwaukee Brewers’ dramatic 2008 season-ending win against the Chicago Cubs with a re-broadcast of the play-by-play on July 18…..WCHV Charlottesville, Virginia’s Joe Thomas was awarded the “Outstanding Feature Reporting” award by Virginia Association of Broadcasters for the station’s live coverage of the August 12, 2017 riots in Charlottesville…..In the public media sphere, WNYC, New York chief content officer Dean Cappello exits the station after a 21-year career there. Prior to this year, Cappello was in charge of the organization’s national shows and podcast efforts, but he recently pulled back and was focusing solely on New York’s WNYC-AM/FM.
Trump Illegal Immigration Policy/House Immigration Bill, Sanders-Nielsen Restaurant Incidents/Maxine Waters Speech, Stormy Daniels Meeting Canceled, Saudi Women Drivers, Glenn Beck-Brian Stelter Interview, Erdogan Wins ‘Re-Election,’ and MLB Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The controversy over the separation of parents and children during enforcement of immigration violations and the related House immigration bill; Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kirjsten Nielsen’s public restaurant experiences and Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ speech encouraging people to harass administration officials in public; Stormy Daniels’ attorney’s public complaint about canceled meeting with special counsel investigation; women in Saudi Arabia begin legally driving cars; Glenn Beck walks off the set of an interview with CNN’s Brian Stelter; Recep Tayyip Erdogan is “re-elected” leader of Turkey; and Major League Baseball action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
PPM Analysis: Urban AC. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s May 2018 PPM survey, today focusing on urban AC. Comparing numbers from Nielsen’s May 2017 to this year’s survey, 51% of urban AC stations saw their weekly (6+) AQH go up and 46% declined. Nine urban AC outlets ranked #1 (6+) in their respective markets in May, including by iHeartMedia’s WVAZ, Chicago, which has been #1 for the past five surveys. Radio One’s WFXC, Raleigh notches its 12th #1 rank in a row. See the story here.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. On-air pro Tracy Dixon inks a multi-year extension to continue with Bonneville’s country KYGO, Denver where she co-hosts the “Tracy & Guy” morning program with Guy David. Program director John E. Kage comments, “‘Tracy & Guy’ have been steadily rising in the ratings and are poised for great things in the Denver market. Tracy is an all-around media threat with her great work leading the morning show, her natural presence on TV with CBS, and her incredible social skills and onstage presence. Her work in the community, as well as with St. Jude, makes all of us at Bonneville proud.”…..Great Plains Media brings on-air pro Joshua James aboard to host middays on CHR KKSW, Topeka “105.9 KISS.” KKSW program director Beth Cruise states, “We are thrilled to welcome Joshua James to the ‘105.9 KISS’ family. His enthusiasm and love for the community will be a perfect fit with our long-term relationship with the University of Kansas Jayhawks and our listeners in Topeka and the western suburbs of Kansas City.”
Friday, November 17, 2017
FCC Bids Adieu to Cross-Ownership Ban. As expected, at yesterday’s meeting of the Federal Communications Commission, the 42-year-old regulation that prevented (in all but a few grandfathered cases) the cross-ownership of broadcast facilities and newspapers was eliminated on a party line vote of 3-2. The majority under Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai say the change will “provide broadcasters and local newspapers with a greater opportunity to compete in the digital age.” The Commission also struck the Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule, and the Television Joint Sales
Agreement Attribution Rule. In his statement, Chairman Pai says, “It’s a simple proposition: the media ownership regulations of 2017 should match the media marketplace of 2017. That’s the proposition the FCC vindicates today — nothing more, nothing less. And it’s about time. For few of the FCC’s rules are staler than our broadcast ownership regulations. Notwithstanding the congressional command that we review and update these rules every four years, they have remained stuck in the past. After too many years of cold shoulders and hot air, this agency finally drags its broadcast ownership rules into the digital age.” Lastly, in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission decides to establish, and seeks comment on how to implement and structure, a new incubator program in which established broadcasters would help facilitate entry by new voices into the marketplace by providing access to capital and/or technical expertise to new entrants and small businesses. The program has broad support and will help promote ownership diversity in the broadcast industry.
The Entercom-CBS RADIO Merger Closes. The deal that merges the venerable CBS RADIO stations with Philadelphia-based Entercom has closed. The merger that’s been the subject of so much industry news – and a lot of speculation throughout the process – creates a new Entercom that operates 235 radio stations. For some industry watchers, the fact that it also means the end of the CBS RADIO company as we’ve known it for all these years brings about some mixed emotions. Though certainly the end of an era, the general consensus is that the CBS radio stations were languishing in a company whose stated main focus is video content. In announcing the closing, Entercom president and CEO David Field states, “We are thrilled to officially close our transformational merger with CBS RADIO and welcome their talented employees and iconic brands to Entercom. We look forward to capitalizing on our unique positions in sports, news, music, podcasting, live events, digital and more to provide outstanding experiences for our listeners and compelling integrated marketing opportunities for our advertisers. We now have the scale and capabilities to drive meaningful growth and to compete more effectively with other media for a larger share of advertising dollars. We also look forward to helping to elevate the radio industry, which remains massively undervalued by advertisers despite having emerged as America’s #1 reach medium, delivering outstanding ROI to customers.”
Entercom Grabs Twins Baseball for WCCO-AM. After several years airing on alternative KQGO (owned by the Pohlad family’s Northern Lights Broadcasting), Minnesota Twins baseball play-by-play is returning to news/talk WCCO-AM, beginning with the 2018 season. The Pohlad family also owns the team and apparently was ready to admit that their own alt rock station and Twins baseball weren’t a great match. Entercom says that sister stations adult hits KZJK “104.1 Jack FM” and country KMNB “BUZ’N @102.9” will also cover Twins’ players, coaches and broadcasters year-round. Entercom president of sports Mike Dee states, “We are thrilled to welcome the Twins back to their iconic home on WCCO. As the unrivaled leader in local audio sports rights across the nation, Entercom is committed to growing our play-by-play roster where it makes smart, strategic sense. Clearly the Twins are a blue-chip franchise on the rise. As a newcomer to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul market, we are especially grateful to the Pohlad family and [Twins president and CEO] Dave St. Peter for their confidence in us. With the addition of the Twins, we are proud to be the flagship home for 45 professional teams across the four major sports, including 14 in Major League Baseball.”
Entercom Unveils New Business Practices. Among the numerous press releases regarding format flips on the first day of the new Entercom (see those below in the music radio section), the company says it is implementing three new business policies which “better reflect radio’s strong value proposition as America’s #1 reach medium and Entercom’s position as the leading provider of live, original, local audio content. These policies will enable the company to provide greater value for advertisers while improving the listener experience.” The changes are: 1) Reduce commercial advertising inventory by 5% in order to improve the listener experience and increase the entertainment to ad ratio for Entercom’s advertising partners; 2) Prohibit cash infusion advertising deals which the company views as a poor business practice and inconsistent with its strategic goals; and 3) Eliminate future sales of advertising with spot resellers which like cash infusion deals, the company views as a poor business practice and inconsistent with its strategic goals. Entercom COO Weezie Kramer adds, “With our enhanced platform and scale, Entercom is committed to evolving our business practices for the benefit of Entercom’s listeners and advertising partners.”
Matt Shepard Returns to WDFN, Detroit. As reported by the Detroit News, Motor City sports media personality Matt Shepard is returning to the airwaves at iHeartMedia’s sports talker WDFN, some seven months after he exited the station. His “Shep, Shower ‘N’ Shave” program will air from 6:00 am to 9:00 am daily. Shepard had been on the station since 2001, but was ousted in a round of budget cuts back in April. iHeartMedia Detroit SVP of programming Tony Travatto states, “We’re excited to have Matt back on WDFN. Nobody in Detroit sports radio has more access to what’s really happening in the locker rooms than Matt.”
ESPN Wraps 18 Years of ‘Mike & Mike.’ Industry eyes are all over the Entercom–CBS RADIO closing and some of the immediate changes the new Entercom is making, but another end-of-an-era event took place today as Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic did their last morning radio show together, signing off the ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” show. In addition to talking sports, the duo also aired messages of well-wishes from fans, including Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan, Adam Schefter, Dick Vitale, Dan Patrick, President Bill Clinton and more. ESPN president John Skipper appeared on the program to announce that ESPN and The Walt Disney Company will build a children’s playground in honor of Mike & Mike at a location to be determined, in collaboration with the non-profit organization KaBOOM. On November 27, the new “Golic & Wingo” show will debut featuring Mike Golic, Trey Wingo and Mike Golic Jr. (who joins for the 6:00 am hour). Mike Greenberg is staying with ESPN for television duties.
Emmis Names New Indy Execs. In its home-base market, Emmis Communications announces Bob Richards is the new vice president and market manager for Indianapolis. The city is home to heritage news/talk WIBC-FM, sports talk WFNI “1070 The Fan,” country WLHK “97.1 Hank FM,” and adult contemporary WYXB “B105.7.” At the same time, Taja Graham rises from director of sales for music to vice president and director of sales for the entire cluster. Emmis president Patrick Walsh comments, “Bob’s leadership has been instrumental in building our dominant position in the Indianapolis market. His reputation for building great teams and winning content strategies is legendary. We look forward to Bob applying his ample skills to fortify our culture and performance in the coming years.” Richards takes over for Chuck Williams who had joined Emmis Indianapolis as VP/market manager in August of 2016.
Courtemanche Appointed DOS at Alpha Media West Palm Beach. At the West Palm Beach cluster of Alpha Media stations, Jason Courtemanche is named to the director of sales position, effective December 4. The station group includes news/talk WFTL and sports talk WMEN “640 The Hurricane.” During his career, Courtemanche has been a VP of sales for Cumulus Media in Los Angeles and iHeartMedia in Chicago. He also
held the sales manager title at WBBM in Chicago. Alpha Media West Palm Beach market manager Elizabeth Hamma says, “Jason is a natural leader who brings a depth of knowledge in marketing, digital and events that will help us further drive results for our listeners and clients. His vision, leadership, enthusiasm and innate ability to coach will take our cluster to the next level.”
Kilmeade at WPHT Speaker Series. Pictured above is WPHT, Philadelphia afternoon drive personality Rich Zeoli (left) chatting with FOX News Channel and FOX News Radio star Brian Kilmeade (right) before a live audience as part of the 1210 WPHT Speaker Series. In addition to talking about issues, Kilmeade promoted his new book, Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America’s Destiny (Sentinel, 2017). Kilmeade signed every attendee’s copy of the book.
Roy Moore Sexual Conduct Allegations Top News/Talk Story for Week of November 13-17. Accusations of sexually predatory behavior by Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, ranking #1 on the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week is the various celebrities and Al Franken sexual assault allegations. Number three on the chart is the Republican tax reform plan, followed by the GOP proposal to eliminate the ObamaCare individual mandate 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. View this week’s entire chart here.
New New Entercom Flips Two CHRs – WBMP, New York and KVIL, Dallas – to Alternative. Two of its first major moves post-closing for Entercom is to drop the CHR format on WBMP “AMP 92.3” and KVIL “AMP 103.7” and replace them with alternative rock. Regarding the NYC flip, the company announces, “Alternative rock returns to radio for the first time since 2011 in the largest media market in the country with the launch of ‘ALT 92.3 FM, New York’s New Alternative.’” Entercom president of programming Pat Paxton states, “In a city where alternative music is a way of life, we are thrilled to finally fill the void in radio in New York City. With the launch of ‘ALT 92.3,’ we will cater to the passionate audience who have helped define the genre for decades – and we couldn’t be more excited to turn up the volume.” KVIL is being branded “ALT 103.7” and both stations are playing 10,000 commercial free songs in a row.
Chicago’s WJMK Drops Classic Hits for Classic Hip Hop. Another format flip by post-merger Entercom comes in Chicago where WJMK becomes classic hip hop and R&B as “The New 104.3 JAMS, Chicago’s #1 for Throwbacks.” The station aims to “capture the essence of Chicago from when the Bulls won six NBA championships, to when locals like Oprah and Barack Obama became homegrown heroes.” Entercom president of programming Pat Paxton says, “The time has come to usher in a brand new chapter in Chicago radio — a station that is designed by Chicagoans exclusively FOR Chicago.”
John DeBella Celebrates 35 Years on Air. Philadelphia radio legend John DeBella – pictured above with the staff of Beasley Media Group’s classic rock WMGK-FM – celebrates 35 years on the air in the City of Brotherly Love. The staff, led by program director Bill Weston and Beasley Media Group Philadelphia vice president/market manager Joe Bell burst into the studio and surprised DeBella while he was on the air. Weston says, “It’s a testament to John’s talent and passion that he continues to connect with his audience in such a powerful way and is still going strong 35 years into the game.”
More Music Radio News and Career Moves. At Des Moines CHR KKDM “107.5 KISS FM,” iHeartMedia names Eric White afternoon personality, music director and imaging director, effective November 27, 2017. iHM Des Moines SVP of programming Greg Chance says, “Eric has skills in a lot of different lanes of our business. We look forward to working with him, driving his passion for radio and to build his career. I trust this will be another great chapter and member of ‘107.5 KISS FM.’” White has been serving the company at its Philadelphia cluster…..Bonneville International – operating CHR KMVQ, San Francisco “99.7 NOW” under an LMA from the Entercom Divestiture Trust – names “Jazzy” Jim Archer program director. He’s been serving as APD and music director of the station since 2011…..The results of the #Change4Change Radiothon produced by the Premiere Networks-syndicated urban morning show “The Breakfast Club” are in and more than $700,000 was raised to benefit the The Gathering for Justice social justice advocacy organization. The radiothon featured on-air personalities DJ Envy, Angela Yee, and Charlamagne Tha God encouraging listeners to donate in support of the organization that sponsors movements including The Women’s March, Justice League NYC and Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp…..SiriusXM announces the coming launch of a classic hip hop channel programmed by LL Cool J. The channel, expected to launch in early 2018, will feature a wide range of classic hip hop content, music, interviews and in-depth retrospectives curated and presented by LL Cool J, as well as other innovators of hip hop music.….ABC Radio is offering a three-hour, country music special, “My Kind of Christmas Countdown,” hosted by Grammy Award-winning country superstar Reba McEntire. In the program, McEntire will count down to Christmas by looking at seasonal favorites, including traditions, decorations, presents, and some of this year’s best holiday music. In addition, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Brett Eldredge, Kelsea Ballerini, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood share their own holiday favorites and memories.
Duane Doobie Jr’s Occasional Picks: Don’t Miss This Exciting New Christmas Album from Australian Sensations, The TEN Tenors – and the Proceeds Benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital. When Australia’s world famous musical export, The TEN Tenors, decided to make a Christmas album, they weren’t content with just putting out an album of their wildly popular blend of traditional and seasonal favorites – they decided to make it a fundraising tool to help children. Partnering with Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, the album shot to #1 and has gone on to raise over $1 million. Now, the group brought the project to America, partnering with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital contributing to their joint mission as well as charting top 10 on the Billboard classical and crossover charts. St. Jude Children’s Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Support from musical groups like The TEN Tenors helps ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. The Ten Tenors are returning to the United States this December for an 18-date tour of the East Coast and Midwest. The Australian vocal group, whose voices generate “pure electricity and undeniable drama” according to the Los Angeles Times, will be performing repertoire from their album Our Christmas Wish. Selections from this great and timely album include traditional standards such as “Joy to the World” and “O Holy Night,” as well as John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano, “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin, and “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” the Mariah Carey hit that’s become a holiday evergreen. Watch TTT perform a medley of songs from Our Christmas Wish by clicking here. Now enjoying their 20th year together, The Ten Tenors playfully blend rock, pop and opera, and are “truly incandescent when performing at the full strength of 10,” according to Variety. The New York Times says their “unique mix of the traditional and unconventional offers a fresh and highly-original take on the staid traditions of opera.” To download songs from Our Christmas Wish for airplay on your station, please click here.