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Tag: "Sacramento"
Monday, January 27, 2014
FAIR Announces 2014 ‘Hold Their Feet to the Fire’ DC Radio Event. The 8th annual “Hold Their Feet to the Fire” radio row from Washington, DC will take place on April 9 and 10. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is organizing the broadcast event in which talk hosts from across the country will broadcast live for two days from Capitol Hill debating immigration reform while interviewing members of Congress, law enforcement officials, experts, activists and citizens who live along the border. FAIR reports, “This electronic town hall has grown each year due to mounting public concerns about illegal
immigration and because of talk radio’s expanding influence on the public policy process. With legislation expected in spring in the House, this year’s event is expected to be the largest yet with 60 or more hosts attending.” FAIR communications director Bob Dane adds, “We gather each year with a shared goal: To secure our borders and fight for principled immigration reform that puts American interests first. As usual, the wants and needs of Americans will be dismissed unless talk radio once again speaks on their behalf. Hoping that no one will notice, House Speaker John Boehner is planning to introduce the massive Senate amnesty bill in bits and pieces and massively increase foreign guest workers with no regard for unemployed Americans. Moreover, President Obama will continue abusing his executive power to grant backdoor amnesty. Both must be stopped.” This year’s event is taking place at the Phoenix Park Hotel on Capitol Hill in Washington. Reservations are required and hosts/producers should call now. There is no cost to attend and all technical engineering and ISDN lines are provided by Silver Lake Audio of New York, the official engineering firm for “Hold Their Feet to the Fire.” Congressional guests, activists, high-profile media personalities, and immigration experts will be in attendance and available throughout the event for wall-to-wall interviews.
Greenlee Named Chief Technical Officer at PodcastOne. Joining PodcastOne in the newly created position of chief technical officer is Rob Greenlee, who most recently served with Microsoft as podcast content platform manager. Greenlee will divide his time between Beverly Hills and Seattle and will report directly to CEO Norm Pattiz, who comments, “No one knows more about podcasts than Rob Greenlee. Having him join our company is a huge boost to our brand, the credibility of the company and the future growth of the platform. We’re all very excited about adding Rob to the executive team at PodcastOne.” Greenlee adds, “I am excited to be joining PodcastOne and being offered the opportunity to help Norm and the PodcastOne team build a great online entertainment brand that gives much value to audiences and advertisers. I see Norm Pattiz and PodcastOne’s entry into this space as a key catalyst to the recognition and respect this 10 year old medium deserves.” Greenlee spent seven years at Microsoft overseeing the video and audio podcasts platform at Xbox Live, Windows Phone and Zune, as well as managing the business, content partner relations and strategy around the podcasts platform service for Microsoft.
Reinoso Joins Fox News Radio to Produce Alan Colmes Program. Radio pro Albert Reinoso has been working with New York radio icon Alex Bennett since the latter was a part of the SiriusXM talk lineup. After Bennett parted ways with SiriusXM, Bennett and Reinoso began producing daily internet radio shows hosted by Bennett and Reinoso under the banner of Bennett’s Great American Broadcast Network. Now, Reinoso adds duties at Fox News Radio producing the nationally syndicated Alan Colmes program as well as some other programming. Reinoso tells TALKERS magazine he will continue to work with Bennett’s company and host his own “I Apologize” internet radio show while working for Fox. Reinoso’s program currently airs at 11:00 am ET, immediately following Bennett’s show which hits the internet at 10:00 am ET.
WEEI-FM, Boston Promotes Zarbano to Executive Producer. At Entercom’s sports talk WEEI-FM, Boston, producer Joe Zarbano is upped to executive producer for the station. Zarbano has been serving as producer for the evening show “Planet Mikey” hosted by Mike Adams and the midday “Mut and Merloni” program featuring Mike Mutnansky and Lou Merloni. Zarbano reports to WEEI brand manager Kevin Graham who says, “Since I arrived in Boston last fall, Joe has served as a valuable resource. He’s passionate about the product and is the ultimate team player. I’m thrilled he will continue in an expanded role as we move the WEEI brand forward throughout New England.”
Public Comment Period Opens on Nielsen’s LinkMeter Sale to comScore. When the deal for Nielsen to acquire radio ratings giant Arbitron was scrutinized by the Federal Trade Commission, one of the stipulations was that Nielsen would have to preserve the development of the LinkMeter technology being developed by Arbitron in conjunction with comScore and ESPN. That technology seeks to measure use across multiple media such as radio, TV and internet. With Nielsen developing its own service to accomplish the same goal, the FTC was concerned about the acquisition leaving just Nielsen developing cross-media measurement. It was expected that Nielsen would arrange to sell the LinkMeter to comScore and that’s what’s happened. The FTC states that the proposed order requires Nielsen to sell and license, for at least eight years, certain assets related to Arbitron’s cross-platform audience measurement services to an FTC-approved buyer. Accordingly, in its petition Nielsen is seeking FTC approval to divest the LinkMeter assets, license certain assets and capabilities, and provide equipment and services, to comScore. The petition details why Nielsen believes that comScore would be an appropriate party to acquire these assets. Public comments may be submitted to the FTC through February 24.
Talkers New York 2014 Set for Friday, June 20. The TALKERS magazine annual national talk media industry conference enters its 17th consecutive year as the date and site have been set for the next installment of the industry’s largest, longest-running and most important gathering. It will again be located at the extremely modern and conveniently located Concierge Conference Center in the heart of Midtown Manhattan’s colorful East Side. According to TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison, “This will be the most important installment of this can’t-miss conference ever because it will deal with some of the most sensitive and existential issues facing not only the talk side of the business, but all of what we still call ‘radio.’ It should not be missed, plain and simple, by anyone or any company serious about their future in this industry.” Registrations for the event are limited only to people who are members of the working media (meaning actively or recently employed in the industry or associated industries) and can only be booked by telephone with credit card. Individual registrations for the entire event including all sessions, presentations, breakfast, lunch, refreshments and receptions are $249. As usual, because of space limitations and the quality of this long-established event, an early sellout is expected. Stand by for ongoing information about speakers, agenda and hotel suggestions in the days ahead. For further registration and sponsorship information, please call 413-565-5413.
Dave Ramsey Holds Down Afternoons at KSTE, Sacramento. Nationally syndicated talk star Dave Ramsey is now heard live from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Clear Channel’s KSTE, Sacramento. Clear Channel Sacramento VP of programming Ken Charles states, “I love Dave and I know our audience will too. Anyone who can make our listeners smarter about their money is an important voice to hear in this turbulent economy.” Ramsey show VP for broadcast Brian Mayfield adds, “Our fans in Sacramento have been asking for a place to listen and we are excited to be a part of the new lineup at KSTE. It’s a great station with an awesome team, we could not be more thrilled.”
Southwest Broadcasting Owner Lou Silverstein Dies at 87. The longtime owner of news/talk KYCA and beautiful music KAHM in Prescott, Arizona passed away on January 18 after complications from pneumonia. He was a lifelong radio pro who worked in sales and management prior to buying KYCA in 1970 and later putting KAHM on the air. His obituary states he got his first radio job at KTUC, Tucson and did ad sales for KRIZ and KUPD before forming Southwest Broadcasting and buying KYCA. He was inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2002.
Russ Withers Passes at 76. The Withers Broadcasting founder passed away at his daughter’s home in Mount Vernon, Illinois on Saturday from natural causes at age 76. Withers’ company owned 30 radio stations and six TV stations. NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton commented about him, “Russ Withers was a true original. He was a stalwart in defense of local broadcasting, colorful with a quote, and comfortable in the halls of Congress and at the FCC advocating on NAB’s behalf.”
Holiday 2013 PPM Data Released. The ratings for the Holiday 2013 PPM survey period are being released by Nielsen Audio. The fourth and final round of PPM data for 12 markets including Austin, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Providence, Raleigh, Norfolk, Nashville, Greensboro, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Memphis, and Hartford are out and that information — along with Holiday 2013 PPM ratings for all 48 PPM markets — can be found at our sister publication RadioInfo.com right here. Additionally, TALKERS and RadioInfo managing editor Mike Kinosian offers his “Ten Takeaways” from the fourth round of the Holiday PPM here.
Former WFSX-FM, Fort Myers Talk Personality Trey Radel to Resign from Congress. After a bust for cocaine possession that came to light in November of last year, Republican Florida Representative Trey Radel will announce his resignation from Congress today. Radel was a TV newsman who moved to radio as morning drive host at Sun Broadcasting news/talk station WFSX-FM, Fort Myers “92.5 Fox News” before running for the U.S. House in 2012. Radel completed a 30-day rehab stint for alcohol and drug dependency after the arrest and was prepared to forge ahead with his political career but the Associated Press reports that pressure from GOP leaders and a looming House Ethics Committee investigation forced Radel’s hand.
Odds & Sods. At Saturday evening’s Radio & Television News Association of Southern California Golden Mike Awards, CBS RADIO all-news KNX picked up six awards. The station won for Best News Broadcast Over 15 Minutes; Best Newscast Writing; Best Live Coverage of a News Story; Best Hard News Series Reporting; Best Light Feature Reporting; and Best News Special…..The nationally syndicated “Café Mocha” program announces that actress and entrepreneur Nicole Ari Parker joins the program as a special celebrity correspondent. Parker – currently starring in NBC TV’s “Revolution” – has been a guest host on the program hosted by comedienne/TV host Loni Love, rap legend MC Lyte and radio veteran Angelique Perrin.
Monday, January 13, 2013
Clear Channel Media + Entertainment Chairman and CEO John Hogan Retires; Position Eliminated. In a move that comes as a surprise to many, John Hogan is retiring from Clear Channel Media + Entertainment as chairman and CEO and will take on the title of chairman emeritus. At the same time, his position will not be filled and folks in the CCM+E
division will report to CC Media Holdings chairman Bob Pittman and president and CFO Rich Bressler as Pittman announces he’s signed a five-year extension of his contract. In a statement this morning, Pittman says, “John Hogan has made tremendous contributions to Clear Channel during his tenure – particularly during the unprecedented economic headwinds our country, our industry and our company, faced in 2008 and 2009. He has been an 
excellent partner for me and for Clear Channel’s leadership as we have evolved into the only multi-platform media company with national reach and the ability to execute locally. As my friend and partner in Clear Channel Media + Entertainment, John has been an important element in Clear Channel’s transformation into a multiplatform media company. There is never a perfect time to make big decisions like this, but his logic was compelling and making this change at the start of a new year made sense. We thank him for his long service and the enormous positive impact he’s had on both our company and the radio industry, and we are delighted that John will remain part of the family with his title of Clear Channel Media + Entertainment chairman emeritus.” Hogan joined Clear Channel when Jacor – for which he was serving as senior vice president of radio – was acquired by the company in 1999. He became president and CEO of Clear Channel Radio in 2002 and took on the chairman and CEO of CCM+E role in 2012.
WBEN, Buffalo Talk Host Tom Bauerle Is the Subject of Talk Himself After Police Visits to His Home. From a piece published in the Buffalo News, we learn that there is concern among WBEN, Buffalo afternoon drive host Tom Bauerle’s Williamsville, New York neighbors and local police about his recent behavior that some might describe as paranoid. Here’s the short version: the paper reports that police responded to a 911 call to Bauerle’s home last Wednesday where Bauerle complained he was under surveillance by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s operatives. Police found Bauerle in his backyard with a loaded weapon. He surrendered the weapon to police – who were not able to find evidence of anyone spying on Bauerle – and was also willing to surrender additional weapons in his home to his attorney. The paper also reports that Bauerle’s neighbors held a recent meeting with the talk host after he sent them emails raising the issue of him being “watched.” Neighbors told the paper his concerns seemed “quirky” and “made you scratch your head.” Nonetheless, Bauerle – who was off the air last Wednesday and Thursday but returned to the air on Friday to explain his absence was due to hitting a “physical wall of exhaustion” – did agree to a voluntary psychiatric evaluation on Wednesday of last week. No reports have been released yet and the Buffalo News received its information from neighbors and interviews with police officers who are remaining anonymous until the report is released. No charges have been filed in connection with the incident. Read the Buffalo News story here.
Profile: Salem Radio Network’s Mike Gallagher. Talk radio personality Mike Gallagher has been in the business since he talked his way into a substitute position at WAVI, Dayton while a junior in high school in 1978. Thirty-six years later and heard in syndication across the country, Gallagher tells TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian that he’s still going strong after a career that’s seen him in morning drive at WABC, New York; in business for himself running his own syndicated show; and moving on with his career after the heartbreaking loss of his wife Denise to endometrial cancer in 2008. His philosophy about programming a talk show remains simple, “I go where my gut takes me. You have to reflect the ‘hits,’ and in our business, the ‘hits’ mean the headlines.” He tells TALKERS that he has always stayed on top of how his show is performing from a business perspective. “It is self-preservation, and my secret to longevity. I learned many years ago that ratings in our business are very volatile, and in particular, talk radio ratings can be cyclical. We are subjected to a political season and a post-political season, so ratings go up and down. I will always win, however, if I deliver revenue…I know where we are to the penny at any given point, and right now, I’m 7% over my January budget. It is a tough environment, so I am very proud of that. We are fighting and scrapping for every dollar. I have always viewed the radio show as a business. I learned that many years ago from Greg Anderson.” Read Mike Kinosian’s entire profile of Mike Gallagher here.
KFBK, Sacramento FM Signal Changes. News/talk KFBK, Sacramento’s FM simulcast had been 92.5 for much of the past two years. But after Christmas, Clear Channel Sacramento flipped KFBK’s FM signal to 93.1 – most recently the location of classic hits KHLX. Now we know that the company made the switch so that it could turn the better 92.5 signal into new country outlet “The New B92.5.” The 93.1 frequency is licensed to Pollock Pines – some 40 miles west of downtown Sacramento – whereas the 92.5 signal is centered on the market and provides full-market coverage.
KXTG-AM, Portland Sports Talker Named Sportswriter of the Year. Midday sports talk host John Canzano – heard from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm daily on Alpha Broadcasting’s KXTG-AM, Portland – is named 2013 Oregon Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and Hall of Fame. Finalists for the award were nominated by NSSA members from mid-October to mid-November. Final balloting took place during the month of December. In addition to his work on KXTG-AM, Canzano writes for the Oregonian and makes regular appearances on KGW-TV. Oregonian editor and vice president of content Peter Bhatia states, “John is a terrific columnist and reporter. He brings something special to our city and state every day and it is great to see that recognized.” KXTG-AM PD Bernie Bokenyi adds, “I am honored to have John as a part of our team on ‘750 The Game.’ His commitment to readers, listeners and viewers every day is unmatched.” Canzano comments, “This market offers the most compelling news anywhere in the country. I love working and living here and being able to bring that to readers and listeners and viewers. We’re different than other markets — we have an ongoing dialogue.”
Long Named Co-GSM at WSB, Atlanta. At Cox Media Group’s Atlanta Radio, Jaleigh Long is named new co-general sales manager for news/talk WSB where she’ll work alongside fellow GSM Beth Bowers. Director of sales Walt Phillips says, “Jaleigh Long has a proven track record of leading her teams from the front. Her focus has and will continue to be on developing talent and driving new business development initiatives. She’s strategic in her problem solving and decision making with an extensive background in digital ad products and strategy. Partnering with current GSM Beth Bowers only strengthens our position when it comes to coaching and leading this team into a new era at news/talk WSB.” Long spent the last seven years as GSM for South Central Media in Evansville, Indiana.
Brandon Randazzo Named Social Media Director at Sports USA. The executive producer of Sports USA’s “Conversations with Joe Morgan,” and podcasts “Leigh Steinberg on Sports” and “Odds Are with Jimmy Vaccaro” is upped to director of social media for the company, Sports USA president Bob Moore says Brandon Randazzo “is a go-to guy with a vast history of getting the job done. His background in programming, producing, promotions, and voicing radio stations tied to his skill set of social media makes him the ideal person for this position. Brandon will front all of our social media platforms going forward.” Randazzo comments, “Sports USA is one of the most respected names in radio. Their relationship with a significant network of over 400 radio affiliates and massive audience will increase the exposure of our social media platforms every day. I am excited for this opportunity to expand the Sports USA brand into social media.”
Talk Personality Brian Holland to Host Syndicated Overnight Show. The program is called “The Graveyard Shift” and host Brian Holland is planning to self syndicate it beginning March 17. In a statement, Holland says, “Overnights are often a forgotten daypart because everyone assumes that one show is unstoppable. That was true a few years ago, but now, the fact of the matter is when a program isn’t challenged, it’s of course going to stay number one. We are getting a lot of attention from stations that are either concerned with the drop in their overnight audience, or are looking for something serious and sustainable to carry in that daypart.” Holland’s press release states the program will focus on the paranormal and what he calls “fringe topics,” but will also cover popular culture, movie news, video game news, and other topical items. Each program will feature at least one guest for an interview, listener phone calls and emails, and a look at current affairs from all walks of life. The show was formerly syndicated by Harris Broadcasting Network but ceased after the death of that company’s principal.
Three Broadcasters Facing Legal Action for Copyright Infringement. Orange County California-based Mavrix Photographs LLC has filed complaints against Clear Channel, CBS Radio and Townsquare Media for copyright infringement in the United States District Court Central District of California. Mavrix claims that the three companies all posted images it owns – specifically, images of pop star Katy Perry – to some of their stations’ websites with full knowledge that the photos did not belong to them. As in the past, Mavrix is seeking $150,000 per illegal use per company but it is more likely that the issue will be settled out of court for less than what Mavrix seeks. Still, the lesson for website operators is that – especially with celebrity photos – the companies that own the copyrights will seek out violators and will file complaints if they recognize their property being used without permission.
Cool Talk Radio Opportunity. WWTN-FM, Nashville seeks full-time midday host. This is a rare opportunity in the city The New York Times calls “it!” Nashville is on the rise and WTN is the dominant talk station in Music City. We are a live and local operation. With the addition of this position the station is live and local from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm every weekday. And “yes,” we usually beat Rush. This is not an entry level job. We are looking for some authentic, fresh energy – someone that is a people person and will weave themself into the fabric of the community in short order. Expect to work social media and participate in public events. We’re looking for someone who is a voracious consumer of news and info – someone that brings solutions with the problems, someone with a sense of hope. You should be as good as any trial lawyer at convincing people of your position using indisputable logic to connect the dots. You can’t ‘just’ do national-political; you have to sound like Nashville. You must be good at sensing the mood of the community and covering a wide range of emotions. If you are just angry, don’t bother applying. Being a fan of and having interest in country music is a plus. Email resume, references, optional cover letter, and un-scoped air-check to cumulusradio.jobs@cumulus.com put “WWTN-FM Nashville Host” in subject line. Cumulus Media is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
TALKERS Magazine Compiles News/Talk Radio’s Most Talked-About Stories and People of 2013. As is customary at year’s end, the research editors of TALKERS magazine compile the most-talked-about stories and people of the just-concluded 12-month period. According to TALKERS VP/executive editor Kevin Casey, “2013 was an extremely colorful year with a diversity of subjects and people being discussed. There was the usual mix of partisan politics, foreign affairs, economic policy and, of course, the shockingly unexpected such as the Boston Marathon tragedy.” Casey continues, “The President of the United States has always been the most talked about person going back to the very beginning of this publication 24 years ago and George Bush’s involvement in the first Persian Gulf War. Barack Obama, like his predecessors in the modern age of talk broadcasting, has not left talk show hosts wanting for hot material on a daily basis.”
Stories
1) ObamaCare Rollout
2) Benghazi Attack Investigation
3) IRS Accused of Targeting Conservative Groups
4) Debt Ceiling/Govt. Shutdown/Sequestration Battle
5) NSA Domestic Spying/Edward Snowden Case
6) Boston Marathon Bombing
7) GOP 2014 and 2016 Strategy
8) Gun Legislation Debate
9) Iran Nuke Threat
10) Syria Civil War
11) Fed Stimulus Policy/Dow Surpasses 16,000
12) DOJ Journalist Investigations
13) Immigration Reform
14) George Zimmerman Trial
15) Afghanistan Security Withdrawl
16) Egypt Violence/Instability
17) N. Korea Nuke Threat
18) Detroit Bankruptcy
19) Pope Francis Replaces Benedict
20) SCOTUS Gay Marriage Ruling
People
1) Barack Obama
2) John Boehner
3) Nancy Pelosi
4) Harry Reid
5) Hillary Clinton
6) John Kerry
7) Rush Limbaugh
8) Ted Cruz
9) Chris Christie
10) Paul Ryan
11) Kathleen Sebelius
12) Edward Snowden
13) Vladimir Putin
14) George Zimmerman
15) Trayvon Martin
16) Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev
17) Kim Jong Un
18) Pope Francis
19) Ben Bernanke
20) Eric Holder
Radio Industry Sees Major Developments and Changes in 2013. The combined editorial staffs of RadioInfo and TALKERS magazines have posted the 10 biggest stories of importance to the entire radio industry (music and talk) that took place in 2013. They are as follows in order of importance:
1) Nielsen Acquires Arbitron
2) Developments in Emergence of the Connected Car
3) Network Sports Talk Radio Growth Explosion
4) Radio Company-Label Deals/Digital Royalty Rate Issue
5) Cumulus Acquires (Dial Global) WestwoodOne
6) Growth of Digital Music Service Providers
7) Limbaugh and Hannity Station Realignment Deals Negotiated
8) FCC Announces AM Band Revitalization Strategy
9) Progressive Talk Outlets Continue to Disappear
10) Country Music Format Enjoys Resurgence
Industry Mourns WINS, New York Senior Correspondent Stan Brooks. Legendary WINS, New York newsman Stan Brooks passed away yesterday (12/23) at his home at age 86. He’d been serving as senior correspondent for CBS RADIO’s WINS, New York – the station he’d been with for the past 50 years. Brooks started working for the station in 1962 when it was a top 40 station and stayed with it through its transition to all-news. WINS director of news and programming Ben Mevorach says of Brooks, “Like every challenge he has ever faced, Stan met this final one with the same class, dignity and humility that defined every day of his almost 87 years on this earth. There will never be another one like him.” EVP of operations for CBS RADIO Scott Herman adds, “Not only was Stan Brooks a walking encyclopedia on NYC politics he was one of the finest, decent and most dignified men who ever lived. We were lucky to have him on 1010 WINS for the past 51 years and we will never ever forget him.” Read about Brooks’ life and career in a piece from CBS New York here.
JVC Broadcasting Prepares for Launch of ‘Long Island News Radio 103.9’ on Thursday. Long Island-based JVC Broadcasting announces the lineup for its soon-to-be former rock outlet WRCN, Riverhead, New York branded “Long Island News Radio 103.9.” TALKERS reported two weeks ago that the station’s studio will be located in the terminal of the Long Island MacArthur Airports – a physical reminder of the local intentions of this new station for the Long Islanders who use the facility. Now to the lineup: morning drive is being hosted by Jay Oliver; the 9:00 am to 12:00 noon show is Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade and Friends; local host John Gomez is handling the 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm slot followed by the local, one-hour show “Breaking it Down with Frank Mackay.” Premiere Networks superstar Sean Hannity is in the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm slot and Cumulus Media Networks’ Mark Levin airs from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Robby Bowen Upped at CBS RADIO’s ‘105.3 The Fan.’ Sales pro Robby Bowen is promoted to general sales manager for CBS RADIO sports talker KRLD-FM, Dallas “105.3 The FAN.” Bowen joined CBS RADIO Dallas-Fort Worth in February 2005 as an account executive for the station, which was at that time KLLI-FM. During his time there he has served as local sales manager and most recently was senior account director.
Changes in Middays at WJFK-FM, Washington Raise Questions. According to Dan Steinberg’s column in the Washington Post, the midday lineup at CBS RADIO’s sports talk WJFK-FM, Washington, DC is in flux after the station announced Holden Kushner will be moving to other duties including weekends, fill-in and participating in Washington Nationals coverage. Kushner was paired up with Danny Rouhier who reportedly will host the show solo today (12/24) and then be on vacation through December 30. What happens after that is uncertain. The station is expected to announce plans for the 10:00 am to 2:00 pm daypart in the New Year but already the news is cause for speculation. With the arrival of Don Geronimo from the company’s KHTK, Sacramento earlier this fall (currently hosting evenings), DC radio fans are wondering if he’ll return to a daytime show on the station. Geronimo and former partner Mike O’Meara held down afternoon drive at the station when it was a hot talker from 1991 through 2008.
Matt Walsh Exits WLAP, Lexington; Sean Hannity to Air in PM Drive. Writer and talk show host Matt Walsh announces that his contract with Clear Channel’s WLAP, Lexington, Kentucky is up and as the station is filling the afternoon drive slot with Premiere Networks star Sean Hannity, he’s leaving AM/FM talk radio for good. In a post on his blog, Walsh explains that although he has nothing but good things to say about his time at WLAP, he’s going to focus on his blog that he says has “between three and five million people” reading it every month. As for his time at WLAP, he says, “WLAP took a chance on me, gave me a show, gave me the freedom to handle the topics in my own way, and surrounded me with a highly intelligent and passionate supporting cast. I’m grateful for that, as these things are certainly not a given in this industry.”
NAB Acquires Two Events: CCW and SATCON. The National Association of Broadcasters announces it has purchased the assets of the Content and Communications World (CCW) and Satellite Communications Conference and Expo (SATCON) events from JD Events. The two events are held annually in November and are co-located at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. In a press statement, the NAB says that “CCW is the leading media, entertainment and communications technology event of its kind in New York with a focus on content creation, management and delivery technologies. SATCON offers education and exhibits serving companies in the satellite-enabled communications and content delivery industry.” EVP of NAB Conventions and Business Operations Chris Brown comments, “We have made these additions to the NAB event family with the goal of growing both the attendee and exhibitor base of what has emerged as an important East Coast venue for the content community. We look forward to developing this event and serving the unique needs of this very important media market.”
Nieslen Audio December PPM Data Released. The December 2013 PPM ratings data is being released by Nielsen Audio – currently numbers for the first 12 markets have been made public – and that information can be found at the site of TALKERS magazine’s sister publication RadioInfo. Check out the main page for managing editor and West Coast bureau chief Mike Kinosian’s “Ten Takeaways” here or go straight to the full ratings data here.
Odds & Sods. Premiere Networks-distributed 24/7 Comedy – the 24-hour, all-comedy format – will ring in the New Year with a countdown of the top 247 comedy bits from the top 247 comedians. The program is compiled by staff and listeners who voted on 24/7 Comedy’s Facebook page or called the laugh-line at 218-Chuckle. The countdown will air nationwide all day New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and will feature Chris Rock, Louis C.K., Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Aziz Ansari, Bill Engvall, Jerry Seinfeld and Rodney Dangerfield…..KFMB, San Diego weekend program “It’s Your Money and Your Life” picked up three first place awards from the San Diego Press Club for “Excellence in Journalism.” The show currently originates from La Jolla’s prestigious La Valencia Hotel and airs Saturdays from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, hosted by Richard Muscio (left) and Joe Vecchio (right).
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze to Debut Philly-Focused Online Station with FM Promotional Campaign. The talk radio audience in Philadelphia is being targeted by Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze as the company is creating a stream specifically for Philly listeners that will feature TheBlaze Radio Network’s national talk radio programs but with local Philadelphia elements including, news, traffic and weather twice hourly and four times hourly during drive times. TheBlaze president and chief content officer Joel Cheatwood says, “TheBlaze Radio Network has built a strong daily lineup and a loyal following in a short period of time. We are excited to continue our growth by bringing our programming with a local flavor to Philadelphia, which Glenn once called home.” During the week of October 28 to November 1, the programming will air on WWIQ, Philadelphia prior to that station’s flip to religious content on November 4. The programming heard on WWIQ next week will include: Beck from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, Buck Sexton from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, Jay Severin from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm and Doc Thompson from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. During the week, TheBlaze personalities Doc Thompson and Skip LaCombe will broadcast live from O’Neals Irish Pub & Restaurant in Philadelphia.
Don Geronimo Returns to WJFK-FM, Washington. When Don Geronimo said goodbye to his fans on sports talker KHTK, Sacramento after the cancellation of his midday program there, he said he and CBS Radio were talking about another project for him and now we know that he’ll be heading back to his old stomping grounds at the 
company’s sports talk WJFK-FM, Washington “106.7 The Fan.” As announced yesterday afternoon (10/23) on the LaVar & Dukes program, Geronimo will be hosting the 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm ET show, the Saturday morning 9:00 am to 12:00 noon program and will also be part of the station’s Sunday football coverage. The station had teased a major announcement prior to revealing Geronimo’s new role with the line: “Who says you can’t go home again?” This was a reference to Geronimo’s tenure with the station from the early 1990s through 2008 as co-host of the Don & Mike show (with Mike O’Meara) that was also syndicated via Westwood One.
WYAY, Atlanta Adds Talk Show to Middays with Market Pro Kim “The Kimmer” Peterson. Cumulus Media is adding a midday talk show to the programming at WYAY, Atlanta “All News 106.7” beginning November 4 as longtime
market talk pro Kim “The Kimmer” Peterson joins the station for the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm slot. Peterson says in a statement, “It feels like coming home for the holidays. I’m really thrilled…We want to bring back a little common sense to the news/talk business and do some serious fooling around, too. We’re bringing back the team – Jim Gossett’s ‘Newsmaker Line’ and sports with Pete ‘Snake’ Davis — so nobody is safe from ridicule. Sounds like fun.” Peterson was a fixture on Clear Channel’s crosstown news/talk WGST before his show was cancelled in 2006. He’s been off the radio since then. This is the second non-news program to be added to WYAY. Last week the station announced that Braves baseball will also be heard on the station beginning with the 2014 season.
Gina Suarez to Manage Affiliate Sales at Sun Broadcast Group. Gina Suarez comes to SBG from Warner Music Group’s Ryko Records where she was manager of label operations. At Sun, she’ll serve as manager of affiliate sales, based in New York City, where she’ll report to VP of programming and affiliate sales Nick DeGregorio. Suarez is being charged
with leading and supervising the affiliate strategy for the Marilu Henner show and “will work with all affiliate stations to promote and improve Sun’s burgeoning group of products and services.” DeGregorio states, “It happened in the blink of an eye. As soon as we met Gina, we knew she was a perfect fit. We wanted her enthusiasm and professionalism to be a part of the Sun Broadcast Group family. Gina is a master in managing relationships and is immediately a cornerstone of our growing affiliate sales team.” Suarez adds, “It’s a thrill and an honor to be part of the dynamic Sun Broadcast Group family! CEO Jason Bailey, EVP Steve Gallagher, Nick and the entire team are among the most passionate and dedicated in the business. I share their vision of bringing compelling programs like the Marilu Henner show to the fore.”
Eastlan Ratings Begins Doing Business in 11 New Markets. Medium and small market ratings company Eastlan announces it will begin providing radio ratings in 11 new markets including: Abilene, Texas; Casper, Wyoming; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Lake Charles, Louisiana; 
Lawton, Oklahoma; Lufkin/Nacogdoches, Texas; Mankato/New Ulm, Minnesota; Odessa/Midland, Texas; State College, Pennsylvania; Texarkana, Arkansas; and Wichita Falls, Texas. Eastlan president and CEO Mike Gould says in a statement, “We know where our bread is buttered and we are extremely thankful. Eastlan is a 100% radio-focused brand. Our future is inexorably linked to the success of small- and medium-market radio broadcasters. Local radio is in the middle of resurgence as new ownership groups revitalize the industry in step with forward-thinking established broadcasters. Our purpose is to be certain the power of local radio is not diminished by research companies geared toward television or personal jukebox services like Pandora or Spotify.”
AdLarge Media Brings Tom Fleming Aboard as VP of Midwest Sales. AdLarge Media announces the expansion of ad sales presence in the Midwest with the hiring of Tom Fleming as vice president, Midwest sales. The company calls Fleming “a high-performing sales executive” who “brings over a decade of experience to AdLarge’s growing sales force, including expertise in digital sales.” Fleming will be based in AdLarge’s Chicago office and report to Don Wachsmith, chief revenue officer, radio sales. Wachsmith states, “Working with Tom again is something I always hoped would happen. Tom knows the advertising community in Chicago and the Midwest, and he knows that servicing clients and helping them find solutions to their marketing needs are a formula for success. He is a perfect fit for what we are doing as a company at AdLarge.” Wachsmith and Fleming had worked together at Westwood One/Dial Global. Fleming adds, “Don is a great sales leader, and I jumped at the opportunity to work with him again. AdLarge’s reputation for fostering a culture of innovation was a big draw for me. It is a fast-growing company known for its exceptional customer and client service. I couldn’t be more thrilled about joining the AdLarge team.”
Odds & Sods. Kim Komando’s WestStar announces it is offering its immensely popular “An American Christmas” program on a barter basis. It’s hosted by Mannheim Steamroller‘s founder, Chip Davis and is a highly produced, 12-hour show consisting of the stories and legends surrounding the holiday – all keyed to today’s popular and traditional Christmas music…..Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman (also the former U.S. Ambassador to China) begins a weekly radio program on Sirius XM Radio called, “No Labels Radio with Jon Huntsman.” The one-hour program is being produced in conjunction with No Labels, the growing movement of Democrats, Republicans and independents committed to the politics of problem solving. It’ll air this Saturday, October 26 at 10:00 am ET on the POTUS channel.
Peter Doyle Appointed VP of Broadcasters Foundation. The Broadcasters Foundation of America announces the appointment of Peter Doyle to the position of vice president in which he’ll share responsibility for planning and executing the Foundation’s fundraising events and assisting in the overall fundraising and outreach efforts with Jim Thompson, president of the Broadcasters Foundation. Doyle is widely known in broadcasting for his leadership of McGavren Guild, and subsequently other Interep initiatives, for more than 30 years. Thompson states, “Peter brings a unique dynamic to the Foundation. He has a keen understanding of the broadcasting business, and has been a staunch supporter of the Broadcasters Foundation. As we continue to provide more aid to more broadcasters, Peter will be invaluable in helping us secure the funds that are essential to advancing our mission.” Doyle adds, “I look forward to concentrating my efforts on raising money to support this great cause. I have always believed in giving back to my community and to this industry that has been so good to so many of us. The Foundation’s major fundraising events are well known and help generate the money we need. There are a plethora of opportunities for expanding our reach across the industry so that we can continue to help our colleagues in need.”
New York Sports Media Legend Bill Mazer Passes. Sports radio and television pioneer Bill Mazer died in Danbury, Connecticut on Wednesday (10/23) at age 92. Mazer is remembered in the radio business for his pioneering sports radio program on WNBC as well as his longtime general talk and interview morning show on WEVD. Mazer worked at WOR radio hosting a general interest talk show as well as serving as sports anchor on WNEW-TV for some 20 years. He finished his broadcasting career on WVOX in New Rochelle from which he retired in 2009.
Marc Bernier’s Embry-Riddle Interviews Now Online. WNDB, Daytona Beach talk show host Marc Bernier (left) is pictured here interviewing Washington Times opinion page editor and author Emily Miller (right) at the President’s Speakers Series Live Town Hall at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Miller is author of the book Emily Gets Her Gun (Regnery 2013). Bernier tells TALKERS magazine that his interviews in this series – which are also simulcast on WNDB – are being made available in video on YouTube and on his new ROKU channel “Book Marc.” Photo: Arthur J. Byrnes.
HealthCare.gov Hearings, Teacher Slayings, Immigration Legislation, Trimming of Federal Workforce, Scope of NSA Spying, Fired White House Tweeter and the World Series Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (10/23). The looming hearings investigating the problems at the HealthCare.gov site; the two recent slayings of teachers; President Obama’s forthcoming immigration legislation; the size of the federal workforce and what might be targeted in future cuts; the fired National Security Council tweeter; and the Red Sox versus Cardinals World Series were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
WestwoodOne’s Paul Caine Touts Radio to Fishbowl. Contributor Diane Clehane (left) writes about her recent lunch with WestwoodOne CEO Paul Caine (right) in Fishbowl. In addition to covering how Caine arrived at WestwoodOne from Time Inc. and detailing what programming WestwoodOne offers, the two discuss audio’s place in the media landscape. Caine cites recent research that he says demonstrates why audio is so effective. Clehane writes Caine gave her the exclusive on “the preliminary findings of the biometric research conducted by the company in comparing consumer response to video, audio and text. The study found the video was the most passive medium for consumers and revealed that audio prompts the most brain activity among users. ‘Audio creates the greatest amount of theater in the consumers’ mind. It is a deeply connective medium.’ I get it — who doesn’t try to picture what their favorite deejay or commentator looks like when listening in the car? (I was heartened to learn that Delilah from ‘The Light at Night’ is as lovely as she sounds) Yes, said Paul. ‘When people meet who they listen to on the radio, they are usually blown away.’ As far as those celebrities like [Dennis] Miller, [Charles] Osgood and [Billy] Bush who spend hours on the radio, it only enhances their brand across other platforms. ‘Celebrities love radio, because it makes their presence stronger.’ And advertisers, says Paul, ‘like radio because it accelerates their print and television messages.’” Read the entire piece here. Photo: Fishbowl
Dan Patrick Partners with PodcastOne for Distribution and Ad Sales. Sports talk icon Dan Patrick – who hosts a daily sports talk program simulcast on DirecTV and Fox Sports Radio Network – is entering into a deal with Norm
Pattiz’s PodcastOne, a division of Courtside Entertainment Group. Patrick’s podcast is now available on demand and is exclusively represented to national advertisers by PodcastOne Sales, the company’s in-house rep firm. Pattiz comments, “Nobody does sports talk better than Dan Patrick. Nobody does on demand audio better than we do. So it should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that we’re teaming up for the benefit of listeners and advertisers. With the addition of Dan Patrick, the list of stars on the PodcastOne platform has just become significantly brighter.”
Michael Savage Addresses Affiliates on Conference Call. Cumulus Media Networks nationally syndicated talk show host Michael Savage spoke to affiliates on a conference call today at 12:00 noon ET addressing the program’s status as it prepares to move to the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET slot in January and begin being heard on Cumulus Media news/talk stations. Chief operating officer John Dickey introduced Savage by saying the company chose to work with him because of his proven abilities as a storyteller and raconteur. Savage assured affiliates that the show would not change dramatically in its new time slot and reminded them his program aired in drive time in the Pacific Time zone for years. He stated that as a news/talk program, talking about the issues of the day are its bread and butter and said politics is part of that. But he also said he would continue to talk about topics he knows his listeners want to hear about outside of the realm of politics. Savage moves to his new daypart in the New Year.
Connecticut-Based Forte Family Broadcasting to Buy WGCH, Greenwich. Currently owned by BTR Greenwich, Inc., WGCH, Greenwich has been carrying parent corporation Business TalkRadio Network’s programming and is being run by Jeff Weber as consulting operations officer. With BTRN’s recent announcement it is being purchased by BizTV, WGCH goes on the block. Forte is operated by Rocco L. Forte of Sarasota, Florida and Lyme, Connecticut. He is the former CFO of the Abate Insurance Agency and AIA Risk Services in New Haven and has held a variety of executive marketing and advertising positions with the Orion Capital Corp., Fred S. James Co., and The Hartford Insurance Group. Forte states, “I am excited to be able to buy such a heritage station in Connecticut and I look forward to making the 50th anniversary year (2014) of WGCH a successful and even more profitable one. My love for radio began in college, when I worked both on-air and in sales. Now I’ll be able to draw on my business experience in marketing and advertising to expand WGCH’s client base and enhance its presence in the community.” According to a statement, current plans are to keep and expand the local news and sports coverage and syndicated talk format. Forte takes over under an LMA beginning November 4.
Pujols Rejects ‘Lie Detector’ Ploy. Not surprisingly, through his attorney, former St. Louis Cardinal (and current Anaheim Angel) Albert Pujols is rejecting the suggestion by former Major League Baseball slugger and sports talk host Jack Clark that the two take polygraph tests to determine who’s telling the truth about Pujols alleged steroid use. Clark made the steroid use charge on the sports talk show he and partner Kevin Slaten were brokering on WGNU, St. Louis. Pujols has since sued Clark and, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Pujols’ attorney says, “Sworn testimony under penalty of perjury — not inadmissible polygraphs and absurd publicity ploys — is what counts.”
Don Geronimo Says Goodbye to KHTK, Sacramento Listeners. CBS Radio gave Don Geronimo the chance to say goodbye to his KHTK, Sacramento listeners on Wednesday, October 16. Geronimo – whose midday program was cancelled suddenly on October 4 – told listeners that with the company’s decision to go full-time sports talk on KHTK, his show was pulled and he’ll be leaving the Sacramento area. He expressed his gratitude to the market for supporting his program and said he and CBS would be working a project in the future and when the time is right he’ll announce it via Twitter. KHTK had been one of the best-performing affiliate stations for the old Don & Mike show (with former co-host Mike O’Meara) during that program’s heyday. After Geronimo took a two-year break from radio, he returned to KHTK in 2010. Geronimo’s producer Little Joe Pittman will remain with the station.
Sun Broadcast Group to Distribute and Rep AccuWeather Spanish Content. SBG and AccuWeather announce they’ve entered into an agreement to provide a branded weather reporting service to Spanish-language radio stations. Along with affiliating and distributing the hourly reports, Sun’s Spanish language division, Sun
Latino, will handle ad sales and sponsorships. SBG CEO Jason Bailey states, “When we formed Sun Latino we aimed to become the #1 network for information. With AccuWeather en Español joining our lineup of Fox Deportes and CNN en Español, we’ve clearly accomplished that goal. Stations and advertisers alike now have just one network to call that provides the trusted brands that inform their audience.” AccuWeather en Español is being offered to affiliates as fully customized daily weather reports “with the power of the complete AccuWeather team by their side.”
Cool Job Opportunity. News/talk WTAM, Cleveland has a rare news director opening (the last two NDs totaled 18 years). Current ND Darren Toms is leaving to take a newly created position with the city of Cleveland. The station wants to find an aggressive, ‘news junkie’ with strong digital/social media skills who can manage a nine-person department. Great opportunity for the right person! Newsradio WTAM 1100 Cleveland is looking for the next news director to lead an award-winning news department while living and breathing news 24/7. Applicants should have a minimum of seven years’ experience, be a strong on-air anchor and great in the digital/web world. Knowledge of RCS News and Nex Gen are helpful. Qualified candidates can send packages to program director Ray Davis (ray@wtam.com) and apply online at www.clearcareers.com by clicking “join our team.” Clear Channel Media & Entertainment is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Temporary Budget Deal, ObamaCare Implementation, Florida Teen Bullying/Suicide Case, and MLB Playoffs Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (10/16). The temporary budget deal that ends the government shutdown and the GOP’s role; the ongoing scrutiny of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act; the high-profile case of the suicide and alleged bullying of a Florida girl; and the Major League Baseball playoffs were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Andrea Tantaros Ceases TRN Show; Sues Company for Fraud and Breach of Contract. After greatly reducing its offerings in the wake of financial troubles, Talk Radio Network continued to produce the Andrea Tantaros program (along with a few others). That’s no longer the case as Tantaros has terminated her employment agreement with TRN and is suing the company for fraud and breach of contract. In the suit, Tantaros’ attorney Joseph Cane alleges that, under the breach of contract portion of the suit, TRN has, due to financial troubles, failed to uphold multiple contract responsibilities. “Plaintiff Tantaros found herself in a situation wherein she no longer had a competent executive producer, a full-time call screener, a paid assistant, or a sound effects manager, and further, had either no guests or only decidedly ‘C-list’ quality guests, was provided with no research for the third-rate guests that were booked for the Tantaros show, a lack of sufficient research for the topics at hand, provided with no editorial guidance, and she was expected by Defendant TRN to basically produce her own show…In addition, there no longer was any meaningful sales force to sell her program to advertisers or potential advertisers and there was no affiliate relations staff at Defendant TRN to service the needs or the requests of the Tantaros show’s affiliates.” As far as the fraud portion of the complaint goes, the suit alleges that Tantaros was promised a number of things that TRN was not able to produce including money for a promotion budget, an ample sales effort to allow Tantaros to earn the money specified in her contract and did not disclose its suit 
against then-Dial Global, its primary ad sales rep. Sources close to Andrea Tantaros tell TALKERS that although she is resolute in breaking her ties to TRN as indicated in her legal action, she remains enthusiastic about and committed to her career in talk radio. She hopes to continue her career in this arena with another syndicator or network based on the premise that her obligations to TRN no longer exist as a result of its alleged breach of contract with her. TRN CEO Mark Masters is denying the allegations and issued the following statement: “Our relationship with Andrea has been wonderful. She is a brilliant host and a talented person. Until very recently, we had an excellent relationship with her. We are now concerned that a third party is misleading her to their own direct benefit. This is not an uncommon problem when the host of a successful syndicated radio show has achieved such early success in our industry. In any event, we look forward to the prompt resolution of the matter in our favor, and to moving forward on a positive and mutually rewarding basis with Andrea for many years to come. In the approximately nine months that Andrea has been in syndication with TRN Entertainment, the combination of our investment of our radio expertise, training, coaching, support, promotion, affiliate relations, time, effort and substantial dollars into the development of the show and of Andrea as a radio personality, combined with Andrea’s growth as a radio personality, has built the show from start-up status to the seventh largest talk radio show in the TALKERS rankings, and has landed Andrea on the cover of the October talk radio issue of Radio Ink. To our knowledge, this has never been done before. It is a testament to the mutually successful collaboration between Andrea and our team. Regardless of this temporary intrigue, there is no legal basis for Andrea to terminate our contract (to the benefit of a predatory competitor), and we will require, and fully expect, her to abide by its terms. Contrary to certain reports we have heard, we are in full compliance with our obligations under the contract, and are prepared to enforce our rights.” As of today (10/14), Tantaros is not on the air. Sam Sorbo is serving as host of the program.
Talkers Los Angeles 2013 a Success. More than 250 radio and associated industry professionals gathered and 55 speakers participated in a non-stop day of speeches, special presentations, and panel discussions tackling the major issues facing the talk media industry at Talkers Los Angeles 2013. Among the major issues covered are the growing need for the radio industry to have an accurate cross-platform
ratings system; develop new ways to program commercials that generate results for the advertisers without chasing away listeners; explore new spoken-word formats that tap into unfulfilled opportunities; attract younger demos to talk radio; and bring back more live and local programming to the broadcast day. In the coming days and weeks, TALKERS will provide extensive coverage of the event, described by TALKERS VP/executive editor Kevin Casey as “one of the most dynamic and productive conferences in the publication’s 24 year history.” Pictured here are, at top left, Alpha Broadcasting and L&L Broadcasting CEO Larry Wilson delivering the keynote speech. At right are Weiss Agency EVP Heather Cohen (l) and KFI and KTLK, Los Angeles program director Robin Bertolucci (r). Bertolucci was last year’s recipient of the “Woman of the Year” award and she presented it to Cohen who received the award this year.
RAB CEO Erica Farber Leads Sales Panel at Talkers Los Angeles 2013. During the Talkers Los Angeles 2013 conference at the Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood, RAB CEO Erica Farber moderated a panel of industry pros working in the sales end the business that addressed the current struggles talk radio faces in the national and network areas but also pointed to success on the local level. Sports USA Media president Bob Moore told the attendees, “Network business, as a whole, sucks. There are 35 buyers controlling radio and forcing down rates. I happen to be in one of the positive aspects of the business – sports. No-buy lists are killing talk radio as we know it. We need to find new clients and [bypass the buyers and] get to the CEOs and presidents and present our cases.” Salem Los Angeles vice president and general manager Terry Fahy concurred saying, “It’s tough out there with the rate suppression. Our challenge is to tell our story. We’re still getting results for our advertisers but the digital competition is intense.” WYD Media Management CEO Ron Hartenbaum noted that in his business, they are selling without numbers. “There are so many ways in which fans of talent are interacting with the product. Nielsen Audio can’t measure it so we’re selling based on results and that means a lot of direct response.” But WGDJ, Albany owner Paul Vandenburgh said his local efforts are delivering results for his station. “Everything seemingly starts with local radio. We’re knocking on doors and we find that business is as good as we make it. Radio still really works if you want it to.” Pictured here (from l-r) are: Fahy, Bonneville Seattle’s Chris Pendl, Hartenbaum, Moore, Vandenburgh and Farber.
KFBK, Sacramento Debuts New Evening Talk Show with Pat Walsh. Clear Channel’s KFBK, Sacramento announces the launch of the Pat Walsh show to begin airing Monday, October 14 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm PT. Walsh is the station’s longtime sports anchor (serving as morning and afternoon sports anchor for the past 17 years) and he will continue in that role from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the station. CC Sacramento vice president of programming Ken Charles says, “KFBK is Sacramento’s local news station and adding Pat Walsh to the evening lineup helps further establish KFBK as
the leader in local news and information.” To make room for Walsh, the station moves Premiere Networks’ Sean Hannity to sister station KSTE in the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm slot. Additionally, KFBK adds Bill Herenda to the morning show staff to serve as morning sports anchor. Herenda joins KFBK as the morning sports reporter following a career where he has appeared on the ESPN family of networks as a basketball analyst and on Time Warner Cable as a contributor to sports talk shows throughout the U.S.
Houston Gold Dealer and Talk Host Charged with Felony. The improbably named Brett Bogus, owner of the local Houston business The Gold Exchange, was charged with Misapplication of Fiduciary Property and is free on $150,000 bond. Bogus brokered time on Salem Communications’ KTEK, Houston for his program, “The Meltdown,” on which he touted the value of gold over paper money and other investments. Complainant John Menna alleges Bogus shorted him approximately $75,000 in a gold transaction. Bogus tells KPRC-TV, Houston he intends to make full restitution for the former client. Bogus’ time brokerage agreement with KTEK was cancelled.
Living on Tulsa Time. Nationally syndicated talk radio star Dave Ramsey is pictured here on stage at the Mabee Center in Tulsa presenting his new “Legacy Journey LIVE!” event in before a packed house yesterday (10/10). Ramsey talked about how to win with money, strengthen marriages and lead your children with confidence. His daughter, Rachel Cruze, joined him on stage. Ramsey worked with local affiliate KCFO on the event. Station manager Ken Staley says, “The new revenues are one thing, better than anything we’ve ever done. But the notoriety, positive PR and the public’s excitement are priceless. The event is a well-oiled machine that runs flawlessly. It was a joy to sit back and watch.” Ramsey was in Colorado Springs the day before hosting his “EntreLeadership 1 Day Event” before a full houst at the Pikes Peak Center. Ramsey, along with speaker Chris Hogan, spoke about how to run a business using the same common sense principles that Ramsey practices in his own company of more than 350 employees. KRDO, affiliate of The Dave Ramsey Show, took part in the event.
Texas Governor Rick Perry Joins Salem Los Angeles Event. More than 1,000 people attended the “Townhall 2013” gathering at the Sheraton Fairplex and Conference Center in Pomona, Calilfornia on Sunday, October 6 sponsored by Salem’s KRLA and KTIE “AM870 & AM590 THE ANSWER.” Texas Governor Rick Perry made a special appearance at the event. The theme of the confab was the kickoff of the 2014 mid-term elections and what Republicans can do to rebuild. Pictured here (from l-r) are: Hugh Hewitt, program director Chuck Tyler, “Morning Answer” team Brian Whitman and Elisha Krauss, Governor Perry, marketing and promotion director Pamela T. Tyus, Ben Shapiro (“Morning Answer”), Michael Medved, VP and general manager of Salem Los Angeles Terry Fahy and Dennis Prager.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
More News/Talk Radio Success Stories. Yes, you read that right, contrary to the pronouncement – largely in the mainstream media (but some trades are generalizing as well) – that news/talk radio is suffering an overall ratings decline because there’s something wrong with the programming, the signals or its P1s, there are news/talk stations that are doing well. In a piece published yesterday (see Wednesday’s news below) we 
mentioned a few news/talk stations that are performing well such as WMAL, KMOX, WSB-AM, KIRO-FM and others but more have come to light and we believe it’s worth delving into again. The editors at TALKERS magazine understand we are running the risk of sounding like cheerleaders but it’s not because we are blind to reality, it’s that we are irked by sweeping conclusions based on less-than-complete information that brands an 
entire format as dead or dying. Yes, some news/talk stations are dealing with low ratings and, yes, there are some entire markets that have seen – at least according to Nielsen Audio’s data – listening to news/talk decline. But for those who work at Alpha Broadcasting’s KXL-FM, Portland; Clear Channel’s KFBK, Sacramento, KNRS-AM/FM, Salt Lake City or WLW, Cincinnati; Bonneville’s KSL, Salt Lake City; Cox Media Group’s WDBO-AM/FM, Orlando; or Entercom’s KMBZ, Kansas City, are enjoying the fruits of their hard work in the form of 
news/talk stations that are performing well in their markets in spite of this gloomy environment. Digging a bit deeper at 
KXL-FM, the midday shows – Jim Villanucci from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and Lars Larson from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm – are both in the top six spots in Persons 25-54. Villanucci (brand new to Portland listeners) is ranked #6 in the market with Persons 25-54 and Larson, a conservative political talker, ranks #2 in the market with Persons 25-54. Larson is also tied for #1 with Men 18-34 with a 9.2 share. And he does it in liberal Portland! In conclusion, it is not only in the best interests of the country for news/talk radio to remain a vital medium — it is in the interests of the entire radio industry because – let’s face it – most of the buzz, news, high-profile personalities, controversy, and hoopla concerning radio as an iconic component of contemporary culture has emanated from news/talk radio. After that, a close runner up has been the more general (lifestyle and entertainment) approach to “talk” radio as practiced by talents such as Howard Stern (incorrectly described by mainstream media as “shock jocks.”) Can you imagine what the state of radio would be today had it not been for news/talk and general talk radio during the past 25 years? The industry should not be so quick to discount the viability of this genre of radio and the key it holds to the continued pertinence of radio itself. Lars Larson says his philosophy about the focus of his show is simple: “I figure the future of talk is in young listeners who get into the habit and like the format and what we put on the air. I hope to keep them in my audience for the next 20 years.”
Brief Tenure at WBZ-AM, Boston for Jen Brien. Just three months after beginning her position as permanent overnight host at CBS Radio’s WBZ-AM, Boston, talk show host Jen Brien exits with no reason given by management. An announcement was made at the beginning of the overnight program on Thursday morning (10/3) that Brien was no longer the host of the show. Brien won the job after Steve LeVeille retired in June of 2012. The station featured a number of fill-in hosts in the overnight slot for a year before giving Brien the gig. She had previously worked at crosstown WRKO hosting midday show.
Jay Mohr Visits ‘The Tonight Show.’ Fox Sports Radio Network nationally syndicated host Jay Mohr is pictured here on the set of “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. Mohr appeared on the program to talk about his sports talk radio show as well as his upcoming stand-up comedy shows in his Houston and San Antonio markets. Mohr plugged the fact that his show can be heard on iHeartRadio – prompting a shout from an audience member who, Mohr quipped, “has the app!”
CBS Radio Brings Soccer to NYC. CBS Radio sports talk WFAN-AM/FM, New York agrees to a multi-year deal with the New York City Football Club to begin broadcasting the team’s matches on the stations beginning in 2015. WFAN says it is “the first radio provider to broadcast Major League Soccer (MLS) in English in New York City.” Manchester City Football Club owns the NYC Football Club and CEO Ferran Soriano says, “We’re thrilled to partner with a station as prestigious as WFAN. This is a huge opportunity for the team to bring football to all New Yorkers, right from the onset of our playing debut.” Clearly, growing interest in soccer in the U.S. is something CBS Radio hopes will continue to blossom. CBS Radio SVP and market manager Don Bouloukos adds, “As the nation’s leading sports radio station, we always look for ways to bring every type of sport to the New York area’s fans. Soccer is beloved across the world, and with the New York City Football Club coming to New York, it’s the perfect time to further ignite the passion soccer fans have and bring coverage and play-by-play of this new team to the Tri-State area listeners.”
Odds & Sods. Entercom’s WEEI, Boston kicks off the Red Sox post-season play with a live remote broadcast following a shortened edition of the Salk and Holley show. A “Red Sox Roundtable” will be broadcast live from Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar and Grill in Fenway Park from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Mike Salk, Michael Holley and fellow WEEI personalities John Dennis, Mike Mutnansky, Lou Merloni, Mikey Adams, Kirk Minihane, Alex Speier and Rob Bradford, as well as the Sox broadcast team of Dave O’Brien and Joe Castiglione will be on hand to discuss the Sox’ impending American League Division Series matchup…..Speaking of Joe Castiglione, he’s been nominated as one of 10 finalists for the Ford C. Frick award, given to baseball broadcasters of long and meritorious service. Castiglione has been calling Boston Red Sox games on the radio for 31 years, having joined their broadcast team in 1983…..Northwestern alumnus, Mike Greenberg, and “Mike & Mike” co-host Mike Golic, will broadcast their show live from Northwestern’s Evanston, Illinois campus tomorrow morning (10/4) in advance of Saturday’s Homecoming game between the Wildcats and the Ohio State Buckeyes, as part of the third annual ESPN Audio Fall Football Tour. Greenberg will also serve as grand marshal of University’s 2013 Homecoming Parade tomorrow evening.
Media Day with the Heat. Lincoln Financial Media’s sports talker WAXY-AM/FM, Miami “The Ticket” morning drive hosts Marc Hochman (left) and Jonathon Zaslow (right) attended Miami Heat media day recently and took the time to pose for a shot with Heat center Joel Anthony (the tall guy in the middle).
Government Shutdown, ObamaCare Implementation, IPCC Climate Report, U.S.-Iran Relations, and Financial Markets Activity Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (10/2). The political maneuvering to fix the government shutdown; the beginning of the enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act; the release of the latest climate report from the IPCC; speculation about future relations between the U.S. and Iran; and financial markets activity were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Clear Channel Moves Full-Steam Ahead into Digital Talk with iHeartRadio Talk. Clear Channel Media and Entertainment announces its newest digital platform – actually a custom feature of the existing iHeartRadio – dubbed iHeartRadio Talk. The company calls it “the first mass-market audio platform with the ability to offer on-demand, listener-created talk content alongside popular news, celebrity and entertainment ‘audiosodes.’” The company also says iHeartRadio Talk will feature “Daily Pulse,” a customizable talk channel featuring the most up-to-date news and culture highlights, which allows users to add content that is most important to them. Clear Channel president of digital Brian Lakamp states, “Talk radio listeners are some of the most dedicated and engaged listeners in the world, and now with iHeartRadio Talk, we are giving those listeners access to their favorite talk content anywhere they are. Plus, for the first time ever, listeners who have been accepted into the iHeartRadio Talk library will be able to record and instantly share their perspective on any topic they choose – it’s basically like offering ‘audio Twitter.’ We are giving a voice to the everyman, and at the same time are enabling iHeartRadio users to discover and enjoy thousands of ‘audiosodes’ from the best talent around the country – something only Clear Channel is able to offer.” As part of the initiative, Clear Channel has struck a deal with ABC TV to have the new feature include audio from “Good Morning America,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “The View.”
Courtside Entertainment Brings Greg Batusic Aboard as COO. Norm Pattiz’s Courtside Entertainment Group announces former Westwood One executive Greg Batusic joins the company in the newly created position of chief operating officer. Batusic will be based in Los Angeles and report to Pattiz where he’ll be in charge of day-to-day operations of both Courtside Entertainment Group and Launchpad Digital Media/Podcast One. Norm Pattiz comments, “In the early years of Westwood One, Greg helped lead the way to the multi-billion dollar network radio business. Now, while we do the same thing to on-demand audio, Greg’s expertise and leadership will be invaluable. He knows what it takes to build a company and an industry from the ground up and I’m happy to be working together again.” Batusic spent 15-plus years with Westwood One. During his career he has also served as executive vice president of global sales for Gibson Guitar. Prior to Gibson, he co-founded The Promotional, L.L.C. and served as the managing partner of the promotion company. He oversaw all operational business, marketing development and revenue generation through high profile promotional programs. Batusic says, “It’s my great pleasure to be working with Norm again. The vibe at Courtside is very much the same as it was at Westwood One – a lot of life, contagious energy and innovative ideas. I’m excited to be a part of it.”
CASE STUDY: How to Launch an Independently Syndicated Talk Show. In a highly informative column posted today (7/24) noted radio engineering consultant and TALKERS technical editor Tom Ray outlines a step-by-step guide to launching an independently syndicated talk show using “Ron Ananian: The Car Doctor” as a case study. In it, Tom 
discusses every detail: from building a studio to purchasing satellite time; covering details such as getting the audio from the studio to the satellite, acquiring a toll-free, call-in line; launching an affiliate relations campaign, handling sales and audio production; as well as offering podcasts and building an accompanying website. Ray says, “Going into independent syndication, while not simple to do, will give you a great sense of satisfaction.” Actually, if you have a good show, launching an independently syndicated program is quite do-able. To read Tom Ray’s entire column, which is sure to help you get started, please click here.
Five Tips to Instant Cume Growth. Since the advent of PPM, many programmers have ceased worrying about certain elements that were deemed vital to the diary method but are now considered unimportant in the age of PPM. They are especially ignoring past-proven, cume-builders based on the premise that once people are listening — you already got ‘em. This is a huge mistake. Unless you have a major billboard, TV and newspaper advertising campaign in place you cannot afford to waste the power of your own air in generating cume. In a new column posted today, noted radio consultant and TALKERS columnist Walter Sabo addresses the AM radio problem of cume shrinkage and offers five tips to turn this negative trend around. To read the column, please click here.
Entercom CEO David Field Addresses Employees in ‘Midyear Update.’ In a companywide memo, Entercom CEO David Field delivers what’s termed a “midyear update” that serves as both a pep talk for the immediate future and a slap on the back for what the company has achieved thus far. Field states that coming 
out of the company’s management meetings in Minneapolis last week where they heard presentations on the state of the business and what the company can do to grow he believes, “We have terrific content, large audiences, outstanding personalities, great ratings, and powerful listener engagement. I found the meetings extremely motivating and informative and really enjoyed the time with our team of top-notch programming leaders.” Field then goes on to address numerous items under the subheadings Investing in Our People, Investing in Our Future, Making Entercom a Better Place to Work, and Why We Matter. Finally, he waxes positive about the radio business, “And radio is thriving. More people listen to AM/FM radio than ever before in history. And AM/FM radio has more than 9x the combined listening of all satellite and internet radio combined. The addition of our digital platforms has enabled us to engage our audiences and serve our advertisers in unprecedented ways. We have generated hundreds and hundreds of case studies demonstrating our effectiveness in delivering results for our customers.” To read David Field’s entire memo, click here.
KKOB, Albuquerque Records 52nd Straight #1 Book. Cumulus Media’s news/talk KKOB, Albuquerque notches its 52nd straight Arbitron ratings book at the top of the heap for Persons 12+ in the Spring ’13 ratings 
period. AM operations manager Pat Frisch tells TALKERS magazine the station is #5 in the market with Men 25-54 (Mon-Sun 6A-Mid) and notes “TSL is driving KKOB up to nine hours, two hours more than the Winter ’13 book.” Frisch also states, “The station is being driven by the king of mornings, Bob Clark (6:00 am to 10:00 am), and midday giant Rush Limbaugh (10:00 am to 1:00 pm). Both had over a nine-share in their time slots in the Spring book. I am finishing up my 14th year here at KKOB and 13 of those years have been at #1 and all of this is accomplished because of a great staff that gets it.”
Entercom to Flip WDMT, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to Sports Talk. Speaking to the local Times-Leader, Entercom general manager Ryan Flynn says that although the adult alternative format heard on WDMT “The Mountain” had done “OK from a ratings standpoint” over the past 10 years, the company has not been able to monetize the format. With that, the station will become “The Sports Hub 102.3” on August 5. It’ll use NBC Sports Radio Network programming but will air a local, three-hour sports talk show in afternoon drive. The host(s) for that program have not been named. It’s interesting to note that the “Sports Hub” moniker is also used by CBS Radio in Boston on WBZ-FM which is in vicious competition with Entercom’s WEEI.
Sara McClure Named VP of Sales at CC Sacramento. Sara McClure is a veteran of Northern California radio sales, most recently serving with Entercom in numerous sales capacities. Now she joins Clear Channel Media and Entertainment as vice president of sales for its six-station Sacramento cluster that includes: news/talk KFBK-AM/FM, talk KSTE classic hits KHLX “Classic 93.1,” adult hits KQJK “93.7 Jack FM,” and rhythmic oldies KHYL “V101,” . McClure worked with a Bay Area ad agency beginning in 1995 and has also served with CBS Radio. She says, “With my background in multimedia integrated selling, I know the timing is right to make my move to Clear Channel. I am looking forward to teaming up with [market president] Dave Milner to lead the Sacramento cluster and leverage the company’s industry-leading capabilities.”
Thom Abraham to Host AM Drive on Fort Myers Sports Duo. As TALKERS reported on July 23, Sun
Broadcasting is splitting the two AM signals off its news/talk trimulcast WFSX-AM/FM and WNOG-AM “92.5 Fox News.” The sports duo “The Fan” will feature Nashville-based Thom Abraham in the 6:00 am to 9:00 am slot. Abraham – whose show is heard in Nashville on WNSR as well as on WNTC, Drakesboro, Kentucky and WZZN, Huntsville, Alabama – was heard in the Fort Myers market on former sports talk WJBX from 2001 to 2004.
Celebrity Promotion for ObamaCare, Zimmerman Verdict Aftermath, IRS Scandal, MLB Suspends Ryan Braun, Detroit Bankruptcy Fallout, and Anthony Weiner Internet Sex Issues Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/23). The implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the Obama Administration’s use of celebrities to promote the controversial law; issues of crime and race relations in the wake of the George Zimmerman verdict; the IRS policy targeting conservative groups and individuals; MLB suspends Ryan Braun for PEDs – A-Rod believed to be next; the fallout from Detroit’s bankruptcy filing; and the new allegations of sexual dalliances by New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
CBS Radio Makes Changes to Programming at Sports Talk KHTK, Sacramento. The big change here is the move of Don Geronimo from AM drive to middays – airing from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm and the return of Carmichael Dave
to the station. Carmichael Dave – who exited the station in May of last year and was recently hosting an internet program – is being paired up with Keith Brooks for the new morning show that will debut on July 8. It appears the station will re-brand itself as “KHTK Sports 1140” from its current “CBS Sports Radio Sacramento.” The station also notes that “Jason Ross will rejoin the afternoon sports desk in the ‘KHTK Sports 1140’ update studios and continue to fill in for Grant Napear. Dave ‘Deuce’ Mason will continue to be an important part of Sports 1140 and local sports programming for KHTK.” Don Geronimo has been a successful personality on KHTK in the midday slot going back to the days of the old Westwood One-syndicated Don & Mike show.
Legal Snag Hits Salem’s Attempt to Bring Peter Boyles to KNUS, Denver. Longtime KHOW, Denver radio personality Peter Boyles – recently fired by Clear Channel after a physical altercation between Boyles and his producer Greg Hollenback – was supposed to resurface on Salem Communications’ crosstown news/talk KNUS on July 1. But it appears a legal complication – probably a non-compete in his contract with Clear Channel – is preventing that from happening for the time being. Local reports said Boyles may be hosting the morning show as early as Wednesday (7/3) but as of today the morning drive show is being hosted by regular KNUS fill-in host Jimmy Sengenberger.
Valuable Formula to Determine the Financial Value of Each Listener Measured by Arbitron. What if you knew how much an average listener as measured in your Arbitron ratings contributed in daily, monthly, or even annual revenue to your station? And what if you could use that data to help drive decisions in what promotions make sense for existing listeners and which marketing channels are best for new listeners? You can, and in a new article posted today (7/2), Chris Pendl, the brilliant creative director of Bonneville Seattle and TALKERS columnist, shows you how to do it. All it takes (ugh) is a little math. To read this valuable information, click here.
Steve Cochran Fills in for Jonathon Brandmeier on WGN, Chicago. As Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports, longtime WGN personality and former crosstown WIND host Steve Cochran (who exited WIND just last week) is sitting in for the vacationing Jonathon Brandmeier today (7/2) on the morning show – possibly adding fuel to the speculation that Cochran will return to WGN. But WGN president and general manager Jimmy de Castro is either being coy or truly is still considering the future of the station’s lineup when he tells Feder, “We haven’t even talked about an agreement because he’s just doing fill-ins. I know Cochran really well. I love him. I’d love to figure out if there’s a way to have him in WGN’s family. I don’t know. I’m doing research and looking at a lot of stuff. I want him to fill in on different dayparts — mornings, middays, afternoons — and hear what happens.” The two worked together at WLUP-FM and WLUP-AM (now sports WMVP) in the 1990s.
WGN, Chicago Officially Comments on Staff Changes. TALKERS reported the exit of WGN, Chicago late night talk host Turi Ryder last week as she addressed her departure from the station on her radio program – by the way a classy move for management to allow her to say “good-bye.” Now, WGN announces the evening sports show content and news staff changes confirming “the David Kaplan show will air from 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight with a focus on the Chicago sports scene
and national sports landscape. Listeners will hear a variety of sports topics discussed by Kaplan and various guests from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm, followed by an hour of sports talk from Mark Carman and Jordan Bernfield. Kaplan is a staple in the Chicago sports industry, having joined WGN Radio in 1995. He most recently held the position of afternoon drive sports reporter and host of various shows including, ‘WGN Sports Night’ and ‘Cubs Insider.’ Bernfield is the current host of ‘Cubs Weekly’ and Northwestern basketball and football broadcasts. Carman comes to WGN radio from Yahoo! Sports Radio, where he was previously the afternoon co-host since August of 2012.” The new schedule also includes a lineup shift for news anchors Andrea Darlas and Steve Bertrand. Darlas will anchor mornings and Bertrand returns to the afternoons/evenings. WGN president and general manager Jimmy deCastro states, “We’re making changes in an effort to give Chicagoans more of the things they want to hear. Thank you to our WGN Radio listeners, the most loyal and attentive family, for helping us navigate through this and stay tuned for the best of the old and new coming soon.”
Brian Kilmeade’s Fox News Radio Show to be Featured on his Fox News Channel TV Show. In what promises to be a creative and interesting piece of cross-platform promotion tomorrow morning between 6:00 am and 9:00 am (7/3), multimedia talk star Brian Kilmeade‘s midday Fox News Radio show “Kilmeade and Friends” will be featured in “realty show” style on Fox News Channel‘s “morning show “Fox and Friends” (in which Kilmeade is a co-host). The behind the scenes package will show Brian’s transition as he goes from TV to radio — the cameras followed him and stayed in the radio studio for the three hours where some of Brian’s regular “friends” stopped by and had a little fun with him.
NYMRAD Touts Positive New York Market Revenue Data. Based on numbers from Miller, Kaplan, Arase and Co., the trade group New York Market Radio is announcing spot revenue is up 7.6% for the first five months of 2013. NYMRAD executive director Deborah Beagan says, “It’s quite a story to see New York Radio Market revenues up by over 7% year-to-date through May, 2013…The key to New York Market Radio’s success is live-and-local content that engages the audience. For the 92% of New Yorkers who listen to radio, this is their hometown and their favorite stations. In addition, New York Market Radio stations have significantly invested in the digital arena to provide multi-platform options to advertisers. The future of effective advertising lies in the smart integration of traditional and digital media. I am extremely enthusiastic about the second half of 2013.”
WLS-AM, Chicago Brings Susan Carlson Aboard for PM News Duties. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that Cumulus Media’s news/talk WLS, Chicago is hiring former WBBM-TV “CBS 2” morning news anchor Susan Carlson to serve as news anchor for the afternoon drive show hosted by Roe Conn and Richard Roeper. She replaces Jim Johnson who recently retired from the station after 45 years. Carlson is no stranger to WLS having served as a news and traffic reporter from 1998 to 2002, also working with Roe Conn. Feder reports Carlson is under contract to WBBM-TV until July 18 and will join WLS-AM after that.
Sports Reporting: Dealing with Prickly Coaches. WFAN, New York sports talk host and TALKERS columnist Richard Neer offers advice to sports reporters and talk hosts who interview sports coaches as part of their jobs. Neer’s experience dealing with some of the top coaches leading New York sports teams has taught him a few lessons, especially about dealing with skippers who don’t enjoy post-game press conferences. Neer writes about the tactics of asking questions during post-game pressers and eliciting useful responses from reluctant managers. Read his piece here.
MEDIA BROKER SPOTLIGHT: Burt Sherwood of Burt Sherwood & Associates. In this week’s installment of Media Broker Spotlight, Sandi Bergman of RadioTVDeals.com interviews media broker Burt Sherwood of Burt Sherwood & Associates. Sherwood brings years of experience (he was one of the early WMCA Good Guys) to his brokerage firm optimistically stating, ”Station sales should be strong, ethnic operators will grow, youth will be served by over-the-air stations which will have apps for their iPhones and iPads, and the audience will grow proportionately — I think better than 30%. You will be able to track listeners and TV viewers and get them to respond directly…broadcasting and the internet will be partners.” To read the entire installment of Media Broker Spotlight, click here.
Veteran Talk Show Host Mark Wainwright Dips Toe in On-Air Water After 16 Year Hiatus. He was one of the big players in talk radio back in the 1990s doing stellar airwork – perhaps most notably at WBAP, Dallas – before leaving the industry in 1997 to pursue other endeavors. Now Mark Wainwright is back, at least temporarily as a fill in, returning to WBAP this Friday, July 5 subbing in the 9:00 am to 11:00 am slot. He’ll also be heard doing fill-in during morning drive on WGY, Albany next Thursday and Friday (7/11-12) and morning drive on WSYR, Syracuse the week of August 12-16 and August 19 and 20. Welcome back to the game, Mark – we hope we get to hear even more of you in the coming days. For old friends looking to reconnect, Mark Wainwright can be emailed at thatvoice@verizon.net.
KMZQ, Las Vegas Re-Brands as ‘Fox Sports 670AM Las Vegas.’ Kemp Communications’ sports talk KMZQ picks up Fox Sports Radio Network programming and re-brands as “Fox Sports 670AM Las Vegas.” The station is airing “Fox Sports Daybreak,” “Jay Mohr Sports,” “Fox Sports Primetime featuring Pat O’Brien with Steve Hartman,” “Petros & Money,” “Fox Sports Tonight,” J.T. The Brick and the network’s complete weekend lineup. It will continue to air TRN-FM’s “Mancow in the Morning” on the station from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. General manager Deirdre Palmer states, “We are very excited to add Fox Sports Radio programming to 670AM. We’re confident the Fox Sports brand, combined with the Network’s quality programming, will elevate KMZQ-AM to the next level in Las Vegas.”
Katherine Galanty Joins Yahoo! Sports Radio. Yahoo! Sports Radio has a new vice president of affiliate relations as Katherine Galanty joins the company. Galanty’s resume includes stints with Sports USA, ISP Sports, and Westwood One. Yahoo! Sports Radio program director and chief operating officer Craig Larson states, “Katherine brings a wealth of affiliate relations experience in sports talk radio. We expect her to play a critical role as we continue to emerge in the years ahead.”
NAB Spotlights Importance of ‘First Informers’ in Moore, Oklahoma Video. The National Association of Broadcasters, in an effort to highlight the importance of “first informers” in saving lives during natural disasters and weather emergencies, has posted a condensed version of a documentary by University of Oklahoma media arts professor Scott Hodgson and his students that features interviews and never-before-seen footage on broadcasters’ efforts before, during and after the storm. The video is on the blog post page by NAB vice president, communications, Ann Marie Cumming. See it here.
Arizona Firefighters Deaths, U.S. Spying Program/Edward Snowden Case, Egyptian Violence, Western Heat Wave, Student Loan Rate Hikes and ObamaCare Promotion Controversy Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/1). The deaths of 19 firefighters battling the Arizona wildfire; the ongoing issue of the United States’ spying program and the fate of Edward Snowden; the anarchy in Egypt as protests demand Mohamed Morsi’s ouster; the scorching heat affecting the Western United States; the debate over government-backed student loan rates; and promotion of ObamaCare by libraries in the U.S. were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Ronn Owens Disputes Reports of His Demise at KGO. Addressing yesterday morning’s lead story on the TALKERS magazine morning headlines, attributed to San Francisco media blogger Rich Lieberman, KGO talk show host Ronn Owens tells TALKERS there is no truth to the report that his contract will be bought out before it ends on December 31 and that the station will replace him with a newsy program. Owens also tells TALKERS he has no knowledge of Cumulus Media’s plans beyond his contract but says, “Cumulus has been totally nice to me.” Owens says Lieberman “has been attacking me for over a year for the changes that have taken place at KGO,” referring to the dismissal of other talk show hosts and staffers that took place after Cumulus assumed control of the station. Owens says Lieberman’s blog story is “totally made up.” He says, in fact, his agent is not Don Buchwald but is David Katz. He also says he does not make a seven-figure salary and never said that his ego is too big to be paid $300,000, as Lieberman reported. Regarding his future at KGO, Owens tells TALKERS, “San Francisco is the crown jewel of places to live and whatever happens after December 31 happens.”
CBS Radio’s Atlanta Sports FM Will Be “SportsRadio 92.9 The Game.” Set to debut in mid-October, CBS Radio’s new FM sports talk outlet – the soon-to-be-former Triple A WZGC, Atlanta will take the handle “SportsRadio 92.9 The Game.” Media chatter around Atlanta is that the station may reveal its lineup as early as next week in order to give the sales staff something concrete to pitch to clients prior to the launch. Earlier media reports alluded to the possibility that “Two Live Stews” Doug and Ryan Stewart – recently dropped from crosstown WQXI “790 The Zone” – might pop up on the station but TALKERS sources indicate that will not be the case. The programming philosophy we’re hearing about for this station is being termed as “fresh.” Stay tuned!
Nation’s Biggest Talk Hosts Sign On to Petition Against TV Networks for Biased Election Coverage. The missive detailing a complaint against ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN for “rigging this election and taking sides in order to pre-determine the outcome,” is penned by the conservative Media Research Center’s L. Brent Bozell III but it is signed by some of the country’s top nationally syndicated talk show hosts. Premiere’s Rush Limbaugh, TRN’s Laura Ingraham and Cumulus Media Networks’ Mark Levin signed the open letter. In it, Bozell writes, in part: “A free and balanced media are crucial to the health of this country. It is your duty as journalists – as outlined in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics – to ‘distinguish between advocacy and news reporting,’ while simultaneously ‘seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues.’ There is a reason why the media are viewed with such disdain by the American public, as evidenced by every recent poll on the issue.”
Armstrong & Getty Reportedly Suspended for Call to Criticize Islam. The suspension has not been confirmed by Clear Channel Sacramento management but the duo of Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty were off their KSTE, Sacramento flagship station as well as KKSF, San Francisco (where the show is simulcast) on Tuesday morning after the show sent out a press release promoting its call to listeners to post videos and photos critical of Islam and the prophet Muhammad to “flood the world with cartoons, movies and songs saying bad things about Muhammad until they finally grow up. In other words, free speech,” stated Jack Armstrong. The political blog The Right Perspective is reporting the duo have been suspended though it doesn’t state a period or confirmation of the sanction. KTXL-TV, Sacramento produced a piece on the controversy and also was unable to get a comment on record from Clear Channel’s Sacramento management.
Radio’s Strengths in the Media Landscape. Radio consultant Holland Cooke says the best session he attended at the recent 2012 Radio Show in Dallas was by Arbitron senior VP/marketing Bill Rose and highlighted how “Radio provides opportunities to reach consumers when advertising is relevant to what they are doing.” Cooke says, “This document [the study cited] is a powerful selling tool, and real instructive to programmers and on-air talent…especially on-air talent that sells (and smart on-air talent does).” The data Rose used in his presentation was from USA Touchpoints, a national sample that captures media usage, shopping behavior, emotional mindset, via smartphone app, every half hour, from 10-day panelists. Read Holland Cooke’s report and analysis here.
WWNC, Asheville AM Drive Co-Host Jerri Jameson Moves On. Morning drive co-host Jerri Jameson announces she will exit the Clear Channel station October 12 to pursue other interests. Jameson writes on her station blog, “After more than 10 years with Clear Channel Asheville, it is time for me to move on from radio. It was a difficult decision. I have gotten to know some truly wonderful people in our great community and for that I will always be grateful. Waking up each morning to share the daily goings on around town, the state and the world with you has truly been an honor I will treasure forever.”
The Young Guns of Talk Radio. Ask anyone, especially those working for the consumer media, and they’ll tell you that personalities working as hosts on news/talk stations are all old, white men. Radio’s general lack of a “farm system” doesn’t help that misconception much, but the truth is there are young people – some men and some women – working in news/talk radio today. Tomorrow at Talkers.com, executive editor Kevin Casey writes about some of those broadcasters and their thoughts on being young and on the air in the news/talk business.
Willie Geist to Join NBC’s “Today.” According to Brian Stelter’s Media Decoder in The New York Times, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” cast member Willie Geist will become co-host of the 9:00 am hour of NBC’s “Today” program. The deal has not been officially announced and Stelter reports Geist will still appear on “Morning Joe,” probably during the 6:00 am hour but will give up the “Way Too Early” 5:30 am newscast he’s been anchoring. It’s also believed Geist will fill in for Matt Lauer when he is absent.
Rumors of Big Names Being Sought to Run CNN. Sony chairman Howard Stringer is one of the executives rumored to be on the list of those being sought to take charge of struggling CNN when current chief Jim Walton leaves at the end of the year. The New York Post reports a source inside CNN states, “We should know something in a month, perhaps before the elections. Unlike CNN International, we just don’t have someone with a mission. We need our Roger Ailes.” Other media execs reportedly being considered are former NBCUniversal president and CEO Jeff Zucker, former ABC News president David Westin, and former NBC News chief Neal Shapiro.
Odds & Sods. CBS Radio’s all-news KNX, Los Angeles takes its “KNX on Your Corner” live remote series to Glendale, California on October 19. The day of programming will include features about Glendale’s history, current issues and plans for future growth. Coverage will include live interviews with city officials and other special guests. The station will continue the series in Beverly Hills on December 7…..SiriusXM will present live coverage of the 2012 Ryder Cup golf tournament. The biennial event pits the US against Europe and is being played this year at Medinah Country Club in Illinois.
Part of the Skyline. CBS Radio’s all-news KYW, Philadelphia is now a part of the city’s skyline after the station put up a new, lit call letter sign atop its offices at 400 Market Street in downtown Philly. The KYW logo and the iconic CBS “eye,” were hung over this past weekend and faces east, making it visible from Camden, New Jersey, I-95 and the Ben Franklin Bridge. The station notes this was not a simple building procedure. “The difficult process of hanging an illuminated sign above street level, particularly in the downtown area, took five years before receiving city zoning and art commission approval. KYW is now the only radio station in Philadelphia County to be granted this right.”
Obama on ‘The View’ and at the UN, Iran’s Bluster, Criticism of Religious Figures, Libya Aftermath, and NFL Replacement Officials Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/25). President Obama’s Appearance on ‘The View’ and his speech at the United Nations; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s blustery speech at the UN and his appearance on Piers Morgan; criticism of religious figures; analysis of the aftermath of the Libya attack and furor over the NFL’s replacement officials were some of the most-talked-about-stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
