Tag: "WGOW"
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Matt Ray New Anchor of ‘America’s Morning News.’ The Talk Radio Network-produced “America’s Morning News” program has a new permanent host in Matt Ray. Ray — a 12-year broadcast veteran whose stints include KXL, Portland; KGO and KSFO, San Francisco – takes over as anchor of the program heard in more than 140 markets immediately. Ray states, “It is an exciting opportunity to work with the team at ‘America’s Morning News.’ Our focus continues to be journalism without agenda – the key ingredient to the success of ‘America’s Morning News’: compelling, breaking news and interviews delivered in a fast-paced environment.” TRN CEO Mark Masters adds, “Matt was a natural fit and he tested overwhelmingly positive. His credentials are impressive and we think Matt will take the morning news to new levels of success in the years to come. We are thrilled to see Matt on board at AMN.”
Former ’92.5 Fox News’ Fort Myers Morning Host – Now Congressman – Trey Radel Arrested on Cocaine Charges. Congressman Trey Radel won his first political race last November taking Florida’s 19th Congressional District seat as a Republican after Rep. Connie Mack chose to give up the seat and run for the U.S. Senate. But Radel’s experience has been in broadcasting. He was an anchor on WINK-TV and had made the move to radio as morning host on Meridian Broadcasting’s news/talk “92.5 Fox News” in the Fort Myers market (a trimulcast of WFSX-AM/FM and WNOG-AM). He left that gig to run for office. Radel was busted as part of a sting after allegedly purchasing cocaine in Washington’s Dupont Circle. Radel issued the following statement: “I struggle with the disease of alcoholism, and this led to an extremely irresponsible choice. Believe me, I am disappointed in myself, and I stand ready to face the consequences of my actions. However, this unfortunate event does have a positive side: It offers me an opportunity to seek treatment and counseling. As the father of a young son and a husband to a loving wife, I need to get help so I can be a better man for both of them.”
Glenn Beck Promotes New Book on NBC’s ‘Today.’ Premiere Networks nationally syndicated talk host – and founder of the digital destination TheBlaze – Glenn Beck, sat down with NBC’s Kathie Lee Gifford on the “Today” show to talk about his new book, Miracles and Massacres: True and Untold Stories of the Making of America (Threshold Editions 2013). In the photo here, Beck is seen being interviewed by Gifford in his Dallas, Texas studios where programming for TheBlaze is produced. During the interview, Beck talked about the desire to provide more detail and color in fleshing out historical characters and events being the impetus for writing this book.
Talk Radio and Social Media Push Local Commercial into the Limelight. WGOW, Chattanooga afternoon drive talk host Brian Joyce tells TALKERS magazine how the power of talk radio and social media helped create a sensation out of a local TV commercial. He says, “Around 2:00 am last Friday morning, I saw a commercial on local television for a small business called Mike’s Golf Shop. It was so awful, so hilarious, and so awesome that I had to share it with my listeners! So I played the commercial on my show Friday afternoon, then I shared it on Facebook and sent it to a friend of mine who
writes for Jimmy Fallon. At the time, the commercial had 27 views on YouTube. By Monday morning, it had 64,000 views. Today, it has 70,000 views. Tosh.O just shared it on their Facebook page, MSNBC and Comedy Central featured in on their websites, and Mike’s Golf Shop is trending on Yahoo!” Joyce says the lesson in this story is that it all started on “Talk Radio 102.3.” What’s more, it’s likely to bring in business. “We met with Mike on Monday morning. He was so excited about what we had done for him that now he wants to advertise with us regularly. The power of talk radio and social media is alive and well, and stronger than ever!” You can see the commercial here.
Kevin Matthews to Take On Voice and Imaging Role at WGN.FM. Chicago radio legend Kevin Matthews’ voice is returning to a Chicago-based audio platform after years of full-time work in his resident city of Grand Rapids. According to Chicago media writer Robert Feder, the radio pro that rose to prominence on rocker WLUP-FM “The Loop” will be the imaging voice of Tribune’s online audio platform WGN.FM, currently host to Jonathon Brandmeier’s program and other shows. Matthews, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2008, returned to his hometown of Grand Rapids in 2005 and was a personality at Cumulus Media classic rock WLAV for several years. He’s been out of terrestrial radio for a while but has been contributing to Steve Dahl’s podcast efforts. Matthews will continue to work from his home studio in Grand Rapids.
WestwoodOne to Rank Best Audio Super Bowl Ads. WestwoodOne – the radio home of Super Bowl XLVIII – is preparing to launch its Super Bowl Audio Index, the first-ever consumer-driven index ranking the most creative audio commercials aired during the Super Bowl. The company says that the index will be comprised of all commercials aired on the 700-plus radio stations that broadcast its exclusive, play-by-play coverage of the game. Each of the commercials will be available for consumer voting through
WestwoodOne.com on February 2, 2014. Two awards will be announced across WestwoodOne’s on-air and online broadcast network. The first will be Listener’s Choice, selected by consumers through an online voting process that can also be leveraged by marketers through social media, and activated through SoundHound, to create even more engaging experiences for listeners. The second will be Media Choice, selected by an advisory council comprised of leading advertising, media and creative executives across multiple consumer categories. WestwoodOne CEO Paul Caine states, “For brands wanting to engage a captive audience with the largest reach, there is no comparison to the Super Bowl. We created the Index as a new way for all brands to leverage the power of sound and capitalize on this massive advertising moment. The index enables marketers to engage more intimately with 26 million-plus listeners, expanding their campaigns and maximizing their marketing dollars.”
Odds & Sods. SiriusXM superstar Howard Stern announces he will return for another season of “America’s Got Talent.” Stern told listeners to his radio show on Tuesday that although he’d like more personal time, “that big black hole inside of me that demands attention” won and he’ll return for his third season judging on the show…..Main Street Radio Network president Jane Silk will debut her own weekly radio show this Saturday, November 23. Silk, who has provided commentary for her company’s Alan Nathan show, will host the one-hour show which airs live from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm ET…..Chicago radio personalities Steve King and Johnnie Putman – longtime overnight hosts on Tribune’s WGN – are returning to the station for fill-in work. Chicago media writer Robert Feder tips us that the husband-and-wife duo will sub for morning drive host Steve Cochran during Christmas week. King and Putman retired from the station in December of 2011…..AARP has renewed its radio representation agreement with Media Management Group for 2014. MMG continues to be responsible for ad sales, distribution and business development for the Baby Boomer-targeted feature programming. AARP’s radio content can be heard on hundreds of stations across the country.
AdLarge Media and PromoSuite Enter National Advertising Sales Rep Agreement. The exclusive pact covers inventory already measured in Nielsen Audio’s RADAR service and moving into AdLarge’s Return On Investment (ROI) Network. AdLarge co-founder/chief executive officer Gary Schonfeld comments that the partnership “gives our national advertisers access to an enormous amount of inventory, and intensifies our already strong coverage in major markets.” AdLarge co-founder/president Cathy Csukas adds, “Our objective when we created the ROI Network was to offer clients a wide-reaching, RADAR-measured network with solid top-market coverage and a non-controversial format environment. With the inclusion of PromoSuite‘s vast array of music-formatted radio station inventory, we are proud to have surpassed that goal.” Meanwhile, PromoSuite chief executive officer Rocco Macri remarks, “It is inevitable that our two companies struck up a partnership. You have two independent, forward-thinking companies that are agile enough to make quick decisions, yet big enough to have an impact. Together, we will continue to build and maintain relationships within the radio and advertising communities.” Customized advertising sales rep AdLarge was founded in 2010; PromoSuite services more than 1,500 radio stations and is included in all top 50 markets.
Mixing in Pop Culture. Fox Sports Radio Network host Jay Mohr (right) poses for a photo with Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman (left) in the FSR studios. Gorman was in town to talk about his new tour with the Black Crowes, his new band Trigger Hippy as well as chat about sports. The two discussed the controversial end to the Monday Night Football game between the Patriots and Panthers and Gorman also participated in the first-ever Jay Mohr Sports Front Man Draft. As part of the segment, the crew drafted a team of various band front men, including Steven Tyler, Freddie Mercury and the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson.
Putting on the Greasepaint. Pictured here are TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison (right) and his wife Bernadette Duncan Harrison (left) with TALKERS VP/executive editor Kevin Casey (center) in costume for his role as Beadle Bamford in the Monson, Massachusetts-based Greene Room Productions presentation of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
ObamaCare Criticism, JFK Assassination Anniversary, Iran Nukes Talks, Sinking Obama Approval Numbers, Toronto Mayor Case and Midwest Tornadoes Aftermath Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/19). Scrutiny of the rollout of the Affordable Care Act and the state of the government’s health care sign-up website; the coming anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy; the potential talks with Iran about its nuclear policy and the debate in Washington over increasing economic sanctions against the Islamic state; the sinking approval ratings for President Obama; the bizarre case of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford; and the aftermath of the devastating tornadoes that swept across the Midwest were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
WGOW, Chattanooga Talk Host Brian Joyce Gets Facebook Suspension; Station Won’t Discipline. According to a story at Nooga.com, management at Cumulus Media-owned news/talk WGOW, Chattanooga will not discipline “Live and Local” show host Brian Joyce after he was suspended from his Facebook account after posting what’s being termed a satirical comment relative to the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin case. The story indicated Joyce was flagged by a Facebook friend after posting the following: “Come to think of it, I’m not so sure Hitler was a bad guy. He wasn’t killing Jews, he was simply defending himself and his people against the Jews. He said so himself on many occasions. Granted the Jews had never done anything to Hitler, but then again Trayvon Martin had never done anything to George Zimmerman. This is not murder, it’s not manslaughter. Heck, it’s not even assault with a deadly weapon! It’s self-defense. So how come Hitler gets such a bad rap? If it weren’t for race baiters like the Jews, we probably never even would have heard of Adolph Hitler.” WGOW program director Kevin West told Nooga.com he and Joyce discussed the matter. “We had a conversation and emphasized that most people aren’t going to understand satire. Some people just think literally. I do want to stress that in no way does Brian Joyce believe Hitler was a good man.”
Genesis Communications Network Debuts ‘The Take with Charles Butler.’ Genesis Communications Network adds “The Take with Charles Butler” to its lineup of programs. The show airs live from 8:00 am to 10:00 am ET and is based in Chicago. The network describes him as “one of the most didactic radio show hosts of our time. He is known for his keen, conservative political views. Since 2007, Charles has discussed education reform, economics, gun violence, illegal immigration, national, state, and local elections, political maneuvers and all hot topics affecting Chicago, Springfield, Washington, D.C. and the international issues and the key players.”
Envision Radio Networks Announces Debut of New Feature: ‘Brand Like a Rock Star with Steve Jones.’ Envision Radio Networks introduces a new, daily 60-second feature titled “Brand Like a Rock Star with Steve Jones” that “helps listeners learn life lessons from rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest bands.” Envision states that “using advice from his international best-selling book, Brand Like a Rock Star: Lessons From Rock ‘n’ Roll To Make Your Business Rich and Famous, host Steve Jones takes listeners backstage to reveal the core marketing secrets of rock legends and shows how those strategies can be put into use in everyday life. Jones says, “For every entrepreneur, business owner, marketer, or anyone building their personal brand and career, ‘Brand Like a Rock Star’ is a must-listen.” Describing the show, Envision states that by using rock legends as examples, Jones takes an entirely fresh perspective to self-help. How can you build a brand as consistent as AC/DC? What does it take to start a company as distinct as Bob Dylan? How can you create a business as attention-getting as KISS? Each day, Jones will share a powerful story from rock music history and clearly illustrate how it can be applied to achieve success.
Salem’s Bainbridge, Washington Transmitter Building Destroyed by Fire. The transmitter building for Salem Communications’ talk KLFE and Spanish religion KNTS in Seattle was destroyed after a fire broke out in the facility. Local authorities say the fire started in the 12×12 transmitter building but soon spread to the grassy area outside. Firefighters were called and were able to keep it from spreading too far – a good thing as they note the dry conditions this year could have made it much worse had a local police officer not notice it and called in fire personnel immediately.
Red Zebra Adds Redskins Great Chris Cooley to Game Day Broadcasts. Former Washington Redskins Pro Bowler Chris Cooley becomes part of Red Zebra Broadcasting’s Washington Redskins Radio Network as an in-game contributor. As part of the multi-year deal, “Cooley’s Corner” will be heard quarterly, every game beginning with the pre-season opener in Tennessee on August 8. Cooley joins Redskins Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen, Rick “Doc” Walker and Brian Mitchell as former Redskin players who are members of the Washington Redskins Radio Network. Redskins Radio Network executive producer Chuck Sapienza says, “To add a talent and fan favorite like Chris to our team will bring excitement to our broadcast and a level of unpredictability for our listeners.”
Filling in This Week. KDWN, Las Vegas talk show host Alan Stock is sitting in for Talk Radio Network nationally syndicated host Rusty Humphries today and tomorrow (7/17-18) as well as next Monday and Tuesday (7/22-23). Stock
tells TALKERS, “It means doing double duty but it’s a blast!”…..Sports talk host Dan Sileo is preparing to fill in on August 2nd and 5th on KLAA, Los Angeles sitting in for Travis Rodgers on the morning drive program. The temp gig is a reuniting of Sileo and KLAA PD Bob Agnew who gave Sileo his start in sports talk radio on KNBR, San Francisco many years ago.
The Broadcasters Foundation of America Announces New Board Members. The Broadcasters Foundation of America announces it has named four new members and a new officer to its board of directors. The new members were voted in during the recent board meeting, held in New York City. Saying the new board members “represent a cross-section of radio and television broadcasters, the BFoA welcomes: Brian Cobb, president, CobbCorp; Bill Hoffman, president, Cox Media Group; Brian Lawlor, senior vice president, television, E.W. Scripps TV Station Group; and Dan Mason, president and chief executive officer, CBS Radio. At the same time, the BFoA announces Katz Television Group president and chief executive officer Leo MacCourtney as a new officer. BFoA chairman Phil Lombardo says, “I am proud to welcome these highly accomplished broadcasters and industry leaders to our board. Their example of giving back to our industry by serving as a board member or officer is inspiring. I hope it will motivate others who work in broadcasting to identify ways they can help advance our cause of delivering financial relief to our colleagues who are struggling under the harshest of circumstances.”
Zimmerman Verdict Aftermath, Tsarnaev Rolling Stone Cover, ObamaCare Implementation, and the Edward Snowden Case Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/16). The aftermath of the George Zimmerman verdict; Rolling Stone magazine’s controversial cover featuring the surviving Boston Marathon bomber; the debate over the implementation of the Affordable Care Act; and the status of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
