Tag: "WJZ-FM"
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Key Networks to Launch Jesse Kelly Show in National Syndication. Syndicator Key Networks says Jesse Kelly is a “fresh voice in conservative talk.” The U.S. Marine veteran, former congressional candidate, and conservative radio and television host will launch his new, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon ET talk radio show on
April 6. Key Networks says network advertising is included within the show, with no additional barter units for stations to run. Currently, Kelly hosts a two-hour version of “The Jesse Kelly Show” on KPRC, Houston as well as the “I’m Right” program on The First TV, a news and talk channel on Pluto TV. Kelly was deployed to Iraq as an infantry Marine during the Second Persian Gulf War and received an honorable discharge after four years. In 2010, he ran for congress and was narrowly defeated 
by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The race initially ended in a vote recount. After his congressional run, Kelly continued to be a major voice among conservatives, using his large social media following as a platform to continue many of the conversations started on the campaign trail. He says, “I love talk radio and I’m beyond humbled that Key Networks realizes that I’m a generational talent. While my background might be more blue collar than other radio hosts, I’m confident my huge ego will help make up for my lack of education. I’m excited to bring something new to stations nationwide.” iHeartMedia Houston region president Eddie Martiny comments, “Listeners won’t be able to see that Jesse Kelly stands 6 foot 8, but his towering humor and intellect will absolutely captivate the listening audience. Jesse is an Iraq War veteran who will win the hearts and minds of listeners with the wit of a stand-up comic. He’s been featured on most major TV networks, especially FOX News with Tucker Carlson who says, ‘Jesse cracks me up.’ Jesse is a fresh voice of a rational conservative for a new generation. My listening audience and advertising community in Houston embraced Jesse immediately. Informative, entertaining, but most importantly, unique!”
Kevin Battle Joins KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh’s Morning Show. Radio programmer, host, and journalist Kevin Battle is joining “The KDKA Radio Morning News with Larry Richert” as co-host, effective March 9. Entercom Pittsburgh SVP and
market manager Michael Spacciapolli says, “As we celebrate the centennial of KDKA Radio, the world’s first radio station, we were focused on adding a host that can reflect the energy and pulse of where Pittsburgh is in 2020 and beyond. Kevin Battle is the perfect person to join Larry Richert on the KDKA morning show and tell the story of our 
great city.” During his career, Battle has served as program director and air personality for Entercom’s sports talk WJZ-FM, Baltimore “105.7 The Fan,” been director of marketing and promotions and on-air personality for rock WDVE-FM, and was a member of the inaugural staff of “FOX News Headlines 24/7.” The Pittsburgh native comments, “There have been three morning hosts at KDKA Radio in my lifetime – Jack Bogut, John Cigna, and Larry Richert, and I am thrilled I get to work with one of them. Larry is part of the fabric of Pittsburgh. I have been a fan of KDKA for a long time and fondly remember listening with my family each morning. I cannot wait to help our listeners start their day off well-informed.”
FCC Permanently Dismisses License Renewal Applications for Four St. Louis Signals. An administrative law judge has ruled that the applications for license renewal for four radio stations owned by Entertainment Media Trust are “dismissed without prejudice due to the applicant’s failure to prosecute.” Judge
Jane Hinckley Halprin states in the ruling that Trustee Dennis J. Watkins’ failure to respond to a January 24 Order that was a final attempt to get information from EMT was the last straw in a series of non-compliances on the part of Watkins. The stations in question are: KFTK-AM (formerly WQQX-AM), East St. Louis, Illinois; WQQW-AM, Highland, Illinois; KZQZ-AM, St. Louis; and KQQZ-AM, DeSoto, Missouri. The case goes way back to 2012 when Mark A. Kern filed a petition to deny the license renewals, alleging that talk host and convicted felon Robert Romanik actually controlled the stations, in violation of FCC regulations. Romanik’s Insane Broadcasting Co. operates the stations under an LMA, but is not allowed to own stations. The ruling notes that the Media Bureau investigated the allegations and “found evidence that it concluded supports the claim that Mr. Romanik exercises defacto control over the stations. The Media Bureau also adduced evidence suggesting that Mr. Romanik, who hosts a weekday talk show on one of the stations, has held himself out as the stations’ owner and is personally involved in station business.” Romanik hosts a show on KQQZ-AM and positions himself as a local raconteur, calling himself “The Grim Reaper of Radio.” Read the judge’s ruling here.
New Afternoon Show Among Lineup Changes at Sports Talk ‘105.7 The Fan’ in Baltimore. With WJZ-FM “105.7 The Fan” afternoon drive personality Scott Garceau named the new play-by-play broadcaster and pre-game and post-game
host for Baltimore Orioles broadcasts on cable’s MASN-TV, he leaves his daily talk show duties at the Entercom sports station. His co-host Jeremy Conn moves to evening show duties and host of “Orioles Baseball Tonight.” Beginning March 9, the new afternoon drive show is “Inside Access” with co-hosts Jason La Canfora and Ken Weinman. La Canfora is a RADIO.COM Sports and CBS Sports insider. Weinman is a longtime WJZ-FM air personality. Entercom Baltimore SVP and market manager Tracy Brandys says, “This revamped programming schedule will allow us to continue providing around-the-clock content for Baltimore’s biggest sports fans. Adding Jason and Ken to our already successful lineup is a big win for our market. We are also excited about Scott and Jeremy’s new roles. All are an integral part of the success of ‘105.7 The Fan.’”
Presidential Race/Las Vegas Debate, Stone Sentencing/Barr Criticism, Coronavirus Pandemic/Deadly Flu Season, Germany Mass Shooting, and Grenell to Lead Intelligence Agencies Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (2/19). The Democrats battling to take on President Trump in November and last night’s debate in Las Vegas; the controversy surrounding the sentencing recommendation for former Trump adviser Roger Stone and the related criticism of Attorney General William Barr’s leading of the Justice Department; the status of the Covid-19 pandemic and the deadly influenza season in the U.S.; the slaying of nine people in the German city of Hanau by a reported right-wing extremist; and President Trump’s naming Ambassador Richard Grenell acting director of national intelligence were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Round Two of January PPMs Released. The second of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s January 2020 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets, including: Washington, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San
Diego, Tampa, Denver, Baltimore, and St. Louis. Nielsen’s January 2020 survey period covered January 2 – 29. Rebounding from the challenging Holiday 2019 survey, a number of spoken-word stations performed well – weekly, 6+ AQH share – in January. Cumulus Media’s news/talk WMAL-FM, Washington rises 1.9 shares from the Holiday survey to post a 6.9 share and climbs to the #5 rank in the market. Hubbard Radio’s all-news WTOP-FM adds five-tenths to finish January with a 7.4 share and the #2 rank. In Boston, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WRKO tacks 
on seven-tenths to finish the survey with a 3.5 share, while sister all-news WBZ-AM adds two-tenths for a 6.2 share and the #3 rank in the market. Bonneville’s KIRO-FM, Seattle breaks out with 1.1 share increase to finish the month with a 6.0 share and the #2 rank. iHeartMedia’s news/talk KDFD-AM, Denver adds eight-tenths to finish the January survey with a 3.3 share, its best since it flipped from sports talk in July of 2019. You can see all the 6+ numbers from subscribing stations here. Meanwhile, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways here.
TALKERS News Notes. Las Vegas-based, USA Radio-syndicated talk show host Wayne Allyn Root tells TALKERS magazine his Newsmax TV show, “The Wayne
Allyn Root Show: Raw & Unfiltered” is moving to a new air time – 10:00 pm ET – effective March 3. Root says, “It’s a great honor to be part of Newsmax TV’s primetime lineup. When I first began hosting my show in June 2017 on Newsmax TV it reached 15 million homes. Then 30 million. Then 50 million. Then 60 million. Now just under 80 million. And Cox cable added Newsmax TV a few weeks ago – so now my television show reaches the entire Las Vegas area, my hometown! Kudos to Chris Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax, for building America’s fastest growing cable news network.”…..SiriusXM announces its MLB Network Radio channel presents its annual MLB Spring Training tour beginning Saturday (2/22) and running through March 13. MLB Network Radio’s experts and insiders will visit all 30 MLB team camps to give fans an in-depth preview of every ball club. It will consist of 30, two-hour shows, each focused on a single MLB team. SiriusXM’s hosts – many of whom are former general managers or players – will be on location at each spring training ballpark to interview managers, players and executives, and share an insider’s view of each club as it prepares for the 2020 season…..iHeartMedia announces that it has partnered with Flatiron Books on a book imprint based on iHeartRadio’s popular curiosity podcasts. The imprint, named “Stuff You Should Read: An iHeartBook,” launches with STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW: An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things, to recognize “Stuff You Should Know” – one of the first podcasts to reach one billion downloads. iHeartMedia says it believes that this is the first line of podcast-based books between a major book publisher and leading podcast network.
Pop Music Historian and Curator Barry Scott of “The Lost 45s” Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. One of the true legends of oldies radio, Barry Scott, is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Scott is the host of the long-running, Boston-based music radio show, “The Lost 45s,” which has been on the radio since 1981 and in national syndication since 1993. The premise of the show is that top 40 radio of the golden era (1960s – 1990s) missed a tremendous number of valid hit records that
deserved airplay due to faulty research, closed-mindedness and a lazy, follow-the-leader mentality. (“It’s not on the list suggested by our consultant.”) Many of these songs have gone on to be completely forgotten within music radio culture. Harrison states, “I had the pleasure of programming Barry’s flagship station in Boston back in the 80s and was amazed at the loyal following this weekend show generated – even within the context of a classic rock format. Barry’s excellent curation and fascinating storytelling created tremendous interest in songs that were either obscure or considered unprogrammable within standard format categories. In today’s music radio desert, where pop music history is largely ignored or generally forgotten, this show is a priceless beacon of the culture that originally illuminated music radio.” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here or click on the player box located in the right-hand column on every page of Talkers.com.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. At Detroit rock outlet WRIF, Beasley Media Group promotes Jade Springart to assistant program director and midday host. She has served with WRIF for the past 12 years, most
recently as music director and weekend personality. Springart says, “This is an amazing opportunity for me to continue working and winning with a brand that I have grown up with. It has been a privilege to learn from some of the best in the industry. I’m very grateful for the support of everyone in the Beasley Media Group family and am excited to be able to continue 101 WRIF’s legacy in the active rock format here in the Motor City.”…..Air personality J.R. joins Beasley Media Group’s country WQYK, Tampa Bay to host “Tampa Bay’s Morning Krewe with J.R. and Melanie,” effective March 2. He’ll join station air personality Melanie Mineau for the 6:00 am to 10:00 am program. He was most recently co-host of the “J.R. & Beth Show” on Cox Media Group’s country KCYY, San Antonio “Y100.” He also currently serves as the host of United Station Radio Networks’ syndicated “Twenty Country Countdown.” J.R. says, “This is a very exciting time for me. To be able to build a show under the direction of [operations manager] Travis Daily and alongside a talented co-host like Melanie Mineau is the opportunity I have been looking for. We are going to have a lot of fun in an amazing city! I am very grateful to Travis and the Beasley family for this opportunity and can’t wait to create live, local, and unique radio for the Tampa area.”…..Entercom stations and staffers are honored with three Academy of Country Music (ACM) Radio Awards. KILT-FM, Houston “100.3 The Bull” (KILT-FM) was named Major Market Station of the Year and WUSY-FM, Chattanooga “U.S. 101” was named Medium Market Station of the Year – the 8th time the station has received this honor. WYCD, Detroit’s afternoon drive show “Rob and Holly” program was given the Major Market Personality of the Year honor.
Monday, January 6, 2020
Mike Broomhead exits KFYI, Phoenix. In a social media post yesterday (1/5), morning drive talk show host Mike Broomhead told his listeners he will not return to the air after his holiday vacation and is leaving his talk host duties at iHeartMedia’s news/talk KFYI, Phoenix. Broomhead had been KFYI before moving into
the morning drive slot 10 years ago after Barry Young retired from the station where he’d been on air for decades. Broomhead says in his post, “After 10 amazing years I have decided to leave KFYI. As sure as I am that God put me there I am as sure that this is the right decision for me. This is 100% my decision Thank all of you who have listened. I have some time to figure out what is next. Will keep you posted God Bless.” AZCentral reports that news anchor and morning show staff member Rob Hunter appears to be handling the morning show duties for now.
Steve Cortes to Host Afternoons on WIND-AM, Chicago. According to a report by Chicago media writer Robert Feder, CNN political commentator Steve Cortes – also a member of Trump’s Hispanic Advisory Council – is
the new afternoon drive host at Salem Media Group’s WIND-AM, Chicago “AM 560 The Answer.” The 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm show had been hosted by former U.S. Rep Joe Walsh (who also hosted the 9:00 pm to 12:00 midnight show on the Salem Radio Network) who left his post to run for president as a Republican. In a statement, Salem Media Group RVP and general manager Jeff Reisman says, “The insight and political acumen that Steve will bring to our audience each day will be second to none. As we enter this election year, Steve will provide an inside perspective on what’s happening on the campaign trail.”
WPGG Talk Radio Host Harry Hurley Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension to Remain with Townsquare Media. TALKERS magazine Heavy Hundred member Harry Hurley signs a multi-year contract extension with Townsquare Media to continue to host his long-running “Hurley in the Morning” program. Hurley also serves as the senior
programming consultant for WPGG. Hurley, who has been with Townsquare Media since July of 1992, says, “I am pleased to have enjoyed such rare longevity with one company. It’s a blessing that I have never taken for granted. I love the people that I have the privilege to work with at all levels of the company for nearly three decades. We are presently living history. I appreciate the opportunity to continue to be a part of the vital spoken-word format in our country.” Hurley presently serves as one of the rotating hosts for the FOX News Radio nationally syndicated radio show, “FOX Across America,” that airs from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET and fills in on other FOX News Radio programs.
Mike Francesa’s ‘Mike’s On’ Show Debuts on RADIO.COM Today at 5:00 pm ET. We knew that New York sports talk radio star Mike Francesa was destined for Entercom’s RADIO.COM platform in addition to his half-hour show airing on WFAN. Now, Entercom reveals that his “Mike’s On”
show will stream live from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm daily, with the 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm portion also airing on WFAN. Entercom chief digital officer J.D. Crowley says, “Mike Francesa is a pillar in sports radio who has played an integral part in driving sports conversations in New York. We’re excited to continue our partnership with Mike and offer the same unrivaled sports content our New York listeners love to a broader audience on RADIO.COM.” Francesa says, “I’m looking forward to working with RADIO.COM in a variety of new ways and continuing my tenure on WFAN. This new opportunity will allow me to connect with loyal listeners all over the country on both broadcast and digital and I’m looking forward to making this new show a success.”
Cumulus Flips Classic Country KBZU to FM Simulcast of KKOB-AM, Albuquerque. Albuquerque news/talk KKOB-AM already has a 50,000-watt “blowtorch” AM signal. That signal is getting an FM partner as Cumulus Media drops the classic country format on KBZU-FM and adds the class C signal to the KKOB broadcast. KKOB had been heard on FM translator K233CG at 94.5 FM. Cumulus says the station “will cover all of Albuquerque, as well as Santa Fe and the adjacent suburbs.”
Cumulus Albuquerque VP and market manager Jeff Berry says, “KKOB is approaching its 100th year of serving New Mexico and what better way to celebrate than to expand our platform to a full-strength 100,000-watt FM signal? The KKOB News Radio ‘blowtorch’ will be blasted on both AM and FM signals, giving New Mexicans easy access for news, information, UNM football and basketball, and the best on-air talent in the business. This is a huge win for our listeners, advertisers, and partners.” In addition to the new FM signal, KKOB is upping the news programming with a new, 30-minute morning newscast called, “The KKOB Morning Briefing,” at 5:00 am starting next Monday (1/13). Spoken-word operations manager Jared Hart adds, “I feel fortunate to be a part of such an important moment for one of New Mexico’s biggest brands. There are so many potential listeners who never sample AM stations, so we can now put our amazing programs in front of the largest possible audience.”
PPM Analysis: Sports Talk. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s December 2019 PPM survey, today focusing on sports talk. The period leading up to the holidays usually does not help spoken-word stations in the ratings battle and this year was no different, with 67% of sports stations in PPM markets faltering from the November survey to the December survey while just 20% improved. Stations showing increased weekly 6+ AQH shares were linked to successful football campaigns. Entercom’s WJZ-FM, Baltimore (the NFL’s Ravens) was up by six-tenths; iHeartMedia’s KFXN, Minneapolis (the NFL’s Vikings) rose five-tenths; and Tegna’s WBNS-FM, Columbus (Ohio State Buckeyes) was also up five-tenths. However, comparing year-over-year ratings, 65% of sports talkers improved, led by KFXN, Minneapolis (up 2.1 shares); Entercom’s KWFN, San Diego (up 1.5 shares); and Cumulus Media’s KNBR, San Francisco (up 1.1 shares). KFXN was the only sports station to rank #1 in its market in December. WBNS-FM ranked #2 and Entercom’s WIP-FM, Philadelphia ranked #3. See Mike Kinosian’s entire report here.
Monday Memo: Pay Attention (They don’t). Broadcasters have never had more competition for listener mind-share. In this week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke offers some NEWS Year’s Resolutions. Read it here.
U.S.-Iran Tensions, Trump Impeachment, 2020 Presidential Race, Financial Markets and the Economy, Weinstein Trial, and 2020 Golden Globe Awards Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The aftermath of the U.S.’ killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani; the impeachment articles against President Trump; the Democrats vying to challenge President Trump in November and the rise of Michael Bloomberg in the polls; financial markets activity and the state of the U.S. economy; today’s start of the trial of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein; and Sunday night’s Golden Globe Awards were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
TALKERS News Notes. The nationally syndicated Chad Benson show announces it is moving its live broadcast time to 9:00 am to 12:00 noon ET, effective Monday. January 20. Radio America says that a re-feed at 6:00
pm ET will continue. Radio America says, “Since launching Chad into national syndication in 2015, the show has increased in popularity and audience growth and has been a major factor in building audience growth on its affiliates in the A25-54 demo. As a result, many stations have requested the show’s live feed time be earlier in the day going into this important election year.” Stations wishing to upgrade to the new time slot may contact Radio America at affiliates@radioamerica.com…..It appears as if President Trump tipped America that Rush Limbaugh and syndicator Premiere Networks have agreed to a
new, four-year deal to continue the nationally syndicated “Rush Limbaugh Program.” At his Miami rally, Trump told the crowd that Limbaugh had signed the new deal. Premiere confirmed to CNN Business that there is a new contract but did not specify its length…..PodcastOne is announcing that three of its podcasts are reaching the 100-episode milestone. 
Celebrity/influencer-headlined podcasts, “House of Kim” with Bravo star Kim Zolciak; “Make Speidi Famous Again” with the reality TV couple Spencer and Heidi Pratt; and “Cold Case Files,” in partnership with A&E, all hit the 100-episode mark this month. PodcastOne founder and executive chairman Norm Pattiz says, “PodcastOne’s great strength has always been picking the hits and future hits while building our network and creating financial success for our partners. Congrats to Kim, Spencer and Heidi, and A&E on this terrific achievement.”
Music Radio News and Career Moves. In Philadelphia, Beasley Media Group names Matt Cord host of the midday show at classic rock WMGK, taking over for Debbi Calton,
who retired last month after 26 years on the station. Cord has been on air in Philly on rock WMMR-FM and WBEN-FM. He says, “I’m so thrilled to continue Debbi Calton’s incredible legacy with the WMGK workplace audience. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work side-by-side with Philly radio legend John DeBella and longtime afternoon drive personality Andre Gardner!”…..Entercom ups Orphan Andrew to assistant program 
director and music director for CHR KUDL, Sacramento “106.5 The End.” He’ll continue to host the station’s midday show. Entercom Sacramento SVP and market manager Stacey Kauffman says, “Since joining ‘106.5 The End,’ Orphan Andrew has demonstrated his passion for the station and our listeners, and his promotion to APD and music director is a direct result of that. His long-standing relationship with his audience and broad understanding of pop culture makes him the ideal candidate. I’m excited to continue to see his positive energy and spirit in the hallways and hear what he can add to one of America’s most successful top 40 brands.”…..Cumulus Media announces a new air talent lineup at country KRMD, Shreveport, Louisiana that includes morning show “Melinda and Mason” – with Melinda Coyer and Mason Stanfield. Stanfield joins Coyer and Cumulus Shreveport from Adams Radio Group in Las Cruces, New Mexico where he was afternoon personality and music director at country KGRT and morning host for classic rock KSNM. Current morning co-host Mike Martindale is moving to afternoon drive on KRMD…..WSYR-TV,
Syracuse news anchor Christie Casciano is providing news updates three times each morning on Galaxy Media’s adult contemporary WZUN, Syracuse “Sunny 102.” Casciano will join morning host Rick Gary at 7:00 am, 7:30 am, and 8:00 am each day. She says, “Even though I anchor the late-night news on television, I still have a passion for morning radio – which is where I got my start in this business, thanks to Rick. Rick and I will be committed to delivering you up to date local news and events that touch our community, keeping you informed, and hopefully giving you a reason to smile on your way to work and school.”…..Reach Media launches the hip hop morning radio show, “The Morning Hustle,” now available in syndication. Reach calls it “the freshest program in broadcasting with an entertaining, humorous, and informative take on urban pop culture from the Millennial and Generation Z point of view – meant to wake up its audience to the beat of today’s hip hop. The talent lineup includes: HeadKrack, Angie Ange, “On-Air” Jordan, Lore’l, and Billy Sorrells.
Thursday, January 2, 2020
WFAN, New York Officially Announces New Lineup. On New Year’s Eve, Entercom announced the new lineup for sports talk WFAN, New York “The Fan” that takes effect on Monday, January 6. As had been reported in numerous New York media outlets, the station goes from four to three daytime shows with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts moving from late mornings to the 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm slot, replacing Mike Francesa. He will host the 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm
“Mike’s On” program as well as “host special programs, remote broadcasts, and contribute to other shows on WFAN.” Maggie Gray remains with the station in midday, reunited with longtime WFAN personality Marc “Moose” Malusis for the 10:00 am to 2:00 pm “Moose and Maggie” show. Prior to her joining WFAN in 2018 with co-hosts Bart Scott and Chris Carlin, she served with CBS Sports Radio co-hosting a Saturday morning show with Malusis. Malusis currently serves as the host of “Football Sunday” on WFAN with former New York Giants player David Diehl. The rest of the lineup remains the same, with “Boomer and Gio” in AM drive, Steve Sommers in evenings and John Jastremski in overnights. Entercom New York SVP of programming Mark Chernoff says, “This is quite an impressive lineup of talent on WFAN as we remain the one and only place to talk New York sports all day, every day. Combined with our play-by-play of New York Yankees baseball, New York Giants football, Brooklyn Nets basketball and New Jersey Devils hockey, as well as our slate of National Football League games, we look forward to expanding our position as the flagship station for New York sports fans.”
KABC, Los Angeles Adds Two Evening Shows to New Lineup. Los Angeles news/talk outlet KABC adds two one-hour programs to its evening lineup, effective today (1/2). Former Secret Service Agent and NYPD officer and New
York Times best-selling author Dan Bongino hosts his eponymous 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm show and Andrew Klavan brings his “distinctive brand of political satire, cultural commentary, interviews and more” to the 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm hour. Both Bongino and Klavan host 
podcasts of the same name on the Westwood One Podcast Network. Cumulus Media’s KABC recently announced its daily lineup consisting of “Armstrong & Getty” in AM drive, Washington-based Larry O’Connor from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, John Phillips from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm, Ben Shapiro from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm and “The Savage Nation” with Michael Savage from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. KABC general manager Drew Hayes says, “We are thrilled to add Dan Bongino and Andrew Klavan to our built-for-election year lineup. Both Dan and Andrew have strong, thoughtful opinions and huge followings that will make nights on KABC a real destination for common sense listeners in 2020 and beyond.”
Ratings Takeaways from December PPM Survey. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his “Ratings Takeaways” from Nielsen Audio’s December 2019 PPM survey that covered November 7 to December 4, 2019. Some positive 6+ weekly AQH share ratings movement for spoken-word stations during the survey includes: Hearst’s news/talk WBAL-AM, Baltimore adds three-tenths to its five-survey uptick to finish at a 3.2 share and the #11 rank in the market; Entercom’s crosstown sports talker WJZ-FM, Baltimore rises six-tenths to a 4.9 share and #8 in the market; Alpha Media’s KXL-FM, Portland adds two-tenths to its fifth survey without a loss to stand at 5.4 share and the #4 rank in the market; and Emmis Communications’ WIBC-FM, Indianapolis adds three-tenths to finish with a 6.7 share and the #4 rank in the market. See all the 6+ numbers from subscribing stations here and check out all of Mike Kinosian’s “Takeaways” from the December survey here.
A TRIBUTE TO DON IMUS Presented on This Week’s Harrison Podcast. This week’s installment of the award-winning PodcastOne series “The Michael Harrison Interview” presents an uninterrupted reposting of a remarkably candid 2016 conversation between TALKERS founder Michael Harrison and the legendary talk media personality Don Imus who passed away this past Friday (12/27/19) at the age of 79. It was an illuminating conversation in which Imus candidly discussed the highlights as well as lowlights of his colorful life and career – including his rehabilitation
from drugs and alcohol; his regret over the Rutgers incident and the lessons he learned from it; his opinion of Al Sharpton and certain radio management figures who played key roles in his career; his ability to generate radio ad revenue that dramatically exceeded ratings expectations; his deep love for his wife Deidre and the significant role she played in his life; his tremendous work in supporting kids with cancer; the handful of radio guests he found most interesting; his view (back then during the primaries) of the 2016 presidential race and for whom he intended to vote … plus a whole lot more. To listen to the entire podcast, please click here or click on the player box marked “The Michael Harrison Interview” located in the right-hand column of the TALKERS email newsletter and on every page of Talkers.com.
Tegna to Sell KFMB-AM and FM to Local Media San Diego. Television company Tegna is entering into a deal to sell its two San Diego radio stations – news/talk KFMB-AM and adult hits KFMB-FM – to Local Media San Diego for
$5 million. Tegna acquired the radio stations with its $325 million purchase of KFMB-TV from Midwest Television in February of last year. Interestingly, a proviso of the pact with LMSD is that Tegna is keeping the KFMB-AM and FM call letters and the stations will have 30 days to wind down use of the call letters and a year to cease using the calls in relation to sales deals with agencies or local advertisers. Local Media San Diego operates three Tijuana, Mexico signals in the San Diego market: CHR XHITZ, alternative rock XETRA, and rhythmic AC XHRM. In February of last year, executives Norm McKee, Gregg Wolfson, and Steve McNeely led a management buyout of Local Media San Diego.
Donald Trump Impeachment, Attacks on U.S. Embassy in Iraq, 2020 Presidential Race, New Year/2019 Retrospectives, Hanukkah Attack, Texas Church Shooting, and North Korea Nuclear Ambitions Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (1/1). The articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump; the attacks on the U.S. embassy in Iraq and President Trump’s blaming Iran; the Democrats hoping to challenge President Trump in November; retrospectives of 2019 and the “teens” decade; five are wounded at a Hanukkah celebration in New York; the Sunday shooting at a Texas church that claimed the lives of two parishioners; and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
iHeartMedia Extends Deal with Alfred ‘Big Al’ Williams. Denver radio personality Alfred “Big Al” Williams and iHeartMedia sign a new, five-year
deal for the former to serve as an air talent for news/talk KOA “850 AM & 94.1 FM.” Williams joined KOA in September of 2019 after a long career alongside Darren McKee on Bonneville’s crosstown sports talker KKFN “104.3 The Fan.” iHeartMedia Denver president Tim Hagar comments, “Big Al has set the standard for afternoon drive radio. This long-term renewal is a testament to Al’s impact and importance to iHeartMedia, KOA, our partners and his legion of fans throughout Colorado. Not only is he a tremendous talent and a great man, but he is the type of guy who you want on your team no matter what you are doing and we are so glad he’s a part of our team.”
Paige Rockwell Named VP of Sales at iHeartMedia Binghamton. Sales pro Paige Rockwell is named vice president of sales for iHeartMedia’s
Binghamton, New York stations. She was most recently director of digital strategy at Townsquare Media’s Utica cluster. iHeartMedia area president Robert Morgan states, “I am thrilled to have Paige lead our sales organization in Binghamton. I know she will bring her passion, tireless energy, creativity, and leadership talents to help us further grow our business and expand upon our partnerships.”
TALKERS News Notes. After a two-year absence, CBS News Radio is back providing news programming for Hubbard Radio’s all-news WTOP-FM,
Washington. The station had been using ABC Radio News since 2018. WTOP director of news and programming Julia Ziegler says, “WTOP’s mission is to deliver news that matters to the people in our community, 24/7/365. It’s a mission we take very seriously. Our partnership with CBS News and the talented journalists who work there helps us accomplish this goal. We are thrilled to be working once again with the CBS team.”…..The St. Louis Post-
Dispatch reports that evening host Jay Kanzler exits CH Holdings’ KTRS, St. Louis after more than two years as a full time host. Kanzler is also a full-time practicing attorney. He tells the Post-Dispatch, “I managed to do it for a couple of years, but it was just a tough schedule to keep.”…..Entercom names Alex Gold (right) and Cody Tapp (left) the new co-hosts of the midday show on
KCSP-AM, Kansas City “610 Sports Radio.” The “Cody & Gold” show takes over for the former “Show and Vern” program with Ron “Show” Hughley and Josh Vernier. Hughley exited the station while Vernier moves to Royals insider and host of Royals pre- and post-game shows for the station…..Mary Zatina is named general manager of Wayne State University’s WDET, Detroit. Zatina served as assistant GM for business and development for the station from 1985-88. She says, “It’s been a while since I worked at WDET, but I have maintained my strong belief in the station’s mission and the critical role it plays to serve metro Detroiters. I’ve never stopped listening to and supporting WDET. I am excited to be coming home and am looking forward to working with this dedicated and dynamic team of professionals.”
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Programming pro Isaac “Brooks” Wenzel is named music director and afternoon drive host for country WFMS, Indianapolis. Cumulus Media brings Wenzel to Indy from its Madison operations where he was midday host on country WMAD-FM and promotions director for the six-station group. Wenzel says, “I feel extremely fortunate to have this opportunity to join a station with such long-lasting success in an amazing city like WFMS in Indianapolis. Thanks to Cumulus for giving me this incredible opportunity.”…..iHeartMedia announces
former hot AC WMYI-FM, Greenville, South Carolina becomes adult hits “102.5 The Lake.” Station PD and region SVP of programming A.J. says, “‘102.5 The Lake’ is going to bring listeners a variety of music from a diverse group of artists. The philosophy of our programming is that we’ll play anything and you never know what you’ll hear next.”…..Westwood One’s “The BOB & TOM Show” moves from Townsquare Media’s rock WGBF to crosstown The Original Company’s classic hits WJPS-FM in the Evansville, Indiana market…..Flood Communications West closes on the purchase of adult contemporary KSID-FM and country KSID-AM, Sidney, Nebraska. The company paid $300,000 to seller Dead-Short Broadcasting. Jason James of Patrick Communications was the exclusive broker…..Condolences to the family and friends of former country KVOO, TULSA morning drive host Andy Oatman, who passed away on December 30 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Oatman retired from KVOO in 2008.
Monday, November 20, 2017
Air Talent Changes at KCMO-AM, Kansas City. TALKERS magazine hears that Cumulus Media’s KCMO-AM, Kansas City has let both Greg Knapp and Tom Becka
go. Becka had been hosting the 9:00 am to 11:00 am show since May of 2016. That daypart is now listed on the station’s website as part of the “KCMO Morning Show” from 6:00 am to 11:00 am. Knapp had been hosting the 6:00 am to 9:00 am morning show since rejoining the station in January of this year. He had hosted the afternoon drive show on KCMO until exiting in late April of 2016. Chicago talk radio pro Bruce Wolf is hosting mornings today through Wednesday (11/20-22).
Salem Moves DC’s ‘The Answer’ to WSPZ, Bethesda. The conservative news/talk
station is already re-branded “AM 570 The Answer,” reflecting its moves to WSPZ. However, as of today (11/20) it’s still heard on WWRC, Washington at 1260 AM, but it’s probable that Salem Media Group will install a Christian talk or music format on the 1260 AM signal. Salem bought WSPZ from Dan Snyder’s Red Zebra earlier this year.
Sapienza to Lead Entercom Baltimore’s Sports Programming. Former longtime Red Zebra programmer Chuck Sapienza joins Entercom to serve as director of
sports programming for WJZ-FM, Baltimore and executive producer for Baltimore Orioles and University of Maryland Radio Networks. He worked for Red Zebra’s WTEM, Washington in numerous capacities for 10 years, including serving as program director. After leaving WTEM, he was executive producer at the Naval Academy Football Radio Network.
Markiewicz Replaces Van Stone at RadiOhio’s Sports Radio Operations in Columbus. After a 40-year career in broadcasting, David Van Stone is retiring from his position as president and general manager of RadiOhio’s sports talk stations WBNS-FM “97.1 The Fan” and WBNS-AM “1460 ESPN,” plus The Ohio News Network. The company announces it is promoting station manager and director of sales Todd 
Markiewicz to vice president and general manager in charge of the radio operations. The changes take effect in January. Markiewicz says, “The opportunity to become the steward of these heritage Columbus radio and digital properties is just a thrill for me. Dave Van Stone’s leadership over the past 19 years has resulted in our company operating at an elevated level toward our goal of super-serving our listeners, our community and our employees. My job now is to make sure RadiOhio matches that excellence for years to come and I can’t imagine a better group of radio professionals to accept that challenge with than those already working within these walls.” Van Stone comments, “These last 19 years working for RadiOhio have been tremendous. I want to thank the Wolfe family and [RadiOhio chairman and CEO] Michael Fiorile for their confidence and support. Thanks as well to the outstanding, dedicated RadiOhio staff for their commitment to excellence and for ‘making great radio.’”
Beasley Names VP of Digital Sales. This is a newly created position at Beasley Media Group and the company welcomes Dan Frisbie to the vice president of digital
sales position. His radio experience includes an eight-year stint as VP of sales for iHeartMedia. Most, recently he was leading his Frisbie Consulting LLC in which he assisted clients with media, digital, mobile, and video sales strategies and operations. Beasley EVP of digital Steve Meyers comments, “We are thrilled to bring Dan on board to lead digital revenue growth at Beasley Media Group. Dan’s experience, enthusiasm and passion for digital, especially as it relates to the radio space, is a perfect complement for our goals to aggressively grow our digital presence and capabilities for our brands and our clients.”
ESPN Radio Announces 2018 Network Schedule; New Podcasts. In addition to the new morning drive show, “Golic & Wingo,” ESPN Radio is unveiling its new lineup for the network, effective January 2, 2018. The WEPN, New York-based Stephen A.
Smith radio show joins the network for national distribution in the 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm daypart. Ryen Russillo – currently hosting the 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm show – moves to the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm slot with new co-host Will Cain. That bumps “The Right Time with Bomani Jones” off the schedule 
(Jones continues with the company on the TV side). “Spain and Fitz” is the new early evening show featuring espnW voice Sarah Spain with SEC Network commentator Jason Fitz. In a time shift, the “Freddie & Fitzsimmons” show with Freddie Coleman and Ian Fitzsimmons moves from 11:00 pm to 2:00 am to the new 9:00 pm to 1:00 am slot. The company also announces new podcasts from Bomani Jones (new episodes 2-3 times per week), Jalen Rose and David Jacoby (whose Jalen & Jacoby podcast will be produced 4-5 times per week), and Katie Nolan (a weekly show).
Entercom Unveils New Analytics Tool for Advertisers. With Friday’s close of the Entercom–CBS RADIO merger, the new Entercom hit the road running with a few high-profile format flips and a statement about its new business practices. It also announced the new Entercom Audience Analytics tool for radio advertisers. The 
company says it offers “advertisers unique data and analytic insights designed to optimize their advertising campaigns and improve return on investment. The enhanced analytics capability is powered by an exclusive partnership in Entercom markets with AnalyticOwl, a broadcast analytics platform used to measure effectiveness and audience response of radio advertising.” Entercom chief revenue officer Bob Philips adds, “Entercom Audience Analytics will enable us to develop a more consultative relationship with our advertising partners and more effectively measure and validate the important role of radio in the consumers’ path to purchase. This is a tremendous step toward improving campaign effectiveness and ROI for our advertisers.”
GOP Tax Plan, Celebrity Sexual Assault Allegations/Franken Case, Roy Moore Sexual Predation Accusations, Nuclear Launch Debate, FOX News Channel Supports Hannity, Charles Manson Dies, David Cassidy Hospitalized, Justice League Film, American Music Awards, College Football Playoffs, and NFL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. Analysis of the effects of the Republican tax reform plan; the slew of sexual assault allegations involving celebrities and the case involving Senator Al Franken; the allegations of sexual predation against Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore; the debate over the machinations of a nuclear weapons launch after Air Force General John Hyten said he would ignore an illegal request from the president; FOX News Channel issues a statement in support of Sean Hannity after advertiser boycott effort; Charles Manson dies at age 83; 1970s teen heartthrob David Cassidy hospitalized in critical condition; the opening weekend of the Justice League film; Sunday’s “American Music Awards”; Saturday’s games with College Football Playoff implications; and Sunday’s NFL action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Science Guru and Rising YouTube Star, Isaac Arthur, Guests this Week on Harrison Podcast. He is a high school drop-out from Ohio with a trademark speech impediment and a true geek’s love of science fact and fiction who, after earning his GED diploma, went on to graduate with a B.S. in Physics from Kent State University at the age of 20. He attended graduate school but preferred self-teaching and dropped out to serve in the army in Germany and Iraq. Upon returning home, he became involved in local politics and was appointed a member of the Ashtabula County, Ohio Board of Elections. (He tells
Michael Harrison, “We take our elections very seriously here in Ohio.”) But there is a whole other talk media side to Isaac Arthur that caught the attention of Harrison and makes him an ideal guest for the award-winning PodcastOne series “Up Close and Far out with Michael Harrison,” as well as being a person of significant interest to the commercial media industry. It began as a hobby and has now grown into something remarkable. He is the producer and host of a rapidly growing YouTube channel titled, “Science and Futurism with Isaac Arthur.” He writes, produces and narrates stunning video podcasts that run between ½ hour and an hour that curate, explore and explain the provocative leading edge of popular science. In three years, his channel has attracted more than 161,000 devoted subscribers and more than 12 million visits. Harrison, a passionate layman enthusiast of science and astrophysics says, “Isaac Arthur is a quintessential example of the pioneers who are out there laboring on the outskirts of the mainstream commercial radio/TV industries on the exciting frontier of talk media – where audio intersects with video, graphics, education and entertainment. Everyone in the radio business with an eye on podcasting and cross-platform brand expansion can learn from him. Having a personal love for the subject matter he covers, I am his fan!” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player box located in the right-hand column on every page of Talkers.com.
Mars Dominates AMAs. In the Tracee Ellis Ross-hosted American Music Awards ceremony held last night (11/19) in Los Angeles, Bruno Mars took home six trophies, including “Artist of the Year,” “Favorite Male Artist – Pop/Rock,” and “Video of the Year” for “That’s What I Like.” Ross’ mother – Diana Ross – was honored for her “Lifetime Achievement.” Among the other highlights from the ABC-TV telecast were Lady Gaga cited as “Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock,” Niall Horan named “New
Artist of the Year,” and Coldplay recognized as “Tour of the Year.” Elsewhere in the “Pop/Rock” category, Imagine Dragons won “Favorite Duo or Group”; Mars’ “24K Magic” was “Favorite Album,” while Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieberhad the “Favorite Song” (“Despacito”). Winners in the country format were Keith Urban (“Favorite Male Artist,” “Favorite Song” for “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” and “Favorite Album” for “Ripcord”); Carrie Underwood (“Favorite Female Artist”); and Little Big Town “Favorite Duo or Group.” Honored as “Favorite Artist – Adult Contemporary” and “Favorite Artist – Alternative Rock” were Shawn Mendes and Linkin Park, respectively. Meanwhile, Mars scored victories in the “Soul/R&B” genre as “Favorite Male Artist,” “Favorite Album” (“24K Magic”); and “Favorite Song (“That’s What I Like”); Beyonce was recognized as “Favorite Female Artist – Soul/R&B.”
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Alt rock personality and programmer Tamo Sein joins iHeartMedia’s WEND, Charlotte “106.5 The End” to host the midday show and serve as APD and music director. In this role, she’ll assist in the day-to-day
operations of the station’s music programming and scheduling of music logs as well as be responsible for all the station’s imaging and branding. Sein will report to WEND program director Chuck “DZL” Thompson. She comes to Charlotte from iHeartMedia’s Richmond cluster where she was music director and afternoon drive host…..On-air pro Jeff Pope is named morning show host at All Pro Broadcasting-owned hot AC duo KHTI-FM “Hot 103.9” and KATY-FM “101.3 The Mix” in the Riverside-San Bernardino market. Pope has most recently been morning host at Alpha Media’s hot AC KEZR San Jose but he’d worked in the Inland Empire for 13 years prior to that hosting morning drive at iHeartMedia’s crosstown rhythmic CHR KGGI…..SiriusXM is presenting a special invitation-only performance by Duran Duran at the Faena Theater in Miami on December 9. The exclusive performance will feature Duran Duran playing signature music from throughout their career, including songs from their most recent, top-10 charting studio album, Paper Gods…..Rowdy Yates, host of “Original Country Gold with Rowdy Yates,” is offering a half-hour, “Mel Tillis Tribute Special” for immediate radio airplay on a non-market-exclusive basis. The tribute features music from Mel, songs that he wrote for others (like “Ruby” for Kenny Rogers and “Detroit City” for Bobby Bare), music from his daughter Pam Tillis and some great stories about his rise to fame along with the hardships that he overcame. This Compass Media presentation is available to stations in a commercial free format. The download link is here. Please email Doug Ingold at dingold@compassmedianetworks.com with call letters, intended air dates and times. Call Doug with questions at 310-242-8746.
Westwood One Backstage at the AMAs. This past weekend, Westwood One Backstage at the AMAs took place at the Microsoft Theater Event Deck in Los Angeles from Thursday (11/16) through Saturday (11/18) that included three days of branded programming and artist interviews. Pictured above are (from l-r): Cat Collins, EVP/In2une Music; Mike McVay, EVP programming & content, Cumulus Media and Westwood One; John Kilgo, SVP, talent relations, Cumulus Media; in2une recording artist Taylor Grey; and Suzanne Grimes, EVP corporate marketing, Cumulus Media and president, Westwood One.
Friday, December 2, 2016
Art Bell and Wife Suing Michael Savage and WW1 for Defamation. In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, radio talk host Art Bell and his wife Airyn Ruiz Bell are suing
Michael Savage, Westwood One and parent company Cumulus Media for defamation, defamation per se, false light invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The Bells are seeking damages “in the amount to be proven at trial.” The 
complaint stems from a September “Savage Nation” broadcast in which Savage said, “I generally avoid gun questions. I know this from the first day in radio. I learned you never do certain topics where you can destroy your show. Third rail… You say UFOs, you wind up in the Philippines with a 10-year-old hooker and you are off the radio after a number of years. You can’t do UFOs. That’s an in joke, by the way, for people who understand the business. There are other topics you can’t do…” The Bells argue that to anyone who knows the business, it was obvious Savage was referring to Art Bell and further, that the “10-year-old hooker” remark refers to his wife, Philippines national Airyn Ruiz Bell. The Bells say they petitioned Westwood One for a retraction but their request was not honored.
WEEI, Boston Names New Leadership Team. The Entercom sports talker announces its new programming
management team. It is promoting assistant program director Joe Zarbano to PD, taking over for Kevin Graham, who announced his exit from the station back in June. This comes after a six-month search that resulted in the station promoting from its “in-house talent bench.” In addition to Zarbano’s 
promotion, senior producer Ben Kichen rises to executive producer. He’s been lead producer for both the Glenn Ordway and “Dale & Holley” programs. He also produces Kirk Minihane’s “Enough About Me” podcast and hosts “Soccercast” for WEEI.com. Carlson Mozdiez, currently director of integrated marketing strategies for Entercom Boston, assumes the director of operations role for the cluster with special emphasis on the company’s WEEI.com digital platform. Entercom New England VP/market
manager Phil Zachary says the search was necessarily long and intensive. “With its massive broadcast reach and associated digital assets, the WEEI brand is arguably among the most influential and complex in all of broadcasting. Many of our outside candidates simply couldn’t get their arms around all of it. As each month passed, it became clear to me that we had the talent right here in Ben, Carlson and Joe. Plus they each have that inimitable DNA of the true Boston sports fan.”
Brandys Promoted to Baltimore SVP/Market Manager for CBS RADIO. From her most recent position as VP, director of sales, Tracy Brandys is elevated to senior vice president, market manager and director of sales for CBS RADIO’s Baltimore stations, including sports talk duo WJZ-FM “105.7 The Fan,” WJZ-AM “CBS Sports
Radio 1300,” adult contemporary WLIF “Today’s 101.9,” CHR WWMX “Mix 106.5,” as well as the CBS RADIO Up Close Performance Studio that hosts local and national sports figures and musicians. She replaces former Baltimore market manager Bob Philips who was recently named chief revenue officer for CBS RADIO. Company COO Scott Herman says, “Tracy’s years of sales and management experience, coupled with her intimate knowledge of our Baltimore stations and the overall market, made her the natural choice to take on this important role. Throughout her tenure with CBS RADIO Tracy has proven to be a powerhouse salesperson who has led and grown our revenue and market share in Baltimore and has been a trusted leader to our valued employees. We are delighted to reward her accomplishments with this well-deserved promotion.”
The News Media Alliance and National Association of Broadcasters Seeking Review of FCC’s Cross Ownership Rules. The News Media Alliance is going straight to President-Elect Donald Trump with a white paper that lays out its case for abandoning the 1975 rule that makes cross-ownership of electronic and print media
illegal and the National Association of Broadcasters is petitioning the FCC for 
reconsideration of the 2014 Quadrennial Regulatory Review’s conclusion to maintain the ban (as well as other policies). Regular TALKERS readers are aware of the argument that the current state of media looks nothing like it did in 1975 and current regulations should reflect the current business conditions. News Media Alliance president and CEO David Chavern states, “While news organizations are innovating and adapting to a vastly different media landscape, antiquated government regulations and imbalanced policies are unnecessarily hindering investment and growth at news media companies. We encourage the new administration to revisit these regulations and policies as it charts a new course for our nation’s economic growth.”
Al Peterson to Cease Publication of NTS MediaOnline in New Year. After 10 years serving the spoken-word radio business, radio pro Al Peterson is announcing he’ll stop publishing his NTS MediaOnline Today and
NTS MediaOnline Monthly come January. In a press release, Peterson says, “After serving as the News/Talk/Sports editor for 10 years at the top industry newspaper Radio & Records, to then creating NTS MediaOnline and building it into a reliable hub for news, information and conversation about talk radio for the last decade, it just feels right to start a new chapter in my life – one where I’m not waking before sunrise to a blank page and a daily deadline.” Working with Peterson during the last 10 years (and before that with R&R) has been his sales and marketing partner Brooke Williams. The statement says Peterson plans to enjoy more time with his family and pursue other interests outside the industry.
Report: Pandora and SiriusXM Talking Acquisition. According to CNBC, digital music pure play Pandora is talking with SiriusXM about being acquired by the satellite radio company. The report indicates that the talks are
very preliminary but that this shows a change of heart after Pandora dismissed an informal offer of $15 per share from SiriusXM parent Liberty Media back in July. Liberty CEO Greg Maffei is quoted saying, “We think that the free space, whether it be commercial, terrestrial radio or Pandora, is still a very attractive space. And we talked about how we’d like to find a way to participate. I think the streaming business, which Pandora seems to have doubled down on, is a very unattractive business. So there are parts of Pandora that could be attractive. And there’s parts that we’d have questions about.” Read the CNBC piece here.
Trump Cabinet Nominees Top News/Talk Story for Week of November 28 – December 2. The growing list of cabinet nominees for the Trump Administration was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the election recount tied with Donald Trump’s claims of voter fraud. Coming in at #3 was the Trump-Carrier deal, followed by Trump’s flag burning comments at #4. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.
Odds & Sods. News/talk WHBY, Appleton, Wisconsin is broadcasting in FM as well now with the addition of translator W287AU at 103.5. Woodward Radio Group brand manager Justin Hull states, “We are thrilled to be taking WHBY to the FM side of the dial. The new frequency, along with our revamped website and app, gives listeners another way to experience WHBY in all aspects.”…..Midway Broadcasting Corporation, the parent company of WVON, Chicago is hosting its 26th Annual Seniors Breakfast tomorrow (12/3) at the House of Hope. Seniors will enjoy a hot breakfast and live entertainment from three-time Grammy nominee Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues and Christmas carols from musical artist Uneqka…..Both satellite radio broadcaster SiriusXM and digital platform TuneIn will be broadcasting live from the Baseball Winter Meetings starting this Sunday, December 4, through Thursday, December 8.
Six Days Left for Gracies Early Bird Deadline. The deadline for early bird entries for the 2017 Gracie Awards is Thursday, December 8. The annual awards, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, recognize “exemplary programming created by, for and about women in all facets of media and entertainment, as well as individual achievement.” All submissions must have been released, posted or aired between December 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016. Please note, this is a change from previous years’ timeline for eligibility. The final deadline for submissions is January 12, 2017 at 11:59 pm ET. See how to register submissions here.
The Yappy Tour Rolls Through WABC, New York. The recently published book, Yappy Days: Behind the Scenes with Newsers, Schmoozers, Boozers and Losers (AuthorHouse/Talkers Books), by veteran talk radio producer Bernadette
Duncan (left), continues to burn up the airwaves. The coast-to-coast book tour rolled through New York City yesterday (12/1) as the author was interviewed by the legendary talk radio grand dame Joan Hamburg for her Saturday show (12/3) on the legendary WABC. Duncan tells TALKERS, “It was one of the highlights of my career being interviewed by the great Joan Hamburg. Not only is she one of my personal idols, but I can safely describe her as one of the best radio talkers of any era and a national treasure. Being on her show and the airwaves of WABC is deeply gratifying to me and hopefully to the thousands of radio enthusiasts who have been giving this book such wonderful
support.” Yappy Days recounts Duncan’s 26-year career as a producer of radio talk shows working with such big-name talents as Larry King, Sally Jessy Raphael, Lou Dobbs, Tom Snyder, Gil Gross, Charles Osgood and many more during modern talk radio’s pre- and post-9/11 “golden era.” Plus, she tells stories about behind-the-scenes encounters with hundreds of guests from the worlds of show business, politics, media, business and literature. The interview is already posted as a podcast on the WABC website and can be heard by clicking here. Due to the strong response by hosts across the nation to the subject and Duncan’s lively air presence, the national “Yappy Tour” will continue to roll on through the first quarter of 2017. Duncan has already appeared on more than 40 local and syndicated programs. Hosts and shows interested in booking Bernadette Duncan can do so by calling Barbara Kurland at 413-565-5413.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Nielsen Audio Acknowledges Connectivity Issues. Clients were informed yesterday (Thursday, 11/10) that 8% of installed Nielsen Audio devices across its 48 PPM-markets became inactive. The situation began in week one (11/3 – 11/9) of the December PPM monthly survey. According to a Nielsen spokesperson, “Our panel relations specialists have already been in contact with these homes and all affected panelists have now been sent new PPMs; 49% of the replacement meters are back online. We expect the balance to come online in the next several days.” The spokesperson further notes, “We forecast the percentage of installed and fully operational meters eligible for in-tab will be 97% for the month of December and 92% for week one of December across the aggregate of markets; weighting will adjust for demographic and geographic imbalances.” Lower in-tab, the spokesperson stresses, “doesn’t equate to lower ratings; however, temporarily higher weights may contribute to more variation during the period of time it takes for these panelists to be back in-tab.” Nielsen Audio is doing an analysis to evaluate panel representation and impact to audience estimates and the company plans to share those results during the week of November 21.
CBS Radio Promotes Philips to Chief Revenue Officer. The company’s senior vice president of sales since late last year – Bob Philips – is elevated to CBS Radio‘s newly created role of chief revenue officer. CBS Radio president Andre Fernandez states, “Bob’s extensive radio and sales experience make him ideal to accelerate our efforts as we enter a new phase of the business. His deep understanding of corporate, customer, category, and channel
strategies will be instrumental in generating new revenue opportunities and ensuring our ability to deliver top-tier financial results.” Philips opines, “It is an exciting time for the radio industry. We have never had more assets at our disposal to meet our clients’ needs and extend their iconic brands. Our radio stations, digital assets, and events are only the tip of the iceberg.” Philips, who currently serves on the RAB Advisory Board and is an officer for the Maryland-D.C.-Delaware Broadcasters Association, previously was the 15-year market manager of CBS Radio’s four-station Baltimore cluster, which includes adult contemporary WLIF “Today’s 101.9,” hot AC WWMX “Mix 106.5,” and sports outlets WJZ-AM, and WJZ-FM “105.7 The Fan.” He has held leadership positions at Infinity Broadcasting and American Radio Systems.
SiriusXM Adds Ramsey. Starting next Monday (11/14), SiriusXM subscribers get to hear financial advice via “The Dave Ramsey Show” on Sirius channel 145 and XM channel 207. According to SiriusXM senior vice president of digital, talk and content strategy Jason Schramm, “Dave Ramsey is a huge force in the world of personal money management and a significant addition to SiriusXM. Between his immensely popular program and 
bestselling books, Dave has proven himself a top expert in his field. I am thrilled that he has found a second home at SiriusXM, where our subscribers will now be able to get direct feedback about their own finances.” Ramsey Media vice president Brian Mayfield comments, “We are honored and excited to join the SiriusXM family. We are looking forward to experiencing the future growth of this platform and its audience.” Speaking of Ramsey, he sold out his “Smart Money” event yesterday (Thursday, 11/10) in Colorado Springs, where he promoted the event with his affiliate there, News-Press & Gazette Company‘s KRDO. The station’s general sales manager JoAnne Rowley notes, “A Dave Ramsey live event creates a lot of excitement for our audience, advertisers, staff, and attendees. The synergy is amazing.” Pictured from left to right are Rowley, Ramsey, KRDO program director Mike Lewis, and station talk host Chris Brown. It is estimated that Ramsey’s 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm weekday show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week.
PPM Analysis: MLB Flagships. Based on data from Nielsen Audio’s October 2016 PPM survey period, TALKERS managing editor Mike Kinosian unveils his final look this year at the performances of Major League Baseball flagships. In this special feature report, you will find charts listing stations by format and (6+) AHQ share; ratings fluctuations from September 2016 to October 2016; ratings comparisons from October 2015 to October 2016; how MLB key stations ranked in their respective markets; and how they did by league/division. Another component – new to this cycle – is a quick-view chart of each flagship’s performance from the start of the baseball season to the conclusion. See it all here.
KIRO-FM Partners to Provide 300 Beds for Area Children. Joining Bonneville Seattle talker KIRO-FM in the “Beds for Kids Project” are the Seattle Police Department, with the support of the Seattle Police Foundation, and Sleep Train. KIRO-FM afternoon drive (3:00 pm – 7:00 pm) hosts “Ron & Don” have been dedicated advocates for the project since its inception two
years ago, with Ron Upshaw stating, “I am really excited about this opportunity. The thought of a young person not having a bed just breaks my heart. Think about a six-year-old or seven-year-old kid never sleeping in a bed. This will be the first time they ever have their own bed. That’s a big deal for a kid, so I’m very proud to be a partner of this really great event.” Semi-trucks filled with 300 mattresses, box springs, sheet sets, comforters, and pillows were delivered to the Seattle Police Department yesterday (Thursday, 11/10); all mattresses were donated by The Dream Bed. Selected area families will receive their new beds tomorrow (Saturday, 11/12). Seattle police officers Jeremy Wade and Ryan Gallagher created the “Beds for Kids Project” in 2014. Seattle’s latest (October 2016) Nielsen Audio PPM report finds KIRO-FM finishing second (5.7, 6+) behind Hubbard CHR KQMV (6.9, 6+).
Cuthbertson Appointed Entercom Digital Audience Engagement Manager. Midday personality of Townsquare Media Group alternative KMAX “94.3 The X,” Fort Collins-Greeley (Colorado) Drew Cuthbertson is named Entercom‘s digital audience engagement manager. Vice president of digital audience engagement Kim Reis comments, “I am so excited to have Drew on our corporate team. His organizational and analytical skills, combined with his digital creativity and on-air experience, make
him the perfect candidate. I am sure the local teams will be jazzed by Drew’s energy and positive attitude.” Cuthbertson comments, “For my entire professional life, I have been committed to creating great digital content. I am beyond thrilled to bring my passion to a company like Entercom. There are great things on the horizon for us.” Cuthbertson will use data analytics to find opportunities on social media, websites, mobile, apps, database, podcasts, and streaming players. The Colorado State University grad is the founder and director of DC Vocals and was a sales associate and customer service representative for Babies R Us.
Election Related Stories Dominate Talkers TenTM for Week of November 7-11. Naturally, Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton in the presidential race was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio during the week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. Close behind was the GOP’s keeping control of both the House and the Senate at #2. At #3 was ongoing talk about Hillary Clinton’s email problems, followed by the push for marijuana law reform in several states at #4. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.
Westwood One, Barrie Begin Tactical Talk. Podcast “Tactical Talk with Allison Barrie” debuts today – Veterans Day (11/11). The counter-terrorism expert/television commentator will feature men and women who have served in the United States military, intelligence, and first responders’ space; Cumulus Media‘s Westwood One is providing ad sales representation. Westwood One president/Cumulus Media executive vice president of corporate marketing Suzanne Grimes states, “Allison is a
powerful addition to our podcast and on-demand network. She is an astute civilian insider with unique access to defense information and technology that translates into extremely compelling content. We look forward to the high-level guests and storytelling she will bring to our 245 million listeners and our valued advertising partners.” Barrie comments, “I plan to introduce America to ultimate insiders so my listeners can know what they know. Since the guests are my friends, America will get very real, up close and direct experiences. There will be exclusive content, access and reveals, but also lots of humor, courage, adventure, and a whole lot of fun. Westwood One is such a great fit for this authentic, special content. The host of “Fox Firepower,” Barrie writes the weekly Fox Firepower front-page column at FoxNews.com.
Audio Book Publisher Seeks Talk Show Content. Not books per se, but noted audio book publisher Blackstone Audio is looking for alternative content to add to their already impressive library, which includes over 12,000 of the world’s most famous book titles brought to life in the audio book format. They have already taken numerous syndicated radio shows, podcasts, and a series of educational classes on various subjects and made them available to consumers through the nation’s libraries, bookstores, and over a dozen online merchandisers as well as Blackstone’s own site www.downpour.com. They invite hosts, stations and syndicators to look through old show archives, current shows and podcasts – including anything from health to automobiles – for consideration. The path is open to content not previously believed to be audio book possible. Those interested must provide enough content to have more than one eight- to ten-hour volume and no music, unless owned by the contributor. Blackstone pays a favorable royalty for all sales. For more information, phone Blackstone Audio representative Larry Harris at 360-809-0224 or email him at talkharris@olypen.com.
Odds & Sods. Today’s (Friday, 11/11) “Operation Thank You” on Emmis talker KLBJ-AM, Austin will benefit the Fisher House at Carl R. Darnell Army Medical Center at Fort Hood. The drive will feature remote broadcasts by station personalities Todd Jeffries & Don Pryor (“Todd & Don”), Mark Caesar, Charlie Hodge, Jeff Ward, and Ed Clements ….. Starting next Monday (11/14), Jason Hillery takes on added duties as operations manager for Midwest Communications’ stations in Northeast Wisconsin, which include Green Bay mainstream CHR WIXX 
“Your #1 Hit Music Station” and Neenah-Menasha country outlet WNCY “Y-100.” Already programming Appleton country station WGEE “Duke FM,” Neenah-Menasha adult hits WYDR “Jack FM,” and sports WNFL, Hillery will program talk WTAQ, as well ….. Owing to the fact his director of broadcast operations position has been eliminated, Willobee will depart Shamrock Communications Reno (Nevada) in three weeks (12/2). Willobee joined the Shamrock Reno cluster seven years ago. He previously spent five years as operations manager/program director of WEQX, Albany, New York.
TagStation Names Burney National Sales Director. National account executive of iHeartMedia Detroit Mary Burney joins TagStation LLC, the parent of NextRadio, as national sales director. NextRadio vice president of sales Tom Doran comments, “Mary is a perfect fit for this position because she understands broadcast radio consumption, and national advertisers’ need for real time campaign performance. Mary is known for establishing relationships with key decision-makers at national brands and their agencies. The new position of national sales director comes as we are seeing rapid growth in demand for our campaign data. NextRadio data brings detailed insights to advertising campaign effectiveness, helping brands make data-driven decisions about radio buys. Among many others, AllState, Disney, The Home Depot, and Starwood Hotels’ Aloft brands have used NextRadio data to measure audience exposure, lift, demographic reach, and other metrics.” Prior to iHeartMedia, Burney was an account executive with Windsor, Ontario’s Bell Media Radio. She also worked at Clear Channel radio sales; Radio One Detroit; and Interep National Radio Sales.
“Stable” Audiences for NFL National Radio Broadcasts. The network radio partner for the National Football League, Cumulus Media‘s Westwood One, analyzed ratings for the first 13 games in each PPM local market where a national broadcast aired. It found adult 25-54 AQH radio ratings for 13 national primetime NFL games that aired during the September 8 – October 5 PPM survey period are down on average 3.5% compared to corresponding broadcasts a year ago. Factoring out the September 26 national NFL broadcast that ran opposite the first presidential debate, however, the 12-game average NFL radio rating change on Westwood One was -1.3%. According to Nielsen, almost as many people have tuned into NFL games on television this season as last season. A Westwood spokesperson writes, “Time spent watching the NFL on TV might be off due to the election coverage, but the NFL continues to be America’s most powerful media property. Recent radio ratings further showcase the power of NFL programming for advertisers to engage fans. The NFL on Westwood One provides incremental reach and enhanced campaign frequency to TV campaigns.”
Ad Man Dave Marinaccio Is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. Noted advertising executive and innovator Dave Marinaccio is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne hit series, “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison.” Marinaccio, a 30-plus year veteran of the advertising industry, is the co-founder and creative director of the Arlington, Virginia-based agency LMO Advertising and has been the artistic force behind numerous marketing campaigns for major, household-name companies and product brands
including restaurants, hotels, rental cars, transportation services, and branches of the military, among others. He is also a best-selling author, whose most recent book is Admen, Mad Men, and the Real World of Advertising: Essential Lessons for Business and Life (Arcade, 2015). Marinaccio also wrote All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Watching Star Trek (Harmony 1995). Harrison and Marinaccio discuss changes in advertising techniques and challenges that have occurred during the transition from the analogue era to the digital age including the cultural differences between Boomers and Millennials, the role of music in advertising, the nature of creativity and much more. And, yes, they also talk a bit about Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future. To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player box located in the right-hand column on every page of Talkers.com and RadioInfo.com.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Julie Talbott To Oversee Total Traffic and Weather Network. Oversight of iHeartMedia’s Total Traffic & Weather Network is now a part of Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott’s responsibilities.
iHeartRadio and iHeartMedia Networks president Darren Davis makes the announcement that Total Traffic & Weather Network and 24/7 News Network are now a part of Premiere Networks. The company says Talbott will oversee the operations of the newly configured Premiere Networks and will lend her experience, relationships and knowledge of the radio industry to all three network teams. She will continue to report to Darren Davis.
Talent Moves at ‘105.7 The Fan’ in Baltimore. At CBS RADIO’s sports talk WJZ-FM, Baltimore “105.7 The Fan,” a couple of talent moves take place, effective today (8/1). Rob Long moves from the midday show to morning drive to serve as co-host with Ed Norris, replacing Steve Davis, who exits. Taking over his spot on the midday show with Vinny Cerrato is Bob Haynie. The station also notes that after “Baltimore Baseball Tonight,” and when the Orioles are off, Jerry Coleman will handle the 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm show.
Capitol Broadcasting Welcomes Steve Logan’s Return for Sports Programming. Former East Carolina head football coach Steve Logan returns to the Capitol Broadcasting organization after a year coaching quarterbacks with the San Francisco 49ers. At Capitol’s sports talk WCMC, Raleigh “99.9 The Fan,” Logan will make one-hour radio appearances on Fridays throughout the football season starting September 2. He’ll also host his own radio show on Saturdays, starting September 3, airing from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. Logan will be paired with
WRAL-TV sports anchor Jeff Gravley on Sundays at 11:00 am on WRAL-TV from September 4 through November 27. Additionally, he’ll have television contributions on the Friday 11:00 pm newscasts on WRAL-TV and will produce special weekly video features to stream at WRALsportsfan.com. All of Logan’s efforts will be branded as “The Logan Zone.” Capitol Broadcasting sports radio operations manager and program director Dennis Glasgow says, “We’re thrilled to have Coach Logan back on our team. He’s built up a lot of equity in the Triangle and there’s no one better that will tell it like it is in regard to the NFL and college football.” Logan worked with Capitol Broadcasting from 2013 through 2015 as a football insider.
KRLD-AM, Dallas Chief Meteorologist Bob Goosman Resigns After Twitter Post Controversy. The now former chief meteorologist for CBS RADIO’s news/talk KRLD-AM, Dallas took to Twitter recently to express 
his thoughts about the appearance of mothers of black men killed by police at the DNC. He Tweeted, “As many of you have probably noticed, I’ve stayed away from politics on FB. The DNC parading the mothers of slain thugs around on their stage has me furious.” Not surprisingly, the comment raised some controversy. Goosman subsequently resigned his position with the station but commented on the Dallas News site saying he did not intend the comment to have racial overtones but understands why his actions caused problems for KRLD and said, had he not resigned, he should have been fired.
The Presidential Race, Rio Olympics Troubles, Chute-less Skydive, Miss Teen USA Controversy, PGA Championship, and MLB Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The activities of presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, including Trump’s spat with the Khan family; the threats of terrorism at the Olympics and reports of Rio De Janeiro’s state of unpreparedness for the games; the successful parachute-less skydive by Luke Aikins; the controversy over Miss Teen USA Karlie Hay’s past use of the “n-word” on social media; this weekend’s PGA Championship tournament; and Major League Baseball action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Odds & Sods. Sports programming giant ESPN is reporting that its ESPN Radio division had a very good spring from an audience standpoint. The company says ESPN Radio saw a “27% overall increase in impressions from the same time last year, according to Nielsen Audio in PPM markets. Across all affiliates, ESPN Radio now owns a 50% share of all Men 25-54 sports radio listening, up from 42% over the same period last year. In addition, ESPN Radio grew its female audience by 42% over last year.”…..Former Miami Dolphins star Jason Taylor will be part of the radio play-by-play team broadcasting the team’s games this season. Taylor will be an analyst in the booth alongside Jimmy Cefalo and Joe Rose. Taylor has also worked on the radio with both SiriusXM and Westwood One.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Cumulus New York to Address Race Relations in ‘Radio Summit’ Simulcast. News/talk WABC and urban contemporary WNBM “Radio 103.9” – both Cumulus Media properties – will present a historic radio summit “and simulcast covering some of the most pressing issues of our time.” In the aftermath of the Ferguson grand jury decision, the Eric Garner case and the tensions between Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York Police Department, both stations will produce a 60-minute, commercial-free discussion focused on the New York City community. The company says, “This broadcast will include substantial, heartfelt conversation discussing the issues facing the city, recounting events and proposing proactive solutions on how the city and its people can move forward.” Taking part in the discussion will be 77 WABC’s Curtis Sliwa and Ron Kuby, ‘Radio 103.9’ host DL Hughley and Minister Kirsten John Foy, Northeast
Regional Director of the National Action Network. It will air tomorrow (1/14) at 12:00 noon ET and will also stream on each station’s website. WABC program director Craig Schwalb says, “Ultimately, our stations are here to serve the community and this historic simulcast demonstrates our commitment to our audiences in an honest, compelling way.” WNBM programmer Ken Johnson adds, “We are happy to be a part of this extremely timely dialogue. If we can set an example for a civil discussion and spark discourse nationally, then we have accomplished our mission.” TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison was quick to react when learning of this development, stating, “What a powerful, productive idea and use of the enormous potential of radio as a medium of healing and education within the community it serves. What is especially appealing about this initiative is the coming together of a heritage news/talk AM facility with a hip FM culture/music station for the purpose of aggressively and positively addressing highest-common denominator concerns. This type of programming harnesses the inherent positive energy of consolidation. When I hear about this kind of project it stokes my optimism about the future of radio. Yes!”
Entercom Replaces ‘Spud’ McConnell with Syndicated Show at New Orleans Sports Talker. A longtime talk host on Entercom’s WWL, New Orleans, John “Spud” McConnell moved across the hall in 2013 to host the afternoon drive show on sports talker WWWL “3WL.” Now, management says it’s being forced to make cuts and McConnell’s show drew the short straw. Entercom New Orleans vice president and general manager Chris Claus tells the Times-Picayune’s David Lee Simmons that “I love Spud. He’s a great entertainer, he’s a great host, he’s a great actor, he’s great in theater, he’s great in TV, and he’s great in the movies. But, unfortunately, we had a position to eliminate and his was the one.” The station will carry NBC Sports Radio Network’s “Under Center” with Donovan McNabb and Mark Malone. Claus also told the paper he’d consider bringing McConnell back to news/talk WWL but there’s no opening for a host there right now.
CBS RADIO Extends ‘Felger & Mazz Show’ at ‘98.5 The Sports Hub’ in Boston. Afternoon drive sports talkers Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti have re-signed with CBS RADIO’s WBZ-FM, Boston “98.5 The Sports Hub” on a multi-year deal. As part of the new deal, Massarotti will write two columns per week for www.cbsboston.com and will host “The Baseball Reporters Show,” weeknights during the baseball season from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. CBS states in a press release that the duo “have consistently been the number-one show in afternoon drive with Men 25-54 for almost four years and running.”
Bryant Rejoins Westwood One as Executive VP of West Coast Sales. Relocating to Los Angeles, Kim Bryant departs as Cumulus Media New York City market manager to become executive vice president of west coast sales for Cumulus-owned Westwood One. According to Westwood One president Steve Shaw, “Kim is a superb seller and a born leader. She will enhance the quality of our leadership team as we build the industry’s foremost sales organization.” Bryant remarks, “The opportunity to work with Steve Shaw and Westwood One is a dream. The New York Cumulus experience – including the people I have worked with over the last few years – has been terrific. It was a real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am thrilled to continue to work for Cumulus in this different capacity and I look forward to having/building success in the west.” Several years ago (2009 – 2011), Bryant was Westwood One’s regional vice president of western ad sales. Her previous background includes being president and market manager for San Francisco stations owned by Clear Channel (now iHeartMedia), and executive vice president of marketing and sales for international cable channel CineMoi. An announcement is reportedly forthcoming regarding Bryant’s replacement in New York City.
Midwest Communications to Flip WQTX, Lansing to Sports Talk. The station will leave its country format behind and become “The Ticket 92.1 FM,” effective Monday, January 19. Midwest Communications is working with program producer Spotlight Media Marketing Production and WQTX will continue to air non-sports morning show “Michigan’s Big Show” with host Michael Patrick Shiels, as well as adding “Michigan’s Business Rap,” the “Griff & Grinz Show” with hosts Mike Griffith and Steve Grinczel, “The Drive” with Jack Ebling (who’s moving across town from Townsquare Media’s sports talk WVFN “The Game”), plus programming from Fox Sports Radio Network.
Odds & Sods. From a report in the Alaska Dispatch News, Australian national Catie Quinn is being ordered to leave the country – and her gig as news director at Radio Kenai-owned news/talk KSRM, Kenai, Alaska. Quinn’s E-3 work visa is expiring and her field is not specialized enough to allow her to stay under the E-3 conditions…..According to ESPN, consumption of its digital audio content was up in 2014. The company says the download of its podcasts – ESPN On Demand – totaled more than 302 million last year and streaming of ESPN Audio content generated more than 7.8 billion total listening minutes, an increase of 8% over 2013…..Steve Holman is named the 2015 Georgia Sportscaster of the
Year. Holman calls Atlanta Hawks games on CBS RADIO O&O WZGC, Atlanta “FM 92.9 The Game.” He’s called almost 2,500 games without an absence during his almost three decades on the job…..Hubbard Washington, DC news outlet WTOP announces the release of a new mobile-optimized website as well as an interactive mobile app. WTOP says the new site uses a “responsive” technology that formats the website appearance to match whatever device the user is on. Other new features include expanded Living, Sports, Technology and Entertainment sections, an enhanced weather section, more photos and a “cleaner and more modern look.”
WJZ-FM Back as Birds’ Flagship. After Hearst Corporation talker WBAL had carried its games the past several years, the Baltimore Orioles are switching flagships to CBS Radio sports outlet WJZ-FM “The Fan.” The multi-year deal takes effect this season, with WJZ-FM being the key station across the seven-state, 34-station Orioles radio network. Baltimore’s “Fan” held rights to the team’s game from 2007 – 2010. CBS Radio Baltimore senior vice president Bob Philips declares, “This partnership with the Orioles is a great addition to our market leading #1 sports brand and platform in Baltimore.” Orioles’ vice president of communications and marketing Greg Bader comments that “The Fan” is “the ideal flagship home for the Orioles radio network. Partnering with the region’s premiere radio destination for sports fans allows us to effectively reach our diverse fan base on a daily basis and to develop valuable multiplatform marketing opportunities for our sponsors.” Joe Angel and Fred Manfra return for their twelfth season calling the team’s games.
KNX to Corner Beautiful Downtown Burbank. The 10-hour (9:00 am – 7:00 pm) visit later this month (Friday, 1/30) is part of CBS Radio-owned all-news KNX, Los Angeles’ “On Your Corner” series on local communities. Team coverage will focus on issues, events, and interesting places in Burbank – frequently referred to as the media capital of the world. “KNX Business Hour” host Frank Mottek will do his 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm broadcast from well-known Burbank eatery The Castaway, and he will be followed by Chris Sedens and Diane Thompson anchoring the afternoon news (2:00 pm – 7:00 pm). In 2013, “KNX On Your Corner” received the “Best Feature – News” Golden Mike Award from the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California.
Former CBS Radio Newsman Miliano Passes. A 40-year national and local reporter, Lou Miliano, 67, died yesterday (Monday, 1/12) in a Pinellas Park, Florida hospice. Miliano was diagnosed with lung cancer several years ago. CBS Radio News vice president Harvey Nagler comments, “Lou was one of the unique, wonderful individuals in our business – and he was an extraordinary broadcaster. His use of sound and ability to transport the listener to the scene of the story set the standard in our industry, one that has been emulated by other broadcasters nationwide. He was expert in incorporating natural sound, vivid descriptions and visual references laced with the voices of those making or affected by news events. More than that, Lou was a joy to be around.” After beginning his career in 1967 at South Lake Tahoe, California’s KOWL, Miliano spent 12 years as a reporter, anchor, and news director at several stations around the country. Based in London as the European bureau chief for the RKO Radio Networks (1983-1989), Miliano did two tours with the Pentagon pool in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War and he covered the U.S. – Soviet summits in Geneva, Reykjavik, and Moscow. Miliano covered an array of stories for WCBS-AM, New York where he won Associated Press awards for “Best Continuing Coverage” for his work on the crash of TWA flight 800 and “Best Investigative Reporting.” He joined the CBS Radio Network in 1998 and retired in 2007. The Jersey City, New Jersey native attended colleges in Florida, California, and Colorado. He is survived by four daughters and three sons – there are no plans for a public funeral or memorial.
Charlie Hebdo Aftermath/Unity Rally, ISIS Hacks Pentagon Social Media, 2016 Presidential Prospects, Sinking Oil Prices/World Financial Markets Activity, and the Golden Globe Awards Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (1/12). The state of terror threats after last week’s massacre at Parisian newspaper Charlie Hebdo and the criticism against the Obama administration for not sending a high-level official to Paris unity rally; the hacking of the Pentagon’s social media network by ISIS; Mitt Romney’s possible run for president in 2016 and Paul Ryan’s statement he will not run; the continued sinking of oil prices and their effect on the world’s financial markets; and Sunday’s broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Glenn Beck’s Mercury Radio Arts Purchases Irving, Texas Studios Serving as Headquarters for TV and Radio Productions. Since 2012, Glenn Beck’s Mercury Radio Arts – the parent company of TheBlaze – has been renting The Studios at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas. Now, the company announces it is purchasing the former television and movie studio to serve as the network’s flagship television and radio facility. Mercury Radio Arts says the 72,000 square foot facility, which will now be known as Mercury Studios, features three sound stages that are up to 14,500 square feet. TheBlaze produces six hours of live programming every day from Irving. TheBlaze also currently leases a studio in
Midtown Manhattan. Beck states, “We are proud to call Texas our home and be part of the local community in Irving. We are building a world-class facility that provides TheBlaze with the highest quality talent and top-of-the-line production capabilities so American stories can be told to viewers across the country.” TheBlaze president and chief content officer Joel Cheatwood comments, “TheBlaze has quickly built up the capacity to produce over 43 hours of original programming per week and we are excited to now have our own multi-media base as we continue to grow.” The facility was built in 1982, and has been the site of the production of movies and television shows including “Robocop,” “JFK,” “Silkwood,” “Prison Break” and “Walker Texas Ranger.”
CBS Atlanta Puts “Sportsline” TV Show on Hold After Firing Steak Shapiro, Chris Dimino and Nick Cellini. It was only a matter of time that in the wake of the highly publicized cancellation of the “Mayhem in the AM” morning show on WQXI, Atlanta that the weekend TV sports talk show the trio did for CBS Atlanta would also see its end. After the Steve Gleason bit that caused the three to lose their jobs at the radio station, the TV station’s general manager Trey Fabacher announced the “CBS Atlanta Sportsline” show would go on hiatus and the relationship between the station and the three co-hosts would end. CBS issued the following statement regarding the incident: “Our employees, our partners and sponsors in no way support the content that was aired by this radio team on Monday morning.”
TOM RAY RECOMMENDS: Check Out the “Alert FM” App. Engineering consultant and TALKERS technical editor Tom Ray writes in a new column posted today (6/20), “I just found an app that is a helluva lot more useful than what FEMA has mandated on your cell phone in regards to weather warnings. And, it has great potential to be a tool for your broadcast operation, whether you’re on the street reporters, newsroom, or just the announcers and jocks are equipped with it. The app is available for iPhones and Android devices, and is called Alert FM.” Check out Tom Ray’s entire column by clicking here.
Beasley Broadcasting Names Justin Chase to New Corporate VP of Programming. The promotion of Justin Chase from operations manager for Beasley’s three Las Vegas music outlets – KCYE, KKLZ and KOAS (as well as GGB Las Vegas-owned KVGS) – to the new corporate post of vice president of programming gives Chase the charge of overseeing all programming responsibilities for the company’s portfolio of 40-plus radio stations located in 11 radio markets across the country. The company adds other duties to the position with Chase being charged with “developing creative campaigns that extend the radio stations’ on-air brands to the digital space.” Chase reports to president and COO Bruce Beasley. The company lauds Chase for the ratings and revenue growth the stations have experienced since he came aboard in 2009 – from CBS Radio’s crosstown AC KMXB — making Las Vegas one of the company’s top-performing markets. Bruce Beasley states, “Justin possesses all the traits and strengths we were we looking for in a vice president of programming when we decided to create the position at Beasley’s corporate level. Over the last four years with our company, he has demonstrated his ability to program numerous formats, develop and maintain strong relationships within the industry and create campaigns that extend stations’ on-air brands to digital platforms. We believe Justin is the perfect fit for this new position.”
Charlottesville Talk Host Coy Barefoot Jumps Across Town to WCHV-FM. Talk media personality Coy Barefoot leaves Saga Communications’ WINA, Charlottesville, Virginia to join Monticello Media’s WCHV-FM for the 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm slot. Barefoot also hosts a weekly Sunday morning program on Newsplex-owned TV in the market called “Inside Charlottesville” and his radio show at WCHV-FM takes the same name. Barefoot began his program on WINA in 2006. The move to Monticello Media’s news/talk simulcast of WCHV-AM/FM means the station separates programming for the two hours when Barefoot’s show is head on the FM and Premiere’s Sean Hannity continues to be heard on the AM signal.
WJZ-FM, Baltimore Morning Co-Host Ed Norris Returns to Air After April Motorcycle Accident. Former cop Ed Norris who now works as morning drive co-host at CBS Radio’s sports talk WJZ-FM, Baltimore “105.7 The Fan” returned to the air on June 19 after almost two months off the air. Norris was involved in a motorcycle accident in which he swerved to avoid a truck. He suffered broken ribs, a broken arm and head injuries but has healed well enough to be back on the radio – although he tells WJZ-TV he’s still injured and still in some pain. Norris co-hosts the morning show with Steve Davis.
NAB Files Comments with FCC Requesting Indecency Policy Provide Clarity. The National Association of Broadcasters has filed a 42-page report containing its comments in regard to the FCC’s request for such on Adopting Egregious Cases Policy. The crux of the NAB’s comments is that the commission’s policy on indecency needs to be clear and contain examples. “The Commission’s broadcast indecency policies must, at the very least, adhere to the constraints of Pacifica — and thus, unlike the 2004 Golden Globe decision and its progeny, they must be limited and restrained. Golden Globe and subsequent decisions focusing on fleeting expletives and isolated nudity led to unpredictable, arbitrary and unconstitutional enforcement of indecency rules and policies that chilled broadcaster speech. Any policies going forward not only must be cautious and restrained, as Pacifica requires, they also must be as predictable, consistent and clear as possible.” The NAB also states it believes: 1) the commission should no longer treat fleeting or isolated expletives and images as actionably indecent; 2) that, to be actionably indecent, challenged material must fall within the scope of its indecency definition —that is, the material must describe or depict sexual or excretory organs or activities. The NAB also asks that the commission must use language that is as precise as possible and provide relevant examples and context in its policies and decisions. If the commission cannot establish sufficiently clear indecency regulations so that broadcasters know what is expected of them, then broadcasters cannot be subject to liability for alleged violations of those standards.
Arbitron Modifies TLR Policy Affecting Out-of-Market Streaming. Arbitron announces a modification to its Total Line Reporting policy beginning with the Summer Diary Survey and the July 2013 PPM. Arbitron explains: Over-the-air stations and streams that simulcast have been eligible for Total Line Reporting (TLR) for a number of years. Combos that receive TLR are reported with a combined total line using the “primary” station’s call letters, selected by the combo from among the over-the-air stations. Until May 2013, in order to be eligible for TLR, a stream had to simulcast 100% with its over-the-air partner, including any commercials, throughout the stream’s reach. Starting May 2013, Arbitron introduced a change in the policy that enables a stream to receive TLR while substituting commercials outside the home market of its over-the-air partner, subject to certain restrictions. After carefully reviewing this policy and with input from the Radio Advisory Council, Arbitron is modifying this policy to provide greater flexibility to stations that stream. Starting with the July 2013 PPM report month and Summer 2013 Diary survey, a stream is eligible for TLR as long as the stream simulcasts all content 100%, including commercials, in the home Metro and DMA of its over-the-air partner. Under this new policy, the stream is not required to simulcast any content outside the over-the-air station’s home Metro and DMA. The 100% simulcast requirement for streams will remain in effect in the over-the-air station’s Metro and DMA. Over-the-air stations requesting TLR with one another will also need to simulcast 100% without exception, as required under the long-standing Arbitron TLR policy.
RTDNA/Hofstra Survey of Radio and TV News Directors Paints Unclear Picture of State of Radio News. The annual survey of radio and television news directors and general managers by Hofstra University professor emeritus Bob Papper in conjunction with the RTDNA was released on Wednesday and regarding radio news, Papper states, “Overall in the survey, 77.7% of radio stations run local news — 78.8% of AM stations and 77.2% of FM stations. The overall percentage is up a surprising 8.8% from last year, with AM stations up 9.8 points and FM stations up 4 points. As I do each year, I would urge caution on those numbers. The numbers are based on stations that return the survey, and since it’s a news survey, stations that run news could well be more likely to return the surveys than stations that do not. It’s possible those percentages are too high.” Papper reports that regarding changes in radio news and plans for the future veered from past years. “Historically, these numbers have tended to be pretty consistent, but this year is different. The percentage of stations reporting an increase in news fell from 30.1% last year to 22% this time around. The percentage reporting a drop edged up from 4.9% to 6.7%. Non-commercial stations were a little more likely to increase the amount of news; so were stations in the biggest markets.” You can see the summary of the entire study here.
Obama Nukes Plan/Berlin Speech, ‘Gang of 8’ Amnesty Deal, NSA Surveillance Program, DOJ News Organization Monitoring, and FBI Domestic Drones Policy Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (6/19). President Obama’s nukes reduction plan and his speech in Berlin; the “Gang of 8” illegal immigrant amnesty deal; controversy over the National Security Administration’s surveillance program; the effect of the Department of Justice’s monitoring of phone and email records of news organizations on sources; and the FBI’s admission to using drones in the United States were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
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