Tag: "Charlie Brennan"
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Greta Van Susteren Joins Newsmax for Nightly Show. Talk media personality and news anchor Greta Van Susteren is joining Newsmax as host of her own daily signature show, “The Record with Greta Van Susteren.” The program will be based in Washington, D.C. and will premiere on Tuesday, June 14. Newsmax says it will “lead the
network’s evening lineup with a solid hour of factual, fair, and independent perspective on the news.” Van Susteren comments, “With all that is going on in the world, I am getting back to my roots — a daily live news show with real reporting from the places where things are happening. I have been friends 
with [Newsmax CEO] Chris Ruddy for years, and he is giving me this great opportunity to return, giving me the complete freedom to cover the news that really matters to people. I have been impressed by Newsmax’s team and their success and would love to be part of a news network that is really growing.” Van Susteren’s career includes high-profile positions at CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC, as well as her recent work with the Gray television network and as a contributor to Voice of America. Ruddy states, “No one in journalism better exemplifies Newsmax’s mission to provide fact-based news and fact-based opinion than Greta Van Susteren. We are so pleased and honored to have Greta lead our nightly news lineup of programs.”
WBAL-AM, Baltimore Pairs Torrey Snow and Dan Joseph for Afternoon Drive. Charm City radio personalities Torrey Snow (left) and Dan Joseph (right) have been working together at Hearst Television’s news/talk WBAL-AM in a limited fashion but now are
officially the afternoon drive team. Effective yesterday (5/23), “Torrey and Dan” is the permanent 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm show. Torrey helmed “The Torrey Snow Program” on WBAL since August of 2020. Joseph had hosted his own program on the station before being partnered with Snow. WBAL president and general manager Dan Joerres says, “‘The Torrey and Dan Show’ is a terrific opportunity for two top-notch hosts to join forces and offer our listeners a dynamic show that touches on a wide range of topics every day. Our responsibility is to our listeners and this show further amplifies that commitment as the leading news/talk station in Baltimore and beyond.”
KMOX, St. Louis Announces New Midday Show. St. Louis news/talk KMOX announces that with the retirement of longtime talk host Charlie Brennan, it will debut its new midday program on May 31. Audacy announces that it is expanding the “Total Information AM” program to 10:00 am, “bolstered by co-anchors Carol Daniel, who returns to the newsroom and Megan Lynch, investigative reporter. Together with
Debbie Monterrey and Tom Ackerman, they will deliver the news, traffic and weather listeners depend on, including analysis, in-depth interviews and open conversation.” The new midday program will consist of Amy Marxkors, Kevin Wheeler and Chris Rongey, and air weekdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Wheeler transitions from host of “Sports Open Line” and Cardinals baseball pregame and postgame host, while Rongey expands his part-time role. The station will immediately begin a search for a new host of “Sports Open Line” and Cardinals pregame and postgame programming. As a result of the changes, midday personality Ryan Wrecker exits the station. He says via Twitter, “Yesterday was my last day at KMOX. I would like to think we created some great moments in the last five years in St. Louis. At this point, I have no idea what will happen next, but I trust it’s set up to move in the right direction. Again, thank you all.” Audacy St. Louis SVP and market manager Becky Domyan states, “This series of updates underscores our overarching commitment to delivering news and balanced talk shows to the people of St. Louis, while accentuating the strength of our top-level hosts. From our award-winning morning show to our unrivaled coverage of the Cardinals, we want to elevate the conversation.”
KFI, Los Angeles Takes Eight Honors at 72nd Golden Mike Awards. Los Angeles news/talk KFI-AM took home eight awards at this past Saturday’s 72nd Annual Golden Mike Awards at Universal City. The press release says the Golden Mike Awards is Southern California’s most prestigious, and most coveted, broadcast journalism prize and one of America’s longest running broadcast news award programs. Robin
Bertolucci, program director for the iHeartMedia station, says, “The content being produced by the KFI news department is exceptional and I am so proud of the KFI news team and the talented people who have produced these award-winning broadcasts and podcasts. And it’s exciting to note that KFI won twice as many awards as any other station in our division.” KFI won the following: Best Radio Documentary: “The Death and Life of Kobe Bryant,” produced by Steve Gregory, Jacob Gonzalez with associate producer Eric Sklar; Best Public Affairs Program: “After the Verdict, A Path Forward,” produced by Steve Gregory, Jacob Gonzalez with associate producers Kayla Austin and Clay Roe; Best Digital News Reporting: “Unhoused, A look at Homelessness in LA and OC,” produced by Steve Gregory, Jacob Gonzalez with associate producers Mark Mennie and Lt. Geoff Deedrick; Best Podcast – News: “9/11, Two Decades Later,” produced by Steve Gregory, Jacob Gonzalez, with associate producers Nico Melendez and Sheron Bellio; Best Podcast – Feature: “The Death and Life of Kobe Bryant,” produced by Steve Gregory and Jacob Gonzalez; Best Serious Feature Reporting: “Illegal Street Racing in the SFV,” produced by Steve Gregory; Best Government and Political Reporting: “2020 Voter Fraud Fear,” produced by Corbin Carson; and Best Newscast Under 15 Minutes: “KFI News with Michael Crozier,” produced by Michael Crozier.
WTAM, Cleveland and Bloomdaddy Raise $460k for Mike Trivisonno Fund. Yesterday’s radiothon on iHeartMedia Cleveland’s news/talk WTAM launched the “The Mike Trivisonno Fund” to benefit Coats for Kids and the special, seven-hour broadcast brought in $460,000 to the fledgling charity bearing the name of the station’s late PM drive personality. Current afternoon personality Bloomdaddy announced the $400,000 commitment to the charity from The Figgie Foundation. The broadcast included a visit from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. Bloomdaddy says, “Triv always said it’s not the kids’ fault and I could not agree more. There is one thing I’m also passionate about and that is doing anything I can to help kids both on and off the air. I’m honored to carry the Coats for Kids torch and make sure Triv’s legacy lives on.” Pictured above are (from l-r): “Bloomdaddy Show” executive producer Carmen Angelo, iHeartMedia Cleveland Area metro president Keith Hotchkiss, DeWine, and Bloomdaddy. Photo by Mike Picha/iHeartMedia
SportsMap Launches New Daily Show with Jeff Michael. A new, daily program is launching on June 6 on SportsMap Radio called “The Rundown with Jeff Michael.”
The 11:00 am to 1:00 pm show “will be an energetic and fast-paced program featuring the biggest guests and hottest takes in sports talk radio.” Jeff Michael has been a part-time host on the network since 2020 and has created numerous successful podcasts. He says, “Sports talk radio always meant the world to me. Having an opportunity to reach such a large national audience is something I do not take lightly. While I’m so grateful for the opportunity, my focus will always be on creating captivating and informative content.”
TALKERS News Notes. This Thursday (5/26) at 7:00 pm, Townsquare Media’s WKXW-FM, Trenton “New Jersey 101.5” presents the latest in a series of Town Hall broadcasts. “The Summer of ’22 – Back to the Beach” kicks off summer in the Garden
State and the station’s Eric Scott will lead a panel of tourism officials, local mayors, law enforcement and travel experts. Tourism came roaring back after pandemic restrictions were lifted in 2021, but the surge in visitors has also caused disruptions and chaos in many shore towns, as was seen in Long Branch over the weekend when thousands of partygoers showed up at Pier Village for a pop-up party, leading to a curfew and over a dozen arrests. This year, there is also concern about the impact legal marijuana sales will have on tourism and law enforcement. Scott says, “From wild pop-up parties, groups of rowdy teens taking over the boardwalks and changes in policing laws, towns are trying to avoid a repeat, and provide the best possible experience for vacationing families.”…..The RTDNA is announcing the winners of Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and iHeartMedia Boston’s all-news WBZ-AM wins three awards in the categories of Breaking News Coverage, Best Newscast, and Continuing Coverage. iHeartMedia Boston VP of news, talk & sports Rob Sanchez says, “These awards speak to the professionalism and bravery of our news team, who strive to deliver vital news coverage to those who rely on WBZ NewsRadio each day.”…..D’Annette Roy joins C-SPAN as the network’s new director of legal affairs and business risk management. She will provide legal advice, risk mitigation strategies, and project management acumen while also serving as a value-added partner aligned in achieving C-SPAN’s strategic goals. Roy joins C-SPAN from Black News Channel, where she was the manager of standards and practices.
Biden Asia Tour, Russia-Ukraine War, Midterms/Trump & the GOP, Inflation-Recession Fears, Title 42, COVID-19/Monkeypox, and Kellyanne Conway Book Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (5/23). President Joe Biden’s tour of Asia in which he met with prime ministers from India, Australia and Japan; the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and its effects on the global economy; the primary elections for the November midterms and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; the high price of gas & food and fears of a recession; the Biden administrations challenge to Title 42 that prevents migrants from entering the U.S.; the rising rate of COVID-19 cases in parts of the U.S. and the spike in monkeypox cases around the world; and former Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway’s new memoir were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Tuesday, March 29, 2022
KMOX, St. Louis Talk Host Charlie Brennan to Retire. Longtime KMOX, St. Louis talk radio personality Charlie Brennan announced to his listeners on Monday (3/28) that after nearly 34 years on the station, he will retire from his radio gig after his May 12
program. The Audacy station posted a story about Brennan’s retirement on its website that notes Brennan was hired in 1988 to work evenings and weekends and that, within two years, he was hosting the mid-morning show where he’s been ever since. It also recognizes Brennan’s community efforts, especially his local clean-up projects. In 2020, Brennan launched a four-day 
KMOX campaign raising $85,000 for Cardinal Children’s Hospital with assistance from actress Jenna Fisher, singer Michael McDonald, talk show host Andy Cohen, Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and comic Nikki Glazer. Over the years he’s helped raise funds and distribute supplies for flood victims both in the St. Louis region and other parts of the country; influenced legislation regarding traffic cameras, medical benefits, and food vendors; plus he’s organized five campaigns sending care packages to troops serving overseas. Brennan is the author of four books. Brennan also is a host of KETC-TV, St Louis’ “Donnybrook” program, among the highest-rated, locally-produced talk shows on PBS, a program he will continue to be a part of.
Compass Media Networks Promotes Nancy Abramson to SVP Sales & Content. Radio syndication pro Nancy Abramson is promoted to senior vice president of affiliate sales and content for Compass Media Networks. Abramson, who joined the company
in 2014, will continue to be based out of the company’s New York office and will continue to spearhead its affiliate sales and affiliate marketing for select entertainment programming, including “DeDe in the Morning,” “Anna & Raven,” as well as services, including the Yamanair platform. Abramson comments, “The most important part of any job is that you are in a position where you admire, learn, and are stimulated by the people you work with – executives, colleagues, and clients. And if you are in sales, having great products to sell makes the job even more rewarding. I have all that at Compass Media Networks.” Prior to joining Compass, Abramson served as executive director of the Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal Radio Networks.
Mai Martinez Named Morning Co-Anchor at Chicago’s WBBM Newsradio. Television news pro Mai Martinez is named morning co-anchor and reporter for Audacy’s all-news WBBM Newsradio (WCFS-FM/WBBM-AM), effective April 4. In this
role, Martinez will spend much of her time in the field, covering the diverse communities of Chicago, while also teaming with Cisco Cotto each morning from 6:00 am to 9:00 am. Audacy Chicago regional president and market manager Rachel Williamson says, “This is a dream team of two experienced, talented journalists. Mai has a knack for uncovering the details that resonate with the people of this city. Together, she and Cisco have a passion for news plus warm and inviting voices that will greet our listeners each and every morning.” Prior to this role, Martinez spent 14 years as a general assignment reporter and weekend anchor at WBBM-TV. She comments, “Like so many Chicagoans, WBBM Newsradio has been a constant in my home and car for years. I’m honored to join such a talented team of hardworking and trusted journalists and continue the important work of informing and serving our community.”
Westwood One and NFL Renew Audio Media Partnership. Radio syndicator Westwood One and the National Football League announce the extension and expansion of their partnership with a new multi-year agreement. Westwood One, the official network audio broadcast partner of the NFL for more than 35 consecutive seasons and 50 years overall, will continue to provide play-by-play coverage for
“Monday Night Football,” “Sunday Night Football,” “Thursday Night Football,” plus Thanksgiving Day, select international games, and the entire postseason including the Super Bowl. New elements of the deal include: Westwood One’s NFL primetime game broadcasts will be available free to fans on affiliated stations’ primary digital platforms and on the NFL App; Westwood One will offer expanded coverage of NFL tentpole events throughout the year, including NFL Honors, NFL Combine, NFL Draft, and NFL Schedule Release; and Westwood One and the NFL will explore creating new alternate game broadcasts in addition to the traditional Westwood One play-by-play. Westwood One president and Cumulus Media EVP corporate marketing Suzanne Grimes says, “What an honor it is for Westwood One to continue our multi-decade programming relationship with our iconic NFL partners by extending our exclusive network audio broadcast rights. Equally exciting is the opportunity to further grow our NFL fan base by expanding our relationship to include digital distribution rights as well as innovative, new content opportunities.”
Todd Starnes Show Gets Praise from Donald Trump. Pictured above is nationally syndicated talk radio host Todd Starnes (right) providing commentary from Donald Trump’s Commerce, Georgia rally on Newsmax TV. Starnes, who also spoke at the rally, says Trump, who has been a regular guest on his program, has praised his show.
Save a Life, Maybe Your Own. Radio pro and consultant Jon Quick writes in a piece for TALKERS magazine today not about programming talk radio as he’s done recently, but about a simple test he took that likely extended his life. Quick recently underwent quadruple bypass surgery after a heart scan revealed serious blockage in several of his arteries. Thanks to the test, he’s on the mend. And now, he’s an evangelist for this simple heart test. Read more here.
Audacy Launches Two New MLB Podcasts. A partnership between Audacy’s sports podcast studio and Major League Baseball results in the launch of two new programs: “Inside the Monster” and “Beat the Streak Daily: Inside the Hits.” “Inside the Monster” is
a collaboration with the Boston Red Sox, hosted by Steve Perrault and Joey Copponi, that will have unprecedented access to Red Sox players, club personnel, reporters, front-office and beyond. Inspired by MLB’s popular “Beat the Streak” fantasy game where fans complete by picking players they think will get a hit each day in pursuit of breaking the all-time hitting streak record of 56 games, “Beat the Streak Daily: Inside the Hits” breaks down each day’s leaderboard and looks at stories that are developing around hitting. It’s hosted by WSCR, Chicago personality Matt Spiegel.
Russia-Ukraine War, Gas Prices/Inflation, COVID-19, January 6 Investigation, Midterms/ Trump & the GOP, and Will Smith-Chris Rock Incident Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/28). Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the possible poisoning of Ukrainian negotiators, and blowback over President Joe Biden’s saying Vladimir Putin must not stay in power; high gas prices and inflation pushing consumer retail prices up; concerns about the Omicron BA.2 variant; federal Judge David Carter issues ruling that Donald Trump “more likely than not” tried to subvert the 2020 election; the battle for control of Congress in November’s midterm elections and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; and Will Smith’s assault on Chris Rock at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Mapleton Communications Sells 37 Stations in Seven Markets to Stephens Media Group. This is an exit from the radio business for California-based, Jim Shea-led Mapleton Communications. The price for the 37 stations in Medford,
Oregon; Merced, Monterey, and Redding, California; Spokane, Washington; and Alexandria and Monroe, Louisiana was not revealed in the press release. But, with Mapleton previously agreeing to sell KSFN-AM, San Francisco and its 
Chico, California stations to Bustos Media, it will have divested of all of its radio assets. The buyer in this transaction is Oklahoma-based Stephens Media Group, led by David Stephens. Stephens begins operating the stations immediately under an LMA. Stephens Media owns stations in Tulsa and Ardmore, Oklahoma; Watertown, Ogdensburg, Massena, and Rochester, New York; and Yakima and the Tri-Cities in Washington. Several news/talk and sports talk stations are involved, including KYOS-AM, Merced; KQMS-FM and KNRO-AM in Redding; KCMX-AM in Medford; and KGA-AM in Spokane. You can see Mapleton’s stations here. KALIL & CO., INC. is the exclusive broker for this transaction.
KMOX Promotes Amy Marxkors to Daily On-Air Role. Effective immediately, Amy Marxkors begins a regular on-air role with Entercom’s KMOX, St. Louis joining station institution Charlie Brennan as a co-host of the “Total Information AM Overdrive” Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 am to 9:00 am and will
stay on the air for “The Charlie Brennan Show” from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Marxkors joined the station in 2018 as a sports reporter and host. Prior to joining Entercom, she served as co-host of the St. Louis Blues weekly hockey show “Chili’s Week in Hockey” in 2016, that aired on KMOX. She joined the Blues radio broadcast in 2017 and became the 
first woman to host the pre- and post-game of a radio broadcast for any St. Louis professional sports team in February 2019. Entercom St. Louis SVP and market manager Becky Domyan says, “Amy is a rising star in radio and has shown tremendous growth on air while covering everything from the Blues Stanley Cup run to discussing local and national issues during our long-form talk shows. She has a very bright future and I’m looking forward to the impact she can make on KMOX.” In addition to her role on the morning show, Marxkors will continue to cover the St. Louis Blues and the National Hockey League by hosting a weekly hockey podcast.
Talkers 2019: Telling the Story Videos Continues Posting Today with Lee Habeeb of “Our American Stories” Delivering Official Welcoming Address. TALKERS is continuing to post key speeches, presentations and sessions from the recent 22nd annual edition of the talk media industry’s longest-running and most-important national convention – Talkers 2019: Telling the Story. Today’s
post presents the convention’s official opening address titled, “Telling the Story,” delivered by one of the industry’s great storytellers, Lee Habeeb, host and producer of the tremendously successful syndicated program, “Our American Stories.” The first two videos already posted today are of RAB president/CEO Erica Farber receiving the Woman of the Year award and SiriusXM Satellite Radio star “Cousin” Bruce Morrow receiving the Lifetime Achievement award. The convention took place in New York City on Friday June 7 and was one of the most positively received in the event’s colorful history. TALKERS plans to add one or two videos per day to those posted until all the major events of the conference are posted here at Talkers.com. To see the videos and convention video page, please click here.
News and News/Talk Radio Analysis. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents an assessment of “the temperature of spoken-word stations as a complete entity in all 48 PPM-markets.” Formats involved in this report are news/talk, all-news (including business or financial news), and public radio news/talk. As this report is based on Nielsen Audio’s PPM surveys, the rating metric is weekly, 6+ AQH share from subscribing stations. Looking at the May PPM survey, the #1 market for news and news/talk is Washington, DC. On the strength of Hubbard’s all-news WTOP-FM, Cumulus Media’s news/talk WMAL-FM, and American University’s public radio news/talk WAMU-FM, the format garnered a 22.7 share in May. Rounding out the top three markets are Milwaukee and San Francisco. See Mike Kinosian’s entire report here.
TALKERS News Notes. Sources in Philadelphia tell TALKERS magazine that news/talk WPHT program director Jared Hart has exited Entercom. We’ve reached out to Entercom Philadelphia for confirmation but have not yet heard back…..In addition to his work as a nationally syndicated talk show host for the Salem Radio Network, Hugh Hewitt also serves as president of the Richard Nixon Foundation. In that capacity, he announces two coming events being held at the library in Yorba Linda, California centered around the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing in 1969. On July 20, the “Earth to Moon: The Longest Distance Phone Call in History” celebration will commemorate Nixon’s call to the Apollo 11 astronauts on the surface of the moon. Nixon White House officials Dwight Chapin, Larry Higby, and John Price – who were with Nixon the night he made the historic call will be in attendance. Then, on July 23, the library will present the “Splashdown Celebration” with Dr. Buzz Aldrin to honor the legendary Apollo moonwalker…..ESPN’s annual ESPYS Auction benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Research is again teaming up with eBay for Charity for its 15th year. Bidding for the 80-plus VIP packages and experiences is now available on eBay and will remain open through July 10. Senior vice president of ESPN Audio Traug Keller says, “Everyone at ESPN Radio is beyond proud to have played a role in raising funds for cancer research with the ESPYS Auction the last 15 years. Seeing the support from fans bidding on experiences or directly donating to the V Foundation is truly something unique and special.”…..The nationally syndicated “Free Talk Live” program reports the addition of new affiliate station WSLW-AM/FM in Lewisburg, West Virginia and the expansion of carriage of the show on existing affiliate KINN-AM/FM in Alamogordo, New Mexico…..The Houston Chronicle reports that longtime market radio news pro Charles L. “Chuck” Scott died on June 28 after complications from a fall and previously diagnosed lung cancer. Scott most recently served with Houston Public Media’s KUHF-FM. During his long career he worked in the news department KIKK-AM, KNUZ-AM, and KQUE-FM. He also worked for a number of years in the late 1960s and early 1970s at WLS-AM, Chicago.
Simmons Takes Over for Ryan at Salem Boston. At Salem Media Group’s three-station Boston cluster, Pat Ryan retires as general manager and general sales manager Carole Howley Simmons is promoted to the GM position. Salem operates three Christian stations in the market – WROL-AM, WEZE-AM, and WWDJ-AM. Salem regional VP Jeff Reisman says, “Throughout Carole’s tenure she has proven herself to be a creative and compassionate leader, skills that will serve her well as GM. Carole brings a wealth of local-market knowledge and tenacity that will be instrumental in growing the Salem Boston radio stations/digital services to their full potential.”
Trump’s Meeting with Kim Jong Un, U.S. Tariffs Strategy, U.S.-China Trade Talks, 2020 Presidential Race, Immigration Reform-Detention Facilities, and Iran Nukes Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/1). The meeting in the DMZ between President Trump and Kim Jong Un; the U.S.’s tariffs strategy, including proposed tariffs on European Union goods; President Trump and China’s Xi Jinping enter into trade talks; the Democrats vying to challenge Trump in 2020; the Trump Administration’s immigration reform efforts and controversial reports of conditions at border detention centers; and Iran’s violation of the nuclear deal were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Classic call letters are returning to California’s Central Coast as Cumulus Media announces the launch of classic hits KRUZ. At the same time, the company announces that classic hip hop KVYB at 103.3 FM signs off in the Santa Barbara market and moves to the 106.3 FM frequency in the Oxnard market. Cumulus Oxnard/Ventura RVP and market manager Sommer Frisk says, “Everything good takes time. And, after more than a decade, it’s time we bring KRUZ 103.3 FM back to the Central Coast! It’s also the right time to move ‘106.3 The Vibe’ to Oxnard to give the fans what they’ve been begging for. With the combination of KRUZ 103.3’s powerful signal, along with the synergy of its legendary sister brand ‘106.3 The Vibe,’ we will provide new and exciting ways for our listeners and marketing partners to engage with the fans up and down the Central Coast.”…..Entercom names Brian Shannon morning show co-host for classic rock KGON. Shannon joins Terry Boyd on “Terry Boyd’s World,” effective July 8. Shannon says, “I am incredibly excited to be going home to radio and to be working alongside one of Portland’s best, Terry Boyd. Radio is my happy place and I’m planning to be a part of this station and this city for a long time.” Prior to joining Entercom, Shannon was an editor and anchor for KROI, Houston “News 92 FM.”…..iHeartMedia re-brands country WCKY-FM, Toledo as “Buckeye Country, 103.7 ‘CKY.” Market president Shosh Abromovich says, “We’re so excited to once again be playing some of country music’s greatest songs from the 80s and 90s through today. You may even hear some older classic country from time-to-time.” The Bobby Bones show remains in morning drive. Bob Delmont and Bob Pickett will split middays. Meaghan Mick continues in afternoon drive. Tom Travis handles evenings and “CMT with Cody Allen” airs in the overnights…..Speaking of Bobby Bones, his Premiere Networks-syndicated “Country Top 30 with Bobby Bones” program is now airing on the Chris Stevens-owned “Chris Country” format heard in numerous markets in the UK. Also joining “Chris Country” is “Women of iHeartCountry,” an hour-long weekend program hosted by Bones and Amy Brown. Each week on the show, they spotlight music from both established female country music artists and promising up-and-comers…..Last weekend, Premiere Networks-syndicated personality Delilah welcomed more than 100 guests to her home outside Seattle for the fifth-annual “Farm to Table” fundraiser for her non-profit foundation Point Hope. 2019 marks Delilah’s 15-year commitment to Point Hope, an organization she established as a voice for forgotten children everywhere. The immediate focus of the Foundation is supporting children in the U.S. foster care system, as well as refugee children in Ghana. Pictured below is Delilah (left) and four-time Grammy Award-nominated artist Chris Daughtry, who performed for the dinner guests.
Friday, August 21, 2015
Dan LeBatard Show Front-Runner to Fill Cowherd Slot on ESPN Radio. There’s been no official announcement from ESPN but TALKERS sources report that the Dan LeBatard show – which currently airs in the 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm daypart on ESPN Radio – will move to the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon slot sometime in September. That late morning slot opened up after Colin Cowherd accepted an offer from FOX Sports to join its operations. TALKERS sources also says that Bomani Jones, host of the 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm “Right Time with Bomani Jones” program on the network, will move into the afternoon daypart. Jones is also a co-host of Dan LeBatard’s “Highly Questionable with Dan LeBatard” show that airs on ESPN TV.
Entercom Drops FM Simulcast of WAXY, Miami for Alt Rock. The sports talk simulcast of WAXY-AM/FM, was acquired from Lincoln Financial Media and now, Entercom unveils its plans for the FM as it launches the market’s only alternative rock outlet, “104.3 The Shark.” The company says that it has complete faith in WAXY-AM’s ability to dominate the AM band. Vice president and market manager Doug Abernethy says, “‘790 The Ticket’ is the flagship station for South Florida sports and is the home of the Miami Heat. ‘790 The Ticket’ delivers the best in local content, personalities and events. We are making a huge investment in more content featuring the biggest names in sports in South Florida.”
Mike North to Host Bears Football Post-Game Show on Classic Hits WDRV, Chicago. As reported by Chicago media writer Robert Feder, former longtime Windy City sports talk personality Mike North is hosting a three-hour Chicago Bears post-game program on Hubbard Radio’s classic hits WDRV. As Feder points out, this will be the fifth Bears post-game show to air simultaneously in the market (including the one on play-by-play flagship WBBM-AM and WCFS-FM). North will continue to co-host the daily morning show “FOX Sports Daybreak” with Andy Furman on the FOX Sports Radio Network. Read Feder’s story here.
Nielsen’s Latest ‘State of the Media: Audio Today’ Focuses on Medium and Small Markets; 86% of Consumers Spend More Than 15 Hours with Radio. In the latest “State of the Media: Audio Today” report from Nielsen, the ratings giant digs into data from the 215 markets in which it employs the diary survey method. Reporting that there are “35 million qualified consumers” (more than 60% of which are between the ages of 18 and 54) being reached by radio in medium and small markets, Nielsen looks at listening by generation, among other things. Regarding Millennials, Nielsen says 86.5% of that generation is reached by radio and averages 12 hours and 30 minutes of weekly listening. Forty-four percent of Millennials work full time, their most-listened-to daypart is afternoon drive and their favorite format is country. When it comes to Gen Xers, AM drive is the most-listened-to daypart, the favorite format is country but reach and listening time go up to 89.9% and 16 hours, respectively. Listening time goes up even further for Boomers – to 16 hours and 30 minutes per week – but reach dips to 86.8%. Boomers listen most in middays and the most-listened-to format is news/talk. When it comes to total listening in medium and small markets, the top formats are: 1) country, 2) news/talk, 3) CHR, 4) adult contemporary, 5) classic rock, and 6) classic hits. Download the whole Nielsen report here.
KMOX Talker’s Speeding Ticket Broke Missouri Constitution. Albeit three years after the fact, a 2012 speeding ticket issued to KMOX, St. Louis 8:30 am – 11:00 am co-host Charlie Brennan has been ruled by the Missouri Supreme Court to be in violation of the state’s constitution. Brennan received a ticket after his car was caught on camera going 11 MPH over the speed limit in Moline Acres on Missouri Highway 367. Brennan tells TALKERS, “I challenged the ticket and won in two lower courts as well.” Owing to this case, Brennan comments, “Most cities in Missouri will be taking down their speeding cameras if they haven’t done so already.” Brennan’s lawsuit challenged whether the municipal ordinance can turn moving violations into a civil matter that does not result in points against a driver’s license. As reported by Leah Thorsen in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Moline Acres mayor Michele DeShay says speed cameras “are no longer in place but there was a possibility they could return, depending on how the court ruled.” A plan to put a measure on next August’s ballot to ban red-light cameras across the state did not pass in this year’s legislative session. Brennan’s morning co-host is Debbie Monterrey; he has been part of the KMOX late morning show since 1990.
Cumulus and IMG Partner for University of Oregon Sports Broadcasts. This is a renewal of the play-by-play rights agreement that KUGN, Eugene has had for the past 20 years. The new pact with IMG is a multi-year one that gives Cumulus Media exclusive radio broadcast rights for University of Oregon sports in the Eugene/Springfield market. Games and related programming will air on news/talk KUGN, sports talk KUJZ “95.3 The Score,” and classic rock KZEL. Cumulus Eugene operations manager Al Scott says, “University of Oregon Sports broadcasts are a tradition here at Cumulus Eugene. Our entire team is incredibly proud of our partnership with the University of Oregon Ducks. We all look forward to broadcasting the U of O sports features and games. The Oregon Duck games are as exciting for all of us here in the building as they are for our listeners.”
Jim Jorgensen Returns to Radio to Talk Taxes. Renowned financial talker Jim Jorgensen – hearing during his career on WOR, New York; ABC Radio; and in national syndication – is talking to listeners about retirement and taxes. This is the same content he’s written about in his new book, Retire Tax Free. Jorgensen is a radio pro who knows how to talk to listeners. He says, “You’ll collect a Social Security check based on income in retirement…Warren Buffett won’t get a check…will YOU?” Book Jim for a segment on your show by calling 800-701-7283 or click here.
RadioInfluence.com Relaunches. New owners Jason Floyd and Jerry Petuck say they are relaunching RadioInfluence.com with “a renewed mission statement and a renewed dedication to serving…the listeners. The service creates streaming audio programs and provides the show in podcast form to Stitcher and TuneIn. New shows will include Nanci Donnellan, a.k.a. The Fabulous Sports Babe, MLB Network personality Rich Herrera, and a number of shows dedicated to wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Odds & Sods. GABNet is now a channel on Roku. The channel initially will feature a 24/7 feed of Alex Bennett‘s
“Great American Broadcast Network,” along with its live shows. According to Bennett, “This is a great opportunity for us to get our original form of talk programming to the ten million homes using the Roku device.” Bennett utilizes “citizen panels,” where callers join in a group discussion. In addition, there will be show archives of each personality – Bennett, Jim Browning, Miranda Janell, and Damion Chaplin. Also featured is Bennett’s audio-biography “Life in the Passing Lane”; a weekly video of “Bennett’s Ramble”; and Michael Snyder‘s movie reviews. GABNet can be found 
under “New,” and “Comedy” in Roku’s search engine…..The 11th annual ESPN New York 98.7 FM Tee it Up Golf Classic was held at Knollwood Country Club in Westchester on Tuesday (8/18). Listeners from the Tri-State area were able to “fill their foursome” at the event by winning on-air contests throughout various shows on 98.7FM or entering at local PGA Tour SuperStore locations. Pictured here at the event are (from l-r): ESPN New York 98.7 FM’s Michael Kay, and ESPN personalities Ryan Ruocco, Robin Lundberg and Dave Rothenberg.….A new podcast launches on BlogTalkRadio called “Girls in Heels” and featuring Cooper Lawrence and “Real Housewives” Nicole Napolitano and Teresa Aprea.
KOMO, Seattle Anchor Jane Shannon Dies Unexpectedly. At this time there is no cause of death or even an age being reported for Seattle news radio pro Jane Shannon, and the KOMO, Seattle website simply writes that she “passed away unexpectedly this week.” The story goes on to say: Shannon was not only an award-winning broadcast journalist, but a mother, a master gardener, and someone who loved making just the right gourmet dish for dinner guests. An Oregon native, Shannon started her radio career at KITI in Centralia, where she was an anchor and the news director. Before coming to KOMO News Radio in 2010, Shannon worked at KXXO-FM in Olympia, KING-AM in Seattle, and was a morning news co-host at KIRO. Former KOMO News Radio program director Paul Duckworth called Shannon an outstanding talent and a dear friend. “When I met her the first time in the radio station, she was everything I thought she would be. She was smart. She was always looking for stories that made people feel things.” Shannon is survived by two sons.
Westwood One’s Johnny B Captains Chicago River Cruise. They wouldn’t let Jonathon Brandmeier actually pilot the boat, but an intimate crowd of staffers and clients enjoyed an architectural cruise on the Chicago River on Wednesday evening with Westwood One-syndicated and WLS-AM, Chicago-based “Captain” Jonathon Brandmeier entertaining them.
Trump Immigration Plan Top News/Talk Story of the Week. The plan to address America’s immigration policy by GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio during the week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 was the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server. Coming in at #3 was the activities of the rest of the 2016 presidential candidates followed by the Black Lives Matter movement and the recent police shooting in St. Louis 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.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Benz To Depart WEEI-FM. Revealing on Twitter that he “underestimated the difficulties that go along with working a job in one city while trying to maintain a home and marriage in another,” Entercom sports WEEI-FM, Boston mid-day “MFB” co-host Tim Benz will return to Pittsburgh early next month. Boston-born Benz joined WEEI-FM approximately 14 months ago from
iHeartMedia Pittsburgh. In addition to being sports director of that company’s six-station “Steel City” cluster, Benz did morning drive on alternative WXDX “The X.” According to Benz, Boston was “every bit the city” he wanted to experience; however, he notes that it is best for him “personally and professionally” to be back in Pittsburgh with his wife Kate. No details were released about his new assignment in Pittsburgh, where the two sports outlets are iHeartMedia’s WBGG “970 ESPN” and KDKA-FM “The Fan,” owned by CBS Radio – the parent of WEEI-FM format rival WBZ-FM “The Sports Hub.” Benz – who angered many locals by remaining partial to the Pittsburgh Steelers – will do his final “MFB” show tomorrow (Thursday, 7/30). The other members of “MFB” are former Boston Red Sox super-sub Lou Merloni, and ex- New England Patriots tight end Christian Fauria. Benz’ father is Dr. Edward Benz Jr., the president and chief executive officer of Boston’s renowned Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
WW1’s Bouvard: What If Brand Advertising Were Based on ‘Cost Per Awareness?’ In the current edition of his regular blog post, Westwood One chief marketing officer Pierre Bouvard uses recent data from an Ipsos study of the media campaign for the July 15 Amazon Prime Day Sales event to illustrate the effectiveness of radio versus TV and online in this campaign. Bouvard notes (as
TALKERS published last week) that Ipsos reports “radio advertising was the most effective at converting awareness into Prime Day purchases when compared to TV and online. Of those exposed to radio ads, 52% made a purchase versus TV (39%) and online (48%).” He goes on to say that, contrary to what one might expect, radio did a better job of targeting 18-34s than TV or online. But what Bouvard really gets at is how much was spent by Amazon on each medium and he posits that if brand advertising were sold on cost-per-awareness basis, radio would have come out on top in this case. Here’s why: Amazon spent $6 million on TV for a 34% ad recall (among 18-34s), resulting in a $177,000 cost-per-awareness point, while it spent $1.4 million on the radio campaign for a 14% ad recall that results in just $100,000 for each cost-per-awareness point. Read Bouvard’s entire piece here.
Odds & Sods. Radio consultant Kipper McGee’s new book, Brandwidth: How Big Broadcasting Missed the
Mediamorphosis, is out and ready for shipment. McGee describes the book saying he “reveals the common traits of the biggest failures and offers powerful takeaways for ANY brand planning to thrive in the ever-changing digital world order.”…..Former North Carolina State tight end and NFL player Mark Thomas is leaving sports talk WCMC, Raleigh “99.9 FM The Fan” after almost eight years to join the marketing and ad firm Krash Creative. Thomas hosts the Mark and Mike show with Mike Maniscalco…..The NHL’s Florida Panthers radio play-by-play broadcasts will continue to be heard on flagship WQAM, Miami after CBS RADIO reached an agreement to extend their deal. “Red Deer” Randy Moller will continue to call the action from the booth. As part of the partnership, WQAM will air a 30-minute pregame show and a 15-minute postgame show. The station will also broadcast weekly updates, and exclusive interviews with Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant, Panthers players and other hockey personalities. A 60-minute “Panthers Insider” program hosted by Moller will air on Saturday mornings. The Panthers will also receive comprehensive promotion on CBS RADIO stations country WKIS and hip hop WPOW…..Greater Media sports talker WPEN-FM, Philadelphia “97.5 The Fanatic” will be the radio outlet for the Arena Football League’s 2015 East Division Champion Philadelphia Soul as it enters the playoff round of competition. The station’s Joe DeCamara and Soul general manager Tom Goodhines will provide color commentary…..Univision takes over Spanish-language broadcasts of Chicago Bears games from SBS as its WVIX and WVIV simulcast and WRTO-AM have acquired the rights in a new multi-year deal. Hector Lozano and Omar Ramos will be in the booth for play-by-play duties.
Former WWL and WRNO, New Orleans Host Andre Trevigne Dead at 66. Longtime New Orleans TV and radio personality Andre Trevigne got her start in radio in Chicago but rose to prominence after moving back to her hometown of New Orleans and shifting from radio to television. She worked at WWL-TV where she partnered with Eric Paulsen to co-host that station’s morning news program. She went back to radio as a talk show host at WWL-AM in 1999 and stayed there through 2004. She hosted a radio talk show on WRNO from 2006 through 2009. Trevigne died in hospice after a long illness.
KMOX, St. Louis’ Charlie Brennan Spearheads Ferguson Clean-Up. As the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri approaches, KMOX, St. Louis mid-morning personality Charlie Brennan came up with the idea of a community clean-up to help the community bounce back. Almost 400 volunteers turned out for a massive clean-up of West Florissant, the street that became ground zero for the protests, looting and fighting that would occupy the area for weeks. Pictured here is Brennan (standing) broadcasting from the station’s remote base during the clean-up.
2016 Presidential Candidates-Trump Criticisms, Obama’s ‘Could Win Third Term’ Comment, Planned Parenthood Videos Scandal, Bill Cosby Rape Allegations, Minnesota Dentist Lion Hunt Controversy, Iran Nuclear Deal, Immigration Policy-Syrian Refugee Influx, Tom Brady Suspension Upheld Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/28). The activities of the candidates for president in 2016 and the intense scrutiny of Donald Trump; President Obama’s statement that if he could run again, he’d win; the ongoing controversy over the videos showing Planned Parenthood doctors haggling over the price for body parts from aborted fetuses; the ballooning allegations of rape against Bill Cosby; the case of a Minnesota dentist who paid to kill and African lion; the uncertain state of the nuclear deal with Iran; ongoing debate over America’s immigration policy and concerns over an influx of Syrian refugees; and the upholding of the four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
