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After a very close vote between judges in the May monthly Radio Comedy Competition, WKZL, morning man Jack Murphy's comedy production, M.O.R.O.N. Racing network was declared the winner in the May contest. Murphy, long time host of Murphy in the Morning, receives top monthly prize of $1,000 cash, and joins Dave Ryan of KDWB, the winner of the April contest, as one of the two finalists for the top prize of $10,000 and trip to Los Angeles, to be given away in October (listen to the finalists for May) (visit AllComedyRadio.com)

Premiere Radio Networks announced today that Jim Bollella, Creative Director of Live 97.1/WKRK Detroit, will join the company on June 21 as General Manager of Brown Bag Productions, the award winning production library that is utilized by hundreds of radio and television outlets nationwide. He will report to Larry Morgan, Senior Vice President, Network Programs and Services (read)

The Conclave is proud to announce industry consultant Mike McVay and the late Al Casey as the recipients of this year’s Rockwell Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Conclave, in ceremonies occurring at Conclave 2004 the weekend of July 15-18 at the Marriott City Center Minneapolis (visit The Conclave)

The music industry, which has been cracking down on people who download copyrighted music from the Internet, wants the FCC to make it just as illegal to take copyrighted music from the radio. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) says radio taping could become an even bigger problem than Internet downloading and file-swapping once radio stations complete their now-embryonic shift to digital transmission. The FCC has a deadline of June 16 for comments on digital radio, and the RIAA wants strict copyright controls to be part of the FCC's final regulation package (read David Hinckley)

Mercer Island High School's radio station, one of the few student stations left in the country, narrowly avoided extinction this week after a Federal Communications Commission ruling that gave away their frequency was suspended. The school learned of the reprieve yesterday, two weeks after the FCC granted permission for a commercial radio station in The Dalles, Ore., which shares the same 104.5 FM frequency, to take over the local signal (read Seattle Times)

Not too long ago, it looked like locally based online radio was down for the count. Just about every San Diego station shut down its Internet simulcast last year amid confusion about paying extra royalties. Now, online feeds are coming back, once again offering hope to everyone who's plagued by bad reception at home or work. North County rock station KPRI has been broadcasting on the Internet for a while now, and several stations recently joined it, including 91X and Rock 105.3. Clear Channel, the most powerful radio owner in San Diego, may add other stations to the online fold. On the AM side, KCBQ, KOGO and KPRZ all broadcast online, as do college-based radio stations like KPBS-FM and KSDS. Meanwhile, three sister stations ---- KSON, FM 94/9, and KIFM ---- should soon began simulcasting. No immediate changes are expected at KyXy and 103.7 The Planet, which remain off-line. What changed? Many stations now simply don't air commercials online, meaning those actors get no extra money (read Randy Dotinga - North County Times)

Mel Karmazin is making the rounds. The ex-Viacom president, who has the media biz trying to guess his next move, was spotted breakfasting earlier this week with heavy-hitting media investment banker Nancy Peretsman at the exclusive Rockefeller Club. "I have a lot of respect for Mel," Peretsman told The News. "A lot of people who are fond of him are talking to him." Peretsman, of media investment bank Allen & Co., has served the likes of Paul Allen and Barry Diller. And some are already comparing Karmazin to Diller, who left media empire Fox to build up a fiefdom of his own (read Phyllis Furman - NY Daily News)

Country music artists are hardly united in their support of the war in Iraq - but you'd never know it from listening to the radio.  While Toby Keith, Darryl Worley and Charlie Daniels have scored hits with patriotic, war-themed songs, others such as Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Nanci Griffith released anti-war, or at least questioning, songs that went nowhere. "Country radio does enough research that they understand listeners are supportive of the military in Iraq and just don't want to get involved with those songs," said John Hart, president of Nashville-based Bullseye Marketing Research. "I work with 32 stations, and I have not seen one test any of these anti-war songs." But the patriotic tunes that were everywhere at the beginning of the military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq have slowed. John Michael Montgomery's touching "Letters from Home" is the only current chart hit with a war theme, and it is neither an angry call to arms nor a love letter to America (read KC Star)

The final balloting for this year's Texas Radio Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in San Antonio in late October is being prepared. Nominations for the 2004 inductees have ended ...
There's still time for you to become a voting member for only $15 (click here for membership info)  (click here to see who's been nominated)

Q: Steven of Wauwatosa - Although this probably wouldn't happen, but I wonder if WTMJ would be interested in Garry Meyer as new host of Wisconsin's Morning News. I wonder if Garry would be interested in moving 90 miles up north. What do you think of that proposal?
A: Tim Cuprisin - Garry Meier and WTMJ don't sound like a good fit, although that is a pretty creative suggestion.
Q: Scott of West Allis - What happened with Ro and Gary on WLS? I thought Ro was going to stay with Gary and go elsewhere if they weren't able to come to an agreement with WLS. Ro is nothing but a corporate puppet. They WERE the best team in radio around these parts.
A: Tim Cuprisin - I'd cut Roe some slack. Sadly, Garry's been through this before with Steve Dahl. He's always looked like the victim, but now you have to wonder whether it may have to do with Garry being tired of being the perpetual second banana. Alone, Garry's not so good. But Roe is increasingly good as a solo host (read more Q & A from Tim Cuprisin)

Sandi Cola, national sales manager for KMOX, has jumped to a similar job at Clear Channel Radio. Cola is the sister of Karen Carroll, former KMOX general manager and vice president who left the company in February 2003. Cola has been a rainmaker at KMOX and is of further interest because she was named in a lawsuit filed against Infinity Broadcasting last year by Adam Rubenstein (read Deb Peterson - St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Emmis has been promoting the launch of a similar pay service that would also use the digital frequencies of broadcasters. "We'd love to bring them [U.S. Digital] in ... if we could buy them," Mr. Smulyan told reporters. In a luncheon speech hosted by the Media Institute in Washington, Mr. Smulyan also said 35 broadcast companies with more than 350 TV stations have become partners in the Emmis venture -- with at least that many other broadcasters considering joining the effort (read DesignTechnica)

The satellite giant BSkyB yesterday took its rivals by surprise by announcing the launch later this year of its own  subscription-free digital TV package that will offer viewers 200 television and radio channels for the one-off payment of £150.
The decision amounts to a risky relaunch of the broadcaster's business strategy and is a clear attempt to fend off the threat from the BBC-backed Freeview service, which now has half as many customers as Sky. It will give viewers reluctant to sign a subscription contract an additional multi-channel free services choice if they live in Freeview's coverage zone - and offer it for the first time to the 27% of households which cannot get the Freeview signal and have not signed up with Sky. But while Freeview is available by walking into a high street electrical store, Sky's free service will only be available direct from the broadcaster. Freeview has enjoyed an unexpected and dramatic success since it offered a bargain-basement package of 26 television channels, delivered in the main through existing television aerials (read The Guardian U.K.)

In this day of "McRadio" with plastic sound-alikes all over the dial I agree with Bill Young's comments on the late Rex Miller. I hired him when I was National P.D. for the McLendon Stations. We put him on KLIF from noon 'til three as I recall and the reaction was incredible. His show epitomized the word "zany" and I was entertained as well as saddened to hear his KQV aircheck on RDN. His real last name was Spangberg and in my professional opinion he was among the top five jocks in the nation. Rex brought a whole new dimension to the word "obese" and I recall that when we hired him to do a gig at WYNR in Chicago we had to shop all over town for a studio chair to hold his enormous bulk. We finally found one but frankly, it didn't last long. Rex was truly an entertainer and I'm sure we will not see his likes again. Don Keyes

I have to agree with Bill Young about Rex Miller. He was the funniest jock I ever heard, and I've heard the best! It's sad to note that another one of my heroes has gone on to that big "top 40" in the sky. I know he showed up late with his brief case full of Robert Orbin books and a Bar-B-Q sandwich from Sam's! When I arrived at KLIF in 1964 he was doing Noon to Three following "Perfume" Johnny Dark and preceding Ken Dowe and Grannie Emma. I was just a kid, with a Beatles haircut and the name Rabbitt. You know I was the brunt of many jokes from all the staff especially Rex! He wouldn't call me anything for the longest time but "the new kid at night" often wondering if my staying up till midnight would effect my grades in Jr. High School? I was young, but not that young!!  (Jimmy Rabbitt http://www.jimmyrabbitt.com)

Salem Radio Network will provide full, anchored coverage of this Friday’s Ronald Reagan funeral for its 1100 news affiliates and to news/talk stations they serve. A three hour special entitled “America’s Farewell to President Ronald Reagan” will begin at 11:06AM (Eastern) Friday morning hosted by Jerry Bowyer.  Salem may also have an update from MORNING IN AMERICA host Bill Bennett, President Reagan’s former Secretary of Education, who will be attending the funeral in person (visit Salem Radio Web site)

Bill Virgin's Seattle Radio Beat: The continuing duel between conservative talk stations KTTH-AM (770) and KVI-AM (570) extends to memorials for former President Ronald Reagan. KTTH is holding a viewing event for the funeral procession at Chapel of New Life Church in Renton at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow; on-air hosts David Boze, Mike Siegel and Michael Medved are scheduled to attend. KVI, meanwhile, is teaming with the state Republican Party for a memorial service at Cedar Park Assembly of God in Bothell at 3 p.m. tomorrow. KVI morning host Kirby Wilbur will host the event, which the station plans to carry live +  Broadcasters also are required to offer political advertisers what's known as "lowest unit charge," or as Mark Allen puts it, "the volume discount without having to buy the volume. Candidates get the discount without having to purchase in bulk." But there are rules that govern when stations have to offer that rate -- 45 days before the primary, 60 days before the general election (read)

Nationally syndicated weekend talker Todd Feinburg (WRKO Boston) hits the 50 affiliate mark with the addition of KPAM, Portland OR, WTAG, Worcester MA, WLNI, Lynchburg VA, WWTB, Greenville NC, WHYN Springfield and WETR Knoxville. The show airs Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4pm (visit ToddRadio.com)

Benjamin Krass, who spent 54 years selling polyester suits and flashy menswear and became a Philadelphia-area celebrity for his manic late-night television commercials, has died at 85. Krass, who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, died Monday at a nursing home. The diminutive Krass, who was rarely seen not wearing one of his trademark collarless suits, often in pastel colors, opened Krass Bros. in 1947 in an old movie theater with his brothers Jack and Harry. Benjamin Krass was the front man, with a salesmanship and gift of gab that brought in celebrities. Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Muhammad Ali, Joey Bishop and other stars came by during the store's heyday. Until Krass Bros. closed two years ago, a black velvet Sinatra portrait and photos of singing groups such as the Dovells and the Ink Spots adorned the front windows. Krass was perhaps best known in Philadelphia for his 10-second "Store of the Stars" television spots that aired for 30 years on late-night TV (read Centre Daily)

The Army-McCarthy hearings of spring 1954 have been called "the first great made-for-TV political spectacle," and under hot TV lights in a jammed Senate caucus room this Washington miniseries hit its boiling point 50 years ago. McCarthy, a Wisconsin Republican, chaired the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. His ferocious inquiries, while popular with an anxious public, were denounced by critics as a communist witch hunt. His taste for smearing the targets of his anti-communist campaign, whether guilty or not, spawned the term "McCarthyism." This is what happened: The spell of indomitability that TV helped create for him had been broken for all to see, while it happened, on coast-to-coast TV. From that moment on, McCarthy lost his standing with the public. Charging him with abuse of his legislative powers, the Senate censured him a few months later. In May 1957, he died at age 48 of liver failure. "McCarthy was an important part of post-World War II history as television became a major instrument of American politics, with all of its sins and advantages," says Ben Bagdikian (read Gadsden Times)  (read Tim Cuprisin)

ARBitrends for Albany, Dayton, Raleigh, San Antonio and Tucson (read 'em)

Tivoli Audio introduces the world’s first satellite table radio designed exclusively for home use with SIRIUS Satellite Radio. Tivoli Audio and SIRIUS have joined forces to bring to market an elegantly simple, yet technologically sophisticated satellite radio for home use. The new satellite radio is designed by Tivoli Audio CEO Tom DeVesto, and is based on the popular, award-winning tuner used in the Tivoli Model One, Two and Three radios engineered by Audio Hall of Fame member Henry Kloss. The new Tivoli satellite radio measures 8-3/8” W x 4-1/2” H x 5-1/4” D (read DesignTechnica)

Conclave XXIX – Paradigm 2004: It’s Full of Shift! will be the only place to experience a session designed specifically for the Conclave: HD: Digital Viagra for AM & FM! Designed by Don Kelly, a twenty-five year programming veteran, the session will offer a multimedia presentation on HD Radio technology for AM & FM. There will be a special foreplay preview session sponsored by iBiquity on Thursday morning, July 15 followed by the main presentation, taking place on Saturday afternoon, July 17. Kelly is Broadcast Strategic Marketing Manager for iBiquity Digital Corporation and will be joined during the main presentation by Omnia Audio President and audio processing guru, Frank Foti (visit The Conclave)

A local radio pioneer soon may be getting national recognition. Rick Shaw of Cooper City, who co-hosts the "Majic" (WMXJ, FM 102.7) morning show with Donna Davis, is one of four finalists for induction into the Radio Hall of Fame in Chicago (read South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Enterprise’s only radio station announced Monday that a panhandle-based media group expanded its holdings with the purchase of WKMX Radio station. Styles Media LLC, based in Panama City Beach, Fla., purchased 106.7 FM, a 1,000 watt station. Styles is owned by Kim Styles and Tom DiBacco and other partners, including Don McCoy. WKMX was started in 1974 by retired Enterprise veterinarian Dr. Wallace Miller. "I was treating animals one night at 9 or 10 o'clock and there was no radio station on at night to listen to," Miller said. "I was president of the chamber of commerce at the time and I said to my wife how we're always talking about economic development. So I decided to put a station on the air. She looked at me like I was crazy." (read the Enterprise Ledger)

From the time his casket is flown east Wednesday to his national funeral service Friday, Ronald Reagan will dominate television screens for the next three days to almost the same degree that he did when he was president. The first state funeral since Lyndon Johnson's three decades ago will be both a reminder of television's power to unite the nation in ceremony and a test of how strongly the nation still clings to its civic rituals. "It's a moment of national unity that's always played an important part in our history," said Jim Murphy, executive producer of CBS' evening news.  At the same time, Murphy said, "I do know a lot of people think they saw too much stuff over a few days and so they probably will think they do not need to see the live events." To Thomas Lynch, a Milford, Mich., funeral director who is also an accomplished poet and essayist, concerns about coverage of Reagan's passing are secondary to TV's role in bringing events to a national audience (read Steve Johnson - KRT)

Liquid Radio Live.com (www.liquidradiolive.com), a concept developed by the minds at Liquid Compass, a premier national streaming and creative media provider, launched over Memorial Day weekend. The station, which is completely focused on the music of independent artists, provides worldwide exposure for artists who have large followings as well as for those who are just starting to build a presence for their music (read)

Nielsen Media Research has created a task force to help ensure that its controversial new TV ratings measurement system does not undercount minority viewers. The task force will be chaired by former U.S. Rep. Cardiss Collins (D.-Ill.) and will include representatives from the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago markets, where the “local people meters” are being rolled out (read Crain's New York)

A television journalist covering a gas well explosion was apparently electrocuted Tuesday when his station's van came in contact with high voltage wiring, the station said. Matt Moore, an employee of KBTX in Bryan-College Station, was setting up for a live shot in Hearne when he was killed. The explosion he was covering in nearby Franklin, about 100 miles northeast of Austin, injured eight people, but the well was capped quickly and the fire extinguished, officials said (read KBTX - TV)  (read CBS 2 TV NY)

Radio Ink Announces 50 Most Influential Women In Radio --
Of all the special features Radio Ink publishes each year, developing this list of the Most Influential Women in Radio by far is one of the most challenging. Every year we are faced with identifying those individuals, and every year we are increasingly pleased to find that more and more women are making clear advances through the corporate ranks." (read the list at RadioInk.com)

580 WDBO in Central Florida is having their 4th of July VIP Insiders Party at Lake Velo.  They're also giving away free trips and tickets to Sean Hannity's Freedom Concert (visit WDBO)

DDB Chicago scored another $100,000 hit, winning their third Radio-Mercury Grand Prize Award with “Genius/Mr. Way Too Much Cologne Wearer,” a spot developed for the Anheuser-Busch Bud Light brand. Creators of the best Radio commercials were honored today as the Radio industry awarded over $150,000 in cash prizes during the 2004 Radio-Mercury Awards luncheon and ceremony held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City (read RAB)

Zeo Radio Networks announced the signing of a long-term advertising agreement with New York-based True Measure, Inc. Effective immediately, True Measure will represent the national advertising space available in Zeo Radio’s growing line of syndicated radio shows (visit Zeo Radio Networks)

WBIX, Boston's business-news radio station, is changing hands again, slightly more than a year after its previous change in ownership. Chris Egan of commercial real estate firm Carruth Capital LLC in Westborough has agreed to buy and operate 1060 AM in a deal that transfers ownership from Brad Bleidt and Perspectives Broadcasting (read Boston Biz Journal)  (read Boston Globe)

For almost two years, Chicago station WRMN-1410 has offered its listeners a unique reprieve from the onslaught of the usual bleak news with "Celebrating the Human Spirit". These 90-second radio segments, designed to fill the airwaves with goodness, offer listeners stories of optimism and hope. "Celebrating the Human Spirit" is the brainchild of Eileen McDargh, a California-based author and professional speaker. As a leading business consultant, she realized that many need a reminder of what is positive in this world and deserving of continuing celebration. "I decided that we all need positive news and upbeat insights from everyday life. What better vehicle than radio for a short burst of hope. WRMN offered the time and the rest—so they say—is history." Jack Davis, station manager for the Elgin-based radio insists, "I think this is one of the best services we offer to our listeners. We started broadcasting it drive-time on Sept. 11, 2002 and now run the segments multiple times throughout the week. I’d like to think we're the forerunner of other stations and advertisers who will jump on the notion of offering Eileen’s commentary to more audiences." (read)

With all the requested court documents now filed, attorneys representing the Federal Communications Commission and radio free brattleboro are awaiting a judge's decision over the future of the 10-watt unlicensed radio station. Following the March 15 court hearing, the first public face-off between the FCC and rfb, U.S. District Court Judge J. Garvan Murtha ordered that both sides file additional testimony. The final deadline for those filings was June 4. "We've provided what he asked for, but we're not sure how long it will take for him to make a decision," said David Kirby, a U.S. Attorney in Burlington who is representing the FCC. "We're waiting for him to make the next step." (read Brattleboro Reformer)

Midday host Al Franken of Air America, the liberal network heard locally on WLIB (1190 AM), has run into good and not-so-good news. The not-so-good news: He's working without salary now that it seems Air America has less capital than it claimed. In turn, the network's financial situation could keep it from playing the role it wants in the national political dialogue.  The better news is that during April, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, WLIB finished ahead of the leading talk station, WABC, in the Arbitron ratings for 25- to 54- year-olds. WLIB averaged 3.4%, WABC 3.2%.  Franken is on from noon to 3p.m., opposite WABC's Rush Limbaugh. This does not mean, however, that Franken has "beaten" Limbaugh yet.  For one thing, WABC program director Phil Boyce notes, there's no way to isolate the noon-3 p.m. bloc in the April figures (read David Hinckley)

On RonJacobsOnline.com -- "The Great Elvis Hoax!" -- Tom Moffatt and I were Hawaii's first rock 'n' roll DJs. Moffatt came across as unc­tuous "Uncle Tom," clean-cut, straight arrow, the Pat Boone of the Pacific. I was cast as his evil antagonist; I had carefully studied professional villains while moon­lighting as a Roller Derby announcer. So convincingly loathsome was I on the air that security guards were stationed outside the studio to fend off angry listeners intent on punching me out for my sins, such as viciously ridiculing Moffatt or casting aspersions upon the immaculacy of Connie Francis. Circus radio was what we were. In those days this was the stuff of great ratings. We were the biggest fish in Hawaii's little radio pond. Flash! It was 1957 and Elvis Presley was hiding out in his suite at the Hawaiian Village Hotel.  Upstairs, three young DJ's could not resist temptation.  (read it all at  www.ronjacobsonline.com

Andrew Cuomo and Rick Lazio hit it off so well the other day over lunch at Le Cirque with a couple of broadcast biggies, an idea was born to pair them on the radio. Before the food arrived, the two were trading war stories from the political front lines with Westchester radio station mogul William O'Shaughnessey and former Fox News honcho Ian Rae, who is now producing on his own. "The chemistry between the two, both Italian-American politicians, both 46, both having lost in high-profile races, is amazing," said an insider. O'Shaughnessey wants to put the duo on the air as the political season heats up this summer (read NY Post)

In a coup for WBEZ-FM (91.5), Public Radio International has picked up "Odyssey," Gretchen Helfrich's wide-ranging and always-insightful live panel discussion show, for distribution nationwide + Wali Muhammad has been named afternoon personality at WSRB-FM (106.3), Crawford Broadcasting's rhythm-and-blues station. Muhammad, a veteran of rival WVAZ-FM (102.7), most recently was a regular on Denise Jordan Walker's morning show on "Soul 106.3" + The afternoon duo known as "The Wise Guys" (Mike North and Doug Buffone) and "CSI" star Bill Petersen will host the 13th annual celebrity golf tournament today sponsored by WSCR-AM (670) + more (read Feder of Chicago)

We asked yesterday --- We answer today -- Who is the one personality who holds the record for the number of names used at the same station? He was hired by PD Charlie Van Dyke at KGB and assigned the name Johnny Mitchell, out of convenience, to employ an unused jingle. When Ron Jacobs took over as PD, he insisted that he use his real name, Paul Stellges. When KGB changed its format to more progressive rock, Jacobs wanted the staff image to be more in line with the music format so the name Jean-Paul was born. This sequence of changes was more than enough for this jock. He left town and resumed his prior air name as _____ (click here to find out who he is as RadioDailyNews.com presents an excerpt from David Leonard's new book, Aircheck, The Story of Top 40 Radio in San Diego) 

Jack Gale reports that one of the funniest jocks ever, Rex Miller died this past Sunday. He was in a nursing home near St. Louis, Mo. for months and suffered a heart attack Sunday. Rex worked for Gordon McLendon, KQV in Pittsburgh, WUBE in Cincy,and with Gale at WITH in Baltimore in the early sixties. Jack says, "Another one of the great radio personalities has left us too soon ... "

From Houston Hawk: There is a ratings embargo in Houston. They pay for them, we don't, and I understand.  But, it is not a crime for me to offer my observations in radio over the past month or so, so here goes: There must be a fiesta going on at one radio office, as two short sticks continue to do the most damage.  One is top dog, while the other continues to dismantle an incumbent bit by bit, or is it beat by beat? There is one station that most counted down and out, but a buddy came in and it has made a mix-raculous recovery. One wonders if a certain bright spot at night will be sacrificed for a satellite delivered salary reducer?  But this is a big bunch, and they have made many a mess by swapping products and people that actually drew ratings and revenue with regurgitating rhetoric and warmed over radio talent (read Houston Hawk)

The recording industry, already reeling from online music theft, is pushing the federal government to head off what executives fear is a potentially bigger piracy threat in the emerging world of digital radio.  In documents and meetings at the FCC and in communications with other industry trade groups, the RIAA is attempting to convince the government of the need for copyright protection for sound recordings aired on digital radio.  While the RIAA's campaign has been largely behind the scenes, the association will take a higher profile on the issue this week as its CEO and chairman, Mitch Bainwol, hopes to make it a focus of a hearing scheduled on copyright issues facing webcasters. The RIAA also plans to file formal comments with the commission on the need for digital radio copy protections when final comments on a range of issues surrounding the technology are due June 16 (read)

XM Satellite Radio announced that from June 11 to June 13 it will broadcast interviews and acoustic sets by artists live from the XM hosted Sonic Stage at one of the country's premier outdoor music festivals, the sold-out 2004 Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. XM will also broadcast select performances originating from Bonnaroo's main stage to its listeners from coast-to-coast. XM is turning over its XM Live Channel, XM 26, to Bonnaroo-related programming for the duration of the festival (read)

From Sonny Melendrez -- Not a week goes by that I don’t get a request for an interview from a college broadcast major for a personal interview. When they arrive at my office I can usually tell in the first 5 minutes if they are destined to broadcast. I realize that many of you are merely there because of your class assignment. However, once in a great while, comes a student with that look in their heart. They thirst for all the whats and whys ... For this very reason, I’ve never turned down one of these interview requests. If the latter description applies to you, here is some of the advice I’ve passed along to those who were born to broadcast. Grab the first radio internship you can find this summer and become a human sponge. This experience can be worth more that all the hours you’ve spent in a classroom. Don’t wait to be asked to participate in any station event. Every task you take on will give you greater appreciation for what lies ahead in your career. Think of the satisfaction you’ll have when you make it to the top, knowing you have done all the jobs of those who now look to you for leadership + (read more from Sonny Melendrez)

Pamal Broadcasting of Latham has closed on its $2.5 million purchase of four Glens Falls radio stations. Pamal, parent of Albany Broadcasting Co. Inc., purchased the stations from Vox Media Group. They are: WFFG, 107.1 FM, a country station better known as "Froggy Country"; the nostalgia simulcast of WENU, 101.7 FM and 1410 AM; and sports/talk WMML, 1230 AM. Pamal also owns WKBE, 100.3 FM, a hot adult contemporary station in Glens Falls. The new, seven-station group will be known as Adirondack Broadcasting (read Albany Biz Journal)

Ross Britain, who many remember from the old Eagle 106.1-FM, will take over for Don Cannon, who is retiring this week from WOGL 98.1-FM after 30-years in Philadelphia radio.  Britain was the morning man for Top 40 Eagle 106 15 years ago. He'll join Valerie Knight, Frank Lewis, Bill Zimpfer, and Bob Kelly on the WOGL morning show starting Monday (read Laura Nachman - Philly Burbs)

Survey 24 answers a complicated question: Of a listener's total time spent with radio, how much is spent on broadcast? How much with radio online? While females 12-18 spend the largest portion with broadcast (46.2% divide their time 90% with terrestrial radio and 10% with online), 16% of males 19- 4 claim to spend 10% with broadcast and 90% with radio online (read RRadio Survey)

Eminem mooned the audience at Saturday's MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles, but viewers won't be seeing his rear end when the show airs this week. MTV plans to edit out the shot (read Louisville Channel)

When ABC News broke the sad news of Ronald Reagan's death Saturday afternoon, it sent its competitors into a frenzy. The press corps traveling with President Bush in Normandy first heard the news when ABC's White House reporter Terry Moran began doing a live report in their midst. The reaction, according to one eyewitness, was "total chaos — people running everywhere, knocking into things." CNN's John King yelled into his cellphone that CNN had been beaten and was so upset he threatened to quit. King ended his tan trum by throwing his cellphone to the ground. Bad move: his meltdown was captured on tape (read Page Six)

For a couple of hours on Friday afternoons over the last five months, Katie Lane and Gina Truano got amped on sugar and Red Bull and put on their alter egos for their weekly radio program, coming to you live from a classroom at Mount Pleasant High School in Penny Hill. "We're Gina and Katie, 'The Ladies from the Eighties,' " says Truano, a sophomore at Concord High. As student disc jockeys on WMPH (91.7 FM), they played dance music by the Pet Shop Boys, A-Ha and Duran Duran, groups that their parents probably danced to during Ronald Reagan's second term.  For students such as Lane and Truano, having an all-disco, all-the-time radio show on WMPH has been a history lesson of sorts. They've been discovering music made before they were born, as well as music they never though they'd like, giving them a glimpse into a bygone cultural era. Barry White, KC and the Sunshine Band and Donna Summer are all regulars, especially during the disco lunch hour at noon. Why disco? Simple, says Clint Dantinne, general manager of the station. "Everybody likes to dance."  (read Delaware News Journal)

A record 4.7 million Internet addresses were sold in the first three months of 2004, bringing the total number of registered addresses to a new high of 62.9 million, according to a study released today by Mountain View, Calif.-based VeriSign Inc.  The report attributed the spike in domain-name sales to growing Internet usage in Europe and Asia, as well as a rebounding U.S. economy (read Wash TechNews)

Larry Steckline, who parlayed a three-minute daily agriculture report into the Mid-America Ag Network, carried on 51 radio stations, is coming back to Wichita television. Steckline will deliver a weekly wrap-up of agribusiness news in the morning show at KWCH, Channel 12. He launched his Mid-America Ag Network in 1976. It currently provides daily reports for 30 Kansas radio stations and 21 in Nebraska (read Wichita Eagle)

ARBitrends for Austin, Jacksonville, Louisville, New Orleans and Tulsa (read 'em)

Former president Ronald Reagan's name has been enshrined on everything from an airport outside Washington to a turnpike in Florida to a mountain in New Hampshire. Now his most fervent fans have a new memorial in mind: the $10 bill. Once Reagan's body has been interred on Friday, leaders of the Ronald Reagan Legacy Project will launch a campaign in Congress to put Reagan's visage in the space now occupied by founding father Alexander Hamilton. "Hamilton was a nice guy and everything, but he wasn't president," says Grover Norquist, who heads the legacy project as well as an influential conservative group called Americans for Tax Reform. "As a board member of the (National Rifle Association), I can also tell you that he was a bad shot." (read USA Today - Susan Page)  You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

Last week, blogger and public relations executive Steve Rubel conducted a news experiment: He gave up his regular media habits (newspaper, online, radio, and to a lesser extent TV) and learned what was going on in the world solely by checking weblogs. His intent: See if at this stage in the evolution of blogging, weblogs are an adequate entry point to current events -- if they could replace more traditional forms for people who want to learn what's going on in the world. After a week, Rubel -- a blogging aficionado and practitioner who writes about the narrow topic of how blogs and participatory journalism are affecting the practice of public relations -- says he definitely lacked the depth of knowledge of current events gained in a normal week. "I felt a little naked," he says, having received the basics of the week's news from blogs, but not getting the real meat (read Steve Outing - Poynter Online)

A Spanish trucker who had a video playing on a TV in his cab was banned from driving in the UK for a year yesterday.
Manuel Cuenca, 50, said he was only listening to the dialogue of the Errol Flynn film They Died With Their Boots On. But at Leicester Crown Court he admitted dangerous driving on the M1 (read Online Sun U.K.)

The Death of President Ronald Wilson Reagan --- Click here for news headlines and up to the minute updates from various news sources  You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

Rush Limbaugh's tribute to Ronald Reagan: You know, they say, ladies and gentlemen, that when someone who has lived just a wonderful life, a full life in every way, that sadness upon that person's death is inappropriate, that it's not necessary. Yet, I have to tell you, I'm sad today. Some of you have written over the weekend and speculated as to what was -- not "wrong" with me -- but why I was sort of subdued on Friday. I had received information on Friday that this was coming, and this has affected me in ways that I did not expect. President Reagan has basically been out of the public eye for at least ten years, and everyone knew this day was coming, Saturday's day was coming, but nevertheless, since Saturday afternoon at four o'clock Eastern time, I have felt like a part of me died as well. But I know that Ronald Reagan lives on in my heart, as he will live on in all of your hearts as well.  I never met Reagan, but it wasn't necessary to have met him in order to love him, which I do, and that's as great a measure of greatness as I know (read more by clicking here)

Cox Radio, which owns/operates WZZK-FM/AM, WBPT-FM and WODL-FM in Birmingham, Alabama, has appointed Ray Nelson Vice President and General Manager of these three stations.  A 34-year radio veteran, Ray had previously been Vice President and General Manager of Cox Radio's four stations Ann Arbor/Detroit, Michigan (Cox Radio Web site)

From ClaudeHallOnline: Dr. George Pollard: "Thanks for passing the Gary Allyn comment along. Much appreciated. Maybe radio isn't theoretical physics or mathematical economics, not much is, but I've always thought there should be a Pulitzer Prize for jocking. Seriously! There are eleven Putilzer Prizes for journalism, why not one for jocking? Each year, numerous Peabody Awards are handed out for radio, but none for jocking. The time for fair consideration is now" + Gary Allyn writes: "Without Radio, I would have missed the  pleasure of knowing a truly loyal and trusted colleague. The Pollard piece struck a deep nerve in me. It wasn't until I finally married at age 39, that I realized that I had been 'married' to Radio since the age of 17. I had denied myself the opportunity to be with a Lifetime companion. Before, Radio had been my all...my everything. Alas, with age and experience finally comes some wisdom ..." + much more (read this week's ClaudeHallOnline.com)

"One personality holds the record for the number of names used at the same station. He was hired by PD Charlie Van Dyke at KGB and assigned the name Johnny Mitchell, out of convenience, to employ an unused jingle. When Ron Jacobs took over as PD, he insisted that he use his real name, Paul Stellges. When KGB changed its format to more progressive rock, Jacobs wanted the staff image to be more in line with the music format so the name Jean-Paul was born. This sequence of changes was more than enough for this jock. He left town and resumed his prior air name as _____" (find out who tomorrow [Tuesday] when RadioDailyNews.com presents an excerpt from David Leonard's new book, Aircheck, The Story of Top 40 Radio in San Diego) 

After awards-show expletives and Super Bowl breast-baring, federal lawmakers began lining up to attach their names to election-year legislation to rid the airwaves of material they considered indecent. The House of Representatives even passed a bill in March, on a vote of 391 to 22, that would greatly increase the financial penalties on broadcasters found to have violated so-called standards of decency. But for all the legislative posturing, the prospects for such a measure reaching President Bush's desk before the November election appear far less assured than they did a few months ago. In the Senate, a measure approved by the Commerce Committee in March has yet to be scheduled for discussion by the full body ... "This looks like a cheap date to me,'' said Charles Cook, the editor of The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan political newsletter. "You come out for motherhood, apple pie and 'decency,' and you know it's not going anywhere.''  (read NY Times)

Rolling on down the highway with the radio blaring, wind whipping through your car, is a summertime treat. But static from bad reception can curb your fun. A new digital radio technology--poised to compete with increasingly popular satellite radio services but without their subscription charges--could banish the hiss and static from the airwaves while keeping the personal charms of local radio. Dubbed high-definition or HD radio, the new digital technology allows local AM and FM radio stations to broadcast a pristine digital signal on their existing frequencies (read US News and World Report)

Salem Communications Corporation announced today an increase in its revenue guidance for the second quarter of 2004. Specifically, the company is projecting net broadcasting revenue of between $47.5 million and $48.0 million. For the month of April 2004, Salem achieved 10% same station net broadcasting revenue growth and is projecting same station net broadcasting revenue growth of approximately 10% for the second quarter as a whole (read)

Let’s take a look at the Howard Stern situation. Sure, this is old news, now. Howard was dropped by a bunch of our radio powerhouses because of the so-called “filth” he had shoved into the tender ears of the American people. I have a problem with this. I’m not saying Stern should still be doing his “thing”; I’m simply asking the question, “What happened?”  Stern can’t be blamed for all of the kilowatt krud that has presumably been insulting the American people for over a decade! Old Howard boasts some of the highest ratings in the history of broadcasting.  Ratings are based on listenership, which is completely voluntary on AM & FM radio. No one forced the majority to listen to the man! This is one reason dial-changers are attached to the Sony! Most listeners seemed to tolerate ol’ Howard and his blunt approach! It took Janet Jackson’s expose during the Super Bowl to bring the majority of Americans to their embarrassed knees. And, again, this intrigues me. A lot of us complain about the filth we see at the movie theaters and on television, and we “can’t believe what’s being aired on radio!”  Some of today’s recorded hits also contain questionable lyrics that, at one time, were prohibited on radio. Won’t do any good to complain,” we growl. And, to a degree, this is true. Howard Stern may have been the first to set the pace for true- putridity on the airwaves, but he seemed to be on the right course, according to those in charge at many leading radio stations. He brought in the listeners --- and he brought in the loot! If the radio stations couldn’t get Howard, they hired air-personalities who could also shell out the dirt, similar to what Stern was belching. In the world of broadcasting, it’s simply business! (read Bill Mack's Hot Mike)

Forgive me if you're NOT looking for another " 2 cents" worth, but I felt the urge to add this to your latest Howard Stern item.  In terms of the important "free speech" issue, the question regarding Howard Stern isn't whether he has the right to spew whatever sophomoric, malevolent drivel he wishes to inflict. Rather, it's the disturbing notion of Howard as self proclaimed defender and champion of these rights. The throne on which he is perched more resembles "American Standard" or "Koehler" than a pulpit. In all these years of having to endure Howard and all the Howard wannabes who proliferate on our public airwaves, I have never heard anything more creative than the constant descriptions of penis or breast size, interspersed with MEAN SPIRITED comments. I surely don't want the government to dictate content and I am open to questioning Clear Channel's and our administration's motives, but HOWIE has done nothing so noteworthy, so redeemable, in his broadcasting career to deserve the mantle of spokesperson for free speech. It's his RIGHT...but surely, we can do better! Bob Green - Houston

Mike McCardell, whose conservative-minded phone calls to a popular radio talk show prompted management to recruit him as a broadcaster, died while visiting family in Pennsylvania.  McCardell, co-host of the ``WGAN Morning News with Mike and Ken,'' died Friday evening of an apparent heart attack, Cary Pahigian, president and general manager of Portland Radio Group, owner of WGAN and six other radio stations, said Saturday. A resident of Dayton, McCardell was 52 and had been co-host of the popular morning program for the past four years (read Maine-Boston CBS 4)

The Taiwanese media is conservative when it comes to feminist and sexual identity issues, but change may be coming as a new generation of people comes of age, Sister Radio chair and founder Wang Li-ping told the Taipei Times on Friday. "The media's conservatism reflects both government and social attitudes," she said. Sister Radio (FM105.7), the nation's sole female-oriented broadcast media network, is battling a fine that the Government Information Office (GIO) imposed as the result of a recent show. The show, which featured audio of simulated orgasms -- and which was intended to debunk myths about gay sex -- was found by the GIO to be in violation of decency standards. The station has appealed the fine twice, and is waiting for a response from the GIO. Wang, a former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator and women's rights activist, told the Taipei Times that the case shows that laws need updating (read Taipei Times)

From Chuck Dunaway's "The Radio Diaries" -- Ron Jordon/Nashville, TN: "Nobody does much on the air with April Fool's day anymore. I think it's because 23 years ago we ruined it for everybody. I was working mid-days at WROK in Rockford, Illinois. Although it is hard to imagine, it was before the internet was widely available, before cable-TV had set-top boxes, and a time when most television tuners were round knobs that made a noisy "CLICK" when you got up out of your chair to change channels. Our program director, a young man named Charlie Quinn, decided we would attempt to pull the wool over Rockford's eyes by announcing an experiment ..." Dan Lovett/Houston, TX: "I remember sitting in the back of a pick-up truck doing the play-by-play of the Jeff City Jays latest victory in Fulton, Missouri, sitting alongside the left-field foul line in Yankee Stadium describing the latest loss by the Houston Oilers and describing how the Texas Aggies were getting the crap kicked out of them in Ohio. I have done all three. Never able to play football because I was so small, I decided I would beg the local radio station for the chance to call one of the Pirates games on a Friday night. They said yes, so ..." (read 'em all at www.chuckdunaway.com)

It might be time to put Lloyd Robertson and Rex Murphy in a museum - the proposed Museum of Canadian Broadcasting, that is. The venerable on-air personalities could soon help anchor a pantheon of luminaries who have entertained, informed and exasperated audiences over the decades. After years of planning, organizers are closer to flicking the switch on a museum to celebrate the heritage of Canada's airwaves.
The project is emblematic of the profoundly influential roles television and radio have come to play in the electronic age, said Kealy Wilkinson, executive director of the Canadian Broadcast Museum Foundation. "It's an idea whose time has come." (read National Post)

At a Manhattan screening of "The Hours" a year and a half ago, the guest list included two of the movie's stars, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep. But at a supper after the screening, the table with the most cachet had neither actress. It had a pair of septuagenarians in suits: Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and chief executive of the News Corporation, and Sumner M. Redstone, the chairman of Viacom. Mr. Murdoch was then 71 and Mr. Redstone was 79 - ages when most corporate chiefs would be retired and spending time on the golf course. Each man was a billionaire many times over, and each controlled one of the world's most important media empires with a plan to hand over his stock to his children one day. Since then, Mr. Redstone has attracted far more attention on Wall Street and in the news media because of succession issues at Viacom. His chief lieutenant, Mel Karmazin, quit last week, undermined by Mr. Redstone's efforts to replace him. There have been no headlines about boardroom turmoil at the News Corporation, but that company has some worrisome succession issues of its own. Mr. Murdoch has made it clear that his media empire will one day be run by his two sons: Lachlan, 32, and James, 31. (His eldest child, Elisabeth, is an independent producer no longer directly involved in the company.) (read NY Times)

The Madison Avenue creative gurus behind AFLAC's quacking duck and the "Enterprise: We'll Pick You Up!" rental car slogan think this year's presidential campaign ads could use some pizazz. "They're content without charisma," said Linda Kaplan Thaler, whose firm produced memorable television commercials for the AFLAC insurance company, Continental Airlines and Clairol Herbal Essences Shampoo. Frank Ginsberg, founder and chief creative director of Avrett Free & Ginsberg, a New York advertising agency, also said spots by President George W. Bush and Democrat John Kerry could be more captivating. "The ads are like essays. They're just telling you, they're not selling you," said Ginsberg, whose firm is behind commercials for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, rum maker Bacardi and Ralston Purina, the pet food company (read The Day)

A former vice president with United Press who later purchased and ran three radio stations in Texas and South Carolina has died. Clifford Marshall was 90. He died Wednesday in Lubbock, Texas, after a brief illness. Marshall's son, John, says his dad worked as a reporter for United Press, a predecessor of United Press International. He was named vice president in 1951. He bought KPLT radio in Paris in 1959 and WFIG and WWDM in Sumter in 1969 and 1972 (read WIS-TV)

Can Maxim magazine keep its stranglehold on the young male libido without the benefit of pictures of scantily clad women? The owners of Maxim are betting on it--that's why they're starting Maxim Radio, a 24-hour radio channel which will debut on Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.'s network later this summer. Stephen Colvin, who oversees Maxim as CEO of Dennis Publishing, says Maxim will do just fine without those racy pictures, and in any case relies on them far less on them than most people think. To be successful in radio, Maxim will have to do the same thing it's done in print, Colvin says: Capture the right tone. Colvin sums up the Maxim tone has being ``smart, witty and useful.''  (read USA Today)  (read AJC)

Reprinted by popular demand: From Dr. George Pollard: "Radio has an eighty-three year history, and there have been two extended eras of excellence – one as a national medium, the other as a local medium. Expectations of a third wave of excellence were not out of line. To listen and find a wasteland, across the dial, surprised me. Studio musicians often walk through the charts they’re playing and go home. The tracks they lay down are technically good – perfect, usually – but passionless. Such was the sound of radio, perfunctory, but far from perfect. The radio I heard lacked energy, passion and commitment. Save for a very few, there wasn’t much emotion. Time, traffic and temperature were pervasive. Once upon a time, a “three-t” jock, as in disc jockey, was a service provider, a live voice to fill off-hours. The service provider is now ubiquitous. Today's jocks seem to meander through shifts, lifers, and putting in time. Everything seems to take energy, not create it. “Hey, mom, I’m on the radio,” and boring. Maybe playing music that came and went before you were born – there was almost no new music on radio – can’t be made interesting or be fun. Could I have found a way to make playing Percy Faith fun when I was twenty? If I couldn’t, ten thousand could and did.   Maybe it’s time to dust off some oldsters. Old jocks never die, their volume just needs boosting. A generation ago, lot of quality radio artists left for greener pastures. Many are itching to return. Dan Nevereth returned, successfully, and rumour is Bill Gable will be back, shortly. Once you’ve mainlined radio as art, you’re forever hooked ... " (click here to read all of "Radio As Art" by Dr. George Pollard)

As if there wasn't enough country music on the radio around here, Mineral Wells' KJSA/1120 AM flipped from the nostalgia-oriented "Music of Your Life" format last week to a country format. And Fort Worth-based LKCM Radio Partners, which owns KFWR/95.9 FM "The Ranch," broadened its reach with the purchase of KRVF/106.9 FM and KRVA/107.1 FM. The effect on Tarrant County will be minimal, as these frequencies target areas north, south and east of Dallas (in fact, Tarrant's KDXX/107.1 FM is still broadcasting Spanish adult contemporary). But it is a key move for LKCM, which has turned the Ranch into a country station that sets itself apart from the pack (read Robert Philpot)

"Radio is the sound salvation/Radio is cleaning up the nation/They say you better listen to the voice of reason/But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think that it's treason."  When Elvis Costello wrote those lyrics to "Radio Radio" more than 25 years ago, he was ranting about state-operated programming in England and raging against what he deemed American radio conformity. But even Costello couldn't have foreseen how true his words would ring today, when it seems radio is the same wherever you go. Reacting to relaxed ownership regulations, major record-label money and the substitution of corporate-generated playlists for decision-making deejays, it seems radio has traded its geographical flavor and adventurous spirit for a generic, marketing-driven approach. But is mainstream radio really as homogenous as a fast-food chain? (read Bob Gendron - Chicago Tribune)

Watching a gearhead assemble a motorcycle in 13 one-hour installments might not be most people's idea of riveting television, but to Keith Dressel it is a programming niche that is begging to be exploited. In the increasingly cluttered world of cable television, Mr. Dressel is convinced that there is still plenty of space for his fledgling network, AMP TV. Under the banner "Life Fully Charged," his network is aiming at 18- to 34-year-old men who like hard-driving music, muscle cars and extreme sports. A kind of MTV-meets-Speedvision-meets-ESPN2, his publicist says (read NY Times)

One side effect of the proliferation of talk radio has been the near disappearance of station editorials and commentaries.
But at least one man resolutely keeps them alive: William O'Shaughnessy, the colorful owner of WRTN and WVOX in Westchester. Editorials also are just the start of O'Shaughnessy's writing, another 600 pages of which is now collected in "More Riffs, Rants and Raves" (Fordham University Press, $35). He has an easy writing style that still conveys a real passion for matters like the First Amendment and a genuine appreciation for what we can learn from folks like Mario Cuomo and Jimmy Breslin (read David Hinckley)

SMG has shot down a weekend newspaper report that it is looking to sell its Virgin radio network, with fellow media group EMAP one of the interested parties. "The story is nonsense, it's not for sale," a company spokesman told Reuters on Monday. No-one at Kiss FM owner Emap was immediately available for comment. Rumours of consolidation in the radio industry are rife since new government rules have loosened up the rules of radio ownership. SMG bought the Virgin radio network from TV and radio presenter Chris Evans four years ago as part of its 225 million pounds takeover of Evans's Ginger Media (read Reuters U.K.)

Joe Niagara, a pioneering disc jockey who was a fixture on Philadelphia radio for more than four decades, has died. He was 76. Niagara died of heart failure early Friday morning following surgery for bladder cancer, which he had been battling for a few years, his wife, Evelyn said. ``When people mention the great disc jockeys of Philadelphia, they always mention Joe Niagara, Hy Lit and Jerry Blavat,'' said Clark DeLeon, a former columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer who is writing Lit's biography. ``Niagara transcended being a normal disc jockey.'' (read Philly News)  (read KDKA)

In this season -- when the surprising Cincy Reds are the early, feel-good story in major-league baseball -- fans here who stay up after dark strain to hear of Adam Dunn's muscle; Ken Griffey Jr.'s resurgence; and Paul Wilson's stunning start.
That's because the ball club has been unable to convince Clear Channel radio to put its broadcasts on a Lexington station with more than 45 watts of nighttime power. You could get some tin cups and string and put out a stronger nighttime signal than WXRA-AM 1580. As it is, once the sun goes down, you can't hear the Reds on a Lexington-market station in almost half of our city. "It's totally based on two things -- ratings and revenue," says Barry Fox, operations director for the Clear Channel stations in Lexington. The Reds broadcasts "have been a tough (advertising) sell. And, frankly, they have very low listenership." (read Lexington Herald-Leader)

Trumped! with Donald Trump will be heard daily Monday through Friday. His commentary will be wide-ranging and include his perspective on personalities in the news, politics, entertainment, business and media, as well as insights from his own experiences, lifestyle and professional activities. Next fall, Fridays will be reserved for exclusive commentary about the previous night's firing on The Apprentice on NBC-TV.  Radio stations that represent a broad variety of both music and talk formats will carry Trumped! With Donald Trump, ranging from WHTZ-FM in New York and KBIG-FM in Los Angeles to WFLA-AM in Tampa and WBAL-AM in Baltimore. According to Eileen Thorgusen, Executive Vice President, Affiliate Relations for Premiere Radio Networks, no nationally syndicated radio program has ever launched with more affiliates. "We are nearing 300 affiliates for Trumped!, and more stations are signing on every day," Thorgusen said (read)

Jackie Bell recalls the first time she went live on the radio, on Y-93, back in the late 1980s. "I could not remember my last name," she said. That's how she "ended up being just Jackie" on the air, the name she still uses on KKBR-FM, or K-BEAR to station listeners. Bell shares a morning deejay slot at K-BEAR with Ed Donahue and helms the early afternoon shift by herself (read Billings Gazette)

A recently released radio measurement indicates that radio is more heavily utilized by men across China than women, while women prefer television dramas. Conducted by Beijing-based CVSC-Sofres Media, a survey under way since 2002 indicates the average rating percentages for men are significantly higher than for women. But among TV audiences, women slightly outnumber men, said Matthew Brosenne, international business director of CVSC-Sofres Media. Brosenne explained the difference has to do with programming content (read China Daily)

What makes a good media company? Whether you are in free-to-air or cable television, movies, entertainment or publishing and printing, the experts say that you need only achieve three things - a strong customer base retained through strong brands, great content and cost-efficiency. Achieving all three means success; getting only two out of three correct means failure. For those media companies that pass the three-point survival test, the next challenge is to conquer the advertising market. Although in the long run, advertising revenues grow in line with economic growth, spending is notoriously volatile in the short term. The holy grail for a media company is a set of customers that keep coming back - and spending more money when they do so. What's even better is if you know precisely why they come back, and just who they actually are. (read The Age)

Is WFAN's Adam Schein - and his magic bag of nuggets - headed for another gig? Sure looks that way. Well-embedded moles say Schein, who has developed into one of FAN's most entertaining - and fan-friendly - talkies could be headed to Sirius Satellite Radio. Word is Sirius suits may be looking for Schein to do a daily afternoon sports talk show (read NY Daily News)

The voice of Gaston radio pioneer Pat McSwain surprises you.  At 95, it's still full-bodied, cadenced and authoritative -- perfect for storytelling. And believe me, McSwain, recently honored with Gaston's College's first Broadcasting Wall of Fame Award, has got the goods. He can tell you what it's like to nearly get run over by a train and hawk a carnival side show. He shook hands with world heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey and country music legend Hank Williams. McSwain put out the first word to radio listeners about the bombing of Pearl Harbor; and 60 years ago today he told them about the Normandy invasion (read Charlotte Observer)

The movement to introduce low-power radio stations onto the FM dial in urban areas got a boost Friday from two powerful senators who introduced a bill allowing federal regulators to license small stations. Sens. John McCain (R-Arizona), chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), the ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, introduced the measure, which they hope will lead to the introduction of hundreds of community radio stations that can reach listeners up to 3.5 miles away. "I look forward to hearing more local artists, local news, local public-affairs programming and community-based programming on low-power FM radio stations throughout the country," McCain said (read Wired)

The visionaries who created public broadcasting set up the CPB as the nonprofit corporation providing federal funds to public radio and TV. CPB's primary mission has always been to serve as a "heat shield" between government and public broadcasting, protecting programming from government interference.  But instead of serving as a "heat shield," CPB now is the agent of ideological interference. And public broadcasting's news and public affairs programs in particular will be harmed if conservative members of the CPB have their way. In a New Yorker's expose published on Monday, media writer Ken Auletta documents several disturbing trends. The CPB recently decided to fund two programs -- one hosted by Tucker Carlson, who speaks for conservatives on CNN's "Crossfire," and one moderated by Paul Gigot, editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal. At the same time that these programming additions were being made, "NOW with Bill Moyers," which receives no CPB funds, was cut from an hour to 30 minutes. Earlier in 2004, Moyers announced that he will be leaving the program by the end of the year. Moreover, according to Auletta's article, the Bush Administration appears to be conducting a litmus test for choosing CPB board members (read Media Channel - Chellie Pingree)

Italy's largest electric company pulled the plug on two left-wing radio stations the morning of U.S President George W. Bush's visit to Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.  The outage -- described as "strange maintenance work" by Enel, Italy's 60 percent state-owned utility -- forced Radio Città Aperta and Radio Onda Rossa off the air as they were preparing to broadcast extensive coverage of street protests against the president's visit. "The stations lost electricity for four hours, all the morning, during several 'actions' of the civil disobedience movement," Francesco Diasio told MediaChannel by email. Diasio, managing director of Amisnet, a community radio agency supporting several Italian radio stations, was working with Radio Città Aperta (Open City Radio) and Radio Onda Rossa (Red Wave Radio), in concert with several other radio networks in Italy, to broadcast up-to-the-minute reports on the Rome protests (read MediaChannel)

Joan Kjaer has interviewed Pulitzer Prize-winning poets, artists and others and is known as the host of "Know the Score." Joan Kjaer takes over as interim director of KSUI and WSUI-AM. She has worked for the stations since 1977. Press-Citizen/Zach Boyden-Holmes. Now she's known for something else: stepping into the position of interim director of KSUI and WSUI-AM radio stations at the University of Iowa.
At a time when technology advances are taking the stations into new terrain and a debate over consolidation leaves their future unknown, the 51-year-old Kjaer is more than glad to take on the additional responsibilities. She is taking over for John Monick, who is retiring (read Press-Citizen)

Before the iPod, even before the Walkman personal stereo and the portable boom box, the transistor radio was one of the great electronic status symbols of young consumers. Aside from MP3 players, the mobile phone is probably the closest cultural equivalent to the transistor radios of old. A visit to any suburban mall on a Saturday afternoon proves that. Teenagers gab on their phones endlessly and are never caught without them. That's a point not lost on Nokia the world's largest maker of mobile phones. One often overlooked feature on several Nokia phones is the ability to receive FM radio signals, many of the company's phones have been equipped to receive FM radio signals. The first radio station to use the Visual Radio technology is KISS-FM in Helsinki, Finland. Nokia expects the service to start reaching other markets early next year (read Forbes )

Time magazine and NBC on Friday filed motions seeking to quash grand jury subpoenas issued last month to compel testimony from their reporters about whether Bush administration officials leaked the name of a covert CIA operative. The motions, claiming reporters' privilege under the First Amendment, were filed under seal in U.S. District Court in Washington, Time and NBC said, and represent what many attorneys say could be an uphill battle because of unfavorable case law. Time and NBC are fighting subpoenas issued May 21 by a Washington grand jury led by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, the U.S. attorney in Chicago named six months ago to probe the leak last year of CIA operative Valerie Plame's name to columnist Robert Novak and other journalists (read Newsday) 

Pitching in is something that comes naturally to the folks of Dodge County. For proof, you need to look no further than the annual WBEV/WXRO Children's Radiothon, which has raised $425,000 in seven years. The annual event raised $85,000 this year for five organizations - Green Valley Enterprises, People Against a Violent Environment, Parent Resource Place, New Beginnings Homeless Shelter and Clothes 4 Kids. "All of the money stays local," said Jill Cullen, one of the chief organizers for the radio station event (read Daily Citizen)

Your cell-phone company knows you hate it. Mobile-phone service was the second-lowest-ranked industry -- beating only cable providers among the 40 rated -- in the University of Michigan's newest customer satisfaction index. And there's more: Mobile companies were the No. 2 sector in complaints last year to Better Business Bureaus, dropping from first place in 2002. Only auto dealers did worse. Asked about the ranking, Verizon's Eric Rabe said, "Compared to what? Lands' End? You have to compare apples to apples. I wouldn't compare the customer experience of dealing with a complicated technology with buying a shirt. It's just a whole different challenge." (read Wired)

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its corporate credit rating on Interep National Radio Sales Inc. to 'CCC' from 'CCC+' based on heightened concern about its liquidity, earnings, and cash flow. The outlook remains negative. The New York, N.Y.-based firm is a leading national spot radio advertising representation firm with about a 50% share of this niche market. Interep had total debt of $108.5 million at March 31, 2004. The outlook is negative. "Interep's precariously thin liquidity and weak operating results make it highly vulnerable to default," according to Standard & Poor's credit analyst Steve Wilkinson (read Standard and Poors)

Pembroke Park officials are expected to decide Wednesday whether to keep or tear down the WLRN broadcast tower at McTyre Park now that a new tower has been built there.  WLRN, a public radio and television station that broadcasts National Public Radio to South Florida, will continue using the original 51-year-old tower until the new one is turned on. Commissioners have long considered the old tower an eyesore but were limited in their options because the tower is vital to emergency communications (read Miami Herald)

The Los Angeles Press Club presents the 46th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards, Saturday, June 12, at the St. Regis Hotel in Los Angeles. Awards will be handed out for editorial excellence in print, broadcast and online reporting in 2003. During the evening, special honors will also be given to several distinguished journalists: TIME Magazine journalists Michael Weisskopf and James Nachtwey will be honored with the Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism, CNN senior analyst Jeff Greenfield will receive The President's Award in recognition of his impact on journalism and media Long time KCAL 9 anchor, Pat Harvey, is the 2004 recipient of the Joseph M. Quinn Life Time Award for Journalistic Excellence and Distinction (read)

The Seattle radio station that was the source of a bogus Associated Press report yesterday of a meteor possibly crashing in Washington state is trying to track down the false tipster, but would not say what specifically was being done. "We've got a recording of it," KIRO Managing Editor Ursula Reutin told E&P. "We are taking measures to try to track him down." The AP apparently based yesterday's story on a possible meteorite hitting near Olympia, Wash. -- which was later retracted as a hoax -- on a person calling a middle-of-the-night talk show at the Seattle station claiming to be an astronomy expert, not a valid news report from the radio station (read Editor and Publisher)

Ninety percent or 12.9 million people aged 12 years and above in Peninsular Malaysia tune in to the radio and spend an average of 3.7 hours listening daily, according to the latest radio listenership measurement by Nielsen Media Research.  Nielsen executive director Danyal Abdul Malik said the survey showed that the number of listeners increased from 88% in October 2003 to 90% in April, while the weekly average audience remained at 14% and the average time spent at 26 hours a week (read the Star)

The Carolina Hurricanes said Friday that they have signed radio broadcaster Chuck Kaiton to a multiyear contract. Kaiton has served as the lone play-by-play voice for the franchise's radio broadcasts since the team joined the National Hockey League for the 1979-80 season (read Triangle Biz Journal)

ARBitrends for Birmingham, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Milwaukee-Racine and Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo  (read 'em)

Aircheck: The story of radio stations KCBQ, KGB, KDEO, and XEAK as the Top 40 format prevailed over AM radio from 1955 to 1982. Aircheck offers a general history of San Diego radio stations, detailed histories of the four key Top 40 stations, short biographies and photos of each DJ, images of studios, weekly surveys, memorabilia, coverage charts, a glossary of terms, and a full name index. This soft cover, 8 1/2 X 11 perfect bound book with 112 pages, was privately printed and limited to 1000 copies. Order yours today (visit David Leonard's Web site for Aircheck)

WorldSpace the pioneer of satellite radio for the world will serve as the international satellite radio partner for The Coca-Cola Ebony Festival to be held in Dakar and Goree Island, Senegal. Exclusive Interviews will air globally across the WorldSpace Satellite Radio and in America via WorldSpace channels on XM Satellite Radio. WorldZone is the only world music channel that is heard across four continents via satellite radio and Ngoma, the only 24 hour African music channel is heard coast to coast via WorldSpace Channels on XM satellite radio in America. WorldSpace and XM Satellite Radio presenters and programmers Shawna Oduor and Folly Bah will have interviews and backstage exclusives with the celebrities and international music stars performing at the three day festival June 4th through 6th celebrating the music, hope, spirit and cultures of the African people, calling upon Africans -- and the rest of the world -- to actively participate in renewing their commitment to the continent and its future (read TMC Net News)

On ABC NightLine: It was one of the most important events in modern history, the invasion of Europe on D-Day. The worst battle was on Omaha Beach, and there are less than a dozen photographs of the landing there. What happened to all the rest? Of the landing on Omaha Beach, the worst and bloodiest landing, only 10 still pictures, shot by Robert Capa, have survived. Dave Marash tells you how those pictures came about, and what happened to the rest. Sadly, much of the footage ended up on the bottom of the North Sea, and believe it or not, most of Capa's work was destroyed in the  (visit the ABC NightLine Web site)

One of Florida's most prominent Republican lawyers may step in to assist prosecutors in conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh's case. Tom Warner, former solicitor general of Florida, is being considered, sources say. Warner is a former state representative from Stuart who ran unsuccessfully for Florida attorney general in 2002. He is married to Judge Martha Warner of the 4th District Court of Appeal, the court now considering an appeal by Limbaugh. She is not one of the judges on Limbaugh's case. Limbaugh has not been charged with a crime and is awaiting the appeals court ruling on whether prosecutors can use medical records seized from his doctors as part of a doctor-shopping investigation. Warner's entry, if it occurs, is not expected until after the court ruling, which could come at any time. Warner may step into a nasty battle, with Limbaugh nationally flogging Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer for what he calls a "fishing expedition" prosecutors undertook against him (read Palm Beach Post)

An angry and defiant Garry Meier is blaming his partner, his bosses, his former agent and even "the media columns" -- in other words, everyone but himself -- for the stunning collapse of his Chicago radio career. In an interview with Bob Sirott to air at 7:30 tonight on WTTW-Channel 11's "The Friday Night Show," Meier accepted virtually no responsibility for the failure of his contract talks at WLS-AM (890) or the breakup of his eight-year afternoon partnership with Roe Conn. "We did everything we could to keep this thing moving along," Meier said of his efforts and those of his wife, Cynthia Fircak, who acted as his agent in negotiations with WLS and other parties (read Feder of Chicago)

The battle between Rush Limbaugh and the prosecutors investigating him for alleged prescription drug abuse took another nasty turn on Thursday when the conservative commentator accused them of breaking court rules and misleading the judges hearing the case. The latest disagreement arose earlier this week when Assistant State Attorney James Martz told an appeals court that Limbaugh's attorney provided wrong information in the case. Both sides appeared before the 4th District Court of Appeal in April to debate whether Limbaugh's medical records, which were seized for the ongoing criminal investigation, should remain private. During the court hearing, Limbaugh attorney Roy Black told judges that the Florida Legislature had at one time revised state law so that medical records could not be taken by search warrant. On Tuesday, Martz provided the court with information that Black's comments were incorrect (read Jill Barton - Tallahassee Democrat)  (read RushLimbaugh.com) (read NewsMax)

From Kent Burkhart's "I Was There" series -- At conventions people with a smirk used to ask me “how’s the railroad business”. Our radio company was named Pacific and Southern (P and S) which I admit does have some railroad-sound alike in it. In actuality, the merger of a Hawaiian TV and Atlanta TV station was the basis for the name. During the merger a company called Jupiter Broadcasting was absorbed into Pacific and Southern as their radio group. And I was part of Jupiter, and became President of P and S Radio charged with a responsibility of expanding the radio group from two markets. In our founding P and S group we owned WQXI AM-FM Atlanta; and WSAI AM-FM Cincinnati…both doing super with revenue and ratings. First purchase target was KIMN in Denver and KYXI in Portland…both highly rated AM’s owned by the Ken Palmer group. We realized we would soon have to add FM’s to each market. Second target was KRHM in Los Angeles that we renamed KKDJ now known as KISS. We contracted both targets to purchase ... (read it all at www.kentburkhart.com)

Viacom Inc. plans to dump underperforming radio stations, but will not sell its Infinity Broadcasting unit, company chairman and CEO Sumner Redstone said on Thursday . Viacom has already begun identifying which stations to sell under its Infinity umbrella, Redstone told investors at a conference organized by Sanford C. Bernstein in New York. He did not elaborate on how many stations would be sold. "We probably will sell some of those stations to others, who are more avaricious about radio than we are," said Redstone, who reiterated a commitment to not sell Infinity (read Reuters)

ARBitrends for Colorado Springs, Columbus, Denver-Boulder, Fresno, Seattle-Tacoma and West Palm Beach-Boca Raton (read 'em)

Mediocrity deplores excellence. It's a truth of human behavior, and it applies to the media, too. It's on display right now as the commercial radio establishment, where mediocrity is king, tries to quash the best thing that's happened to radio in a long time: satellites. I've had satellite radio in my car for several months now, and it has changed my media life. The people behind satellite radio understand that the dreadful quality of most commercial radio has alienated a lot of listeners. When was the last time you tuned in a traditional commercial radio station and were impressed? A huge swath of American radio is now controlled by a handful of corporations, and they've turned the airwaves into the aural equivalent of McDonald's: a product that was designed for least-common-denominator tastes, and is pretty much the same everywhere you go. Why? Because, like McDonald's, Big Radio is very profitable.  Fine, if you like cheeseburger radio—top 40s, idiotic drivetime talk shows, the usual ideologue ranters, traffic and weather every 10 minutes. But what if you like jazz? (read The Atlantic)

Steve Mason & John Ireland to fill in for Colin Cowherd, host of the nationally syndicated program, The Herd with Colin  Cowherd, on Friday, June 4 from 6-10 am on ESPN Radio 710 in Los Angeles (visit ESPN 710)

Freedom of the airwaves or hate radio? The talk radio industry has recently come under fire for its frequent use of inflammatory language and aggressive rhetoric on the air, especially with regard to the Arab and Muslim world. Some contend that this errant use of free speech has exploited the anxieties of its audiences, while others believe that even the worst of these incidents is still an accurate reflection of popular opinion and the upholding of free speech principles (read Al Jazeera - Abd Allah al-Arian in Arlington, Virginia )

AirAmerica, the newly launched radio network aimed at liberal listeners who prefer Al Franken's smirk to Rush Limbaugh's snarl, had a rough start this spring. But in cyberspace, AirAmerica has been a hit. In its heavily hyped first week of broadcast, the network sent 2 million streams out to listeners who dialed in via computer--either because they were away from a nearby radio or, in most cases, because no local radio station carried the programming. AirAmerica fits that bill, , . "All of a sudden you had Mr. Mainstream America, who isn't advanced technologically, trying out radio on their computers," Michael Harrison publisher of Talkers, a radio trade magazine, says. "Suddenly AM/FM stations seem very old-fashioned." Right now, old-fashioned AM/FM stations are where advertisers prefer to spend their dollars--some $20 billion each year. The Internet radio advertising market, by contrast, is so small that there are no reliable estimates. But think single-digit millions. Still, Net radio backers argue that they are already primed to start competing for at least a sliver of the terrestrial market. "The audience is there," says David Goldberg, vice president of music at Yahoo!, which offers Internet radio through its Launch service. "The consumer demand is tremendous. Now it's really kind of figuring out how to make it work from the advertisers' perspective." (read Forbes - Peter Kafka)  (read Elizabeth Jensen - LA Times)

Oedipus, the veteran program director at FM rock station WBCN, is stepping down after almost three decades at the station. Oedipus, whose real name is Edward Hyson, said the time was right to retire because of changes in the industry, including increased scrutiny by the Federal Communications Commission. Howard Stern, whose show airs on WBCN 104.1 has been a prime target. "The culture is changing," Oedipus said. "The right ... is trying to regulate everything it can. What they consider 'rude radio' is an easy target. Radio needs to be defined by a new generation of programmers. I'm of a previous generation. I've defined it long enough." The move follows the resignation earlier this week of Viacom president and chief operating officer Mel Karmazin. WBCN's parent company, Infinity Broadcasting, is a division of Viacom (read The Boston Channel)

Former conservative author-turned-liberal activist David Brock, whose new book and website are devoted to denouncing conservative media outlets, says network news personalities have privately praised him and told him, "Thank God you are doing this..." Brock, the author of The Republican Noise Machine: Right-Wing Media and How it Corrupts Democracy, told an audience of several hundred fellow liberal activists about off-the-air exchanges he has had with network news hosts. Brock spoke Thursday in Washington at the "Take Back America" conference, which is billed as a gathering of progressive activists. "In the past few weeks -- as I have been on some of these TV shows, either talking about my book or about [my website] www.MediaMatters.org -- I have been -- off air -- been told by network talent: 'Thank God you are doing this because we can't do it -- because James Dobson can send an e-mail and turn NBC upside down,'" Brock said. Dobson is the conservative Christian leader of Focus on the Family. Brock did not specify which "network talent" had praised him. Brock recently has appeared on numerous network news programs promoting his book, including a May 18th interview with Katie Couric on NBC's Today show (read Cybercast News Service)

With lawmakers closing in on the analog broadcast spectrum like a pack of hungry dogs on a bone, broadcasters are gravitating toward the over-the-air, multichannel pay service proposed by Emmis Chairman Jeff Smulyan at NAB2004. "We've had 370 stations sign on in the first five weeks," Smulyan said at a Media Institute luncheon in Washington, D.C., held one day after House Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton, (R-Texas) indicated that he'd prefer to stick to the original 2006 analog shut-off deadline. Breaking with the Broadcast Brotherhood and its pursuit of all things must-carry, Smulyan is endorsing a renaissance of over-the-air television via DAS, or the Digital Antenna System. DAS would deliver an encrypted package of local stations, (including HD telecasts at around 13 Mbps with MPEG-4), plus 20 to 30 cable networks to special OTA set-top decoders for about $25 a month (read TV Technology)

Rev. Al Sharpton is joining CNBC as a political commentator for its coverage of the upcoming Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the network announced Thursday. The outspoken civil rights leader and former candidate for the 2004 presidential nomination will share his views on "Capital Report," "Dennis Miller" and the new "McEnroe" (scheduled to premiere in July), among other CNBC shows (read Salon)

Sad news for WHEB listeners. One of the buzz crew members has been let go. Unfortunately, Jeanmarie Pavol, the likable co-host to Greg Kretschmar on the popular "Greg and the Morning Buzz" radio show is no longer with the rock station. "It was a management decision," said Pavol of her unexpected departure. "It came on quite suddenly." Known by early-morning listeners simply as Jeanmarie, she has been with the show, which was recently nominated by Radio & Records magazine for "Best Rock Morning Show of the Year," for nearly eight years.  Alex James, the station’s program manager, confirmed that it was a management decision (read Portsmouth Herald)

Dan Smith says he lurks in the shadows. Owner of Wichita radio station KANR--more popularly known as Fly 92.7-FM--Smith isn't your typical businessman. But his business isn't typical, either. He runs an independent radio station -- with an alternative music format -- in an industry increasingly dominated by big corporations. Smith doesn't hide his disdain for corporate radio. Most stations, he says, are "cookie cutter." Smith is involved in all aspects of the station, but he's never on the air. Ask what his title is, and he says "owner, general manager, sales manager, tower climber and maintenance man." (read Wichita Eagle)

Clear Channel Entertainment, a leader in live entertainment event production and marketing, announced today that it has launched a nationwide partnership with Communities In Schools, the country's leading community-based organization helping children succeed in school and prepare for life. CCE Charities, the company's newly launched charitable division, will work with its network of amphitheatres across the country to kick off the company's "Ticket to Change" initiative, which will raise awareness and provide financial support for CIS. Concertgoers will have the opportunity to get involved by making a donation to CIS through specially-marked "Ticket to Change" canisters located at concession stands in a majority of Clear Channel Entertainment amphitheatres throughout the U.S. (read)

Loletha Webster listens to the "Wake-Up Call" radio show on WTLS, a local station in Tallassee, every day during the week from 6:30 to 8 a.m. The 41-year-old Tallassee woman starts her morning ritual with a cup of coffee. Then, she heads back to her room to listen to the morning talk show in seclusion. Webster sits in a chair by the radio and fumbles with tuning knob until she recognizes "Wake-Up Call" host Michael Butler's voice. "I've been a faithful listener," said Webster, who is paralyzed and blind after a 1971 motorcycle accident. "I'm glad to have WTLS." (read Montgomery Advertiser)

They had one anchor too many at CBS News this week. John Roberts (above), who came up from D.C. to anchor the evening news on Sunday, stayed over to host on Monday, too, because Dan Rather had planned on being away on Memorial Day. But Rather later changed his mind and decided to stay in town to attend a wedding. "Nobody told Roberts," said our source. "He didn't get the word until he came into work. He was annoyed (read NY Post)

Interep announced the line-up of prominent broadcast leaders for its first Radio Symposium, "Radio Signals:  Dealing with Interference, Tuning In Opportunity," on Tuesday, June 22nd at the Grand Hyatt in New York. The day-long event features information sessions, debates, and several panel discussions on the industry's most pressing, controversial and timely topics. A power panel of distinguished broadcast executives will host "Radio's Industry Leadership: Dealing with Interference, Tuning in Opportunity," a session dealing with programming and indecency, current business, competition, consolidation, long-term growth opportunities and the pressures from Wall Street. The panel of broadcast executives includes: Rick Cummings, President of Radio, Emmis; Lew  Dickey, Jr., Chairman & CEO, Cumulus; David Kennedy, President & COO, Susquehanna Radio; Mary Catherine Sneed, COO, Radio One; and Charles Warfield, President & COO, Inner City Broadcast Group (read)

The first indication that a phenomenon has reached critical mass is when the status quo marshals its forces against it. If recent legislation and a Federal Communications Commission petition is any indication, satellite radio's day in the sun has finally arrived. In the interest of full disclosure, I am biased beyond belief. One year ago, my wife, Laura, bought me Sirius as an anniversary present. Without launching into the rabid evangelizing that rolls the collective eyes of both family and friends, I would only give up Sirius if I were suddenly struck deaf. This seems to be the general consensus of XM and Sirius subscribers, of which there are 1.2 million and 400,000, respectively. Each service boasts ridiculously low attrition rates: according to MSN Money, about 99 percent of subscribers keep satellite radio after their initial signup period. Growth to this point has been slow but steady for each provider, but few pay services of any kind boast that level of retention (read George Lang - The Oklahoman)

On a long, late-night drive across most of the Midwest, with the FM radio on for entertainment, somewhere in eastern Iowa I find I can no longer abide the musical menu of light rock, classic rock, hard rock and rock rock radio. The country stations are fixated on 12-year-old girls with blond hair and no talent. Still too distant from Chicago to tune in the jazz station. So I flip the radio to the AM band and tune in on a sort of sentimental journey. In those night hours, when radio always seems more distant and yet more intimate than it would be at high noon, I launch a mental side trip of sorts across time to the 1950s. As a kid whose youth was spent in small-town Iowa, one of my odd juvenile joys was AM radio, a radio muffled by a blanket so I could stay tuned long after bedtime on a school night. WLS delivered Dick Biondi from Chicago, a place so distant then as to be unimaginable. Or WHB in Kansas City. From there came “Nightbeat,” an ancient ancestor of talk radio. Or Franklyn MacCormack’s magical “Meisterbrau Showcase” on WGN in Chicago (read Ed Breen - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)

What will radio look and sound like in 15 years? Had we asked the same question 15 years ago, the answer would have been "pretty much the same." But it's clear that radio is going through one of the most fundamental changes in its history since the dawn of stereo FM signals in the 1960s.  Already, satellite radio services like XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio have proved there's a market for pay radio, though both have a long way to go before satellite radio is truly a mass-market service the way cable television is today. Ask any subscriber of either service and they'll tell you they wonder how they ever got along without it. Terrestrial broadcasters--those that broadcast from the ground, as opposed to in space via satellite like XM and Sirius--are in the process of rolling out enhanced services that will boost sound quality and add the ability to broadcast two programs on one station (read Forbes - Arik Hesseldahl)

Loyd Sigmon, who invented the SigAlert — warning of traffic jammed so bad it can ruin a commuter's day — as a way to boost the audience for his radio station half a century ago, has died. He was 95. Sigmon died of natural causes Wednesday in Bartlesville, Okla., where he lived at the Green Country Assisted Living Facility (read LA Times)

What is radio but words? Words that paint pictures in the theater of the mind. William S. Fraser, 81, my Jefferson High School radio and TV instructor from 1974 to 1977, died on Saturday. I realize now his quick-witted verbiage was the pablum, vitamins and minerals from which my writing career found nourishment. "Cooperate and graduate! In the know with Jeff radio. Take a shower lately? Why, is one missing?" These corny, Bill Fraser quips still float up from my high school days and insist I think of the then-balding, fiftyish man with dark-rimmed glasses. Mr. Fraser lobbied for a student-run radio and TV station when Jefferson High School was built in 1971. He retired in 1984, and in 2002, the studio was named the William S. Fraser Radio-TV Center (read Angie Klink - Lafayette Journal and Courier)

A University of Michigan study in 1999 suggests that college women who watch 22 hours of TV a month are more likely than those who don't to believe that sex is expected in a relationship. Television affects people in many ways. Researchers have linked its viewing to violence, obesity, and shortened attention spans. U2 singer Bono's recent use of the "f-word" during a televised awards ceremony is just one instance of increasing broadcast vulgarity. A new report from the Parents Television Council documents that foul language increased in every time slot on broadcast television between 1998 and 2002. Is it having an effect? A recent study highlighted by American Demographics found that 72 percent of men and 55 percent of women admit to public profanity, and the totals are higher among younger respondents. Advertisers spend millions on TV ads to influence consumer behavior. Does anyone seriously doubt that broadcast indecency, in ways large and small, not only reflects our culture but also increasingly warps us all? (read Christianity Today Editorial)

Elvis died August 16, 1977 ... That was the very day I headed out I-10 WEST to Houston for my new assignment at KIKK FM!  Chris Collier was the KIKK FM program director who hired me! FM and AM were simulcast daytimes. KIKK AM was a daytime only frequency. A brand new building was under construction on Gulfton in the popular southwest section of Houston! When relocated, KIKK FM and AM would become two seperately programmed radio stations each with its own airstaff and main studios. When all that was completed, I was to do either 9a-noon or noon-3p on KIKK FM (read more from Jim Rose)

Former NBC executive Scott Sassa is back. The former high-flying media exec now will be running with a different crowd after agreeing to be chief executive officer of popular "social networking" Web site Friendster. Friendster lets users create profiles of themselves and connect with various online communities of like-minded people. People find friends — and often dates — by looking up friends of friends, friends of friends of friends, and so on. Sassa, 45, joins the long list of media executives making the leap to the Internet, with varying degrees of success. Topping the list is Yahoo! Chairman and CEO Terry Semel, who once ran the Warner Bros. movie and entertainment business. Sassa, a former NBC West Coast president, vacated the top entertainment slot amid rumors that his job was on shaky ground. He finally left the network completely in 2003, after being reassigned to work on "strategic projects" for NBC Chairman Bob Wright. Before joining NBC, Sassa helped start the Fox TV network (read NY Post)

His KIRO-AM (710) weekday morning talk show isn't the only radio gig that would-be congressional candidate Dave Ross has going. So what about his other on-air jobs? Ross says he's been told his commentaries for the CBS Radio network can continue, at least on the other stations that carry them, since they wouldn't be heard in the Eighth District in which he plans to run. He's also filling in for Charles Osgood for several weeks, including this, while the commentator is on vacation. He's still awaiting a ruling on "Chip Talk." "If my voice is not allowed, I would hire a substitute," he says via e-mail (read Bill Virgin's Seattle Radio Beat)

Mel Karmazin's abrupt departure from Viacom Tuesday didn't immediately change radio - Howard Stern didn't walk out - but Viacom's Infinity Radio family was such a creature of Karmazin's style it seems inevitable a change is gonna come.  Karmazin got his media foothold in radio, at WNEW, and he knows what he likes: "oceanfront property," meaning strong stations in major cities; big-name, high-profile personalities like Stern and Don Imus, and aggressive ad sales. (Witness the number of commercials on WFAN, WCBS-AM and WINS.) Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone hinted Tuesday that he would consider selling Infinity. If he doesn't, it will be revealing to see if Infinity makes an effort to keep Stern or Imus, both of whom have made the company a lot of money, when their current contracts expire. Both have said these contracts could be their last (read David Hinckley - NY Daily News)

CIA Director George Tenet (search) submitted his letter of resignation Thursday, President Bush announced. “I met with George last night in the White House," Bush said. "I had a good visit with him. He told me he was resigning for personal reasons. I told him I'm sorry he's leaving" Tenet has been at the center of controversy over the government's response to terror threats and the intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (read Fox News)  (read ABC News)   You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

Viacom announced that Jonathan Dolgen, Chairman of the Viacom Entertainment Group, is resigning, effective July 15. Said Mr. Dolgen: "Due to the recently announced changes in Viacom's management structure, the time was right for me to step aside. It has been a privilege to work with Sumner Redstone for more than a decade and to have participated in the growth and success of Viacom. In Tom and Les, Sumner has chosen exceptional executives to help him lead this company well into the future. "I couldn't be more proud of the operations I'm leaving behind, including Paramount Pictures,  Paramount TV, Simon & Schuster, Famous Players, and Paramount Parks, and the extraordinary executives who lead them (read)

Chicago's premier oldies station is turning to radio's self-styled "Top Rock Girly Jock" to host a new Saturday showcase for the music of the '70s. Starting this weekend, Connie Szerszen will host "'70s Saturday Night" from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturdays on WJMK-FM (104.3). The show replaces Dick Bartley's syndicated "Rock 'n' Roll's Greatest Hits" on the Infinity Broadcasting station + Crawford Broadcasting is making good on its vow to give Clear Channel Radio a run for its money. Crawford is expected to announce a new all-star lineup today for WSRB-FM (106.3), its rhythm-and-blues rival to Clear Channel's WVAZ-FM (102.7) + Jill Egan, former morning co-host at WZZN-FM (94.7), has landed as weekend and fill-in jock at WLUP-FM (97.9). + more (read Feder of Chicago)

A former Christian radio producer who pleaded guilty in February to child pornography charges must serve 15 years in prison. Kerry Dwayne Stevens, 47, of Tupelo, was sentenced Wednesday in federal court. U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson sentenced Stevens on two counts of producing child pornography (read Biloxi Sun-Herald)

Cox Communications Inc. has hired Dallas-based Cultura Advertising as its Hispanic agency of record. Cultura will work with Atlanta-based Cox to build awareness of and demand for its digital cable, digital telephone and high-speed Internet services among the Hispanic populations in its key opportunity markets. The campaigns will involve television, radio, print, direct marketing and grassroots promotions (read Atlanta Biz Journal)

Embattled Disney CEO Michael Eisner's much-anticipated memoir, "Camp," may be spiked permanently after an argument with the publisher, sources tell PAGE SIX. In March, Eisner, 61, was stripped of his Disney chairmanship but allowed to remain as CEO. Warner Books subsequently said publication of "Camp" — originally scheduled to go on sale this month — would be delayed at least a year. Warner had planned a first printing of 100,000 copies. The book delves into the mogul's life-changing experiences at Vermont's top-drawer Camp Keewaydin in the 1950s and '60s. Some insiders blamed the postponement on Eisner's travails at the office. The official reason is that he's too busy to promote the book. But insiders say Eisner's sub-par writing skills were more to blame (read Page Six)

For several hours on the air on Tuesday, Roe Conn gave a eulogy, as his hopes that Meier would come to his senses and rejoin Conn on WLS-AM 890 faded. Conn said he was close to finalizing his own deal with the station, squashing speculation once and for all that the afternoon personality would jump to another station with Meier. Who, other than Meier, could blame him? Meier was taken off the air before his contract expired after he and Cynthia Fircak, his agent and wife, refused a new deal worth more than $1 million a year. He had expected his partner/friend to turn down his own lucrative deal to join him at another station for what certainly would have been much less money than what they were offered at WLS. To Meier, loyalty apparently is a one-way street. As difficult as Meier's relationship with WLS management may have been, the radio industry has shown us that managers typically don't outlast the on-air talent (read Jim Kirk - Chicago Tribune)

Each week, hundreds of thousands of San Diegans listen to the most famous graduates of the radio program at Palomar College, people such as Anita Rush and Greg Simms (Star 100.7), Shannon Leder (Rock 105.3), Meg Banta (KPRI) and Kenny Goldberg (KPBS). But until recently, only a tiny number of people ---- perhaps dozens ---- ever tuned in to KKSM/1320 AM, the campus radio station where they learned the art of being a disc jockey. The station is cursed by a weak signal that reaches only a small chunk of North County, and the only other way to listen was to figure out the mysteries of "cable radio." Then there was the matter of KKSM's programming, which was often so cutting-edge (i.e., weird) that people who tuned in quickly tuned out. All in all, the downs outnumbered the ups (read Randy Dotinga - North County Times)

If it wasn't clear before, it should be now - Warner Wolf has a lot of fans. Readers, responding to yesterday's column slamming WCBS/Ch.2 for the despicable way they handled Wolf's firing, were supportive of the veteran sportscaster and angry with the station. "As a viewer and a sports nut, I always watch Warner Wolf's sports update, and he will be missed," wrote Gordon Lindner. "He would always make us laugh and look forward to his remarks about sports. Now, CBS has no ranking in my book." "His firing showed a total disrespect for a newscaster of his experience and tenure," wrote Belfrieda Dawson. "It is unfortunate that experience and loyalty are thought of so less these days." (read Richard Huff - NY Daily News)

To learn more about college students you really need to listen to them. An easy way to do that is to tune your radio to 1670 AM to hear the official radio station of Sul Ross State University. Listening to KSRU, you’ll hear the music and opinions of local student DJs. What – still can’t hear them? Try listening from your car. A car radio tends to amplify weak signals better than a portable radio. What – still can’t hear them? Try driving over to campus. Broadcasting at a tenth of a watt, KSRU doesn’t exactly shout. In fact, its low power allows it to remain legal, because KSRU is not even classified as a licensed radio station (read Desert Mountain Times)

Callers and e-mailers are still wondering where the Al Franken 11 a.m.-2 p.m. show has gone in the Twin Cities market. Last Tuesday, the show and the entire "Straight Talk Radio" format shifted from WMNN-AM, 1330, to AM 740 and AM 1530. Full ratings for Franken's parent network, Air America Radio, won't be available until the middle of July, but based on monthly "trends" reports, Air America's New York station actually beat Rush Limbaugh among listeners 25-54 (read Brian Lambert - St. Paul Pioneer Press)

In honor of the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Western Europe during World War II, XM Satellite Radio will air a 40-hour, real-time recreation of D-Day news coverage starting Sunday, June 6. XM Radio's 40's channel, which is devoted to popular music of the decade, will broadcast the historic NBC News bulletin about the D-Day attack on June 6 at 12:41 a.m. ET, 60 years to the day after its original broadcast (read Corey Deitz)

I used to live in a central Indian town called Nagpur. When I was a child, maybe four or five years old, I faintly remember the excitement in our home when my father bought a radio. I am talking about the period 1955-56 when a radio was a luxury for any middle class family. A radio used to be very expensive in those days. The post-transistor days, of course, have seen the price of a radio fall constantly with more and more people being able to affording one. Radio has successfully survived both the advent of television and the cable revolution. The nineties saw a rise in the popularity of FM broadcasting, giving radio a new lease of life. The radio will survive, as long as there are die-hard fans like me. I am sure it will one day return to claim its rightful place in the sun (read Prabhat K. Mukherjee - Korean Times)

Jillian Barberie is leaving Fox's syndicated "Good Day Live." She'll continue doing Fox football coverage + Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe chats with Eric Von at 2 this afternoon on WMCS-AM (1290) + Chicago's WGN-AM (720), which has a loyal following up here, is marking its 80th anniversary of broadcasting under the current call letters.  The station has launched an anniversary Web site - www.wgngold.com - which features two hours of audio from the station's 40th anniversary broadcast back in 1964 (read Tim Cuprisin - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

John Simpson, the BBC's world affairs editor, has called on the corporation to appoint a news ombudsman to oversee complaints. He said a system similar to the Guardian's would make journalists more vigilant about balance and accuracy in their reports. The BBC is considering ways of beefing up its complaints procedures in the wake of the row over the Iraq dossier story. It is likely to appoint a controller of complaints, who would be responsible for the system (read the Guardian)

Discovery Institute criticized National Public Radio (NPR) for mounting a campaign of misinformation about the teaching of Darwinian evolution in public schools. The Institute also questioned whether NPR's "ombudsman" who is supposed to investigate listener complaints really exists. Culminating with the cancellation of a guest critical of Darwinian evolution last week, NPR has aired a series of recent reports about the controversy over teaching evolution that were factually inaccurate, misrepresenting key issues, or unbalanced (read)

(RDN Editor's Note: If Clear Channel, Infinity, Emmis, Susquehanna and other large media organizations were each to appoint a programming ombudsman at the corporate level, a person who would be free and independent of corporate pressure, would this just create another level of bureaucracy or serve to address some of the public complaints to the FCC that seem to be increasing? e-mail your comments to ls@radiodailynews.com -- Some of your comments may be published on RDN, so specify if you'd like your full name or just initials used. Larry Shannon, Editor)

Controversial radio jock Howard Stern has hinted he would take his adult antics to satellite radio if kicked off his nationally syndicated show because of indecency problems with the Federal Communications Commission.
So, is satellite radio ready to put Stern, or "shock jocks' in general behind one of its microphones? "I don't think either company wants to become the service of shock jocks,' said Stan Kozlowski, senior vice president of retail distribution for SIRIUS Satellite Radio, talking about SIRIUS and industry rival, XM Satellite Radio. "I don't think we're in the business to challenge decency.' (read Press-Telegram)

It's hard to find a good media mogul these days. That's the predicament faced by three of the big five media conglomerates, a vacuum highlighted by Tuesday's resignation of Viacom Inc. President Mel Karmazin and the graying of the industry's entrenched titans. Viacom Chief Executive Sumner Redstone — who battled with Karmazin over control — is 81. Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp., is 73. And although Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Michael Eisner is only 62, his contract expires in two years and dissident shareholders have been calling for him to leave sooner. "This is a real challenge for these very diversified media companies," said Lowell Singer, a media analyst at investment banking firm SG Cowen. "There are very few executives with experience in the myriad of businesses that these companies now compete in. There's not a long list of executives" positioned to replace the incumbents (read LA Times)

The Conclave, with the support of BMI and Moonlight Groove Highway, present the incomparable David Crosby as this year’s Legend at Saturday’s Legend Luncheon, July 17th at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center Hotel. The Legend Luncheon, which features conversation, performance and a question and answer section, has swiftly become a highlight for those in attendance at the Conclave Learning Conference over the last 5 years. BMI and Moonlight Groove Highway have made it possible for those in attendance to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up-close and personal with a rock and roll icon (visit The Conclave Web site)

West Virginia Public Radio will say goodbye to a popular statewide news program when it alters its schedule next month. "Dateline: West Virginia," a 20-year-old weekday news magazine, will be gone July 5. On public radio's 14 stations across the state, "Dateline" has preempted one-quarter of the 4 to 6 p.m. "All Things Considered" block. "Dateline," which delves into state and local issues, runs from 4:30 to 5 p.m. (read Charleston Daily Mail)

On the premise that good news creates a chain reaction that provides wide, lasting benefits, seven Durango residents have crafted a five-minute program - Good Dirt Radio - focusing on cheerful, environmentally oriented news. "There is no subject we won't consider, but it can't be fluff, pie in the sky," said Tom Bartels. The programs air monthly or bi-monthly on La Plata County stations KSUT-FM (90.1) and KDUR-FM (91.9). But plans call for approaching the 30-station High Country Community Radio Coalition - of which KDUR is a member - about spreading the good word on stations in New Mexico and Utah as well as Colorado (read Durango Herald)

When he spoke last weekend at the dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw knew that this was a scene not likely to be repeated. It'll be just as poignant this weekend, Brokaw predicts, when he and media from around the world gather in Normandy, France, to cover the 60th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of Europe. All the big anniversaries of D-Day are special, he says, "but this time we all know it's going to be the last big one for these veterans." As such, network and cable television plan extensive coverage throughout the weekend (read Peter Johnson - USA Today)

Bill Clinton, memoir writer, should get better ratings for doing "60 Minutes" than did Bill Clinton, co-host of "Point-Counterpoint." Clinton, who flopped last year as a commentator for the CBS television news magazine, will discuss his upcoming book, "My Life," with newsman Dan Rather in an interview to be aired June 20. "It's a platform that serves up one of the more consistent viewerships in television," Paul Bogaards, a spokesman for Clinton's publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, said Tuesday. "My Life" will be published June 22 with a first printing of 1.5 million (read Indy Star)

ARBitrends for Atlanta, Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood and Orlando (read 'em)

Premiere Radio Networks will deliver the exclusive radio call of the 136th Belmont Stakes (G1) from Belmont Park on June 5 with the broadcast being distributed to 175 stations. The one-hour and fifteen minute broadcast will begin at 6 p.m. EDT with the Belmont Stakes post time scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Saturday. It will also have clearances in 49 of the top 50 markets as well as worldwide clearance on the Armed Forces Radio Network (read Thoroughbred Times )

After parting with MSNBC this spring, former DFW Fox 4 News anchor Ashleigh Banfield is spending her days making plans for her marriage to financier Howard Gould. But she's still frequently entangled in the tentacles of the tabloids ... While the syndicators and talk-show suits chat up Ashleigh's agent, her energies are focused on the July 24 nuptials to the great-great-grandson of robber baron Jay Gould. The couple will wed on Ashleigh's native turf in northern Ontario (read Alan Peppard - Dallas News)

Over its first five months, a new Web site based in Maryland has won attention and kudos within the cable news world by tracking the industry's bombshells and minutiae. Hirings, firings, insights from news executives, differences in coverage - little escapes the notice of www.cablenewser.com  The site's operator, Brian Stelter, loves cable news channels and disdains the old-fashioned news divisions of broadcast television. "They're irrelevant," he confides. Fans include on-air figures such as Fox News Channel's Greta Van Susteren. E-mails have poured forth from executives and journalists at all the major cable news networks - Fox, CNN and MSNBC. It costs Stelter just $11 a month to maintain the site, which is probably a good thing, because he still lives with his mother, a nurse, in Damascus, Md., when he's not at school. Stelter is an 18-year-old sophomore at Towson University (read David Folkenflik - Baltimore Sun)

Denver-based Nobody In Particular Presents Inc. has settled its lawsuit against radio station owner Clear Channel Communications Inc. for undisclosed terms.  "This was a long and difficult battle, and we are very happy with this agreement," Doug Kauffman, NIPP's president and founder, said in a statement. Clear Channel admits no wrongdoing in the settlement, but is "pleased to get the matter behind us," Andy Levin, the company's chief legal officer, said in a statement.  NIPP, an independent concert promoter, sued Clear Channel in 2001 in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, alleging restraint of trade and monopolization (read Denver Biz Journal)

FOX News Channel commands 56% of the cable news viewership in Prime Time and 53% in Total Day for the month of May, according to Nielsen Media Research. In the last month, FNC averaged 1,258,000 viewers in Prime Time, while CNN had only 32% of the cable news pie with 727,000 viewers. MSNBC brought up the rear with only 12% of viewers in Prime Time with 283,000 viewers. FNC's Total Day average of 753,000 viewers once again eclipsed CNN's Prime Time viewership. CNN averaging 446,000 viewers could only lay claim to 31% of the cable news viewers in Total Day and MSNBC averaged a meager 220,000 viewers grasping just 16% of cable news viewership in Total Day. In addition, FNC has 57% of viewers 25-54 (395,000 viewers) in cable news Prime Time and 54% of 25-54 viewers (257,000 viewers) in Total Day + FNC has signed Shepard Smith, anchor of the network's signature newscast The Fox Report, to a new four-year deal (read the numbers)

June 1 was the last day to postmark your nominating ballot to name your choices for those who will on the voting ballot for induction into the 2004 Texas Radio Hall of Fame.  Those who have been nominated so far include Jay Marvin, Glen Cook, Stan McKenzie, Gene Cagle, Kurt Johnson, Jay West, Ricci Ware, Bill Enis, Stu Hepburn, Dave Morris, Jay Randolph, Sam Donaldson, Dave Lyker, Jimmy Davis, Kahn Hamon, Charles Russell, Steve Crosno, Suzie Humphries, Rocky Davis, Hal King, George Erwin, Don Day, Jim Underwood, Mike Rogers, Craig Way, Ted Davis, Ted Norman, Dave Spence, Loel Passe, Orlando Diego-Sanchez, Larry Dierker, Eric Nadel, Rene Cardenas, Greg "The Hammer" Williams, Mike Rhyner, Larry Kane, Morris Frank, Bob "The Dean" Green, Dick Gottlieb, Ed Shane, John Lander, Ron Gray, Richard Mock, Bob Morrison, Jo Interrante, Jon Rivers, Johnny Shannon, Cal Druxman, Richard (Rick) Marcellan, Magnificent Montague, Dick Glancey, Milo Hamilton, Ricky "Guero Polkas" Davila, Jeff Garrison, Murphy Martin, Bob Allen (Robert Egalnik), David Anderson, Paul Kallinger, Debbie Diaz, Darrell E. Yates, Larry Gunter, Ed Brandon and many more ...  Will you or your choices be inducted in October 2004 in San Antonio? (click here for the complete list of nominees and info on how to vote on the final ballot for your choice by becoming a Premier Voting Member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame) 

An Arizona-based mental health activist has filed a complaint against self-help guru Phil McGraw's advice show with the Federal Communications Commission. Neil David Sutz argues that the disclaimer warning "Dr. Phil" viewers that the show is intended for entertainment purposes only isn't displayed prominently enough (read Zap2It)

Interep Innovations announced that it will partner with Maddox Smye, LLC, to help advertisers create marketing programs that resonate with women and bolster sales to female consumers. Key categories include Automotive, Financial, Home Improvement, Home Furnishings and Electronics -- retail sectors that do not traditionally cater to female decision-makers (read)

Court TV's Catherine Crier will host O.J. Simpson in his only LIVE, no-holds-barred, unedited interview in an hour long Primetime edition of Catherine Crier Live(R), "Ten Years After OJ Simpson." The special is part of Court TV's comprehensive look at the investigation, the legal maneuvering, the media coverage and the lasting impact of the trial that was a turning point in the public's perception of the justice system, forensic science and race relations (read)

CBS added its voice to the growing chorus urging Nielsen Media Research to delay the implementation of its new TV ratings-measurement system, saying the company should address shortcomings identified by an industry association.
Nielsen is slated to debut the “local people meters” in New York Thursday, after postponing the initial launch date from April amid concerns that the system may undercount minority viewers (read Crain's New York)

For a medium that has remained more or less unchanged technologically since it first became popular, radio is going through an evolutionary spurt. Satellite radio outfits XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio have landed more than 2 million subscribers between them. But plain old AM/FM radio has also gotten a makeover: It has gone digital, with new signals, more programming and a batch of additional services you'd expect more from the Internet than the box on your kitchen counter (read Forbes - Arik Hesseldahl)

Viacom CEO and Chairman Sumner Redstone on Wednesday played down speculation the company was looking to get rid of its sluggish radio unit, in an interview with CNBC. "I would say our chances of selling Infinity are minimal," said Redstone, in a CNBC interview. "The margins are high, the cash flow's great." Redstone, the octogenarian chief of the company that owns CBS, MTV and the Paramount movie studios, on Tuesday stoked the fires of speculation after telling Wall Street Viacom intended to re-evaluate its asset portfolio (read Reuters)

Despite signals that he might jump to WLS-AM (890) as a new partner for afternoon host Roe Conn, Dan Bernstein has decided to stay put at WSCR-AM (670). Bernstein agreed Tuesday to a new five-year deal to continue as midday sports talk show host alongside Terry Boers at the Score. Bernstein, who has been off the air since his contract expired May 18, is expected to return to the show before the end of the week + Milt Rosenberg devotes his "Extension 720" show from 9 to 11 tonight to recalling the history of WGN-AM (720) as the station celebrates its 80th anniversary + WKKD-AM (1580) has signed on as an affiliate of Business TalkRadio Network. The network, based in Greenwich, Conn., provides business, financial and lifestyle programming to more than 200 stations and more (read Feder of Chicago)

Throughout his career, Howard Stern has had no more powerful and vocal champion than Mel Karmazin, particularly during Mr. Stern's tangles with the Federal Communications Commission over the content of his radio program. Now, with Mr. Karmazin's resignation yesterday as president and chief operating officer of Viacom, the always cantankerous Mr. Stern may have added incentive to leave when his contract expires in less than two years (read NY Times)

WCBS-FM (101.1) will do some traveling this summer to mark the 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley recording "That's All Right, Mama," a moment that helped kick off rock 'n' roll.
This Saturday and Sunday night, Cousin Bruce Morrow, Norm N. Nite and program director Joe McCoy will broadcast live from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The Sunday show also will mark the first anniversary of Nite's "Heart of Rock 'n' Roll" program, 8 p.m.-midnight Sundays, which is the main place WCBS-FM still plays early rock 'n' roll. On July 5, the anniversary of the Elvis recording, Nite will broadcast live from Memphis, noon-3 p.m. That show will start with WCBS-FM joining other stations around the country in playing "That's All Right, Mama." (read David Hinckley)

President Bush, preparing new Air Force officers for war, cast the fight against terrorism as a struggle between freedom and tyranny similar to World War II and the Cold War. "Our goal, the goal of this generation, is the same," Bush said Wednesday, after referring to World War II. "We will secure our nation and defend the peace through the forward march of freedom." Bush told 981 graduates that they will be joining a war whose central front is Iraq. "Each of you receiving a commission today in the United States military will also carry the hopes of free people everywhere," the president said (read Washington Post)  You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

One by one, staff and equipment for eight local Clear Channel Communications Inc. radio stations are on the move. The local studios of the San Antonio-based media giant are leaving cramped space in Mount Adams for gleaming production and broadcast studios in Kenwood on the sixth floor of the Bank One building. The new studios, which will be state-of-the-art when work is finished in two weeks, represent a $4 million investment and signal that the company plans to expand the amount of production work it creates in Southwest Ohio for other Midwest company stations, said Mike Kenney, regional vice president of Clear Channel (read Cincinnati Enquirer)

The firing of Warner Wolf on Friday has left WCBS/Ch. 2 staffers demoralized and - even worse - viewers angered.
Sources say insiders are still reeling from the decision of news director Dianne Doctor and station general manager Lew Leone to whack Wolf just a day after the station reveled in its best May sweeps ratings in a long, long time. "It really is a sad reflection on the channel itself," wrote a viewer at a Ch. 2 fan site. "I cannot/will not trust the news from a company that has treated its employees so poorly and with such disrespect." Wolf's run at Ch. 2 didn't have to end this way.
Indeed, according to a source, Wolf even offered station brass an exit plan that would have saved their faces, as well as his own (read Richard Huff - NY Daily News)

Although they didn't announce Tuesday that they were joining Sirius Satellite Radio as had been the buzz, New York City shock jocks "Opie and Anthony" may still jump to pay radio. If they do, it could signal a move to satellite for performers too hot for traditional radio in the post-Super Bowl peep show environment. The country's two competing satellite radio companies, Sirius and XM Satellite, each provide around 100 channels of programming to subscribers for around $10 a month, without the same FCC controls that commercial radio deals with. The person to watch in all this is the king of the shock jocks - Howard Stern - whose guru, Mel Karmazin, resigned Tuesday as head of Viacom (read Tim Cuprisin)

Now that Viacom president and chief operating officer Mel Karmazin has left the company, will shock jock Howard Stern be close behind? Karmazin stepped down yesterday for ``personal and professional reasons'' after more than 20 years with the company that includes nearly 180 radio stations across the country as well as radio personalities Stern and Don Imus. Karmazin had been Stern's strongest supporter in the syndicated jock's ongoing battles with the Federal Communications Commission over allegedly indecent programming on Stern's syndicated morning show, carried locally on WBCN-FM (104.1). Even last week, Stern said on his show that when Karmazin left the company, he would, too (read Dean Johnson - Boston Herald)

Cubans turning on their television sets in recent days have picked up programming rarely seen on this communist-run island: U.S. President George W. Bush defending his Iraq policy, American cartoons, news programs from Tampa Bay, Florida. No, this isn't a U.S. government propaganda effort. It's a regular atmospheric phenomenon that occurs for several days or weeks at the start of each summer, allowing Cubans in some coastal areas -- especially those living in tall buildings -- to tune in to regular TV and radio programming from Florida, 90 miles (about 145 kilometers) to the north (read CNN)

One-time U.S. ally and Iraqi émigré leader Ahmed Chalabi told an Iranian official that the United States had cracked Iran's secret communications code, sources confirmed to CNN Wednesday. The code was invaluable to Washington for intercepting intelligence from Iran's sophisticated secret service and could have provided information about Iranian operations inside Iraq and around the world. U.S. officials asked some news organizations not to report the information about 10 days ago because it appeared the Iranians were continuing to use the codes anyway (read CNN)

A new TV ad campaign featuring a same-sex couple in colonial costume invites gay tourists to come to the City of Brotherly Love, and a gay media group said it's the first time a television commercial for a U.S. tourist destination has targeted homosexuals. The 30-second spot, which was scheduled to air for the first time Wednesday night in Philadelphia and will be seen around the country, ends with the tag line: "Come to Philadelphia. Get your history straight and your nightlife gay." (read Atlanta J-C) You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

ARBitrends for Fort Worth-Dallas, Minneapolis and Tampa (read 'em)

John Hogan, Clear Channel Radio President/CEO, announced the appointment of Kim Garrett to Vice President, National Sales and Sponsorships. Garrett, based out of Dallas will work on special projects for the company, selling sponsorships nationally, as well as be responsible for developing strategic national partnerships to deliver customized promotional and contesting opportunities (visit Clear Channel Web site)

Brozo, a foul-mouthed clown with a green wig and a shiny red nose who was one of Mexico's hottest newscasters, bowed out of morning television Wednesday with the usual cheap laughs and a touch of tragedy. "El Mananero," a daily morning romp on the Televisa network that has influenced Mexican politics at the highest level, was aired for the last time after Brozo this week decided to end the program after the death of his wife (read San Diego Union Tribune)

Radio Legend, Eddie Hubbard, is now on air everyday, Monday-Friday from 1:00 to 4:00PM, on KAAM 770AM.  Review an amazing radio career by visiting www.eddiehubbard.com

The line-up of presenters for the 2004 Radio-Mercury Awards is studded with renowned advertising creatives and Radio industry executives who join the Radio Creative Fund (RCF) next Wednesday, June 9 to honor excellence in Radio creative during a spectacular luncheon awards ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City (read RAB)

The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) and the Famous Radio Ranch have launched the second phase of “The Great American Advertising Project,” an initiative to promote advertising and generate business. The project, which calls for the development of a series of 20 Radio spots that promote advertising for brand building and for generating sales, enters the second wave with the release of four new Radio spots (read RAB)

Former KXNT-AM, 840 morning show host Jeff Katz returns to the Las Vegas airwaves this week. He's sitting in all week for Ernie Brown as host of the nationally syndicated "America At Night" program. Katz, a former Philadelphia cop, left KXNT in late 2001 to join WPHT in Philadelphia. "America at Night" airs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on KNUU-AM, 970 (read Las Vegas Review Journal)

Hit the pause button, drop the remote and turn your radio down. It's time for another installment of cards and letters across the television/radio desk: Chris Randall: From the moment you reported that Garry Meier had fired his professional agent and replaced him with an amateur (Garry's wife), it was obvious that his contract talks with WLS-AM (890) would not go smoothly. But who could have possibly imagined that he would walk away from millions of dollars and destroy his own career? Even though it's his fault, I feel very sorry for him. Mike Sanchez: Garry Meier is a nice guy, but he has proven that he cannot run a talk show by himself, he gets too nervous, and his voice goes up a few octaves. Roe Conn said that the sticking point in the negotiations was that Mr. Meier felt he was being dissed by WLS. When a company offers an over-50-year-old employee a cushy 10-year deal, that is not disrespecting you in the least because most companies are pushing the over-50s right out the door (read Feder of Chicago)

On ABC NightLine: There is a new Iraqi government that has been designated, and most if not all of them, already sworn in, in advance of the June 30 handover. But will they actually be able to govern? And just what does sovereignty mean? (ABC NightLine Web site)

A congressional candidate's advertisement that identifies its sponsor in Spanish caused a quandary for a radio station.  WSJS stopped airing all political ads over the Memorial Day weekend while it tried to sort out what was said in the spot promoting Vernon Robinson, and whether it met federal disclosure requirements. Robinson's announcement, in English, discusses illegal immigration. Only the final line that identifies the sponsor is in Spanish, translated as: "Yo, Gringo! This episode of The Twilight Zone was paid for by Robinson for Congress." (read Winston-Salem Journal)

The conventions haven't had a semblance of a nomination fight since President Ford and Ronald Reagan went at it in 1976. The veep selections are now announced in advance. Every speech, every introduction, every balloon drop is choreographed in advance. But while the broadcast networks have cut back on live coverage amid declining ratings, 15,000 expense-account journalists still show up for the quadrennial gatherings, as they will this summer in Boston and New York. The cable channels will go wall-to-wall, newspapers will be awash in front-page stories, the newsmagazines will put the nominees on their covers -- even though no real news is unfolding inside the arenas. The media quickly shot down Kerry's trial balloon of delaying the nomination so he could spend another month raising money before accepting his $75 million federal check for the general election. But does that make the Beantown bash any more real? (read Howard Kurtz - Media Matters)
 

Mel Karmazin has unexpectedly resigned as the No. 2 executive behind Sumner Redstone at Viacom Inc., the media giant that owns CBS, MTV and numerous other properties.
Viacom said Tuesday that its board had named MTV boss Tom Freston and CBS leader Leslie Moonves to share the jobs Karmazin held as co-presidents and co-chief operating officers, effective immediately. Sumner Redstone said,"We very much regret Mel's decision to resign and we wish him well. He has been instrumental in Viacom's operating success since our merger with CBS and he leaves with an extraordinary track record of accomplishment. We appreciate that he has agreed to stay on as a consultant for two months to help Tom and Les with the transition to their new posts." Mel Karmazin stated: "After more than 20 years with the Company, for personal and professional reasons, I have decided to leave Viacom and pursue other challenges.  Viacom is performing exceptionally well with leadership positions in all of its businesses.  The Company's very talented management team will ensure its continued success." Redstone has said that his daughter, Shari Redstone, 49, who is president of National Amusements, will probably inherit his control of Viacom. He also said she won't run the company. His son, Brent, 53, a former New York state prosecutor, is an attorney in private practice and not a candidate. Howard Stern said on his radio show Tuesday he was shocked and sad to see Karmazin go and believes he will soon following him out the door. He said he has 18 months left on his contract with Infinity. "I know our days are numbered here on the air, but now they're really numbered," he told listeners. "They (Viacom management) will cave (to FCC pressure)...Between the FCC and Mel leaving the company, I've got to be on shaky ground now (read NY Post) (read Infinity news release) (read Bloomberg) (read Reuters) (read CNN/Money) (read NY Times)

Did he or didn't he? The folks at Razor magazine have been making a big deal about their "exclusive" Howard Stern interview purportedly conducted by former Daily News gossip A.J. Benza. But Stern insists the alleged interview never happened. It's part of Razor's June cover story on the blue-tongued radio jock's troubles with the Federal Communications Commission (read NY Daily News - Lloyd Grove)  (read Razor Magazine)

There's nothing funny about Houston traffic, except the name of the radio reporter giving us the bad news. "The Katy Freeway is backed up to Bingle, and there's an overturned truck on the Eastex. ... This is Elaine Closure — now back to more music." Elaine Closure, Allen Parkway, U-Turn Laverne, Stella Link, Laura Koppe — it's an amazing coincidence that people with these names would work as traffic reporters. "I don't know how it started, but it's been a tradition that traffic reporters on radio come up with funny or clever names," said Bryan Erickson, news director for the Clear Channel cluster of stations in Houston. In fact, it was Erickson who came up with my new favorite, Paige Turner. "She's new. Her real name is Paige Buford, but that wouldn't do. So I thought for a minute, and she became Paige Turner. "You'll find most of the funny names on the FM music stations, where there's more interplay between the host and the traffic reporter. I just got a résumé from a helicopter reporter who goes by Lucy in the Sky," Erickson said (read Ken Hoffman - Houston Chronicle)

With all the attention paid to the young folks in the talk radio game, it was easy to miss the fact that WOR's Bob Grant recently marked his 56th anniversary on the air. There aren't a whole lot of people anywhere in media who can say that, but Grant, who is heard daily 4-6 p.m. on WOR (710 AM), says it softly. "It's nothing earth-shattering," he said. "I'm just doing something I still enjoy doing. When I don't enjoy it anymore, I'll stop." (read David Hinckley)

The 41st President of the United States has stepped up to defend his son, the 43rd President of the United States, against "slimeball" filmmaker Michael Moore. "I have total disdain for Moore," George H.W. Bush told us when we saw him at the T.J. Martell Foundation Awards gala, where he was honored along with Stevie Wonder and Dr. Daniel Vasella the other night. "41" has heard enough about "Fahrenheit 9/11," Moore's documentary indictment of President Bush, to know "it's a vicious attack on our son. "It's a free country, so he's free to say whatever he wants," the former Oval Officer went on. "But I don't appreciate it. I don't like it (read NY Daily News - Rush and Molloy)

It wasn't that long ago, though, that the networks were the most important cultural media. And it was usually the self-proclaimed "Tiffany" network, CBS, that broke new ground, from introducing "block" programming to offering controversial new shows like the '70s' All in the Family. The brooding, insecure -- but brilliant -- man behind many of these broadcasting innovations was CBS founder Bill Paley. While Paley is often considered a programming genius, a less understood element of his legacy is how he stood the broadcasting business model on its head, smoothing the way for rapid industry growth. Before Paley came along, other entrepreneurs -- including his own father -- viewed radio stations as akin to a local newspaper: a stand-alone outlet for some advertising and perhaps some light entertainment. The radio stations bought the programming from the network, so they were the network's clients (read BusinessWeek)

Operators of Nashville Public Radio are excitedly awaiting the day – which they say is within reach – that they can add at least one more public radio channel to the FM dial. Since the cost of adding a station frequency is economically prohibitive in the crowded FM band, the station is pinning its hopes on the newest incarnation of digital radio technology. The technology allows WPLN to add a digital signal to its 90.3 FM analog frequency and split it into two digital channels, one that would carry the same programming as now heard and another that would open up a new programming stream (read Nashville City Paper)

It is not porn -- it is Pervert Radio. An internet based pirate talk radio station with an all-adult format has been launched, www.PervertRadio.com. “This is talk radio for adults, not a music show or a show where all you hear is girls masturbating, any idiot can get a girl to talk dirty on the air. We talk about serious things; politics, drugs, violence, domestic abuse, and yes, we talk about sex, sometimes very descriptively”. Listeners tune in via their web site, PervertRadio.com, and listen to the live Paul & Mike Show free of charge four nights a week, with re-plays 24/7 (read)

Those longing for the days when national sports talk radio was prevalent locally are in for a rude awakening - you're not missing much. Anyone who remembers the intelligent, informative and sometimes humorous talk which emanated from 94.7 FM (formerly WSPX) first courtesy of "One on One Sports" and later ESPN Radio will probably not recognize the genre today. After sampling what both Columbia sports talk stations (ESPN Radio 1230 and Fox Sports Radio 1400) had to "offer" it was obvious the time when a Bob Kemp, Tony Kornheiser and even Arnie "The Stinking Genius" Spanier provided a respite from the mindless, senseless jargon which passes as "provocative" sports talk today is perhaps a distant memory (read the Times and Democrat)

Each week, President Bush sits down for a short chat with the country. His weekly radio address is beamed to stations in all 50 states. But has America tuned out? The president is disappearing from the dial in some cities. A satellite sends the speech to radio companies and affiliates every Saturday morning. Radio stations decide whether to broadcast the five-minute segment. Most don't. In Dallas, KRLD-AM (1080) stopped airing the addresses several months ago, said Tyler Cox, the station's director of news and operations. Excerpts from the speech still air during newscasts, he said. The area's public radio station, KERA-FM (90.1), takes a similar approach, replaying newsworthy highlights. "It's curious," said Steve Anderson, the station's public relations manager. "Of all places, you would think you'd be able to hear it in Texas." (read Dallas News)

Jerry Seinfeld's massive overhaul of the sprawling East Hampton estate he bought from singer Billy Joel is now nearly complete - the Mets megafan has built his own baseball field.  The 101/2-acre spread, purchased for a song - er, $32 million - four years ago is now worth at least $50 million, say East End experts, who cite the near-complete teardown of Joel's digs, the extensive construction and improvements made for Seinfeld, the secluded beachfront site, and today's soaring real-estate market (read NY Post)

KOA Radio's Susie Wargin continues to build a TV career on 9News as reporter and anchor. On Wednesday night, she provided a compassionate look at the way Rockies manger Clint Hurdle and his wife, Karla, are dealing with the problems of their 21-month-old daughter Madison. The youngster suffers from Prader-Willi Syndrome (read Dusty Saunders - Rocky Mountain News)

Pulitzer Prize winner Judith Miller’s series of exclusives about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq—courtesy of the now-notorious Ahmad Chalabi—helped the New York Times keep up with the competition and the Bush administration bolster the case for war. How the very same talents that caused her to get the story also caused her to get it wrong. Miller also racked up the sort of adventure tales that correspondents love to dispense after a dram or two of whiskey. She witnessed a hanging in Sudan, flew across Afghanistan in a rickety Northern Alliance helicopter held together in places by duct tape. “Judy is a smart, relentless, incredibly well-sourced, and fearless reporter,” says Keller. “It’s a little galling to watch her pursued by some of these armchair media ethicists who have never ventured into a war zone or earned the right to carry Judy’s laptop.”  (read NY Magazine) You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

Want to get an NBC executive's blood boiling? Just suggest that "Dateline NBC" may have besmirched its reputation with its series of shows about the network's entertainment fare. "I took some grief from the critics," said NBC News President Neal Shapiro. "I think the audience was totally understanding." NBC is a division of General Electric Co. (GE) unit NBC Universal. In one month, NBC's signature newsmagazine devoted some five hours of programming to the season finale of "The Apprentice" and the series finales of "Friends" and "Frasier." No one argues they weren't legitimate stories. Other networks, newspapers and magazines all covered them. More than 105 million people watched the three shows. Yet the programming was evidence, to some, of skewed priorities. Competitor "60 Minutes II" provided a clear contrast last month by unearthing photos of alleged prisoner abuse by Americans in Iraq (read Dow Jones)

After BBC Radio 4 was named Station of the Year for the first time in the Sony Radio Awards of 2003, the delighted network controller Helen Boaden asked herself: "Where do you go from there?" So when the station won the accolade for a second time last month it seemed only right to put the question to her again. If Boaden is allowing herself a moment's rest on her laurels she doesn't show it. "I'm very uncomplacent about our future," she admits. Her concerns are two-fold. First, the growth of digital radio is making audiences "more promiscuous about their listening". Second, the long-running story of Iraq, which Radio 4 is obliged to cover fully, is proving a turn-off - or at least a turn-over - for many listeners who feel that they have had all they can stand of the war. "I have an instinct that as the situation in Iraq continues there has been a sort of weariness with the coverage," she says. "Because most people have made up their minds what they think about it and it's hard to find the rays of light for any side of the debate." (read The Independent)

The husband of a popular Saudi television presenter was convicted and sentenced to six months in prison and 600 lashes in the brutal battering of his wife, who had used her plight to campaign against wife beating.  Mohammed Bakr al-Fallatta, an unemployed singer, was convicted of abuse and sentenced by a court in the Red Sea port of Jiddah. He had surrendered on April 21 after being sought for beating his wife Rania al-Baz unconscious. Al-Baz, who works for state-run Saudi Channel One, was in hospital with 13 facial fractures, requiring 12 operations, after the assault (read Reuters) (read Breaking News - Ireland)

Though it may be only an urban myth that Pat Boone changed Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" to "Isn't That a Shame" — as Page Six reported last week — the conservative crooner has indeed altered lyrics he thought too racy for his Wonder Bread-munching fans. In Boone's remake of the El Dorados' "At My Front Door," he sings, "If you got a little mama and ya want to get along/ Teach your little mama right from wrong." The actual lyrics are, "If you got a little mama and ya want to keep her neat/ Keep your little mama off my street." Any 1950s hipster will tell you that "keep her neat" is jive for maintaining a woman's virginity (read NY Post - Page Six)

On May 27, WPVI news anchor Jim Gardner announced that fellow anchor Lisa Thomas-Laury will not return to "Action News." Here is the official press release from the station:  During the past two years, Lisa Thomas-Laury has been battling a chronic peripheral neuropathy, a disease that affects the nerves in her feet and legs. The illness has forced Lisa to be on medical leave intermittently, with the goal of returning to work. However, Lisa and her doctors have decided she needs a longer period of time to focus solely on her health, and she will be leaving Action News at 5pm. Because Lisa has been a major part of the Action News team for the past 26 years, we are leaving the door open for her to return to Action News when her health permits + Despite a May sweeps fourth place finish for ABC, WPVI held on to win the 11 p.m. Monday through Friday news race with an 11 rating/18 share.  WCAU finished with a 10 rating/16 share, and KYW was a close third with a 9 rating/15 share.  This is KYW's best May sweeps performance in almost a decade (read Laura Nachman - Philly Burbs)

Even by the chaotic standards of a new media company, Air America Radio's first two months of broadcasting have been convulsive. In a sign that the privately held company's financial woes have not fully abated, Al Franken, the network's best-known star, said in an interview last week that he had agreed not to draw a salary, however temporarily, making him "an involuntary investor.'' "We had some bad management,'' Mr. Franken said. "Then we got some good management.'' ... In New York among listeners from 25 and 54, whom advertisers covet, the network estimates it drew an average listener share (roughly a percentage of listeners) of 3.4 on WLIB in April, from 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays, according to the company's extrapolation of figures provided by Arbitron for the three months ended in April. (Arbitron, which does not provide ratings in monthly increments, said the network's methodology appeared sound, although such figures were too raw to translate to numbers of listeners.)  By contrast, according to Air America's figures, WABC-AM drew an average share of 3.2 during the same period in April for the same age group. That time period includes the three hours in which Mr. Limbaugh was pitted head to head against Mr. Franken (read NY Times - Jacques Steinberg)

Time's Richard Zoglin's 10 Questions for Rush Limbaugh: YOU'VE GOT TO BE A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED ABOUT HOW THINGS HAVE TURNED OUT IN IRAQ. Ah, a typical trick question to get me to criticize policy so that the left can say even Rush Limbaugh has problems with whatever. I am willing to acknowledge that things could go better in certain areas. But I'd rather focus on the positive. I think this is a valiant effort. I think the vision that's involved here is very important. War is filled with unpredictable things. We lost over 1,000 soldiers in a training mission for D-day. A training mission! If we had had the kind of scrutiny in World War II that we have today, we wouldn't have won it. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE AL FRANKEN LIBERAL RADIO NETWORK? I have not heard them. I do not listen to anybody who does radio. I don't even listen to myself. THE A.C.L.U. HAS SUPPORTED YOUR LEGAL FIGHT TO KEEP THE MEDICAL RECORDS IN YOUR DRUG CASE PRIVATE. THIS IS NOT A GROUP YOU'RE A FAN OF. DO YOU WELCOME ITS SUPPORT? In a situation like this, I think it's safe to say I welcome its support, and I don't find it hypocritical at all, because I am not anti-A.C.L.U. If the A.C.L.U. wants to go after, say, Nativity scenes or this sort of thing, I may take issue, but there are other areas where I've supported things it has done (read the other 7 at Time Magazine)

When L. Brent Bozell watches "Nip/Tuck," the FX show that explores the nation's fascination with plastic surgeons, he sees a violent program where doctors slash and reconstruct noses to the accompaniment of "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones.  His distaste would normally have little significance - beyond his forbidding his own children from watching - but Mr. Bozell is the head of the Parents Television Council  a conservative organization (as well as Media Research Center, CNS News, Times Watch, the Free Market Project, Media War Watch and other projects) that is part of the growing chorus of voices protesting violence and indecency on television. Along with other groups that are monitoring cable content - Concerned Women for America and Citizens for Community Values - Mr. Bozell opposes the current system where cable companies sell a bundled number of services to customers but do not let them pick and chose which channels they want to pay for (read NY Times)

From Sonny Melendrez: "Much has been written about the state of on-air personalities in today's radio. Some have advanced the idea that radio personalities should duplicate the great radio personalities like Don Imus and the Real Don Steele. Radio, as any art, is forever. Whether it is the recordings or the documentation of the past, radio as an art is still valid. The challenge is not to find a way to duplicate the past. The opportunity is to harness the validity of the art. Done with excellence, no other medium comes close ..." (read it all)

It was less like a speech, more like a talk radio riff. Neal Boortz, the Atlanta radio gabmaster who peddles himself to listeners as "the high priest of the church of the painful truth," addressed nearly 1,000 fellow Libertarians at the party's national convention Saturday with a 42-minute performance that could have passed as a segment from his nationally syndicated talk show. He cracked up the breakfast crowd at the Marriott Marquis downtown by making fun of New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton ("Never trust a politician without knees"), razzing friend and conservative radio personality Sean Hannity ("Baby Jesus") and taunting conventioneers who wore anti-Boortz lapel stickers in protest of his support of the war in Iraq ("If you can't afford a button, get a new cause"). "I'm going to do this like I do talk radio. If I get on a roll, you're going to have to turn down the volume," said Boortz, who broadcasts from WSB-AM in Atlanta (read Atlanta J-C)

Last Friday, the getaway day for a holiday weekend, I spun the dial on my radio and heard three of my favorite shows offering "best of" editions. That really means the hosts took the day off and the station bosses saved money by playing old tapes instead of paying a sub to sit in. The concept shows NO regard for listeners. The folks tuning in don't need recycled radio. Programmers need to have some back-ups. In 28 years of daily radio I never took off and played old tapes in my place. Two of the three stations that employed me would never have allowed it anyway. If they did, I wouldn't have done it (read Chicago Ed)

Dear Radio Babe, But Babe, there is a 100,000 (watt) AM Radio Station in the U.S. I work at one down the Coast from you! (1180 AM) Oh, but we don't answer to the FCC here????? S.F. -- Dear S.F., It's not nice to toy with Radio Babe. Pay attention now as she dangles you in the masses, definitively ending the issue of 100,000-watt AM stations. The maximum-powered, FCC-licensed, United States AM stations broadcast at 50,000 watts. End of story. S.F. refers to Marathon Key's Radio Martí, which transmits to Cuba and is, in fact, ruled by the laws of Congress -- United States Code, Title 22 ; Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Chapter 18; United States Information and Educational Exchange Programs, Subchapter V-A; Radio Broadcasting To Cuba, Sec. 1465a. -- to be exact (read Radio Babe - Dawn Scire)

Clear Channel Radio and Epic Records, along with national sponsor Winterfresh(R) gum, congratulate  who was crowned the winner of their 14-week Radio Star talent search. Loftin will receive an Epic Records recording contract, $50,000, and a chance to perform in Z100/New York's Jingle Ball and KIIS-FM/Los Angeles' Jingle Ball concerts. She will also receive management representation from the William Morris Agency to help her wade through all of the opportunities headed her way! The winner of the "Radio Star" talent search, Natalie Loftin, gets $50,000 for wardrobe and makeover, a Sony Music recording contract and will open at Z100's Jingle Ball and Los Angeles' KIIS-FM Jingle Ball. If you're thinking "American Idol," think again. The 14-week contest, co-sponsored by Clear Channel Radio, syndicator Premiere Broadcasting (a part of the Clear Channel Communications empire) and Sony Music, had about 70 percent of its competitors delivering original music (read) (read NJ Star-Ledger)

Internet retailers killed in the dot-com bust can now scratch a postscript onto their tombstones: "We were right - at least in theory." Online retailers executed a sharp turnaround to profitability last year, according to a report released by Shop.org, an industry trade group. The numbers indicate that some of the reasons Web merchants attracted investors during the dot-com boom were not so far-fetched after all. The annual report, based on surveys of 150 online retailers earlier this year, indicates that merchants generated profit margins of 16 percent last year, compared with losses of 15 percent in 2002. Offline retailers, by contrast, typically generate profits of 3 to 10 percent, according to the study (read NY Times)

Most satellite radio listeners tune in while driving; around half get the service when they buy a new car. GM offers XM receivers on more than 40 of its vehicle models and will offer them on all of its 2005 models. Subscribers can also buy units at retailers and install them. New plug-and-play units move from car to home stereo to boombox. Industry analysts are projecting dramatic growth for satellite -- 16 million to 25 million satellite subscribers in the next five years. While both companies have been losing money, both project that 2005 will be their break-even year. Anyone who bought stock early on has a reason to smile: the value of shares of both XM and Sirius stock are up dramatically. Satellite has a ways to go. Some people resist the idea of having to buy a new receiver or are unwilling to pay a monthly fee when they can listen to commercial radio for free. Radio still rules as the entertainment medium of choice in cars, among 96 percent of the respondents. Satellite radio is dead last, with 1 percent (read Adrian McCoy - Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

A new study by the progressive media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) challenges the frequent assertion that National Public Radio (NPR) is a hotbed of liberalism. More serious, charges FAIR, NPR doesn't offer a broader perspective than commercial news outlets, because it gets much of its news from the same sources as commercial news media: the white male establishment. "National Public Radio, though founded as an alternative media outlet that would 'speak with many voices,' relies on largely the same range of sources that dominate mainstream commercial news," declares FAIR's four-page report. In response, NPR said it is pleased someone finds it has no liberal bias, since it has been dogged by that claim for years. NPR is less pleased, however, with FAIR's other charges (read David Hinckley)

From Claude Hall Online -- Gary Allyn, Jonathan Fricke, Carson Schreiber,  and Steve Warren sent me a copy of an article titled "Radio As Art" by Dr. George Pollard, associate professor of Arts and Social Sciences at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada + Don Keith writes "I did 32 years on air, in management and ownership, and with Tapscan and Arbitron. I still miss it every single day.  Especially being on the air ..." and more e-mails (read www.claudehallonline.com)

Maybe if the glaciers had smoothed out the hills of Vernon County this would not be an issue. Then again, this is about more than the wide variety of radio stations you can't dial up in the Driftless Area. It's about art and community service. Just ask Jim Hallberg of Viroqua. "This is going to be fun," he said.
Hallberg is a founder of Driftless Community Radio, a nonprofit group aiming to launch its own version of public radio for the Viroqua area this summer. Someday the group hopes the station will get a broadcast license, but until then, it plans to use the Internet (read Pioneer Press)

In the '90s, people went bananas over wireless. Electronic communications once thought to be permanently bound to the world of cables and hard-wired connections suddenly were sprung free, and the possibilities seemed endless. Entrenched monopolies would fall, and a new uncabled era would usher in a level of intimate contact that would not only transform business but change human behavior. Such was—the view by the end of that groundbreaking decade—the 1890s. And once again the commotion is justified. Because changes are afoot that are arguably as earth shattering as the first wireless transformation. Certainly a huge part of this revolution comes from untethering the most powerful communication tools of our time. Between our mobile phones, our BlackBerrys and Treos and our Wi-Fi'd computers, we're always on and always connected—and soon our cars and appliances will be too. While there's been considerable planning as to how people will use these tools and how they'll pay for them, the wonderful reality is that, as with the Internet, much of the action in the wireless world will ultimately emerge from the imaginative twists and turns that are possible when digital technology trumps the analog mind-set of telecom companies and government regulators (read Newsweek)

The man who plucked an obscure disc jockey from California and turned him into conservative talk radio's loudest practitioner has bought a home within shouting distance of his prodigy. Edward F. McLaughlin, former president of ABC Radio Networks and a member of the Radio Hall of Fame, has paid $9.5 million for a 7,759-square-foot home in the 1000 block of North Ocean Boulevard. It has five bedrooms and eight bathrooms. Rush Limbaugh, whose radio show now airs on more than 200 stations, lives nearby in a compound he spent millions of dollars putting together to ensure his privacy (read Palm Beach Post)

A year ago, classical music station KDFC-FM began broadcasting a digital radio signal that gave listeners audio that sounded as sharp and crisp as a CD. One year later, only five other Bay Area radio stations have gone digital. The problem is, the advent of digital radio has come off like the proverbial tree that falls in the woods. There was barely anyone around to hear it. That's because the special receivers equipped to tune in the digital HD Radio technology weren't being sold in any Bay Area stores (read SF Chronicle)

When it comes to station rankings in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, not much has changed. As KXAS boasts, it is No. 1 at 10 p.m. for the eighth straight sweeps period. As KTVT/Channel 11 brags, it is No. 2 for the second time running, putting WFAA/Channel 8's vaunted newscast into the unenviable position of third. As Channel 8 indicates, even though it's trailing at 8, it's doing well overall, particularly in the 5 and 6 p.m. slots. As KDFW/Channel 4 hypes, it's showing growth at 6 p.m., and its local Good Day Dallas continues to beat the national morning shows. So everyone's got something to brag about (read Robert Philpot)

From Chuck Dunaway's "The Radio Diaries" -- Kent Burkhart: I traveled to Seattle to see a client. I had checked in a hotel at 9 PM or so and was monitoring my client's station. At 9:30 someone knocked on my door. There was no peephole to the hall. I asked who was there. A male voice answered stating "let me in." I told him he must have the wrong room, pick up the hall phone to call the front desk to track down the person he was looking for. He mumbled something and left. He was back in 5 minutes knocking again. I made the same explanation. He said "this is my room." I said "Sorry, I am checked in here as the front desk will tell you." He said, "I want to come into my room, and if you don't open the door on three, I’m going to come right through it ..."  Steve Eberhart: As Larry is untightening the screw at the top of the vacuum tube he slips and drops the knife.....down into the guts of the transmitter! He looks at me, I look at him, and we both looked down into the transmitter. Larry says "I'm not puttin' my hands in there". I said "I sure as hell am not either!" Larry decides to go ahead and take the vacuum tube out. The screw is loose enough to turn by hand now so he finishes it off and removes the top cable device. He then tugs at this big old glass tube and it won't budge. He pulls and pulls and it starts to edge out. On his last effort at pulling it all the way out he tugs a little too hard and the tube strikes some metal part of the transmitter cabinetry and there is a very loud, explosive "BOOM" with glass flying everywhere!" + more (read www.chuckdunaway.com)

Satellite radio service was launched about two years ago. The satellites beam down over 100 channels of digital sound, blanketing the entire country. The only time these radio stations fade as you drive is when you drive right out of the country. And, as CBS News Correspondent David Pogue observes, the trend is only likely to intensify. The receiver will set you back about a hundred dollars and up-way up. But don't put your credit cards away just yet. You also have to sign up for the service, for the low, low price of 10 or 13 dollars a month. Yes, that's right: We've actually entered an age when people will actually pay a monthly fee to listen to the radio. Still, the 2.1 million people who've signed up so far consider that a small price to pay. In fact, one satellite radio wasn't enough for Sarkis Hagopian, ”I actually have five official subscriptions.” The hard part is choosing between the two companies that offer satellite radio: Sirius and XM (read CBS News)

A study recently completed by Dr. Felten Earls of Harvard University found that the best way to reduce crime in communities was by strengthening neighborhoods. Organizers of Saturday's Community Pride Fest in Salem were all about bringing neighbors together to strengthen their community. Music also filled the air with the help of DJ Leon Daniels Jr. He was helped out by the WDAS radio van who gave out tee shirts (read The Sunbeam)

Homegrown radio DJs are muscling into television and gunning for the same fame and glamour as TV artists and pop singers. The most recent example: DJs Jamie Yeo, 26; Vernetta Lopez, 31; and Carrie Chong, 26, who star in the Channel 5 sitcom Daddy's Girls. 'There was a time when the publicity for me was negative,' says Yeo, a DJ on Perfect 10. She had drawn flak before for her initial shortcomings as a DJ and for reportedly breaking up the marriage of DJ Glenn Ong. He's now her boyfriend. She first made her name on TV in celebrated family drama Growing Up in the late 1990s before moving over to radio in 2000. But doing TV again has enhanced her profile. She made another big leap to become the new model/spokesman for furniture giant Courts. But the phenomenon of radio DJs venturing into TV is not exactly new (read The Straits Times)

B98-FM's Brett Harris was introduced to Sydney Fisher at KWCH, Channel 12, through a mutual friend. Shortly after they met in January 2001, they were assigned as co-masters of ceremonies for a Catholic Charities fund-raiser. Harris, who had previously worked the charity event, invited Fisher to dinner to share some details beforehand. "Sydney was stunning, and she liked sushi," said Harris, a native of Seattle.
Harris moved to Wichita from Carmel, Calif., at the urging of a friend who had bought B98-FM. His friend asked him to stay for a year to help with the new format. Harris has now been with B98-FM for 15 years. He co-hosts the top-rated "Brett and Tracy Morning Show" with Tracy Cassidy. "I love the Midwest, the show has done well, and I'm an aviation nut. Then I met this girl completely out of my league," Harris said, hugging Fisher's shoulder (read Wichita Eagle)

Torontonians are setting their dial on public radio in record numbers, opting for the weighty baritone of Andy Barrie over the shock-jock antics of his commercial counterparts. For the second ratings period in a row, the CBC's Metro Morning has taken the top spot in the ultra-competitive morning listening slot, beating commercial broadcasters CHUM-FM and CFRB for the largest piece of the morning radio show pie (read The Globe and Mail)

China is ordering its television stations to launch children's channels with wholesome, educational programs in a campaign to clean up what communist leaders regard as unhealthy Western-influenced popular culture. Each provincial-level station is to create such a channel by 2007 to help improve "ideological and moral standards" for China's 367 million children, the official Xinhua News Agency said yesterday. Communist authorities already are cracking down on racy and violent television programs and video games. Broadcasters were told this month to have announcers stop mixing English words into their Chinese and to drop programs that promote "Western ideology." Stations will be required to "produce and broadcast excellent cartoons, movies, TV plays, educational programs" and other material "suitable for young viewers," Xinhua said (read Taiwan News)

Jeff Stein wonders aloud what would have happened if chiropractic guru B.J. Palmer had not signed on to broadcasting. Palmer brought WOC-AM from Rock Island to Davenport in 1922, making it Iowa’s first commercial radio station. In 1949, he signed on WOC-TV, now KWQC, the first TV station in the Quad-Cities. “You have to wonder if Col. Palmer had not been so active in promoting the Palmer School of Chiropractic, to where he thought this was a great way to get notoriety, what would have happened,” said Stein, an attorney and a broadcasting instructor at Wartburg College and author of “Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting.” The book includes numerous tales of the history of radio and TV in the Quad-Cities, including the WOC stations (read Quad Cities Times)

The Federal Communications Commission has granted permission to an Oregon broadcaster to transfer the license for one of its FM stations from The Dalles to Covington -- a move a student-run station at Mercer Island High School has said would effectively put it out of business. Mid-Columbia Broadcasting Inc.'s plan to relocate the transmitter for KMCQ-FM (104.5) to South King County, filed three years ago, involved several broadcasting companies proposing to swap or move frequency allocations among multiple cities in Oregon and Washington (read Bill Virgin - Seattle P-I)

The abrupt departure of three radio personalities from Hong Kong's controversial prime-time talk-back shows has sparked debate over whether freedom of speech is being stifled. It's an issue that appears to have spawned as many different opinions as there are theories about their mysterious resignations. It's a controversy that has been brewing for some time now and appears to be far from boiling over. One after another, three outspoken talk-back radio personalities resigned from their highly popular, and often, highly Beijing-critical shows. All three cited fears for their personal safety, and insinuated political pressure from pro-China supporters.  None, though, has produced evidence to substantiate their claims and none has made a police report (read Channel News Asia)

Ted Heusel, the longtime Ann Arbor radio personality who helped pioneer the talk-show format, has been named to the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. "He squarely meets the criteria. Ted has become a regional icon for broadcasting. He epitomizes everything that is good about local broadcasting," said Karole L. White, Michigan Association of Broadcasters president (read MLive)

Thanks to Janet Jackson's exposed breast and Howard Stern's big mouth, Jim Richards is having a tough time doing his job. The furor over the Super Bowl halftime show and the huge fines levied against shock jocks have changed the broadcasting world almost overnight. And Richards, Clear Channel's regional vice president of programming in San Diego, is bearing the brunt of it locally. "You are walking around just trying to figure out, is this going to cause the radio station to get fined or get me fired," Richards said. "It is a lot of pressure." Clear Channel, which owns 1,200 radio stations, has fired Tampa, Fla., morning personality Bubba the Love Sponge (aka Todd Clem) and canceled Stern's show after the Federal Communications Commission fined the company almost $1.3 million for indecency infractions. In February, Clear Channel booted Stern from six of its stations, including San Diego's "Rock" 105.3, where he had been a staple for some seven years. The specter of Stern's ouster is affecting the entire radio and TV industry (read San Diego Union-Tribune)

As the country celebrates Memorial Day, Salon.com feels it's the appropriate time for Salon to extend the following offer to all active-duty military personnel. If you are currently serving in the U.S. military and have a .mil e-mail address, send us your name and address and we will give you a free one-year Salon Premium subscription. If you are one of the active-duty GIs already receiving Salon Premium, we will extend your subscription for a year free of charge. To take advantage of this offer just send an e-mail to militaryoffer@salon.com with your first and last name and e-mail address and we'll create your Salon Premium subscription. Please note that we'll only be able to create Premium subscriptions for .mil e-mail addresses (read Salon)

Taken in the proper context, flatulence can be funny and fair game -- for the public airwaves, that is. Jack Murphy, host of WKZL-FM 107.5's Murphy in the Morning show, made that assertion when asked whether some of his program's old bodily function-based bits would play in America's post-"wardrobe malfunction" climate, with the Federal Communications Commission stepping up enforcement of bans on obscene broadcasts. "It all depends on what way you're doing it," Murphy said after a Tuesday morning show. "It's not something we do gratuitously. There's a reason for it to be there." The reason in the Murphy-show case was a fictional character's ingestion of tacos. Whether Murphy is right -- that context still matters -- is at the center of debate and legal challenges to the FCC's new crackdown on indecent broadcasts. Radio station managers in the Triad have taken notice of the FCC's watchfulness. Some stations have stopped airing live call-ins from listeners, fearing that even a fleeting utterance could be declared profane and result in fines (read MSNBC)

WHDH-TV: What radio station do you tune in to on the way to work? You voted, we counted - then hit the road for New England's Best Morning Radio Show...Our third place spot goes to "Ralphie and Karen's Morning Show." The show is more than a star with 7 viewers it's the station's name--STAR 93.7 -- When viewers want classic hits and fun they tune into 105.7 and our second place spot--WROR's Loren and Wally show -- Our first place goes to ... (find out who's #1 at WDHD-TV)

ARB's for Cincinnati, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and St Louis (read 'em)

From Kent Burkhart's "I Was There" series: The phone rang. It was Jimmy Walsh (not the entertainer). Jimmy is Joe Namath’s best friend, lawyer, and financial advisor since they were in school together at the University of Alabama. I was a very lucky guy to have met Jimmy some years before…what a great person!!! He has offices in NYC and New Orleans, and married a New Orleans woman/fashion expert named Yvonne. (I think they have eight kids). Jimmy said, “Why don’t you drive up to Fort Lauderdale and take a look at a new company named SportsLine (one day to be named CBS SportsLine). Talk to Mike Levy and Kenneth Dotson the founders of this online sports concept. I think radio can someway become involved as a promoter of it”.  The next day I was at SportsLine to take a look. They had maybe 50 people working for them (in the many hundreds now).(read it all at www.kentburkhart.com)

New Wave Broadcasting Hawaii signed agreements early this month to transfer ownership of all four of its stations to Maui-based Visionary Related Entertainment, giving Visionary the largest number of radio stations in the state. Visionary already owns 105.9 FM KAHA "The Big Kahuna" and 94.7 FM/1500 AM KUMU. It bought the four stations, which include 102.7 FM KDDB "Da Bomb," 93.1 FM KQMQ, 97.5 FM KPOI and 99.5 FM KHUI "Bob FM," for $11 million (read Pacific Biz News)

From XM Radio - The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the organization that represents the large radio and television owners, is using its lobbyists, campaign contributions and political influence to have Congress and the Federal Communications Commission limit XM's ability to provide you with "locally oriented" content, including the new XM Instant Traffic & Weather channels. The broadcasters feel threatened by the success of satellite radio. Instead of competing and improving their services, they want the government to protect their businesses by attacking satellite radio. This same group has tried to block every innovative technology that has been warmly welcomed into America's homes and cars. In the 1940's, radio broadcasters tried to squash television. In the 1970's, AM broadcasters tried to put the kibosh on FM stations. They never win and they never learn (read more at XM Radio's Web site)

VO pro Andy Neill e-mails from Brazil to say: "I ended up deciding on the northeast coast of Brazil and a city called Fortaleza.  It's about 3M people and on the South Atlantic north of Recife. I decided to come back to Brazil for the summer...or winter here...and bring my computer system (click here to see it) to see what it would be like working here. Well, I'm here with the system and still putting the final touches on sound proofing my  apartment. Unfortunately here, they don't use carpet at all because of trouble with mildew, and all the flat surfaces are difficult to deal with. The city is beautiful, Brazilians are wonderful and I am learning some Portuguese" (e-mail Andy and ask him if you can use his spare bedroom when you visit him in Fortaleza)

Darleen Riley Vanover, a radio personality from Harrodsburg, died Wednesday at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center. She was 42. Vanover was an on-air announcer at WHBN radio station, where she had begun working as a student at Mercer County High School. "Over time, it became her vocation and her passion," said Robert Wagner, general manager of WHBN. "When you love what you do, you love life and everyone around you, and she did." (read AM News)

Viacom chief executive Sumner Redstone's daughter, Shari, got a vote of no-confidence from Howard Stern in her bid to outmaneuver Mel Karmazin to take over the company when Redstone retires. "She's gonna run the company, not Mel," Stern told listeners yesterday. He then said Karmazin would leave Viacom "because of Sumner Redstone and Sumner's daughter, who I understand is really difficult." The shock-jock makes no secret of his distaste for the Redstones and his loyalty to Karmazin, who has staunchly backed Stern in his fight against the FCC's recent "indecency" hysteria (read NY Post)

The city has hit the airwaves with its own permanent, 24-hour radio station. Fort Lauderdale launched the station, AM 1610, earlier this year as a way to communicate information about matters such as traffic, construction, meetings and special events. "We had it during the Air and Sea Show," said Mayor Jim Naugle. "It said where to park and things like that." (read Sun-Sentinel)

Pat Boone says he'll never watch CBS again because "60 Minutes II" aired images of the Abu Ghraib prison abuse. The squeaky-clean crooner claims that showing those pictures has made the U.S. more of a target than ever. "For me, CBS has become 'the enemy within,' and I hope never to watch the network again" Boone wrote in a letter to conservative NewsMax.com. "I think most Americans ought to reflect on the results of their irresponsible and unpatriotic behavior and perhaps narrow their viewing options by one network. The next time America or Americans suffer at the hands of terrorists, thank CBS." (read NY Post - Page Six)

Bay State-based talk radio publication Talkers recently released the results of its semiannual national survey of the industry: 54 percent of its audience is male and 64 percent is white. Most listeners consider themselves political independents, and 73 percent voted in the 2000 elections. A few more tibits: 27 percent (the biggest slice) are high school graduates, and 20 percent finished college. The well-to-do apparently don't have time for talk radio. Only 4 percent of the audience earned more than $100,000 annually, while 32 percent made roughly half that. Twenty-four percent are Republicans and 13 percent Democrats. As for musical preferences, country music or oldies was the first choice for 41 percent + There is finally some good news out of the Air America camp. Early returns indicate the liberal radio network's afternoon host Al Franken actually beat Rush Limbaugh in New York City last month in the race for the Big Apple's 25- to 54-year-old listeners. If that turns out to be true - heck, if Franken is even close to Limbaugh - it will be a boost to the fledgling network's viability (read Boston Herald)

The Women's Campaign Fund now can scratch Mark Plotkin from its dinner reservation list. "Mark will not be attending one of those [nine fund-raising] dinners," Jim Farley, vice president of news and programming at WTOP, said. "Apparently [others] don't have a problem with that, but we do. "WTOP Radio has a policy that none of our news people — including Mark, who is both a political analyst and a commentator — will participate in political or partisan events, support candidates or causes, contribute to candidates or causes, take sides or do anything that even appears to be partisan or one-sided." (read Washington Times - Inside the Beltway)

Clear Channel Radio is changing the name of WGCI-AM (1390), the gospel music sister station of urban-contemporary WGCI-FM (107.5). As of Tuesday, the AM station will be known as WGRB -- signifying "Gospel Radio Blessed." + To celebrate its 80th anniversary on the air Tuesday, WGN-AM (720) will produce an "audio scrapbook" of memorable moments on CD (with proceeds going to charity) and launch a new archival Web site at www.wgngold.com. WGN also will air historical promos all day Tuesday (read Feder of Chicago)

From the edge of the western plains to California's palm-lined drives to New York's urban canyons, Americans say they are worried and angry about the U.S. role in Iraq, with their anxiety matching that of the earliest days of the war when the success of the push to Baghdad was far from secure. "I'm getting worried now about this war," Betty Johnson said this week as she waited for two soft pretzels at downtown Ogallala's meeting place, the Spruce Street Sandwich Shop. "Before, I felt it was something we had to do. But it's going so bad. So I wonder now, kind of, what's the point?" A few blocks away, Bill Terry pondered the same question. "If we'd found . . . nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, that would be something," Terry said as he tallied receipts at his gas station alongside Interstate 80. "We got Saddam out of there. But I think there's just as bad people in the rest of the world. So, for all the mess, what have we got out of it?" Such questions reflect the concerns of a majority of the nation. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll, concluded Sunday night, found that two-thirds of Americans -- 67 percent -- describe themselves as "worried" about the situation in Iraq. In early March of last year, days after combat began, 64 percent said they were worried about the war. Fifty-seven percent of Americans say they are "angry," nearly double the figure in March 2003. While most Americans say they are "hopeful" about the eventual outcome, the number of optimists has fallen, from 80 percent 15 months ago to 62 percent today. In another change, a minority today describe themselves as "proud" of the U.S. effort in Iraq (read Washington Post)  You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

Ron Swanson, a former vice president and general manager of Hastings radio station KICS, has died. Swanson, 56, suffered a stroke and died Sunday at his home in Waverly, Pa., said Les Seiler, a longtime friend. Swanson was remembered for his generous contributions to Hastings, including the Pied Piper summer program for children's theater. He also helped establish Hastings' Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders of Nebraska, a clinic that has treated more than 300 children (read Penn Live)

Every week or so, a handful of NBC News executives meet to plot the schedule of a man who usually isn't in the room.
They're planning for an epochal event in the world of television news, when Brian Williams takes over for Tom Brokaw on Dec. 2 as the anchor of NBC's "Nightly News." If only it were as simple as switching a nameplate over a door. It's been more than 20 years since there's been a change among the Big Three of network news -- Brokaw, Peter Jennings and Dan Rather -- and NBC is leaving nothing to chance (read Pittsburgh Trib-Review)

Venerable voice guy Chuck Buell expands, enhances and enchants his Web site in a re-design.  Click over and catch his character voices for Captain America, The Incredible Hulk and Auto Park Man at www.chuckbuell.com

David Brock, the former self-described "right-wing hit man" turned "progressive" activist, is escalating his campaign against conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. Earlier this month, Brock and Media Matters produced a television commercial attacking Limbaugh for comments about the Abu Ghraib prison-abuse scandal and wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld urging him to remove Limbaugh from AFRTS.  But according to those who design its programming, the point of American Forces Radio is not to provide some sort of perfect ideological balance but rather to give military men and women a representative sample of the programming they could hear at home. To that end, American Forces Radio provides about 1,200 different programs to military radio stations around the world, which then make up their own schedules. "We try to provide a cross-section of programming that they would have available to [soldiers] were they stateside," says Melvin Russell. "We feel that the variety, the 1,200 programs that we offer each week, gives us that balance that we're looking for." (read Byron York - the National Review)

Vermont's AP Awards were announced: Vermont Public Radio six first-place awards, while Waterbury's WDEV won four. WSYB in Rutland and WGMT in Lyndonville each won two and WWLR at Lyndon State College won one first-place award. WSYB's Jack Healey was named best sportscaster while Roger Hill of WDEV won best weathercast. Both won those same awards last year (read CBS 4 Vermont)

ARB's for Akron, Baltimore, Fredericksburg, Hartford and Washington (read 'em)

Look for fireworks next Thursday at the Public Theater after the curtain falls on Tim Robbins in the play he wrote and directed, "Embedded." The drama argues that the media is controlled by the government, so the theater's board has organized a forum, including Robbins, to be moderated by New Yorker media writer Ken Auletta; Fox News Channel reporter David Asman, whose son is a Marine serving in Iraq; and ABC News reporter Dan Harris, who was embedded in Iraq. Tickets are $100 (read NY Post)

KCBI urged listeners to help as HCJB builds a Christian radio station in East Timor; a fledging nation that just won its independence from largely Muslim Indonesia in South Asia two years ago. $12,600 was needed to fund the East Timor station during this three hour fundraiser (6 am – 9 am). KCBI listeners responded above and “beyond the call.”  $45,000 was raised (visit KCBI Web site)

There's a scene in one of the Back to the Future movies, set in the year 2015, where Marty McFly Jr walks into his family's television room and barks out a lineup of TV channels he'd like to see. Seconds later, a big movie-theatre-like screen lights up with a grid of multiple TV screens, each showing a live broadcast of his favourite channels. This is what Hollywood thought TV of the future would look like. The Silicon Valley way is going to be so much better. Television in the not-so-distant future, say 10 years or so down the line, will have little to do with a time schedule. The Thursday 8pm time slot won't carry much clout, nor will the slot that follows The Simpsons. And being part of ABC's or NBC's Must See TV lineups won't mean a thing. Instead, we'll have a personalised lineup of shows that will be downloaded to the home entertainment server. This box, sitting in your garage or in the hall cupboard, will store all of your TV programming as well as your digital music, photo and home video collections. Of course, it will be connected to the multiple TVs and PCs in the home over a wireless network. As high-tech as it sounds, some families are already watching "Lineup TV" (read ITN News) 

Kim Douglas has just joined Joe Mama as co-host of Mix 95.7's morning show. She co-hosted Paul Barsky's former morning show, on both Y100 and 96.5 the Point... Former 1210 talker Jeff Katz sits in for Jim Bohannon tonight from 10-1 a.m. on WILM 1450 AM... Former People Paper wrestling columnist and WMGK DJ Michael Tearson, has sold a Bob Dylan radio hour to the Sirius network's Folktown Channel. It's to air Sunday mornings (read Philly Daily News)

Is it really possible for broadcasting and democracy to mix?
In theory, yes. But right now, the prospects look bleak. Most Americans live in areas where just a few media conglomerates dominate. Overall, what's on the airwaves is more like centralized monotony than democratic discourse. Over 4,000 commercial radio stations have been sold since the bipartisan Telecommunications Act of 1996 became law. Radio mergers occur almost every day. The major media firms keep getting larger in size and fewer in number. And the Federal Communications Commission just ruled that one company can own two television stations in the same city. Media moguls are thrilled about the new ruling. The owner of the PAX TV network, Lowell Paxson, told a reporter: "I can't wait to have a glass of champagne and toast the FCC!" And so it goes. Lobbyists for broadcasting firms continue to prevail. Causes of deregulation mania are similar to its effects: Democracy has very little to do with what's on the air. The last thing we're likely to hear on networks owned by General Electric (NBC), Westinghouse (CBS) or Disney (ABC) is in-depth debate about the wisdom of surrendering the nation's airwaves to unabashed profiteers (read Norman Solomon)

When Dan Patrick -- another ESPN personality with multiple jobs -- was in town recently to shoot a segment for an upcoming special commemorating the all-sports network's 25th anniversary, I asked him if he would ever consider giving up his popular ESPN Radio show to focus solely on television.  ''I would do that and drop TV,'' he said. ''I enjoy radio from the standpoint [of] you're talking sports. On 'SportsCenter,' I'm delivering sports. You've got to have an opinion on radio. You can't sit there and say, 'I don't know how I feel one way or another.' You have to tell someone, 'This is what I think of the Eli Manning situation, this is how I feel we should honor Pat Tillman.' And then they can either agree or disagree, but the immediacy of the feedback you get is great. I enjoy that. If it's calls or e-mails, I like that (read John Jackson - Chicago Sun-Times)

Recent headlines report that corporate mega-giant Clear Channel Entertainment has announced they have purchased a
patent making it illegal for any band to record their own live show, and sell that recording day of show at the venue, unless the band pays Clear Channel. Now virtually all performing artists including bands like the Pixies, Billy Idol, and even Bruce Springsteen run the risk that if they record their own shows at any venue in the country, then sell the CDs that same night, Clear Channel can and will go after the artists and make them pay. Clear Channel's Instant Live director Steve Simon has made it very clear that, "It is a business, and it's not going to be `we have the patent, now everybody can use it for free.'" (read)

Radio revenue continued to grow in April 2004 with a 4% increase in combined total local and national ad sales compared to April of 2003. Local ad dollars also rose 4% for the month when compared to April from a year ago. National sales figures saw the largest increase with a 6% gain in April 2004 over April 2003 (read RAB)

As government experiments go, the idea of low-power FM radio stations for small communities is still in its infancy, but the concept appears to be viable and has a bright outlook.
Ligonier has one of these new radio stations — WNRL, located at 105.9 on the FM dial — and the station’s journey from a dream to reality is being documented for a national television program. A production crew from Verite Productions, of Cleveland, Ohio, was in Ligonier last week filming interviews and doing research on WNRL and low-power FM (LPFM.) (read Advanced Leader)

By the time you read this, it will all be over. Garrison Keillor's career? No such luck. I'm talking about this season of "American Idol." With one or two exceptions, just about every record released by a finalist has been a best seller. The funny thing? With one or two exceptions, these same singers have hardly gotten a drop of play on the radio, and it's unlikely the latest crop of Idols will change things. So why does radio kill the video star? Part of the answer is that today's radio scene is tightly controlled. No stations play just the top hits. Instead they play specific formats, such as hot adult contemporary (Star 100.7), adult alternative (KPRI), soft rock (KyXy) and urban (Channel 933). If stars such as Aiken or the amazing Fantasia Barrino don't fit into one of those categories ---- and they don't ---- they're out of luck. Then there's the matter of clueless programmers, said veteran local disc jockey Chuck Buell. "Many of them say they want a strong female-based listenership. Then they don't listen to the women in their audience, their neighborhood or even in their immediate surroundings who say to them that they like Clay Aiken, Josh Groban, Yanni and others." It wasn't always like this. Years ago, radio exposure came first, and album sales came second, recalled another veteran disc jockey, KPOP's Jerry G. Bishop  (read Randy Dotinga - North County Times)

Ken Spitzer, Clear Channel Radio Regional Vice President Mid South, announced the appointment of Cheryl A. Salomone to Market Manager, Greensboro, North Carolina. Clear Channel radio stations have a great history of community service in North Carolina and own stations in a number of markets including Ashville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh and Statesville.  Clear Channel Radio also named Kris Olinger to Director of AM Programming, Denver (visit Clear Channel Web site)

The FCC came to Rapid City to hear testimony about whether recent consolidation in broadcasting has eroded the industry's interest in serving the public's needs at the local level. More than 285 people attended. Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps presided over Wednesday's hearing. The two said they opposed recent FCC rule changes that allowed big companies to buy more radio and TV stations but were outvoted by the three other commissioners. Hearing concerns about localism, FCC chairman Michael Powell scheduled a series of six hearings throughout country to hear testimony from the public. Powell was scheduled to be at Wednesday's hearing but had to return to Washington early Wednesday morning, Adelstein said at the start of the hearing. "This hearing is an on-the-ground inspection to see if broadcasting is working right here in Rapid City," Adelstein, who grew up here, said. "I found in my time with the FCC that it's easy to lose touch." Despite market pressure on the media, localism and public service are still important, Copps added. "It is we the people who own the airwaves ... corporations are given the opportunity to use, even profit from, the airwaves on the condition that they serve the public." The hearing began at 5:30 p.m. in Surbeck Center at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and it stretched past 10 p.m. as people lined up to offer their two-minute comments. Early on, the time limit itself became an issue (read Rapid City Journal)

Answers to frequently asked questions about Roe Conn and Garry Meier's breakup this week after eight years as the afternoon talk show team at WLS-AM (890): Q. What's the story? A. Garry chose not to accept the final contract offer, according to WLS bosses, who subsequently withdrew the offer. Roe is expected to agree to the deal and continue to host afternoons at the Disney/ ABC-owned news/talk station. Q. How did this happen? (read more A's & Q's from Feder of Chicago)

There must be something about the '80s and Mark Goodman.
Early MTV viewers will remember him instantly as one of the original five VJs on the channel. Along with Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter and the recently deceased J.J. Jackson, Goodman quickly became a curly-headed pop-culture icon, attracting a horde of female admirers and sharing the red carpet with such MTV staples as Sting and Bono. A radio guy at heart - he started at WMMR-FM in his hometown of Philadelphia in 1976 - Goodman returned to his roots after leaving MTV in the late'80s, working at KROQ-FM in Los Angeles and WLS-FM in Chicago, among others. Now those willing to spend the few extra bucks for the immeasurable benefits of satellite radio can hear Goodman, Blackwood and Hunter as DJs on Sirius' Big'80s channel. Sadly, Goodman said in a phone interview last week from Los Angeles, Jackson was slated to join the team before he died of a heart attack in March (read Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Some Iraqis may not like it, but there at the end of the FM dial sits a defining symbol of America's efforts in this war-weary country -- Freedom Radio. Broadcasting 24 hours a day from a secret location in Baghdad, 107.7 FM is the sound of the U.S. occupation, reaching every corner of a country the size of France and bringing a distinctly American flavor to the airwaves of the Middle East. "Freedom Radio -- The most heavily armed staff on the air," announces the presenter as another three-hour show of pop, rock and country music from the 1970s, '80s and '90s kicks off (read Reuters)

Does the Air America Radio Network have a future? Jon Kalish reports on the financial challenges facing the new liberal radio network and its prospects for survival (read and listen to NPR)

ARB's for Boston, Monterrey, San Francisco and San Jose (read 'em)

Tom Selleck visits Mark and Brian Thursday on KLOS 95.5.  He's be promoting his upcoming A&E feature, "Ike: Countdown to D-Day" during M and B's 8 o'clock hour (visit Mark and Brian)

Greg Schnirring steps down as Wisconsin Public Radio's director of radio in July to become the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's senior director of radio. . . . Relevant Radio, the Catholic network airing on Port Washington's WPJP-FM (100.1), is doing special reports this week on Archbishop Timothy Dolan's trip to Rome to meet with the pope. . . . Carole Caine and Dave Luczak's 60-hour WKLH-FM (96.5) radiothon for Children's Hospital ends at 5 p.m. Friday (read Tim Cuprisin)

Welcome to WTAM , a station that's governed by lies, deception and an alternate reality. The boss hog warlord at WTAM is L. Kevin Metheny , who also oversees all Clear Channel radio station programming throughout Northern Ohio. His official title is vice president and director of programming operations for Clear Channel, Cleveland ... It's been an ongoing rumor that many of WTAM's celebrity, political and mover-and-shaker interviews are lifted from interviews that were carried on other Clear Channel stations throughout the U.S. By utilizing the Zelig magic of voice-tracking and audio production, Metheny's figured out how to recycle name-brand interviews as his own. Take that recent faux interview with Sen. John McCain . The alleged live interview with McCain was revealed as a fake when someone hit the wrong button and, in response to closing comments to Sen. McCain, we heard a woman from another Clear Channel station saying, “It's a beautiful, sunny morning...” followed by an embarrassing silence (read John Gorman - Cleveland Free Times)

Winners have been announced for the 39TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS. Honorees received their awards during a star-studded ceremony broadcast LIVE on the CBS Television Network from the
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Toby Keith Wins 4 Awards; Alan Jackson and Martina McBride Win 2 Each; Willie Nelson Honored With Gene Weed Special Achievement Award; Ray Price Given the Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award; Martina McBride Wins Academy of Country Music/Home Depot Humanitarian Award (read)

Former Hong Kong radio host and Chinese lawmaker Allen Lee said he quit both jobs after he was pressured by Beijing officials for pro-democracy comments he made on the air.  Lee, during a hearing before Hong Kong lawmakers, said he had several meetings with Beijing officials who relayed messages that top authorities were displeased with his public support for universal suffrage in Hong Kong. He didn't identify the officials. ``I've been told off by the Chinese leadership not just once over the style of my show, and that as a member of the China's National People's Congress, I shouldn't be making certain comments,'' Lee said. Two other radio hosts declined to appear at the hearing, saying they were concerned about their safety. China Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao declined to comment (read Reuters)

Media Matters for America President and CEO David Brock today sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld requesting that Secretary Rumsfeld consider removing radio host Rush Limbaugh from the American Forces Radio and Television Service (formerly known as Armed Forces Radio).  Limbaugh, whose program is broadcast for one hour per day to U.S. troops overseas, has spent the past four weeks condoning and trivializing the abuse, torture, rape and possible murder of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. guards at the Abu Ghraib prison -- gross misconduct that Rumsfeld has described as "fundamentally un- American." Limbaugh's show is broadcast for one hour per day on the American Forces Network, at taxpayer expense, to nearly 1 million U.S. troops stationed in more than 1,000 outlets in more than 175 countries and U.S territories, including Iraq. "It is abhorrent that the American taxpayer is paying to broadcast what is in effect pro-torture propaganda to American troops," Brock wrote to Secretary Rumsfeld. "I ask you to consider removing Mr. Limbaugh from the radio network to protect our troops from these reckless and dangerous messages." Brock added that Limbaugh's comments -- which contradict orders issued by the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq barring many previously available coercive techniques -- "undermine the military's chain of command and may also inflame anti-American sentiment abroad, putting our service men and women at risk." (read)  (read CNS News Service)

From Rush Limbaugh's Wednesday Transcripts: Listen to Rush…  (...roll the MoveOn.org ad, Algore demanding Bush renounce Rush and all his works)  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT -- RUSH: Just sitting here minding my own business. I'm not bothering anybody. Just doing my job here on the EIB Network, and the vice president, ex-vice president, of the Democratic Party, has demanded today that George W. Bush condemn and denounce me. (speech)  We have the sound bite coming up. Greetings, my friends. Rush Limbaugh, the EIB Network and the Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies. You are listening to America's most listened to and most powerful radio talk show, a program which meets and surpasses all audience expectations on a daily basis. I heard this bite during the break, folks. (Laughing) We all just listened to it together, and we just laughed. You've got to hear this (read and listen at RushLimbaugh.com)

Running a business in a tourist area is difficult enough. There's the cost of real estate, the sudden change in population during the high season, and the challenge of staying afloat out of season. Now imagine that your business is a nonprofit, noncommercial community radio station, dependent on the donations of the summer and off-season populations, and it's easy to imagine the struggles faced by Provincetown's tiny WOMR-FM (92.1).  When you realize that 'OMR ("Outermost Radio") has not only survived for 22 years, but continued to thrive -- most recently purchasing a spacious new headquarters on the town's main street -- it becomes clear how important such a station is to all of Provincetown's populations (read Clea Simon - Boston Globe)

Earlier this week, the CEO of SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Joseph Clayton, told his stockholders by fall of 2005, users would be offered the option of "wearable" satellite receivers.
“That’s it,” I thought to myself. “Satellite Radio will finally give enough people a reason to go for it.”  I’ve been a fan of Satellite Radio for about a year now. Honestly, I will never be without it again. I enjoy the freedom of choice it affords me and the $10 or $12 bucks-a-month cost is worth the price. But, up until this news, my only regret was the lack of wearability. We’ve always been taught that traditional radio is completely free to the listener. But, when you realize and accept that your choice to listen is really a type of “payment” in the form of your valuable time, real Radio fans will soon be faced with the question of how much money is your time worth and in exchange for it, are you getting the value you expect.  “Free” radio may not be your best value in the future, especially with all the “baggage” it carries: limited playlists, annoying commercials, and a general lack of choice. If i can invoke a MasterCard-like analogy: Satellite Radio wearability: Over 100 Channels at the cost of about two fast food dinners per month. Priceless  (read Corey Deitz)

KIRO-AM (710), which has two slots to fill on a temporary basis in its weekday talk lineup, has named one substitute host. Peter Weissbach, former KVI-AM host and current KIRO weekend host, will fill in for Dori Monson, who is taking a seven-week sabbatical starting June 14. That leaves the question of Dave Ross' morning shift. Ross plans to run for Congress but for now plans to stay on the air until he officially files as a candidate -- a move roundly criticized not only by other candidates for the seat but in newspaper and television editorials (read Bill Virgin's Seattle Radio Beat)

Premiere Radio Networks adds Delilah to its line-up of nationally syndicated programs. Broadcast to approximately eight million listeners from 7 p.m. to midnight, Eastern Time, Delilah dominates evening radio in more than 200 markets nationwide – commanding shares of 20 and higher among women 25-54. “This is a program I have long sought to bring to Premiere,” said Kraig Kitchin, President/COO, in announcing the acquisition. “Our talent leads the pack in talk and music programming through the day and late night. We had a space  that only Delilah could fill" (visit Premiere Radio Networks)

If passionate speeches and frantic panel discussions are any indication, the nation’s talk show hosts are ready to fight for the right to say the F-word and any other word they d…arn well please. The tableau that unfolded at the convention of the nation’s talk show hosts – your writer included – in New York City this past weekend bordered on the bizarre. Talk hosts from the left such as Tom Leykis to top-of-the line hosts on the right like Sean Hannity were embracing each other in virtual fits of freedom-of-speech. Leykis was the most over-the-top, telling the assembled golden-throats that “this is a new McCarthy era.” Leykis blamed the Federal Communications Commission’s smut crackdown on election year politics. Over and over, speaker after speaker warned, “if Howard Stern can be censored, you might be next.” Wow! This conjures up mental pictures worse than anything Senator McCarthy ever did. It makes one think of the Nazis, banging on the door, and demanding that you turn over your firearms (read Lynn Woolley)

Billboard magazine's editor in chief, Keith Girard, is leaving the publication after only a year in the top spot. No reason was given for Mr. Girard's departure, and a search for a replacement is under way, the magazine's publisher said. Executive editor Ken Schlager, senior editor Marc Schiffman, and Los Angeles bureau chief Melinda Newman will run the editorial team until a new editor in chief is named (read Crain's NY Business)

The competition for the hearts and feet of New York dance music lovers gets a new twist this weekend as both WKTU (103.5 FM) and WNEW (102.7 FM) feature the greatest hits of classic dance - and WNEW brings in a classic jock to play them. WKTU, the city's main dance-music destination since 1996, plans its own "Three Decades of Dance" weekend (read David Hinckley)

Talon News appears to be urging its readers to call the Secret Service (in addition to station management and the FCC) to report KIRO 710's talk show host Mike Webb's comments about President Bush, war crimes and the death penalty. Who's Talon News?  Their Web site states: "Talon News is a news company which covers political, national, and world news. Talon News also focuses on those stories often overlooked by other media outlets. We concentrate on news that conservatives care about without putting a liberal spin on it ... Talon News is proud to be the exclusive news content provider for GOPUSA!" (read Talon News)  (visit KIRO 710 Mike Webb)  (read WorldNetDaily)

Those who are nominated so far for induction into the 2004 Texas Radio Hall of Fame include Andy Waldrop, Randy Brown, Rick Candea, Tommy Vascocov, Paul Gleiser, Laura Morris, Benny Springer, Dusty Black, Ben Downs, Dan Bennett, Buzz Powers, Joan Kessler, Ray Russell, Josh Mednick, Ellen Cavanaugh, Roger Helling, James McWain, Don Steed, Erik Disen, Byron Albright, Tom Fussell, Hal Watley, Warren Culbertson, Brad Barton; Dave Ward (KNUZ), Dan Patrick (KSEV), Bill Bailey (KIKK), Vann Kennedy, Lee Glasgow, Richard Tuck, Laurel Ornish, Gary Owens, Clint Formby, George Carlin, Chuck Blore, Charlie Payne, Mike Selden, Michael Spears, Steve Lundy, Michael O'Shea, Skipper Lee Frazier, Cousin Lennie, Tom Joyner, Yvonne St. John, Jack Schell, Josh Holstead (Rowdy Yates), Dave Ambrose, Randy Robins, Alvin Van Black, Willis Johnson, Ernie Brown, Lou Staples, Charlie Jones, David Gold, David Day, Norm Hitzges, Bruce Hughes, Mark Watkins, Harry Schultz, David Johnson, Dick Wheeler, Norman Hall, Shawn Raab, Dave Cooke, Jack Hines and more. Will you or your choice be inducted in October 2004 in San Antonio? The nomination postmark deadline of June 1 is almost here (click here for the complete list of nominees and info on how to nominate your choice by becoming a voting member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame) 

Kimberly Cutchall, Senior Vice President - Employee Development/Clear Channel University, announced the appointment of Spencer Bynes as Director of Talent Acquisition for the newly formed Clear Channel University Recruitment Division. Bynes, based out of Houston with the University team, will be instrumental in the Recruitment Division’s strategic national efforts to attract and hire the best professionals. This new division will be an additional component of Clear Channel’s commitment to provide ongoing training and development of top-notch talent within the company (visit Clear Channel Web site)

When the full history of the Iraq war is written, one of its most scandalous chapters will be about how American journalists, in particular those at the New York Times, so easily allowed themselves to be manipulated by both dubious sources and untrustworthy White House officials into running stories that misled the nation about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. The failures of Judy Miller and the Times' reporting on Iraq are far greater sins than those of the paper's disgraced Jayson Blair. While the newspaper's management cast Blair into outer darkness after his deceptions, Miller and other reporters who contributed to sending America into a war have been shielded from full scrutiny (read James Moore - Salon) You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. announced the appointment of Jason Wilberding as Director of Sales of the SBS radio cluster in Los Angeles, California.  As Director of Sales of SBS-LA, Mr. Wilberding will be responsible for maximizing sales revenue of all four SBS FM stations in LA, including KLAX-FM, KXOL-FM and KZAB-FM/KZBA-FM (read)

New York's Channel 5 John Roland is retiring from the station after 35 years. Roland, who joined Ch. 5 in 1969 and anchored the station's 10 p.m. newscast for 33 years, has decided to kick back and relax. His last day is Friday, June 4 (read NY Post)

Internet radio has now been available for 5 years, and yet only a fraction of the potential listeners are tapping into sites that are streaming some amazing programming. So, all of us who love the Internet and are "Net savvy" wonder when the huge explosion will happen for Internet radio. The delay in consumers adopting Internet-based listening may be caused by people simply being uncomfortable with computer technology, along with the general "fear of the unknown." Once the Internet becomes more than just a tool for e-mailing, and instead becomes an integral part of exploring entertainment and information needs in everyone's lifestyle, Internet radio will begin to mushroom in popularity. (read Guy Zapoleon commentary on RAIN)

Two presenters on South African radio station, Highveld Stereo, were last week suspended for seven days without pay for "irresponsible" remarks about President Olusegun Obasanjo during President Thabo Mbeki's inauguration late last month. According to the online publication  www.nigeriamasterweb.com, the radio station's Manager, Mr. Mr. Ravi Naidoo, said the presenters, Messrs Revin John and Lloyd de Bruin were taken off air "with immediate effect" and without pay for one week. Naidoo said he viewed the remarks about Obasanjo "in a very serious light". "The suspension of both presenters was made after an internal enquiry," he said. John and De Bruin occupy the 19:00 to 22:00 shot, Mondays to Fridays on the station (read All Africa)

ABC News Radio is offering three new holiday specials scheduled to air during Memorial Day weekend: Critical Condition: America’s Obesity Crisis, The Family Fix with John Stossel, and Murder in Modesto: The Trial of Scott Peterson. The specials will be available to affiliates for broadcast Thursday, May 27 through Monday, May 31 (ABC Web site)

The opening day of three days of hearings and meetings the FCC has scheduled in Rapid City turned up a measure of controversy when chairman Powell announced he's cutting his visit short. He won't deliver the keynote address at the FCC's Indian Telecommunications Initiative workshop today. He also won't be sitting in on tonight's hearing of the FCC's Localism Task Force, looking into whether consolidation of broadcast companies has hurt public access to the airwaves. Instead, Powell will be taking the first flight out of Rapid City this morning and going back to Washington. David Fiske, FCC spokesman, said Powell has been asked by President Bush to return to Washington for a meeting today. Fiske said he did not have any information on the nature of the meeting. Some of those planning to attend tonight's Localism Task Force hearing are crying foul. Free Press, a national public interest group, fired off a news release Tuesday afternoon that noted Powell has in the past two months attended events put on by industry groups. "... But he doesn't have time for his own ‘localism and diversity' public hearing to listen to the American people. This is an insult to every American and to democracy itself," Josh Silver, Free Press managing director, said in the release (read Rapid City Journal)

It's all over for Garry Meier after eight years as afternoon talk show co-host at WLS-AM (890). Meier, who has been off the air since January, chose not to accept what bosses of the Disney/ABC-owned station called their final offer. On the other hand, Meier's former partner, Roe Conn, is expected to agree to a new long-term renewal with the station. No word yet on whether Conn will team up with a new partner + John Drury, the Chicago television news legend who retired in 2002 after 50 years in broadcasting, is suffering from a neuromuscular disease believed to be amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease (read Feder of  Chicago)

Rush Limbaugh's increasingly bizarre comments about the military's widening prisoner abuse scandal -- the Pentagon acknowledges it's now investigating the deaths of 33 detainees, nine of whom were apparently beaten to death while in U.S. custody -- have forced a long-simmering question into the open: Why does Limbaugh's program, as the only hour-long, partisan political talk show broadcast daily to U.S. troops, enjoy exclusive access to American Forces Radio -- and American troops in Iraq? If he were in the military, Limbaugh would be disciplined, perhaps even court-martialed, for hate speech and illegal drug use. Now he's telling troops that the Abu Ghraib abuses were nothing but "a good time." "He says things like, liberals hate Americans, and we're trying to undermine the war on terror," says comedian Al Franken, a host for liberal radio station Air America who has also entertained troops on four USO tours. "It's a bad message for troops to be hearing and is a very skewed picture of what liberals and Democrats stand for. They're broadcasting a very, very partisan guy -- [with] nobody from the other side -- and they're using taxpayer money to do it." (read Salon - Eric Boehlert)

Sirius Satellite Radio CEO Joseph Clayton told stockholders on Tuesday the company's plans include a video service, wearable radios, and the signing of a top shock jock such as Howard Stern. "Do we want Opie & Anthony? Do we want Mancow? Do we want Howard Stern?" Clayton said, referring to some of the most popular, though controversial, morning radio personalities. "We're talking to all of them." (read Reuters)

Jay Diamond joins WRKO (680 AM) in Boston, 10 p.m.-midnight Saturdays + Dan Ingram stars Monday when WABC (770 AM) presents its annual Memorial Day "Rewound" special reliving the years when "77" was the country's defining top-40 radio station. Johnny Donovan, a WABC jock who stayed after the switch to talk in 1982, has assembled 12 hour-long segments of the old WABC, running 6 a.m.-6 p.m. (read David Hinckley)

Dave Ross, KIRO-AM/710's "Eastlake Avenue Crusader for Common Sense" and newly announced candidate for the 8th Congressional District seat, is facing assaults on his character this morning -- broadcast smack in the middle of his own radio program. Campaign ads scheduled to run today and for the rest of the week on "The Dave Ross Show" and in one other morning slot will tell listeners: "The Alex Alben for Congress campaign paid for this 60-second ad, but when Dave Ross talks about the issues, he gets $72,000 worth of free air time every day. ... All candidates need to play by the same rules, and voters deserve elections that are free and fair." Ross, who announced last week that he will run as a Democrat for the seat being vacated by Republican Jennifer Dunn, said yesterday that he will not respond to the ads on the air. "It will be as if nothing happened," Ross said (read Seattle P-I)

ARB's for Bakersfield, Detroit, Philly and San Diego (read 'em)

MTV has finally got its Gay TV. "This was either the worst-kept secret in television or the longest-awaited promise to a very loyal and important television audience," MTV Networks chief, Tom Freston said. MTV will launch a gay channel next February on Time Warner cable in New York, Los Angeles and four other major markets (read NY Post)

Corus radio in Calgary shuffled the on-air announcers deck of cards yesterday in a bold move to deal the city some new sound. Mike (Mookie) Wilson, current Country 105 afternoon drive guy, will take over from Bruce Kenyon and slide into the morning host chair on QR-77. Wilson starts Monday. Kenyon will start June 7 as the new morning man on Q-107 with co-host Bruce Barker. Kenyon is no stranger to the classic rock format. Before hiring on at QR, Kenyon worked in rock radio in Edmonton. Bringing the changes full circle, Roger Rhodes will leave his Q-107 morning post and take over Wilson's afternoon drive spot on Country 105 with co-host Kelsi Jordan. Rhodes starts his new gig June 3 (read Calgary Sun)

Less than a week after the staff at WAPJ-FM discovered their nonprofit radio station would be forced to leave the downtown Nutmeg Conservatory building, a new location may have been found. WAPJ co-founder Dr. Isadore Temkin has indicated that the station could be moving to office space formerly occupied by his dentistry business on lower Water Street. The offices were most recently used as the Democratic Town Committee headquarters in late 2003 (read the Register Citizen)

The most prominent of the anti-Saddam campaigners, Ahmad Chalabi, has been named as an occasional source in New York Times articles since at least 1991, and has introduced reporters to other exiles. He became a favorite of hard-liners within the Bush administration and a paid broker of information from Iraqi exiles, until his payments were cut off last week.) Complicating matters for journalists, the accounts of these exiles were often eagerly confirmed by United States officials convinced of the need to intervene in Iraq. Administration officials now acknowledge that they sometimes fell for misinformation from these exile sources. So did many news organizations — in particular, this one. Some critics of our coverage during that time have focused blame on individual reporters. Our examination, however, indicates that the problem was more complicated. Editors at several levels who should have been challenging reporters and pressing for more skepticism were perhaps too intent on rushing scoops into the paper. Accounts of Iraqi defectors were not always weighed against their strong desire to have Saddam Hussein ousted. Articles based on dire claims about Iraq tended to get prominent display, while follow-up articles that called the original ones into question were sometimes buried (read NY Times Editors)

In 1993, when FAIR published a study of NPR’s guestlist that challenged the network’s alternative credentials (Extra!, 5/93), incoming NPR president Delano Lewis was still boasting about being a place where the unheard get heard (The Humanist, 9/93): “Our job is to be a public radio station. So therefore the alternative points of view, the various viewpoints, should be aired.”  Today, current NPR president Kevin Klose insists that diversity and inclusivity are among NPR’s top priorities (Syracuse Post-Standard, 7/31/02): “All of us believe our goal is to serve the entire democracy, the entire country.”
NPR, which now reaches 22 million listeners weekly on 750 affiliated stations, does frequently provide more than the nine-second-soundbite culture of mainstream news broadcasts. But is the public really heard on public radio? And is NPR truly an alternative to its commercial competition? A new FAIR study of NPR’s guestlist shows the radio service relies on the same elite and influential sources that dominate mainstream commercial news, and falls short of reflecting the diversity of the American public (read FAIR)

At WKAC Radio, a distinguished looking gentleman sits at the microphone, speaking in a well modulated voice. Suddenly, the mouth twists slightly, the eyes squint with amusement, and out comes the voice of a country bumpkin. Athens listeners -- some of whom have been witnessing this transformation for more than half a century -- know it's George Rose and his alter ego, Cousin Josh (read Courier Times)

Christian Radio station 90.9 KCBI put their faith into action by teaming up with Dallas Habitat for Humanity for a community Blitz Build May 15-22. In the course of one week, KCBI and Habitat for Humanity help build 22 homes in the Pinebrook area of South Dallas. It was an opportunity to give back to the community and also give families in need a special place to call home (visit KCBI.org)

Beer Radio kicks off Memorial Day Weekend with a launch into national syndication. Beer Radio is on tap via satellite on Jones Starguide, AMC-8, Transponder 17, Channel 2 L./R - Left (visit Beer Radio Web site)

There's competition for cable and satellite TV on the way to your city.  It's USDTV.  Now available in Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Salt Lake City. With USDTV, local broadcasters can beam the best channels and events "over-the-air" right to homes, plus eye-popping high definition TV (read USDTV)

Fox is rebranding Fox Sports Digital Nets into Fox College Sports, a trio of regionalized channels. The networks will feature collegiate programming from Fox Sports Net and its affiliates. Though each network will focus on a different area of the country, all three will be shown nationally (read TV Week)

Government censorship was the topic du jour for radio talk-show hosts from around the nation – both liberal and conservative – gathered here to discuss the implications of the Federal Communication Commissions recent crackdown on obscenity. "This is the new McCarthy era!" declaimed Tom Leykis of Los Angeles and the Westwood One radio network (read Les Kinsolving - WorldNetDaily)

Word games, a favorite pastime in Washington, don't seem so playful during times of war. Recent statements from the Pentagon seemed to echo denials from an earlier era -- Watergate. They began when Seymour Hersh of The New Yorker reported that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had personally approved a secret program for interrogating detainees that festered into the prison abuse scandal in Iraq.  Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita responded by calling Hersh's article "outlandish, conspiratorial, and filled with error and anonymous conjecture." "This story seems to reflect the fevered insights of those with little, if any connection to the activities in the Department of Defense," he wrote. In translation, he's saying: "Hey, that Hersh is nuts!" Similar rhetorical tactics have influenced how the press chose to cover troubling news in the past (read David Folkenflik)

XM Satellite Radio today announced the introduction of expanded instant traffic reports for motorists traveling to popular summer weekend destinations, including major beach and shore areas nationwide . Some of the nation's worst traffic  jams happen when motorists are traveling to and from the beach in the summer (read)

On ABC NightLine: With all the attention these days being focused on Iraq, there are still American and other soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. And while our tactics have changed, learning from experience, the same is true for al Qaeda. And the war has had an unintended effect on the world heroin market too (ABC NightLine Web site)

The Federal Communications Commission’s Localism Task Force announced the final agenda and panelists for its May 26, 2004 hearing on broadcast localism in Rapid City, South Dakota.  It begins at 5:30 pm at the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 East Saint Joseph Street, in Rapid City (read the list of panelists and agenda)

Opie and Anthony - the former WNEW hosts who have been off the radio since their August 2002 "Sex in St. Patrick's" stunt knocked WNEW clean out of the hot-talk business - could be days away from returning. Their contract with Infinity Broadcasting expires May 31, and their Web site says "Cringe Radio" will then return. The big question is where.  Most bets are on satellite radio, which doesn't have the content restrictions and general nervousness hanging over terrestrial radio (read David Hinckley)

The betting here is that Mancow Muller will renew with WKQX-FM (101.1) when his "Morning Madhouse" contract with the Emmis Communications station expires in July. But Muller's agent, Robert Eatman, dropped a bombshell about his client's future in the New York Post over the weekend. In light of the freedom that Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio enjoy from government regulation of content, Eatman told the newspaper that Muller may defect to one of the two satellite networks (read Feder of Chicago)

Just weeks before right-wing firebrand Michael Savage was axed by MSNBC last year for making anti-gay comments, his colleague Ashleigh Banfield demanded Savage's head after he insulted her on his radio show. "Michael Savage called me a 'mind slut,' " Banfield told the crowd at yesterday's "Censorship or Common Decency?" luncheon sponsored by The Week magazine. "I complained to the president of NBC News and it went nowhere. But thankfully, a few weeks later he was fired anyway." (read Page Six)

Time flies ... Bobby Ocean is into his third year at KFRC ... He's still working the double shift -- first half of the day belongs to image voicing for his client stations across the U.S., and the second half belongs to Bay Area listeners over KFRC, where his LOBO (Listeners Of Bobby Ocean) club is just starting to hit a few RBIs.  Ocean is looking to do a few shows from Tahiti  as he powers through his third year back on the air (visit KFRC and Bobby Ocean)

Babe … There is a vast difference between AM/FM powers … perhaps you should study a bit … what you described /[in May 10's column/] was an automation system that "blinked" … it had not a thing to do with power … WLSS has plenty of power 5KW to Sarasota and Bradenton … there are NO 100,000-watt AM radio stations. -- Burt Sherwood for Burt Sherwood and Associates Inc. -- Dear Mr. Sherwood, First off, it's "RADIO" Babe to you (and everyone), and perhaps you should lighten up … R.B. knows there aren't any 100,000-watt AM radio stations (read Radio Babe - Dawn Scire)

Last fall the FCC approved broadcast flags for digital television, marking a big win for broadcasters. It was only a matter of time before the RIAA would request similar treatment of radio, and according to MindJack, they're already well on their way. Broadcast flags are settings encoded in digital information streams that tell receiving devices what can be done with the stream. For example, a flag could prevent something from being recorded, time-shifted beyond a certain period, or it could modify other access-based policies. Concomitant with such flags is legislation requiring that devices made for sale in the United State be made compliant with the flags. In short, such a move will go a long way towards usherig in a time when it is no longer technically possible to record off of the radio (read ARS Technica)

"American Bandstand" could soon be bopping back to the small screen. 19 Entertainment will join forces with Dick Clark Productions to bring the updated version of the classic to TV, with a summer 2005 debut date. The alliance will feature 19 Entertainment President Simon Fuller teaming with Dick Clark and Allen Shapiro to executive produce the series (read TV Week)

Are the media starting to overplay the prisoner abuse scandal? Some critics are saying: Enough already! We get it. How many more pictures do we have to see? I don't doubt the ability of the press to overkill any story. But we're learning new information, important information, from the most recent photos, prisoner accounts and investigative reports in The Washington Post, New York Times and other papers. At the beginning, it just looked like some sexual taunting and ritual humiliation, which was bad enough. But now the media are uncovering pictures in which soldiers appear to be hitting the prisoners. Now we know that three prisoners died after interrogation, under circumstances that can only be regarded as suspicious. Now we're hearing about about prisoners forced to denounce Islam or force-fed pork and liquor. Now we're learning that Rummy ordered tough interrogation tactics for the Gitmo detainees and that some of these may have been transferred to Iraq. Now we're discovering that senior officials knew months ago about the Red Cross reports of abuse and did nothing about them (read Howard Kurtz - Media Notes)

Radio-talk show host Dave Ross of Mercer Island is on good footing with broadcast regulators as he continues airing his popular morning show on KIRO radio, despite his decision to run for Congress. Still, he's drawing attacks from the state Republican Party, which is looking at filing a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission. The party's state chairman, Chris Vance, said that Ross' morning radio show is really an in-kind contribution from KIRO radio of free air time to view his political views. ``If my lawyers are right, then Entercom (KIRO's owner) could be fined for the value of the contribution, which is a lot of money,'' Vance said. Beyond that, Vance said, ``it's just wrong'' that Ross is remaining on the air now that he's running for the open seat in 8th District that Jennifer Dunn has held for 12 years (read King County Journal)

You spoke. WOAI listened. Due to overwhelming demand, News Radio 1200 WOAI streaming is back online  Click here to listen…

"After barrels of ink and hours of breathless TV promotion, the Air America radio network has gone from its media boost to a quick bust," the Media Research Center's Tim Graham writes at www.mediaresearch.org. "A quick review of the media coverage shows a very biased pattern of boosterism followed by radio silence," said Mr. Graham, citing the lavish coverage of Air America's debut by ABC, NBC, NPR, CNN, Newsweek, the New York Times and The Washington Post, but little if any coverage of the subsequent woes. "These ongoing struggles may not seem like big breaking news. But by that standard, neither was the dinky network's launch, either," Mr. Graham said. "What the national media promoted as the roar of a new liberal lion turned out to be the quiet whimper of a sickly kitten." (read Washington Times - Inside Politics)

As labels stopped issuing CD singles in recent years, the only way for fans to obtain a song being played on the radio in advance of an album release was through peer-to-peer networks like Kazaa, Lime Wire and Grokster. Songs arrived on file-swapping services as soon as people could record them from radio and digitize them. "It seemed silly not to give listeners the opportunity to purchase, and for them only to have an opportunity to steal," said Amanda Marks, senior vice president of eLabs at Universal Music Group. Protests from retailers about early downloads have been minimal, she said, in part because some major outlets, like Tower Records, FYE and Wal-Mart, have their own download stores. Even with singles available early at download stores, the vast majority of music traffic online is generated by people downloading free songs (read N Y Times)

A small KCBS Radio traffic plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 580 in Castro Valley during the morning commute Monday after apparently running out of fuel en route to a nearby airport, authorities said. No one was injured. Donn Walker, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman, said the aircraft, a Cessna 172 built in 1977, was headed for the Hayward Executive Airport (read Oakland Tribune)

ARBs for Los Angeles and Chicago (read 'em)

Employee morale is so low at Mayor Bloomberg's news company, Bloomberg LLC, that staffers have taken to complaining — anonymously — on www.ourbloomberg.com. The gripes mostly say the company has gone downhill since Bloomberg left for City Hall. According to one: "This company . . . is essentially a communist-style company covering capital markets. While it may be comforting to some that you basically have to run naked through the bureau screaming bloody murder to get fired . . . there is also little if any prospect of advancement financially or professionally . . . Those who try to rock the boat and change things or speak up for themselves are banished to Siberia-like positions . . . or demoted beyond embarrassment." (read NY Post - Page Six)

Welcome to the fray, Dave Ross. Now get off the air.
The popular KIRO Newsradio talk-show host announced Thursday he'll run for Congress in the 8th Congressional District. Ross will invigorate an already feisty race, but he should forgo his access to the public airways from 9 a.m. to noon, weekdays. Ross said he intends to stay on air until candidates officially file for office with the Washington Secretary of State's office in July — filing is later in this state than in many others. That might be the legal threshold triggering federal equal-opportunity rules, which require radio and TV stations to provide equal time for opponents of candidates who appear on air outside of newscasts. But Ross is already a serious contender and will be raising money (read Seattle Times Editorial)

Public approval of President Bush's handling of the conflict in Iraq has hit its lowest point in the latest Washington Post-ABC News Poll, with growing fears that the United States is bogged down, rising criticism of Bush's handling of the prison abuse scandal and slippage in support for keeping U.S. troops there until order is restored. Support for Bush on virtually every aspect of the Iraq conflict has declined in the past month as the administration has battled insurgents on the ground and grappled with the expanding investigation into the treatment of Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison. The new poll underscored the political challenges that confronts Bush as he goes on national television tonight to defend his Iraq policy and outline the steps that will lead to a transfer of governing authority to a new Iraqi government on June 30. Bush's overall approval rating declined to 47 percent, the lowest the Post-ABC News polls have recorded since he took office, with 50 percent saying they disapprove. Just four in 10 Americans gave the president positive marks for his handling of Iraq, the lowest since he launched the conflict in March 2003 (read Washington Post)  You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

NextMedia Group, Inc. announced today that it has completed its previously announced purchase of WZCH-FM, serving Dundee, Illinois and suburban Chicago.  NextMedia purchased WZCH-FM from Entravision Communications Corporation for $5.0 million in cash.  NextMedia now owns and operates 12 stations in the suburban Chicago market (read)

A shed will have to do for a student radio station in St. Cloud, but at least it's temporary. KVSC FM at St. Cloud State is broadcasting this week from a pole barn next to its transmitter in a wooded area in Waite Park. The station is leaving its studio in Stewart Hall while the university works to upgrade its electrical distribution system. The station will broadcast from the shed through Thursday. Some phrases the DJs will use on the air include "No bull, all barn." (read KARE 11)

More than half of those surveyed say the media haven't been tough enough on President Bush. Nearly half say reporting is increasingly sloppy and filled with errors. And almost half say journalists often let their ideological views color their work.  Media bashers? Disaffected Democrats? No, these negative views are being expressed by journalists and executives at national media outlets. And local journalists aren't far behind in their criticism. A joint project by the Pew Research Center and the Project for Excellence in Journalism reveals a darkly pessimistic view of the profession among its own members, often echoing the criticisms of the public at large. The 55 percent of national journalists, and 37 percent of local ones, who see the media as soft on Bush may well be reflecting their own views of the president. At national outlets, 34 percent describe themselves as liberal, 54 percent as moderate and 7 percent as conservative. (The local split was 23-61-12.) Nearly 7 in 10 of the liberal national journalists criticized the Bush coverage. "You'd expect the minority who say they have a liberal point of view to be more critical of the press when it comes to Bush," says Pew Director Andrew Kohut, whose organization interviewed 547 journalists. But he noted that 44 percent of the self-described moderates also hold that view (read Howard Kurtz - Media Notes)

A pioneer radio broadcaster in the Piedmont Carolinas and the first to bring FM radio broadcasting to Gastonia will be honored Monday by Gaston College. Radio legend Pat McSwain will be the first recipient of the WSGE Broadcasting Wall of Fame Award for his contributions to the radio broadcasting industry in Gaston County. Gaston College President Pat Skinner and Alan Albright, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, will present the honor to Pat McSwain at the Dallas Campus (read News 14 - Carolina)

Vernon Jarrett, a pioneering black journalist who used his syndicated newspaper columns and long-running radio and television shows to educate Americans about the nation's legacy of slavery and segregation, has died. He was 82.
Jarrett died Sunday of cancer at the University of Chicago Hospitals (read LA Times)

Shirley Temple Black has had to cancel her appearance  so the next Broadcast Legends luncheon will be on Wedesday June 16 when the Broadcast Legends presents "And The Hits Just Keep On Coming!" at the "Top of the Inn," at the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge, 1800 Powell Street, Emeryville. It begins at 11:30 am.  $25 Advance, $30 at door.
Lunch includes wine, coffee or tea and dessert (Broadcast Legends Web site)

ARBs for Middlesex-Somerset-Union, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), New York, Riverside-San Bernardino and Westchester (read 'em)

It’s taken them quite a while, but the broadcasting industry has begun fighting back against the Federal Communications Commission’s overly broad indecency campaign. As usual, FCC head Michael Powell has pursued a personal agenda, greatly warping and altering the agency’s legitimate role as a media watchdog. Now the conglomerate media seems to have gotten its spine back. Last month a 24-member group of broadcast organizations like Viacom, Fox and the Recording Industry Association of America and artists’ unions and free speech advocates filed a petition asking the commission to reconsider the ridiculous ruling that fined NBC for the one-time utterance of U2 lead singer Bono at the Golden Globes  (read Nashville City Paper)

A Bozeman woman is suing Clear Channel Communications, alleging that a pair of local radio station announcers slandered her 14-year-old daughter in February during a live morning show. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Gallatin County District court, also names local radio station 96.7, KISN FM, which is owned by Clear Channel, as a defendant in the case. The complaint stems from comments allegedly made on Feb. 16, during the popular local morning program, "Joe's Junkyard," which is heard weekday mornings throughout the Gallatin Valley. It alleges that announcers called a minor girl derogatory and sexually explicit names after her name was spoken by a caller on the air (read the Bozeman Daily Chronicle)

Edward Levine joked that when he wanted to purchase advertising time on WNYT/Channel 13 in March, "it was like I needed an act of Congress." WNYT, the NBC affiliate in Menands, had so much demand for its time that it simply could not fit everyone in. It was a problem Steve Baboulis, general manager of WNYT, was happy to have. After a difficult 2003, local broadcasters finally are reaping the rewards of an improving economy. Baboulis estimated that local television revenue was up 10 percent to 15 percent in March, and Levine said the radio market had a 20 percent increase in revenue. April was nearly as strong (read Biz Journal)

KIRO radio plans to keep longtime talk-show host and first-time congressional candidate Dave Ross on the air for at least another month despite growing concerns that doing so may violate federal election law. "It is unfair, unethical and probably illegal," said Washington state Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance. "I'm amazed that Ross or KIRO is even considering it. John Carlson went off the air immediately when he ran for governor in 2000," he said (read Seattle P-I)

Air America Radio, the fledgling liberal talk radio network facing a cash crunch, has received an infusion of cash and has named a temporary chief executive, one of the network's investors said Friday. Doug Kreeger, an original investor and until now Air America's executive vice president for electronic media and development, also was named acting CEO, according to Anita Drobny, who founded the precursor to Air America with her husband, Sheldon Drobny, last year. The Drobnys, who sold off most of the company to an investor group in November but retain a minority stake, have been trying to regain control of the company. Drobny stressed that Kreeger's appointment was temporary, and that he will serve "until the board of directors takes care of all the old business left behind by Evan Cohen." (read David Hinckley - NY Daily News)  (read Chicago Tribune - John Cook)  

Over 300 talk radio hosts gathered here over the weekend for the annual New Media Seminar, sponsored by Talkers magazine, to debate how much the FCC's new vigilance threatens their First Amendment rights. Michael Harrison, the conference organizer, argued that there is no clear line between the sexual innuendo of a Howard Stern and the political speech of a Rush Limbaugh. "The legally reckless FCC crackdown poses a deadly threat to the entire radio broadcasting industry," he said. Michael Medved, a nationally syndicated host based in Seattle, responded that his fellow conference goers were "crying wolf" and pointed out that "there isn't a person in this room who doesn't favor some standard for broadcasting, whether it be against kiddy porn or animal snuff films." Others propounded political conspiracy theories about the FCC crackdown, endorsing Mr. Stern's view that Bush-appointed chairman Michael Powell began leaning on him only after he endorsed John Kerry for president (read John Fund - Wall Street Journal)

The Minority Media and Telecommunications Council (MMTC) has endorsed the First Media Petition for Rulemaking, which seeks to facilitate move-ins by exurban stations and upgrades of low powered facilities. It has issued a comments document to focus the Commission’s attention on the urgent need to allow upgrades of minority broadcasters’ facilities (read it in Adobe PDF format)

Lanham-based Radio One is expanding its empire to the Texas Gulf Coast. Radio One has agreed to acquire station KRTS-FM in the Houston market for about $72.5 million in cash.  The deal is expected to close in the third quarter. After it does, Radio One plans to change the format and call letters of the station. Radio One says KRTS is one of the last high-powered, independently owned radio stations in the Houston market. Radio One currently owns 68 radio stations in 22 markets (read Washington Biz Journal)

Radio format changes can be so cold: One minute you're listening to Sammy Hagar wail about eagles; the next, some joker is saying that you're getting three songs with some variation on "sun" in the title. And that you should get used to it. Loyal listeners are usually the last to know about this kind of stuff, and so it was a shock to their ears last week when KEGL/97.1 FM, after 12 years as a mainstream rock station and more than 20 as "The Eagle," became "Sunny 97.1" and started rolling pop songs from the '60s, '70s and '80s. Sunny arrived with a recurring promo, informing listeners that this was the kind of radio station that Fort Worth-Dallas had been clamoring for (read Robert Philpot)

In an expletive-filled response to a Talon News story from last week where a listener accused him of making death threats against President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, liberal Seattle radio talk show host Mike Webb declared his innocence and decried "lies told by right wing web sites." Talon News reported last week (see earlier story) that a listener to The Mike Webb Show, which airs from 10:00 p.m.-1 a.m. on 710 AM KIRO in Seattle, Washington, said that Webb had "called for the death of President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld for 'war crimes.'" Admitting that he received many "e-mails and phone calls from very angry listeners" who claimed he was "calling for the death of the president," Webb told Talon News last week that these listeners simply misunderstood what he said and that it is "absolutely not true" that he called for Bush to be put to death. In response to the Talon News story written about his on-air comments, Webb expressed his displeasure with the way the story was reported (read GOPUSA)

From Claude Hall Online: Much too often these days, I see an actress on CNN interviewing a reporter.  Reporters used to cover the news.  Now, more and more, they are the news.  At least, the only "news" we get.  Sometimes, the reporter is even promoting a book they've written from their great expertise such as the "war" seen from their hotel room in the "green zone."  What this really means, of course, is that CNN is gloriously short-changing the audience.  And we're letting them rather than demanding the real stuff.  But if you pay attention, you sometimes find some news anyway in the "crawls ..." + e-mails from Raul Cardenas, Gerry Cagle, Bill Mouzis and more (read www.claudehallonline.com) 

Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder is happy to have P.I. Bo Dietl's support in her bid to unseat Robert Morgenthau as Manhattan District Attorney, but she's asking him to cut back on the homophobia. When a group of gay voters learned that Dietl was fund-raising for Snyder and heading a campaign committee, they clued her into his history of saying politically incorrect things on Don Imus' radio show (read NY Post)

Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein remembers radio's better days - when AM stations' news departments blanketed their communities with reporters and FM disc jockeys actually chose which records to play. "The DJ would go down to the local club and hear the music that was being played," said Adelstein, a Rapid City native. "And if they liked a band, they might throw them on the station the next day." Fast forward to post-1996 America. Looser limits in the 1996 Telecommunications Act have allowed a few giant media conglomerates to gobble up clusters of stations. National computerized playlists determine which songs get airplay, and news operations have been cut to the core, Adelstein says (read Aberdeen American News)

... political meanness has never been more visible or scientifically formulated. The June issue of The Atlantic features an article, by senior editor Joshua Green, about the recent "evolutionary leap" made by the behind-the-scenes political smear industry. It's a burgeoning field, used by both major parties and candidates. Once manned by college students, these groups are now run by seasoned professionals, most of them lawyers. These folks spent the better part of a decade attacking the Clintons and dug up the 2000 revelation that George W. Bush was once arrested for drunken driving. They specialize in personal attacks, not policy issues. They have made a science of mean. And their efforts will likely go a long way toward deciding this year's election. The difficult task in the culture of meanness is fighting the mean guy without sinking to his level. The left-leaning Air America Radio was recently launched to combat the mean tone of Rush Limbaugh and other established talk radio figures. That commitment is cheapened with every on-air joke about Limbaugh's drug addiction, even if Limbaugh has disparaged drug users in the past. You can take on meanness without being mean, much as you can wage a war without resorting to an enemy's disgraceful tactics. You don't have to lie down for insult, and you don't have to hold your nemesis' hand for a chorus of Kumbaya. Just remember that meanness is contagious, and that the patient looks pretty sick (read Chris Vognar - Dallas News) You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

KSL-TV reporter and anchor Jill Atwood is making the leap from TV to radio. Atwood has taken a job with KSFI-FM to co-host FM 100's morning show with Dain Craig. A former TV anchor and reporter in Ft. Wayne, Ind., she has worked for KSL-Channel 5 since January 2000. She periodically has worked with Craig at the radio station (read Deseret News)

9 True Things You May Not Know About Radio People by Corey Deitz: (1) 50% of our wardrobes really do consist of free t-shirts.  (2) Evening DJs get propositioned more than any other air-shift, usually from under-age females (3) “Rule of the Phones”: if she sounds sexy, more times than not, she isn’t (read the other 6 in Corey Deitz's column)

Don't blame Steve Inskeep for the shake-up that landed him the interim co-host job on NPR's "Morning Edition" and made Bob Edwards a senior correspondent. "Steve was in Iraq. He had nothing to do with it," joked the show's executive producer, Ellen McDonnell. The dropping of Edwards as host after 25 years angered many listeners. But Inskeep says it hasn't had an impact on his new role, hosting alongside Renee Montagne + Mark Belling fills in for Rush Limbaugh today and Tuesday at noon on WISN-AM (1130) (read Tim Cuprisin - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

A Sioux City woman expressed her dislike for KSCJ radio content late Saturday morning by shooting at a station building and two vehicles in the parking lot, the station's program director said. Sioux City police said shortly after 11 a.m., Bramble Humphreys, 54, arrived at KSCJ, 2000 Indian Hills Drive, and fired a handgun at a company vehicle. During the incident, she shot herself in the hand, Officer Marc Hein said. However, no employees were injured. Program director Willie Clark said Humphreys used a .357-caliber handgun to unload four to five shots into the company vehicle, damaging its windows. Clark said another slug hit the sales building next door and one bullet hit a personal vehicle in the lot (read Sioux City Journal)

From Chuck Dunaway's "The Radio Diaries" --  Steve Eberhart: Where do I begin? Small market: Sherman, TX: 1976. I'm working the afternoon drive shift at KIKM, a top 40 AM/FM simulcast. In the middle of the shift, in walks a gentleman who the secretary nervously presents as "from the FCC.” Gulp! This of course was back when the fear of the FCC walking in was enough to make one shudder and I think I did that and more! He does only one thing, walks over to the racks with the FM stuff and says, "show me your readings". I did my best at attempting to contain my composure ... " -- Chris “Murphy” Harlow: After school finished for me in 1985, I returned to the station that gave me my start,  WPLY/Plymouth, WI, as Program Director. The studios were badly run down, and the studio featured state of the art carpet samples on the wall for soundproofing! I believe the airstaff's love of radio kept the place from caving in. We changed the format from A/C to Oldies, and the response was awesome! + more (visit www.chuckdunaway.com)

It's been seven months since Florida prosecutor Barry Krischer opened his investigation into Rush Limbaugh's pain-pill addiction, and still no charges have been brought. It's not for lack of trying.  In a legal foray that increasingly has the look of a partisan political campaign, Mr. Krischer has pulled out all the stops to nail the conservative talk-show host. Regardless of one's political views, the case has troubling connotations for tens of thousands of Americans whose efforts to combat chronic pain result in addiction. It all began early last year, when Rush's former Palm Beach housekeeper, Wilma Cline, approached the National Enquirer alleging she and her husband were his suppliers. The tabloid's editors balked at running the story. Gin up an official investigation first, they told the Clines. The couple approached Mr. Krischer, secured an immunity deal and promptly cashed their six-figure check. Prior to the story becoming public, Mr. Krischer had no intention of nailing Rush for his addiction. Like prosecutors nationwide, Mr. Krischer's policy was to cast a sympathetic eye toward prescription drug addicts, viewing them less as criminals than as victims. But that was before the tabloid hit the newsstands (read Sam Dealey of the American Spectator in the Dallas News)

Watching baseball on Fox is a horror. Their camera work is often amateurish but the worst part of their broadcast is the sound. Attempting to watch this past Saturday's telecast from Wrigley Field was a perfectly horrid example. My late WGN colleague Arne Harris must be looking down and shaking his head. Arne was the best baseball TV director who ever lived. No element of his game was allowed to falter. Fox should go look at some of his tapes. The Fox audio is almost unusable. Their engineers don't know how to mix crowd noise with booth audio. When the booth boys aren't talking the whooshing of the crowd noise is overwhelming. There are limiting and balancing devices. Fox hasn't set theirs properly. Don't they listen to their own product? Obviously not (read Chicago Ed)

Alternative talk radio programs, including Al Franken's "Air America" show, start airing this week on two new stations.  Franken's radio talk show, which has aired in the Twin Cities on 1330 AM, along with the Ed Schultz and Wendy Wilde programs, will move Monday, May 25, to 740 AM and 1530 AM. The Minnesota Production Network, which leased time on 1330 AM to broadcast the three programs, announced a contract to purchase 1530 AM and a time brokerage agreement with 740 AM. "The name of our new station is going to be 'Straight Talk Radio,'" said Janet Robert, president of Minnesota Production Network. "The theme is going to be 'All news and straight talk -- all the time.'" (read Workday Minnesota)

Taxi driver Jiang Ren instinctively switches on the car radio as his beat-up Daihatsu crawls through another atrocious traffic jam here. China is the world's second-largest radio market, after the US, with more than 1,000 stations. An average listener spends 13hr 48min per week listening to the radio. News is the most popular format. Advertising spending in China's radio market accounts for only about 4.8 per cent of the total, though the absolute amount spent has increased from 1.82 billion yuan in 2001 to 2.5 billion yuan last year. The peak listening hours are 6.30am to 9.30am, noon to 1pm, and 6pm to 7pm. Provincial-level radio stations are the most popular, accounting for 60 per cent of the market. National-level stations fare poorly, with just 14 per cent of the share. 'In a situation like this, there are only two things to do - smoke or listen to the radio,' he said. The massive peak-hour traffic jams in Beijing have earned it the nickname of the 'Carpark of the World' among disgruntled drivers and commuters. But where they see a growing headache, some marketers and advertisers see the tantalising prospects of capturing a potential gold mine of listeners for their sales pitch. On the back of rapidly changing lifestyles and increasingly expensive television ads, some analysts are predicting a new lease of life for China's radio industry, long consigned to the cellar position in the tussle for the advertising dollar. Ratings firms such as Nielsen Media Research and CVSC-Sofres Media (CSM) are also expanding or launching new radio ratings services to address a major concern of advertisers - the lack of an effective means of gauging radio listenership in China (read The Straits Times)

It might also surprise editors and news directors to discover that religious radio has been the fastest growing format in radio over the past five years, according to Arbitron, Inc. These same editors might be equally surprised to find that a religious broadcaster, publicly traded Salem Communications, is the third largest owner and/or operator in the nation’s top 25 markets. (Salem Communications owns and operates five stations in the Atlanta market including The Fish, WFSH-FM 104.7, and WGKA-AM 1190.) Salem owns 97 stations in 37 radio markets and generates nearly $200 million in annual sales. It would also serve editors and news directors well to consider the findings of some recent research by the Barna Group (read Citizen Online)

When Jeff Cavins was in high school, his father used to drop him off at various Twin Cities radio stations so his broadcast-hungry son could take a closer look. "There was a DJ at WDGY who really opened his life up to me in broadcasting and allowed me in the studio to watch him," recalled Cavins, host of Relevant Radio's flagship morning show. "A few years ago I ran into that station's former owner and asked him, 'Whatever happened to that DJ? Whatever happened to the Catman?'  " 'Jeff,' he told me, 'that's Tom Barnard.' " Cavins laughed. "Obviously we've gone in different directions." There's more irony here: Cavins now competes with the top-rated Barnard, broadcasting from the KQRS morning host's old studio in Golden Valley (read Star Tribune)

Entercom Inc., the owner of eight radio stations based in Westwood, may cross the dial from Kansas to Missouri and relocate its 230 employees to Kansas City. Cindy Schloss, vice president and market manager for Entercom, declined to comment other than to say the company had not made a decision. The Entercom radio stable holds a variety of formats: KMBZ 980 AM, news, talk and sports; KUDL 98.1 FM, adult contemporary; KQRC 98.9 FM, active rock; KYYS 99.7 FM, album-oriented rock; KRBZ 96.5 FM, hot adult contemporary; WDAF 106.5 FM, country; 61 Sports 610 AM, sports talk; and KXTR 1660 AM, classical (read Kansas City Star)

Ryan Seacrest does not shave in the morning. He reports to work before sunrise at the KIIS-FM radio station in Los Angeles, where he is host of the popular 5-to-10 a.m. morning talk and music show ''On-Air With Ryan Seacrest.''  ''It's early, but I love it,'' he said on a recent Tuesday morning, his blond faux-hawk buried under a Tommy Hilfiger baseball cap and his trim frame folded into a chair. His voice, rich and oddly familiar, vibrated with pleasing energy, like an auctioneer or baseball announcer. ''It's a job I could do for the next 25 years.''  Paul Joseph, Seacrest's executive producer on the morning show, says he believes Seacrest is perhaps the best host there has ever been. ''He's a machine. A talk machine. I've never seen anything like it.'' Seacrest argues that he has ''no real talent,'' aside from drive and an affinity for people. (Personalities are always people persons.)  ''I live an incredible life,'' he says matter-of-factly. ''I am a truly happy individual doing something that I always wanted to do. There is no hidden secret. There's no tragedy in all of this.''  Seacrest says that he has never been in therapy. Despite the pressures of his immense success, he remains unburdened and is, truth be told, slightly annoyed by other entertainers who aren't (read NY Times Magazine)

In summers past, local concertgoers might expect to see one or two of their favorite artists in South Florida, from a classic rocker like Rod Stewart or Sting to a current pop queen like Britney Spears. But when it comes to the summer of 2004, they'll get them all. And for the second time this year. As the record industry tries to recover from declining sales largely attributed to illegal downloading, artists have discovered a new way to rake in the cash -- by touring nearly nonstop, sometimes visiting the same area multiple times within a year or two. That is one of the reasons the national concert business is booming, particularly in South Florida, home to a handful of major venues -- Sound Advice Amphitheatre, Mizner Park Amphitheater, Office Depot Center and AmericanAirlines Arena, all of which have opened within the past decade. Sound Advice, located at the South Florida Fairgrounds, could easily play host to more than 30 shows this year, possibly setting an all-time high for the 8-year-old venue that is owned and operated by industry giant Clear Channel Entertainment. (The record -- 31 -- was set last year.) "We don't want to be dark," explains Joe Nieman, Clear Channel's chief Florida concert executive (read Palm Beach Post)

When I was lured away from WFAA-820 Dallas in August of 1968  to go program KBUC FM-AM in San Antonio, this was finally my chance to use all that I had wanted to do at a big market Radio Station! My first absolute supreme duty was to immediately ditch the awful "Cosmopolitan Country" jingles that haunted KBUC! Earlier experiences in small market radio where nothing was in place,  I thought when my chance comes, would never have to experience that again. Everything should be laid out with form to try and make it as easy as possible for the DJ. No having to constantly search here and there for things that should be right at hand. I saw my work was cut out for me at KBUC (read Jim Rose's KBUC memories)

Lynne Haley and Hart have a new show, "Complaints About Men," on 990 Mainstreet Radio in Dallas-Fort Worth.  Haley and Hart shed new light on an age old topic.  Their advice begins with the reminder, "Remember, whatever's happened to you...has happened WORSE to someone else!"  Listen live or online at 6 pm Saturdays at www.990mainstreet.com (visit www.complaintsaboutmen.com)

FCC Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein:  "The Federal Communications Commission is coming to Rapid City. We are seeking your input on how local television and radio broadcasters are serving communities in the Black Hills.
Last summer, the FCC heard a groundswell of public concern about how the growth of giant media companies has undercut the coverage of issues of concern in local communities. Nearly 3 million people contacted the FCC and Congress about rules that shape the ownership of our nation's media. I've personally listened to thousands of people in city halls, schools, churches and meeting rooms across the country.  Now it's your turn. The FCC is doing an in-depth examination of how it can improve broadcasters' service to their local communities, and we need your input. We want to hear directly about your experience with TV and radio. We want your perspective on how well broadcasters are meeting the needs of your community. Are they providing sufficient coverage of issues of local concern and local elections? Do you have enough different news sources? Are broadcasters providing sufficient family-friendly programming? Are you hearing local artists played on the radio?" (read it all at Rapid City Journal)

With the recent acquisition of the Thurston family's Berkshire Broadcasting Co., Vox now owns seven of Berkshire County's nine commercial radio stations from North Adams to Great Barrington. Vox said it will continue with local formats, but plans to spruce things up a bit. WBRK, the county's oldest radio station, which has been in operation for over 60 years, is the lone hold out. Owner Huck Hodgkins said he's not ready to sell anytime soon. "We're the only ones left. We're the only locally owned media in the county. I don't think it's bad or good. I just think it's the way life is. I love local broadcasting and serving the local community and doing local things, news, sports," Hodgkins said. New England based Vox Radio Group now owns all but two of the Berkshire's commercial radio stations. Hodgkins said groups like Vox are simply taking advantage of relaxed FCC ownership regulations and he doesn't view them as a threat (read Capital News - Albany)

A lot more people are listening to Christian radio these days.  Recent Arbitron ratings show that Christian radio listenership has grown 38 percent in the last five years. And according to Rich Bott of the Bott Radio Network, it's because people are hungry for the Word of God. Many people, he added, are repelled by what's passing for entertainment in the secular media today. They are seeking something wholesome and are tuning into Christian radio to build their beliefs and faith. Frank Wright, president of the National Religious Broadcasters, said he is optimistic about Christian radio in general and that the unraveling culture is causing people to look for an anchor (read Family.Org News)

A man who previously pleaded guilty to the same offense, and was given probation, was sentenced today to three years in a state prison for continuing to stalk WFLD-Ch. 32 anchor Tamron Hall. Tonny Horne, 32, received the maximum sentence after he pleaded guilty to telephone harassment and for violating the conditions of his probation, which forbade him from trying to contact Hall, said Jerry Lawrence, a spokesman for the Cook County State's Attorney's office (read Chicago Tribune)

We're dueling over satellite radio here on Fool.com. Seth Jayson thinks XM will win this battle, while W.D. Crotty says not to sell Sirius short. Read both articles and then vote for which argument you think is better. The potential of satellite radio is staggering. More than 15 million new cars and 7 million aftermarket radios are sold every year. When you add in homes, boats, and anywhere else a quality, commercial free radio broadcast would hit the spot, you see why there is so much excitement over satellite radio (read The Motley Fool)

Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire KLST-TV, the CBS affiliate serving the San Angelo, Texas market. The Company will acquire all of the assets of the station from Jewell Television Corporation for $12 million in cash (read)

On ABC NightLine: He was a favorite of the Pentagon, often spoken of as a possible leader of the new Iraq. He provided some intelligence on WMD's, which has apparently turned out to be untrue. But he still remained on the U.S. payroll. Until recently. His office was raided yesterday...what's happening? (NightLine Web site)

The KNOW Austin Lunch Bunch goes "Back to Bubbaland" --  Wednesday May 26, 2004 KNOW lunch will be in South Austin at Alligator Grill at 3003 South Lamar (visit KNOW)

Mark Twain put it best when he said, "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes." That was certainly the case this week, when A.M. Rosenthal, former New York Times executive editor, now writing for the New York City daily called The Sun, grossly mischaracterized something I wrote in this space two weeks ago. By yesterday, Rush Limbaugh, no surprise, was amplifying the lie. In his Sun column on Tuesday, titled "Insulting the Victims," Rosenthal's views on the prison abuse scandal in Iraq ranged widely, not to say wildly -- he referred to the insurgency there as a "government" -- but concluded that journalists who cover the brutalization of inmates without explicitly mentioning Saddam's mass graves "are truly embarrassing." (read Editor and Publisher - Greg Mitchell)

"No one was better than RWM," says Ron Jacobs who knew him From their first work together in the prototype small market, Fresno, to the ultimate big market, L.A. and 93 KHJ.  Today, Ron Jacobs remembers the late, legendary Robert W. Morgan -- "Near the end, RWM was frustrated by not being able to communicate via computer or with his voice. He got his biggest kicks listening to that "Mega" station, which is apparently roughing up KRTH-FM. And good luck to THEM, now without Morgan and (The Real Don) Steele, their former station exposed as a combination juke box/slot machine, running re-cycled KHJ stuff. The one thing I can assure you is that RWM did not move on up worrying that someone was gonna come on in and make people forget about him!" (read it all at www.ronjacobsonline.com)

Billy Corgan, former lead singer of Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan, has signed on as Chicago's first rock 'n' roll sportscaster + Lisa Dent will broadcast her WUSN-FM (99.5) midday show Monday through Thursday from Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas + Alex Quigley, who hosted overnights and middays at WKQX-FM (101.1), is out after two years as program director at KRFR-FM in Bakersfield and more (read Feder of Chicago)

From Kent Burkhart's "I Was There" series -- I was on the consulting road for over two decades. I consulted about 500 stations during that time. It was incredible. Since I am very competitive I really enjoyed going into a market and installing a new format, or adjusting the one is existence, so that my client would dramatically improve its competitive position. That is what I was hired to do. And I enjoyed doing it. Some of the most able competitors were in small and medium small markets. I found programming in Amarillo was a lot tougher than in New York City. The reason is simple. The owners in Amarillo were fighting for their financial lives to make the payroll and pay quarterly payments to a bank that held their loan. In New York City there was enough market radio revenue to go around to all stations (a slight exaggeration, but factual). The solution? The guys in the smaller markets came up with all sorts of combined sales and audience promotions MONTHLY. Their competitors did the same thing. It made for exciting on-your-toes-at-all-times radio!!! Furthermore, they were only rated twice a year. On the other hand the largest markets were rated monthly and tracked ratings before attacking with promotions (again a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea). I got a call from a medium small market station in Waterloo ... (read it all at www.kentburkhart.com)

Radio host Sean Hannity asks a guest to talk about the American military's abuse of Iraqi prisoners and "maybe compare it to the beheading of Nick Berg." The guest, in deference to good taste or out of respect for the grieving Berg family, refuses. Still, for several weeks now, right wing radio talk show hosts, like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage -- who dominate the airwaves and much of the political debate across the American heartland -- have been hammering home the idea that our enemies are far more inhumane than anyone on the U.S. side ... "Right now, even people sitting on the fence would like George Bush to drop a nuclear weapon on an Arab country. . . I think these people need to be forcibly converted to Christianity . . . It's the only thing that can probably turn them into human beings." -- Michael Savage on the nationally syndicated Savage Nation, May 12, 2004 ... While right-wing radio quickly seized upon the beheading of Nick Berg to highlight the wretched deeds of the enemy, Limbaugh predicted that liberal politicians would now make "an effort to get Nick Berg's family in Philadelphia to go