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Tuesday April 4, 2006

David Lee Roth said yesterday he wouldn't be surprised if he's fired from his morning gig at WFNY (92.3 FM) "within the next three weeks."  Roth, who has had low ratings since he replaced Howard Stern in January, says station executives have ordered him to do "a 'traditional' morning show instead of the show I was hired to do." (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

Young adults and minorities are leading a revolution in how Americans use their cellphones. People from age 18 to 29 and minorities are more likely to use their phones as personal computers, digital music players, cameras and more, an AP-AOL-Pew poll found (read more - USA Today)  (read more - San Diego Union Trib)

All the attention surrounding CBS' courtship of Katie Couric to anchor its "Evening News" has overshadowed the larger and darker truth about the prize Couric has apparently won. Regardless of who anchors them, the network evening newscasts just don't mean what they used to (read more - David Hinkley-NY Daily News)

The tentative plan is for a two-step process in which Katie Couric first announces her departure from NBC, which would like to give her a warm send-off after a decade in which she helped make "Today" the top-rated morning program. Meredith Vieira, co-host of ABC's "The View" and host of the syndicated "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," has been offered the job of replacing Couric and is seriously considering it, some of these sources say (read more - Howard Kurtz-Media Notes)

Getting Katie Couric may make TV history, but it won't make the "CBS Evening News" No. 1 anytime soon. TV observers expect Couric's arrival as the face of CBS News will give the third-place newscast a quick ratings bump, but little more (read more - Marisa Guthrie-NY Daily News)

Just as Katie Couric is about to announce her departure from NBC's "Today" to "CBS Evening News," Howard Stern has some words of warning (read more - NY Post)

Mark Allen, whose "Tic Tak and the Freak Show" lasted only five weeks on WKSC-FM (103.5) before its demise on March 6, suddenly returned Monday to the Clear Channel Radio Top 40 station + Two Clear Channel Radio midday hosts -- Troi Tyler of adult urban WVAZ-FM (102.7) and Bionce Foxx of urban contemporary WGCI-FM (107.5) -- will broadcast live Thursday and Friday from Walt Disney World (read more - Feder of Chicago)

Radio listeners clamoring for more classic rock now have another option on the local dial, but those looking for oldies may find themselves with a case of the summertime blues. WBIG-FM (100.3) yesterday swapped oldies for "the greatest rock 'n' roll of all time." (read more - Washington Times)

“Free FM” should be renamed “Free Fall FM,” as the ratings for WYSP continue to plummet since the departure of Howard Stern for Sirius Satellite radio. In the Arbirtron Winter “Trends,” WYSP dropped to 19th place overall for listeners 12 and up (read more - Laura Nachman)

WMXJ-FM Majic 102.7, WLYF-FM 101.5 Lite, and WAXY-AM 790 The Ticket have shifted to the corporate umbrella of Lincoln Financial Media as the result of a merger between Jefferson-Pilot Communications and Lincoln National (read more - Miami Herald)

From Happy Hare -- Within a few days after my near death experience on Torrey Pines Road, Stan Norman the genial owner of KCBQ asked the staff to show up at the station meeting room. This sent a ripple of anxiety through the station. He had never called a meeting before so we figured no good could come of it And remember, I was depressed anyway, so I thought the worst. It was early evening when we all assembled to see Stan Norman  in the front of the room standing with three men, whom he introduced  as the Bartell brothers, Gerald, Lee and David, all expensively dressed and smiling their best professional grin. For Gerald and David, that was a radiant smile. For Lee, it looked more like he had a gas pain. “Meet your new owners,” announced Stan.” I have sold the station, and they will take over immediately.” God help me, I thought.. I was back on the street again (read more - www.HappyHareOnline.com)

An era is passing as Jimmy Tayoun - one of Philly's most colorful pols - says he's pulling the plug on 90Forum, his public-service call-in show on WYSP-FM (94.1), after 11 years + When your new show starts at 6 a.m. and you roll in at 7:30 after a night of partying, you get... a one-day suspension. That's why Casey, a sidekick to Wired 96.5 morning guy Chio, was out Friday (read more - Michael Klein-Philly Inquirer)

Almost two years to the day after making its radio debut, Sports Business Radio with Brian Berger will make its TV debut. Beginning April 16th, the show will air every Sunday from 6pm – 7pm Pacific time on CNW14 in Oregon and SW Washington (read more - Sports Business Radio)

In late spring/early summer, XM Satellite Radio will add six regional News & Talk channels (XM 134-XM 139) that will, for the first time, provide regional news coverage for every area of the continental US and complement the recent addition of Cincinnati talk channel, WLW - XM 173. These channels will be provided by Clear Channel Communications and will be located in a new category on the XM Radio channel guide called "Regional News, Talk & Music Channels." (read more - XM Radio)

Dear Radio Babe: I used to listen to 1320 AM when it was sports radio.  Are we going to get another local sports station in Sarasota? + Nationally syndicated radio talker/author Michael Medved will appear  in Sarasota April 11 for the (930 AM) "WLSS News Talk Forum," representing the local affiliate where he can be heard from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays (read more - Dawn Scire-The Radio Babe)

KXOL 1360's John Puff reports that radio veteran and character actor Norm Alden - www.normalden.com -  is back home aftert battling pneumonia and bronchitis at an LA hospital

Paul Rienhart Jr, better known as Ted Reinhart, hosted a syndicated country music show with his wife, Ruth.  He was arrested by FBI agents and Pennsylvania State Troopers after allegations that he coerced and persuaded a female juvenile to engage in sexually explicit conduct and knowingly transported her across state lines (read more - WJAC TV)

The Ultimate Oldies Radio Web site was originated in Baltimore by local radio veteran Bob Mathers (WQSR, WITH, WPOC, WRBS) in an effort to provide oldies fans with an alternative to stations with repetitive playlists and automated delivery of the product. One recent major development is the return of Top 40 legend Jack Gale to the airwaves (visit www.UltimateOldies.com)

Communications Minister Helen Coonan has elected to hold off the launch of digital radio until January 2009, despite some radio operators' concerns that delays were "killing" the new technology's future. Senator Coonan, who said last October it would take two or three years to roll out digital radio services, yesterday set down a launch date of January 1, 2009, for services in Australian capital cities (read more - News Australia)

John Green, the weekend producer for "Good Morning America," has been suspended because of controversial e-mails that were leaked out last week by a disgruntled former colleague. The talented Green, a rising star at ABC News, was told to stay away from the office for a month and "is not allowed in the building," an insider told us (read more - Page Six)

When you hear the names Carville and Russert, sports are probably not the first thing that comes to mind. That is all about to change! On Tuesday, April 4th, fresh from the first round of opening day games for the 2006 Major League Baseball season, James Carville and Luke Russert, hosts of XM Satellite Radio's new weekly sports radio program, "60/20", will be available live from XM's Washington DC Studios (read more - ABC 7 WLS TV)

During the March 31 broadcast of his national syndicated radio program, Rush Limbaugh referred to the alleged victim of a rape by members of the Duke University lacrosse team as a "ho[]."  Prompted by another caller to apologize for his words, Limbaugh said that he had made the statement because he was "running on fumes today," and called it a "terrible slip of the tongue." But he then added that there are "some inconsistencies" in the case and rephrased his apology, telling the second caller, "I regret that you heard me say it" (read more - Media Matters)

According to a internal memo obtained by Reuters, Clear Channel has struck an exclusive deal to use Google Inc.'s  search engine on its radio station Web sites (read more - Reuters)

ARBitron numbers for Dayton   Indianapolis   Las Vegas   Louisville   Omaha-Council Bluffs   Phoenix   Salt Lake City-Ogden   Tucson (read 'em)

Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. (CRB) is now accepting inductee nominations at CRB.org for the 2007 Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame Awards. The Hall of Fame Dinner and Ceremony will be held Tuesday, February 27, 2007

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer accused federal regulators Monday of going behind his back to negotiate with radio companies caught in a "payola" scandal, and saying the move undercuts the case he's been building for years (read more - Washington Post)  

Elvis has left the building at Clear Channel Radio's oldies station WBIG-FM100.3 FM. At 5 p.m. Monday, Big 100.3 moves from oldies to a new "classic hits" format (read more - Washington Biz Journal)

Citadel Broadcasting has received U.S. antitrust approval to acquire ABC Radio from Walt Disney Company U.S. officials said on Monday (read more - Reuters)

The Country Music Association has begun accepting online submissions for the 2006 CMA Broadcast Awards for Broadcast Personality, Station and National Broadcast Personality of the Year beginning today, April 3, at Broadcast.CMAawards.com

KFWB NEWS 980 and KLSX 97.1 Free FM announced that starting today, the Dodger Radio broadcast can be heard on Free 2 HD

David Johnson, a fixture on local and national media since 1975, has been 1080 KRLD's business analyst since 1980 and on the Texas State Network.  He will be the master of ceremonies at "Beyond Borders: Making Worldwide Marketing a Reality," an international marketing symposium  on April 6 (read more - Business Wire)

Monday April 3, 2006

CBS Radio News Vice President Harvey Nagler said his medium is becoming a bit extinct. "Radio is an analog dinosaur in a digital world," he said. He said young people were getting news in new ways and radio would have to adapt to the changes. Nagler asked the audience of approximately 100 attendees where they get their news. Answers included the Internet, CNN and cell phones (read more - Daily Targum)

Katie Couric can start sleeping in. The all-American morning-TV queen has decided to leave the "Today" show to become the evening news anchor on CBS ... A deal has been "completed in principle," and an announcement could come as early as this week, the trade magazine Television Week reports today (read more - Michael Shain-NY Post) (read more - Derek Rose-NY Daily News) ... what's lost in the feeding frenzy is this: Couric shouldn't leave NBC. Doing so would be a terrible mistake (read more - Richard Huff-NY Daily News)

Former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth and comedian Adam Corolla have both flopped as replacements for DJ superstar Howard Stern. In his first radio survey, Roth lost 75% of Stern’s audience. Corolla rated a measly 0.7% (read more - Paul Cashmere-Undercover AU)

Anita and Sheldon Drobny, two of the founders of Air America Radio, are taking the next step to ensure that liberal programming stays on the air: obtaining radio stations. Anita and Sheldon Drobny want to spread liberal talk radio by buying stations across the country. The couple has announced plans to begin buying or leasing radio stations across the United States through their new company, Nova M Radio (read more - NY Times)

XM Satellite Radio added more than 568,000 net new subscribers during the first quarter of 2006 for a total of more than 6.5 million subscribers. XM is on track to reach nine million subscribers by the end of 2006 (read more- XM Radio)  (read more - Forbes)  (read more - MSNBC)

Few people took satellite radio seriously until the industry underdog, Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., landed a star performer in Howard Stern and a star chief executive in Mel Karmazin. But after 17 months in the job, Mr. Karmazin, the former Viacom Inc. chief executive, is still trying to make Sirius profitable (read more - Wall Street Journal)

Interep National Radio Sales announced its fourth quarter and full year financial results. Commission revenue decreased $1.6 million, or 7.2%, to $20.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2005, from $22.4 million for the same period last year. The decrease reflects the loss of revenues due to the termination of our Cumulus Broadcasting, Inc. and Radio One, Inc. representation contracts as well as the fact that the fourth quarter 2004 revenues were higher due to the 2004 election (read more - Interep)

Daniel Park, a lawyer, sat down in the Manassas studio of La Campeona (1420 AM) and pulled on headphones, leaving the caller on hold to deliver his intro: a rapid-fire "¡Buenos días, buenos días, buenos días!," an explanation of proposed immigration legislation -- and an exhortation to protest laws that would make illegal immigrants and those who aid them felons. Then he took the call. The Colorado caller had heard about Park's Spanish-language radio show on immigration law, and she needed help (read more - Karin Brulliard-Washington Post)

The Conclave is extending the 2006 scholarship application deadline. The new deadline is April 15  which means radio stations have two more weeks to extend their public service campaign informing listeners of the valuable Conclave scholarship programs (visit www.theconclave.com )

The BBC's not so subtle strategy, and this happens with every licence-fee settlement, is to ask for a jaw-dropping increase in funding, in the hope of compromising for just an extraordinary rise. It's amazing that the Treasury and the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport even bother to read the corporation's first proposal - they might as well just send it back with "reduce by 50 per cent" scrawled on the cover (read more - Dawn Airey-The Independent U.K.)

A deflated but defiant David Lee Roth returned to the radio Friday after getting yanked off the air for two days by CBS execs for refusing to follow his bosses’ direct orders on how to fix his ratings-challenged morning show.  But during his Friday show, the former Van Halen frontman vowed to stick with it - although he acknowledged that problems continue. "I'm going to give it a try," Roth told his audience. "I've invested too much in this show not to" (read more - Jessica Heslam-Boston Herald)  (read more - Mercury News)

Joan Hamburg will be honored as one of eight winners of the 2006 Matrix Awards given by Women in Communications.  Other winners include actress Geena Davis, with presentations by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Katie Couric and Susan Sarandon. Ellen DeGeneres hosts the event at the Waldorf-Astoria and will herself receive a Humanitarian Award presented by Diane Sawyer (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

After a series of meetings over the past three months, executives at The Sun and WBAL, Maryland's largest talk-radio station, have agreed to share news resources under a new working relationship (read more - Nick Madison-Baltimore Sun)

On the March 31 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio program, Neal Boortz said that Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) "looks like a ghetto slut." Boortz was commenting on a March 29 incident in which McKinney allegedly struck a police officer at a Capitol Hill security checkpoint. Boortz said that McKinney's "new hair-do" makes her look "like a ghetto slut," like "an explosion at a Brillo pad factory," like "Tina Turner peeing on an electric fence," and like "a shih tzu." McKinney is the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Georgia (read more - Media Matters)

A listener has won a breast implant in Radio Hott 93’s plastic surgery competition. The popular frequency has secured the services of plastic surgeon Dr Paul Mohammed who will do the procedure at the West Shore Medical Centre. The winner has asked not to be identified (read more - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday)

It's no secret that WIP-AM (610) loudmouths Angelo Cataldi and Howard Eskin don't love each other. WIP billboards that went up last week show them with their hands on each other's throats, beside the headline "Our Team Never Chokes" (read more - Michael Klein-Philly Inquirer)

Metro Networks, a Westwood One company, announced that a recent study conducted by Edison Media Research found that almost three-quarters of radio traffic listeners pay more attention to commercials read live by the announcer of a traffic or news report than they do to pre-recorded commercials (read more - PR Newswire)

National Radio revenue continued its healthy climb with a 4% increase for the month of February 2006 compared to the same month from a year ago. Local dollars continued to struggle, dropping 3% this February compared to last February. The increase in national dollars was not enough to boost total combined local and national ad sales, which declined 2% in February 2006 over February of 2005 (read more - RAB)

With the tax-filing deadline approaching, CNNRadio will offer its affiliates a special one-hour program on the ins and outs of current tax laws. Hosted by CNN business news anchor Ali Velshi, “Cracking the Tax Code” will examine the federal tax system. “Cracking the Tax Code” will air Thursday, April 6, from 2-3 p.m. (ET) (visit CNN Radio)

The movie adaptation of Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" will premiere May 3 at St. Paul's Fitzgerald Theater, a fitting venue for the launch of the highly anticipated motion picture. Most of the movie was filmed at the historic theater, which has been home to Keillor's beloved radio program that is heard by 4 million listeners on public radio each week (read more - Duluth News)

From Claude Hall -- A day or so ago, I was prowling through notebooks of color slides tucked into plastic sleeves and there was this photo laying in the notebook. I think Columbia Records was promoting a record by Andy Williams. A tune from "The Godfather." Thus the guy in the hat. The two guys on either side? Too long ago to remember. I could never forget the guy on the left, however. Gary Owens. Then the star among stars on the air at KMPC. I'll tell you how radio really was...advertisers bought time on Gary's show and then looked at the ratings for Los Angeles + e-mails from Jack Hobbs, John Long and Dena Gurewitz Varble and more (read more - www.ClaudeHallOnline.com) 

Several key details remain to be resolved before "Today" co-anchor Katie Couric would leave her post and take over the "CBS Evening News," including the final negotiations of what her contract would be at the network (read more - Matea Gold-LA Times)

Coming this week ...  Not just any book. It's
"Eddie Barker's Notebook" with a foreward by Walter Cronkite
(click the book cover to find out more about Eddie Barker)
                            

In the age of iPods, MySpace.com and YouTube.com, the FCC's regulatory powers are less effective than ever.  The minute the FCC censors something on broadcast TV, it pops up on the Internet in uncensored form and can be downloaded to your video iPod or PlayStation Portable. The FCC is fighting a losing game and unfairly penalizing broadcasters and their adult viewers in the process." (read more - Joanne Ostrow-Denver Post) 

The Cardinals shook the earth under many of their fans last summer when they announced they were moving their radio broadcasts from KMOX, where they had been for 51 seasons, to KTRS. But that merely was the start of a KTRmesS, the first in a series of developments that have been viewed as either negative, insensitive or embarrassing (read more - Dan Caesar-St Louis Post-Dispatch)

From George Mair -- April First was New Year’s before Pope Gregory changed it in 1562. Those who continued to celebrate on April First were called April fools and in France people pin paper fish on their back for reasons I don’t know.****Mark Twain said April Fools day is day we’re reminded what we are the other 364 (read more - George Mair's LA LA Land)

Milwaukee Public Schools jazz station WYMS-FM (88.9) will introduce its new programming in July with a blend of alternative rock and hip-hop targeting adults ages 25 to 39 (read more - Milwaukee Biz Journal)

A private Las Vegas party that was to feature headline act Snoop Dogg was canceled this week due to growing anti-rap sentiment among Nevada authorities (read more - KISS FM Savannah)

Chris Evans, 40 yesterday, won two Sony award nominations last week for his new Saturday afternoon Radio 2 show, a more relaxed version of his Nineties zoo-style breakfast shows on Radio 1 and Virgin Radio. The nominations put Evans back in the frame with other stars at the top of their game like Chris Moyles and Jonathan Ross, and come at a very handy time (read more - The Guardian U.K.)

The audience for digital radio -- which the industry is marketing as "HD Radio," a nod to the popularity of high-definition TV -- numbers only in the thousands. But someday, perhaps this Christmas, you might own one of these gadgets, because the radio industry -- which is in something of a panic these days over declining audiences and snowballing competition from the two big satellite radio services, XM and Sirius -- sees digital as its savior and therefore wants you to get a digital radio yesterday. For the moment, however, these sets run you about $300 (down from $500 just a few weeks ago) (read more - Marc Fisher-Washington Post)

Dallas Christian radio legend Ron Harris is out as morning show host and general manager at KCBI-FM (90.9), even as he's beginning his second term as chairman of the National Religious Broadcasters  (read more - Dallas News)

Fired radio host David Lenihan will keep his teaching job. Lenihan, whom KTRS fired for making a racial slur during comments about U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, had also been suspended from teaching at Logan College of Chiropractic. On Friday, the college announced it was ending that suspension (read more - St Louis Post-Dispatch)

The first 24-hour Spanish-language sports radio network in Texas will hit the airwaves from Austin.  ESPN Radio plans to broadcast ESPN Deportes KWNX on 1260 AM in Austin beginning in late summer (read more - Austin Biz Journal)

It seems nearly every mainstream media (or, for the kids, MSM) organization has jumped into the podcasting pool. At first, I assumed broadcasters would have an overwhelming advantage in this new medium. But a couple years into the podcasting era, I've noticed an interesting trend: Print companies seem more willing to take chances and produce original programming for the Internet than broadcasters do. This actually makes sense when you think about it. Why, for example, would a radio station make a radio show that it wouldn't put on the radio? (read more - Andy Bowers-Slate)

Is Bob Dylan's satellite radio show up in the air? Back in December, XM Satellite Radio announced with much fanfare that the enigmatic bard of rock would launch a weekly show in March. But the calendar shows that March is over and there's still no Dylan on XM. "It's definitely going to happen, but it's taking a little longer than originally planned," said XM spokeswoman Anne-Taylor Griffith (read more - LA Times)

Howard Stern is angry more fans haven’t followed him to satellite radio. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he lashes out at those of his fan base who haven’t made the transition to Sirius Satellite Radio (read more - MSNBC)

After a career in radio that’s lasted half as long as the medium itself, Bob Gourley is handing over the reins today at Clear Channel’s four Colorado Springs stations. “If I had my way, I would put the last few items in a box, sneak out the back door and honk on my way out,” he said. Instead, he’s being honored at a retirement party at the Antlers Hilton (read more - Colorado Springs Gazette)

Unlike traditional landline telephone companies that must answer to government regulators, cell phone providers largely have escaped federal and state oversight, leaving consumers to fend for themselves. And the industry has spent millions of dollars to hire lawyers and lobbyists to ensure it stays that way.  Wireless interests are fighting proposals in California and Massachusetts that would bolster consumer protections. In Arizona, Verizon Wireless has pushed a bill that would limit the Arizona Corporation Commission's oversight of the wireless industry (read more - Poughkeepsie Journal)

Wimp and Sonny will be back on the air on Tuesday.
Talking Sports with Wimp and Sonny, featuring former coaches Wimp Sanderson and Sonny Smith, will debut on at least four stations in Alabama and north Florida on Tuesday. Another three stations have deals pending (read more - Montgomery Advertiser)

4 radio station owners are talking with U.S. communications regulators over settling their investigation into secret payments made in exchange for airplay. But the talks have stalled on questions about how much money the companies — Clear Channel Communications, CBS Radio, Entercom Communications and the Citadel Broadcasting Corporation — might have to pay to settle the case, said these officials, who insisted on anonymity because the talks are at a delicate stage (read more - NY Times) (read more - Reuters)

ARBitron numbers for Atlanta,  Columbus OH,  Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Milwaukee-Racine, Seattle and Tampa-St Pete (read 'em)

Friday March 31, 2006

Despite a vacancy in the program director's office, news/talk WGN-AM (720) is moving forward with a realignment of its Saturday and Sunday schedules, starting this weekend (read more - Feder of Chicago)

With a bit of sloganeering -- "Because there's always more to the story," the announcer said -- the station WTWP AM-FM signed on for the first time yesterday in Washington at 5:30 a.m., offering a different take on radio news (read more - Washington Post)

Air America Radio celebrates its 2nd birthday today (Friday).  Al Franken debated conservative talk-radio host Michael Smerconish on the Today show this morning (read more - Corey Deitz-About)

Cox Radio has appointed Chris Miller as Program Director of the New 97.1 “The River” serving the Atlanta, Georgia market. Miller was most recently the Program Director of CBS Radio’s KLTH/Portland

Ted Turner was pilloried with the "Aaron Brown Memorial Award for Stupidest Analysis" at the Media Research Center's 2006 Dishonors Gala last night at the Grand Hyatt in Washington. MRC boss Brent Bozell recruited fellow right-wingers like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham to serve as judges (read more - Page Six)

Hip-hop radio station WIZF-FM will be moving up the dial this summer to make room for a new Cincinnati radio station. "The WIZ" will move from 100.9 to 101.1, so a station on the 100.3 frequency from Connersville, Ind., can move 50 miles east to Norwood (read more - John Kiesewetter-Cincy Enquirer)

David Lee Roth had another bad trend in New York + Numbers for the Michael Eisner CNBC debut are out. 95,000 viewers, 39,000 in the 25-54 demo -- My opinion is, in both cases, leadership is responsible. Is this a casting issue? An issue of direction or failure to provide appropriate direction? Some combination of both? Not having first hand knowledge of what's going on I am not able to make that call. It does, however, seem to me that each performer, Roth and Eisner, would benefit from better leadership. Roth and Eisner deserve nothing less (read more - David Martin)

Connoisseur Media has hired Jack Seymour as Operations Manager for their Billings MT market cluster. Seymour will oversee programming operations on KWMY and KPLN as well as act as PD for KPBR. Seymour had been Operations Manager for WUUU/WOMN in Louisiana and will be reunited with Billings Market Manager Michael R. Schutta

Eight Dayton area radio stations already are broadcasting simultaneously now in both HD and analog formats, and more are coming on line soon (read more - Springfield News-Sun)

Steve Dickert, who was part of the Nashville radio scene for more than 30 years, will return to Nashville on April 17 as Market Manager for Cumulus Media, overseeing operations at WWTN-FM, WQQK-FM, WNFN-FM, WRQQ-FM, and WSM-FM, and sales at WSM-AM

WPDH (101.5 FM) is marking 30 years of cranking up the classic rock. The Poughkeepsie-based classic rock station on Saturday and Sunday is set to celebrate three decades on the air. And the station known for keeping its listeners happy with legendary rock tunes is taking an interesting approach to its birthday (read more - Poughkeepsie Journal)

People who set their clock radios to wake up to Hawaii Public Radio were probably late for work yesterday, as the station was knocked off the air in the wee hours of the morning. KHPR-FM 88.1 and its avid listeners suffered chunks of dead air, courtesy of the weather and some necessary repair work (read more - Erika Engle-Honolulu Star-bulletin)

Bridge Ratings interviewed consumers at retail outlets who have purchased Satellite radio. In the early phases of these interviews, brand loyalty was not a major purchase factor. Some programming for each satcaster appealed to individual shoppers but there was little overall brand impact on the purchase decision. This has changed in recent weeks. Programming options are taking a stronger position as the impetus for the purchase decision with Sirius more consistently being sited for its programming. A higher percentage of consumers are now able to mention specific Sirius programming (read more - Bridge Ratings)

From Kent Burkhart -- I will be traveling to LA on April 18th along with TicketsNow exec Kenneth Dotson. We will be meeting with legendary writer/ producer/creative genius Chuck Blore. Also hopefully to meet with the “voice”…Gary Owens (read more - www.KentBurkhart.com)

Kidd Kraddick in the Morning has added 3 new affiliates; WHHD Augusta, GA, WBJZ Appleton-Oshkosh, WI and KKCT Bismarck, ND.  This expands the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning show to 47 affiliates.  Kidd challenged K-Fed to a dance off on the video game “Dance Dance Revolution” -- and won (Photo L to R: Kidd Kraddick, Big Al Mack, K-Fed, Kellie Rasberry)

According to auto dealers, while the satellite radio option is not a defining factor for closing most sales, more customers now expect it as part of the package, reports Auto News (read more - Media Buyer Planner)

KXOL 1360's John Puff reports that radio veteran and character actor Norm Alden - www.normalden.com -  is battling pneumonia and bronchitis at an LA hospital

When Phillies announcer Scott Graham was a student at the University of Pennsylvania, he took the subway to watch games at Veterans Stadium. Today, Graham, 40, continues to move up the Phillies broadcasting ladder. For the first time he will do the play-by-play for the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings (read more - Laura Nachman)

Channel 18 airs its final 9 p.m. newscast tonight, as owner Sinclair Broadcasting eases out of the local news business in Milwaukee. Lisa Fielding reports that her last night at the anchor desk was Thursday, and she's off to an on-air job at Chicago's all-news radio station, WBBM-AM (780) (read more - Tim Cuprisin-Milwaukee JS)

On Wednesday, April 5 at 10 pm ET, the TV Land series Living in TV Land will feature Barry Williams - TV's Greg Brady - hosting his daily SIRIUS Satellite Radio program, throwing pitches at Dodgers Stadium, showing off his singing talents, and meeting fans (visit Sirius 70's Channel)

ARBitron numbers for Dallas-Fort Worth   Houston-Galveston   Denver-Boulder   Cincinnati   Pittsburgh   Minneapolis-St Paul (read 'em)

ABC Radio Networks has appointed Carey Davis to the position of Vice President, Multicultural Sales for ABC Radio Networks.  Carey is based in New York Cityand will be responsible for developing and managing advertising sales across ABC Radio Networks Urban and Hispanic products and services

The Hal Jay Roast at Billy Bob's Texas was held last night (Thursday). It was broadcast on the air at WBAP 820 and live online

Culture Shocks with Barry Lynn adds WMET/Washington, DC as its' newest affiliate. Beginning Monday, April 3, Culture Shocks, nationally syndicated by CRG Radio Networks, will air live weekdays 5-6pm on WMET

It was two years ago that the progressive network Air America took to the radio, like a band of pioneers seeking a foothold in territory long dominated by hostile conservatives. But count Randi Rhodes, the 3-7 p.m. host, among those who think a lot of turf has been claimed, with more to come (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

With double the old power, WFNX-101.7 FM Thursday began broadcasting from its new tower atop One Financial Center in downtown Boston (read more - Boston Biz Journal)

At 1:00pm on Thursday consultant Joel Folger launched BOB FM in Wichita. The station is owned by Connoisseur Media. KIBB FM 100.5 is a brand new frequency for Wichita

Charlie Rose underwent heart surgery Wednesday in Paris. The PBS stalwart was stricken while in Syria to interview President Hafez Assad (read more - Bill Zwecker-Chicago Sun-Times)

Greater Media Inc., Boston, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in broadcasting throughout 2006. Greater Media is the parent company of 19 AM and FM radio stations in Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia and New Jersey (read more - The Sentinel)

News Talk 1020 KDKA has promoted John McIntire to the permanent evening host. The Flip Side with John McIntire can be heard 8:00 – 10:00 PM, Monday-Friday following IC Light Sports Talk

Cox Radio launched The New 96.7 The Coast radio format. This format is designed and developed by Fairfield County, Connecticut’s local coastal residents and includes songs from the 60s through today

Save $20 on SIRIUS ONE Receiver ($29.99 after MIR)

SIRIUS Satellite Radio will expand its college sports programming to include live college baseball, airing games from top ranked college baseball teams to SIRIUS’ nationwide audience. Starting Saturday, April 1, SIRIUS will air multiple college baseball games each weekend. A schedule of upcoming NCAA baseball on SIRIUS, with game times and channels, can be found at www.sirius.com/collegesports

Jim Weiskopf has joined Dan Snyder's Red Zebra Broadcasting venture as vice president of business development. Weiskopf's focus is broadcasting and new media partnerships (read more - SA Biz Journal)

XM Satellite Radio, the official satellite radio network of Major League Baseball, begins comprehensive coverage of the 2006 MLB season this Sunday, April 2, with Opening Night in Chicago.  The defending World Series champion Chicago White Sox play the Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field at 8:05 pm ET (XMChannel 180)

Thursday March 30, 2006

David Lee Roth appears headed for another showdown with CBS Radio - this one potentially fatal. Howard Stern's replacement - who got more rotten ratings news earlier this week - was mysteriously absent from yesterday's show on Free FM (92.3), the day after a reported run-in with management. CBS execs are insistent that the famously stubborn Roth get a Robin Quivers-style sidekick, take direction from his bosses and put more effort into his show (read more - John Mainelli-NY Post)

American journalist Jill Carroll, abducted in early January by gunmen in Baghdad, was released to a Sunni Arab political party in the capital Thursday morning after 82 days in captivity (read more - Washington Post)

Steve Post, whose droll wit and splendid musical taste make his weekly "No Show" one of the unique treasures of New York radio, will be honored next week by WNYC for his 25 years with that station (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

Move over, Oprah. Now Roe Conn of ABC-owned news/talk WLS-AM (890) is giving away Pontiacs on television, too, Channel 2 tonight as host of "The Pontiac Primetime Challenge"  + Jonathon Brandmeier, whose comeback as morning personality on Emmis Communications' classic rock WLUP-FM (97.9), has exceeded all expectations, says even he's been overwhelmed by the response (read more - Feder of Chicago)

Fisher Communications Inc. Chief Executive Colleen Brown says the Seattle-based broadcasting company is interested in "smart growth," which could include, in the right circumstances, more radio properties. That Fisher is in a position to consider growth at all is a remarkable turnabout from a few years ago when the company was on the sales block (read more - Bill Virgin - Seattle PI)

ARBitron numbers for Baltimore   Fredericksburg VA   Monterey-Salinas   Philadelphia   St Louis   Washington DC (read 'em)

Next week will see the long-awaited launch of NTT DoCoMo’s first mobile phone with a built-in satellite radio receiver, the company announced yesterday (read more - Digital World Tokyo)

When Rush Limbaugh and curvy conservative Monica Crowley were spotted dining à deux at Patsy's, it wasn't a tryst. Sources say the radio host was giving private pointers to the former Richard Nixon aide, whose WABC Radio show launches national syndication at noon Saturday (read more - Page Six)

Arbitron has agreed to delay the rollout of the PPM service in Houston until it receives Media Rating Council accreditation (read more - Media Buyer Planner)

Was it KZEL, Oregon's Classic Rock's PD Mark Raney's idea, and his idea alone, to lock himself in the studio Monday morning, to not turn on the syndicated "Mark and Brian" show from Los Angeles, to stick it to "Mr. Big" and the other corporate heads at Cumulus Media, which owns the Eugene radio station along with five others? "I don't know when he's coming out, I don't know what he's going to do next," said Steve Ries, marketing manager for Cumulus Media in Eugene (read more - Mark Baker-Register Guard)

Tony Garrett had a long career in Dallas radio, television and politics. His broadcast work included being a weekend TV weatherman and an announcer for KVIL-FM, KERA, KAAM-AM and on Music 'Til Dawn at KRLD-AM (1080). He died of complications from respiratory problems he had contracted in the Navy 50 years ago (read more - Dallas News)

Bid4Spots - www.bid4spots.com - an online marketplace for unsold radio ad inventory,  announced that the Ladies Professional Golf Association is using Bid4Spots’ reverse auction to promote the national telecast of the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the LPGA’s first major championship of the year

St. Louis NAACP leaders said that KTRS radio overreacted by firing host David Lenihan over a remark about U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "This is an event that the press has blown out of proportion," said NAACP chapter president Harold Crumpton.  Lenihan appeared at a press conference with the NAACP (read more - Jeremy Kohler-St Louis Post-Dispatch)  KTRS and David Lenihan reach a settlement (read more - St Louis Post-Dispatch)

Music Lab, which XM bills as the channel "for musicians only," is soon to go the way of Rick Wakeman's sequined cape. Along with three other established channels, Music Lab gets the axe to help free up some bandwidth for 10 new commercial-free music stations, two of which are already on the air. The remaining eight will bow on April 17 (Adrian Rush-Motley Fool)

Satellite television and radio services were cut to hundreds of thousands of households last night. Customers connected to the Sky digital television network, TelstraSaturn television network, and listeners to The Radio Network, were left without coverage after what appeared to be a satellite problem. Television and radio outages were reported by listeners and viewers right across the country (read more - Stuff New Zealand)

Each week, Chicago-based host Peter Sagal and a rotating crew of guests make a mockery of the week's news, throwing out wisecracks about everything from vice presidents with bad aim to vapid Hollywood stars. "Wait Wait" has become a public radio institution, the one place where sharp humor and naughty chatter are not only accepted but encouraged. "It's NPR without the dignity," Sagal said jokingly (read more - Randy Dotinga-NC Times)

CMR+ Radio is now playing Country Music 24/7 with launch of new website CMR+. The European satellite and global country music station has launched its new online service at www.cmrplusradio.com to give 24 hour coverage every day of the week throughout the year

Michael Eisner, National Football League commissioner? It could happen, sources say (read more - NY Post)

Sharon Osbourne is apparently in the middle of a bidding war between Channel 4 and the BBC for her presenting talents. Both of the media giants are trying to lure Osbourne away from her position at ITV (read more - Digital Spy U.K.)

CBS threw cold water on the idea that it was going to be bidding for Univision saying it was very expensive (read more - Reuters)

From Murphy Martin -- Can Muslims and Christians co-exist? Will more Muslims in America turn to Christianity? Can American-born Christians remove the red-flag of concern that was so indelibly implanted by Muslim involvement in the 9/11 attacks? How soon, if ever, can Americans believe that not ALL Muslims are devoted to killing all Americans? A bigger question may be how long do Americans remain quiet about the growing presence of Muslims? Is it a legitimate national problem? (read more - www.MurphyMartin.com)

Radio advertisers are shifting their attention away from younger listeners to the growing population of aging baby boomers, two of Canada's biggest broadcasters said yesterday (read more - The Globe and Mail)

"I feel very comfortable up here," Dick Cheney said as he stood at the podium at the 62nd annual Radio & Television Correspondents' Association dinner last night at the Hilton Washington. "The lighting could be better, but I can still see the whites of your eyes," the sometime quail hunter joked (read more - Washington Post)

Bob Costner has been named state coordinator for Region 8 of the Radio-Television News Directors Association. Costner is news director at WSJS-AM 600/1200 and at WMFR-AM 1230, both CBS-owned news-talk stations (read more - Triad Biz Journal)

Save $30 on Ultra Mini Bluetooth Headset ($29.99 after MIR) - Web Only!

The next San Jose effort -- a protest on April 10, a "national day of action" for immigrant rights -- will have support from Spanish radio, said Carmen Torres, marketing director for KRZZ 93.3 FM La Raza in San Francisco. "It's just too close of an issue for us to close our eyes," she said of the anxiety among listeners about immigration overhaul under debate in the U.S. Senate (read more - SF Chronicle)

David Binkley sits at his desk at the WCRS studios in Akron, trying his best to describe how one reads the Sunday comics over the radio. "Very carefully," he jokes. The 45-year-old can't quite explain how he describes Crankshaft to 6,500 blind listeners every Sunday afternoon, though he's been doing it since 1979 (read more - Cleveland Scene)

The Washington Post debuted its Washington Post Radio Thursday morning at 1500 AM and 107.7 FM in partnership with WTOP owner Bonneville International.  The stations promise in-depth local, national and international news, as well as commentary from Washington Post reporters and columnists (read more - Washington Biz Journal)  (read more - WAVY 10)

This year's nominations for the Sony Radio Academy Awards highlight the success of local and commercial radio as they vie for awards alongside national and BBC stations. The awards ceremony will take place on 8 May at the Grosvenor Hotel in London. For a full list of nominations visit www.pressgazette.co.uk    (read more - Press-Gazette U.K.)

Bruce McGorrill, the former head of the Maine Broadcasting System, died last night at Maine Medical Center (read more - WLBZ 2)

Vandals took a torch and toppled four 197-foot radio towers that are part of a seven-tower cluster in Black Canyon City, authorities said Wednesday. Knocked off the air was KMIA-AM (710), a Spanish station in Phoenix. It broadcasts ESPN Deportes, a sports-talk format that was launched last month (read more - Arizona Republic)

Wednesday March 29, 2006

Charles Etheridge, a co-host of "The Week in Review" on WRKS (98.7 FM) Sunday nights, says the campaign is moving forward to expose Madison Avenue's treatment of blacks by radio and other media (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

WBEZ-FM (91.5) isn't the only spot on the dial where you'll hear about the ongoing spring pledge drive on the Chicago Public Radio station + *"Fox & Friends," the morning news show on Fox News Channel, has moved Mancow Muller's daily commentary segment to a more accessible time slot -- at 7:50 a.m. (read more - Feder of Chicago)

The Montreal radio station whose slogan is “All Jewish, All the Time” has received approval from the CRTC for a spot on the AM band (read more - CJ News)

Clear Channel made it clear that it's interested in adding the Pirates to its radio sports lineup, which already includes the Steelers, Penguins and Pitt football and basketball (read more - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

From John Rook -- No longer limited to just a few communities, Spanish language is heard all across America. They, of course, will benefit most from a larger Hispanic population. Thus far, Hispanic radio has given the subject far more attention than English-speaking talk show hosts. Many waste valuable air time discussing non-issues of little or no importance to their listeners or their country. In the days ahead, it will be interesting to see who does the best job of covering the immigration issue … at this point, Hispanic radio is leading (read more - www.JohnRook.com)

MSNBC is happy as can be with first-quarter cable ratings that show smarty-pants Keith Olbermann beating CNN's Paula Zahn in the key 25-to-54 demographic in the 7 p.m. hour. According to Nielsen Media Research numbers released by MSNBC, Olbermann had 164,000 viewers in the demographic (404,000 total viewers), while CNN averaged 158,000 viewers in the age group prized by advertisers (632,000 total viewers). Fox News Channel remains securely in first with 450,000 in the demographic and 2.3 million total for Bill O'Reilly's show (read more - Tim Cuprisin-Milwaukee JS)

Arbitron has reiterated how well the PPM performs among blacks and Hispanics saying; "According to the Houston trial, African-Americans and Hispanics carry their PPM devices almost exactly as long per day as the general market. African-Americans, Spanish-dominant Hispanics, English Dominant Hispanics, and other persons all carry the PPM for about 14 and a half to fifteen hours a day. When compared to self- reported diary entries, it appears likely that the PPM improves data precision in ways that could explain observed differences between the two methods, especially in the morning daypart ..."

"This was a much bigger story for the Latino media," said Felix Gutierrez, a professor at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication. "If the mainstream media had been paying better attention, there would not have been the surprise about the turnout." In Milwaukee, where at least 10,000 people rallied last week, one radio-station manager called some employers to ask that they not fire protesters for skipping work. In Chicago, a demonstration that drew 100,000 people received coverage on local television more than a week in advance.  (read more - Winston-Salem Journal)

Australian's airwaves have been busy chattering with news and talkback stations are the biggest winners in the second survey for the year. The fall in FM listeners, down by an average of 191,000 in Sydney on the first Nielsen Media Research ratings survey earlier this year, is puzzling in the absence of a giant news story that would draw large numbers to talkback stations, although no one is panicking yet. Every FM music station, except Vega, was down (read more - The Australian)

A broadcast ethicist believes Dateline NBC crossed the line journalistically when it compensated Perverted-Justice as "consultants" for a weekend Internet sting that netted 18 people on attempted unlawful sexual conduct charges. "There should be a separation of journalists and police ... our job is to cover what they do but not enable and become a participant in the enforcement," said Al Tompkins, co-author of the Radio and Television News Director Foundation's Newsroom Ethics workbook (read more - Dayton Daily News)

ARBitron numbers for Akron Boston Detroit Hartford Philadelphia Riverside-San Bernadino San Diego (read 'em)

The speculation about major changes at WCBS/Ch.2 is bound to heat up with word that the station is expected to hire Little Rock, Ark., anchor Kate Sullivan (read more - Richard Huff-NY Daily News)

Mexican lawmakers are poised to overhaul the nation's broadcasting laws this week, a move that opponents say will ensure that two dominant companies retain their lock on the country's airwaves (read more - LA Times)

Radio Free Brattleboro will continue to fight for 10-watt stations everywhere. In a pending lawsuit, the former community radio station and the Federal Communications Commission could not reach an out-of-court settlement and the case will go back to a federal judge for a ruling (read more - Brattleboro Reformer)

ESPN Radio will begin its ninth season of Major League Baseball broadcasts on Sunday, April 2, at 7:35 pm ET when the World Champion Chicago White Sox host American League Central rival Cleveland. MLB on ESPN Radio’s coverage of the National League will begin the next day, April 3, when the Mets, with newcomers Carlos Delgado and Billy Wagner, host the Washington Nationals

Chris Evans has been rewarded for his comeback to the airwaves with nominations for two prestigious Sony Radio Academy Awards (read more - Daily Mail U.K.)

It's time that the radio industry started to view the world through the same glasses everyone else is using. To contend that 70% of Howard Stern's audience didn't follow him to satrad is a weak argument. Perhaps, if the radio trades followed the same style word usage for Arbitron's RADAR national audience measurement service, instead of seeing the headline "Arbitron: Radio Reaches More Than 230 Million People," we'd have been witness to "Arbitron: 63 Million Persons Not Listening to Radio" (read more - Audio Graphics)

CBS RADIO announced that Jonathan Azu, who has served as Director of Marketing since 2004, has been promoted to the newly-created position of Vice President of Strategic Music Partnerships

Communications Minister Helen Coonan has warned Australia is in danger of becoming an analog dinosaur unless there is fast action to stimulate a shift to digital broadcasting. Yet it is the Government that is moving at a snail's pace towards the digital world it says we must embrace (read more - The Australian)

Why Can't I Turn Off the Radio? So says the refrain of a popular song by Ne-Yo, currently on heavy rotation on hip-hop stations across the country. Many people may be asking themselves this same question as media giant Clear Channel homogenizes playlists, disregards local communities and makes life unbearably monotonous for people without iPods. If you are wondering how and why all radio stations started to sound the same, look at the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (read more - Elizabeth Daley - WireTap)

The Reverend Al Sharpton has been announced as the first keynote presenter for the 31st Annual Conclave Learning Conference: Future Tense being held at the Marriott City Centre in Downtown Minneapolis from Thursday July 13 thru Sunday July 16 (visit www.theconclave.com)

So the press, which has been lusting for a White House staff shakeup, finally got one yesterday. And we learn that all those administration denials of a pending staff shuffle, particularly involving Andy Card, were hogwash, since he submitted his resignation weeks ago. The media are also getting their way with cozy little off-the-record sessions with the president (read more - Howard Kurtz - Media Notes)

Indie-103 FM listeners got a surprise last week when morning host Dicky Barrett wasn’t on the air for his usual Boston-baked punk rock wake-up call wingding. According to a press release, Barrett makes a number of incendiary claims, including — ouch! — that he was scolded for complaining on-air about a Morrissey single he didn’t want to play. Further, Barrett says he was told to “say the time and call letters till your [sic] blue in the face” (read more - Kate Sullivan-LA Weekly)

Racetrack officials said Tuesday that Clear Channel Cincinnati stations WLW-AM and WSAI-AM are the official radio partners of Kentucky Speedway (read more - Louisville Biz Journal)

Did Rush Limbaugh go Donovan McNabb on Michelle Wie? In an interview with TravelGolf.com no less? It’s apparent that Limbaugh thinks that Time magazine tried to make it seem that way. After Time published a Wie Q&A that asked her what she thought of a comment taken from our interview with Limbaugh, the radio king sprang into action. He not only talked about it on air Monday, in a hilarious diatribe (listen here), he posted the transcript on the front page of his website. Under the blaring headline "I have nothing against Michelle Wie!" (read more - Chris Baldwin-Travel Golf)   (read more - Think Progress)

Westwood One says that Randy Jackson's Hit List will begin airing on 98.7 KISS-FM (WRKS) New York on April 1, 2006. The program is currently heard on more than 80 stations nationwide

Tom Lackey,  who took up wing walking in 2000 after his wife died, just set the Guinness record with his 14th wing-walk while strapped to the upper wing of a biplane as it performed a loop and a roll at 2,000feet.  Oh, yes, Tom is 84*****Gerrit Bruintjes of Holland has a computer controlled doorbell that makes the sound of a barking dog. Local authorities demand he buy a dog license for it (read more - George Mair's LALA Letter)

WSNH-AM 900 in Nashua and WKWF-AM 1600 in Key West will become an affiliate of Fox Sports Radio

The Bluetooth wireless standard used in cell phones and other small devices will take a leap in transmission speed, broadening its scope to enable high-definition video and files for digital music players like the iPod (read more - Seattle PI)

Family Policy Network President Joe Glover has filed an official complaint with the Federal Communications Commission Sunday evening, charging that "NASCAR and FoxSports have a responsibility to keep profanity off of broadcast television, especially during daytime hours on Sunday afternoon when so many families are watching." (read more - KC Star)

Tuesday March 28, 2006

Actor Alec Baldwin stormed out of WABC's talk-radio studios Sunday night after a vicious verbal battle with Sean Hannity. The activist actor, who was road-testing his own potential talk show, called Hannity a "no-talent whore" and an "incredibly ignorant boob from Long Island. Hannity called Baldwin - a favorite punching-bag for conservatives - on the air just as he was beginning his show, and that's when the fur started to fly (read more - John Mainelli-NY Post)

He's one of the hottest Spanish-language radio personalities in the nation. So when Los Angeles deejay Eddie Sotelo joined hands with his radio rivals to urge listeners to turn out for a pro-immigrant rally in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, organizers hoped for a big turnout. But many said Monday that they were stunned by how many responded to the call to march against federal legislation that would crack down on undocumented immigrants and penalize those who assist them (read more - LA Times)

The good news for Stern's old station, WFNY (92.3 FM), and its new morning host, David Lee Roth, is that most of Roth's numbers didn't decline further from January to February. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, his audience share rose from 1.3% in January to 1.7% in February. The bad news is ... (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

When a poor, pathetic animal is suffering and its condition appears to be hopeless, the only humane thing to do is to put it down. It's time, Rover. For the second month in a row, Howard Stern's replacement on WCKG-FM (105.9) -- Cleveland import Shane "Rover" French -- brought up the rear in Arbitrends ratings released Monday + In a move rumored for months, Rod Phillips was forced out Monday after almost five years as program director at WKSC-FM (103.5)  (read more - Feder of Chicago)

The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) is producing an exciting lineup of topical, cutting-edge sales and management programs for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Conference in Las Vegas, April 22 through 27 (read more - RAB)

KKZN's Jay Marvin subs for Ed Schultz this afternoon

Air America Radio has found a new home in the Valley on KPHX-AM (1480). Nova M Radio, a company headed by Valley radio personality Mike Newcomb and Air America founders Sheldon and Anita Drobny, will lease the radio station (read more - Arizona Republic)

Howard Stern is scrambling to find a new Hamptons home before summer - now that he's sold his Amagansett estate. The Post's Braden Keil reports the satellite shock jock quietly unloaded his six-bedroom oceanfront house on 1.7 acres for more than $15 million (read more - NY Post)

There's a reason, says WABC PD Phil Boyce, that Sean Hannity has become one of stars to break out of the crowded talk-host pack - so much so, that this evening he's doing a one-man one-nighter on Broadway. "Sean is driven to succeed like no one I've ever known," says Boyce. "There may be people out there who have as much talent, but no one who works harder or has more focus" (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

KMMZ, FM 101.3, has changed its format from Spanish variety to adult standards -- "Memories 101.3" (read more - Midland Reporter-Telegram)

Joe Scott was a longtime K-Rock employee and host of "The Joe Scott Show" on K-Rock from 6 to 10 a.m weekdays. He and his morning show team were let go . Also let go were Scott's on-air sidekicks, including co-host Nicole Wilcox, Steve "Omelette" Normandin and Charles "Mr. Windy" Shaw. The changes come as the station prepares to launch a new lineup  (read more - Naples News-Press)

There’s a new twist in the case of Naomi Fuentes, the UTSA student and Cox radio employee who was missing for more than a month. Two days before Naomi Fuentes disappeared police in Windcrest got a tip that she may have been making questionable transactions on a credit card linked to Cox Radio. She is the office manager for the radio group (read more - WOAI News)  (read more - SA Express-News)

CNNRadio will offer its affiliates a special one-hour program looking at the NCAA men’s Final Four tournament. Hosted by Headline News sports anchor Larry Smith, “Nothing but Net” will explore the excitement surrounding the tournament known the world over as “March Madness.” “Nothing but Net” will air Wednesday, March 29, from 2-3 p.m. (ET) and will be produced by supervising producer Richard Benson

Sen. John Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, has placed a hold on the nomination of telecommunications lawyer Robert McDowell to fill the third Republican seat on the Federal Communications Commission, two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday (read more - ABC News)

ARBitron numbers for Chicago   Los Angeles   New York   The Hamptons   Middlesex   Nassau  (read 'em)

This Friday from 7 - 12 p.m. on more than 200 radio stations across the country, radio personality Delilah will host a live radiothon to raise awareness and funds to benefit forgotten children in West Africa through her foundation Point Hope (read more - Finanzen.net)

Former FEMA director Michael D. Brown is tired of being caricatured as an incompetent federal appointee who stood by idly while the Gulf Coast was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Now he's embarking on the next step of his rehabilitation tour: He's going on "The Colbert Report" (read more - Newsday)

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) presented Robert G. David, of Northville, MI, with the organization’s first “MAB Associate of the Year” award. David serves as President and General Manager of Handyman Productions, LLC, syndicator of the Handyman Show with Glenn Haege, a home improvement program that airs on more than 150 radio stations, including 20 stations in Michigan

ESPN Radio, heard in Denver on KLZ 560-AM, climbed into Webcast Metric's list of top-10 Internet stations for February  (read more - Dick Kreck)

Days before North Carolina launches its lottery with scratch-off ticket sales, television and radio ads are being rolled out across the state. But the publisher of one small paper in eastern North Carolina says he's not going to be taking any lottery advertising. "A scam carried out by our state government is no less a scam," wrote Bart Adams, publisher and editor of The Daily Record of Dunn, in a column last week (read more - Winston-Salem Journal)

WORLDAUDIO'S administrators will meet regulators to discuss the possibility of a digital licence for the troubled radio broadcaster. "I'm hoping for a licence," administrator Bob Elliot from accounting firm Hall Chadwick said on the sidelines of WorldAudio's first creditor's meeting (read more - Daily Telegraph A.U.)

Larry Krueger, a former talk-show host for the San Francisco Giants' flagship radio station who was fired last year after making racial remarks about players on the team settled a lawsuit with the station Monday (read more - CBS 5)  (read more - SF Chronicle)

Free Talk Live" is a "hometown" Sarasota talk-radio program that's an international hit, too. The Genesis Communications Network radio syndicate picked up the "pro-freedom"/Libertarian talkers nearly 18 months ago. FTL has expanded to 15 terrestrial stations, eight Internet-only spots and two satellite feeds. It also was one of the first podcasters (read more - Dawn Scire-The Radio Babe)

The biggest guessing game in network news — whether NBC Today star Katie Couric will leave to anchor The CBS Evening News —has been going on for months now, and speculation has far outweighed any answers. There are four possible replacements: Meredith Vieira, Campbell Brown, Natalie Morales and Ann Curry (read more - Peter Johnson-USA Today)

From Happy Hare -- Few things were off limits, if done in the spirit of fun. I even ran a few days with a feature I called “Prostates on Parade,” complete with a produced musical bed in which I extolled raw pumpkin seeds as a way to shrink prostates. No one complained, and I got many positive responses. In fact, one man  called and sobbed, “God Bless you, Happy Hare. Raw pumpkin seeds have shrunk my prostate when nothing else did. You have given me a new life.” It is true about raw pumpkin seeds, incidentally.  Nothing was sacred. And yet, everything was, and I can’t explain what I just told you (read more - www.HappyHareOnline.com)

Media group Chrysalis, owner of Heart Radio, has said it has outperformed its peers with a sharp upturn in recent advertising revenues. Despite a 4% drop in sales for the six months to 28 February, like-for-like sales are expected to rise 10% for the March and April period, it reported (read more - BBC)

The college administrators and radio executives who disciplined Dave Lenihan (ex KTRS St Louis talks show host) are cowards -- so afraid of even appearing to condone something that could be misinterpreted as racist that they're washing their hands of the guy. Shame on them (read more - Richard Roeper - Chicago Sun-Times)

Paragon Media Strategies, in conjunction with Rick Scott & Associates, conducted an online survey of 844 male Sports Talk fans, ages 25 – 54, living in the United States and Canada. This study explores why the Sport Talk station is their favorite and examines the importance of various sports entertainment elements. A full report of the results can be found at  www.paragonmediastrategies.com

ChickChat Radio's co-hosts Lara Dyan and Heidi Hanzel arrived in the DC area Monday, offering listeners in the District and suburban Virginia and Maryland 2 hours of free fun in the afternoon, every weekday from 2:00pm-4:00pm, on WMET/1160-AM

Monday March 27, 2006

Buck Owens was a radio guy. Owens, you might recall, had a top-10 country hit in 1970 with "I Wouldn't Live In New York City (If You Gave Me the Whole Dang Town)." While it's remained a cult fave in the heartland - with a snappy title like that, how could it miss? - Owens himself would tell you he liked New York. He wrote the song after a bad experience with an airport cabbie, he said, but he loved the fact he'd played Carnegie Hall and helped country carve a niche in New York radio in the '60s and '70s on stations like WHN (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

In a marketing battle reaching new heights — literally — XM Satellite Radio, the leader, tries to stave off the challenge from No. 2 Sirius Satellite Radio. "We have a competitor, and they're aggressive," says Gary Hahn, XM's senior vice president of advertising and brand management (read more - Theresa Howard-USA Today)  (read more - Audio Graphics)

The scene: Dec. 12, 1937, in a Hollywood radio studio.
Stars Mae West and Don Ameche perform a comic takeoff on Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden during the live radio broadcast of "The Chase and Sanbourn Hour."  Ameche has been told that West will play Eve straight, without her signature suggestive nuances. She doesn't. Her burlesque, ad-libbed delivery brings a nationwide uproar, an FCC condemnation and the end of West's radio appearances (read more - Greensboro News-Record)

The news for syndicated morning radio personality Doug Banks is doubly good these days. Not only did Banks, whose show airs from 5 to 9 a.m. weekdays on WKKV-FM (100.7), hit the 10-year mark this month for his national show, but he's just signed what's described as a "multiyear" deal (read more - Tim Cuprisin-Milwaukee JS)

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has accepted the apology of a disc jockey fired for using a racial slur to describe her, saying the incident shows that even mature democracies take centuries to heal racial wounds (read more - KTRE)

In a real coup for KTRS (AM 550), McGraw Milhaven has signed a long-term contract with the station in the wake of a national embarrassment created by former host Dave Lenihan, who used a racial slur on the air when referring to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (read more - Deb Peterson-St Louis Post-Dispatch)

Fresh off a trip to New York, Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey now find their book, Rick & Bubba's Expert Guide To God, Country, Family and Anything Else We Can Think Of on the New York Times Bestseller List (read more - Rick and Bubba)

Arbitron released its March 2006 RADAR radio network audience reports (RADAR 88) covering the period January 6, 2005– December 14, 2005. RADAR 88 includes four additional networks, all from Premiere Radio Networks: these networks are Premiere Morning Drive FM, Premiere Select, Premiere Spectrum and Premiere Urban Two. This brings the total number of networks measured by RADAR to 56 (read more - ARBitron)

Premiere Radio Networks announced the promotion of Beth Tepper from VP Marketing and Promotions to SVP, as well as two new additions to the Advertising Sales division. Sara Morgan-Moscowitz has joined the company as SVP Network Marketing and Client Solutions. Susan McDonald has been recruited as VP Chicago Regional Sales Manager

If you tuned into Salt Lake City's KRCL (90.9 FM) Wednesday afternoon, you heard gay-themed news bites, rock by feminist punk band Le Tigre, a definition of "queer theory" and a spoken-word rant about the high-profile murders of Matthew Shepard and Brandon Teena. The occasion was the debut of "Now Queer This!" It's a weekly radio program devoted to the more radical, politicized elements of gay and lesbian culture (read more - Brandon Griggs-Salt Lake Tribune)

 XM Satellite Radio unveiled its new channel lineup that will expand the total number of XM channels to more than 170 with the addition of 10 new commercial-free music channels and seven regional news and talk channels coming this spring and summer (read more - XM Radio)  (read more - Houston Chronicle)

A source close to the investigation of Naomi Fuentes says police are pursuing a criminal investigation into possible related financial irregularities at Cox Radio, where Fuentes, 40, was employed as an office manager when she disappeared from the University of Texas at San Antonio's Downtown Campus on Feb. 19 (read more - SA Express News)

For 16 years, Bob Agnew ran the show at KNBR, the Bay Area's sports station and home of the Giants. But now he's known primarily as the guy who lost his program director job after Larry Krueger blasted the Giants, its Caribbean players and manager Felipe Alou, and after Alou blasted back, with a reference to Satan, and after KNBR's morning show made fun of Alou's blast back, adding a Satanic "South Park" sound bite. Maybe you had to be there (read more - Ben Fong-Torres - SF Chronicle)

From Claude Hall -- Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra Records. 60s. Taken backstage at the Cafe au Go Go in Greenwich Village, NYC + I've been sort of pushing for George Wilson to write something  about KCBQ. About anything in radio he
WANTS to write about. Because he knows. Maybe he will, maybe he won't. But he said something that might amuse many of you about Lee Baby Simms and Jimmy Rabbitt. Says that back to back, they were the greatest radio deejay tandem in the business. Maybe they were, I don't know. But I'm not about to argue with George about it because I'd just lose the argument (read more - www.ClaudeHallOnline.com)

Honolulu has a new radio station: Energy 101, a low-power FM station at 101.1 FM with a signal that reaches metro Honolulu, east to Ala Moana and west to Pearlridge (read more - Wayne Harada-Honolulu Advertiser)

The Conclave announced the addition of five industry veterans with well over 100 years of combined radio programming experience to the 2006 Learning Conference Agenda Committee. Newly named to the Committee are Shane Finch, PD of country Big 92.9 WMFQ (Ocala, FL), Dick Kernen of the Specs Howard School of Communication Arts, Jim Murphy, VP of Integrated Country Media for Jones Media Network (Denver), Michelle Novak, Programming Coordinator for Saga Communications, and Mark Pennington, HD2 Director for Greater Media (and APD/MD of rock WRIF 101 - Detroit) (visit www.theconclave.com)

What happened to Dennis Fithian? Why, after 11 years, did he suddenly disappear from the afternoon radio airwaves on all-sports WTKA-AM (1050) after the March 14 show? (read more - Ann Arbor News)

"I looked at CNN.com today and (the headline) said, 'Hee Haw Star Buck Owens Dies,' and it made me mad," said country musician Brad Paisley, a longtime fan of Mr. Owens who became a friend of the legend's. "This is a guy who influenced The Beatles. They covered him. He's one of the most important country artists ever. That headline should say, 'Music Legend Buck Owens Dies.'" (read more - Hendersonville Star-News)  (read more - LA Times)  (Chicago Sun-Times)

Digital TV shouldn't just offer more TV; it should offer more good TV. Digital switchover presents broadcasters with a major opportunity and a major challenge. It opens up and expands the market, offering a share of the spoils for everyone. But to succeed they need to pull in the viewers, which means producing a high-quality product. The evidence is that broadcasters and producers are already rising to this challenge (read more - The Independent U.K.)

Casey Jones was born Harold Keith Hodo on November 21 in Quanah, Texas. Until his recent death and during his long and colorful radio career, Casey worked at KNIN, KTRN, KLIF and KXOL.  His sister, Linda Webb, remembers Casey Jones (read more)

When Dale Edwards of Ames talks about public radio station WOI-AM 640, he makes it sound like a friend he invites for coffee — not a steady stream of news and talk shows. "I listen all day long," he said. "It keeps me company." Linda Shepley prefers the eclectic mix of evening music on Cedar Falls-based KUNI-FM. "If it's not KUNI, it's probably a CD," said Shepley, who lives in Des Moines and listens to the public radio station on 101.7 (read more - Kyle Munson-Des Moines Register)

WAMC Northeast Public Radio plans to spend about $3.5 million to revitalize its three-building complex and its Albany neighborhood (read more - Business Review)

"Mancow's Morning Madhouse," debuted Monday on WZUU-FM (92.3) in Kalamazoo. The moniker stems from his college days at Central Missouri State University, where he majored in theater and was fond of creating a half-man, half-cow character (read more - Grand Rapids Press)

The jockeying to fill Mike Missanelli's midday cohosting slot on WIP-AM (610) proceeds apace since his firing Monday. It's suggested that cohost Anthony Gargano will not be repartnered with Steve Martorano, Missanelli's predecessor (read more - Michael Klein-Philly Inquirer)

Sports talk radio is somewhat like steak. When it’s good, it’s great. Overdone, it’s tough to swallow. The listener, usually a male 12 years old or older, gets a choice of steak — er ah, sports talk radio — every day, 24 hours a day (read more - Hen Hambleton-Lincoln Journal Star)

If I had a pound for every time I have heard radio executives talk about “resting” programmes or presenters, I would be as flush as Chris Evans by now. Simon Bates, DLT, Alan Freeman, Paul Callan, Henry Kelly, Debbie Thrower, John Dunn — an endless hall of fame. Now, apart from Mayhew (poached from Jazz FM only two years ago), the axe has fallen on Radio 2’s Ed “Stewpot” Stewart and Janey Lee Grace’s own show, Brian Hayes of Radio Five Live and Shaheera Asante of Radio 3 (read more - The Times U.K.)

HDNet Founder Mark Cuban appeared on "Q&A", C-SPAN's weekly Sunday night interview show, which aired at 8pm ET.  He discussed his involvement in the founding of HDNet, movie making, and philanthropy (visit C-Span)

There's good news about Vin Scelsa, the WFUV and Sirius Satellite Radio host who recently underwent surgery for prostate cancer. Doctors believe the cancer was contained and removed, and Scelsa has already gone back to live broadcasting, with his Sirius show on Wednesday (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

As the satellite radio firms start desperately looking for new revenue streams, one area they've latched onto is the mobile channel. Both XM and Sirius say they have plans to offer a mobile offering (Sirius already has a small offering via Sprint which they expect to expand) -- which, no doubt, will involve some additional charge. There's just one (big) problem with that. Both offer up some of their content online -- and newer mobile phones have fairly open web access. With just a bit of tweaking, in fact, a few enterprising satellite radio fans have figured out how to listen to the streams via their Windows Mobile smartphones (read more - Tech Dirt) (read more - MS Phones)

As someone who spends about ninety minutes (and 75 miles) a day commuting to and from work, the first thing I've noticed in these early days of 2006 is just how much I miss my old friends Howard Stern and Tom Leykis. Both Stern and Leykis disappeared from Seattle's airwaves toward the end of last year ... These days, flipping the dial between the snoozy "Dave Matthews Radio" of 103.7 "The Mountain", or the largely tuneless shrieking aggro crap found on KISW (or even our "alternative" station 107.7 The End), I've come to one inescapable conclusion: The state of Seattle Radio sucks. In fact, the state of radio in general sucks (read more - Glen Boyd-BlogCritics)

Auto dealers say the satellite option is not a factor in making most sales, but more customers expect it. "It's just a competitive market requirement, particularly on high-market cars," says Earl Hesterberg, CEO of Group 1 Automotive Inc. in Houston, the nation's fifth-largest dealership group with 95 stores. "My dealers tell me they haven't lost any sales because of it, but if they didn't offer it they might." (read more - Automotive News)

The proposed sale of University of the Pacific's 59-year-old noncommercial radio station has been placed on hold for at least a year. In November, Pacific administrators announced the university was selling KUOP to help fund a $20 million biological sciences center and a $30 million student center (read more - Record Net)

Dicky Barrett finally broke his silence. As suspected, he did not "leave to work full-time with Jimmy Kimmel," as Indie 103.1 would have us believe. Here's the press release, verbatim (read more - LA Voice)

Metro Networks’ Joe Nolan made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, March 25 on ABC-TV. Joe Nolan has been on the air with Metro Networks reporting traffic in New York since 1979

A move to the 146-acre Bluestem Ranch, out west of Fort Worth, heralded big changes for Nan and Bob Kingsley. The mass-media professionals had traded temperate Los Angeles for the unsettled climate of Parker County. The official reason? ABC-Radio’s country-music programming system was headquartered in Dallas, and Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40 had become a key attraction.  The real reason? Cutting horses (read more - Fort Worth Business Press)

The music industry's latest payola scandal still occupies New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer. But this time around he is honing his sights on radio operators accepting bribes instead of labels doling them out, which is why he chose to sue Entercom (read more - Amy Braunschweiger-Village Voice)

Steve Parker, THE CAR NUT, interviewed Ray Pedersen, the ad agency genius who created the original “76 Ball” for Union 76 gasoline stations across the American West. The complete interview is now available worldwide on podcast at www.savethe76ball.com/carnut The company’s current owners, ConocoPhillips, are removing the 76 Balls and replacing them with boring, dull, flat signs which are not even orange. The 76 Ball was also the world’s very first “antenna-topper”

Grass-roots software and web developers have found ways to tap into XM Satellite Radio Holdings' and Sirius Satellite Radio's websites to stream music channels onto Windows-powered smartphones and other devices. Most have given their work away for free to other fans since late last year -- running into conflict with the wireless business strategies of the satellite radio providers (read more - Wired)

American Road is offering a unique approach to today’s music scene. American Road is a two-hour weekly show created by Alan Shapiro and Rod Tanner, hosted by Dan Gallo that's heard every weekend on Saturdays Noon to 2 pm (EST) and again on Sundays 9 pm to 11 pm (EST) (visit www.AmericanRoadOnline.com). The show will be heard every weekend on Saturdays Noon to 2 pm (EST) and again on Sundays 9 pm to 11 pm (EST) on www.nycountryradio.com

GCap Media, owner of Classic FM and London's Capital FM, called off its auction of nine local radio stations yesterday amid criticism from frustrated suitors. The UK's largest commercial radio group also warned of further deterioration in advertising sales, caused in part by halving the number of advertising slots at Capital FM in an effort to woo back audiences (read more - Guardian Business U.K.)

Mountain View officials say they have identified more than $80 million worth of hidden revenues at Shoreline Amphitheatre, quadrupling the amount previously alleged and raising the city's claimed damages to $15.6 million. In a blistering report issued late Thursday afternoon, city finance director Bob Locke said venue operator Clear Channel "went to incredible lengths to divert, mischaracterize and then conceal revenues." He also accused the company of interfering with and stonewalling the city's efforts to conduct audits (read more - Palo Alto Online)

The popularity of satellite radio is growing, and some NBC 10 viewers have found the growing demand is leading to scarcity (read more - NBC 10 Philly)

A morning disc jockey at a West Seneca radio station resigned from his job earlier this month after State Police raided the station and seized his computer in a child pornography investigation. A co-owner of the WJJL-AM station and three police officials confirmed the investigation of Daniel Krull, who has been a morning disc jockey at the small oldies station for about five years (read more - Buffalo News)

Beasley Broadcast Group has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with Radio Nevada Corp. to acquire KDWN-AM 720kHz in Las Vegas for approximately $17 million

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's president and chief executive officer from Brooklyn never thought she would quote John Wayne to a mostly female audience.  But the macho cowboy film star's words were relevant to the 50 attendees at the WSRE's women's appreciation reception Thursday at which Patricia Harrison was the guest speaker. WSRE-TV is the corporation's local public broadcasting station (read more - Amy Sowder-Pensacola News Journal)

MP3 and iPod use are also getting higher in certain types of factory and other jobs. Not all employers are welcoming the development. "We do not look kindly on anyone who puts on earphones and starts listening to iPods," says Mario Almonte, a vice president at Herman Associates, a New York-based marketing and communications company. "It looks like you're not working, and it's not a professional presentation. It's still a device that distracts you." (read more - USA Today)

Friday March 24, 2006

Tom Langmyer, vice president and general manager of WGN, has begun a nationwide search for a new program director + Kevin O'Neill, afternoon personality at WNIC-FM in Detroit, begins double duty Monday when he signs on as afternoon host at WLIT-FM (93.9), via recorded voice tracks + Jake Hartford celebrates his 15th anniversary on ABC-owned news/talk WLS-AM (890) this weekend (read more - Feder of Chicago)

890 ESPN Boston and 1400 ESPN Lowell announced that Len Weiner will join the stations as Program Director effective April 5, 2006

A study released by the Pew Internet & American Life project finds that the Internet has become the primary news source on the average day. Within a "high-powered" group of Internet users — those who use broadband four or more times a day — 71% go online for news on an average day, while 59% get news from local TV, just over half from national TV and radio, and about 40% from local newspapers  (read more - Peter Johnson-USA Today)

On Tuesday March 28, "The Great Debate: Left Meets Right," featuring progressive/liberal and conservative talk radio hosts from San Francisco's 960-AM The Quake and Talk 910-AM.  On the Left: Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, Willie Brown and Will Durst -- On the Right: Jack Armstrong, Joe Getty, Jerry Doyle and Karen Hanretty (read more - Business Wire)

From Kent Burkhart -- Hey, I believe I have been here before. Déjà vu!!! A battle between two rating services was in full swing in the late 60’s and early 70’s. The companies were MediaStat and Arbitron. They both used the diary method. One of the two would replace the falling Pulse person to person rating service. My GM friends and I thought that MediaStat reflected our stations and market better than Arbitron…and we incorrectly concluded that MediaStat would win the diary war. However, Arbitron had a different idea (read more - www.KentBurkhart.com)

WABC morning co-host Curtis Sliwa is getting a rematch with one of John A. (Junior) Gotti's attorneys - this time on Sliwa's turf. Jeffrey Lichtman, who tore into Sliwa on the witness stand during Gotti's first trial (on charges he ordered Sliwa shot), will sit in for co-host Ron Kuby next Monday through Wednesday on WABC (770 AM), 5-10 a.m (read more - Richard Huff-NY Daily News)

"The Washington Post Co.'s Web operation has touched off an online furor by hiring as a blogger a 24-year-old former Bush administration aide who co-founded a conservative site and recently referred to Coretta Scott King as a 'communist.' (read more - Howard Hurtz - Media Notes)

Magic 104 In Appleton makes the switch on April 3rd. MAGIC 104’s music is based on Top 40 hits that were primarily dance or have a rhythmic sound. MAGIC 104’s line-up is Kidd Kraddick in the mornings from 5-10, Mike Taylor middays from 10-3, Todd Dehring afternoons from 3-6 pm, 6 pm-midnight the Big Show with Biggie, Midnight-5am with Tiger Leigh

The television industry of Kazakhstan has signed a five-year contract with TNS to provide trading currency television audience measurement using the Arbitron Portable People Meter system

The uproar over a racial slur by a St Louis radio personality could have been avoided had someone at the station pushed the delay button intended for just such situations. Dave Lenihan, who only had three years in the radio business, joins a dubious list of broadcasters whose careers have been put in jeopardy by ill-chosen words.  In St. Louis, where race relations can sometimes be precarious, Lenihan's comment opened the gate for a torrent of questions: Did KTRS overreact? Was the racial slur a twist of the tongue or something deeper? Was controversy inevitable for a radio station that replaced most of its on-air staff looking to revamp its image? (read more - St Louis Post-Dispatch)

Radio station 101.1 FM KLRC in Siloam Springs has been selected as the Radio Station of the Year from a national pool of small-market Christian radio stations (read more - NW Arkansas Times)

Last week, America Online introduced the first broadband television network on the World Wide Web, fueling the question, Has the Internet truly been a net positive for civilization?  The network offers an inventory of dramas, comedies and "vintage" programming from the Warner Brothers archive, proving perhaps, as the fashion world has already demonstrated, that "vintage" in modern parlance has simply come to mean old (read more - NY Times)

Elston Howard Butler, Local Sales Manager, KABC Radio in Los Angeles, was chosen the ABC, Inc. Black Achiever in Industry for 2006

A recent Dayton Daily News editorial described by Bill O'Reilly as "perhaps the most vile and irresponsible editorial I have ever seen in an American newspaper," was the work of none other than Eddie Roth, formerly a St. Louis lawyer and prez of the city's Police Board. Roth had the audacity to remind O'Reilly, whom he described as a "cable television crank," about his having been sued by a female colleague for allegedly making sexually harassing telephone calls  (read more - Deb Peterson-St Louis Post-Dispatch)

So far it's mainly just been the smaller brands that have launched pocket DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) radios in the U.K.. Now it seems the big boys want a slice of the action in what seems to be a pretty fast growing market (read more - Tech Digest 1)  (read more - Tech Digest 2)

The Bush administration moved Thursday to freeze the assets of several Lebanese media outlets, alleging that they helped raised money and recruits for Hezbollah's terrorist network. The Treasury Department's action is against al Manar, a satellite TV operator, al Nour Radio and their parent company, the Lebanese Media Group. Any assets found in the United States belonging to these three outlets will be frozen and Americans are forbidden from doing business with them (read more - Mercury News)

RadioLinx has been chosen by Mobley Entertainment to provide affiliate marketing services for The One Minute Dad.  The One Minute Dad is a new daily radio feature that engages and compels men and women to be better parents

Jim McKernan has been named, Vice President - General Manager for KEZK-FM and KYKY-FM, CBS RADIO’s Adult Contemporary stations in St. Louis

Laura Nachman's “Sports Broadcasters’ Field of 64.” Here are the results:
PHILLY ANNOUNCER BRACKET
(1) Harry Kalas in a landslide over (16) Brian Propp
(9) Larry Andersen easily over (8) Harry Donahue
(5) Tom McGinnis in a landslide over (12) Todd MacCulloch
(4) Jim Jackson easily over (13) Mike Quick
(11) Steve Mix edging (6) Scott Graham
(3) Marc Zumoff easily over (14) Tim Saunders
(10) Tom McCarthy easily over (7) Chris Wheeler
(2) Merrill Reese easily over (15) Steve Coates (read more - Laura Nachman)

The Smoking Gun has obtained a copy of Vice President Dick Cheney's standard "tour" rider. The document is provided to hotels where Cheney will be bunking and lists how the Republican pol's "Downtime Suite" needs to be outfitted. Cheney does like all the televisions to be preset to the Fox News Channel (read more - The Smoking Gun)

I have never felt stronger about the satellite radio industry than I do at this very moment. I realize that's not a popular opinion (read more - Rick Aristotle Munarriz-Motley Fool)

President Bush and senior aides have claimed that Americans are increasingly disillusioned about the Iraq war because the mainstream media report only the violent and tragic events occurring there -- an accusation that has simultaneously been advanced by an array of conservative media figures (read more - Media Matters)

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw will fill-in for vacationing host Lon Helton on Country Countdown USA for the weekend of March 25-27 (visit Country Countdown USA)

Thursday March 23, 2006

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin last week made it clear that he plans to move as quickly as possible to lift a ban on owning newspapers and broadcast outlets in the same market. That can’t come soon enough for big media companies hungry to buy up newspapers and TV and radio stations, but stymied by the long-standing cross-ownership restriction (read more - Greg Gatlin-Boston Herald)

It's an approach that has worked exceedingly well in Bob Rivers' 17-year tenure in Seattle morning radio, first at KISW-FM and, since 2001, at KZOK-FM (102.5), where he is heard 5-10 a.m. weekdays and has consistently ranked as one of the market's top shows. Now Rivers will see if the approach works in Portland as well. As of last Monday, the Rivers show is simulcast on Portland's KVMX-FM (107.5), which, like KZOK, is owned by CBS Radio (read more - Bill Virgin-Seattle PI)

Oscar Brand says one thing he will remember about the studios at WNYC radio is the elevators. "It's in the Municipal Building, of course," says Brand, who has been hosting a weekly folk music program on WNYC since 1945. "So when you got on the elevator, you would be surrounded by civic rectitude - all these municipal employees in jackets and ties. "Except the people who would visit me, like Bob Dylan, would not be wearing a jacket and tie." (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

Les Garland, CEO, The Tube Music Network, announced a distribution agreement today with Sinclair Broadcast Group. THE TUBE Music Network is a pure, music network that features a bold fusion of the best artists, the best songs and the best images of all time. The playlist reflects the music of some of the biggest touring acts in America today and is the first music network to be distributed using a new broadcast technology known as digital multicasting  (preview The Tube)

Nearly four in five marketers surveyed by the Association of National Advertisers and Forrester Research believe that television advertising is less effective than it was just two years ago (read more - MSNBC)

Gerald Eskenazi grew up to become a New York Times sportswriter, but he still remembers his youthful passion for radio and its engrossing world of news, talk, sports and, best of all, drama. In his new book "I Hid It Under the Sheets: Growing Up With Radio," the 69-year-old Eskenazi takes readers back in time to the days when families stopped everything to listen to "The Lone Ranger" or gossip columnist Walter Winchell or audio versions of new Hollywood films. Not everything was golden during the Golden Age of radio. As Eskenazi points out, ethnic stereotypes ran amok, especially in shows that looked at urban life by spotlighting heavily accented Italians and Jews. Blacks, meanwhile, were relegated to parts as servants and comic foils (read more - Randy Dotinga-NC Times)

In a market that's been uncharacteristically changeable in the past year or so, Milwaukee radio's sense of stability is being reinforced by word this week that morning guys Brian Nelson and Bob Madden have extended their contract with WHQG-FM (102.9) through 2012 + "We're the alternative to all the talk and talk and talk on the other stations," says program director Stan Atkinson in describing the focus of WJZI's morning show (read more - Tim Cuprisin-Milwaukee JS)

Local television executives met on the Arizona State University campus Wednesday to discuss the future of local broadcasting and technology changes the industry will face. The roundtable was the first in a series of discussions at ASU to explore the television and radio industries (read more - ASU Web Devil)

Back in 2003, the Chicks revealed that they’d installed metal detectors at their shows and were receiving hate mail and death threats. In “Make Nice,” the Chicks announce quite succinctly that they’re not sorry for anything they’ve said and they are going forward, heads held high (read more - Fox News)

Nadine Bodett moves to KHYI/95.3 FM "The Range." from KFWR/95.9 FM "The Ranch" and KSCS/96.3 FM. She'll team with Range personality Natalie, who just goes by Natalie (read more - Star-Telegram)

Three private equity firms have formed a group to explore a bid for Spanish-language broadcaster Univision Communications, according to sources familiar with the matter (read more - Reuters)

XM Satellite Radio launches the second year of its multi-year broadcasting and marketing agreement with the IndyCar(R) Series this weekend with the Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, March 26 (read more - XM Radio)

Citing the growing concerns of his constituents over the Austin market's lack of a full-time Tejano radio station, state Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, D-Austin, called for the radio industry to restore the native Texas music to the airwaves. "Tejano music is systematically being removed from local radio stations, and it is simply unacceptable," Barrientos said at a news conference (read more - Austin American-Statesman)

A radio personality at 550 KTRS was fired on the spot Wednesday after using the word “coon” on the air in a conversation about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Dave Lenihan was dismissed after what he called an inadvertent slip of the tongue. “She’s been chancellor of Stanford,” Lenihan said on the air. “She’s got the patent resume of somebody that has serious skill. She loves football. She’s African-American, which would kind of be a big coon. A big coon. Oh my God. I am totally, totally, totally, totally, totally sorry for that.” He said he had meant to say “coup” instead  (read more - (updated) St Louis Post-Dispatch) (read more - Mercury News)  (read more - Ireland Online)  (listen to audio of Lenihan comment)  (listen to audio of CEO Tim Dorsey's apology)

From Murphy Martin -- I remember talking with Mr. Truman during a morning walk in 1964 about his decision to use the Atomic bomb. He was in New York to receive an award and to visit his daughter. When I asked him what had been his toughest decision while living in the White House, I expected him to say the decision to use the Atomic bomb. He surprised me by saying: "Korea was the most important decision I made. That affected the whole free world and that was the reason for that." Surprised, I blurted "that was a tougher decision than the atom bomb?" Mr. Truman said: "The atom bomb wasn't any decision at all. The atom bomb was a weapon of war and I used it to end the war (read more - www.MurphyMartin.com)

Hoping to capitalize on North Carolina's growing Hispanic population, Capitol Broadcasting is taking a minority interest stake in Que Pasa Media Network (read more - WRAL)  (read more - Winston-Salem Journal)

The BBC has apologised for the use of an ‘inappropriate production technique' after a local radio station tried to pass off a BBC Five Live interview as original material.  Richard Wilford, edited the original broadcast by dubbing his voice over the original interviewer's, thereby giving listeners the impression that the clip was original material (read more - Press Gazette U.K.)

WNYC-New York Public Radio is moving after signing a 20-year lease for at 10 Hudson Square, located on Varick Street in Soho (read more - Crain's NY Biz)

Mike Preston has been named Vice President of Programming for KCBS-AM and KFRC-FM in San Francisco effective on Monday, April 3 -- Ken Kohl will begin advising CBS RADIO’s six San Francisco stations as Vice President of News and Talk Programming -- Ed Cavagnaro continues as Director of News and Programming for KCBS-AM (visit CBS Radio)

Cox Radio announced that Johnny Chiang has been promoted to Programming Operations Manager of Cox Radio Houston which includes KHPT-FM, KKBQ-FM, KLDE-FM and KTHT-FM. He was formerly Program Director of Cox Radio’s KKBQ and KTHT. Chiang will continue to oversee day-to-day programming of those stations in his new role (visit Cox Radio)

Two Canadian musical buffs have launched www.RadioTarahumara.com aimed at bringing modern technology and communications to a remote Indian tribe in the mountains of Mexico's Chihuahua State (read more - The Globe and Mail)

A new radio station for Ponoka and Lacombe got the green light from the CRTC last week. “Get set, it’s coming, Ponoka will have a radio service this summer and it’s going to be great,” said Troy Schaab (Stevens) in a phone interview Thursday (read more - Panoka News)

New custom research released by Arbitron shows live radio sports broadcasts generate a superior level of audience engagement; during the Miami Dolphins 2005 season, fifty-three percent of WAXY-AM listeners are more likely to stay turned in during a commercial break while listening to a Miami Dolphins game than during regular programming. The custom study, conducted by Arbitron on behalf of WAXY-AM, examines the unique value of live radio sports broadcasts (read more - ARBitron)

Wednesday March 22, 2006

An Orlando police report alleged that shortly before midnight O-Rock 105.9 FM's Drew Garabo was attacked by one of 104.1 FM's Monsters in the Morning personalities "Blackbean," whose real name is Carlos Navarro. Garabo said he was "sucker punched" by Navarro, who rushed a stage at the radio event. The injured radio personality told listeners about the incident Tuesday (read more - Local 6)

From John Rook -- It’s a ticking time bomb, ignored by the Federal Communications Commission, promoted by broadcast owners and largely unknown to the English speaking public. At no time in our nation’s history has a language other than English been broadcast by so many radio stations. The Bush Administrations open border edit has added millions of non English speakers into our society. This has triggered a rush by broadcast owners to provide programming of those whose allegiance may be fomenting anarchy and/or indecency prohibited by English speaking facilities (read more - www.JohnRook.com)

The Miss Jones team on WQHT (97.1 FM) played the new Terrell Owens CD single yesterday, with a skeptical tone, and a listener called to say Owens sounded like the Britney Spears of rap + A survey done for the Radio Research Consortium finds that nationwide listening to National Public Radio, which had risen for 30 years, has dipped slightly the last two. The suggested reason: "People are still using radio. They're just using it less."   (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

Thayrone is out, but the doctor - Dr. Laura, that is - is in at WAAM (1600 AM), Ann Arbor's talk radio station. The change was effective Monday (read more - Ann Arbor News)

Scott Roddy, 30, is the new afternoon drive host (2 to 7 p.m. weekdays) on WLHK-FM (97.1), also known as Hank FM (read more - Indy Star)

Erin Carman, who once worked as Mancow Muller's morning sidekick "Heather" on Emmis' alternative rock WKQX-FM 101.1, has been named midday personality on Emmis' classic rock WLUP-FM 97.9 (read more - Feder of Chicago)

Ceri Thomas has been appointed the new editor of Today, BBC Radio 4's flagship news and current affairs programme (read more - BBC)

Rick O'Bryan, one of the first DJs on KDMX/ 102.9 FM "Mix 102.9," is returning to the station as program director and afternoon DJ to replace Pat McMahon (read more - Star-Telegram)

Bobby Spade revs up the internet broadcast www.worldpokerradio.com of California Poker Radio every Saturday from Noon until 1 PM from a San Diego studio with a series of openers: "California Poker Radio: where the Nuts Tune In." And, "California Poker Radio: from San Diego to Eureka, from the flop to the river." Bobby is introduced as, "What you get when you mix Rush Limbaugh with Howard Stern." The show can also be picked up as a podcast through iTunes (read more - World Poker Radio)

The Adam Carolla Show originates from 97.1 Free FM in Los Angeles (KLSX-FM). Guests for the week of March 19 include: Gary Sinise, Dave Sheridan, Larry the Cable Guy, Jesse Jane, George Wendt and Danny Bonaduce (visit www.Adam.FreeFM.com)

"Nearly everything in this country has since changed," says Bill Hemmer, Fox News, who arrived in Baghdad on Saturday morning. "For starters, you cannot leave the airport unless you have a military escort. It is just not safe. The Marines only fly at night, they don't fly helicopters during the day, by and large. We did not want to take an over-the-road convoy from Baghdad to Fallujah, it is not recommended to anyone. "The last time I was in Baghdad, I was picked up at the airport by our advance team on the ground. We rode, at will, throughout the capital." (read more - Tim Cuprisin-Milwaukee JS)

The first annual Great Plains Radio History
Symposium will be held from 10am to 4pm Friday, April 28, 2006 on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan, KS.  It's a full day of discovering fascinating firsts in Great Plains radio -- events that influenced not only regional U.S. broadcasting, but American society as well. Contact Professor Dave MacFarland, Great Plains Coordinator, Great Plains Radio History Symposium dmac309@ksu.edu

Hi Radio Babe: Subject: Brently. I stumbled across an article you wrote on Nov. 14, 2005, on Cowhead and Brent stating that you had written Brent about his whereabouts and you are waiting a response. Typical Brent! Brent flipped companies and is now working for Clear Channel and does the 7-midnight shift at 105.9 The Buzz WTZB in Sarasota … You can listen to Brent streaming on the station's site, too, so the Outlaw fans can still get their weekday dose of what some listeners called "DJ Saggy Pants" (Don't ask) ... Thanks -- Moose Dear Moose: Thanks, I won't (read more - Dawn Scire - The Radio Babe)

The world’s first on-line content portal for independent music and film has launched its second music stream "BoostDigital Kids Radio", a sister site of Boost Digital Radio, which plays only new, independent music.  The new program channel is aimed at 2 to 6 year olds streaming content 24/7 and kids music videos on the web site (visit BoostDigital Kids Radio)

Lawmakers voted by a lopsided majority Tuesday to restore $500,000 to South Dakota Public Broadcasting, but not before a veteran appropriations member promised a probe of the agency's operations and audits (read more - Argus Leader)

Tuesday March 21, 2006

Roger Borden, who had been pursuing a career in voice work in LA since 1988, passed away from liver cancer. Services Tuesday (tonight) in LA. His remains will be sent to Texas to be buried alongside his son Shawn who died 20 years ago

Radio owners measure success less by listenership than by ad revenue, and if a big audience doesn't translate to big ad dollars, the format may be expendable.  That harsh truth is reflected in a new national survey by Miller Kaplan (MK) on radio's 2005 "Power Ratios" - how various formats convert listeners into ad dollars (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

The on and off relationship between WIP 610-AM and Bristol native Mike Missanelli is off again, as the mid-day host was fired on Monday. According to a source familiar with the situation, the reason for the firing was because Missanelli got into a fight with a producer during a live remote during Friday's St. Patrick's Day show.  Missanelli's first stint at WIP was from 1992 - 2003. He surprised many when he left WIP to do mornings on rock station WMMR 93.3-FM (read more - Laura Nachman)

While the growth in popularity of satellite radio among American consumers has raised questions about traditional radio's future, the medium is expected to survive in the long run, according to  local radio executive, Norman Wain. Having previously owned a series of AM and FM stations-including Miami-based Y-100-across the United States, Wain currently is a mass media professor and consults with private organizations on various media issues (read more - Boca Raton News)

Radio retains its position as a mainstay medium over the past year according to the latest total radio listening estimates compiled by RADAR, the radio network and national audience measurement service of Arbitron. On Monday, March 27, Arbitron will release the complete RADAR 88 Radio Network Audience Report results (read more - ARBitron)

Two KC area radio stations figure tangentially in New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer’s payola lawsuit against radio chain Entercom Communications Corp.  The lawsuit, which alleges that the company illegally traded air time for payments, largely focuses on Entercom’s operations in Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y., but both KUDL 98.1 FM and KRBZ 96.5 FM crop up in the lawsuit’s exhibits (read more - Dan Margolies-KC Star)

After 6 years of battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Sabrina Black passed away last night. The wife of Steve Black, producer and host of The Chop Shop Radio Show, Sabrina’s involvement in the radio industry began in 1989, when she graduated from Specs Howard and began a position as a Research Director for WRIF in Detroit. She also held positions at WWBR “The Bear,” as well as WDFN “The Fan,” in Detroit

Sirius Satellite Radio has reached agreements with three major recording companies to settle disputes over a portable music player that allows users to store digital copies of music, a Sirius spokesman, Patrick Reilly, said Monday (read more - NY Times)

Redandnater.com, a favorite whining location for unnamed Clear Channel employees, has been banished from the broadcasting empire that Mick built.  Clear Channel's regional veep, Mick Anselmo, sounded right proud of himself Friday when he told me, "I walked in and looked at my IT guy and said: 'You know what? I want you to block the RedandNater site.' I said, 'I've been thinking about it, and I don't think people should be able to go on it during work hours.' (read more - CJ-Minneapolis-St Paul Star Tribune)

Gary Shores and Harvey J. Steele, co-hosts of Toledo's No. 1 morning radio show on WKKO-FM (99.9), believe the Toledo roots of Danny Thomas are celebrated more in Memphis than in his hometown. Last week, the station launched a "Do More for Danny in Toledo" campaign (read more - Russ Lemmon-Toledo Blade)

The Federal Communications Commission voted to add a bureau dedicated to its public safety and homeland security responsibilities. Last Friday, the FCC announced it voted to create a Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. The new Bureau will address a variety of issues and functions, which have been further divided among seven different bureaus and offices (read more - Fed News)

On Friday, March 24th, Entravision's Super Estrella 92.7 in Las Vegas presents “Super Estrella Live,” featuring musical artists Belanova and Coti at Club Rio in the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino

Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart, the morning duo on Bonneville International adult contemporary WTMX-FM (101.9), picked up Station of the Year honors last weekend from the Children's Miracle Network + Bruce DuMont,joins political editor Bill Cameron in anchoring primary election coverage on ABC-owned news/talk WLS-AM (890), starting at 7 tonight (read more - Feder of Chicago)

Jon Stewart will follow up his Oscar duties by manning the podium for the Peabody Awards June 5 in New York + Mike Wallace visits CNN's Larry King at 8 p.m. Wednesday to talk about his retirement in May (read more - Tim Cuprisin-Milwaukee JS)

Jay Ireland will be a featured speaker at Kagan Research's RADIO/TV '06 VALUES & FINANCE SUMMIT that will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2006, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.  Ireland believes TV stations have little choice but to jump on the new media bandwagon and "harness" rival media as best they can to develop new business lines (read more - TMC Net)

Arbitron announced both new networks and new enhancements to the RADAR national radio ratings service that measures national radio usage as well as audiences to network radio commercials. Four additional networks, all from Premiere Radio Networks, will be reported with the March 27 release of the RADAR 88 report. These networks are Premiere Morning Drive FM, Premiere Select, Premiere Spectrum and Premiere Urban Two. This brings to 56 the total number of networks measured by RADAR, up from the 52 networks that were covered in the RADAR 87 report

From Happy Hare -- I was doing my morning KCBQ show when a sinister sounding Mexican called threatening newsman Ben Shirley’s life. Ben fled the studio in panic right then and there. In the prior “Happy Hare Mad as Hell,” I described Ben. Picture The Hulk, only without muscles, but when he became mad as hell and wasn’t going to take it any more, he turned bright crimson.. That was Ben. Who was this Mexican who was bent on popping Ben? Obviously, the wrong guy to dis on the radio (read more - www.HappyHareOnline.com)

LEX 18 and Clear Channel Radio Lexington have formed a unique partnership. LEX 18 will provide news and weather reports for three Clear Channel radio properties - WBUL-FM (98.1 The Bull), WMXL-FM (MIX 94.5) and WLAP-AM (News Radio 630 AM). WLAP may simulcast LEX 18 News coverage during severe weather or breaking news situations (read more - Lex 18)

Anita Marks, 1400 ESPN's Ultimate Sports Chick, along with former NY Jets tight end, Johnny Mitchell and former Miami Dolphin All-Pro, Keith Sims, will host a warm-up party/broadcast, at the Hard Rock Hotel, Pool Side on Monday, March 20th from 4pm to 7pm. They will be selecting the biggest Mike and Mike fan for dinner with Mike and Mike and the NFL players in attendance

NewsRadio 750 KXL is now available via podcast. Each weekday, a condensed version of KXL's Morning News will be available, as well as Lars Larson's Northwest Nonsense. On Wednesday and Friday, listeners can find a special “Best of Experts on the 20's” available for download. NewsRadio 750 KXL podcasts are available through iTunes

Westwood One is nationally launching The Monica Crowley Show, a three-hour talk program hosted by author and news personality Monica Crowley. The show begins Saturday, April 1, 2006, and will air from noon to 3 p.m. ET

The Federal Communications Commission Monday deregulated a host of high-speed data services that Verizon Communications Inc. offers to business customers. Critics said the FCC went too far. Among other things, telecom lawyers said the decision will allow Verizon to charge businesses what it wants for such lines. While large companies are likely to bargain effectively, smaller companies may see their costs rise (read more - Washington Post)

Faster than you can say "Bababooey," Sirius Satellite Radio has hit the 4-million-subscriber mark. After closing out 2005 with 3.3 million accounts, the fast-growing satellite radio provider is now ahead of the pace to land more than 6 million subscribers by the end of the year (read more - Rick Aristotle Munarriz-Motley Fool)

XM Satellite Radio and Concord Music Group, one of the world’s largest independent record labels, today announced a partnership to launch a series of co-branded compilation CDs (read more - Webwire)

The Middle East is not the only source of ill-will toward America and U.S. interests, but that region now receives the bulk of U.S. funding for foreign broadcasting while operations elsewhere, such as in Latin America, languish. America needs a more balanced long-term strategy for its foreign broadcasting, and its overseers need to use greater creativity to spread American culture and ideas successfully (read more - Stephen Johnson-The Heritage Foundation)

Justine Mirth, the woman who has been granted a marriage license to marry convicted murderer Tom Nissen (convicted killer in the Boys Don't Cry murder), was interviewed on the Tom Becka Show on Newsradio 1110 KFAB. The interview is available on the Tom Becka Page at www.KFAB.com

Monday March 20, 2006

Clear Channel Radio today announced it will encode broadcasts from its Houston, Texas, radio stations for the upcoming test of The Media Audit / Ipsos electronic-measurement system. Clear Channel Radio joins CBS Radio, Cox Radio and Radio One in supporting The Media Audit/Ipsos test. Arbitron's portable, pager-like devices measure listenership by detecting codes that broadcasters embed in radio broadcasts. The codes are not audible (read more - Houston Chronicle)  (read more - Clear Channel)  (read more - The Age A.U.)

One newspaper headline last week blared, "Radio feels heat from iPod generation." This isn't "heat'' it's a brush fire that threatens to engulf the industry. But the radio sector has even fuelled it. It abandoned the future audience — youth — by pandering to the boomers with all those indistinguishable soft classic lite mix jack hits formats (read more - Toronto Star)

WABC Channel 7's Bill Beutel, the longtime television news anchor and host of the show that became ABC's "Good Morning America," died Saturday. He was 75. Beutel, whose trademark signoff "Good luck and be well" closed WABC's nightly local newscast for more than 30 years, died at his home in Pinehurst, N.C., the network said. A private funeral is planned for later in the week. A memorial service will take place sometime in the spring (read more - WABC 7 Online)  (read more - WNBC TV)  (read more - WCBS TV) (read more - Tracy Connor-NY Daily News)  (read more - NY Post)  (read more - NY Times)

Sirius Satellite Radio announced that it recently surpassed 4 million subscribers nationwide (visit Sirius Radio)

"I was so micromanaged that they were telling me how to pronounce syllables of words." -- Bob Edwards on his former employer, National Public Radio, telling Newsweek he feels liberated at XM Satellite Radio (read more - Howard Kurtz-Media Notes)

"Most small stations have to compete against a larger market radio station, and they can't afford to have a squeaky-voiced kid read the farm report," said Phil Barry, vice president/general manager of Jones Radio Networks. Jones Radio isn't the only company that provides syndicated radio services - Clear Channel's Premiere Radio, Cumulus Media and Viacom's CBS Radio are among its larger rivals. But it's the only one that doesn't own any radio stations - meaning, Barry says, "there's no place we can force-feed our shows - we have to sell them on their merit" (read more - Joyzelle Davis-Rocky Mountain News)

Spending on advertising in the UK increased by 2.1% in 2005, compared with a 6% rise the previous year, with online spend rising by over 70%, according to research published by the Advertising Association. The rise in online advertising is hitting other sectors however. Print press adspend declined by 3%, radio fell 4.5%, cinema decreased by 2.6% and direct mail by 3.9% between 2004 and 2005 (read more - Brand Republic)

Radio Ink publisher B. Eric Rhoads today announced the appointment of industry veteran Joe Howard as the new Editor-in-Chief of Radio Ink Magazine. Howard joins the Radio Ink executive team and will be responsible for all content and direction in Radio Ink, Radio Ink.com and Radio Ink Conferences. Howard most recently served as Washington Bureau Chief for Radio & Records (read more - Radio Ink)

GreenStone Media has lined up backing from a high-profile group of women to syndicate talk shows for women on FM radio (read more - Washington Biz Journal)

From Claude Hall -- Lee Baby Simms on KCBQ, San Diego. Program director at the time was, as I recall, Gary Allyn. Deejay staff also included Jimmy Rabbitt. Some considered it a hell of a radio station. (Photo courtesy of George Wilson) + e-mails from Kent Burkhart, Vince Cosgrove, John Hancock, Tom Noonan, John Long, John Harper and Sam Hale (read more - www.ClaudeHallOnline.com) 

For once radio got to sit back last week and watch its television cousins take the hit from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Staffers say a similar logjam-clearing decision about radio is expected soon. That verdict will assess complaints filed against Howard Stern back when he was on broadcast radio, including WXRK (92.3 FM) here (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

Katie Couric is ready to ditch "Today" for CBS, as Cindy Adams wrote last week. The only question is, when? "It is well-known with NBC producer-types that Katie's last day will be Friday, May 26 - the Friday before Memoral Day weekend," said our in-the-know source (read more - Page Six)

In case of inclement weather, head to the lowest level of your house with a long extension cord and your TV. Because local radio stations will tell you nothing. Oh, if you're lucky, one of them might be playing songs from "Gone With the Wind." It seems our "local" radio stations can't afford to staff the stations during the weekends. Ironically, the two biggest "local" radio stations are owned by Cumulus Broadcasting and Clear Channel Communications (read more - The Morning News)

The FCC says the Dec. 31, 2004, edition of "Without a Trace" contained a segment that fits the Supreme Court's definition of obscene material and violates federal restrictions regarding the broadcast of such material. They're proposing a record $3.6 million fine for CBS affiliates. I say they're dead wrong (read more - Richard Roeper-Chicago Sun Times)

I was only a few hours into my recent two-week stay in Baghdad when I first noticed the discordant images on Iraqi television: Between the grisly shots of war dead, pools of blood and burnt-out shells of cars came bits of wacky slapstick. Grown men and women joked around in silly makeup and goofy costumes, emoting exaggeratedly, acting like buffoons. It was difficult to compute at first: amid the horror, some Iraqis were actually trying to make the country laugh. With the newfound freedom of speech here, more than 100 television and radio stations have been licensed (read more - Jake Tapper-NY Times)

When the famous watch started ticking on Sept. 24, 1968, Mike Wallace was on the screen, along with the late Harry Reasoner, introducing the first edition of 60 Minutes. Their subjects: the presidential race between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey and the growing tension between police and protest groups, as exemplified by rioting during the recent Chicago Democratic convention. "That was a long time ago, wasn't it?," Wallace asked rhetorically over the phone earlier this week from his Manhattan home (read more - Dusty Saunders-Rocky Mountain News)

Sirius Satellite Radio moves the Dave Ramsey financial talk show show to the Christian Talk Channel 159, 9-12 pm.  Meanwhile XM Satellite Radio has moved the Dave Ramsey financial talk show to the Open Road Trucking Channel 171 starting at 12 midnight  (visit Dave Ramsey.com)

The deal is hardly Mickey Mouse. Citadel Broadcasting Corp., which owns four Erie radio stations, and Walt Disney Co. agreed in February to a blockbuster, $2.7 billion merger of Citadel and Disney-owned ABC Radio. Disney will be the majority owner of the new company, which will be named Citadel Communications. But the net result should be business as usual at the four Erie stations: WXKC-FM/Classy 100, WQHZ-FM/Z-102, WXTA-FM/Country 98 and WRIE-AM/1260, says Jim Riley, market manager of Citadel Broadcasting Erie. "It doesn't mean anything locally," Riley said. "All the management structure at Citadel stays the same. It means they're part of a bigger company." (read more - TMC Net)

From George Mair --  Odd time of year when St. Patrick wants us to honor the green and tax   man wants to take it away*****Will Rogers’ said income tax has made liars of more Americans  than golf *****Dick Gregory doesn’t mind paying taxes but wishes they’d send it to a friendly country****It’s not fair to  equate death and taxes since you only die once *****Juries make me nervous ***** Why put your fate in the hands of 12 people too dumb to get out of jury duty? (read more - LA LA Land Letter)

How has the industry changed since you got into radio? "When I first started in college, it was all (record) albums, and CDs were just starting to become the mainstream. Technology has changed a lot. Now, the computer runs everything" from midnight until the morning show starts at 5 a.m. "I can leave for the night and walk away." (read more - Aaron "Gator" Glass / WAMZ-FM - Washington Biz Journal)

The Doug Banks Morning Show celebrates its tenth year on ABC Radio Networks this month

Greater Media heritage rocker, WRIF 101.1 FM (Detroit’s 101 WRIF) is airing a public service campaign aimed directly at its audience touting the Conclave’s 2006 scholarship to The Specs Howard School of Broadcasting Arts. A panel made up of members of the Board of Directors of the Conclave and Conclave advisors will choose the winning candidates. The scholarship deadline is April 1, 2006. Winners will be announced shortly thereafter. The Conclave has radio PSA’s announcing the scholarship availability’s via download at www.theconclave.com for stations wanting to help students in their community

In 2004, Bob Edwards, the anchor of National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," was unexpectedly shown the door. After the acrimonious ouster, he took his signature voice—all molasses and mint julep—to fledgling XM Satellite Radio. Now, 17 months later, excerpts of his hourlong weekday interview show have begun airing on (drumroll, please) public radio. Launched with Public Radio International, "Bob Edwards Weekend" can be heard on nearly 30 stations nationwide, the first time satellite-radio programming has appeared on broadcast channels (read more - NEWSWEEK)

The Washington Post and Bonneville International, owner of all-news WTOP, will launch a radio station, Washington Post Radio, on which no one will read stories from the newspaper. Instead, the station, WTWP, will try to appeal to listeners who might find all-news radio too superficial yet think of public radio as too dull. The idea is to make better use of the newspaper's wide-ranging expertise, develop Post personalities and give Washingtonians a new reason to stick with broadcast radio. And boost newspaper sales (read more - Washington Post)

A year after Robert Blake was acquitted in criminal court of killing his wife, the former tough guy actor spends his days exercising horses at a friend's ranch and planning a comeback (read more - NY Daily News)

Da Streetz remains on the air. The music from the pirate radio station has been so troublesome over the last month that a federal engineer who specializes in frequency transmissions has arrived in Miami to help investigators locate the signal. ''It's intermittent. Not all day, every day,'' said Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration. ``But clear communication between air control and the pilots is a critical part of flying.'' (read more - Miami Herald)

NASCAR races, currently on XM, will make their way to Sirius next year, a coup for which Sirius paid $107.5 million. Further highlighting the escalating cost of the content wars, XM paid just $15 million in 2002 for five years of NASCAR. Likewise, the NHL can be heard on both XM and Sirius now, though XM gets it exclusively beginning in the 2007-08 season. Cost: $100 million over 10 years, partially paid by XM's partner, Canadian Satellite Radio (read more - Reuters)

What started as a private party quickly got out of hand. Simply put, too many people tried to enter a rented community center. But during all the chaos, a local radio station was blamed for the riot, accused of overselling tickets to the teens. "We didn't sell the tickets," said Sam Nelson with Cumulus Broadcasting. "We didn't hold the event. Our part in the whole thing was just that one of our DJ's was hired to be a mixer at the party. That was the extent of our involvement" (read more - WTOC 11)

The company that silenced Howard Stern has muzzled 6th Congressional District candidate Lois Murphy. Murphy's recent run-in with Clear Channel had nothing to do with baring a breast a la Jackson or spanking porn stars a la Stern. Murphy, a Montgomery County Democrat, just wanted to pay for a billboard chastising Republican incumbent Jim Gerlach for keeping $30,000 in campaign contributions from former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. “We were told by Clear Channel that they would not put up any billboard that would make Jim Gerlach mad,” said Mark Nevins, a Murphy spokesman (read more - Kori Walter-Reading Eagle)

ESPN has been in Anderson for a week. ESPN Radio, actually. WANS-AM 1280 launched a sport-talk format last Sunday. For now, the station is broadcasting nothing but Radio (except Sunday mornings) ESPN programming seven days per week (read more - Anderson Independent)

With the help of some investors, the Young Turks bought four professional digital cameras and rented a studio space along Wilshire Boulevard's Miracle Mile. In mid-December, they began streaming their three-hour show every weekday on their website, www.theyoungturks.com,  billing it as the first live Internet talk show. In the process, they've helped pioneer the rapidly developing field of online programming (read more - LA Times)

... when XM Canada founder John Bitove Jr. called his chief operating officer Stephen Tapp to a morning meeting at a diner in Toronto last year, there was a bigger choice on the menu for the startup satellite radio company. Like many startup ventures, the cost of launching a satellite radio operation is disproportionately high in the first few years. From advertising expenses to deep discounts offered on radio receivers, the list of expenses for a new company is long (read more - The Globe and Mail)

First and foremost, David Ogilvy was a great advertising copywriter. "At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock" is considered by many to be the best automobile ad ever written (read more - Jerry Della Femina-WSJ)

Michael Coleman, the embattled general manager of Detroit Public Radio, told the Free Press today that he didn't take food, alcohol, airline tickets and hotel rooms in exchange for on-air acknowledgements while he worked for the University of Michigan s public radio and television stations. Coleman was one of three former Michigan Public Media employees charged Thursday in Ann Arbor on one count of embezzlement under $20,000 (read more - Maryanne George-Detroit Freep)

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters says the radio industry could lose as much as $188-million by 2015 as listeners drift to largely unregulated options that include Internet radio and cellphone broadcasts (read more - The National Post)  (read more - Edmonton Sun)

"... the book contained a speech by Adlai Stevenson. The year was 1952. He said, "The tragedy of our day is the climate of fear in which we live and fear breeds repression. Too often, sinister threats to the Bill of Rights, to freedom of the mind are concealed under the patriotic cloak of anti-Communism." Today, it's the cloak of anti-terrorism. Stevenson also remarked, "It's far easier to fight for principles than to live up to them." I know we are all afraid, but the Bill of Rights - we have to live up to that. We simply must (click the graphic above to view and listen to the audio)    (read the text and view the "Boston Legal" video of attorney Alan Shore's closing arguments)  You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

Ireland's first regional radio station, Beat 102-103 FM, has yet to make a profit after almost three years on air, as costs have raced ahead of original projections (read more - Unison U.K.)

WMMR has signed a multi-year contract with veteran Philadelphia talent Matt Cord. Negotiations had been ongoing since Cord joined the station full time in July of 2005, when he replaced the Dee Snider nighttime show. Cord worked previously for the now-defunct Y100 with a prior stint at WMMR. The current arrangement lasts through 2009

Emmis Communications CEO Jeff Smulyan this afternoon settled his lawsuit against American Honda Finance Corp. related to an attempt to repossess his then-girlfriend's 2000 Honda Accord EX (read more - Indy Star)

Video Phone. Finally,  it's here and affordable.  It uses your high speed Internet service. It's from Packet 8 with unlimited video calling worldwide and unlimited audio-only calling in the U.S. & Canada for just $19.99/month The Packet 8 VideoPhone delivers high-quality, full-motion video and clear, delay-free audio over any broadband (high-speed Cable or DSL) Internet connection. Designed for both residential and business customers (read more - Packet 8)

Walter Cronkite quoted in an Esquire magazine interview -- When President Johnson heard my report that said we should get out of Vietnam, he snapped off the TV and said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America." To be honest, I was rather amazed that my reporting from Vietnam had such an effect on history. Indeed, we are in another Vietnam. Almost play by play. It's a terrible mistake that we're in Iraq, and it's a terrible mistake to insist on staying there (read more - Esquire) You'll find this and other "Talk Bites" at RDN's sister site, www.talkradiodailynews.com

There is no western in country music, never has been and never will be. And this crap they play nowadays on so-called country music radio is nothing more than 1960s and 1970s rock and roll. It wasn’t country back in those days and it isn’t country today. Coming in late May up in Osage Beach is the annual Missouri Country Music Association Hall of Fame induction and show (read more - Ray Campbell - Richland Mirror-Pulaski County Democrat)

WOR Radio has launched its second annual "Shining Star Talent Search" (read more - NorthJersey.com)

Previously, Audi offered both SIRIUS and XM satellite radio, but has now selected SIRIUS as its exclusive provider to reduce complexity in dealer ordering. “We decided that the Audi customer demographic fit more closely with the type of content that SIRIUS Satellite radio provides,” said Wolfgang Hoffmann, head of Audi Product Management. “And we believe that SIRIUS will continue to grow and create programming that our Audi customers will desire” (read more- Auto Spies) (read more - NY Daily News)

Rock ’n’ roll will give way to hot Hispanic hits Tuesday at 5 p.m. Tuesday when WXTF (101.7-FM) becomes Spanish-language station WLPP (read more - Louisville Courier-Journal)

Friday March 17, 2006

Buzz Kilman has agreed to stay put at WCKG-FM (105.9) + Tisa LaSorte, former program director of Tribune Co.-owned news/talk WGN-AM (720), is returning to Chicago radio + Oprah's off the hook (read more - Feder of Chicago)

Air America will continue on WLIB (1190 AM), the network said yesterday, dampening speculation that WLIB might switch to other programming after the two parties' original two-year deal ends this month (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

"The old economy of radio has been abruptly replaced by a new economy where radio faces unregulated competition in an open field of media and entertainment services," said Glenn O'Farrell, CAB President and CEO. "We no longer have a single, regulated system of radio services delivered over the public airwaves, free of charge to Canadians. Now, we have two systems: the regulated system of the past, which is now in direct competition – some would say collision – with an unregulated, parallel system of new delivery platforms for audio content" (read more - Broadcaster Magazine)

Steve Harvey heard in Detroit on WMXD-FM (Mix, 92.3),  is coming clean. He says he's strengthening his relationship with God, praying daily and reading his Bible. He's also working really hard to stop cursing in his comedy shticks (read more - Detroit News)

The Radio Advertising Bureau has entered into an agreement with Radiozentrale, Germany’s Radio marketing association, to give their members full access to RAB sales and marketing materials, as well as training and consulting services (read more - RAB)

Radio listeners in the Tampa Bay area are about to have a lot more options on their dial. More than half a dozen local radio stations are launching their answer to satellite radio - their own digital radio stations. And they're experimenting with new music, new news and new talk shows, many previously only heard in markets much larger than Tampa (read more - Tampa Tribune)

New technologies like satellite radio and digital players are changing the traditional radio landscape and the industry says it wants help from the CRTC to survive. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission had called for submissions that would be considered in its current review of the country's commercial radio policy (read more - CBC Canada)

Between ballads and banter, Jim Radler's daily morning show is the cornerstone of WDSD. From the day Radler was hired to host the morning show two years ago, he and longtime newsman Feliceangeli "clicked instantly," said program director Andy Harris (read more - Mid State Living)

The sedate, urbane world of public broadcasting was rattled Thursday as prosecutors charged three former employees of Michigan Public Media with illegally accepting golf club memberships, Persian rugs, airline tickets and massages in exchange for on-air considerations at the state's top public radio station (read more - Maryanne George and John Smyntek-Detroit Freep)

Newsrooms around NYC are buzzing over potential changes at WCBS/Ch. 2. There's lots of chatter, inside the station's W. 57th St. studios and elsewhere, that the coming weeks will see talent shifts on some - and perhaps all - of Ch. 2's newscasts (read more - Richard Huff-NY Daily News)

Dave Graveline and the Into Tomorrow team this Sunday will be featuring B. Robert Okun, Vice President of NBC Universal and Jonathan S. Adelstein, FCC Commissioner   + more beginning at 2 pm EDST  (visit Into Tomorrow)

President Bill Clinton appears on XM Satellite Radio's new sports talk show "60/20," hosted by James Carville and Luke Russert.  The show debuted Friday, March 17 in its regular weekly timeslot of 8:00 am - 9:00 am ET on XM Live Channel 200

"We have high hopes for HD Radio. It has the potential to improve sound quality and listening choices beyond what traditional AM/FM radio currently offers. That said, most people will want to wait before investing in HD-Radio equipment. At this stage, choices are limited and prices are high. More and cheaper HD-Radio compatible gear is coming soon, and analog radio isn’t likely to become obsolete within the lifetime of a new radio, receiver, or even a car. Exceptions may apply if you’re now in the market for a new luxury car or high-end audio receiver. With those purchases, the incremental cost of adding HD-Radio capability might be relatively small ..." (read more - Consumer Reports)

From Kent Burkhart -- WOW!!!! Unbelievable!!!! I have written this column for 101 weeks. NEVER, have I had such reaction to the two previous columns (archived at www.kentburkhart.com columns 100 and 101) regarding the Google/dMarc Revenue Suite. The question was the same from all who e-mailed me….“What is dMarc's phone number??” I have learned a lot about stats from experience…and this response is like a home run from small market stations ... (read more - www.KentBurkhart.com)

Radio host Jay Severin admits that former rival Howie Carr is the most influential voice on Boston radio. "To be honest, I'd have to say Howie, now that I'm in a different time slot. There's no question that Howie's the big dog in local Boston radio ... He's a Boston legend" (read more - Jessica Heslam-Boston Herald)

The College of San Mateo's KCSM-TV could be slapped with a $15,000 fine from the Federal Communications Commission for obscenities uttered in a PBS documentary the station aired in 2004 (read more - San Mateo County Times)

Bill Doleman has resigned as program director of ESPN 1480 to concentrate more on his freelance TV and radio sports broadcasts (read more - Lincoln Journal-Star)

Blake Fulton and Joe Biddle, two veteran Nashville sportscasters who teamed up for seven years on the Nashville radio airwaves have been let go by 106.7-FM The Fan (read more - Nashville City Paper)

iSEEradio, a company of Continental Vista Broadcasting Group Inc., has signed an exclusive broadcasting deal with Orlando Clear Channel radio station XL 106.7 FM. iSEEradio enables radio stations to broadcast live and on-demand interactive video and audio through its customizable media player to audiences anywhere (read more - Houston Chronicle)

Florida Atlantic University's Board of Trustees this week made official a pact with WXEL Public Broadcasting Corporation (WPBC) that will allow the university to broadcast programs on digital radio (read more - Boca Raton News)

WXTB-FM 97.9 canceled its "Cowhead Morning Show" this week after Clear Channel Communications was reportedly fined by the FCC over an unspecified utterance that was deemed offensive (read more - Tampa Bay Biz Journal)

WMET 1160AM will be changing it’s format from talk radio to paid-programming beginning Friday, March 24th. "The  Greaseman Show” will continue to headline WMET 1160AM’s schedule, broadcasting live from 6 to 10 am EST Monday through Friday, with repeats on weekends. “It’s a hybrid solution and a unique opportunity to reach emerging and affluent ethnic groups,” said Dennis R. Israel, the new General Manager of WMET 1160AM (visit WMET 1160 AM)

SIRIUS Satellite Radio says Audi and Volkswagen will offer SIRIUS as exclusive satellite radio providers for Audi and Volkswagen vehicles

Boston radio personality Ron Della Chiesa will be among several guest speakers at a 35th anniversary St. Jude Children’s Hospital dinner-dance Saturday night, April 1, at the Myriad Ballroom in Mendon (read more - Milford Daily News)

Major League Baseball is back in full swing on XM Satellite Radio, the official satellite radio network of MLB. The 2006 MLB season officially begins with Opening Day on April 2 as the World Series champion Chicago White Sox host the Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field

Salem Communications announced that Howard Garrett's radio broadcast, The Natural Way, is moving to News Talk 660 KSKY (read more - Houston Chronicle)

I felt betrayed when the Aberdeen area AM radio stations switched from mostly all-talk radio to, uh - mostly all-talk radio. Rather than listening to Rush Limbaugh, Ed Schultz, Bruce Williams and Phil Hendry, we can now listen to everything about sports, and more sports, and yet more sports from ESPN radio. I've spent good time and money cultivating this addiction of listening to political talk radio (read more - Perk Washenberger-American News)

Robert S testified Wednesday that robbery suspect Michael Jackson's violent rap lyrics don't make him guilty. Jurors viewed a videotape of Jackson singing, "I Am a Robber," when Robert S, a former New York recording artist and now program director for WJNZ-AM (1140), took the witness stand for the defense (read more - Grand Rapids Press)

ABC News Radio has been awarded multiple top honors in the Radio Broadcast division in the 72nd Annual National Headliner Awards

Viacom will sell the film library of Paramount Pictures' DreamWorks  to Soros Strategic Partners and Dune Entertainment II for $900 million (read more - Crain's NY Biz)

Jerry Springer has donated $200,000 to the Museum of Broadcast Communications (visit Museum.TV)

Port of Olympia Executive Director Ed Galligan has offered to work with KGY radio officials to find a new home on port land (read more - The Olympian)

Thursday March 16, 2006

Conventional radio stations are losing their grip on the iPod generation as younger listeners shift to new technology, such as MP3 players, satellite radio and the emerging world of music-playing cellphones, the industry is warning Ottawa. In a lengthy document submitted to the federal broadcast regulator yesterday, the industry paints a bleak picture for itself as new technology permeates its market, eroding audiences and eating away at advertising revenue (read more - The Globe and Mail)

Kevin Matthews quoted in a Grand Valley magazine:  "Radio in L.A. and Chicago are in horrid shape. The Loop and AM 1000 years ago were unreal. We reinvented talk radio. What we did, the rest of the country is trying to do today. So to me, honestly, there's more competitive radio in Grand Rapids right now than there is in Chicago." (read more - Feder of Chicago)

David Lee Roth, the WFNY (92.3 FM) morning man who spent the last week accusing his station bosses of trying to destroy his show, yesterday declared a "truce" + Opie and Anthony, who were rumored as possible replacements for Roth, told WABC's Sean Hannity a CBS radio deal for them looked "90%" last week, but now is in limbo + Radio fans on the New York Radio Message Board and elsewhere are raving about Hannity's WABC interview with Howard Stern Tuesday
 (read more - David Hinckley-NY Daily News)

"Stevens and Cleverley"  are moving and launching their irreverent lifestyle show on FM News Channel 97.5 in Houston on Saturday.  The show streams live from 1-3 pm CDST  (listen to the promo- www.stevensandcleverley.com)

David Lee Roth’s radio days are numbered. Critics pan him. His ratings are horrendous. He’s difficult to work with and on air he’s dared his CBS bosses to fire him.  And the list goes on. Roth - who replaced shock jock Howard Stern on the East Coast in January - snubbed the Hub. The former Van Halen rockerwas scheduled to do his morning show live at Boston’s WBCN today and tomorrow but cancelled last minute, citing “scheduling conflicts.” (read more - Jessica Heslam-Boston Herald)

As a format, talk radio has tended to be done by men for men. A newly formed Seattle-based company wants to test the idea that that approach leaves a huge untapped market for radio -- talk for women. GreenStone Media has announced a lineup of shows it hopes to distribute to radio stations around the country and a team of radio industry veterans to run the new venture. What it needs now are stations to actually air the programs (read more - Bill Virgin-Seattle PI)

Three men were charged this morning in Ann Arbor with felony embezzlement, illegally taking such things as airline tickets, Persian rugs, golf club memberships and more while they worked for Michigan Public Media, which operates the radio station WUOM, 91.7 FM (read more - Detroit Free Press)

When asked their preference at the same price point - iPod or HD radio - more than half choose HD digital radio. More than half. · 12-54 demo: 53% of men and women gave the “thumbs up” to HD radio compared to the iPod. · 18-34 demo: 51% of adults preferred HD radio over the iPod. · 25-54 demo: 59% of adults picked HD radio versus iPod’s 28% (read more - Radio Marketing Nexus)

Shamrock, Texas celebrates St Patrick's Day on Saturday with a parade and the official dedication of "Bill Mack Street", a section of historic Route 66 that will be named after the Texas Panhandle's favorite son, Bill Mack, known as XM Radio's Satellite Cowboy, Grammy Award winning songwriter, DJ and author (visit Shamrock, Texas) (read the schedule of events)
 

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