Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Cumulus 1Q: Expenses Rise 6.9% , Revenue Drops 1.3%


Cumulus Media today reported financial information for the 1Q 2013, ending March 31.
  • Direct operating expenses increased $10.6 million, or 6.9%, to $164.2 million, compared to $153.6 million for 1Q 2012.
The company noted, "The increase was primarily attributable to a $1.0 million increase in sales salaries, a $1.6 million increase in Arbitron fees and a $4.9 million increase in expense at our network division as we invest in various content initiatives."
  • Net revenues for the 1Q 2013 decreased $3.1 million, or 1.3%, to $232.9 million, compared to $236.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012.
This decrease was attributable to lower political revenues and general lower advertising spending in some of our markets.

Chairman/CEO Lew Dickety stated, "With the integration and turnaround of the Citadel assets now largely behind us, we are investing in several key content initiatives to drive growth beginning in the back half of this year and accelerating into 2014. We will post positive year-to-date revenue growth through May and expect our investments in CBS Sports Radio, Traffic, NASH and Sweetjack to contribute meaningfully to our cash flow beginning in Q4 of this year."

Aereo Launches Pre-emptive Suit Vs. CBS

Just days after CBS’ Les Moonves threatened to sue the TV startup every time it expands into a new market, Aereo slapped CBS with a lawsuit in a pre-emptive strike.

Yesterday, according to the NY Post, Barry Diller’s Aereo asked a Manhattan federal court to rule that its technology doesn’t violate CBS’s copyrights and to bar CBS from suing it in all of the 22 cities where Aereo plans to launch.

Aereo uses antenna farms to grab over-the-air broadcast signals. It then streams them via the Internet to tablets and other mobile devices for a monthly fee.

CBS and other broadcasters, which have sued Aereo for copyright infringement, have failed twice to get preliminary injunctions to stop the service while a federal suit wends its way through the courts.

Aereo insiders said that interest and subscriber numbers are rising, thanks to the publicity surround its legal battle. The company won’t say how many users it has, but estimates suggest it’s only a few thousand.

Aereo plans to launch in Boston on May 15 for those who have pre-registered for the service.

Mike Huckabee Mulls His Media Future

Mike Huckabee
Cumulus Media has have another worry.

Former Arkansas governor and rising media personality Mike Huckabee is contemplating his future, including the return on investment of his year-old syndicated radio show.

“Within the next month, I’ll decide if I want to continue it or not. I know we will, but it’s just such an incredibly intensive process that I really have to decide that I want to spend that kind of time…,” he said.

“I’ve got to always weigh how much time I’m putting in it and what the return is. How long it will take to make it what I call hopefully disgustingly profitable. That’s what one always hopes for in a deal like this.”

Huckabee’s resume is familiar, especially to his fellow Arkies: two-term Arkansas governor, 2008 Republican presidential nominee and current radio and TV personality with a syndicated daily radio show, a weekly Fox television gig, several published books and some Web projects.

Huckabee talked last week with Arkansas Business about his media presence.

“The Mike Huckabee Show” is a weekday, three-hour radio show. The show is syndicated through Cumulus Media of Atlanta. It airs nationally on about 225 stations.

The live show can require up to 10-hour workdays, Huckabee said. A typical day starts at 4:30 a.m., with show prep happening from then until he goes on the air at 11 a.m., with possible breaks for reading local newspapers while on an exercise bike or for taking his dogs on walks on the beach.

The show is broadcast from Huckabee’s home in Florida, where he has a radio studio that doubles as his “man cave,” he said.

“I love doing the show. I love the ability that it affords me to connect to people right then and there. You know, radio is so immediate. It’s one thing that I’ve always loved about radio,” Huckabee said. “If something starts happening, you immediately not only can start talking about it, but listeners can begin calling, being a part of any discussion within seconds after a breaking news story.”

Chicago Radio: WLS-AM’s Dan Proft Mulls Run For Office


If WLS 890 AM  radio host Dan Proft wants to run for governor, he'll have to give up his day job.

Proft, along with Bruce Wolf, hosts a morning commute show on 890-WLS from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

But if he runs for governor, an equal-time rule -- an FCC provision -- would kick-in, he says. According to a story at Chicago Sun-Times, that was the same reason that former SuperBowl XX Bear Steve "Mongo" McMichael faced when he wanted to run for Bolingbrook Mayor. And he was just discussing Bears strategy in a pre-game show.

"That's a soul-searching question - I understand I cannot be on the air if I were a candidate for office," said Proft, who has run as a Republican. "That's a large part of the decision. I love my job at WLS, it's a great gig. I really enjoy it. I'm not cavalier about the great opportunity I've been able to enjoy with WLS. That requires some deep thinking and it requires that the ground is fertile for what I'm offering."

Proft, 40, of Wheaton, started working weekends at the station three years ago. He's now turned that into a regular gig with Wolf.

"People who are a state treasurer or state legislator don't have to give up their jobs to run for office. People in the private sector have to essentially," which is why few from the private sector make a run for office, Proft argues.


CRM notes if Proft leaves WLS-AM it would be yet another loss for the station who already recently lost its previous morning show hosts Don and Roma Wade due to Don Wade's health issues, lost host Jake Hartford due to his passing away from a heart attack, lost its Program Director Drew Hayes to a station in Los Angeles, and will next month lose afternoon newsman/co-host Jim Johnson to retirement.

Reno Radio: 106.3 FM Goes Pop

Shamrock Communications Reno has started broadcasting its 4th and final new radio station.

106.3 Pop-FM went on the air Monday afternoon, using the local heritage KWNZ call letters. The station is running a mix of nothing but mostly upbeat pop music from the last 30 years. The first month will feature no disc jockeys and limited commercials.

Pennsylvania-based Shamrock came to Reno in 2012 with its plan to launch four FM stations to serve the market. The first three, already broadcasting, are news/talk 107.3, alternative 104.1 KRZQ, and 105.3 Martini Radio, playing a mix of adult standards and comparable current songs.

LISTEN-LINE:  Click Here.

The company says the station will “will pay tribute to this heritage by playing ‘The Hits You Miss’ with exclusively pop-genre hits from the last 30 years.  ‘Pop FM’ is unlike any other radio station in the area. 

‘Pop FM’ dares to be different by playing a majority of the fun, energetic, classic pop hits you won’t hear anywhere else, with a fusion of current hits.”  Willobee Carlan is programming the station and Bill Shakespeare is assistant program director and music director.  

Core artists for “Pop FM” will include: Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Madonna, TLC, Prince, Michael Jackson, George Michael, Expose’, En Vogue, New Edition, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Donna Summer, Backstreet Boys, Destiny’s Child, WHAM!, The Jets, P!nk, Chic, Bobby Brown, Paula Abdul, and so many more.” 

Fort Myers Radio: Less Talk, More Music On WINK-FM


WINK-FM Is No More.

Syndicated morning-show host Elvis Duran is moving to WZJZ Y100FM on Wednesday, the show announced today on Facebook.

Meanwhile, Duran’s former local home – 96.9 WINK-FM – announced a change in its name and format. It will now be called The New 96.9 MORE FM and it’s emphasizing music over talk.

“What a concept!” the radio station announced on Twitter. “A station that plays MORE music, with less talk.”

LISTEN-LINE: Click Here.

According to news-press.com, station leaders say they made the change after “months of exhaustive research into the listening preferences of Southwest Florida.” General Manager Wayne Simon said they’ve been talking to thousands of listeners, and they all want the same thing: More music.

The station will continue playing pop and rock music from the 1980s to today, including Maroon 5, Madonna, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars and John Mellencamp.


Pittsburgh Radio: Flick And Kelly Launch On WBZZ

Flick and Kelly
Kelly Langenohl has joined Flick in afternoons on WBZZ 100.7 Star in Pittsburgh.

The show will now be known as “Flick and Kelly”, and broadcast Monday-Friday from 2:00-7:00pm.

Kelly is a native of Pittsburgh and a graduate of Penn State University. She previously served as Morning Co-Host on WBHV in the State College, PA market.

Flick says, “Kelly is Pittsburgh born and bred, full of energy, witty and going to be a great addition to the awesome team we already have here at 100.7 Star! I hope the City of Champions is ready!”

Kelly adds, “Words can’t describe how excited I am to join the CBS Radio family. I have been a longtime, loyal listener of 100.7 Star, and to now be a part of such a great station is a dream come true. I can’t wait to entertain the people of Pittsburgh on their drive home!”

NJ Radio: Line-Up Unveiled At WJRZ

Greater Media is pleased to announce the new on-air talent line-up at 100.1 WJRZ-FM, New Jersey’s Greatest Hits of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

The new on-air talent line-up consists of:

5:30am – 10am: Matt Knight
Matt Knight is an experienced and dedicated professional who previously worked at the original WBBO-FM/B98.5 as assistant program director, music director and PM drive personality. Previous to that, Knight served as the program coordinator at WHTG-FM/G- Rock it morphed into WHTG-FM’s Hit 106, where he was promoted to program director and was an on-air talent. Most recently, Matt was heard on the air doing weekend shifts on Greater Media New Jersey’s WRAT-FM.

10am- 2pm: T J Bryan
T J Bryan began his radio career in Long Branch at WMJY-FM. He went on to work on the air at WDHA-FM, where he helped establish and was co-producer of the original Rock The Park concert series. In addition, T J has won several on air awards, including one from the NJBA for best commercial production. Previous to that, he served as the program director at WHTG-FM in the late 90’s. Prior to that, T J spent several years in the record industry at Windup Records and was responsible for the promotion of bands such as Creed, Five For Fighting and Evanescence. In addition to his new on-air role, T J will also be assisting with music and production responsibilities.

2pm – 7pm: Glenn Kalina
Glenn Kalina
Glenn Kalina has been with Greater Media for the past 10 years and has served in a variety of capacities. He spent more than three decades working in the Philadelphia radio market, including several years at Greater Media’s MIX 95.7FM and 97.5. In addition, Kalina served as the morning show host and program director of Q102 for 11 years along, with working at WLCE-FM, CBS Radio, WCAU FM, FOX TV, NBC 10, WIP and WZZD. Kalina has been recognized on a local and national level for his programming accomplishments, along with receiving countless awards for his civic and charitable work. In addition to his on-air role, he works as the Program Director of 100.1 WJRZ-FM.

7pm – 12mid: Barbara Farragher
Barbara Farragher has been a part of the Greater Media New Jersey broadcast group for many years. She has been on air at WMGQ-FM, WDHA-FM, and WRAT-FM. In addition, she has worked outside the company on WKXW-FM 101.5 and has maintained a successful voice over business for several years.

12 am- 5:30am: Ricky A.
Ricky A. began his career a few years ago in the engineering and promotions departments at Greater Media Philadelphia at 95.7 WBEN-FM. He joined Greater Media New Jersey shortly after and has been working as a weekend on air talent for nearly two years.

“I’m thrilled to be working with such a talented air staff and to be able to entertain listeners with a daily dose of Jersey’s Greatest Hits of the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s. 100.1,”said WJRZ Program Director Glenn Kalina. “WJRZ is poised to soar to new heights with our new outstanding on-air line-up!”

WJRZ-FM is owned by Greater Media, Inc., the parent company of 21 AM and FM radio stations in the Boston, Charlotte, Detroit, New Jersey and Philadelphia markets. Greater Media also owns a group of weekly newspapers in central New Jersey and several telecommunications towers located throughout the United States.

Milwaukee Radio: WLUM Dumps Brian Kramp and Jon Adler


Morning show co-host Brian Kramp posted a Facebook message on Monday morning, stating he is no longer with WLUM-FM 102.1, where he has worked since 2006.

"I want to thank all of you that have listened to the Kramp and Adler show. As of today FM 102/1 has decided to end their relationship with me, Kramp," the message said. "Any e-mails, phone calls, comments can be directed directly to them. From the bottom my heart, thank you!"

Onmilwaukee.com reports, Kramp and Jon Adler replaced the "Bob and Tom Show" on 102.1 in March of 2006. Since then the two created some pretty well-known bits that were a mainstay of their morning drive-time show.

"Who’s More Sheboygan," pulling headlines in the community to the north, and tapping posts on Craigslist "Missed Connections" were unique and ways the two DJs created original work to pull in a greater audience share.

The station, part of the Milwaukee Radio Alliance, already pulled Kramp and Adler’s bios off of its website and deleted the Facebook fan page and Twitter account for the show.

"Kramp is a great guy," said vice president and general manager Bill Hurwitz. "I enjoyed working with him for seven years and only wish him the best."

The station will move to a more music-driven format in morning drive with more details coming soon. When asked if future programming may go syndicated, Hurwitz said the station is committed to keeping it close to home.

Boston One Concert Sells Out In Minutes


At 10 a.m. on Monday morning, tickets for a concert to benefit The One Fund went on sale. Five minutes later, the 19,600-seat event had completely sold out, the TD Garden said on Twitter.

According to WBUR, the event, announced by promoters on Friday, brings together top-notch musical acts and comedians from around the country to support victims of the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings. The lineup includes Aerosmith, New Kids on the Block, James Taylor, Dane Cook and Steven Wright, among others. Additional artists and performers are expected to be announced as the event date nears.

TD Garden has said it will cover rent and all expenses for the concert.  To that same end, TD Garden will also rely on digital-only tickets to prevent scalping.

The One Fund has collected nearly $29 million since it launched just two days after the marathon bombings.

Read More Now.

Sentenced: Lauryn Hill Gets 3 Months In Prison

Lauryn Hill was sentenced to three months in federal prison Monday for failing to pay taxes on an estimated $1.8 million in income.

U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Cox Arleo handed down the sentence in Newark, N.J., ruling that the Grammy-winning singer would have to complete an additional three months under house arrest followed by nine months of supervised release and ordering her to pay a $60,000 fine, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The sentence will begin the July 8, though it is unclear where she'll serve her time.

Hill, 37, pleaded guilty last summer to three misdemeanor counts of tax evasion, admitting that she intentionally failed to file tax returns in 2005, 2006 and 2007. She faced a potential prison sentence of one year for each of the three counts, but her attorney sought probation in the case.

Survey: Drivers Want Smartphone Links To Dash

  • Owners want their infotainment system powered by their smartphone to keep their vehicle technology up to date.

Vehicle owners have a high interest in technology related to fuel economy, device/application linking for smartphones, wireless connectivity, natural language voice activation and a variety of infotainment features for their next vehicle, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Automotive Emerging Technologies StudySM released today.

The study measures vehicle owner interest and purchase intent for emerging automotive technologies, both before and after the market price is revealed. Among vehicle owners who say they "definitely would" or "probably would" purchase these features in their next vehicle, the highest percentage select the following five technologies both pre-price and at market price:

Pre-Price Feature Interest
Device/Application link 1          82%
Fuel economy indicator 79%
Active shutter grille vents           76%
Natural language voice activation           74%
Next generation head-up display (HUD)           74%

Market Price Feature Interest
Fuel economy indicator (at $50)            72%
Device/Application link (at $250)1        67%
Active shutter grille vents (at $150)       61%
Wireless connectivity system (at $300)  58%
Surround-view camera system (at $550)           48%

During the past five years, there has been rapid adoption of smartphones, according to the survey. More than 67 percent of vehicle owners have a smartphone.  Smartphone technology has revolutionized the way owners have engaged in countless personal and professional activities from their vehicle.

Vehicle owners have high expectations for their smartphone to easily integrate with the system in their vehicle. They want to use their smartphone in-vehicle with the same ease and functionality they have become accustomed to in their personal or business life. However, a key challenge is that many owners keep their vehicles for more than five years, and software upgrades for device linking technology lags the introductions of new smartphones.

Pandora Sez Mobile Cap Lowers Costs

Joe Kennedy
Pandora Media Inc. said a 40-hour monthly limit on mobile users imposed earlier this year has cut music streaming and content costs as intended, while the audience continued to grow.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Pandora streamed 1.31 billion hours of songs in April, the first full month with the cap in place, a 5.1 percent drop from February’s 1.38 billion, the Oakland, California-based company said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. Adjusting for February’s fewer days, listeners streamed 10 percent less, Chief Executive Officer Joe Kennedy said in an interview.

“The decline in hours will be very closely mirrored in content acquisition costs,” Kennedy said, declining to provide specifics. The company reports fiscal 2014 first-quarter results on May 23.

Pandora’s results since implementing the cap suggest the company is starting to contain content costs, its biggest expense, without alienating listeners. The company in March began targeting the 4 percent of mobile users who were streaming more than 40 hours monthly, to stanch royalty payments that had ballooned as the service gained popularity.

Those who reach the cap can pay 99 cents to continue using the Pandora, switch to a desktop computer or enroll in Pandora One, a $36-a-year commercial-free option that gives more control over song selection.

Of the users who hit the limit in March, 86 percent returned in April, Kennedy said. Some coped by switching to Pandora’s unlimited desktop version, while others chose to pay, Kennedy said. He declined to provide specifics.

Pandora: NYC City Hood Guide To Fave Tunes

New Yorkers may all live in the same city, but they are dancing to very different beats.

A neighborhood-by-neighborhood analysis of online listening habits shows that each Big Apple neighborhood grooves out to tunes that are strikingly different from even its closest neighbors, according to data from online radio provider Pandora compiled for The NY Post.

The most popular genre stations on the Upper West Side were “Family Folk Songs” and “New Age Solo Piano,” while the Upper East Side tunes in to the “Laid Back Beach Music” and “Classical Romance” stations.

Every stereotype about the stroller-packed baby haven of Park Slope was confirmed when Pandora analysts revealed that “Toddler” was the most popular genre station in ZIP code 11215.

Uptown, central Harlem loves “Afrobeat,” while East Harlem digs “Regional Mexican.”

Downtown, Lower East Side hipsters make “Classic Indie,” “Today’s Indie” and “Indie Pop” the three most popular genre stations.

Meanwhile, “Hard Rock Strength Training” and “Drum & Bass” are the favorites in intense lower Manhattan. And out in northwest Queens, listeners love “Pop Fitness.”

Of course, not every neighborhood resident swings the same way.

Analysts at Pandora, which boasts more than 200 million users in the US, obtained these results by “over-indexing” listening habits to separate out the “Top Hits” stations that all ZIP codes across the country have in common and identify the genre stations that are uniquely popular for a given neighborhood.

Read More Now.

R.I.P. George Walker of WVA Public Radio

George Walker
George Walker, a longtime host for West Virginia Public Radio, was found dead in his home over the weekend, officials said Monday.

He was 60.

Details of his death are to be determined by an autopsy, said Shawn Patterson, director of communications.

"We learned about it this morning," Patterson said. "He had been off on sick leave. The last time anyone from here talked to him was Thursday evening."  She was not aware of the nature of his illness.

"George was the consummate professional," Scott Finn, executive director told dailymail.com. "His work was always top notch and we relied on him for his expertise. Our hearts go out to his family and friends during this time."

Monday, May 6, 2013

NYC Radio: Mister Cee Tells WQHT AM Show “I’m Not Gay”

Mister Cee
Over the weekend Mister Cee, a DJ at New York’s WQHT Hot 97 radio station, was arrested in Brooklyn for allegedly trying to solicit a prostitute. (See Original posting, Click Here.) The prostitute turned out to be an undercover police officer, but according Cee the cop was women and not a man as previously reported.

“I am not gay,” Cee told his co-workers Peter Rosenberg, Cipha Sounds, Ebro, and K Foxx this morning on Hot 97. “I was approached by a female undercover cop.”

According to allhiphop.com, Cee went on to say that the original story reported by the New York Daily News cited that the cop was a women, but at some point the news reports changed to say the arresting officer was a man.

When Ebro and Rosenberg pointed out that the area where Cee was arrested in is known for the solicitation of transgender prostitutes Cee said it was just “dumb luck” that he was in that site at the time.

Cee admitted that he does regularly engage in soliciting female prostitutes and paying strippers for sex, but reinforced that he does not seek out men or transvestites.

“I have an addiction to not only prostitution. I have an addiction to getting the quickie,” said Cee.

This was not the first time Cee, born Calvin LeBrun, was arrested on sex related charges. In 2011, the 46-year-old was allegedly caught receiving oral sex from a 20-year-old man in a car. He pled guilty to loitering for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.

Cee suggested that the details of the 2011 incident were false, and he submitted a guilty plea in order to protect his family and Hot 97.

At one point the conversation got very heated as Ebro and Cee went back and forth over why Cee continues to engage in illegal activity.


Throughout the interview Cee was asked constant questions about his sexuality and consistently maintained that while he is big supporter of the gay community he himself is not a homosexual.

Read More Now

With his latest drama, Cee elected to take a step back from radio for an undisclosed amount of time. "I'ma suspend myself, I'ma take myself off the radio," he said. "I'ma take some time off and I'ma suspend myself."

Shock Radio: Rush May Drop Cumulus Affiliates

Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh insists it’s not his fault that ad revenue has dropped at his flagship WABC 770 AM  — and if his boss keeps saying it is, Rush just may pack up his megadittoes and leave all Cumulus stations, according to the NY Daily News and other sources.

If Limbaugh were to leave Cumulus, the move would affect some 36 markets. In addition to WABC, Cumulus also carries Limbaugh on other major market stations including 890 WLS Chicago, 820/96.7 WBAP Dallas, 630/105.9 WMAL Washington, and 760 WJR Detroit. Others include, but not limited to: WPRO 630-AM in Providence, WXLM 980-AM in Groton, Connecticut, WSBA 910-AM in York, Pennsylvania.

In New York, that would very likely take him to Clear Channel’s WOR 710 AM, which would create the biggest shakeup in city talk radio since WOR scooped up Bob Grant after WABC fired him in 1995.

Limbaugh’s contract with WABC expires at the end of the year.

Lew Dickey, the CEO of WABC parent company Cumulus, has said Limbaugh’s controversial comments have diminished ad revenue for the past year — and the slump remains a “residual hangover” for the station.

But the rift blew open over the weekend when a source close to the Limbaugh told the Daily News: “Lew needs someone to blame, (so) he’s pointing fingers instead of fixing his own sales problem.”

The roots of this simmering dispute go back to February, 2012, when Limbaugh called law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” after she pressed D.C. lawmakers to mandate insurance coverage of birth control.

Media Matters and other progressive groups called for advertisers to drop Limbaugh’s show. Limbaugh has said the departees were replaced, and a source close to the show said revenue was “very minimally impacted in the short term.”

Dickey, however, told analysts that fallout from the Fluke controversy cost Cumulus “a couple of million” in the first quarter 2012 and “a couple of million” in the second quarter.  He said last May he hoped the problem would disappear. But it hasn’t, he said.

Nonsense, said the source close to the Limbaugh show: “Rush Limbaugh's ratings have outperformed every other program on WABC and many other Cumulus stations for years.”

Limbaugh began his national career on WABC in 1988, and his show is widely credited with launching the modern surge of talk radio into a major political force.


Tom’s Take: Is the brouhaha the cover for moving Rush to WOR?  Also, this flap blows-up just one day ahead of Cumulus earnings call Tuesday.

Report: CC Losses Termed “Excruciatingly Painful”

Rush Limbaugh
Clear Channel, Rush Limbaugh's parent company, last week reported first quarter losses that had to be excruciatingly painful. According to an article by Edith Allen at examiner.com.

She cites CC reporting a loss of $203 million compared to last year's loss of $143.6 million. The article says one clue to Clear Channel's troubles is a nationwide boycott of Limbaugh's sponsors. That boycott began early last year after Limbaugh called a college student a "slut" and a "prostitute."

According to a May 3 Daily Kos article, Clear Channel's revenue fell 1.3 percent to $1.34 billion. Revenue from the company's media and entertainment division was down 2.2 percent. Operating expenses dropped 3.5 percent.

Mays Family Ending Clear Channel Roles

Mark Mays
Continuing their withdrawal from the radio and billboard industries they transformed, Mark Mays said last week he will step down in May as chairman of CC Media Holdings Inc., and that his father, founder L. Lowry Mays, and brother will leave the board.

CC Media Holdings CEO Bob Pittman will take the title of chairman when Mays, 49, steps down.

“For all intents and purposes, Pittman already is chairman,” said Mays, who will remain a company director.

Mark's brother, Randall, 47, will leave the board in May. L. Lowry Mays, 77, will end his role as chairman emeritus in July, according to mysanantonio.com.

The Mays family has been phasing out their roles at the San Antonio-based radio and billboard giant since 2008 when about 70 percent of the company was sold to two Boston-based private equity firms, Bain Capital Partners LLC and THL Partners. About 30 percent of the company remains publicly traded.

Glenn Beck Gives Keynote At NRA Convention


It is the man, not the gun, that is capable of committing acts of evil.

That was the message Glenn Beck conveyed throughout his highly anticipated keynote speech at the 2013 NRA Convention in Houston on Saturday. He made that case using storied antique firearms as he taught America’s captivating history through guns. Make no mistake, the history behind some of the guns Beck handled on stage will blow you away.

One story about a particular shotgun, wielded by a “naked hippie” shooting at birds decades ago, seemed to have the most impact. Beck explained that after receiving a early morning call about the naked hippie shooting birds out of season, police in California arrested the said hippie and confiscated his WWII-era shotgun.

That man turned out to be a notoriously evil serial killer known to the world as Charles Manson. After his gun was taken away, he then turned to a knife to commit at least nine grisly murders with his cult group.

Media Moguls Are Among Best Paid CEOs

Leaders in other industries may be well paid, but a story by David Car in the NY Times says, they earn far less than their media counterparts.

Consider: the top 20 companies in the United States ranked by market capitalization include no media companies. But according to figures assembled for The New York Times by Equilar, which compiles data on executive compensation, media companies employ seven of the top 20 highest paid chief executives.


Carr’s story points out margins in the media business can be spectacular when things are going well — operating income at CBS for 2012 was $2.98 billion — which explains in part why the chief executive at Kraft, which is about the same size as CBS and had net earnings of $1.64 billion, makes $6.8 million, not $60 million like Mr. Moonves. Making cheese is fine, but running a media outfit that sells cheese through commercials is where the money is.

Clearly, the market had a crush on media stocks last year. The stock price of CBS rose 42 percent in 2012.

Fed Judge Upholds Michael Savage Arbitration Award

Michael Savage (WND)
In a ruling that is being compared to the case that led to free agency in baseball, a federal judge in California upheld an arbitration panel’s decision to release talk-radio host Michael Savage from a contract with his former syndicator, Talk Radio Network.

“Michael is to talk radio what Curt Flood was to Major League Baseball,” Attorney Dan Horowitz told WND, referring to the player who challenged baseball’s reserve clause, which kept a player bound to his team even after fulfillment of his contract.

Savage told WND the ruling “should free talent from the threats and extortionist behavior of ruthless Old-Hollywood types who can still be found in the corners of the radio industry.”

“For me, personally, it finalizes a struggle to perform for my audience in an atmosphere of freedom, not working on a ‘radio plantation,’” he said.

Read the federal court order, Click Here.

Horowitz noted that the arbitration panel and the court completely rejected any claims by TRN against Savage.  The judges ruling confirms an arbitration panel awarding Savage $863,454.92, plus all other money from withheld earnings and permanent ownership of all his archived radio shows.

Fargo Radio: Ingstad’s Buyer Was Aware of Swap Plans

Duke Wright

When Midwest Communications owner Duke Wright bought the six stations here owned by longtime Fargo radio magnate Jim Ingstad we wondered why a non-compete was included in the deal.  (See original posting, Click Here)  Turns out,  Wright knew Ingstad would soon be a competitor.

Wright told The Forum that he was well aware of Ingstad’s plans to turn around and buy the metro area’s other six-station cluster after sales of both stations were finalized within hours of each other late Tuesday night and Wednesday.

“He asked us if it would be OK. There isn’t any problem with it,” Wright said. “We’ve been in the business a long, long time, and we’ve been in some heavy competition. We like competition as long as it’s good.”

Ingstad sold his Radio Fargo-Moorhead cluster, which included KFGO 790 AM, to Wright for $25 million. Hours later, a separate sale of 30 stations owned by Triad Broadcasting in five different markets, including six Fargo stations, was completed with L&L Broadcasting, the Portland, Ore.,-based L&L said in a news release.

Later on Wednesday, L&L announced it would sell its six newly purchased Fargo stations to Ingstad for $9.5 million. Ingstad took immediate control of the former Triad stations through a local marketing agreement, but the sale is pending federal approval, L&L said in the release.

Techsurvey9: AM/FM Still Matter

In Jacobs Media’s new study of core radio listeners, the high-tech revolution continues – but broadcast radio’s pathway to success may turn out to be more high-touch.

The media habits of twelve different format core audiences are examined in the largest technology survey ever conducted for radio.  And this year, the study utilized four generations to tell a deeper story about media and technology use.  From Baby Boomers through Generations X, Y, and Z, the narrative about radio and how millions of Americans use and connect with it comes to life.

According to Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs, “Techsurvey9 shows that while gadgets and new media continue to occupy the headlines, radio’s ability to uniquely connect with consumers on their preferred platforms is the secret sauce for future success in the digital space.” 


Here some of the key findings:
  • Protecting The In-Car Listening Franchise:  More than half of all respondents say that most of their radio listening takes place in cars.  And now, more than one in ten (11%) drives a vehicle equipped with a “digital dash” system like Ford’s Sync, especially fans of Country, News/Talk and Sports radio
  • Radio is making the transition to digital: Consumers are now accessing station content on digital channels. When asked to recall their last week’s listening to the station that sent them our survey, 14% of all respondents say they tuned in on computer and mobile streams, as well as other digital sources.  The younger the generation, the more reliance there is on digital platforms to enjoy broadcast radio.
  • AM/FM Radio still matters: The “emotional triggers” from 2012’s Techsurvey8 study are intact: listening to radio at work, mood enhancement, escape, and companionship.  And consumers continue to demand radio in their new cars, as well as rely on broadcast radio for new music and new artist discovery.
  • Pandora is a big player:  By far, Pandora continues to be the most popular pure-play Internet option, outstripping its competitors.  While Pandora is a force to be reckoned with on the mobile front, its main drawback is now its commercials, cited by a growing number of its listeners.  And even Pandora users continue to be significant consumers of broadcast radio.
  • It’s about mobile – and mobility:  The three big stars of Techsurvey9 are smartphones, tablets, and the “digital dashboard.”  Each shows significant  increases in acquisition indicating that consumers are continuing to take their favorite content with them wherever they go.
  • Beyond Facebook:  Still the social media “big dog,” Facebook continues to be the ubiquitous platform for all format fans and generations.  But digging deeper, Techsurvey9 reveals strong pockets of users for “secondary social platforms,” including Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram.  Year to year, PInterest has more than doubled in reach, with incredible strength among women.  And Snapchat is emerging as a choice among Gen Z – today’s teens.
Techsurvey9 results were gathered online from January 29-February 19, 2013.  Overall, 264 broadcast stations across the U.S. and Canada participated,  contributing 78,111 respondents.

A series of format webinars has been scheduled.  You can find all the dates/times and registration information  by clicking here.

Clear Channel Tucson Taps Lance Tidwell

Lance Tidwell
Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Tucson has named Lance Tidwell as operations manager, effective May 15.

Tidwell will oversee all operations for Tucson's seven-station cluster.  Clear Channel Tucson owns and operates KRQQ-FM, KYWD-FM, KNST-AM, KOHT-FM, KMIY-FM, KTRZ-AM and KXEW-AM.


He is joining the local market from Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Hartford/New Haven, where since 2009 he has served as program director for WWYZ. He also supported the re-imaging and programming for WELI, WAVZ, WPOP and WUCS.

Prior to joining Clear Channel, Tidwell was chief operating officer for Southern Star Broadcasting in Memphis, where he oversaw day-to-day business operations with a focus on strategic sales and programming.

‘Boston Strong’ Benefit Concert Set For May 30

With the Boston Marathon bombings now firmly in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to look ahead to the future of the victims and the city itself -- reason enough for New Kids on the Block to organize and recruit acts for an all-star benefit concert.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Boston Strong, scheduled to take place at Boston’s TD Arena on May 30, will feature one wicked lineup, including performances by Jason Aldean, Jimmy Buffett, Dane Cook, Extreme, James Taylor, Steven Wright, J Geils Band, Godsmack, Carole King and, of course, homegrown artists Aerosmith, Boston and New Kids, the latter who are headlining a pair of sold out shows at the same venue on June 2 and 3.

Tickets will go on sale today, May 6 at 10 a.m. ET, and all proceeds will go to The
One Fund Boston. There was no immediate word on ticket prices, but the tickets are all going to be paperless in an effort to cut down on scalping.

NYC Radio: Mister Cee Expected To Talk About Bust

Calvin LeBrun
UPDATE 11:30am: Mister Cee tells Hot97 listeners "I'm Not Gay". Click Here for new posting.

WQHT Hot 97 DJ “Mister Cee” was busted for soliciting sex from a male undercover cop in Brooklyn, police sources said yesterday.

The 46-year-old music producer, whose real name is Calvin LeBrun, thought the officer was turning tricks at Madison Street and Broadway in Bushwick just before midnight Wednesday, sources said.

Mister Cee is expected to be interviewed by the Hot 97Morning Show at 7:45 am Monday.

LeBrun, who produced albums for Notorious B.I.G. and Big Daddy Kane, made the cop an offer and was slapped with patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanor. He later released on his own recognizance.

In 2011, LeBrun pleaded guilty to committing a lewd act after getting caught receiving oral sex from a man less than half his age inside a car parked on a Lower Manhattan street.

It was just eight blocks from the Hot 97 FM radio station where hosts “Throwback at Noon” and “Friday Night Live” were mixing old-school hip-hop.

TN Radio Hall of Fame Class Inducted

Charlie Chase
Some of the Volunteer State's best known names in radio were inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame at the Embassy Suites Hotel here in Murfreesboro Saturday night (5/4/2013). Hall of Fame board member Gary Beaty hosted the evening and the WGNS Radio website provides terrific coverage.

This was the second class of Tennessee broadcasters who were inducted into the Hall of Fame, and a repeat opportunity for Murfreesboro to host the gala. The non-profit group is dedicated to recognizing those who have influenced and those whose careers are in Tennessee' radio.

2013 Career Inductees

Seven people were inducted in the Career category, which honors those still living and in many cases, still working in broadcasting. They are:

Les Acree: Legendary country programmer and consultant who worked at stations in Memphis (WMC, WGKX and WMQM), Nashville (WKDA), and Knoxville (WIVK). He was named Program Director of the Year by Billboard in 1991, 1994 and 1997 and by the Gavin Report in 1998.

Charlie Chase: Best known as the host of The Crook and Chase Show and The Crook and Chase Countdown, Charlie Chase worked in east Tennessee, before coming to Nashville. There, he worked at WMAK and WSM before also having a TV career on Nashville’s Channel 4 and The Nashville Network.

Rick Dees
Rick Dees: He rose to national fame while working mornings at WMPS in Memphis, when he wrote and recorded “Disco Duck,” which sold six-million copies and won a People’s Choice Award. Dees moved to WHBQ in Memphis and later to Los Angeles. He was Billboard’s Top 40/CHR major market “Air Personality of the Year” for 10 consecutive years.

Tommy Jett: One of the original “Jet-Fli” guys on 50,000 watt WFLI, the name Tommy Jett Reynolds has been synonymous with top 40 rock in the Chattanooga area for more than 50 years.

George Klein: Klein has a 50-year radio and TV career in Memphis, starting with WHHM’s high school football broadcasts and baseball broadcasts for the Memphis Chicks at WHBQ. He worked at KWAM and WMC, and was a close friend of Elvis Presley.

George Klein
R. M. “Bob” McKay, Jr.: Bob McKay put WKRM in Columbia on the air in 1946. He later launched WPHC/Waverly in 1963, followed by WVRY-FM/Waverly in 1970. He acquired a second station in Columbia and changed its calls to WKOM.

Pat Sajak: A native of Chicago, Sajak was in broadcasting school when he got his first radio job. In 1968, he joined the Army and was sent to Vietnam, where he was a DJ on Armed Forces Radio. He came to Nashville’s WSM-AM in the early 1970s, playing pop in afternoon drive. Sister station WSM-TV (now WSMV) brought him on screen as a staff announcer and later, as weekend weatherman.

McCartney Tour Includes Beatles Classics

Paul McCartney blew more than a few fans' minds on Saturday night (May 4th) during the opening night show in Belo Horizonte, Brazil when he performed the live premieres of no less than five Beatles classics. McCartney opened the show with the band's 1964 chart-topper "Eight Days A Week," and continued to wow the crowd with premieres of the Magical Mystery Tour finale, "Your Mother Should Know," the Yellow Submarine sing-along "All Together Now," and performances of John Lennon's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band standout, "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" and his own "Lovely Rita."



In addition to the "Fab Four" favorites, he brought back some solo gems -- including his first solo single, 1971's "Another Day," which hasn't been performed live in 20 years; and the Wings hits "Listen To What The Man Said" -- which last got a live workout during a promotional TV spot in 1988; and "Hi, Hi, Hi" -- which was last performed on October 21st, 1976 during the final show of McCartney's blockbuster Wings Over The World tour at London's Wembley Arena.

Paul McCartney says that tackling Beatles songs in concert today is eons away from how he felt about performing the group's material upon first hitting the road as a solo act back in 1972.

Paul McCartney performs tonight (May 6th) in Goiania, Brazil.

He'll kick off his North American dates on May 18th and 19th at Orlando, Florida's Amway Center.

Rolling Stones Tour Opens In LA

Mick Jagger
The Rolling Stones kicked off their 50 & Counting tour on Friday night (May 3rd) at L.A.'s Staples Center. The 23-song set followed the same format as the band's late-2012 shows, featuring few rarities but presenting a lean and tight arena show showcasing tunes from across the band's 50 year career. The highlights of the show -- which was preceded by the UCLA Bruins marching band playing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" -- was undoubtedly the Stones' live premiere of their 1980 Top Three hit, "Emotional Rescue," and the band's first performance since 1997 of the Beggars Banquet acoustic classic, "Factory Girl."

Pollstar reported the concert was preceded by a film featuring such famous friends and fans as Martin Scorsese, Johnny Depp, Perry Farrell, and Cate Blanchett talking about their love for the Stones. During the show, Mick Jagger gave a shout out to Jack Nicholson and joked about the band switching its opening night to accommodate the basketball playoffs, saying: "It was either us or the Lakers, so now you got us. It doesn't matter to Jack Nicholson."

As he had during the band's previous 50th anniversary shows, Jagger poked fun of the exorbitant $600-plus price-tag of the Stones' current concerts, which ensured all but a deep-pocketed white collar crowd finding their way into the venue, joking with the crowd: "Hello Los Angeles! Or should I say 'Hello, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and certain parts of Santa Monica?'"

Special guests included former guitarist Mick Taylor's single guest spot on "Midnight Rambler," Gwen Stefani -- who apparently barely knew the song -- duetting with Jagger on "Wild Horses," and country star Keith Urban sitting in on the band's Some Girls rocker, "Respectable."

SiriusXM Revamps Channel Line-Up

SiriusXM listeners may be hard-pressed to find some of their favorite radio stations over the next week as the satellite radio giant reorganizes its channel lineups and adds some stations.

SiriusXM has unveiled a new channel lineup set to take effect on May 8.

New XM Radio channel list, Click Here
New Sirius Radio channel list, Click Here

The lineup changes include moving some channels so that music from the same overall genres end up in the same area, and the moves will also make room for some channel additions. Entertainment Radio and Comedy Central Radio are slated to join the lineup later this month - Entertainment Radio on Channel 105 and Comedy Central on Channel 95.

SiriusXM says the moves will streamline the service, and, in many cases, allow the same channel numbers for most channels on both platforms. Some channels have been eliminated for the move, including World Radio Network and Playboy Radio.