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Saturday, January 24, 2015

January 25 In Radio History





In 1919...Longtime Radio/TV journalist Edwin Newman was born. He died August 13, 2010 at 91.




In 1937...NBC Radio debuted the soap opera The Guiding Light. The longest running daytime drama in history, it moved to CBS-TV in 1952 and aired there for 57 years until the final episode on September 18, 2009.


In 1938...Blues singer Etta James was born. She died on January 20, 2012 at 73.



In 1961...President John F. Kennedy gave the first live Radio/TV presidential news conference from Washington, DC which was broadcast on radio and television.


In 1999…Radio and television announcer/radio newsman (WOR-New York's Jean Shepherd and Long John Nebel shows) Ted Mallie died at the age of 74.

Mallie started at WOR-Mutual Radio in New York in the mid-1940s. There he announced on such programs as John Steele, Adventurer and I Love a Mystery. He is perhaps better-known to old-time radio buffs, however, as the final announcer for The Shadow during its last two seasons (1953–1954) on the air.

Following the end of WOR's affiliation with Mutual in 1959, Mallie remained with the station as announcer, handling such duties for, and occasionally serving as newsman on, the Long John Nebel and Jean Shepherd shows. After WOR's FM outlet (now WRKS-FM) launched its progressive rock format on July 30, 1966, he even served a spell as a disc jockey for a time, due to a strike by its regular disc jockeys that lasted until October of that year.

Not long afterward, Mallie gravitated towards the station's TV outlet (now WWOR-TV), where he handled station identifications, promos, bumpers and program introductions, most notably for their long-running Million Dollar Movie and horror-movie series Fright Night. By the time Channel 9 moved its studios to Secaucus, New Jersey in 1986, three years after they transferred their city of license there, he and Phil Tonken were the last of the WOR radio announcers from the old-time radio era to still be employed at the station. His last major announcing duties for channel 9 included handling voice-overs for the children's show Steampipe Alley, and announcing for The Richard Bey Show. Mallie's announcing career at WWOR ended in 1994.

Radio One Sues Over 'Boom' Trademark


Radio One Inc. has filed suit against Flinn Broadcasting Corp. in Memphis (licensed to Tunica, MS)  for trademark infringement for using the slogan "Boom" on its Classic Hip Hop WIVG 96.1 FM in Memphis and WOXF 105.1 FM in Oxford, MS.

Radio One asserts that since December, both stations are branding as "Boomin 96 Throwback Hip Hop" and specialize in playing only Classic Hip-Hop music. In October, Radio One flipped KROI 92.1 FM in Houston to Classic Hip Hop "Boom 92.1" and in November flipped WPHI 107.9 FM in Philadelphia to "Boom 107.9 FM."

WIVG 96.1 FM (4.1 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage Area
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Western Tennessee, said Radio One sent a cease and desist letter to Flinn/Memphis GM Duane Hargrove on December 17, but received no reply. A second letter sent on January 6 also went without a response. Shortly afterwards Flinn began offering smart-phone apps for streaming its "Boomin 96"-branded Classic Hip-Hop stations to various smart devices, including smart phones and tablets.

WOXF 105.1 Fm (1.6 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage Area
CBS Radio originally registered the BOOM FM mark in 2008 for "radio broadcasting services," transferring the mark to Radio One last December.

Radio One is seeking an injunction to prevent further use as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

CBS Sports Radio Unveils Coverage For The Big Game

CBS Sports Radio has announced it will broadcast a wide range of programming originating from Radio Row in Phoenix, Ariz., on the nation’s largest 24/7 major-market sports radio network heard on more than 330 stations nationwide, in anticipation of Super Bowl XLIX beginning Monday, Jan. 26th.

Kicking things off will be The Jim Rome Show (12:00Noon-3:00PM, EST), featuring opinion-maker Jim Rome, as he interviews key sports personalities and engages with fans and listeners over-the-air. Jim Rose ill be live from the Phoenix Convention Center throughout the week.

The live programming continues with The Doug Gottlieb Show (3:00-6:00PM, EST), as Gottlieb offers his unique opinion on the latest sports headlines, interviews current and former NFL players, and engages with the hottest newsmakers from the sports world.  The show will broadcast live throughout the week.

From Tuesday, Jan. 27 – Friday, Jan. 30, hosts Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney take on the day’s top stories and interview the biggest names in the world of football on Tiki and Tierney (9:00AM-12:00Noon, EST).

Additionally, on Saturday, Jan. 31, CBS Sports Radio weekend host John Kincade will broadcast a special Saturday edition of  The J-K Show (10:00AM-2:00PM, EST) live from Radio Row.

Here is a complete look at CBS Sports Radio’s Phoenix coverage (all times in EST):

Monday, Jan. 26
12:00Noon-3:00PM: THE JIM ROME SHOW
3:00-6:00PM: THE DOUG GOTTLIEB SHOW

Tuesday, Jan. 27 – Friday, Jan. 30
9:00AM-12:00Noon: TIKI AND TIERNEY
12:00Noon-3:00PM: THE JIM ROME SHOW
3:00-6:00PM: THE DOUG GOTTLIEB SHOW

Saturday, Jan. 31
10:00AM-2:00PM: THE JOHN KINCADE SHOW

“With the premier sporting event happening so soon, we are thrilled and proud to bring all our loyal CBS Sports Radio listeners unique coverage of all the pre-game stories, news, and interviews,” said Eric Spitz, Director, Programming, CBS Sports Radio.  “Our dynamic personalities will bring the big game and all the excitement to you live from Radio Row, allowing listeners across the nation to feel like they are in Phoenix.”

Listen to CBS Sports Radio on-air nationwide, online or by downloading the Radio.com and CBS Sports apps for mobile devices.

FOX Sports Unveils The Big Game Coverage Plans

For the 15th straight year, FOX Sports Radio says it will offer one-stop coverage of the Super Bowl during the week leading up to the Big Game.

Beginning Monday, January 26, FOX Sports Radio will transport fans to the center of the action with live programming and updates, interviews with athletes, coaches and newsmakers from around the NFL, along with listener interaction and expert commentary from several locations near University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., the home of Super Bowl XLIX.

As part of the Network's continuous coverage, Jay Mohr Sports newsanchor Dan Beyer and J.T. The Brick will broadcast live from Radio Row at The Bridgestone Fan Gallery at the Phoenix Convention Center, while The Dan Patrick Show and The Rich Eisen Show bring fans the excitement of the DIRECTV Super Fan Festival at the Pendergrast Family Farm in Glendale's Sports and Entertainment District across from Phoenix Stadium. In addition, Lincoln Kennedy, former NFL offensive tackle who played in Super Bowl XXXVII for the Oakland Raiders, will be live on Radio Row to broadcast a special edition of the network's Saturday morning program Gargano & Kennedy.

To keep up with all the news and events from FOX Sports Radio's week-long Super Bowl coverage, follow the network on Twitter, Facebook, and online at www.FOXSportsRadio.com.

January 24 In Radio History


In 1942..."Abie's Irish Rose," with a cast that variously included Clayton "Bud" Collyer, and Mercedes McCambridge, began a 2½-year run on NBC Radio.




In 1958...The Quarry Men gave their only performance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. Three years later the musicians returned as the Beatles.


In 1962...Brian Epstein signed with the Beatles as their manager. George and Paul's fathers had to sign for their sons, who were still minors. According to the terms of the agreement, Epstein was to get 25 percent of the group's earnings, provided they made more than $400 each per week.



Beatles' Manager Brian Epstein is interviewed in New York City by Murray the K for WOR-FM Radio in 1967.


In 1984...Apple introduces the Macintosh 128K


In 1993...Ashley Jade Stern was born, the daughter of Radio personality Howard Stern

Friday, January 23, 2015

VA Radio: Alpha Media To Acquire Four Stations

Free Lance-Star Publishing LLC announced Friday that it is selling its four radio stations to Alpha Media of Portland, Ore.

Alpha has agreed to purchase Country WFLS 93.3 FM, Talk WNTX 1350 AM, Top40 WVBX 99.3FM and Classic Rock WWUZ 969 FM, pending approval from the Federal Communications Commission.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Sandton Partners, which purchased The Free Lance-Star in a bankruptcy auction in June, announced late last year that it would sell the Fredericksburg-area stations after being directed by the FCC to divest itself of either the newspaper or its Star Radio Group holdings.

“We are proud to have been owners of the Free Lance-Star radio properties,” said Robert Orr, managing director for the company. “The transaction with Alpha Media gives us great comfort in knowing that the stations will be in very capable hands, and that listeners in the Fredericksburg area will continue to benefit from the excellent entertainment and news programming that they have come to expect from us.”


Free Lance–Star and Star Radio Group Chief Executive Officer Gene Carr said Alpha will continue to operate with existing staff.  LMA plans have not been announced.

When completed, the deal will give Alpha a total of 93 radio stations across the country.

"Fredericksburg is a thriving place that continues to grow. It will be a nice addition to our East Coast footprint,” said Alpha Media Chairman Larry Wilson. “I feel privileged to be able to get into that market and work with the great people there.”

DC/Balt Radio: Tommy Chuck Named New PD For WIHT, WPOC

Tommy Chuck
iHeartMedia/Washington, D.C. has announced Tommy Chuck has been named the new Program Director of Top40 WIHT 99.5 FM /HOT 99-5 in Washington and Country WPOC in Baltimore.

The move is effective February 9.

Chuck joined the iHeartMedia team in 2000 at WKXJ Chattanooga, Tenn.  Since then he’s programmed WQEN in Birmingham, Ala; WXXL in Orlando; and for the past spent the past eight years, he's been  Program Director and Digital Director for Top40 WFLZ and AC WMTX in Tampa.

“Tommy's track record of success at WFLZ and WMTX as well as exceptional leadership skills make him uniquely qualified to program HOT 99.5 and 93.1 WPOC,” said Meg Stevens, Vice President of Programming, iHeartMedia Washington, D.C.  “We’re excited to have him as part of the team.”

WIHT 99.5 FM (22 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage Area
"Joining the iHeartMedia team in D.C. and Baltimore is an exciting next step for me and my family. I am thrilled to be HOT99.5's next leader, build on my long relationship with The Kane Show and work with the talented team already in place," said Chuck.

WPOC 93.1 FM (16 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage Area
"Country music has always been a personal favorite of mine – I am honored to lead one of America's most legendary and award winning country stations, WPOC! I'd like to thank everyone involved for giving me the opportunity to continue to grow my career with iHeartMedia."

iHeartRadio Surpasses 60 Million Registered Users

iHeartRadio today announced that it has surpassed 60 million registered users, continuing to grow faster than any other radio or digital music service — even faster than Facebook — and also reaching nearly 90 million unique visitors across its iHeartRadio Network.

Plus, the service's registered users do not account for the millions of users who listen to iHeartRadio's live radio functionality without registering, indicating that the app’s total reach is even greater. These user milestones position iHeartRadio as the industry’s top streaming radio app, one of the most used music apps and one of the top free downloads in app stores across all categories.

Darren Davis
In addition, iHeartRadio’s brand awareness reached 75 percent in December, up 5 percent from last year and an impressive milestone in just three years. iHeartRadio also has more than 500 million downloads of the app and nearly 80 million social media followers across the iHeartRadio Network.

“iHeartRadio’s rapid expansion continues to push the boundaries of the digital radio listening experience,” said Darren Davis, President of iHeartRadio and iHeartMedia Networks. “Our growth is a testament to the success of our continued innovation, our hard work in anticipating the needs of the connected consumer and our goal to provide listeners with the content they love anytime and anywhere, with the personalized and curated experience they crave across all their devices.”

Research: Four Types Of Digital Media Companies Emerging

Borrell Associates has released a new report, "2015 Outlook: Local Digital Advertising," in which it examines digital advertising, separated into four basic formats: display, streaming, e-mail and paid search. This year, total local advertising is forecast to grow to $115 billion, up 11.3% over 2014. Digital advertising is forecast to reach $47.8 billion, accounting for two-fifths of all expenditures.

According to Borrell, digital advertising at the local level will grow 42% this year. At that rate it would account for $2 out of every $5 spent by local advertisers. It’s grown to the level of dominance that newspapers enjoyed for years, until the late 1990s.

Four types of companies are forming:
  • Traditional media companies stuck in the analog world, selling a little digital stuff because it’s easy, but not really believing there’s good money in it 
  • Traditional media companies that are more excited about the prospects but still reticent (or unable) to invest more in order to grow quickly; 
  • Traditional media companies that have seen the light and are determined to grow again, investing heavily in digital by hiring people or acquiring companies.
  • Internet “pureplays,” and there are thousands of them. True to predictions, they have gobbled up share at the local level. In 2015, these independent companies will account for nearly three-fourths of all digital advertising, elbowing out local-media competitors who have tried for two decades to use their existing sales forces to also sell digital advertising.
Click to Enlarge
According to the report, traditional print and broadcast media are still a significant market force. At the end of 2014, they accounted for more than two-thirds of all advertising buys. But, digital has gained share faster than another 'new medium' over the past century. It took radio 25 years to peak at a 15% share of all advertising by the late 1940s, and it took television 34 years to peak at a 22% share. Digital exceeded both of those markers in 12 years.

The report found that only four traditional radio companies grew more than the industry average, including Cumulus, Univision, Salem Communications and Pandora.

Boston Radio: WMJX-FM Makes Ratings Magic

Greater Media Boston’s WMJX 106.7 FM achieved all time audience levels in the Holiday 2014 Nielsen with #1 ranking in every Adult, Women, and virtually all Men demographics and dayparts.

In addition, the station captured nearly 50% of total market listening during the holiday period with peak total audience (cume) of more than 2.3 million during Christmas week, according to Nielsen.

The company notesd this was the third consecutive year of consistent audience growth since WMJX-FM became Boston’s Christmas station during the 2012 Holiday season. As a result, Magic 106.7 now owns the market’s best-ever (6+) share in the PPM-era (+7.4, 9.1 – 16.5).

“Kudos to General Manager Mary Menna, Program Director Cadillac Jack and the entire Magic 106.7 team on achieving unprecedented audience levels during the 2014 Holiday season,” said Rob Williams, vice president and market manager of Greater Media Boston.

“Magic’s performance demonstrates the power of local radio to create extraordinary events and attract huge audiences. Being Boston’s Christmas station is a role we embrace fully and look forward to building further with additional events and surprises in the years ahead.”

Orlando Radio: Christmas Magic Rules

iHeartMedia's AC WMGF 107.7 FM tops everyone in the Holiday PPMs released Thursday by Nielsen.

Magic surged 6.3—12.8 (6+ AQH-Total Week). And that's almost two shares better than its performance during Holiday '13. The market's #2 also was playing Christmas songs around the clock. Non-com WPOZ 88.3 FM Z88-3 was up 5.7—8.6 with a mix of secular Christmas songs and from Contemporary Christian artists.

After that, there's a bit of congestion with two stations tied.   iHM's WRUM 100.3 FM /Rumba was off slightly 5.9—5.7 resulting in a tie with Cox Media's heritage Country station WWKA 92.3 FM /K92 6.3—5.7. 

In fifth place..iHM's WTKS 104.1 FM /Real Radio 104-1.

25-54: WMGF...WPOZ...WWKA...WRUM

18-34: WMGF...WWKA...WJRR tied WXXL...WPOZ

18-49: WMGF...WPOZ...WWKA...WXXL...3-way tie: WRUM, WJRR, WPYO

Cume: WMGF-FM 719,600 (up from 488,800)...WXXL-FM 499,500...WPOZ-FM 407,200 (up from 308,400)...WOMX-FM 379,400...WPYO-FM 354,000

John & Leslye

Top 5 Morning Shows (6+...M-F 6a-10a)
  1. WMGF...John & Leslye
  2. WPOZ...Ellis & Tyler
  3. WWKA ...AJ & Ashley
  4. WCFB..Tom Joyner (dropped for Steve Harvey Show)
  5. WXXL...Johnny's House


Nielsen Releases PPM Results For Orlando, 11 More Markets

Nielsen Thursday released the third batch of 'Holiday' PPM data.  

Markets released were:
23  Portland 
          24  Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill
25  Pittsburgh
27  Sacramento
28  San Antonio
29  Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo
30  Cincinnati
31  Cleveland
32  Las Vegas 
33  Orlando 
          34  Kansas City 
37  Columbus OH

To view the Topline numbers for Nielsen subscrinbing stations: Click Here.

 © 2005-2015 Nielsen Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nielsen radio audience estimates and data are federally copyrighted by and proprietary to Nielsen Inc. All Nielsen data are protected under U.S. copyright law, state misappropriation law, and other state and federal laws. Violations of Nielsen’s rights under U.S. copyright law may result in statutory damages per act of infringement and the recovery of Nielsen’s attorneys’ fees required to enforce Neilsen’s rights, in addition to other rights and remedies under other applicable laws, such as the Lanham Act.

Birmingham Radio: Peter Z Lands At WZRR

Peter Z
Cumulus announces that Peter Z has been named Program Director of NASH Icon WZRR 99.5 FM in Birmingham.

Peter Z comes to Cumulus Birmingham from St. Augustine, FL, where he was Principal and Director of Operations for WYRE 105.5 FM. Prior to that, he programmed Classic Hits KLUV 987. FM in Dallas, following six years programming Oldies WGRR-FM in Cincinnati. He was also General Manager of WAQZ-FM, WSAI-AM, and WAOZ-AM in Cincinnati. Peter Z began his radio career at WGR in his hometown of Buffalo, NY, while in college.

Mike McVay, Senior Vice President, Programming for Cumulus said: “We’re thrilled to add yet another big brain to our programming team. Peter brings multi-format experience to the table that should be beneficial to NASH Icon in Birmingham.”

WZRR 99.5 FM (100 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage
Peter Z said: “I think the lead is that I finally made a long-time dream come true and I get to program Country. I’ve always loved Country music and have had a desire to program the format since Garth showed up on the scene the first time.”

ESPN Lands In Scottsdale For The Big Game

Millions of viewers across the nation will be inundated with images of Camelback Mountain and the Scottsdale area next week as the cable sports network ramps up unprecedented remote coverage of the NFL Super Bowl.

AZ Central reports hundreds of ESPN employees have converged on Arizona as the company scrambles to build a massive mobile studio on the northern side of Scottsdale Fashion Square, bringing a host of popular on-air personalities and celebrities to its temporary epicenter in downtown Scottsdale.

The network is going all-out for Super Bowl XLIX with a presence that dwarfs what ESPN did for Arizona's most recent Super Bowl in 2008.

For the first time, ESPN's marquee program, "SportsCenter," will make the trip from its headquarters in Bristol, Conn., to broadcast the full show from the Super Bowl site, having aired only shorter segments in previous years.

Several other ESPN television and radio programs, including "First Take," "PTI" and "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," will broadcast live from Scottsdale beginning at 4 a.m. Monday.

Coverage will continue through the week and wrap up with a four-hour countdown show before the Super Bowl on Feb. 1 and a final SportsCenter broadcast from Scottsdale after the game.

ESPN has been planning for this moment for about two years, and the company has about 500 of its 7,000 employees in Arizona for one of the biggest sports weekends in state history.

The NFL Pro Bowl all-star event kicks off Sunday, followed by the Super Bowl on Feb. 1. In between, the Waste Management Phoenix Open runs from Thursday through Sunday, with the anticipated return of Tiger Woods casting a brighter-than-usual spotlight on the golf tournament.

Moving a major sports network roughly 2,200 miles for a week of programming is, of course, a major undertaking, and this year ESPN plans to broadcast 130 hours of remote coverage, more than it ever has for Super Bowl week.

Nine semitrucks hauled equipment across the country to a dirt lot north of Fashion Square, where crews are rolling out about 5 miles of cables and setting up three stages. The network has 19 cameras on hand for its television broadcasts, ESPN coordinating director Michael Feinberg said.

By the numbers
  • 3 stages for ESPN television and radio broadcasts
  • 5 miles of cables used to operate ESPN's mobile sets
  • 9 semi-trucks to haul equipment cross-country for ESPN coverage
  • 17 Super Bowl rings among ESPN analysts — former players, coaches, executives — working Super Bowl week in Arizona
  • 19 cameras on hand for television broadcasts
  • 30 hours of SportsCenter to broadcase from Scottsdale during Super Bowl week
  • 40 ESPN on-air hosts, anchors, analysts and reporters in Arizona for Super Bowl coverage (approximately)
  • 130 hours of TV/Radio coverage from AZ during SB week

ESPN Audio Coverage

Four of ESPN Audio’s top shows will broadcast 65 hours of live, onsite coverage from Scottsdale Fashion Square in Arizona beginning Monday, Jan. 26, through Friday, Jan. 30.
  • Mike & Mike: (M-F, 6-10 a.m. ET, simulcast on ESPN2): Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, hosts of ESPN Radio’s popular national morning show, will kick off ESPN’s Super Bowl week. The show will welcome special guest co-hosts Brian Urlacher (Tuesday), Charles Woodson (Thursday) and J.J. Watt (Friday).
  • The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Cowherd will also be live with his daily radio show from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The Herd is simulcast daily on ESPNU.
  • SVP & Russillo: Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo will host the daily SVP & Russillo from 1-4 p.m. (simulcast on ESPNEWS until 2:30 p.m.) all week.
  • Sedano & Stink: Hosts Jorge Sedano and ESPN NFL analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth will broadcast live from 7-10 p.m.
In addition, ESPN NY 98.7 will air 30 hours live from Scottsdale Fashion Square, Monday through Friday, with Lupica (1-3 p.m.) and The Michael Kay Show (3-7 p.m.).

Philly Radio: WMGK Stages Mascot Mayhem


Today, John DeBella’s Mascot Mayhem will descend upon the hills of Big Boulder Ski Resort in the Pennsylvania Poconos.

According to WMGK 102.9 FM, up to fourteen of the area’s most famous mascots will take part in a crazy ski race down the mountain to claim the title of ‘Mascot Mayhem Champion’ and score a free $5,000 WMGK-FM commercial schedule for the business they represent.

Those watching the race will also have the chance to win something. Everyone that picks the winning mascot will be qualified to win a free Funjet Vacations getaway for two to Jamaica with all-inclusive accommodations at the RIU Palace Tropical Bay. The winner of the trip will be drawn minutes after the final round of the race. Mascot Mayhem will consist of 3 rounds – qualifying round, semi-finals and Finals.

Mascot Mayhem is part of MGK Day at Big Boulder (3p-7p). WMGK House Band alums, Sofa
Kings will play the Mascot Mayhem After-Party at the ski lodge (5p-7p) and WMGK listeners are able to purchase $10.29 lift tickets online so they can enjoy a great day of discounted skiing and live classic rock in addition to the Mascot Mayhem festivities.

WMGK 102.9 FM (8.9 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage Area
The idea for Mascot Mayhem came from the WMGK morning man’s desire to ‘add something crazy’ to this year’s MGK Day activities and make it a day on the slopes that WMGK listeners would never forget. He went on-air and asked listeners for ideas about what he could do and after two days of interesting suggestions from tons of MGK listeners, Mascot Mayhem was born.

Steve Harvey Profiled On CBS' Sunday Morning

Steve Harvey
This past weekend, CBS Sunday Morning featured a candid interview with Syndicated radio morning host Steve Harvey about why he laughs in the face of adversity.

Special Correspondent James Brown sat down with Harvey in Chicago as he marked his 58th birthday to talk about his journey from losing everything he owned twice and living in his car for three years, to becoming an award-winning radio and television host, best-selling author and producer, and why he doesn't take his success for granted.

Steve Harvey arguably is one of the hottest daytime stars in show business right now. Last year, he won not one, but two Daytime Emmys as host of "Family Feud" and "The Steve Harvey Show."

"I tape 180 shows in 34 weeks," Harvey said. "And then as soon as I'm done, I go home to Atlanta to tape 'Family Feud.' And in eight weeks I tape 185 shows. And then every morning on the radio I do 240 live shows a year, every morning!



MI Radio: WAKV-AM Hacked A Second Time

The Memory Station, WAKV in Otsego, Michigan, may want to forget this month after being hacked twice by computer "ransom ware" that knocked the station off the air for a day and has left its owner, Jim Higgs, still assessing the damage, according to MLive.com.

The second attack, Jan. 20 with CryptoWall, locked his office computer and ćame just a day after hackers that had encrypted the station's music library, audio files and records, demanding a ransom for their return to service. Higgs refused to pay.

READ ORIGINAL POSTING: Click Here

The station was off the air the night of Jan. 9 through mid-morning on Jan. 10, with a rudimentary live Saturday morning show, he said.

It appears that in the second attack the on-air computer has not been affected, he told Facebook friends.

 " I don't know where I picked it up," Higgs said. "Fortunately most of the music library was backed up, but not the other audio files."

WAKV AM 980  remains on the air.

DC Radio: WTOP's Dave McConnell Observes 50th Anniversary

Dave McConnell
WTOP 103.5 FM's Dave McConnell is celebrating 50-years of reporting, mosty of it spent as the Capitol Hill correspondent.  Acutally, he is the only full-time reporter for a local radio station covering Capitol Hill.

McConnell started with the station on January 18, 1965 as a reporter for what was then 1500 AM. He has spent most of his career as the station's Capitol Hill Correspondent, where he remains the only full-time Congressional Correspondent for a local radio station in the United States.

"It is part of WTOP lore that while other kids were skipping school to see the Washington Senators play at Griffith Stadium, Dave was skipping school to hear the real Senators debate on Capitol Hill," says longtime WTOP News Director Mike McMearty.

He started out as a local reporter, and soon found himself behind the microphone at the anchor desk before transitioning to the Hill. His career has spanned 12 presidential elections and five inaugurations. He's covered breaking news not only on the Hill but around the rest of D.C., including the 14th Street Bridge Air Florida crash, the shooting of Ronald Reagan, the 1989 Capitol shootings and September 11, 2001.

McMearty continues, "Dave McConnell is a class act. He's a mixture of hustle, honesty and humbleness. Dave lets the members of congress express their point-of-view without inserting opinion or commentary. He is, and has always been known as, an honest broker. I consider it an honor to have worked with him for more than 20 years of his illustrious career."

Despite all the challenges of covering such a competitive beat, the political theater, the accolades and technological advancements, McConnell has no plans to hang up his microphone. He has never breathed the word “retirement.”

Research: Streaming Complements Terrestrial Radio


A report by Bridge Ratings Media Research has revealed how music streaming can act to compliment radio stations.  The report compares radio station’s playlists to the songs that their audience are consuming on streaming serves in a week.

The theory behind the research was that most people will listen to a wide variety of genres, spanning over a long period of time. Therefore, with the playlists on the heavily consumed “Top 40 stations” remaining current and narrow, the majority of their audience’s streamed music isn’t played on the station.

The theory was proved true with most stations having an average of only 5% of their playlist that aligned with the songs their audience streamed.

The exception were classic rock stations as they have a wider range of songs on a lower rotation. Their overlap was 37.4%

The report states that this is a good thing for radio as it shows that people are happy to hear the hits on radio, then supplement their musical needs on streaming services. The fact that commercial audience figures are increasing in spite of the report’s numbers means that stations won’t need to change their programming habits.

Read More Now

R.I.P.: KKOB 770 AM Personality Terrie Q. Sayre

UPDATE 1/24/2015 6AM: The radio station's market manager, Jeff Berry, said her passing was a shock to the Cumulus Media team.

"Our condolences go out to Terrie's family, friends and fans," Berry said. "Her sudden passing was a shock to us, and she will be greatly missed by everyone at Cumulus Media. We will carry her torch as high as we can."

Sayre wrote the book "Terrie Q and Travelin' Jack's Pet Friends," and a second edition of the book is expected to be released this summer.


Original Posting...

Longtime KKOB 770 AM weekend host Terrie Q. Sayre was found dead Thursday afternoon in Albuquerque.

She was 55-years-of-age.

KOB-TV is reporting  the flu may have been a factor in her death.  A close friend of Sayre's told KOB Thursday evening she had been battling the flu for a month.

Aside from being a radio personality, Sayre was an animal rights activist and was involved in local theater.

Sayre was honored twice as one of Albuquerque’s Top 5 Talk Show Hosts by Albuquerque The Magazine’s readers.

She also hosted “The 1050 Show”, a business showcase on KTBL 1050 AM.

Terrie Q. hosted “Weekly Edition”, a Cumulus public affairs show which features in-depth interviews with the people who make a difference in New Mexico.

Previously, Sayre served as program director, news director and news anchor for stations in Nevada.

R.I.P.: South Ohio Personality Zeke Mullins

Zeke Mullins
Arguably the best known radio personality in the history of Scioto County radio has died.

Earcel “Zeke” Mullins, 93, known to his fans throughout the Portsmouth, OH and Tri-State region of southern Ohio, eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia as “Your Old Cornbread Eatin’ Buddy,” died around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday at his home.

He was 93-years-of-age according to The Daily Times.

The country music performer, promoter and radio personality was born on September 14, 1921 in Jenkins, Kentucky. He soon acquired the nickname “Zeke,” and was best known by that moniker by friends and family from then on.

In 1927, when Zeke was six years old, his family moved to Portsmouth, and that is where he spent his early formative years. Zeke’s older brother Clarence taught him how to play the guitar as a young boy and he made his radio debut at the age of 15 performing live on the now-silent WPAY 1400 AM in Portsmouth, in 1936.  WPAY sign-off in 2011.

R.I.P.: Bowling Green Radio Host Darrell Duvall

Darrell Duval
A longtime Bowling Green, KY personality Darrell Duvall died Wednesday after a battle with cancer.

He was 60-years-of-age, according to The Daily News.

Duvall hosted “Mornings With Darrell” from 9 a.m. to noon on WKCT 930 AM. He also worked for Classic Rock WDNS.

Duvall began his radio career in the 1970s in Leitchfield at WMTL, where he met John Asher, now the vice president of communications at Churchill Downs, and George Lindsey, now the operations manager at Alpha Media Louisville.

“I can’t come up with a better description of Darrell than one-of-a-kind,” Asher said.

Lindsey met Duvall when Lindsey started at WMTL at 15 years old. Because Lindsey wasn’t old enough to stay in the station alone, Duvall sat with him at night so he could be on the air and learn.

“He loved to put on the persona that he’s a curmudgeon,” Lindsey said. “He was a curmudgeon at 20. ... Darrell was the most unexpected friend that a person could have. He was kind of gruff and you’d just think, ‘Who was that guy?’ That guy revealed that he had one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever known.”

“He had a personality that was big enough to fill a room and big enough to fill a radio station,” Lindsey said.

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January 23 In Radio History


In 1941...WOR-AM in Newark NJ moved to NYC.


WOR began broadcasting on February 22, 1922, using a 500-watt transmitter on 360 meters (833 kc.) from Bamberger's Department Store in Newark, New Jersey. The station's first broadcast was made with a home made microphone which was a megaphone attached to a telephone transmitter, while Al Jolson's "April Showers" was played. Louis Bamberger's sale of radio sets to consumers explained their affiliation with the station.


The WOR call sign was reissued from the U.S. maritime radio service. The station initially operated limited hours, sharing time with two other stations, WDT and WJY, which also operated on 833 kc.

WOR changed frequency to 740 kc. in June 1923 and shared time with WJY until July 1926, when WJY signed off for good and WOR received full use of the frequency. In December 1924, WOR acquired a studio in Manhattan. On June 17, 1927, as a result of General Order 40, WOR moved to 710 kc., the channel it currently occupies (unlike most stations, it was not affected by NARBA).

Later in 1926, WOR moved from its New York City studio on the 9th floor of Chickering Hall at 27 West 57th Street to 1440 Broadway, two blocks from Times Square.


In 1954...WNBC 660 AM NYC switched from classical to pop

WNBC signed on for the first time on March 2, 1922, as WEAF, owned by AT&T Western Electric. It was the first radio station in New York City.


The call are popularly thought to have stood for Western Electric AT&T Fone or Water, Earth, Air, and Fire (the 4 classical elements).  However, records suggest that the call letters were assigned from an alphabetical sequence. The first assigned call was actually WDAM; it was quickly dropped, but presumably came from the same alphabetical sequence.


In 1956...In Cleveland, rock 'n' roll fans under the age of 18 were banned from dancing in public unless accompanied by an adult after Ohio police started enforcing a law dating back to 1931.



In 1969...At American Sound in Memphis, between 4:00 and 7:00 a.m., Elvis Presley recorded eight takes of "Suspicious Minds," with future Grateful Dead vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux singing backup. Producer Felton Jarvis decided on a premature fade-out and fade back in near the end of the track to reflect the way Elvis performed the song in his live Las Vegas stage act. It became Presley's 17th and last #1 single in the U.S.




In 1969...At the Apple Studios in London, the Beatles, with Billy Preston playing a Fender Rhodes electric piano, recorded ten takes of "Get Back." None were used for the released single. On January 27 they recorded 14 more takes of the song, eventually selecting Take 11 which was then spliced together with the best take of the coda ending recorded on January 28. A footnote: The stereo single version of "Get Back" was the first Beatles recording to feature Ringo Starr's drum kit in true stereo.


In 1977...Carole King's Tapestry becomes the album with the longest continuous (302 weeks) stay on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, a record that would eventually be eclipsed, no pun intended, by Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.


In 1984...In NYC....Country WKHK 106.7 FM in became WLTW "Lite FM".

In 1980 Viacom bought the Sonderling chain, and the station adopted a country music format as "Kick" WKHK. The station was known as "Kick 106.7 FM." The format change, from jazz to country, took place in the middle of the night. The change brought many protests from New York jazz fans, and a petition to the FCC to deny the station's license renewal, which was denied. (The WRVR calls were moved to a radio station in Memphis, TN, that had once been owned by Viacom, but is now owned by Entercom.) However, ratings were low, as they were unable to compete with WHN, which also had a country music format at the time.

Then, on January 23, 1984, Viacom dropped country and changed the calls to WLTW. The station became an MOR station known as "Lite FM 106.7 WLTW". Initially they were an easy listening station without anything that would be classified as "elevator music". At this point, the station played music from such artists as Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, the Carpenters, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, Barry Manilow, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, and the Stylistics. The station also played softer songs from such artists as Elton John, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Everly Brothers, the Righteous Brothers and Billy Joel. The station wouldn't play any new music except for new songs by artists that were familiar to listeners of the station. With this format change, ratings did increase from its previously low levels.

(Almost immediately after the call letter switch, the WKHK calls were picked up by an FM station at 95.3 in Colonial Heights, Virginia that was also doing a country format. That station still has the WKHK calls and is now Heritage-owned Richmond, Virginia Country station "K95".)



By the late 1980s, WLTW started to play songs from such artists as Whitney Houston, Chicago, Foreigner, the Doobie Brothers and Bruce Springsteen. As other competing New York City stations changed their focus, the station stayed with their soft adult contemporary format, even though they were phasing out songs from artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow, and the Carpenters. At this point, the station's ratings were at or near the top compared with other New York City radio stations.

For many years actress Teri Garr was seen in television commercials promoting the station. In later years animated commercials were used with Lite music playing around offices and homes


In 1986...The first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in New York City. Inaugural inductees included Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Little Richard and Fats Domino.



  In 1987... Bob "Bob-A-Loo" Lewis - WABC - WABC FM - WCBS FM died at age 49.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

NYC Radio: 92.3 AmpFM Launches 'Shoboy' Sotelo Morning Show

Shoboy and Nina
CBS Radio's WBMP 92.3 FM / AMP Radio launched “Shoboy in the Morning” as its new weekday morning drive show (Monday-Friday 5:30-10:00AM), this morning, January 22. The program features the award-winning Edgar “Shoboy” Sotelo making his New York City radio debut. Shoboy was most recently host of morning drive on CBS Radio’s KMVK-FM in Dallas.

“We’re establishing a new take on morning drive with this show,” said Rick Thomas, Program Director of the station. “The emphasis will remain on music but with an infusion of relevant and useful information – with a touch of Shoboy’s positive humor – that New Yorkers need to start their day. We are thrilled to welcome Shoboy and his award-winning personality to AMP.”

Also joining the show is Nina Hajian, a former New Yorker by way of Seattle and Sacramento where she most recently anchored the morning show at CBS Radio’s KZZO-FM. Hajian will provide insight and commentary on music, lifestyle, and tri-state area nightlife.

The station’s local weekday line-up continues with Niko in middays (10:00AM-3:00PM), Astra from 3:00-7:00PM, and Toro from 7:00-11:00PM.  92.3 AMP Radio, New York’s newest CHR station, is available on-air at 92.3FM, online at www.923ampradiony.com and through the Radio.com app for a variety of mobile devices.
         
“The CBS RADIO New York family is delighted to welcome Shoboy and Nina from our sister stations in Dallas and Sacramento, respectively,” commented Scott Herman, Executive Vice President, Operations for CBS Radio and New York Market Manager. “We are committed to developing talent who can deliver the best content across all of our formats and assets.”

WBMP 92.3 Fm (6 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage Area
The National Association of Broadcasters recognized Sotelo as one of radio’s brightest rising stars in 2011 with the Marconi Radio Award for Spanish Format Personality of the Year. His “Shoboy en la Manana” debuted on May 17, 2010 on CBS Radio’s Mega 107.5 in Dallas/Fort-Worth, one of the top-rated morning shows in the market.

KC Radio: N/T KCMO AM/FM Unveils New Line-Up

Rob Carson
Cumulus has announced Talk Radio KCMO 710 AM /103.7 T-FM will debut a new programming line-up on Monday, February 2, with talk personality Rob Carson signing on as the station’s new Morning Host from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and veteran D.C. correspondent and Edward R. Murrow Award winner, Chris Plante, joining KCMO from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.

Carson’s weekday show takes on topics ranging from politics to pop culture, with great guests, community involvement and the biggest comedy in the country. Dave Ramsey follows the new dynamic duo, live from Noon to 2:00 p.m., followed by Michael Savage from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Current morning host Greg Knapp’s show moves to afternoon drive from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Mark Levin kicks off evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00, with Jon Batchelor from 10:00 p.m. to Midnight.

Carson began his broadcasting career in Missouri after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University. He has taken his talk show to markets including Minneapolis, Cincinnati and Washington, DC. Carson most recently produced the show from his home studio for airing on stations in Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, Kansas City, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Nashville, and Milwaukee. One of radio's most prolific comedy writers, Carson’s work has been featured on America's biggest radio networks and shows, including The Rush Limbaugh Show.

Chris Plante
Chris Plante joins KCMO from WMAL in Washington, DC, following 17 years as a correspondent at CNN, including nearly a decade at the Pentagon covering the U.S. military and intelligence community. Chris received the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio and Television News Directors' Association (RTNDA) for his reporting from the Pentagon during the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001.

Mark Sullivan, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Cumulus Kansas City said: “I’m thrilled to have two of the industry’s best joining our lineup. I’m anxious to hear Rob Carson and Chris Plante on our airwaves and I’m sure that Kansas City is going to feel as strongly about their talent to entertain and inform as I am. I’m also pleased to have Greg Knapp hosting our afternoons, as his dynamic and in-depth discussions keep me glued to the radio and I know that the local presence that he brings will be outstanding. These are exciting times here at the broadcast center!”

Gary Nolan, Program Director for KCMO-AM said: “We're very excited to have incredible talents like Rob and Chris join our team. In fact, the entire new lineup will bring great variety to KCMO that will engage our listeners throughout the day, and fans of Greg Knapp will now be able to listen to him on the drive home.”

K279BI 103.7 FM (250 watts) Red=60dBu Coverage Area
Carson said: "This is a real homecoming for me and my family.  We've been away from Missouri too long, and it's a real blessing to get a spot on one of the country's premiere talkers, KCMO. I’m excited to join John Dickey, Mike McVay and Mark and Gary at Cumulus.”

Knapp said: “Afternoon drive is the perfect place for my brand of talk radio. I'm excited about expanding my audience to the most listened to time of the day across all radio formats. And after getting up at 2:50 in the morning for four years, I'm looking forward to saying hello to my normal circadian rhythms again.”

Chicago Radio: Report..2014 Bad For Radio Revenue

Total radio revenue in Chicago plunged more than 10 percent in 2014. Income from all sources totaled $376.231 million — down from the previous year’s $419.715 million, according to figures supplied by the station groups and compiled by the accounting firm of Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co.

Chicago Media writer Robert Feder writes CBS Radio again led the market with WBBM 780 AM / 105.9 FM, although the all-news combo declined 6.5 percent with revenue of $39.215 million.

Faring no better was iHeartMedia, which had a change at the top of its Chicago cluster in light of losses at Top40 WKSC 103.5 FM.

Coming off a banner year in 2013, Hubbard Radio also saw sales plummet at its HotAC WTMX 101.9 FM.

According to Feder, three Cumulus Media stations posted the market’s most dramatic losses, including Classic Rock WLUP 97.9 FM, Classic Hits WLS 94.7 FM, and Talk WLS890 AM. But the company also had one of the year’s few winners, Alternative WKQX 101.1 FM (up 41.3 percent).

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Here’s Chicago radio’s revenue for 2014: