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Saturday, January 21, 2017

January 22 Radio History


In 1889...The Columbia Phonograph Company began selling Edison phonograph cylinders and players in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Delaware. It derived its name from the District of Columbia, which was its headquarters.


In 1956..."Fort Laramie" debuted on the CBS Radio Network starring Raymond Burr as Captain Lee Quince.


In 1940...“The Right to Happiness” written by radio soap diva Irna Phillips was first aired on the CBS Radio Network.  The daytime serial had begun on NBC Blue three months earlier.  And it would switch between CBS & NBC two more times during its 21 year run.





In 2011...Radio Pioneer Ruth Ann Myer WMCA (PD), WMGM, WHN (PD), WNEW (PD) NYC died at age 80.

In 1960, WMCA began promoting itself by stressing its on-air personalities, who were collectively known as the Good Guys. Led by program director Ruth Meyer, the first woman to hold the position in New York City radio,  this was the era of the high-profile Top 40 disc jockey with an exuberant personality aimed at a certain audience segment. With the advent of the Good Guys format, WMCA became more "on top" of new music and started to become known for "playing the hits."

In the early 1960s, the top 40 format was still young, and the field was crowded in New York City. Two major 50,000-watt stations, WMGM (frequency now occupied by WEPN) and WINS, had battled each other, playing pop music for years. Then in 1960, WABC joined the fray and started featuring top 40 music. Ultimately, it was WMCA's earnest competition with rival WABC that forced WMGM (in early 1962) and then WINS (in spring 1965) to abandon the top-40 format. There was so much attention on the high-profile WMCA-WABC battle that WMGM and WINS were each summarily forced to find a new niche.


In 2012...Sportscaster Andy Musser, voice of the Philadelphia Phillies for 26 years, died at age 74.

He was part of a team, with Richie Ashburn and Harry Kalas, which broadcast Phillies games on both radio and television for 21 consecutive seasons from 1976 to 1997. He retired after the 2001 season.

Musser worked for WCAU radio and television in Philadelphia from 1965 to 1971. During this time, he served as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Eagles football as well as 76ers and Villanova Wildcats basketball. One of the youngest lead broadcasters in the National Football League at the time, he covered the Eagles games with Charlie Gauer for four years until the station lost the broadcast rights to WIP-AM in 1969.  Musser also called various events for CBS Radio, including Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl VIII.

Musser was the lead voice for Chicago Bulls telecasts on WSNS from 1973 through 1976, pairing with Dick Gonski in the first two seasons and Lorn Brown in the third.   Musser would call New York Knicks games with Cal Ramsey on WOR-TV (away) and Manhattan Cable Television (home) for the next four seasons from 1976 to 1980. He handled all the matches in the first three years, but only the home ones in the fourth.

In 2012...40-year voice of Milwaukee sports Jim Irwin succumbed to kidney cancer at age 87.

St. Louis Radio: Cassiday Proctor Joins WARH Morning Show


Hubbard St. Louis Radio Group’s WARH 106.5 FM The Arch has announced the addition of radio standout Cassiday Proctor to the “Spencer’s Neighborhood” Morning Show. Proctor will “officially” debut on the Show beginning Monday, January 30th, 2017.

Cassiday Proctor
Cassiday Proctor joins 106.5 The Arch from the Morning Show on Entercom’s Star 94 WSTR FM in Atlanta.  Proctor also spent several years working as an On-Air Personality at CBS Radio in Charlotte, North Carolina. During that time, Cassiday served as the TV Host of “The Edge” Show on CW station WCCB in Charlotte. Her experience includes a stint working as an On-Air Radio Host for Entercom in Austin, Texas. Proctor’s experience includes over 28 years of working as an Actress and Model.

Commenting on the addition of Proctor to “Spencer’s Neighborhood”, WARH Program director Scott Roddy says, “Hubbard is known to be the platinum standard for live, local talent. Cassiday is not only pure class, but hilariously fun and genuine; the perfect complement to Spencer and Brando’s humor.”

Legendary morning show coach Steve Reynolds, who has worked with Cassiday during her previous radio positions, notes, ‘I not only have known Cassiday for some time, I have had the great fortune to work with her. Cassiday is as real as it gets and cuts through because she’s so entertaining.”

Vice President and Market Manager John Kijowski adds, “We’re thrilled to welcome Cassiday to the Hubbard Radio St. Louis family! She is a very talented on-air host, and we’re lucky she has joined The Arch team.”

Cassiday Proctor notes, “I am so thrilled to be joining the Hubbard St. Louis Broadcasting family. To work with such a strong team AND return to my beloved Midwest is truly a dream come true. Thank you to Greg Strassell, John Kijowski and Scott Roddy for this opportunity."

Lead Show Host Spencer Graves concludes, “The addition of Cassiday Proctor to the ‘Spencer’s Neighborhood’ crew makes our show even more relatable, even more fun, and even more St. Louis!’”

Norfolk Radio: WXLK's Danny Meyers Lands At WMOV

Danny Meyers
iHeartMedia/Norfolk’s WMOV Movin 107.7 FM, announced Friday that Danny Meyers has been named the new Program Director and morning personality.

Meyers will oversee Movin 107.7’s on-air content and music programming, as well as broadcast the local morning show with his perspective on pop culture and community news.

Previously, Meyers hosted the top-rated morning show at WXLK-FM in Roanoke, VA for more than 10 years. Prior to that he served as the night personality at WPLJ-FM in New York City and was the Assistant Program Director and Music Director for WQSX-FM in Boston.

“I’m excited to start a new chapter at Movin’ 107.7 and become part of the iHeartMedia Norfolk family, especially after a record-setting revenue year for the station,” Danny Meyers. “I know the team is ready for an even bigger 2017!”

“I’ve been a big fan of Danny for many years because he is one of those talented people you hear about through his amazing accomplishments,” said Tias Schuster, Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Norfolk. “We are lucky to add him to the team in Norfolk and know his leadership and skills will shake up morning drive in Hampton Roads.”

WMOV 107.7 FM (15 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area
“We are excited to bring Danny to Hampton Roads as Program Director of Movin 107.7 and entertain our listeners during their morning commute,” said Derrick Martin, Market President for iHeartMedia Norfolk.

Albright, O'Malley & Brenner To Present Pre-CRS Seminar


Country Radio Specialists Mike O’Malley and Becky Brenner have announced that their 23rd annual Pre-CRS seminar will take place on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at the Music City Center, Downtown Nashville, from 10:00 am-1:30 pm.

The A&O&B team will present the first highlights from their 12th annual online perceptual study, “Roadmap 2017”, including Country P1 trends in music tastes, digital consumption, social networking and more.  Data from thousands of P1’s from across the U.S and Canada will be included.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to see presentations on personal career growth, important topics facing country radio and tips on growing ratings and revenue in 2017.

Ryan Follese
BMLG’s Republic Nashville returns as the music sponsor for the event, including a photo op and special, intimate performance from with their hottest new act, Ryan Follese.  During his successful run fronting American Music Award-winning band Hot Chelle Rae, Ryan co-wrote their 3X Platinum #1 worldwide smash “Tonight, Tonight” and toured in 16 countries, including arena dates with Taylor Swift.  As a solo country artist, his debut single "Put A Label On It" has been featured on NBC’s TODAY show and has seen fans gravitating towards his sound with over 715,000 streams to date on Spotify.

Additional panels/speakers will be announced over the next ten days.

“For 23 years this has been one of the most special half days of any conference. The pace is quick, the speakers have come from country radio as well as businesses as diverse as Starbucks and politics,” said partner Mike O’Malley. “It’s a half-day of thought-provoking and actionable sessions that help set the stage for CRS.”

Brenner adds, “Radio prides itself on innovation, creation and preservation.  Our job is to make sure stations have the tools to accomplish all three.  Tools that help the station generate successful ratings and increase revenue. It is an opportunity to share, learn, grow and re-energize for the new year!”

The A&O&B Pre-CRS Seminar is free and is open to all clients as well as to broadcasters in non-competitive situations. You can RSVP to aobprecrs@aandoandb.com.

Register for CRS 2017 now by clicking: https://www.cvent.com/events/crs-2017/registration-ff36fd99068540d18f3b19e018447d75.aspx

DC Radio: Andy Pollin To EXIT WTEM

Andy Pollin
Andy Pollin, Thursday that his contract at WTEM ESPN 980 AM won’t be renewed, ending his run there a few weeks shy of his 25th-year anniversary.

Pollin and his longtime friend and partner Steve Czaban had reunited as “The Sports Reporters” in May of last year, doing a three-hour afternoon drive program that took advantage of their close relationship and Pollin’s wealth of local knowledge. But his contract was set to expire in February, and he never got any indication that the Daniel Snyder-owned outlet was interested in a new deal.

“I’m not in any way bitter about this,” he told The Washington Post. “I’m disappointed that it wouldn’t continue. I thought Czabe and I were humming along there in our second run, but it didn’t happen. That’s life.”

The two men had done their “Sports Reporters” show at WTEM for 13 years, until Chris Cooley took Pollin’s place on 980 in the summer of 2013. That eventually led to Pollin getting his own morning show on SportsTalk 570, which he did for about a year and a half. Then came yet another shakeup, with the ill-fated “Man Cave” program taking over morning drive at 980, and ESPN’s “Mike & Mike” bumping Pollin off 570. Pollin thus held his second goodbye show, which seemed to signal his end at Redskins Radio, until the latest shakeup last spring, which reunited Pollin and Czaban on afternoon drives.

 Pollin started at Washington’s first sports-radio station in March of 1992, and helped launch WTEM as the station’s original sports director two months later.

Syracuse Radio: WSKO's Mike Lindsley Goes National

Mike Lindsley, The host of "In the Cell with M.L." on WSKO 1260 The Score 1260 has announced that he's launching a new sports talk show that will be syndicated from coast to coast. "Saturday Tailgate with Mike Lindsley" will debut Saturday at 10 a.m. ET through 55 affiliates on the SB Nation Radio network.

According to syracuse.com, Lindsley plans to place a special emphasis on national, regional and Central New York sports with the new weekend program.

"Mike's talents will be showcased in this major, syndicated program," Cumulus Syracuse Operations Manager and Program Director Tom Mitchell said in a statement. "What we have heard in Syracuse, with his unique style and in-depth knowledge of local and national sports, will now be showcased in 5 markets. We are excited to extend his brand with the SB Nation Radio Family!"

Lindsley has been on the airwaves in the Syracuse area for more than a decade, most recently replacing the "Doug Gottlieb Show" on The Score 1260 AM (WSKO) in 2013.

He'll continue to host "In the Cell with M.L." weekdays from 3-6 p.m. on The Score, in addition to his new nationally syndicated radio show.

"I'm honored and humbled to join the @SBNationRadio family. Super excited to get started and join an amazing team!!" Lindsley wrote on Twitter.

Atlanta Radio: Jenn Hobby Says Daughter Is Cancer Free

Reese
In a Facebook post Friday morning, Jenn Hobby said she and husband Grant's daughter Reese was cancer free.

Reese was diagnosed with cancer in August 2016 and, since then, has undergone chemotherapy and treatment. In the post on Friday, Hobby said the doctors called them last night and said an MRI showed no residual signs of tumor.

"NO signs of cancer," she said.

The WSTR 94.1 FM StarFM  morning personality said she and her family want to use all of the positive attention to raise money for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. They're attempting to raise $40,000 for the team of doctors who helped save her daughter and help other kids with cancer.

"Pediatric cancer research simply does not receive the money it deserves," the fundraising website says. "Due to limited funding, this MaGIC team has met only one other time - at Cambridge University in England this past year. They hope to meet in Atlanta, GA in 2017 to refine their mission, continue their research and expand their network of medical experts."

iHM Extends Deadline For Bondholders

San Antonio-based iHeartMedia Inc. said Friday it has extended the deadline on an offer to bond investors to exchange $625 million in notes that are due next year and pay 10 percent with debt that won’t be due until 2021 and pay a higher yield of 11.25 percent.

According to The News-Express, iHeartMedia is offering a premium on the new bonds in an effort to delay final payment on roughly $10 billion in debt that matures by the end of 2019.

The offer previously had been set to expire Thursday night and will now expire at 4 p.m. Monday, Texas time, unless further extended by subsidiary iHeartCommunications.

As of the end of Jan. 19, about $625.2 million in principal amount or approximately 73.6 percent, of the notes, including about $503 million held by iHeartMedia subsidiaries, has been offered up for exchange.

The radio and billboard giant is struggling to repay its more than $20 billion in outstanding debt, most of which stems from its 2008 leveraged buyout by two Boston-based private equity firms.

January 21 Radio History




In 1919...actress/radio-TV host Jinx (Eugenia) Falkenburg was born in Barcelona Spain.  She was a movie actress & popular model before & during World War II , after which she and her husband Tex McCrary were hosts of “Meet Tex and Jinx” a local radio talk show they conducted from Peacock Alley in New York’s  Waldorf Astoria.  They also hosted NBC TV’s At Home show, while she was a regular on TV’s charades show Masquerade Party.  She died a month after her husband Aug 27, 2003 at age 84.


In 1927...the first opera broadcast on a national Radio network occured. Radio listeners in Chicago, Illinois heard music from Faust.


In 1935...WFI-AM in Philadelphia  merged with WLIT as WFIL.

WFIL was formed by a merger of two stations that were launched in 1922. One used the call letters WFI, the other was originally WDAR. Each was owned by a major Philadelphia department store; WFI was operated by Strawbridge and Clothier, while WDAR was run by Lit Brothers.

While operated independently of each other, the two were able to work out amicable share-time agreements (hundreds of other American stations at the time were unable to do so, and frequently engaged in "jamming wars"). Around 1924, WDAR applied for and received the custom call-sign WLIT. By the late 1920s, the two stations were working jointly on various programs, promotions, and sponsorship efforts. In 1935, the two operators agreed to merge with each department store having representation on the new board of directors.


The new call-sign became WFIL, a combination of the two previous identifiers (the fact that the new call letters were close to a phonetic spelling of "Philadelphia" was merely a happy coincidence).




In 1938...Legendary radio disc jockey Wolfman Jack was born Robert Smith. He died July 1, 1995 at 57.

Wolfman Jack
Smith was the younger of two children of Anson Weston Smith, an Episcopal Sunday school teacher, writer, editor, and executive vice president of the Financial World, and his wife Rosamond Small. His parents divorced while he was a child. To help keep him out of trouble, his father bought him a large Trans-Oceanic radio, and Smith became an avid fan of R&B music and the disc jockeys who played it, including "Jocko" Henderson of Philadelphia, New York's "Dr. Jive" (Tommy Smalls), the "Moon Dog" from Cleveland, Alan Freed, and Nashville's "John R." Richbourg, who later became his mentor.

After selling encyclopedias and Fuller brushes door-to-door, Smith attended the National Academy of Broadcasting in Washington, D.C. Graduating in 1960, he began working as "Daddy Jules" at WYOU in Newport News, Virginia. In 1962, he moved to country music station KCIJ 1050 AM in Shreveport, Louisiana as the station manager and morning disc jockey, "Big Smith with the Records". He married Lucy "Lou" Lamb in 1961, and they had two children.

Disc jockey Alan Freed had played a role in the transformation of black rhythm and blues into rock and roll music, and originally called himself the "Moon Dog" after New York City street musician Moondog. Freed both adopted this name and used a recorded howl to give his early broadcasts a unique character. Smith's adaptation of the Moondog theme was to call himself Wolfman Jack and add his own sound effects. The character was based in part on the manner and style of bluesman Howlin' Wolf. It was at KCIJ that he first began to develop his famous alter ego Wolfman Jack.

Wolfman Jack played the role of an all-night deejay in 'American Graffiti'
According to author Philip A. Lieberman, Smith's "Wolfman" persona "derived from Smith's love of horror flicks and his shenanigans as a 'wolfman' with his two young nephews. The 'Jack' was added as a part of the 'hipster' lingo of the 1950s, as in 'take a page from my book, Jack,' or the more popular, 'hit the road, Jack.'"


In 1946...“The Fat Man” began its 5-year run on ABC radio. J. Scott Smart, who played the portly detective, weighed in at 270 pounds in real life.



In 1978...The soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever reached number one on the album chart.


In 1989...Ted Nugent married his second wife, former radio traffic reporter for WLLZ-FM in Detroit, Shemane Deziel. They have a son together.


In 1997..."Colonel" Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager for 22 years (and briefly before that managed Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow) died following a stroke at 87.


In 1996...WYNY 103.5 FM NYC confirmed rumors that they were dropping country


In 1998...WNSR 105.1 FM BYC became WBIX “Big 105"


In 2004...FCC Chairman, Michael Powell, anounced his resignation - 2 years before his term was to be up.


In 2005...College DJ, Dave Plotkin, from Rollins College's WPRK-FM in Winter Park, Florida, set a record for the world's longest continuous broadcast by a single DJ. He stayed on the air for 110 hours.



In 2006...Country music singer Kix Brooks replaced Bob Kingsley as host of the syndicated radio show "American Country Countdown."


In 2010...WWRL dropped “Air America” format - 2010


In 2013...WRXP (now WNSH) 94.7 FM NYC becomes Country “NashFM”

Friday, January 20, 2017

G-R RADIO: WBFX To Import Rover's Morning Glory

WBFX 101.3 FM The Brew, The Brew Rocks Grand Rapids, announced today the debut of the Rover’s Morning Glory show, effective January 23, 2017. Rover’s Morning Glory will air weekdays from 6 – 10 a.m.

Rover’s Morning Glory features on-air personalities Rover, Duji, Dieter, Charlie and Jeffrey, who focus on pop culture, topical humor and the biggest guests in the world of music, movies, sports and entertainment. The morning show features a variety of popular daily and weekly segments including The Shizzy, The Thursday Hook-Up and Tech Tuesday. The show plans to broadcast from Grand Rapids throughout the year with appearances at some of West Michigan’s biggest events.

WBFX 101.3 FM (50 Kw)
“We’re excited to be on 101.3 The Brew in Grand Rapids, a city that has more craft beer breweries than anywhere else on the planet. It’s a perfect match, since my staff has consumed more craft beer than any other radio show on the planet,” said Rover. “We’re going to give the great people of Grand Rapids our unique take on the world, so expect the unexpected!”

“We are thrilled to add Rover’s Morning Glory to 101.3 The Brew,” said Casey Krukowski, Program Director for 101.3 The Brew. “The show is funny, irreverent, topical and like nothing else on the radio in West Michigan.”

Rover’s Morning Glory will continue to broadcast from its flagship station, WMMS in Cleveland, OH, and its reach includes the RMG-TV live videocast of the show, which streams daily on the interactive www.RoverRadio.com and the RMG mobile app. The show is syndicated across several markets nationwide and recently hosted its ninth annual RoverFest, a live concert and community event that attracted over 20,000 attendees and featured performances from established and rising star recording artists and a fireworks display as well as highlighted locally owned businesses

Report: CPB, The Arts Targeted For Funding Cuts

Staffers for the Trump transition team have been meeting with career staff at the White House ahead of Friday’s presidential inauguration to outline their plans for shrinking the federal bureaucracy, The Hill has learned.

The departments of Commerce and Energy would see major reductions in funding, with programs under their jurisdiction either being eliminated or transferred to other agencies. The departments of Transportation, Justice and State would see significant cuts and program eliminations.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be privatized, while the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities would be eliminated entirely.

Overall, the blueprint being used by Trump’s team would reduce federal spending by $10.5 trillion over 10 years.

The proposed cuts hew closely to a blueprint published last year by the conservative Heritage Foundation, a think tank that has helped staff the Trump transition.

Patrick Butler
Variety reports Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations, which advocates for public television funding, said that proposals to privatize the Corporation for Public Broadcasting “have been circulating around Washington for years and have been soundly rejected on a bipartisan basis.” He noted that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives rejected such a proposal in a 132-294 vote in 2015.

The Government Accountability Office, he said, concluded after a comprehensive study that “there is no viable substitute for the federal funding that ensures universal access to public broadcasting programming and services, especially in the heartland of America where President-elect Trump’s support was particularly strong.”

The federal appropriation for the CPB in 2016 was $445 million. It distributes money to stations across the country.

“The federal investment in public media is vital seed money — especially for stations located in rural America, and those serving underserved populations where the appropriation counts for 40-50% of their budget,” the CPB said. “The loss of this seed money would have a devastating effect. These stations would have to raise approximately 200% more in private donations to replace the federal investment. Moreover, the entire public media service would be severely debilitated.”

SBS DeListed By NASDAQ

Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. announced Thursday that its shares of common stock began trading on the OTCQX® Best Market. The shares are trading on the OTCQX under the symbol “SBSAA”.

On January 17, 2017, the Company received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC notifying the Company that based upon the Company’s continued non-compliance with the NASDAQ rule requiring that the minimum market value of its common stock exceed $15 million, the Company’s securities would be suspended from NASDAQ effective with the open of business on January 19, 2017, pending ultimate delisting.

The Company will continue to file periodic and other required reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission under applicable federal securities laws.

More TV Networks Follow Netflix To Binge-Watching Model


By Lisa Richwine | LOS ANGELES

(Reuters) -- Traditional TV networks are following Netflix Inc's (NFLX.O) lead by releasing all new episodes of a series at the same time, a step to win over binge viewers who do not want to wait a week for the next installment.

The move poses a direct challenge to Netflix and a way for more traditional networks to reach for younger, digital-savvy consumers who insist on watching on their own schedules.

Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) network Freeform, which targets a younger audience, put the entire 10-episode season of new sci-fi drama "Beyond" on digital and on-demand platforms on Jan. 2, a first for the channel. By Jan. 10, it was ready to order a second season.

"There are moments when it's really hard to make a decision about a pickup," Freeform President Tom Ascheim said, announcing the renewal at a Television Critics Association event. "This is not one of those moments."

Roughly 14 million people watched "Beyond" on TV and online during the first week. About 745,000 have finished the season on various platforms, the network said.

In its earnings report this week, Netflix highlighted growing competition from rivals that are adopting the strategy. Britain's BBC, for example, announced earlier this month it would distribute full seasons of major series on its digital platform before the episodes run on traditional linear television.

"We presume HBO is not far behind the BBC," Netflix added. A spokesman for HBO, owned by Time Warner Inc (TWX.N), had no comment.

"In short, it's becoming an internet TV world, which presents both challenges and opportunities for Netflix as we strive to earn screen time," Netflix said.

Netflix popularized binge viewing with the 2013 release of the entire season of "House of Cards." The company's monthly subscription service reached 94 million customers at the end of 2016, it said on Wednesday.

Comcast Corp's (CMCSA.O) NBC became the first U.S. broadcast network to try the release-at-once idea in 2015 when it put 13 episodes of drama "Aquarius" online right after the premiere aired on TV.

NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt said shortly after the experiment that he would consider it again for the occasional show but it would not become standard practice.

The tactic is not popular with affiliate stations, Greenblatt said at the time.

But advertisers see some advantages to the release of entire seasons in one batch, said Andy Donchin, chief investment officer at Dentsu Aegis Network.

"If people want to binge view like that and they seek it out, they are probably highly engaged viewers," Donchin said. "If you’re engaged in the program, hopefully you’ll be just as engaged with the commercials."

Still there are tradeoffs, Wible said. When people are watching bingeable shows at their own pace, the shows miss out on the conversations that happen when a big plot development is watched by everyone at the same time, such as the famous "Red Wedding" episode of HBO's "Game of Thrones."

"You do lose out on the buzz," Wible said. "I think it takes longer to gain momentum."

Portland OR Radio: Mark Mason Returns To KEX-AM

Mark Mason
iHM's NewsRadio KEX 1190 AM, Portland’s News, Traffic & Weather station, announced Thursday the debut of the Mark Mason Show, a new midday program with local on-air personality Mark Mason, effective immediately.

Mason, who will return to the station after a three-year hiatus, will broadcast weekdays from noon to 3 p.m.

“We are thrilled to have Mark back home at KEX where he belongs. The place just hasn’t been the same without him,” said Cort Webber, Program Director for News Radio 1190 KEX. “We’re excited to kick off a new year and a new administration with a new show from an old friend.”

Previously, Mason co-hosted News Radio 1190 KEX’s Mark and Dave Show for 18 years with Dave Anderson, who passed away in 2016 from pancreatic cancer.

“After I lost my good friend and co-host Dave Anderson, my perspective on life changed and I wanted to return the Portland community that embraced me,” said Mason. “I’m excited to return to the KEX family and bring my 100% hate-free brand of talk radio back to Portland.”

KEX 1190 AM (50 Kw, DA=N)
Mason will continue to serve as the public address announcer for the Portland Trailblazers, a role he has held for 21 years.

Atlanta Radio: WSRV Promotes Debra Green To Evenings

Debra Green
Cox Media Group Atlanta’s WSRV 97.1 FM The River, Atlanta’s Classic Hits, is moving Debra Green, to nights.

Beginning Monday, Jan. 23, Debra Green will make the switch from weekends on 97.1 The River, into playing classic rock and engaging Atlanta listeners weeknights from 7p to midnight. Green has been with 97.1 The River since June of 2015 – prior to that, she was on air at X107-1 and WNNX.

Chris Eagan, Director of Branding and Programming, said, “Deb is a great addition to our weekday lineup. Her fresh sound and great content make her the perfect fit for the River at night. I’m proud of how hard she worked to get here!”

WSRV 97.1 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area
“I've been a fan of The River since it launched,” Green added. “I'm excited to be a part of it and to be working with such amazing talent.”

Fayetteville Radio: Randy Bliss Named OM For Beasley

Randy Bliss
Beasley Media Group, Inc. has announced Randy Bliss as Operations Manager of the Fayetteville cluster. Additionally, he will serve as Program Director and afternoon drive host for Country WKML 95.7 FM as well as Program Director for SoftAC WAZZ 1490 AM / W231CI 94.3 FM.

Randy’s career encompasses three decades of radio experience, holding a wide range of management positions in an extensive list of markets, including Greensboro, NC, Norfolk VA, Raleigh, NC, Charlotte, NC and Rochester NY.

“Randy brings his hands-on experience and success in a number of formats, which we welcome in Fayetteville,” said Market Manager Erika Beasley. ”From his extensive research skills, to his ability to incorporate both sales and programming to ensure success, Randy has proven he is a tried and true radio pro!”

“It’s rare in any industry to come across someone like Randy who is a brilliant, big picture strategist who also possesses amazing leadership qualities,” noted Executive Vice President of Programming Justin Chase. “No doubt, he will lead our Fayetteville team to new heights in today’s competitive broadcast and content environment. We’re fortunate to have him in place in Fayetteville.”

WKML 95.7 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area
“I’ll enjoy working in our Fayetteville radio stations, which have new, exciting challenges and most importantly, terrific people!” added Randy. “I’m grateful to Fayetteville Market Manager Erika Beasley, EVP of Programming Justin Chase, VP of Programming Buzz Knight and all at Beasley Media Group for this incredible opportunity!”

Fayetteville NC Radio: Tap Money Gets Added Duties

Tap Money
Beasley Media Group has announced Program Director Tap Money’s expanded role in the company’s Fayetteville radio market.

Tap serves as Program Director for Urban Powerhouse FOXY 99 WZFX 99.1 FM. But, starting immediately, Tap will broaden his duties and oversee both of Fayetteville’s urban stations, WZFX and WUKS 107.7 FM.

“Tap’s been with Beasley in Fayetteville for two years and has had tremendous success on WZFX, both with ratings and sales integration,” stated Market Manager Erika Beasley. “Because of his proven abilities, he has been assigned to oversee both urban properties.”

WZFX 99.1 FM (100 Kw)
“Beasley is an organization that enjoys promoting good people from within and it is especially exciting when it's a rock star like Tap Money!” added Executive Vice President Justin Chase.

“Tap is a radio hero who has lifted WZFX to an entirely new level in ratings and revenue. We have no doubt he will improve our urban footprint in Fayetteville as begins working with WUKS.”

“I am extremely humbled and excited about my new duties and I thank Market Manager Erika Beasley for her trust and leadership in this transition,” commented Tap. “My personal appreciation goes to COO Brian Beasley and EVP of Programming Justin Chase for their faith in me. We have amazing people here in Fayetteville who know and love radio and we are ready to raise the bar and inspire these talented group of people to do their best!”

JAX FL Radio: iHM Translator Drops Alternative For Spanish Tropical

iHeartMedia/Jacksonville FL announced Thursday the debut of the new Rumba, #1 Para Éxitos y Música Variada, broadcasted on both W295AM 106.9 FM and WQIK 99.1 FM HD2. The station will launch Friday at midnight with 10,000 commercial-free songs in a row.

Rumba will broadcast a variety of Spanish Tropical music, including songs from artists including Marc Anthony, Romeo Santos, Nicky Jam, Victor Manuelle and others. Beginning January 23 the station will also feature popular programs including the top rated Enrique Santos Show on weekday mornings from 6 – 10 a.m. The full programming lineup will be announced at a later date.

“I am so excited to bring Rumba to the iHeartMedia Jacksonville family and share our Latin music, culture and heritage with the local Hispanic community of listeners,” said Raymond Torres, Program Director for Rumba 106.9. “We can’t wait to start growing our family and creating community-based projects in our new hometown.”

W295AZ 106.9 FM (100 watts)
“I couldn’t be more excited to add Rumba to iHeartMedia Jacksonville’s lineup of radio station brands,” said Nicky Sparrow, Market President for iHeartMedia Jacksonville. “The Rumba format has a proven track record of success among Hispanic listeners, and the appetite for this music and programming is quickly growing in Jacksonville. I’m excited to make Rumba a staple among our Spanish-language community.”

Gainesville FL Radio: WYGC Adds Connections Talk Show


Connections, the nightly syndicated relationships talk show, has been added by JVC MEDIA News-Talk WYGC 104.9 FM The Talk of Gainesville, FL. Connections will start airing January 30th at 10pm (ET) on WYGC.

The show, hosted by Al “Blackjack” Spry, Glenda “G-Love” Chauncy, and Melissa Foxx, is a nightly show that builds on the proven relationship format pioneered by Dr. Ruth and “Loveline”.

Connections host Al Spry commented, "We are delighted to be working with JVC and 104.9 The Talk of Gainesville. The management team is top notch and is very receptive to our fun brand of relationship talk radio”. WYGC GM Sam Gerace added, “We love new and fresh radio and we look forward to working with the Connections team”.

Connections is consulted by SABO MEDIA. “This is a double digit share show for any FM station. The hosts and their cast tell engaging stories about relationships and romance. You would hear similar conversations on Wendy Williams' TV show and ‘The View’. But this is an up-to-date, fast moving show made by radio pros.” said Walter Sabo.

Connections also airs on News-Talk 1490 WWPR, Sarasota-Tampa, and on Alex Bennett’s GABNet.net. The show serves a worldwide audience on iTunes, Roku, TuneIn, SHOUTcast, Radionomy, and Radiojar. Find out more about Connections at ConnectionsShow.com. The creators are working with Sabo Media and J.M. Tillery & Associates, P.A. to syndicate Connections on terrestrial FM stations in major U.S. markets by the second half of 2017.

Jane Pauley To Emcee NAB Show Opening

Jane Pauley
Renowned journalist and host of “CBS Sunday Morning,” Jane Pauley will emcee the 2017 NAB Show Opening on Monday, April 24 in Las Vegas. NAB Show is the world's largest media and technology convention, encompassing the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums.

Hearst President and CEO Steven Swartz is headlining the event, and National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon Smith will present the “State of the Broadcast Industry” address.

Pauley began her network career as co-host of “TODAY” for 13 years. She then anchored “Dateline NBC” for more than a decade and also hosted her own daytime program, “The Jane Pauley Show.”

“Jane Pauley is one of broadcast television’s most familiar faces,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. “We look forward to sharing the NAB Show stage with her and are honored to have her assistance in opening the world’s greatest media, entertainment and technology event.”

Pauley is the recipient of multiple Emmy Awards, the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism and the Edward R. Murrow Award for Outstanding Achievement. She is also the author of two New York Times Bestsellers: “Skywriting: A Life Out of the Blue” and “Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life.”

Jacobs Media, Podcast Movement Partner


If podcasting has moved into the mainstream during the past few years, 2017 could be the year when it becomes a major opportunity for radio broadcasters.

Fred Jacobs
To that end, Jacobs Media and Podcast Movement have joined forces to custom design a radio track at Podcast Movement 2017 this August in Anaheim, California. These sessions will focus on how radio companies, stations, and personalities can succeed in this emerging space.

“Broadcasters Meet Podcasters” is designed to combine the energy and electricity of the podcasting space with the expertise, talent, and reach of the broadcasting world.

Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs explains, “We loved Podcast Movement in Chicago last year and were struck by the breadth and energy of the space. The goal is to get radio broadcasters involved, given the industry’s ability to create compelling audio content, promote it, and generate revenue around it. It just makes sense to bring these two worlds together to help broadcasters – and podcasters – elevate their game.”

Dan Franks
Podcasting represents a significant growth opportunity for the radio industry. Edison/Triton’s Infinite Dial 2016 study estimates that 98 million Americans have listened to a podcast. And Nieman Labs reports that podcast advertising grew at a rate of 48% in the past year, and is projected to show solid increases through 2020.

Seth Resler
Co-organizer of Podcast Movement Dan Franks says, “Our team has been asked for years by broadcast professionals, ‘How can we get involved in podcasting? What steps should we take?’ We’re excited to finally have answers, as we partner with Jacobs to create this track – the first ever of its type!”

Jacobs Media’s Digital Dot Connector, Seth Resler, is a podcasting veteran who works with broadcasters to shape their podcast strategies. He will be an integral part of the Broadcasters Meet Podcasters track.

Resler comments, “More and more broadcasters are trying to figure out their podcasting strategies. Our sessions at Podcast Movement will provide solutions that anyone in radio can take back to their stations and implement.”

Podcast Movement 2017 runs August 23-25 at the Anaheim Marriot in Anaheim, California. Jacobs Media’s “Broadcasters Meet Podcasters” track is scheduled for Thursday, August 24.