Philly Radio: WIP Producer Hospitalized Following Airplane Incident

Joe Wechter, Angelo Cataldi’s longtime producer on the 94.1 WIP morning show, is recovering in a Tampa, Florida hospital after losing consciousness on an airplane Wednesday afternoon.

Joe Wechter

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Cataldi, Wechter and fellow WIP personality Ava Graham were on an American Airlines flight to Florida Wednesday afternoon en route to broadcast Thursday morning’s show from the Phillies’ spring training facility in Clearwater. According to Cataldi, once the plane reached around 10,000 feet, he noticed people sprinting to the back of the plane where Wechter was seated.

At first, Cataldi said he didn’t know what was going on. But he quickly learned Wechter had a seizure after standing up to use the restroom. Fortunately, Dr. Edward Dickinson — a professor of emergency medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania — happened to be on the flight and administered care to the longtime radio producer alongside an unnamed paramedic.

“It was harrowing,” Cataldi told his listeners, adding that Wechter was unconscious for nearly 10 minutes before doctors revived him. It’s unclear what caused Wechter to have a seizure, but the producer eventually stabilized and was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa after the plane landed, where he remained overnight and is currently recovering.

NYC Radio: Charlie Morgan EXITS Mediaco, Emmis Communications

Charlie Morgan

Charlie Morgan, SVP/Market Manager for the Mediaco stations is exit Emmis Communications, Indianapolis for a new opportunity TBA.

Charlie Morgan is Senior Vice President/Market Manager of Emmis New York, which includes WBLS, WLIB and WQHT. Morgan has supervisory responsibility for Emmis-Indianapolis, which includes WIBC, WFNI, WYXB, WLHK and Network Indiana.

Emmis released the following statement:

Over the past decade, Charlie has been instrumental in leading the turnaround of Emmis operations in Indianapolis and New York (now Mediaco). His focus on product quality, operational excellence, innovation and perhaps most important on culture and talent development as the ultimate path to winning have been central to our success. Charlie’s emphasis on building great teams through coaching and development has enhanced the careers of countless colleagues over the years at Mediaco, Emmis, Cumulus, IMS Productions and Susquehanna. We sincerely thank him for all his efforts, and wish him the absolute best in his next endeavor. 

As we begin a search for a permanent leader of Mediaco New York, Emmis/Mediaco President Patrick Walsh will serve as interim NY Market Manager.

A Butler University graduate, Morgan has over 35 years of radio experience, the first 23 years with Susquehanna (now Cumulus) Radio, (WFMS/WJJK/WISG) in roles from Morning host to SVP/Market Manager. In 2007, Morgan joined the team at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, serving as President and COO of IMS Productions.

In 2009, he returned to radio joining the Emmis team managing the Indianapolis cluster for seven years (WLHK, WIBC, WYXB, WFNI) and now the Emmis New York cluster (WBLS, WQHT, WLIB.)

Additionally, in 2013 Morgan formed the Rith Group, a marketing consulting agency with longtime associate Bob Richards.

Morgan  has been widely recognized for his leadership in Radio, honored on multiple occasions as one of the top Managers in radio, most recently in 2016. Also named the 2013 Country Aircheck/Country Radio Broadcaster’s Large Market Manager of the year and the 2012 Radio Wayne Award winner for Market Manager of the Year. Additionally, Morgan has received the CMA Large Market Personality of the Year Award in his on-air role and been General Manager of stations receiving multiple CMA, ACM and Marconi Awards for Station of the Year.

Morgan has served the industry as Chairman of the Board of the Country Radio Broadcasters, and is a current Board Member of the Country Music Association, the New York Market Radio Group (NYMRAD), and the New York State Broadcast Association.

Entercom's Susan Larkin to Succeed Weezie Kramer As COO

Entercom Communications Corp. has announced that Chief Operating Officer, Weezie Kramer, will be retiring later this year after nearly 20 years with the Company and over 40 years in broadcast radio. The Company also announced that Kramer has been added to its Board of Directors. Entercom has named Susan Larkin, currently Market Manager for Entercom New York and Regional President overseeing other markets, as the Company’s new Chief Operating Officer, effective May 5.

The 64-year-old Kramer will continue as Chief Operating Officer until the transition and will then serve for the remainder of the year as a Senior Executive Advisor to David Field, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, helping to spearhead a few key strategic corporate initiatives outside of the Company’s daily operations. Kramer will also work to ensure a successful transition and expand her commitments as a mentor to women in the Company, fostering their development into senior leadership roles. Larkin will assume the Chief Operating Officer position in May and will be based in Philadelphia. A search for a new Market Manager in New York City has already begun.

Weezie Kramer

“Weezie has been an extraordinary, inspiring leader and a fiercely determined, tireless competitor and strategist who has built an outstanding record of success over the many years in which she has led us forward as our Chief Operating Officer,” said Field. “She set an uncompromising standard of excellence for all, both professionally and personally, driving us to be our very best while maintaining the highest ethical standards. She earned the sincere admiration, respect and affection of the entire Entercom team, and much of the industry, for her spirited leadership and decency and for being a full-throated, unapologetic champion for radio. She has been an extraordinarily successful COO and we are all immensely grateful to her. While she will be deeply missed as COO, I am thrilled that she will be joining the Entercom board where we will continue to benefit from her wisdom and guidance for years to come.”

“We are extremely fortunate to have an outstanding, seasoned executive of Susan’s caliber on our team ready to lead us forward as our new COO,” said Field. “Susan has been an unequivocal success at every challenge she has taken on throughout her career as she has risen through the management ranks at ABC-Disney, Cox and Entercom. She is a natural, energizing and candid leader with a powerful, competitive fervor and an excellent strategic sensibility. Susan is the perfect champion for the next stage of our journey as we continue to build the future of audio and transform Entercom into one of the country’s strongest media and entertainment organizations.”

“I look forward to serving on the board and ensuring that we have a seamless leadership transition while still working on projects that matter to the company and our team,” said Kramer. “I know that I am leaving the business in great hands with Susan. I am excited to see the next era of innovation, growth and success as we work towards our mission to build the future of audio.”

Susan Larkin

“This is an exciting time for Entercom, and for all audio media,” said Larkin. “I am thrilled to be part of Entercom’s forward-thinking strategy as we continue to set ourselves apart as the best operator and creator of audio content in the U.S. and realize the value of our engaged impressions with advertisers. Weezie has been an incredible mentor and the best leader I could ask for. I am honored to work with such a strong team and excited about the next phase of Entercom’s continued growth, expansion and strategic vision.”

Kramer has been an instrumental part of Entercom’s growth since joining the Company in 2000 and assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2014. Upon the Company’s transformational merger with CBS Radio in 2017, Kramer deferred her planned retirement to lead Entercom’s operations through the integration and critical transformation initiatives to elevate and enhance the Company’s competitive position. 

Larkin is a seasoned radio executive with over 25 years of experience and joined Entercom in 2017 as Regional President overseeing San Francisco and Sacramento. She was later tapped as Market Manager for New York in 2018, overseeing award-winning brands including WFAN (WFAN-AM/FM), 1010 WINS (WINS-AM), WCBS 880 (WCBS-AM), NEW 102.7 FM (WNEW-FM), WCBS-FM 101.1 (WCBS-FM), ALT 92.3 (WNYL-FM) and New York’s Country 94.7 (WNSH-FM). 

Prior to joining Entercom in 2017, she served as Regional Vice President at Cox Media Group. Previous roles have included Vice President and General Manager at Cox Media Group in Orlando and General Sales Manager for ABC-Disney Radio in Minneapolis. Larkin currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) and is a Board Director for New York Market Radio (NYMRAD).

ESPN To Rep ABC Audio's Podcast Network

ABC Audio and ESPN Audio today announced a new internal sales relationship. Starting immediately, ABC Audio’s podcast network will be represented by ESPN Audio’s Ad Sales team. This move by the two business units reflects a strategic collaboration to further grow the podcast business across The Walt Disney Company.

ESPN Audio already handles ad sales for podcasts produced by FiveThirtyEight, National Geographic and its own network. With the addition of ABC Audio, ESPN will now offer buyers and advertisers media investment opportunities for ABC Audio’s existing hits including The Dropout, Ten Percent Happier, daily news show Start Here, Have You Seen This Man?, Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein and all forthcoming podcasts.

“Our goal for ABC Audio remains – to be a powerhouse of podcast production at ABC News and across Walt Disney Television,” said Stacia Philips Deshishku, Vice President and General Manager of ABC Audio. “Our award-winning, compelling podcast series and originals are just the start of the smart programming that our team will continue to roll out this year and beyond. Now, working with ESPN Audio, we have a unique opportunity to scale our podcast ad sales alongside those of other Disney business units and share synergies along the way.”

Tom Brady, Senior Director of ESPN Audio Ad Sales, announced the relationship during today’s RAIN Podcast Business Summit in New York City. ESPN’s Tom Ricks, Vice President of ESPN Audio Digital Strategy and Marketing, stated, “Adding ABC Audio’s podcasts under the ESPN Audio sales umbrella will provide advertisers with one-stop shopping, enhancing the value and efficiency they receive from a larger stable of premium and compelling content. We reach complementary audiences – adding even more value for advertisers.”

ESPN Audio currently produces more than 30 original podcasts, in addition to providing a variety of television and radio shows in the podcast format. Advertisers have access to purchase creative, popular and diverse content including 30 for 30, ESPN Daily, Fantasy Focus Football, The Lowe Post and The Right Time with Bomani Jones.

Broadcast network radio sales for ABC Audio are represented by Skyview Networks.

Westwood One Ending Distribution of NBC Sports Radio

March 31 will be the last day Westwood One distributes programming from NBC Sports Radio. 

Barrett Sports Media reports the company confirmed that in an email from Westwood One’s Vice President of Sports Affiliate Sales Rich Burg that went out to affiliates on Monday.

NBC Sports Radio content has been distributed by Westwood One since its launch in September of 2012. The network operated as a 24/7 feed from April of 2013 until November of 2018. Since that time, NBC Sports Radio has distributed the popular morning show Pro Football Talk Live with Mike Florio as well as the gambling-centric The Daily Line with Tim Murray and Michael Jenkins during the week. It also distributed The Best of Pro Football Talk and Safety Blitz with Rodney Harrison on the weekends. All four shows have been cancelled.

The network also carried live, around-the-clock updates at the top and bottom of each hour. It had also been the home of national NHL radio broadcasts since 2016.

Earlier this year it was announced that Westwood One would begin distributing CBS Sports Radio.

Philly Radio: Suburban WNPV Slated To Go Silent

Following almost 60 years of providing award-winning local news, talk and sports to Montgomery and Bucks counties, radio station WNPV 1440 AM / W253CA 98.5 FM will air its final programming and go off the air on April 30, 2020.

“Our mission has always been to serve the public interest by providing top-quality local news, and we have never been willing to compromise on that promise,” said WNPV General Manager Phil Hunt. “In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to compete for both audience and advertising dollars, and unfortunately it is no longer sustainable to continue to run the business in a way that delivers the service our community expects and deserves.”

WNPV first took to the airwaves on October 17, 1960, and less than a month later aired its first high school football game—a key component of the station’s programming that continued through 60 seasons. The station has also always aired live local programs, including the acclaimed telephone talk show, “Comment Please,” an opportunity for leaders, lawmakers, entertainers and community voices to express their views on current issues.

Over the years, WNPV and its staff has won dozens of awards from the Associated Press and the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters.

“The people of Montgomery and Bucks counties have trusted WNPV for fast, honest and reliable news from their neighborhoods for the last six decades, and it’s a responsibility we’ve never taken lightly,” said Hunt. “We are grateful for the support of our loyal listeners, the belief of our advertisers and the commitment from our talented team. It has been an honor to serve this community.”

WNPV 1440 AM (2.5 Kw)

WNPV will continue to air regular programming through April 30.

Fargo Radio: Dan Michaels Takes Over Late Afternoons On KFGO

Dan Michaels

Longtime radio personality Dan Michaels has been named the host of KFGO 790 AM’s late afternoon drive time slots, from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays.

Michaels is taking over "The Drive" for Jack Sunday, who last week announced he was stepping away from the studio to take care of his ailing wife.

According to the station, Michaels will discuss current events and issues on "The Drive" from 4 to 5 p.m., followed by an hour of "Drive Time News" until 6 p.m. He said he will bring his own personality and sense of humor to his time on the radio.

Michaels got his start on the radio in 1977 as a 15-year-old in Valley City. He was the operations manager and morning host at KLTA from 1986 to 1999, when he left to work for Midwest Communications, which owns KFGO, for 15 years.

Since 2006, Michaels has also run a company doing voice-over work.

Sports fans will know him as the public address announcer at North Dakota State University Bison football home games.

He has also emceed a number of live events over the years and run The Christmas Gift, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for those in need during the holidays.

Vancouver Radio: Simi Sara To Host Mornings On CKNW

Simi Sara

Global News Radio CKNW 980 AM has announced its new morning show, Mornings with Simi, hosted by longtime radio personality Simi Sara, officially debuting Monday, March 30.

Mornings with Simi will feature contributor Niki Reitmayer, award-winning Global News Radio anchor Gord Macdonald, Global BC's Chief Meteorologist Mark Madryga, and commentaries from Bruce Allen, Charles Adler, Vaughn Palmer and Global BC Sports Director Squire Barnes. The show is produced by Victor Young and Greg Schott.

“I feel so honoured and privileged to be able to follow in the footsteps of three radio legends: Jon McComb, Philip Till and, of course, Bryan ‘Frosty’ Forst,” said Simi Sara. “980 CKNW has always been part of my life growing up in Metro Vancouver and I am thrilled to be able to continue its amazing morning show tradition.”

“Simi is a trusted and beloved voice in the city – knowledgeable and connected to the community, she is a natural fit for the morning show role and will continue to engage CKNW’s listeners in compelling conversations about important local issues in her new time slot,” said Larry Gifford, National Director of Talk Radio, Corus Entertainment.

Simi Sara grew up in Surrey, B.C. and spent the first 15 years of her career in television. She has been with 980 CKNW since 2010 as the host of The Simi Sara Show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT. She is the recipient of two national and three regional RTDNA awards for her editorial and commentary work. Sara has also won both the BCAB Broadcaster of Tomorrow and BCAB Performer of the Year awards. Additionally, she is the only radio personality to win the Jack Webster City Mike award for commentary.

Mornings with Simi will air weekdays from 5:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. PT. Complementary programming announcements for the station will be announced in the coming weeks.

Ottawa Radio: Leslie Roberts To Host Show On CFRA 580

Leslie Roberts

iHeartRadio Canada’s Newstalk CFRA 580AM has announced that award-winning television and radio broadcaster Leslie Roberts is the host of the all-new morning talk show, Ottawa At Work with Leslie Roberts, airing weekdays from 10 a.m. – noon, beginning Monday, March 9.

In addition to his new role on CFRA, Roberts will continued to host CTV Morning Live Ottawa airing weekdays from 6 – 10 a.m. on CTV2.

"I am thrilled to bring listeners a brand new talk show with a dynamic energy and excitement for Ottawa’s latest stories and breaking news," said Leslie Roberts. "If listeners are talking about it, they are going to hear about it on the show."

"Leslie Roberts is a familiar face as you start your day and now he’ll be a familiar voice you can listen to on the radio," said Peter Angione, Director of News and Information Programming for Bell Media Ottawa. "Roberts is an experienced journalist and host, and has his finger on the pulse of what people are talking about."

Ottawa’s home for breaking news, CFRA streams live on iHeartRadio.ca and the iHeartRadio app.

Tavis Smiley Loses Lawsuit, Must Pay $1.5M To PBS

A jury decided Wednesday that former television talk show host Tavis Smiley, who was fired amid allegations of workplace sexual misconduct at the height of the #MeToo movement, must pay about $1.5 million to his former employer, the Public Broadcasting Service.

The Associated Press reports Smiley was suspended in December 2017 and later fired from the PBS after the network said it had received multiple, credible allegations of misconduct by Smiley on his late-night interview show. He was on air with PBS for more than a decade, broadcast to more than 200 stations nationwide. Smiley, who is black, was the only minority to have served as the solo host in the history of the network, according to his lawsuit.

He was fired amid the wave of #MeToo reports of sexual misconduct in the workplace by powerful figures in movies, media and politics that began with allegations against Harvey Weinstein and also led to the departure of Smiley’s fellow PBS talk-show host Charlie Rose. Weinstein has been convicted in New York City of rape and sexual assault against two women and will be sentenced next week.

Smiley first sued PBS in D.C. Superior Court, contending that racial bias contributed to his dismissal and he was wrongly terminated without proof. He acknowledged having romantic relationships with colleagues over his career, but says they were consensual. He sought $1 million. The network counter-sued, arguing in part that Smiley owed the network for a season that didn’t air.

At issue was the network’s “morals” clause, which bars romantic relationships in the office and also disallows employees from acting in a way that would impact the employee or network in a negative way.

NBCU Still Planning for Summer Olympics

If NBCUniversal is anxious about how coronavirus may affect its plans for the Olympic Games, it is trying not to show it, The NY Times reports.

“The Olympics are obviously on everybody’s mind,” Brian Roberts, the chief executive of Comcast, NBCUniversal’s parent company, said at a conference on Tuesday. “What I know is, it’s full steam ahead. We’re getting ready. We’re excited.”

The media giant has been the main broadcaster of the Summer Games since 1988 and the Winter Games since 2002. In 2014, it paid roughly $7.7 billion to retain the U.S. broadcast rights to the Olympics through 2032.

NBCUniversal has sold more than $1.25 billion in advertising commitments, or nearly 90 percent of the available ad space, to go with 7,000 hours of broadcast, streaming and social media content, the company said on Tuesday. It plans to deploy more than 2,000 people to Japan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which start July 24.

The coronavirus could disrupt not only NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Games but its advertising arrangements, sponsorship deals and promotional events.

Pew: A Fifth Of U-S Adults Get Political News In Media Bubble

About one-fifth of Americans in each party (20% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 18% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents) get political and election news in a given week only from outlets whose audiences align with them politically, according to a new analysis of data from Pew Research Center's Election News Pathways project. 

Building on a recent Center report on media polarization and the 2020 election, the current analysis examines those U.S. adults who choose a more politically isolated news diet, finding for example that Republicans who get political news only from outlets with right-leaning audiences tend to be older and more likely to attend religious services. 

Meanwhile, Democrats who get news only from outlets with left-leaning audiences are more likely to be female and have graduated college. 

Ideological differences within party are greater among those Americans in political news bubbles: 61% of all Republicans identify as "conservative" or "very conservative," but that number increases to 86% among Republicans who get political news only from outlets with right-leaning audiences. Similarly, 45% of all Democrats identify as "liberal" or "very liberal," but that number increases to 62% among those Democrats who get political news only from outlets with left-leaning audiences. 

These political news bubbles relate to Americans' attitudes toward President Donald Trump, reliance on a "main source" for election news and various demographic characteristics. The current analysis stems from a survey of 12,043 U.S. adults who are members of the Center’s American Trends Panel, conducted Oct. 29-Nov. 11, 2019. Visit our data tool to dig deeper into related survey questions. 

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Aussie Newspaper Prints Extra Pages As Extra Toilet Paper

It’s the panic that keeps on giving.

#ToiletPaperEmergency or the great #ToiletPaperApocalypse, as it has been dubbed on Twitter, has already rolled out hundreds of memes, witty asides as well as documented the madness of people stockpiling the toilet essential.

In the real world it has led to Australian toilet paper manufacturers ramping up production to keep up with demand from people fearful of coronavirus.

The Guardian reports one newspaper has gone one step further by printing extra pages in its editions to help out those who have been … caught short.

On Thursday the NT News, the Darwin-based newspaper with a national reputation for its headlines and antics, printed a special eight-page insert that can be cut into toilet paper.

Its editor, Matt Williams, told Guardian Australia the paper was selling well and was “certainly not a crappy edition”.

“We are a newspaper known around the world who understands the needs of our readers,” he said. “Territorians … are in great need of toilet paper right now so we had to deliver what they needed.”

The stunt comes after supermarkets including Coles and Woolworths have been besieged by shoppers clearing their shelves of loo paper and hand sanitiser.