CBS Radio/Chicago has announced John Cravens as Director of News and Sports Sales and Paul Agase has been named as Director of Music Sales.
Agase will oversee sales operations for the market's music stations including CHR WBBM-FM, Classic Hits WJMK-FM, Country WUSN-FM and AAA WXRT-FM.
Cravens will manage sales efforts for News WBBM-AM & WCFS-FM, Sports WSCR-AM and sports play-by-play sales for both the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs.
"I am extremely excited to have two senior veterans in the market lead our sales efforts with the great brands of CBS Radio Chicago," said Senior VP/Market Manager Tim Pohlman. "Paul and John have been leaders in the Chicago market for many years. Their solid relationships with partners, clients, and our internal team will be key to growing our revenue in the years ahead."
Paul Agase
Agase, a 38-year radio and media veteran, has spent the majority of his sales management career at CBS Radio/Chicago. Most recently, he led the sales teams of WBBM-FM, WJMK-FM and WUSN-FM as general sales manager. Prior to that, he worked at crosstown Cumulus Media as VP/Sales. Agase has also held senior management roles at CBS Radio/Chicago properties including WBBM-AM & WCFS-FM, WSCR-AM and WBBM-FM.
Cravens most recently served as VP/General Manager of Chicago-based ESPN 1000 after four years as Director of Sales for ESPN 1000 and WLS-FM Chicago. He also managed the sales efforts of the ESPN Radio/Chicago digital property, and held various senior management positions with parent company Disney/ABC. Cravens has also worked in New York, Washington DC, Houston and Detroit, and has managed play-by-play sales for the New York Yankees, New York Jets, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Bulls.
Conservative Fox commentator Todd Starnes believes the country is in the midst of a war on religious liberty and urged Christian media to help fight it by sharing the stories of those caught in the cross hairs.
The Tennessean reports Starnes, the host of "Fox News and Commentary," led by example Thursday by moderating a panel of business owners who landed in legal trouble after refusing service to customers based on their beliefs.
The impassioned discussion took place at the National Religious Broadcasters' annual convention, which drew thousands of Christian media and ministry professionals this week to Nashville.
"Engage the culture and stay informed and educate your listeners and viewers, the people that are also reading your work on digital platforms. It is just incredibly important," Starnes said. "One day it might be somebody in your church. It might be somebody in your neighborhood. It might be somebody whose kid plays on your little league team. It might be you."
The crowd that gathered in a ballroom at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center listened to a T-shirt maker, a florist and a pharmacy owner recount their experiences. All three are clients of the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal organization that specializes in these types of cases. The organization sponsored the session at the convention.
A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that a majority of white evangelical Protestants supported allowing small-business owners to deny services to gay and lesbian customers for religious reasons. The majority of Mormons also favored that stance, while most of the religious traditions surveyed did not.
The Brooklyn Nets and CBS RADIO have reached an agreement to extend their multi-year broadcast rights agreement. WFAN 660 AM 101.9 FM will continue as the team’s flagship radio station.
“Our relationship with CBS RADIO continues to give us a major voice in the nation’s largest market,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “This new agreement comes on the heels of our recent extension with YES Network, providing the team with premium exposure on two of the country’s most popular sports outlets.”
“CBS RADIO is proud to continue our association with the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center,” said Andre Fernandez, President, CBS RADIO. “We have defined our position in sports broadcasting by delivering the most extensive coverage of local programming and events, and we continue to make aggressive investments in exclusive content our audiences can’t find anywhere else.”
The deal extends beyond basketball to cover other parts of the business at Barclays Center, including select college basketball games under the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ presented by Ticketmaster franchise and joint-programmed concerts and live events.
Broadcast elements on WFAN 660 AM/101.9 FM include:
WFAN AM/FM to continue serving as the flagship home of the Brooklyn Nets, a partnership that has been in place since the 2004-05 season. WCBS Newsradio 880, the team’s secondary broadcast outlet, will provide game coverage of select matchups;
Pre- and post-game shows before a number of games and continuing the weekly “Brooklyn Nets Report” live broadcast on WFAN during the “Joe and Evan Midday Show” (10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.), available on-air and online at www.wfan.com. Players, coaches, and executives will be available to discuss the team throughout the season;
Continue partnering on select college basketball games under the BROOKLYN HOOPS™ presented by Ticketmaster franchise, and joint-programmed concerts and live events.
Robin Hood Radio is walking away from its LMA to broadcast on Pamal Broadcastings WGHQ 920 AM in Kingston NY.
The group stated, "As part of that Lease Management Agreement, Pamal and Tri-State were to sign an asset purchase agreement for $1.00 and have the license for WGHQ donated to Tri-State Public Communications", a division of Robin Hood Radio.
WGHQ 920 AM (5 Kw-D, 78 watts-N)
The company says it hasn't happened. According to the company, "Over the next two and a half years, Tri-State sent three different asset purchased agreements to Pamal, but never was able to reach a signed contract for the donation of WGHQ from Pamal. As a matter of fact, Tri-State had not heard anything from Pamal on the donation for the last half of 2015, and the first two months of 2016.
In February of this year, it was decided by Tri-State’s board of directors to notify Pamal, and Kingston Community Radio of our decision to withdraw from an agreement that was never fulfilled by Pamal. We can no longer justify spending almost $25,000 a year with no donation of the WGHQ license taking place as was outlined in the initial agreement."
The station reportedly will flip back to a simulcast of a tricast with WBNR 1260 Beacon and WLNA 1460 AM Peekskill, airing Classic Country.
Robin Hood Radio will continue to be heard on WHDD 1020 AM Sharon CT, WLHV 88.1 FM Annandale-On-Hudson NY, WBSL 91.7 FM Sheffield MA, and WHDD 91.9 FM Sharon CT.
FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly has taken aim at FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's practice of using blogs, fact sheets, and press briefings to outline items before they are voted by the commission.
Multi-Channel News reports O'Rielly used his blog post, to concede the chairman arguably has the power to "authorize any briefing or blog, even if it discloses nonpublic information," but that the rules state that needs to be in writing, official documents he says he wants to see but doubts exist.
He points out that commissioners are prevented by rule from disclosing any nonpublic information to outside parties, while "the Chairman, the Commission’s media relations team and select staff are not only allowed to openly discuss items, but also post blogs, tweet, issue fact sheets, brief the press, and inform favored outside parties about their content."
He points out that the rule states that "nonpublic information shall not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any person outside the Commission." That information includes "the content of agenda items"--with the exception of sunshine notices--and actions or decisions at close meetings or on items on circulation prior to their public release.
O'Rielly is not looking to stop the practice, but to expand it to the other commissioners and extend it to meetings with stakeholders.
Allentown, PA's CatCountry WCTO 96.1 FM morning show hosts Becca and Malone joined Northampton Middle School in Northampton, PA, Wednesday to lend their support - and hair! - to "Go Pink Day: Stand Up to Bullying", a local school initiative encouraging students to help stop bullying.
School administrators called Becca and Malone on the air last week to ask them to mention the event on air. After further discussion, Becca and Malone were invited to participate in the school's assembly yesterday.
As part of the effort, if 90% of the students wore pink yesterday, the principal and teachers promised to color their hair pink. As an added attraction, Malone even agreed to dye his hair pink!
The popular morning team also talked to the students about the effects of bullying. The pink hair dye was flowing by the end of the successful assembly, as the principal, teachers and Malone all made good on their promises to go pink!
Eddie Fritts has been announced as the recipient of the 2016 Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award. The award will be presented at the Broadcasters Foundation of America annual breakfast at 7:00AM, Wednesday, April 20 in the Brahms Room of the Encore Hotel during the National Association of Broadcasters’ (NAB) Show in Las Vegas.
After twenty-three years as President and Chief Executive Officer of NAB, Fritts launched The Fritts Group in March 2006, providing strategic counsel to various telecommunications companies.
He received the Broadcaster of the Year Award at both the New York State Broadcasters Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, and he is the past recipient of the Broadcasters Foundation’s Golden Mike and Chairman’s Award. In 2010, he was inducted into the Giants of Broadcasting’s Hall of Fame, and in 2011 he received the Distinguished Service Award from the NAB. Fritts has been inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from Radio and Records Magazine, Television Week, and The National Association of Media Brokers.
The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is bestowed annually on an individual in broadcasting whose work exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. It salutes its namesake Lowry Mays and is underwritten by The Mays Family Foundation.
The Broadcasters Foundation Breakfast is complimentary to all, thanks to the generosity of the sponsors: Frank N. Magid Associates, Marketron, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Association of Media Brokers (NAMB), Nielsen the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB). To register, please contact the Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org.
Over the years, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed millions of dollars to thousands of broadcasters and their families. Individual donations can be made to the Guardian Fund, corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be arranged through the Legacy Society. To learn more or to donate, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org or visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.
His unique voice was much in demand during the days of bigtime radio, Adams was heard on many radio programs during Radio's Golden Age. A notable recurring role was that of Pepper Young in Pepper Young's Family, which aired from 1947 to 1959. He also portrayed the deadly Nazi Atom Man in a classic 1945 serial on the radio version of The Adventures of Superman.
He is best remembered today as the newspaper boss of Lou Grant in the TV show of that name, and for his commercial voice-overs (i.e. Smuckers Jams). He died from natural causes Apr 26, 2005 at age 86. In 1932...Hall of Fame singer/guitarist Johnny Cash was born on this day in 1932. He died Sept. 12, 2003 at 71. In 1951...WMCA FM changed call letters to WHOM FM in NYC
According to NYC City FM History, the station, purchased by WHOM 1480 AM, initially featured a foreign-language format of 13 languages, including some not widely spoken ones such as Swiss-German, Carpatho-Ruthenian, Ukrainian, Russian, Turkish and Chinese.
In August 1961, WHOM-FM began a syndicated classical music format under the "Heritage" name. This continued until June 15, 1962 when WHOM-FM began simulcasting the mostly Spanish programming from WHOM-AM.
Charles Baltin, VP of WHOM, noted the many Spanish-speaking listeners moving to New York and said the "WHOM-FM signal will extend farther than the WHOM-AM signal, providing listeners with a radio service they could not otherwise obtain." The simulcast continued until 1970, when the FCC refused an extension of its permit to simulcast the AM.
The station then started broadcasting the "Romantic Sounds Of Stereo," a Latin-type beautiful music program service with Spanish and English announcers, but continued to simulcast the AM station from 5a-9a and all day Sunday.
By 1975, the station had evolved into a Pop/Rock leaning AC format, with calls of WKTU.
On July 24, 1978, WKTU abruptly switched to an "All Disco" format as "Disco 92", which eventually evolved into more of a Rhythmic CHR by the Fall of 1979.
In the summer of 1984, WKTU became a mainstream CHR.
Then, in July of 1985, after airing the Live Aid concert, the station switched to a mainstream AOR format, featuring new and classic rock as WXRK "K-Rock".
In September 1985, Howard Stern (who had been fired from WNBC earlier that year) joined the station, initially for afternoons and in early 1986 switched to mornings.
In 1987, WXRK had instituted a classic rock format and on January 5, 1996, evolved into an alternative/active rock format.
On April 4, 2005, WXRK debuted a mainstream rock format, encompassing music from the 60's to today.
Howard Stern
On December 16, 2005, Howard Stern broadcasted his last show on the station, before his anticipated move to Sirius Satellite Radio on January 9, 2006.
On January 3, 2006, 92.3 became an "all-talk" station (with the exception of weekends when it features a rock format) using the "Free FM" slogan and featuring David Lee Roth in mornings.
Calls were officially changed to WFNY on January 1.
In April 2006, David Lee Roth was replaced with Opie & Anthony.
On May 24, 2007 at 5pm, "K-Rock" returned to 92.3.
Calls were changed back to WXRK on May 31, 2007.
On March 11, 2009, 92.3 switched to a CHR format as "92.3 Now FM", with the "K-Rock" format moving to 92.3's HD2 channel.
92.3 changed calls to WNOW on November 8, 2012.
On May 22, 2014 at 2pm, 92.3 re-branded themselves as "92.3 AMP."
Calls changed to WBMP on June 23, 2014.
In 1954...Michigan rep Ruth Thompson (R) introduces legislation to ban mailing "obscene, lewd, lascivious or filthy" phonograph (rock & roll) records.
In 1955…Billboard magazine reported that 45-RPM singles were outselling 78s for the first time. The number 45 came from taking 78 and subtracting Columbia's 33 rpm. RCA introduced the first 45 on March 31, 1949. The first 45 to hit the Billboard charts was "'A'-You're Adorable" by Perry Como with the Fontane Sisters on May 7, 1949.
In 1959...comic/actor Lou Costello of the radio/TV & film comedy team Abbott & Costello, died of a heart attack at age 52.
In 1966..."These Boots are Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra peaked at Number One on the pop singles chart.
In 1970...Beatles release "Beatles Again" aka "Hey Jude" album
In 1973...WHN 1050 AM NYC changed to country music. After researching the market, Storer converted WHN to a country format in 1973. Mutual bought WHN in the late 1980s. WYNY- FM flipped to country from 1980 to 1984, hurting WHN’s ratings.
Doubleday Broadcasting bought WHN in 1985, and Emmis Communications bought it the following year. Emmis added sports talk in the evenings, keeping the country format during the day.
In 1987, Emmis announced WHN would become all-sports WFAN. When Emmis purchased NBC’s New York radio stations in 1988, the company moved WFAN from 1050 AM to 660 AM, formerly occupied WNBC.
Spanish Broadcasting System purchased the 1050 AM license and became WUKQ, a Spanish Adult Contemporary station. Spanish Broadcasting System wanted to swap 1050 AM with cash for the Jewish Daily Forward’s FM station, WEVD 97.9 FM. The deal was approved in 1989.
WEVD’s call letters and programming moved to the 1050 AM frequency. The station mainly carried a brokered format of ethnic programs, talk shows and foreign-language programming. By the mid-1990s, WEVD moved to a left-leaning news-talk format.
An agreement with ABC/Disney brought ESPN’s “The Dan Patrick Show” to WEVD in 2001. On September 2, 2001, WEVD became “1050 ESPN Radio.”
The call letters were changed to WEPN in 2003, competing directly with WFAN’s all-sports format. In 2012, WEPN’s programming moved to 98.7 FM. ESPN Deportes later moved the 1050 AM frequency.
In 1976...Jay Reynolds does last show at 77 WABC NYC almost 6-years to the date when he started.
In 1983...Michael Jackson's Thriller hit Number One on the U.S. album chart, where it stayed for 37 weeks on its way to selling more than 40 million copies worldwide.
In 2006...Radio personality Jack Lazare died
Jack Lazare
In the 1950s heyday of Big Bands, Lazare was host of the popular "Milkman's Matinee'' on WNEW in New York. His studio guests included Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman. Lazare's radio career later took him to Boston, hosting "Music 'til Dawn'' on WEEI, and ``Sounds in the Night'' and a talk show on WHDH.
Born in New York City, Lazare studied communications at the University of California at Berkeley. After serving in the Navy as a pilot, he went on to become executive producer of programming for the Voice of America, supervising 17 Southeast Asia language desks.
As an actor, Lazare was in the film ``See How She Runs,'' starring Joanne Woodward, and ``The Defection of Simas Kudirka,'' starring Alan Arkin.
The New England representative for the Screen Actors Guild of America, Lazare moved to Essex in 1985 and purchased a Meriden-based radio station, WMMW. He also worked in Farmington as program director for WRCH-WNEZ.
In 2011…Longtime Kansas City broadcaster Bill Grigsby, for 46 years the radio play-by-play voice of the National Football League's Chiefs, died after a fall while being treated for prostate cancer at age 89.
In 2013...Kelly Ford and Jesse Andy started at WNSH 94.7 FM/
In 2015…After more than a year of public debate, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission passed "net neutrality" rules, allowing the agency to prohibit Internet service providers from granting faster access to companies willing to pay extra for it. The new rules treat broadband providers as "common carriers" -- the same as utility companies that provide gas and electricity -- in which all customers have equal access to the service. As expected, the FCC commissioners voted along party lines with the three Democrats voting for the rules and the two Republicans voting against.
Ratings Increases Among Key Demographics Also Up Double Digits;
Audiences Listening Longer To Music, Sports and News/Talk Formats
CBS RADIO says its stations got off to a great start in 2016, delivering increases in audience and time spent listening, according to recently released Nielsen Audio listening estimates* for January 2016.
For the monthly ratings period, CBS RADIO stations across 25 major markets posted a nearly 5% increase in listeners Persons 12+, reaching a total audience in excess of 45 million and an increase of more than two million over the prior year.
The biggest increases in audience in the Top 10 markets were seen at KJKK-FM (Dallas, 48%), KLUV-FM (Dallas, 44%), KTWV-FM (Los Angeles, 44%), WIP-FM (Philadelphia, 32%), WIAD-FM (Washington, D.C., 31%) and WZGC-FM (Atlanta, 30%).
CBS RADIO also increased their markets’ average AQH rating by more than 15% among Persons 18-49, and nearly 14% among Persons 25-54, the most sought after advertiser demographic, as compared to the same period a year ago.
In January, a number of formats also saw increases in AQH rating among Persons 25-54, including Classic Hits, Hot AC, Country, News/Talk, and Adult Contemporary, which had the most substantial growth with a nearly 60% increase.
Additionally, Nielsen Audio data shows audiences 12+ are spending more time with CBS RADIO stations, especially among the division’s News/Talk and Adult Contemporary properties. Overall, listening has increased by nearly 10 minutes for Persons 12+ and Persons 25-54, which marks a more than 5% improvement year-over-year.
*Nielsen Audio data, Monday-Friday, 6AM-7PM (Jan. 2016 vs. Jan. 2015)
iHeartMedia, Inc. today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2015.
Fourth quarter revenues for iHeartMedia increased $45 million, or 5.2% to $899 million, the company reported Thursday morning. Excluding the impact of political revenue, billings grew 8% or $63 million. For the full year 2015, revenues increased $123 million, or 3.9%, to $3.28 billion when compared to 2014.
The company cited increases in its core radio business, both broadcast and digital, for the full year revenue growth. That includes the impact of marketing partnerships with advertisers for live events, like the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the iHeart Country Festival and Jingle Ball concert tour, along with trade and barter revenue, traffic and weather business and growth in its Premiere Networks syndication business, driven by growth in the news/talk format. The increases were partially offset by decreases in political dollars since 2015 wasn’t a congressional election year. Subtracting political from the equation, full year revenues increased $155 million, or 5%.
Bob Pittman
“We continue to be pleased with our progress in transforming the company into a multi-platform, data-rich powerhouse, with our investments driving strong operating results,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Rich Bressler
“At iHeartMedia, the fast-blurring lines between digital and broadcast radio play to our strengths, and the CRB’s new rates will encourage the growth of digital streaming and help build a sustainable digital music marketplace to benefit artists, consumers and the rest of the music industry. We are building on our traditional media sales business by partnering with agencies and clients to launch major marketing initiatives enhanced by rich data and research insights across our core broadcast, live events and other businesses. At Outdoor, we continue to move forward in aligning our Americas and International portfolios to focus on our most attractive strategic opportunities, while tapping into new programmatic and data-learning trends that our advertising partners value highly.”
“With a strong fourth quarter performance, and excluding the impact from foreign exchange rates, we showed growth in both revenue and OIBDAN in 2015 across iHeartMedia, Americas outdoor and International outdoor, despite strong headwinds in certain overseas economies,” said Rich Bressler, President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. “The strength of our operating business provides us with the flexibility to manage our capital structure in a prudent way. We continue to evaluate opportunities to strengthen our balance sheet as we focus on positioning iHeartMedia for long-term growth.”
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Apple chief Tim Cook on Wednesday said that complying with a court order to help the FBI break into an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters would be "bad for America," and set a legal precedent that would offend many Americans.
"Some things are hard, and some things are right, and some things are both - this is one of those things," Cook told ABC News in his first interview since the court order came down last week. He added that the government was asking for "the software equivalent of cancer" and that he planned to talk to President Barack Obama directly about getting the dispute "on a better path."
Later asked whether Apple would be prepared to fight this case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, Cook said, “We would be prepared to take this issue all the way.”
Apple's chief executive officer also said there should have been more dialogue with the Obama administration before the U.S. Justice Department's decision to seek relief from a federal magistrate judge in California.
"We found out about the filing from the press, and I don't think that's the way the railroad should be run, and I don't think that something so important to this country should be handled in this way," Cook said in an interview being aired on "ABC World News Tonight."
Apple has publicly said it intends to fight the court order and has until Friday to respond.
The iPhone in question was used by San Bernardino shooter Rizwan Farook, who along with his wife went on a shooting rampage in December that killed 14 and wounded 22.
The Justice Department wants Apple to help access encrypted information stored on Farook's county-owned iPhone 5C by writing software that would disable its passcode protections to allow an infinite number of guesses without erasing the data on the device.
Apple has said the request amounts to asking a company to hack its own device and would undermine digital security more broadly.
"This would be bad for America," Cook told ABC. "It would also set a precedent that I think many people in America would be offended by and when you think about those, which are knowns, compared to something that might be there, I believe we are making the right choice."
Some major tech companies have solidly sided with Apple while others have issued more muted statements on the importance of digital security. Verizon Communications Inc Chief Executive Lowell McAdam told Reuters Wednesday his company supports "the availability of strong encryption with no backdoors."
The government has repeatedly insisted its request in the iPhone case does not amount to "backdoor" access.
(Additional reporting by Malathi Nayak and Mari Saito in San Francisco)
Cherry Creek Radio president & CEO Joe Schwartz has resigned from the company he founded 12 years ago. A successor has not yet been named. Executive VP/CFO Kirk Warshaw is said to be running the small market radio company for now, with assistance from private equity firm Sankaty Advisors.
“The company now has some great financial backing and it’s time for me to move on and try some other things,” Schwartz told InsideRadio. “For 14 years, Cherry Creek has been my entire life and it’s no secret that the last 7-8 years have been tough…on the economy. It’s time for someone else to take the helm.”
Schwartz founded Cherry Creek Radio in February 2004, building its portfolio to 55 stations in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, Utah and Washington.
In July 2014, Sankaty Advisors bought Cherry Creek’s outstanding senior debt and equity from GE Capital and agreed to recapitalize the company in exchange for taking a minority stake. The $40 million recapitalization was the second piece of a puzzle that began earlier in 2014 when former debtholder Arlington Capital Partners gave Schwartz and Warshaw its equity position.
KSBJ Educational Foundation (KSBJ) and University of Houston System (UHS) announced Wednesday that they have entered into a purchase agreement for KSBJ to acquire KUHA 91.7 FM from UHS.
KUHA-FM is a 50,000 watt non-commercial station serving the Houston market area. The transaction requires Federal Communications Commission approval which is expected later this spring.
KSBJ intends to use the newly acquired signal to broadcast sister station NGEN radio, which would expand NGEN radio’s Houston-area reach with their ministry. With numerous signals throughout the Gulf Coast Region, NGEN radio has been reaching a younger generation with Christian hip-hop and pop music for over five years.
“This is a significant milestone for KSBJ. For 34 years, we have dreamed of having a full power FM station covering all of Houston that reaches young people,” says Tim McDermott, president of KSBJ. “We are so excited about having this and the impact for good it will have on our city.”
Currently KUHA-FM is licensed to the University of Houston and operates as Houston Public Media’s Classical 91.7. Last August the Board of Regents of the University of Houston approved the transition of its continuous classical music programming to all-digital distribution in recognition of the superior broadcast quality and greater efficiency of digital broadcasting.
“Our commitment to multi-platform arts and culture coverage is stronger than ever before as we are now incorporating online video and television programming in addition to classical music for the Houston community,“ said Lisa Shumate, associate vice president and general manager of Houston Public Media where broadcast operations also include News 88.7 (KUHF-FM), NPR in Houston and TV 8 (KUHT-TV) Houston PBS.
“We’re happy that the ownership of KUHA will stay in local hands with an experienced broadcaster and look forward to working with KSBJ on a smooth transition,” said Shumate.
KUHA 91.7 FM (50 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area
Shumate added that, since the announcement of the transition last year, Houston Public Media has continued broadcasting classical on KUHA-FM while educating listeners about this coming change and how they can access the all-classical digital broadcast through a variety of channels including 88.7 HD-2, Houston Public Media classical app, streaming online at Houstonpublicmedia.org, free applications like iHeartRadio and TuneIn, and via television at TV 8.5.
iHeartMedia/Austin announced Wednesday that “The Billy The Kidd Morning Show” will debut on KHFI Kiss 96.7 FM, on February 29. Anne Hudson from Country KASE 100.7 FM will co-host the show with Billy The Kidd.
They replace the syndicated Elvis Duran show that was dropped at the end of 2015.
Kidd has been with iHeartMedia for over 15 years and is currently the afternoon drive host on Dallas’ KHKS 106.1 Kiss FM. Kidd and Hudson will continue their other air responsbilities.
Kidd has also been on several other iHeartMedia stations including Z100 in New York, Channel 955 in Detroit and Mix 96.1 in San Antonio. Hudson has been a syndicated radio and Television personality out of Austin for over 15 years and is currently on mid days for KASE 101, afternoons on 103.1 iHeartAustin and was an entertainment and fashion reporter for Time Warner Cable News Austin, San Antonio & Los Angeles.
“I love Austin and have been on the air here on weekends for a while. I am beyond excited to launch our new morning show and hopefully we become part of your morning routine,” said Kidd.
“Billy is an amazing talent and I feel so honored that we get to take this journey together. We’re going to have a lot of fun,” said Hudson.
“Billy is one of the true great radio talents out there. In Dallas, he is a radio star and we believe he, along with Anne, can create some really fun and compelling content that the unique Austin radio market is looking for,” said Patrick Davis, Senior Vice President of Programming for Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Davis continued, “Anne has had tremendous success with mid days on KASE 101 and moving her to mornings on KHFI should help write the next chapter in the great history of 96.7 Kiss FM.”
KHFI 96.7 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area
The Billy The Kidd Morning Show will air weekdays from 6-10 a.m. on 96.7 Kiss FM, streaming live at 967kissfm.com and via iHeartRadio.com.
Erin Andrews called her father one Thursday night in July 2009, sobbing and screaming, "I'm naked on the Internet," Steve Andrews told a jury Wednesday during the third day of his daughter's civil trial in Nashville.
Steve Andrews testified for about an hour on the emotional impact a nude video, taken of Erin Andrews by a stalker at the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University in 2008, had on his daughter. He described Erin Andrews as a woman at the height of her career and popularity who became a woman afraid for her life, who hung blankets over her windows and grew fearful of crowds.
"She’s mad," he said. "She’s scared. She’s terrified. She’s depressed. She cries. She’s full of anxiety. She’s a very, very changed person. She’s not the girl that we used to know at all."
The Tennessean reports Erin Andrews cried quietly during the testimony, and her father at times choked on his words.
The night before Erin Andrews went back to work for ESPN in fall 2009, Steve Andrews said the FBI told them they'd arrested the stalker. Steve Andrews said he was floored and dumbfounded that the hotel staff told the stalker what room his daughter was staying in, and that the man had stood outside the room filming for 4½ minutes.
"I thought to myself, if this guy had been a killer, she’d be dead," he told the jury.
Steve Andrews vehemently denied rumors that the video was a publicity stunt. He said his daughter vomited when watching the nude video after being asked to do so by the FBI.
“Let me tell you something," he told the jury, "Erin Andrews didn’t need more attention, and she certainly didn’t want attention like that.”
Erin Andrews is suing West End Hotel Partners, the hotel owner, and Windsor Capital Group, the management company, saying they were negligent in allowing Barrett to find out where she was staying and book a room next door. Barrett, who did time in prison for stalking Andrews, is also a defendant.
