KEGL 97.1 The Freak, launched in 2022, has undergone a significant format change. The station, known for its “free-flowing” talk format, is apparently no more.
Here are the key details:
Format Shift: The station’s owner, iHeartMedia, announced a format change, leading to several firings. The frequency had previously abandoned its identity as The Eagle, which featured heavier rock music, to become 97.1 The Freak.
Legendary Voice Fired: Mike Rhyner (right), a Texas Radio Hall of Famer and co-founder of The Ticket, joined The Freak after coming out of retirement. He hosted the afternoon show called The Speakeasy. Unfortunately, he and the rest of the on-air crew were fired, including Jeff Cavanaugh and Julie Dobbs.
Flip to Rock Programming: The station will revert back to its original rock programming and adopt the Eagle branding once again. This change is set to take place on Monday, April 29.
How It Happened: The Freak aired its usual "The Downbeat" morning show with Danny Balis, Mike Sirois and Kevin Turner from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., then abruptly switched to a simulcast of WTKS-FM Orlando based “The News Junkie” instead of the regularly scheduled "The Ben & Skin Show" with Ben Rogers, Jeff "Skin" Wade, Krystina Ray and Steve Shackleford from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and "The Speakeasy" with Rhyner, Jeff Cavanaugh, Julie Dobbs and Michael "Grubes" Gruber from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
President Biden said on Friday that he would participate in a general-election debate with former President Donald J. Trump, a striking shift after months in which he and his campaign declined to commit to appearing onstage with his Republican rival.
Biden’s announcement, made in response to a question from the radio host Howard Stern on SiriusXM, comes after pressure from television networks and Trump’s campaign for the president to agree to participate in debates.
When Stern asked Mr. Biden if he would debate Trump, the president replied: “I am, somewhere, I don’t know when, but I am happy to debate him.”
Biden’s remarks appeared to be off the cuff, rather than a planned announcement of a shift in his campaign’s strategy, according to a top Democratic official familiar with its thinking. The Biden campaign directed questions on Friday about whether its stance on debates had changed to Biden’s comments on the Stern program.
On Stern's Show Friday, Biden made the following claims...
On Howard Stern's show today, Biden claimed...
- He saved 6 people from drowning as a lifeguard (Lie) - He received "salacious pictures" from women in the 70s that he handed to Secret Service (Definitely a lie and senators don't have secret service protection) - That he was… pic.twitter.com/1SKlIAT88i
This month, the five major TV news networks and The Associated Press wrote an unusual letter to the Biden and Trump campaigns urging them to debate. Some of Mr. Biden’s top aides and closest advisers have been longtime critics of the presidential debate system, which is organized by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
Journalists, politicians and entertainers will gather tonight to eat, laugh and raise money at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
President Joe Biden will attend and speak at the event, which some have jokingly dubbed “nerd prom.” “Saturday Night Live” veteran Colin Jost will be the featured entertainer.
The dinner begins at 8 p.m. Eastern at the Washington Hilton Hotel and will be televised on C-SPAN. ABC News Live, CNN and MSNBC are also airing coverage.
FOX News Channel’s Jimmy Failla will host FOX News Saturday Night from the red carpet at the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Emanating from the Washington Hilton from 9-11 PM/ET, Failla’s show will feature interviews with celebrities in attendance, as well as FOX News Media personalities attending the dinner, including White House correspondent Peter Doocy, FOX News Sunday anchor Shannon Bream and America Reports co-anchor Sandra Smith, among others. Failla will also react to President Joe Biden and host Colin Jost’s speeches during the dinner.
NY1,com reports the dinner, which began in 1921, raises money to support journalists who cover the president, provides scholarships for future reporters and educates the public about the value of a free press.
“Colin Jost knows how to make Saturday nights funny, and I am thrilled Colin will be live from the nation’s capital as the headline entertainer for this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” WHCA President Kelly O’Donnell of NBC News, who is hosting the event, said in a statement in February when the association announced Jost would be performing.
Aside from Jost and Biden, this year’s dinner guest list includes actors Rachel Brosnahan, Fran Drescher, Jon Hamm, Scarlett Johansson (who is married to Jost), Andrew McCarthy, Chris Pine, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Molly Ringwald and Hiro Sanada, as well as rapper Quavo.
Among the political figures expected to attend are Vice President Kamala Harris; first lady Jill Biden; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.; Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.
“My hope is that we can use this night overall to remind people about why a free press is so vitally important, especially in a campaign year,” O’Donnell told Deadline. “I want the night to also reflect on members. I want them to see themselves in the evening. When we gather for these White House Correspondents’ dinners, there’s always a lot of fun, a lot of energy, all of those good things. I wanted to also feel like it’s about the story of the press corps and why our work matters.”
Paramount Global is reportedly considering removing longtime CEO Bob Bakish and replacing him with a group of executives as the entertainment giant inches closer to a deal with Skydance Media.
The Wall Street Journal reports, Bakish, who has been privately critical of the company’s talks to merge with Skydance, would be replaced on an interim basis with an “Office of the CEO,” comprised of the company’s division heads.
Bob Bakish
No decision has been made about Bakish’s future, however, and he may remain in place, but the speculation comes at a pivotal time for the conglomerate, which is controlled by media heiress Shari Redstone through her family business National Amusements. Paramount — home to Showtime, CBS, MTV, movie studio Paramount Pictures, and the streaming service Paramount+ — has been hammering out details for a merger with Skydance that it hopes to finalize next month.
But Redstone and some of the board members have “soured” on Bakish, questioning whether the CEO pursued strategic opportunities for the company “aggressively enough,” including a potential sale of the Showtime channel.
Spokespeople for the Paramount Global special committee, Paramount Global, and Skydance declined to comment. Bakish, who had been viewed as Redstone’s right hand, was named CEO of Viacom in 2016. He was elevated to the top job after the daughter of the late Sumner Redstone merged the company with CBS in 2019.
Shari Redstone
Bakish’s critics pointed to Paramount’s eroding TV business, loss-making streaming business, and debt-laden balance sheet. Redstone has blamed Bakish for the company’s overall predicament and what she views as missed chances to strike sound deals.
People close to Redstone said the mogul was open to selling premium channel Showtime, home to “Billions,” “Dexter,” and “Yellowjackets,” but that Bakish turned down bids — even rejecting a $3 billion offer from former Showtime CEO David Nevins last year.
Instead, Bakish folded Showtime and its content into Paramount+. Bakish supporters beg to differ, saying that the exec put the company on the map with streaming via its Paramount+ launch, acquisition of Pluto TV (an ad-supported TV streaming service), as well as maintaining CBS’s strong industry position, among other things.
Paramount’s market value has plunged to $8.4 billion from $25.3 billion in 2019. Removing Bakish could add more chaos to an already turbulent time for Paramount as it explores the deal to merge with Skydance, run by David Ellison, son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.
According to Borrell Associates, radio’s largest operators have been witnessing a significant shift in revenue sources. As digital platforms continue to grow, the question arises: Which companies are leading the way in digital revenue?
Here are the key findings from Borrell’s 2024 Annual Benchmarking Report released this week.
The report evaluates the digital revenue contributions of publicly traded US and Canadian media companies:
Entravision: Currently, Entravision leads the pack with an impressive 84.3% of its total revenue stemming from digital channels. However, this status is under threat due to the withdrawal of Meta from a major revenue deal, which could significantly impact Entravision’s digital earnings.
Townsquare Media: Townsquare Media secures the second position among radio contenders. Digital formats accounted for 52.3% of its total 2023 revenue.
Salem Media Group: Salem Media Group finishes third, with digital contributing 42.3% of its revenue. Note that this data may have changed in the last quarter of the year, as data from its radio segment was only released through the third quarter of 2023.
iHeartMedia: iHeartMedia rounds out the top five, with digital making up 30.5% of its revenue in 2023. This figure surpasses that of its competitors Urban One, Audacy, Cumulus Media, Beasley Media Group, and Saga Communications, which have digital revenue percentages under 10%.
While newspapers lead the way with a whopping 45.5% digital share, radio continues to outperform television in this arena.
WKCR, Columbia University’s student radio station, has been playing a crucial role in covering the ongoing student protests on campus. As pro-Palestinian demonstrations continue to unfold, WKCR’s undergraduate reporters have become an essential news source, working tirelessly for up to 18 hours a day. A story in The Guardian recapped the details:
Quick Transition: On April 17, WKCR swiftly shifted its focus from music and specialized programming to breaking news. As students established a pro-Palestinian encampment on the university lawns, WKCR’s broadcasting studio became a hub of activity. Student journalists collaborated with field reporters to provide live coverage, capturing everything from police presence to performance arts clubs entertaining classmates.
Chaos and Thrills: WKCR’s live broadcasts have been as chaotic and thrilling as radio can get. During last Wednesday’s events, as NYPD officers arrested student protestors and Isra Hirsi (daughter of US Representative Ilhan Omar) faced suspension, WKCR reported directly from the encampment. The raw, unpolished dispatch conveyed the atmosphere of upheaval on campus, complete with audio gaps and hosts trying to keep up with the unfolding situation.
Dedicated Team: The station’s 19 reporters, mostly undergraduates, have been juggling their reporting duties with academic studies. Their commitment to delivering accurate news has been unwavering, even as tensions escalated during clashes between students, university administrators, and the NYPD. Columbia University’s renowned journalism school and other student publications have also contributed to comprehensive coverage from within the encampments.
The FCC has proposed a fine for KXOL in Los Angeles for failing to promptly award a contest prize. Here’s the scoop:
Contest Rules: The radio station’s contest rules stipulated that the prize should be awarded within 30 days of a winner submitting all required paperwork.
Delayed Prize: However, the station didn’t deliver the prize until over a year after the contest rules specified.
FCC’s Notice: The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued a Notice of Apparent Liability, proposing an $8,000 fine for this violation.
FCC Rule Violation: The station’s actions were deemed to violate Section 73.1216 of the FCC rules, which requires contests to be conducted “fairly and substantially as represented to the public.”
Material Term: The FCC considers “timely fulfillment of the prize” as a material term in contest rules. When violated, it constitutes a breach of the FCC rule.
Fine Considerations: The prize amount was only $396, but the FCC proposed a higher fine due to the station’s size. A $4,000 fine might be seen as a mere cost of doing business for a large company, so the FCC adjusted it upward. The FCC could have fined the station for each day the award was delayed, potentially resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
Excuses Not Accepted: The station’s excuses (including COVID lockdowns and a ransomware attack) were not credited by the FCC. The prize should have been awarded before these events occurred.
Benztown announces the release of two new episodes of Chachi Loves Everybody, an original podcast produced by Benztown and featuring Benztown President and audio brand builder Dave “Chachi” Denes. The episodes feature Chachi’s recent sit-down at the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas with Mike Hulvey, CEO, RAB, and his chat with Brad Samuel, Founder, Epic Media, from Benztown’s Los Angeles studios.
Chachi Loves Everybody takes listeners with Denes – better known as “Chachi” – as he sits down for candid conversations with radio’s legends, master brand builders, up-and-comers, and innovators in the burgeoning audio space, revealing the true stories behind their successes and their insights into building iconic brands through audio.
Chachi’s first guest is Mike Hulvey, newly appointed CEO of the RAB, who takes listeners through his journey from being awe-struck by radio broadcasts at a young age to eventually climbing the ranks of broadcast management and leadership. Mike delves into his vision for the future of radio and the significance of local content engagement. He shares highlights and lessons learned in his career, the impact of his early influences, and his passion for developing future broadcasting talent through his summer mentoring program.
Hulvey has held prominent positions in various industry organizations, including the International Broadcasters Idea Bank and the National Association of Broadcasters. An advocate for local, state, and national volunteer organizations, he is also the founder of a nationally recognized summer mentoring program for aspiring broadcasters. Before joining the RAB as President and CEO, he was CEO of Neuhoff Communications.
KUTT Ol' Red 99.5, in Fairbury, Nebraska raised over $115,000 during the Country Cares St. Jude Radiothon. This is the ninth year of the station doing the Radiothon.
“Just us giving a lot of information about how great the hospital is, how great the research that is happening at St. Jude,” said Trevor Steinmeyer, Station Manager.
The radio station had increased its total donation count over the years but this one was the biggest.
“Last year, we got to $95,000 so this year, our goal was to get over that 100,000 mark for the kids of St. Jude and we were able to do it, $115,000 and some change,” Steinmeyer said. “When we released the final number of the total, we all just went crazy. Lots of screaming in the control room.”
For two days, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., they were on the air, with stories from kids and families who are and have been at St. Jude.
Steinmeyer said the community really came out to support.
“As a small rural station, raising over $100,000 is amazing,” Steinmeyer said. “It really shows how much our listeners really connect with us and really go to bat for us when we’re trying to do something. And we had little kids coming in. We had a little kid do a lemonade stand and raise money. We had four little girls that had sold freezer meals and hot chocolate bombs. We had a kid bring in his piggy bank and his allowance.”
Steinmeyer said they got the most sponsors and walk in donations they have ever had.
“I can’t imagine what those guys are going through,” Steinmeyer said. “Us giving up 12 hours out of two days is nothing compared to what they’re doing.”
Beasley Media Group’s Southwest Florida Radio Stations joined forces with Children’s Miracle Network to shine a spotlight on Golisano Children’s Hospital and raise crucial funds for pediatric healthcare. The event took place from 6:00AM – 6:00PM on Thursday, April 4th from the heart of Golisano Children’s Hospital, located at 9981 South Health Park Drive, Fort Myers, Florida.
Beasley Media Group’s WXKB (B103.9), WRXK (96K-Rock), WJPT (Sunny 106.3), and WBCN (ESPN SWFL) all came together to broadcast live on site. Listeners were encouraged to lend their support through various channels, including a dedicated call center, text line, and online donations via Children’s Miracle Network.
The event was sponsored by Cape Coral Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Gavin’s Ace Hardware, The Good Feet Store, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Extreme Companies of Florida, Pi Local Pizza, Absolute Law, and Accurate Pavers.
“We have an amazing team, and I am grateful to work with them,” said Vice President and Market Manager AJ Lurie. “I am grateful to everyone who made this event a success. We are proud to partner with Children’s Miracle Network and Golisano Children’s Hospital. Thank You to each person who donated and every sponsor who supported our efforts.”
The radio stations raised over $50,066.00 in 12 hours. Proceeds from the event will be used to support Golisano Children’s Hospital, ensuring that children in Southwest Florida receive the care they deserve.
➦In 1791...Samuel Morse was born Samuel Finley Breese Morse (Died – April 2, 1872). He was an American painter and inventor.
After having established his reputation as a portrait painter, in his middle age Morse contributed to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs. He was a co-developer of the Morse code, and helped to develop the commercial use of telegraphy.
In 1825 New York City had commissioned Morse to paint a portrait of Lafayette in Washington, DC. While Morse was painting, a horse messenger delivered a letter from his father that read, "Your dear wife is convalescent".
The next day he received a letter from his father detailing his wife's sudden death. Morse immediately left Washington for his home at New Haven. By the time he arrived, his wife had already been buried. Heartbroken that for days he was unaware of his wife's failing health and her death, he decided to explore a means of rapid long distance communication.
While returning by ship from Europe in 1832, Morse encountered Charles Thomas Jackson of Boston, a man who was well schooled in electromagnetism. Witnessing various experiments with Jackson's electromagnet, Morse developed the concept of a single-wire telegraph. The original Morse telegraph, submitted with his patent application, is part of the collections of the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution. In time the Morse code, which he developed, would become the primary language of telegraphy in the world. It is still the standard for rhythmic transmission of data.
➦In 1927..In Pacific Coast Biscuit Company launched KPCB in 1927 from Seattle. Queen City Broadcasting took over the station in 1935, changing the call letters to the KIRO. The station boosted its signal to 1,000 watts in 1937, and CBS soon moved its Seattle affiliation to KIRO. On June 29, 1941, KIRO's new 50,000-Watt transmitter on Maury Island became operational.
During the radio’s golden age in the 1940s and 1950s, KIRO recorded countless hours of CBS programming for time-delayed broadcast. Many of these discs are the only extant recordings of CBS’ news coverage of World War 2, according to Faded Signals.
Bonneville International purchased KIRO-AM-FM-TV in 1964. By this time, KIRO-AM was carrying a full-service format of news, talk and middle-of-the-road music. In 1973, it dropped CBS and affiliated with Mutual. The station became “KIRO Newsradio 71” in 1974, replacing most music programming with news and talk. The station spent the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s at the top of Seattle’s radio ratings.
On August 12, 2008, KIRO began simulcasting their programming on sister station KBSG-FM, which dropped their long-running classic hits format. This began the transition of KIRO Newsradio from AM to FM. To complete the transition, KIRO switched to a sports radio format (as 710 ESPN Seattle) on April 1, 2009, and began carrying Seattle Mariners games, beginning in the 2009 season. KIRO also simulcasts the Seattle Seahawks games with KIRO-FM, and has extensive team-related programming throughout the year. KIRO-FM continues the news/talk format.
Bonneville sold KIRO-TV to Belo in 1995 and then sold KIRO-AM-FM to Entercom. Bonneville bought back the stations in 2007.
➦In 1932...Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem born in Detroit (Died at age 82 – June 15, 2014). He was the host of several music radio countdown programs, notably American Top 40 from 1970 until his retirement in 2009. He also provided the voice of Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in the Scooby-Doo franchise from 1969 to 1997, and again from 2002 until 2009.
Paramount Global and Skydance Media are reportedly making significant strides toward a merger. The two media companies are actively working on a deal that would not only combine their forces but also involve the buyout of controlling shareholder Shari Redstone.
Here are the key details:
Valuation and Equity: Paramount Global’s special committee, along with David Ellison’s Skydance Media (supported by private equity firms KKR and RedBird Capital Partners), is currently focused on determining the value of Skydance’s assets as part of the merger. Additionally, discussions are underway regarding how much equity to inject into the company through recapitalization.
Agreement on Value: The sides are close to agreeing on a value for Skydance. The entertainment company is expected to be valued at approximately $5 billion and will merge with Paramount Global. To facilitate this, Ellison and the private equity firms plan to raise approximately $4.5 billion to $5 billion in new equity.
YouTube, the Google-owned video giant, continues to dominate the advertising landscape. In the first quarter of 2024, YouTube’s ad sales reached an impressive $8.1 billion, marking its highest Q1 total to date. This figure represents a 21% year-over-year increase in ad revenue. Notably, this amount doesn’t even include subscription revenue generated by YouTube.
Alphabet, YouTube’s parent company, reported overall revenue of $80.54 billion, a significant 15% growth, and net income of $23.66 billion (up 57%). These robust results exceeded Wall Street expectations, driving Alphabet’s stock up by 12% in after-hours trading.
YouTube creation has also seen a lift. “In 2023, more people created content on YouTube than ever before,” Phillip Schindler, chief business officer for Google, said on Alphabet’s earnings call.
Additionally, its YouTube Partner Program has paid out “more than any other creator monetization platform,” Schindler said. In the past three years, the creator monetization platform has paid over $70 billion to creators, artists and media companies.
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