The Saturday Aircheck

Super CFL, WCFL Chicago!

The WCFL-WLS Chicago AM ratings war intensified in the early 70's and lasted until 1975. Both stations in the late 1960's and early 1970's had the highest ratings of any station.

Lew Witz was Sales Manager in the late 1960's, replaced Ken Draper as Program Director in 1972. He 'pirated' Super Jock Larry Lujack away from WLS.

In 1972, WCFL aired it's public service programs between 1 am and 5 am so they didn't lose their listeners to WLS.

In the month of October 1973, a different approach to news was introduced. WCFL targeted a younger audience. Listeners called to voice their views from Vietnam to personal interests. They called it "Young Chicago" and "The Comment Line'. These clips can be heard on the WCFL Air Composite (Part 2).

On August 8, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon became the first president to resign as president. Super CFL chose not to broadcast the event live but continued playing Top 40.

WCFL Composite 1971-1976, click here.

Last Week: Part One WCFL Composite 1966-1971, click here to listen.

Merlin Mixes The Music on 101.9 FM NYC

Around 5p Friday, the old 101.9 FM WRXP was relegated to an on-line only feed  and Merlin Media began the transition to a possible new format for the on-air FM signal.

The last song on the old WRXP was "Long Live Rock" by The Who, followed by a legal ID:

                                "WRXP. WRXP-HD, New York. 101.9 FM... New."

The ID was voiced by three different females.  Then, the new 101.9 FM started airing music with an occasional jingle with a female voice stating:  "101.9 FM...NEW".  They also aired some "women in the street" type interview drops.  Showbiz news, fashion & family seem to be the focus.

Here's the Mediabase log on the music switched-over:

5:38P Survivor                Eye Of The Tiger
5:29  Nickelback             How You Remind Me
5:26  John Mellencamp   Small Town
5:22  Train                       Drops of Jupiter
5:17  Journey                  Separate Ways
5:14  Bon Jovi                 Livin' On A Prayer
5:09  Rick Springfield      Jessie's Girl
5:05  Goo Goo Dolls        Give a Little Bit
5:02  Kid Rock                All Summer Long
4:57  The Who                 Long Live Rock
4:53  Foo Fighters           Times Like These
4:49  Ramones                Do You Remember
4:37  Muse                      Time Is Running Out

 In case you missed it, here's the final break on WRXP Thursday night.




The final moments of Q101 on-air:

RIP: Songwriter Jerry Ragavoy 1930 -- 2011

Wrote 'Piece Of My Heart', 'Time Is Ony My Side', 'Cry Baby'

From  David Hinckley, nydailynews.com

Jerry Ragavoy, who wrote Janis Joplin’s signature hit “Piece of My Heart” as well as “Cry Baby” and “Time Is On My Side,” died Wednesday from complications of a stroke. He was 80.

Known as a friendly man who always had a story to tell, Ragavoy was a key player in the New York music business for several decades starting in the early 1960s. His songs were recorded by Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, the Dave Clark Five, Barry White, B.B. King, the Yardbirds, Bette Midler, Faith Hill and dozens of others.

Besides songwriting, he founded and ran the famed Hit Factory studio.

His first chart hit of the 1960s was “A Wonderful Dream,” recorded by the Majors.

“Cry Baby,” an intense gospel-drenched song Ragavoy cowrite with Bert Berns, was recorded by Garnett Mimms and the Enchanters and reached the top five.

“Time is On My Side,” written for jazz trombonist Kai Winding and later recorded by Irma Thomas, was then picked up by the Rolling Stones and became their first U.S. top-10 hit.

“Piece of My Heart” was recorded by Erma Franklin before Joplin heard it and turned it into her biggest hit.

Read More.

Less Likely Merlin Is Doing All-News

Randy Michaels: "We Won't Be All-News..."

From Robert Channick, The Chicago Tribune

Several major AM news/talk stations have broadened their audiences in recent years with an FM simulcast. In 2008, KCBS-AM in San Francisco began simulcasting its news format on a CBS-owned FM. The combined stations currently rank second in the market.

News/talk station WSB-AM in Atlanta began simulcasting on FM last August and saw overall listenership grow by 44 percent.... In the key 25 to 54 demographic, which is most attractive to advertisers, the simulcast format moved up from sixth to second in the market over the same time frame, according to Pete Spriggs, the station's program director.

"When you go to FM, you're really going to where all the traffic is," Spriggs said. "You have the ability to pick up the people that don't even know you exist. It's a brand new product for those people, especially under the age of 40."

With Merlin set to take over operations at its three new stations Friday, the disc jockeys at Q101 said their goodbyes on-air Thursday.... The station is expected to "stunt" beginning Friday — a transitional musical format — before rolling out the new permanent format.

While not confirming specifics for WKQX, Michaels conceded a head start to WBBM in any FM news/talk competition.

"I can tell you that we won't be going all news on August 1st," Michaels said in an email Thursday.

If WKQX does go news/talk, some industry analysts think the format will sound very different from WBBM.

"I think Merlin's version of all-news could be something very different," said talk radio consultant Randall Bloomquist. "It may be much more personality-oriented, and it will probably aim youner."

Read More.

Tom Taylor at Radio-info.com hears one agency rep in NYC is being told that WRXP will be all-news in morning drive and then talk after that, with a strong news component - and leaning younger than CBS Radio's all-news "1010 WINS" and WCBS-AM (880).

Cincy: Country B105.1 Ties WLW For #1

In terms of radio news, this is The Big One:  Country station B105.1 FM WUBE has tied 700 AM WLW  in the June ratings, ending WLW’s 10-1/2 year streak of being the only #1 radio station in town.

According to John Kiesewtter's TV & Media Blog at cincinnati.com, WLW-AM has been the sole #1  since the fall 1999 diary ratings. (Aribtron switched to Portable People Meters, and from quarterly to monthly reports, in January 2010).

B105 hasn’t been #1 since the winter quarter of 1998.

Arbitron says that both WLW-AM and WUBE-FM had a 9.7% audience share in June. B105 had closed the gap in May, with a 8.8% audience share, while “the Big One” had dropped in May to an 11% audience share from a peak this year of 12.3% in April (when the Reds season started).

Read More.

In NYC: Automated Music Currently On 101.9 FM

According to reports, after the 12 midnight station ID on 101.9 WRXP, automated music continued to play on-air as the RXP format (minus air talent) moved on-line, listen here.

As for the new 101.9 FM, they are said to be also airing automated music. However, there apparently is no listen line available for general use. The www.1019wyny.com registered by Merlin Media via GoDaddy is still not a working website.

That may change today...Stay tuned.

Q101 To Live On...As iNet Station

This notice is posted on the Q101 Website; however Thursday was still a rough day for Chicago's alternative music fans, according to a story by Ryan Haggerty, The Chicago Tribune.

The city's only major alternative rock station, Q101 101.1 FM WKQX, is expected to switch to a news/talk format soon after new owners take over Friday. Disc jockeys at the nearly 20-year-old station spent Thursday saying goodbye to their listeners, while many of those listeners took to the Internet to lament their loss.

"Thank you for helping me thru so much in life," Q101 listener Amy Reinhart, 29, of Crest Hill, tweeted Thursday. "I feel as if I'm losing the soundtrack to my life and youth today."

It was no easier for the station's staff.

Christine Pawlak, the station's midday host known to listeners as "Electra," struggled to hold back tears as she signed off for the last time Thursday. "This has been more than a job for me," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "This has been my life for the past six years."

James VanOsdol, a former DJ at Q101, said the station's demise shouldn't have come as a surprise. The alternative rocker, along with Chicago classic rock station The Loop (WLUP-FM 97.9) and a New York station, were sold last month to Merlin Media, a new venture headed by Randy Michaels, former chief executive of Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune.

Read More.

“WBBM Newsradio 780 and now on 105.9 FM.”

Starting August 1st

After announcing the FM simulcast in a staff meeting just before noon Thursday, Rod Zimmerman, CBS Radio Chicago’s senior vice president and market manager filled in the blanks in a conversation with Robert Feder at timeoutchicago.com:

Q. When the simulcast starts, what are you doing with the WCFS call letters?
A. Keeping them the same. The call letters really aren’t an issue anymore in how the ratings are gathered. It’s all measured electronically now, so call letters don’t mean anything.

Q. How about the on-air slogan?
A. We will identify ourselves as “WBBM Newsradio 780 and now on 105.9 FM.” After a period of time, the “now on” will go away and it will just be: “WBBM Newsradio 780 and 105.9.”

Q. Why wait until August 1? Couldn't you flip the switch now?
A. There’s still some preparation that needs to take place in the next couple weeks from an administrative, contract and production standpoint. We want to be sure we’re 100 percent ready when we put it on the FM signal. Advertising and revenue always plays into the equation, too, so there’s a combination of factors. We just felt Monday, August 1st, is a clean date to make the flip.

Q. Are you planning any changes to the current on-air product?
A. It will be the WBBM Newsradio format everyone’s familiar with. No changes — other than we’re always looking to upgrade the sound and the production elements from a quality standpoint. Traffic and weather together on the eights, sports at :15 and :45, CBS News at the top of the hour, business at :25 and :55, will all remain the same.

Q. So it’ll be a 100 percent simulcast — even during Bears broadcasts?
A. One hundred percent. You have to do that to get single-line reporting in Arbitron, which is what we want.

Read More.

New Live Country Music Site Launched

United Stations Radio Networks, Inc. have launched a website dedicated exclusively to coverage of live Country music at www.countrymusicontheroad.com.

The most significant unique offering of the website is a full-time, internet-only radio station that is 100% programmed with live Country music recordings from some of the biggest stars of the genre, and those concert performances come from an exclusive archive maintained by United Stations primarily for its nationally distributed live music show, The Road.

Other features of the website will be concert tour schedules, Country Music news, Twitter feeds from the artists, concert photos and the ability for the public to purchase recorded music and concert tickets via the sites merchandise links. The announcement of this new digital presence for USRN comes from the company's Chairman/CEO Nick Verbitsky in the network's New York headquarters.

The concept for the website was born out of a desire by United Stations to give more exposure to its library of exclusive Country concert recordings gathered for The Road, a weekly 2-hour radio show now in its eighteenth year on the air.

WBNL Keeps Its Focus On The Community

From Bailey Loosemore, courierpress,com

1450 AM WBNL, your hometown radio station, has brought music to Boonville since Jack Sanders and Norman Hall built the station in 1950. They began with a 250-Watt Gates Transmitter, a 195-foot tower and a building big enough to fit their minimal equipment and nothing else.

In the late 1960s, Hall and Sanders added an FM station, 107.1, that has since been bought by John Patrick Englebrecht and turned into Evansville's Jack FM. Englebrecht originally bought both the AM and FM frequencies in 2000 but sold the AM frequency to Turpen a year later.

According to the station's website, Turpen brought with him upgraded programming and music as well as equipment and sound quality.

"Other engineers marvel at our sound quality on AM," Turpen said, "and I'm pretty proud of that. It has a full, nice, crisp sound to it."

Turpen has been in the radio business for more than 50 years, with his first job at WEOA in the YMCA building downtown. He then worked at various other stations before taking a job at WIKY for 11 years.

After WIKY, he accepted a job at Alcoa for 25 years, continuing to service other radio stations and managing WVHI at the same time. In 2000, he retired from Alcoa and managed WBNL before buying it in 2001.

"It was my personal goal to own and operate a popular radio station," Turpen said.

And in the Boonville community, WBNL is as popular as they come.

"The community has taken to our programming very well," Turpen said. "If we're not on the air, they call. They want to know why."

WBNL targets women who are 25 or older, Turpen said.

Read More.

Social Media Tips From Traditional Media Talent

Jamieson Brown, on air personality and marketing consultant for 96.5 CKFM and ROCK 104 in Olds, Alberta uses social media tools Twitter and Facebook to connect with listeners.

In this video Jamieson talks about the value of social media brings to traditional media in following breaking news. Using Twitter and Facebook he can reach out to listeners and keep them posted on the local sports stories he is working on.

Summer Sounds: Radio Jingles

Lee Warner grew up moving town to town, and his memory of summer was always linked to the radio stations in the new locale. He offers this contribution to the NPR series Summer Sounds.

WBBM To Simulcast 105.9 FM In Chicago

It is now confirmed 105.9 FM WCFS will soon be dropping its "Fresh" format.  The word was delivered to CBS Radio personnel at noon today that All-News 780 WBBM will start simulcasting on the 105.9 FM.

As of 2pm The Fresh website is still active.

The move is as pro-active tactical move by CBS Radio to protect WBBM from an expected threat posed by Merlin Media's takeover of 101.1 FM WKQX.   Pending a sale okay from the FCC, Merlin is expected to execute an LMA agreement tomorrow.  Merlin would take-over 101.1 FM's programming and sales operations Friday.  Stunting is expected and no start date an an expected News format has been confirmed.

WBBM, which has been broadcasting its all-news format since 1968, is the top-ranked and top-billing station in Chicago.

"WBBM Newsradio has built a flawless reputation and is a name well-known by millions of listeners in the Chicago area," says CBS/Chicago SVP/Market Manager Rod Zimmerman.

"Offering listeners an AM and FM option to interact with our stations has been a winning strategy for CBS Radio in major markets such as San Francisco and Detroit."

"The upside for the consumer, and the advertisers who want to reach them, is enormous, and we strongly believe this move will prove successful in the future," he said.

UPDATE:

The simulcast, which starts Aug. 1.  The Sun-Times notes it  should be easiers to hear WBBM on 105.9 FM in downtown Chicago, where AM signal can be marred by tall buildings.

Jocks  at 101.1 FM spent the day Thursday saying good bye to listeners. The station will be without DJs as of Friday morning, and there has been no official word what the new format will be.

Background:

Larz at chicagoradioandmedia.com

CBS Radio Chicago executives had been pushing to simulcast WBBM-AM on WCFS-FM since early last year. Their requests, no matter how logical and financially sound, were solidly turned down by CBS Radio's corporate offices in New York. The "Fresh" brand was one they did not wish to lose in Market #3, as they were hoping to franchise the brand & format in other markets nationwide. The years of losses, coupled with the knowledge of new competition in the shape of a news-oriented station coming to 101.1 FM, finally convinced CBS bosses in New York to let go of Chicago's "Fresh." According to some in the know, Dan Mason CBS Radio's President and Chief Executive Officer, personally looked over the pros and cons and finally gave his agreement on the station flip earlier this week.

Boston's WXKS-FM, Matty Do 5-Year Deal

boston.com photo

Clear Channel Radio’s Kiss 108 FM, Boston’s Hit Music Station, announced today that Matt Siegel signed a five year extension to his contract, effective immediately. Siegel hosts the “Matty in the Morning” show on Kiss 108 FM.

“Matty’s record speaks for itself. He’s an incredible talent,” said Tom Schurr, Executive Vice President Eastern Region, Clear Channel Radio. “We are extremely proud that he’s on our team.”

Early this year Siegel celebrated his 30th anniversary with Kiss 108 FM. Siegel has been recognized nationally by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in 2001 and 2009 when he received the Marconi Award’s Major Market Radio Personality of the Year award.

“Matty is a great story teller, plain and simple,” said Dylan Sprague, Operations Manager, Clear Channel Radio’s Kiss 108 FM. “His ability to entertain and engage Kiss listeners of all ages is evident in his ratings domination.”

“Matty in the Morning” has been Boston’s leading morning show for 30 years. According to the spring book Arbitron numbers Siegel was rated No. 1 with people age 25-54. This marks his eleventh straight month at No. 1 with adults 25-54. He was also rated No. 1 with people age 18-49, women 18-34, women 18-49 and women 25-54. Siegel has been No. 1 with women 18-49 every month since Portable People Meter’s (PPM) measurement began in Boston.

“I have had the privilege of working with Matt for most of my career,” said Mary Menna, President and Market Manager, Clear Channel Radio Boston/Providence. “He is the consummate professional, a truly exceptional talent, and has been the cornerstone of the Kiss 108 brand for 30 years.”

“Matty in the Morning” consistently delivers raw interviews and endless comedy to loyal listeners. Siegel along with his crew, Billy Costa and Lisa Donovan, have a fan base unlike any other. His never-ending charm and appeal has made him No. 1 in ratings with women for three decades. Siegel’s anecdotes and frank personality make any worker’s commute more enjoyable.

"I love this gig,” said Siegel. “I would have done it for free, but I’ll keep the money just the same.”

Day 2 Of PPMs June Rollout

Detroit    (All Shares 6+ Total Week)

Detroit's Gone Country!

1 Country WYCD        5.5--5.7--6.4
2 Sports WXYTf          6.3--6.8--6.3
3 Classic Hits WOMC  5.7--6.2--5.9
4 Classic Rock WCSX 6.1--5.7--5.6
5 News WWJ              5.2--5.4--5.0

Biggest Jump: CHR WDZH   3.1--4.3
Biggest Drop:  N/T WJR        4.6--4.0
              RhyAC WDTW      3.1--2.5  


Boston     KISS back to double digits

Gained full share 6+

1 CHR WXKS-f   10.2--9.5--10.3
2 RhyCHR WJMN  7.2--7.1-- 6.9
3 Country WKLB    6.2--6.1-- 6.4
4 N/T WBZ-a         6.1--6.4-- 6.2
5 AC WMJX          5.9--6.1-- 5.4

Sports Battle:
  WBZ-f    3.4--4.2--5.2
  WEEI     4.0--3.6--3.9

Classic Hits Battle:
  WODS     4.8--5.0--5.1
  WROR     4.0--4.2--4.8

N/T, Talk Battle:
  WBZ        6.1--6.4--6.2
  WBUR-f   3.1--3.3--3.3
  WTKK     1.8--2.1--1.8
  WRKO     1.9--1.9--1.8
  WGBH      1.5--1.4--1.1
  WXKS-a   0.4--0.6--0.5

Biggest Jump:  WBZ-f   4.2--5.2
Biggest Drop:  WMJX   6.1--5.4


Washington, DC  WTOP is Down, but still #1

Meg Stevens should be happy

1  News WTOP-f    9.8--9.8--9.2
2  CHR  WIHT        5.9--6.4--6.4
3  Country WMZQ  5.0--4.9--5.9
4  N/T WAMU        5.6--5.8--5.7
5  AC WASH         6.1--5.4--5.4

Urban Battle
   WHUR-f   4.9--5.5--5.2
   WMMJ     4.8--4.7--4.1
   WPGC     3.5--3.5--4.0
   WPRS-f    3.2--3.4--3.9
   WKYS      3.6--3.2--3.7

Biggest Jump:  WMZQ  4.9--5.9
Biggest Drop:   WTOP   9.8--9.2
                       WMMJ  4.7--4.1


Tampa      New #1, but for how long?

Country WFUS Jumps

1  CHR WFLZ             7.4--7.5--7.6
2  SoftAC WDUV        9.9--8.9--7.4
3  N/T WFLA              5.6--6.1--5.9
4  Country WFUS        4.4--4.4--5.6
5  Classic Hits WRBQf 5.1--5.4--5.5
5  AC WWRM             5.1--5.1--5.5
7  Classic Hits WXGL  4.6--5.8--5.1

'80s hits WPOI Last     3.5--3.3--4.0
Note: Cox' WPOI is challenging CC's
Heritage  WFLZ for the CHR crown.

Biggest Jump  WFUS   4.4--5.6
Biggest Drop  WDUV  8.9--7.4

"Scrubs" Makes A Career Move to St. Louis

wife, Molly, and daughter, Caroline

After nearly four and a half years on the radio in West Michigan, Steve “Scrubs” Stewart is moving on.
According to a story by Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk at mlive.com, The host of “Scrubs in the Morning,” which airs on Thunder Country 94.5 in Grand Rapids, is moving to the “Show Me” state to become program director for two Clear Channel stations in St. Louis.

Stewart has been named program director of 93.7 FM KSD “The Bull,” which has a new country format similar to 94.5 FM WTNR in Grand Rapids/Holland, owned by Citadel Broadcasting.

“Steve brings an appreciation for what great on-air personalities can do in a positive environment,” said Jeff McHugh, operations manager at Clear Channel Radio St. Louis. “Steve is able to infuse the vibe of a radio station with passion, excitement and fun. Our whole programming staff was very involved in hiring him, and we’re thrilled with our choice.”

Beginning Aug. 1 Stewart also will also be program director in St. Louis for 103.3 FM KLOU, which plays hits from the 1960s and 70s.

Read More.

Chicago: Q101 Sez Good-Bye Tonight

From Larz, chicagoradioandmedia.com:

One of the biggest losses coming from the end of Q101 is the loss of "Local 101." Chris Payne has brilliantly hosted the program on 101.1 FM WKQX since November 1998.  Through many years, "Local 101" has consistently been the premiere local alternative rock program. With radio becoming more and more nationalized, local music programs have become almost extinction on Chicago's radio airwaves.

The final "Local 101," which will also be the very final show of Q101's existence, begins at 11:00pm on Thursday, ending one hour later at Midnight. It will be up to Chris Payne to say the last good-byes of the station. Payne, who also happens to be an entertainment lawyer during the week, is very well-spoken and should deliver the last words with class and grace.

All throughout the day on Thursday, the entire on air staff will be saying their farewells to fans and playing favorite songs, many of which have not been heard on the station for a very long time, due to restrictive, and sometimes frustrating, programming over the last few years by the station's soon-to-be former owner, Emmis Communications. There will be special guests and bittersweet "thank yous" happening throughout the day Thursday.

Gone after Thursday will be Q101 DJs Brian Sherman, Steve Tingle, Christine "Electra" Pawlak, Tim Virgin, Tim Pogo, Chris "Payne" Miller and other weekenders. Most Q101 staffers are also exiting the station this week.

Read More.

Tweets Tweaked Casey Anthony Defense Strategy

A consultant for Casey Anthony's attorneys analyzed more than 40,000 highly-charged opinions — negative and positive — on social media sites and blogs, and used them to help the defense craft their trial strategy, according to a story by Walter Pacheco at The Orlando Sentinel.

Whether it worked or not is difficult to gauge, but a jury last week found Casey Anthony not guilty of murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee Marie.

"When bloggers and others in social media sites started to attack George Anthony about his alleged mistress, the defense team beefed up their questions against him," said Fort Lauderdale-based consultant Amy Singer. "None of the bloggers ever changed their minds about him."

According to Pacheco, The innovative pro-bono tactic by Singer shows how social media sites like Facebook and Twitter could revolutionize the way lawyers defend their clients, especially in highly-publicized cases like the Casey Anthony murder trial.

Every day of the trial, Singer and her revolving team of at least five people scanned thousands of tweets, Facebook posts and messages from bloggers.

They read through tweets on WFTV.com, Orlando Sentinel's @OSCaseyAnthony Twitter feed and other local media sites, gauging opinions about defense and state attorneys, witness testimonies, evidence and especially the focal point of the trial — Casey Anthony.

Read More.

LA Radio Gearing Up To Cover Freeway Closure

The major radio stations are revving their engines awaiting the green flag to begin what could be non-stop coverage the weekend of July 15-18 when the 405 Freeway shuts down in the Sepulveda Pass, according to a story by Gary Lycan at ocregister.com.

Starting as early as 7 p.m. on that Friday, ramps along a 10-mile stretch between the 10 and the 101 will begin to close. By 10 p.m., 405 freeway lanes will start closing. And by midnight, this stretch of the 405 will be closed entirely for three nights and 53 hours. The closure is scheduled to continue until 5 a.m. Monday (July 18).

This gives a whole new meaning to "morning drive" radio.

Some of you reading this may have memories of Y2K when we all went into overdrive fearing the "Millennium Bug" would devour computer systems worldwide. Could this be another example of the hype over the worries far exceeding the actual impact?

No one really knows, but KFI/640 AM, KNX/1070 AM, KABC/790 AM, and two local services – Metro Traffic and Total Traffic Network – have spent weeks mapping plans for special coverage.

For the radio guide at a glance, click here.

Scorsese's George Harrison Doc To Air on HBO

Beatles fans can look forward to a special treat in October.

According to a story by Joe Gracely at nydailynews.com, Martin Scorcese's George Harrison documentary, "George Harrison: Living in the Material World," has been acquired by HBO to air as a two-part special October 5 and 6.

The network promises a film that will take "viewers on the musical and spiritual voyage that was George Harrison's life" - from Liverpool lad to Beatle to the philanthropy and filmmaking of his later life - all through much of his own words and never-before-seen home videos and photographs.

"From rock'n'roll icon to moviemaker, to spiritual seeker and humanitarian, George Harrison was a true renaissance man," HBO Programming president Michael Lombardo said Wednesday in a statement. "This amazing film will illuminate every aspect of Harrison's remarkable, multifaceted life.”

Industry giants and friends Eric Clapton, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, George Martin, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Tom Petty, Phil Spector, Ringo Starr, and Jackie Stewart are all on hand to lend their voices and insight into Harrison's life.

Read More.

'Jersey Guy' Feud With State Police Resurfaces

Four years after a State Police union leader, David Jones, tangled with radio talk show host Craig Carton, the sizzle has long gone out of the feud. Yet the labor dispute it spawned lives on, according to a story by Chris Megerin at nj.com.

Jones faced a five-day suspension for bringing personal information about Carton to a news conference after the shock jock criticized troopers on his New Jersey 101.5 FM WKXW radio show. But Jones never served the suspension, and he filed a labor complaint saying the state was trying to silence him.

The labor dispute stems from a 2007 feud between Jones, the outspoken president of the State Troopers Fraternal Association, and Carton, an acerbic radio talker who was one of two “Jersey Guys” on 101.5 known for their irreverence.

Carton and his co-host, Ray Rossi, accused the State Police of planning a “ticket blitz” to harass motorists. Enraged, Jones called a news conference at the Statehouse to denounce the accusation as false. He brought a piece of paper with Carton’s home address and other personal information.

“I’m going to make sure everybody knows who they are, where they live and what they do,” said Jones, threatening to disclose more information about the Jersey Guys and station executives.

Jones halted his campaign at the request of State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes. But the state attorney general at the time, Stuart Rabner, said Jones’ actions were inappropriate and undermined the State Police.
“(Jones) created an inappropriate perception that law enforcement would harass a citizen whom they have a grievance against,” Rabner wrote in a letter.

The complaint, not yet closed.  The state and the union indicated early on that the dispute could be settled amicably.

Carton is now morning co-host on 660 AM WFAN NYC.

Read More.

Buffalo: WECK-AM Dropping Talk, Adding Music

Two more talkers lose jobs

The purge at 1230 AM WECK continues as two more on-air personalities lost their jobs in a format switch that spells the end for talk radio on the locally owned, independent station, according to former employees.

"[Station owner Dick Greene] offered me a chance to stay in a different position," said Nick Mendola told Jane Kwiatkowski at buffalonews.com,  "They didn't want me to do talk anymore. They wanted me to stay on in sales."  His talk show aired from noon to 3 p.m. daily.

Program director Brad Riter, host of a sports talk show from 3 to 6 p.m. daily, was told Tuesday his position was terminated because of the format change. Riter, 36, had been a vocal crusader for WECK's talk radio format, predicting an intensifying effort to compete against 930 AM WBEN.

"They're changing their format," said Riter, whose show has been replaced by a Fox Sports network program. "They're starting to play music. Talk radio was not cost-effective. It was not working financially."
The new music format, according to unnamed sources familiar with the station, will consist of a hybrid of genres and include artists as varied as Frank Sinatra and Coldplay.

Sources also said the station Greene purchased three years ago now would be called "The Breeze."

Greene has been in the broadcast business for 40 years and has owned Lockport's 1340 AM WLVL for 30 years. He declined to comment.

In addition, two more WECK staffers -- a sales executive and a part-time producer -- were let go this week, according to Riter. The departures of the station's local on-air talent began in May, when Bill O'Loughlin resigned from his 9 a.m.-to-noon show. "Good Morning Buffalo" host Loraine O'Donnell was fired shortly afterward.

Read More.

Using Twitter And Flickr To Map The World

From Shea Bennett, All Twitter blog at mediabistro.com:

Sometimes it’s very easy to forget just how quickly the world changes, particularly with the all-conquering innovations that develop on the internet.

After all, it’s just five years ago that Twitter first opened its doors to an unassuming public, and nobody could have begun to imagine the impact that the network would make around the globe – culture to culture, person to person – in such a short space of time.

These incredible maps, created by Eric Fischer, use geolocation to show how both Twitter and photo-sharing service Flickr are spreading across the planet.

The locations of tweets are detailed in blue, while those from Flickr are in red/orange. White dots show locations that have been posted to both.

Here’s the world:

Here’s America:

Read More.

Ryan Seacrest Gets Demi Lovato To Open Up

After a stint in rehab earlier this year for an eating disorder, the 18-year-old released her new single, "Skyscraper," Tuesday on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest."

The track, about struggling with life's hardships and facing the adversity head on, not only has been praised by countless fans and celebrities, but rose to the coveted No. 1 spot on the iTunes top 10 chart this week.

2011 Marconi Radio Award Finalists Announced

The National Association of Broadcasters announced today the finalists for the 2011 NAB Marconi Radio Awards honoring radio stations and on-air personalities for excellence in broadcasting.

The winners will be announced on September 15 at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show, held during the 2011 Radio Show at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, Illinois.

LEGENDARY STATION
KCBS-AM, San Francisco
KIIS-FM, Los Angeles
WBBM-AM, Chicago
WFAN-AM, New York
WTOP-FM, Washington D.C.

NETWORK/SYNDICATED PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Bob and Sheri, Greater Media
Clark Howard, Dial Global
Laura Ingraham, Talk Radio Networks
Ryan Seacrest, Premiere Radio
Michael Smerconish, Dial Global

MAJOR MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Kevin and Bean, KROQ-FM, Los Angeles
Dennis and Callahan, WEEI-AM, Boston
Mike Francesa, WFAN-AM, New York
Patrick Ellis, WHUR-FM, Washington, DC
Funkmaster Flex, WQHT-FM, New York

LARGE MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Edwards and Lee, WYCD-FM, Detroit
Dave Lee, WCCO-AM, Minneapolis
Moon and Staci, KSTP-FM, St. Paul
Dave Ryan, KDWB-FM, Minneapolis
Mike Trivisonno, WTAM-AM, Cleveland

MEDIUM MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Chris Coleman, WBHK-FM, Birmingham
Mark Ericson and Karen Kiley, WOKQ-FM, Dover, NH
Dex, WUSY-FM, Chattanooga
Colby Colb Tyner, WENZ-FM, Cleveland
Van and Bonnie, WHO-AM, Des Moines

SMALL MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Dennis Jon Bailey and Diane Douglas, WIKY-FM, Evansville, IN
Cosmo and JC, KTXY-FM, Columbia, Missouri
Big Mark Clark, KRCH-FM, Rochester
Shannon Sullivan, KOPR-FM, Butte, MT
Kelly Wayne, KMOK-FM, Lewiston, ID

SPANISH PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Raul Brindis, KLTN-FM, Houston
Omar and Argelia, KLVE-FM, Los Angeles
Rafael Orlando, WYUS-AM, Milford, DE
Homero Pulido, KRVT-AM, Tulsa
Edgar "Shoboy" Sotelo, KMVK-FM, Dallas

MAJOR MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
KHKS-FM, Dallas
KKLA-FM, Los Angeles
KLTY-FM, Dallas
KTBZ-FM, Houston
WBEB-FM, Philadelphia

LARGE MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
KLBJ-AM, Austin
KYGO-FM, Denver
WBLI-FM, Long Island
WCCO-AM, Minneapolis
WKRQ-FM, Cincinnati

MEDIUM MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
KRST-FM, Albuquerque
KUAD-FM, Denver
KXKT-FM, Omaha
WDEL-AM, Wilmington, DE
WUSY-FM, Chattanooga

SMALL MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
KBHP-FM, Bemidji, MN
KOZT-FM, Fort Bragg, CA
WCMT-AM, Martin, TN
WGIC-FM, Cookeville, TN
WLEN-FM, Adrian, MI

AC STATION OF THE YEAR
KSFI-FM, Salt Lake City
WALK-FM, Long Island
WLEN-FM, Adrian, MI
WMGX-FM, South Portland, ME
WREW-FM, Cincinnati

CHR STATION OF THE YEAR
KPWR-FM, Los Angeles
KTXY-FM, Jefferson City, MO
WDAY-FM, Fargo, ND
WRDW-FM, Philadelphia
WSTW-FM, Wilmington, DE

COUNTRY STATION OF THE YEAR
KCLR-FM, Columbia, MO
KSD-FM, St. Louis
KSSN-FM, Little Rock, AR
KYGO-FM, Denver
WAMZ-FM, Louisville, KY

NEWS/TALK STATION OF THE YEAR
KFI-AM, Los Angeles
KIRO-FM, Seattle
KTMY-FM, St. Paul, MN
WCHS-AM, Charleston, WV
WSB-AM, Atlanta

OLDIES STATION OF THE YEAR
KKLZ-FM, Las Vegas
KLUV-FM, Dallas
KRTH-FM, Los Angeles
WOMC-FM, Detroit
WRBQ-FM, Tampa

RELIGIOUS STATION OF THE YEAR
KKLA-FM, Los Angeles
KLRC-FM, Siloam Springs, AR
KNOM-AM, Nome, AK
WLIB-AM, New York
WPOZ-FM, Orlando

ROCK STATION OF THE YEAR
KINK-FM, Portland
KLBJ-FM, Austin
KROQ-FM, Los Angeles
WAPL-FM, Green Bay, WI
WPLR-FM, New Haven, CT

SPANISH STATION OF THE YEAR
KLNO-FM, Dallas
KLNZ-FM, Phoenix
KLVE-FM, Los Angeles
KLZT-FM, Austin
WYUS-AM, Milford, DE

SPORTS STATION OF THE YEAR
KTCK-AM, Dallas
WAXY-AM, Miami
WBZ-FM, Boston
WGFX-FM, Nashville
WXYT-FM, Detroit

URBAN STATION OF THE YEAR
WBLS-FM, New York
WEDR-FM, Miami
WHUR-FM, Washington D.C.
WJMZ-FM, Greenville, SC
WVAZ-FM, Chicago

The 2011 Radio Show, produced by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), will be held September 14-16 in Chicago. This year's show brings radio broadcasters and industry colleagues together to share knowledge, discover the latest innovations, network with industry leaders and explore creative business strategies to help radio flourish in the digital age.

To learn more about the 2011 Radio Show, click here.

June PPMs Start To Roll From Arbitron

New York City Highlights (All Share are 6+ Total Week):

Biggest Share Increase

1  AC WLTW steady 7.0-6.6-6.6
2  Classic Hits WCBS-FM half-share uptick: 5.3-4.9-5.4
3  Rhy. AC WKTU dropped a bit and is 4.6-4.9-5.1
4  CHR  WHTZ is steady from last month and 4.8-5.0-5.0
5  Tropical WSKQ trending nicely 4.1-4.4-4.7

And in the All-News Arena
CBS' WCBS-AM trends 4.8-4.1-3.8 (Yankees baseball)
CBS'  WINS-AM trends 3.6-3.6-3.4

Biggest Gainer: WCBS-FM    4.9-5.4
Biggest Loss:    Talk WABC   3.2-2.7

Chicago Status Quo Top 5

Made biggest share gain

1  News WBBM 5.1-5.6-5.6
2  UrbanAC  WVAZ 5.4-5.2-5.2
3  Talk WGN 5.4-5.0-5.0
4  Classic Hits WDRV 3.6-4.0-4.0
5  HotAC WTMX 3.9-3.9-3.9

Next: How much will Randy Michaels shake-up things

Biggest Gainer:  ClassicRock WLUP 2.7-2.9-3.4
Biggest Loss:     Oldies WLS-FM     3.7-4.1-3.6

San Francisco New #1

New #1 in SF

1  N/T NonComm KQED 6.6-5.9-6.6
2  News KCBS 6.3-6.3-6.1
3  RhyCHR KYLD 4.2-4.7-4.8
3  Sports KNBR 4.4-4.2-4.8
5  AC KOIT-FM 5.2-5.0-4.4

Biggest Gainers: KQED    5.9-6.6
Biggest Loss: Talk KSFO 3.0-2.4

For other markets released Tuesday, click on the market in the right-column box!

Chicago Radio: Steve Dahl Back On The Loop?

Well, for a onetime visit at least

Opinion: New Q101 To Take Listeners For A Ride

From Robert Feder, timeoutchicago.com

While Randy Michaels’ Merlin Media continues to assemble and train staff for its upcoming switch to an all-news format on WKQX-FM (101.1), the current roster of rock jocks at Q101 prepares to sign off for the last time...

For what it's worth, Q101 will bow out of the format with a cumulative weekly audience of slightly more than 1.1 million, according to Arbitron Portable People Meter figures for June. In the station’s target demographic of listeners between the ages of 18 and 34, it ranked ninth with a 3.9 percent share. Overall, Q101 was tied for 20th with a 1.9 share.

Despite the imminent demise of Chicago’s Alternative, Merlin Media still isn’t ready to announce — much less launch — its new format for 101.1 FM. All of which should make the next few weeks immensely interesting to those who enjoy observing diversion, distraction and misdirection. That’s just what we’re in for.

Whatever stunting, staging and assorted mischief Merlin’s magicians perform in the interim, the company’s Chicago news chief, Andy Friedman, will continue to solidify plans for the real deal. And if CBS Radio doesn’t move quickly to protect its all-news franchise on WBBM-AM (780) by simulcasting on WCFS-FM (105.9), they can’t say they didn't see it coming...

Read More.

The Road Ahead: Entertainment & Information in the Car

New Radio Show Super Session Announced

The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced Tuesday the addition of “The Road Ahead: Entertainment and Information in the Car” to the lineup of sessions for this year’s Radio Show program.

The super session will be held Thursday, September 15th at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

Radio has been the King of In-car Media for most of the history of the automobile despite a constantly evolving environment featuring new devices and services. Presented by Arbitron, Edison Research and Scarborough Research, the session will address the past, present and future of entertainment, information and communications in cars. This multi-media session will provide insights about the adoption of and interest in various in-car media and technologies. It will include data measuring the shifts in behavior since the Arbitron/Edison 2003 “In Car” study - shifts brought upon by the number of new options available in today’s cars.

These new options, formed by the emergence of new technology, services and content providers, have created an evolution of the in-car environment. The super-session will also examine new technology called “Automotive Telematics” which enables two-way communications between the car and information and entertainment services such as OnStar® and Sync®. These latest inventions and developments will be brought to life with video segments demonstrating how today’s consumers obtain their information, entertainment and communicate while on the go.

Adage photo

"Radio remains the dominant in vehicle resource for audio information and entertainment. It's the local listener's companion on the way to work and to shop,” says Jeff Haley, RAB’s President and CEO. “Understanding consumer use and attitudes about in-car information and entertainment can help the radio industry to remain essential on the ‘Road Ahead’”” stated Haley.

“We are excited to have the findings of this study revealed at Radio Show 2011.”

Session panelists include:

• Bill Rose, senior vice president, Marketing at Arbitron Inc., where he is responsible for leading Arbitron’s marketing efforts for PPM electronic and diary-based audience measurement services in the U.S.
• Larry Rosin, co-founder and president of Edison Research where over 17 years he has helped to build Edison into a leading name in media research and election polling.
• Mark Manders, senior vice president of operations at Scarborough Research, where he brings more than 20 years of experience in both quantitative and qualitative radio audience measurement to lead the company’s survey production and broadcast data quality assurance, among other functions.

For additional information on the Radio Show, visit http://www.radioshowweb.com/.

Clear Channel's Nat'l Contesting For Music Fest

N/T 1100 AM WTAM Cleveland and  most, if not all, CC's 850 stations are participating in a national contest awarding 540 "grand prizes" to attend the iheartradio Music Festival in Las Vegas in September.

Contesting started Monday and will continue weekdays between 6am and 12midnight. Throughout the contest period, throughout the contest period listeners mus hear for the cue to call and be the selected caller to the designated contest line announced. The participant must be the designated caller to the phone number announced; the designated caller, if eligible, will be a winner.

Each Grand Prize Package will include the following: 

• Two (2) tickets for winner and one guest to attend the "iHeartRadio Music Festival" in Las Vegas, NV domestic round-trip airfare for winner and one guest to Las Vegas, NV;
• 3 days and 2 nights standard hotel accommodations at either the MGM Grand in Las Vegas or a comparable hotel to be determined at the sole discretion of the Company.
• Ground transportation for the winner and one guest to and from the Vegas airport and hotel;
• Travel must be scheduled for September 23 through September 25, 2011, other dates not valid
• Approximate total value of individual prize packages: $1,300.00.  Prize packages provided by Clear Channel Radio. Prize value may vary depending upon departure location and time of travel. Conditions and other restrictions apply. Total Overall Prize Value to be  awarded over the duration of the Contest is approximately $702,000.00.

Contest rules are available by clicking here.

Pandora Radio Reports 100 Million Users

Pandora Media Inc.'s number of registered users rose to 100 million, up from the more than 90 million it reported in April, as the Internet radio pioneer also increased its U.S. market share.

Dow Jones Newswire reports Pandora, which pioneered the concept of personalized radio stations on the Internet, patterned after users' favorite songs or artists, has struggled to turn that concept into profits.

The company, which went public in an initial public offering last month, also said its market share rose to 3.6% in the past six months from 2.3% at the end of last year. Pandora had 36 million active monthly users across a number of platforms including smartphones, televisions and car dashboards. The company has been stepping up efforts in the global mobile market as the popularity of smartphones and tablet computers increases.

Pandora on Tuesday also unveiled a new relationship with the Scion brand, part of Toyota Motor Corp., and the expansion of another accord with Ford Motor Co. as it aims to expand in the auto sector, which the company said accounts for nearly half of radio listening. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

Study: 35% Of Adults Have A Smartphone

In its first standalone measure of smartphone ownership, the Pew Internet Project finds that one third of American adults – 35% – own smartphones. The Project’s May survey found that 83% of US adults have a cell phone of some kind, and that 42% of them own a smartphone. That translates into 35% of all adults.

Their definition of a smartphone owner includes anyone who falls into either of the following two categories:

One-third of cell owners (33%) say that their phone is a smartphone.

Two in five cell owners (39%) say that their phone operates on a smartphone platform (these include iPhones and Blackberry devices, as well as phones running the Android, Windows or Palm operating systems).

Several demographic groups have high levels of smartphone adoption, including the financially well-off and well-educated, non-whites, and those under the age of 45.

Some 87% of smartphone owners access the internet or email on their handheld, including two-thirds (68%) who do so on a typical day. When asked what device they normally use to access the internet, 25% of smartphone owners say that they mostly go online using their phone, rather than with a computer. While many of these individuals have other sources of online access at home, roughly one third of these “cell mostly” internet users lack a high-speed home broadband connection.

How Smarphone owners describe their phones.

To download study, click here.

Promo Idea: Orlando Clear Channel Talent 'Rock Pink'

Rock Pink®, a charitable organization whose mission is to raise breast health awareness and support local breast cancer charities, has set a new record for the largest gross amount of money raised at a Rock Pink event in the organization's history.

Over 600 bowlers and bowling enthusiasts attended the Orlando, FL event to further support Rock Pink's mission. The funds raised from the annual Bowl-a-Rama totaled over $60,000.

As part of the fundraising initiatives, a local celebrity was paired with each bowling team. "With a diverse cast of celebrities ranging from local radio and television to news anchors and athletes, we feel the Central Florida community got slapped in the face with our grass roots initiative to bring humanity back to the lives of breast cancer survivors," said Mark Hollamon, Rock Pink President.

Members of the professional wrestling world in attendance included Marc Mero and Dale "The Demon" Torborg. "It was a great opportunity to see people from the industry that I haven't seen in years," remarked Torborg.

Basketball players including Tree Rollins -- who also served on the Celebrity Acquisition Committee -- as well as TV news personalities such as Martha Sugalski also joined in the festivities. Clear Channel radio personalities Johnny Magic 106.7 FM WXXL, Mel Taylor and Crash 101.1 FM WJRR  and from Real Radio 104.1 FM WTKS:  SBK, Angel, Jim Philips and the Phile crew, and the hosts of the event, the Monsters in the Morning, led by Russ Rollins, rounded out a large celebrity showing.

For more info on Rock Pink, click here.

WBAL ND Mark Miller Leaving Radio After 31 Years

Veteran Baltimore newsman Mark Miller is leaving WBAL radio after more than 31 years at the station, reports David Zurawick at The Baltimore Sun.

As news director for 21 of those years at 1090 AM WBAL, Miller led one of the most competitive and ambitious radio news operations in the country. The station was recently rewarded for its efforts with another national Murrow Award.

The 52-year-old journalist said changes in his family life in recent years, which have led to him now commuting be out of state on a regular basis, are partially responsible for the decision to leave WBAL. But he said that he also thinks that if he wants to try and have another career, he can't wait much longer.

Here is the email from Ed Kiernan, the station's vice president and general manager, that was sent to staff this morning announcing Miller's departure:
Read More.

Earlier today, Mark Miller announced his resignation from WBAL after nearly 32 years on the job.  He’ll be leaving the WBAL family by the end of the month.

Mark started as an editor/producer, and then was a reporter for ten years.  For the last 21 years, he has overseen the news operation.

Being the news director at a station like WBAL can be all consuming if you’re going to do it well.  Mark let me know that at this point in his life, he wants to take on new challenges and write a new chapter to his life. 

Most importantly, he wants a new career that will allow him to have a more “normal” life that better suits his family circumstances with his wife and four-year-old daughter.

As a reporter, Mark won two Maryland State Bar Association gavel awards.  He won the Silver Gavel from the American Bar Association.  Twice in the 80s he was recognized by UPI for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Radio.

Under his leadership, the accomplishments of the WBAL News Department speak for themselves.

In 1993, WBAL Radio’s reporting on the fall of Baltimore Comptroller Jackie McLean earned it the Award of Excellence from the Associated Press Broadcasters.  That award is the highest broadcast honor handed out nationally by the Associated Press.

In June 2000, the WBAL News Department won the New York Festival Grand Award, topping more than 1,300 contestants from 37 countries.

But mostly, I am proud of the 21 National Edward R. Murrow Awards earned by the news department during Mark’s tenure.  Ten different members of our staff have won National Murrows in that time, in seven different categories.  And three times, WBAL News earned the Overall Excellence Murrow as the best large market news operation in the country!

1090AM/WBAL Radio is Maryland’s most important and influential radio station thanks to the efforts of Mark Miller.  He is my friend and I will miss him dearly.