Madonna Endorses President Obama

Madonna revealed more than skin when she pulled off her top at her New York concert Thursday -- showing off black letters on her lower back spelling "OBAMA."

Tom's Take: Well, I guess Obama can attract the older vote.

Pandora Stock Takes Hit On News of Apple Stream

Shares of Pandora Media plummeted as much as 21% on Friday after word leaked out that Apple has been in discussions with record labels to launch a competing streaming radio service, according to a story by Alex Phama at the LATimes.

Apple's proposed online service, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, would have the potential to disrupt both Internet and traditional radio providers.

Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple is seeking a more flexible type of music license from the record labels than the one Pandora has. It would allow Apple to select whatever song it wants to play next and tailor selections based on albums in listeners' iTunes music libraries, according two industry executives with knowledge of Apple's plans for the service.

Such features would give Apple the ability to customize its music to individuals, which traditional radio can't do, without having to ask them what they like or restrict how often a single song can be played, as Pandora must.

Pandora's stock plunged as much as 21% in trading Friday, dipping below $10 in the morning before recovering slightly. It closed at $10.47, down 16.7%.

Apple's stock, meanwhile, marched up $4.17 Friday to close at $680.44 -- a new all-time high for the company.

Read More Here.

OPINION: Introducing President MSNBC

From Kathleen Parker, Columnist Washington Post

They came, they were adored, they conquered.

No, not the president, his family or the numerous actors and political heirs who spoke glowingly of Barack Obama during the Democratic National Convention. 

 I’m talking about the media — and especially MSNBC, whose presence and influence in Charlotte were nearly as grand as the president’s. 

 No one pretends anymore that MSNBC is an objective observer to the news. Obviously, the decision was made to be aggressively progressive. With the exception of “Morning Joe,” where Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski co-host a roundtable of commentators, politicos and actors who dispense praise and criticism equally to Democrats and Republicans, the cable network’s other political shows are unapologetically pro-Democratic, pro-Obama. 

 Thus, the powers that be correctly imagined themselves as co-players at the Democratic convention. A section of downtown Charlotte was reinvented as MSNBC Plaza, which included an open-air studio, a cafe, a lounge and the “MSNBC Experience,” for which fans stood in long lines to enter, cheering as their favorite stars appeared. A looming tower above the outdoor stage featured huge head shots of the well-known anchors. The president’s visage on T-shirts here and there was a mere comma to the anchor’s exclamation points. 

 I happened to be in the MSNBC Plaza during a daytime concert when the lead singer announced, “Chris Matthews is in the hall! Chris Matthews!” All I could think was, good thing Obama didn’t show up at the same time. He might have been ignored.

Read More Here.

Radio Meets Today's Listener

Report: Fans Watching YouTube For Music Videos

According to an August report from Nielsen, nearly two-thirds of American teenagers get their music from YouTube. That makes the Google-owned video site the most popular music medium for an eternally prized demographic — and its dominance marks a continuing shift in the ways pop music is experienced, shared and marketed, according to a story by Chris Richards at the Washington Post.

“Video now is way more important than it ever was,” says Jonathan Simkin, manager of Canadian pop sensation Carly Rae Jepsen. “By a mile. It just opens up a whole new avenue to promote a band.”

“Today’s music fan has access to millions of artists and millions of songs right in their pocket,” says MTV spokesman Kurt Patat. “So in a world full of video search engines, we feel like our role is to do what we do best and connect artists to fans.”

MTV has loaded up on reality programming over the years but still airs oodles of music videos on its sister stations — MTV2, MTV Tr3s, mtvU, etc. The network now positions itself as a “multi-screen brand” that extends to the Web and social media.

Read More Here.

Study: Millenials Averaging 2 Years At A Job

At a time when many laid-off workers have to take a pay cut to land a new job, members of the millennial generation are jumping ship from their companies after just two years, according to a story by Tiffany Hsu at the LATimes.

Millennials — 18- to 30-year-olds including those workers just entering the full-time work force — are earning $39,700 a year on average, according to a new report from the compensation data company PayScale and research group Millennial Branding.

Employees on the younger end of this demographic are starting with salaries of $21,000. Hit disproportionally hard by the recession, the group is much more likely than older workers to be laying out merchandise at retail stores, selling cellphones or performing other low-skill jobs, according to the study.

And that's despite the generation's high level of education. About 63% of full-time, professional workers in that generation have a bachelor's degree, 12.8% have a master's degree and 1.7% have doctorates. Popular majors include neuroscience, bioengineering, entrepreneurial studies, sport management and Chinese.

The disconnect may be causing young workers to leave their companies every two years. Baby boomers, by comparison, spend a median of seven years with each employer, while Gen X employees — those born in the 1960s, '70s and early '80s — spend five.

Read More Here.

1050 ESPN Deportes To Air NYJets Football

On Friday, ESPN Deportes, the Spanish-language division of ESPN, announced it has reached a three-year agreement with the New York Jets to broadcast their games in Spanish, according to a story by Tanzina Vega at the NYTimes.

The agreement is part of a lineup of content that will fill the new 24-hour Spanish-language sports news station, ESPN Deportes Nueva York 1050 AM. The station will make its debut on Friday at 2 p.m., replacing ESPN’s English-language sports station, which moved to 98.7 FM in April.

The station shuffle came after Disney, the ESPN parent company, took over 98.7 FM from Emmis Communications. The FM station used to be known as KISS FM and featured classic soul and R & B music. ESPN has 45 affiliate stations in the United States.

Lino Garcia, the general manager for ESPN Deportes, said the station’s target audience was Spanish speaking men ages 18-49.

Read More Here.

No Joke: Jay Leno's Pay Cut In Half

Late-night talk show host Jay Leno took a 50% pay cut as part of NBC's budget-chopping effort last month at "The Tonight Show," the network said, detailing the scope of the changes for the first time as well as the reasoning behind them, according to a story by Christopher Stewart at wsj.com.

The outsized pay cut, which took Mr. Leno's salary down to around $15 million, helped NBC slash the show's $100 million annual budget by about 20%, the network said. At the same time, Mr. Leno, the leading late night host, extended his contract for another two years to May 2014.

NBC also clarified the number of layoffs, which it put at 20, among them writers and producers, reducing the show's staff to about 200.

Read More Here.

WPDH Radio's Mark Cooper Out Indefinitely

Fans of FM radio station 101.5 WPDH Poughkeepsie, NY were told early Monday that Mark Cooper, who co-hosts the “Wakin’ Up With Coop and Kricket” morning show, suffered a “medical issue” over the weekend and will not be back for some time, according to a story by Paula Ann Mitchel at dailyfreeman.com.

Andrew Boris, the station’s program director and afternoon host, would not provide further details.

“He’s been making some great progress, but he still has a way to go,” Boris said. “We do not have a date when he will be returning.”

The raspy-voiced Cooper has been employed on and off at WPDH, a classic rock station owned by Cumulus Broadcasting, for 15 years, Boris said.

Read More Here.

Rolling Stones Classic Tracks Coming To MNF

Starting on Monday, ESPN will be commemorating the Rolling Stones' 50th Anniversary on Monday nights throughout the NFL season this fall with "Legend to Legend" -- a collaboration that will combine Monday Night Football highlights with the band's classic tracks. ESPN has licensed 16 Stones songs, spanning the band's 1972's Exile On Main Street album through 2005's A Bigger Bang. The songs will be a mix of popular hits and deep cuts, including 1974's "It's Only Rock 'N Roll," 1976's "Hot Stuff," and 1986's "One Hit (To The Body)."

Four different songs will be selected per month and will be used for four weeks at a time on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown pregame show, on bumpers and teases within the Monday Night Football game, and in a post-Monday Night Football game highlight segment on SportsCenter.

MTV VMAs: One Direction Big Winner

British boy band One Direction were the big winners at the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday, edging out Rihanna and taking home three prizes to crown their arrival on the U.S. pop scene just six months ago.according to a Reuters story by Jill Serjeant.

The five baby-faced guys, contestants on the British version of TV singing contest "The X Factor," beat Justin Bieber and Rihanna for best pop video, and fellow all-boy British outfit The Wanted as best new artists.

They also won the most-shareworthy video award for their debut hit single "What Makes You Beautiful" and later performed single "One Thing" to hordes of screaming girls at the two-hour Los Angeles ceremony.

"To win one Moonman is amazing, to win two is incredible," said Harry Styles, as the band collected the silver VMA trophy for best new artists.

Get More: 2012 VMA, Artists.MTV, Music

One Direction, which is managed by British TV entrepreneur Simon Cowell, made history in March when it became the first UK group to see its first album, "Up All Night," debut at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.

Read More Here

For MTV VMAs Winner’s List, Click Here.

Report: Eddie Van Halen Was Near Death

A report in the new issue of the National Enquirer says that Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen was near death recently after his intestines "exploded." Van Halen was rushed to the hospital in what was described as "excruciating pain" after he swallowed a diet drink made partially of cayenne pepper, sources told the tabloid newspaper. Van Halen, who suffers from an inflammatory digestive tract condition called diverticulitis, had to reportedly have part of his small intestine removed as doctors battled to save the 57-year-old rock legend's life.

The Enquirer reported Eddie's wife, Janie Liszewski, his son and bandmate, Wolfgang and his ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli all feared Eddie wouldn't make it.

A source said, "Janie was beside him the whole time and Wolf kept a constant vigil. They were sick with worry because he was in so much pain, it really was touch and go."

As for Bertinelli, the source said, "Valerie was scared to death Eddie was going to die. Although he's remarried, Eddie is still close to Valerie, and she was there for him the whole time."

The drink that Eddie consumed was reportedly part of the Master Cleanse Diet, which he tried because of its supposed ability to rid the body of toxins.

The plan replaces food with a liquid consisting of water, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Health professionals have expressed concern over the lack of nutrition and high spice content in the concoction.

Dr. James O'Brien said, "The stress of fad diets increases pressure on the colon, and if the person has diverticulitis there may be leakage from the bowel into the abdomen."

A source close to Eddie Van Halen revealed that after Eddie drank the mixture, his "abdominal region was a disaster area. The spicy treatment touched off an explosion in his intestines."

The guitarist is now out of the woods, although he'll be recuperating for at least the next four months, forcing his band to put all tour plans on hold until 2013.

Apple To Start Pandora-Like Music Stream

In a move that could shake up the growing field of Internet radio, Apple plans to develop a service that would compete with Pandora Media by sending streams of music customized to users’ tastes, according to a story by Ben Sasario and Nick Wingfield at the NYTimes.

Apple, which has already dominated the field of digital music with its iTunes store, is in the early stages of negotiating with the major record labels for the service, and the full scope of its plans were not clear, according to these people, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private.

Apple’s service would probably take the form of a preinstalled app on devices like iPhones and iPads and might be able to connect to users’ iTunes accounts to judge their tastes.

By offering streams customized to each user, Apple’s program would compete with Internet radio services like Pandora, Slacker and iHeartRadio, which is offered by the radio giant Clear Channel Communications.

Read More Here.

Sports Talk Surges In Big Apple

From David Hinckley, New York Daily News.

New York is about to get another round of expansion in the fastest-growing segment of radio: sports talk. 

Starting Friday afternoon, ESPN Radio turns its 1050 AM frequency over to ESPN Deportes, Spanish-language sports talk.
That means English-language ESPN Radio will only be heard in New York on 98.7 FM. 

WFAN has retained a comfortable lead over ESPN Radio in local sports talk, though ESPN got what it hopes will be a breakthrough win in August. 

For the first time, says David Roberts, vice president and general manager of ESPN Radio New York, ESPN Radio beat WFAN during a weekly day part. 

ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd and Mike Lupica finished a hair ahead of ’FAN in August for the 10 a.m.-1 p.m. hours. 

ESPN Radio has doubled its total New York audience since getting the 98.7 signal, says Roberts, to more than 900,000 a month.
 

Read More Here.

'Call Me Maybe' Crowned Top Song of Summer

After a season of pop culture ubiquity, Carly Rae Jepsen's debut U.S. hit "Call Me Maybe" is Billboard's top Song of the Summer.

The Canadian pop singer's maiden American hit spent nine weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. After fellow Canadian Justin Bieber revealed his affinity for the song to his then-approximately 20 million Twitter followers, the song's popularity surged, spurring impromptu versions of it by everyone from the all-male Harvard baseball team to (thanks to digital ingenuity) President Obama.

"Maybe" has sold 5.5 million downloads since its release, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and garnered an astounding 1.8 billion in cumulative audience on Billboard's Radio Songs chart, according to Nielsen BDS.

Billboard's annual Songs of the Summer running tally, presented by Pepsi, tracks the most popular songs based on cumulative performance on the weekly Hot 100 chart from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Jepsen is the first artist to claim top Song of the Summer honors with a first Hot 100 hit since Katy Perry won the mantle in 2008 with her first Hot 100 entry, "I Kissed a Girl." Since, Perry has become synonymous with summer anthems. Her "Waking Up in Vegas" ranked No. 10 for summer 2009, while "California Gurls," featuring Snoop Dogg, was No. 1 for summer 2010. Last year - while LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock, earned the top Song of the Summer ribbon - Perry placed two titles on the season's final chart: "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" (No. 5) and "E.T.," featuring Kanye West (No. 9).

This year, Perry appears in the final Songs of the Summer chart for a fifth consecutive year, as her "Wide Awake" places at No. 4.

Read more here.

Big 4 Nets Top Pay TV's 'Must-Have' List

ABC tops the list of “must-have” channels for a pay TV service, according to a story at marketingscharts.com.  ABC scored with 68.4% of 2,000 US broadband households surveyed by The Diffusion Group (TDG) indicating the broadcast network to be essential to any pay TV service, according to data publicly released in September by TDG. The other big broadcast networks followed, with NBC in second (66.6%), ahead of CBS (64.2%) and FOX (60.9%).

These rankings differ from a list of top network brands released in June 2012. That study found CBS to be recognized by consumers as the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend TV Network Brand of the Year. CBS received an EquiTrend rating of 68.27, ahead of PBS (67.06), ABC (66.66), and NBC (66.54), and above the category average of 64.83. The Harris poll analyzes the responses of more than 38,500 on key measures of brand health, including how well the public knows a brand, how positively they think of it, and their consideration to do business with or donate to it.

Separate data from TBG’s report suggests that while most pay TV subscribers are satisfied with the quality of their service, they don’t necessarily believe they are getting their money’s worth.

Read more here.

Josh Everett New PD At WGY Albany

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment has named Josh Everett as program director for Albany, New York radio stations WGY 810 AM/103.1 FM and WOFX, 980 AM.

Everett, who begins his new position Sept. 10, also will oversee the News Hub, which provides news for ten Clear Channel markets in the Northeast., according to a story by Barbara Pinckney at bizjournals.com.

WGY, which has a news/talk format, is one of the top rated radio stations in the Albany market, consistently ranking in the top five among all listeners aged 12 and over. WOFX, a sports station, has a smaller, mostly male, audience.

Everett comes to Albany from Clear Channel’s news/talk WLAP in Lexington, Kentucky. He succeeds Paul Ihander, who held the position for about a year and in July relocated to a station in Glendale, Arizona.

UPDATE: Tom Brokaw Discharged From Hospital

Former "NBC Nightly News" anchor Tom Brokaw was discharged early Thursday afternoon from a Charlotte, N.C., hospital in "great health," NBC News President Steve Capus said Thursday.

"We're immensely grateful to the team at Carolinas Medical Center for their excellent care and professionalism," Capus said in a statement.

Earlier, the network said that Brokaw "felt light-headed" on the set of the MSNBC talk show "Morning Joe," and was taken to the hospital "out of an abundance of caution."

Brokaw, 72, was said to be in good spirits while at the hospital, and even joked about his condition on Twitter, writing, “All is well. Early AM I mistakenly took a half dose of (sleep aid) Ambien and made less sense than usual. Made a better comeback than Giants...”

UPDATE: Brokaw tweeted around 9 am eastern....

Earlier posting....

TV Newser is reporting NBC News special correspondent Tom Brokaw was taken by ambulance to a Charlotte hospital this morning after an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Brokaw, 72, who stepped down as anchor of “Nightly News” after the 2004 election, has been working a break-neck pace the last two weeks first at the RNC and this week at the DNC. Brokaw has been up early, appearing on “Morning Joe,” then reporting throughout the day and into the night. Last night, he appeared on Sean Hannity‘s Fox News show.

An MSNBC spokesperson tells TVNewser, “On the set of ‘Morning Joe’ this morning, Tom Brokaw felt light-headed. Out of an abundance of caution, he was taken to a hospital and is being evaluated.”

Read More Here.

Report: Publishers Want Tell-All From Ann Curry

Ann Curry may have lost her hosting gig on the “Today” show, but she could be looking at the biggest payday of her career if she’s willing to dish the dirt on her former co-hosts.

The National Enquirer quotes insiders saying she could reel in a whopping $8 million advance, if she agrees to write a salacious tell-all exposing the intimate secrets of serial cheater Matt Lauer and man-stealer Savannah Guthrie.

Ann “has seen it all and heard it all” when it comes to 54-year-old Matt and his affairs with other women. The dad of three has been married to Annette Roque since 1998.

“Ann knew Matt cheated on his wife during the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 and also while he was working the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy,” said another insider.

Meanwhile, Savan­nah was “the other woman” in a love tri­angle with a married BBC-TV producer a few years ago.

One person who likely won’t be trashed in the tell-all is longtime “Today” weatherman Al Roker, who’s “as loyal as the day is long to Ann,” said the insider. In fact, during the recent Olympics, Al ignited a behind-the-scenes war by comparing the rowing team post-race tradition of throwing a teammate in the water to Ann’s firing, quipping that it is “different from OUR tradition...which is to throw one of us under the bus. But that’s another story.”

Read More Here.

Tom's Take: Watch closely for a 'Today Show' meltdown.  Budget cuts are looming.

Glenn Beck Slams American Airlines For Treatment

Premiere Networks talker Glenn Beck  railed Tuesday against rude service he said he received on an American Airlines flight.

The conservative commentator said a flight attendant on a weekend flight from New York to Texas provided service “designed to make me feel subhuman.”

“I, unlike all of the other passengers, was not offered the option of courteous service,” Beck said. “When others were politely asked if they cared for anything to eat and given the choices, I was just barked at. … Never once did he offer a kind or even a neutral word to me. I had service unlike I have never had ever before in my life, and I have had rude service before.”

Beck said the attendant fawned over the other passengers and proclaimed “his life story about being a former Israeli soldier and how he was so proud of the very liberal cities in America.”

Fort Worth-based American Airlines responded to comments about the incident on its Twitter feed, saying “We’re sorry for the experience Mr. Beck had on his trip. We’ve reached out to his office & are actively looking into this.”

Read More here.

RIP: Singer/Songwriter Joe South

Joe South, a singer-songwriter who wove confrontational lyrics into bouncy pop hits of the late 1960s and early ’70s, including “Games People Play,” “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” and “(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden,” died on Wednesday at home in Flowery Branch, Ga., north of Atlanta. He was 72.

The cause was apparently a heart attack, said Judy Thompson, a longtime friend.

Mr. South’s best-known song became a hit when it was recorded by someone else. “Rose Garden,” sung by Lynn Anderson, reached No. 3 on the Billboard pop chart in 1971, four years after Mr. South wrote it. The chorus — “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden/Along with the sunshine there’s gotta be a little rain sometime” — reflected a world-weariness characteristic of his writing.

In 1969 he targeted religion and insincerity in “Games People Play,” which thrust him toward stardom.

Read More Here

Tom Kay Retires From The Conclave

Tom Kay has announced his retirement from the position of Executive Director of the organization that he helped build and serve over the past 37 years. "The time has come for this torch to be passed and for me to move on to the next chapters of my life," said Kay. Tom is the only Executive Director the Conclave has known, and a search for his replacement has begun. Tom will continue as ExDir until a replacement is named, which is expected to be later this fall. Read on for more about Tom's retirement, and for information about requirements for the position of Executive Director.

Tom’s association with the Conclave began in 1976, when as Program Director of WJON/St. Cloud, Minnesota he became part of the organization’s first Advisory Board. In 1979, he left radio to join Doug Lee Midwest Promotion in Minneapolis as a promotion associate and Conclave coordinator. Later on, Doug retired and Tom began Main Street Marketing & Promotion, Inc. In 1985, as the Conclave became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, its Board of Directors named Tom Executive Director, a post he has held ever since.

Speaking about the Conclave organization, Tom said, “I have become one of those ‘men of a certain age’ and it’s simply come time to hang up my Clavin’ shoes. I’m proud of what I’ve helped build for these 37 years, and feel uplifted that something I had a small hand in creating has had such a positive impact on an industry and the people in it. The time has come for a person with a fresh vision to step up and find the ways and means to turn the challenges facing our industry into soul-stirring opportunities, and continuing the mission of the Conclave to nurture, teach and inspire. I thank the Conclave Board, past and present, and the industry for having afforded me the privilege to serve the organization and radio for as long as I have. I look forward now to spending time with my ever-growing family and my newly retired wife. Forget it, Lou Gehrig…it’s ME who’s truly the luckiest man on the face of the earth!”

CMA Unveils 2012 Radio Nominees

CMA celebrated the "The Year of Country Radio" with the announcement today of the finalists for CMA Broadcast Awards for Radio Personality and Station of the Year during a breakfast for CMA members. The finalists were announced by CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Lee Brice via live stream from CMA's offices in Nashville, Tenn.

The CMA Broadcast Award winners will be notified in mid-October and will be acknowledged at "The 46th Annual CMA Awards," to be held Thursday, Nov. 1 (8:00-11) and broadcast live by the ABC Television Network from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood return to host "Country Music's Biggest Night(TM)" for the fifth time.

"Country radio is on the frontline of our industry connecting with the fans, introducing new music, and advancing the careers of our artists at every level," said CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. "Much of our success is tied to the vitality and creativity of these important radio professionals and we recognize their contributions with the presentation of the CMA Broadcast Awards."

Five finalists are selected for CMA Broadcast Personality and CMA Radio Station of the Year in four categories: Small, Medium, Large, and Major Market. There was a tie in this year's Medium Market Personality of the Year thus there are six contenders in the category. The categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Arbitron. Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement, and biographical information. Candidates for Station of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings history, community involvement, and format leadership.

Three finalists are selected for National Broadcast Personality of the Year. To be eligible, candidates must be syndicated, short-form, hub voice-tracking, and satellite personalities heard in at least three markets with a minimum of 40 shows per year.

As a feature of the Year of Country Radio, CMA granted complimentary membership to every Country radio station in the U.S. In addition, CMA gave complimentary memberships to the general manager and program director at each station.

CMA members who are full-time, on-air personalities and CMA member radio stations in the United States and Canada were eligible to enter. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.

An aggregate score of the first round of judging and the second round, which is done by a different panel of judges, determines the winners. The international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP tabulates scoring by the judges. CMA Broadcast Award winners are not eligible to enter in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2011 were not eligible in 2012.

CMA BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR:

National

"The Big Time with Whitney Allen" (Whitney Allen) - Dial Global

"CMT's Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton" (Lon Helton) - Westwood One

"The Crook & Chase Countdown" (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase) - Jim Owens Entertainment and Premiere Networks

Major Market

"Fitz in the Morning" (Cory "Fitz" Fitzner, Ellen Tailor, Tony Russell, and Randy "Biscuit" Stein) - KKWF, Seattle-Tacoma, Wash.

"K102 Wakeup Crew" (Donna Valentine and Mike Mussman) - KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

"Laurie DeYoung Morning Show" (Laurie DeYoung) - WPOC, Baltimore, Md.

"Mike & Amy" - (Mike Chase and Amy Faust) - KWJJ, Portland, Ore.

"Paul Schadt Morning Show" (Paul Schadt and Meg Butterly) - WKKT, Charlotte-Gastonia, N.C./ Rock Hill, S.C.

Large Market

Angie Ward - WTQR, Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point, N.C.

"Big Dave and Chelsie" (David Chandler and Chelsie Shinkle) - WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio

"Mornings with Dave O'Brien" (Dave O'Brien) - WLHK, Indianapolis, Ind.

"Q Morning Crew" (Mike Wheless, Marty Young, and Janie Carothers) - WQDR, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

"KJ and Friends" (Randy Carroll and Jamie Martin) - KAJA, San Antonio, Texas

Medium Market

"The 97 Country Breakfast Club" (Tom O'Brien, Roger Todd, and Melissa Moran) - WPCV, Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.

"Andy & Alison and the Morning Crew" (Andy Ritchie and Alison Mencer) - WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.

"Buzz Jackson" (Buzz Jackson) - KIIM, Tucson, Ariz.

"Ellis and Bradley Morning Show" (Bill Ellis and Beth Bradley) - WSSL, Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.

"Kevin Richards Show" (Kevin Richards) - WGNA, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y.

"Party Marty Mitchell & The Morning Tailgate" (Marty Mitchell) - WKMK, Monmouth-Ocean, N.J.

Small Market

"Barrett, Fox & Berry" (Bill Barrett, Tim Fox, and Tracy Berry) - KKNU, Eugene-Springfield, Ore.

"Dex and Mo Show" (Bill Poindexter and Melissa Turner) - WUSY, Chattanooga, Tenn.

"The Eddie Foxx Show" (Eddie Foxx and Sharon Green) - WKSF, Asheville, N.C.

"Gary, Nelson, & Kellie" (Gary Greenwood, Josh Nelson, and Kellie Wesslund) - KFGE, Lincoln, Neb.

"Officer Don and DeAnn" (Don Chase and DeAnn Stephens) - WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Ky.

CMA RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR

Major Market 

KNIX - Phoenix, Ariz. KWJJ - Portland, Ore. WKLB - Boston, Mass. WMZQ - Washington, D.C. WPOC - Baltimore, Md.

Large Market 

KAJA - San Antonio, Texas WCTK - Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, R.I. WFMS - Indianapolis, Ind. WLHK - Indianapolis, Ind. WUBE - Cincinnati, Ohio

Medium Market 

KFDI - Wichita, Kan. KUZZ - Bakersfield, Calif. KXKT - Omaha, Neb./Council Bluffs, Iowa WIVK - Knoxville, Tenn. WSSL - Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.

Small Market 

WGSQ - Cookeville, Tenn. WKSF - Asheville, N.C. WKXC - Augusta, Ga. WLLR - Quad Cities: Davenport-Rock Island, Iowa/Moline, Ill. WUSY - Chattanooga, Tenn.

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Kelly Clarkson

Miranda Lambert

Martina McBride

Taylor Swift

Carrie Underwood

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Jason Aldean

Luke Bryan

Eric Church

Blake Shelton

Keith Urban

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Eli Young Band

Lady Antebellum

Little Big Town

The Band Perry

Zac Brown Band

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Jason Aldean

Kenny Chesney

Brad Paisley

Blake Shelton

Taylor Swift

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

“Chief”/Eric Church

“Four the Record”/Miranda Lambert

“Home”/Dierks Bentley

“Own the Night”/Lady Antebellum

“Tailgates and Tanlines”/Luke Bryan

SOURCE Country Music Association

Glenn Beck Launches Internet Radio Channel

TheBlaze, Glenn Beck’s news, information, entertainment, and e-commerce network announced today TheBlaze Radio Network, a brand-new online radio channel. TheBlaze Radio Network will be the new exclusive home for renowned nationally syndicated talk-radio personality and Marconi Award nominee Jay Severin. 

The line-up will also include a simulcast of The Glenn Beck Radio Program, America’s third-highest rated radio show which Premiere syndicates to over 400 affiliates across the country, a re-launched show hosted by Stu Burguiere and Pat Gray and audio simulcasts of TheBlaze TV shows. TheBlaze Radio Network can be heard starting later this month on iHeartRadio, Clear Channel’s free industry-leading digital radio service, TheBlaze.com and TheBlaze iPhone and iPad apps.

Jay Severin, hailed by NewsMax Magazine as one of America’s Top 25 Radio Hosts,  has served as host of nationally syndicated and regional radio programs including New York and Boston, for which he has been nominated for the Marconi Award for Top National Radio Major Market Personality. Severin has also been a political analyst with NBC News, CNBC, MSNBC and has appeared on  Fox News, CBS, ABC, Nightline, The John McLaughlin Show, PBS, CNN and NPR. He has authored Op-Ed articles for the New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle and The Boston Globe.

The “Jay Severin Show” features a fresh irreverent take on political and culture issues of the moment without barriers and without fear. Dom Theodore, a radio industry veteran and consultant for The Glenn Beck Program as well as several stations across the country through his consulting firm RadioAnimal, LLC, will serve as Program Director of TheBlaze radio.

Joel Cheatwood, President and Chief Content Officer at TheBlaze said: “We are excited to continue making TheBlaze a destination for news, information and entertainment programming across multiple platforms. Jay is an incredible talent and is the perfect host to launch The Blaze Network.”

TheBlaze Radio Network’s launch line-up is:

• 9am-Noon: The Glenn Beck Program

• Noon-2: Pat and Stu

• 2-5: Jay Severin

• 5-6: Glenn Beck TV (simulcast of Glenn’s TV show)

• 6-7: Real News from the Blaze (simulcast of TV)

In addition, TheBlaze will continue to provide news updates each morning on Glenn’s radio show.

Report: Big Uptick For Merlin's WIQI, However....

One Chicago radio station that saw big increases in the August period was WIQI-FM, now known as i101. Two days before the start of this ratings period, WIQI-FM's ownership, Merlin Media, decided to abruptly cancel its news/talk format and many future plans, to become a mostly 1990s pop/AC format.

The move seemed to work for the radio company, according to an analysis by Chicago Radio & Media.

For Persons 25-54, the ratings jumped from a 0.4 share in July to a 1.6 share in August, a 1.2 share increase. While those are great numbers at first glance, the details behind it are even better. The station flipped formats and did no publicity after making the switch. The station's previous FM News 101.1 billboards are still all over town with no changes to them, notifying the public of the new format. The only real publicity was via word of mouth and social media. People discovered the 90s music on the station, liked what they heard, and quickly told others about it, causing a swelling audience.

By looking at the Persons 25-54 weekly numbers, one can see the great progress the station made. Week 1: 1.1 share. Week 2: 1.3 share. Week 3: 1.9 share. Week 4: 2.3 share. Those last week numbers place the station in the Top 20, up from near obscurity the month before.

However, even THAT is not the full story... The station's target demographic was Women 25-54. For that target demographic, the weekly numbers looked this way: Week 1: 1.5 share. Week 2: 1.7 share. Week 3: 2.4 share. Week 4: 3.3 share. Those last week numbers place the station near the Top 10, up from virtually nowhere the months before.

For Women 18-49, Week 4 had a 3.4 share. For Persons 18-34, Week 4 has a 3.5 share.

With surging ratings, all happening organically, one would guess that station ownership would give it a little promotional push and see those numbers rise even higher, making the station one of the year's surprise success stories. That is the logical way of thinking, though.

Instead, the day after this ratings period ended, Merlin Media decided to flip the station's unique format yet again, to a Hot AC format, featuring a playlist of more current music that can be found on any number of radio stations and outlets elsewhere. The move infuriated all the new fans and seemingly killed any momentum i101 had.

 Next month's ratings details will show if the move was a smart one, or as most look at it, a very puzzling one to say the least.

Read More On Chicago's August PPMs, Click Here.

NYC's WRXP Revived During August PPMs

Rock music brought WRXP back to life in the August Arbitron radio ratings released Tuesday, while WBLS continued its recent surge toward the top.

According to David Hinckley at NYDailyNews, WRXP (101.9 FM) was resurrected this summer from the ashes of WEMP, an ill-fated attempt to launch an all-news station on FM.

WRXP had been an alternative rock station before it switched to WEMP last year and now it has switched back, playing male-targeted rock like Foo Fighters, Green Day, Weezer, Foster the People and Silverchair.

Its share of the audience, which had hovered around 0.6% as WEMP, almost tripled in August to 1.7%.

Among 18- to 34-year-olds, WRXP is close to the top 10 with 3% of the audience, even though at this point it’s using an automated format programmed in Chicago.

WRXP’s current ratings are a bit below the ratings it drew in its first go-round as an alternative rock station, when it had a full deejay staff.

Read More Here.

Report: A.J. Machado Finds New Home In San Diego

Former Star 94.1's radio disc jockey A.J. Machado will once again wake-up radio listeners in San Diego with his popular show, "the AJ Show," according to a story reported by NBC7 San Diego.

The show will be featured on KEGY / Energy 103.7, a top 40 radio station beginning Monday Sept. 10 from 6 to 10 a.m., according to the station's spokesperson.

In July, Machado announced he would be leaving Star 94.1 to find a different radio station.

Machado is well-known for his cheery morning disposition and his annual toy fundraiser during the holiday season.

Read more here.

The Journey Ends In Atlanta

Cumulus has flipped another station in Atlanta. Journey 97.9, featuring classic hits from the 80s & 90s, is no more. The station W250BC at 97.9 FM is now being branded as Q100's 20@97.9.  It is being positioned as a brand extension of Atlanta's Q100, repeating its Top 20 titles. 

Obviously, they are attempting to knee cap Clear's Channel's "Power 96.1", which flipped to CHR last week.  Or is this a stunt?  Market observers are curious.

In a press release, John Dickey, co-COO of Atlanta-based Cumulus, said the company has decided to create a Q100 “brand extension,” so to speak on 97.9. “With so much hit music, we needed to add on,” he said. “Q-100’s 20 at 97.9 will give us the room we need to continue to serve up more hit music than any other station/brand in Atlanta. While Atlanta wakes up to Q-100’s The Bert Show on 99.7, kids can get their hit music fix on Q-100’s 20 at 97.9.”

LISTEN TO Q100 20, Click Here.

Boston's WTKK-FM Expands News, Traffic, Weather

Boston radio station WTKK 96.9 FM said Tuesday it has expanded its news offerings to include live newscasts every 30 minutes, and traffic and weather reports every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. The news and weather reports will be available on the radio station, online , and via apps on Apple and Android mobile devices, according to a story by D. C. Denison at boston.com

The station, which has a talk radio format, is now branding itself as “News Talk 96.9.”

The expanded news programming is based on a partnership with Total Traffic Network, a national news service that is owned by radio giant Clear Channel Communications, Inc., located in San Antonio, Texas. The news staff will be locally-based, said WTKK program director, Grace Blazer.

“We’ve always had news,” Blazer said, “but now it will be more frequent and more local.”

Read more here.

Trinity TV to Cover Disney's 'Night of Joy'

This year marks the 30th year of the celebrated Disney's Night of Joy contemporary Christian concert series, and this year Trinity Broadcasting Network, America's most-watched faith channel, will be on hand to cover the entire two-day event, September 7 and 8, at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

Each year Disney's Night of Joy features a stellar lineup of both Dove- and Grammy-Award-winning Christian artists at the Magic Kingdom park, and this year is no exception. Among the performers slated to appear on the Magic Kingdom stages are Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, Kutless, Third Day, Brandon Heath, Mercy Me, Royal Tailor, LeCrae, and more.

"Since its beginnings in 1983, Disney's Night of Joy has gained a well-deserved reputation as a top-tier venue for some of the best artists in contemporary Christian music," said Matt Crouch, TBN's Vice President of Administration. "This year TBN will be there to cover all the music and excitement of this event. We're thrilled to be a part."

The network's production crews will be on hand for both action-packed days, recording the best from each concert segment, and catching behind-the-scenes interviews with featured artists, for future broadcast on TBN and its exclusive JCTV youth network.

"Our coverage of the Night of Joy is a great example of the commitment TBN and its family of networks have to provide viewers with the very best in music, ministry, and Christian programming 24 hours a day," said Matt Crouch. "That commitment reaches back 40 years to TBN's founding, and is why we continue to be the go-to source around the world for faith and family television."

To find out more about Disney's Night of Joy event, visit www.nightofjoy.com.

N-D Radio Analyst Suspended For 'Criminals' Comment

Allen Pinkett says Notre Dame needs more criminals to get the job done

The Notre Dame IMG Radio Network has suspended analyst Allen Pinkett for three games without pay for recent controversial comments he made about his alma mater's football program.

According to Matt Fortuna at espn.com, Pinkett's suspension began with last weekend's game against Navy in Dublin, Ireland, and will include Saturday's game against Purdue and the Irish's Sept. 15 game at Michigan State. Pinkett will return to work the Sept. 22 game against Michigan.

"Allen has done a great job for the Notre Dame IMG Radio Network over the past four years, has a supportive fan base, and most importantly, has expressed deep heartfelt remorse for his choice of words, which were not in the spirit of college athletics," Notre Dame IMG Radio Network said in a statement. "After careful deliberation and thorough discussion, we believe the right decision is to allow a truly repentant Allen Pinkett an opportunity to return to the booth beginning with the fourth game of the college football season."

Pinkett has worked as Notre Dame's radio analyst since 2001. The two-time All-America running back with the Irish caused an uproar last Wednesday when he said that the school's recent suspensions of four players could actually be a sign the program is gaining an "edge" that will help it be more successful.

"I've always felt like to have a successful team you've got to have a few bad citizens on the team," he told WSCR-AM 670 last Wednesday. Pinkett didn't immediately back off his comments when given a chance later in the interview. "I absolutely meant that," he said.

But on Tuesday, he was more than remorseful.

Read more here.

Report: Dick Clark Productions Sold

A consortium of private equity firm Guggenheim Partners, Mandalay Entertainment and Mosaic Media Investment Partners have struck a deal to acquire Dick Clark Productions, a small production company whose specialty is primarily awards shows.

Joe Flint at the LA Times reports while neither buyer nor seller would disclose the purchase price, people familiar with the transacwion said the company was sold for between $370 million and $385 million. Either figure is more than double what current owner RedZone Capital Management paid for DCP in 2007. RedZone is the private equity firm controlled by Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder.

Read More Here.

Notes From the Road

Make that...promos from the road.  Orlando-based internet talker Shannon Burke records his video promos for his show while traveling to work. Then, they get sent to followers on Twitter and Facebook.

Check today's promo out!

Green Day Lead Singer Released From Hospital

UPDATE Noon Eastern: Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has reportedly been discharged from the hospital after canceling a show in Italy on Sunday night due to illness.

Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong was rushed to the hospital this past weekend, forcing the band to cancel a concert in Bologna, Italy.

Armstrong's fellow band members, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool, filmed a video message in which they did not specify the nature of Armstrong's illness, but said they were "beyond devastated" and would make up the concert next summer.

Survey: Broad Interest In Apple TV

If an Apple Internet-connected TV proves to be more than a rumor, there appears to be a ready market, according to Mike Snider in USAToday.

A survey out today finds that 88% of current Apple customers would be interested in buying an Apple television. More surprising, among non-Apple owners, 80% of owners of a flat-panel TV say they'd be extremely, very or somewhat interested in an Apple TV.

"This potential Apple (interactive TV) would affect the whole ecosystem of the home, as well as the mobile device environment," says Tamaryn Pratt, president of market researcher Quixel Research, which did the survey. "We wanted to hear from a consumer perspective."

Consumers were asked how interested they would be in an Apple-branded TV that would be easy to use, have a simple interface, connect to other Apple products and have Apple-like design qualities. The survey is timely, with new product announcements expected from Apple this month.

Read More Here.

Michael Strahan Debuts As "Live! With Kelly" Co-host

Michael Strahan stepped out of an SUV and jogged onto the set of "Live! with Kelly" Tuesday morning, making his co-hosting gig official and confirming the country's worst kept secret, writes Gina Salamone at NYDaily News.

He was named Kelly Ripa's permanent partner, taking the spot left vacant when longtime "Live!" host Regis Philbin left the show in November.

But not before Ripa dragged out the official announcement with three extra minutes of suspense. “It’s an exciting day around here,” she told the audience. “It has been nine months and I’m about to give birth to my new co-host.”

 The seat was kept warm by 59 different guest co-hosts over the past 10 months. They've ranged from celebrities to sports stars, including former Giants defensive end Strahan, who has guest co-hosted several times.

Read More Here.

Consultant Tips For Content Home Runs

Consultant Mike O'Malley says "For Better Content, Treat Ideas like Runners in Scoring Position"

“Runners left in scoring position” is one of those “relative” baseball stats.

If a team scores a lot of runs and wins big, RLISP (runners who were on second or third base and in a position to score but did not) is an afterthought. But if the game is tight or the team loses by a couple of runs, the number of runners who had the potential to score but didn't takes on more significance.

At its core, RLISP is a measure of missed opportunities, of something that began with great promise but was not brought to its ultimate conclusion.

A lot of shows stumble with their own version of RLISP: good ideas that don’t get sufficiently developed and simply remain “in scoring position.”

To more get more interesting, unique and fully developed content, try this 3-step, “brainstorm your brainstorming” technique. We did this last week with a room full of morning shows but you can absolutely do this by yourself with great results.

Read More Here.