Online Ad Revenues Reach Historic High

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released a report on Internet ad revenues, which the organization says climbed to an all-time high of $17 billion in the first half of 2012, according to Chris Crum at webpronews.com.   This is, in fact, a 14% year-over-year increase (compared to the previous high of $14.9 billion in the first half of 2011).

The second quarter alone also saw a 14% year-over-year increase, hitting $8.7 billion (up from $7.7 billion during the same period last year).

“This report establishes that marketers increasingly embrace mobile and digital video, as well as the entire panoply of interactive platforms, to reach consumers in innovative and creative ways,” said IAB President and CEO Randall Rothenberg. “These half-year figures come on the heels of a study from Harvard Business School researchers that points to the ad-supported internet ecosystem as a critical driver of the U.S. economy. Clearly, the digital marketing industry is on a positive trajectory that will propel the entire American business landscape forward.”

IAB SVP, Research, Analytics and Measurement, Sherrill Mane, added, “Solid double-digit growth in a stagnating economy is a significant accomplishment. There is evidence that CPMs are maintaining, and even increasing, further substantiating the vitality of the internet ad market.”

Read More Here.

Study: 24% Followed First Prez Debate On Radio

The vast majority of Americans say they followed coverage of the first presidential debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, including 56% who followed the debate live. Most of these real-time viewers watched on television, but 11% of live debate watchers were “dual screeners,” following coverage on a computer or mobile device at the same time as following television coverage. Another 3% say they followed the debate live exclusively online.

The post-debate survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Oct. 4-7 among 1,006 adults, finds younger Americans are especially likely to be “dual-screeners,” following the debate live on both television and a computer or mobile device.

Overall, 32% of those younger than 40 say they followed the debate live online, including 22% who followed it both on television and online, and 10% who followed exclusively on a computer or mobile device. Those 40-to-64 are less likely to have followed live online (11%); just 1% followed only online, while 10% followed online as well as on television. Very few Americans 65 and older followed the debate live online (2%) and none followed live coverage exclusively on a computer or mobile device.

Read More Here.

ESPN Radio Is About To Get Blitzed

After dominating for two decades, ESPN will take a big hit come January, when Cumulus Media will drop its programming from 47 stations and pick up rival CBS Sports Radio.

In addition, Cumulus will syndicate CBS to other independent stations and work to woo Madison Avenue.

Claire Atkinson at nypost.com is reporting  the moves are part of the partnership Cumulus struck with CBS over the summer to help get the fledgling sports radio network off the ground.

CBS also boasts a sizable radio presence with its own stations in big markets, including New York, Boston and Dallas. It owns WFAN-AM, one of New York’s most popular sports stations.

As a result, CBS Sports Radio will air on around 100 stations, reaching about 10 million households, when it officially launches on Jan. 2. It also claims it will be the “most listened to sports radio network in the top 50 markets.”

ESPN, however, will continue to beat in total audience by a long shot.

The long-time leader boasts 350 station affiliates and reaches an estimated 30 million households.

Read More Here.

Opinion: Cumulus’ Poor Corporate Decisions

From Richard Wagoner, Press-Telegram.com:

Former KSPN (710 AM) general manager Bob Koontz wrote a scathing essay that was featured on Don Barrett's LARadio.com. The subject? Leadership, or lack thereof, at Cumulus Media, owner of hundreds of stations nationwide including KABC (790 AM) and KLOS (95.5 FM) in Los Angeles. 

The essay actually was a rebuttal to a recent cover story in Radio Ink magazine in which John Dickey, co-chief operating officer at Cumulus, tried to explain the problems facing radio. 

"It's difficult to know exactly where to start," writes Koontz. "(An accurate) place for blame is Cumulus. Just take a look at most or just about every Cumulus station in the major markets and you will see reduced (ad) revenue across the board. Is this the strangest coincidence you have ever seen? No, it's a company that had no business buying stations they couldn't afford under the burden of huge debt." 

The real problem according to Koontz? To satisfy investors and deal with the debt, the company fired the most experienced and costly employees. He was specifically referring to salespeople and managers, but the same could be said for on-air talent. 

Neither of the L.A. Cumulus stations even has a program director. 

Read More Here.

Report: Ex-Bubba Employee Leaked Hogan Sex Tape

Bubba, Ex-Wife

A new report pins the release of Hulk Hogan’s secret sex tape on a disgruntled ex-employee of Florida shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, according to the NY Daily News.

The former staffer felt stiffed when Clem left his job at SiriusXM in early 2011 and took the tape public as payback, RadarOnline reported Thursday.

"Even though Bubba knew how much the Hulk sex tape would be worth, he didn't stab his friend in the back, and he's not the one who released it," an unidentified source told Radar.

Hogan’s lawyer said even if the new report is true, Clem still betrayed the wrestling superstar by filming him having sex with Clem’s wife in the swinging spouses’ home six years ago.

Read More Here.

Twitter: 'Jack Kennedy' Line In VP Debate Tops Reaction

Joe Biden's "Now you're Jack Kennedy?" line generated 58,000 tweets a minute. Last night's VP debate saw 3.5 million tweets, down from 10.3 million during the first presidential debate.

Charlie Sykes Takes Radio Show To 'Digital Community'

Duane Dudek at jsonline.com reports bad news for 47% of the people reading this.

WTMJ-AM (620) conservative talk show host Charlie Sykes is taking his act to the Internet.

Likely in reaction to political events that have put the state in the national spotlight, Sykes and WTMJ-AM owners the Journal Broadcast Group are creating RightWisconsin, which he describes on his blog as a "digital community, a rallying point, a one-stop source for conservatives on the front lines here."

He writes that it will have "a full-time staff and multiple platforms" including mobile tablet and social media applications. And it will feature commentary from around the state, "key stories that other media won't cover," darts and laurels, and videos.

"We can do all of this," Sykes writes, "because we have the resources of a major media company behind us, including the state's biggest radio station and top-rated television station. In other words, we have built-in platforms for promotion as well as the infrastructure" to make the effort successful.

Read More Here.

WHBC's Ponder Hangs-Up On Senate Candidate

Ponder

The Republican nominee for Ohio's U.S. Senate seat, state Treasurer Josh Mandel, was cut off by Rob Ponder on WHBC 1480 Canton  after he and Ponder ended up debating the questions Mandel was being asked.

According to John Celock at The Huffington Post, Mandel challenged Ponder Thursday morning on Talk 1480 WHBC after Ponder started asking Mandel about a series of reports on hiring practices in the treasurer's office that said Mandel gave state jobs to college friends and political associates. Mandel accused Ponder of working for his Democratic opponent, Sen. Sherrod Brown.

"Well, first of all, Ron, I thought I was going on the Ron Ponder show, not the Sherrod Brown campaign show," Mandel said.  Ponder refuted Mandel's allegation that Brown's camp had planted the questions.

"I’m asking you questions that people have asked you, and I’m just trying to get answers," Ponder said. "I’ll do the same thing with Sen. Sherrod Brown, so don’t accuse me of being a lackey for Sherrod Brown. I’m just asking you questions that my listeners want to know."

Mandel and Ponder continued to debate, while Mandel tried to focus on his record in the treasurer's office. He defended his staff as "financial professionals" and dismissed allegations about his hiring practices as a "bunch of hogwash."

Ponder eventually tried to end the interview, saying that he did not want Mandel debating him and using the show "as a foil to get out your campaign material."

"Hang up on this dude, man," he said, presumably to a producer in his studio.

Read More Here.

Rick Springfield Does "Jessie's Girl" in NYC Subway

Some people riding the subway in New York City on Wednesday got a surprising treat during their commute when singer Rick Springfield decided to hold a pop up concert and sing-along to his hit song "Jessie's Girl". Watch the caught-on-tape moment unfold.

According to CBS News, the impromptu performance was posted by YouTube user Randy Thomas and while the video and audio is a bit raw and gritty, the fun being had by the crowd shines through. Spingfield had posted to fans on his Facebook page Wednesday night:

"Rick's making you late to work in NYC starting at the 34th Street subway station! Then uptown on the 1 trainwith more stops! Follow Rick on Twitter for real time updates! #ricknyc."

The 63-year-old singer has recently been making a series of media appearances in New York City to promote his new album "Songs For The End of the World".

Read More Here.

ABC’s Robin Roberts Released From Hospital

WWL’s Sally-Ann Roberts By Her Side

“Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts has been released from the hospital three weeks after receiving a bone marrow transplant from her sister, WWL-New Orleans morning anchor Sally-Ann Roberts.

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

Nehman Leaves WMAL, Ready For WBAL Debut

WMAL’s Mornings with Brian and Brian in Washington, DC, which runs form 5-9 AM, is down one Brian. Bryan Nehman signed off for the last time Wednesday.

After 12 years with the station, he has taken a job at Baltimore’s WBAL 1090 AM where he will anchor the morning show.  Nehman is expected to start October 15^th at WBAL.

He’ll replace retiring morning news host Dave Durian on Hearst news talker.  No word about who will replace Nehman at the Cumulus outlet.

Word leaked out a month ago (see original posting), but Nehman didn’t address it on air until his farewell message yesterday.

Chemo To Keep Don Wade Off WLS-AM

WLS-AM's morning team of Don Wade & Roma, who were optimistically hoping to be back on the air by the end of this month, will now off even longer, as Don Wade takes further measures to insure his health.

According to Larz at Chicagoradioandmedia.com, Wade will soon begin a six-week treatment of chemotherapy and radiation, due to a cancerous tumor that was removed from his brain last month.

Wade, who is 71 years old, then underwent a series of tests to find a reason behind a seizure suffered while in NYC for their daughter’s wedding. From those tests, doctors discovered a growth on his brain.

The surgery to remove the growth was performed on the morning of September 27th. After a brief stay in the hospital, Don Wade returned home to recuperate from the surgery and await the results on the tests of the growth. Based on those test results, doctors felt it was best for Don Wade to undergo the chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Late Wednesday afternoon, WLS-AM's website posted up a statement about Don Wade's medical condition and upcoming treatments.

WLS-AM is staying with it's current morning fill-in hosts. Late morning hosts, Bruce Wolf and Dan Proft will continue to guest-host Don & Roma's shift from 5:00am-9:00am. WLS-AM weekend host Jake Hartford and Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass will continue to fill-in for Wolf & Proft's 9:00am-11:00am shift.

Don Wade & Roma's current contract with WLS-AM expires in December of this year.

Read More Here.

Software Glitch Knocks 5 CC-Sacramento Stations Off

A morning drive software problem knocked five Clear Channel stations off the air Wednesday morning. Stations affected included KSTE, KFBK, KHLX, KHYL and KQJK. All are housed at  1545 River Park Drive.  Some stations were off air for almost two hours.

CC Presidennt/Market Manager Dave Milner told the Sacramento Bee that the technical problem that knocked the stations off the air was a software-related issue.

"We just recently moved into a brand new building and have state-of-the-art new software systems that control all the on-air," he said. "We had a failure in the software system."

Engineers at Clear Channel off Arden Way responded and got the stations back on the air as quickly as possible.

Lex and Terry Back On Jax Radio Monday

After a year’s absence from the local airwaves, the Lex (Staley) and Terry (Jaymes) Radio Show returns Monday on Classic Rock WSOS (94.1 FM) in Jacksonville, FL where the morning show duo started.

Currently syndicated out of Dallas on 24 radio stations nationwide, the closest in Gainesville and Tallahassee, this will be the radio duo’s third time on their old home airwaves in as many years.

Dan Scanlan at jacksonville.com is reporting the Lex & Terry show started at what was then Rock 105 in Jacksonville in 1992. Staley was the station’s program director while Jaymes was an actor and stand-up comedian. The show was nationally syndicated in 1997 when the duo moved to a Dallas radio station to build their network.

Read More Here. 

Obama To Tom Joyner: "I Was Too Polite"

Speaking Wednesday on the "Tom Joyner Morning Show," President Obama says "I was just too polite"  in his first debate with Mitt Romney.  He added voters should expect "a little more activity" next week in the second debate.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Welcome To Jaye Albright’s Focus Group

From Radio’s Consultant, Jaye Albright:

Have a seat.  Make yourself comfortable.  I have a few questions for you.

1.  The next time your local NPR station goes into a pledge drive, please take a random hour and listen to them, with their seven to ten minute breaks begging for dollars.

After you've done that, tune to an AM news station like WCBS, KFWB, WSB or KOMO and spend the same amount of time with them. 

Make note of the times you were tempted to tune out.  Do this in your vehicle, on your desktop computer and also on your smart phone 

What role did sharp teasers and engaging writing using power words have in keeping you listening?  

Did the longer islands of content, followed by longer islands of things you didn't tune in for work better than more frequent, but much shorter breaks? 

Was the experience the same on your analog radio, your desktop stream and the mobile phone?

2.  Now, listen to your own radio station's stream and other online offerings for three random hours in the same way on your desktop, car radio and smart phone.

Next, go to any of the MTV networks websites (my personal fav is http://www.colbertnation.com/) and do the same thing with their various online offerings, show highlights with their brief video pre-rolls, exclusive on-line content which wasn't available online, and the full program with its four breaks in a half hour, first one :30, then :15, :30, :30, :15, and then :30, :30, :15, :30 and finally :15, :15, :30, :30 just before the final seconds of the show with a tease for tomorrow's highlight plus a final laugh.  The last commercial in each break includes a countdown timer telling me that my desired content is just seconds away.

Is the experience the same for you on your big screen as it is on your small ones?

What are your thoughts?

I'll show you mine, if you show me yours in a comment below.

• I find myself able to spend more time with the "give me 20 minutes" info news wheel than the longer pledge small talk on my phone whereas the chatty, lengthy pledge breaks don't seem as repulsive in the car compared to streaming on my phone.
• My experience with a 100% streaming simulcast of the typical FM music station is just as listenable for long periods on a desktop computer at work.  The tune outs for me occur with sloppy ad insertion techniques and repetitive online public service, promos and ads.
• On a mobile device I simply can't stay through a five to six minute commercial break and find the :30 second video spots only hold me when they are very compelling and entertaining.  :15's and :20's don't have to be as good to get me to stay for the content that first drew me in.

What can we apply from this experiment to our online streams to at work listeners who want to hear their favorite station on their desktop?

Will a simulcast of that same programming work for mobile device streaming/podcasting users?

For most focus groups these days, you'd get paid $75 or more for your time and opinions.

This time, though, your premium is the potential of having bigger online audiences, driving revenue growth without cannibalizing your analog product.

Jaye Albright is partner in A&O Consulting, read Jaye’s Breakfast Blog, click here.

Chopper Crash Silences KYBG-FM, Basile, LA

A helicopter crashed into a radio tower just north of Kaplan Wednesday, killing the pilot.

Maxine Trahan, a spokeswoman for the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office, said it happened just before noon Wednesday. The pilot was believed to be the only person aboard the four-seat aircraft, according to an AP story.

The tower is located on farm land near Crowley, off Highway 13 at 2163 Benton Road. Trahan says the tower appeared stable after the crash but non-essential personnel were being kept away while authorities determined whether it was safe.

Acadiana Broadcast Partners says the helicopter crashed into one of its broadcast towers. According to the company, the tower transmits the signal for radio station KYBG in Basile, LA, known on air as "Big 102.1."

Radio Personality Has Street Named In His Honor

A Boynton, GA radio legend of 50 years was honored with a Walker County street named in his honor at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 5.

Tommy Jett, a radio personality who started in the 1960s with WFLI radio in Chattanooga, was surrounded by his “close personal friends” as Tommy Jett Drive was unveiled near the intersection of Ga. 193 and Happy Valley Road near his north Georgia home in the Fox Den subdivision.

Matt Legend at walkermessenger.com reports Jett is grateful to be alive to see a road named in his honor after he nearly died on another nearby road, during a serious accident that Jett had on April 18 on Ga. 2A in Rossville.

"I was shocked, honored and humbled by it because so many people have hung in with me down through the years, going with 50 years on the air."

Several of the Walker County Emergency Services personnel were on hand, including Jordan Gitgood, the first to arrive on the scene. Jett praised Gitgood’s efforts for keeping calm in a situation that Jett feels he is lucky to have lived through.

Jett’s weekly oldies show now airs on LPFM WAAK in Boynton, GA.

Read More Here.

Savage Expects To Be Back…Soon

Talk show host Michael Savage - off the air since last month after winning a legal battle with the Talk Radio Network – wants to return to the air within two weeks.

"I've got to get back before these (presidential) debates are over," Savage told sfgate.com Tuesday. "And when I do, it will be bigger than ever."

Savage's lawyer, Daniel Horowitz - who led the legal fight to get the nationally syndicated star out of his contract with the TRN - said they have had discussions with three "major players" he declined to name.

As for whether the deal will include a local station, Horowitz said, "I can't comment. It might tip our hand."

Since leaving the airwaves last month, the San Francisco-based Savage been spending his time visiting his son in Beverly Hills, working on the sequel to his action novel "Abuse of Power," and "planning my return from retirement".

Read More Here.

WYAY: Marshall Adams Has Left the Building

In a surprise move Cumulus and programmer Marshall Adams have parted company…already.  Adams, formerly PD/ND of KDKA Pittsburgh, was hired in April to launch Atlanta’s first all-news station, WYAY 106.7.  

The station launched in early June and in the latest Atlanta PPMs scored a 1.3 6+ share.  While the format has been slowing trending upward during the vacation summer months, it is about half of what WYAY was tracking playing the classics hits.

Market observers report Cumulus has started airing infomercials in off-hours.  All-news stations can be high billers, but it takes time.  John Dickey and Cumulus apparently have the station on a short-leash for billing.  They could be strapped for cash and are getting antsy.  

There has been no comment on the direction of the station from Cumulus Media’s corporate PD for News/Talk/Sports Jim Mahanay.

Adams told NTS MediaOnline “What a ride it’s been,” he continued. “More than 30 people are on staff and I am proud of each and every one of them — truly an ‘all-star’ cast.”

Reach out to Adams at marshalladams@hotmail.com.

Radio’s Revolving Door…

• Cabana Boy and Nikki have been signed for wake-up duties at Alpha’s Hot AC KBFF in Portland. 

• Chris Diaz has been named new cohost for the Morning Show with Kris Daniels at Cox Country WQNU in Louisville.

• At AC KRWM/Seattle, Mark Christopher replaces station vet Tom McCarthy in morning drive. The exiting McCarthy had been with the station for 15 years.

• Wes Styles is new PD at Active Rocker WQBK Albany, NY/ Styles was last at WXQR Greenville-New Bern-Jacksonville.  He starts 10/29 in Albany, just in time for the snow to fly.

• WJMK-FM/104.3 K-Hits Chicago has parted ways with evening host George McFly . Starting Thursday evening, former WLS-FM morning show host Dave Fogel will take over nights on K-Hits in the interim.

Hulk Hogan Comes Clean

UPDATE Wednesday 9:30am: Hulk Hogan told CNN's Piers Morgan Tuesday night he hadn't yet seen portions of a video indicating his best friend, Tampa Bay area shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, secretly recorded the star having sex with a woman identified as Clem's then-wife, according to a story by Eric Deggans at tampabay.com.

"Never have I ever been this embarrassed and never has my world been turned upside down in such a fashion," said Hogan, a former longtime Clearwater resident once known as Terry Bollea, speaking with the CNN host during his Piers Morgan Tonight show. "I had no idea there was a camera set up."

Hogan landed back in the headlines when the website Gawker posted a clip of him having sex with a woman; later, the wrestler told shock jock Howard Stern the woman was Clem's then-wife Heather Cole. (the pair filed for divorce last year, finalizing the split early this year.

Original Posting....

Bubba the Love Sponge Gave Me Permission to Do His Wife

On Howard Stern this morning, Hulk Hogan finally confessed that the woman featured in his recently leaked sex tape is indeed the wife of his very good friend Todd Alan Clem, better known as radio host Bubba the Love Sponge (which is his legal name, by the way).

Gawker.com is reporting Hogan told Stern that Bubba allowed him to have sex with his now-estranged wife Heather Clem, and the deed took place six years ago when Hogan was still married to Linda. Hogan blames Linda for practically making him have sex with his friend's wife, saying she was verbally and emotionally abusive to him.

The 59-year-old continues to stand by his claim that he had no idea the "love making" was being taped, and promises to bring charges against the person who released the footage.

Read More Here.

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Big Bird Has Bigger Problems Than Mitt Romney

During last week's presidential debate, Republican Mitt Romney horrified some fans of "Sesame Street" when he said he was going to stop federal subsidies of PBS even though he likes Big Bird. Many pundits seemed to think the beloved children's character was headed for the barbecue.

However, according to a story at money.msn.com, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit that produces "Sesame Street," gets very little direct support from the government. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting awarded the show $1.25 million in funding through a National Program Service grant to PBS in fiscal 2011 and $1.4 million under the same program a year later, according to a CPB spokesperson. Those funds represent about 2% of Sesame Workshop's annual budget.

Sesame depends on PBS to distribute its shows and would be hurt if government funding for public television ended, as Romney and others have advocated. But PBS is just a gnat on the elephant of federal spending. Zeroing it out would not do squat to alleviate the deficit. A scaled-back PBS would prompt Sesame Workshop to find alternative routes to distribute its show, which might be more expensive and may not reach the low-income viewers the organization tries to reach.

Dark clouds have been forming for a while over "Sesame Street," where the sun is always supposed to shine. Competition for the preschool market is tough and getting harder. Sesame Workshop reported a loss of more than $10.8 million in 2011. Early this year, the organization announced plans to lay off about a dozen workers, its second staff reduction since 2009.

Like for-profit media companies, Sesame needs to pay top dollar to attract talent. Carroll Spinney, who has played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since the show's inception, earned more than $314,000 in compensation in 2011, according to the organization's 990 form. Former Sesame Workshop head Gary Knell earned $988,456, including $270,000 in bonus and incentive compensation. Knell became the head of National Public Radio last year.

Read More Here.

ESPN Unveils New Affiliate in Orlando

What has been rumored for several days is coming true.  ESPN Radio today formally announced a new affiliate in Orlando, FL.  

It’s WDBO 580 AM..starting November 12^th.  WDBO for years has been the N/T leader in the market and last year Cox Media jettisoned Classic Rock on 96.5 FM to simulcast the successful AM signal.

The time has now come for Cox to try and cultivate another revenue stream.  The N/T format will continue on 96.5 FM.   

Orlando is very important to ESPN-Disney and obviously they wanted to find a new affiliate quickly.  Their previous affiliate Genesis’ WHOO 1080 AM recently dropped ESPN in favor of the new NBC Sports net. Also, ESPN wanted to secure a new affiliate before CBS Radio Sports starts January 1.  With WDBO, ESPN has lined-up the best AM signal in the market.  WDBO-AM covers the metro counties day & night.

Today's announcement indicates WDBO will partner with Disney’s ESPN Wide World of sports in Kissimmee for programming opportunities.

“We are thrilled to offer Central Floridians the opportunity to hear ESPN on 580-AM with an exceptional radio signal allowing Orlando listeners  to experience the best sports brand and most compelling sports radio content,” said Cox Media Group Orlando's VP/arket Manager Susan Larkin.

Tom’s Take: Cox Media is to be applauded for attempting to make best use of a terrific AM signal. In too many others markets the AM is often coming up on the short end of a simulcast.  Also look for Magic Basketball play-by-play to air on 580, ending interruptions to WDBO’s talk programs on FM.

Cox entry brings to four the number of sports stations serving the Orlando market.  CC's WYGM 740 AM carries Fox Sports.  WRSO 810 AM carries Yahoo Sports and WHOO airs NBC Sports.

Glenn Beck’s SUV Totaled

Glenn Beck’s daughter got married this past weekend in the Finger Lakes area of Upstate New York. Following the wedding, Beck experienced his “Father of the Bride” (as in the Steve Martin movie) moment when his SUV, which he’d parked at the top of a hill by his rented cottage, went sliding down a slippery hill and barrel-rolled several times. The vehicle, thankfully, had no one inside and as it rolled down the hill to the amazement of his wife and children, Beck just said “let it go.”

According to theblaze.com, Beck’s reaction was quite calm. “Well let’s go say our prayers, and go to bed,” he said he told his family as the mangled vehicle lay at the bottom of the hill.

Read More Here.

Obama Campaign Asked To Stop Big Bird Commercial

Sesame Workshop asks Obama campaign to stop using this TV commercial:

Murrow Radio Award Winners Announced

The Radio Television Digital News Association has announced the 2012 National Edward R. Murrow Award winners. The awards honor excellence in electronic journalism.

For the fourth consecutive year, NBC News won the Edward R. Murrow award for Overall Excellence in the network television grouping. NBC News also won National Murrows for Video Newscast and Writing.

In the same television grouping, ABC News earned three Murrow Awards in 2012 – for Video Breaking News Coverage, Video Continuing Coverage and Video Reporting: Hard News.

CBS News took the awards for Video Feature Reporting and Video Investigative Reporting in the network television grouping.

In all, 67 news organizations are being honored with 99 awards.  Radio winners are listed here (to see complete list of winners, click here.)

Radio: Large Market

Overall Excellence

KCBS - San Francisco

Overall Excellence

Audio Breaking News Coverage

KMOX-AM - St. Louis

Good Friday Tornado Hits St. Louis

Audio Continuing Coverage

KUT-FM - Austin, Texas

Texas 2011 Ongoing Drought

Audio Feature Reporting

WCPN-FM - Cleveland

Frank's Donation

Audio Reporting: Hard News

CFRA-AM - Ottawa, ON, Canada

A Night in the Cell Block

Audio Investigative Reporting

WBUR-FM - Boston

Anatomy of a Bad Confession

Audio News Documentary

WUSF-FM - Tampa, Fla.

Jumping Off the Skyway Bridge...and Surviving

Audio News Series

Mississippi Public Broadcasting - Jackson, Miss.

Smithville Destroyed by Tornado

Audio Newscast

WTOP-FM - Washington

Newscast 5-2-11 6pm

Use of Sound

WBUR-FM - Boston

New BSO Conductor Teaches Kids To Love Classical Music, One Wisecrack At A Time

Audio Sports Reporting

WTMJ-AM - Milwaukee

The First Pitch of the Rest of their Lives

Website

KIRO-AM - Seattle

mynorthwest.com

Writing

WFAE-FM - Charlotte, N.C.

Uncovering The Past: Mecklenburg's Role In Sterilization

Radio: Small Market

Overall Excellence

Alabama Public Radio - Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Overall Excellence

Audio Breaking News Coverage

WRVA-AM - Richmond, Va.

Shooting at Virginia Tech

Audio Continuing Coverage

KTTS-FM - Springfield, Mo.

Tornado in Joplin

Audio Feature Reporting

WBOI-FM - Fort Wayne, Ind.

Derby Brats

Audio Investigative Reporting

KUNC-FM - Greeley, Colo.

K12 Inc.: Public Online Schools, Private Profits

Audio Reporting: Hard News

WUFT-FM - Gainesville, Fla.

The Execution of Manuel Valle

Audio News Documentary

WSLU - Canton, N.Y.

The Road From 9/11

Audio News Series

WITF-FM - Harrisburg, Pa.

Facing Cancer Together

Audio Newscast

WTAQ - Green Bay, Wis.

WTAQ's Morning News

Audio Sports Reporting

WITF-FM - Harrisburg, Pa.

Hope in Handball

Use of Sound

WMSI-WJDX-FM - Jackson, Miss.

The National Memorial

Website

WDEL-AM - Wilmington, Del.

WDEL.com

Writing

KSMU-FM - Springfield, Mo.

‘Angels of Mercy:' Scenes of Heroism, Lessons Learned Emerge From Hospital Ravaged by Tornado

Read More Here.

WFAN AM/FM Simulcast To Start In November

New York’s WFAN, the radio station where sports talk was born 25 years ago, is moving to the FM dial.

WFAN’s owner CBS Radio announced Monday it has purchased WRXP (101.9 FM) from Merlin Media, for a reported $75 million, and will begin simulcasting WFAN’s 660 AM programming there “in late fall.”

The call letters will be WFAN-FM.

CBS Radio’s primary national sports-talk rival, ESPN Radio, recently moved its New York sign from 1050 AM to 98.7 FM

But Don Bouloukos, senior vice president and market manager for CBS Radio New York, told David Hinckley at NYDailyNews.com  the WFAN simulcast “had nothing to do with ESPN moving to FM here.

“CBS first put sports programming onFM in Detroit in 2007, and has moved a dozen stations since then.”

RADIO DISCUSSIONS MESSAGE BOARD BUZZIN' WITH COMMENTS, Click Here.

CBS Radio President and CEO Dan Mason said the move is simply good business.

“This is an extremely exciting opportunity to expand our radio presence in the nation’s largest market,” he said. “Sports is a very popular format and a huge growth category.”

Bouloukos declined to speculate on whether most talk radio programming will eventually migrate from AM to FM, saying individual market factors vary widely.

He did agree that “some younger listeners are more attuned to FM,” though he noted New York remains a strong AM market, with WFAN, WINS, WCBS-AM, WOR, WABC and others.

ESPN Radio has added listeners since it moved to FM in New York, but WFAN has remained comfortably ahead in the ratings — including among the 25- to 54-year-old men who form the core of the sport-talk audience.

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WFMS Property In County Tax Sale

The north-east side Indianapolis property that is home base for the popular WFMS-FM 95.5 radio station yielded a whopping $625,000 bid in the Marion County tax sale that ended Friday, according to a story at ibj.com.

The owner of the property at 6810 N. Shadeland Ave. is Indianapolis Radio License Co., a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cumulus Media Inc., which owns local stations WFMS, WRWM-FM 93.9 and WJJK-FM 104.5.

Cumulus owes more than $80,000 in overdue taxes on the Shadeland Avenue property, dating back to the spring of 2011, according to the Marion County treasurer’s office, which conducts the annual tax sale.

Calls from IBJ seeking comment from both WFMS and Cumulus on the overdue taxes were not returned.

ReadMore Here.

Sandusky Gives Statement To Penn State Radio

AP Photo

UPDATE TUESDAY 10:30 AM   Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, whose sexual abuse of children triggered a cascading crisis that still shadows the state's largest university, was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison Tuesday

The sentence issued by Judge John Cleland means that the 68-year-old former coach, convicted of abusing 10 children over 15 years, will spend the rest of his life in prison barring a successful appeal.

Original Posting......

Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky will be sentenced Tuesday after being convicted in June of 45 counts of child sexual abuse for molesting 10 boys over 15 years after meeting them through a charity for at-risk children.

His lawyer, Joe Amendola, told CBS News Sandusky intends to address the court and proclaim his innocence. Nobody else is expected to speak on Sandusky's behalf during the sentencing hearing Tuesday in Bellefonte, Amendola said.

The day before his courtroom statement, however, Sandusky released a rare jailhouse recording, in which he questioned his accusers motives and repeatedly proclaimed to be innocent of and baffled by the charges against him.

The three-minute statement aired on Penn State's student-run radio station at 6 p.m. ET Monday.

To Listen To Audio, Click Here.

WSM Nashville Celebrates 87 Years of Broadcasting

Iconic Nashville-based radio station 650 AM WSM will celebrate 87 years of broadcasting with a celebration lasting more than a month. The station first went on air October 5, 1925. Events planned include special on-air content, live shows and giveaways.  The celebration will culminate with a community open house at the station’s famous Blaw-Knox tower site on Saturday, November 10.

“I couldn’t be more excited for the future of WSM,” 650 AM WSM Program Director Joe Limardi told Sarah Wyland at gactv.com. “Just as the technology of 1925 brought Nashville coast to coast through 650 AM the technology of today brings WSM all over the world and to the palm of a listener’s hand, thus ensuring that the legacy of WSM will carry on for the next generation of music fans.”

On October 5, WSM morning man and GAC personality Bill Cody kicked off WSM’s birthday with his Coffee, Country, and Cody show live at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  Guests included Jimmy Fortune and Billy Dean, who both debuted new music live on the air. Throughout the day, the station aired archived station content including historical commercials, jingles, and live Grand Ole Opry cuts.

Throughout October, fans will have multiple chances to qualify to win Grand Ole Opry tickets for an entire year as part of WSM’s Song of the Day promotion.

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NYTimes Union Staffers Stage Walkout

Unionized New York Times staffers have been locked in a nasty contract battle with company management for the past 18 months now.

Joe Pompeop at capitalnewyork.com reports at issue between the Times Company and the Newspaper Guild are proposed contracts that Guild members say would result in a costly reduction in wages and benefits.

The acrimony, publicized by an agressive ongoing campaign from the Guild, has become a somewhat thorny public relations issue for the Times, which over the past year has also come under scrutiny as a result of the termination and replacement of previous C.E.O. Janet Robinson. (Guild members were none too pleased to learn that her exit package was worth $24 million.)

Monday's walkout came on the heels of a proposed "overall $12,000 annual cut, in real dollars, to our compensation package," according to a letter circulated to Guild members this morning.

A little after 3:30 p.m., hundreds of Times journalists wearing plain white "Believe us" stickers began streaming out of the Times Building's 40th street entrance, where they congregated before walking around the corner en masse. They passed the main entrance that bears the paper's logo before looping around 41st street and returning to work.

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RIP: Frank Wilson Motown Writer, Producer

Motown's Frank Wilson wrote and produced hit records for such big names as the Supremes and the Temptations, but he was best known for a single recorded in Los Angeles that featured his own voice — and was never released.

Copies of his "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" had already been pressed in 1965 when Motown founder Berry Gordy asked him to choose between being a performer or writer-producer, Wilson's family said. When he decided on the latter, almost all of the singles were destroyed.

After the record mysteriously jumped across the Atlantic in the 1970s, it became an underground sensation in Britain and a prized collectible: A rare copy of "Do I Love You" sold in 2009 for $39,294, making it the most expensive music single sold at auction, according to Guinness World Records.

Wilson, who left Motown in the late 1970s to become a minister, died Thursday at City of Hope in Duarte. The Pasadena resident was 71, according to a story at LATimes.com.

The cause was complications from a lung infection, said a daughter, Tracey Stein. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer several years ago.

He joined Motown in 1964 soon after the Detroit-based record label opened a West Coast office in Los Angeles and helped produce a hit that year for Stevie Wonder, "Castles in the Sand."

The long list of popular songs that Wilson either wrote or co-wrote includes the 1968 hits "Love Child" for Diana Ross and the Supremes, "Chained" for Marvin Gaye and "All I Need" for the Temptations. After Eddie Kendricks left the Temptations, Wilson produced "Keep On Truckin' (Part 1)," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts in 1973.

Wilson also helped write "You've Made Me So Very Happy," a 1967 Top 40 single for Motown's Brenda Holloway that soon became an even bigger hit for Blood, Sweat and Tears.

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WFAN Sportsradio 66 To Simulcast On 101.9 FM

WFAN To Acquire 101.9 FM; Simulcast to Begin In Late Fall

CBS RADIO, a division of CBS Corporation, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase 101.9 FM from Merlin Media for $75 million. In late fall, CBS RADIO will begin its operation of the station under a Local Marketing Agreement, launching a simulcast of the company’s premier sports franchise, Sports Radio 66 WFAN.

This move will immediately broaden the audience and reach of WFAN’s award-winning programming, which will continue to be broadcast on-air at 660 AM, online at wfan.com/cbsnewyork.com, and via the Radio.com app for a variety of mobile devices.

“This is an extremely exciting opportunity to expand our radio presence in the nation’s largest market,” said Dan Mason, President and CEO, CBS RADIO. “Sports is a very popular format and a huge growth category for our business. As a result of this new asset, we look forward to The FAN building on its position as the leading sports radio franchise in the country.”

WFAN pioneered the all-sports format when it launched on July 1, 1987, becoming the first radio station where listeners could hear and talk about sports 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It has been the most-listened-to station of its kind since it signed on the air. WFAN is home to leading personalities Mike Francesa, Boomer Esiason, Craig Carton, Joe Benigno, Evan Roberts and Steve Somers, and is the flagship station for the New York Giants, New York Mets, Brooklyn Nets and New Jersey Devils.

Additionally, WFAN is the recipient of four prestigious Marconi Awards from the National Association of Broadcasters, including most recently Mike Francesa being honored as Major Market Personality of the Year (2012).

The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory and other approvals.

Randy broke the news to Merlin staff in a memo:

Merlin Staff, 

Rumors about Merlin have been rampant. Today we are announcing the sale of WRXP/New York. Many talented people have worked hard to create a terrific Alternative station, but our obligation to retire significant debt necessitates this decision. Thanks to everyone for your hard work with New Rock 101.9. The formats initial success made the decision very difficult. 

There is a very positive impact of this sale on our balance sheet. This change allows us to increase focus on operating a successful company. Merlin is not for sale, and is looking at possible additions to our portfolio. Let’s focus building the Chicago and Philadelphia stations into great, profitable brands and great places to work. 

Let’s go! 

Randy

The RADIO DISCUSSIONS Message Board is buzzin'.

WRXP soon to become WFAN-FM....

Media General, Inc. Sells The Tampa Tribune

Media General, Inc. , a Richmond-based broadcast television and digital media company, announced today that it has sold The Tampa Tribune and its associated print and digital products to Tampa Media Group, Inc., a new company formed by Revolution Capital Group.  The sale closed today.  The sale price was $9.5 million, subject to adjustments for working capital and other items, yielding net proceeds before expenses of approximately $2 million.

“It’s a bittersweet day for Media General to complete the sale of its last remaining newspaper group,” said Marshall N. Morton, president and chief executive officer.  “The Tampa Tribune was our largest and second oldest newspaper.  Many Tribune employees have decades of service.  The Tribune staff has been extraordinarily dedicated to providing their readers with excellent journalism, creating value for their advertisers and supporting the local community.”

Morton said, “With this transaction, we complete the transformation of Media General’s business model to one focused on broadcast television and digital media.”

“We have an attractive economic model, fueled by revenue growth, including Political, Retransmission and Digital revenues. For example, Political advertisers prefer top-ranked stations like ours.  In the third quarter of 2012, Media General generated Political revenues of nearly $20 million, which brings our year-to-date total to more than $33 million.  Media General has stations in four of the key battleground states for the presidential election:  Ohio, Florida, Virginia and North Carolina.  Our Virginia, Rhode Island and Ohio stations are also benefiting from hotly contested Senate races.  We have increased our outlook for Political revenues for the full year 2012 to $57-58 million,” said Mr. Morton.

 “Plans are underway to increase Broadcast cash flow and EBITDA margins. At the market level, we are focused on ratings and share increases as well as expense management.  As we’ve said previously, corporate expense will decrease from $32 million to $20 million, a run rate we are already close to achieving.  Since June, our corporate staffing has been reduced in half, including employees who went to work for World Media Enterprises, the Berkshire Hathaway company that bought our newspapers in June, and a staffing reduction we implemented in the third quarter that affected 75 employees.”

According to a Media General news release, The Tampa Tribune has been Tampa’s hometown newspaper for more a century. TBO.com, the newspaper’s associated web site, was one of the first local media internet sites when it launched in 1994. Media General purchased The Tampa Tribune in 1927 in a partnership.  In 1966, Media General acquired control of The Tribune Company, which included The Tampa Tribune, The Tampa Times, WFLA-TV and WFLA Radio. In 1969, Media General acquired an additional 29% of The Tribune Co. and by the next year owned 100%. In 1975, the two newspapers moved into a new facility on Parker Street, where the newspaper operations reside today.  The Tampa Times, an evening newspaper, merged into The Tampa Tribune in 1982.

Media General continues to own WFLA-TV.

Clear Channel Rescinds GNN Closing Decision

Apparently, Clear Channel-Atlanta has had second thoughts about shuttering its longtime operation of its Georgia News Network.  Clear Channel had sent out 90-day cancellation notices to affiliates last week.  The notices went out shortly after Clear Channel flipped its Atlanta WGST 640 AM from N/T to ESPN Deportes. 

Then, Cox Media announced its intention to start-up a statewide new service.  They expected to be up and running by January 1, 2013.

Now, CC/Atlanta President and Market Manager Matt Scarano has rescinded the notice. Scarano now says GNN will continue, and even expand utilizing resources of CC’s TTN.

Next move...Cox.

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