Saturday Aircheck: John ‘Records’ Landecker Boogie Check

Must-Read: Book of Records: Landecker looks back on legendary career. Click Here.

Saturday Aircheck: WWCK105 FM Rocumentary

"Flint's Best Rock" is now officially a part of rock history as it has been accepted into Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

This is a story that had to be told! "Flint's Best Rock" will not let you go and you will finish with deep sense of appreciation for this once proud radio station.

NYC Radio: Cousin Brucie Still Upset About JackFM

Cousin Brucie

Someone heard doing a commrecial on the radio is hardly noteworthy. But when the person is “Cousin Brucie” Morrow and the station is WCBS-FM, the ears perk.

For nearly a quarter-century, Morrow talked to his “cousins” on CBS-FM, primarily Wednesday and Saturday nights. (Cuz Brucie is now heard on SiriusXM’s 60s On 6 Channel same nights).

Now, his famous voice is back on WCBS-FM, but this time to pitch for Lexus.

Morrow tells Jerry Barmash at FishbowlNY that the spots date back to CBS-FM’s 40th anniversary last July.  As part of his “reunion” broadcast, Morrow did several live commercial reads, including one for Lexus.

 “They loved it so much, they called me the next day and asked me if I’d do their commercials for them,” Morrow says.

That deal, though, almost didn’t happen.

Brucie came close to saying no to the one-time return on his beloved CBS-FM, still sore about the ugly 2005 flip to the jockless Jack-FM.

“No way am I ever going to come back to that radio station,” Morrow recalls telling Ryan. “These people did a terrible thing, they’re nasty people and I can’t forgive them.”

Read More Now.

Julianne Hough Bling From Ryan Gets Ripped-Off

UPDATE 3/16/13 7AM: Things could get awkward the next time Julianne Hough runs into Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet. The 24-year-old "Safe Haven" star and the host of E!'s awards season coverage and Fox's "American Idol" have split after more than two years together, according to People.

earlier posting....

Don't stash $100,000 worth of jewelry in your Mercedes, and leave the doors un-locked.

That's what dancing actress Julianne Hough, star of "Safe Haven," seems to have done after parking outside a pal's apartment building.

Not surprisingly, when she came back to the Benz, the driver's-side door was wide open, the car's interior was trashed and the bling was long gone.

The jewels were gifts from the prince of Hough's long-term  boyfriend, TV's Ryan Seacrest, also KIIS-FM 102.7 FM. The effervescent "American Idol" host had given his tiny dancer a $50,000 watch, plus another $50,000 in baubles.

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CC, Target Partner for JT Fan Experience

To heighten the excitement of Justin Timberlake's newest album "The 20/20 Experience" Target and Clear Channel will host an exclusive iHeartRadio album release party with Justin Timberlake at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on March 18.

The partnership includes the following elements:

• Through an on air contest, 120 Timberlake fans nationwide will be flown in from across the country to Los Angeles for special access to the event.  The event will include a live, nationwide 30-minute on-air radio and TV broadcast special, where Justin Timberlake will discuss the making of his upcoming album and perform live with his band.
• The event will air in its entirety live on 175 Clear Channel stations around the country and stream live on Yahoo! (http://music.yahoo.com) on March 18 at 6 p.m. PT.  In addition, the party will be recorded and televised on The CW Network the following evening, March 19 at 8 - 9 p.m. ET.  The CW special will also include an exclusive eight minute world premiere of Timberlake’s new music video for “Mirrors.”  An encore of the special will air Friday, March 22 at 8 – 9 p.m. ET.
• The release party, station takeover and live stream are currently being promoted extensively by Clear Channel Media and Entertainment across its on-air and digital platforms. The album pre-promotion will culminate with a first-of-its-kind simultaneous two minute live roadblock on 850 Clear Channel stations introducing Justin's new music and kicking off the album release party.
• Clear Channel Outdoor is staging a takeover of its digital billboards – hundreds of digital signs in markets across the country – that will feature a countdown clock to the album release party. Markets include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.
• On March 19, the day of the album's release, Timberlake will take over all format-appropriate Clear Channel radio stations, websites and iHeartRadio.com, to play his favorite music and tracks from his new album. CCM+E will continue airing short segments with Timberlake discussing the album and how it was created for three weeks following the release, reminding listeners that they can only buy the exclusive deluxe edition of the album at Target.

Tampa Radio: It’s Over! Bubba, Schnitt End Feud

A five year feud between two of Tampa Bay's most notorious radio shock jocks has ended, and both sides are claiming victory.  "Bubba the Love Sponge" Clem and Todd "MJ" Schnitt were in mediation talks for 13 hours Thursday, finally reaching a settlement at midnight, according to abcactionnews.com.

"We have an agreement.  It's over," said Bubba, after waking up from a nap during the last hour of negotiations.  He normally starts work on his morning radio show at 3AM.  

The agreement prevents Bubba from making any disparaging remarks about Schnitt's wife Michelle, or his children, according to Schnitt's attorney Wil Florin.

"In the event there are any violations to the agreement with regards to Michelle, the damages are $5,000 for each violation," Florin said.

Schnitt sued Bubba in civil court for defamation, but a jury ruled in Bubba's favor.  Schnitt had threatened to seek a re-trial of the case, but this agreement ended any further litigation.

"The verdict will stand.  And I'll be able to light up MJ on the air," Bubba said.

After the deal was reached, Schnitt appeared outside the negotiation room with his wife and attorney.  Schnitt said he was prepared for any future remarks from Bubba, so long as Bubba keeps his family out of it.

"This has been about protecting my family.  My children, primarily," Schnitt said.

Bubba promised to light up Schnitt on his next radio show.

Before the mediation, Bubba accused Schnitt of trying to use the legal system to bankrupt him.  In one interview, Bubba claimed his legal costs had reached $3 million.

"Today probably cost me $50,000.  It's crazy," Bubba said. 

Talk about it later today...
— Todd Schnitt (@toddschnitt) March 15, 2013

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Boston Phoenix, WFNX.com To Close

Thank you Boston. Good night and good luck.
— Boston Phoenix (@BostonPhoenix) March 14, 2013

With that terse dispatch, the ground-breaking, Boston alternative weekly, which only six months ago reinvented itself from tabloid newspaper into glossy magazine, put a final punctuation mark on its announcement that its current issue, dated March 15, will be its last.

According to a story at boston.com, sister publications in Providence and Portland, Maine, will stay in business, but WFNX.com, the Phoenix Media/Communication Corp.’s online radio station, will not continue in its present form, its fate to be decided shortly. The company’s custom publishing unit and MassWeb Printing operation, based in Auburn, Mass., will remain open.

The online edition of the Boston Phoenix, slated to appear March 22, will be its last, too.

Employees at the Phoenix, whose origins date back to 1966, were told of the closings by owner and publisher Stephen M. Mindich at a 2 p.m. meeting Thursday. It is expected that about 40 employees will be let go within the week and another ten or so soon after, according to executive editor Peter Kadzis, who described the general reaction among Phoenix staffers as “shell-shocked.” Several people were crying during the meeting, according to one person who was there.

Statement from @bostonphoenix publisher Stephen Mindich: ow.ly/iWwRg
— Boston Phoenix (@BostonPhoenix) March 14, 2013

Read More Now.

Balt. Radio: Glenn Younes Enjoys Working Solo At 105.7

Glenn Younes

Glenn Younes took a pay cut to leave a high-profile national-sports satellite radio gig and come to Baltimore to do a local radio show. Was he crazy?

Dave Hughes from dctv.com reports Younes, who has been doing the evening show on CBS-owned 105.7 The Fan, WJZ-FM, since August 2011, said he got what he wanted out of the move.

He wanted his own show, which would allow him to exhibit his skills of personally connected radio.

"Now, I can harness my craziness into one show," Younes said. "I can put my sole focus on my show."

Before coming to Baltimore, Younes had been an anchor for SiriusXM radio, hosting the "Mad Dog Sports" weekend show on Mad Dog Radio.

He was also the primary fill-in host for the channel, regularly stepping in for the channel's namesake, Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo.

Younes uses words such as "fantastic" and "stressful" to describe his work at SiriusXM.

"I was recapping NFL games for the whole country," Younes said. "I took a pay cut to go to 105.7. It was a conscious decision. Yeah, I took a step backward to take a step forward. I don't just do sports on my 105.7 show. In evenings, people are already up on the latest sports news."

Younes is a one-man band, and he said he enjoyed going solo on the radio, without a co-host. He admitted a need to be dominant in the conversation.

He also said there's a lot of the back end to the radio business now that he's at 105.7, which means he's now more involved with the sales and advertising end of the business.

Read More Now.

St. Louis Radio To Get ‘Man’ And ‘Woman’

St. Louis sports-talk radio has become stagnant, and destroying it and rebuilding in a different format was a key theme Thursday as Grand Slam Sports management detailed its change of approach for the two St. Louis jock-talk stations it owns, KFNS and KXFN.

According to media writer Dan Caesar at stltoday.com, company officials for KFNS 590 AM going to ‘‘man talk’’ and KXFN 1380 AM to “woman talk’’ got into more detail Thursday at a news conference at which some of the company’s major problems were evident.

According Caesar, it was broadcast but portions were so faint that they barely could be heard. And the company’s website is so inadequate that a recording of the event wasn’t posted there but was available on the insidestl.com site. Interestingly, that is run by KFNS morning drive-time show co-host Tim McKernan — but that program is being canceled.

The biggest news unveiled was that longtime St. Louis radio personality Asher “Smash’’ Benrubi and former Blues tough guy Tony Twist will be hosts of KFNS’ afternoon drive-time program (3-6 p.m.) and former Cardinal Jack Clark will follow. Clark will remain in the 4-6 p.m. slot until the format changes, most of which are expected in early May.

There have been numerous reports in recent months of financial problems at Grand Slam — technical issues and the long-standing website woes just one of them — but lead Grand Slam investor Todd Robbins shot down rumblings that the company had considered a ‘‘fire sale’’ of the stations. However, he acknowledged that the investment group did entertain offers for either selling or leasing them.

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NBC Sports Radio Ink McNabb & Malone

Donovan McNabb

Dial Global and the NBC Sports Group announced today that recently-retired NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb will join the NBC Sports Radio lineup as a contributor, starting April 1.

His new teammate will be Mark Malone for “Under Center with McNabb & Malone for the 3p-7p time slot Monday through Friday on NBC Sports Radio, as the net expands its programming line-up.

Six-time Pro Bowl quarterback McNabb, who established his storied career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

As a player, Donovan McNabb posted one of the best records in the NFL, averaging 10 wins per season over his 12-year career. With McNabb under center, the Eagles went to the postseason eight times, won the NFC East Division five times, played in five NFC Championship Games, and had their first Super Bowl berth in 24 years. His 4,746 pass attempts, 2,801 completions, 32,873 passing yards, and 216 TD passes are franchise records. McNabb, a former Syracuse University football standout and basketball player, is also a key player off the field, where he is actively involved in community efforts through his Donovan McNabb Fund.

Mark Malone

Donovan McNabb says, "As I continue to segue further into the broadcasting field, adding a radio relationship like Dial Global and NBC Sports Radio is the perfect next step. This platform allows me a weekly forum to communicate with fans on a personal basis and I'm excited for the opportunity."

Malone is currently an analyst for Dial Global Sports' Sunday afternoon NFL package and host of NFL Insider. He was an All-American quarterback at Arizona State and first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, played for 10 years in the NFL, quarterbacking the Steelers to the 1984 AFC Championship Game. He is also known for the decade he spent with ESPN, where, in addition to hosting NFL programming, he also covered NASCAR, GOLF, the NHL, boxing, and the NBA.

Paula Street Inks WRBQ Tampa Deal

Paula Street

CBS Radio Classic Hits WRBQ Q105 Tampa Thursday named Paula Street as its new midday host, effective immediately. Street did middays at sister WODS Boston.

WRBQ’s Geno is excited to welcome a former co-worker and fellow Boston transplant Paula Street to Tampa Bay’s Q105! 

He had the chance to work with Paula at WODS (or “Oldies 103″) for a few years and says  she’s talented and a total sweetheart. He adds Q105 listeners will really enjoy her bright, positive personality. 

Geno posted on the Q105 website a creative welcome:

While Boston is a great city, Paula, there’s nothing like living in Tampa Bay.  Take it from a guy who’s only been here 2 years but would never think of going back.  Here are the 10 reasons you’ll love this move! 

#1: Duh, the weather.Since moving to Tampa, the awful memories of shoveling, skidding, and cold wet clothing are just that… memories.  Bad ones.  My friends and family back home ask how I can stand the heat and humidity in the summer.  I always reply… the same way you do, air conditioning.  It’s miserably hot up there too in August! And you don’t have to shovel humidity. 

Q105's Geno

#2: Our accents are sexier!
I grew up in Maine, but I had that stupid accent as a kid. Go pahk ya cah ovah theyahhhh!  The New England accent isn’t so much an accent as it is laziness!  Bostonians just don’t move their toungue or mouth when they talk. It’s usually too cold. Try it! All you need to do to master the Boston accent is speak without moving your toungue! So thus the 25 letter alphabet.  Welcome to the state where we acknowledge the letter “R”! 

#3: We are the home of the never-ending happy hour!
We are a happier group of people.  And we like to celebrate.  We aren’t stuck inside watching TV 10 months of the year… we get out and live it up on the water and at the beach! 

#4: Everything’s cheaper!
Gas, homes, restaurants… it always amazes me that it’s cheaper to live here than Boston.  We don’t even pay a state income tax.  Yet we get the sun. You Boston people get the stress! 

#5: Q105.OK, I probably should’ve moved this up a few notches, but I’ve gotta be humble. We have a great legendary radio staiton like Q105 that plays all the greatest hits from 3 decades.  Boston lost their classic hits station WODS where I worked with Paula  a few years ago.

Read Reasons 6-10 Now.

Holy Evidence of Technology's Advancement

NBC News provided a glimpse at the technology advancement during the past seven years.

Top photo who the audience at St. Peter's Square as the new pope was introduced. The bottom photo shows the significance difference as the new Pop Francis was introduced.

Date Set For Arbitron Shareholders’Vote

Arbitron has set a date for its shareholders to vote on the $1.26 billion acquisition of the company by Nielsen.

According to Radio World, the vote will be held at the St. Regis hotel, according to a proxy statement filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

READ ARBITRON PROXY: Click Here

If shareholders approve the deal and it actually closes, “each outstanding share of Arbitron common stock will be converted into the right to receive $48.00 in cash, without interest and subject to any applicable withholding tax,” according to the filing.

Arbitron President/CEO Sean Creamer asks shareholders to vote in person at the meeting, or by proxy, noting that not casting a ballot “has the same effect as voting against” the proposed deal.

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New Media Wonder Drug: Streaming Video

U.S. media companies have found a new wonder drug. Its name: subscription video on demand. Miriam Gottfried reports.

WUSN’s ‘Ramblin Ray’ To Host Syndicated Show

Ramblin' Ray

United Stations Radio Networks, Inc. has announced that the network will be producing and distributing a new Country Music program called Serving Your Country that will mix the Contemporary Country format with coverage of the activities in the realm of the U.S. military abroad and first responders at home.

The show will be a music-intensive, 2-hour weekly program anchored by the award-winning morning man from WUSN/Chicago (US-99.5), Ray Stevens, also known as “Ramblin’ Ray.”

The announcement came from USRN’s EVP/Programming, Andy Denemark at the company's headquarters in New York City.

 

Serving Your Country is the first program created for commercial, over-the-air radio stations to be centered on news, interviews, commentary, stories and listener interaction revolving primarily around the everyday heroes who make up our nation’s military personnel.   Perhaps no other format on the radio dial does more promotionally as well as in charity efforts tied into supporting our troops than the Country format, and Serving Your Country will spotlight all manner of heroic activities. 

Laura Bryna

Numerous Country recording artists have already contributed segments to the program, and both a toll-free number and a website have been set up to enable listeners to make requests, dedications and air “Letters From Home” sent out to loved ones and friends who are stationed away from home.  

The series launches during the broadcast week of April 1, 2013 with a weekend airdate of April 6-7 for the first episode.

Ramblin’ Ray Stevens’ career in radio began in 1987, and for the past 21 years he’s been part of the morning show at WUSN Chicago, known locally as US 99.5, CBS Radio’s Country outlet in that market.  Ray has particularly been fond of his last 5 years at that station during which he’s been paired with Lisa Dent.  Ray has won or been nominated for just about every major award in radio, including several Country Music Association (CMA) and Academy of Country Music (ACM) broadcast awards.

Singer-songwriter Laura Bryna will join Ray Stevens for several segments per week on Serving Your Country to deliver requests, the “Letters from Home” and other listener interaction on the show.  Laura has extensive experience providing entertainment and moral support for our troops and their families.   She is a celebrity spokesperson for the U.S. Air National Guard as well as The National Guard Youth Foundation, a group that works with at-risk youth.

CBS News Recalls The Start Of ‘WNR’

This week marked the 75th anniversary of the "CBS World News Roundup," the longest running newscast in history. Over the years, the radio show has brought us broadcasting legends and the modern newscast.

It was 1938 when Adolph Hitler took Austria and marched the world closer to war. Americans were able to follow the harrowing events with an immediacy never felt before.

Watch CBS News' Charles Osgood's report on the 75th anniversary of the "CBS World News Roundup":

Watch: Why Instagram Is Such A Huge Success

Boston Radio: Loren & Wally Renew At WROR

Greater Media Boston says long-time Boston morning radio personalities Loren Owens & Wally Brine have signed a new multi-year contract with 105.7 WROR-FM.

Considered Boston’s longest running morning team, Loren and Wally were first paired together back in 1981 and have been on the 105.7 frequency ever since. The Loren & Wally show remains among the top rated morning shows in Boston radio.

The duo has been through several call letters and formats over the years, including Top 40 (WVBF-FM), Country (WKLB-WCLB-FM) and for the past 15 years, on Greater Media’s Classic Hits station WROR-FM. In addition to Loren and Wally, the station also renewed the contracts of Lauren Beckham- Falcone, Hank Morse, Brian Bell and multi-talented veteran radio personality Tom Doyle.

“Loren and Wally represent what’s best about local radio,” said Greater Media Boston Market Manager Rob Williams. “They, along with their incredible team, have built an indelibly strong relationship with their fans over the years, which is why they continue to perform at such a high level. We believe the best is yet to come and are excited to continue our partnership with Loren, Wally, and their entire cast of characters.”

“We’re thrilled to have a Boston tradition, the Loren & Wally show, on 105.7 WROR for years to come,” said Station Program Director Ken West. “Our audience considers them family and looks forward to waking up and having fun with them every morning!”

Loren & Wally wake up Boston listeners daily with such local fan favorites as “Men from Maine,” “Tom’s Townie Tunes” and “Wallyology Reports.”

Political Pundit Dick Morris Joining WPHT Philly

Dick Morris

During his speech Thursday from the stage of CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), political consultant and author Dick Morris announced he will be hosting weekday afternoons on Talk Radio WPHT 1210 AM, Philadelphia beginning on Monday, April 15.

He will host the show live from 2:00-6:00PM, ET and can be heard on-air, online at www.cbsphilly.com, or via the Radio.com app for a variety of mobile devices.

“Dick is a great addition to our lineup of live and local personalities, and provides a voice that will raise the audiences’ interest in what’s happening in politics today,” said CBS RADIO Senior Vice President/Market Manager, Marc Rayfield. “As someone who isn’t afraid to express his opinions or make bold predictions, his show won’t just be a win for Philadelphia and WPHT – it’s a win for radio.”

Morris first came to national attention when he provided the strategy that engineered Bill Clinton’s stunning comeback re-election victory in 1996, rescuing his presidency after he lost control of Congress in 1994.　 Once called “the most influential private citizen in America” by Time Magazine, Morris steered Clinton back toward the center and was a key player in the Clinton Administration initiatives that balanced the budget, cut taxes, and reformed welfare.　

Morris spent the next decade and a half as one of Fox News Channel’s leading analysts. Along with his wife, Eileen McGann, Morris has written 16 books, including 12 New York Times best-sellers.　Their almost daily email columns circulate to more than500,000 people and hundreds of thousands more read them on dickmorris.com  their　popular web site.　　

Added Andy Bloom, WPHT Operations Manager, “Dick is among the most recognizable names in political commentary.　His transition into radio is an obvious next step, and I have not been this excited about introducing a new show to the industry in a long time. Radio provides an excellent forum for Dick to showcase his insight and knowledge of politics. The show will be provocative, intelligent and a must listen.”

“I love radio which provides the time necessary to discuss the important issues,” said Morris. “The calls are from real people – and you get to do the interrupting!”

Taylor Swift Fan Mail Found Unopened In Dumpster

Hundreds of letters addressed to country superstar Taylor Swift were discovered in a south Nashville recycling dumpster over the weekend.

WKRN-TV reports the letters, many of which were unopened, were found by Kylee Francescan who was disposing of her own items at the dumpster at Granberry School, located off of Old Hickory Boulevard.

WKRN, Nashville News, Nashville Weather and Sports

Many of the letters, which were from all over the world, were covered with pictures, hearts and sparkles were addressed to Taylor Swift Entertainment, a P.O. Box located at a strip mall at 242 West Main Street in Hendersonville.

Taylor Swift

The owner of the strip mall told Nashville's News 2 Investigates Swift does receive box loads of fan mail at the P.O. Box and that someone from the country singer's staff picks up the mail periodically.

Francescan told Nashville's News 2 Investigates she did not open any of the letters. She added that she decided to contact News 2 because she thought Swift would want to know about the discarded letters.

On Monday, Nashville's News 2's Andy Cordan took the letters to Swift's record label, Big Machine Records on Music Row.

A man at the record company said he is unsure why the letters were in the dumpster.

Read More Now

Philly Radio: What’s Going On At WWIQ?

Where's Al?

UPDATE 03/18/2913:  An internal memo last Tuesday told iq staffers that Gardner had “decided to move on and weigh his options – perhaps hanging up his headphones altogether or at least finding a role that doesn’t require going to bed at 6 PM and getting up at 2 AM,.” What next? The memo says “we’re weighing our options for possible replacements for Al in the morning show,” and in the meantime, Michelle Murillo is co-hosting with Lionel, who has an expanded role in mornings for the moment while the station sorts out its future plans.

Earlier Posting....

Someone please ask Merlin's Randy Michaels: Where’s Al Gardner?

Morning show co-host Al Gardner is missing from the WWIQ 106.9 FM station website line-up.  Co-host Lionel is still there at the talk station, but a new addition seems to be Michelle Murillo from the news department.  No mention of Al Gardner, who came on board last April to launch IQ, with then co-host Larry Mendte.

Also, the 65-year-old Gardner has not been heard in days.

LISTEN-LINE: Click Here.

Michelle Murillo

In late 2011, Gardner left a cushy spot as morning host at WBT Charlotte to help Michaels’ launch IQ as VP of Programming and to do mornings.  "This is a pinch-me job," Gardner said at the time. "It couldn't be better." Gardner is a native of near-by Levittown.

Murillo was recruited Fall '11 by Merlin Media from Clear Channel's N/T WFLF in Orlando to join the company's start-up WRXP News format in NYC. When Merlin sold WRXP to CBS for $75 million last fall, Murrllo started voice tracking news for IQ.  Of course, she is now live in Philly and it looks like she's just been promoted.

Traditional Media Ad Spend Dips Lower

More Dollars Shift to Digital

The shift from traditional media ad spending to digital continues unabated. That’s according to a Duke University Fuqua School of Business survey of US marketers commissioned by the American Marketing Association (AMA) and conducted in February 2013.

A story by eMarketer.com reports as recently as August 2011, marketers expected traditional ad spending to increase incrementally over the following year. But by February 2012 they began to project that traditional ad budgets would shrink, and in February 2013 the expected size of that decline over the next 12 months reached 2.7%.

Meanwhile, digital marketing investment will expand at the expense of traditional spend. The increase in digital ad spending was projected to be most dramatic in the business-to-consumer (B2C) product category, which was expected to se a 14.6% bump over the 12 months following February 2013. B2C and business-to-business (B2B) services were forecast to see similar increases in digital ad spending.

B2C services were estimated to experience the greatest drop in traditional media ad spending, falling 5.4% over the next year.

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Survey: Consumers Want AM/FM On Their Dashboards

Media strategist Mark Ramsey last week  fielded a random, balanced, national online study of 1,000 consumers and asked how they feel about those radios in their cars – and how they’d feel if they disappeared. Each chart shows five rating points, from “DISAGREE” to “AGREE.”

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The ‘Ed Show' Moves To Weekends On MSNBC

UPDATEEd Schultz

UPDATE 1:30pm 3/14/13: According to reports, Chris Hayes will take over the 8 p.m. time slot on MSNBC in the next month, the channel announced on Thursday morning, the day after the current host of that hour, Ed Schultz, said he was moving from the weekdays to the weekends.

Mr. Hayes, a liberal intellectual who has hosted a well-regarded weekend morning program on MSNBC for the past 18 months, is a protégé of Rachel Maddow, the highest-rated host on the channel. On April 1 he will become the lead-in for her 9 p.m. program, “The Rachel Maddow Show.”

Earlier Posting...

The Ed Show is exiting MSNBC’s primetime for weekends, host Ed Schultz.

According to deadline.com,  Schultz announced the change during Wednesday night’s cableTV show.

“And in the big finish tonight, a big personal and professional announcement. MSNBC will be expanding its weekend programming and this opens a big opportunity for “The Ed Show” and my brand. I will be leaving this time slot at 8 pm ET and moving to Saturday and Sunday from 5 to 7 PM,” Schultz said.

The change to weekends will happen in April.

The hour long Ed Show debuted on the liberal leaning MSNBC with the syndicated radio host as frontman in April 2009 at 6 PM ET.  Schultz’s radio show will continue.

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Miami Radio: Evolution Launches

First it was an iHeart Radio custom format, then Clear Channel Media+Entertainment hired Peter Tong, an English DJ from the BBC to launch the Electronic Dance Music format in Boston. Now ‘Evolution’ spreads to Miami.

CCM+E is airing Evolution on a 250-watt translator W228BY at 93.5 FM.  In Boston, the format is on a full-power FM via WEDX.

W228BY 60dBU Coverage Area

Miami’s version began Wednesday  with “non-stop dance tracks”.

LISTEN-LINE: Click Here

Peter Tong

The format will feature music by Skrillex, David Guetta, Calvin Harris and more. Evolution 93.5 Miami will kick off its launch with two All Gone Pete Tong parties featuring Tong on March 16 and 22, at The Surfcomber Hotel on Miami Beach.

Tong said, “I’ve been coming to Miami for over fifteen years to DJ and attend March’s Winter Music Conference and Ultra Week. It’s one of the most important dates in the DJ year, and the City of Miami has always been a special and progressive market for dance music. To be launching the second Evolution terrestrial station in Miami in March is amazing, and a real highlight of my career."

THE RADIO DISCUSSION BOARD IS HUMMIN' Click Here.

Tampa Radio: Gary Shelton Exits The Fan

Gary Shelton

Tampa Bay Times sportswriter Gary Shelton has left sports talk radio station WHFS-FM, fired after completing Thursday’s show.

WHFS program director John O’Connell confirmed he would not return to the program, reports Eric Deggans at tampabay.com.

“We have parted ways,” O’Connell said, adding that Pawlowski would host the show on his own for the foreseeable future. “That’s all I can say.”

Shelton also wasn’t sure why the station, known as Sportsradio 98.7 the Fan, decided to fire him. “In the past, they had mentioned they needed someone (in the broadcast booth) from Monday to Friday,” the sportswriter said, adding that his earliest talks with the station outlined how much he must travel for his newspaper work.

Shelton was in the station’s inaugural lineup when it debuted back in August 2012, as owner CBS Radio flipped the format of hits radio station WSJT-FM, creating the first FM sports talk station in the Tampa Bay area market.

But WHFS has endured upheavals as original program director Mike Pepper was reassigned and then left the company.  By the beginning of February, the station was airing national broadcaster Jim Rome at noon and had rolled back its concept of around the clock live and local sports talk.

“It was a wonderfully positive experience the ended badly,” Shelton said.

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FCC Commissioners Questioned Over Spectrum Auctions

All five members of the Federal Communications Commission testified on Capitol Hill March 12 at what could be the final congressional oversight hearing for the Julius Genachowski-led FCC.

While Chairman Genachowski has not announced his plans to step down, he is widely expected to vacate the top FCC job in President Obama's second term.

According to bna.com, at the outset of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) keyed in on Genachowski's status, questioning whether the FCC could realistically meet its self-imposed deadlines for conducting the first-ever “incentive auctions” of spectrum if Genachowski resigns.

The FCC is working to finalize the rules for the auction in 2013 with hopes of holding the auction in 2014. Such a timeline may prove difficult to meet amid a change in leadership at the commission, Thune said.

Genachowski dodged the question, saying only that incentive auctions remain the agency's highest priority.

Commissioner Robert McDowell, the senior Republican member of the agency, expressed optimism that the FCC will meet its self-imposed deadlines, but urged caution.

The agency is trying to reclaim airwaves now used for broadcast television and auction them off to carriers led by Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc., with a portion of the proceeds paid to the broadcasters. Even at this early stage in the process, agency officials anticipate a return of between 60 and 80 megahertz from broadcasters, roughly half of the amount contemplated when the FCC released the National Broadband Plan in 2010.

The broadcast TV spectrum is seen as crucial to wireless carriers to help meet the ever-increasing consumer demand for smartphones and tablet computers, which require more radio spectrum to carry their data transmissions--significantly more than what is needed to carry cellular telephone calls.

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NYC Radio: The Morning Show That Exercises Together…

...Stays Together

After a discussion about the health benefits of Yoga last week, Dan Taylor, morning host at WCBS-FM 101.1 decided to experience it for himself.

Along with newscaster Deb Rodriguez, Dan went up to Laughing Lotus Yoga Center on 6th Ave in NYC for a crash course in this ancient Indian philosophy with instructor, Francesca.

NYC Radio: Hot 97 Plans To Get Funny April 1

Gotham radio listeners are invited to celebrate the first of April, as WQHT Hot 97 FM holds its annual April Fool’s Day comedy show at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

The night of laughs will be hosted by Tracy Morgan, stand-up comic and actor, late of 30 Rock. He’ll be joined by Hot 97′s own morning show co-host Cipha Sounds.

This is the 19^th year for the comedy show and many of the hottest comedians are expected on-stage, among them JB Smoove, known to audiences for his role on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Jay Pharoah, a cast member at Saturday Night Live since 2010.

“It’s like all my dreams coming true at once! Not only do I get to perform at the greatest comedy show in New York City, at the most famous venue on planet earth, but I get to co-host with my biological father, Tracy Morgan,” Sounds jokes. “I get to make people laugh and have a family reunion all in one.”

For more, Click Here.

“Girls On Fox News’ Video Released

Texas-based country singer Austin Cunningham has just released a new single called "The Girls of Fox News."

No comment from Irena Briganti, the Senior Vice President of Media Relations for Fox News.

Ocala Radio: Kathy Dugan Has New BFF

Kathy Dugan, co-host of the Mr. Bob Morning Show on WOGK Country 93.7 FM Ocala, FL recently got a chance to hang with artist Sheryl Crow.

R.I.P.: Iron Maiden Drummer Clive Burr

Clive Burr

Clive Burr, the original drummer with British heavy metal giants Iron Maiden, has died at the age of 56.

Burr died in his sleep at his home after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

He joined Iron Maiden in 1979 and played on the first three albums; Iron Maiden (1980), Killers (1981) and The Number Of The Beast (1982).

Steve Harris, Maiden's guitarist, said, 'He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out.

'This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time.'

The band's singer, Bruce Dickinson, who has previously described Burr as the best drummer the band ever had, said: 'He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full.

'Even during the darkest days of his M.S., Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day and all our thoughts are with Mimi and the family.'

So sad...just found out my old friend Clive Burr from Iron Maiden pass away. So glad I spoke to him a couple of days ago. #alegendlost
— Dee Snider (@deesnider) March 13, 2013

R.I.P.: Milwaukee Broadcaster Chuck Arnold Was 77

He was a disc jockey for almost two decades at WISN radio, master of ceremonies on the old "It's a Draw" TV show with Sid Stone and the cheerful voice of afternoon drive time. But it was Chuck Arnold's one-time stint filling in for Dick Clark on "American Bandstand" in 1959 that captured Milwaukee's teenage heart.

According to jsonline.com, Arnold died Wednesday at his Glendale home of complications of progressive supranuclear palsy, a brain disorder that affects balance and movement. 

He was 77.

He was chosen to fill in for Clark, who was filming a movie, because he was considered "the hipster at the station - the guy who had the personality most similar to that of Dick Clark," Arnold's wife explained.

Arnold was born Chuck Arnold Manger in Racine but grew up in Kalamazoo, Mich., where he began working as a disc jockey at age 16, on nights and weekends, at radio station WKMI. After graduating from high school in 1953, he moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., to work as an announcer at a dog track. He next took a job at a radio station in Pittsfield, Ill. "It was so small we had to visit a drive-in across the street to use the bathroom," Arnold said in a 1973 interview.

He worked briefly at WIRL in Peoria before he followed his boss, Jim Butler, to WISN radio in July 1958. Butler suggested that Arnold change his name to something that was easier to pronounce.

In 1968, Arnold went to radio station WHBC in Canton, Ohio. He returned to WISN in 1970 and served as program director at WISN-FM.

He left WISN in 1976 and worked for about 18 months at WTMJ-AM (620), leaving in 1978. Then he did voice work for Sentry Foods, Stein Garden Centers and other clients.

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The Piano Man Sings With The Piano Student

Michael Pollock

In January, the Vanderbilt University Programming Board presented “Billy Joel: Questions and Answers and a Little Bit of Music”.

While some audience members may have thought Billy Joel to be a crabby old musician or the stereotypical singer-songwriter, he was delightfully funny, reports insidevandy.com.

Would you imagine Billy Joel would have a spot-on impersonation of Soviet leaders, Ronald Reagan, Paul McCartney or reggae artists? Probably not. While most crowds expect the artists they’re watching to just “shut up and sing,” Joel proved he could hold the audience’s attention with hilarious anecdotes and more than a few memorable one-liners.

During Q&A,  Joel took one from Michael Pollack, who recalled how he got on stage with The Piano Man.

 “I decided I was gonna go see Billy Joel right when we found out he was coming, and as a childhood idol of mine, right away I knew what I wanted to do when we went there. My roommate and I decided that we would try and find a way to get a question to be asked, and see if we could get on stage. And the day came, I put together a question, and I was raising my hand, and my friends to the right of me kept pointing to me, and finally after a few questions he picked on me and I hesitantly said how “New York State of Mind” was my favorite song, and how I had performed it with his saxophonist Richie Cannata in the past and wondered if I could go up and play it with him. 

And then he thought for a little — he took a second — and then he just said “Okay.” Which wasn’t quite convincing, but it was good enough. I walked up, we spoke about the arrangement for about 15 seconds — he just went through what he wanted me to play — and then from there, it was just … foggy. It’s hard to remember. I just started playing. I had practiced it a little bit thinking maybe I’d get the chance to go up … I kind of lost myself playing. Then afterward he said to me … he said that I was great, where are you from … and I said, “I’m a Long Islander just like you.” He was like, “Cool.” Then I walked off, and that was it … It was probably the greatest moment of my life, up to date.”

NYC Radio: Terrific Twitter Tease

WKTU's 103.5 sent this Tweet about 15 minutes prior to 8:07am.  How intriguing were your Tweets?

LISTEN-LINE: Click Here.

Need your advice at 8:07 on KTU
— Paul Cubby Bryant (@PaulCubbyBryant) March 13, 2013

1 in 4 Teens Use Smartphones To Access Web

Smartphone adoption among American teens has increased substantially and mobile access to the internet is pervasive. One in four teens are “cell-mostly” internet users, who say they mostly go online using their phone and not using some other device such as a desktop or laptop computer.

These are among the new findings from a nationally representative Pew Research Center survey of 802 youth ages 12-17 and their parents that explored technology use.

Key findings include:

• 78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of them own smartphones. That translates into 37% of all teens who have smartphones, up from just 23% in 2011.
• 23% of teens have a tablet computer, a level comparable to the general adult population.
• 95% of teens use the internet.
• 93% of teens have a computer or have access to one at home.

Seven in ten (71%) teens with home computer access say the laptop or desktop they use most often is one they share with other family members.

"The nature of teens' internet use has transformed dramatically — from stationary connections tied to shared desktops in the home to always-on connections that move with them throughout the day," said Mary Madden, Senior Researcher for the Pew Research Center's Internet Project and co-author of the report. "In many ways, teens represent the leading edge of mobile connectivity, and the patterns of their technology use often signal future changes in the adult population."

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