Saturday, May 4, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
CCM+E Reports 1Q Radio Revenue Down 1%
 |
| Bob Pittman |
"The strength of our businesses was clear in the
company's solid first quarter results, which included growing returns from our
strategic investments in key digital assets," Chief Executive Officer Bob
Pittman said.
"Across the company, we are creating unique, engaging
solutions for clients that use our unparalleled multi-platform reach. With our
advertisers, we are innovating new ways to use our assets to reach consumers
more effectively wherever they are -- which is increasingly out of their homes.
Rather than staying in their connected homes as once predicted, people are now
making more mobile connections than ever before. This trend toward the
connected consumer plays to the strengths of Clear Channel in broadcast and
digital radio and outdoor displays, and we are beginning to make progress in
monetizing it."
 |
| Tom Casey |
"Thanks to our operating discipline, we contained costs
and kept building momentum in our outdoor and our media and entertainment
businesses during the quarter," said Tom Casey, Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer.
"We made solid progress in our broadcast, syndication
and digital businesses. Our operating leverage in Americas outdoor drove strong
results from last year's investments, while International outdoor delivered
double-digit topline growth from emerging markets. Companywide, past strategic
investments are positively contributing to this quarter's results, and we will
continue to be proactive about investing in growth areas and refocusing our
Outdoor business in Europe. We were also opportunistic in our capital
management and successfully completed a private offering due 2021 to help
pre-pay all of our 2014 bank debt maturities."
- Consolidated revenues decreased $18 million, or 1%, year over year, to $1.34 billion in the first quarter of 2013 compared to $1.36 billion in the same period of 2012. Excluding the effects of movements in foreign exchange rates(1) , as well as an $8 million impact from the divestiture of two businesses during the third quarter of 2012, revenues declined $9 million, or less than 1%.
- Media and Entertainment ("CCM+E") revenues decreased $15 million, or 2%, driven primarily by the traffic business, which continues to reflect integration activities. Offsetting this decline was strength in radio stations, including national and digital operations.
- Americas outdoor revenues rose $6 million, or 2%, on a reported basis and adjusted for movements in foreign exchange rates, driven by higher occupancy and capacity on digital displays, strong growth in posters on new advertisers, and growth in airports.
- International outdoor revenues increased $2 million, or less than 1%, after adjusting for an $8 million revenue reduction due to the divestiture of two businesses during the third quarter of 2012 and a $1 million decrease from movements in foreign exchange rates. More robust economic conditions in emerging markets and certain other geographies were offset by weakened economic conditions in other markets, particularly Western Europe. On a reported basis, revenues decreased $7 million, or 2%, compared to the first three months of 2012.
Journal Reports 1Q Radio Revenue Increases 6.7%
 |
| Steven J. Smith |
“We are very pleased to report that Journal Communications
experienced revenue growth in the first quarter at both our television and
radio stations and improving trends at the Journal Sentinel daily newspaper,”
said Steven J. Smith, Chairman and CEO of Journal Communications.
Broadcasting
- For the first quarter, broadcasting revenue increased 31.1% to $58.2 million or 6.0% on a same-station basis. Total broadcast political advertising revenue decreased 61.4% to $0.5 million. Local advertising revenue, excluding political, was up 25.1%, or 3.2% on a same-station basis. National advertising revenue, excluding political, increased 41.0%, or 7.5% on a same-station basis. Retransmission revenue increased 145.1% to $5.4 million. Broadcasting operating earnings of $9.5 million increased 41.9%.
Television
- Revenue from television stations for the first quarter increased 43.4% to $42.3 million, or 7.6% on a same-station basis. Television political advertising revenue was $0.4 million compared to $1.2 million. Local advertising revenue, excluding political, increased 36.7%, or 3.2% on a same-station basis, primarily due to an increase in automotive advertising. National advertising revenue, excluding political, increased 50.1% or 9.5% on a same-station basis, primarily due to increases in media and restaurant advertising. Operating earnings from television stations were $7.1 million, an increase of 84.3%. Television operating expenses increased 37.2%, or 10.4% on a same-station basis, excluding acquisition costs, primarily due to increases in network fees and employee-related costs.
Radio
- For the first quarter, revenue from radio stations increased 6.7% to $15.9 million, or 2.8% on a same-station basis. Radio political advertising revenue was $0.1 million in each of 2013 and 2012. Local advertising revenue, excluding political, increased 7.2%, or 3.3% on a same-station basis, primarily due to an increase in retail advertising. National advertising revenue, excluding political, increased 2.1%, but decreased 1.3% on a same-station basis, primarily due to a decrease in communications advertising. Operating earnings from radio stations were $2.4 million compared to $2.9 million, a decrease of 15.3%. Radio operating expenses increased 11.9%, or 8.1% on a same-station basis, primarily due to employee-related expense increases and a non-cash building impairment charge of $0.2 million.
Print Circ Has Falls 42% At Top Papers Since 2005
While the
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| Alan Mutter |
The AAM archives show that weekday print circulation at the
top 25 papers has plunged 41.6% since March, 2005, the year the industry
achieved all-time high advertising sales of $49.4 billion. In a stunning
reversal of fortune that has roiled the industry ever since, ad sales in 2006
commenced a seven-year slide that brought aggregate industry revenues to $22.3
billion by the end of 2012.
As illustrated, weekday print circulation in the last seven
years has fallen by more than half at the Los Angeles Times, New York Daily
News, New York Post, Arizona Republic, Houston Chronicle, Boston Globe, Dallas
Morning News, Newark Star-Ledger, Orange Country Register, Atlanta
Journal-Constitution and San Diego Union-Tribune. Only one of the 25 papers on the list
reported selling more print copies in 2013 than in 2005: The Tampa Bay Times.
Thus, the 25 titles that collectively sold 15.1 million
papers on the average weekday in 2005 sold only 8.8 million papers on the
average weekday in 2013.
Read More Now.
Mutter began his career as a newspaper columnist and editor at the Chicago Daily News and later rose to City Editor of the Chicago Sun-Times. In 1984, he became No. 2 editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. He left the newspaper business in 1988 to join InterMedia Partners, a start-up that became one of the largest cable-TV companies in the U.S. Mutter was the COO of InterMedia when he moved toSilicon Valley
in 1996 to join the first of the three start-up companies he led as CEO.
Mutter began his career as a newspaper columnist and editor at the Chicago Daily News and later rose to City Editor of the Chicago Sun-Times. In 1984, he became No. 2 editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. He left the newspaper business in 1988 to join InterMedia Partners, a start-up that became one of the largest cable-TV companies in the U.S. Mutter was the COO of InterMedia when he moved to
Aereo: Nets Bluffing On Cable Switch Threat
 |
| Chet Kanojia |
Lower advertising revenue from cable and pressure from
lawmakers will make it difficult to put the switch into practice, Kanojia said
in an interview yesterday.
CBS and News Corp. have both threatened to take their
broadcast signals off the air if Aereo, backed by billionaire Barry Diller, is
allowed to continue reselling network programming over the Internet without
paying a retransmission fee. The two networks would be sacrificing billions of
dollars in ad revenue by making the switch, Kanojia said.
Broadcast and cable networks have two main sources of
revenue: advertising sales and fees from pay-TV such as DirecTV (DTV) and Time
Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) that carry their programming.
While broadcast advertising trumps cable advertising because
the audiences are much bigger, CBS and Fox say they must be compensated for
their programming. CBS could go off the air if courts don’t stop Aereo, Leslie
Moonves, the New York-based network’s CEO, said this week.
NAB Accepting Marconi Award Nominations
To be considered for a 2013 NAB Marconi Radio Award, general
managers may nominate their station in the categories of "Station of the
Year by Market Size," "Station of the Year by Format,"
"Personality of the Year by Market Size," "Spanish Format
Personality of the Year" and "Legendary Station." Stations may
also submit nominations for the category of "Network/Syndicated
Personality of the Year."
Nominations must be submitted online and received by May 31.
Finalists will be announced in July. Guidelines are available to help radio
stations build stronger entries.
On September 19, the winners will be announced during the
NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show at the Radio Show, held in held in
Orlando (September 18-20).
Denver Radio: Uncle Nasty, Keefer Bounce Back
 |
| Uncle Nasty |
Both Uncle Nasty (whose signature gravel voice long rocked
the Rockies on KBPI, 106.7-FM) and Keefer (a fixture behind the scenes and on
the air at "World Class Rock," KBCO, 97.3-FM) endured the latest
Clear Channel purge and now have new gigs.
"There is life after Clear Channel," Nasty tells
Joanne Ostrow at The Denver Post.
 |
| Keefer |
Keefer (known to the government as David Fulgham) is serving
as promotions coordinator and host for Colorado Public Radio's new alternative
music station Open Air (KVOQ, 1340-AM, in stereo online). He's on-air less than
he used to be but is learning new skills.
NYC Radio: New Tower Set Atop One World Trade Center
The mast that will crown the centerpiece skyscraper at the
rebuilt World Trade Center site soared to the buildings roof Thursday, a final
step before the spire is hoisted into place at a yet-to-be-announced date. Once
installed, the 408-foot spire and radio antenna will bring the tower to a
maximum height of 1,776 feet.
The final piece, weighting 22 tons, is a shiny,
spaceship-like capsule containing a giant LED beacon that’s expected to shine
for miles from the top of the building. A crowd of construction workers and
reporters wearing bright green vests watched as a crane lifted the structure
from the ground, a process that took several minutes.
The Wall Street Journal noted Thursday also marks the second
anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden, although the event wasn’t meant to
coincide; the spire had been scheduled to rise on Monday before weather forced
a delay.
NYC Radio: WBLS' 'Open Line' Cut Back For More Music
 |
| Picket, Slade, Mtume |
For some listeners, though, this comes at a price: a cutback
in “Open Line,” one of the few black talk shows on a major commercial city
radio station.
“Open Line,” which launched on the late WRKS in 1989 and
several times made the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list, is now heard 8-9
a.m., rather than 10 a.m.-noon.
James Mtume, who had cohosted the show with Bob Slade and
Bob Pickett since 1995, announced he was leaving the show on April 21, the same
day listeners learned about the scheduling change.
None of the hosts commented on that change. Mtume said he
was moving on to other projects.
But the change concerned some community groups, who have
criticized commercial radio in general for giving little time to black talk
shows.
Another WRKS Sunday talk show, “The Week In Review,” did not
survive the merger of WBLS and WRKS in April 2012. Activists worried at the time
that with only one adult-targeted major black commercial station left in town,
community voices would go unheard.
WBLS still carries two other talk shows on Sunday: “Imhotep
Gary Byrd,” 7-9 p.m., and “The Rev. Al Sharpton,” 9-10 a.m.
Jax Radio: Pastor Calls Out Clear Channel For Hip-Hop Songs
Michael T. Smith is a man with a plan. The pastor of The
Church of Jacksonville took to the pulpit Sunday to talk about one of the most
controversial topics around: hip-hop.
Smith wrote a letter to Clear Channel, asking for a "change in broadcast policy." He believes the songs often heard on 93.3FM aren't ones that uplift the community, and in fact, influence the disportionate number of blacks in prisons, on drugs and involved in homicides.
"It's no mystery that you can turn on the radio and
hear people talking about gun violence, dealing drugs, trafficking
cocaine," he tells 47WTEV.
Smith wrote a letter to Clear Channel, asking for a "change in broadcast policy." He believes the songs often heard on 93.3FM aren't ones that uplift the community, and in fact, influence the disportionate number of blacks in prisons, on drugs and involved in homicides.
"You're a company that broadcasts black artists in a
negative light and white artists not in that negative light. Don't tell me
don't listen. Change your policy No. 1," he said.
In response, Clear Channel issued us the following
statement:
"The Beat FM 93.3 is a popular station in Jacksonville
that has a great relationship with the local community, playing music that our
listeners want while abiding by all government regulations as a responsible
broadcaster. We are a solid community partner, participating in many local
charitable events including the MLK Parade, local school health fairs, feed the
city with the Clara White Mission, MAD DADs pledge to help keep kids drug free,
as well as national campaigns with the United Negro College Fund and the
national mentoring Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Smith doesn't see it that way. He believes the more negative
messages played, the more executives unfairly profit. He says he's not giving
up any time soon.
SF Radio: Four KCBS Staffers Nominated To Bay HOF
They include morning-drive sports anchor Steve Bitker, and
reporters Mike Colgan, Mike Sugerman and Barbara Taylor.
Bitker is nominated in the sports category, while Colgan,
Sugerman, and Taylor are nominees in the news category.
Public voting to select the inductees runs through June 30
at this website.
The results will be announced on July 20 at the California
Historical Radio Society’s Bay Area Radio Museum in Berkeley.
The entire class of 2013 will be inducted in the fall with
the San Francisco Chapter of Broadcast Legends.
Birmingham Radio: Ex-JOX GM Sues Cumulus
 |
| Bill Thomas |
Bill Thomas -- who also oversaw the day-to-day operations at
four other Cumulus stations in Birmingham, as well as The Paul Finebaum Radio
Network -- filed the lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in Birmingham, according to a story at al.com.
Thomas' lawsuit claims Cumulus violated the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990.
Attorneys for Thomas have requested a jury trial and are
asking that Thomas get his old job back, as well as receive back pay from the
date of his termination, plus attorney fees and other damages.
Thomas -- who also had been named in a 2011 breach-of-contract
lawsuit that WJOX sports-talk host Paul Finebaum filed against Cumulus
subsidiary Citadel Broadcasting -- was fired on Feb. 17, 2012, according to his
lawsuit.
 |
| John Dickey |
On the day that Dickey and Cumulus co-COO Jon Pinch drove
from Atlanta to Birmingham to fire him, Thomas asked Dickey if he had read the
email Thomas sent him, the lawsuit says.
"Yeah, yeah . . .," Dickey replied, according to
the lawsuit. "We all have health problems as we get older. . . . I have
gout."
When Thomas told Dickey that his health problem was more
serious than gout, Dickey left the room, the lawsuit says.
John Tesh Launching TV Show
The "Intelligence for Your Life" radio show can be
heard each week in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. The program offers advice on
topics such as health and wellness, relationships and finances.
The new ground breaking half hour television program, slated
to launch June 1, 2013, will connect listeners to experts in various fields and
feature short, sharable segments in Tesh's most popular radio categories. The show will be hosted by Tesh, Connie
Sellecca, who serves as the host of "Intelligence for Your Health
Radio," and Gib Gerard.
Dr. Drew Checks Out of “Celebrity Rehab”
 |
| Dr. Drew |
"I don't have plans to do that again, " Pinsky
said. "I'm tired of taking all the heat. It's just ridiculous."
Pinsky, who starred in and co-produced five seasons of
"Celebrity Rehab," said that doing the show has become too stressful
for him, due to the fact that everyone is quick to point fingers at him when
one of his celebrity patients relapses.
"It's very stressful and very intense for me, "
Pinsky said. "To have people questioning my motives and taking aim at me
because people get sick and die because they have a life-threatening disease,
and I take the blame? Rodney King has a heart attack and I take blame for
that?"
Lindsay Lohan Checks-Out Of Rehab Already
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| Zach Sang Radio Gang posted this photo on FB, purportedly showing Lohan packing 270 outfits for rehab |
CNN reports Lohan, 26, was supposed to start a 90-day stint
in a "lockdown" rehab center Thursday, an alternative to a
three-month jail term for two misdemeanor convictions and a probation violation
finding in March.
But she abruptly left the Southern California facility where
she had gone Thursday morning because "she was not happy with the
place," her father said.
Michael Lohan said he was not happy with it either over the
revelation that the facility -- Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach -- can't
provide alcohol and drug rehab treatments because California officials revoked
its license.
None of Morningside's several locations in California are
licensed, Tidwell said. The company previously had three licenses, but they
were all revoked. The state's licensing agency is in litigation with
Morningside's unlicensed Newport Beach facility, she said.
It's unclear whether Los Angeles Superior Judge James Dabney
knew Morningside was unlicensed when Lohan's lawyer Mark Heller informed him in
court Thursday morning that she would spend her rehab sentence there.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
TheBlaze Gets Picked-Up By Tri-State Cable Provider
 |
| Glenn Beck |
The Blaze reported audiences in the New York
tri-state area will soon have access to everything TheBlaze TV has to offer
thanks to deal struck with Cablevision Systems Corp.
Cablevision’s Optimum TV audiences in New York, New Jersey,
and Connecticut will now have access to TheBlaze TV programs, including “The
Glenn Beck Program,” “Real News,” and “B.S. of A.,” as well as documentaries
and original specials.
“Optimum TV is the only cable provider in the Tri-State area
to bring our customers original programming from Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze, and the
independent network will add more diversity to our strong line-up, providing
our customers with more choices that our customers appreciate,” Bradley
Feldman, Cablevision’s vice president of video product management, said in a
statement.
This is the latest step in TheBlaze’s ongoing efforts to
expand its network to a wider audience since first launching on Sept. 12, 2011. Formerly known as GBTV, TheBlaze TV has quickly grown into
one of the world’s largest online streaming networks with over 300,000
subscribers.
“TheBlaze is the rare independent network that has a built
in passionate audience, and therefore adds value to Optimum TV’s channel
line-up,” TheBlaze President of Business Development Lynne Costantini said in a
statement.
“TheBlaze serves a growing conservative and libertarian audience, and we are pleased to work with Cablevision on bringing our network to Optimum TV customers.”
Some radio affiliates are complaining about Beck’s constant
self-promotion and the endless pitches for his entrepreneurial efforts. They say more engaging content is needed
to shore-up the sagging radio ratings in many markets.
FCC: Eyes Turn To Wheeler’s Confirmation Process
 |
| White House photo |
The president’s comment at a White House ceremony was a
quip, a testament to the now unpredictable nature of a process that at times
felt like a rubber stamp.
With praise for Wheeler coming from industry, former
colleagues, some public interest advocates and the current FCC chairman, Julius
Genachowski, there is as of now little doubt that he will be confirmed, particularly
if his nomination is paired with an as-yet-nominated Republican for the FCC other vacancy.
ICYMI: Blog sez Wheeler critical of broadcasting. Click Here.
ICYMI: Blog sez Wheeler critical of broadcasting. Click Here.
But Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va.), the chairman of the
Senate Commerce Committee, which will conduct the confirmation hearing, pushed
for his former aide Jessica Rosenworcel, now an FCC commission, to get the
spot.
CBS Corp. Profit Soars 22%
For the quarter that ended March 31, CBS' profit soared
nearly 22%. The New York
media company earned $463 million, or 73 cents a share, compared with $394
million, or 59 cents a share, a year earlier.
"CBS delivered the most successful quarter in the
company's history," Chief Executive Leslie Moonves told analysts on a
Wednesday afternoon conference call to report earnings.
CBS expects to finish the current TV season in first place
among all key measurement categories, including total viewers and adults ages
18 to 49. It would mark the first time since the 1991-92 season that CBS could
claim the trophy for having the most viewers in the key 18-to-49 advertising
demographic.
Local TV and radio stations benefited from a bump in
advertising. The segment generated revenue of $638 million, compared with $622
million in the first quarter of 2012. That represented growth of 2.6%.
The company, which is controlled by billionaire Sumner Redstone, said
it took a non-cash $11 million impairment charge related to divestiture of
certain radio stations.
Fargo Radio: Jim Ingstad Shuffles His Portfolio
 |
| Ingstad (Forum) |
In the end, the two major commercial radio station groups in
Fargo-Moorhead – headquartered just blocks apart on opposite sides of 25th Street , near
The Hub – swapped an owner.
According to inforum.com the deal was finalized about midnight
Tuesday. Ingstad sold his Radio
Fargo-Moorhead station cluster – which includes KFGO 790 AM – for $25 million
to Midwest Communications of Wausau, Wis.
On Wednesday, the owner of the metro area’s only other
six-station cluster, Triad Broadcasting, sold off 32 radio stations in five
markets – including six in Fargo – to Portland, Ore., based L&L
Broadcasting (Live and Local), owned by longtime radio owner Larry Wilson for
$21 million.
At about noon Wednesday, L&L Broadcasting announced it
would sell the six Fargo
radio stations it had just officially taken over to Ingstad for $9.5 million.
The sale is pending based on approval of the Federal Communications Commission
but L&L said in a news release Ingstad will take immediate control of the
stations under a local marketing agreement.
The deal gives Ingstad control of the stations that were
owned by Triad Broadcasting: KQWB 1660 AM (True Oldies); KPFK 107.9 FM The
Fox; KLTA 105.1 FM; KVOX 99.9 FM Froggy; KBMW 1450 AM; and KQWB 98.7 FM
(Q98).
In addition to KFGO, the stations Ingstad sold to Midwest
Communications include KVOX 740 AM The Fan; WDAY 93.7 FM Y94; KBVB 95.1 FM Bob 95; Talk KRWK 101.9 FM; and KMJO 104.7 FM.
While Ingstad, who is the son of radio pioneer Bob Ingstad,
is no stranger to the radio market business, it is unclear what the station
swapping could mean for on-air personalities or the station’s formats.
Read More Now
Tom's Take: One would wonder why Ingstad's sale to Midwest didn't include a non-compete.
Tom's Take: One would wonder why Ingstad's sale to Midwest didn't include a non-compete.
Boise Radio: Feds Sue Journal Over Contesting Fine
Nine days later, someone filed a complaint with the Federal
Communications Commission, saying the station - then called J105, now Variety
Rock 105.1 -had not made clear that the contest was winner-take-all. The commission
ultimately agreed.
Journal Broadcast Corp., the station's owner, refuted the allegation,
but the FCC this past March ordered the company to pay a $4,000
"forfeiture" for violating commission rules governing radio contests.
The company didn't pay.
On April 8, it asked the FCC to reconsider, saying the
forfeiture order was based on incomplete information, misapplied a precedent
and denied the media company due process.
And now…on April 26 - five years to the day of the prize
giveaway - Idaho 's U.S.
attorney, Wendy Olson, sued in federal court in Boise seeking the initial penalty plus interest.
According to the government, only two of the 10 promotional
transcripts provided by Journal Broadcast indicated that all of the prizes
would go to one person. Journal Broadcast argued that the contest's name,
"Ultimate Garage," also indicated that everything in the garage would
go to one person, according to court documents.
No court date has been set for this case, but a federal
judge has ordered plaintiff and defendant to come up with a litigation plan by
mid-July.
Journal Broadcast Corp. owns TV and radio stations in 12 U.S. states, including the Boise-Nampa and Twin Falls markets.
Knoxville Radio: Journal Closes On WNOX
 |
| Arbitron 25-54 |
Milwaukee-based Journal Broadcasting has its has closed on its p$6M purchase of WNOX 100.3 FM. On Wednesday, the sign at their West Knoxville headquarters was changed to show the WNOX
logo.
Journal received a waiver from the FCC in order simulcast its WCYQ 93.1 FM (2650 watts) country
format on WNOX’s 100.3 FM signal (50kw) for two weeks. It will then be in direct competition with hertiage country WIVK.
Ironically, Q93/100.3 PD Mike Hammond worked for 39 years at WIVK 107.7 FM and was fired by the Cumulus station last year.
LISTEN-LINE: Click Here.
A new format
will be unveiled on 93.1 FM. Sources expect the new format to be classic
hits.
Most of the former WNOX talk line-up is moving to WKVL 850
AM. The 50kw (days) is dropping its classic country format for talk.
Ironically, Q93/100.3 PD Mike Hammond worked for 39 years at WIVK 107.7 FM and was fired by the Cumulus station last year.
LISTEN-LINE: Click Here.
 |
| WNOX 100.3 FM 60dBU Coverage |
 |
| WCYQ 93.1 FM 60dBU Coverage |
This news comes at the same time as another change in the
Rating numbers from company Arbitron shows for the first
time in more than three decades, longtime country powerhouse WIVK-FM, lost
their top spot in listeners 25 to 54 years old.
AC WJXB 97.5 FM, claimed the first place spot for the first time
ever.
Seattle Radio: PBB Flips KZIZ To Smooth Jazz
Last Friday, Chris H. Bennett, Chairman of Kris Bennett
Broadcasting (KBB), announced a a format change for KZIZ 1560 AM (licensed to Pacific,
WA), “I’m proud to announce that we have acquired the exclusive rights to the
Smooth Jazz format, and will be the officially licensed Pacific Northwest
affiliate for the Smooth Jazz Network effective May 1, 2013,” Bennett told seattlemedium.com.
“We are thrilled to bring the smooth jazz network to the Seattle area once again,”
says Smooth Jazz Network president Allen Kepler. “Our history in the market
goes back to the mid-90’s, and even very recently we have continued to hear the
outcry from former supporters of the format.”
According to Bennett, the Smooth Jazz format consistently
ranked in the top ten for radio listeners in this market for over 5 years.
“We hope to fill a void in the marketplace and provide this
huge under-served audience in the Seattle/Tacoma/Everett metro area with our
Jazzy “Z” KZIZ radio station and internet streaming,” said Bennett. “It
certainly allows KBB, Inc. to diversify and market the various formats to
include this particular listening audience.”
In order to make room for the Smooth Jazz format, KBB will
implement the following changes: The Gospel format currently on 1560 AM KZIZ
will move to 1420 AM KRIZ. The Blues format on 1420 will be cut back to
accommodate gospel format. The talk shows – Community Potpourri, Rev. Al
Sharpton, and GameTime Sports – heard on 1620 MA KYIZ will not be affected as
the 1620 lineup will remain the same.
Book: MTV's Original VJs Reminisce
"This is it. Welcome to MTV -- music television, the world's first 24-hour stereo video music channel...Behold, a new concept is born: the best of TV combined with the best of radio. Your favorite tunes are never too far away any time you tune in...Right now, you'll never look at music the same way."
But, according to David Chiu at cbsnews.com, aside from the
videos, a huge part of the channel's early history was its on-air talent -- or
VJs -- who for the first several years consisted of five personalities --
Goodman, Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter, the late J.J. Jackson and Martha Quinn.
They presented the videos, conducted interviews, and delivered concert and music
news -- and in the process became part of pop culture history.
Now four of the original VJs are telling their stories in a
new book, "VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave,"
co-written with Gavin Edwards.
Dishy, hilarious, wild, and poignant at times,
"VJ" offers a frank, behind-the-scenes look at what happened at the
network on and off the set. It has stories of the VJs' recollections of the
many rock stars they met; the typical excesses of the decade from fashions to
drugs; travels on the road and fan contests; and the impact of working at MTV
had on the VJs' personal lives.
Next Disruption In Music Expected In Terrestrial Radio
For those who still get in their car to listen to music,
Carter told telecrunch.com there are openings for startups to build on top of
the platform to bring people what they really want to hear.
He shared: “I think the opening right is figuring out
terrestrial radio, that’s the one space that Sirius could have done it with
subscription radio, but you look at Clear Channel and CBS, it’s not what people
want. People just get in a car and turn on a local station. It’s going to be
interesting when you get in your car and you’re listening to a 17-year-old kid
in Russia .”
While calling out Sirius as somewhat of a failure in
disrupting radio the way that we thought it would, it comes as a bit of a shock
that a music mogul like Carter wants to re-focus on radio.
R.I.P.: Tucson Radio Personality Nixon Low
 |
| Nixon Low |
Qccording to azstarnet.com, Low was 52 and was diagnosed with the rare and aggressive
cancer in March and had undergone surgery at University of Arizona Medical
Center in early April. He was readmitted to the hospital this week after
suffering complications, said his Cumulus radio co-worker Shannon Black of the
KIIM FM 99.5 FM Max, Shannon & Porkchop morning show.
Black and her co-hosts made a tearful announcement of Low's
death during Wednesday's show, and Facebook and Twitter tributes quickly began
popping up, recalling Low's kindness and sense of humor.
Low, who moved to Tucson when he was a teen, had been on and
off Tucson radio since the 1980s, taking turns behind the mic at KRQ93.7 FM and
K-Hit 107.5 FM when it was on the AM dial. He also did a short stint with a San Diego radio station.
Low, a fixture on Tucson
radio since the 1980s with DJ roles on KRQQ, KNST, KQYT, KFXX, KHYT and KWFM,
eschewed social media and technology in general. He walked around Cumulus -
where he was a promotions manager for KIIM and its four sister stations -
carrying a legal pad with the letter "I" on it. He called it his
iPad. A book with a picture of his face was his Facebook, and he refused to get
a smartphone. He had the same basic phone for six years and got a new one only
when the zero button broke off and he no longer could punch in the number with
a pen.
"There's nobody who met Nixon who didn't like
him," added Black, who knew Low since they worked together at KRQ more
than 20 years ago. "He was the nicest, sweetest guy. If you were having a
down day, he would make you feel better."
R.I.P.: Rapper Chris Kelly
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| Chris Kelly |
He was 34, according to CNN.
How Kelly died isn't known, and the Fulton County Medical
Examiner's Office said an autopsy is planned for Thursday.
Kelly, together with Chris Smith, shot to stardom in 1992
with "Jump," which spent eight weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100.
The duo opened for Michael Jackson that year on his Dangerous
World Tour.
And their penchant for wearing their clothes backward were,
at least for a time, widely emulated.
Kelly and Smith were 13-year-olds when they were discovered
in 1991 at an Atlanta
mall by producer Jermaine Dupri.
Going by the stage name Mac Daddy (with Smith known as Daddy
Mac), the pair followed up their smash "Jump" with the single
"Warm It Up."
Together, the songs pushed their debut album, "Totally
Krossed Out," to multiplatinum status.
Next came 1993's "Da Bomb." And it did.
The album failed to find the following of the duo's debut, in large part
because the boys had hit puberty and they were marketed with a tougher image.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
FCC: President To Nominate Thomas Wheeler For Chairman
 |
| Thomas Wheeler |
Wheeler, managing director at Core Capital Partners, a
venture-capital firm based in Washington ,
D.C.
Obama will make public the nomination on Wednesday,
according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to
pre-empt the president's formal announcement.
If the Senate confirms the nomination, Wheeler would replace
Julius Genachowski, a law school classmate of Obama's who has headed the agency
since June 2009. He announced in March that he would step down.
Mignon Clyburn, an FCC commissioner and a Democrat, will be
acting chair of the FCC pending Wheeler's confirmation.
Wheeler, 67, co-founded online news service SmartBrief. From
1979 to 1984, he served as president of the National Cable Television
Association. His résumé also includes a stint as CEO of the Cellular
Telecommunications & Internet Association.
Jax Radio: Cox Shifts WOKV Simulcast To 104.5 FM
Cox Media Group has given its News/Talk property WOKV a new
home on FM, shifting from 106.5 FM to 104.5 FM early this morning.
Sunday evening, the company pulled the plug on heritage Rock
104.5 WFYV. Then came a stunt loop
urging rock listeners in Jacksonville to tune-in two other rock-oriented Cox
stations in Jacksonville
– Alternative WXXJ 102.9 FM and Classic
Hits WJGL 96.9 FM The Eagle. See original posting, Click Here.
And then this morning, Cox started simulcasting WOKV on 104.5 FM. Actually, there’s a N/T tri-cast of 690 AM,
104.5 FM and 106.5 FM.
The 104.5 FM signal is powered with 98,800 watts vs. 6000
watts at 106.5 FM. The frequency shift greatly increases the listening area in North Florida for WOKV.
“Our listeners told us loud and clear that we needed more
power”, says WOKV’s Program Director, Mike Dorwart. “Moving to 104.5 FM means
that, for the first time ever, our listeners can hear WOKV everywhere in
northeast Florida ,
any time they want.”
The benefits to the new signal can be heard across the
entire Jacksonville metropolitan area, and the massive new 104.5 FM signal also
covers the areas north of Jacksonville to Brunswick, Ga., south to Daytona
Beach, southwest to Gainesville, and west to Lake City, Fla.
"The most noticeable improvement will be heard by
listeners in Baker, Clay, St. Johns , and Nassau counties. They now
have full coverage from WOKV, 24/7, on 104.5 FM." Dorwart continued.
Cox also say those who listen at work will notice a big
difference. Besides its home county of
Duval , the new signal also provides
reliable coverage to listeners in Flagler, Putnam, Bradford, Union and Columbia counties in Florida ;
as well as Camden and Charlton counties in Georgia .”
LISTEN-LINE: Click Here.
LISTEN-LINE: Click Here.
WOKV’s weekday lineup of conservative talk shows is
now on 104.5 FM, including “Jacksonville ’s
Morning News” with Rich Jones (6am), Herman Cain (9am), Rush Limbaugh (12pm), Sean Hannity (3pm), and Andy Dean (6pm).
For a short time, WOKV will continue to operate on 106.5 FM
while telling listeners to make the change to the new frequency of 104.5 FM. No plans for a new format on 106.5 FM has
been announced. The company also says WOKV
690 AM will continue to air news/talk.
Houston Radio: Walton & Johnson Are Back
Walton & Johnson are now
doing mornings at KPRC 950 AM.
The move
was unexpected because the duo were dropped from Clear Channel’s KKRW (93.7 FM) last
December and have since been replaced with a show hosted by former St. Louis radio host J.C.
Corcoran.
The show returned Tuesday morning on KPRC,
according to the station’s website. It replaces the Joe ‘Pags’ Pagliarulo show imported
from WOAI in San Antonio .
Neither John Walton nor Steve Johnson were immediately
available to discuss the move.
The Radio discussion Boards is discussing. Click Here to join in.
The Radio discussion Boards is discussing. Click Here to join in.
Miami Radio: CCM+E’s WBBG Makes Offer to Tim Tebow
A day after Tim Tebow was released by the New York Jets,
he's already getting the post-playing-days job offers. And by that, we mean
radio.
WBBG Big 105.9 FM's the Paul and Young Ron Morning Show have
offered Tebow a gig on their classic rock morning-drive radio program. And,
according Paul and Ron's agent, Backup Jesus is seriously considering it. Or
maybe he's just being the polite Christian and saying he's considering it.
"The show has been in touch with Tebow's agent and
offered to have him on regularly as a sports commentator," Stu Opperman of
impactplayers.com tells New Times via email.
"[Tebow] is said to be evaluating the
opportunity."
We're looking to hire @timtebow as our @nfl analyst.All you have to do to help is tell Tebow to work for us and use #PnYRHireTebow!
— Paul and Young Ron (@PaulandYoungRon) April 30, 2013
"Tim's a winner, and we like his work ethic," said
Paul Castronovo, who is a University
of Florida
Tebow's agent, Jim Denton, has reportedly been reviewing the
offer. Denton
was told Tebow's role would be similar to that of Reggie Bush last season, when
he would appear often on the program to talk all things Dolphins and football.
Bush is also a Denton
client.
The Paul and Young Ron Morning Show can be heard mornings
from 6 to 10 on BIG 105.9 FM in Fort Lauderdale
and Real Radio 94.3 and 101.7 FM in West Palm Beach
and the Treasure Coast
LA Radio: Shotgun Tom Kelly Honored With WOF Star
The star is located at the corner of LaBrea and Hollywood and hundreds of his fans, many from San Diego , where he got
his start, were watching. Kelly’s friend
Stevie Wonder was also there.
Kelly started working in radio as a teenager when his mom
urged him to go see a DJ broadcasting live from a shopping center. After stints
at several stations in San Diego , plus Oxnard , Bakersfield , Phoenix , and San
Francisco , he moved to LA in 1997 to take over for
"The Real" Don Steele, who had died of lung cancer. He's been at
K-Earth ever since.
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| K-EARTH photos |
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