"Shotgun" works afternoon drive at "K-Earth." In the spring
of 2013, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
November 23 In Radio History
In 1889…In San Francisco, the Palais Royal Hotel installed
the first coin-operated machine that, by about 1940, was known as a
"jukebox." In the beginning it was a crude slot-machine apparatus
connected to an Edison phonograph which, upon receiving a coin, unlocked the
mechanism, allowing the listener to turn a crank that simultaneously wound the
spring motor and placed the reproducer's stylus in the starting groove. This
was before the time of vacuum tubes, so there was no amplification. The music
was heard via one of four listening tubes. Despite its then-high price of a
nickel a song, the new contraption took in $1000 in its first six months of
operation.
In 1938…Bob Hope and Shirley Ross recorded his future theme song, "Thanks For The Memory," for the soundtrack of the motion picture "The Big Broadcast of 1938."
In 1959…Alan Freed was dismissed from his daily television
show, "The Big Beat," over allegations that he accepted money to play
certain records. Freed denied any wrongdoing.
In 1962…The Beatles did a ten-minute audition for BBC Television at St. James' Church Hall in London. Four days later, Brian Epstein received a polite rejection letter from the BBC. They eventually made it on the BBC in 1963.
In 1964…The Rolling Stones were late arriving for the BBC radio shows, "Top Gear" and "Saturday Club" and as a result were banned by the BBC for "unprofessionalism."
In 1967…San Francisco disc jockey Tom Donahue, inventor of "classic rock" and "deep cut" radio, told Rolling Stone magazine, "Top Forty radio, as we know it today and have known it for the last ten years, is dead, and its rotting corpse is stinking up the airwaves."
In 1993….FCC makes C-QUAM AM stereo standard.
In 2004…pioneering sports radio talk show host Pete Franklin
died at age 76. Franklin's stops included Cleveland and New York with his last job
at KNBR, San Francisco.
Friday, November 22, 2013
RAB Reports Q3 Radio Revenue Uptick
Radio's overall Q3 result was the best this year, up 1%
compared to flat delivery in Q1 and Q2. Year to date performance remains on par
with 2012.
The 3rd Quarter uptick was based on a 1% gain in the Spot
sector, which represents the largest portion of Radio's revenue base. Digital
continues to show robust gains -- up nearly 1/5 -- while Off-Air was up 3%.
Network posted a decline of 11% against last year's sales. Year to date, Spot
revenue is flat; Digital, Off-Air and Network are +15%, +3% and -7%
respectively.
Digital continues its reign as Radio's fastest growing
sector. Off-Air activity also remains steadfast, increasing every quarter in
2013. Combined, Digital and Off-Air represent 13% of Radio's total revenue.
 |
| Erica Farber |
"The momentum we saw building at the end of Q2 has
definitely translated into a positive Q3 for Radio in many of our Top 10
advertiser categories, led by Communications/Cellular with a healthy 24%
increase," noted Erica Farber, RAB President and CEO. "Among key
categories, Automotive, Professional Services, Health Care, Home Furnishings,
all showed substantial increases, as well. Increases from these diverse ad
categories illustrate Radio's cross-platform strength to drive traffic and
sales - for large corporations to Main
Street businesses."
"Automotive regained the top category ranking in Q3 but
Communications remains as a strong #2 in the field," noted Farber.
"We're looking for the holiday season and year-end selling efforts to
provide additional momentum to end the year on a positive track."
Miami Radio: Turnover Hits WAXY The Ticket
 |
| Marc Hochman |
UPDATE 11/25: Lincoln VP of programming and operations John Dimick tells Inside Radio the Herald has “jumped the gun” and WAXY is continuing discussion with Hochman, whose contract with expires December 31. The Herald reported that Castleberry missed an exclusive negotiating window in Hochman’s contract, and that contributed to his dismissal. Dimick wouldn’t comment on Castleberry’s exit, noting that Lincoln doesn’t comment on personnel matters.
Original Posting...
Marc Hochman has told friends he is leaving WAXY 790 AM / 104.3 FM The Ticket’s morning show at the end of the year.
Original Posting...
Marc Hochman has told friends he is leaving WAXY 790 AM / 104.3 FM The Ticket’s morning show at the end of the year.
According to The Miami Herald, Hochman is expected to move
to Sportsradio WQAM-560 AM in April. It’s
expected he’ll take over the station’s afternoon-drive slot, which has been
handled by Channing Crowder and Brandon Guzio since Jorge Sedano left for ESPN
Radio in September.
At The Ticket, Hochman co-hosts the morning show with Jonathan
Zaslow and Joy Taylor. A non-compete
clause will keep Hochman off any other station until April 1.
WQAM is very much interested in Hochman, and if he takes
over the afternoon drive show there as expected, he would be competing with his
buddy Dan Le Batard, whose 790 program he produced for nine years.
The Ticket wanted to keep the 43-year-old Hochman, but
former program director Tod Castleberry missed an exclusive negotiating window
in his contract, which was one factor that led to Castleberry’s dismissal this
week, according to a station source. Castleberry declined to comment.
Pandora Claims Increase In Radio Listeners
Pandora Thursday
announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2014 ended on
October 31, 2013.
"Pandora continues to monetize effectively across the
board," stated Brian McAndrews, CEO, President & Chairman of Pandora.
"Mobile advertising revenue surpassed the $100 million milestone during
the quarter, which drove increased operating leverage. At the same time,
Pandora continues to lead the market in mobile innovations, with a complete
redesign for the iPad and the debut of the Android tablet app. We plan to
continue to aggressively invest in the business as we seek to deliver the best
personalized radio service for users."
- Mobile advertising revenue exceeds $100 million, growing 58% year-over-year to $104.9 million
- 3Q14 GAAP total revenue of $180.4 million, growing 50% year-over-year
- 3Q14 total listener hours of 4.18 billion, growing 17% year-over-year
- Share of total
- 70.9 million active users , growing 20% year-over-year
Study: Pandora 'Yeah, it’s For Real'
Earlier this week, Mark Kassof & company released
results from their study on Millenials which indicated their attitude toward
traditional radio is much better than “doomsayers” think it is.
 |
| Ranking on a 1 to 5 (best) Scale |
But, notes Kassof, radio is no longer the “center of the audio
universe”…it faces numerous challengers. In last week’s online research among
Millennials, we studied four of them — iHeartRadio, iTunes Radio, Pandora and Sirius/XM…
At the top: Pandora…39% of Millennials “love it,” edging
FM’s 37%. Pandora does have a higher percentage that don’t know (10% versus
FM’s 1%) but then, FM has a many-decades
”head start”! Given its lower awareness, the fact that four in ten
Millenials love Pandora is very impressive, according to the study:
Spotify Secures $250M for Global Expansion
Spotify has secured about $250 million in new financing that
values the music-streaming company somewhere "north" of $4 billion, according
to The Wall Street Journal.
The round of funding, led by Silicon Valley firm Technology
Crossover Ventures, will help fuel Spotify's global expansion plans. While
already established in many Western markets, including the U.S. , Spotify is aiming to launch its service in
more countries, including Japan .
Spotify's valuation is beginning to approach the market
capitalization of Pandora, which went public in 2011 and is currently valued at
$5.7 billion.
Spotify generated more revenue last year about $585
million—compared with Pandora's $427 million.
Losses at both companies, however, have widened as robust
listener growth has brought with it higher royalty costs for playing songs.
Read More Now (Subscription Required)
Ad Tax Proposal Comes To Life
 |
| Max Baucus |
The often feared, but rarely seen changes to tax laws that
could threaten the ad industry took an actual step closer to reality Thursday, according to adage.com.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus dealt adland a
blow by proposing to allow businesses to expense only 50% of their advertising
costs in the tax year they are incurred and spread the expensing of the rest
over five years.
Though the chances of actual tax legislation being passed by
the current congress are slim, industry trade groups were quick to react.
"It is essential that everybody in the advertising
community speak up loudly and quickly that this proposal is misguided and
highly damaging," said Dan Jaffe, group exec VP-government relations for
the Association of National Advertisers.
In a statement, ANA CEO Bob Liodice called the proposed
changes "a major new tax liability which would increase the cost of
advertising and cause a substantial disincentive for companies to spend
additional advertising dollars."
The Echo Nest Expands To Digital Music Advertising
The Echo Nest is expanding its existing music intelligence
platform to digital music advertising with the introduction of its Music Audience
Understanding solution.
The company calls it a
breakthrough offering that enables highly targeted advertising by using music
preference to predict high-value demographic and psychographic advertising
segments without personally identifiable information.
The Echo Nest's new solution builds on its existing platform
to help ad-supported music services more effectively monetize inventory, help
music ad networks command higher CPMs, and help advertisers reach targeted
audiences more efficiently and affordably through a more data-driven
understanding of their target audience's musical footprint.
Initial customers of The Echo Nest's Music Audience
Understanding solution include TargetSpot, the world's largest digital audio
advertising network, as well as several ad-supported music services.
The introduction of Music Audience Understanding builds upon
The Echo Nest's Music Discovery and Personalization
and Dynamic Music Data. The company powers personalized, streaming music and
radio experiences for the world's top digital music services including Rdio,
Clear Channel's iHeartRadio, Rhapsody and SiriusXM, and has developed
personalized, branded music apps for Reebok, Microsoft, Knorr Foods, and other
top brands.
 |
| Jim Lucchese |
"With streaming becoming mainstream, music consumption
has moved from a broadcast, push-only experience, to a two-way, personalized
conversation with each fan. This switch opens up a new world of opportunities
for music services to more deeply understand musical identity and create more
personalized, social and profitable music experiences," said Jim Lucchese,
CEO of The Echo Nest.
"The $15 billion broadcast radio advertising industry
is based around the well-accepted notion that music is a powerful proxy to
audience. We saw an opportunity early on and invested over two years of R&D
to help music services turn anonymous listening behavior into high-value
audience segments for advertising. The Echo Nest can now analyze music taste
and predict non-music affinities in high-value advertising segments."
With Music Audience Understanding, digital music services
and ad networks can partner with The Echo Nest to grow advertising revenue by
delivering the level of audience segmentation and targeting online advertisers
expect, without requiring personally identifiable information or purchasing
third-party data.
Real-time segments available with Music Audience
Understanding today include:
- Music fans' age and gender;
- Music fans' affinity for 20 lifestyle categories (e.g. Foodies, Gamers, Pro Sports);
- Music fans affinity for 710+ music genres; and
- Music behavioral segments such as "Mainstreamness" and "Freshness."
Twitter Launches TV Fan Ad Targeting
Earlier this year Twitter launched TV ad targeting for US
advertisers, which broadens the reach and power of a brand’s television
advertising by extending the brand message to Twitter users who we believe have
been exposed to the same TV ads.
Thursday, Twitter announced an expansion to our TV targeting
suite. The newest feature, TV conversation targeting, now generally available
to all US and UK
advertisers, makes it easy for networks and brands to connect with Twitter
users already engaged with TV.
According to Oliver Young, Revenue Product Manage at Twitter,
“The way TV conversation targeting works is simple: through our conversation
mapping technology, networks and brands can promote Tweets to users who engage
with specific shows, whether or not a brand is running a spot in the program.
Now advertisers can easily reach Twitter users exposed to integrations,
sponsorships, and other innovative TV tie-ins for an additional touch point or
message expansion.
“We believe Twitter and TV are highly complementary, and
we’re working hard to make the Twitter x TV experience better for users,
networks, and advertisers alike.”
Press Gets Heated With White House Over Access
 |
| Josh Earnest |
The atmosphere in the White House briefing room got heated
Thursday afternoon as reporters challenged a spokesman over press access to the
president, according to Politico.
After delivering a letter arguing that officials are
“blocking the public from having an independent view of important functions of
the Executive Branch of government,” members of the White House press corps cut
into principal deputy press secretary Josh Earnest as he defended the
administration’s policies on press access.
“It is the responsibility of those of you who sit in your
seats to push for more. You’re supposed to be agitating for more access. If you
weren’t, you wouldn’t be doing your job,” Earnest told reporters as he filled
in for press secretary Jay Carney at the White House press briefing. “So, the
fact that there is a little bit of a disagreement between the press corps and
the White House Press Office about how much access the press corps should have
to the president is built into the system.”
Earlier Thursday, the board of the White House
Correspondents’ Association delivered a letter to Earnest detailing press
concerns that the White House has engaged in a “troubling break from tradition”
by choosing to release photos and videos of events to which the press has not
had access, but to which White House photographers and videographers have had
access.
Much of President Obama's daily schedule is not made public,
though some of it later becomes public when the White House releases photos,
videos or blog posts about the president's activities, something the White
House argues has given Americans more access to Obama.
“What we have actually done is use a range of new technology
to provide people greater access to the president,” Earnest argued, to the
scoffs of some reporters.
The Radio TV Digital News Association (RTDNA) has joined with the White House Correspondents
Association, other journalism groups and media outlets to protest White House
coverage rules that ban photojournalists from covering the president at certain
events while releasing government photos and videos of the same events.
“Journalists are routinely being denied the right to
photograph or videotape the President while he is performing his official
duties,” the news organizations said in a letter to White House Press Secretary
Jay Carney. “You are, in effect, replacing independent photojournalism with
visual press releases.”
The White House has argued that certain meetings and events
with the president are private and not subject to media coverage. However, the
groups point out that by distributing details and images from the events, the
administration is attempting to make the meetings newsworthy on its own terms.
SiriusXM Inks NBC's Chuck Todd For Weekly Radio Show
 |
| Chuck Todd |
SiriusXM has announced that Chuck Todd--NBC News Political
Director & Chief White House Correspondent, and host of MSNBC's "The
Daily Rundown"--will host Unscripted with Chuck Todd, a weekly Saturday
morning show on which he will speak with notable guests from the worlds of
politics, sports, music, entertainment/pop culture, news, literature and more
to explore the different sides of newsmakers that are not seen in traditional
settings.
Unscripted with Chuck Todd will premiere on Saturday,
December 7 at 9:00 am ET and air Saturdays from 9:00 -- 10:00 am ET on SiriusXM
P.O.T.U.S. channel 124--SiriusXM's 24/7 non-partisan channel dedicated to the
"Politics of the United States"--via satellite and through the
SiriusXM Internet Radio App on smartphone, other connected devices and online
at siriusxm.com.
"In this day and age, people tend to think they have
more access to newsmakers and politicians, when in many ways they actually have
less. With this show on SiriusXM we'll aim to help listeners get to know these
powerful people in a different way-- to know them as human beings, not as sound
bite machines," said Todd. "Politics today is so much a part of our
pop culture, and I look forward to talking to the many famous amateur political
junkies out there who just happen to have day jobs in the worlds of sports, Hollywood , Wall Street
and everywhere in between."
"We welcome veteran journalist Chuck Todd as he goes
outside his normal field of reporting and delves into the personal passions and
interests of not just politicians but leaders from virtually every field of
interest," said Dave Gorab, Vice President & General Manager, Talk
Programming, SiriusXM. "Unscripted with Chuck Todd is new territory for
him, but will be built on Chuck's journalistic savvy and experience. It will be
a weekly hour that takes newsmakers out of their predictable comfort range to
reveal interests and viewpoints listeners haven't heard before."
Chicago Radio: Eric Ferguson From The Mix Undergoes Surgery
 |
| Eric Ferguson |
Eric Ferguson is scheduled to undergo elective surgery on
his spine Friday to relieve numbness in his arms and hands, according Chicago Media
Blogster Robert Feder.
The 46-year-old Ferguson ,
one-half of the top-rated morning team of Eric & Kathy on WTMX FM 101.9 FM said
he’d been putting off the procedure for years. “It’s just gotten to a point
from a comfort level that I want to get it done and get it over with,” he told
me Thursday.
The surgery to correct spinal stenosis will involve removal
of a disk and fusion of vertebrae to relieve pressure on the spinal cord.
How soon he’ll return to his show on the Hubbard
Broadcasting hot adult-contemporary station “just kind of depends on how I feel
over the weekend,” he said.
According to the latest Nielsen Audio survey, Ferguson and partner Kathy
Hart dominate morning listenership among adults between 25 and 54 with a
commanding 10.2 percent share — double their next closest competitor. They’re
in their 18th year together on the Mix.
Columbia SC Radio: Cynthia Hardy Could Have Arrest Expunged
 |
| Cynthia Hardy |
The attorney for a well-known Columbia radio and television personality
entered a conditional discharge plea in court Thursday on her behalf, according
to WIS-TV.
Conditions of the plea include having to take two random
urine drug tests that test negative, said Todd Rutherford, Cynthia Hardy's
attorney.
Hardy was charged with possession of marijuana after
Richland County Sheriff's deputies say they found marijuana in her purse as it
was searched upon her entry into the South Carolina State Fair in October.
Hardy said the marijuana came from teenagers at an activity
she attended.
"As I have previously stated, I retrieved the marijuana
after a weekend of activity with several young people who are very dear to
me," she said. "I tossed it in my bag with the intent to speak to
them about it. Instead I got busy, forgot about it, and neglected to properly
dispose of it."
Tom Joyner Announces 2014 ‘Full Ride’ Scholarships
 |
| Tom Joyner |
The Tom Joyner Foundation announced the ‘Full Ride’
scholarship program that will cover all the expenses of one student planning to
attend a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the fall of 2014.
“The cost of a college education isn’t getting any cheaper,”
said Tom Joyner, chairman of his Foundation and host of the top-ranked
nationally syndicated radio show. “So, I want to help a graduating high school
senior with a chance to attend a black college to pursue their dreams.”
Past Full Ride Scholars have impressive backgrounds,
including the first winner, Britney Wilson, a native of Brooklyn ,
N.Y. , who graduated from Howard University University of Pennsylvania Spelman College
The winning student will receive full tuition and stipends
for up to 10 semesters to cover on-campus room and board and books. Students
must meet the required academic standards each semester to renew the funds each
year. Graduating high school seniors can apply for the scholarship by going to
the Tom Joyner Foundation website to download an application.
Buffalo Radio: WGR, Sabres Team For Turkey Promo
Buffalo Sabres fans are calling it "the best traffic
jam ever" as they waited Thursday morning to drop off their turkey outside
the WGR 550 AM Studios at 500 Corporate Parkway in Amherst.
The Buffalo Sabres teamed up with Entercom stations WGR,
WBEN, KISS and STAR to collect turkeys for the City Mission Food
Bank Thursday, handing out a pair of tickets to a future Sabres game in
exchange for a turkey.
The line of vehicles with turkeys in hand stretched over 2 miles at one point with Sabres fans dropping off over 1,500 turkeys and the Sabres handing out more that 3000 tickets to future games.
The line of vehicles with turkeys in hand stretched over 2 miles at one point with Sabres fans dropping off over 1,500 turkeys and the Sabres handing out more that 3000 tickets to future games.
The collection, originally scheduled between 7-9 Thursday
morning, actually started well before 7am because of long lines
of vehicles and continued well past 9am.
FCC Considering Allowing Cell Phone Calls on Planes
In a statement Thursday (November 21st), new FCC Chairman
Tom Wheeler -- himself a former cell phone industry lobbyist -- called the
rules against cell phones calls on flights "outdated."
Flight attendants, as well as some airline officials,
quickly objected, citing passenger surveys that overwhelmingly show fliers
don't want cell phone calls allowed. Flight attendants and others worry that a
plane full of passengers talking on their phones could lead to arguments and
affect safety.
Still, even if the FCC were to allow it, airlines would
still have the option of deciding whether or not to equip their planes to
handle calls and data downloads.
Warning: The following video contains crude language:
Mistrial Declared In Rick Springfield Concert Trial
 |
| Rick Springfield |
A NY Supreme Court Justice has declared a mistrial in the
injury lawsuit against Rick Springfield.
The surprise decision came after a new witnesses came
forward supporting the accusations against the 1980s pop icon.
Vicki Calcagno, 43, of Liverpool, had been the only one to
testify that Springfield
struck her with his buttocks while performing in the crowd during a 2004 concert.
She claims the incident left her disoriented or unconscious for at least 10
minutes, but her lawyer told jurors it was probably less. In any event, Springfield 's actions
caused Calcagno serious and lasting injuries, she claimed.
According to Syracuse.com, at least three more potential witnesses
cam forward this week.
Based on the new witnesses, Springfield 's lawyer, John Pfeifer, asked for
a mistrial to give him time to interview the new witnesses.
Podcast Talks With KLIF Reporter Covering JFK Assassination
The Radio Stuff podcast commemorates the 50th anniversary of
JFK's assassination by looking how radio reacted to the events on that historic
weekend in 1963.‘
Did you know?
- A radio station PD came face to face with Lee Harvey Oswald moments after the shooting and asked him where to find a phone.
- Jack Ruby was a radio groupie and answering phones in the KLIF newsroom just hours after the assassination.
- The news of JFK’s assassination was delivered on WGBH radio
in
All of those stories are told in episode 27 of the Radio
Stuff podcast.
The first segment of the Radio Stuff podcast is highlighted
by hosts Deb Slater & Larry Gifford interviewing Gary DeLaune, a reporter
and anchor at KLIF in Dallas
on November 22, 1963 and the first person to broadcast news of shots fired at
the Presidential motorcade. He was also one of the men standing near Lee Harvey
Oswald when he was shot by Jack Ruby.
“I was stunned I guess. I was just getting over reporting
about President Kennedy and then – no one knew who it was at the time – this
figure just came out of my periphery vision.”
His account of that weekend is as if it happened yesterday.
It's chilling. And was life altering.
“Covering that story and reporting it from start to finish,
it provided me the self-confidence as a news professional that I would have
never have had if it hadn’t been for that event.”
TV Specials Mark The 50th Anniversary
Nov. 22, 1963: At 1:48 p.m. (Eastern), CBS News interrupted the soap
opera "As The World Turns" for Walter Cronkite to announce that
President John F. Kennedy was seriously injured in a shooting in Dallas , Texas
A whole crop of new TV specials have been created and
aired pegged to this year's 50th anniversary of the assassination. The ones airing
today include:
- JFK Assassination: The Definite Guide (History Channel, 8 p.m. ET) -- Includes polling results of thousands of Americans to discover what they do and don't believe about the assassination and who was responsible. The network said it uncovered 311 different conspiracy theories in the process.
- Lee Harvey Oswald: 48 Hours to Live (History Channel, 10 p.m. ET)
- CBS News will stream its original news broadcasts minute-by-minute in real time today on CBSNews.com, just as they were originally delivered. The streaming will begin at 1:40 p.m. ET, the same time the first CBS breaking news bulletins went on the air, and will, of course, include the famous moment when Walter Cronkite announced the president was dead. The coverage of historic newscasts will continue through the weekend, following the four days from the assassination through Kennedy's funeral.
JFK Assassination: Case Study In Live News Coverage
Fifty years ago, word of the assassination of President John
F. Kennedy reached many Americans by television, a relatively new and unproven
medium for news coverage.
The events in Dallas ,
as reported by those covering the tragedy, became a case study for all
television news organizations.
The Kennedy Assassination On Radio 11/22/63
Coverage begins at 11:30 AM (Dallas
time) on 11/22/63, with Joe Long of Dallas radio
station KLIF reporting live from Love
Field Airport
Kennedy coverage as heard on WBAP 820 AM Fort Worth:
Also, from WCCO 830 AM Minneapolis/St. Paul:
And From The Big One, WLW 700 AM Cincinnati (then an NBC Affiliate):
This is the initial bulletin heard on the NBC Radio Network about the shooting of President Kennedy in
This is the line feed from the ABC Radio Network News in the
initial moments of the coverage of the JFK Assasination. Included is the ABC
Log Book notes on what they were airing. Someone in ABC Master Control had to
log literally everything that was broadcast each day. Also included UPI and AP wire copy which you can see the
network anchors are relying on for information.
November 22 In Radio History
In 1899…Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America registered in New Jersey
In 1906…the "S-O-S" distress signal was adopted at
the International Radio Telegraphic Convention in Berlin .
In 1963…Many U.S. Radio stations suspended regular programming following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The Number One song that week was 'Sugar Shack' by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs.
1963…In the UK ,
the Parlophone label released the Beatles' second album, "With the
Beatles," and the single, "Roll Over Beethoven." Capitol Records
in Canada
issued the album as "Beatlemania! With the Beatles," which has the
distinction of being the first Beatles album ever released in North
America . Most of the songs from the album were not released in the
United States
until January 20, 1964 when Capitol Records issued "Meet the Beatles!"
In 2011…Stan Case, a 25-year CNN Radio news anchor, was
killed in an car accident at age 59.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Survey: Millennials Indifferent To AM Radio
In a study of under-35′s by Mark Kassof & Co., they wanted to know what Milennials feel and think
about AM.
Based on 303 online interviews conducted last week with
13-34 respondents, AM has more likes than dislikes. But, not surprisingly,
Millennials’ affection for AM doesn’t come close to that of FM, and their #1 response
is indifference — nearly a third neither like nor dislike AM.
Positive feelings for AM have a male skew (the opposite of
FM’s skew)…42% of males either like (31%) or love (11%) AM, while only 29% of
females do. Broken out by age groups, the youngest and oldest Millennials share
pretty much the identical view of AM.
The survey asked those who dislike or hate AM: Why?
Millennials’ reasons for disliking (or even hating) AM radio
reflect what they think about it. When we asked respondents: What is the very
first thing that pops into your mind when you think of AM radio?, their #1
response was ”talk shows” (16%),
followed by “boring” (10%), “old/outdated”
(8%), “sports” (7%) and news (7%).
Woman Knocked-Out By His Rear-End Sues Rick Springfield
 |
| Rick Springfield |
80s rock star Rick Springfield has taken the stand this week in a
lawsuit by a woman who says he injured her during a concert in 2004, according to
cnycentral.com.
cnycentral.com.
On the stand, Calcagno said Springfield Springfield
NYC Radio: A-Rod Walks And Talks With WFAN
He’s had enough.
Alex Rodriguez walked out of his grievance hearing Wednesday
after arbitrator Fredric Horowitz refused to order baseball Commissioner Bud
Selig to testify.
He later showed up at the WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM studios to talk to host Mike Francesa about it. And during that conversation he dropped a gigantic bombshell
on a saga that’s been filled with one page-turning headline after another.
Rodriguez vehemently denied any wrongdoing in the case,
including saying that he’s not used PEDs at all since 2003. He also denied
having leaked documents about Ryan Braun to Yahoo! Sports, calling that
accusation by Major League Baseball “laughable” and “disgusting.” Finally, he
denied any obstructing of justice during the course of this case, one of the
several reasons given by MLB to give Rodriguez the biggest drug-related
suspension of all-time.
Listen To WFAN Audio: Click Here.
Study: How CableTV News Covered Two Big Stories
In a week dominated by two mega-stories—the continuing
travails of Obamacare and the devastating typhoon in the Philippines—America’s
hypercompetitive cable news outlets exercised very different news judgments,
according to Pew Research Center.
The health insurance saga took a dramatic turn when
President Obama announced a change in the law to prevent individuals from
having coverage cancelled. And frantic relief efforts continued in the Philippines ,
where the official death toll from Typhoon Haiyan reached the 4,000 mark as of
Wednesday.
A clear pattern in how four major cable news networks
handled the competing stories emerged from a Pew Research Center analysis of 80
hours of programming from Nov. 11-15. The analysis studied one hour of midday
and three hours of prime-time each day.
The two channels with strong ideological identities in
prime-time—liberal MSBNC and conservative Fox News—spent far more time on the
politically-charged health insurance story than the overseas disaster.
The differences in the amount of coverage of each story on
Fox News and MSNBC were striking. In the sample studied, MSNBC devoted three
hours and eight minutes to the issues surrounding Obamacare, about four times
as much as the Philippines
typhoon garnered (41 minutes). On Fox, the differences were even greater. In
the sample studied, the channel devoted almost eight hours to the health care
drama and six minutes to the aftermath of the typhoon. That translates into
nearly 80 times more coverage of the health insurance story than the typhoon.
CNN had the closest balance between the two stories,
spending slightly more than three-and-a-half hours on Obamacare and just under
five hours on the typhoon. The fledgling Al Jazeera America network devoted three hours
and 10 minutes to the typhoon, more than twice as much airtime as health
insurance commanded (one-and-a-half hours).
Ft. Myers Radio: Trey Radel Takes Leave Of Absence
 |
| Trey Radel |
"I have no excuse for what I have done. I have let down
our country," he said at a news conference.
Radel spoke to reporters after returning home to southwest Florida , hours after he
pleaded guilty to misdemeanor cocaine possession.
The 37-year-old first-term Republican from Florida said he will enter an inpatient drug
treatment program.
The cocaine possession charge came after authorities said he
bought a small amount of cocaine in a sting in the nation's capital last month.
The plea and sentence were part of a deal that Radel's
attorney struck with federal prosecutors. He could have received a maximum
sentence of 180 days imprisonment or a $1,000 fine, or both. Instead, he was
placed on one year probation, and if it is "successfully completed,"
his guilty plea will be cleared from his record.
He is a former journalist and TV news anchor, having worked for WINK and a morning radio host for Fox Newsradio WFSX 92.5 FM inFort
Myers , Florida
He is a former journalist and TV news anchor, having worked for WINK and a morning radio host for Fox Newsradio WFSX 92.5 FM in
Tribune Company Announced More Layoffs
Tribune Co. announced a restructuring of its publishing
business Wednesday to focus on its digital efforts and streamline operations,
resulting in nearly 700 job losses across the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles
Times and six other daily newspapers.
The plan, which was outlined for Tribune Co. employees in a
memo, seeks to integrate business units such as advertising, marketing,
manufacturing and digital media under common leadership. It is aimed at
offsetting annual publishing revenue declines of $75 million to $100 million
without diminishing editorial content, according to executives.
But publishing staff positions accounting for about 6
percent of Tribune Co.'s workforce were being eliminated beginning Wednesday,
and the effect of those cuts remains to be seen. Most of the layoffs will be in
technology, marketing and other noneditorial functions.
Under the publishing realignment, which will go into effect
Jan. 1, the company plans to "invest more concertedly" in digital
growth, according to Liguori. He announced that Tribune Publishing's digital
unit will be headed by Bill Adee, currently senior vice president of digital
development and operations at the Chicago Tribune.
Tribune Co. emerged Dec. 31 from a four-year stay in Chapter
11 bankruptcy. The company owns 23 television stations, including WGN-Ch. 9;
national cable channel WGN America; WGN-AM 720; eight daily newspapers and
other media assets.
Tribune Co. has been exploring the possible divestiture of
its newspapers since February. In July, it announced plans to spin off its
publishing division into a separate company.
While the publishing division continues to operate in the
black, advertising revenue declined by $84 million last year, a trend that
shows no sign of slowing.
Tribune Co. eliminated about 800 publishing positions last
year.
Layoffs Hit Rdio
The music streaming business can be tough, with market
leaders like Spotify growing like weeds but still loss-making. Wednesday, some
bad news from competitor Rdio, the music streaming service startup from Skype
co-founder Janus Friis. The company has confirmed to TechCrunch that it is
laying people off.
“Rdio confirmed making across-the-board workforce reductions
today to improve its cost structure and ensure a scalable business model for
the long-term,” a spokesperson said today.
The company did not offer any further specifics on the
layoffs. One person who first alerted us to them alleges that they affect 35
people. Techcrunch reports they’ve have had other tips that say this works out
to between one-fifth and one-third of the workforce, with significant cuts in
engineering.
Indeed, at least two people affected by the layoffs are both
engineers that focus on mobile and web apps.
But, according to TechCrunch, it’s notable that the company has not released
any user numbers in a while. As a point of comparison, earlier this month
Deezer reported passing the 5 million mark for paying users — and that’s
without any entry into the U.S.
market. Spotify last reported 6 million paying users in March 2013.
Rush Ends Call After Past Drug Issue Mentioned
Rush Limbaugh decided to prematurely cut off one of his
radio show callers Wednesday after the man brought up some troubling stories
from the host’s past.
According to Mediaite, the call began under the guise of
advocating for Limbaugh to receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom, but before
long the caller was talking about that time the host “exchanged shoe boxes of
cash for narcotics.”
In an attempt to highlight similar honors Limbaugh has
received in the past, the caller brought up a bust of the host that now resides
in the Hall of Famous Missourians. “That, and you can correct me if I’m wrong,”
the caller said, “came after you exchanged shoe boxes of cash for narcotics in Florida , something that
most people go to jail for–decades for mandatory minimums. They gave you a
statue! I mean, you imported drugs into America
with the Viagra deal down in Florida …”
At this point, Limbaugh cut his caller off, saying, “Oh, no
sir. See you are a victim of, once again, totally distorted media reporting.”
He commended the “first half of your call,” during which the man highly praised
the host, as “exactly right.” But as for the accusations about drugs, that
portion was “filled with the usual leftist, bigotry, hatred and gibberish. And
you don’t have the slightest idea what you are talking about!”
And, that was
the end of that call.
Madonna Tops Forbes' Highest Earning Musicians List
Madonna was this year's top earning musician, according to
Forbes' annual report that was released Wednesday.
The Queen of Pop rakes in $125 million before taxes, agents
and managers fees, the financial magazine estimated. The majority of her income
came from her MDNA Tour, which grossed $305 million, as well as merchandise
sales, her Material Girl clothing line and Truth or Dare fragrance.
Following with $80 million was Lady Gaga, who grossed $160
million on her latest tour before a hip injury forced her to cancel dates.
Forbes estimates had she been able to finish that tour, she would have raked in
more than $200 million. Her recent album ARTPOP, which debuted at No. 1 on the
Billboard 100 this week is expected to push Gaga to the top seat next year with
a successful set of concerts in support.
Judge Orders Chris Brown Back Into Rehab
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| Chris Brown |
Musician Chris Brown has been ordered to return to rehab for
three months to deal with anger management issues, according to the BBC.
The singer agreed to the terms, which were suggested by
probation officers overseeing his sentence for beating his ex-girlfriend Rihanna
in 2009.
He left rehab earlier this month after throwing a rock
through a window.
After a joint counseling session with his mother on November
10, where she suggested he needed to remain in treatment, Brown threw the stone
through the window of her car.
Brown was kicked out of the rehab centre because he had
signed a contract agreeing to refrain from violence while in treatment.
He had gone to the facility voluntarily on 29 October having
been arrested in Washington
DC
The event could still be considered a probation violation
and result in further punishment for the singer. He is due to appear in court
in Washington DC
Listeners To Rate Super Bowl Radio Commercials
Westwood One is launching WestwoodOne's Super Bowl
Audio Index, the first-ever consumer-driven index ranking the most creative
audio commercials aired during Super Bowl XLVIII.
The index will be comprised of all commercials aired on the
700+ radio stations which broadcast WestwoodOne’s exclusive, play-by-play
coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII.
Each of the commercials will be available for consumer
voting through on February 2, 2014. Two awards will be announced across
WestwoodOne’s on-air and online broadcast network.
- Listener’s Choice: selected by consumers through an online voting process that can also be leveraged by marketers through social media, and activated through SoundHound to create even more engaging experiences for listeners.
- Media Choice: selected by an advisory council comprised of leading advertising, media and creative executives across multiple consumer categories.
WestwoodOne’s coverage of the Super Bowl is broadcast across
terrestrial radio, on SiriusXM Satellite Radio, NFL.com/audiopass, NFL Mobile
from Verizon subscribers, in the stadium during the game, and on the American
Forces Radio Network.