April 20 In Radio History

In 1952...the "Big Show" finished a two year run on the NBC Radio Network.


In 1961…The U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved FM stereo broadcasting.


In 1985...Flashback..From the pages of Radio&Records...

In 2007...a survey was released which said 54% of Americans thought firing talk show host, Don Imus, several days earlier, was justified for his comments about the Rutgers women basketball team.

The following is an excerpt from a 1999 memo written by Mark Katz, the in-house humorist at the Clinton White House, to presidential adviser Paul Begala regarding an interview request from radio host Don Imus:

Courtesy of the previously restricted documents released on Friday by the Clinton Library.


In 2011…Former Los Angeles radio personality (KFWB, KRLA, KEZY, KFI) Ted Quillan, the first to play a Ritchie Valens record on the radio and portrayed by Rick Dees in the film "La Bamba," died at age 81.

Ted Quillan

Born in Oklahoma City, Quillin moved to El Paso, Texas where he finished high school and attended Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy now known as UTEP. During this time, while still in high school Ted started his broadcast career at KEPO, an ABC station in El Paso. He started as a ‘gofer’ on a morning show from 6 to 7 AM, before he went to school. He graduated to staff announcer. After that he took a job in Corpus Christi, Texas at KSIX. The program director from KXYZ in Houston heard him, and hired him as a staff announcer. From there he went to WACO in Waco, Texas. Ted moved to KELP which was a Gordon McClendon station, doing top 40. This is where he met Chuck Blore and when Chuck got the call to Hollywood he took Ted with him and Ted became one of the original "Seven Swingin’ Gentlemen", who took Rock and Roll into its first major market, at KFWB. His listeners became known as the "Quiverin' Quillin Clan."

Quillin's years in radio include: KFWB–Hollywood, 1958–61; KRLA–Pasadena, 1962–64; KORK–Las Vegas, 1964–1966, KFI- L.A, 1969; KFOX-Long Beach 1969-71; XPRS-1972, and finally, KORK-Las Vegas, 1972, when he became a permanent resident of Las Vegas.


In 2005 Ted was inducted into the Broadcasters' Hall of Fame in Nevada.

Saturday Aircheck: WABC 1960 And 1962

WABC 77 New York - Martin Block 1960 just before the WABC Top 40 era. Dan Ingram 1962, early Top 40 WABC.

This aircheck originally aired on 77 WABC Rewound on Memorial Day 2008.

April 19 In Radio History

In 1924…A year before the "Grand Ole Opry" hit the airwaves from WSM Radio in Nashville, "The Chicago Barn Dance" debuted on WLS Radio in Chicago. The country music show was later renamed "National Barn Dance" and continued on the air – on WLS, simulcast on the ABC Radio Network, simulcast on the NBC Radio Network, back to WLS only, then Chicago's WGN Radio – until 1968.

According to Edgar Bill, the first WLS station manager: "We had so much highbrow music the first week that we thought it would be a good idea to get on some of the old time music.  After we had been going about an hour, we received about 25 telegrams of enthusiastic approval.  It was this response that pushed the Barn Dance!"  Indeed, Sears-Roebuck management was aghast by this "disgraceful low-brow music" that was being broadcast on their new station.  When Bill and Agricultural Director Samuel Guard were confronted by the angry executives, they pointed to the audiences overwhelming approval.

The Barn Dance served two distinct audiences.  It targeted the rural farm audiences as well as city listeners that had come from rural communities or those whom had been told about the "good old times."

In November 1925, WLS claimed to be the first to build an audience studio when it moved to larger quarters on the 6th floor of the Sherman Hotel in downtown Chicago.  The theatre was designed to hold 100 people as well as technical and control room facilities. (WLS History)

In 1965..WINS 1010 AM in New York City dropped Top 40 to become the first all-news formatted radio station.

Two months earlier, personality Murray The Ki departed WINS...

Billboard Article 2/5/1965

Before 1010 WINS in New York City was “All News, All the Time,” it was one of the country’s first rock-and-roll stations.

WGBS signed on in 1924, owned by Gimbel’s Department Store.  William Randolph Hearst bought it in 1932, changing the call letters to WINS, which referred to Hearst’s “International News Service.”

Crosley bought WINS in 1945, then sold it in 1953 to Gotham Broadcasting Corporation.  WINS started playing rock music. Legendary broadcasters like Alan Freed and Murray “the K” Kaufman were some of the early WINS disc jockeys.  Here’s a sample of WINS from 1960:



Westinghouse bought WINS in 1962.  By that time, WINS was fending off three other stations for New York City’s rock audience.  WMCA, WMGM and WABC all were airing Top 40 and rock music.

WMGM bailed on Top 40/rock in 1962 and flipped to a beautiful music format under its former WHN call letters.

By 1963, WMCA became New York’s No. 1 Top 40 station.  WINS’ ratings slid below WMCA and WABC.

On April 19, 1965, Westinghouse pulled the plug on the Top 40 format at WINS.  The final song was “Out in the Streets” by The Shangri-Las.  WINS became the nation’s third all-news radio station.

Many observers predicted WINS would fail as other early all-news stations had. Westinghouse poured resources into the format and succeeded,  It flipped two other stations, KYW in Philadelphia and KFWB in Los Angeles, to a similar format.

Soon, CBS decided to complete in the all-news arena.  It flipped WINS rival WCBS toward an all-news format in 1967, eventually becoming a full-time all-news station in 1970.  CBS expanded the all-news format to other owned stations around the country, including KNX in Los Angeles and WBBM in Chicago.  NBC tried an all-news approach in the mid 1970s called “News and Information Service,” but it shut down after two years.

In 1995, Westinghouse purchased CBS, making sister stations out of longtime rivals WINS and WCBS in New York.  The two stations continue their all-news formats, but gear them toward different audiences.

WINS has a harder approach, providing more of a headline service.  It has stronger ratings in New York City itself.  WCBS has a more conversational style, which does well with suburban listeners.  Both remain highly-rated stations and are among the nation’s biggest-billing radio stations.

Listening to a WINS broadcast today is not radically different from the station’s early days.  The teletype sound effect, the slogans (“All news, all the time,” “The newswatch never stops,” “Listen 2, 3, 4 times a day,” “You give us 22 minutes, we’ll give you the world”) and the basic 20-minute wheel format have remained in place for nearly 50 years.  (Faded Signals)

Atlanta Radio: Cumulus Slots Nine To Noon For Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Cumulus Media has announced that talk radio personality Michael Graham will host a new radio talk show on Atlanta's WYAY 106.7 FM. The show will air weekdays from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Graham moves to Atlanta from Boston, where he hosted shows on the New England Talk Network and on the BostonHeraldRadio.com, and was a columnist for the Boston Herald.

Graham has spent most of his life in front of a microphone, starting his career in college as a stand-up comic and spending six years on the national circuit performing with stars including Jerry Seinfeld, Jeff Foxworthy and Robin Williams. He then worked as a GOP political consultant on campaigns from Chicago to the Carolinas. As a result, he was a frequent guest on FOX News, CNN, and MSNBC, and made several guest appearances on Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect” and “Real Time” television shows. Graham began his talk radio career at WBT-AM in Charlotte, followed by stints in Richmond and Washington, D.C. He then moved to Boston, where he became a fixture in talk radio and started his own network, New England Talk Radio Network, and formed a partnership with BostonHeraldRadio.com.

Graham is a popular public speaker and the author of four books, including the first major publisher book on the Tea Party movement in America, “That’s No Angry Mob, That’s My Mom!” (Regnery, 2010).

Randall Bloomquist, Corporate Programmer-News/Talk for Cumulus Media said: “Michael Graham is a next-generation talk radio talent—smart, opinionated and very funny. His show will be an entertaining and inclusive conversation about the things that are truly important and interesting to his Atlanta area audience.”

Graham said: “I’m not a radio host—I’m a radio FAN. I love being part of exciting, entertaining conversations and Cumulus is going to bring those conversations to fans like me. The fact that I get to be on the other side of the mic just lets me enjoy it even more.”

Graham added: “Growing up in rural South Carolina, I was taught ‘If you can’t say something nice… drink!’ Having never learned to hold my tongue or my liquor, radio in Atlanta is likely to get interesting very quickly.”

Salem OR Radio: Political Candidate Gets Free Equal Airtime

Barbara Jensen

A campaign dispute about Bill Post’s Salem OR radio talk show has been settled by N/T KYKN 1430 AM by giving Post’s Republican primary opponent Barbara Jensen 566 minutes of airtime, according to the Statesman-Journal.

“Although I’m not a professional radio talk show host, I feel that we were able to use the airtime in a way that helps our community get to the bottom of critical issues,” Jensen said in a statement. “I wanted to give voters deeper insight into some of the issues and causes I care about, and showcase those issues for KYKN listeners.”

Jensen will host three, one-hour round table discussions set to air at 3 p.m. on April 29, April 30 and May 1. The segments will focus on

education, small business and veterans issues.

Post announced he was running for the open seat in House District 25 in December, and Jensen entered the race in mid-February.

The issue for the Jensen campaign was that Post continued his daily show after Jensen entered the race. Her campaign alleged this violated Federal Communications Commission regulations—an allegation Post and the radio have denied.

KYKN's general manager Mike Frith previously told the Statesman Journal that FCC officials said Post could continue his show until an opponent filed a letter with the station asking for equal access.

Read More Now

MA Radio: Cumulus/Worcester Promotes Mark Veau

Cumulus Media has announced that Mark Veau has been promoted to Program Director of 98.9 WORC-FM in Worcester, MA. WORC is a Greatest Hits format with heritage call letters dating back to WORC-AM that was one of the first stations in the U.S. to play the Beatles.

Mark Veau

2014 marks Veau’s 12th year with WORC 98.9 FM FM, WWFX 100.1 FM, WXLO 104.5 FM. He has been on the air as WORC-FM's afternoon drive personality, hosts the Sunday morning public affairs program for all three stations in the cluster, produces imaging and commercials, and has deep knowledge of and experience with the community WORC FM serves.

Veau also serves on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Broadcasters.

Veau began his broadcasting career in Worcester in 1982 at WSCW 640 AM on the campus at Worcester State College (now University). Aside from pulling regular airshifts, he also doubled up as program director, then general manager his final two years at the school. After interning at New City's WFTQ 1440 AM and its sister station WAAF 107.3 FM, he was hired full-time as the overnight on-air personality  at WFTQ and as part of the promotions street team at WAAF, a position he held into the late ‘90’s.

Veau said: "I look forward to this new opportunity working on a radio station that I know so well and enjoy so much.”

Cumulus Vice President and Market Manager Bob Goodell said: "In my six years here, Mark has always been a go-to guy to get things done with his specialized knowledge of the audience and promotional history of WORC-FM. There is no person with more passion and experience that could assume the duties of PD than Mark Veau."

Newly Acquired Stations Far From Alpha's Home Base

Alpha Media will now operate 68 stations in 12 markets, most far from the Portland headquarters. Alpha now operates in San Antonio, Louisville, Dayton, Savannah, Richmond, Biloxi and other markets in the South and Mid-Atlantic. In Portland, Alpha owns KINK, KUPL, KBFF, KUFO, KXTG and KXL-FM.

ALPHA, L&L MERGE AND WILL ACQUIRE MAIN LINE BROADCASTING:  Click Here

According to oregonlive.com, longtime radio veterans Bob Proffitt, Alpha's president and CEO, and Larry Wilson, the chairman, launched Alpha in Portland in 2009.

Bob Proffitt

Proffitt declined to discuss Alpha's revenues or profitability, but said the company employs about 110 full-time workers in Portland and about another 30 part-timers.

In the announcement, Alpha's Wilson said the merger and acquisition "will allow us to streamline our oversight of all 49 stations to take advantage of the many synergies.” Proffitt said that refers to corporate management functions, not to on-air talent or salespeople. He said the L&L stood for "live and local."

Wilson and Proffitt worked together at Citadel Broadcasting, a 205-station chain that Wilson sold to Forstmann Little & Co. in 2001 for $1 billion in cash, plus the assumption of debt. After Forstmann sold the chain to Disney five years later, the company ran into financial difficulty, and eventually, bankruptcy.

Proffitt said he doesn't expect Alpha to grow to the size of Citadel, nor to flip Alpha to a new buyer.

"We're operators," he said. "We see opportunity."

Major Labels Suing Pandora Over Pre-1972 Music

The major record labels are now suing Pandora for exploiting sound recordings made prior to Feb. 15, 1972, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Last September, a similar lawsuit was filed against Sirius XM. The subject of the lawsuit has to do with the fact that sound recordings didn't begin falling under federal copyright protection until the above date. As such, the streaming service might not be able to rely upon SoundExchange, the performance rights organization that collects digital and satellite royalties on the behalf of sound recording copyright owners.

The record labels are testing this belief, now asserting New York state misappropriation claims over older music being streaming on Pandora.

"Pandora's refusal to pay Plaintiffs for its use of these recordings is fundamentally unfair," says the lawsuit. Among the artists whose songs are said to be infringed upon Pandora are Bob Dylan, The Beatles, David Bowie, Elvis Presley, James Brown and Led Zeppelin.

If the plaintiffs prevail, many of the songs could be off Pandora, as Capitol Records, Sony Music, Universal Music, Warner Music and ABKCO Music are demanding an injunction in addition to compensatory damages, punitive damages and all proceeds gained as a result of the exploitation of pre-'72 music.

Pandora has more than 250 million users.

The complaint points out that Pandora features specific stations that leverage the older music including "50s Rock 'n' Roll," "60s Oldies," "Motown," "Doo-Wop," "Early Jazz," and others.

Read More Now

Politico Explores 'The Tea Party Radio Network'

Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck worked the crowd like a preacher at a rally this month in Louisville, Ky., declaring that God had responded to conservatives’ prayers by sending a slate of tea party candidates to wrest control of the Republican Party from Mitch McConnell.

But, according to a piece posted on the Politico website,  there was a more earthly benefit to the arrangement that brought Beck to the rally. It was organized by the tea party nonprofit group FreedomWorks, which had endorsed the candidates — and which has paid more than $6 million in recent years to have Beck promote the group, its initiatives and events.

According to Politico, The FreedomWorks-Beck relationship is just one example of a powerful and profitable alliance between the conservative movement’s most aggressive groups and the most popular radio hosts.

The details of the arrangements are little-known, but they have been lucrative for the recipients, and, in turn, have helped ensure that the groups get coveted airtime from hosts with a demonstrated ability to leverage their tens of millions of listeners to shape American politics. It’s an alliance that helped spawn the anti-establishment tea party and power Republicans to landslide victories in the 2010 midterms. It’s also exacerbated congressional gridlock by pushing a hard line on the budget, immigration and Obamacare, and it is roiling the Republican Party headed into critical midterm elections.



A Politico review of filings with the Internal Revenue Service and Federal Election Commission, as well as interviews and reviews of radio shows, found that conservative groups spent nearly $22 million to broker and pay for involved advertising relationships known as sponsorships with a handful of influential talkers including Beck, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin and Rush Limbaugh between the first talk radio deals in 2008 and the end of 2012. Since then, the sponsorship deals have grown more lucrative and tea party-oriented, with legacy groups like The Heritage Foundation ending their sponsorships and groups like the Tea Party Patriots placing big ad buys.

Read More Now

Boston Radio: This Pirate Is A Former Mayoral Candidate

Federal agents can take Charles Clemons off the air. But they can’t take away his Internet connection.

According to the Boston Business Journal, Clemons says agents representing the Federal Communications Commission raided Touch 106.1’s office in Dorchester’s Grove Hall section Thursday, seized equipment and unplugged the station because it was broadcasting without an FCC license. But Touch 106.1’s Facebook page describes this as a temporary situation, and boasts that it is still continuing its programming and advertising via online streaming.

Clemons, one of a dozen people who ran for mayor last year in Boston, has tangled with the FCC before. At one point, in 2008, the agency levied a $17,000 fine against him for operating an unlicensed station.

Clemons, who co-founded the station in 2005, offered up a defense in a video posted on YouTube today.

He conceded that he was operating without a license: “Touch 106.1 has its paperwork pending for its license, and we don’t have a license.”



He then launched into a blistering attack on the FCC, accusing of the government bureaucracy of trying to silence the audience served by Touch 106.1, a focal point for Boston's black community.

Read More Now.

Austin Radio: Fringe Austin To Air On 105.3 FM

Fringe Austin, the city’s newest radio station, is launching Monday, April 21 and bringing your old morning show friends, J.B. and Sandy, back to the airwaves.

According to austin.culturemap.com,  Austin radio veteran Bob Cole of KOKE FM announced Thursday that Fringe Austin’s radio frequency will be Translator 105.3 FM (currently one of KOKE FM's three frequencies). J.B. Hager and Sandy McIlree sat in on the KOKE FM show, as a primer for their new morning show which returns after the weekend.

Fringe Austin is a joint venture between Cole and Jason Nassour, both of whom own KOKE FM, and it will be part of a five-station radio group known as the Austin Radio Network. Each station will be independently owned by local investors. Fringe Austin's profile will feature a mix of new rock and indie bands, reflecting the station's preference for off-center music that falls outside of the corporate radio realm.

K287FG 105.3 FM (75watts) 60dBu Coverage

Study Profiles Online News Video Viewers

News audiences are watching more digital news video than ever before and newsrooms are investing in creating more video content. The challenge—as is the case with other digital ad revenue—is that big tech firms such as Google and Facebook are poised to pocket a large share of the digital video ad dollars because they are able to more effectively monetize video content.

As part of its State of the News Media 2014 report, the Pew Research Center surveyed U.S. adults about their digital video habits to get a sense of that marketplace today. Here’s a highlight:

Indy Radio: Personality to Fight I-D Theft Charges

Kelli Jack-Kelly

RTV6 in Indianapolis hasinterviewed former Indy radio personality Kelli Jack-Kelly, who was arrested earlier this and accused of using the identities of four family members to open credit accounts.

She plans to fight the charges.

"My goal right now is to get my name cleared," she said to RTV6's Rafael Sanchez.

According to court documents, the identity theft began in 2007.

Jack-Kelly faces multiple criminal charges -- four counts of identity deception and eight counts of fraud -- in the case, which will be handled directly by the Indiana Attorney General’s office.

Jack-Kelly's father, Gene Jack, and her mother-in-law, Frances Kelly, are among her alleged victims, officials said.

But she said two people (whom she won't name) are responsible for the financial mess costing her her freedom.

"I have no doubt charges will be dropped (and) dismissed," Jack-Kelly said.

Reports: Glen Campbell Moved To Alzheimer's Facility

Glen Campbell has been suffering from Alzheimer's for over three years, but the Grammy-winning singer, 78, has recently moved into a facility, PEOPLE has confirmed.

"He was moved to an Alzhemier's facility last week," says a family friend. "I'm not sure what the permanent plan is for him yet. We'll know more next week."

The "Rhinestone Cowboy" crooner first opened up about having Alzheimer's to PEOPLE in an exclusive 2011 interview.

Campbell and his fourth wife, Kim Woolen, decided to go public with the news because Campbell hoped to embark on a final farewell live tour. The couple wanted his fans to be aware of his condition in case he forgot lyrics or flubbed a song during the performances.


The "Goodbye Tour" tour was filmed for a documentary called Glen Campbell … I'll Be Me, which will make its debut Friday at the 2014 Nashville Film Festival. The documentary follows Campbell, his wife, and their three adult children – Cal, Shannon, and Ashley – as they deal with the various stages of the disease and perform on the road together.

Iowa Radio: Lost Hank Williams Songs Being Released

Hank Williams

Previously unreleased recordings of country music legend Hank Williams performing songs on a 1950 radio show will be released next month for download and on vinyl, according to KCCI News8.

"The Garden Spot Programs, 1950" features 24 songs and jingles from a taped show that aired on early country radio stations, sponsored by a Texas plant nursery.

Most of the tapes were lost, but only the copies from one station, KSIB 1520 AM in Creston, Iowa, survived.

The recordings were transferred, restored and mastered for release May 20 by Omnivore Records.

The singer's daughter, Jett Williams, said in a written statement that no one knew these recordings existed.

Dan Dierdorf Joins Wolverines Radio Broadcasts

Dan Dierdorf

The University of Michigan Athletic Department and IMG College announced Thursday that former CBS NFL color analyst and former offensive lineman for U-M Dan Dierdorf will be joining Jim Brandstatter in the radio booth for the upcoming season.

With this addition, it means that Brandstatter will handle play-by-play duties.

"Jim and Dan are hall of fame broadcasters and great Michigan Men," said Michigan coach Brady Hoke in a statement. "They will provide a unique perspective to the broadcasting booth that I’m sure our fans will enjoy on football Saturdays, and you can guarantee they will have a keen analysis of Michigan Football on each broadcast."

Dierdorf, who was teammates with Brandstatter during the 1969 and 1970 seasons returns home to where it all started.

April 18 In Radio History

In 1939…In Los Angeles, Gene Autry recorded "Back In The Saddle Again," a song he co-wrote with Ray Whitley. It was included in the Autry movie "Roving Tumbleweeds," then became the theme song for his "Gene Autry's Melody Ranch" radio series which aired on CBS from 1940 to 1956.



This is the original pilot episode that debuted on KNX Radio in Los Angeles as a private preview for the Doublemint Gum Merchants of America and was presented during the last 15 minutes of the final broadcast of Gateway to Hollywood on December 31, 1939.


In 1983...KMO 1360 AM in Tacoma Wash changes call letters to KAMT (now KKMO)


In 1999...Last broadcast of the Mutual Broadcasting System

On September 29, 1934, four AM radio stations—WXYZ in Detroit, WGN in Chicago, WOR in New York, and WLW in Cincinnati—agreed to form a cooperative, program-sharing radio network. WGN and WOR controlled the operation (first dubbed the Quality Group), and the Mutual Broadcasting System was incorporated in Illinois one month later. When WXYZ (which had contributed the popular western adventure program The Lone Ranger) withdrew to join the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) network in 1935, Canadian station CKLW in Windsor, Ontario (serving the Detroit market), replaced it. (The Lone Ranger remained on Mutual until 1942 under contractual obligation.)

After a year on the air, the new network carried 40 hours of sustaining (non-advertiser-supported) programs and 20 hours of commercial programming per week. The network’s first coast-to-coast broadcast came in September 1936, and by 1940 Mutual had 160 affiliates, nearly 20 percent of the stations then on the air. As Mutual’s stations in rural areas often had less power than the affiliates of the older national networks, many stations held primary affiliations with the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) or NBC and only a secondary relationship with Mutual. Nevertheless, Mutual had more affiliates than any other network—a record it held into the 1980s.

MUTUAL BROADCASTING TRIBUTE WEBSITE:  Click Here

Mutual ended its cooperative operation in 1952 when the network was purchased by General Tire and set up in New York. In the late 1950s network ownership changed several times, often within months, and none of its owners had sufficient funding to move Mutual into television. On at least two occasions, a shortage of funds threatened to close network operations, and Mutual filed for bankruptcy in 1959. The number of employees dropped to only 50, compared with 350 at its peak in the 1940s. The network faced a scandal when it was discovered that one short-term owner had secretly accepted money from a Caribbean country in return for favourable comment on the air, and Mutual lost 130 of its affiliates.

Ownership changes continued as the network shifted its headquarters from New York to Washington, D.C., in 1971. In 1972 Mutual began special network feeds to African American and Spanish-programmed stations with news and sportscasts.

One of the few primary network programs outside of news and sports that Mutual initiated during this era became one of the most successful in its history: the first nationwide, all-night call-in show, which launched on November 3, 1975, with Herb Jepko as host.  Jepko, who had run a telephone talk show out of KSL in Salt Lake City for years, so determinedly avoided controversy that some callers simply talked about the weather where they lived.

Jepko was briefly succeeded by Long John Nebel, before Mutual tapped a local talk show host at WIOD in Miami. Larry King made his network premiere on January 30, 1978; by the turn of the decade, he was being carried by 150 stations and credited with attracting many new affiliates to Mutual.  King continued his Mutual call-in show for years, even as he began appearing on television in the mid-1980s. From 1970 through 1977, Mutual was the national radio broadcaster for Monday Night Football.

In 1977 then-owner Amway bought Mutual’s very first outlet owned and operated by the company, WCFL in Chicago, followed in 1980 by the purchase of WHN in New York. Mutual also signed a contract with Western Union to use its satellite facilities, thus becoming the first radio network to employ satellite distribution. Aided by its satellite network, Mutual served 950 affiliates by 1979, but the number slowly declined.

Mutual was purchased by Westwood One in 1985. In its last 15 years Mutual largely produced newscasts. Westwood One closed Mutual on April 18, 1999, but its newscasts continued under the marketing name of CNN Radio. (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

In 2012…Radio/TV host Dick Clark died following a heart attack at 82. He had suffered a significant stroke in 2004.

L&L, Alpha Merge, Agree To Acquire Main Line

Alpha Broadcasting & L & L Broadcasting announced today that they have entered into an agreement to merge the companies and upon consummation of the merger, will become Alpha Media. The current corporate team for Alpha Broadcasting and L & L Broadcasting will remain and operate the company from the corporate headquarters in Portland, Oregon.

Alpha Broadcasting is headquartered in Portland, Oregon where it operates six stations. L&L Broadcasting is also headquartered in Portland, Oregon and operates 43 stations in seven markets. L&L has been overseeing the operation of the Portland stations for the last year pursuant to a management agreement with Alpha.

ALPHA STATION ARE FAR FROM HOME BASE: Click Here.

Larry Wilson, Chairman and an investor in each company, said that “the merger will be the culmination of a long term plan to ultimately combine the two companies and will allow us to streamline our oversight of all 49 stations to take advantage of the many synergies.”

Larry Wilson

“We are proud to have partnered with Alpha Broadcasting over the past five years in the Portland market. This merger is the result of the Alpha team executing on its original disciplined growth plan, and we are excited to be a part of the new Alpha Media going forward,” said Mark Dorman, Managing Director of Endeavour Capital.

L & L Broadcasting also announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 19 radio stations from Main Line Broadcasting for $57 million. Main Line Broadcasting is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and operates 19 stations in four markets including Louisville, KY; Richmond- Petersburg, VA; Dayton, OH and Hagerstown, MD-Chambersburg, PA.

L & L Broadcasting President and CEO, Bob Proffitt remarked, “We’ve worked hard to maintain strong community involvement and an intimate connection with our listeners and advertisers in all of our markets, I’m confident that we’ll be able to implement our mission of live and local radio in the Main Line markets.”

“I am extremely proud of all of Main Line Broadcasting’s employees who have done a phenomenal job over the years. I am pleased to have these great broadcasters now under the leadership and vision of Larry Wilson and Bob Proffitt. There’s not a better company than L&L Broadcasting to ensure this continued success,” noted Main Line Broadcasting CEO, Marc Guralnick.

Media Venture Partners represented Main Line Broadcasting.

Holland Cooke: Rush Now Sitting At 'The Kid's Table'

Speaking Wednesday on the Ed Schultz radio show, radio consultant/talent coach Holland Cooke credited a persistent online activist movement with completely destroying right wing talk show host Rush Limbaugh's business model by using the very free speech that El Rushbo claims gives him carte blanche to do what he does.

According to Cooke, the StopRush movement has resulted in hundreds of blue-chip national advertisers basically not only to wander away from Rush Limbaugh and "some of the other righties", but they’ve abandoned the Talk radio format entirely.

With the latest round of ratings just emerging, Cooke revealed that, in the largest markets, Limbaugh's stations are in terrible shape.

#radio ratings - and just-fielded research: #RushLimbaugh now big-in-small-markets, small-in-big-markets. AUDIO: http://t.co/QLwrYj7c7I
— Holland Cooke (@HollandCooke) April 17, 2014

Tom's Take: If indeed Rush is sitting at the kids' table, is it really because of the StopRush effort or perhaps it's because of listener fatigue and/or because most of Rush's station are AM?

DC Radio: WTOP #1 Again, Top 5 Stable

WTOP studio

Hubbard's Newser WTOP 103.5 FM is again #1 6+ for the third month in a row, in spite of a 9.0—8.9 move.

Plus, CCM+E Top 40 WIHT 99.5 FM HOT remains #2 posting a 7.0—7.2 showing. Placing at #3, is Amiercan University's non-com N/T WAMU 88.5 FM which enjoyed an uptick 6.9--7.1. Howard University Urban AC WHUR 96.3 FM holds down #4 5.9--6.0, rival Urban AC WMMJ 102.3 FM is in 5^th place. The Radio One station was down 5.6—5.0.

25-54: WIHT...WTOP...WHUR...WAMU... WWDC

18-34: WIHT...WKYS...WPGC...WWDC...WASH

18-49: WIHT...WHUR...WKYS...WASH...WTOP

Cume: WIHT-FM 1,338,000...WTOP-FM 1,287,800...WASH-FM 1,178,800...WIAD-FM 890,100...WPGC-FM 883,400

NielsenAudio: Day 2 Of March PPMs

After a day off for the Passover holiday, NielsenAudio Wednesday resumed the releasing of PPM results for the month of March.  Latest Markets released are:

• Washington DC
• Boston
• Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood
• Detroit
• Seattle-Tacoma WA
• Phoenix
• Minneapolis-St. Paul MN
• San Diego
• Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater FL
• Denver-Boulder CO
• Baltimore MD
• St. Louis MO

To see Topline numbers of subscribing stations: Click Here

Boston Radio: PPMs Kiss WXKS

Matty In The Morning

CCM+E Top 40/M WXKS 107.9 FM KISS 108 was down 7.6—7.2, but remains #1 6+ in the latest Nielsen PPMs. Greater Media AC WMJX 106.7 FM Magic also slipped a bit 6.8—6.5, but good enough for #2. CBS Radio News WBZ 1030 AM up was up 6.0—6.4 to place #3 while Greater Media's WKLB 102.5 FM dropped to #4 even though it moved upward 6.1—6.3.

Clustermate Classic Hits WROR 105.7 FM again was #5 moving 5.6—5.8.

25-54: WXKS...WMJX...WKLB...WBZ-FM...WBMX

18-34: WXKS...WKLB...WJMN...WBQT...WBZ-FM

18-49: WXKS...WKLB...WBZ-FM...WMJX...WBOS

Cume: WXKS-FM 1,375,300...WMJX-FM 1,256,700...WODS-FM 994,400...WBMX-FM 895,100...WROR-FM 893,400

Detroit Radio: UrbanAC WMXD Jumps To #1 6+

CCM+E Urban AC WMXD 92.3 FM MIX jumps from #3 to #1 thanks to a 6.4—8.3 spike.

WWJ 950 AM dropped 7.9—7.2 to end up in the #2 slot. CBS Radio clustermate Classic Hits WOMC 104.3 FM also posted a loss 7.6—6.8 and placed at #3, Cumulus Talker WJR 760 AM ended up at #4 with a steady 5.4 showing. CCM+E Top 40 WKQI 95.5 FM Channel 955 was up 4.8—5.2 to crawl back to the Top 5.

25-54: WMXD...WOMC tied WKQI...WWJ...WYCD

18-34: WKQI...WJLB...WYCD...WRIF...WMXD

18-49: WKQI...WMXD...WYCD...WJLB...WRIF

Cume: WNIC-FM 1,089,800...WKQI-FM 1,016,300...WOMC-FM 976,100...WDVD-FM 931,100...WWJ-AM 901,800

Survey: Teens Listening To More Local Radio

Steph Wissink

Piper Jaffray has completed its 27th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens market research project, which signals a potential point of stability, with spending contracting by just 1% from Fall 2013, compared to sequential declines in the mid-single digits previously.

“Over the 13-year history of our survey, we have observed notable changes in the brands teens aspire to own and wear, the influences that direct what they buy, and how teens are consuming, interacting with and sharing the brands they love,” said Steph Wissink, co-director of investment research and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray.

“The universal truths about teens remain the same—they continue to seek peer affirmation, their spending is almost entirely discretionary, and they are early adopters of change. What’s different about this generation of teens versus prior is that they are non-conformists, they seek experiences over products, and they align with brands that are practical yet cool.”

Key findings from the survey in fashion, beauty and personal care, restaurants, digital media, gaming, and wireless communication include the following:

• Teen males indicated they were spending more, up 4% from Fall 2013, which has historically signaled inflection in broader spending
• For the first time in our survey history, food exceeded clothing as a percentage of the teen wallet. Electronics also gained in share, while furniture and fashion ceded modest share.
• Declines in the fashion category were most severe in accessories– down double-digits for a second cycle in a row
• Top clothing brands (continued to) include Nike, Action Sports, Forever 21, American Eagle, Polo Ralph Lauren and Hollister
• 17% of teens expressed interest in an Apple iWatch, up 12% from Fall 2013, which we believe is an indication of consumer appetite
• Instagram ranked as the most important social network, exceeding Twitter and Facebook for the first time in survey history
• At home, cable subscriptions are becoming less essential for teens, while online streaming is more critical. Out of home, IMAX continues growing share among teens.
• Music/radio listenership has grown for Pandora and local radio, largely at the cost of MP3s and CDs.
• 85% of teen gamers play mobile games

For an infographic and more information regarding the survey: Click Here.

Report: The Internet Radio Revolution Has Arrived

A new report by BIA/Kelsey shows that Internet Radio is changing consumer listening habits and the industry economics are starting to follow.

Recognizing new opportunities to reach and engage with these audiences, national and local advertisers are shifting budget into Internet radio services. At the same time, new technologies such as Interactive Audio Ads are also emerging to take advantage of voice-activated consumer engagement and conversion opportunities.

“The Internet Radio Revolution Has Arrived” outlines how a combination of changes driven by platforms, services, audiences and advertisers is reinventing audio.

“Listening hours are moving quickly to Internet Radio and audio consumption as mobile opens up new possibilities for consumer engagement," said Rick Ducey, managing director of BIA/Kelsey. "Shifts in consumer behavior are causing advertisers to set aside spending specifically for this channel.”

BIA/Kelsey defines the Internet steaming audio market as streaming radio services such as Pandora or Spotify, and Broadcast Radio Station Streaming, whether simulcast or not. Either may provide advertising supported audio services that may be linear.

BIA/Kelsey’s U.S. Consumer Commerce Monitor research measures the advertising effectiveness of radio. The most recent survey shows that almost 30 percent of Americans cite broadcast radio as one of their top sources for making local shopping decisions, ahead of digital channels like mobile deals, display, or social media.

XAPPmedia Chief Marketing Officer Bret Kinsella added, “At over $16 billion in revenue, radio is a large advertising market. As consumers migrate to Internet radio, billions of ad dollars are shifting to new audio platforms. Internet radio also presents new opportunities for two-way engagement and direct consumer conversion creating more value than traditional radio advertising. BIA/Kelsey’s analysis highlights the dramatic shift that is gaining momentum today.”

This new report, sponsored by XAPPmedia, highlights how these forces will redefine the Internet streaming audio market over the next generation and reviews the economics of the whole opportunity.

The report can be downloaded: Click Here

FCC: No Changes In Ownership Rules

In a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Report and Order (NPRM) issued Wednesday, the FCC has tentatively found that based on the 2010 Quadrennial Review record, current local radio ownership rules remain necessary in the public interest and should be retained without modification. The Commission believes that the rules are necessary to "promote competition."

In addition, the agency said that current radio ownership limits promote viewpoint diversity "by ensuring a sufficient number of independent radio voices and by preserving a market structure that facilitates and encourages new entry into the local media market." Similarly, the FCC tentatively found that a competitive local radio market helps to promote localism, as a competitive marketplace will lead to the selection of programming that is responsive to the needs and interests of the local community.

The Commission also tentatively found that the local radio ownership rule is consistent with its goal of promoting minority and female ownership of broadcast stations. It also believes that these benefits outweigh any burdens that may result from our proposal to retain the rule without modification. The Commission is now seeking comment on these tentative conclusions.

In accordance with these tentative conclusions, The FCC proposes that an entity may continue to own: (1) up to eight commercial radio stations in radio markets with 45 or more radio stations, no more than five of which can be in the same service (AM or FM). (2) Up to seven commercial radio stations in radio markets with 30-44 radio stations, no more than four of which can be in the same service (AM or FM). (3) Up to six commercial radio stations in radio markets with 15-29 radio stations, no more than four of which can be in the same service (AM or FM). And (4) up to five commercial radio stations in radio markets with 14 or fewer radio stations, no more than three of which can be in the same service (AM or FM), provided that an entity may not own more than 50 percent of the stations in such a market.

In the NPRM, the Commission tentatively concluded that the relevant market for review of the local radio ownership rule is the radio listening market and that it is not appropriate, at this time, to expand that market to include non-broadcast sources of audio programming. Based on its review of the 2010 Quadrennial Review record, the agency believed this approach is appropriate, and it's seekinh comment on whether it should maintain this market definition. (Radio Online)

Boston Radio: Michael Graham Packing For Atlanta

Michael Graham

Talk host Michael Graham has announced that he is leaving his show on WCRN in Worcester to host a daily FM show in Atlanta for Cumulus Broadcasting's WYAY 106.7 FM.

according to golocalworcester.com, Graham announced the news via his website Wednesday stating that Friday, April 25 will be his last broadcast on the New England Talk Network and Boston Herald Radio.

Graham expressed mixed emotions about leaving and said that he loves Boston, but stated that the current state of conservative talk radio in New England played a major role in his decision.

Speaking of New England, Graham wrote on his website: “What doesn’t exist is a company willing to ignore the political pressure, step up and meet that demand. WTKK wasn’t killed by the marketplace. Conservative political talk was smothered to death by political and social pressure to silence the one meaningful voice of dissent on the airwaves.”

“Talk radio is a format sitting on death’s door in New England. Much of that damage is self-inflicted. Angry, paranoid and unpleasant is no way to go through life, son,” added Graham.

Graham has been a mainstay on conservative talk radio since 1998. Prior to his most recent gig on WCRN, Graham hosted the daily talk show, The Natural Truth on the Boston station WTKK. Graham is also the author of several books and is a columnist for the Boston Herald.

WYAY 106.7 FM (77Kw) 60dBu Coverage

With the addition of Graham.  WYAY All News 106.7 continues to whittle away the “news” part of its  operation.  The Atlanta-based Cumulus radio station debuted in May, 2012 as an all-news station.

According to Atlanta Media Blogger Rodney Ho, ratings have been modest but growing steadily. In March, the station drew a 1.7 share, ranking 19th, which is a tie for its best to date.

Last fall, the station plucked Kim “The Kimmer” Peterson out of retirement to host a talk show from noon to 3 p.m. and began airing Atlanta Braves games this season.

Ho notes, the Kimmer’s ratings have been comparable, if not slightly better, than that of the rest of the station.

Graham will be coming to Atlanta with little to no name recognition, unlike the Kimmer, who had an existing fan base from his WGST days.

Opie And Anthony Unmasked After 20-Years

Opie and Anthony will celebrate their 20th radio anniversary today – a dozen years after they triggered outraged headlines with their “Sex in St. Patrick’s” moment.

In retrospect, write David Hinckley at The NY Daily News, that may have marked a crescendo for “radio shock jock” hysteria, because things are a lot calmer now.

The 20th anniversary party will air live Thursday at 4 p.m. on Ch. 99, XM 103 and Sirius 206.

Called “O&A20: Unmasked,” it’s a special edition of the show’s regular “Unmasked” feature, which is an “informal, interactive and uncensored” series of conversations with established and rising comedians.

“Unmasked” is hosted by Ron Bennington, cohost of the Ron and Fez show that’s also heard on SiriusXM.

From 4/14/14: The boys talk about Stephen Colbert taking over for Letterman, Opie's Obamacare update and Ant took Beavis out on a leash.



Opie and Anthony did several stints on New York radio before and during their satellite career. The most notorious one ended with the still-infamous St. Patrick’s Cathedral incident of 2002.

As part of a contest called “Sex for Sam,” which was sponsored by Samuel Adams beer, Opie and Anthony challenged listeners to have sex in well-known public places around the city.

One couple simulated sex in a vestibule of St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Aug. 15, 2002, a High Holy day during which Mass was in progress.

Comedian Paul Mecurio, who was monitoring the contest for Opie and Anthony, called the show to “report” on the occurence when a security guard ordered them out. Mecurio and the couple were arrested and the incident was widely publicized as an example of outrageous “shock jock” radio behavior.

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