March 1 In Radio History

Nikola Tesla

In 1893...In St. Louis, electrical engineer Nikola Tesla gave the first public demonstration of radio.

Tesla had first demonstrated wireless transmissions during his high frequency and potential lecture of 1891. Just days before the St Louis presentation, Tesla addressed the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, on February 23, 1893, describing in detail the principles of early radio communication.

Tesla presented the fundamentals of radio in 1893 during his public presentation, "On Light and Other High Frequency Phenomena." Afterward, the principle of radio communication -- sending signals through space to receivers -- was widely publicized from Tesla's experiments and demonstrations.

Even before the development of the vacuum tube, Tesla’s descriptions contained all the elements that were later incorporated into radio systems. He initially experimented with magnetic receivers, unlike the coherers (detecting devices consisting of tubes filled with iron filings which had been invented by Temistocle Calzecchi-Onesti in 1884) used by Guglielmo Marconi and other early experimenters.

Radio offers another example of Tesla’s work receiving minimal or no long-term public acknowledgement. While Marconi is often credited with inventing the radio, this presentation by Tesla was recalled in courts several years later in invalidating Marconi patents.



Indeed, it, among other facts, pushed the United States Supreme Court in the 1943 case of Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America vs the United States to state that "it is now held that in the important advance upon his basic patent Marconi did nothing that had not already been seen and disclosed."

To be true, what Tesla demonstrated had more scientific interest than practical use. However, he believed that by taking the “Tesla oscillator,” grounding one side of it and connecting the other to an insulated body of large surface, it would be possible to transmit electric oscillations to a great distance and to communicate intelligence in this way to other oscillators.

In 1898 at the Electrical Exhibition in New York, Tesla would successfully demonstrate a radio-controlled boat. For that work, he was awarded US patent No. 613,809 for a "Method of and Apparatus for Controlling Mechanism of Moving Vessels or Vehicles."

Between 1895 and 1897, Tesla received wireless signals transmitted via short distances in his lectures. He transmitted over medium ranges during presentations made between 1897 and the 1910.




In 1904...Bandleader Glenn Miller was born. He disappeared in a plane over the Atlantic on Dec. 15, 1944 at 40.


In 1941...W47NV, soon to be WSM-FM,  began operations in Nashville, Tennessee, becoming the first modern commercial FM radio station. FM broadcasting in the United States began in the 1930s at engineer and inventor Edwin Howard Armstrong's experimental station, W2XMN.


In 1949...WFLN 95.7 FM signed on in Philadelphia. 95.7 FM was founded by Philadelphia civic leaders as a fine arts station, which signed on as WFLN at 5PM on March 14, 1949. In the early years, programming was heard in the evening hours only. In 1956, an AM operation was added, which mostly simulcasted the FM.

WFLN, which stood for "Franklin Broadcasting" was the first stand-alone (not co-owned with a local AM) station in Philadelphia. For nearly 50 years, the station's studios, transmitter and self-supporting tower were located at 8200 Ridge Pike, at the western edge of Roxborough, a few miles apart from the cluster of other antennas in Roxborough. From the late 1960s until the late 1980s, WFLN also maintained a small office in center city Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway near 17th Street. This facility was used as a sales office and small studio where host Ralph Collier would do live and recorded interviews. Until about 2004, remnants of white plastic letters spelling "WFLN" could be observed on a low brick wall at the abandoned location, but they have since disintegrated.

Station leadership was carried out by the Smith and Green families. Programming consisted of classical music along with a number of short "feature" programs. Little emphasis was placed on making the station profitable, and most years it simply broke even.

Today it's WBEN-FM 'Ben FM'.


In 1953...WJZ 770 AM changed call letters to WABC.



WJZ changed its call letters to WABC, after the FCC approved ABC's merger with United Paramount Theatres, Paramount Pictures' movie theatre chain, which was divested under government order. WJZ-FM (95.5) and WJZ-TV (Channel 7) also changed to WABC-FM and WABC-TV, respectively, on the same day.


In 1954...At the KHJ Studios in Hollywood, Frank Sinatra recorded "Three Coins In The Fountain."


In 1999...WBIX 105.1 FM in NYC changed call letters to WTJM. Today the frequency is  iHeartMedia's WWPR.

Memphis Radio: WKIM Flips From News To Classic HipHop

WKIM 98.9 FM in Memphis is now its newest Classic Hip Hop station, 98.9 The Vibe.

The station formerly known as News Talk 98.9 moved from a News Talk format to Classic Hip Hop at Noon Central Friday.

LISTEN LIVE: Click Here

The Vibe launched with wall-to-wall music, and comes on the heels of a number one ratings sweep at Cumulus’ Classic Hip Hop station 93.9 The Beat in Indianapolis. The Vibe has a totally unique take on Hip Hop, and gives Memphis Hip Hop fans big old school Hip Hop hits, mixed with some R&B “throwbacks” from the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s.

Mike McVay, Senior Vice President, Programming for Cumulus said: “The Vibe is designed to capture the spirit and complexity of Memphis. This city has birthed many music types of which this format is one more. 98.9 The Vibe IS classic hip hop."

WKIM 98.9 FM (100 Kw Hor, 98.1 Kw Ver) Red=60dBu Local Coverage Area

Danni Bruns, Program Director for 98.9 The Vibe said: “Memphis has always been at the forefront of music and now we have a new Vibe. My girlfriends and I will now enjoy 98.9 The Vibe while sipping our wine and reminiscing. This is our party station."

The Vibe will now battle Flinn Broadcasting's Bumpin' WIVG 96.1/96.3 FM W242CF in the Classic HipHop format.

Dayton Radio: WGTZ Rebrands As Soft Rock 92.9 FM

Alpha Media "rebrands" WGTZ 92.9 FM from Adult Hits “Fly 92.9″ to AC “Soft Rock 92.9.”

The former Adult Hits outlet will continue to play many artists from Fly 92.9’s library, from the 70’s and 80’s through today. Listeners can expect to hear artists such as The Eagles, Kelly Clarkson, John Mellencamp, Maroon 5, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John and Madonna. The station also promises “more music, less talk.”

LISTEN LIVE:  Click Here

Current on-air hosts Dan Edwards and Danielle will be joined by Dayton radio veteran, Paul Ellis, starting Monday, March 2. Their shifts will be adjusted slightly. Edwards will be at the weekday morning helm from 6-10am, Elliss will man the midday shift from 10am-3pm and Danielle will move to afternoons from 3-7pm.

Alpha Media Executive VP/Programming Scott Mahalick commented, “We are thrilled to be able to fill this music void in the Dayton market and bring a live and local connection to the community at the same time with our stellar on-air line up.”

WGTZ 92.9 FM (40 Kw) Red=60dBu Local Coverage Area

Soft Rock 92.9 PD Brad Waldo, “We have wanted to rebrand our station for a while to reflect the direction our music has been moving in. Soft Rock 92.9 is about variety and fun — whether you’re listening at work, at home, or in your car, we want to create the perfect music mix for our listeners.”

Market Manager John King added, “Soft Rock 92.9 will be the station everyone listens to at work. Our formula is simple: DJ’s who actually live in and know about Dayton, a great music mix, and less talk getting in the way of everything.”

Cincy Radio: Blake Seylhouwer Guilty Of Lesser Charges

Blake Seylhouwer

The former WKRC 550 AM brokered talk host accused of intentionally shooting at his wife last summer could soon be a free man, according to WCPO-TV9.

Originally charged with felonious assault, Blake Seylhouwer was found guilty Friday on two lesser counts of negligent assault. He also faced a charge of domestic violence for the shooting, but that count was declared a mistrial after the jury of nine women and three men couldn't make a unanimous decision.

Blake was accused of firing a rifle at his wife Misty Seylhouwer on purpose after a heated argument outside their Madeira home on Aug. 12.

Police said a bullet from the high-powered hunting rifle hit the couple’s concrete driveway and sprayed shrapnel and bits of concrete into Misty’s head, leg, stomach and neck.

Blake took the stand Thursday and testified in his own defense. It was the first time he had spoken publicly since prosecutors said he purposely fired a rifle at his wife last summer.

Some of wife's injuries

Prosecutor Jeff Heile called the 36-year-old a manipulative liar and a cheater during opening statements, and told jurors there was no question Blake intentionally fired the gun at his wife.

After the jury read its verdict Friday, defense attorney Patrick Mulligan asked the judge for Blake to be released immediately for time served. Blake has been locked up since Aug. 28, and may be set free if he posts his original bond.

In divorce documents filed after the shooting, Misty said Blake "intended to kill" her after she discovered porn on his computer involving a 14-year-old. She said she learned he was having "sexual relations with prostitutes and that he had a 'daddy-daughter' fetish," the court documents state.

Misty told jurors she met Blake on the website SugarDaddy4Me when she was 21 years old. She said they dated for a year before getting married.

Misty said she and Blake started mutually having sex with other people shortly after their wedding. The prosecution tried to block the testimony, claiming it wasn't relevant to the case.

Blake's sentencing is scheduled for March 25.

SiriusXM's Joe Madison Completes 52-Hour Marathon

Joe Madison

SiriusXM talk host Joe Madison Friday complete  an incredible 52 consecutive broadcast marathon to raise funds for the construction of the Smithsonian's proposed BNational Association of African American History in Washington, DC.

Madison started at 6am  this past Wednesday morning and continued his program around the clock until 10am Friday morning.

At the conclusion, Madison stated,  “I am exhausted but, when you do something for the right reasons and have the support of others, you really can do anything.” said Madison following the show.




(Photo: Larry French/Getty Images courtesy of SiriusXM)

Chicago Radio: WBBM News Reporter John Cody To Sign-Off

John Cody

Longtime WBBM 780 AM / 105.9 FM reporter John Cody has announced his retirement, affective March 13.

The 71-year-old award-winning feature and investigative reporter began in 1965, when he started as a reporter, rewriter, and radio editor for the former City News Bureau of Chicago. After joining WBBM as a writer/producer in 1967 (one year before the station went all-news), he reported for Pacific Stars and Stripes in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970 and earned a Bronze Star. He returned to WBBM, moving up to full-time reporter in 1973.

Cody said his immediate plans are to go scuba diving with his son. Of his remarkable run in Chicago radio news, he said: “I just feel lucky.”

Ron Gleason, WBBM-AM's Director of News and Programming, sent out the following well-worded memo to station staffers Friday:

"May 6th, WBBM will celebrate 47 years as Newsradio. It's with mixed emotions that I tell you we'll be celebrating without a Newsradio original. One of the great journalists in Chicago history is retiring. John Cody left City News in 1967 to join WBBM as a writer/producer. It wasn't until the next year CBS realized they had a gem at the desk, and they needed to surround him with all news, all the time. In 1973 John moved full-time to the airwaves, crafting incredible stories for and about the people of this great city. Please wish John all the best. Barring breaking news (of course), Cody's last day will be next month, Friday the 13th. Clearly an unlucky day for WBBM. 

Those of us who joined the station after John -- and that would be every single person here -- owe him a debt of gratitude for helping build WBBM Newsradio into an incredible powerhouse of news and information. We've got an amazing group of talented journalists who will keep the tradition alive, but there's only one John Cody. 

Please join me in wishing him nothing but great times ahead -- congratulations John Cody on a great career. We will miss you!"

R.I.P.: Longtime WCCO Twin Cities Reporter Dick Chapman

Dick Chapman

Longtime WCCO 830 AM personality Dick Chapman passed away after an extended illness, according to the WCCO website.

After studying journalism at the University of Missouri, the Kansas City native came to WCCO in 1957, first as a news writer for Cedric Adams.

During his 37-year tenure at WCCO Radio, he broke and reported on a number of big stories, including the 1965 tornado in Fridley.

LISTEN FOR TORNADO REPORTING: Click Here

Chapman’s reports during that evening may have saved thousands of lives, according to Joe Strub, then chief of the Twin Cities Weather Bureau.

“My prize possession is a torn piece of paper from a grocery bag with a message printed in crayon that said: ‘Dear WCCO Radio, Thank you for saving our lives,'” Chapman later said.

“It was signed by nine cub scouts who survived in a school basement while the funnel demolished the building over their heads.”

That year, he swept broadcast journalism’s top three awards — the Society of Professional Journalists Award, the Dupont Award and the Peabody Award. It’s the only time that feat has ever been accomplished.

His interest in public service led to the creation of WCCO Radio’s “Direct Line,” providing a wealth of raw data on changing weather systems.

Chapman retired from WCCO in the early 1990s.

February 28 In Radio History

In 1922...KHQ-AM, Spokane, Washington, began broadcasting. Louis Wasmer founded the pioneer radio station KHQ in 1922 in Seattle, as part of a motorcyle shop he owned. He later re-established the station in Spokane in 1925.

Although the KHQ calls are no longer used on the AM band, they still exist on TV.

The long time frequency of 590 kHz which KHQ used until 1985 is now occupied by KQNT.

The picture to the right is a view of the KHQ's tower on top of the Davenport Building probably from the 1940's based on the age of the automobiles pictured. KHQ was not using the tower at this time.

The KHQ and KGA signs are attached to the Radio Central Building which was being used by those station at that time.

In 1942...Frank Bonner, WKRP in Cincinnati's salesman Herb Tarlek, was born


In 1969...WABC FM starts “Love” format.  The station went on the air on May 4, 1948 under the call sign WJZ-FM  and in March 1953, the station's call letters were changed to WABC-FM following the merger of the American Broadcasting Company with United Paramount Theatres.

As most FM stations did during the medium's formative years, 95.5 FM simulcast the programming of its AM sister station.

In the early 1960s, however, WABC-FM began to program itself separately from WABC (AM). During the 1962–63 New York City newspaper strike, the station carried an news format for 17 hours daily. Two-and-a-half years before WINS launched its own around-the-clock, all-news format in April 1965, it was the first attempt at an all-news format in the New York market.

WABC's AM personalities, notably Dan Ingram, Chuck Leonard, and Bob Lewis, hosted programs on the FM side which were the total opposites of the Top 40-powered sound for which they were better known on AM. WABC-FM did continue to simulcast its AM sister station during Herb Oscar Anderson's morning drive program.

At the start of 1968, ABC split its radio network into four distinct components, one of which was dedicated to FM radio. The following year, WABC-FM and its sister stations–KABC-FM in Los Angeles; WLS-FM in Chicago; KGO-FM in San Francisco; WXYZ-FM in Detroit; KQV-FM in Pittsburgh; and newly acquired KXYZ-FM in Houston–began carrying an automated, youth-oriented, progressive rock format known as Love.  Click Here for aircheck. Click Here for Part Two.


In 1983...the CBS series M*A*S*H ended after 11 seasons with a special two-and-a-half-hour finale that was watched by an estimated 121.6 million people -- 77 percent of the viewing public.


In 2001...WNSW 1430 AM dropped an adult standards format. Today the station, with the same call letters, airs a Spanish format.


In 2003...Sale of WEVD 1050 AM to ABC approved by FCC.  Today WEPN-AM airs ESPN DePortes.

Hubcap Carter

In 2004...longtime Texas radio broadcaster Ken "Hubcap" Carter died at age 60. Carter billed himself as the "semi-legendary almost king of rock 'n' roll".  Carter, who was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2002, began his career in Lufkin.

He got his nickname early in his career for spinning records — "real records, like spinning hubcaps," Lucia said.

On December 31, 1985, singer Ricky Nelson and his band were en route to KLUV's New Year's Eve Sock Hop, hosted by Ken "Hubcap" Carter. The plane crashed near DeKalb, Texas, killing Nelson and his entourage.


In 2006...CBS Radio sued Howard Stern, his agent, his company, and SIRIUS Satellite Radio for "compensatory and punitive damages for multiple breaches of contract, fraud, unjust enrichment, and misappropriation of CBS Radio's broadcast time".  CBS Radio claimed Stern had violated his contract by improperly using his airtime on CBS stations to promote his January 2006 move to Sirius.

Stern "misappropriated millions of dollars' worth of CBS Radio air time for his own financial benefit," the 43-page lawsuit charged.

The contentious lawsuit was settle a few month later when Stern's new employer, Sirius Satellite Radio Inc, agreed to pay $2 million to CBS Radio in return for the rights to the classic recordings.


In 2008...John R. Gambling did his last show at 77 WABC



In 2009...ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey died at the age of 90.

Harvey was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The son of a policeman killed in 1921, Harvey made radio receivers as a young boy. He attended Tulsa Central High School where a teacher, Isabelle Ronan, was "impressed by his voice." On her recommendation, he started working at KVOO in Tulsa in 1933, when he was 14. His first job was helping clean up. Eventually he was allowed to fill in on the air, reading commercials and the news.

Medal of Freedom 2005

While attending the University of Tulsa, he continued working at KVOO, first as an announcer, and later as a program director. Harvey, at age nineteen spent three years as a station manager for KFBI AM, now known as KFDI, a radio station that once had studios in Salina, Kansas. From there, he moved to a newscasting job at KOMA in Oklahoma City, and then to KXOK, in St. Louis in 1938, where he was Director of Special Events and a roving reporter.

Harvey then moved to Hawaii to cover the United States Navy as it concentrated its fleet in the Pacific. He was returning to the mainland from assignment when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He eventually enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces but served only from December 1943 to March 1944.

Harvey then moved to Chicago, where in June 1944, he began broadcasting from the ABC affiliate WENR. In 1945, he began hosting the postwar employment program Jobs for G.I. Joe on WENR. Harvey added The Rest of the Story as a tagline to in-depth feature stories in 1946.

On April 1, 1951, the ABC Radio Network debuted Paul Harvey News and Comment "Commentary and analysis of Paul Harvey each weekday at 12 Noon". Paul Harvey was also heard originally on Sundays; the first Sunday program was Harvey's introduction. Later, the Sunday program would move to Saturdays. The program continued until his death.

Atlanta Radio: WYAY Signs Steve McCoy for Morning Show

Steve McCoy

Cumulus announces that longtime Atlanta radio personality and two-time Marconi nominee Steve McCoy will join News Radio WYAY 106.7 FM as host of the morning show.

McCoy’s first day on News Radio 106.7 is Monday, March 1.

McCoy’s stellar 25-year career as an Atlanta radio institution began at Z-93, when he moved from Nashville to Atlanta to take over Mornings for Ross and Wilson. McCoy has been the longest-running morning personality in the history of Z-93.

He has also hosted successful shows on Power 99, Star 94 and WSB-FM.

WYAY 106.7 FM (licensed to Gainsville, GA) (77Kw) Red=60dBu Local Coverage

Greg Tantum, Program Director for News Radio 106.7 said: “Steve has had a personal relationship with millions of Atlanta radio listeners for years. Steve’s deep roots in the community bring a one of a kind perspective and understanding to the daily lives of Atlanta residents. Most important, Steve has proven he is the best at entertaining listeners and making them feel good-- even in Atlanta traffic.”

McCoy said: “After months of fishing, and finding myself grabbing the mic at the supermarket checkout and doing a morning show for those in the meat department, I figured it was time to get back on the air. By the way I still get requests from aisle six.  Seriously, I’m thrilled to be back on Atlanta radio and reunited with all those I grew up with. What makes this even more special is joining the team at News Radio 106.7, Atlanta’s home for local news and talk.”

Westwood One To Launch Jonathan Brandmeier Show

Jonathon Brandmeier

• WLS 890 AM To Air
• Replaces Dennis Miller

Westwood One has announced it has signed a partnership and syndication deal with popular Chicago radio personality Jonathon “Johnny B” Brandmeier that will bring his incomparable brand of talk radio back to Chicago and to listeners nationwide in March, 2015.

The Jonathon Brandmeier Show will air live weekdays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm ET on stations around the country, including WLS 890 AM Chicago, KABC 970 AM Los Angeles, KLIF 570 AM Dallas, KKAT 860 AM, Salt Lake City, WPRV 630 AM Providence, KTBL 1050 AM Albuquerque, and many more.

The Jonathon Brandmeier Show is an entertaining, offbeat look at news, pop culture, and sports--from the big trending topics to the stories about to fall through the cracks--combined with celebrity interviews and free-wheeling audience interaction. The topical conversations seamlessly gel into three hours of dynamic and unpredictable radio.  Brandmeier has amassed a legion of devoted fans and an army of awards and accolades that cement his powerful industry reputation, including multiple Billboard Magazine Radio Personality Awards, TALKERS “100 Most Important Radio Hosts in America,” and Gavin Report’s “Air Personality of the Year.”

John Dickey, Executive Vice President of Content and Programming for Cumulus, said “Jonathon is one of the most versatile performers in radio today, and we know audiences will enjoy his lively humor and take on each day’s topics. We’re thrilled to add Johnny B to the Westwood One roster of relevant and relatable talk programming.”

Donna Baker, Cumulus Media Chicago Vice President and Market Manager, said Thursday in a statement: "Johnny B needs no introduction to the Chicago radio landscape; in fact, he is a huge part of that landscape. It's an honor for us to have Johnny, a leader in the talk radio field, on Chicago's talk leader. He will bring great energy, passion, and fun to our WLS listeners."

The 58-year-old Brandmeier adds, “This is extremely exciting for all of us at The Jonathon Brandmeier Show.  We look forward to continuing to entertain audiences in Chicago and expanding our reach nationwide.  Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a wild ride!”

Brandmeier will be taking over the timeslot occupied by Dennis Miller since 2007. The comedian action is stepping away form the radio routine. Miller says “it’s been a great run...but with so many other commitments right now, it’s hard to maintain a daily talk show.”

Chicago Radio: Kass&Cohn OFF-AIR At WLS-AM

N/T WLS 890 AM Program Director Peter Bolger continues to tweak the talk line-up at the Big 89. Thursday, he told John Kass and Lauren Cohn that they were out after their 9am-11 morning show.  The change makes time for a new show by market vet Jonathan Brandmeier.  He's been signed by Westwood One for the new nationally syndicated show.

John Kass

Chicago Media writer Robert Feder first reported the sudden removal of Kass and Cohn from WLS which follows the ouster of Bruce Wolf and Dan Proft in mornings, and Roe Conn and Richard Roeper in afternoons. Earlier this week, WLS also dropped Bruce DuMont, whose “Beyond the Beltway” show aired Sunday nights.

Lauren Cohn

Kass, who is also a news columnist for the Chicago Tribune, began hosting middays on WLS in September 2012 with Jim Edwards (aka Jake Hartford). When Edwards died in January 2013, Kass was joined on the show by Lauren Cohn, a former Chicago television news anchor.

Cohn is going to audition as a cohost for the morning show with Big John Howell. which debuted last month on WLS. Kass is out.

Last month it was reported that 2014 was a disastrous year for Cumulus Media's WLS financially as revenue dropped a staggering 27.5 percent — from $13 million in 2013 to less than $9.5 million, according to figures compiled by Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co.
See Original Posting: Click Here

In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, middays on WLS tied for 24th with 1.3 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 154,300. Among listeners between 25 and 54, middays tied for 32nd with a 0.7 share and 60,400 weekly cume.

Read More Now

GOP Vows to Fight New Net Neutrality Rules

Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) vowed that congressional Republicans would continue plans to thwart the FCC's net neutrality rules approved Thursday. "More mandates and regulations on American innovation and entrepreneurship are not the answer," he said in a statement.

The rules would dramatically expand the FCC's oversight of the country's high-speed broadband providers, regulating them like a public utility in an attempt to make sure the web remains a level playing field. They were adopted by a 3-2 margin with only the commission's Republican members voting against them.

Under the rules, it will be illegal for companies such as Verizon or Cox Communications to slow down streaming videos, games and other online content traveling over their networks. They also will be prohibited from establishing "fast lanes" that speed up access to web sites that pay an extra fee.

And in an unprecedented move, the FCC could apply the rules to wireless carriers such as T-Mobile and Sprint - a nod to the rapid rise of smartphones and the mobile internet.

Senate Commerce Committee chair John Thune (R-SD) has floated the idea of blocking the rules through the appropriations process or through the Congressional Review Act. He also said Thursday "there will be some interest" in a resolution of disapproval. A group of 21 House Republicans on Thursday urged leadership to take up a resolution that would block the regs.

In response, On Verizon's policy blog Thursday, the company posted a statement in Morese Code,  titled "FCC's 'Throwback Thursday' move imposes 1930s rules on the Internet."  It reads in part:

- --- -.. .- -.-- .----. ...   -.. . -.-. .. ... .. --- -.   -... -.--   - .... .   ..-. -.-. -.-.   - ---   . -. -.-. ..- -- -... . .-.   -... .-. --- .- -.. -... .- -. -..   .. -. - . .-. -. . -   ... . .-. ...- .. -.-. . ...   .-- .. - ....   -... .- -.. .-.. -.--   .- -. - .. --.- ..- .- - . -..   .-. . --. ..- .-.. .- - .. --- -. ...   .. ...   .-   .-. .- -.. .. -.-. .- .-..   ... - . .--.   - .... .- -   .--. .-. . ... .- --. . ...   .-   - .. -- .   --- ..-.   ..- -. -.-. . .-. - .- .. -. - -.--   ..-. --- .-.   -.-. --- -. ... ..- -- . .-. ... --..--   .. -. -. --- ...- .- - --- .-. ...   .- -. -..   .. -. ...- . ... - --- .-. ... .-.-.-   --- ...- . .-.   - .... .   .--. .- ... -   - .-- ---   -.. . -.-. .- -.. . ...   .-   -... .. .--. .- .-. - .. ... .- -. --..--   .-.. .. --. .... - -....- - --- ..- -.-. ....   .--. --- .-.. .. -.-. -.--   .- .--. .--. .-. --- .- -.-. ....   ..- -. .-.. . .- ... .... . -..   ..- -. .--. .-. . -.-. . -.. . -. - . -..   .. -. ...- . ... - -- . -. -   .- -. -..   . -. .- -... .-.. . -..   - .... .   -... .-. --- .- -.. -... .- -. -..   .. -. - . .-. -. . -   .- --. .   -.-. --- -. ... ..- -- . .-. ...   -. --- .--   . -. .--- --- -.-- .-.-.-   - .... .   ..-. -.-. -.-.   - --- -.. .- -.--   -.-. .... --- ... .   - ---   -.-. .... .- -. --. .   - .... .   .-- .- -.--   - .... .   -.-. --- -- -- . .-. -.-. .. .- .-..   .. -. - . .-. -. . -   .... .- ...   --- .--. . .-. .- - . -..   ... .. -. -.-. .   .. - ...   -.-. .-. . .- - .. --- -. .-.-.-   -.-. .... .- -. --. .. -. --.   .-   .--. .-.. .- - ..-. --- .-. --   - .... .- -   .... .- ...   -... . . -.   ... ---   ... ..- -.-. -.-. . ... ... ..-. ..- .-..   ... .... --- ..- .-..

Translation of the full response:

“Today’s decision by the FCC to encumber broadband Internet services with badly antiquated regulations is a radical step that presages a time of uncertainty for consumers, innovators and investors. Over the past two decades a bipartisan, light- touch policy approach unleashed unprecedented investment and enabled the broadband Internet age consumers now enjoy. 

“The FCC today chose to change the way the commercial Internet has operated since its creation. Changing a platform that has been so successful should be done, if at all, only after careful policy analysis, full transparency, and by the legislature, which is constitutionally charged with determining policy. As a result, it is likely that history will judge today’s actions as misguided. 

“The FCC’s move is especially regrettable because it is wholly unnecessary. The FCC had targeted tools available to preserve an open Internet, but instead chose to use this order as an excuse to adopt 300- plus pages of broad and open- ended regulatory arcana that will have unintended negative consequences for consumers and various parts of the Internet ecosystem for years to come. 

“What has been and will remain constant before, during and after the existence of any regulations is Verizon’s commitment to an open Internet that provides consumers with competitive broadband choices and Internet access when, where, and how they want.”

iHeartMedia Promotes OMs Companywide

A new management title structure at iHeartMedia has all OMs and VPs/Programming rising to SVP/Programming in their markets, Market Managers in Regional Markets rising to Market Presidents, Regional Market Managers becoming Regional Market Presidents and DOS or VP/Sales becoming SVP/Sales.

For programmers in top 50 markets on the Country Aircheck/Mediabase reporting panel, those celebrating new titles include:

• Washington-Baltimore VP/Programming & WMZQ PD Meg Stevens
• Grand Rapids OM and Premium Choice PD Doug Montgomery
• WUBL/Atlanta OM/PD Brian Michel
• KNIX/Phoenix PD and cluster VP/Programming Steve Geofferies
• KEEY/Minneapolis OM/PD Gregg Swedberg
• WKKT/Charlotte OM/PD Jeff Wyatt
• KASE & KVET/Austin VPP Patrick Davis
• WMIL & iHM/Milwaukee Dir./Programming Kerry Wolfe
• KTST & iHM/Oklahoma City Dir./Programming Tom Travis.

The changes, which extend well beyond the confirmed list above, were announced during company meetings in Las Vegas this week.

Cincy Radio: Blake Seylhouwer Says He Didn't Mean To Fire

Blake Seylhouwer said, stumbling through his words and holding back tears. “My finger must have hit the trigger. I didn't – I didn't mean to."

According to WCPO-TV9, the father, businessman and former WKRC 550 AM brokered host took the stand Thursday and testified in his own defense. It was the first time he had spoken publicly since prosecutors said he purposely fired a rifle at his wife last summer.

"Was your intention at that time to shoot Misty?" defense attorney Patrick Mulligan asked Seylhouwer.

“Absolutely not,” the 36-year-old responded. “Absolutely not."

Since his trial began Monday, Seylhouwer has been called a liar, a cheater and a manipulative man.

Prosecutor Jeff Heile told jurors there is no question Seylhouwer fired on his wife Misty Seylhouwer on purpose after an argument outside their Madeira home on Aug. 12.

Police said a bullet from the high-powered hunting rifle hit the couple’s concrete driveway and sprayed shrapnel and bits of concrete into Misty’s head, leg, stomach and neck. Their two daughters, ages 1 and 4, were inside the house at the time.

Waking Up: The Edison 2015 CRS Presentation

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Edison Research released findings of the research study at Country Radio Seminar 2015 on Thursday at the Nashville Convention Center. Edison's Larry Rosin and Megan Lazovick presented the study on morning habits and media usage of more than 1,500 respondents between the ages of 18-45.

The study was commissioned by CRS.

Rosin said the technology used in respondents' bedrooms clearly indicated that radio has a "hardware problem." The study indicated 45% of Country listeners between 18-45 are awakened by a mobile device NOT an alarm clock w/radio.

The study, “Do Mornings Still Drive Country Radio” was broken down into four segments: Waking up, getting up, time on the road and at work.

The study tracked respondents' activities throughout the morning. Choosing from a list of over 60 items, the average respondent said he/she did one-third of the activities listed between the hours of 5-10am. Lazovick showed videos from in-home morning qualitative interviews and stressed how busy the lives of Country listeners are.

Rosin suggested morning programs should "provide hints and ideas for making mornings simpler and more efficient. One way is to stop providing information your listeners don't care about or use radio for any more, like traffic." He also suggested programmers might consider adjusting the morning clock.

Five takeaways:

• Peak listening happens during the commute and from 7-8am.
• The average commute is 26 minutes.
• Most listeners are at work well before morning shows usually end.
• Just one in six wake up to a radio.
• Peak time for checking Facebook is 6-6:30am.

Wake Me Up! - The 2015 Country Radio Seminar Research Presentation from Edison Research 

Country's SirMashalot Shows Up At CRS' Party

Greg SirMashalot Todd

Country radio is currently enjoying some of the best ratings in its long history, and much of the spike in popularity has mirrored the rise of so-called bro country — songs usually sung by men about girls, trucks and partying hard.

During a panel discussion Thursday morning at the 2015 Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, the man behind the viral “Mind Blowing Six Song Country Mashup” made a surprise appearance to ask about the controversial genre’s future, according to CMT.com.

Songwriter Gregory Todd, aka SirMashalot on YouTube, stood to address the panel of radio programmers and researchers.

He explained that a large percentage of the emails he received after posting the mashup were just wondering where they could download the project. They wanted it on their playlists, he said, and that was coming from country fans and non-country fans alike.

They didn’t seem to care that each of the six songs sounded the same. So Todd wanted to know if songs like Kenny Chesney‘s “The Good Stuff” or Tim McGraw‘s “Live Like You Were Dying” would ever be popular again.


Much of the talk leading up to Todd’s question was about demographics and how listeners aged 18-34 (millennials) were driving country radio toward broad, nationwide appeal. Luckily, the panelists said, country fans didn’t get the memo about bro country being a bad thing.

July of 2014 was country radio’s all-time peak, but since then, the genre has experienced a sharper-than-normal cyclical decline. So it seems that millennial’s passion levels change with the wind and now appear to be waning. How can programmers keep their interest while not alienating older listeners?

The panel agreed that variety is the key and that country in 2015 has so far been more diverse than it was in 2014. Story songs were coming back they said, even if that’s not necessarily what is selling.

Cameron, Hasselbeck To Host K-Love Fan Awards

Kirk Cameron and Fox News' Elizabeth Hasselbeck are joining forces at this year's K-LOVE Fan Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 31.

Hasselbeck made the co-hosting announcement during a live taping of "Fox & Friends" on Thursday. The 2015 K-LOVE Fan Awards are set to take place at the Grand Ole Opry House. Being the only fan-voted awards show in Christian music history, Hasselbeck said she is honored to take part in hosting the K-LOVE Fan Awards.

Kirk Cameron

"K-LOVE has always had a positive, encouraging impact on my day, and I am thankful to be a part of this year's awards show," the news anchor said.

For his part, Cameron echoed Hasselbeck's sentiments and celebrated K-LOVE, a leading Christian music radio network with a weekly listenership of over 14 million people.

Elizabeth Hasslebeck

"I am very excited to be co-hosting the K-LOVE Fan Awards this year," the "Fireproof" star said in a statement. "I have heard a lot of great buzz on the event and am excited to come together with a great brand like K-LOVE to impact the culture through the arts."

Presented by Pepsi, the K-LOVE Fan Awards will recognize today's leaders in Christian music while also offering fans a package that includes tickets to the show, a three-night stay at Opryland, dinner with the K-LOVE staff and friends, a weekend kick-off concert, a late night event, two breakfasts, encouraging speakers, access to the K-LOVE Fan Zone and more.

Nominees at this year's K-LOVE ceremony include Chris Tomlin, Crowder, Jeremy Camp and Colton Dixon and more in the Male Artist of the Year category, while Female Artist of the Year nominations went to Kari Jobe, Natalie Grant, Plumb, Mandisa, Jamie Grace and more. Newsboys, Casting Crowns, Mercyme and For King & Country are also up for K-LOVE Fan Awards this year, among many more artists.

Benztown, Vipology To Provide Content-Rich Websites

Benztown Radio Networks announces that it has entered into an agreement with Los Angeles-based Vipology to market its high quality turnkey websites and social incentive programs to radio stations for barter.

Dave Denes

Vipology websites are mobile responsive and are known for their clean, contemporary look and feel, speed and ease of use. Vipology provides station websites with automated format-specific content every day to keep station sites vibrant, topical, relevant and engaging. The content includes: Music, Hollywood, and Sports reports accompanied by eye-catching licensed photos. In addition, Vipology websites include powerful advertising modules for instant ROI.  Vipology websites are priced at an affordable $99 per month, with no set-up fee.

Vipology Loyalty offers to stations an affordable mobile responsive, points-based social prize platform or “Turn Key Rewards”. The Vipology loyalty program is fully integrated with Facebook and Twitter to generate social activities for station databases that stations can track, turning station databases into a social army and delivering station and advertiser messages for highest impact.

Dave “Chachi” Denes, President of Benztown Radio Networks said: “I had the pleasure of working with Vipology’s Tom Pinkus and Chris Peaslee a decade ago. I will never forget how impressed I was by their creativity, attitude and vision to foresee our industry’s need to embrace technology. When the opportunity arose to work with them again, I jumped at the chance! Every component of Vipology’s websites and social incentive programs is first class and brings stations a flexible, easy-to-manage and completely compelling online platform to engage listeners and deliver premium opportunities for advertisers.”

For more information, visit: www.benztown.com/vipology or contact Masa Patterson at mp@benztown.com and at (818) 842-4600.

Luke Bryant Visits America's Morning Show

Chuck Wicks, Luke Bryan, Blair Garner

Luke Bryan returned to America's Morning Show Thursday morning at Cumulus' NASH Campus in Nashville for an acoustic performance of his latest #1 smash, "I See You."

CMG Appoints Rachel Williamson Director of Digital Revenue

Rachel Williamson

Cox Media Group (CMG) has named Rachel Williamson as its new Director of Digital Revenue Development.

In this role, Williamson will be focused on working with CMG’s 59 radio brands across the country to drive our digital revenue growth and integrated sales.

“We are very excited to have Rachel join our team,” said Jesse McCambridge, CMG’s Senior Director of Digital Solutions.  “We have experienced tremendous growth in digital across the company, and Rachel’s experience brings industry expertise and focus on integrated marketing solutions.”

Before joining CMG, Williamson was the Director of National Sales at Cumulus Radio managing national local spot business for more than 480 radio stations in over 95 markets. Additionally, she oversaw national and network digital sales as the Digital Specialist for the Midwest.  Other career highlights include six years with CMG as a Sr. Account Executive and Sales Manager at its previously-owned Louisville stations and as a Sr. Account Executive at Cox Digital Solutions (now known as Gamut) in New York.  She also has held positions with Arbitron/Nielsen covering Radio Sales in the Midwest, Hubbard Broadcasting Chicago, and Forever Communications.

“I’m truly looking forward to working with the great Cox Media Group Radio brands and being able to be able to utilize a diverse and best-in-class portfolio of Radio and digital assets to drive results for our advertisers,” said Williamson.

BFoA To Honor Mel Karmazin With Lowery Mays Award

Mel Karmazin

Mel Karmazin has been announced as the 2015 recipient of the Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award that will be presented during The Broadcasters Foundation of America annual breakfast held at 7:00AM on Wednesday, April 15 during the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas.  This year, the Awards Breakfast moves to a new location, the Brahms Room in the Encore Hotel.

Recognized as an industry leader and innovator, Karmazin was the Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of SiriusXM when he retired in 2013.  He held a similar position at Sirius Satellite Radio and oversaw the merger with XM Satellite Radio.  Before moving into satellite radio, Karmazin was President and Chief Operating Officer of Viacom, where he served on the Board of Directors and was responsible for all of Viacom's operations.  Previously, he served as President Chief Executive Officer, and member of the Board of Directors of CBS Corp., following a stint as its President and Chief Operating Officer.  Karmazin first joined CBS in January 1997 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Radio, following the merger of Westinghouse/CBS and Infinity Broadcasting, where he had been President and Chief Executive Officer. Earlier in his career, Karmazin spent 10 years with Metromedia.

Karmazin is involved in numerous philanthropic ventures and has served on a number of boards throughout his career. Currently, he is a Trustee at NYU Langone Medical Center, a Board member and Executive Committee member of Autism Speaks, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Paley Center for Media. He was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame, and has received the National Association of Broadcasters’ National Radio Award and the IRTS Gold Medal Award.

The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is bestowed annually on an individual in broadcasting whose work exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy, and entrepreneurship.   It salutes its namesake Lowry Mays and is underwritten by The Mays Family Foundation.

The Broadcasters Foundation Breakfast is complimentary to all, thanks to the generosity of the sponsors:  Frank N. Magid Associates, Marketron, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Association of Media Brokers (NAMB), Nielsen the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB).  To register, please contact the Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org.

Over the years, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed millions of dollars to thousands of broadcasters and their families.  Individual membership is only $150 a year.  Individual donations can be made to the Guardian Fund, corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be arranged through the Legacy Society.  To learn more or to donate, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org or visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.

R.I.P.: Michigan Broadcaster Carl Lee

Carl Lee

Radio/TV Pioneer Carl Lee died on Sunday, he was 96.

Lee worked in television and radio broadcasting for 60 years and served as president of Fetzer Broadcasting.

He graduated in 1939 from The Michigan Academy of Radio Science, began working for Fetzer Broadcasting, and eventually became the executive vice president of Fetzer Broadcasting and Fetzer Television Co.

He became president of the company in 1973, eventually buying it from Fetzer. Lee sold the company in the early 1990′s.

A public memorial service for Lee is planned for March 14th at the Lee Honors College in Kalamazoo, MI.

February 27 In Radio History

In 1891...David Sarnoff was born - a United States pioneer in Radio and TV. He eventually became the head of RCA Victor.

Throughout most of his career he led the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in various capacities from shortly after its founding in 1919 until his retirement in 1970.

He ruled over an ever-growing telecommunications and consumer electronics empire that included both RCA and NBC, and became one of the largest companies in the world. Named a Reserve Brigadier General of the Signal Corps in 1945, Sarnoff thereafter was widely known as "The General."

Unlike many who were involved with early radio communications, viewing radio as point-to-point, Sarnoff saw the potential of radio as point-to-mass. One person (the broadcaster) could speak to many (the listeners).



When Owen D. Young of the General Electric Company arranged the purchase of American Marconi and turned it into the Radio Corporation of America, a radio patent monopoly, Sarnoff realized his dream and revived his proposal in a lengthy memo on the company's business and prospects. His superiors again ignored him but he contributed to the rising postwar radio boom by helping arrange for the broadcast of a heavyweight boxing match between Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier in July 1921. Up to 300,000 people heard the fight, and demand for home radio equipment bloomed that winter. By the spring of 1922 Sarnoff's prediction of popular demand for broadcasting had come true, and over the next eighteen months, he gained in stature and influence.

In 1926, RCA purchased its first radio station (WEAF, New York) and launched the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), the first radio network in America. Four years later, Sarnoff became president of RCA. NBC had by that time split into two networks, the Red and the Blue. The Blue Network later became ABC Radio.

Sarnoff was instrumental in building and established the AM broadcasting radio business which became the preeminent public radio standard for the majority of the 20th century. This was until FM broadcasting radio re-emerged in the 1960s despite Sarnoff's efforts to suppress it.

Sarnoff retired in 1970, at the age of 79, and died the following year, aged 80. He is interred in a mausoleum featuring a stained-glass vacuum tube in Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.


In 1922...Commerce Secretary, Herbert Hoover, convened the first National Radio Conference.




In 1940...In Actor Howard Hesseman, Dr. Johnny Fever of WKRP in Cincinnati was born.


In 1942...J. S. Hey discovered that the sun was emitting radiowaves.

Murray Kaufman

In 1965...Murray the K did his last show at WINS 1010 AM.

By the end of 1964, Murray found out that WINS was going to change to an all news format the following year. He resigned on the air in December 1964 (breaking news about the sale of the station and the change in format before the station and Group W released it) and did his last show on February 27 prior to the format change that occurred in April 1965.

A year later, in 1966, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled that AM and FM radio stations could no longer simply simultaneously broadcast the same content, opening the door for Murray to become program director and primetime dj on WOR-FM — one of the first FM rock stations, soon airing such djs as Rosko and Scott Muni in the new FM format. Murray played long album cuts rather than singles, often playing groups of songs by one artist, or thematically linked songs, uninterrupted by commercials. He combined live in-studio interviews with folk-rock — he called it "attitude music" — and all forms of popular music in a free-form format. He played artists like Bob Dylan and Janis Ian, the long album versions of their songs that came to be known as the "FM cuts". Al Aronowitz quotes Murray as saying about this formula, "You didn't have to hype the record any more. The music was speaking for itself."

WOR switched to an oldies format and Murray the K left New York radio to host programs in Toronto - on CHUM -and on WHFS 102.3 FM in Bethesda, MD in 1972. He returned to New York after his short stint on WHFS on the weekend show NBC Monitor and as a fill-in morning dj, and then in 1972 moved to a regular evening weekend program on WNBC radio where Don Imus was broadcasting; he was joined there by the legendary Wolfman Jack, a year later.

Although it was low-key, Murray's WNBC show featured his own innovative trademark programming style, including telling stories that were illustrated by selected songs, his unique segues, and his pairing cuts by theme or idiosyncratic associations.  In early 1975, he was brought on for a brief stint at legendary Long Island alternative rock station WLIR, and his final New York radio show ran later that year on WKTU-FM after which — already in ill health — he moved to Los Angeles. The syndicated show Soundtrack of the 60s mentioned below was heard in New York City on WCBS-FM. Gary Owens succeeded Murray as its host.


In 1968...Singer Frankie Lymon, of the group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, best known for their song, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," died of a heroin overdose. He was 25.


In 1984...WRC-AM in Washington DC changes call letters to WWRC


In 2003...Fred Rogers, creator and host of the PBS children's TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, died. He was 74.


In 2008...Pittsburgh journalist/sportscaster/author/National Radio Hall of Famer Myron Cope, color commentator on Pittsburgh Steelers radio broadcasts for 35 years and inventor of the Terrible Towel, died of respiratory failure at age 79.

Big Brother Votes To Police The Web

UPDATED 1PM:  By a 3-2 vote, the FCC approved robust rules of the road for the Internet on Thursday, and Variety is reporting supporters believe will prevent conglomerates from consolidating control over the flow of online content, but that critics characterize as a huge regulatory overreach.

The FCC’s approach is one favored by many public interest groups, Hollywood content creators and a large number of web companies including Netflix and Twitter: It is reclassifying Internet service as a Title II telecommunications service, a regulatory designation akin to that of a utility.

The FCC’s move was intended to give it solid authority to impose rules over Internet service. They prohibit ISPs from blocking or throttling content, as well as from collecting payments from content providers for speedier access to their subscribers. The latter has been commonly referred to as the idea that ISPs would eventually create Internet “fast lanes.”

The sharply divided 3-2 vote on Thursday may not spell the end of a decade-long debate over net neutrality but a new period of contentiousness. The FCC’s approach is strongly opposed by cable and telecom companies which provide wired and wireless Internet service, along with congressional Republicans who have already launched hearings and inquiries into the FCC’s rulemaking. They say that the reclassification of the Internet will burden the industry with unnecessary regulation.

In unveiling his proposal earlier this month, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler even called them “the strongest open Internet protections ever proposed by the FCC.”

At the meeting, Wheeler said that the Internet was “simply too important to be left with out rules and a referee on the field…It is simply too important to allow broadband providers to be the ones making the rules.”

He said that the plan was no more a “secret plan to regulate the Internet,” as some critics have charged, than the First Amendment was an effort to regulate free speech.

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Radio's 2015 Digital Revenue Poised For Double-Digit Growth

The radio industry will crack the half-billion-dollar mark in digital advertising in 2015 for the first time, growing revenues 18%, according to new research issued by Borrell Associates on behalf of the Radio Advertising Bureau.

The report, Benchmarking: Local Radio Stations’ Online Revenues, shows that radio stations added or reassigned as many as 750 new employees to focus on digital ventures last year, causing revenues to grow 16% in 2014 according to Borrell Associates’ projections.  More than one-third of the radio managers surveyed indicated that they had at least one employee exclusively assigned to digital operations, up from 11% last year.  Also, over 33% of those surveyed said their stations were either: setting up a “digital agency,” planning to set one up soon, or already had one, Borrell reported.

The 3rd annual report is based on Borrell's ongoing industry-wide survey of more than 10,000 local online operations in the U.S. and Canada, including 2,996 radio stations in over 700 market clusters. Data from three principal sources was analyzed: digital ad revenue as reported by the stations, digital ad spending by local business, and a survey of 211 radio personnel with questions about digital revenue resources, sales methods, expenses and other digital operations.

Along with revenue benchmarking, the report offers insights into what radio managers are thinking with regard to their digital operations.  Among the findings:

• Nearly two-thirds believe their sales reps are talking to the wrong buyers when trying to sell digital
• 77% gave sales training a No. 1 or No. 2 priority in terms of what would boost their station digital sales the most

Gordon Borrell

"The radio industry is starting to develop some significant digital assets," said Gordon Borrell, CEO of Borrell Associates. "The amount of digital staffers added in the past year, plus the continued strong belief by two-thirds of the managers that digital media holds ‘significant opportunity,’ is very encouraging."

Overall, radio sellers closed $494 million in digital advertising last year, up 16% from 2013 according to the report. For 2015, Borrell expects 18% growth, to $583 million. Radio managers are continuing to see great potential in the digital space and are focused on sales training to unlock it – 96% of them indicate that their sales teams could use more training on selling digital.

Erica Farber

“It’s important to look at all available revenue data in order to provide our industry members with additional market barometers,” said Erica Farber, President and CEO, RAB. “We’re making tremendous strides in Radio’s digital growth; and this survey continues to provide us with areas to focus on and invest in to truly maximize this revenue stream.”

Farber also noted, “Its evident sales managers are looking for ongoing training for their sales staffs and a better understanding of the digital advertising marketplace.

The RAB is poised to help in this area through our professional development programs and business development efforts.”