July 21 Radio History

Himan Brown

➦In 1910...Himan Brown born (Died  at age 99 – June 4, 2010). Known as Hi Brown, he was a producer of radio and television programs. Over seven decades, Brown produced more than 30,000 radio shows, including for major radio networks and syndication.

A recipient of the American Broadcast Pioneer and Peabody Awards, Brown was inducted in 1990s into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Brown produced The Adventures of the Thin Man, The Affairs of Peter Salem, Bulldog Drummond, CBS Radio Mystery Theater, City Desk, Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon, The General Mills Radio Adventure Theater, Grand Central Station, Green Valley, USA, The Gumps, Inner Sanctum Mysteries, Joyce Jordan, M.D., Marie, the Little French Princess, The NBC Radio Theater, The Private Files of Rex Saunders, Terry and the Pirates and numerous daytime soap operas.

When television arrived, Brown produced 26 episodes of the syndicated Inner Sanctum TV series, plus a daytime show, Morning Matinee. Realizing that "all these guys making TV, they have to have a set," he profited by acquiring the studios in Chelsea; they were used for 35 years by New York TV production firms.

Through his non-profit educational foundation, Brown produced They Were Giants, radio programs dramatizing the lives of such literary figures as Walt Whitman and H. G. Wells, and We, The Living, fact-based dramas about the lives of senior citizens.

After the end of most network radio programming in the early 60’s Brown persisted with such series as the CBS Radio Mystery Theater, thereby keeping the art of radio drama alive for another generation.


➦In 1980...WMCA 570 AM, New York, hosted a reunion of The Good Guys featuring Joe O'Brien, Harry Harrison, Dan Daniels, Jack Spector and B Mitchel Reed.

In 1960, WMCA began promoting itself by stressing its on-air personalities, who were collectively known as The Good Guys. Led by program director Ruth Meyer, the first woman to hold the position in New York City radio,  this was the era of the high-profile Top 40 disc jockey with an exuberant personality aimed at a certain audience segment.

In the early 1960s, the top 40 format was still young, and the field was crowded in New York City. Two major 50,000-watt stations, WMGM 1050 (now WEPN) and 1010 WINS, had battled each other, playing pop music for years. Then in 1960, 77WABC joined the action. Ultimately, it was WMCA's earnest competition with rival WABC that forced WMGM (in early 1962) and then WINS (in spring 1965) to abandon Top 40.

➦In 2011...WRXP 101.9 FM NYC changes call letters to WEMP


 In 

➦In 2013…Page Morton died at age 97. She was a cabaret singer who married William Black, founder of the catering and coffee business Chock full o'Nuts. As Page Morton Black she was known for singing the "Heavenly Coffee" jingle on the company's radio and TV advertisements and sponsored broadcasts. When Black died in 1983, she took over his charitable work with the Parkinson's Disease Foundation.

➦In 2016…Roger Ailes stepped down as CEO/Chairman of Fox News in the wake of sexual harassment allegations made by former Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson and as many as 20 other current or former female employees of the cable news network.

➦In 2016...Pittsburgh radio, TV personality William Robert Cardille died  of liver cancer at age 87 (Born - December 10, 1928). Kown as "Chilly Billy", he had a nightly record program on WDAD radio in Indiana County, PA, in 1951. He first worked in television at WICU in Erie, PA, beginning January 19, 1952. He was for many years a fixture on Channel 11 (formerly call letters WIIC, now WPXI), the NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh, and was the first voice heard when WIIC went on the air on September 1, 1957.

Cardille was a pitchman for Koehler Beer, starring in various roles, baseball umpire, etc. in numerous TV commercials for Uncle Jackson's brews.

➦In 2018...Entercom Communications, based in nearby Bala Cynwyd announced that it was purchasing WBEB 101.1 More FM in Philadelphia from Jerry Lee Radio LLC for $57.5 million. More FM was the last major independent station in the country.

Report: If You Want Media Attention, Pick A Fight

To see how much coverage each presidential candidate is getting, a media-monitoring firm headquartered in the U.K. has been tracking 10,000 print media, 1,500 broadcast outlets and more than 2.6 million online sources world-wide since January.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the goal is to offer insight into how media coverage of the candidates looks over time, according to Signal A.I., the company behind the project, but it also illuminates how the volume of coverage has focused the public’s attention.

“The media don’t tell us what to think,” said Stuart Soroka, a professor of communications studies and political science at the University of Michigan. “They tell us what to think about.”

If that’s the case, the tacit message about Mr. Gravel appears to be: Don’t bother.

So far, Joe Biden, who has received more attention than any other Democrat, has been mentioned in more than 648,000 media accounts.

One caution, according to Rodney Benson, chair of the Department of Media, Culture and Communication at New York University, is that the tallies aggregate all media without regard to prestige, audience size or article prominence. “It may overemphasize small, minor outlets,” he said.

But for the most part, the tallies confirm what people who follow politics intuit:

Any time a major figure announces his or her candidacy, coverage of that person spikes and briefly dominates the news cycle. Titillating developments, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders’s tax returns revealing that he is part of the 1%, also grab attention, while policy announcements, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s plan to cancel student debt and eliminate tuition, get relatively less notice.

Wall Street Journal graphic

However, there is an elephant in the room.

Altogether, the Democrats have been mentioned in 4.15 million articles and broadcasts world-wide since January, according to Signal A.I.’s tally, but President Trump has been mentioned in nearly 10.3 million media accounts.

“That’s useful to quantify,”  Danny Hayes, an associate professor of political science at George Washington University said. “It tells us something about media behavior and the kinds of incentives candidates have if they want to get more news coverage.”

The best way to get attention, he said, is to pick a fight.

CNBC Talks With iHM CEO Bob Pittman

Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, on Thursday discussed the company's growth and recovery with CNBC...


iHeartMedia's Bob Pittman on the company's direct listing from CNBC.

Columbus OH Radio: Arthur Willis Adds WCKX To PD Duties

Arthur Willis

Radio One/Columbus has announced that Arthur Willis (A- Plus) will be the new Program Director for WCKX Power 107.5 / WBMO 106.3 FM (London, OH).

Willis is also Program Director of WIZF 101.1FM “The Wiz” in Cincinnati. He will continue as Program Director of WIZF 101.1FM while adding the additional duties of Program Director for Power 107.5/106.3FM.

Arthur Willis stated, “I am truly honored and excited to be a part of the Radio One Columbus team. I would like to thank Colby Colb, Kimberly Kyle and Eddie Harrell for entrusting me with this great opportunity.

"A-Plus’s vast experience and understanding of the market will help secure and expand the Radio One influence as the #1 multimedia company in Central Ohio. Beyond his Midwest experience, he has worked at radio stations in the East Coast region including his hometown station, WCDX-FM in Richmond, Virginia.

“We look forward to A-Plus bringing his leadership skills and programming background to our team on Power 107.5/106.3 FM. A-Plus will continue to serve as Program Director for WIZF 101.1FM in Cincinnati. His vast experience in the Midwest and East Coast will prove to be invaluable”, says Regional Vice President Eddie Harrell, Jr.

MI Radio: Brian Hatfield Named OM For MacDonald Cluster

Brian Hatfield

MacDonald Broadcasting has announced veteran radio programmer Brian Hatfield has been appointed Operations Director for its cluster in Saginaw, MI.

He also becomes Program Director for Country WKCQ 98-KCQ, while overseeing operations of Adult Hits WMJO 97.3 FM and AC simulcast partners WSAM 1400 AM / 104.1 FM The Bay.  Most recently, he headed Hatfield Media and was National Sales Director for the Radiomax mobile app.

Hatfield previously served as Assistant PD/MD and afternoon talent at Country KYGO-FM/Denver. Prior to that, Hatfield was Music Director and afternoon host at KCYY-FM/San Antonio. He also spent nine years with Clear Channel's Country WKSF-FM/Asheville, NC. Hatfield has also worked for WKKT and WSOC/Charlotte, WYCD/Detroit, KKAT/Salt Lake City and WTQR/Greensboro.

During his career, Hatfield has won CMA Station of the Year 2009 and Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Aircheck Music Director of the Year 2010 and 2011.

Hatfield replaces Greg Cole, who held the post since 2011.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette To Cut Back On Print

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is eliminating two days of print, reports KDKA-TV2.

Starting Sept. 30, the Post-Gazette will not print on Mondays and Wednesdays, the paper said in a statement.

The statement said the paper, which is owned by Block Communications, is taking its next step in its digital transformation by eliminating two additional days of print.

In August 2018, the Post-Gazette cut Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Subscribers will get a print edition on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

With the Post-Gazette facing huge losses and strained labor talks with all of its unions, the shift to digital will ultimately lead to the loss of jobs.

“We were saddened when we went down to two days,” President of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh Michael Fuoco said. “But we learned to live with it. But to cut another two days and only publish three days a week, we are crestfallen by this.”

Fuoco is not only worried about jobs. He’s worried about readers, too.

“We have a community of older people who aren’t digitally-savvy,” Fuoco said. “We won’t be reaching those people, and we feel our mission is to reach as many people as we can.”

The Post-Gazette declined to be interviewed for this story, but in a written statement said digital is the future and promised to maintain the quality of the Post-Gazette.

The family-owned Pittsburgh newspaper made national headlines earlier this year when its publisher and editor-in-chief John Robinson Block subjected newsroom staff members to a tirade and threatened employees’ jobs as his young daughter sobbed and begged him to stop, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer citing Post-Gazette staffers who were present.

Triggering the outburst was a union sign in the newsroom that said in big letters “Shame on the Blocks!” In a 45-second video clip of Saturday’s tirade provided to the Pittsburgh publication The Incline, Block is seen standing before the poster and heard shouting “Get rid of it!” before striking the poster with his hands twice.

Allan Block, John Block’s brother and chairman of Block Communications that owns the newspaper, issued a statement after the incident saying the company regretted “if anyone present may have misconstrued what occurred as anything other than an indication of strong concern and support for the legacy and future of the Post-Gazette.”

July 20 Radio History

Loomis in 1865

➦In 1872...Mahlon Loomis was awarded a patent for wireless technology heralding the beginning of radio. Loomis was the first wireless telegrapher.

In the mid-1800s it had been well established that the Earth was surrounded by a significant electrical field, and Loomis felt passionately that this was an overlooked resource of vast potential, both for generating electrical power, and as a conduit that would support worldwide wireless communication.

Loomis was also a dentist, the inventor of artificial teeth (patent #10,847 May 2, 1854), and the earliest inventor of wireless communication (patent #129,971).

He was born July 26, 1826 in Oppenheim, New York and died, October 13, 1886 in Terra Alta, West Virginia.

➦In 1890...Character actor Verna Felton born in Salinas, CA  (Died from a stroke – December 14, 1966). She was best known for providing many voices in numerous Disney animated films, as well as voicing Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law Pearl Slaghoople in Hanna-Barbera's The Flintstones (1962–1963).

She also had roles in live-action films; however, she was most active in radio programs. She was known for her husky voice and no-nonsense attitude. Two of her most famous roles were as Dennis Day's mother Mrs. Day on The Jack Benny Program (1939–1962) and as Hilda Crocker on the CBS sitcom December Bride (1952–1959).

Felton worked extensively in the 1930s and '50s in Hollywood radio, notably playing The Mom in The Cinnamon Bear, Junior the Mean Widdle Kid's grandmother on Red Skelton's radio series, Hattie Hirsch on Point Sublime, and Dennis Day's protective, domineering, and authoritative mother, Mrs Day, who was always looking out for him while trying to boss around Jack Benny on The Jack Benny Program. In addition, she performed on radio as a regular on The Abbott and Costello Show and The Great Gildersleeve.

➦In 1935…The crime drama G-Men debuted on NBC Radio. It was renamed Gang Busters in January 1936 and moved to CBS Radio. The series ran for 21 years.

➦In 1937…Guglielmo Marconi died in Rome on 20 July 1937 at age 63, following a series of heart attacks, and Italy held a state funeral for him.  As a tribute, all radio stations throughout the world observed two minutes of silence on the next day.

When Marconi made his famous first transatlantic radio transmission in 1901, rival inventor Nikola Tesla claimed that it was done with 17 Tesla patents. Thus began years of patent battles over radio with Tesla's patents being upheld in 1903, followed by a reverse decision in favor of Marconi in 1904.

In June 1943, the United States Supreme Court restored patent rights to Tesla, saying their decision had no bearing on Marconi's claim as the first to achieve radio transmission, just that because Marconi's claim to certain patents was questionable, he could not claim infringement on those same patents.

➦In 2018...Adrian Joseph Cronauer, best known for co-writing the original story for the film "Good Morning Vietnam" about his time as an DJ at American Forces Vietnam Radio, died at the age of 79.

iHM Betting On Digital Radio Streaming

After emerging from bankruptcy restructuring on May 1, iHeartMedia is now trading as a public company and working to grab more ad dollars along the way.

While the Texas-based media company has a stable of radio stations across the country, chief marketing officer Gayle Troberman said iHeartMedia is eyeing emerging audio touchpoints – and the influx of ad revenue that ideally will follow.

The Drum reports Troberman called podcasting a notable growth engine and said digital audio streaming accounts for a “big chunk” of listening – especially through smart speakers, which has "voice top of mind for everyone".

Gayle Troberman

This fragmentation and diversification in audio has Troberman calling for brands to consider their “sonic identity” and develop audio toolkits if they want to successfully play in the space.

“What do most brands do? They create one spot with no contextual relevance, and they run the same spot on Rush Limbaugh and the Breakfast Club,” said Troberman, noting that creative elements aren't always used the "right" way in audio.

According to Nielsen, broadcast radio reaches around 90% of US listeners each week, with iHeartMedia saying 84% of its radio consumption coming through broadcast and the rest through streaming.

Now, as a newly emerged company with a bolstered internal audio suite, iHeartMedia is partnering with outside groups such as WPP to educate the marketplace on how best to integrate their brands into audio.

Troberman said that media agencies and creative groups such as Ogilvy and Wunderman Thompson are on board with the WPP co-initiative, dubbed Project Listen, where brands are exploring different ways of entering audio, such as original storytelling in podcasts and reach replacement for digital video.

At the end of trading on its first day, iHeart’s stock was trading at $16.5 per share, down almost 3% from its opening price of $17.

iHeartMedia’s digital segment makes up only 7% of the firm’s top-line but is responsible for most of its top-line growth. The digital radio streaming is expected to grow 23% over the next three years. iHeartRadio is the number one streaming broadcast radio platform, with its service & app currently having 128 million registered users. If it is able to continue to gain market share, this segments could propel them back into profitable growth.

Podcasts are also going to be a central focus for iHeartMedia moving forward.

Houston Radio: Sportsradio 610 Launches New PM Drive Show

Entercom has announced the addition of on-air personalities Clint Stoerner and Rick Kamla as afternoon drive hosts for SportsRadio KILT 610 AM, Houston’s Leader in Local Sports Coverage and the flagship station of the Houston Texans.

The duo’s new afternoon show “Clint and Kamla” will be on air weekdays from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT, starting Monday, July 22.

“Clint and Rick are the perfect pair to bring informative and clear-cut opinions to the Houston listener,” said Sarah Frazier, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Houston. “As a native Houstonian, Clint has a natural connection with the audience and a distinct delivery and southern charm. Rick brings a national platform with instant recognition from his years at NBA TV to the station and his passion for sports will be evident instantly. We are equally as excited to provide the Houston sports community with a revamped weekday lineup that they can connect with to and from work on a daily basis.”

“I am born and raised here in Houston so football is in my DNA,” said Stoerner. “SportsRadio 610 is the king of Houston sports radio so talking sports daily to my people in south Texas is a dream come true. Tune in and turn it up H-Town.”

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to co-host afternoon drives with Houston’s own Clint Stoerner and be part of the new lineup on SportsRadio 610,” said Kamla. “My family and I are very excited for this adventure in an amazing city.”

Clint Stoerner was previously a weekly contributor and fill-in host on SportsRadio 610 since 2018. Prior to joining Entercom, Stoerner was a studio analyst for 103.7 The Buzz in Little Rock, AR, and the SEC Network. Rick Kamla was recently the midday host for sister station 92.9 The Game (WZGC-FM) in Atlanta. Kamla also previously served as a studio host and play-by-play announcer for NBA TV, a role he held since 2003.

The station subsequently announced a new weekday lineup, effective July 22. Station on-air personality Sean Pendergast will transition to the morning drive alongside co-host Seth Payne. Pendergast hosted the station’s afternoon show for the last five years.

New SportsRadio 610 weekday lineup is as follows.

• 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: “Payne and Pendergast”
• 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: “In The Loop”
• 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.:  “Clint and Kamla”
• 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.:  “Texans All Access”
• 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.:  “The Six Pack with Matthew Jarecki”
• 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.:  “Matthew Jarecki”

Listeners can tune in to SportsRadio 610 (KILT-AM) in Houston on air, as well as nationwide on the RADIO.COM app and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Houston Radio: Rich Lord, Mike Meltser EXIT 610 KILT

Rich Lord

Rich Lord, one of the longest-tenured voices on Houston radio, and colleague Mike Meltser were informed Thursday that they will no longer appear on sports talk station KILT 610 AM, signaling major lineup changes as the station seeks to reverse a lingering ratings downturn, according to The Houston Chronicle.

With the departure of Lord and Meltser, who hosted in afternoon and morning drive time, respectively, the station announced the hiring of former Atlanta sports talk show host and NBA TV host Rick Kamla and former NFL quarterback Clint Stoerner.

Kamla and Stoerner will host in afternoon drive, and Lord's former afternoon co-host, Sean Pendergast, will move into the morning drive time slot alongside former Texans defensive lineman Seth Payne that was vacated by Meltser's departure.

Mike Meltser

“Rich did an incredible job for nearly two and a half decades on SportsRadio 610,” said Sarah Frazier, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Houston.

“As one of the first announcers on Houston’s first all-sports talk station, he has played an instrumental role in building this heritage station and will always be an integral part of its legacy. We’re thankful for his work ethic and contributions to the station over the years and wish him the best. He will always be a treasured player of SportsRadio 610.”

“My time at SportsRadio 610 has been the most rewarding, fulfilling and satisfying experience of my professional life,” shared Rich Lord.

“I’ll forever be grateful to Dickie Rosenfeld for bringing me aboard in 1995. My time here has meant so much to me and my family that the biggest emotion that I feel right now is gratitude. I came here in my 30’s, I’m leaving in my 60’s. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

Meltser, a recent graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, joined KILT in 2010.

"I was concerned that this (his departure) might happen," Meltser said. "Our job on the radio is to criticize people if the results aren't good, and our results against (other Houston sports talk stations) have not been great the last couple of months. So I respect their decision."

Denver Radio: 'Broncos Country Tonight' Debuts On KOA

Newsradio KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM has announced the debut of a new show, “Broncos Country Tonight,” starting tonight.

“Broncos Country Tonight” will broadcast weekday evenings from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. KOA NewsRadio 850 AM & 94.1 FM also celebrates its 50th season as the Denver Broncos flagship station.

To launch the show, “Broncos Country Tonight” will co-star Dave Logan, the legendary Denver Broncos play-by-play announcer; Rick Lewis, the iconic Denver Broncos color analyst as well as popular sports on-air personalities Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright. The daily show will give listeners an inside look into the Denver Broncos and will cover all aspects of the team including Denver Broncos Training Camp, NFL Hall of Fame Game and plenty of preseason action.

“‘Broncos Country Tonight’ solidifies the strong partnership between the Denver Broncos, iHeartMedia’s KOA NewsRadio and top sports on-air personalities such as Dave Logan and Rick Lewis,” said Tim Hager, President of the iHeartMedia Denver Region.

“From the Denver Broncos Training Camp to behind the scenes preseason coverage, this show will attract a huge following and we’re excited to welcome it to our heritage station.”

K-C Radio: Jason Anderson Returning To Sportsradio WHB

Jason Anderson

Union Broadcasting, Inc. has announced that on-air personality, Jason Anderson, will host the midday show on Sports Radio WHB 810 AM. 

“The Zone” with Jason Anderson will air weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. beginning on Monday, July 29 and will be available to stream and mobile application. 

Anderson previously hosted the afternoon drive for Union Broadcasting sister station WHBE ESPN 680/105.7 in Louisville, KY for the past 9 years.  Regularly appearing with Anderson on “The Zone” include 41 Action News Sports Director, Mick Shaffer and 810 WHB’s own Todd Leabo, among other talented contributors.

“The opportunity to host a show on Sports Radio 810 is one I dreamed of since I was in high school. It is surreal and humbling to be chosen to host the middays and join the WHB lineup.  I look forward to the challenge and can’t wait to get started,” said Anderson.

Growing up in the Kansas City area, Anderson attended Lee’s Summit North High School before getting his degree at Northwest Missouri State University.

Jason started out interning in 2000 with 810 WHB and eventually was hired to host the night show along with Chiefs and Royals coverage.  When Union Broadcasting expanded outside the market, Anderson was chosen to help start the station in Louisville in 2010.

Union Broadcasting President Chad Boeger, “Jason has done a terrific job for Union Broadcasting over the past 19 years.  He is extremely talented and has a wealth of knowledge.  We are very excited for his return to Kansas City.  He will be surrounded by an all-star cast of co-hosts/contributors including Mick and Todd.”

In addition to Todd Leabo contributing to “The Zone” and serving as Vice President,  he is taking on the position of Sports Director, lead reporter and a larger role across all shows.

ESPN’s Dan Le Batard Rips Trump

“There’s a racial division in this country that’s being instigated by the president, and we here at ESPN haven’t had the stomach for that fight.”

With those words, The Washington Post reports Dan Le Batard launched into an impassioned monologue Thursday. The host of popular ESPN TV and radio shows ripped into both President Trump in the wake of “Send her back!” chants at a rally the night before, and his own network, which has been advising its on-air personalities to refrain from political commentary.

Le Batard, 50, was speaking on his radio show when he noted that he was the son of Cuban immigrants and said, “What happened last night, this felt un-American.”

At the rally Wednesday in Greenville, N.C., Trump was criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a Somali refugee who became a naturalized American citizen, when the “Send her back!” chants rang out. Trump, who tweeted on Sunday that “ ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen” such as Omar should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came,” said Thursday that he “felt a little bit badly” about the chanting and tried to quickly end it, but he let it go on for 13 seconds at the rally before resuming his remarks.

On his show, Le Batard read a tweet posted Wednesday evening by Fox Sports 1′s Nick Wright, who wrote, “I don’t talk politics on here but this isn’t political, this is obvious: This is abhorrent, obviously racist, dangerous rhetoric and not calling it out makes you complicit. The ‘send her back’ chant + the ‘go back to where you came from’ are so antithetical to what we should be.”


“It is so right, what he is saying there,” Le Batard said of Wright. “It is so wrong, what the president of our country is doing, trying to get reelected by dividing the masses, at a time when the old white man, the old rich white man, feels oppressed, being attacked, by minorities.”

“This isn’t about politics; it’s about race,” said Le Batard, who noted that ESPN personalities “only talk about it” when outspoken sports figures such NBA coaches Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich offer opinions on the subject.

D/FW Radio: Tony Romo Responds To Peyton Manning Comments

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo joined the Ben and Skin Show on KRLD 105.3 FM The Fan to talk about the latest on his golf game, the Cowboys offensive changes, Bill Belichick, and Peyton Manning's criticism.

Manning took a veiled shot at Romo for his dedication – or lack thereof – to the game during his Dallas Cowboys days.

Manning, 43, reportedly turned down a job as a Monday Night Football analyst because he didn’t want to analyze Eli Manning’s play. Manning is open to being a broadcaster one day but said “it’s just not the right time for me.”

Manning, who has said yes to certain projects in retirement and no to others, went on to say:

“I saw where Tony Romo said that he always knew that he wanted to be a broadcaster. Well, I always knew I wanted to be a football player. That’s all I knew. I was all-in on that job. I didn’t think about anything else while I was playing. And I think that’s a good way to be. I think you’ve got to be all-in on what you’re doing.”


Romo had a chance to respond to Manning on Wednesday:

"I actually hadn't heard those comments. I like to tunnel the little bubble I live in. But, ultimately, that's something I never actually said," Romo said. "I didn't start thinking about being a broadcaster until I was contemplating retirement. And so at that point, then you're going to start thinking about your next stage."

JAX Radio: Ali Mac Gets Wake-Up Duty At WEZI

Ali Mac

Cox Media Group Jacksonville welcomes Ali Mac as its new Morning Show Host for Soft/AC WEZI Easy 102.9 FM.

“I’m thrilled to wake up with Jacksonville on the new Easy 102.9 and join this incredible team! I’d like to thank OM/PD Todd Shannon and VP/Market Manager Dan Lawrie for their confidence in me,” said Ali Mac.

“Ali is an amazing talent with so much energy, passion and enthusiasm. I knew after our first conversation that she was the right fit for the fastest growing radio brand in Jacksonville,” said Todd Shannon.

Ali Mac joins from Cumulus Media's Country WKHX Kicks 101.5 FM in Atlanta.

Report: Gatehouse, Gannett Talking Cash-Stock Deal

USAToday publisher Gannett Co. is nearing a deal to combine with rival GateHouse Media, reports The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter, a move that would join the nation’s two largest newspaper groups by circulation at a time local media is in a battle for survival.

The companies are grappling with a brutal environment for local newspapers around the country. Private-equity-backed GateHouse has a reputation for aggressively slashing expenses at titles it acquires.

Local papers have suffered particularly sharp declines in circulation compared to national outlets as readers look elsewhere for news and classified ads disappear. They have also lost more of their online-advertising business to tech giants such as Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc. ’s Google.

Nearly 1,800 newspapers closed between 2004 and 2018, leaving 200 counties in the U.S. without a paper and roughly half the counties in the country with only one, according to a University of North Carolina study. That has stoked concerns that a crucial source of reporting around the country is being starved.

These trends have sparked consolidation and prompted financial investors to hunt for bargains as they accumulate empires that can benefit from economies of scale—derived in large part from layoffs.

GateHouse and Gannett are discussing a cash-and-stock deal in which GateHouse’s parent would likely buy Gannett.

Gannett has been without a permanent chief executive since May, when former CEO Robert Dickey retired. He had led the company since 2015, after Gannett split its newspaper-publishing business from the company’s broadcast-television stations.

Since the split, factors buffeting the industry have eaten away at the company’s value. Gannett’s shares have lost nearly half their value as the company struggled to develop a strategy to revive its sagging fortunes.

CRS 360 Webinar To Explore State Of Country Radio

Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. will present the next installment of its recently-launched CRS360 webinar series on Thursday, July 25th at 12 p.m. (CDT), with an episode titled “Country Radio 2019: Mid-Year Ratings and State of The Format Report.”

“Our July CRS360 episode takes a look at the format’s mid-year ratings report card, examining national shares in key demos, comparing PPM and diary-measured markets, and highlighting success stories in certain markets, and, at specific stations,”said CRS Executive Director,RJ Curtis.

The July session will include a broader “state of the format” discussion, with a goal of identifying potentially strong music trends, emerging artists, and how Country radio can better compete with other platforms exposing Country music.

Panelists for this episode include Entercom KILT/Houston PD Chris Huff, and Bonneville KNCI/Sacramento PD Joey Tack. The conversation will be moderated by MCA Nashville SVP/Promotion, Katie Dean.

Viewing CRS360 is free, but slots are limited so those interested should be sure to pre-register here.

Webinar Video: Radio Demo Myths Busted

Envision Networks® held their latest Coffee with Envision webinar event this week and now is available on demand. The webinar, hosted by brand consultant/No Borders Radio “Brandfather,” Brian Burns, and President, Radio Consulting Services/easy fm programmer, Jon Holiday, separated facts from radio listening myths of Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers.

The “Demographics for a New Age of Radio” video is available online for FREE.

In the first part of the webinar Brian Burns tackled common programming misconceptions about Millennial demographics. Brian shared “It’s not about the brand anymore, it’s about the content.”

Jon Holiday followed with common programming myths about Baby Boomer and Gen X demographics. Jon shared “While the Millennials are sharing stuff, Boomers are buying stuff.”

CNN Sets Line-Ups For Next Dem Debate

The candidates who will appear on the two stages over the two nights of the second Democratic presidential primary debate on July 30th and 31st are now set after a prime-time drawing event on CNN last night. As in the first debate last month, the 20 candidates who qualified are being spread over two nights, selected for each stage by a random drawing.

The first night will feature top tier candidates Senator Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the two leading progressive figures in the field. The second night will feature a rematch of former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris, after Harris aggressively went after him in the first debate over his opposition to bussing in the 1970s. There will be one new candidate among the 20, Montana Governor Steve Bullock, who didn't qualify for the first debate. He's taking the slot of Rep. Eric Swalwell, who recently dropped out of the race.

The full lineups for the two nights are:

July 30th: Sanders, Warren, Bullock, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Rep. John Delaney, former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper; Senator Amy Klobuchar, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Rep. Tim Ryan and author Marianne Williamson.

July 31: Biden, Harris, Senator Cory Booker, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Senator Michael Bennett, former San Antonio Mayor and Obama Cabinet member Julian Castro, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

Audioboom Reports Sharp Revenue Growth

Podcast network Audioboom Group PLC on Thursday reported sharp growth in revenue in the first half.

In the six months to June 30, Audioboom saw its pretax loss narrow to $2.8 million from $5.3 million the year before as revenue almost tripled to $9.8 million from $3.6 million.

The significant majority of Audioboom's revenue is generated through placing host-endorsed advertising on podcasts.

The company said it saw sharp revenue growth in its core US market and "material" revenue from Sonic Influencer Marketing, a separate brand to Audioboom, which helps companies advertise on podcasts.

"We are delighted with the company's performance during this period, with strong progress in every area of the business," said Chief Executive Rob Proctor.

He continued: "Revenue growth on the first half last year is over four times that forecast by the Interactive Advertising Bureau for the US podcast advertising industry from 2018 to 2019. This in turn is driving significant improvements for the company in its journey to profitability. With gross margin tracking to plan and overheads remaining under tight control, we are now starting to see the impact of our improved operational gearing."

Proctor added: "Forward sales for the second half are already at record levels and I anticipate continued strong performance for the second half of this year. Content creators and advertisers continue to join our global platform, and I look forward to updating shareholders with future developments during the second half."

July 19 Radio History

WRC in the Trans Lux Building

First Home Riggs Bank

➦In 1923...WRC-AM, Washington, DC  signed-on.  WRC started at 640 AM and share the frequency with WCAP.

WRC was owned and oeprated by RCA.  By the 1930, 500 watt WRC moved to 950 AM and was part of the NBC's Red Network. The station moved to 980 AM in the lates 1940s.

The two stations WRC and now WMAL were located in the Trans Lux Building at 14th & New York Ave.

In 1972,  NBC made the decision to take the MOR station to a Top 40 format and challenge DC champ WPGC in the ratings game.

The birth of The Great 98 had a lot of help from some Philly radio vets.  Lee Sherwood was brought in as PD and Bob Gross was Promotions Director.  Both were from WFIL.  The original on air team consisted of Johnny Andrews, Bobby McGee, Simon Trane, James Michael Wilson and Ron Starr.

Being an NBC O&O had its drawbacks:  NBC Hourly News, NBC Monitor on weekends, special features (Graham Kerr, Gene Shalit, etc) had to be carried.

The Top 40 format moved to WRC-FM, and WRC-AM switched to an all-news format in 1975 before switching to news/talk in 1979.

Greater Media bought WRC-AM in 1984, changing the call letters to WWRC. It switched to business news and talk.   In 1998, sports-formatted WTEM-AM 570 moved its programming and call letters to 980 AM.  The WWRC call letters were moved to 1260 AM, which carried the old business news format until switching to all-sports in 2003.

Today, 1260 AM is owned by Salem Communications, carrying a news/talk format.  The call letters still are WWRC, but the station is branded “1260 WRC,” though it has no connection to WRC-TV, Washington’s NBC affiliate.

Eve Arden, Dick Crenna and Gloria McMillian at CBS Mic

➦In 1948..."Our Miss Brooks", starring Eve Arden and Gale Gordon, debuted on CBS radio.

Our Miss Brooks was a sitcom starring Arden as a sardonic high-school English teacher. It began as a radio show broadcast on CBS from 1948 to 1957. When the show was adapted to television (1952–56), it became one of the medium's earliest hits.

Our Miss Brooks was a hit on radio from the outset; within eight months of its launch as a regular series, the show landed several honors, including four for Eve Arden, who won polls in four individual publications of the time. Arden had actually been the third choice to play the title role. Harry Ackerman, at the time CBS's West Coast director of programming, wanted Shirley Booth for the part, but as he told historian Gerald Nachman many years later, he realized Booth was too focused on the underpaid downside of public school teaching at the time to have fun with the role.

Lucille Ball was believed to have been the next choice, but she was committed to My Favorite Husband and did not audition. Then CBS chairman Bill Paley, who was friendly with Arden, persuaded her to audition for the part. With a slightly rewritten audition script—Osgood Conklin, for example, was originally written as a school board president but was now written as the incoming new Madison principal—Arden agreed to give the newly revamped show a try.

According to radio critic John Crosby, her lines were very "feline" in dialogue scenes with principal Conklin and would-be boyfriend Boynton, with sharp, witty comebacks. The interplay between the cast—blustery Conklin, nebbishy Denton, accommodating Harriet, absentminded Mrs. Davis, clueless Boynton, scheming Miss Enright—also received positive reviews.

Arden won a radio listeners' poll by Radio Mirror magazine as the top-ranking comedienne of 1948–49, receiving her award at the end of an Our Miss Brooks broadcast that March. The radio series continued until 1957, a year after its television life ended.


➦In 2012…Radio programmer, executive Ted Atkins, died of pancreatic cancer at age 72.  Atkins
began in radio in Denver at KLAK in 1957. He had stints at KHJ and KIIS in Los Angeles, KFRC-San Francisco, CKLW Detroit, WOL Washington, WTAE, WWSW, WXMP in Pittsburgh, KROY-Sacramento, KLAK, KIMN, KBTR, KDAB in Denver and KUDL, WHB in Kansas City.

Bill Diehl at a record hop

➦In 2017...Iconic Twin Cities Radio Personality and one time newspaperman Bill Diehl died at age 91.   He worked at the St. Paul Dispatch/Pioneer Press for 53 years. He was at WMIN from 1948-1956; WDGY for 11 years, and WCCO Radio for 26 years.

Radio listeners knew him as “Bill Diehl, the Rajah of the Records, the Deacon of the Discs, the Purveyor of the Platters and the Wizard of the Wax, with all the musical facts.” When he wasn’t ruling the AM airwaves, he appeared on local television, emceed teen dances and concerts, booked and mentored young rock bands, introduced local audiences to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

And The 2019 NAB Marconi Awards Finalists Are...

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced the finalists for the 2019 NAB Marconi Radio Awards, honoring radio stations and on-air personalities for excellence in broadcasting. The winners will be announced September 26 at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show, held during the 2019 Radio Show in Dallas, Texas.

The 2019 NAB Marconi Radio Awards are recognizing two new award categories, "Legendary Manager of the Year" and "Best Radio Station Podcast." Additionally, “Best College Radio Station of the Year,” has been renamed from "Noncommercial Station of the Year.”

⏩ LEGENDARY STATION OF THE YEAR
KCBS-AM, San Francisco, CA
KNX-AM, Los Angeles, CA
KRTH-FM, Los Angeles, CA
WBAL-AM, Baltimore, MD
WBAP-AM, Dallas, TX

⏩ LEGENDARY MANAGER OF THE YEAR 
Ben Downs, Bryan Broadcasting, College Station, TX
Charlie Morgan, WQHT-FM, WBLS-FM and WLIB-AM, New York, NY
Dan Seeman, Hubbard Twin Cities and Hubbard North, St. Paul, MN
Mark Anderson, WBZZ-FM and WDSY-FM, Pittsburgh, PA
Nick Martin, Big River Broadcasting, Florence, AL

⏩ NETWORK/SYNDICATED PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 
Bob Lacey & Sheri Lynch, Now Media
Elvis Duran, Premiere Networks
Rickey Smiley, Reach Media, Inc.
Rush Limbaugh, Premiere Networks
Ryan Seacrest, Premiere Networks

⏩ MAJOR MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Ebro Darden, WQHT-FM, New York, NY
Ellen K, KOST-FM/KBIG-FM, Los Angeles, CA
Felger & Massarotti, WBZ-FM, Boston, MA
Preston & Steve, WMMR-FM, Philadelphia, PA
The Musers, KTCK-AM, Dallas, TX

⏩ LARGE MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 
Crisco, Dez and Ryan, KSTP-FM, St. Paul, MN
Jack Harris, WFLA-AM, Tampa, FL
Mercedes Martinez, KMXB-FM, Las Vegas, NV
Mike Calta, WHPT-FM, St. Petersburg, FL
Mojo, WKQI-FM, Detroit, MI

⏩ MEDIUM MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 
Brent Lane, WYCT-FM, Pensacola, FL
Buzz Jackson, KIIM-FM, Tucson, AZ
Harlen The Sports Guy and Pigskin Bob, KYKX-FM, Tyler, TX
Jeff and Amanda, WKRZ-FM, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Mike Street, WBTJ-FM, Richmond, VA

⏩ SMALL MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 
Brent Carl Fleshman, WHUB-FM, Cookeville, TN
Chris and Rosie, WUSQ-FM, Winchester, VA
Glenner Anderson, KXLR-FM, Fairbanks, AK
Scotty and Catryna, KCLR-FM, Columbia, MO
Shags & Trevor, KCMG-FM, Columbia, MO

⏩ MAJOR MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR 
KIIS-FM, Los Angeles, CA
WKYS-FM, Washington, D.C.
WTOP-FM, Washington, D.C.
WWPR-FM, New York, NY
WYCD-FM, Detroit, MI

⏩ LARGE MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR
KOA-AM, Denver, CO
KSTP-FM, St. Paul, MN
KQMV-FM, Bellevue, WA
WMTX-FM, Tampa, FL
WXTB-FM, Tampa, FL

⏩ MEDIUM MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR 
KIPR-FM, Little Rock, AR
KRMG-FM, Tulsa, OK
WHKO-FM, Dayton, OH
WKHK-FM, Richmond, VA
WSSL-FM, Greenville, SC

⏩ SMALL MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR 
KFGO-AM, Fargo, ND
KROX-AM, Crookston, MN
KWYO-AM, Sheridan, WY
WNDH-FM, North Canton, OH
WXLP-FM, Davenport, IA

⏩ BEST RADIO PODCAST OF THE YEAR
"Behind the Song," WDRV-FM, Chicago, IL
"Denied Justice Podcast," WCCO-AM, Minneapolis, MN
"Garage Logic," Hubbard Radio, St. Paul, MN
"On the Table," NET, Lincoln, NE
"What Had Happened Was," WHIO-FM, Dayton, OH

⏩ AC STATION OF THE YEAR
KODA-FM, Houston, TX
KRWM-FM, Bellevue, WA
WBZZ-FM, Pittsburgh, PA
WMAG-FM, Greensboro, NC
WSHE-FM, Chicago, IL

⏩ CHR STATION OF THE YEAR 
KRBE-FM, Houston, TX
KTXY-FM, Columbia, MO
WKZL-FM, Greensboro, NC
WQHT-FM, New York, NY
WWPW-FM, Atlanta, GA

⏩ CLASSIC HITS STATION OF THE YEAR
WMGK-FM, Philadelphia, PA
WMJI-FM, Cleveland, OH
WMMO-FM, Orlando, FL
WOGL-FM, Philadelphia, PA
WXGL-FM, St. Petersburg, FL

⏩ COLLEGE RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR 
WHPC-FM, Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY
WMSC-FM, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ
WRCC-FM, Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ
WRHU-FM, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
WSOU-FM, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ

⏩ COUNTRY STATION OF THE YEAR
KILT-FM, Houston, TX
KSCS-FM, Dallas, TX
KUBL-FM, Salt Lake City, UT
KYGO-FM, Denver, CO
WQHK-FM, Fort Wayne, IN

⏩ NEWS/TALK STATION OF THE YEAR
KIRO-FM, Seattle, WA
KTMY-FM, St. Paul, MN
WDBO-FM, Orlando, FL
WINS-AM, New York, NY
WKXW-FM, Trenton, NJ

⏩ RELIGIOUS STATION OF THE YEAR 
KKFS-FM, Sacramento, CA
KKJM-FM, St. Cloud, MN
KNWI-FM, West Des Moines, IA
KPWJ-FM, College Station, TX
WRVL-FM, Lynchburg, VA

⏩ ROCK STATION OF THE YEAR
KISS-FM, San Antonio, TX
WCSX-FM, Detroit, MI
WIYY-FM, Baltimore, MD
WPLR-FM, New Haven, CT
WRIF-FM, Detroit, MI

⏩ SPANISH STATION OF THE YEAR 
KLNZ-FM, Los Angeles, CA
KLOL-FM, Houston, TX
KLZT-FM, Austin, TX
WOJO-FM, San Diego, CA
WYUU-FM, Tampa, FL

⏩ SPORTS STATION OF THE YEAR
KFXN-FM, Minneapolis, MN
WBZ-FM, Boston, MA
WIP-FM, Philadelphia, PA
WKRK-FM, Cleveland, OH
WXYT-FM, Detroit, MI

⏩ URBAN STATION OF THE YEAR 
KBLX-FM, San Francisco, CA
WBLS-FM, New York, NY
WGCI-FM, Chicago, IL
WHQT-FM, Hollywood, FL
WPEG-FM, Charlotte, NC

L-A Radio: KXOS Flips To Reggaeton

Meruelo Media announced that it has flipped the format on KXOS 93.9 FM to the all-new Cali 93.9, #1 for Reggaeton and More!

At 9:39am, Meruelo Media switched the format to Cali 93.9, Reggaeton y Mas! Cali 93.9 is a music station created by Southern Californians for Southern Californians with a completely bilingual presentation. In addition to the format change, Meruelo Media has started the process of changing the station’s call letters from KXOS to KLLI to match the new format.

Interim Program Director, DJ E-Man said, “Cali 93.9 features the best uptempo hit music by today’s Latin superstars! Cali 93.9 is the new home of superstars like J Balvin, Maluma, Bad Bunny and Cardi B. These artists are mass appeal, from being featured at Coachella to the Grammys, Cali 93.9 is the sound of Southern Cali.”

On the sales side, Irma Barrios will add CALI 93.9 in addition to serving as General Manager for Meruelo Media’s flagship television station KWHY-TV. Dianna Jason, the current VP of marketing for Meruelo Media, will take over marketing responsibilities for CALI 93.9. On-air talent and other department heads will be named shortly.

Otto Padron, President of Meruelo Media, said “Cali 93.9 will be the most “Caliente” station in Cali! Not just because the music transcends language as it has exploded into mainstream popularity; but because we will place this format on one of the most powerful radio signals in Los Angeles, the new Cali 93.9.”

iHeartMedia Now Listed As 'IHRT' On The Nasdaq

The nation’s largest radio broadcaster is set to return to the public markets Thursday, capping iHeartMedia Inc.’s long journey through bankruptcy.

Shares are slated to be listed under the ticker “IHRT” on the Nasdaq, reports The Wall Street Journal.

A bankruptcy judge in January approved a restructuring plan wiping more than $10 billion in debt off of iHM’s books and turning over control of the company to lenders and bondholders from its longtime owners, the private-equity firms Bain Capital Partners LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP.

iHM emerged from restructuring May 1.

Last month the San Antonio-based company, which had said it was evaluating options for a public stock offering, said it instead decided to list its shares on the Nasdaq without raising more money, similar to what is known as a direct listing. Even without raising additional funds, iHM said it expects to benefit from having a publicly traded stock, which provides greater flexibility for investors and could be a source of additional capital for the company in the future.

The restructuring plan, which reduced iHM’s debt load to $5.75 billion from $16.1 billion, transferred ownership of the company to a group of lenders and bondholders led by Franklin Advisers Inc. Chief Executive Bob Pittman and finance chief Rich Bressler remain in their roles.

Bain and Thomas H. Lee had controlled the company, previously known as Clear Channel Communications, since one of the biggest leveraged buyouts on the eve of the 2008 financial crisis, saddling the company with most of the some $20 billion in debt it juggled over the next decade.



iHM, which operates 848 broadcast radio stations in the U.S., also runs a concert-promotion business and has been in the on-demand streaming-music market since 2016, when it launched a pair of services within its existing iHeartRadio app, which had previously just played programming from the broadcast stations.

The company has also expanded into podcasting, including last year’s purchase of Stuff Media LLC, in a bet on the small but growing medium that has attracted younger, engaged audiences, and rapidly increasing advertising revenue. iHeartRadio is the second-largest podcast publisher, behind National Public Radio, according to Podtrac.

Westwood One Makes Two Key Leadership Moves

In a move that fortifies its leadership position in the 24-Hour marketplace, Cumulus Media’s Westwood One has announced the elevation of two key executives in its 24-Hour Formats division.

• George King will rise to Vice President/General Manager from VP/Programming for Country. He will oversee all programming and affiliate management for the company’s 24-Hour Formats, with a focus on growth in new markets.  
• 24-Hour format veteran Eric Sundstrom has been named Vice President of Affiliate Sales, from Regional Affiliate Manager.  King reports to Kirk Stirland, President, Programming, Westwood One. Sundstrom reports to King.

George Klein

“George is both a gifted, experienced programmer and a big strategic thinker, and he’ll bring both skills to bear with our customers at 24-Hour Formats,” commented Stirland. “Very few people understand the local radio marketplace like Eric, which makes him a smart choice for this leadership role. With George and Eric at the helm, we’ll continue to bring high-quality radio to the traditional 24-hour format marketplace, as well make an impact in larger markets that require different features and qualities.”

Eric Sundstrom

Before joining Westwood One in 2014, King was Regional Operations Manager for Townsquare in Ft. Collins, CO.  He also held programming and operations roles for Cox and Clear Channel in San Antonio and at WMZQ/Washington DC.  Sundstrom has been in affiliate management at Westwood One for more than 20 years. He also served in program management positions in local radio, including at KRST-FM, KRZY, and KKOB-FM in Albuquerque.

“I’d like to thank Kirk Stirland, Charles Steinhauer, and Suzanne Grimes for this opportunity and for having the confidence in me to take on this new role,” said King. “We are proud to be the leader in the field, and we will continue to deliver best-in-class 24-hour content to radio stations nationwide.”

“I'm honored to work even more closely with this world-class team of sales and programming talent,” added Sundstrom. “I look forward to developing an even deeper relationship with our valued partners and to connecting with new 24-hour format customers.”

L-A Radio: Meruelo Media Closes On KLOS, KXOS

Meruelo Media has announced the closing of its purchase of KLOS 95.5 FM, Los Angeles, from Cumulus Media Inc. and KXOS 93.9 FM from Grupo Radio Centro, S.A.B. de C.V. 

KLOS and KXOS become the sixth and seventh broadcast stations in Meruelo Media’s Los Angeles cluster, which includes FM radio stations KPWR, KDAY, KDEY-FM, and televisions stations KWHY-TV, and KBEH. Meruelo Media plans to relocate KLOS’s operations from Culver City to Meruelo Media’s Burbank facility later this year. KXOS already operates out of Meruelo Media’s Burbank facility.

Meruelo Media’s current executive team is taking the reins of KLOS’s operations, with Otto Padron serving as interim Market Manager, Tomas Trujillo overseeing the day-to-day operations, David Criscitelli, VP of Meruelo Media Client Solutions overseeing sales activities, and Dianna Jason, VP of Marketing, overseeing communication and marketing activities. Keith Cunningham, KLOS’s current program director, will continue to serve in his role.

Irma Barrios will add KXOS to her existing duties as General Manager of KWHY-TV and Emmanuel “DJ E- Man” Coquia will assume interim music and programming duties for KXOS.

Otto Padron, President of Meruelo Media, said, “Two closes in one day! We are thrilled to add 93.9 KXOS and 95.5 KLOS to the Meruelo Media family. This is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in LA media!”

Speaking about KLOS, he continued, “We are absolutely committed to the amazing heritage Rock brand of KLOS. We are electrified to officially close on our purchase of the station and begin a new chapter of this legendary brand together with its amazing cadre of talented employees and iconic personalities. It will give Meruelo Media great scale and access to a highly desirable market sector in addition to giving our clients and partners a newly energized local option. In turn, we will commit to KLOS our deep hyper- local operational and content resources that will drive significant audience growth for a larger share of advertising dollars.”

On KXOS, Padron added, “Stand by, exciting news about KXOS coming soon!”

Meruelo Media, an affiliate of the Meruelo Group, is the largest and fastest growing minority-owned media company in California. Meruelo Media operates Los Angeles television stations KWHY, channel 22, and KBEH, channel 63. It also operates Los Angeles market radio stations KPWR 105.9 “Power 106,” 93.5 KDAY, 93.5 KDEY in Riverside/San Bernardino, and now stations 93.9 KXOS and 95.5 KLOS.