Chicago Radio: WGN Starts Tornado Relief Effort

WGN 720 AM Radio and the McCormick Foundation yoday are making Tuesday, November 26th "Illinois Tornado Relief Day".

Starting with the Steve Cochran Show at 5am, the station will host a 24-hour campaign for listeners to donate to the newly-established Illinois Tornado Relief Fund. WGN-TV and the Chicago Tribune have also partnered with the effort to promote additional fundraising for the day.

“We’ve all been touched by the stories of communities coming together following last Sunday’s storms,” said Todd Manley, Vice President of Content for WGN Radio. “Our WGN and Tribune families kept searching for ways to help.  Now, like so many times before, we’ll trust in the generosity of our wonderful listeners, viewers, and readers”.

The Illinois Tornado Relief Effort, a campaign of the McCormick Foundation, will support nonprofit agencies providing disaster relief and recovery efforts to those communities hit hardest by the storms. The Foundation will match the first $500,000 raised at 50 cents on the dollar. All administrative costs are paid by the foundation and its partners, allowing 100% of all money raised, including the match, to be granted directly to the nonprofit agencies.  The first round of grants will distributed by the end of 2013.

There are three ways to donate:

• Online: www.wgnradio.com
• Call the toll-free phone number: 1-800-931-5707
• Mail a check payable to: Illinois Tornado Relief, McCormick Foundation Processing Center23912 Network PlaceChicago, IL 60673-1239

Fundraising for this effort will continue through December 31, 2013.

Austin Radio: JB Hager OUT At KAMX

JB Hager

JB Hager, one half of the long-running “JB and Sandy Morning Show” on Entercom's KAMX 94.7 FM Mix, has departed the station after almost 18 years on the air.

According to Austin 360, Sandy McIlree, Hager’s friend and co-host, remains along with sidekicks Sara Osburn and Alex Franco.

McIlree made the announcement on the air Monday morning, telling listeners it was “a decision that was way over my pay grade.”

The move is the latest in a series of cost-cutting personnel shifts undertaken by managers at Mix 94.7. The station has switched from primarily live programming to an assortment of voice-tracked – or pre-recorded – hosts, including high-profile afternoon and evening time slots.

Mix 94.7 vice president and market manager Alan Kirshbom provided the American-Statesman with this statement on the decision not to renew morning co-host JB Hager's contract: 

"Today we are announcing that JB will no longer be a part of the JB and Sandy morning show. We thank JB for his service, his professionalism and for all the good he has done for people and the city of Austin. JB has made an incredible impact during his 17 years with MIX and we wish him all the best in the future. He will be missed. 

Sandy, Sara and Alex are amazing talents to take the morning show forward. We are extremely excited about what the future will hold. 

Everyone at Mix 94.7 is committed to delivering a top rated, fun and entertaining radio show, which will continue to deliver outstanding results for our clients and a high level of service to our community."

Radio Newbie Chuck Todd Is A Howard Stern Fan

Chuck Todd

Chuck Todd started out as a print guy and now he's a TV guy. And starting on Dec. 7, the NBC News political director and MSNBC host is adding a radio gig to his resume. Todd will be hosting "Unscripted with Chuck Todd" Saturday mornings on SiriusXM's POTUS channel, where he'll be doing longer, more personal interviews, with stars of politics and pop culture.

"I've always been a sucker for shows like that," Todd told Whispers at usnews.com. "If I could have a late-night talk show on television, I would take it in a heartbeat for the same ability, where you could have more of a conversation with somebody, rather than this sort of interview format, interview style [that's] lawler-ly like," he said of typical television Q-and-As.

Radio for this reason, Todd continued, hits the spot. "It is the most conversational medium we have, right?" he mused. And for his own radio show, Todd is looking at some of the greats for inspiration.

Todd has a sports commentator at the top of his guest list, someone he hopes to book early on. to "I'm just trying to convince Tony Kornheiser to come do it," Todd said, of the veteran ESPN analyst. "I'm really hoping to have a whole series of people that usually do interviewing on radio and TV, and get them to come on and be on the other side."

Additionally, Todd said he's a Howard Stern fan. "I think one of the best pure interviewers in radio or television is Howard Stern," he said. "There is nobody that is better, sometimes, in asking the awkward question than Howard Stern," Todd continued, adding "it would be fun" if more of Washington's politicians faced the shock jock. Todd, however, has no plans to be tawdry like Stern.

Twin Cities Radio: WCCO Brings Back Al Malmberg

Al Malmberg

WCCO 830 AM is announcing that Al Malmberg is returning to the WCCO line-up, weekdays from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Malmberg’s first day will be December 16.

The 62-year-old Malmberg, a Richfield, Minn. native, previously worked at WCCO in various roles from 1996 to 2008, and is best-known for his overnight show, which he hosted for over ten years. In 2008, Al was voted “Best AM Radio Personality” by City Pages readers.  He was let go five years ago in a spate of cost-cutting measures by the CBS-owned station

“We are thrilled for Al’s return to late nights on WCCO. He is one of our most popular hosts with a huge and loyal following,” said WCCO program director Bob Shomper.

“I am so glad to be back on WCCO,” said Malmberg. “I’ve really missed talking to all of my friends across the upper Midwest on the big “50,000-watt blowtorch.”

Malmberg's father, Larry, play the accordion as a live in-studio musician for WCCO Radio and later WCCO-TV

WCCO has had a void to fill in the late night since the sudden departure of host Tommy Mischke in August.

Katy Perry's AMA Performance Labeled As Racist

Pop diva Katy Perry is taking some heat for her geisha-style performance at the American Music Awards show on Sunday night (November 24th), with some viewers and critics calling it racist for her to have dressed up in a kimono and traditional geisha hair and makeup, complete with a powdered-white face.

As she sang her song, "Unconditionally," the 29-year-old Perry was also surrounded by similarly-dressed women dancing behind rice-paper screens and coming out from a garden, with plenty of lanterns, fans and cherry blossoms all around.

Among the critics was Dr. Ravi Chandra, who wrote in Psychology Today, "If you don't think Katy Perry was racist -- let me ask you, what if she had performed in blackface? Perhaps a costume isn't the same as changing skin color to you, but it is agonizingly close for me. I remember Mickey Rooney in buckteeth for his role as Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany's; Jonathan Pryce in Yellowface in Miss Saigon; Gwen Stefani in her Harajuku phase. . . . this kind of 'costume' is a way of acting out a power relationship. Whites have historically held power. Therefore Katy Perry has the right to use Japanese culture."

But others defended Perry, and noted that other female singers have dressed as geishas in the past without criticism, including Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Bjork.

Nielsen To Aquire The Harris Poll

Harris Interactive Inc.  agreed to be acquired by Nielsen Holdings N.V.  in a deal estimated at about $117 million, a move that gives Nielsen the market research firm known widely for The Harris Poll.

According to wsj.com, The offer price of $2 a share, represents a 3.8% discount to Friday's close. The stock recently was down 4.3% at $1.99 but has soared 66% this year.

Harris Interactive's board has approved the deal, and some of its directors, representing 12% of the company's shares have agreed to tender their stock to the offer.

Earlier this year Nielsen completed its $1.26 billion deal for Arbitron Inc., which is best known for measuring radio audiences, but also has had some success at figuring out how to measure media usage across different outlets, including the Web and mobile devices.

John J. Lewis, president of Nielsen's Americas business, said the combined capabilities of the two companies will provide better and more integrated insights for Nielsen's existing consumer-product group and media clients.

Harris Interactive President and Chief Executive Al Angrisani said the deal reflects the successful completion of the company's turnaround effort that started during July 2011.

Rochester Radio: WXXI Taps Evan Dawson For Mid-Days

Evan Dawson

Non-Com WXXI 1370 AM announced Monday that Evan Dawson will join its award-winning news team as host of the mid-day talk show.

“Evan will bring a fresh voice and new perspective to the talk show,” said Norm Silverstein, President of WXXI. “And, he’ll make a great addition to a news department that is invested in providing in-depth news on issues that concern our community.” WXXI listeners can hear Dawson beginning in January 2014.

Dawson will fill the host position left by Bob Smith, who announced he was stepping down from the midday talk show last August. Smith suffered a stroke in the spring, and is currently in long-term rehabilitative care.

Dawson comes to WXXI from 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor for the past six years. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.

CC Seeks to Extend Debt Deadline

Clear Channel Communications, Inc. announced Monday that it is seeking, subject to market and customary conditions, to extend $1.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of outstanding term loans B and C due January 2016 until July 2019.

The new extended term loans will have the same security and guarantee package as the outstanding term loans B, C and D. Consummation of the term loan extension is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, including the submission for extension of at least $1.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of outstanding term loans B and C and other customary closing documentation.

CCU also announced  it has commenced a private offer (the "Exchange Offer") to holders of CCU's outstanding 10.75% Senior Cash Pay Notes due 2016 and 11.00%/11.75% Senior Toggle Notes due 2016 to exchange any and all Outstanding Notes for its newly issued Senior Notes due 2021. The New Notes will be issued as "additional notes" under the indenture governing CCU's outstanding Senior Notes due 2021 that were issued on June 21, 2013. New Notes issued upon the initial settlement date for the Exchange Offer will, upon issuance, trade fungibly with the Existing 2021 Notes.

Penetration of Smartphones, Tablets Grows Among US Teens

Both smartphone and tablet use saw a large leap among US teenagers ages 13 to 17 between 2012 and 2013, according to an October 2013 survey from the nonprofit Family Online Safety Institute (FOFSI) conducted by Hart Research Associates, according to eMarketer.com.

The poll found that smartphone penetration jumped to 64% in 2013, from 43% the previous year, among this age group. The climb in tablet use was just as dramatic, climbing to 67% in 2013 from 45% in 2012. The survey also found that smartphone penetration was highest among males ages 16 to 17, at 74%.

Read More Now

Magid Says Video Prime Source of Communication

The world has changed and according to the researchers at Frank N. Magid Associates smartphones and tablets are now the heart of the connected content universe.

According to their research, 74% of Americans now own a smartphone. That figure jumps to 89% for those who are 18-34. As for tablets, 52% of us have them and 63% aged 18-34 have one. According to Magid for those 18-34 the gadgets are now the primary source of entertainment.

Not only that, but Magid believes video is now the primary source of communication. They cite the growth of Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Vine as showing that consumers are increasingly preferring to communicating through visual means. YouTube, Buzzfeed, and Reddit are top sources of informational content and transforming the way news is consumed, according to the researchers.

NJ Radio: WOND's Pinky Kravitz Celebrates 50-Years

Pinky Kravitz

Pinky Kravitz was celebrating 55 years in the broadcasting business, so naturally he was presented with a 55-pound cake — with the likeness of his personalized bobblehead doll drawn in icing.

Kravitz was at the Borgata Casino Hotel and Spa in Atlantic City, NJ last Friday for his special anniversary broadcast on WOND 1400 AM, complete with visits from morning host Don Williams — who credited Kravitz with his own radio career in the first place.

“Blame it all on him,” Williams joked. “Fifty-five years in our line of work is really admirable. All the awards and rewards he received in a highly competitive industry, he did it in a town you know is not an easy place to accomplish your life’s goals.”

Kravitz, who is also a Press of Atlantic City columnist, began his broadcast career on WLDB in 1958, “sitting in front of the Chelsea Hotel with 50 chairs in front of me, a mic and telephone on a table. And nobody called. The thing was, WLDB did not have equipment that would allow people listening on the radio to hear callers. I repeated what people said, and had to fake some calls when no one would call. ... I would argue with myself until someone called me.”

That first year, he interviewed Eleanor Roosevelt, who he had met while in the Army, as well as six-time Socialist presidential candidate Norman Thomas, and actress Joan Fontaine.

“I’ve had so many guests I’ve been fortunate to be able to get,” Kravitz said. “Atlantic City had conventions, always had big names. It just worked out pretty well.”

Read More Now

R.I.P.: Morning Personality Caroline Corley From WXPK the Peak

Caroline Mure Corley

Iconic Westchester morning show personality Caroline Corley died unexpectedly Monday, shortly after finishing The Morning Peak at Pamal Broadcasting's WXPK 107.1 FM The Peak, in Briarcliff Manor, NY., according to The Hudson Valley Reporter.

She was just 52.

“My former wife Caroline Mure Corley suddenly just died this morning. Apparently felt dizzy and a neighbor somehow got involved and called the medics who got there quickly,” Christopher Corley wrote, taking to social media to confirm the news. “But after working with her for somewhere around 30-45 minutes, they were unable to revive her. This was after she had done her morning show at 107.1 the Peak, which she loved doing.”

“Caroline was part of The Peak from its very first hours some 9 1/2 years ago. A brilliant broadcaster and seeker of truth, Caroline had the biggest personality of anybody I’ve ever met,” wrote WXPK PD Chris Herrmann, who voiced the late morning time slot after Corley.  "The Peak will never be the same without her. Rest In Peace my friend.”

Colleagues and fans flocked to her Facebook page to express condolences as word of her death spread, and shared stories about her irreverent wit and feisty personality.

“Thanks for sharing your colossal humor and personality with me and all the students you met in my radio classes. Quite an instant positive impression you made on all you met, everywhere you went. At a coffee shop, a parking lot, a store…..and of course, on the radio,” said Tom Zarecki, a DJ and adjunct professor at Western Connecticut University. “Your radio skills were always highly-polished and ready to drop on an unsuspecting person at a moment’s notice. But hey, that was part of the fun. To quote your favorite band the Stones, Caroline, from all of us, we know your memory will ‘Not Fade Away.’ That’s a promise. Thanks for everything, my friend. “

Her previous stops included WLIR and  Country WYNY. The cause of Corley’s death remains unknown.

November 26 In Radio History

In 1962…At EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, the Beatles recorded "Please Please Me" and "Ask Me Why." "Please Please Me" was a re-recording of the song in a more uptempo style after producer George Martin told the band that their original ballad version was "too bloody boring for words."

In 1969…At EMI's Abbey Road studios in London, John Lennon spent the afternoon mixing the Beatles songs "What's The New Mary Jane" and "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" with the intention of releasing them as the two sides of a Plastic Ono Band single. When this plan fell through, "Number" was released as the b-side of the Beatles' "Let It Be" single, making this the last time John Lennon was in the studio working on a Beatles song.

In 1973…Elton John released the single "Step Into Christmas."

In 1979...Dan Ingram did his first morning show at 77 WABC after many years as the afternoon drive personality.

In 2003...longtime Washington, D.C. Radio broadcaster, Eddie Gallaher, died at age 89. He worked at stations including WTOP-AM, WASH-FM, and WWDC-AM.

In 2009…Paul McCartney told a BBC interviewer that his concerts are a way of helping him "revisit" other members of the Beatles and his late wife Linda. "If I'm doing songs by the Beatles, I obviously remember the sessions when we recorded. Similarly with John and Linda - in a way you're kind of in contact with them again and it's sad, it's emotional."

R.I.P.: The Voice Of Richmond Mitch Malone Passes

Mitch Malone

Central Virginia radio personality Mitch Malone died Monday morning of natural causes, according to WTVR News.

James D. Mitchell, who was known as Mitch Malone on the radio, hosted the highly rated Quiet Storm radio show weeknights from 7 p.m. to midnight at Radio One-WKJS KISS 99.3 / 105.7 FM.

The Petersburg native graduated from Virginia State University and later served as music and sports director for the university radio station.

He also worked in several other markets, including Greensboro, Baltimore, Norfolk and Raleigh-Durham.


Additionally, Malone served as a fill-in traffic reporter on WTVR’s morning news in the early 2000s.

KISS-FM Vice-President and General Manager Linda Forem said Malone had one of the best and most soothing voices to ever grace Richmond radio or television.

READ ALSO: Radio Legends Document Music History: Click Here.

On Sunday, Malone posted what turned out to be his final Facebook entry:

Post by WTVR CBS 6 News.

iHeartRadio Launches 'AIR Chicago' Smooth Jazz Station

iHeartRadio and the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) today launched "AIR Chicago" - the first 24-hour-a-day airport radio station dedicated to keeping O'Hare and Midway travelers in tune with Chicago Department of Aviation information, airport traffic, weather, business news, smooth jazz music and much more.

Just in time for the busy holiday travel season, the approximately 85 million annual travelers going through O'Hare and Midway can now access "AIR Chicago" through iHeartRadio.com, www.flychicago.com and Clear Channel's local HD2 station - WKSC-FM/103.5 KISS FM.

"On behalf of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, we are proud that O'Hare and Midway, in partnership with Clear Channel, are the first airports to offer a radio station specifically devoted to keeping passengers in touch with real-time information," said Rosemarie S. Andolino, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation.

"AIR Chicago is a great example of our efforts to provide a 'best-in-class' experience for the millions of travelers who fly through our busy transportation hubs."