Thursday, June 12, 2014

Boise Radio: The Mees Get Wake-up Duty At KXLT

Mee In The Morning
Husband-and-wife team Kevin and Brenda Mee, a morning radio staple since 1998, were shown the door during a programming shakeup at Country KIZN 92.3 FM Kissin’ in early February.

But now, they've reappeared on KXLT 107.9 FM Lite FM. Former morning host Lisa Adams has moved to the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. slot.


“It’s awesome to add them to our team,” says Kevin Godwin, regional vice president of station owner Townsquare Media. “They are a terrific morning show and just outstanding people. They are funny, kind and do a lot of work to help our community.


SATIRE: Styx Sue Radio Over Too Much Airplay

(Editor's Note: This is not a bonafide news story...it is a satirical piece..but, unfortunately, it is within the realm of possbility.)


Frustrated with their current lot in life, 1970’s arena rock stars Styx are suing over 420 classic rock radio stations, according to glossynews.com.

A lawsuit was filed in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday alleging financial fraud.

“We are just sick and tired of hearing our songs played over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again,” said an exasperated Shaw.

Styx used to fill large arena’s in the 1970’s with people who couldn’t get enough of their hit songs like “Come Sail Away” and “Babe.” Now they are lucky to fill up a bowling alley with their once loyal fan base.

Tommy Shaw
Fresh in the middle of their Native American casino tour, the band made the decision to sue the radio stations that once made them megastars. According to Shaw, radio is responsible for their downfall.

“I don’t know what radio programmer thought it would be a good idea to play this music over and over and over and over and over and over and over again for more than forty years, but if I find the son-of-a-bitch he is going to pay!

Maybe just maybe if you didn’t hear our songs on the radio every 90 minutes, there might still be a demand for our music and we might actually be selling records.

The band is suing 423 radio stations in the United States and Canada, asking for 25 cents for every song played over the radio since 1982. They picked 1982 as they figured most of their music should have run its course for radio airplay by that point.

The total amount of the lawsuit for 32 years of overplay is $14,821,920, and that’s a very conservative estimate of 3 songs per day per station.

Read More Now

Honda Spending 'Millions' on YouTube Music Channel


In a move sure to be closely watched, Honda said Wednesday it is committing millions of dollars to create its own YouTube music channel featuring recorded performances from dozens of live events and concerts, according to USAToday.

"We're going to get into the content business," says Tom Peyton, assistant vice president of advertising and marketing for American Honda.

Honda is teaming with concert promotors Live Nation, radio giant Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, Sean "Diddy" Combs Revolt, Vevo and YouTube in the initiative.

It will be called Honda Stage.

Though its highly ambitious, the effort is aimed in the end at selling cars to younger drivers. Honda has a slew of new models aimed at younger buyers on the way. It plans to start by promoting the new version of its Fit small car, then its new small, inexpensive crossover, the HRV.

Honda says music for its new channel will come from a number of sources.
  • Performers will put on concerts at the Honda Stage at the iHeartRadio Theater L.A. that it says will be promoted by Clear Channel on its radio stations.
  • Live Nation will put on several concerts across the country.
  • There will also be a Honda Stage at major events like Austin City Limits in Texas and the Governors Ball in New York.
  • Honda will continue its Civic Tour, now in its 13th year.
  • The Honda stage at the Revolt Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles will be broadcast on Revolt television.

Amazon Launches Streaming Service

Amazon Prime has launched Prime Music.

With Prime Music, Prime members have unlimited, ad-free access to over a million songs at no additional cost to their membership.

“When Prime launched nine years ago, the program offered Free Two-Day Shipping on one million items. Today, that selection has grown to over 20 million items. Prime Instant Video now offers unlimited streaming of more than 40,000 movies and TV episodes, up from 5,000 at launch three years ago. And the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library now features more than half a million books to borrow for free,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO.

Jeff Bezos
“Today we’re introducing Prime Music—more than a million songs from some of music’s best artists, plus hundreds of expert-programmed Prime Playlists, all at no additional cost. Prime Music is the latest great addition for Prime members and we think they’re going to love it.”

What Prime Music means for Prime members:
  • Your music collection just got a lot bigger—for free with Prime: Over a million songs from artists like Daft Punk, P!nk, Bruno Mars, Blake Shelton, The Lumineers, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna, and hundreds of Prime Playlists, are now available for streaming and offline playback at no additional cost to your Prime membership, with new music added all the time.
  • Your mix. Your music: Mix Prime Music songs with your own personal music collection to create the library you’ve always wanted.
  • You be the DJ or let us be the DJ—it’s your choice: Build the perfect playlist by choosing songs you already love or songs you just discovered through Amazon’s personalized recommendations. Or, just sit back and listen to one of our hundreds of Prime Playlists designed for all types of genres, occasions, artists, moods and activities, like “Feel Good Country,” “Bad Boy Rock,” “Beards & Baristas: Indie Beats,” “Hip-Hop Workout,” “'90s One-Hit Wonders,” and many others.
  • No interruptions from ads: Enjoy an ad-free listening experience with unlimited skips and repeat plays.
  • Listen where you want: Enjoy Prime Music on Kindle Fire HD/HDX, iOS, Android, PC, Mac and any Web browser.
  • Take it offline: Download your favorite songs and Prime Playlists for offline playback on mobile devices. With offline playback, you can enjoy your music wherever you are—and you can avoid costly data plan charges.
Prime members in the U.S. can start listening to Prime Music today at www.primemusic.com.

SBCA Issue Q3 Guidance Report

The Southern California Broadcasters Association (SCBA) has published its SCBA Quarterly Market Guidance Report for Q3 for clients, advertising agencies, media buying services and its Radio member stations.

The SCBA Quarterly Market Guidance Report is a comprehensive look into Southern California Radio listenership trends, key advertising category trends, regional economic trends, competitive analysis, relevant industry trends, research highlights, and SCBA recommendations for Q3 Radio advertising strategies. The report is published prior to the start of each quarter and is designed to be used as a planning and buying roadmap for Radio advertisers who are trying to understand the upcoming quarter’s important market and Radio trends in Southern California.

“The demand for our SCBA Quarterly Market Guidance Report keeps growing,” said SCBA President Thom Callahan. “So much so that we moved up our release date for the Q3 report to accommodate the many requests received. As the nation’s number one Radio revenue market, the need for substantive Radio information to help guide the market needs to be out there ASAP,” said Callahan.

“Our member stations and clients can execute their plans using credible, relevant information about Southern California Radio and the many factors that impact our dynamic region,” said Callahan. “In the end, all parties will gain from this report, including Radio itself.”

The SCBA Quarterly Market Guidance Report provides market and business trends as well as regional information from a variety of sources including The Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, The California Department of Employment, The Regional Business Journals, Miller Kaplan Arase X-Ray data reports and market summary reports, Nielsen Audio, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Scarborough data, and up-to-the-minute local and regional market intelligence from its 175 member radio station network.

Read The Specifics: Click Here.

R.I.P.: Longtime Country Personality Lee Rogers

Lee Rogers
Country Radio Hall of Famer Lee Rogers passed away Wednesday while in hospice care.

He was 67-years-old and suffered a serious stroke last week in Sandy,  Oregon.

Rogers has  40-year career in radio which included  Country KMPS/Seattle, KEEY/Minneapolis, WQIK Jacksonville, Fl and KUPL Portland, where he served 15 years as OM, PD and morning personality.

Rogers suffered the first of a series of strokes in 2009 and had recently relocated to Sandy, OR.

Country consultant Jaye Albright paid tribute to Rogers:  "Lee loved guitars, nightclubs, country music, radio, family and his many, many friends with myriad associations from each of those things.  To say that he was bigger than life and a people person would be gross understatements."

R.I.P.: Former WGN Personality Bill Berg

Bill Berg was a popular afternoon-drive talk show host on WGN-AM radio in the 1970s who also filled in on Cubs and Bears broadcasts.

Bill Berg
He was 77, according to The Chicago Tribune and died of complications from Parkinson's disease May 20.

Berg's first radio job was with a station in a small town in Illinois, she said. He then worked at stations in Springfield, Lafayette, Ind., Detroit and Milwaukee before moving to Chicago in May 1966 to host an overnight program called "Nightwatch" on WIND.

In 1969, Mr. Berg began, hosting and producing a nightly sports talk radio show at WIND and working as its sports director. He also moderated a talk show featuring then-Cubs manager Leo Durocher.

In August 1971, Mr. Berg joined WGN as its afternoon drive-time music and talk show host.

"Bill was one of those guys that loved coming to work," said retired WGN on-air host Roy Leonard, who shared an office with Mr. Berg at WGN. "He always came to work with a smile and was eager to look forward to the day."

Mr. Berg generated strong ratings at WGN during the 1970s.

Read More Now

June 12 In Radio HIstory


In 1851...early Radio pioneer, Oliver Joseph Lodge, was born in England.

John Lodge
He was a British physicist and writer involved in the development of key patents in wireless telegraphy.

On 14 August 1894, at a meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Oxford University, Lodge gave a lecture on the work of Hertz (recently deceased). 

There he conducted a demonstration of Hertzian (radio) based wireless telegraphy, transmitting messages between two buildings, showing their potential for communication.   

This was one year before Marconi demonstrated his system for radio wireless telegraphy.


In 1947…After nine years as a 15-minute radio serial on WXYZ-Detroit, "Challenge of the Yukon" expanded to a 30-minute format and began its 11-year network run, eight years on radio – first on ABC, then on the Mutual Broadcasting System – followed by three years on CBS-TV, with episodes mostly filmed in Ashcroft, Colorado. In 1951, the show was re-named "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon."


In 1955…Monitor debuts on the NBC Radio Network. The weekend program "Monitor," the brainchild of NBC radio and television network president Sylvester "Pat" Weaver, began its 19½-year run on NBC Radio. The initial broadcast lasted eight hours. After an introduction by Weaver, news headlines from Dave Garroway and a routine by Bob and Ray, Garroway cued a music remote featuring live jazz by Howard Rumsey and the Lighthouse All-Stars at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California.



In 1989…Former disc jockey Vivian Carter, co-founder with Jimmy Bracken (later her husband) of Vee-Jay Records (the label name formed from their initials) died following a stroke and complications from diabetes at the age of 69. Vee-Jay was the largest black-owned label of the 1950s and over its 13-year lifespan had a talent roster that included the Spaniels, the Dells, Jimmy Reed, Rosie & The Originals, John Lee Hooker, Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, Betty Everett, Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler, the 4 Seasons and, briefly, the Beatles. Vee-Jay went bankrupt in 1966.


In 2007…Citadel took  control of Disney/ABC radio stations


In 2013…Veteran radio personality/programmer (WLS-Chicago, WDRQ-Detroit, WXTR-Washington, WIZF-Cincinnati, WLHT, WTRV and WGVU-Grand Rapids) Bill Bailey died of a heart attack at age 66.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Judge Reverses Ruling: Meds Can Be Withheld From Casey

Casey Kasem
The tumultuous family feud swirling around Casey Kasem took another sharp turn Wednesday as a judge reversed a previous ruling ordering doctors to artificially feed and hydrate the ailing radio legend, according to NBC News.

In a statement, Kasem’s eldest daughter, Kerri Kasem, said: “The court’s decision today upheld our father’s explicit wishes as expressed by him in his health directive.”

 In the ruling Wednesday, attorney Troy Martin told The Associated Press, Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy found that giving Kasem food and fluids would be harmful and cause more pain for the iconic DJ.

LA Radio: Nielsen Expects To Issue May Data Next Week

NielsenAudio has announced the delayed release of the May PPMs data for Los Angeles is expected to be released next week.

Along with the monthly data, Nielsen also delayed release of Week4 information that is also used to compile the monthy results.

The company also made a surprise announcement that the April PPMs figures would also be reissued.

Nielsen's statement:
"After reviewing preliminary data for the Nielsen Audio Los Angeles PPM market, we discovered inconsistencies with the household ratings that led us to conduct a more in-depth analysis of the data. Based on this review, Nielsen has decided to remove a household from the panel for not meeting our quality standards.  May monthly and week-four data for the LA PPM market will be released on Tuesday, June 17th. 
Nielsen will also reissue the April monthly report by Thursday, June 19th. No other data is affected. 
Nelsen  is committed to upholding the highest standards of data integrity and acts swiftly to meet those standards. We will continue to work closely with our clients and the MRC to manage this isolated situation."
No other information about the PPM data was offered by Nielsen.

Report: AC P1s Want Their FM Chips

Having an FM tuner in their cell phone would lead nearly one in four Adult Contemporary radio P1 listeners (23%) to significantly increase their radio listening, as compared to 17% of all radio listeners with a cell phone, according to the Edison Research Media blog.

That is one key finding from “The Infinite Dial 2014: A Look at Adult Contemporary P1s.” The new report is the latest in the continuing series of format breakouts from Edison Research’s influential “Infinite Dial” study, released in March of this year.

Respondents to Edison Research’s 2014 “The Infinite Dial” were asked to name the radio station they listen to most, each of which was individually coded by format. The Adult Contemporary breakouts are based on 106 listeners age 12 and older who named an Adult Contemporary or Hot AC outlet as their P1 station.

Adult Contemporary P1s are more likely than the average for P1s to all formats to have a profile on social media (72% to 67% overall).

One key finding of The Infinite Dial is that 80% of listeners to AM/FM radio feel listening to commercials is a fair trade for free radio, with even more Adult Contemporary P1s agreeing with that statement (87%).


Keeping up-to-date with music is important to 55% of Adult Contemporary P1s, compared to 47% of the total sample age 12 and older. And among this group who says it is important to keep current with music, a larger number than average say they use AM/FM radio to find out about music (89% of Adult Contemporary P1s versus 75% among the total).

CBS To Divest Ownership In Outdoor


CBS has announced plans to fully divest its 81% ownership in CBS Outdoor Americas Inc. through an exchange offer that is expected to be tax-free for participating shareholders in the U.S.

The exchange offer is anticipated to be the final step in the separation of CBS Outdoor following its initial public offering in April. Upon the split-off, CBS Outdoor intends to convert into a real estate investment trust.

"We are very pleased to be taking this step toward completing our strategic transaction," said Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation. "We fully believe that CBS Outdoor will continue to be successful as a stand-alone company. And for our part, CBS Corporation can focus on what we do best, which is invest, produce and distribute premium content across all platforms and all around the world."

"CBS has been a great owner for many years, but as a wholly independent company, we believe we can take CBS Outdoor to new heights," said Jeremy Male, Chief Executive Officer, CBS Outdoor. "Our expected REIT conversion is an opportunity to create additional long-term value for our shareholders. We're very excited about our future."

Philly Radio: Country WXTU Jumps To #1 18-34

WXTU #1 18--34
WEAZ-FM Radio's AC WBEB 101.1 FM still sits atop the radio mountain despite a flat month in the May PPMs 8.0—8.0. CBS Radio Classic Hits WOGL 98.1 FM moved up to #2 with a 5.9--6.3.

Greater Media's Rock WMMR 93.3 FM moved 5.6—6.0 up to #3. 

Last month, Beasley's Country WXTU  92.5 FM celebrated PD Shelly Easton's birthday with it best monthly in over a year. In May, the station's 6.1-5.9 placed it in the #4 spot 6+.

CCM+E Urban AC WDAS spiked 4.8—5.7 to claim the #5 spot.

25-54: WMMR...WBEB...WXTU...WOGL...WRFF

18-34: WXTU...WUSL...WBEB...WMMR...WRFF

18-49: WMMR...WBEB...WXTU...WUSL...WRFF

Cume: WBEB-FM 1,695,100...WOGL-FM 1,190,600...WIOQ-FM 1,158,600...WMGK-FM 1,080,100...WISX-FM 1,011,700


Also worthy of note: CBS Radio's All-News KYW 1060 AM had another trough outing.  In the past three months, KYW 6+ share has dropped  6.0-4.5-4.0.  Cume has dropped  1,025,100...898,500...880,800 during the same time frame.

DC Radio: News WTOP Increases Lead Over WAMU

#1 In Cume
Hubbard's Newser WTOP 103. FM is the Nation's Capital #1 station for the fifth straight month with an 8.0—8.1 uptick 6+ in the May PPMs. American Univversity's N/T WAMU lost some ground moving 7.0—6.9.

CCM+E Top 40 WIHT 95.5 FM Hot, was off a bit 6.7--6.6 to claim the #3 spot. Howard University's Urban AC WHUR 96.3 FM was down 5.9--5.6 to remain at #4 and in a tie with CCM+E AC WASH 97.1 FM, which jumped 5.0—5.6.

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

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

18-49: WIHT...WASH...WWC...WAMU...WTOP tie WHUR

Cume: WIHT-FM 1,323,800...WASH-FM 1,279,700...WTOP-FM 1,246,200...WIAD-FM 949,000...WBIG-FM 938,000


Nielsen Releases May PPMs For More Marketa

Nielsen Tuesday released another batch of May PPMs for 12 markets, including
  • Washington
  • Boston
  • Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood
  • Detroit
  • Seattle-Tacoma
  • Phoenix
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul
  • San Diego
  • Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
  • Denver-Boulder
  • Baltimore
  • St. Louis
To see the Topline Numbers for Nielsen subscribing stations: Click Here.