Tronc Changing Name Back to Tribune Publishing

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Tronc, the parent company of the Chicago Tribune, is changing its name back to Tribune Publishing Co.

The Chicago-based company, which also owns the Baltimore Sun; Hartford Courant; Orlando Sentinel; South Florida's Sun Sentinel; the New York Daily News; the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Md.; The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa.; the Daily Press in Newport News, Va.; and The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va., announced the decision Thursday. It ends a more than two-year run with the much-derided corporate moniker of Tronc.

The name change will take effect after the market closes Tuesday. Beginning Wednesday, the company’s stock will trade on the NASDAQ under the new ticker symbol TPCO.

The Tronc name was unveiled in June 2016, four months after technology entrepreneur Michael Ferro became non-executive chairman and the largest shareholder of the newspaper chain. The name, which stood for Tribune Online Content and was intended to be written in all-lowercase letters, quickly was ridiculed.

Tribune Publishing was the inaugural corporate name for the newspaper company, formed in August 2014 when the Tribune Co. publishing unit was spun off from its broadcast stations. The TV and radio stations took the Tribune Media name.

Tronc’s board approved the name change back to Tribune Publishing, which required filing an amended certificate of incorporation with Delaware and a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. No regulatory approval is needed.

“We are excited about the company rebranding to Tribune Publishing,” spokeswoman Marisa Kollias said in a statement. “It’s a nod to our roots, and a reinforcement of the journalistic foundation on which all of our news brands stand.”

The shedding of the Tronc name comes amid potential interest in the company’s acquisition.

California-based newspaper chain McClatchy, a publicly traded company that owns more than 30 newspapers in 14 states, HAS emerged as a potential buyer last month, according to sources familiar with negotiations.

The Donerail Group, a nascent New York-based investment firm headed by former Starboard Value executive Will Wyatt, has been in negotiations to buy Tronc since early August. Sources familiar with negotiations say Donerail has offered between $19 and $20 per share for Tronc, valuing the newspaper company at upward of $700 million.

Warner Music Nashville Adds James Marsh To WAR Team

James Marsh

Warner Music Nashville has announced a new member to its Radio & Streaming department: James Marsh has been named the National Director of the WAR team, effective October 22. He will report to VP Radio & Streaming Tom Martens, who recently vacated the role.

“I know that James will be a perfect addition to our Warner Music Nashville family and culture,” said Martens. “I’m confident that he will keep the WAR team’s momentum going strong and will add his own valuable insights and perspective.”

Marsh will oversee the radio and streaming efforts for the WAR roster, which currently includes Ashley McBryde, Bailey Bryan, Chris Janson, Dan + Shay and Frankie Ballard. The team boasts notable growth and milestone successes over the past few years, including multiple CMA nominations and chart-topping singles for Janson and Dan + Shay.

“James has an amazing energy for the job and a passion for living life that is perfect for leading the already incredible staff and roster of artists on the WAR team,” said SVP Radio & Streaming Kristen Williams. “It was insanely important to us that we find someone who was both capable of leading this rockstar group of regionals and could also fit perfectly with our driven and creative culture at Warner Music Nashville. James is the perfect complement to both, and we’re thrilled to announce his position!”

A Texas native, Marsh began his music career as an artist development rep at Universal Music Group in 2000. The following year he became a promotions manager at Island Def Jam, where he remained until 2006, and then transitioned to a Pop / Rock southwest regional role at Atlantic Records. He then spent four years as a National Director at Roadrunner before returning to regional positions at Warner Bros. Records and, most recently, Big Machine Label Group.

iHM's 'Jingle Ball Tour' To Hit the Road

iHeartMedia will once again celebrate the holiday season across the nation with its annual "iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour 2018 Presented by Capital One®."

The full artist line-up will be announced on October 9.  In advance, iHeartMedia and Capital One are excited to announce that Grammy Award winning artist, Alessia Cara will perform at select stops throughout the tour, joining previously announced performer Bebe Rexha.

For the fourth straight year, Capital One will be the national presenting partner for the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour.

The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Capital One Cardholder Pre-Sale begins on Wednesday, October 10 at 10 a.m. local time and runs through Saturday, October 13 at 10 a.m. local time, or while supplies last. 

“Jingle Ball is one of the best events of the holiday season as it brings together so many of today’s top artists for an unforgettable night. We know our customers will love the opportunity to have access to presale tickets and exclusive cardholder Premier Access Packages available in LA, Chicago & NYC, that will include access to a party with an intimate performance by a Jingle Ball artist, hospitality, and more!"  said Marc Mentry Chief Brand Officer at Capital One. “Capital One is proud to once again be the presenting sponsor of the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour.”

The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour Presented by Capital One will stop in Dallas; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Minneapolis; Boston; Philadelphia; New York; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Atlanta; Tampa and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

Pittsburgh Radio: KDKA's Marty Griffin Recovering After Setback

KDKA 1020 AM’s Marty Griffin is recovering after a setback during his cancer treatment, according to the station's website.

Earlier this week, Griffin received his second of three chemotherapy treatments. He also gets radiation and immunotherapy.

In a video Thursday, Griffin said after radiation, he felt “very wobbly” and had a fever of 103.7 and his blood pressure was in the low 50s. He called it the worst day of his cancer battle so far.

With a warming blanket and hooked up to oxygen, Griffin said he will recover but his doctors are not sure why he had such a high fever, and that they don’t think it is a side effect of the chemo.

“They have me on steroids, antibiotics and Tamiflu, in case it’s the flu because I have a really high fever. If it’s the flu it would’ve been the first case.”

She says they hope he will be moved out of the ICU this evening and that he is now laughing and texting.

Griffin has been getting treatments for a cancerous tumor near his throat. The HPV virus caused the cancer so since he found out about his diagnosis; he has been urging everyone to get their kids vaccinated for HPV.

30,000 new HPV cancer related cases are reported a year and Griffin says 98% of those cases can all be prevented with a vaccine given to children

October 5 Radio History

➦In 1912...Arthur Godfrey‘s longtime radio & TV announcer    and the original voice of “Tony the Tiger,” Tony Marvin was born in Brooklyn. He died Oct 10, 1998 at age 86.

➦In 1925...WSM-AM in Nashville, Tennessee began transmitting.

WSM 650 AM is marking their 93rd year in operation since 1925.

The open house will allow visitors to tour the transmitter facility, meet past and present WSM air personalities and have lunch.

WSM is primarily associated with the popularization of country music through its weekly Saturday night program, the Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running radio program in history.

The Opry began as the WSM Barn Dance in 1925, but after only about a year on the air, the program's host, "Judge" Hay, referred to the programming as being "Grand Ole Opry" in contrast to the preceding grand opera program on NBC.

In 1932, WSM boosted its power to 50,000 watts, becoming Tennessee's first clear-channel station.

In addition to its vast nighttime coverage area, the station boasts one of the largest daytime coverage areas in the country. It provides at least grade B coverage as far east as Chattanooga, as far north as Evansville, Indiana, as far west as Jackson, Tennessee and as far south as Huntsville, Alabama. Under the right conditions, it can be heard in nearly all of Tennessee and much of Kentucky, and can be picked up as far away as the fringes of the St. Louis area.

The station traditionally played country music in the nighttime hours, when listeners from around the United States would tune in. Before the advent of television, the station broadcast long-form radio (both local and NBC network) programs in addition to music. After television became popular (thus largely eliminating the audience for full-length radio programs), WSM adopted a "MOR" (middle of the road) music format during the daytime hours, and continued to play country music at night. It was not until about 1979 that WSM adopted the 24-hour country music format of today.

WSM is credited with shaping Nashville into a recording industry capital. Because of WSM's incredible reach, musical acts from all across the eastern United States would come to Nashville in the early decades of the station's existence, in hopes of getting to perform on WSM. Over time, as more acts and recording companies came to Nashville, the city became known as the center of the country music industry. Disc jockey David Cobb is credited with first referring to Nashville as "Music City USA", a designation that has since been adopted as the city's official nickname by the local tourism board.

WSM's unusual diamond-shaped antenna is visible from I65 just south of Nashville (in Brentwood). When the 878-foot tower was built in 1932, it was the tallest antenna in North America. Its height was reduced to 808 feet (246 m) in 1939 when it was discovered that the taller tower was causing self-cancellation in the "fringe" areas of reception of the station (it is now known that 195 electrical degrees, about 810 feet, is the optimum height for a Class A station on that frequency).

➦In 1934...the first major network radio show to originate from Hollywood was aired coast to coast. “Hollywood Hotel” on CBS was heavily promoted as being the first program broadcast from the US West Coast, and continued to do so weekly for the next four years.

➦In 1945..."Meet the Press" premiered on NBC radio.

➦In 1947…The first taped radio show, featuring a performance by singer/actor Bing Crosby, was broadcast on ABC. It served to demonstrate the capabilities of the new Ampex 200 tape recorder.

➦In 1950…Following three successful years on radio, the quiz show "You Bet Your Life," with host Groucho Marx, began its 11-year television run on NBC.

➦In 1952…After 11½ years on the air, the creaking door of "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" was heard for the last time as the series ended its run on ABC Radio.

Day 3: Nielsen Releases More September 2018 PPMs

Nielsen on Wednesday 10/03/18 released the third batch of  September 2018 PPMs results.  The markets  included are:

22  Portland OR

24  Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill NC
 

26  San Antonio

27  Sacramento

28  Pittsburgh

29  Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo

30  Las Vegas

31  Orlando

32  Cincinnati

34  Cleveland

35  Kansas City

36  Columbus OH

Click Here To View Topline Numbers For Subscribing Nielsen Stations.

Pandora Now Largest Digital Ad Publisher In U-S

Internet radio company Pandora Media Inc and music-sharing service SoundCloud said on Wednesday that Pandora will take over handling the U.S. advertising for SoundCloud.

According to Reuters, the deal illustrates how Pandora, best known for its streaming music service, is gaining a revenue stream by selling its back-end advertising technology to others. Under the deal, Pandora becomes the exclusive operator of SoundCloud’s advertising business. Financial details were not disclosed.

Last month, Oakland, California-based Pandora agreed to sell itself in a $3.5 billion all-stock deal to satellite radio company and part-owner Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

Pandora, which competes against Spotify Technology SA and Apple Inc’s Apple Music, has long offered free versions of its streaming music service supported by advertising.

In recent years, Pandora has been increasing its control over the back-end technology that lets advertisers place ads in front of targeted listeners, both for itself and elsewhere.

Earlier this year, Pandora bought AdsWizz, which makes such back-end systems, for $145 million. Before the deal, AdsWizz was handling advertising placements for a broad group of streaming services, including Spotify and Deezer, another rival.

Pandora has said it has the ability to place ads on about two-thirds of all digital audio inventory, making it the largest publisher of digital audio advertising in the United States.

SoundCloud is a privately held company where new, unsigned artists post and share their work. It has become central to the rap and hip hop worlds, with prominent artists like Chance the Rapper using the service early in their careers.

Collectively, Pandora and SoundCloud say their services reach 100 million listeners in the United States. Worldwide, Spotify has 83 million subscribers and Apple Music has 50 million.

DOJ Considers How To Best Implement New Music Royalty Rules

As the Justice Department considers an overhaul of music royalties rules, its top antitrust enforcer said on Wednesday that regulators are considering how to minimize disruption for streaming services and other players if they move to a new system of compensating artists.

Reuters reports the Justice Department, as part of a larger review, is reviewing two consent decrees from the 1940s that determine what digital streaming services, radio and television stations, bars and others pay Broadcast Music Inc, or BMI, and American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, or ASCAP, to play music.

At a Senate sub-committee hearing, Senator Orrin Hatch pressed Makan Delrahim, head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, to move cautiously if there was a decision to scrap the consent decrees, saying that abruptly cancelling them would be “a mistake.”

Delrahim, in response, said he recognized the potential problem. “We recognize the disruption and cost of just terminating without a proper transition period,” Delrahim told the antitrust panel of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Currently, a rate court in New York sets the royalties that ASCAP and BMI, which represent artists and music publishers, are paid. Companies that license music have worried about a sharp increase in costs if the system is changed because ASCAP and BMI license about 90 percent of music heard online and in movies, TV shows and bars.

Delrahim said at an event last week, “Absolutely (I) think that the marketplace should determine how much an artist gets paid.”

iHeartMedia Does $10M Pot Deal With High Times

iHeartMedia Inc. will trade up to $10 million worth of advertising inventory for a roughly 5% stake in the publisher of High Times, the 44-year-old marijuana magazine, offering the biggest U.S. radio broadcaster access to the nation’s growing number of cannabis consumers.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the deal, in which no cash is to change hands with Hightimes Holding Corp., provides the publisher with access to the media giant’s creative services and digital and radio advertising inventory as it gears up to sell shares to the public. High Times announced the transaction in a filing with Securities and Exchange Commission.

High Times leads in a sector “increasingly of interest to both iHeart listeners and the population in general,” said Joe Robinson, president of iHeartMedia Ventures.

“Cannabis at the end of the day is mainstream,” said High Times Chief Executive Adam Levin. “And iHeart has a huge mainstream appeal.”

Because of regulatory challenges at the federal level, big-brand association with cannabis has long been taboo. The deal with iHeart—along with Constellation Brands Inc.’s $4 billion investment into Canadian marijuana grower Canopy Growth Corp. this summer—signals that might be changing as more companies see the opportunity in connecting with a growing audience of cannabis users.

High Times is offering the public shares via a regulatory shortcut known as Regulation A+, which lets companies sell limited amounts of stock before listing it on a national exchange. Buyers of the shares can be both accredited and unaccredited investors, and companies typically face less stringent reporting requirements than in a typical IPO. High Times, seeking to offer its fan base ownership in its growing enterprise, already has $12.5 million committed from more than 9,000 investors.

Atlanta Radio: Trump Sign Causes Dust-Up At WYAY

WYAY 106.7 FM talk show hosts Shannon Burke and Kim “The Kimmer” Peterson told listeners that they were being forced to take down a “Trump 2020” banner from Talk 106.7 studios.

The bosses told them a visitor to another radio station saw the sign and felt triggered regarding her own sexual assault.

Burke in an interview found this hypocritical given that his supervisor Sean Shannon supports former NFL player Colin Kaepernick’s right to take a knee during the National Anthem against owner’s wishes. Yet Burke said he feels he has no choice but to take down anything political in the studio.

On air today, the Kimmer went on rant about it, saying Shannon asked him to help “keep the peace” by taking the sign down.



“What a disgrace,” he said. “We took down the banner for the sake of peace. What a bunch of freaking cowards!”

According to ajc.com, The Kimmer questioned the woman’s trigger, wondering if she is also triggered by Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby or Harvey Weinstein. Though many women have accused Trump of sexual assault, he has denied it all.

“Freakin’ fire me!” the Kimmer added. “This is appalling! This is disgraceful!”

Sean Shannon on Wednesday sent out a memo to staff which doesn’t address the Trump sign directly but asks employees the following:

"Please take care what you post on social media knowing many of your friends and followers work here in the office. Please take care in what you hang in your studio, your cubicle or your office. To the extent possible let’s keep our office an environment that is free of hard held stances and advocacy on issues." 

Shannon (as in the boss, not Shannon Burke), in a text, wrote, “We are a place of business first and foremost and I am simply saying that political displays are not appropriate. I would have an Obama or Clinton sign taken down as well.”

St. Louis Radio: Z107-7 Segment Causes Health Concern

During a radio segment this week called “Dirty Little Secret,” a woman claimed she lied to customers about gluten-free products at the bakery where she works.

Dana Smith said she was listening to iHeartMedia's CHR KCDZ Z1077 on her radio when the show went to a segment called “Dirty Little Secret.” A listener called in and said she worked at a bakery and lied to customers by telling them there was no gluten in the baked goods when there actually was, according to KTVI-Fox2 TV.

“I was fuming, I was infuriated,” Smith said.

Smith cannot eat gluten because she has celiac disease, which causes horrible intestinal and skin problems. What got Smith even angrier was the caller joked about people who skip gluten.

“It’s absolutely dangerous, somebody could get very sick,” she said.

Doctors said it’s vital for patients to remain gluten-free.

Smith went on the web to alert the celiac disease community in St. Louis. She said people who remain gluten-free are often the target of jokes and insults. Instead of taking the radio station to task, she used the incident to teach everyone.

Listeners may never know if the radio station caller’s story was true. The Z1077 morning team posted a comment later in the day, saying they did not intend to offend anyone, that they take the disease seriously. One host said his mom has celiac disease.

G-R Radio: Bruce Law To Manage Cumulus Cluster

Cumulus Media has  announces that it has appointed radio broadcasting executive Bruce Law as Vice President/Market Manager for its Grand Rapids, MI, radio station group.

Bruce Law

Law, a Michigan native, was previously President, Saga Communications of NC in Asheville, NC, where he also served as Vice President/General Manager. Prior to that, Law was Market President for Townsquare Media in Quad Cities, IA/IL.

Bob Walker, Executive Vice President, Operations, Cumulus Media, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Bruce back home to Grand Rapids. His passion for these brands and for Western Michigan is obvious and we are glad to have him on the team."

Law said: "I am excited to be back home in Grand Rapids working with brands I have admired since I started my career in radio. Thank you to Mary Berner and Bob Walker for this opportunity. I can't wait to get started."

Cumulus Media owns and operates five radio stations in Grand Rapids, including: Sports WBBL 107.3, CHR WHTS 105.3, News/Talk WJRW 1340 AM, Classic Rock  97 WLAV-FM and Country WTNR NASH FM 94.5.

Philly Radio: WPEN, NHL Flyers Extend Broadcast Deal

The Philadelphia Flyers and Beasley Media Group have announced a renewed broadcast partnership that includes WPEN 97.5 The Fanatic as the flagship station of the Flyers Radio Network, and WMMR 93.3 FM as a partner broadcast station as part of a multi-year partnership extension.

Since 2012, 97.5 The Fanatic and 93.3 WMMR have broadcast all Flyers preseason, regular season and Stanley Cup Playoff games, and that will continue into next season and beyond. In addition, new original Flyers programming will be introduced on a weekly basis on 97.5 The Fanatic during the 2018-19 season.  The first “Fanatic Flyers Weekly” hosted by Jason Myrtetus and Chris Therien will air this Thursday from 6-7 p.m.

Flyers radio broadcasts will also continue to be streamed in real time on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com, 975TheFanatic.com or 933WMMR.com, and corresponding mobile apps.

“Beasley Media Group and their staff with 97.5 The Fanatic and 93.3 WMMR have been great partners for us over the years, and we look forward to continuing this important relationship,” said Shawn Tilger, chief operating officer for the Philadelphia Flyers. “We’re also happy to work with The Fanatic on the new weekly show to expand Flyers content for Philadelphia sports fans in the region.”

“The Flyers have been part of the backbone of the Fanatic’s programming, so we look forward to continuing this great partnership,” said Joe Bell, vice president/market manager at Beasley Media Group. “The addition of the weekly show hosted by Jason Myrtetus allows us to provide an even deeper dive into Flyers Hockey.”

Fox Sports Radio Unveils New Weekend Lineup

Bucky Brooks and Kelvin Washington

Premiere Networks HAS announced a new weekend lineup on FOX Sports Radio (FSR) for the 2018 fall season. Effective immediately, FSR will feature programming dedicated to both college and professional football, including game-day previews, analysis, and interviews, hosted by a diverse ensemble of sports entertainment personalities, analysts, and former players.

Joining the fall lineup is five-year NFL veteran Bucky Brooks, who teams up with FSR personality Mark Willard to host Saturdays from 4 - 8 p.m. ET. Plus, veteran radio and TV sports personality Kelvin Washington partners with FSR’s Steve Hartman on Saturdays from 1 - 4 p.m. ET, and he also joins FSR weekend host and 13-Year NFL Veteran/NFC Champion Ephraim Salaam on Sundays to host Red Zone Radio from 5 - 8 p.m. ET.

 “Coupled with the recent additions of RJ Bell, Chris Broussard and Rob Parker to our weekday lineup, FOX Sports Radio has the best array of talent to provide thoughtful insight and entertaining commentary for all sports fans both on weekdays and weekends,” said Scott Shapiro, VP of Sports Programming for Premiere Networks. “When sports news breaks or action on the field develops, we are live 24/7 to provide instantaneous reaction with perspective and opinions from the best minds in the game.”

Additionally, the following former NFL players continue as hosts, giving listeners a comprehensive look at the weekend in both college and professional football: former Notre Dame Quarterback and first-round draft pick Brady Quinn (Sundays: 8 - 11 p.m. ET), three-time Pro Bowler Lincoln Kennedy (Saturdays: 6 - 10 a.m. ET), 13-year NFL veteran and NFC Champion Ephraim Salaam (Saturdays: 8 - 11 p.m. ET; Sundays: 5 - 8 p.m. ET), and six-year NFL veteran Rich Ohrnberger (Sundays: 1 - 5 p.m. ET).

As previously announced, Straight Outta Vegas with RJ Bell was launched in its new Monday through Friday, 6 - 7 p.m. ET timeslot on September 17, 2018, marking the historic debut of the first-ever national daily radio show focused on sports betting. As part of the expansion of the program, veteran radio/television personality Bernie Fratto joins the network to host the weekend version of Straight Outta Vegas on Sundays from 2 - 3 a.m. ET, and will feature the very best prognostications from throughout the week by the “Voice of Vegas” RJ Bell, along with famed betting experts Brad Powers and Steve Fezzik.

Finally, FOX NFL Sunday, America’s top NFL pregame show for the last 24 seasons, returned home to FSR with a simulcast on Sundays at 12 p.m. ET. FOX NFL Sunday is co-hosted by Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee with analysis from Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson, and Michael Strahan. FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer, comedic prognosticator Rob Riggle, rules analysts Mike Pereira and Dean Blandino also contribute. The FOX NFL Kickoff simulcast also returned on Sundays at 11 a.m. ET.

The hour-long program is hosted by Charissa Thompson and features analysts and contributors including FOX Sports Radio’s Colin Cowherd, Tony Gonzalez, Michael Vick, and Dave Wannstedt, with regular appearances from Cooper Manning and Peter Schrager.

Below is FSR’s 2018 fall lineup:

Every Pitch of the 2018 MLB Postseason on ESPN Radio

For its 21st consecutive season, ESPN Radio will broadcast every game of the MLB Postseason. MLB Postseason coverage on ESPN Radio.

ESPN Radio’s coverage of the National League Championship Series and American League Championship Series will begin on Oct. 12 and Oct. 13, respectively. ESPN Radio’s MLB Postseason coverage culminates with the 114th World Series beginning Tuesday, Oct. 23.

 A rotating team of Marc Kestecher, Kevin Winter, John Brickley and Jim Basquil will host 30-minute pre-game shows during the Division Series and a one-hour show during the Championship Series and World Series broadcasts on ESPN Radio.

 Audio from ESPN Radio broadcasts is available on the ESPN App and at ESPNRadio.com

 ESPN’s MLB studio show Baseball Tonight presented by Chevrolet, will also have regular nightly editions throughout the Postseason around midnight ET on ESPN2 and the ESPN App.

ESPN Radio commentator teams by series:

American League Division Series presented by T-Mobile
Boston Red Sox vs. Winner of AL Wild Card Game – Jon Sciambi, Jessica Mendoza
Houston Astros vs. Cleveland Indians – Dave Flemming, Jim Bowden

National League Division Series presented by Doosan
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Colorado Rockies – Dan Shulman, Chris Singleton
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves – Chris Berman, Rick Sutcliffe

American League Championship Series
Jon Sciambi, Jessica Mendoza

National League Championship Series
Dan Shulman, Chris Singleton

World Series presented by YouTube TV
Dan Shulman, Chris Singleton