Boston Radio: FCC Proposes Heavy Fines For 2 Radio Pirates

The FCC proposed hefty fines Thursday on two separate Boston-area pirate radio operators for allegedly broadcasting without a license, reports Fox Business.

“Both operators ignored repeated warnings and continued to broadcast and interfere with licensed radio stations for years,” Ajit Pai, chairman of the agency, said in a video statement posted on YouTube. “This should serve as a yet another warning that we will not stand by as the law is being broken.”

The first fine was levied on Gerlens Cesar, who operates Radio TeleBoston, for apparent unlicensed and unlawful broadcasting. It was $453,015, according to the FCC.

Cesar used three separate broadcasting transmitters, which resulted in three separate violations of the law, according to the memo. In response, the FCC proposed imposing the statutory maximum forfeiture amount for each violation, which was the “largest fine ever proposed by the FCC against a pirate radio operation,” according to the agency.

Radio TeleBoston simulcasts on three unauthorized transmitters on two different frequencies, the FCC said. That could cause interference on Boston FM dials and interfere with licensed communications and public safety announcements.

The second fine of $151,005 was given to  Acerome Jean Charles, the operator of Radio Concorde, for his alleged unlicensed broadcasts.

The Communications Act prohibits certain broadcasts without a license from the FCC.

“Many pirate radio broadcasts have cropped up that can, and do, interfere with licensed radio signals and other services,” he continued. “This is why we’ve taken major enforcement against pirate radio operators, especially in and around cities,” like in Boston.

The FCC said it received a complaint from a local licensed broadcaster, which they traced back to Radio Concorde and issued several unanswered warnings to stop transmission.

United Stations, ACM Talent Form Partnership

United Stations has announced that the company has closed an exclusive deal to partner with leading voiceover management company, ACM Talent, to offer radio stations superior voiceover talent for their imaging needs.

ACM’s roster of “Radio Voices” imaging talent will be offered to radio stations coast to coast. The announcement of this unique and trailblazing partnership comes jointly from United Stations EVP/Programming, Andy Denemark, in New York and from ACM Talent Co-Founder, Marc Guss, also in New York.

Regarding the new partnership, USRN’s Andy Denemark commented, “Radio imaging has long been one of the key on-air components of how a radio station establishes its value proposition to its listeners, and production tools have been part of our arsenal for our affiliates for a long time as well.  But, up until now, we didn’t have a consistent offering on the voice talent front, and we are thrilled that we do now.  I’ve known Marc since he pioneered the business of radio imaging representation at William Morris. The trusted talent management team at ACM are the industry standard.” 

Marc Guss added, “The area of radio imaging has always been a passion of mine. This alliance will redefine the possibilities for all radio imaging talent who will have ACM voiceover representation and support in all categories across the entire VO spectrum. I’ve known Andy and the team at United Stations for a long time, and we’re equally thrilled that ACM has grown to a point where an arrangement such as this one with a network who embodies a top notch creative and sales force makes sense.”

ACM Talent is the nation’s leading voiceover representation company providing curated talent in all areas of voiceover including commercials, movie trailers, TV and corporate narrations, on-air promos, animation and radio imaging.  Founded in 2012 by talent agency executives, Marc Guss and Phil Sutfin, ACM’s depth and experience is unparalleled in the industry.  For more information about ACM Talent, go to acmtalent.com.

United Stations Media Networks, Inc. is a division of United Stations, America's leading independently owned and operated radio network.   United Stations currently produces and distributes dozens of format-specific programs and services accounting for over 6000 affiliations with commercial radio stations across the country.  The New York-based company maintains programming, sales and affiliate marketing offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Washington and Nashville and was founded in 1994 by radio pioneers Dick Clark and Nick Verbitsky.

Houston Radio: Mega 101 Raises $400K+ For Children's Hospital

Jose Arias, Sarah Muñoz, Sandra Silliman, Tony Luna, Gerry Fernandez, Liz Arreola, Veronica Bonilla,
Yasely Carrizales, Hugo Becerril, and Jasmine Bass (Photo Courtesy of Entercom)

Entercom's KLOL Mega 101 raised $408,193 to benefit Texas Children’s Hospital during its 9th annual “Mega Radiothon.”

“I am thankful to our faithful listeners that helped us achieve our goal,” said Sarah Frazier, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Houston. “Texas Children’s Hospital delivers selfless, admirable work and we are honored to be able to contribute to their efforts of providing medical resources for children in the community.”

The “Mega Radiothon” was broadcast live from the Mega 101 FM studio from 5:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, December 5 and Friday, December 6. The event was also televised on Telemundo Houston (KTMD-TV). Programming included an interview with special guest and former patient at Texas Children’s Hospital, Leo, who shared his story with on-air host Liz Arreola.

All funds raised benefit Texas Children’s Hospital to offer services to children in the local community who would otherwise not have access to proper medical attention. Texas Children's Hospital is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create a healthier future for children and women by leading in patient care, education and research.

Recording Academy To Adopt Task Force Suggestions

The Recording Academy has announced it will implement recommendations outlined by the Recording Academy Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, which were detailed in a report released Thursday.

Those recommendations include restructuring its Board of Trustees to ensure that music creators from the broadest range of ages, backgrounds, genders, genres, crafts and regions are fully represented within the organization’s leadership.

The Task Force, led by Tina Tchen, offered a report outlining several recommendations relating to the Recording Academy’s operations and internal policies, to organizational structure, nominee committee procedures, voting procedures and nomination qualifications.

Tina Tchen

One of the key Task Force recommendations is that the Academy implement a ranked choice voting system to determine Grammy Award nominees and winners in key categories including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. A ranked choice system allows voters to rank candidates on a ballot in order of preference and is designed to ensure as many voters as possible will help elect a candidate they support.

The Task Force also recommends the Academy better engage and involve the Professional Members in Academy operations and governance. As the Grammys are the only peer-based award in the music industry, Professional members–including long-time music industry execs who do not themselves create music–do note vote on the Grammy Awards. Professional members can only make up 20% of the Governors in a given Chapter and are not eligible to serve on any National Committee other than the Membership Committee (and on that committee can only be one of three additional members) and cannot hold a number of key leadership positions at the Chapter and national levels. However, the Professional Members are more demographically diverse than Voting Members. In October 2019, while female only made 22% of the Academy’s voting members, females make up 38% of the Academy’s Professional members. The Professional Membership is also more racially diverse.

The report stated that in 2018, shortly following the formation of the Task Force, only 20% of Recording Academy voters were female. The racial diversity numbers were only slightly better, with significant under-representation in the Asian-American and Hispanic communities. 40% of the academy’s voting members are producers and engineers, while the percentage of female producers and engineers that are also academy voters is 12 percent. As of October 2019, 22% of the Recording Academy’s voters are female.

Report: Murdoch Buys 'Beverly Hillbillies' Mansion

Some know it as “The Beverly Hillbillies” mansion, others as Chartwell. Now, it has a new name: California’s chart-topper, reports The LA Times.

The Bel-Air residence of late media mogul A. Jerrold Perenchio has sold for the highest price in California history, about $150 million. The buyer is Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch and co-chairman of publishing company News Corp., The Times has confirmed.

Lachlan Murdoch

Although the exact number isn’t clear, people familiar with the deal who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to comment told The Times the closing price was well above the $119.75-million sale of the Manor in Holmby Hills earlier this year.

Priced as high as $350 million as a pocket listing, the estate centers on a 1930s French neoclassical-style chateau of 25,000 square feet that sits on 10 acres. Also trading in the deal was the former home of President Reagan and his wife, Nancy, which sits behind the main estate.

Classic television watchers may recognize Chartwell as the home of the Clampett family from the credits of the sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies” (it was not used in the actual filming of the series). However, in real estate circles, it has long been considered among L.A.’s great estates.

FCC Supports 3-Digit National Suicide Hotline

A three-digit suicide prevention hotline number will soon make seeking emergency mental health help more like calling 911, federal regulators announced Thursday.

When the months-long process is completed, U.S. residents will be able to call 988 for help in a mental health emergency, just as 911 connects people in need to first-responders for other emergencies.

Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 800-273-TALK (8255). That number routes callers to one of 163 crisis centers, where counselors answered 2.2 million calls last year, acfording to USAToday.

“The three-digit number is really going to be a breakthrough in terms of reaching people in a crisis,” said Dwight Holton, CEO of Lines for Life, a suicide prevention nonprofit. “No one is embarrassed to call 911 for a fire or an emergency. No one should be embarrassed to call 988 for a mental health emergency."

A Thursday release from the Federal Communications Commission says formal rule-making on the 988 number has begun — it's a process that started with a congressional statute in 2018 and was the subject of an FCC report released in August.

So far, the FCC has only proposed requiring all telephone service providers to accommodate the 988 number within 18 months. The next step is a comment period on the implementation, including the project's timeframe.

R.I.P.: Bob Kopler, Veteran Pittsburgh Radio Reporter

Former Pittsburgh radio broadcaster and newsman Robert “Bob” Kopler, who began a trend-setting radio career at age 15 in Johnstown, Pa., has died at the age of 81, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Bob Kopler

“When he delivered news, it captured your attention,” said P.J. Kumanchik, current news director of KDKA radio in Pittsburgh and a colleague who worked alongside Mr. Kopler for more than 30 years. “The efficiency of how he wrote things and how he delivered it was magic.”

Kopler spent more than 45 years in the Pittsburgh media market and won numerous awards as a radio broadcaster. His last 19 years on the air were with KDKA-AM radio as the morning news anchor.

“He was the ultimate news guy,” Mr. Kumanchik said. “He had a desire to put out information quickly and efficiently.”

“And he had a voice like no other. A booming, authoritative voice,” he said.

The notable news personality possessed a demeanor that was “extremely professional” and serious when it came time to deliver the news, his colleagues said. “He’s a guy that would push the limits and boundaries,” Mr. Kumanchik said.

But “when you peel back the layers of the onion, Bob had a real soft side to him,” Kumanchik said. “He was very committed to his wife Sandy and his two boys. He was a good man. The news industry lost a good news man.”

R.I.P.: Pete Combs, Longtime Atlanta Radio Reporter

WSB Website Screen shot

Longtime WSB Radio, Atlanta Reporter Pete Combs has died after a short illness.

According to WSB radio, he was diagnosed with lung cancer in September, just over a month after his 60th birthday and was in hospice care near Atlanta when he died.

Combs had two stints at WSB. He reported and anchored for the heritage news station from 2006-2015, and returned in May, 2018 to report for WSB and ABC News Radio, covering events in Atlanta and the Southeastern US. In between, he reported and anchored for KOMO-AM, Seattle. Combs also reported for CBS News Radio as a freelance journalist from 2003-2015.

His earlier career path was typical of many broadcasters, who tend to move from city to city. There were stops in Tulsa, Pittsburg and Topeka, Kansas, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Dallas, Charlotte and other towns. He was a journalist for many legendary news operations including WGST-AM, Atlanta, KRLD-AM and the Texas State Network, Dallas, USA Radio News, Dallas, WINK-AM Fort Myers, FL, and WBT-AM, Charlotte. He also reported for TV station in Charlotte and Tulsa during the early 1990s.

After his arrival in Atlanta in 2006, WSB sent him to big stories in the region-and occasionally to far flung places. His last travel assignment was to cover Hurricane Dorian as it approached the Carolina coast last summer for ABC and WSB.

CBS News Radio Correspondent Peter King covered several stories with Combs, and remembers sharing a hotel room with him in Kenner, Louisiana, during the BP Gulf oil spill. He says, “One morning, Pete was doing live reports for several of the Cox radio stations, not just WSB. He was really scrambling to keep up and was SO busy, he had a network reporter-me-fetching his coffee every few minutes! He never let me forget that I’d been his ‘coffee boy’ for a morning!” King says they had already become lifelong friends in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley in 2004, and though they often lived in separate states, he says they saw each other often on assignment-or during personal visits.

“He was a fine reporter, extremely industrious, and never turned down an assignment. He was dedicated to a fault. But he was also a good human being and our bond went far beyond our work. We helped each other through all kinds of personal and professional things and you couldn’t have found a better listener than Pete.”

Combs’ career includes 5 Edward R Murrow Regional Awards, and nearly three dozen other awards from Associated Press Broadcasters Associations in Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma as well as other organizations starting in 1985.

December 13 Radio History

➦In 1897...Andrew Russell Pearson born (Died at age 71  – September 1, 1969). He was one of the best-known American columnists of his day, noted for his syndicated newspaper column "Washington Merry-Go-Round," in which he criticized various public persons.

Drew Pearson

From 1935 to 1936, Pearson and Robert S. Allen broadcast a 15-minute program twice a week on the Mutual Broadcasting System. They continued with a 30-minute music and news show, Listen America, in 1939–40, ending this partnership in 1941.

Pearson continued alone on NBC with Drew Pearson Comments from 1941 to 1953. His commentary was broadcast through 1968 on the now-defunct Intermountain Network.

In addition to radio, Pearson appeared in a number of Hollywood movies. In 1952 and 1953, Pearson hosted The Drew Pearson Show on the ABC and DuMont TV networks.

The "Merry-Go-Round" column started as a result of the Pearson's anonymous publication in 1931 of the book, Washington Merry-Go-Round, co-written with Allen, the Washington bureau chief for The Christian Science Monitor. The book was a collection of muckraking news items concerning key figures in public life that challenged the journalistic code of the day.

According to his one-time partner, Jack Anderson, Pearson saw journalism as a weapon to be used against those he judged to be working against the public interest.When forced to choose between a story's accuracy and Pearson's desire to pursue a person whose views he disliked, Pearson had no qualms about publishing the story anyway. He faced 50 libel suits during his 40 year career, but lost only one.

➦In 1924...KOA-AM, Denver, Colorado, signed-on. KOA was originally owned by General Electric. The station started with 5,000 watts, and in 1927, increased to 12,500 watts. In the early 1930s, power was raised to the current level of 50,000 watts. KOA is the dominant clear-channel station on 850 AM.

At night the signal can be heard in over 30 states of the U.S. and over most of Canada and Mexico. KOA sometimes can be picked up in California, and is usually picked up in Central Washington state, both locations are west of the Rocky Mountains, an obstacle that prevents most east coast radio stations from traveling west of the Rockies. KOA is frequently heard in northern Europe, Australia and Japan, and is one of the most frequently reported stations worldwide.

John Stroebel

➦In 1926...WWVA Wheeling signed-on.  WWVA began broadcasting at 2 a.m. when John Stroebel threw the switch that sent power to a home-built 50-watt transmitter in the basement of his home. One week earlier, the Federal Radio Commission had granted a broadcast license on 860 kHz to the radio station WWVA. In its first year of operation, it broadcast to listeners with home-made crystal sets, principally from Stroebel's own home.

Through the years, WWVA has been granted several power increases. In May 1941, the FCC moved WWVA to 1170, and in August of that same year, granted it the highest power for AM stations: 50,000 watts. With the increase, WWVA became the most powerful AM station in the entire state of West Virginia.

WWVA has changed hands many times over the years. Past owners include Fidelity Investments, West Virginia Broadcasting Corporation, Storer Broadcasting, Basic Communications, Screen Gems Radio - a division of Columbia Pictures, Coca-Cola, Price Broadcasting, Osborn Communications, Atlantic Star Communications, AMFM Inc., and Clear Channel Communications, now iHeartMedia.

➦In 1926...KXL 400 meters (749.6 K.C.) signed on the air with 250 watts.  KXL’s inaugural broadcast hit the airwaves on December 13, 1926 from the top floor of the Mallory Hotel, beginning with a concert from the Mallory Orchestra. The second hour began with dance music presented by the Lyle Lewis Orchestra.

On September 20, 1927, KXL moved into the “Rose Studio” on the seventh floor of the Bedell Building which featured a plate glass wall for public viewing from the reception room. KXL celebrated the move with a 40 hour broadcast dedication.

Alpha Broadcasting, a newly formed company owned by Larry Wilson, purchased KXL in 2009.  In 2011, KXL’s news/talk programming on 750 AM began simulcasting on 101.1 FM, the former KUFO-FM now called KXL-FM.  KXL’s news/talk format moved exclusively to the FM signal a few months later.  The 750 AM frequency became KXTG-AM, airing a sports talk format.

➦In 1934...Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman, one of the most popular husband-and-wife teams in the history of country music, were married. Lulu Belle and Scotty were regulars on the National Barn Dance radio show, which originated from WLS in Chicago, from 1933 to 1958. Scotty Wiseman wrote the country music standard “Mountain Dew,” as well as the duo’s biggest hit, “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?”

➦In 1974...M-C Flashbacks to the year-ender edition of Radio&Records from December 13, 1974.  If you remember, StreetTalk, Parallels...then you remember R&R. The Back Page Chart shows quite a variety...everything from Jethro Tull to Bobby Vinton!

To Read More of this R&R Issue: Click Here.

➦In 1983...Bonneville Broadcasting Co. purchased KYA and the call letters were changed to KOIT.

KYA went on the air Saturday, December 18, 1926, broadcasting from the Clift Hotel, San Francisco airing initially on 970 kc. with 500 watts, but it was planned to later increase its power to 20,000 watts.  In 1941, the station shifted to 1260 AM

In 1948, the SF Examiner sold KYA to a group of Stanford professors and instructors, doing business as "Palo Alto Radio Station, Inc." This started a turbulent period in the history of KYA. Over a period of almost twenty years, KYA was operated by no less than eight different owners.   The Palo Alto group sold the station to Dorothy Schiff of the New York Post. In the mid-fifties, the station was purchased by Elroy McCaw and John Keating, doing business as KYA, Inc. They in turn sold the station to the Bartell Family Group in 1958, who subsequently sold to Golden State Broadcasters. From 1963 to 1966, KYA was operated by the Churchill Broadcasting Corporation, and in June of 1966 KYA was acquired by AVCO Broadcasting.

Rock'n'roll music made its first appearance on KYA during the Bartell Group days, and then for only a portion of the station's broadcast day.

After an initial success, it quickly took over the entire day's schedule. In 1961, a young unknown Georgia disk jockey who called himself Bill Drake was given the task of programming the station. Drake made drastic changes, streamlining the carnival sound of early rock radio, until an entirely new concept was developed.

"The Drake Sound" became an instant success at KYA, and soon spread to other stations. Before long, Bill Drake had redefined rock'n'roll radio nationwide, which became "Top 40" radio. Drake became a multi-millionaire, programming nearly a hundred AM and FM stations from his home in Bel Air in the 1970s. KYA and KFRC shared the important rock radio audience in San Francisco through the '70s.

In 1983, Bonneville Broadcasting Co. purchased KYA and the call letters were changed to KOIT. The original call letters lived on, however, with KYA-FM, which was sold to another owner, KING Broadcasting of Seattle, which operated it together with KSFO. Two of San Francisco's most historic call letters were resided under one roof.

➦In 1992...FCC fined Infinity Broadcasting $600,000 over “indecent” broadcasts by talk personality Howard Stern.

➦In 1999...Broadcast Music Incorporated reported "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" to be the most played (BMI) song of the century on American radio and television, with more than eight million airings. The original and most famous recording of the song is by The Righteous Brothers.

Bill Bonds

➦In 2014…Detroit Radio, TV news anchor Bill Bonds, known for three decades for his on-air swagger as much as his colorful behavior off-camera, suffered a heart attack and died at age 82.

For 29-years, Bonds, along with co-anchor Diana Lewis, dominated the Detroit TV market on WXYZ-TV.  His private life was discussed often as he battled alcoholism, buried a daughter and went through a divorce.  The station fired Bonds in 1995, months after a drunken driving arrest which led to his stay for several months in an Atlanta treatment facility.

➦In 2015…Philip Francis Pepe died at age 80 (Born - March 21, 1935). He was a columnist for the New York Daily News and radio voice who spent more than five decades covering sports in New York City.

Pepe covered baseball for the News from 1969 through 1981 and then succeeded the venerable Dick Young as its sports columnist in 1982. During the same period, Pepe wrote the lead game story for every World Series from 1969 to 1981, even in years when the Yankees did not make the Series.

After leaving the News in 1989, Pepe did morning sports for WCBS radio for more than 15 years, which included his popular "Pep Talk" segment.

Boston Radio: Beasley Promotes Rick Radzik To WBZ-FM PD

Rick Radzik

Beasley Media Group Boston announces Rick Radzik has been named as the new Program Director at WBZ 98.5 FM The Sports Hub. He will officially begin his new role immediately.

Radzik is the second individual to serve as program director in the station’s decade-long history. He was instrumental in the official launch of 98.5 The Sports Hub and has served as the Assistant Program Director since the station signed on back in August 2009.

Previously, Radzik spent 15 years as a Producer at WBZ-AM, overseeing the Boston Bruins broadcasts. The sports radio veteran began his career at the former WEEI News Radio, producing the Bruins and Boston Celtics broadcasts, as well as various talk shows.

“Rick is a highly respected member of The Sports Hub team,” said Beasley Media Group Vice President and Market Manager Mary Menna. “We are looking forward to many more decades of wins under his leadership!”

“Rick has been a key member of the Sports Hub programming team since the station’s inception,” said Cadillac Jack, Director of Programming at Beasley Media Group’s Boston based radio cluster. “The knowledge he has amassed over the past decade, coupled with his relationships and passion for continuing our winning history make him uniquely qualified to lead the Sports Hub into the 2020’s and beyond!”

Radzik replaces veteran sports programmer, Mike Thomas, who is leaving the station to become Market Manager at ESPN 1000 in Chicago. Thomas will remain on as a consultant for 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Entercom Taps Andy Slater As SVP/Digital Sales-East Coast

Entercom today announced the addition of Andy Slater as Senior Vice President of Digital Sales, East Coast, effective immediately. In this role, Slater will lead East Coast sales for RADIO.COM, the fastest growing digital audio app in the United States, and continue to evangelize and create end-to-end digital audio solutions for brands across podcasting, streaming, web, mobile and connected devices. Slater will report into Ken Lagana, Executive Vice President of Digital Sales.

“Andy has a tremendous track record leading sales strategy across numerous digital platforms, most recently in podcasting,” said Ken Lagana, Executive Vice President of Digital Sales, Entercom. “His unique combination of experience in broadcast radio and digital will prove to be a major asset as we continue developing and expanding our position as leaders in the digital audio marketplace.”

Andy Slater

“Considering my background in radio and, most recently, my experience in the podcast space I found this opportunity at Entercom to be a truly exciting one,” said Slater. “From broadcast radio to audio streaming to podcasting, I’m looking forward to bringing our end-to-end audio solutions to advertisers and agencies.”

Slater joins Entercom from Midroll Media, the ad sales division of Stitcher, a leading podcast platform, where he was most recently Regional Vice President of Sales, East. Slater was charged with overseeing the company’s East Coast sales team to increase revenue by monetizing over 250 leading podcasts and creating custom podcasts and features to represent client brands. 

In addition, Slater oversaw ad sales on the Stitcher app, a leading platform for consuming podcast content. Previous experience includes sales roles at Orbitz.com, Senior Director of Sales at Move Inc’s Realtor.com, and Senior Vice President of Sales at Theatermania.com. 

Slater’s over 25-year career also includes experience in radio, including National Sales Manager positions for now Entercom station WFAN, and WLIR-FM, WBAB-FM and WBLI-FM on Long Island, NY. He also previously served as Local Sales Manager for WQCD-FM and WAXQ-FM in New York.

Miami Radio: Entercom Extends PD, Host Mijo

Miguel Irizarry

Entercom has announced a new multiyear contract extension with Miguel “Mijo” Irizarry. “Mijo” will remain as Program Director and midday show host on WPOW Power 96 FM in Miami.

“‘Mijo’ has been a strong force in the Power 96 studio over the last year,” said Keriann Worley, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom South Florida. “We are thrilled that he will continue to lead one of our most iconic brands in our cluster.”

“2019 has been an incredible year of growth for Power 96, which is the result of our collective team effort,” said “Mijo.” “There's much more to accomplish and I look forward to seeing our hard work lead to substantial results.”

Mijo joined Power 96 in August 2017. He assumed the role of Program Director for Power 96 in October 2018. He has also previously held on-air roles for sister station 96.5 TDY (WTDY-FM, then Wired 96.5) in Philadelphia and Hot 104.7 in Portland, ME, where he also served as the station’s Music Director.

Listeners can tune in to Power 96 (WPOW-FM) in South Florida 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.

D-C Radio: Dustin Matthews To Program WBIG, WWDC

Dustin Matthews

iHeartMedia has announced Dustin Matthews has been named Director of Rock Programming for Classic Rock WBIG BIG 100 and Alternative WWDC DC101 effective January 13, 2020.

As Director of Rock Programming for BIG 100 and DC101, Matthews will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day programing operations for the station’s music, on-air personalities, programming, promotions and digital operations. He will report to Jeff Kapugi, Region Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Washington, D.C. and iHeartMedia Baltimore.

“Dustin is one of the most dynamic rock programmers in the country,” said Kapugi. “His programming expertise combined with his creativity and passion for our rock brands is unparalleled, and we look forward to welcoming him to Washington, D.C.”

Matthews joins the Washington, D.C. region from iHeartMedia Charlotte where he most recently served as program director and afternoon drive host for 106.5 The End. He also served as the director of Alternative Rock programming for iHeartMedia St. Louis. Throughout his career, Matthews has held several programming roles for various stations including ALT 104.9 in St. Louis, Missouri; ALT 106.3 in Des Moines, Iowa; WRXL-FM in Richmond, Virginia; and WFNX-FM in Boston, Massachusetts. He began his career at WIMZ-FM in Knoxville, Tennessee.

“The opportunity to join the Washington, D.C. programming team with a focus on both legendary rock brands BIG 100 and DC101 is a true honor and a dream come true,” said Matthews. “I’m looking forward to hit the ground running with ‘Elliot In The Morning’ and all of our on-air talent in D.C.”

Beasley eSports Promotes AJ Lurie

Beasley Media Group (BMG) announces AJ Lurie has been promoted to the newly created position of Director of Local Market Integrated Partnerships at Beasley XP, the company’s recently created eSports division.

Lurie, who began his career with Beasley Media Group in 2007 in Fort Myers, Florida, most recently served as the Vice President and Market Manager of BMG’s Wilmington, Delaware radio cluster.

A j Lurie

In his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing all of Beasley Media Group’s local market esports and gaming revenues by leveraging the company’s content and local market gaming-oriented events. Lurie will report to Beasley XP Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, Leslie Fitzsimmons.

“We are eager to see BMG’s momentum in the esports space accelerate as the company continues to diversify and expand its local offerings to include this type of content,” said Chief Digital Content Officer Lori Burgess. “AJ will be helping our local teams construct sponsorships and events that will target our radio audience and their kids. We see esports and gaming as a path to own the hottest segment of the sports and entertainment industry with bonus access to Generation Y and Z consumers.”

“Our goal is to grow Beasley’s revenue within the esports space,” said Fitzsimmons. “AJ brings the perfect local market sensitivity, leadership and focus for the next generation of consumers. We have the potential to create some industry defining local market activations that will seed BMG’s leadership position in this increasingly popular space.

“Beasley Media Group’s entrance into the E-Sports industry is transformative for our company and I am honored to be a part of this initiative,” said Lurie. “Leveraging our company’s assets will present tremendous growth opportunities. I’m excited to work with some of Beasley’s Best to help build this division for our organization.”

BMG Philadelphia Vice President and Market Manager Joe Bell will add the Wilmington, Delaware radio cluster management duties to his current responsibilities under the new structure.

Ken Harrelson Wins MLB's Highest Broadcast Honor

Ken Harrelson

Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, whose 42 years as a major-league broadcaster included 33 with the White Sox, is the winner of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2020 Ford C. Frick Award.

The Chicago Tribune reports the selection by a panel of the 11 living past Frick honorees and four historians/columnists was announced Wednesday at baseball’s winter meetings.

Harrelson, 78, who retired in 2018, is the fifth Chicago announcer to earn the honor — following Milo Hamilton (1992), Harry Caray (1989), Jack Brickhouse (1983) and Bob Elson (1979) — since the Frick was first awarded in 1978.

“It’s just such an honor,” Harrelson said Wednesday. “I’ve always considered myself to be probably as lucky, if not the luckiest, human being ever stepped two feet on the face of the earth. I’ve got a great family and a wonderful career and been with some great people and with an organization that in my opinion is certainly the best in baseball and one of the best in all of sports. So it’s going to be an honor. It’s going to be a lot of fun. And as long as I can keep Bob Uecker off my ass, I’ll be all right.”

Harrelson fielded the call from the Hall of Fame from his home, surrounded by family and friends, including former White Sox catcher-turned-broadcaster A.J. Pierzynski. The news he had been selected left him momentarily — and uncharacteristically — at a loss for words.

Hawk's call from the Hall!

Ken Harrelson is the 2020 Ford C. Frick Award winner! pic.twitter.com/J3i1nuzn3P

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) December 11, 2019

Considered the sport’s high honor for broadcasters, the Frick Award will be conferred July 25 in Cooperstown, N.Y., as part of the July 24-27 Hall of Fame weekend.

Among the seven finalists Harrelson beat out was Pat Hughes, who is poised to begin his 25th season as radio play-by-play voice of the Cubs and 38th as a major-league broadcaster.

“Hawk was a very colorful performer, and adored by White Sox fans," Hughes, 64, told the Tribune. "He belongs in the Hall.”