CISLSportsnet 650 Vancouver’s remaining sports radio station announced Thursday that it has hired four former Bell Media on-air personalities and has reshuffled its lineup as a result. The new schedule launches next Monday, reports The Province.
Jason Brough and Mike Halford, whose morning show had been growing its audience even as Bell Media was making plans to shut down TSN 1040, are the biggest addition, as they take over the 6 to 9 a.m. show slot, replacing James Cybulski and Perry Solkowski. The show will be called, unsurprisingly, “Halford and Brough in the Morning.”
Karen Surman is also joining 650 full-time and will join Scott Rintoul from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a rebranded “Rintoul and Surman” show, which will also air in Calgary.
Bik Nizzar is sliding into the host’s chair alongside station director Craig MacEwen from 1 to 3 p.m. for “Bik and the Boss.”
The afternoon drive-time show is also seeing changes as Andrew Walker, who was an original afternoon host from the station’s founding in 2017, is out. Sat Shah, who shifted into the drive-time slot in October 2019, remains, but is joined by the former hosts of Reach Deep — which had aired from 1 to 4 p.m. — Randip Janda and Dan Riccio. The new show, called “The People’s Show,” will run from 3 to 7 p.m. and will feature former TSN 1040 host Don Taylor as a regular contributor as well. (Taylor and former 650/1040 host Rick Dhaliwal are also launching a new show with CHEK TV.)
“In making these changes, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with some talented and dedicated broadcasters,” MacEwen said in a statement. “We want to sincerely thank James Cybulski, Perry Solkowski and Andrew Walker for their passion and unwavering commitment to helping build Sportsnet 650 into the station it is today. We wish them all the very best in their next chapter.”
The changes by 650 come a couple weeks after the latest ratings “book” showed that 650 had picked up about 40 per cent of TSN 1040’s previous audience. TSN 1040, which was soon going to celebrate its 20th anniversary, was unceremoniously closed with no notice by Bell Media in February.
Despite posting solid ratings and still holding a stable of advertisers even through the COVID-19 pandemic, Bell cited continuing losses at the station — sources have estimated as much as $12 million over the last decade — as the key factor in their decision.
Walker said the news of his firing caught him by surprise, but he also recognized that the radio business is a brutal one at times.
And the replacements for national syndicated talk show host Rush Limbaugh on WBEN 930 AM are … David Bellavia and Tom Bauerle, reports The Buffalo News.
Effective April 5, the Entercom Radio station is moving the start time of their conservative talk shows to cover the noon to 3 p.m. time period when Limbaugh’s show aired.
Bellavia’s show will start at 10 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. and will air an additional hour to 2 p.m.
Bauerle’ show moves up an hour from 3 p.m. to 2 p.m. and now will run until 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.
Limbaugh died Feb. 17, with WBEN running reruns of his past shows since then.
Bauerle has worked at multiple stations in Western New York over the last 40 years, most notably at WGR before coming to WBEN in 2002.
Bellavia was named the replacement for talk show host Sandy Beach, who retired, on the WBEN-AM morning show last summer.
A Medal of Honor recipient, Bellavia previously was an on-air host at the station in 2013 and was afternoon co-host alongside Bauerle from 2016 to 2019.
The elimination of a national syndicated talk show host means the station will go with local talent daily from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
According to an email sent to the staff by operations and brand manager Tim Wenger, the station will continue to air “A New Morning with Susan Rose and Brian Mazurowski” from 5 a.m. through 9 a.m.
From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Mazurowski and Joe Beamer, who has been a producer and replacement talk show host, will host a new show with a name to be determined to replace what had been the first hour of Bellavia’s show.
At 6 p.m., the station will carry “The News Hour with Tom Puckett and the WBEN News Team” instead of what had been the final hour of Bauerle’s show.
The all-local lineup will enable the station to keep all the advertising revenue rather than give some of the time to a syndicator of a national talk show, which also would have advertising revenue for its national ads.
Alpha Media, Bakersfield has announced the addition of The Dennis Prager Show to KNZR 1560 AM / 97.7 FM.
The Dennis Prager Show will be filling the 9AM to noon slot on KNZR every weekday. The general manager, Jeremy Price states, “KNZR is thrilled to announce that The Dennis Prager Show, along with the massive PragerU audience, has now been added to the lineup.”
Prager is a Southern California radio icon for over 25 years and is heard on over 400 radio stations nationwide. He is also the founder of PragerU, an online video channel which has over five million subscribers.
News/Talk 760 WJR Mid-Morning On-Air Host Frank Beckmann starts his retirement today after a brilliant 48-year radio career with the Detroit station.
A sports broadcasting legend, Beckmann has hosted “The Frank Beckmann Show” on WJR weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to Noon for the last 18 years. His last show will air on Friday, March 26, 2021.
Named “Best Midday Personality” by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, Beckmann has been cited as Michigan’s top sportscaster for his work as the only person to broadcast games for all four of Detroit’s major sports teams and his creation of Detroit’s first sports talk show, “Sportswrap,” in 1981. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and has also been inducted into the Michigan Associations of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the VIP Mentoring Coaches Challenge Hall of Fame.
Beckmann first signed on to News/Talk 760 WJR in 1972. In 1981, he succeeded Bob Ufer as the University of Michigan football play-by-play announcer, a job he did for 33 seasons. He was honored as “Top Michigan Sportscaster” numerous times, and in 2014, he received the Chris Schenkel Award by the National Football Foundation, making Beckmann a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Steve Finateri, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Detroit, said: “Frank Beckmann is a radio legend who became a legend because he does everything ‘full throttle.’ As a play-by-play announcer, Frank electrified audiences with his memorable style of calling all the action. As a midday talk personality, he prides himself on having the “best informed audience,” and always delivers on that promise to them. As a philanthropist, his overwhelming generosity has fortified countless worthy causes. As a spokesperson, his integrity and personal endorsements have fueled so many businesses. As an indispensable member of our team, he has helped WJR become a mega-brand in Michigan, the Midwest and throughout the country.”
Finateri continued: “Frank’s career over the past 48 years has made him one of the most elite members of the media, and deservedly so. Most importantly, Frank Beckmann is one of the kindest, most honorable and passionate individuals to those who know him. He will be sorely missed, but we wish him all the best as he enjoys his next chapter as full-time family member and avid golfer!”
Beckmann commented: “I will be forever grateful to WJR for helping all of my boyhood dreams to come true. As a youngster growing up on the east side of Detroit, I always imagined sitting behind a microphone, announcing Lions and Tigers games. It was surreal for me to actually have been able to do that, along with experiencing the other great opportunities this radio giant known as WJR provided me. I only hope I’ve met some of the expectations of me, and I thank every person I’ve worked for, or with, at WJR…”
He added: “It’s been an amazing ride and while I look forward to all the upcoming additional golf time, I also know I will deeply miss the incredible, best in the business professionals I’ve worked for and with these past 48+ years. My co-workers and our clients are not only my friends; they are my family. I’d like to thank them, along with our loyal audience. Without their support, I would not have had this run. Finally, I’d like to give thanks to my family: my wife, Karen, son Jon, and daughter Tori, for the selfless sacrifices they’ve made through the years. And now that my professional sunset beckons, and while I say so long to my job, I say thanks to all of you for making my career and life more complete. My best wishes to my WJR."
Cox Media Group Jacksonville has named Jud Heussler as Director of Branding and Programming at WAPE 95.1 The Big Ape effective March 29.
In this role, he will oversee the day-to-day station operations to include music, social media, brand marketing, talent coaching and executing the station's strategic action plan.
Jud Heussler
Heussler brings over a decade of broadcast industry experience to CMG. Previously, he served as Program Director and afternoon talent for Curtis Media Group's Pulse FM in Raleigh, NC. Prior to that, he was Music Director, Assistant Program Director and on-air personality for KIS 98.5 in Buffalo, NY.
"I am thrilled about this amazing opportunity and for what's on the horizon in Jacksonville, or in JAX as I learn the lingo," said Heussler. "A huge thank you to Jules Riley, Katie Reid, Jeremey Rice and Steve Smith for this incredible honor."
"Jud brings a wealth of experience and talent to Jacksonville and to the Ape," said Steve Smith, CMG VP of Programming. "We are extremely excited he will be growing our brand and the future of our programming."
"In searching for a candidate to fill this role, we spoke with numerous talented programmers but Jud immediately stood out from the pack," added Jules Riley, CMG Jacksonville Operations Director. "His enthusiasm and strong team leadership qualities are a welcome addition to the Big Ape!"
"Jud's Top 40 experience is exactly what we need to take the Ape heritage brand to the next level," said Katie Reid, Vice President and General Manager of CMG Jacksonville. "With his high ambition, creativity and energy I am certain Jud will hit the ground running and make a huge impact at the station and in the local community."
The Los Angeles Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune lost “north of $50 million” in revenue in 2020, company leadership told staffers at an all-hands meeting on Thursday, according to The Wrap.
Chris Argentieri, the president of the two papers’ California Times parent company, described the losses as a “catastrophic drop in revenue for the company north of $50 million on top of a business that was already using cash and not producing cash,” according to a recording of the meeting obtained by TheWrap.
The majority of the losses came from print advertising, though digital advertising and print circulation also sustained some losses.
“What we saw in 2020 was [an] acceleration of trends that we were well aware of and have been aware of, really, for far more than a decade,” Argentieri said. “We won’t go back, particularly in print advertising, to where we were.”
Union-Tribune logo
This isn’t the first time the Times has lost revenue; in 2019, the paper’s losses amounted to about $20 million, according to an individual with knowledge of the matter. But the losses in the COVID year of 2020 have been much more damaging and lend credence to recent reports that owner Patrick Soon-Shiong is considering selling the paper. Soon-Shiong has denied those reports and has told staff he is committed to the future of the L.A. Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The 2020 revenue losses also came as the company hired 163 full-time employees last year, Nancy Antoniou, the chief human resources officer for both the L.A. Times and the Union-Tribune, told staff at the meeting. The majority of those hires were nonwhite, with 24% identifying as Hispanic or Latino, 20% identifying as Asian, 13% identifying as Black or African American and about 5% identifying as having two or more races. About 34% of the 2020 hires were white, while roughly 4% declined to provide their ethnicity.
As for this year’s outlook, Argentieri said the two papers were able to make a number of financial sacrifices to get through those losses “far better.”
Entercom and Rush Street Interactive, a market leader in online casino and sports betting in the U.S. and operator of the BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse mobile platforms, announced a multi-year partnership surrounding a number of sports betting audio initiatives.
As part of the agreement, BetRivers will be the official title sponsor of the ‘You Better You Bet’ podcast hosted by Nick Kostos and Ken Barkley, which was recently relaunched as part of the “BetQL Audio Network.”
Kostos will also be a brand ambassador for BetRivers and serve as the voice of the “BetRivers Sports Betting Minute,” heard on Entercom’s leading all-sports stations in legalized sports betting markets across the country. Through this vehicle, Kostos and BetRivers will provide sports betting news and information Monday through Friday.
“RSI is an ideal partner for You Better You Bet,” said Mike Dee, President of Sports, Entercom. “The company’s authentic approach to the sports betting marketplace aligns well with Nick, Ken and the hardcore betting audience that consume the nation’s No. 1 fully dedicated daily sports betting podcast.”
“We’re delighted to extend our partnership with Entercom as they broaden their focus on the fast-paced online betting markets and collaborate more closely with the RSI team to deliver insightful content and helpful analysis to listeners,” said Richard Schwartz, President, RSI.
“I have enjoyed being a part of the RSI family and have been excited to advocate for the BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse online betting brands as I believe they are one of the best operators in the market,” said Nick Kostos, host, ‘You Better You Bet.’ “The You Better You Bet team looks forward to more integration over the next few years as we evolve together in a post-pandemic environment to bring our signature ‘Wagertainment’ to events and onsite broadcasts.”
You Better You Bet content includes a weeknight podcast and video simulcast, available live on RADIO.COM and on demand where podcasts are heard, as well as the “Bet Rivers Sports Betting Minute,” which are custom content editorial segments on “BetQL Audio Network” stations nationwide.
➦In 1923...Comedian "Bob" Elliott born (Died at age 92 of throat cancer – February 2, 2016). He was one-half of the comedy duo of Bob and Ray. He was the father of comedian/actor Chris Elliott and grandfather of actress and comedians Abby Elliott and Bridey Elliott. He is most remembered by the character of Wally Ballou, a mild-mannered, but indefatigable radio reporter.
Beginning a career as a radio announcer in the 1940’s, his rise to national recognition began when he was teamed with Ray Goulding on WHDH Boston. Moving to New York the pair appeared on various networks and radio/TV outlets with their unique brand of humor spoofing broadcasting until Goulding’s death in 1990. ➦In 1929...WQXR signed-on as W2XR in NYC.
John Hogan
Now using the call signs WFME began its life as W2XR, owned by inventor John V. L. Hogan, operating at 2100 kHz, which went on the air on March 26, 1929.
Hogan was a radio engineer who owned many patents, and wanted a permit for an experimental station. To avoid interference, the frequency granted in 1934 by the Federal Radio Commission was considerably above the normal broadcasting range, which at that time ended at 1500 kHz. Hogan's permit was one of four construction permits W2XR was licensed as an "experimental broadcast station" on June 29, 1934.
W2XR began to broadcast classical music recordings on 1550 kHz. His television broadcasts came to naught, but Hogan began to hear from unknown individuals who encouraged him to continue broadcasting music.
In 1936, Hogan and Elliott Sanger formed the Interstate Broadcasting Company, with the intention of turning W2XR into a commercial station at at time when there were already about twenty-five radio stations in New York.
The transmitter, which used a homemade antenna mounted on a wooden pole, was located in a garage in Long Island City, near the Queensborough Bridge, and its 250 watts provided just enough power to reach midtown Manhattan and parts of Queens. On December 3, 1936, W2XR became WQXR—the cursive form of the letter "Q" mimics the number "2". An FM service, W2XQR, was added in 1939.
The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement of 1941 formally extended the AM band to 1600 kHz, ending the "high-fidelity" service but keeping all four original stations near their existing dial positions. WQXR was originally slated to move to 1600 kHz as a five-kilowatt class III-A regional station, but was able to persuade the FCC to make it a class I-B station on 1560 kHz instead.
The New York Post approached the company in the early 1940s about purchasing the stations. Sanger said publicly that he would have preferred to sell to The New York Times, and in early 1944, the Times agreed to pay just over $1 million for ownership of Interstate Broadcasting Company.
In 1971, the Times put WQXR up for sale. Many offers were received for the FM station, but none of the bids for 1560 AM were satisfactory to management. When the FCC agreed to waive rules prohibiting stations from simulcasting if they were broadcasting classical music, the Times took WQXR off the market.
WQXR AM circa 1989
In 1992 the station broke away from the FM simulcast for good, changing to a pop standards format, which was inaugurated by a live studio performance by Tony Bennett. The change followed close on the heels of WNEW's switch from standards to business information, and to reflect that heritage, WQXR changed callsign to WQEW. Although successful, the station's advertising revenues were not spectacular, and on December 28, 1998, the Times pulled the plug and LMAed with Radio Disney after entering an 8-year local marketing agreement with Disney. At the end of this agreement in late 2006, ABC/Disney exercised an option to purchase in early January 2007. Disney/ABC officially became the owner of the station on May 24, 2007.
On November 21, 2014, Radio Disney New York filed an application to sell WQEW to Family Radio, who also owns WFME-FM and WNYJ-TV (and who previously owned what is now WNSH, owned by Cumulus Media. Family Radio bought the station for $12.95 million. The FCC granted the sale on February 10, 2015. As a result, the station went silent the following Tuesday on February 17, 2015, in anticipation of the change of format. The sale was "consummated" on February 20, 2015 and the call sign was changed to WFME.
The station returned to the air on February 27, 2015, broadcasting Family Radio programming, again giving the network full coverage of the New York City market that it lost in January 2013, when Family Radio sold the original WFME to Cumulus Media. In late November 2020, Family Radio announced the sale of the property surrounding WFME's broadcast towers in Queens, but stipulated that the terms included that Family Radio would still use this site until a suitable alternate location for the station was found. However, no alternate site proved to be immediately available, therefore WFME in early 2021 ended regular programming and began broadcasting a recurring announcement that the station would suspend operations "in just a few days". Although Family Radio officials expressed a desire to eventually return to the New York airwaves, they noted that there were no immediate plans; listeners were directed to access either WFRS in Smithtown and WFME-FM in Mount Kisco, in addition to the Family Radio webstream.
➦In 1954...Curtis Sliwa born. He's anti-crime activist, founder and CEO of the Guardian Angels, and Talk 77WABC show host in NYC.
➦In 1996...WPAT 930 AM NYC Market flipped to a Spanish format. Today, the station airs brokered programming format. WPAT is owned by Multicultural Broadcasting.
➦In 2008…Radio Personality Walter 'Wally' Phillips died of Alzheimber's disease at age 82 (Born - July 7, 1925). He was best known for hosting WGN 720 AM's morning radio show in Chicago for 21 years from January 1965 until July 1986, and was number one in the morning slot from 1968 until he left for an afternoon radio slot in 1986. A pioneer of the radio call-in talk show format, Phillips delighted in a form now banned by the FCC: putting people on the air without their knowledge
Wally Phillips
Phillips was born in Portsmouth, Ohio. Six years later, after his father's death from tuberculosis, his family (including three siblings) moved to Cincinnati. Phillips later dropped out of high school to join the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, but he ended up in Georgia in a tow target squadron assigned to fly practice targets for fighter pilots and anti-aircraft artillery.
After the end of World War II, he attended drama school for a while and then became a disc jockey in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A year after beginning his DJ career he returned to Cincinnati.
Phillips expanded his career as a radio personality at WLW in Cincinnati where he established his call-in format and his trademark style of remixing prerecorded interviews as a comedy piece. He was eventually fired after he inserted a phony item into a newscast.
Later, Phillips moved to Chicago, Illinois. His WGN morning show was consistently top-rated in Chicago, and led to his being labeled "the king of morning radio." At the height of his popularity, Phillips attracted nearly 1.5 million listeners, a now unheard of half of the market's listening audience.
Phillips was one of the first broadcasters to routinely use humorous and offbeat phone calls in his show, including prank phone calls. Sometimes, he called random payphones to see who would answer. For example, he called a pet cemetery to arrange a funeral for his mouse, and on another occasion he tracked down Benjamin Gingiss, founder of Gingiss Formal Wear, while the man was on vacation in the Bahamas to ask him where the fire extinguishers were kept in the store.
Another time, Phillips called Ipanema, a neighborhood located on the southern region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and inquired whether there were any women there who were "tall and tan and young and lovely." He tried to order pizza from Rome and even tried to return a natural Christmas tree weeks into the new year because it had browned and lost all its needles. On one occasion, he managed to obtain Luciano Pavarotti's hotel room number, and called to ask if the singer would give Phillips opera lessons and "teach (Phillips) to sing flat, like you do."
In 1998, he retired from WGN radio after 42 years, twelve years after giving up the morning show where he was succeeded by Bob Collins, who continued the format and the high ratings.
Phillips was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame, in the Museum of Broadcast Communications in 1993 and into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1997, marking his 50th year in radio.
➦In 2009...Toronto radio station CHUM 1050 AM ended its music era again and this time it went to simulcasting the local cable-only TV news channel CP 24. The final full song played was “Release Me” by Engelbert Humperdinck, just before 5 am. The station changed to sports talk April 13, 2011.
CHUM AM was founded by four Toronto businessmen, including Al Leary, a former sportscaster, who had been the station manager at CKCL for 14 years. CHUM received its licence in late November 1944 to operate a station with 1000 watts. CHUM launched as a daytimer on 28 October 1945, with John H.Q. "Jack" Part, an entrepreneur in the business of patent medicines, as its president. The station broadcast a format typical of the late 1940s, with a combination of information, music, and sports.
CHUM was taken over in December 1954 by Allan Waters, a salesman from Part's patent medicine business. Waters' first major move was to secure a licence for 24-hour-a-day broadcasting for CHUM, along with a power increase to 5,000 watts.
Less than three years after Waters acquired the station, and soon after bringing the new full-time transmitter online, a major programming change was made. On May 27, 1957, at 6 AM, Waters switched the station to a "Top 50" format. Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" was the first song played.
"1050 CHUM" pioneered rock and roll radio in Toronto, and was noteworthy for hosting many noteworthy rock concerts including, among others, visits to Maple Leaf Gardens by Elvis Presley (1957) and the Beatles (1964, 1965, and 1966). While the station was rising to the top of the popularity ratings in Toronto in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it also built yet another new transmitter in Mississauga, Ontario (a few miles west of the current Toronto city line) along the Lake Ontario shoreline, and raised its power once again to its current 50,000 watts around the clock.
CHUM 1050 AM (50 Kw-DA-2)
In the late 1950s, CHUM was calling itself "Radio One", as its ratings continued to increase. An important part of CHUM's success was the station's unpredictable morning man Al Boliska, who joined CHUM in October 1957, after working at station CKLC in Kingston, Ontario.
By 1959, Boliska had made a name for himself as a disc jockey who got listeners talking. He also made them laugh, and became known for telling what he called the "World's Worst Jokes". Boliska also did a number of stunts, such as taking part in a professional wrestling match with Whipper Billy Watson. When he lost, that led to another stunt, where Boliska stayed away from his show for several days, saying he was now too discouraged by the loss to do his show. A hypnotist was called in, and Boliska's self-esteem was restored.
Jay Nelson
Boliska left CHUM in late 1963 to go 'across the street' to CKEY. He died of a heart attack in Toronto on April 7, 1972 on the eve of his 40th birthday
He was replaced by WKBW Buffalo radio & TV personality Jay Nelson, popularly known as "Jungle Jay" from his role as host of a children's show on Buffalo's Channel 7 which was also popular among Toronto youngsters.
He would be followed by housewives' jock John Spragge; singer/DJ Mike Darow; Pete Nordheimer, replaced in 1961 by Bob McAdorey, teen DJ Dave Johnson, and all night DJ Bob Laine. Later additions to the CHUM DJ lineup included Duff Roman and Brian Skinner, both of whom came from rival Toronto rocker CKEY (then owned by Jack Kent Cooke).
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, CHUM DJs included Duke Roberts (also known as Gary Duke for a time), Johnny Mitchell (better known today as Sonny Fox), J. Michael Wilson, Tom Rivers, Scott Carpenter, Jim Van Horne, John Rode, Don Reagan, John Majhor, Mike Cooper, Daryl B, Terry Steele, Mike Holland and current CHUM-FM morning man Roger Ashby.
Among their later night-time hosts was J. D. Roberts, who joined CHUM for a time in 1977, eventually becoming known across North America as John Roberts, White House correspondent for CBS News, then the co-anchor of CNN's morning program American Morning. He now reports for the Fox News Channel.
Rick Moranis, later famous for his work on SCTV and Ghostbusters, was briefly a late-night CHUM DJ in the mid-seventies under the name "Rick Allan".
CHUM became well known for its zany contests. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was contests such as 'The Walking Man', where listeners had to spot CHUM's mystery walking man using only clues given out on the air. The 1970s' "I Listen to CHUM" promotion had DJs dialing phone numbers at random and awarding $1,000 to anyone who answered the phone with that phrase. In 1976, there was the CHUM Starsign promotion. Listeners wore a button featuring their astrological sign. If CHUM's 'Starsign spotter' saw you wearing your Starsign, you won prizes such as money or concert tickets to major events.
The CHUM Chart was, for many years, the most influential weekly Top 40 chart in Canada and has been hailed as the longest-running continuously published radio station record survey in North America. The first CHUM Chart was released on May 27, 1957, with Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" the first Number 1 song.
By the mid-1980s, CHUM had lost ground in the Toronto ratings to competing Top 40 station CFTR and FM-based music stations. On June 6, 1986, at 3 PM, after the playing of Starship's "We Built This City", CHUM dropped its Top 40 format for a gold-based adult contemporary format ("Favorites of Yesterday and Today"). The first song after the relaunch was "Beginnings" by Chicago. The change also discontinued the CHUM Chart, which ended the week of June 14, 1986 with Madonna's "Live to Tell" as the final Number 1 song. By 1988, the station had evolved into a brighter AC format, focusing on pop hits from the past decade and dropping much of the older music.
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Actor Alan Arkin is 87.
Actor James Caan is 81.
Singer Diana Ross is 77.
Actor Johnny Crawford (“The Rifleman”) is 75.
Singer Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is 73.
Singer-actor Vicki Lawrence is 72.
Actor Ernest Thomas (“Everybody Hates Chris,” ″What’s Happening”) is 72.
Leslie Mann is 49
Actor Martin Short is 71.
Country singer Ronnie McDowell is 71.
Drummer Monte Yoho of The Outlaws is 69.
Country singer Dean Dillon is 66.
Country singer Charly McClain is 65.
Talk show host Leeza Gibbons is 64.
Actor Ellia English (“The Jamie Foxx Show,” ″Curb Your Enthusiasm”) is 62.
Actor Jennifer Grey is 61.
Actor Billy Warlock (“Baywatch”) is 60.
Actor Eric Allan Kramer (“The Hughleys”) is 59.
Actor Michael Imperioli (“Life on Mars,” ″The Sopranos”) is 55.
Guitarist James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins is 53.
Country singer Kenny Chesney is 53.
Actor Leslie Mann (“Knocked Up,” ″This Is 40″) is 49.
Actor T.R. Knight (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 48.
Rapper Juvenile is 46.
Actor Amy Smart (“Road Trip,” ″Felicity”) is 45.
Actor Bianca Kajlich (“Rules of Engagement,” ″Boston Public”) is 44.
“Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan is 41.
Actor Keira Knightley is 36.
Rapper J-Kwon is 35.
Actor Carly Chaikin (“Mr. Robot,” “Suburgatory”) is 31.
In a finding that appears to defy conventional wisdom -- not to mention many other media research studies -- Nielsen has released a new report this morning indicating the amount of time the average American spent using media each day actually declined precipitously at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mediapost reports the finding, part of Nielsen's periodic "Total Audience Report" amalgamating most of the electronic media sources it measures in the U.S., shows the number of minutes of media used by the average American adult declined 16% to 600 in the third quarter of 2020, when the pandemic was surging, compared with 714 minutes daily during the same quarter in 2019.
Nielsen did offer one caveat, noting that it "enhanced" how it measures media usage on Android-based smartphones in May 2020 to "more precisely capture" how people use them to to access apps and the web as "intended behavior" vs. usage that's just happening in the "background."
"This has resulted in a significant decrease in smartphone duration on Android devices and a trend break from data prior to Q2 2020. However, while duration did decrease as a result of these changes, smartphone reach metrics remain unaffected," Nielsen Senior Vice President-Audience Insights Peter Katsingris explains in the report.
Nielsen's breakout for daily media usage by device type does indeed show a precipitous decline of 39% for smartphones, year-over-year, so the methodical change clearly had some impact.
But with the exception of connected TV devices (which showed an 18% gain) and computers connected to the internet (which had a 9% gain), all other media shown declined in daily U.S. adult minutes, including TV, radio and tablets.
Live and time-shifted TV viewing, in fact, fell 6% to 221 minutes daily.
SiriusXM announced today a new selection of artist branded channels with Bob Marley and LL COOL J available as streaming channels on the SiriusXM app. Each major artist is supplementing their existing SiriusXM channel with new channels that will further explore that artist's genre and will dive deeper into different themes that are important to the artists and their fans.
The new artist branded channels launching today are part of a 26-channel addition to the SiriusXM streaming lineup.
These new channels will reflect sounds devoted to the 90s and 2000s--a listener-favorite music period, with lifestyle themes, moods, and celebratory, good vibes including Lithium Stripped, Classic Chill, Queens of Pop, 90s R&B Jams, Boy Bands and more. The introduction of these new music channels enhances SiriusXM's already powerful music and entertainment streaming offering that includes an array of music channels, podcasts and video, giving subscribers more choice than ever before as part of their streaming subscription.Streaming access to SiriusXM is included with most subscriptions. Subscribers can listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM app, and with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant or however they stream at home. Go to www.siriusxm.com/ways-to-listen to learn more.
Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Radio was one of the latest year-round artist-focused channels to launch on SiriusXM, showcasing the music of Bob Marley and family along with a wide range of new and classic reggae music. The new streaming channels came about due to the popularity of Tuff Gong Radio's weekly show, Soca Afrobeats Mix, which debuted last December. The two new streaming channels will be spotlighting the best in Soca and Afrobeats music.
LL COOL J previously launched LL COOL J's Rock The Bells Radio in March 2018, featuring a wide range of classic Hip Hop content, music, interviews and in-depth retrospectives. LL now dives deeper into the Rock The Bells world with three new streaming music channels that explore: B-Sides, exclusive mixes, and clean versions of classic Hip Hop songs. The channel logos for LL COOL J's new SiriusXM streaming channels were created by the acclaimed and influential American contemporary street artist, Shepard Fairey, famous for creating the iconic Barack Obama "Hope" poster during the 2008 presidential campaign. Shepard Fairey had previously created the logo for LL COOL J's Rock The Bells Radio.
At the top of the year, SiriusXM launched artist-branded music streaming channels with Armin van Buuren and Steve Aoki, and earlier this month, renowned guitarist Tom Morello launched three new streaming channels, a weekly show, and weekly podcast (more info HERE).
Bob Marley's Tuff Beats: The fusion of jazz with the traditional drum beats and melodies of West Africa initially pioneered by Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti has been reimagined by a new generation. The result is a rising tide of hits that has brought African pop stars to the airwaves and dancefloors of America and Europe. Tuff Beats has the latest and greatest in Afrobeats from its origins with Fela straight through to the contemporary hits of Burna Boy, Davido, Tiwa Savage and more.
Bob Marley's Tuff Soca: The soul of Calypso, Chutney, Reggae, Zouk, Latin, Cadence and traditional West African rhythms all come together in the music of Soca. Originally birthed in Trinidad and Tobago, the high-energy music that started in the 70's with Lord Shorty has spread throughout the Caribbean and beyond. Tune in to Tuff Soca for the genre's beloved classics plus the latest and greatest from Nailah Blackman, Machel Montano, Patrice Roberts, and more.
LL COOL J's Rock The Bells - Clean Versions: Hear clean, profanity-free versions of your favorite classic Hip Hop songs that the whole family can enjoy.
LL COOL J's Rock The Bells – Mixdown: Nonstop exclusive mixes from some of Hip Hop's best DJ's including: DJ Premier, DJ Z-Trip, Kid Capri, Magic Mike, Da Beatminerz, Cut Chemist, DJ Maseo (De La Soul) and many more.
LL COOL J's Rock The Bells - B-Sides: For hardcore heads only. Dig in the crates and rediscover hidden Hip Hop gems from mainstream and underground artists.
Additional new streaming music channels include:
Lithium Stripped: Acoustic version of 90s alt rock. Hear stripped down performances from legends like Eddie Vedder, Chris Cornell, Gavin Rossdale and more.
Classic Chill: First generation of Chill music from the 90s and 2000s. Listeners will hear Thievery Corp, Air, Moby, Zero 7 and more.
Queens of Pop: Female power singers from the 90s and 2000s. Listeners will hear music from Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Cher, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Whitney Houston and more.
90s R&B Jams: Whether you want to get the party "Jumpin' Jumpin" or wondering if it's the "End Of The Road", 90s R&B Jams has it. All the hottest R&B upbeat and slow jams from the 90's. Listeners will hear music from Usher, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, TLC and more.
Boy Bands: Music from the boy bands of the 90s and 2000s. Listeners will hear music from *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, One Direction, Boyz II Men, Jonas Brothers and more.
Coffee House Classics: 90s & Early 2000s Acoustic Music. Listeners will hear music from Tracy Chapman, Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, Norah Jones and more
Mardi Gras Radio: The soundtrack to any Mardi Gras celebration with nonstop New Orleans music.
Spectrum of Hip Hop: The roots of Hip-Hop through today, spanning decades of music revolution from pioneers like Run-D.M.C., Tupac and Beastie Boys to today's hitmakers like Drake, J. Cole, Cardi B and many more.
Viva 90s/2Ks Hits: An era when Latin pop exploded to the center of the world stage.
Hear the hits of the 90's and 2000s from internationally renowned superstars. Music full of energetic beats infused with the soul and sounds of the Caribbean and Latin America that captivated audiences world-wide.
After the National Football League celebrated its history-making 11-year contract worth more than $100 billion, attention shifted to the NBA’s deal, which runs through the 2024-25 season.
CNBC reports early thinking within league circles suggests the NBA will seek a $75 billion rights package, up from its current $24 billion deal, which pays $2.6 billion per year.
One person familiar with sports media deals said the NBA could get $70.2 billion over nine years, using metrics including total viewer hours, which helps networks determine the value of sports league rights. The person also said tier-one sports rights are important to streaming services.
The NBA is currently partnered with AT&T-owned WarnerMedia and Disney, the latter of which agreed to pay the NFL $2.7 billion per year until 2033. Should the NBA triple its rights and replicate its nine-year deal length, it would generate around $7 billion to $8 billion per season. That puts it just behind the NFL’s new $10 billion per year average once the new agreements begin.
The NBA also has a $1.5 billion streaming deal with Chinese-based company Tencent Holdings.
“I think everyone expects that so long as the public is demonstrating through ratings that they are watching the NBA, you can probably expect increases there as well,” said former CBS Sports president Neal Pilson. “I would think the NBA is going to look for significant increases.”
The NBA has a good reason to seek more money for its rights. The league has more global appeal than the NFL and has a younger demographic, too, as Generation Z continues to support the NBA and Gen Alpha appears to continue the trend.
Though ratings declined in 2020 primarily due to pandemic factors, the NBA has seen increases throughout its current 2020-21 season. The league is attempting to create more meaningful games with its play-in tournament, which performed well last year.
The NBA will be highly sought-after as a top-tier sports league. Fox Sports was interested in landing pro basketball before the NBA’s last deal in 2014. But Pilson said the NBA will more than likely stay with current partners once new agreements come around.
The 21-year-old suspect in Monday's mass shooting at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket that left 10 people dead will make his first court appearance today. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa has been jailed on 10 counts of murder since Tuesday, following his release from the hospital the day after the shooting after being treated for a leg wound. Meanwhile, more than 500 people gathered last night at a candlelight vigil in downtown Boulder in memory of the victims. Earlier in the day, hundreds paid their respects during a police procession taking the body of 51-year-old Officer Eric Talley to a funeral home. The father of seven was killed after being the first officer to respond to the supermarket.
Boulder, Colorado law enforcement lined up along the side of the road to pay respects to officer Eric Talley on Wednesday as his body was transported to a funeral home. Talley was among the 10 people killed in a mass shooting on Monday. https://t.co/QLeGEpaJYGpic.twitter.com/YHhwicjWlk
➤NORTH KOREA TEST-FIRES BALLISTIC MISSILES FOR FIRST TIME IN BIDEN PRESIDENCY: North Korea test-fired ballistic missiles on Thursday morning for the first time since President Biden took office. South Korea's foreign minister expressed "deep concern" about the launches, while Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said they threaten "peace and safety in Japan and the region." The launches came one day after North Korea fired short-range weapons that were believed to be cruise missiles into the sea. They also come after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin traveled to South Korea and Japan last week. While there, Blinken criticized North Korea’s nuclear program and human rights record.
➤BIDEN PUTS HARRIS IN CHARGE OF EFFORT TO RESPOND TO MIGRANT SURGE AT THE BORDER: President Biden announced Wednesday that he'd put Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of leading the effort to respond to the surge of migrants at the border with Mexico, including many unaccompanied minors who've been arriving in recent weeks. Part of that will involve working with Central American nations where the migrants are coming from to try to address the problems that are driving them to leave, and to push those nations to strengthen enforcement of their own borders. Harris said yesterday, "Needless to say, the work will not be easy. But it is important work." The administration has moved to open more than 10,000 new beds in facilities including convention centers and former oilfield camps, as well as in new facilities, to house the minors crossing the border.
Biden's first solo press conference after 64 days in office is scheduled at 1:15pm/ET today, with live coverage on Fox News pic.twitter.com/w51YLtxZY1
➤ASTRAZENECA SAYS COVID VACCINE GIVES 76 PERCENT PROTECTION AFTER DISPUTE WITH U.S. OFFICIALS: AstraZeneca said yesterday that its Covid-19 vaccine gives 76 percent protection, three percentage points lower than the 79 percent it had said earlier in the week. The change came after it counted additional illness in a recalculation, after the earlier results had led to a dispute with U.S. officials. On Tuesday, an independent panel that oversees the study had accused AstraZeneca of cherry-picking data in presenting the 79 percent figure, saying it had left out some Covid cases. In response, the National Institutes of Health took the unusual step of publicly calling on AstraZeneca to fix the issue. AstraZeneca has been hoping the study findings would boost confidence in the vaccine. Although it's being widely used in Europe and other countries, earlier studies had shown inconsistent data about its effectiveness, and some countries paused using it last week after there was concern about blood clots. AstraZeneca plans to seek FDA clearance of the vaccine for use in the U.S. within a few weeks.
➤CARGO SHIP STUCK IN SUEZ CANAL AFFECTING GLOBAL SHIPPING: Efforts are continuing today to try to free a huge cargo ship that's stuck across Egypt's Suez Canal, affecting global shipping as other vessels aren't able to pass through the canal in either direction. At least 150 other ships were waiting for the Japanese-owned ship Ever Given to be freed so that they could proceed. The Ever Given, among the largest cargo ships in the world with a length of nearly a quarter mile, got stuck on Tuesday in the canal between continental Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.
➤VIRGINIA OUTLAWS DEATH PENALTY: Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed legislation yesterday abolishing the death penalty, become the 23rd state to do so. The legislation signed by Northam, who's a Democrat, came after the new Democratic majority in the state's legislature passed the measure, having argued the death penalty is disproportionately given to people of color, the poor and the mentally ill. It's a major turnaround for Virginia, which had the second-highest number of executions in the U.S. Only two men are still on Virginia's death row, and their sentences will be converted to life in prison without parole.
Biden admin calls on SCOTUS to let police enter homes, confiscate guns without a warranthttps://t.co/BxjUlzcOjQ
➤BIDEN, DEMOCRATS CALL FOR ACTION ON GUN MEASURES AFTER BOULDER MASS SHOOTING: In what's become part of the standard series of events that take place after mass shootings, Democrats, including President Biden, yesterday called for action on gun legislation in the wake of the Boulder, Colorado, shooting in which 10 people were killed, and Republicans criticized the prospect of new gun measures, saying they won't accomplish anything.
Biden yesterday urged Congress to move quickly to close loopholes in the background check system to buy guns, and to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. He said, "It should not be a partisan issue. This is an American issue. It will save lives, American lives." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he will bring legislation to the floor in the Senate that was passed by the House that would require background checks for most gun sales and transfers.
However, prospects for passage aren't good in the face of Republican opposition. Senator John Thune, the second-ranking Senate Republican, said, "There’s not a big appetite among our members to do things that would appear to be addressing it, but actually don’t do anything to fix the problem."
➤POSTAL SERVICE PLAN WOULD SLOW MAIL, CUT POST OFFICE HOURS: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced a long-awaited 10-year plan for the U.S. Postal Service yesterday that would slow mail delivery and cut hours at some post offices. With the USPS facing an expected $160 billion in losses over the next decade, DeJoy and other postal executives stressed the need to cut costs and modernize operations, including with investments in new delivery vehicles, as the agency is increasingly handling packages more than letters. The plan is being revealed as there has been scrutiny of persistent mail delivery delays since DeJoy took over the Postal Service last year after controversial policy changes. He eventually suspended some of them due to the backlash.
"Whenever we received a complaint, there would be two sides to the discussion: Either 'We need to deal with this' or 'Screw 'em if they can't take a joke.' Too many times I sided with the latter even when in my heart I knew it was wrong," the comedian said https://t.co/eOvnfjAl73
➤GRAPE-NUTS CEREAL SHORTAGE IS OVER: If you've been trying to find Grape-Nuts cereal on store shelves and haven't been able to, there's good news that the shortage has ended. Post Consumer Brands told USA Today that Grape-Nuts is now shipping to stores at full capacity after being out of stock for months. The shortage began in late 2020 amid the pandemic and production issues. The company also wants to help out Grape-Nuts fans who paid jacked-up prices online to get a box of the cereal. People who paid $10 or more for a box of Grape-Nuts Original cereal between November 1st, 2020 and March 15th can "submit a valid retailer or e-retailer receipt for a partial refund of up to $115 to help cover the difference between the amount paid and the suggested retail price of the Grape-Nuts Original cereal box purchased." The receipts can be submitted through April 15th at: https://bit.ly/319UmBw.
➤DOES YOUR DRINK ORDER SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YOU: Does what you order when you're having drinks say something about you? A new survey of 2,000 Americans by OnePoll asked them about their usual drink order, and found 55 percent said they believe their drink choice "says a lot" about what kind of person they are. Fruity drinks were the most popular, named by 54 percent, although more women named them as their favorite 44 percent to 31 percent for men, more of whom said neutral flavors were their favorite, at 35 percent. Those who like fruity drinks were more likely to describe their personalities as "fun," at 54 percent and "carefree" at 48 percent, rather than "serious" at 33 percent or "driven" at 36 percent. More than half, 58 percent, said they prefer light-colored drinks like vodka or white wine over dark ones like bourbon or stout beer, preferred by just 26 percent. Those who prefer light-colored drinks are most likely to describe themselves as "introverted" at 61 percent and "relaxed" at 60 percent, while dark alcohol drinkers are more likely to say they are "logical," at 46 percent and and "driven," at 40 percent. Half of all drinkers said they felt embarrassed to order their drink of choice in public, as did 49 percent of beer drinkers.
Cruise lines urge CDC to allow sailings from U.S. ports to resume in early July https://t.co/Hi6X6Px63L
➤CRUISE LINE ASSOCIATION CALLS ON CDC TO LIFT CONDITIONAL SAILING ORDER IN EARLY SUMMER: Major cruise operators are ready to get back out in the ocean. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is an association of 50-plus cruise lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, and it’s publicly calling on the Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) to lift its Framework for Conditional Sailing Order. The order is scheduled to remain in effect until at least November 1st, and it gives cruise lines a “framework of actionable items” to complete, including the demonstration of coronavirus mitigation factors. In addition to meeting health-related criteria, cruise operators are also required to stage mock voyages. The order could expire before November, if the Secretary of Health and Human Services no longer declares the pandemic to be a public health emergency, or could stretch on, if the national public health institute modifies the order based on public health consideration. Yesterday, the CLIA argued that the “phased resumption of cruise operations” from U.S. ports could instead begin in early July, citing the few cases of coronavirus transmission on cruises that have resumed internationally. They also call the current Conditional Sailing Order “outdated,” alleging that it does not account for the “advent of vaccines, and unfairly treats cruises differently” than other modes of transportation. This comes days after Royal Caribbean’s CEO Richard Fain called for the CDC to review its Conditional Sailing Order in light of vaccination efforts and overseas voyages.
🏀TEXAS A&M ADVANCES TO WOMEN'S NCAA TOURNAMENT'S SWEET 16 WITH SHOT AT THE BUZZER IN OT: Second-seeded Texas A&M won a Sweet 16 berth in the women's NCAA basketball tournament yesterday (March 24th) with a 84-82 second-round win over Number 7 Iowa State on a jump shot at the buzzer in overtime by Jordan Nixon. Nixon scored a career-high 35 points in the game and had seven of A&M’s nine points in OT. There were also two upsets in yesterday's eight second-round games, with Number 6 Texas beating third-seeded UCLA 71-62 and Number 6 Oregon defeating third-seeded Georgia 57-50.
➤TOKYO OLYMPICS TORCH RELAY BEGINS IN JAPAN: The torch relay for this summer's Tokyo Olympics, which were delayed by a year due to the pandemic, got underway yesterday (March 24th) in Japan. The torch's 121-day journey across the country until the opening ceremonies on July 23rd began in Fukushima prefecture. The first runner was Azusa Iwashimizu, a key player in the Japanese team that won the Women’s World Cup soccer tournament in 2011. However, the ceremony wasn't open to the public because of pandemic precautions, and people watching along the roadside as as the torch ran by were told to social distance. About 10,000 runners will eventually take part in the torch relay.
🏀ESPN..PISTONS TRADE WRIGHT TO KINGS FOR JOSEPH AND TWO PICKS: The Detroit Pistons are trading Delon Wright to the Sacramento Kings for Cory Joseph and two second-round NBA draft picks, one in 2021 and the other in 2024, ESPN reported last night (March 24th), citing sources. Both players are guards.
⚾MLB TO INCREASE MONITORING TO PREVENT PITCHERS ALTERING BASEBALLS: Major League Baseball will be stepping up its monitoring to try to stop pitchers from using foreign substances to alter baseballs. The league wrote a memo to team officials Tuesday (March 23rd) about the change. There were three new enforcement measures described: gameday checking for violations in dugouts, clubhouses, tunnels, batting cages and bullpens; baseballs that come out of play will be given to commissioner's office for inspection, both randomly chosen balls and others that are suspicious; and data will be reviewed to analyze spin rate changes in pitchers suspected of using foreign substances.
🏈SNYDER TO BUY OUT OTHER WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM OWNERS: Dan Snyder is set to buy out the minority owners of the Washington Football Team to become the sole owner. Snyder, who bought the team in 1999, had his application for a debt waiver of $450 million approved by the league's finance committee, the NFL said yesterday (March 24th). All that remains now is for approval from the other team owners. Three-quarters of the NFL's 32 team owners have to agree to the change.
Cumulus Media said late Wednesday that it had fired WGRF 97 Rock "Morning Bull" host Rob Lederman following an on-air exchange in which he compared toaster settings to the tone of Black women’s skin.
The conversation drew swift condemnation and led Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center to cancel its advertising with the station, reports The Buffalo News.
A statement from Cumulus late Wednesday said Lederman's comments were in direct violation of the company's programming principles and that "the remainder of the show's on-air talent" had been suspended. The other two people involved in the conversation were lead host Rich "Bull" Gaenzler and co-host Chris Klein.
"We apologize, and deeply regret the incident," the company's statement said.
Lederman, meanwhile, told The Buffalo News that he was “horrified” by his words after he listened to a recording.
“I could easily see how someone could be offended by that. I get that,” said Lederman, who added, “It sounds terrible, and it is terrible.”
In a 45-second audio clip shared on Twitter by Marcel Louis-Jacques, a Buffalo Bills beat reporter for ESPN NFL Nation, the conversation appeared to initially be focused on the morning ritual of making toast. Gaenzler noted how high he likes his toaster setting. Lederman followed up by saying, “I may get into trouble for this,” and then described how he likens his toaster settings to women “I find to be attractive.”
Lederman then cited the names of two famous Black women, and at one point answered a question from Klein about a third woman. The only audible response from Gaenzler in the short clip circulating on social media is a single word: “OK.”
Carter, who recently moved from Buffalo, called on the Buffalo Association of Black Journalists to address the issue. (Carter is ending her term as president of the organization.) The BABJ, in turn, tweeted, “We are extremely disappointed and disgusted. Station leadership @97RockBuffalo can expect a follow up from our board.”
Reached Wednesday evening by The News, Lederman, who is also a longtime stand-up comic and owner of Rob’s Comedy Playhouse in Williamsville, said his words were guilty of “ignorance as opposed to malicious intent. Was it stupid? Yes. Was it funny? No, it was embarrassing once I heard it.”
Lederman's firing ends a lengthy and high-profile career at 97 Rock. The Amherst native was a nationally touring comic in the 1980s before joining the radio station in 1991. Working for 24 years alongside Buffalo broadcasting legend Larry Norton, he became a fixture on the radio and active with charities both in his work as a businessman and broadcaster.
Entercom and Global Music Rights announced Wednesday a long-term partnership which allows Entercom to perform GMR’s catalog of hit songs across all of its platforms.
The multi-year deal starts immediately and paves the way for a strong partnership between the rapidly growing audio content and entertainment platform and the boutique performing rights organization featuring some of music’s most talented hitmakers including Nicki Minaj, Drake, Bruce Springsteen, and Prince. The commercial partnership benefits both Entercom and the Global Music Rights songwriters, unlocking access to some of music’s most popular and beloved performers for fans all over the country.
“We are excited to partner with Irving and the team at GMR,” said David Field, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Entercom. “They represent some of the top talent on radio today. The combination of Entercom’s reach and GMR’s music is a huge win for our audience.”
“Music always brings people together,” said Irving Azoff. “David is a music fan so it’s no surprise that he welcomed the opportunity to work together to bring great music to fans through Entercom’s network.”
