Westwood One Offerings Brett Young Holiday Special

Brett Young

Westwood One is offering a four-hour holiday feast with A Thanksgiving Weekend Celebration with Brett Young.

It will be a holiday to remember with Brett and his friends Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, and many more. Brett will play their music along with his own four #1 singles, and many will share their favorite Thanksgiving dishes and traditions.

Westwood One's holiday music specials are an honored tradition with hundreds of programmers, millions of listeners, and local advertisers.

Stations can air Westwood One’s A Thanksgiving Weekend Celebration with Brett Young any time on Thursday, November 22, 2018 through Sunday, November 25, 2018, between 6:00 am and 12 midnight. For more information, contact Country@WestwoodOne.com.

Multi-PLATINUM-selling Country star Brett Young was recently named the 2018 ASCAP “Country Songwriter-Artist of the Year” and was the 2018 ACM winner for “New Male Vocalist of the Year.” His highly-anticipated second album, Ticket to LA, is scheduled to takeoff December 7 on BMLG Records and builds on one of the most successful new artist debuts in recent history with four straight PLATINUM-certified #1 singles and a 3X Platinum smash.

After NYTimes Report: Facebook In Turmoil

Facebook is being hit with fresh criticism from Capitol Hill as lawmakers reacted harshly Thursday to a New York Times investigation that detailed the company's efforts to wield influence in Washington after becoming aware of Russia-linked activity on its platform during the 2016 presidential campaign.

According to The Hill, the explosive article laid out how Facebook's leadership was reluctant to confront the Russian efforts on its platform and was unprepared for the firestorm over the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

On Thursday, a group of Senate Democrats -- Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Chris Coons (Del.) and Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) -- wrote to the Justice Department, asking them to "expand any investigation into Facebook and Cambridge Analytica to include whether Facebook – or any other entity affiliated with or hired by Facebook – retaliated against critics or public officials seeking to regulate the platform, or hid vital information from the public."

The Times story is likely to fuel some members' calls to regulate Facebook and other platforms, as many Democrats have become furious over the string of data privacy breaches and what they see as a lack of accountability in the industry.

The tech giant is also facing allegations of anti-Semitism after the Times reported that the company used a Republican opposition research firm called Definers Public Affairs to accuse liberal financier George Soros of funding some of the groups that were speaking out against Facebook as it faced public scrutiny over its handling of both the Russian disinformation campaigns and the Cambridge Analytica debacle.

November 16 Radio History

➦In 1896...Jim Jordan, the man behind the iconic radio sitcom Fibber McGee & Molly, was born.
Together with wife Marian & writer Don Quinn, in the mid 1930’s he created the form of most broadcast comedies that followed, with regular characters and running gags.  Fibber McGee’s overstuffed closet, created only through sound effects, is one of the great memories of ‘old-time’ radio.  The show ran for 25 years, until the latter-most stages of radio’s “golden age.”  Jordan died Apr 1, 1988 at age 91, due to a blood clot to the brain.

Mary Margaret McBride

➦In 1899...Mary Margaret McBride was born in Paris Missouri. She started an advice program on WOR radio in 1934, and took it national with first CBS in 1937, NBC in 1941, ABC in 1950,and back to NBC 1954-60.  Along the way she mixed in her own unique style interviews with figures well known in arts, entertainment and politics.

She died Apr 7, 1976 at age 76.

➦In 1904...Fleming patents thermionic tube (diode tube)

Stan Freberg, Daws Butler

➦In 1916...radio & cartoon voice actor Daws Butler was born in Toledo. He worked on Stan Freberg’s 1957 radio show & his many comedy creations for Capitol records.  On TV he helped voice Beany & Cecil, Woody Woodpecker, Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, The Jetsons, Fred Flinstone & Friends, the Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show, and many others.  He died May 18 1988 at age 71, following a heart attack.

➦In 1940...In Atlanta, the "hillbilly music" show "The WSB Barn Dance" began its 9½-year run.

➦In 1959...Harry Harrison debuted on WMCA, New York. Here's Harry on WMCA from 1965...



➦In 1963...The touch-tone telephone was introduced

➦In 1967...Jonathan Schwartz started at WNEW 102.7 FM NYC

➦In 1979...Paul McCartney released the holiday single "Wonderful Christmastime." Because he wrote, published, and played all the instruments on this recording, McCartney's royalties add up. Including royalties from cover versions, it is estimated that Paul McCartney makes $400,000 per year from this song, which puts its cumulative earnings in excess of $16 million.

Ralph Edwards

➦In 2005...“This Is Your Life” TV host & producer Ralph Edwards died of heart failure in West Hollywood, at age 92. Edwards also hosted the venerable radio game show ‘Truth or Consequences,’ and created TV’s long-running ‘The People’s Court.’



➦In 2012…Radio personality (WBZ-Boston, WKBW-Buffalo, WBEN-Buffalo)/program director Jefferson Kaye, for many years the voice of NFL Films, died of cancer at 75.

Born Martin Krimski, Kaye served in the US Air Force during the Korean War and was stationed in Morocco where he met his bride. Jeff began his broadcast career in Providence, RI and then moved on to WBZ Radio in Boston. From there he went to WKBW Radio in Buffalo and then became the morning man on WBEN Radio. After leaving Buffalo, Jeff began his Emmy winning career with NFL Films.

For more on Kaye: Click Here.



➦In 2012…Radio/television personality (WWJ-Radio, WWJ-TV) Sonny Eliot, a broadcaster in Detroit for 63 years and one of the first TV weathermen to combine meteorology and humor, died at age 91.

➦In 2015…Chicago radio veteran (WIND, WLS, WCLR, WLAK, WCFL, WJJD)/former AFTRA Board Member Bernie Allen died at age 86,

 ➦In 2017...the FCC voted 3-2 to loosen the US limits on local ownership of TV stations, radio stations and newspapers, reversing what FCC Chairman Ajit Pai described as one of its stalest rules.

R.I.P.: Roy Clark, Country Artist and Entertainer

Roy Clark, the country singer and multi-instrumentalist best known as a longtime host of “Hee Haw,” the television variety show that brought country music to millions of households each week, died on Thursday at his home in Tulsa, Okla. He was 85.

A spokesman, Jeremy Westby, said the cause was complications of pneumonia, according to The NYTimes.

Mr. Clark was a genial banjo-wielding presence on “Hee Haw” for the show’s entire run of more than two decades, serving as an ambassador for country music and the culture that defined it.

Most memorable, perhaps, was his role on the show’s weekly “pickin’ and grinnin’ ” segment with his co-host, the singer and guitarist Buck Owens. A variant of the old “Arkansas Traveler” routine — a vaudeville set piece that interspersed humor with music — the segment featured the two men trading winking rural-themed jokes, to the amusement of an audience that included many urban and suburban viewers living outside the South.

Conceived as a down-home answer to “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” the NBC comedy hour that featured blackout sketches, fast-cutting edits and one-liners, “Hee Haw” aired for only two years on CBS, from 1969 to 1971, before being canceled. But it then became a hit in syndication, running from 1971 to 1992. At the peak of its popularity, in the ’70s, it reached 30 million viewers a week.

Beyond “Hee Haw” and its fictional Kornfield Kounty, Mr. Clark brought country music to the living rooms and dens of the American public through his appearances as a regular guest and occasional guest host on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” He also appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and on sitcoms like “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “The Odd Couple,” and had a long-running stage act in Las Vegas.

Mr. Clark was named entertainer of the year at the Country Music Association Awards in 1973 and musician of the year in 1977, 1978 and 1980. His recording of the country standard “Alabama Jubilee” won a Grammy Award for best country instrumental performance in 1983. Eleven years later he published his autobiography, “My Life — in Spite of Myself!”

He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1987 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009.

And The 2018 CMA Awards Winners Are...

While most award shows are full of politically charged opening monologues and acceptance speeches, the CMA Awards made a conscious effort to avoid political banter during country music's biggest night in which Keith Urban won top honor as Entertainer of the Year. reports Fox News.

Unlike other star-studded events, CMA co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood vowed the show wouldn't be filled with political satire — and the country superstars kept their word. As the biggest names in the genre took the stage during Wednesday night's show at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, politics was not a topic of discussion.

Instead, the CMAs began on a somber note with Garth Brooks leading a moment of silence for the 12 people who were killed at a Southern California country bar last week.

"Tonight let's celebrate their lives. Let the music unite us with love," Brooks said.

Despite avoiding controversial topics, Underwood and Paisley still delivered a joke-filled opening monologue that left many in the audience in stitches.

"Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga made a movie, and it's sure to win a lot of big awards," the hosts crooned. "Country music's biggest night is here in Nashville."

Paisley then belted out, "Uh oh, Carrie, look! A star is bored."

Underwood then revealed the sex of her baby, saying it will be a "Willie" after Paisley repeatedly asked her about baby names.

Chris Stapleton was the first artist to win an award during the show, taking home Song of the Year for "Broken Halos" and later for Single of the Year for the same song. He also won Male Vocalist of the Year.

"I didn't expect this one, man, thank you so many great songs in the category," Stapleton said as he accepted his first award of the night. He later said he was "thinking about the people in California right now" and he wants to "dedicate this award to them."

But it was Urban who walked away with the night's biggest award as Entertainer of the Year as his wife Nicole Kidman was there to support him.

.@KeithUrban's #CMAawards Entertainer of the Year acceptance speech got us like 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/yn6k9N5DB7

— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 15, 2018

"God, I thank you so much for the blessing of this," a tearful Urban said. "I wish my dad was alive to see this, but I think he's watching over me tonight... God bless country music. God bless you all."

Find all the night's winners below:

➤Entertainer of the Year

Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
​Kenny Chesney
Chris Stapleton
WINNER: Keith Urban

➤Single of the Year

WINNER: "Broken Halos," Chris Stapleton
"Drinkin' Problem," Midland
"Drowns the Whiskey," Jason Aldean feat. Miranda Lambert
"Meant to Be," Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
"Tequila," Dan + Shay

➤Female Vocalist of the Year   

Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
WINNER: ​Carrie Underwood

➤Male Vocalist of the Year

Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
WINNER: Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban

➤Vocal Duo of the Year

WINNER: Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
Sugarland

➤New Artist of the Year

Lauren Alaina
WINNER: Luke Combs
Chris Janson
Midland
Brett Young

➤Vocal Group of the Year

Lady Antebellum
LANCO​
Little Big Town
Midland
WINNER: Old Dominion

➤Album of the Year

From A Room: Volume 2, Chris Stapleton
WINNER: Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves​
Graffiti U, Keith Urban
Life Changes, Thomas Rhett
The Mountain, Dierks Bentley

➤Song of the Year

“Body Like A Back Road,” Sam Hunt
WINNER: “Broken Halos,” Chris Stapleton
“Drowns the Whiskey,” Jason Aldean feat. Miranda Lambert
“Drunk Girl,” Chris Janson​
“Tequila,” Dan + Shay

➤Musical Event of the Year

“Burning Man," Dierks Bentley feat. Brothers Osborne
“Dear Hate," Maren Morris feat. Vince Gill
“Drowns the Whiskey," Jason Aldean feat. Miranda Lambert
WINNER: “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright," David Lee Murphy & Kenny Chesney
“Meant to Be," Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line

➤Music Video of the Year

“Babe,” Sugarland feat. Taylor Swift
“Cry Pretty,” Carrie Underwood
“Drunk Girl,” Chris Janson​
WINNER: “Marry Me,” Thomas Rhett
“Tequila,” Dan + Shay

➤Musician of the Year

Jerry Douglas, Dobro
Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
Dann Huff, Guitar
WINNER: Mac McAnally, Guitar
Derek Wells, Guitar

Boston Radio: Kirk Minihane EXITS Sports WEEI

Entercom has announced that leading radio personality Kirk Minihane will launch a new radio show, podcast and column on RADIO.COM.

For the past five years, Kirk has been co-host of the “Kirk and Callahan” morning show on WEEI 93.7 FM. The new platform will expand Kirk’s reach to a national audience and explore wide-ranging topics in addition to sports. Kirk’s podcast and column are expected to launch in January 2019 and his new, daily, weekday radio show, which will include a co-host to be named at a later date, is expected to launch in early 2019.

“As an industry leader in compelling, proprietary content, Entercom is making sure RADIO.COM is populated with the very best programming available. Kirk Minihane fits this model perfectly,” said Pat Paxton, President of Programming, Entercom. “His ability to entertain and engage is second to none, and there is no question Kirk will become a highly successful national audio personality. He already conquered Boston. Now on to the rest of the world!”

“I’m extremely excited to return to the air and reach a national audience, with greater autonomy to focus on a variety of topics, and even more digital platforms to connect with my fans,” said Kirk Minihane.

“It’s been awesome to be part of WEEI and I know Gerry and Mut will continue to put on a great show. I want to thank the listeners for their patience and loyalty over the past several weeks, and I can’t wait to get started on RADIO.COM.”

RADIO.COM is the exclusive digital home for all Entercom content across the company’s robust portfolio of 235 radio stations.

Minihane run as a cohost of the morning program om WEEI has been marked by controversy, contentiousness, and consistent ratings success, according to boston.com.

In 2014, Fox temporarily pulled its advertising when Minihane referred to Fox Sports sideline reporter Erin Andrews as a “gutless bitch’’ for the way she handled an interview during baseball’s All-Star Game. Minihane was briefly suspended.

In August, Tom Brady hung up during his paid weekly appearance on “Kirk and Callahan’’ after Minihane pressed him with questions about Alex Guerrero, the quarterback’s controversial trainer.

In a statement, WEEI said, “This national platform will provide Kirk the opportunity to host a show the way he envisions without having to worry about certain station and FCC guidelines. Kirk remains an employee of Entercom and part of the Entercom/WEEI family.’’

Minihane’s daily program will not air at the same time as “Mut and Callahan’’ for now. But it will be available on demand for listening at any time.

Minihane has been on a leave of absence from the morning program since early September. He had revealed Aug. 9 that he had recently checked himself into Winchester Hospital with suicidal thoughts. He said he was transferred to McLean Hospital, where he underwent treatment.

Minihane briefly returned to the show, but went back on his leave of absence Sept. 6.

“Still battling mental health issues,’’ Minihane tweeted. “Truth is I came back to work too fast.’’

Minihane, who has long been candid about his battles with depression, acknowledged then that he was still working through some of the reasons for his struggles.  Those included conflicts with Entercom and WEEI management about the direction of the show.

In recent weeks, there has been much suspense regarding when or if Minihane would return to “Kirk and Callahan.’’ He tweeted that he was cleared by his doctor to return Oct. 12, but WEEI would not put him back on the air.

Minihane had a palpably positive effect on ratings when he joined WEEI’s morning show as a third voice in February 2013. “Kirk and Callahan’’ was the highest-rated morning drive show in Boston over the summer among the men 25-54 demographic.

West Palm Beach Radio: Hubbard To Acquire Alpha Cluster

Hubbard Radio has agreed to acquire six radio outlets from Alpha Media in West Palm Beach.

Included in the $88M deal are:

• Hot AC WRMF 97.9
• Country WIRK 103.1 
• Sports Talk WMEN 640 AM 
• News Talk WFTL 850 AM 
• AC WEAT 107.9
• Urban WMBX-FM

The Seller, Alpha Media, is an Oregon-based company headed by Bob Proffitt. Alpha Media also owns 213 stations in 46 markets.

Alpha Media's Bob Proffitt commented, "While we are sad to see these great stations leave the Alpha family, we are equally happy for Elizabeth Hamma and her excellent and dedicated team to join Hubbard Radio."

Hubbard Radio, LLC, is a Minnesota-based company headed by Virginia Morris. Hubbard Radio also owns 48 stations in 8 states. "This is an exciting opportunity for Hubbard Radio," said Hubbard Radio CEO Ginny Morris. "West Palm Beach is a terrific market and the Alpha Media radio stations set the standard for excellence in south Florida. We feel honored to welcome these great radio stations into the Hubbard Radio family."

Kalil & Co. brokered this transaction which is subject to FCC approval.

Philly Radio: Kristina Hammerschmidt New KYW N-D

Kristina Hammerschmidt

Entercom announced that Kristina Hammerschmidt has been appointed News Director of Newsradio KYW 1060 AM in Philadelphia, effective November 19. In this new role, Hammerschmidt will oversee the 24-hour multiplatform newsroom at Philadelphia’s iconic all-news station.

“Kristina is a talented and dynamic leader with expertise that will take the KYW Newsradio team to the next level,” said David Yadgaroff, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Philadelphia. “Her strong track record producing live newscasts will help us deliver on our mission of telling compelling stories and setting the agenda for news coverage in the Delaware Valley.”

“I am excited to lead such a talented and dedicated team of journalists,” said Hammerschmidt. “KYW Newsradio has a rich history and plays an important role in the lives of nearly a million listeners in the Delaware Valley each week. I look forward to helping KYW continue to serve our community with the news, weather, sports and traffic information they depend on.”

A Philadelphia native, Hammerschmidt joined Entercom in 2017 as an editor and writer for KYW Newsradio. She previously served as a producer and writer for KYW-TV in Philadelphia, WFMZ-TV in Allentown, PA and WBOC-TV in Salisbury, MD. Hammerschmidt holds a B.A. in Journalism from Temple University.

Report: TV Commercials 'Most Influential' For Voters

The Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) has announced that initial results are in from the 2018 Voter Funnel Study, showing that voters in Arizona and Florida found advertising on television to be most influential in making voting decisions.

“Preliminary results from these hotly contested states confirm that television continues to be the most important platform in generating awareness of candidates and issues, as well as influencing voters’ decision-making process. In addition, television is a key motivator in getting voters out to vote,” says TVB President and CEO Steve Lanzano. “The 2018 elections broke all records when it comes to campaign spending on local broadcast TV – and our newest study shows that this was a worthwhile investment.”

Though data continues to come in, the topline figures show that registered voters in Arizona and Florida ranked TV as more influential than all other types of advertising when generating interest, awareness and in choosing a candidate for whom to vote. Per state, registered voters responded:

• 55 and 58 percent of voters in Arizona and Florida, respectively, ranked TV as “most important” in terms of generating awareness; more than all other media, combined. 
• 67 and 71 percent of voters in Arizona and Florida, respectively, ranked TV as “most important” in motivating them to “get out and vote.” The next highest was social media at 26 percent and 29 percent, respectively.

The 2018 Voter Funnel data also shows that local broadcast television remains one of the most trusted sources of information for voters. Only seven percent of voters in Arizona and Florida stated that they find “the problem of ‘fake news’ to be most prevalent” on local broadcast TV, as opposed to 57 percent and 55 percent of voters in Arizona and Florida, respectively, who identified ‘fake news’ as most prevalent on social media.

TVB’s Voter Funnel reveals voter sentiment, motivations and trends from the 2018 election; a full report will follow as more voters weigh in. This latest study follows last week’s announcement that over $3 billion was spent on local broadcast television in the midterms, exceeding previous records. This new research helps to shed light on why campaigns continue to return to local broadcast TV: it works. “This data and this year’s record-breaking spending continue to prove that TV advertising is the most influential and persuasive,” continued Lanzano, “It’s time pundits address the facts and listen to what campaigns clearly know, voters trust local broadcast TV.”

TVB commissioned Research Now SSI to conduct the 2018 Voter Funnel. Over 10,000 interviews were collected via an opt-in survey in 10 competitive states (a goal of 1,000 in each state) including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin. To qualify, respondents needed to be 18 or over, a registered voter in that particular state and have seen or heard an advertisement for any candidate and/or ballot issue in any of over 20 media platforms, both traditional and digital, in the past 2 months. The survey began 11/7/18, right after the 2018 election, and met the goal for Florida and Arizona 11/11/18.

Fox News Supports CNN Lawsuit Against TWH

Fox News is siding with CNN in its legal battle against President Trump and several top administration aides after CNN journalist Jim Acosta's White House press pass being revoked.

Fox, which is usually favorable towards the administration, is joining more than a dozen news outlets representing most of the biggest news organizations in the U.S. in an amicus brief supporting CNN in an effort to get Acosta's credentials reinstated.

Fox said in a statement, "Secret Service passes for working White House journalists should never be weaponized."

CNN filed its lawsuit on Tuesday, after Acosta's press pass was revoked following a contentious Trump press conference last week.

The White House's initial explanation had been that Acosta made improper physical contact with an intern who was trying to grab the microphone as he continued to ask questions. But after witnesses backed up Acosta's contention that he was just trying to hold on to the mic, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted video that had been altered to make it seem that Acosta had been more aggressive than he'd been.

However, Sanders has since given a different reason for revoking Acosta's credentials, saying he'd been unprofessional by trying to dominate the questioning.

A Federal judge is expected to rule at 3 p.m. today on CNN's request for a temporary restraining order to reinstate correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials at the White House.

Report: 1B Devices Now Support Voice Assistants

Voice assistants and smart devices are one of the hottest topics for the audio industry, and a new report from Voicebot.ai, PullString, and the RAIN Agency traces the trend’s progress.

According to the report, voice assistants have moved out of their first phase, marked by availability across platforms and languages and access to core features. It suggested that the second phase of voice will be marked by more nuanced features, use in more contexts, and availability on more connected devices.

The key findings are:

• Over one billion devices provide voice assistant access today; leading the pack are Google Assistant and Apple Siri, followed by Amazon Alexa and Microsoft Cortana
• There are twice as many monthly active voice assistant users on smartphones as smart speakers and voice usage in cars also exceeds use on smart speakers
• Apple Siri is the leader in voice assistant usage on smartphones while Amazon Alexa leads on smart speakers and Google Assistant is a rising number two in both categories
• Smart speaker owners now have 2.2 devices on average and smart speaker installed base has risen to 57.8 million

The report finds that smart speaker adoption has reached an install base of nearly one in four adults in the U.S., although the authors anticipate reaching 30% market penetration before the end of the year. So far this year, the report found that smart speaker ownership in the U.S. has been steadily rising, from an audience of 47.3 million in January 2018 to 54.4 million in May 2018 to 57.8 million in September 2018.

Among households with smart speakers, the average number of devices has inched up from 1.8 in January to 2.2 in September. Nearly a quarter of the audience has three or more smart speakers.

The report asked smart speaker owners how often they used the device’s voice capabilities. “At least monthly” was the most common response at 79.1%, followed by “at least daily” at 45.5%. Those figures both dipped from the January 2018 results, which were 87% and 63%, respectively.

Amazon still holds a strong lead with 64.6% market share for smart speakers. Google has increased its holdings to 19.6% and Apple has just 4.5%. The results showed growth for the umbrella category of third-party brands, such as Sonos, JBL, Harman Kardon, Bose, and Bang & Olufsen. These brands took an 11.3% share of the U.S. market.

Why Are There So Many “Podcast Nevers?”

While there is little question that podcasting continues to be a platform that is growing in popularity, it may come as no surprise that nearly half of Americans have never listened to a single podcast.

According to Jacobs Media, between 30 and 45 percent of radio listeners say they do not listen to podcasts. The firm conducts three major nationwide surveys each year:

• The Jacobs Media Techsurvey, which measures how commercial radio listeners consume media
• The Public Radio Techsurvey, which does the same for those who listen mostly to public radio
• The Christian Music Broadcasters Techsurvey, which is targeted toward listeners of Christian radio stations

In this year’s surveys, all three groups were asked about their podcast consumption. Jacobs Media found that 45 percent of commercial radio listeners never listen to podcasts. Among Christian radio listeners, 43 percent don’t ever listen to podcasts. Public radio listeners are the heaviest consumers of podcasts — with just 30 percent saying they never listen, and 16 percent saying they listen to podcasts daily.

It’s not clear why podcasting lags so far behind its video counterpart — video on-demand. By comparison, about 59 percent of American adults are now using Netflix, according to Statista, which aggregates studies from more than 22,500 sources.

But Fred Jacobs, the president and founder of Jacobs Media, posts that it may have something to do with the quality of centralized platforms. That is, Netflix is easy to navigate — and one can subscribe and begin using it with little friction. If you feel like branching out, the largest alternative platforms — Amazon Prime Video and Hulu — are pretty intuitive, and work very much like Netflix.

The same can’t be said of podcasting, according to media watcher Damien Willis. Even for those accustomed to using iTunes, the platforms for discovery and subscribing can be clunky and fragmented and hard to navigate. There really isn’t a centralized platform through which one can access the best of the medium without much friction. And there’s no doubt that this can be off-putting to some would-be listeners.

D/FW Radio: KLIF-FM Morning Show 'To Stuff A Bus'

Scotty K and Bret Mega Mornings on KLIF Hot 93.3 FM will live on a bus for 5 days as they attempt to cram as many new and gently used toys into it for underprivileged kids living in the DFW area.

Benefiting a Local Dallas/Fort Worth Charity, Stuff-A-Bus returns for its third year at Stonebriar Mall in Frisco on Thursday, December 13 and run through Tuesday, December 18.

“With the amazing success of last year's Stuff-A-Bus, and being inspired by the generosity of the DFW community, we are excited to announce that Stuff-A-Bus is back!” – Bret Mega, Morning Show Co-Host. “This year will be even bigger, in turn helping more kids in DFW than ever before. Stuff-A-Bus brings the community together so that every single kid can feel the joy of opening a present for the Holidays.”

“It breaks our hearts to think that there are thousands of kids who will have nothing.” Scotty K added. “That is why, once again, we are committed to LIVING on the bus 24/7, around the clock, collecting toys to be there for them!"

This year, Hot 93.3 will be partnering up with the Dallas Mavericks, Stonebriar Mall, Wynne Transportation and the RV Concierge to really kick start the 2018 Stuff a Bus Promotion!

R.I.P.: Former Syracuse Radio PD Bill Quinn

Bill Quinn

Former longtime Syracuse NY program director William J. Quinn died November 9 at his home in Liverpool.

He was 83-years-of-age.

Quinn was an on-air personality in the 1950's he was a program manager and did local record hops at the Armory and Three Rivers Inn where he was known as "Wild Bill Quinn".

He worked with WFBL, WNDR in Syracuse and WTLB in Utica, NY, as an on-air program manager in the 1960's.

Quinn was a producer with WPRO in Providence R.I. in the 60's, WBAL Baltimore and Maryland Public Radio in the 1970's and 80's. He was managing director of WINX in Washington D.C. in the 1980's.

November 15 Radio History

➦In 1919...actress Carol Bruce was born in Great Neck NY.

She is best remembered as the domineering station owner Mother Carlson in the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. She also had recurring roles in General Hospital & Knot’s Landing.

She died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Oct. 9 2007 at age 87.




➦In 1926...The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) began broadcasting comprised of a network of 24 radio stations.

The program was a gala 4½-hour broadcast from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Two remote pickups were also on the program. Opera star Mary Garden sang from Chicago and Will Rogers presented a humorous monologue from Independence, Kansas. Aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh was among the luminaries who attended the broadcast.


➦In 1927...KVOS 1200 AM Bellingham WA signed on the air with 100 watts owned by Rogan Jones.  It is now KGMI 790 AM.

Lionel Barrymore

➦In 1954...actor Lionel Barrymore,  who played Dr. Gillespie to Lew Ayres’ Dr Kildare in the movies & on radio, suffered a fatal heart attack at age 76.   He also was beloved as radio’s Mayor of the Town, and as Scrooge in the annual radio broadcast of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

➦In 1956...Elvis Presley's first movie, Love Me Tender , premieres at New York's Paramount Theater.

The King's popularity has grown so exponentially large during the filming on the movie that his part -- originally almost a cameo -- is expanded to fit his stardom. Indeed, when his character is killed at the end of the movie, test audiences are so distraught that Elvis re-appears at the end of the movie to reprise the title song.

A fifty-foot cardboard cutout of the singer is posted outside the theater to emphasize his new importance to the project, and the movie -- which recieves lukewarm reviews from critics who nonetheless appreciate the singer's performance -- rakes in a very respectable four million dollars in just two months.

➦In 1959...Three ex-members of the Quarrymen -- later to become known as the Beatles' John, Paul, and George -- audition for a British talent program called TV Star Search at the Hippodrome Theatre in Lancashire, appearing as "Johnny and the Moondogs" and performing two Buddy Holly songs: "Think It Over" and "It's So Easy." Unfortunately, the trio is forced to return to Liverpool the same night, having no money to rent a hotel room, and therefore missing out on the next round of auditions.

➦In 2006...radio personality, Jack Alix, died in Richmond, Virginia. Alix is best known for his syndicated oldies show "Rock and Roll Roots" at one time heard on almost 150 radio stations.

➦In 2007…Baseball broadcaster (Cincinnati Reds)/former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall died of cancer at 79. Nuxhall was the youngest player ever to appear in a major league game, pitching 2/3 of an inning for the Reds on June 10, 1944 at the age of 15 years, 316 days.

➦In 2014…Longtime Baltimore disc jockey (WCBM, WFBR) Joe Knight, known to his listeners as "The Knight of the Spinning Roundtable," died of broken hip complications at 87.

Laura Ingraham Pulling Plug On Radio Show

After more than 17 years as one of America’s most popular and influential radio talk show hosts, Laura Ingraham has decided to transition from radio to a new original podcast. The Laura Ingraham Show, will debut in January on PodcastOne.

As a female trailblazer in radio, Ingraham has covered nine presidential and mid-term elections, and interviewed everyone from U.S. presidents to foreign leaders to Grammy Award winners. With her unique combination of political, legal and comedic insights, she has developed a devoted following of fans from coast-to-coast.

“While hosting a prime-time television show and raising three children on my own, continuing a three-hour morning radio show was no longer feasible,” Ingraham said wistfully. “Although I will greatly miss my radio listeners and affiliates, working late nights and early mornings has taken a toll on my family life. Plus, my radio audience is smart, savvy and committed, and I know most will follow my new show in the format that is revolutionizing the audio world–digital podcasting.”

PodcastOne Chairman & CEO, Norm Pattiz said, “Due to her HUGE success on the Fox News channel, daily podcasts are a much better fit for Laura’s hectic schedule and provides her listeners in all markets access at any time to the new Laura Ingraham Show podcast. She’s at the top of her game and her new original podcasts will fit perfectly on PodcastOne.”

Ingraham, also a New York Times bestselling author, expressed her deep gratitude to all who made her radio show possible since 2001. “Without phenomenal producers, a committed sales team, great station managers and program directors—and of course my loyal advertisers–this show wouldn’t have been possible.” She added, “Now it’s time for a new adventure.”

iHeartMedia Names Post-Emergence Board of Directors

iHeartMedia announced today the members selected to serve on its Board of Directors upon its emergence from Chapter 11.

Subject to confirmation of the Company’s Plan of Reorganization, the post-emergence Board will consist of the following Directors, all of whom possess highly relevant knowledge and experience critical to positioning the company for future success:

Bob Pittman, Chairman of the Board of Directors:   Mr. Pittman is the current CEO and Board Chairman of iHeartMedia. Mr. Pittman was formerly COO of AOL Time Warner, Inc. after serving as President and COO of America Online, Inc. Mr. Pittman also served as the CEO of MTV Networks and was the cofounder and programmer who led the team that created MTV.

Jay Rasulo, Lead Independent Director: Mr. Rasulo was formerly an executive at Walt Disney Company from 1986 through 2015, having spent his last five years at Disney as the CFO and Senior Executive Vice President. During his tenure at Walt Disney, among other roles, he served as the Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Mr. Rasulo is a graduate of Columbia University and received his MA & MBA from the University of Chicago.

Gary Barber:  Mr. Barber served as the Chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. (MGM) from 2010 through March 2018. Prior to his role at MGM, he was the co-founder of Spyglass Entertainment, which he founded in 1998. Mr. Barber received his undergraduate and post graduate degrees from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.

Rich Bressler:  Mr. Bressler is the current President, COO and CFO of iHeartMedia. Before joining iHeart, Mr. Bressler was a Managing Director at THL. Prior to joining THL, Mr. Bressler’s experience included serving as Senior Executive Vice President and CFO of Viacom, Inc., as Chairman and CEO of Time Warner Digital Media, and as Executive Vice President and CFO of Time Warner Inc.

Brad Gerstner:  Mr. Gerstner is the Founder and CEO of Altimeter Capital, an internet, software, and travel focused investment firm founded in 2008. Prior to launching Altimeter, Mr. Gerstner was the Co- founder of three internet search start-ups. Mr. Gerstner received his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Sean Mahoney:  Mr. Mahoney is a private investor. He currently serves as a director at two public companies, Aptiv plc and Arconic Inc., and at post-bankruptcy Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. His prior board service includes Delphi Automotive plc and Formula One Holdings. Mr. Mahoney was a partner at Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he headed the Financial Sponsors Group, and Vice Chairman, Global Banking, at Deutsche Bank Securities. Mr. Mahoney is a graduate of the University of Chicago and Oxford University (which he attended on a Rhodes Scholarship).

Kamakshi Sivaramakrishnan:  Ms. Sivaramakrishnan is the founder and CEO of Drawbridge, a company focused on designing quantitative algorithms for numerous areas, including computational advertising. Prior to founding Drawbridge, Ms. Sivaramakrishnan was a Senior Research Scientist at AdMob which was acquired by Google in 2010. Ms. Sivaramakrishnan has her Ph.D. from Stanford University.

“We are excited about both the depth and range of our new Board members,” said Pittman.  “We know our ability to draw on the experience of this unique combination of leaders in their respective fields will give us an unparalleled competitive advantage as we build our next level of growth.”

iHeartMedia’s current Board of Directors will remain in place until the company emerges from Chapter 11, at which time the new Board will assume its responsibilities.

Cumulus Media Reports Slight Drop In Net Revenue

Cumulus Media Inc. late Tuesday announced operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018.

For the three months ended September 30, 2018, the Company reported net revenue of $282.3 million, down 1.7% from the three months ended September 30, 2017, net income of $12.7 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $62.1 million, which was up 0.5% from the three months ended September 30, 2017.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company reported net revenue of $831.2 million, down 1.3% from the nine months ended September 30, 2017, net income of $713.8 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $168.7 million, which was up 0.5% from the nine months ended September 30, 2017. Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 included an after-tax gain associated with the Company's emergence from Chapter 11 of $641.0 million.

Mary Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cumulus Media commented, “In our first full quarter of operations since emerging from Chapter 11, our positive momentum continued and we remain focused on the path ahead. We delivered another quarter of Adjusted EBITDA growth - approximately 50 basis points on a reported basis and 3.9% when adjusting for the impact of USTN and our exit from WLUP-FM in Chicago.

Mary Berner

"Additionally, in early October, we completed a $50 million prepayment of our term loan using cash generated from operations, demonstrating both our ability to produce significant free cash flow and our commitment to pay down debt with that cash. We continue to believe that our key growth initiatives, including our digital businesses at the Cumulus Radio Station Group, our rapidly expanding podcast business and pricing and inventory management improvements across the Company, as well as our substantial free cash flow generation, position the Company well to create value for all our stakeholders.”