LA Radio: Thousands Attend ‘Bugstock’

K-EARTH photo

Thousands of K-EARTH 101 listeners and Volkswagen enthusiasts flocked to the Orange County Market Place Saturday for KRTH K-EARTH 101′s Bugstock 2013 car show and festival!

The weather was a beautiful, sunny mid-70s without a rain cloud in sight as guests enjoyed all the festival had to offer around the grounds. K-EARTH’s Charlie Tuna broadcasted live on air from the show with all our DJs in attendance for listener meet and greets and introductions on stage.

Beatles tribute band Hard Day’s Night rocked the stage playing the Fab Four’s greatest hits from three different eras – early years, Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club, and the later years – getting everyone groovin’ out on the dance floor.

Of course the VW car displays were the main draw of the day with Galpin Volkswagen bringing custom-designed cars like The Mystery Machine, Herbie The Love Bug, the Zinger and more. Star Car Central brought in a radical Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle bus that even play its own theme music!

Check out the entire photo gallery from K-EARTH 101′s Bugstock 2013, Click Here!

Jay, Jimmy Sing ‘Tonight’ Duet

Jimmy Fallon and Jay Leno sing their version of the classic duet "Tonight" from the Broadway musical "West Side Story."

Fed Court Ruling Favors Aereo Video Service

In a blow to major TV broadcasters, a federal appeals court ruled Monday that start-up Aereo can continue to stream live local TV through its website and app.

According to USAToday, the decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York, affirms an earlier ruling that Aereo doesn't violate broadcasters' copyrights in airing programs over the Internet from its farm of mini-antennas in Brooklyn.

Consumer groups applauded the decision because it ushers in greater flexibility in choosing TV shows without paying a hefty cable bill. However, it also signals that more legal fights will likely be waged by broadcasters eager to hold on to advertising revenues and retransmission fees that cable companies pay to carry their channels.

Backed by Barry Diller's IAC InterActive, Aereo enables subscribers to stream live broadcast content from local stations -- including the networks, public television and Spanish-language channels -- on their desktop computers, tablets or smartphones.

Each subscriber leases a small Aereo antenna that's stored in the company's warehouse, a point that Aereo emphasizes in differentiating its service from other streaming companies. The antenna receives the TV signal, and subscribers can view or record content through Aereo's streaming technology, which requires an Internet connection. Subscription fees range from $1 a day to $80 a year.

Streaming is available only in areas where Aereo operates.

The lawsuit's plaintiffs -- including ABC, CBS, NBCUniversal, Telemundo and Public Broadcasting Service -- sued Aereo last year in federal court, asking for an injunction barring the company from transmitting programs because it lacks the proper license.

The National Association of Broadcasters, an industry group representing TV networks, said it was "disappointed" by the decision, and sided with the dissenting opinion issued by Judge Denny Chin.

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Barbara Walters: ‘I Have No Announcement To Make’

Barbara Walters sidestepped rumors of her retirement in Monday's broadcast of "The View."

"There were many reports last week that I was retiring from ABC and there was an assumption that I would be making an announcement today," Walters said at the top of the show. "The paparazzi were outside my home today. However, here I am, and I have no announcement to make."

Rumors surfaced last week that Walters, 83, was planning to retire in May 2014 after a bout of health problems including a falling accident and chicken pox.

SLC Radio: 'Radio From Hell' Returns To X96

UPDATE 12Noon TUESDAY: Kerry Jackson, Bill Allred and Gina Barberi back on-air live this morning following reports that their contract had expired on Sunday. A new contract reportedly was worked out Monday night.

Original posting....

Three of Salt Lake City's most popular radio personalities were MIA today – and it doesn't appear to be an April Fool's Day joke.

Kerry Jackson, Bill Allred and Gina Barberi were not on the air this morning on Alternative KRXK X96's "Radio From Hell" show – except in recycled segments from past shows – as the trio's contract with the station expired Sunday night, according to sltrib.com. 

Apparently negotiations are continuing today and the trio is still listed on the station’s website.

LA Radio: Elisha Krauss Joins KRLA For Mornings

Elisha Krauss

Elisha Krauss, Sean Hannity’s former radio producer, was was unveiled as co-host for KRLA 870 AM The Answer.

She replaces Heidi Harris (although as of 2pm eastern Monday, she’s still listed on The Answer's website, bad eh? Afterall, they've had since last Thursday to scrub Heidi off the site) and joins Brian Whitman and Ben Shapiro for wake-up duty.

The move reunites Krauss with Salem VP/Director Spoken Word Format Phil Boyce, who first hired her as a 18-year old college freshman intern when he was PD at WABC/New York.

Salem VP/Spoken Words Formats Phil Boyce comments” “Elisha impressed me from the day we first met when she applied to be an intern at WABC. She had been home schooled in Oklahoma, but here she was in Manahattan making a name for herself as a freshman and I was immediately impressed with her character, integrity and maturity."

Commenting on the new morning trio KRLA Program Director Chuck Tyler said, “Elisha is a great addition to the team. This is a truly unique show for Los Angeles morning drive and I know Brian and Ben are very anxious to get her into the mix.”

NBC Sports Radio Now Live 24/7

NBC Sports Radio goes live today with full, 24/7 sports-talk programming to entertain, inform and engage sports fans nationwide. In addition to a starting lineup of 257 affiliated stations, the network introduces a newly designed, revamped website at NBCSportsRadio.com.

NBCSportsRadio.com features a fresh, modern look with a number of new features - such as programming schedules, talent bios and photos, and a terrestrial radio station finder - plus added capabilities, including live streaming, station streaming and social media streaming.

The NBC Sports Radio mobile app, created by Abacast, showcases a branded home page with rotating sponsorship panels and an integration system that syncs audio ads and rotating display ads - a feature that will help advertisers extend their brands. Among its many features, the mobile app also delivers programming content, Facebook and Twitter promotion, and a station information page linking to phone request lines.

Chris Corcoran, executive vice president, general manager of NBC Sports Radio, said, "Game on! We are pumped and ready to take the field. When you combine our unmatched talent with our stations, our digital assets and our social media presence, it all adds up to an amazing listening and interactive experience for sports fans everywhere."

Rob Simmelkjaer, SVP of NBC Sports Ventures, said, "We couldn't be more excited to be launching our 24/7 format today. In just a short time, NBC Sports Radio has become a relevant player in the market, and we're looking forward to continuing our growth. Today we also launch new ways for listeners to hear our content, from our new online webpage to our mobile app. Audio content is now consumed in more ways than ever, and we're pleased to provide multiple touch points for listeners."

CBS Sports Radio Debuts On Cumulus’ The Ticket

No foolin’..there’s more sports on the radio in Minneapolis, as Cumulus flips a trimulcast to CBS Radio Sports.

WGVX 1051 FN, WGVZ 105.7 and WRXP 105.3 are now known as TheTicket.  The three were previously airing an AC format.

CorporateProgrammer/Sports for Cumulus Jim Mahanay stated, “Minneapolis/St. Paul is an amzing sports market.  We’re excited to enter the competition with an all-star line-up of talent..at Sports Radio 105 The Ticket.”

Cluster Om Scott Jameson added, "the passion for sports combined with the power and credibility of the CBS brand makes for engaging and entertaining content. Sports fans in The Twin Cities now have a choice for their daily fix of news and conversation delivered by the best in the business.”

The Ticket joins Clear Channel's KFXN The Fan at 100.3, 99.3 and 103.5 FM, plus Hubbard’s KSTP ESPN 1500-AM.   There’s also plenty of Minnesota Twins baseball talk on Modern ACKTWN  96.3 K-Twin.

Chicago Radio: WBBM-AM Tops In 2012 Billing

Chicago radio station revenue slipped for 2012, getting little or no boost from political advertising and bucking a modest uptrend for the industry.

According to The Chicago Tribune, the Chicago radio market brought in just under $484 million for the year, down by about $5 million from 2011, according to media research firm BIA/Kelsey, which said radio revenue was up 1.5 percent nationally.

CBS Radio had three of the top five stations in Chicago, including the all-news simulcast on WBBM-AM 780 and FM 105.9, which remained No. 1 with $45.7 million in revenue, down a little more than $2 million from 2011. CBS' hit music station, WBBM-FM 96.3 (B96), gained $7.8 million, to $25.8 million, jumping from 8th to 4th place, according to BIA/Kelsey.

Tribune Co.'s WGN-AM 720 took a big hit in revenue, dropping more than $5 million, to $30.2 million for the year, according to BIA/Kelsey. The NHL lockout, a labor dispute which wiped out the Chicago Blackhawks broadcast schedule on the station for the fourth quarter, accounted for a big chunk of that.

Here are the Top 5 Chicago radio stations in revenue for 2012, according to BIA/Kelsey:

• WBBM-AM with revenue of  $45.7 million, down $2.3 million from 2011
• WTMX-FM with revenue of $34.1 million, down $1.9 million from 2011
• WGN-AM  with revenue of $30.2 million, down $5.3 million from 2011
• WBBM-FM with revenue of  $25.8 million, up $7.8 million from 2011
• WUSN-FM  with revenue of $23.1 million, up $1.1 million from 2011

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Motown: Hitsville, U.S.A. Comes to Broadway

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy is responsible for helping create more than a label, but a sound. Now the legendary Detroit record company whose artists scored more than 100 Top Ten hits has scored a spot on the Great White Way.

Anthony Mason reports.

Boston Radio: ‘Radio Is Different’ The Second Time

The Baltazar & Pebbles Morning Show on WBQT Hot 96.9 FM officially debuted on March 4.

The Baltazar & Pebbles Morning Show “round 2,” as Baltazar called it, marks its one-month anniversary next week. While the duo didn’t have anything particular in mind to celebrate the occasion, they did say that they’re trying to keep things in perspective, according to a story Tayla Holman at dotnews.com.

“We’re taking it one day at a time, it’s really a marathon, not a sprint,” Baltazar said. “But it’s really special [to have been back together] for a month. Everyday we get new callers and to them, it’s the first day. It’s trickling down little by little.”

The two also acknowledged how radio has changed since the last time they were together.

“Radio is different in the way that people receive it. People would be listening in their car, or at home. Now there are so many other ways that people can listen,” Pebbles said. “Not only that, but there’s just more interaction, like through Facebook. When we leave here, when we leave the show, those interactions continue throughout the day.”

Baltazar added, “Before, people just called the radio station. Now they reach out on Facebook or Twitter, so these bonds are happening a lot quicker.”

The duo also said the first week they were back together was “amazing” from all of the reactions from excited listeners.

So what can listeners, old and new, expect from the new Baltazar & Pebbles Morning Show? Essentially, a lot of the same – like the BaltBuster, the crank call segment that started on JAMN – but with a few new twists thrown in for good measure.

“We can’t really reinvent the wheel,” Baltazar said. “We had a good formula, and now we’ve just gotta add a couple more spices.”

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