Boot Camp to Establish Annual Kidd Kraddick Award

Kidd Kraddick

This year's 25th annual Morning Show Boot Camp in Chicago kicked off Thursday morning with an emotional video in memory of the late Kidd Kraddick.

Among the highlights included original TV news footage of how the story of Kidd's death first broke, along with a variety of both early and recent appearances at various conferences and events.

Following its conclusion, conference host Don Anthony of Talentmaster told a capacity crowd "It's not likely anyone will soon forget the legendary host, but for added insurance we're honored to announce the creation of an annual award in his honor: "The Kidd Kraddick Award."

Anthony added, "It will be awarded to that host or show who excels in both on and off-air excellence, as well as, serve as an inspiration to others."

The special video was produced by Art Vuolo.

Twitter Use Rises Across US Age Groups

Differences in demographic breakdown between Twitter use vs. social use overall Social networking reached 72% of US adult web users in May 2013, according to data from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. That’s up from 67% in December 2012, and an indication that social use is still growing, rather than beginning to fall plateau.

EMarketer.com notes Twitter has driven some of this growth, with the number of Twitter users rising to 18% in May, up from 8% in November 2010, Pew found. While social use is most prominent among younger adult internet users—and this holds true for Twitter as well—the microblog’s audience has grown across all age groups.

 Between November 2010 and May 2013, the percentage of internet users on Twitter more than doubled for every adult age group except those ages 65 and older. The increase was most pronounced among those between 30 and 49 years old, who saw penetration rise 142.9%, to reach 17%. And three out of 10 millennials used Twitter in May, compared with 14% in late 2010.

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D/FW Radio: Sports Talker Randy Galloway To Retire

Randy Galloway

Randy Galloway, the longtime radio talk show host with the telling Texas twang that spouts hot sports opinions, is retiring from KESN-FM 103.3 at the end of the year, according to The Dallas Morning News.

His almost three-decade run in local radio began at WBAP-820 AM when the station sought out the then Dallas Morning News columnist, with hopes he might break the dominance of KRLD 1080 AM in the sports talk arena at 6 p.m. Galloway did just that.

A columnist at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram since 1998, Galloway, 70, told that newspaper’s website Wednesday he was giving up his fulltime radio gig. His show, Galloway & Company, has aired in afternoon drive on the local ESPN affiliate since 2003.

In April 2008, ESPN heavily promoted what it counted to be his 5,000th radio show. Among those calling to congratulate Galloway was President George W. Bush, once a Rangers minority owner. For one of the few times in his career, Galloway was almost speechless.

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NYC Radio: SBS Touts #1 Wins In Latest PPMs

Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. Thursday announced that its New York station WSKQ-FM Mega 97.9FM achieved significant ratings gains and strengthened its market position in Arbitron’s recently-released July 2013 trend report. WSKQ-FM Mega 97.9FM has captured the #1 position amongst all RADIO stations in the Tri-State New York market, for Adults 18-34 and Adults 18-49, regardless of language.

Albert Rodriguez COO of SBS commented, “As WSKQ-FM Mega 97.9FM continues to lead and reach listeners in New York, we are confident that audiences will only continue to grow even more so, as demonstrated in the latest New York Arbitron rankings. The Hispanic community is growing rapidly and SBS New York will continue to provide quality, compelling entertainment to satisfy its listeners.”

“The SBS Radio cluster in New York has consistently served as the leader in the NY Latino market place for over 30 years. Today we have only strengthened that position by becoming the number 1 radio station in New York regardless of language amongst key advertising demos, A18-49 & A18-34″, said Eric Garcia VP of Sales of SBS New York. “Our Arbitron performance reflects our strategic advantages and tactical strengths, which benefit both the communities we serve and our clients who are tapping into the branding power of WSKQ-FM Mega 97.9FM by reaching the fast growing Hispanic consumer segment.”

IMG Awards WVU Rights, WV Radio Corp. Sues

West Virginia University and IMG College on Thursday unveiled the key Morgantown-based sports radio affiliate — and it wasn't a station owned by John Raese's West Virginia Radio Corp. according to the Charleston Daily Mail and AP.

Fantasia Broadcasting's WZST-FM, located at 100.9 FM, will be Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG's primary-market affiliate station, taking over a coveted spot once held by WVAQ-FM and WAJR-AM, owned by West Virginia Radio Corp.

Meanwhile, West Virginia Radio Corp. is continuing to pursue its lawsuit against West Virginia University and IMG College over the way the university has handled its multimedia rights arrangements over the past year.

The radio network this week asked Judge Thomas Evans to issue a preliminary injunction to keep WVU from proceeding with its 12-year deal with North Carolina-based IMG College.

Evans took over the case this week for Monongalia County Circuit Judge Phillip Gaujot after West Virginia Radio claimed he had a conflict of interest. It cited a 25-year-old neighborhood spat between the judge and an attorney for the radio network's parent company.

Citing the current lawsuit, West Virginia Radio attorney Bob Gwynne declined to comment on IMG's new deal with Fantasia Broadcasting or whether West Virginia Radio stations will carry IMG-produced WVU broadcasts in the future.

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New Paul Finebaum ESPN Show To Debut

Sports-talk radio rock star Paul Finebaum will make his long-awaited return Monday, nearly seven months after he left the air and just in time for the kickoff of a new college football season.

In Birmingham, Finebaum's new, regionally syndicated ESPN Radio show will be heard on his old station, WJOX 94.5 FM, as well as the new WJQX ESPN 100.5 FM, which is expected to launch Monday, as well.

Finebaum's new show, which will originate out of ESPN regional studios in  Charlotte, will begin and end an hour earlier than before -- airing from 1 to 5 p.m. in Birmingham, instead of from 2 to 6 p.m.

His return has caused WJOX to shuffle its weekday lineup.

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NYC Radio: WHTZ Adds TimeLine Feature To Website

In observance of WHTZ Z100’s 30th Anniversary, the CCM+E station has launched a Timeline on its website.  

SEE ORIGINAL POSTING: Click Here.

The Timeline is interactive allowing listeners to click-on a specific year of A100’s existence.  Each click highlights the popular and pop culture of each year.

Z100 TIME-LINE: Click Here.

Detroit Radio: WCSX Adds Car Section to Website

Jim O'Brien

Classic cars and rock ’n’ roll simply go together. Ask anyone who has a keen interest in either.

That’s the dynamic combination that has kept Greater Media Classic Rock WCSX 94.7 FM radio a listeners’ favorite for more than 25 years.

The station has grown up with classic rock as its foundation and automobiles, new, old, special or otherwise, as part of its format. After all, the station is based in Detroit—the Motor City—the home of the country’s auto industry, so what better place for this great rock-and-car duo radio station to make its mark?

To that end, the station has launched a new page on its website, aptly christened the WCSX Garage. It features “all things auto,” according to Jim O’Brien, who is the Producer for KC & Trudi’s Morning Show and Sports Director for WCSX-FM.

The world of rock has long been associated with a love and passion for cars, according to O’Brien, who said, “It’s always been like that.” A few of many examples are Bruce Springsteen’s 1975 song “Thunder Road,” his 1984 tune “Pink Cadillac,” and the Eagles’ 1972 hit “Life in the Fast Lane.”

The 1970s saw “Rockin’ Down the Highway” by the Doobie Brothers. The 1960s were full of rock influences, with references to summer rides in convertibles and fast cars, symbols of coming of age and freedom. The Beach Boys told us about “Fun Fun Fun” (’Til Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away) in 1964, and Ronny & The Daytonas sang about their “GTO,” also in 1964. Motown tunes also told of cars and girls with Wilson Pickett’s version of “Mustang Sally” in 1966, among others. O’Brien cited the significance of cars—all kinds of cars—to the Detroit area and spoke of the importance people in the city place on their cars.

Rdio Hops On The Radio Bandwagon

Mainstream music fans don’t want to constantly choose what to listen to, so streaming services are embracing radio. According to Josh Constantine at telecrunch.com, the latest is Rdio, whose new Friend FM turns your friends’ listening activity and social connections into non-stop streams. It’s also added a traditional Pandora-style You FM station thanks to data from The Echo Nest. Together they could let you productively leave Rdio on in the background.

While Pandora popularized adaptive online radio, it’s becoming an essential feature for all music services. Spotify added radio at the end of 2011, and Apple is gearing up to launch iTunes Radio alongside iOS 7 this fall.

Usually, adaptive radio stations build themselves off of your listening habits. That includes what you played, thumbs up or downed, and saved. This is how Rdio’s new You FM works, though it also factors in your Facebook Likes and Twitter Follows.

Rdio’s overhaul of Stations also lets your tune into any of yours friends’ You FM stations. Friend FM could get you out of your comfort zone and stumbling upon new artists you can then cue up on-demand. Maria FM could score me some new yoga music, while Alex FM would rock my bones with the latest new metal. Rdio says “It’s like flipping on the car radio and knowing every DJ.”

The cross-platform streaming service has also built a more immersive player for Stations, a better navigation system, Stations for genres, and an Auto-Play radio based on the last song or artist you were last listening to.

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Beasley Broadcast Names Digital VP

Stacy Sedbrook

Beasley Broadcast Group headquartered in Naples, Florida, appoints Stacey Sedbrook as Vice President of Digital.

In her capacity, she will lead and direct all of the Company’s social and online initiatives; develop and implement  new media strategies; and also coordinate all digital and interactive efforts for each of Beasley’s radio stations.

She joins Beasley September 1 and will be based in the corporate office in Naples, FL and reports to Caroline Beasley.

Ms. Sedbrook arrives at Beasley Broadcast and in Southwest Florida from Boston, MA where she was most recently  Senior Director of Digital Sales and Operations for Wicked Local-Gatehouse Media New England. Sedbrook has served as Gannett Corporate’s Vice President of Local  Digital, The Dallas Morning News’ Director of Sales Training, The Houston Chronicle’s Director of Online Sales,  Marketing and Product Development, and the Denver Newspaper Agency’s Director of New Media.

“As our digital initiatives continue to grow and evolve, we realize the benefit in examining this critically important  part of our business with fresh eyes and from a different perspective,” says Executive Vice President and Chief  Financial Officer Caroline Beasley. “Stacey’s record of driving the development of innovative, revenue-generating  marketing and sales campaigns for both agencies and clients is exceptional.

Stacey Sedbrook adds, “Radio is an industry that I’ve been watching closely. To join a company like Beasley, one that understands that digital and radio are converging at a faster pace than ever before, is a tremendous opportunity. After living through Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the Boston Blizzard of 2013, I'm  excited to be leaving New England for the year-round sunshine in SW Florida".

Report: Accident During Operation Causes Death of Personality

Steve, Kerri Drees

Popular Christian Radio personality Kerri Drees died early this week in a Fargo hospital, where she was undergoing a lap-band operation. Drees was a morning co- host on KKEQ Your QFM in Grand Forks since January 2011.

SEE ORIGINAL POSTING: Click Here.

According to The Forum in Fargo,  Kerri and her husband, Steve, arrived at Altru Hospital at 5:45 a.m. Monday for her to have a 30- to 45-minute procedure to remove the Lap-Band she’d had since 2007. Surgery was set for 7:45 a.m. and before Kerri was rolled away, she kissed Steve and said, “I love you.” 

He, thinking 17 years together was not nearly enough told her, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

It was not to be as complications during surgery claimed Kerri’s life.

About 45 minutes after the surgery was to have started, Steve went to Altru’s information desk for an update. “The gal said the only information they had was that the first incision was made 41 minutes ago,” he said.

Kerri Drees

About 10 minutes later two staff members “in scrubs came and asked to talk to me,” Steve continued. “It was obvious they didn’t want to talk to me in the main waiting area, so my heart sank. I followed them back to the chapel area, where I met with them and the chaplain. The two staff members were an anesthesiologist and a surgical nurse. The anesthesiologist told me there were complications. Kerri had lost a lot of blood and her heart had stopped twice. He assured me they had several people working to stabilize her but it didn’t look good.”

Steve was later told that Kerri’s aorta had been nicked during the first incision.

There are those who want to place blame, Steve said, “and I don’t. Kerri wasn’t the type to blame. Every operation has inherent risk and every human being is different. I have no ill will. It’s easier for me not to hold ill will knowing Kerri had a living and vibrant faith.”

A veteran of Christian radio, Kerri began working in January 2011 at QFM, which has offices in Fosston, Minn., and Bemidji, Minn. She had previously worked at radio station Power 92 in Fargo.

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