IL Radio: WRJM Charleston Scheduled To Cease Operations

After 60 years in the community, Charleston radio stations N/T WRJM 1270 AM / 96.1 FM will no longer be in operation come January. according to jg-tc.com.

Randy Miller, owner of Miller Media Group, said financial viability was the deciding factor in closing down the two stations.

“It was a business decision,” Miller said. “It was not financially viable for my company to continue to operate.”

The final day of broadcasting for WRJM will depend on the Eastern Illinois University Panthers’ football FCS playoff game, Miller said.

If the team plays in the Jan. 4 national championship, WRJM will be on the air through the end of the day Jan. 4; if the Panthers don’t play in the national championship, WRJM will cease operations just past midnight Jan. 1, according to Miller.

WRJM’s agriculture program, which operates six hours a day, will continue to be heard on sister station WHOW 1520 AM in Clinton, IL.

WRJM was first founded in Dec. 12, 1954, by Charleston resident Jack Owen. In October 2011, the Miller Media Group’s Kaskaskia Broadcasting, Inc. purchased the 1270 AM frequency and launched WRJM on Feb. 1, 2012. WRJM’s FM repeater at 96.1 went on the air December 2011, according to the WRJM website.

The Miller Media Group will continue to own and operate radio stations that serve Taylorville, Pana, Shelbyville, and Clinton, the WRJM website said.

December 10 In Radio History

In 1927...the The Grand Old Opry originated its first radio broadcast from Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1955...Johnny Cash met his future wife June Carter while in Shreveport for his first appearance on the KWKH's "Louisiana Hayride" radio show.

In 1961...One week after first meeting with Brian Epstein to discuss his taking over as the Beatles' manager, John, Paul, George and Pete Best were back in Epstein's office for a second interview. The band was now eager to listen to Epstein's proposal following a booking the night before where they played to only 18 people. After being assured that they were not expected to change their musical style, John spoke for the others, saying, "Right then, Brian, manage us!"


Beatles' Manager Brian Epstein is interviewed in New York City by Murray the K for WOR-FM Radio in March 1967.


‌In 1963..."The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite" featured a story about the new British pop music sensations, the Beatles. The report originally had been scheduled to air November 22 but was delayed because of extended news coverage of the presidential assassination.

In 1967...Soul singer Otis Redding, who sang "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay," died in a crash of his private plane on this day in 1967. He was 26.

In 1980...The body of John Lennon was cremated at the Ferncliff Mortuary in Hartsdale, New York and his ashes were given to his widow Yoko Ono, who reportedly took them back to her Dakota apartment.

In 1982...Freeman Gosden, the U.S. radio actor who portrayed "Amos" in the radio hit, "Amos 'n' Andy", died at age 83.

In 2004...One of three RCA microphones, used during 50 mid-1950s performances by Elvis Presley for the "Louisiana Hayride" radio show on KWKH in Shreveport, was sold for $37,500.

Detroit Radio: WCSF Morning Host Ken Calvert To Sign-Off

Ken Calvert

Greater Media Detroit announces longtime radio on air personality Ken Calvert will be officially retiring as the Co-Host of the WCSX 94.7 FM Morning Show in the Motor City.

His last official day on the morning show will be Friday, December 20, 2013.

Calvert, often referred to as “K.C. the “Casual One,” joined the station back in 2000. He most recently has been serving as the official co-host of the WCSX Morning Show with K.C. & Trudi with co-host Trudi Daniels.

The radio veteran will continue to host an on-air weekend shift and write KC’s Korner web blog featured on wcsx.com, complete with podcasts and interviews featuring retrospective highlights of Detroit’s glorious past.

“Ken is a legend in the Detroit market and though he’ll no longer drive our morning show, he’ll still be taking advantage of the free coffee in our building,” said WCSX-FM Program Director Jerry JT Tarrants. “I can’t be happier that he’ll stay on the WCSX team in several different roles and capacities to help us continue to grow and strengthen the WCSX brand.”

“It has been a privilege to have Ken Calvert in the Greater Media Detroit family,” said Market Manager Steve Chessare. “We are so grateful for his many contributions over the years on the station and wish him the very best as he begins the next chapter in his life.”

“This has been a dream job with a dream company,” said Calvert. “Steve Chessare and JT (Jerry Tarrants) have been wonderful in this transition. I look forward to remaining a part of the Greater Media Detroit family. It allows me to stay on-air on a limited basis and have a larger part on our growing digital platform with blogs and a regular podcast.”

The official final send-off week for Calvert as co-host of the WCSX-FM Morning Show will include recollections and a retro look at his storied career in Detroit radio, including favorite moment and congratulatory calls from Listeners, celebrities & local dignitaries.

He began his radio career in Detroit back in 1973 and worked at a variety of Motor city radio stations prior to joining WCSX-FM in 2000, including WWWW-FM, WABX-FM, WRIF-FM, WLLZ-FM, and WJR-AM. In addition, Calvert served as the official public address announcer for the two-time World Champion Detroit Pistons for 16 years.

NYC Radio: WOR Gets A Near Total Make-Over

It's officially over for old-style, homey, folksy radio in New York, according to NY Daily News media writer David Hinckley, a longtime follower of the city radio scene.

WOR 710 AM announced its 2014 lineup Monday, a near-total makeover that moves Joan Hamburg to weekends and instead is built on afternoon institutions Rush Limbaugh, noon-3 p.m., and Sean Hannity, 3-6 p.m.

Because Limbaugh and Hannity have been WABC's anchors for more than a decade, their move could dramatically change the ratings equation for talk radio in New York.

WABC 770 AM has dominated the local talk field in recent years. In 2013, with WOR in a holding pattern, WABC's audience share has doubled and almost tripled WOR's.

WOR is optimistic that will change with a mostly new lineup that also includes Elliot Segal, 6-10 a.m.; the returning Mark Simone, 10 a.m.-noon; Andy Dean, 6-9 p.m.; and Dave Ramsey, 9 p.m.-midnight.

Hamburg's departure from the weekday lineup, along with the previously announced retirement of long-time morning host John R. Gambling, terminates the last vestiges of WOR's "heritage" lineup. Back in the mid-20th century, WOR like most stations featured local hosts who chatted about health, lifestyle, restaurants and New York topics in an across-the-kitchen-table style.

The most surprising choice in the new WOR lineup, suggests Taylor, is morning host Elliot Segal. For years he has successfully hosted "Elliot in the Morning" on DC101 in Washington. Before that, he cohosted the WHTZ 100.3 FM, Z100 morning show in New York with current host Elvis Duran.

Since WABC has Don Imus in the morning slot, both stations will feature an entertainment-focused morning show.  WABC has not yet announced its noon-3 p.m. replacement for the departing Limbaugh.

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NYC Radio: WOR 710 Unveils 'EITM", Rush And Sean

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment announced today an all-new 2014 programming line-up for New York’s News/Talk station WOR 710 AM.

Iconic radio talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, the top two radio talk show hosts in the country, will be heard on WOR beginning January 1 in mid-day, with Limbaugh broadcasting from noon to 3 p.m. and Hannity from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“Rush and Sean have provided us a great opportunity to bring this unbeatable, one-two combination to WOR as the heart of our lineup in New York,” said Tom Schurr, President of Major Markets for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment.  “Talk format listeners are extremely loyal and dedicated to their favorite personalities; this new lineup enables us to both give them what they've told us they want to hear and to invest in a format we are deeply committed to.”

Elliot Segal

WOR listeners will also be able to enjoy the highly successful morning show “Elliot in the Morning” as part of the new line-up beginning on January 13.  Elliot Segal and his team, currently heard on Washington DC’s WWDC – DC101 – and Richmond’s WRXL, will bring their entertaining morning show to WOR in the new year, discussing sports, music, culture, news and entertainment topics weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

“Elliot in the Morning” will now be broadcasted from New York City and will continue to be heard on DC101 and WRXL.

“I'm excited to be coming back to New York, to a station with such a legendary history,” said Segal.   “We have built something very special in Washington, DC and Richmond and I'm beyond thrilled that the show will continue airing on DC/101 and XL-102. Now, WOR will be home to Elliot In The Morning and I couldn't be more anxious to get going.”

New WOR 2014 Line-up Includes:

• Elliot in the Morning 6 a.m. – 10 a.m.
• Mark Simone 10 a.m. – Noon
• Rush Limbaugh Noon – 3 p.m.
• Sean Hannity 3p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Andy Dean 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Dave Ramsey 9 p.m. – Midnight
• The Joan Hamburg Show (Saturdays & Sundays) 10 a.m. - Noon

Departing the schedule are afternoon host Rita Cosby, KFI Los Angeles’ John & Ken, and Clyde Lewis.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for WOR,” said Joe Puglise, President and Market Manager for New York City at Clear Channel.  “Bringing America’s top two talk show hosts to our lineup, the entertaining Elliot Segal and his team to the mornings and becoming the flagship station for the Mets will allow us to create unprecedented marketing opportunities for our partners and unbeatable programming for our listeners.”

Tom's Take:  Obviously, EITM is an attempt to attract younger demos to WOR...still no word on how CCM+E will accommodate Mets baseball day games.

Garth Brooks Announces 2014 World Tour

Garth Brooks

Country music superstar Garth Brooks has been coy about rumors his new album and post-Thanksgiving TV special could signal a return to the concert stage as well, until he sat down with “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts.

“You know what, since it’s you and since we’ve had a history forever, let’s announce it.  We’re going on a world tour in 2014,” Brooks told Roberts today on ABC's GMA.  “I can’t believe I just did that but you are a doll.”

Brooks, 52, appeared on the morning show, guitar in hand, to promote his new album, “Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences,” a six-disc set includes covers, his greatest hits and a DVD of his Las Vegas show.

Breaking News from ABC | ABC Sports News

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FCC Pushes Spectrum Auction Back To 2015

The Federal Communications Commission said Friday it has delayed a planned reverse auction of TV airwaves until 2015, a decision that reflects the commission's intent on getting the complex proceeding right, according to wsj.com.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler published a blog post Friday announcing the delay, which was widely expected, saying he hopes the auction will take place in mid-2015. The FCC had set a goal of completing the auction in 2014.

At the auction, TV stations will consider bids to relinquish their airwaves and either go out of business or be placed in another channel. The spectrum will then be put up for licensing by wireless carriers, who covet the low-frequency airwaves because they can cover greater distances and travel more easily through physical barriers.

Observers have called the spectrum auction the most complex proceeding ever undertaken by the FCC. Mr. Wheeler said he has spent more time reviewing the incentive auction than any other issue since taking office, and determined it would be best to wait in order to ensure success. He hopes to avoid any technical difficulties with the software that will be used for the auction.

"I am also confident that the policy challenges are only part of the picture; we must also get the enabling technology right," he said.

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FCC Asks SBG For Revisions On 'Sidecar' Plans

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday asked Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. to amend or withdraw its plans to use so-called sidecar companies as part of its acquisition of Allbritton Communications Co.'s TV stations, an unusual level of scrutiny for a tactic that has helped fuel broadcast-industry consolidation, according to wsj.com.

In the Allbritton deal, Sinclair proposed to spin off several stations into separate entities known as sidecars, a move that would allow it to sidestep FCC rules governing the number of stations a broadcaster can own in a particular market.

Such arrangements are becoming more common in the industry. Sinclair pioneered the maneuver two decades ago and it has helped the company become the largest station owner and operator in the country, by number of stations. But critics have raised questions about the tactic, arguing that Sinclair operates and effectively controls the sidecar companies.

The heightened scrutiny represents a shift for the FCC. "In the past, the commission staff has been very acquiescent with respect to these kinds of arrangements," said Andy Schwartzman, a lawyer and advisor to anti-consolidation advocacy group Free Press.

Sinclair agreed in July to buy the group of eight stations owned and controlled by the Allbritton family, including the Washington, D.C., ABC affiliate WJLA, for $985 million. The deal would put Sinclair over the FCC's ownership cap in three markets where it already had holdings—Charleston, S.C., Birmingham, Ala., and Harrisburg, Pa.,—but the company filed plans with the FCC to spin off stations in those markets to sidecars.

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Philly Radio: Charley Lake Retiring as WMGK PD

Charley Lake

Greater Media Philadelphia has announce award winning radio veteran Charley Lake will be officially retiring as program director of WMGK 102.9 FM at the end of January 2014.

“Charley Lake has been and will always be an important and beloved member of the Greater Media family” said Greater Media Chairman and CEO Peter Smyth. “Under his leadership, WMGK-FM has become one of the premiere Classic Rock stations in America. I wish him all the best as he begins the next chapter of his life.”

“Charley has done an extraordinary job for Greater Media and helped WMGK achieve some of its highest ratings,” said Greater Media Philadelphia Senior Vice President and Regional Market Manager John Fullam. “Charley is one of the top Program Directors in our business and one of the nicest people. We will miss him dearly and wish him all the best.”

“Charley Lake has built an amazing radio legacy and leaves our business with an indelible mark of success,” said Greater Media Vice President of Program Development Buzz Knight. “We will miss him greatly and I congratulate him for all of his accomplishments.”

“I’m extraordinarily grateful to Greater Media, John Fullam, Peter Smyth and Buzz Knight for letting me hang my hat here for the past 7 years,” said Lake. “It’s an honor to wrap up my career, which has involved both the radio and music industries, in Philadelphia, a city as famous for its legendary radio stations and air talent as it is for its legacy of wonderful music and musicians.  I look forward to my retirement, but for now I’m just looking forward to spending a few more weeks in the company of the nicest and most talented group of radio professionals I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.”

Lake has served as program director of Greater Media’s WMGK-FM in Philadelphia since January of 2007. Prior to that, he worked as the program director of KOOL in Phoenix, AZ. Previous to that, Lake programmed Classic Hits station WJMK-FM in Chicago and spent seven years working in the Classic Rock format at WRNO-FM in New Orleans and WLVQ-FM in Columbus, Ohio.

Chicago Radio: Hubbard Rebrands 100.3 FM

After more than three years as “Chicago’s Rewind 100.3” Hubbard Radio’s WILV 100.3 FM has dropped “Rewind” to become simply “Chicago’s 100.3.” Whether perceptible to listeners or not, the move reflects the addition of more current music to the station’s playlist, according to program director Marty Bender.

“The moniker of ‘Rewind’ served the station well for a number of years when we exclusively featured music from just the ’80s and ’90s,” Bender explained yo chicago Media blogger Robert Feder. “For quite some time now, we’ve been weaving in a number of choice, contemporary songs. The response from our core adult/female audience has been overwhelmingly positive. The next logical step for us was to expand our branding of the station beyond the limited ‘Rewind’ name. The majority of our audience already refers to the station by just our dial position of 100.3.”

The rebranding follows a similar change by Hubbard at its former “Rewind 94.9” WREW in Cincinnati.

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SF Radio: Armstrong&Getty Fans Get An Extra Show Hour

Armstrong & Getty

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment San Francisco announced Thursday that the popular show hosted by Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty will return to its full four hour 6-10 a.m. time slot in the Bay Area next month.

According to examiner.com, in Jan. 2012, Rush Limbaugh moved from KSFO 560 AM (now owned by Cumulus Media) to News Talk KKSF 910 AM, taking over the 9 a.m. to noon slot and bumping off the last hour of the A&G show in the Bay Area. The show's flagship station, KSTE, continued to broadcast the full four hours of the show in Sacramento.

Starting Jan. 1, 2014, The Rush Limbaugh Show will move down the dial in the Bay Area to KNEW 960 AM.

Vice President of Programming for Clear Channel San Francisco, Don Parker, “We are excited to continue to grow the live and local programming on Talk 910 with the expansion of the Armstrong & Getty show. We’re also thrilled to welcome the Bay’s leading midday Talk personality, Randi Rhodes, to Talk 910. With these adjustments, our already impressive growth will only be enhanced in 2014. At the same time, the new line-up on 960 KNEW will be a destination for conservative listeners who follow America’s top personalities – all in one place.”

Here's the new KNEW and KKSF lineup effective January 1, 2014:

KKSF 910 AM Weekday Programming Line-Up:

• 6am   Armstrong & Getty
• 10am  Frosty
• 1pm    Randi Rhodes
• 3 pm    Gil Gross

KNEW 960 AM Weekday Programming Line-Up:

• 6 am  Glenn Beck
• 9 am   Rush Limbaugh
• Noon  Sean Hannity
• 3pm      Andy Dean