Boston Radio: Former Idol Finalist Ayla Browne Joins WKLB

WKLB's Ayla and Jackson Blue

Beasley Media Group Boston announces Ayla Brown has been named as the new Morning Show Co-host at Country WKLB 102.5 in Boston.

Jackson Blue and Ayla Brown can be heard weekdays from 5:30 to 9am on WKLB-FM beginning on Monday, December 17, 2018.

The former American Idol Season 5 finalist and Boston College basketball star has been living in Nashville, Tennessee performing and writing music for the past several years.

“Country music has brought me all around the world and back to Boston again,” said Brown. “Many have seen me perform, but I am so excited for our listeners to get to know me in a whole new way. Thank you to the Country 102.5 team for this incredible opportunity!”

“I am so happy that Ayla has agreed to come home to Boston and join our morning show,” said Beasley Media Group Country Brand Manager and WKLB-FM Program Director, David Corey. “Ayla is such a talented personality. She has excelled in everything she has done, and I am confident she will add so much to Country 102.5. The Jackson and Ayla Brown show will be a must listen to show every weekday.”

WKLB 102.5 FM (14 Kw) Red=54dBU Coverage Area

Her song writing skills make her a great storyteller and living in Nashville has immersed her into the county music scene. She is a perfect complement to join Jackson on Boston’s # 1 Country Morning Show. “When I first started having discussions with Ayla several weeks ago about joining the morning show, I knew within the first 30 seconds that there was something really special about her,” said Jackson. “I can’t wait to turn our microphones on for the first time on Monday and just go.”

Biloxi Radio: TeleSouth To Acquire Alpha Media Cluster

Alpha Media has announced that a contract has been signed and an application is being filed with the FCC for the transfer of radio stations Sports WANG 1490 AM and WTNI 1640 AM, Rock WCPR 97.9 FM, Classic Hip-hop WGBL 96.7 FM, Adult Variety WQBB 105.9 FM, and CHR WXYK 107.1 FM, all in Biloxi, Mississippi to TeleSouth Communications, Inc.

Alpha Media owns 207 stations in 45 markets pending the completion of all announced transactions. Alpha Media CEO/President, Bob Proffitt commented, “We are happy our group of great broadcasters in Biloxi/Gulfport are being sold to a good operator located in the state of Mississippi that is dedicated to live and local. We have a special place for everyone at these stations and wish them the very best.”

The Buyer, TeleSouth Communications, Inc., is a Mississippi-based company headed by Stephen Davenport. In its portfolio of stations, TeleSouth owns or operates 21 stations in 12 different markets and will immediately divest of WXYK-FM in order to meet the FCC rules, which cap station ownership in a single market. TeleSouth will be acquiring the following stations from Alpha Media:

WANG-AM operates at 1490 kHz, with 1.0 kW day and 1.0 kW night. WTNI-AM operates at 1640 kHz, with 10.0 kW day and 1.0 kW night. WCPR-FM operates at 97.9 MHz, with 50 kW at 466’ HAAT. WGBL-FM operates at 96.7 MHz, with 4.3 kW at 390’ HAAT. WQBB-FM operates at 105.9 MHz, with 25.0 kW at 312’ HAAT. WXYK-FM operates at 107.1 MHz, with 2.8 kW at 400’ HAAT.

Miami Radio: WPOW Promotes Jessie Penate To Host/MD

DJ JPS

Entercom has announced the appointment of Jessie Penate (DJ JPS) to the roles of night drive host and Music Director for Rhythmic CHR WPOW Power 96 in Miami. Both roles are effective immediately.

“DJ JPS is a great addition to our Power 96 team,” said Keriann Worley, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom South Florida. “He is a team player and I trust he will elevate our station’s Rhythmic Top 40 format and enhance the overall experience for our listeners.”

“I’m thrilled to continue this journey on the station I grew up listening to, working with a talented team filled with passion and energy,” said DJ JPS. “I’m thankful to Entercom, Keriann Worley & Miguel Irizarry? [Program Director and midday host, Power 96] for this opportunity.”

WPOW 96.5 FM (100 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage Area

DJ JPS joined Power 96 in 2016 after taking first place in the station’s “Mix Master” competition. Since then he’s served in various on-air roles, most recently during the station’s midday drive, and as a mixer. DJ JPS has also held part time on-air roles for sister station KISS Country 99.9 (WKIS-FM) in Miami.

NYC Radio: 77WABC Adding Ben Shapiro Afternoons 3 - 6

Cumulus Media announces that it is bringing Westwood One nationally syndicated talk radio program The Ben Shapiro Show to New Yorkers’ afternoons on 77 WABC Radio.

The Ben Shapiro Show will air weekdays on 77 WABC from 3pm-6pm Eastern. The program, which launches on 77WABC on Monday, January 7, 2019, includes two LIVE hours of radio programming and one hour of the Ben Shapiro podcast airing on the radio.

The Ben Shapiro Show is a high-energy, action-packed program as host and podcast-to-broadcast innovator Ben Shapiro, editor-in-chief of DailyWire.com, covers America’s most powerful political personalities, brutally breaking down the culture, while never giving an inch. The live radio show extension was recently announced on the heels of the success of syndicating The Ben Shapiro Show, the top conservative podcast in the nation in 60 U.S. markets.

Chad Lopez, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus New York, said: “There is no question that Ben Shapiro has taken New York by storm with listeners and advertisers. Broadening his footprint on WABC is the natural evolution of this exciting program.”

Craig Schwalb, 77WABC Program Director, said: “Ben is a fascinating host that completely cuts through the sameness that is political talk radio right now. It’s the perfect time for us to expand his programming on 77 WABC.”

Shapiro said: “I'm thrilled to be launching our three-hour show on WABC, an iconic station with an incredible history. New York is the hub for information and entertainment, with a whip-smart, engaged audience -- and I can't wait to bring my brand of fast-talking to the city known for it!”

iHeartRadio Music Awards Are Back

The annual awards show, now in its sixth year, will return in 2019 on March 14th, and will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on FOX at 8pm ET. The event will also be streamed live simultaneously on iHeartRadio radio stations across the country and on iHeartRadio.

The fan-driven iHeartRadio Music Awards will celebrate the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2018, as well as preview upcoming 2019 hits. The show will also showcase incredible live performances from some of your favorite stars, including a few special surprise duets and collaborations. In previous years, artists like Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Madonna, Pharrell, and many others have all taken the iHeartRadio Music Awards stage.

As always, the iHeartRadio Music Awards will celebrate all of the fans, especially those who will be casting millions of votes for their favorite artists on social media. Which fan army will be the loudest this year? Find out on March 14th!

More information about the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards, including the award categories and ticket info, will be announced at a later date. So, stay tuned for those nominations and to find out who will be performing in 2019.

Ranking as one of the most talked-about television events in social media this past year, the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards garnered over 216 billion social media impressions in the U.S. alone. It also proved its strength on individual platforms, such as Twitter, where the official hashtag of the evening, #iHeartAwards2018, trended #1 on Twitter worldwide and in the U.S. in more than 30 cities.

Last year's big winners included Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" for Song of the Year, Taylor Swift for Female Artist of the Year, Cardi B for Best New Artist, and more. Additionally, 2018's iHeartRadio Innovator Award went to Chance the Rapper while the first-ever Fangirls Award recognized Camila Cabello, and the 2018 iHeartRadio Icon Award was presented to legendary rock band Bon Jovi.

Las Vegas Radio: Route 91 Harvest Country Festival Plans Return

Plans are underway to return the Route 91 Harvest country-music festival to the Strip in the fall of 2019 — and at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, not the Las Vegas Village.

The Review-Journal reports officials from event promoter Live Nation confirmed the organization is planning to bring back the festival next year. The event at Village was the site of the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting, which killed 58 festivalgoers and injured hundreds more during Route 91’s third and final night.

Plans for a return of Route 91 to Las Vegas were disclosed Wednesday at XLIVE, a music-industry conference at Mandalay Bay. Julie Matway, chief operating officer of Country Nation, which is led by Live Nation’s country-festival division, fielded a question about the event’s return.

“Route 91 Harvest here in Las Vegas is one of my kids,” Matway said during a panel discussion in a story posted on the Amplify music publication website. “I am looking forward to how and when we are going to bring that back. We are working hard on that. Hopefully we will get it online for 2019.”

MGM Resorts International, which owns both the Village and Festival Grounds, has cleared the Village of all staging equipment and planned its outdoor events at the Festival Grounds since the Oct. 1 tragedy. The Festival Grounds today are considered the company’s primary parcel for large-scale events on the Strip; no decision has been announced for the future of the Village.

Brian O’Connell, Live Nation’s president of country touring, has not returned texts or phone calls about the future of the event. O’Connell was among the officials who brought the three-festival to the Strip originally in 2014, when it was an instant success and a regular sellout of about 22,000 fans annually. That was the attendance on the night of Oct. 1 when gunfire broke out near the start of Jason Aldean’s festival-closing set.

Report: Overhaul In The Works for CBS This Morning

CBS This Morning: John Dickerson, Norah O'Donnell, Gayle King

Amid the sprawling crisis at CBS, Page Six is told that network execs are ready to nuke its struggling morning show and rebuild it from the ground up.

A thriving “CBS This Morning” was thrown into disarray by Charlie Rose’s sudden exit — and we’re told that top brass have come to believe that the show overall is not going to recover.

Rose was brought down by sexual misconduct allegations in November 2017, leaving Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell as anchors. They were later joined by John Dickerson.

But the impressive momentum that King, O’Donnell and Dickerson developed quickly faltered. “There are real discussions about just starting over — anchors, format, producers. Everything is on the table,” said an insider.

The news comes as the show’s executive producer, Ryan Kadro, is negotiating his exit.

CBS News President David Rhodes’ anchor moves have been disastrous.

He moved Dickerson from “Face the Nation” to the morning show, and replaced Scott Pelley with Jeff Glor on the evening news, which has lost more than 1 million viewers.

From a CBS News spokesperson: “We have an incredible anchor team, and we are looking forward to 2019.”

Nexstar Settles DOJ Anti-Trust Lawsuit

The U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday it has settled antitrust charges with Nexstar Media Group Inc, which was accused of sharing sensitive information with rivals in the broadcast television industry.

The information involved how stations were performing, which provides insight to rivals about whether they would raise, lower or maintain spot advertising prices, the agency said in a statement.

According to Reuters, the settlement, which must be approved by a court, bars direct and indirect sharing of such information and requires Nexstar to cooperate in the ongoing investigation, the statement said.

“Robust competition among broadcast stations allows American businesses to obtain competitive advertising rates. The unlawful sharing of information reduced that competition and harmed businesses and the consumers they serve,” Assistant U.S. Attorney General Makan Delrahim said.

Nexstar, which owns or operates 105 television stations, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In November, the Justice Department announced it had settled similar antitrust charges with Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tribune Media Co, Raycom Media Inc, Meredith Corp, Griffin Communications and Dreamcatcher Broadcasting LLC.

CBS News Launches NYC-Area Streaming Service

CBS News is officially taking its streaming ambitions local. On Thursday CBS launched CBSN New York, a 24/7 streaming service featuring local news for the New York metro area.

According to MediaPost, CBSN New York is the first of what CBS says will be a number of local streaming news services. The company will launch a similar service in Los Angeles early next year, with other “major markets” that have CBS owned-and-operated stations to follow.

CBSN New York will stream the local newscasts from CBS’ New York City stations WCBS and WLNY. It will also run streaming exclusive newscasts at 7 a.m., 1 p.m and 7 p.m. and will provide live streaming coverage of local breaking news as warranted.

The newscasts will be led by the same anchors and reporters from the local CBS stations, with some new talent hired just for the streaming network.

As with CBS’ other free streaming offerings, CBSN New York will be ad-supported.

CBS Settles Harassment Claims With Actress

Actors Eliza Dushku, Michael Weatherly 

In March 2017, Eliza Dushku, an actress known for her work on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” signed on to play a major role in three episodes of the CBS prime-time drama “Bull,” and there were plans to make her a full-time cast member.

Her time on the set began promisingly, report the NYTimes. The show’s star, Michael Weatherly — a mainstay of CBS’s prime-time lineup for 15 years — seemed friendly. And a producer and writer on “Bull,” Glenn Gordon Caron, told Ms. Dushku she would be more than a love interest.

Then came a series of comments that made Ms. Dushku uncomfortable. In front of the cast and crew, Mr. Weatherly remarked on her appearance, and made a rape joke and a comment about a threesome. Shortly after Ms. Dushku confronted the star about his behavior, she was written off the show. She believed her time on “Bull” came to a sudden end as a result of retaliation.

After she went through mediation with CBS, the company agreed to a confidential settlement that would pay her $9.5 million, roughly the equivalent of what Ms. Dushku would have earned if she had stayed on as a cast member for four seasons.

Details of Ms. Dushku’s experiences on “Bull” and the confidential settlement she reached with the company emerged during the course of an investigation that began in August, when the CBS Corporation board hired the law firms Covington & Burling and Debevoise & Plimpton to examine accusations of sexual misconduct made by multiple women against Leslie Moonves, the company’s former chief executive. The board also instructed the outside lawyers to investigate “cultural issues at all levels of CBS.”

Boston Radio: Tim Neverett Gone From Red Sox Radio

Tim Neverett

WEEI 94.7 FM, the flagship radio station of the reigning World Series champions, parted with play-by-play man Tim Neverett earlier this week. Shortly after the news was announced, rumors circulated that WEEI might be toying with the idea of dramatically overhauling the way in which games were broadcast.

The Boston Globe reported Tuesday that WEEI considered a change in which the game broadcast would sound more like a talk show and not the traditional baseball broadcast.

The Globe’s sports media reporter, Chad Finn, reported Thursday morning that WEEI planned to go the talk show route and even posted the job opening on the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America website. An email with the listing went out, stating “WEEI wants to drop the conventional radio broadcast to make the call of the game sound more like a talk show.”

NESN reports WEEI program director Joe Zarbano disputed that report shortly after Finn’s tweet, and the two went back and forth over Twitter. Zarbano eventually tweeted that he contacted STAA, indicating the agency would correct the listing and admitted fault.

“It’s never been our intention to turn the broadcast into a talk show,” Zarbano told his company’s website.

The Red Sox, through a spokesperson, also confirmed to WEEI.com that the team “doesn’t plan any format changes to (our) radio broadcast.”

So, apparently, that settles that — for now. WEEI is looking for candidates to pursue the “dream job opportunity (to) sit alongside Red Sox Hall of Famer Joe Castiglione in the broadcast booth.”