The Conclave, which celebrates 45 years of educating radio broadcasters this year, has released the agenda for its 45th Summer Learning Conference, #CONCLAVE45, taking place Tuesday, June 16-Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at Delta Hotels Minneapolis Northeast.
The focus of #CONCLAVE45 is “Radio Revenue In Today’s Media Landscape”, and shares essential information and insights for radio professionals who want to optimize the biggest opportunities in audio today, from podcasting to voice-first skills to connected cars.
Lori Lewis
Learn how to create a seamless voice experience coaching radio talent, and don’t miss a very important conversation in light of the downsizing radio has witnessed, entitled: “The Only Way Is Forward – Getting Let Go & Rebuilding Ourselves”. The annual conference is designed to help broadcasters grow their careers and stations by providing access to high-level executives from companies across the radio stratosphere in a relaxed and intimate environment. For the full agenda, visit the Conclave website at: www.theconclave.com.
The Conclave Chair Lori Lewis said: “The Conclave Summer Learning Conference is all about access to the excellent industry minds we wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to interact with.”
#CONCLAVE45 will also offer the signature keynote session, “Ask Me ‘Almost’ Anything”, where respected radio leaders take questions on radio’s opportunities and growth. New in 2020 will be a conversation among radio’s thought leaders on the industry’s future and how radio companies, stations and professionals can redefine competitive strategies for the long-term health of their brands.
You won’t want to miss #CONCLAVE45! Register TODAY at the $199 Early Bird Rate for this summer destination event for radio professionals at: TheConclave.com. Early Bird Rate ends on Sunday, February 16, 2020.
The nation’s only African American news network, based in Tallahassee, FL will launch nationwide Monday. Florida Politics reports.
Founded by chairman J.C. Watts Jr. and CEO Bob Brillante, the Black News Channel (BNC) represents the African American community in mainstream media. The network plans to target unique challenges facing urban communities and the “image gap” that exists today between the negative black stereotypes in the media.
“The launch of Black News Channel will be not only historic, but also transformational,” Brillante said. “We will shed more light on the stories that demonstrate our commonality, rather than those that highlight our differences.”
J C Watts
“I have traveled around the country participating in interviews, serving on panel discussions, and sharing BNC’s mission and commitment to telling a more complete story of the African American community,” Watts said. “There is growing interest and anticipation about the Black News Channel, as well as a palpable level of excitement about our launch.”
While Watts is a Republican, he said the channel will be about African American culture and won’t cater to political ideologies.
The launch also coincides with the 45th national Black History Month. Historian Carter G. Woodson, a founder of the Association for the Study of African American History, created the first celebration that became the annual tradition.
The network will be available on Spectrum, Xfinity X-1, Platform and Dish Networks and, later, Sling, Vizio, Smart TVs, Xumo and Roku. Those distribution partners give it a reach of more than 100 million customers.
WSM 650 AM General Manager Chris Kulick, is exiting to join Main Street Media, where he will serve as the New Business Development Sales Manager. Main Street publishes 11 newspapers.
“I am grateful for the 18 cumulative years I spent with Gaylord Entertainment, Ryman Hospitality, and WSM. I would like to thank the CEO, Colin Reed, and all of the great people I met for treating me so well throughout the years. I wish that great company all the best,” Kulick says. “I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with the owner of Main Street Media, Dave Gould. From the day I met Dave, I felt a special chemistry that I believe will allow us to continue to grow Main Street Media’s vision, while allowing me to bring my unique skill set to the daily operations.”
“We are very excited that Chris is joining the Main Street team. With his vast experience, he is going to be a tremendous help as we work on new ways to share information with our readers and bring more value to local advertisers,” Dave Gould, co-owner of Main Street Media, says.
Kulick previously worked with sales and promotions at 99.7 WTN, the Titans Radio Network, and 104.5 The Zone. Both 99.7 WTN and 104.5 The Zone became the number one billing stations, respectively, in the market with Kulick’s influence. While at WSM, he created and monetized, WSM Roadshow, Music City Mentors, Music for Kids, Route 650 Americana streaming station, and the Opry Radio streaming station. Additionally, Kulick independently co-created Music City Sports Festival and the Peachtree Sports Festival (Atlanta, GA), which are both focused on youth sports clinics.
Country Radio Specialists Mike O’Malley and Becky Brenner have announced two up and coming country stars will peform during their 26th annual Pre-CRS seminar; Wednesday, February 19, 2020 from 8:30-11:30 am at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Nashville.
Heath Sanders
Valory Music Co.'s Heath Sanders and Big Machine Records Payton Smith will perform new music and meet with the attendees.
Arkansas native Heath Sanders spent eight years working in the oil fields before posting a cover of Chris Stapleton’s “Either Way” from his living room in early 2018. Nashville then took notice with Heath’s first original song, “Bloodline.” With a booming vocal grit and undeniable lyrical sensibilities, his welcoming personality carries the man and the music.
Payton Smith
Payton Smith was discovered at CMA Fest in 2018 by Scott Borchetta, head of Big Machine Label Group, who caught his act while walking past one of the side stages where Smith was performing as if headlining a stadium tour. The 20-year-old is every bit as much a fan of Pearl Jam as he is Clint Black, and is certain that his peers have equally varied musical tastes.
The A&O&B team will also present the first highlights from their 15th annual online perceptual study, “Roadmap 2020”. This is the largest study of Country P1's in the U.S. and Canada, It is in the field now, with over 9,000 respondents already on board. Attendees will discover trends in music tastes, radio usage, digital consumption, social networking and more.
Margaret Hart
Previously announced sessions include:
➤"Growing Your Brand Through YouTube": Attendees will get a crash course on how to use YouTube to increase views and grow your fan base. Presented by Margaret Hart, Label Relations Manager Nashville. See how stations and personalities are currently using the platform. Plus, learn best practices for doing it yourself through channel building and optimization. ➤"360 'Radio' for 2020": John Zimmer, President of Zimmer Radio and Marketing Group, NAB representative from Missouri & Kansas, and the current Chairman of the 2020 NAB Radio Show in Nashville, shares his insights regarding the successful evolution of radio into the new decade. What will it take to grow your business while competing with new technologies and new generations of consumers? Use his insights to navigate the year ahead.
John Zimmer
➤"How Improv Can improve your Show & Your Public Speaking": You - yes YOU - are 100% capable of succeeding at Improv! All you need are three core techniques. Theatre professor and former Second City actor Christie Maturo will walk you though the process. In less than half an hour, you'll have permission to be you and have the confidence that what you say will be interesting and make great radio.
Christie Maturo
➤“How to Be the Biggest Fish in your Pond” CMA/ACM Award winners and nominees Brent Lane and Tim Leary reveal specific attitudes and actions to become the most recognized and listened-to talent in their markets.
Speaking about this year’s event, Partner Mike O’Malley says, “Each year we bring together experts in various fields that can help us all make the best radio possible. Attendees this year will walk away with fresh ideas on marketing, management, and performance that they can put into practice on their first day back from CRS. Plus of course enjoy some great new music from our BMLG partners.”
Brenner adds, “We are thrilled to be back at the Omni in partnership with our friends at Country Radio Seminar and BMLG. This fast paced 3.5 hours is an opportunity to share, learn, grow and re-energize for the new year!"
The A&O&B Pre-CRS Seminar is free to all A&O&B clients, as well as any broadcasters in non-competitive situations. You can RSVP to Mike O'Malley - mike@aandoandb.com or Becky Brenner becky@aandoandb.com.
The much-anticipated talent lineup has been released for the 3rd annual “Amazon Music Presents: Country Heat at CRS.” The show, to be held Feb. 19, will be headlined by Kelsea Ballerini (Black River Entertainment) and will also feature performances by Niko Moon (RCA Nashville), Gabby Barrett (Warner Music Nashville), Jon Langston (32 Bridge Entertainment/ EMI Records Nashville), and The Cadillac Three (Big Machine Records).
“Country music continues to be one of the top-performing genres on our service,” said Kelly Rich, Country Lead for Amazon Music in Nashville. “Country Heat represents the biggest and best in country music right now, and we’re thrilled to bring one of our most popular playlists to life for the third year in a row. We’re ecstatic to bring such a dynamic group of today’s established and rising stars, who are defining modern country music, on stage during CRS.”
The “Amazon Music Presents: Country Heat at CRS” showcase will take place from 6-8 p.m. in Omni Nashville Hotel’s Broadway Ballroom (CRS Performance Hall powered by Live Nation) and will close out the first day of Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2020. Country Heat is the ultimate Amazon Music global playlist for today’s country music fan, updated each week to feature a mixture of country hits and breaking singles from both new and established acts.
For more information, visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com. The official mobile app for Country Radio Seminar is also now available for download on iPhone and Android mobile devices. The CRS 2020 app provides attendees with an expanded CRS agenda, session descriptions, speaker bios, artists performing, integrated calendar upgrades, and other event news.
As podcast sellers, advertisers, and agencies assemble in Los Angeles this week for the Podfront LA 2020 event and the Podcast Movement: Evolutions conference, Westwood One has released a brand new study of advertisers and agencies.
According to Westwood's Pierre Bouvard, 95 executives from all parts of the podcast ecosystem completed an online survey in early February on measurement, attribution, ad tech, and what’s needed for podcasting to become a $2 billion advertising medium. Among the key findings:
➤Agencies and brands give poor marks on the current state of podcast measurement, though there is a sense that things are looking up
➤Podcasting needs a monthly reach of 44% to hit the tipping point of meaningful advertiser investment
➤$2B podcast ad revenues? Better measurement, attribution, bigger shows and bigger brands
➤What is the most used podcast test buy parameters?
While advertisers new to podcasting exhibit confusion over how to run a proper test, our seasoned respondents reveal strong consensus on the specs for a proper test of podcasting:
5 podcasts
3 ads in each podcast per week
7-week campaign
Test campaign running each week
In summary:
Podcast measurement and attribution rate poorly according to brands and agencies. Still, there is hope on the horizon. Two out of five say things are getting better.
Better measurement, attribution, bigger shows, and bigger brands are what’s needed for podcasting to crack $2 billion in ad spend.
A monthly reach of 44%, up from 32% in 2019, is seen as a tipping point to a step up in spend.
The consensus on a good podcast test buy is 105 ads in 5 podcasts over 7 weeks. A test buy of one ad a month is marketing malpractice.
Attribution services rate well and should expect greater usage. Newly launched measurement solutions need time to be understood and tested.
The CBS News chief called threats against journalist Gayle King “reprehensible” Saturday as backlash grew against rapper Snoop Dogg and others critical of King for an interview where she asked about a sexual assault charge against the late Kobe Bryant, The Associated Press reports.
Snoop Dogg issued a warning to King online this week following her interview with WNBA player Lisa Leslie about Bryant, the former Los Angeles Lakers star killed in a helicopter crash with his young daughter and seven others on Jan. 26.
“We fully support Gayle King and her integrity as a journalist,” CBS News President Susan Zirinsky told The Associated Press. “We find the threats against her or any journalist doing their job reprehensible.”
CBS would not discuss the nature of any private threats against King. Her friend, Oprah Winfrey, said in an NBC interview that King had received death threats and was traveling with security.
Susan Zirinsky
The rapper had joined with others, including LeBron James, 50 Cent and even Bill Cosby, in criticizing King for asking Leslie whether Bryant’s legacy had been complicated by the accusation that he raped a woman at a Colorado resort in 2003. Bryant said the two had consensual sex, but he later apologized for his behavior and settled a civil suit against him.
In a profane video posted on Instagram and shared on other social media platforms, Snoop Dogg criticized King for attacking “your people.” He told her to “back off ... before we come get you.”
Meanwhile, The NYPost reports Snoop Dogg isn’t looking for a fight with Gayle King.
The rapper took to Instagram Saturday to make that clear after calling out the CBS correspondent for mentioning late basketball star Kobe Bryant’s 2003 rape case.
“I’m a non-violent person,” Snoop says in the video. “When I said what I said, I spoke for the people who felt like Gayle was very disrespectful towards Kobe Bryant and his family.”
“Now with that being said,“ he continued, “what I look like wanting some harm to come to a 70-year-old woman? I was raised way better than that. I don’t want no harm to come to her and I didn’t threaten her, all I did was said, ‘check it out, you outta pocket for what you doing and we watching you. Have a little more respect for Vanessa, her babies and Kobe Bryant’s legacy.’”
King’s questions had attracted little notice as part of a wide-ranging interview shown on “CBS This Morning.” But then CBS — mistakenly, it said later — posted a video online that focused strictly on the discussion about the assault case.
Lessons in business and life are everywhere. Tracy Johnson, radio talent coach and consultant believes Starbucks is a great source for lessons for radio.
Of course Starbucks is selling coffee, not listening. And they have customers, not listeners. But, Johnson writes in a blog post that the principles of cume (customers) and TSL (occasions) are exactly the same. According to Johnson...
'Programmers know the key to listening growth is to create appointment tune in occasions. Radio is a a background companion to most listeners, always there when convenient. Just as Starbucks is on every corner and grocery store.
'So, like Starbucks, radio needs to create reasons to use the product with an urgent Call to Action (CTA). And that’s what Starbucks does to recycle their “audience” and drive visits to stores.
'In marketing, brands create urgency by making products available for short periods of time. This creates an illusion of shortage. Airlines do this on websites with messages to “Hurry, only 2 tickets remain at this price”.
'But how can a brand grow when they’ve reached most of the potential audience? By increasing occasions and creating new habits for using their product.
'One tactic is a recurring and very popular promotion. Treat Receipt adds urgency by recycling the most loyal coffee drinkers (morning users) to a lower-traffic time period.
'Customers who purchase a coffee in the morning can bring the receipt after 2pm for a significant discount.
'It’s effective promotion because:
It targets their large cume (customer base) that already likes them.
The “trigger” is during Starbucks’ most popular time-mornings.
They recycle the audience to a less popular time (afternoons).
It provides value to the customer.
Over time, it creates new habits that continues after the promotion ends.
'That last point is the important one. Convincing customers to return regularly during the promotion conditions them to a new usage pattern.'
Alice 105.9 on-air talent Slacker, Amber Wilkerson and Steve with patients during “Alice Cares for Kids Radiothon” (Photo Courtesy of Entercom)
Entercom raised $1.4 million to benefit Children’s Hospital Colorado, a proud member of the Children’s Miracle Network®, during the 19th annual KALC Alice 105.9’s “Alice Cares for Kids Radiothon” in Denver.
“Entercom is committed to supporting the health and success of our communities and is proud to use our voice to raise awareness and support the life-saving mission of Children’s Hospital Colorado,” said Chuck Sullivan, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Denver. “Children’s health is one the pillars of support we are committed to and we look forward to partnering with them for years to come. We’re thankful for the generosity of our listeners who contributed to another successful radiothon.”
“Kids are incredibly different; they need incredibly different care. As a nonprofit hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado partners with our generous community to help make this specialized care, designed just for children, possible,” said Jennifer Roe Darling, President and CEO, Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation. “Alice 105.9 listeners and community members who donate through the radiothon inspire all of us by creating healthier futures, giving more firsts to kids and families – first breaths, first words, first steps – and making a truly incredible impact on the lives of children.”
The radiothon was broadcast live from the Children’s Colorado Boettcher Atrium on Wednesday, February 5 and Thursday, February 6. Station on-air personalities BJ Harris, Jamie White, Carson, Slacker, Steve, Amber Wilkerson and Lee Harris featured stories of hope and healing as part of their broadcasts, which featured a surprise visit from former Bachelor contestant Chase McNary. Sponsors who contributed to the radiothon’s success include Colorado Marriott Hotels as presenting sponsor for the event, and Safeway as a phone bank sponsor. Alice 105.9 DJs and staff were joined by patients and families to present a check to Children’s Colorado.
Longtime Arkansas radio personality David B. Treadway, 69, of Arkadelphia, passed away Friday morning due to complications of cancer.
David Treadway
A veteran broadcaster and musician, he was among the original air staff of campus radio station, KSWH. With his unique voice, wide vocabulary, and quick sense of humor he soon found paid part-time work at KVRC Arkadelphia, KXOW Hot Springs, and KAAY in Little Rock.
In 1971 David accepted a fulltime position at Top 40 KAAY 1090 AM in Little Rock working under the name of Doc Holliday. He was the seventh and final announcer to use that air name. By the mid-seventies he was using his own name. Through the years his voice streamed from several spots on the dial including KLAZ, KLIT, KARN, KKYK, and KSSN. His most enjoyable time was on the morning show at Country KQUS US97 in Hot Springs, which he joined in 2013.
Friend and colleague, Scott Charton, wrote: David B. was the quickest wit and the most unflappable behind a mike and control board. He had an acute ear for audio perfection, encyclopedic musical knowledge, and his string skills as a bluegrass artist were beautiful. David B. put on no airs, was comfortable in his pink and purple socks, and was proud to hail from Friendship, Arkansas.
Robert Conrad as James T. West, with Ross Martin as Artemus Gordon
Robert Conrad, a television tough guy best known for his lead role in the mid-1960s series “The Wild Wild West,” died from heart failure on Saturday at his home in Malibu, CA. He was 84, reports The NYTimes.
In 1959, he landed the role of Tom Lopaka, a mixed-race private detective on “Hawaiian Eye,” a crime series that ran for four seasons on ABC. It also starred, among others, Connie Stevens, and both she and Conrad, a decent vocalist who had released several records, would sometimes sing in musical interludes built into the show.
Then, in 1965, came “The Wild Wild West,” a CBS series that, somewhat improbably, grafted the mania for spy fare set off by the James Bond movies of the day onto an Old West setting.
Conrad played Jim West, who was dispatched on various secret missions on behalf of the government of President Ulysses S. Grant. West had his own personal train for traveling, an arsenal of quirky gadgets — exploding billiard balls, a pistol on a track hidden up his sleeve — and a partner (played by Ross Martin) who was adept at outlandish disguises.
Conrad was born Conrad Robert Falk on March 1, 1935, on the South Side of Chicago to teenage parents.
Driving a milk truck by day and singing in hotels and clubs at night, he talked his way into the theater arts program at Northwestern University. He bore a resemblance to the actor James Dean, and when Dean was killed in a car wreck in 1955, Conrad was drawn into the publicity campaign for the posthumous release of Dean’s film “Giant” in 1956.
In that capacity he was visiting Dean’s grave in Fairmount, Ind., when he met another young actor, Nick Adams, who was also there. Adams urged Conrad to come to Hollywood and got him a bit part in a movie he was cast in, “Juvenile Jungle.”
He began getting small roles in shows like “Bat Masterson,” “Maverick” and “Sea Hunt.” Then came “Hawaiian Eye,” with the character he played there, Tom Lopaka, also turning up in several episodes of another ABC crime series, “77 Sunset Strip.”
If Conrad acknowledged the thinness of his “Wild Wild West” role, he was more proud of two later television efforts. One was “Black Sheep Squadron” (also titled “Baa Baa Black Sheep”), an NBC series that ran from 1976 to 1978 in which he played the real-life World War II combat pilot known as Pappy Boyington. The other was “Centennial,” a 1978 mini-series based on James A. Michener’s historical novel.
➦In 1893...singer/comedian Jimmy Durante was born in New York City. His distinctive vocal personality made him a natural star in bigtime radio, and later TV. He was still headlining a weekly TV show as late as 1969 when he was in his late 70’s (Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters.) Famous for the sign-off, “Good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.” He died of pneumonia Jan 29, 1980 at age 86. ➦In 1925...WTIC-AM in Hartford, CT signed-on.
WTIC AM dates back to 1925 when it came on the air with 500 watts of power from the 6th floor of the Travelers 26 Grove St bulding in Hartford where there were seven studios, most or all with control rooms. The station was licensed to the Travelers Insurance Company ("TIC") and had studios in downtown Hartford.
The 1931 CT State Register shows WTIC, owned by Travelers Broadcasting Service, operating on 1060 Khz with 50,000 watts, the most powerful station in the state. The transmitter, referred to as "old number one" was the first 50,000 watt transmitter ever manufactured by RCA and has serial number 001. This RCA 50 transmitter was the first high power commercial transmitter to use 100-kilowatt tubes, the first to use mercury-vapor type rectifiers throughout, and the first capable of true 100 percent modulation of its full rated 50-kilowatt carrier output.
By 1941 they had changed frequency to 1080 khz. WTIC is now owned by CBS Radio.
Bob Steele
WTIC was known for its historic time tone, which is a broadcast of the Morse code letter "V" every hour on the hour since 1943. This makes it one of the oldest continuously broadcasting radio time tones in the world. WTIC employs a GPS master clock system that fires the custom-built time-tone generator shortly before the top of the hour, timed such that the final tone of the sequence occurs precisely on the hour (Even though everything else heard on the station is on a 10-second delay), and listeners have been setting their watches to WTIC for many years. The notes of the sequence were pitched to mimic the famous opening sequence of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, whose "short-short-short-long" rhythm matches that of the Morse code letter "V". The Morse code letter "V" for Victory was selected during the height of WWII.
WTIC's best-known personality was Bob Steele, who started with the station in 1936 and stayed with WTIC for his entire sixty-six year career, ending with his death on December 6, 2002 at the age of 91.
Steele continued to broadcast a 5:30 - 10:00 AM Monday-Saturday morning show for WTIC for fifty-five years, scaling back to Saturdays only after September 1991; by the time of his last broadcast in November 2002, he was only heard on the first Saturday morning of every month. Despite WTIC's various format changes over the years, Steele's show (which featured musical standards, farm news and prices early in the morning, novelty songs, silly jokes, horrible puns ("...and the weather for Mexico City is chili today, hot tamale") and a regular "Word of the Day" segment - even long after WTIC itself had abandoned music for a focus on news/talk remained unchanged throughout its run, making it perhaps the longest-running radio program in history to have never undergone a significant format change.
➦In 1964...Personality Johnny Holliday started at 1010 WINS. He hosted the station's final music broadcast in 1965. This led him west to Top 40 giant KYA in San Francisco where in 1965, Holliday was named America's number one disc jockey by the Bill Gavin Radio "Gavin Report." His radio work is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In connection with the station he hosted record hops and concerts, including co-hosting the final concert by the Beatles at Candlestick Park in 1966.
Holliday moved to Washington, D.C., in 1969, handling morning drive time duties for WWDC until 1978, and sports for WMAL from 1978 to 1991
➦In 1996...“The New” WKTU officially debuted at 103.5 FM.
At 6 p.m. on February 9, 1996, WYNY, which had dropped it's Country Format, switched its stunting to a heartbeat sound effect, promoting the launch of a new format coming the following day at Noon. At that time, WKTU was relaunched on 103.5 FM with a dance-based CHR format; WKTU's first song was "Gonna Make You Sweat" by C+C Music Factory. The station instantly skyrocketed to number one in the Arbitron ratings.
Drag performer RuPaul co-hosted mornings with Michelle Visage, Lisa Taylor and Freddie Colon around this period, further helping their ratings. Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton and Goumba Johnny made their debut at night and after much success were moved to mornings in 1998.
By 2002, the moderate amount of rap played on the station was gone and the station evolved into more of a Rhythmic Hot AC.
➦In 2004...Rick Dees announced he was leaving the morning show at KIIS 102.7 FM, Los Angeles, after 22 years. The issue was a contract dispute. Click Here for his final KIIS-FM Show.
➦In 2015…NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams was suspended for six months from the broadcast for misrepresenting his experience in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. At the time, his salary was $10 million a year. He was replaced by Lester Holt. Williams now appears on MSNBC.
