CCM+E Announces iHeartRadio Music Festival 2014

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment today announced that its fourth annual, star-studded iHeartRadio Music Festival and Village will return to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on September 19 and 20, 2014.

Clear Channel Media and Entertainment and Macy’s, with over 800 locations nationwide, also announced today they have renewed their partnership, which includes a nationwide talent search to find America’s next Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star.

For the third year of Macy's iHeartRadio Rising Star talent search, Clear Channel's music experts and Macy's have selected 25 up-and-coming artists who will be given a chance to perform on the same stage as music's biggest stars at the iHeartRadio Music Festival 2014 and at Macy's Glamorama events, the retailer’s high-fashion and music spectacles this summer. Clear Channel listeners, iHeartRadio fans and Macy’s shoppers will have the ability to preview music from the selected artists on iHeartRadio via Macy’s exclusive mstyleradio , digital top hits radio station which also broadcasts live in-store at more than 700 Macy’s mstylelab Junior’s and Young Men’s departments nationwide. mstyleradio is a destination where fans can discover new music, enjoy their favorite hits and connect to the latest in fashion and pop culture.

Martine Reardon

“Macy’s ongoing partnership with Clear Channel is a great example of our goal to bridge the gap between fashion, music and pop culture, as both a fashion retailer and an entertainment brand,” said Martine Reardon, Chief Marketing Officer for Macy’s, Inc.

“Leveraging the power of mstyleradio, our iconic fashion and music events and our stores nationwide, which are the hub for incredible entertainment experiences, we will provide an extraordinary platform to an up-and-coming talent to connect with millions of fans.”

“Every year the iHeartRadio Music Festival features the biggest names in music together on one stage as well as historic collaborations you can't see anywhere else — it has truly become the year's unforgettable, can’t miss music experience,” said Tom Poleman, President of National Programming Platforms for Clear Channel.

Tom Poleman

“Being able to bring such a diverse array of popular artists together, while having the opportunity to introduce listeners to new music and artists through programs like Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star, is what Clear Channel is all about.”

Voting will begin May 5 at iHeartRadio.com/RisingStar . Listeners can also vote by “thumbing-up” an artist’s song while listening to  mstyleradio . Full artist biographies, music tracks and videos will be available online to help fans choose their favorite artist. Voting ends June 22 and the winner will perform at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. Fans who vote online will be automatically entered to win a VIP Trip for two to the iHeartRadio Music Festival 2014 including tickets for both nights as well as entry to the Festival Village, airfare, accommodations and an exclusive meet-and-greet with the Macy's iHeartRadio Rising Star winner.

This year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival 2014 lineup and ticket information will be announced this summer.

BIA Kelsey Releases Local Media Ad Forecast

In its newly released U.S. Local Media Forecast (2013-2018), BIA/Kelsey forecasts local media advertising revenues to climb from $133.2 billion in 2013 to $158.6 billion in 2018, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6 percent.

Digital media continues to increase its share of total local media revenues, growing from $31.7 billion (23 percent) in 2014 to $52.7 billion (33.2 percent) in 2018.

Mark Fratrik

“While the U.S. economy is not expected to grow very quickly over the next few years, we estimate the overall local media market will grow faster than previously thought through 2018,” said Mark Fratrik, senior vice president and chief economist, BIA/Kelsey. “Based on positive trends in the overall local media marketplace, such as faster growth in online and mobile advertising, and the fact that national and local advertisers were slightly more aggressive in their advertising expenditures in 2013 than originally thought, we are optimistic on the entire industry's ability to grow advertising revenues.”

BIA/Kelsey expects revenue from traditional media, in aggregate, to slightly increase from $105.3 billion in 2013 to $105.9 billion in 2018 (CAGR: 0.1 percent). As expected, the political ad spend cycle contributes to a drop in revenues in odd-numbered years. Despite the year-over-year political advertising seesaw effect, traditional media revenues remain remarkably steady throughout the forecast period.

BIA/Kelsey analysts will present highlights from the forecast at the firm’s LEADING IN LOCAL: The National Impact conference, taking in Atlanta May 7-9. LEADING IN LOCAL is gathering senior executives from across the local media, advertising and marketing space, as well as brands, to examine how national's local play is having an impact on local media.

Liberty Media Closes On SiriusXM Radio

Liberty Media Corporation today announced the completion of the final closing under the previously announced share repurchase agreement, dated as of October 9, 2013, between Liberty and Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

Pursuant to the agreement, Sirius had agreed to repurchase $500 million of its common stock from Liberty as part of Sirius’ share repurchase program.

On April 25, 2014, Sirius purchased its final installment of shares, equal to 92,888,561 shares, at a previously established price per share of $3.66, for an aggregate purchase price of $340 million.

For additional information about the terms and conditions of the repurchase agreement, see Liberty’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 10, 2013. Click Here.

CC To Offer $400M In New Notes, Redeem Older Ones

Clear Channel Communications, Inc. announced today that CCU Escrow Corporation, a newly formed Texas corporation (the “Escrow Issuer”), intends to offer, subject to market and other customary conditions, $400,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2018 (the “Notes”) in a private offering that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

At the closing of the offering of Notes, the Escrow Issuer, which was created solely to issue the Notes, will deposit the gross proceeds of the offering (and CCU will deposit an amount sufficient to pay accrued interest on the Notes through the term of the escrow) into a segregated escrow account until the date on which certain escrow release conditions are satisfied, including the substantially concurrent (1) redemption of $408.6 million aggregate principal amount of CCU’s 5.5% senior notes due 2014 (the “2014 legacy notes”) and (2) assumption of the Escrow Issuer’s obligations under the Notes by CCU (the “Assumption”), as described below.

No later than 30 days after the closing of the offering of Notes, CCU intends to issue a 30-day irrevocable notice to redeem $408.6 million aggregate principal amount of its 2014 legacy notes. At the end of the 30-day period, the escrowed funds will be released and, together with cash on hand from CCU, used to redeem the 2014 legacy notes called for redemption, to pay accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of redemption, and to pay the fees and expenses related to this offering and the redemption of the 2014 legacy notes.

Substantially simultaneously with the consummation of the redemption of the 2014 legacy notes, the Escrow Issuer intends to merge with and into CCU, with CCU continuing as the surviving corporation.

NYC Radio: WCBS-FM Personality Joe Nolan Suffers Heart Attack

Joe Nolan

UPDATE 4/29/2014 10AM:  Joe Nolan gets out of the hospital today! He says 'recovery is next'.

Original Posting...


Get Well Wishes for longtime New York Traffic reporter and personality Joe Nolan who suffered a heart attack Sunday.

WCBS 101.1 FM's Scott Shannon told listeners Monday morning that Nolan suffered the heart attack while in an ambulance on the way to a hospital.  Shannon said Nolan didn't feel well Sunday morning and called for an ambulance.

Doctors perform an operation to insert a stent and according to Shannon "a roto rooter" procedure may be necessary.

In a conversation with the Shannon In The Morning crew, Nolan said doctors told him he had a 100% blockage in a major artery.

Suzy Cerone was subbing for Nolan Monday morning on WCBS-FM.  Nolan also reports traffic during PM Drive on the Michael Kay Show on WEPN 98.7 FM ESPN Radio.

Nolan is said to be resting; however, his lifestyle habits need to change.  According to Shannon,  "The kielbasa runs are over."

Post by Joe Nolan.

Comcast and Charter Reach Agreement on Divestitures

Comcast Corporation and Charter Communications today announced that the companies have reached an agreement on a series of tax-efficient transactions, whereby the combined Comcast-Time Warner Cable entity, following completion of Comcast's previously announced merger with Time Warner Cable, will divest systems resulting in a net reduction of approximately 3.9 million video customers.

The divestiture follows through on Comcast's willingness to reduce its post-merger managed subscriber total to less than 30 percent of total national MVPD subscribers, while maintaining the compelling strategic and financial rationale of its proposed merger with Time Warner Cable.

Pursuant to the Agreement, and following the close of the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, Charter will acquire approximately 1.4 million existing Time Warner Cable subscribers, increasing Charter's current residential and commercial video customer base from 4.4 million to approximately 5.7 million, and making Charter the second largest cable operator in the United States. Charter and Comcast will also each transfer approximately 1.6 million customers respectively. In addition, Charter, through a tax free reorganization, will form a new holding company (New Charter) that will own 100% of Charter, and acquire an approximate 33 percent stake in a new publicly-traded cable provider to be spun-off by Comcast serving approximately 2.5 million customers ("SpinCo"). Charter will provide management services to SpinCo. In aggregate, today's announced transactions will significantly enhance Charter's scale and improve both companies geographic footprint, driving operational efficiencies for Comcast, Charter and SpinCo.

The Agreement has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and Time Warner Cable's Board has consented to the Agreement as required under the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger agreement.

The Agreement will be executed via three separate transactions, which are subject to the completion of the proposed Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger:

• Comcast will divest Time Warner Cable systems serving approximately 1.4 million existing Time Warner Cable customers directly to Charter for cash. Charter expects to fund the purchase with proceeds from debt, and to have approximately a 5 times debt to EBITDA leverage ratio at closing.

• Comcast and Charter will transfer assets serving approximately 1.6 million existing Time Warner Cable customers and 1.6 million Charter customers in a tax-efficient like kind exchange, improving the geographic presence of both companies, leading to greater operational efficiencies, improved technology deployment and enhanced customer service.

NYC Radio: CCM+E Robo Call Suit Appealed to The Supremes

A consumer pestered by phone calls promoting a radio station has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to revive his proposed class action against Clear Channel Communications Inc. and reverse a finding that such calls are exempted from the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Mark Leyse sued Clear Channel in 2009 after receiving a prerecorded phone call from a radio station encouraging him to tune in at a particular time to be able to participate in a contest. An Ohio district court dismissed with prejudice in June 2010 by a federal judge in Cincinnati. “With prejudice” means the suit can’t be re-filed.

But Leyse has now asked the U.S. Supreme Court to accept the case.  The odds the Surpemes will take the case are slim as they’re usually looking at constitutional issues or cases where they need to resolve conflicting lower court rulings.

The recorded phone announcement from WLTW 106.7 FM Lite was for a midday contest where a listener who knew the name of a particular Motown song could win $1,000.

Worries Mount Over FCC New Internet Rules

The old net neutrality rules — which required all Internet traffic be treated equally — were tossed by a federal appeals court in January.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposal, which will be made public after a vote by the FCC’s commissioners next month, makes way for Internet service providers to begin demanding fees from content providers, like Netflix, for improved access to consumers, according to The NY Post.

This has led to a flood of criticisms from Silicon Valley bigwigs, politicians and consumers, who say the FCC is “killing the Internet.”

Funny what happens when the @fcc is run by a former lobbyist for cable companies. http://t.co/B2hVhrRXuA
— Rakesh Agrawal (@rakeshlobster) April 23, 2014

• “Deeply troubling report on new #FCC net neutrality rules, there shouldn’t be a ‘fast lane,’ ” tweeted Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Wheeler said he’s merely complying with the appeals court decision that the FCC cannot dictate what Internet service providers, or ISPs, charge unless it reclassifies them as utility companies. Wheeler said in February that he would not appeal the court’s ruling, paving the way for a pay-to-play system.

The new rules will prevent ISPs from blocking or slowing content for anti-competitive reasons, according to the FCC official. Regulators will also seek to prevent anti-competitive behavior by cracking down on “commercially unreasonable” transactions between ISPs and content providers.

But both supporters and critics were left to speculate as to what is considered “commercially unreasonable.”

Newspaper Ad Revenue Continues Precipitous Free Fall

Newspaper print advertising revenues of just $17.3 billion in 2013 fell to the lowest level of print advertising since the Newspaper Association of America started tracking industry data in 1950.

In constant 2013 dollars, advertising revenues last year were $2.7 billion (and 13.5%) below the $20 billion spent in 1950, 62 years ago. Print advertising last year was almost $2 billion below the level of $19.2 billion in 2012, which was the first year that print advertising revenues fell below the 1950 level.

The decline in print newspaper advertising to a 63-year low is pretty amazing by itself, but according to Mark J. Perry at aei-ideas.org, the sharp decline in recent years is stunning. Newspaper print advertising revenues decreased more than 50% in just the last five years, from $37.6 billion in 2008 to only $17.3 billion last year; and by almost 70% over the last decade, from $56.9 billion in 2003.

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Radio Disney Music Awards: Becky G 'Star To Watch'

Becky G. emerged as the Disney star to watch after a powerhouse performance at the 2014 Radio Disney Music Awards in Los Angeles Sunday night.

Fifth Harmony, R5, Zendaya and Austin Mahone rounded out the evening’s musical roster. Radio Disney is the #1 radio network devoted to kids, tweens and families.

Here’s the list of winners:

They’re The One – Best Music Group
One Direction

He’s The One – Best Male Artist
Justin Timberlake

She’s The One – Best Female Artist
Demi Lovato

The Bestest – Song Of The Year
Come & Get It – Selena Gomez

XOXO – Best Crush Song
Still Into You – Paramore

So FANtastic – Fiercest Fans
Swifties – Taylor Swift

The Buzz – Breakout Artist of the Year
Fifth Harmony

The Freshest – Best New Artist*
Becky G

Musical Mashup – Best Musical Collaboration*
Everything Has Changed – Taylor Swift feat. Ed Sheeran

So Happy – Best Song That Makes You Smile*
Ooh La La – Britney Spears

#Cool – Radio Disney’s Most Talked About Artist*
Selena Gomez

Stuck In Our Heads – Catchiest New Song*
The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?) – Ylvis

That’s My Jam – Best Song To Rock Out To With Your BFF*
Me & My Girls – Fifth Harmony

Soundtraxx – Favorite Song From a Movie Or TV Show*
Let It Go – Idina Menzel (“Frozen”)

Move MOVE -3.01%! – Best Song To Dance To*
Birthday – Selena Gomez

Hit The Road – Favorite Roadtrip Song*
Made In The USA – Demi Lovato

You’ve Got Swag! – Artist With The Best Style*
Zendaya

*Online-only category

In addition to the music awards, the RDMAs honored Shakira with the Hero Award for her work through her Barefoot Foundation, which aids and supports the lives of children through education. Shakira also helped present the Heroes for Change Award, which recognized three exemplary kids for making a difference in their communities.

An encore presentation of the show airs Friday evening 8 Eastern on The Disney Channel.

D/FW Radio: Sports Talker Norm Hitzges Signs New Deal

Norm Hitzges

The Ticket signs Dallas radio icon Norm Hitzges to 3-year deal, according to The Dallas News.

There actually may be a 72-year-old sports talk host working daily on the Dallas-Fort Worth airwaves before you know it. In a world that cares primarily about catering to men 25-54, Norm Hitzges has signed on with SportsRadio KTCK 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket for another three years.

Hitzges turns 70 in July.

At the end of his latest deal, Hitzges’ stay at the Ticket will be 17 years. It would be a personal record. His last stop at KLIF 570 AM lasted a mere 15 years. Before that there was a brief stay at WBAP 820 AM, and three years at WFAA 570 AM.

“I landed in a really good spot,” Hitzges said this week, referring to his Ticket tour of duty. Indeed. After working evenings and pioneering morning sports talk, he landed in the Ticket’s 10 a.m. to noon slot in January 2000,replacing Chris Arnold.

KTCK 96.7 FM (90Kw) 60dBu Coverage

Hitzges’ local radio career actually began back in 1975 at KERA 90.1 FM after a forced parting of ways with KDFW (Channel 4) where he was a sports anchor.

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Sterling Comments Stir Rage In Media

David Sterling, V. Stiviano

Before their playoff game Sunday, the Los Angeles Clippers carried out a silent, on-court protest against owner Donald Sterling over an audio tape that has surfaced of him making racist comments.

The Clippers players gathered at the center of the basketball court before the game -- which they lost 118-97 to the Golden State Warriors -- and took off their Clippers warm-up shirts and left them on the floor. They went on to warm up wearing inside-out red shooting shirts so the Clippers name or logo wasn't shown, and during the game they wore black arm or wrist bands and black socks. Sterling, who'd originally planned to be there for the game, decided not to attend after speaking with the NBA, which is investigating his alleged comments.



In the tape, which was released by celebrity gossip site TMZ, the 81-year-old Sterling told his much younger girlfriend, V. Stiviano, during an argument that he doesn't want her to bring black people to Clippers games or post pictures with them on Instagram. The rant was apparently sparked by Stiviano -- who is herself black and Mexican -- posting a photo on Instagram of her and Magic Johnson.



Sterling said, in part: "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people. Do you have to? . . . I think the fact that you admire [Magic] -- I've known him well, and he should be admired. And I'm just saying that it's too bad you can't admire him privately. And during your ENTIRE F***ING LIFE, your whole life, admire him -- bring him here, feed him, f**k him, I don't care. You can do anything. But don't put him on an Instagram for the world to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games. OK?"

In a statement, the Clippers said they didn't know if the tape was legitimate or had been altered, and said that Sterling, quote, "is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life."

However, reports say that Sterling has a reputation for racism, and he's had to settle at least two big-money lawsuits over housing discrimination at properties he owns. Stiviano's lawyer released a statement yesterday that said the audio tapes -- including a longer version of the conversation that was released by Deadspin -- are legitimate. The quotes came from about an hour's worth of recorded conversation that Stiviano says she didn't leak to the media.

FLASHBACK: NPR Memo Announces The Internet Is Coming

From 20-Years Ago, April 28, 1994:

April 28 In Radio History

In 1922...WOI-AM, Ames, Iowa, became the country's first licensed education Radio station.

The history of WOI can be traced back to 1911 when Physics Professor "Dad" Hoffman set a transmission line between the Campus Water Tower and the Engineering Building and set up a wireless telegraph station. By 1913 this was known as experimental station 9YI and it was sending and receiving weather reports by morse code on a regular basis. The first sound broadcast was an hour of concert music on November 21, 1921.

The Commerce Department issued a full radio license for station WOI in April 1922 and the first regular broadcast took place on April 28, 1922. It is the oldest fully licensed noncommercial station west of the Mississippi River. The original callsign 9YI is now W0YI and is retained by the ISU Campus Radio Club, with the amateur radio station located in the Electrical Engineering building.  The first regular programming on WOI was farm market reports gathered by ticker tape and morse code and broadcast throughout the state.


In 1932..."One Man's Family" was first broadcast on the NBC Radio Network.


In 1958...Herb Oscar Anderson starts at WMCA.  HOA can still be heard on WOSN - 97.1 FM - Vero Beach, FL.


 

In 1972...Arthur Godfrey does last CBS Radio Network show



In 1975…Influential radio disc jockey/programmer/manager (KSAN-San Fracisco, KMET-Los Angeles, KPPC-Los Angeles, KMPX-San Francisco, KYA-San Francisco, WIBG-Philadelphia)/record label owner (Autumn)/concert promoter (Beatles at Candlestick Park)/Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tom Donahue, inventor of "free form,""deep cuts" and "classic rock" radio, died following a heart attack at age 46.


In 1987…For the first time, a compact disc of an album was released before its vinyl version. The album was "The Art of Excellence" by Tony Bennett.


In 2006…After radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was accused by Florida prosecutors of "doctor shopping" for painkillers, his attorneys announced a deal under which a single prescription fraud charge would be dismissed after 18 months, provided Limbaugh remained drug-free and did not violate any laws.