Wilmington NC Radio: WSFM Drops Classical Music Format

Two years after its debut, the curtain has dropped on Wilmington, NC’s only all-classical-music radio station.

Hometown Wilmington Media's Bach Radio, which began operations Nov. 22, 2011, ceased its programming earlier this month.

WSFM 1180 AM and Translator 95.9 FM will be replaced by a new one that the company will unveil later this month, general manager Beau Gunn told PortCityDaily.com, also owned by Hometown Wilmington Media.

The Wilmington area may not have to wait too long for another 24-hour, all-classical station.

Non-Com WHQR is planning one, and there's "a good chance we'll get one," said Cleve Callison, WHQR station manager. But there is no timetable yet, he added.

Callison said he wasn't surprised that Bach Radio didn't make it.

"I always felt it was an iffy proposition to say that a classical station could support itself with a commercial model, particularly in an area with a public radio station that plays classical music," he said.

Ryan Seacrest to Produce Kid’s Game Show

Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest has found his next project.

According to The NY Post, Nickelodeon has picked up 40 episodes of a half-hour game show executive-produced by the prolific TV host.

“Go Viral” (working title) will feature kid contestants competing in various elimination challenges revolving around funny viral videos — like predicting the videos’ outcome or guessing their popularity with the studio audience.

Production will begin in Los Angeles next year for a premiere in summer 2014.

Nickelodeon was known for its game shows back in the 1990s with popular series like “Double Dare,” “Wild and Crazy Kids,” “GUTS,” “Legends of the Hidden Temple” and “Figure It Out.”

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SBS To Launch Hispanic Radio Networks

With more advertisers tuning into the growing U.S. Hispanic market, Hispanic and mainstream media companies are bolstering Spanish- and English-language content offerings for Hispanic audiences, according to MediaDaily News.

In the latest such move, Spanish Broadcasting System has launched Aire Radio Networks to create and distribute Spanish-language radio programming nationwide.

The five new networks, featuring shows addressing events, health, family, finances, education, sports, and entertainment, will reach a total of around 12 million listeners, or a quarter of the U.S. Hispanic population, in 30 media markets, including nine out of the top 10, around the country every week.

The Aire Networks include the “Advantage Network,” targeting Hispanic men; the “Young Adult Network,” targeting Hispanics 18-49; “The Millennial Network,” targeting Hispanics 18-34; “Prime Family,” targeting families on weekends; and “The Mandril Network,” aggregating the audiences for the popular “El Vacilón del Mandril” talk show, featuring Ricardo "El Mandril" Sanchez out of KLAX-FM 97.9 “La Raza” in Los Angeles.

In addition to syndicating content, SBS will also provide promotional tie-ins, experiential marketing, and online and mobile platforms. The Aire Networks are set to debut January 1.

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Justin Bieber Apologizes For Flag Controversy

Justin Bieber has issued a lengthy apology for kicking the Argentine flag off stage during a recent concert.

According to Gossip Cop, a backlash erupted after a video surfaced online showing the singer using his foot and mic stand to push the flag out of his way during his show on Saturday in Buenos Aires.

Many criticized Bieber for treating the country’s sacred flag so carelessly, but the performer took to Twitter late Wednesday to explain that he meant no harm.

Snapchat Turns Down Facebook Offer

Facebook Inc. is indeed trying to get teens back into the fold.

Marketwatch is reporting investors, who heard the company confirm that there was a drop-off in daily visits by young teens last quarter, should take note of the reports on Wednesday that Facebook made a $3 billion or more, all-cash offer to buy the revenue-free startup Snapchat.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Snapchat rebuffed Facebook, and is instead looking into an investment round led by Chinese e-commerce company Tencent Holdings, which would value the company at $4 billion.

Snapchat is the latest trend among young teens and the tech savvy, letting them send short-lived texts or photos that can disappear within 10 seconds. It basically lets kids and adults send things that they won’t later regret when they are looking for a serious job, enabling the safe texting of all kinds of compromising photos and messages.

The move by Facebook shows how it is seeking to try and recapture its trendiness . Teens, who were the first users of Facebook when it was a network only for college students, are now onto other services and apps, such as Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat, Wechat and other messaging apps.

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R.I.P.: Dubuque Radio Personality Mike Kenneally

Mike Kenneally

Mike Kenneally, known to Quad Cities residents from his work on the morning show on WVRE-FM 101.1 FM The River, passed away late last week.

Kenneally, 63, died from leukemia.

He  also was a  former Chicago personality at  WMET-FM and WRXR-FM 95.5 FM (now WNUA) from 1985-1986.

In his 40 year radio career, he worked all over the Midwest, but spent most of his career in the Quad Cities.

Kenneally also narrated at air shows in the region.

November 14 In Radio History

In 1921 the first opera by a professional opera company was broadcast over KYW-AM, Chicago.

In 1922 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began its domestic radio service on 2L0, London.

In 2000 CBS Newsman Robert Trout died of congestive heart failure at 91.

Joe Ianniello Sez CBS Corp. ‘Likes’ Radio, But…

Joe Ianiello

CBS Corp. COO Joe Ianniello on Tuesday discussed Aereo, the growth upside of Showtime, and the outlook for retransmission and reverse compensation revenue at an investor conference, according to THR.

Appearing at a Wells Fargo investor conference, he also said CBS Corp. would consider buying cable networks or TV stations if the price was right and the asset provided strategic opportunities.

Asked about Aereo, Ianniello initially quipped: "How do you spell Aereo?"

Aereo captures over-the-air TV signals and relays them to its subscribers' digital devices. Broadcasters have sued, arguing that the digital company infringes on their copyrights.

How does he feel about the CBS Radio business?

"We like it" and remain bullish on it, he said. But he again signaled that the company may continue to sell smaller, medium-sized market stations. Ianniello said the digital age has in some ways made radio an even more attractive business.

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Atlanta Radio: WYAY’s ‘The Kimmer’ Suffers Heart Attack

Kim Peterson

This past Sunday afternoon, just six days after Kim "the Kimmer" Peterson started his new show on All News WYAY 106.7 FM, he said he felt a "gripping pain" in his chest and broke into sweats while driving. He pulled over, rested, then continued home.

According to Rodney Ho at accessatlanta.com, despite continued discomfort, the 63-year-old Marine vet worked yesterday on Veteran's Day. But the pain didn't totally go away.

So he finally decided to check into the North Fulton Hospital in Alpharetta Tuesday morning and discovered he had what doctors termed a "serious heart attack."

Doctors are still doing tests and will find out by today how serious the blockage may be.

His producer and sidekick Pete Davis covered for him today from noon to 3 p.m. The Kimmer said he will likely be off for at least a couple more days. His former producer Wayne "No Offense" Kitchens, now a Delta mechanic, will come in and help out while he's out.

The Kimmer hosted a popular talk show on N/T WGST 640 AM from 1992 until  2006 and had been in retirement until last week.

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Twin Cities Radio: WCCO’s Steve Murphy Attacked, Robbed

Steve Murphy

A well-known voice to many Twin Cities radio listeners was confined to a hospital room for hours after a vicious attack left Newsradio WCCO 830 AM morning news anchor Steve Murphy injured in an early-morning mugging last Thursday (11/07/13).

"I had just jogged down 53rd Street and I could see the headlights behind me," Murphy told MyFox9 News.

"Noticed an older-model white SUV had stopped, driver got out and headed towards me -- then, I knew I was about to robbed, assaulted."

Murphy said he was jogging to catch the bus to work at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday morning just like he always does when he first saw the white SUV pass him about 3 blocks from his home.

"I thought at the time, 'If I see him again, I'm in trouble,'" Murphy explained. "I was."

Murphy's intuition proved correct. The occupants of the SUV certainly were trouble, and Murphy was their target.

"He tackled me from behind, put me in a choke hold and put my arm behind me," Murphy said of his assailant. "Then, to an accomplice I couldn't see, he said, 'Get it! Get it!'"

Murphy said he knew his attackers were after his wallet, so he took it out. The crooks quickly snatched it and moved on.

"They were gone in a flash," Murphy said.

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According to the WCCO website, Murphy believes that at least one of three men arrested in Anoka County last Thursday for a similar aggravated robbery is the same person who attacked him.

He has since learned the men used his credit card to pay for fuel at a nearby south Minneapolis gas station. Surveillance video is likely to show that transaction.

Murphy says he recognized one of the men when their mug shots were published in the weekend newspapers. He will be meeting with Minneapolis police investigators in the hopes of finding those responsible for his attack.

PayTV Industry Loses More Customers

Cord cutting may be more than just a theory, according to a new report from Wall Street research firm MoffettNathanson which found the pay-TV industry shed 113,000 subscribers during the most recent quarter compared with 101,000 in the year ago-period.

That makes the past year the “worst 12 month stretch ever,” in terms of subscriber losses, compared to prior year-long periods, according to the report.

WSJ notes the losses are centered on cable companies, whereas telecom operators such as AT&T’s U-verse and Verizon’s FiOS continue to gain share.

Also playing into the debate on cord-cutting are comments during earnings season from several industry executives who voiced surprise about how quickly consumers are turning to broadband-only subscriptions.

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Suspended Dispatcher Points Gun At Orlando TV Reporter

While working on the story of a Volusia County dispatcher who was suspended for three days, WESH TV2 reporter Claire Metz had a gun pulled on her Tuesday.

Metz had gone to the home of Shauna Justice to get her side of the story. Justice was suspended because her superiors said she was using her cellphone in September while her dispatch trainee took a call. As a result of that call, emergency responders ended up at the wrong address, and the victim suffered a heart attack and ultimately died.

Justice was arrested after the incident involving the WESH 2 News crew at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. She was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and held on $1,500 bond.

Metz walked up to her door on Jungle Road without a camera or microphone to see if she would share her story, Metz said.  Justice opened the door with a gun in her hand, pointing it at Metz's head, cursing at her and telling her to leave her property.

"The gun was no more than a foot or two from my head, and Ms. Justice held it on me until I backed away to our truck," Metz said.

Consumers Still Tuning In Traditional Radio

Even though technology is rapidly changing the way consumers listen to radio, traditional tune-in remains strong and vibrant, according to NielsenAudio. 

Tech advances like satellite stations and online streaming services have certainly gained the spotlight in recent years, but traditional radio continues to attract the biggest audience.

According to Nielsen’s most recent Music 360 report, traditional radio is still the predominant way people listen to the radio. Sixty-three percent of music listeners report that radio is their dominant source for music discovery. In fact, in 2012, Nielsen measured more than 133.7 million song spins on traditional radio.

That’s not to say, however, that alternate ways to tune in haven’t piqued consumer interest. The radio industry has seen market fragmentation similar to that of television, where new ways to view shows have grown in popularity and have had an additive effect on overall time spent viewing.

David Bakula

“The accessibility of music has seen tremendous expansion and diversification,” said David Bakula, SVP Client Development, Nielsen. “While younger listeners opt for technologically advanced methods, traditional methods of discovery like radio and word-of-mouth continue to be strong drivers. With so many ways to purchase, consume and discover great new music, it’s no wonder that the consumer continues to access and enjoy music in greater numbers.”

But the growth in online listening isn’t just coming from young listeners. Up 40 percent from last year, Nielsen has seen growth in the number of consumers who report using an audio streaming service. The total number of streamers accounts for more than two-thirds of the U.S. population, with 68 percent of the population reporting that they have streamed music online in the last year. 

Carol Miller: Up Close And Personal With Rock History

Carol Miller

NYC radio personality Carol Miller has had a profound effect on the history of rock music, and she doesn't even play an instrument.  Staring in 1971, she's been a professional, lifelong friend and the audio version of the best relationship you ever had.

Carol is a radio personality but not just any radio personality, according to the Orlando-based radio show Growing Bolder. She's the one who introduced Bruce Springsteen to New York, and she's brought all the greatest bands and musicians straight to listeners on New York's WAXQ FM Q104.3, on Sirius satellite radio and before that on WPLJ and WNEW.

She's featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she's been on VH1 and Entertainment Tonight and she's written a great new book about her experiences called "Up All Night: My Life and Times in Rock Radio."

Find out how the girl who got into medical school and attended law school ended up behind the microphone instead.

Carol also shares stories from some of the famous men she dated, included Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Whitesnake's David Coverdale and why she believes rock and roll will never die.

Find more inspiring video, audio, and images at Growing Bolder.

Vice Media Bulks Up With More Journalists

Source: ypulse.com

Vice Media, home to hipster culture and other edgy content targeting millennials,  is about to get a lot bigger in news, bulking up on journalists and introducing new digital video programming with its signature voice of gonzo journalism and irreverent behavior.

The company has quietly fired more than 60 journalists over the past two months, more than doubling its formal newsroom staff, WSJ reports.

The Brooklyn-based company also plans to invest around $50 million over the next three years in news, introducing live feeds, breaking news and documentaries.

It’s a crowded market, where players like Buzzfeed and traditional TV are vying for young people’s attention. But Vice says rapid growth of its existing news content is evidence that viewers want more of its signature voice on everything from war reporting to health care stories.