Indy Radio: WIBC Plans to Drop Rush Limbaugh Show

N/T WIBC 93.1 FM is pulling the plug on "The Rush Limbaugh Show" after 22-years on the station.

The show's last airing on WIBC is set for July 3, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Officials for WIBC parent Emmis Communications this month notified Los Angeles-based syndicator Premiere Networks that it would not extend its deal to air Limbaugh’s show.

The change does not mean WIBC—one of Indianapolis’ most listened-to radio stations—is abandoning its conservative talk format, station officials said.

"Premiere has been a great partner, and Rush has been an iconic part of WIBC's heritage and success," said Charlie Morgan, SVP/Market Manager for Emmis-Indianapolis. "WIBC has a strong line-up of live and local personalities delivering great radio, and we will continue to be Indianapolis' home for listeners with a passion for conservative values and principles."

"We've had a wonderful partnership with Emmis for many years, including a long history of ratings success for The Rush Limbaugh Show in Indianapolis," stated Julie Talbott, President of Premiere Networks.

Although WIBC officials declined to say how much they pay to air Limbaugh’s show, industry sources said Premiere typically requires a significant fee plus control of some of the advertising inventory during the show.

Charlie Morgan

Despite the hefty price tag, “this was not primarily a financial decision,” said Charlie Morgan, Emmis’ local market manager.

“It’s not an inexpensive show to air, so there is a business element to the decision,” Morgan said. “But this has more to do with the long-term direction of the station.”

Premiere is in talks with other Indy stations about picking up the show.  If Premiere does find another station willing to pay the significant price to air the show, it could pull it from WIBC earlier than July 3.

While Limbaugh, 64, remains hugely popular with listeners over 55, Morgan said there is a desire to build a lineup that appeals not only to WIBC’s older core audience but also those in their 40s and younger.

WIBC 93.1 FM (13.5 Kw) Red=60dBu Local Coverage Area

WIBC will reconfigure its daytime lineup:

Tony Katz will remain at the 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. time slot. A new news show, "The 10 at 10," will air from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The show, co-hosted by WIBC news veterans Mike Wilson and Ray Steele, will feature the top ten most interesting news shows of the day. "Garrison" will air from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and "The Dana Show"  will now air live from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., followed by "Chicks on the Right" from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Abdul–Hakim Shabazz from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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'Fair Pay, Fair Play' Introduced In Congress

A bipartisan House bill introduced today would make AM/FM and satellite radio broadcasters pay royalties to the artists of the songs they play on the air, after years of remaining exempt from the payments. According to  The National Journal, the bill would also make digital radio pay for music recorded before 1972, which some platforms have avoided paying for because of a loophole in royalty rules.

As it stands, the amount an artist gets paid for a radio play depends on the platform on which his or her song is played. Digital radio services like Pandora pay one rate, while satellite radio pays another, lower rate. And traditional AM/FM radio is not required to pay royalties to artists at all—they only pay songwriter royalties.

Broadcasters say they shouldn't have to pay artists royalties to play their music on the air because of the benefits of the mass exposure that radio affords. A statement from the National Association of Broadcasters expressed strong opposition to the legislation introduced Monday.

"It is disappointing that this bill retreads years-old policy positions rather than advancing the copyright dialogue through policies that help grow the entire music ecosystem," the association's top spokesman, Dennis Wharton, said in the statement. "NAB stands ready to work with Congress on a balanced music licensing proposal that promotes innovation and recognizes the benefit of our free locally-focused platform to the benefit of artists and listeners."

The bill includes protections for small and local radio stations, which broadcasters have said in the past would be harmed by a royalty requirement. Radio stations that make less than a million dollars in annual revenue will only have to pay 500 dollars a year in royalties, and college and local radio stations will be on the hook for 100 dollars a year.

Rep. Jerry Nadler

"Large radio conglomerates will no longer be able to hide behind truly smaller and public stations to perpetuate this injustice," Rep. Jerrold Nadler said at an event in New York to announce the bill.

In response to today's press conference in New York City, announcing the Fair Play Fair Pay Act by Representatives Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), SoundExchange issued the following statement from Michael Huppe, president and chief executive officer:

"For decades, music services have gotten away with building their business on the backs of hard working musicians, paying unfair rates -- and in the case of the $17.5 billion radio industry, paying nothing at all -- for the music they use. The Fair Play Fair Pay Act introduced today will bring much needed reform to the music industry and addresses many of the issues that plague the recorded music industry.

"It is time that we properly pay the artists who put so much hard work into creating the music at the core of these services. If it weren't for them, these stations would be broadcasting little more than static.

"At the nexus of music and technology, SoundExchange is at the very center of the industry, representing the entire record music industry. In June 2014, we testified before Congress and laid out SoundExchange's guiding principle: all creators should receive fair pay, on all platforms and technologies, whenever their music is used. This past February, the Copyright Office put out a comprehensive report that laid out a similar principle and today we have a bipartisan coalition in Congress heeding the same call."

HD Radio Ad Net Partners With Radio Disney

iBiquity Digital, the developer of HD Radio Technology for AM and FM audio and data broadcasting, announced today a new distribution agreement with Radio Disney, which will broadcast its unique content on as many as 60 HD2/HD3 Stations nationwide on the HD Radio Ad Network.

Radio Disney is a multi-platform music brand for families and home to some of today's biggest music artists, the Radio Disney Music Awards and multiple programming events throughout the year. It is widely recognized by the music industry as an influencer to drive music awareness and is among a select group tracked by Billboard and Mediabase Mainstream music panels.

"By working with iBiquity Digital, we expand our distribution footprint onto the FM dial and become more accessible to families looking for music that can be enjoyed by the entire household," said Eric Goldstein, Vice President, Distribution and Consumer Engagement, Radio Disney.

“Radio Disney values the rapidly growing audience of consumers reached in vehicles equipped with HD Radio Technology and HD Radio receivers in the home – all 100% subscription free,” said Robert Struble, President & CEO of iBiquity. “Syndicating content such as Radio Disney on the HD Radio Ad Network is a big opportunity and we are delighted to have forged our partnership with such a pre-eminent brand as Radio Disney.”

The HD Radio Ad Network is an aggregated network of HD2/HD3 Stations owned and operated by leading radio broadcasters. The Network is now on air in 60 markets nationwide and growing. Advertising sales on Radio Disney HD2/HD3 Stations is managed by iBiquity’s HD Radio Digital Network ad sales team, based in New York City. Collaborative selling between Radio Disney and the Network will also occur.

The HD Radio Ad Network will be on display and featuring live Radio Disney broadcasting via KCYE 102.7 – HD2 at the NAB convention at the HD Radio booth, Central Hall #545, and of course can be heard over the air throughout the Las Vegas Market with any HD Radio receiver.

The HD Radio Ad Network is powered by iBiquity developed technology that provides ad server capabilities to radio broadcasters. The HD Radio Ad Network Ad Server integrates with participating station’s automation systems to automatically insert advertisements into over the air programs. The Ad Server additionally produces real-time affidavits and invoices, thus providing a completely automated means for broadcasters to receive return on investment in HD Radio Technology. The iBiquity HD Radio Ad Network advertising sales team is located in New York City and is selling on behalf of participating broadcasters. Network advertisers include GEICO, McDonald’s, Best Buy and ATT.

The HD Radio Ad Network will be on display at the upcoming NAB convention at the HD Radio booth, Central Hall #545. Additional participating broadcasters are welcome.

HD Radio Monitoring Net Unveiled at NAB Show

iBiquity Digital Corporation reports that the company has completed phase I of the launch of their nation-wide Monitoring Network, focused on improving the quality of HD Radio broadcast operations and the consumer HD Radio Experience. This network is currently operational in the top 10 radio Markets as well as in Las Vegas and Detroit and the roll out will continue throughout the year to include all of the top 50 radio markets.

The Monitoring Network will help to identify potential station issues as well as gaps in station operations that might adversely affect a consumers’ experience with digital radio broadcasting. Information will be gathered continually from a network of remote listening stations and fed into a central data analysis platform developed by iBiquity. This data will not only be used to ensure quality broadcast operations, but will help quickly diagnose and correct any issues. In addition, the data will feed iBiquity’s digital consumer platforms HDRADIO.COM and the HD Radio Guide App.

Jeff Jury

iBiquity Digital has partnered with DaySequerra, who has manufactured the field monitors that are being deployed in the various markets. DaySequerra is a leading manufacturer of broadcast monitors and audio solutions for broadcast radio. These monitors are extremely sophisticated and can be deployed by stations directly for dedicated 24x7 station monitoring and automated error correction.

iBiquity Digital has also partnered with Media Monitors in the installation and maintenance of the field monitors. Media Monitors is a leader in local media monitoring for broadcast radio, TV and other media services. The company has a strong presence in all of the leading radio markets where the HD Radio field monitors will be deployed.

“We are extremely proud of our collaboration in launching the HD Radio Monitoring Network”, said Jeff Jury, Chief Operating Officer of iBiquity. “With 25 million HD Radio receivers in use today and over 40% of all new cars shipping with the technology, it is critical that users have the best possible experience. We are dedicated to a vibrant future for broadcast radio and believe this network will contribute to that future.”

Media Exces Pay Remains In Statrosphere

David Zaslav

Among captains of industry, entertainment executives continue to reap some of the biggest rewards when it comes to compensation, according to The LA Times.

The biggest pay day so far went to Discovery Communications Chief Executive David Zaslav, who received a $156.1-million compensation package in 2014 even though he manages one of the smaller media companies. That's a stratospheric level even by Wall Street standards. Consider that JPMorgan Chase & Co., the nation's largest bank, reported in January that CEO Jamie Dimon raked in a pay package of $20 million.

The lucrative compensation packages come at an increasingly troubled time in the media industry. Media companies are struggling to adapt to changes brought on by digital competitors such as Netflix, which is attracting consumers who once spent the bulk of their free time watching traditional TV channels.

Les Moonves

Zaslav is not the only media executive with handsome rewards. CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves last year received a pay package valued at $57 million, according to a CBS proxy filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission late Friday.

Moonves' compensation, which included a $25-million bonus, represented a nearly 15% decline from 2013. Moonves' pay package had been shooting up along with the value of CBS stock — but the company's shares lost ground last year as Wall Street fretted about the industry trends of audience fragmentation and the proliferation of online streaming services.

Charles Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, said that sky-high executive compensation packages for media executives is just a symptom of a larger problem. Many of the companies have two classes of stock — voting and nonvoting shares — which reduces ordinary shareholders to bystanders with no influence.

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Nielsen, Telos Alliance At Odds Over Hot Box

Nielsen has broken its silence on the provocative audio-processer that increases the likelihood of encoded broadcast signals being detected by its ratings meters. Voltair maker the Telos Alliance shot back with a snarky response that began, “Nielsen Schmielsen!”

In a brief, carefully-crafted memo obtained by InsideRadio, Nielsen said it’s conducting a “thorough assessment” of the Voltair box, and that it doesn’t recommend clients use it until the tests are complete and have been validated by the Media Rating Council.  Nielsen says it’s heard from clients during the last few months inquiring about whether Voltair improves encoding and could cause a ratings increase.

“Nielsen is in the process of evaluating and testing the Voltair product, and we have engaged the MRC to provide validation of the testing results,” the company tells clients, adding that it is working with the Telos Alliance on evaluating its effect.

The company says it will provide additional updates.

Until then, Nielsen says it “does not recommend that clients use Voltair until the testing and validation is complete.”

SEE OUR ORIGINAL POSTING: Click Here 

In an email to Voltair customers, Telos Alliance CEO Frank Foti noted that Nielsen isn’t telling clients not to use the box. “Nielsen doesn’t recommend any audio processor, and probably shouldn’t try to police audio processing,”

Foti writes.  The hardware has become a prevalent fixture in the audio chains of stations in PPM markets, especially the majors.  More than 300 units are in use and demand has outstripped supply. Programmers using it say it has a direct impact on ratings, especially news, talk and sports stations."

Richard Harker

According to Richard Harker at Harker Research, "Voltair only fills in the listening gaps that an imperfect encoding/decoding process misses. You’re not getting bonus quarter-hours, you’re getting more of the quarter-hours you’ve earned."

Last week, Harker's blog alleged PPM's could 'kill' some formats: Click Here

The overriding purpose of Voltair is to increase your confidence that those ratings accurately reflect the habits of your listeners, according to Telo Alliance.

The company says operators should keep the following in mind:

• Even one listener device worth of data can make a measurable difference in your ratings.
• Insights into how your audio content is handled during the watermarking process can show you ways to improve the robustness of your encoding.
• Consideration of listening environments can guide changes that may improve the reliability of watermark decoding on listener devices.
• When you have confidence in the end-to-end watermark system performance of your stations' signals, you also have more confidence in the relationship between ratings and your programming decisions.
• Voltair won’t increase your actual listenership, but it will help you be more confident that listeners to your station participating in the watermark-based ratings process are correctly measured.

Chicago Radio: Cumulus Media Loses Arbitration Over V-T

An arbitrator has given Cumulus Media a setback over voice-tracking.

After many months of the two sides trying to find a solution, an arbitrator finally sided with SAG-AFTRA at the end of last week, ruling that Cumulus Media Chicago was in violation of their union contract and the broadcaster now owes some past and present employees back pay.

According to Chicagland Radio&Media, when Emmis Communications owned and operated WLUP-97.9 FM The Loop and WKQX-FM/then-Q101, they began voice-tracking. Emmis' agreement with SAG-AFTRA was that their DJs would work a six-day week and would be paid for 36 hours of work. If the DJ was to voice-track a weekend show during the week, they would still get paid the same amount.

In July 2011, Merlin Media took control of the radio stations.  In January 2014, Cumulus Media took over operations of the two radio station via an LMA.

Voice-tracking did not disappear under the Cumulus leadership. Although the public heard their voices all the time, the DJs were still only being compensated for working six-day weeks.

In the spring of last year, employees at WLUP-FM filled complaints with SAG-AFTRA. The union had been trying to find a fair solution with Cumulus Media for many months, but were unsuccessful.

Cumulus Media believed the employees should be compensated for the time they are in the station working, not how much they are heard on the air. The union felt that if the stations were using these DJs voices to make the public believe they were live on the air seven days a week and on holidays, the DJs should be paid for their work accordingly. In other words, according to CRM, the station was profiting from the DJs' work seven days a week and not compensating them for that.

Unable to reach a compromise solution, the case went to arbitration, using an independent judge from the American Arbitration Association.

The arbitrator sided with SAG-AFTRA, giving his opinion and award to the DJs.  Cumulus has not commented or released a statement.

Party Affiliation Marked by Deep Demographic Divides

A new analysis of long-term trends in political party affiliation finds wide differences by race, gender, generation and education. According to a Pew Research study, Democrats hold advantages among blacks, Asians, Hispanics, well-educated adults and Millennials, while Republicans have leads among whites, those with less education, evangelical Protestants and the Silent generation.

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Report..Spotify Nears Deal to Raise $400M

Spotify AB has headed back to the funding well for a seventh time, nearing a deal to raise $400 million in a round valuing the music-streaming service at $8.4 billion, according to a story Friday from The Wall Street Journal.

The deal would place Spotify in the upper ranks of the world’s most highly valued private tech companies. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and an Abu Dhabi sovereign-wealth fund have agreed to invest in the round, and Spotify has held talks with a range of asset managers and venture-capital firms around the globe.

The terms have been set and the funding round is expected to close in the coming weeks, one of the people said. Nine-year-old Spotify, which previously raised more than $500 million in equity funding, hasn’t established any timeline for a possible IPO.

The money-losing company needs the cash to support its costly business model of paying nearly 70% of its revenue to rights holders as royalties. Spotify said in January it had about 45 million free users and 15 million who pay $9.99 a month for an ad-free version.

The major record companies—Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group, Sony Corp.’s Sony Music Entertainment and Access Industries’ Warner Music Group—together own under 15% of Spotify and have pushed the company to convert more of its users to paying customers. They believe that ad-based streaming services aren’t able to generate enough revenue to make up for declining sales of CDs and digital downloads.

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John Dickerson To Be New 'Face The Nation' Host

John Dickerson

"Face the Nation" Host Bob Schieffer announced Sunday that CBS News political director John Dickerson will become the new host of "Face the Nation" this summer when he retires.

"Now the obvious question is, who's going to take this seat? I'm happy to say the answer is my friend CBS News political director John Dickerson, who's been on this broadcast 83 times and he sure has the right bloodlines," Schieffer said.

Dickerson's mother, Nancy Dickerson, was the first female correspondent in the CBS News Washington Bureau and was a member of the Washington press corps as an NBC News correspondent when Schieffer first came to Washington in 1969.

"I'm thrilled. I have watched Bob my whole professional life not just as a viewer but as a daily reporter who also covered the Hill. I'm honored to carry on his tradition on Face the Nation, Dickerson said.

Schieffer announced last week that he will retire this summer after hosting "Face the Nation" for 24 years and working at CBS News for 46 years. The show celebrated its 60th anniversary last year.

S-F Radio: Justus Lowenberg Joins Cumulus Now Traffic Network

Justus Lowenberg

Cumulus Media has announced that veteran media sales executive Justus Lowenberg has been named Vice President of Sales for Right Now Traffic Network in San Francisco.

Lowenberg comes to Cumulus from his post in Network Sponsorship Sales for iHeart Media’s Total Traffic Network. Prior to that, he was National Sales Manager for Entravision Communications. He began his radio sales career in 1999, as Account Executive at Infinity Broadcasting/CBS Radio.

Jaysson Reno, Vice President of Sales, Newstalks for Cumulus said: “Justus will be a strong addition to our sales leadership team in San Francisco. His track record and experience will take our Right Now Traffic Network to new levels and provide maximum value for our community of listeners and advertisers. I want to congratulate Justus on his appointment to VP Sales – Right Now Traffic Network.”

Lowenberg said: “With a top notch staff and elite brand of call letters I am excited to be joining the Cumulus San Francisco team.  The Right Now Traffic Network offers advertisers an unparalleled opportunity to connect with Bay Area listeners as they seek out route information in one of the most traffic congested markets in the country."

Pew: Quarter Of Teens Online "Almost Constantly"

24% of teens go online “almost constantly,” facilitated by the widespread availability of smartphones.

Aided by the convenience and constant access provided by mobile devices, especially smartphones, 92% of teens report going online daily — including 24% who say they go online “almost constantly,” according to a new study from Pew Research Center. More than half (56%) of teens — defined in this report as those ages 13 to 17 — go online several times a day, and 12% report once-a-day use. Just 6% of teens report going online weekly, and 2% go online less often.

Much of this frenzy of access is facilitated by mobile devices. Nearly three-quarters of teens have or have access to a smartphone and 30% have a basic phone, while just 12% of teens 13 to 17 say they have no cell phone of any type. African-American teens are the most likely of any group of teens to have a smartphone, with 85% having access to one, compared with 71% of both white and Hispanic teens. These phones and other mobile devices have become a primary driver of teen internet use: Fully 91% of teens go online from mobile devices at least occasionally. Among these “mobile teens,” 94% go online daily or more often. By comparison, teens who don’t access the internet via mobile devices tend to go online less frequently. Some 68% go online at least daily.

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Report: Lou Holtz OUT At ESPN

Lou Holtz

Former Irish head coach Lou Holtz won't be on any ESPN studio shows this fall after he and the network went separate ways, a report from Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch.

The 11-year ESPN veteran said 2014 would be his final season with the network at a fundraising event in Chicago last spring.

Holtz's agent, Sandy Montag, told Sports Illustrated, “Lou enjoyed his time and friendships made at ESPN and looks forward to other opportunities in college football.”

Holtz, 78, compiled a 100-30-2 record in 11 years as Notre Dame's head coach (1986-1996). He led the 1988 Irish team to a 12-0 record and national championship, the program's last such achievement. After departing Notre Dame in 1996, Holtz stepped away from coaching for three years before finishing up his career with six seasons at South Carolina.

He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and ended his college coaching career with a 249-132-7 record.

R.I.P.: Bloomberg Radio Anchor Ken Prewitt

Ken Prewitt

Ken Prewitt, a Bloomberg Radio anchor who interviewed billionaire investors, Wall Street executives and a former Federal Reserve chairman in a news career with jobs at CBS and ABC television, has died.

He was 68, according to Bloomberg.

He died Saturday at his home in Manhattan, according to his wife, Faye Prewitt. He had been diagnosed with brain cancer in 2012 and went on leave the following year.

Tall, lean and white-haired, Prewitt was the daily host of Bloomberg Radio’s “The First Word” show at 5 a.m. in New York, covering economic, business and market news, and co-hosted “Bloomberg Surveillance” at 7 a.m., focusing on interviews and analysis, and “Bloomberg Businessweek Radio,” a weekend program of features.

“There was something very reassuring about Ken’s delivery on the radio,” Michael Bloomberg, founder, chief executive officer and majority shareholder of Bloomberg LP, owner of Bloomberg News, said in an e-mail. “He was authoritative and knowledgeable and just as much a part of our morning routine as having breakfast or getting a cup of coffee.”

From his start at New York-based Bloomberg in 2005, Prewitt interviewed newsmakers including former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, Texas billionaire investor T. Boone Pickens, and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson.

April 13 In Radio History

In 1930...WHOM AM signed on.

This station was founded in 1925 by the New Jersey Broadcasting Corp., owned by Outdoor Advertising executive Harry O'Mealia, whose company owned thousands of billboards around the metropolitan area. WHOM was originally a Jersey City station, having taken over 1450 AM from the merged WIBS/WKBO.

WHOM debuted with a 15 minute inaugural broadcast on April 13, 1930 at 5:45pm. The host was chief announcer Howard Lepper, previously the manager of WIBS. Then, according to Angelfire.com,  the station left the air to make time for WNJ and WBMS, returning to the air at 9pm for a gala show that lasted until 2am. In 1931, WHOM absorbed the airtime of WNJ, and the following year, it became a full-time station with the demise of WBMS.

In 1946, WHOM officially changed their "city of license" from Jersey City to New York.

In 1989, the station was sold to Infinity Broadcasting, owners of WXRK 92.3, among others. Calls were changed to WZRC on April 28, 1990 and the station instituted a heavy-metal rock format as "Z-Rock," a service of the Dallas-based Satellite Music Network and was so anxious to enter the New York market. In December 1992, WZRC switched to country music.

Then in 1993, Infinity signed a lease agreement with a Korean programming service making WZRC 1480  the first full-time Korean-language station in New York.





In 1953...Music ‘Til Dawn with host Bob Hall premiers on WCBS 880 AM NYC. American Airlines owned the program at the outset, premiering it on WCBS in Manhattan, as well as on five other CBS-owned stations in cities served by the airline. The list of cities expanded to include at least eight others, with many hosts over the years all bearing the signature "soothing" voice.

The program's theme song, an orchestration of "That's All," introduced and ended each evening's program, and also ran under the announcer's voice at anytime the mike was open.  The show continued until 1970.



In 1969...Jack Spector last show at WMCA 570 AM NYC




In 2009...Sportscaster Harry Kalas, play-by-play voice of the Philadelphia Phillies for 38 years and also a narrator for NFL films, died of heart disease at the age of 73. He had collapsed in the Nationals Park press box at approximately 12:30 pm, several hours before the Washington Nationals' home opener against the Phillies.

Kalas joined NFL Films as a narrator in 1975. He became its primary voice, following the passing of John Facenda in 1984. He provided the narration to the highlights on Inside the NFL from its inception in 1976 through the 2008 season. Following Kalas' death, fellow Philadelphia Phillies announcer Scott Graham took over his Inside the NFL duties.