Report: Thinning The AM Herd Still On The Table

Some engineers have suggested that the number of AMs could be sharply reduced to improve things for those remaining on the air, reports InsideRadio Tuesday.

CBS Radio SVP of engineering Glynn Walden thinks the idea can’t be taken off the list of possibilities.  “Let’s be honest, the herd needs thinning,” he said.  “Interference is not the real problem in AM today — it’s noise.”

The idea is highly controversial.

Seattle-area owner Andy Skotdal said when he raised that idea in print, a small market operator called him and threatened his life.  “I prefer the consumer experience of having one FM band for all because it gives every broadcaster an equal chance at cell phone chip sets,” Skotdal said.

Bryan Broadcasting VP Ben Downs suggests that small and medium markets be shifted to FM translators and if after a year there’s no interference, they turn in their AM license. “The purpose would be to clean up the band for the major markets to go all-digital,” he explained.

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AC/DC Drummer Pleads Guilty to Dirty Deeds

Phil Rudd

AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has pleaded guilty in New Zealand to threatening to kill his former personal assistant, according to the NY Daily News.

The 60-year-old rocker admitted as part of the plea that he wanted to have the ex-employee "taken out," and that he offered an associate a choice between a car, a motorcycle, $153,000 or a house if the person agreed to perform the hit.

Rudd then called the victim and threatened him on the phone.

“I’m going to come over and kill you,” Rudd said.

Following a complaint, New Zealand authorities raided the musician’s home in November 2014 and arrested him after they found methamphetamines and marijuana.

Rudd, whose real name is Phillip Witschke, also pleaded guilty to drug possession as part of his plea. He faces up to seven years in prison when he’s sentenced in June.

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Casper Radio: More Fines Levied On Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting

The owner of several Casper radio stations has paid $21,000 in back wages to former employees in a settlement announced by the U.S. Department of Laborm according to The Star-Tribune.

The government alleged Jan Charles Gray violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to pay minimum wage and overtime to ten former employees at three of his companies: Casper-based Mount Rushmore Broadcasting, the All American Inn in Glenrock and American President Resorts in Custer, South Dakota.  

Under the terms of the settlement, Gray is required to pay minimum wage and overtime, maintain accurate records and train managers and employees about their rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act. He is barred from retaliating against employees who file complaints with the wage and hour division.

Gray said $4,850 in back wages were paid to former Mount Rushmore Broadcasting employees. The remaining $16,150 was paid to hotel employees, he said.

Former Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting employees claimed Gray failed to properly pay workers. Allegations date as far back as August 2008.

In November 2012, the U.S. Department of Labor sued Gray, alleging workers received less than federal minimum wage and weren't paid overtime for working more than 40 hours in a week. Authorities further accused Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting of failing to keep adequate employee work records.

Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting owns KMLD 94.5 FM, KASS 106.9 FM , KQLT 103.7 FM and KHOC 102.5 FM, KVOC 1230 AM 1230 in Casper, along with stations in Rawlins and in South Dakota.

Read More Now (H/T to  Airchecker)

Mount Rushmore Broadcasting has seen other huge fine in recent years. Other penalties include a $20,000 fine for "failing to maintain the operational readiness of the EAS (Emergency Readiness System) equipment (see FCC Rules/11.35(a)), as well as other equipment issues and violations and failure to maintain a complete public records file."


Sources connected to the FCC say its 'not likely' Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting will have their licenses renewed once they expire, due to the history of "past violations and cavalier attitude(s) towards following and maintaining" rules and regulations.

Report: Al Jazeera America Angering Staffers

A host of Al Jazeera America staffers are upset that the cable news outfit — which made a big push into American living rooms with a seemingly unlimited budget, high-profile journalism hires and a mandate to play the news straight — is straying from its original mission, sources told The NY Post.

Insiders said AJA, funded by the government of Qatar, is laying off staffers and watering down its US editorial voice while programming from sibling Al Jazeera English occupies more air time.

In addition, insiders said CEO Ehab Al Shihabi has become a more forceful presence at the network, reshuffling senior news positions and laying off seven staffers last week. The recent moves on top of an earlier round of belt-tightening have led to rising newsroom tensions.

“People are considering legal counsel,” said one insider, adding that “good people came here and were lied to.”

AJA’s senior vice president for news gathering, Marcy McGinnis, a former top CBS News executive who played a key role in launching the network in August 2013, was replaced by Amir Ahmed last month. Amed was previously a vice president of news at the channel.

AJA has run through an estimated $2 billion trying to build a US presence, according to insiders.
Parent Al Jazeera paid $500 million to take over Current TV, whose backers included former Vice President Al Gore, and gain a distribution foothold for AJA.

AJA hired a slew of reporters from established US rivals — former CNNers Soledad O’Brien and Ali Velshi, former NBC anchor John Seigenthaler and PBS’s Ray Suarez — and opened up more than a dozen bureaus across the country.

Despite deep pockets and big names, the network has struggled to attract eyeballs and ad dollars.

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Norway To Drop FM, Is U-S Next?

Norway’s Ministry of Culture announced that the nation would be switching off FM analog radio broadcasts by 2017, in favor of digital broadcasting.

For its part, America is taking a longer, voluntary road to the same end, as analog car radios are gradually being replaced by digital or hybrid models, according to The Christian Science Monitor.

According to an email from an FCC official, there is no push in the US for doing away with FM in favor of digital because, as with the transition to digital television, it would require an act of Congress.  "While there are efficiencies to going all digital," the official wrote, "it would make the over a half a billion analog radio receivers used by consumers inoperable."

But according to Dennis Wharton, executive vice president of communications for the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington D.C., the digital revolution has already arrived.

“It is happening in the United States, it’s in the top 50 markets, virtually all the top 10 stations have switched to digital.” Those switches have been voluntary, Mr. Wharton says.


Why make the switch to digital?

“In smaller markets across the country these are stations that do not have the revenues to support this change, so there’s a financial issue at stake here,” Wharton explains. “But obviously, in the larger markets where there’s more opportunities to reach advertisers and monetize your radio station’s programming there has been a move towards digital.”

A 2012 study by The PEW Research Center in Washington, D.C. revealed that, “vast majority" of Americans still report listening to analog radio broadcasts weekly. But the survey also found that as many as 40 percent of Americans now listen to audio on digital devices, a figure that was expected to double by 2015.

Wharton adds, “I think over time there will be more and more stations that migrate to digital because of the higher sound quality and better clarity of the signal. The issue is getting more digital receivers into the marketplace, and over time, that is happening as more new cars are being sold with HD Radio digital receivers. So, there’s certainly not a resistance to moving to digital. In fact, I think there’s a desire to move to digital. The issue more is how you finance that.”

D/FW Radio: PD Chris Ryan Leaving KEGL

After 21-years at KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle, Chris Ryan has announced he's leaving as PD and midday host.

His last day on the air will be Friday, April 24th and he'll concentrate on his voice over company.

In an open letter to KEGL listeners, Ryan wrote:

"Over the past "almost" 21 years I've had the opportunity to do things and meet people that most people only dream of.  I've truly led a charmed rock n roll life and I owe it all to YOU the listeners, and fans, and family, of 97-1 The Eagle.  This coming Friday April 24th will be my last radio show here on the Eagle.  I'll be sad to leave, but it's time.  I'll still be around though.  Maybe we'll run into each other at the bar someday and I'll buy you a beer and we can reminisce about the good ole days!"

iHeartMedia Announces Summer Pool Party

iHeartMedia announced Monday its annual iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party on Saturday, May 30 – and for the first time ever, the summer's hottest party will be at Caesars Palace Las Vegas.

The 2015 iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party will feature live performances by top artists Nick Jonas, Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Nicki Minaj, Shaggy and Echosmith, with more performers and special presenters to be announced.

The iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party will kick off Saturday afternoon with an all-day pool party featuring sets by iHeartRadio's house DJs, including Prostyle. The ultimate party weekend will continue on Saturday evening with a live concert event featuring Nick Jonas, Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Nicki Minaj, Shaggy and Echosmith.

The iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party will stream on Yahoo Live at 8 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 30. In addition fans nationwide can listen to the special broadcast on iHeartMedia Mainstream Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR), Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio (RCHR), HOT-AC and Electronic Dance Music (EDM) stations.  For the third consecutive year, the iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party will air as an exclusive television broadcast nationally on The CW Network on Thursday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Tom Poleman

To promote the event, iHeartMedia is launching a national on-air and online promotion across its mainstream and rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR), HOT-AC and Electronic Dance Music (EDM) stations. Beginning Monday, April 27, hundreds of iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party packages, which include round-trip airfare, two-night luxury hotel accommodations at Caesars Palace for two and access to all the weekend's events, will be given away through May 22.  One Grand Prize Winner will be chosen to receive a fantasy all-access experience which will include being flown to Las Vegas on a private luxury jet, a suite at Caesars Palace, spa treatments at Qua Baths & Spa, a VIP dinner at Nobu Restaurant & Lounge, a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon, exclusive once-in-a-lifetime artist experiences and more. 


"iHeartRadio is always looking to party with our listeners, and what better way than the iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party in Sin City," said Tom Poleman, President of National Programming Platforms, iHeartMedia. "These are the artists and songs you're going to be blasting at the beaches and at your BBQs, and we can't wait to kickoff the summer celebrating with our listeners to the soundtrack of the season."

ACM Awards Ratings Increased 10 Percent

Sunday night's 50th Academy of County Music Awards delivered its largest audience since 1998, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Sunday, April 19.

From 8:00-11:30 PM, the show was first  in viewers (15.77m), adults 25-54 (4.6/12), adults 18-49 (3.6/11) and adults 18-34 (2.6/09). CBS won every half-hour in these measures from 8:00-11:00 PM. Compared to last year's event (from 8:00-11:02 PM on April 6, 2014), The ACM Awards were up +6% in  adults 18-49 (from 3.4/09), +7% in adults 25-54 (from 4.3/10), +4% in adults 18-34 (from 2.5/08) and added +1.45m viewers (from 14.32m viewers, +10%). The show posted its largest audience since 1998 and its best key demo delivery since 2013.

Sunday night's awards marked the first time the ACMs were broadcast an extra half-hour in the late 11:00-11:30 PM time period. In the 8:00-11:00 PM primetime window, The ACM Awards was first in viewers (16.17m), adults 25-54 (4.7/12), adults 18-49 (3.7/11) and adults 18-34 (2.7/09), up +9% in both adults 25-54 and adults 18-49 while adding +1.85m viewers (+13%) from last year's parallel window.

The ACMs also ranked as the #1 most social broadcast of the day, according to Nielsen Social.

Pandora Adds Music Execs To Its Board

Pandora Media is replacing two board members, both longtime investors, with music-industry veterans, according to The NY Times.

Timothy J. Leiweke, the chief executive of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in Toronto, will join Pandora’s board immediately, and Roger Faxon, the former chief of the music conglomerate EMI, has been nominated and will stand for election at Pandora’s annual shareholders’ meeting on June 4, the company said.

Pandora has been trying to mend its frosty relationship with the music industry through promotional partnerships and data-sharing with artists. At the same time, Pandora is engaged in several major legal proceedings in which it is opposing music industry efforts to raise its royalty rates, an issue that has led to sharp criticism of Pandora by artists and advocacy groups.

Next week, the Copyright Royalty Board, a panel of federal judges in Washington, will begin hearings to set a royalty rate for the use of recordings by Internet radio services like Pandora and iHeartRadio. The rate the panel sets currently accounts for almost half of Pandora’s expenses, and the uncertainty around the proceedings has weighed on the company’s stock.

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D-C Radio: Laurie Cantillo Lands NASA Gig

Laurie Cantillo

Former WTOP 103.5 FM program director Laurie Cantillo has landed on her feet..or maybe that should be..in Space.

When she resigned last month, Cantillo said she "primed to embark on a new adventure." Turns out Cantillo, a self-proclaimed "space geek" is joining NASA as a contractor in the agency's Office Of Communications.

In a weekend Facebook post, Cantillo said, "I'm taking a giant leap to NASA. As a longtime space geek, I'm honored to join the Office of Communications at NASA as a contractor with ITI. Among my initial projects: the search for life on exoplanets, next week's Hubble 25th Anniversary, and New Horizons -- a Pluto fly-by in mid-July. Yes, I had to peel my son David off the ceiling!"

Cantillo said, "I've been a space and science geek most of my life. I have NASA-TV and the ISS (International Space Station) spotter on my phone, and my son and I are often up late at night to observe ISS passes, meteor showers and blood moons. It's a dream job because I'm applying decades of media experience to my passion. I'm very grateful to ITI and NASA's Office of Communications for this amazing opportunity."

Cantillo joined WTOP in late 2011 after a almost three year stint as Program Director at Cumulus' WABC NYC. Previously, she was PD at Oprah & Friends Radio, and PD of at KFYI and EXTRA Sports in Phoenix.

In late 2013, she took over from longtime WTOP programmer Jim Farley, who retired and is now a Florida-based consultant for the top-rated station.

Report: Suspended Anchor Brian Williams Needs To Apologize

Brian Williams

Suspended NBC News anchor Brian Williams will need to make a public apology for alleged fabrications in his reporting before the Comcast-owned network would consider reinstating him, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

According to The Street, the public apology is one of several "things Brian has to do before we'd let him back on the air".

Williams was suspended in February for six months for exaggerating his reporting during the Iraqi invasion and Hurricane Katrina's 2005 strike on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack is expected to make a decision by August, although if the network decides to jettison Williams a decision could be made as soon as the network's May 11 "upfront" presentation to advertisers, an annual gathering aimed at selling airtime for the upcoming fall and winter season.

Bernard Gershon

The betting among knowledgeable broadcast executives, according to The Street, is that Williams is unlikely to come back, even if he were to make the required apology. The damage, they say, has been too great to his and the news organization's reputation for any statement to overcome.

"The best decision for NBC News would be to part ways with Brian Williams," said Bernard Gershon, a former ABC News radio vice-president and former general manager of ABCNews.com. "It helps restore credibility to a tarnished news organization and allows them to rebuild. For the moment, Williams is a punch line."

NBC isn't yet looking for a new host for its nightly news program, according to two people with knowledge of the situation, and still considers Lester Holt a potential replacement for Williams if the long-time anchor doesn't return.

ESPN Launches Mike&Mike ESPYS Sweepstakes

ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike Monday launched its Mike & Mike Experience at the ESPYS, presented by AutoZone sweepstakes, encouraging listeners around the country to tune in for a daily “winning word or phrase” for an opportunity to be a part of the biggest night in sports – the ESPYS, on July 15.  Today, through Friday, May 15, the “winning word” will be revealed live daily during Mike & Mike broadcasts.

Listeners can enter to win by calling 855-ESPN-WIN, texting 777000 or visiting ESPNRadio.com and registering by 1 p.m. ET with the daily winning word given during that day’s broadcast.

Each week during the four-week campaign, one Weekly Winner will be chosen, for a total of four Grand Prize winners.  The winners will be announced each Wednesday of the week following the entry (April 29, May 6, 13, 20).

The Grand Prize Winners and their guests (one each) will receive a custom “Mike & Mike Experience at the ESPYS” presented by AutoZone: a Greeny- and Golic- themed trip to Los Angeles, airfare and accommodations a Welcome Reception at a Los Angeles hotspot, spa visits, a tour of ESPN’s Los Angeles studios and behind-the-scenes access to ESPN’s production. On the day of the ESPYS, the winners will walk the red carpet, alongside ESPN personalities and some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment.

R.I.P.: Oregon Radio Personality R Charles Snyder

R. Charles Snyder

Websites for Opus Broadcasting stations, including KCNA 102.7 FM The Drive, KRVC Hot 98.9 FM and KROG 96.9 FM The Rogue have announced the passing of longtime disc jockey R. Charles Snyder.

“It has surprised all of us,” said Opus Director of Sales Brian Fraser. “R Charles has been a fixture in radio.”

Snyder died on Sunday, according to Fraser. He declined to comment on cause of death.
Snyder covered the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift at Opus stations weekdays and was a dedicated member of their sales team, assisting advertisers.

His career in radio began in 1974 for KYJC 1230 AM in Medford.  Jerry Allen worked as station manager for KYJC at the time.

He was an avid racing fan, from NASCAR to local motor sports, and was a longtime announcer at Southern Oregon Speedway events.

“He was a great track announcer because he knew everyone in the car," Reese said. “He took an interest in people.”

R.I.P.: CBS Radio Engineer, KROQ Host Scott Mason

Scott Mason

CBS Radio Los Angeles has announced Regional Director of Engineering and 35-year employee CBS Radio employee Scott Mason passed away Sunday.

In reaction, CBS Radio Los Angeles Senior Vice President/Market Manager Dan Kearney emailed this statement to his team:

“The entire CBS Radio family is grieving today over the passing of Scott Mason, who has been part of CBS since 1979. With his spirited passion for radio and unwavering dedication to his work, Scott’s accomplishments were numerous, from being an on-air personality at KROQ to hosting diverse programs like the popular ‘Loveline’ and ‘OpenLine,’ a long-running public affairs show, to overseeing the design and construction of CBS Radio L.A.’s state-of-the art facilities on the Miracle Mile. Our thoughts today are with his family and all those who knew and worked alongside Scott during his amazing life and career.”

Known to long-time KROQ 106.7 FM listeners as Spacin’ Scott Mason, Scott was one of the reasons the station is what it is today, according to the station's website.

KROQ photo

Scott started in radio at the young age of 14. After honing his skills at various Southern California stations, a young Mason was hired to run KROQ-FM way back in 1979. Rick Carroll, the station’s program director, hired Scott to be a weekend DJ and Chief Engineer while he was still a teenager.

Since that time Scott has worked every airshift on KROQ at one time or another. Scott was even an original host of Loveline with The Poorman, and Dr. Drew.

Over time, the station grew and so did Scott’s responsibilities. With KROQ eventually purchased by CBS, Scott ended up overseeing all things technical for our West Coast stations.

But, according to CBS Radio,  Scott wasn’t just a DJ and engineer. Scott was a founding father to one of America’s greatest radio stations. He ate, slept and breathed KROQ.

April 21 In Radio History

In 1940...The CBS Radio program, "Take It or Leave It" offered up the first "$64 Question". Bob Hawk was the host for the first year, succeeded by Phil Baker.

Dick Clark

In 1960…Dick Clark testified before a congressional committee investigating payola. He admitted that over a period of 28 months he'd had a financial interest in 27 percent of the records he played on his "American Bandstand" TV show. Clark was ordered to sell off some of his conflicting interests, but had his name cleared -- unlike disc jockey Alan Freed, who refused to admit that payola was an illegal or immoral practice.

Alan Freed and Dick Clark both played important parts in the rise of rock ’n’ roll (Freed embodied the incendiary spirit of the music more than Clark, refusing to play white cover versions of black songs, such as Pat Boone’s “Tutti Frutti”). And though they both denied ever accepting payola, it’s almost impossible to imagine two young, popular jocks not succumbing to a little temptation. Guilty or not, it was Freed who ended up taking the fall for DJs everywhere.

Why did the committee single him out? Freed was abrasive. He consorted with black R&B musicians. He jive talked, smoked constantly and looked like an insomniac. Clark was squeaky clean, Brylcreemed, handsome and polite. At least on the surface. Once the grilling started, Freed’s friends and allies in broadcasting quickly deserted him. He refused—“on principle”—to sign an affidavit saying that he’d never accepted payola. WABC fired him, and he was charged with 26 counts of commercial bribery. Freed escaped with fines and a suspended jail sentence. He died five years later, broke and virtually forgotten.

Previous to the trial, Dick Clark had wisely divested himself of all incriminating connections (he had part ownership in seven indie labels, six publishers, three record distributors and two talent agencies). He got a slap on the wrist by Committee chairman Oren Harris, who called him “a fine young man.” As Clark told Rolling Stone in 1989, the lesson he learned from the payola trial was: “Protect your ass at all times.” Surprisingly candid words from the eternal teenager.

After Freed went down in 1960, Congress amended the Federal Communications Act to outlaw “under-the-table payments and require broadcasters to disclose if airplay for a song has been purchased.” Payola became a misdemeanor, with a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison.


In 1970…Sportscaster Curt Gowdy received the George Foster Peabody Award for achievement in radio and television.

In 1982...the final episode of “WKRP in Cincinnati” was telecast (after four seasons and 90 episodes).  A new syndicated version of “WKRP” surfaced on September 1991 and ran for two seasons.