WFAN AM/FM NYC Simulcast Starts Friday

UPDATE 11/02/12:  WFAN began its simulcast on 101.9 around 11:57pm Thursday as Jeff Buckley’s “Last Goodbye” gave way to Suzyn Waldman, the first voice to be heard on WFAN in 1987 kicked off the new format on FM.


Earlier posting....

The deal is done! WFAN makes its debut as a FM simulcast of 660 AM Friday morning at 12:01.

According to Joe Barmash at mediabistro.com, Mike Francesa told listeners Monday that WFAN programming will duplicate on 101.9 FM, the frequency is currently owned by Merlin Media with its Alternative Rocker WRXP.

As we reported earlier this month, CBS Radio is acquiring the Merlin slot for $75 million.

As the world’s first 24-hour all-sports radio station, WFAN is the flagship station of four New York professional sports franchises: the New York Mets, the New York Giants, the New Jersey Devils and the BrooklynNets.

Flood Waters Cause Troubles For NYC Radio

UPDATE 10/30/12 1:45pm:

From Scott Fybush, Northeast Radio Watch

The radio dial continues to be ravaged by Sandy’s aftermath all along the coast from Delaware up to Connecticut, but nowhere more so than in the New Jersey Meadowlands, where most of the New York City AM dial is off the air. WOR (710) is an exception, with its recently-built three-tower site just up high enough to stay above the floodwaters. 

Chief engineer Tom Ray, who spent the night out in the Meadowlands, reports the water is ten feet deep at the WOR site, at least six feet above its usual level, filling the culverts that line the swampy site. 

Just down the road, though, the sites that line nearby Polito Avenue and Valley Brook Road in Lyndhurst are reportedly inundated. (Ray reports “four feet of water” at the intersection of Polito and Route 17, a short distance from the towers.) The flood damage means CBS Radio’s big all-news WINS (1010) remains off the air indefinitely, with its programming still shifted to WXRK (92.3) in place of that signal’s usual top-40 music. Also off the air: WINS’ neighbors WLIB (1190) and WSNR (620), as well as WMCA (570), WNYC (820), WPAT (930), WNYM (970), WADO (1280) and WWRV (1330) from the Meadowlands.

Read More Here.

WCBS2 NYC: Live Sandy Coverage

CBS New York Live Stream

Bubba ‘Apologizes’ To Hulk Hogan

Was It A PR Stunt?

A New York publicist has released a statement saying wrestling star Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea has reached a settlement with onetime friend and Tampa Bay shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem centered on footage made public from a videotape made of Hogan having sex with Clem's then-wife.

According to Eric Deggans at tampabay.com, as part of the settlement, Clem played a statement on his show for WHPT-FM (102.5 the Bone) Monday morning apologizing for insulting Hogan and his children, saying "after further investigation" he concluded the wrestler was unaware he was being videotaped in 2006 while having sex with his now-ex-wife, Heather Cole. The terms of the settlement were not made public.

The quick resolution on this lawsuit -- according to the release, Hogan will continue his legal action against Cole and the owner of the website which first published video clips from the footage, Gawker.com -- will likely leave critics accusing the men of colluding on a gigantic publicity stunt. 

Read More Here.

WDBO's Jim Turner To Retire, Kelley Named Replacement

Joe Kelley

Jim Turner, WDBO morning show host for 28 years in Orlando, has announced he’s retiring.  Cox Media Group has announced that his replacement will be Joe Kelley, from sister N/T KRMG in Tulsa, OK.  Kelley will join WDBO effective November 29^th.

Turner’s last day is yet to be determined. Kelley is expected to be
hosting DBO’s Morning and Afternoon News on a fill-in basis as needed until Jim Turner’s final broadcast.

Turner started at WDBO in May 1972, originally for afternoons. After 12-years in PM Drive, Turner switched to the morning show.

WDBO PD Drew Anderssen commented on the Turner’s retirement:  “Jim is a broadcast icon. He has been revered as one of the premier morning hosts in America for many years, a true professional, and a great man. We stand by Jim in celebration of his 40 years of community service and dedication to Central Florida as he begins to write a new page in his life. He will truly be missed as the daily voice of morning news in Orlando radio.”

“Jim has been WDBO’s anchor to our listeners and community,” added VP/Market Manager Susan Larkin.  “His talent, engagement, and sheer love of radio is to be admired. We will miss Jim and cannot thank him enough for his part in building this brand.”

Kedlley has been doing mornings at KRMG since July 2005.

Sandy Live Radio Coverage In DC

LIVE RADIO COVERAGE:

WTOP 103.5 FM

WNEW 99.1 FM

Sandy Live Radio Coverage In NYC

LIVE ON-AIR COVERAGE

1010 WINS

WCBS 880

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

TWC Live Coverage of Sandy

Hunkering Down With TWC's Jim Cantore

From Jeanine Poggi, AdAge.com

"When Jim Cantore is in your backyard, you know there's trouble," said one passerby.

While all was still quiet along the Hudson River, the city had sent the Weather Channel crew scrambling by ordering a mandatory evacuation of the low-lying areas classified as "Zone A" -- such as the spot they had staked out. "We don't know what we are doing or where we are going," Mr. Cantore said. "Logistics have eroded. The things you count on go to the wayside, but you just need to keep doing live shots." 

Mr. Cantore and a dozen crew members originally planned to stay at the Double Tree in the Financial District, but that wound up being evacuated too, so producers attempted to secure other accommodations. They found rooms available at the Millennium Hilton in midtown, but it was unlikely Mr. Cantore would be sleeping much in any case. He expected to be back out in the weather as early as 4 a.m. Monday morning. 

Mr. Cantore, along with most meteorologists, predicted Hurricane Sandy will be one of the worst storms the East Coast has seen. "I brought out the dry suit for this one," he said. "In New York City you never know where you will have to take cover." Mr. Cantore has taken shelter everywhere from cars to public restrooms over the years covering storms.
His supplies included a big bottle of water, vitamins and some PowerBars. "You come in knowing you could go 24 to 48 hours with nothing," he said. 

Despite all that, Mr. Cantore didn't seem daunted. He's previously covered hurricanes including Katrina, Andrew and Rita. Coming downtown to cover Sandy on Sunday morning returned him to the same location from which he covered Irene last year. "Safety comes first and I am always nervous for my crew, but you do your job and what needs to be done," he said. 

Between his live broadcasts, Mr. Cantore turned to Twitter -- where he has nearly 150,000 followers -- using his iPhone to post radar images and a photo of one of the last cruise ships to come into port. He also tweeted warnings about the severity of Sandy.

Read More Here

Lindsay Lohan Tweets About Sandy

Obviously a bit jealous that Sandy is getting so much media attention....

Atlanta’s Star 94.9 Recruits Jimmy Alexander For AM

Cindy Simmons, long-time host at Star 94, now has a new morning partner: Jimmy Alexander from D.C.

Jimmy in his 'oval office'

Alexander comes from the Jack Diamond Morning Show in WRQX Mix 107.3, which is similar to Star 94 here in its adult pop music blend. He started as a producer in 1997 on the show and was promoted to co-host 11 years ago.

According to Rodney Ho at aj.com, Cindy’s co-host for eight years, Ray Mariner, was unceremoniously dismissed in May, no explanation given. (In fact, even in the grinding rumor mill that is Atlanta radio, I have heard precious little why he was cut and he isn’t talking.)

Cindy’s gone solo for several months. While Star’s ratings have slipped a bit since his departure, it appears to have been the entire station, not just mornings, that has suffered.

The timing is interesting because Cindy is pregnant with her second daughter, due next week. That means she’ll be off the air for at least a little while.

Norm Schrutt, a long-time agent who represents both Cindy and Jimmy, said he isn’t sure when Star 94 is going to bring Alexander in. Scott Lindy, the operatioins manager for Star, said he could arrive in Atlanta in 30 to 60 days – or sooner if Mix lets him go sooner.

Read More Here.

Opinion: Media Never Ever Getting Over Taylor Swift

From Howard Gensler, Philly Daily News Tattle Columnist

WE HAVE TO ADMIT, we have a little TattleCrush on Taylor Swift. 

Not her music necessarily - an endless loop of songs about girls who dump boys hits a little too close to home. 

And not necessarily her wide-eyed astonishment when she walks off with a hundred awards - for the hundredth time. 

No, what Tattle loves about Taylor is that she's a media ninja. She understands the PR game the best, and she plays each move like a chess grandmaster. 

Who else but Taylor could be linked to a new boy every few months and still be considered "America's sweetheart." Darn right she's America's sweetheart. 

And who else but Taylor could confirm her break-up with her Kennedy boyfriend (18-year-old Conor Kennedy) the same week her new CD, "Red," drops, after dating him through the Cape Cod summer and dropping a few very big bills for a house near the Kennedy compound. 

It's brilliant. 

"They quietly parted ways a while ago," a Taylor friend told Us Weekly. "It was just a distance thing. No hard feelings. They're fine." 

"It's been over a month since they've even seen each other," the friend went on to explain. "With her promotion for 'Red,' she has no time off until the end of the year."

Read More Here.

Also Must Read:

EW:  "Red" Tour Date announced, Click Here.

"How I Spent My Weekend"

Salem Radio Network talent Mike Gallagher and Hugh Hewitt (right) made a weekend tour of battleground states over  the weekend. Nice show prep!

Mike & Hugh ready to fly from Detroit to Denver!

Mike’s a kid in the candy store hangin’ with the pilots!

Z88.3 Orlando' s Ultimate Listener Benefit

Election Day can’t get here soon enough for those tired of all the political commercials airing on radio and TV.

In Orlando, non-com WPOZ /Z88.3-FM has these billboard showing throughout the metro area.    Contemporary Christian Z88.3 has been #1 for 7 of the last 8 months  in Orlando. 

Obviously, they are doing many things right.

Tom's Take:  By the way, Z88.3 OWNS the bumper sticker mountain in Orlando.  And there is no #2.

British TV Legend Accused Of Being A Pedophile

Gary Glitter Implicated

(AP) -- Police investigating the sex abuse scandal surrounding late BBC children's television host Jimmy Savile have arrested pop star Gary Glitter in connection with the case, British media said Sunday.

Metropolitan Police said they arrested a man in his 60s early Sunday morning at his London home, on suspicion of sexual offenses, and that he remains in custody in a London police station.

The force did not identify the man, but British media including the BBC and Press Association reported he was Glitter, 68, a former rock musician and a convicted sex offender. Glitter's real name is Paul Gadd, according to the Assocated Press.

Live Sandy Coverage: Rockville, Md (Near DC)

Free live streaming by Ustream

Live Sandy Coverage: Atlantic City, NJ

Streaming by Ustream