New Paul Finebaum ESPN Show To Debut

Sports-talk radio rock star Paul Finebaum will make his long-awaited return Monday, nearly seven months after he left the air and just in time for the kickoff of a new college football season.

In Birmingham, Finebaum's new, regionally syndicated ESPN Radio show will be heard on his old station, WJOX 94.5 FM, as well as the new WJQX ESPN 100.5 FM, which is expected to launch Monday, as well.

Finebaum's new show, which will originate out of ESPN regional studios in  Charlotte, will begin and end an hour earlier than before -- airing from 1 to 5 p.m. in Birmingham, instead of from 2 to 6 p.m.

His return has caused WJOX to shuffle its weekday lineup.

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NYC Radio: WHTZ Adds TimeLine Feature To Website

In observance of WHTZ Z100’s 30th Anniversary, the CCM+E station has launched a Timeline on its website.  

SEE ORIGINAL POSTING: Click Here.

The Timeline is interactive allowing listeners to click-on a specific year of A100’s existence.  Each click highlights the popular and pop culture of each year.

Z100 TIME-LINE: Click Here.

Detroit Radio: WCSX Adds Car Section to Website

Jim O'Brien

Classic cars and rock ’n’ roll simply go together. Ask anyone who has a keen interest in either.

That’s the dynamic combination that has kept Greater Media Classic Rock WCSX 94.7 FM radio a listeners’ favorite for more than 25 years.

The station has grown up with classic rock as its foundation and automobiles, new, old, special or otherwise, as part of its format. After all, the station is based in Detroit—the Motor City—the home of the country’s auto industry, so what better place for this great rock-and-car duo radio station to make its mark?

To that end, the station has launched a new page on its website, aptly christened the WCSX Garage. It features “all things auto,” according to Jim O’Brien, who is the Producer for KC & Trudi’s Morning Show and Sports Director for WCSX-FM.

The world of rock has long been associated with a love and passion for cars, according to O’Brien, who said, “It’s always been like that.” A few of many examples are Bruce Springsteen’s 1975 song “Thunder Road,” his 1984 tune “Pink Cadillac,” and the Eagles’ 1972 hit “Life in the Fast Lane.”

The 1970s saw “Rockin’ Down the Highway” by the Doobie Brothers. The 1960s were full of rock influences, with references to summer rides in convertibles and fast cars, symbols of coming of age and freedom. The Beach Boys told us about “Fun Fun Fun” (’Til Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away) in 1964, and Ronny & The Daytonas sang about their “GTO,” also in 1964. Motown tunes also told of cars and girls with Wilson Pickett’s version of “Mustang Sally” in 1966, among others. O’Brien cited the significance of cars—all kinds of cars—to the Detroit area and spoke of the importance people in the city place on their cars.

Rdio Hops On The Radio Bandwagon

Mainstream music fans don’t want to constantly choose what to listen to, so streaming services are embracing radio. According to Josh Constantine at telecrunch.com, the latest is Rdio, whose new Friend FM turns your friends’ listening activity and social connections into non-stop streams. It’s also added a traditional Pandora-style You FM station thanks to data from The Echo Nest. Together they could let you productively leave Rdio on in the background.

While Pandora popularized adaptive online radio, it’s becoming an essential feature for all music services. Spotify added radio at the end of 2011, and Apple is gearing up to launch iTunes Radio alongside iOS 7 this fall.

Usually, adaptive radio stations build themselves off of your listening habits. That includes what you played, thumbs up or downed, and saved. This is how Rdio’s new You FM works, though it also factors in your Facebook Likes and Twitter Follows.

Rdio’s overhaul of Stations also lets your tune into any of yours friends’ You FM stations. Friend FM could get you out of your comfort zone and stumbling upon new artists you can then cue up on-demand. Maria FM could score me some new yoga music, while Alex FM would rock my bones with the latest new metal. Rdio says “It’s like flipping on the car radio and knowing every DJ.”

The cross-platform streaming service has also built a more immersive player for Stations, a better navigation system, Stations for genres, and an Auto-Play radio based on the last song or artist you were last listening to.

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Beasley Broadcast Names Digital VP

Stacy Sedbrook

Beasley Broadcast Group headquartered in Naples, Florida, appoints Stacey Sedbrook as Vice President of Digital.

In her capacity, she will lead and direct all of the Company’s social and online initiatives; develop and implement  new media strategies; and also coordinate all digital and interactive efforts for each of Beasley’s radio stations.

She joins Beasley September 1 and will be based in the corporate office in Naples, FL and reports to Caroline Beasley.

Ms. Sedbrook arrives at Beasley Broadcast and in Southwest Florida from Boston, MA where she was most recently  Senior Director of Digital Sales and Operations for Wicked Local-Gatehouse Media New England. Sedbrook has served as Gannett Corporate’s Vice President of Local  Digital, The Dallas Morning News’ Director of Sales Training, The Houston Chronicle’s Director of Online Sales,  Marketing and Product Development, and the Denver Newspaper Agency’s Director of New Media.

“As our digital initiatives continue to grow and evolve, we realize the benefit in examining this critically important  part of our business with fresh eyes and from a different perspective,” says Executive Vice President and Chief  Financial Officer Caroline Beasley. “Stacey’s record of driving the development of innovative, revenue-generating  marketing and sales campaigns for both agencies and clients is exceptional.

Stacey Sedbrook adds, “Radio is an industry that I’ve been watching closely. To join a company like Beasley, one that understands that digital and radio are converging at a faster pace than ever before, is a tremendous opportunity. After living through Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the Boston Blizzard of 2013, I'm  excited to be leaving New England for the year-round sunshine in SW Florida".

Report: Accident During Operation Causes Death of Personality

Steve, Kerri Drees

Popular Christian Radio personality Kerri Drees died early this week in a Fargo hospital, where she was undergoing a lap-band operation. Drees was a morning co- host on KKEQ Your QFM in Grand Forks since January 2011.

SEE ORIGINAL POSTING: Click Here.

According to The Forum in Fargo,  Kerri and her husband, Steve, arrived at Altru Hospital at 5:45 a.m. Monday for her to have a 30- to 45-minute procedure to remove the Lap-Band she’d had since 2007. Surgery was set for 7:45 a.m. and before Kerri was rolled away, she kissed Steve and said, “I love you.” 

He, thinking 17 years together was not nearly enough told her, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

It was not to be as complications during surgery claimed Kerri’s life.

About 45 minutes after the surgery was to have started, Steve went to Altru’s information desk for an update. “The gal said the only information they had was that the first incision was made 41 minutes ago,” he said.

Kerri Drees

About 10 minutes later two staff members “in scrubs came and asked to talk to me,” Steve continued. “It was obvious they didn’t want to talk to me in the main waiting area, so my heart sank. I followed them back to the chapel area, where I met with them and the chaplain. The two staff members were an anesthesiologist and a surgical nurse. The anesthesiologist told me there were complications. Kerri had lost a lot of blood and her heart had stopped twice. He assured me they had several people working to stabilize her but it didn’t look good.”

Steve was later told that Kerri’s aorta had been nicked during the first incision.

There are those who want to place blame, Steve said, “and I don’t. Kerri wasn’t the type to blame. Every operation has inherent risk and every human being is different. I have no ill will. It’s easier for me not to hold ill will knowing Kerri had a living and vibrant faith.”

A veteran of Christian radio, Kerri began working in January 2011 at QFM, which has offices in Fosston, Minn., and Bemidji, Minn. She had previously worked at radio station Power 92 in Fargo.

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R.I.P.: Lloyd Moss Former WQXR, NYC Broadcaster

Lloyd Moss

Lloyd Moss, a classical-music radio announcer who amused listeners with cheeky humor, died on Saturday in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.

He was 86.  The NY Times reports the cause was Parkinson’s disease.

Mr. Moss had long made listeners of WQXR chuckle during such staples of drive-time radio as traffic reports — after one that said “traffic in both lanes on the bridge is suspended,” he ad-libbed, “Come to think of it, so is the bridge.”

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Orlando Radio: WOCL Surges To Claim Top Spot In July PPMs

CBS Radio’s classic hits WOCL Sunny 105.9 FM is the new ratings king moving 6.3-7.2. Summertime is good to Sunny as it reached #1 last August.

Cox Media’ Urban AC Star 94.5 FM is #2 basically remaining flat 6.9-6.8. Cluster-mate country WWKA K92 went 7.3-6.6, good for #3.

CCM+E’s Spanish tropical “Rumba 100” WRUM Rumba 100.3 FM  is #4 moving 5.9-6.2.

Cox Media N/T WDBO-News 96.5 FM surged  4.3-5.8 for the fifth spot. The station provided live gave-lt-o-gavel coverage of the George Zimmerman trial during the rating period.

Cume leader: Hot AC WOMX Mix 105.1 FM 513,100 listeners. Clear Channel CHR WXXL 106.7 FM is #2 in cume with 505,700…WOCL is #3 with 437,100.

Interesting to note the reported total share for AM stations in Orlando is a mere 2.6:    Talker WFLF 540 AM 1.2...ESPN Sports WDBO 580 AM 0.9 aand Fox Sports WYGM 740 AM scored a 0.5.

For More Arbitron July PPMs Ratings, Click Here.

Philly Radio: Randy Michaels Sells WWIQ

And many market watchers are surprised at who's buying. Afterall, many thought CBS Radio wanted an FM outlet for its KYW.

Merlin Media’s WWIQ 106.9 FM has been sold to Education Media Foundation (EMF) is a non-profit broadcaster of contemporary Christian music and programming, with 700 radio stations and the top ranked K-LOVE.

WWIQ was another effort by Merlin magician Randy Michaels to own stations in major markets.  His stations in New York City and chiago have already been sold, after short-lived news formats.  It was just 18 months ago, Merlin paid Harold Camping’s Family Radio $22.5 million for Christian WKDN, Camden. There are reports this deal is around $19 million.

The Camden-licensed station has had more downs than ups in the two years since Merlin Media bought  and transformed it to a news and information outlet, according to philly.com.

At first there were grumblings the station would go gunning for CBS Radio outlets in the market.  First, it was newser KYW 1060 AM, then The Big Talker WPHT 1210 AM.  In the most recent July PPMs, WWIQ scored a flat 2.1 -- 2.1 share 6+.

Lots to talk about at the Radio discussions message board, Click Here.

The sale, pending FCC approval, mean talkers Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity  will be searching for new outlets.

The City of Brotherly Love can expect EMF’s non-commercial, contemporary Christian  K-Love format to air on 106.9 FM after the closing.  The format currently airs on Class A WKVP 89.5 FM.

Harrisburg Radio: Ex-Con to Audition for Gig

Bruce Bond

But this is no orderinary ex-convict.  This is Central PA. radio legend Bruce Bond, who  hosted Top 40 WNNK-104.1 FM's daily "The Bruce Bond Late Afternoon Show" from 3-7 p.m. from 1995 until 2002

Bruce Bond is auditioning to host WHP 580 AM’s afternoon talk show.

He isn't alone either. The AM radio station is in the midst of a search for a replacement for Bob Durgin, who retired on Aug. 2. Candidates for the position have been auditioning on-air since Aug. 5 in the afternoon show's time slot of 3-6 p.m.

Newman

Newman of Newman and Nancy on sister-station WRBT BOB 94.9 FM fame is auditioning Thursday. Bond will have the Friday audition spot.  The auditions will continue into the next week and will include Matt Meyer of sister-station WRVV The River 97.3.

As for what the station's looking for, PD RJ Harris says "We are not looking for someone with fill-in-the-blank political beliefs or lifestyle beliefs. We're looking for a show that's compelling and entertaining and will keep people listening."

And according to pennlive.com, that's where Bond could shine. A figure of fascination for many in the midstate, Bond made national headlines when he was indicted in 2008 for charges of forgery, attempted grand larceny and identity theft. There were 65 counts total levied against him for the $4.3 million forged-check scheme involving accomplices in Nigeria and Europe.

Matt Meyer

Found guilty, Bond was sentenced to a minimum of 2 1/3 years to maximum of 7 years in prison. He was released on parole on April 29, 2010 for merit. His parole was discharged two years later.

Harris predicts Bond's criminal past will come up during his on-air audition. "I have to think that it will come up and I have to believe that Bruce is ready to talk about it," he said.

As for negative audience reaction to bringing on Bond, Harris is prepared. "He paid his dues. I know it sounds cliche, but it's true," Harris said. "The thing we have to remember about Bruce Bond is that he had some of the biggest rating shares, if not the biggest, of anyone ever on the air in Harrisburg. So we believe that he deserves, at least, a look."

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D/FW Radio: Cumulus, Disney Do LMA Deal For KESN

And it could mean major signal upgrade for The Ticket.

Cumulus Media, which owns and operates KTCK 1310 AM TheTicket, has reportedly agreed to operate under an LMA (but not purchase) KESN-103.3FM ESPN Radio in Dallas and will run both stations.

The end of the September is the target date for The Ticket to assume control of ESPN 103.3 FM.

According to star-telegram.com, ESPN's radio personnel will relocate from Irving to downtown Dallas at Victory Park, where The Ticket currently operates.

ESPN’s Traug Keller was the ESPN senior vice president said ESPN-FM will continue to air “Mike & Mike” in morning drive and Colin Cowherd’s “The Herd” show as well as ESPN event programming, according to Barry Horn at The Dallas Morning News.

Those programs sell lots of national advertising. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is the fifth-largest radio market in the country behind New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco.

The station also will remain the radio home of the Rangers and Mavericks. Local programming, which includes Randy Galloway and other shows such as Durret and Fitzsimmons, is not certain.

Cumulus has aired Ticket programming on weak-signaled KTDK-FM 104.1, but the sale of the station is pending.  KTDK has 6200 watts. KESN has 98,000 watts.

KESN 103.3 FM 60dBu Coverage Area

According to Mac Engel at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, there is a good chance Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket will relocate the majority of its programming to the 103.3 FM signal.

Cumulus owns eight radio stations in Dallas-Fort Worth.

It was not disclosed who will maintain the ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth website, which currently sports the ESPN template.

Sulzberger Sez NY Times Not For Sale

Arthur Sulzberger Jr.

The New York Times is not for sale, the paper's publisher, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., says.

"Will our family seek to sell the Times? The answer to that is no," said Sulzberger, who is also chairman of The New York Times Co., in a statement to employees Wednesday night.

"The Times is not for sale, and the Trustees of the Ochs-Sulzberger Trust and the rest of the family are united in our commitment to work together with the Company's Board, senior management and employees to lead The New York Times forward into our global and digital future," he said in the statement, which the Times provided USAToday.

In the wake of Monday's purchase of The Washington Post by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos — and the New York Times Co.'s sale of The Boston Globe to Boston Red Sox owner John Henry — media watchers been speculating on which major paper would be the next on the block. "There has been much speculation and understandable concern about what this could mean for us," Sulzberger said in the statement.

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15-Year-Old Son Of CNN Prez Resigns From Advisory Board

Andrew, Jeff Zucker

Andrew Zucker, the 15-year-old son of Jeff Zucker, president of CNN, resigned on Wednesday from a board that advises an Internet start-up founded by Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark.

The resignation came after The New York Times published an article detailing Mr. Booker’s involvement in the company, Waywire, a site whose goal includes making it easier to collect, curate and share videos from the Web.

Booker obtained money from influential investors — including Oprah Winfrey and Eric E. Schmidt, Google’s executive chairman — and tapped the expertise of technology moguls and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.

Booker, who founded the company with two partners, recently revealed in a financial disclosure statement that his stake in the company was worth between $1 million and $5 million.

In addition to being given a seat on an advisory board, Andrew Zucker received stock options from Mr. Booker’s fledgling company.

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CableTV Customers Cutting Their Cords in Droves

Pay-TV providers lost substantial numbers of video customers in Q2, and tempers are flaring in the industry over who is most to blame for the rising costs that are driving some subscribers to "cut the cord."

And Shalini Ramachandran of marketwatch.com explains.

FL Radio: Genesis Inks Deal With Sports Talker Jay Mariotti

Jay Marotti

Controversial Chicago sports personality Jay Mariotti is touting his return to radio.

Jay Mariotti was a controversial columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times starting in 1991. According to Chicagoland Radio & Media, he not only made a habit of angering readers, along with sports and media figures, but his own co-workers, as well. He abruptly quit the Sun-Times in 2008, for the most part resulting in cheers from both the public and former work associates.

In 2004, Mariotti hosted a Chicago radio show on WMVP-AM. He was released after only ten months after he would not stop verbally attacking Jerry Reinsdorf, the Chicago White Sox, the Chicago Bulls and those associated with those teams. WMVP-AM was the flagship radio station of both the White Sox & Bulls at that time. Station management asked Mariotti to tone down his inflammatory remarks. He refused, causing the station to part ways with him.

Mariotti joined AOL as a writer for Fanzone in January 2009 and worked as a regular commentator on ESPN's "Around The Horn." Both ESPN and AOL's Fanhouse.com parted ways with the outspoken Mariotti after a series of embarrassing incidents began in 2010. He has since been unemployed.

Those embarrassing incidents included multiple arrests and charges of various felonies and misdemeanors all stemming from his being witnessed repeatedly being involved with domestic abuse against a now-former girlfriend.  Mariotti continues to publicly profess his innocence. He claims all witnesses are wrong and that the ex-girlfriend was just after his money.

Wednesday, Mariotti launched his own website, MariottiShow.com and he announced that beginning this coming Monday, August 12th, he will begin his own weekday Internet radio show, "The Jay Mariotti Show," which will stream on his website from 11:00am-2:00pm (Central time).

Additionally, Jay Mariotti has inked a deal with the Largo, Florida-based Genesis Communications II, Inc. That company, which owns radio stations across the state of Florida, will air Mariotti's new show on four stations: WHBO-AM (Tampa), WHOO-AM (Orlando), WGGG-AM (Gainesville), and WMOP-AM (Ocala).

Mariotti claims it is a multi-year deal with Genesis Communications, who also will operate his website.

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Report: Ex-Pilot Said To Be Source of Fake Pilot Names

Several minutes before the moment the fake names of the Asiana Airlines pilots aired prematurely on KTVU News, a veteran staffer-- awarding winning TV News journalist, Roland De Wolk, (one of the four fired at the station over the incident), passed the names over to newsroom staffers whose duty was to make sure the names were authentic, according to a broadcast source close to the station. One of those staffers included the Managing Editor, according to Rich Lieberman’s 415 Blog.

According to Lieberman’s story… 

"You better check these, (names), out", said De Wolk after he passed the names over to newsroom personnel.  KTVU's Managing Editor, Michelle Toy, who saw the list and whose duty, (among normal news procedures), was to read the names out loud, phonetically, raised the issue that the names sounded suspicious. Told that they were confirmed by an NTSB official, (later to be known as an intern), OKed the list.  Toy, who is of Asian descent, was not one of the four staffers let go by KTVU and its corporate owner, Cox Media. 

Another individual close to De Wolk said that the source that provided the fake pilot's names was an ex-pilot who had worked with KTVU in the past and was considered to be trustworthy. 

At least 4-5 people saw the list of names, including anchor, Tori Campbell, who read them on the air on KTVU's Noon Newscast, Friday, July 12th.

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D/FW Radio: Kidd Kraddick’s Death Compared To 9/11

Dale Hansen

Never one to tread lightly – even on the topic of death – WFAA's Dale Hansen behaved as only Dale Hansen does in his coverage of the death of David "Kidd" Kraddick, who died on July 27 in New Orleans.

On the August 5 edition of WFAA-TV's nightly news show, Dale Hansen hosted an interview with the crew of Kidd Kraddick in The Morning, which is broadcast around the country and locally on KHKS 106 KissFM. Although Kraddick was host, the rest of the crew has decided to go on with the show.

When he asked what Kraddick's death means in dollar signs, and when he compared Kraddick's passing to 9/11.

According to culturemap.com, the money comment came up, awkwardly, as he introduced the segment with crew members Big Al, J-Si, Kellie Rasberry and Jenna.

"I played golf with Kidd Kraddick (and a lot of poker too)," Hansen said. "It seems like everything I ever did with him cost me money. But Kraddick's death could be costing a lot of people a lot of money."

His next trip down the rabbit hole was his evocation of the images of 9/11.

"After 9/11, every comedian, the Lenos and the Lettermans, felt like it was awkward to laugh again," Hansen said. "This morning, when you're trying to do the show without Kidd Kraddick, was it awkward to laugh again?"

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