NASH Next Doubles Artist Participation

Cumulus Media announced today substantial year-over-year growth of their NASH Next franchise, including more than double the amount of registered artists. NASH Next, Cumulus Media’s national and grassroots search for America’s newest country star, recruited artists in 62 markets across the United States including Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Detroit and Nashville.

NASH Next 2017 has moved into the next phase of the competition – the Fan Rating  period, where listeners are encouraged to rate the registered artists by Sunday, July 30th at 11:59 pm ET and can win the chance to attend the NASH Next 2017 finale in Nashville, TN.  The top artists in each market will then compete to determine the one local winner who will proceed to the national challenge. Listeners can rate their local artists by visiting the NASH Next website.

Garth Brooks

“Our listeners know what music they like and who they want to hear on the radio and so the fan rating portion of this competition is extremely important to the program, giving our valuable listeners a voice in choosing the next country star,” stated Mike McVay, Executive Vice President, Content & Programming, Cumulus Media. Adding, “this competition provides our listeners a great radio experience.”

The winner of this five-month-long national competition, announced by seven diamond award winner and the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Garth Brooks, will receive a record deal with NASH Next Records under the Big Machine Label Group.

The NASH Next 2017 winner will receive substantial exposure, commensurate with a major label release, on Cumulus radio stations nationwide.  While television boasts several talent competitions, no other contest  -- on any platform -- has ever offered its winners a similar opportunity for coveted radio play, which is the most effective medium to cultivate an artist and propel a major music career.

Seventy-nine NASH/Cumulus stations in 62 markets conducted local searches, with significant national participation made possible by Cumulus’ digital properties and syndicated country shows.

Scott Borchetta

Stellar Judging Panel

Cumulus listeners and local music industry professionals in their communities will first judge emerging artists. Finalists, and ultimately the 2017 winner, will be selected by a panel of country luminaries, including Scott Borchetta, founder, president and CEO of Big Machine Label Group, the world’s #1 independent record label, Kix Brooks, half of Brooks & Dunn, one of country music’s most successful duos of all time, with additional celebrity judges to be announced at a later date.

How the Competition Works

Local artists entered the competition via the NASH Next website, participating local station websites and NashCountryDaily.com.  Three local music industry professionals, as well as listeners in their communities will judge each competitor’s original song.  Local markets will then host local live events or select their finalist by judging the contestants in a video performance of that original song.

Local winners will move on to the national challenge, submitting a live performance video showcasing their best original song, with the top ten artists selected by country music industry professionals. Those national finalists will then compete at a live concert event, hosted in Nashville in early November, where the panel of celebrity judges will select the NASH Next 2017 winner.

NYC, L-A, Chicago, 9 More Markets Get June PPMs

Nielsen on Wednesday 7/12/17 Released Day 1 of June 2017 PPM Data for the following markets:

    1   New York

    2   Los Angeles

    3   Chicago

    4   San Francisco

    5   Dallas-Ft. Worth
   
    6   Houston-Galveston

    8   Atlanta

    9   Philadelphia

   20   Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island NY)

   25   Riverside-San Bernardino CA

   36   San Jose    

   42   Middlesex-Somerset-Union NJ

Click Here to see the Topline Numbers for Subscribing Nielsen Stations.

Emmis Reports Revenue Drop

Emmis Communications Corporation today announced results for its first fiscal quarter ending May 31, 2017.

Emmis' radio net revenues for the first fiscal quarter were $38.7 million, down from $42.7 million in the prior year. Excluding KPWR in Los Angeles, Emmis' radio revenues per Miller Kaplan (which excludes barter and syndication revenues as well as radio stations in Terre Haute, Indiana sold in the prior fiscal year), were down 6.7% in markets that were down 1.4%. Emmis' Austin and St. Louis clusters outperformed their markets.

During the quarter, Emmis entered into an agreement to sell KPWR-FM in Los Angeles to an affiliate of the Meruelo Group for $82.75 million. The Local Marketing Agreement (LMA) for the station began July 1, 2017 and initial FCC approval of the license transfer to the Meruelo Group has been received. Closing is expected to occur in the next 30-60 days. Once the sale of Power 106 closes, the company's senior credit facility debt will be reduced by approximately 50%.

"Emmis made difficult but necessary decisions in our first fiscal quarter – decisions that give us additional flexibility to address market challenges and opportunities," Jeff Smulyan, CEO & Chairman of the Board of Emmis said.

"Our second fiscal quarter started strong with June up 5%, as record-setting ticket sales for our largest concert, Summer Jam in New York, provided a nice boost. While early, both July and August are showing that our performance is improving."

Techs Say FCC Went Too Far

Cable companies and telecoms plan to ask the Supreme Court to vacate the net neutrality rules, on the grounds that the Federal Communications Commission lacked the authority to regulate broadband access.

The FCC "effectively arrogated to itself plenary, unprecedented jurisdiction to heavily regulate the Internet, not only without any clear statutory mandate, but also in the face of numerous statutory provisions designed to keep the Internet lightly regulated," AT&T, CenturyLink and a collection of trade groups argue in papers filed this week with Supreme Court Justice John Roberts.

According to MediaPost, the broadband providers' statement comes in a motion seeking to extend the deadline for filing a formal petition for review by the Supreme Court. They are asking Roberts to authorize a deadline of Sept. 28.

The net neutrality rules, passed in 2015 by the FCC, reclassified broadband access as a "telecommunications" service and imposed common-carrier obligations on broadband providers. The regulations prohibit Internet service providers from blocking or degrading traffic, and from engaging in paid prioritization. The FCC also broadly banned providers from hindering Web users and content companies from connecting with each other online -- though the scope of that prohibition remains uncertain.

AT&T, CenturyLink and a coalition of internet service providers and trade groups -- including US Telecom Association, CTIA-The Wireless Association, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, the American Cable Association, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, AT&T and CenturyLink -- sued the FCC soon after it enacted the regulations. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has twice rejected the companies' challenge to the rules -- most recently in May.

The companies said in their papers to Roberts that the FCC lacked a "substantial justification" for its decision to reclassify broadband as a utility service.

Thursday's Hot Links..What Others Are Saying

➤Sun Valley: Why The Era Of Big Media Consolidation Is Fizzling

➤CBS Radio Lost $552 Million in 2016

➤Alexa Is More Likely to Recommend Amazon Prime Products

➤Cable News Becomes The #Resistance

➤Online Radio Is Booming

➤Pubcasters Say Kill the Hourly ID

➤Why Podcasts Are Popular (And 4 Content Lessons To Learn From Them)

Chicago Radio: MeTV FM Continues Steady Performance

The folks at Envision Networks are eagerly point out that MeTV FM, 87.7 FM in Chicago, continues its upward climb, hitting a 2.9 Share in Persons 6+, its highest share to date, beating both classic hits heritage stations WLS and WJMK.

The station also delivered a weekly TSL of 3:00 and an AQH of 20,000 (Persons 6+). Ratings data is from the recently completed June 2017 Nielsen PPM survey period.

MeTV FM began broadcasting as WRME in February 2015 on 87.7 FM, a part of the dial not accessible on all radios in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest media market. And yet, listeners found it and loved it. Within a year, 87.7 was competitive with Chicago’s heritage stations. Its market share has continued to grow. MeTV FM is now tied for #12 in Persons 6+ in the Chicago market.

MeTV FM was created as a musical companion to America’s #1 all classic television network, MeTV. Both the television and radio formats present timeless and memorable entertainment that resonates with a broad audience. MeTV FM is known for its deep, eclectic playlist that mixes a variety of genres. It is curated for long listening enjoyment and features music from an active library of more than 3,000 songs across four decades of great music.

In May 2017, MeTV FM announced that it would partner with Envision Networks® to syndicate the format to markets across America.

Stations interested in more information about MeTV FM should visit goenvisionnetworks.com or contact Amber Wade at 216-831-3761 or AmberW@envisionradio.com.

Report: Amazon Prime Day Beat Black Friday Numbers

Amazon's heavily hyped Prime Day brought in oodles of customers, surpassing sales for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, with 60% more sales growth than last year, the company says.

According to USAToday, the best-selling item was the Echo Dot speaker, priced at $35, down from the regular $50 price tag. Other top sellers included the Instant Pot pressure cooker, the OnePlus 5 phone and Amazon house brand AA batteries.

Amazon's Prime Day is the e-tailer's attempt to bring a "Christmas in July" type sales event to online retail, with 100,000 products offered at discounts over a 30-hour period.

While most of the offers were in the $5-$10 off category, the bulk of the best deals were for Amazon products like the Echo speaker for $90, down from the regular $179.

The sale aimed at customers who spring for the $99 yearly Prime membership of expedited shipping, online video and music. Thus, Amazon says more new members signed up for Prime during this, the third annual Prime Day, than on any other day in the company history.

Amazon didn't offer specifics on revenues generated, but says that "tens of millions," of Prime members made a purchase during the sale, which was more than 50 percent higher than the prior year.

Analysis: Broadcast Radio In The Digital Age

How has broadcast radio fared in the digital age?

From Bridge Ratings’ 10,000-foot view of the audio landscape the changes have been significant. Dave Van Dyke has  just uploaded the 7th in the continuing analysis of traditional radio’s digital competition. The “New Media Gauntlet” has tracked digital media’s impact on radio since 2000.

With this update, podcasting has been added.

According to Van Dyke, “From the perspective of a sixteen-year hindsight view, the trends become clear.  Broadcast radio sees weekly (cume) use remain fairly stable but time spent with radio quite naturally has been chipped away but has been stabilizing in 2017.”

“This analysis of radio's run through the technology gauntlet over the past 16 years reveals the specific moments in time when new media had its greatest impact on radio listening.”

The study tracks media usage with a panel of 4020 audio consumers over the age of 12.

To view the study and its graphics, Click here

Alex Jones: Under Investigation For 'Criminal Espionage'

InfoWars host Alex Jones said in a Tuesday broadcast that he’s under “criminal espionage investigation,” as federal authorities look for connections between his popular internet and radio program and Russian actors.

According to The Washington Times, the Federal Election Commission is expected to discuss Thursday whether to investigate if Russia colluded with far-right websites in order to boost President Trump’s 2016 campaign after news reports accused sites including Breitbart and InfoWars of receiving Russian support.

“We are witnessing the greatest witch hunt in U.S. history. The most transparent, the most fraudulent, the most upside-down, the most twisted compendium of fraud that I have ever seen in modern history,” Jones said at the start of the broadcast.

“I get up this morning and I learn from Ellen L Weintraub, commissioner on the Federal Election Commission, what I already knew from four months ago — I am under criminal espionage investigation by the FBI for taking money from Russians or Russian-owned companies,” Jones added.



A discussion surrounding the agency “response to alleged foreign interference in American elections” is scheduled for this week’s FEC meeting in Washington.

Rush Limbaugh: Media 'Losing Their Minds'

Following the latest coverage of Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer, radio host Rush Limbaugh said that we're watching the mainstream media lose their minds.

During his radio show on Tuesday, Limbaugh explained that the media is obsessed with finding evidence of the Trump campaign colluding with Russia, but over the past year, none of the "bombshell" reports have panned out.

"And how do we know this? Because of the way this little email chain and the meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian honeypot is being portrayed. Like this is it. The bottom line is this is all they've got," Limbaugh said. "After a year they are going bananas over this. And they’re going bananas because after a year of nothing, they think this is it."

TWH To Host Talk Radio Hosts

The White House is expanding the press corps to include those journalists who happily exist beyond the rarefied confines of the nation’s capital or New York City, according to The Washington Times.

Consider that President Trump is featured in an exclusive interview with Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network, set to air on the “700 Club” on Thursday. It looks like the White House is just getting started, however.

The Salem Media Group — specializing in conservative and Christian content and home to such radio hosts as Hugh Hewitt, Dennis Prager and Mike Gallagher — will broadcast live all day from the White House next week. It is a herculean effort, but one which will “broaden media access and bring in more local and regional media, including talk radio,” say the organizers.

They'll be joined by Michael Medved, Larry Elder and Eric Metaxas plus 13 local hosts who will have their say from dawn to 9 p.m. under the theme “Made in America.” Guests during the broadcast will hail from the White House itself of course, and also include key decision makers from the Trump administration.

“Donald Trump ran an unconventional campaign that reflected a broad public discontent with the status quo, and despite intense opposition and overwhelming odds, he was successful,” says Edward Atsinger, CEO of the Salem Media which syndicates family-oriented, value-driven content under the motto “the message is our mission,” to an astonishing 2,700 affiliates nationwide.

NYC Radio: Michael Kay "Our Show Is Just Better"

Michael Kay isn’t just the New York Yankees announcer for the YES Network. He also has a show on WEPN 98.7 FM ESPN Radio and he is tired of all of the “Numbah One” talk.

In a Q&A with Bob Klapisch of NorthJersey.com, Kay compared his show to Mike Francesa’s show and took shots at Francesa. The Yankees announcer even said that his show is definitely better than Francesa’s.

“Our show is quantifiably better than Mike’s,” Kay said. “It’s funny, not one guy bloviating. It’s three guys laughing, having a good time. We don’t dread it and that comes across to our listeners. We’ve made unbelievable inroads. People are noticing."

Kay further stated. "I don’t know Mike personally, I don’t know if it’s possible to know him that way. One thing that’s angered me is the No. 1 stuff (in the ratings) that Mike always talks about. I was told in radio, turnaround is like turning around a cruise ship. It’s never hairpin. Also, ratings are bogus. If you watched Leno and Letterman head to head, Leno always beat him but Letterman had the better show.

"Our show is quantifiably better than Mike’s. It’s funny, not one guy bloviating. It’s three guys laughing, having a good time.  We don’t dread it and that comes across to our listeners. We’ve made unbelievable inroads. People are noticing.

"I used to listen to Mike and Mad Dog all the time. It was innovative and fun; you had to listen. But I defy anyone who listens to our show to say it’s not better.  There’s no way that if Mike started today, he would be No. 1 in the market.

"In June, we beat him two weeks in a row. In the latest ratings book we beat him three times and that's never been done. Mike will win the book, but beating him for at least three weeks shows that something's happening. We've been top ten for years and proud of what we've done against an iconic show. And now, more people are catching on that our show is just better. Period."

According to Jason Barrett at Barrett Sports Media, for the June book (May 25-June 21), the Michael Kay Show on 98.7FM ESPN New York beat Francesa between the hours of 3p-6:30p ET. Kay finished with a 5.2 to 5.1 advantage among Men 25-54. Francesa was not on vacation during this time and WFAN did have the benefit of airing New York Yankees baseball.

Another impressive note worth pointing out, according to Barrett...over the past 12 months, Kay’s show has gained ground in the ratings. The program has added seven tenths of a ratings point and three ratings positions. Francesa’s program during that time has declined by eight tenths while slipping from second to fourth. The separation in daily cume between the two stations was also very minimal for June (6,600). It’s usually 20-30 thousand higher in favor of WFAN.

The June ratings win marks the first head to head victory for the Kay Show since it began airing on 98.7FM ESPN New York in 2002. The show has consistently rated in the top 10 but hadn’t been able to unseat WFAN’s afternoon ratings king.

NYC Radio: Chris Christie...'They Screwed Us Here'

Chris Christie

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has been on the air for 4.5 hours of sports talk radio this week as part of his audition to replace Mike Francesa at WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM, the largest sports station in the New York metro area, and he had a gripe to air about his talk show tryout.

Francesca, nicknamed the "Sports Pope," is leaving his spot at the mic at the end of the year, and Christie, whose term is up in 2018,  is a candidate to replace him in his regular afternoon drive time slot.

However, Christie doesn't feel that he was given a fair shot.

On Tuesday, the final day of his two-day audition, Christie complained to his co-host Evan Roberts.

"These are the two worst sports days of the year," Christie said on air. "They gave us the 10th and 11th of July. It's ridiculous. I think they're trying to say to us, 'If you guys can be good then, you can be good any time.'''

Christie was referring to the fact that even though baseball season is in full swing, he had little to talk about since baseball teams were off because of the All-Star break.

The New Jersey governor felt that the radio station had "raised the bar" for him and his co-host.

"They screwed us here," Christie told Roberts.

Meanwhile, the Christie audition popped up on the Don Imus Show Tuesday morning on crosstown WABC 770 AM

Detroit Radio: WXYT's Mike Valenti 'Vacationing' At WFAN

Mike Valenti (Detroit

Well, most know about Chris Christie's WFAN audition earlier this week, but what about the remainder?

Cue Mike Valenti from WXYT 97.1 FM in Detroit.

Valenti is hosting a show (Wednesday) Thursday and Friday, as the New York City radio behemoth continues its long, meticulous search for a replacement for the retiring Mike Francesa.

Valenti long has been rumored to be a target since Francesa announced in January 2016 that his show was coming to a close when his contract expires at the end of 2017.

But the idea wasn’t initially considered realistic, given Valenti’s comfortable place atop the sports-talk landscape in Detroit.  However, The Detroit News reports some things have changed, though — not in the ratings, mind you, but on-air at The Ticket (97.1-FM) as Valenti’s longtime partner, Terry Foster, abruptly retired in April following some complications after a pair of strokes last year.

The Ticket and WFAN both are owned by CBS Radio, hence the seamless “loan” of Valenti to the New York City airwaves this week.

The Ticket said on air Wednesday that Valenti is "on vacation."

Report: New Game Plan At FS1

Skip Bayless’ hot takes on LeBron James and the Cowboys might have to be frozen.

According to The NYPost, a week after Jamie Horowitz, the president of Fox Sports National Networks, was fired amid sexual harassment claims, Fox Sports 1 reportedly is trying to change the subjects that its studio debate shows fight about, with less focus on the NBA and NFL and more on the sports the network actually broadcasts.

The Sporting News, citing sources, reported that the recent firing of Horowitz has started a strategic shift in how FS1 carries its on-air debates, with the network now poised to focus more on promoting its own content — specifically MLB, NASCAR, UFC and soccer. (Messi: most overrated player of all time?)

“There’s a disconnect. These debate shows are still going on and on about the NBA — which ended a month ago — and there’s not enough about MLB, which is in the middle of a season,” one source told the Sporting News. “Jamie would protect those guys if they still wanted to talk NBA. But Jamie is gone.”

Chicago Sun-Times Deal Announced

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the news operation is set to be purchased by an investment group that includes a coalition of Chicago labor unions and a former politician.

Edwin Eisendrath, a former Chicago alderman, is leading the investment group buying the Sun-Times. He told the Sun-Times he wanted a " group of civic-minded" leaders to save the paper.

“A great group has come together and made sure that a genuine voice with honest and good reporting that connects with working men and women thrives,” Eisendrath told the Sun-Times.

USAToday reports terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the Poynter Institute, a journalism organization, reports that the paper sold for what amounts to $1 and the assumption of any costs part of a future shutdown.

The deal comes after the Department of Justice's antitrust division announced it was investigating a possible acquisition by Tronc, formerly known as Tribune Publishing, which has newspaper holdings that include the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. The deal would have put both of Chicago's major newspapers under the same owner.

Podtrac: NPR Tops In Pod Traffic During June 2017

Podtrac measures podcast audiences across all traffic sources, and the numbers in June show ESPN debuting at #5 with a unique audience of 3.5 million. NPR took the top spot with an audience of over 12 million, with WNYC Studio second with an audience of 6.2 million.

Here’s a look at the top 10 podcasts from the month of June, according to Podtrac.