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From Radio Online: Melody Spann-Cooper, chairwoman and CEO of Midway Broadcasting Corporation, testified on behalf of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) at a hearing held by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce titled, "Preserving Americans' Access to AM Radio." on Tuesday. More...

From Radio Online: The Nebraska Broadcasters Association has made a $25,000 contribution to the United Way of the Midlands Nebraska andamp; Iowa Tornado Relief Fund. NBA Chairperson of the Board Shannon Booth, who is VP/GM of the Gray Media Group, Inc., television stations in Lincoln, Hastings and North Platte, said: "Our hearts More...

From Radio Insight: Cumulus Media Classic Rock “101 The Fox” KCFX Harrisonville/Kansas City MO has launched its new morning show “Sparks & Lux” pairing Matt ‘Sparks’ Sparker and Ashley ‘Lux’ Mohr. Sparker joined KCFX in July 2021 as afternoon host and moved to mornings last December. Prior to Kansas City, Sparks spent six years at Rock 92.3 KOMP Las Vegas as part of ?BS In The Morning? and also hosted afternoons at Hot AC 98.5 KQKQ Omaha and was PD/afternoon host at Rock ?Q105.1? KQWB-FM Fargo ND. Lux returns to radio after a nearly two year hiatus. She previously spent her entire career in her native St. Louis where outside of ten months co-hosting mornings at then sister CHR “Now 96.3” KNOU in 2017, she had spent 15 years at Hubbard Alternative “105.7 The Point” KPNT rising from promotions to weekends to middays in 2012 and afternoons from 2013-16 and again from 2017 until her departure in May 2022. The new morning show debuted on Monday, April 29. https://www.instagram.com/p/C6ZXNvSO-9E/ more

From Radio Insight: Nielsen continues its release of the March 2024 diary surveys today. Today’s markets include monthly ratings for Monthly ratings for Bakersfield, Honolulu, Knoxville, Omaha/Council Bluffs, and Tulsa. Coming later this week: On Wendesday, May 1: Monthly ratings for Albuquerque, El Paso, Harrisburg/Lebanon/Carlisle, and Metro Fairfield County. On Thursday, May 2: Monthly ratings for Akron, Charleston SC, Monterey/Salinas/Santa Cruz, and Syracuse. On Friday, May 3: Monthly ratings for Columbia SC, Greenville/New Bern/Jacksonville NC, Little Rock, Springfield MA, and Toledo. more

From Radio Online: Magellan AI has released its Q1 2024 Podcast advertising benchmark report, sampling 50,000 podcasts across the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany and Australia. The firm analyzed podcast advertising data from thousands of popular podcasts in the U.S., including 109,000 episodes. To account for dynamic More...

From Radio Insight: Cumulus Media has promoted APD/midday host ‘Sarah Lynn’ Hamilton to Program Director of Country “Kix 96” 96.5 WJCL Savannah GA. Hamilton has been in her current roles since 2014 and also is heard on Westwood One’s CHR “Hits Now” and Hot AC 24/7 formats and weekends on Classic Rock “I95” WIXV Savannah. Prior to her move to Savannah, she spent eleven years at Milner Broadcasting in Kankakee IL will roles including MD/morning host at “River Country 101.7” WRCV, midday host at AC 95.1 WFAV, and evenings on Oldies “92.7 The Valley” WVLI. Hamilton stated, “I am honored to be given this opportunity to become Program Director for KIX96. I have worn many hats in my 10 years here at Cumulus Savannah and look forward to this next challenge, not only to guide KIX but to continue to serve the people of the Savannah and Lowcountry area that have been so wonderful to me. I am thankful to VP/Market Manager Eric Mastel for his belief in me over the years and this promotion to KIX96 Program Director.” Cumulus Savannah VP/Market Manager Eric Mastel added, I am pleased to announce the promotion of Sarah Hamilton in recognition of her outstanding dedication and contributions to WJCL and Cumulus over the past decade. Known for her unwavering commitment and exceptional talents, Sarah has proven herself to be an invaluable asset to our team. Throughout her tenure, she has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic, a keen attention to detail, and a remarkable ability to adapt to various roles within the organization. As an Assistant Program Director (APD), Sarah has seamlessly stepped into the role of Promotions Director when needed, showcasing her versatility and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure the success of our endeavors. Her proactive approach and can-do attitude have significantly enhanced our operations, earning her the respect and admiration of her colleagues. We are confident that she will continue to excel in her new role and lead the station to even greater heights in the years to come.” more

From Radio Online: Sarah Hamilton, known on-air as Sarah Lynn, is elevated to Program Director of WJCL-FM (KIX96) in Savannah andamp; Hilton Head. She rises from Assistant Program Director for KIX96, a role she has held since 2014. Hamilton, who joined Cumulus/Savannah and KIX96 in 2014 as an air personality, will continue to be More...

From Radio Insight: How do you choose the most provocative song added by prominent Classic Hits radio stations over the last year?* If it?s a relatively new song that still feels like yesterday, that would probably be ?Get Lucky? by Daft Punk on KRTH (K-Earth 101) Los Angeles. I first heard that song on KRTH?s then-sister CHR, KAMP (Amp 97.1), receiving saturation airplay on its first day. I thought that was a relatively recent memory, although it was 11 years ago.* If it?s the one that feels more like an AC song than a good-time oldie, it?s ?Love Song? by Sara Bareilles on KOLA San Bernardino, Calif. If it?s the one that seems like the greatest challenge to upper-demo audiences, it might be Shaggy?s ?It Wasn?t Me? bringing ?banging on the bathroom floor? to WCBS-FM New York. KOLA, K-Earth, and WCBS-FM are all successful radio stations, whose evolution has been followed in this column for years. Part of our annual look at ?What Classic Hits Stations Added? is the realization that by the original paradigm of the Oldies format (playing the ?50s and ?60s in the mid-?70s and ?80s), many of these songs would have been on years ago. Stations like KOLA have always served as their markets? gold-based AC, and with AC playing less recent music than ever, that distinction is becoming further blurred. How Classic Hits stations have evolved will be a central topic at ?Keeping Throwback Radio Moving Forward,? part of the upcoming Radiodays North America convention to be held in Toronto June 2-4. I?ll be joined by Skip Dillard, Audacy?s VP of Rhythmic AC & Throwback formats, and CJOT (Boom 99.7) Ottawa PD Stephanie Hunter. Full conference information is available here. The songs spotlighted here received their first Mediabase-monitored spins at various major Classic Hits stations since the last time we looked at this topic last June. In general, I tried to look for songs with three or more spins last week, to make sure I wasn?t getting special-programming or countdown songs. A few major Classic Hits stations (WMJI Cleveland and WOCL Orlando) don?t have any obvious adds for the last year. But some have a lot, a reflection of more enthusiastically embracing the ?90s and early ?00s. Only a few stations are finding still untapped titles from the ?70s or early ?80s, although KJEB (95.7 the Jet) Seattle has added a few ?70s Classic Rock mainstays that might have been left to sister KZOK before. The best example of a new format staple that emerged this year is Natalie Imbruglia?s ?Torn,? a 25-year-old title that isn?t just new to some of our stations, but already receiving significant airplay. ?Torn? is an easy ?90s choice for the Classic Hits format. It?s by an artist with only one library title (in America, anyway). It?s also more bouncy/uptempo than some of the first Modern AC songs to test in, such as ?Under the Bridge? or ?Iris.? Here’s a handful of what?s new on a variety of Classic Hits outlets since last year: WCBS-FM New York (Audacy) 702, ?Where My Girls At?? Boyz II Men, ?End of the Road? Shaggy, ?It Wasn?t Me? KRTH (K-Earth 101) Los Angeles (Audacy) Foo Fighters, ?Times Like These? Offspring, ?Self Esteem? Alanis Morissette, ?Head Over Feet? Red Hot Chili Peppers, ?Californication? Daft Punk, ?Get Lucky? Evanescence, ?Bring Me to Life? Kings of Leon, ?Use Somebody? Lady Gaga, ?Poker Face? Radiohead, ?Creep? ? was already playing before our last cutoff, but moving into higher-spin territory now as K-Earth embraces more grunge-era Alternative KJEB (Jet 95.7) Seattle (iHeart): Alanis Morissette, ?You Oughta Know? Creedence Clearwater Revival, ?Proud Mary? Haddaway, ?What Is Love? Eagles, ?Take It Easy? Kansas, ?Carry On Wayward Son? Sugar Ray, ?Fly? WLS-FM Chicago (Cumulus): Natalie Imbruglia, ?Torn? ? not just an add but receiving K-Earth-style rotations (23x last week) Red Hot Chili Peppers, ?Under the Bridge? Cardigans, ?Lovefool? WROR Boston (Beasley): Starship, ?Sara? Bangles, ?Eternal Flame? Coldplay, ?Viva la Vida? Taylor Dayne, ?Tell It to My Heart? Fleetwood Mac, ?Everywhere? Natalie Imbruglia, ?Torn? ? not quite WLS levels, but 11x a week Cyndi Lauper, ?She Bop? Linkin Park, ?In the End? Madonna, ?Open Your Heart? Oasis, ?Wonderwall? Shaggy f/Rayvon, ?Angel? Staind, ?It?s Been Awhile? Third Eye Blind, ?Jumper? TLC, ?Waterfalls? Wilson Phillips, ?Hold On? Cranberries, ?Linger? Cher, ?If I Could Turn Back Time? Lit, ?My Own Worst Enemy? KOLA San Bernardino, Calif. (Anaheim Broadcasting): Boyz II Men, ?Motownphilly? Sara Bareilles, ?Love Song? Blackstreet, ?No Diggity? Warren G & Nate Dogg, ?Regulate? Mark Morrison, ?Return of the Mack? Christina Perri, ?A Thousand Years? Timbaland f/OneRepublic, ?Apologize? WRBQ (Q105) Tampa, Fla. (Beasley) Backstreet Boys, ?I Want It That Way? Jennifer Lopez, ?If You Had My Love? Uncle Kracker f/Dobie Gray, ?Drift Away? Shaggy f/Rayvon, ?Angel? KONO San Antonio (Cox) Montell Jordan, ?This Is How We Do It? No Doubt, ?Don?t Speak? Rod Stewart, ?Have I Told You Lately (Unplugged)? Janet Jackson, ?Miss You Much? Mariah Carey, ?Fantasy? Goo Goo Dolls, ?Iris? Natalie Imbruglia, ?Torn? Wilson Phillips, ?Hold On? WGRR Cincinnati (Cumulus): No Doubt, ?Just a Girl? Sixpence None the Richer, ?Kiss Me? Third Eye Blind, ?Semi-Charmed Life? Tracy Chapman, ?Give Me One Reason? KXKL (Kool 105) Denver (KSE) Usher, ?Yeah? Maroon 5, ?She Will Be Loved? Timbaland f/One Republic, ?Apologize? Alicia Keys, ?Fallin?? Lifehouse, ?Hanging by a Moment? Maroon 5, ?This Love? Wallflowers, ?One Headlight? Eagle-Eye Cherry, ?Save Tonight? Finally, there?s the very different list of songs added to KDRI (The Drive) Tucson, Ariz., not a traditional Classic Hits station, but one of a handful of stations specializing in the ?60s and ?70s ever since other large-market FMs moved out of that territory. Last year, KDRI got new owners (Bustos Media) and a new PD.* An ?add? on The Drive is harder to determine since a lot of songs on its wide playlist are 1-2x a week under any circumstances. But here are a few songs that got three spins last week and have made their first appearance on the station in the last 6-7 months. Some come from Classic Rock. But a few are true oldies or Soft AC songs that The Drive just hadn?t gotten to yet.* Spanky & Our Gang, ?Lazy Day? Cream, ?Sunshine of Your Love? Cream, ?Badge? Rolling Stones, ?She?s So Cold? Bad Company, ?Shooting Star? Genesis, ?Taking It All Too Hard? Strangeloves, ?I Want Candy? Don Henley, ?Sunset Grill? Creedence Clearwater Revival, ?Midnight Special? Dan Fogelberg, ?Hard to Say? Chris De Burgh, ?Don?t Pay the Ferryman? John Denver, ?Calypso? J.J. Jackson, ?But It?s Alright? B.W. Stevenson, ?My Maria? Glen Campbell, ?Try a Little Kindness? Joe Cocker, ?The Letter? Sean Ross will discuss whether the Classic Hits evolution is a revolution at Radiodays North America. Full conference information is available here. more

From Radio Insight: Seven Mountains Media has appointed Bob Lawrence as Market Manager for its recently acquired Parkersburg WV cluster. Lawrence joins Seven Mountains Media from the RAB’s National Radio Talent System, which he has ran since January 2023. He is best known for his fourteen years as President/CEO at research company Pinnacle Media Worldwide from 2001 to 2015 followed by spending five years as VP/Programming for Saga Communications. He has also served as General Manager of New South Radio’s Jackson MS cluster, OM/PD of KIOI San Francisco, and Senior Executive Vice President of Broadcast Architecture. He began his career in Parkersburg at 95.1 WXIL, which is one of the stations in the Seven Mountains Media cluster. Lawrence stated, ?I am such a strong believer in the NRTS mission and I?m so grateful to Erica Farber, Mike Hulvey and the entire RAB team. Returning to this market is such a thrill, as I launched my on-air career at WXIL 40+ years ago. Now, I get to come back at a time when WXIL is one of the six stations Seven Mountains Media closed on in January. President and owner Kristin Cantrell is truly the future of this business and has insight and energy beyond anyone I?ve ever known.? Seven Mountains President Kristin Cantrell added, ?Parkersburg holds incredible potential for the future. Bob Lawrence is the right leader to unlock all the opportunities and lead everyone to heights they never thought were possible. We are delighted that Bob is joining Seven Mountains Media.? Lawrence succeeds Don Staats, who has retired from the company. The clusted includes CHR “My 95.1 XIL” WXIL Elizabeth, Country “Froggy 99” WGGE Parkersburg, Rock “103.1 The Bear” WHBR-FM Parkersburg, Classic Rock “Z106.1” WRZZ Parkersburg, Classic Country “Willie 1050/94.7” WLYQ/W234DC Parkersburg, and News/Talk 1230 WVNT/103.5 W278CQ Parkersburg. more

From Radio Insight: Following Giovanni’s retirement on Monday after 50 years at Cumulus Media CHR “92 Pro-FM” WPRO-FM Providence, the station has revamped its morning show as “Jay & Bekha Mornings” as previous producer Jay Buff and co-host Bekha Berger continue on in the daypart. Buff has been morning show producer at WPRO-FM since 2011 and also had been hosting middays. Berger moved from co-hosting mornings at sister Hip Hop “Hot 106” WWKX from 2016 until last July when she slid over to Pro-FM. She began her career at Cumulus Providence starting as an intern in 2007 and would then move up to call screener, producer, and host of a weekend show ?This Week in Entertainment With Bekah Berger? on News/Talk 630 WPRO before becoming Promotions Director and midday host at WWKX in 2012. WPRO-FM Promotions/Marketing Director Barbi Jo DiMaria will move from nights to middays to succeed Buff. Jessica Schiano remains in afternoons. more

From Radio Online: Seven Mountains Media appoints industry veteran Bob Lawrence as the new Market Manager for its cluster in Parkersburg, WV-Marietta, OH, effective Wednesday May 1. He succeeds the retiring Don Staats, who is stepping back from day-to-day operations. Lawrence was most recently General Manager of RAB's National More...

From Radio Insight: Two Northern Michigan Classic Hits stations have been united together as TSE Broadcasting’s “95.1 The Eagle” WUPN Paradise/Sault Ste. Marie and Whiskey Sours Broadcasting’s 94.5 WSBX Mackinaw City have merged together as “94.5/95.1 The Bridge“. The combined brand retains WSBX’s “Everything Classic” positioning and WUPN’s on-air lineup. WUPN owners Tim and Lindsay Ellis host mornings and middays respectively. Operations Manager John Gilbert hosts afternoons and Katie Wollan nights. The Ellis’ and WSBX owner Billy Sours told the MAB, “We have some exciting news to share with all our listeners. We are so excited to let everyone know this month our two stations will become one big happy family. So what you hear on 95.1 in the UP, you will also hear on 94.5 with the same great classic music you love. And we will also be launching with a new name 94-5, 95-1 Bridge FM. Two signals, one station and covering from Newberry to Gaylord and everything in between with “Everything Classic,” bridging peninsulas, bridging communities, bridging everything Classic.” TSE Broadcasting have owned WUPN, which covers the eastern portion of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, since 2018. Whiskey Sours acquired WSBX last year and debuted its Classic Rock/Hits hybrid format in August 2023. That signal covers the northern portions of the Lower Peninsula. more

From Radio Online: Nielsen launches The Record, a quarterly insight into audio listening behaviors and share of average daily usage of ad-supported audio in the U.S. According to the inaugural report with data from Q1 2024, consumers spent nearly 70% of their daily ad-supported audio time listening to More...

From Radio Insight: Allyson Hillman has shared that she has joined Townsquare Media as Market President/Chief Revenue Officer for the company’s Rockford IL cluster. Hillman joins Townsquare from NRG Media Cedar Rapids IA where she served as Market Manager since July 2020. With a career dating back to the mid-1980’s, Hillman has also held roles at groups including Director of Sales for Beasley Media Fort Myers FL, Director of Business Development for Alpha Media Savannah GA, Senior Account Executive for Cumulus Detroit, and a nearly 20 year stint at Clear Channel Detroit from 1993 to 2013 including time as Retail Sales Manager, Local Sales Manager, and General Sales Manager. She fills the vacant position in Rockford that had been open since Brian McGhee’s move to Radio One Washington DC last June as Director of Sales. more

From Radio Online: In a significant corporate reshuffle, Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) appoints Frank Soricelli as the new interim Chief Financial Officer, effective April 25. At 66, Soricelli brings over three decades of expertise in finance and accounting to his new role, having been a part of More...