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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...

From Radio Insight: Nielsen continues its release of the March 2024 diary surveys today. Today’s markets include monthly ratings for Monthly ratings for Albany/Schenectady/Troy, Allentown/Bethlehem, Dayton, Fresno, Grand Rapids and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Coming later this week: On Tuesday, April 30: Monthly ratings for Bakersfield, Honolulu, Knoxville, Omaha/Council Bluffs, and Tulsa. 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: SiriusXM and Hyundai Motor America have announced a new, multi-year extension and expansion of its longstanding agreement. As part of the new deal, the Hyundai and Genesis brands will introduce SiriusXM with 360L to their vehicle lineups beginning in 2025. SiriusXM with 360L combines More...

From Radio Online: Cumulus Media launches the latest installment of its multi-part audio series, "Your Music Plus," featuring insights and personal stories from Rock band, Motley Crue, on the making of their new single, "Dogs of War," out now. The campaign will air on Cumulus Media's Rock stations across the U.S. over the next More...

From Radio Online: According to Jacobs Media's TechSurvey 2024, broadcast radio has its challenges, including an aging audience, more choices (especially in the car) and too many workers not going into the office. Still, the medium is showing stability and resilience. 67% of those surveyed say that radio is easiest to listen More...

From Radio Online: NPR is launching "Wild Card," a new weekly podcast from longtime NPR host and journalist Rachel Martin. During the show, Martin rips up the typical interview script and invites guests to play a game about life's biggest questions. She takes actors, artists and thinkers on a choose-your-own-adventure More...

From Radio Insight: We want radio listeners to download our station app. Then what? One of the ongoing themes so far of What Workers Want, a survey by Strategic Solutions Research in conjunction with Point-to-Point Marketing has been the ?critical? need for radio to boost app activation. One of the key findings of the second in the series of What Workers Want webinars, first presented April 24, is that 38% of listening at an office/worksite is through a phone. And those are the users with whom ?local radio? is already strongest. Only 27% of respondents have a local radio station app on their phone. 25% report having the iHeart Radio app. By comparison, 64% have You Tube, 59% Spotify, 36% Apple Music, and 34% Pandora. When asked what might compel them to download an app, the motivators for all respondents were: Free/No Subscription Fees (32%) Win Concert Tickets (24%) Win Cash and Prizes (21%) Interact with the Personalities at Your Favorite Station (21%) To hear radio station messaging now is to hear how many stations have already made a priority of spreading the ?free? message and encouraging downloads. In November, I asked ?How to Make Free Worth Something,? since subscription fatigue has hardly taken down most of our competitors so far. Promoting the station app has been a challenge for a while, particularly when it alternates with promoting smart speaker usage and other station priorities. Country KRTY San Jose, Calif., did a particularly good job making its device promos stand out. That was three years ago. When KRTY left the FM dial, it had directed enough listening to the app for the station to remain viable, judging from listening figures that leaked out in its first month. If it is simultaneously true that ?we need to promote our app,? ?we need to remind people that radio is free,? and ?we have been saying both things for years, to the point where it threatens to become white noise,? we need to look at how we share those messages with listeners. KRTY?s strategy, letting real-sounding listeners (identified by name) share stories, sounded great and proved effective. Beyond that, being able to find hundreds of different ways to sell the app a little differently each time should become as much a part of an on-air host?s skill set as finding different ways to sell ?As It Was? or ?Calm Down? each time. (By the way, I don?t hear that happening enough either.) With the ?promoting station apps? discussion also comes the question of whether to promote individual station apps or station aggregators, especially when individual station apps had only 2% more reach than iHeart Radio in the at-work listening study. Station apps are easily understood and, as Strategic?s Hal Rood and Point-to-Point?s Tim Bronsil have noted, they make at-work listening a game of eight potential hours a day (as opposed to the eight-minutes-at-a-time that many broadcasters have resigned themselves to). But they also solve the problem only for one station at a time. It?s no station?s responsibility to remind listeners that they have other options during a spot break (or ?As It Was? or ?Calm Down? for the thousandth time). At the same time, a combination of just-enough-choice and ease-of-use has been one of radio?s rapidly diluted strengths. It?s hard to imagine one brand being able to repatriate (or even hold on to) enough listening to keep broadcasting robust enough as a whole. Asked how a single station app could compete with Spotify?s endless playlist choices, Bronsil and Rood point to the European stations that offer numerous side channels. (I?m looking forward to trying out Fun Radio?s Running channel later today.) But most of that listening wouldn?t count for a North American radio station until they have the capacity to offer an HD-23 channel and encode it for ratings measurement.* It is nice to imagine a new station that creates enough of its own currency through an app that the FM frequency is merely a placeholder. (Or the thing available for free that gets the crossplugs.) Our most recent successful radio launch, Spanish-language Classic Hits WMIA (Magic 93.9) Miami proves that a new station can still become phenomenal. But that station had years of cume waiting to be activated by the right formula. At the least, it seems like single-station apps should offer access to at least a series of over-the-air sister station. Personally, I?m spending more time than ever with both iHeart Radio and TuneIn in a new car where Android Auto, free for the length of the lease, makes both apps better looking and easier to use than ever. This is iHeart in my car. This is TuneIn. Infinite choice isn?t a likely need for the average listener who doesn?t write about radio for a living. In my car, it hasn?t turned out to be that either. I still find myself gravitating to 2-3 stations?often the top row of choices?unless I make a concerted effort to do otherwise. But the availability of choice is still an attraction for listeners of, say, SiriusXM, who still gravitate to a few different channels. Ultimately, radio?s challenge is reinvigorating both brands and the band. The final installment of What Workers Want is May 2, 2 p.m. ET. Register here. See full results from the first two webinars here. more

From Radio Insight: Cumulus Media Country “Cat Country 94.1” WNNF Cincinnati has completed its lineup revamp with the return of cluster Promotions Director Austin ?Tater? Ratcliff to the daily lineup from 12-3pm. Ratliff previously was heard in that timeslot from January 2021 until late 2022 and also hosted afternoons at “102.5 Nash-FM” WMDH New Market/Muncie IN. Westwood One’s Kincaid & Dallas remains in mornings from 5-9am. Midday host Karen Van Zant will now be heard 9am-12pm. Newly added afternoon host Amanda Valentine will host 3-7pm. Westwood One’s “Nights with Elaina” and “Pickle Jar Up All Night” with Patrick Thomas round out the weekday schedule. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Austin Ratcliff – DJ TATER (@djtaterradio) more

From Radio Insight: Salem Media Group has announced that “104.7 The Fish” WFSH-FM Athens/Atlanta GA afternoon host Beth Bacall will relocate to Nashville to join their national “Today’s Christian Music” network. Bacall, who has been with WFSH-FM since 2011, will continue to be heard on that station. Her program will be available as part of the 24/7 network programming as well as via FTP for any daypart. Bacall has also worked at stations including 610 KFRC and “Young Country 93.3” KYCY San Francisco, “Jammin 105” WTJM and 103.5 WKTU New York, and “Star 99.1” WAWZ Zarepath NJ. She stated, “I’m honored and privileged for the opportunity to be a part of this great team that extends God’s love through the stories we tell and the music we play.” Salem Media Networks’ VP/Programming Mike Blakemore said, “We’re thrilled to add CCM Industry legend Beth Bacall to the TCM lineup in afternoon drive. Beth is the first woman in history to win the prestigious CMB Industry Achievement award and has been doing afternoon drive at the Fish Atlanta 15 years. Now we get to share Beth’s talents with the TCM network!” With Bacall joining the network, “Heart & Humor” hosted by Doug Griffin and Jayme Summers depart. The duo were anchored at Salem’s “94 The Fish” WFFH/WFFI Nashville, which were sold to Educational Media Foundation and will be joining their “Air 1” network on May 1. Griffin previously hosted mornings on TCM from 2001-16 with Jaci Velasquez before moving to middays and then afternoons. He also has hosted morning for “Way-FM” and 95.3 KRTY San Jose. Summers joined WFFH/WFFI in 2017 and rose to Program Director in January 2023 when she also joined Griffin in afternoons. For more information on adding Beth Bacall to your station, contact Greg Roberson, Affiliate Relations at 615-312-4229. Salem Music Network?s FTP talent includes: The Kevin and Taylor Show, Keep the Faith with Penny, The Scott and Sam Show, and The Beth Bacall Show. more

From Radio Online: Audacy inks a multiyear extension with morning host Boomer Esiason to remain at WFAN-FM andamp; AM in New York. He'll continue to be heard on "Boomer andamp; Gio" alongside co-host Gregg "Gio" Giannotti, weekdays from 6-10am ET. This new extension will bring Esiason past 20 years as morning host at WFAN, making him the More...

From Radio Online: Beth Bacall joins the Salem Music Network (SMN) based in Nashville. She'll host afternoons on the Today's Christian Music (TCM) Network. SMN will also produce Bacall's four-hour show for daily syndication (Monday through Friday) beginning May 6. "The Beth Bacall Show" content is available for stations to air More...

From Radio Online: "Profit Ability 2: The New Business Case for Advertising," a new study on marketing effectiveness from measurement firms Gain Theory and Ebiquity, along with media agencies EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker UK, was released last week. The study reveals how advertising drives profit over time. This More...

From Radio Insight: Audacy Sports 660 WFAN/101.9 WFAN-FM New York has announced it has agreed to a multi-year contract extension with morning host Boomer Esiason. Esiason joined WFAN in 2007 and has been teamed with Craig Carton and Gregg ‘Gio’ Giannotti during his tenure with the station. During his new contract term, Esiason will surpass predecessor Don Imus as the longest-tenured morning host at WFAN. Esiason also anchors the “Audacy Sports Minute” on the company’s Sports stations across the country and Infinity Sports Network along with the weekly syndicated NFL preview show ?Kick-Off with Boomer & Valenti? with WXYT-FM Detroit’s Mike Valenti. “Boomer & Gio” also airs nationally on the CBS Sports Network. Concurrently with the announcement of his contract extension, Esiason announced he will depart CBS’ “The NFL Today” after 22 years as co-host of the NFL pregame show. He began his broadcasting career with two years on ABC’s Monday Night Football in 1998 and called every Monday Night Football game and Super Bowl on radio for Westwood One from 2000 through September 2018 following a fourteen year NFL career as a quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets. ?Boomer has become a true cornerstone in the long, storied history of WFAN,? said Chris Oliviero, New York Market President, Audacy. ?He was already the highest-rated morning show in the FAN record books, and now, with this new extension, he will add longest-running to his accolades. And most excitedly, we are certain the best is still yet to come as Boomer begins this new chapter in his career by making a long-term commitment to the FAN, along with a creative vision for elevating the brand together to new heights.? ?For the last 17 years, it has been an honor to be the voice that New York sports fans wake up to,? said Esiason. ?I could not be more excited to continue delivering four hours of entertaining conversation at the most vibrant and storied sports radio station in the country, working alongside the morning crew. I would like to thank Audacy, Chris Oliviero, and, most importantly, our passionate listeners for the opportunity to continue on this incredible ride.? more

From Radio Insight: The nearly 34 year run of the “CD” Alternative brand in Columbus concluded on Sunday evening when owner Randy Malloy shut down the last vestige of the station. Operating online as “WWCD Radio” since the station lost its lease to operate on 1580 WWCD/92.9 W225BS Columbus and 1550 WQCD/92.9 W225CM on February 1, Malloy shut down the stream with zero fanfare ahead of time on Sunday, April 28. Malloy shared the following note: Radio Friends, It has been a great adventure serving our beloved community, but the time has come that we must announce with heavy hearts that WWCD Radio has played its last song. It has been an incredible journey, one that legend can be told of with memories and cherished moments shared with you that will never be forgotten. Thank you to each and every one of you. The end of operations is not due to any one factor, but a number of reasons that others wil undoubtedly speculate on forever, and we wish you the best in doing so. It si not a decision that we wanted to make, but, as with life, sometimes you have ot make difficult choices. So with that said, we reflect on the joy and happiness that (as many have aptly named it) the soundtrack of our lives has given all of us and place ti back in your control. It has been said before, but we can never express our deepest gratitude enough to the fans, musicians, staff,f advertisers, collaborators, and families tor letting us be part of your lives these past 34 years. RIP WWCD 8-21-1990 /4-28-2024 With heartfelt gratitude, Randy Malloy The “CD” brand operated on 101.1 Grove City OH from 1990 until 2010 when its then owners sold its frequency to Ohio State University and began leasing Southeastern Ohio Broadcasting?s 102.5 Baltimore OH. Malloy, who was previously General Manager, acquired the intellectual property in 2017 after a dispute between the former owners and 102.5 licensee Southeastern Ohio Broadcasting. When that lease came to an end in 2020, the station would move to the two AMs and 92.9 translators through January of this year. Delmar Communications briefly then operated those signals as a competing Alternative brand “93X“, but flipped to Oldies just five weeks later. While attempts were made to bring the WWCD IP to iHeartMedia’s “Columbus Alternative 105.7” WXZX, a deal was never completed. Weird not being with you this morning. The station had a great run thanks to you. What's next? I'll let you know. — WWCDRadio.com Mornings/Former Blues Explosion (@CD929Morning) April 29, 2024 more

From Radio Online: Skyview Networks' syndicated Dana Cortez, Auto and Anthony exit the KKFR-FM (Power 98.3) morning show in Phoenix, effective Monday, April 29. "The Dana Cortez Show" began their time at the Desert Vally Media Group almost five years ago. KKFR will not replace the show in morning drive as it "works to More...

From Radio Insight: Pacifica Foundation’s 99.5 WBAI New York has entered a Consent Decree with the FCC over claims that several programs “purportedly aired over the Station that contain comparative and qualitative descriptions, price information, calls to action, and inducements to buy products or services provided by program guests” between June 2014 to April 2022. The programs, including “The Gary Null Show”, “Christine Blosdale Special” and “Off The Hook”, promoted these products and services without proper sponsorship identification. In the Consent Decree, WBAI acknowledged that it has violated the FCC’s Underwriting Laws and Sponsorship ID Rules, agreed to a $25,000 penalty, and a limited two-year license renewal to ensure future compliance. The $25,000 fine will be paid in five monthly installments of $5,000, but should WBAI miss any payment by one day they will be considered in default and the remainder of the penalty will accrue interest using the U.S. Prime Rate in effect on the date of default plus 4.75%. On a show this week, members of the station’s Advisory Board discussed the Consent Decree and other issues facing the station. They noted that they station expects a 35-40% deduction in revenue from no longer being able to use the programs that caused the issues. The station is over $200,000 in debt owed for its transmitter site lease and to a call center and would have owed more if not for their former studio landlord forgiving their back rent when selling the building. The FCC has rejected the Petition For Reconsideration for Common Frequency Inc. over the cancellation of the license of 88.1 KQCF Chiloquin/Klamath Falls OR after determining that the station operated from an unauthorized facility for over 12 months. KQCF was licensed to operate from an antenna attached to a tree in the yard of a residence but learned in September 2021 that the owner of the property sold it and required KQCF to vacate. The station filed via STA in November 2022 to operate from another tree 540 meters away and granted a CP authorizing the permanent move to a cell site. In May 2023, KQCF stated to an FCC staffer that it had resumed ?normal licensed operations? on November 1, 2022. Noting the inconsistency, the FCC sought clarification whether operations from that date onward were from the authorized site or the STA location, and again noted it was ??back at the authorized site.? contending that because where it moved was less than three seconds latitude or longitude it was not required to file a modification application, which the FCC states was a misunderstanding as that is only for when a station is not physically moving to a new location or changing licensed parameters. As KQCF moved its antenna to a new tree it was required to file a modification application making the license expired on November 1, 2023 since that was the last time it broadcast from licensed parameters. The Audio Division affirmed the decision following Common Frequency’s argument that the tree it was operating on was “close enough” to the licensed site to be rule-compliant due to the three second rule stating, “the filing of applications for approval of site changes is important even for relatively short moves because the Bureau needs the opportunity to consider any resulting changes in spacing, compliance with international agreements, and terrain shielding.” Pirate ActionsSix Massachusetts pirate operators have been proposed fines by the FCC in violation of the PIRATE Act. Jean Marius’ “Radio Tele Planet Compas” was issued a proposed penalty of $597,775 for operating on both 105.3 in Brockton and 89.3 Mattapan MA. The FCC notes that their Boston Field Office has been aware of Marius’ operation since 2004 on 89.3 in Randolph MA which led to a proposed fine in 2005 for $10,000 and was later given a Notice of Unlicensed Operation in 2017. Following FCC agents visits in June and July 2023, Marius stated he ceased operation on-air. A $120,000 fine was proposed against Renaldo David’s “Lotnivo FM” on 101.9 in Brockton. FCC agents first visited the site in July 2023 when David agreed to cease operation, but the station was then visited as operating in December 2023. $40,000 fines were proposed against Joao Vieira’s “Brockton FM” on 102.1 in Brockton, Djovany Pierre and Mario Turner’s “Radio Tele Brockton” and “Brockton Heat” 96.5 Brockton, and Robert Bellinger’s “Three Bays Radio” 93.1 Cotuit MA. All three operators were penalized for the FCC noting the stations operating in both June and July 2023. A $20,000 fine was proposed against Shane Kelly’s “87.9 The Test” in Hyannis MA for operating in June 2023. Kelly admitted to running the station as a hobby and immediately shut down the operation. The Federal Communications Commission today proposed fines against seven pirate radio operators under the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act (PIRATE Act) for operating six pirate radio stations. These pirate radio stations, investigated during the Enforcement Bureau?s sweep in the Boston area under the PIRATE Act, now face proposed fines totaling $857,775. Pirate radio is an unauthorized transmission of radio signals on the frequencies in or adjacent to the FM and AM radio bands. Pirate radio operations pose public safety risks, including causing harmful interference to licensed radio stations which transmit public safety emergency alert messages. Operating a pirate radio station is illegal under the Communications Act of 1934 and subject to the FCC?s enhanced enforcement capabilities enacted by Congress in the PIRATE Act in 2020. Under the PIRATE Act, the FCC can fine pirate radio operators up to $119,555 per day and a maximum of $2,391,097, as adjusted for inflation. The PIRATE Act increases possible penalties for illegal broadcasting, requires the FCC to conduct periodic enforcement sweeps, and grants the Commission authority to take enforcement action against landlords and property owners that willfully and knowingly permit pirate radio broadcasting on their properties. Today, the Commission proposed a $597,775 fine under the PIRATE Act against Jean Marius, the operator of the pirate radio station ?Radio Tele Planet Compas? in Brockton, Randolph, and Mattapan, MA. Renold David, operator of the pirate radio station ?Lotnivo FM? in Brockton faces a $120,000 fine, and Shane Kelly, the operator of the pirate radio station ?The Test 87.9 FM? in Hyannis, MA, faces a $20,000 fine. In addition, the following pirate radio operators each face $40,000 in fines: Joao Vieira, operator of the pirate radio station ?Brockton FM? in Brockton; Robert Bellinger, operator of a pirate radio station, known as ?TBR Radio? in Cotuit, MA; and Djovany Pierre and Mario Turner, operators of the pirate radio station, known as ?Radio Tele Brockton 96.5? or ?Brockton Heat?, in Brockton. The proposed actions, formally called Notices of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, or NALs, contain only allegations that advise the parties on how they have apparently violated the law and may set forth proposed monetary penalties. The Commission may not impose greater monetary penalties in these cases than the amount proposed in the NALs. Neither the allegations nor the proposed sanctions in the NALs are final Commission actions. The parties will be given an opportunity to respond, and the Commission will consider the parties? submissions of evidence and legal arguments before acting further to resolve the matter. License CancellationsTownsquare Media has surrendered the license of 1460 KUTI Yakima WA. This content is for Premium Annual and Premium Monthly members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. more

From Radio Insight: The FCC granted with conditions Cumulus Media’s remedial petition for declaratory ruling to seek specific approval for certain named foreign investors to hold more than 5% of the equity and/or voting interests in Cumulus and advance approval for those foreign investors to increase their equity and/or voting interests in Cumulus up to any non-controlling amount not to exceed 14.99%. The filing follows Renew Group Private Ltd. increasing its stake in Cumulus from 5.15% to 10.01% in January and stating its intent to acquire 20% of the company. That move was the impetus for Cumulus adopting a Poison Pill Maneuver to prevent any person or group becoming the holder of 15% or more of their Class A Common Shares without the prior approval of the Board to ward off a hostile takeover of the company. Cumulus was granted permission from the FCC in 2020 to exceed the 25% limit on foreign investment. That ruling required Cumulus obtain specific approval for each investor that would hold more than 5% of the company within 30 days of knowing it was no longer in compliance. Cumulus complied filing in February that Renew Group Private Ltd. had acquired a 9.8% equity stake and 10.01% of voting interest. Pending action on a forthcoming public comment period regarding the increased stake, the FCC has required conditions that would suspend all voting rights of more than 5% of Cumulus?s outstanding voting stock by Renew Group Private Limited; IR Investments, LP; the IR Charitable Trust; and Indu Rawat, or any of their affiliates. The conditions state: No Renew Investor shall have the right to do any of the following, and Cumulus shall not allow any Renew Investor to do any of the following, until and unless the Commission releases a declaratory ruling granting specific approval for the Renew Investors to hold, directly and/or indirectly, more than 5% of the equity and/or voting interests in Cumulus: Designate, appoint, nominate, or serve as a member of the board of directors of Cumulus; Attend any meeting of the board of directors of Cumulus; Receive any non-public materials from Cumulus, including any non-public materials distributed to the board of directors of Cumulus; Have any role in or communicate with Cumulus concerning the day-to-day management or operations of Cumulus?s radio stations; or Have any role in or veto right with respect to a decision to buy or sell a radio station. No employee, agent, or affiliate of the Renew Investors shall be an officer, director, employee, or consultant of Cumulus (including subsidiaries and affiliates of Cumulus) until and unless the Commission releases a declaratory ruling granting specific approval for the Renew Investors to hold, directly and/or indirectly, more than 5% of the equity and/or voting interests in Cumulus. Cumulus shall not permit any employee, agent, or affiliate of the Renew Investors to be an officer, director, employee, or consultant of Cumulus (including subsidiaries and affiliates of Cumulus) until and unless the Commission releases a declaratory ruling granting specific approval for the Cumulus Investors to hold, directly and/or indirectly, more than 5% of the equity and/or voting interests in Cumulus. Cumulus must ensure that any and all dividends and/or distributions payable to the Renew Investors are placed in escrow and that no such dividend or distribution is made to the Renew Investors until and unless the Commission releases a declaratory ruling granting specific approval for the Renew Investors to hold, directly and/or indirectly, more than 5% of the equity and/or voting interests in Cumulus. Within seven days of the date of grant of the assignment application, Cumulus shall submit a declaration to the Chief, Audio Division, Media Bureau, confirming that Cumulus is in compliance with each of the preceding conditions and that Cumulus will exercise its rights under its organizational documents to remain in compliance with each of the preceding conditions until and unless the Commission releases a declaratory ruling granting specific approval for the Renew Investors to hold, directly and/or indirectly, more than 5% of the equity and/or voting interests in Cumulus. Pursuant to section 1.5004(f)(3)(iii) of the Commission?s rules, if the petition is denied, Cumulus must come into compliance no later than 30 days following the Commission?s decision, unless the Commission determines under such rule that immediate remedial action is required. more

From Radio Online: KEGL-FM (97.1 The Freak)/Dallas has reportedly jettisoned Sports/Talk and reverted back to its previous Rock format. The move comes less than two years after the station relaunched with much fanfare, led by radio veteran Mike Rhyner, who famously came out of retirement to spearhead The Freak's launch in More...

From Radio Insight: Desert Valley Media Group Rhythmic CHR “Power 98.3” KKFR Mayer/Phoenix and 96.1 K241BQ Fort McDowell AZ is counting down to a relaunch on Monday, April 29 at 12pm. Sweepers are promoting the station getting a facelift and “The New Sound of Power 98.3”. KKFR had a 1.2 share in the March 2023 Nielsen Audio ratings. With the upcoming changes, Skyview Networks’ Dana Cortez Show will depart mornings on the station. Cortez stated, ?The Dana Cortez Show has enjoyed entertaining listeners on KKFR Phoenix since 2019. In recent months, we have been talking with the Desert Valley Media Group President/CEO Jeff Trumper about changes he intends to make to the sound of the station. During these discussions, we determined our energies are best focused on having fun every day on our growing nationally syndicated radio show! We wish DVMG well and especially want to thank our amazing loyal listeners and advertisers in Phoenix who have been so supportive of our show.? more

From Radio Insight: Sadie Black has announced her departure as Music Director of LM Communications Rock “98 Rock” WYBB Folly Beach and AAA “105.5 The Bridge” WCOO Kiawah Island/Charleston SC. She also hosted middays on WYBB. Black shared on Instagram, “It?s with a heavy heart that I announce that I am leaving radio after 11 amazing years. Today will be my last midday shift. As I bid farewell to the airwaves, it?s with a heart full of gratitude and nostalgia. Over the past 11 years, radio has been my world, my passion, and my joy. But now, as the time comes to explore new horizons and embrace fresh opportunities, I step away with fond memories and endless appreciation. To the loyal listeners who?ve tuned in faithfully, you?ve been the heartbeat of my journey. Your support, your stories, and your energy have fueled every broadcast. Thank you to everyone in Columbia that listened, loved and supported me. You were the best, and I?m so glad I still keep in contact with many of you. To the vibrant community of Charleston, thank you for embracing me with open arms during my tenure on 98 Rock. Though this may be the end of one chapter, I?m excited to see what the future holds. Stay tuned, and until we meet again, keep rocking. Signing off with love and gratitude, Sadie Black.” Black had joined LM Charleston in May 2022 after working at Golden Isles Broadcasting Country “104.1 The Wave” WRJY and Hot AC “Magic 105.9” WXMK in Brunswick GA from 2020-22. She also spent five years at Alpha Media Columbia SC where she was cluster Promotions/Digital Content Manager, APD of AAA “94.9 The Palm” W235CH and Alternative “Alt 99.7” W259CL, and spent time in overnights, middays and afternoons on Rock “Fox 102.3” WMFX. more

From Radio Online: Audacy recently announced another round of layoffs, impacting nearly 100 employees across various stations including WBBM in Chicago, WTIC-AM in Hartford, and others. Notable departures include WBBM afternoon news anchor Keith Johnson, where five of the eight digital news staff positions were also More...

From Radio Insight: Nielsen continues its release of the February 2024 diary surveys today. Today’s markets include monthly ratings for Monthly ratings for Birmingham, Buffalo/Niagara Falls, Fort Myers, Greenville/Spartanburg, Richmond, and Rochester, and Tucson. Coming on Monday, March 29: Monthly ratings for Albany/Schenectady/Troy, Allentown/Bethlehem, Dayton, Fresno, Grand Rapids and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. more

From Radio Online: iHeartPodcasts together with best friends Jessica Capshaw and Camilla Luddington, announce an all-new weekly podcast entitled "Call It What It Is." The premiere episode will debut on June 3. As all besties do, they navigate the highs and lows of life together. When one of them sends out the distress signal, More...