Activity Stream

From Radio Insight: Rox Radio Group has relaunched Red Dirt Country “Red Dirt 100” 1190 KREB Gentry/100.5 K263CB Springdale and 1390 KFFK Rogers/100.7 K264DA Decatur AR as “Ozarks 100“. Program Director Dave Shoen told Country Aircheck that the rebrand was accompanied with a broadening of its playlist to include more Americana and Classic Country music. The rebrand is part of a move towards a more community focused presentation as opposed to music as it will add lifestyle programming including “When Radio Was,” “Cowboy Corner,” and debuting a twice daily “Trading Post” on Monday, June 2. The station will also cover community festivals, fairs, and high school sports. The move comes as Rox Radio Group itself plans to rebrand as 479 Media as it expands its services beyond radio to digital, podcast, and other platforms. more

From Radio Online: Christian FM Media Group adds Kevin and Amy, a well-known and award-winning morning show duo, to the Today's Christian Music network lineup. Originating from "The House FM" in Oklahoma, Kevin and Amy now bring their blend of humor, faith, and encouragement to over 100 Christian radio affiliates across the More...

From Radio Online: ARN's iHeart and Global Announce Podcast Partnership Australia's leading audio company ARN and UK-based media giant Global have announced a new long-term podcast partnership that will expand the reach and monetization of both companies' content across international markets. As part of the agreement, More...

From Radio Insight: Cliff Dumas and Bryan Woodruff’s BTC USA Holdings has entered Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection following the company going into receivership in Canada earlier this year. The company, which had been operating as Local First Media Group, purchased Frontier Media LLC?s stations in Texarkana AR/TX and Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka AK in October 2022 for $1.3 million and agreed to purchase J&J Broadcasting?s five stations in northern Michigan in November 2022 for the same price but never closed on that deal. BTC USA Holdings went into receivership in Canada in February after defaulting on a loan from ATB Financial for $8,155,974.17 Canadian as of January 14. The Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection is for foreign companies seeking court protections to prevent other stakeholders from commencing or continuing actions in American courts that could interfere the case in Canada. The receivership in Canada is equivalent to a Chapter 7 liquidation in the US. The Alaskan operations have reverted to operating under the Frontier Media banner, while Texarkana is back under the Texarkana Media Center brand. Colin ‘Col’ Taylor, who previously served as President/COO of the company and previously was GM in Texarkana under Frontier Media ownership told their KTFS-FM that he is in the process of acquiring the company. Dumas, who owned 80% of BTC USA Holdings, previously hosted mornings at stations including KUZZ Bakersfield, KRST Albuquerque and KSON San Diego as well as KHAM Hamilton and CISS-FM Toronto in his native Canada. He also was co-founder and Chief Content Officer of Pattison Media?s Everything Podcasts division and a member of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. more

From Radio Online: iHeartMedia Salt Lake City's Hooker andamp; DB Morning Show on KAAZ-FM (Rock 106.7) is once again teaming up with The Advocates Injury Attorneys and the Bicycle Collective for its annual Bikes or Bust charity event. The initiative collects used and old bicycles to benefit Bicycle More...

From Radio Online: A new chapter is beginning for longtime St. Louis radio outlet 590 KFNS-AM, as it rebrands to KLIS The Lou Information Station under the ownership of Big Toe Media. Founded by Dave Greene and Alabama-based entrepreneur Conrad Thompson, Big Toe Media is purchasing the station from More...

From Radio Online: Syndicated radio host Delilah has officially returned the license for 1030 KDUN in Reedsport, OR, to the FCC, ending a personal and professional chapter that dates back to the start of her radio career. Delilah purchased the station in 2021 for $60,000, reviving the signal where she first took to the More...

From Radio Online: Nashville Public Radio appoints Holly Kernan as its next President and CEO. A veteran leader in public media, Kernan will oversee 90.3 WPLN News, WNXP 91.1, and the organization's classical music streaming service. She succeeds Steve Swenson, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Kernan most More...

From Radio Insight: Day 3 of Nielsen Audio’s PPM releases are now available for Charlotte, Portland, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Cleveland and Columbus. All the numbers can be found at RadioInsight.com/Ratings. CharlotteBeasley Media Country 103.7 WSOC continues its rise 4.7 – 5.6 – 6.0 – 7.1 to claim the top spot. Pacific Broadcasting Classic Hits “95.7 The Ride” WXRC dips 7.0 to 6.9. Beasley Classic Hits “K104.7” WKQC rebounds 5.7 to 6.5 to tie for third with co-owned Adult R&B “V101.9” WBAV as it rises 6.0 to 6.5. Radio One Adult R&B “105.3 R&B” WOSF trends up 4.5 – 5.3 – 5.9. Beasley Hip Hop “Power 98” WPEG rises 4.6 to 5.1. Radio One Hot AC “Mix 107.9” WLNK climbs 3.0 – 3.4 – 3.8 – 4.6 for what Ratings Expert Chris Huff notes is its largest share since September 2021. After the retirement of morning host Paul Schadt, iHeartMedia Country “96.9 The Kat” WKKT is down 5.4 to 4.5. Radio One News/Talk 1110 WBT/99.3 WBT-FM slides 5.4 – 4.7 – 4.3. Co-owned Sports 92.7 WFNZ-FM rises 2.8 – 3.1 – 3.3 and Gospel “Praise 100.9” WPZS drops 2.2 to 1.5. iHeartMedia Classic Rock “99.7 The Fox” WRFX-FM trends down 5.9 – 5.1 – 4.2. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 91.9 WRCM falls 3.7 – 3.3 – 1.4. PortlandiHeartMedia takes the top two spots with AC “K103” KKCW off 9.0 to 8.8, while Classic Hits “106.7 The Eagle” KLTH soars 7.0 to 8.3 for its largest share since September 2023. Public News/Talk 91.5 KOPB-FM is down 7.9 to 7.1 (stream down 0.9 to 0.6). Alpha Media AAA 101.9 KINK rises 5.5 to 6.2. iHeartMedia Classic Rock “105.9 The Brew” KFBW drops 7.1 to 6.0. Alpha News/Talk 101.1 KXL rises 4.8 – 5.0 – 5.5. iHeart Conservative Talk 1190 KEX is down 3.5 – 3.0 – 2.7. Classical 89.9 KQAC is back up 3.5 to 4.1. Audacy Country “99.5 The Wolf” KWJJ jumps up 3.0 to 4.1. Alpha Media Country “98.7 The Bull” KUPL inches up 2.6 to 2.7. Audacy Alternative 94.7 KNRK slides 2.7 – 2.1 – 1.8. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 97.9 KLVP is down 1.3 to 0.6. San AntonioCox Media Group takes the top four spots in San Antonio led by Rock 99.5 KISS-FM continuing its surge over the past six months 4.8 – 5.1 – 5.3 – 6.5 – 6.5 – 7.3 – 8.2 for its largest share since Winter 2002. Cox Classic Hits 101.1 KONO-FM holds at a 6.5 share, Country “Y100” KCYY is down 6.0 to 5.4, and Classic Rock “106.7 The Eagle” KTKX is up 5.0 to 5.4. iHeartMedia AC “Q101.9” KQXT rounds out the top five up 5.0 to 5.3. Cox Hot AC “Hits 105.3” KSMG rises 3.9 – 4.6 – 5.1. Alpha Media Variety Hits “102.7 Jack-FM” KJXK is up 4.2 to 4.8. Public News/Talk 89.1 KSTX gains 4.4 to 4.9. K-Love Inc. Christian AC “K-Love” 91.3 KZLV continues its slide 5.1 – 4.8 – 4.6 – 4.3. Univision Regional Mexican “Que Buena 92.9” KROM is up 3.1 to 3.8. Alpha Media’s “Norte?o 104.1” 720 KSAH/104.1 KSAH-FM rises 2.0 to 2.7. Univision Spanish AC “Amor 95.1” KMYO drops 2.5 to 1.8. Univision Rhythmic AC “Vibe 107.5” KVBH falls 4.5 to 3.6. iHeartMedia Bilingual AC “Mix 96.1” KXXM falls 3.8 – 3.6 – 2.4. Salt Lake CityBonneville AC “FM 100” KSFI reclaims the Salt Lake lead up 6.6 to 7.4. Bonneville News/Talk 1160 KSL/102.7 KSL-FM rises 5.9 to 6.8. Cumulus Country “93.3 The Bull” KUBL slides 7.1 – 6.7 – 6.3. Bonneville Classic Rock “103.5 The Arrow” KRSP inches up 5.7 to 5.8. KSOP Inc. Country “Z104.3” KSOP-FM gains 4.7 – 5.2 – 5.7. iHeartMedia Conservative Talk 570 KNRS/105.9 KNRS-FM falls 6.7 to 5.3. iHeart Classic Hits 94.1 KODJ continues its decline 6.4 – 5.4 – 5.0 – 4.6. Cumulus CHR “Power 101.9/94.9” KENZ/KHTB slides 3.0 – 2.8 – 2.5. iHeartMedia’s competing 97.1 KZHT inches up 1.8 – 2.1 – 2.3. Broadway Media’s “Mix 105.1” KUDD holds at a 4.3 share. Broadway Rhythmic Throwbacks “92.5 The Beat” KUUU is up 1.2 to 1.7. Capital Broadcasting Classic Alternative “103.1 The Wave” KLO-FM is up 0.9 to 1.3. OrlandoCox Media Group Classic Rock 98.9 WMMO continues its springtime surge 4.5 – 6.3 – 6.7 – 7.1 – 9.1 to take the lead for the first time since May 2023 and what Huff notes is its largest share ever (stream up 0.2 to 0.6). Cox Adult R&B “Star 94.5” WCFB slides 10.2 – 9.8 – 8.5 – 8.1. Audacy Classic Hits “105.9 Sunny-FM” WOCL is up 6.7 to 7.3. Cox Country “K92.3” WWKA (down 6.4 to 6.0) and iHeartMedia AC “Magic 107.7” WMGF (6.1 to 6.0) tie for fourth. iHeartMedia CHR “XL 106.7” WXXL falls 8.8 – 6.7 – 5.7. Audacy Rhythmic Throwbacks “102 Jamz” WJHM jumps 2.3 to 3.5. iHeartMedia Rock 101.1 WJRR trends up 3.5 – 3.9 – 4.4 – 4.7. Hot Talk “Real Radio 104.1” WTKS-FM slips 5.7 – 4.9 – 4.5. Cox News/Talk 580/107.3 WDBO slides 3.7 – 3.5 – 2.9. Norsan Media Spanish Tropical “Kaliente 103.1” WFYY is up 2.9 to 3.2 for its highest share since December 2013 when it was Tropical “KQ 103.1” WHKQ with three other formats and two sales in between. SBS Spanish Tropical “El Zol 95.3” WPYO is up 2.0 to 2.8. SacramentoiHeartMedia News/Talk 1530 KFBK/93.1 KFBK-FM maintains its lead 8.8 to 9.1. Audacy Classic Rock “Eagle 96.9” KSEG is up for the fourth straight month to move up to second 8.1 to 8.4. Bonneville AC “Mix 96” KYMX dips 8.5 to 8.2. Bonneville Country 105.1 KNCI holds at a 4.8 share. Audacy CHR “106.5 The End” KUDL is up 4.4 to 4.7. Public News/Talk 90.9 KXJZ slips 4.7 – 4.4 – 4.0. Audacy Rock “98 Rock” KRXQ trends up 2.4 – 3.1 – 3.8. Audacy Rhythmic CHR 102.5 KSFM slides 3.2 – 2.9 – 2.6. iHeartMedia Millennial Hits “Kiss 107.9” KZIS is down 3.9 to 3.1. Las VegasiHeartMedia AC “Sunny 106.5” KSNE slides 9.2 – 8.2 – 7.1. Beasley Classic Hits 96.3 KKLZ dips 6.5 to 6.3. Lotus Regional Mexican “La Buena 101.9” KWID is off 6.1 to 5.9. iHeartMedia Country “95.5 The Bull” KWNR inches up 4.6 to 4.7. Audacy Rhythmic Throwbacks “Q100.5” KXQQ is up 4.1 to 4.2. Lotus Classic Rock “97.1 The Point” KXPT slips 4.7 to 4.0. iHeartMedia’s “93.1 The Mountain” KYMT is down 3.8 to 2.5. Latino Hustle Group Regional Mexican “Fiesta 98.1” KLUC-HD3 jumps up 2.4 to 3.5. Beasley Media’s “107.9 Coyote Country” KCYE rises 1.9 to 2.9. Rock/Alternative “X107.5” KXTE is down 2.5 to 1.9. Hot AC 102.7 KVGS dips 2.3 to 1.8. In its first monthly following its flip from Adult R&B to Bilingual AC “Maxima 105.7“, Beasley’s 105.7 KOAS is up 1.6 to 1.8. PittsburghiHeartMedia Classic Hits “94.5 3WS” WWSW maintains its lead by the narrowest of margins 10.6 to 9.9. Steel City Media Variety Hits “96.9 Bob-FM” WRRK is up 9.4 to 9.8 to tie for second with iHeart Classic Rock 102.5 WDVE as it dips 10.1 to 9.8. Audacy Sports “93.7 The Fan” KDKA-FM dips 7.0 to 6.8 with its stream adding an additional 1.4 share. Renda Broadcasting AC “Wish 99.7” WSHH rises 4.9 – 6.0 – 6.4. iHeartMedia CHR “Kiss 96.1” WKST-FM jumps 4.2 to 5.1. Audacy Hot AC “100.7 Star” WBZZ moves up 3.3 – 3.8 – 4.6. CincinnatiThe dawn of the Reds season helps iHeartMedia News/Talk 700 WLW rises 7.8 to 8.8 for what Huff notes is its first time leading the market since last April. Cumulus Classic Hits 103.5 WGRR is down 9.8 to 8.7. Hubbard Country “B105” WUBE swings back up 6.5 to 7.4. Hubbard Hot AC “Q102” WKRQ rises 6.3 to 6.7. Cumulus AC “Warm 98.5” WRRM gains 4.7 to 5.5. Cumulus Classic Rock “92.5 The Fox” WOFX-FM slides 5.4 – 4.9 – 4.7, while their “96 Rock” WFTK is down 4.7 to 4.2. iHeartMedia Rock 102.7 WEBN skids 4.8 – 4.4 – 3.8. iHeartMedia Conservative Talk 550 WKRC trends down 6.1 – 5.5 – 4.7. Hubbard AC “Mix 94.9” WREW rises 3.6 – 4.3 – 4.6. Radio One Adult R&B “100.3 R&B” WOSL is up 3.2 to 3.7. iHeartMedia CHR “Kiss 107” WKFS climbs 2.6 to 3.4 for its best showing since August 2022. Ahead of its May 1 rebrand, Cumulus Media’s “Cat Country 94.1” WNNF continues to rise 2.0 – 2.4 – 2.7. Hubbard’s “97.3 The Wolf” WYGY climbs 1.4 – 1.7 – 2.3. Kansas CityCumulus Media Classic Hits 94.9 KCMO-FM is up for the fourth straight month jumping up 10.8 to 12.4. Huff notes that is the largest share for any station in the market since KCMO-FM’s 12.8 with Christmas music in Holiday 2019. Cumulus Classic Rock “101 The Fox” KCFX slips 7.7 – 7.3 – 7.1 to maintain second. Steel City Media CHR “Mix 93.3” KMXV inches up 6.1 to 6.2, while Steel City Country “Q104” KBEQ rises 4.1 – 4.6 – 5.1. Audacy News/Talk 98.1 KMBZ-FM trends down 6.0 – 5.2 – 4.7 with its stream adding a 0.4 share. Northwestern Media Christian AC “Life 88.5” KJNW is up 4.0 to 4.6 for its highest share since October 2023. Audacy Hot AC “99.7 The Point” KZPT is down 4.8 to 4.0, while Country “106.5 The Wolf” WDAF-FM drops 4.6 to 3.8. The start of the Royals season helps Audacy’s “96.5 The Fan” KFNZ-FM up 2.9 to 3.8 with its stream up 0.7 to 1.1. Steel City Country 94.1 KFKF trends up 2.6 – 2.8 – 3.5. Cumulus Media Hip Hop “Power 105.1” KCJK narrows its in-format battle rising 2.0 – 2.6 – 3.1, while Carter Broadcast Group’s “Hot 103 Jamz” KPRS-FM is off 3.6 to 3.5. Cumulus Conservative Talk 710 KCMO/95.7 KCHZ dips 2.4 to 2.1. Audacy’s competing 980 KMBZ trends up 1.1 – 1.5 – 1.7. ColumbusiHeartMedia CHR 97.9 WNCI retains its lead 8.4 to 8.2. TEGNA Sports “97.1 The Fan” WBNS-FM rises 7.6 to 8.0. iHeart Country 92.3 WCOL slides 8.9 – 8.1 – 7.8, while sister Classic Hits “93.3 The Bus” WODC jumps up 6.3 to 7.3. iHeart News/Talk 610 WTVN slips 8.0 – 7.4 – 6.7. Saga Classic Rock “QFM 96” WLVQ gains 5.4 to 6.0, while sister AC “Sunny 95” WSNY is down 6.3 to 5.6. Saga Hot AC “Mix 107.9” WVMX is up 1.7 – 1.9 – 2.2. Public News/Talk 89.7 WOSU-FM trends down 5.0 – 4.7 – 4.4. Classical 101.1 WOSA jumps up 1.2 to 2.1. In its second monthly after flipping from Country to Classic Country as “103.9 The Maverick“, NABCO’s 103.9 WJKR rises 1.7 to 2.6. Sister Soft AC “Easy 95.1” WJKR-HD2 is up 0.7 to 1.1. ClevelandiHeartMedia Classic Hits “Majic 105.7” WMJI is up 9.5 to 10.3. Audacy AC “Star 102” WDOK drops 8.5 to 7.5 (stream down 0.8 to 0.4). Radio One Adult R&B 93.1 WZAK rebounds 6.6 to 7.4. iHeartMedia News/Talk 1100/106.9 WTAM rises for the fifth straight month 5.5 to 7.0. iHeart Country 99.5 WGAR dips 7.3 to 6.9. iHeartMedia Rock 100.7 WMMS climbs 5.2 to 6.1. Audacy Classic Rock 98.5 WNCX moves down 6.4 to 5.9. Audacy Hot AC “Q104” WQAL slides 6.2 – 5.5 – 5.2. Public News/Talk 89.7 WKSU/104.9 WCLV continues is up for the fourth straight month 3.9 to 4.4. more

From Radio Online: Country Radio Seminar (CRS) has unveiled a new installment in its CRS360 webinar series titled "A Face For Radio? A Difference For Your Listeners," now available for streaming at CountryRadioSeminar.com. Building on findings presented at CRS 2025, the session delves into the shifting More...

From Radio Online: Despite the influx of high-tech infotainment systems and AI-enhanced dashboards, local AM/FM radio remains the go-to companion for American drivers, according to a new study from Audacy. The report, "Audio Access: What Drivers Value Most in Next-Gen Vehicles," marks the fifth wave of Audacy's Connected Car More...

From Radio Insight: From a young age in Rhinelander, Wis, I loved music, technology, and entertaining people. I had no special love for radio.* But one night in 2011 I discovered John Garabedian’s Open House Party and immediately fell in love with the show. Every Saturday night, it connected me with a world of fun, music, people, and excitement. I never missed a Saturday night show until John sold the show in 2017. I became a regular caller and persisted in getting John’s attention. In 2015, I started doing production work for OHP like mixes, social media and posting show clips and highlights from years earlier. At 16 while still in high school, I was hired by the largest DJ service in Wisconsin, first as an assistant, then DJing weddings and events every weekend and learning how to work a room. Simultaneously*Iv oice–tracked on B104 in Appleton, Wis.,*(alongside*future*iHeart*programmers*Trevor Morini and Mike McCabe).*I*also launched*and operated*?Vibes Online”, a fully produced 24-hour Top 40 internet station from my bedroom for nearly two years.* Mason at 16After high school graduation, I connected with WHYA (Y101) Cape Cod, Mass., manager Steve McVie. By then, it was clear to John and Steve that just music and voicetracks would not be enough for radio to effectively compete. Technology meant that listeners could customize music, access podcasts, and share TikToks with their 18-34 peers. Radio had long commercial breaks and relentless self-serving promos to download apps and visit their websites. They had come to the decision that Y101 needed its own night show. John initially felt I was too young. But he was persuaded by Steve?s enthusiasm. I moved to Boston in January 2020, two months before the official start of the Covid pandemic. Cape Cod is a huge market covering 100 miles. Three 4-station groups operate, including iHeart, and all are 50 KW except Y101, which is a 6 KW license. Yet, one year after the show?s debut, Nielsen reported Liveline was delivering a 25.0 share of audience among 26 local stations! * In July 2020, KQKY Grand Island, Neb., became the second station to add Liveline and has consistently been #1 at night in every demo, every book. Five years later, we have 40 affiliates, with two more launching this week, KHTT/Tulsa and WDOD/Chattanooga. In May, we signed our first Canadian affiliate, CFLY (98.3 Fly FM) Kingston, Ontario. It?s About the CallersOver the past 5 years, we’ve taken over 100,000 calls and probably received just as many texts. We’ve talked to every type of person, in every corner of the country, doing every activity you can imagine. Most are just driving home from work, dinner, hanging out with friends or driving cabs or delivery vehicles. Others are having a house party, going through a breakup, celebrating a milestone, mourning a loved one, listening at their place of employment, using their last 3 minutes of jail-phone time, wanting to share a story or joke, and even getting between the sheets.* The whole point of Liveline is to plug you into this larger-than-life experience where literally anything and anyone is accepted, no matter your age, background, confidence level or lifestyle. It’s the TikTok of radio and every night is meant to be a summary of all the craziness happening in the world, bringing peace, love, hope and a sense of community with people who feel like your friends. This is radio’s superpowerand I’m beyond blessed to be a part of so many people’s lives on a nightly basis. The show is not about me, the station, or anything but the listener. It’s called Liveline because we are truly the 100% live connection from my home studio every night, and people are on the line, as nearly every break is a fresh, interesting and unique phone call where you hear the person saying their name, location, song request, what they’re doing and any other craziness.* We try to draw a mini-story out of every caller in less than 60 seconds. This allows other listeners to visualize the caller, creating theater of the mind and drawing attention to the lyrics or meaning of the requested song. It’s like hearing a song on the radio you’re tired of, but then months later, you hear it in a movie and suddenly it sounds great.* Music needs context, emotion and a bond. Sad breakup songs suddenly resonate more once you’re actually going through one. We generally air six calls every hour. There has to be a payoff and listeners need to feel like they actually have a chance of getting on air and hearing their song. Most callers don’t even care about the request – it’s just the idea of being on the radio which still excites everyone, and the song just provides an excuse to call. We?ve gone to great lengths to make our affiliates sound local. Listen to today?s radio and you?ll hear voice-tracks with no connection to the music?often over dead air and rarely synced to the intro. You?ll hear a jock screaming over ?Someone Like You? by Adele, or low energy out of ?Abracadabra? by Lady Gaga. No other live show offers this except Liveline. Liveline is also the only national live show to provide RDS metadata with the title and artist info for each song. Nothing is more of a giveaway thar a show is syndicated than seeing just the station name being displayed for five hours. The most obvious and important element of making the show local is each caller who talks about where they are, what’s going on in the community and how much they love (or hate) living there. But as so many people say about their own city, “there’s nothing to do”. It’s funny that Key West and Cape Cod are massive tourist and vacation hotspots, yet their residents complain about being bored and having nothing fun. How popular would TikTok be if it only showed you Local stuff?* That’s what the news is for! Our decades of research show that people want big, new and exciting things, and they’re rarely happening where they are. Do you want Home Movies or Hollywood? Each affiliate grants us access to their social media pages which allows for seamless sharing of Liveline content, saving them time and confusion. We have quick turnaround for local liners and constant ideas for ways to promote the show on air and online. We are always working with each market to advertise local events going on, which gives us something to talk to callers about. Luckily, every night is a geography test, and I’ve probably remembered the states of over 500 cities.* Most Memorable MomentsLooking back at the last five years, it’s impossible to nail down even a few of our favorite moments. Perhaps the most fun we’ve had came from being the only live show on holidays like 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and doing extended broadcasts on New Years Eve. There’s a special connection when you’re there for people on days they are making memories and celebrating something. Another exciting part is debuting on new stations and getting calls within the first night, sometimes in the first hour. It’s an instant hit almost everywhere. We?ve gotten calls from school buses full of screaming girls, entire jail cellblocks fighting over the phone to be on air, loyal callers who always have something interesting to say and become part of the cast, making mistakes on the air or flubbing a joke and finding a way to make it even funnier and of course, having dozens of people in the studio hanging out and screaming in the background while we broadcast. We are the party that everyone is invited to. It’s About The MusicThere will always be high and low moments for Top 40 music, but based on listener requests, some of the best songs of these past five years have been from either 2021 or 2024. 2020 was absolutely miserable, with the COVID-inspired TikTok surge, a lack of in-car radio listenership and label agendas gaining even more influence at radio. So much has changed since then; they’ve shrunk their promotion staff, shifted focus to streaming and influencers, and stopped giving out golden record plaques to influence program directors. Even now, music from 2014-2020 rarely gets requested today, while the majority of our throwback requests range from 2008-2013.* There are weeks when we simply don’t add anything, and requests continue to pour in for the same recurrents and golds. The biggest current hits last for months! We never add a new song just for the sake of needing something new in rotation. It has to mean something to the audience and be backed up by lots of major, credible stations or big streaming numbers.* In the weekly version of Mason?s Observations, we try to identify not just the current active hits generating streams and requests, we also share the throwbacks that listeners are responding to. Below you’ll find our surprising list of the top songs on Liveline. Top Throwback Requests of All Time Justin Bieber, Ludacris – Baby (2010) Eminem – Lose Yourself (2002) Miley Cyrus – Party in the USA (2009) The Killers – Mr. Brightside (2005) TLC – No Scrubs (1999) Eminem – The Real Slim Shady (2000) Britney Spears – Toxic (2004) Flo Rida, T-Pain – Low (2007) Kesha – TiK ToK (2009) Rihanna, Jay-Z – Umbrella (2007) 50 Cent – In Da Club (2003) Eminem – Without Me (2002) Nicki Minaj – Super Bass (2011) Eminem – Mockingbird (2004) Fergie – Fergalicious (2006) Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg – California Gurls (2010) Usher – Yeah (2004) Bruno Mars – 24k Magic (2016) Rihanna – We Found Love (2011) Nelly – Ride Wit Me (2001) Taylor Swift – Love Story (2008) Katy Perry – Last Friday Night (2011) Sir Mix A Lot – Baby Got Back (1992) Shakira – Hips Don’t Lie (2006) Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way (1999) Outkast – Ms. Jackson (2001) Pitbull, Ne-Yo – Give Me Everything (2011) Taylor Swift – You Belong with Me (2009) Rihanna – S&M (2010) Britney Spears – Baby One More Time (1999) Top Songs of the Past 5 Years The Weeknd – Blinding Lights (2019) Harry Styles – As It Was (2022) The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber – Stay (2021) Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – Die with a Smile (2024) Glass Animals – Heat Waves (2021) Taylor Swift – Cruel Summer (2019/2023) Morgan Wallen – Last Night (2023) Dua Lipa, DaBaby – Levitating (2021) Miley Cyrus – Flowers (2023) Billie Eilish ? Birds of a Feather (2024) Olivia Rodrigo ? Driver?s license (2021) The Weeknd – Save Your Tears (2021) Olivia Rodrigo – Good 4 u (2021) Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy) (2024) Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow ? Industry Baby (2021) Lizzo – About Damn Time (2022) Tate McRae – Greedy (2023) Doja Cat, SZA – Kiss Me More (2021) SZA – Kill Bill (2023) Olivia Rodrigo – Vampire (2023) So What’s Next?Top 40 radio?s biggest competition is Spotify, not the other stations in the market. We must continue to evolve as a companion and offer the best, most compelling and interactive entertainment show every night. Our goal is to get into more major markets and reach 75 affiliates by the end of 2025.* Our purpose is to provide companionship and build fans from listeners. We are always finding new ways to expand and make the show riveting, whether it be remote broadcasts from national events or places of broad interest, giving away big prizes and hiring more staff to grow the show with fresh ideas and making the overall listening experience top-shelf.* More than anything, it’s been a gift and honor to do this show, working for and with so many great people, but especially John Garabedian who taught me everything I know and love about radio. Without him, I can’t imagine my life and where I’d be. He has invested an astronomical amount of time, money and effort into making this work because he truly believes in the product and has over 65 years of experience in broadcasting. This year he was nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame–fingers crossed! Thanks to every affiliate and listener for being a part of this journey. As we say at the end of every show, “Be Your Dream!? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Liveline with Mason more

From Radio Online: Ballen Studios, the media company founded by storyteller MrBallen, has debuted a new weekly podcast entitled "A Twist of History." The series is available starting today, Wednesday, May 21, on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. "A Twist of History" explores More...

From Radio Online: Smart devices are deeply embedded in the daily audio habits of UK listeners, both at home and on the road, according to The Infinite Dial UK 2025 study, presented today at The Podcast Show in London. The research, conducted by Edison Research and sponsored by SiriusXM Media and AdsWizz, reveals strong growth More...

From Radio Online: Audacy has announced a frequency realignment for two of its Chattanooga radio outlets, set to take effect Thursday, May 23 at 12pm ET. WRXR-FM (Rock 105) will move to 103.7 FM and rebrand as "Rock 103.7," while WKXJ-FM (Kiss FM) will shift to 105.5 FM, rebranding as "105.5 Kiss FM." "We always find ways More...

From Radio Online: The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) marked a milestone 50th anniversary of the Gracie Awards on May 20 with a star-studded ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, celebrating the achievements of women who continue to shape the media industry. Hosted by comedian and More...

From Radio Insight: WJCT Public Media’s 89.9 WJCT-FM Jacksonville FL has launched “Jazz Radio” on its HD4 subchannel and digital platforms. The launch is timed with the Jacksonville Jazz Festival weekend. The station is promoting features as including “Classic Jazz Hits and Deep Cuts”, “Contemporary Innovators and Local Stars”, and “Spotlight segments on Jacksonville?s vibrant jazz scene”. Program Director David Luckin said, ?Our city has deep jazz roots, and this new station is a tribute to that legacy and to the vibrant future of the genre. We?re excited to bring listeners a curated mix of the best in jazz, whether they?re discovering it for the first time or returning to a lifelong passion.? The station will also feature a new show “Bop City” hosted by jazz saxophonist and director of Jacksonville?s historic Friday Musicale Daniel Stark focusing on Bebop. Bop City will also air on Public News/Talk 89.9 WJCT on Saturdays at 7pm. Stark said, “The first episode is a banger! It opens with a cut from the new Sullivan Fortner record, goes through some Max Roach and Mingus, and has a track from a South African pianist named Nduduzo Makhathini, and more artists throughout the hour-long show. It sets the stakes for the rest of the series, in terms of who and what gets counted as bebop legacy.Listeners will hear Art Blakey, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, but the show will cover Ed Blackwell and Roy Brooks too. It will be entertaining for bebop fans and those looking for fresh sounds.” Jazz Radio replaces AAA “The Independent” on WJCT-HD4. The channel is part of WJCT’s “Jacksonville Music Experience” suite along with Classical music on WJCT-HD2 and Oldies “Anthology” on WJCT-HD3. more