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From Radio Insight: The FCC has approved Alpha Media’s petition for up to 100% foreign equity ownership and specific investors to own above 5% equity and voting stakes in the company. An outgrowth from Alpha’s July 2021 exit from chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the approval will allow Alpha’s debt holders to exercise warrants to convert the debt into equity holdings in the company. The approval granted gives each of the investors the ability to hold up to 49.9% of Alpha Media without needing further FCC approval. MetLife Private Equity Holdings, LLC will drop from holding 41.7% into the company to hold a 23.6% equity and 25% voting stake in Alpha. Florida Growth Fund LLC will drop from 27.4% equity and voting to 7.9% equity and 8.3% voting. Hamilton Lane Strategic Opportunities 2016 Fund LP drops from 21.6% equity and voting to 7.9% equity and 8.3% voting. The Cayman Islands based ICG North America Holdings Ltd. will increase its stake from 5.7% to 39.1% equity and 41.4% voting making it the largest shareholder. BigSur Capital Partners Three Corp. of the British Virgin Islands will gain 6.3% equity and 6.7% voting. Three subsidiaries of ICGNA will also have the ability to hold up to 49.9% in the company: the UK based Intermediate Capital Group PLC and ICG Global Investment UK Limited and the Jersey based ICG Global Investment Jersey Limited. more

From Radio Online: News KSL/Salt Lake City and KSL Sports Zone launches "First and 12," a new sports talk show from 10am-12pm. Hosted by KSLSports.com BYU Insider Mitch Harper and longtime KSL NewsRadio and KSL Sports Zone host Alex Kirry, the duo surveys the biggest games around the conference. Harper and Kirry More...

From Radio Insight: David Reese?s NRG Media has ceased programming his Dance “100.9 NRG” programming on CRC Media West?s 100.9 K265FH Cathedral City/Palm Springs and Marker Broadcasting?s 95.9 KJJZ-HD4 Indian Wells CA. A message on the station’s website notes, “To our listeners, thank you for support & your kind words. To our sponsors, thank you for believing in the new station in town.” The station is continuing online “for now”. The brand had launched on those signals in August 2022 with Reese hosting “Disco in the Morning with David” in mornings from 7-10am. He also operated the similarly formatted “93.7 NRG” on WKEY-FM Key West FL from April 2021 to October 2022. Prior to launching the brand in Key West, Reese spent most of his career in television news including serving as as Assistant News Director at ?Fox 11? KTTV Los Angeles. When it launched, K265FH/KJJZ-HD4 was one of three Dance stations in the Palm Springs market. Following the subsequent sale and flip of Audacy?s ?Channel Q? 103.1 KQPS Palm Desert earlier this year, only KGAY PSP?s LGBTQ+ ?106.5 KGAY? 1270 KGAY/106.5 K293CL Thousand Palms remains. more

From Radio Online: Audacy's Sports WQAM (AM 560) in Miami will continue to serve as the flagship station for the NHL's Florida Panthers, broadcasting all 82 regular season games, as well as playoff contests. Throughout the season, games can also be heard across Florida on iHeartMedia WBZT (1230 The Gambler) in West More...

From Radio Online: Podchaser launches Predictive Demographics, a predictive language modeling capability that allows advertisers to refine their podcast audience targeting even further. Through Predictive Demographics, Podchaser uses AI, as opposed to first-party data, to analyze the language spoken within a podcast More...

From Radio Insight: ?It?s like Star Wars vs. Star Trek.? That?s how one Ross on Radio reader described a recent column on whether 1983 or 1984 was the best year for Top 40 music and radio. Ultimately, readers chose 1984, but not as unanimously as you might think, given its reputation as the peak year of Top 40?s mid-?80s rebound. Over the years, I have occasionally pitted radio stations against each other to see who had the stronger song, an exercise that radio programmers used to use to judge their station against a rival. I haven?t staged a ?Punch Wars? since 2020, in part because there are fewer head-to-head station wars, but I wondered who would win a song-to-song battle between the years. I was going to use streaming playlists as my 1983 and 1984 radio stations. But something surprising happened. When I randomized both Spotify and Apple Music, I got a lot of international hits and some oddly obscure battles. Ross on Radio readers might have had a more considered opinion than others on Spotify?s match-up of Culture Club?s ?Victims? vs. Frankie Goes to Hollywood?s ?Welcome to the Pleasuredome.? I wasn?t sure what they?d make of Apple facing off Alphaville?s ?Sounds Like a Melody? and the German act Spider Murphy Gang?s goofy ?Ich Shau Dich An (Peep Peep).? That?s why I asked Josh Hosler, a former programmer whose Pop Music Anthology is a treasure trove of themed and year-based offerings, to create Spotify playlists for each year. With his help, I hit shuffle and faced off ?Ross On Radio: 1983 was Better!? vs. ?Ross On Radio: 1984 was Better!? Then I sent radio and record friends 20 different rounds to judge. Those with a radio perspective were asked to judge two ways ? choosing both the strongest song from a programming standpoint and the one they would listen to themselves. * We started off with a tough one. (1983 songs are always listed first. Winners of the programming match-up are italicized) Elton John, ?I?m Still Standing? vs. Wham!, ?Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go?: ?This was the hardest one,? says Saga Des Moines? Leigh McNabb. Both have been resurgent at radio in recent years. Both have cultural currency. ?Elton?s still standing. Need we say more?? asks Audacy?s Tm Roberts. ?George Michaels is in the zeitgeist right now,? says RCA?s Keith Naftaly. ?In my music world, both are burnt,? says 4BC Brisbane, Australia?s Brent James. Ultimately, though, Wham wins both the programming and ?would listen? punches. Motels, ?Suddenly Last Summer? vs. Corey Hart, ?Sunglasses at Night?: ?Corey is a signature song of the ?80s,? says Hall Communications? Bob Walker. But there were a surprising number of people who agreed with WHBC-FM Canton, Ohio?s Joel Murphy that ?I?d listen to the Motels, but only because I?m burnt on Corey.? ?Somebody explain why this Corey Hart has stood the test of time,? says Connoisseur?s Keith Dakin. Corey wins on programming; Motels edges him for ?would listen.? Donna Summer, ?She Works Hard for the Money? vs. John Lennon, ?Nobody Told Me?: Lennon popped up on the radio a few times during the ?strange days indeed? of 2020, but Summer has the enduring title. ?Donna is a slam dunk in both categories,? says Billboard?s Silvio Pietroluongo. “It’s not even close,” says Alan Burns. But there?s a lot of reader love for Lennon, such that Chris Molanphy of Slate and the Hit Parade podcast calls this one ?the most brutal matchup ? I could go either way.? Summer handily wins for programming; Lennon edges it out as the ?would listen.? Def Leppard, ?Rock of Ages? vs. John Mellencamp, ?Authority Song?:* As a researcher/programmer, I share Dakin?s sense that ?these two are equal in the Classic Hits/Classic Rock world.? But iHeart Orlando?s Jeremy Rice says Mellencamp ?is the better PPM song.? Ultimately, Mellencamp won a close battle for ?would program? and a lopsided one for ?would listen.? Sheena Easton, ?Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)? vs. KC , ?Give It Up?: In America, they are two songs that are both long gone from the radio. A lot of readers wouldn?t program or listen to either. ?We?ll just consider this a drop position,? says Country Aircheck’s Chris Huff. But Murphy says, ?The KC is a secret-weapon record waiting to happen.? (I?ve also seen pockets of strength for it in a few markets.) And in Australia where, like the UK, it as a bigger hit, James actually writes, ?KC is overplayed, but the better radio song.? It wins both ?would program? and ?would listen.? Stray Cats, ?Stray Cat Strut? vs. Cars, ?You Might Think?: Some readers thought this was a weak match-up as well. I?ve seen widely varying opinions on whether ?You Might Think? is a hit. It endures as ?the song that made the Cars an MTV band,? as Walker puts it. But Cars wins both battles handily. John Mellencamp, ?Crumbling Down? vs. Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson, ?Say Say Say?: ?Say Say Say? never came back over the years, even when Jackson?s music rebounded after his death, and despite McCartney?s touring/pop culture currency as well. Mellencamp seems to hang in a little more because of Classic Rock airplay, but with a lot of other songs in the catalog ahead of it. Based on the research I?ve seen over the years, Mellencamp is the safer choice, but readers give both programming and preference to McCartney & Jackson. Peter Gabriel, ?Shock the Monkey? vs. Dennis DeYoung, ?Desert Moon?: ?Shock the Monkey? was a game-changer,? says Naftaly, whereas ?maybe 2% of people who listened to radio in the ?80s remember ?Desert Moon,?? according to Pietroluongo. ?It doesn?t hold up as well as I thought it would,? says Huff. Gabriel handily wins both matches. Tom Petty & Heartbreakers, ?You Got Lucky? vs. Ray Parker, Jr., ?Ghostbusters?: Like ?Thriller,? I?ve seen ?Ghostbusters? do well in music testing, but unlike ?Thriller,? most programmers are happy to not even ask, and to save it for Halloween. ??Ghostbusters? was always too silly for me,? says S-Curve?s Steve Greenberg. But Walker considers it ?an iconic song.? While I think of Petty as another Classic Rock secondary, it also easily wins both match-ups. Stephen Bishop, ?It Might Be You? vs. Cars, ?Magic?: Bishop?s Tootsie theme actually got a little bounce at radio a few years ago thanks to the resurgent Soft AC format. It also appeals to SiriusXM Yacht Rock Radio listeners among our readers. But readers would program ?Magic? unanimously, and it also gets all but a few of the votes for ?would listen.? Joe Jackson, ?Steppin? Out? vs. Kenny Loggins, ?Footloose?: Like latter-day Dave Matthews Band songs, Jackson does so poorly in research that it?s hard to remember what a big hit it was. Perhaps that?s why it?s so fresh for PDs, especially against a megahit. For KJLH Los Angeles? Chris Malone, ?Both are great sonically, but ?Footloose? has more commercial appeal.? ?Very few songs would beat ?Footloose,?? says McNabb, but ?Joe still sounds great all these years later,? says Huff. And thus, we have our sharpest split decision. ?Footloose? handily wins programming; Jackson gets all but one vote for ?would listen.? Bryan Adams, ?Straight from the Heart? vs. John Mellencamp, ?Pink Houses?: ?This is a bit deep for Bryan Adams,? says Dakin. ?There?s only room for ?Everything I Do (I Do It for You)? and ?Heaven.? ?Straight? always gets left behind,? says Huff. But he would play Mellencamp nevertheless. Mellencamp is the programming winner handily, and ?would listen? winner by a 3:2 margin. Personally, I would want to listen to the Ian Lloyd version that played on Canadian radio before Adams was a star.* Styx, ?Don?t Let It End? vs. Pointer Sisters, ?I?m So Excited?: 1984 wins both contests on the strength of the Pointers? 1982 song that lingered into 1983 without becoming a hit the first time. In recent years, I?ve also noticed that ?I?m Still Standing? has a similar feel to ?Excited,? which preceded it by about eight months ? a very typical incubation time for radio influence. Walker calls ?Excited? ?a classic CHR power at the time.? Big Country, ?In a Big Country? vs. Billy Joel, ?An Innocent Man?: ?Uptown Girl? became the easiest-to-program song from Joel?s An Innocent Man (even before Olivia Rodrigo?s shout-out). ?An Innocent Man? hung in a little at AC. Big Country became a defining song for the Adult Hits format for a while. It?s the sort of radio record PDs like, and I would have expected it to win ?listen to,? but it was the other way around. Big Country won the programming match, while Joel was the ?listen to? song. Kenny Loggins, ?Heart to Heart? vs. Pointer Sisters, ?Automatic?: Loggins was an early-?80s holdover as music changed in early 1983. ?Automatic? was one of the songs that defined the abundant excitement of CHR a year later. Neither song has a strong radio presence now. But after decades of being thoroughly lost, you hear Loggins on Yacht Rock Radio and similar AC weekends occasionally. (?It?s a yacht-rock masterpiece,? says Murphy.) Pointers win both battles easily though. Eurythmics, ?Love Is a Stranger? vs. Sheila E, ?The Glamorous Life?: The Eurythmics title is ?just a better song,? says James, but it?s completely lost on American radio. ?Glamorous Life? wins the programming nod unanimously, and ?would listen? by a large margin.* Pat Benatar, ?Love is a Battlefield? vs. Rockwell, ?Somebody?s Watching Me?: This one is tied with Wham vs. Elton for being ?too close to call; both are killers,? as Roberts puts it. Over the last decade, I?ve seen ?Somebody Watching Me? test as, basically, just another Jackson hit (unlike ?Say Say Say?). But some PDs still prefer it for Halloween only. Benatar wins both contests; ?would listen? is a little closer. Toto, ?I Won?t Hold You Back? vs. Van Halen, ?Jump?: Another early-?80s holdover goes up against what Walker calls ?a signature ?80s song.? Dakin notes the strength of ?Jump? on ?AC, Classic Rock, Classic Hits, , etc.? ??Jump? is pretty tired, but still excites,? says Naftaly. It?s the unanimous programming winner. Unlike ?Footloose,? only a few PDs are burned out enough on ?Jump? to not vote for it as the ?would listen? song. Bonnie Tyler, ?Total Eclipse of the Heart? vs. Quiet Riot, ?Metal Health (Bang Your Head)?: Tyler is the clear winner in both categories. ?Jim Steinman?s magnum opus, an incredible record,? says Greenberg, although there wasn?t the same sort of excitement expressed about this ballad by the group as there was about other winners. ?Cum On Feel the Noize? has become a song you?ll hear again on Classic Rock and Classic Hits these days, but this one ?works on Classic Rock for double shots,? says Dakin. Police, ?Synchronicity II? vs. Billy Idol, ?Flesh for Fantasy?: With four hits in power rotation, Idol is one of the most enduring artists at Classic Rock/Classic Hits/Adult Hits. ?Flesh? is ?too deep for Billy Idol, but underrated,? says Dakin. But he considers ?Synchronicity? ?the best Police song ever,? as did other respondents. Police is the programming winner; Idol is the ?would listen? song. But Greenberg says, ?I would switch to NPR.? The tally? 1984 was the winner of 13 of 20 rounds of the ?strongest radio programming song? meet. For songs that radio and music people would listen to, it does even better with 14 out of 20?not dissimilar to what we saw in the first article. (If you?re wondering, I gave programming to 1984 and personal preference by a slight margin to 1983.) I wasn?t quite ready to say goodbye to ?Punch Wars? (in part because I didn?t have a clear favorite among either of the last two songs either). I did one more round for myself. This one was perfect: Frida?s ?I Know There?s Something Going On? and Van Halen?s ?Panama.? The previous was a treasured record among radio people (and Abba fans). The latter was the enduring hit. Both were songs that typified the excitement of their respective years. more

From Radio Insight: Longtime Greenville/Spartanburg market morning personality Bill Love has announced he will retire from radio Friday, September 29 ahead of on Salem Media Group Classic Hits “Earth-FM” 103.3 WRTH Greer/95.5 WLTE Powdersville SC sale to Educational Media Foundation. Love has been with “Earth-FM” since its launch in January 2013. He began his career in 1973 at 800 WEAB Greer SC. Love was best known for his team with Howard Hudson where they were first teamed in mornings on 93.7 WFBC-FM Greenville from 1982 to 1984. After stints in Richmond and Jacksonville, the duo returned to the market in 1989 to host mornings on 102.5 WMYI where they would remain until 2004. The duo would reunite when “Earth-FM” debuted in January 2013 but Hudson would depart in October of that year. Love has been paired with Heidi Aiken since February of this year. WRTH/WLTE has not yet officially announced its final day on-air before EMF starts its LMA ahead of the sale, but is promoting Friday, September 29 as an important day to listen. more

From Radio Insight: Sacramento State University has released the details on an organizational audit and taking direct University supervision of Capital Public Radio “CapRadio” and their Classical 88.9 KXPR Sacramento/88.7 KXJS Sutter/91.7 KXSR Groveland CA and Public News/Talk 90.9 KXJZ Sacramento/88.1 KQNC Quincy/90.5 KKTO Tahoe City/91.3 KUOP Stockton CA. The audit found a lack of financial and governance processes and protocols, lines of credit and loans secured without campus approval or CapRadio Board of Directors awareness, submission of inaccurate or incomplete financial information to the board, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, external auditors, and the University. The University’s financial team recognized discrepancies in financial statements. The Sacramento Bee reports that the station owes $3.3 million in unpaid bills from the past two fiscal years including all programming fees to NPR for over a year. Interim General Manager Tom Karlo told listeners, “The finances are pretty severe right now for CapRadio. We owe a lot of money to vendors. We barely have enough cash to keep us going right now. We are making payroll. It?s just been a very, very tough time. We have no reserves.” CapRadio laid off 12 percent of its staff on August 30. As part of the University taking back management oversight of the stations, Sacramento State will find a new permanent General Manager and other upper-management positions. A new Chief Content Officer will remain an auxiliary employee to enable CapRadio’s journalistic independence. The plan also will see Sacramento State will oversee and manage CapRadio?s accounting department, endowment, and finances to ensure the auxiliary remains in compliance with CSU financial policies, procedures, and state laws, require CapRadio to rotate auditing firms on a biennial basis to ensure the auditing process remains unbiased, and require the station to uphold its educational mission to benefit Sac State students. They will also commission a forensic examination to determine the origins and causes of CapRadio?s operational and financial problems. CapRadio also operates Chico State University’s “North State Public Radio” 91.7 Chico, 88.9 KFPR Redding, and eight translators across northern California. Sacramento State is instituting changes in financial oversight and management for University auxiliary Capital Public Radio (CapRadio) in response to findings from an organizational audit released today by the California State University (CSU) Office of Audit and Advisory Services. The CSU audit reveals substantial problems within the auxiliary, which operates as a popular public broadcasting outlet. Given these findings, operational management of CapRadio will be placed directly under University supervision, while the news and entertainment programming of the National Public Radio affiliate will remain independent. This course of action is designed to address and resolve areas of significant mismanagement and lax accountability within the auxiliary that are highlighted in the CSU audit. The findings detail long-standing issues, including a lack of financial and governance processes and protocols, lines of credit and loans secured without campus approval or CapRadio Board of Directors awareness, submission of inaccurate or incomplete financial information to the board, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, external auditors, and the University, and much more. Sacramento State?s financial team recognized discrepancies in financial statements and then-President Robert S. Nelsen subsequently requested the CSU organizational audit. ?I want to thank President Nelsen for requesting the audit last year, adding Sac State?s chief financial officer to the CapRadio board, and for committing the resources necessary to stabilize the station?s operations,? said President Luke Wood, who began his leadership of Sacramento State in July 2023. Nelsen requested this audit in 2022. ?One thing is abundantly clear: We have real and immediate work to do to ensure CapRadio?s financial controls and operational processes are disciplined, sound, and transparent going forward. The financial implications of CapRadio?s mismanagement have significant consequences for Sacramento State, but we will make it through,? Wood said. ?Now is the time for the community to continue its support for CapRadio. Given the changes the University and CapRadio board are putting into place, donors should feel confident moving forward that their generous contributions will be well stewarded.? Although Sac State holds CapRadio?s broadcast license, what began as newsroom independence has evolved over the years into an organizational divide that must be remedied, Wood said. The University and CapRadio Board will work collaboratively to address the issues raised in the audit. In August, at Wood?s urging, the board appointed Tom Karlo to serve as interim general manager of CapRadio. Karlo has 47 years of experience working in public media and expertise in addressing financial challenges. In addition, the president and his leadership team have developed and will work with CapRadio to implement a five-point plan to stabilize the station?s management, finances, and operations: Sacramento State will move the operational management of CapRadio under University supervision, including a forthcoming permanent general manager and several upper-management positions. A new chief content officer, who will oversee station programming, will remain an auxiliary employee, ensuring CapRadio?s journalistic independence. Sacramento State will oversee and manage CapRadio?s accounting department, endowment, and finances to ensure the auxiliary remains in compliance with CSU financial policies, procedures, and state law. Sacramento State will require CapRadio to rotate auditing firms on a biennial basis to ensure the auditing process remains unbiased. Sacramento State has commissioned a forensic examination to determine the origins and causes of CapRadio?s operational and financial problems. Sacramento State will require CapRadio to adhere to the auxiliary license and operating agreement, which requires the station to uphold its educational mission to benefit Sac State students. President Wood acknowledged this is a difficult time for the organization?s staff and members. ?We are fighting to save our auxiliary,? Wood said. ?CapRadio has been part of the fabric of Sacramento and northern California for decades. It is important to us to maintain the health and integrity of such a valuable and beloved media institution.? more

From Radio Insight: After the announced departure from Audacy News/Talk 830 WCCO earlier this month, the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx have signed a new multi-platform deal with iHeartMedia Minneapolis. All Timberwolves games will air on a new exclusive channel on the iHeartRadio app becoming the first NBA team to move to a streaming-based local flagship. Select games will air on Sports “100.3 KFAN” KFXN-FM Minneapolis as will the majority of Lynx games. Players, coaches, and executives from both teams will make regular appearances on KFXN-FM’s programming. iHeartMedia Minneapolis today announced it has signed an exclusive, multi-year streaming and radio partnership with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx to bring fans throughout the upper Midwest exclusive basketball coverage beginning with the upcoming 2023-24 season. As part of this multi-faceted partnership, every Timberwolves game will be available on the newly created Minnesota Timberwolves channel on the iHeartRadio app. The Timberwolves become the first NBA team with an exclusive streaming channel on the iHeartRadio platform. In addition, KFAN 100.3, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Sports Leader, will become the basketball organization?s new flagship radio station for select Timberwolves games and the majority of Lynx games. Regular appearances from coaches, players, and executives on all the KFAN 100.3 shows will round out the coverage. ?We are excited about this partnership and honored to be the broadcast and streaming home of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx,? said Kevin LeGrett, President of iHeartSports. ?We are thrilled to deliver innovative Timberwolves and Lynx coverage, programming and integrations to millions of their fans across the state and beyond!? ?The new broadcast partnership is the first-of-its-kind in Minnesota sports,? said Greg Alexander, Market President of iHeartMedia. ?With massive reach across the iHeartRadio platform and KFAN 100.3, we are thrilled to bring exclusive Timberwolves and Lynx basketball coverage to their loyal fan base.? ?This is an exciting time for our organization as we launch a multi-faceted distribution partnership with one of the largest media platforms in the country,? said Timberwolves and Lynx CEO Ethan Casson. ?Welcoming KFAN 100.3 as our new flagship radio station, creating a 24/7/365 Timberwolves streaming channel on iHeartRadio, and producing cross-promotional opportunities with the entire portfolio of local iHeartMedia stations will strategically grow our Timberwolves and Lynx fan base.? Keep up to date on all things Minnesota Timberwolves via the Wolves Radio Network featuring the voice of the Wolves, Alan Horton, and studio host, Cal Soderquist. Details of the Lynx radio, content and promotional plans featuring Lynx players, coaches and front office will be released ahead of the 2024 WNBA Season. more

From Radio Online: Former Sports KTCK-AM andamp; FM (The Ticket)/Dallas midday hosts Dam McDowell and Jake Kemp ("Hang Zone") have settled a lawsuit with Cumulus Media. Following their departure in July, the duo launched a Patreon-based podcast "The Dumb Zone" after they failed to More...

From Radio Online: iHeartMedia/Minneapolis signs a multi-year streaming and radio partnership with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx to bring fans throughout the upper Midwest basketball coverage beginning with the upcoming 2023-24 season. As part of the deal, every Timberwolves game will be available on More...

From Radio Online: iHeartMedia appoints Nancie Sullivan as Senior VP of Sales for the Phoenix region, effective immediately. She most recently served as the VP of Sales. She also served as the VP of Agency, Multi-Market partnerships and as Brand Manager of KESZ (99.9 KEZ) and KMXP (Mix 96.9). Sullivan began her More...

From Radio Insight: iHeartMedia has announced the promotion of Nancie Sullivan to SVP of Sales for the Phoenix Region. Sullivan has been with the company since 2013 serving first as an integrated marketing specialist and since 2016 as Vice President of Agency Partnerships and Total Traffic and Weather Network for the Arizona region. She also worked for the company from 1998 to 2009 as an account executive with a stint in-between at Bonneville Phoenix as a marketing specialist. iHeartMedia announced today that Nancie Sullivan has been named SVP of Sales for the Phoenix Region, effective immediately. iHeartMedia Phoenix has a strong cross-platform presence and includes a number of iconic brands and franchises ? both broadcast and digital ? encompassing more than eight stations comprised of music, talk and news formats. iHeartMedia has the leading consumer reach and influence across multiple platforms and delivers more live programming than any other media company. As SVPS, Nancie Sullivan will be responsible for driving client success, leading the sales management team, working closely with sellers and growing revenue in the Phoenix region. She will report to Linda Little, Region President for iHeartMedia Phoenix. ?I am thrilled to have Nancie step into this role and lead our Phoenix sales team to the next level,? said Linda Little, Region President for iHeartMedia Phoenix. ?I know Nancie will bring her passion, creativity and leadership talents to help us further grow our business and partnerships.? ?It?s rewarding in so many ways when you can promote from within,? said Scott Hopeck, Division President. ?I?m eager for Nancie to expand her influence to drive unprecedented client success that will ultimately take our business to new heights.? Nancie is promoted to SVP of Sales in the Phoenix Region where she most recently served as the VP of Sales. She also served as the VP of Agency, Multi-Market partnerships and as brand manager of 99.9 KEZ and Mix 96.9. She began her career on the advertising agency side of the business and is a graduate of Arizona State University. “It is truly an honor to be recognized and trusted by the company I have dedicated my time and efforts. I am thrilled to continue my journey within iHeartMedia, leveraging my deep understanding of the organization, its culture and its values to drive sales excellence,? said Nancie Sullivan. more

From Radio Insight: Red Apple Audio Networks has signed the Lou Dobbs Business Reports for exclusive network syndication and advertising sales. Dobbs, who is highly respected for his financial expertise, has a broadcasting career that spans more than 40 years, including 20 in radio. TheLou Dobbs Business Reports delivers two-minute reports twice a day, Monday through Friday. The morning report previews the upcoming market open, and the afternoon report is a market wrap-up. The features currently air on 77WABC in New York, with more stations to be announced soon. ?I?m excited about partnering with the Red Apple Audio Networks,? said Dobbs. ?Their contacts and reputation for customer service will increase our affiliate base across America.? ?Lou has a remarkable understanding of market trends and fluctuations,? said John Catsimatidis, Owner of Red Apple Media and Red Apple Audio Networks. ?He has the rare ability to be able to cut through the data and present insightful analysis in a concise manner. He?s a terrific addition to our line-up of big-name personalities.? Lou is the Dean of American business news broadcasting, and the Wall Street Journal called him the ?premier business news anchorman.? Lou has received numerous journalism awards, including the George Foster Peabody Award, Emmys, Business Luminary, and the Horatio Alger Distinguished Americans Award. Lou is also a best-selling author and has written eight books, most about the American political economy. He also hosts The Great America Show podcast. Red Apple Audio Networks syndicates several programs from*its the studios at flagship 77WABC NY, a steady top ratings leader. The talent and programs currently offered include The Cats Roundtable with John Catsimatidis, Cats & Cosby, The Larry Kudlow Show, The Larry Kudlow Riff (short form), The Rita Cosby Show, The Judge Jeanine Pirro Show, Jeanine Pirro Sounds Off (short form), The Greg Kelly Show, The Rudy Giuliani Show, Sundays with Sinatra with Joe Piscopo, The Other Side of Midnight with Frank Morano, and more. Red Apple Audio Networks? programming is available on a barter basis and distributed live by satellite via Skyview XDS, as well as dedicated FTP. To find out more about Red Audio Networks, stations may contact Glen Tacinelli, Vice President, Sales at Glen.Tacinelli@RedAppleAudioNetworks.com, 212-613-3835, or Jim Jones at* jim.jones@redappleaudionetworks.com. more

From Radio Insight: Mel Wheeler Inc. has appointed ‘Chris Ryan’ Anderson as Program Director of CHR “K92” WXLK Roanoke VA. Anderson most recently hosted mornings at Audacy Hot AC “FM 100” WMC-FM Memphis from 2018 until the station’s sign-off in June under the name ‘Ryan Anderson’. He previously has served as PD/morning host at “Y103” WSOY Decatur IL, programmed “Hot 97.5” KKCT Bismarck ND, “Hits 100.7” WWHX Bloomington IL, ?Hits 105.9? KZHZ Des Moines, and “Star 104” WRTS-FM Erie PA as ‘Chris Ryan’. He has also served as local Kidd Kraddick Morning Show producer for “Mix 96.5” KHMX Houston. He will also serve as acting Promotions Director for WXLK. Anderson succeeds ‘Kevin Scott’ McAllister, who has programmed WXLK since 2002. He also was afternoon host on “94.9 Star Country” WSLC-FM. more

From Radio Online: Red Apple Audio Networks signs the Lou Dobbs Business Reports for network syndication and advertising sales. Dobbs has a broadcasting career that spans more than 40 years, including 20 in radio. "The Lou Dobbs Business Reports" delivers two-minute reports twice a day, Monday through Friday. The More...

From Radio Online: Proposals for technical papers and panel sessions are now being accepted for the NAB Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology (BEIT) Conference, taking place April 13-16 at NAB Show in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Selected papers will be presented More...

From Radio Online: SiriusXM signs national sports radio personality Damon Amendolara to be the new morning host on its 24/7 all-sports channel, Mad Dog Sports Radio. Starting Monday, October 2, Amendolara will host "The D.A. Show with Babchik," alongside longtime SiriusXM personality Mike Babchik, every weekday More...

From Radio Insight: Seven Mountains Media has appointed Jeff Hunt as Program Director of Country “Bigfoot 96.7/97.3” WVPO Lehman Township/97.3 W247AE East Stroudsburg and Classic Country “Bigfoot Legends 107.7/101.7” WLGD Dallas/Wilkes-Barre and 590 WARM/101.7 W269CF Scranton PA starting October 23. Hunt moves from Seven Mountains’ “Bigfoot 102.1” WIFT Du Bois where he has served as PD, Production Director and afternoon host under the name ‘Jeff Hunter’ since June 2021. He has also held roles as MD/night host at 103.7 WXCY Havre de Grace MD, MD/afternoon host at “Big Froggy 101” WFGE State College, and on-air stints at “Froggy 101” WGGY and “JR 93.7” WSJR Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and “100.9 The Big Pig” WPGI and CHR “Wink 106” WNKI Elmira NY. Hunt fills the opening created by Becca Lynn’s move to mornings at iHeartMedia CHR “B104” WAEB-FM Allentown earlier this month. more

From Radio Online: Mel Wheeler Inc. appoints Chris Ryan Anderson as Program Director for CHR WXLK-FM (K92) in Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA. He'll also be the acting Promotions Director for K92. Anderson has programmed and/or worked in Bismarck, Des Moines, Bloomington, Erie, Decatur and Memphis. Anderson will begin in his More...

From Radio Online: AdLarge partners with Barometer to enforce brand suitability and safety guidelines across the AdLarge Podcast portfolio. Barometer is an AI company that provides brand suitability and contextual targeting offerings in the podcast space. The team has built an AI engine to analyze podcast content and More...

From Radio Online: Audacy has announced a new morning show for CBS Sports Radio. The current afternoon program "Maggie andamp; Perloff," with Maggie Gray and Andrew Perloff, will move to morning drive. The show will be heard on over 100 stations across the country, weekdays from More...

From Radio Insight: With Damon Amendolara jumping to SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio, Audacy has announced that Maggie Gray and Andrew Perloff will take over mornings on the CBS Sports Radio network. Gray and Perloff have been hosting afternoons from 3-6pm Eastern since January 2022. They will now move to the 6-10am timeslot starting October 2. Gray spent three years at Sports 660 WFAN/101.9 WFAN-FM New York co-hosting in afternoons and middays prior to moving to the national lineup. She previously co-hosted a Saturday morning show on CBS Sports Radio from 2013 to 2018. She also appears as an analyst for SportsNet New York’s Baseball Night in New York and has worked at Sports Illustrated, MLB.com, NBA TV and MSG Network. Perloff joined CBS Sports Radio after spending eleven years as a producer and co-host nicknamed ‘McLovin’ on the Dan Patrick Show and previous was a writer for Sports Illustrated and hosted weekends on NBC Sports Radio. Audacy has announced a new morning show for CBS Sports Radio. The current afternoon show ?Maggie & Perloff,? with Maggie Gray and Andrew Perloff, will move to morning drive. The show will be heard on over 100 stations across the country, weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET beginning October 2. ?Maggie and Perloff are going to be awesome in the morning,? said Spike Eskin, Sports Format Vice President, Audacy; Brand Manager, CBS Sports Radio and WFAN. ?The way the show has grown and evolved over the last couple of years is so exciting, and we’re really looking forward to bringing their special mix of opinions, interviews and fun to the morning.? ?We are so honored to be taking over this prestigious time slot,? said Gray. ?I truly believe the connection with listeners in the morning is the deepest. We?re excited to be part of their morning routine, and getting the day off to a great start!? Gray returned to CBS Sports Radio in 2021 after co-hosting a Saturday morning show from 2013 to 2018. From 2018 to 2021, she was a midday show co-host for WFAN 101.9 FM / 660 AM in New York. Gray is also an analyst for SNY, appearing on ?Baseball Night in New York.? Gray also previously spent eight years at Sports Illustrated, hosting the daily digital talk show ?SI NOW? on SI.com and reporting from nationwide marquee sports events. Before Sports Illustrated, Gray worked for MLB.com, NBA TV and MSG Network and was a production assistant for Westwood One for both the Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece and the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. ?One of the keys to our show is that we fundamentally disagree on major sports topics and still have fun,? said Perloff. ?Maggie and I have been friends since we were colleagues at Sports Illustrated and nothing is going to change that. Unless her Buffalo Bills beat my Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. Then she?s dead to me.? Perloff joined Audacy in 2022 after serving as an on-air personality for the television and radio sports talk program ?The Dan Patrick Show? since 2009. Known for his humor and ?Against the Grain? sports takes, Perloff ? nicknamed ?McLovin? on the show ? helped earn four sports Emmy nominations from 2017 to 2020. Before joining ?The Dan Patrick Show,? Perloff was an editor and contributing writer at Sports Illustrated and SI.com. He has also written magazine stories, books and television shows and co-hosted his own weekend show at NBC Sports Radio from 2016 to 2019. more

From Radio Insight: SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio has announced that Damon Amendolara will join the channel starting Monday, October 2 to host “The D.A. Show with Babchik” alongside Mike Babchik from 6-9am Eastern. Amendolara joins SiriusXM from CBS Sports Radio where he has been since its launch in January 2013. He started out on the network hosting overnights and then moved to 6-10pm in December 2014. Amendolara would then move to late mornings in April 2017 and took over morning drive at the start of 2020. Prior to joining CBS Sports Radio, Amendolara spent three years hosting nights at ?98.5 The Sports Hub? WBZ-FM Boston, two at 560 WQAM Miami, and four years in mornings at 610 KCSP Kansas City. He has also worked in Rochester NY and Fort Myers during his career. Mike Babchik has been with SiriusXM since 2008 and co-hosted its former “Morning Men” morning show with Evan Cohen from 2011 until Cohen’s move to ESPN Radio last month. SiriusXM announced today that it has signed popular national sports radio personality Damon Amendolara to be the new morning host on its exclusive 24/7 all-sports channel, Mad Dog Sports Radio. Starting Monday, October 2, Amendolara will host The D.A. Show with Babchik, alongside longtime SiriusXM personality Mike Babchik, every weekday morning from 6-9 am ET. Mad Dog Sports Radio is available to SiriusXM listeners nationwide in their cars (channel 82) and on the SiriusXM app here: https://siriusxm.us/maddogsportsradio. ?I?m absolutely thrilled to join SiriusXM and Mad Dog Sports Radio,? said Amendolara. ?This is such an incredibly talented team to be part of. I can’t wait for the ?D.A.-liens? and Mad Dog listeners to unite as I join Babs in the mornings. Let’s get the laughs and energy rolling!? ?D.A. is one of the brightest stars in sports radio today,? said Eric Spitz, SiriusXM?s Vice President of Sports Programming. ?He delivers a terrific blend of informative and thoughtful sports talk with creative, entertaining humor, which is what our listeners are looking for as they start their day. He and Babs will make a dynamic team as they lead off our programming each morning.? Since 2017, Amendolara has been the lead host of The D.A. Show, the morning show on the CBS Sports Radio Network, heard on over 150 radio stations across North America. Prior to CBS he hosted shows on local stations in Boston, Miami, Kansas City and Fort Myers, FL. He also served as the sideline reporter for Major League Soccer telecasts of the New England Revolution and he has been a contributor to the NFL Network, MLB Network, NFL Films, SNY and NBC Sports Boston. Mike Babchik has been with SiriusXM since 2008 and has been a co-host on the channel?s previous morning show, Morning Men, since 2011. The debut of The D.A. Show with Babchik follows the recent launch of another new show on Mad Dog Sports Radio ? Beadle & Decker, with Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker ? and is the latest addition to an all-star weekday lineup on the channel: 6 ? 9 am ET: The D.A. Show with Babchik with Damon Amendolara and Mike Babchik 9 ? noon ET: Schein on Sports with Adam Schein Noon ? 3 pm ET: Beadle & Decker with Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker 3 ? 6 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Christopher ?Mad Dog? Russo 6 ? 7 pm ET: Mad Dog Daily with Steve Torre 7 ? 10 pm ET: Mad Dog Sports Radio Tonight 10 pm ? 1 am ET: Night Cap with George Wrighster more

From Radio Insight: Liggett Communications News/Talk 1380 WPHM Port Huron MI has made a pair of weekday schedule revisions. WPHM will expand Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade Show to three hours as it expands the show to 10am to 1pm and cuts Radio America’s Chad Benson Show back to 1-3pm. Both shows were added to WPHM’s lineup in January of this year. At night, WPHM replaces Compass Media Networks’ Markley, Van Camp & Robbins in evenings with Fox Sports Radio’s ?The Odd Couple? hosted by Chris Broussard and Rob Parker from 7-10pm. News, Talk, and Sports 1380 WPHM is adding more programming from Fox Sports Radio. Chris Broussard and Rob Parker?s ?The Odd Couple? will be heard starting Monday, October 2nd, from 7 to 10pm. Parker is a veteran Detroit area journalist and Broussard is an NBA analyst from Cleveland. The new addition displaces The Markley, VanCamp, and Robbins Show. ?We look forward to bringing our listeners more live sports-talk weekday evenings,? said Program Director Caleb Gordon. ?Rob Parker?s ties to Detroit make the ?Odd Couple? a natural fit for our market.? WPHM has also expanded its affiliation with the Brian Kilmeade Show from Fox News-Talk. Initially heard weekdays from 10am to Noon, the show will now be extended by an hour effective immediately. A weekend version of Kilmeade?s show will also be added Sundays from 7 to 10pm starting October 8th. ?Brian Kilmeade?s show has been very timely and topical, especially as we approach next year?s election? said Gordon. ?We?re happy to be a part of making his program the fastest growing radio show in the country!? more

From Radio Insight: Pamal Broadcasting CHR “Fly 92.3” WFLY Troy/Albany NY is bringing in Seth Justice as midday host. Justice joins WFLY from MacDonald Broadcasting Country 98.1 WKCQ Saginaw MI where he spent the past year and a half as evening host before moving to afternoons in August. He has also spent three years as a weekend and fill-in host at NABCO Rock “99.7 The Blitz” WRKZ Columbus OH. Justice shared on Instagram, “Over the past 20 months I have been on air at @98fmkcq I’ve learned so much during my time here and I am so appreciative of the opportunities and platform I’ve been given! Thank Mr. McDonald, Jason, Cooper and every one for being so hospitable and patient with me it means the absolute world! With that I am so excited to announce that I will be moving to Albany, New York and starting October 9th I will be doing Mid days (10am-3pm) at @fly923!!!! I’m so honored by this privilege and I want to thank Ally Reid and Mr. Kevin Callahan for allowing me to come into their station to do what I love each and every single day! I promise I’ll work my tail off and make you proud!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Seth Justice (@justice_radio) more

From Radio Online: New York Public Radio, the parent of News/Talk WNYC-AM andamp; FM and Classical WQXR-FM, said Tuesday that it was planning to cut its work force by about 12 percent -- reports the New York Times. It has about 340 full-time and part-time employees. Staff More...

From Radio Insight: Cumulus Media and former “The Ticket” 1310 KTCK Dallas/96.7 KTCK-FM Flower Mound TX midday hosts Dan McDowell and Jake Kemp have announced they have mutually agreed to a resolution of their litigation against each other. The duo exited their 12-3pm “Hang Zone” show in July and immediately launched a Patreon based podcast “The Dumb Zone” after their contract renewal negotiations came to an end. Cumulus first filed a lawsuit against the duo on August 4 alleging that McDowell & Kemp?s podcast violated the terms of their noncompete agreements, taking over digital assets previously belonging to the station?s ?Hang Zone? brand for their show and repurposing them, and the show focuses on identical subject matter attracting the same audience as the station. Last Friday, United States District Judge Karen Gren Scholer denied a request from Cumulus that a temporary restraining order be issued against the duo to stop them from releasing podcasts until after the trial as Cumulus ?failed to ?clearly carry the burden of persuasion.'” The settlement comes a day after the Washington Post brought the story to national audiences noting that the potential trial could have served as major test of the National Labor Relations Board’s guidance issued in May that deemed “that the proffer, maintenance, and enforcement non-compete provisions in employment contracts and severance agreements violate the National Labor Relations Act except in limited circumstances.” Terms of the settlement were not released. McDowell had been in the midday slot at KTCK since 1999, first as co-host of ?BaD Radio? with Bob Sturm until 2020 and since then with Kemp. Kemp joined the station in 2009 as a producer and then rose to co-host when Sturm moved to afternoons in February 2020. Kemp has also hosted Dallas Cowboys pregame and Dallas Mavericks postgame shows for the station. more

From Radio Online: After 55 years in Buffalo radio, Tom Donahue will deliver his last morning show on Friday, September 29 on Oldies WECK-AM. Prior to WECK, his career includes a stop in Utica, but most of his broadcast career has been in Buffalo, NY with stints at WWKB-AM, WGR-AM, WYSL-AM, WKSE-FM, WNUC-FM, WHTT-FM More...

From Radio Insight: ‘Tom Donahue’ McCray will retire from mornings on Friday, September 29 on Radio One Buffalo Oldies “Big WECK” 1230 WECK Cheektowaga/Buffalo NY and translators 100.1 W261EB Lancaster, 100.5 W263DC Tonawanda, and 102.9 W275BB Cheektowaga. Donahue has been a staple in Buffalo radio since 1972 with stints at 550 WGR, 1520 WKBW, 98.5 WKSE, 104.1 WHTT, and 107.7 WNUC and WLKK along with WECK. He also spent 35 years as an Associate Professor in the Communication Department at Buffalo State University. WECK has not yet announced how it will replace Donahue in mornings. After 55 years in Buffalo radio, Tom Donahue will deliver his last morning show this Friday September 29th on the BIG WECK. Prior to WECK, Buffalo?s Oldies Station, Tom?s radio career includes a stop in Utica, but most of his broadcast career has been in Buffalo, NY with stints at KB Radio 1520, WGR 550, WYSL 1400, WKSE 98.5, WNUC 107.7, WHTT 104.1 and WLKK 107.7. Tom has been hosting the morning show at BIG WECK 1230am /102.9fm /100.1fm /100.5 fm for the past 15 years. Tom?s roles have varied from an on-air personality to news anchor, program director and production director. Tom was also the sole host of the rating giant ?Original Saturday Night All-Request Oldies Show ?on WKBW radio from 1981-1986. While Tom as at WGR on August 16th, 1977, he received a call from Memphis DJ George Klein and one of Elvis? best friends discussing the passing of Elvis Presley who had died hours earlier. The phone was then passed to Elvis? father Vernon for a few brief comments. Recalling that day, Tom says? Everyone was in shock, the King had passed.? In addition to his broadcast roles, Tom served as an Associate Professor in the Communication Department at Buffalo State University for over 35 years, where he propelled many of his students in creating their own broadcast careers. Pros like Tom Calderone, Dave McKinley, Claudine Ewing, Dan Rinelli, Susan Rose, Chris ?Bulldog? Parker, Howard Simon along with many others. Big WECK owner Buddy Shula says ?Tom is a throwback to when broadcasters would do anything and everything just to be in the business of broadcasting. That is not a learned skill. It?s in your DNA. Either you have it, or you don?t. Tom always has. He is a statesman for the radio industry, hard-working, professional, and always a gentleman.? Shula continued. WECK Program Director John ?JP? Piccillo mentions ?Tom is one of the Buffalo legends I listened to in my teenage years. Fifty years later, it?s a privilege to call him a colleague and a friend. He will always be a member of our BIG WECK family. Friday morning will be very bittersweet at WECK? ?The one thing I stressed as a professor in all my years of teaching is ?passion?. It is a business that will ?eat you alive? if you do not possess that trait? says Donahue. ?Students always appreciated that I was practicing what I was preaching. I was always in the industry while I was a communications professor, and my students could sense that you must love what you do.? ?Program Director Jeff Kaye hired me at WKBW in 1972 and Jeff had always said ?you have to respect the business of radio, because as a radio personality, you affect more people in one show than most people do in a lifetime? Donahue concluded. Tom looks forward to not having to wake up at 3am, which will give him more time to sleep in, and spend more time with his wife of 48 years Barbara, his two kids Kimberly and Robbie and his six grandchildren. A replacement for Tom Donahue?s morning show at Big WECK has not yet been announced. more