Journal Broadcast Group Acquiring Knoxville's WNOX-FM
Journal Broadcast Group has reached an agreement to purchase "News Talk 100.3" WNOX-FM, Knoxville, from John Pirkle's Oak Ridge FM. Journal CEO Steven Smith says, "This is a great opportunity for us to add to our Knoxville cluster. Knoxville is a strong market for Journal with an exceptional team. The addition of WNOX will help us expand our reach to listeners and customers in this community." WNOX-FM was leased to Citadel Broadcasting until 2010, when Citadel's bankruptcy led to Pirkle taking the station back and programming it himself. WNOX-FM will join a Journal cluster that includes Country "Q93" WCYQ-FM, CHR-Top40 "Star 102.1" WWSR-FM, and Urban "Hot 104.5" WKHT-FM.
Fresno's 'Power Talk' Set to Launch
Clear Channel Fresno will flip Hot AC "Alice 96.7" KALZ-FM and "Fox Sports Radio 1400" KRZR-AM to "Power Talk" with the slogan "The Valley's Next Generation of News Talk" January 1. Jay Bohannon is appointed Program Director for the new News Talk format, which we're told will feature mostly syndicated weeekday programming. Shows will include Glenn Beck (6-9am), Rush Limbaugh (9am-noon), Sean Hannity (noon-3pm), Bill Manders (3-6pm), Andy Dean (6-9pm), Jerry Doyle (9pm-12midnight) and "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory" (12midnight-6am). We previously reported that "Power Talk" was coming, but now we have the official announcement. "We are excited to offer a contemporary and entertaining presentation of News Talk that will transform the Fresno radio landscape," says VP/Regional Market Manager Jeff Negrete. "Power Talk will be a game changer for the Fresno market." Regional Programming Manager Tony Banks adds, "We have assembled top-notch talent behind the mic and behind the scenes with PD Jay Bohannon, who is one of the premiere News Talk programmers in the country. He has a proven track record of winning in every market he has led." And says Bohannon, "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to establish Fresno's new News Talk radio station. Launching Power Talk with such inspirational leaders like Jeff Negrete and Tony Banks makes this endeavor even more exciting."
Arbitron Under Nielsen to Measure Pandora Listenership?
It appears that Nielsen's acquisition of Arbitron will result in Pandora receiving ratings side-by-side with traditional radio. Nielsen's President of Global Media Products Steve Hasker says, "We want to cover as much of the media landscape as possible and be helpful to our clients in that way." To date, Pandora hasn't been an Arbitron client, but Nielsen is indicating that will likely change, despite the concerns of terrestrial radio. During this week's Nielsen-Arbitron conference call, incoming Arbitron CEO Sean Creamer said the marketplace is itself developing the definition of what "radio" is. "Arbitron's job is to measure radio no matter how radio is defined. We need to measure pure-plays. We never said we would not measure anyone."
Clear Channel Boston Debuts 'Evolution 101.7'
Clear Channel Boston launches "Evolution 101.7" -- its first broadcast Electronic Dance Music (EDM) station, replacing "101.7 The Harbor" WHBA-FM, Boston. The new format began Thursday evening (Dec. 20) with an hour-long, Boston-dedicated specialty program hosted by Pete Tong, the iconic British DJ behind BBC Radio 1's "Essential Mix" radio show. "Evolution 101.7" is a broadcast extension of the popular digital station "Evolution" on iHeartRadio. The station's programming will include "All Gone Pete Tong" 7-9pm featuring Pete's "Essential New Tune of the Week," as well as the hottest tracks from the global Top 100 chart on Beatport.com. The show will join a lineup of shows hosted by a rotation of popular and up-and-coming DJs including Diplo, Wolfgang Gartner, Fatboy Slim, Dim Mak, Yung Skeeter, Manufactured Superstars, Paul van Dyk, Roger Sanchez, Congorock, Dillon Francis, Doorly and Nu Disco, among others. "We've seen the impact of EDM in Boston through music downloads, sold-out concerts and passion for iHeartRadio's new Evolution channel," says Clear Channel Boston VP of Programming Dylan Sprague. "We're proud to bring Evolution 101.7, the company's first EDM broadcast station, to Boston, and to team up with format-leading artists like Pete Tong."
AGM Albuquerque Names Suzy Rufail Market Manager
American General Media names Suzy Rufail as Market Manager for its seven-station cluster in Albuquerque and Santa Fe -- KABG-FM, KARS-FM, KAGM-FM, KDLW-FM, KHFM-FM, KKIM-AM and KLVO-FM. Rufail rejoined AGM as Director of Sales at the start of this year, and will take over her new role as Market Manager at the start of 2013. She previously was Local Sales Manager, then General Sales Manager, for Univision Radio Albuquerque, and has also been General Manager for Telemundo New Mexico. "We are very thrilled to make this announcement," says President Rogers Brandon. "Suzy is a long time AGM colleague who has had tremendous experience outside our company and brings a vast array of ideas and innovation to our company. But as an insider, she understands our company's culture as a family business and has worked tirelessly to bring our vision and mission of excellence for our listeners, customers and colleagues to our stations in this community."
Behind the Microphone: The Ins and Outs of Radio
Adam Jones is named evening host (6-11pm) at "98.5 The Sports Hub" WBZ-FM, Boston, starting January 2, replacing Damon Amendolara who has been named overnight host for the new CBS Sports Radio network. Jones returns to WBZ-FM from ESPN ... Scrap Jackson is out as Program Director at "105.5 The Beat" WBTT-FM, Naples/Fort Myers and CHR-Top40 "Y100" WZJZ-FM, Port Charlotte, Florida ... "Trapper Jack" Elliot and Jim "Infoman" McIntyre exit AC "Cleveland's New 102" WDOK-FM, after their contracts are not renewed. Co-host Jen Toohey, who segued from sister Hot AC WQAL-FM's morning show to join Trapper Jack and McIntyre on WDOK-FM, remains, solo hosting mornings for now ... Talk KMJ-AM, Fresno, California, is pairing John Broeske and Jennifer Lipp to co-host weekdays 9-11am, starting January 2. Lipp, who will continue to host 6-8am on KMJ-FM, will welcome Broeske, who spent 20 years at KMJ from 1987-2007, to a two-hour 6-8am AM-FM simulcast ... Country "US 99.5" WUSN-FM, Chicago reverses its earlier decision to part ways with midday host Trish Biondo and will now keep her in that position for another year. The station had planned to move Drew Walker to middays. He will remain in afternoons ... Country WEZL-FM, Charleston, South Carolina, promotes morning co-host Ric Rush to Assistant PD for the station. Rush also hosts afternoons on AC clustermate "Y102.5" WXLY-FM ... Traffic reporter Mark "General Gridlock" Hill exits Salt Lake City's "K-Bull 93" KBUL-FM, after 16 years. He will still be on Seattle and Denver stations.
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