Hot AC "K98" WRIK-FM, Paducah, Kentucky, flips to Adult Top 40 "Jelli 98.3" after ending its "All Christmas 98.3" programming. The station is now "playing today's best hit music" and using the Jelli platform in evenings. Jelli allows listeners to vote for or veto the songs that air via their computer or smartphone. Starting January 2, Reed and J.C. will air in mornings followed by Teresa Brown in middays (9am-2pm) and Jenna McKay in afternoons. Nights will be listener controlled via Jelli. "I think we are all very excited to debut the all new Jelli 98.3," says new morning co-host Reed Phillips. "Social media is exploding and with this product we’ll be able to tap into a generation of radio listeners who use Facebook and smartphone apps every single day. You can’t get more interactive than actually picking the music."
KOSY-FM, Salt Lake City (licensed to Spanish Fork, Utah), has flipped from AC to "Utah's New Classic Rock" as "Rock 106.5" ending more than three years as "Today's 106.5" -- which replaced the former longtime Soft AC run pronouncing KOSY as "cozy." Currently, "Rock 106.5" has no local hosts. Air talent listed on the station's new website are all "imported" via voicetracking -- from Rock "Q104.3" WXAQ-FM, New York: Jim Kerr, mornings; Maria Milito, middays; and Ken Dashow, afternoons. "On Air Whenever" (says the station) is Ron "Big Rig" Michaels from Rock "93.1 The Fox" WTFX-FM, Louisville.
Adult Variety Hits "95.5 Jack FM" KVOB-FM, Lindsborg, Kansas, has flipped to "95.5 The Rock" with a Mainstream Rock format. The station, owned by Rocking M Radio, serves the greater Salina, Kansas, area. Before "Jack" took over KVOB-FM, it aired a similar "Bob FM" format. KVOB-FM introduced its new "95.5 The Rock" format to non-listeners on a new Facebook page, where they also acknowledged some problems with the flip: "We had an issue with our music library when we switched... Jack was being stubborn and didn't want to quit playing his music so for a little bit we were playing both... The issue has been corrected so we can bring you true Rock on your new Rock station 95.5 The Rock."
CHR-Top40 "Star 105" WWWM-FM, Toledo, morning host "Andrew Z" Zepeda is out, along with his morning show team, including his wife Michelle. The firing comes only months after the station had signed Zepeda to a multi-year extension. Cumulus Toledo General Manager Matt Spaulding says in a published interview that while he's exploring a variety of options for a new morning show, they "haven't been looking." Says Spaulding, "This came on suddenly. This wasn't something planned for long in advance." While Spaulding declined to comment on exactly why Zepeda was fired, the termination came right after Zepeda was sentenced to 30 days in county jail and placed on five years probation for his conviction on charges related to a 2010 break-in he orchestrated at the pizzeria he had owned.
KOGO-FM, San Diego, launches Rhythmic AC Oldies "95.7 Kiss FM" billed as "The Rhythm of San Diego." KOGO-FM previously split from its simulcast with News Talk KOGO-AM, airing Christmas music until Wednesday morning (Dec. 26), when the new "Kiss" made its debut. MHBC News has learned that a change of call letters is also on the way -- to KUSS, completely separating from the KOGO identity. However. KUSS will not be completely new to 95.7 in San Diego. Those calls were previously used when the FM was "New Country 95.7" before becoming a simulcast partner for KOGO-AM. When "Kiss" launched, at 9:57am PT, the first song aired was Prince's "Kiss" -- followed by The Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing," Mariah Carey's "Fantasy," Al Green's "Let’s Stay Together," Diana Ross with "I'm Coming Out," and Madonna's "Holiday." There's been some debate over tagging the format. We originally called it Rhythmic AC, but clearly (so far) the music only consists of "Oldies." However, the selection being aired does not qualify as typical Rhythmic Oldies, and it definitely has songs which aren't "R&B Old School." For now, we have settled on a format description of "Rhythmic AC Oldies," although we'll glad change that if and when we get a news release on the new "95.7 Kiss FM" which includes their own choice of naming the format beyond "The Rhythm of San Diego." Regardless, the station is definitely targeting crosstown "Magic 92.5" XHRM-FM.
WARM-FM, York, Pennsylvania, has officially returned to its former AC "Warm 103" identity. We previously reported that the station would "Warm"-up after its stint as "Central Pennsylvania's Christmas Station." That stint ended its time as Hot AC "Wink 103" in a simulcast with "Wink 104" WNNK-FM, Harrisburg. Now, it's "Warm 103.3" featuring "Today's Hits and Yesterday's Favorites." In a currently cold section of the U.S., WARM-FM also "Warm"s up a new website at www.Warm1033.com.
Louisville's former "FM Talk 105.1" WLRS-FM is now AC "Easy Rock 105.1" with the new identity and format being unveiled following seven weeks of All Christmas music as "Christmas 105.1" -- marking the end of the former Talk format, which had been running since July 2009. "FM Talk 105.1" never became a ratings success, struggling against two other market stations with similar formats. WLRS-FM, licensed to Shepherdsville, Kentucky, previously aired an Active Rock format as "Everything That Rocks" until it flipped to FM Talk. Prior to the Active Rock format, the station aired Alternative Rock as "New Rock 105.1" ditching Contemporary Christian with the call letters WXLN-FM.
The Radio One Board of Directors Compensation Committee has awarded CFO Peter Thompson and Chief Administrative Officer Linda Vilardo cash bonuses of $250,000 each, according to an SEC filing. Bonuses for CEO Alfred Liggins and Radio One founder Cathy Hughes are to be determined at a later date. The SEC Form 8-K reads: "On December 19, 2012, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Radio One, Inc. (the "Company" or "Radio One") awarded cash bonuses to certain of its named executive officers. The bonuses payable to Peter D. Thompson, Chief Financial Officer, and Linda J. Vilardo, Chief Administrative Officer, were determined in the discretion of the Compensation Committee. Each of Mr. Thompson and Mrs. Vilardo were awarded a cash bonus in the amount of $250,000.00. The Compensation Committee did not make determinations as to bonus compensation for Alfred C. Liggins, III, Chief Executive Officer, or Catherine L. Hughes, Founder, and resolved that such amounts would be determined at a later date." The filing is signed by Thompson.
Entercom Communications, in early 2012, petitioned the FCC for online posting of contest rules, moving away from a 1976 rule that requires radio stations to make periodic on-air announcements about contest rules. Entercom's Petition for Rulemaking noted that "Americans expect to instantly access information at their fingertips by merely logging on to a website, conducting a Google search, or using an app on their smart phone." Now, in a new filing, the NAB backs Entercom's request. "The Commission should revisit the Contest Rule and consider making adjustments to better serve the public by recognizing that there are now better ways to communicate detailed contest information and removing from the rules the requirement of counterproductive undesirable program content," says the NAB petition. The original Entercom filing is available from the FCC here. The new NAB filing is available here.
There are two updates to our December 20 report that Journal Broadcast Group has reached an agreement to purchase "News Talk 100.3" WNOX-FM, Knoxville, from John Pirkle's Oak Ridge FM. The filing for the license transfer has now reached the FCC, and we learn that Journal will pay $6 million for WNOX-FM. The deal, however, is being challenged by M&M Broadcasting, which claims it had a deal to buy WNOX-FM. M&M Broadcasting, the owner of crosstown Country "96.7 Merle FM" WMYL-FM, licensed to Halls Crossroads, Tennessee, has filed a lawsuit against Pirkle's Oak Ridge FM. M&M claims its deal to purchase WNOX-FM was all but final "when the current buyer Journal Broadcasting involved themselves in the deal." M&M notes in a statement that "With 100.3 or without it. We are still the last top ranked local radio group left in Knoxville." In addition to WMYL-FM, M&M operates WYSH-AM-FM and WGAP-AM in the Knoxville market.
Boston's 'News Talk 96.9' Set to Flip Formats?
"News Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM" WOWO-AM-FM, Fort Wayne, Indiana, has promoted Kayla Blakeslee to News Director. She joined the station in July 2011, and has held various roles in the WOWO news department and for sister stations. Program Director Ryan Wrecker tells us, "Kayla has emerged as an afternoon leader by generating stories, anchoring newscasts and managing traffic for our television partners. Her dedication to the station and community, and as a respected member of the Fort Wayne community, has already created a solid working foundation on which to build." Says Blakeslee, "I'm honored to work with such a legendary station and team. Fort Wayne is a great town and I'm looking forward to serving my community in this new role. I’m also looking forward to being around for a while and building new relationships with community leaders."
San Francisco's '95.7 The Game' Teaming with ESPN Radio
From Mark Harris Broadcast Consulting
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
News Updates - Dec. 26-27, 2012
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