WOR-AM, New York, under Clear Channel, continues revamping its programming, and now adds "John and Ken" -- John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, who are based at WOR-AM's new sister, KFI-AM, Los Angeles. The duo continues hosting 3-7pm PT in Los Angeles. Now they are also airing in evenings in New York, with an hour simulast with KFI-AM and an hour produced separately for WOR-AM. "John and Ken" are both natives of the New York area. They first became prominent at "NJ 101.5" WKXW-FM, Trenton, NJ, where they hosted a weekday afternoon talk show. They later moved to Los Angeles.
“Real Talk 1160″ WQRT-AM, Cincinnati, fired its local staff January 2, announced plans to go silent next week, and said the station will return to the air February 1 with a new format. Cincinnati.com reports WQRT-AM fired the staff "after Dean Miuccio finished his 'Cincinnality' morning show. Also gone are newsman T.C. Summers, and afternoon sports hosts Dennis 'Wildman' Walker (3-5pm) and Jeff Piecoro (5-7pm). They will be replaced by syndicated shows through Monday." The station will go off the air after the Notre Dame football game Monday night." When WQRT-AM returns to the air, it will begin a new format that might be announced before the station goes silent. Jon Yinger, owner of the Michigan-based Christian Broadcast System, which owns and operates the station, tells Cincinnati.com's John Klesewetter in an email, "We’ve decided to change directions with WQRT. Clearly, this was not the success that we thought it would be. Having given it a really good run, we’ve decided to pull the plug. The live programs are gone as of today. We are fulfilling our obligations through 1/7/12 (Notre Dame). I’ll let you know as soon as we have everything lined up for the format change."
Clear Channel announces a new Sports Talk format to air on WOKY-AM, Milwaukee, as "The Big 920" -- replacing Classic Country "920 The Wolf" -- beginning January 7. The new Sports Talk station will feature local Wisconsin personalities along with national hosts from NBC Sports Radio and Fox Sports Radio. Wisconsin-based hosts will air in simulcasts with "The Big 1070" WTSO-AM, Madison, Wisconsin. "The Big 920" will also air NFL Monday, Sunday and Thursday Night Football along with the playoffs and the Super Bowl; the NCAA Basketball Tournament in March and NASCAR Racing through the Motor Racing Network and the Performance Radio Network. "We are bringing sports fans in the Milwaukee and Southeastern Region of the State the best local sports talk in Wisconsin," says Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Regional Market Manager Jeff Tyler. "We developed the most popular sports talk package for Madison a decade ago and now we are bringing the same outstanding line-up to Milwaukee. We know that the sports fans want to talk Packers, Badgers, Brewers and Bucks, and we have the expert team that will talk with them."
Some are questioning if "Power 96.9" is the real new format at Boston's WTKK-FM – or just a stunt. Northeast Radio Watch posts at Facebook, "Could this be day 1 of a series of stunts?" suggesting the wording of Greater Media's news release could mean there might still be other stunts to come before an actual new format debuts. And apparently a number of others believe that might be what's happening, citing a variety of possible reasons in their follow-ups. Rich Petschke posts, "Explains why they didn't do a 'montage' before the launch" - and Alex Thomas Jirgens writes, "What is also weird is no production piece to launch it. Just a cheap legal ID. Also, I haven't seen any Facebook or Twitter accounts." Bob Nelson posts, "CBS apparently got the twitter acct for Power969. They tell people 'don't recognize these songs? Neither do we. Tune to Amp Radio'. Nothing yet on facebook that I can see--but the News Talk 969 FB account is gone." For now we're accepting the official word that "Power" is the new format.(But if that turns out to be wrong, at least we won't have been caught without reporting that it might have been a stunt.)
Former TV anchor turned radio talk host Larry Mendte has exited Merlin Media's News Talk "IQ 106.9" WWIQ-FM, Philadelphia. Mendte originally co-hosted the main local morning show at "IQ 106.9" -- but later when a new co-host was named for that show, was given his own one hour gab fest at the latter end of an expanded morning block which precedes a fully syndicated lineup. Mendte writes on his Facebook page, "As most of you know, I have not been on the air for the past week. I have been told that many of you have called the station asking where I am and I thank you for that. The truth is I am no longer working at IQ 106.9. It was not my choice and since my show was by far the highest rated local show I am certain this will fuel the industry rumors that the station is being sold. I hope that is not true as the station fills an important void." He adds, "I love talk radio and hope to be back soon so we can continue our conversation. And so I am leaving this page up when I will soon amend it with a new place and time." Lionel (Michael William Lebron) and Al Gardner, who hosted the show before Mendte's solo program, are now airing 5-9am. Mendte originally co-hosted a morning show with Gardner.
Less than six months after author and journalist Buzz Bissinger began hosting an afternoon show on "Talk Radio 1210" WPHT-AM, Philadelphia, he suddenly has exited the CBS Radio station. Bissinger says, "While I enjoyed doing talk radio, I had increasingly come to the conclusion that it is fundamentally trivial." He adds, "I missed my writing career" claiming he couldn't devote himself to two careers. Although both sides claim the split was amicable, there are reports from Philly of frequent profanity-laced tirades by Bissinger, both on and off the air. Several sources also report that on at least one occasion Bissinger was charged with "creating a hostile work environment" at WPHT-AM. Bissinger has not been heard on the station since right before Christmas, but it had been assumed he was just on a break for the holidays and would return after the first of the year. There's no immediate announcement of a permanent replacement. For now, Steve Martorano and Rich Zeoli have been covering the afternoon drive slot on an interim basis.
"The Dave Ramsey Show" is one program that will continue at New York's WOR-AM, now owned and operated by Clear Channel. While a number of shows have been ousted, Ramsey, we're told, will continue with a contract renewal. The syndicated show will remain in its current 2-4pm ET slot. Says Ramsey, "We're excited to continue being a part of the WOR team. We have a great relationship with WOR and their listeners." Last month we reported that Clear Channel had ousted local host and former New York State Governor David Patterson and Dr. Joy Browne, and dropped Cumulus-syndicated Mike Huckabee. There were also reports that off-air cutbacks, including those impacting the station's news department, had been made.
Veteran New York traffic reporter and radio personality Jeff McKay is now providing traffic reports for Cumulus New York City stations Talk WABC-AM and Hot AC WPLJ-FM. McKay, though, is not working for Cumulus. He's joined Radiate Media to provide the two stations with his "McKay Way" traffic reports. Most recently heard on Merlin Media's ill-fate "FM News 101.9" WEMP-FM, New York, he's previously aired on a number of stations in the Big Apple including WINS-AM. McKay at one time also was a traffic reporter for "NJ 101.5" WKXW-FM, Trenton. His trademark "McKay Way" traffic reports are now heard on WABC-AM's "Imus in the Morning" and on WPLJ-FM's "Scott and Todd" morning show.
"Go Country 105" KKGO-FM, Los Angeles, midday host Ryan Fox exits. “I want to sincerely thank Mr. Saul Levine, the Levine family, Tonya Campos and all of the other very talented pros I got the chance to work alongside, and learn from, these last two years," says Fox in announcing his decision to leave KKGO-FM. "Together we achieved excellence as one of the most listened to Country stations in the nation, and it was a pure joy to play a major role in something so successful.” Fox tells us he's looking for his next opportunity, and while he's most associated with the Country format, he also has on air experience in Hot AC and Christian formats. He joined KKGO-FM just under two years ago, originally for morning show host, arriving from Country "99.5 The Wolf" KPLX-FM, Dallas.
The U.S. Senate votes to approve the renomination of FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. She's the first African American woman and first South Carolinian to hold the position of FCC Commissioner. Clyburn first took the oath of office August 3, 2009. In June 2012, President Obama nominated her for a seond term. This will be her first full term, retroactive to July 1, 2012, when her first term technically expired. She's now approved for a full five-year term, after serving out the term of Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who left the FCC to join the Department of Agriculture. Says FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, "I am so pleased that the Senate has approved Commissioner Clyburn's renomination to the FCC. Commissioner Clyburn is an excellent and dedicated public servant and has been a strong advocate in seeking to extend the benefits of broadband to all Americans. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Commissioner Clyburn and congratulate her on her new term." Before joining the FCC, Clyburn served on the South Carolina Public Service Commission, and had chaired the Washington Action Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Previously, she published a weekly newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina.
"FM NewsTalk 97.1" KFTK-FM, St. Louis, 12noon-3pm host Dana Loesch is suing Breitbart.com in federal court over a contract dispute. "The Dana Show" host, who is also a columnist, is seeking at least $75,000 in damages and a declaration that her contract had expired upon her attempted termination of the deal this past September. Loesch claims in her lawsuit that Breitbart.com created an "increasingly hostile" work environment, and extended her agreement when she tried to end it and is preventing her from working anywhere else. Loesch says her relationship with Breitbart went "tragically awry," reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Emmis' KFTK-FM is not involved in the dispute or the lawsuit which is not related to her radio job.
News Updates - Jan. 1, 2013
Urban Oldies "Soul 730" KKDA-AM, Dallas (licensed to Grand Prairie, Texas), is gone -- as new owners take over the station under an LMA, and launch Korean programming. Service Broadcasting has sold the station to SKR Partners for $1.9 million. The sale is currently before the FCC. The KKDA website now displays a splash screen with the "Soul 730" logo and the message: "Effective January 1, 2013 Soul 730 KKDA is no longer broadcasting on the radio. The frequency has been sold to another company. We thank you for listening and for all of your support." A final line to the message notes, "This sale is final, and cannot be changed, but if you would still like to leave a comment, you can do so" and provides a phone number to Service Broadcasting, which still operates Urban "K104" KKDA-FM and Urban AC "Smooth R&B 105.7" KRNB-FM. The new owner of 730 AM, SKR (Scott Kim and Kimberly Roberts) has no other broadcast properties. KKDA-AM had aired R&B for over 40 years.
"ESPN 730 Boise" KINF-AM debuts, as the market's former ESPN affiliate drops that Sports Talk network to carry the new CBS Sports Radio network. Impact Radio Group’s KINF-AM previously simulcasted sister News Talk "Newsradio 99.1" KINF-FM. ESPN Radio lost its previous Boise affiliate as Cumulus Media's “The Ticket” KTIK-AM-FM announced plans to switch to the new CBS Sports Radio, which is being syndicated by Cumulus Media Networks. KINF-AM had already ended its News Talk simulcast and spent several days stunting prior to the January 1 launch of “ESPN 730 Boise.” Meanwhile, "Newsradio 99.1” (licensed to Mountain Home, Idaho) continues the News Talk format, which originally started on AM 730 with an FM simulcast added in August 2011.
Three Eagles Communications debuts "Radio for Baby Boomers" Classic Hits "Hippie Radio" on two of its stations. We first heard that "Hippie Radio 104.3" launched on KKSD-FM, Watertown, South Dakota, which flipped from Classic Rock “The Fox.” Before we could finish preparing a report, Lance Venta was reporting that was only one of two Three Eagles stations that went to the "Hippie" brand. The other is the new "Hippie Radio 105.9" KTLB-FM, Fort Dodge, Iowa, which had aired Christmas music, and then since Christmas a long loop that included Iron Butterfly's "In A Gadda Da Vida and David Bowie's "Changes." KTLB-FM previously was Classic Hits "105.9 The Beach." The Hippie Radio format plays a wide variety of music from 1964-1973.
En Familia Inc.has closed on its acquistion of Spanish Religious KIDR-AM, Phoenix, for $1.85 million. En Familia purchased the 740 AM station from Force Broadcasting. KIDR-AM is licensed for 1,000 watts daytime and 292 watts at night. Jody McCoy of Media Services Group's Colorado Springs office served as the transaction broker for both seller and buyer. Force Broadcasting still owns KLHC-AM, Bakersfield, California, with a Spanish Religious format.
No comments:
Post a Comment