Syndicated 'Bobby Bones Show' Changing to Country

The syndicated morning "Bobby Bones Show" -- currently based at Clear Channel "96.9 Kiss FM" KHFI-FM, Austin -- will shift from a CHR-Top40 show to a Country show, moving to a new home base in Nashville. Bones made the announcement on Monday morning's program. The announcement was simulcast on sister Country stations KASE-FM and KVET-FM, Austin. The show is set to end at "96.9 Kiss FM" and other CHR-Top40 stations at the end of this week. Premiere Networks will syndicate the new show on Country radio stations nationwide. It will debut on "The Big 98" WSIX-FM, Nashville, February 18 in mornings. Bones, along with co-hosts Lunchbox and Amy, will relocate to Nashville. Beginning February 25, "The Bobby Bones Show" will launch nationwide on Country stations: KSD-FM, St. Louis; KTGX-FM, Tulsa; KASE-FM, Austin; WCKT-FM, Ft. Myers; KYKR-FM, Beaumont, Texas; WTXT-FM, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and WOBB-FM, Albany, Georgia. More stations will be added. The program will also be heard on iHeartRadio.com and the iHeartRadio mobile app. "Bobby has always had a strong interest in Country and with the success of his show in the CHR format, we have no doubt the program will resonate with this new audience and see much continued growth and success," says Premiere Networks EVP of Entertainment Programming Jennifer Leimgruber. "Bobby is a tremendous talent. His fun, natural and engaging approach to morning radio and passion for Country music will be great for the format and for listeners nationwide." Also, "Country Top 30 with Bobby Bones," a new four-hour weekend Country music program, will launch nationwide the weekend of March 2 and 3. "Each week, Bones, Lunchbox and Amy will showcase the top Country songs, in addition to sharing their conversations with the artists," says Premiere's announcement. Originating from Nashville, the show will be available for airing Saturdays or Sundays between 6am and midnight local time. Says Bones, "When we created The Bobby Bones Show back in 2002, we wanted to give listeners a fun, real and entertaining morning show. More than 10 years later, that's what continues to drive us every day. Moving to a Country format is an amazing opportunity to expand our program to a new audience and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the connection between the artists, music and fans that makes the Country music industry so unique. Nashville, here we come!"

Mark Kassof: 'Call In To Win. Or…'

'Listeners More Likely to Enter Contests Online'
Mark Kassof and Company, releasing more data from their radio contest impact survey, says: "One surprising finding of our recent online research on contests is that a majority (65%) of 18-64 radio listeners have tried to win one…at least once. But only two percent actually tried on the day they took our survey. Fortunately, our research uncovered a powerful way to boost participation." Mark Kassof says they asked listeners how likely they would be to participate given various means of entry -- from "not at all likely" to "very." The responses "Via a station's Website and " By email" top the list, 45% and 40% respectively. When asked "How likely would you be to participate in a radio station contest if you could enter?", 59% answered "Very Likely" via Website, with the same percentage "Very Likely" via email. Some 39% responded "Very Likely" by text message, 38% were "Very Likely" by phone, with 26% "Very Likely" on a smartphone app and 23% "Very Likely" through regular mail. Kassof writes, "Do I think 59 percent really are very likely to enter using email??? No! Respondents usually over-emphasize what they might do in a hypothetical situation. It’s easier to click off on 'very likely' to email than it is to actually send the email. (And these are internet respondents, so it makes sense they’d be more web-oriented than average.) But even given these caveats, what counts here is the big numbers for web and email entry and their big margin over other means. It makes sense. After all, it’s almost as easy to enter a station site or send email as click on 'very likely.' (And it’s a whole lot easier and less time-consuming than trying to be the 100th caller)!" When Kassof asked listeners who have never tried to win a contest, 45 percent said they would be "Very Likely" to enter via Web site, with 40 percent "Very Likely" to use email. Additionally, 25 percent were "Very Likely" via text message and 19 percent on a smartphone app. Just 18 percent were "Very Likely" to use the phone, with only 16 percent using the mail. Kassof concludes: "The bottom line is that broadening contest entry methods to include the internet has significant potential for expanding the pool of potential participants, even reaching listeners who have never entered a contest before. It’s all good! The only 'bad' is that way to many stations are overlooking the upside of online contest entry as another way to interact with listeners."

Marc Rivieccio Named Clear Channel New York Director of Marketing

Marc Rivieccio is promoted to Director of Marketing for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment New York. In his new role, he will oversee all marketing and promotions for Clear Channel's six New York stations, and "will manage the planning and execution of all major station events including Z100’s Jingle Ball, KTUphoria and 106.7 Lite fm’s Broadway in Bryant Park." CCME tells us that Rivieccio will also "lead the New York cluster’s marketing and promotions team and work closely with the sales department to coordinate third party opportunities to drive sales." Rivieccio has been with Clear Channel New York since 1999 when he started as an intern at WKTU. Since then he has worked his way up holding a variety of positions - most recently Director of Promotions for all of Clear Channel New York’s events. Rivieccio has led the operations for the iHeartRadio Theater presented by P.C. Richard and Son since its grand opening in 2009 and has been a key member of the planning and on-site execution team for the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. Rivieccio will report to CCME New York VP of Programming Thea Mitchum.

Townsquare Expands Marketron Services Company Wide

Marketron announces an expanded, multi-year and multi-million dollar agreement with Townsquare Media to deploy Marketron software and services across the company's entire business. "Marketron's open platform delivers on Townsquare's goal to improve efficiencies and increase the revenue potential of all our stations," says Townsquare Media EVP/CFO Stu Rosenstein. "By optimizing the backend of our business with Marketron, we will be better able to utilize data-driven business intelligence to run a smarter and more efficient organization." Townsquare will deploy Marketron's software and services across the company's entire business, covering billings, orders, traffic, business intelligence (via Marketron's Insight reporting product) and future services. Townsquare currently owns 243 stations across 51 U.S. media markets, and Marketron will be responsible for handling all data management for the current stations, as well as future stations acquired by Townsquare. Marketron President and CEO Jeff Haley tells us, "We are very proud to add Townsquare's 243 stations to our fast growing list of customers who are utilizing our expanded suite of services. Townsquare's increased investment in Marketron is a strong confirmation our commitment to leadership and innovation in the business software and solutions space for the media industry."

News Briefs

Michael Herring has joined Pandora as Chief Financial Officer. Previously, he was VP of Operations at Adobe Systems. Herring also served as an EVP of Omniture, and was their CFO for five years. Pandora President and CEO Joe Kennedy says, "Mike's background is ideal for Pandora. He brings many years of executive-level leadership building global technology businesses from inception to sustainable long-term profitability and revenue growth. We're delighted to have him on our management team and look forward to his contributions to Pandora as we define the future of radio." Says Herring, "Pandora has experienced tremendous user adoption, market share and revenue growth while leading the charge to disrupt and redefine traditional broadcast radio. Pandora has one of the most popular mobile applications in the world, and I'm excited to work with a company that's at the forefront of the mobile content explosion, from consumer usage to monetization."

Matt Spatz is named Program Director of Classic Rock "Y103" WYFM-FM, Youngstown. It's a return to the Cumulus Media Youngstown cluster for Spatz, who previously was PD at clustermate "Rock 104" WWIZ-FM in 2005-06. Says Spatz, "Not only because of its sustained rating history, but because of what it means to the community, WYFM is, without question, one of the elite Classic Rock stations in America. And with prime opportunities at a premium now more than ever, I am blessed to be extended the opportunity to program the legendary Y103."

Greater Media appoints Patti Taylor as General Sales Manager for Classic Rock WCSX-FM, Detroit. Taylor previously worked for the past 13 years at crosstown CBS Radio Country WYCD-FM, with the last six as Local Sales Manager. "Patti exemplifies the leadership and professionalism that will help Greater Media reach it's future goals," says Greater Media Detroit Director of Sales Steve Chessare.

Greater Media's "97.5 The Fanatic" WPEN-FM, Philadelphia, begins a new weekday lineup, with current hosts Jon Marks and Sean Brace now hosting their own show from 12noon-2pm, and current host and NFL analyst Brian Baldinger hosting with Joe DeCamara, from 6-7pm. According to the station, "Jon Marks and Sean Brace’s on air chemistry has been on display every Saturday morning for the past two years. The two young and up-and-coming sports talk hosts have created a fun and irreverent show that the Fanatic Philadelphia fans enjoy. Marks most recently co-hosted with Tony Bruno and Brian Baldinger. Sean Brace, as Jon did before him, also produced the Mike Missanelli Show for the past year."

Former Clear Channel Operations Manager/Program Director Alan Eisenson joins Media Management Group, based in New York City, as EVP of Business Development. In his new position, Eisenson "will enable MMG to expand its range of services, including performance and tactical support, and maximizing client audience growth across all platforms," says an announcement. "I have known Alan for over twelve years, since he was Program Director at WEVD here in NYC," says MMG President and CEO Jeff Schwartz. "He is one of the most talented programmers and talent managers in the business, and will enable us to offer additional value to our current and prospective clients." Eisenson says he's "excited about joining the team at MMG." He adds, "They are so unique in the creative and business services they offer their clients, and I look forward to being able to stretch my creative muscles on behalf of their terrific talent roster as well as future clients."

The Mentoring & Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) Group has extended the deadline for applications for the 2013 Mildred Carter Mentoring Program to February 14. This is the 12th year of the mentoring program, which matches up-and-coming women in the radio industry with female professionals who are leaders in all aspects of radio. A total of three candidates from the radio broadcasting industry will be selected for the 2013 program. For mentee criteria and instructions on how to apply, go to www.RadioMIW.com.