Weekend Update

North Carolina High Country 'Highway 106.1' Gets Simulcast Partner Hot AC "Mix 102.3" is out at WECR-FM, Beech Mountain, North Carolina, as Curtis Media Group's High Country Radio flips the station to a simulcast of Country "Highway 106.1" WMMY-FM, Jefferson. Says the company in a news release, "High Country Radio has announced simultaneous moves within the six-station radio group that serves the High Country of North Carolina. With the first move, country powerhouse Highway 106 adds a second frequency, 102.3 WECR-FM. The Highway 106 and 102.3 simulcast will serve all of the High Country with local programming. With 102.3, the counties of Avery (NC), Mitchell (NC), Carter (TN), and Johnson (TN) are added, bringing in an additional 100,000+ population under the Highway 106 & 102.3 coverage area." Market Manager Robin Wohlbruck tells us, "With our new superstation, if you will, the western part of the High Country and eastern Tennessee will now get a clear country signal. Country is the hottest format in the nation, and we now cover all of the High Country with Highway 106 & 102.3. It’s great for country fans and 30% more population covered for our Highway customers.” The Highway team features "Joel Gillie in the Morning," the "Short Order Lunch with Ashley Wilson" middays; and Tommy Culver, afternoons. With the second move, 100.7 shifts from Oldies to "Classic Hits 100.7" says Wohlbruck. "Classic Hits 100.7 is a fun station. When you turn it on, you’ll get a recognizable hit every time.” Market veterans Tom Lanier and Andy Glass make the move covering mornings and afternoons, respectively. "The music is terrific, but Tom and Andy are what give the station such local appeal. These guys are the High Country”, says Wohlbruck. High Country Radio also includes WATA-AM, WXIT-AM, and WECR-AM. TuneIn Offering MRN's NASCAR Coverage TuneIn has announced that its "more than 40 million listeners can hear live coverage of NASCAR Speedweeks programming through a partnership with the Motor Racing Network (MRN)." Says a news release, "When away from their local radio affiliate, fans everywhere can keep up with MRN’s NASCAR coverage through the TuneIn mobile app on smart phones and tablets, and at the newly redesigned TuneIn.com … all free of charge." TuneIn VP of Programming Kevin Straley tells us, “TuneIn lets people listen to the world’s radio, which in this case includes the ‘Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing.’ Thanks to our alliance with MRN, NASCAR fans can enjoy all the play-by-play and analysis of Speedweeks whether they’re home, at work or on the go.” TuneIn, we're told, will offer daily programming from MRN, including the NextEra Energy Resources 250 Camping World Truck Series race and the DRIVE4COPD 300 Nationwide Series event. Those follow the February 24 season-opening Daytona 500 offered by the streaming service. “By offering MRN’s racing coverage on TuneIn, we’re able to connect our passionate NASCAR fans to the racing moments that mean the most to them, when they’re away from their local MRN station’s coverage area,” says MRN President and Executive Producer David Hyatt. “In TuneIn, we see a partner that can provide an excellent listening experience for the sport’s growing fan base.” Minneapolis' WCCO-AM to Serve Foodie's 'Off The Menu' Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl Food Show Set for Weekend Debut CBS Radio's News Talk "Newsradio 830" WCCO-AM, Minneapolis, tells us that Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl will bring her food writing talents to their line-up, with a one-hour "Off The Menu" show to air Saturdays at 11am, beginning March 2. Grumdahl, a senior editor at Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, has been a major voice in Twin Cities food since her work as City Pages restaurant critic from 1997-2008, launched her to national prominence with a string of James Beard Awards, the highest award of the food world. "WCCO has a long and rich history of food and nutrition, from the recipe shows and farm reports of the past to the latest dining trends and nutritional information of today," says WCCO-AM Program Director Bob Shomper. "Dara is the Twin Cities' premier expert on food. She will bring WCCO's tradition of nutritional information to new heights, on all platforms, on-air, online and on mobile devices. We are thrilled to have her on the WCCO team." Grumdahl adds, "There's nothing I care about more than helping people live better through food. Whether it's getting to know a local farmer, finding out about goings-on at the top local restaurants, or hearing about a fun, fast way to use an in-season ingredient, food news can connect everyday people with greater joy and better health. There's nowhere better to showcase this food news than WCCO, with their tradition of being a good neighbor. Now I'm going to be a good neighbor with a hot dish in hand!" NPR Labs to Pilot Project of Radio Emergency Alerts for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People NPR Labs has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to demonstrate the delivery of emergency alerts to people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing in the Gulf Coast states through local public radio stations and the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS). According to a news release, "This is the first effort to deliver real-time accessibility-targeted emergency messages, such as weather alerts, via radio broadcast texts. The pilot system is intended to demonstrate that all individuals, including those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, can rely on battery-powered radios to stay informed in emergencies when electricity, Internet and other communications channels are unavailable." NPR Labs, the technology research and development group of NPR, will work with DHS and FEMA to identify 25 public radio outlets in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas to participate in the pilot. The distribution network of the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) will be used to test the effectiveness of the message delivery system. The Gulf region was chosen because it is frequently subjected to extreme and sudden weather conditions. Once proven, the system could be rolled out nationwide on the public radio stations served by the PRSS, which reach 95% of the U.S. population. "As we work to promote disaster preparedness and awareness, it is important we remember to equip every member of our communities," says Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS). "This valuable partnership with Mississippi's local public radio stations promises to expand the reach of our disaster alert systems, and I can think of no better place to conduct this trial than the Gulf Coast." In the demonstration project, FEMA will transmit emergency alert messages to the PRSS using the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). The PRSS network operations center will re-transmit the warning via the Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) on the participating 25 public radio stations on a dedicated digital alerting channel. The stations will broadcast the emergency alert to receivers capable of displaying text messages. Deaf or hard-of-hearing project volunteers will be alerted to the message by a flashing indicator on their radios or a bed-shaker triggered by their radios, to ensure the message is received day and night. NPR Labs plans to identify 500 individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing in the listening areas of the 25 participating stations. The volunteers will be surveyed periodically to determine the efficacy of the warnings.