|
'Radio Ad Buyers Will Be Able to Compare Pandora's Audience Side-By-Side with Broadcast Radio' Pandora Integration with STRATA & Mediaocean Media Buying Platforms 'Thousands of Radio Buyers Now Have Automatic Access to Pandora Audience Ratings' 
Pandora today announced that its audience data will appear in the three most popular media buying platforms, including STRATA and Mediaocean's Donovan and Mediabank stewardship systems. Radio buyers will be able to compare Pandora's audience data side-by-side with broadcast radio stations across the country. Says a news release from Pandora, "With more than $14 billion spent on U.S. spot radio advertising annually according to the RAB, advertisers will have a more complete representation of the radio industry that includes both broadcast and internet radio. STRATA and Mediaocean will import Triton Digital's Webcast Metrics Local (WCML) data into their software platforms, allowing radio buyers to view Pandora national and local audience ratings." Prior to the integrations, radio buyers using STRATA and Mediaocean systems were required to manually research Pandora audience ratings. Radio buyers now have an easy and efficient way to evaluate Pandora audience size and rankings to make informed decisions about their media mix.
Charlie Maxx Promoted to WJBR-FM/Wilmington Program Director 
Beasley Broadcasting promotes Charlie Maxx to Program Director of AC WJBR-FM, Wilmington, Delaware. She also continues as morning co-host as part of "John and Charlie in the Morning." The promotion to PD is effective immediately. She reports to VP/General Mamager Dan Sultzbach. Maxx re-joined Beasley as WJBR-FM morning show co-host last year. Says Sultzbach, "I am excited to see what Charlie will bring to the Program Director position at WJBR. She is our listener and she lives our listeners’ lifestyle. Charlie’s passion for success is second to none. Her unwillingness to settle for mediocrity and her leadership abilities will take an already great air staff to new heights." Maxx tells us, "I want to thank Bruce Beasley and Dan for giving me this opportunity. I've always been very passionate about radio, and getting back into the programming chair is exhilarating. WJBR has great history. I'm looking forward to being part of the team that takes its success into the future!" Maxx was previously at Beasley's "96.5 The Point" WPTP-FM, Philadelphia, from 2001-2003. She was recently at Philly's "B101" WBEB-FM. Maxx's resume also includes stops at stations in Baltimore, Washington DC; Atlantic City and Corpus Christi, Texas. Hank Aaron Appointed Boise 'Kissin 92.3' Program Director 
Cumulus Media appoints Hank Aaron as Program Director for Boise Country "Kissin 92.3" KIZN-FM and sister Country "97.9 Q" KQFC-FM. He will also host middays on KIZN-FM. Aaron, most recently at CBS Radio Country KMPS-FM, Seattle, has over 25 years experience in the Country format, including 15 as a program director. Says Cumulus Boise Market Manager Don Morin, "Hank is going to be a tremendous addition to our staff. His experience with the talent and the country format on a national level will give us the competitive edge to continue to dominate the country arena in Boise."
Reno's 'K-Bull 98.1' Names Derek Gunn Program Director 
Cumulus Country "K-Bull 98.1" KBUL-FM, Reno, Nevada, promotes Assistant PD/Music Director and midday host Derek Gunn to Program Director. Gunn has been serving as interim PD since Brad Hansen exited last summer to join Clear Channel in Northern Colorado. Cumulus Reno Market Manager Jennifer Odom tells us, “Derek is the force behind the Bull. He knows what it takes to be successful and win. He’s extremely hard working and dedicated to his team. I’m confident in Derek’s abilities and know he will continue to do a great job.” Lincoln's Country 'KX 96.9' Makes Big Changes 
Three Eagles Communications Country "KX 96.9" KZKX-FM, Lincoln, Nebraska, has ousted three on-air hosts, announced a new lineup, and relaunched as "New Country KX 96.9" featuring the younger-skewing new and current Country music from younger artists such as Jason Aldean, Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood. According to reports from the market, among those exiting are morning show co-hosts "Keith Allan" Cornelius, Mick "The Sidekick" Kovar and midday host Kelly Garrett. Morning show co-host Carol Turner moves to sister News Talk KFOR-AM, where she will work middays, replacing Jill St. James, who moves to the newsroom. "New country is the fastest-growing format in the country," says new Three Eagles Lincoln Operations Manager Rob Kelley, who also will host 3-7pm on the relaunched KZKX-FM. Kelley returns to the market from Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was a former OM under previous ownership from 2000-2003. "KX 96.9" Program Director James "JP" Kyhn moves from afternoons to mornings, where he will partner with newcomer Ally Morgan. Also new at the station for middays is Brian George, who previously worked at crosstown rival "Froggy 98" KFGE-FM as "Al G." All of the changes at KZKX-FM come a year after the station reunited Cornelius, Turner and Kovar on the morning show and rebranded as "Proud Country KX 96.9 FM" featuring songs from the 1990s along with today’s hits. Birmingham PD Ryan Haney Returns to WJOX-FM After Lawsuit Challenging Move to '97.3 The Zone' 
Birmingham Sports Talk Program Director Ryan Haney is back where he started. Haney, the former WJOX-FM PD who left that station six weeks ago to join crosstown rival "97.3 The Zone" WZNN-FM, returned to WJOX-FM Monday (March 4) following a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Cumulus Media's Citadel Broadcasting subsidiary. Haney, who had been with WJOX since 1998 and had been its PD since 2004, left the station on January 21, and started at "97.3 The Zone" a week later. However, after Citadel Broadcasting, the prior owner of WJOX, filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit, U.S. District Court Judge David Proctor on February 7 granted a temporary restraining order barring Haney from working for "97.3 The Zone" until more evidence could be heard in the case. A hearing had been scheduled for Monday but was delayed indefinitely by Proctor on Friday. "The two sides appear to have reached a settlement, but attorneys representing both Citadel and Haney declined to comment on a possible settlement," reports www.al.com. The breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Citadel claimed that Haney had a non-compete clause in his contract that prohibited him from working for another radio station in the Birmingham market for a year after leaving WJOX. Haney's last contract with Citadel ended December 31, 2010, according to court documents. But Citadel's lawsuit said that since that date, under the terms of the old contract, Haney had worked as an at-will employee and all obligations under that contract continued. Citadel is a subsidiary of Cumulus Media, which purchased Citadel and WJOX after Haney's contract expired. Haney left WJOX the same day sports talker Paul Finebaum's contract with the station expired. Finebaum, who had worked at WJOX for six years, has been off Birmingham radio since January 21. Cox Media Group, which owns "97.3 The Zone," has been aggressively pursuing Finebaum since that station came on the air in August 2011. Cumulus, the new owner of WJOX, has 90 days from the time Finebaum's contract expired to match any offer from a competing station, and Finebaum is not expected to make a move until those 90 days are up. Cumulus Appoints Steve Shaw SVP of National Sales 
Cumulus Media appoints former Katz Radio Group President Steve Shaw as SVP of Cumulus National Sales. Shaw will oversee national ad sales for Cumulus Media’s 525 owned-and-operated stations in 110 markets nationwide. "Having run Katz Radio for years, Steve is the natural choice for this position," says Cumulus EVP/Co-COO Jon Pinch. "He understands the national marketplace, has key relationships with buyers and sellers and is well known for high integrity and intense work ethic. Steve will work closely with our team of national sales managers, our partners at Katz, Mike Pallad, myself and other senior management at Cumulus." Says Shaw, "I am thrilled to be joining Cumulus Media. They operate some of the best brands in radio and I look forward to helping design and implement great solutions for our national advertising partners. Our combination of scale and quality programming will allow us to deliver great results that drive our customers’ businesses." At Katz Radio, Shaw doubled billings in five years as he grew the company’s share of national radio representation by 50 percent. Shaw most recently served as President of Cox Digital Solutions and founded digital rep firm Cox Cross Media. Jaysson Reno Joins KSAN-FM/San Franciso as GSM 
Veteran Bay Area GSM Jaysson Reno exits Clear Channel San Francisco to join Cumulus Media as General Sales Manager of crosstown Classic Rock "The Bone" KSAN-FM, the flagship station for the San Francisco 49ers. Reno will also fill the new role of Director of Strategic Partnerships for the six Cumulus San Francisco stations, "spearheading advertiser relationships across the platforms." Says Cumulus SVP Gary Pizzati, "Jaysson has a fabulous reputation in the Bay area! He's a solid performer and a great addition to our San Francisco management team." Pizzati, by the way, "plays a key role in over 40 Cumulus Markets, where he coaches and develops local managers and sales talent." RAB Bolsters Membership Group, Brooke Trissel Joins as SVP 
The RAB announces the appointment of Brooke Trissel as Senior Vice President, Membership, "as part of the Radio Advertising Bureau’s mission to serve its members." Trissel, who reports to RAB President and CEO Erica Farber, will partner with the RAB’s Membership team to enhance and communicate the organization’s core membership benefits to existing and new members. She will be based at RAB Dallas. “I’m thrilled for Brooke to join the RAB in this capacity where she brings her vast experience in radio broadcasting to super-serve our growing membership,” says Farber. "Brooke is the consummate radio executive who will work closely within the organization and our members to meet their needs in a changing radio and media landscape." Trissel, we're told, "has practically been in radio her entire life." She "cut her teeth as a young child at her family’s owned and operated Oklahoma-based Omni Media Group. She served in many roles within the company such as Sales Manager for KWOX-FM/KMZE-FM and Station Manager for KOMI-TV in Woodward, OK." Most recently, Trissel has been overseeing marketing and sales as the VP of News /Talk/Sports MediaOnline, with prior experience selling advertising and sponsorships at Radio and Records. Trissel also worked in affiliate sales with ABC Radio Networks in Dallas. “I’ve long been a fan of the RAB’s products and services and I’m excited to partner with Erica and the Membership team to share all the exciting enhancements taking place at the organization with our members,” says Trissel.
Dial Global Launching 'Engagement-Driven' 
Dial Global is launching SoundHound for Radio, a proprietary radio advertising platform developed in partnership with SoundHound Inc. The platform uses its audio recognition technology to connect Dial Global's listeners with exclusive branded mobile content. Integrated marketing campaigns utilizing SoundHound for Radio, we're told, "can now benefit from direct engagement with listeners and analytics previously unavailable to radio advertisers." Says Dial Global President Ken Williams, "Until now, radio has struggled to keep pace with the kind of measurable engagement offered by newer digital marketing platforms. Together with SoundHound, we have created a marketing solution that delivers trackable engagement between listeners and brands." Listeners served by Dial Global and its affiliate partners can access exclusive offers and branded audio, video and web content delivered on their mobile device through SoundHound. Early adopters of the system during beta testing included GEICO and Big Machine Label Group. "We are incredibly excited to announce the rollout of SoundHound for Radio with Dial Global," says SoundHound VP Katie McMahon. "Each month, tens of millions use SoundHound's instant music search and discovery capabilities to engage with and share what they hear on the radio. Now through this partnership, radio advertisers will have the unparalleled ability to directly engage consumers on the go through SoundHound's mobile app which has 130 million users around the world." SBS Says Lehman Suit Is 'Frivolous' 
Spanish Broadcasting System is fighting a lawsuit brought last month by investment firm Lehman Brothers Holdings that says SBS owes it millions of dollars in preferred stock dividends plus other unspecified damages. SBS calls Lehman’s allegations “frivolous and wholly without merit” and says it “intends to contest such allegations vigorously.” Lehman Brothers brought a suit in Delaware Chancery Court in Wilmington, claiming it was owed $29.36 million. SBS, in its response, claims it's “in full and complete compliance” with all the required payments to preferred shareholders dating back to 2009. It also suggests Lehman’s suit may be tied to a legal setback it suffered just one day before the lawsuit was filed. In that case, a judge handling Lehman’s bankruptcy proceedings, an unrelated legal matter, declined to throw out a claim brought by SBS seeking $50 million in damages. SBS sued Lehman after Lehman only lent SBS $15 million instead of the $25 million which had been pledged. No trial date has been set in that case. SBS is being represented by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in its defense against Lehman's suit. Katz Media Provides Strong Support for Broadcasters Foundation 
Katz Media Group, announcing results of its fourth annual membership drive to support the Broadcasters Foundation of America, reports that this year's contributions bring Katz's total support to nearly $140,000 since 2009. "We are extremely proud of our employees and their continued dedication to the Broadcasters Foundation and its worthy efforts," says Katz Radio Group President Mark Gray. "We look forward to this incredible opportunity each year as a chance for our company to come together and make a difference. And it's become even more meaningful for us now that our efforts help fund the Stu Olds Memorial Fund, in honor and memory of our former President and CEO." The Broadcasters Foundation provides support to improve the quality of life and maintain the personal dignity of men and women in the radio and television broadcast profession who find themselves in acute need. Many of the individuals assisted have lost their health insurance, suffered significant medical setbacks, or experienced devastation due to natural disasters that leave them with few options for even the most basic necessities. "Katz is a terrific corporate champion for the Foundation and we are very appreciative of the support and encouragement the company provides," says BFA President Jim Thompson. "With these contributions, we are able to continue our work of helping those in our industry who have fallen on hard times. And we continue to seek additional companies who want to partner with us to host employee membership drives. We urge all broadcasters to consider involvement as the individuals we assist aren't strangers–these are our former colleagues and bosses. We never know who might need our help down the road." USRN Signs with Universal Comedy Network 
United Stations Radio Networks (USRN) signs an agreement for both national ad sales and affiliate relations with the newly-launched Universal Comedy Network prep service. UCN was formed by Joel Graham to fill a void created when Dial Global shut down the American Comedy Network. Graham had been in charge of ACN. He's re-assembled the same core creative team for UCN. Says USRN President/COO Jim Higgins, "Our firm is a clear leader in supplying original and topical content to thousands of radio stations, and we've been admirers of the work that Joel and his team have done for years. We're thrilled to be able to work together now and to build upon something very successful and also help to expand into many more affiliated radio stations. This is a great fit for us both." Graham tells us, "After learning that I was not a candidate to become the new Pope, I immediately went to Plan B -- partnering with the pros at United Stations. Of course UCN is thrilled to work with a company that completely understands what we do and will be committed to growing our services. We're extremely stoked." Sports USA to Distribute Horse Racing Triple Crown 
Sports USA will offer national broadcast radio coverage of all three legs of Horse Racing's Triple Crown to its network of more than 400 affiliates. Sports USA is partnering with Mike Penna's Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) for the May 3 Kentucky Derby, the May 18 Preakness Stakes and the June 8 Belmont Stakes. Each two-hour broadcast will begin at 5pm ET and will feature the live call of each race from the track announcer along with live trackside reports. HRRN will produce the three broadcasts, while Sports USA will handle affiliate sales and distribution. "The Triple Crown races are an American tradition," says Sports USA President Bob Moore. "We are thrilled to partner with HRRN and distribute these events to our nationwide network." HRRN President Mike Penna tells us, "Sports USA is one of the most respected names in radio. Their relationship with a significant network of affiliates will increase the exposure of our broadcasts and allow an even greater number of sports fans to experience the pageantry of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes."
Behind the Microphone: The Ins and Outs of Radio  |
From Mark Harris Broadcast Consulting
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Tuesday's Radio & Media News - March 5, 2013
Aaron's experience includes Program Director at Dial Global Radio Networks in Seattle for the nationally syndicated "Lia Show" and "Danny Wright All Night' which collectively air on more than 200 radio stations. His experience also includes Director of Country Programming for Jones Radio Networks, overseeing all four Country formats. "I am thrilled to be working with a great group of radio pro's at both of these dominant stations in the Boise market," says Aaron. "I'm also honored to be working with Bob Raleigh, Jan Jeffries, Mike McVay and the entire Cumulus family."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment