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Beata Czechowski Named Los Angeles KIIS-FM APD/MD 
Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Los Angeles appoints music industry veteran Beata Czechowski as Assistant PD and Music Director of CHR-Top40 KIIS-FM, effective July 8. Czechowski will report to CCME SVP of Programming and KIIS-FM Program Director John Ivey. "I've had some great Music Directors in my career, but I am exhilarated for this new change at KIIS," says Ivey. "Beata is the perfect complement for me given her history and connections with both sides of the industry. We are so happy to welcome her to the KIIS and Clear Channel family. She has much to offer the company and can't wait to get her started." Czechowski began her music biz career in June 1999 at WLLD in Tampa as an Intern in the programming department. Working through the ranks, her tenure at the station included roles as the Programming Assistant, Music Director and Assistant PD. In November 2006, Czechowski joined Jive Records (currently RCA Records) as National Director of Rhythm/Crossover Promotions in Los Angeles. In addition to her Director duties, she also had a special focus with Top 40 stations in the Southern California, Las Vegas and Arizona regions. "I'm so excited to be starting this new chapter in my life at one of the premier radio stations in the country," says Czechowski. "Working for KIIS and John Ivey is nothing short of a dream job. As I follow the many great Assistant Program Directors and Music Directors that have worked with John, I am humbled yet thrilled. KIIS has set the bar high for radio, their staff is innovative and passionate with both its on-air and online product. I look forward to being part of this exceptional team and being able to contribute to its continued success." Czechowski will replace Julie Pilat, who is expected to announce her next project shortly. Chicago's 'Lite' Goes Hot AC as '93.9 MYfm' 
Clear Channel AC "Lite 93.9" WLIT-FM, Chicago, shifts to Hot AC, rebranding as "93.9 MYfm" promising "more variety from the 80's til now." The Hot AC format launched Monday morning with Ryan Seacrest introducing the new station to listeners. Clear Channel Chicago says, "93.9 MYfm" will feature "a wide range of artists from P!nk to Bon Jovi to Kelly Clarkson, offering listeners commercial free commutes. 93.9 MYfm will announce a stellar programming line-up with local on-air personalities at the end of June." VP of Programming Tommy Austin tells us, "We received feedback from thousands of listeners who want a station that is as diverse as Chicago, with commercial free commutes so their drives are full of music. 93.9 MYfm will play the best songs from the 80's until now with all different styles and textures, reflecting what our listeners want to hear. MY 93.9 will also continue the Holiday music tradition later in the year." WLIT-FM had been branded as "Lite" since 1989. A new website for the new brand is already up at the old www.litefm.com url. With the revamped WLIT-FM also comes some host ousters. As Chicagoland Radio and Media puts it, "The last remaining live and local personalities on WLIT-FM are no more. The morning show with Jeff Corder and Karen Williams has been canceled. Corder and Williams have been released." And there's interesting reaction to the news about WLIT-FM's new direction on CRM's Message Board -- and even more at RadioDiscussions.com. Harvey Kojan Joins Syracuse 'TK' Duo as Brand Manager 
Classic Rock programming veteran Harvey Kojan joins Galaxy Communications as Brand Manager for Classic Rock duo "TK 99.5" WTKW-FM and "TK 105.5" WTKV-FM, Syracuse, effective July 10. Previously, he's been an on-air personality in Albany, Buffalo and Houston. Kojan was also the AOR Editor of Radio and Records for six years and most relevant for TK, he's spent the past twenty years programming Classic Rock radio mainly at WNOR-FM, Norfolk, for sixteen years -- and also in Baltimore for four years. Says Galaxy President and CEO Ed Levine, "Harvey brings a wealth of experience to the position. He's a rare combination of science and emotion as he's extremely adept at radio research but still plays out in a band occasionally! His family has ties to the area as his wife is from Liverpool. And he's a huge sports fan! This is a tremendous move for TK that will continue to keep us out in front of the market for many years to come!" Kojan tells us, "I've known and admired Ed for nearly 30 years and it's a privilege to finally work with him. What he's done putting Galaxy together is beyond impressive. He still believes in doing radio the right way. Marketing, promotion, research, community service, and a laser-focused emphasis on being local -- concepts that have become foreign to so many other broadcasters -- are still alive and well at Galaxy." Boston 'Magic' Morning Man Mike Addams to Retire 
Greater Media AC "Magic 106.7" WMJX-FM, Boston, veteran morning host Mike Addams will be retiring after 19 years at the station at the end of this month. His last day on the air is set for Friday, June 28. Addams joined the station in August 1994, after an already long run in the market at WODS-FM, WZOU-FM, WHDH-AM, WROR-FM and WRKO-AM. Says Greater Media Boston VP and Market Manager Rob Williams, "It has been a pleasure to work with a radio pro like Mike Addams. He has had a wonderful career on some of the top stations in America including the last 19 years on Magic 106.7. I wish Mike and his family many happy years of retirement." Greater Media Boston Director of Programming Cadillac Jack McCartney adds, "From the days at WRKO as the exciting Mike Addams to his recent tenure waking up Bpston on Magic 106.7, Mike has been the consummate professional and has enjoyed a storied career in our ever-changing business. I respect him greatly, and wish him all the best."
[Updated] Atlanta 'Zone' Suspensions Turn to Firings 
Lincoln Financial Media Sports Talk "790 The Zone" WQXI-AM, Atlanta, suspends unnamed members of the morning "Mayhem in the AM" crew after the show aired a bit making fun of former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who has ALS (better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.) Co-host Nick Cellini played Gleason and his colleagues Steak Shapiro and Chris Dimino "interviewed" him using a computerized voice a la Stephen Hawking, according to those who heard the bit. A June 17 statement from SVP & General Manager Rick Mack posted on the station's website reads: "We deeply regret the comments made by Mayhem In The AM this morning on 790 The Zone regarding former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason. 790 The Zone, Lincoln Financial Media, our sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support the unfortunate and offensive commentary concerning Mr. Gleason this morning. The members of the show involved with this incident have been suspended indefinitely pending further management review of their actions." Meanwhile, "Mayhem" co-host Nick Cellini tweeted, "My apologies to everyone. It was a stupid attempt at humor that backfired. Emphasis on stupid." Reports from Atlanta say the suspended morning show members may not return, with many calling for them to be fired.
CCME Chief John Hogan Relocating to New York City 
Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Chairman and CEO John Hogan is relocating from the company's main headquarters in San Antonio to New York City, according to a new SEC filing. That's where parent Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman (and Hogan's boss) is based. The 8-K filing reveals that Clear Channel is paying $100,000 in moving expenses for Hogan, as well as $25,000 a month in housing for 18 months. Hogan is also receiving a $125,000 increase in his base salary, along with an increase in his target performance bonus. According to the filing, Clear Channel's "Compensation Committee approved an increase in Mr. Hogan’s annual base salary from $1,000,000 to $1,125,000, effective June 3, 2013; an increase in Mr. Hogan’s target performance bonus for 2013 from $1,200,000 to $1,375,000, which increase in target performance bonus shall be prorated for the portion of 2013 beginning on June 3, 2013; a housing allowance of $25,000 per month (fully grossed-up for certain applicable taxes) for a period of 18 months; and a payment of $100,000 (less applicable taxes) for relocation-related expenses." Clear Channel Names Nathan Daschle CCME EVP for Political Strategy 
Clear Channel Media and Entertainment announces that well-known political strategist and lawyer Nathan Daschle is joining the company as EVP for Political Strategy, effective immediately. In this new position, Daschle, we're told, will develop and oversee a Washington DC-based team that will focus on working with political and issue advertisers and advertising agencies "to develop custom strategies and campaigns that leverage the reach and power of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. He will lead efforts to fully utilize Clear Channel's national reach and local activation through its radio, digital, mobile and outdoor assets, as well as its event capabilities, to provide political and issue advertisers targeted, effective, affordable and powerful ways to deliver their messages." Daschle will report to CCME Chairman and CEO John Hogan. He joins Clear Channel from Ruck.us, a social network that connects politically like-minded people so they can share ideas and take action, where he is founder and CEO. Says Hogan, "Having Nathan Daschle on board sends a clear message that we intend to seriously invest in this arena and to continue to provide more and better options for political and issue advertisers through our multiplatform offerings. His extensive political background makes him the perfect person to grow the Clear Channel political strategy team as well as lead our 'class of one' offerings to political and issue advertisers." Daschle tells us, "Political and issue advertising, marketing and events is a $7-billion business, and I’m looking forward to making Clear Channel front and center with politically-focused advertisers and agencies. The future of effective campaign advertising lies in the smart integration of traditional and digital media, and no company does this better than Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. Clear Channel is reinventing the way organizations – and campaigns – communicate with their audiences, and I look forward to building a strong, bipartisan team at Clear Channel that will effectively market its extraordinary assets." Prior to Ruck.us, Daschle was the Executive Director of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) from 2007 to 2010, where he managed a $50 million annual budget and a staff of more than 20 people. The organization set numerous fundraising records and won a majority of its targeted races under his leadership. Arbitron Releases RADAR June 2013 Radio Network Ratings 
Arbitron releases its June 2013 RADAR (Radio’s All Dimension Audience Research) Radio Network Ratings -- finding that nearly 179 million Persons 12+, or approximately 68 percent of this demographic, heard one or more network radio commercials in an average week of the survey period. Selected Audience Results from RADAR June 2013 include that the RADAR June 2013 survey period demonstrates network radio’s power in reaching a mass audience in all demographics. Commercials aired on the 47 radio networks measure reached: 67.8 percent of Persons aged 12+ (178,818,000 Persons); 68.3 percent of Persons aged 18+ (162,839,000 Persons); 67.8 percent of Persons aged 35+ (112,803,000 Persons); 70.6 percent of Persons aged 18-49 (94,580,000 Persons); 71.2 percent of Persons aged 25-54 (89,137,000 Persons). For the actual RADAR rankings, DG Complete FM was ranked Number One for average audience Persons 18-49, as well as Persons 25-54. For weekly cume, Premiere Young Influencers Network was ranked first for ages 18-49 and 25-54. The RADAR June 2013 Report includes data from all 48 Arbitron PPM markets. with a sample size of 395,776 persons 12 and older. The survey period for RADAR 117 covered March 29, 2012 to March 27, 2013. Mark Kassof: Heritage Key to Country Fans 
A new ListenerThink from Mark Kassof and Company -- "Country Fans: Born This Way?" -- says heritage, even more than the sound of the music, is the single biggest reason listeners give for preferring Country music on radio. Kassof says 19% of 18-64’s say Country is their favorite kind of music to listen to on radio because they were “born and raised” listening to it. The other top reasons listeners give for preferring country include that country music tells a story (11%), relates to their own lives (8%), is honest and true to life (7%), and has words that are easy to understand (7%). Kassof's findings are based on 121 18-64-year-old respondents in the U.S. who volunteer country as their “favorite kind of music to listen to on radio.” The surveys were conducted from June 5-9. Mark Kassof tells us, "Country has long been a format of ups and downs. Lately, it’s up! So I thought it would be a great time to get into the source of country music’s appeal. First, we asked listeners to name their 'favorite kind of music to listen to on radio.' Normally, that’s a 'no-no' in my book, because one person’s Rock is another’s easy listening ... listeners don’t identify formats and music genres the way we 'in the biz' do. Country, however, is the exception. Country is country! It’s unambiguous in the way Hard Rock, New Rock, Classic Rock, Classic Hits, Soft Hits, Contemporary Hits, etc., etc., aren’t." He tells us they completed the interviews early this month with 805 18-64′s nationwide. And after discussing the results, Kassof concludes, "One suggestion: If your station plays Country, go out and record listeners explaining why they love it. The comments you’d get would make one helluva promo!" Read more here.
Magna Global Projects 3% Global Ad Spending Rise 
Global ad spending will reach $486 billion this year, up 3% over last year, according to a new forecast by media agency Magna Global. Next year, global ad spending will total $515.0 billion, up 6.1% over this year, Magna projected. In the U.S., ad spending will reach $155.0 billion this year, up 0.4% over last year (not including Olympic and political ad spending). Next year, ad spending in the U.S. will total about $164.1 billion, an increase of 5.8% over this year. The strongest ad growth this year will come from digital media -- up 13.4%. Other categories showing growth this year will be out of home (2.9%), TV (2.0%) and radio (1.1%). Newspaper ad spending will be down an estimated 3.3% this year, and magazine advertising will be down about 5.1%. Family Radio to Silence Shortwave WYFR 
Short-of-cash Family Radio will shortly shutdown its shortwave WYFR, Okeechobee, Florida. While some are calling this "the last nail in the coffin" for Harold Camping's Family Stations, it's apparently just part of a trend to abandon shortwave -- which has already greatly reduced the number of such stations broadcasting from the U.S. Family radio, despite some prominent station sales, continues to operate a fairly large number of broadcast stations, increasingly opting for AM over FM. Several reports say WYFR will go silent at the end of this month. Camping, by the way, is not predicting the end of the world at that time. One widely circulated report quotes WYFR manager Dan Elyea as saying in a post, "We regretfully inform you that the final day of operation for WYFR will be June 30, 2013." The cited announcement also includes a short history of the station, which dates back to an experimental license in 1927 in Boston, and then as WRUL and WNYW, Scituate, Massachusetts, before Family Stations bought the shortwave station in 1973 and changed the call letters. The station moved to Florida in 1977. Some observers note that there's less listening these days to shortwave with the proliferation not only on broadcast band stations worldwide, but also with the Internet now the main worldwide medium. Add to that the high cost of electricity to power high power shortwave stations and the abandonment of the band is seen as understandable. CBS Radio Going 'Under The Dome' Online 
CBS Radio is going "Under The Dome" -- launching a new Internet station to go along with the upcoming CBS TV series. Based on the Stephen King novel, the TV series debuts June 24. "Under the Dome Radio" features a wide variety of music, and original editorial content based on the summer television series. The exclusive streaming radio station created by CBS Local Digital Media is available at Radio.com. Fans of the show will hear playlists influenced by the show’s characters, conversations with King, weekly interviews with music supervisor Ann Kline, and an array of commentary surrounding each episode and how the plot is developing week to week. CBS Radio tells us, "Listen live at Radio.com/UnderTheDome." Nick Cannon's NCredible Entertainment Partners with RED Distribution 
Nick Cannon's NCredible Entertainment and Sony's RED Distribution (Relativity Entertainment Distribution) announce the signing of an exclusive new partnership. Upcoming releases from NCredible Entertainment/RED will include Cannon's own comedy and music releases as well as film/TV compilations and select artists such as rap duos Wonder Broz and Queenz who are under the NCredible Entertainment umbrella. With the new deal, 'stache media, the full-service marketing agency within RED will play an integral part of maximizing the NCredible brand and its releases in all areas of marketing including new media, traditional retail, lifestyle marketing, radio and video promotion, strategic brand partnerships, and more. RED President Bob Morelli says, "We are thrilled to partner with Nick Cannon and NCredible Entertainment. Cannon is a multi-faceted entrepreneur and entertainer, and we look forward to working with him in every aspect on this exciting new deal." Cannon, Chairman of NCredible Entertainment, adds, "Sony RED's entrepreneurial spirit and progressive approach makes it the perfect home for NCredible Entertainment. We are thrilled about this new partnership and look forward to working together." FCC Opens October LPFM Application Window 
The FCC launches the first application process for small community radio stations in more than a decade. Nonprofit groups, schools and Native American tribes can apply for Low Power FM (LPFM) stations online at the FCC website. Applications are due during a two-week window from October 15-29, 2013. "For the first time, low power radio is possible in cities like Miami, Houston, and Philadelphia, where these stations can reach hundreds of thousands of local listeners," says Prometheus Radio Project Policy Director Brandy Doyle. "Community radio can be a powerful new tool for nonprofit groups who want to serve their communities." The over 800 LPFM outlets already on the air are run by non-profits, colleges, churches and emergency responders. Many, such as the Oregon farmworker station KPCN, offer local programming in languages other than English, often hard to find on the radio dial. KPCN, also known as Radio Movimiento, plays Spanish-language news and information, organizes voter registration drives, and plays traditional and contemporary music. Prometheus says that low power stations are an accessible outlet for nonprofit organizations to engage their communities, costing as little as $15,000 to launch. Over 90% of Americans listen to radio at least once a week. NAB Show 2014 Opens Call for Speakers 
Speaking proposals are now being accepted for the 2014 NAB Show, to be held April 5-10 in Las Vegas. The show is seeking presenters with "fresh ideas" in the areas of media and entertainment technology, content and management. Case studies in new audio/video production and post-production workflows, social applications, content discovery tools and advanced voice and data communications are highly valued. In addition to topics related to broadcast technology, trends in media advertising, consumption and new business models are sought for all content owners and platforms in sectors such as film and motion pictures, retail, religious institutions, military and government, education and live events. The deadline for speaking proposals is October 18. Full information on NAB Show educational programs along with instructions on how to submit speaking proposals can be found at nabshow.com/callforspeakers. The NAB Show is also seeking nominations via e-mail for its Program Advisory Group. The group's industry leaders and subject matter experts provide feedback on conference design and suggest new areas of programming to address the evolving media and entertainment landscape. NAB's Gordon Smith to Keynote NJBA Conference 
Behind the Microphone: The Ins and Outs of Radio Ohana Broadcasting Honolulu names Fred Rico Director of Programming for the cluster, effective July 1. Rico had been with those stations when they were owned by Clear Channel. He most recently was Program Director at KAJM-FM and KNRJ-FM, Phoenix ... Rik McNeil is appointed Program Director of Mighty Media Group's Country "95.3 The Rebel" WEBL-FM and Classic Country "Y-105.5" WUMY-FM, Memphis, replacing Randy Marsh who exits. Previously, McNeil served was PD of Clear Channel's Country KWNR-FM and CHR KPLV-FM, Las Vegas ... Country "Kix 100.9" WRNX-FM, Springfield, Massachusetts, morning hosts Mike Tyler and Kera add former staffer Shaggy to their show crew. Shaggy worked mornings at WRNX-FM from 2000 until 2010 when it was a Triple-A station ... Weekend and swing host Bobby Fester aka Glenn B. Farrell exits Hot AC WALK-FM, Long Island, after 13 months. He's also done stints at SiriusXM’s "Hits 1" Channel as well as "103.5 KTU" WKTU-FM, New York, and WBLI-FM, Long Island, among others.
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From Mark Harris Broadcast Consulting
Monday, June 17, 2013
Monday's Radio & Media News - June 17, 2013
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