Friday's Radio & Media News - July 12, 2013

Jerry 'JT' Tarrants Named WCSX-FM/Detroit Program Director Greater Media Detroit names Jerry "JT" Tarrants as the new Program Director of Classic Rock WCSX-FM, Detroit, effective Monday, July 29. He replaces Keith Hastings who left to join Cox Media Group's Rock KISS-FM, San Antonio. Tarrants most recently was the Operations Manager at Townsquare Media Grand Rapids, Michigan, overseeing Rock "97.9 Radio" WGRD-FM, Hot AC "Channel 95.7" WLHT-FM, "Classic Hits 98.7" WFGR-FM, AC "100.5 The River" WTRV-FM and Comedy "Funny 1410" WNWZ-AM. Previously, he was the Brand Manager of Rock "Z93.3" WKQZ-FM and Classic Rock "Wheelz" WILZ-FM/WYLZ-FM, Saginaw, Michigan. "JT represents the future of WCSX-FM," says Greater Media Detroit Market Manager Steve Chessare. "His experience, creativity and energy are exactly what we were looking for in the person to lead WCSX." Greater Media VP of Program Development Buzz Knight adds, "We're thrilled to welcome JT to our great roster of programming minds," said "His passion for excellence is huge and his ability to inject energy into a room will make the CSX brand even stronger." Tarrants tells us, "I've worked under a few heritage call letters all over the state of Michigan and loved it, but WCSX is a dream come true. I'm so stoked to begin working with such an incredible staff under the legendary Detroit call letters. I want to thank Steve Chessare, Buzz Knight, Peter Smyth and everyone at Greater Media for the opportunity to work alongside the best in the Motor City!" Media Audit Study Highlights Top Public Radio Stations A new public radio listening study from The Media Audit finds WUOM-FM, Ann Arbor, Michigan, the highest ranked Public Radio station across The Media Audit's 80-plus measured markets. According to the study, 25.1 percent of Ann Arbor's metro area adult population listened to WUOM in the past seven days. Ranking second is KQED-FM, San Jose, which has a rating of 18.8 with adults 18+ in the market, followed by KNOW-FM, Minneapolis-St. Paul, which has a rating of 17.7 with adults 18+. Ranking fourth is WMEA-FM, Portland, Maine, with a 17.3 18+ rating, followed by WUNC-FM, Raleigh-Durham, NC, which has a 16.9 rating. The Media Audit says that Public Radio stations "represent the largest number of non-commercial radio stations in the U.S. and in many cases they can be formidable competition for local advertising dollars." According to The Media Audit's National Radio Format Report, Public Radio ranks as the third highest reaching radio format, with an estimated 22.5 million listeners across The Media Audit's measured markets. On average, 64 percent of those who listened to a public radio station in the past week also listen to the station more than any other station in the market. When compared to other commercial radio formats, the Media Audit ranks Public Radio third-highest in converting cume listeners to "most often" listeners, creating an opportunity for underwriters to garner greater frequency from an underwriting campaign. The study also finds that "many public radio stations are gaining ground in local website ratings, increasing the size of their total reach within a metro area." For example, KOBP-FM, Portland, Oregon, ranks highest among public radio stations in website visitors, reaching 21.8 percent of the metro area over a 30 day period. KBYU-FM, Salt Lake City, was ranked second, with 19.9 percent of the metro area's population having visited the station's website in the past 30 days, followed by KQED-FM, San Francisco (18.9% reach), KQED-FM, San Jose (18.5% reach), and WMHT-FM, Albany (14.8% reach). In San Jose, the addition of the station's past 30 day website visitors to the station's past 7-day listening audience results in a 28.6 percent total unduplicated reach for the combined radio and website audiences, the highest of any public radio station measured. The Media Audit's National Radio Format Report also identifies the demographics of a typical Public Radio listener in addition to buying patterns. The report suggests many Public Radio fans are also more likely to be wealthy consumers with active lifestyles. According to the report, those who listen to a Public Radio station most often are 67 percent more likely to earn $150,000 or more in household income, 55 percent more likely to have liquid assets of more than $250,000, and 80 percent more likely to be a business owner. Furthermore, those who listen to a Public Radio station most of the time are heavier consumers of foreign luxury vehicles (39 percent more likely to own), hotels (25 percent more likely to stay 10+ nights per year), and air travel (79 percent more likely to be heavy domestic air traveler, and 65 percent more likely to be a heavy foreign air traveler). Greater Media CEO Peter Smyth: 'The Mad Dash' Greater Media CEO Peter Smyth, in his latest monthly column, looks at the "connected car" and the "digital dashboard" -- or as he titles the article, "The Mad Dash." Smyth starts by noting the recent spate of media reports that "in-car radio is doomed" as digital new media replace over-the-air radio in auto dashboards -- but goes on to conclude, "We’ll survive; even better, we’ll thrive." However, that, he notes, will require broadcast radio to adjust -- "to make our brands available as many ways and places as possible" -- while also maintaining "a disciplined focus on our product’s unique appeal." The Greater Media CEO dismisses the "overheated rhetoric" and "self interest and spin" of speculation that in-car radio is doomed. "Broadcast radio, along with all forms of media, is in a disruptive phase. Simply, this means that NO ONE knows how this evolution will turn out. Opinions are many times a product of past experience, which is not a good guide in this environment. Prophecy is a dangerous occupation," writes Smyth. "The auto makers who are focusing so completely on the technology of the connected car do not have deep history or experience with software, the user experience, or consumer tastes and trends in audio entertainment. They are in an early phase of a process that will take time to find its focus. The wireless providers are vitally interested in finding a way to get a piece of the financial action that will flow from the connected car. The consumer electronics makers who supply both car makers and the auto aftermarket want their piece of the action as well; more complexity means more revenue for them." He says, "The only reasonable way forward for radio is to make our brands available as many ways and places as possible and to remain engaged and nimble as the landscape changes. But more importantly, we need to maintain a disciplined focus on our product’s unique appeal. We are a live, local friend with an emotional connection to our listeners, providing them with information, a laugh, some music and a chance to escape from the traffic jam on their way home. We have to continue to be their best friend who knows that they want more than a playlist from their favorite station. These are our historic strengths; this is the relationship that works for our advertiser partners and produces results. Radio needs to invest in and play to its strengths, even as we take advantage of our relationships in new technological ways." Read Peter Smyth's full July column on the Greater Media website here. Could the 'Westwood One' Name Make A Comeback? Veteran radio/media reporter (and former broadcaster) Tom Taylor, in his new "Now" newsletter, poses the question, "Is new Dial Global CEO Paul Caine bringing back the 'Westwood One' name?" Taylor adds, "Has he concluded, after three months of observing the radio business, that 'Westwood One' has more cachet (supposedly his word) than 'Dial Global'? Caine started the CEO job April 5, coming from 23 years at Time, Inc. – and this Now Newsletter hears that he’s at least seriously considering changing the company name back to Westwood One." According to the report, an announcement "could come by the end of July." Also noted is that "folks at DG (and their client contacts) still remember its three former co-COOs, Spencer Brown, David Landau and Ken Williams." Read Tom Taylor's full report here. (And sign-up to receive his "Now" newsletter by email early each morning here.) Bob Sirott/Marianne Murciano Going Fulltime at WGN-AM/Chicago As we first reported briefly in our BTM section late Thursday, Tribune Talk WGN-AM, Chicago, makes it official -- that veteran Chicago broadcaster and "Fox 32" TV news anchor Bob Sirott is joining Tribune's WGN-AM for a weekday show with his wife, Marianne Murciano. The husband-wife duo currently host the "Sunday Night Radio Special with Bob and Marianne" from 9-10pm. Sirott hosted "The Noon Show" on WGN-AM from 2007-10 and currently co-anchors the Fox Chicago News at 9pm weeknights with Robin Robinson. The new daily radio show's airing time will be announced soon, with the show starting in the next few weeks. WGN Radio President and General Manager Jimmy de Castro tells us, "Bob's respected reputation and vast experiences on radio & television make him the perfect fit for 'Chicago's Very Own 720'. I'm excited to expand Bob's role and allow him to share more of his rich Chicago stories and Marianne adds another strong female voice to the tradition of WGN Radio." Says Sirott, "When I was growing up in Chicago, WGN was the 'Radio home of millions throughout mid-America' -- and this is still very much true. Marianne and I are thrilled to call WGN our radio home." Chicagoland Radio and Media says "Sirott has been a top talent on both Chicago radio & television since the early 70's. He started in radio, first as a part-time DJ on WBBM-FM in the summer of 1971, and then became a full-time DJ on WLS-AM in 1973. He quickly went from "Who is that new guy on WLS?" to one of the iconic radio station's top jocks. He left WLS-AM and radio in 1980 to pursue a television career." CRM also notes his current TV anchor job is in question with the station considering a shake-up while Sirott works on a temporary extension beyond the expiration of his contract. And if he should "exit WFLD-TV, as many expect will happen, it would not be a surprise to see him turn up at WGN-AM's Tribune Broadcasting-owned sister-station WGN-TV in some reoccurring on-air role before the year is out." The addition of Sirott and Murciano, "along with the rumored upcoming full-time addition of Steve Cochran, seem to point to the upcoming removal of at least one" of the "current weekday hosts" at WGN-AM, where de Castro is in the process of re-making the station. NY Giants Re-Up with Albany's WPYX-FM Clear Channel Classic Rock "PYX 106" WPYX-FM, Albany, NY, tells us that the New York Giants will remain a staple of the station through the next three years -- with "PYX 106" broadcasting all pre-season and regular season games. Each broadcast will feature expanded pre and post game coverage with one-hour pre-game and post-game specials. "We've had the honor of broadcasting New York Giants football to Capitaland listeners for more than a decade on PYX 106," says Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Albany Operations Manager John Cooper. "I'm excited that our partnership continues with expanded pre-game and post-game coverage for the next three years exclusively on PYX 106." New York Giants SVP and Chief Marketing Officer Mike Stevens adds, "The Giants are very proud to announce the renewal of our radio agreement with PYX 106 in Albany. The Capital Region is Giants country and we are excited that PYX 106 will continue to bring our games to fans in the area during the next three seasons." Entercom Seattle Names Bob Boyd Director of Strategic Sales Entercom names market radio sales veteran Bob Boyd as the new Director of Strategic Sales for its Seattle cluster, effective August 1. Boyd will be moving over from Fisher's crosstown stations where he's currently General Sales Manager for News KOMO-AM-FM and Talk KVI-AM. "I am very pleased to announce that Bob Boyd, will be joining us as the newest member of our sales management team," says Entercom Seattle VP and Market Manager Jack Hutchison. "He is a 29-year veteran of Seattle radio, many of those years being spent with Entercom. Over that time, Bob honed his business development skills and became regarded as an effective and motivational sales trainer with a unique passion for automotive marketing. He also is an accomplished creative commercial writer and a familiar voice-over talent on Seattle radio." Boyd, who during the late 1990's also founded Boyd Broadcasting Company, which purchased and sold two FM stations in the Reno, Nevada, tells us, "I am truly excited to join the incredibly talented and successful team at Entercom. The highly innovative and ROI-focused solutions Entercom has developed for their clients are revolutionary. Additionally, an unmatched level of Community Service in the markets they serve is a bellwether of the Entercom culture. I'm honored to return in my new position as Director of Strategic Sales to an industry-leading organization with these important values." Behind the Microphone: The Ins and Outs of Radio Sun Broadcasting Alternative/Active Rock hybrid "93X" WXNX-FM, Fort Myers, appoints industry veteran John Rozz as Program Director. He replaces Lance Ballance, who remains with the company. Rozz will continue as PD of sister Classic Rock "94.5 The Arrow" WARO-FM ... Mike Chase joins AC "Mix 101.5" WRAL-FM, Raleigh to co-host mornings with Lynda Loveland, starting August 12 ... Merlin Media Talk "IQ 106.9" WWIQ-FM, Philadelphia, is replacing its morning news program with Cumulus-syndicated "Imus in the Morning" starting Monday (July 15). This brings the station to an all syndicated lineup. Imus replaces "Philly’s Morning News" -- which has been anchored by Lionel and Michelle Murillo since Philly broadcast veterans Larry Mendte and Al Gardner exited ... Radio Consulting Services announces two new AC client stations -- "Sunny 104.5" KUMR-FM, Rolla, Missouri, and "The New Mix 102.7" KHYX-FM, Winnemucca, Nevada, a new signal that signed on June 13 ... Following several days of rumors, it's now confirmed that morning show co-host Melanie Morgan has exited Cumulus Media's Talk KSFO-AM, San Francisco. Morgan, who has a long history with the station, says it was an "amicable parting of ways" ... CHR-Top40 WAPE-FM, Jacksonville, midday host Lisa "Chloe" Gold exits due to budget cuts, and is seeking her next opportunity either in or outside of radio ... Journalist Arun Rath will become the new host of the NPR newsmagazine "Weekend All Things Considered" beginning in late September, when the Saturday and Sunday edition moves its broadcast base to the West Coast.