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RAB: Second Quarter Radio Advertising Was Flat 
Radio's Second Quarter 2013 revenue registered "no change" from 2012, at $4.66 billion, reports the RAB. First-half comparisons were similarly flat, at $8.44 billion. "Digital provided a bright note, up 16% for the quarter and 13% for the half," says the report. Network was down 4% for both periods. "First-half activity yielded a mixed-bag of results," says RAB President and.CEO Erica Farber. "While the second quarter was flat, activity was gaining as the months progressed, an encouraging sign for growth in the latter half of 2013. When we analyze results for the year thus far, we see a clear commitment to advertising and Radio on the part of the most successful companies within their respective categories. Not only does this affirm the impact of maintaining an advertising presence through all economic climates, it underscores the fact that these marketers know the intrinsic value that Radio -- both on-air and digital -- brings to their brands." The Communications/Cellular category increased Spot spending by over a quarter versus Q2 2012, solidifying their hold on the top rank for the quarter and for the year thus far. An overview of Spot activity among the categories that contribute the most to Radio's bottom line indicates increased spending by advertisers at the mid-tier level.
Politico: Rush Limbaugh Expected to Re-Sign with Cumulus, 
After reports that Cumulus Media planned to drop both Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity from its stations at the end of 2013, due to distribution rights costs, and then Limbaugh saying he wasn't leaving Cumulus, and claiming the reports constituted a "public business negotiation," Politico is now reporting that Limbaugh will remain with Cumulus, but Hannity will exit their stations. Limbaugh and Hannity are the number one and number two ranked radio talk hosts in the country. Currently, Cumulus carries their shows on more than 40 stations nationwide. Politico says sources tell them that Limbaugh is now likely to re-sign with Cumulus in "virtually" all markets.
Official: MHBC to Fully Re-Locate All Content to Blogspot.com 'Radio and Media News' and 'Total Popular Music' to Be Exclusively at Blogger Domain 'TotalPopularMusic.com' to Go Directly to Blogspot Home at Start of 2014 
Mark Harris Broadcast Consulting (MHBC) today officially announced that all online offerings will be officially and fully be relocated to MHBC's two sites at Google's Blogspot at the start of 2014. Currently, MHBC Radio and Media News originates at Radio-and-Media-News.Blogspot.com and is embedded from there on the "TPM NewsPage" at TotalPopularMusic.com, while much of MHBC's "Total Popular Music" radio programming content is duplicated at TotalPopularMusic.Blogspot.com. The TotalPopularMusic.com domain will be re-directed to its Blogspot counterpart where a direct link to MHBC News will be readily available. Promotion of TPM highlights will continue to be reported (and linked) on the news blog. Mark Harris says in the news release that the content being offered at Blogger will be expanded, although some current offerings will be consolidated. "For example," says Harris, "we will no longer offer separate 'Super Sixty' and 'Super Sixty Airplay' charts, but will consolidate them into one weekly listing. However, with the move to our new home, the offerings at Blogspot will be expanded to include 'Hitbounds' and 'Recurrents.' I expect to begin a transitional time toward those changes as we progress through the remainder of this year." Harris adds, "After a long period of constant and continuing server-related problems from our current hosting company, I've made the decision that when our current contract ends, we will exit after more than six years with that company. I have been asked not to publicly comment on pending federal litigation against that hosting company, or the possibility of federal legal actions in the criminal charges category that may be forthcoming after our exit. I can say that due to the cited problems, we lost much of our early dot com site following over the years, some of which has been recovered with the addition of the Blogspot sites. But, even more important, we've added many new followers at the two blog sites and are now reaching more people in our target audience (and many others) than ever before. Clearly, the Blogger sites are indeed our future." One thing that remains to be finalized is the preservation of the extensive archive of Total Popular Music charts, going back to the third quarter of 2007. Harris is currently exploring several options for hosting them elsewhere and linked to the re-directed dot com when it is exclusively based at Blogspot. MHBC says in its news release that further announcements can be expected in the coming months. Chicago Media Columnist Robert Feder Partners with Tribune 
Longtime Chicago media columnist Robert Feder is launching a standalone media blog next month through a partnership with the Chicago Tribune. Feder announced the new deal on his Facebook page, where he's been reporting the latest on Chicago media, including radio, since exiting Time Out Chicago. The Tribune reports the deal as "breaking news" here. "The editorially independent website, RobertFeder.com, will be owned by Feder, but licensed and marketed by the Chicago Tribune Media Group, an agreement based on generating online traffic and advertising revenue. Terms were not disclosed," says the newspaper. "It really is an experiment in setting up a site like that and somebody who is an expert in a field and can generate his own audience," says Bill Adee, SVP of Digital Development and Operations at the Chicago Tribune. "Rob is going to be responsible for what he writes, we'll have our advertising on there, but editorially speaking, he’ll do whatever he wants."
Kevin Graham to Be New WEEI/Boston Program Director? 
There are reports from Boston that Entercom will bring in Kevin Graham as the new Program Director of the extensive WEEI Sports Talk stations and network, replacing Jason Wolfe. Graham is currently the Program Director of Cumulus Media's Sports Talk "1320 K-Fan" KFNZ-AM, Salt Lake City. Among those who believe he could be the new WEEI PD "to be announced soon" is the Boston Herald. The newspaper reports that Entercom Market Manager Jeff Brown is "likely" to bring in Graham, after ousting Wolfe (as reported here yesterday). According to the Herald, Brown has reassured morning hosts John Dennis and Gerry Callahan that their jobs are secure as programming oversight is being changed. So far, no comment from Entercom. Brown "declined to discuss it" with the Herald other than to say he will "make an announcement in the next couple of days." That, of course, only fuels the speculation -- because while he wouldn't confirm Graham, he didn't issue a denial either. Graham was named Program Director of KFNZ-AM some 14 months ago, joining the station from PD at "Sports 620" KTAR-AM, Phoenix. Graham at one time was in charge of programming at WXYT-AM, Detroit, and has also had programming stops at ESPN Radio affiliates in New York, Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio.
Salt Lake City's 'The End' Ends with Flip to Classic Hits 
Cumulus Media today flipped Alternative "101.9 The End" KENZ-FM, Salt Lake City, to "Classic Hits 101.9" under Operations Manager Sue Kelley, who also assumes programming duties for the new Classic Hits station. She replaces Tysen Webb, who remains with the Salt Lake City cluster in another position. The syndicated "Bob and Tom" will air in mornings from 5-9am replacing Jimmy Chunga, who exits. His last show aired this morning before two hours of stunting began, and then the launch of the new format and identity. Melissa Snow remains in place 9am-3pm, as does Bret "The Coach" Connor 3-7pm and Jared 7pm-12midnight. The new Classic Hits station, playing continuous music until Monday morning when the new line-up starts, is online here. Reports from Salt Lake City say this is the first of several changes planned at the cluster, which may explain Webb's undefined new position there. There's speculation that Active Rock "94.9 Z-Rock" KHTB-FM will soon launch a new format that will feature an expanded Rock selection, including some of what "The End" has featured from the Alternative subdivision. Other speculation, however, is the coming change at KHTB-FM will be to a full Alternative format, although somewhat different from "The End" - possibly as "Radio 94.9" with the branding type that other Alternative stations now use. The latter possibility is seen as more likely now by several knowledgeable observers. Robin Thicke Sues Over Claims Against 'Blurred Lines' 
Robin Thicke is going to court to protect his Number One radio pop music hit "Blurred Lines" from Marvin Gaye's relatives and Funkadelic's rights-owners, who claim the song blurs lines between two others. MHBC's "Total Popular Music" has already named the song the official "TPM Super Summer Song of 2013." Thicke, along with Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris Jr., filed the lawsuit Thursday against Gaye's family and Bridgeport Music, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The two defendants in the case have threatened legal action and want a monetary settlement over what they say are similarities between "Blurred Lines" and songs they own. Bridgeport Music owns some of 70s band Funkadelic's compositions and claims "Blurred Lines" is similar to the band's "Sexy Ways" song. The Gaye family say Thicke's hit sounds the same as Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give it Up," a comparison which has previously been made by several major music publications. According to the suit, the "Gaye defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work." Thicke and his co-plaintiffs pre-empted a suit from Bridgeport and the Gaye family to settle the rights and obligations of each party, reports THR. The lawsuit says Thicke, Williams and Harris Jr. have "the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies," but must "reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists."
Florida Lawyer Sues SiriusXM Over Robocalling 
SiriusXM is being sued by South Florida attorney Yechezkel Rodal in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleging that the company wouldn't stop robocalling him even after he complained and the company told him it would stop. Rodal is suing under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, alleging that he leased a car in January with a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM and never signed any agreement with the satcaster, nor provided his phone number, but then began receiving calls on his cellphone to get him to subscribe. He says he sent a letter to ask them to stop, and received a call informing him that the company had received the letter and the calls would stop, but the calls began again May 23 and continued through the first two weeks of June. He's asking for $1,500 in statutory damages for each willful violation and $500 for each negligent violation, as well as an injunction preventing further calls. And he's asking for a jury trial on the suit. Max Media Sells Six Arkansas Stations 
Virginia-based Max Media is selling six stations in Arkansas. EAB of Russellville has agreed to acquire the stations from Max Media. Terms are not disclosed, but as always we'll get that info when the deal is filed with the FCC. Included in the sale are 1.45kw KCJC-FM (102.3) and 5kw KCAB-AM (980), both in Dardanelle; 6kw KWKK-FM (100.9), Russellville; 4.1kw KVLD-FM (99.3), Atkins; and 0.25kw KVOM-AM (800) and 6kw KVOM-FM (101.7), both in Morrilton. Max Media is based in Virginia Beach, and also owns radio stations in Virginia, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina, with and television stations in Montana and Kentucky. Max Media is also the operating partner in a joint venture that owns television stations in Puerto Rico and Maine. EAB of Russellville is an Arkansas-based company headed by Bobby Caldwell. Caldwell owns various radio stations throughout the state of Arkansas. Kalil & Co. represented the seller and Sunbelt Media Inc. represented the buyer in the Arkansas transaction. Behind the Microphone: The Ins and Outs of Radio 
Rhythmic CHR "Magic 101.3" WTMG-FM, Gainesville, Program Director and afternoon host Russ Allen exits. Assistant PD Amanda Carter is now interim PD ... Joy Summers joins Way Media as the new "WAY-FM" network midday host. Summers previously served on-air duties at several WAY-FM affiliates ... Hot AC "My 103.9" KEXX-FM, Phoenix, adds Maui for parttime/weekends, joining from Christian "Q102.7" KBIQ-FM, Colorado Springs ... Oldies KLOU-FM, St. Louis, morning host and voicetracking talent Billy Greenwood adds middays at Country WQIK-FM, Jacksonville, replacing voicetracking from Billy Michaels at KNIX-FM, Phoenix, following his recent exit there ... Deluca joins Hot AC "Mix 94.1" WHBC-FM, Canton, Ohio, for mornings, joining Kathy Vogel. Deluca previously hosted mornings at crosstown "Q92" WDJQ-FM ... Carter Mann joins Classic Hits "The Eagle" WSFR-FM, Louisville, as morning host. He previously was at AC WGNI-FM, Wilmington, North Carolina ... Sana G. moves to mornings (from afternoons) at Urban KMEL-FM, San Francisco, next week ... At Hot AC "Star 101.3" KIOI-FM, San Francisco, Marcus D. will join the morning show, co-hosting alongside Sandy Stec, beginning August 26. Marcus D. replaces Frosty Stilwell, who moved to middays on "Talk 910" KKSF-AM in June.
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From Mark Harris Broadcast Consulting
Friday, August 16, 2013
Friday's Radio & Media News - August 16, 2013
Meanwhile, last night Michael Savage, whose show is now syndicated by Cumulus, told his listeners that he expects to take over Hannity's time slot by the end of the year. Savage said, “I predict, right here, right now, that I Michael Savage and the Savage Nation is going to take over the Sean Hannity Show time slot by the end of the year. I am the heir apparent to afternoon drive on the east coast and around America on Cumulus stations, which have the most powerful stations in the radio world.” Following up on that, Politico says, "Sources familiar with the negotiations confirmed that Cumulus and Hannity were expected to end their affiliation." The report also tells us that neither Hannity nor Limbaugh's spokesperson responded to a request for comment late Thursday night.
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