Wednesday's Radio & Media News - August 21, 2013

Entercom Boston Names Kevin Graham WEEI Brand Manager Entercom Boston confirms reports that it would, announcing it has hired Kevin Graham to lead Sports Talk WEEI-FM as its new Brand Manager. That's a title for Program Director that Saga has been using for some time. We're told Graham will not just lead WEEI-FM, but will "direct the entire WEEI ecosystem including on-air, online, mobile, play-by-play of the Red Sox and the WEEI Regional Sports Network." He starts in early September, coming from Cumulus Media's "1320 K-Fan" KFNZ-AM, Salt Lake City, where he's been Program Director and afternoon co-host. One of the original architects of the Sports Talk format at KFNZ-AM, Graham has built successful Sports Talk stations in Columbus, Pittsburgh, New York, and Detroit, as well as Salt Lake City. He returned to "K-Fan" in 2012 to re-launch the station. There have been reports from Boston that Graham would be brought in to replace VP of Programming Jason Wolfe for WEEI's programming oversight since Wolfe was forced to exit, but until now Entercom Boston had refused to confirm the speculation, although as we pointed out last Friday, they also didn't deny it. "WEEI is more than a radio station, it is an entire sports ecosystem. From our on-air talent to Red Sox play-by-play to WEEI.com, where we had 1.4 million unique visitors just last month, WEEI is a more complete sports brand than ever before," says Entercom Boston General Manager Jeff Brown. "His background both in front of and behind the mic, along with his years of digital sports experience made him the best choice to lead WEEI." Now that his move to Boston is confirmed, Graham tells us, "I am honored and excited to join the WEEI team. WEEI is one of the most recognizable and powerful sports radio brands in the country.; With great resources, amazing talent, and one of the best digital brands in sports, the sky is the limit. I can't wait to get started, especially with the Red Sox in the midst of such a great season." Graham also has extensive experience in the digital sports arena assisting in building ArizonaSports.com in Phoenix and as the founder and editor of SportsMashup.com. 'Now' PD Jay Michaels Adds Dallas 'Edge' Program Director Clear Channel Dallas Hot AC "102.9 Now" KDMX-FM Program Director Jay Michaels adds PD for sister Alternative "102.1 The Edge" KDGE-FM. "The Edge" hasn't had an official Program Director since Josh Venable's exit late last year. Michael was previously Assistant PD and Music Director for KDGE-FM, in addition to overseeing "102.9 Now." About taking over programming for the Alternative mainstay, Michaels tells us, "It's an honor to program such a legendary station. I look forward to continuing to build the momentum on KDGE with our incredible staff and the entire Clear Channel Media and Entertainment team." Says Clear Channel Dallas VP of Operations Patrick Davis, "Jay has earned this opportunity and has been a major contributor to the station's programming since the beginning. He and The Edge staff have done an outstanding job this year and are seeing the benefits of their hard work." Keith Mitchell Named Cumulus Classic Hits Corporate PD Cumulus Cincinnati Operations Director and Classic Hits WGRR-FM Program Director Keith Mitchell adds the new role of Corporate Program Director of Classic Hits for the company, overseeing the majority of Cumulus Classic Hits stations alongside SVP of Programming Mike McVay. Mitchell replaces Dick Stadlen, who exits Cumulus. "After nearly seven years at the controls of WGRR, I’m excited to get the opportunity to branch out and work even more closely with John Dickey, Jan Jeffries, Mike McVay and the Cumulus programming team on our classic hits stations around the country. It’s been a great opportunity and pleasure to learn and work with Dick Stadlen," says Mitchell. McVay tells us, "Keith turned WGRR into what every Classic Hits station can and should be for today. He’s a brilliant programmer who understands how to use entertainment to create day-to-day tune-in. I look forward to working closely with Keith." Regarding Stadlen's departure, McVay adds,"Dick has been with Cumulus for more than a decade. He’s been a PD, a Consultant, Regional PD and a Corporate PD. He will be missed. We wish him all the best as he begins the next chapter of his life." Says Stadlen, "It's been a great thirteen year run. I consider it a privilege to have been able to work with so many fine people. I can't thank Lew and John Dickey enough for their guidance and support. Thanks, too, to Jan Jeffries for all of his wisdom. And special thanks to Mike McVay, who has been an outstanding inspiration in his role as SVP of Programming. I can't think of a better person to pick up the reigns than Keith Mitchell." Stadlen adds that he plans to take some time to relax before considering his next project. John Barone to Program KRRF-FM/KVEN-AM Oxnard-Ventura Cumulus Media Oxnard-Ventura names California radio veteran John Barone as Program Director of "Classic Hits 106.3" KRRF-FM and "Sports Radio 1450" KVEN-AM, replacing Duncan Payton. Barone has programmed stations in California markets that include Merced, Santa Maria, and Visalia and was most recently Promotions Director for High Desert Broadcasting in the Palmdale-Lancaster market. Says Market Manager Sommer Frisk, "John is a fabulous addition to our team. He's an accomplished broadcaster, a true radio pro, and possess all of the qualities we need to take Classic Hits 106.3 and Sports Radio AM1450 to the next level." Barone tells us, "I am so proud to be part of the Cumulus team in Oxnard-Ventura. ‘Classic Hits 106.3’ is off to a great start and I plan to bring it to the next level and beyond! Major Advertisers On Board for iTunes Radio Launch Apple is reported to be set to launch iTunes Radio next month, with a number of high-profile advertisers on board. According to Ad Age, McDonald's, Nissan, Pepsi and Procter & Gamble have all signed on as brand partners for the streaming music services. Sources said at least one or two more major brands could join up as well. "The deals range from the high single-digit millions of dollars to tens of millions of dollars and include a 12 month advertising campaign to run within the streaming music service for each of the participating brands," reports Ad Age. "In addition to basking in all the publicity that comes with a heavily-anticipated Apple product launch, the launch partners get exclusivity within their respective industries through the end of 2013. Come January 2014, however, ads on iTunes Radio will become widely available, provided an advertiser agrees to the minimum buy-in of around $1 million, according to sources briefed on the product." iTunes Radio will include ads in three different ways: interstitial audio and video ads, and interactive display "slate" ads that will fill up the user's screen. Audio ads will be heard every 15 minutes, with one video ad per hour. Ad Age's sources say the video ads will only come up when a user is likely to be looking at their device, such as after pressing play to skipping a song. While ads will appear on all iTunes-compatible devices at the launch, by 2014, advertisers will have the option to target their ads to specific devices (desktop computers, tablets, or smart phones). Some of the launch partners will also be curating playlists with fewer ads than other iTunes Radio stations. There will also be an ad-free options to users who sign up for the iTunes Match service. Announced in June at the company's WWDC event, iTunes Radio's exact launch date has not yet been announced by Apple, beyond promising a fall debut as part of the release of the company's new iOS 7 software for its iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. iTunes Radio will not be a direct competitor for streaming music services like Spotify, Deezer, Rhapsody and Rdio. It will not provide on-demand access for people to choose individual songs and albums to listen to. Instead, it will compete directly with "personal radio" services like Pandora, with listeners able to create streaming stations of music based on individual artists, songs and genres, or choose from those curated by Apple and guest artists. PRTS5: Public Radio Listeners Continue Tech Growth "In Jacobs Media’s fifth annual study of core public radio listeners across the United States, the value of trending is on display as gadget acquisition and digital media usage continues its growth curve. This extremely well-educated radio audience is actively accessing information from a growing variety of media sources, and changing the way that media outlets provide their content." That's the overview from the Fifth Annual Public Radio Tech Survey, a collaboration of PRPD (Public Radio Program Directors), Jacobs Media and numerous public radio stations around the country. Here are some of the key takeaways from PRTS5: Going mobile – Public radio listeners are increasingly purchasing mobile devices. Now more than six in ten own a smartphone, while half now carry a tablet. iPads and similar devices account for an amazing 63% increase from PRTS4. This strongly suggests that more and more, public radio partisans enjoy taking their content and media sources with them. Twitter on the move – While Twitter’s reach is still dwarfed by Facebook, its footprint continues to grow. Now, more than one-fifth (21%) of respondents use the platform, especially fans of Triple A stations and Gen X and Y respondents. On-demand in demand – In PRTS5, nearly half (46%) engage in time-shifted programming, often in the form of podcasts. Once again, the younger public generations are in the vanguard, along with fans of public radio’s News/Talk stations. The generation gap – While Baby Boomers represent the center lane of public radio partisanship and usage, it is the emerging Generation X and Millennial audiences that are making waves. Nine in ten of them use social networks, eight in ten own a smartphone, and six in ten stream on a weekly basis or more often. This “new guard” of public radio listener requires tracking and dedicated content initiatives by stations affected by their listenership and membership. Other highlights: Net Promoter recommendation scores continue to be spectacular for public radio stations, while social sharing continues to grow. This combination is potentially very powerful for public radio stations able to engage and harness it. In-car listening continues to play a major role in public radio consumption. Now, half of PRTS5 respondents are able to connect a phone or mp3 player into their vehicles. When it comes to smartphones and tablets, the Apple platform continues to dominate public radio hardware choices. Local public radio stations are the go-to destinations for both breaking and news stories that provide more perspective. Notably, Generations X and Y are the most apt to turn to local public radio outlets to glean perspective and additional information after a story first breaks. Fred Jacobs will moderate a special session at the Public Radio Program Directors Convention in Atlanta on Tuesday, September 17 at 4 p.m. – “PRTS5 Unplugged – Not By The Numbers” – a conversation about what this study means beyond the data. Arthur Cohen, President of PRPD comments, “Generationally, there are big stories in PRTS5. Our stakeholder stations now have a playbook to help guide their strategic planning as the world of technology undergoes rapid change.” And Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs notes, “Mobile and mobility continue to have steep upward trajectories while on-demand programming is becoming even more popular. Public radio’s great content is tailor-made for digital consumption.” To register for the PRPD conference click here. An infographic of PRTS5 results is available here. PRTS5 data were gathered online from April 15 – May 13, 2013. Overall, 56 public radio stations across the U.S. participated, contributing 30, 871 respondents. Backyard's Pennsylvania Cluster Sold to Manager Barry Drake's Backyard Broadcasting and South Williamsport Sabrecom are selling their Pennsylvania cluster to VP and General Manager Dan Farr as "Backyard Broadcasting PA LLC." Included in the deal are 9.2kw Country WILQ-FM (105.1), 360w Hot AC WLMY-FM (107.9), 1kw News WWPA-AM (1340) and 100w FM translator W267BJ (101.3)/Williamsport, 1.7kw Oldies WBZD-FM (93.3)/Muncy, 410w Rock WZXR-FM (99.3)/South Williamsport and 950w Rock WCXR-FM (103.7)/Lewisburg. WZXR-FM and WCXR-FM simulcast as "The Susquehanna Valley's Home of Rock and Roll." The seller, Backyard Broadcasting, is a Florida-based company headed by Drake. These are the final Backyard stations to be sold, as the company exits radio. Drake says, "Dan Farr was instrumental in putting this group of radio stations together and has been operating them for nearly 20 years. It is ideal that Dan be the one to lead them forward. This transfer is terrific for our people and healthy for the marketplace." Says Farr, "I look forward to continuing the tradition of delivering great music, local information and community service with a team of dedicated on air personalities and office staff along with giving our advertisers a marketing vehicle to promote and grow their business into the future." UPDATE - August 28, 2013: We now have a price for the transaction -- $5.5 million -- based on paperwork filed at the FCC. Hubbard Radio DC Receives Alfred P. Sloan Award Hubbard Radio Washington DC properties WTOP and Federal News Radio have been honored with the 2013 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility. The award, we're told, is for the use of flexibility and other aspects of workplace effectiveness as a workplace strategy to increase business and employee success. This award is part of the national When Work Works project administered by Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). It recognizes employers of all sizes and types across the country. Says Hubbard DC Senior Regional VP and General Manager Joel Oxley, "We've always been proud of our flexible work environment and are pleased to have been recognized with the Sloan Award for Excellence in the Workplace." Workplace flexibility -- such as flextime, part-time work and compressed workweeks -- has been demonstrated to help businesses remain competitive while also benefiting employees. Flexibility in combination with other aspects of an effective workplace -- such as learning opportunities and supervisor support for job success - can have a powerful impact on employee engagement and motivation. "Our research consistently finds that employees in effective and flexible workplaces have greater engagement on the job and greater desire to stay with their organization. In addition, they report lower stress levels and better overall health," says FWI President Ellen Galinsky. "As a recipient of the 2013 Sloan Award, Hubbard Radio DC. ranks among the top 20% of employers nationally in terms of its programs, policies and culture for creating an effective and flexible workplace," adds Galinsky. "In addition, what makes this honor so special is that their employees have corroborated this, affirming that it is indeed an effective and flexible workplace." Philly's 'SportsRadio 94' Launches Show with Eagles GM "SportsRadio 94" WIP-FM, Philadelphia, tells us that afternoon host Anthony Gargano and Eagles play-by-play announcer Merrill Reese will host the "Howie Roseman Show" every Monday during the 2013 Philadelphia Eagles season, featuring Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman. The show will be live from 5-6pm at Chickie's and Pete's in South Philly. In addition to discussing each week's game with Gargano and Reese, Roseman will take calls and talk with fans on site. The show, says WIP-FM, is the first of its kind -- the only live weekly interactive radio show with an NFL General Manager. We're also told that during the 5:30-6pm segment each week, a leading Eagles player will be feaured on the show. Behind the Microphone: The Ins and Outs of Radio After 11 years at Mid-West Family Radio Springfield, Kristen Bergman resigns as Operations Manager and Program Director of Active Rock KQRA-FM and Rhythmic CHR "92.9 The Beat" KOSP-FM. Bergman will join Moroch Partners as Communication Specialist serving Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas McDonald's Public Relations ... Rhythmic CHR "Q97" KSEQ-FM, Fresno, welcomes Greg Hoffman as morning host. Hoffman joins from crosstown Rhythmic CHR "B95" KBOS-FM, where he was Program Director and morning host ... Clear Channel CHR/Top 40 "101.9 Radio Now" KWNW-FM, Memphis, Program Director and afternoon host Dino Conard transfers to PD at sister CHR/Top 40 "103.7 The Q" WQEN-FM, Birmingham, and HD2 Rhythmic WMJJ. He starts his new position September 3 ... Sharon Wingfield is named midday host at "103.7 The River" WURV-FM, Richmond, Virginia ... Clear Channel Stockton-Modesto appoints Dennis Martinez as its new Operations Manager for its six-station cluster ... Clear Channel Rhythmic CHR KGGI-FM, Riverside, brings in John Magic and Diana Wehbe to join 20-year station vet Evelyn Erives for mornings. Wehbe will also air in middays ... Country WAWC-FM, Warsaw, Indiana, News Director Teri Armstrong adds morning duties with Jay Michaels for "Jay and Teri in the Morning" - recreating a morning duo from eight years ago in New Castle, Indiana ... Jess Wright exits middays at Country "95.3 The Rebel" WEBL-FM, Memphis, to relocate to Nashville, where her husband has accepted a new job.