Tag: Gagl

Industry News

Comrex to Introduce Two New Gagl Features at NAB 2024

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Comrex is debuting Hotline, a major feature update to Gagl, as well as Gagl Solo, a new tier of its Gagl remote contribution service designed for one-to-one connections. Both are being introduced at NAB 2024. Gagl enables users to send and receive audio through common web browsers to a Comrex hardware IP audio codec such as an ACCESS or BRIC-Link. Gagl supports up to five remote participants in one session. Gagl Solo supports single guest connections and is perfect for users whoim don’t need to manage multiple participants such as a solo contributor or reporter in the field. Comrex says that Gagl is simple enough for anyone to use and doesn’t require any specialized hardware or software on the remote end for implementation. With a computer or smartphone plus a headset, high-quality audio can be transmitted bidirectionally with minimal latency providing a simple way to get anyone on the air. Hotline dramatically improves the quality of a standard cell phone call for on-air use. Gagl + Hotline provides a ten-digit telephone number with each Gagl + Hotline subscription. A guest or reporter can call the number using an AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon cell phone. The caller’s audio will be presented within the Gagl interface in HD Voice quality for clean, clear full fidelity for use on-air. Acquiring high-quality audio from remote locations is essential for creating compelling radio. Providing flexibility for guests who can’t come into the studio was a driving force behind Gagl’s creation. Gagl Solo, Gagl + Hotline, and Comrex’s suite of broadcast reliable products will be on display at the NAB Show in Vegas April 14-17. Be sure to visit Comrex at Booth C2234 in Central Hall.

Industry News

Comrex Offers Free Gagl Trial

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Comrex – the company that has been making innovative tools that allow broadcasters and content creators worldwide to connect with their audiences from anywhere – is offering free 30-day Gagl accounts to make it easy for broadcasters from around the world to share each other’s programming, join in on live talk shows, and demonstrate the power of radio in celebration of World Radio Day onim February 13. Comrex says, “Tens of thousands of Comrex customers go ‘live and local’ every day to bring radio to life for their listeners. Customers that already have a Comrex IP audio codec can use Gagl to connect to their existing hardware. Broadcasters in the US that don’t have a Comrex ACCESS or BRIC-Link IP audio codec can even request free demo hardware if they would like to participate. Restrictions apply.” Comrex adds that using Gagl is as simple as clicking a link from an email. It opens a web browser on a phone or computer and connects with up to five other users. As long as the broadcasters are using headphones, everyone hears each other and the host back in the studio. Audio quality is much better than most web conferencing applications, and there is no complicated setup. For more information, contact Comrex at 800-237-1776 or email info@comrex.com.

Front Page News Industry News

Thursday, November 10, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Dave Ramsey Joins RAB’s ‘Radio Works’ Series. The RAB announces that as part of its Radio Works initiative, the next presentation in the series, titled, “Radio Works for Financial Services,” will feature remarks by talk radio star and financial expert Dave Ramsey. RAB says next Wednesday’s webinar “will focus on the expansive financial services category and key segments such as retail banking, investment banking and credit cards with a concentration towards the challenges and opportunities ahead in 2023.” The webinar will also feature Peter Nelson, president of Glenwood State Bank in Minnesota and Chris Uhde, sales manager, Leighton Broadcasting in Alexandra, Minnesota to discuss how the community bank is navigating through the current economic climate, its impact on their customers and radio’s role in their approach. The presentation – free for RAB members – is on November 16 at 1:00 pm ET. You can register here.

FOX Sports Radio Adds ‘The Paulie & Tony Fusco Show’ to Podcast Lineup. The satirical sports talk podcast, “The Paulie & Tony Fusco Show,” joins FOX Sports Radio’s slate of podcasts. FSR says, “Each week on ‘The Paulie & Tony Fusco Show,’ former ‘Herd with Colin Cowherd’ producers Andrew Samson and Sharief Ali hilariously portray die-hard Philadelphia sports fans and ‘legendary’ cable TV stars who think they have the best sports takes when they actually have the worst.” FOX Sports Radio SVP of sports programming Scott Shapiro jokes, “When the Phillies were 21-29, I made a wager that the Phillies wouldn’t make the World Series for another decade. I now significantly regret that ill-advised wager as the result is having to take on this so-called podcast. If you value your time, please DO NOT listen to this podcast.”

College Hoops Star Drew Timme Launches Podcast. A collaborative effort between iHeartMedia’s iHeartPodcasts and the College Athletes Network (CAN) results in the new podcast, “Gimme Timme,” starring Gonzaga basketball star Drew Timme. iHeartMedia says this weekly podcast expands on its partnership with CAN to “bring college sports-centered podcasts hosted by the athletes themselves to fans.” The podcast will also include co-host Noah Buono – a former walk-on at Duquesne University and host of CAN’s “Walkie TalkieZ.” Timme says, “I’m super excited to do this podcast. It’s my senior season and it’s going to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to take people along for the ride. I love listening to Draymond Green’s podcast. I want my podcast to have the same angle, just from a college perspective. Listeners will get the full Drew experience each and every episode.”

Bob Pittman and Bud Walters Among Honorees at LABF’s Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts. Next Tuesday (11/15) Library of American Broadcasting Foundation presents its “Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts” annual celebration at Gotham Hall in New York City. LABF says the ceremony honors “the distinguished individuals who have – for the past century – been the creators, innovators, journalists, leaders, performers, and producers that have brought the electronic arts to the prominence they occupy in the United States and the world today, and who have set the stage for the future.” Among this year’s group of honorees are radio’s Bob Pittman, chairman & CEO of iHeartMedia, and Bud Walters, president of Cromwell Media. Also being honored are: Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports; S. Epatha Merkerson, actress, “Chicago Med,” “Law & Order”; Adam Symson, president & CEO, The E.W. Scripps Company; Peter Williams, justice correspondent (Ret.), NBC News; Fareed Zakaria, CNN anchor, author, columnist for The Washington Post; and Julia Child, TV chef, (posthumously).

RAB Board of Directors Elects New Directors for 2023. The Radio Advertising Bureau announces the results of its Fall Board of Directors meeting in Chicago on November 1-2. Newly elected officers include Chair: Jeff Warshaw, chief executive officer, Connoisseur Media; Vice Chair: Erik Hellum, chief operating officer, Townsquare Media; Finance Chair: Sabina Widmann, president, regional general manager, TelevisaUnivision; Secretary: Mike Dowdle, executive vice president of business affairs, Bonneville International; Immediate Past Chair: Mike Hulvey, chief executive officer, Neuhoff Media.  Warshaw says, “I am proud to serve as the RAB chair and further support the organization and the industry as we continue to advocate for radio.” Joining the RAB board of directors are David Bevins, Connoisseur Media, Felipe Chávez, Bustos Media, Julie Koehn, Lenawee Broadcasting Company and Kevin Perry, Perry Publishing & Broadcasting. Jonathan Brewster of El Dorado Broadcasters will be rejoining the board. Exiting the board are Keith Lawless, formerly at Cox Media Group, Art Rowbotham, Hall Communications, Inc., Jeff Smulyan, Emmis Communications and Pat Walsh, Emmis Communications.

TeshMedia and Compass Media Networks Expand Their Relationship. The two organizations announce that they are expanding their long-standing partnership. Compass Media Networks will now manage affiliate sales, in addition to continuing as The TeshMedia Group’s exclusive advertising representative for the full array of The TeshMedia Group’s audio brands. John Tesh says, “For nearly a decade we have trusted our friend, Peter Kosann, and Compass Media Networks for our advertising sales. And so, it only makes sense that we would take the next step and partner with Compass’ awesome affiliate relations team to help us super-serve our stations.” Kosann comments, “TeshMedia is a unique treasure to the radio industry – delivering unique, compelling, exclusive, and awesome content that drives ratings and revenues for affiliates. We are extremely proud and humbled to expand this wonderful relationship with Connie, Gib, John and their full team of producers and writers.”

TALKERS News Notes. Connecticut talk radio host Lisa Wexler is returning to her program at Connoisseur Media’s news/talk WICC-AM, Bridgeport after her leave to run for re-election for probate judge in Connecticut’s Westport-Weston District. Wexler won the race with 72% of the vote. Interestingly, she ran this time as a Democrat after having previously won three elections as a Republican in the same district. Connoisseur Media SVP Kristin Okesson says, “We congratulate Lisa on her re-election as probate judge and are looking forward to having Lisa back on-air after this brief election hiatus. Our listening community has clearly missed her on WICC.”…..Benztown announces that it is appointing Leon McWhorter as head writer. The company says, “McWhorter is the newest addition to Benztown and client partner Yamanair Creative’s writers’ room, serving commercial production clients across the U.S. He will report to MJ Bloch, Benztown’s East Coast director of commercial production, and Darren Silva, West Coast director of commercial production.

Midterm Election Results, Trump 2024 Presidential Bid, The Economy, Elon Musk & Twitter, Russia-Ukraine War, and Hurricane Nicole Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/9). The results of the midterm elections and the Georgia runoff election that may determine control of the U.S. Senate; former President Donald Trump’s expected announcement that he’ll run for president in 2024; inflation and concerns about a recession; the chaos surrounding Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the impact on Europe’s winter energy crisis; and Hurricane Nicole makes landfall in Florida among top news/talk stories yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Townsquare Media’s 2022 Third Quarter Net Revenue Soars 8.4%. Third quarter net revenue was $120.6 million – an increase of 8.4% over the same period in 2021. Townsquare Media reveals in its 2022 Q3 financial report that net income for the quarter decreased $10.1 million to $2.8 million, as compared to $12.9 million in the same period in 2021, primarily driven by non-cash impairment charges to the company’s FCC licenses of $10.3 million. Townsquare Media breaks its financial reports in to three operating segments. For the third quarter of this year, Digital Advertising net revenue increased $6.5 million, or 21.3%; Subscription Digital Marketing Solutions net revenue increased $2.1 million, or 9.7%, as compared to the same period in 2021 due in part to the addition of approximately 850 additional net subscribers during the third quarter of 2022; and Broadcast Advertising net revenue increased $2 million, or 3.4%, compared to Q3 of 2021. Townsquare CEO Bill Wilson comments, “I am proud to report another record setting quarter of results that clearly demonstrate the undeniable success and differentiation of Townsquare’s transformation into a Digital First Local Media company. The Townsquare team reached all-time Q3 highs with net revenue growth of 8% year-over-year, and Adjusted EBITDA growth of 6% year-over-year, meeting our Q3 guidance. In addition, net leverage declined to an all-time low of 4.54x as we continue to make progress towards our 4x net leverage target. Our growth engine has been and will continue to be our digital solutions, which were the primary driver of our third quarter growth, accounting for half of Townsquare’s total revenue and total profit. Total digital revenue increased 17% year-over-year in the third quarter, and trailing 12-month digital revenue grew to $225 million. As a uniquely positioned Digital First Local Media Company focused principally on markets outside of the top 50 in the United States, Townsquare has a resilient digital growth engine supported by both a recurring subscription digital marketing solutions business, with a large addressable market and limited competition, and a highly differentiated digital advertising technology platform.”

Ramsey Solutions to Give Free Finance Course to 1,000 Veterans in Recognition of Veterans Day. In honor of Veterans Day this Friday (11/11), Dave Ramsey announces that he is giving away access to his company’s Financial Peace University for 1,000 veterans on “The Ramsey Show.” Ramsey Solutions says the nine-lesson digital personal finance course has helped millions take control of their money for 30 years. Veterans who enter their information on the company’s website and are selected, will be able to join a class in-person or go online to watch videos on-demand as they learn the fastest way to pay off debt, save for emergencies and invest for the future. Military members list financial troubles among their top stressors. In the first 90 days of working the FPU plan, the average household pays off $5,300 of debt and saves $2,700 for emergencies.

KFI, Los Angeles Set to Begin 12th Annual Pastathon with SoCal Wendy’s Restaurants Joining the Cause. The annual KFI Pastathon charity event that encourages listeners to donate money, pasta, and sauce to benefit Caterina’s Club gets underway on Tuesday (11/15) and includes new partner Wendy’s restaurants in Southern California. The iHeartMedia news/talk station says that Caterina’s Club provides more than 25,000 nutritious meals every week to children in need in Southern California. The charity also helps families get back into stable home environments and teaches teens the skills they need to work in the hospitality industry. This year, all 168 Wendy’s restaurants in Southern California will offer their customers a donation option from November 16 through December 4.  In addition, on November 29, ‘Giving Tuesday,’ these Wendy’s will also donate $1 from every Frosty sold to the KFI PastaThon. With the help of listeners, local businesses, and the continued partnership with Smart & Final stores and Barilla Pasta, the 2021 event raised a record-breaking $1 million dollars and 115,000 lbs of pasta and sauce. Since 2010, the KFI PastaThon event has raised over $4.6 million and 700,000 pounds of pasta and sauce for children in need in the community. KFI program director Robin Bertolucci states, “We are so delighted to have Wendy’s partner with us on our efforts to feed Southern California kids. Because of generous partners like Wendy’s, Chef Bruno is feeding over 25,000 kids every week. As we embark upon our 12th annual KFI PastaThon we know the need is bigger than ever but so are the hearts of our listeners and partners. Our goal this year is to once again raise over a million dollars.  Thank you to Wendy’s for helping us make that dream a reality!”

Radio and Podcast Power Session Being Made Available for Colleges & Universities. The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF), in partnership with Benztown, the University of Maryland and the Broadcast Education Association (BEA), are creating a produced 90-minute, on-demand recorded Zoom video session focused on radio and podcasting for colleges and universities utilizing the LABF collection. The LABF Radio and Podcasting Power Session initiative, led by LABF board members Dave “Chachi” Denes – Benztown president – and BEA executive director Heather Birks, features University of Maryland reference specialist Michael Henry hosting a virtual walk-through of the library, followed by an insightful conversation about the vast collection highlighting incredible moments in U.S. history captured through the eyes and voice of television and radio broadcasters. Additionally, industry professionals from across different disciplines of the podcasting and radio business, including radio executive Mike McVay along with Benztown’s R Dub! from “Sunday Night Slow Jams”, Darren Silva and MJ Bloch, Tom Green, Susan Aksu, Beasley Media Group chief revenue officer Tina Murley and other experts speak to the students about the many career opportunities available to them in the industry. Denes says, “Everyone involved with this program is passionate about radio and podcasting. It’s an absolute honor to be able to share our knowledge with students that will someday be leading the industry.” The initiative initially launched as a semester-long course with Clark Atlanta University in 2021. The school is the first to utilize the 2022 90-minute abridged class-offering. It will be available to colleges and universities.

TALKERS News Notes. A new deal between Cumulus Media’s news/talk WLS-AM and Motor Racing Network will have the station airing the NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2023. This three-year pact comes on the heels of the news that the City of Chicago has signed a three-year deal with NASCAR as the home of the first-ever Chicago Street Race. The unprecedented 12-turn, 2.2-mile Chicago Street Race will take the Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series past and through many of Chicago’s most renowned downtown landmarks during Fourth of July Weekend, July 1-2, 2023. WLS program director Stephanie Tichenor says, “We are thrilled to be the new Chicago radio home of NASCAR and we look forward to growing this new partnership as we gear up for the first-ever Chicago Street Race next summer – and what promises to be an unforgettable Fourth of July weekend.”…..SiriusXM announces the launch of a new original comedy channel, Team Coco Radio. Executive produced by Conan O’Brien, the channel will feature exclusive audio content as well as select Team Coco podcasts, including the popular “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.” The channel debuts on November 15. Subscribers can hear the biggest interviews and the funniest stand-up moments from Conan’s iconic TBS show, as well as select Team Coco podcasts, including “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” plus “Inside Conan” and “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan.” Fresh commentary from Conan will also be weaved throughout the programming, as he recalls funny behind-the-scenes stories and other entertaining and insightful anecdotes.

Midterms/Trump’s 2024 Aspirations, The Economy, China COVID Lockdowns, Meta Layoffs/Twitter Chaos, January 6 Cases, Russia-Ukraine War, Powerball Jackpot, and Tropical Storm Nicole Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/8). Tuesday’s midterm elections, the battle for control of Congress combined with former President Donald Trump’s expected announcement he’ll run in 2024; inflation and fears of a recession; the COVID lockdowns in China and their effect on the global supply chain; Facebook parent Meta to lay off 11,000 workers and Elon Musk’s mercurial leadership of Twitter; the trials of Oath Keepers for seditious conspiracy relative to the January 6 Capitol attack; Russia’s attack on Ukrainian infrastructure; a ticket for the record $2 billion Powerball jackpot sells in California; and Florida braces for Tropical Storm Nicole were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Monday, November 7, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Beasley Broadcast Group Q3 Net Revenue Rises 1.5%. Financial data from Beasley Broadcast Group’s third quarter of 2022 reveals net revenue of $63.8 million – an increase of 1.5% over the same period in 2021. The company reports operating income of $4.7 million in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $4.9 million in the third quarter of 2021. It says this slight decrease was driven by a $1.2 million increase in corporate expenses related to investments in its digital business as well as severance expense, partially offset by a year-over-year increase in Station Operating Income (SOI, a non-GAAP financial measure). Beasley reports net income of $500,000 compared to the net loss of $1.6 million it reported during the same period a year ago. Station operating income increased by 5.1% to $12.3 million in the third quarter of 2022, up from $11.7 million in the third quarter of 2021. The company says the increase is primarily attributable to higher net revenue, which more than offset higher operating expenses. Chief executive officer Caroline Beasley says, “Beasley delivered another strong period of operating and financial performance, reflecting the ongoing success of our digital transformation and revenue diversification strategies. Top-line growth was the primary factor contributing to a 5.1% year-over-year increase in SOI to $12.3 million and was driven by continued strength in local audio advertising and impressive growth in our digital business. Regarding the economic environment, like many companies, we are managing through some challenging market conditions with a focus on what we can control. We continue to experience increased volatility in national spot advertising, which accounted for approximately 15% of our third quarter net revenues. The ongoing strength of our digital and local audio advertising revenues is helping us to partially offset these declines. We are also taking actions on the expense side, and have implemented approximately $10 million in expense reductions, of which roughly half were from a reduction to headcount. Digital remains a key component of our revenue diversification strategy. Digital revenue increased 23.1% year-over-year representing 16% of total third quarter revenues, while our digital margin improved. Our digital performance benefitted from a first full quarter contribution from the white label digital agency we acquired in late June, which we believe will continue to accelerate our digital revenue growth and provide meaningful synergies with our growing digital platform. In both the second and third quarters, digital revenue accounted for a larger share of our revenue than national advertising, and we expect this revenue source to continue offsetting national spot weakness in the coming quarters. Total outstanding debt as of September 30, 2022 was $290 million. In summary, we believe these results demonstrate the strength and relevance of our industry-leading audio and digital content, as well as our teams’ extraordinary efforts to serve our listeners, customers and communities through challenging circumstances. And while we cannot control how the economic situation evolves in the coming months, we have already taken decisive steps to mitigate the impact of near-term headwinds and drive continued progress against our long-term growth strategy. Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on maximizing our growth opportunities, managing our expenses and capital structure, serving our audiences and advertisers and delivering results for our stockholders.”

Monday Memo: Your Podcast ‘Bones.’ Like your on-air work, your podcast is a show. And consultant Holland Cooke figures that “as a professional broadcaster, you enter the on-demand audio arena advantaged over others…BUT…” In this week’s column, HC cautions that – given the way podcasts are consumed – your format is critical. Read it here.

 

Greg Renoe Promoted to Market Manager for Cumulus Columbia/Jefferson City. The company promotes Greg Renoe from his general sales manager position with the Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri clusters to vice president and market manager. The station groups consist of news/talk KFRU, Columbia and news/talk KLIK, Jefferson City plus five music brands. Cumulus Media SVP of operations Mark Sullivan says, “Greg’s long-standing relationships with our staff, key advertisers, and civic leaders, together with his deep knowledge of the market and effectiveness as a leader, have earned him this promotion. I look forward to his continued success with our organization in Middle Missouri.” Renoe adds, “I’m excited to have the opportunity to lead the Cumulus team here in Middle Missouri. I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead and sharing in many successes with my co-workers. There is no end to what we can accomplish together with our collective vision for these incredible assets.”

iHeartMedia Names Doug Hall Digital PD for LA and SF. Digital media pro Doug Hall is named regional digital program director for iHeartMedia’s Los Angeles and San Francisco clusters. Hall has been serving with the national iHeartRadio team as a senior digital director out of the Nashville headquarters. In this new role, Hall will be responsible for the strategy, audience growth, and maximizing iHeartMedia’s digital platforms in these markets. Hall will report to John Peake, SVP of programming for iHeartMedia Los Angeles. Peake says, “Our iconic Los Angeles audio brands and on-air talent are the engines that are driving unprecedented digital growth. I’ve watched Doug grow and evolve from his time in promotions to leading winning teams in San Francisco, Miami and Nashville. We are fortunate to have him leading our LA digital efforts and rejoining the team in San Francisco.” Hall comments, “I’m excited for this full circle moment, coming back to Los Angeles, where it all started. I can’t wait to dive in and help both our Los Angeles and San Francisco markets continue to grow and innovate in the digital space.”

Megan Marcus Returns to Paramount as VP of Podcast Editorial. Producer and journalist Megan Marcus is named vice president of podcast editorial at Paramount where she will oversee content for CBS News’ slate of podcasts. In this new role, Marcus will oversee the full creative slate for CBS News podcasts in addition to working on editorial across all Paramount global podcasts. This marks a return to CBS News for Marcus, who produced the first two seasons of Mo Rocca’s award-winning podcast “MOBITUARIES” and also worked closely with the CBS News team. Paramount EVP of podcasting and audio Steve Raizes says, “Megan is a dynamic producer and leader in the podcasting field. She did an incredible job guiding ‘MOBITUARIES’ to the top of the podcast charts and is already at work on our current and future slate of CBS News Audio properties.”

Broadcasters Foundation of America Launches Year-End Giving Campaign. The Broadcasters Foundation of America is launching its annual year-end giving campaign. The appeal asks for tax-deductible donations to provide financial assistance to people in broadcasting whose lives have been shattered by debilitating illness, accident, or catastrophe. BFoA president Tim McCarthy says, “Our grantees are your colleagues. They are hard-working men and women who through no fault of their own need our help. Requests for aid continue to increase every year. We cannot turn our backs on those in our industry who need our help.” This year, the Broadcasters Foundation will award close to $2 million in monthly and one-time emergency grants. Since 2017, monthly grants have increased 70% and more than 600 emergency grants have been awarded. Over the past 20 years, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed more than $15 million to broadcasters in need. Broadcasters Foundation board of directors chairman Scott Herman adds, “Disaster often strikes without notice and extreme circumstances can deplete a life’s savings quickly. We need everyone in radio and TV to spread the word about the Foundation’s charitable mission across their station and company, in case they or someone they know needs our help.” More information, including how to make a personal or corporate donation or apply for aid is available at www.broadcastersfoundation.org, and by contacting the Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org.</p

Midterm Elections/Trump in 2024, The Economy, Russia-Ukraine War, Elon Musk & Twitter, Daylight Saving Time Controversy, Astros Win World Series, and Powerball Jackpot Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. Tuesday’s midterm elections and the battle for control of the House and Senate, combined with expectations that Donald Trump will announce his bid for the 2024 Republican nomination shortly; inflation and concerns about a recession; Russia’s targeting of Ukraine’s infrastructure as the war grinds on; Elon Musk’s mercurial leadership tactics as owner of Twitter; the debate over Daylight Saving Time and whether to make it permanent in the U.S.; the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series; and the now $1.9 billion Powerball jackpot were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

WIBC-FM, Indianapolis Personality Rob Kendall Sues Political Activist for Defamation. WIBC-FM, Indianapolis late morning personality Rob Kendall is suing conservative political activist Gabriel Whitley, Spencer McDaniel, and Young Conservatives of Southern Indiana for defamation after the group posted comments on Facebook in which they refer to Kendall as “Pedo Rob,” implying that he’s a pedophile. The Evansville Courier & Press reports the story, noting that Whitley is a declared candidate for mayor of Evansville. Kendall co-hosts the late morning program on Radio One’s WIBC-FM with Casey Daniels. Kendall is being represented by fellow WIBC personality Abdul Hakim-Shabazz. McDaniel says the Facebook page is a satire page and as such is protected speech. He says, “Gabriel Whitley had no part in this, I run the page but it was a joke and I take full responsibility for the joke. We will win and all charges will be dropped.” The suit states, “The satiric effect emerges only as the reader concludes by the very outrageousness of the words that the whole thing is a put-on.” Hakim-Shabazz says that “the context of the post does not allow a reasonable reader to think the defendant’s words were a ‘put on.’” Kendall is seeking $50,000 in damages, punitive damages as the court deems proper,  attorney fees and court costs, and other relief the court deems proper.

Comrex Unveils New Remote Contribution Solution. The new cloud service for remote, on-air or production contribution from Comrex is called Gagl, and it allows between one and five users to send and receive audio from computers and smartphones. Each user receives their own mix-minus to hear other connected guests, and the Gagl audio is delivered to a Comrex hardware codec (such as ACCESS or BRIC-Link, usually in a studio). All participants can hear other participants and the codec “sends” audio back to them. Comrex says that participants can connect and send audio by simply clicking a link using any common web browser. Gagl is designed to be used with consumer grade equipment, so contributors only need a device and a headset to get on the air. Gagl uses the Opus audio encoder, with a bit rate that delivers both voice and music in excellent quality. Gagl also delivers audio directly to a Comrex codec with all the stability enhancements, pro-grade audio connections, and features that hardware codecs provide. The simple user interface makes it easy for users with any level of technical experience to use. Comrex adds that Gagl could be used as the hub for a news program or for a morning radio show to support multiple simultaneous contributor connections. Because it offers low latency, it’s appropriate for call-in talk radio. Gagl could also be used to allow a single contributor to connect back to the studio from a computer or smartphone. Gagl works with Comrex hardware IP audio codecs including the AES67-compatible ACCESS NX Rack IP audio codec and ACCESS MultiRack multi-channel IP audio codec as well as the BRIC-Link series. Find out more about Gagl here.

Edison Research: Spotify Takes Over as Top U.S. Podcast Network. The latest Q2 2022 data from Edison Research’s ranking of the Top Podcast Networks in the U.S. reveals that Spotify, SXM Media, and iHeartRadio take the top three spots, respectively. Spotify surpassed SXM Media’s weekly reach by a tiny margin. Edison’s ranking is based on surveys of 8,000 podcast listeners in the U.S. and measures reach as a percentage of the weekly podcasting audience. Rankings are compiled by measuring the total unduplicated reach of all the shows represented by a given network. See the complete list of the top 30 podcast networks here.

Podtrac: iHeartRadio Top Podcast Publisher for August 2022. The ranking of top podcast publishers from Podtrac has been released for August and, based on Unique Monthly Audience, iHeartRadio is ranked #1 with more than 35.5 million UMA for its 689 active shows. Wondery is ranked #2 (24.5 million UMA) for 204 shows, and NPR comes in at #3 (19.7 million UMA) for 49 shows. See Podtrac’s entire chart of the top 20 podcast publishers for August 2022 here.

Brian Kilmeade in Albany. Pictured above is FOX News Channel and FOX News Radio star Brian Kilmeade (center) on stage at The Egg Performing Arts Center in Albany on September 8. With him is FOX News Channel producer Alyson Mansfield (left) and news/talk WGDJ, Albany owner Paul Vandenburgh (right). Kilmeade’s radio program is heard from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon on WGDJ.

KFAN’s Dan Barreiro to Be Enshrined in Hall of Fame. Longtime Twin Cities sports talk personality Dan Barreiro – host of “Bumper to Bumper with Dan Barreiro” and “Sunday Sermons with Dan Barreiro” – is being honored this Saturday (9/17) at the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Barreiro was a sports columnist at the Star Tribune for 17 years. He joined iHeartMedia’s KFXN-FM, Minneapolis “KFAN 100.3” in 1992. iHeartMedia Minneapolis market president Greg Alexander says, “Dan epitomizes the make-up of a tremendous talk show in the Twin Cities. He puts together compelling interviews and has the ability to break down any and every topic to entertain our listeners. He is a true talent.” Market SVP of programming Gregg Swedberg adds, “There isn’t a radio personality who has had the kind of ratings success over the last three decades that Dan Barreiro has. He has done it by hosting intelligent, entertaining, and compelling radio. He’s more than the ‘Big Ticket,’ he is the blueprint.”

Audacy’s I’m Listening Mental Health Campaign to Produce Sixth Annual Special Program. The ongoing mental health public service campaign from Audacy includes the two-hour audio program, “I’m Listening,” once again co-hosted by Carson Daly and by Dr. Alfiee M. Breland-Noble. Each year, Audacy activates “I’m Listening” through national campaigns featuring artists, celebrities, and athletes who share their experiences with mental health. Partnering with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, these events help raise awareness and support of issues that we all face in our daily lives. Guests on this year’s program will include: Carrie Underwood, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Vice President Kamala Harris, Lizzo, Ricky Williams, Maren Morris, Charlie Puth and Stephen A. Smith, who will share personal mental health stories. The special airs nationwide on Wednesday, September 21 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm local time across more than 230 Audacy stations and will be live streamed via its digital app and website. Also, returning to the Hollywood Bowl for its ninth year, the star-studded concert “We Can Survive” takes place on Saturday, October 22 with featured acts including Alanis Morrisette, Garbage, Halsey, OneRepublic, Weezer and more.

Trumps vs DOJ, Inflation/Financial Markets/Railroad Strike, Lindell Search Warrant, Russia-Ukraine War, British Royalty, Musk-Twitter Case, and Ken Starr Dies Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/13). Former President Donald Trump’s battle with the Department of Justice over its investigation into documents he kept at Mar-a-Lago; the still rising rate of inflation, Tuesday’s financial markets beating, and the looming railroad strike; MyPillow founder Mike Lindell has phone taken by FBI in warranted search; Ukraine’s retaking of territory from Russian forces; the royal family’s activities in the aftermath of Queen Elizabeth’s death; the court battle between Elon Musk and Twitter over his canceled acquisition bid; and former special prosecutor Ken Starr dies were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Front Page News Industry News

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Cindy Rollison to Lead Cumulus Tri-Cities, Tennessee. Sales and management pro Cindy Rollison returns to Cumulus Media to serve as vice president and market manager for the Tri-Cities, Tennessee station group that includes news/talk WJCW-AM and sports talk WXSM-AM plus two music brands. Rollison takes over for Debbie Caso, who is retiring after 43 years in the market. Rollison served as VP and market manager for Cumulus’ former station group in Blacksburg, Virginia from 2007-2018. She’s been serving as regional marketing consultant for Mel Wheeler, Inc. Radio and Digital Advertising since 2019. Cumulus regional VP Mark Sullivan says, “I’m thankful to Debbie Caso for making such a valuable contribution to the community and company for so many years and wish her much happiness in her retirement. At the same time, I’m very pleased that we have someone of Cindy Rollison’s caliber and experience joining our team. I’m excited to have the opportunity to work alongside Cindy again, after many successful years working together with our cluster in Blacksburg. I’m looking forward to many successes together.”

 

Justin Schaflander Named Director of Sales for ‘ESPN LA.’ Radio sales pro Justin Schaflander is named director of sales for Good Karma Brands’ sports talk KSPN, Los Angeles “ESPN LA 710 AM.”  He was most recently a region president with iHeartMedia. In the early 2000s, Schaflander was a director of sports for CBS, running the Dodgers Radio Network. He says, “I’m thrilled to join ESPN LA and Good Karma Brands. To return to LA, work with some of the most iconic brands in sports and have it wrapped up in Good Karma Brands’ culture makes this a bucket list experience! I would like to thank the team for making this process and transition seamless and fun, and I can’t wait to start learning and working with this special group of teammates.” Good Karma Brands acquired “ESPN LA 710 AM” and “ESPN 1050 AM in New York” earlier this year. The company also took over the agreement to perform ESPN’s obligations under the Local Marketing Agreement for WEPN-FM “98.7 ESPN” in New York.

 

Kidney Transplant a Life-Changing Event for WHUB, Cookeville’s Brent Carl Fleshman. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian writes today about Cookeville, Tennessee talk radio host Brent Carl Fleshman who recently underwent a lifesaving – and life-changing – kidney transplant. Fleshman serves with Zimmer Broadcasting’s Cookeville station group where he hosts the morning drive show on news/talk WHUB “News Talk 107.7 and 1400 The Hub” and serves as program director, among other duties. In May of 2014, Dr. Barbara Fleming was doing a segment on Fleshman’s program when she noticed something about Fleshman that concerned her. She prompted him to seek treatment at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University and he got into the hospital’s kidney transplant program. Fleshman says, “I’ve been given a second chance with this kidney and am grateful to the man who signed that donor card [making it possible for me to] continue doing what I love every day. I intend to make the most of it. I look forward to getting back on the air soon and have asked Dr. Fleming to be on my first show. If [the host of WHUB’s 30-minute Saturday health program, ‘Your Best Health Connection’] hadn’t noticed my symptoms eight years ago and gone to Vanderbilt with me, I would never have seen this day. Radio saved my life.” Read his story here.

 

Gordon Smith Joins Beasley Board of Directors. Former NAB president and CEO Gordon H. Smith is nominated by the Beasley Media Group board of directors to be added to the slate of directors to be presented at the annual shareholders meeting on May 25. The official unanimous vote took place during the company’s board of director’s meeting on March 31, 2022. Smith, who served two terms as a Republican U.S. Senator representing Oregon, led the NAB from 2009 through 2021. Beasley board chair and CEO Caroline Beasley says, “It is such an honor and a privilege to welcome Gordon to the Beasley Media Group board of directors. His outstanding leadership, dedication and service to broadcasters and our nation is unparalleled. His understanding of Washington and how to navigate the halls of power will serve our board well for years to come. I look forward to working closely with Gordon and our board as we continue to evolve our company forward.”

 

47th Annual Gracie Award Winners Announced. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation announces the winners of the 47th Annual Gracie Awards which will return in-person on May 24 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles with local and student awards given on June 22 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. AWMF says the event will honor some of the most talented women in television, radio and digital media. AWMF chair Heather Cohen says, “Throughout this past year we have seen a number of remarkable projects by and about inspirational women.” AWMF president Becky Brooks adds, “We are honored to shine a spotlight on these women, whose stories have driven cultural awareness, offered entertainment that has made us laugh, cry, and everything in between. This year, we will be returning to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and are delighted to return to an in-person format so that we can properly celebrate together.” Some of the national radio honorees include Allison Keyes, CBS News Weekend Roundup; Cheri Preston, ABC News Radio; Jen Horn, Victoria Keelan, and Jai Kershner, “The DJV Show”; Heather Hunter, WMAL-FM, Washington’s “O’Connor and Company”; Jeana Gondek, WOKV-FM, Jacksonville, “Jacksonville’s Morning News”; Judi Franco, WKXW, Trenton “New Jersey 101.5”; Lori Barghini and Julia Cobbs, KTMY-FM, Minneapolis “The Lori & Julia Show”; MalaniKai WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta, “Word on the Street”; and Rita Cosby, WABC, New York. See the complete list of honorees here. Pictured above at the most recent in-person ceremony (2019) are (from l-r): country artist Kelsey Ballerini, Heather Cohen, and Becky Brooks.

 

Comrex to Unveil Gagl Remote Contribution Solution at NAB Show. The newest remote contribution solution from Comrex will be showcased at the NAB Show in Las Vegas April 23-27.  Dubbed Gagl, this new cloud service delivers conferenced audio from multiple contributors in high-quality. Gagl allows between one and five users to send and receive audio from computers and smartphones. Participants can connect and send audio by simply clicking a link using any common web browser. Their audio is conferenced (if there’s more than one user) and delivered to a Comrex hardware codec such as an ACCESS or BRIC-Link. All participants can hear other participants, and the codec can send audio back to them. Comrex says Gagl could be used as the hub for a round-robin reporting program or for a large-cast radio show to support multiple simultaneous connections at once. Because it offers low latency, it’s appropriate for call-in talk radio. Gagl could also be used to allow a single contributor to connect back to the studio from a computer or smartphone. Designed with audio quality in mind, Gagl provides stable connections with limited bandwidth. Gagl uses the Opus audio encoder, with a bit rate that delivers both voice and music in excellent quality. Gagl also delivers audio directly to a Comrex codec with all the stability enhancements, pro-grade audio connections, and features that hardware codecs provide. With a simple user interface, Gagl is easy for users with any level of technical expertise to use. Gagl works with Comrex hardware IP audio codecs including the AES67-compatible ACCESS NX Rack IP audio codec and ACCESS MultiRack multi-channel IP audio codec as well as the BRIC-Link series – a sneak peak of the next addition to the BRIC-Link codec line will also be featured at the 2022 NAB Show. LiveShot (a bonded IP solution for live video) and other IP audio solutions for IFB and POTS and /ISDN replacement can be found at the Comrex booth C3024 in Central Hall along with a “behind the curtain” look at some new concept products.

 

Russia-Ukraine War, Hunter Biden/Rudy Giuliani Investigations, Inflation/Recession Fears, Brooklyn Shooter Search, Midterms/Trump & the GOP, COVID-19, Severe Southern Weather, and Gilbert Gottfried Dies Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (4/12). Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine and President Joe Biden’s use of the term “genocide”; the investigation into Hunter Biden’s international business ventures and the investigation into Rudy Giuliani’s potential violation of foreign lobbying laws; high gas and consumer goods prices in the U.S. and fears the inflation will cause a recession; the search for the man who opened fire in a Brooklyn subway injuring 26 people; the battle for control of Congress in November’s midterm elections and Donald Trump’s influence over the GOP; the reinstating of mask requirements in some places in the U.S. as the BA.2 variant dominates and the brutal lockdowns taking place in China; the severe weather affecting the Southern U.S.; and the death of comic Gilbert Gottfried were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERSmagazine.