Gigi Sohn faced what at times was tough questioning by the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday on her nomination to fill a seat on the FCC. Sohn was grilled for her past criticism of conservative media, but she said such views won’t impact her policy decisions if confirmed. Sohn also told Senators that a rollback of media ownership limits has gone too far. “We need to consider whether some of those need to be restored,” she said. Read more
KIIS-FM Los Angeles has promoted Assistant PD/Music Director Beata Murphy to Program Director, succeeding John Ivey who was named President of CHR Content Development and Strategy at iHeartMedia, ending a 20-year run at the station. Murphy will report to John Peake, Senior VP of Programming for iHeart L.A. She brings both radio and record industry experience to the CHR powerhouse. Read more
Taking the next step in a nearly complete airstaff makeover, Audacy will move Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney from middays on the CBS Sports Radio Network to the same slot on New York sports talker WFAN at the start of 2022. Having a New York Giants legend in middays is expected to be a stronger lead-in to Carton & Roberts’ afternoon drive show on “The Fan.” “Tiki & Tierney” replace “Moose & Maggie” – Maggie Gray and Marc Malusis. Read more
The first-ever Infinite Dial UK study conducted by Edison Research show that 81% of those surveyed, 16 years and older, have listened to radio (AM/FM/DAB) in the last week. Comparatively, 59% of those 16+ listened to radio in the past week in the U.S., according to the research firm’s 2021 U.S. Infinite Dial. Read more
Former Univision executive Steve Mandala joins Spanish language radio and TV station owner Estrella Media as Chief Revenue and Local Media Officer. Mandala most recently served as President, Ad Sales & Marketing for Univision and previously held the title of Executive VP, Cable Entertainment Sales for NBCUniversal, where he led sales throughout its cable group and for Telemundo. Read more
There is more evidence of a rebounding advertising market across both digital and traditional media. Global ad and marketing spending is on pace to rise 7.2% to $1.376 trillion in 2021 and grow at an accelerated rate in 2022, according to PQ Media’s just-released Global Advertising & Marketing Spending Forecast 2021-2025. Double-digit growth in digital audio ad spend is one of the drivers. Read more
The fate of oldies “QZ-93” WQZS, Meyersdale, PA (93.3) has been placed in the hands of the four FCC commissioners. Owner Roger Wahl has failed to file any of the required paperwork with the FCC’s Administrative Law Judge Jane Halprin and so rather than a hearing take place on whether he is allowed to own the station and sell it to his daughter, Halprin has closed the proceeding and kicked the decision-making to the commissioners. Read more
Kent Phillips, who has served as PD and air talent at KPLZ Seattle for 35 years, is exiting the station to join radio research firm FMR Associates as a partner. "It was too good an opportunity to pass up," said Phillips, who also owns the consultancy TCCPRADIO. His departure comes shortly after Lotus Communications closed on its $18 million purchase of KPLZ, KOMO-AM/FM and KVI from Sinclair Broadcast Group. Read more
Financial talk show host Ric Edelman is retiring his self-titled weekly program and will launch “The Truth About Your Future with Ric Edelman,” which will debut in 24 markets on Jan. 1 and will also be repurposed as a podcast. Replacing “The Ric Edelman Show” at affiliates will be “Everyday Wealth,” hosted by Soledad O’Brien and Jean Chatzky. Read more
With the exit of Tom Tangney at Bonneville news/talk KIRO-FM Seattle (97.3), the station debuts a new afternoon show “The John Curley and Shari Show” features Curley, who was previously paired with Tangney, and Shari Elliker, who has been a part of the program each Friday since January. Read more
WNYC Broadcasting Foundation news/talk WNYC New York (93.9) names Chau Lam Poverty and Economic Instability Reporter and Caroline Lewis Health and Science Reporter. Chau has more than two decades of experience covering national and local news for Newsday. Lewis has been contributing to WNYC and Gothamist for several years. Read more
Bill Louis, PD and midday host at Audacy classic rock WNCX Cleveland (98.5), announces his retirement. Louis has been in middays at the station for 34 years and has been serving as PD for the past 25 years. Read more
