Nielsen is planning major changes to the way it measures video viewing starting in fourth quarter 2022. Its highly touted Nielsen One offering will use a single metric to measure streaming and linear viewing, allowing advertisers and content providers to look at total video consumption regardless of platform or device. During an investor conference last week, Nielsen CEO Dave Kenny hinted that a similar system may be in development for audio. Read more
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Inside Radio News
Some radio groups are angling to capture a bigger slice of local online listening with their own dedicated apps geared to a specific market or region. It’s not just in the big cities either. Two new apps have debuted – one in Washington, DC and the other in Boise, ID. “We are planning for the time when the radio moves from the dashboard to the back seat as autonomous driving solidifies,” says Darrell Calton, CEO of Iliad Media Group. Read more
Devin Steel joins Radio One hip-hop/R&B “Hot 107.9” WHTA Atlanta as Program Director. Steel was most recently Senior VP of Programming for iHeartMedia Memphis, where he also served as PD and afternoon host at hip-hop/R&B “K97” WHRK. He exited the cluster in July 2020. Steel succeeds Tap Money, who departed last month. Read more
Veteran programmer Tim Herbster is named Director of Music Programming and Brand Manager for Entercom AC “B101” WBEB and classic hits WOGL (98.1) Philadelphia. Herbster was most recently Senior VP of Programming for iHeartMedia’s Pacific Northwest region, exiting in November of 2020 as part of company-wide cuts. He succeeds Shelly Easton, who left Entercom’s Philly cluster in January. Read more
Peter “Kane” Deibler, who previously hosted the nationally-syndicated “The Kane Show,” died on March 6 after a long illness. He was 43. “The Kane Show” was syndicated by Premiere Networks and was heard in DC, Baltimore, Tampa, Harrisburg, Louisville and Memphis. The program was discontinued in April 2020 and was relaunched as “Your Morning Show” without Deibler. Read more
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan for COVID-19 relief approved by the Senate over the weekend includes $175 million in emergency assistance to public radio and TV stations, a move that was quickly applauded by public broadcasters. The Senate passed the bill with a 50-49 vote. It will go back to the House for a vote early this week, where it is expected to pass. Read more
Special programming features to mark the one-year anniversary of the pandemic include Bloomberg Radio’s “A Year Like No Other” monthlong daily series that kicks-off Monday, March 15 and WXPN Philadelphia’s “Songs That Got Us Through The Year,” which will air Monday, March 16. Bloomberg Radio and WXPN join others in observing the year of the pandemic. Read more
Summit American has decided to temporarily take AC KJUL Las Vegas off-air, citing financial difficulties in the wake of the pandemic. “Radio stations are expensive to operate and if you don’t have advertising you can’t pay the bills,” President/GM and morning host Scott Gentry says. “When the economy of Las Vegas comes back, so will we. I promise.” Read more
“95.1 FM Chicago” moving to a streaming-only presentation… WVEZ Louisville rebranded as “Mix 106.9.” … Beasley Media Group celebrates International Women’s History Month… WABC New York welcomes Basketball Hall Of Fame’s Nancy Lieberman to the “Bernie and Sid” show on International Women’s Day…WDJX Louisville raises $102,573 during its 12th Annual Norton Children’s Hospital Radiothon… WNAP Philadelphia goes silent. Read more
Former Vice President Mike Pence will voice a four-part documentary about the life and career of groundbreaking conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh for Fox News Media's streaming service Fox Nation. Pence, a former talk radio host himself, will narrate “Age Of Rush,” a limited docuseries which debuts March 10. Read more
More News
- Michael Stanley, Cleveland Rocker Turned Radio Host, Dies At 72.
- Retailers And Marketers Prepare For Spring Spending.
- How Morgan Wallen’s Music Is Slowly Returning To Country Radio.
- Beasley And Salem Granted Eight-Figure PPP Loans Under CARES Act.
- Advertising Growth Helps Push Veritone Revenue To New Highs In Fourth Quarter.
- Radio Stations Have Until April 19 To Register Their Satellite Receivers With The FCC.
Recent Stories
- ‘Solid Quarter To End A Tumultuous Year’ Has Analyst Raising Price Target On Salem.
- International Women’s Day To Rule Radio Monday.
- Nielsen Closes $2.7 Billion Sale Of Global Connect Business.
- WERQ-FM Baltimore Launches ‘The A.M. Clique with Porkchop and AngelBaby.’
- SummitMedia Richmond Debuts ‘Awesome 100.9.’ Relaunches WURV As ‘103.7 Variety.’
- Podcast Data And Ad Tech Are Expanding, Bringing In More Ad Buyers.
People Moves
Red Apple Media talk WABC New York (770) taps Newsmax host Greg Kelly to host an afternoon program. Kelly will debut on the station March 9 at 1pm, occupying a portion of the schedule left vacant as Curtis Sliwa takes a leave of absence to run for Mayor. Read more
Lee Lonsberry is leaving Bonneville news/talk KSL-AM/FM (1160/102.7) Salt Lake City, where he hosts 12:30-3pm, to serve as Communications Director for Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah). Lonsberry joined the station in 2019 after working on the staff of Utah representative Rob Bishop from 2015-2019. His last day at KSL will be April 2. Read more
Univision names Beatriz Pedrosa-Guanche Senior VP, Corporate Communications based in Miami. Concurrently, Univision announces that 15-year company veteran Rosemary Mercedes has resigned as Chief Communications Officer and will transition out of the company later this month. Read more
Hubbard hot AC “101.9 The Mix” WTMX APD/MD/midday host Nikki Chuminatto moves to mornings to co-host “Eric in the Morning” with Eric Ferguson. Chuminatto succeeds Melissa McGurren, who officially departed the station in December after months of not being on air, in what station management says was a contract dispute. Read more