Top Story

    The latest in Inside Radio's By The Numbers series, spotlighting PPM market stations with significant AQH persons growth in Nielsen's February 2023 measurement period vs. January, is Cox Media Group CHR WBLI, which from January to February saw a 57.7% lift in 25-54s, taking it from fourth to first in the Nassau-Suffolk market. “What it takes today [is] just really being a great local radio station,” Director of Operations Chris Lloyd says. Read moreAQH Gainer WBLI's Simple CHR Strategy: Be Entertaining And Play The Hits.

    Inside Radio News

    The National Association of Broadcasters is taking up its effort to shake loose some action on the government’s media ownership rules review. NAB is threatening to take the Federal Communications Commission to court unless it acts on broadcasters’ request to delay moving forward with the 2022 quadrennial review until it wraps up the long-delayed 2018 proceeding. The NAB says its deadline for action is April 12. Read moreNAB Gives FCC Two Weeks, And Then It Will Sue Over Delayed Media Ownership Review.

    A prominent forecaster has revised its U.S. advertising forecast upward in light of what it sees as a potential “shallower recession.” Economists at S&P Global Ratings raised their 2023 U.S. ad forecast to 2.8% growth, reflecting their belief that “any recession in 2023 will be shallower than previously expected.” The financial research firm is calling for a bounce back in auto ad spending. Travel is also on track to be a hot category this year. Read moreS&P: ‘Shallower’ Recession Will Bring 3% Ad Growth In 2023.

    With lawmakers in the House and Senate trying to figure out what action, if any, is appropriate against TikTok, the music and radio industries are considering what the absence of the wildly popular app would have on the business of discovering and breaking new artists. “Without TikTok's positive influence you would see less diversity of genres, new artists and new songs available on the streaming charts and on radio,” says respected consultant Guy Zapoleon. Read moreHow Would A TikTok Ban Affect Contemporary Music Radio?

    They may be finding God at the Eastside Free Methodist Church in Portland, OR but it is also where FCC field agents are facing a bedeviling problem: pirate radio. The FCC says its agents tracked an unlicensed FM station operating on 90.5 FM to the church on 139th Avenue. It is now facing potential fines topping $2.3 million. It is the second Oregon-targeted pirate action in recent weeks. Read moreFCC Warns Portland Church To Shut Down Pirate FM Operating Under Its Steeple.

    The Los Angeles Angels opened their season six hours north in Oakland yesterday, with hurler Shohei Ohtani getting the start for the Angels fresh off winning the World Baseball Classic with Japan. It was an exciting opening day that missed the Angels radio broadcast team, which will remain in LA for road games throughout the season. Read morePlay Ball, From Afar: Angels Join The Blue Jays In Keeping Radio Teams Home For Away Games.

    Roughly 2/3 of your 18-54 P1s visited your website in the past 30 days (65% 25-54 and 64% 18-34). While that’s a lot of P1 eyeballs, it’s not nearly as many as in 2015, when 81%* checked out their station’s site. However, when it comes to updating content, social is faster and simpler than webpage wrangling. So a decline in website visits isn’t surprising. Read moreMike O’Malley On Websites: If You Build On It, They Will Come.

    Salem Media Group has enacted a companywide reduction in force that trims its workforce by 3%. The layoffs, which took place Wednesday, are in response to a volatile first quarter which has triggered workforce reductions across several industries. “Salem looked for every other opportunity to improve before this decision was made,” CEO Dave Santrella said in an email to employees obtained by Inside Radio. No more layoffs are planned, he added. Read moreSalem Media Reduces Workforce By 3%.

    The Premiere Networks-syndicated radio show and podcast “The Breakfast Club” is heading for television. A one-hour segment of the show will air weekday mornings at 9am on BET beginning Monday, April 17. “The Breakfast Club on BET” marks the cable network’s return to producing daily programming for the first time since “106 & Park” in 2014 and its first foray into daytime television. Read more‘The Breakfast Club on BET’ Set For April Launch.

    People Moves

    Anna Kinkade, the afternoon host at Cumulus Media rock “105.7 The X Rocks” WIXO Peoria, has decided to leave the radio industry. In a blog posted to the station website, Kinkade says she is taking on a new role outside of radio. Read moreAnna Kinkade

    Kyle King (Kyle Winton) is added to mornings at Saga Communications hot AC “Q108” WCVQ FT. Campbell, KY. King joins Tiffany Hill on “The Q Morning Crew” and replaces Tommy Jordan, who exited. King most recently held a part-time role at Cumulus Media CHR KRBE Houston (104.1) and voice-tracked shows for Bryan Broadcasting Corporation. Read moreKyle King

    Ashley O returns to mornings at Audacy modern rock “104.3 The Shark” WSFS Miami. She has most recently been hosting afternoons at the station and was previously part of “The Big Mistake” morning show. She will also cover mornings for co-owned modern rock “FM 101.9” WQMP Daytona Beach/Orlando. Read moreAshley O

    Jack Harris, the longtime host of “AM Tampa Bay” on iHeartMedia talk WFLA (970), tells the Tampa Bay Times that he was let go after his show on Wednesday, March 29. Harris has been with the station over three tenures, from 1970-1974, from 1975-1985, and from 1993 until his dismissal. The 81-year-old has also worked at WRBQ and WFLZ.  Read moreJack Harris