Radio News

A portion of the land on which the WGN-AM in Chicago tower sits is being sold, a move that comes with the annexation of the land on which it sits by Elk Grove Village, Ill. Six public pickleball courts will be built on part of the parcel. Meanwhile, the current tower is being torn down and replaced.

Salem Media Group has moved forward with management structure changes "in a limited number of markets" that, the publicly traded company says, "provide some cost savings and will allow Salem's most seasoned leaders to expand their impact on the performance of the company."

The nation's No. 1 owner of radio stations, which also says is the top podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, has finalized a strategic partnership with LinkedIn that is designed to "introduce new offerings to the business podcast space."

Epperson founded what was originally called Salem Communications in 1986 with his brother-in-law, Edward Atsinger. Since then, Salem has grown thanks to a stable of radio stations that include Christian Talk & Teaching, CCM and conservative-leaning secular News/Talk formats. 

The second quarter of 2023 saw an increase in the number of FM noncommercial radio stations in the U.S., as the total number of commercially licensed FMs declined — as did the number of AM radio stations in the U.S. Meanwhile, there was growth in the LPTV arena during Q2, new FCC data show.

When it comes to compliance of the FCC's Public File Rule, the Commission means business. Just ask the owner of a North Carolina FM, which has signed a Consent Decree to resolve outstanding issues. That said, there's a whole other matter involving WPNC-FM the FCC has been dealing with.

On July 7, Streamline Publishing's Radio Ink was first to report that Craig Swagler was saying goodbye to CBS News Radio, resigning as VP/General Manager in order to spend more time with his family and relocate from New York to Baltimore. Now, Swagler has formally resurfaced, and he begins his new job on August 1.

July 20 has been designated as a day for all in broadcast radio and television to unite as one community to support colleagues across every position in need of financial assistance due to critical illness, accident, or disaster.

Its broadcast radius is a mere 17 miles. Yet, since December 1978 this Ontonagon County, Mich., FM has proudly used its nine watts of power to serve the tiny county seat nestled along the shores of Lake Superior. This may soon come to an end, however, due to an expansion action from the Gospel Opportunities Radio Network.

Across the U.S., the value of AM and its preservation in vehicles has emerged as one of the hottest topics of 2023. And, it was reiterated on Thursday on Capitol Hill by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Cincinnati Public Radio has taken another significant stride toward its brand new office and studio space for the market's two leading noncommercial secular FMs: WVXU and WGUC.

Four years ago, Ron Stone founded the Independent Broadcasters Association. Today, one of the key tenets of the IBA is how to make more money. This includes cash giveaways — an incentive that has attracted more listeners, thus increasing the chances an advertiser will sign a deal for a member station. Stone shares where the IBA is heading in this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM. LISTEN HERE

The FCC at its August Open Meeting will vote to seek comment on whether to change the way the Commission determines the maximum power for "digital FM broadcast stations." It could bring a welcome boost to HD Radio, while giving digital multicast audio choices a shot in the arm.

Could traditional AM and FM radio be poised for a bit of a bump in interest from local ad buyers as the second half of 2023 commences? That's the indication from data released on Thursday by Borrell Associates.

On July 1, the sale of WVIP-FM to Hope Media Group by the heirs of the late William O'Shaughnessy was announced. It is now known that, while the FCC considers the approval of that deal, those now in control of licensee Hudson-Westchester have signed a Consent Decree with the FCC that resolves transfer of control concerns tied to O'Shaughnessy's 2022 death.