Radio News

The Ahmaud Arbery case drew national attention and condemnation for its racial overtones. In Brunswick, Ga., a local radio element surfaced that Media Services Group Managing Director Eddie Esserman — himself a licensee in the Brunswick area — believes is overlooked.  It involves a Talk radio station owned by iHeartMedia.

Celebrity guests previously booked by Radio Guest Quest for radio station interviews include Ron Howard, Kevin Costner, Spike Lee, Chance the Rapper, Steve Martin, LeAnn Rimes, and Anderson Cooper.

Outside, the weather couldn't be more perfect for the first day of December, with bright sun and temperatures in the mid 50s. Inside the Russell Senate Office Building on the north side of Capitol Hill, things couldn't be sunnier for acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who is one step closer to having the "acting" title removed from her business cards.

On the latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, David Andrews shares with the world what it’s like to crank out tunes like “In the Year 2525” with a live, local host and community-focused advertising on a 1,000-watt AM radio station serving a small Upstate New York market that, until the pandemic, was heavily reliant on the Canadian dollar. LISTEN HERE

With Monday's Closing Bell on Wall Street, Beasley Media Group shares have nearly erased all of its 2021 momentum. As such, the stock is ever-closer to its pandemic-era lows and more than $11 per share below where it stood four years ago.

In Reply Comments submitted earlier this week to the FCC, CMG and broker/trustee Elliot Evers state that poor economic conditions present an opportunity, with precedent, for the Commission to extend a divestiture deadline tied to Apollo's majority ownership acquisition of Cox Media Group.

With Audacy Inc. shares just five cents higher than where they sat on January 4, the company's Chairman and President/CEO has acted by acquiring nearly 120,000 shares of stock in the audio content and distribution company he leads.

Clark Smidt is selling spots, playing the hits of yesteryear and just launched a direct mail campaign to 7 "hot ZIPs" within the listening area of a New Haven-market AM left for dead by its previous owner. Is WATX a hobby, or is it an incubator designed to demonstrate why a licensee should never give up, and avoid turning in the license of a forlorn AM property? This InFOCUS Podcast has the answer. LISTEN HERE

On October 28, RBR+TVBR first reported that the company founded and led by Jeff Smulyan had earmarked as much as $5.2 million to invest in a long-awaited stock repurchase initiative — one intended to take up to two million Class A Emmis Communications shares out of public hands. The stock buyback effort fell short of that goal.

Some 28 months ago, Audacy Inc. Alternative stations addressed complaints among listeners that its commercial breaks were too long. In response, its "ALT" properties adopted a "2 Minute Promise." Now, Audacy has abandoned it. The reason? Rising advertiser demand.

There are two huge users of Spot Radio that stand out, once again, in the latest Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report.

Spanish Broadcasting System wants the FCC to deny a waiver request submitted by Cox Media Group that would give the Apollo Global Management-controlled company more time to sell an FM radio station in Orlando and in Tampa, respectively. Why? SBS made an offer in Orlando, and believes that a deadline is a deadline with respect to necessary Commission-enforced divestment.

During Wednesday night’s awards, Alejandro Ortiz, executive creative director at Campbell Ewald Detroit/NY, was announced as the chief judge for the 2022 Radio Mercury Awards. Additionally, it was announced that the Creative Use of Nonbroadcast Audio category ended in a tie, resulting in two winners.

Where is the revenue heading for terrestrial radio? That question was the first to be answered by a Forecast 2022 panel moderated by noted media ecologist Jack Myers, of Media Village.

It's about time. One of the most prolific users of spot radio has surged to the top of the latest Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report.