Radio News

With little fanfare, Cumulus Media started Election Day 2020 by completing its offer to acquire roughly $47 million worth of its 2026 Notes. And, it was oversubscribed — a bit of good news for the audio media company led by CEO Mary Berner and CFO Frank Lopez-Balboa (pictured).

The Otto Bremer Trust has just handed one of the nation's leading noncommercial non-secular audio content creators and distributors a big-dollar grant "to build on work being done to increase cultural fluency within the organization and support new and expanded engagement with Black, Indigenous and people of color communities."

Vocal opposition to Nielsen Audio's decision as of today appears to outweigh those who support Nielsen's business decision to delete non-subscriber station analysis from all but its costly responder data. Now, the man who created the Independent Broadcasters Association (IBA) says he's ready for Eastlan to ramp it up as a bigger competitor to Nielsen Audio.

The FCC this week gave the green light to the voluntary transition to all-digital HD Radio transmissions for AM radio stations across the U.S. This may not lead many broadcasters to fully abandon their analog broadcasts, but it has prompted one radio station owner to move forward with a hybrid signal -- with an eventual cessation of analog AM broadcasts.

With four FMs, two FMs and two FM translators, Saga Communications has a formidable presence in Clarksville, Tenn., roughly one hour to the northwest of Nashville. Its operated via local brand Five Star Media Group, one of many used by publicly traded Saga across its markets. Now, Five Star is set to grow again.

In July, the foreclosure auction of an AM serving Salt Lake City seemed all but certain. At the last minute, that was thwarted. What ensued could easily be a plot conjured up by a soap opera screen writer. Now, months later, the sale of this forlorn facility is moving ahead.

The two companies are extending their relationship through 2025. "Over the course of the agreement Kia will significantly broaden the installation of SiriusXM throughout Kia models and trims produced in North America," the nation's satellite radio company said on Friday.

The remainder of the rule sections amended in a Second Report and Order in the FCC's proceeding to "modernize and revise" its local public notice rules for broadcast application filings are now effective. There's a lot to take note of, so be sure to print this information out and share with your entire staff.

It's no secret that Entercom Communications has an outsized role as a purveyor of Sports Talk programming, thanks to its ownership of such stations as WFAN-AM & FM in New York. Now, it's betting that a just-signed partnership designating FanDuel as its official sportsbook partner will bring further riches to its linear and digital audio platform.

Under Nielsen’s new "Subscriber First" audio ratings estimates initiative, non-subscribing stations will no longer be listed in summary data that the buyers see. While that's not a full blackout of non-subscriber data, the plan has irritated some radio broadcasters at a delicate time for the industry's ad revenue generation.

Looking to ensure that your AM radio station's audio consumption is fully measured by a Nielsen Audio PPM? The conclusion of "an extensive field evaluation" from Orban Labs may bring a smile to your face, and happiness to your programming and sales teams.

All-Digital AM Broadcasting. It's now a reality, on a voluntarily basis. And, it was met with unanimous approval, and few Commissioner statements. Chairman Ajit Pai, a big fan of local radio, did offer a statement. And, he referenced a song from the early 1980s with lyrics sung by the late Freddie Mercury.

October radio listening is now at 95% of March levels, as the recovery from severe COVID-19 cume declines in April continues for the industry. That's just one key highlight of a Tuesday webinar offered for clients. There's also new insight into a PPM headphone adjustment, with Nielsen Media offering up which markets saw the biggest lift from the tweak.

In an announcement released Monday, the CRB confirmed that CRS 2021 will be "The Virtual Experience" many have come to expect in COVID-19 times. The all-online event will take place between Tuesday, February 16 and Friday, February 19, 2021. With a virtual event, CRB is adding an extra day of content and a newly launched Streaming Summit.

Seven Mountains Media has carved itself a slice of the Keystone State's local media buy through the acquisition of radio stations in central Pennsylvania. In the last two years, it has also grown through the purchase of radio properties in the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. Now, it's growing in that region again.