Radio News

Entercom Communications was among the companies Simply Wall St. took a magnifying glass to when pouring over the Q1 2020 results -- and what analysts had to say. Their report? Entercom is highly regarded, and investors seem to be paying attention.

A $4.7 million grant has been granted to NPR from philanthropists Eric and Wendy Schmidt to the Collaborative Journalism Network for the expressed use in the creation of two new regional newsrooms. One will be in the Midwest. The other will be in California.

A respected financial blog that's home to analysts with an eye on broadcast media companies has socked it to Cumulus Media, following the recent release of Q1 2020 earnings that left many observers with a sour taste in their mouths.

Urban One, the media company superserving African American consumers, will be holding a conference call for investors, analysts and other interested parties to discuss its results for the first fiscal quarter of 2020 on Thursday, May 28. The company's results will be released earlier in the day.

RBR.com UPDATE: WRDG-FM 96.7 in Union City, Ga., an iHeartMedia station that covers the southern portion of the Atlanta region, is now a simulcast partner with WBZY-FM 105.7 in Canton, Ga., which covers the northern portion of the market and formerly had the WRDA call letters. The WRDA calls are now at Urban "105.3 The Beat."

A Class D AM with an FM translator serving a Missouri city known as the headquarters of the News-Press & Gazette Co. is being sold. No, NPG isn't the buyer. It's an Eagle that's set to fly high with this Classic Hits facility.

How has COVID-19 impacted second-generation Iowa family broadcaster Coloff Media's radio stations, which includes 2020 NAB Crystal Heritage Award winner KCVM-FM 93.5 "The Mix" in Waterloo, Iowa? We find out in this episode of the RBR+TVBR Coronavirus INFOCUS podcast, hosted by Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson. LISTEN HERE

On Monday at 7pm, a two-hour COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall will be held for Connecticut residents and business owners. For TV viewers, two Nexstar Media Group stations will air the event. Can't watch it? No worries: iHeartMedia's 11 radio stations across the state will offer an audio broadcast of the session.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought economic pain to many a broadcast media company. In the case of African American-focused media entity Urban One, it now includes a notice from Nasdaq that its Class D common stock is not in compliance with its listing rule.

Entercom's high profile New York stations are based just 30 minutes north, by foot, of the NYSE. As such, the company likely has an outsized role in determining the importance of audio advertising to media buyers and planners. The company's Q1 2020 earnings call proved that Entercom's online assets are winners. The AMs and FMs? A challenge persists, and analysts are concerned.

March was a devastating month for the owner of Radio.com, podcast players Pineapple Street and Cadence13, and AMs and FMs in some of the nation's top markets. Q1 2020 revenue was down 4% in Q1 as a result, despite strong growth in January and February. That revenue dip, plus increased expenses, swung Entercom to a big net loss in the quarter.

The news was supposed to be shared at 10:30am Central today. Instead, a veteran media observer in the Windy City committed "a cardinal sin in journalism" by breaking an embargo and sharing the big story early Wednesday morning. After nearly 36 years in Chicago, one of the nation's most respected radio news anchors is exiting the Entercom-owned station she works for.

As previously reported, five-time NAB Crystal Radio Award winning station KCVM-FM 93.5, a Class C3 facility in the Waterloo, Iowa, market, received the Crystal Heritage Award. What stations comprise the lucky 10 award winners for 2020? A heritage Urban AC in Washington, D.C., and a Cox Media Group Alternative FM in Tampa are among the honorees.

Some 27% consumers recently surveyed by Horowitz Research say they are watching more ads overall than before the pandemic. And, a third of respondents say they are paying attention to ads from local businesses more than they did before the COVID-19 crisis. How can broadcast TV stations capitalize on this? Horowitz SVP Adriana Waterston shares her thoughts. LISTEN HERE

“A Salute to the Songwriters,” presented by BMI, will feature country music star — and American Idol judge — Luke Bryan as a special guest co-host alongside air personalities representing stations owned by relief concert partners Cox Media Group, Alpha Media, Beasley Media Group, Hubbard Radio, Neuhoff Media and Townsquare Media.