Radio News

In January 2013, longtime Roanoke-area radio station owner Mel Wheeler, Inc., led by Leonard Wheeler, agreed to purchase a Class A 6kw FM licensed to Lynchburg, Va., for $1,025,000. The deal was challenged, but eight months later the FCC approved the transaction. Now, Mel Wheeler Inc. is agreeing to part ways with the property, handing it to locals.

To the west of Fresno is the small town of Firebaugh, Calif., home to a silent FM. Travel 67 miles south to Avenal, Calif., and you'll find the tower for another silent FM, a 920-watt facility. Both FM stations have now been ordered by Media Bureau Audio Division Chief Al Shuldiner to cease broadcast operations immediately. Here's why.

For 45 years, he was considered "the epitome of a local entrepreneur and businessman." It began at age 23, after his father unexpectedly passed away. Sadly, history has repeated itself. John D. Engelbrecht has died of a massive heart attack. News of his passing was made known via LinkedIn by his son, JP Engelbrecht.

According to Univision, an "information gap" has emerged for Hispanics who prefer to consume Spanish-language media with respect to COVID-19 related information and news updates. As such, it has unveiled a campaign expressly designed to help U.S. Hispanics "grapple with the impact of the pandemic based on consultation with community partners and audience needs."

Hits and music variety, en español. That's the brand promise for a Class B AM serving the Boston market, which has been airing a Spanish Contemporary format and iHeartLatino Chief Creative Officer Enrique Santos' syndicated morning show. It now appears that the Hub's "Rumba" is about to be removed: The property is being donated.

Due to its operations being impacted by COVID-19, Urban One was unable to finalize and file its annual report on Form 10-K on a timely basis to meet its annual report filing deadline of March 30. But, a SEC order made March 25 allowed for a 45-day extension, and Urban One took it. On Wednesday, the filing of its annual report finally came.

As businesses start to reopen following weeks of restrictions designed to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, the need to share with consumers that they're open again has led many to Radio. But, are stations ready to write and produce ad copy? If not, Write Label may have a good solution, as we learn in this latest RBR+TVBR Coronavirus INFOCUS podcast from CEO Gideon Stein. LISTEN HERE

As many local businesses and industry observers have noticed, Saga Communications prefers to operate in its local markets under specific names that best describe the locally focused efforts of those radio properties. Saga also has a dozen subsidiary licensees, and an FCC move involving Form 316 filings has opened a window to a Florida reincorporation.

Through the newly formed Mediaco, Jeff Smulyan continues to have top oversight of two of the nation's foremost radio stations superserving African American consumers. What has their role been through the COVID-19 pandemic? We find out in this new RBR+TVBR Coronavirus INFOCUS Podcast hosted by Adam R Jacobson. LISTEN HERE

"In the face of the economy hitting the brakes hard in March, SiriusXM's first quarter results were very strong," says SiriusXM CEO Jim Meyer. The company's Q1 2020 results look sharp. In fact, SiriusXM delivered what Zacks Equity Research calls an "earnings surprise" -- a positive one, at that. Revenue in the quarter beat its estimates by 2.6%.

For many years, a Baja California-based mega-watt AM has been used to target U.S. audiences. That's still the case today. But, the programming choice has drawn the ire of one influential D.C. politician. Sen. Ted Cruz wants to put a stop to what's currently being beamed from Mexico to serve Southern California. Why? He says "URadio" is a Chinese propaganda machine.

For listeners of a Class A FM serving Vincennes and Washington, Ind., some "Memories" delivered across the day, following the "Morning Shake Up" with DeWayne Shake are what listeners have come to expect. Now, the FM, its AM sister, and a pair of FM translators are being transferred to a new licensee. And, it's good news for the "shakers" who love what they're hearing.

HRN Media Network, a Gen Media Partners company, is participating in the Radio Cares: Feeding America Emergency Radiothon campaign. It's doing so by contributing inventory that reaches 94% of U.S. Hispanic households across 220 radio stations.

To encourage residents of Southern Nevada to continue physical distancing efforts, iHeartMedia's four radio stations have teamed with the Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned NBC affiliate for a benefit event airing early Wednesday evening across the broadcast media outlets.

Financial analyst Michael Nathanson fears that the COVID-19 pandemic has created another period of economic duress, accelerating shifts in consumer and corporate behavior. Now, Nathanson believes that "the fundamental pillars of media," which were starting to crack heading into 2020, are crumbling. This could be a permanent wound ... and likens it to Radio's woes.