Radio News

In early December, the antitrust division of the DOJ weighed in with a Statement of Interest relative to the RMLC’s longstanding litigation with Global Music Rights (GMR). It wasn't exactly favorable to the Radio Music License Committee, led by Executive Director Bill Velez. On Wednesday, the radio industry group filed a response to the Justice Department statement.

Townsquare Media on Monday made a strategic change to its accounting team, shifting its Chief Accounting Officer to a new role within the department while welcoming a new individual to the C-Suite. We know how much he's going to make in the role.

The producers of decade-specific conventions for fans of retro-pop culture, previously with Hispanicize, has teamed up with iHeartMedia's Miami-Fort Lauderdale station group to bring the NostalgiaCon Miami ‘80s pop culture convention to fruition. The late April 2020 event will see Enrique Santos chair its national advisory board.

A producer and distributor of Spanish-language syndicated programs across stations in the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico and Central America — including programs hosted by such well-known air personalities as Alex "El Genio" Lucas, Chiquibaby, and Armida y La Flaka, has just launched a 24/7 radio station of its own.

An owner of 16 radio stations and a hyperlocal TV station in Wisconsin is now poised to grow to 19 audio properties, thanks to a deal brokered by Kalil & Co. announced ahead of its posting on the FCC's deal database. The seller is an Iowa-based broadcast company headed by Mary Quass.

Seconds before RBR+TVBR's daily news deadlines, Beasley Media Group confirmed that its EVP of Strategy and Innovation will be exiting the company at the end of 2019. He's forming his own broadcast media consultancy, and Beasley will serve as his first client.

A controversial FM translator using a facility near the old Candlestick Park in San Francisco reportedly caused problems for listeners of a big Classical station's signal serving San Jose. That translator is now officially gone. But, a new one has popped up in another part of the Bay Area.

A Twin Cities radio industry veteran who started as an on-air personality at Country KEEY-FM (K102) in Minneapolis in March 2000 before shifting to a lengthy career in sales in April 2003 has just joined Townsquare Media to oversee its entire group of stations in Rochester, Minn.

In a RBR+TVBR Observation, our editor-in-chief shares just a little bit of his bachelor party weekend experience in Key West, Fla. Really? Well ... he's got some things to say about what a carful of guys listened to on a four-hour car ride, both ways, and about Dish Network.

The jury, drawn together with the help of 2020 Chief Judge Robin Fitzgerald is comprised of what the RAB-produced Radio Mercury Awards calls "thought leaders from across the country, representing all size markets with diverse audiences, and cutting-edge creative work for advertising’s biggest brands."  

What a difference a good rumor makes. Both The Wall Street Journal and Marketwatch are reporting that John Malone’s Liberty Media has asked the Justice Department for permission to buy a larger piece of iHeartMedia. That alone ignited iHeart shares on Friday, with more than 1 million shares traded on average volume of 330,140 by Noon ET.

A Kentucky-based entity headed by the same person that leads Seven Mountains Media is growing again. This company is grabbing a Class A FM with a signal covering the state capital, and most of the area to the west of Lexington.

Historically, Saga Communications has been one of the radio industry's best performers on Wall Street, with positive analyst reviews. Now, the company led by Ed Christian is rewarding investors with another big dividend declaration.

Beasley Media Group is building out the leadership team for its recently created Beasley XP esports division by promoting its Wilmington, Del., VP/Market Manager to the new position of Director of Local Market Integrated Partnerships.