Radio News

The judge overseeing Cumulus Media's Chapter 11 reorganization petition will hold a hearing on Monday at 10am Eastern to determine whether or not the company can move forward with incentive compensation programs one group of lenders has formally objected to. Cumulus wants Shelley Chapman, Judge for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, to overrule the objections.

The Hispanic Radio Conference, coming Tuesday and Wednesday, March 13-14, in Miami, offers an amazing lineup of speakers and panelists.  If you don't care about the future of radio, you might want to skip it. If you have a vested interest in radio, however, shouldn't you be there? 

Cumulus Media on Wednesday evening received an affirmative nod from the judge overseeing its Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring petition in response to a request for a four-month extension on its comprehensive reorganization plan. A hearing has been scheduled for March 21 at 2pm Eastern to consider the request, with objections due to the court at 4pm Eastern on March 16.

The 2018 Infinite Dial Study by Edison Research and Triton Digital, unveiled Thursday, offers radio industry professionals the latest research in digital audio, social media, mobile, smart speakers, and podcast consumption. What's the biggest takeaway from the latest report from Edison and Triton? The two most talked-about sectors in audio today—podcasting and Smart Speakers—post significant gains in this year’s study, compared to 2017.

To help AMs and FMs on their path to success, the Radio + Television Business Report is pleased to present the latest installment in our series of short podcasts focused on Hispanic radio — and its power — in advance of the 2018 Hispanic Radio Conference, March 13-14 in Miami. Today, Julio Aponte Jr., COO of Sun Broadcast Group, provides a sneak peek into the success stories that prove Radio works for brands and businesses.

University of Alabama Athletics and its multimedia rights holder, Learfield, have announced a five-year agreement with SummitMedia to become the official radio home of the Crimson Tide Sports Network in Birmingham.     

Despite widespread speculation that a Chapter 11 restructuring was likely to occur last weekend, iHeartMedia will not be taking such action until at least March 13. The nation's No. 1 radio broadcasting company landed another three business days — plus the weekend — to deal with a $106 million interest payment it failed to make on February 1.

On Tuesday morning, a seismic sale of an FM radio station in the Windy City rocked the radio industry. WLUP, known as "The Loop," was sold. Many were quick to lament the loss of a station viewed as iconic. Our Editor-in-Chief sees it differently: It's a perfect example, he says, of how the radio industry fails at keeping brands meaningful. On the contrary, the company buying WLUP is an expert in creating brands with strength and lasting power.

Is one of the nation's most listened-to radio stations guilty for making "thousands" of unwanted "robocalls" to residents of Southern California? That's what a San Fernando Valley real estate agent/attorney claims. On Monday filed a class action civil complaint in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against the station's owner — iHeartMedia.

In October 2017, the owner of radio stations in small and medium-sized markets promoted Bill Wilson and Dhruv Prasad to the respective roles of Co-Chief Executive Officer. As a result, Townsquare Media founder and CEO Steven Price transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman of the Board. Now, the Townsquare's board is adding a chair while filling an empty one by appointing the co-CEOs.

The Hispanic Radio Conference is March 13-14 in Miami at the Intercontinental at Doral. If you haven’t committed to be part of a historic event yet, or haven't added your voice yet to the Hispanic radio chorus, there is still time to join forces with Hispanic radio broadcasters from across the country who will come together to discuss, debate, and direct the future of Hispanic radio.

A big provider of AI and cognitive solutions to broadcast media has just finalized new multi-market license agreements with four radio broadcasting companies. The news comes as the company, Veritone Inc., inks a renewal of its existing license agreement with Hubbard Radio.

On February 12, RBR+TVBR was first to report on a company formed by two individuals who are not U.S. citizens that has agreed to purchase a presently dormant FM licensed to Tupper Lake, N.Y., high up in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. Should Ricki Lee and his wife Hanna Maria Kaleta, a weight loss coach, be allowed to acquire the station, even though Lee is British and Kaleta is Polish and have been living in the U.S. since 2015 on E-2 investor visas? The public will soon have their chance to weigh in on the matter with the Commission.

Digital audio and podcast services firm Triton Digital has just gotten a little cozier with Naples, Fla.-based Beasley Media Group. The radio industry pure-play has just renewed, and expanded, its relationship with Triton to handle the delivery, measurement, and monetization of their streaming audio and podcast content.

Data-driven media marketing, programming and content intelligence provider NuVoodoo Media Services certainly thinks so. Its latest NuVoodoo Ratings Prospects Study reveals a sharp rise in smart speaker ownership since August 2017. What does this mean for AM and FM stations with streaming audio? NuVoodoo found that 48% of likely PPM participants now own a smart speaker.