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16 minutes ago
Rusty Walker In Critical Condition Following Heart Attack

Radio-Info.com sends get well wishes to veteran country radio consultant Rusty Walker who is in critical condition in the intensive care unit at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS, after apparently suffering a heart attack on Saturday. According to his daughter, Nikki Darwin Clark, Walker was on a bike ride when he "suffered heart complications due to a 100% blocked artery." At the hospital, she reports, Walker "had to be shocked 14 times." Walker and his family just endured the loss of teenage daughter Kinsley Darwin in March. Walker is an inductee in the Country Radio Hall of Fame and a beloved member of the country music community. His family is requesting prayers for his recovery.
Friday, May 18
RAB makes it official: Radio revenues grew 1% in first quarter

The RAB's "grand total" gain of 1% tracks what many groups have been reporting. Clear Channel, radio's largest group, reported a 1% gain at its radio stations. For the entire industry, "spot" revenue was flat, but digital was up 10% compared to last year's first quarter, and "off-air" rose 3%. New RAB President/CEO Erica Farber says the results show that "while advertisers continue to capitalize on radio's spot and network efficiencies, they're increasingly utilizing the local digital capabilities and audience engagement that this medium affords."

Radio's top ten advertisers for spot revenue were Comcast Xfinity Cable, McDonald's, Safeway, Verizon Wireless, GEICO, AT&T, T-Mobile, Toyota Dealer Association, Fox TV Network and Honda Dealer Association. In terms of categories, the RAB says automotive dealers/dealer groups/manufacturers were up a combined 1%. Grocery/convenience stores improved 11%. Casinos/lottery were up 7%. Home furnishings/floor coverings were up 30%. And Department/discount stores and shopping centers grew 1%. In the closely-watched political category, the Radio Advertising Bureau says "radio saw only the tip of the iceberg in first quarter," with more expected in the latter part of this election year. It offers "political insights" from VP/Research of PQ Media Leo Kivijarv, who believes that "Senate and House races will have the greatest impact on political spending this year" - because there are only 12 gubernatorial races and half of them are not "contentious." He predicts double digit growth for radio in the political category, for all of 2012.

Read the RAB report, compiled with revenue data from Miller Kaplan, here.
Friday, May 18
CC's KDMX Dallas flushes 'Mix' moniker for 'Now'

After 21 years, Clear Channel’s adult top 40 KDMX-FM Dallas is getting an image overhaul, retiring its long-lived “Mix 102.9” moniker for “102.9 Now." Also new: morning co-host Chris Jagger. CC says the changes “reflect the station’s ongoing evolution to embrace the targeted audience and play more current music programming.” Like many adult top 40s around the nation, playlists are leaning more youthful. The station touts a playlist that includes Kelly Clarkson, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, Adele, Foster the People, Flo Rida, One Republic, Gotye, Nikki Minaj and Fun. Notice that Sarah McLachlan and Rob Thomas are not mentioned. Jagger, meanwhile, joins Tara in a.m. drive for “Jagger and Tara In The Morning,” from previous on-air gigs in Dallas and Philadelphia. Patrick Davis, Operations Manager for CC Dallas, notes that “102.9 Now” is more reflective of the station’s evolution “from the ‘90’s to now’ to even more current music programming to capture this very hot cycle for contemporary music.” The Dallas Board of Radio-Info.com is talking about why Clear Channel made the move, here.
Friday, May 18
Word to the wise: FCC Section 73.1206 (phone calls on-air) means business

Oh, that pesky FCC Section 73.1206. That’s the mandate that spells out in no uncertain terms that no part of a telephone conversation can be recorded for potential on-air broadcasting without upfront consent of the participating party. As Fletcher Heald & Hildreth attorney Harry Cole writes on CommLawBlog, “The telephone rule strikes again!”

Back in May 2011, morning team Phil and Arrianna with Nassau Broadcasting’s Hagerstown-market WWEG-FM (The Eagle) made a couple calls at 6 a.m., in which the “complainant” immediately asked if he was on-air. Arrianna responded that he was being recorded—to which the complainant responded, "You don't have my permission" to air the call. The complainant filed a grievance with the commission that the calls were “attempts to bait [complainant] into a conversation regarding a previous dispute with a neighboring business which conducts considerable business with [Nassau].”

The conversation never aired on the station—but the FCC, nonetheless is taking the station to task, and swatted it with an inconvenient $2,000 fine. The Enforcement Bureau states: “Section 73.1206 of the Rules requires that, before broadcasting or recording a telephone conversation for later broadcast, a licensee must inform any party to the call of its intention to broadcast the conversation.”

As Cole notes, “The Enforcement Bureau wasted no time in bringing the hammer down. The rule leaves no room for doubt. In responding to the Commission’s initial inquiry, the licensee admitted that the announcers made the recording with the intent of broadcasting the conversation. Bingo: violation.” Typically, a station is fined $4,000, but because the morning team was savvy enough to not air the call, the FCC halved its fine to $2,000. Cole concludes, “Can’t we all agree that, as tempting as ambush phone calls may be, it’s best to just say no to that temptation?”
Friday, May 18
Austin's KASE Becomes 'George 101' For The Day

In honor of country music legend George Strait's 60th birthday, KASE Austin Texas, is stunting today by temporarily re-branding itself as "George 101." Throughout the day the station will mix in Strait's biggest hits with its regular contemporary country format.

“Texas’ very own, George Strait, has made an incredible impact on country music and his 59 No. 1 hits are the songs our listeners love to hear,” said KASE PD Joel Burke in a press release announcing the stunt. “We’re excited for George 101 to honor his name and celebrate his 60th birthday with great country music.”