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Sunday, May 11, 2008
Top Story"Jammin'" lives in Portland - now replacing CBS' "Movin' 107.5" KVMX

It's been only a week since Rose City Radio announced it would flip long-time Rhythmic KXJM "Jammin' 95.5" to sports on May 12 (this Monday). Now, CBS is taking the name and intellectual property of "Jammin'", and giving it to KVMX -- dumping the adult hits "Movin'" format in the process. On Friday night, May 9, KVMX started simulcasting KXJM, enabling CBS to tell the market the format is moving up to 107.5. KXJM's long time morning show "PK's Playhouse" also makes the move, while Lisa Adams, who has been serving as PD at "Movin'" remains on board as well. CBS is also picking up the station's website - www.jamminfm.com.

Allegations surface about ex-KGO host Bernie Ward from his days as a priest

Bernie_WardKGO-TV's "I-Team" finds two women who claim that then-"Father Bernie" behaved inappropriately with them when they were teenagers at a Catholic high school. One says Ward took her to the beach, bought a bottle of rum, offered her a joint, and then began kissing her. Ward's attorney Doron Weinberg tells KGO-TV "the allegations are completely false" and "could have a negative impact on the federal prosecution" against him - the case in which he just changed his plea from "not guilty." Ward faces a minimum of five years on computer-related child porn charges, and the San Francisco Chronicle says KGO Radio management has now relaxed its "suggestion" that talkhosts avoid the topic of his arrest and legal situation. On Thursday, host Ronn Owens devoted the first hour of his show to the pent-up feelings of his listeners. Read the KGO-TV I-Team report here.

Radio deals & "No-Deals"

Jacksonville, Florida's WZNZ-AM (1460) is sold by Nancy Epperson to Queen of Peace Radio for $1.6 million. The question now is what will happen to WZNZ's local talk programming, which Florida politician Andy Johnson has through an LMA? The station also owns a construction permit to increase power ... About an hour up Route 23 from Jacksonville is Folkston, Georgia, and that's where Georgia Public Radio picks up a home on WATY-FM (91.3), which recently changed format from country music to news ... The Seattle Post-Intelligencer says Fisher Communications has no plans to sell their 3 stations in Seattle (KVI-AM, KOMO-AM, KPLZ-FM) but reports Fisher "does own 5 small-market radio stations that it hopes to sell."

Making Moves: Friday Afternoon

Congratulations to talker Laura Ingraham who announced on her show that she's adopted a 3-year old girl from Guatemala ... A TV weatherman adds radio duties in Chicago, as WBBM-TV's Don Schwenneker will do hourly weather updates for the WUSN-FM (99.5) morning show starting Monday. He replaces WMAQ-TV weather guy Brant Miller, who's now doing mornings for "True Oldies" WZZN-FM (94.7) says the Sun-Times ... Despite protests, Baltimore's WYPR-FM (88.1) will not bring back the fired Mark Steiner, but DCRTV reports Steiner may be looking for a home at another Baltimore non-commercial station, WEAA (88.9) ... As reported today in Tom Taylor's "Taylor on Radio-Info," Joe Mule is the new GM of Chattanooga, Tennessee's WUUS (980/97.3/99.3) ... The Houston Rockets are on the hunt for a new radio team for next season on flagship KILT (610) ... In Fresno, California, Ray Appleton is making moves - to the local court house. The KMJ-AM (580) morning news host had his motorcycle impounded after he was stopped for speeding and for not having a motorcycle license.

WMMR Philadelphia "Rocks" 40 years

Many of Philadelphia's best known and most listened to radio personalities from over the years will return to WMMR (93.3) Philadelphia this weekend for the station's 40th anniversary celebration. Beginning Saturday morning, voices heard once again on 'MMR will include Mark Goodman, Earl Bailey, John DeBella, Anita Gevinson, David Dye, Bubba John Stevens, Lyn Kratz and Razz. Sunday's lineup includes Joe Bonadonna, Ed Sciaky, Ray Koob, and Dee Snider. The complete schedule is available at www.wmmr.com where you can also find information on the star-studded lineup appearing at the MMRBQ 40th birthday party, taking place May 18.

Arbitron Summer 2008 info packs are in the mail to stations

Look for the information packets to arrive in the next few days at stations. The packet contains a station information form , which includes preprinted information that a station submitted for the previous survey. Stations must confirm or correct the information and return the forms for the Summer 2008 survey, which starts on June 26, 2008.

Bonneville's new "Sound" in L.A. names its first GM and PD

Programming and Los Angeles market veteran Dave Beasing is named program director of KRBV "100.3 the Sound", while Peter Burton joins as GM. Beasing has spent the past 13 years as a programming consultant with Jacobs Media, but prior to that, he programmed LA's KYSR and KEXZ. Burton is headed up from San Diego, where he has been the Director of Sales for Lincoln Financial's group there. Discuss It

Radio Around the World

ENGLAND: Getting info out of cyclone-ravaged Myanmar isn't easy, but BBC Radio 4 has an amazing eyewitness account on their website ... Global Traffic Network agreed to buy the commercial division of UBC Media Group for $29.3 million ... DENMARK: British Sky Broadcasting's Sky Radio has been ordered to pay the Danish government $43.3 million for breach of contract, from a dispute over broadcasting rights ... AZERBAIJAN: Azadlyg Radio's Ilgar Nasibov has appealed to the European Court his conviction after being sentenced to 3 months in jail for libel ... CAYMAN ISLANDS: You didn't even have to listen to the station to win - the staff at X107.1 FM spent the last 2 weeks giving out SoBe drinks at random in locations throughout the islands as a promotion ... What's the latest talk North-of-the-border? Check out the Radio-Info Canada discussion board. Discuss It

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