by Tom Taylor | tom@in3media.com | 609.883.3321
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
Second time is the charm for Smulyan
 Jeff Smulyan makes his going-private offer of $2.40 stick – he’s got a “definitive agreement” with backer Alden Global Capital.
Last night the Emmis board unanimously approved the offer of $2.40 a share first announced back on April 26. The stock price briefly – very briefly – popped above that level, but yesterday it closed down 2 cents at $2.14. So the $2.40 offer is finally the one that's persuasive. In May 2006, in a far different economic environment, the board balked at $15.25 a share. Now, Jeff isn’t even forced to sweeten his April 26 bid of $2.40. The deal’s not done yet, though. The offer from JS Acquisition LLC is subject to a number of conditions, including approval by a majority (but only a majority) of both Class A and Class B stock. And all the preferred stock will be exchanged for new 12% senior subordinated notes due 2017. But Smulyan (who has voting control, though not equity control) and Alden Global Capital (which has 41.4% of the preferred stock) are voting “aye.” The deal values Emmis at about $90 million. Read the Emmis release here. And then think about what other public radio groups would dearly love to emulate Smulyan's example and go private.
  Call the FCC’s latest inquiry into media ownership rules “The Internet set.”
Oh, Chairman Julius Genachowski’s giving broadcasters plenty to fret about in the sections on “Localism” and “Diversity”, but the factor hovering over this fifth look at the rules since the shake-‘em-up 1996 Telecom Act is the Internet. Especially what it’s doing to traditional media. The Commission’s paid lots of attention lately to newspapers and the threats to their historic role of providing original journalism and public service. So should the growing ubiquity of the Internet affect, say radio ownership rules? Or newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rules? And what about the Genachowski FCC’s tilt in favor of broadband compared to over-the-air broadcasters? Let’s look at the radio part of the Notice of Inquiry –
Should the FCC keep the current limits on local clusters?
Or keep the “sub-caps” that keep you from owning 6-7-8 FMs instead of limiting you to five, in the largest markets? The FCC’s new Notice of Inquiry also brings in the question of Low Power FMs (it’s a friend of “community radio” LPFM and has been giving it more weight vis-à-vis full-power FMs). The FCC’s also asking for input about whether the degree of consolidation of other media should be considered. Or (shades of 1992-1996) market share, bringing Arbitron back into the equation. The FCC’s also soliciting input about radio-TV cross-ownership, and what kind of waivers it should be granting (right now it’s allowing a lot of them). Speaking of limits, Commissioner Robert McDowell, a Republican, notes that some folks think “updating our regulations may be meaningless because traditional media owners would prefer to spend their time and precious resources on new, unregulated online outlets.” Veteran broadcast attorney Erwin Krasnow tells TRI the likelihood is that this thing isn’t going anywhere fast – “the omnibus FCC rulemaking proceedings, countless field hearings, innumerable staff studies and seemingly never-ending court appeals are a client’s nightmare and a lawyer’s dream.” Attorney David Oxenford has much the same impression – “It seems that the FCC does not yet know the direction in which they will be heading in this proceeding.” So for now, they’re gathering information and input for a decision to be made far down the pike. We’ll get a much better read on their intentions if this Inquiry leads to what’s called a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. More in tomorrow's TRI. Read the Notice of Inquiry here.
  Over on Capitol Hill, Congress is also thinking about the telecom rules.
The New York Times says two leading Democrats, Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Rep. Henry Waxman of California, will hold hearings in June. They may be thinking about what FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s planning to do with broadband policy, over at the Portals. The Chairman wants to reverse a Bush-era decision and re-classify the Internet as an “information service” subject to some regulation by the Commission. Some Republicans – 37 Senators – don't like that and are protesting the alleged “Third Way” regulatory power-grab. They say decisions about the Internet should be left to the marketplace. But in any case, Rockefeller and Waxman say a lot’s happened since the last big Telecom Act of 1996. Though the angle they're taking, that the 1996 Act didn’t take the Internet into account, isn’t right, because then-VP Al Gore was driving the Clinton Administration policy on telecommunications. And he certainly was aware of the potential power of the Internet, even though Twitter and Facebook hadn’t come along yet. Expect some heated hearings about the FCC and telecom policy this Summer. The confirmation hearings of Elena Kagan won’t be the only thing that Republicans and Dems disagree about.
Don Geronimo tweets his return to Sacramento radio.
That’s according to the Sacramento Board of Radio-info.com, where a poster quotes this excited Twitter message - "!!!Starting Mon June 21st, the DonGeronimoShow, 12-4 (3-7 east) on KHTK/Sacramento. Calls, bits & streaming. CBSradio press release 2 follow." D.C.-based Geronimo was long part of the Westwood-syndicated Don & Mike show and has basically been off the air for two years. DCRTV.com notes that Geronimo’s contract with CBS-owned WJFK, Washington, D.C. keeps him off the D.C. dial until October. He’s tried a few short-lived radio things in Ocean City, MD, and he’ll presumably do the KHTK show from Ocean City most of the time. 
 National Radio Hall of Fame voting/electioneering time.
First, hats off to the folks at the Chicago-based Hall for continuing to improve the process – voting is open to everybody after a free registration, and the tabulation will be handled by third-party Votenet. And none of this year’s 16 nominees have the divisive potential of Dr. James Dobson in 2008. The nomination of the founder of Focus on the Family triggered demonstrations outside the Renaissance hotel by gay rights advocates, especially since the early-November Hal of Fame induction ceremony occurred just days after the repeal of gay marriage in California – an effort strongly supported by Focus. Four nominees for in each of this year's four categories, with a nice geographical and generational balance, listed alphabetically –
"National-Active" - Bob Brinker, 20 year-plus host of Money Talk for Citadel Media. NPR journalist Carl Kasell (“castle”), just retired from Morning Edition duty but still part of the lively “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me” news-quiz show. Country countdown host Bob Kingsley, hosting Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40 for Dial-Global. And four-time nominee Howard Stern, now at Sirius XM and nearing the end of his history-making contract.
"Local or Regional-Active" - Leslie Fram, longtime Atlanta programmer now guiding Emmis rocker WRXP, New York. Terri Hemmert, Chicago veteran of adult alternative WXRT, musical expert and one of the first prominent women in rock radio. Luther Masingill, radio and TV personality in Chattanooga since 1941, who’s amazingly still active on WDEF. And Ronn Owens, 35-year talk host at talker KGO, San Francisco.
"Local or Regional-Pioneer" - Gary Burbank, recently retired from Cincinnati’s WLW but still active with syndication and TV projects. Steve Dahl, rock jock who became a shock jock and talk jock after moving to Chicago in 1979. Ralph Emery, long identified with Nashville’s WSM radio, country music and national TV. And Charles Laquidara, who did mornings (and character voices like Duane Glasscock) on Boston's WBCN for more than 30 years, leading the "Big Mattress" show.
"National-Pioneer" - Barry Farber, talkhost who came to New York in 1960 at WINS, moved to WOR, then was part of the lineup at seminal talker WMCA. "Music and the Spoken Word", featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, often called the longest-running radio broadcast in America, with a debut date of 1929. Tony Roberts, "the voice of the Fighting Irish" football on Mutual Network and later Westwood One. "The WLS National Barn Dance", which introduced country stars to a national audience even before Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, starting the day the Chicago station signed on in 1924.
Voting for the 2010 National Radio Hall of Fame opens June 14.
It’s open to anyone who completes a free registration, to avoid any funny stuff at the ballot box, and is free (unlike earlier years, where you needed to be a paying member of the Hall). The voting period runs for six weeks, through August 1, and you can expect a little friendly electioneering (nothing wrong with that). Howard Stern's attitude will be interesting. As Robert Feder points out, Stern "has been merciless over the years in mocking" the Hall, but he might just decide this is the year to go for it and ask fans to support him. The voting will be supervised by third-party Votenet, and winners will be celebrated at the National Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Chicago, broadcast live on Westwood for two hours (not the usual one hour) on Saturday evening, November 6. The committee will also “select additional 2010 inductees, including worthy posthumous and non-air individuals.” The National Radio Hall of Fame honors radio’s best, as you can see here.
 Pittsburgh’s hot AC “Q92.9” says its strategy of appealing to African-American adults at night is working.
The Frischling-owned WLTJ felt the void when Sheridan’s urban WAMO-FM and urban AC WAMO-AM vanished in a sale last Fall. WLTJ Brand Manager Dan Michaels says the decision to target black 25-54s with the nighttime “Q in the City” is paying off with a #1 ranking with 25-54 African-Americans at night. “Q” has evening host Tracey Lee visible at community events, carrying on her previous work as a jock and PD at WAMO-AM. You might think that WLTJ is vulnerable if another station goes full-time urban – but it’s been over six months now, and that hasn’t happened.
Pandora gets a dashboard hookup from a Pioneer navigation hookup.
Though a better way to say it is that the new in-dash nav system from Pioneer uses the iPhone to make its connection to Pandora. That’s courtesy of a new free app for the iPhone. The Pioneer navigation systems come in several levels, all with $1,000-plus price tags. The $1,600 model sports both HD Radio and Sirius XM.
 Latest “Stark Country” newsletter – “Smokey? Stoney? Moon? Crash? Buzz? Where do radio names come from?”
15 prominent folks in the country radio world reveal how they got their names – and why in the heck there are two different guys on the scene named “Smokey Rivers.” (In fact, for a while they both worked in Dallas.) Our Executive Editor of Country here at Radio-Info.com, Phyllis Stark, says “on-air names aren’t just for fun”, since (as Justin Case says ) “ratings are based on recall.” So meet Crash Poteet, Stoney Richards (the first name comes from hockey), Bill Dollar, Buzz Jackson, Jayme Austin, Wes McShay (it was almost “Wes O’Shay”), Mike Kennedy, Eddie Haskell, Moon Mullins, Lisa Allen, Boomer Kingston (he was a punter in football), and the inimitable Moby. If country is your thing, start getting “Stark Country” from Radio-Info.com by email – here.
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» Wheeling & Dealing
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 Radio Disney completes its $350,000 selloff of Greensboro, NC O&O WCOG (1320). Raleigh-based Don Curtis was happy to add the 5-kw fulltime facility to his Tar Heel empire (he’s the largest station owner in North Carolina). Disney took WCOG and several other medium-size market Radio Disney affils silent in January. Brokers on the sale – Bill Schutz for seller Walt Disney Company and John Pierce for buyer Don Curtis. .
Two Denver-area FMs won’t be silent for long but will have new formats, now that the former “Jack FM” simulcast of KJAC, Timnath, CO (105.5) and KCUV, Greenwood Village (102.3) have just closed to buyer Moreland Properties. It paid Tim Brown-run NRC Broadcasting $5 million. Moreland specifically didn’t acquire the intellectual property of “Jack FM” that NRC had been licensing. Broker – Jody McCoy of Media Services Group for seller NRC.
» Sound Bites
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 CBS is recruiting for a “VP of Programming” in Chicago, says Robert Feder at Vocalo.org - and “none of the current CBS Radio program directors in Chicago is under consideration” for the gig. The one station that doesn’t have a direct PD at the moment is country US 99 WUSN, so there’s speculation about a new cluster programming chief having deep experience in country. Market manager Rod Zimmerman has posted the new VP/Programming position, and Feder’s sources say he could be filling it soon. The cluster has lost programming DNA since Dave Robbins left to oversee the Orlando market in February and Bill Gamble departed as a double PD in late March.
Look for “The Power of Urban Radio” seminar to re-appear this Fall, with the partnership help of Arbitron. Sherman Kizart acquired the rights to the seminar out of the crash-and-burn of Interep, and he’ll use it to put stations, advertisers, agencies and others interested in minority media together for a valuable conference. Expect a formal announcement later, but having Arbitron’s support makes sense – one of its pledges to the PPM Coalition and to House Oversight Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns is to help educate the various stakeholders about the value of minority media and African-American audiences. Also – expect Arbitron to be working with Kizart Media Partners on other projects.
“Katz is not the only national rep seeing double-digit sales increases this year”, says Stuart Sharpe at Regional Reps. Stuart’s responding to last week’s TRI story about mega-rep Katz and some grumbling clients who “have nowhere else to go.” Sharpe says he’s happy to report that Regional Reps, “working for stations in smaller markets, is enjoying one of the strongest periods in our 57-year history, with significant double-digit increases.” He says “being the biggest rep firm [referring to Katz] offers some advantages to stations, especially for the biggest players in the biggest markets. At the same time, smaller firms like ours offer our clients the opportunity to be a ‘bigger fish in a smaller pond’, with more personal relationships with sellers.” And he says “in our world, ‘concept selling’ is required on a daily basis.”
Has Journal Broadcast Group parted ways with its GM in Omaha? TRI hears Rob Burton is no longer on the scene, and that Milwaukee-based corporate exec Steve Wexler is in the building for now. The station group includes “Everything that rocks” Z92 KEZO and hot AC “Star 104.5” KSRZ.
 At CBS Radio’s KXNT, Las Vegas (840), new PD Bob Agnew starts making changes. Those include building a 6-9am morning news block with Corey Olson, Kristen Flowers, Robert Rytina and reporter Julianne Thomas. Current morning talk personality Alan Stock goes to PM drive to host a live-and-local talkshow. Dave Ramsey’s re-positioned to 6-9pm and Mark Levin is pushed from afternoons to 9pm-midnight. Former PM drivers Casey Hendrickson and Heather Kydd are out in the shuffle, says the news page at Radio-Info.com. Listen to the next-generation KXNT here.
 The UK’s 24-hour “birdsong” format isn’t amusing the government regulator. Ofcom has officially found the Cambridge 209radio to be in breach of its license and may move to revoke it altogether. From the Radio Today description, it doesn’t sound as if community station 209radio is losing too much sleep about it. It’s been running ornithological sounds since February, and its website refers curious visitors to a future community radio station named Cambridge 105.
“Big Joe” Henry is collateral damage in the escalating conflict between teachers and Millennium’s "New Jersey 101.5." The irony is, “Big Joe” doesn’t do talk, except the patter between the oldies he plays on the weekends at the hybrid talk-and-oldies station. (Well, maybe he tosses in a Hillary Clinton joke or two.) Conservative-leaning WKXW, Trenton urged voters to reject every one of the hundreds of local school budgets up for a vote last month, as a protest against teachers’ salaries and benefits, and now Big Joe has withdrawn from hosting tonight’s “Count Basie Theater Awards” presentation honoring student performers, in Red Bank, NJ. The New Jersey Board of Radio-Info.com is talking about Big Joe and the station.
Sorry to report the death of 25-year-old Michael Zimmer, son of the president of Zimmer Radio’s James Zimmer. TRI is told that Michael had recently graduated from St. Louis University Law School, and suffered a head injury in a fall.
» Faces on the Radio
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Brent Alberts changes jobs and companies, and moves to a bigger market – but won’t need a new driver’s license, since he’s staying in the state of Michigan. He’s been the Lansing-based director of rock programming for Citadel, functioning as director of programming and operations for the Midwest region. Now Greater Media hires Brent to succeed Doug Podell, who’s focusing on his air shift (May 6 TRI Newsletter). So Brent is the new PD at classic rock WCSX (94.7). He's programmed in Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Milwaukee Seattle, Dallas and more.
Mike Couchman, “a recognized leader in the Christian CHR format”, according to his new boss in Denver, takes over as program director of the non-commercial WAY-FM in Denver. That’s actually a multi-station group including KXWA, Loveland, CO (89.7), KBWA, Brush (89.1), KJWA, Trinidad, CO (89.7) and KRWA, Rye, CO at 91.1. Couchman takes over for Jeff Connell, the new Network Program Director of the sister CHRSN service. Zach Cochran is the general manager for WAY-FM in Denver. Bob and Felice Augsburg began the WAY-FM Media Group in 1987 in Ft. Meyers and now they say their network programming, including the Nashville-based CHRSN, airs on 106 signals in 26 states.
Claudia Horn was a broadcast lender who became a CFO for radio groups and investors, and now she’s part of the fulltime crew at Broadcast Management & Technology. She’ll be the Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer. Claudia began as a lender at Barclay’s and moved to the Communications Group of Rhode Island Hospital Trust National Bank, then to the radio side at Buckley Broadcasting, Sabre Communications and Multi Market Communications. She helped found BMT predecessor Cavalry Media Services. BMT President Jay Meyers says Claudia’s “been working with us on an out-sourced basis when our clients were in need of financial services, and with demand increasing, this was a natural time for her to come on board.” BMT provides “management and financial solutions to lenders, equity investors and broadcasters.” Claudia’s at CSieglehorn@bmtllc.com and 860-930-1154.
» Classifieds
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| Regional Affiliate Sales Managers |
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Regional Affiliate Sales Managers needed for TIMELESS COOL MUSIC. Experience in radio syndication is preferred. Familiarity with radio stations in New England, Great Lakes, Midwest, Rocky Mountain & Pacific Coast Regions will be an advantage. These opportunities do not require relocation, but do require some travel. If you’re ready to grow an affiliate list for a NEW radio format targeting 35-44 year olds, send a cover letter and resume to Scott Gilreath (scottgilreath@timelesscoolmusic.com) or call 1-877-3-TIMELESS (6353). Visit our website at www.timelesscoolmusic.com. |
| Digital Sales Manager - Philadelphia |
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CBS Radio Philadelphia has an immediate opening for a Digital Sales Manager. The ideal candidate has 3+ years digital sales management experience, a proven track record increasing revenue, is creative, with an entrepreneurial spirit. The Digital Sales Manager’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: coordinating interactive sales efforts with each radio station's sales team, helping account managers with creative integrated ideas, serving as the Internet strategist for them and our clients, identifying/developing online business-- independent from our current efforts, strategize campaigns for our interactive partnerships: Aol Radio, Yahoo Radio, Vevo and Lastfm and act as liaison to Corporate CBS Digital, the internet arm of CBS Corporation. Solid understanding of internet sales with related media sales/management experience is preferred. College degree required.
Please apply to www.cbsradio.com. Job ID# 5509BR
CBS Radio Philadelphia is an EOE.
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| ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE – INTERACTIVE MEDIA ADVERTISING |
Are you looking for a creative family-oriented environment where you can use your expertise to develop and market cutting-edge interactive and digital products? THE JOY FM (thejoyfm.com), Florida’s largest regional Christian radio network, is seeking energetic, success-motivated sales professionals to sell our digital advertising products. If you're someone who likes building relationships, thrives in a results-focused environment, and are driven to get things done, then we need to talk. The ideal candidate will have a passion for advertising sales and an interest in helping businesses grow through digital opportunities. It is YOUR chance to re-define our digital team while maximizing revenue potential through a set of strong digital assets. Strong progressive thinkers with a love for technology will get our attention. Integrity, passion, and a heart for the community are essential to the culture of the company. Sound like YOU? E-mail a cover letter and resume to digital@thejoyfm.com. THE JOY FM is a part of the Radio Training Network and an EOE.
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