Headlines

The latest RTDNA/Hofstra University Annual Survey finds the percentage of people of color in local radio news slipping to 11.3%, down 0.4 from a year ago. The random sample of 3,542 radio stations, with 415 valid responses, from news directors and GMs, also showed that the percentage of radio general managers of color rose 1.7% from a year ago. Here are the details.

The 43rd Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon was held at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, Wednesday. The luncheon honors the accomplishments of local and student women in media and entertainment. You're looking at the Radio Ink table, featuring....

Can Spanish-language radio serve as a powerful platform for the expansion of a very regional brand that seeks wider growth opportunities? In this Hispanic Radio Podcast, advertising agency head Alex López Negrete — whose resume includes Spanish-language play-by-play for an NBA franchise — shares his thoughts on why radio works for advertisers.

The Westar Music commercial library offers over 17,000 music tracks and more than 258,000 sound-effects, all royalty-free and sourced from the broadcast industry standard. With the acquisition of American Music Company, Westar’s library just got even bigger, adding thousands of tracks of high-quality music.

(by Jeff Warshaw) Let’s not just dream about the “good old days," when AM stations were king and listeners had fewer choices. The industry needs to be free to grow within every market so that we can more fairly compete in a modern world. Let me explain...

(By Deborah Parenti) Over the past several months, broadcasters have debated and discussed, some on our pages, what form a proposal to the FCC regarding license caps should take and the suggested relief for broadcasters it should strive to provide. The result of some of their discussions is a proposal that the NAB has sent to the FCC for consideration. Some believe this proposal could open a window of fresh, added opportunity and relief from radio owners.

A new company has joined the ranks of radio ownership. JAM Media Solutions, lead by Jonathan Mason, is purchasing six radio stations in Outer Banks, North Carolina, and Muscatine, Iowa. JAM Media Solutions initially began as a media planning and buying agency and has now ventured outside of its media-buying roots into radio broadcast ownership. Here are the details.

(By Ryan Wrecker) I’m not sold on the idea that we should only be held accountable to our own standards. I think if we could see the number of podcast downloads for the guys across the street, it would bring out the competitive nature in programmers and personalities — and drive us to do better. It would even help us gauge where we stand as an industry.

Radio imaging and voiceover company Benztown is lending a helping hand to the students of Dan Vallie's National Radio Talent Institute. In addition to providing financial support as a national sponsor, Benztown will provide every student with a USB drive loaded with Benztown audio production components to give them tools to help launch their careers.

Jazz public radio station WBGO/Newark, NJ, has received two national awards from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated. PRNDI recognizes the best of local public radio news in a wide array of categories, and has recognized WBGO every year for the past 20 years, awarding the station 86 times since 1998.