Headlines

And the future of the sports network that launched in 2012 is certainly unclear at this point. A memo to affiliates stated that Westwood is ending distribution at the end of March. Westwood One also distributes CBS Sports Radio. 

The RMLC notified  stations this week that, as radio's fight with GMR rolls toward a trial, GMR has offered a one-year extension for stations airing artists on the GMR roster. The current agreements expire at the end of March. Previous deals were only offered for six months. So, if you see Irving Azoff on your caller ID this month, you may want to pick up.

When we first heard from Carl Goldman, in early February, he was being quarantined in his room on the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan. Today, the owner of KHTS AM & FM in Santa Clarita, is still being quarantined.

That's the name of automotive and analytics expert Roger Lanctot's latest column on LinkedIn. Lanctot was reacting to Tesla's latest optional software update on 2018 models that removes AM/FM Radio. He says Tesla's decision "highlights the strangely tortured relationship between the broadcast radio industry and Silicon Valley."

The annual Golden Mike Awards gala was held Wednesday night at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Over $400,000 was raised for the Broadcasters Foundation at the event which was hosted by Deborah Norville.

The Syracuse Mets are continuing their partnership with Cumulus Media for three more years. The deal keeps WSKO-AM (The Score 1260 AM) as the flagship radio station for all the team's home and away games

The Hispanic Radio Conference is coming up March 25-26 at the Intercontinental at Doral in Miami. The conference is a wealth of information and resources to help generate success for Hispanic broadcasters. Radio Ink had a chance to talk with an Hispanic broadcaster with a resume covering more than 30 years in the business.

In a recorded message on the WNPV website, GM Phil Hunt said, after 60 years of serving the local community the station will go off the air April 30th. The Lansdale, PA station is heard on 1440 AM and 98.5 FM.

Earlier this week, minutes after midnight, with little warning, a very powerful tornado whipped through Nashville. When the sun came up the next day the damage and destruction was severe. 24 people were dead, property was destroyed, the community devastated.

Entercom COO Weezie Kramer is retiring after nearly 20 years with the company and over 40 in radio. Susan Larkin, currently running Entercom's New York market, and overseeing several others, will take over the COO position May 5.