Headlines

Today at 12 p.m. iHeart will launch NEWSRADIO 1340 WRAW/Reading, PA. This is a flip to a Conservative Talk format. Currently, “Rumba” programming is heard on the station.

The University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks and its athletics multimedia rightsholder, Learfield IMG College, have announced an extended relationship with NRG Media.

(By John Garziglia) Rolling Stone recently published an article on payola titled “Want to Get on the Radio? Have $50,000?” alleging that pay-for-play remains rampant in our radio industry. Is it really so common? And what exactly constitutes payola, anyway? Let's take a look.

After our Payola story Thursday, the FCC Commissioner retweeted our link with the following text: "To start, I plan to reach out to music & record industry to determine whether this practice is happening on their end. Payola is against the law." Hopefully everyone reading this is following the rules.

CEO Mary Berner says the company is on its way to becoming an audio entertainment company. With 69% growth in Q2, digital now makes up 7% of Cumulus' overall revenue. That's up from 5% a year earlier.

According to Cumulus CEO Mary Berner, podcasting is now a meaningful contributor to Cumulus' top and bottom lines. She says Cumulus podcasts are now being downloaded 67 million times per month and the profit margin for podcasting is better than some of Cumulus' core business products.

CEO Mary Berner was asked a question about ratings during the company earnings call. During the first part of the answer, Berner said Cumulus has gained back most of the ratings shares that were lost from 2012. It was the second part of her answer that needed a little more analyzing.

Backyard Broadcasting has signed a new multi-year agreement for Nielsen's audio measurement. Backyard, based in Williamsport, owns WILQ-FM, WLMY-FM, WWPA-AM, W267BJ, Williamsport; WZXR-FM, South Williamsport; WCXR-FM, Lewisburg, PA; and WBZD-FM, Muncy, PA.

Blarney Stone Broadcasting and the Detroit Lions Radio Network have agreed on a two-year extension of NFL coverage for WLDR/Traverse City, MI, (FM-101.9). The deal is for all four preseason games in August and all 16 regular-season games starting on Sept. 9.

WCMC-FM/Raleigh, NC, (99.9 The Fan) has added SportsChannel8: The Radio Show to its lineup starting Thursday, August 15. The show will also stream audio/video at WRALsportsfan.com and the WRALsportsfan App.