Headlines

Gen Media Partners announced Monday that it has acquired national radio network Sun Broadcast Group. SBG founder Jason Bailey and COO Julio Aponte Jr. will retain partial ownership of Sun and continue to run the day-to-day operations. How much Gen Media Partners paid for SBG was not revealed.

Edison Research will unveil some new data at The Radio Show in Orlando later this month. And that research will show that the reach of in-car AM/FM radio has remained unchanged since 2011.

The Tom Kent Radio Network has launched a new adult hits format called FUEL. The network says FUEL is a 24/7 personality-driven localized turnkey format that will feature the biggest Adult hits from the 90s as well as late 80s and early 2000s.

Los Angeles station KROQ-FM has announced the return of the original “Roq of the 80s.” The 1980s rock-centric radio station has launched on Radio.com and KROQ-HD2 with a Flashback 500 countdown.

It's a discussion that's been going on for years, especially in Nashville. And Carrie Underwood recently jumped into that discussion while being interviewed on Elaina Smith on her Women Want to Hear Women podcast, which is now syndicated by Westwood One.

(By Jeff McHugh) When I was a 20-year-old novice DJ at WMTY-AM in tiny Greenwood, South Carolina, they said, “Never play two female artists back-to-back. It causes tune out.” Of course, that's not true and never was. Surprising superstitions like that still persist in radio.

(By Bob McCurdy) Bill Duggan, the EVP at the Association of National Advertisers was kind enough to join us at our recent managers meeting. In prep for the meeting, Bill reached out to members of the ANA Media Leadership Committee to get an advertiser POV on local radio, both positive and negative. I've included some of what Bill shared in my column this week.

Our thanks to 2018 Radio Ink Radio Wayne Streetfighter finalist Vedra Grant from Beasley Broadcast Group in Charlotte for sharing this advertiser success story with us. Vedra was consistently persistent with a local auto dealer and got the client back on the air. It was a great win for both Vedra and Beasley and a great success story for us to highlight this week. (Our weekly Advertiser Success Stories are sponsored by Sun & Fun Media).

(By Ronald Robinson) “To sell more spots for bigger bucks.” Contrary to popular assertions, this ought not be a stated radio responsibility. Rather, it is an internally motivated, desired outcome. Similarly, “cutting expenses” is not a responsibility.

Entercom stations have received six South Carolina Broadcasters Association State Television and Radio Awards Awards. The awards were presented at the SCBA’s STAR Awards Ceremony at the Columbia Conference Center in Columbia, SC.