Headlines

Noalmark Broadcasting Corp. of El Dorado has closed a $600,000 deal to buy two El Dorado radio stations, KDMS-AM and KLBQ-FM, from El Dorado Broadcasting Co., owned by Edward R. Partridge. Noalmark now owns eight stations along with two others in Magnolia (KVMA-AM and KVMZ-FM), about 35 miles away.

(By Bob McCurdy) Last Tuesday’s election and its aftermath got us thinking about a word that’s been mentioned a lot lately, “polarization,” and what might be causing it.

Nominations are now being accepted for the Country Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2017. The deadline is December 12, 2016. Applications can be submitted at www.countryradioseminar.com. Inductees will be revealed at Country Radio Seminar 2017, which will take place Feb. 22-24, 2017 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville.

The station with commence with the Holiday audio cheer Thursday, November 17 at noon. Listeners will get 24/7 festive music by Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and others. Murphy & Meg in the Morning as well as Eric Paulsen, Hannah, and Dave Michaels will continue to host the station’s programming.

Galaxy Communications has signed a national ad sales deal with independent rep firm Gen Media Partners. Galaxy has 14 central New York stations, headed up by President/CEO Ed Levine.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America has taken a step towards the future, unveiling a new logo (pictured at left), redesigning its website, and launching new social media sites. It’s all part of a rebranding campaign to make it easier for broadcasters to find help and give back.

Back in September, a judge ruled that fractional licensing is permitted under BMI's anti-trust consent decree. The Department of Justice, which has taken the position that the consent decrees for both BMI and ASCAP require 100 percent licensing, has appealed that Second Circuit decision.

(By Radio Ink Chairman Eric Rhoads) Today, and over the following days, you, the sellers of radio, will be faced with some difficult conditions. No matter who won the election, 50 percent of your customers were going to be depressed and upset, and 50 percent were going to be elated.

BMI President and CEO Mike O'Neill said in a statement he's "not surprised" that the Department of Justice has filed a notice of appeal against a judge's ruling that BMI has the right to engage in fractional licensing of works. He said, "It is unfortunate that the DOJ continues to fight for an interpretation of BMI's consent decree that is at odds with hundreds of thousands of songwriters and composers, the country's two largest performing rights organizations," and more.

If, as the leaks suggest, radio’s own Laura Ingraham is appointed to the role of press secretary once Donald Trump assumes the presidency, it will be noteworthy for radio. The conservative talk show host would be only the third woman to hold the position – which dates back to 1929 – and the first since Dana Perino (2007-2009).