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On Thursday, the House Energy & Commerce Committee passed the PIRATE Act. If approved by the full Congress, The PIRATE Act will increase fines to up to $2 million, hold those who knowingly assist pirate stations accountable and create an easy-to-use list of licensed stations and illegal stations that have received enforcement.

Beginning last fall, a waitlist for the 2019 Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage cruise started to load up for the 20th anniversary 7-day cruise. The cruise will sail on the Carnival Magic, April 7-14, 2019, from Miami, with port stops in San Juan, St. Thomas, and Grand Turk.

The Highway Radio Network & Heftel Broadcast Company are launching a new remote satellite broadcast studio at Pawn Plaza in Las Vegas owned by Gold & Silver Pawn Shop owner Rick Harrison (pictured),  star of History’s “Pawn Stars.”

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has circulated a proposal that would establish the requirements to govern the incubator program that the Commission adopted in 2017. The program supports the entry of new and diverse voices into the broadcast industry. It will be voted on at the FCC August meeting. Here are the details of the program.

Local Radio Networks is collaborating with Skyview Networks and ABC Radio on several aspects of its business. Skyview will provide LRN its satellite distribution platform and become the exclusive network sales partner for LRN’s 24/7 music formats. ABC Radio will provide resources to LRN with additional programming opportunities for its affiliates. 

KQRS is one of the radio industry's iconic rockers and they are getting ready to light 50 candles on the station's birthday cake. Cumulus' has launched its 50th Anniversary celebration of KQRS-FM in Minneapolis, an original Progressive/AOR radio station. Let the birthday celebration begin!

Has FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's championing of "AM revitalization" through the introduction of FM translators as a rebroadcast outlet truly revitalized the radio industry? Absolutamente ... says Hispanic radio veteran George Mier.

Adams Radio Group has signed a new 5-year deal with Nielsen to provide ratings for its clusters in Fort Wayne, Las Cruces, Salisbury-Ocean City, and Tallahassee. Adams was previously utilizing Nielsen ratings in Fort Wayne and Salisbury-Ocean City, and Eastlan Ratings in Las Cruces and Tallahassee.

For the most part, radio morning shows have a male host as the lead. There are plenty of morning show teams in radio that include females, many with more than one female, but there are very few where the female controls the show. On July 16, in Washington DC, that formula gets turned on its head when Angie Ange takes over mornings for Radio One's WKYS.

The Country Radio Broadcasters is now accepting applications for a scholarship endowment, which will be awarded to one college or university for the 2018-2019 school year. The endowment is for $25,000 and applications are due September 5, 2018.