Headlines

(By Bob McCurdy) The RealityMine 2016.1 USA TouchPoint data has just come out and it again confirms AM/FM’s audio dominance. The data is a combination of fieldwork conducted March-November 2015 and January-April 2016.

(By Roy Williams) The reason most radio people write poorly is because they read too many blogs, tweets, news stories, and Facebook posts. As you read, so will you write.

There was a lot of debate about the millennial generation at the Radio Show in Nashville last week, and it really did stretch from one end of the spectrum to the other. In some panels, speakers were saying millennials were with radio and listenership was strong. In others, speakers were saying they were not listening to radio, their lives were all about streaming and their smartphones. In his latest episode of Media Unplugged, Mark Ramsey addresses the millennial issue and what he, and Tom Asacker, think they are up to these days. Give a listen HERE.

Jodesha Broadcasting's KNCQ-FM launched a new FM signal Friday and the format is non-stop Christmas and holiday favorites. The All-Christmas format is programmed by Seattle-based Broadcast Partners Ken Moultrie. Is it a stunt or is this the first of many early flips to holiday music as we head into the final quarter of the year and the run-up to Christmas?

It seems radio stations can’t help breaking records when it comes to charity events. Fresno’s NewsTalk 580/105.9 KMJ – in conjunction with agriculture company Gar Tootelian Inc. and Fresno-Madera Farm Credit – just raised over $154K for Fresno’s Community Food Bank. A 50 cents-on-the-dollar matching donation brought the grand total to an amazing $231,000.

In January, iHeartMedia will be offering listeners two new on-demand subscription services that will result in a product audio listeners have never experienced before, and create a much-needed new revenue stream for the company. Starting in January, we'll see how many of iHeartRadio's 90 million users will convert over to a paid service, giving the company more revenue from the digital side of its business.

It was the success story to top all success stories. The RAB hit a big-time home run bringing in two Lifelock executives who could not say enough great things about radio. The fact that they have a great product, they know how to use the frequency of radio, and they know how to tweak radio to make it work, certainly helps. But there's no doubt about it, Lifelock is "all in" on radio and every manager in America needs to hear their story.

After updating the Thursday afternoon Radio Show crowd on AM revitalization, Commissioner Ajit Pai let the audience in on an idea the Commission is working on that he says will improve the quality of the FM band.

In an annual tradition, the winners of the prestigious Radio Wayne Awards were presented by Radio Ink Publisher Deborah Parenti at the Radio Show Thursday morning, with Emmis Chairman/CEO Jeff Smulyan taking honors as America's Best Broadcaster for 2016.

There was plenty happening at the Radio Show in Nashville, Thursday, but nothing bigger than the 2016 National Association of Broadcasters' Marconi Radio Awards. It was the 27th year for the prestigious awards, which are given to radio stations and outstanding on-air personalities to recognize excellence in radio. Here are this year's winners...