Headlines

Cumulus reported net revenue of $308.8 million, down from $329.2 million in Q4 of 2014. Adjusted EBITDA of $63.0 million was down 30.3% from the quarter ended December 31, 2014. For the year, net revenue and adjusted EBITDA were $1,168.7 million and $259.1 million, down 7.5% and 21.4%, respectively, from 2014.

WBAL NewsRadio in Baltimore's news program WBAL News Now at  5am earned first-place honors in the radio Newscast category of the National Headliner Awards this week. The awards program is one of the oldest and largest annual contests recognizing journalistic merit in the communications industry.

Radio Ink’s Lifetime Leadership Award is presented each year, in conjunction with our 40 Most Powerful People in Radio list, to a radio executive who has demonstrated over the course of his or her career a commitment to excellence and has set a standard in leadership for others to emulate. Previous recipients include Lowry Mays, Ralph Guild, Gary Fries, Eddie Fritts, Bill Burton, Gordon Hastings, Ed McLaughlin, Jerry Lee, Charles Warfield, Dan Mason, and Cathy Hughes.Our 2017 Lifetime Leadership Award recipient is Bruce Reese.

(By Marc Greenspan) Radio is a great medium for Reach, yet it’s also perfect for building FREQUENCY. To the advertiser, FREQUENCY reflects the average number of times someone will be exposed to their message.

Those were the words of David Field, Wednesday, after taking a question about the announced Shazam ratings service. Entercom and three other companies announced they were launching a new app-based ratings service with Shazam, although the details about the service were minimal, and when it will be ready is unknown.

Cumulus country station KRST (92.3 FM) in Albuquerque raised over $200,000 for St. Jude Children's Hospital during a recent radiothon. The two-day event started Thursday, December 8 and saw station staffers and volunteers raise funds for St. Jude.

NAB Education Foundation’s Media Sales Institute has opened registration for recruiters. Media Sales Foundation is an intensive 7-day program that trains recent college graduates for careers in media sales. The registration deadline is Friday, March 31.

Our thanks to Megan Black of Second Street for sharing another advertiser success story with Radio Ink. This one comes from Entercom Portland's Sam Tongue and involved taking an annual Home Improvement sweepstakes to the next level. (Our weekly Advertiser Success Stories are sponsored by Sun & Fun Media).

NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt and Executive Vice President of Industry Affairs April Carty-Sipp led a virtual town hall, covering a wide range of topics including AM radio advocacy and the band's tremendous grassroots support.