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(By Buzz Knight) I just attended for the first time Radio Ink's Forecast 2018 Event held in NYC and from a Programming and Content perspective I have some thoughts and takeaways that are relevant for consideration.

On Friday, Entercom also announced a new deal with AnalyticOwl, a company CBS Radio had been using for audience analytics. The tool will help the company track and quantify the impact of advertising campaigns.

That's the CEO's new salary as of the closing of the merger with CBS Radio, according to this SEC filing on Friday. Field will also have the opportunity to earn an annual performance bonus of 200% of his base salary every year. Entercom's merger with CBS makes it the second largest radio company in the country behind iHeartMedia.

Most radio deals close with a simple press release announcing that the deal has closed and life goes on somewhat quietly. Not the CBS/Entercom deal as CEO David Field, COO Weezie Kramer and President of Programming Pat Paxton got right to work, unveiling a slew of changes they had obviously been getting ready. Let's start with Entercom's plan to cut down on the number of commercials its stations are playing.

iHeartMedia Washington, DC has flipped Variety station 97.1 WASH-FM to holiday music and will broadcast around-the-clock traditional festive favorites by Mariah Carey, Burl Ives, and Johnny Mathis as well as new holiday music from artists like Sia and Train.

(By Bob McCurdy) I met with an extremely capable and successful agency executive last week who had a soft spot in his heart for radio as he had worked in the business for two decades. In our follow-up post-meeting email exchange, he made some valuable points.

(By Randy Lane) There have already been several format flips in the Entercom and CBS merger, and with change comes opportunity for talented air personalities. Whether you’re looking to move up, or you’ve been moved out in a downsize, here’s a checklist for putting together your job application package.

November 18 marks the second official Day of Civility in Massachusetts. Governor Charlie Baker will issue a special proclamation to commemorate the event, which will be read during Opening Ceremonies of the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

WJMK-FM is now "The New 104.3 JAMS, Chicago’s #1 for Throwbacks." The previous format was Classic Hits. To kick off the new format, the station is airing 10,000 songs in a row.

Entercom makes a big move in a big market as its merger with CBS Radio closes, flipping Top 40 92.3 AMP Radio to Alternative as ALT 92.3. ALT debutes with 10,000 songs commercial-free; the station is also streaming at alt923radio.com.