Headlines

iHeartMedia Pittsburgh’s 105.9 The X has signed a multi-year extension with the NHL Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. The new deal runs through the 2020-21 season. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ games have aired on iHeartMedia stations since 1999 and exclusively on 105.9 The X since 2003.

The Radio Show, produced by the RAB and NAB, kicks off the day after Labor Day this year and is being held in Austin. As everyone gears up to make the trip to Texas, Radio Ink will spend the next 10 days interviewing industry executives about what they're expecting to see when they arrive in The Lone Star State. We start it off with broker Dick Kozacko from Kozacko Media Services in Raleigh, and his thoughts on the possibility of wheeling and dealing.

After tapering off for a few months SMI is reporting that July was vibrant again for digital advertising. And the firm is also reporting a huge jump in ad revenue for radio in July, mostly thanks to the automotive category.

The Jackson Hole News & Guide is reporting that ESPN Radio host Ryen Russillo was found naked in a stranger’s condo early Wednesday. The owner of the condo first thought it was a family member only to discover it was apparently Russillo lying in a bed with his pants around his ankles.

The Radio Show kicks off Tuesday, September 5 in Austin, and if you're attending, you'll notice in-vehicle demonstrations in the Radio Show Marketplace. A 2017 Ford Fusion will be on display demonstrating the top three solutions for linking a driver’s smartphone to the dash.

An entire track, specifically created for radio, will take place today thanks to the folks at Jacobs Media. Five sessions, panels, and keynotes will be part of day two in Anaheim, from 9am to 3pm.

Podcast technology company ART19 has closed a $7.5 million Series A round led by Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments and DCM Ventures. ART19 provides podcast hosting, distribution, and ad serving technology. The company says its client list includes Midroll Media and iHeartMedia.

According to News4 We Act Radio, a community station based in Southeast D.C., is off the air after being vandalized and burglarized. A GoFundMe page set up to raise money to get the station back on the air says: "Thousands of dollars’ worth of valuable equipment, including a live streaming laptop, were stolen. The robber also severely damaged the property, including smashing the radio studio window and taking the back door off its hinges."

Beasley Media Group's BEN FM in Philadelphia has figured out a way to have Amazon's Alexa take over the station this Friday from 2pm to 6pm. It's all part of the launch of the BEN FM skill on the Amazon Echo. During that shift the station will also be giving away Amazon Echo Dots.

That's over 60 million American homes according to the ratings firm. Nielsen Audio SVP Bruce Supovitz says, "Advertisers are eager to explore the world of podcasting but they don’t really know much about the podcast audience. That is all about to change.