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The FCC continued its crackdown on pirates, announcing two more were found on Friday. Davina Mendes was caught operating a pirate radio station weekdays from 3-5 pm at 87.7 in Boston from a business building at 616 Blue Hill Ave. And Talya Andrea Lantz was cited for hosting a morning show at 101.3 in Boston from that same location. Both must end their broadcasts immediately and have ten days to respond the The FCC.

That's after a last-minute "tentative deal" was struck with SAG-AFTRA. Contract talks began April 27 and a federal mediator was called in. The contract expired on June 30 but was extended several times. Union leadership will recommend the deal to NPR staffers. Here's a statement from NPR management...

The Western Kentucky University campus will be welcoming students today from Valparaiso University and Middle Tennessee State University as well as WKU to the fifth annual KBA WKU Radio Talent Institute.

(By Bob McCurdy) Early in my career, I came across a Picasso quote: “Good artists borrow, great ones steal.” I figured if it was good enough for Pablo, then it was good enough for me. I’ve been borrowing, stealing, and customizing ideas ever since.

(By Gary Berkowitz) I spent many years working with Bob Morgan at CBS Radio in Rochester, NY. Bob had one belief that really impacted me to the point that, all these years later, I still use this line once or more each day. Bob always said, “Be brilliant with the basics.” With that in mind, check out these six easy-to-implement ideas for a better-sounding radio station.

(By Ronald Robinson) Commercial music radio -- ownership, management, and programming -- continues, unknowingly I expect, sabotaging the efficacy of this medium. Fortunately, radio does have one major dynamic going for it -- otherwise we wouldn’t have an industry.

Not so long ago, time-stamps played a large metadata role for TV broadcasters. In recent years, technological advancements have changed how broadcasters view and use metadata. On July 18, broadcast and cable TV professionals and their sales teams have a great no-cost opportunity to learn more about how AI and metadata can bring in more ad dollars.

Emmis' first quarter includes the months of March, April, and May and during those months Emmis' pro-forma revenue was down 6.7% from $42.7 million to $38.7 million. Emmis’ Austin and St. Louis clusters outperformed their markets while New York and Indianapolis underperformed.

Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan said the deal to sell KPWR-FM in Los Angeles to the Meruelo Group for $82.75 million has been approved by the FCC and should close over the next two months. Emmis announced the sale in May and Meruelo started an LMA on July 1. Once the sale of Power 106 closes, the company’s senior credit facility debt will be reduced by approximately 50%.

Yvon Grand-Champ of Mattapan, Massachusetts, is caught operating at 106.3 MHz from the Revelation Pentecostal Holy Church. Howard Bryan is accused of running a pirate station at 89.7 in Paterson, New Jersey, from his home. And Orlando Morillo is nailed by the FCC for an unlicensed station at 94.9 from his house in the Bronx. The FCC has been cracking down on pirate radio stations.