Headlines

In a wide-ranging interview with Billboard new SONY Music Nashville Executive Vice President Steve Hodges was asked about radio as a platform for Country music artists. His answer is bulletin board material.

As expected, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel has been confirmed by the Senate Commerce Committee. The vote was unanimous Wednesday. Rosenworcel must still get full Senate confirmation, but she's expected to breeze through the Senate as well.

The Wall Street Journal says Spotify is "caving in." The Spotify business model has always allowed all of its users having access to the same catalog of music. Some pay for the service ad-free. Others have to listen to ads.

Diane Rehm has been on the air for nearly 30 years. She plans to retire at the conclusion of the next presidential election. “The Diane Rehm Show” is a two-hour program heard on 197 public radio stations

The New Orleans Advocate reports that 35 year old Brian Benemy is under arrest accused of 22 counts of identity theft after police say he used copies of ID cards from radio contest winners to rack up thousands of dollars in charges.

The Detroit Free Press has a detailed story about the success of WNBY in Newberry, Michigan. The station has been on the air since the mid-60's in a little building and not much has changed. People call about lost dogs and found tools, or phone in a request to hear a song, or to report that the elementary school’s lizard got out.

This is something FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai has touched on before and he did it again last week a speech at the Annual Institute on Telecommunications Policy & Regulation. Pai said the Enforcement Bureau is no longer even accountable to FCC Commissioners.

The New York Times details how New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is trying to get on the radio as much as possible after his ratings took a hit. It all started on WOR with an appearance on the Len Berman and Todd Schnitt show.

The New York Daily News has the details about a one-night reunion at Madison Square Garden on March 30 to benefit the Garden's charity Garden of Dreams Foundation.