Owner Relents, Pulls Porn PSA. Was It The Right Thing To Do?
Yesterday we reported on KAVV's owner Paul Lotsof who decided to use his radio station to advance his personal agenda. He did not agree with a law on the books in Arizona and he ran PSA's saying so. After it was posted to Facebook this week, the community backlash was instant (it's important to note that Lotsoff had been airing the PSA's for the past two years).
Saga Sells 2 TV Stations, Buys 8 Radio Stations.
Saga is selling its TV stations in the Joplin, MO – Pittsburg, KS and the Victoria, TX television markets for an aggregate price of approximately $66.6 million. Saga is also buying WCKN (FM), WMXZ (FM), WXST (FM), WAVF (FM), WSPO (AM), W261DG and W257BQ in Charleston, SC and WVSC (FM), WLHH (FM), WALI (FM), W256CB and W293BZ, serving the Hilton Head and Beaufort, SC radio markets, from Apex Media Corporation for $23.0 million.
Pai Getting Death Threats Thanks To Oliver
John Oliver's campaign against FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is turning ugly. Not only is the FCC comment section full of fake comments, there are also death threats against Pai. The Chairman is getting ready to reverse Net Neutrality adopted under Thomas Wheeler. The Washington Free Beacon has the specific, and quite vulgar, comments posted against Pai.
BIA Kelsey: California Radio To Get $1.58 Billion In 2017
That's according to the latest local advertising report from BIA Kelsey. Total local advertising in the state of California will hit $18.5 billion, up from $18 billion in 2016. Direct Mail will bring in the largest amount, $4.60 billion, followed by TV at $2.68 billion, Online at $2.30 billion, Mobile at $1.99 billion and Radio with $1.58 billion.
Stations Raise Over Quarter Million Dollars For Kids Hospital
News Radio 810 & 103.1 WGY and 99.5 the River’s 19th Annual Cares for Kids Radiothon surely exceeded everyone’s dreams. Members of the Capital Region heeded the call and pledged over $265,000 to help sick and injured children at the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center, the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
Station Investigated For Advising Listeners to Break The Law
Paul Lotsof owns CAVE-FM in Benson, Arizona. For two years Lotsof has been airing PSA's that, according to KVOA-TV, urge people to hide their child pornography. Lotsof disagrees with Arizona’s laws on child pornography and he's been airing the PSA's because he wants the laws changed. And now the station is under investigation by the local authorities.
Emmis Selling KPWR For $82.75 Million
The buyer of Emmis' only L.A. station is the Meruelo Group. The Meruelo Group, whose Meruelo Media affiliate acquired L.A. TV station KWHY-22 in 2011 and radio station KDAY-FM in 2014, is the largest minority owned media group in California. Emmis purchased KPWR-FM from Century Broadcasting in May 1984. The transaction is expected to close later this year.
Smulyan: We Had A Great Run With KPWR
Emmis purchased the L.A. station in 1984 for $10 million. As you've read in the previous story Emmis is selling the station for just under $83 million. Last month Emmis cut a deal with lenders which included a stipulation that Emmis sell $80 million worth of assets and close on that sale by July of 2018. No doubt CEO Jeff Smulyan already had this sale to Meruelo in the works.
Who is The Meruelo Group?
Some readers may be surprised that Emmis KPWR in Los Angeles wasn't scooped up by a traditional broadcaster. L.A. is home to Cumulus, iHeart, CBS (soon to be Entercom), Univision, SBS and Entravision among others.
John Tesh Recovering From Cancer
Nearly two years ago syndicated radio host and popular actor and singer John Tesh was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Today, we have some very good news about this story.















