Headlines

(By Bob McCurdy) I was recently speaking with a local auto dealer who indicated sales were “fine” but that he was somewhat concerned about radio’s ability to generate floor traffic. I asked how he was able to determine this and his response was....

(By Ken Trujillo) Many AM stations like ours, that acquire FM translators, are being negatively impacted by distant stations alleging interference that either keeps the AM station from obtaining an FM translator, or adversely impacts the FM translator after the initiation of operations.

(By Jeff McHugh) Whether starting a new show or maintaining an established program, heritage is an underestimated consideration for media personalities and media companies. The effect of heritage is often misunderstood. Here are four universal secrets about heritage and how it affects the success or failure of a radio show or podcast...

Cumulus has been notified by NASDAQ that it is not in compliance because its stock price has closed below $1.00 per share for 30 consecutive business days. Cumulus has 180 days, or until October 2, 2017, to regain compliance.

(By Ronald Robinson) For the last while, I have been paying closer attention to the comments of younger, current PDs, and to those of well-seasoned programmers – the wily veterans. To a man/woman, literally all of them continue to cling to some extremely old concepts.

Commonwealth CEO Steve Newberry has been involved in radio's royalty fight for nearly a decade. He's testified several times before Congress (he's also a former NAB Joint Board Chair) and has been involved in dozens of meetings on this topic. He's one of the radio's best experts on the topic with backpacks full of knowledge on every angle of this issue.

On Thursday, we told you about the latest ploy by Congress to get radio to pay for songs it airs on music stations. Broadcast attorney David Oxenford did the industry an even bigger favor when, in his latest blog, he dug deeper into the bill to grind out the details about just how much it might cost you if the "PROMOTE" Bill was ever passed.

(by Ken Dardis) Please say this with me: It is not a tax that Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) introduced to Congress this week. We got the the immediate, and expected, disapproval from the radio industry. 'It promotes artists.' 'Radio should charge for advertising the song.' 'Lost jobs.' 'Our station will go all talk.'

(Paul Rotella) Every Congress, a few well-meaning, but misinformed legislators appear to forget that they represent the people of their districts and not the foreign-owned record companies, and introduce, in one form or another, the toxic royalty fee legislation commonly known as the “Performance Tax.” It does no one any good at all, and helps stifle the creative growth and opportunities for success of emerging artists...

On the heels of a new piece of legislation introduced in Congress to slap a royalty tax on radio, the NAB ran this ad in The Hill on Thursday to promote radio. The NAB says the ad points out "the indispensable role of broadcast radio as a promotional vehicle for artists, and thanking the more than 180 Representatives and Senators cosponsoring the Local Radio Freedom Act."