Headlines

WRUL-FM and WROY-AM/Carmi, IL, as well as W119AU-FM/Fairfield, go from Withers Broadcasting to The Original Company for $390,000 cash at closing. Original, which has 15 other stations in Southwestern Indiana and Southeastern Illinois, is headed up by President Mark Lange. Patrick Communications represented seller Withers Broadcasting in the deal. 

Wednesday’s the day that Sunny 106.3 WJPT-FM, switched its format to all holiday-themed music. Market Manager, Brad Beasley said, “Sunny 106.3’s holiday music line-up has become a Southwest Florida tradition. For more than a decade, it’s been our way of wishing our community a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

Congratulations to our friends at Sun Broadcast Group. The company is celebrating its 8th birthday today. Sun Broadcast Group CEO, Jason Bailey, said, “Eight years later so much is different. What hasn’t changed, however, is Sun’s commitment to this great industry and our unwavering goal to be a better kind of radio company while having fun along the way. I couldn’t be more proud of the entire Sun team! Now…off to the Situation Room to celebrate!”

Syndicated talker Sean Hannity told a packed house at Forecast 2017 Wednesday morning that if the election was about the "forgotten man," radio is dealing with the "forgotten listener," thanks to all the deep cuts it has made over the past several years. His advice: get back to local. And that means more advertising that you are there, more contesting, more research, more promotions, and more creativity. He said, "We have sliced and diced and cut budgets from these radio stations more than we can."

It’s a chance to mix some business mingle with your holiday jingle when the New York Market Radio Association (NYMRA) celebrates 33 years of holiday cheer with its 2016 Holiday Party, Friday, December 2, 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. at Rock & Reilly’s Rooftop Lounge in the Renaissance Hotel, 218 West 35th Street.

Republican Congressman Greg Walden (pictured) alongside Republican FCC Commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael O'Rielly, is asking FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to hold off on "complex and controversial" decisions during the presidential transition period.

This time it’s 99.9 KEZ, Phoenix, flipping to non-stop Christmas music through December 25. At 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, the festivities began with "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams. 

Nationally syndicated program The Bert Show has had great success with its “Big Thank You” campaign, reaching its goal of providing every service person deployed outside the U.S. with a handwritten “Thank You” letter on Thanksgiving Day.

Law360 is reporting that an Oregon federal judge has agreed with a magistrate judge's recommendation to toss out the TRN anti-trust suit. U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken dismissed half the allegations with prejudice and half without based on the September recommendation to grant a motion to dismiss against the suit brought by TRN and other radio producers. TRN's Mark Masters told Radio Ink last night, "We are going to appeal, then win."

Those are the words of NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith who spoke at a Communications Forum luncheon Tuesday, sponsored by The Media Institute (Smith is also speaking at Radio Ink's Forecast in New York City, Wednesday). Smith said these are transitional times as local radio and television stations become even more relevant to, and more trusted by, communities