Headlines

Our story of the passing of syndicated radio host Dr. Joy Browne yesterday was one of our biggest page visits of all time. We also received many comments from the industry - and her listeners - about how loved she was. Her sister, who was on the phone with Joy at the time she passed away, also sent along this message to us...

Taking a page from the Townsquare playbook, Ed Levine's Galaxy Communications in Syracuse is buying Hops & Props Craft Beer Fest and Taste of Flight Wine Expo. Eric Bell, who owns the events will be staying on with the new Galaxy Events division and the company will be opening a Long Island office. This was a private deal; the price of the purchase was not announced.

Radio stations and air personalities were notified by new Country star Cam that they were finalists for CMS awards. Among the finalists are Lon Helton, Crook and Chase, and Blair Garner, who will battle it out for National Personality of the Year. All the winners will be notified in October and will be acknowledged at The 50th Annual CMA Awards, Wednesday, Nov. 2 on ABC. Here's the complete list of all the 2016 finalists.

At the 15th annual WEEI Jimmy Fund RadioTelethon, Entercom market Manager Phil Zachary tells Radio Ink the total raised for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston so far is $3.52 million and they're expecting to exceed $3.7 million.

Friends of 88.5 FM, a nonprofit community organization formed to preserve local National Public Radio affiliate KPLU, announced the official and final closing of the sale of KPLU. The new, community-owned station is 88.5 KNKX.

Warren Zimmerman is withdrawing as co-counsel for Bubba The Love Sponge in the ratings tampering case Nielsen has filed against Bubba. The Todd Foster Law Group is representing Bubba and Zimmerman is no longer an associate at that firm.

The radio imaging, voiceover, programming and jingles has launched Behind the Song, a series of 30-second audio documentaries that give radio listeners a look at the stories behind the biggest songs of all time.

Back in March, Westwood One promoted Kelli Hurley to Vice President of Digital Sales. Hurley now oversees all sales efforts for the company’s portfolio of digital products, including streaming audio, on demand, and podcasting. We recently spoke to Hurley in depth about radio's challenges of selling digital without losing focus on the most important radio revenue stream, spot sales.

Earlier this year, three articles about texting were published in Radio Ink. In the wake of these articles, many stations sought legal advice or contacted their texting provider for best practices. Thankfully, it isn’t all doom and gloom for stations interested in continuing their current texting programs or for those interested in the benefits of texting.

It could be curiosity because the format is new, it could be the market needed a Throwback Hip Hop station and Greater Media nailed it. Time will tell. For now, "105.1 The Bounce" in Detroit finished first in the ratings in every important demo according to Greater Media.