Headlines

Last night the major annual fundraiser for the Broadcasters Foundation was held in New York City at the Plaza Hotel. Meredith Corporation's Paul Karpowitz received the Golden Mike Award and CMG's Bill Hoffman was given the 2017 Lifetime Leadership Award. Pictured here are Radio Ink Publisher Deborah Parenti and the NAB's Dennis Wharton.

(By J Chapman) Radio again is enjoying a renaissance. We are experiencing this in spite of ever-increasing competition, new audio delivery systems, and continually emerging technologies that all compete for our listeners’ time. The delivery of our product via the FM band is the single most important factor in our continued success. Accordingly we need to protect it.

A new blog by NAB VP of Spectrum Policy Patrick McFadden details how the FCC's TV spectrum incentive auction points out how some radio stations might be impacted. For example, McFadden says, "many towers that are home to repacked television stations are also home to FM radio stations, which are not being repacked."

New findings from BIA/Kelsey's Local Commerce Monitor survey has uncovered good news from small- and medium-sized businesses. More than 60 percent plan to increase advertising and marketing spending in 2017.

Those are the words of CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne regarding the Country Radio Seminar last week in Nashville. "We have heard nothing but positive feedback from attendees and look forward to throwing an even better, more evolved, and fantastic seminar next year.” CRS 2018 dates have been set for February 5-7. Mayne (left) pictured here with Keynoter Scott Hamilton and CRB/CRS President Charlie Morgan.

KZIO-FM in Two Harbors, MN, is being sold from Red Rock Radio to Minnesota Public Media. Red Rock Radio, lead by Kathy Lau and Shawn Skramstad, also owns three stations in Minnesota. MPR, a regional operation of American Public Media Group, is lead by Jon McTaggart, and owns over 40 stations in Minnesota and the surrounding areas. KALIL & CO. was the exclusive broker for this transaction.

Focus 360 has renewed its arrangement with Envision Networks for affiliate sales representation of its “Powered by Jelli” Networks. Focus 360 uses Jelli’s cloud-based ad platform which provides national advertisers with campaign analytics.

Both the RMLC and BMI have agreed that, while they continue to negotiate or pursue a litigated resolution of license fees for January 1, 2017, RMLC stations will pay BMI interim fees at the same (1.7%-of-net-revenue) rates that applied under the most recent BMI license that expired on December 31, 2016.

Longtime KCTR Billings morning man Paul Mushaben has been suspended after posting a blog called "Indian Basketball." Mushaben's blog suggested the need for an all-Native-American basketball tournament because Native American fans had become so unruly and disrespectful that it was no longer a safe situation.

(By Bob McCurdy) Several weeks back, a noteworthy study was released that demonstrated the synergetic nature between AM/FM radio and TV. The study, conducted by Nielsen and commissioned by Westwood One, focused on a major motorcycle manufacturer’s NCAA basketball and NFL football radio and TV advertising campaign.