Headlines

The number of radio executives attending the annual tech and gadget show in Las Vegas is increasing every year according to our friend Buzz Knight at Beasley Media. In fact, Fred Jacobs took some of those executives on a tour of the massive event this year. Radio Ink spoke to Jacobs about the tour, what new technology will impact the radio industry and what he was most impressed with from the 2017 show. Here's what he had to say.

The San Antonio Express-News is reporting that bondholders have transferred an iHeartMedia lawsuit against them seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages from debt default notices last year to federal district court in San Antonio. The suit was being heard in Bexar County state district court where iHeart had won a previous lawsuit.

ICM Partners is a talent agency and Workhouse Media represents many syndicated personalities across all formats. The new partnership states ICM will represent clients of Workhouse Media as content creators and performers in the areas of film, television, publishing, touring, branding, and digital entertainment, while Workhouse Media will represent the interests of ICM Partners’ clients wishing to extend their reach in radio.

Better get your registration for Country Radio Seminar 2017 in! The price increases to $699 on Friday.  Those who have not registered, but are planning to attend, are encouraged to register today at the $599 rate, which is a $100 savings, at www.CountryRadioSeminar.com.

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has extended the call for entries for the 42nd annual Gracie Awards to January 18. But it will cost you an extra $50.00 after January 12. The Gracies recognize exemplary programming created by, for, and about women in radio, television, cable and interactive media.

Just when you thought there might be a truce between the RMLC and GMR, that idea turns out to be a pipe dream. Radio Music Licensing Committee Chairman Ed Christian sent an e-mail to stations on Monday raising his concerns that Irving Azoff's organization, Global Music Rights, is "making misstatements" to radio stations.

Following the news that the RMLC was concerned Irving Azoff's organization was contacting radio stations "making misstatements" about an interim license to play GMR's recordings, GMR has sent a follow-up letter to stations, basically calling out the Radio Music Licensing Committee for being liars. And one high-level radio executive told Radio Ink Tuesday, "If what GMR says is true, then we are being poorly represented by the RMLC. Unfortunately, there's enough detail here to make one wonder."

(By Buzz Knight) Nowhere else in our country is the blur of messaging so apparent than in Las Vegas. To suggest that there is a lot of marketing noise would be an understatement. Brand differentiation must be a major obstacle within every product category. So, hot on the heals of my visit to the Consumer Electronics Show 2017, I'm here to reflect on what I feel is happening within many sectors represented  at the show and how it has created a fragmentation conundrum. 

Alpha Media Mason City, IA, raised $13,000 with their 19th Annual Polar Bear Swim on December 4 at Clear Lake City Beach. More than 3,000 brave souls took the frigid plunge into the lake to raise the funds for Toys for Tots and Make a Wish of North Iowa.

That's what iHeart CEO Bob Pittman told Bloomberg in an interview from CES on Friday, when asked by a reporter about the company's debt. He said there's probably not many other media companies that can make that claim. "The operating business has been doing very well. From the standpoint of transferring it from an old media company to a new media company with digital plays, events, social, etc. and this company has always had a lot of debt."