News

SiriusXM host Chris “Mad Dog” Russo will join Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim on ESPN’s morning debate show, First Take, for two hours February 16. An appearance by Dog earlier this year caught the eye of programmers prompting plans for a weekly appearance.

After a very one sided anti-radio hearing on Capitol Hill last week, NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt is fighting back for radio with a new blog post about the so-called American Music Fairness Act. LeGeyt says if you want to ensure artists will get less airtime, pass the AMFA. Read his full blog HERE.

The Radio Advertising Bureau is reporting that radio's digital revenue hit $1.5 billion in 2021, an increase of 33% over 2020. The RAB is forecasting another 22% growth in 2022 which would put the total close to $2 Billion.

Dominic "Nard" Nardella is the new Brand Manager at 98.5 WNCX in Cleveland. Nardella will also serve as Midday Host on the Audacy station.

Bryan Suits is back in the Pacific Northwest, joining the 'Conservative Commute,' mornings on AM 770 KTTH Seattle. Suits has been filling in at the station and will now get his own show, "The Bryan Suits Show".

With a nice push from digital and the sports betting category, Beasley Media Group revenue jumped 3.3% to $70.7 million in the 4th quarter of 2021. The company is not yet back to 2019 levels but gets closer every quarter.

Former National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon Smith will receive the organization’s Distinguished Service Award. Smith will receive the NAB's highest honor at the 2022 NAB Show in Las Vegas in April.

The hosts for this year's Broadcasters Foundation of America Golden Mike Award dinner will be husband and wife broadcasters Al Roker and Deborah Roberts. The event will take place Monday, March 14, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

Nielsen has launched a Diverse Media Equity program, designed to elevate the visibility of diverse-owned media companies with advertisers and agencies. The initiative includes the first ever report on diverse-owned media reach and audience profiles.

(By Randy Lane) In the late-80s, Mark St. John (Leighton Group Director of Programming) and I collaborated to build a new morning show for I95 Birmingham. We had a fun and lively dinner with two talents meeting for the first time, Mark Thompson and Brian Phelps. We decided to try them out on the air to see if there was chemistry and potential.