News

The Radio Advertising Bureau will present four sales and marketing sessions in Las Vegas this April. The sessions are called: Radio’s Lunch and Learn: Creating Sustainable Performance, Small & Medium Radio Markets Idea Exchange, From Surviving to Thriving in Radio Sales and Digital Strategies Exchange for Radio Workshop.

WLW Radio personality and local defense attorney faces charges of drug possession and operating a vehicle while impaired, according to TV station WCPO in Cincinnati. Wells was charged after being stopped by a trooper on I-75 after a call about an erratic driver.

Broker Bob Heymann of Media Services Group tells us that Mid-West has closed on the purchase of WNSN-FM, WSBT-AM, W241AD, WZOC-FM and WHFB-FM from Gray Television. The radio stations were spun off to Mid-West at the closing of Gray's purchase of the broadcast assets of Schurz Communications. Mid-West paid $5.5 Million for the radio stations.

Don Imus will now be heard on News/Talk WSWN (900 AM) from 6-9 a.m. GM Matthew Goldapper says, “South Florida is the perfect fit for Don Imus. He is a legend. There are many people who have moved from the Northeast to South Florida that are huge Imus fans and will once again have that opportunity to enjoy his show.”

Hubbard Radio St. Louis has announced the hiring of veteran radio professional Scott Roddy, to lead the programming efforts for its New Country radio station 92.3 WIL. Roddy most recently spent three years successfully programming and leading Saga Radio’s cluster in Bellingham, Washington.

Ruth Gaviria is the newly appointed chief marketing officer for Entercom Communications, reporting to president and CEO David Field. She arrives from Univision, where she was EVP/corporate marketing. "Ruth brings outstanding business acumen and marketing leadership to Entercom,” Field said. “She has a stellar track record of building brands and developing strategies that have accelerated growth in both media and CPG companies. Ruth’s insights, experiences, and industry knowledge will help us elevate Entercom and our radio brands across the country."

Georgia Beasley is the new digital sales director for Beasley Media Group's Southwest Florida market of Ft. Myers, Naples, and Marco Island. She has a background in radio sales for broadcast, digital, and NTR, and she's held sales management posts in Miami, Florida, and Wilmington, DE. Beasley has also been GSM and digital sales manager for the company's seven-station Augusta, GA, cluster.

Brendon DelToro is the new VP of Political Strategy for iHeartMedia's Washington, D.C.-based Political and Advocacy team. He will report to Kenny Day, Senior Vice President, Political Sales and Strategy. DelToro will manage iHeartMedia’s relationships with conservative candidates, parties, Independent Expenditures, Super PACs, and other political organizations.

The New York Times started the speculation that Pandora was in talks with Morgan Stanley to shop the company around. Now, Forbes takes the story to the next level and ponders, in an article written by Bobby Owsinski, who might actually purchase the company. And, he says Pandora, which has yet to consistently turn a profit, could fetch up to $2 billion in a sale.