News

Amazon’s new Alexa for Hospitality is now available for hotel owners and iHeartRadio is the default music selection. Guests can just say, “Alexa, play music,” and the Echo devices will automatically launch iHeartRadio.

Bo Brown is the new Market Manager for Cumulus' Beaumont, TX, cluster. Brown will manage KAYD-FM (NASH); KIKR-AM and KBED-AM (Sports); KQXY-FM (Q94); and KTCX-FM (Magic 102.5). It's a return  to Beaumont for Brown, who started his radio career in 1992 as an AE for Petracom Broadcasting and was D.O.S. for Cumulus from 1997 to 1999.

WQDR-FM/Raleigh, NC, Account Executive Catherine Bond has won the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Sales Superstar of the Year award for 2018. She received the award at the annual station awards luncheon held in Durham on Thursday, June 14.

Former Chicago Blackhawk Eddie Olczyk (pictured left with Dave Kaplan) is joining ESPN1000 Chicago starting this week. Olczyk will co-host twice a week, Mondays and Fridays, alongside David Kaplan from 9 a.m. to noon.

Big Jim O’Brien has signed a new multi-year deal to continue hosting Big Jim’s House, mornings on Detroit Classic Rocker 94.7 WCSX-FM. O’Brien has been with the station since 2002.

Bryce Segall has been named music director and evening talent for ALT 92.3 (WNYL-FM) in New York, effective July 2. In addition, Dan Stone will join ALT 92.3 as imaging director, effective June 25.

SportsTalk 790 in Houston is adding former NFL quarterback Sean Salisbury to its weekday lineup, 3-6 p.m., starting July 9. In addition to playing professional football for 10 years, Salisbury has worked as an NFL analyst on ESPN.

San Diego’s Z90 has promoted Kat San Andres to Assistant Program Director. San Andres, who has been with the station since 2004, adds the APD stripes to her current role as Music Director, and will take on added day-to-day and strategic duties, alongside R Dub!

Jenny Valliere has been appointed Assistant Program Director and Music Director for Z102.9 (KZIA/Cedar Rapids, Iowa City). The afternoon radio personality and current Miss Iowa USA titleholder has been named to the dual roles for the locally owned CHR station.

These are the best of the best when it comes to broadcast journalism, and there were more than 4,400 entries submitted for 16 categories. Hubbard's WTOP-FM in Washington DC, and New Hampshire Public Radio repeat their 2017 wins for Overall Excellence in large market radio and small market radio, respectively.