News

Dick Broadcasting, Myrtle Beach, has named Charlie Steele Operations Manager for WYAV-FM, WRNN-FM, WYMB-FM, WKZQ-FM, and WRNN-FM. Steele was previously PD for heritage Classic Rock station WQMF and Active Rock station WTFX in Louisville. 

For one of the most iconic radio brands a major market has ever seen, there was no week-long walk down memory lane. There was no reminiscing about how the jocks of old broke barriers and broke rules to produce great content. There were no rock star interviews about how much the station meant to them back in the day. There was just a memo and a flick of the off switch. Poof. Gone.

And CEO Alfred Liggins made a point to call out the burger chain, which has been one of Radio One's biggest advertisers for years. In the first quarter of 2017, McDonald's spent $1 million across all Radio One stations. Liggins says McDonald's changed agencies, changed strategy to reach the urban audience using radio, and spent a fraction of that $1 million in Q1 2018.

It's a theme we're getting used to hearing from public radio companies. A banner political year (2016) is hard to match in an off-political year (2017). Net revenue for Urban One's radio division in Q4 of 2017 was off 7.5%, excluding political revenue was flat for the quarter.

Same-station net revenue for Saga Communications in Q4 of 2017 decreased 4.2% to $29.5 million and that was blamed on a $1 million decrease in political advertising. CEO Ed Christian said automotive and health care are way down for the company. Looking at Q1, January was down slightly, February was flat, and March is pacing up.

Westwood One did not release any specific details about the study other than to say it involved a major personal care brand that showed a $12 return for every $1 spent on advertising. Westwood says a Nielsen Catalina Solutions study concluded that a radio campaign lifted sales 8% for the personal care brand and heavy category users were activated.

Farmington Hills, Michigan-based New Radio Media is launching its digital streaming entertainment network offering original online audio and video content accessible across connected platforms.

Technology Vipology has introduced its smart speaker skills product, Vipology Smart Speaker System (‘VS3’) to radio stations as consumer adoption of smart speakers continues to grow at record levels.

An official objection was filed by the unsecured creditors in the Cumulus bankruptcy case regarding millions of dollars in bonuses the company wants to pay out to CEO Mary Berner, CFO John Abbot, General Counsel Richard Denning and Westwood One President Suzanne Grimes.

James Pitaro has been named President of ESPN and Co-Chair Disney Media Networks. Pitaro, who has served as Chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media since 2016, replaces John Skipper as ESPN President, who resigned in December after admitting he had a substance abuse problem.