News

Same-station revenue was down 4% for Emmis' 3rd quarter which includes September, October, and November of 2017. The markets in which Emmis operates were down 2%. CEO Jeff Smulyan said, "There was nothing great about our performance." He added these are challenging times in the broadcasting industry and pointed out what other companies were facing. No doubt he was referring to Cumulus in bankruptcy and iHeartMedia's $20 billion in debt.

(By Stuart Rosen) There has been some confusion in the industry following last month’s decision by the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which affirmed Judge Stanton’s ruling that the BMI Consent Decree does not prohibit fractional licensing. BMI views the decision as a welcome, stabilizing event, and we genuinely believe the rest of the industry should as well. Allow us to explain why and hopefully alleviate any concerns.

Apple's CarPlay dashboard system was not friendly to radio. While the technology shows navigation, apps and even podcasts on the dashboard automobile, it does not integrate AM/FM radio. Drivers would need to switch out of the CarPlay interface over to the regular radio if they wanted to listen to their local station. Thanks to Gracenote, there's now an app for that.

Marketers see the future and it is on the automobile dashboard promoting a movie, telling drivers where the closest fast-food location is, or how to navigate to the nearest Starbucks. AKQA Media Managing Director Scott Symonds tells AdWeek, "Radio once held drivers hostage as the only form of in-car entertainment."

Freddy Rivera has been named Afternoon Drive Host for 102.9 Now, “Dallas/Ft. Worth’s Variety from 90s to Now,” effective February 5. Rivera will broadcast weekdays from 2–7 p.m.

Newsman Drew Scott is joining the team of JVC's Long Island News Radio (WRCN).  In addition to working at News 12 (Long Island TV), Scott was the founding news director of WLNY TV 55 and worked as Washington Correspondent at the White House for Tribune Broadcasting.

The SoundExchange Board announced Wednesday that President and CEO Michael Huppe will continue to lead the company through 2021. Huppe took over at SoundExchange in 2011.

Chris Soechtig has been named Market President for iHeartMedia's Tampa Bay market. Soechtig replaces Sam Nein and will report to Linda Byrd, President of iHeartMedia’s North Florida Region.

Rosenberg was a member of the inaugural WGN Radio Walk of Fame class in 2014. For 40 years (1973-2012) he was the host of WGN Radio’s Extension 720, "a daily two-hour festival of intelligent talk" on WGN-Radio in Chicago. Rosenberg died of pneumonia and its complications after entering the hospital on New Year’s Day. He would have been 93 on April 15.

Radio veteran John Summers is joining WHCU-AM/FM/Ithaca as their Brand Manager and News Director. He starts January 22. Summers was most recently the Regional Program Director and News Director for the Northwest News Radio Network and the Washington Ag Network.