News

With two days of on-air auctions of sports items, dinners, tickets and more, 610 listeners helped raise $77,160 for Star of Hope in Houston. Star of Hope is a facility dedicated to helping families who are homeless. More than just a meal and a place to sleep, it’s a true center that teaches and helps the entire family.

The mountain of toys pictured is being donated to the kids at MU's Children's Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. It ensures that all of the kids have lots of toys for Christmas Day and beyond. Cumulus Media's Q106.1 (KOQL/Columbia), “The Hit Music Channel,” collected the donations at the Columbia Mall for the past two Saturdays.

Alpha Media, Far East Bay, CA, hosted their 4th Annual Wayne Coy’s Toys Radiothon on Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16. Over $3,000 and 1,700 toys were collected for Mattress Firm Foster Kids. Hometown Morning’s Wayne Coy, along with KKIQ and KKDV’s Mel McKay, broadcast live.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has sided with BMI and affirmed a lower court ruling that the BMI consent decree allows for the practice of fractional licensing. Three years ago, BMI went to the DOJ to discuss modernizing the consent decree. Instead, according to BMI, the DOJ simply passed down its interpretation of the consent decree. BMI disagreed and the fight was on.

Beasley Broadcast Group has closed on the previously announced asset exchange with Entercom as part of the Entercom merger with CBS Radio. Beasley exchanged WMJX-FM in Boston and $12 million cash for WBZ-FM, 98.5 The Sports Hub. Entercom already had Sports station WEEI-FM in Boston.

Don Boyd is promoted to Market Manager of Cumulus Media's Mobile cluster, which includes five stations: 104.1 WDLT-FM; WXQW 660 AM, News/Information; 97.5 WABD-FM; 93 BLX FM, The Big Station!; and WGOK Gospel 900 AM. Boyd is a 28-year radio veteran and moves to Mobile from his GSM position at Cumulus' seven-station cluster in Atlanta.

The team at Radio One's MAJIC (102.1 FM and 97.9) in Houston tells Radio Ink that on-air host Robert "Bassman" Washington died Monday at the age of 49. General Manager Pam McKay tells Radio Ink the Radio One Houston family is saddened by the passing of their brother, friend, and co-worker. "Bassman always had an encouraging word and a smile."

iWAY-FM/Louisville has added Ben Smith as Community Impact Director/Operations Coordinator. Smith has most recently served with Thy Word Radio Network in Evansville, IN. He will lead community engagement efforts in the Louisville, KY, and Evansville, IN, markets.

Whether Performance Rights Organizations can or should be able to offer fractional or full licenses has become quite a confusing issue. While BMI states Tuesday's ruling means business as usual with radio, the NAB is not so sure about that.

SBS on-air talent Felix Castillo said he feels completely vindicated. He says the fight with SBS was worth "every second and every drop of sweat.” Back in March, eight employees of SBS in L.A. were fired. SAG-AFTRA says the firings were in retaliation for exercising their right to unionize. On Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA said a deal was reached worth almost half a million dollars.