News

Over $1 Million raised by the station for the "Eric & Kathy" annual fundraiser for the Ann and Robert Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. It was the 18th year the station has held the event to benefit the hospital. Pictured here is the entire staff of the radio station and the check for over $1 million.

Here's something you most certainly want to keep an eye on. Back in September of 2016, federal Judge Louis Stanton issued an order rejecting the D.O.J.'s interpretation of the BMI consent decree, allowing BMI to continue its longstanding practice of fractional licensing. The DOJ appealed that decision, and now BMI filed its brief in response to the Department of Justice.

Chris Fleming has been named Market Manager for Neuhoff Media’s Lafayette Indiana cluster. CEO Beth Neuhoff said, “The addition of Chris Fleming to our team is truly a turning point for our company. His 25 years of visionary market and revenue management will make a powerful impact on both our organization and the Lafayette community.”

AirKast announced Thursday night that it has developed and will be providing free Alexa skills for all its customers -- including over 800 North American radio stations, syndicated radio hosts and podcasters.

Caren Berry is the Market President for Townsquare in SE Minnesota. How she got into radio is quite unique. She was working as a marketing director for a local newspaper in Salinas, CA. and had an appointment with the station owner Don McCoy of Magic Broadcasting. She was pitching the market's top-rated station a paid promotional idea. McCoy told her he was not going to buy her promotion, but said it was the most creative idea he had ever seen.

It's quite surprising more markets are not copying what radio is doing in Chicago. If this kind of approach to promote the power of radio, and drive results for advertisers, is succeeding in the 3rd-largest market in America, you would think the same approach would work in many other markets.

The mystery about Hall of Fame host Kathy Hart was in the news again Thursday. Hart is co-host of the Eric & Kathy morning show on Hubbard's WTMX in Chicago and she's been off the air since April. Hart's contract is up in December and she's been negotiating with the station to bring the matter to some sort of conclusion.

On Thursday The board of directors of the New York State Broadcasters Association announced that iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman has been named its “Broadcaster of the Year.” NYSBA President David Donavan said, “Bob Pittman is a true industry leader and perhaps the most creative, visionary and dynamic executive in broadcasting. His views not only shape the radio industry, but the future of all media in this country.” Pittman has been named Radio Ink's Most Powerful Person in Radio for 7 consecutive years.

That's the total so far according to Entercom Market Manager Phil Zachary. The 16th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon to strike out cancer is a joint effort between Entercom's WEEI and local TV station NESN and includes the local WEEI on-air talent and appearances from local politicians and sports stars from all the major Boston sports teams.

Cumulus has hired Chris Clare to program WNNF/NASH-FM 94.1 in Cincinnati. He's leaving 99.9 The Wolf/WTHT-FM in Portland, ME, where he was PD. It's Clare's second stop in Cincinnati, having previously been on-air at Star 96.5/WFTK-FM. He’s also programmed and worked at stations in Indianapolis, Denver, New Orleans and Pensacola.