News

WGN Radio has launched its new traffic app, Traffix Chicago, which calculates the three quickest routes for any destination. Users get real-time data and tips coupled with audio traffic reports pertaining to the roads within a given journey.

Much like we've seen from iHeartRadio hoping to get buy-in from all their bondholders, Cumulus continues to extend the early tender date for its exchange offer for its 7.75% senior notes, due in 2019, to February 13 from January 23.

NASCAR enthusiasts will be excited to know that Hall of Fame Crew Chief and NASCAR analyst Larry McReynolds debuts his new weekly show, Larry Mac: America’s Crew Chief, this week on PodcastOne. A new podcast is posted every Wednesday on PodcastOne.com, the PodcastOne app, and iTunes.

The Free Beer & Hot Wings Show is hosted by Gregg “Free Beer” Daniels, Chris “Hot Wings” Michels, Joe, Steve, and Justin. It started out as an afternoon show at noncommercial KIWR in Omaha back in 1997, when Daniels and Michaels were roommates at Central Michigan University.  In 2017, The Free Beer & Hot Wings Show turns 20. Here’s our interview with the players who make up that syndicated team.

Another Classic Hip Hop station bites the dust. Cumulus launched "The Vibe" in Salt lake City in September of 2015 using a 24-hour format syndicated by Westwood One. On Wednesday, The Vibe was replaced by "Utah's New Hit Music." The Top 40/CHR format will now feature "the biggest hits from today’s hottest artists."

Westwood One host Jim Gray will interview the president one-on-one, and it will air in the network’s Super Bowl LI broadcast on Sunday, February 5. Gray last interviewed President Trump during the Monday Night Football game on November 7, the night before the election.

This deal with the BCCA will allow Marketron customers to share real-time credit information about industry advertisers with members of the BCCA, which is the media industry’s credit association.

And that's not bad news when compared to other media in the latest Standard Media Index report. Overall, SMI says ad spending was up 6.8% in 2016, and of course the big gainer was digital, jumping 13.3% for the year. However, that's a far cry from what digital gained in 2015, which was 50%.

Jackson was named the new Operations Manager for Top 40 KZIA and Sports Talk KGYM. He'll also program KZIA. Jackson worked the night shift at KZIA from 2004 to 2011. He was also APD/MD at CBS Radio Alternative KXTE in Las Vegas and Hot AC KHMX in Houston.

In a speech to the FCC staff yesterday, newly appointed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai laid out one of his top priorities: bringing the benefits of the digital age to all Americans. Pai said there is a digital divide in this country — between those who can use services from cutting-edge communications services and those who can not.