News

Nick Figueredo is the new Director of Branding and Programming for News at Cox station 104.5 WOKV, effective immediately. He has worked for CMG Orlando for the past seven years and was most recently the Assistant Director of Branding and Programming for News 96.5 WDBO.

Beginning Tuesday, January 3, Jeffrey Jameson (pictured) joins Karen Carson as co-host of the morning show on Fresh (WNEW-FM), and former morning show host Cane will host afternoon drive solo.

The New York Times has the long write-up about the passing of Jim Lowe at the age of 93. Lowe worked in radio for over 50 years, many at WNEW-AM in New York. He also worked at WCBS and WNBC. The Times says Lowe was nicknamed Mr. Broadway for his encyclopedic knowledge of 20th-century American music and musical-theater trivia. Lowe worked in Springfield, Indianapolis and Chicago before moving to WCBS in New York in the mid-1950s. (Picture courtesy Metromedia Radio Network website).

The 3-year deal between Premiere Networks and Cumulus will keep Rush on 33 Cumulus stations through 2019. Rush recently celebrated 28 years on the air. Back in August, Rush signed a new 4-year deal with Premiere to syndicate his program. Cumulus stations that carry Rush include: WLS-AM in Chicago, WJR-AM in Detroit, WMAL-FM in Washington, D.C., WBAP-AM in Dallas, and KSFO-AM in San Francisco.

The National Association of Broadcasters is expanding its innovation challenges, which will be conducted over the next two years, and focus on uncovering broadcast news projects that serve the needs of local communities. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is investing $200,000 to support the challenges as part of the NAB's PILOT initiative.

It was held two weeks ago but it's certainly worth watching now. A webinar was hosted by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and co-sponsored by over 20 other state associations. Broadcast Attorney David Oxenford was the speaker and his presentation focused on the issues broadcasters face when using digital and social media.

The flip occurs on two translators that listeners can pick up on 94.5 and 105.9 in Tampa. The Throwback Hip Hop and R&B station launches with 20,000 commercial-free songs in a row and Market President Sam Nein says the flip is the perfect holiday gift for local listeners. “We’ve seen Tampa Bay’s passion for hip hop and R&B through on-air requests and downloads, and we’re excited to bring these hits to our listeners.”

It was the KMLE Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon on December 1 and 2 that did the trick. Broadcasting stories of hope, the station asked listeners donate to help kids fighting cancer and other deadly diseases at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. And the radio-listening public stepped up yet again: The event raised a total of $314,520! Now in its fifth year, the KMLE Country Cares for Kids Radiothon has raised over $1.2 million.

98.5 KLUC’s 18th Annual Chet Buchanan & the Morning Zoo Toy Drive, December 1 to 12, was a massive success. The 12-day event filled (30) 50-foot trailers with new toys, along with 6,700 bikes and $442,669 in cash and gift cards. The drive benefited HELP of Southern Nevada, a nonprofit organization that assists less fortunate families during the holiday season.

Student-run WSOU 89.5 FM at Seton Hall University once again participated in the “Students Change Hunger” program, collecting 640 pounds of food for the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. This was 300 pounds more than last year and is the largest amount of food the WSOU has gathered since it began its annual food drive.