News

Republican Congressman Greg Walden and Democratic Congressman John Yarmuth introduced the bill Wednesday. If approved, it would eliminate the FCC's ban on owning a broadcast radio or television station and a newspaper in the same market. NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith was quick to approve the move...

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai spoke at the Free State Foundation's 10th Anniversary Luncheon this week and did not hold back. Pai has not been a big fan of the current Chairman, Thomas Wheeler, and is being talked about as a possible replacement for Wheeler when he departs the agency, when the Trump administration takes over.

Following the $150,000 purchase of WETN-FM in Wheaton, Illinois, this week, broker George Reed of Media Services Group tells us that Educational Media Foundation is picking up WLFV-FM in Midlothian, VA, and WARV-FM in Petersburg, VA, from Larry Wilson's Alpha Media. EMF will send a check for $2 million to Alpha for the two Virginia FMs. Both stations will flip to the K-Love format.

The Mentoring & Inspiring Women in Radio Group is now taking applications for the 2017 Mildred Carter Mentoring Program. The deadline to apply is Friday, January 6, 2017.

That’s what the Knoxville Country station helped raise, December 5, to benefit victims of the recent Gatlinburg wildfires. An 18-hour on-air/online (#SmokyMtnStrong Radiothon) radiothon raised $315,000 through call-in pledges, and $500,000 over the Net to the My People Fund, in partnership with the Dollywood Foundation.

The two syndicated jocks have kept up their holiday tradition of “Breaking and Entering” people’s homes – but these “home invasions” are about giving, not snatching. Along with their Hoodlum Elves, the pair have delighted folks in markets such as Charlotte, Birmingham, Columbia, NC for more than a decade. But this year it was Albermarle, NC.

The Hollywood Reporter released its (alphabetical) 2016 Women in Entertainment Power 100 list Wednesday and Cumulus CEO Mary Berner is on it. About the radio CEO, the magazine writes, "After surveying her 6,000 employees, she launched a turnaround effort that included handing over control of content to local programmers. The result: 12 consecutive months of ratings increases." Check out the entire list HERE.

Beasley Media Group has hired Janice McDuff to fill the position of VP of Finance, a slot now held by Marie Tedesco, who's transitioning to CFO as of January. McDuff was previously Corporate Controller at HKS in Dallas, and Director of Finance at OOCL, a container transportation and terminal services company in Salt Lake City.

The CBS Seattle Country station has named Dean for the dual positions. He’ll be on-air weekdays, 2-7 p.m. KMPS can also be heard online at www.kmps.com and via the Radio.com app.

Last month, the Radio Music Licensing Committee filed an antitrust complaint against Irving Azoff's Global Music Rights organization for what it called anticompetitive behavior. Wednesday GMR filed its own lawsuit against the radio industry calling it a "cartel" and alleging that more than 10,000 U.S. radio stations wrongfully colluded to underpay songwriters to play songs on the radio.