News

On Monday we release our most recent and one of our most popular issue's which featuring radio's 100 Most Influential Women. In our continuing series focusing on some of those superstars who made the list, we bring you our extended interview with Greater Media's Director of Interactive Marketing Jennifer Williams. Exactly what does a Director of Interactive Marketing in Radio do? We asked Jennifer that question and how she became one of Radio's Most Influential Women.

Saga agreed to let morning man Mike Violette out of his contract with WGAN in Portland, Maine. Violette was a conservative voice on the station for a dozen years. The 55 year old told the Portland Press Herald it was time for a change. "My kids have both graduated from college. I’m not responsible for their financial well-being anymore. The time has come to see what else is out there. (WGAN) treated me very well.”

The ugliness between Cumulus management at WHNN and former morning hosts Johnny Burke and Blondie continued in federal court yesterday. The station is accusing Burke of violating a non-compete by starting an Internet show after the station fired him. Burke and Blondie allege age discrimination for being fired.

Good news for radio stations in Southeast Ohio. The coal industry is a big deal in that part of the country and Senator Rob Portman (a Republican) is placing a boatload of negative radio ads against his opponent, Democrat Ted Strickland.

Jeff Lyons has been named Promotions and Event Marketing Manager for Adams Radio of Las Cruces where it owns and operates KGRT FM (Country), KSNM FM (Classic Hits), KHQT FM (Hot 103), and KWML AM (Fox Sports).

PodcastOne is growing the management team. Jim Berk is taking over as the new CEO. Founder Norm Pattiz retains his post as Executive Chairman. Most recently, Berk served as the CEO of Participant Media, an entertainment company focused on film, television, publishing, and digital media.

His name has been synonymous with CBS for decades and he did not stay retired for long. Once his end-of-employment agreement with CBS Radio expired Dan Mason was ready to get right back into the business and he chose radio's biggest company to do just that. The former CBS Radio CEO is now an advisor to iHeartmedia.

He began his career as an Account Executive back in 1992 with Curtis Media. Yesterday, Trip Savery was named President and COO of that company by CEO Don Curtis. The founder of the company said, "This is actually more of a formality. We have actually been working this way for the past year."

(By Wayne Ens) New technologies and alleged “big data” have made “reaching the masses,” via broadcasting or other mass media, dirty words in some circles. Advertisers are being lured by the ability to narrowcast and to finely target their marketing.

(By Ron Robinson) Based on some fairly terse emails, there is some grumbling in the ranks about the “you” thing. Many years back, the French Foreign Legion had a harsh but useful strategy to put unacceptable complaints to rest. They would openly execute the loudest of the malcontents and declare the reason as follows: “Pour encourages les autres.” This translates to: “To encourage the others.”