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The 2015 iHeartRadio Music Festival has been awarded the winner of the Eighth Annual Shorty Award for The Best of Social Media at a Live Event. In addition, iHeartMedia's social engagement for the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards earned a Gold distinction as a finalist in the Shorty Awards Live Events category. The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media usage and activation across the Web.

(By Wayne Ens) Most sales trainers will talk about the importance of reaching “the decisionmaker.” Some even talk about the futility of talking with those who only have the power to say no, but need to get approval from someone else to say yes. I’m going to suggest that seldom, if ever, is there a single “decisionmaker” today.

The RIIA reports the music industry continued its transition to digital diversifying its revenue stream. Revenues in 2015 were up 0.9% to $7.0 billion. The continued growth of revenues from streaming services offset declines in sales of digital downloads and physical product

The company creates a new position for Jeff Pezzano, Vice President of Sales. He starts April 1. Pezzano will lead sales for Cumulus' eight stations in Youngstown. Pezzano joins Cumulus from Dix Communications in Kent, OH, where he was VP for Advertising Sales and Marketing. Prior to that, he was Advertising Director for The Blade in Toledo.

101.1 More-FM/WBEB in Philadelphia has filled its vacant Afternoon Drive position with market veteran, Logan. He spent 12 years crosstown at Mix 106 and Q102 and for the past two years he's been PD and morning show host at WNCV in Fort Walton Beach, FL. He starts at 101.1 More-FM April 11th.

Media Ecologist Jack Myers says marketers invested $5.7 billion in Hispanic media in 2015 which was down 6.6% from 2014. However, Myers says in 2016 spending will rebound nicely. The MyersBizNet Hispanic media report projects marketers will increase spending 7.9% in 2016.

Cox Media Group Miami’s WFEZ Easy 93.1 FM welcomes Giselle Andres as its new morning drive host. She begins March 28. Andres is a multi-talented bilingual radio and TV personality with over twenty five years of experience in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale market on both Spanish and English language radio and television stations such as, WXDJ, WRMA, WRTO and most recently morning drive co-host on Exitos 107.1.

Rich Davis is returning to the Twin Cities as Director of Contemporary Hit Music Stations for iHeart's Western Great Lakes Region, and as PD for KDWB and KTCZ in Minneapolis. Davis will oversee programming for WZEE FM in Madison, WRNW FM in Milwaukee and WBIZ FM in Eau Claire. He previously served as the Senior VP of Programming for iHeartMedia Seattle. Davis replaces JB Wilde.

Following the Davis announcement (see previous story) iHeartMedia announced Rich Moore (pictured) as its new Senior VP of Programming for Seattle. Moore will keep his role as PD at KJR-AM. In addition, Kevin Shockey has been named APD at KJR-AM.

According to Media Monitors, from March 11 to March 20, Bernie Sanders For President aired 7,936 spots and the National Nurses United Patient Protection added 995 spots bringing Sanders' radio total to 8,931 spots. Hillary Clinton ran 4,536 spots, while her PAC Priorities USA Action bought 1,821 giving Clinton a total of 6,357 spots putting her at #2. Then it was the Republicans, who were very far behind.