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From Radio Insight: Nielsen continues its releases of the May 2024 diary surveys today. Today’s markets include monthly ratings for Columbia SC, Des Moines, Little Rock, Monterey/Salinas/Santa Cruz, Spokane, and Springfield MA. Other markets coming this week: On Friday, June 28: Monthly ratings for Colorado Springs, Madison, Mobile, Toledo, and Wichita. more

From Radio Insight: iHeartMedia may have a pair of Spanish changes in Florida. While Corus will launch this brand to comply with following the withdrawl of their requests to keep Talk on 107.3 CFGQ-FM Calgary. This content is for Premium Annual and Premium Monthly members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. more

From Radio Online: Sports KFNS (590 The Fan)/St. Louis will eliminate its local on-air hosts at the end of this week in favor of FOX Sports Radio's national offerings. The current local lineup includes "Hot Take Central" with Cam Janssen, Charlie Marlow and Jim Hayes (7-10am), "The Pressbox with Frank Cusumano" (10am-12pm), More...

From Radio Online: The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data and Commerce has pushed back the consideration of legislation to preserve access to AM in automobiles. The full Committee markup of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act was cancelled and will be scheduled for a later date just minutes after it More...

From Radio Online: KMKT (93.1 Katy Country)/Sherman-Denison, TX Content Director and morning host Zac Grantham (pictured) is out in a series of Alpha Media buget cuts. He had been with KMKT since 2013. Grantham joined the station from Country KKAJ-FM/Ardmore, OK where he served as Promotions Director and afternoon host. He More...

From Radio Insight: Helen LittleI had a revelation in listening to WKST (96.1 Kiss) Pittsburgh last week, as part of my Fresh Listen to that station and WHTZ (Z100) New York. It was because of p.m. driver Tall Cathy.* Tall Cathy?s five breaks that hour included some celebrity topicals (Ariana Grande finally speaking out on Nickelodeon, Joey Chestnut splitting from Nathan?s), but there was also a first break of the hour about that day being a Wednesday that felt like Thursday and another about Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes getting a standing ovation on the road the night before, then teasing that evening?s game. (I need to emphasize that the Wednesday bit had no mention at all of “hump day”; there was clearly an attempt to be creative with it.) A few months ago, I had a similar revelation listening to middayer Helen Little on WLTW (Lite FM) New York. Little did a ?handshake break? ? the first one of the show ? that was ?happy Friday,? ?got any weekend plans?? and ?it?s going to be a nice day.? Later that hour, she encouraged listeners to make time to enjoy the beautiful weather, even if it was just going to the window. Little is a great jock, was a talented programmer, and has been one of my favorite people in the business for 30 years. She is one of Lite FM?s strengths. WKST has been one of CHR?s biggest surprise comebacks. I share stories like the above very cautiously because so much of the campaign against local personality for the last 25 years has been hinged on ?couldn?t a voice-tracker do that?? Or now, ?couldn’t AI just talk about the weather and the ballgame?? Tall CathySo if you think I am being in any way reductive about either host, you are missing my point. Part of what stood out about Kiss 96.1 under PD David Edgar was how much it felt like a classic full-service radio experience. Some of what I heard (sweepers about the Paris Olympics) were different. Some breaks and sweepers just made you feel more like somebody was on duty in a way that you don?t always get now. Teams of radio scientists are clearly trying to get AI to talk about the ballgame now and sound natural, but you already have somebody on your staff who knows how to do that. As a radio fan, the breaks I?ve always quoted to other radio people are the bravura pieces of writing ? the punchlines that I remember decades later. When I wrote an article about what I would have personalities talk about ?If I Had Six Breaks an Hour,? I admit that the basics weren?t specifically among them. But I did ask for more localism, and talking about the Pirates certainly counts.* Some of this, frankly, might have been about my own ability to volley back in some conversations. I envy people who can talk to anybody about anything. As basic as it seems, I am sometimes not ready for ?nice day, isn?t it?? I always want to start the conversation further in. But I should stop and enjoy my beautiful day more often, too.* As it happens, I?m also increasingly aware of how many radio people are better at small talk on the radio than at the supermarket checkout. But as more checkout lines become self-service, I miss that interaction, too. Part of radio?s value in a post-COVID world is to provide the small interpersonal dealings that on-site co-workers no longer offer every day. The essence of personality on a WLTW-style AC has always been the brush strokes that embellish station business, even if it just reading those liners with vocal nuance.* There is a talent in being able to talk to listeners in a way that their friends and co-workers can. There is a talent in being able to entertain in a way that those friends and co-workers cannot. Radio found its place with both ?aircheck moments? ? those bits or breaks remembered years later ? and small moments. I am increasingly happy to encounter either. more

From Radio Insight: Chicago Public Media has appointed Melissa Bell as its next CEO starting September 3. Bell, the former co-founder and publisher of Vox.com, will succeed Matt Moog. Moog revealed his intent to step down upon the appointment of his successor last December. Bell previously has held roles including Director of Platforms and technology columnist for the Washington Post and Features Editor for India’s Mint newspaper. She co-founded Vox in 2014 and rose to publisher of Vox Media in 2016 where she oversaw their other publications including Eater, The Verge, SB Nation and oversaw its merger with New York Magazine and their other brands including The Cut and Vulture and acquisition of Group Nine’s portfolio including The Dodo, NowThis and Thrillist. She has been serving as a visiting fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University since departing Vox Media last year. Bell commented, “It is an honor to take on this role, where there is both a massive opportunity and an urgent necessity to strengthen the role of public media in our local communities. There is a declining trust, and more worrisome, a declining interest in news at a critical time in Chicago and for our country. There are challenges facing CPM, but they are not insurmountable. In fact, there is so much potential that comes from the collaboration between WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times. I?m excited to return to Chicago to work alongside the many talented, passionate journalists and staff to build sustainable and scalable solutions for producing quality, accessible local news.? Chicago Public Media Board Chair Robert Pasin stated, “Melissa brings an incredible depth of experience as a media executive and publisher, a product leader and as a reporter. With her proven, visionary leadership and collaborative approach, Melissa will bring tremendous expertise and a strong track record of success to help Chicago Public Media develop a sustainable model for high-quality local journalism in the digital age. Under Matt?s leadership, Chicago Public Media has become a national model for the future of local news. The landmark acquisition of the Chicago Sun-Times helped to expand our reach and enhance our journalistic capabilities. Moog?s dedication and strategic vision have been instrumental in strengthening Chicago Public Media as a leader in public service journalism.? more

From Radio Insight: With the elimination of the Sports “1170 The Blitz” format, Griffin Media has flipped the former 1170 KTSB Tulsa to a 24/7 simulcast of its “News On 6 Now” television subchannel. Seen on KOTV-TV 6.3, some cable systems in the region, and streaming online, the channel carries simulcasts of KOTV’s live newscasts and repeats in other timeslots. The radio simulcast is being branded as “1170 News On 6 Now” under new KOTV call letters to match the television station. The station, then under KFAQ call letters, previously simulcasted KOTV’s live newscasts from 2019 until its flip to Sports in August 2021. more

From Radio Insight: Zobrist Media Sports “590 The Fan” KFNS Wood River IL/St. Louis will eliminate its local lineup at the end of the week. Owner Dave Zobrist told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the station will eliminate its thirteen hours of weekday local programming for Fox Sports Radio’s national lineup while he attempts to sell the station. He said, “It became apparent in April that marketing budgets are shrinking in this economy. 590 not being a Nielsen-rated radio station for national business attention was too tall a task to overcome.” Zobrist worked at KFNS prior to acquiring the station in 2021 for $450,000. The Sports format originally launched in April 1993 and was the primary all-Sports station in the market until Hubbard’s launch of “101 ESPN” WXOS in 2009. The station flipped to Hot Talk in 2013 as “590 The Man” and then went silent in November 2014 ahead of a failed sale out of bankruptcy to a religious group. The Sports format returned in November 2015 just days prior to when the license would have expired. Zobrist added, “It’s disappointing that the shows are ending, because the guys are all incredibly talented. I’m bummed out that I couldn’t make this financially stable, because I still believe in each and every host. The AM standalone category is absolutely a big challenge,” Zobrist said. “I invested into the signal strength when I first purchased it, and it didn’t seem to be a worthwhile investment in the end. I do still believe St. Louis is big enough for two sports radio talk format stations.” The current KFNS local lineup includes “Hot Take Central” with Cam Janssen, Charlie Marlow, and Jim Hayes from 7-10am, “The Pressbox with Frank Cusumano” from 10am-12pm. “The Kings Court with Kevin Slaten” from 12-2, “The Verdict with Nate Lucas” from 2-3, Bernie Miklasz from 3-6pm, and ‘Charlie Tuna’ Edwards from 6-8pm. Slaten’s show will continue daily on his website. more

From Radio Insight: Alpha Media has eliminated the majority of their local talent at their cluster in Sherman/Denison TX north of Dallas/Fort Worth. At Country “93.1 Katy Country” KMKT Bells, Zac Grantham exits as Content Director and morning host. Grantham had been with KMKT since 2013 after previously serving as Promotions Director and afternoon host right across the state line at Country 95.7 KKAJ Ardmore OK. Grantham also tracked nights at 97.9 KGNC Amarillo during his time at KMKT. Alan Freemont is out as Content Director and afternoon host at AC “97.5 K-Lake” KLAK Tom Bean. Freemont has been with KLAK since 2007 with time in mornings and afternoons and as Production Director. Freemont also has been heard on Westwood One’s Classic Hits and Classic Rock formats. “Mad Rock 102.5” KMAD-FM Whitesboro loses afternoon host Scott Kilian. Cluster Operations Manager and KMAD-FM Content Director/morning host ‘Big Dave’ Hilton remains. The stations were already running Westwood One network programming in all other dayparts. The cuts follow similar purges made in May at Alpha Media clusters in Missouri and then in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. more