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From Radio Insight: Silverfish Media and Compass Media Networks has announced that Tracy Lawrence will step down as host of the weekly syndicated “Honky Tonkin’” at the end of the year with Big D & Bubba adding that show to their daily national morning show. Lawrence, the well-known Country artist known for songs including “Time Marches On”, has hosted the show for the past decade. Big D & Bubba will take over the three-hour weekly show that focuses on Country hits from the 1980s through 2000s. Compass says, “Big D & Bubba will bring fresh ideas, new segments, and lively energy to ‘Honky Tonkin’ while staying true to the core that Tracy Lawrence established?celebrating the best in 80s, 90s, and early 2000s country music every week on over 165 radio stations.” Big D said, ?What an amazing job T.L. has done. We?ve been fans of Tracy?s for years, and we are excited to do our best to take the show to the next level with more artist interviews, listener interaction, and some of the best country music ever made!? Bubba added, “Tracy Lawrence is genuinely one of the coolest and most talented people we?ve had the pleasure of working with. What an incredible run as the host of ?Honky Tonkin?, and we couldn?t be more thrilled about what?s coming next for Tracy! Likewise, moving forward, we are excited that we have the honor of taking over as hosts and celebrating the Honky Tonk hits that we love while getting to hang with our heroes and artist-friends, sharing amazing stories week after week! We?re fired up and ready to go!? Big D & Bubba’s Silverfish Media will continue to produce the show with Compass Media Networks handling sales and distribution. Affiliation inquiries can go to Compass’ Doug Ingold at dingold@compassmedianetworks.com. more

From Radio Insight: VOX AM/FM CHR “95 Triple X” 95.5 WXXX South Burlington VT celebrated its 40th anniversary on Saturday, November 16. To mark the anniversary the station is planning a series of giveaways over the next five months. Program Director/afternoon host Kwame Dwanka said, “We will be doing a five-month campaign to thank listeners for staying with us and allowing us into their homes for four decades, culminating in a local event at the end of the promotion where we intend to honor staff members past and present as well as give the remind the audience and eventing to remember.” WXXX signed-on for the first time at 6:00am on November 16, 1984 as a 3kW Class A signal on 95.3. It would upgrade to a Class C3 with 25kW on 95.5 in 1995 and has remained a Top 40 station since its birth. Vox AM/FM COO/Managing Partner Ken Barlow commented, “Marking a 40th birthday for any business is historic, and that holds for 95 Triple X. This radio station has been the eyes and ears of an entire generation, being the Hit Music Authority in Vermont and New York. It has a rich tradition of playing the most current music, featuring dynamic personalities, supporting countless community and public service programs, and giving away many fantastic prizes! 95 Triple has never moved from its original idea of being a radio station that serves the masses with great music, entertainment, and community service, and we’ll continue that tradition long into the future!” more

From Radio Insight: iHeartMedia rebranded Sports “The Big 920” WOKY Milwaukee as “Fox Sports 920” at the start of November. The rebrand came with a pair of lineup changes as the station dropped the statewide syndicated Bill Michaels Show from the 11am-2pm slot in favor of Fox Sports Radio’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd”. The station is also now carrying VSiN’s Sports Betting network programming from 6pm to 12am nightly although the national FSR lineup remains heard on sister “97.3 The Game” WRNW-FM. FSR programming including The Dan Patrick Show from 8-11am and Doug Gottlieb from 2-4pm remains in all other dayparts. more

From Radio Insight: As radio programmers have struggled to find product in recent years, trying to watch streaming for potential hits has been difficult, whether it?s trying to find songs that sound like ?radio records? or figuring out if a streaming or TikTok story is just a short-lived blip. Add to that now one more challenge ? the available metrics rarely agree. Ross on Radio cross-referenced both Spotify and Shazam?s top 200 songs last week with the TikTok Billboard top 50. In addition, I looked at the top 20 requests of the week from the syndicated CHR/Hot AC night show LiveLine. Looking at the songs that are top 10 in any one metric gave us just under 60 songs. Of those, only four had a significant story in all four measurements. Fewer than 20 songs hit even in three of the four categories. Requests might seem like an odd mix with streaming metrics. They haven?t been talked about much at radio, in particular because stations receive fewer and rarely have somebody to take or tally them. But, like streaming, they give an indication of listener interest before radio?s (ever-slower) callout research kicks in. Requests also provide an easier answer to the question ?but are these really my listeners?? LiveLine?s national platform means that it generates enough requests to be meaningful. Earlier this fall, LiveLine?s top 10 requests began appearing in the show?s Ross on Radio advertising. Now, host Mason Kelter is publishing a weekly column, Mason?s Observations, also driven by the show?s request data.* There are ongoing attempts to codify and condense multiple metrics on behalf of radio. Eighteen months ago, Longboard Insights unveiled its ?Power Indicator Score? with the intent of using streaming and other metrics to predict callout. More recently, Matt Bailey, formerly of Coleman Insights, is keeping track of songs? ups and downs in streaming with his new Hit Momentum Report newsletter. Even with the new tools, it?s hard to identify potential hits. Both the new streaming calculations and LiveLine?s request info are just as likely to tell you which songs aren?t generating an active response. Bailey has written a lot about trying to separate first-week superfan streaming from subsequent playability for a song.* Looking at the data makes it clear why there are so few songs emerging. TikTok has famously usurped radio as a gatekeeper, but much of what it identifies as its top hits has not yet translated into streaming and Shazams, much less radio. Yet, labels are reluctant to pursue a TikTok story, letting potential hits be culled, often before we know about them. Of the 20 songs atop the TikTok Billboard chart this week, 12 did not show up in any of our three other indicators. Only two were songs that were also ratified by all three other metrics: requests, Spotify, and Shazam. Even looking at the entire TikTok top 50, there were only four songs with across-the-board stories.* To some extent, that?s because all of the current hits by Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan have already come off the TikTok chart, although some continue to play on SiriusXM?s TikTok Radio. Also, TikTok?s top two songs last week were both bringbacks ? the Yeah Yeah Yeahs? ?Maps? (confirmed only by Shazam) and Alphaville?s ?Forever Young? (no other metrics, except that radio is already playing the song?s new David Guetta reworking). Shazam has its own older titles (recently “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House) to itself. Of the four songs that do have a story in Spotify, Shazam, TikTok, and in LiveLine requests, two are established hits. Two are songs that are already on radio?s radar, although one really only got there this week. They are: Billie Eilish, ?Birds of a Feather? ?a former No. 1 CHR hit; Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, ?Die With a Smile? ? the current No. 2 CHR hit, although one not currently being powered by many major-market Top 40s. That?s a likely indicator that it isn?t researching proportionately; ROS? & Bruno Mars, ?APT? ? Top 20 and the second largest spin gainer at CHR; Gracie Abrams, ?That?s So True? ? Two weeks ago, it looked like the ballad ?I Love You, I?m Sorry? was going to be the song that radio had to acknowledge in addition to the less-active current radio single, ?Close to You.? ?True? feels more like a radio record. It?s No. 3 Spotify, No. 15 requests, No. 16 TikTok, No. 15 Shazam. The threefers also include a mix of songs on and not yet on pop radio?s radar: Billie Eilish, ?Wildflower? ? every metric but requests, although the highest showing is No. 19 Spotify; Gigi Perez, ?Sailor Song? ? everything but LiveLine requests, No. 9 TikTok, No. 6 Spotify; Myles Smith, ?Stargazing? ? a song that has had radio callout success stories for a while, it cracked LiveLine top 20 requests for the first time this week; Oscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, ?Tu Boda?; Tate McRae, ?It?s OK I?m OK? ? the No. 20 request on LiveLine; No. 103 Shazam and No. 145 Spotify; The Weeknd & Playboy Carti, ?Timeless?; Tyler the Creator, ?Like Him.?* In general, I?ve been of the belief that programmers, given the lack of current hits, should be trying to use metrics to put songs on the radio, not to keep them off. I was happy to see a few stations play Surf Curse?s indie-rock ?Disco? as a result of the TikTok story alone. I think a case can still be made for passive songs that help the sound of CHR/Hot AC. The challenge in digesting early active info is that songs that don?t initially sound like a radio hit very rarely have a story as swift or obvious as, say, ?Million Dollar Baby.? With stories in three metrics, ?Sailor Song? is clearly now a record people like, but for those fans, radio is now playing catch-up. * more

From Radio Insight: iHeartMedia has promoted Seattle Market President Mark Glynn to Washington Area President overseeing Seattle and Spokane. Glynn has been with iHeartMedia Seattle since 2013 serving as General Sales Manager, VP/Sales, SVP/Sales, and since November 2020 as Market President. He previously has held roles as General Sales Manager for Entercom Seattle, National Sales Manager and Digital Development and New Business Development for Northern Lights Broadcasting Minneapolis, and an account executive for ABC Radio and Clear Channel Minneapolis. Division President Nick Gnau stated, “Mark is a dynamic leader with a proven track record of success in the media industry. Since the day I met him, his passion for his team and his ability to foster a collaborative and creative work environment has been effective and impressive, making him the perfect person to lead Spokane to the success he?s achieved in Seattle.” Glynn commented, “I?m honored to lead iHeartMedia Washington. In an era where audio thrives as a powerful medium, our brands in Seattle and Spokane stand at the forefront, poised to continue our legacy of success. I am grateful for the support of our dedicated sales teams and leaders in both markets.” more

From Radio Online: Lemonada Media and Simon andamp; Schuster Audio have unveiled a new podcast, "Your Next Listen," designed to bring extended previews of popular audiobooks directly to listeners. The weekly series offers full-chapter excerpts from a diverse lineup of genres, including thrillers, memoirs, romance and more. The More...

From Radio Online: Aaron Cunningham, known in the music community as Cyfe II, is appointed Events Coordinator for Pillar Media's Denver radio stations including KFCO (The New Flo 107.1), KSRC (Star 101.5) and KPOF (AM910). In this role, Cunningham will focus on creating and curating local events designed to strengthen listener More...

From Radio Online: Aiir Inc., a provider of digital solutions for radio, has announced plans to rebrand its recently acquired Radio News AI platform (radionewsai.com) to Audio.co. The relaunch is set for the first quarter of 2025 and will feature an array of AI-driven audio services, including a new commercial production tool More...

From Radio Online: Edison Research's latest Share of Ear report for Q3 2024 reaffirms AM/FM radio's position as the leading ad-supported audio platform in the U.S., maintaining its dominance across all major demographics. The quarterly study, which surveys 4,000 Americans annually to track audio consumption habits, highlights More...

From Radio Online: Evan Haning, a veteran broadcaster whose 50-year radio career included nearly a decade as an anchor and reporter at Hubbard's WTOP in Washington, DC has died at the age of 74 after a long battle with cancer. "He loved working in radio," said his daughter, Amber Haning. "WTOP was his favorite job he ever More...

From Radio Online: iHeartMedia appoints Mark Glynn as Area President for Washington, effective immediately. In his new role, Glynn, who is currently Market President in Seattle, will add oversight of the Spokane market operations. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Sales. Prior to that, Glynn served as a Vice More...

From Radio Insight: After 35 years in morning in the Bay Area, “The Lamont & Tonelli Show” is ending at Classic Rock “107.7 The Bone” KSAN San Mateo/San Francisco following their show on Friday, November 15. The show debuted in 1989 on Rock 92.3 KSJO San Jose where they would remain until late 2002. They would join KSAN in 2003 where they remained until today. Lamont Hollywood had previously spent his career in his native Winnipeg, Manitoba where he worked at multiple stations including mornings at CITI-FM. Prior to launching the morning show, Paul Tonelli spent two years as a traffic reporter for KIOI, KNBR and KSJO. The show also features KSAN Program Director ‘Chasta Lynn’ Michaelis and APD Danny ?Baby Huey? Delmore. Chasta joined the show as traffic reporter in 2012, added midday host duties in 2017, and rose to PD in July 2021. Baby Huey has spent his entire career with the station starting as an intern in 2005 before becoming the show’s producer and added APD duties in October 2021. All of the mentions of their departure are emphasizing their final show on The Bone as opposed to being done altogether. We will update as more details become available. more

From Radio Insight: Steel City Media Country “Q104” KBEQ Kansas City MO Program Director/morning host Todd Nixon is expanding his ownership stakes as his Sticks Media acquires 93.5 WLGR Warrensburg/Glens Falls NY from Loud Media for $295,000. Sticks Media acquired Classic Country 1410 KTNK/103.7 K279CY Lompoc CA last year and relaunched the station as gild based Country “Y’all 103.7“. WLGR had just flipped in September to a simulcast of 1160 WSSV Mechanicville/93.3 W227DW Saratoga Springs as Classic Hits “Lake FM“. Nixon commented, “I’m excited to grow our footprint across the country with the power of radio to connect and inspire. Radio continues to be a uniquely powerful medium that brings communities together, and we’re committed to delivering exceptional programming that resonates deeply with our listeners in the lower Adirondack region. I’m deeply grateful to Ricki Lee and his team at Loud Media for building an incredible audience and their commitment to local radio. Lake FM has, in a short time, built a strong and enthusiastic listener base, and we’re eager to build on this foundation, and grow that connection with the community and local businesses.” more

From Radio Insight: Starting around Labor Day, the e-mail blasts start coming in. At a time when it is harder than ever to write a new holiday classic, or even get attention with a new version of a standard, artists in multiple formats release a steady stream of new holiday music.* This year, we?re taking a look at the holiday backstories of some of those new releases. We?ll be adding on to this roundup each week as new songs are featured in Ross on Radio. Of course, we?ve also created a playlist where you can hear new holiday music. Ali & Theo, ?Do You Hear What I Hear? (2024)? ? The Canadian duo of Ali Slaight and Theo Tams first teamed up to record ?Do You Hear What I Hear?? 15 years ago. Since then, they have become mainstays of holiday radio at home with annual releases that included last year?s version of ?Little Saint Nick.? This year, the duo and producer Marty Martino update the song and cap off an 18-song Holiday Collection (15th Anniversary Edition). Alma Faye Brooks, ?Dreams Don?t Only Happen at Christmas?? She is a legend among disco era fans for her work on Casablanca, RCA, and Unidisc, including such classics as ?Stop I Don?t Need No Sympathy.? Brooks evokes that era with a new holiday song in partnership with veteran producer John Luongo and her bandleader, Louis Toteda. Brooks also released a recent version of ?Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye).?* Carpenters Legacy, ?Christmastime with You?? Christmas AC radio has rediscovered the Carpenters in recent years. Sally Olson and Ned Mills perform as Karen and Richard Carpenter in the Las Vegas (and touring) review Carpenters Legacy.Now they?ve released ?Christmastime with You,? an original in the spirit of the group?s classic ?70s holiday album (the focus of their holiday shows). Included here as a bonus: their Spanish-language version of ?Superstar.? CeCe Winans, ?Joyful, Joyful: A Christmas Album??The best-selling female gospel artist of all time, Winans has also become a powerful chart presence at Christian AC radio with ?That?s My King? from her More Than This album. Two weeks ago, Winans released this new Christmas album, featuring the Motown-flavored lead single ?It?s Christmas.? On Dec. 4, she launches a nearly sold-out Christmas tour. For KING + COUNTRY, ?Silent Night (Rewrapped)? ?As AC radio heads into the Christmas format, Christian AC superstars Joel & Luke Smallbone are already top 15 there (as well as Christian AC), teaming with Michael W. Smith for a remake of his ?Place in This World.? Now, they?ve reworked the holiday standard they first covered on 2020?s A Drummer Boy Christmas. A regular presence on the AC chart at holiday time now, FK+C also saw Joel Smallbone?s directorial debut, Unsung Hero, open at No. 2 at the box-office in April.* Harper Grace, ?Santa Baby? ? The Texas native faced a trial by social media at age 11 after a performance of ?The Star-Spangled Banner? went awry. Seven years later, the American Idol alumnus returned to the same stadium for a more-successful rendering. She also travels to schools as an anti-bullying speaker. Grace has seven million career streams. She has performed on Today and opened for Onerepublic, Sara Evans, Martina McBride, and others. ?Santa Baby? is the first of two holiday songs she?ll release this year.* Jackie Evancho, ?At Least I Have Santa? ? Last year, multi-platinum vocalist Evancho heralded her new pop/rock direction with this Christmas original, as well as her interpretation of Joni Mitchell?s ?River.? In February, her ?Behind My Eyes? became a top 20 Billboard AC hit. This fall, she?s on a 13-city tour with Echosmith. Oh, and she?s just released a cover of ?Black Hole Sun.? Kesha, ?Holiday Road? ? It was never a major radio hit, but in many ways Lindsey Buckingham?s song from National Lampoon?s Vacation is his most enduring solo single. Like ?River,? it?s also one that some programmers have always hoped could be co-opted as a holiday song. This year, it?s the holiday offering from Kesha, following her chart return earlier this year with ?Joyride.? The Kings, ?This Christmas (Celebrate in Harmony)? ? 1980?s ?This Beat Goes On/Switchin? to Glide? remains a Ross on Radio readers? favorite, and a staple of Canadian Classic Rock/Hits radio. Recently, its video passed 6,250,000 plays. ?This Christmas (Celebrate in Harmony)? has a surprising, acoustic feel. They?ll finish 2024 on the Nov. 8 ?80s in the Sand festival in Cancun, followed by several Toronto shows later this month. Linda Imperial, ?Christmas, You and Me? ?Another Bay Area performer, Imperial is also an artist with a disco classic, in this case Loverde?s ?Die Hard Lover,? as well as a performing history that ranges from Sylvester and the Weather Girls to Quicksilver Messenger Service and Jefferson Starship. (Her husband, David Freiberg, was an early member of QMS and, later, Jefferson Airplane as well as a current Starship member.) Also, hear ?Christmas in the Tropics.? Lindsey Stirling f/Sabrina Carpenter, ?You?re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch? ? The violinist?s unique take on holiday standards has allowed her to get traction with songs that might seem saturated at AC radio. Last year, three of them were among the format?s most-played 200 holiday songs, including the No. 105 ?Carol of the Bells,? ?Joy to the World,? and ?Sleigh Ride.? Her Snow Waltz 2024 tour begins Nov. 11 in Toronto. ?Grinch? is a newly timely collaboration with Carpenter from her 2018 album ?Warmer in the Winter.? Liz Kennedy, ?Lizzy?s Christmas Sleigh? ? San Francisco-based singer-songwriter ?Liz Kennedy?s artistic powers have only grown with time,? wrote No Depression. Kennedy?s music career began after years spent in casting and TV commercial production. ?Lizzy?s Christmas Sleigh? is the true story of her six-year-old vision of a sleigh across the moon, something her family viewed with skepticism. But the video does feature real-life childhood footage. Melissa Lindner, ?Come on a Sleigh Ride? ? Lindner is currently top 15 at AC radio with a surprising remake, Barry Manilow?s 1978 hit ?Even Now.? Last year, Lindner went top 20 AC with her version of ?White Christmas.? Her holiday songs have had more than 8.5 million total streams. This year, she returns with an early-?60s-flavored rocker, ?Come on a Sleigh Ride.? A former collegiate tennis player, Lindner has racked up more than 37-million streams for her videos. Owen Rivera, ?I Fall in Love with Christmas? ? Rivera was discovered by the National Association of Music Merchants at age 4 and became a regular performer at its annual gala. He had an endorsement deal with SoulTone Cymbals at age 5, followed by SJC Drums (age 8), Tycoon Percussion (age 9), and Ernie Ball (age 12). Last year, he released a cover of ?Feliz Navidad.? This year he opts for a doo-wop-flavored original.* Sacha, ?Rockin? Around the Christmas Tree? ? Four years ago she released an EP, The Best Thing, then was named to CMT?s Next Women of Country Class of 2021 and won SiriusXM?s Top of the Country 2022. This year, Sony Music Canada took her first major label single, ?Hey Mom I Made It? to No. 6 on the Country chart there. They?ve just released this unique take on a holiday standard in both the U.S. and Canada. Look for the new ?Til I Don?t? in January. Sara Evans, ?Children Go,? ?Blue Christmas? ? The Country hitmaker begins her 21 Days of Christmas With Sara Evans tour on Dec. 5 in Tulsa, Okla. Earlier this year, she also released the candid new Diving in Deep With Sara Evans podcast, as well as ?Pride,? a favorite ROR single of 2025. For her holiday release this year, the Melody Place artist enlisted son Avery as producer/guitarist, daughter Olivia on harmony, and brother Matt on bass.* Sarah Reeves, ?Holly Jolly Christmas? ? Singer/songwriter Reeves signed her first record deal at age 18. Since then, her music has been featured extensively in TV, film, and advertising, as well as a guest vocalist for DJs like R3HAB and Armin Van Buuren. Reeves has amassed more than 174 million global streams. Her current hit, ?More Than Enough,? from the album Best Days, is top 10 at AC and top 20 at Hot AC. Sia, ?Snowman? ? Despite the difficulty of breaking through with a new holiday song, ?Snowman? will be hitting 1-billion Spotify streams around the time you read this, as part of 2.43 billion worldwide streams. It also has 337-million YouTube views and more than doubled in spins last year with nearly 14-million impressions. It?s also the soundtrack of roughly 1.5-million TikTok videos, trending even between the holidays. Train, ?This Christmas? ? They continue to release strong, uptempo pop singles, including this year?s ?Long Yellow Dress.? But last year, Train had radio?s most-played version of the Donny Hathaway holiday standard last year: No. 44 most-played (just ahead of the original) and No. 38 not counting overnights. The Train version has also generated nearly 3.5-million streams. The original ?Shake Up Christmas? has 291-million global streams, and 118 million YouTube views. Wyn Starks, ?The Christmas Song?? Starks is currently top 15 at AC radio with ?Happy Again.? Earlier this year, the former star of America?s Got Talent saw a resurgence of previous AC top 10 ?Who I Am,? after Celine Dion sang along to it in a devastating scene from her documentary, I Am: Celine Dion. The song has charted in more than 50 worldwide territories and been top 30 on Shazam?s Top 200 Global Chart.* more

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From Radio Insight: The changes at Cumulus Media San Francisco continue as the company has announced that Conservative Talk 560 KSFO will move to 810 on Monday, November 18 and Sports 680 KNBR/104.5 KNBR-FM will debut a new lineup and studio location. KSFO will replace Sports Betting “810 The Spread” KGO on 810 giving the Conservative Talk outlet the 50kW signal. No changes to its all-syndicated lineup will accompany the move. The shift to 810 will improve KSFO’s coverage in the San Jose area. KNBR will relocate its studios to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. With the move the station has announced that Greg Silver will join 49ers play-by-play voice as midday co-host and producer replacing John Lund starting November 18, while Derek Papa will join Adam Copeland in afternoons on December 2. Derek Papa has served as afternoon producer June 2022 after previously working at KGMZ San Francisco and NFL Network. Silver has been a producer at the station since April 2023 and serves as play-by-play voice for the University of California. Cumulus San Francisco Regional Vice President and Market Manager Larry Blumhagen said, ?We make these moves as Cumulus San Francisco is experiencing an exceptionally successful year. We continue to evolve as an organization committed to excellence and to growing for the future. With these changes, we say goodbye to some of our most storied and influential talent and we extend our gratitude for their countless contributions.? more

From Radio Insight: Nielsen continues its releases of the October 2024 diary surveys today. Today’s markets include monthly ratings for Colorado Springs, Madison, Mobile, Toledo and Wichita. The next releases will feature: On Monday, November 18: Monthly ratings for Chattanooga and Huntsville. On Tuesday, November 19: Monthly ratings for Jackson MS. more

From Radio Insight: The names affected by the layoffs at Cumulus Media are continuing to come to light. Among the most recent names to come forward with their exits are: Blake Powers departs as morning host at AC “B106.7” WTCB Orangeburg/Columbia SC. Powers joined the station in May 2023 after a career that has included nights and afternoons at KLUV Dallas, mornings at WDAF-FM Kansas City and WMOJ Cincinnati, afternoons at WRMF West Palm Beach, and KIMN and KONN Denver. He also serves as a fill-in host for Westwood One’s CHR, Hot AC, and Christmas networks and will continue in that role. Powers says, ?Thank you to Cumulus VP of AC Programming Chris Hoffman, Cumulus Columbia Market Manager Tammy O?Dell, and Cumulus Columbia WTCB/B106.7 & 98.5 WOMG PD Leo Baldwin for having me as part of their team. Best wishes to them!? Powers is seeking opportunities in AC, Hot AC or Classic Hits in person or remotely from his studio with demos available. He can be reached at blakepowersradio@gmail.com. ‘Big Mike’ Bell exits as Regional Program Director of Hip Hop “98.5 Kiss-FM” WDAI Pawleys Island/Myrtle Beach at 106.3 WYNN-FM Florence and Adult R&B “Magic 94.3” WCMG Latta/Florence. He also hosted afternoons at WDAI. Bell has been with the company since 2016. He previously has held on-air roles at stations including WKPO Madison WI, KRRQ Lafayette and KBTT Shreveport LA, KBLZ Tyler TX, and WFXE Columbus GA. Bell also notes that he is launching the #BigMikeNeedsAKidney campaign as he continues dialysis treatment while awaiting a kidney transplant. He says, “This is a new season of my life, both professionally and personally. While I?m navigating this health battle, I?m also excited about exploring new opportunities in broadcasting and connecting with people in a way that truly makes a difference.” Bell can be reached at bigmikeradio@gmail.com or (619)379-9184. Kira Kathleen departs as afternoon host at AC “Warm 98.5” WRRM Cincinnati after less than three months. Kira joined WRRM in August from sister “Cat Country 96” WCTO Allentown PA where she had co-hosted mornings from February 2022. She began her career in her native Las Vegas where she worked in promotions for Audacy Las Vegas and on-air at Hot AC ?Mix 94.1? KMXB and CHR 98.5 KLUC and was a Sales Assistant for Lotus Communications. She also hosts the ?Finding My Perfect Awkward? podcast. Eric Medler is out as morning host at Country 101.3 WWQQ Wilmington NC. Medler has been with the cluster since 2011 first in sales before moving to afternoons in 2014 and later mornings. He previously spent time in Upstate New York, Wyoming, Montana, Missouri and Colorado before spending a decade selling cars prior to returning to radio at WWQQ. We have heard there have been cuts at clusters across the country this week after the company had been slowly making moves at clusters in Central Pennsylvania, Indianapolis, San Francisco and VP/Contemporary formats Louie Diaz since late October. If you would like your information added to this report let us know at news@radioinsight.com. more

From Radio Insight: iHeartMedia is promoting that the company has shifted over 85 stations nationwide to all-Christmas music. Nearly all of the stations that go all-Christmas annually within the company have done so with “106.7 Lite-FM” WLTW New York being the main exception. There are no stations so far that would be a blatant stunt ahead of a format change, but returning after not going all-Christmas in 2023 is Rhythmic AC “Movin 107.7” WMOV-FM Norfolk VA. You can stream all of iHeart’s Christmas stations here. Also new this year is the company’s first all-Spanish Christmas station on Spanish Rhythmic “Mega 97.1” WRUM-HD2 Orlando/97.1 W246BT Clermont/97.1 W246CK Kissimmee FL. The company will also air the annual “iHeartRadio Holiday Special” on November 27 at 7pm across all of its Christmas stations. Hosted by Mario Lopez, the event will feature interviews with Dan + Shay, Jennifer Hudson, Jimmy Fallon, Kelly Clarkson and more discussing their favorite holiday songs and traditions. iHeartMedia Chief Programming Officer Tom Poleman said, “Year after year, as the Christmas season approaches, listeners look to our stations as the holiday music destination, anticipating the return of their favorite songs, from the timeless classics like Rockin? Around the Christmas Tree to Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You. Listeners around the country have really come to rely on our stations to kick off the season, these songs ignite their spirits and evoke memories, hearing the music is nostalgic. That?s what also makes this Holiday Special, well, so special because it?s their favorite artists sharing their personal holiday memories with their fans. Afterall, it is the most wonderful time of the year!? more

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From Radio Insight: Townsquare Media and Compass Media Networks has tabbed Kat Mykals as the new host of “Loudwire Weekend“. Mykals, the PD/afternoon host at Townsquare Rock “103 GBF” 103.1 WGBF-FM Henderson KY/Evansville IN, succeeds weeknight host Chuck Armstrong on the weekend edition. Armstrong has hosted the show since April 2023 when he succeeded Todd Fooks. Mykals has been with WGBF since 2017 after previously co-hosting mornings on sister CHR “Kiss 106.1” WDKS. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kat Mykals (@katmykals) more

From Radio Insight: Former 880 WCBS New York afternoon co-anchor Michael Wallace is joining CBS News Radio as an anchor. Wallace spent nineteen years at WCBS from 2005 until the station signed-off at the end August. He previously anchored “Wall Street Journal This Morning” from 2000-05, was managing editor and anchor for WDBO Orlando, and held anchor/reporter roles at KTRH Houston, WTNY Watertown NY, and WKRT Cortland NY in his career. He shared on LinkedIn, “Thrilled to announce I have joined the CBS News Radio Network as an anchor. The list is long, but I want to thank everyone who gave me their time and invaluable advice since the plug was pulled on WCBS 880 three months ago. Talk to you soon on one of more than 400 affiliates. And if you?re hiring, please remember my former 880 co-workers who are multi-talented and thrive under tight deadlines.” more

From Radio Insight: After acquiring Radio News AI this summer, Aiir has announced its plans to relaunch the service in early 2025 as Audio.co. The relaunch will coincide with the product’s expansion into additional AI audio solutions starting with commercial production. Aiir has also appointed Lee Price as AI Product Specialist to oversee Audio.co. He joins the company after most recently serving as Production Director and AI Consultant for Wedel Software’s Adthos service. He has previously held production roles an many UK radio groups including Global and Bauer Media Group. Price commented, “”We?re expanding our AI offering and rebranding Radio News AI to Audio.co with the introduction of a powerful new commercial production toolset. Audio.co will allow users to generate ?spec spot? scripts, create AI voiceovers, and thanks to our new partnership with TM Studios, choose a piece of music from their extensive Studio Dragonfly music library.” He adds, “My background in radio, combined with my experience in AI, has given me a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in this space. I’m excited to bring that experience to Aiir and contribute to the growth of audio.co.? more

From Radio Insight: After acquiring Radio News AI this summer, Aiir has announced its plans to relaunch the service in early 2025 as Audio.co. The relaunch will coincide with the product’s expansion into additional AI audio solutions starting with commercial production. Aiir has also appointed Lee Price as AI Product Specialist to oversee Audio.co. He joins the company after most recently serving as Production Director and AI Consultant for Wedel Software’s Adthos service. He has previously held production roles an many UK radio groups including Global and Bauer Media Group. Price commented, “”We?re expanding our AI offering and rebranding Radio News AI to Audio.co with the introduction of a powerful new commercial production toolset. Audio.co will allow users to generate ?spec spot? scripts, create AI voiceovers, and thanks to our new partnership with TM Studios, choose a piece of music from their extensive Studio Dragonfly music library.” He adds, “My background in radio, combined with my experience in AI, has given me a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in this space. I’m excited to bring that experience to Aiir and contribute to the growth of audio.co.? more

From Radio Insight: Former 880 WCBS New York afternoon co-anchor Michael Wallace is joining CBS News Radio as an anchor. Wallace spent nineteen years at WCBS from 2005 until the station signed-off at the end August. He previously anchored “Wall Street Journal This Morning” from 2000-05, was managing editor and anchor for WDBO Orlando, and held anchor/reporter roles at KTRH Houston, WTNY Watertown NY, and WKRT Cortland NY in his career. He shared on LinkedIn, “Thrilled to announce I have joined the CBS News Radio Network as an anchor. The list is long, but I want to thank everyone who gave me their time and invaluable advice since the plug was pulled on WCBS 880 three months ago. Talk to you soon on one of more than 400 affiliates. And if you?re hiring, please remember my former 880 co-workers who are multi-talented and thrive under tight deadlines.” more

From Radio Online: President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to appoint Brendan Carr as the new Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Carr, a Republican and current FCC Commissioner, has been serving on the commission since 2017, when he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate after being More...

From Radio Insight: Townsquare Media and Compass Media Networks has tabbed Kat Mykals as the new host of “Loudwire Weekend“. Mykals, the PD/afternoon host at Townsquare Rock “103 GBF” 103.1 WGBF-FM Henderson KY/Evansville IN, succeeds weeknight host Chuck Armstrong on the weekend edition. Armstrong has hosted the show since April 2023 when he succeeded Todd Fooks. Mykals has been with WGBF since 2017 after previously co-hosting mornings on sister CHR “Kiss 106.1” WDKS. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kat Mykals (@katmykals) more

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From Radio Insight: iHeartMedia is promoting that the company has shifted over 85 stations nationwide to all-Christmas music. Nearly all of the stations that go all-Christmas annually within the company have done so with “106.7 Lite-FM” WLTW New York being the main exception. There are no stations so far that would be a blatant stunt ahead of a format change, but returning after not going all-Christmas in 2023 is Rhythmic AC “Movin 107.7” WMOV-FM Norfolk VA. You can stream all of iHeart’s Christmas stations here. Also new this year is the company’s first all-Spanish Christmas station on Spanish Rhythmic “Mega 97.1” WRUM-HD2 Orlando/97.1 W246BT Clermont/97.1 W246CK Kissimmee FL. The company will also air the annual “iHeartRadio Holiday Special” on November 27 at 7pm across all of its Christmas stations. Hosted by Mario Lopez, the event will feature interviews with Dan + Shay, Jennifer Hudson, Jimmy Fallon, Kelly Clarkson and more discussing their favorite holiday songs and traditions. iHeartMedia Chief Programming Officer Tom Poleman said, “Year after year, as the Christmas season approaches, listeners look to our stations as the holiday music destination, anticipating the return of their favorite songs, from the timeless classics like Rockin? Around the Christmas Tree to Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You. Listeners around the country have really come to rely on our stations to kick off the season, these songs ignite their spirits and evoke memories, hearing the music is nostalgic. That?s what also makes this Holiday Special, well, so special because it?s their favorite artists sharing their personal holiday memories with their fans. Afterall, it is the most wonderful time of the year!? more

From Radio Online: iHeartMedia has officially kicked off the holiday season with the annual flip of more than 85 radio stations across the country to 24/7 Christmas music. The stations will feature a mix of contemporary holiday hits and timeless classics from artists like Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. As part More...