Z100's Elvis Duran Signs Syndication Deal

Clear Channel continues through its Premiere Radio Networks to move into the direction of having syndicated dayparts throughout the day for all of it's stations. Elvis Duran signs syndication deal for it's Top 40 stations. Duran joins Ryan Seacrest who is syndicated in the mornings on the west coast and in the middays for the east coast. Steve Harvey is their man for Urban AC radio, could they be looking for a host to syndicate to their Urban and Rhythmic stations?


Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, now heard on Clear Channel Top 40s WHTZ (Z100)/New York, WHYI (Y100)/Miami, WIOQ (Q102)/Philadelphia, and WAKS (Kiss FM)/Cleveland, is going national as Premiere Radio Networks takes on distribution rights to the show.

"Elvis is a radio veteran and has used his experience to create a top-rated and widely acclaimed program that appeals to listeners everywhere," said Premiere EVP/Affiliate Marketing Julie Talbott. "We're excited to bring Elvis Duran and the Morning Show to audiences across the country." Duran said, "It's such a thrill to be aligned with the world's most far-reaching, respected radio network. This alliance will bring millions of new listeners, opening doors to unique marketing and sales opportunities." The show, based at Z100, airs 6-10 a.m. ET.


Radio consultant Jerry Del Colliano tells radio programmers in his blog to go after Clear Channel's "Simon Says" radio, with local programming.

By the way: Clear Channel has just issued an edict to at least five of their stations, according to Jerry, that they must carry a 30 minute infomercial every morning at 5 am for the next 13 weeks. Sounds like a good way to serve the public in the morning.

Chicago's 107.5 'GCI New Morning Show "The Morning Riot"

The new morning show is local and replaces Steve Harvey at WGCI on Wednesday. The co-hosts must be saying to themselves, "Things are so bad in radio right now, I'm just glad I still have a job."

Afternoon-drive host Tony Sculfield will be heading up "The Morning Riot" from 5 to 9 with co-hosts Nina Chantele, Leon Rogers, Ty Wansley and Latina Moore. Overnighter
UB Rodriguez will take over the afternoon drive slot for the time being.

Chantele and Rogers will be pulling a double shift for their Clear Channel employer. (i.e. we can't hire any more people right now) Chantele will continue to hold her midday shift over on Top 40 sister station Kiss 103.5 (WKSC) 103.5-FM, and Rogers will remain evening DJ on 'GCI alongside Frankie Robinson.

All the moving around was as a result of Steve Harvey's shift to V103 from 'GCI last Tuesday. A Chicago Tribune article suggest in the PPM ratings world, 'GCI needed to reach a younger demo with the 42 year old Sculfield and the 52 year old Harvey.

Tom Joyner, the 59 year old host of the former morning show on V103, said "It's business. If I were Clear Channel, I'd probably do exactly the same thing because you're in business to stay in business and, strategically, it's what they should have done. The largest markets that continue to carry the Tom Joyner Morning Show, are in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit on Radio One owned stations.

So as a result of Clear Channel believing they could just syndicate Steve Harvey on to any Urban/Hip-Hop radio station they owned; they are NOW finding out that younger listeners aren't going to tune into Steve Harvey and their ratings suffered.

I guess it took them two years to figure out one size does not fit all.

Performance Tax Opposed by Small Market Radio Stations

Last week, Black broadcasters met in Washington, D.C. to discuss the possibility that a Performance Tax would cause them to go into bankruptcy. Now many small market broadcasters are facing the same dilemma, if the proposed tax is put into place by congress, you might see many stations simply go dark.

As it stands now, Sirius XM satellite radio; Radio stations that stream online; Internet music services like AOL Radio, Last FM, Imeem, Pandora, and Finetune; and music download sites like iTunes, pay the artist a royalty fee.

Terrestrial radio has never paid the artists or performers for the music they play on the air. They do pay royalties to the composer of the songs to SESAC, BMI, and ASCAP. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) wants that to change.

Here are some good points made by radio people who want to keep things the way they are: Radio has always been a promotional tool for the record industry. Since the 1950's, radio generated record sales and let the music buying public hear the latest songs that they would eventually want to buy. It's not radio's fault that the record industry did not anticipate the explosion of downloading music from the Internet and the decline of record and CD sales. Radio feels that they should not be forced to pay for something that they have been allowed to do for free for many years in order for record companies to recoup losses.

This is an interesting issue that may cause only the large conglomerate owned radio stations to survive and force smaller stations to play more "indie" music or become talk stations.

By the way: Rumors have it that the music streaming service Imeem is about to shut down. A source says that Imeem owes the labels as much as $30 million to date with no hope of paying any of it. Imeem says that is “extremely innacurate,” but confirms that they are playing “in excess of a billion songs and videos per month.”

The Finetune service seems ready to shut down also and have disable users the ability to edit and add music to their playlist. The problem they have is the more people that listen the more they have to pay.

Marc Clarke and Troy Johnson Ready to Stream Live

Former 92Q (WERQ) partners in A.M. primetime, Marc Clarke and Troy Johnson from the Big Phat Morning Show are going live on the Internet via a web stream from their "Off the Mic" Baltimore Sun blog. Much success to these two talented radio professionals. Know when they update their blog by checking out our blogroll.

Troy Johnson writes: "You've had an opportunity to get to know us over the last few months, mostly with our blogging and occasional vlogging. Up next is a new frontier...Troy and Marc streaming live on baltimoresun.com!

The last few months have been a departure from radio, and our combined 100 years of experience and excellence (kidding), to an immersion into the world of web 2.0, where we are still as green as a freshman on the first day of school!

April 1st, 2009 marks another step as we do our thing live on the 'net! The Marc and Troy reunion continues! A technological first for us, and the Baltimore Sun! What will we talk about? What do you want us to talk about? Why is this happening?!

It's gonna be fun and, you'll be able to interact with us ...
More details about this ground breaking, innovative moment in internet history coming soon! Troy and Marc, streaming April 1st. Don't miss it ... you'd be a fool! Get it ... April Fool? Right.
Tell us what you want to know, and what you want us to talk about ... we're listening!"

DCRTV also reports that Marc Clarke will soon have a show on Channel 24 in Baltimore.

Clear Channel Radio - Why I Don't Trust Them or Like Them

I guess it's easy to hate on large media conglomerates like Clear Channel but after Tom Joyner's comments I really don't trust this radio group.

Joyner revealed that because he is still under contract with V103 (WVAZ) Chicago, he will continue to be paid by the Clear Channel station through the end of the year. So what was the point in dumping the TJMS from the Chicago airwaves? Why not continue to give the audience a choice between Joyner and Harvey on two Clear Channel owned stations?

So what this effectively does is keep other stations in the Chicago area from picking up the TJMS and prevents Joyner from serving the community through his "Take Someone You Love to the Doctor Day" and other community oriented events.

Now Chicago radio listeners hear Steve Harvey on two stations, V103 and WGCI every morning. No Tom, no Sybil, and no Roland Martin, all personalities that are part of the Chicago radio fabric.

Steve Harvey, as a comedian, is not focused on serving the community the way Joyner does. Now what happens when Harvey is let go somewhere down the road? Is there anyone else in radio really prepared to replace him? That's just too much power one radio company should have over the information that it provides to its listening audience.

Just one more thing I add to my list of reasons why I don't trust Clear Channel Radio, because they obviously could care less about serving the community over the public airwaves.

My list:


- In Philadelphia they have completely ruined the WDAS Unity Day community event on the parkway by making it into a two day concert at an entertainment venue.

- A small Texas based company that came out of nowhere and capitalized on the Tel Com Act of 1996, and purchased over 1,500 radio stations. (There's some sort of connection between Clinton, the Bush family and the lobbyist who pushed for hard for the change in media ownership rules.)

- They became a private company in 2008; started selling off some of their stations, and was bought out by Bain Capital, with ties to former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, near the end of the Bush Administration. They're not traded on Wall Street anymore. Sounds like they knew exactly when to cash in their chips...

- The Keith Sweat Hotel... (Uggh!)

- ...and the millions they pay Rush Limbaugh to spout his conservative and anti-Obama (anti-American) rhetoric daily to millions across America.

John Hope Franklin Dies at Age 94

John Hope Franklin's interview on the Tavis Smiley Show on PBS.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — John Hope Franklin, a towering scholar and pioneer of African-American studies who wrote the seminal text on the black experience in the U.S. and worked on the landmark Supreme Court case that outlawed public school segregation, died Wednesday. He was 94. Read more>>

"From Slavery to Freedom" is one of the most important books in the history of Americans, who are African in origin and otherwise. Every American should know who he was. In the words of 1450 WOL radio in Washington, D.C. Information is Power.

Full hour in-depth interview from the Charlie Rose Show >>

Twouble in Twitterville

Is this how we now interact with each other? This is hilarious...

I still don't get twitter... Thanks for following me on twitter and my tweets.

Are you twittering? ...your station?

"Twouble with Twitter" sous-titré
by LePostfr

Tom Joyner's Blog - We Will Continue to Serve the Community

Tom Joyner pens his thoughts on the abrupt move by V103 (WVAZ) to cancel his show in Chicago. The Fly Jock's Blog: Chicago Is Home.

Radio One Midday Moves in Philly and Atlanta

Carol Blackmon takes the midday host position at the new urban ac station Majic 107.5/97.5 in Atlanta. Carol had been hosting on the weekends at the former Grown Folks Radio 102.5. Carol was one half of the popular and #1 rated morning show with Mike Roberts back in the day at V-103 WVEE, when the station ran an Urban AC format.

Laiya St. Clair has been let go as midday host at 100.3 The Beat WPHI in Philadelphia. She had been at the station since 2003 and was a former morning co-host at The Beat. A permanent host to fill the midday slot has not been named. WPHI is expected to name a new morning show in the coming weeks also. The music intensive "The Morning Beat" is now being held down by DJ Bent Roc.

Steve Harvey Morning Show Replaces Tom Joyner on Chicago's V103

A shocker in the world of Chicago radio, after 13 years at V103, Tom Joyner will no longer have a radio home in the city he made his claim to fame. The Clear Channel station picks up the Steve Harvey radio show; which they distribute through Premiere Network their syndication company.

Urban AC V103 Chicago (WVAZ) Program Director Derrick Brown has announced that "The Steve Harvey Morning Show" has moved to WVAZ from sister station Urban 107.5 WGCI-FM, beginning Tuesday morning March 24th. The show will air weekday mornings from 5-9a, replacing the Tom Joyner Morning Show. “I feel like V103 just won the lottery! Steve Harvey is an entertainment and marketing juggernaut. There are very few entertainers who have successfully tackled radio, TV, film, stage, online and publishing," said Derrick Brown. “His unique life perspective and riveting content fit V103 like a glove. Being a ‘King of Comedy,’ nobody can beat Steve being funny and I’m absolutely elated that he’s joining our team.” Steve Harvey has been on WGCI since 2007. There will be a slight overlap in the transition.

Steve Harvey will be simulcast on both WVAZ and WGCI until March 31st. No plans have been announced for Harvey's replacement on WGCI.

African American Broadcasters Don't Want to Pay for the Music They Play

While Tom Joyner was on spring break and in "Best of..." mode last week, he was still working hard at a Washington, D.C. briefing at the Rayburn House Office Building, moderated by Washington civil rights lawyer David Honig, who is the executive director of the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council. Joyner and others like Cathy Hughes, Alfred Liggins of Radio One; Charles Warfield, of ICBC Broadcast Holdings, Inc.; Ron Davenport of American Urban Radio Networks took aim at the pending legislation which broadcasters say would place an unfair burden on them, a "tax," as they put it, that they should not be responsible for, and a charge that could force them into bankruptcy.

But right in the middle of the briefing, Duke Fakir, of the Four Tops, sitting in the audience, STOOD UP and started to sing Reach Out and pay me...

Not really... He said I'm a friend of African-American radio (i.e. we cool y'all can still play my records) but it's about "fair play." (maybe he should have said fair pay) Earlier in the day, Fakir and two other Motown legends, Martha Reeves of Martha & The Vandellas and Mary Wilson of The Supremes, signed a letter to Congress supporting the passage of the Performance Rights Act (H.R. 848).

Fakir is right. I feel for the financial state that Black Radio and radio overall finds itself. It's a tough call because Black radio has never been on an even playing field with other radio properties. However there is no reason why African American radio owners should be exempt from paying a Performance Tax that all other radio stations are expected to pay if the bill passes. After all radio is a business and they should have anticipated that one day they would have to pay a little more for the music they play.

As the letter stated "Every other music platform -- satellite radio, Internet radio and cable radio -- recognizes the value the performer brings to the music they broadcast and compensates artists accordingly. But terrestrial radio does not and will not until a right is granted." Maybe a bail out for radio is next.


Now I wonder if Radio One will be playing less and less Motown...

News and Notes Broadcast Final Show

To the staff of News and Notes,

Thanks for a great run and not just mailing it in, this your last week...

Today marks the end of the NPR radio program News and Notes. The show was originally developed for and hosted by Tavis Smiley about 7 years ago. A few months later the show was hosted by Ed Gordon. At the time, News and Notes was the only daily national African American radio news magazine show of its kind. The hosting reigns have been placed in the capable hands of Tony Cox since January. Former host Farai Chideya left the host chair when NPR decided not to send News and Notes staff to Washington from the show's Los Angeles base to cover the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

NPR still carries the radio program "Tell Me More" with Michel Martin, the former ABC Nightline reporter.

NPR's Programming Head Vivian Schiller speaks on the issue of diversity at NPR on the blog site JasmyneCannick.com. Schiller is asked about criticism from former hosts Tavis Smiley and Ed Gordon regarding NPR's lack of support of the program. As I recall, Tavis quit the show within the first year because he felt NPR did little to promote the show to the African American audience.

Herb Kent Releases New Book

Radio pioneer Herb Kent has released his new book, "The Cool Gent: The Nine Lives of Radio Legend Herb Kent". Herb Kent known as the Cool Gent, the King of the Dusties, and the Mayor of Bronzeville, is one of radio’s most illustrious and legendary stars. This fascinating autobiography details both the high and low points of Herb's life while providing a vivid picture of black music, culture, and personalities from the 1950s to today.

Check out Herb Kent upcoming book signings and a book party in the Chicagoland area. Herb is also interviewed by the Austin Weekly News.

Herb Kent at 80 years young, is still going strong on the weekends at Urban AC station V103 WVAZ.

Wave of the Future? Broadcasting From Your Closet

Radio rebel still doing it his way. Traditional radio took away T.D. Mischke's microphone, but it didn't silence him.

From StarTribune.com Tom Mischke, former KSTP radio personality, is now streaming his show from his house in St. Paul (MN) for City Pages. He found the closet off of his main office the best place for setting up the sound booth.

In this economy of recessionists, radio companies have slashed jobs left and right including many talented on-air radio hosts. Most notably Jeff Foxx at 98.7 Kiss FM in New York; an unpopular decision based on comments on this blog.

Marc Clarke and Troy Johnson from the Baltimore market, have started their own blog. More vlogs and a stream sounds like it would be ideal at their Baltimore Sun blog site.

Maybe this type of "broadcasting" could become an option for the unique talent local personalities bring to the table in their particular city. The one thing Tom Mischke has in his favor is the abilitiy to bring past advertisers and sponsers to the website he is streaming from. Read more from the StarTribune.com. >>

WAOK Could Pick Up Ballentine and Sharpton

Rodney Ho of the AJC reports that Warren Ballentine and Al Sharpton have been picked up by CBS Radio's 1380 WAOK-AM (but this has not been confirmed by WAOK). They have dumped local hosts Rick Joyner and Rob Wilson.

Ballentine and Sharpton were at Grown Folks Radio 102.5 until last month when Radio One moved "Praise" from 97.5 to 102.5. A modest protest on President's Day outside the Radio One offices occured to keep them on the air in Atlanta; while Radio One created a new R&B station at Majic 107.5 with Steve Harvey and Michael Baisden moving over from Grown Folks Radio. Sharpton and Ballentine were dropped and did not make the move to 107.5 because of low ratings.

Renee Miller Joins Atlanta's Jazz of the City

Wendy Williams, general manager of Jazz 91.9 WCLK says, “We are happy to have Rene Miller join us as we continue to provide true Jazz. The addition of Rene is a strategic effort to pull in all the listeners displaced by the exit of Smooth Jazz in Atlanta last month. Jazz 91.9 WCLK has always been inclusive in our music offering and now we are able to complete the Jazz Spectrum.”

Rene will host the Sunday Morning Jazz Bunch and joins the station from the former Smooth Jazz 107.5 WJZZ where she held down the afternoon shift. The only jazz station in Atlanta, WCLK is a broadcast service of Clark Atlanta University.

GOOM Radio Launches "Reinventing Radio for the Internet Generation"

The name sounds like a cross between Google and Imeem. I smell copyright infringement lawsuits if this website takes off later this year... but the technology itself sounds like broadcast scheduling and automation has just been given over to the listener.

Goom Radio officially launched in America with the mission of "reinventing radio for the Internet generation."

Here's how it works:

"Goom's technology literally lets the user create their own radio station," says Goom's head of programming, former longtime Z100 (WHTZ)-New York music director-night jock Tim "Romeo" Herbster. "You become the DJ, you pick the songs, you control the dayparting and how frequently you hear everything. You can create your own podcasting content to upload to your radio station. You get to serve as a tastemaker and a curator," he says. "We're all about letting everyone hear what's new and what's great, and this is a platform that really takes blogging to the next level in that sense." Read More>>

"GOOM is the evolution of radio. The best music, the best shows, and the best interviews with the top names in the entertainment industry. All hand-picked by the most talented DJs and artists, delivered to you. But it doesn't end there. We also give you all the tools and knowledge you need to create and influence your own radio station, all in GOOM's proprietary HD sound.

Our experienced DJs and music programmers bring you the best in music, news, in-depth interviews and live performances. All for free, and in our unique HD sound quality."

Sounds interesting...

Donnie Simpson Inks New Deal with WPGC

Donnie Simpson signs a new two year deal with CBS Radio's Rhythmic/Urban station WPGC 95.5 Washington, D.C. The veteran D.C. morning show and former BET host contract will keep Donnie on the air through 2011.

So what was the big change over at WPGC on Monday? Nothing but a new website.

So Mo'Nique Showed Her A** On the Air and She's Done

Redding News Review reveals from a source that Radio One denied Mo'Nique a contract and pulled her show from the air in some markets last Friday instead of tomorrow. The reason is Mo'Nique decided she needed to say a few things to her audience like "the choice was beyond her control and that listeners had not heard the last of her on the radio." OKAY! Read more>>

Actually I would say you probably have heard the last of Mo'Nique on her own radio show. Now you know why most on-air host are never allowed to return to the air once they find out they have been canned.

Mo'Nique To End Her Radio Show This Week

Who quits a radio show during the middle of the week?

This Wednesday, March 18, Radio One syndicated afternoon personality Mo'Nique will deliver her final broadcast on her urban AC outlets. Syndication One began carrying "The Mo'Nique Show" in 2008 and it was immediately picked up by a couple dozen Radio One urban AC outlets. Mo'Nique will focus on her multi-media career, which encompasses standup comedy, television, film and books. About her transition away from radio, Monique says, "I would like to thank my fabulous board of directors for their daily inspiration and feedback and Radio One for the opportunity to further my entertainment brand through radio."

OK what is really being said here: The grind of doing a daily radio show was a little more work than what Mo'Nique bargained for. Doing a daily 4 hour show takes about that much time in prep work before hand to do a good show. Kind of hard to do when you really rather read TV pilot proposals and movie scripts... The smart radio stations around the country that carried her kept the host her show replaced in the fold like Alvin John Waples at WMMJ in Washington, D.C. WRNB dropped Mo'Nique back in January and moved Lady B back to the afternoons from the evening shift. Although current affiliates of "The Mo'Nique Show" have not yet revealed what will replace the program in afternoon drive. Maybe some might try "The Ride" with Doug Banks and DeDe.

We're not surprise that the show has come to an end... but we wondered why they never explained Sonny Andre being dropped from the show and replaced by comedian Rodney Jenkins. We knew then that they were in trouble.

B101 Philadelphia's #1 Radio Station Has Stopped Streaming

Will other radio stations follow the protest and drop their "Listen Live" Streams?

From R&R As a protest against rising online music royalty rates negotiated by SoundExchange, AC WBEB (B101)/Philadelphia owner and operator Jerry Lee will stop streaming the AC outlet's signal online as of Sunday, March 15.

Dear B101 Listener,

Sorry, B101 is not streaming our radio signal on the internet at this time. A new SoundExchange music licensing agreement has jeopardized your ability to listen to all kinds of music on the internet. Excessive music royalty rates, which have nearly doubled in the last three years and continue to increase to unprecedented levels, no longer make streaming a viable option. We’re working toward a resolution so that radio stations, artists and listeners can all benefit and enjoy music on the internet.

Please tune to B101 on your radio dial at 101.1 FM. If you’re having trouble getting our signal to come in clearly, try moving around the power cord, as on most radios, it also acts as the antenna. In the event you’re looking for a quality, dependable radio for your office or home, click here for one we recommend.

If you would like to read more on the issue, please click here.

Sincerely,

B101

"What I’m concerned about is 2015," Lee told R&R. "That's when it becomes ridiculous. I’ll have to give away about half the money I take in. I don’t want to promote people listening on our stream, because in the end this is going to be a very unprofitable part of our business." "It's just a bad business," he continued. "I don’t expect anyone to follow my lead, but I'm one guy out there saying enough's enough." "Many stations, including mine, won't be able to afford to stream music," Lee said in the press release. "Less streaming means fewer revenue opportunities for stations and ultimately less money for the artists who receive royalties. It's puzzling why SoundExchange would want to destroy a potential growth business opportunity for the artists it purports to represent."

By the way: B101 is one of the most successful independently owned stations in the country. It consistently rates as the number 1 or 2 station in Philadelphia; outperforming Clear Channel and CBS Radio owned stations... Also Internet royalty rates has effected music streaming services like Pandora, Finetune and LastFM and your ability to build your own playlist.

Apple’s latest iPod Shuffle Talks To You Like the Radio

Apple has come up with a new device to fight iPod fatigue. Many radio stations do the same thing that this new iPod does- It can announce songs, artist and a little bit more. What's next? A jingle, time and weather, or an ad between songs. Isn't it interesting that they have named the new technology feature "Voice Over"?

Miami Herald The 4-gigabyte device can carry 1,000 songs and Apple has come up with a way for people to identify the music they're listening to or find songs they want. A new feature called VoiceOver can, at the push of a button, speak the song and artist name or rattle off the list of custom mixes - called playlists - that the owner has loaded onto the device.

Here's how it works: As you synchronize a new Shuffle using an updated version of iTunes, your PC or Mac looks at each track and playlist and creates a small file of a computerized voice speaking the title, artist or playlist name.

When you tap a button on the headphones, the voice speaks the title and artist as the music plays. (If a song is in Spanish, Chinese or any one of 12 other languages, the software figures this out and speaks in the appropriate language.) When you hold down the headphone button, the device reads a list of your playlists, and you can pick one by tapping again. Read more>>

WPGC 95.5 - A Major Change on Monday

Dave Hughes of DCRTV speculates on moves that CBS Radio might be making in Washington. Check out the new site at wpgc.com "... Is something big going to happen to CBS Radio's urban contemporary WPGC (95.5 FM) on Monday? This graphic mysteriously suggests that something's up."

There have been rumors swirling the past month that Big Tigger was set to host the morning show at WPGC replacing Donnie Simpson. It could be nothing at all or simply the debut of a new interactive social network type website.

Although something could be up... CBS Radio has made major changes to their two stations in New York and Los Angeles within the last two weeks. Those stations have done pretty poor in the latest PPM rating system. In New York they dropped K-Rock for "Now 92.3." In LA, CBS flipped formats from a talk station to "AMP 97.1." Both of these stations are CHR (contemporary hit radio) format stations. WPGC at the moment has fell completely out of the top 10 with the new ratings system. Could CBS do the same with 95.5 WPGC?; which would be a return to the Top 40 format the station played until the early 80's, when it became an urban/rhythmic music station. We shall see...

Montel Williams Joins Air America

The liberal Rush Limbaugh? Or maybe we should put this one in the Whoppi Goldberg radio morning show category. Is it me or what? Just because you were on TV does that mean you can do good radio? We shall see.


Meet Air America's newest addition, Emmy award-winning host Montel Williams! His new Air America program is called “Montel Across America,” and it debuts April 6 airing weekdays from 9am-12pm EST on radio stations across the country. It will also be streamed live online at www.airamerica.com.

“Montel is a multi-media star and a familiar name to millions of people across the country,” said Bennett Zier, chief executive officer of Air America Media. “The addition of Montel to our talent line-up is an important step for the continued growth of Air America, as we look to distribute Montel’s show across America.”
“We’re extremely pleased to be able to add such a talented, passionate voice to our programming line-up,” added Bill Hess, senior vice president of programming for Air America Media. “This program will give Montel an outlet to do what he does best--reach people with his probing questions and insatiable quest for knowledge.”

“After being on television for more than 17 years, I’m looking forward to engaging in lively conversations and interacting with the American public,” said Williams. “Air America is providing me with the perfect environment to do this every day from New York City, as well as reporting from cities around the world as a travelling correspondent.”

Williams was the Emmy award-winning host and executive producer of “The Montel Williams Show” for 17 years, one of the longest running daytime talk shows in the history of television. In addition to his talk show and several acting appearance on hit television programs, Williams is an accomplished author, having published eight books with four New York Times best-sellers.
“Montel Across America” will originate from Air America’s studios in New York City. A new program, hosted by Lionel, who is currently heard in this timeslot, is in development.

Pulse 87 Moving to Low Power TV Stations in Los Angeles and Chicago

The former home to "The Star and Bucwild Morning Show" expands its brand from New York via audio on Channel 6 TV

From RBR.com Mega Media Group, which owns and operates Dance format WNYZ-LP (Pulse 87 New York) by using the audio of an LPTV(Low Power Television) license on channel 6 as a radio station on 87.7 FM, will be doing the same move in LA and Chicago. The deal will use Venture Technologies Group’s LPTVs in those markets. Formal air lease agreements have to be agreed to and executed by both parties by March 31, with programming to commence on June 1.


Commenting on the announcement, Alex Shvarts, CEO of Mega Media Group, stated, "Los Angeles and Chicago would be ideal for the expansion of Pulse 87 and make us a national radio brand covering the 3 top billing markets which generate in excess of $1.8 billion dollars of ad revenue a year."

We (RBR.com) checked the FCC database to see what Ch. 6 LPTVs Venture Technologies has. In LA, they have KSFV-CA, a Class A LPTV already in operation. It is licensed to “San Fernando Valley” (a strange city of license, since that is not a city) and has its tower in the hills above Pasadena. In Chicago, the FCC shows the tower site for the CP for WLFM-LP Rochelle, IL to be right on Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago.

By the way: The new digital HD TV signals will not effect low power TV signals. The new transmission date is now set for June 2009.

News and Notes from NPR- Counting Down to Last Show

I am literally having a meltdown (not really) about where to find a quality daily African American News Program on the radio. I know there are some on the weekend, and there is "The Front Page" on KJLH in Los Angeles from 4:30-6:00AM PDT Mon-Fri that comes to mind; but there is nothing to compare to News and Notes now hosted by Tony Cox.


Yesterday's show covered the following topics: As the median home price in Detroit falls to $7,500, what does the future look like for the Motor City?; Ebony and Jet magazines struggle to stay afloat. Will Black America let them fail?; The Dance Theatre of Harlem and founder, Arthur Mitchell, and former prima ballerina, Virginia Johnson.


Now I know the general population might not be the least bit interested in the topics covered, but when Arthur Mitchell talked about how 'he would talk to hip hop dancers about the need for them to learn technique, because it would be necessary for them to learn it if they expected to repeat the same moves during each performance', it was something I never realized. That in itself makes the show worthwhile. I get information I would never hear anywhere else on the radio. It's the only place I know that gives voice to those of us in the Black blogosphere.


News and Notes will end it's run on March 20, 2009. The show first started with host Ed Gordon about 7 years ago. It seems to me this would be a great show for Radio One or Public Radio International to pick up if not everyday, at least on the weekends.


Check it out there's only 9 shows left... Yes there is a petition on facebook, but that doesn't seem to have made a difference.

Frankie Darcell The Midday Host of Detroit

Things aren't really going too well in Detroit these days with the auto industry down in the dumps, a winless football team, and the former hip hop mayor recently released from prison and moving to Texas; but there is one bright spot on the radio in Detroit. Frankie Darcell holds down "The Midday Mix" on Detroit's Mix 92.3. Frankie however is the only local host on the Clear Channel owned station.

Clear Channel, the company that brings you Steve Harvey, Rush Limbaugh, Ryan Seacrest, and the barely audible Keith Sweat. Yes, the Keith Sweat Hotel is taking away an on-air shift at Mix 92.3, a major market station. Now if you're a small market station, Keith might be the way to go, but given the fact that he broadcasts from Atlanta, but not heard on any station in that city should tell you something. In fact he's only on in LA, Detroit, Miami and St. Louis of the top 20 markets. I'm sure CC thought he was going to go over in more cities, but Keith, quite frankly, to borrow from Stephen A. Smith, stick with what you know, and that's singing.

Anyway, support your local radio host, even if you're listening online. Frankie Darcell is worth listening to...

Rush Limbaugh - He Who Punks Last Punks the Hardest

We're really just talking about a radio host, not an "ipod" host or Internet radio host, not even a satellite radio host; a stinking static filled AM radio host. I thought radio was suppose to be dead by now.

The above video piece recaps the recent controversies between the Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele and radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Steele apologized for calling Limbaugh an entertainer. Wait a minute he is an entertainer. He gets paid to entertain people so that they will turn on the radio everyday. He surely isn't an elected official. Anyway... Many are saying that Limbaugh punked Steele. "Punked" in a way that strips one from his manhood or at least his job. Many Republicans are calling for Steele to resign from his position as head nig-- oops I mean, head of the RNC in charge.

While others are suggesting that the Democrats are punking the Republican party by setting them up for failure in the 2010 and 2012 elections, with their constant referencing to Rush Limbaugh as the head of the Republican Party in the post-George W. Bush era. Punking in way that means "getting played" like a street hustle. Polls suggest that Limbaugh is deeply unpopular with the majority of Americans, especially among younger voters, despite his popularity in conservative circles. Democrats see a political gold mine.

However if you just happened to be Rush, you know it's "all about the Benjamin's baby!" Staying in front of the public eye is extremely important to the former Oxycontin addict. More people are tuned into him now, than ever before. All he has to do is sit behind a mic for 3 hours a day and launch verbal grenades at President Obama, the Democratic controlled congress, and the stimulus package. What a platform radio stations have given him! $14 million per year ain't bad either.

While America is up in arms when Rush says he wants President Obama to fail, his ratings soar. Imagine if you sell ad time for the Rush Limbaugh show. I'm sure you are doing quite well for yourself nowadays despite the economic climate in America... so in the end Mr. Limbaugh has kind of created his own stimulus package for himself and the major AM radio stations that carry his midday talk show. And the rest of us that pay attention to him, are being punk'd in an Ashton Kutcher sort of way.

D.L. Hughley ending Saturday night CNN show by end of the month

CNN's "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News" will end its run at the end of the month, and the decision was Hughley's. The show made news Saturday night a week ago, when Steele made the following comments in an exchange about conservative talk-show host Limbaugh:

From Journal-isms Just days after his show made news when GOP Chairman Michael Steele disparaged Rush Limbaugh -- for which he later apologized -- comedian D.L. Hughley is ending his Saturday night CNN show, "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News."

"D.L. approached CNN about being permanently based in Los Angeles, where his family lives. To accommodate this, we agreed upon a new role where he will be a contributor for the network based in Los Angeles. We are eager to continue our relationship with D.L., who is a tremendous talent and a valued colleague," according to a CNN statement.

CNN told Journal-isms the New York-based show would be on through the end of this month and that the decision was Hughley's, based on his desire to be back in Los Angeles.

The TV Newser Web site, which first reported the news, said Thursday, "Insiders tell TVNewser it would have become cost-prohibitive to produce the show in Los Angeles. The one-hour, Saturday night news/comedy show had been drawing about 200,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo in recent weeks," referring to adults ages 25 to 54.

"It's not known what will happen to the staff of 'Hughley' who were made aware of the news in a meeting this afternoon. The show debuted Oct. 25, 2008."

The news-comedy hybrid got off to a mixed start, with some black journalists saying Hughley indulged in stereotypes. CNN officials expressed confidence in the show and said it was evolving.

Jeff Foxx Let Go From 98.7 Kiss FM Morning Show

Photo from WNBA Event: Becky Hammon of the New York Liberty with the Kiss FM Wake Up Club (Talent, Jeff Foxx, Bob Slade and Shaila) and Fox 5 reporter Mike Woods at the annual "KISS Cares Coat Drive" last December.

Jeff Foxx has been pulled from "The Wake Up Club" over at 98.7 Kiss FM WRKS New York in a budget cut move by Emmis Broadcasting. Everybody else on the morning show remains including Raqiyah, comedian Talent and news reporter Bob Slade. Foxx previously did mornings at Clear Channel's “Jammin’ Oldies” WTJM before 105.1 transitioned into the urban “Power 105.1” WWPR-FM.

Karen Vaughn is Back- On-Air in SC

Urban AC station Star 99.7 (WXST) Charleston, S.C., has hired Karen Vaughn to take over the new night show. The former APD/midday host at Hot 105 (WHQT) Miami departed the Cox urban AC station last year as a result of cutbacks. She can be heard weeknights from 7-10 p.m. Vaughn also blogs at her workingdiva-blogspot. ...isn't it great to report a hiring in urban radio at this time?

Connecticut School of Broadcasting Shuts Down its Farmington Campus

Did he make it to graduation day? Sorry there won't be one! That sucks...

From TRI WTNH-TV in Hartford, Connecticut says "Dozens of students showed up at the Farmington campus ready for finals." But the doors were locked and a note on the glass said "We regret to inform you that CSB has shut down all operations until further notice." It promises that someone at CSB Corporate will be in contact with you in the next coming days and/or weeks." Tuition is $12,000, by the way. WTNH News says the Robinson family, which founded CSB in 1964 and later sold it, "has started the process of re-opening the school under their name."

Well, Communications and journalism aren't exactly the best fields to find a career in at the moment anyway, is it?

Richard Pegue "Doctor Dusty" Dies At 64

CHICAGO (AP) -- Radio station WVON-AM says Chicago disc jockey Richard Pegue, known as "Doctor Dusty" for his sets of classic rhythm and blues, has died. He was 64.

WVON says Pegue died Tuesday morning of heart failure. Pegue was music director at WVON from 1968 to 1975. He also worked for other stations, including WGCI. He organized a Dusty Record Convention every year at a Chicago school.
He was also a songwriter who penned jingles and a singer. Pegue most recently hosted a midnight to 6AM oldies show on 89.3 WKKC. More at the website The Best Music of Your Life.com.

Funeral services information was not immediately available.

Harlem Heights Premieres on BET Tonight

Call me a little leery of anything that BET (Black Entertainment Television) documents as a new trend let alone capturing the flavor of the New Harlem Renaissance; but I get a feeling that "Harlem Heights" will only glorify glamour and opulence of a few people, living above their means rather than hearkening back to the Real Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's and 1930's. So instead of revolutionary literature, poetry and art; I expect a slightly older take of College Hill and Baldwin Hills. BET please prove me wrong. I hope with tonight's premiere episode I'm presently surprised, but the show's star attraction is Brooke Crittendon, who is the ex-fiancé of rapper Kanye West. That kind of let's me know all I need to know. This from the number one television source for Black entertainment! I shouldn't feel this way Debra Lee, Stephen Hill and any other executives over at BET. I'm sure you would say "it's only entertainment." Therein lies the danger.

Let the drama begin...

PRNewswire People from all walks of life flock to New York City, but the historic neighborhood of Harlem seems to attract the best and brightest of Black America. Some of the country's grandest young tastemakers now call the legendary neighborhood home, and this beautiful and eclectic bunch are determined to take the biggest bite they can out of the Big Apple. They work hard and play harder, living life to the fullest while acknowledging the past AND confidently claiming the future. The glamorous lives of this new crop of the young Black elite have never been captured, until now.

Premiering on Monday, March 2 at 10:00 p.m., HARLEM HEIGHTS will provide a window into the fascinating world of New York's young, Black and fabulous crowd. Set against the backdrop of the increasingly gentrified neighborhood of Harlem, the series features a diverse cast of eight young adults from different backgrounds who share common goals -- making the post-college leap into adulthood and finding love and success in the big city on their own terms.

Each person joins the series at a defining moment in his or her life, including: the beautiful, bewitching ex-girlfriend of an international music superstar who is trying to carve out her own identity; a budding magazine lifestyle editor who seeks to shed the label of "spoiled rich kid" by striking out on his own; the struggling actress trying to balance her social life with her career ambitions; a young man with a troubled family past attempts to find success and give back to his community while overcoming his fear of failure; a native Harlem-ite who has turned his life around to make a way for his young daughter; the hard-partying son of a prominent Harlem political leader who struggles to live up to his father's clean cut reputation and explores a future in politics; an aspiring lawyer with big ambitions and even bigger opinions; and the driven fashionista seeking to maintain her A-list aspirations.

Every cast member moved to the big city with dreams of living the good life. But in New York, dreams can easily turn into nightmares if you lose your focus and your way.

HARLEM HEIGHTS is a production of MC Filmworks, Minna Mae Productions, KurtWurks Inc. and BET. Randolph Sturrup and Kurt Williamson are series creators and executive producers, Michael McNamara and Sheri Maroufkani executive producer for MCFilmworks, and Connie Orlando serves as the executive in charge of production for BET.

The Rocky Mountain News Published Its Last Edition

After 149 years and 311 days, the Rocky Mountain News published its final edition last Friday, on February 27, 2009.

Could this be a lesson for radio?

The owners of The Rocky Mountain News, Scripps, Inc., decided to close down the newspaper serving the Denver, Colorado since 1859. The economy is one reason for the end of the newspaper's run, but it's inability to change the business model for newspapers in the main culprit.

The main factor is that newspapers were unable to compete with the Internet for advertising dollars and to deliver information instantly. It took newspaper companies too long to realize that they were in trouble. They knew this day would be coming, but now it's too late.

When you think about it, no one really grabs a newspaper anymore to look for a job or even get information. If somehow, newspapers developed classified job sites like careerbuilder.com and monster.com, maybe we wouldn't see many newspapers in bankruptcy or publishing online editions only. They were unable to see the future. Many newspapers are owned by large media conglomerates that are willing to sacrifice a newspaper to keep their TV or radio operations viable.

Radio hasn't figure out where to go next as far as content. The warning signs are all around. The one thing it does continue to do is to deliver information instantly, but delivery local content is something that's going by the way side. From city to city, one radio station sounds like the next. Right now it hasn't hurt them despite satellite radio, internet streaming, cellphone application and the ipod. You don't see radio stations frequencies shutting down, at most they're willing to go to syndication or change formats. But is the handwriting on the wall? Yes it is. Radio does not need to abandon local content in favor of syndication and music automation. Radio needs the local announcer talking to the listeners in their market. That connection is needed. Radio, one day will learn that lesson.

The following video documents the last days of The Rocky Mountain News. As the video shows, there are many parallels in the newspaper industry and with radio.

"Final Edition" was produced by Matthew Roberts


Final Edition from Matthew Roberts on Vimeo.

Broadcasting Pioneer Paul Harvey Dead at 90

Paul Harvey, the news commentator and talk-radio pioneer whose style made him one of the nation's most familiar voices, died Saturday in Arizona. He was 90.