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NIELSEN: Black Women Listen To Radio At Higher Rates Than Other Women

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– African-American Women: Our Science, Her Magic is Nielsen’s seventh look at African-American consumers and the second time they's focused its attention on Black women. Radio is still an excellent medium for reaching Black women, with 92% penetration versus the next highest medium, TV, which has 90% reach. Black women listen to radio at slightly higher rates than other women with an average listening time of 14 hours and 7 minutes, versus other women, with an average weekly listening time of 12 hours and 52 minutes. Black women 35 and older have a higher weekly listening time of 15 hours and 17 minutes, compared to Black women ages 18 to 34, who have an average weekly listening time of 11 hours and 47 minutes.

Looking at the top 20 radio stations among Black women nationwide, 11 are an Urban Adult Contemporary format, seven are Urban Contemporary, one is Adult Contemporary, and one is Rhythmic Contemporary Hit. Stations with Urban Contemporary formats are more popular among millennial Black women, while stations with Urban Adult Contemporary are more popular among those age 35 and older. * These trends hold up when polled by Scarborough, with 51% agreeing that they listen to Urban Adult contemporary and 39% agreeing they listen to Urban Contemporary. *Source: Nielsen Radio.

The report summarizes that black women spend more time weekly than do total U.S. females on TV, radio, multimedia devices, and internet and video on both PCs and smartphones. Although all age groups spend the most time on TV, radio has the highest reach at 92%. And with Black women over-indexing against non-Hispanic White women for finding value in radio advertising, that medium still offers good opportunities for advertisers. READ COMPLETE REPORT HERE

SiriusXM Completes $480 Million Pandora Investment; Gregory Maffei Named Chair

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– SiriusXM and Pandora announced that SiriusXM has purchased $307.5 million of Series A preferred stock in Pandora, completing the $480 million strategic investment announced on June 9, 2017.

Under the terms of the agreement, a subsidiary of SiriusXM purchased $172.5 million of Series A preferred stock upon execution of the agreement on June 9, 2017 and today purchased an additional $307.5 million of the Series A preferred stock.

Upon the closing of this second investment, Gregory B. Maffei (R), the Chairman of SiriusXM, James E. Meyer, the Chief Executive Officer of SiriusXM, and David J. Frear, the Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of SiriusXM, were named to the Pandora Board of Directors. Mr. Maffei was also named Chairman of Pandora. With these additions, Elizabeth Nelson concluded her tenure on Pandora's board, effective immediately. Nelson has served on Pandora's board since 2013. The Pandora Board now consists of nine directors.

KTI Milwaukee Welcomes Karen Country

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– 94.5 KTI COUNTRY has hired Milwaukee radio icon and Country Music Hall of Famer Karen Dalessandro to host Afternoon Drive and serve as music director beginning Wednesday, September 27. Dalessandro is a two-time CMA Personality of the Year and the former morning show host of crosstown iHeart Media Country station FM106. After 19 years on-air in Milwaukee, Dalessandro “retired” from FM106 in March. “I made the switch to 94.5 KTI Country to join a staff that is excited about Country music, committed to winning and actually living in Milwaukee. It's refreshing to see this kind of radio still exists...GM Tom Langmyer and PD Ryan Wild deserve much credit for believing that real people doing real radio is important to the community they serve. I spent 19 years hosting Milwaukee morning radio so to continue my career as music director/afternoons at WKTI is more than I could have imagined!,” said Dalessandro.

"KTI COUNTRY is proud to be the Local Country station - and Country listeners in Wisconsin know and love Karen. She is an incredibly talented broadcaster,” said Tom Langmyer vice president/general manager of 94.5 KTI COUNTRY. “Karen is the most credible Country voice in the market, is the best known and lives for doing good in our community. We’re proud she’s on our team.” To celebrate Karen’s arrival, the station has flipped to “94.5 KAREN Country.” The name will stick as the station counts down to Karen’s first show at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 27.

ON-AIR: 107.5 The River Nashville Kicks Off 'The Wells Adams Show'

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– Beginning today, September 25th, iHeart's WRVW-FM 107.5 The River Nashville will debut the new "Wells Adams Show," weekdays from 7-10pm. Adams is a 10-year market vet and most recently handled afternoons on co-owned WNRQ-FM/105.9 The Rock. He's also hosted mornings on WNRQ-FM-HD2. Wells was also a recent contestant on ABC’s 'The Bachelorette' and a bartender on ABC’s 'Bachelor in Paradise.'

WRVW Program Director Jonathan Shuford commented, "Wells is already a well-known and talented radio personality here in Music City, a reality show star, social influencer and all-around great guy. It just made sense to marry his pedigree with Nashville's most-listened to station and we're excited to launch this new chapter in Nashville radio." "I can't tell you how excited I am to join 107.5 The River," added Adams. "In the 10 years that I've been on the air in Nashville, the dream has always been to have a show on a legendary Top 40 station like The River, and now that dream is a reality. I promise you one thing Nashville, we are going to have some fun together."

ON-AIR: Dave & Ceej Take Over Mornings At Island 106 Panama City

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– WILN-FM Panama City, FL OM Marc Summers says, "These guys are more than just funny. These guys know what is needed to win in today's fragmented competitive digital landscape. This comment comes before the debut of Dave & Ceej to mornings. "We've never been so excited to get to work in our lives! Huge thank you to Marc and Misty for taking a chance on us... And to Steve Kramer (former morning host at WILN) for fighting for our show when nobody else would!

Dave and Ceej David "Dave" Dean has worked at WOMX, KMLE, KOOL, KZON and most recently at KMPS in Seattle as MD/PM Drive. Find him on socials @TheDavidDean. For CJ, this is his first radio gig and he joins the madness with an education and writing background. He changes his name more than anyone you'll ever meet. The move follows the exit of Jenn Ryan who exits to pursue other opportunities. The Dave & Ceej show begins Monday, October 9th.

CONDOLENCES: Longtime Miami Host Rick Shaw Passes Away At 78

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– We were saddened to learn that longtime Miami radio host Rick Shaw passed away last Friday. He was 78. According to The Miami Herald, Shaw was credited with being the first host in South Florida to play the Beatles while working for WQAM/Miami in 1964.

In addition to WQAM, during his 46-year career in Miami he also aired on WAXY and most recently WMXJ/Magic 102.7. Shaw was known to finish each program with the 1959 Ray Peterson classic Goodnight My Love.

In 2006, Shaw surprised listeners by announcing his retirement. Back then Shaw told The Herald's Howard Cohen, “I’ve seen it all come and go,” said Shaw. “I got into radio when I was a senior in high school. Elvis was coming on strong. Rock was getting up and learning to walk and here I was starting my career.” He is survived by sons Rick and Sean Hummell.

Former RAB President CEO Gary Fries Passes

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– “It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of our friend and colleague, Gary Fries," announced RAB President/CEO Erica Farber. "Gary served the RAB and industry for 14 years and during his tenure as radio's leading advocate he provided tremendous leadership and guidance. Under his direction, the RAB increased its membership and introduced and advanced numerous sales training programs. He spearheaded radio to the forefront in media accountability, playing a dominant role in the development of RAEL working with advertisers, agencies and broadcasters to further the industry's understanding of how radio advertising works. He also encouraged radio to embrace electronic data interchange, urging the industry to adopt electronic invoicing. Upon his departure from the RAB, he left with the title of President Emeritus and continued to hold a seat on the RAB Board to his very last day. With a large physical presence and a strong personality he always made his presence known."

Farber added, "On a personal note, Gary and I partnered together on many initiatives and I always found a welcoming partner and friend. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this time.“

92.5 Maxima & Walmart Team For Puerto Rico Relief

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– 92.5 MAXIMA (WYUU-FM) and Walmart teamed up for a Hurricane Relief Drive in Tampa, Florida over the weekend. A station spox said 'We have teamed up with CaringForPuertoRico.org, which will be providing cargo planes to deliver all supplies collected directly to Puerto Rico.

They will be making numerous trips to the island until necessary. Suddath Moving Company of Tampa has donated their trucks for the transportation and cargo of the donated items to be delivered to the airport.

EVENTS: CBS Radio Presents 3rd Annual 'Stars & Strings' In Honor Of Vets

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– CBS RADIO will present its third annual STARS AND STRINGS show, in honor of our nation’s Veterans and their families, on Wednesday, November 15 at The Chicago Theatre in downtown Chicago. The all-star lineup features Brad Paisley, Chris Young, Darius Rucker, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady Antebellum, and Sam Hunt with a special appearance by Lindsay Ell.

“STARS AND STRINGS is CBS RADIO’s annual tribute to our nation’s military veterans who do so much to protect our freedoms and our very way of life,” said Chris Oliviero, Executive Vice President of Programming, CBS RADIO. “We’ve assembled an amazing roster of artists to help us celebrate this special group at the landmark Chicago Theatre.”

iHeart Music Festival Rocked Las Vegas

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2017 –– After two days and dozens of legendary performances, the seventh annual iHeartRadio Music Festival hosted by Ryan Seacrest, host and producer of “On Air with Ryan Seacrest,” concluded Saturday evening at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with unforgettable performances by Coldplay, The Weeknd, DJ Khaled, Chris Stapleton, Lorde, Kings of Leon, Big Sean, P!NK, Miley Cyrus (shown), Thirty Seconds to Mars, Niall Horan, David Guetta, Thomas Rhett, Harry Styles, Kesha and more, plus this year's Macy's iHeartRadio Rising Star winner, James Maslow.

Elvis Duran hosted a live backstage broadcast featuring exclusive artist interviews and performances that aired across iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country in more than 150 markets and on iHeartRadio. The CW Network also exclusively live streamed both nights of the festival and the Daytime Village via CWTV.com and The CW App. The CW will also broadcast a two-night television special on Wednesday, October 4 and Thursday, October 5 from 8:00p.m – 10:00p.m. EST/PST.

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[WATCH] NFL Airs Unity Ad

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[WATCH] Insane String of 'Price is Right' Big Wheel Wins

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Craig Ferguson To Host New YouTube Show

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[WATCH] Senator Pushing Government To Activate Hidden FM Chips In Phones

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2017 –– You can add U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) to the list of those pushing the government to require smartphone manufacturers to activate a hidden FM chips inside their products. And now he wants the FCC to get involved, reports NBC 2 Ft. Myers. With the recent hurricanes, many are now reconsidering the significance of a radio. Jeremy Azinger who runs a smartphone store in downtown Fort Myers claims activating the feature would be an easy task. “I can easily imagine there being a setting on your phone that you turn on and off at your leisure to have access ability to your radio." Many people were surprised to hear their phone had this feature. “That shocks me. If it's in there already, why aren't [cell phone manufacturers] doing it?” asked Barbara Bartnikowski of North Fort Myers.

Senator Nelson wants that same question answered. Companies like Apple are against it. However, some Android phones have the feature unbeknown to most users. Companies like Samsung, AT&T, and T-mobile are on board. FEMA also supports it, calling it a great communication device in time of crisis - WATCH HERE

MARY BERNER: How We Fixed Our Toxic Culture; 'Change Starts At The Top'

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2017 –– Mary Berner stepped into her role as CEO of Cumulus Media when it was in free fall—and she was tasked with reviving it. Two years later, the company has turned the corner thanks to a relentless focus on improving the culture and motivating employees. "When I took on the challenge of turning around Cumulus Media in October 2015, it was a company in free fall: four straight years of declines in radio listenership, four straight years of revenue declines, three straight years of EBITDA declines, and underperforming acquisitions which had saddled the company with an untenable debt load. We also had lousy systems, crumbling infrastructure and unhappy employees who told us in surveys that the ‘dysfunctional,’ ‘toxic’ and ‘lousy’ culture was the primary reason for the company’s poor performance. It was clear from the start that Cumulus would not be saved by any of the traditional turnaround quick fixes.

The company had already made meaningful cost reductions. With our heavy debt, any transformational M&A was also off the table. The market was not going to help—we started the turnaround just as headwinds in the radio industry started to pick up speed. Fixing Cumulus meant significantly improving basic business performance. The big unknown was whether our demoralized employees would step up to the plate. With almost 6,000 employees spread across radio stations in 90 markets, there had been almost no investment in rank-and-file employees, and turnover hovered around 50%. The company hadn’t given raises in over 10 years and some working conditions were almost unbelievable. I got a call a few days into my tenure complaining about the snakes that had fallen through the rotting ceiling in one of our offices. In contrast, top management received large and highly visible perks—travel on a private plane, hefty expense accounts and lavish offices.

“Culture change starts at the top.” I knew that a disengaged workforce and high employee turnover made reversing the company’s downward spiral extremely difficult. So, I turned to a Culture Fix Playbook I had honed over time, and began to implement six must-do strategies. READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

EXECUTIVE ACTION: Cheryl Salomone Named VP/MM For Cumulus Fayetteville

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2017 –– Cumulus Media has appointed seasoned broadcasting executive Cheryl Salomone as Vice President/Market Manager for its four-station group in Fayetteville, NC, effective October 2, 2017. Salomone joins Cumulus from Pamal Broadcasting in White Plains, NY, where she was Director of Non-Traditional Revenue and Local Sales Manager for WXPK. Previously, she was Vice President/Market Manager for Adams Radio Group in Salisbury/Ocean City, MD. She was also Regional Vice President for Townsquare Media overseeing Tri Cities and Yakima, WA, and prior to that, was General Manager for Townsquare’s stations in Billings, MT.

Mark Sullivan, Regional Vice President, Cumulus Media, said: “I am thrilled to have Cheryl on our team. We’re privileged to have a manager of her caliber and track record of sustained success leading the charge for our great stations in Fayetteville.” Salomone said: "I am privileged to be joining the talented and passionate team in Fayetteville and thrilled to be returning to North Carolina. I look forward to the great things we will accomplish together. I would like to thank Mary Berner, Bob Walker and Mark Sullivan for this wonderful opportunity to join Cumulus Media." Cumulus Media owns and operates Fayetteville, NC, radio stations WMGU-FM (Magic 106.9), WQSM-FM (Q98), WRCQ-FM (Rock 103), and WFNC-AM (AM 640 WFNC).

PROGRAMMING: Michael La Crosse Appointed PD For iHeart Portland Combo

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2017 –– iHeart's AC KKCW-FM and Classic Hits KLTH-FM Portland, OR has named Michael La Crosse as Program Director, effective October 9. Previously La Crosse programmed KOST-FM and KHHT-FM Los Angeles. La Crosse held prior stints at WLS-FM and WZZN-FM in Chicago.

"Michael's skill set is a natural match for taking the reins of KKCW and KLTH in Portland," said iHeartMedia/Pacific Northwest Region SVP/Programming Tim Herbster. "His vast experience in programming for these formats and working with top talent is second to none. We can't wait to welcome him to our community." "I'm excited to be joining the great teams at KKCW and KLTH," added La Crosse. "They are among the gold standards in their respective formats and I'm very humbled and lucky to be joining them. My thanks to Greg Ashlock, Robert Dove, Tim Herbster and Andrew Jeffries for providing this opportunity."