YEAR-END WRAP UP:

A Look Back At Some Of The Year's Top Stories

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The Mary G. Berner Era Begins At Cumulus

Suzanne Grimes Takes On Dual Roles For Westwood One And Cumulus; Tommy Page Rises to SVP of Brand Partnerships & NASH; Mike McVay Appointed To Lead Newly Created Office Of Programming

SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2015 –– Clearly, one of the top stories of 2015 involved the appointment of Mary G. Berner as Chief Executive Officer of Cumulus Media which became effective October 13, 2015. The news was announced just as the NAB/RAB radio show was getting underway in, of all places, Atlanta. She succeeded Lew Dickey, the company's founder and CEO, who now serves as Vice Chairman and continues as a director of the company. Along with Ms. Berner's appointment, John Dickey left his post at Cumulus as EVP of Content & Programming and it was assumed by SVP of Content & Programming Mike McVay.

7DECEMBER 16TH, 2015 –– Suzanne Grimes (right left) was then appointed by Mary Berner to the dual role as President of the Westwood One Division and Executive Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Cumulus effective January 1st. Steve Shaw, President of Westwood One, Charles Steinhauer, COO of Westwood One, Research marketing led by Pierre Bouvard, Chief Marketing Officer, and social media strategy led by Lori Lewis, VP of Social Media, all report to Suzanne. Tommy Page (right center) added to his existing duties the development and execution of the NASH brand strategy, including the recently completed inaugural year of the NASH Next talent competition. His new title will be SVP of Brand Partnerships & NASH.

Berner also announced the development of a newly created Office of Programming. Mike McVay (right)s, SVP of Content & Programming, has now formally been appointed to lead our content strategy across the platform, including talent recruitment and development and label relations. Tom Schurr, SVP of Operations, will now partner with Mike in a new role, overseeing the business aspects of programming, including organization and prioritization, resource allocation, and budget responsibilities. 1

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Andre J. Fernandez Named President Of CBS Radio

7Dan Mason Announces Retirement; Scott Herman Rises To COO Post

THE MOUTH, APRIL 13TH, 2015 –– Yet another major change at the top in 2015 involved the appointment of Andre J. Fernandez as President of CBS RADIO. Fernandez succeeded Dan Mason, who announced his retirement earlier that after 17 years with the Company, during which he led CBS RADIO for a total of 15 years.

“Dan is a legendary leader in the radio business,” said Leslie Moonves. “His passion for the business is well-known, and is a major reason why he’s been able to turn around so many of our major market stations."

On July 20th, Scott Herman was promoted to chief operating officer. In his new role, Herman will lead local operations across the company’s 117 major market stations.

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7Howard Stern Inks 5-Year Extension With SiriusXM; New Deal Includes Streaming Video Component

 

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THE MOUTH, DECEMBER 15, 2015 –– After saying on the air on the week prior to his announcement that 'Wednesday could be the final show," the drama was finally over. Howard Stern announced on his morning's show that he has struck a new five-year deal with 77SiriusXM Satellite Radio that includes plans for a streaming video component to augment his four-hour daily radio program.

According to Variety, details of the video plan were not immediately clear but SiriusXM said the pact includes a 12-year deal giving SiriusXM rights to video and audio material from Stern’s 30-year radio career and a plan to launch its first venture into video programming with Howard. “I am living a dream here on satellite radio and Jim Meye (L) is my life partner and the baby we are about to have is our new streaming video app,” Negotiations went down to the wire, as Stern’s contract formally expired at year’s end. Stern’s longtime agent, Don Buchwald, called it a “cutting edge and truly unique broadcasting agreement” that “required a lot of give and take, as well as creative thinking on everyone’s part.”

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7Nielsen Sues BLTS Over Ratings Tampering Allegations; Beasley Media Tweaks Bubba 98.7 Slogan In Tampa

 

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THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2015 –– Before departing for the holidays, Bubba The Love Sponge Clem acknowledged that his future on the air (at WBRN-FM/Tampa) was in question, and he said he wasn't sure if his show would return after the break. "It's up in the air," he said. This followed a string of events which first began back in late September after Beasley Media Group confirmed they were investigating allegations against Bubba for ratings tampering, as well as Nielsen conducting its own 7investigation. Bubba, who was off the air at WBRN-FM 98.7 beginning Sept. 26, returned to to the show on Oct. 6th. Then, by mid-October, it was reported that The Nielsen Audio Company filed a federal lawsuit against Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, seeking at least $1 million over ratings-tampering allegations. According to the suit, Nielsen said Clem learned from a listener that one of their acquaintances was participating in Nielsen’s survey. Clem then met with the acquaintance several times in July and August and offered to pay him $300 a month if the listener help increased his ratings, and a bonus of up to $400 a month if a target result was reached, the suit says. Then, as reported on Dec. 1st, Nielsen Audio Inc. had filed an amended complaint in its $1 million lawsuit in Tampa against Bubba the Love Sponge Clem and the Bubba Radio Network, restating its case and adding more details.

As reported on December 10th, Beasley’s well publicized “Bubba 98.7” Tampa brand, which was first launched in February, was then changed to NO RULES RADIO 98.7 FM with BUBBA THE LOVE SPONGE MORNINGS still showing in mornings. Days later, Bubba the Love Sponge Clem motioned to have the ratings-tampering lawsuit against him thrown out of federal court, arguing that he had already been punished and Nielsen can't prove it was harmed by his actions reports. SOURCES: FOX 13 News - WTSP 10 News Tampa Bay - Tampabay.com

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Former Denver Host Sues Taylor Swift Over Groping Accusation; Swift Files Counter Suit

Suit Claimed He Was Fired From His Job And Banned From Swift Concerts For Life Based On False Allegations

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2015 –– This one involves a former Denver Host who filed suit against pop superstar Taylor Swift over claims he groped her buttocks during a photo op' which led to his firing. In a lawsuit, filed in a U.S. District court in Denver, alleges that David Mueller (R), known as Jackson, then co-host of KYGO/Denver's Ryno & Jackson Morning Show, was fired from his 7job and banned from Swift concerts for life based on false allegations. The incident was said to have happened June 2, 2013, when Mueller was invited to a meet and greet with Swift backstage. He was terminated by the station on June 4, two days after the alleged incident.

Jockline reported the following month that Swift filed a counter suit stating "Mueller intentionally reached under her skirt, and groped with his hand an intimate part of her body in an inappropriate manner, against her will, and without her permission." It added: "When Mueller “groped her bottom,” the singer “was surprised, upset, offended, and alarmed” — then had to go play a show for 13,000 people. The singer rejected Mueller’s claim that another staff member of his radio station was the one who transgressed. “Mueller’s claim that he is the ‘wrong guy’ and, therefore, his termination from KYGO was unjustified, is specious,” Swift’s suit read. “Ms. Swift knows exactly who committed the assault — it was Mueller.” It was also revealed that any damages “will be donated to charitable organizations dedicated to protecting women from similar acts of sexual assault and personal disregard.”

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Big Boy Seals $10.5 Million Deal With iHeart's Real 92.3

THE MOUTH, MARCH 18TH, 2015 –– Amid an ongoing lawsuit, Big Boy, host of “Big Boy’s Neighborhood” was officially inked with iHeart Media's Real 92.3 Los Angeles (KRRL) for a reported 3-year, $10.5 million deal. According to legal documents obtained by The Wrap, his three-year contract provided an annual salary of $3.5 million, plus an additional $200,000 video production budget, four weeks of vacation and the use of a private jet for domestic travel (including Hawaii). iHeartMedia, has also committed to spending a minimum of $1 million a year to promote Big Boy’s show and will make him a featured presenter at national tent-pole events.

After joining Real 92.3 on Mar. 9th, the deal wasn't officially closed until a Los Angeles Superior Court lifted a temporary restraining order filed by his previous employer, Emmis, that would have prevented him from commencing with his new show. Following the ruling, Emmis issued a statement saying, “While Emmis is disappointed with the Court’s ruling and will evaluate our legal options, we are pleased with the Court’s indication that damages are an available remedy at trial." Emmis Radio LLC, filed a lawsuit against Big Boy, whose real name is Kurt Alexander, alleging he breached his contract, which ended on Feb. 28, 2015. According to legal documents, Alexander informed Emmis in January 2015 that he had received a more lucrative offer from iHeartMedia.

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77Country Radio Consultant's Tomato Barb Riles Artists

"The lettuce is Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and artists like that. The tomatoes of our salad are the females,” Keith Hill

THE MOUTH, MAY 28TH, 2015 –– What began as an interview in Country Aircheck on music scheduling with country consultant Keith Hill went somewhat awry after the topic of female artists came up. Hill cautioned against playing too many females. And playing them back to back, he says, is a no-no. “If you want to make ratings in Country radio, take females out,” he asserts. “The reason is mainstream Country radio generates more quarter hours from female listeners at the rate of 70 to 75%, and women like male artists. I’m basing that not only on music tests from over the years, but more than 300 client radio stations .. Trust me, I play great female records and we’ve got some right now; they’re just not the lettuce in our salad. The lettuce is Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and artists like that. The tomatoes of our salad are the females.” About Time: “It doesn’t take long to go in and correct

7It didn't take long for Hill's comments to go viral and land on Music Row with artists such Miranda Lambert tweeting, "Keith Hill This is he biggest bunch of BULL(S)HIT I have ever heard." "Don't worry babe. I see an opportunity here. (A) big ole vagina shaped opportunity," tweeted Jennifer Nettles. Martina McBride and numerous other artists weighed in and so did radio. 95 Country Natchez, MS launched #saladgate@martinamcbride@reba@carrieunderwood

@MickeyGuyton@dollyparton — 95 Country (@95country).

Hill spent the next several days attempting to clarify his comments telling The Tennessean "I am a marketer. I am not a social engineer." "What has happened is that this social media thing is driven by emotion, not logic, and I understand that. I am for equality of all things. I am not trying to solve racial issues, geopolitical issues or certainly not the issues between genders. "Yet the first tweet I received about this was 'douchebag.' I have now received death threats by email, all because I said this is how you get higher ratings on country radio. Looking back, Hill told Jockline: Twitter and Facebook are cesspools and I was right about my metric. If anything, several major stations looked at the metric and discovered I was right. Hence, the actual number of songs by fems declined a little bit.

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Host Fired After Airing Recycled Donald Trump Interview

OCTOBER 16TH, 2015 –– Longtime Atlanta morning host Steve McCoy was let go by Atlanta's News Radio 106.7 after airing a recycled interview with Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. McCoy had told his co-host, Cheryl White, "Yesterday I got the call from a buddy of mine that's working with Trump on a phone call that we were going to get. We were hoping he would call yesterday during the show but could not. It came with some restrictions. I could not ask anything about his current policies, and they had the right to x-out any questions that I asked."

McCoy then aired a brief interview, which ended with Trump being asked if he had plans to watch the (Democratic) debate that night. Trump responded with 'No, I don't.' After Buzzfeed (which first broke the story) and other news sites picked up the interview, Trump's campaign quickly issued a statement saying: "This interview did not take place. It is a fraud and/or a spoof. They added, the radio host admitted it was a fraud to our attorney, apologized and he is now hiding and not returning anyone's call." McCoy later revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He had planned to share his medical news with listeners before he was suspended and, subsequently. released.

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7The Voltair vs Nielsen Debate

It's a debate that raged on for months. Among the first to fuel the discussion was researcher Richard Harker in an April 6th blog about Voltair (a device manufactured by the Telos Alliance). In his blog he showed preliminary evidence as promising. "With rumors swirling about the device’s ability to boost ratings, Nielsen has been forced to respond to the rumors," he wrote then. He tells Jockline, "Without Voltair we would not have enhanced encoding, which is imperfect but a move in the eright direction." Nielsen did indeed address Voltair in a follow-up presentation to clients, as well as, client webinars.

Harker followed with numerous blogs on the subject, as did Media Strategist Mark Ramsey and consultant Randy Kabrich who addressed the debate in a July 21 blog titled "PPM and Voltair (aka the Emperor’s New Clothes)." Carl Bialik, head writer for fivethirtyeigh7t.com also weighed-in, as did many others.

In Harker's most recent blog on Dec. 2nd, he posted: "We’re seeing the first results of Nielsen’s enhanced PPM encoding and it seems to confirm Nielsen’s prediction: Ratings go up ... It will be several months before the full impact of enhanced encoding is reflected in the ratings." And now that Nielsen's enhanced PPM has been rolled out, can we expect this to quell the debate in 2016? "Not likely," opined one observer.

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The Rise Of Podcasts

Podcasting Gets 27 Million Listens Each Week. That's About The Same As Sirius XM Has Subscribers - Steve Goldstein

In the wake of 2014's hugely successful 'Serial' podcast, podcasting got legs in 2015 with the launch of CBS radio's Play.it®, iHeart's podcast lineup; Hubbard's purchase of a 1/3 of PodcastOne, to name a few. In fact, PodcastOne added 40 new podcasts in 2015, plus 30 new advertisers and doubled its 2014 revenue, says PodcastOne chief, Norm Pattiz. They also opened new sales offices in Chicago and Dallas.

Amplifi Media Founder/CEO Steve Goldstein tells Jockline, Podcasting gets 27 million listens each week. That's about the the same as Sirius XM has subscribers. The percentage of Americans who have listened to a podcast in the past month has almost doubled since 2008, from 9% to 17% by January of 2015."

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The Turtles Battle For Pre-1972 Music Royalties

THE MOUTH, MAY 28TH, 2015 - It was the case that opened the door for others to follow. The famed 60's group, The Turtles, prevailed on May 27 as a Judge certfied a Class Action against SiriusXM Over Pre-1972 Music. As of then, it was no longer just about The Turtles.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a California Judge, Philip S. Gutierrez, granted Flo & Eddie, Inc. (the corporation formed by two of the original Turtles members that owns the group’s recording rights) class certification in their lawsuit against SiriusXM Radio. This appeared to support the plaintiffs' damage theory that they be awarded 100% of SiriusXM's revenues attributable to pre-1972 recordings without deductions for costs. Gutierrez previously granted back on September 2014, a summary judgment to Flo & Eddie on allegations that SiriusXM had violated California laws by performing older recordings. SiriusXM later suffered a blow in a lawsuit brought by members of the RIAA and was handed another big loss in a lawsuit in New York.

It was long assumed that rights to pre-1972 sound recordings didn't cover public performance. Back in mid-January, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon rejected Sirius' arguments that Flo & Eddie Inc, controlled by founding band members Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, did not own copyrights in The Turtles' recordings such as "Happy Together," or gave it an "implied" license to play Turtles songs. She did, however, agree with the New York-based satellite radio company that Flo & Eddie could recover damages for copyright infringement only for the three years before it sued on Aug. 16, 2013, not six years as she had previously suggested.

In June, Sirius XM agreed to pay $210M for playing pre-1972 songs.

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The Kasem Family Legal Battles Goes On

THE MOUTH, NOVEMBER 30TH, 2015 –– In another year of headlines which following the death of famed radio host, Casey Kasem, the widow of the late Casey Kasem was sued 7by three of his children and his brother, who claimed her actions led to his death in June 2014. The suit filed in L.A. Superior Court accused Jean Kasem (L) of elder abuse, inflicting emotional distress and breach of contract by restricting access to Kasem and failing to provide adequate medical care. The documents added: “On December 30, 2013, after languishing in the hospital due to Jean’s failure to pick him up, Casey began suffering sepsis and shock and was moved to the intensive care unit, where he stayed until January 3, 2014.”

The year's headlines began as early as January when Casey's daughter Kerri first requested that Jean be charged with elder abuse RADAR ONLINE. - In February, Casey Kasem's wife Jean was ordered to pay court cost following feud with children. On May 22, various outlets such as CNN reported Kasem's widow wouldn't face elder abuse charges - On Novemeber 3rd, Casey's children were awarded $2 Million Life Insurance - on November 16th, his children won the right to have their father's remains returned home.

Kasem died in June of 2014 after suffering from dementia and reportedly developing a bedsore shortly before his death. Earlier this year, prosecutors in Los Angeles reportedly refused to charge the widow with elder abuse, saying that there wasn’t enough evidence against her

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7The Growth Of Alpha Media; Acquires 57 Stations In 2015

For awhile, it seemed like every week during 2015 Alpha Media was scooping up stations left and right. This year alone, they added an additional 57 properties to their budding radio empire. 7

Led by Founder/President Larry Wilson, upon the successful completion of all pending transactions, Alpha Media,headquartered in Portland, Oregon will own 252 radio stations within 54 markets across the United States covering all formats including Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Spanish, Urban, News Talk, Sports, Rock, Country and more. In addition to the radio stations, Alpha Media owns the intimate performance venues, Skype Live Studio in Portland, Oregon and Alamo Lounge in San Antonio, Texas.

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Radio Stars Front Apple's 24/7 Beats 1 Global Station Led By Former BBC Host Zane Lowe

 

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THE MOUTH, JUNE 9TH, 2015 –– Apple unveiled its long-awaited streaming service on Monday during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Along with the news came word of its new 24/7 global radio station called Beats 1, which will be lead by former BBC Radio host Zane Lowe. He airs from Los Angeles, with Ebro Darden (center) airing from New York (where he also host mornings at Hot 97) and Julie Adenuga (left) from London. 2'Apple Music wants to take us back to the 1970s when radio was king and DJs knew everything' Business Insider's Matt Rosoff writes, 'Apple Music wants to take us back to the 1970s when radio was king and DJs knew everything.'he adds, 'Apple Music is all about the people, which he says was the overriding message from the stage at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference.

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HONORS: Ellen K Receives MIW's Inaugural 'Airblazer Award'; Takes Mornings AT KOST 103.5; Art Vuolo Video Collection Headed To NRHOF In Chicago

THE MOUTH, JULY 14TH, 2015 –– The Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) Group announced it has formed an alliance with Talentmaster's Morning Show Boot Camp (MSBC) to establish the MIW Airblazer Award, which is an honor bestowed annually to a deserving on-air personality in radio broadcasting.The recipient of the inaugural MIW Airblazer Award is iHeart Media's Ellen K, co-host of the top-rated, globally syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest on KIIS - FM/Los Angeles. Ellen will receive the award during the 27 th annual Morning Show Boot Camp scheduled for August 6-7, 2015 in Chicago and presented by RAB President/CEO Erica Farber (Ellen now host mornings on KOST 103.5 FM.

MOUTH,NOVEMBER 9TH, 2016 –– During this year's National Radio Hall Of Fame Induction, Chairman Kraig T. Kitchin (shown) made a surprise announcement that plans were underway to bring radio videographer Art Vuolo's ginormous collection of videos to a permanent home in The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. To help kick things off, Kraig Kitchin, Elvis Duran and Bob & Tom's Tom Griswold began the drive with sizeable contributions. It was then officially announced that Art Vuolo’s video library “A 7History of the American Disc Jockey” will indeed become a permanent fixture at The National Radio Hall of Fame, located within the Museum of Broadcast Communication s in Chicago. This future exhibit, “A History of the American DJ,” spearheaded by Chicago broadcasting executives John Gehron/AccuRadio, Lisa Miller/Miller Broadcast Management, and Harv Blain/Vallie Richards Donovan Consulting, will highlight nearly 40 years of “Radio’s Best Friend” Art Vuolo ’s recordings of on-air banter and a behind-the-scenes look at over 700 Disc Jockeys. Companies or individuals may send donations via PayPal or by sending a check to: “History of the DJ” P.O. Box 10130 Chicago , IL 60610. For more information interested persons can visit www.facebook.com/HistoryoftheDJ

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