Industry News

Country music is getting into the holiday spirit and CMT Radio affiliates and open markets are invited to join in.

A virtual holiday party benefiting children’s hospitals and hosted by country music personalities will be part of a four-hour radio special hosted by Seacrest Studios. The program “Home for the Holidays with CMT’s Cody Alan” can be downloaded on Dec. 14 by affiliates to air any time during the holidays.

[Read: Ryan Seacrest Foundation Opens Studio in Nashville]

Cody Alan and female country trio Runaway June participated in the benefit, which was held at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville. Young patients and their families at the hospital were treated to an interview with Runaway June, a live performance of their current single “We Were Rich” and songs from their new Christmas album.

The virtual event will also feature conversations with country music stars including Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Maren Morris and others. The program will include stories of Christmas memories, favorite gifts and family traditions, along with a mix of holiday-themed songs. Highlights will air on CMT’s “Hot 20 Countdown” on Dec. 19 and 20.

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation was founded in 2009 and its first initiative was to build broadcast media centers within pediatric hospitals around the country. Those centers are now in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Nashville, Orange County, Orlando, Philadelphia and Washington.

 

The post CMT Radio Virtual Holiday Party to Benefit Children’s Hospitals appeared first on Radio World.

Edita Kudláčová has been selected to be the new head of radio for the European Broadcast Union.

She is a 12-year veteran of the central European national broadcaster, having risen to chief content producer.

Kudláčová is a member of the EBU’s New Radio Group and, prior to that, the International Relations Radio Group until 2016.

She said, “I’m passionate about radio and audio and I believe strongly in the power of these mediums to create fantastic content and in their potential to innovate and develop. I’m really looking forward to working with the team at the EBU.”

Her laurels include first prize for Best European Online Project at the 2019 Prix Europa for “1968 Project,” an initiative that also won the Journalism Award in the category for best online journalism. She also claimed first prize for best public service podcast with “Turn The Lights Off!” in the 2018 Podcast of the Year awards.

She takes over from Graham Dixon, who is retiring at the end of the year.

EBU Director of Media Jean Philip De Tender said, “Edita is already well known to our community, having been highly visible in the New Radio Group and at our industry events. Her track record in innovation, inspiring creativity and delivering award-winning projects makes her a dynamic addition to the EBU Media Management team.”

Director General, Czech Radio and Vice-Chair of the EBU Radio Committee René Zavoral said, “Edita has championed change and innovation at Czech Radio and developed new ideas and concepts into concrete projects, which have been instrumental in the overall transformation of the organization. We’re delighted that her talent has been recognized with the Head of Radio role, but we’ll miss her collaborative spirit, her energy and her passion for everything audio.”

 

The post Kudláčová Named to Run EBU’s Radio Operation appeared first on Radio World.

From the top of Mt. Washington, a Townsquare Media FM reaches much of Maine, all of northern New Hampshire, and practically all of northern Vermont once leaving the greater Burlington area.

It’s a 48kw monster that was the late Norm Alpert’s first property, and is presently airing all-Christmas music. And, it is getting a new morning host and Brand Manager — an individual last with iHeartMedia in Tulsa.

That would be Jadd Naamani, who takes the role at WHOM-FM 94.9, which considers itself a Portland, Maine, radio station despite its huge reach.

“We couldn’t be happier to bring Jadd back to the northern New England airwaves. His energy, dedication to connecting with listeners on-air and online, and long-standing commitment to community make him an incredible addition to the team,” said Christine Sieks, Regional Market President for Townsquare Media.

Naamani took the iHeartMedia/Tulsa role in July 2018, as programmer of KTBT “92.1 The Beat.” Before that, he was Program Director at WERZ (Z107.1)/Portsmouth, N.H. He’d been there since June 2015, when he was upped from Promotions Director. He’s also done weekends at WXKS (Kiss 108)/Boston and WKSS (Kiss 95.7)/Hartford.

“I’m beyond grateful to the entire Townsquare Leadership Team,” said Naamani. “Thanks for bringing me back home to New England to what I feel is the best area in the country. The amount of localism that’s focused on by this company is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Plus, I REALLY missed Maine lobster!”

WHOM was acquired in September 2013 by Townsquare Media as part of a $238 million deal signed off by Lew Dickey Jr., then the head of Cumulus Media.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, the MORE Act was approved last week in the House of Representatives.

Does this mean broadcast radio and TV stations are now free to air marijuana advertisements? Not so fast, David Oxenford of Wilkinson Barker Knauer warns.

In a WBK Broadcast Law Blog post, Oxenford notes the actions taken by the lower body of Congress to decriminalize marijuana under federal law.

This, he explains, would include removing marijuana from Schedule I — a list of drugs prohibited in the United States, with very few exceptions.

“The passage of this bill through the House … should not be taken as a sign to start running marijuana advertising on your broadcast station, though there are some signs that the day on which that advertising can be run may be in sight,” he says.

First, it is important to remember that this bill passed only in the House of Representatives.  “Without also being approved by the Senate and being signed by the President, the House’s action had no legal effect,” Oxenford reminds media executives. “Because of the way that Congress works, if the bill does not pass the Senate in the current legislative session, which ends in the first few days of January 2021, the whole process must start over again.”

Good luck with that. Bills do not carry over from one Congressional session to another.

“So, to become law in the new year, a new Congress would have to start with a new bill, and a new House of Representatives and a new Senate would both have to vote to adopt the legislation,” Oxenford says.

As such, the MORE Act is — more or less — toast.

Absent Senate approval, which is doubtful in this lame duck session, “broadcasters run a real risk in running marijuana advertising even if they operate in a state that has legalized its use.”

David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP

According to Oxenford, the Commission “could be forced to take actions against a licensee for running this advertising if a complaint is filed against a station running such ads – including during the ongoing license renewal process.”

In addition, he adds, “there are still federal criminal penalties for promoting Schedule 1 drugs, including a specific prohibition against using radio waves to promote its sale and distribution.”

But does that House action signal movement in the future?

“[W]ith a new administration and a new Congress in 2021, and a different regulatory status in many states across the country, one can see that there has been a general shift in the regulatory climate surrounding marijuana legalization,” Oxenford says. “That shift could well lead to further rule changes in the near term.  Until then, broadcasters should act with caution, but should stay alert to see how future regulatory actions play out.’

With the December 10 interview with Pearl TV’s Anne Schelle,  the RBR+TVBR INFocus Podcast, presented by Dot.FM, has reached its 80th episode.

These short podcasts, hosted by Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson, place a spotlight on the key news makers who shape broadcast media in Washington, drive its future through station transactions, and those providing the latest tech products of interest to the industry. Originally launched as a daily series focused on the challenges and response by broadcasters to the Coronavirus pandemic, RBR+TVBR InFocus podcasts have since evolved into a popular Tuesday/Thursday feature of a broader nature. Here’s a brief look at the guests who have recently appeared on the podcast:

Vincent Letang, MAGNA

Former NAB General Counsel Jack Goodman

Sean Compton, NewsNet – WGN America

Norberto Sanchez, Norsan Media

Ron Stone, Adams Radio Group/Independent Broadcasters Association

For the entire roster of on-demand podcasts to enjoy, just click here!

Time has run out for a Florida broadcaster who saw its construction permit revoked and its call letters deleted after a series of weather delays and procedural errors.

Florida Community Radio was issued a construction permit with a three-year window to build station WRBD(FM) in 2015. But a series of storms and rule changes delayed that construction as FCR faced off against the effects of Hurricane Irma and the commission’s decision to eliminate the main studio rule for radio stations. FCR requested a six-month extension of the deadline, which was granted by the Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau. Before the end of that extension FCR applied to modify its permit to operate on a different tower. The bureau granted that request as well.

[Read: FCC Rejects Appeal From Florida FM Applicant]

Then came Hurricane Michael in October 2018. FCR requested another extension based on the effects of the storm surge and flooding in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., where FCR planned to build its NCE station. The new extension deadline was moved to June 2019.

A third request came in April 2019 when FCR asked for additional time to perform an analysis of whether the station’s power lines should be underground as well as a structural analysis of the potential impact of a future Category 5 storm on the station’s antenna. Before handing out another extension, the Media Bureau asked FCR for information showing a direct connection between Hurricane Michael and the licensee’s inability to construct the station by the June 2019 deadline, but the Media Bureau said FCR did not provide any information.

As a result, the bureau denied FCR’s third request for an extension. The bureau also noted that the analyses that FCR wanted to perform could have been done well within the extended construction term.

FCR responded with a petition of reconsideration (which was denied) and an application for review (which was denied). In the application for review, the bureau rejected FCR’s new stance that argued that the new tower site was in a designated floodplain. The bureau also denied portions of the FCR petition that claimed that an additional extension was warranted. “We noted that FCR had not made any showing that Hurricane Michael continued to cause delays in construction, and that FCR had not made any construction progress,” the bureau said.

Advancing to 2020, the commission dismissed FCR’s latest petition based on procedural issues. The commission rules state that when the Media Bureau denies an application for review, the follow up petition for reconsideration will only be considered if the petition offers updated facts that relate to the event. The FCC said the arguments that FCR makes in its 2020 petition do not meet those requirements.

In its 2020 petition, FCR argued that the commission should establish longer extensions for permitees faced with back-to-back weather emergencies like the ones FCR faced with Hurricanes Irma and Michael. It also argued that the commission failed to establish adequate policies on increasing minority ownership of radio and TV stations.

But the FCC said that none of those arguments fall under the category of “circumstances which have changed,” which is what the FCC is looking for within a petition of reconsideration filing.

As a result, the commission dismissed FCR’s petition for reconsideration and updated its records to reflect that the construction permit for WRBD has now officially expired.

 

The post Florida Licensee Sees Construction Permit Revoked After Procedural Missteps appeared first on Radio World.

BOCA RATON, FLA. — ViacomCBS’ CBS Television Stations has been issued a summons in a civil action brought against the owner of WFOR-4 in Miami-Fort Lauderdale by a former freelance reporter who claims the station engaged in wage discrimination — and, a as a result, gender discrimination.

CBS now has until December 29 to respond. If not, judgment by default will be handed down by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

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The Walt Disney Company announced late Thursday that it would raise its monthly subscription fee for Disney+, its OTT service, to $7.99 per month as of March 2021.

It then tripled its subscriber projections for 2024.

Investors responded in resounding fashion, with DIS soaring by nearly 14% in the final hour of trading Friday on the NYSE.

As of 3:21pm Eastern, Disney shares were trading at $175.37, up roughly 13.3%.  A $179.39 session high was logged in midday trading, as volume soared past 78.2 million shares with 40 minutes left in the trading day.

Average volume for Disney is 9.68 million shares.

The growth for DIS is exceptional, as shares were at $112.64 six months ago and were at $93.53 on March 11.

With today’s activity, Disney stock will finish at an all-time high.

With just under three weeks remaining in 2020 and so many counting down to a new year, now is the time to finalize the broadcast, online and social coverage of New Year’s Eve events being delivered from Times Square in New York.

While the public will not be allowed to partake in the Midtown Manhattan festivities this year due to the ongoing pandemic, there will be a televised ceremony. And, live feeds at no charge are again available.

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RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION

In the Jacobson household, mornings begin with a few rituals. Among them is a morning meditation, which is also the case for Streamline Publishing Chairman Eric Rhoads.

On Dec. 11, Mrs. Jacobson deviated from the regular selection of morning meditations saved on the iPhone by trying out a selection from a new app downloaded Thursday evening — Ten Percent Happier. How did she learn about the app? Entertainer Sara Bareilles shared it on her Instagram feed.

Welcome to the new paradigm of advertising for the 2020s. Is this bad news for radio?

Not at all, and here’s why.

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