Cox SVP of Digital and Strategy Gregg Lindahl Exiting. Cox Media Group Cox Media Group SVP of Digital and Strategy Gregg Lindahl will exit at the end of the month, about a year after he was promoted to that position. Lindahl says he and Cox are parting on good terms. He has been a digital strategist for Cox for more than a decade, previously as Cox Radio’s VP of Interactive and New Technologies. Cox will divide his duties between VP of IT Mark Beck and VP of Digital Strategy Leon Levitt. Lindahl previously was President and COO at mp3radio.com, and has held executive positions at Eagle Research and ABC Radio.
MJ Quitting, Schnitt Will Continue. CHR-Top 40 WFLZ-FM, Tampa, Florida, morning host MJ Kelli says he’s leaving the station next month. He says on Twitter, “Let me be first to officially announce that February 17 will be the last broadcast of ‘The MJ Morning Show.’ 18 great years! I can now focus 100% of my energy on the growing national footprint of ‘The Schnitt Show.’ This also lets me spend more time with my family!” On Facebook, a posting offers a similar announcement. Kelli is actually Todd Schnitt, and hosts two different shows daily from the Clear Channel Broadcast complex in Tampa, Florida. Schnitt — using the radio name “MJ” — hosts the longtime MJ Morning Show, and using his real name, the nationally syndicated afternoon talk “Schnitt Show.”
Philadelphia Sports Talker Apologizes. Sports Talk “97.5 the Fanatic” WPEN-FM, Philadelphia, parent company Greater Media has issued an apology on behalf of night host Tom Byrne. The sports talker was arrested after allegedly assaulting a cab driver whom he had first refused to pay a $5 fare, according to a police report. “Tom deeply regrets his behavior and realizes that it was inexcusable,” says Greater Media spokeswoman Heidi Raphael. “He also extends his sincere apology to the cab driver and would like to make amends if possible. Tom will be taking a leave of absence from the station while he works through these issues, and we support him in those efforts.” Byrne was charged with aggravated assault, robbery and related charges after he was arrested one block from where a taxi driver told police that Byrne had punched him repeatedly and dragged him on the ground after he refused to pay for his cab ride and taunted the driver by saying “I’m a celebrity. This is my neighborhood. What are you gonna do about it?” Byrne has a preliminary hearing February 3, according to Philly.com and Daily News columnist Dan Gross.
CBS Again Tells Merlin to Stop Infringement. Merlin Media CEO Randy Michaels has received another “stop infringing” letter from CBS intellectual property and litigation attorneys. CBS claims Merlin’s “FM News 101.9″ WEMP-FM, New York, is infringing on their trademarks: “You Give Us 22 Minutes. We’ll Give You the World” and “Traffic And Weather Together.” CBS is demanding Michaels stop the station from using similar slogans on the air claiming the WEMP-FM phrases – including “Give us 10 minutes, we’ll give you the world” – and others being used “intentionally are confusingly similar” to the well-known CBS Radio slogans. Ironically, CBS-TV in New York is airing commercials for WEMP-FM’s “FM News” programming.
Radio Host Charged With Practicing Medicine Without License. The host of a brokered medical advice show on Salem’s WMCA-AM, New York, is charged with practicing medicine without a license. Former doctor Alan Lupinacci, 65, is accused of illegally operating a health clinic in Wyckoff, NJ. He admitted to sexually molesting patients more than a decade ago, say authorities, who claim he recently practiced medicine without a license and used an alias to illegally operate the health clinic. Lupinacci is charged with financial facilitation, theft by deception, misconduct by a corporate official, impersonation and practice of medicine by an unlicensed person, according to Bergen County (NJ) Prosecutor John Molinelli. Lupinacci’s medical license was revoked in 1995 after he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of criminal sexual contact with patients at his West Paterson practice, says Molinelli.
Herman Cain Returns to Radio. With his presidential campaign ended, Herman Cain has returned to News Talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta, as a daily commentator. He isn’t, for now, returning to the evening show he hosted before making his run for the Republican presidential nomination. But he will be heard weekdays at 8:45am and 6:45pm, and with Neal Boortz Mondays and Fridays at 10:35am. Cain will also be part of WSB’s coverage of the presidential campaign.
Scott Paulsen and Bill Crawford Join Pittsburgh’s WDVE-FM. Scott Paulsen and Bill Crawford join Rock WDVE-FM, Pittsburgh. Paulsen re-joins WDVE as an Executive Contributor for the station and morning show. He will also join the morning show on a weekly basis and guest host across WDVE programs. Comedian Crawford will join the DVE morning show’s Randy Baumann, Val Porter and Mike Prisuta on a regular basis. “The return of Scott Paulsen and the addition of Bill Crawford to WDVE will round out an all-star staff for WDVE and Pittsburgh listeners,” says President and Market Manager Dennis Lamme. “We are excited about the creative spark these two personalities will bring to the station.” Paulsen was previously on the WDVE Morning Show for 13 years.
Crawford is a Pittsburgh comedian and has been performing stand-up comedy on a local and national level for the past eight years, and has been a frequent guest of the morning show.
Genesis Adds Two More Florida All News Stations with ARNN. Genesis Communications has added two more stations as All News in Florida – WAMT-AM, Orlando, and WIXC-AM, Melbourne, simulcasting with its All News WWBA-AM, Tampa Bay, to “create a virtual Central Florida news network” using Talk Radio Network’s America’s Morning News, America’s Radio News Network and it’s team of local news anchors. According to Genesis’ CEO Bruce Maduri, The move is intended to “provide central Floridians with the ability to access all-news, traffic and weather content anywhere, across the all important I-4 corridor from Tampa Bay through Orlando, to the Space Coast and north and south along the Eastern Seaboard.” TRN and America’s Radio News Network CEO Mark Masters tells us, “We are proud to provide a complete support system to Bruce as he delivers to Central Florida the most powerful 15 hours per day of syndicated long-form radio news rooms (through America’s Morning News and America’s Radio News Network), along with heavy news localization for his growing news empire.”
Steve Ray Joins ARNN. America’s Radio News Network adds Steve Ray as a news co-anchor to the long-form radio news network. Ray has had stints at the Westwood One Radio Networks, Radio Free Asia, Metro Networks, Associated Press Television, WMAL-AM FM and at the Bonneville DC outlets. Ray has served as a National Program Director for the English language services in both the Republic of China on Taiwan and Mainland China, reporting from Eastern and Northern Europe, the former Soviet Union, South East Asia, Central America and at legendary radio stations in both Los Angeles and Washington DC. Says Ray, “I am excited to work with such a talented and diverse group of anchors and producers. America’s Radio News Network is the programming option I wished for as both a GM and Program Director. I believe whole-heartedly in the vision of CEO Mark Masters to deliver an unbiased news product, with forward momentum and detailed reportage in an age of short sound bites. I believe this is the most important news cycle in decades.”
BMT CFO to Be Peak Broadcasting Trustee. A filing with the FCC seeks to move station licenses into a trust, as part of the Peak Broadcasting voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization. The trust, which is to be overseen by Broadcast Management and Technology EVP/CFO Claudia Siegle Horn, will begin oversight of the stations as soon as the FCC approves the license transfers, following the trust’s approval by the bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware. Peak Broadcasting filed the voluntary Chapter 11 after reaching a reorganization agreement with a majority of its senior lenders. Peak Broadcasting owns 11 radio stations in Fresno, California, and Boise, Idaho.
Relevant Radio Acquires WBZS-AM, Providence. Religious broadcaster Relevant Radio has agreed to acquire WBZS-AM, Providence, for $750,000 from Salem Communications. “Through the unbelievable generosity of a supporter, a gift was given with the hope of expanding the foot print of Relevant Radio,” says Relevant Radio Executive Director Rev. Francis J. Hoffman. “After much discernment and prayer, plus consultation with His Excellency Thomas J. Tobin, Bishop of the Diocese of Providence, the Board of Directors selected WBZS based upon the signal coverage and strength, the size of the Catholic population and the affordable purchase price.” Relevant also owns stations in Chicago, Minneapolis, Austin, Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids.
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