”He’s A Busy Guy…”
6:00AM ET February 6th, 2012
Contributor : Chris G.
A Rocky Williform Company

Hip hop mogul Jay-Z is struggling to revitalize his once-thriving Rocawear clothing brand. The rapper is starring in the line’s first-ever television commercial campaign, entitled “From Marcy to Madison Square;” which chronicles his rise from Brooklyn projects to global fame.

Rocawear has experienced a global sales dip of $500 million.

There have been rumors that Jay was leaving the brand. Iconix bought Rocawear for $204 million in 2007 and Iconix CEO/president Neil Cole said that Jay is still active in his role with Rocawear.

“Of course, he’s a busy guy between his tour and his new baby and his music,” Cole said. “Are there times when he’s not on tour and not in the studio where we get more time with him? Yes. And are there times when we have to work via e-mail and through other channels? Yes. But we are lucky enough to get a lot of his time and caring.”

Exits Reported at Merlin Media’s WEMP-FM New York.
TPMedia NewsPage has now confirmed that Merlin Media New York VP of Programming Liz Aiello has exited, as have Senior Director of Digital Programming Rich McLaughlin, and VP of Production Jerry Rohira. Merlin Media operates struggling “FM News 101.9″ WEMP-FM in New York, which like its Chicago sister “FM News 101.1″ WIQI-FM, is seeking an audience for its version of All News programming.

NAB Denies Seeking FM Cells Capability Mandate.
The NAB says it is not seeking to force a legislative “mandate” for the inclusion of FM chips in mobile devices, including
cellphones. The response comes to a letter from CEA, CTIA and the musicFirst Coalition to members of the Congressional Black Caucus. In a statement, NAB EVP of Communications Dennis Wharton says: “It is disappointing that CEA, CTIA and musicFirst are falsely claiming that NAB is seeking a mandated radio chip in cellphones. We have said repeatedly to these organizations that NAB supports a market solution to this issue, and even CTIA admits as much in the attached fact sheet. By distorting our position, CEA, CTIA and musicFirst are doing a disservice to policymakers who deserve open and honest information. From a public safety perspective alone, voluntary introduction of radio chips in cellphones makes perfect sense. It would be our hope that when it comes to saving lives in times of emergency, our friends at CEA, CTIA and musicFirst would move beyond intimidation tactics and special interest politics and encourage a substantive debate on the merits of this issue.”

Cincinnati Radio Engineer Charged with Equipment Theft.
The former Chief Engineer for Cumulus Cincinnati is facing felony theft charges for allegedly stealing over $129,000 in broadcasting equipment, dating back to May 2011. Ben Ary’s employment was terminated just days before his arrest. The 35-year-old radio engineer’s theft of the equipment was reportedly discovered by management of the Cumulus Cincinnati cluster, leading to his firing and subsequent arrest. He’s due in court next week to enter a plea. The radio stations in the cluster include AC “Warm 98″ WRRM-FM, Classic Hits WGRR-FM, Classic Rock “Fox 92″ WOFX-FM, “96 Rock” WFTK-FM, and Country WNNF-FM.

Former Scranton Station Owner’s Prison Sentence Cut.
Former Scranton, Pennsylvania, radio station owner Doug Lane has had his prison sentence for child molestation reduced after a plea deal that changed his plea to guilty. Lane had owned three stations – WICK-AM, WYCK-AM and
WWDL-FM. He was charged with molesting several teenage boys after befriending them and offering them jobs working at his stations. Under his deal with prosecutors, Lane entered a guilty plea and Judge Michael Barrasse cut the sentence to eight to 16 years, rather than 14 to 30 years. At his trial, Lane had entered a not guilty plea, but was convicted on two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and six counts of possession of child pornography.

FCC Rejects MMTC Proposal on ‘Qualified Entity’ Definition for SiriusXM Leased Channels.
The FCC rejects the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council (MMTC) request to change its definition of the term “qualified entity” to permit additional entities to qualify for the leased set-aside channels on SiriusXM Radio. The MMTC had called the Commission’s conditions on the set-aside channels “vague and ambiguous” because the definition of “qualified entity” did not make clear whether programmers with limited previous relationships with Sirius or XM could qualify, that it did not include “non-racial categories of programmers” that it said would enhance diversity, and asked the Commission to declare that the definition in this case would not be precedential for other cases. The Commission says that it had been specific about companies with prior relationships with the satellite company and did not wish to expand the definition of “qualified entity” that way, and said that it was not persuaded that explicitly adding non-racial categories was necessary because the present rules direct SiriusXM to consider the issue of offering diverse viewpoints to historically underserved audiences.

NAB Supports FCC Reform Legislation.
The NAB is supporting legislation currently advancing in the U.S. House that would streamline some FCC activities.
Says NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith, in a statement, “NAB supports legislative efforts by Chairmen Upton and Walden designed to modernize and reform FCC decision-making. Given the breakneck speed under which broadcasters and other media companies are reshaping the telecommunications landscape, it is entirely appropriate for Congress to update the rulemaking process and find ways to make it work faster and better. NAB respects the leadership of Chairman Genachowski, and we stand ready to help him and FCC staff implement changes resulting from legislation that brings greater clarity and transparency for licensees dealing with the FCC.”

FCC CGAB Chief Joel Gurin Exiting.
FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Chief Joel Gurin is exiting February 17. Media Bureau Deputy Chief Kris Monteith will serve as Acting CGAB Chief. Gurin has held the position since joining the Commission in late 2009. Says FCC Chairman Julius Genachowsk, “I want to thank Joel for his work to harness technology to empower consumers with the information and tools they need in today’s rapidly evolving communications marketplace. We’ll miss Joel’s dedication as a stalwart advocate for consumers, working to solve real problems in smart ways.”

Philly’s Wing Bowl Sets New Record (Again!) KFC may be short on wings for a while, after Philadelphia CBS Radio Sports WIP-AM-FM held its annual Wing Bowl Friday morning. Takeru Kobayashi, considered a competitive eating champ, polished off a record-setting 337 wings at Wing Bowl 20 beating the previous record set last year by 82 wings. Keep in mind the KFC shortage of wings is based on all of the wings eaten (just swallowed?) by all of the contestants. The annual chicken wing eating competition took place before a sold-out crowd at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. [NOTE: Please read this item quickly. Takeru Kobayashi may swallow it up at any time!]

AWM Honoring ‘Sophie’ PD Charese Fruge.
The Alliance for Women in Media Southern California Chapter will honor CBS Radio Hot AC “Sophie@103.7″ KSCF-FM, San Diego, Program Director Charese Fruge with the Excellence in Radio Management Award at the 55th Annual Genii Awards April 24 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. The gala recognizes outstanding achievements by women in media and benefits AWM SoCal’s Scholarship program, which provides financial assistance to promising college students pursuing careers in the media.

Dan Fagan Back On Anchorage Radio.
Longtime radio talker Dan Fagan will return to the air Monday (Feb. 6) with a new 11am-2pm show on “Fox News Talk 95.5 FM/1020 AM” KOAN-AM and translator K238BE, Anchorage, Akaska. Currently the host of the “Dan Fagan Show” on “Fox 4″ KTBY-TV and owner/publisher of the website AlaskaStandard.com, Fagan joins a line-up with Laura Ingraham, Dennis Prager, John Gibson, Shannyn Moore and Tom Anderson. Fagan was last heard at Talk KFQD-AM, Anchorage, as afternoon host until his exit one year ago, after nine years with the station. “We at KOAN are excited about having Dan Fagan on board,” says KOAN-AM Program Director Justin McDonald. “For years now, when someone talks about talk radio in Anchorage, they talk about Dan Fagan.”

Entercom Indianapolis Ups JR Ammons to OM.
Entercom Indianapolis promotes Hot AC WZPL-FM Program Director JR Ammons to cluster Opeartions Manager. He will now also oversee Adult Variety Hits “My107.9″ WNTR-FM and News Talk WXNT-AM. Says Ammons, “I’m really excited about what we have going on at Entercom Indianapolis. GM Jenny Skjodt has done a great job putting this team together and I really look forward to doing my part helping this group achieve the goals we’ve set. It will be fun continuing to program WZPL and now getting to work alongside the very talented Scott Roddy with My107.9 and News Talk 1430 WXNT.”
Ammons has previously programmed Atlanta’s “Star 94″ WSTR-FM, KMXV-FM, Kansas City, and WAPE-FM, Jacksonville, Florida, among others.

Michael Bryan Named Clear Channel Nashville OM.
Michael Bryan is named to be the new Operations Manager for Clear Channel Nashville, transferring from the company’s Orlando cluster. Bryan is currently the Program Director of CHR-Top40 WXXL-FM, Orlando, and Digital PD of the Orlando cluster. Bryan replaces Rich Davis in Nashville, who moved to KDWB-FM, Minneapolis, as PD. The Clear Channel Nashville cluster is comprised of “107.5 The River” WRVW-FM, Urban “101.1 The Beat” WUBT-FM, Classic Rock WNRQ-FM, Country “The Big 98″ WSIX-FM and Talk WLAC-AM. Bryan will continue in Orlando until his replacement is named before moving to Nashville.

Chuck Archer Named Operations Manager at Centennial Fredericksburg.
Centennial Broadcasting Hot AC “B 101.5″ WBQB-FM and Adult Standards WFVA-AM, Fredericksburg, Virginia, Production Director Chuck Archer is promoted to Operations Manager of the Fredericksburg cluster. Says General Manager Jim Butler, “Chuck brings years of experience and knowledge to the position and I am very confident he will transcend his experience and leadership strengths into further enhancing our on-air team and operations.” Archer tells us, “The last five years have been some of the best and most rewarding of my radio career. This is a tremendous opportunity. The Fredericksburg area, with its proximity to Washington DC, is a thriving, dynamic community. I’m excited to take on this new role with the wealth of talent driving our stations.”

”It’s the ‘Only N***a In First Class”’
8:00PM ET February 3rd, 2012
Contributor : Martin James
A Rocky Williform Company

Wiz Khalifa is finally explaining the name of his upcoming sophomore release O.N.I.F.C. He announced the project a while ago, but fans have been struggling to decipher what the acronym stands for; Wiz has decided to give everyone the skinny on O.N.I.F.C.

“I’m just going to tell you what [O.N.I.F.C.] – it’s the ‘Only N[igga] In First Class,’” he explained to MTV’s Sway. “It’s inspired by Prodigy’s [album] H.N.I.C. When he dropped that, I felt like that sounded so strong and it really meant something and it had the n-word in it. I wanted to figure out something [along those lines] that was me, too…I said it on one of my songs, like, ‘Ain’t it funny when time pass?/Only ni**a in first class,’ and I was just talking about me being a young, rich dude and being black.”

“It looks crazy to [the workers on an airplane] when I walk up to them and I show them a [first class] ticket, or I’m going to priority seating and they’re like, ‘You sure?’” he continued. “It’s kind of like that feeling – it’s a good feeling, but it’s like it’s a bad feeling, like ‘Damn, why y’all even feel like that about me?’ When I look around and I see people in first class and they’re getting they’re dinners a little quicker than mine or they’re looking at me or I don’t get the pillow or extra [treatment] – or I get more because they know that I’m supposed to be there, so it’s like the positives and the negatives.”

Entercom Indianapolis Ups JR Ammons to OM.
Entercom Indianapolis promotes Hot AC WZPL-FM Program Director JR Ammons to cluster Opeartions Manager. He will now also oversee Adult Variety Hits “My107.9″ WNTR-FM and News Talk WXNT-AM. Says Ammons, “I’m really excited about what we have going on at Entercom Indianapolis. GM Jenny Skjodt has done a great job putting this team together and I really look forward to doing my part helping this group achieve the goals we’ve set. It will be fun continuing to program WZPL and now getting to work alongside the very talented Scott Roddy with My107.9 and News Talk 1430 WXNT.”
Ammons has previously programmed Atlanta’s “Star 94″ WSTR-FM, KMXV-FM, Kansas City, and WAPE-FM, Jacksonville, Florida, among others.

Michael Bryan Named Clear Channel Nashville OM.
Michael Bryan is named to be the new Operations Manager for Clear Channel Nashville, transferring from the company’s Orlando cluster. Bryan is currently the Program Director of CHR-Top40 WXXL-FM, Orlando, and Digital PD of the Orlando cluster. Bryan replaces Rich Davis in Nashville, who moved to KDWB-FM, Minneapolis, as PD. The Clear Channel Nashville cluster is comprised of “107.5 The River” WRVW-FM, Urban “101.1 The Beat” WUBT-FM, Classic Rock WNRQ-FM, Country “The Big 98″ WSIX-FM and Talk WLAC-AM. Bryan will continue in Orlando until his replacement is named before moving to Nashville.

Chuck Archer Named Operations Manager at Centennial Fredericksburg.
Centennial Broadcasting Hot AC “B 101.5″ WBQB-FM and Adult Standards WFVA-AM, Fredericksburg, Virginia, Production Director Chuck Archer is promoted to Operations Manager of the Fredericksburg cluster. Says General Manager Jim Butler, “Chuck brings years of experience and knowledge to the position and I am very confident he will transcend his experience and leadership strengths into further enhancing our on-air team and operations.” Archer tells us, “The last five years have been some of the best and most rewarding of my radio career. This is a tremendous opportunity. The Fredericksburg area, with its proximity to Washington DC, is a thriving, dynamic community. I’m excited to take on this new role with the wealth of talent driving our stations.”

Tucson’s KNST-AM-FM Names Garret Lewis Program Director.
Morning host Garret Lewis is appointed Program Director of Clear Channel’s News Talk KNST-AM-FM, Tucson. Lewis has been hosting “The Morning Ritual with Garret Lewis” for the past two years. He also signs a two-year contract extension to continue hosting mornings. “Being able to keep Garret is a big part of the evolution of KNST to FM. His show has become must listen radio and with his direction, I am confident that KNST will soar to new heights in the not so distant future.” says Clear Channel Tucson Operations Manager Chris Pickett. Lewis tells us, “I’m honored to be the Program Director of the heritage news talk station in Tucson, KNST, and excited I get to get the chance to program it on the FM. Knowing that Chris Pickett and I share the same vision of what we want KNST to sound like on FM will make this challenge even more fun.”

Repeat Radio Pirate Fined $25,000.
A Florida radio pirate receives a $25,000 fine from the FCC as a repeat offender. Whisler Fleurinor was caught operating an unlicensed station at 99.5 FM in Fort Lauderdale in March of 2010, and was fined $20,000, but had that reduced to $500 when he proved he couldn’t pay more. Now, the FCC says it caught him again broadcasting without a license. The Commission says in an NAL, “The fact that Mr. Fleurinor would again commit the same violation … demonstrates not only the egregiousness of the violations here, but also his deliberate disregard for the [Communications] Act and Commission’s rules.” The usual fine for operating an unlicensed radio station is $10,000.

Reed College Divesting KRRC-FM.
Another college is getting rid of its FM radio license, joining a growing list of educational institutions taking that action. Reed Institute, also known as Reed College, files with the FCC to transfer the student-run radio station of Reed College,
KRRC-FM, Portland, Oregon, to Common Frequency, a non-profit corporation founded to promote public participation in broadcasting, for no consideration. The college moved its programming to online-only in November.

USRN and Securenet Systems Partner.
Radio streaming and hosted services provider Securenet Systems signs a long-term marketing agreement with United Stations Radio Networks. USRN will begin offering Securenet System’s streaming services as part of its package of radio-centric products. Under the multi-year partnership, USRN will be able to offer to its existing radio clientele a bundled package of online and mobile streaming solutions and advertising features. The syndicator will handle all the ad sales and Securenet will be handling the affiliation work for bartered inventory. Securenet President and CEO Nick Csakany says, “Our partnership with USRN took some time in putting together, as there are only a handful of true network companies in the market and we wanted to make sure that we aligned ourselves with the best name in the business.” USRN President and COO Jim Higgins adds, “We’re really pleased to be working with Securenet Systems. This partnership gives us the ability to offer our affiliate stations one of the most flexible and reliable streaming solutions across all listener platforms.”

Martz Communications Quits Detroit.
Martz Communications has shut down its two Detroit stations, both of which were on FM translators, based on “financial decisions.” Martz has been operating Smooth Jazz “104.7 The Oasis” on W284BQ and Alternative Rock 94.3 The Bone” on W232CA. “All good things must come to an end,” posted the stations in identical messages on their respective
Facebook pages after they went silent. “We’re sorry to say that (The Oasis)(The Bone) has ceased operations today. Thanks for your support Detroit. You’re the best.” Both translators had faced interference complaints from regular FM stations on their frequencies. Tim Martz says he did his best to make the stations work, but has now accepted that they can’t continue, after unsuccessfully seeking alternate fequencies where there’d be no interference issues. Both translators were fed by HD multicast channels of WGPR-FM at 107.5 FM.

LFM Reportedly Making Cuts. Several reports say that Lincoln Financial Media is making cuts at a number of its radio stations, highlighted by pink slips in Miami where up to a dozen staffers may be out. There are also reports of staff cuts in Atlanta and Denver. So far, no confirmation from LFM, but reports from the markets say they are cost-cutting moves affect both on-air talent and office staffers.

FCC Reports Fewer Radio-TV Complaints for Q3 2011. The FCC reports the number of radio and television complaints it received was down for the third quarter of 2011. Complaints were up 10% overall, but radio and TV complaints decreased by more than 3% from 2,164 to 2,083 during Q3 2011. Indecency-related issues accounted for 26% of the broadcast complaints. Programming issues comprised the largest part of the broadcast complaints received.

CBS Radio and Merlin Media Both End Offending Slogans in New York.
The war of slogans between CBS Radio All News WINS-AM, New York, and crosstown Merlin Media “FM News 101.9″ WEMP-FM appears to be over. Following an exchange of cease-and-desist letters, both have moved away from the slogans that spurred the battle. WINS-AM has dropped “New York’s One and Only All-News Station” replacing it with “More people get their news from 1010 WINS than any other radio station in the nation.” Merlin has stopped using its variations of the WINS-AM trademark slogan “You Give Us 22 Minutes, We’ll Give You The World.” Is that the end of all battles between the two All News stations? No way, just this one … for now!

‘Soul Train’ Creator Don Cornelius Dead at 75.
The death of Don Cornelius death Wednesday at age 75 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound rocked the pop-culture world, and now reports show that the “Soul Train” creator and host had been battling health issues and marital strife for years. Los Angeles police said they arrived at his home Wednesday morning after receiving a call from one of his sons, who became worried after Cornelius called him. “He and his son had a conversation earlier and the son came over and found his father in that state,” said Officer Sara Faden. There was no suicide note. Although best known for his television work, Cornelius began in radio, and was a Chicago radio personality when Soul Train debuted in 1970. His early radio career started in late 1966.

”Sabotage” Added to 41 U.S. Radio Markets
6:00AM ET February 2nd, 2012
Contributor : Chris G.
A Rocky Williform Company

D.C. rapper Wale has the #1 most added record at Urban Radio thus far in 2012. The Maybach Music Group artist’s Miguel-assisted single “Sabotage” was successfully added into the rotation of 41 markets across the United States, including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, and New Orleans according to a recent press release.

Wale’s 2011 album Ambition remains in the Top 100.

The rapper is prepping two videos and is also currently on the second leg of his “Ambition Tour.” His single “Lotus Flower Bomb” recently reached the #1 spot in urban radio.

Emmis Borrows More for Preferred Stock Buyback. Emmis Communications has made the final of its four available draws borrowing from $35 million available from the Zell Credit Opportunities Master Fund, according to an SEC filing. The final $600,000 borrowed from Zell makes a total of $31.9 million drawn from the Note Purchase Agreement between the parties. Emmis has been buying back stock, seeking to controlling two-thirds of the vote of its preferred stock. Emmis most recently reacquired 25,700 shares of its 6.25% Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock at an average of $21.50/share, making a total of 386,850 Preferred shares bought back and retired.

Christal Radio Promotes Three.
Christal Radio announces the promotions in New York of Michael Blauner to SVP/Director of Sales and Becky Allegra to VP of Sales, and in Chicago of Renee Hartman to Senior Account Executive. Says Christal Radio President Christine Travaglini, “We are pleased to promote Michael to this new level of leadership in our New York office. His years of seasoned experience lend invaluable insight and guidance to our team. We’re also excited to see Becky and Renee reach new levels of responsibility. Both have made significant contributions to our company and we’re happy to see two such gifted and talented individuals continue to grow in our company.”

Lori Heeren Named VP/GM at Americom Reno.
Veteran CBS Radio sales executive Lori Heeren is named General Manager of Americom Broadcasting’s six Reno radio stations and VP of Reno Media Group. Heeren’s resume includes 14 years as Sales Manager and then Director of Sales for CBS Radio Las Vegas stations. Heeren started in radio sales with Lotus Broadcasting in Las Vegas in 1986 and worked for Americom from 1989-94, before moving to CBS Radio’s Seattle and Las Vegas clusters. She joined Beasley Broadcasting last year as Director of New Business Development.

Compass to Rep Courtside.
Compass Media Marketing signs an agreement to represent Norm Pattiz’s Courtside Entertainment Group programming as the syndicator’s national sales representative, effective March 26. Pattiz, the founder of Westwood One, says Dial Global will continue to “provide all of the back end for us, as they continue to do for Compass.” Dial Global, of course, has acquired the former Westwood One and placed it under its own banner. Pattiz says “it’s great to be reunited” with Compass CEO Peter Kosann and President of Sales and Marketing Paul Gregrey. We worked together at Westwood One and I’ve known them for years. There’s no doubt that Courtside will receive outstanding sales representation and services from Compass,” says Pattiz. Also, former Westwood Regional Director of Affiliate Sales Rich Rapiti will be coming on board with Courtside, handling East Coast Talk and news programming affiliate clearances.

Bill O’Reilly Takes ‘Talking Points’ Courtside The syndication of “Bill O’Reilly’s Talking Points” moves to Westwood One founder Norm Pattiz’s Courtside Entertainment Group. “Talking Points” is a short-form feature that O’Reilly has had syndicated by Westwood One, starting before and continuing after the end of his daily radio talk show. Pattiz says, “There’s only one Bill O’Reilly, and he’s exactly the kind of superstar personality we want here at Courtside Entertainment Group. We will of course continue to provide stations with Bill O’Reilly specials over the course of the year.” Pattiz worked with O’Reilly on the “Radio Town Hall” election special this past November.

Eddie Fingers Back On Cincinnati’s WLW-AM. Radio personality Eddie Fingers is returning to “The Big One” WLW-AM, Cincinnati, to co-host weekday afternoons with Tracy Jones. “We are excited to bring Eddie Fingers back to the Tri-state area on 700 WLW. Eddie has great energy and will prove to be a fantastic success as he is reunited with his dynamic co-host, Tracy Jones, for many highly anticipated, topical and entertaining afternoons,” says Clear Channel Media and Entertainment Cincinnati President and Market Manager Chuck Fredrick. Fingers left WLW-AM in October 2010 and Scott Sloan began co-hosting afternoons. Jones and Fingers’ show will be on from 3-6pm, and Sloan will move to 9am-noon. “Scott is a long-time on-air personality with an interesting take on news topics that has won him a devoted following, and we look forward to continued success with his new show,” says Fredrick. Eddie Fingers is a Cincinnati radio veteran and for more than 20 years co-hosted “The Dawn Patrol” morning show on WEBN-AM. He originally joined WLW-AM in 2009. Although Fredrick doesn’t mention it, reports from Cincinnati note that the changes at WLW-AM include the ouster of Doc Thompson who is replaced by Sloan in late mornings.

Portland’s ’750 The Game’ Brings Back Jim Rome. The syndicated Jim Rome show is returning to Alpha Broadcasting Sports Talk “750 The Game” KXTG-AM, Portland. Rome’s show was dropped last May when “The Game” was on 95.5 FM. With Rome’s return, Brian Berger moves to
noon-3pm from 10am-noon. Alpha Broadcasting Director of Programming Scott Mahalick says, “Rome’s national perspective is a compliment to our strong, local lineup.”

Brian Westbrook Joins Philadelphia’s ’97.5 The Fanatic’. Former Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook joins “97.5 The Fanatic” WPEN-FM, Philadelphia, as a regular football contributor, and will be heavily involved with the station’s coverage of the NFL draft, training camp and throughout the season starting in September. Says Program Director Matt Nahigian, “We are thrilled to have Brian with the Fanatic. Brian is one of those rare athletes who combined not only on field excellence but also that ability to connect with Philly fans in a very meaningful way. We all know Philadelphia lives and breathes football, so to have Brian with us year-round will enhance our football coverage.”

James VanOsdol Joins Steve Dahl’s Podcast Network. Another Chicago broadcaster is joining Steve Dahl’s subscription podcast network. James VanOsdol, the best known for his long run at the former “Q101″ WKQX-FM will host a monthly 45-minute interview show for The Steve Dahl Network, the online venture Dahl launched with his own daily podcast last August, reports Robert Feder at Time Out Chicago. VanOsdol follows Kevin Matthews, who came onboard with a weekly podcast in December and now hosts three shows a week for the network. All are included in the $9.95 monthly fee listeners already pay for unlimited access to the daily DahlCast and its archives.

Jeff Jacot Upped to Albuquerque Cluster OM. American General Media Albuquerque promotes Classic Hits “Big 98.5″ KABG-FM CHR-Top40 “OMG 106.7″ KDLW-FM Program Director Jeff Jacot to Operations Manager for the entire cluster there, which also includes Rhythmic CHR “Power 106″ KAGM-FM and Classical KHFM-FM. Jacot will continue as KABG-fm and KDLW-FM and as co-host of Jeff and Jamie in mornings on “OMG 106.7″. AGM Albuquerque President and Market Manager Rogers Brandon tells us, “Jeff is a trusted, dedicated and energetic leader who has earned the respect of his colleagues and will do an excellent job leading these stations.”

Entravision Promotes Donald Dabou to Station Manager. Entravision promotes General Sales Manager Donald Daboub to Station Manager overseeing the company’s radio, television and interactive media for Denver, Colorado Springs and Aspen. Daboub has been with Entravision since 2006.
“With Denver being one of our fastest-growing markets, we are constantly seeking to expand our offerings and strengthen our team to meet the needs of the community, as well as local and national advertisers who recognize the importance of connecting with Hispanic audiences,” says SVP of Spanish-Language Television Mario Carrera. “Don is a leader who has proven to be an immense asset to our team and we look forward to seeing him continue to thrive in his new role.”

SiriusXM Announces Super Bowl Coverage. SiriusXM Radio will broadcast Super Bowl XLVI in 10 languages, offering 13 different live broadcasts plus a wide mix of sports and entertainment programming from Indianapolis throughout Super Bowl Week. Starting now, SiriusXM NFL Radio will broadcast live every day from the NFL’s Radio Row in Indianapolis, as well as live from Media Day at Lucas Oil Stadium on Tuesday (Jan. 31). Along with English and Spanish, SiriusXM listeners will be able to hear the Super Bowl coverage in Chinese, Japanese, German, Hungarian, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch and French.

Jack Landreth Joins Entercom Kansas as KMBZ PD. News Talk “NewsRadio 98.1/980″ KMBZ-FM-AM, Kansas City, selects Jack Landreth as Program Director. Landreth’s experience in the format covers more than 16 years including Program Director at CBS Radio Las Vegas stations KXNT-FM and KSFN-AM. Entercom Kansas City VP and Market Manager Dave Alpert tells us, “We are very pleased to welcome Jack to Entercom Kansas City. Jack brings with him a wealth of experience and has a passion for the on air product and a passion for winning.” Says Landreth, “KMBZ is the premiere radio station in Kansas City, and I could not be more honored to work with such a great team of local, top notch broadcasters. My sincere gratitude goes out to Pat Paxton, Ken Beck, and of course Dave Alpert. My family and I look forward to coming back to the Midwest, and calling Kansas City our true home.”

Rapper Owes Over $100,000
6:00AM ET January 31st, 2012
Contributor : Martin James
A Rocky Williform Company

Rapper Bow Wow was revealed to owe the IRS more than $90,000 back in November 2011, but it appears the Young Money star is in more trouble than was reported previously. In what seems to be an ongoing problem for YMCMB artists, the rapper faces some serious tax issues.

TMZ reports that a new tax lien was filed on January 9 in Georgia, saying Bow Wow owes $15,279.62 for unpaid taxes from 2008 and another $19,700.91 from 2010.

Bow Wow owes a total of $126,086.14.

AFTRA Board Agrees to
Merger with SAG.
News that the AFTRA Board has approved the plan for merging with SAG came Saturday night, just about 24 hours after the first reports that the national board of the Screen Actors Guild had overwhelmingly approved the merger plan voting 87% to 13% in favor. The long-sought marriage of the two unions cleared another hurdle Saturday when the AFTRA Board endorsed the plan that includes a proposed constitution and dues payments. We previously reported that a committee of AFTRA and SAG reached an agreement for the two unions to merge. The proposed agreement then went to each union’s Board of Directors, after which it will now go for a vote of the membership.

Official: Mark Plotkin Out at DC’s WTOP-FM. After a number of reports that Mark Plotkin has been ousted from WTOP-FM, Washington DC, including some that said he was fired for cause, Hubbard Broadcasting has issued an official statement: “We are cancelling the ‘Friday Politics Program’ effective immediately. WTOP and Mark Plotkin are parting ways. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.” Recent reports, citing an item from the Washington Post, have claimed Plotkin has had disputes with others at WTOP that caused disruptions in the workplace. WTOP VP of News Jim Farley says Plotkin has exited the station “without rancor.”

’97.9 ESPN’ Debuts in Hartford. Clear Channel debuts “97.9 ESPN” WPKX-FM in the Hartford market, with the full national ESPN Radio lineup, although a local afternoon show is planned for the near future. The station, which moved from the Springfield, Massachusetts, market to the Hartford market, gives ESPN an FM signal audible at its Bristol, Connecticut, headquarters. The station re-licensed from Enfield, Connecticut, to Windsor Locks. “Connecticut is the center of the sports world with ESPN headquartered here in Bristol,” says Clear Channel VP and Market Manager Stephen Honeycomb. “For the first time, our listeners now have a full time FM sports station that is as passionate about sports as they are.”

Tony Banks Joins Clear Channel Fresno. Radio vet Tony Banks joins Clear Channel Fresno as Operations Manager for the nine station cluster there. He operates the Tony Banks production company providing voice over and production services. The Fresno cluster includes RhythmicCHR KBOS-FM, Hot AC KALZ-FM, AC KSOF-FM, Rhythmic AC KFBT-FM, Country KHGE-FM, Spanish Adult Hits KFSO-FM, and Sports Talk KCLB-AM. Banks has previously worked in New York, Providence, Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Melbourne and Miami.

Jack Landreth Joins Entercom Kansas as KMBZ PD. News Talk “NewsRadio 98.1/980″ KMBZ-FM-AM, Kansas City, selects Jack Landreth as Program Director. Landreth’s experience in the format covers more than 16 years including Program Director at CBS Radio Las Vegas stations KXNT-FM and KSFN-AM. Entercom Kansas City VP and Market Manager Dave Alpert tells us, “We are very pleased to welcome Jack to Entercom Kansas City. Jack brings with him a wealth of experience and has a passion for the on air product and a passion for winning.” Says Landreth, “KMBZ is the premiere radio station in Kansas City, and I could not be more honored to work with such a great team of local, top notch broadcasters. My sincere gratitude goes out to Pat Paxton, Ken Beck, and of course Dave Alpert. My family and I look forward to coming back to the Midwest, and calling Kansas City our true home.”

Geraldo Rivera Will Be in Los Angeles Monday. Geraldo Rivera will be in Los Angeles Monday (Jan. 30) for the debut of his new talk show there on KABC-AM. Gary Lycan writes for the Orange County Register that Geraldo will arrive in L.A. Sunday, to broadcast his first KABC-AM show “live and local.” Rivera’s second daily talk show, we’re told, will not be a refeed of his new New York show on WABC-AM, but a separate program exclusively for the L.A. station. “There is plenty to do out there. Los Angeles stories tend to be nationalized larger than life,” Rivera told Lycan in a recent phone conversation from New York. Geraldo started on WABC-AM on January 3, but delayed committing to a Los Angeles-only program until only two weeks ago. “The conversations we (Cumulus) had were initially, ‘Let’s wait and see whether this is working, if I am comfortable doing it.’ Let’s think about it. Did I want to resume my bi-coastal life.”

ACM Broadcast Nominations Announced. In a digital press conference via Twitter and Facebook, the Academy of Country Music announced the nominees for its 2012 Broadcast Awards. The ACM Awards will be broadcast live from Las Vegas, April 1, on CBS-TV. Some 25 Country radio stations, as well as many local and national on-air personalities have been nominated for the 47th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Winners will receive their trophies at a private event in Las Vegas one day prior to the televised awards show. TPMedia has the full listing of broadcast nominees, available here.

JR Named WNOK Columbia PD. Jonathan “JR” Reed is named Program Director at Clear Channel CHR-Top40 WNOK-FM, Columbia, SC, effective immediately. JR also remains WNOK’s Music Director and afternoon host. “JR has really been driving this boat since he arrived. Since he’s been at WNOK he’s done a terrific job helping to grow ratings,” says Clear Channel Columbia Regional Program Manager and Operations Manager LJ Smith. “He understands the audience and has a passion for them. Plus, he has a solid grasp on all the platforms we’re now programming across.” JR tells us, “I would like thank LJ Smith and Rod Phillips for believing in me and having the confidence in me to do the job at WNOK. 2011 was a really good year for me and WNOK, and 2012 is looking even better.”

Ponce Brothers Get WLS-AM Chicago Weekend Show. TV reporters Dan and Anthony Ponce have been named weekend co-hosts at News Talk WLS-AM, Chicago. The real life brothers will host a Sunday 1-3pm show. Dan is a reporter at Tribune’s WGN-TV; Anthony is a reporter at NBC’s WMAQ-TV. The Ponce brothers, the sons of Chicago news anchor Phil Ponce, have been doing fill-ins together at WLS-AM over the past year. They plan to use the Sunday radio show to “tell the story behind the story” and “give listeners a peek into the world of Chicago journalism.” They say they also want to hear listeners “opinions about the week’s biggest stories and how they’re covered.”

Multicultural Broadcasting Signs with Music of Your Life. Multicultural Broadcasting signs with the Music of Your Life network to air the satellite-delivered Adult Standards format overnights on 15 stations beginning February 1. Multicultural Broadcasting is best known for Asian language programming. Music of Your Life is initially cleared for overnights in San Francisco, Boston, Miami and Seattle, with more stations to be added. Marc Angell, who runs Music of Your Life, says the deal with Multicultural is the “most significant development for Music of Your Life since I took over the network in 2008.”

Simon Cowell Seeks Best Club DJ (Not Radio). Simon Cowell’s next reality competition series will seek the world’s best club DJ (but not radio). “DJ’s are the new rock stars, it feels like the right time to make this show,” says Cowell, who notes he won’t be a judge on the show. The upcoming series, still to be titled, is a co-production from Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and Will Smith/Jada Pinkett-Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment.

Kevin Klein to Be Clear Channel Birmingham DOS. Clear Channel hires Kevin Klein to be Director of Sales for its Birmingham cluster effective February 6. Klein previously has been Market Manager and Director of Sales for stations in Macon (Georgia), Topeka (Kansas) and Kansas City. Most recently he was Director of Sponsorship Development for the NBA Houston Rockets, and has held similar positions with the Portland Trailblazers and the Detroit Pistons. Klein replaces Jackie Rinker, who has been promoted to Market Manager of Clear Channel’s Panama City, Florida, cluster. “When I visited Clear Channel Birmingham I could feel the energy, positivity and winning spirit,” says Klein. “This cluster has been in quite a growth mode for the past several years, and I am eager to make my contributions.”

Premiere Brings Ronnie Wood Show to U.S. Premiere Networks will provide radio distribution and exclusive ad sales representation for “The Ronnie Wood Show” in North America. Launching January 29 on Rock “Q104.3″ WAXQ-FM, New York, the one-hour, UK-based radio program, which currently airs on Absolute Radio, is available to Rock stations on weekends from 6am to midnight. Produced by Somethin’ Else, the show features Ronnie Wood — who is best known as a member of the Birds, the Jeff Beck Group, the Faces and the Rolling Stones — playing a variety of music from his favorite new and established artists, while sharing personal stories from his music career. Says Wood, “I’m so excited to have my own radio show in America. I love going down the archives every week playing some of my favorite music of all time, while reminiscing and taking a trip down memory lane. It’s more than a music show, it’s an education, so sit back and enjoy the ride.”

Rep. Greg Walden Pushing Forward with FCC Reform Bill. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), Chairman of the House Communications Subcommittee, says he plans to go forward with legislation that would overhaul how the FCC operates. The bill reforming FCC processes will be marked up by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee February 7, says Walden, emphasizing that the FCC only has the authority that Congress gives it. “It’s beginning to feel like it’s another tool of the White House,” Walden said at a briefing for reporters. Walden said the legislation would improve transparency and openness at the FCC, but Democrats argue the measures are really about hamstringing the agency’s power to adopt new regulations and oversee corporate mergers. When asked whether he thinks the legislation has any chance of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate, Walden said, “I would hope that Senate would be supportive.”

Wendy Wild Joins Philadelphia’s ‘Mix 106.1′. Clear Channel Hot AC “Mix 106.1” WISX-FM, Philadelphia, welcomes Wendy Wild as its new midday host. Wild has previously aired in Miami and New York, and has been a guest host for syndicated countdown shows. Says “Mix 106.1” Program Director Brian Check, “Wendy brings a unique enthusiasm to our team. She loves the music, is really in touch with celebrities and music news, and in her free time she is a flying trapeze artist! How fun is that?” A postscript to our original report: we’ve now been told Wendy Wild will not be in Philly. She will voicetrack the show from New York where she continues as midday host at “KTU 103.5″ WKTU-FM.

”When I Take Shots At A Ni**a, They Gon’ Be Bleedin”’
3:00PM ET January 28th, 2012
Contributor : Martin James
A Rocky Williform Company

Rapper Alley Boy is now denying that he has any beef with fellow Atlanta hip hop stars Young Jeezy and T.I. With the release his track “I Want In,” Alley Boy seemed to have some hostility towards the two more famous rhymers from his city, but he claims he has no issue with either multi-platinum ATL star.

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“I did the ‘We Want In’ record,’ a lot of folks say its a shot at a ni**a man, but I don’t take shots man, when I take shots at a ni**a they gon’ be bleedin,’” Alley Boy told AllHipHop. “But at the end of the day, I say respect the way I feel about sh*t. I feel like f**k a ni**a, it’s my city, know what I’m saying?”

“Ain’t no bullsh*t in it, once I peep a ni**a character and I feel the ni**a aint real, I just go in on a ni**a, I dont give a f**k, its whatever, ni**as know what it is around the A,” Alley Boy added.

“You know man, it wasn’t no disrespect to none of the independent ni**as, you know what I’m saying, when I say what I say, its just for these bitch ass ni**as that be coming out here that don’t f**k with no street ni**as, they don’t f**k with no real ni**as, that was just my thing like, ni**a you needa f**k with a real nigga, or it is what it is, you get caught with the wrong person, you might get caught with the green light on you, so that was just me saying that,” he says.

Mac Miller, Leah Labelle Also Pictured With Stars
6:00AM ET January 27th, 2012
Contributor : Martin James
A Rocky Williform Company

Superproducer Pharrell Williams, upstarts Mac Miller and Kendrick Lamar, and legendary rhymer Busta Rhymes are working together. Though it isn’t yet known what they were recording, a star-studded quartet have been in the studio–and are keeping mum about exactly what they have coming up.

The foursome posted pictures on BBCleeCream of all of them in the studio, alongside singer Leah Labelle.

Labelle is recording her debut album with Williams and superproducer Jermaine Dupri. But the photo was enough to get the Web’s attention, with fans wondering what music could possibly come from such an interesting group.