RadioNewsWeb.com

December 2009 Personalities:
Michael Anderson - CEO, Austereo: Edward G. Atsinger III - CEO, Salem Communications, US; Hamish Blake - Hamish of Austereo "Hamish and Andy" drivetime show; Jonathon Brandmeier - former Chicago host- dropped by WLUP; Tom Casey - CFO & EVP-designate Clear Channel (Takes up post Jan 1, 2010); Chris Chapman - (2) - Chairman, Australian Communications and Media Authority; Michael J. Copps - Democrat US Federal Communications Commissioner; Steve Dahl - Veteran Chicago host - taken off air by CBS Dec 2008; Steven Dinetz - President and CEO, NextMedia (US); Chris Evans - (2) - British broadcaster and former radio mogul; John Gehron - Former General manager Harpo Radio; Ray Hadley -(2) - 2GB, Sydney, morning host; Jeff Haley- President and CEO, the Radio Advertising Bureau, US; Peter Harvie - (2) - executive chairman Austereo; Derryn Hinch - Melbourne 3AW Afternoon host; John Hogan - President and CEO, Clear Channel Radio; John Humphrys -BBC Radio 4 Breakfast show presenter; Alan Jones - (2) - Sydney 2GB breakfast host; Mel Karmazin -(2) - CEO Sirius XM Radio; Sarah Kennedy - (3) - BBC Radio 2 host; John Kempf - air name Byrd - WLUP-FM, Chicago, morning host; Andy Lee - Andy of Austereo "Hamish and Andy" drivetime show;; Alfred C. Liggins III - (2) - president and chief executive, Radio One Inc (US); Rush Limbaugh- conservative US talk-show host; Mark Mays - President and CEO, Clear Channel Communications; Randall T. Mays -president (EVP to Feb 2006) and chief financial officer, Clear Channel Media Holdings- to step down and become vice-chairman 2009; Randy Michaels - CEO and former COO Tribune Co.; Stephen Miron - chief executive, Global Radio; Neil Mitchell - Melbourne 3AW Morning host; Tony Moretta - Chief Executive, UK Digital Radio Development Bureau; Graham Mott - Group General Manager Radio, Fairfax Media, Australia; Chris Moyles - BBC Radio1 breakfast host; Marv Nyren - Emmis Chicago regional vice president and market manager; Jackie O -(3) - (Jackie O'Neil Henderson) - of Australian duo Kyle and Jackie O; Stu Olds - CEO, Katz Media Group; Prashant Panday - (2) Executive Director & CEO, Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), operators of Radio Mirchi; Bob (Sir Robert) Phillis- former chief executive, Guardian Media Group, UK- stepped down July 2006- and former BBC Deputy Director General (died from cancer); Steve Price - former Sydney 2UE morning host (quit station); Charlie Rahilly- President of Clear Channel Radio National Advertiser Platforms Group - formerly President Premiere Radio Networks; Jonathan Ross - British broadcaster; Kyle Sandilands - (3) - Kyle of Australian breakfast duo Kyle and Jackie O; Bob Shennan - (2) - Controller BBC Radio2 and 6 Music; John Singleton --majority shareholder in Macquarie radio network, Australia; Michael Skarzynski - President and CEO, Arbitron; Gordon H. Smith -President and CEO, US National Association of Broadcasters; Jeffrey H. Smulyan - Chairman, president, and CEO, Emmis Communications, US; Howard Stern - (2) - US shock jock; Farid Suleman -(2) - Chairman and CEO Citadel Broadcasting; Mark Thompson - BBC Director General; Joan Warner - (3) - CEO, industry body Commercial Radio Australia; (Sir) Terry Wogan - (3) - former BBC Radio 2 breakfast host-to host Sunday show in 2010; Sam Zell - Tribune Company chairman (formerly also CEO);

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of stories involving an individual mentioned more than once

December 2009 Archive

Prime Radio Stations
Streams are
Real Audio in
most cases: Some have Windows Media as well.

Radiofeeds UK -for comprehensive list of UK broadcast radio stations on the Internet

ABC, Australia
Streams list:
Radio Australia
News stream

ABC, Anerica
(Links to audio)
BBC:

World Service:
(Links to audio services)
UK -Radio 1:
UK -Radio 2 :
UK Radio 3:
UK--Radio 4:
UK Radio Five Live:

BBC Where I L
ive (for local stations):
Radio 1 stream:
Radio 2 Stream:
Radio 3 stream:
Radio 4 stream (FM)
:
Radio 4 stream (AM):
Radio 5 stream:


CBC,Canada
Links to audio streams:

Hourly newscast:

US National Public RNW commenRadio
:
News

Voice of America
:
Audio News reports:

WORLD RADIO NETWORK (listeners area has on-demand audio reports from various broadcasters from round the world)

Music Streams
(Classical):
King (US)
RTE Lyric FM (Ireland):



E-Mail us
Note- In view of the numbers of viruses, worms etc now proliferating, we automatically delete messages with attachments unless these have been sent by prior agreement.
We never send out replies with attachments except by prior agreement.
We also tend to automatically delete e-mails from unknown sources without a title that specifically ties in to a subject we can recognize.


-November 2009 - January 2010 -
Links- internally where there are follow-up stories we try, at the end of each story, to put a pertinent link to the top of the previous relevant story. Regarding external links see note at end of page.


2009-12-31: Honolulu station KITV reports that Conservative US radio host Rush Limbaugh was taken to a Honolulu hospital on Wednesday afternoon with chest pains and is at at Queen's Medical Center in serious condition.
The station said paramedics, who were called to the Kahala Hotel and Resort, treated him for chest pains according to its sources, who said he would remain in the hospital overnight.
Later Limbaugh's web site posted a notice that said, "ALERT: Rush was admitted to a Honolulu hospital today and is resting comfortably after suffering chest pains. Rush appreciates your prayers and well wishes. He will keep you updated via RushLimbaugh.com and on Thursday's radio program."
Limbaugh is currently on a holiday that began on Dec. 23 and is due to last through Jan. 4.
Thursday PM Update: A posting on Limbaugh's web site from stand-in host Walter. E. Williams says, "Rush continues to rest very comfortably in the hospital in Honolulu this afternoon. Actually, it's morning out there. He had a comfortable night's rest and is getting good medical attention. Yesterday... Let me go back a little bit. Yesterday, Wednesday, he was taken to a hospital in Honolulu after complaining of chest pains. Those pains were the kind of pains that makes one feel like he has a heart attack coming on, but it's not been confirmed that it was a heart attack. "
Williams then goes on to say that today "he'll have a complete examination and we'll know more. And we'll keep everyone informed when there's information to share. We just don't have a lot of information to share right now. Know this, though: Rush is in good and stable condition, comfortable -- as comfortable as one can be in a hospital while on vacation -- and he's in good hands."
Previous Limbaugh:
KITV report:
Limbaugh web site:

2009-12-31: Crime writer and former BBC Governor P.D. James (Baroness Games), the guest editor for the BBC Radio 4 "Today" breakfast show on Thursday took full advantage of the chance to give the corporation's Director-General Mark Thompson a grilling about the state of the Corporation.
She referred to the BBC as like a "large and unwieldy ship" with a crew "that was somewhat discontented and a little mutinous, the ship sinking close to the Plimsoll line and the customers feeling they have paid too much for their journey and not quite sure where they are going or who is the captain" and also took up the cudgels about the pay of BBC top management.
Figures recently made public showed that 37 BBC management executives - a figure that does not include on-air talent - received more than the UK Prime Minister's salary of GBP 198,000 (USD 320,000) with Thompson himself paid GBP 834,000 (USD 1.35 million), 17 times the average for a BBC employee and James pushed him to defend the difference.
Thompson defended the pay on the basis that most of the BBC top earners could make more in the commercial sector and said that the Corporation was still losing key staff to commercial broadcasters who continued to "pay top dollar."
Another topic that James pushed him about was the BBC's bureaucracy, commenting at one part of the exchange, "You have a director of marketing, communications and audiences who gets over GBP 300,000 (USD 485,000), then there is a director of communications. Well, I thought that's what the previous director was doing, and he gets GBP 225,000 (USD 364,000). One wonders what actually is going on here?"
On this Thompson admitted that there was a real issue but said that the BBC was trying to cut down on its overheads and added that people expected the BBC to respond to their issues, something that took resources.
The BBC has been developing a tradition of guest editors for the programme over the Christmas to New Year period (From last Monday to December 2 this year) and this year's guest editors are the President of the Royal Society and Astronomer Royal Martin Rees; artist David Hockney; former England and Arsenal captain and football manager Tony Adams; James; musician Robert Wyatt; and politician Shirley Williams.
Previous BBC:
Previous Thompson:

2009-12-31: Indian Direct to Home broadcasters Airtel DTH, which had provided ten WorldSpace radio services to its subscribers, is to replace them with Air India Radio (AIR) channels after the WorldSpace programming ends at midnight tonight.
India, with around 450,000 had accounted for some 95% of WorldSpace's worldwide subscription base, and more than half the subscribers took the service through the Airtel DTH pay-TV package-it charged INR 10 (USD 0.2) a month for the radio service to those who took its lower-priced packages and made them available free to those who took its packages costing INR 200 (USD 4.3) a month or above.
In comparison with the INR 120 (USD 2.5) a year for the service through Airtel, WorldSpace's own service provided 40 channels for INR 2,000 (USD 43) a year. Indian operations had continued following the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of the US Parent and there was speculation that Liberty Media, which through a subsidiary, bought WorldSpace's assets might use them to take the Sirius-XM service international and hope that it might keep the Indian operations going: Liberty had provided a USD 530 million loan that kept Sirius-XM out of bankruptcy and gained a 40% share in the company (See RNW Feb 17).
The announcement that WorldSpace was closing its Indian operations said that the potential buyer of much of WorldSpace's global assets has decided not to buy the WorldSpace assets relating to and supporting WorldSpace's subscription business in India, thus meaning it had no option but to close down.
Previous AIR:
Previous Liberty Media:
Previous Sirius-XM:
Previous WorldSpace:

2009-12-30: The Save WCAL body set up to oppose the USD 11.8 million sale by St Olaf College of its Northfield, Minnesota, public radio station WCAL-FM ( founded in 1922 and the first first listener-supported radio station in the US) to Minnesota Public Radio (MPR - See RNW Nov 21, 2004) and restore classical music to the frequency appears to have finally lost its fight.
MPR has since converted the station to "89.3 The Current" airing what it calls a "diverse mix of music for listeners who have grown up in the digital generation (See RNW Dec 19, 2004).
Save WCAL had called for a voiding of the sale (See RNW June 6, 2008) but the Minnesota Court of Appeals has now ruled that it had taken too long to file its suit and that the sale could not be reversed.
A District Court had already ruled that the sale could not be reversed following the filing in Sept last year by Save WCAL in which it petitioned "to redress a breach of a charitable trust", arguing that individual and corporate donors contributed millions of dollars to support WCAL and that those donations were for a charitable purpose: ?the operation and perpetuation of a public radio station and that the act of making those donations created a charitable trust under Minnesota law. WCAL called wither for the sale to be voided or a judgment that the sale did not terminate the ?WCAL Charitable Trust" and that the assets of the trust included the current value of the USD 10.5 million cash payment received from MPR, the current value of the USD 2.96 million WCAL endowment, and the Skifter Building (in which the stations studio and offices were located).
The District Court had rejected this argument and the appeals court ruled that its decision was legally sound and commented that to reverse the ruling at this late stage would cause damage to innocent parties including St Olaf's students and MPR.
It did not accept arguments of "unclear-hands" put forward by Save WCAL as part of its case but the ruling cast doubt on the honesty of the dealings, noting amongst other things that St. Olaf represented to the district court that it had obtained the consent of living donors to withdraw USD 1.6 million from the WCAL endowment between November 2004 and December 2006 and that therefore there were no longer any restrictions on the use of those donations but that the senior regent, whose gift was valued at USD1 million, denied this representation in a letter submitted to the court, in which he declared that St. Olaf had never contacted him about withdrawal of his gift and had not obtained his consent.
WCAL on its web site noted that the ruling was made on the basis of failure to file a timely challenge and added that "The Court did not discuss any of the merits of the substantive issues of the case" and said "SaveWCAL did not have the financial resources to challenge the transaction between St. Olaf College and Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) at an earlier time."
It later commented, "WCAL donors were believers who had faith that future listeners would continue to be blessed by a radio station that lasted longer than their own earthly lives. When St. Olaf College promised that their donations would support WCAL 'for generations to come' they believed that this church-affiliated college would never betray their trust.
St Olaf College in a brief entry on its web site did not comment on specific allegations made about its dealing but noted the decisions of the District Court that it said "ruled that SaveWCAL had no real legal standing to bring such a suit in the first place, that too much time had passed in any case, and that the substance of the complaint had no merit."
It added that the judge had "rejected SaveWCAL's arguments that St. Olaf and MPR had acted improperly in arranging the sale and that St. Olaf had violated a charitable trust that supposedly had been created by listener donations to operate the station, concluding that no such trust existed."
RNW Comment: For a church institution the college seems to have a problem distinguishing between what is legal and what is honourable. To us, after going through the whole ruling, it does seem that the legal case may have been won but not necessarily the case in what Save WCALterms the "court of public opinion."
Previous MPR:
Minnesota Appeals Court ruling (21 Page 140kb PDF):
St Olaf report on ruling:
Save WCAL report:
Save WCAL "summary of facts" in the ruling:

2009-12-30: Former Massachusetts radio host and investment adviser Gregg Rennie intends to plead guilty to charges of stealing more than USD 3 million from clients according to the Brockton Patriot Ledger, which cites a court filing by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dowden although it adds that Rennie's attorney, William Cintolo of Boston, said he has not seen a copy of the plea agreement.
Rennie hosted a financial-advice show on four Massachusetts radio stations and is alleged to have defrauded clients by selling them bogus "federal housing certificates" that promised a guaranteed rate of return.
Prosecutors said the scheme started late in 2007 and continued until January this year and Rennie allegedly used the money to pay personal expenses and a contractor on a failed Quincy condo project, The Residences at Blue Hills Edge.
Rennie has already been charged with fraud by the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the same matter and in May, a federal judge fined him USD 500,000 and ordered him to pay back his clients' funds.
News-Patriot report:

2009-12-30: Clear Channel Communications has announced that Robert H. Walls, Jr. is to join it as Executive Vice President and General Counsel from the start of the New Year.
Walls joins Clear Channel from Post Oak Energy Capital, a private equity firm dedicated to investing equity and debt in energy and energy service companies, where he is a Managing Director and a founding partner. He was previously Executive Vice-President and General Counsel at Enron Corp.
Walls will report to Clear Channel Communications President and CEO Mark Mays who said in a release, "Rob is a seasoned legal professional who has the breadth and depth of experience required to lead Clear Channel's legal affairs. I am delighted to welcome Rob to the senior executive team and look forward to having the benefit of his counsel and expertise."
In addition Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. has also closed its USD 2.5 billion in notes from its wholly owned subsidiary Clear Channel Worldwide Holdings Inc.- USD 500 million in Series A senior notes due in 2017 and USD 2 billion Series B senior notes due in 2017 (See RNW Dec 18). The proceeds will be used to repay USD 2 billion owed to Clear Channel Communications Inc.
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Mark Mays:

2009-12-29: WorldSpace India has now formally confirmed to its subscribers that it is to end its service from India at the end of the year with a notice and e-mail to subscribers that indicates that Liberty Media has opted not to pursue a subscription service in the country: A notice posted on its web site says the action "is an outgrowth of the financial difficulties facing WorldSpace India's parent company, WorldSpace, Inc., which has been under bankruptcy protection since October 2008" and goes on to say, "The potential buyer of much of WorldSpace's global assets has decided not to buy the WorldSpace assets relating to and supporting WorldSpace's subscription business in India."
It then goes on to say that as a result it has to end is subscriber business in India and notes that subscription contracts are "with WorldSpace, Inc., a US company that is in a bankruptcy proceeding in the United States."
"The company," it says, "recognizes that you may have paid for services to be rendered beyond the termination date, but is not in a position to offer a refund for any unused portion of your subscription."
It then goes on to say that subscribers may have a claim under US bankruptcy law under procedures intended to protect creditors of the bankrupt company and adds that some time early next year a "claim servicing company will send notice to all creditors listed by the company."
To ensure that subscribers receive this notice it advises subscribers to send their details by mail or e-mail to Rakesh Raghavan at WorldSpace, Inc. headquarters in the United States.
Liberty Media rescued US satellite radio operator Sirius-XM from a possible bankruptcy filing earlier this year with a loan of USD 520 million for which it gained a 40% stake in the satellite radio company (See RNW Feb 17) and later through its subsidiary Liberty Satellite Radio bought WorldSpace debt (See RNW Nov 12) leading to speculation that it was to use WorldSpace assets to enable Sirius-XM to go international.
The collapse has led some of the company's subscribers in India - in all it had around 150,000 subscribers in the country, many of them taking the service through AirTel's direct-to-home platform - to call for a local entrepreneur to continue the service.
Previous Liberty Media:
Previous Sirius-XM:
Previous WorldSpace:

2009-12-29: British actor, comic, writer and DJ Tom Binns has been dropped by English Midlands broadcaster Orion Media after he pulled the plug on this year's Queen's speech, describing it on air as in "Two words: Bor-ing."
The company's programme and marketing director David Lloyd said of the decisions, "On Christmas Day, one of our presenters, Tom Binns, made some inappropriate comments surrounding the Queen's speech. We do not condone what he said in any way; whether said in jest or not. We are making contact with the small number of listeners who were offended by Tom's comments and have complained to us to convey our apologies, and have also apologised on air.
"Tom will now not be featuring again on our radio stations."
The speech was not meant to be aired by Orion's stations, which were to have taken the news from Sky before going into Binns' show. He was on his own hosting the show from BRMB in Birmingham and told the comedy website Chortle, "Instead of the news, we got the Queen's speech. I knew it shouldn't be there, but having never heard it before, I didn't know how long it was going to go on for. I'm not trained to make editorial decisions, but I decided to get rid of it and make a joke. I said, 'Two words: bor-ring.'"
"I then went into an old riff about how people say the royal family are good for tourism, but the French beheaded theirs and people still visit France. The next record was George Michael's Last Christmas, so I made some sort of comment about "going from one Queen to another" as a parody of a cheesy DJ."
Binns said that one man "got really angry" and sent a message "saying I should be sent to Basra and hoped I'd get killed by a roadside bomb."
He added, "That was so nasty it really got to me, given that it was Christmas and I've seen in graphic detail the effects those bombs can do as I've worked with [forces' radio] BFBS."
Most texts he added were in support of what he'd done and he commented, "Nobody would have tuned in to hear the Queen's speech; and I tried to deal with it in a funny way. After all, they employ comedians to make jokes. But it seems a knee-jerk reaction to fire me. Broadcasters are scared to death of regulators since the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand affair, and even though only a very few listeners objected to what I'd said, that was enough."(Brand lost his BBC Radio 2 Show and Ross was suspended by the BBC after leaving crude remarks about his grandaughter on actor Andrew Sachs' phone last year - See RNW Oct 29, 2008)
Binns was fired from GCap Media's London station XFM in 1999 after he used "coarse sexual innuendo" in a discussion of bestiality on his breakfast show, landing the station with a then-maximum GBP 50,000 fine (Then USD 90,000) from the then regulator The Radio Authority (It also imposed the same penalty on EMAP's Hallam FM over descriptions of paedophilia and the condoning of rape in two late-night discussions (See RNW Dec 15, 1999).
(RNW Note: Current regulator Ofcom took over from five regulators including the Broadcasting Standards Commission (which had no power to levy fines) and the Radio Authority at the end of 2003).
The Birmingham Evening Mail on its website asked readers of its report about Binns' dismissal to comment on whether he should have been fired: Nearly two out of three responses said he should not.
Previous Orion Media:
Birmingham Evening Mail report:

Chortle report:
2009-12-28: Tributes from President Obama down have been paid to US civil rights attorney, politician and businessman Percy Sutton, who has died aged 89. Amongst his activities he co-founded Inner City Broadcasting, which developed from the purchase of WLIB-AM with his brother Oliver and other African-American shareholders in 1971: He later added WBLS-FM and then other stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit and San Antonio between 1978 and 1985.
Sutton was born in San Antonio, Texas, in November 1920, and was the youngest of 15 children of Samuel ("S.J.") Sutton and Lillian Sutton. His father, who had been born into slavery, became the principal of a segregated high school in San Antonio and also a successful businessman who put all his children through college.
The adventurous Percy ran away from home and stowed away on a passenger train to New York City: He also became a civil rights activist whilst young and took up stunt-flying. In the Second World War he was an intelligence officer with the Tuskegee Airmen - the African American pilots who flew as the 332nd Fighter Group of the U.S. Army Air Forces.
During the 1960's and 70's he was one of America's best-known lawyers, representing amongst others the late Malcolm X and was also prominent in politics from his Harlem base with allies who included New York City Mayor David Dinkins, U.S. Representative Charles Rangel, and New York Secretary of State Basil Paterson - whose son David became New York Governor in 2008.
Governor Paterson in a statement termed Sutton "one of New York's and this nation's most influential African-American leaders - a man whom I am proud to have called a friend and mentor throughout my entire career" and added, "Percy Sutton was a trailblazer. He began his career as a prominent lawyer for Malcolm X and then took Harlem by storm as a leader of the Harlem Clubhouse where he launched not only his own successful political career but, as a member of the Gang of Four, spawned the successful careers of so many other African-American leaders. It was Percy Sutton who talked me into running for office and who has continued to serve as one of my most valued advisors ever since."
President Obama termed Sutton "a true hero to African Americans in New York City and around the country" and added, "We will remember him for his service to the country as a Tuskegee Airman, to New York State as a state assemblyman, to New York City as Manhattan Borough President, and to the community of Harlem in leading the effort to revitalize the world renowned Apollo Theater. His life-long dedication to the fight for civil rights and his career as an entrepreneur and public servant made the rise of countless young African Americans possible."
Representative Rangel said that Sutton was "a mentor and inspiration to me and to generations of Americans, young and old, in and out of our village of Harlem" who had throughout his life "defied stereotypes and limits that others attempted to place on him."
The Rev. Jesse Jackson in a tribute in Essence.com said he had "known Percy Sutton for more than 45 years. He was renaissance man; a gentle man, scholarly, tough, a social transformer; a very bright man. But he was always warm and approachable" and added that his legacy "will be political, economic and cultural empowerment. He laid the groundwork for black radio ownership, the groundwork for cable ownership."
Previous Inner City:
Essence.com - Jackson on Sutton:

2009-12-28: The Smooth Jazz format has lost two stations in the US with flips of Riviera Broadcast Group's KOAS-FM, Las Vegas, to rhythmic AC and Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting's WNWV-FM, Cleveland, to adult alternative although its smooth jazz "Wave" format is being kept on the station's HD channel.
KOAS-FM has retained its "The Oasis" name but The Wave has become "Boom 107.3".
The Wave's web site is still up and running with a note, "Going…and Coming" that says the station has moved to HD and then saying, "After more than 20 years of providing smooth jazz to Northeast Ohio, we're unable to sustain the format any longer due to a change in Ratings Service methodology."
The move to Portable People Meter (PPM) ratings it adds has meant lower ratings and "Consequently, we cannot sustain the overhead associated with bringing you the music you love."
The statement then goes on to add that "In place of The WAVE, we've produced a new, fresh and wholly 'Cleveland' adult-alternative station…107.3 Boom! The music is new, and classic, and in many cases hasn't had a fair play in Cleveland for many years. It's put together with a fresher presentation as well."
In another format flip, Clear Channel's Urban KATZ-FM, St Louis, has become Alternative as "100.3 The Sound" (Modern Music for St Louis) with new call letters WSDD-FM. The KATZ site re-directs to a Soundsstl web site which promote the station under the slogan, "New Year New Station New Sound"
Previous Clear Channel:
100.2 The Sound web site:
The Oasis web site:
WWNV- Boom" - web site:
WWNV - The WAVE - web site:

2009-12-27: In a week truncated by holidays, the regulators produced a steady flow of radio-related postings last week with the exception of Ireland where there were no new postings from the Broadcasting Association of Ireland (BAI).
In Australia the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which is now on a break until January 4, has made a new FM frequency (107.9 MHz ) available to Canberra community service 1CMS to improve reception of the service in the Tuggeranong area following a request from the licensee Ethnic Broadcasters' Council of the ACT Inc. to be allowed to establish a translator service at Tuggeranong Hill.
The ACMA in approving the request noted that the topography of the Canberra region, most notably Mount Taylor and Tuggeranong Hill, restricts the carriage of FM signals from North Canberra to Tuggeranong: To permit the change, the ACMA also moved Williamsdale community service 2QBN to 107.5 MHz.
Also in Canberra the ACMA also changed the specifications of a high power open narrowcasting service planned to operate on 1323 kHz on the AM band following a request from the licensee, ANC International Holdings Pty Ltd, that the ACMA consider the relocation of its transmitter site and modify the radiation pattern in order to enable commencement of this service.
In another posting the ACMA found that 4EL-AM, Cairns, Queensland, breached Australia's commercial radio advertising standard during the John Mackenzie Show by failing to present advertising in a manner clearly distinguishable from other programme material.
The ACMA had investigated an interview between Mackenzie and the managing director of a development company, which had paid for the broadcast, and found that "there was a reasonable basis to conclude that the substantial purpose of the interview was to promote the developer's new housing development " and thus "crossed the line" from interview to paid advertising.
Licensee Prime Radio (Cairns-AM) Pty Ltd. has in response to the finding implemented a policy to broadcast explicit statements, such as "this has been a paid presentation on behalf of…" to acknowledge all paid appearances.
In view of this and a current evaluation by the ACMA of the technique of the 'live interview' advertisement as part of its current review of the commercial radio standards, the agency said that it would take no further action: It noted that release of its Issues paper relating to that review is imminent.
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) had a fairly quiet week in the run up to a break lasting to January 5: Radio-related postings included:
Renewal of licences of the following transitional digital radio programming undertakings listed below from 1 January 2010 to 31 August 2011:
British Columbia:
Astral Media Radio G.P.'s CKZZ-DR-2, Vancouver, and CISL-DR-2, Richmond.
Corus Radio Company's CHMJ-DR-2, Vancouver.
Rogers Broadcasting Limited's CKLG-DR-1, Vancouver, (formerly CKKS-DR-1); CKWX-DR-2, Vancouver; and CFUN-DR-1, Vancouver, (formerly CKCL-DR-1).
Ontario:
Astral Media Radio G.P.'s CFRB-DR-2, Toronto; CKFM-DR-1, Toronto; and CJEZ-DR-1, Toronto.
CIRC Radio Inc.'s CIRV-DR-1, Toronto.
CJRT-FM Inc.'s CJRT-DR-1, Toronto.
CKMW Radio Ltd.'s CIAO-DR-2, Toronto.
Corus Radio Company's CFNY-DR-1, Brampton.
CTV Limited's CHUM-DR-1, Toronto, and CHUM-DR-2, Toronto.
MZ Media Inc.'s CFMZ-DR-1, Toronto.
Radio 1540 Limited's CHIN-DR-1, Toronto; and CHIN-DR-2, Toronto.
Rogers Broadcasting Limited's CFTR-DR-2, Toronto; CHFI-DR-2, Toronto; CJCL-DR-2, Toronto; and CKIS-DR-1, Toronto, (formerly CJAQ-DR-1).
Quebec:
591991 B.C. Ltd.'s CKAC-DR-2, Montréal.
Astral Media Radio G.P.'s CKMF-DR-1, Montréal and CHOM-DR-1, Montréal.
Astral Media Radio Inc.'s CITE-DR-1, Montréal.
CTV Limited's CKGM-DR-2, Montréal.
The CRTC also noted that the licences of the following transitional digital radio programming undertakings will lapse if they are not operating as of 31 December 2009.
British Columbia:
Corus Premium Television Ltd.'s CKNW-DR-2, New Westminster and CFMI-DR-2, New Westminster.
Corus Radio Company's CFOX-DR-1, Vancouver.
CTV Limited's CFTE-DR-2, Vancouver, (formerly CFUN-DR-2) and CHQM-DR-1, Vancouver.
Ontario:
Corus Premium Television Ltd. CFMJ-DR-2, Toronto, and CILQ-DR-1, North York.
CTV Limited's CIDR-DR-1, Windsor; CIMX-DR-1, Windsor; CKLW-DR-2, Windsor; and CKWW-DR-2, Windsor.
Trafalgar Broadcasting Limited's CJMR-DR-2, Mississauga and CJYE-DR-2, Oakville.
Quebec:
591991 B.C. Ltd.'s CJRC-DR-2, Gatineau.
Analogue licensing decisions included:
Quebec:
*Approval of transmitter relocation, increase in antenna height, change to a directional transmitter and power increase from 22 to 89 watts for Astral Media Radio Inc.'s CIMO-FM, Sherbrooke, which rebroadcasts the programming of CIMO-FM, Magog. The licensee indicated that the change, which changes the status of the transmitter from a low-power unprotected transmitter to that of a protected Class A transmitter, was needed to improve the signal quality within the transmitter's authorized contours and to optimize its usage of the 106.9 MHz frequency.
*Short-term licence renewal from 1 January 2010 to 31 August 2013 of Radio Sept-Îles inc.'s French-language commercial station CKCN-FM, Sept-Îles: The CRTC noted that the short-term renewal will allow it to review the licensee's compliance with regulatory requirements and its conditions of licence in relation to the provision of annual reports for the broadcast years 2005 to 2008 inclusively; contributions to CTD for the broadcast years 2005, 2006 and 2007; and a second consecutive instance of non-compliance - at its licence renewal in 2005 the station had been found to be non-compliant with regard to the broadcast of French-language vocal music.
The CRTC also approved in part proposals from Astral Media Radio G.P. to amend the schedule and amount of payments made for Canadian content development (CCD) so as to address a shortfall in CCD contributions for the 2008 broadcast year. The Commission required Astral to expend CAD 750,000 (USD 719,000) on CCD, allocated as proposed in its application and adds that it must expend this amount immediately and in any event no later than 31 August 2010 rather than over seven years as Astral had proposed..
Astral indicated that, through a good faith error related to a misunderstanding of when the condition of licence set out above came into force, it had underpaid its CCD contribution for the 2008 broadcast year by an estimated USD 659,000 (USD 632,000).
Astral is proposing to devote CAD 450,000 (USD 431,000) - 60% - to MUSICACTION and CAD 300,000 (USD 288,000) - 40% - to the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC), whose primary goal of the CRFC, under its current structure and financing, is to support the campus and community radio sector through the financing of various types of projects and whose current terms allow no more than 20% of funds received up to CAD 200,000 (USD 192,000) and 5% of funds above this level to be spent on administration.
The CRTC noted that in this case the CRFC had requested that it be allowed to spend all the amount it receives for administrative purposes, which would require an exception to its normal terms and regarding this added that it will consider matters related to the funding of the CRFC as part of its review of campus and community radio that will include a public hearing beginning 18 January 2010.
The CRTC also posted notice of a consultation with a January 20 deadline for the submission of interventions or comments concerning various renewal applications where the licensees may have failed to comply with their licence conditions.
Stations involved are:
Manitoba:
*Newcap Inc.'s commercial specialty station CHNK-FM, Winnipeg. The licensee wants to delete various conditions of licence relating to operating with a specialty format and percentage of Canadian musical selections and the Commission notes that the station may have failed to comply with licence conditions relating to Canadian music content.
The CRTC also notes that logger tapes provided to it for the monitoring of a broadcast week were short of a total of 8 hours of programming and that the station, whose licence was granted to CKNV Radiolink System Inc. in 2002 and taken over by Newcap in November 2005 may have failed to make required CTD payments for the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 broadcast years.
Ontario:
*Sound of Faith Broadcasting's English-language commercial specialty CHJX-FM, London: The CRTC notes that the licensee may have breached licence conditions relating to the filing of annual returns for the broadcast years 2006, 2007 and 2008and also may have failed to comply with its condition of licence relating to CTD contributions for the 2007 and 2008 broadcast years. In a letter dated 28 September 2009, the licensee also indicated that it had incurred a CTD expenditure shortfall for the 2009 broadcast year, which represents an apparent non-compliance with its CTD condition of licence.
The CRTC notes that in February this year it approved a Sound of Faith Broadcasting application for a licence to operate a new FM radio station in London to replace the low-power station CHJX-FM and that this was approved subject to the provision of proof of its payment of CTD initiatives and a breakdown of the payments made and initiatives sponsored with the payments. Documents relating to this were supplied in April and will form part of the assessment of the station's renewal application.
*Way of Life Broadcasting's English-language commercial station CJIV-FM, Dryden. The CRTC says the station may have failed to comply with licence conditions relating to CTD contributions for the 2004 broadcasting year.
In addition the licensee proposes to broadcast 1 hour and 30 minutes of local programming each week and notes that other than weather and community bulletin board announcements, no programming is produced locally and exclusively for CJIV. The CRTC says it intends to review the licensee's plans relating to the production of local programming.
*Rogers Broadcasting Limited's commercial station CIKZ-FM, Kitchener, that the CRTC says may have failed to comply with conditions of licence relating to CTD contributions for the 2007 and 2008 broadcast years.
The CRTC also noted that the licensee proposes to continue to devote a minimum of 40% of its selections from content category 2 (Popular Music) over the broadcast week to Canadian musical selections broadcast in their entirety and no longer wishes to continue with its exception to requirements of a minimum 35% of such selections.
Quebec:
*RNC Media Inc.'s commercial French-language specialty station CKLX-FM, Montréal, which according the CRTC has two years payments outstanding, each of CAD 200,000 (USD 192,000), from seven required Canadian Content Development (CTD) payments: In view of financial problems the station is proposing that the outstanding sum be paid in seven annual instalments of CAD 57,000 (USD 55,000) a year over the seven years of its next licence term.
In the interim, the licensee seeks an exception to regulations relating to CTD until such time as its total CTD contribution has been allocated.
*Diffusion Laval inc.'s French-language commercial station CFAV-AM, Laval, that the CRTC says may have failed to comply with regulations relating to CTD contributions for the 2004, 2005 and 2006 broadcast years and filing of annual returns in the 2004 and 2005 broadcast years.
In addition the licensee is proposing deletion of a licence condition relation to the airing of Canadian musical selections.
Yukon:
*Robert G. Hopkins's English-language commercial low-power radio programming undertaking CFET-FM, Tagish. The CRTC noted that the station may have failed to comply with regulations relating to the provision of annual returns for the broadcast years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 and also conditions of licence relating to CTD contributions for the same broadcast years. In a letter dated 21 October 2009, the licensee also indicated that its 2009 CTD contribution was paid following the 2009 broadcast year, which represents an apparent non-compliance with its CTD condition of licence.
In addition the CRTC notes that the licensee was authorized to operate a local programming service with 44 hours of local programming in each broadcast week but appears to have failed to broadcast any local programming since April 2006. Instead, CFET-FM has rebroadcast the programming of English-language commercial radio station CFMI-FM, New Westminster, British Columbia.
The CRTC says it intends to review the licensee's plans relating to the production of local programming.
As already noted here were no radio postings from Ireland and in the UK Ofcom's only radio posting was of its latest Broadcast Bulletin in which it upheld one radio complaints (See RNW Dec 22).
In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has again on its own initiative extended the deadline for various groups to file for waivers to media cross-ownership rules (See RNW Dec 24) and also suspended its biennial Form 323 deadlines (See RNW Dec 23).
It also proposed a USD 10,000 penalty on an Alaskan station for operating at variance to its licence conditions (Also Dec 23).
In contested licensing decisions the agency rejected a petition filed on behalf of Fern Creek Traditional High School Alumni Association asking it to rescind Brycc House, Inc.'s construction permit for WXBH-LP, Louisville, Kentucky. The decision supersedes a similar staff action last month (See RNW Licence News Nov 29).
Previous ACMA:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous Licence News:
Previous Ofcom:
ACMA web site:

CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
Ofcom web site:

2009-12-26: The Indian radio industry could be in for a period of either consolidation or creating alliances next year according to reports in various Indian publications.
RadioandMusic.com last week reported that as well as the development of alliances between stations existing owners and potential new ones are considering station acquisitions and quoted Pricewaterhouse Coopers media and entertainment associate director Smita Jha as saying, "A lot of companies are looking at radio and while planning finances for the coming year, are earmarking investments in radio sector. The corporate profiles looking at radio investments include media conglomerates and financial companies."
Big FM has already announced an initiative to expand its reach into rural areas through BIG Rural (See RNW Dec 23) and it has already set into place a strategic alliance with Radio Dhamaal and Rangila FM that will extend the footprint of stations that its sales team can offer to advertisers. Big FM has 45 stations of its own and the deal expands the reach of Big and its partners to 52 cities in India.
Amongst other alliances Radio One has a sale alliance with Radio Misty and Radio City has a sales deal, now in its second year, with Friends FM.
Commenting on these alliances, Ashish Pherwani, Associate Director, Media & Entertainment, Ernst & Young Pvt Ltd, told exchange4media.com, "The sales alliances are a win-win for both the radio companies involved and advertisers. As different radio networks join together, it enables them to offer advertisers various tactical groups of stations (state-wide, regional, metros, non-metros, etc.), which can be custom selected to match an advertiser's communication needs, with minimal wastage/ overflow as compared to mass media."
Big FM CEO Tarun Katial said of potential developments, "In the current scenario, regional players are looking for corporate revenues and are finding it difficult to sustain only on regional revenues. In this scenario, consolidations might help the smaller stations. These consolidations will showcase true strength of the medium as advertisers look for volume of listeners and with larger footprints, the medium can deliver more."
Prashant Panday, Executive Director and CEO of Radio Mirchi operator ENIL (Entertainment Network Indis, Ltd.) said that he expected radio to become stronger whether or not there was consolidation and added that he thought the latter would be something for the longer-term, telling Radioandmusic, "There are many unique challenges in the radio business with consolidations. There will be consolidations but it would take longer than what the industry believes. Eventually, in media, a few strong groups will emerge and this is similar to what happens in all industries. Consolidation will help offer more programming formats and target a different set of people, thus offering a wider choice set to advertisers. Whether consolidation happens or not, radio will become a stronger medium than at present."
In terms of consolidation, the ten-year duration for which licences are awarded favours bidding for new permits in the next stage of FM licensing since in India, unlike the US and some countries, there is no assurance of licence renewal: In the UK licence renewal of FM licences was used as a way to boost digital radio services by making renewal automatic where stations aired a service on their local digital multiples but in other cases a licence is put up for new bids when it expires.
This means that older Indian stations are already half-way through their life and, even with an incumbent's advantages, may face competitive bidding when the licence expires.
In addition many existing private FMs are unprofitable, with a major problem being the level of performance royalties but this could mean that existing big players could escape considerable set-up costs by buying a struggling station.
Not all players agree on this matter, however, with Radio Misty CEO Nishant Mittal commenting, "It doesn't make sense to buy over ailing stations as once the brand image is diluted, it is difficult to bring back credibility and revive the station. Instead of buying over an ailing station, it would be rational to invest in new licenses."
In South India, Hello FM CEO Rajeev Nambiar suggested possible consolidation in the future and commented, "We might think of consolidations after Phase III if we need more stations in our current sphere. If there is a station restricting our hold on a region, we might buy them off to have control over it. Fortunately, for us we bid for seven key markets in Tamil Nadu and got all of them."
Previous Indian Radio:
Previous Panday:
Exchange4Media report:
Radioandmusic.com report:

2009-12-25: Australia's commercial radio increased its audience during 2009 compared with the previous year according to figures released by Commercial Radio Australia, from an analysis by The Nielsen Company based on an average of this year's eight ratings surveys in the five capital city markets.
The figures were positive as regards both the overall audience and younger people: Overall an average cumulative audience of 8.94 million - 76% of Australians - tuned in each week during the year, up from 8.79 million people in 2008 and 8.74 million people in 2007. On average they listened 2hr 24 minutes a day
In addition reaching 86 % of young people aged 10-17 years and 80 % of the 18-24 age group listened to commercial radio during the year, both upon 2008.
In terms of timeslot, Breakfast remained the most listened-to period: It reached 60%of Australians who listened to radio with the total audience up from 6.69 million who tuned in each week on average to 7.11 million.
For the first time the analysis also covered the overnight midnight to dawn period during which 15% of Australians - 1.72 million in all - listened each week.
In terms of place, home listening accounted for 49% of all listening, 32% took place in automobiles- up from 26% in 2008 - 17% took place at work and 2% elsewhere.
Commercial Radio Australia chief executive officer Joan Warner said radio had performed well in what had been a challenging year, adding, "Commercial radio is a good performer in tough economic times as it is a highly portable and flexible medium which acts as a companion to people - listeners often have an emotional connection with radio."
Previous Commercial Radio Australia:
Previous Warner:

2009-12-25: Preston, Lancashire, based Central Radio, which UTV announced last week was to close on Christmas Eve, appears to have gained a last-minute reprieve. Negotiations with a potential buyer are reported to be underway and the station is still broadcasting and streaming its signal.
No details have been released about the potential sale so far.
Previous UTV:
Central Radio web site:

2009-12-24: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has extended yet again - this time until April 7 next year, the deadline for Cox Enterprises, Inc.; Calvary, Inc.; Bonneville International Corp.; Scranton Times LP; and Morris Communications to file amendments to pending waiver requests or renewal applications or to file requests for permanent waivers of the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule.
The agency adopted new rules that would ease cross-ownership restrictions in December 2007 but court challenges have stayed the change and the agency, which now has a Democrat majority, is now involved in a new review of ownership rules and has opted to ask the courts to keep the stay in place.
The FCC volunarily extended the deadline for 30 days in November last year (See RNW Licence News Nov 9, 2008) then in December 2008 announced an extension to Jan 7, 2009 (See RNW Licence News Dec 14, 2008) and then later that month further extended it to Feb 9, 2009 (See RNW Licence News Dec 29, 2008).
In February this year the deadline was further put back to April 10 (See RNW Licence News Feb 15)
In April this year it extended the deadline to June 12 (See RNW Licence News Apr 12) and then in June until August 10 (See RNW Licence News June 14).). In October it then announced that the deadline had been put back to January 7, 2010 (See RNW Licence News Oct 11) .
Previous FCC:

2009-12-24: BBC 6 Music Saturday morning hosts Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish are to take an indefinite break from the station because of the pressure of other work commitments according to the UK Guardian, which says that Cornish is about to direct a film.
The station says Danny Wallace will fill in during the absence but could not give a return date for the "Adam and Joe Show", which runs from 10;00 to 13:00 on Saturdays: The station is currently airing Adam & Joe's 12 Podcasts of Christmas in a run that began on Monday (All are currently being made available as streams or downloads after airing). Next Saturday's show has been pre-recorded.
The show won last year's Broadcasting Press Guild award for radio programme of the year and was nominated for four Sony Radio Academy Awards this year - winning three silvers.
BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music controller Bob Shennan told the Guardian, "We look forward to welcoming Adam & Joe back to 6 Music early next year as they remain absolutely committed to the network. We are happy to have someone as brilliant as Danny Wallace keeping their seats warm at the Big British Castle whilst they are away."
Previous BBC:
Previous Shennan:

2009-12-24: Long-time WABC-AM host Curtis Sliwa, who was dropped by the Citadel-owned station in November has now been signed up by Salem, with whom he was reported to have been talking at the time (See RNW Nov 25 ).
He is to take over the 0500-0900 morning drive slot on the company's 50,000 watt News/Talk WNYM-AM (AM 970 THE APPLE) from Monday January 11: He had been teamed up with attorney Ron Kuby, in the "Curtis and Kuby in the Morning" Show on WABC for eight years and when Citadel announced that it was axing the show to bring in Don Imus in November 2007 (See RNW Nov 2, 2007) was kept on in the 2100-0100 weekday slot until contract negotiations broke down and the company moved John Batchelor, who already hosted the slot at weekends, to a seven-day week.
WNYM currently airs The Wall Street Journal This Morning from 05:00 to O:60 followed by Bill Bennett's Morning In America from 060 to 09:00
WNYM Program Director Peter Thiele said in a Salem release, "Curtis brings real radio back to New York. The opportunity to return a real icon back to morning drive makes January 11th a date New York radio fans will circle on their calendars."
Sliwa commented, "As of December of 2007, my goal was always to return to morning drive radio in New York City; AM 970 The Apple has provided me the opportunity to once again be live and local in New York."
Previous Salem:

2009-12-23: Regent Communications, Inc. has announced that on Monday it received a second de-listing notice from the NASDAQ stock market for failing to comply with the exchange's minimum market value requirements as the value of its stock had been below USD 15 million for 30 consecutive days.
Regent has 90 days - until March 22 - to regain compliance for which the closing value of its publicly held common stock has to be at USD 15 million or more on closing for ten consecutive business days.
Should the company not regain compliance the company will receive written notice of delisting and may then appeal to a NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel. Another option would be to transfer the stock to the NASDAQ Capital Market if it satisfies all requirements for initial inclusion on that market, but Regent noted that it currently does not meet the stockholders' equity requirement required for such listing.
Earlier this month the company announced that it had received a de-listing notice because the closing value of its common stock had been below USD 1 for thirty days and said it had requested a hearing before a NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel (See RNW Dec 7). As a result, says the company, will attend a hearing regarding the minimum listing price scheduled for January 7 next year and action has been stayed on the matter until the Panel makes its decision.
Previous Regent:

2009-12-23: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it has suspended the requirement that broadcasters file the Biennial Form 323 - due to have been filed by January 11 next year and required from licensees of all full-power AM, FM, TV, LPTV, and Class A stations - until changes have been made.
The action follows a filing from counsel and legal assistants to various broadcasters and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) that it both extend the time required to file the and suspend filing until improvements are made to the form including changing one section to allow uploading of machine-readable data instead of requiring manually-entered responses, which broadcasters had complained was taking far too much time.
The FCC in its notice said, "We find that good cause has been shown and that it would serve the public interest to suspend the current January 11, 2010 filing deadline. We will temporarily suspend the ability to start a new biennial Form 323 during this interim suspension period but will allow filers to complete and file forms that they have already started should they wish to do so. This temporary suspension will permit us to investigate what changes can be made to the form to reduce the time required to complete it and to lessen any unanticipated burdens in this regard without undermining the completeness, quality, usefulness, and aggregability of the data. Once these changes have been made, we will again enable new biennial filings and will release a Public Notice with a new extended filing deadline.
The FCC says it will grant an extension of the deadline to at least 90 days after for form is again available for biennial filings and will announce the new filing deadline in a Public Notice.
The form when issued will require information as of Nov 1 this year and this date will not be changed.
The FCC has also issued a USD 10,000 Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) to Alaska Educational Radio System, Inc. (AERS) for operating KWMD-FM, Kasilof, Alaska, at variance from the terms of its licence and denied a petition to reconsider a Media Bureau dismissal of a contingent community of license minor change application to allow the station to move from Channel 213A at Kasilof to Channel 214A at Ridgeway, Alaska.
AERS was granted its licence in 2003 but soon after this a conflict with the owner of the transmitter site led to AERS submitting four filing within three months - in May 2004 the FCC granted a Special Temporary Authority (STA) request to allow the station to remain silent after which AERS filed a request to operate at Ridgeway, another request to operate at Ridgeway but with greatly reduced power, and a request for an extension of the authority to remain silent.
Subsequently AERS filed other requests including applications for frequency changes for its KABN-FM, KWMD-FM, and KRAW-FM and to change the community of licence for the first two of these stations to Ridgeway.
These collective applications were dismissed and AERS then filed its petition for reconsideration and also asked the FCC to waive its rules to allow KWMD-FM- to change its community of license to Ridgeway despite the fact that its proposal is not mutually exclusive with its current licensed facilities at Kasilof: It added that it has operated KWMD-FM- at Ridgeway for years and may have to cease operation if the waiver is not granted.
The FCC in rejecting the petition and denying the waiver commented that the "longevity of KWMD-FM's STA (and later, unauthorized) operation at Ridgeway does not create any right to continue such operation."
It noted that the petition contained "contains multiple admissions of continued operation without authorization at Ridgeway" and accordingly issued the USD 10,000 NAL for unauthorized operation.
Previous FCC:

2009-12-23: Reliance Media World Limited, which operates the BIG 92.7 FM network of 45 stations in India has announced the launch of a new business unit, BIG Rural, that it says is the Indian radio industry's first attempt to reach out to rural markets and offer marketers activation solutions backed by radio support.
BIG says its network currently covers more than 10% of India's rural population and reached more than 52000 villages and 200 smaller towns and the new initiative combined with the proposed Phase III of FM licensing will enable it to reach hundreds of thousands more villages.
Amongst areas it plans to target are farm products, telecommunications brands seeking to expand in rural markets, FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) brands, Banking and Financial services,
Reliance Media World is part of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group with various BIG businesses and Rabe .T. Iyer, Business Head - Allied Businesses said of the move, "Given our already existent network through the radio platform of BIG 92.7 FM, BIG Rural offers unmatchable reach across India, reaching out to 52,000 villages with its very own local and trained personnel."
"With our vast network strength, holistic activations solutions and radio amplification," he added, "we offer Clients an edge over our competitors. We have kick-started with key projects and look forward to capitalizing a huge market share with our unparalleled service and exclusive offerings. It is our endeavour to help Clients by strategically reaching out to rural India, as we help enriching lives of the local populace, laying the foundation for a more evolved and urbanized rural India."
Previous Indian Radio:

2009-12-22: Former BBC deputy director general, ITN Chief Executive, and Guardian Media Group (GMG) chief executive Sir Robert (Bob) Phillis has died aged 64 from cancer: he had announced at the beginning of 2006 that he was to step down from the GMG post in July on health grounds, saying that he was diagnosed with an early stage bone marrow cancer last summer and was to have a bone marrow transplant (See RNW Jan 15, 2006).
He remained a non-executive director of the company and the UK Guardian quoted Phillis's successor as chief executive, Carolyn McCall, as saying, "Bob was a wonderful human being, incredibly kind and with a real joy of life. He lived his life to the full, he was always good company, and he had huge generosity of spirit.
"As a friend and colleague he was an inspiration to me, as he was to many others. His unstinting work on behalf of the group and the Guardian is one of the main reasons we have enjoyed such success in recent years. We will all miss him very much."
Tributes also came from the BBC whose Director-General Mark Thompson said in a news release, "Bob Phillis made an enormous contribution to British media, in particular at the Guardian Media Group, commercial television and at the BBC. He will be remembered as an inspirational leader but also as a warm-hearted, loyal, friend and colleague. We will miss him enormously."
Sir Michael Lyons, the chairman of the BBC Trust, added, "I was very saddened to hear today that Bob Phillis had died. He made an invaluable contribution to the BBC during his time here, and remained a major figure in broadcasting, not least through his leadership of the RTS. He was a friend and guide to many in the industry: this is a loss to us all " and Liz Forgan, the chair of the Scott Trust, which owns GMG, said: "Bob Phillis was one of the nicest men in British media. He loved every part of the Guardian Media Group and was rightly proud of the contribution he made to harnessing the commercial success of the group to ensure the future of the Guardian and liberal journalism.
"He will be greatly missed by colleagues, friends right across radio, television and newspapers and by the family who were his prop and stay during the long illness he bore so bravely."
Phillis, who was brought up in Surrey, began his career as an apprentice in the printing industry, subsequently studying industrial economics at the University of Nottingham. He then has a spell in academia before moving back into printing as managing director of Independent Television Publications, which published TV Times, going on to run the ITV franchises Central Television and Carlton Communications, He was chief executive of ITN between 1991 and 1993 and later became a board director at ITV before joining the BBC in 1993 as Deputy Director General, moving to GMG in 1997
Amongst the tributes from those not in media as such was one from the Lawn Tennis Council to whose Council and Main Board he was appointed in 2005: In a statement the LTA said, "His dedication to tennis extended far beyond his formal role as a Main Board Member and Chairman of the Audit Committee, as he played a key advisory role in the development of many important areas including the commercial programme and our work with the All England Club.
Previous Phillis:
UK Guardian report:

UK Guardian obituary:
2009-12-22: Radio One, Inc. shareholders have approved a reverse stock split by a ratio of not less than one-for-two and not more than one-for-fifty at any time prior to the next annual shareholders' meeting at their annual meeting.
The decision on the details of the split and whether to take the action are at the board's discretion and the shareholders also approved directors until next year's meeting: Terry L. Jones and Brian W. McNeill were elected as Class A directors and Catherine L. Hughes, Alfred C. Liggins, III, D. Geoffrey Armstrong, Ronald E. Blaylock and B. Doyle Mitchell, Jr. were elected as Class B directors.
Previous Hughes:
Previous Liggins:
Previous Radio One Inc.:

2009-12-22: The UK gained another national radio service today when NME Radio made its debut on Arqiva's Digital One multiplex at the start of an eight-month trial: The debut follows other recent additions to the multiplex including Amazing Radio (See RNW June 1) and United Christian Broadcasters (See RNW Sep 21) and is the sixth launch during this year. Only one slot is now empty on the multiplex.
NME Radio managing and programming director Sammy Jacob said the move was "great news for the music industry, NME Radio and for people across Britain who've been longing for a station that really values and promotes new and alternative music."
Although the initial agreement is only for eight months, the station has the option to continue on a longer term basis. NME Radio launched in June last year and was already available on the Internet plus the Freesat and Sky satellite platforms and Virgin Media as well as on i-Phones.
Previous Arqiva:
Previous Digital One (RNW Note - as of 2010 we will list Digital One under Arqiva, not separately):
NME web site:

2009-12-22: Citadel's lawyers have told the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan that the company, which filed for Chapter 11 protection under a pre-arranged plan on Sunday, could be out of bankruptcy within 300 days according to a Reuters report.
The agency says that Jonathan Henes, a bankruptcy attorney at Kirkland & Ellis representing the
company told the court that leaving bankruptcy in this period as "doable" under the plan.
The company had applied to be allowed to use its cash on hand - Citadel says it has USD 36 million currently available and expects to have USD 63 million within seven weeks - to continue operations, a request granted by Judge Burton Lifland.
Previous Citadel:
Reuters report:

2009-12-22: UK Media Regulator Ofcom has upheld only one radio complaint in its latest Broadcast Bulletin in which it upheld five TV standards complaints and one advertising minutage complaint and also partly upheld three Fairness and Privacy complaints against one TV programme - it also published details of two complaints against the programme that it did not uphold; a further two complaints against another TV programme about which it posted details of a further complaint not upheld. In addition it posted details of two more TV Fairness and Privacy TV complaints not upheld.
The figures compare with three radio complaints; standards complaints involving eight TV broadcasters; the partial upholding of a TV fairness and Privacy complaint; and posting of details of two TV Fairness and Privacy complaints not upheld in the previous bulletin.
The radio complaint upheld concerned Nottingham community station Radio Faza and a text from a listener read out on air and described as a "joke" which went: "Jewish kid next door just asked me for a water fight…thought I would text while the kettle is boiling…"
The presenter then repeated the text message again for the benefit of listeners who might not have understood the "joke" the first time.
Following receipt of a complaint Ofcom contacted the station which said that it acknowledged that the comments made by the volunteer presenter were unacceptable and offensive and added that as soon as practicable the Station Manager/Director initiated disciplinary action against the presenter who was called into a meeting to explain his comments. During the meeting the presenter acknowledged that his comments were offensive and expressed his deep regret that they were broadcast.
In addition the presenter was also required to make an on-air apology and the station said that it was improving the training of all presenters to ensure compliance with Ofcom's Code.
Ofcom noted the broadcaster's response and action but said it was concerned "that the broadcast of a 'joke' against the Jewish community, made on an Asian radio service, was likely to be perceived as hostile and inflammatory" and added that "the broadcast of this material was highly offensive and was not justified by the context."
It ruled that its Code was breached and commented that it "is essential that community radio broadcasters provide volunteers with the appropriate training and guidance before they commence broadcasting to ensure compliance with the Broadcasting Code and to meet the requirements of their licence."
In addition to the above, Ofcom also listed without details 414 TV complaints against 175 items and 16 radio complaints against 16 items that it did not uphold: This compared to 252 TV complaints against 180 items and 19 radio complaints against 18 items that it did not uphold in the previous bulletin.
Previous Ofcom:
Previous Ofcom Complaints Bulletin:

2009-12-21: NextMedia has followed Citadel Broadcasting (See RNW Dec 20) in filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy: In its case the filing was made in the US Bankruptcy Court for Delaware, and NextMedia, which owns 36 radio stations in seven medium and suburban markets and around 5,000 billboards, said that it had been negotiating with its lenders on a pre-packed reorganization plan and had agreed terms with its 2nd lien holders to whom it owes USD 89.6 million but its 1st lien lenders, to whom it owed USD 162.3 million, had swept up most of the Debtor's cash forcing it to abandon the pre-packaged re-organization and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Under the proposed restructuring the 2nd lien lead investors had agreed to make a USD 55 million equity investment, which would be added to USD 127.5 million in Chapter 11 exit financing and cash on hand, with the second lien debt being converted to 95% of the equity in the re-organized company - two thirds of it would have gone to the 2nd lien lead investors and would have been in a different class to other equity and had preference over other stock in the event of liquidation.
The first lien debt and general unsecured claims would be paid in full and the 2nd lien lead investors had agreed to provide the USD 127.5 million of exit financing in NextMedia could not find suitable financing from other sources and also to provide up to USD 20 million of debtor-in-possession financing.
In the filing, NextMedia put its woes down to the decline of both radio and outdoor advertising in the current economy but said its was significantly outperforming US radio as a whole with its revenues down by 12.5% for the year to date compared to an industry decline of 21% overall. It also said its outdoor had performed slightly better than the market with revenues down 17% compared to an industry figure of 18% overall.
President and CEO Steven Dinetz said that the company had taken steps over the past 18months to cut costs while continuing to invest and as a result was well placed to capitalize on an advertising recovery. The Chapter 11 re-organizations said NextMedia would not affect its day-to-day operations and that once it was complete the company expected to have debt of around USD 128 million - it noted that it was on track to generate some USD 23 million in EBITDA this year indicating a debt-to-EBITDA ratio of approximately 5.5 times.
Previous Dinetz:
Previous NextMedia:

2009-12-21: Emmis has revealed in an 8K filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it has agreed a new three-year deal with its Chairman and Chief Executive Jeffrey H. Smulyan under which his base salary will be trimmed back at the start of the agreement although he will be more highly paid at the end of the third year and also receive a "USD 200,000 signing bonus in connection with execution of the agreement, as well as performance units having a value, if earned, of USD 700,000."
The filing says that in the first year, Smulyan's salary will be reduced from $833,957 to $792,259 for the first year, then increase to $825,000 for the second year, and $850,000 for the third year: The company adds that the performance units will be earned quarterly during the first year of the term, depending upon whether the company meets certain consolidated EBITDA requirements set forth in the Emmis Operating Company senior credit agreement and that both the signing bonus and any earned performance units will be repayable to the company in full in the event that. Smulyan is terminated for cause or resigns without good reason prior to completion of the term.
It also noted that his employment agreement will be renewed automatically for a year each year following the initial three-year term with base salary to increase by USD 25,000 unless notice has been given before the end of the final year or subsequent years.
It also noted that Smulyan's "annual incentive compensation target remains 125% of his base salary and will be paid, if at all, based upon achievement of certain performance goals to be determined by our compensation committee.
The filing also notes that on December 15 it agreed a termination of Paul Fiddick's employment as Emmis's International Division President: Fiddick will receive a pay-off of around USD 509,000 and will continue as a director of Emmis International but will have no day-to-day involvement in the operations of Emmis's international radio operations. Last month Emmis lost the licence for its national Sláger Rádió service in Hungary (See RNW Nov 19).
RNW Note: Adding the signing-on fee to this indicates that Smulyan will be paid USD 2.67 million over the three years compared to USD 2.50 million had he remained on the current base pay, an effective pay rise of some USD 55,000 a year: Who says US executives know about moving the pain?
Previous Emmis:
Previous Smulyan:

2009-12-20: According to the UK Sunday Times, Global Radio, Britain's largest radio company which spent GBP 545 million (USD 875 million) to buy Chrysalis Radio and GCapMedia has written off GBP 195.3 million (USD 310.5 million) of its investment to reflect the fall in value of media assets.
The paper says that in its accounts to be filed this week, Global says that shareholders put an extra GBP 65 million (USD 104 million) into the company to reduce its debt and that it had earnings of GBP 31 million (USD 49.7 million) for the year, down 6.1% on a year earlier whilst revenues fell 16% to GBP 223 million (USD 358 million)
In addition to the extra funding put into the company Global also cut its debt using GBP 35 million (USD 56 million) from the sale of stations in the Midlands that it was required to divest to gain regulatory approval of its takeover of GCap, making the total debt reduction GBP 100 million (USD 160 million) and leaving it with owings of GBP 110 million (USD 176.5 million).
The Sunday Times quoted Global chief executive Stephen Miron as saying, "We were able to take advantage of market conditions to improve returns to shareholders in the medium to long term" and adding, "If you look across the industry, radio took the hit earlier than other media and it seems to have come out faster."
Previous Global Radio:
Previous Miron:
UK Sunday Times report:

2009-12-20: Last week the main regulatory decision came from Australia where the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) ruled that Australian codes had been broken by a broadcast on 2-DAY FM in Sydney in which a 14-years old girl was questioned about her sex life whilst on a lie detector and said she had been raped when aged 12 (See RNW Dec 16): Elsewhere the main news was political as the US House of Representatives approved the Local Community Radio Act that could potentially allow thousands more low-power FM stations (LPFMs) in the US (See RNW Dec 17).
In Australia as well as imposing conditions on 2-DAY's licence the ACMA is also considering the wider issues raised by the broadcast and expects to report on these by the end of this year.
In other actions the ACMA found that to community stations had breached industry codes.
In Melbourne, Light FM Inc, licensee of 3TSC, was found to have breached codes related to complaints handling. The ACMA had launched an investigation following a complaint that a news report broadcast by 3TSC was too explicit and contained material that was not appropriate for children: The ACMA found that the station's written response to the complainant did not adequately address the complainant's concerns or provide the complainant with details regarding the practices the licensee has adopted to protect children from harmful material.
Since the investigation 3TSC has revised its complaints handling procedures, provided staff with additional training and amended its internal policies and the ACMA said that it is to take no further action for now but will monitor the licensee's performance in this area.
In Sydney, Radio Eastern Sydney Cooperative Ltd, licensee of 2RES, was found to have breached its licence conditions by failing to keep a record of a matter that was broadcast.
The ACMA had become involved following a complaint that 2RES had broadcast advertisements during its Monika Geetmala (Voice of India) programme in breach of its licence condition to not broadcast advertisements: The investigation revealed that the station had failed to keep a recording of the programme, the result it said of a failure of its logging equipment.
The absence of a recording meant that the ACMA was unable to rule on the complaint but the agency noted that it was also a breach of licence conditions. The station responded by making improvements to its logging system to ensure future broadcasts are recorded and has also provided training to the presenters and producers of the Monika Geetmala program on sponsorship regulations.
In view of this the ACMA has again opted to take no further action for now.
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) made a number of radio related postings including (In order of province):
Alberta:
*Approval of application by Harvard Broadcasting Inc. to increase the power of CFVR-FM, Fort McMurray, Alberta from 20 kilowatts to 50 kilowatts: Harvard says the changes will improve its service to the expanding community of Fort McMurray/Wood Buffalo and ensure that it remains competitive by offering the same signal reach as its competitors.
British Columbia:
*Approval of application by Northern Native Broadcasting (Terrace, B.C.) to add an 18.6 watts low-power FM rebroadcasting transmitter at Hazelton (Seely Mountain) to broadcast the programming of its English- and Aboriginal-language Type B Native station CFNR-FM Terrace.
The transmitter will replace the licensee's existing transmitter VF2065 Kispiox at Hazelton.
*Approval of application by Kispiox First Nations Community Radio (Kispiox Radio) for a broadcasting licence to operate an English- and Aboriginal-language low-power Type B Native FM radio programming undertaking in Hazelton, British Columbia. The new station will operate at 96.1 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 11 watts and will offer hours of locally-produced programming, including five hours of programming produced in the Gitksanimx language. The remaining programming will be sourced from CFNR-FM Terrace. Broadcasts will include 18 hours of music programming in a given broadcast week, from a variety of genres including pop, rock, dance, country, gospel, folk, blues and jazz.
New Brunswick:
*Posted public notice, with a January 19 next year deadline for the submission of interventions or comments, relating to an application by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to add a 20 watts transmitter in Sackville to broadcast the programming of CBAM-FM, Moncton, New Brunswick. The licensee said that since it had converted to FM from AM it had received a number of complaints from Sackville residents and the new transmitter would be used as a gap filler.
The CRTC also posted a number of public notices regarding various licence renewals. One list, with a January 21, deadline for submission of interventions or comments, related to licences where no issues have arisen and the agency is proposing full seven-year renewals:
The licences involved were:
Alberta:
Newcap Inc's CKSA-FM, Lloydminster; CJPR-FM, Blairmore, and its transmitters CJEV, Elkford, and
CJPV-FM, Pincher Creek.
Fairchild Radio (Calgary FM) Ltd.'s CHKF-FM, Calgary.
CAB-K Broadcasting Ltd.'s CKLJ-FM, Olds.
British Columbia:
Corus Radio Company's CHMJ-AM, Vancouver.
Manitoba:
Rogers Broadcasting Limited's CKY-FM, Winnipeg.
Newfoundland and Labrador:
Newcap Inc.'s CFSX-AM, Stephenville, and its transmitters CFGN-AM, Channel-Port aux Basques, and CFCV-FM, St. Andrew's; CKCM-AM, Grand Falls, and its transmitter CKIM-AM, Baie Verte; CKGA-AM, Gander; CKIX-FM, St. John's; CFLN-AM, Goose Bay, and its transmitters CFLW-AM. Wabush, and CFLC-FM, Churchill Falls; CFCB-AM, Corner Brook, and its transmitters CFNW-AM, Port Au Choix, CFNN-FM, St. Anthony, and CFDL-FM, Deer Lake; CKXX-FM, Cornerbrook, and its transmitter CKXX-FM-1, Stephenville; CKVO-AM, Clarenville; VOCM-AM, St. John's and its transmitter VOCM-FM-1, Clarenville; and CHCM-AM, Marystown;
Nova Scotia:
Atlantic Broadcasters Limited's CJFX-FM, Antigonish, and its transmitters CJFX-FM-1, Inverness, and CJFX-FM-2, Pleasant Bay.
Ontario:
CTV Limited's CKLC-FM, Kingston and CFJR-FM, Brockville.
Durham Radio Inc.'s CJKX-FM, Ajax, and its transmitters CJKX-FM-1, Sunderland, and CJKX-FM-2, Toronto.
Plus Points Eagle Radio Inc.'s Native radio (Type B) CKTI-FM, Kettle Point.
And Dryden District Chamber of Commerce's Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/ Environment Canada radio service CFCD-FM, Dryden.
Quebec:
Fabrique de la Paroisse Sacré-Coeur de Jésus de Crabtree's VF8022, Crabtree.
Radio Beauce inc.'s CKRB-FM, St-Georges de Beauce.
9183-9084 Québec inc.'s CHRCAM, Québec.
Radio Mégantic ltée''s CKLD-FM, Thetford Mines, and its transmitter CJLP-FM, Disraeli.
9022-6242 Québec inc.'s CHLC-FM, Baie Comeau, and its transmitters CFRP-AM, Forestville and CFRP-FM, Forestville.
Cogeco Diffusion inc.'s CFGE-FM, Sherbrooke, and its transmitter CFGE-FM-1, Magog; CJEB-FM, Trois-Rivières; and CJMF-FM, Québec.
Réseau des Appalaches (FM) ltée's CFJO-FM, Thetford Mines, and its transmitter CFJO-FM-1, Lac-Mégantic.
Groupe Radio Antenne 6 inc.'s CKYK-FM, Alma, and its transmitter CKYK-FM-1, Alma.
Saskatchewan :
Fabmar Communications Ltd.'s CKJH-AM, Melfort.
Rawlco Radio Ltd.'s CFMC-FM, Saskatoon; CIZL-FM, Regina; CKBI-AM, Prince Albert, and its transmitters CKBI-FM, La Ronge and at Big River (no call sign); CFMM-FM, Prince Albert, and its transmitter CFMM-FM-1, Waskesiu Lake; CKOM-AM, Saskatoon; and CJDJ-FM, Saskatoon;
Golden West Broadcasting Ltd.'s CKSW-AM, Swift Current; CIMG-FM, Swift Current; CFSL-AM, Weyburn; CHAB-AM, Moose Jaw; CJYM-AM, Rosetown; and CFYM-AM, Kindersley.
GX Radio Partnership's CJGX-AM, Yorkton.
Golden West Broadcasting Ltd.'s CJSN-AM, Shaunavon, and CJSL-AM, Estevan.
And Robert Wayne Fennig's Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/ Environment Canada radio service VF2413, North Battleford.
Yukon Territory:
Phil Wintemute (Information and Communications Technology Department)'s Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/ Environment Canada radio service VF2358, Stewart Crossing; and VF2366, Sourdough.
The CRTC also issued a number of short-term licence renewals until 31 May 2010, noting that the decision does not dispose of any substantive issues that may exist with respect to the renewal.
Stations involved were:
Alberta:
Commercial stations:
CAB-K Broadcasting Ltd.'s CKLJ-FM, Olds.
Fairchild Radio (Calgary FM) Ltd.'s CHKF-FM, Calgary.
Lighthouse Broadcasting Limited's CJLT-FM, Medicine Hat.
Newcap Inc.'s CJPR-FM, Blairmore, and its transmitters CJEV, Elkford, and CJPV-FM, Pincher Creek and also its CKSA-FM, Lloydminster.
Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership's CJSI-FM, Calgary, and CJRY-FM, Edmonton.
Community radio (Type B) stations:
CIAM Media & Radio Broadcasting Association's CIAM-FM, Fort Vermilion, and its transmitters CIAM-FM-1, Red Earth; CIAM-FM-2, Buffalo Head; CIAM-FM-3, Watt Mountain; CIAM-FM-4, Foggy Mountain; CIAM-FM-5, Weberville; CIAM-FM-6, Hines Creek; CIAM-FM-7, Slave Lake; CIAM-FM-8, Charlie Lake; CIAM-FM-10, Buckland; CIAM-FM-11, Vanderhoof; CIAM-FM-12, Cleardale; CIAM-FM-13, Peerless Lake; CIAM-FM-14, Wabasca; CIAM-FM-15, Fort Chipewyan; CIAM-FM-16, Meander River; CIAM-FM-17, Chateh; and CIAM-FM-18, Manning.
Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/Environment Canada service radio
Newcap Inc.'s CILR-FM, Lloydminster.
British Columbia:
Commercial stations:
663975 B.C. Ltd.'s CKFU-FM, Fort St. John.
Astral Media Radio G.P.'s
CICF-FM Vernon and its transmitter CICF-4-FM, Armstrong/Enderby.
CILK-FM Kelowna and its transmitters VF2329, Big White, and CILC-FM, Magna Bay.
CKNL-FM, Fort St. John.
CKTK-FM, Kitimat.
Corus Radio Company's CHMJ-AM, Vancouver.
Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Limited Partnership's CKDV-FM, Prince George, and its transmitter CKMK-AM, Mackenzie
Vista Radio Ltd.'s CJCI-FM, Prince George.
Community radio (Developmental)
Prince George Community Radio Society's CFIS-FM, Prince George.
Manitoba:
Commercial stations:
Astral Media Radio G.P.'s CKXA-FM, Brandon.
Golden West Broadcasting Ltd.'s CFEQ-FM, Winnipeg.
Newcap Inc.'s CHNK-FM, Winnipeg.
Rogers Broadcasting Limited's CKY-FM, Winnipeg.
New Brunswick:
Commercial stations:
TFG Communications Inc.'s CJRP-FM, Saint John, and its transmitter CJRP-FM-1, Rothesay.
Newfoundland and Labrador:
Commercial stations:
Coast Broadcasting Ltd.'s CKSJ-FM, St. John's.
Newcap Inc.'s
CFSX-AM, Stephenville, and its transmitters CFGN-AM, Channel-Port aux Basques, and CFCV-FM St. Andrew's
CKCM-AM Grand Falls and its transmitter CKIM-AM, Baie Verte,
CKGA-AM, Gander.
CKIX-FM, St. John's.
CFLN-AM, Goose Bay, and its transmitters CFLW-AM, Wabush, and CFLC-FM, Churchill Falls.
CFCB-AM, Corner Brook and its transmitters CFNW-AM, Port au Choix; CFNN-FM, St. Anthony; and CFDL-FM, Deer Lake.
CKXX-FM, Corner Brook, and its transmitter CKXX-FM-1, Stephenville.
CKVO-AM, Clarenville.
VOCM-AM, St. John's.
CHCM-AM, Marystown.
VOCM-FM, St. John's, and its transmitter VOCM-FM-1, Clarenville.
Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Limited's CHOZ-FM, St. John's, and its transmitters
CFOZ-FM, Argentia; CIOZ-FM, Marystown; CJOZ-FM, Elliston; CKMY-FM, Rattling Brook; CKOZ-FM, Corner Brook; CIOS-FM, Stephenville; CKSS-FM, Red Rocks; and CJMY-FM, Clarenville.
Nova Scotia:
Commercial stations:
Atlantic Broadcasters Limited's CJFX-FM, Antigonish, and its transmitters CJFX-FM-1, Inverness, and CJFX-FM-2, Pleasant Bay.
Hope FM Ministries Limited's CINU-FM, Truro.
Ontario:
Commercial stations:
3885275 Canada Inc's CJSA-FM, Toronto.
CTV Limited's CKLC-FM, Kingston, and CFJR-FM, Brockville.
Durham Radio Inc.'s CJKX-FM, Ajax, and its transmitters CJKX-FM-1, Sunderland, and CJKX-FM-2, Toronto.
JOCO Communications Inc.'s CFSF-FM, Sturgeon Falls.
Mennonite Community Services of Southern Ontario's CHPD-FM, Aylmer.
Raedio Inc.'s CHGK-FM, Stratford.
Rogers Broadcasting Limited's CIKZ-FM, Kitchener, and CISS-FM, Ottawa.
Sound of Faith Broadcasting's CJFH-FM, Woodstock; CHJX-FM, London; and CJTW-FM Kitchener.
The Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc.'s CHPB-FM, Cochrane.
United Christian Broadcasters Canada's CKJJ-FM, Belleville and its transmitters CKJJ-FM-1, Cobourg; CKJJ-FM-2, Brockville; CKJJ-FM-3, Kingston and CKJJ-FM-4, Bancroft.
Way of Life Broadcasting's CJIV-FM, Dryden.
Native radio (Type B)
CHFN Communications Society's CHFN-FM, Cape Croker Reserve #27 Wiarton.
Points Eagle Radio Inc.'s CKTI-FM, Kettle Point.
Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/Environment Canada service radio
Dryden District Chamber of Commerce's CFCD-FM, Dryden.
Quebec:
Commercial stations:
9022-6242 Québec inc.'s CHLC-FM Baie-Comeau and its transmitters CFRP-AM, Forestville and
CFRP-FM, Forestville.
9174-8004 Québec inc.'s CHEQ-FM, Sainte-Marie de Beauce.
9183-9084 Québec inc.'s CHR-AM, Québec.
Astral Media Radio Inc.'s CFVM-FM, Amqui, plus CIMO-FM, Magog, and its transmitter CIMO-FM-1, Sherbrooke.
Canadian Hellenic Cable Radio Ltd.'s CKDG-FM, Montréal.
Cogeco Diffusion inc.'s CFGE-FM, Sherbrooke, and its transmitter CFGE-FM-1, Magog, plus CJEB-FM, Trois-Rivières and CJMF-FM, Québec.
Diffusion Laval inc.'s CFAV-am, Laval.
Groupe Radio Antenne 6 inc.'S CKYK-FM, Alma and its transmitter CKYK-FM-1, Alma.
Radio du Golfe inc.'s CJMC-FM, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, and its transmitters CJMC-FM-1, La Martre.
CJMC-FM-2, Mont-Louis; CJMC-FM-3, Les Méchins; CJMC-FM-4, Grande-Vallée; CJMC-FM-5, Gros-Morne; CJMC-FM-6, Cloridorme; and CJMC-FM-8, Murdochville.
Radio Mégantic ltée's CKLD-FM, Thetford Mines, and its transmitter CJLP-FM, Disraeli.
Radio Témiscamingue incorporée's CKVM-FM, Ville-Marie, and its transmitter CKVM-1-FM, Témiscaming.
Réseau des Appalaches (FM) ltée's CFJO-FM, Thetford Mines, and its transmitter CFJO-FM-1, Lac-Mégantic.
RNC Media Inc.'s CKLX-FM, Montréal.
Religious (Church) radio:
Fabrique de la Paroisse Sacré-Coeur de Jésus de Crabtree's VF8022, Crabtree.
Saskatchewan :
Commercial stations:
Fabmar Communications Ltd.'s CKJH-AM, Melfort.
Golden West Broadcasting Ltd.'s CKSW-AM, Swift Current; CIMG-FM, Swift Current; CFSL-AM, Weyburn; CHAB-AM, Moose Jaw; CJYM-AM, Rosetown; CFYM-AM, Kindersley; CJSN-AM, Shaunavon; and CJSL_AM, Estevan.
GX Radio Partnership's CJGX-AM, Yorkton.
Harvard Broadcasting Inc.'s CKRM-AM, Regina, and CHMX-FM, Regina.
Rawlco Radio Ltd.'s CFMC-FM, Saskatoon; CIZL-FM, Regina; CKBI-AM, Prince Albert and its transmitters CKBI-FM, La Ronge and at Big River (no call-sign); CFMM-FM, Prince Albert, and its transmitter CFMM-FM-1, Waskesiu Lake; CKOM-AM, Saskatoon; and CJDJ-FM, Saskatoon.
Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/Environment Canada service radio:
Battleford Tourism and Convention Association Inc.'s CHBT-FM, North Battleford
Robert Wayne Fennig's VF2413, North Battleford.
Yukon Territory:
Commercial stations:
Robert G. Hopkins's CFET-FM, Tagish.
Community radio (Developmental):
Dawson City Community Radio Society's CFYT-FM, Dawson City.
Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/Environment Canada service radio:
Manager, Telecom Services, Information and Communications Technology, Highways and Public Works, Government of Yukon's VF2358, Stewart Crossing; VF2360, Carcross; and VF2366, Sourdough.
The CRTC also posted a consultation notice with a deadline for interventions or comments of January 21 regarding renewal applications from licensees who have been found to be in apparent non-compliance with regulatory requirements during the current licence term.
Four types of breach ere listed - A -related to broadcast of French-language vocal music; B - related to Canadian talent development (CTD) contributions; C - relating to devoting 35% or more of musical selections from content category 2 (Popular music) to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety; and D - relating to the provision of annual reports.
The stations listed were (Breach type indicated by letter in brackets):
Alberta:
Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership's CJSI-FM, Calgary - (D) and CJRY-FM Edmonton - (B) and (D).
Lighthouse Broadcasting Limited's CJCI-FM, Prince George (D).
Community Type B radio station:
CIAM Media & Radio Broadcasting Association's CIAM-FM, Fort Vermilion, and its transmitters CIAM-FM-1, Red Earth; CIAM-FM-2, Buffalo Head; CIAM-FM-3, Watt Mountain; CIAM-FM-4, Foggy Mountain; CIAM-FM-5, Weberville; CIAM-FM-6, Hines Creek; CIAM-FM-7, Slave Lake; CIAM-FM-8, Charlie Lake; CIAM-FM-10, Buckland; CIAM-FM-11, Vanderhoof; CIAM-FM-12, Cleardale; CIAM-FM-13, Peerless Lake; CIAM-FM-14, Wabasca; CIAM-FM-15, Fort Chipewyan; CIAM-FM-16, Meander River; CIAM-FM-17, Chateh; and CIAM-FM-18, Manning.
Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/ Environment Canada radio services
Newcap Inc.'s CILR-FM, Lloydminster.
British Columbia:
Vista Radio Ltd.'s CJCI-FM, Prince George (D).
Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Limited Partnership's CKDV-FM, Prince George, and its transmitter
CKMK-AM, Mackenzie (B).
663975 B.C. Ltd.'s CKFU-FM, Fort St. John (D).
Manitoba:
Commercial stations:
Golden West Broadcasting Ltd.'s CFEQ-FM, Winnipeg (B).
New Brunswick:
Commercial stations:
TFG Communications Inc.'s CJRP-FM, Saint John, and its transmitter CJRP-FM-1, Rothesay (B) and (D).
Newfoundland and Labrador:
Commercial stations:
Coast Broadcasting Ltd.'s CKSJ-FM, St. John's (D).
Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Limited's CHOZ-FM. St. John's, and its transmitters CFOZ-FM, Argentia; CKMY-FM, Rattling Brook; CIOS-FM, Stephenville; CIOZ-FM, Marystown; CJOZ-FM, Elliston; CKOZ-FM, Corner Brook; CKSS-FM, Red Rocks; and CJMY-FM, Clarenville (C).
Nova Scotia:
Commercial stations:
Hope FM Ministries Limited's CINU-FM, Truro. (B) and (D).
Ontario:
Commercial stations:
JOCO Communications Inc.'s CFSF-FM, Sturgeon Falls. (B) and (D).
Sound of Faith Broadcasting's CJFH-FM, Woodstock. (B) and (D).
Raedio Inc.'s CHGK-FM, Stratford. (B) and (D).
United Christian Broadcasters Canada's CKJJ-FM, Belleville, and its transmitters CKJJ-FM-1, Cobourg; CKJJ-FM-2, Brockville; CKJJ-FM-3, Kingston; and CKJJ-FM-4, Bancroft. (B) and (D).
Mennonite Community Services of Southern Ontario's CHPD-FM, Aylmer. (D).
The Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc.'s CHPB-FM, Cochrane. (B).
3885275 Canada Inc.'s CJSA-FM, Toronto. (D).
Rogers Broadcasting Limited's CISS-FM, Ottawa. (B).
Native radio (Type B)
CHFN Communications Society's CHFN-FM, Cape Croker Reserve #27 Wiarton.
Quebec:
Commercial stations:
Radio CJFP (1986) ltée's CIEL-FM-4, Trois-Pistoles. (D).
Canadian Hellenic Cable Radio Ltd.'s CKDG-FM, Montréal. (B).
Radio-Témiscamingue incorporée's CKVM-FM, Ville-Marie, and its transmitter CKVM-1-FM, Témiscaming. (D).
Radio du Golfe inc.'s CJMC-FM, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, and its transmitters CJMC-FM-1, La Martre;
CJMC-FM-2, Mont-Louis; CJMC-FM-3, Les Méchins; CJMC-FM-4, Grande-Vallée; CJMC-FM-5, Gros-Morne; CJMC-FM-6, Cloridorme; and CJMC-FM-8, Murdochville. (B) and (D).
9174-8004 Québec inc.'s CHEQ-FM Sainte-Marie de Beauce. (B) and (D).
Saskatchewan:
Commercial stations:
Harvard Broadcasting Inc.'s CKRM-AM, Regina. (B), (C), and (D).
Tourist/Weather/Traffic information/Seasonal events/ Environment Canada radio services.
Battleford Tourism and Convention Association Inc.'s CHBT-FM, North Battleford. (D).
There were no radio postings from Ireland and only one licence decision from the UK where Ofcom announced that it had awarded a community radio licence to OX4 FM, Oxford: The station is to provide a service tailored to the interests of the diverse residents of the OX4 area of Oxford.
Ofcom also posted its revised broadcasting code (a 560 kb 109-page PDF) -issued following a consultation that ran from June to September this year; new procedures for handling broadcasting complaints, cases and sanctions (an 88KB 16-page PDF) - and opened a consultation regarding its consumer complaint handling procedures; The consultation is open to March 12 next year and the agency has posted a 912 KB 102-page PDF concerning its proposals.
In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it was to hold its next media ownership workshop on January 12 next year as part of the Commission's 2010 quadrennial review proceeding: The workshop will focus on the current financial and economic conditions and marketplace factors affecting the media industry and how the FCC should take these into account as it conducts its review process.
The agency also issued USD 500 Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture to of Life At Its Best, Inc., licensee of Low Power FM Station KLBG-LP, Glide, Oregon, for late filing of renewal application and unauthorized operation after its licence expired. It also renewed the licence. The licensee had said that it had attempted to file the renewal application in time and thought it had done so and on receipt of a letter from the FCC - sent three years after the licence expired - it had filed a petition for reconsideration of that letter together with a request for special temporary authorization to continue operations, and the license renewal application.
The FCC in assessing the penalty noted that the base forfeiture for failure to file a required form is USD 3,000 and for unauthorized operation USD 10,000 but in this case in line with other decisions it had reduced the proposed penalty to USD 250 for each breach.
Previous ACMA:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous Licence News:
Previous Ofcom:
ACMA web site:

CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
Ofcom web site:

2009-12-20: Citadel Broadcasting has ended the speculation and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York under a pre-arranged plan that it says in his filing has been agreed with more 60% of its lenders.
Under the deal, Citadel, which lists assets as of the end of October as USD 1.4 billion but debt of USD 2.46 billion, will wipe out around USD 1.4 billion of the debt according to an Associated Press (AP) report in the Chicago Tribune, which adds that under the terms of the bankruptcy Citadel's USD 1.2 billion in secured credit will be converted to a new term loan of just USD 762.5 million and these secured creditors will get a share of the new loan and 90 percent of the new common stock in the reorganized company.
The Wall Street Journal had on Saturday said the filing would be made today and given much the same figures.
The AP report quotes Citadel CEO Farid Suleman as saying in a statement, "Our business will continue as usual and the company will work to emerge from the restructuring process as quickly as possible" and it added that Citadel has retained turnaround specialist Alvarez & Marsal North America LLC as its restructuring adviser.
The report notes that such deals usually wipe out shareholders completely with the worst-hit in this case being private equity firm Forstmann Little, which bought Citadel for USD 2 billion in a deal agreed in January 2001 (See RNW Jan 17, 2001): Forstmann Little launched Citadel back on the market in August 2003 with prices on the first day of its offering topping USD 20 (See RNW Aug 2, 2003) and sold much of its holding but still held around 29% of the company, some 76 million of Citadel's 266 million shares. Suleman holds a 3% stake and the remaining stock is owned by 1.1 million shareholders according to the bankruptcy documents.
The New York Stock Exchange decided to de-list Citadel at the end of February (See RNW Feb 27) and it moved to trading on the over-the-counter (OTC) market where its stock fell dramatically, trading as low as a penny earlier this month, and Citadel under its debt covenants was required to have USD 150 million in available cash by January 15 but its cash holding was down to around USD 36 million.
Last month Citadel reported a third quarter loss of USD 21.25 million on revenues down 14% on a year earlier (See RNW Nov 8)
The largest unsecured creditors according to the filing are JPMorgan Chase Bank, whose total claim was not specified; Wilmington Trust Co., with a claim of USD 49.2 million and The Walt Disney Co. with a claim of USD 11.2 million: Citadel's troubles were in large part a result of its USD 2.7 billion purchase of ABC Radio from Walt Disney Co. that got Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval in March 2007 (See RNW Mar 23, 2007).
Previous Citadel:
Previous Suleman:
Chicago Tribune/AP report:
Wall Street Journal report (subscription):

2009-12-19: International satellite radio company WorldSpace, which is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US, may fold its Indian operations, which were not included in the bankruptcy and account for around 95% of its current subscribers, according to Hindu Business Line
Quoting "sources close to the development", it says that Mathewkutty Sebastian the company's Asia operations head has already put in his papers, and employees are believed to be in rounds of internal discussions to figure the way out of the quagmire.
It adds that earlier this year Sebastian told it that the company was exploring various possibilities to continue its services worldwide, and as its India operation was though not cash-positive could manage on its own and said they would "continue its services in India". Hiving off its AsiaStar operations into a separate business unit and finding a suitable buyer for that is an option the company was pursuing seriously, he said then.
Hindu Business Line notes that WorldSpace has more than 450,000 subscribers in India of whom more than half are through AirTel DTH, and says that its sources say that the future of the Indian operation now depends on whether Liberty Media, which purchased the assets of WorldSpace (See RNW Nov 12) wants to continue the Indian operations.
AirTel offers ten WorldSpace channels - Farishta (old Bollywood songs); Moksha (wellness and lifestyle); Gandharv (Hindustan classical); Spin (international pop); Upcountry (Western country music); Shruti (Carnatic music); Spandana (Telugu); Sonar (Bengali); Umang (Gujarati); and Falak (Urdu): They are available either at INR 10 (USD 0.20) a month for the ten channels or as part of AirTel packages.
Earlier this month rapidtvnews reported that lawyers advising the unsecured creditors to the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy had considered plans for de-orbiting the two WorldSpace satellites.
It says that monthly billing statements filed at the Delaware Bankruptcy Court on Dec 10 showed that one of the lawyers involved at Arent Fox LLP had telephone conversations and meetings in regard to "Liberty's attempt to block payments to professionals and potential responses and implications" and that on the following day a telephone conversation covered "funding issues, need to de-orbit satellites…"
RapidTV suggests that the last option could have been reviewed in case Liberty did not provide extra funding- it did.
Previous Liberty Media:
Previous WorldSpace:
Hindu Business Line
report:
RapidTVnews report:

2009-12-18: Tributes have been paid from the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and many broadcasting personalities to long-time BBC Radio 2 breakfast host Sir Terry Wogan who today signed off from the show he has presented for nearly three decades by thanking his listeners for "being my friend" and then playing Anthony Newley's song "The Party's Over"
Wogan, who had stayed at a London hotel overnight because of concerns that bad weather might mean he could not make it into London from his Buckinghamshire home for the final programme before he moves to a Sunday morning show in the New Year, has hosted the programme for a total of 27 years in two spells.
Yesterday he had welcomed Chris Evans, who is to take over the breakfast slot, by telling his audience to show Evans the same "respect and decency and devotion" that they had shown to him and added, "show him the same "respect and decency and devotion" that they had shown to him."
Evans revealed that Wogan, who is normally driven to work would be staying in a hotel before presenting his show for the first time to which Wogan responded by saying "It would be typical, wouldn't it, to have it come down in bucket loads. "
This morning Wogan made his first appearance on air shortly before his own show began by turning up briefly in Sarah Kennedy's Show, which preceded his, during a weather segments and commented about bringing in a Melton Mowbray port pie. Kennedy ended her show by playing -"Our Last Song Together "
After the news that started his own show at 07:30, Wogan commented, "Now, as you know, music is a subjective taste and ours is not always yours. This morning we're going to enjoy ourselves
It's the tog's anthem... Crinkly outside, Smooth inside, No senior moments this morning and no blubbing" and then played the TOG's (Terry's old Geezer's and Gals) anthem - "Young at Heart" by the Bluebells -
Kennedy came back on around 28 minutes later bringing with her a "Radio 2 diet sheet" - "Cabbage soup for two years." She was also mentioned shortly after the 09:00 news segment when Wogan commented, "I think Sarah Kennedy put it best this morning. I am having my obituaries while I am still alive."
In the final stretch Wogan said this was "the day I have been dreading, the morning when you and I come to the parting of the ways, the last Wake Up To Wogan." He then commented on his time from when the show was the plain Terry Wogan Show and said the years with his listeners had "not only been a pleasure but a privilege", spoke of being through "at least a couple of generations together", his listeners support for the annual "children in Need" charity event and continued, "am not going to pretend that this is not a sad day - you can probably hear it in my voice - I am going to miss the laughter and the fun of our mornings together. I know you are going to welcome Chris Evans with the same generosity of spirit that you have shown me.
"I am going to miss you. Until we are together again in February have a happy Christmas. Thank you, thank you for being my friend."
During the show, Wogan had played a number of his favourite recordings including "Stardust" by Nat King Cole, "I Will Always Love You" from Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley's "Always on My Mind" and as the penultimate song "That'll Do", by Peter Gabriel, Paddy Maloney and the Black Dyke Mills Band before ending with the Newley song "The Party's Over,
BBC Radio 2 on its web site has posted a number of audio and video features including a special four-and-a-half minutes "Au Revoir Wogan" video featuring comment from almost every UK radio breakfast host still around and a video montage of "Wogan's Best Bits" in addition to audio of the show (the whole week's shows are there until a week after first transmission)
Previous BBC:
Previous Evans:
Previous Kennedy:
Previous Wogan:
BBC Radio 2 web site:

2009-12-18: According to the New York Post, Clear Channel's plans to raise USD 750 million through a bond offering to institutional buyers that would be used to pay down debt have hit a snag when a group of bondholders claimed that the move would violate the terms of their loan agreement.
Clear Channel responded in an 8K filing the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in which it said that it that it would consider increasing the size of the notes offering that it "believes the assertions made by those lenders were without merit" and added that in any event they "are not relevant in the context of the restructured transactions."
In a later 8K filing the company notes its distribution of a confidential preliminary offering circular dated December 18, 2009 (relating to USD 500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series A Senior Notes due 2017 and USD 2,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series B Senior Notes due 2017 - backed by Channel Outdoor Holdings and its subsidiaries - to be offered and sold only to qualified institutional buyers in an unregistered offering. Funds raised from this offering will be used to repay USD 2 billion worth of debt owed to Clear Channel Communications Inc.
It then adds detail of expected revenues that it now expects - essentially as detailed in an earlier filing in connection to the placing of the USD 750 million offer (See RNW Dec 14).
The Post says it is unclear which lenders had raised the objections but says Clear Channel and its
"private-equity owners have been at war with a group of lenders, led by The Blackstone Group's GSO Capital, that have sought to take over the company as it has struggled to pay down its debt."
Previous Clear Channel:
New York Post report:

2009-12-18: Clear Channel's Florida hits station WFLZ-FM, Tampa, may face charges following a turkey of a stunt today when a stunt for "The MJ Morning Show" went wrong according to the Tampa Tribune.
The crew were to cook a frozen turkey in a van by lowering the turkey using a crane according to the Tribune, which reports that flames engulfed the vehicle before they got that far.
The paper says that one fire-fighter injured his back during the incident but was released after treatment at hospital but that initial reports of injury to one of the station staff were incorrect according to the station.
It quoted Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Capt. Bill Wade as saying, "They wanted a fire. They had no permits, no proper safety crews. When the fire got going, they called the fire department."
He added, "I am very upset that this radio station chose to do this stunt in an unsafe manner, causing injury to a fire-fighter."
The Tribune says the morning show and stunt were streamed live on the station's Web site and recorded and adds that a DJ had said before a commercial break, "We'll see what happens when we return," but when the time the show resumed, the van was aflame.
The station was unapologetic about the incident on its web site - it carries a report headed "Fester's Fire Fester Disaster!" (Fester is a sidekick of morning host Todd Schnitt, aka MJ) then continues, "Fester finally did it! Just a few weeks ago Fester couldn't even start a fire but this time it was a little too much. Fester let the fire get completely out of control and the fire department had to be called to extinguish the inferno."
Below is the line: "Management has released a statement about the results of this public service demonstration" and then the statement- in the name of MJ Morning Show Program Director Tommy Chuck - "Like we've done several times in the past, our intent was to show how dangerous it is to cook a turkey in this type of situation. We were prepared to extinguish a modest fire. Once the fire got out of control, we quickly called the fire department."
The Tribune says that MJ (Todd Schnitt) when reached declined to comment and adds that investigators from the state and Tampa fire marshal offices have handed their notes on the incident to the state attorney's office, which will determine whether charges will be filed.
RNW: Comment- on the basis of the "chutzpah" in his statement, perhaps the next stunt, if he's not circumcised, should be a Chuck's public circumcision without anaesthetic: The idea that this was a "public service demonstration" is in one way a terrific response but we rather think difficult to sustain should it be made the defence if charges are brought! Unless, of course, Tampa residents, are in the habit of cooking frozen birds by putting them in a deep frier!
We did note that in the show's pictures segment the link on the feature listed and "today's morons in news" went to a pop-up photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in a train before she left from King's Cross Station, London, on her way to her Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Maybe a reworking of that link would be in order!

Previous Clear Channel:
Tampa Tribune report:
WFLZ report:

2009-12-17: Jonathan Ross, who with a three-year deal reported to total around GBP 18 million (USD 39 million) with the BBC for his TV and radio shows that runs until July is one of the UK's highest paid entertainers, has offered to take half as much to remain with the corporation according to reports, sourced to people close to the presenter, in various British media.
The Corporation, which is funded to the tune of some GBP 3.6 billion (USD 5.8 billion_ a year by a compulsory licence fee, has come under criticism for overpaying its talent with commercial broadcasters saying they cannot match because of the state of the economy and is trying to cut payments to its stars.
Already a number of stars have taken pay cuts of up to a quarter: They include BBC Radio 1 breakfast host Chris Moyles, who is paid a reported GBP 494,000 (USD 821,000) a year (See RNW Nov 5) . The London Evening Standard said Ross voluntarily began talks about reducing his take by around GBP 3 million (USD 4.9 million) a year.
The paper notes that Ross was suspended without pay for three months after he and Russell Brand left messages on the answer phone of veteran actor Andrew Sachs concerning Brand's relationship with Sachs' granddaughter (See RNW Oct 26, 2008): The incident led to a GBP 150,000 (ten USD 223,000) fine in April on the BBC from regulator Ofcom while Brand's BBC Radio 2 show was cancelled and the channel's controller Lesley Douglas resigned (See RNW April 3; Oct 29, 2008; and Oct 30, 2008) )
The paper quotes a source close to Ross as saying, "Jonathan feels very loyal to the BBC and they have been loyal to him. There have been discussions. "No formal offer has been made but the way Ross's current contract ties him exclusively to the BBC apart from some one-off appearances on commercial TV but it is not known whether any new deal would also be on an exclusive basis.
Previous BBC:
Previous Ross:
Evening Standard report:

2009-12-17: The US House of Representatives has passed by a voice vote The Local Community Radio Act that could potentially allow thousands more low power FM stations (LPFM) in the country as it would in most cases remove third-adjacent channel restrictions placed on Low Power radio 2000 following lobbying by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).
The Act now has to be passed by the full Senate to become law - it has already been approved by the Senate Commerce Committee (See RNW Nov 19) - and looks set to move forward following withdrawal of their objections by the NAB and National Public Radio (NPR).
Amongst the conditions that are included and have been key in overcoming objections are various requirements to deal with interference with third adjacent channels and retention of third adjacent channel protections for stations that use subcarriers to provide radio reading services. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is also being told to make sure that grants of LPFM licences are not made to the exclusion of FM translators or boosters with decisions on what to licence and where to be based on community needs.
In cases where interference is detected the bill says LPFMs "shall be required to address complaints of interference within the protected contour of an affected station and shall be encouraged to address all other interference complaints, including complaints to the Federal Communications Commission based on interference to a full-service FM station, an FM translator station, or an FM booster station by the transmitter site of a low-power FM station on a third-adjacent channel at any distance from the full-service FM station, FM translator station, or FM booster station."
To ensure that problems are detected LPFMs on a third adjacent channel are required to periodically announce on air that they may be interfering with other stations and advising any listener trying to tune to another station who hears the announcement to report the interference to the FCC.
The FCC has to provide notice of any interference complaints received to the LPFM station within seven days and has to allow submission of "informal evidence of interference, including any engineering analysis that an affected station may commission."
The Bill's lead co-sponsor, Pennsylvania Democrat Mike Doyle, commented, "The NAB and NPR have removed their objections and do not oppose this bill. The time has come to make the airwaves available to the people they serve. The time has come to give low power to the people."
During the debate the bill's other co-sponsor, Nebraska Republican Lee Terry, read a letter from the founder of an Omaha non-profit that wants to set up an LPFM: Wes Hall commented, "You cannot build a community without a cohesive voice and this will give a voice to the voiceless. Low power FM is the beacon that lights up the future for us."
The passage was welcomed by various organisations that have promoted LPFM and Diane Foglizzo, Campaign Coordinator for the Prometheus Radio Project, commented, "The offices of Representatives Doyle, Terry, Waxman, and Boucher have demonstrated incredible leadership in fighting for community access to the nation's public airwaves. We're excited to have Senators Cantwell and McCain leading the way in the Senate to finally turn this bill into law."
Free Press program coordinator Candace Clement added that the House Victory was "an important step in the decade-long fight to build and diversify local radio."
She added, "This legislation is about amplifying local voices and expanding a bottom-up, people-powered medium to counteract rampant media consolidation. Low Power FM stations provide new opportunities for independent and diverse voices on the airwaves and outlets for truly local information and perspectives. We commend Representatives Doyle and Terry for their hard work and leadership on this issue, as well as the Prometheus Radio Project and LPFM advocates across the country who have built a movement to bring better local radio to the American people. We look forward to Senate passage of this important legislation and to President Obama signing this bill into law."
Previous FCC:
Previous Prometheus Radio Project:
Free Press news release:
Prometheus Radio Project web site:

2009-12-17: UK media regulator Ofcom has revised the Broadcasting Code, which governs what can be aired on UK radio and TV, including clarifications of rules concerning competitions and audience voting as well as the broadcast of sexual material.
The code also incorporates the requirements of the European Audiovisual Media Services (AVMS) Directive, which must be implemented by 19 December 2009 and prohibits product placement in all children's programmes.
The code, a 109-page document, covers areas such as protection of under-18s, harm and offence, fairness and privacy and commercial references in programmes.
In most areas radio and TV regulations are the same but in some they differ as in the case of religious programmes: Those broadcast on TV, apart from specialist religious TV services, may not seek recruits but this bar does not apply to radio broadcasts.
As in other areas the regulations are more strict at times when significant numbers of children are likely to be in the audience, prohibiting at these times the broadcast of claims that a living person (or group) has special powers or abilities: At other times such claims have to be treated with "due objectivity."
In terms of children in the audience, radio regulation requires "particular regard to times when children are particularly likely to be listening" whereas TV has a 21:00 "watershed"
There are also differences for sponsorship, which is prohibited in the code for news bulletins and news desk presentations on radio and for news and current affairs programmes on television.
Previous Ofcom:

Next column:

2009-12-16: The US National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) have announced what they term "an expanded partnership of communications and events" that is to include a combined Radio convention from Sept. 29-Oct. 1 next year in Washington, D.C. and partnership on the NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Steve Newberry, NAB Joint Board Chairman and President and CEO Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation, commented in a news release, "As part of the management structure of both the NAB and RAB, I've long felt there was tremendous value in bringing both organizations closer together. This enhanced partnership is designed to positively address the needs of our radio station members and bring about proactive change for both of our trade associations."
For the RAB, President and CEO Jeff Haley commented, "We're very pleased with our new partnership. As we further move our medium into a branded content and digital world, it is important we provide our members and clients with all the necessary touch points to see and hear how Radio is innovating for the future."
NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith added, "NAB and RAB are very pleased to respond to the many requests to bring the best of the RAB and NAB together next year in Las Vegas, Washington DC and beyond. Increasing revenues at radio stations is a priority at both of our associations. Together, we can meet the demands of the business and seize opportunities that may never have surfaced otherwise. We believe that an annual communications and events dialogue provides us with those avenues."
Previous Haley:
Previous NAB:
Previous RAB:
Previous Smith:

2009-12-16: The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that Austereo's "The Kyle & Jackie O Show" (Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O'Neil Henderson) on Sydney 2-DAY FM breached commercial industry codes in its July 29 edition in which a 14-years-old girl said she had been raped when aged 12 during questioning about her sex life while she was connected to a lie detector (See RNW July 30).
The subsequent row went up to the level of Australia's Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister (See RNW July 31) leading the station to suspend Sandilands and the ACMA to announce an investigation into wider issues arising from the incident (See RNW Aug 11) and also into the incident itself (See RNW Aug 18).
The ACMA said the content offended against contemporary standards of decency, contrary to the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice 2004 and noted that a child had been put in a vulnerable position over which she did not appear to have control and was questioned about her personal and private affairs to which she objected.
Austereo on behalf of the licensee (Today FM Sydney Pty Ltd), it adds, conceded that the relevant code provision was breached and immediately after the broadcast put in place new policies and procedures but the ACMA then says that although it welcomed the additional safeguards it did not consider that the new procedures addressed the key concern in the incident and is to impose conditions on the station's licence.
ACMA chairman Chris Chapman commented, "Even in these more liberal times, quizzing an under-aged child about her sexual history, for mere entertainment, offends community standards. The real essence of the problem here was not the presenters or their comments in the segment, but that such a segment could occur at all. Ultimately this was the responsibility of the licensee's management. Given the seriousness of the matter, the ACMA considers that the imposition of an additional licence condition is appropriate."
The ACMA also found the licensee, for the first time, to have broken the code related complaints-handling procedures and in addition is also continuing its separate investigation into this type of programme and says that it expects to finalise a broader review before Christmas.
The new licence conditions, which last for three years, say that the licensee in the case of a broadcast in which a child (anyone under 18) is referred to in an identifiable way or is involved in any way other than as a listener must not act in a way that could reasonably be expected to cause the child unnecessary distress or anxiety or to be exploited to humiliated.
The ACMA is also requiring the development and implementation of a staff training programme specially focussed on these obligations and must deliver this to all those involved in the preparation and presentation of programmes for broadcast within 45 days. Written evidence of the delivery of the training has to be provided to the ACMA within 60 days.
Austereo has said that it will not appeal the ruling and its chairman Peter Harvie added that the company was "committed to the new systems and structures implemented by the station to control content standards'' as a result of the incident: These include a dump-button with a seven-second delay.
Previous ACMA:
Previous Austereo:
Previous Chapman:
Previous Harvie:
Previous Kyle and Jackie O:

2009-12-16: India's state broadcaster All India Radio's FM services cover under a quarter of the country by area according to the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting S Jagathrakshakan.
Jagathrakshakan told India's parliament that AIR's FM service was in operation in 172 towns and cities covering 24.55% of the country by area but no study had been carried out about the area covered by India's 251 private FMs, which broadcast in 26 states and union territories.
In terms of states, Maharashtra has 32 private FMs followed by Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradash, which each have 21; Rajasthan with 19 stations; Kerala with 17; Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh with have each;, Karnataka with 14; Andhra Pradesh with 13; and Punjab with 12. There are fewer than ten in all other states or territories and the capital Delhi has eight private FMs.
The Indian government has approved plans for AIR FM transmitters in a further 195 locations but Jagathrakshakan said plans were still being finalized for the Phase III expansion of private FMs.
Previous AIR:
Previous Indian Radio:

2009-12-16: Salem Communications has announced executive changes to take place from the start of the New Year that will see David Santrella promoted to President, Radio Division, taking over from Joe Davis who will take on the new role at Salem of Senior Advisor to the CEO, Special Projects and Strategic Development.
Announcing the re-structuring CEO Edward G. Atsinger III said Davis in his new role would be "be responsible for developing new national content for Salem's Christian Teaching and Talk stations, for assisting Salem's existing ministry clients to improve the yield from their media ministries, and for taking on strategic projects as directed by me."
"With his long radio history and strong relationships with Salem's ministry partners," he added, "Joe is uniquely qualified to take on this new responsibility."
In addition Allen Power will be promoted to Senior Vice President in which role he will take on oversight of Salem's largest markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago and three of the company's current radio station General Managers will be promoted to Operational Vice Presidents: They are Mike Moran in Atlanta, Russ Whitnah in Philadelphia and Brian Taylor in Denver.
Previous Atsinger:
Previous Salem:

2009-12-15: The UK, whose format restrictions prevent the kind of switch to Christmas programming found in the US, has gained a new digital Christmas station - "Radio Lapland" , which has been created as part of the Digital Radio UK campaign to promote the digital platform.
The station was created by communications agency GallieGodfrey and independent radio producer Folded Wing and its stated aim is to give children an original and exciting station to listen to during the festive period, capturing their imagination as they gain an insight into Santa and his elves getting ready for Christmas. Santa's voice was recorded by British film and stage actor Julian Wadham.
The spectrum for the station was provided for free by Arqiva and the station will air in some 20 regions of the UK and also on the Internet. The station is to offer space on its channel and web site to UK charities for Christmas appeals and messages.
In another promotional initiative involving digital radio, receiver maker Pure and Passion for the Planet radio have teamed up in an initiative to split the station's DAB and online output: The music will remain the same but in two of every five hours the online and DAB versions will feature different interviews.
The split is designed to highlight the capabilities of new digital and internet receivers that allow their users to choose the listening platform.
Previous Arqiva:
Previous Digital Radio UK:
Previous Pure:
Passion for the Planet web site:
Radio Lapland web site
:
2009-12-15: The last Australian ratings of the year have produced no major surprises and the leaders held on to their spots in all the five metropolitan markets measured. They also reconfirmed Macquarie Radio Network's dominance in the Sydney market where it increased its overall share and for whom Alan Jones' breakfast show increased share - up from 16.6 to 18.6 as did Ray Hadley in the morning slot - up from 15.3 to 16.4. Commercial talk rival, Fairfax Media -owned 2UE, was in fifth rank, well below both 2GB and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's ABC 702, which was the third-ranked station in Sydney having been overtaken by Austereo's 2DAY-FM whilst DMG's Nova moved up a rank to fourth place in Sydney.
Its Vega-FM again failed to spark with overall share down from 4.6% to 3.7% (down from 7.5% to 6.6% in its target 40-54 demographic) but in Melbourne Vega's overall share was up from 4.0% to 4.3% with an increase from 5.6% to 5.8% for the target demographic).
In the Sydney FM stakes Austereo's 2-DAY increased its share from 0.8 to 11.1, remaining second overall and in the breakfast slot the Kyle and Jackie O Show (Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O'Neil Henderson) also increased share - up from 11.0 to 12.5, albeit not by quite enough to overtake ABC702 in the overall rankings as the latter took its share at breakfast up from 12.0 to 12.9.
In the Drive slot in Sydney Hamish and Andy (Hamish Blake and Andy Lee) of 2-DAY increased their share in top spot from 14.7 in the previous ratings to 15.6, well ahead of second-ranked Nova, which took its share up from 8.6 to 11.3, overtaking both third-ranked 2GB with 10.5, up from 9.1, and fourth-placed ABC 702 whose share was up from 10.9 to 11.0.
2GB also retained its lead in the afternoon slot - up from 11.6 to 13.5 - good news for Chris Smith who was suspended following allegations that he had groped female staff at the station's Christmas bash (See RNW Dec 14).
In its comment on the results Austereo said its Today and Triple M networks had "maintained solid results in 2009, paving the way for a strong 2010" and noted that the former was the FM leader in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and second in Perth and Brisbane.
It specifically highlighted the success of the breakfast teams of Kyle and Jackie O (Lyle Sandilands and Jackie O'Neil Henderson) in Sydney and Matt and Jo (Matt Tilley and Jo Stanley) at Fox FM in Melbourne and of the national drive team of Hamish and Andy.
Austereo Chief Executive Michael Anderson commented of the results that they "confirm the company's leadership and has put Austereo in a great position for 2010. Our stations continue to develop and gain listeners in very competitive markets and I'm looking forward to seeing what they deliver next year. The online results are intimately tied into the overall ratings results and prove once again the great interactivity of our brand and depth of listener commitment."
Austereo Chairman Peter Harvie added, "This has been an outstanding year for Austereo, with consistent audience leadership. The Australian commercial radio industry is one of the most dynamic and competitive in the world, which makes the challenge to succeed even greater - and more fun."
City by city, the top stations were (previous ratings % share in brackets):
*Adelaide: 5AA with 14.2 (14.3) - same rank; SAFM with 12.8 (13.6) - same rank; ABC 891 with 12.2 (12.6) -up from fourth.
*Nova remained fourth with 12.0 (11.2) but Mix 102.3 with 11.8 (12.9) was down two places at fifth followed by 5MM, which retained sixth rank with 9.6 (9.7).
*Brisbane - Nova with 13.5 (12.3) - same rank; B105 with 11.2 (11.3) - same rank; 97.3 FM with 10.8 (10.6) -up from fourth
*4MMM with 9.7 (10.7) dropped a rank from third to fourth followed by ABC 612, which retained fifth rank with 8.4 (10.1).
*Melbourne - 3AW with 14.1 (15.5) - same rank; Fox FM with 13.5 (13.4) - same rank; ABC 774 with 11.3 (12.6) - same rank;
*Nova 100 remained fourth with 7.9 (7.1) followed by Gold FM in the same rank with an unchanged 6.9 after which Mix 101was up a rank to sixth with 5.4 (5.0). Magic was up a rank to seventh with 4.7 (4.0) pushing 3JJJ down a rank to seventh with 4.6 (5.3).
*Perth - MIX 94.5FM with 15.2 (17.7) - same rank; 92.9 with 14.1 (13.2) - same rank; ABC 720 with 11.5 (9.7) up from fourth.
*Nova, moved up a rank to fourth with 9.6 (9.3), overtaking 96 FM which fell two places to fifth with 9.3 (9.8) with 6PR remaining sixth with 7.9 (9.2).
*Sydney: 2GB 14.9 (13.7) - same rank; 2-DAY with 11.1 (9.8) - up from third
ABC 702 with 10.7 (10.5) - down from second;
*NOVA was then up a rank to fourth with 8.7 (7.3), swapping places with 2UE, which was fifth with 6.7 (7.8), and then WSM remained sixth with 6.3 (6.7).
Previous ABC, Australia:
Previous Anderson:
Previous Austereo:
Previous Australian ratings:
Previous DMG:
Previous Fairfax:
Previous Hadley:
Previous Hamish and Andy:
Previous Harvie:
Previous Jones:
Previous Kyle and Jackie O:
Previous Macquarie Radio Network:

2009-12-14: Triton Media's Dial Global continued its dominance of the top-rated US radio networks according to Arbitron's RADAR 103 network survey just released that shows the Dial Global Contemporary Network and Dial Global Complete FM Network held on to the two top ranks amongst those 25-54 with the Premiere Male Focus Network retaining third place, the Dial Global Adult Power Network holding on to fourth and the Dial Global Female Perspective Network and Dial Global Music & Entertainment Network in ninth and tenth ranks.
Clear Channel's Premiere Radio Networks had three of the remaining five top ten slots with Westwood One's Adults Network and United Stations' Impact Network taking fifth and eighth spots.
Crystal Media Network's CMN Prestige Network, which had been eighth in RADAR 101 and fell to 13th in RADAR 102, picked up a little to end in 11th rank
The Top ten networks amongst the 25-54 demographic (Arbitron also now posts details for the 18-49 demographic) were (with the RADAR 102 figures in brackets):
1 - Dial-Global Contemporary Network with an average audience of 3.953 million and an average rating of 3.1 (In RADAR 102 the network was first with an average audience of 3.908 million and an average rating of 3.1.)
2 - Dial Global Complete FM Network with an average audience of 3.871 million and an average rating of 2.9 (In RADAR 102 it was second with an average audience of 3.657 million and an average rating of 2.9).
3: Premiere Male Focus Network with an average audience of 3.160 million and an average rating of 2.5 (In RADAR 102 it was in the fourth with an average audience of 3.034 million and an average rating of 2.4).
4: Dial Global Adult Power with an average audience of 2.794 million and an average rating of 2.2 (In RADAR 102 the network was third ranked with an average audience of 2.948 million and an average rating of 2.3).
5: Westwood One Adults Network with an average audience of 2.587 million and an average rating of 2.0 (This network was not in the RADAR 102 ratings where the Westwood WON I Network in ninth rank with an average audience of 2,221 million and an average rating of 1.8 was the company's highest ranked network).
6: Premiere Today's Men Network with an average audience of 2.450 million and an average rating of 1.9 (In RADAR 102 it was eighth with an average audience of 2.322 million and an average rating of 1.8).
7: Premiere Modern Women Network with an average audience of 2.412 million and an average rating of 1.9 (In RADAR 102 it was in the same rank with an average audience of 2.360 million and an average rating of 1.9).
8: United Stations Impact Network with an average audience of 2.408 million and an average rating of 1.9 (In RADAR 102 it was tenth with an average audience of 2.190 million and an average rating of 1.7).
9: Dial Global Female Perspective Network with an average audience of 2.405 million and an average rating of 1.9 (In RADAR 102 it was fifth with an average audience of 2.438 million and an average rating of 1.9).
10: Dial Global Music & Entertainment Network with an average audience of 2.343 million and an average rating of 1.8 (In RADAR 102 it was fifth with an average audience 2.360 million and an average rating of 1.9).
The highest ranked Citadel Network was the Citadel Media Prime Access Network in 22nd place with an average audience of 1.520 million and an average rating of 1.2 (In RADAR 102 it was 23rd with an average audience of 1.397 million and an average rating of 1.0).
Previous Arbitron:
Previous Citadel (Formerly Disney)/ABC, America):
Previous Premiere Radio Networks:
Previous RADAR:
Previous RADAR ratings (RADAR 102):
Previous Triton:
Previous Westwood One:

2009-12-14: With the final ratings of the year due tomorrow, Australian newspapers have been speculating about changes likely for the new year in the country's commercial radio scene with very different interpretations from The Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald.
The Australian under the heading, "Goings-on in national radio leave little left to shock" says that the ratings are "not likely to result in the usual job carnage for Australia's radio personalities" and goes onto say this is "partly because the latter half of the year has been full of axings and schedule rejiggings."
It then goes on to suggest significant changes may result from a possible deal between Macquarie Radio Network (MRN), owner of Sydney ratings leader 2GB, and Pacific Star Network, owner of Melbourne AM stations SEN and 3MP. MRN has signed a heads of agreement to "contemplate the formation of a joint venture for the production and supply of radio programming in the Melbourne market" with Pacific Star.
The paper comments that any hopes of achieving a similar coup that Macquarie managed when it recruited Alan Jones and Ray Hadley from then leader 2UE - now owned by Fairfax Media - in 2002 has been rendered less likely following news that Neil Mitchell and Derryn Hinch have signed up again with Fairfax's long-time ratings leader 3AW.
It notes that one potential signing for the new Melbourne set-up could be Steve Price, who resigned from 2UE last week after eight years with the station: His morning slot is to be taken by Steve Liebmann.
The Sydney Morning Herald, also owned by Fairfax, starts its report by saying that "Sydney radio is set for a shake-up in 2010 with the departure of a number of high-profile presenters this year and a cloud hanging over the future of others."
It then notes the departure of Price and notes a question mark over the future of Chris Smith at 2GB after he was "suspended indefinitely without pay following alleged inappropriate behaviour with female colleagues at a station Christmas party."
It quoted 2GB chairman Russell Tate as saying, "Chris has acknowledged he needs professional help. However, this is a serious matter and MRN will determine his future with the network pending formal counselling."
It also notes that 2GB breakfast host Alan Jones, who has suffered from bad health that took him off the air for a period earlier this year, has indicated he wants to work only four days a week next year.
Regarding the potential threat from a new news-talk competitor to 3AW it quoted Graham Mott, Fairfax's Group General Manager Radio, as saying of the reported plans for 3MP which are said to include news bulletins from Sydney and networked programmes from other cities, that MRN owner John Singleton was "dreaming" and adding, "For talk to work, it has to be local and this is not local . . . I don't think there's any certainty it's going to get off the ground at all."
Of Price's departure - reportedly after negotiations over his AUD 800,000 (USD 730,000) contract stalled when he was asked to take a 30 per cent pay cut Mott said Liebmann was a perfect replacement who "has the benefit of being well-known in the Sydney market and nationally thanks to his years on the Today show."
The paper goes on, as did the Australian, to note changes earlier in the year that saw six of Sydney's nine commercial stations making changes in their breakfast slots: Only Jones, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O'Neil Henderson (The Kyle and Jackie O Show) on Austereo's 2-DAY and
Brendan Jones and Amanda Keller at ARN's (Australian Radio Networks') WSFM survived without major changes and Sandilands has been embroiled in controversies that at one time could have put his future at risk.
The Herald also notes the pay levels - taken from the BRW Top 50 Entertainers 2009 survey - showed radio hosts doing better than many TV personalities with Alan Jones at 2GB reported to be paid AUD 5 million (USD 4.6 million) a year and his fellow 2GB host Ray Hadley getting AUD 2 million (USD 1.8 million) whilst Kyle and Jackie O at D-DAY received AUD 2.8 million (USD 2.6 million) and their 2-DAY colleagues Hamish Blake and Andy Lee (Hamish and Andy) got AUD 1.8 million (USD 1.6million).
Previous Austereo:
Previous ARN:
Previous Fairfax:
Previous Hadley:
Previous Alan Jones:
Previous Kyle and Jackie O:
Previous Macquarie Radio Network:
Previous Mott:
Previous Price:
Previous Singleton:
The Australian report:
Sydney Morning Herald report:

2009-12-14: Clear Channel Communications is indicating a significant improvement in trading over recent months in an 8K filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that shows overall year-on-year revenue falls of 13% in October down to an estimated 5% in November with December figures estimated to be down by 3%. It says the improvements mean that it now expects to be in with the covenants under its senior secured credit facilities for the remainder of 2009 and through 2010 and
Within the figures, radio's improvement stands out - from a 19% fall in October to estimated falls of 8% in November and 1% in December with corresponding figures for America's Outdoor of a 4% fall becoming a break even for November and December; International Outdoor moving from 8% down to 4% down and then back to an 8% estimated fall.
Clear Channel says that as of December 10 it expected revenues for the final quarter of this year to be between USD 1,470 million and USD 1,500 million with full year figures to be between 5,510 million and USD 5,540 million: In 2008 final quarter revenues were USD 1.6 billion, down 14% on 2007 (excluding foreign currency movements the fall would have been 11%) with full year revenues of USD 6.7 billion, a 3% fall.
Clear Channel also notes that its indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary, Clear Channel Worldwide Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation, has placed USD 750 million of senior notes - USD 600 million of Series A Senior Notes due 2017 and USD 150 million of Series B Senior Notes due 2017.
The notes were offered only to qualified institutional buyers in an unregistered offering and to "certain non-U.S. persons in transactions outside the United States."
Clear Channel has also named Tom Casey, who joins the company from Washington Mutual (WaMu), where he was Executive Vice President and CFO, as its Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President from the start of next year. He will take over from Randall Mays who announced in October that he was to step down and become the company's vice chairman when a replacement was found (See RNW Oct 28).
In an internal promotion the company has also named Ron Cooper as Chief Executive Officer of CCO-Americas. He has already taken up the post in which he replaces Paul Meyer and reports to Mark Mays, CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor.
In other US radio business news, Standard and Poors has revised its rating outlook on Regent Communications downwards from "developing" to "Negative" and also affirmed its CCC corporate credit rating as well as its ratings on subsidiary Regent Broadcasting LLC's debt.
The move is attributed to concerns over Regent's ability to get satisfactory amendment of its credit arrangements and also the probability that it will have to use its revolving credit facility in the first half of next year. Last week Regent announced that it had received a de-listing notice from the NASDAQ stock market and had asked for a hearing before the market's Listings Qualification Panel (See RNW Dec 7).
Previous Clear Channel:

Previous Randall Mays:
Previous Regent:
2009-12-14: The past week has seen contrasting treatment of station closures in Georgia and Pennsylvania: In Georgia Clarion Communications Cartersville News-Talk WYXC-AM went off the air at the beginning of last week because of what a posting on its web site calls a "catastrophic equipment failure.
The posting then says that after assessing the cost and time to get the station back on the air the owners "cannot justify the expense in equipment and labor to put WYXC back on the air at this time" and then says it has received hundreds of calls and e-mails and goes on to "thank all of the thousands of loyal listeners for their support and friendship over these past five years. "
The posting comments on the "enormous pressure" on radio and other media "as technology revolutionizes the way we receive news and entertainment" and notes that as people by-pass radio for their music "many FM stations across the nation are now dropping music formats to become news/talk stations." This transition of FMs to talk says the posting "is increasingly leaving AM stations with very limited programming choices. AM radio is an inferior technology with poor audio quality that is subject to interference and poor night-time reception. Many radio industry analysts believe AM radio may cease to exist within 5 to 7 years and that the AM radio band may be reallocated for other uses."
Clarion thanks to its "advertisers, employees and especially to David Paul, host of our Wakeup Show" but says the owners have "taken no salary or compensation" during the five years they have operated the station but have used revenues to improve and operate the station.
It concludes by saying that Clarion is in discussions with others, including the previous owner, who might be interested in putting the station back on air and says it will post updates on its Facebook fan page.
In contrast to WYCX, in Pennsylvania Great Scott Broadcasting simply closed down Pottsgrove station WPAZ-AM and took its web site down without any warning according to the Phoenixsville Phoenix.
The paper says Great Scott Broadcasting CEO Mitchell Scott, a Lower Pottsgrove native who now lives in Maryland, had said that he was hoping someone buys the station but said it was the smallest of its stations - it owns nine stations in the Delaware area - and "dealing with 'PAZ" several hours north in Pennsylvania "was not as productive."
Four full-time and two part-time employees lost their jobs and the station's general manager and on-air personality Jay Warren, who had been with the station for 26 years, told the paper that he was on air when he was called to an urgent meeting with Scott and his chief engineer.
"They told us that the Pottstown radio station - although it was their first - was no longer part of the corporation's plan, and that it is currently for sale," said Warren who added that no time was given to explain to listeners to say goodbye.
The 1,000-watt station was launched by Mitchell Scott's father, the late Herb Scott, in 1951 and his son eventually took over and expanded the family broadcasting business.
One comment in response to the closure was bluntly critical of the way it had been handled, including the comment that Scott not only seems "like an SOB, he seems pretty stupid, too. Does he think a station that has been off the air will have as much value as one that keeps operating?"
Phoenixville Phoenix report:
WYXC-AM web site:
WYXC-AM Facebook pages:

2009-12-13: Last week continued the pattern of comparatively little attention to broadcasting and radio from most of the regulators with more attention going to the Internet although in the US Democrat Federal Communications Commissioner Michael J. Copps took up issues of the importance of traditional media, saying that so far the gains from the Internet hadn't begun to match what had been lost.
In Australia, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has proposed changes to radio services for Griffith in New South Wales where it is proposing to make changes to allow Narrandera District Community Radio Incorporated's community station Spirit FM in Narrandera to extend its service to include the entire township and immediate surrounding district and also to make a new FM frequency available for a high powered open narrowcasting (HPON) service in Griffith.
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) made a small number of radio- related postings including (In order of province):
Alberta:
*Approved the application by Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and 1188011 Alberta Ltd. and Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the limited partners), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership to operate its new English-language commercial FM in Red Deer, Alberta at 90.5 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 15,000 watts. The station had been approved in October last year subject to the applicant proposing an acceptable alternative frequency to the 101.3 MHz it had originally proposed and which had been allocated to L.A. Radio Group Inc. for a new English-language commercial FM in Red Deer..
*Issued a Public Notice with a January 14, 2010, deadline for the submission of interventions or comments, relating to an application by Newcap Inc. to increase the power of CHFT-FM, Fort McMurray, from 20,000 watts to 50,000 watts so as to improve reception to distant listeners and remain competitive in the market.
British Columbia:
*Approval of application by Northern Native Broadcasting to add to the licence of CFNR-FM, Terrace, low-power rebroadcasting transmitters at Alkali Lake and Fort Babine and also various low-power rebroadcasting transmitters currently in operation throughout northern British Columbia.
Northern Native said in its application that it had thought that currently operating low-power rebroadcasting transmitters would be considered exempt from licensing in light of the agency's Exemption order respecting certain native radio undertakings.
The list of transmitters to be added to the licence is comprised of:
8 watts transmitter at Aiyansh.
27.9 watts transmitter at Alkali Lake.
7.3 watts transmitter at Anahim Lake.
10 watts transmitter at Bella Coola.
5 watts transmitter at Canyon City.
10 watts transmitter at Cheslatta.
8 watts transmitter at Dog Creek.
6.4 watts transmitter at Fort Babine.
10 watts transmitter at Ingenkia.
6.4 watts transmitter at Kitwancool.
8 watts transmitter at Kitwanga.
10 watts transmitter at Klemtu.
6.4 watts transmitter at Masset.
8 watts transmitter at McLeod Lake.
10 watts transmitter at Nemiah Valley.
10 watts transmitter at New Bella Bella.
8 watts transmitter at Port Simpson.
22 watts transmitter at Prince Rupert.
10 watts transmitter at Redstone Flat.
8 watts transmitter at Skidegate.
5 watts transmitter at Smithers.
8 watts transmitter at Tachie.
And 8 watts transmitter at Toosey Indian Reserve.
There were no postings from Ireland but in the UK Ofcom has posted its latest Broadcast Bulletin in which it held that the current national commercial radio chart show breached codes and also upheld two further radio standards complaints (See RNW Dec 7).
Ofcom also posted its Draft Annual Plan for 2010-11 with a call for comments to be submitted to it by February 17 next year.
Most of the report is related to telecommunications and within comment related to broadcasting most concerns digital TV. Regarding radio it says that it has proposed to reduce the regulatory burden on the commercial radio sector particularly at the local level and ensure radio regulation adapts to the digital age with decisions on these issues now up to the Government and Parliament although it will continue to monitor developments in this area, and will contribute and respond where appropriate. In particular it has recommended removal of local and digital multiplex ownership caps and easing of cross-media ownership rules for local markets (See RNW Nov 18).
It comments regarding the medium that "Despite the value and popularity of radio, the commercial radio sector is facing significant challenges, due to structural and cyclical economic changes" and adds, "A significant number of stations (in particular smaller stations) have become loss-making and some radio stations have closed. We know that listeners value commercial radio services, so we have worked to support the evolution of radio."
In relation to this it notes that it has allowed co-location of stations so as to reduce costs and has proposed a three-tier structure for radio, allowing some regional stations to share programming if they agreed to provide a service on a national DAB multiplex as well as easing ownership restrictions and potentially relaxing rules concerning music formats.
In the US the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had a very quiet week as regards radio with the main action being the posting online of its revised Biennial Form 323: it also held a workshop concerning the new form on Wednesday last week.
The agency was also involved in a few enforcement actions, in one case cancelling a USSD 7,000 penalty on an Iowa FM and substituting a late payment fee (See RNW Dec 9); in another issuing a USD 10.000 forfeiture to Anthony F. Davis of Winter Haven, Florida, for operating a pirate FM transmitter. Davis had been issued with a USD 10, 000 (NAL) Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture in August to which he had not responded.
In a third case the agency issued a USD 1,500 Forfeiture to UA-ASU-TSU Educational Radio Corporation, licensee of WAPR-FM, Selma, Alabama, for late filing of renewal application. It had issued an NAL for this amount to which the licensee responded by requesting reconsideration because the failure was inadvertent as it thought the application had been properly filed and there could have been problems with the agency's electronic filing system, with which it said it "unusual difficulties."
The FCC noted that because of problems it had extended the filing deadline but the licensee had not met the extended deadline. It confirmed the full penalty.
In addition to formal agency actions Democrat Commissioner Michael J. Copps addressing the Practising Law Institute in Washington made gloomy comments in a speech mainly centred on broadband about the state of US media talking of "Newsrooms decimated. Beat reporters laid off. Investigative journalism an endangered species. Newspapers shrinking before our eyes. Infotainment. Sensationalism. Cable news mud-wrestling. Homogenized play lists. The list goes on-it's not a good list. Did you know that 27 states no longer have an accredited reporter on the Capitol Hill beat? "
Copps said the Internet had opened new opportunities but then continued on to say that "what we've gained there hasn't yet begun to match what we have already lost due to the bad choices that have been made regarding traditional media. I'm talking about bad choices by the private sector through the heedless consolidation bazaar and reckless business plans of the past decade that saddled companies with debt that became unmanageable when the economy went south and that sacrificed localism and diversity to uniformity and program homogenization. And I'm talking about bad choices by government, particularly the Commission, through a massive frontal assault on the public interest protections that undergirded the country's media landscape for decades."
Copps added that the "consolidation and ideological deregulation over the past two decades-rather than reviving the news business-have condemned us to less real news, less serious political coverage, less diversity of opinion, less minority and female ownership, less investigative journalism and fewer jobs for journalists" and said he continued "to believe that in exchange for use of this country's valuable spectrum resources, it isn't too much to ask that broadcasters demonstrate during license renewals what they have done to provide the news and information that informed civic engagement compels. Not in a burdensome way but in a credible way. Granting slam-dunk license renewals without any semblance of public interest review is not what the statute envisions or what the public interest requires."
Previous ACMA:
Previous Copps:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous Licence News:
Previous Ofcom:
Ofcom 2010-11 Draft Annual Plan ( 473 kb 94-page PDF):
ACMA web site:
CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
Ofcom web site:

2009-12-12: BBC Radio Five Live has announced that Chris Addison, the stand-up comedian, writer and actor best known for playing Ollie in the BBC television satirical comedy The Thick of It, is to host a new live topical news show "7 Day Sunday" on the stationairing on Sundays from 11:00 to Noon from January 10 as part of the new-look schedule for 2010.
The show will take the slot currently held by "The Christian O'Connell Solution" about which the station has made no comment: O'Connell's show was commissioned for a 15-week run but no decision has been taken about whether it will return after Addison's show ends its initial 20-week run.
Other changes already announced by the station include new weekday shows for Gaby Logan and Richard Bacon (See RNW Oct 20)
BBC Radio 4 meanwhile has announced the names of the six guest editors for its breakfast "Today" Show this year for the period from Monday 28 December and Saturday 2 January: They are the President of the Royal Society and Astronomer Royal Martin Rees; artist David Hockney; former England and Arsenal captain and football manager Tony Adams; author PD James; musician Robert Wyatt; and politician Shirley Williams.
Each guest editor will be responsible for between a third and a half of their programme's output and will be aided by the programme's producers and reporters to turn their ideas into radio journalism.
BBC Radio 1 has also made a foray into allowing outsiders to take part in its production over the holiday season with a "Tinsel Takeover" on Christmas Day during which it will hand over six hours of its broadcasting to 24 listeners who have each won the chance to present a 15-minute slot.
The "Tinsel Takeover" was launched on Greg James' lunchtime show last week and he will select winners from entrants to who have visited the station's web site and given reasons why they should present a slot.
On Christmas Day James will host the Breakfast Show live from 06:00 to 10:00 and then hand over to the listener line-up during which each winner will select a track from the station's playlist, play a festive tune and pick a song of their choice.
Previous BBC:

2009-12-11: Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. (SBS) has received a de-listing Notice from the NASDAQ that says its stock has fallen below the required USD 1 minimum price for 30 days and has, like Regent which received a similar notice earlier this month (See RNW Dec 7) requested a hearing before a NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel.
The stock was due to be de-listed on December 16 unless it requested the hearing. SBS stock wended today at 82 cents, having risen 9.22% over the day: This is higher than its closing price during the last month which has ranged upwards from a low of 60 cents.
The de-listing notices come as a number of US radio companies continue to struggle - Emmis has arranged waivers on debt covenants twice and Citadel seems almost certain to be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy before January 15 when new conditions concerning its debt are due to come into effect that would require it to have available USD 150 million of cash, around six times what it currently has: The Wall Street Journal, quoting people "familiar with the matter" says Citadel has presented a plan to its lenders this week that would lead to the company filing a pre-arranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan under which lenders, who are owed around USD 2 billion, would swap much of that debt for around 99.5% of Citadel's equity.
The Journal says this deal would cut the debt to around USD 760 million and lenders holding around 40% of the current debt including .P. Morgan Chase & Co. and General Electric Co.'s GE Capital-have indicated they support the reorganization. It adds that support is needed from holders of two-thirds of the debt and a majority of individual debt holders to receive final bankruptcy court approval of the plan and says Chief Executive Farid Suleman is likely to remain in his post.
It also notes that Citadel shares currently trade over the counter for around five cents - making its market capitalization less than USD 12 million compared to around USD 2.2 billion in 2004. In 2008 Suleman's basic salary was USD 1.25 million and he also received USD 4.8 million in restricted stock awards that together with other remuneration took his total to just under USD 6.1 million
Previous Citadel:
Previous SBS:
Previous Suleman:
Wall Street Journal report (Subscription):


2009-12-11: The UK Radio Academy on Thursday honoured veteran British Broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan, who is to step down from his breakfast show on BBC Radio 2 next Friday (Dec 18 -He made the announcement on air in September - See RNW Sep 7): Those attending were told by the host that he didn't "really want to go" adding that the last fortnight had been "a hell of a strain, mentally and emotionally." He has hosted the show for a total of 27 years in two spells.
Wogan was inducted into the Academy Hall of Fame and, also awarded the PRS John Peel Outstanding Contribution To Music Award, which was handed to him by Gary Barlow of the pop group Take That.
Wogan commented, "I don't particularly want to go but I think it's the right time. It's already emotional - the last two weeks have been a hell of strain emotionally and mentally. I wonder why I'm tired and I realise it's because it's taking its toll because I am going to have to say goodbye, say goodbye to all the fun of every morning. I never got up any morning to do the radio show when I didn't have a smile on my face" and then added, "There's never a good time to leave but there's a right time. I think the public has always confused longevity with merit. If you hang around long enough and a proportion of the great British public still hold you in some affection that's the time to leave, the time to walk away."
Chris Evans, who will take over the slot in the New Year, when Wogan moves to a weekend slot, referred to Wogan as "a total legend, the best of the best" and added, "He has decided to step down. It must be so difficult because he still loves it. To walk away from something that you still love and you are so good at still, that takes a lot of doing. It could have been a bit earlier and it could have been a lot later. It's just perfect. That's the mark of the man. He knows exactly what to do, when to do it."
Other tributes were paid by DJs Chris Moyles, who hosts the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show, Tony Blackburn, and Noel Edmunds, and BBC Radio 4 breakfast host John Humphrys.
Humphrys said that Wogan's audience listened "because they feel better about themselves after they have listened to him. He has made the nation feel at ease with itself and that's a great gift and we owe him a lot for that."
Moyles has had a long-standing rivalry with Wogan as he tried to take his ratings crown away - something he suggests he may be able to do against Evans, and poked fun at the award, commenting, "Only the Radio Academy could put together a tribute of breakfast DJs who are on at the same time and have probably never listened to Terry to come on and say how amazing Terry is. Let's be honest: all they care about is their own shows and themselves and their own egos."
He particularly singled out Radio 2's Early Breakfast Show host Sarah Kennedy making comments that came under attack in the UK Daily Mail as "foul-mouthed jibes."
The paper quotes him as saying," 'I am very nervous doing this because this is probably the first time Terry has ever heard me, ever.
Actually, saying that Sarah Kennedy is on before him, [so] there's a good chance he might f****** tune in."
Moyles, it says, then pulled a face and appeared to do an impression of someone who was drunk. The paper then refers to past criticism of Kennedy for slurring her words in her show, slurring she put down to a cold.
Previous BBC:
Previous Evans:
Previous Humphrys:
Previous Kennedy:
Previous Moyles:
Previous Radio Academy:
Previous Wogan:
Daily Mail report:

2009-12-10: UK radio ratings company RAJAR says that its fifth survey of internet delivered audio services just released shows that one third (17.4 million) of the UK's adult population now claims to have listened to the radio via the internet; the number of users of Personalised Online Radio has increased from 3.9 million to 4.5 million since May 2009; and 8.3 million adults in the UK now claim to have heard of Wi-Fi radio.
The Measurement of Internet Delivered Audio Services (MIDAS 5) survey was conducted last month by Ipsos MORI using a sample of 977 respondents comprised of RAJAR respondents, drawn from the main RAJAR survey over the previous 6 months, who had claimed to listen to the radio via the internet or downloaded podcasts, alongside respondents from the two previous MIDAS surveys (conducted in October 2008 and May 2009).
RAJAR research manager Christel Lacaze said the survey showed that "Personalised Online Radio is the fastest growing internet delivered audio service, with 4.5 million people claiming they have used such service. Listening to Podcasts and to the radio via the internet (live and using Listen Again services) also continue to grow but at a reduced pace".
The survey showed nearly three quarters of those using Listen-Again services said that it had no impact on their listening to live radio and half said they were now listening to radio programmes to which they did not listen previously.
Regarding podcasts 8.1 million UK adults have now downloaded a podcast (up from 7.8 million in May '09), while 4.4 million say they listen to podcasts at least once a week (up from 4.2 million in May '09 but there was a sting in the tail - only 24% said they found time to listen to all the podcasts they download. The podcast user according to the survey subscribes to 5.9 podcasts per week (up from 5.2 podcasts in May '09) and spent about an hour listening to them in the previous week. As in the four previous surveys, comedy and music remain the two favourite genres but only 5% said they have paid for a podcast.
In relation to payment 59% of respondents said they would be interested in downloading podcasts containing advertising if they were free, while only 33% responded positively to the idea of podcasts without adverts that had to be paid for. The figures are similar to those in previous reports.
Previous RAJAR:

2009-12-10: The Hungarian Embassy in Washington has responded to passage of a House Resolution (HR915) introduced by Indiana Democrat Congressman Joe Donnelly that noted reports of alleged attempts by Hungarian political parties to extort finance from foreign-controlled Danubius Radio (in which Accession Capital has a controlling share) and Sláger Rádió (in which Emmis has a controlling interest) and the subsequent award of their licences "to two politically-connected local bidders" by issuing a statement saying that the radio licence awards were conducted transparently by a regulator independent of political influence but not commenting on the alleged extortion attempts.
The House Resolution noted US investment of more than USD 9 billion in Hungary over the past 20 years and the crucial role of Foreign Direct Investment in Hungary; reports in the Financial Times of approaches to Danubius and Sláger by representatives of the Socialist and Fidesz Parties who offered licence extensions in return for a half share of the companies but were turned down; and commented that "unfair treatment of foreign companies will deter investment and hinder economic growth in Hungary" whilst "respect for the rule of law and a free and independent press will spur investor confidence in Hungary."
It then went on to condemn the licence awards and "encourage" Hungary to "respect the rule of law and treat foreign investors fairly" and "maintain its commitment to a free and independent press."
Csaba Balazs, CEO of Econet.Hu, which won the Danubius frequency with its Neo FM bid, termed the resolution "outrageous" according to index.hu which reports that he added that they were "professional investors" who were "interested in an investment climate that makes Hungary an attractive investment destination."
When Sláger went off the air on Nov 19, Emmis said it was going to pull out of Hungary (See RNW Nov 21) but the Budapest Business Journal reported at the beginning of this month that Barbara Mills, Emmis' chairwoman in Budapest, had released a statement saying it would do all it could to get the station up and running again.
Both Danubius and Sláger have kept their stations online and appear to be maintaining their Hungarian presence through this route for now.
Previous Emmis:
Budapest Business Journal (re Emmis reconsidering decision to leave Hungary):
Index.hu (Hungarian) web site:

2009-12-10: Westwood One has disclosed in an 8K filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a USD 8.25 million sale of its Culver City, California, properties to NLC-Lindblade, LLC., following which it will lease back the properties for ten years at approximately USD 875,000 a year. Under the deal USD 67,000 will be held in escrow to cover part of repairs to the properties and Westwood One says it expects to receive around USD 6.8 million net from the sale, which is expected to close on December 17.
It adds that it is to use USD 3.5 million of the proceeds to pay down Senior Notes.
Westwood One has also announced that Joseph P. Page, Chief Operating Officer of The Gores Group, which holds a controlling interest in the company (around 73%), has been elected to its Board following he resignation from Gores Radio Holdings, LLC. and the board of Westwood One of Ian Weingarten.
Page, who is 56, joined Gores in 2004, before which he was senior Principal and Chief Operating Officer for Shelter Capital Partners, a southern California-based private investment fund, from 2000 to 2004.
Previous Westwood One:

2009-12-09: US shock jock Howard Stern and Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin both now appear to be doing part of their negotiating about an extension to the host's contract with the satellite radio company that runs out at the end of next year with the Wall Street Journal gaining wide publicity for a report that says both the host and the company are looking for new terms.
The paper notes that Stern said on air last month that he didn't think he was going to be re-signing and added in relation to a less time-consuming schedule, "I know exactly what I want to do here and I don't know if it would interest them."
Karmazin last month in an interview with Neil Cavuto on Fox Business News (See RNW Nov 17) spoke of wanting to keep Stern but on "terms that are in the best interest of our shareholders" and also said, "If you can convince Howard to work for less money you know I'd be happy to "and then went on "but I've been hearing about expensive content cost my entire career--- good content costs you a lot of money and as I've said before I'd rather have good content than not have it…"
Stern is currently on a five-year deal USD 500 million that was agreed with the then Sirius Satellite Radio in 2004 (See RNW Oct 7, 2004) but he was not able to move to satellite until his contract with Infinity/CBS Radio expired at the end of 2005: in 2006, when new rules meant stock-based compensation had to be recorded, Sirius's first quarter results disclosed that the host had received USD 225 million in stock-based compensation - more than half the loss Sirius recorded for the quarter (See RNW May 3, 2006). In January 2006, Stern and his agent Don Buchwald became owners of 34.375,000 shares in Sirius Satellite Radio, because subscriber targets had been achieved (See RNW Jan 12, 2006).
The Journal in its report says that neither party needs the other as before - Sirius is now well established and Karmazin has placed "more of an emphasis on achieving operating profitability than on growth.
Stern, whose show had received indecency fines from the Federal Communications Commission in the wake of the Super Bowl row over a Janet Jackson breast, was under pressure at the time he signed up for Sirius to clean up his comments if he wanted to remain on terrestrial radio: his syndicated show had been dropped from its stations by Clear Channel (a lawsuit over the Clear Channel action, made because of "repeated federal indecency violations " was settled in February 2005 - See RNW Feb 25, 2005). That "indecency backlash" says the Journal has calmed and it thinks it is likely that Stern could return to terrestrial radio.
Of the negotiations it quotes Karmazin as saying Stern will want Sirius XM to "figure out a way for him to work less and get more" money whilst Sirius XM would like him to work more and be paid less.
Sirius XM is also in the news over a lawsuit launched in Manhattan federal court in which a subscriber claims that the company deceptively increased prices in breach of subscriber contracts: Reuters reported that Carl Blessing, who lives in Florida, who is seeking class action status and unspecified damages: He claimed that "Since the merger, Sirius XM has abused its monopoly power by increasing prices above competitive levels, breaching subscriber contracts, and making false and misleading statements to subscribers and the public."
Following the merger the core subscription charge from Sirius was not changed but in March this year it increased charges for additional receivers from USD 6.99 to USD 8.99 a month and started to charge for access to Sirius XM content on the Internet. This had previously been free to subscribers and the suit says that a subscriber with one additional radio who had previously had free Internet access was now paying USD 27.88 per month for the combined services compared with USD 19.94 per month.
Previous Karmazin:
Previous Sirius XM:
Previous Stern:
Reuters report:
Wall Street Journal report (Subscription):

2009-12-09: James Findlay, a 20-year-old singer, guitarist and fiddle player from Dorset, has won BBC Radio 2's Young Folk Award 2010: He and five other finalists performed in an evening hosted by Mike Harding who commented of the competition, now in its 12th year, "Last year a terrific young singer-songwriter, Megan Henwood, won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award along with her brother Joe.
"As if to prove what a broad church the folk scene is, this year's winner is James Findlay, a brilliant young traditional singer, guitarist and fiddle player who plays and sings with all the fire and dedication of masters like Nic Jones and the late Tony Rose."
Findlay, who is from a family of traditional singers, will gain slots the bill at three of the UK's most prestigious festivals - the Cambridge Folk Festival, Fairport's Cropredy Convention and Towersey Village Festival as well as a session for Mike's Radio 2 show as part of his prize.
The other finalists were Cinnte, six-piece group from County Derry, who play traditional Irish music; Niamh Boadle, a 15-years old singer, songwriter and guitarist from Lancashire who grew up with folk music, in particular traditional Irish music; 20-years-old twin sisters Charlotte & Laura Carrivick from Devon who sing and play fiddle, mandolin, guitar and dobro; Sisters Mairi (16) and Steaphanaidh (15) Chaimbeul from the Isle of Skye who play clarsach, saxophone and sing; and 20-years-old button accordion player Chris Keatinge, from the Scottish Borders.
A 90 minute highlights programme is here on the Radio 2 web site until next Wednesday..
Previous BBC:

2009-12-09: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has cancelled a USD 7,000 penalty on Wennes Communications Stations, Inc. , licensee of KNEI-FM, Waukon, Iowa, for late filing of renewal application and unauthorized operation after the licence expired, substituting a 25% late payment penalty fee of USD 187.50.
It had issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) of USD 7,000 in February to which Wennes responded by requesting cancellation or substantial reduction on the basis that it had filed the application in time but had been unsuccessful in its first on-line filing attempt to pay the associated fee. It added that when it found out that the licence had expired it sough special temporary authority (STA) and a separate request for waiver of the application filing deadline to allow it to continue operations.
The FCC accepted that the application had been tendered on time although the fee had not been paid and that it had subsequently re-filed together with the fee. Wennes had argued that it should have been billed for a defective filing fee rather than issued an NAL but the FCC said that under its rules because the action was taken after more than 30 days after the filing without a fee the only action it could take was to impose the late filing fee.
Previous FCC:

2009-12-08: The US advertising decline is worsening rather than improving according to figures from TNS Media Intelligence which says that in the first nine months of this year total advertising spend was down 14.7% over a year earlier compared to falls of 14.2% in the first quarter and 14.3% in the second quarter.
Within the figures Internet display - up 7.0% compared to a 6.5% increase in the first six months and FSI's (free standing inserts) -up 3.9% compared to 4.6% for the first six months were the only media types recording rises: Radio again fared worst although its 22.8% year-on-year fall was a little better than the 24.6% for the first six months.
Within the radio figures national spot revenues again fared worst -0 down 27.2% compared to 29.2% in the first six months with local radio down 23.3% compared to a 25.5% fall in the first six months and network radio doing best overall although worse than it the first six months- it fell 9.1% compared to 8.7% in the first six months.
Of other media TV was down 12.1% compared to a 10% fall in the first six months within which cable TV was down 2.7% compared to 3.7%m network TV was down 11.5% compared to 5.5% and spot TV was down 27.5% compared to 27.1%. Newspapers were down 22.8% compared to 24.2% for the first six months and Magazines were down 19.7% compared to 20.9%.
In terms of advertisers TNS reports that the top ten advertisers spent a total of combined total of USD 11,757.6 million, a 5.9 percent decrease from last year: In the first six months they spent a total of USD 7,866.4 million down 3.5% on a year.
The top hundred companies cut their spend by 7.9% compared to a 6.2% cut for the first six months.
Topping the rank of advertisers was Procter & Gamble Co with a spend of USD 1.941 billion - down 15.9% on a year earlier: In the first six months it ranked second with a spend of USD 1.178 billion, down 20% on a year earlier.
Verizon Communications Inc., which was top ranked in the first six months when its spend was up 3.1% on a year earlier to USD 1.188 billion - fell back to second rank with a spend of USD 1.692 billion, down 5.8% on a year earlier and General Motors, which was fifth-ranked in the first six months with a spend down 25.9% on a year earlier at USD 773 million moved up to third place with a spend of USD 1.352 million, down 15.5% on a year earlier.
In category terms the top ten trimmed spending by 14.1% on a year earlier to end with a total of USD 50.92 billion: In the first six months they spend USD 33.588 billion, down 14.5%.
Automotive spending topped the rankings with a spend of USD 7.49 billion, down 30.8% on a year earlier - in the first six months its spend was USD 4.45 billion, down 31.1% - followed by Telecom whose spend was down 0.4% to USD 6.19 billion compared to a first six months total up 7.5% to USD 4.28 billion and Financial Services, which spent USD 5.67 billion, down 23.7%, compared to USD 3.75 billion in the firs six months when its total was down 24.3%.
Previous TNS:

2009-12-08: For the first time this year, Australian metropolitan radio revenues in November were up on a year ago according to figures from industry body Commercial Radio Australia.
The figures from the 2009 Metropolitan Commercial Radio Advertising Revenue, as sourced by Deloitte, show only Adelaide behind a year ago: The other four metropolitan markets were up by between 3% and 8% but Adelaide was down 2.35% to AUD 5.24 million (USD 4.79 million).
Overall revenues were up 4.15% on November last year at AUD 58.95 million (USD 53.90 million) and (in descending order) the increases were of 8.3% to AUD 10.1 million (USD 9.23 million) for Brisbane; around 5% to AUD 18.42 million (USD 16.84 million) for Sydney; of 3.9% to AUD 7.97 million (USD 7.29 million) for Perth and of 3% to AUD 17.19 million (USD 15.72 million) for Melbourne).
Commenting on the figures Commercial Radio Australia CEO Joan Warner said, "This is a great way to end the year which has been a challenging one for all metropolitan markets and particularly Sydney. The growth for the month of November, in all markets except Adelaide, reflects the reported, improved economic conditions across the board, and is especially welcome news in Sydney which has seen monthly growth of five per cent."
Previous Commercial Radio Australia:
Previous Warner:

2009-12-07: Preliminary figures from Arbitron for its RADAR 103 national network ratings, which are to be released on Dec 14, show that the medium reaches more than 236 million people aged 12 and above each week in the US: The figure is up by a million over the company's RADAR 102 report.
Listening to RADAR network affiliated stations - around 7,700 in all - was up to more than 216 million, a rise of two million on the previous figures and up six million from the 210 million a year ago in the RADAR 99 survey.
Within listening, Arbitron notes that radio reaches 95% of college graduates aged 25-54 each week, unchanged from the RADAR 102 figures although it indicates a rise amongst those 25-54s with a college degree and annual income of USD 50,000 or more - not put as nearly 96% compared to 85% for RADAR 102.
In terms of ethnic listening, radio reaches nearly 93% of black non-Hispanic persons aged 12 and above - up from 92% - and 94% of black non-Hispanics and Hispanics ages 18-49, up from 93%.
Network affiliated stations reached 87% of college graduates aged 18-49 with a household income of USD 75,000 or more, up from 86%, whilst all radio stations reach 95% of the group - the RADAR 102 figure was for nearly 95%.
Previous Arbitron:
Previous RADAR (RADAR 102):

2009-12-07: Absolute Radio has announced that its Brand Director Chris Lawson, who was one of the key executives involved in the re-branding of the former Virgin Radio, is leaving the company on December 18 after 18 months with the company, which he joined from Bauer Radio. He is to move to an unspecified digital venture.
A posting on Absolute's blog comments that the position of Brand Director was "created to successfully launch and transition the brand from an analogue radio station to a digital music and entertainment company with audio at its core" and quoted Lawson as commenting, "Over the last 18 months, I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the brand in such a short space of time and I say goodbye to Absolute Radio with as they take the brand on the next phase of it's journey. I look forward to talking about my next digital adventure in the New Year."
Absolute Radio Chief Operating Officer Clive Dickens, added, "The marketing and digital challenge of re-branding and re-launching Absolute Radio was not for the faint-hearted. What Chris has undertaken over the last 18 months and the plaudits won in awards and industry acclaim speaks for itself. Absolute Radio is firmly on its path to being a music and entertainment brand with audio at its core and Chris has played a very important part in that evolution. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with him - no pun intended."
Following Lawson's departure marketing and communication responsibilities for the company will continue to be undertaken by Head of Marketing Clare Baker and Head of Communications Cat Macdonald whilst digital responsibilities will be overseen by Dickens assisted by Digital Media Editor Anthony Abbott, and Lead Designer & Developer Duncan Amey.
Absolute's audience in the latest ratings - the third quarter of this year - was 1.587 million a week, down from 1.691 million in the second quarter whilst Virgin Radio a year earlier in its last ratings before the name change on September 29 last year - had 2.348 million: In share terms, Virgin had a 1.4% share of listening in Q3 2008 compared to 1.1% for Absolute in the third quarter of this year.
Also in the UK, a fault took national stations on the Digital One national commercial multiplex off the air for up to nearly two hours on Sunday because of a technical fault following failure of a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) in Croydon that affected the multiplex's distribution hub at Croydon.
The failure took place shortly after 09:00 but batteries kept stations on the air until 09:56.
Following the failure some services were restored using an emergency multiplexer at Emley Moor in Huddersfield but it took an extra hour to get all services back up.The fault did not affect BBC national DAB stations, which use a different network but a number of local BBC stations, which use commercial multiplexes, were affected.
In other UK DAB moves today Digital One switched off its Uxbridge transmitter following a request from the site owners, the Ministry of Defence, who want to clear the site. The transmitter has been in operation since 2005 but since then eight new transmitters have been switched on and Digital One said they hoped the switch-off would not cause too much disruption. Also on Monday Digital One announced that it had turned on new transmitters at Hungry Hill, adding a potential extra 713,000 population in the area to the east of Aldershot in Surrey, and at Odiham, adding a potential 448,000 listeners in Odiham and the surrounding parts of Hampshire.
Previous Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd (Absolute Radio's ultimate parent):
Previous Digital One:

2009-12-07: Former Clear Channel, CBS Radio, and Harpo Productions executive John Gehron has joined webcaster AccuRadio as its lead Management Consultant: His role according to AccuRadio founder Kurt Hanson, who is also publisher of RAIN (Radio and Internet News), will be to helping the company in the process of raising a "Series A" investment round, the proceeds of which will be used to enhance its management team, build a direct sales force, and launch a national marketing campaign.
RAIN quoted Gehron as saying, "There are really only four meaningful brands of personalizable Internet radio - Pandora, Slacker, Last.fm, and AccuRadio. While the first three of those are great for early adopters and music enthusiasts, I believe there's a big opportunity in the market for a brand like AccuRadio that's aimed at a more mainstream, mass-appeal listener base."
Hanson and Gehron first worked together in the mid-1970s, when Gehron was Program Director of top-40 WLS/Chicago and Hanson was studying at the University of Chicago and undertook a two-year internship at WLS.
AccuRadio offers music channels that are primarily divided into categories targeting listeners aged 25-54 and RAIN said Gehron would not only be involved in marketing the core brand but also in plans to market spin-offs such as "AccuJazz.com"; "UltraSmoothJazz.com"; "AccuClassical.com"; Indie music "FuturePerfectRadio.com"; Celtic music ("RadioCelt.com"; and Hispanic service "RadioPreciso.com" and also spearheading the "Slipstream Radio" initiative, which is designed to build multichannel, personalizable online versions of AM and FM stations for terrestrial broadcasters.
Gehron is a former SVP of Programming for Infinity Radio (Now CBS Radio) which laid him off in October 2001 (See RNW Oct 16, 2001) and Clear Channel Chicago regional Vice-President, resigning from the company in October 2005 (See RNW Oct 25, 20051), He joined Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions in 2006 to launch Harpo Radio (See RNW Jun 8, 2006) and was dropped in November 2008 as part of a re-structuring (See RNW Nov 21, 2008).
In other US radio management moves, Premiere Radio Networks president Charlie Rahilly has moved back to the parent Clear Channel to become President of Clear Channel Radio National Advertiser Platforms Group, a new division that will oversee advert sales for all Clear Channel Radio national platforms including CCR Digital National Sales, CCR Creative Services Group, and CCR Advertiser Development divisions, as well as Premiere Radio Networks Ad Sales.
The new division will also oversee Katz Media Group whose President and CEO Stu Olds will report to Rahilly.
Premiere Radio Networks will come under EVP/Affiliate Marketing Julie Talbott, who becomes President of Content and Affiliate Relations, reporting to Clear Channel Radio CEO John Hogan. Premiere's EVP/Sales Carol Terakawa will remain in the post but report to Rahilly.
Hogan in a memo to staff said that the move would offer advertisers the benefits of "fewer points of contact, expanded choice, better insights, improved documentation of CCR performance, and exceptional service."
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Gehron:
Previous Hogan:
Previous Katz Media:
Previous Olds:
Previous Premiere Radio Networks:
Previous Rahilly:

2009-12-07: Regent Communications, which in August 2008 received a de-listing notice from the NASDAQ stock market because its stock had been below the required minimum USD 1 for thirty days (See RNW Aug 15, 2008) says that at the end of November it was informed that because it had failed to regain compliance, its stock is subject to de-listing.
In normal circumstances, the company would have had until February 9 this year to regain compliance (180 working days from the notice) but this period was extended to November 25 because the exchange suspended enforcement of the requirement for a period.
Regent had until 16:00 ET (2100GMT) today to request a hearing before a Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel and says that it made this request, meaning that the de-listing will be on hold until the panel makes a decision.
Regent stock closed at 26 cents on Friday and by early afternoon today had fallen 3.3% to 25.1 cents although they then recovered a little to close just above 27 cents.
Previous Regent:

2009-12-07: The current UK commercial radio weekly chart show, "The Big Top 40 Show" has been found to breach UK codes by regulator Ofcom because of promotion of iTunes downloads in the programme and over-doing the number of references to iTunes.
In a ruling related to a broadcast of the show on Global Radio's Galaxy Manchester in June this year, Ofcom received a complaint from a listener concerning the number of references to iTunes and it noted repeated references to the service, to listeners' ability to influence the chart, and invitation to download tracks via the show's website: it asked Global for details of commercial arrangements it had in connection with the show in relation to rules concerning the maintenance by the broadcaster of editorial control over programme content and the promotion of products and services in programmes and giving undue prominence to a product or service in a programme.
Global provided evidence that its agreement with iTunes did not involve financial arrangements concerning the production of the show, said that it referred to iTunes only to inform listeners that the top ten of the Big Top 40 chart was provided by iTunes (i.e. "the iTunes top ten"), as this differentiated it from tracks 11 to 40 in the chart, the positions of which were informed by iTunes but ultimately decided by Global, and said it retained "absolute editorial control of the programme." It added that "at least 95% of single sales are now digital, and … in the UK …98% of all music downloads are via iTunes" and "given the ubiquitous nature of iTunes … it was the natural choice … from which to source chart data which most accurately reflects consumer behaviour."
It also said that said that the Big Top 40 website, to which listeners were referred to so as to influence the Big Top 40 chart, was directly derived from the programme and allowed listeners to interact with it. Global therefore considered that the Big Top 40 website was programme-related material and the references to it in the programme were editorially justified.
Ofcom in its ruling said it accepted that the broadcaster had maintained independent editorial control but as regards interaction through downloads via she show's web site - which linked to the iTunes store to allow downloads - said the downloads could not meet the definition of allowable programme-related material and that the direct solicitation to visit a site and purchase from iTunes amounted to promotions that are banned under its codes. It also held that although reference to the "iTunes top 10" was editorially justified and an occasional reference to the chart being "powered by iTunes" could also be justified, there "was insufficient editorial justification for the sheer number and frequency of these references " and the inclusion gave undue prominence to iTunes in breach of its code.
Ofcom also upheld standards complaints against Bauer Radio's Hallam FM and West London community station OnFM: In the first case a listener queried the validity of a claim made for Sky TV in a sponsored listener competition "Win This Week with Sky" aired on the station's breakfast show, noting a recent ruling by Ofcom against the station for failing to gain advance clearance for the broadcast of a sponsored credit on its "Win with Sky" competition.
Bauer responded by saying that it did not believe it had breached Codes on the grounds that it had maintained editorial independence and avoided giving undue prominence to Sky programmes within the competition itself to which Ofcom responded by noting that non-promotional references to a sponsor and its products/services are permitted in the programming it has sponsored and such references must be both editorially justified and incidental.
It held that comments aired information clearly promoted the sponsor's products/services and included an advertising claim and said in view of the previous breach it intends discuss Bauer's compliance processes with it in more detail.
On the case of community station OnFM that broadcasts to the Hammersmith area in West London a listener complained about the broadcast in its Drivetime programme of an unedited version of the song "Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)" by Pink, in which two instances of the word "fuck", were aired.
The station said the presenter had mistakenly selected the unedited rather than the 'radio edit' version of the song, that because the examples occurred in quick succession it had no time to remove the track, but it had made an on-air apology later in the same programme and had also introduced a number of new safeguards to minimise the likelihood of a recurrence.
Ofcom noted the apology and said it welcomed the seriousness with which OnFM treated the matter but ruled that there had been a clear breach of its codes.
In addition to the three radio standards complaints upheld, Ofcom also upheld standards complaints involving eight TV broadcasters; partly upheld a TV fairness and Privacy complaint; and posted details of two TV Fairness and Privacy complaints not upheld: The figures compare with the upholding of two radio and 14 TV standards complaints, 12 of them relating to sponsorship in programming aired by eight broadcasters in the previous bulletin in which it also partly upheld one TV Fairness and Privacy complaint and gave details of seven other TV Fairness and Privacy complaints not upheld.
Ofcom also listed without details 252 TV complaints against 180 items and 19 radio complaints against 18 items that it did not uphold: This compared to 225 TV complaints against 122 items and 20 radio complaints against 18 items that it did not uphold in the previous bulletin.
Previous Ofcom:
Previous Ofcom Complaints Bulletin:

2009-12-06: Last week was another fairly quiet one for the regulators although in Australia, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced a re-organization that takes it up from five divisions to six (See RNW Dec 4).
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) made a number of radio-related postings including (in order of province):
Alberta:
*Approval of an application by Clear Sky Radio Inc. to amend the broadcasting licence for CJOC-FM, Lethbridge, by replacing the condition of licence relating to the organizations to whom its Canadian content development contributions are paid.
The original conditions specified payments of CAD 2,500 to the Journalism Education Bursary; CAD 2,500 to the Music Education Bursary; CAD 1,500 to the Lethbridge and District Kiwanis Music and Speech Arts Festival; CAD 1,500 to the Instruments in Schools program; CAD 2,000 to the Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Records (FACTOR); and CAD 8,500 to the Original Song Competition.
The new conditions spit the total of CAD 18,500 as follows:
CAD 4,500 to FACTOR; CAD 4,000 to the Journalism Education Bursary (specifically, to the Journalism Program at Lethbridge College); CAD 4,000 to the Music Education Bursary (specifically, to the Music Degree Program at the University of Lethbridge); CAD 3,000 to the Lethbridge and District Kiwanis Music and Speech Arts Festival; and CAD 3,000 to the Instruments in Schools program (specifically, to schools within Lethbridge school district #51).
Ontario:
*Approval of approves an application by Northwoods Broadcasting Limited for authority to acquire from Newcap Inc. the assets of the English-language radio stations CKTG-FM and CJUK-FM, Thunder Bay.
*Approval of application by 4352416 Canada Inc. (Andy McNabb) to increase the effective radiated powerof English-language commercial specialty station CJMB-FM, Peterborough (formerly CKKK-FM. Peterborough) from 50 to 206 watts, increase the effective height of the and relocate the antenna. .
There were no radio postings from Ireland but in the UK Ofcom has pre-advertised the Mansfield area FM licence, currently held by the Mansfield and Ashfield Broadcasting Company Ltd (broadcasting as Mansfield 103.2): Declarations of interest accompanied by a GBP 5,000 (USD 8,250) fee have to be made by January 7 next year and if only the current licensee applies it will be invited to re-apply under Ofcom's fast-track procedures. If there should be no response, the licence will not be re-advertised.
Ofcom also posted the reasons for its approval of a new community licence to Ummah FM, Reading, noting that the applicant has built up experience through running temporary radio services (restricted service licences (RSLs) for the period of Ramadan over a number of years.
In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has now announced that its revised Biennial Form 323 will be available online from next Wednesday (December 9) and that it will hold a workshop to answer questions and provide guidance on the new filing procedures on Wednesday. It has also created a dedicated Form 323 web site.
In addition the agency has been involved in a number of enforcement actions including levying penalties of USD 20,000; USD 500; and USD 250 (See RNW Dec 3).
It also issued a USD 9,000 forfeiture to San Jose State University, licensee of KSJS-FM, San Jose, California for failing to properly maintain a public file for the Station.
In its licence renewal application the station disclosed that no quarterly issues were placed in its files from 2001 to Dec 2005 when it was issued with a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) of USD 9,000: The licensee responded by arguing for a reduction on the basis that similar recent penalties for similar breaches had been lower and inability to pay.
The FCC rejected the first argument, noting that it should have issued an NAL for USD 10,000 rather than USD 9,000, and regarding the second said that the financial details submitted - budgets for the years 2004-05 and 2005-06 rather than tax returns or other approved documentation to show a station's finances - did not support the argument for a reduction.
It confirmed the penalty.
The agency also dismissed a petition filed by licensee Gresham Communications, Inc., the former licensee of WPAL-FM, Ridgeville, South Carolina, to the transfer of the licence from Caswell Capital Partners, LLC to WAY-FM Media Group, Inc.
Gresham had previously petitioned unsuccessfully for reconsideration of the FCC's grant of an involuntary assignment of the station from it to Charles W. Cherry, Receiver for Gresham Communications, Inc., and the voluntary assignment of the station from the Receiver to Caswell
The FCC noted that the assignments had arisen from Caswell's private litigation, commenced in 2006, to collect on a judgment against Gresham.
Gresham argued that the application should be denied or a decision deferred until the Commission acts on its Application for Review that it had previously filed: It contends that Caswell is unqualified to be a Commission licensee because it has engaged in misrepresentations concerning ownership of certain physical Station assets that it had previously claimed were "used and usable in the operation of WPAL-FM."
The FCC said that it had already rejected Gresham's arguments concerning the actions of the South Carolina Court of Common Pleas and dismissed Gresham's arguments regarding Caswell's qualifications as without merit. It rejected Gresham's petition and confirmed the go-ahead for the licence assignment.
Previous ACMA:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous Licence News:
Previous Ofcom:
ACMA web site:
BAI web site:

CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
Ofcom web site:

2009-12-05: Entertainment India Limited (ENIL), the Bennett, Coleman and Co. subsidiary that operates the Radio Mirchi brand, India's largest private FM company, has said that it will not take part in the third phase of auctions of private FM licences in the country unless the issue of performance royalties is resolved.
Indiantelevision.com quoted ENIL CEO Prashant Panday as saying that the company does not "want to bid and build loss-making radio stations."
Indiantelevision notes that of around INR 5.5 billion (USD 119.2 million) in total revenues India's FM industry currently pays INR 1.25 billion (USD 27.1 billion) in music royalties, approximately 23%.
The royalty rates are uniform across the country, meaning that stations in the smaller markets to be auctioned in Phase III are most likely to be unprofitable, and Panday asked, "How can the music royalty be the same for towns with smaller population?" adding, "This defies logic and business viability. We hope that the Copyright Board comes out with a solution. There are other glitches like news on radio and multiple frequencies, but we can live with that. We can't do with the current music royalty system."
Of the other companies, Reliance Media World Ltd (RMWL), which operates its radio business under the Big FM brand, said it was waiting for more details on overall policies before making decisions. Its CEO Tarun Katial commented, "We are waiting for the government to frame the guidelines for Phase III. We can't comment on our future plans until we have the guidelines with us."
RMWL went public on Friday with its shares gyrating widely - after a debut price of INR 89.75 they reached a high of INR 138.40 at one stage, fell to a low of INR 50 and ended the day at INR 135 on hte Bombay Stock Exchange: RMWL was demerged from Reliance MediaWorks in August with 46 million shares allocated on a 1:1 basis at a face value of INR 5. ENIL and Mid-Day Multimedia Ltd's Radio One are also listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange
Katial has said that in terms of EBITDA RMWL will break even this year and will move into profit from 2011 but scepticism has been expressed about the stock price - it's revenues and market share are around half those of ENIL.
Radio City president sales Ashit Kukian also took a wait and see view, commenting, "We are waiting for clarifications on issues including music royalty, availability of multiple frequencies and airing news and current affairs. Our plans on bidding for Phase III will depend on them."
Indiantelevision.com says that despite the concerns some radio operators remain willing to stretch themselves despite losses and adds that the music industry continues to take a hard line.
Previous Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.:
Previous Indian Radio:
Previous Panday:
Indiantelevision.com report:

2009-12-04: Arbitron has rebutted suggestions, reported in the Chicago Sun-Times and sourced to "some Chicago radio executives", that it might have been skewing Portable People Meter (PPM) ratings in Chicago to favour minority-oriented formats: The company has come under attack on the basis that the PPM has been under-reporting minority audiences with potentially severe effects on the finances of minority-targeted stations.
The paper noted that at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the PPM (See RNW Dec 3), Arbitron President and CEO Michael Skarzynski had "singled out an article this week in trade publication Inside Radio that noted the urban adult contemporary format is now the most-listened-to format in the top 16 PPM markets."
In Chicago, it said, some radio executives had been wondering "whether Arbitron, to avert any unwanted action by Congress, might in recent months have been reallocating its portable people meters -- and/or weighting the data from those meters -- in a way that skews the results more heavily in favour of minority-oriented formats.
Arbitron's senior vice president of corporate communications Deirdre Blackwood said it was "absolutely not doing anything different -- our people meters are distributed to reflect the census data in each market. We have not made any changes in the way we weight the data from those meters."
The suggestion was also dismissed by Derrick Brown, director of urban programming at Clear Channel Radio Chicago, who suggested that WVAZ-FM's improved performance in the November ratings compared to October - the show was up from an eighth place tie to third place for adults 25-54 - reflected its marketing of the syndicated morning show by Steve Harvey and the host's investment in developing his Chicago audience. "Steve was here twice in recent weeks, and we have invested more in marketing his show," explained Brown.
Harvey's show was launched at WVAZ in March, replacing Tom Joyner's syndicated Morning Show (See RNW Mar 24).
Previous Arbitron:
Previous Clear Channel:
Chicago Sun-Times report:

2009-12-04: A new structure has now come into effect at the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) whose chairman Chris Chapman said the move had been made to "bring additional focus to several key tasks that presently face the ACMA (including digital transition for TV and radio and various telecommunications aspects of the NBN (Broadband Network) proposals) while maintaining its commitment to regulate increasingly convergent industries in a converged way."
Chapman added, "I am looking forward to our new structure functioning as a powerful platform from which the ACMA can pursue its strategic goal: to make communications and media work in Australia's public interest. This is a pivotal step forward for the ACMA's aim of reaching a world-class standard of performance."
As part of the change the ACMA now has six divisions instead of its previous five: The divisions are now:
The Digital Transition Division - to focus on work related to the digitisation of television and digital radio broadcasting, together with the scoping and realisation of the spectrum dividend from the cessation of analogue services, including planning and running re-stacking exercises and auctions.
The Communications Infrastructure Division - to carry forward much of current 'inputs to industry' work.
The Digital Economy Division - focussed on the ACMA's activity of convergence and other changes in the policy environment - where it is anticipated that NBN developments will accelerate the overall change.
The Content, Consumer and Citizen Division - to bring "into one place the bulk of ACMA non-technical investigation work related to the interests of individuals as citizens, as consumers and as audiences for content and programs."
The Corporate Services & Co-Ordination Division - this will be a "moderately" expanded version of the former Corporate Services Division.
The Legal Services Division - essentially unchanged apart from internal changes made to reflect changes in other divisions.
In addition, the ACMA says the Office of the Chair has been expanded moderately to include, for the moment, the work of Media & Stakeholder relations.
Previous ACMA:
Previous Chapman:

2009-12-03: Aggressive lobbying by New York City-based Inner City Broadcasting, which has almost USD 230 million debt that it is under pressure from Goldman Sachs and G.E. Capital to repay, is a significant reason for the withholding by the Congressional Black Caucus of support for President Obama's financial reform plans according the New York Times.
The paper says Inner City Broadcasting, which owns 17 commercial stations nationwide and was co-founded in 1971 by New York politician and businessman Percy Sutton, has been hard hit by calls in advertising revenues.
His son Pierre told the paper the company faces possible collapse because of the pressure to repay the debt and Inner City has hired prominent Washington lobbying firm, the Podesta Group, to push the case for special help for black-owned broadcasters.
He added that the pressure had helped and negotiations were under way to refinance the loans.
Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, set up a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and President Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and told the paper there was "a lot of concern about Inner City Broadcasting" although the issue of radio stations was raised along with concerns about the difficulties of black-owned auto dealers, newspapers, banks and government contractors.
Last spring New York Democrat Charles B. Rangel, a long-time ally of Percy Sutton, and eight other Black Caucus members wrote to Geithner voicing concerns for minority broadcasters in the current financial crisis, saying, "It is absolutely essential that we do not allow this once-in-a-generation financial crisis to erase the modest inroads minorities have made into the broadcast industry " but the Times says that although the White House said it shared the concerns privately the administration has indicated that it did not think it was appropriate to put pressure on financial institutions to make concessions for specific loans or businesses.
Previous Inner City:
New York Times report:

2009-12-03: Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) ratings system came under predictable attack - and political grandstanding - on Wednesday at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform although it was also defended not only by the company's President and CEO Michael Skarzynski but also by Radio One Inc. President and CEO Alfred Liggins III.
At the hearings the committee chairman and New York Democrat Edolphus Towns said the "controversial use of the PPM is driving away advertisers" adding that although he had no quarrel with accurate ratings there was a "serious" issue of whether the PPM did indeed produce accurate results. He also attacked Arbitron as a "monopolistic company" and asked, "Can we afford to let radio ratings depend on good behaviour by a monopolistic company?"
Skarzynski in his testimony said he was confident that the PPM "is not the cause of the challenges faced by minority broadcasters" and said the company had "worked to implement the PPM service responsibly and fairly - and we have always been sensitive and responsive to customer concerns raised about PPM."
"Arbitron," he said, "launched its innovative ratings service to help support the entire radio industry's objective to have relevant, reliable data that enables it to compete against television, Internet and other media for advertising revenue" but he added, "While PPM represents a significant advance, it cannot do everything. It cannot solve the severe economic challenges that the radio industry has confronted for the last two years."
Skarzynski also noted that the "PPM has been the audience measurement tool of choice for several years in a number of European countries, as well as Canada and Singapore" and said, "Overall, we have received a great deal of positive customer feedback about PPM. Broadcasters are telling Arbitron that PPM provides reliable, timely and granular data."
Liggins, who spoke at a second session, said that his view was that the PPM is "neither affecting the diversity of our airwaves nor contributing to the decline of minority radio" but rather that the problems were down to factors including taking on too much debt and poor competitive decisions. His company, he said, had responded by designing its programming for a PPM World.
The PPM was given a harsher report by Inner City Broadcasting President and COO Charles Warfield who noted a "disproportionate reduction" in audiences for minority stations when the PPM was introduces although programming and audiences had not changed.
He blamed Arbitron's panels, making particular reference to phone-based recruiting and cell phone-only samples that should be larger.
Spanish Broadcasting System Chief Revenue Officer Frank Flores termed Arbitron an unregulated monopoly and noted that his company was the first minority-targeted to broadcaster to sign up for the PPM. He like Warfield said he supported electronic audience measurement but said that "significant" changes were needed to achieve accurate reflections of listening.
Both he and Warfield said that their problems could be resolved through Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for the PPM. The MRC has accredited the PPM in Houston and Riverside-San Bernardino but has so far refused accreditation in other markets including Philadelphia, where it was launched, and New York.
Previous Arbitron:
Previous Inner City Broadcasting:
Previous Liggins:
Previous MRC:
Previous Radio One Inc.:
Previous SBS:
Previous Skarzynski:

2009-12-03: The UK has now gained its second Jack FM formatted station with a format switch by Bristol station Original 106.5, which was last month given permission to drop the album-oriented requirement from its format (See RNW Dec 2)
The station, which is owned by Tomahawk Radio Ltd, is licensing the Jack brand from Passion Radio Oxford, which in turn holds exclusive UK rights to the brand in a deal with SparkNet Communications. It says on its web site - the Originalbristol site redirects to a jackbristol site - that it intends to support and cover local events and groups.
Sparknet on its web site proclaims its deal with Passion Radio, which operates the Jack FM station in Oxfordshire, "to expand Jack FM throughout the UK but has so far not noted the Bristol deal.
Jack FM Bristol web site:

2009-12-03: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a USD 20,000 forfeiture to Boone Biblical Ministries, Inc., licensee of KFFF-AM (formerly, KFGQ-AM) and KFFF-FM, Boone, Iowa for failing to retain required documentation in the stations' public inspection files.
It had issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) in this amount to Boone, noting that the violations had extended over an entire eight-year licence term, in February 2007 and Boone responded by requesting a reduction: It argued that the FCC had incorrectly held that the file did not contain "any" of the required items; that its renewal applications had provided the "first and only" opportunity it had to voluntarily report the public file's deficiency; that it had a history of compliance; and that the forfeiture was vastly disproportionate to those assessed to small religious broadcasters for more serious violations.
The FCC noted that the forfeiture was assessed in accordance with its rules; disagreed with the last argument; said licensees had a responsibility to monitor the completeness of its issues/programmes list and pointed out that Boone could at any time have voluntarily notified the FCC of the deficit and remedial steps taken; and added that based on the combined offences it could not make a reduction on the basis of a history of compliance. It confirmed the full penalty.
The FCC also issued a USD 500 penalty on Corning Community College, licensee of Class D WCEB-FM, Corning, New York, for late filing of renewal application and unauthorised operation after the licence expired: It had initially issued an NAL for USD 7,000 to which Corning responded by saying the station was student-run and had no full or part-time employees and that it was unable to pay the penalty, submitting financial statements in relation to this argument.
The FCC noted that the documentation would warrant a reduction and also that precedent in other similar recent cases had been to levy a penalty of USD 500. It reduced the forfeiture to this amount.
In Minnesota, it issued a USD 250 forfeiture to Independent School District # 283, licensee of Class D non-commercial educational Station KDXL-FM, St. Louis Park, for late filing of renewal application. It had initially issued an NAL for USD 1,500 to which the licensee responded by requesting a reduction on the basis that it is a high-school station operating on a "very minimal budget" and has a history of compliance. The FCC said no documentation had been provided that would justify a reduction on financial hardship grounds but cut the penalty to USD 250 in line with similar recent decisions.
Previous FCC:

2009-12-02: Tribune Co, which is involved in a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy conflict with a group of its creditors, has promoted Chief Operating Officer Randy Michaels to the post of Chief Executive Officer and also elected him to its board.
Former CEO Sam Zell remains chairman and Tribune in a news release said he would "continue to provide the management team with strategic oversight and vision."
Michaels, a former Clear Channel Radio Chairman and CEO, joined Tribune Co. as chief executive of broadcast and Internet operations when Zell, a Chicago property magnate, took the company private in a debt-laden deal (See RNW Dec 21, 2007). He was appointed COO in May last year (See RNW May 8, 2008).
The appointment came a day after a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge in Delaware extended Tribune Co.'s exclusive right to file a reorganization plan in its Chapter 11 case until February 28 next year, thus ruling against a request by a group of creditors to be allowed to file their own plan.
Tribune in its release said Zell had "recommended the leadership transition to the board, saying, 'This appointment reflects Randy's increasing responsibilities. During the last two years, we've made substantial progress transforming Tribune from a collection of newspapers and television stations to a fast-paced, innovative media company that is using its scale and brands to compete more effectively than ever before.
"At this point in Tribune's evolution, no one is better suited to lead the company forward. Randy has a unique combination of real-time creativity, expertise and passion, and I completely trust his judgment and his leadership."
Michaels said he was grateful for the "vote of confidence and the opportunity" and added, "I look forward to continuing to work closely with Sam and the rest of the board -- this is a great company with a great future."
"There is a lot of work yet to do but we have tremendously talented people and world-class brands in print, on air and online. Our businesses are profitable and we're gaining market-share and momentum in a tough environment. The entire management team is focused on the long-term and keeping Tribune at the cutting-edge of creativity and innovation, which will translate into success on the bottom-line."
Michael's longer term future in the post will be a matter for its creditors as the bankruptcy plan is almost certain to swap the company's USD 13 billion in debt for equity, thus giving the creditors control of the company and the ability to change both the board and management.
Michaels' links with Zell go back to his days as CEO of Jacor, which had acquired Republic Broadcasting, which Michaels had helped to launch. Jacor was bought by Clear Channel for USD 2.8 billion in 1999 and Zell left radio but Michaels remained with Clear Channel until 2002, leaving the company after he had been moved sideways to become CEO of the New Technologies Division of the company (See RNW Jul 24, 2007).
Previous Michaels:
Previous Tribune Co.:

Previous Zell:
2009-12-02: Two new national digital stations launched in the UK yesterday - United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) and Panjab Radio, both of which are on the Digital One national multiplex.
Both stations have already been available on some local multiplexes and UCB's Chief Executive Ian Mackie said of the move to a national signal, "We've waited a long time for this dream to become a reality - these are exciting days."
Digital One Operations Director Glyn Jones welcomed the launch saying it was "a big step for Christian broadcasting" and adding, "UCB listeners have already shown that they find the idea of UCB UK becoming a national station exciting, inspiring and motivating. The response to the recent radiothon and appeal which raised more than GBP 750,000 (USD 1.25 million) was amazing."
Panjab Radio, which was launched on the Sky satellite platform in 2000, also relied on a fund-raising appeal for its launch and Jones commented, "It's interesting to see the growth of listener-supported stations, and the way they're extending the range and choice of stations on air via digital radio. These are stations that neither a traditional commercial model nor the BBC have chosen to provide, but which listeners value so much that they're prepared to help pay for them out of their own pockets. It's a real achievement for the team at Panjab Radio to get the station on air across Britain".
Panjab's Managing Director Surjit Ghuman said it was a "unique station that serves a unique audience" and added, "This is the biggest step for our radio station since its launch and we believe the time is right for us to launch across the UK. We're grateful to those who've supported this initiative and to the thousands of individual listeners".
The UCB and Panjab licences were amongst three digital licences issued last month by UK regulator Ofcom: The other was Sanjhi Awaz Radio Ltd, which will provide a "music and information service with specific local relevance for the Punjabi, Hindi, English and Urdu speaking Asian communities in the West Midlands."
In addition during the month Ofcom pre-advertised the Mansfield FM licence currently held by Mansfield and Ashfield Broadcasting Company Ltd (broadcasting as Mansfield 103.2); invited current licensees the Marcher Radio Group Ltd and Rutland Radio Ltd to apply under its fast-track procedures for their Caernarfon and Rutland licences, for which only they had made a declaration of interest; and re-awarded the Huddersfield licence to Huddersfield FM Ltd (broadcasting as Pennine FM).
It also granted four-year licence extensions to Oxford's FM 107.9 (licensee Passion Radio (Oxford) Ltd) and Mid Ulster's Six FM (licensee Six FM Ltd) and a 12-year extension to Galaxy Radio North East Ltd.
It refused applications to transfer five licences to Your Media Communications Ltd - from Bath Radio Ltd (Bath FM, Bath); Brunel FM Ltd (Brunel FM, Swindon); BCFRM Ltd (Quay West Radio, Bridgewater); Quay West Radio Ltd (Quay West Radio, West Somerset); and Three Towns Radio Ltd (2TR, Warminster)
In addition Ofcom issued four Community licences - to Tamworth Radio Broadcasting CIC's TCR FM; Felixstowe Radio CIC's Felixstowe Radio; Moorlands Radio's Moorlands Radio, Leek and Biddulph in Staffordshire; and Carillon Broadcasting Ltd's Hermitage FM, Coalville, Leicestershire; and posted the reasons for its award of a new Reading community FM licence to Ummah FM.
Also in November Ofcom allowed format changes to Original Bristol (removing the album-led condition of its format) and Chelmsford FM (allowing it to share programming with Southend Radio for six of its ten local broadcast hours) and multiplex changes that saw The Arrow (Adult Rock) replaced by Sanjhi Awaz (Asian) on the West Midlands multiplex; a one-year Extension of provision of the Social Network Music Radio (Amazing Radio) DSP service for a further year on a national multiplex; the addition of Absolute Radio's DABBL Rock and Pop Format service on the Bristol and Bath, Swindon and West Wilts (Swindon only), Reading and Basingstoke, Southend and Chelmsford multiplexes and the addition of Arabic Sout al Khaleej to the London II multiplex.
Previous Digital One:
Previous Ofcom:
Previous UCB:

Previous Your Media:
2009-12-02: BBC Radio 2 has announced a re-jigged morning schedule from January 11th when Chris Evans takes over the station's breakfast show from Sir Terry Wogan: Evans will start his show at 07:00 - half-an-hour earlier than Wogan - and Sarah Kennedy, whose Dawn Patrol show precedes him will start her show an hour earlier at 05:00, gaining an extra 30 minutes in the change.
Before them Janice Long will lose an hour off her show, which will continue to start at midnight but end at 02:00 whilst after her Alex Lester retains his three-hour stint but starts an our earlier and continues to run up to Kennedy's show.
Wogan will be back with the station with a two-hour Sunday lunchtime show running from 11:00 to 13:00 from February 14: The show, to be broadcast live from the Radio Theatre in BBC Broadcasting House will feature live musical performances and guests.
Radio 2 Controller Bob Shennan commented in a news release, "The Radio 2 morning schedule is crucial to the network's success and I'm delighted that Sarah, who has been a lynchpin of the morning schedule for many years, will continue to entertain her listeners every weekday."
Previous BBC:
Previous Kennedy:
Previous Shennan:
Previous Wogan:

2009-12-02: Plans by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) to sell is classical music station KFUO-FM to Gateway Creative Broadcasting that were announced in October (See RNW Oct 6) have led to at least three petitions opposing the USD 18 million deal according to the St Louis Post Dispatch, which notes that it is unclear whether they will lead to any delays to the sale.
Payment for the deal was to have been made in stages over a decade with an initial payment of only USD 150,000 according to the paper which says that two petitions are questioning Gateway's financial qualification to buy the licence in view of its debts and operating deficits over recent years.
One group of petitioners reports the paper is the Committee to Save KFUO-FM, which is made up of local members of the synod, and another, the Radio Arts Foundation, is a new non-profit entity - it filed its registration in June this year - formed around the core of the old Radio Arts Board, which sought to buy the station from the synod. The third petition came from a group that calls itself Citizens of Metropolitan St. Louis and Citizens of the United States of America.
The 74-page Save KFUO petition says the proposed sale fails to comply with FCC rules in a "number of significant ways" and adds that it is not in the public interest.
It goes on to say that Gateway does "not have sufficient funding avail able on hand or from committed sources to complete the contemplated transaction, contrary to the certification it has made in the assignment application."
It also says that the deal struck between the Synod and Gateway would leave the current licensee with an impermissible interest in KFUO, specifically an agreement that "LCMS will continue to control and program the station's digital facilities", something the petition says is clearly prohibited by FCC rules.
It adds that as well as the failure to comply with FCC rules on licence assignment it "does not believe the proposed assignment of KFUO-FM to Gateway is in the best interest of the community and listeners served by KFUO-FM or for that matter in the best interest of LCMS".
St Louis Post Dispatch report:

2009-12-02: Cambridge (England) community station 209 Radio, which had said it would have to close unless it raised GBP 28,000 (USD 46,500) by the end of November, now says it has reached the target and will be on air for at least another three months.
In its appeal for funds the station notes that was launched in a living room in March 2003 and now works with more than 170 volunteers co-ordinated by three paid staff to serve a wide range of communities in the city.
209Radio's reprieve seems unlikely to be matched for the UK's oldest community station, Forest of Dean Radio, which announced last month (See RNW Nov 23) that it was to close at the end of the year because of funding shortfalls and its web site indicated that the decision to close down was firm.
209Radio web site:

2009-12-01: Emmis has now confirmed that Jonathon Brandmeier is out from its Chicago WLUP-FM (The Loop) and Byrd (John Kempf ) has moved from middays to take over the morning drive slot: Kempf has been with the station for seven years and previously was WLUP's morning host for just under a year before Brandmeierreturned to the station and Chicago in 2005: Brandmeier was with WLUP for 14 years before leaving in 1997 following management changes and he moved to CBS in Los Angeles at the then KLSX-FM (Now KAMP) and KCBS for a spell before heading back to Chicago.
The Chicago Sun Times quoted WLUP General Manager Marv Nyren as saying Byrd has "the rock sound we want" and adding that neither he nor Brandmeier could talk about the latter's departure because of a confidentiality agreement that both have signed.
Nyren said of the replacement show, "I just don't think we're going to have four hours of personality and 20 hours of music on a music station like ours every day… Byrd will be playing a lot of music."
He added that he expected most advertisers on the show to continue with the station and that one of the four advertisers for whom Brandmeier did personal endorsements had indicated it would continue to make buys with WLUP and he was hopeful the others would also remain.
WLUP has also dropped three of the four staff on Brandmeier's show - Kent Voss; Esmeralda and Greg Bauer - retaining only audio producer Vince Argento. Earlier this year the station dropped Brandmeier's long-time co-producer, Hector Soriano, and sportscaster Bruce Wolf.
The Brandmeier departure is the latest in a number of changes that have seen Chicago stations dump highly paid hosts as revenues have tumbled and they have cut costs. They include three thought to have been earning around USD 1 million a year - Steve Dahl (taken off the air at CBS Radio's WJMK - Jack-FM - in December last year (See RNW Dec 5, 2008) although he is still under contract to CBS until the middle of 2011 and is still producing a daily podcast in partnership with the company) and Ed Volkman and Joe Bohannon (dropped by CBS Radio's WBBM last November -See RNW Nov 21, 2008).
Dahl on his web site blog commented before Brandmeier's departure was made official that he had read that Brandmeier's ratings were "not as good as they used to be" and continued, "That pretty much only leaves Eric and Kathy (Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart on Bonneville's WTMX-FM) as Chicago's dynamic morning radio wit. That's a stunning indictment of the new PPM ratings system, and someone ought to check into the validity of that thing. I can't imagine that it's really reflecting what's going on in the radio listening world these days. I do know this: I have almost 700,000 downloads since I started DahlCasting back in September. Let me be the first to extend the use of Podcast Central to Jonathon Brandmeier if he needs to get the word out. I can hook him up with an Internet connection."
RNW note: Although the WLUP air staff page now lists Byrd in mornings, the Brandmeier page, which also lists his staff, was still there when we checked a short while ago.
Previous Brandmeier:
Previous Dahl:
Previous Emmis:
Previous Nyren:
Chicago Sun-Times report:
Dahl blog:
WLUP - Brandmeier page (as long as it remains online):

2009-12-01: The strongest open backing yet for rumours that Liberty Media's purchase of the debt of WorldSpace could be linked with an attempt to take Sirius XM global has come from the latter's chief executive Mel Karmazin who told the Reuters Global Media Summit in New York that he understood that Liberty had expressed interest in the financially-strapped world satellite radio company and that his company could team up with Liberty to take its service global through a partnership with 1WorldSpace.
However he added that Sirius XM would not be putting money into any such venture, commenting, "We would put our expertise and experience in the pot and Liberty would put their money in the pot."
Karmazin added that "one would think that if Liberty were to do something there that they would want as strategic partner somebody who has successfully done satellite radio in 5 percent of the world" and suggested any partnership could involve Sirius XM in providing its relationships with car makers and expertise in building satellite radio gear to WorldSpace's operations.
WorldSpace, most of whose subscribers are in Asia and Africa, is the only company with rights to the world's globally allocated spectrum for digital satellite radio and the footprint of its two fully operational satellites cover more than 130 countries including China and India as well as all of Africa and the Middle East and most of Western Europe - a potential audience of some five billion people and 300 million automobiles.
It also has approval from the Italian Ministry of Communications for a subscription based satellite radio service in Italy.
At the summit Karmazin also spoke of the likely scenario for negotiations about a new contract with Howard Stern when his contract expires at the end of next year: "I could tell you, it will start with Howard feeling that he is working too hard and doing too many shows and not making enough money. Our side would say, 'We want you to do more, and get less money,'" Karmazin said.
"That would be how we would go into the room once the time came to go into the room. And the hope would be that we would come out with Howard staying with our service."
Previous Karmazin:
Previous Liberty Media:
Previous Sirius XM:
Previous Stern:
Previous WorldSpace:
Reuters report re WorldSpace:
Reuters summit blog (re Stern):

2009-12-01: UK digital radio sales have not topped ten million according to the UK Digital Radio Development Bureau which said the total was reached by the end of November with the first five million sales taking eight years but the second five million in two and a half.
Figures from GfK show analogue receiver sales falling but those of all kinds of digital up with particularly strong performances for automobile audio and multifunction radios such as those with CD or iPod dock, each of which were up 60% year-on-year.
DRDB chief executive Tony Moretta said of the figures, "This is a significant moment for everyone in the digital radio industry: broadcasters, manufacturers and retailers. Ten million sales is an incredible achievement for any technology, and it proves that digital radio is here to stay. With even greater promotion by radio stations, wider support from the car industry and the further development of the technology through colour screens, Wi-Fi etc, we expect the growth of digital radio to continue strongly over the next few years to the point where a nationwide digital upgrade can become a reality."
Previous DRDB:
Previous Moretta:

2009-12-01: Australian commercial broadcasters have spent more than AUD 7 million (USD 6.4 million) on buying excess spectrum capacity on the commercial multiplexes in each of the five launch cities according to industry body Commercial Radio Australia whose CEO Joan Warner said the "extremely competitive bidding that occurred is a massive vote of confidence in the technology and demonstrates the support that commercial broadcasters have for DAB+ (the digital system adopted by Australia) and its future."
"The additional spectrum will allow the successful bidders even more creative opportunities to introduce many more programming alternatives for the listening audience and really exploit the power of the DAB+ digital radio technology."
In Brisbane the spectrum won by Austereo, DMG and Australian Radio Network (ARN) will support up to 20 new data or audio services; in Melbourne, where the winners were Austereo, Sport 927 and Australian Radio Network (ARN), and Sydney, where winners were Austereo, Supernetwork and Australian Radio Network (ARN), it will support up to 12 new services in each market; and in Adelaide, where Austereo won the spectrum, and Perth, where the winners were Austereo and Grant Broadcasting, the spectrum will support up to four new services.
Under Australia's digital legislation, each incumbent commercial radio station in the licence areas of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth has been allocated 128kb of spectrum on the commercial multiplex. This left additional spectrum in each city to be auctioned off with the legislation requiring that funds raised be used by the digital joint venture companies in each city for the promotion of digital radio technology in their markets.
Previous Commercial Radio Australia:
Previous Warner:

Links note: As far as possible we provide site links to the previous related story. Should these links not work, please advise us so we can sort out the problem.
Regarding external links, we give links where we can but an ever-increasing number of newspapers and stations either require registration or only keep items available for a limited period or move them to a pay-per-use archive (typically after 7 or 14 days in the USA).
Thus some links become outdated or sources you would have to pay for or subscribe to access.
See links page for notes regarding various sites we think of value

Back to top
:
-November 2009 - January 2010 -
 

Front Page

Freelance
bulletin
board
Site audio files
Browsers
and
players

Story
Archives

Comment
Index
December 2009
Archive
About
this site
Other links
Radio
Stations
People
Archives
Feedback
Radionewsweb.com, 38 Creswick Road, Acton, London W3 9HF, UK: