Industry News

On March 1, the new President and CEO of the nation’s primary advocacy and lobbying group for radio and television broadcasting companies issued a request. Despite being a “fierce defender” of the First Amendment, Curtis LeGeyt asked that any state-sponsored programming with ties to Moscow be pulled from U.S. airwaves — now.

LeGeyt seemingly took aim at Sputnik, the English-language service of the Voice of Russia. It is heard for six hours each weekday in St. Louis, in addition to 24/7 service on an AM and an FM translator serving Washington, D.C.

The owner of the St. Louis station has already been vocal, sharing his ire over LeGeyt’s request. This week, KCXL-AM‘s owner renewed his disdain for LeGeyt’s request, labeling it “a call to disregard our right of free speech.”

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Roger Wahl is a convicted felon. As the FCC’s Media Bureau noted, Wahl’s convictions of a felony and multiple misdemeanors alone “raise the question under the Commission’s Character Qualifications Policy Statement whether he possesses the requisite character qualifications to remain a Commission licensee.”

Indeed, Wahl could be stripped of his license. But, that may not happen for a year, based on a Hearing Designation Order schedule released by the FCC on Thursday.

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B. Eric Rhoads, CEO of Streamline Publishing, is asking fellow broadcasters for one minute of their time to consider a way radio can help change the world.

“The situation in Ukraine is dire,” he says. “Radio around the country is raising money and doing what they can to help. But we can do more.”

Rhoads writes:

Radio has changed lives, raised money for charity, and made a difference in each of our communities. We have all used our platforms to create awareness, help our neighbors, and use music to move hearts.

Years ago, radio pushed the song “We are the World” as an anthem to help people in Africa. Radio made that movement possible.

An anthem for Ukraine is needed to bring the world together to keep a focus on Ukraine until this situation is resolved fully.

Feeling the need to do something, I came up with a concept and co-wrote this song, “Tears for Ukraine,” with artist Billy Craig and Matt Jacobs.

Please consider doing your part and adding this song into rotation. Show that the radio industry continues to have influence over the world to unify our listeners.

Let’s use the power of radio to impact worldwide sentiment to raise awareness and prevent this kind of thing from ever happening again.

To download, click on the image below:

To download this song in WAV or MP3 file format, click on this image. https://www.rbr.com/wp-content/uploads/BC-Tears-For-UkraineWAV.wav

Listen to the song by clicking above.

Watch the Video on YouTube by Clicking Here.

“Uncle” Bob and “Cousin” Mark have signed a deal that will make one of those two figures an owner of “The Talk of the Town” in Athens, Tenn., situated between Chattanooga and Knoxville on U.S. 11.

Why? The Uncle has decided to sell his stake in the station.

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Radioplayer, the partnership between the BBC and U.K. commercial radio responsible for ensuring easy access to radio via IP platforms, is adding digital radio to its remit.

Following the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport’s October 2021 Digital Radio and Audio Review report, Radioplayer and Digital Radio UK saw significant benefits in merging operations.

The restructuring and merger was agreed to by the BBC, the U.K. commercial radio organization Radiocentre, and the national broadcast groups Global and Bauer Media.

The merger will, according to a statement from the organizations, strengthen partnerships and cooperation among U.K. broadcasters, as well as partnerships with European radio broadcasters, audio device manufacturers and with retailers. The goal is “to promote the benefits of radio and audio, and the increased choice of services available.”

[Related: “Radioplayer Expands in Europe”]

In the joint statement, the BBC, Bauer, Global and Radiocentre said: “We know there are further significant changes taking place in the audio market and in how audiences are accessing our content, as the recent Digital Radio and Audio Review highlighted. The newly structured Radioplayer, combined with increased investment and continued collaboration, will allow us to embrace every digital opportunity available to us and successfully deliver the next phase of innovation and transformation for the radio industry.”

While the U.K. has committed to continue FM broadcasting until at least 2030, the industry sees the future of radio as both digital and multiplatform, according to the statement, with online platforms playing an increasingly important role alongside DAB/DAB+ — particularly in cars.

As part of the restructuring, Ford Ennals will step down as CEO of Digital Radio UK. Ennals was appointed as Digital Radio UK’s first CEO in 2009, following his work as head of the British digital television switchover body, Digital UK. The statement thanked Ennals “for his services to digital listening, which is now the way most people listen to radio.”

With the restructuring, the BBC, Global and Bauer are expected to increase their investment in Radioplayer and to seek further international collaboration for the benefit of the radio industry as a whole.

The post Digital Radio UK to Merge with Radioplayer appeared first on Radio World.

Bill Sanders, a second-generation Iowa broadcaster and a former chair of the NAB Radio Board, has died. He was 77.

According to his obituary, “His work life started and ended in the world of radio broadcasting.”

Sanders grew up around KICD in Spencer, Iowa, which was owned by his father Ben. Sanders eventually purchased the station and served as general manager until retiring in 2000.

Bill Sanders (photo via Warner Funeral Homes & Crematory)

KICD, now owed by Saga Communications, posted an appreciation that includes audio clips of Sanders. It noted that the station was owned by the Sanders family for 54 years.

Sanders was also a former board member and president of the Iowa Broadcasters Association and was inducted into the Iowa Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He served on the NAB Radio Board in the late 1980s and was chairman of the board from 1989–90.

[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]

He was also former chairman of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, which honored the longtime broadcaster with a special achievement award, and a former member of the advisory board of the Associated Press.

The obituary said Sanders was diagnosed over time with several rare cancers, starting in 1984.

“He was the most optimistic person on earth and he oozed positivity every single day,” the obituary read. “The man never had a bad day. Even when the cancers took away his ability to smile/laugh/eat/drink and talk he continued to look forward. He was not going to let the disfigurations stop him from living life to its fullest.” [Read the obituary.]

The post Former Iowa Broadcaster Bill Sanders Dies appeared first on Radio World.

The GM of Gray Television‘s NBC affiliate in Louisville, formerly the head of its WVUE-8 in New Orleans, is being promoted to a senior-level position.

At the same time, Gray has created the position of Regional Vice President/General Manager and is elevating five General Managers into this new role.

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Until this morning, the ninth work stoppage in Major League Baseball history appeared to gain investor angst on Wall Street, with an Opening Day delay poised to eat into Bally Sports revenue, thus impacting Sinclair Broadcast Group shares.

At the Closing Bell on Nasdaq, SBGI was down 7.1% to $26.04.

Friday could be a big rebound day for the stock. Some 45 minutes before the end of Thursday’s trading, the 99-day lockout appeared to be over.

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There are no more fall Radio Shows, but the NAB Marconi Radio Awards will still be held in the autumn.

The National Association of Broadcasters says its 2022 Marconi presentation will take place during NAB Show New York in October.

April Carty-Sipp, executive vice president of industry affairs at NAB, said the move makes sense given the “prime location and ideal timing in the fall when the Marconis have traditionally been presented.”

“We look forward to celebrating the best in radio in October.”

The awards honor radio stations and on-air personalities for excellence in radio broadcasting. The nomination window will open in May. NAB Show New York will take place at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

The post Marconi Awards Move to NAB Show New York appeared first on Radio World.

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