RadioInsight

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Staff Exodus At Z88 Orlando After Exposes On Station's Operations

Posted: 14 May 2021 01:26 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...ns-operations/



At least six employees have exited Z Ministries and their Christian AC Z88
WPOZ Orlando in the past two weeks after reports at Ministry Watch
detailing the actions of Founder/President Jim Hoge.

The reports started after Hoge told HisAir.net of the stations plan last
month to rebrand as Joy 88.3 after our report regarding Radio Training
Networks impending acquisition of Entravisions 98.1 WNUE. With RTN set to
launch their The Joy FM brand on April 19, Hoge claimed that WPOZ would
become Joy 88.3 that day. Ministry Watch obtained an email to employees on
Friday, admitting the intended rebranding was a ruse claiming that a local
car dealer was financing Radio Training Networks purchase of WNUE and This
little rouge [sic] in His Air just wrecked his weekend. Because, an
alleged flip by The Z to Joy FM will cost him millions.� Hoge also wrote,
“As far as rebranding. One can’t make a threat without following through
with it. Therefore, if anyone calls or contacts you, as far as you know
from management, its [sic] game on.�

That report led to multiple current and former employees reaching out about
the toxic workplace of WPOZ in a story published earlier this week.

Underwriting Coordinator/Traffic Coordinator Jim Davis told the publication
he was fired on Monday via text message after 23 years at the station after
the story was published. Graphic Designer Clara Winborn was told via email
her services were no longer needed after posting the story on her Facebook
page. Four other staffers left on their own accord. Stephanie Landsman, who
hosted nights on-air as Mia Taylor, resigned last Friday due to stresses
the job gave her that last year led her to spending ten days on air in a
mental hospital and the ensuing harassment from Hoge. Promotions Director
Sarah Cowles and Director of Interactive Technologies Tom Beaton have also
resigned as has Director of Ministry Advancement Carter Kenyon. Kenyon also
served on the Z Ministries Board of Directors.



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WKQX & WLS-FM Adjust Their On-Air Lineups

Posted: 14 May 2021 01:16 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...n-air-lineups/



Cumulus Media is making on-air lineup adjustments at Classic Hits 94.7
WLS-FM and Alternative 101.1 WKQX Chicago starting Monday, May 24.

Greg Brown will retire from middays at WLS-FM after fourteen years at the
station. His career in Chicago dates back to 1970 including stints at 96.3
WBBM-FM, 95.5 WMET, 13 years in middays at 101.1 WKQX from 1979 to 1992,
afternoons at 101.9 WTMX and 107.9 WYSY, and eleven years in middays at
Oldies 104.3 WJMK from 1995 to 2006.

To fill Browns slot, Erin Carman will move from afternoons to middays. Tim
Virgin will then slide from afternoons on WKQX to the same slot on WLS-FM.

At WKQX, Jon Manley will shift from nights to middays and Lauren ONeil from
middays to afternoons. The station will add the syndicated Greg Beharrell
Show for nights.

CUMULUS MEDIA announces that it will debut a new weekday on-air line-up at
94.7 WLS-FM, Chicago’s Classic Hits, and Alternative Rock station 101.1
WKQX-FM, effective May 21st. On-air host Erin Carman will move from PM
Drive to Middays on WLS-FM, replacing Greg Brown, who is retiring. Tim
Virgin moves from PM Drive on sister station WKQX-FM to PM Drive on WLS-FM,
while Lauren O’Neil moves from Middays on WKQX-FM to PM Drive on WKQX-FM.
Concurrently, Jon Manley moves from Nights on WKQX-FM to Middays on
WKQX-FM, and The Greg Beharrell Show will debut in Nights on WKQX, airing
Monday through Friday at 7:00pm. This marks a return to WKQX-FM for The
Greg Beharrell Show, which was previously heard on the station on Saturday
Nights.

Â*

Wade Linder, VP/Program Director, WLS-FM, commented: “Congratulations to
the legendary Greg Brown on a fantastic career. While Im sad to see him
leave us, Im excited about what will happen next on 94.7 WLS when the
famous Tim Virgin hits the air in the afternoon. Erin Carman slides into
Middays with a great lead-in from Dave Fogel and Kim Berk in Mornings.�

Troy Hanson, VP/Program Director, WKQX-FM, noted: “The line-up adjustments
made today reflect the strong bench we have not just at WKQX, but at
Cumulus Chicago as a whole. We thank Greg for his years of outstanding
service and commitment to excellence. We replace one legend with another in
the great Tim Virgin. In doing so, we are delighted to move internally with
both Lauren and Jon, while welcoming Greg Beharrell back to WKQX. With
these great talents, everybody wins – especially the audience.�




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95.7 The Beat Tampa Makes Musical Shift; Adds The Breakfast Club

Posted: 14 May 2021 07:18 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...reakfast-club/



iHeartMedia Hip Hop 95.7 The Beat WBTP Tampa is making a morning show
change.

The station will swap out Premiere Networks The Steve Harvey Morning Show
for The Breakfast Club starting Monday, May 17. The move corresponds with
the station shifting from a mix of Hip Hop and Adult RB to a more standard
Hip Hop playlist.

The remainder of the stations lineup is adjusted as well. Anjali Queen B
will move from afternoons to middays replacing Program Director Mychal
Maguire, who comes off air. WJBT Jacksonville based T-Roy moves from 6-9pm
to afternoons. The station also has dropped The Keith Sweat Hotel from its
late night slot.

WBTP currently ranks thirteenth in the Tampa market with a 3.4 share. That
places it behind Beasley Media Rhythmic CHR Wild 94.1 WLLDs seventh ranked
4.5.

95.7 The Beat – Tampa Bay’s #1 for Hip Hop, RB – announced today the
addition of “The Breakfast Club,� the most-listened-to Hip Hop morning show
in America, to its weekday morning lineup. Effective Monday, May 17, the
top-rated program featuring Radio Hall of Famers Charlamagne Tha God,
Angela Yee and DJ Envy will air weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET.

“The Breakfast Club� is a four-and-a-half-hour morning show featuring DJ
Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha Gods unrivaled interviews with
celebrities and recording artists. From megastars like Kevin Hart, 2
Chainz, Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Lopez, to icons such as Jay-Z, Kanye
West, and Nicki Minaj, every guest visiting “The Breakfast Club� is grilled
with their signature blend of honesty, wit and humor. The results are the
best interviews to be found on radio and digital.Â* The trio also hosts
“Weekends withÂ*The Breakfast Club,â€� a three-hour weekly program featuring a
countdown of the top 20 hits of the week. Please visit PremiereNetworks.com
for more information.

“95.7 The Beat has been Tampa Bay’s premier Hip Hop and RB station for 18
years,� said Chris Soechtig, Market President of iHeartMedia Tampa Bay. “We
could not be more excited to turn the page on a new chapter with a fresh
sound and the hottest morning show in the country. ‘The Breakfast Club’ is
the perfect lead-in to our local programming hosted by, Queen B and led by
Program Director Mychal Maguire.�



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BIA Releases 2020 Ad Revenue Report & 2021 Forecast

Posted: 14 May 2021 05:01 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...2021-forecast/



BIA Advisory Services has released its annual projection of radio revenues.

BIA SVP/Chief Economist Mark Fratrik states, The shining star continues to
be radio’s online digital advertising revenues, which will outpace
over-the-air growth this year and moving forward. Those broadcasting groups
that have invested in and oriented their companies toward digital will
benefit faster from that foresight.

Fratick is forecasting that total local radio revenues will reach $11.7
billion, with $1 billion coming from online sources in 2021. Those numbers
are up from the pandemic affected 2020 with over-the air revenue dropping
23.6 percent over 2019 from $12.8 billion to $9.7 billion. During the same
period, online revenue only dropped from $1 billion to $939 billion.

As anticipated, the radio industry took a very big hit in 2020 due to the
pandemic and subsequent cutbacks in overall spending activity. According to
the first quarter edition of BIA Advisory Services’ 2021Â*Investing In
Radio® Market Report over-the-air advertising revenues dropped to $9.7
billion, a -23.6 percent decline from $12.8 billion in 2019. Digital ad
revenues at stations demonstrated their continued strength, though, posting
only a slight decline to $939 million in revenues in 2020 versus $1 billion
in 2019.

“Local radio stations have been feeling the impact of new competition for
the past few years; unfortunately, the pandemic just exacerbated the
problem and it will take some time to recover,� said Mark Fratrik, SVP and
Chief Economist, BIA Advisory Services. “The shining star continues to be
radio’s online digital advertising revenues, which will outpace
over-the-air growth this year and moving forward. Those broadcasting groups
that have invested in and oriented their companies toward digital will
benefit faster from that foresight.�

Fratrik forecasts 2021 total local radio revenues to reach $11.7 billion,
with $1 billion coming directly from online revenues; a 9.7 percent
increase over 2020.


Transactions Down

Investing In Radio® Market Report also covers radio station sales
transactions and comparisons year-over-year. Mirroring the economic climate
in 2020, radio station sales fell to levels that hadn’t been seen in years.
Only 534 stations were sold in 2020 for an estimated value of $139 million
– a stark contrast from the 1,080 sold in 2011 for $1.1 billion.


Investing In® Radio Publications

The 2021 first-quarter edition ofÂ*Investing In Radio® Market
ReportÂ*provides a complete profile of every Nielsen AudioÂ*market, with
historic and projected demographic and financial statistics. It is
available for purchase online. The report can be purchasedÂ*here.
Information in the Investing In Radio books is also available inÂ*Media
Access Pro, a data and analytical service that delivers comprehensive
information on the radio, television, and newspaper industries.

Also available is theÂ*Investing In Radio® 2020 Ownership ReportÂ*that
delivers a detailed analysis and guide of all owners in the Nielsen
AudioÂ*rated markets and non-rated markets. The report can be purchasedÂ*here.
More BIA Forecasts

BIA’s full U.S local advertising forecasts for top media are available in
BIAÂ*ADVantage, which provides online access to all of the firm’s forecasts
including those contained in the Investing In Radio publication, offering
subscribers a direct view of national and their local market ad spending.
For more details, .



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Jacksonville's Way Radio Expands To St. Augustine

Posted: 14 May 2021 05:00 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-st-augustine/



Good Tidings Trust has purchased Sports CBS Sports 96.5 1420 WAOC St.
Augustine/96.5 W243AW Middleburg FL from Kristine Phillips Phillips
Broadcasting for $199,000.

The buyer has initiated an LMA ahead of closing and has flipped WAOC to a
simulcast of their Christian Preaching Way Radio 550 WAYR Fleming
Island/Jacksonville and translators 103.3 W277DE Fleming Island and 104.9
W285FE Jacksonville.

Phillips retains Conservative Talk NewsTalk 102.1 1240 WFOY/102.1 W271CJ
St. Augustine.



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Station Sales Week Of 5/14

Posted: 14 May 2021 04:30 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-week-of-5-14/



Paul Coates is surrendering his 51% stake in New Directions Media Group to
49% co-owner Mike Huckabee. In exchange Huckabee will release Coates from
any personal liabilities that he has to the IRS for civil assessments of
employment taxes (and related civil penalties) withheld from employees and
request in writing that Central Bank of Branson, KHOZ LLC, KOMC-KRZK LLC,
and the Earl family entities each release Coates Consulting LLC and Paul
Coates and Elizabeth Coates, from any continuing liability under any
guaranty or other agreement subjecting any of them to any direct personal
liability to those creditors.

New Directions Media Group owns 80% of Bluff City Radio that owns Country
98.1 The Hog KTPB Altheimer, Hip Hop 99.3 The Beat KPBA Pine Bluff, Oldies
101.3 KDPX Pine Bluff, and AC 104.5 KTRN White Hall AR. Nancy Millers One
Media owns the additional 20% of the company, which leases the four
stations to Mike Hornes PB Radio LLC. The company also owns 100% of and
operates Ozark Mountain Media Group and AC My 100.1 KOMC-FM Kimberling City
MO, New Country 102.9 KHBZ Harrison AR, Classic Country Legends 106.3 KRZK
Branson MO, Classic Country The Original 900 KHOZ/94.9 K235CE Harrison, and
Classic Hits 1220 KCAX/98.1 K251BZ Branson.


Michael Roberts Roberts Radio Broadcasting sells his 50% stake in Adult RB
97.7 WRBJ-FM Brandon/Jackson MS to his brother Stephen for $1 giving
Stephen full control of the station..

Ron Romeros Home Field Communications sells Sports 93.7 The Ticket KNTK
Firth/Lincoln NE to Rebecca Pearsons BDP Communications for $450,000.
Pearsons husband Derrick has co-hosted middays at KNTK since December 2019
after fourteen years at KFNZ Salt Lake City.
Translator Sales

Edwin Andrades The Voice Radio Wilmington Inc. is purchasing 104.1 W281CM
Millville NJ from Ritmo Broadcasting for $250,000. The Voice Radio launched
Spanish CHR https://maxima104.comMaxima 104.1 fed via 95.7 WBEN-HD3
Philadelphia last month.

Sutton Radiocasting buys 105.3 W287CD Scaly NC from Charisma Radio Corp.
for $100. As part of the deal buyer Douglas Sutton will provide engineering
work for Charismas 104.5 WHLC Highlands NC and its three other translators
for three years and place a booster for WHLC on his tower in Franklin NC.