RadioInsight

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Melissa Chase Departs 103.7 Your Variety Richmond

Posted: 27 May 2021 01:26 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...iety-richmond/



Melissa Chase has departed mornings at SummitMedia Hot AC 103.7 Your
Variety WURV Richmond VA.

Chase had been PD/morning host since 2010 through its incarnation as Adult
Alternative 103.7 The River, 2013 flip to Hot AC 103.7 Play, through its
relaunch in March as 103.7 Your Variety. She also served as Operations
Manager for SummitMedia Richmond since 2016 and Program Director of Classic
Rock 96.5 WKLR. She had announced her intentions to step down from her
programming roles at the end of March.

Chase previously spent a decade at CHR Q94 WRVQ Richmond rising to morning
co-host and APD/MD. During her tenure there she also tracked shifts for
WKCI-FM New Haven CT, WAZR Harrisonburg VA and XM.





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KRRY Flips To Classic Rock

Posted: 27 May 2021 01:06 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-classic-rock/



Townsquare Media has flipped AC Y101 100.9 KRRY Canton MO/Quincy IL to
Classic Rock 100.9 The Eagle.

The 3pm flip came as the station segued from Dua Lipa Dont Stop Now to
Aerosmiths Walk This Way. The station will feature a top 500 Classic Rock
songs countdown starting on Friday, May 28. The new format positions KRRY
directly up against STARadios 105.9 The Grizz KZZK New London MO.

The flip comes the same day Jeff The Big Dog Dorsey retired from his
morning show at the station. Dorsey has been in mornings at KRRY since
2001, but has been a fixture in the market since 1978 with stints including
Operations Manager at 1440 WGEM, General Manager of 930 WTAD and morning
co-host at 99Q WQCY-FM. Dorseys co-host Sarah Deien has also exited. Dorsey
told Muddy River News, “Long story short is we were notified last Tuesday.
I knew that this was eventually going to come to a head sooner or later,
and I would be done here. It came in before I anticipated it. I would have
liked to pick the date. They’re going to go in a different direction,
basically. … They want to do something different with the morning show. I
appreciate the fact that Townsquare Media has given me the opportunity to
have a ‘so long good-bye’ show. A lot of times in this business, that
doesn’t happen. I want to express a lot of thanks to a lot of people who
helped me get here.�



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Star 88 Albuquerque To Flip To Christian Preaching With KNKT Sale Closing

Posted: 27 May 2021 12:50 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-sale-closing/



A pair of Christian stations in Albuquerque will debut new formats on
Monday, May 31.

Bible Broadcasting Network has closed on its purchase of Christian
Preaching 107.1 KNKT Armjio NM and will relaunch the station with its
network programming under new KYFV calls. BBN filed to purchase KNKT from
Calvary Albuquerque in March for $1.4 million.

Calvary Albuquerque will retain the current programming heard on KNKT and
move it to their 88.3 KLYT Albuquerque branded as 88.3 The Light on Monday
at 5:00am. KLYTs current Star 88 Christian AC format will continue online
only. KLYT has featured various Christian music formats since its sign-on
in 1976. Its Star 88 identity debuted in 2016 preceded with stints as
Christian CHR M88 and a Christian Rock/secular AAA hybrid dubbed Static
Radio.



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Black Information Network Debuts In Jacksonville

Posted: 27 May 2021 10:18 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-jacksonville/



iHeartMedias Black Information Network debuted in Jacksonville FL today
with the launch of BIN 104.1.

Airing on Radio By Grace’s W281AM Macclenny fed via iHearts 93.3 WJBT-HD2
Callahan, the move brings the network to its 32nd market over the past
eleven months. The translator had been rebroadcasting Educational Media
Foundations K-Love network until going silent in April.



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A Martinez Joins NPR's Morning Edition As Fourth Anchor

Posted: 27 May 2021 09:41 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...fourth-anchor/



NPR has announced the addition of A Martinez as the fourth host of Morning
Edition.

Martinez will join Steve Inskeep, Noel King, and Rachel Martin on Morning
Edition following the departure of David Greene last year. He will begin
with NPR on July 6 with an on-air start date to be named later.

Martinez joins NPR from Southern California Public Radios 89.3 KPCC
Pasadena/Los Angeles where he has anchored Take Two since 2012. He
previously worked in Sports Radio spending ten years as host of Dodger Talk
on Xtra Sports 1150 KXTA and Lakers Line and In The Zone for ESPN 710 KSPN.

NPR announced today that after conducting a national search A MartÃ*nez has
been selected as the fourth host of Morning Edition, NPRs morning drivetime
news magazine carried by 835 public radio stations nationwide. MartÃ*nez
will join NPR on July 6th, and his first day on-air will be announced in
the coming weeks. He will be based at NPR West in Culver City, Calif.

MartÃ*nez has been the host of Take Two at KPCC in Los Angeles since 2012,
before that he was a familiar voice to sports-talk radio listeners in Los
Angeles as host of 710 KSPNs In the Zone. During his tenure, Take Two has
created important forums on the air and through live events that have
elevated the voices and perspectives of Angelenos, and provided nuanced
coverage of the regions challenges including homelessness, climate change
and systemic disparities in health and education.

We are delighted to have A join the Morning Edition team anchoring from the
West Coast. He brings a remarkable record of journalism and empathy that
allows him to truly connect with audiences and stories, said Sarah Gilbert,
NPRs Vice President for News Programming. He brings intelligence, a sense
of humor and a deep curiosity that will fit right in with the shows
commitment to telling distinctive stories that make a difference to our
understanding of the world.

Nine years ago, I had never listened to public radio. I was about to start
a new path that would change my career, and in a deeper way, my perspective
on life, said MartÃ*nez. The time Ive spent at KPCC proves that public radio
journalism can be accessible, relatable and understandable to ANYONE,
regardless of their background or educational pedigree. Im excited to bring
every experience Ive had along the way to NPR and to represent Los Angeles
and California the best way I can.

A MartÃ*nez will be joining Steve Inskeep, Noel King, and Rachel Martin on
this bi-coastal, 24-hour news operation. He fills the vacancy in the host
lineup that was left after David Greenes departure in 2020. Morning Edition
hosts often get out from behind the anchor desk and travel around the world
to report on the news firsthand. Produced and distributed by NPR in
Washington, D.C., Morning Edition draws on reporting from correspondents
based around the world, and producers and reporters in locations in the
United States. This reporting is supplemented by NPR Member Station
reporters across the country as well as independent producers and reporters
throughout the public radio system. Since its debut on November 5, 1979,
Morning Edition has garnered broadcastings highest honors, including the
George Foster Peabody Award and the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University
Award. The show reaches 11.5 million weekly listeners on more than 835
stations. The team also produces the popular Up First daily news podcast,
which highlights the top three stories listeners need to start their day.



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Clay Travis & Buck Sexton To Take Over Rush Limbuagh Show

Posted: 27 May 2021 08:57 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...limbuagh-show/



Premiere Networks has found not one, but two replacements to take over the
Rush Limbaugh Show.

Clay Travis (who currently hosts mornings on Premieres Fox Sports Radio)
and Buck Sexton (who currently hosts an early evening show for Premiere)
will take over the 12-3pm eastern slot with The Clay Travis Buck Sexton
Show beginning Monday, June 21 according to the Wall Street Journal.

Travis, who recently sold his Outkick.com to Fox, has hosted mornings on
Fox Sports Radio since 2016. The former lawyer previously co-hosted middays
on Cumulus Media Sports 104.5 The Zone WGFX Nashville. He will continue to
host his two podcasts and the daily gambling show Fox Bet Live on FS1.

Sexton currently hosts The Buck Sexton Show fed by Premiere in the 6-9pm
slot. Sexton has hosted the show since February 2017. He previously hosted
a TV show on Blaze and has served as a commentator for CNN and Fox News
following a career with the CIA and NYPD in their counterterrorism units.
Sexton also currently hosts a local hour from 6-7pm for 710 WOR New York.

Since the February death of Limbaugh, the show has lost many of its
affiliates as companies including Cox Media Group and Cumulus launched
internal options while many other stations switched to other syndicated
options. The new program will still have iHeartMedias stable of talkers
including WOR, KEIB Los Angeles, KTRH Houston, KFYI Phoenix, WOAI San
Antonio, and WTAM Cleveland as launch affiliates.

Premiere Networks announced today the launch of 
“The Clay Travis Buck
Sexton Show,� a new three-hour talk radio show airing Monday through Friday
from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, beginning June 21.

Airing in the timeslot held by “The Rush Limbaugh Show� for more than three
decades, Travis and Sexton will carry on a new form of broadcast excellence
in the tradition of the late radio icon as they tackle the biggest stories
in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. Travis –
an entrepreneur, host of FOX Sports Radio’s industry-leading weekday
morning program, “Outkick The Coverage with Clay Travis� and founder of the
wildly popular sports, pop culture and politics based media company
Outkick; (which Travis has agreed to sell to Fox Corporation); and Sexton –
host of the Premiere Networks-syndicated weekday program “The Buck Sexton
Show,� political commentator, and former CIA officer and NYPD
counterterrorism expert, will help guide listeners through the latest
headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and
opinions.

“I’ve loved spending the past six years building ‘Outkick The Coverage’
into one of the most-listened-to sports talk shows in the country, but I
couldn’t resist the opportunity to join Buck Sexton as we launch this new
program in the most coveted timeslot in the talk format,� said Travis.
“While no one will ever replace Rush Limbaugh, Buck and I are excited to
continue advancing the causes he held dear, most importantly American
exceptionalism, a fervent embrace of capitalism, and a belief in a robust
marketplace of ideas. At a time of rabid cancel culture and toxic identity
politics, we will be the voice for many who feel scared to say what they
think for fear of the censorious online mob. We can’t wait to get started.â€�Â*

“I could not be more thrilled – and am deeply humbled – by the opportunity
to host this new program with Clay Travis,� said Sexton. “We think it’s
important to carry on the tradition of Rush Limbaugh and bring truth to the
masses. One thing I can promise all EIB listeners out the we’re with
them and we will always fight for them with the show Clay and I do every
day.�

“We couldn’t be happier to have Clay and Buck two incredibly talented
personalities from our Premiere family – at the helm of this new program,�
said Julie Talbott, President of Premiere Networks. “Rush Limbaugh is
irreplaceable, but we’re confident they will continue his legacy by
delivering their own brand of intelligent, informed and entertaining talk
radio, while providing our partners with a powerful platform to connect
with their consumers.�

“The Clay Travis Buck Sexton Show� will also be available as a podcast on
the iHeartRadio Podcast Network. Visit iHeart.com/apps to download
iHeartRadio and listen to the program on your favorite device beginning
June 21. For more information, please visit www.PremiereNetworks.com.

About Clay Travis


Clay Travis currently hosts “Outkick The Coverage with Clay Travis,� a
nationally-syndicated FOX Sports Radio program heard on more than 350
affiliates nationwide. The program joined the network’s lineup in September
2016 and has become one of the most popular sports talk shows in the
country reaching millions of listeners nationwide. A multi-platform star,
Travis founded the wildly popular Outkick.com, and alsoÂ*currently co-hosts
FS1’s first-ever, daily gambling TV show “Fox Bet Live,� in addition to
hosting his popular “Outkick The Show� webcast and podcast, and
theÂ*iHeartRadio Original Podcast, “Wins Losses with Clay Travis.â€� A
graduate of George Washington University as well as Vanderbilt Law School,
Travis is the author of “Dixieland Delight,� “On Rocky Top: A Front-Row
Seat to the End of an Era,� and “Republicans Buy Sneakers, Too: How the
Left is Ruining Sports with Politics.�

About Buck Sexton

Buck Sexton currently hosts “The Buck Sexton Show,� a three-hour weekday
talk radio program syndicated by Premiere Networks on more than 200
stations nationwide, in addition to iHeartRadio. Launched in February 2017,
the program is also simulcast on Pluto TV’s The First channel. Since
February 2020, Sexton has also hosted a live weekday program on
iHeartMedia’s 710 WOR in New York. A former CIA officer and NYPD
counterterrorism expert, Sexton frequently appears on Fox News Channel and
other outlets as a political commentator and national security analyst.
Sexton previously served as a national security editor for TheBlaze.com and
hosted “The Buck Sexton Show� on TheBlazeTV and TheBlazeRadio. A native of
New York City, he holds a B.A. in Political Science from Amherst College. 




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Handicapping The Country Song of Summer 2021

Posted: 27 May 2021 07:00 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/ross/208707...f-summer-2021/





It has taken place on a separate playing field from the Top 40/Hot AC
world’s own annual competition, but the battle for Country Song of the
Summer has been as fierce, and as calculated, as the pop battle for almost
as long as I’ve been writing about the Summer Song competition. When Kid
Rock’s “All Summer Long� became a Country hit as well in 2008, it made
having the Summer Song a bigger trophy in both formats with Country having
at least a few songs calibrated for summer dominance each year.

Country’s Summer Song of 2020 should have been on CHR’s radar last year.
Pop radio had a battle between the held-over “Blinding Lights� and the
held-back-for-timing “Watermelon Sugar,� but it didn’t have the musical
depth of a great summer field, understandable given the circumstances. “One
Margarita� by Luke Bryan would have been a great addition to the format,
and not that crazy an idea in the time of Dan + Shay and Gabby Barrett.

That’s why Country’s Summer Song of 2021 frontrunner should probably slide
on to pop programmers’ radar now. There may well come a time in July or
August when Hot AC and CHR should consider the bouncy, cajun-flavored “I
Was on a Boat That Day� by Old Dominion. Released the same day that BTS’s
“Butter� went to pop radio, it has grown at a similar pace. After five
days, it is the No. 26 Country airplay song per BDSRadio. The midtempo but
lyrically calibrated “Waves� by Luke Bryan, another leading contender
according to Country PDs, is currently No. 22.Â*

There is a chance that the Country Summer Song battle may be brought to pop
radio’s door anyway thanks to two cross-genre collaborations. Nelly &
Florida Georgia Line’s “Lil Bit� went to Country this week with a remix.
Elle King & Miranda Lambert’s Hot AC charter “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go
Home)� was already building at the format before Columbia Nashville came on
board. Dan + Shay did not go to pop radio simultaneously with “Glad You
Exist,� but I expect to hear it there at some point.

I like “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)� because it reminds me of Flo
Rida’s “Timber,� and even the other early ‘10s “turbo-pop� that marked the
peak of Top 40’s last all-ages format boom. Even remixed, “Lil Bit� has
touched off discussions on my Facebook page about Country’s parameters, but
the last time FGL and Nelly got together was the moment that Country
exploded and became a true all-ages format for the first time in at least
25 years.Â*

Those good times seem distant now. Over the last year, streaming has
further challenged all music radio. So far, Country radio is still in a
place that most PDs of other formats would envy, even if Country
programmers wouldn’t see it that way. Streaming has put additional records
into contention, but after that, even those songs still seem like they’re
on the same 8-to-10 month (or longer) chart path. Many of the Summer Song
candidates may still crest after Labor Day; “All Summer Long� peaked in
October.

The combination of a superstar artist and a summer-targeted hit meant that
“One Margarita� climbed the charts more quickly and peaked when a summer
song should, in mid-July. Other songs on the a more typical chart path
acquire superpowers when summer rolls around. Jameson Rodgers f/Luke
Combs’s “Cold Beer Calling My Name� was released in December. Jimmie Allen
& Brad Paisley’s “Freedom Was a Highway� has been building since January
but got some spins as far back as last July.

If you’ve seen our other Summer Song prediction articles, I’ve typically
looked for either tempo or lyrical intent to differentiate a “Summer Song�
candidate from a hit that just happens to be occurring during summer.
Because of the current Country chart pattern, any typically developing hit
has a one-in-four chance of being a hit during the summer. I’m not sure
whether to think of Chris Young & Kane Brown’s mid-to-uptempo “Famous
Friends� as a summer song, but it was among the songs that Country radio
PDs mentioned when I asked for candidates.

Then again, when I put this question out to Facebook friends, one of them
also suggested that it was too soon to see the full field of contenders.
Scott Mahalick at KNUC (The Bull) Seattle nominatesÂ*Zac Browns Same Boat,
which is cming June 24, he says.

I’ve created a Country Summer Songs 2021 playlist. It’s a companion piece
to my multi-genre “Summer Energy 2021� playlist. It contains the above
songs as well as:

More party/drinking songs, including a few like Little Big Town’s “Wine,
Beer, Whiskey� that didn’t quite make it to Memorial Day but would have
sounded great this summer. (Ironically, I heard that song on Alternative
WIIS Key West, Fla., this week, and it didn’t sound out of place.)
Other PD picks such as Niko Moon’s “No Sad Songs,� cited by WUBE
Cincinnati’s Grover Collins (along with Old Dominion) or “Beach Cowboy,�
the side project of FGL’s Brian Kelley, tipped by Audacy’s Tim Roberts and
Kevin Callahan.
A Canadian Song of the Summer entry from Dean Brody, “Lightning Bug,�
courtesy of CJKX (KX94.7) Hamilton, Ontario’s Derm Carnduff.
An entry from WKHX (New Country 101.5) Atlanta morning host J.J. Kincaid.
When that station relaunched last fall, I had wondered how long it would
take for them to find a local hit to champion. That turned out to be Drew
Parkers Party In The Back, currently in power although it isnt Parkers
first major-label single.
Comeback efforts from Joe Nichols (“Home Run�) as well as an appropriately
themed indie label entry.


Enjoy the playlist. We’ll add to it throughout the summer. We’ll be back
around Labor Day to choose the Country and pop Songs of Summer.






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The New 102.7 The Vibe Brings A Party To Austin

Posted: 27 May 2021 04:00 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...rty-to-austin/



Waterloo Media flipped Spanish CHR Latino 102.7 102.7 K274AX
Austin/KLZT-HD2 Bastrop to Rhythmic Hot AC 102.7 The Vibe at 6am today.

Positioning as Austins Party Station, the station is featuring a mix of
currents from artists such as Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, Drake and Cardi B
and throwback party songs from the likes of TLC, Dr Dre, Missy Elliot,
2PAC, Mariah Carey, Nelly, Salt N Pepa, Snoop Dogg, Janet Jackson, Eminem
and Destiny’s Child. The station will be programmed by Jay Michaels, who
currently programs Hot AC Lucy 93.3 KGSR Cedar Park and AAA 97.1 Austin
City Limits Radio K246BD Austin/KGSR-HD2.

The new format positions K274AX in-between iHeartMedia Rhythmic CHR 102.3
The Beat KPEZ and Audacy Classic Hip Hop Hot 95.9 K240EL/KKMJ-HD3. KPEZ
currently ranks seventh in the market with a 4.2 share, while K240EL fell
last month from a 2.6 to 1.4. The Spanish CHR format went out with a 1.6
share in the April 2021 Nielsen Audio ratings.

The New 1027 The Vibe made its broadcast debut today at 6am as Austin’s
Party Station. The Vibe will feature the biggest rhythmic hits from Bruno
Mars, Ariana Grande, Drake, Cardi B plus throwback party songs from TLC, Dr
Dre, Missy Elliot, 2PAC, Mariah Carey, Nelly, Salt N Pepa, Snoop Dogg,
Janet Jackson, Eminem and Destinys Child.

The Vibe Program Director Jay Michaels exclaims, “There is a big demand for
rhythmic hits plus familiar party songs, a lane that is not being covered
here in Austin!Â* We are so excited to bring this unique format to Austin.
We have such an incredible, local team led by Bruce, Randy, Scott and our
fearless leader Bob Sinclair!�

Michaels will continue to program sister stations Hot AC Lucy 93.3 and AAA
ACL Radio, while searching for the best local talent for The Vibe.

Adds General Manager Bruce Walden, “Waterloo Media is excited to bring a
new party to the Austin airways with the new 1027 The Vibe, and Austinites
will be energized by this innovative take on the rhythmic format.�

A full on air lineup will be announced soon, and the station can be
streamed live now at thevibe1027.com.