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Radio News ®
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Deep freeze plugged back in?
Just when the weather got warm enough for deals to flow through the FCC, along comes a Siberian Express cold front courtesy of the good judges over at the Third Circuit. The stay of the new FCC ownership rules as passed 6/2, which were to have gone into effect today (9/4) has thrown the FCC's deal-making machinery back into limbo.
RBR observation: Just becauses it's frozen in New York doesn't mean it can't be sunny in Hooterville. | Full Story Click Here | RBR Observation |
 FCC reacts to open-ended stay
The ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit which put the FCC's new broadcast ownership rules on hold was a balancing act by Judges Anthony Scirica, Thomas Ambro and Julio Fuentes. They saw greater harm in the possibility of allowing deals to be made under the new rules, only to have them overturned, rather than harm to would-be dealmakers who will now have to wait until the new rules survive judicial review.
| Full Story Click Here |
Watchdog tries to open California political airwaves
The Alliance for Better Campaigns (AFBC) has written an open letter to Clear Channel (N:CCU) and Viacom/Infinity (N:VIA) urging both companies to open their airwaves to the 135 candidates in the California gubernatorial recall circus. RBR observation: This is one time to leave the worms in the can. | Full Story Click Here | RBR Observation |
Senate committee votes against higher TV cap
In yet another attack on the FCC's 6/2 vote to deregulate TV ownership, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted yesterday to block the FCC's new 45% national audience limit for a single TV owner (up from 35%) from going into effect for a year. The vote came a day after a federal appeals court panel in Philadelphia blocked the 45% limit, and all other portions of the new ownership rules, from taking effect 9/4.
| Full Story Click Here |
 WPHT-AM drops Imus, adds Hannity
Here's something you don't see everyday - - an Infinity-owned station dropping a Westwood product and adding an ABC Radio Networks talker. WPHT-AM Philadelphia announced 9/4 that Sean Hannity will premiere 9/8 on the station from 3 to 6 PM. The move was made after WPHT dropped Imus and moved PM talker Michael Smerconish to mornings. Turns out the trend is growing. Hannity also is cleared on Infinity's KJCE-AM Austin, KXNT-AM Las Vegas and WMFR-AM Greensboro and another to be announced. Philly was the last top market to clear Hannity. Says ABC Radio Networks President Traug Keller: "They recognize that the guy is now a proven winner in major markets, and they want to be a talk powerhouse. What better way to solidify yourself that way than with Hannity. So Philadelphia just kind of locks us up." Is there some trend here of Infinity stations clearing your Talk product? Says Keller: "At the end of the day, good product crosses all company lines. Stations don't care where it's from, as long as it fits their needs."
Radio stocks move up on Wall Street
Radio stocks rose sharply in Thursday's Wall Street trading, following upgrades by Merrill Lynch of Emmis (O:EMMS), Entercom (N:ETM) and Radio One (O:ROIAK) from "Neutral" to "Buy." Also, William Blair & Co. began coverage of Clear Channel (N:CCU), branding the biggest radio company of all "Outperform." | Full Story Click Here |
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 SVP / Director of Sales
Infinity Radio Houston
VP/GM Laura Morris needs you to lead four great radio brands & NFL Texans sales efforts. We are talking great call-letters and history in these: KHJZ- FM Smooth Jazz, KIKK - AM Business, KILT - FM Country and KILT - AM Sports. Confidentiality assured. RBR observation: Here is a shot of a life time. (Click Radio Careers / Sr. VP)
 Place your Career ad or Questions?
Contact me [email protected]
or fax a note: 813 909-2986
Media Head Hunters is a division of Radio Business Report, Inc.
RBR/TVBR, First, Fast, Accurate .. and Independently Owned.
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Caesars Palace "Living Famously"
Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has embarked on a new branding campaign. Debuting this month, the effort marks the beginning of an aggressive, integrated marketing program intended to support the continuing physical renaissance of the Park Place Entertainment property with a new public image. | Full Story Click Here |
Viseon hires TVA for national effort
Viseon, a global broadband personal video communications solutions provider, announced it has retained LA-based TVA Productions to develop and launch an extensive multi-media campaign for the new "VisiFone." The media blitz is designed to generate over 22,000 placements for the VisiFone on TV, radio, print media, and airline in-flight programs. The Viseon VisiFone is the world's first self-contained broadband videophone that does not require a PC or any external equipment. It provides free video and audio calls on any broadband connection and home or office network including high-speed Internet connections via DSL or cable modem.
HispanicAd.com forum in LA to be held on 9/11
The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA), Fox Sports en Espanol, HispanicAd.com, PR Newswire and Yahoo! en Espanol have teamed up to present the 3rd HispanicAd.com Forum on 9/11 at 9 a.m. PDT, 12 p.m. EDT. | Full Story Click Here |
American Business Media launches $3M effort
A new campaign is launching the week of 9/8 from American Business Media, the association for b2b media companies. The $3M print and online campaign was developed by Mad Dogs & Englishmen NY, which has been American Business Media's creative partner since 2001. Media duties were handled by Mark Rothman & Associates. Placement includes Ad Age, Adweek, Brandweek, BtoB, Chief Executive, Mediaweek and The Wall Street Journal. Each of the ads features an anonymous executive--face obscured--with a quote about b2b media's role in his or her company's success. The body copy highlights findings from a Yankelovich/Harris research study that shows b2b media influences executives' purchase decisions more than any other media.
 FedEx launches campaign
at NFL season kickoff
"Relax, it's FedEx," the new tag and campaign for FedEx launched 9/4 during the season-opening telecast of ABC's "Monday Night Football" broadcast from FedExField in DC. The new tag replaces "Don't worry. There's a FedEx for that." | Full Story Click Here |
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Media, Markets & Money tm
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Little buyer for the last of Big City
Grundy County Broadcasters, primarily owned by Larry and Pamela Nelson, is the radio group which will wind up with the last of the Big City Radio (A:YFM) portfolio. They have already put an LMA in place for WYXX-FM, the Big City outlet in the outer Chicago 'burbs. Grundy County Broadcasters already owns WCSJ-AM in Morris, along with WJDK-FM in Seneca, about a ten mile paddle on the Illinois River to the west, making this a duopoly deal. Big City will pocket $426K cash for the station. Broker: Jorgenson Broadcast Brokerage (seller) RBR observation: When we say outer 'burbs...
| RBR Observation |
Route 81 'NAK attack price revealed
Lloyd Roach's Route 81 Broadcasters is paying $475K for Standards WNAK-AM in Nanitcoke PA, part of the Wilkes Barre/Scranton market. The seller is Seven-Thirty Broadcasters, led by Robert Nielson. WNAK is one of 12 stations being bought by the new group-to-be, which includes two additional AMs and one FM in the Wilkes Barre market, as well as stations in and around Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Elmira-Corning NY. Broker: Dick Kozacko, Kozacko Media Services
Michael grabs Colorado trio
Already a major group owner in Wyoming, Vic Michael is heading one state south to acquire a trio of stations in the unrated regions west of the Denver-Boulder metro. He's paying Al Martischang $470K for KHTH-AM Dillon, KRKM-FM Kremmling and KRKY-AM Granby. Michael has been known to do an upgrade or two, so we wonder what he may have up his sleeve. Broker: Jody McCoy, Media Services Group
Waitt sheds final TV standalone
Just a few days after filing to sell three standalone Fox affiliates in the Southeast for $27.5M, Norman Waitt is also selling his last remaining Fox standalone, KYOU-TV (Ch. 15) Ottumwa, IA for $4M. The buyers are Macon Moye and Thomas Henson, who are making their first TV purchase. They currently own a cluster of radio stations in the Wilmington, NC market. RBR observation: Not quite the same as owning a duopoly.
| Full Story Click Here | RBR Observation |
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Washington Beat
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Commission meets the public next week
The FCC's monthly open meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 9/10 at 9:30 AM eastern. Given the seven items on the agenda, the meeting promises to be relatively quiet on the broadcasting front. Item #7 is the only one from the Media Bureau, and it will be about the commercial availability of navigation devices and compatibility between cable system equipment and consumer electronics equipment. The other six items concern phones, unlicensed devices and international commercial satellites.
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 NTR Tip of the day
In a recent survey, almost half of pre-football game tailgaters said they spend little or no time preparing for the tailgating party, yet more than half said they prefer the party to the actual game. With tailgate party popularity on the increase, maybe there's an opportunity to help out tailgaters in your market by creating the "Z 104 Ultimate Tailgate Party Essentials" through strategic partnering with food vendors (hotdogs,hamburgers, buns, sodas, etc.). Create couponing opportunities at the games with bounce-backs to retailers along with sampling, consumer sweepstakes, etc. to create extra excitement. Because your tailgate party spot in the parking lot is a key part of your strategy, why not work with the local stadium authorities to reserve a block of premium spots and hold register-to-win drawings? You get the idea... free your mind, and let us know how we can help! Source: James Davis, RAB,
[email protected], (800)232-3131
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Radio Stocks
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Radio stocks on a roll
Stock prices rose Thursday on word from the government that factory orders rose 1.6% in July and that US worker productivity improved strongly in Q2. The Dow Industrials rose 19 points, or 0.2%, to 9,588.
Radio stocks did much better, as Merrill Lynch upgraded the sector (see Radio News). The Radio Index shot up 7.178, or 2.8%, to 266.265 - - another all-time high.
Emmis, which was one of the Merrill Lynch upgrades, led the pack, jumping 12%. Spanish Broadcasting System rose 8.6% and Entercom, another Merrill Lynch upgrade, gained 4.8%.
Only two index stocks were down, and neither by much. Salem and Hispanic Broadcasting were each down a fraction.
Here's how stocks fared on Thursday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
| Arbitron |
ARB
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$37.25
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+$0.05
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Interep
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IREP
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$2.45
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+$0.10
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Beasley
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BBGI
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$15.60
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+$0.44
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International Bcg.
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IBCS
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$0.02
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unch
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| Big City |
YFM |
$1.23 |
-$0.12
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Jeff-Pilot
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JP
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$45.21
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-$0.14
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| Citadel |
CDL |
$21.03 |
+$0.44 |
Radio One, Cl. A
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ROIA
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$17.98
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+$0.25
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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$45.79
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+$1.12
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Radio One, Cl. D
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ROIAK
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$17.92
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+$0.25
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Cox Radio
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CXR
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$24.35
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+$0.35
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Radio Unica
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UNCA
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$0.80
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+$0.05
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Cumulus
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CMLS
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$19.42
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+$0.16
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Regent
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RGCI
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$6.30
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+$0.05
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Disney
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DIS
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$21.46
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+$0.14
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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$20.41
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+$0.14
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Emmis
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EMMS
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$23.90
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+$2.56
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Salem Comm.
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SALM
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$23.92
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-$0.09
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| Entercom |
ETM
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$51.66
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+$2.36
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Sirius Sat. Radio
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SIRI
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$1.67
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+$0.02
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Entravision
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EVC
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$9.90
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+$0.28
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Spanish Bcg.
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SBSA
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$8.46
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+$0.67
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Fisher
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FSCI
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$47.54
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-$0.31
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Viacom, Cl. A
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VIA
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$46.43
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+$0.61
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Gaylord
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GET
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$20.33
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-$0.07
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Viacom, Cl. B
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VIAb
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$46.45
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+$0.68
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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$24.94
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-$0.20
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Westwood One
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WON
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$33.69
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+$1.19
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Hispanic Bcg.
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HSP
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$31.89
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-$0.04
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XM Sat. Radio
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XMSR
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$13.69
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-$0.18
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RBR Bounceback
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We want to hear from you.
Speak out to your colleagues in radio on any subject affecting this business.
This is your column, so send your comments to [email protected]
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Stations For Sale
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Tampa Bay Market
Profitable 3 AM network for sale Great owner/operator properties. $3 million combined. Will sell separately. Contact Mark Jorgenson (813) 926-9260 phone or [email protected]
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Transactions
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$10,000,000 KPXJ-TV Shreveport (Minden LA) from Paxson Communications License Company LLC (Lowell W. Paxson) to River Cities Broadcasting LLC (George D. Wray et al). Cash. Duopoly with KTBS-TV. KTBS is ABC affiliate on Channel 3; KPXJ is PAX affiliate on Channel 21. River Cities assumed buyer's position from original buyer KTBS Inc. KTBS owns 95% of River Cities. JSA until closing. Broker: Paxson Communications Management Company (seller). [File date 8/22/03.]
$1,500,000 WFNU-FM Repton AL from Brantley Broadcast Associates (Joan Reynolds) to Great South RFDC LLC (Paul Scott Alexander, Paul Reynolds). $25K advance payment, additional $825K cash at closing, $650K note. Seller will receive additional $300K if buyers are able to upgrade station to Class C3 or better within five years of closing. Seller, who is Paul Reynolds' wife, retains WAUL-AM Brantley AL. [File date 8/15/03.]
$375,000 WAYI-FM Thomaston AL from Marengo Broadcast Associates (Lee S. Reynolds) to Great South RFDC LLC (Paul Scott Alexander, Paul Reynolds). $25K advance payment, balance in cash at closing. [File date 8/15/03.]
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Upped & Tapped
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United Stations adds three to affiliate relations team
United Stations Radio Networks announced that Mike Cappiello, Ed Powers and Justin Riley have all been added to the Affiliate Relations Department at the company effective immediately. The announcement came from Rob Pierce, the company's VP/Affiliate Relations, and all three will report directly to him. Although all three new members of the affiliations department will be responsible for both acquisition of new affiliates and affiliate-services for existing affiliates, each new member of the United Stations staff will actually be focused on different aspects of the company's programming.
| More U&T Click Here |
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RBR Radar 2003
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Click on these issues for Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
Who's smiling now? –
Court puts new ownership
rules on hold
Three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia issued an order temporarily blocking the new rules from taking effect. RBR observation: Back to the freeze. 9/4/03 RBR #173
Will FCC be floored by
Resolution of Disapproval?
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) hailed it as "good news” . He is working with Senate leadership to find floor time for his Resolution of Disapproval of the FCC 6/2 broadcast ownership ruling. A Dorgan staffer told RBR that he is looking to get the measure on the floor no later than the end of next week (9/12). Editor's note: Here comes the third wave
9/4/03 RBR #173
New sales incentives
from car makers
It's time for another round of advertising as Detroit automakers roll out another round of incentives designed to keep consumers coming into showrooms. Editor's note: Are you thinking sales? Cash rebates and low-rate financing programs still hot. 9/4/03 RBR #173
Part 1: Come One... Come All... The Circus is Back in Town...
Ladies and gentlemen....Welcome to the greatest show on earth....We have seen numerous acts in this circus and what has been left over on the floor are a lot of peanut shells. Ever walk on peanut shells? P.S., About a circus... I forgot the various flamboyant odors that stay in your nostrils for a few days just as a departing reminder of the good time you had at the Beltway Circus. 9/6/03 RBR #172
FCC Chairman asks for
$500,000 travel budget
Published reports has FCC Chair Michael Powell asking for half a million travel cash for staff that in the past have been picked up by private industry. One of the more embarrassing revelations at the Senate Commerce Committee hearing was the disclosure of all the travel paid for by some of the companies the FCC was to have oversight of. Editor's note: That has got to hurt! 9/6/03 RBR #172
Media merger said to be eroding Bush's Hispanic support
A poll from Latino Opinions suggests that President George W. Bush is losing support from Florida Hispanics who identify themselves as Republicans. His apparent support of the pending merger of Hispanic Broadcasting Corp. (N:HSP) into Univision (N:UVN) is said to be one of the primary bones of contention between the Hispanics and the President. RBR observation: What's hanging in the balance? 9/6/03 RBR #172
South Florida pirate report
- - Part II
After reading our report on South Florida's burgeoning pirate FM lineup, a South Florida broadcaster gave us a few more to add to our list and revealed a few things about the pirate operators off the record. Why off the record? Fear. Note: Check it out .. includes part 1.
9/2/03 RBR# 171
Powell and Bush
backing each other up
Attacks on the FCC's new media ownership rules are coming from all sides, but FCC Chairman Michael Powell and the one person whose backing he really needs, President George W. Bush, are standing firm. Editor's note: Firm is nice especially when picking a mellon.
8/29/03 RBR #170
Laura Ingraham now clears LA
Within seven days they have cleared WABC-AM New York (8/25 RBR Daily Epaper #166) now has KRLA, Los Angeles as well. RBR observation: Trading up in big markets. Publisher note: Good talent …has the spark for success on radio. 8/29/03 RBR #170
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Contacts
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MANAGEMENT
Publisher, Jim Carnegie
[email protected]
VP/GM, Assoc. Publisher, Ken Lee
[email protected]
VP, Cathy Carnegie
[email protected]
Admin. Assistant, April McLynn
[email protected]
EDITORIAL
Executive Editor, Jack Messmer
[email protected]
Managing Editor, Dave Seyler
[email protected]
Senior Editor, Carl Marcucci
[email protected]
Reporter, Bob DeCarlo
[email protected]
SALES
Account Executive, June Barnes
[email protected]
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