Welcome back Lowry
For the first time since his emergency surgery last April (5/4/04 RBR #87), Clear Channel Chairman and former CEO Lowry Mays was on hand for Friday's quarterly conference call. With Mark Mays now running the show as CEO, Lowry stayed in the background throughout the call. His only comment came when one analyst made a point of welcoming him back. "Thank you. It's good to be back," he replied.
Some background on Mel's new sales hires
As we reported last week, Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin has brought on board former Infinity/Westwood One colleagues to head the company's sales efforts. Sam Benrubi is SVP/Advertising Sales and Stephen Smith is VP/Advertising Sales.
Here's a bit of interesting background:
First of all, Jones MediaAmerica reps Sirius. So with these appointments, will anything happen to that relationship? Also the DOS for Sirius before Mel came in was former Big City Radio President Mike Kakoyiannis. He also used to be the GSM under Mel for quite a few years at the old WNEW-FM NY. When Mel left Metromedia to work for Infinity, he and Kakoyiannis were "going at each other," according to our sources after Kakoyiannis was upped to WNEW GM. The two had quite a competitive rivalry over the 18-34 demo in the NYC market. So as DOS of Sirius, what's going to happen to Kakoyiannis now that Mel is running the show?
Mel appointed Sam Benrubi as the DOS of Westwood One, going back to 1997. He lasted there about a year and a half and was let go 1998-1999. Mel didn't want to fire him because he is one of his loyal staffers, according to our sources. So he brought him back to local at Infinity for the last eight years. He was replaced at Westwood by Peggy Belden, who didn't last too long there as well. We also hear President, Infinity Radio Sales Michael Weiss was Mel's first choice, but he declined the invitation.
So bottom line: is Mel interested in attracting fresh, new talent for Sirius or is he falling back on his old school laurels?
18th Annual Dick Purtan Radiothon raises 1.7 million for homeless
Oldies 104.3 WOMC and The Salvation Army in metro Detroit joined forces again this year, breaking one-day fundraising efforts as WOMC listeners and sponsors helped raise over 1,723,088 in 16 hours to feed and shelter Detroit's homeless and hungry. Last year's total was 1,530,836. The 18th Annual Dick Purtan Radiothon was broadcast live on Friday, February 25, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Oakland Mall in metro Detroit. Donations benefited The Salvation Army Bed and Bread Program.
MAB set to bat around key issues
The Michigan Association of Broadcasters is sitting 3/7-8 for its 2005 convention. The group will gather in Lansing, and will discuss key issues currently facing broadcasters.
Joe Berwanger, MAB Chairman and Vice President and General Manager of WDIV-TV, Detroit, outlined the organization's concerns about the DTV tranasition: "The consumers who will be hurt the most by the hard analog television cutoff will be the most economically vulnerable. There are 600K households in Michigan that rely exclusively on over-the-air reception for television. Most are low-income older citizens and minorities. Many of those citizens could face the prospect of not receiving any television whatsoever."
MAB's President/CEO Karole White explains the group's view on indecency: "The indecency legislation establishes a disturbing precedent of allowing one group of citizens to define what is decent for the rest of society to watch and hear. What one person considers art may be considered indecent by another. Those decisions are best made by parents, not government."
Bruce Goldsen, Chairman of the MAB's Radio Issues Committee and owner of Jackson Radio Works, discussed new challenges facing radio, like MP3 and IPOD: "Though the impact to the industry overall is miniscule, we've got to do a better job of making the public aware of the advantages local radio stations offer their communities. Our radio stations are leaders in news, community service, and providing vital information our listeners can't get anywhere else."
The event will be held at Lansing Center, located at 333 E. Michigan Avenue.
Janet Parshall to rep Bush Administration at UN commission on women
Salem Radio Network's Janet Parshall, host of "Janet Parshall's AMERICA" has been asked by President George W. Bush to represent him at the upcoming United Nations Conference on Women in NYC.
The 49th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women will take place at U.N. headquarters today through 3/11. The Commission will review the implementation of the U.N.'s Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of the special session of the General Assembly entitled "Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the 21st century" as well as reviewing current challenges for the advancement and empowerment of women and girls throughout the world.
The U.C. conference will take place weekdays during Parshall's normal broadcast hours, so filling in for Janet for part of her absence will be Lee Webb, CBN News anchor for nationally renowned cable broadcast The 700 Club. the flagship television program of the Christian Broadcasting Network. Lee Webb also reports for CBN NewsWatch, a daily news show.
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