XPost: alt.radio.broadcasting

RadioInsight

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B-Dub Radio Expands To Seven More Markets

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 10:33 AM PST https://radioinsight.com/headlines/220239/b-dub-radio-expands-to-seven-more-markets/


Skyview Networks has announced that their nightly B-Dub Radio Country show hosted by Bryan B-Dub Washington has been picked up in seven additional markets.

B-Dub Radio is now airing on Pamal Broadcastings 100.9 The Cat WKLI Albany
NY, Midwest Communications Kat Country 98.9 KTCO Duluth MN, Regional Medias
Hog Country 102.5 WJRE Kewanee IL, AMC Partners duo of Fresh Country 92.3
WJPD Marquette and 102.5 The Moose WCMM Escanaba MI, Regional Medias Im
Country 95.9 1580 KNIM Maryville MO, Dick Broadcastings Bob 106.9 WUBB
Savannah GA, and Cherry Creek Medias New Country 107.3/94.9 KIYK St. George/KCIN Cedar City UT.

Skyview Networks, a leading broadcast technology, syndication, and network audio sales solution company, is proud to announce that B-Dub Radio has
added seven new affiliates to the growing B-Dub Radio family.

B-Dub Radio can now be heard on the following great radio stations: KTCO-FM Duluth, MN – Midwest Communications
WKLI-FM Albany, NY – Pamal Broadcasting
KCIN-FM/KYIK-FM St. George, UT – Cherry Creek Radio WCMM-FM/WJPD-FM Marquette, MI – AMC Partners
WUBB-FM Savannah, GA – Dick Broadcasting
KNIM-AM/FM Kansas City, MO – Regional Media
WJRE-FM Davenport, IA – Regional Media

B-Dub Radio, available six days a week, brings fun with today’s biggest country hits, interactions with country’s established and rising superstars and content centered around what country music fans are talking about.

Bryan “B-Dub” Washington just won a 2022 ACM Radio Award for National Weekly On-Air Personality/Show.  He has also been nominated for two 2022 CRS/Country Aircheck Awards for National Daily and National Weekly On-Air Personality/Show

Skyview Networks is the exclusive distributor, affiliate sales
representative and network sales partner of B-Dub Radio.  For more information on affiliation, please contact affiliation@skyviewsat.com , visit https://skyviewnetworks.com/b-dub/ or stop by Skyview Networks’ suite at the 2022 CRS in the OMNI Hotel, Mockingbird Room #4.



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Tone-X Departs WBAV Afternoons

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 10:20 AM PST https://radioinsight.com/headlines/220237/tone-x-departs-wbav-afternoons/


Tone-X has announced he has exited Beasley Media Adult R&B V101.9 WBAV Charlotte in a budget cut.

Tone-X joined WBAV as afternoon host in March 2017. Earlier in his career
he spent 12 years as co-host of the No Limit Larry and the Morning Madd
House on sister Hip Hop Power 98 WPEG.

In lieu of the pandemic it seems that in Corporate America budget cuts has become the norm affecting companies and personnel, Beasley Media in
Charlotte North Carolina has decided to cut the afternoon drive show on
WBAV, 101.9 FMs The Tone-X Show (aka) Grown Man Radio.
It’s been an honor to be apart of the very talented, unique, and
hardworking Beasley Media team. I’m extremely proud and pleased with the
work that Grown Man Radio has done collectively to enhance the overall branding, ratings, and revenue of WBAV both on line and on-air. Im truly honored with the work that was and will continue to be done in the
community. Being on this team & serving the community has been rewarding
and very fulfilling, and Im grateful for the experience and opportunity. Special thanks to the listeners for their energy and support. Tone-Xs
career includes 15+ years of branding and on air experience in various
markets including Wilmington, Charlotte N.C. and Atlanta GA. and 25+ years
in comedy from Def Comedy Jam, Comic View, Bad Boys of Comedy and most
recently featured on Showtime networks Monique and Friends to Improvs,
Funny Bones, Comedy Zones and other various venues throughout the country.
You can also listen to the man with the million dollar vocal chords on his podcast, Grown Man Conversations, on all podcast platforms or on growntvnetwork.com Also go to grownfitwear.com to support his Grown Fit Wear clothing line. Feel free to reach out to Tone-X for potential comedy, radio, V/O or TV opportunities: yolanday2mgmt@gmail.com or 770-899-9936













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Fresh Listen: 2022 ACM Stations of the Year

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 09:00 AM PST https://radioinsight.com/blogs/220212/fresh-listen-2022-acm-stations-of-the-year/


In the days before Country Radio Seminar, it was good to listen to the four 2022 ACM “Station of the Year” radio winners from a “what Country radio still means to listeners” standpoint. I heard four heritage Country
stations (but three first-time winners) offering the sort of radio
experience you would want from four heritage stations. 

If there was a through-line between the four stations, it was promotional activityall four gave a sense of “something’s happening.” Discussions of Country’s ratings issues of the last year have often turned to a lack of touring and concert tickets; most stations here had Country tours to talk
about and tickets to concerts or other events to give away. All four were locally and enthusiastically hosted when I heard them in middays or
afternoons (which, to be fair, is when you would have most expected it). 

Country programmers are starting to talk about whether their stations are
too narrow musically—still positioned around a tight universe of “New Country” titles in a way that is no longer a positive for all listeners,
but not new enough for the streaming age. Three of the four stations I
listened to were billed as “New Country,” although one had tempered that position with ‘00s and even ‘90s gold. 

In general, I felt like I heard musical differences between the four
stations. Only one station I listened to gave off a sense of “only playing smashes that would research well in any market.” Most had a surprise or two—at least from a national perspective—over the course of the hour. All of the stations had enough happening between the records to be an exciting listen.

Here are the four ACM Stations of the Year in the order I listened to them: WUBE Cincinnati (Large Market)

Hubbard’s B105.1 is “New Country” but also “Cincinnati’s Home for Country
Music” and, at the :00, “Born and raised on the banks of the Ohio.” PD/Middayer Grover Collins was giving away Jason Aldean tickets. The winner
had just come from closing on a house. (They did not announce that they
were going to go out and buy lottery tickets, however.) Here’s WUBE just before 2 p.m. on February 18:

Dan + Shay, “Nothin’ Like You”
Morgan Wallen, “Sand in My Boots”
Thomas Rhett f/Maren Morris, “Craving You”
Brett Young, “Lady”
Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats”
Jordan Davis f/Luke Bryan, “Buy Dirt”
Eric Church, “Springsteen”
Blake Shelton, “Come Back as a Country Boy”
Cole Swindell, “Single Saturday Night”
Sam Hunt, “23”
Jason Aldean, “Dirt Road Anthem”
Kelsea Ballerini f/Kenny Chesney, “Half of My Hometown”
Luke Bryan, “Drunk on You”
Dustin Lynch f/Mackenzie Porter, “Thinking ‘Bout You”
Florida Georgia Line, “Cruise”
Luke Combs, “Better Together”
Russell Dickerson, “Home Sweet”
Carrie Underwood, “Last Name”

KYGO Denver (Major Market)

Bonneville’s KYGO uses “No. 1 for New Country” and at :00 “from the top of
Red Rocks.” Since this was before the ACMs were announced, they were also “the CMA major-market station of the year” in that ID. I KYGO already had an ACM “pick the winners” sponsor promotion going, where listeners could win a $500 gift card for their predictions. 

KYGO’s main contest is “Double Your Paycheck” and the payoff sweeper emphasizes “local cash to local winners.” This winner told p.m. driver Paul Donovan that her family had just gotten a new puppy that day. She was,
indeed, on her way to buy a lottery ticket. Here’s KYGO just before 2 p.m., February 18:

Thomas Rhett, “Slow Down Summer”
Lady Antebellum, “Just A Kiss”
Justin Moore, “We Didn’t Have Much”
Kelsea Ballerini f/Kenny Chesney, “Half of My Hometown”
Darius Rucker, “Wagon Wheel”
Maddie & Tae, “Die from a Broken Heart”
Hardy, “Give Heaven Some Hell”
Ernest f/Morgan Wallen, “Flower Shops”
Luke Bryan, “Play It Again”
Ernest f/Morgan Wallen, “Flower Shops”
Jason Aldean, “Blame It on You”
Kenny Chesney, “Get Along”
Parmalee, “Take My Name”—with an artist “about the song” sweeper
Cole Swindell, “Single Saturday Night”
Zac Brown Band, “Homegrown”
Ryan Hurd w/Maren Morris, “Chasing After You”
Luke Combs, “Even Though I’m Leaving”
Eric Church, “Springsteen”
Morgan Wade, “Wilder Days”
Thomas Rhett, “Remember You Young”

WXBQ Johnson City, Tenn. (Small Market)

I tuned into Bristol’s WXBQ as middayer Marcus Brooks was breaking the ACM news to listeners. “Thanks to you for all of your support over the years,” he said. “Now we’re going to fight over who gets to go to Vegas.” (Having been before, Brooks felt that he was at a disadvantage.) WXBQ was giving
away SoCon Basketball Playoff tickets. It also had something I hadn’t heard in a while, Alan Archer weather and a teaser for Noon news. 

WXBQ was not “No. 1 for New Country.” It’s still “Twenty-Four Carrot Country” and using its long-ime rabbit mascot. WXBQ also had my favorite sweeper: “You’re the reason we came to work today. Thanks for listening.” Here’s WXBQ just before 11 a.m., February 21. 

Eric Paslay, “Friday Night”
Luke Combs, “Doin’ This”
Parker McCollum, “To Be Loved By You”
Sam Hunt, “23”
Luke Bryan, “Most People Are Good”
Eric Church, “Smoke A Little Smoke”
Brett Young, “You Didn’t”
Thomas Rhett, “Life Changes”
Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood, “If I Didn’t Love You”
Lady A, “What A Song Can Do”
Jon Pardi, “Up All Night”
Keith Urban, “Somebody Like You”
Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson, “Never Say Never”
Michael Ray, “Real Men Love Jesus”
Kane Brown, “Lose It”
Chris Young w/Tenpenny, “At the End of a Bar”

WHKO (K99.1) Dayton, Ohio (Medium Market)

Cox’s WHKO is the “Miami Valley’s Home for New Country,” but it’s also
averaging one ‘90s song an hour, and the one I heard was just there, not behind a sweeper. (The newer songs, on the other hand, had “brand new country” or “artists tell the story”-type stagers.) Middayer Nikki Montgomery thanked listeners for the ACM award and plugged the show. The station is also giving away tickets to the forthcoming PBR Dayton Rumble bull-riding tour stop. Here’s K99.1 just before 11 a.m., February 21.

Walker Hayes, “AA”
Luke Bryan, “Waves”
Parker McCollum, “To Be Loved by You”
Trisha Yearwood, “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)”
Chris Young & Kane Brown, “Famous Friends”
Luke Combs, “Doin’ This”
Maren Morris, “The Bones”
Joe Nichols, “Tequila Makes her Clothes Fall Off”
Morgan Wallen, “Sand in My Boots”
Jason Aldean, “Lights Come On”
Dustin Lynch f/Mackenzie Porter, “Thinking ‘Bout You”
Blake Shelton, “Come Back as a Country Boy”
Maddie & Tae, “Die from a Broken Heart”
Miranda Lambert, “Bluebird”


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NAB Announces 2022 Crystal Award Nominees

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 08:01 AM PST https://radioinsight.com/headlines/220226/nab-announces-2022-crystal-award-nominees/


The National Association of Broadcasters announced the 50 finalists for the 35th annual NAB Crystal Radio Awards. Since 1987, the NAB Crystal Radio
Awards have recognized radio stations for their outstanding year-round commitment to community service. Winners will be announced on Tuesday,
April 26 at the 2022 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

This years finalists are:

KBFB-FM Dallas, TX

KBHP-FM Bemidji, MN

KBLB-FM Brainerd, MN

KCLY-FM Clay Center, KS

KDWB-FM Minneapolis, MN

KIKV-FM Saint Cloud, MN

KIRO-FM Seattle, WA

KJR-FM Seattle, WA

KMVP-FM Phoenix, AZ

KNDE-FM College Station, TX

KOSI-FM Denver, CO

KPEK-FM Albuquerque, NM

KRMG-FM Tulsa, OK

KRWM-FM Seattle, WA

KSFI-FM Salt Lake City, UT

KSNE-FM Las Vegas, NV

KTAR-FM Phoenix, AZ

KTMY-FM Minneapolis, MN

KUPD-FM Phoenix, AZ

KXKT-FM Omaha, NE

KYGO-FM Denver, CO

KYW-AM Philadelphia, PA

KZFN-FM Moscow, ID

WBAB-FM Babylon, NY

WBAL-AM Baltimore, MD

WBZZ-FM Pittsburgh, PA

WDAS-FM Philadelphia, PA

WDNS-FM Bowling Green, KY

WDSN-FM Du Bois, PA

WEDR-FM Miami, FL

WFEZ-FM Miami, FL

WFLC-FM Miami, FL

WGKB-AM Milwaukee, WI

WGY-AM Albany, NY

WHIO-FM Dayton, OH

WHKO-FM Dayton, OH

WHQT-FM Miami, FL

WIYY-FM Baltimore, MD

WJNO-AM West Palm Beach, FL

WMBX-FM West Palm Beach, FL

WMGK-FM Philadelphia, PA

WMMX-FM Dayton, OH

WNRP-AM Pensacola, FL

WOKV-FM Jacksonville, FL

WSUN-FM St. Petersburg, FL

WTAW-AM College Station, TX

WTLC-FM Indianapolis, IN

WTMJ-AM Milwaukee, WI

WUSQ-FM Winchester, VA

WXTU-FM Philadelphia, PA

Ten Crystal Radio Award recipients will be chosen by a panel of judges representing the broadcast industry, community service organizations and
public relations firms.


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Radio Implications To Today's Standard General Acquisition of TEGNA

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 04:46 AM PST https://radioinsight.com/headlines/220210/radio-implications-to-todays-standard-general-acquisition-of-tegna/


In a deal announced this morning, an affiliate of investment firm Standard General LP will acquire TEGNA for $24.00 per share in cash with an equity
value of approximately $5.4 billion and an enterprise value of
approximately $8.6 billion, including the assumption of debt. The deal will also include the divestiture of Standards current television station group
to Cox Media Group and two other transfers between Standard and Cox.

Cox will acquire TEGNAs KVUE-TV Austin, WFAA and KMPX Dallas, and KHOU and
KTBU Houston as well as Standard Medias KBSI Cape Girardeau MO, KLKN
Lincoln NE, WDKA Paducah KY, and WLNE-TV New Bedford MA/Providence RI,
while divesting WFXT Boston. In particular of note is that Cox already owns
a radio cluster in Houston including County 93Q 92.9 KKBQ, Country Legends
97.1 KTHT, and Classic Rock 107.5/106.9 The Eagle KGLK/KHPT.

In its purchase of TEGNA, Standard General receives two radio stations
itself adding the Sports duo of 97.1 The Fan WBNS-FM and ESPN 1460 WBNS Columbus OH.

This will not be Standard Generals first foray into radio. MediaCo
Holdings, a separate, publicly traded, company held by Standard General
owns Hip Hop Hot 97 WQHT and Adult R&B 107.5 WBLS New York.

TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) and Standard General L.P. today announced that
TEGNA and an affiliate of Standard General have entered into a definitive agreement under which TEGNA will be acquired by the Standard General
affiliate for $24.00 per share in cash. The transaction has an equity value
of approximately $5.4 billion and an enterprise value of approximately $8.6 billion, including the assumption of debt.

The transaction consideration represents a premium of approximately 39% to TEGNA’s unaffected closing share price on September 14, 2021, the last full trading day prior to media speculation about a potential sale of TEGNA, and
a premium of approximately 11% to TEGNA’s all-time high closing price since separation from the Gannett publishing business in 2015. The transaction
was unanimously approved by the TEGNA Board.

Howard D. Elias, Chairman of the TEGNA Board, said, “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Standard General, which follows a thorough
review of acquisition proposals received by the Company. After evaluating
this opportunity against TEGNA’s standalone prospects and other strategic alternatives, our Board concluded that this transaction maximizes value for TEGNA shareholders. Thanks to the team’s stellar execution of the Company’s value-creation strategy, TEGNA has positioned itself as a leading broadcast television group serving the greater good of the communities in which we operate – and as a private company will have an enhanced ability to keep evolving its local news, programming, and marketing solutions to serve its communities in a rapidly changing media landscape.”

Soo Kim, Founding Partner of Standard General, commented, “As long-term investors in the television broadcasting industry, we have a deep
admiration for TEGNA and the stations it operates and, in particular, for TEGNA’s talented employees and their commitment to serving their
communities. We are excited to partner again with Deb McDermott, who
previously spearheaded the broadcast group at Media General, where Standard General was a principal shareholder. We believe TEGNA has a strong
foundation and exciting prospects for continued growth as a result of the stewardship of the Board and the current management team. We look forward
to building on the Company’s strong foundation and leveraging Deb’s deep industry experience to drive further growth.”

Following the close of the transaction, Deb McDermott will become CEO and
Mr. Kim will serve as Chairman of a new Board. Ms. McDermott currently
serves as CEO of Standard Media and has more than 20 years of experience leading broadcast groups, including previously serving as COO of Media
General and as CEO and President of Young Broadcasting. In these roles, she
has served as a key member of the leadership teams responsible for the successful acquisition, integration, and operation of more than 90 stations.

Dave Lougee, President and CEO of TEGNA, said, “This transaction is the
next step in TEGNA’s evolution and recognizes the value of our portfolio of leading broadcast assets and innovative digital brands. TEGNA’s employees deserve tremendous credit for their commitment to serving our viewers with high-quality news and content that informs and supports our local
communities. At all levels, we have been tireless in our efforts to ensure TEGNA effectively serves all of our stakeholders, and I am immensely proud
of these efforts. Our hard work has built a company that is a leading and trusted local news and media content provider in the markets it serves and
has fostered a culture of diversity and inclusiveness. We are deeply
gratified that TEGNA’s new owners value and embrace our purpose to serve
the greater good of our communities. Deb McDermott is an experienced and accomplished broadcast executive, and we are confident in TEGNA’s future under her leadership.”

Ms. McDermott commented, “I am honored to lead TEGNA’s team to create new opportunities and build on its heritage and successes achieved under Dave’s leadership. TEGNA’s stations have earned excellent reputations as leading local content providers, and TEGNA’s digital and content assets are a key part of its future in an evolving media landscape. These achievements are a credit to the hard work of TEGNA’s dedicated employees, who are the Company’s most valuable asset. I’m very excited about what the future holds for TEGNA.”

Transaction Details

The transaction is subject to approval by TEGNA shareholders, regulatory approvals, and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close
in the second half of 2022.

Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, in addition to
receiving $24.00 per share, TEGNA shareholders will receive additional cash consideration in the form of a “ticking fee” of $0.00167 per share per day (or $0.05 per month) if the closing occurs between the 9- and 12-month anniversary of signing, increasing to $0.0025 per share per day (or $0.075
per month) if the closing occurs between the 12- and 13-month anniversary
of signing, $0.00333 per share per day (or $0.10 per month) if the closing occurs between the 13- and 14-month anniversary of signing, and $0.00417
per share per day (or $0.125 per month) if the closing occurs between the
14- and 15-month anniversary of signing.

Following the close of the transaction, TEGNA stations in Austin (KVUE),
Dallas (WFAA and KMPX) and Houston (KHOU and KTBU) are expected to be
acquired by Cox Media Group (“CMG”) from Standard General.

Also after closing, Premion is expected to operate as a standalone business majority owned by Cox Media Group and Standard General.

Upon completion of the transaction, TEGNA will become a private company and
its shares will no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Financing

An affiliate of Standard General will hold substantially all of the voting, common equity in the new entity that is acquiring TEGNA, with CMG and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management to hold securities in the
new entity that will be non-voting and non-attributable and with other investors holding non-voting interests. A syndicate of banks led by RBC
Capital Markets will provide debt financing.

Advisors

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is acting as lead financial advisor, with
Greenhill & Co. also acting as a financial advisor to TEGNA, and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and Covington & Burling LLP are acting as its legal advisors. Moelis & Company and RBC are acting as financial advisor to
Standard General and Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP and
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP are acting as its legal advisors.


Standard General L.P. and Cox Media Group (CMG) today announced four transactions in which, first, CMG will acquire the station group currently owned by Standard General’s affiliate, Community News Media LLC (CNM), and, in a second, subsequent transaction, a Standard General affiliate will
acquire CMG’s WFXT/Boston as the anchor of a new station group. Following
the close of those two transactions, the Standard General affiliate will acquire TEGNA, in a take-private deal that Standard General and TEGNA separately announced today.

In a subsequent transaction that would follow the Standard General affiliate’s acquisition of TEGNA, CMG will acquire TEGNA’s Austin, Texas station, KVUE-TV, its Dallas stations, WFAA and KMPX, and its Houston
stations, KHOU and KTBU.

Soo Kim, Founding Partner of Standard General L.P., said, “We are delighted to be acquiring WFXT/Boston, which will serve as a foundation for our new station group and provide our new company with a historic legacy from its
very start.”

With respect to Standard General’s sale of its CNM stations to CMG, Kim added, “We appreciate the many contributions of our dedicated station employees and are confident that they will have great futures at CMG, an exceptional broadcast group with a strong commitment to the communities it serves.”

CMG’s President and CEO, Dan York said, “We will be pleased to welcome the strong talent at CNM and at TEGNA’s stations in Austin, Dallas and Houston into the CMG family. The opportunity to grow in these CNM and Texas markets further complements CMG’s existing core strengths.”

Of the sale of the Boston station, York added, “We will miss the dedicated team at WFXT Boston25, but we know they will form an ideal foundation for Standard General’s new company and its further growth.”

The CNM stations to be acquired by CMG are:

· KBSI (Fox) – Cape Girardeau, Missouri

· KLKN (ABC) – Lincoln, Nebraska

· WDKA (MyNet) – Paducah, Kentucky

· WLNE-TV(ABC) – New Bedford, Massachusetts

An affiliate of Standard General will hold substantially all of the voting, common equity in the new entity that is acquiring TEGNA, with CMG and funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management to hold securities in the
new entity that will be non-voting and non-attributable and with other investors holding non-voting interests. Mr. Kim will serve as Chairman and
Deb McDermott will become CEO of the new entity that will own and operate
the new station group.

The transactions are subject to customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals. The parties expect to close the announced transactions in the second half of 2022.

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Renee Cummings Departs WMEE Mornings

Posted: 22 Feb 2022 04:26 AM PST https://radioinsight.com/headlines/220198/renee-cummings-departs-wmee-mornings/


Less than a month after Federated Media Hot AC 97.3 WMEE Fort Wayne IN
reset its morning show with the addition of John Davies, the station will
be making another adjustment as co-host Renee Cummings has stepped down to become a stay-at-home mother.

Cummings had spent her entire career at WMEE, starting as a weekend host in 2014. She would then host nights and serve as Columbus Blue Jackets
reporter for sister Sports “ESPN 1380” WKJG. She moved to mornings in August 2020 and was paired with Colin Mathews until his exit last December
and with Davies since last month.

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