Industry News

A chip shortage has been wreaking havoc on the automobile industry, hampering efforts to get new vehicles into showrooms and out the door with consumers who desire to replace their current ride.

Now, Chevrolet has alerted consumers that certain model year 2021 and 2022 pickup trucks will not come with Xperi’s HD Radio. And, the automotive company says, it is due to a chip shortage.

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Of all of the advertisers using Spot Cable to reach consumers, there’s one that stands out.

And, it is perhaps the most recognizable coffee retailer in the world.

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The latest Media Monitors Spot Ten TV report is noteworthy for its lack of movement among the brands actively using national television to reach consumers.

And, as shown below, auto insurance specialists remain the most active of categories at Spot TV.

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Urban One, the multimedia company led by Alfred Liggins III that owns the TV One and Cleo cable television networks in addition to radio stations, Reach Media and a growing casino gaming operation, has submitted to the SEC the results of voting on matters ranging from executive compensation to its board of directors.

The votes came during Urban One’s annual shareholders meeting on June 23.

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As RBR+TVBR first reported on June 22, Adams Radio Group, the Minnesota-based company led by Ron Stone, is selling two of its stations serving the Eastern Shore of Maryland and lower Delaware.

Stone then hinted at the sale of the remaining stations owned by Adams in the region.

Now, another station has been sold — this time a Class A Country station licensed to Seaford, Del.

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With a mere 99 watts from a broadcast tower used by Sinclair Broadcast Group for its ABC television affiliate, an FM translator reaches most of metropolitan St. Louis at 106.9 MHz.

Until now, this mini-FM facility has simulcast a religious AM. That will soon change, as the FM translator has just been sold.

Paperwork has been filed with the FCC that shows Kaufman Media agreeing to part ways with K295CQ in St. Louis, Mo.

It’s grabbing $125,000 for the baby FM, and the buyer is Rob Austin-led Fusion Radio.

And, Austin has plans in place that will see K295CQ get an upgraded facility and a new tower location, ending the use of the structure at the KDNL-30 studios.

That’s according to Dick Kozacko, who served as Austin’s broker of record. With an upgrade, the coverage area of K295CQ is expected to grow dramatically, making it a “super translator” with city-grade coverage of nearly the entire metropolitan area.

What are Austin’s plans? They could mirror those seen at WPAY-AM 1520 in Toledo and its two associated FM translators.

In addition to his Fusion Radio operation, Austin operates Jammtraxx Media, a Chicago-based operation that offers programming, production, imaging and mix show syndication.

He’s made a $25,000 downpayment to Kaufman, which will receive an additional $25,000 payment no later than August 2. A $75,000 payment will be made at closing.

This is expected to occur by September 1.

Kaufman Media is led by Bert Kaufman, who intended to sell K295CQ and originating station WGNU-AM 920 along with KXEN-AM 1010 and FM translator K283CI to Berry Broadcasting for $650,000 in July 2019. That transaction was never consummated.

Kozacko notes that offers for WGNU, KXEN and K283CI “are pending.”

In 1978, she joined the former Great Trails Broadcasting, working as an on-air personality.

This Gem City radio voice would remain a key figure in the market for some 43 years, and today remains a household name thanks to her presence on an iHeartMedia Adult Contemporary leader.

Come July 16, Kim Faris will say goodbye to Radio. Chances are, she won’t be saying goodbye to Dayton anytime soon.

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It’s been a hallmark of iHeartRadio‘s app for both free and paid users.

Now, Audacy is bringing “exclusive music stations” to its app, formerly known as Radio.com and acquired through the tax-fee CBS Radio merger.

“Exclusive stations underscore Audacy’s commitment to a roadmap of innovation, with many more features and interactivity to come over the coming months,” said J.D. Crowley, the Chief Digital Officer at Audacy.

Audacy adds that “the exclusive station collection is designed for fans by fans and will range widely across various music genres, moods and activities, enabling users to discover new music driven by their interests, favorite artists and upcoming events.”

This brings some 350 new stations, “expertly curated,” to the newly renamed Audacy app and digital audio platform. What makes this different from Pandora, or Spotify? That curation, Audacy notes, with on-air personalities contributing to the “millions of hours of human music compilation and audio production experience.”

Stations will also be built “by some of the biggest stars in the music industry.” They include Coldplay, a highly popular act of the 2000s; Top 40 and EDM act Tiësto, Disney Channel alumnus Sofia Carson and country music artist Jake Owen at launch, with additional artist-programmed stations added in the coming weeks.

Interesting, the catalogue of Audacy’s app-only stations is “Powered by Napster.”

Napster famously rose to prominence some 20 years ago for its users’ ability to download recorded music at no cost. It was shut down in July 2001, agreed to a $26 million settlement, and sought to relaunch as a paid service. This included an attempt to sell Napster to Bertelsmann for $85 million; a judged blocked the move, and its assets were sold off.

Today’s Napster is a descendent of the original Napster and since August has been owned by virtual reality events company MelodyVR.

Thanks to a big PR push and the recent naming of Joe Crowley — the former Democratic Congressman who lost his primary re-election bid to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — as Chairman of pro-recording artist rights coalition musicFIRST, the latest effort in the U.S. House of Representatives to collect dollars for musicians and performers from radio stations was introduced with a big media splash.

The American Music Fairness Act arrived. It looks not so dissimilar to previous attempts to get legislation favoring recording acts passed by Congress, except for one big difference: a tiered royalty structure based on a radio station’s annual revenue.

Is that enough to woo Members of the House and Senate? If anything, it may have had the opposite effect, as the Local Radio Freedom Act has gained more support since the “AMFA” arrival.

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If not, now is your time to make your selections for the Medallas de Cortez awards.

The Medallas de Cortez are the most prestigious and highly coveted symbol of excellence in Hispanic radio. This is the twelfth year these exclusive radio awards will be presented at the Hispanic Radio Conference in Miami, and if you know someone who is doing great work in Hispanic radio, now is your chance to spotlight their efforts with a nomination.

Nominations can be made in seven categories:

• Marketer (may be someone from a station, an agency, or a client)
• National/Syndicated Personality
• Local Personality
• Program Director
• Sales Manager
• General/Market Manager,
• Station of the Year.

The awards, sponsored by vCreative, will be presented at the Hispanic Radio Conference, September 22-23, in Miami at the Intercontinental at Doral.

Nominations are being accepted through July 12. Don’t procrastinate — make yours today!