RadioInsight

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Billboard: Big D & Bubba, Others Learn From Their Mistakes While Blazing
Podcasting Trail

Posted: 29 Jun 2016 11:35 AM PDT
http://www.billboard.com/biz/article...source=twitter





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Radiotopia Announces Podquest Finalists

Posted: 29 Jun 2016 11:29 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/blog/headli...est-finalists/



PRXs Radiotopia has revealed the four finalists for its Podquest
competition for new podcast ideas.

The original intent was to choose just three shows with each receiving
$10,000 and support to produce three pilot episodes and one show joining
the network by the end of the year. Now Radiotopia says multiple shows may
gain entry based on their pilots.

The four finalists a

Ear Hustle brings you the hidden stories of life inside prison, told and
produced from the perspective of those who live it. (Nigel Poor, Antwan
Williams, Earlonne Woods)

Meat, a podcast from Europe about our bodies and the lives we live because
of them (Jonathan Zenti)

The Difference Between dives into the world of “information
doppelgängers�—the stuff you always confuse for that other thing—to find
out what makes them truly unique. (Jericho Saria and Hadrian Santos)

Villain-ish, a show about gaining new perspectives on dubious figures we’ve
been taught to revile, and exploring the hidden details we may have never
considered. (Vivian Le)

The four shows will be introduced next week on stage at the Podcast
Movement convention.



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Wondery Partners With FOUND To Launch Podcast Series And App

Posted: 29 Jun 2016 11:17 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/blog/headli...eries-and-app/



Wondery Media is partnering with FOUND and Killer Films Media to create a
podcast series and app.

The FOUND podcast is described as exploring personal stories of love, loss,
hope, transformation and aspiration through the lens of lost and found
notes combined with the power of humor and music. It is the next expansion
of the magazine launched in 2001 by filmmaker and This American Life
contributor Davy Rothbart. It has also launched a musical that will return
for a run in Philadelphia this fall.

New episodes of FOUND will run every other Wednesday starting July 13.

FOUND, a new musical and Killer Films Media in partnership with Wondery
announce the launch of the FOUND podcast series and app.

The FOUND podcast series will explore personal stories of love, loss, hope,
transformation and aspiration through the lens of lost and found notes
combined with the power of humor and music. The FOUND app will feature
notes from the podcast, giving users a way to track them on a global map,
pin finds to a timeline, invite friends to help piece the FOUND mysteries
together, share inspirational notes on social media and upload new notes
for consideration.

The FOUND podcast series, recorded and post-produced at Union Editorial in
Los Angeles, and the FOUND app are the next installations in a franchise
conceived and created by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and “This American
Life� contributor Davy Rothbart.

Rothbart, who will host the series, launched the FOUND brand in 2001 when
he stumbled upon a note meant for a cheating boyfriend that had been
mistakenly placed on the windshield of his car. This launch marks the
15-year anniversary for FOUND Magazine.

I started FOUND as a D.I.Y. community art project — a simple way for people
with natural curiosity and a sense of wonder to share the fascinating
notes, letters, and photos theyd found with one another. Its been
absolutely thrilling to see the way the project has exploded over the
years, to books, tours, even a musical, and to discover so many kindred
spirits who share my interest in other peoples lives, said Rothbart. I
couldnt be more excited to launch the FOUND Podcast, which twines my
passions for radio storytelling with my love of found objects. Thanks for
listening!

Over the last two decades, FOUND has evolved from a magazine publication
that inspired a cult following, to three New York Times best-selling books,
a hit Off Broadway world premiere musical and television and radio segments
on “Late Night with David Letterman,� “This American Life� and “20/20�.

The acclaimed stage production FOUND, the musical from creators Hunter
Bell, Lee Overtree and Eli Bolin, which inspired the new podcast and app,
will hit the stage again this fall with the Philadelphia Theatre Company’s
production that begins performances in November, marking the first time a
podcast and an app have been produced in concert with a musical.

“Since discovering Davy Rothbart’s grassroots storytelling, it’s been
aÂ*remarkable journey ushering it from the pages of a magazine to the
musical stage. When Killer described a podcast/app brand extension, my
partnersÂ*Benjamin Salka, Eva Price and I knew this was a natural next step
in bringingÂ*it to a wider audience,â€� said Victoria Lang, a producer for
FOUND, the musical. “We are excited to connect with a larger community to
explore the endless supply of extraordinary stories of ordinary people
hidden in plain sight in the world all around us. Who knows… they could
wind up in our musical one day.�

“It used to be that content was king. Well now, content is commodity, and
great story is the real royalty. FOUND is so much ‘truth is stranger than
fiction’ adventure, we could not resist,� said Adrienne Becker, CEO of
Killer Content.

For Wondery, a media company specialized in mobile and on-demand audio
storytelling, FOUND is its first original series. ?“Everybody wants to hear
a story and Wondery was created to fulfill that need. We are proud to
partner with Davy, FOUND, the musical and Killer in FOUND, our first
original podcast and app, said Hernan Lopez, founder of Wondery.

Beginning today, listeners can subscribe to the FOUND podcast on iTunes and
listen to a sneak preview. The series will also be available on
wondery.com/found and Google Play, among others. Full episodes will be
available every other Wednesday premiering on July 13, followed by weekly
updates. The format will include a diverse roster of guest hosts and
dramatized storytelling.

The FOUND app will be available for download via the Apple AppStore and
fans can interact with the FOUND podcast by way of Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram @FOUNDpodcast.




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Tony Banks Becomes iHeart Director Of Talent Development Central Division

Posted: 29 Jun 2016 10:48 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/blog/headli...tral-division/



iHeartMedia has promoted Tony Banks to the newly created position of
Director of Talent Development for its Central Division.

Banks has served as Senior VP/Programming for iHeart since 2012 first based
in Fresno overseeing many Central California markets and since January 2015
overseeing St. Louis, Springfield MO, and Wichita KS. He has also
programmed Mega 103.5 Miami, 107.1 WAOA Melbourne, and Bob 93.3 WERO
Greenville NC.

In his new position Banks will work with talent in 52 markets including
Dallas, Denver, Houston and Minneapolis.

iHeartMedia announced today that Tony Banks has been named Director of
Talent Development for the Central Division, effective immediately.
iHeartMedia’s Central Division has a strong cross-platform presence,
massive consumer reach and includes a number of iconic brands and
franchises — both broadcast and digital — encompassing more than 300 radio
station brands spanning 52 markets, such as 106.1 KISS-FM and 102.9 Now in
Dallas, Sunny 99.1 in Houston, KOA News Radio in Denver and 101.3 KDWB in
Minneapolis and produces legendary marquee events including 94.5 The
Buzz’s Buzzfest in Houston and KDWB Jingle Ball in Minneapolis.

iHeartMedia’s success is built on its unmatched portfolio of talent and
Banks will be responsible for discovering and recruiting new on-air talent
as well as coaching, training and mentoring existing talent within the
Central Division. Banks will work closely with Tony Coles, Executive Vice
President of Programming for the Central Division, and Dennis Clark, Vice
President of Talent Development for iHeartMedia, to continue to foster the
best on-air talent in the industry..

“The role we created for Tony Banks reflects iHeartMedia’s continued
commitment to investing in and growing our on air talent,� said Coles.
“Banks’ experience as both a major market talent and a programmer makes him
a natural choice. He is a gifted and passionate talent coach, and Dennis
Clark and I look forward to working closely with Tony to maximize the
potential of our talent.�

“Working with talent has always been my favorite part of the job and I am
beyond excited to join Dennis Clark and Tony Coles to focus exclusively on
talent development,� said Banks. “For on-air personalities there is no
bigger stage than iHeartMedia’s radio stations, and I look forward to
working with these great shows.�

“Tony Banks has been instrumental to the growth of individual personalities
and morning show teams in all formats in several markets for many years,�
said Clark. “Tony’s commitment to coaching talent on a daily basis will
grow more shows and benefit stations immediately.�

iHeartMedia is a leading media outlet throughout the Central Division. Its
radio brands and content are available across multiple platforms, including
its broadcast stations; online via its branded digital sites; mobile; and
social, with nationwide listening through iHeartRadio, the all-in-one
streaming music and live radio service.



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Albany Trio Switches To Business

Posted: 29 Jun 2016 04:40 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/blog/headli...s-to-business/



Empire Broadcasting has flipped Hot AC Mix 106.1 1160 WAIX
Mechanicsville/106.1 W291BY Albany and Sports Sporty 1240 WPTR Schenectady
NY to Business as Empire News Network.

The three stations are carrying Bloomberg Business programming from 12am to
6pm daily and syndicated Conservative Talkers Joe Pags and Mike Gallagher
in evenings. Both Pags and Gallagher have connections to the Albany market.
Pags, under his given name Joe Pagliarulo was an anchor at WRGB-TV from
2002-2005. Gallagher spent many years in the 1990s at 810 WGY before moving
to WABC New York and then syndication.

WAIX/WPTR will carry Union College football and hockey which previously was
only heard on WPTR.



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Friends Of 88.5 Completes Agreement To Purchase KPLU

Posted: 28 Jun 2016 03:15 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/blog/headli...purchase-kplu/



Friends of 88.5 has finalized its agreement to acquire Public News/Jazz
88.5 KPLU Tacoma WA from Pacific Lutheran University for $7 million in cash
plus $1 million worth of underwriting over 10 years.

The community group Friends of 88.5 was created to keep the station from
being sold to University of Washingtons KUOW who wouldve dropped all local
news programming in favor of only Jazz. The KPJZ call letters had been
reserved for the station.

The group had until June 30 to reach the financing goal and come to terms
on the acquisition agreement or the sale to KUOW filed last November
wouldve closed. Friends of 88.5 FM will continue to operate KPLU from the
current studios on the Pacific Lutheran University campus rent-free through
June 2019. All of the stations assets and employees with the exception of
the KPLU call letters will be acquired by the buyers.

KUOW will withdraw its purchase application and released the following
statements regarding the agreement with Friends of 88.5.

GM Caryn Mathes:

The generosity of KPLU’s listeners is a testament both to the excellence of
the station’s programming and to the deep affection that Puget Sound
listeners hold for public radio.

Through the Northwest News Network, KUOW has long partnered with KPLU to
provide listeners of both stations with coverage of state government and
other regional news. We look forward to continuing that partnership as the
Friends of 88.5 assume the operation of the station.

UW President Ana Mari Cauce:

Congratulations to the Friends of 88.5 on their agreement with Pacific
Lutheran University to purchase KPLU, and on the unprecedented fundraising
effort that made it possible. We are delighted they were able to make it
happen

Pacific Lutheran University and Friends of 88.5 FM, a nonprofit community
organization formed to preserve local National Public Radio affiliate KPLU,
announced today that they have reached an agreement that will allow Friends
of 88.5 to assume ownership of the station pending approval by the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC).

On Nov. 12, 2015, PLU and the University of Washington announced PLU’s
intent to sell its broadcasting rights and facilities associated with KPLU
to KUOW. Following listener outcry, the two universities agreed, in early
January, to allow the Friends of 88.5 FM six months to raise a matching
offer and enter into a definitive agreement on substantially the same terms
as the UW agreement.

An unprecedented “Save KPLU� fundraising effort among the station’s
listeners resulted in more than 24,000 donations from over 18,000 donors
contributing to the $7 million goal, which was reached on May 26, 2016.
Additional contributions since that date have helped build a reserve fund
to cover operations when the license assignment is completed.

The purchase price for the station and its assets is $8 million: $7 million
in cash plus $1 million of in-kind underwriting announcements to be
provided to PLU over 10 years. As part of the agreement, Friends of 88.5 FM
will continue to use broadcast and office space in the Martin J. Neeb
Center on the PLU campus and KPLU’s broadcast equipment in Seattle and
Tacoma, at no cost, through June, 2019. It will also take ownership of all
KPLU translators and transmitters. The community group will retain all KPLU
employees, including the 14-member independent local news team.

“We are impressed by the fundraising effort undertaken by the Friends of
88.5 FM,� said PLU President Thomas W. Krise. “We thank the University of
Washington for gracefully agreeing to step aside and let KPLU continue to
serve its listeners with the news and jazz programming they have come to
rely upon. We wish the community group well as they continue to serve and
celebrate the greater Puget Sound area.�

“We are humbled and deeply gratified by the outpouring of support from the
community,� said KPLU General Manager Joey Cohn. “Our listeners saved
something they felt a personal and emotional connection to, and told us
KPLU felt like their friends or family. We want to grow that connection and
ingrain ourselves even more into the community. We want to be a resource
that tells illuminating stories and plays wonderful music, so KPLU can
continue to be, as listeners have said, ‘a soundtrack to our daily lives’.�

The community group will apply for an assignment of the license with the
FCC, which will be submitted by July 7, 2016. The FCC approval process
typically takes a few months. Friends of 88.5 FM expects to assume
ownership sometime in the fall. As part of the assignment, the station will
be required to change its call letters, and the station plans to solicit
community input before deciding on new call letters.

Friends of 88.5 FM, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, is the entity
responsible for the Save KPLU campaign and, after a successful assignment
of the license, will oversee all station governance issues, including
fiscal oversight, FCC compliance and policy decisions. A list of members of
Friends of 88.5 FM’s Board of Directors can be found at
https://savekplu.org. As mandated by the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting, the station will also maintain a Community Advisory Council.
Together, these two groups are the primary means by which the community
will have influence on the operations and direction of the station. About
one-third of all public radio stations in the U.S. operate as community
licensees, most notably WBEZ in Chicago, WNYC in New York, KQED in San
Francisco, as well as local stations KEXP and KING-FM.

Original Report 4/27: The battle over Public News/Jazz 88.5 KPLU Tacoma WA
continues as the local non-profit created to keep the station out of the
hands of University of Washingtons KUOW.

KUOW announced its intent to purchase KPLU last November for $7 million
plus $1 million worth of underwriting. KUOWs plan was to flip KPLU to all
Jazz while letting go of the current staff. Following community backlash,
Pacific Lutheran University agreed to sell the station to a local group
should they reach agreement on a similar price offer by June 30.

Friends of 88.5 says it has now raised $4,375,842 towards the $7 million
purchase price. As part of its offer all of KPLUs on-air staff including 16
news reporters, the 12 person jazz/blue music staff, and Jazz24.org will be
retained along with local music education and operating on the Pacific
Lutheran campus.

Friends of 88-5 FM, a local non-profit formed to ensure the future of
public radio station KPLU (88.5 FM), announced today that it has submitted
a Letter of Intent to Pacific Lutheran University setting forth principal
terms for its purchase of KPLU.

“We are deeply grateful to the thousands of listeners who continue to give
generously to support a civic and cultural treasure they believe in,� said
Stephen Tan, former chair of KPLU’s Advisory Council who has stepped
forward to chair the governing board of Friends of 88.5 FM. “With a robust
schedule of community events, listener challenges, and support from
regional businesses and major donors, we are confident that we will reach
our fundraising goal by June 30. We look forward to meeting with Pacific
Lutheran University soon to negotiate the Asset Purchase Agreement.�

On November 12, 2015, Pacific Lutheran University announced plans to sell
KPLU to the University of Washington and its own public radio licensee,
KUOW, for $7 million dollars and $1 million of in-kind underwriting. Under
KUOW’s ownership, 88.5’s broadcast towers would be used to further the
reach of KUOW. KPLU’s news service, reporters and community outreach
programs would be disbanded, and current programming would be replaced by a
24-hour streaming jazz service.

Following a public outcry, Pacific Lutheran University announced on
December 17, 2015, that it would sell KPLUs license to a community group,
provided that the group makes a substantially similar offer and the parties
reach agreement on the principal terms of an Asset Purchase Agreement by
June 30, 2016. The nonprofit Friends of 88.5 FM was formed to oversee the
process—and fundraising—necessary to secure a community license and
continue station operations.

Under the terms of the offer made by Friends of 88.5 FM, KPLU would retain
its award-winning 16-person independent, local newsroom; a 12-person jazz
and blues music staff; and Jazz24, a 24-hour high-definition streaming
service that reaches 100,000 weekly listeners around the world. The station
would also continue a longstanding commitment to local music education
(including the widely acclaimed School of Jazz that pairs leading jazz
professionals with local middle and high school jazz bands). In addition,
the Letter Of Intent to purchase KPLUs license calls for 88.5 to continue
to operate out of the Martin J. Neeb Center, a broadcast facility on the
Pacific Lutheran University campus built specifically for KPLU and funded
by KPLU listeners and supporters (exact timeframe to be determined).

About one-third of all public radio stations in the United States hold
community licenses, including industry leaders such as KERA (Dallas), KQED
(San Francisco), WBEZ (Chicago), WGBH (Boston), and WNYC (New York).



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Chris Mosser Joins KGSR For Mornings

Posted: 28 Jun 2016 01:28 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/blog/headli...-for-mornings/



Emmis AAA 93.3 KGSR Austin TX has hired Chris Mosser to fill their vacant
morning show opening.

Mosser most recently served as PD/Morning Host at iHeart Media Alternative
103.1 iHeart Austin K276EL/KVET-HD2 and Afternoon Host at Country 98.1
KVET-FM. He fills the void created by Kelly Jordans exit in December.

Loris Lowe, who has been filling in the morning slot, will return to nights
when Mosser debuts on July 6.