RadioInsight

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WDMK Launches Mason & Starr Morning Show

Posted: 17 Mar 2021 09:17 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-morning-show/



Beasley Media Adult RB 105.9 Kiss-FM WDMK Detroit has dropped Reach Medias
Rickey Smiley Morning Show and launching a local show hosted by John Mason
and Angie Starr.

This will be the second time the duo have co-hosted mornings at WDMK. Mason
first joined WDMK in 2001 after a seventeen year run in mornings at 97.9
WJLB. He would later move to 107.5 WGPR before returning to WDMK in 2014.
Mason has hosted middays at WDMK since 2018 and is the longtime public
address announcer for the NBAs Detroit Pistons.

Starr moves to mornings from nights at the station. She previously was part
of Masons morning shows at WGPR and WDMK and most recently anchored local
segments on Smileys morning show and nights from 7-10pm.

The new Mason Starr Morning Show will debut on Monday, March 22.

Beasley Media Group Detroit announces the MASON STARR Morning Show will
debut from 6 a.m. 10 a.m. weekdays on 105.9 KISS-FM beginning on Monday,
March 22, 2021.

A legendary Motor City radio veteran, John Mason most recently served as
the Midday Personality at KISS-FM. Angie Starr is best known for her work
as a night host and weekend air talent on the station. Together, they are
the perfect combination to take over mornings in the Motor City!

“MASON STARR will be a show all about Detroit and the lives of our
incredible listeners,� said Mason. “We will have fun, play lots of Smooth
RB and Old School music, and have really cool giveaways. Tune in weekday
mornings to hear the REAL Detroit!�

“I was born and raised in Detroit so I’m excited to partner with Mason in
bringing fun, information and positive energy to morning radio in the Motor
City,� said Starr.

“It’s a privilege to welcome the legendary Mason and Angie Starr back to
mornings in Detroit,� said Zannie Glover, Program Director of Beasley Media
Group’s 105.9 KISS-FM and 105.1 The BOUNCE. “I am most excited for our
KISS-FM listeners. Ask anybody in Detroit and they’ll tell you Mason is The
MAN!�

“Now more than ever, familiar, genuine voices are local radio’s strongest
asset,� said Beasley Media Group Vice President of Content and Detroit
Director of Detroit Programming, Scott Jameson. “Mason’s brand equity,
along with Angie’s infectious energy and authenticity, will jump start the
day for 105.9 KISS-FM!�




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First Listen: WHUR-HD-2 "The Quiet Storm Station"

Posted: 17 Mar 2021 09:00 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/ross/205928...storm-station/



Launched in December, WHUR Washington’s “The Quiet Storm Station� was just
an HD-2 outlet when it made our list of intriguing stations of 2020 in
January. Forged in the progressive R&B format of the ‘70s, then becoming a
template for the Adult R&B format born in the late ‘80s, WHUR’s signature
The Quiet Storm late-night show was already a logical full-time offering
for the infinite dial. Now it’s heard on FM as well, on the 98.3 FM
translator in Northern Virginia that was previously the home of WTOP’s
“extreme variety� format, the Gamut.

The Quiet Storm Station on FM was an opportunity to revisit WHUR as it
celebrates “49 years of sounding like Washington� and listen to the hosted
evening Quiet Storm with John Monds. I’ve heard the “sounds like…�
positioner used very cynically in recent years by some stations over the
years, but WHUR works hard to reinforce its heritage.

The sweeper into the stopset refers to the spots as “the following
community messages.�
I listened previously in January between the Capitol insurrection and the
presidential inauguration. “Trust WHUR for breaking news from the Capitol
and the White House,� said a cross-plug for the long running Daily Drum.
Both stations are “originating from Washington, D.C., on the campus of
Howard University.� The Quiet Storm Station adds that it is “representing
music lovers all over the world.�
There were also promos for Howard’s WHUT-TV which was planning an on-air
tribute to recently deceased Vernon Jordan.
The crossplugs for other shifts tout “music you love with people you love.�
WHUR is giving away groceries in conjunction with Giant Foods. They did a
different recent giveaway with Weis Markets, the “Frank Ski New Year Family
Fixup.�


In a way, WHUR recalls not just its own heritage, but all R&B radio in
Washington over the years. The tone of Monds’ Quiet Storm is smooth, but
WHUR’s imaging is livelier. It reminds me (in a good way) of the concert
spots that were part of growing up with the format over the years. In fact,
the 9 p.m. sweeper declares that “John Monds is the promoter, giving you
the original Quiet Storm Mini Concert.�

Under PD Al Payne, WHUR’s secondary positioner is “Old School, ‘90s, and
Now.� The evening Quiet Storm program I heard had a lot of mid-‘90s R&B,
including Washington’s Pure Soul. Hearing SWV, Brandy, and Aaliyah in
proximity recalls Hip-Hop/R&B WPGC in its mid-‘90s decade. As the decade
went on, however, WHUR began to exert an equal or greater influence on
WPGC, which became very R&B- and adult leaning by the late ‘90s/early ‘00s.

Here’s WHUR’s “Original Quiet Storm� with John Monds at 8 p.m., March 8,
2021:

Pure Soul, “We Must Be In Love�
Anita Baker, “Been So Long�
Silk, Lose Control�
SWV, “Weak�
Keyshia Cole, “I Don’t Wanna Be In Love�
Brandy, “Angel in Disguise�
Ciara, “Body Party�
New Birth, “It’s Been A Long Time�
Aalyiah, “I Don’t Wanna�
Mint Condition, “Walk On�
Robin Thicke, “Look Easy�
Isley Brothers, “Summer Breeze� (the beginning of the 9 p.m. mini-concert,
a salute to Ernie Isley, whose birthday was the day before)
Isley, Jasper, Isley, “Caravan of Love�
Isley Brothers, “Contagious�
Isley Brothers, “Sensuality�


There’s a ‘90s-and-beyond presence on the Quiet Storm Station as well, but
there’s no question what the center of the station is. One promo features a
clip of original Quiet Storm host Melvin Lindsey and a listener reminiscing
about the time Lindsey put Earth, Wind & Fire’s live version of “Reasons�
on repeat, which could be heard out of “every dorm room in Baldwin Hall.�
The promo mentions Norman Connors, Phyllis Hyman, and Jean Carne—obscure
now even on Adult R&B radio, but stars of WHUR in the ‘70s.

Here’s the Quiet Storm Station at 8 a.m., March 9:

Whitney Houston, “I Will Always Love You�
Al Green, “For the Good Times�
Patti Labelle, “If Only You Knew�
Faith Evans, “You Used To Love Me�
Maxwell, “Whenever Wherever Whatever�
Johnny Gill & Stacy Lattisaw, “Where Do We Go From Here�
Levert, “(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind�
Barry White, “Playing Your Game Baby�
Sade, “Cherish the Day�
Anthony Hamilton, “What I’m Feelin’�
Jagged Edge, “Gotta Be�
Tavares, “Remember What I Told You to Forget�
Roberta Flack, “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face�


The WHUR legacy is definitely a valuable commodity for “music lovers all
over the world.� Despite a few newer titles, the Quiet Storm Station also
has the effect of bringing R&B Oldies (at least the softer half) to the
market on FM. As Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak throw back to early ‘70s R&B
on their Silk Sonic project, there are definitely some Ross On Radio
readers who would enjoy having a place to hear songs like “Remember What I
Told You to Forget� on a regular basis.



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Cumulus/Westwood One To Move Dan Bongino Into Rush Limbaugh Timeslot

Posted: 17 Mar 2021 07:45 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...augh-timeslot/



As first reported yesterday by Outkick.com, we have separately confirmed
that Cumulus Media and Westwood One has agreed to terms with conservative
commentator Dan Bongino to host a daily three-hour show from 12-3pm eastern.

Bongino currently hosts a daily podcast for Westwood One that since March
2020 has been repurposed into a one-hour syndicated show on over 100
stations including 790 KABC Los Angeles and 560 KSFO San Francisco. The new
show would air live in the timeslot currently held by Limbaugh on many if
not all Cumulus owned Conservative Talk and News/Talk stations.

Bongino is a former NYPD officer and Secret Service agent turned
conservative pundit and investor in right wing focused digital properties
including Parler and Rumble. He has previously served as a fill-in host at
WMAL Washington and WBAL Baltimore and multiple syndicated talkers
including Sean Hannity.

An official announcement should be forthcoming by early next week.



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Saga Launches NewZee In Clarksville

Posted: 17 Mar 2021 04:30 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...n-clarksville/



Saga Communications has launched Conservative Talk NewZee 105.5 1400
WNZE/105.5 W288DQ Clarksville TN.

The new brand, pronounced like Newsie, gives Clarksville its only local
Conservative Talker. The station will feature an all-syndicated lineup
featuring Gordon Deal from 5-8am, Hugh Hewitt from 8-11am, Dennis Prager
11am-2pm, Sean Hannity 2-5pm, Mark Levin 5-8pm, John Batchelor 8pm-12am,
and Red Eye Radio overnights. The station will have hourly local newscasts
featuring content from Sagas ClarksvilleNow.com.

WNZE becomes the ninth brand in Sagas Clarksville cluster, which operates
under the Five Star Media name. The company bought the former Country 105.5
The Bull WBQL from Consolidated Media last November for $175,000.



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Westwood One Cancels Rick & Sasha Morning Show

Posted: 17 Mar 2021 04:00 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-morning-show/



Westwood One notified affiliates on Tuesday that the Rick Sasha Show will
ceased distribution on Friday, April 16.

Hosted by Rick Party, Sasha The Diva, and comedian George Willborn, the
show aired mostly on Adult RB stations in around two dozen markets
including Cumulus owned stations in New York, Atlanta, Kansas City, and New
Orleans. The syndicator will run best-of episodes for the next month.

The show debuted in January 2019 positioning itself to be a younger skewing
option to Tom Joyner and Steve Harvey morning shows, while giving Cumulus a
head start on their plans to replace Joyner ahead of his shows planned end
at the end of 2019.

Rick Pary has previously hosted afternoons at WHQT Miami and has spent time
at WGCI and WKSC Chicago, WBLS New York and WEDR Miami. Sasha The Diva
spent the majority of her career at WALR Atlanta over two stints starting
in 2002 and has also hosted middays at WWIN-FM Baltimore. Willborn joined
the show in January 2020 replacing original comedian Benji Brown. He has
previously co-hosted mornings at WVAZ Chicago and WHUR Washington DC as
well as being part of syndicated Doug Banks and Michael Baisden shows.

Cumulus has yet to disclose its plans for its fifteen owned stations
currently running the program in mornings.