RadioInsight

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Radio, Left To Its Own Device Promos

Posted: 07 May 2021 11:00 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/ross/207808...device-promos/





In the last five weeks, I’ve come across two pieces of station imaging I
wanted to immediately tell radio people about.

One was a legal ID on WKRZ Wilkes-Barre, Pa., which bragged that the
heritage CHR was “entertaining Northeast PA by air, by stream, and by your
phone.�

The other was a series of listener sweepers on KRTY (Country 95.3) San
Jose. The first was a listener who said he was in his 60s and was listening
on Amazon Alexa. The next sweeper featured a listener who was listening on
TuneIn from Asia.Â*

Since then, I’ve listened and heard KRTY running a listener sweeper
approximately every 15 minutes. Some are more straightforward than others.
But there was Mindy, listening to the morning show on TuneIn from Tel Aviv.
Another listener talked about listening to the station via Alexa, the
station Website, and the car radio.

The WKRZ ID differed from the litany-of-devices promo that we have all
heard frequently in the last few years only by dint of its more distinctive
wording. The KRTY sweepers are not so unlike the “I’m Sean Ross and I am
K-Sean-FM�-type campaigns we’ve heard for the last 25 years. They feature
somebody who listens at home, at work, and in the car, but not in those
words.Â*

Device promos are so ubiquitous on radio as to be largely unnoticeable.
Other than contesting, they may make up the bulk of the station business
that jocks and promos talk about. The differences in the promos I like are
subtle, and certainly radio may need more than nuance to be effective these
days. But I noticed them. The KRTY sweepers in particular did several
things I thought were important:

They engage for listening everywhere. I once gave what was clearly a wrong
answer in a radio-station group meeting because I thought smart speakers
were the most important place to pursue streaming. The client was most
concerned about station apps and the connected car. But the battle is
everywhere. And since that meeting, COVID has redrawn the battlefield.
The listeners always identify themselves. They sound like real people
offering credible testimonials, not the anonymous voice in the
big-pile-of-imaging-work-parts declaring “I love it!� and “I listen all
day, every day!â€�Â*
They contain local geography, something often encountered only during a
stopset elsewhere.
In addition, they make a case for KRTY as an international brand, like
Spotify or Apple Music.


As important, in the 10 a.m. hour of KRTY I heard on May 4, it ran two
stopsets. One was under three-and-a-half minutes. One was three minutes.
The ads were a mix of local and national advertisers. There were none of
the national ads that I’ve heard tonnage on in my recent listening; e.g.,
Progressive’s ad with the finicky voice actor and his exaggerated vocal
warmups (an amusing series, but not endlessly so).

For comparison, I went back to four other stations that I’d recently run
tape of in the 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. hours. KRTY had 6-1/2 minutes of ads. Two
of the stations I listened to had 13 minutes. One had 12. One had about
10:30 worth of spots, but they were all in one bloc.Â*

In those four stopsets, I heard a lot of Progressive ads, along with Zip
Recruiter, Lowes, and other streaming perennials. I heard two stopsets made
up entirely of morning team promos — not bits and sometimes the same ones.
I heard ads cut off. I heard songs cut off. To be fair, I did not hear a
lot of filler PSAs. I did sometimes hear the other stations trying to be
creative in promoting device usage.

But many of the streaming experiences weren’t much better than the ones
I’ve been writing about since 2007. When I chose KRTY for my short hops in
the car that afternoon, I heard music most of the time, rather than finding
myself stuck with the wrong streaming experience.Â*

I’ve made many a Ross On Radio reader glaze over by railing about station
streaming, or maybe I’ve just made them feel powerless to change anything.
But the streaming experience is worth discussing again because broadcasters
are asking for the order so repeatedly in the course of any hour. When we
are not asking them to “take us anywhere,� we are directing them to our
podcast platforms. If they choose one of those podcasts, they will more
likely encounter 4-6 minutes of spots than 13. In other words, we are
reaffirming an experience that we could be offering ourselves.Â*



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Loud Radio Lehigh Valley Sets Launch Lineup

Posted: 07 May 2021 10:08 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...launch-lineup/



Major Keystone Hip Hop Loud Radio 1400 WEST/99.5 W258DV Easton and 1600
WHOL/W295CR Allentown PA has set its launch lineup

WHOL/WEST will air Superadios E-Bro In The Morning with Peter Rosenberg and
Laura Stylez in mornings based at WQHT New York. Middays will be held by
Production Director

Hamilton DJ H Vidal Newton including the Back In The Day Mixtape at noon.
Newton will also continue to be heard in middays on sister Loud 99.3 W257DI
Reading PA and previously hosted nights at 95.7 WBTP Tampa.

Station owner/Brand Manager Pat DJ Grooves Cerullo will host afternoons.
Cerullo, a Lehigh Valley native, previously hosted nights locally at B104
WAEB-FM Allentown in addition to on-air and programming roles in Detroit,
Philadelphia, San Antonio and Washington DC. WHOL/WEST will also serve as
flagship for Cerullos weekly Sun Broadcast Group syndicated In The Mix with
DJ Grooves.

Vijay Das joins Loud Radio from Iliad Broadcasting Rhythmic CHR Wild 101
KWYD Boise as APD/MD and to host afternoons. Das spent seven years as APD
at KWYD and has previously worked at WHKF Harrisburg and WVRT Williamsport
PA and is a touring comedian.

Diamond Boy Luis will host host nights. Luis, who also hosts El Relajo De
La Manana on VP Broadcastings Mega 101.7 W269DY/WLEV-HD2 Allentown and 99.9
La Kalle 1340 WHAT Philadelphia, previously has been heard on WLZL
Washington DC and WSKQ and WKTU in New York.

The Lehigh Valleys Hip Hop Station, the all-new LOUD Radio, is proud to be
newest affiliate for Superadios E-Bro In The Morning with Peter Rosenberg
and Laura Stylez. LOUD Radio owner and brand manger Pat DJ Grooves Cerullo
said Aligning our station with the countrys most recognizable Hip Hop radio
brand and its morning show was an easy decision. The Lehigh Valleys
cultural connection and geographic proximity to New York makes this a
perfect pairing. Our audience already knows E-Bro, and it brings instant
credibility to the fast expanding LOUD brand.

Inbound from sister station Loud 99.3 in Reading, PA for middays is
production director and former WBTP/Tampa, FL night jock Hamilton DJ H
Vidal Newton. He will continue to be heard in Reading as well producing
the Back In The Day Mixtape on both stations. Newtown added Im grateful
and honored to be aligned with the LOUD Radio brand. I look forward to
connecting with our listeners in the Lehigh Valley!

Being heard in early afternoons is owner and brand manger Pat DJ Grooves
Cerullo. Cerullo returns to do radio in his hometown for the first time
since he served as the night jock on WAEB/Allentown, PA from 2006-2009 and
2012-2014. Hell continue to produce his syndicated weekend program In The
Mix with DJ Grooves for Sun Broadcasting Group. LOUD Radio will now serve
as the flagship station for the show and its 60+ affiliates.

Being heard in early afternoons is owner and brand manger Pat DJ Grooves
Cerullo. Cerullo returns to do radio in his hometown for the first time
since he served as the night jock on WAEB/Allentown, PA from 2006-2009 and
2012-2014. Hell continue to produce his syndicated weekend program In The
Mix with DJ Grooves for Sun Broadcasting. LOUD Radio will now serve as the
flagship station for the show and its 60+ affiliates.

New to afternoon drive is on air personality/comedian Vijay Das. Vijay
joins the station after working at Iliad Medias KWYD/Boise, ID after seven
years where he was APD/on air. His previous stops include WHKF/Harrisburg,
PA and WVRT/Williamsport, PA. Das added Im excited to be back in the
Keystone State and join the great team at LOUD Radio! The duo previously
worked together nearly 14 years ago, when Das was Cerullos intern at
WIHT/Washington, DC. Vijay will also serve as the stations assistant brand
manager and music director.

At night LOUD Radio adds locally based and nationally renowned talent
Diamond Boy Luis. Luis has previous experience at WLZL/Washington, DC,
WKTU/New York, NY and WSKQ/New York, NY. Hes also heard in the market on
El Relajo De La Manana, which airs on VP Broadcastings Mega 101.7 and La
Kalle 99.3 in Philadelphia, PA.



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Station Sales Week Of 5/7

Posted: 07 May 2021 04:30 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...week-of-5-7-2/



MBM Texas Valley sells Classic Hits Classic 92.7 KESO South Padre Island TX
to Rio Grande Bible Institute for $550,000. RGBI began operating the
station via LMA on Monday, May 3 flipping the station to its Spanish
Christian Radio Esperanza network heard on 88.5 KOIR Edinburg, 97.7 KRIO-FM
Roma, and 910 KRIO McAllen.

Danny and Kait Hill have purchased News/Talk Kern River Radio 1140
KVLI/103.7 K279CZ Lake Isabella CA from Alta Sierra Broadcasting for
$25,000. The Hills own Hot AC Rewind 98.1 KRWI Woffard Heights/93.5 K228GB
Lake Isabella.

William Staffords Route 6 Broadcasting Area Partnership sells Country 1370
WWCB/94.1 W231DW Corry PA to Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine for
$70,000. LECOM will add the signals to its Oldies 88.5 WMCE-FM Erie.
Translator Sales

Middle Tennessee State University sells 104.9 W285FB Bellevue TN to
Nashvilles Sportsradio, Inc. for $65,614. W285FB will be added to the
translator network rebroadcasting Sports 560 WNSR Brentwood/Nashville along
with 95.9 W240CA Brentwood, 107.9 W300DO Smyrna and 103.9 WPDQ Drakesboro
KY.

Nelly Broadcasting purchases 92.1 K221FW Lewiston and 96.9 K245CH
Grangeville ID from Radio By Grace for $44,609.54. K221FW rebroadcasts
Nellys Big Country 97.7 KZBG Lapwai, while K245CH rebroadcasts Classic Hits
96.9 KORT-FM 1230 KORT Grangeville.

Hochman Hawaii Two purchases 104.7 K284AL Haleiwa HI from New Heights
Communications for $60,000. K284AL, which currently rebroadcasts EMFs
K-Love network via 103.5 KLUU Wahiawa, will rebroadcast a subchannel of
Hochmans 101.1 KORL-FM Waiane/Honolulu.

Community Media Assistance Project sells 96.7 K244ES Carson WA/Hood River
OR to The Next Door Inc. for $1. K244ES will continue to rebroadcast Radio
Tierras 95.1 KZAS-LP Hood River.



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Dave Rossi To Program 99 Rock Fort Walton Beach

Posted: 06 May 2021 02:56 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-walton-beach/



Cumulus Media Rock 99 Rock 99.5 WKSM Fort Walton Beach has filled its
programming vacancy with the hiring of Dave Rossi.

Rossi most recently programmed iHeartMedia Classic Rock 105.9 The Rock WNRQ
Nashville until exiting in last falls round of layoffs. He has also
programmed AAAs Live 100.5 WWMM Birmingham and Lightning 100 WRLT
Nashville, Alternatives 96 Wave WAVF Charleston and 107.7 The X WRAX
Birmingham, and Rock 104.7 WIOT Toledo in his career.

Rossi fills the opening created by Woofy Ramones jump to JVC Medias Fort
Walton Beach cluster last month.

CUMULUS MEDIA announces that it has appointed veteran Rock radio
programmer, Dave Rossi, as Program Director for heritage Rock station,
WKSM/99ROCK in Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL. Rossi joins Cumulus from
iHeartMedia Nashville, TN, where he was program director for Classic Rock
WNRQ-FM/105.9 The Rock and Alternative WNRQ-HD2/ALT983. Prior to that, he
was Program Director of Tuned-In Broadcastings WRLT-FM/Lightning 100 in
Nashville. Rossi was previously Program Director of AAA WWMM-FM/Live 100.5
in Birmingham, AL, and co-owned WRAX-FM in Lake Isabella, MI. Rossi also
programmed Alternative WAVF-FM/96 Wave in Charleston, SC, and
WIOT-FM/Toledo.

Ashley Allegretto, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus-Fort Walton
Beach-Destin, said: “We are elated to have Dave join the Fort Walton Beach
team! Dave’s wealth of knowledge, years of experience, and creativity in
the Rock format make him a natural fit to lead our heritage Rock station.�

Rossi commented: “There’s spectacular growth in this market and I’m
thrilled to work at this incredible radio station. After great
conversations with Chris Kellogg, Ashley Allegretto, Troy Hanson and Doug
Hamand it became clear that Cumulus was where I needed to be and the
opportunity in Fort Walton Beach is a perfect fit. I’m looking forward to
leading the team of proven winners at 99ROCK and building on the winning
tradition they’ve created!�




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Melissa McGurren & Austin Huff To Host Mornings At US99

Posted: 06 May 2021 02:01 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...nings-at-us99/



Audacy Country US 99 WUSN Chicago is debuting a new morning show hosted by
Melissa McGurren Austin Huff.

McGurren departed Hubbard Hot AC 101.9 The Mix WTMX in December after 22
years with the station choosing not to extend her contract. During her
tenure at WTMX, McGurren rose from traffic reporter to co-host following
the departure of Kathy Hart in 2017.

Huff previously spent his career in Sports radio as a producer for WNSR and
WGFX Nashville, WXOS St. Louis, and CBS Sports Radios Jim Rome Show. The
Nashville native also operates the sports blog KorkedBats.com.

Drew Walker, who has hosted mornings since the exits of Jason Pullman and
Katie Bright last June, will move back to middays albeit in a shrunken
9am-12pm shift. Audacys syndicated Katie Company will be shrunk down from
10am-3pm to 12-3pm. Scotty Kay remains in afternoons from 3-7pm, while
Audacys syndicated Rob Stone Holly Hutton continue to be heard in evenings
from 7pm-12am.

Audacy announced a new morning show for US99 (WUSN-FM) in Chicago,
welcoming local media veteran Melissa McGurren and Austin Huff as morning
show co-hosts. The duo will be heard on “Melissa and Austin,� weekdays from
6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. CT, effective May 10.

“We’re incredibly excited to be growing our US99 family and making mornings
home for Melissa and Austin,� said Rachel Williamson, Regional President
and Market Manager, Audacy Chicago. “This team will bring energy,
positivity, chemistry, and a lot of fun to this fresh and dynamic local
show to serve Chicago’s country listeners. Drew [Walker] returns to late
mornings and middays and will continue to bring the energy and
companionship country listeners have grown to love to get them through
their day. Collectively, this roster will super serve Chicago’s country
music audience as the standalone country station in the market.�

“I wish I could fully express my gratitude and happiness about joining the
US99 team,� said McGurren. “I love Chicago and country music and I’ve never
been more confident in an opportunity or my team. I know this is exactly
where I’m supposed to be, and I couldn’t be happier to make this new move
in my career.�

Melissa McGurren spent most of her career on WTMX’s “The Mix Morning Show�
in Chicago as a traffic reporter sidekick turned co-host. She also
previously spent time as a weekend traffic news anchor for NBC 5 in Chicago
and parttime from the NBC 5 helicopter for breaking news and traffic.

“I can’t believe Justin Fields and I are moving to Chicago at the same
time, especially considering he throws a much tighter spiral than me,� said
Huff. “I’m honored to wake up with this city every morning, and I cannot
wait to have a ton of fun in the process.�

Austin Huff is a Nashville native, and country music fan with over 10 years
of radio experience both on air and in production.