RadioInsight

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First Listen: SiriusXM Disney Hits

Posted: 26 Mar 2021 01:38 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/ross/206523...m-disney-hits/



When Sirius XM announced the March 25 launch of Disney Hits, it brought to
mind the early days of the recently defunct Radio Disney, when that channel
relied more on Disney soundtrack music, and less on outside teen pop. The
early Radio Disney had a midday show that was mostly Disney movie songs
mixed with other children’s favorites, as well as a short-lived lullaby
program at nights.

Over the years, Radio Disney evolved to an all-current teen pop format,
along with the launch of its sister Radio Disney Country channel. That
ended last December, and the station began airing throwbacks from
throughout its history as a farewell to listeners. That format continues
over AM KRDC Los Angeles, pending the station sale, but it’s no longer
available on the station site or iHeart Radio, its last two streaming
platforms. We took a Final Listen in early February.

The announcement for the new station, programmed by Sirius XM in
conjunction with the Disney Music Group, promised “everyone’s all-time
favorite Disney music from movies, television shows, and more, all on one
channel� spanning The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Toy Story to
Moana, Frozen 2, and Descendants 2. On air, it’s summed up as “Disney hit
classics, all in one place,� or, my favorite, “the happiest music on
Earth.� (Another sweeper recalls how “it all started with a mouse and a
dream.�)

The launch also coincided with the release of Descendants star Sofia
Carson’s new single, “Fool’s Gold.� Carson was heard throughout the day on
Friday, March 26, playing her four favorite Disney songs on Be Our Guest 4
The Day. (“Fool’s Gold,� meanwhile, appears as product falls into formation
for “Song of Summer� contention. I appreciate that it starts hot, in
seeming defiance of streaming law that even uptempo records must meander on
to the radio and not pick up tempo until :25 into the song.)

As heard in its first two days, Disney Hits is built largely around the
Disney Channel/Radio Disney era from the mid-‘90s to now, with a lot of
mid-‘00s. I heard some vintage titles as part of the feature programming.
During regular programming it was more like a 50/50 mix of movie plot songs
and teen pop that just happened to be from a Disney project. Here’s
SiriusXM Disney Hits at 9 p.m. ET on its first day, March 25:

Randy Newman, “So Long� (Toy Story 3)
Miley Cyrus, “Hoedown Throwdown� (Hannah Montana: The Movie)
Liv & Maddie, “What a Girl Is� (Liv & Maddie)
Daft Punk, “The Son of Flynn� (Tron Legacy)
Cheetah Girls, “Step Up� (The Cheetah Girls 2)
Lea Salonga, “Reflection� (Mulan)— As I write, Carson is playing the
Christina Aguilera version on her feature
Lana Del Rey, “Once Upon A Dreamâ€� (Maleficent)Â*
Rapunzel & Varian, “Ready as I’ll Ever Be� (Tangled: The Series)
Phil Collins, “Son of Man� (Tarzan)
Meg Donnelly & Trevor Tordjman, “Stand� (Zombies)
Judy Kuhn, “Just Around the Riverbed� (Pocahontas)
Michael Giacchino, “Married Life� (Up)
Demi Lovato, “So Far So Great� (Sonny with a Chance)
They Might Be Giants, “Hot Dog� (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse)
David Ogden Stiers, “The Bells of Notre Dame� (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)
Will Smith, “Prince Ali� (Aladdin)
Selena Gomez, “Fly to Your Heart� (Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure)




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Joey Tack To Step Down As KNCI Program Director

Posted: 26 Mar 2021 01:27 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...gram-director/



Joey Tack will step down from the Program Director slot at Bonneville
Country 105.1 KNCI Sacramento at the conclusion of his contract on June 30.

Tack joined KNCI in July 2019 from the PD slot at SummitMedia Rhythmic CHR
Hot 104.5 WKHT Knoxville. He had spent fifteen years in Knoxville rising
from Music Director/nights to PD/afternoons during his tenure. He has also
worked in his native Iowa at Clear Channel Quad Cities as MD/night host at
All Hit 98.9 WHTS-FM.

Tack writes that he is seeking the next opportunity where he can apply his
passion for radio and music while working to propel the future of the
medium and the evolution of the product and can be reached here.


Following two successful years with Bonneville Country KNCI/Sacramento,
Program Director and midday personality Joey Tack has elected not to renew
his contract at its conclusion on June 30 and will step down from his post
effective July 1. He intends to relocate further East in order to be closer
to family. “While it is bittersweet to be leaving a station where we have
experienced so much success, I am grateful to have the support and
understanding of the Bonneville team as I fulfill my family’s need to move
further East to be closer to family,� said Tack. “I am seeking my next
opportunity to create great content and advance our industry and want to
specifically thank Chad Rufer and Steve Cottingham for the opportunity to
learn, grow and succeed at KNCI these past two years.�

In the two years since joining KNCI, Tack has helped boost ratings and
revenue for the station, earning recognition for his unique promotional
initiatives. He served as CRS Agenda Committee Vice Chair, led the station
to a CMA Large Market Station of the Year win in 2020, earned an ACM Large
Market Station of the Year nomination in 2021, hosted and moderated CRS360
webinars, and was named the CRS/Country Aircheck Awards 2020 New Face of
Country Music.

Tack joined the Bonneville group in July 2019 from SummitMedia Rhythmic Top
40 WKHT/Knoxville where he served as PD and on-air host. Prior to nearly 15
years with WKHT, he spent more than five years with iHeartMedia/Quad
Cities, IA-IL. Tack is excited to continue pursuing his career following
his time with KNCI and is seeking the next opportunity where he can apply
his passion for radio and music while working to propel the future of the
medium and the evolution of the product. He is open to conversations about
the future and can be reached here.




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Fresh Listen: Bill Hennes Todays Hottest Hits

Posted: 26 Mar 2021 10:15 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/ross/206158...-hottest-hits/



In 1996, major-market radio veteran Bill Hennes was programming Top 40 WQSL
(Q92.3) and Country WWQQ (Double Q) Wilmington, N.C. WQSL was a
rhythmic-leaning Mainstream Top 40 at a time when most southern CHR
stations were effectively Modern ACs. Q92.3 was also all-current. So was
WWQQ at a time when Country’s Garth Brooks-era boom was winding down and
most stations were starting to lean more heavily on recurrents and gold.

I was already interested in anything Hennes did because of his involvement
with two of my all-time favorite stations: programming CKLW Detroit in the
mid-‘70s; consulting Rick Gillette’s WHYT Detroit in 1989-90. During that
time, the latter station, traditionally rhythmic leaning, became an
“all-the-hits� outlet that could play Motley Crue next to New Kids on the
Block; it was also part of an all-time great radio war with WDFX (the Fox).

In 2004, Hennes started three Internet radio stations connected to
AllAboutCountry.com, but shut them down the same year because of streaming
costs. In 2017, he launched Country, Top 40 and Hip-Hop/R&B channels. Last
year, Hennes relaunched Today’s Hottest Hits, Today’s Hottest Country Hits,
and Today’s Hottest Hip-Hop on the revamped Live 365. The stations are
unhosted, although Hennes is hoping to make them more full-service.Â*

As the Wilmington stations (and the name of Hennes’ current stations) would
imply, Hennes has also been one of the programmers most concerned with
carrying the “Hot Hits� legacy of consultant Mike Joseph forward. (The
channels play some gold but are becoming newer on an ongoing basis.)
Joseph’s all-current format relied on record sales, which he termed “going
to the boxoffice.� Every programmer is grappling with what that looks like
in the streaming era. Hennes is the programmer looking at that in a
historical context.Â*

Here’s a Fresh Listen to two of the stations, starting with Today’s Hot
Hits around 4 p.m. on March 16:

Cardi B, “Up!�
Ariana Grande, “34 + 35�
5 Seconds of Summer, “Youngblood�
Justin Bieber, “Anyone�
Glass Animals, “Heat Waves�
Olivia Rodrigo, “Driver’s License� (#1 this week)
Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy�
Lewis Capaldi, “Before You Go�
24kGoldn f/Ian Diorr, “Mood�
Tiesto, “The Business�
Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now�
Bebe Rexha, “Sacrifice�
Billie Eilish, “Therefore I Am� (#2)
Tait McRae, “You Broke Me First�
Drake, “Laugh Now Cry Later�


Here’s Hennes’ Country format just before 5 p.m. on the same day:

Keith Urban & Pink, “One Too Many�
Luke Bryan, “Down to One� (#5 this week)
Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani, “Nobody But You�
Dylan Scott, “Nobody�
Dan + Shay, “Glad You Exist�
Old Dominion, “One Man Band�
Jon Pardi, “Tequila Little Time�
Thomas Rhett, “What’s Your Country Song� (#2)
Dustin Lynch, “Momma’s House�
Luke Combs w/Eric Church, “Does to Me�
Tim McGraw & Tyler Hubbard, “Undivided�
Brett Young, “Lady� (#3)
Matt Stell, “Prayed for You�
Gabby Barrett, “The Good Ones�
Parmalee f/Bianco Brown, “Just the One�




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Barbara Latham Rises To iHeartMedia Central Florida Area President

Posted: 26 Mar 2021 08:49 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...rea-president/



iHeartMedia has promoted Barbara Latham to Area President for Central
Florida where she will oversee the Orlando and Melbourne markets.

Latham most recently served as SVP/Sales for the markets. Linda Byrd, who
had been overseeing those markets directly continues as Division President
where Latham will still report under. Latham has been with iHeartMedia and
its predecessor companies since 1995 with stints as General Sales Manager,
Director of Sales and Market Manager in Jacksonville, Market Manager in
Melbourne and has been based in Orlando since 2011 as VP/Sales, Region
SVP/Sales, and most recently SVP/Sales since January 2018.

iHeartMedia announced today that Barbara Latham has been elevated to Area
President for Central Florida, overseeing the Orlando and Melbourne
markets, effective immediately. iHeartMedia Central Florida has a strong
cross-platform presence and includes a number of iconic brands and
franchises — both broadcast and digital — encompassing more than thirteen
stations and two state news networks comprised of music, talk and news
formats.

iHeartMedia has the leading consumer reach and influence across multiple
platforms and delivers more live programming than any other media company.
As Area President, Latham will be responsible for overseeing programming,
advertising, and operations across iHeartMedia Orlando and Melbourne
stations. She will report to Linda Byrd, Division President for
iHeartMedia. Byrd will remain in her role as Division President with
expanded responsibilities.

I am thrilled to be able to promote Barb to this position, said Byrd. We’ve
worked together for 36 years and in many different capacities. She is one
of the brightest and most competitive employees I know. Barb has always
been a winner, and to her, there is no other option. No one deserves this
opportunity more, and it makes me happy to put this team, that I’ve managed
for the last 21 years in her capable hands.

Latham is a skilled media veteran with more than 20 years of experiences
sales and radio industry experience. Throughout her career, she has held
several leadership positions in major cities across the iHeartMedia Florida
region such as Jacksonville, Melbourne and Orlando and most recently served
as the Senior Vice President of Sales for iHeartMedia Orlando. She began
her career as an Account Executive and Sales Manager for Hoker/Paxson
Broadcasting and graduated from Jacksonville University.

“I am so excited to continue my career in this new role in Central Florida
with the Orlando team and reconnecting with the Space Coast team,� said
Latham. “My goal is to continue the tradition of success that I have been a
part of under Linda’s leadership in various roles over many years. She
created the model of excellence in Central Florida and all of iHeartMedia,
for many of the company’s most heritage brands, on-air
personalities/influencers, and sales success. I am driven and excited to
continue that success in this new role as the Central Florida Area
President.�



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Station Sales Week Of 3/26

Posted: 26 Mar 2021 04:30 AM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-week-of-3-26/



Calvary Albuquerque sells Christian Preaching 107.1 KNKT Armijo/Albuquerque
NM to Bible Broadcasting Network for $1.4 million. BBN has contingently
filed to convert the station to a non-commercial license. Calvary
Albuquerque will retain Christian AC Star 88 88.3 KLYT Albuquerque.

Keith Stovers The 29 Group is acquiring Kirk Littons Triple M Broadcastings
54.05 percent stake in Midlands Media Group and its Classic Hits 93.1 The
Lake WZMJ Batesburg and Country 94.3 The Dude WWNQ Forest Acres/Columbia SC
for $1.8 million. The deal gives Stover controlling interest in the company
as he currently holds a 20% stake.

Deborah Ingstads Monarch Broadcasting sells Country Pure Country 93.5
KWHW-FM Altus, Hot AC KQ 106 105.9 KQTZ Hobart, Classic Country 1450 The
Legend KWHW Altus and the CP for 96.9 K245CY Altus OK to James G. Boles Jr.
for $1. Boles owns five stations across the state line near Childress TX.
Translator Sales

California Broadcasting Company acquires 105.7 K289AS Cotati CA from One
Ministries for $95,000. K289AS already rebroadcasts the buyers Regional
Mexican El Patron 1460 KRRS Santa Rosa.

Family Life Ministries sells 89.5 W208BQ Clarks Summit/Scranton PA to
Telikoja Educational Broadcasting for $500.



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Dennis Prager Takes Limbaugh's Slot At KNZR Bakersfield

Posted: 25 Mar 2021 04:13 PM PDT
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...r-bakersfield/



Alpha Media News/Talk 1560 KNZR Bakersfield/97.7 KNZR-FM Shafter CA has
announced the addition of Salem Medias Dennis Prager Show for 9am-12pm.

Prager will fill the slot that had been held by Premiere Networks Rush
Limbaugh Show.

Alpha Media, Bakersfield is proud to announce the addition of The Dennis

Prager Show to KNZR 1560 AM and 97.7 FM.

The Dennis Prager Show will be filling the 9AM to noon slot on KNZR every
weekday. The general manager, Jeremy Price states, “KNZR is thrilled to
announce that The Dennis Prager Show, along with the massive PragerU
audience, has now been added to the lineup.�

Prager is a Southern California radio icon for over 25 years and is heard
on over 400 radio stations nationwide. He is also the founder of PragerU,
an online video channel which has over five million subscribers.