RadioInsight

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Marilynn Mee Departs WKLH Milwaukee

Posted: 14 Dec 2020 01:07 PM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...klh-milwaukee/



Saga Communications Classic Rock Hometown Rock 96.5 WKLH Milwaukee midday
host Marilynn Mee has exited the station being told that her position has
been eliminated.

Mee has been a constant in Milwaukee since the early 1980s. She first
served as News Director and morning co-host at 93.3 WQFM. She joined Lazer
103 WLZR as its midday host in 1987 and also served as Music Director for
part of her stint there. When Saga relaunched WLZR as 102.9 The Hog WHQG in
2005, Mee moved over to co-owned WKLH where she remained until today.




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Bloomberg Extends Its LMA Of 99.1 WDCH Washington

Posted: 14 Dec 2020 11:42 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...ch-washington/



EXCLUSIVE: With its original five year LMA set to expire in early January,
Bloomberg has extended its deal to operate Entercoms 99.1 WDCH Bowie
MD/Washington DC and 105.7 WJZ-HD2 Catonsville/Baltimore MD through January
3, 2026.

Bloomberg began operating what was then CBS Radios All News 99.1 WNEW on
December 18, 2015. The new deal will extend the LMA until the start of
2026. Like the previous deal with CBS Radio, there is a clause allowing
either party the ability to terminate the deal with 120 days notice
starting on January 4, 2023.

The deal also allows Entercom to carry Washington Capitals hockey and
Virginia Tech University football games that may overflow from Sports 106.7
The Fan WJFK-FM and request the ability to move other Sports overflow
programming if necessary in exchange for redacted credit towards the
monthly LMA fee.

While never announced publicly the LMA extension was agreed to in May 2020.



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Corey Dylan Joins 100.7 Big-FM San Diego As Morning Host

Posted: 14 Dec 2020 10:08 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-morning-host/



Local Media San Diego Variety Hits 100.7 Big-FM KFBG San Diego has
announced the addition of Corey Dylan as morning host starting Monday,
January 4.

Dylan joins KFBG from middays at Cumulus Medias New Country 101.5 WKHX
Atlanta. She joined then Kicks 101.5 in January 2019 as morning co-host and
moved to middays following the stations relaunch in November 2019.

Prior to Atlanta, Dylan hosted mornings at at 80s Hits “101.5 The Point�
WPOI, Hot AC “Mix 100.7� WMTX, and co-hosted “AM Tampa Bay� on News/Talk
970 WFLA Tampa. She has also hosted middays at “Kiss 106.1� KBKS Seattle
and produced the Robin Maynard Show at Classic Rock 102.5 KZOK. She has
also hosted at home shopping networks HSN and QVC.


100.7 BIG-FM (KFBG-FM) announced today that longtime radio, television and
multimedia host Corey Dylan will be the first on-air talent on the
station. Dylan will anchor Morning Drive starting January 4.

Dylan is heading West from Atlanta where she previously hosted middays on
New Country 101.5 FM WKHX-FM. Her career has taken Dylan coast-to-coast in
a variety of roles, including radio host in Seattle and Tampa Bay, VO
talent for brands including HP, Alessi/Vigo Brand Foods, and NHL’s Arizona
Coyotes, and guest appearances for TV shows such as TMZ Live and the Home
Shopping Channel.

Garett Michaels, 100.7 BIG-FM Program Director, said, “Corey is the
consummate radio professional. In addition to her outstanding on-air
skills, she brings a broad range of multimedia skills that make her the
ideal choice to anchor mornings on 100.7 BIG FM. We’re excited to bring
her back to the West Coast, and to have her on the LMSD team.

Dylan said, “First Id like to convey my gratitude to Gregg Wolfson (Local
Media San Diego President and GM), Garett Michaels, Joe Lindsay (LMSD
Director of Programming and Operations) and Tracy Johnson (President/CEO
Tracy Johnson Media Group) for the opportunity to come back to the West
Coast!

“I’m thrilled to be back close to family AND call Americas Finest City,
HOME! Im proof that sometimes your life can change for the better with a
phone call out of the blue. Sun, sand, and 100.7 BIG-FM San Diego is
exactly the place I want to be!�



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Tamo Sein Joins DC101 As Evening Host

Posted: 14 Dec 2020 09:06 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...-evening-host/



iHeartMedia Alternative DC 101 WWDC Washington DC has announced the
appointment of Tamo Sein as evening host.

Sein has been hosting weekends and fill-ins at WWDC since July and also
tracking shifts for multiple SummitMedia stations including WURV Richmond
and KQCH Omaha. Until the end of 2019 she served as midday host for
iHeartMedias Alt 98.7 KYSR Los Angeles and previously was APD/MD and midday
host for 106.5 The End WEND Charlotte and MD/afternoon hosts for XL 102
WRXL Richmond. She has also worked at WROX-FM Norfolk VA and KCLD St. Cloud
MN.

In Washington she fills the position that had been held by Josh Klinger
until his move to Rock 95.5 WCHI-FM Chicago in October.

DC101, DC’s Alternative Rock, announced today that Tamo Sein will serve as
evening host for the station, effective immediately. Sein will broadcast
weekdays from 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.

As evening host, Sein will broadcast the most popular hits from alternative
artists such as Foo Fighters, Twenty One Pilots and Billie Eilish as well
as feature the latest entertainment and lifestyle news tailored to the
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia communities.

“Tamo is one of the most creative on-air talents,� said Dustin Matthews,
Program Director for DC101. “We are excited for her to engage with the
Washington, D.C. community with her unique sense of humor. She will be a
true asset to the DC101 team on and off the air.�

“Joining the iconic on-air staff at DC101, led by ‘Elliot in the Morning,’
has been a dream of mine for a long time,� said Sein. “I’m so excited to
host an evening show that combines a passion for alternative music with a
focus on the D.C. lifestyle to our loyal listeners in Washington, D.C.�

Sein has more than 15 years of industry experience. She previously hosted
weekends and served as a fill-in personality on DC101 since July 2020. Sein
has served as a midday host on iHeartMedia Los Angeles’ Alt 98.7 and prior
to that, she was assistant program director, music director and midday host
at iHeartMedia Charlotte’s 106.5 The End. Sein also worked as afternoon
drive host and music director for WRXL-FM in Richmond, Virginia and KCLD-FM
in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She began her career as assistant program director
and music director at WROX-FM in Norfolk, Virginia.




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Songs That Made a Difference in 2020

Posted: 14 Dec 2020 08:30 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/ross/202473...rence-in-2020/



In recent years, the “Songs That Made a Difference� column has often ended
up saluting two different types of hit songs. Some are the sonic
breakthroughs that would have been hard to anticipate when the year began.
Just as often, I end up writing about the “medium-weight� up-tempo songs
that confirm that listeners still respond to what we think of as a “hit
song.� When there are enough of those songs, Top 40 radio stages a
comeback.Â*

A few of those up-tempo pop songs existed at Top 40 in 2020. In fact, two
of the most prominent of them existed in 2019. I wrote about Harry Styles’
“Watermelon Sugar� and the Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights� in last year’s “Songs
That Made a Difference� article. “Watermelon Sugar� was there because
Columbia wasn’t working it yet, going with the more typical “Adore You.�
“Blinding Lights� was effectively the B-side of “Heartless,� also a more
Top 40-compliant song at the time, but it was already being championed by
the Cox CHR stations on the way to becoming a power for most of the year.
This week there are only seven and the song finally falls out of the top 10
and moves to recurrent.)

The rise of the TikTok-driven hit was visible too at 2019’s end. A year
ago, it was Arizona Zervas, “Roxanne.� October saw Surf Mesa’s “ily (I love
you baby),� Jawsh 685 x Jason Derulo’s “Savage Love,� and 24KGoldn f/Iann
Dior’s “Mood� in the CHR top five together. As Slate’s Chris Molanphy
noted, “Mood� was a particularly radio-friendly distillation of what we
think of as a TikTok record. In fact, “Mood� and “Roxanne� were already of
a piece with the trap pop that has dominated CHR, and even spilled over to
Hot AC over the last five years. So are current hits from Ariana Grande,
Chris Brown, Sam Smith, Justin Bieber, and Shawn Mendes (with Justin
Bieber).

Top 40 is, at this moment, as far as one can imagine from a comeback.
Staying at home during COVID-19 robbed mothers and daughters of their last
available in-car time, although much of that had long been relinquished for
listening through earbuds to something other than CHR radio. A flood of
older male listening has benefitted Classic Rock, News/Talk, even Classical
and Classic Country. Now Christmas is helping AC. Heritage Top 40 stations
are in the 3-4 share range, where many of their predecessors opted for
other formats during the format’s last near-extinction event in the early
‘90s.

At this moment, it’s hard to be sure if better product would help any
format that depends on rapidly shrinking 18-to-34-year-old listening.
Hip-Hop’s place in the zeitgeist didn’t save Hip-Hop and Rhythmic Top 40
stations from their own crisis this fall. Alternative radio has had decent
product for several years, but it has been in the three-share range for
years in many markets. (As Entercom’s Matt Malone notes, 24KGoldn had an
impact there, too, this year, with “City Of Angels� opening the door for
“Mood� and more shared music with CHR as well.)

It’s hard not to see 2020 as “[our seventh] sorry year for current product
flow,� according to AC WINK Fort Myers, Fla., PD Chuck Knight, who has to
deal with what trickles down from Top 40. The year-end most-played charts
are always a good indicator of how many real hits there were. This year,
the first song that wasn’t a consensus power (Camila Cabello’s “My Oh My�)
is in the top 15 and the songs left over from 2019 start in the top 20 with
Lizzo’s “Good as Hell.�


For many of the Facebook friends who shared thoughts on this year’s hits,
it was again about what CHR didn’t play. Even in this year’s Song of the
Summer wrap-up, many readers pegged the culturally dominant song as Cardi B
f/Megan Thee Stallions “WAP.� But even at Hip-Hop and Rhythmic Top 40, that
song was only about the 30th most-played. For former WAKS (96.5 Kiss FM)
Cleveland PD Joel Murphy, the lack of airplay for both “WAP� and Fleetwood
Mac’s TikTok-fueled “Dreams� reflected “CHR dropping the ball on what they
should be doing all the time.� (Cumulus CHRs did follow their “Dreams� for
a while.)

The songs CHR didn’t play, or didn’t play successfully, didn’t have to be
outliers. Some songs entirely within the format parameters were unable to
wrest power rotation from “Blinding Lights,� Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now,�
and Doja Cat’s “Say So,� even if some programmers decided that Lady Gaga &
Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me� or Jonas Brothers’ “Only Human� (already a
2019 holdover) were hits after they peaked on the charts. Dance hits from
“Ride Itâ€� to “Head and Heartâ€� to “Breaking Meâ€� hovered mid-chart.Â*

In the winter, up-tempo pop seemed to have a better chance of coming home
if it was by a “not pop� artist — the Weeknd or Post Malone. But even Juice
WLRD f/Marshmello’s “Come & Go,� despite CHR’s initial enthusiasm, didn’t
become a power. (The next test will be Billie Eilish’s “Therefore I Am.�).
Pop PDs seemed to be looking for their TikTok reaction records to test, and
expecting their pop balance records to react, which ended up claiming a lot
of prospective powers. But “Watermelon Sugar� made it through, and so, at
year’s end, did Ava Max’s “Kings and Queens.�

Even when I feel the way about pop product that Knight and Murphy do, I’d
rather see it through the eyes of Mason Kelter, host of the newly
syndicated “Party LiveLine.� As Kelter sees it, “there’s been at least one
song in every genre that has made a difference at Top 40 this year.� His
list is “Blinding Lights,� “Mood,� “Come and Go,� but also DaBaby f/Roddy
Ricch’s “Rockstar,� Saint JHN’s “Roses (Imanbek Remix),� Gabby Barrett
f/Charlie Puth’s “I Hope,� and BTS’ “Dynamite.� The latter represents both
a K-Pop breakthrough and a possible teen-pop resurgence, although it too
stopped just short of power (at least for now).

Seeing Kelter’s list provoked the same reaction as when I recently saw a
chart from fall ’93, the moment when CHR began a four-year implosion. The
hits at that moment were better and more diverse than I remembered. If a
healthy year for CHR is the year when the format plays all kinds of music,
the hits this year spanned from AJR’s “Bang� to Kane Brown having a top 10
hit without Country support with “Be Like That (w/Swae Lee & Khalid).� (In
doing so, he extended a 40-year-plus RCA tradition of separate Top 40 and
Country singles that goes back to Dolly Parton, Ronnie Milsap, and Kenny
Rogers.)


When a Country single did have multi-format support, it became “I Hope� or
Maren Morris’ “The Bones,� two songs that helped break the logjam for
female Country artists. Those songs were joined atop the Country chart by
Ingrid Andress’s “More Hearts Than Mine,� Carly Pearce & Lee Brice’s “I
Hope You’re Happy Now,� Miranda Lambert’s “Bluebird� and Maddie & Tae’s
“Die From a Broken Heart.� By late spring/early summer, Country was gaining
share as other current-driven formats foundered.Â*

It’s worth noting that Country’s female representation in the top 10 is
more like what we were seeing in 2019; female artists represented as a
group lead (Lady A) and duet partners. Country PDs tell me they think the
mindset about female acts is better now, and that many of the follow-ups by
those female acts are just at a different place in the chart cycle now. But
it’s also the case that the spring breakthroughs didn’t move even Morris to
the fast track where a song can scale the charts in 16 weeks, not 60.

At the end of the year, Country was having its own streaming-driven moment.
The label that most successfully negotiated that world was Big Loud, home
of Hardy, Chris Lane, and Morgan Wallen, who with “7 Summers� managed both
to put a second upward single on the Country chart and debut on Spotify’s
Today’s Top Hits playlist. Texas Country breakthrough Parker McCollum’s
“Pretty Heart� was also headed toward the top summit after a year in
development.

It’s worth noting that with fewer women in power, Country’s numbers were
again tapering off in the fall. Some of that undoubtedly reflects listening
first siphoned off by the election and News/Talk, then Christmas music on
AC. Country is definitely helped by finding records from streaming that can
create stories in less than 40 weeks. The Big Loud hits and Luke Combs’
continued hit streak are reminiscent of the Montgomery Gentry and Big &
Rich songs that revitalized the format in 2004. But we need the Gretchen
Wilsons in there, too.


Country’s product issues have long been balance and timing. Those are
issues for Top 40, too. With non-broadcast competition for 18-34 listening,
they are not the only issues, but I’ve come to believe that the records are
there, just as they were in 1993, if radio figures out how to play them. We
even have the rock record that would sound great on CHR, although Royal
Blood’s “Trouble’s Coming� is in danger of reaching that place where it’s
too pop for Active, too rock for Alternative, and not on pop’s radar.

Country has more of a safety net than other current-based formats — bigger
stations with a broader age range. Those stations were better equipped than
Top 40 to be the full-service pandemic companion that listeners needed.
That broader age spread is also part of what revitalized the format during
its own late-‘90s/early ‘00s doldrums. Country was prepared to be a 35-plus
format. It’s much happier, even now, as an 18-54 format.

Cluster strategies make our current 3-share CHRs more viable than they were
in 1993, but we’ve also seen what was possible in the late ‘90s and again
in 2007-2012, and we shouldn’t give that up until we know we have to. Any
comeback will begin, as it did in 1993, with upper demos. The daughters are
under their earbuds; we might get moms back. In 1993, it was Melissa
Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, and Hootie and the Blowfish that got the ball
rolling. (It’s not an accident that Taylor Swift’s Folklore comeback is in
that neighborhood.) The next comeback began with “Since U Been Gone.� This
one, if it happens, will be driven by up-tempo songs again, as part of an
overall balance. Those are also the songs that can get some lateral support
from AC and Hot AC, or at least help them as they work their way down the
line.

As for the role of TikTok hits, we’ve seen that they can be a lot of
different things. TikTok can help break Jack Harlow, Benee, Lemonade, Ritt
Momney, Daisey Ashnikko, or Fleetwood Mac. As TikTok becomes a bigger part
of label strategy for every type of song, there will be plenty of up-tempo
medium-weight hit music that it endorses. But not every record that helps
Top 40 regain its balance will have that story, nor should it have to.Â*

We’ll talk more about the state of current product for all formats in early
2021 when we look at the annual BDSRadio statistics on which format had the
most top 20 hits. Meanwhile, what songs do you think made a difference in
2020? Which could change things in 2021?




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After Three Months In New York, Chris Booker Joins Alt 98.7 Los Angeles

Posted: 14 Dec 2020 06:11 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...7-los-angeles/



Just three months after joining Entercom Alternative Alt 92.3 WNYL New York
as afternoon host, Chris Booker is returning to Los Angeles to take the
same role at iHeartMedias Alt 98.7 KYSR.

Booker will debut on KYSR on Monday, January 4. He spent ten years in Los
Angeles hosting afternoons at CHR 97.1 Amp Radio KAMP from 2009 to 2019 and
a few months in mornings prior to exiting in April. He previously had spent
much of his career in New York with stints at 92.3 WXRK and WFNY-FM, Z100
WHTZ, and Blink 102.7 WNEW. Booker also hosted mornings at Q102 WIOQ
Philadelphia. He had just joined Entecoms Alt 92.3 WNYL in September and
was also heard on Entercoms Alternative stations in Baltimore, Buffalo and
Richmond.

At KYSR, Booker will fill the slot created by the exit of Andrew Harms in
October.

ALT 98.7, LAs New Alternative, announced today that Chris Booker, acclaimed
TV/radio personality and popular podcaster, will join the station as
Afternoon Drive Host, effective January 4, 2021. Booker will broadcast
weekdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

As the new afternoon drive host, Booker will be a trusted companion to the
vast Los Angeles and Orange County communities. He will keep listeners
entertained by broadcasting the best Alternative music from top artists
such as Twenty One Pilots, The Killers, Billie Eilish, and Mumford Sons.
Known for his pop culture expertise as co-host of “The Perez Hilton
Podcast,� Booker will bring his unique perspectives and insights to the ALT
98.7 airwaves by discussing the latest pop culture trends, headlines and
news. He joins the station’s stellar lineup of on-air personalities
including the nationally syndicated The Woody Show, Hudson Hott and “Danica
Lopez�.

Our paths have crossed for many years – mostly at The 1975 shows – and we
finally found the perfect opportunity to work together, said Lisa Worden,
Vice President of Rock and Alternative for iHeartMedia and Program Director
for ALT 98.7. Chris is a pro with a knack for entertaining and a huge
passion for Alternative Rock music. Hes a perfect fit for ALT 98.7, and I
could not be more excited for him to join the team!

Im pretty sure that I now know what its like to make the All-Star team now
that I work for iHeartRadio, said Booker. This is such an incredible
opportunity, and I’m so excited to work side by side with my friends Lisa
and Woody. Lets get it ALT 98.7! You Know!

Booker joins the Los Angeles market from WNYL-FM where he most recently
served as the afternoon drive host. He also served as the afternoon drive
host for KAMP for 10 years and has had several stints at top radio stations
in the country including WXRK; Z-100, New Yorks #1 hit music station;
WNEW-FM; Q102, Phillys #1 Hit Music Station; and Sirius Satellite Radio. In
addition to his broadcast radio career, Booker has gained a television
following and has served as a host/correspondent for several shows and
networks. These include several roles in the television industry, such as a
commentator and host for VH1 where he has been featured on over 50 shows
including the Greatest Ever series and the I Love The… series, as well as
being a New York correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and the TV Guide
Channel, where he covered an array of red-carpet events. Booker has also
received several honors celebrating his on-air career including various
Billboard Magazine and Radio and Records awards for Best Air Personality.



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WRKO To Add The Jesse Kelly Show

Posted: 14 Dec 2020 05:14 AM PST
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2...se-kelly-show/



iHeartMedia Conservative Talk 680 WRKO Boston will add Key Networks Jesse
Kelly Show for nights starting January 4, 2021.

Kelly will air from 10pm-1am until moving to 7-10pm on February 15. WRKO
currently airs Joe Pags from 7-10pm and John Batchelor in the later slot.
Kelly, a former Marine and congressional candidate in Arizona, he began his
show on iHearts 950 KPRC Houston in 2018 and has been syndicated by Key
Networks since April 2020.

Key Networks, a next generation syndication company serving the radio
industry, announces that its nationally syndicated news talk program, The
Jesse Kelly Show, will debut on iHeartMedia Boston station AM 680/WRKO on
Monday, January 4, 2021, airing Monday through Friday from 10:00pm-1:00am
EST. The show will then segue to WRKO’s 7:00pm-10:00pm EST timeslot on
Monday, February 15, 2021.

Unfiltered and unapologetic, Jesse Kelly, U.S. Marine, former candidate for
Congress and fresh conservative voice as Host of The Jesse Kelly Show,
brings intelligence, unique insight, and cutting humor to the world of
political commentary. From history to politics to pizza, The Jesse Kelly
Show puts it all out there for listeners in a no-nonsense, down-to-earth
way and offers something for everyone.

Jesse Kelly, Host of The Jesse Kelly Show, commented: “Everyone in radio
knows about the greatness of WRKO and wants to be there. I’m honored to be
there. And I’m sure they’re honored to have me since I’m such a huge
important celebrity with a superior brain and community college credits.�

Â*

Dennis Green, Chief Revenue Officer, Key Networks, added: “We are delighted
to be a part of the great WRKO and bringing Jesse Kelly to the Boston
audience. Stations need to make room for the next generation of talk radio.
Fresh voice, fresh opinions it’s time for Jesse Kelly.�

Â*

Born in the Ohio Rust Belt, Jesse Kelly moved to Montana with his family at
age 10 and grew up hunting, fishing and being part of his family’s
construction business, where he learned his work ethic from his father:
‘Work hard, make no excuses, no complaining and make something of
yourself.’ Having always respected the armed services, he joined the U.S.
Marine Corps in 2000 and on 9/11, watched the towers fall from inside his
barracks. He later deployed to Iraq as an infantry Marine during the Second
Persian Gulf War and received an honorable discharge after four years.Â*

In 2010, with no political experience to speak of but many opinions to
share, Kelly decided to test the political waters and ran for Congress in a
Democratic-controlled district of Arizona. Though a virtual unknown in the
race, he was only narrowly defeated by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The race
initially ended in a vote recount. After his Congressional run, Jesse
continued to be a major voice among conservatives, using his large social
media following as a platform to continue many of the conversations started
on the campaign trail. He signed on to host a one-hour show on 950 KPRC in
Houston, TX, in 2018, which then aired as a two-hour program.Â*

The Jesse Kelly Show debuted as a three-hour show in national syndication
this April, and is available to stations LIVE Monday through Friday from
9am-Noon EST, with delayed broadcasts available via XDS. Key Networks
delivers The Jesse Kelly Show to stations in all market sizes. All network
advertising is included with the show, with no additional barter units for
stations to run. To hear The Jesse Kelly Show, visit:
https://www.jessekellyshow.com/.

For more information or to get The Jesse Kelly Show for your station,
contact Dennis Green, Chief Revenue Officer, Key Networks, at 844.KEY.NETS
or .