US

Liz Mantel Joins The Wolf Buffalo

Audacy Country “107.7/104.7 The Wolf” WLKK Wethersfield Township/W284AP Buffalo NY has begun staffing up with the addition of Liz Mantel as morning host. Mantel previously co-hosted mornings at Townsquare Media Country at 106.5 WYRK Buffalo from May 2013 to January 2019. She has previously worked at WCKY-FM Findlay OH, WFGF Lima OH, KOMG/KOSP Springfield MO, […] […]

US

FCC Report 9/5

FCC Actions
Kathadin Communications’ 102.5 W273DJ Millinocket ME has been issued a Notice of Apparent Liability For Forfeiture proposing a $3500 fine for failing to timely file a license to cover application and operating the translator following the expiration of its Construction Permit. W273DJ’s CP was set to expire on January 8, 2021 but its license application was not filed until April 5. After the FCC denied the original application, a Petition For Reconsideration showing proof the translator was built on time was filed and granted by the FCC. W273DJ rebroadcasts Sports 1240 WSYY Millinocket.

Radio Companion LLC’s 1420 WKCW Warrenton VA has entered into a Consent Decree for failing to maintain its online public file.

Deletions
The FCC has rejected Christyahna Broadcasting’s request to toll the CP for 1400 KJUX Lemon Grove/San Diego CA and considering the CP to be expired unbuilt. Christyahna sought an extension on the basis that it was unable to build or sell the CP due to the COVID-19 pandemic being “unable to muster funds to build or to meet with local officials or prospective buyers because of fears of infection. The FCC rejected those arguments stating that radio stations are essential services and are not subject to state-imposed COVID-19 restrictions and workarounds could have been done to accomplish required business and lack of funds is not a basis for tolling as that is a business decision within the permittee’s control. The station could have received more time had it provided evidence of how specific steps (such as supply chain issues, invoices demonstrating expenditures or leases) were being blocked due to the pandemic but offered no such proof.

New Life Studios surrendered the license of 1260 WCLC Jamestown TN. The station had been silent since its transmission equipment failed in March 2020 and as such was already beyond the 365 days silent permitted by the FCC prior to a license being deemed expired.

After the FCC inquired to its operating status and received no response, the agency has deemed the license of JKC Media Ventures’ 1230 WODI Brookneal VA as expired due to being silent since at least December 2019.

After it requested its license cancelled earlier in August, Portsmouth Abbey School’s 90.7 WJHD Portsmouth RI has rescinded its request and its license has been restored.

FM Changes
Following the destruction of its tower from Hurricane Ida, iHeartMedia has applied for an STA to operate Variety Hits “104.1 The Spot” KVDU Houma LA from the auxiliary antenna of 98.5 WYLD-FM with 850w/181m while it determines how it will replace its current tower.

Backyard Broadcasting of Pennsylvania Country 105.1 WILQ Williamsport PA applies to relocate to a different tower on Bald Eagle Mountain […]

US

Ross On Radio’s Stories of Summer 2021

The Song of the Summer is often the song most associated with summer travel, but if you were fortunate enough to go anywhere this summer, you may have missed one of the Ross on Radio “Stories of Summer 2021.” Since each week’s Ross On Radio newsletter is featuring more new content, and fewer reruns, here’s […] […]

ASIA

The Radio News Opportunity

Content from BPR“And that’s the way it is”

There is a diminishing trust in digitally delivered news, particularly news disseminated via Google or Facebook.  Leaving aside the current tussle between the tech giants and the Australian Federal Governments new legislation designed to ensure Google & Facebook remunerate Australian news content creators appropriately for news content they monetise on their respective platforms, the bigger strategic issue for news organisations is that an increasing number of people are coming to regard Google and Facebook as cesspools of misinformation rather than enlightenment when it comes to news.  Facebooks decision this week to ban access to news and information pages across Australia will only serve to reinforce the view that Facebook is a platform that cannot be trusted.Regardless of the outcome of the stoush between the Australian Feds and the tech Oligarchs, radio is well positioned to gain usage from people seeking succinct, factual information.  Radio still maintains an extraordinary image for news compared to other sources, particularly in the morning.  Radio news is generally the leading source of breaking news at breakfast time for adults and radio news commands a high degree of trust.  Unfortunately, some radio operators across the globe see investment in news as an inconvenient necessity while others have lost faith in radio’s competitiveness as a source of news.  This last point was indeed a consideration at the beginning of the digital delivery boom however the tech giant’s business goals do not support a fact checked operational environment and more people each day are coming to realise it.  Googles threat a few weeks ago to terminate its search engine in Australia allied with Facebook’s behaviour this week only serves to reinforce perceptions of mistrust in online platforms and that is good for radio.The brevity and frequency of Radio news is ironically it’s greatest advantage (compared to other media).  There is no motivation to beat up a dodgy story into a single masthead headline nor is there the time to manufacture a story to be longer than it needs to be.  This is not to say that you necessarily make radio news better by making it shorter.  There is a point where a radio stations news service loses all credibility if it is too short and perceived to be tokenism. Worse still is leaving listeners frustrated by a lack of sufficient detail in a particular news story.I have come to form the view that great radio news is simply the most relevant facts placed into a meaningful context for the listener with any changes in that information updated across the day.  Good radio news is not about conjecture, opinion or what @zap321 thinks.  Radio’s news opportunity lies in being a beacon of regular fact-checked information across the day.  Let your personalities provide the conjecture, opinion and feedback.Whenever I think about the way news should be, I am inevitably drawn to the great Walter Cronkite. For decades he was voted “the most trusted man in America” which was largely the result of his single-minded dedication to being factual and providing the news in a context everyday people could understand.  There was also a refreshing simplicity to his news sign-off which wrapped up his approach to the task of delivering the news; “And that’s the way it is”By Wayne Clouten, BPR […]