WPRO-AM, Providence and Talk Host John DePetro Go Separate Ways.
? During the month of December, the late morning talk show hosted by longtime WPRO-AM personality
John DePetro
was handled by a rotating cast of fill-in hosts.? DePetro had referenced a “health situation” on his website.? Then, just before Christmas,
DePetro notified listeners via his website of his departure from the station.? He wrote, in part, “At this time, I have decided to conclude my entertaining weekday 9:00 am -12:00 noon radio show on WPRO.? Thank you to all my listeners for making 2016 my best year ever in radio, with my coverage of the Trump campaign, my many exclusives, plus my national work on ‘The Savage Nation’ and
CNN
. ?I am very grateful for the many loyal listeners who have been entertained by my program on WPRO over the past 10 years.”? So far, WPRO has not named a replacement host, nor has the
Cumulus Media
news/talk station officially addressed DePetro’s departure.
Programming Moves at iHeartMedia Denver.
? This affects both news/talk KOA and sports talk KDSP.? First, at KOA “NewsRadio 850 AM & 94.1 FM,” the new afternoon show is Lewis & Logan from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm featuring
Rick Lewis
and
Dave Logan
.? The duo will be joined by
Kathy Lee
as co-host and
Robbyn Hart
as
news anchor. ??In June of 2014,
iHM
tweaked afternoons by bringing Denver TV and radio pro
Susie Wargin
aboard to co-host with Logan for the 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm hours and the show moved away from being sports-centric.? Wargin then co-hosted a newsy program with
Mike Rice
from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.? Wargin moves to the company’s classic rock KRFX.? Also at KOA,
Cory Lopez
is the new host of “PrimeTime Sports,” airing weeknights from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.? At sports talk KDSP, “Denver Sports 760,” Mike Rice hosts the 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm show.? The new duo of
Ed McCaffrey
and
Andy Lindahl
will co-host the 10:00 am to 1:00 pm program.
KCMO-AM, Kansas City Announces New Program Lineup.
? There are two talk personalities returning to
Cumulus Media
’s news/talk simulcast KCMO-AM/K279BI as the station announces its new, 2017 program lineup. ?Longtime Kansas City talk personality
Greg Knapp
is back on the station after a nine-
month absence to host the morning drive program.? Knapp hosted the afternoon show at KCMO until late April of 2016.?
Westwood One
’s rollout of the national
Chris Plante
program brings him back to KCMO in the 11:00 am to 1:00 pm slot.?
Tom Becka
remains in the 9:00 am to 11:00 am slot, while
Mike Ferguson
moves from middays to afternoon drive (4:00 pm to 6:00 pm) with co-host and producer
Jared Carter
.? Nationally syndicated superstar
Dave Ramsey
also remains in his current 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm timeslot.? Knapp takes over mornings for
Rob Carson
, who exited late last year.
‘PowerTalk’ in Fresno Launches New Early Evening Program.
? Fresno news/talk simulcast KALZ-FM/KRZR-AM “PowerTalk 96.7 and AM 1400” announces the debut of the
Guillermo Moreno
program, this
evening from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.? The
iHeartMedia
station says Moreno “will take a conservative approach to local and national issues ? including politics, business headlines and pop culture ? from the perspective of a Latino millennial and for listeners of all ages.”? Moreno comments, “I’m excited to continue breaking the political and radio establishment mold and thrilled to be among the first young Latino millennial hosts in the Central Valley.? Fresno is the greatest city in America and I’m honored to continue my passion for politics with my generation here at home.”
December PPMs: Some Notable Occurrences.
TALKERS
magazine managing editor
Mike Kinosian
presents a look at some significant happenings, from a ratings perspective, relative to
Nielsen Audio
’s December PPM survey.? Among them are the return to earth for
CBS RADIO
’s sports talk WSCR, Chicago and
iHeartMedia
’s WTAM, Cleveland ? both of which benefitted mightily from the performances of the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians leading up to and including the World Series.? See more interesting highlights
here
.
2017 CES Preview.
? Media consultant
Holland Cooke
is in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show reporting for
TALKERS
magazine and he files the following:
165 THOUSAND of us ? from 150 countries ? are heading to the massive, mind-boggling Consumer Electronics Show.
This year is the 50th annual CES.? Back in 1967, there were ooohs and ahhhs for console color TVs.? Are you old-enough to remember the handsome woodwork?? Some had built-in stereo systems…but only for the vinyl you played on the turntable.? Stereo TV sound?? Someday.
50 years ago, only 14 companies were showing-off their stuff, in 100,000 square feet of exhibit space.? Back-to-the-future: Today, when they cut the virtual ribbon, four THOUSAND companies will display in 2.4 MILLION square feet of Las Vegas Convention Center.? Picture FIFTY football fields.
And that’s just inside.? Outdoors, there’ll be drones up above, and down-below we’ll be test-driving cars with no gas tank, and cars with no driver.
Technology accounts for 15 million American jobs.? Not everyone becomes a billionaire, by inventing, for instance, the smartphone.? But someone became a millionaire by accessorizing it with the Selfie Stick.
Much of what we’ll see here this week is here-today-gone-tomorrow.? Many of these companies didn’t exist a couple years ago, and many won’t be around a couple years from now.? Innovation is the-name-of-the-game, and that makes CES a welcome pump-up for radio broadcasters attending.
Look for my reports here in
TALKERS
all this week, and listen for updates on “America in the Morning” and “The Jim Bohannon Show,” or at
www.HollandCooke.com
.
Terry Foster Returns to WXYT-FM, Detroit’s Afternoon Drive Show.
? After missing a lot of time on the air during the latter part of 2016 due to a stroke caused by high blood pressure,
Terry Foster
is returning to the
“Valenti and Foster” program with co-host
Mike Valenti
on sports talk “97.1 The Ticket.”? Program director
Jimmy Powers
states, “We are excited that Terry is returning to the ‘Valenti and Foster’ show.? His humor and insight have been missed not only by his co-workers, but by the listeners. ?I sincerely appreciate and would like to thank
Jeff Riger
for sitting in for Terry while he was out; the show didn’t miss a beat.”? Foster comments, “I have been on the sidelines for too long.? I missed a lot of good stories and a lot of good times.? I’m glad to be back on the train again.? I want to thank all of the listeners and my co-workers for their encouraging words, they got me through a tough time.”
Dan Lovallo Joins AM Show on Connoisseur’s ‘Talk of CT.’
? The news/talk multi-cast heard on
Connoisseur Media
’s “The Talk of CT” (WDRC-AM, Hartford; WMMW, Meriden; WWCO, Waterbury; and WSNG, Torrington) is adding well-known Connecticut radio personality
Dan Lovallo
to the
Brad Davis
morning show.? Lovallo has been with the stations in various capacities over the years.? In addition to news duties on the
company’s sister classic rock WFOX, Southport (Bridgeport-Stamford market), Lovallo will also host his own Connecticut politics-focused show, “CT On The Hill,” on “The Talk of CT” every day at 9:00 am.? This is one of a number of changes at the Connecticut operations of Connoisseur and OM
Keith Dakin
comments, “These changes, across our portfolio, indicate a strong commitment to localism.? Radio will continue to be vibrant if it remains a true fabric of the community with more local morning shows, local news and people from Connecticut behind the microphones.”
Free Talk Live Hosts Prevail at NH Supreme Court.
?This case goes back three years to a suit filed against “Free Talk Live” hosts
Ian Freeman
and
James Cleaveland
by the City of Keene, New Hampshire.? The long-running courtroom saga of the “Robin Hood of Keene” all started when Freeman and Cleaveland began plugging the parking meters of citizens whose time was running out and were about to get parking tickets issued by the city’s
parking enforcers.? The city sued, alleging among other things that Freeman and Cleaveland were “threatening, intimidating, and harassing” the parking enforcers ? something the court ruled the city was unable to prove.? The pair won their case at the superior court level but the city took the case all the way to the state supreme court.? Freeman informs
TALKERS
that “the supreme court agreed with the superior court that the city’s proposed injunction, which would keep us away from their enforcers, was unconstitutional.? It’s a victory for freedom of speech in the public streets.”
‘Kilmeade & Friends’ Adds 24 New Affiliates.
? The nationally syndicated “Kilmeade & Friends” late morning
show hosted by
Fox News
personality
Brian Kilmeade
and produced and distributed by Fox News Radio, adds 24 new radio affiliates.? Some of the stations adding the 9:00 am to 12:00 noon ET program include: WHIO-AM/FM, Dayton; WOKV, Jacksonville; WRHI, Charlotte; WMMI, Flint, Michigan; KZRG, Joplin, Missouri; WFIN, Toledo; and WNIX-AM, Greenville, Mississippi.
Odds & Sods.
? Nationally syndicated, San Antonio-based talk show host
Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo
is now heard on
an number of new affiliate stations across the country, including: KZRG, Joplin, Missouri; KHVH, Honolulu; KMBZ, Kansas City; KSTE, Sacramento; WATX, Cookeville, Tennessee and more…..Syndicated morning show “
Walton
&
Johnson
” changes affiliates in both New Orleans and Baton Rouge.? The program is moving from
Entercom
classic rocker WKBU to
iHeartMedia
’s news/talk WRNO in New Orleans and from
Guaranty
’s classic rock WDGL to iHM’s news/talk WJBO in Baton Rouge…..
Westwood One
is celebrating the 25th anniversary of “The
Dave Ross
Show” and announces
it is extending its relationship with Ross (who also serves as morning news host at KIRO-FM, Seattle).? The daily feature is heard on more than 200 stations nationwide including: WCBS-AM, New York; KNX, Los Angeles; WBBM-AM, Chicago; and WTOP-FM, Washington.? Ross also guest hosts for
Charles Osgood
on “The Osgood File.”…..
Robert K. Tanenbaum
, trial attorney, author of 31 books, and former mayor of Beverly Hills, will be featured in a new segment titled, “Book Buzz,” on
Patzi Gil
’s “Joy on Paper” radio show, which airs twice weekly on
Radio Works
’ WTAN, Clearwater, Florida…..Executive vice president
Paul Cramer
exits
Triton Digital
after 16 years with the company and its predecessors.? ?He’s excited about his next challenge in the digital solutions space and can be reached at
PaulCramer@Outlook.com
or 716-508-4104.
Music Radio Trade Publication?
RadioInfo
?to Be Absorbed into?
TALKERS
?Magazine.
? Beginning today, January 3, 2017, the music radio industry trade publication?
RadioInfo
?is folded into an expanded incarnation of?
TALKERS
?magazine (
www.Talkers.com
?and the daily?
TALKERS
?email newsletter) and ceases to be distributed as a stand-alone entity.? According to?
TALKERS/RadioInfo
?VP/executive editor?
Kevin Casey
, “This has been a transition in the works for a number of months now.? Because,?
RadioInfo
?has shared main headquarters and staff with?
TALKERS
?for the past five years, there has been a significant degree of duplication between the publications, especially regarding general industry stories that cover all formats.? It makes sense from a standpoint of economy, proficiency and expediency to combine these into one ‘super’ trade journal.? We will continue to provide?
RadioInfo
?readers and newsletter subscribers with the latest news events and personnel changes in music radio within the pages of?
TALKERS
.? We also are expanding our coverage of the talented talk-oriented hosts heard across America on music station morning programs that we categorize as ‘pop culture talk.’” ?Subscribers to the daily?
RadioInfo
?email newsletter, not already signed up for?
TALKERS
, will be added to the
TALKERS
list so they will continue to receive the service.??
RadioInfo
?was founded as a set of radio discussion boards and an accompanying general online industry news platform in 1999 by young radio enthusiast and entrepreneur?
Doug Fleming
?who tragically passed away in 2005 at the age of 25.? The entity, known as?
Radio-Info.com
, continued to be published by Doug’s parents?
Diana?
and
?Rick Fleming
?until 2012. ?At that time, the discussion boards were acquired by trade publication?
Radio Ink
’s parent corporation?
Streamline Publishing?
and eventually discontinued.? The trade publication side was acquired by?
TALKERS
?magazine’s parent company?
Talk Media, Inc.
?and transitioned into the music radio incarnation of?
RadioInfo
.
Talent Moves at KRFX, Denver.
? At
iHeartMedia
’s Denver classic rock KRFX “103.5 The Fox,” 25-year
morning personalities
Rick Lewis
and
Kathy Lee
renew and extend their contracts with the station.? At the same time, the station announces Denver radio and TV pro
Susie Wargin
is the new midday personality and market radio pro
Uncle Nasty
assumes the afternoon drive daypart.
Talent Moves at Connoisseur Connecticut.
?At the Connecticut operations of
Connoisseur Media
, operations manager
Keith Dakin
announces changes to a number of the company’s stations designed to increase their commitment to focus on “being more local and involved in the community.” ?First,
Ken Tuccio
is named the new morning drive host at classic rock WFOX, Southport (Bridgeport-Stamford market).? He’ll be joined by news broadcaster
Dan Lovallo
with Fairfield County-centric news updates every 30 minutes.? The station will air local news throughout the day during the shifts of new midday host
Pam Ciaburri
and afternoon host
Allan Lamberti
. ?Additionally,
Cari Edwards
is the new evening personality.? At rock WPLR, New Haven,
Kevin Begley
adds programming duties for the station to his current responsibilities serving as PD for hot AC WEZN “Star 99.9” and WFOX.? Finally, at classic rock WDRC-FM, Hartford “102.9 The WHALE,”
Allan Lamberti
takes over the programming duties (in addition to hosting evenings).? The jock lineup consists of:
Michael Picozzi
in morning,
Suzi Klonk
in middays, and Keith Dakin in afternoons.
iHeartMedia Adds ‘Mojo in the Morning’ to CHR WSNX, Grand Rapids.
? The AM drive show “Mojo in the
Morning” ? featuring
Mojo
,
Shannon
, and
Spike
? based at
iHeartMedia
’s CHR WKQI, Detroit “Channel 95.5,” is the new morning show at the company’s West Michigan CHR WSNX, Grand Rapids, effective January 16.? Mojo says, “We love Michigan and are so excited to have the show heard in West Michigan.? As a big fan of SNX, we are honored to be on the two best CHR radio station brands in Michigan!”
KKHH Hits ‘The Spot.’
?Among stations making format modifications over the holidays was
CBS RADIO
Houston CHR KKHH “Hot 95-7,” which transitions to adult hits “95.7 The Spot.” Supplementing “The Spot” identity is the slogan “Your Place – Your Music – Your Way – A Radio Station Unlike Any Other in Town.” ?The format change
means
Cumulus Media
’s KRBE will now have the market’s CHR lane to itself. ?CBS RADIO senior vice president and Houston market manager
Sarah Frazier
comments, “We worked exhaustively to understand what Houston listeners were missing from their local radio stations. ?They told us they wanted their own ‘spot’ to hear their favorite music hits, a ‘spot’ to relax and energize at work, and a ‘spot’ to feel comfy and complete.” ?Representative “Spot” artists include
Aerosmith
,
Bon Jovi
,
Michael Jackson
,
Madonna
,
Prince
, and
U2
. ?Among persons 6+ in
Nielsen Audio
’s December 2016
PPM
report, KKHH is flat at 2.7 (#18), while KRBE gains two-tenths to 3.5 (#14);
iHeartMedia
adult contemporary KODA “Sunny 99.1” is #1 (7.3, 6+).
JVC Goes True Oldies in the Palm Beaches.
?? This change is the result of a partnership with
Scott Shannon
’s True Oldies format.?
JVC Broadcasting
announces that WBGF, Belle Glade, Florida flips from rock as “93.5 The
Bar” to oldies as “True Oldies 93.5.”? JVC Broadcasting of South Florida vice president and general manager
Matt Goldapper
says, “True Oldies is the perfect fit for the West Palm Beach market ? lots of jingles, lots of voices and all the hits all the time. ?This music is just missing from the radio here in South Florida and with our sister stations ‘95.9 The Palm’ and ‘900 AM The Talk of the Palm Beaches,’ we are just super-serving this market.? The best part of this radio mix is the partnership with radio legend Scott Shannon who is the genius behind this entertaining and upbeat radio format.”
More Career Moves and Music Radio News
.
? At the Kansas City cluster of
Cumulus Media
, the company announces that the
Premiere Networks
-syndicated
Steve Harvey
show is now airing in mornings at urban
contemporary KMJK “Magic 107.3.”? Meanwhile, at sister classic hits KCMO-FM, Kansas City radio pro
Steve-O
assumes the afternoon drive host duties, following
Lance Tidwell
, who takes over the middays
program…..The syndicated “
Ace
&
TJ
Show” announces the official return of former cast member
Guenn (Peterson) Schneider
. She was previously part of the Ace & TJ? team from 2007-2011.? Following her departure from the show, Guenn worked with various media outlets in Charlotte…..
Alpha Media
launched a new contemporary rock outlet on translator W259CL, Orangeburg, South Carolina at 99.7 FM in the Columbia market on December 27.? The station will feature such core artists as
Green Day
,
Kings of Leon
,
Red Hot Chili Peppers
,
Blink 182
, and the
Foo Fighters
.? Alpha Media EVP of programming
Scott Mahalick
comments, “Alpha continues to grow and invest in Columbia with our latest addition of a contemporary rock station. ?‘Rock 99.7’ will be a great companion to our classic rock station ‘Fox 102.3’ WMFX.”…..
Refuge Media
closes on its purchase of classic rock KMFG, Nashwauk, Minnesota.? Refuge bought the station from
Midwest Communications, Inc
.