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Taylor On Radio-Info

What's in today's issue of T-R-I?

Is WABC’s Phil Boyce headed to a new opportunity with Sean Hannity?

Phil Boyce, a tall guy, leaves some big shoes to fill at WABC.

It’s beginning to look a lot like…well, you know. Christmas.

Clear Channel says it’s not cutting sales commissions.

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STATIC

Here's what's happening on Radio-Info.com

Arbitron's Summer Phase II Arbitrends have wrapped up and our now available on the Radio-Info.com Ratings Page. The Summer Quarterly ratings will begin to be published on Tuesday, October 14 at 5 pm ET.

Markets scheduled to go live in September with PPM data will no longer have Arbitrends estimates available. These markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, San Jose, Riverside-San Bernardino, Nassau-Suffolk, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union.

RI 360°

Ross on Radio

Oldies Becomes Classic Hits and Motown Goes MIA

By Sean Ross

During the boom years of the Oldies format, '60s R&B (particularly Motown) was a reliable core sound -- exposed widely in movies and TV commercials and viable even for AC radio. So it's a little surprising to look at the 50 most-played songs at today's Classic Hits format and find only a handful of R&B titles. Or to see that "Respect" got less airplay last week than "Dancing In The Moonlight." We discuss why as "Oldies Becomes Classic Hits and Motown Goes MIA."

Sean Ross
Edison Media Research

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The Strategy Session

Radio-Info.com at the NAB Radio Show 2008

By Dana Hall

The team from Radio-Info.com is back from the NAB Radio Show 2008 in Austin, where we met with industry leaders, attended and reported on panels and workshops, and introduced our first-ever event publication "Radio's Innovators." While there, readers were able to meet Tom Taylor, of Taylor on Radio-Info at the Radio-Info.com information booth, and get a copy of our daily e-newsletter. We also gave attendees a sneak peak at the upcoming changes to the site, soon to be revealed here at Radio-Info.com.

Check out some of our candid shots here:

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NEWS

Friday, October 10, 2008

Read all today's news here

Read Taylor on Radio-Info

TOP STORYBoth New York and New Jersey sue Arbitron over PPM

New York A-G Andrew Cuomo got there first, this morning - and he wants the court to issue an injunction, claiming injury to minority broadcasters because of the introduction of a "flawed" electronic ratings system, and his suit asks for both civil penalties and restitution. Determining restitition alone might keep a bank of lawyers and accountants busy until the new trans-Hudson tunnel is finished, but Arbitron expected this filing, after getting a "five-day letter" of Andrew Cuomo's intent to sue. The ratings service surprised the Attorney General's office and the market by releasing the September PPMs for New York and seven other markets last Monday morning - two days early. Now comes a second suit, from a second state - from New Jersey A-G Milgram. How are the suits affecting Arbitron stock? Track it here.Discuss It

Jim Trapp & Seattle's Jack-FM part ways

Their slogan is "Playing what we want," but they'll be doing so with someone new at the helm. Radio-Info confirms a news tip that KJAQ-FM (96.5) PD Jim Trapp has exited the CBS-owned Jack-FM station in Seattle. While no permanent replacement has been named, Carey Curelop, the PD of sister-station KZOK-FM (102.5), will oversee KJAQ for now.

It's a very early Christmas in St. Louis - on "Movin'"

Bonneville previously announced plans to blow up the current rhythmic AC format on WMVN (101.1) and go all-sports in early 2009 - and the market thought it might go all-Christmas, as an attention-getting stunt. But the midnight-Thursday leap into Santa's sleigh probably caught everybody by surprise. Two years ago, a station in Atlantic City went Christmas on Halloween, but this year's "First all-Christmas Station" title easily goes to Movin' in St. Louis. Discuss It

KTLK-FM, Minneapolis duo claims that Magic Johnson "faked" AIDS

KTLK-FM (100.3) conservative talker Chris Baker is no stranger to controversy - He recently called presidential candidate Barack Obama "a little bitch." However, it was Wednesday's show with fellow K-Talk host Langdon Perry that raised the ire of basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson - when they said the former NBA star "faked AIDS." Johnson, who retired in 1991 after disclosing he had contracted HIV, released a statement saying, "I am outraged Chris Baker & Langdon Perry would minimize such a serious and deadly issue." The Minneapolis Star Tribune has a transcript of the comments here. Discuss It

Making Moves: Friday Afternoon

It's official - Kristin Cruz moves up the I-5 from KYXY in San Diego to become the new co-host with Mark Wallengren on KOST-FM (103.5) in Los Angeles. She's been a semi-regular at KOST since May ... Yes, that was presidential candidate Barack Obama chatting live on Thursday's Rocky & Rod's Radio Ranch morning show on WDGG-FM (93.7) in Ashland, Kentucky ... WIBB-AM (1280) in Macon, Georgia debuts a new talk show Monday morning, featuring Clear Channel director of urban programming Todd Haygood & former Macon City Council President Anita Ponder ... Global Traffic Network adds former Metro Traffic & Traffic.com's Perry Campayno as their US National Sales Manager ... WYPY-FM (100.7) in Baton Rouge is the new radio home for the Louisiana State University men's basketball team ... The University of Michigan hockey games will be found on CKWW-AM (580) for another season ... "New Jersey 101.5" WKXW-FM, Trenton PD Eric Johnson tells Radio-Info that Michelle Pilenza will return to her "After Hours" night program on Monday, following 3-months off for maternity leave.

Pennsylvania station on reduced power after vandals destroy the transmitter building

The only good news here is that the vandals who took a log skidder for a joyride didn't get electrocuted. Police in Williamsport, Pennsylvania say the bad guys crashed a large, commercial vehicle used for logging into a building housing the transmitter for WILQ-FM (105,1) during the overnight hours on Thursday. "Country 105," a 9,200-watt Class B station, is now broadcasting at one-tenth power, and it may have to stay that way for a month until repairs are completed. You can see the damage caused by the vandals in this WNEP-TV news report by clicking here.

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GUEST COLUMN

On The Mic

Radio-Info welcomes the industry's top thought leaders as guest columnists

Immobile Radio

By Jerry Del Colliano

To show you how clueless the radio industry is about the next generation and their technology look no further than Thursday's Inside Radio.

The industry is hell bent to put a radio tuner in every mobile device. The article says NAB, phone carriers and the FCC are all discussing ways to do it. And, they believe that within the next five years every portable phone device could be equipped with a radio chip.

Radio interests are pandering to the regulators telling them that putting radios in cell phones will solve a lot of problems pertaining to emergency notification.

All this is wonderful, but the proponents have forgotten one thing -- the mobile phone user.

The preponderance of mobile phone users are young -- many Gen Y or even younger -- and, forgive me for having to say it again -- they don't like radio.

Jerry Del Colliano

Inside Music Media

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