* "News/Talk 820" WBAP-AM, Dallas, is getting an FM simulcast on former Oldies "Platinum 96.7" KPMZ.
"With the largest reach of any AM signal in North Texas at 820 AM, WBAP will provide a full simulcast of its entire programming at 96.7 FM," says WBAP President & General Manager Keri Korzeniewski. "With crystal-clear FM fidelity, WBAP listeners now have a choice on how they listen to their favorite News/Talk station." Citadel moved KPMZ into stunt mode Friday (March 12), first with Texas music and then to "Reagan Radio," before revealing the plan to simulcast WBAP. Monday morning at 5am, 96.7 will begin the simulcast, becoming WBAP-FM. "WBAP made history in 1922 when it signed on the air," says Operations Manager Tyler Cox. "WBAP is making history again as it becomes the first News/Talk radio station in North Texas to offer its programming on both the AM and FM dial. Listeners searching for clear views of the issues have relied on WBAP 820 AM every day. Now, listeners searching for clear FM fidelity can also rely on WBAP 96.7 FM." The full lineup will air on both the AM and FM: WBAP Morning News with Hal Jay, Brian Estridge, Amy Chodroff, Steve Lamb, and Brad Barton; Mark Davis, 8:30-11am; PRN's Rush Limbaugh, 11am-2pm; Sean Hannity, 2-5pm; Citadel's Mark Levin, 5-8pm; Talk Radio Network's Laura Ingraham, 8-11pm; Citadel's John Batchelor, 11pm-midnight; and The Midnight Radio Show with Eric Harley and Gary McNamara in overnights.

Cox tells the Star-Telegram's Robert Philpot, "As you look at where the bulk of where radio listening takes place in this market and every other market, it's on the FM dial. We've certainly done exceptionally well [on AM], but when you look at situations in other markets where AM stations have added FM simulcast partners, it's just greatly increased the reach and audience size of the radio station." Cox added that even though WBAP has the nation's most powerful AM signal, some listeners, especially younger ones, will listen only to FM. "The average 30-year-old, many of them don't know what the AM button on the car radio stands for. Never have sampled it, and never will." Philpot writes, "Although Citadel, like many media companies, is having financial trouble, Cox said the simulcast is not a cost-cutting move." As "Platinum 96.7," KPMZ had one of the market's broadest playlists, focusing heavily on '60s and '70s songs, some of which got little to no airplay elsewhere in Dallas-Fort Worth. Ron Chapman, the North Texas radio legend who developed the playlist, said he was warned a couple of months ago by Citadel CEO Farid Suleman that the station might have to change formats. "Platinum never did not make money," Chapman said. "Platinum always made a little money. It just didn't make enough."

* Performance Rights Act opposition grows – reaches House majority plus 40, says the NAB.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Emeritus John Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) have become the latest House co-sponsors of a bipartisan Congressional resolution opposing the PRA, which would mandate that local radio stations pay royalties for the airing of recorded music. The Local Radio Freedom Act — which opposes "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" — is now backed by 258 House lawmakers, 40 more than a House majority. "The growing Congressional opposition comes as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) continues to lobby in support of legislation that would require local radio stations to pay an additional fee for every song aired free to listeners," says the NAB in a March 12 news release.

The NAB adds, "Underscoring the importance of radio airplay, pop musician Chris Brown recently recorded an online audio message essentially begging his fans to keep him relevant with radio airplay. 'Some radio station's aren't playing my records,' Brown told his fans in the audio message. 'They're not being as supportive, and I wouldn't expect them to. ... My singing, my music, it's all great, and I do it for y'all, and I do it for the love and everything else, but it won't be possible if I'm not relevant on the radio.' " The NAB also notes that Thursday brought an end to a lawsuit filed by Pink Floyd against their London-based record label, EMI Group, over online royalty payments and the sale of single tracks. According to news reports, the court decision will prevent EMI from selling single downloads from the band's albums. The outcome of the royalty issue was delivered in private after EMI submitted an application citing commercial confidentiality, according to The Financial Times. Pink Floyd is the latest group in a long line of musicians who have filed lawsuits against their record label to recoup allegedly unpaid royalties, including the Beatles, Cher, Dr. Dre, Eminem, and the estates of Count Basie and Benny Goodman. The NAB has been noting such reports because the labels claim the PRA royalties would be "for the recording artists," even though they would actually be paid to the labels.

* Nielsen:  Multicultural ad spending declines in 2009, but less than the overall ad market.
Spending on Spanish Language and African-American media declined 4.7% and 7.3%, respectively, in 2009, according to figures released Friday (March 12) by The Nielsen Company. The declines are consistent with the trend in overall advertising, although the drops aren’t as deep. Last month, Nielsen reported that ad spending fell 9% in 2009, despite significant increases in Cable TV. Nielsen found that Spanish Language advertising was down 4.7% in the U.S. last year. A total of $5.4 billion was spent on all Spanish Language media in 2009, down almost $270 million from the previous year. The slide was paced by significant declines in National Magazine and Local Newspaper advertising, which were down 38% and 25%, respectively. The decreases in print media were offset by a 32% increase in Spanish Language Cable advertising. Nielsen found that 19 of the top 20 advertisers in the medium increased their ad spends year over year. Spot TV was the top cash generator for Spanish Language media in 2009 with an estimated $1.4 billion in ad sales, down 10% compared to the previous year. Spot Radio, however, showed the smallest decrease year-to-year at only 0.8% compared to Spot TV's 10% decline. Spending on African-American media saw a similar decline of 7.3% in 2009. The decline was paced by decreased spending in Network TV (-72%) and National Magazines (-33%). Increased spending on Cable TV helped balance out the losses. Advertisers spent 35% more on African-American Cable in 2009, thanks to added spending by each one of the top 20 advertisers in the category. Spot Radio earned the most revenue among African-American media in 2009. Advertisers spent $748 million on the medium last year. Again, Spot Radio's decrease was the smallest in percentage at -9.6%.

The top spending product category for both Spanish Language and African-American media was Quick Service Restaurants. Advertisers within the category spent $335 million on Spanish Language media and $87 million on African-American media. McDonald’s was the top fast food advertiser in both media segments. The Automotive category was the next highest spender in both multicultural media. Spending in Spanish Language was down 39% in 2009, paced by double-digit percent losses by each of the top five auto advertisers. Spending by the auto industry in African-American media was down 18% year over year. The category showing the most growth among the top 10 Spanish Language advertisers was Satellite TV providers. Advertisers in this category upped their ad spends 77% in 2009, as satellite TV companies made the pitch for their services in the run up to the DTV transition in June 2009. According to Nielsen data, a larger percentage of Hispanic households were not ready for the transition than non-Hispanic households at the end of 2008. Insurance companies showed the most growth among the top 10 African-American media spenders. General Insurance and Car Insurance categories placed 8th and 9th after increases of 29% and 24%, respectively. The Motion Picture category showed similar growth, increasing its spend 24% to $72 million.   More from Nielsen...

* Sirius XM says it plans to offer $550 million in notes to pay off debt that comes due earlier.
The satcaster Friday (March 12) said the issuance of the senior notes, due in 2015, will allow it to redeem notes due in 2013 and pay fees and expenses of the offering. The company intends to use any remaining net proceeds for general corporate purposes. Sirius XM has bolstered its books and restructured its debt following an investment last year from John Malone's Liberty Media Corp that gave Malone a 40% equity stake in the company. More from Sirius XM...

* Entercom reaches agreement with Bank Of America on an amended credit agreement.
While the amendment doesn't change Entercom's interest rate for the most part, it does afford the broadcast company some breathing room. The agreement changes the company's maximum leverage ratio to 7 to 1 in 2010 and drops the ratio in quarterly increments starting in 2011. The two-tier structure makes a loan default less likely. However, Entercom will face certain limits on when it can pay dividends or buy back its stock. Entercom's interest rate remains the same except for two new pricing levels based on the leverage ratio, with a higher rate if the ratio exceeds 6.5 to 1, and restrictions will apply on the company's ability to declare dividends and repurchase stock.

* The judge in the Citadel bankruptcy sets a deadline for creditors to file proofs of claim.
Judge Burton Lifland entered an order setting the date as April 21 &mdash June 18 for government units filing claims. The bankruptcy court judge also has approved Citadel's motion to authorize the company to reject certain contracts, including some programming contracts, and unexpired leases of real property. No responses to that motion were filed by the March 2 deadline. A hearing to consider Citadel's motion for approval of its debtors' disclosure statement is scheduled for Monday (March 15). Other motions related to Citadel's Chapter 11 reorganization will also be heard Monday.

* "Matty In The Morning'' moves to WERZ-FM, Portsmouth, NH, as the Clear Channel station flips from AC to Hot AC.
"Matty In The Mornings'' moves from WERZ sister CHR-Top40 "Kiss 95.3" WSKX. The show is syndicated from co-owned CHR-Top40 "Kiss 108" WXKS, Boston. Says WERZ General Manager Joe Graham, "Matty brings the music of WERZ to life with guests such as Justin Timberlake, Shakira, and Fergie. Having Matty In The Morning as part of the WERZ lineup is a logical choice, many of our listeners have been fans for a very long time." The station, billed as "107.1 FM WERZ," is celebrating Matty's arrival with a contest to give 10 listeners 107 chances to win $12 million in the New Hampshire Lottery's "Mega Millions."

* Radio sales veteran Hank McMonigle is named VP & Market Manager for NextMedia Group's North Dallas cluster.
"Hank is a perfect fit for our Texas cluster, and his success speaks volumes about his experience and what he'll bring to our North Dallas operations," says NextMedia Group President Jeff Dinetz. "We are continuing to strategically add employees in our radio group, and to attract a top-notch executive like Hank demonstrates our continued focus on investing in our people and business. We look forward to working with Hank and are confident that his relationships and knowledge will help us grow our presence in North Dallas." NextMedia's North Dallas cluster consists of AC KLAK-FM, Classic Rock KMAD-FM, and Country KMKT-FM. McMonigle was most recently General Sales Manager at Cumulus' Country KPLX, Dallas. "NextMedia is a world class organization and I'm pleased to join the North Dallas team to contribute to their ambitious goals," says McMonigle. "To be able to join a cluster that has such enormous upside potential and the complete backing of the company makes this position a unique and welcome opportunity for me."

* Cumulus Media names Matt Gillon as Market Manager for its Cedar Rapids and Waterloo markets.
"Matt is an extremely talented broadcaster and manager," says Cumulus co-COO Jon Pinch. "He understands what it takes to build a great team and he has roots in the Cedar Rapids and Waterloo area. Matt will be a great addition to our management team." Gillon, most recently Director of Sales for Clear Channel Des Moines, will oversee four FM stations in Cedar Rapids and three in Waterloo, as Cumulus Market Manager in the two Iowa markets.

* The Academy of Country Music names its radio award winners, with a number of ties.
CBS Radio's KMPS, Seattle, and Citadel's KSCS-FM, Dallas, tie for Major Market Station of the Year. Curtis Media's WQDR, Dallas, wins for Large Market station. KIZN-FM, Boise, and KUZZ-AM & FM, Bakersfield tie for Medium Market station. WGSQ-FM, Cookeville, TN, and WUSY-FM, Chattanooga, TN, tie for Small Market station. CMT Radio Live host Cody Alan is National On-Air Personality of the Year, while KNIX-FM/Phoenix's Ben Campbell and Matt McAllister are the Major Market award winners. WSIX-FM, Nashville hosts Gerry House, Mike Bohan, Al Voecks, Duncan Stewart, and Richard Falken are the Large Market Personality of the Year winners. KIIM-FM, Tucson, personality Buzz Jackson wins for Medium Market. WFRE-FM, Frederick, MD, host Jess Wright wins for Small Market . Winners will be invited to receive their awards in Las Vegas, April 17. Personality of the Year winners will voice bumpers leading into commercials on the awards telecast, airing April 18.

* Radio One wants to expand its Detroit coverage as it purchases FM translator W206BI, Hamtramck, MI.
Radio One's Bell Broadcasting makes the buy from Best Media, spending $120,000. There's already an application filed with the FCC to move the translator's frequency from noncommercial 89.1 to 99.9 FM. Radio One wants to use the new frequency to rebroadcast its Urban "105.9 Kiss FM" WDMK, Detroit, on 99.9. At least that's what the filing at the FCC says. Several reports suggest the real deal might be an FM signal for Black Talk WCHB-AM.

* The FCC names Karen Peltz Strauss as Deputy Chief in the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.
Strauss is a former Deputy Bureau Chief of the FCC's former Consumer Information Bureau, and has worked at Gallaudet University's National Center for Law and Deafness. She's a co-founder of the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT). Strauss will work on disability issues and accessibility issues in relation to the National Broadband Plan. "The FCC has a vital role to play in empowering and protecting all consumers and ensuring they have access to world-class communications networks and technologies," says Chairman Julius Genachowski. "I look forward to drawing on Karen's extensive experience with telecommunications access issues to realize those goals."

* Newly introduced Congressional legislation would assign an engineer to the staff of each FCC Commissioner.
The bill, H.R. 4809, was introduced in Congress by Rep Jerry McNerney in response to appeals by the Society of Broadcast Engineers to increase the level of technical expertise available to the Commissioners. McNerney's bill is similar to one already introduced in the Senate by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), which also require the position of "staff engineer" to either hold a degree in electrical engineering or be a computer scientist.

* Richard Roeper is joining News-Talk WLS-AM, Chicago, as Roe Conn’s afternoon show partner as of April 12.
The star columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, author and nationally known movie critic, will join Conn on the 2-6pm afternoon show to be officially called “The Roe Conn Show with Richard Roeper.” But, according to Chicago Media reporter Robert Feder at Vocalo.org, WLS President & GM Michael Damsky says, “I anticipate that we’ll hear a lot of the shorthand ‘Roe and Roeper.’ ” It’s a radio homecoming of sorts for Roeper, writes Feder. Roeper began as a Sunday morning talk show host on WLS in the early ’90s and eventually landed his own daily midday show on WLS-FM during its run with a “young talk” format from 1994 to 1995. His boss then, as now, was operations director Drew Hayes. In accepting the two-year deal, negotiated by agent Brian Musburger, Roeper turned down an offer to host his own two-hour daily show on Tribune News-Talk WGN-AM. Reached Thursday (March 11) while en route from a television taping in Albuquerque to a poker tournament in Las Vegas, Roeper said, “Roe and I have been talking for years about doing something together. This is the perfect opportunity. One of the reasons WLS was the right fit for me was that Drew [Hayes] was the first person who hired me in radio. I’ve been friends with him for 20 years. I’m joining an established show that’s hosted by a friend of mine who’s a consummate pro. I’ve even known the producer, Jocko [Hedblade]. I’m joining an established franchise. It gives me comfort in knowing that.”

* "Spa 1510" KSPA, Anaheim, CA, sets its lineup for debut of "Southern California Talk," Monday (March 15).
We previously reported that CRN Digital Talk Radio and the Astor Broadcast Group are partnering to create the new Talk format. With Mike Horn, President and CEO of CRN Digital Talk, becoming Program Director and Sales Consultant, KSPA-AM will offer Mancow, 3am; Laura Ingraham, 6am; a cooking show, 9am; Chuck Wilder, 11am; Dr. Laura Schlessinger, noon; Michael Savage, 3pm; Rusty Humphries, 6pm; Horn's own PM Show, 9pm; Lee Klein or John and Jeff, 10pm; and Barry Farber, 2am. Details are expected to appear on www.am1510kspa.com. The Ocean County Register's Radio Reporter Gary Lycan reports, "The original announcement said Doug McIntyre's Red Eye Radio would air at 10pm, but that decision is on hold pending final clearance approval from KABC/790 AM which airs Red Eye in Los Angeles." On co-owned KFSD-AM, the new "SoCal Talk" format will begin April 1. Fans of "The Spa" music on 1510 will still be able to hear John Pizzarelli, Big Band Jump, Sid Mark's Sinatra and Jazz at the Spa shows on the weekend. Lycan writes, "Orange County broadcaster Art Astor has earned his reputation as a trailblazer, a man whose innovative and energetic personality has made him, at 84, a person not to take lightly when he comes up with a new idea." Astor believes the strong talk talent line-up will create "a lucrative environment for advertisers." And the O.C. Register Radio Reporter says, "Knowing Astor, he has what I call the three P's – patience, persistence and passion – to turn his goal into a reality."

* A new Website advocates radio stations fight the Performance Rights Act by withholding airplay for a day.
Adult Variety Hits (and former Classic Country) KXIT, Dalhart, TX, owner George Chambers launched the online site NoPlayToday.com to urge stations to withhold airplay of music by selected artists for one day, as a way to protest the artists' support for the Performance Rights Act legislation. Chambers is claiming the campaign has already attracted the support of 27 radio stations, although for now he's not identifying them. NoPlayToday.com lists a calendar of artists to withhold on each day, starting Friday (March 12), and continuing through April 30. The "no play today" artist for March 12 was Jody Watley. Saturday (13), Don Henley should lose spins. One radio Program Director tells TPMedia News, "The concept is great! But the artists listed are mostly ones that my station never airs anyway. Someone needs to expand the concept to various boycott calendars on artists currently receiving major aiplay on hit music stations, both Mainstream Top 40 and Hot AC. That would make a greater impact. However, stations can expect the musicFIRST coalition to file complaints against them with the FCC." The PD quoted is not named by TPM NewsPage, not because he fears an FCC complaint, but because: "I have a good working relationship with the labels and their promoters, and need music service ... so don't print my name."

* LOL – "Laugh Out Loud" – Radio – debuts in Joplin, KS, replacing "Cool 104.3" on KMOQ.
America Media Investments, which owns the station, is investing in the power of laughter as it flips the station to a Comedy format as "Laugh Out Loud Radio 104.3." Says AMI Co-Director Jennifer Isom, "It's non-stop jokes and that's what we want," She says they "don't want any negativity" but want listeners "to really enjoy" the station. "Hopefully it will brighten your day up a little bit." The station claims to have a library of 2,000 comedy bits. If the station is successful, AMI will LOL all the way to the bank. (Now, we're waiting to see what some station will do with "ROFL.")