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Nielsen Diary Markets 12+ Trends November 2024 6 am-midnight

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Nielsen Diary Markets 12+ Trends November 2024 6 am-midnight

#63 Honolulu

AC KSSK has a huge month 13.0-15.0

Ethnic KINE 7.3-6.9

Caribbean KDNN drops 7.7-6.4

#66 Fresno

Hip Hop KBOS reaches a four-month high 6.9-7.7

Oldies KMGV posts a nice gain 4.8-6.0

Regional Mexican KLBN up 4.9-5.2

#70 Albuquerque

American General Media holds the top two spots.

Classic Rock KIOT flat 5.2-5.2

Hip Hop KKSS 4.7-5.1

Rock KZRR 4.9-4.9

#72 Knoxville

Country WIVK tumbles but hangs on to first place 13.4-11.8

AC WJXB 8.3-8.5

Classic Rock WIMZ drops 8.8-8.3

#74 Allentown

Classic Rocker WODE stays number 1 despite a big loss 13.0-10.0

Country WCTO gains 7.4-8.6

Top 40 WAEB drops 8.4-7.9

#76 El Paso

Classic Hits KOFX continues its market dominance 12.7-12.9

AC KTSM posts a nice gain 7.6-8.9

Rock KLAQ drops 7.2-6.7

#79 Wilkes Barre-Scranton

Classic Rock sits atop the market despite a 9.4-8.3 loss

Top 40 WKRZ 8.8-7.8

Country WGGY 8.0-7.7

You can dive deeper into each market on Barrett Media’s ratings page. Powered by Harker Bos Group.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Former WTIC 1080 Host Bruce Stevens Dies

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Bruce Stevens, who spent a decade hosting at WTIC 1080, has died, according to a report from The Laurel in Connecticut.

Stevens hosted at the station until 2006 when he departed after his contract wasn’t renewed.

Bruce Stevens began his talk radio career in Maine at WGAN before eventually working at stations like WBZ in Boston, WKRC in Cincinnati, WIBC in Indianapolis, and various other stations during his lengthy career in the medium.

According to the Maine Association of Broadcasters, Stevens retired just over two years ago after working at a small group of music stations in the state.

Funeral arrangements for the longtime talk radio host are pending.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Top Movies Featuring Iconic Roulette Online Scenes

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Roulette has long served as a metaphor for risk, elegance, and the tantalizing prospect of a life-changing win. From the spinning wheel in a glamorous casino to the chilling tension of a Russian roulette sequence, movies have captured the allure of this iconic game time and again. This article will discuss some of the most unforgettable roulette scenes on film while explaining in detail the nuances with which this game is perceived and also answering questions popularly related to this game as obtained from several films.

The Thrill of the Game in Cinema

The cinematic appeal of the game lies in its simplicity and randomness. Unlike casino card games, where skill more often than not is the predictor of the outcome, the game represents pure chance. From the clicking of the ball on the wheel to the hush of anticipation and the unified gasp as the ball falls onto a number, it’s a perfect backdrop for dramatic storytelling. Filmmakers have embraced the game, from spy thrillers to psychological dramas, to better ramp up the tension and show their characters’ willingness to gamble it all.

What Movie Features Russian Roulette?

One of the most harrowing sights in the history of films is to be found in a no-holds-barred game of Russian roulette enacted in The Deer Hunter way back in 1978. Such table games related to casinos are much less vicious than the life-and-death stakes of the game here. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the scene made the characters confront their mortality through this chilling test of nerves.

While this pastime involves the use of a wheel with spinning numbers, Russian roulette is performed with a revolver fitted out with a single cartridge of a bullet. The psychological load of such a scene in this very moment differs sharply from any elegance traditionally associated with roulette and, more importantly, stresses the fact that games of chance can assume the most unprecedented forms if set in inappropriate contexts.

The Digital Revolution

The growth of Roulette Online in recent years has catapulted it into an international game. Websites with live dealer interactions narrow the gap between actual casinos and digital gaming. Films such as Molly’s Game depicted that, as early as 2017, the evolution was present in the characters through both the classic card games of casinos and through new, technology-enabled ways.

Roulette Online offers the same thrills as its physical counterpart but with the added convenience of playing anytime and anywhere. This accessibility has also inspired a new generation of filmmakers to include digital gaming in their stories, reflecting the changing landscape of casino culture.

What Are the Best Plays?

The best plays in this pastime depend on the player’s risk tolerance. Movies love to make one think of high-risk bets, such as all chips on one number and a payout of 35 to 1. Yet, more practical and thus frequent ones have to do with even money, like odd/even or red/black, offering just a safe yet thrilling option to play. In Casablanca (1942), Rick assures a young couple by influencing the outcome, showcasing emotional stakes tied to these “best plays.”

The scene reminds one that the game is a pure game of chance, with life-altering instants when fingers fall across the table or when playing the online version.

American versus European

American Roulette is the version used by Hollywood in most movies. It differs from European roulette only because it has a single zero as well as a double zero, which increases the house edge compared to European roulette, where only a single zero remains. It would seem irrelevant, but this does a whole lot.

In Run Lola Run, 1998, the protagonist makes a high-stakes bet on a single number. The subtlety of the house edge is conveyed in the European-style wheel used in the film, where it would be much easier for her to win. The inclusion of American roulette in so many movies likely stems from its prevalence in Las Vegas casinos, where so many iconic scenes are set.

What’s the Most Common Spin?

In movies, the most common roulette spin generally involves a dramatic win or a close loss. Filmmakers use the wheel’s unpredictableness to heighten tension. A perfect example can be found in California Split (1974), where a chaotic roulette scene underscores the volatility of gambling.

However, the most common outcome in real-life roulette spins is dictated by probabilities. A bet on red or black is still very popular because players get an almost 50/50 chance of winning. This simplicity has also made the online version a favorite for casual players who explore table games from the comfort of their homes.

The Psychosocial Appeal

Unpredictability in the game makes it one of those metaphors discussed in a lot of movies about life’s uncertainty. In Rounders, while poker is the focus, a brief mention of the game outlines its appeal as a game where players give up their control to fate. That is the psychological allure that would make roulette stand out apart from the rest of the table games, where strategy often overshadows it.

While casino card games require prowess, roulette charms are simply because of their simplicity. Suddenly, the wheel becomes just a symbol of fate, or so it would seem at first glance, with one number after another that may or may not spin a new twist in its story.

Legacy in Film

The on-screen legacy of the pastime is as dynamic as the game itself. From the Russian roulette of life and death in The Deer Hunter to the chic, dizzying spins of James Bond films, the game has morphed into a versatile tool in storytelling. Conveying tension, risk, and reward guarantees that it will be a mainstay of casino-centric narratives.

As the trend of the online version increases, it might be that filmmakers would still find ways to tuck the classic game into their storytelling, be it a dramatic high-from-the-table action or the convenience brought about by digital spins; the cinematic appeal simply doesn’t slow down.

The Immortal Spin

The game has become part of movies, and the status it retains among all table games will stand. It’s elegant and simple; it should feature within a high-stakes storytelling setting. From its depictions in James Bond luxury casinos to Roulette Online spaces, it will retain the allure it once did.

To film buffs and gamblers alike, this game reminds one of life’s fickle nature, whereby everything can change with a single spin.

Dick Vitale Says He’s Cancer Free Again

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Basketball coaching legend and ESPN announcer Dick Vitale tweeted on Thursday that the results of his PET Scan came in that morning and showed that he was “clean of cancer.”

Vitale, 85,  who joined ESPN as an analyst in 1979, has been.battling cancer since 2021, winning the battle each time  His most recent surgery was in June for a cancerous node in his neck.  

He previously had been diagnosed with melanoma and lymphoma. In 2022 he said a test showed he was cancer free. In 2023 cancer was found on his vocal cords and he had radiation treatments. In November of that he, he said he was again cancer free. 

In his new tweet, Vitale said “OMG thanks so much to All of you for your [three prayers emojis]. Yes I’m cutting the nets down baby it’s my National Championship!” 

Characteristically, Vitale used the joyous tweet to make a fundraising pitch for the Jimmy V foundations which raises funds for cancer research. 

In a video, Vitale offered autographed copies of his book Until My Last Breath: Fighting Cancer With My YOung Heros to people making a donation. All of the money from books sale will go to the foundation, named for the late ESPN analyst and N.C. State basketball coach Jim Valvano. Vitale said he has raised $92.8 million to fight children’s cancer and has a goal of $100 million.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Expanded College Football Playoffs Give Ad Sales a Boost at ESPN

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It’s a good time to be in the college football business. Just ask the folks at The Walt Disney Co. and ESPN.

The new, expanded 12-team College Football Playoff gets underway next weekend and if you took the over on advertising revenue–like ESPN-you won the bet.

Jim Minnich, senior VP, revenue & yield management, Sports & Entertainment at Disney Advertising, told Barrett Media that advertising inventory in the College Football Playoffs is 95% sold out and the company is seeing high double-digit revenue growth, Even with the added supply in the market because of more games and higher ratings forecasts, prices for commercials on a cost-per-thousand viewers (CPM) are up. 

“We’re very well sold across the four rounds. We’ll see another wave [of advertiser interest] once the first round winners head into the quarterfinals,” Minnich said.

According to people familiar with the situation, spots in the Championship game have sold for between $1.4 million and $2 million, compared to about $1 million to $1.1 million last year. 

The playoffs are generating a lot of buzz, concurred Adam Schwartz, senior VP, integrated investment, sports, at Horizon Media. “Outside of the NFL, college football is the next biggest thing. From an advertisers standpoint, these are going to do really, really well.”

The new 12-team set up has remedied some of the problems that have built up for the college game over the years. 

When there was a single national championship game, and even with the four-team playoff, there was a long lull in the college football season between the conference championship games and the bowls. 

On top of that, with the best teams in a four-team playoff, even the venerable New Year’s Six Bowls lost their luster when they weren’t part of deciding who’s No. 1, Schwartz said. On top of that, many of the most exciting players were opting out of participating in the bowls because they were worries about injuries or preparing for the NFL draft combine.

All of that reduced fan interest and reduced ratings. 

“Basically college use to go away for a month and have the semifinals and the finals. Now they have a full month to storytell,” Schwartz said. “There are just more big games.The first round on college campuses like South Bend, Indiana, is going to be very cool and I think the casual viewer is going to want to see what this is all about.”

ESPN agreed to pay $1.3 billion a year for the rights to the College Football Playoff as part of a six-year deal announced in March.

With two more games in the playoffs to sell this year and an expectation of audience growth  Disney couldn’t simply rely on the advertisers who have sponsored college football in the past to pick up the slack. Minnich said that 66 new advertisers have bought College Football Playoff commercials this year that didn’t a year ago.

“I do think the schedule lends itself to this,” Minnich said. Instead of being focused around New Year’s, the expanded playoff schedule features early games that will air before Christmas, an important time for many marketers. And since the championship game won’t be played till January 20, it give sponsors more time to air multiple commercials. “This is a much different setup than in past year, so it allows for a broader switch of advertisers.

On top of that, the new playoffs system includes more teams, more fan bases, more dark horses and a greater possibility that one of the Top 4 teams will be upset.

“There’s excitement in the conversations around the expanded playoffs and the fact that frankly every week felt like elimination week in the regular season.

Disney’s key advertisers for the playoffs on ESPN are its 15 CFP partners,many of which are on multiple deals. Those partners are Allstate, AT&T, Capital One, Cheez-It, Chick-fil-A, Dr Pepper, Gatorade, Goodyear, Great Clips, Mercedes-Benz, Modelo, Prudential, RAM, Taco Bell and Vrbo. 

“They’ve  supported the college football playoff and our college footbal landscape and our portfolio, frankly across our platform and platforms for multiple years. So this is not new to them,” Minnich said.

With the 66 new advertisers in the fold, the playoffs will have a broader range of product categories represented. So far there are 128 total advertisers across 58 categories.  Some of those categories are showing year-over-year growth, Minnich said. “Autos is up, insurance is up, restaurants is up, pharmaceuticals is up and cellular telcos are up as well,” he said.

Minnich said that at this point the number of spots left to sell in each round of the playoffs are in the single digits. Disney has a few tricks up its sleeve to boost ratings and revenue. Games will be simulcast across ESPN platforms and some alternate telecasts are in the works.

One buyer said that advertisers who bought commercials in the payoffs earlier–during the upfront or through multi-year deals–paid higher prices than in past years. 

“Now Disney’s  expecting higher viewership and they’re expecting more money,” the buyer said, noting that prices were up between 20% and 30% per 30-second spot. In the scatter market, where commercials are bought at the last minute, “they’re killing it. For those last few pieces of inventory, prices have been through the roof.”

Thanks in part to the new playoff system, college football has a strong seasons, with the total average audience up 6% and up 11% among adults 18 to 34, according to Nielsen. “College football owns Saturdays. It really does,” MInnich said.

The spike in interest in college football has also boosted ESPN College Game Day, he added.

“We’ve had significant success in the regular season and I think the expansion of the CFP has absolutely blown away people’s expectations. Every game actually matters now in the regular season,” Minnich said. 

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Maybe Doug Gottlieb Started a Trend and Bill Belichick Can Also Coach and Continue to Do Sports Media

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Ok, I have to take it all back. I now think what Doug Gottlieb is doing with the whole coaching a college team while still doing sports media is absolutely the way to go. It is great for the school with the publicity they get, and Gottlieb gets to coach. Everyone is happy and it is one of the great decisions ever made. I am completely doing a 180 on the subject only because…and I cannot believe I am saying this…I don’t want to lose Bill Belichick the football analyst, the media guy. I like him, way more than I liked Bill Belichick the coach (it’s the whole being from St. Louis thing).

This new Bill Belichick had much more personality than I ever imagined, but what he has that grabbed my attention more than anything is the ability to explain the game to me in a way that makes me a smarter football fan without feeling like I am being talked down to. He points things out and puts them in perspective but is able to simplify the game.

What I have realized is that is part of what made Belichick so great as a coach apparently, he didn’t overly complicate things. I heard Tom Brady discuss how other coaches have such complicated strategies and think they have to overwhelm the players with information. Belichick said his defensive philosophy was to take away the opponent’s best weapon(s) and make the others beat you. Novel concept, but just one example of where he didn’t overthink it, and explaining what he would do in certain situations, it always reverts back to the same principles.

Now, it is going to be great theater to watch as he goes into college coaching. As Coach Belichick said, the college game has never been more like the professional game so now is a good time to give it a shot, at least he has a pretty good idea of what he is getting into versus the coaches who were forced into this new NIL world and had to immediately adjust after doing it one way for 20, 30, 40 or more years.

I hope whoever needs to work out the behind-the-scenes documentary on North Carolina football already has the cameras rolling. Whether this is a success or failure, that footage will be gold. So, I am already looking forward to the ancillary coverage that comes out of this.

I just hope Belichick is able to have some time to keep doing some media appearances and breaking down the game. I am sure Pat McAfee will at least try and keep his weekly segment with Belichick and things like that could also give Belichick an advantage over a lot of other coaches on the college level – the free national publicity will be insane if he thinks he has time to do it and won’t revert back to “We’re on to Clemson…”

This should be good for college football and for North Carolina. It will most likely be really good for the players who want to learn how to be able to play at the next level. Two groups, however, that this will not be good for are the rest of the football programs in the ACC and the viewers like me, who have already come to seek out whatever content Belichick puts out there.

I did also think about this. Imagine if Belichick doesn’t continue any media, immediately goes back to 24/7 living and breathing UNC football and the job. Then, at some point, he will stop coaching again, turn the program over to his son and have the ability to go back to doing sports media. Imagine the financial upside he would have then, now that everyone knows that he is not only capable of doing a lot of different things, but that he is also really good at it.

I am all in on the fascination of Bill Belichick. I think this year off from coaching has made him millions and millions of dollars and ‘upped his game’ in a lot of ways.

I will be pulling for him to continue just giving us even a small taste of some of the content he has been doing this year. I am also hoping he disrupts college football a bit and will be glued to the coverage. But more than anything, I am now counting the days until we can get ‘Media Bill Belichick’ back.

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The Best/Worst Thing I’ve Heard/Watched/Read Recently

If you are into the business of sports media, I recommend you take a listen to an episode of The Bear Roars podcast where the guest is the founder of All City Networks, Brandon Spano. The podcast is hosted by Dan Caruso, who you learn is an investor in All City. The show focuses on innovators in Colorado.

Spano talks about building the business, how much money has been raised and from whom, and what the future looks like as far as a next round of fundraising and how many markets, both domestically and internationally, Spano and the company hopes to eventually be in.

I have followed the brand for a few years and appreciate how much work and effort Spano and his team have put into their digital network in Denver, Phoenix, Chicago, Philadelphia and Dallas. They are doing game-changing things, and it will be fun to watch as they continue to build.

You can view the full interview by clicking here or get the audio version by clicking here.

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In Case You Missed It

I always enjoy Andy Masur’s ‘Anatomy Of…’ features where he looks at the background of a broadcaster, analyst or insider and gives the story of how they became who they are and what makes them special. Recently, he featured ESPN’s John Buccigross who has become known not just for his skill as an anchor on SportsCenter, but for his incredible passion for hockey.

Masur noted what Buccigross said in an article when ESPN got NHL play-by-play rights back after a long hiatus:

“I was surprised after the announcement how emotional I got,” Buccigross told Boston.com in 2021. “I was driving around and actually started to tear up. It was kind of weird, I don’t know why. I don’t know if it was those 16 or 17 years that we were kind of carrying the torch for the NHL, and to have the hope that it would return to ESPN finally fulfilled.”

Sometimes you forget that those working in the sports media at a high level are regular people, too, and sports fans just like us. This was a good reminder of that.

You can read the full feature by clicking here.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Talk Show Host-Listener Relationship Shines Brightest During Holiday Season

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It’s the time of year when radio stations nationwide will host Radiothons to raise money for great charities and organizations in their community. As we were preparing for our cluster-wide fundraiser at Cumulus Kansas City, a staffer bemoaned the event to me privately, and my reaction was shock.

Now granted, not all stations end up having the success in fundraising that those in the Talk format, either News or Sports, end up having. The numbers are clear that based on a per-listener basis, our talk station will far out-raise our higher-cuming colleagues on the music side. 

Part of that is the mindset of the Talk listener, the income bracket of the Talk listener compared to music, and the often, but not always, deeper connection with a Talk host vs. a music jock. Just to name a few.

But it’s always a show that, while the Time Spent Listening from the P1’s is probably down, and it will be a tune out for a portion of the audience, possesses no downside for a radio station other than a single day of softer ratings, ideally in the Holiday Book anyway.

Rather than getting three or four quarter-hours of listening, your show might only get one in that day. However, that one quarter-hour will draw a deeper connection between the host and the audience, even if most don’t donate, which is typically what happens. 

Like in most organizations, the old Pareto principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) likely holds true. 20% of the donors are giving 80% of the money. And of the entire audience, it probably isn’t a huge percentage of the audience that is donating anything at all. But even those who don’t, or can’t donate, won’t punish you in any meaningful way beyond possibly listening less on that one day.

However, the connection that is built over the long term with the audience is invaluable and incalculable. Those who can’t or won’t ever donate will acknowledge the good things you are doing to raise money for those in need in your community. What’s there to punish you for?

It’s like when a football team goes for a 4th and 3 from their opponent’s 40-yard line in the 2nd quarter in a tie game. It’s not the end of the world if they don’t convert. Some fans will scream about going for the field goal to take the lead. But what are the odds of the kicker hitting the 57-yard field goal? And also, the coaching staff gets to see how the defense lined up against them in a 4th-and-short situation. This can pay big dividends as the game goes on, and if it remains close, it could help with a similar offensive play call in the 4th quarter.

It’s not always about what might get you the points in that moment. It’s sometimes about the bigger picture that can win you the game, not necessarily what puts you in the lead in the second quarter.

These radiothons are also great reminders to our programming team and sales team that we have large and passionate fan bases and that despite the industry-wide challenges that exist, we aren’t dead and are far from it.

That’s a great benefit and morale boost for your entire building during a time of layoffs, cutbacks, and seemingly more questions than answers, at times, heading into the New Year. 

Every corner of your building can use these tools, fundraising totals, donor totals and general excitement in a way to effectively move the business forward.

And last but certainly not least, the whole purpose is doing damn good work and raising money for people who desperately need it during the Holiday season.

Too often, our human nature wants to look at the downside and take the negative attitude of where things were, compared to where they are today. But in the end, there are people who these Radiothons help who are dealing with literal life and death. 

We aren’t. And we’re still blessed to do what we do every single day. And we have a tremendous platform to make a huge impact on individuals and families in desperate need. It’s something to feel great about as we head into 2025. 

Embrace it, love it, and run with it. There’s no downside. I promise. 

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

106.5 ‘The End’s’ Woody & Wilcox Turn Accidental Pairing Into Success

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Woody & Wilcox just signed another five-year deal with iHeartRadio, where they are syndicated across the country while based in Charlotte, NC, at 106.5 “The End.” They started doing mornings together in 2003 at the CBS-owned Classic Rock 103.7 “The Planet” in San Diego.

“We got paired together for mornings by accident, basically,” says Wilcox. “Woody was already doing mornings with a couple of other people. I was filling in for the traffic woman because she was on vacation for the week, and I didn’t have a full-time job at that point. After that fill-in week, management essentially said, ‘Why don’t you stick around? We don’t think she’s coming back’ and the rest is history.”

“Then we were let go REALLY quickly after that! Lol…but not our fault!  After the Janet Jackson Superbowl wardrobe malfunction in 2004, we were one of those ‘lucky’ few shows around the country that was working at a CBS-owned Rock station in a market where Howard Stern happened to be on a Clear Channel station,” Wilcox continues to explain.

“In the wake of the Janet Jackson fiasco, Clear Channel dumped Stern from all their stations over fears of him breaking obscenity rules and the fines that would come with that. CBS then put Stern on in any of those markets where they had rock stations themselves. San Diego was one of those markets, so we were let go to make way for Stern. We’d been on the air together maybe six months or so at that time.”

“They actually brought us back briefly after Stern left terrestrial, and CBS had taken a bunch of their stations to the all-talk ‘Free FM’ experiment,” Woody interjects. “That didn’t last either, but we really enjoyed that brief stint. It was our first time doing all talk, and we got to work with PD Jim Daniels. Although we didn’t work together long, Jim had a big impact on us at that time. He was a great PD.”

“Then we moved to Anchorage! Like you do in radio,” says Woody. “In 2006, we packed our families for the trek North. At the time, I had twin two-month-old primi daughters, and Wilcox had a 17-month-old daughter. ‘Honey! We’re leaving San Diego for Alaska!’  That’s a fun conversation.”

“Honestly, my wife, Denise, encouraged the move, and I’m so glad she did,” says Wilcox. “We replaced Bob and Tom at 100.5 “The Fox” (KBFX) in Anchorage. We spent four years physically in Anchorage, and then in 2010, we moved within Clear Channel to Charlotte to 106.5 “The End” (WEND), where, again, we replaced Bob and Tom. Almost 15 years later, we’re still on in Anchorage, and in the spring, it’ll be 19 years total on 100.5 The Fox.”

“In 2014, we started syndicating to other markets. KKZX in Spokane was the first. We’ve been on there for ten years. We’ve added twelve more affiliates since then for a current total of fourteen stations. Like everything else about our show, the way we distribute it is weird, too. About half our affiliates are within our deal through iHeart, and the other half are through an outside syndication company thanks to the great Rich O’Brien and the gang at what’s now called G Audio Networks and Radio Resources.”

“The two other members of our show are Chelsea and Cool Beans, both of whom joined us in Charlotte,” says Wilcox. “Both are also highly overqualified. Chelsea’s a Georgia Tech grad, so you know her parents are proud of how this is going. She’s a married mom with two small boys. She’s smart and funny and brings a tremendous vibe and point of view to our show!”

“Cool Beans was some sort of secret agent for the IRS before working with us (true…kinda). She’s one of the quirkiest people we know. She eats like a five-year-old (just chicken tenders), she goes to Build a Bear by herself regularly, she has the ‘Golden Girls’ 24 24-hour a day channel on in the background at her house 24-7, and she’s going/gone to six stops on Justin Timberlake’s tour this year.”

“They’re both WAY more interesting than us, and they both were interns with us initially, starting essentially when we moved to Charlotte in 2010. Cool Beans has since become our producer. In about 2012, Chelsea became a full-time third person on the mic on the show. As a foursome, we’ve been together for about 14 years total.”

“Wilcox has been an assistant high school basketball coach on the side for the last eight years,” explains Woody. “I coached a middle school mountain biking team (yes, that’s a thing!). Chelsea gets up at 4 am on her off days to drive excessive distances for club youth hockey, where drunk parents get into fights in the stands, giving Chelsea tons of show prep, and Cool Beans has another job doing corporate taxes just to pay for her Justin Timberlake/Build a Bear habit.”

“Wilcox is the QB of the show, and he’s well known for his quirks/loves…the mail, state capitals, the wind, sports mascots, getting injured too easily, never seeing movies (name a classic movie, he hasn’t seen it) and thinking too much. I’ve never thought about anything too much.”

“To Woody’s point, I just watched the original ‘Gladiator’ for the first time last weekend…I won’t tell you how it ends. No spoilers,” says Wilcox.

“Listeners are a HUGE part of our show. We learned long ago that they’re funnier than we are. We’ve developed such an odd group of regular contributors who are incredible and memorable. Trying to find that fine line of not being too inside but having that feeling that if you listen, you’re a part of a group/club is one of the tougher but more important things we do. Sometimes we nail it…sometimes we don’t.”

“We do have music on our show now. However, our affiliates just receive our segments so they can put their own music in on their end,” Woody says. “That allows us to be on multiple formats. We’re on ALT, Classic Rock, and Active Rock, and we’re on in four time zones. The show is very adaptable. While we lean a little bit ‘guy,’ it’s not over the top the way some Rock shows are. We have GREAT female listeners!”

“Our show is delivered day of, not the next day, for every affiliate regardless of time zone, so it’s timely,” says Wilcox. “After much trial and error, we’ve discovered this is the best option technically and cost-effectively.”

“Some of our most rewarding moments have come while helping our two favorite charities: Purple Heart Homes (housing solutions for veterans) and The Isabella Santos Foundation (rare pediatric cancers),” says Woody. “Several years ago, we traveled with Purple Heart Homes from Charlotte to Anchorage and then Fairbanks. In each city, we were able to identify and help a veteran and their family by installing wheelchair ramps and other modifications on their homes and starting local chapters of Purple Heart Homes in each city. It was an incredible experience and one of the most meaningful things to come out of our show over the years.”

Follow Woody & Wilcox @WoodyAndWilcox on X and on IG. “We’ve recently had our Facebook page hacked, and literally, as we speak, we are trying to get that back.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

The Pulse: How We’ve Always Done It, Community Connections, And Radio Industry Happenings

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The Pulse wants to shine a light on your station’s promos, marketing, and news. Email me to be included in the Friday column.

The coming new year will bring a flourish of personal and professional resolutions. Most of which will be forgotten by March 1st.

It is a great time for radio stations to take an honest, hard look at what is working and what is being held on to because “that’s how we’ve always done it.”

In my career, I worked at a cluster that had a heritage with several events and promotions that they were very proud of. Rightfully so, but most were dated and needed a fresh coat of paint, or heaven forbid, let them sunset and move on.

When I expressed that some were not only out of date in the way they were executed but that there might be a better way, I was greeted with that look you get when the people across from you believe they are looking at someone with three heads.

“But that’s how we’ve always done it, and that’s the way we do it.”

I was even told by a senior company official, “If they were ever to do a movie about us, it would be produced by 19th Century Fox.”

Said as if that was something to be proud of.

And don’t even get me started on the morning shows that were still doing caller number nine and rehashing a bit made popular by Scott Shannon in the 80s.

Radio is at a critical fork in the road. I don’t need to detail all the platforms competing for a share of the ear.

Now is a good time to examine everything from programming and promotions to jingles and station voice.

If the only case to be made is “but that’s how we’ve always done it,” then make the tough choice and let it fade into an honored spot in your station’s history.

If you’re too close to it to be objective, ask a trusted peer outside the market to give you a candid and frank assessment.

Heading into the spring book, you could have everything tuned up, and the station would sound fresh and exciting.

All it takes is some work, honesty, and the willingness not to say, but that’s how we’ve always done it.”

Community Connections:

iHeartMedia Chicago successfully raised $1 million to benefit patients and families at Lurie Children’s Hospital. As one of the foremost pediatric hospitals in the United States, Lurie Children’s is dedicated to offering state-of-the-art treatments, innovative research, and comprehensive care for children and their families.

Mark “Hawkeye” Louis and Michelle Rodriguez, the morning co-hosts at Cumulus Media’s New Country 96.3 KSCS in Dallas, have successfully collected a record-breaking 215,800 holiday cards for U.S. troops during their sixth annual “100,000 for the Troops” card drive.

The “27th Annual Preston & Steve Camp Out For Hunger,” organized by WMMR Philadelphia (93.3), successfully gathered nearly 1.7 million pounds of food and raised over $995,710 in cash. The event aimed to support individuals and families in need.

Audacy Philadelphia’s BIG 98.1 raised $241,253 for the Child Life, Education, and Creative Arts Therapy Department at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with its 23rd annual “BIG 98.1 Loves Our Kids Radiothon.”

Tom Fricke from KYSL Krystal 93, Dillon, CO, writes, “We’re one of the last independent live & local radio stations in a small unrated resort market. Having a small staff means that executing big promotional ideas will require strategic partnering with our local ski resorts, who have massive staffs and budgets for doing cool things to attract tourists from around the world. Such is the case with “The Race of the Santas” promotion done in conjunction with Breckenridge Ski Resort. Hundreds of Santas racing down Main Street Breckenridge leading up to the Lighting of Breckenridge. Technically, it’s not a “station promotion,” but we take ownership on the air leading up to the event, then I participate in the race and our News Director is the emcee for the event. All about having some fun!

Industry Happenings:

Ashley Cooke, Dasha, Warren Zeiders, Drew Baldridge, and Zach Top have been announced as the CRS 2025 New Faces of Country Music. These rising stars are set to perform at the New Faces of Country Music Show scheduled for February 21 at the Omni Nashville Hotel.

iHeartMedia and the Empire State Building have officially announced a festive holiday event titled the “iHeartRadio Holiday Pop-Up Party featuring Meghan Trainor.” A 10-minute special will be broadcast at 9 PM local time on iHeartRadio’s AC, Hot AC, and CHR stations, as well as on the iHeartChristmas Pop digital station at 9 PM ET.

Shaboozey and Brittney Spencer are set to join the lineup for “New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” on December 31, airing on CBS at 8 PM ET. The special will also feature performances from Big & Rich, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Tyler Hubbard, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Chris Stapleton, Zach Top, and Lainey Wilson. Previously announced performers included Keith Urban, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, and Parker McCollum.

Blake Shelton, HARDY, ERNEST, and Dasha have been announced as the latest additions to the lineup for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” hosted by Ryan Seacrest on December 31 at 8 PM ET on ABC. They join Alanis Morissette, Renee Rapp, Kesha, Natasha Bedingfield, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Laufey, and T-Pain.

Add Ons:

America Media has announced the availability of a four-hour radio special for stations featuring content from the company’s holiday podcast, “Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols.” This special will be accessible to radio affiliates starting December 9. Stations that wish to air the special can email Maggi Van Dorn at America Media.

Premiere Networks has announced an exciting addition to its programming with the upcoming Christmas special, “After MidNite with Granger Smith.” This four-hour festive event, titled “After MidNite with Granger Smith Presents: A Smith Family Christmas Special,” will be broadcast from December 20 to December 31.

Bit Of The Week:

In future weeks, The Pulse will include the “Bit Of The Week.” If you want to be featured, please send me an mp3 of your best, most recent bit to jeff@barrettmedia.com.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

WKLH Milwaukee’s Dave Luczak Reflects On 40 Years Of KLH Mornings

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Dave Luczak, morning host at Saga Communications’ Classic Rock WKLH, is calling it a wrap after 40 years of Milwaukee mornings.

The Pittsburgh native landed his first radio job in 1976 at WVUD in Dayton, OH. From there, he teamed up with ESPN’s Dan Patrick, a college friend, for mornings at WTUE. A stop in Rochester, NY, created the team Luczak and Girard and the team that moved to Milwaukee at the WMGF.

In January 1986, WMGF became WKLH, one of the nation’s first Classic Hits stations, and the morning run began.

In a business where a 40-year run on one station is pretty much unheard of to what does Luczak attribute his longevity?

“I’ll tell you, it was, what do they say, it’s all about timing, really, I truly believe that it’s the right place, right time; I worked for the right company, the right guy, Ed Christian. Ed was one of the people who hired me back in 84, and at the time, we were owned by Josephson Communications.”

“I was working for the precursor, if you want to call it that, of this company when Ed bought it, so I had a great owner who cares about local, and the company still continues to do that and invests in local radio, and wants you to be a part of the community.”

“The other thing is that I’ve been blessed with being able to work with really talented people. The whole team concept is something that I’ve always clearly been a part of. I have worked with Dan (Patrick), Don Girard, Carol, and Doreen.

Of course, Luczak’s ability to adapt to the changing industry has been critical.

“I’ve had to adapt. Just from a technological standpoint, how things have changed over those decades, and not to mention that we’re now simply a platform among so many other platforms, whereas before, we were one of the few radio, TV, and newspapers. We were one of the few that had an audience.”

“Now everybody has an audience, podcasting is ubiquitous, and there are just so many choices for listeners and viewers everywhere. So, you have to fight hard to stand out and move the needle.”

Luczak and sister station WHQG 102.9 The Hog with Bob and Brian in the Morning Saga has a huge hold on Milwaukee mornings, and I wondered how two such big morning shows, both in a rock format, could coexist under one roof.

“It was really never a problem. The only issue was when Carol’s contract was not renewed in 2015 by corporate. It came to putting another teammate in, we kind of, I don’t want to say stole, but we plucked one of their morning show contributors, Doreen, whose husband is still a big part of their show. Doreen is my morning show co-host, and we’re in our 10th year of working together. I think that was the only thing that might have created a little bit of tension when we kind of stole one of their cast.

For Luczak, it was important to go out while there was “still gas in the tank.”

“I’d rather have gas in the tank than have people listen to me and say, man, when is that guy going to end it? That’s kind of what I subscribe to, and I talk about in my life, and I have for a long time, and I wanted actually to live that.  

“Also, my wife and I have been married since 1980, so 44 years, coming up on 45 next year, with three kids, and they’re all married with their own families.”

“We’ll spend a lot of extra time with our grandkids and kids, and also looking forward to traveling. As you know, in radio, you get a week’s vacation, and you have to be back for the following week.

What else will he do with his newly found free time?

“I don’t know, and that’s the part I’m really looking forward to, is trying to figure that all out because realistically, and no exaggeration, I have been on the radio doing a show since before I was 17, and then I’ve been doing mornings since I was 18, and so that’s a long time to be waking up at 3:15 and thinking about a show. I don’t want to sound too overly philosophical, but I don’t even know who I am as a human being without a radio show to think about.”

WKLH has announced that midday host Dave Coombs will step into the morning role. (BMM 12/9) He will be familiar to the morning audience.

“We did an 8:05 hit every morning for five to ten minutes, and then the last couple of years, when we would do our annual “Cheeseheads in Paradise” trip, where people pay to come along, and we broadcast from, for example, the Dominican Republic we brought Dave along as one of the personalities to help us through the week. So, our listeners are very familiar with him. He’ll become the third member of the team after I leave, and they’ll debut that new version of the show on January 2nd, 2025,

So, how do you put a bow on a 40-year morning show?

“Well, it’s been great. I have to say that since I made the announcement, we’ve done a bunch of things. Yesterday, we had a meet and greet, and we ended up with a lot of our listeners being able to stop out.”

“Friday, we have my final live broadcast. We’re going to be at the Old Pabst Brewery. A lot of guests are coming out. They’re surprising me, so I’m not quite sure who is coming, but I’m looking forward to it. Next week will be my final five shows, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, we’re doing an open house by invite only.”

“Then next Friday, the 20th, will be my final show, and I’m going to have my friends and close family members here and then sign off and call it a career.

You can share your farewell messages for Dave via e-mail or the Open Mic on the WKLH app!                             

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.