Barry Young Retiring From KFYI Phoenix

9-19-14

After nearly three decades with Newstalk 550 KFYI Phoenix, morning man Barry Young (pictured left) will retire in November. Young started on KFYI on April 27, 1987 as an on-air talent and PD. He said, ?Being a part of KFYI's growth and development from a new renegade start-up Talk radio station into one of America's great and mature heritage radio stations has been both a wonderful challenge and delight. It has been an incredible privilege to be an integral part of all this and to be a part of the day-to-day lives of so many thousands of our listeners, our neighbors, all across Arizona. Although I am retiring from a day-to-day Talk radio program, my heart will always be in broadcasting and at KFYI. I know that I will miss being on the air more than I can express, but I know I leave KFYI and all of our listeners in good hands.?

Listeners, friends, co-workers, and clients will have the chance to say goodbye to Young at the Barry Young Celebrity Roast in late October. Barry?s final day as a full-time show host will be November 7. Afternoon driver Mike Broomhead will take over mornings. Broomhead has spent five years hosting on KFYI and has added national duties on Glenn Beck?s Blaze Network.

Broomhead said, ?Barry Young is a legend in this business and will someday soon be in the Arizona Broadcasting Hall of Fame. It has been an honor to work with and learn from him. I'm looking forward to hosting mornings. I want to talk about the issues that concern all of us and find solutions that are best for Arizona. I?m not always right, but I always want what is best.? PD Neil Larrimore added, ?Mike is a superstar who has worked hard to earn this opportunity. He's a great host, but even more so, he's a good man. We?re so excited to move him into mornings at Newstalk 550 KFYI."

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The Young Do Love Their Country

1-16-14

Radio hears it all the time: Young people are not listening to the radio anymore. When it comes to country, that's not the case, according to new data from Edison Research. "12-to-24-year-olds who say they listen frequently to country music are significantly more likely to have listened to FM radio in the last week than the 12-to-24 demo overall." Edison Research's "Understanding Country Radio's Next Generation of Listeners" will be unveiled at CRS next month. A follow-up session will be held February 20.

What does Edison Research President Larry Rosin (pictured) have to say about the survey? ?Even as their choices expand, country listeners of all ages have often been among the most loyal to broadcast radio, and 12-to-24-year-olds are no exception. This study shows, however, that with the strength of today?s country music, millennial listeners are eager to consume it on many platforms. We hope our CRS presentation will give programmers the tools they need to maintain their advantage with younger listeners.?

Edison surveyed 1,550 12-34-year-olds, including nearly 900 respondents under age 25. In addition, Edison conducted face-to-face interviews with millennials about their attitudes towards country music, Country radio, and music listening and media habits in general. Those interviews will be unveiled for the first time at the Country Radio Seminar presentation.

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(SALES) Young Seller, Old-School Broadcasting

10-11-2013

I have been approached several times in the past couple of years by younger broadcast sellers who feel uncomfortable because they don?t personally use all of the products they are selling. In other words, they (and their friends) don?t listen to traditional radio. They (and many of their friends) find traditional television so old-school they don?t even HAVE one in their living rooms. Their moral dilemma seems to be, ?How can I sell something I secretly don?t really use or even like??

A few years ago, I went into radio because I loved rock music. I wound up working at a Country station and a Beautiful Music station. My dilemma then was, ?What a shame. I like rock but I have to sell Beautiful Music and Country Music formats (sigh).? Frankly, that attitude lasted about two months, when I realized how easy our formats were to sell and HOW MUCH we could charge to play our clients' commercials on our stations.

I have a male friend who made a fortune opening stores that sold women?s clothing. As far as I know, he never wore the clothes he sold (?) but he knew what women wanted and he catered to them and made a lot of money.
There is no question that we are rapidly moving into a new digital world. New technologies are, and will continue to have, an incredible impact on how people watch us and listen to us. But the bottom line is that right now, at this point in time, 90 percent of the U.S. population still listens to broadcast radio and watches traditional television each and every week. What?s not to like about that? You can?t sell that? Sure you can. Package it up with mobile texting, streaming, social media, and whatever new digital opportunities come your way and will continue to land on your plate. But remember, right now traditional broadcast is still the entr?e.

With this fact in mind, when you hear from clients, ?Boy, I?ll bet (satellite radio, Pandora, Google, Hulu, iRadio, DVR, Roku, whatever?) is kicking your a**!? do your job and remind them about the 90 percent thing. It?s your job to dispel myths. As Daniel Moynihan famously said, ?Everybody is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own set of facts.? And again, the fact is that an overwhelming percentage of Americans still enjoy traditional radio and television.

Did you know that the average age of a car on the road right now is 12 years? Never before in history have Americans hung onto their cars for that period of time. And the driver?s dash still has a radio in it. Television viewing increases with the brilliant new HD and 3-D products that are now affordably available to us. DVRs actually cause MORE people to watch television than ever before. Engineers are developing very nice new interactive products to ensure radio?s place in the dashboard of the future.

Now is a great time to be in the broadcasting business. Additionally, for the first time, traditional Yellow Page customers are up for grabs. Direct mail devotees are looking at alternative ways to advertise. The formerly most-adamant newspaper advertiser is now looking for new media venues.

You?re in the catbird seat. Sell the new technology as it becomes available to your stations. But don?t ignore the elephant in the room. Traditional broadcast stations still have 90 percent population penetration. And that is really better than a slap across the belly with a sack full of wet mice.

Paul Weyland is a broadcast sales trainer, author, and speaker. You can reach him at paul@paulweyland.com  or by phone at (512) 236 1222. Find Paul?s books, CDs and software at www.paulweyland.com or on www.amazon.com.

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They Start Them Young In Arkansas

This is Trey Stafford at age 10 reading school news on KPCA-AM in Marked Tree, Arkansas, where he grew up. Stafford started reading school news, later doing his own shows and hanging around the local station. He says he continued to hang around the station until he was 14 and that he never got paid a dime -- something called ?child labor laws,? which he thought always sounded suspect. Having worked the mic at age 9, even if it was for free, we wondered if Stafford stuck it out in the rough-and-tumble business of broadcasting. 

Trey's radio story does get even better. At 14, Stafford went to work at KTMN-AM in Trumann, Arkansas, where the manager, L.D. Hoover, actually paid him. So he stayed there until he graduated high school. Stafford went on to become the GM at KPCA-AM after high school, at age 18. He stayed until he was 23, then he and Bill Little bought KDXY-FM in Paragould in 1984 and formed the present Jonesboro cluster with Kevin Neathery and Bill and Bob Pressly in 1993. He sold to Ed Christian in 2002 with the understanding that ?my assets go home at night, you guys will stay and run it for me, right??

Stafford has been there ever since. He's currently the president and general manager of the Jonesboro Radio Group (formerly Triple FM Radio Group) in Jonesboro, AR. And occasionaly they allow him around the microphones.

Send your Blast From The Past and Classic Radio Story to edryantheeditor@gmail.com

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Brad Young Gets Promotion To VP Sales

3-21-13

That announcement comes from CBS Radio Sales and Entercom Radio Sales in Los Angeles. Young started his career at KNAC-FM in Long Beach and advanced to a marketing position at KZLA-FM in L.A. In 2003, he began selling radio locally for CBS Radio?s KRTH-FM, and then Clear Channel?s KHHT-FM. He transitioned to national sales in 2005 when he joined the Susquehanna Sales Team at Interep as an AE.

After Interep closed in 2008, Young worked as an Account Executive for McGavren Guild Radio Sales. In 2010, he joined the CBS Radio Sales and Entercom Radio Sales Team at Katz Radio Group as an Account Executive. Young is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach, and a member of the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

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Young, Smart and Excited to be in Radio

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(by Ed Ryan) Listening to Jennifer Smart discuss the radio industry and her love of being on the air will give you hope that the future of the radio business is quite bright, despite the consistent drumbeat that music curation is going drive radio into a wooden casket. Smart's story is one we hope to see all over the country, young people getting into the radio business, encouraged to do so by her family, and proud to be part of our industry. She's 15, has her own radio show and understands the power of radio.  

The news in the radio trades can often be negative, dominated by cutbacks, layoffs and consolidation of services. What's happening in radio is happening in many industries across the country. And, while it may be a bit of stretch to say a positive attitude will always land you a job, we think you'll agree that uplifting personalities and people that enjoy what they do every day are success magnets. Who wants to listen to someone complain about how the industry has changed day after day? Go do something about it. Jennifer Smart, who started the Jennifer Smart Foundation two years ago, when she was 13 is a Rising Star in our business. She uses a radio station her foundation purchased, in Albuquerque, to promote her foundation and she's having a great time doing it. We wanted to share her story with you. Here's our interview

Visit all three of Jennifer's websites:
JenniferSmart.com
JENNiRADIO.com
JENNi20.com

(7/26/2012 1:11:01 PM)
She's definately a "looker", but is she legal? LMFAO!!!

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(AUDIO) Young, Smart and Excited to be in Radio. Meet Jennifer Smart

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(by Ed Ryan) Listening to Jennifer Smart discuss the radio industry and her love of being on the air will give you hope that the future of the radio business is quite bright, despite the consistent drumbeat that music curation is going drive radio into a wooden casket. Smart's story is one we hope to see all over the country, young people getting into the radio business, encouraged to do so by her family, and proud to be part of our industry. She's 15, has her own radio show and understands the power of radio.  

The news in the radio trades can often be negative, dominated by cutbacks, layoffs and consolidation of services. What's happening in radio is happening in many industries across the country. And, while it may be a bit of stretch to say a positive attitude will always land you a job, we think you'll agree that uplifting personalities and people that enjoy what they do every day are success magnets. Who wants to listen to someone complain about how the industry has changed day after day? Go do something about it. Jennifer Smart, who started the Jennifer Smart Foundation two years ago, when she was 13 is a Rising Star in our business. She uses a radio station her foundation purchased, in Albuquerque, to promote her foundation and she's having a great time doing it. We wanted to share her story with you. Here's our interview

Visit all three of Jennifer's websites:
JenniferSmart.com
JENNiRADIO.com
JENNi20.com

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Edison Highlights Some of Radio's Young Superstars

Edison Research has announced the honorees from its 2011 search for "30 Under 30," thirty up-and-coming broadcasters involved with all aspects of the radio industry. Honorees range from a 23-year-old large market PD to the 30-year-old inventor of USB turntable and Internet radio devices. They represent 22 different companies from all formats. Edison's "30 Under 30" honorees include on-air talent, programmers, Chief Engineers, station owners, syndicators, and sales managers. And here they are....

THE "30 UNDER 30" ARE:
Adam Wylde - Morning Host, CIBK (Virgin Radio), Calgary, Alberta; Host "The Canadian Top 40"
Amanda Alexander - Chief Engineer, Crawford Broadcasting Company, Denver
Bootleg Kev - Mix Show Coordinator/Afternoons, KVEG (Hot 97.5), Las Vegas
Caitlin Kenney - Producer, NPR's "Planet Money"
Charles "Chachi" Angelo - Program Director/Afternoons, WGGE, Parkersburg, WV
Chris Michaels - Program Director/Afternoons, WMC-FM (FM100), Memphis
CJ Riddick - Director, Operations/Programming, First Media, Roanoke Rapids, N.C.
Dan Baisden - Operations Director, Grenax Broadcasting, Flagstaff Ariz.
Dan Young - Program Director/Mornings, KNWI (Life 107.1), Des Moines, Iowa
Danny Bortnick - Local Sales Manager, WXRK/WWFS, New York
David Polk - Host/Producer, WFMT, Chicago
Edgar Sotelo - Morning Host, KMVK (Mega 107.5), Dallas
Evan Roberts - Midday Co-host, WFAN, New York
Jake Sigal - Founder/CEO Livio Radio
Jason Furst - Program Director, WSYR/WWHT Syracuse, N.Y.
Jeff Sottolano - Program Director, WIP, Philadelphia
Jet Black - Director of Operations, KHTT/KBEZ, Renda Broadcasting, Tulsa, Okla.
Joel "Kid Vicious" Garrett - Owner/COO, Low Country Radio, LLC
Jonathan Gallagher - Manager of Analytics & Internal Strategy, Emmis New York
Kyle "JoJo" Due - Program Director, WMKS/WVBZ, Greensboro, N.C.
Lady La - Morning Host, KZON (101.5 Jamz), Phoenix
Leslie Scott - Program Director/Morning Presenter, KBXR/KBBM, Columbia, MO.
Malachi Crane - General Manager, SAU Radio, Spring Arbor, Mich.
Masa Patterson - Affiliate Relations Manager, Benztown
Nessa Diab - Nights, KYLD (Wild 94.9), San Francisco, KZZP (Kiss 104.7), Phoenix
Nick Cannon - Morning Host, WXRK, New York
Nora Neise - Morning Host, Kiss FM, Berlin
Paul Goldsmith - Program Director, Air1 Network
Robby Bridges - Assistant Program Director/Imaging Director/Afternoons, Cumulus, Bridgeport, Conn.
Tim Clarke - Program Director, WPOI (Hot 101.5), Tampa, Fla.
Edison President Larry Rosin (pictured) says, "We were surprised and thrilled with both the quality and the quantity of the 2011 '30 Under 30' nominees. It was not easy to narrow the group down to 30 honorees; it easily could have been '60 Under 30'. We hope this announcement of 30 great young radio talents provides some positive news for the radio industry as well as encouragement to the next generation of broadcasters."

All "30 Under 30" honorees will receive free registration for the Arbitron Client Conference and Jacobs Media Summit to be held in Baltimore on Dec. 6-8, during which a cocktail party will be held in their honor. In addition, one honoree will receive free registration and travel expenses paid to attend the "Future Of Radio Conference" to be held in Hilton Head Island, S.C., on March 14-16.

Edison first introduced the "30 Under 30" concept to radio with two international searches for talented young broadcasters in 2007 and 2008. Edison began soliciting nominees for the 2011 "30 Under 30" last month, receiving more than 200 nominations. Honorees had to be no older than 30-years-old as of Oct. 1, 2011, and may not have been previously recognized.

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(AUDIO) Radio's New Young Sales Leaders Are Arriving

Right out of college Michael Braunstein jumped into radio as an account executive in Philadelphia. After 6 years working for Clear Channel Braunstein heard about an opening for a sales manager at WYSP. He applied for the job and was hired. His next move was to WOGL (also in Philadelphia) for a short run before he was back at WYSP with a promotion. Yesterday CBS announced Braunstein is the new LSM for Philadelphia's long-time Newsradio station KYW-AM.

KYW has been providing Philadelphia with news since for 46 years. Braunstein is 30 years old. To become so successful at such a young age takes special talent, a lot of hard work and a lot of success at bringing in the orders. We asked Michael to talk about his aggressive climb to such a lofty position in our industry, including: Goal setting, the role of a local sales manager and what went through his mind when he applied for such a prominent and important position in Radio's 5th largest market.

LISTEN TO OUR INTERVIEW WITH CBS'S PHILADELPHIA SALES STAR MICHAEL BRAUNSTEIN

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Puddle of Mudd Reworks Rolling Stones, Neil Young Hits for Covers Album

An abandoned attempt to make a followup to 2009's "Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love & Hate" led Puddle of Mudd to opt instead for a covers set, "re:(disc)overed," which is due out Aug. 2.

"Since we started we've been non-stop -- make a record, go on tour, then right into rehearsals and the next record, then back on tour...," guitarist Paul Phillip tells Billboard.com. "We were really burned out, and when we started trying to write again it just wasn't time yet. And we had been doing (AC/DC's) 'TNT' and (the Steve Miller Band's) 'The Joker' and had so much fun with those that one thing led to another and we decided to make a covers record. It was just something fun to do, and we had a blast."

"Re:(disc)overed" features 11 of the 15 songs Puddle of Mudd recorded with producer Bill Appleberry during January and February at the Bomb Shelter, a studio owned by Stone Temple Pilots drummer Eric Kretz in Los Angeles. The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" is the set's first single and will be serviced to radio in mid-June, and the album also includes versions of Free's "All Right Now," Bad Company's "Shooting Star," Neil Young's "Old Man," Led Zeppelin's "D'yer M'ker" and Elton John's "Rocket Man."

"We chose a lot of things that were challenging," Phillip explains. "People hear Puddle's gonna do a covers album and they think it'll be Nirvana and the Ramones and Metallica and stuff like that. And that's something we wanted to do, but we wanted to stretch our legs, and it was a very challenging thing to have songs that have piano and these big, crazy arrangements and stuff. I mean, doing an Elton John song with piano and backup singers and stuff is not easy. It's easier to record a Puddle of Mudd song, but to tackle an arrangement like that is a lot more difficult to do, and that's what we wanted."

For the most part, Phillips adds, Puddle of Mudd chose to "pay tribute" to the songs "rather than bastardizing them like a lot of people do when they do covers. We really tried to keep them true to what they were, because they are great songs already, so who am I to go in and change a Rolling Stones song? They're not slavish copies; these songs do have a Puddle of Mudd flavor to them, but we didn't go in and change parts just to make it sound more like us."

Phillips calls the guitar solo on "All Right Now" was his "arch nemesis," but the most challenging track, he felt, was "D'yer M'ker." "I really didn't think we were gonna pull that off at all, just because the reggae feel is not what we do, and the way (John) Bonham played it, he's just got that thing that not many people can do, you know? So I was very surprised by that one, personally. I think we did a really good job."

Puddle of Mudd will be on the road this summer, starting with Memorial Day weekend festival shows in St. Louis and St. Paul, Minn., and also including an appearance at the Download Festival on June 10 in the U.K. Frontman Wes Scantlin says the shows will featuring an opening set of the entire "re:(disc)overed" album, followed by an intermission and then a set of Puddle of Mudd's original material. Meanwhile, the group is eyeballing an original album; Santlin has written four songs he describes as "really cool, heavy stuff, really wicked, almost like Soundgarden, 'Badmotorfinger' type old-school Puddle of Mudd." And both Scantlin and Phillip predict that making "re:(disc)overed" will have some impact on Puddle of Mudd's new songs, too.

"I think this kind of opens us up," he says. "I think it brought everybody's playing up to another level...and maybe a platform for us to experiment a bit more on the next record and try some different things. This is going to be a real important record for us and we really want to try to take it to the next level and surprise people, so I think ('re:(disc)overed') is a great springboard for that to happen."

The track list for Puddle of Mudd's "re:(disc)overed" includes:

"Gimme Shelter" (Rolling Stones)

"Old Man" (Neil Young)

"TNT" (AC/DC)

"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" (Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)

"The Joker" (Steve Miller Band)

"Everybody Wants You" (Billy Squier)

"Rocket Man" (Elton John)

"All Right Now" (Free)

"Shooting Star" (Bad Company)

"Funk 49" (James Gang)

"D'yer M'ker" (Led Zeppelin)

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