American Comedy Network Closes Shop

2-8-2013

In a posting to the company Facebook page titled, "A Final Note to Our Valued Customers," GM Joel Graham writes, "Today I feel a great sense of sadness as American Comedy Network closes the doors for good and we post our final DailyPrep. On behalf of the ACN staff - Darryl Knight, Mark Dahl and Mike Hand - I would like to offer you our sincerest gratitude for trusting ACN and making us part of your show. American Comedy Network pioneered the radio comedy prep business in June of 1983 when the service was launched by Andy Goodman, ?The Real? Bob James, Dale ?The Voiceman? Reeves, Michelle George, and David Lawrence. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude for paving the way for the next thirty years." Read the full post HERE

(2/8/2013 1:10:04 PM)
I was PD of the first ACN affiliate: WFTQ/Worcester (14Q)
(2/8/2013 5:50:50 AM)
This makes me sad..ACN over the last 15 years or more was terrific...:(

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Hot Tours: Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, American Idol

by Bob Allen  |   September 13, 2011 10:00 EDT

Ranking No. 1 on this week's Hot Tours recap is country superstar Kenny Chesney who takes the top spot in the weekly rankings for the third time since launching the Goin' Coastal Tour back in March.  This week's top ranking is based on ticket sales totals reported from the final four venues on the tour that wrapped during the last weekend of August.  The final arena on the tour schedule was Toronto's Air Canada Centre with 12,516 in the house for a performance on Aug. 18, followed two days later by the 11th stadium on the 2011 itinerary, Ford Field in Detroit.  Chesney's sold out concert at the home venue of the NFL's Detroit Lions was attended by 48,225 fans, generating $4.1 million in ticket sales revenue.  An outdoor concert on Aug. 24 at CMAC Performing Arts Center on the campus of Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua, N.Y. was also a sellout with 14,710 sold seats.  The last stop on the schedule was also the tour's top-grossing venue, Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. with two sold out performances grossing $9.2 million.  Chesney played single shows at the home venue of the NFL's New England Patriots in 2005 through 2009, but this year marked his first two-show run at the stadium.  Combined attendance for both performances on Aug. 26 and 27 was 106,755.  Overall during its five month trek, the Goin' Coastal Tour grossed $84.5 million with more than 1.1 million tickets sold at 55 concerts.

With $7.9 million in box office grosses from three North American venues, Taylor Swift lands in second place among the ten top-grossing Hot Tours this week.  Each of the three venues hosted the country star's Speak Now World Tour for multiple-show runs with sellout crowds at each performance.  Swift played the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on Aug. 13 and 14 with just under 28,000 in the house for both nights.  The next two shows were in Canada at Edmonton's Rexall Place with a crowd of 25,336 on Aug. 18 and 19.  Four concerts at the Staples Center in Los Angeles from Aug. 23 through 28 produced a combined attendance total of 54,900 with $3.9 million in ticket sales, the top gross among the 22 arenas she has played during her North American tour leg this summer.

American Idols Live is third in the rankings with grosses totaling $3.9 million from eight arena performances reported during the past week.  Included in the counts is a two-show stint at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. on Aug. 23 and 24.  The ticket sales total - $1,044,245 for both shows - is the highest gross reported on this summer's tour so far.  Following the Idols at No. 4 on the Hot Tours tally is the Grammy-winning rock duo the Black Keys with $2.5 million in box office grosses from eight Canadian concerts on its summer tour schedule.  All eight shows were sellouts with a combined total of 58,445 fans in attendance.

Artist/Event
Total Gross
Show Dates
Show Venue/City (Shows/Sellouts)
Total Attendance (Capacity)KENNY CHESNEY Air Canada Centre, Toronto (1/0)CMAC Performing Arts Center, Canandaigua, N.Y. (1/1)Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass. (2/2)TAYLOR SWIFT Scottrade Center, St. Louis (2/2)
Staples Center, Los Angeles (4/4)AMERICAN IDOLS LIVE
Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, N.Y. (2/0)Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Conn. (1/1)Dunkin' Donuts Center, Providence, R.I. (1/1)Times Union Center, Albany, N.Y. (1/0)Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine (1/1)Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, N.H. (1/1)DCU Center, Worcester, Mass. (1/0)Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Conn. (1/1)THE BLACK KEYS
Deer Lake Park, Burnaby, British Columbia (1/1)Stampede Corral, Calgary, Alberta (1/1)Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta (1/1)TCU Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (1/1)MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (1/1)Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto (1/1)John Labatt Centre, London, Ontario (1/1)KATY PERRY
Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta (1/0)Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn. (1/1)ALISON KRAUSS + UNION STATION Citi Wang Theatre, Boston (1/0)St. Augustine Amphitheater, St. Augustine, Fla. (1/1)Broward Center, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (1/0)Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Fla. (1/1)Orpheum Theatre, Memphis (1/1)ADELE Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn. (1/1)

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First Female African American Radio Owner Dies

Dorothy Brunson bought WEBB-AM in Baltimore in 1979 for $485,000. In 1990 she added WIGO-AM in Atlanta and WBSM-AM in Wilmington, NC. In 1990 Brunson sold WEBB for just under $4 million, WIGO for $3.6 million and WBSM $168,000. She also purchased a TV station in Philadelphia. Brunson died at the age of 72 from ovarian cancer. An excellent timelined article about Brunson's life can be found on the Baltimore Sun website

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'American Idol' Runner-Up Lauren Alaina: 'I Knew Scotty Was Gonna Win'

L auren Alaina may have lost "American Idol" -- but she still feels like a winner after singing with Carrie Underwood.

"Carrie has been my Idol since she was on this show in Scotty's position," Alaina told reporters in the press room after Wednesday night's show in which Scotty McCreery was crowned the new Idol; a record 122 million votes were cast for the finale. Underwood won season 5 of the Fox hit.

Scotty McCreery Wins 'American Idol'

Photos: 'American Idol' Season Finale Highlights

Performing with Underwood "was a dream come true," continued Alaina. "I love Carrie -- she is amazing, I got to sing with her that makes me feel pretty awesome." 

What did Underwood whisper in her ear? "She said, 'Wow, that was incredible. We should take that on the road,'" Alaina said. 

'American Idol' Finale: The 10 Best Performances (Video)

Now that the show is over -- but the tour has not yet begun -- what are Alaina's plans? "I get to sleep and eat unhealthy food," said the country singer, who dropped 20 pounds while competing. On second thought: "Actually, I'm not gonna do that."

'American Idol' Awards: The Best & Worst of Season 10

Competing was an eye-opening experience with Alaina. "Every day I learned something new about myself. I learned that I cry a lot. I didn't cry tonight because I was happy," she said. "How could I be unhappy with second place? There's a million people out there that would love to be in my position and I'm blessed."

"Life is a journey and you have to go with each step, stumbles only makes you stronger. I feel like things happen for a reason and God has a pan for me and his plan was to give me second place," she added. (Not hurting the situation either? She'll get a Ford - as the company is a sponsor - as a prize as well. Her choice? "Maybe a GT.")

Photos: Lauren Alaina's 'American Idol' Journey

She had nothing bad to say about the judges, especially Steven Tyler. "Steven was really nice to me," Alaina told reporters. Alaina also said earlier that night that she was sure McCreery would take the top prize.

"I knew Scotty was gonna win," she said. "I knew in my heart and I accepted it. ... I couldn't pick a more perfect person to get second place to. I know that's cheesy, but he's my best friend."

'American Idol' Bounces Back with Smart Shake-Ups, Young Talent

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'American Idol' Finale Ratings Up 17% from Last Year

by Lindsay Powers, The Hollywood Reporter  |   May 26, 2011 12:20 EDT

This year's "American Idol" season 10 finale was up 9 percent in the demo and 17 percent in total viewers from 2010, according to preliminary numbers.

It rated an 8.9 in the all-important 18 to 49 demo, with 28.2 million viewers. Last year, 24.2 million tuned in.

Scotty McCreery Wins 'American Idol' Season 10

This is the first time "American Idol" has shown year-to-year growth for the finale in the key demo since 2006, and since 2008 in total viewers.

Wednesday's finale beat the "Dancing With the Stars" finale Tuesday by 32 percent in total viewers. However, the finale of "Dancing With the Stars" beat the penultimate "American Idol" episode Tuesday night.

'American Idol' Finale: The 10 Best Performances (Video)

Photos: 'American Idol' Season Finale Highlights

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