Vermont Association of Broadcasters 500A Dalton Drive Colchester, VT 05446 (802) 655-5764 Email: [email protected] Website: www.vab.org The VAB CUMULUS BUYS AND SELLS
You’d need a large scorecard to Voice keep track of the deals made last week by Cumulus Media. First, Cumulus purchased program September, 2013 and music format distributor Dial Global for a reported $260 George Cameron 1923 - 2013 A. Brooks Brown 1947 - 2013 million. The new Cumulus Radio
Networks will operate under the Westwood One name.
To help finance the deal, Cumu- lus is selling 53 radio stations to Townsquare Media Group for a reported $238 million. The block of stations includes WPKQ- Longtime broadcasting executive George A. Brooks Brown, the builder, owner and FM in North Conway, NH, WOKQ Cameron died August 23 at his home in General Manager of alternative rock sta- -FM in Dover, NH and WSAK-FM Essex Junction. He was 90. tion WEQX-FM in Manchester, died Au- in Hampton, NH. gust 29 in Manchester. A native of Rutland, Cameron began his
radio career in 1957 as an announcer and Born in Texas, Brown majored in jour- salesman at WHWB-AM in Rutland. nalism at the University of Oklahoma and worked at newspapers and radio In 1965, after serving as GM of WEAV- and TV stations in Oklahoma, Texas and Townsquare, meanwhile, has AM, he became a partner with Simon New York before taking a job in ski purchased Peak Broadcasting’s Goldman in owning and operating WVMT- equipment marketing in Vermont. 11 stations in Boise, ID and Fres- AM in Colchester. George served as GM no, CA, and is spinning off the and Vice-President of the group, which He tried to place a radio ad to hire peo- Fresno cluster in exchange for also included WSYB-AM and WRUT-FM ple to unload his van and realized Man- 15 Cumulus stations in the in Rutland. chester had no radio station. Thus be- gan a seven-year quest to obtain a li- Poughkeepsie, NY and Dubuque, In 1984, he won the NAB’s first Crystal cense and build a station from scratch. Award for community service, and in 1985 IA markets. The deals are ex- WEQX signed on Nov. 14, 1984 with an was named a Charter Member of the VAB pected to close by the end of the alternative rock format that it has main- Hall of Fame. He retired in 1989 but con- year. tained for nearly three decades. tinued to serve as a member of many dif- VOX DIVESTS IN BERKSHIRES ferent boards and charitable groups. A true independent, Brown rejected many offers for WEQX. In 2009, he Current WVMT owner Paul Goldman says Vox Communications, which gave the Albany Times Union his typical his father’s partner was a mentor to him. owns WEZF-FM and four other response to a buyout offer from a big “He epitomized how a radio station could stations in the Burlington- group: "I wouldn't sell to you if you were be massively successful along with serv- the last (expletive) station on Earth, be- Plattsburgh market, is selling ing the public,” he said, adding, “There cause I don't like what you do with the the six stations it owns in the are so many people in radio who got their stations you buy." Berkshires. Vox subsidiaries start with him. He did it right….he did it Berkshire Broadcasting and well.” The station has a loyal local audience and has won national recognition as Gamma Broadcasting are selling Cameron is survived by his wife of 65 well, twice winning Station of the Year three stations in Pittsfield, two years, Marion, and five children. in North Adams and one in Great honors from Rolling Stone magazine. Donations in his memory may be made to Brown was inducted into the VAB Hall of Barrington to Reed Miami Hold- the Saint Pius X Building Fund, Center Fame in 2005. ings, LLC, owned by Greg Reed. Road, Essex, Vermont or the Holy Family/ He is survived by his wife, Melinda No purchase price was an- St. Lawrence Building Fund, 4 Prospect “Mimi” Brown. Memorial service infor- nounced. St., Essex Junction, Vermont. mation was unavailable at press time.
HURRY! VAB AWARD ANN CURRAN RETIRES FROM VPT NOMINATIONS DUE SEPT. 15 Ann Curran started out as a The deadline for nominating a person or station for one of temporary employee at Ver- the VAB Awards is quickly approaching. Anyone may make a nomination for one of our prestigious awards. Just mont Public Television, and a go to our homepage at www.vab.org and make a nomina- volunteer at the station’s first tion in any or all of the following categories: on-air auction. Little did she know back then that her tem- VAB Hall of Fame porary stint at VPT would last The ultimate honor for Vermont broadcasters, the VAB Hall of Fame honors those men and women who have demon- 38 years! strated excellence throughout their careers, have en- Curran, Communications Director for VPT, re- hanced the broadcasting industry and have contributed to the betterment of their communities. tired from the award-winning PBS affiliate on August 30 after nearly four decades on the job. Broadcaster of the Year Honors a broadcaster (or station) that has made a signifi- She has seen many changes over the years, cant contribution to their state and to the broadcasting including the expansion of VPT’s coverage ar- community over the past year. ea and the switch to all-digital television.
Distinguished Service Award In 2009.the VAB presented Curran with it’s in- Honors those individuals who have distinguished them- augural “Broadcaster of the Year Award.” The selves in their profession over the course of many years. Award is open to all broadcast-related occupations award recognized the crucial leadership role she played in helping Vermont enjoy one of the Community Service Awards smoothest DTV transitions of any state in the Honors those individuals or stations that have gone above nation. and beyond the call of duty to make their community a bet- ter place to live. One person or station will receive our spe- The VAB wishes Ann Curran all the best in her cial Community Service Award, the Alan Noyes Award, in richly-deserved retirement! honor of the longtime Executive Director of the VAB.
THE VAB HALL OF JOIN US FOR A FREE FAME BANQUET RADIO LICENSE RENEWAL WEBINAR When: Saturday, Dec. 7
Where: Hilton Burlington TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 AT 2:30 P.M.
The renewal period for all com- THE VAB HALL OF FAME mercial radio stations in Vermont is quickly approaching. To help BANQUET WILL BE HELD you navigate the complexities of the license renewal process, the SATURDAY, DEC. 7, 2013 Vermont Association of Broad- casters in conjunction with the Make sure to mark Maine Association of Broadcast- your calendar for the ers is pleased to present a FREE VAB Hall of Fame webinar with attorney David Oxenford on Tuesday, Banquet! September 10 from 2:30 - 4:00 P.M.
More details to come. Go to our homepage at www.vab.org to register for the webinar today - space is limited!