Chairperson of the National Board of Governors for the March of Dimes Volume XXXIII • Number 7 • February 16, 2007 Radio AIR Awards, board member of the Broadcasters Foundation, Broadcast Education Association, Vice-President-at-Large for the Society of Singers and was recently appointed to the Dean’s Advisory MAIN STREET Committee for Cal State Fullerton College of Communication. Until Presents recently, Erica served on the Board of Directors of Arbitron, Inc. She’s a current member of the Conclave’s Executive Board. Come celebrate TheThe ConclaveConclave the achievements of Erica Farber this summer at the Conclave Learning Conference! AA TT TT LL EE TT RR Alternative WKZX and Classic Rock WLUP have bid farewell to VP/ Publisher: Tom Kay Editor: Kate Kennedy Programming Mike Stern and WLUP PD Tim Dukes. According to Cartoons Pilfered by Lenny Bronstein & Jay Philpott Emmis Regional VP Marv Nyren, “This is something we have been going through for about a month now, and I have been bouncing ideas off of President Rick Cummings and Jimmy Steal. They said ‘go for The Conclave Learning Conference announced that Radio & Records it.’ The truth is that we have been doing things the same way for 30 President and Publisher, Erica Farber, will be this year’s recipient of years, and that’s wrong. Both Mike Stern and Tim Dukes are wonderful the 2007 Rockwell Award to be presented at the Minneapolis Marriott programmers, but we have two amazing brands in Q101 and The Loop, City Center during “Conclave 007: For Your Ears Only.” She will receive and we want to maximize our efforts as we prepare for PPM which will th the award at the Arbitron Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 29 . The be here 11 months from now. We need a programmer that will help us Rockwell Award, first awarded in 1989, is a lifetime achievement tribute put a strategic plan together and lead us into the new world of PPM. to those who have contributed to the radio and record industry through We are going to begin running these stations now, as if PPM was already achievement, inspiration and mentoring. “We’ve never forgotten the here. This programmer will have great team assistance in Q101 APD/ support Erica and R&R provided in the formative years of the Conclave, MD Spike Eskin and WLUP APD/MD (and Conclave TalenTrak and I’m thrilled the Board is recognizing that special legacy with the Trakmaster) Bill Klaproth. I’ve not talked to one person yet, but this awarding of this Rockwell,” said Tom Kay, Conclave Executive Director new programmer for both stations will be a visionary leader and strategic (the TATTLER just loves writing in the third person!), and added, “This planner. We need someone to manage these brands, who can run the recognition is long overdue, as Erica becomes the first woman to be golden thread through all of them tying the programming into the Internet, recognized with this prestigious award. To all of this, I can only say – texting, marketing, promotion, and all manners of spreading the It’s about time!” Erica has become one of the industries most respected brands.” Comment: Many in the biz have been offering the opinion that and influential businesswomen. During the early years of her career, the firing of Mike and Tim was for budgetary considerations, what with she held positions at KRTH-FM, KABC-TV, and KIIS-AM in Los Angeles Emmis’ fiscal year ostensibly coming to a close at the end of this month. before going to WROR-FM in Boston and then to WXLO-FM in New But I believe Marv’s explanation. I think Emmis is doing some forward York as vice president/general manager. She joined McGavren Guild thinking, not just in preparation for the PPM but for all the other things Radio in 1980 and rose to executive vice president/radio development to which Marv alludes: Internet, texting, marketing, etc. Marv was quoted for the parent company, INTEREP. In 1992, she joined Radio & Records earlier this week that he had characterized both Mike and Tim as and assumed full publishing responsibilities in January 1995. However, “traditional programmers”…and successful ones, at that. It may be too it’s her contributions to those around her that has had a major impact. early to say, but the Chicago firings might be pointing toward a movement She has been recognized for her works with the Southern California by radio companies to find ‘the next big thing’… the next breed of Chapter of AWRT – a 1996 Genii Award for Radio and a 1994 AWRT programmer. No matter what, it becomes more and more apparent that Industry Award. In April 2000, she received an American Broadcast radio companies may have begun to let the industry know that solutions Pioneer Award from the Broadcasters Foundation. The Country Radio of the past may not be offering answers for the future. It would appear Broadcasters honored her in June 2002 with the President’s Award. at least one of them intends to do something about it, even when it She is consistently voted by the readers of Radio Ink Magazine as one means allowing two of the sharpest “traditional” programmers in the of The Most Influential Women In Radio®, topping the list in 1999 and Midwest walk away from the building. Prepare for the future. It’s coming 2001. In 2003, the National Association of Broadcasters presented her fast. And for a few…it’s already here. And expect this topic to occupy a with their prestigious National Radio Award. She is a Past Chairperson prime position in the Conclave Learning Conference’s agenda this of the Broadcast Promotion and Marketing Executives and a past board summer. - TK member and Past President of the Country Radio Broadcasters, to name just a couple. Erica currently serves on The Radio Hall of Fame Advisory committee and the Southern California Radio Advisory Group of the Museum of Television & Radio and the AWRT. Erica is the current THE LEARNING CONFERENCE PRESENTS RELEASE DATE: JUNE 28, 2007 ADMISSION: $199 PREMIERING AT: THE MINNEAPOLIS www.theconclave.com MARRIOTT CITY CENTER Conclave 007 FOR YOUR EARS ONLY MAIN STREET MARKETING & PROMOTION, 4517 MINNETONKA BLVD #104, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55416 PHONE/FAX: 952.927.HITS (4487)/927-6427 Publisher: Tom Kay at [email protected] Web: www.main-st.net HINDER “Better Than Me” KCDA, KKDM, KLAQ, KMOD, KNXX, KZBD, WCCC, WEZB, WIOG, WJJO, WJXQ, WLKT, WMFS, WRZK, WTZR, WWBN, KATS, KBAT, KCLD, KCRS, KLFX, KLZR, KMXF, KRNA, WNDV, more! The auction of Air America Network has been approved by the U.S. year its sale of 448 of its 1,150 properties. The company is going private Bankruptcy Court. The first bid will be for $4.25 million by Stephen L after an $18.7 billion buyout. Green, a Northeast real estate giant. His financial support comes from Rob Glaser’s Democracy Allies LLC. To compete, subsequent bids “I’m not a professional politician. I know I’m gonna make mistakes.” must begin at $4.6 million with a deposit of 10%. Any bidding increases This statement preceded the big announcement this week that Mr. Al must come in $50,000 increments, and the finale will be a sale hearing. Franken, Minnesota native, writer, comedian, thorn in the side of neo- cons everywhere, and former Conclave keynoter, will run for Minnesota Back to the Air America saga, a gathering of creditors has filed State Senate against incumbent Republican Norm Coleman. Franken objections to the sale of the network. According to the Bloomberg News, will of course run on the Democratic-Farm-Labor ticket. He made the the complaint accuses Stephen Green of a “bait and switch,” meaning announcement on the last remaining minutes of his last show. “I’ve they agreed to a sum of $500,000 from the sale of the network, but decided to move on to another challenge,” he told listeners, talking found that Green’s bid put other creditors ahead of them in receiving about his Minnesota roots and his founding of the “Minnesota Values the proceeds of the sale, which would endanger the recovery of their Pac.” He also spoke of his inspiration and admiration for the late Sen. portion of the sale. Paul Wellstone. “I discovered I liked it,” he said of his activities for the Party and his work for Pac in the 2006 elections. Franken informed his President/CEO of NAB David Rehr sent FCC Chairman Kevin Martin audience that he would be visiting a clinic for uninsured patients on a memo this week, concerned about a recent report from the New York Thursday, then leaving on a Minnesota state tour. He urged listeners Times on satellite radio interference with local radio signals, and to “keep listening, keep talking, keep doing.” His website is now demanded that the Commission call back the satellite devices that converted into a campaign website, and has links to volunteer and to interfere with free radio frequencies. He noted that listeners are often contribute, as well as a video message from Franken. In the video, he exposed to lewd and unwanted programming from satellite radio. He states, “I’m not a typical politician. I’ve spent my career as a comedian. noted “FM listeners in their cars and listeners of public and religious Minnesotans have a right to be skeptical about whether I’m ready for programming on noncommercial stations typically located at the lower this challenge and to wonder how seriously I would take the responsibility end of the FM band.” that I’m asking you to give me.