On the heels of his settlement with Nielsen Audio for ratings tampering while at Beasley Media’s “Bubba 98.7” WBRN-FM Holmes Beach/Tampa FL, the company has dropped the show from “96 K-Rock” 96.1 WRXK-FM Bonita Springs/Fort Myers FL.
The move leaves Bubba with just four affiliates: Genesis Communications’ 820 WWBA Tampa, LM Communications’ “98 Rock” WYBB Charleston SC, Community Broadcasters “103.1 The Blaze” WZLB Fort Walton Beach FL, and Cumulus Media’s “95.9 The Rocket” WROK-FM Melbourne.
WRXK will debut a new morning show on Monday, July 16.
Another former CBS Radio executive is departing Entercom. Steve Butler, News Format Captain and Director of News and Programming for 1060 KYW Philadelphia, will exit at the end of the year or when a replacement is named.
Butler has spent the majority of his career at KYW over four tours. He served as a desk assistant while in college, returned as a writer and reporter from 1979-1985. After a brief move to television he returned in 1986 as News Director and Executive Editor. Butler departed KYW in 1989 to serve as Editor of Inside Radio and then returned in his current position in 1997.
Impact Radio Group Hot AC “My 102.7” KZMG Melba/Boise ID has debuted a new morning show hosted by Joey and Lauren Jenkins.
Joey Jenkins had been serving as PD/afternoon co-host at Sports “99.1 ESPN Boise” K256CZ until its flip to Rock last month. His wife Lauren joins the company from outside the radio industry. The duo replaces the syndicated John Jay & Rich in the timeslot.
Lashonda ‘Tropikana’ Hatch is moving from Urban One Urban “Hot 104.1” WHHL Hazlewood/St. Louis MO to sister “101.1 The Wiz” WIZF Erlanger KY/Cincinnati OH to serve in the same role as Music Director and afternoon host.
She will continue to voicetrack nights in St. Louis.
iHeartMedia’s “Big Boy in the Morning” based at Urban “Real 92.3” KRRL Los Angeles will soon be available in another venue as a same-day best-of-show will air on cable network FM: Fuse Music starting July 30.
HeartMedia and Fuse Media announced today that iHeartRadio’s Real 92.3 nationally-syndicated hit radio show, “Big Boy’s Neighborhood,” starring Big Boy, will be televised weekdays on FM (Fuse Music). Episodes premiere same day as the radio broadcast and begin airing Monday, July 30.
“Big Boy’s Neighborhood” joined Real 92.3 in March 2015 and also stars Natalia Perez, Louie G, Ayyde and DJ VickOne. The show continues to be one of the leading Urban Contemporary morning shows in the Los Angeles market, and in 2016, the program joined Premiere Networks nationally-syndicated lineup. The television series will feature Big Boy, one of iHeartMedia’s most revered personalities, as he continues to entertain audiences daily on-air with his high-energy mix of Hip Hop, heart and humor. During the broadcast he will welcome the biggest names in music and entertainment and keep listeners laughing with hilarious bits, including the infamous phonetaps with “Luther Luffeigh.”
“Music is a passion point for our young, multicultural audience and who better to provide a daily dose of the biggest names in music entertainment and breaking pop culture news than radio icon Big Boy,” said Fuse Media President & CEO Michael Schwimmer. “We look forward to bringing ‘Big Boy’s Neighborhood’ to FM and partnering with iHeartMedia on the type of cutting-edge entertainment his radio listeners have enjoyed for so many years.”
“I can’t believe it’s been three years since I embarked on this incredible journey with iHeartMedia to bring ‘Big Boy’s Neighborhood’ to my listeners on iHeartRadio’s Real 92.3, and now across broadcast radio stations nationwide,” said Big Boy. “Words can’t express how excited I am to bring the Neighborhood to millions of viewers through this television partnership with Fuse.”
“This new partnership with Fuse is the continuation of an exciting trend of our iconic iHeartRadio personalities extending their reach to television,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia. “Big Boy is a legend in music and this is the next logical step as he extends his brand.”
Big Boy started his radio career in Los Angeles and quickly became a West Coast icon known throughout the music industry. He has been named Personality of the Year four times by Radio Music Awards and eight times by Radio and Records magazine and received three Marconi Awards from the National Association of Broadcasters for his exceptional talent. In addition, he is also a member of the National Radio Hall of Fame.
A multimedia powerhouse, Big Boy has also made multiple movie and television appearances, released a personal biography, “An XL Life: Staying Big at Half the Size,” and works with numerous charitable organizations, including Together in His Arms, a foundation that works with families coping with the loss of a child.
