Industry News Bits 11-20-20
Stations WMOB/Mobile (1360 AM) and WTOF/Bay Minette, AL (Tower of Faith-1110 AM) will officially cease broadcasting on Sunday 11/22. Acquired by Buddy Tucker Association Inc. in 1991, the stations have been under the ownership of Tucker’s wife, Lavaughn Tucker, since his death two years ago. “She is in her 90s and is no longer able to keep up with the expense of running the stations,” said longtime DJ Debby Day.
The stations air syndicated Christian talk and minitries, plus Southern Gospel music, but both the stations’ contributors and advertisers have dropped off dramatically since the COVID-19 outbreak, Day said. WMOB began broadcasting as WLIQ in 1961, owned by E.W. Jemison and Frank Conwell as Jemcon Broadcasting Company. WMOB had been simulcasting with WTOF, but because of technical difficulties, WTOF has been off the air for about three weeks.
Spotify’s ReZurrection Radio President & CEO Jim Epperlein checks in with HisAir. Jim says they have a multiple of new music channels this Thanksgiving and Christmas Season. In addition to ReZ Christmas HitZ channel and ReZ Pop HitZ channel with it’s library expansion of more than 2000 tracks from the 60s through today, Music Directors Ron Diaz and Thomas Kenny announce the official public release of the following new channels; ReZ Country HitZ, ReZ Modern Worship, ReZ Worship ClassicZ, ReZ Comedy, ReZ RockZ – The Post Alternative, ReZ 60’s & 70’s HitZ, ReZ 80’s HitZ, ReZ 90’s HitZ, and ReZ 2000 HitZ.
Dunham+Company commissioned a donor confidence study in April of this year to understand the impact the COVID-19 pandemic was having on donors and, potentially, giving. In September they looked into see if things had shifted with donors as we come into the all-important fourth quarter. It was discovered they have. The updated findings paint a picture of resilience among donors but the reality that they are feeling the impact of the struggling economy. And it could impact their giving as we come to the end of the year.
Check out the report HERE.
Continuing their annual tradition of making new Christmas memories with fans, Curb | Word Entertainment’s Sidewalk Prophets will transform their yearly holiday trek into a festive virtual “outing” as they present the “Great Big Family Christmas” livestream show across eight different dates and four different time zones this December. Broadcasting live from the band’s new studio space in Nashville, Great Big Family Studios, Sidewalk Prophets will deck the halls with a set list that dives into seasonal favorites from their acclaimed holiday LP, Merry Christmas To You, as well as hits from their catalog and fresh tracks from their latest full-length album, The Things That Got Us Here, featuring new songs like “Smile” and “Chosen.”
The “Great Big Family Christmas” livestream kicks off Dec 9th.
CMB announces its Summits next year will remain virtual while Momentum 2021 is planned at this time to be at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando™ on June 2-4, 2021. Covid and governmental guidelines for the state of Florida will continue to be monitored.
Nielsen November PPM results are due starting this Monday 11/23. Days 1-3 will be released Mon-Wed with Day 4 on Monday 11/30. Christian Radio Ratings are sponsored by Dunham+Company on HisAir.
Milestones:
Parks Stamper 20 years at WFSH/Atlanta
Prayer List:
Bryan O’Neal
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