Industry News Bits Mon 8-16-21
Melissa Dikau announces she is leaving Fair Trade Services National Promotion, Wednesday is her last day. Fair Trade Sr Dir National Promotion Kai Elmer has started a search for a new rep. If interested check HERE.
Salem Media announced today that Jamie Cohen has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Broadcast Digital. In his new role Jamie will oversee all aspects of the digital operations for Salem’s local and National/Network digital efforts. “Jamie has done a tremendous job building Salem’s digital enterprise for our local stations. Overseeing all aspects of our digital operations, both locally and nationally, will open more channels of opportunity and unify our efforts in reaching our audiences through digital avenues and monetizing our digital assets,” said Dave Santrella, Salem’s Broadcast Media President.
Jamie said, “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and am bullish on our future. With the emergence of platforms like Salem Now, the Salem Podcast Network and other innovations, our audience has never been bigger. We have an amazing opportunity ahead of us and I can’t think of a better place to be.”
Salem Media Group’s podcast network has added former Trump Campaign Attorney Jenna Ellis to the lineup of show starting Sep 13th. As a Constitutional attorney and former senior legal advisor to the Trump campaign, Jenna Ellis believes in the rule of law and the importance of integrity in our elections. In each episode of the Jenna Ellis Show, she will tackle the critical cultural and legal issues our country faces.
Former PLG Label Promotions and Brand Partnerships director Lindsay Crane started her new position on the marketing team at Awakening Events today, Mon 8/16.
In the wake of a massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti early Saturday morning (8/14/21) the Salem Radio Network is using its network-wide resources to generate food donations for victims. (The quake Saturday was worse than the 2010 earthquake that left 220,000 dead across the island nation.)
SRN’s 24/7 news service SRN News—and its news/talk counterpart TOWNHALL News—immediately launched a campaign to generate donations for Florida-based Christian non-profit relief organization FOOD FOR THE POOR. SRN V.P./News & Talk Programming Tom Tradup says “For over 35 years FOOD FOR THE POOR has had boots on the ground in Haiti, and their teams are uniquely qualified to distribute food to earthquake-devastated areas of Haiti through their network of local churches.”
Effective Monday (8/16) the Haiti earthquake relief effort will be joined by SRN’s nationally syndicated talk hosts Mike Gallagher, Eric Metaxas, Sebastian Gorka, Hugh Hewitt and Carl Jackson (who is guest-hosting Larry Elder’s national talk show while Elder runs for Governor of California in the state’s September 14th Recall.)
RCA Inspiration celebrates over ten nominations for song and album releases at the upcoming 52nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. The nominations span artist releases in eight categories, with hit artists Kirk Franklin (Fo Yo Soul/RCA), Marvin Sapp, Travis Greene, Koryn Hawthorne, Mali Music, Kelontae Gavin, DOE, Melvin Crispell, III, and All Nations Music garnering nods in artist, song, and album categories. Top categories include Song of the Year nominations for two songs performed by Koryn Hawthorne and Marvin Sapp, and two Gospel Artist of the Year nominations, for Kirk Franklin and Travis Greene. The remaining nominations span the genres of Contemporary Gospel, Traditional Gospel, and Gospel Worship.
WJTL/Lancaster MD Nik Curtis Beal checks in with HisAir. Nik says, “WJTL’s Host of the Archives Terry Phillips who is currently in the ICU due to Covid needs urgent prayer. For 30 years, WJTLs Terry Phillips has been the “official archivist” for WJTL curating a library of the best from Christian music from the 1960s through the 1990s. Terry hosts “The Archives” Saturday nights on WJTL, “a musical history lesson” of song and new interviews with foundational artists of our industry; and The Junction Center has offered a place for listeners to encounter these artists live in concert all over again. His weekly show continues to promote the music and artists that have built what is Contemporary Christian Music today. Terry has a sweet heart for God, and is a former Marine, so we know he has it in him to fight the good fight. Your prayers in faith for Terry’s recovery and his wife Bonnie are greatly appreciated.”
HisAir is sorry to report the passing of Mark Ferguson. For over 30 years Ferguson hosted, along with his wife Jerri, of the weekly Gospel radio show “Sunday In The South.”
StowTown Records Director of Music Promotion Kim Pennington told HisAir today, “Thanks to Mark and Jerri Ferguson, Sunday in the South is known for quality and professionalism in Southern Gospel broadcasting. We rejoice that Mark is now with the Savior he loved to talk about, but we mourn for the loss to his family and to this industry. Our prayers and thoughts are with Jerri and her family.”
Vidare presents a Free Webinar Tomorrow Morning on “Top 3 Takeaways from Fundraising 21” conference held last month in Franklin, TN. The webinar starts Tuesday at 9am PT, 10 am MT, 11am CT, and 12 noon ET. To register go HERE.
Station Milestones:
WPOZ/Orlando (Z 88.3) celebrates 26 years on the air.
CJLF/Barrie, ONT (Life 100.3) is having its 22 year anniversary.
LPFM WSRR/Murfreesboro, TN (Saint Rose Radio 99.3) celebrates its fifth year being on the air last Friday. The station will soon change its name to “Truth Radio” From station website: “Two years after submitting the application and checking all the boxes on a long list of requirements, Saint Rose Radio saw the light of day with its audio debut in August of 2016. The station’s transmitter can actually be spotted behind the cross on the steeple of Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church on North Tennessee Boulevard.”
Milestones:
Whip of Chords with Matt Rhodes celebrates 26 years
Ana Herrador 8 years at KSBJ/Houston
Prayer List:
Terry Phillips
Erica Parkerson
