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| Prince Died From Opioid OD
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Confirming what many had suspected, Prince died from an opioid overdose. According to the official autopsy results, obtained by Variety, the cause of death was an accidental overdose of Fentanyl, a synthetic opiate prescribed to treat severe pain, especially after surgery or a medical procedure. It's said to be more potent than morphine. The 57-year-old singer was found dead on April 21 at his Paisley Park complex in Chanhassen, MN. As the Chicago Tribune reports, these findings confirm suspicions that opioids did play a role in the musician's death. Prince died six days after his plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Moline, IL for medical treatment as he was returning from an Atlanta concert. According to published reports, Prince was found unconscious on the plane and that first responders gave him a shot of Narcan, an antidote used in suspected opioid overdoses.
At least two doctors' names have come up in the death investigation being conducted by the Carver County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota and the D.E.A -- Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg and Dr. Howard Kornfeld. Schulenberg, a local family practitioner, treated Prince on April 7 and again on April 20 -- the day before his death. Schulenberg told investigators he had prescribed medications for the singer. Those medications were not specified in a search warrant for the Minnesota hospital that employed Schulenberg at the time. Kornfeld is a Mill Valley, CA-based addiction specialist who was contacted by Prince's staffers on April 20 to help treat the singer. Kornfeld dispatched his son Andrew on a red-eye flight to Minneapolis that evening, and Andrew was among the people who found Prince's unresponsive body in an elevator the next morning, according to Kornfeld's attorney, William Mauzy.
Andrew Kornfeld (who is not a doctor) was reportedly carrying buprenorphine, a medication that can be used to treat opioid addiction by easing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Mauzy said Andrew Kornfeld intended to give the medication to a Minnesota doctor who had cleared his schedule to see Prince on April 21. Mauzy has refused to identify that doctor. One problem -- Schulenberg is not authorized to prescribe buprenorphine. Stay tuned.
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| Grover Sporting EVP/GM Stripes
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Owen Grover has been upped to Executive Vice President & GM of Content Development & Distribution for iHeartMedia. The announcement came in a staff memo from Darren Davis, President of iHeartRadio & iHeartMedia Networks, who said, "In his 10+ years at iHeartMedia, Owen has been a critical contributor to the company's evolution into a true multi-platform media and entertainment entity. His experience spans the build-out of our digital network, the creation of iHeartRadio, and the establishment of key entertainment properties such as the iHeartRadio Music Awards. In his most recent role as SVP & GM of iHeartRadio, he's steered us towards audience and revenue growth while ably overseeing day-to-day operations."
Davis says Grover (pictured), "will now oversee the creation and distribution of content across our network of station and personality sites, and to the many third-party social platforms that have become such critical engagement vehicles for us. He and his team will be charged with establishing new standards, systems and best practices for the development of compelling, innovative editorial and video assets as well as the audience growth strategies to ensure that our key digital platforms continue to flourish. This team will unite several currently distinct teams to take best advantage of our scale and resources. Owen will work closely with our sales team, our marketing team, Ina Burke and her short-form video production team, and our digital product teams to maximize revenue and distribution opportunities. Please join me in congratulating Owen on this exciting new chapter!"
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Congrats to the highly motivated Ian "Slacker" Richards, MD/afternoon delight on CBS Radio Top 40 WDZH (98.7 AMP Radio)/Detroit, who was just rewarded for his ongoing contributions with the installation of aesthetically pleasing and fully functional APD stripes.
In a staff memo, OM/PD Tim Roberts said, "Slacker's dedication to the station, his attention to detail with our music and events, and overall internal and ratings leadership made him the obvious choice for this promotion. Slacker will continue to handle our AMP music duties and also assist me in programming the station and overseeing our part-time staff as well. Please congratulate Ian when you see him!" This is the latest step up the ladder of success for Richards, who was named to his current post in July of 2012. He had been doing part-time at AMP Radio in addition to his regular MD/night gig at Townsquare Rhythmic WRCL (Club 93.7) in his hometown of Flint, MI.
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• Broadcast Company of the Americas Classic Hits XHPRS (105.7 MAX FM)/San Diego is excited to welcome Karen "Cha Cha" Harlow aboard as the station's new afternoon drive jock. Harlow is a native San Diegan who cemented her local radio reputation with a 12-year run at crosstown XHTZ (Z90), followed by a decade in afternoons on KHTS (Channel 93.3). She most recently worked for CBS Radio's KNX/Los Angeles as an anchor, host and reporter.
Making a big local TV news splash and creating serious social media buzz, Cha Cha made her public plea for the MAX FM job while perched high atop a scissors lift (pictured) some 30 feet above Clairemont Mesa Boulevard -- conveniently located next to the giant 105.7 MAX FM billboard... what were the odds? Based on that level of creativity and showmanship, followed by a successful one-day on-air audition yesterday afternoon, the deal was sealed and Cha Cha was officially hired. BCA VP of Programming & Operations Mike Shepard said, "Cha Cha dominated afternoon drive in San Diego during the '80s, '90s and all the way through 2006, and we're excited to bring her back to play many of those same feel-good songs on 105.7 MAX FM. Her energy, passion and audience engagement is amazing... Welcome home, Cha Cha!"
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• Let the parade of Kelly Ripa guest co-hosts begin! Comedian and syndicated radio host D.L. Hughley will be the featured guest co-host on Live! With Kelly next Monday, June 6. Please set your DVR accordingly. Hughley, who is known for his no-holds-barred views on a wide array of subjects, confirmed his upcoming appearance via Twitter with the caption, "You think they're ready?"
Hughley's radio show is distributed by REACH Media and rolls live weekday afternoons from 3-7pm.
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• Stay tuned for the official release, but RAMP has learned Indianapolis radio fixture Laura Steele is making her welcome return to the Indy airwaves -- The Indianapolis Star initially broke the news that Steele has been hired to do nights on Cumulus Classic Hits WJJK, and RAMP has independently confirmed that information. This Facebook photo didn't hurt, either.
Steele famously worked at the late WNAP back in the day and later spent 15 years in middays at iHeartMedia Classic Rock WFBQ (Q95) until May of last year. Steele, who became the first woman to join the Indianapolis Motor Speedway public address team in 2004, also served as an Indianapolis 500 contributor last month for WISH-TV. Ms. Steele will make her WJJK debut this Saturday at 6pm.
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| • Grand Rapids, MI radio veteran Reese Rickards, a fixture on iHeartMedia Country WBCT (B93.7) and News-Talk WOOD for the past 24 years, says he has been terminated. As MLive reports, Rickards (left) took to Facebook yesterday and posted, "Good morning, My job was eliminated on Wednesday. I will be shutting down this Facebook page in a few days. My current email addresses have been terminated, and this Facebook page is the only way to contact me. If you would like my new email address, send me a message. Thank you very much for all of your support at B-93 and Wood Radio over the last 24 years." Rickards, 61, had done mornings with Neal Dionne on B93.7 until 2014, when he transitioned across the hall to WOOD as News Director.
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| Jacobs To Share The Wealth At Conclave
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The Conclave Learning Conference, which this year celebrates 41 years of educating radio broadcasters, announced that Fred Jacobs, President of Jacobs Media is joining the all-star speaker line-up for Conclave 41, which will be held July 13-15 at the Crowne Plaza in Minneapolis. Jacobs (left) will share the findings from his company's comprehensive Techsurvey12 in a special session open to all Conclave 41 registrants. This presentation will help the industry understand what radio listeners are doing when they are not listening to radio, and will address such burning topics as: What "jobs" are your listeners hiring your station to do in 2016? Does radio have a "commercial addiction" problem? Is podcasting really "the next big thing?" Why is everyone so fixated on cars? Does radio still "own" traffic reports? Jacobs said, "The Conclave's long commitment to learning is in-sync with our belief at Jacobs Media that young broadcasters are at the core of radio's future. We have supported this conference for many, many years, and I'm honored to a part of this year's truly iconic lineup."
Among the esteemed speakers and mentors attending Conclave 41 -- Ginny Morris, Chair & CEO, Hubbard Radio; Caroline Beasley, CFO/EVP, Beasley Broadcast Group; Jim Ryan, SVP of Programming, CBS Radio; Kevin LeGrett, President, Los Angeles Region, iHeartMedia; Gary Pizzati, SVP, Cumulus Media and Susan Larkin, RVP of Cox Media Group and many more; plus former CBS Radio President & CEO Dan Mason will speak at a very special industry luncheon. A special registration rate of only $299 is still available for a limited time! To check out the full agenda and to register for Conclave 41, please visit TheConclave.com.
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| Avengers Not That Worried
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Sony Music Nashville dispatched its elite squadron of highly trained Promotional Super Heroes across the land to help celebrate the release of Maren Morris' terrific debut album, Hero, which hits the streets today.
Standing, (l-r): Columbia Records Nashville VP of Promotion Shane "Superman" Allen; Sony Music Nashville EVP of Promotion & Artist Development Steve "Batman" Hodges; Columbia Records Nashville Promotions Specialist Christy "Robin" Garbinski; Columbia Records Nashville Manager, Midwest Promotion Bo "Captain America" Martinovich and Columbia Director of Regional Promotion Samantha "Supergirl" Borenstein, ably assisted by Arista Nashville's always entertaining VP of Promotion Josh "Big Red Feathered Super-Something-Or-Other" Easler. Your guess, no matter how insane, is no less valid than ours.
Down in front, (l-r): that's Sony Music Nashville Director of National Promotion Lauren "Wonder Woman" Thomas and Columbia Nashville Manager of Regional Promotion Lyndsay "Bat Girl" Church.
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| WMG Cuts Swede Deal For X5
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Warner Music Group has acquired Stockholm-based digital compilation company X5 Music Group. X5 specializes in licensing deep catalog and specific genres of music to create playlists, streaming and download products. X5 will continue to operate as a standalone company under its existing management, led by CEO/co-founder Johan Lagerlöf, with its operations overseen by Tim Fraser-Harding, WMG's President, Global Catalog, Recorded Music. Fraser-Harding commented, "X5 is an incredibly exciting company that has done great things in the digital space. This team, led by Johan, has an impressive ability to curate specific genres of music and create engaging and accessible digital products and playlists. We hope to help X5 grow its business in the years ahead and believe that we in turn will benefit hugely from its experience."
Stu Bergen, CEO of International and Global Commercial Services, WMG, adds, "It is a pleasure to welcome X5 to the Warner Music family. X5 will bring its unrivalled expertise to bear on behalf of the vast range of music we are honored to be promoting around the world." Lagerlöf stated, "Our business is to increase the value of catalog music by putting it in the right context. We are excited to be working with the amazing catalog of Warner Music Group and look forward to harnessing our scalable business model to increase its value. X5 has helped pioneer the digital music business for more than a decade and now we are bringing our unique expertise and experience to WMG."
Pictured, celebrating this awesome acquisition, (l-r): Johan Lagerlöf, Stefan Enberg (COO, X5 Music Group), Tim Fraser-Harding, Harald Kjessler (Chairman of the X5 Music Group Board), Jonas Siljemark (President, Warner Music Nordic) and Dirk Ewald (SVP, Global Catalog Management, WMG Global Catalog).
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Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Lacy Neff, former longtime PD of West Virginia Radio Corporation Top 40 WVAQ/Morgantown, WV, who died Wednesday, June 1 at the age of 49. As West Virginia's MetroNews reports, Neff (left) had been battling numerous life-threatening medical issues for several years -- he had been a patient at Mass General Hospital in Boston since November 2013 after being diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare disease that builds up abnormal proteins in vital organs. In Neff's case, those abnormal proteins were attacking his heart. His initial diagnosis also included multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood cells. In early 2014 Neff underwent a heart transplant and a stem cell transplant. He also endured other surgeries and countless medical procedures, but always kept a positive attitude. "Lacy was one of the most upbeat and optimistic people you would ever meet," said his friend Hoppy Kercheval, MetroNews VP of Operations and host of Talkline. "His positive attitude and joy of life lifted others up and inspired them to be better, in their lives and in their jobs. He brought incredible energy to the radio station every day."
Neff was originally hired to do nights at WVAQ in 1987. During his career, Neff won two Marconi Awards for Small Market Personality of the Year and led West Virginia Radio Corporation to three Marconis. Every year from 2003 to 2007, the West Virginia Broadcasters Association named Neff "Best On-Air Personality." Neff was inducted into the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2014. The WVAQ website posted a tribute to its former leader.
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Rochester Mourns Orest Hrywnak
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This has been a terrible day for radio deaths (and we're not out of the woods just yet) -- longtime Rochester, NY radio promotion wizard Orest Hrywnak died early yesterday morning at the age of 59. As the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports, Hrywnak, who underwent open-heart surgery on Feb. 18, suffered a heart attack in his sleep, according to his brother, Dr. Sev Hrywnak of Chicago. Hrywnak spent many years as Marketing Director at Entercom Top 40 WPXY, but his promotional career stretched all the way back to the '70s at WBBF, when he gained local fame as "Captain Cash," handing out money to lucky listeners. "If you had your WBBF bumper stick on your car, then 'Captain Cash' might pull you over and give you $95," said Dino Kay, afternoon personality on Stephens Media Group Adult Hits WFKL (Fickle 93.3) and one of Hrywnak's best friends. "He'd be driving in around in the 'Happy Honker' -- that was the name of the car." Kay said Hrywnak was his first boss in radio, hiring him as an intern in 1981 before giving him a fulltime job the following year. Hrywnak is also the godfather of Kay's youngest son, Dean. "He knew everybody," Kay said of his friend and mentor.
Rochester radio legend Scott Spezzano, who does mornings on Entercom's WBZA (98.9 The Buzz), spent some years working with Hrywnak at WPXY. Yesterday, Spezzano tweeted, "Sad to announce the passing my good friend Orest Hrywnak. He was my radio mentor and best friend for 30+years #rip#radio#roc." Hrywnak's Facebook page is rapidly filling up with remembrances from his many heartbroken friends and former colleagues. Funeral arrangements are pending with the Paul W. Harris Funeral Home in Irondequoit, NY.
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Condolences: Gary Digiuseppe
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The employees of Cumulus Media Little Rock, AR and the Arkansas Radio Network are dealing with the tragic death of Gary Digiuseppe, 60, the morning news anchor for First News with Kevin Miller on News-Talk KARN/Little Rock, AR, who was killed early in the early hours of yesterday morning while on his way into work. According to local news reports, Digiuseppe's car was traveling on Interstate 430 about 3:49am when he was hit head-on by a woman who was traveling in the wrong direction. Video taken by a passerby indicates both vehicles erupted in flames upon impact. Digiuseppe and the woman who hit him were both pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the female driver was not yet available.
A post on the KARN website reads, in part, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Gary Digiuseppe's wife, Mary, and the rest of his family as we all face the realization of the shocking loss of our co-worker. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the family of the unidentified woman who died in this tragic crash." Digiuseppe was an agricultural reporter for 35 years and a member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting since 1983.
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