Garner Renews Contract, Kobalt Launches New Service, and BMI Board Announced

Blair Garner Renews Radio  Contract

Blair Garner has renewed his contract with Premiere Radio Networks. Garner, a two-time recipient of the ACM’s “On-Air Personality of the Year,” hosts After MidNite with Blair Garner, which is heard by 2.7 million weekly listeners. The show will continue to broadcast daily from midnight to 6 a.m. on over 260 stations. Garner has been in national syndication for 17 years.

“I’m very pleased to continue my relationship with Premiere,” Garner says. “It’s an exciting time for radio and the opportunities for engagement that Premiere continues to develop–from on-air and digital to off-air events–are tremendous and benefit our listeners, artists, affiliates, record labels and advertisers. I look forward to breaking new ground with the Premiere team!”

Kobalt Launches Balance Updates

Kobalt Music Group launched a revolutionary service which will allow its clients to individually monitor their global royalty account balances online. The service, called Kobalt Weekly Online Balance Updates, allows clients to view current balances for their next quarterly statement period. Additionally, they will be able to request an online advance, allowing almost immediate access to their accruing royalties.

“With our new Weekly Online Balance Updates and Kobalt’s direct global collection infrastructure, copyright owners for the first time in history can get their money up to 2.5 years faster than the traditional industry standard,” explains Willard Ahdritz, CEO and Founder of Kobalt Music Group. “This gives our clients a significant advantage in transparency and value.”

Formed in 2001, Kobalt Music Group administers more than 175,000 copyrights worldwide on behalf of over 900 content holders.

BMI Board of Directors Announced

BMI announced new and re-elected members to its Board of Directors at the company’s annual shareholder meeting, held in Nashville on October 19th. Jack Sander, former Vice-Chairman of Belo Corporation in Dallas, Texas, was re-elected as Chairman of the Board, and Cecil L. Walker, former Chairman & CEO, Gannett Broadcasting, Atlanta, GA, was re-elected Presiding Director. Both will serve one-year terms.

New Board members are Michael J. Fiorile, Vice Chairman and CEO of Dispatch Broadcast Group and President & COO of The Dispatch Printing Company, Columbus, OH; and Mark P. Mays, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Clear Channel Communications, Inc., San Antonio, TX. Re-elected Board members are Catherine L. Hughes, Founder & Chairperson, Radio One, Inc., Lanham, MD; and Jerome L. Kersting, President, Tribune Broadcasting Company, Chicago, IL.

Those continuing in their terms on the Board are: Del R. Bryant, President & CEO, BMI, New York, NY; Amador Bustos, President & CEO, Bustos Media Holdings, LLC, Granite Bay, CA; Susan Davenport Austin, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation and President, Sheridan Gospel Network, New York, NY; N. John Douglas, President/CEO, AIM Broadcasting, LLC, Palo Alto, CA; Craig A. Dubow, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gannett Co., Inc., McLean, VA; Kenneth J. Elkins, President & CEO, Pulitzer Broadcasting and Senior Vice President, Broadcasting, Pulitzer Publishing Co. (retired); Philip A. Jones, Mission Hills, KS; Paul Karpowicz, President, Meredith Broadcasting Group, Rocky Hill, CT; Virginia Hubbard Morris, President, Hubbard Radio and Vice President, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., St. Paul, MN; Mark Pedowitz, Founder and Chairman, Pine Street Entertainment, Burbank CA; G. Neil Smith, President, GNS Media, LLC, Liberty, SC.