Syndicated Solutions inks an agreement with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to syndicate Startalk Radio, effective June 2. Startalk Radio is a two-hour weekend program focused on science, space, technology and more. A stand-alone 60-second daily weekday short form feature will also be syndicated. Host Neil deGrasse Tyson is Director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York, a best-selling author, and host of the new Cosmos series premiering on Fox in January, 2013. SSI President Bob Carey stated, “There is nothing comparable to Startalk Radio currently on America’s airwaves. And there’s no one comparable to Neil deGrasse Tyson. He’s highly credentialed and passionate with a great sense of humor. He’s been recognized in the Time 100, voted by the editors of Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and even has an asteroid renamed after him.” Tyson commented “When shown the fun and funny of science, I’ve found most people stay hungry for knowledge and wisdom on how the universe works. Our new syndication agreement with SSI allows Startalk Radio to envision an audience as vast as the Cosmos itself.”

Syndicated Solutions Inc. announces the launch of  “Save Us Chuck,” hosted by veteran TV personality Chuck Woolery. The one minute daily syndicated radio political commentary debuts June 4th.  SSI Pres. Bob Carey said, “When you think of recognizable personalities in America, Chuck Woolery certainly makes the list.  He’s a proud and vocal conservative who’s well accomplished from years of national successes across multiple platforms.  This timely and topical daily political feature/commentary, “Save Us Chuck”  builds upon Chuck’s unmistakable on-air presence read more…

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton who already hosts a syndicated radio daily entertainment feature for Cumulus Media is picking up the night show from Dial Global’s Billy Bush Show on more than 50 Cumulus stations including those in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Detroit. The company dropped Bush in response to Dial Global’s placing its sports programming (the NFL, NCAA and Olympics coverage it acquired in the Westwood One deal) on non-Cumulus stations. “Perez Nights Live” launches May 21 with co-host Adam Bomb and will air four hours nightly. Hilton says he loves doing radio, and promises his show is going to be “deliriously delightful and de-lovely.”  Hilton will also continue to do his twice-daily entertainment news feature that launched four years ago. Cumulus co-COO John Dickey on the choice of Hilton says, ” Successful contemporary stations all have one thing in common: they keep their listeners on the cutting edge of music and pop culture.  Perez doesn’t report on pop culture, he is pop culture.”

Increased reliance on STORQ technology is the reason for recent staff cuts at Dial Global’s 24 hour networks. Cuts were felt in Dallas, Seattle and Valencia California, but most of the layoffs occurred in Denver. Approximately 30 staffers in all were let go as Dial Global makes adjustments to its 24-hour formats merging staffs and redundant positions in programming, on-air and support staff positions. DG President of Programming Kirk Stirland said the “personnel realignment is a result of moving its formats toward the patented STORQ-based technology, and the expanded use of its DG Local “Express”- That moves us toward a more flexible and full-featured production of 24-hour formats.”  Some of the changes include Chick Watkins, PD of Adult Standards exiting as well as AC PD Rick Brady.  Oldies Plus/Good Time Oldies PD Cheri Marquart takes over for Brady.

Dial Global, picking up the pieces of a fallout with Cumulus Media, has added the syndicated Billy Bush Show to a dozen recent additions-bringing the total up to 60 stations. The latest Dial Global outlets to jump on the Billy Bush bandwagon include Starr 94 Atlanta, KFRH-FM Las Vegas, KREV-FM (The Revolution) San Francisco and KRCK-FM Palm Springs. Cumulus Media’s decision pull Dial Global’s “Billy Bush Show” off its CHR stations for it’s own new night show after it’s purchase of Citadel and Dial Global’s merger with Westwood One,  started a battle between the two networks/syndicators. In what seemed like retaliation for the the Bush cancellations, Dial Global signed deals with a number of  non-Cumulus sports stations to carry its NFL, NCAA and Olympics coverage (Entercom’s KGMZ San Francisco; Lincoln Financial Media’s WQXI Atlanta and Cromwell Group’s WPRT Nashville).

Syndication One syndicated radio talk show host Warren Ballentine recently scored an exclusive interview with First Lady Michelle Obama “live” from the White House. Ballentine visited the White House on Monday, April 16th as part of their Summit on Entrepreneurship for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions. The Summit offered the opportunity for Ballentine to provide a national African-American audience for small business owners, government experts, and leaders from a variety of HBCUs/MSIs to discuss their numerous opportunities and facilitate solutions to challenges read more…

EMF Broadcasting Contemporary Christian Air1 Radio Network announced the addition of Brenda Price as midday host starting this week.  Price will take over the mid-day slot from 11a to 3p (ET). “Brenda’s great passion for radio, her listeners, and God is contagious.  She’s just the lively and engaging personality we’ve been searching for in mid-days to fit between our dynamic morning duo of Eric Allen and Mandy Young and the always compelling Brant Hansen in the afternoon,” said Air1 PD Paul Goldsmith. “I am truly honored and blessed to be a part of the Air1 team!  I have been in radio for a decade and now I get to use my gift, my voice, to entertain and lead people to Jesus through music!  I am excited for this new journey,” said Price. Price joins Air1 from Cumulus Country KUSJ Killeen-Temple, TX where she co-hosted mornings.

Christian radio broadcaster Salem Communications has announced a strategic partnership with TuneIn, a free Internet radio service. The move extends the reach of Salem’s programming to the service’s more than 30 million monthly active listeners in over 230 countries. Salem owns 96 radio outlets, 60 of which are in 22 of the top 25 radio markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. “Our goal at TuneIn is to make the best in radio accessible to anyone, read more…

Here’s hoping the third time is a charm for syndicated radio host Warren Ballentine. The Syndication One talker returned to the Atlanta airwaves last week on WGUN-AM (1010) anchoring the newly re-formatted progressive outlet. Ballentine (10 am-1 pm) joins a talk lineup on the station that features Dial Global’s  Ed Schultz (1 pm to 3 pm), Premiere Radio Network’s Randi Rhodes (3 pm to 6 pm), Dial Global talker Thom Hartmann (6 pm to 9 pm) and Atlanta’s own Mike Malloy (9 pm to midnight). The WGUN pickup is the third Atlanta station for Ballentine in the past several years. The show was dropped amidst a huge protest by CBS Radio WAOK-AM last December and was also let go falling victim to a format change at Radio One WAMJ-FM in January, 2009.