Stardome Radio Networks has announced the official syndicated radio launch of the highly popular Chicago morning show, “El Pistolero Live”. The show debuts in several markets including Nashville, Detroit,  Fresno, CA; Nashville, AR; De Queen AR; Bend OR; St. George UT; and Charleston SC.  “El Pistolero Live” orginates from Regional Mexican formatted WRLL-AM Chicago and features long time radio personality host, Rafael “El Pistolero” Pulido. “The official launch of “El Pistolero Live” is a natural expansion for Stardome Radio Networks.  Rafael is an incredible talent who puts his heart and soul into interacting with his audience.  In the short time that we have had the privilege to work with him and it has been amazing to see his intuition and creative powers at work.  We celebrate the growth of the Hispanic market with this incredible new addition to our line-up of programming offerings,” said Stardome CEO Anthony Hernandez.

Entertainment Radio Network, the Oregon-based radio syndicator of Hot Rod Magazine Radio, Popular Science radio and Motor Trend radio has announced a distribution partnership with eBay Motors, one of the leading automotive destinations online.  Effective immediately, all ERN syndicated radio shows will be distributed through the modJOBS site on the eBayMotors.com landing page to 14 million unique visitors per month.  Former ABC Radio Networks President and current ERN Executive Vice President  John McConnell told TALKERS magazine, “eBay Motors has an extraordinary audience – nearly one billion page views per month.  I believe this kind of distribution is very much a part of radio’s future and we are thrilled that Entertainment Radio Network is the first to be working with eBay Motors new audio programming initiative.  We are all accustomed to talking about TSL (time spent listening), but now get ready to consider stickiness as well – eBay Motors’ average shopper spends 35 minutes per day online, often with credit cards at the ready.”

AdLarge Media inks an exclusive sales agreement with JAM Creative Productions for national advertising sales representation of its major market commercial inventory. The new partnership gives AdLarge’s advertisers access to radio inventory in many of the top 50 markets. AdLarge VP/Business Development Frank DeSantis said, “JAM’s established reputation for producing high-quality jingles, imaging music and commercials has made it a must-have choice, yielding a strong roster of radio stations across diverse regions and demographic targets.We are very pleased to represent their radio inventory to our advertising clients.” “We were impressed with how AdLarge was able and willing to guide us on how to maximize our radio station inventory and turn it into revenue,” noted JAM Creative Productions President/co-Founder Jon Wolfert. “We know how to produce effective station ID’s, and commercials, but AdLarge brought us a wealth of knowledge and experience that helped propel our product to an advanced revenue level.”

Clear Channel’s WNIC Fresh 100.3 has become Detroit’s first totally interactive radio station-at least for one day part-turning over total control of their night show to listeners with the  syndicated Listener Driven Radio. Night jock Sydney Hawkins hosts  Fresh 100.3′s “U Control Fresh @ Nite” show, turning instant music choices over to Detroit radio listeners who can control the station by voting on www.fresh100.com . With Detroit Listener Driven Radio platforms now reach over 30 million listeners monthly through its affiliation in nine of the top ten markets in the USA and radio networks in the USA, Canada, and Europe.

Clear Channel Detroit Operations Manager Todd Thomas said, “Any station can SAY ‘interactive,’ we actually back up the claim. No typical radio-B.S. — our listeners really are deciding every song that plays. We were less than 2 hours into it on the first night and had over 20,000 votes. Yeah, definitely seems like it’s been well-received so far.”

The release of Arbitron’s latest  quarterly RADAR ratings revealed little change at the top of the rankings. Network radio’s three highest-rated networks (all operated by Dial Global) remain the same in RADAR 110.  The report shows Dial Global’s Contemporary, Complete FM and Adult Power networks as the top three rated networks among both the Adults 18-49 and 25-54 demos (Mon-Sun, 5am-12am). It also had five of the top 12 networks among 25-54s.  Arbitron’s RADAR (Radio’s All Dimension Audience Research)  is the standard currency for national network radio ratings and measures 56 individual radio networks operated by American Urban Radio Networks, Cumulus Media Networks, Crystal Media Networks, Dial Global Inc., Premiere Radio Networks, United Stations Radio Networks and Westwood One Radio Networks. The complete RADAR 110 is here.

Cumulus Media Inc.  has formerly announced the acquisition of Citadel Broadcasting Corp. With the completion of the transaction  Cumulus added Citadel Media Networks, (the home of syndicated radio shows from Don Imus, Kidd Kraddick, Tom Kent, Perez Hilton, Thalia, Focus on The Family and the ABC and ESPN radio networks) as well more than 200 radio stations. Cumulus Media noted that subsequent to the acquisition, Citadel is its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary. According to Cumulus Media, with the completion of the Citadel acquisition, it is the largest pure-play radio broadcaster in US, and owns or operates more than 570 radio stations in 120 markets and a nationwide radio network serving over 4000 stations.

Cumulus Media expects to pay a total of around $1.418 billion in cash and issue approximately 26.23 million shares of its Class A common stock and warrants to buy 71.68 million shares of its Class A common stock to Citadel security holders in connection with the Citadel acquisition. As a result of the application of the proration procedures, Citadel stockholders and warrant holders who elected to receive cash in the Citadel acquisition will receive, per Citadel share or warrant, as applicable, $30.40 in cash and 1.521 shares of Cumulus Media common stock. Also, Citadel stockholders and warrant holders who elected to receive stock in the Citadel acquisition will receive, per Citadel share or warrant, as applicable, 8.525 shares of Cumulus Media Class A common stock.

The Cumulus-Citadel merger marks the end of a few turbulent years for Citadel that began with its purchase of the ABC Radio Networks and 22 ABC Radio stations in 2006. A later de-listing by the New York Stock Exchange in March 2009 and a Chapter 11 filing later that year, led to speculation that the company was a target for acquisition by 2010.

ABC Digital, Citadel Media’s recently launched digital content service from ABC News Radio, has already reached the 350 affiliate mark. The service delivers customized, format specific news categories such as World, National, Politics, Business, Entertainment and Health/Lifestyle, which are produced and updated 24 hours a day. Major broadcast groups signing on in the past month include Next Media, Midwest Communications,  Three Eagles Communications, Journal Broadcast Group, Merlin Media, JVC Broadcasting and Times-Shamrock Communications. “ABC Digital is an innovative offering tailored for radio stations with format-specific feeds that no other major news organization provides,” Citadel Media SVP/Programming and Distribution Carl Anderson said. “We anticipate continued growth for this service and expect it will be an extremely successful addition to our portfolio.”

ABC News Radio VP/GM Steve Jones added, “When we break news, we alert  our key radio station contacts so they can promote their leadership position on-air and drive listeners to their station’s site. This is a strong engagement feature that helps our customers increase their digital audience while seamlessly linking the on-air and online experiences.”

Many have been hailed as the lead dog in left leaning talk radio’s fight to answer the dominance of syndicated radio talkers Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck. Now it’s Thom Hartmann’s turn. The  Dial Global syndicated radio host is being called “the most influential progressive voice on the radio.”  An interesting profile on the Hartmann media empire, including his presence on multiple platforms like Free Speech TV, DISH and DirecTV, is here.