Rob Redding at the Redding News Review is quoting sources that say AURN (American Urban Radio Networks) syndicated radio personality Bev Smith is ending her syndicated late night show abruptly at the end of the month. Health issues are cited as a probable cause for the shows cancellation. We’ll have more as the details are confirmed. *UPDATE* Bev Smith said in an interview with PittsburghUrbanMedia.com that rumors of her retiring due to health reasons are simply not true. “I am not retiring, I was notified by American Urban Radio Networks that, effective October 28th, the network will no longer carry The Bev Smith Show,” says the talk host, who’s been part of AURN’s lineup for the past 13 years. The 42-year radio and TV veteran says she was shocked and disappointed by the notice, noting she is particularly concerned about the lack of African-American female voices on the air during a “politically critical time” for both African-Americans and all Americans. She also made it clear that she has no intention of leaving quietly. “I appreciate all my fans that are blowing up my Facebook page, calling my show and finding any way possible to let me know they are not ready for The Bev Smith Show to leave the airwaves.”

Westwood One, in partnership with Courtside Entertainment Group, announced today an exclusive three-hour special featuring current Republican Presidential candidates fielding interview questions from syndicated radio talk show host Bill O’Reilly. The interactive program will also feature a live online straw poll where listeners can vote for the candidate of their choice. “Bill O’Reilly knows the political landscape inside and out, and his Presidential Town Hall will bring his unrivalled wit and wisdom to radio listeners early in the campaign season,” said Rod Sherwood, Westwood One’s President.“The program will feature tough interviews with the GOP contenders and then a live vote by folks using the net.  I can’t wait,” added O’Reilly.

Bill O’Reilly’s Presidential Town Hall will air on November 7th, 2011 from 6-9pm ET and will be available for broadcast by radio stations nationwide exclusively through Westwood One.

Who said Ryan Seacrest was the “hardest working man in media?’ CBS Radio syndicated radio personality and WXRK (92.3Now FM) New York morning star Nick Cannon, who also hosts the TV talent show, America’s Got Talent, has joined the cast of the new NBC-TV sitcom Up All Night  in a recurring role. The new fall sitcom, which debuts September 14th-following the season finale of America’s Got Talent- stars Christina Applegate as a TV talk show producer and working mother. Cannon portrays Calvin, “the wildly popular co-host to talk show star Ava (Maya Rudolph), who can’t help but be jealous of the attention her energetic sidekick receives.”  Cannon’s syndicated radio show “Cannon’s Countdown” debuted in April adding to his reputation as a true multi-media threat: an actor, a comedian, a rapper, a record label owner, husband to a one of the biggest singer/entertainers in the world (Mariah Carey) and TV show producer. He’ll continue to host America’s Got Talent.

Westwood One Executive VP/Affiliate Sales Dennis Green is moving to Cumulus Media after 15 years with the company. Green will join Cumulus in a similar position when the Cumulus deal to acquire Citadel Broadcasting and Citadel Media networks and syndication closes. Cumulus COO John Dickey said, “Dennis is in a league of his own. Nobody knows the network affiliation and broadcast business like Dennis. We are thrilled to have him on our team. He brings a deep bench of relationships and ideas that will take root and grow in our company.”

“I’m delighted to join one of the true leaders in broadcast media at Cumulus,” added Green. “I’ve got the utmost respect for the management of the company and look forward to being a part of bringing the best products and services to stations, advertisers and audiences around the country. There will be many new ideas that we will bring to the table and I can’t wait to get started.”

Prior to WWI, Green worked at Bloomberg and for the Mid-Continent Conference.

Add syndicated radio to Kevin Frazier‘s resume. The award-winning journalist and co-host of CBS Television’s The Insider has taken on an extra job, as a weekly contributor on the Tom Joyner Morning Show.  Frazier will offer insights into major celebrity news events and share exclusive content.  His reports, scheduled to air Tuesday’s at 7:52 am begin immediately. In addition to his role on the Insider, Frazier hosts celebrity interviews and content on his own urban entertainment news focused website, HipHollywood.com. He was previously a weekend host and correspondent on Entertainment Tonight as well as an anchor at Fox Sports Net and on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

“I’m very excited to share the latest news and Hollywood buzz with my friends at the Tom Joyner Morning Show,” said Frazier, who will play interview sound bites during his segment. “Listeners will get a sneak peek into exclusive news from The Insider, HipHollywood and beyond!”

“Kevin will be a great addition to the TJMS,” states Tom Joyner, whose Reach Media syndicated radio show reaches more than eight million people daily.  “Not only is he a well-respected journalist, but he also has  A-list connections with people our audience want to know more about.  Any man who can get that close to Sade is alright with me!”

Syndicated radio company AdLarge Media has announced an the addition of “Doug Stephan’s Good Day,“ a syndicated radio morning talk show and the second longest-running syndicated program in talk radio. The deal includes national advertising sales representation of all Doug Stephan’s content, on-air and online,  Stephan’s “Talk Radio Countdown” and a weekend version of “Good Day.” AdLarge Co-founder/President Cathy Csukas said of the signing, “Doug’s signature style of friendly talk radio has sustained his show’s popularity with radio audiences for more than 20 years. Whether it’s his mainstay Good Day program, the clever Talk Radio Countdown, or his weekend show, Doug inspires listener loyalty with engaging discussion on a wide variety of subjects that are relevant to his audience.”

“AdLarge uniquely is positioned to bring new revenue to our on-air and online products,” stated Doug Stephan. “Their sales force has deep agency relationships and a reputation for developing innovative advertising programs with sponsorships, endorsements, and promotions. Combined with their keen understanding of how to maximize radio’s potential for advertisers, we are confident that a sales representation partnership with AdLarge will increase our profile in the advertising community.”

United Stations Radio Networks (USRN)has announced a radio syndication deal with Seattle morning host Cory Fitz to distribute “Powered By Country with Fitz,” a new, personality driven Country Music countdown show. The three-hour syndicated radio program will be digitally delivered to affiliates, and anchored by Fitz who hosts “Fitz in the Morning” on KKWF-FM (100.7 The Wolf)Seattle. USRN Executive VP/Programming, Andy Denemark said, “For years, lots of folks have attempted to re-invent the Country Countdown, and this time, Fitz and his team have finally succeeded. Fitz is a major talent who brings tremendous enthusiasm, great instincts and a really fresh approach to the airwaves. We’re extremely proud and excited to be the network that gets to bring his skills and his content to broadcasters everywhere.”

“Powered by Country with Fitz” was developed by Entercom’s Seattle-based VP/Programming and Operations Dave Richards, along with Entercom’s Director of Country Programming, Mike Moore.

The New York Times reported today that sources at MSNBC say that civil rights activist and Syndication One syndicated radio talker the Rev. Al Sharpton is close to being named the permanent 6 pm anchor on the network.  Sharpton has been filling in for Cenk Uygur, the radio talk show host behind “The Young Turks” who has hosted the program for the last six months. Uygur reportedly has now left MSNBC after not being promised the 6pm slot.  The hiring of  Sharpton would be a major move for MSNBC, which has been criticized along with CNN, for not having enough people of color in roles in front of and behind the camera.

Sharpton has been driving his listeners of his daily syndicated radio show “Keepin’ It Real,” to tune into MSNBC, which they are apparently doing in numbers large enough to impress the brass at MSNBC. The network says in a statement, “We have decided to make a change at 6:00 pm. It’s unfortunate that Cenk has declined our offer to have him develop and host a program for another time slot.”

Syndication One talker Warren Ballentine is teaming with The National Bankers Association (NBA), the organization which represents African-American banks and banking executives, to spearhead a national campaign to get minorities and other consumers in the urban areas to bank with minority banks. The campaign, called “The People’s Economic Movement,” is planned to coincide with the unveiling of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial statue in Washington, D.C. August 28, 2011. According to Michael Grant, president of the NBA, “This self-help, empowerment movement is designed to stimulate much-needed economic development at our nation’s urban core. By depositing their money in minority banks, getting mortgages, small business loans or loans for college tuition from banks in their communities, consumers begin a process of harnessing the economic strength of the masses in a way that creates direct benefits to their communities which are still suffering from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.”

Ballentine explained, “This recession has created not a moment in time but a movement in time. Community economic development will only come with an intelligent and targeted approach to managing money. By investing their money in the minority banks in their own communities, consumers will begin to see how to make capitalism work in their favor.”

The National Bankers Association is a consortium of African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American and Native-American owned banks. The association’s member banks operate branches in 29 cities located across America.