MORE HEIDI RAPHAEL NEWS

Greater Media, Inc. announced today Heidi Raphael has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Corporate Communication. She previously served as Director of Corporate Communication since January of 2005.

"Heidi Raphael is a remarkable person and an incredibly talented broadcast professional,” said Peter H. Smyth, President and CEO of Greater Media, Inc. "Her wisdom and vision allow us to consistently communicate the successful story of Greater Media. We are very fortunate to have her on our team."

“I am so very grateful to the Bordes Family, Peter Smyth and everyone at Greater Media for this amazing opportunity,” said Raphael. “I consider it a privilege to work for such a wonderful organization in the radio industry.”

Raphael joined Greater Media in April of 1996 as the Marketing Director of WRIF-FM in Detroit, Michigan. Raphael was subsequently promoted to the positions of Director of Group Marketing of the company’s Motor City-based radio properties (including WRIF-FM, WCSX-FM, and WMGC-FM) and New Business Development Director of MAGIC 105.1 FM.

She was recognized among the “Top 50 Most Influential Women in Radio” by Radio Ink Magazine in 2006 and 2007. Raphael currently serves as the Spokesperson on behalf of the Mentoring & Inspiring Women (MIW) Radio Group and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Medaille College, located in Buffalo, New York.

In addition, she is a past chapter vice president and current member of American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT) and the Broadcast Education Association (BEA).

**DOUG PODELL PROMOTED**

Greater Media, Inc. announced today veteran radio programmer Doug Podell has been named Director of Rock Programming of WRIF-FM and WCSX-FM in Detroit, Michigan.

In his new role, Podell will be responsible for the strategic direction and programming of both legendary rock stations. The Detroit native previously served as Program Director of WRIF-FM for the past 14 years. Prior to joining Greater Media Detroit, Podell worked as the Program Director of WNCX-FM in Cleveland, Ohio.

"I believe that it's for the overall strategic best interests of the cluster to have one person's vision and leadership directing both of our rock stations,” said Tom Bender, Senior Vice President and Regional General Manager of Greater Media Detroit. “Doug is a lifelong competitor and a man with an enviable track record of winning. He totally understands the Detroit market, and we're fortunate to have him to fill this role."

"It’s an honor to now be associated with and represent not one, but two of the greatest rock stations in the country, WRIF and WCSX," said Doug Podell. "I’d like to thank everyone at Greater Media, especially Peter Smyth, Tom Bender and Buzz Knight for the opportunity and their confidence in me."

He will begin his new position effective immediately.

Heidi Raphael Named Spokesperson of the MIW Radio Group

The Mentoring & Inspiring Women (MIW) in Radio Group has announced that Heidi Raphael, Director of Corporate Communication at Greater Media, Inc., has been chosen to succeed Joan Gerberding as Spokesperson of the Mentoring and Inspiring Women (MIW) Radio Group.

"Having held this position since we launched the MIW group in 2000, I felt, and the Executive Committee agreed, that it was time to pass the torch and get a new perspective from someone who had industry clout and insight," commented Gerberding. "Heidi was the perfect choice."

“I am honored and humbled to represent such an outstanding group of women leaders in our industry,” said Raphael. “I am especially grateful to MIW Radio Group founder & Spokesperson Joan Gerberding and all the MIWs for their incredible support as we move forward in our mission of working together with the radio industry in advocating the advancement of women to senior positions in broadcasting.”

The Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio group consists of top-level radio women across the country who are committed to using their influence and resources to help women in radio develop strong management and leadership skills. The MIWs are equally committed to advocating the advancement of women to senior positions in broadcasting.

For more information about the 2008 Mildred Carter MIW Group Mentoring Program or to become part of the MIW Network, visit http://www.radiomiw.com/ .

How 'Freeconomics' Will Change the Media World

FROM ADWEEK:
When you think about it, there really are three kinds of free. There's the free we've known forever, which is the King Gillette razor-and-blade model, which is a form of cross-subsidy. A spin-off of that model is the media model, where the product is free because it's subsidized by the advertiser. That's called a three-party market -- the publisher, the advertiser and the consumer who gets everything for free.

The second kind of free is this weird kind of the free that's never existed before, simply because cost goes to nothing. Moore's Law said processing would get cheaper every year, but there are corollaries for bandwidth and storage. As the price gets closer and closer to zero, you can eventually just treat it as free.

Hotmail started with a tiny amount of storage for free and then you had to pay for the rest. By 2000 to 2002, you were getting more. Then Gmail said, "We're going to give away one gigabyte for free," and revolutionized the market. Yahoo said, "We'll give them infinite storage. We'll use that to reinforce people's connection with Yahoo and make the money somewhere else, maybe banner ads on Yahoo News, maybe just the information you get from people's user behavior that allows you to charge more for ads."

The third model of free is the gift economy. This is what used to be called freaky, Berkeley, hippy-commune stuff and now is the basis for Wikipedia, the blogosphere, Craigslist. There is a real economy out there that is motivated by nonmonentary consideration such as reputation, attention, expression -- all the social incentives that are turning out to be incredibly effective in getting people to do things for free. Before we didn't have a platform on which they could work.
(MORE)

ALL WE ARE SAYING IS.....

Peace Sign Turns 50
And finally the peace sign turned 50 years old this week. Over the past five decades the peace sign has become one of the world’s enduring icons. The original peace sign was developed in1958 by a British textile designer and conscientious objector named Gerald Holtom. He created the symbol by combining the semaphore letters N and D, for nuclear disarmament. On Feb. 21, 1958 the symbol was accepted by the Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear war. The symbol soon began to be used in anti-nuclear protests across Britain and then spread across the globe. (from Democracy Now)

How to Not Be Annoying

Most of the time, an annoying person doesn't realize how his or her behavior is perceived by others. If you suspect that you're annoying others - or you've been told you're annoying and think they might be right, here's how to avoid the little things that often get on people's nerves.

Steps

1. Think first. Think about what you are going to say before blurting it out.
2. Build self confidence. Being insecure can lead to annoying traits. Until you have built your self confidence up don't try too hard.
3. Break counterproductive habits. If you laugh loudly at everyone's jokes, even if they're not all that funny, read up on how to avoid laughing at inappropriate times. Try a different approach - be genuine and be yourself. If people find you annoying when you're being true to yourself, then you need to find new, more accepting people to be around.
4. Respect boundaries. Everybody has boundaries - you need to learn what they are and try to avoid crossing them. Boundaries vary widely from culture to culture and even from individual to individual.
   
   
   • Do not go around poking people constantly. In fact, don't touch them at all if they don't like it. Of course if they grant permission, then by all means have fun, but otherwise cut it out before you start.
   • Mind your own business. Avoid butting into a conversation by (for example) saying, "What are you talking about?" If you hear someone talking about something with another person, and you only catch the last sentence, leave it be.
5. Be humble. Just because you're confident doesn't mean you have to act like you're better than anyone else. Don't do or say things that might let you appear to be arrogant, like bragging about your wealth or success.
   
   
   • Don't correct bad grammar/spelling or inaccuracies of others because most people don't like being corrected. At the same time, though, admit when you're wrong. Learn to speak with correct grammar, and check your facts.
   • Don't excessively tell people that their beliefs are wrong; gently and nicely mention that you disagree.
   • Don't complain all the time. Remember the world does not revolve around you. If you complain too much, others will find you depressing and avoid you. Read up on how to be optimistic.
6. Learn to listen. Conversation is a two way street. If you're talking constantly, others will get frustrated and quit trying to communicate with you. As a general rule, always listen more than you speak.
7. Be conscious of your surroundings. Be aware if you are standing in doorways while having a conversation, driving 20MPH in a 40MPH zone, or if your children are being obnoxious in a public place. Consider how your actions are likely to affect the people around you, and you will gain their respect.
8. Be polite and hygienic. Don't peek down people's shirts for instance, don't pass gas, don’t talk about looking down people’s shirts or passing gas. Take care to brush and/or floss after meals so as not inflict your breath on others or allow strings of food to flap back and forth when you speak, and don’t talk about specific instances of impolite or unhygienic actions that offended you in the past.
9. Learn to read facial reactions and body movements. Pay attention to the facial expressions and body language of those around you and work to immediately identify and stop whatever you're doing that is annoying others.
10. Think of others. For some it is easy, but others, it is not. Try to put yourself in others' shoes and treat others the way you would like to be treated.
    

Tips

• It is easy to be annoying if you talk too much. Think about what you say before you say it. Remember the famous quotation, "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt". Not talking at all is no fun for anyone, so you should try to strike a balance in conversation.
• Don't know if you are annoying? Ask a person that you would find likely to give you an honest and constructive answer. Be prepared for criticism and be willing to accept it gracefully. The person may not be ready to give it all immediately, so give him/her time by explaining your situation, thoughts, and feelings to make it clear you can handle helpful criticism. Don't take this to an extreme, either, as it will probably be quite annoying, itself.
  

Warnings

• If you are unable to stop being annoying, be wary that some people might not want to be around you anymore and might begin to avoid you. In extreme cases, you may end up spending a lot of time alone.

MY MORNING RITUAL

When I get to my computer each morning, I have a kind of ritual. After I check my email, I go to 6 or 7 websites to catch up with what's happening in Radio, Records and the Media. Among the sites I check are: All Access, Radio & Records, Hits, FMQB, David Martin's Blog, Classic Rock FM, Fred Jacob's Blog , Lee Abrams Blog and Advertising Age. But the FIRST one I check each day without fail is Radio Daily News Central. If you haven't checked them out, do yourself a favor and add them to your own daily ritual. They are an aggregator of the up to the minute stories about Radio, TV and Media appearing in Newspapers, Magazines, Blogs, and Websites around the world. They also have Exclusive Content that is always topical and very interesting. Check them out HERE.

Rock N' Roll Compatability Required!!!

Back in 1975 when I met the woman who would become my wife and soulmate, I was immediately attracted to her for her incredible beauty and sense of humor. She was beauty contest gorgeous. I wouldn't normally have approached a woman like her. I hated rejection. (Who doesn't?) I was the Program Director of WORJ-Orlando, a great "Progressive Rock" radio station. It was more than the music back then. The station was the "center" of the counter-culture community. We lived the music and the life style. I would never even think about dating a woman who listened to Top 40 radio. What would I have in common with her? Music taste and the station you listened to, were a part of the "do I ask you out" litmus test. As it turned out, my future wife, Gay, turned out to be a giant Led Zeppelin fan. The rest is history. Now comes a website that helps match you up with your music soulmate. It's called RocknRollDating.com. Check it out if you're looking for someone who shares your love of Goth, Classic Rock, Jazz, Folk or whatever it is that makes you throw your arm in the air, lighters ablaze. This site addresses the question: Have you ever thought it a little odd that with all the dating sites out there, none of them seem to recognize the relevance of music compatibility in relationships? Ever gone out with someone only to find that their tastes in music are so far off the mark, that you couldn’t imagine being in a long-term relationship with them? Many of us have, and it is for that reason that RocknRollDating.com was created.
Long may their "Freak Flag" fly!!!

The Fool On The Hill

The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, once a spiritual advisor to the Beatles, died Tuesday in his Dutch home, a spokesman for the Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation movement told the ANP news agency here early Wednesday.

The Maharishi was thought to have been 91 years old. He had been living in the tiny village of Vlodrop in the Netherlands since 1990. The worldwide headquarters of his Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement was also in Vlodrop.

Originally from India the Maharishi started his worldwide movement in 1958. In the 1960s he attracted many followers including the Beatles who went to meditate with him in India in 1968.

Happy Birthday to you!! Dan

Dan Kelley's Blog, Classic Rock FM, celebrates it's First Birthday today.

Dan,
Happy Birthday to you!!
Your insights, devotion, innate understanding and cheer leading of the Classic Rock Format has been an exercise of love. It's that love, along with your obvious programming understanding, that should be recognized by someone in the upper echelon of Radio management. With Rock radio (all format versions of) experiencing a renaissance (thank you PPM), I would hope that your knowledge and devotion will be rewarded soon. Keep up the great work.

WHO KNEW?

By Will Dunham

Mon Feb 4, 4:14 PM ET

They have lyrics such as "Tequila makes her clothes fall off" and "Breakin down the good weed, rollin' the blunt/Ghetto pimp tight girls say I'm the man."

U.S. popular music is awash with lyrics about drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Medical researchers have reviewed the words of the 279 top songs of 2005 to estimate just how common they are.

Their report on Monday showed a third of the songs had explicit references to substance abuse. And two-thirds of these references placed drugs, alcohol and tobacco in a positive light by associating them with sex, partying and humor, according to the team led by Dr. Brian Primack of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. (MORE)

ICE SCRAPER SPECIAL!!!!

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The Day the Music Died!!

We lost some great ones on this day.
R.I.P. Buddy, Richie and Big Bopper.

The Day the Music Died!!

We lost some great ones on this day.
R.I.P. Buddy, Richie and Big Bopper.

The Day the Music Died!!

We lost some great ones on this day.
R.I.P. Buddy, Richie and Big Bopper.