FO YO SOUL RECORDINGS/RCA SIGNS CELEBRATED CHRISTIAN HIP HOP AND R&B ARTIST CHRISTON GRAY
New Album Slated for Release in Fall 2015 – Fo Yo Soul Recordings/RCA, a joint venture between gospel music icon Kirk Franklin and RCA Records, is proud to announce the signing of celebrated writer, singer, rapper, and producer Christon Gray.The Columbus, Ohio-based artist moves between both singing and rapping while also playing keys and writing most of his own music.As a member of WLAK (We Live As Kings), Christon topped the Billboard Gospel charts with their self-titled debut in 2013. “King In Me,” a single from that album, was used as the theme song for American Idol’s Superbowl commercials in 2014. His last solo album, School Of Roses, debuted in the top 5 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart upon its release in March 2014.“Christon is one of the most exciting, young voices in urban music today,” says Kirk Franklin. “We are thrilled to be able to partner with him to cultivate his influence in the flourishing Christian Hip-Hop market and to expand his platform into the mainstream.” Christon is already hard at work on his debut Fo Yo Soul Recordings album, which is slated for release this Fall.
Radio is Officially America’s Number One Mass Reach Medium
Nielsen’s Q1 2015 Total Audience Report Finds Radio’s Reach Consistent Versus Other MediaNew York, NY – June 24, 2015 – Recently released findings from the Nielsen Q1 2015 Total Audience Report prove Radio’s position as the number one mass reach medium versus other media options – reaching 93% of Adults 18+ every week.While other media are finding themselves in a position of eroding their reach, Radio remains strong.Insights from the Nielsen Q1 2015 Total Audience Report show that: Radio is the top reach vehicle among Adults 18+, A18-34 and A35-49.Among Adults 18+, Radio’s weekly reach (93%), surpasses TV (87%), Smartphones (70%), Social Networks on Smartphones (61%), PC (54%) and Smartphone video (37%).Radio has a significant weekly reach advantage over television (93% to 76%) against Adults 18-34.Among this same age group, Radio’s number of days of weekly usage (5.0) is second to Smartphones (5.9) outpacing Television (4.7), Tablet (4.6) and PC (3.6).They are also more frequent weekly users of radio versus television. When it comes to use, Radio has the most consistent number of minutes used weekly across all demos versus TV, PCs, Smartphones and Tablets. In addition, when it comes to Adults 18+, Black and Hispanic listeners spend more time with Radio versus the general market.“Without any doubt this report proves Radio is America’s number one reach medium,” noted Erica Farber, president and CEO, Radio Advertising Bureau. “And despite the upward growth of smartphones, Radio remains the platform with the greatest reach,” stated Farber. ”The data contained within the report reinforces our message to the advertising community that Radio is alive and well reaching consumers – regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.”To read the Nielsen Q1 2015 Total Audience Report, click here.
“The Flag Debate Hits DFW”
WCBS NEWSRADIO 880 RECOGNIZED WITH 2015 NATIONAL EDWARD R. MURROW AWARD FOR “OVERALL EXCELLENCE”
The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) today announced the winners of its respected annual honors, the 2015 National Edward R. Murrow Awards, and CBS RADIO’s WCBS Newsradio 880 (WCBS-AM, New York) was awarded with “Overall Excellence in Large Market Radio.”The Radio Station previously won the award in this category in 2004This year’s winning entry, which can be heard here, included coverage of the east Harlem gas explosion, New York City police protests, and the murders of New York Police Department officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu.“From their latest newsflash reports, in-depth investigations, to special daily features, WCBS Newsradio 880 truly exemplifies the finest in news radio,” said Scott Herman, Executive Vice President of Operations for CBS RADIO and New York Market Manager. “This award acknowledges the hard work, passion and endless commitment the Radio Station has to delivering its listeners first class news radio journalism.”“It truly is an honor to win this prestigious award, and it means so much to the group here at WCBS Newsradio 880 who all played a role in the winning coverage,” said Tim Scheld, Director of News and Programming for WCBS Newsradio 880. “We work tirelessly every day to give our listeners groundbreaking reporting and compelling news, and they know they can count on us. This honor recognizes the power of radio journalism and our desire to always get it right.”Since 1971, the Edward R. Murrow Awards have recognized outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the spirit of excellence that Murrow made standard for the broadcast news profession.As one of the uppermost forms of praise and honor in the industry, those news organizations honored with the “Overall Excellence” award must exemplify the highest standards in serving its audience through quality electronic journalism. The winners will be recognized at the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards Gala at Gotham Hall in New York City on October 12. A complete list of winners can be found on the RTDNA website here.