What Les Moonves says he wants – buyers for some CBS radio stations – he may not get.

Despite the CEO’s recent pronouncements about his willingness to sell radio assets outside the largest markets, dealmakers tell this NOW Newsletter they detect no change in the company’s actual expectations. They say it still wants a cash-flow multiple that’s higher than potential buyers want to put on an offer sheet. (Same continues to be true for iHeartMedia, by the way.) Moonves went out of his way in two recent forums to say that he wants to trim back, even putting some numbers on his plans. He’d like to go from nearly 130 stations to “the high 80s or low 80s.” But that’s not going to happen if Moonves expects to get the nearly 10-times multiples he did on his sales several years ago in places like Fresno (sold to Peak Broadcasting), Columbus and Kansas City (sold to Wicks Group-backed Jeff Wilks). The Fresno cluster wound up with Cumulus as Peak flickered out. While the four FMs in Kansas City are being re-sold to the three Frischling brothers (Michael, Gregg and Todd) for $105.5 million. So Wilks and Wicks making out on that one, but one dealmaker says “maybe we should look at that deal as estate planning by their father, Saul.” Several people say the K.C. deal is “an outlier” – and that CBS can’t expect prices that rich for the merchandise they’re supposedly putting on the market now. The proof is in the pudding, they say – will anybody step up to test Moonves?

Probably some lessons in this case for both employers and staffers. Renee Polippo alleges that what the company called a reduction in force was really just a way to push her off the payroll – because she says “soon after her termination, defendants advertised her former position on the radio.” And the suit says “a replacement was hired extremely soon” after she was cut last December. Polippo says that despite ADA-qualifying conditions such as “major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety and other cognitive disabilities,” she had “performed her job well throughout her employment” with western Pennsylvania-based Renda. But in July 2013, she entered a hospital for treatment and missed up to two weeks of work. She’d told management ahead of time about the absence and says management approved it as qualifying under FMLA. That’s the Family and Medical Leave Act. The other law involved here is the ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires some accommodations for those with disabilities. Polippo says after she returned to work from her hospital stay, things changed. Her “job duties were significantly reduced” and then (after some additional FMLA leave time), she was told about the RIF – reduction in force. She’s suing in federal court, asking for back pay and benefits, “front pay, salary, pay increases, bonuses,” etc. She’s also asking for punitive damages and damages for pain and distress. Again – probably some takeaways here for everybody.

Rush Limbaugh blasts the Stop-Rush movement – but why did it take so long?

Limbaugh’s original series of remarks about then-law school student Sandra Fluke occurred in late February 2012 – so long ago that Fluke has now graduated from Georgetown Law School, gotten married and stood for election to the California state Senate. More to the point about the radio business and specifically talk radio, millions and millions of dollars have been pulled out of talk radio and even all-news radio since that episode. Rush says that’s the fault of Media Matters for America and a small handful of activists. Yesterday he posted on his site a list of “the top members of the Stop Rush conspiracy...so that advertisers and others can judge the credibility and motives of the activist bullies anonymously behind Stop Rush.” He does say that “any other use is not endorsed” – though he goes on to post their email addresses. And he adds “fun facts” like Kent State professor Nancy Padak emailing Rush advertisers “with harassment from her official Kent State address…[she] gives businesses she has no relationship with 1-star ratings if they advertise on Rush.”

At the recent Indianapolis Radio Show, a talk radio exec told this NOW Newsletter about having to explain to a spouse who doesn’t like Rush why this was bad news for their own family – the ongoing advertiser defections were hurting revenues and the take-home pay, as much as 30% to 40%. You’d think that all-news radio would’ve been unaffected, but it’s been hurt by media buyers who don’t draw a distinction between talk, news/talk and all-news. The buyers just don’t want to feel any pain from the client, who doesn’t want to feel any more pain from the anti-Rush protesters. Limbaugh says this week that “only ten Twitter users account for almost 70% of all StopRush tweets to advertisers.” He says their online voices are “amplified by illicit software.” Many advertisers have traditionally avoided controversial programming, but the danger of letting this 2-1/2 year old protest continue is that it hardens the habits of ad buyers. It’s arguably one of the reasons we’ve seen more stations go all-sports, preferring to be the second, third or fourth sports station in a market rather than a talk station that’s getting hammered by some big advertisers. To be clear, some loyal clients have stuck with Rush, and they’re the ones with a little asbestos in them, because they know he delivers results based on their direct sales. The identification of Angelo Carusone as the “operative behind the Rush Limbaugh ‘advertiser boycott’” isn’t new. That quote in the previous sentence is from a March 16, 2012 story on Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze.com. Now Limbaugh pushes back harder with the list of top-Tweeters and their alleged “custom automated tweeting software, in violation of Twitter’s rules.” See what you think – the Limbaugh “Hidden story” post is here.

These are uncomfortable situations with pressure from both sides, and attorney David Oxenford says “for ads sponsored by candidates themselves, the rules are fairly simple to implement. It’s very basic – broadcasters can’t censor a candidate ad.” David says the only exception was created when Hustler Magazine publisher and First Amendment activist Larry Flint wanted to run for Congress, and stations “feared he would run sexually explicit campaign ads.” That prompted the FCC to adopt a policy saying that stations didn’t have to run an ad that violates a federal criminal law – like obscenity. Otherwise, you can’t censor a candidate-purchased ad, but there’s good news for broadcasters - “The Supreme Court has recognized an exemption from any broadcaster liability for the content of the ad.” More about a timely topic – just 42 days from the general election – here.

Radio plays big at NYC’s Ad Week (they even bring in an Oscar-winning rock star).

No, that’s not CEO Bob Pittman, but Jared Leto of the rock band “30 Seconds to Mars” and an Academy Award Winner last year for “Dallas Buyers Club.” Leto will be at Tuesday’s “Power of Sound” event sponsored by the Internet Advertising Bureau, alongside Pittman and iHeartMedia’s Tim Castelli. Pittman’s got a full schedule for next week’s Ad Week – he’s appearing at Monday’s “Mobile Media Summit” for a “fireside chat.” Then Tuesday at the IAB MIXX event. Tuesday lunchtime brings “Voices of the Original Social Media,” led by the RAB’s Erica Farber and featuring iHeart’s Bobby Bones and Angie Martinez, Ebro Darden of Angie’s former station, Emmis’ “Hot 97” WQHT, and Amani Toomer of NBC Sports Radio Network. Later Tuesday, Tim Spengler, iHeart’s President of Content Marketing & Strategy, participates in the “great debate” over linear television. Spengler’s back on stage Wednesday morning, at The Economist Leadership Roundtable. At the stock market-closing time of 4pm, Pittman’s up again, doing a fireside chat at the NASDAQ Market Site with Michael Kassan of MediaLink and Lorraine Twohill of Google. Then Thursday, Entercom’s David Field will suit up for a panel about “Evolution or Revolution, Part II.” Even that’s not all – iHeart’s using its New York talk station WOR (710) to feature the interviews conducted by Michael Kassan with “industry luminaries.” Out of breath from all that? See iHeart’s day-by-day schedule here. And to really be overwhelmed, scan all 270 Ad Week events – that’s right, 270 – here.

“Is your advertiser a scammer?” Particularly the one promising desperate people help with loan modifications and “foreclosure rescue”? It would be a good thing to know, especially since October is National Crime Prevention Month and heck, any month of the year, stations want to avoid passing bad info on to listeners. On Thursday, October 23 at 1pm Eastern/10am Pacific, there’s a free webinar for the media about scam artists, from NeighborWorks America, with partnership from the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Board and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The FTC’s been coming down on “loan-mod” companies that mostly seem interested in their upfront fees. It’s also been cautioning media outlets to use their own judgment in deciding whether to take such ads. More info and registration for the free October 23 webinar is here.

Norm Pattiz at PodcastOne signs three new acts, including Larry King. The relationship between Larry and Norm goes back decades, to when Westwood One, founded by Pattiz, syndicated Larry’s late-night radio show. Now Larry and his wife Shawn will create a podcast for Norm’s growing platform of on-demand audio. Also signing up for podcast duty are Rick Harrison of the History Channel’s “Pawn Stars” and former UFC Fighter and now sports commentator Chael Sonnen.

“What could become an eighth FM signal for iHeartMedia” in Minneapolis has just been cleared by FCC, according to NorthPine. You thought the limit in a single market for any owner was five FMs or five AMs, right? Not if we’re talking about FM translators. They don’t count against the limit. iHeartMedia and EMF have been conducting an intricate set of maneuvers involving translators owned by EMF and HD Radio multicast channels owned by the former Clear Channel. The latest news is the Media Bureau dismissing a couple of informal objections to EMF upgrading its translator at 102.5. Fridley-licensed K273BH is now free to move from the Wells Fargo Center to the better IDS Center, and jump its power from 41 watts to 250 watts at 774 feet. Lakeland Broadcasting said the upgraded translator would interfere with its own full-power KQIC Wilmar, also at 102.5. But the FCC ruled that Lakeland hadn’t supplied any complaints of such interference. For now, EMF’s translator is airing its own Christian CHR/rock “Air1” programming – but that could change, soon. Also, the Commission okays a construction permit for EMF’s Coon Rapids translator at 99.9 (K260BA) to move its antenna to the Wells Fargo Center. How many formats can Clear Channel put on the air in Minneapolis? Its full-power assemblage includes country “K102” KEEY.

In Tampa, iHeart expands its menu via translators, with Radio Insight reporting that it just launched two new translators, both licensed to Bayonet Point. One’s doing classic rock at 99.1 under the banner of “Thunder,” becoming the third signal in the string of translators that already included 94.5 Gulfport and 105.9 West Tampa. All three are fed by the HD2 signal of WMTX/100.7. In the latest Nielsen PPMs for August, the original two signals managed a 1.0-share (age 6+ AQH share). iHeart’s second translator sign-on is another in its growing series of stations named “Alt” – alternative 99.9 on W207BU. It’s supplied by the HD2 signal of country “US 103.5” WFUS. A NOW reader adds that “I’d noticed the HD2 signal of WFUS carrying classic rock ‘Thunder’ up until early August, but then it changed, unannounced, to something very soft, named ‘Sunny.’” That’s gone, replaced by “Alt 99.9.”

“Right now, we’re seen as a publishing business, a radio business and an e-commerce business,” says Jane Hastings of New Zealand Media & Entertainment. Her remedy for that in a fast-moving time is to unify the radio stations of APN New Zealand, the New Zealand Herald paper and other assets under a single corporate name - NZME. If the “Media & Entertainment” part of its handle looks familiar, Clear Channel was until recently a 50% partner in the Australian-based ARN. (Clear Channel netted a $220 million gain on the sale to partner APN.) Back to Hastings, who says “our clients don’t come to us and say, I want to buy publishing. They say, I have a brand, this is the audience I’m after. How can you connect my brand with that audience?” That’s what so many radio companies are facing today. NZME will run with three operating groups – News, Sports, and Entertainment. The New Zealand Herald’s coverage adds that parent APN has said it’s “exploring a market listing for the New Zealand operations” – i.e., taking them public. Branding and integrating as NZME would simplify that.

Max Media sells an AM along the North Carolina coast that just changed formats. That’s WGAI Elizabeth City (560), and Robert Corbin at VARTV says “buyer George Gregory has been running traditional/contemporary gospel on it since 9/1.” That’s a change for WGAI, which had been programming a mix of talk and sports under Max Media. WGAI runs 1,000 watts daytime/500 watts at night, and the buyer gets nice terms for his $100,000 deal. He pays no money down, and his LMA fees before closing will be deducted from the purchase price. Gregory will send Tidewater-based Max Media $1,583.33 a month until the note’s paid off. Max Media retains other neighborhood stations such as hot AC “Beach 104” WCXL Kill Devil Hills and country WCMS Hatteras at 94.5.

Finally, Jim Goodmon’s deal to buy a translator for Wilmington, NC’s all-sports WMFD (630) is filed, and it’s worth $200,000 cash. The April 4 NOW Newsletter had word about Goodmon’s intention to buy a translator at 95.9 which would rebroadcast his WMFD. Looks like there’s at least an LMA with Eric Jorgensen’s Sea-Comm, because the station logo is now “ESPN Wilmington, 630/95.9.” The translator is W240AS, running the translator-maximum of 250 watts. It appears that Goodmon and Jorgensen are only halfway through their dealings – Goodmon also wants to buy WBNE Wrightsville Beach (104.7), but doesn’t have the cap-room. That may be why their earlier document covering both the translator and WBNE was heavily redacted when it was filed at the Commission. Now there’s a separate submission just for the translator, and we see the price of $200,000. Jorgensen’s Sea-Comm paid $70,000 for it, just three years ago. Sea-Comm is currently LMA’ing WBNE out to Tom Davis, who’s operating it as news/talk “Port City Radio.” Broker on the translator deal – Media Services Group.

An AM in Ft. Walton Beach sells for $330,000 to Jason Kyzer, who’s getting variety-programmed WZEP at 1460. It’s licensed to De Funiak Springs and its daytime power of 10,000 watts drops back significantly to 186 watts at night. This will be Kyzer’s only station, and he’s buying it as Kyzer Communications. Terms are $150,000 cash, with seller Walton County Broadcasting (Arthur and Martha Dees) holding a note for the balance of $180,000. That’s payable at the rate of $1,500 a month for the next ten years. WZEP bills itself as “The Walton and Holmes County News Leader,” and its community-involved website is here.

Cumulus finds a translator for Tallahassee’s gospel “Heaven 1410,” and it’s laying down $125,000 cash. W252BN at 98.3 FM is being sold by Valdosta, Georgia-based Christian Radio Fellowship. Cumulus knows just what to do with it – rebroadcasting Heaven 1410 WHBT, which has 5,000 watts daytime but a measly 18 watts at night.

Andy Ludlum is out as Director of News Programming at L.A.’s all-news KNX (1070) – and that’s from a company (CBS) that seldom makes changes at that level. Andy’s been overseeing KNX on-air since February 2009 and also doubling as PD at KFWB (980) – which just changed formats to all-sports, as it continues its life in the KFWB Asset Trust. Andy had been in the programming department at KFWB since mid-1998. Don Barrett’s LARadio.com reports Ludlum’s departure, and says News Director Julie Chin will serve as interim programmer, while market manager Dan Kearney searches for Andy’s replacement. LARadio also reports the very quiet exit of KNX/KFWB news anchor Bill Polish, after 14 years there and 35 years in the business. Barrett says “I got off the air after midnight” a couple of weeks ago, and “the fabulous evening editor, Rory Eriksen had a pizza delivered. Our ‘Last Supper’ was fabulous. I thanked him for all his support and beautifully written copy…and I walked home to sleep.”

Ralph Salierno rises to take the interim GM position at the closely-watched Free Lance-Star radio cluster in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It’s now in the hands of former creditor Sandton Capital, and its Fredericksburg daily paper and four radio stations are being guided by Gene Carr. He names sales manager Ralph Salierno to succeed Paul Johnson as interim GM, in the wake of Paul joining Alpha Media Group down I-95 in Richmond (September 5 NOW). In the same building – Salierno will be working with new programming director Jeff Beck, says the Free Lance-Star paper. The Star stations include market-leading country WFLS (93.3).

Elise Woodward “was fired from her midday show on Friday,” leaving her co-host Jerry Brewer in sole possession of the 10am-noon program on iHeart’s all-sports KJR Seattle (950). Women co-hosts are still a relative rarity in sports radio, and former University of Washington basketball player Woodward had been with KJR since 2002. In 2008, the station gave her the “Elise at Night” solo show, then paired her with former NFLer Mark Gastineau in a daytime slot. She tells the Seattle Times “I wasn’t given an explanation” about being dropped. But she says “Things have changed significantly at KJR from when I started…we used to be the home of the Sonics [the NBA team that moved to Oklahoma City], the [WNBA] Storm and the Huskies, and I was part of those broadcasts.”

The Sunday morning surprise - Michael W. Kay, now co-founder/EVP of the social-media revenue site for radio named Vipology, says "I was a sophomore at a very large college in the Midwest, and my first part-time job was at a highly-rated flame-throwing AM/FM that ran split programming on Sunday morning. I would play 'Power Line' with Brother John followed by Casey’s Top 40 Countdown, then wander downstairs to the AM studios and run the board for a non-English speaking show hosted by two of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. I didn't understand a word they said, but I remember my first impression was, these guys are really popular - look at all the calls they were getting, and they wrote down lots of requests every hour. I thought 'Man, I’m lucky to be here, at least it’s not boring.' About the third week, I was called in by the GM and introduced to our new production director. He asked me if I understood anything that was going on in the non-English-speaking show, and I replied 'no, not a clue.' He told me that his dad had worked for one of the Big Three automakers in a foreign country, had just moved back, and knew the language these guys were speaking. To my horror, I learned that these two nice guys were actually taking bets on the air – making book while I ran their board. I remember walking out of the meeting feeling pretty stupid, but happy to have avoided the controversy and still have a job. The following Sunday, a brand new show appeared on the AM - a loud, Bible-thumping preacher, whose integrity I never questioned. True story." Got your very own true Sunday morning story about radio? Email “You Can’t Make This Up” – Tom@RTK-Media.com.

Use this NOW Newsletter to reach your target audience, if you’re a vendor or service supplier whose target is radio, and the people who run it. This is a highly-engaged and passionate audience that’s hungry for new ideas and new ways to make money. They’re an interested audience. Your contact is our Kristy Scott. She’s at Kristy@RTK-media.com or phone 818-591-6815. See you back first thing tomorrow - Tom