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(Reuters) -- Twitter Inc on Friday dropped a lawsuit it filed the previous day against the U.S. Homeland Security Department, saying the government had withdrawn a summons for records about who was behind an account critical of President Donald Trump. A lawyer for the social media company, Mark Flanagan, wrote in court papers that a U.S. Justice Department lawyer told Twitter about the withdrawal of the summons on Friday and that the demand "no longer has any force or effect." It was not immediately clear why the government had withdrawn the summons, or whether it had closed an investigation it said it was conducting. The Justice Department, which defends federal agencies in court, declined to comment. The Homeland Security Department, which issued the summons, had no immediate comment. The abrupt end to the dispute may indicate that Justice Department lawyers did not like their chances of succeeding in a fight about speech rights, said Jamie Lee Williams, a staff attorney a

Cumulus Media announces the return of Andy Gresh to the Providence airwaves as the new 6pm-9pm host on Providence heritage talker WPRO-AM. With his truly unique brand of sports talk, Andy will talk all things sports including Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Bruins as well as college and high school. He’ll entertain sports fans who have yearned for local sports in the market for nearly a decade. The Gresh Show will debut on Monday, April 17th at 6pm. Andy Gresh Gresh started his career at WPRO-AM in Providence in 1997 working behind the scenes and in October of that year he became co-host of the morning drive show on 790 The Score- WPRO’s sister station. He left in 2008 to join WFAN & ESPN Radio, as well as Sirius/XM radio. After spending most of 2008 at ESPN Radio, he joined the original staff of Mad Dog Radio at Sirius/XM in 2009. Gresh left Sirius/XM in 2010 to join 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston where he teamed up with Providence radio partner Scott Zolak, where they soared to massiv

Fans of Rachel Maddow have expressed their disgust at 'sexist' NBC after the anchor was replaced on the show by Brian Williams who referred to the US missiles against Syria as 'beautiful'. According to the Daily Mail , Williams, the breaking news anchor for MSNBC, appeared during Maddow's 9pm slot when news broke that the US military fired more than 50 missiles at the al-Shayrat base in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack on civilians. Furious viewers accused the network of 'sexism' and said Maddow was more than competent to cover the news without any help from Williams. The news was covered by Williams as he is the breaking news anchor for the network, meaning that during major events he takes over the airwaves at MSNBC no matter who may be hosting at that time. All the other major networks did the same last night as well.

Monisha Mann iHeartMedia Fresno announced today that Monisha Mann has been named nighttime host for KBOS 95.5 FM B95, Fresno’s Hip Hop and Hits, effective immediately. Mann will broadcast weeknights 7 p.m. – midnight. Mann will build on B95 night show’s rich legacy of bringing the latest in new and upcoming music to the Central California listeners. “I am beyond excited and grateful for the opportunity to do nights in my hometown at B95,” said Mann. “I look forward to bringing new music to our listeners and I thank the team here in Fresno for believing in me to uphold the standards and ratings of this heritage station.” Mann, a Central California native, is a 15-year radio veteran who began her career as an intern at B95. She returned to the station from holding similar on-air positions in Bakersfield, CA. KBOS 95.5 FM (16.5 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area “Mo is an engaging talent, a social media warrior, and a fierce competitor,” said Steve Weed, Senior Vice President of Programming for

“The Rachel Maddow Show” beat Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor” on Wednesday night to become the most-watched show in cable news among the key news demographic of adults age 25-54. According to The Wrap , Maddow averaged 607,000 viewers among the demo, compared to 561,000 for O’Reilly as advertisers continue to distance themselves from the Fox News star amid sexual harassment claims. O’Reilly still won in total viewers, averaging 3.6 million compared to 2.6 million for Maddow. The shows don’t go head-to head, as Maddow starts at 9 p.m. ET while O’Reilly starts at 8 p.m. ET, but they are the ratings heavyweight of their respective networks. Maddow also beat her direct Fox News competition, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” in the demo but lost in total viewers. Carlson averaged 2.8 million viewers and 549,000 among the demo. O’Reilly has seen his show lose advertisers, but not necessarily viewers, since a New York Times report on Saturday detailed payouts totaling about $13 million to five women

Before he cut to his first commercial break of the night on Thursday, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly teased a series of segments that would come, he said, "after these messages." But after only a one minute-long ad, O'Reilly was back on the screen, according to CNN . The lone commercial to air during that break -- from the life insurance company Coventry Direct -- was one of only seven spots to run during Thursday's edition of "The O'Reilly Factor," providing tangible evidence that a widening advertising boycott against the top-rated program has taken effect. Nearly 60 companies have dropped ads on the "Factor." This follows a New York Times report last week revealing that O'Reilly and his employer had reached settlements totaling $13 million with five different women who accused the host of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. The hour-long show typically runs as many as 40 different ads.   "The Factor" generated more t

By David Shepardson | WASHINGTON The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is moving quickly to replace the Obama administration's landmark net neutrality rules and wants internet service providers to voluntarily agree to maintain an open internet, three sources briefed on the meeting said Thursday. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, a Republican appointed by President Donald Trump, met on Tuesday with major telecommunications trade groups to discuss his preliminary plan to reverse the rules, the sources said. The FCC declined to comment but Pai previously said he is committed to ensuring an open internet but feels net neutrality was a mistake. The rules approved by the FCC under Democratic President Barack Obama in early 2015 prohibited broadband providers from giving or selling access to speedy internet, essentially a "fast lane", to certain internet services over others. As part of that change, the FCC reclassified internet service providers much like utilities. Pai wa

Phil Simms CBS reportedly blindsided Phil Simms so badly with his demotion this week that Simms found out first from his son, before hearing from the network itself, according to The NY Daily News . And Chris Simms said on Bleacher Report’s Simms & Lefkoe Podcast that this is probably what “disappointed” his father most: The manner in which he was kept in the dark about Tony Romo’s hiring to replace him in CBS’s No. 1 NFL analyst seat alongside Jim Nantz. “I had to tell my dad first, before CBS or anybody, because I found out from an NFL insider,” Chris Simms said. “I forwarded the text message that I was sent and it basically said, ‘Hey, listen, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Romo’s being offered your dad’s job on CBS, that sucks, I’m sorry.' And my dad was in Barbados, and I had to forward the text message to him to let him know. “I think if there’s anything he’s probably a little disappointed (about),” Simms continued, “is in that in general, just that I don’t thin

Sage Steele In the two days since ESPN announced Sage Steele would be supplanted as host of NBA Countdown by Michelle Beadle, Steele has been subjected to a fair amount of ridicule on social media. Apparently, ESPN President John Skipper had seen enough and defended Steele in a statement to USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. "Sage has done a wonderful job for us in a number of important roles," Skipper said. “As previously announced, her SportsCenter presence has grown and this week alone she has led our coverage from the men’s Final Four and the Masters. Sage definitively has a bright and long-term future at ESPN and my complete support." Skipper and others at ESPN appear to be particularly irked by the fact that many  celebrated the move as a firing. While nobody at ESPN has publicly stated why the network made the decision so late in the NBA season to change hosts of NBA Countdown, Steele has appeared prominently on the network’s Masters coverage this week and also as the

Jeff Lyon Cumulus Media has announced that it has appointed veteran radio broadcasting professional Jeff Lyon as Vice President/Market Manager for its four-station group in Abilene, TX. The cluster consists of:  Country KBCY 99.7 FM, Top40 KCDD 103.7 FM, Classics Rock KHXS 102.7 FM and Sports KTLT 98.1 FM. Lyon joins Cumulus from Townsquare Media, where he was President/Chief Revenue Officer for its four stations in Victoria, TX, for 21 years. Prior to that, he was Vice President/General Manager for Sierra Industries, Inc. radio stations KSNM-FM and KXDC-FM in Las Cruces, NM. Mark Sullivan, Regional Vice President, Cumulus Media, said: “We’re thrilled to have a manager of Jeff’s caliber joining our team in Abilene. Jeff brings a wealth of experience and knowledge that provides him with a strong foundation for success. We’re excited about what the future brings for him, our team in Abilene, our listeners and our advertisers.” Lyon said: “I’m very excited to be part of the Cumulus family

According to a Think with Google survey conducted by Ipsos, roughly seven in 10 teen smartphone users spend at least three hours per day watching video on their phones. According to eMarketer, that’s a higher percentage of respondents than any other smartphone activity mentioned, including social networking. Over half (51%) of teens said they spend three or more hours a day on social networks, and another 52% said the same about messaging apps. Meanwhile, roughly four in 10 respondents said they spent 3 or more hours each day playing games. Smartphone ownership, which often bolsters video viewing, is high among teens. A December 2016 report from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization supporting children and media, revealed that nearly eight in 10 respondents ages 13 to 18 owned a smartphone. In fact, teens were more likely to own a smartphone than a tablet, video game console or laptop. But looking beyond smartphone usage, this demographic generally watches a lot of video content

On Monday, April 10, coinciding with the Chicago Cubs home opener, CBS RADIO Chicago will broadcast live from Wrigley Field with on-air personalities on-site and conduct a series of live events for fans of the 2016 World Series Champions to enjoy. From 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM, just before the opening pitch, 670 The Score (WSCR-AM), B96 (WBBM-FM), 93XRT (WXRT-FM), US99 (WUSN-FM) and 104.3 K-HITS (WJMK-FM) will be entertaining game attendees and fans. Additionally, 670 The Score’s Ron Coomer will be reporting on-field during the opening ceremonies and for the raising of the 2016 World Series Championship Banner. “We’re looking forward to incorporating our five radio stations at the Cubs home opener where we will host a day of fun and engaging live broadcasts and events for our collective fans and listeners,” said Tim Pohlman, Senior Vice President/Market Manager, CBS RADIO Chicago. “We value our continued relationship with the Chicago Cubs organization as the exclusive radio home of this amaz

The feud between Tronc Chairman Michael Ferro and his onetime ally, bio-tech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong , erupted into open warfare on Thursday — with the Los Angeles Times getting caught in the middle. According to The NYPost , Tronc is accusing Soon-Shiong of adding to his Tronc shares with unauthorized insider trading and engaging in a media campaign to “coerce” Tronc into selling him the LA Times. Soon-Shiong’s side claims Ferro, an early investor in Soon-Shiong’s NantHealth, is trying to get Tronc to buy back Ferro’s personal shares at a premium price. At Tronc, Soon-Shiong is said to own 26.7 percent of the shares, second only to Ferro’s stake, which the board authorized to go as high as 30 percent. Pat Soon-Shiong “Dr. Soon-Shiong has repeatedly traded in [T]ronc stock without first satisfying the requirements of [T]ronc’s insider trading policy,” Tronc lawyers wrote in a letter to Quinn. At its June 2016 IPO, NantHealth — the latest bio tech company founded by Soon-Shiong

iHeartMedia announced Thursday the launch of On the Move with Enrique Santos, its hallmark English language Hispanic targeted content initiative that complements its already successful Spanish-language Hispanic offerings. Today, 53 percent of the Hispanic population in the U.S. are primarily Spanish-language first households and 43 percent are primary English-language households, and iHeartMedia says it will now deliver to both at scale across broadcast and digital platforms. On the Move with Enrique Santos is the first English-language radio program to feature Hispanic broadcast powerhouse Enrique Santos, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of iHeartLatino, iHeartMedia’s new Hispanic platform.   The new two-hour music-intensive Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) weekend program features what’s hot and moving in music, entertainment, lifestyle and current events targeted to the Hispanic community. On The Move With Enrique Santos will originate from Miami and debut the weekend of April 15 on

The Florida Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday in a case focused on whether satellite radio giant SiriusXM should have to pay royalties to The Turtles, a pop duo that recorded such iconic oldies as “Happy Together” more than four decades ago. Flo & Eddie — a California-based company whose principals are Turtles vocalists Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan — filed the lawsuit in 2013 against Sirius, which has more than 100 channels and over 24 million subscribers. Flo & Eddie also filed lawsuits against the satellite radio company in New York and California. Flo & Eddie accused Sirius XM of infringing on its common-law copyright of songs by making “unauthorized public performances” of the pop group’s hits. But a federal district court judge in Florida sided with Sirius, finding in part that nothing in Florida statutes or common law dealt with copyrights of recordings that were made before 1972, when the federal Sound Recordings Act went into effect. Flo & Eddie appealed,

Cumulus Media-Albuquerque's Newsradio KKOB 770 AM and 9r.5 FM celebrated 95 years on-air at a big-time birthday bash in Albuquerque on Tuesday (April 5) night.  800 people packed the New Mexico Natural History Museum in Albuquerque to be a part of the celebration, including listeners, clients and past on-air talent. The station signed on the air on April 5, 1922, in Las Cruces, NM, moved to Albuquerque in 1932, and in July 1941, went to 50,000 watts. Cumulus Media added the FM simulcast in August 2016. New Mexico Governor Suzanna Martinez declared Tuesday as Newsradio KKOB Day, as did Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry. Mayor Berry and Lt. Governor John Sanchez were on hand to speak at the event. The catered celebration included a photo booth and party gifts for guests and was worthy of the station's spectacular and historic 95 years serving the community.

Benztown, a global leader in radio imaging, has announced that Brad Leask, Network Imaging Producer, NOVA Entertainment, Victoria, Australia, has been chosen as the finalist in the sixth annual Iron Imager Contest, an international radio imaging contest where production professionals compete for the coveted title of World’s Best Imager. Leask will face off against fellow countryman and Iron Imager 2016 titleholder, Sideshow Mike Andersen, Triple M Imaging, Southern Cross Austereo in Sydney, Australia, in a head-to-head live competition on Thursday, May 4, 2017, at the Worldwide Radio Summit at the W Hollywood Hotel. Leask and Andersen will demonstrate their world-class imaging skills by producing an original imaging piece for a format unannounced until the day of the competition. Contestants will use elements from one of Benztown’s 20 production libraries, voiceover talent roster, and an original script created by the Benztown team. The 2017 Iron Imager will be declared and presented a

Paul O'Neill, the founder and leader of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, passed away Wednesday in a Tampa Hotel. according to Fox13 . According to the 911 call placed by a hotel employee at the Embassy Suites near the University of South Florida, O'Neill's daughter and a hotel staff member broke into his room and found the composer's body "cold" and "stiff." An autopsy is underway to determine the cause of death. USF Police said foul play did not appear to be a factor in O'Neill's death.  In a statement on the website for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), band members said O'Neill suffered from a "chronic illness." No other details were provided. O'Neill's unique style of music, blending symphonic metal, heavy metal and Christmas classics, gained him fans across the nation. He was known for putting on elaborate productions. "It was a grandiose experience. You had laser lights, you had smoke and fire. You had snow fal

By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Don Rickles, the master insult comic who created laughs with ridicule and sarcasm in a decades-long career that earned him the facetious nickname "Mr. Warmth," died on Thursday at his Los Angeles home from kidney failure, his publicist said. He was 90. Rickles, who said he devised his brand of mockery-based humor because he was no good at telling traditional jokes, had developed a bacterial infection in recent months that led him to cancel a number of performances. His death was confirmed by his spokesman, Paul Shefrin, who said Rickles is survived by his wife of 52 years, Barbara, as well as their daughter, Mindy Mann, and two grandchildren. He would have turned 91 on May 8. Rickles' last appeared on stage in Las Vegas in late October. But he continued to work after falling ill in February, taping segments of an upcoming internet series for the American Association of Retired Persons titled "Dinner with Don," hosting one-

In 1897 ...gossip columnist/broadcaster Walter Winchell was born in Minneapolis. He was the first to break the journalistic taboo against exposing the private lives of public figures, permanently altering the shape of journalism and celebrity. He broke into radio in 1930, and two years later had his own weekly quarter hour, the Jergens Journal, on the NBC Blue network (which became ABC.) “Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea.”  The Journal, gossipy news mixed with his opinion, was on the air for most of the next 30 years.  Later his star would brighten for a new generation when he narrated the TV series The Untouchables. He died a recluse of prostate cancer Feb. 20 1972 at age 74. In 1908 ...orchestra conductor, arranger and composer Percy Faith was born in Toronto. He began by playing music for silent films in the city’s movie houses, later turning to arranging and composing when his hands were severely burned in an accident. After a stint at the C-B-C from 1933

Scott Shannon with John Elliott, Patty Steele and Joe Nolan WCBS 101.1 FM morning host Scott Shannon has announced that veteran NYC Traffic reporter/personality Joe Nolan is leaving the show. His last day is Friday, April 7. The reason is strictly business. Nolan doesn't work for WCBS-FM, he's employed with iHeartMedia's Total Traffic and Weather Network.  CBS has ended its business relationship with Total Traffic and has partnered with Radiant Traffic for future reports. The new business relationship means Nolan and several other well-known voices will no longer be heard on CBS stations, such as WINS 1010 AM , Newsradio WCBS 880 AM, Sports WFAN 660 AM /101.9 FM, Top40 WBMP AMP 92.3 FM and HotAC WNEW 102.7 Fresh-FM.  The change also impacts CBS stations across the country. In a Facebook post Thursday, Nolan stated, the good news is he is still employed.  However, his reports will be heard on different station, yet to be announced. According to Nolan, "I have come to be

Record labels would be able to yank their music off U.S. radio airwaves under federal legislation introduced on Wednesday, reports The Tennessean . That means hits by Taylor Swift, Drake, Adele or Miranda Lambert would be taken down if their record labels choose to do so. The bill was filed by U.S. Reps. Darrell Issa, R-California, and Ted Deutch, D-Florida. It's a controversial proposal. Current U.S. copyright law gives broadcast companies the right to play any song they like, but only music publishers and songwriters get paid. Rep. Darrell Issa Record labels and artists have been pushing for years to have a performance royalty created for terrestrial radio. Last week, a bi-partisan Fair Play Fair Pay Act was reintroduced to create the performance royalty. Broadcast companies have argued that there is substantial promotional value when they play an artist's songs, talk about their upcoming album releases and nearby concert performances. Traditional radio is still the No. 1 for