Westwood One
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Westwood One, Inc. (NYSE: WON) is the largest radio network in the United States. It is based in the city of New York, and it is managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation.
[edit] Overview
The company is one of the largest producers and distributors of radio programming in the United States. It broadcasts entertainment, news, weather, sports, talk, and traffic programming to about 7,700 radio stations across the USA. The company is America's top provider of local traffic reports through its subsidiaries, Metro Networks, Shadow Broadcast Services and SmartRoute Systems.
Commentators distributed by Westwood One include Don Imus, Bill O'Reilly, Lars Larson, Jay Severin, and Larry King. Hot Talkers Tom Leykis, and Don (Geronimo) & Mike (O'Meara) are also carried on the network. Westwood One distributes the radio news operations of CNN and NBC as well as its corporate cousin, the CBS Radio Network.
Until 2006, Westwood One distributed a number of 24-hour radio formats via satellite to affiliate stations. These formats included:
- Adult Rock & Roll (classic rock)
- Adult Standards (middle-of-the-road/easy listening oldies; formerly called "AM Only")
- Bright AC (hot adult contemporary)
- CNN Headline News (an audio feed of the CNN cable TV news operation)
- Hot Country (today's hit country)
- Mainstream Country (today's hit country mixed with country oldies)
- SAM/Simply About Music (variety hits, a variation on the "Jack" concept)
- Soft AC (mainstream adult contemporary)
- The Oldies Channel (chiefly mid and late 60s hits)
The 24 hour formats, originally acquired through Westwood One's purchase of Unistar in 1993, were sold in 2006 to Excelsior Radio Network and are now distributed under the Dial Global brand.
Westwood One syndicates several popular programs for a variety of music formats. Shows include The Beatle Years, Beatle Brunch, CMT's Country Countdown USA, Absolutely Live, Superstar Concert Series, Weekly Country Music Countdown, Country Gold (formerly "Country Gold Saturday Night"), MTV TRL Weekend Countdown, Off the Record, VH1 Concerts and Specials, and Out of Order.
The company broadcasts live concerts, college football and NHL hockey games, and also holds exclusive national radio rights for the National Football League, the Olympic Games, the NCAA Basketball Tournament (along with corporate sibling CBS TV), the Masters golf and Wimbledon tennis tournaments, Notre Dame football games, and the GRAMMY Awards.
The company was founded by Norman J. Pattiz in 1976. At the time, he was a former advertising sales executive with an LA TV station. He was listening to a local radio station doing a Motown weekend, and decided to syndicate "The Sound of Motown" to radio. The show was a success. He added several more shows during the 70s. By 1982, he was distributing his radio shows via satellite through an arrangement with idb Communications in Culver City. Mr. Pattiz took Westwood One public in 1984, and with the money raised by the IPO, he purchased the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1985, and the NBC Radio Network in 1987. Other highlights in the late 80s include the purchase of three radio stations, and the hiring of Casey Kasem from ABC. The company purchased Unistar Radio Networks in 1994, and then purchased Metro Networks in 1996.
Westwood One purchased the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1985 and continued to operate Mutual as a separate network program service into the 1990s. However, by the early 1990's Mutual ended up simply being a brand name for programming provided by Westwood One. Westwood One discontinued using the Mutual name in favor of CNN Radio in 1999 and the Mutual name passed permanently from use on the air.
Westwood One is also broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 123 for Sunday Night Football.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Westwood One website
- SmartRoute Systems website
- Official LoveLine website
- Official Charles Osgood File website
- The Tom Leykis Show - Official Tom Leykis website - Blow Me Up Tom!
- The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly - Official website of Bill O'Reilly, host of Westwood One's Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly
- CBS Radio - Managing partner of Westwood One
- CBS News - Official website of CBS News
- The Lars Larson Show Official website of Lars Larson who does a Northwest (Oregon/Southwest Washington) show and a nationally syndcated show via Westwood One
- The Don & Mike Show Official website of the Don & Mike Show
- Country Countdown USA Official website of Country Countdown USA, syndicated by Westwood One.
