While all of us here at NTS MediaOnline Today will be chillin’ and grillin’ this weekend, we’ll also be keeping an eye out for news of note, alerting our followers on TWITTER and fans on FACEBOOK about updates, and providing all subscribers with Breaking News email alerts as needed. Our next regular daily update on all the news you need to know from the world of Talk media comes at you on Tuesday (9/7). JUST FOUND NTS MEDIAONLINE TODAY ON THE WEB and AND WANNA SUBSCRIBE? Sign up for our free daily and weekly e-publications in the box on the right.

A story by Washington Post columnist Paul Farhi reports on yet another example of the power of social media in the new media environment. Reporting on the gunman who invaded the Discovery Channel building in Silver Spring, MD earlier this week, Farhi notes that within minutes of the man entering the building, sketchy details and even a photo of the intruder traveled fast. “But none of it came through radio, TV or newspaper websites, at least not at first,” writes Farhi. “As it has with other breaking news events — the landing of a jet in the Hudson River in 2009, the 2008 Mumbai massacre — the story unfolded first in hiccupping fits and starts on Twitter, the much-hyped micro-blogging service that has turned millions of people into worldwide gossips, opinion mongers and amateur news reporters.” Commenting on the social media phenomenon, WTOP/Washington VP News and Sports Jim Farley told the newspaper, “It’s a valuable resource that no news organization can afford to ignore. There are far more people out there [reporting via social media] than any news organization could ever employ. They can tell you the size and shape of an event, and the right questions to start asking.” Read more HERE.

Dial Global nationally syndicted talk shows hosted by Neal Boortz, Ed Schultz, Bill Press, Thom Hartmann and Stephanie Miller will all be part of the American Forces Radio Network’s new PowerTalk station, set to launch in mid-October. AFRN — formerly known as the Armed Forces Radio Network — is the radio service operated by the U.S. Department of Defense to serve American military men and women and their families deployed worldwide. “PowerTalk will feature the very best of American Talk radio talent,” said Dial Global SVP/News and Talk Amy Bolton (pictured). “We’re thrilled that Neal, Ed, Bill, Thom, and Stephanie will entertain our service men and women overseas and serve as a shining example worldwide of how divergent views can co-exist in a democracy such as ours.”

A couple of Talk talent moves to tell you about on this getaway Friday: KIDO/Boise afternoon host Austin Hill (pictured) adds a second show on co-owned Peak Broadcasting News/Talker KMJ-FM/Fresno, where he now airs from 9-11am, in addition to retaining his daily PM drive show on KIDO. PS: Hill has also recently released his second book, The Virtues Of Capitalism: A Moral Case For Free Markets … WQXI (790 The Zone)/Atlanta inks Tony Barnhart and Wes Dunham as co-hosts of the station’s new local midday show. Barnhart & Dunham now air daily from 10am-1pm on The Zone, where the duo has hosted the station’s weekly Southern Football Kickoff Show for the past five years.

WTOP/Washington has confirmed it will end it’s relationship with Westwood One-owned Metro Networks when their current deal expires with the traffic, news and sports provider early next year. The Bonneville all-newser says it will begin producing its own traffic info and sports reporting in-house … Clear Channel Radio will power up WADV, the official radio station of Advertising Week (September 22 through October 4 in NYC), powered by CC’s iHeartRadio app. It’s the second year in a row that CC is providing the service to Smartphones, as well as online at the Ad Week website HERE … Greater Media-owned WPEN (The Fanatic)/Philadelphia sells naming rights to the Sports/Talker’s studio to Comcast’s Xfinity service. A special Xfinity “guest chair” will collect autographs from on-air celebrity guests who visit the studio over the next year, which will then be auctioned off to benefit a local charity … LABOR DAY WEEKEND BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUTS: Blowing out the candles to kick off summer’s last long weekend are HitViews CEO Walter Sabo (pictured); KLO/Salt Lake City PD Dan Jessop; and veteran talk host Roberta Gale. Just click on their names to wish ‘em all a “Happy Birthday!”

“Rush Radio 1200″ (WXKS-AM/Boston) morning man Jeff Katz catches up with WWE Champion wrestler “Sheamus” as the Irish giant dropped by the Clear Channel News/Talker for a chat. Katz also got a lot of local press this week when he hosted a contentious on-air debate between two Republicans running for a seat in the U.S. House, Jeffrey Perry and Joseph Malone. Word out of Boston — where politics have long been a contact sport — is that a “hazmat” crew had to be called in to clean up all the mud that was thrown around the studio during the hour-long debate between the candidates.

In the latest post to the Paragon Media Strategies blog, company CEO Mike Henry (pictured) notes some encouraging comments that he read in a story this week, including our headline above and this one: “The sales team hunts for three types of advertisers; small, locally owned businesses, banks and auto dealerships, and national advertisers interested in targeted buys.” So, what broadcaster has re-discovered the importance of local content and is ready to invest in its locally-focused programming and advertising future? Henry reports that the answer to that question just might surprise you. First, read more HERE. Then offer your comment HERE.

Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals are returning their play-by-play broadcasts to CBS Radio’s Gateway City News/Talker. The “Redbirds” will return to KMOX’s booming 50,000 watt signal — which reaches some 40 states and parts of Canada — following a five-year run at crosstown KTRS. Prior to that move, Cardinals baseball had aired on KMOX for an incredible 52 years. Beginning with the 2011 season, KMOX will carry all regular, pre-season, and post-season games, which will continue to be produced by the team. Veteran announcers Mike Shannon and John Rooney will remain in the Cardinals’ broadcast booth as part of the new multi-year pact. “The Cardinals are among the best organizations in all of sports and we are thrilled to be able to partner again and bring the Cardinals home to KMOX for fans everywhere to hear,” said John Sheehan, Senior Vice President-Market Manager, CBS Radio/St. Louis. “While the radio business has evolved, there is something special and enduring about the tradition of Cardinals baseball on KMOX – that relationship is important to the fans. As America’s Sports Voice, KMOX remains committed to expanding the fan base of St. Louis’ sports franchises.”

Congrats to KCSP/Kansas City as the Entercom Sports/Talker’s recently held Larry Stewart Memorial Radiothon raised over $105,000 to benefit KC’s Salvation Army Children’s Center. Pictured during the broadcast (l-r) are former Kansas City Chiefs player Deron Cherry with “610 Sports Radio” hosts Josh Klingler and Bob Fescoe … Deon Levington, VP/GM of ICBC Broadcast Holdings, has been appointed to the NAB Board of Directors where he’ll represent NAB members from District 1 — New York and New Jersey … Department of “DOH!”: Longtime NTS MediaOnline Today reader and veteran broadcaster Rich Wood writes to correct our spelling in a story yesterday mentioning the former Noble Broadcasting, which, Wood points out, was named after the late Ed Noble, “the man who’s family owned LifeSavers and who took the second NBC Network and made it into ABC way back when.” Wood, who worked for Noble, notes that it was Ed’s wife and kids who owned Southern California’s south-of-the-border blowtorch XTRA 690 AM, since Noble was a U.S. citizen. In the words of the late, great Paul Harvey, now you know “the rest of the story.”

Inspired by the bestselling book, No Impact Man, KKZN/Denver morning talker David Sirota decided to challenge himself and his listeners to become a “Low Impact Man,” through a series of five lifestyle and habit changes that he accumulated over the course of a week. Along with learning how to reduce your personal impact on the environment around us, Sirota reports that he and his listeners also learned just how difficult it can be to “live your environmental politics.” You’ll find our exclusive one-on-one chat with Sirota beginning on page one of this week’s issue of NTS MediaOnline Weekly. Look for it in your inbox first thing tomorrow morning.