WTKK/Boston and afternooner Jay Severinson have reached an agreement that will bring the talk host  back to the Beantown airwaves next Tuesday (6/2). Severin’s been cooling his heels the past few weeks, serving out a suspension for on-air comments about illegal Mexican immigrants that management deemed to be racially offensive. A statement released by Greater Media on Saturday (5/30) says Severin “understands that we will not accept this type of commentary on our airwaves in the future,” but also adds the company “strongly supports an open and spirited debate about the many issues our community and our country currently face.” A posting on WTKK’s website announcing Severin’s pending return, says management expects listeners will disagree with Severin and other station hosts at times. “But our ultimate goal is to maintain a level of conversation that is entertaining, compelling and thought-provoking, yet civil and respectful.”  

Just six months left ’til Christmas, so Cox Radio Urban outlet KPWT-FM/San Antonio decided to get a jump on the competition today (5/29) by unwrapping a 24/7 all-Christmas-all-the-time format. OK, so we’re gonna go way out on a limb here and absolutely guarantee that, by Monday afternoon (6/1) at 5pm (CT), the sounds of Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree and Have A Holly Jolly Christmas will be packed up again ’til next December and a new FM talker — not Santa — will be comin’ to town. The station’s new lineup is expected to include Cox Radio Syndications/Dial-Global syndicated yakkers Neal Boortz and Clark Howard, along with additional shows from Talk Radio Network syndicated hosts including Mancow Muller, Laura Ingraham, Michael Savage, Rusty Humphries and Phil Hendrie.

That’s certainly the conclusion you’d draw from a major feature on U.S. Talk radio hosts in the U.K.’s Independent this week entitled “Shock Jocks: Voice of Unreason.” The article calls Premiere Radio Networks host and FOX News Channel personality Glenn Beck “one of the most powerful media voices for the nation’s conservative populist anger,” and concludes “shock jocks have taken the place of [conservative] politicians in America.” Along with Beck, the feature covers the British Home Secretary’s recent banning of Talk Radio Network host Michael Savage from traveling to Great Britain, and takes shots at numerous other national Talk hosts. Premiere’s Rush Limbaugh is, “the big beast to whom all other conservative pundits aspire,” while Premiere/Citadel Media host Sean Hannity is accused of “welshing on an agreement to undergo waterboarding to prove his thesis that the practice doesn’t amount to torture.” Salem Radio Network hosts Dennis Prager and Hugh Hewitt are also quoted in the Independent’s not so flattering piece that also digs up a slew of “shocking statements” made by U.S. Talk radio hosts over the past several years. Apparently it was a “slow news week” in jolly old England. Read the full article HERE.

That’s WTOP/Washington National Security Correspondent J.J. Green in the cockpit just prior to take-off with the U.S. Air Force precision flying team, The Thunderbirds. Alongside Green is pilot Major Tony “Split” Mulhare who flew the “mission” during which the WTOP reporter experienced the “9G maneuver” — something few civilians ever experience. Green, who called the flight “extraordinary” and “the ride of a lifetime,” was quick to point out that, although he did feel a bit nauseous during the flight, he “never hurled.” The WTOP staffer was awarded the Thunderbirds’ coveted “9G Pin” which is given only to those who make it through the flight without losing consciousness. See some GREAT VIDEO of Green’s flight HERE.

For it’s 14th season of exclusive, live national play-by-play coverage of the upcoming NBA Finals, ESPN Radio will deploy a trio of roundball experts to the broadcast booth, including two NBA Hall of Fame greats. ESPN’s Mike Tirico will call the games, sitting between veteran coach and broadcaster Dr. Jack Ramsay and longtime coach, player and game analyst Hubie Brown. Ramsay’s NBA career includes championship stints with the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trailblazers, while Brown began his coaching career with the ABA Kentucky Colonels in 1974. “Hubie and Jack are revered for their Hall of Fame accomplishments and knowledge of the game,” said ESPN Radio exec producer John Martin. “It was a no-brainer to team them up with Mike Tirico to create what’s sure to be our most informative and entertaining broadcasts of the NBA Finals yet.”

Former KGO/San Francisco and KFI/Los Angeles host Charles “Karel” Bouley, has returned to the air with a new independently syndicated talk show now airing evenings on Bay Area alternative rocker KNGY-FM and progressive talker KRXA-AM/Monterey-Santa Cruz. The single-monikered host has been off the air since he was dismissed from KGO last year following a profanity-laced tirade aimed at the infamous “Joe The Plumber” that inadvertently went out over the air during a commercial break when Karel thought the mic was off. His new nightly show airs live from 9pm-midnight (PT), Monday through Friday, and is also streamed at www.radiokrl.com. Affiliate relations are being handled by industry veteran Stacy Cohen who can be reached HERE.

Despite the fact that a Republican hasn’t won a statewide election in New Jersey since 1997, these three GOP hopefuls held an on air debate this week on WOR/New York. Hoping to be the one to take on unpopular Democratic incumbent Governor Jon Corzine next fall are (l-r): Bogata, NJ Mayor Steve Lonegan; WOR host and debate moderator Steve Malzberg; State Assemblyman Rick Merkt; and former federal prosecutor Christopher Christie. The latest polls shows Christie leading his GOP rivals ahead of next Tuesday’s primary, and a poll in May showed him leading Corzine by nine points in a head-to-head contest for the NJ State House.

More Stuff You Should Know … Really! DC Pols’ Feet To Feel The Heat Virginia Cluster Needs GM in “Gig Alerts”

Did You Know? – Guess what lives on long after your gone that needs your attention right now? Where is the next big frontier for generating new ad revenues? How can crooks clean our your bank account and usually get away with it? Why should you act now to fix that underperforming music FM in your cluster? Answers to those questions and more begins on page one.

Give ‘Em The Ol’ Hot Foot – The annual “Hold Their Feet To The Fire” rally dates have been set and the descent of Talk radio hosts on DC is expected to be bigger than ever. More on page two.

Good Job, Great Town – A five station cluster — including two AM News/Talkers — in a Virginia college town needs a GM. Find out more in “Gig Alerts” on page two.

Read it all here in NTS MediaOnline Weekly.

America’s Morning News, a previously announced joint venture between the Washington Times and Talk Radio Network, will launch Monday, June 15th featuring newly-named anchors Melanie Morgan and John McCaslin. Morgan is a 23-year broadcast veteran who most recently hosted morning drive at KSFO/San Francisco. McCaslin is a former Metropolitan Editor for the Times and a 25-year DC media veteran who has covered the White House, Congress and a myriad of federal agencies. He’s also served as a regular substitute host for Rush Limbaugh and other national Talk radio personalities. Both Morgan and McCaslin are also familiar faces to millions from their regular appearances on the cable news channels. “TRN is excited to partner with The Washington Times in the brave new venture,” said TRN President/Programming Phil Boyce. “The show will be fast-paced and compelling, with great storytelling by the reporters breaking the stories. Morning radio in America will have a new player that is heavy on information and riveting content.”

Comments continue to fill our inbox regarding the recent waterboarding stunt by WLS/Chicago host and Talk Radio Network personality Mancow Muller. “For one moment, let’s take the politics out of this and look at what the question should be,” writes veteran Talk radio programmer and consultant Mary June Rose (pictured). “I don’t think the question is whether or not waterboarding is torture. I mean, if it wasn’t torture, why would we have done it? Seriously? Isn’t torture anything used to try to force a person to talk? So, Mancow said it’s torture. Of course it’s torture! The real question is whether or not we should be allowed to do it. The debate lies there.”

On a lighter note, veteran Talk radio personality Paul “Irv Harrigan” Menard, now a San Diego-based marketing exec writes, “What constitutes torture? If you chained Sean Penn to a board, put a blindfold over his face, held his nose and played selected rants by Rush Limbaugh to him, I’d bet he couldn’t last 8 seconds!” Your comments are always welcome at al@ntsmediaonline.com.