KFI/Los Angeles morning host Bill Handel will be honored on Friday (6/12) by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce which will award him the 2,385th star on the world-famous “Hollywood Walk of Fame.” Speakers at Friday’s 11:30am event — to be held at 6640 Hollywood Boulevard — will include KFI sports reporter Rich Marotta and news anchor Gary Hoffman. Handel has hosted wake-ups on the Clear Channel News/Talker for the past 16 years. He also hosts the weekly Premiere Radio Networks-syndicated Handel On The Law which airs Saturdays from 6-11am (PT).

A new ranking from The Media Audit reports that, among more than 100 daily newspapers measured in 88 markets across the U.S., the New Orleans Times-Picayune website — www.nola.com — is the top daily newspaper website based on the percent of adults within a metro area who have visited a newspaper website in the past 30 days. The San Antonio Express’ www.MySA.com was #2, followed by the Washington Post’s www.washingtonpost.com. Rounding out the top 10 most visited newspaper websites are those hosted by the Ann Arbor News, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Syracuse Post-Standard, the Indianapolis Star, the Birmingham News, the Virginian-Pilot and the Reno Gazette-Journal. In a sign of the times, the Media Audit also reports that even those considered to be heavy newspaper readers — those who spend more than an hour per day reading — currently spend 3.7 hours a day online. That number is up by 2.1 hours compared to a 2006 study.

Note To News/Talk Stations: This study would seem to suggest that there are still many opportunities for News and Talk based radio stations, in both large and small markets across the country, to market and establish their websites as the “go to” online source for news, info and entertainment.

The NAB Search Committee has tapped Russell Reynolds Associates to assist in identifying and recruiting the group’s next President/CEO to replace David Rehr who exited last week … Debra Delman is named SVP/Strategic Operations and Finance at National Public Radio. Delman most recently served as SVP/CFO for Discovery Networks … R.I.P. Sheryl Flowers who was best known for her role as the producer for then-NPR talk host Tavis Smiley from 2002-2005. Flowers succumbed to her two year fight with cancer on Monday (6/8). She was 42 … Condolences to the family and colleagues of veteran news anchor and radio personality Paul Oscar Anderson who died June 5th from heart failure following his struggle with cancer. He was 77.

A Message From The Publisher: In a world of changes in our industry, we note that it’s been some 2 1/2 years since we first launched our daily and weekly e-publications for Talk media professionals. Since then, the support we’ve received from readers and advertisers has been overwhelming and gratifying. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support, and to tell you that, in the wake of recent changes in the radio trade industry, NTS MediaOnline Today and NTS MediaOnline Weekly remain strong and vibrant. We’re committed to being your first, best and independent source for news from News/Talk/Sports radio and from the greater Talk media industry. While our products will continue to keep a tight focus on Talk media, you can rely on us to always also keep you posted on any news from Washington, Wall Street, or Main Street that could impact your life as a Talk media professional. We look forward to continuing to serve News/Talk/Sports radio professionals and the advertisers who wish to reach them through our daily and weekly e-publications, as well as on the web 24/7. Of course, we always welcome you to email your comments and feedback to us at al@ntsmediaonline.com.

That’s Premiere Radio Networks host Rush Limbaugh (r) with Citadel Media syndicated talker Mark Levin on the tarmac outside the infamous “EIB One,” the plane El Rushbo uses for personal and business travel. The occasion for this particular trip was a flight to New York City where Limbaugh was given the annual “Freedom of Speech Award” during last weekend’s New Media Seminar that was hosted by Talker’s magazine. Limbaugh says losing freedom of speech is something “we all have to be vigilant against.” You can view a video of Limbaugh’s speech on the topic of free speech HERE.