In a partnership with Syndicated Solutions, Inc., The Allen Hunt Show will expand from weekends to Monday-Friday syndication beginning Monday, September 7th. SSI, who has already been handling network ad sales for the program, will assume full syndication responsibilities for both Hunt’s current weekend program and the new weekday show that will air from 9pm-midnight (ET) when it debuts next fall. In addition, SSI will syndicate a new Monday-Friday 60-second feature, The Allen Hunt Real Life & Faith Moment, that will also debut on September 7th. “The Allen Hunt Show has grown quickly and impressively over the past 18 months,” said Hunt show General Manager Phil Tower. “As we transition to a Monday-Friday weeknight presence, we’re pleased to partner with SSI to build out a national network of leading stations who want something unique, live and compelling rather than re-runs for their evening lineup.” Hunt’s current weekend show airs on a reported 90+ affiliates nationwide.

For the past several days ABC News Radio correspondent Matt Gutman has been embedded with U.S. Marines in Sultan Bawka, Afghanistan, a place Gutman calls “one of the most dangerous places in the world for U.S. troops.” In his ongoing blog about his experiences there Gutman writes, “In the month they’ve been here this company has encountered dozens of IED’s. A single convoy from this company hit three IED’s this week, five Marines were wounded. Also this week a Marine died trying to disarm another roadside bomb. I spoke to one lance corporal from a platoon that’s lost ten of its 40 members to IED’s. That’s an extremely high casualty rate … and it could be a harbinger of what the rest of the surge forces encounter as [Afghan] elections approach on August 20th.” Read more of Gutman’s experiences on the front lines HERE.

Former longtime Arbitron exec Jay Guyther has joined ROI Media Solutions as a partner. Guyther (pictured) will develop custom management plans for radio broadcast groups to serve as roadmaps for sales, programming, marketing and talent management in the emerging world of PPM measurement. Guyther brings more than 25 years of direct, hands-on experience with both electronic and diary-based audience measurement to the Los Angeles-based firm … KFI/Los Angeles morning man Bill Handel and his board-op Lara Hermanson posted an apology on YouTube for recent on-air remarks offending L.A.’s Armenian community. You can view it HERE … WVNN/Huntsville morning host Dale Jackson gets a week of unplanned vacation for an ill-considered election day prank. Read updated details from our weekend posting HERE.

According to Arbitron the answer to that questions is about 235 million people, age 12 and older, over the course of a typical week. Those are the top line stats from the company’s RADAR 101 National Listening Report that will be released, in full, next Monday (6/22). Arbitron reports that as additional markets have transitioned to electronic audience measurement using PPM, the total radio reach has continued to grow larger than in previous surveys. In the latest report, more than 213 million persons 12+ tuned to more than 7,700 RADAR network-affiliated stations. That’s up from 210 million one year ago (RADAR 97). Other notable findings: 92% of Black Non-Hispanics, and 93% of Hispanics (12+), tune to radio over the course of a typical week; Radio reaches more than 94% of college grads 25-54 and 95% of adults 25-54 with a college degree and annual income of $50K or more. The RADAR 101 Network Audience Report’s sample size is composed of 330,182 respondents.

As most of the world knows, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Orlando Magic last night to win the 2009 NBA Championship, marking the 15th time the team has accomplished that feat. CBS Radio News correspondent Steve Futterman drew the plum assignment of covering the game for the network and is shown here in the Lakers’ locker room after the game admiring the latest addition to the team’s trophy case.