» Collins Is The Man At KURV: Looks like veteran Talk programmer Bruce Collins could be greeted by the arrival of hurricane Ike as he heads to the Rio Grande Valley this week to take the open PD post at Border Media Partners McAllen-Brownsville News/Talker. Collins, who most recently programmed WTVN/Columbus, has also programmed KTOK/Oklahoma City and WLAC/Nashville. "Bruce has an extensive background in News/Talk radio and is passionate about the format," said BMP VP/Market Manager Jane Smith. "He makes a great addition to our seasoned and award-winning KURV team."

» The Ladies' Man: That's what they're calling Hugh Hewitt around the Salem Radio Network studios this week as the talk host welcomed 55 first-time women callers to his program yesterday (9/9) in his quest to learn the "why" behind the mostly positive reaction to the addition of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as the Republican's VP choice. Hewitt has been taking only calls from women for nearly two weeks now and vows he'll take only first-time women callers on the topic "until all women who want a say can have it on my show, even if it takes until Election Day." Hewitt tells NTS Aircheck Today that along with the calls he's also received, "hundreds of emails" from women on the topic. "This is a huge story that Talk radio is getting and the Beltway-Manhattan media elite is skipping over in their rush to 'get' Palin." Hewitt's SoCal-based syndicated radio show airs daily, 6-9pm (ET).

» A Hitch In The Giddyup: On the eve of Arbitron's official roll-out of its Portable People Meter electronic audience measurement technology in New York, that state's Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, says he will launch an investigation into the methodology behind PPM. Cuomo told the company in a letter that he was concerned about PPM methodology because, "A significant and improper decline in ratings under the PPM methodology could cause minority stations to suffer drastic reductions in advertising revenues." The NY AG went on to say that he believes a full investigation by his office is warranted, "before these sudden and possibly irreversible consequences are imposed on minority radio stations." The investigation is in response to concerns expressed by several Hispanic and Urbran broadcasters in recent months over the pending move to PPM measurement.

» Arbitron Responds: As you'd expect ,the folks at Arbitron don't exactly see eye-to-eye with New York's Attorney General on the issue. A statement from company CEO Steve Morris called PPM "fair and reliable" and says the methodology "accurately represents the population of New York." Morris also noted that, "The media industry should be concerned about the attempts to supplant or short-circuit the Media Ratings Council process. Throughout its 40-plus years of service, the MRC has been a driving force behind the vast quality improvements in the ratings services that research companies have been delivering to the advertising and media industries." Meanwhile, in testimony given to the New York City Council -- which is also looking into PPM on behalf of minority broadcasters -- Arbitron reconfirmed the company, "remains committed to working constructively with the Council and with clients in the radio industry to address specific diary-to-PPM transition issues." Got an opinion on this story? We'd love to hear it HERE.

» Radio Shopping Show Pacts With AirTime Media: Chicago-based AirTime will market the RSS sales solution system, a tool that station owner and RSS President Rick Jakel says has "produced millions and millions of dollars in new revenue" for his radio stations in Las Vegas, Aurora, IL and Elgin, IL. Alrighty, now that he has your attention, AirTime Media head honcho Tim Disa adds that it's common for Jakel's stations to bring in more cash in a 24-hour period than similar sized stations bill in an entire month using the RSS system. "I firmly believe that this system, in addition to bringing profit to operators, will actually increase valuation of their stations." You can reach Disa HERE.