» ESPN Seeking NYC FM? Despite reports by Crain's New York Business and several radio industry trades today, WEPN (1050 ESPN)/New York VP/GM Tim McCarthy tells NTS Aircheck Today what you may have read elsewhere ain't exactly accurate. "It is true that we have explored options, but that was months ago," says McCarthy. "This is a non-story." McCarthy says the real story is that the station is in the midst of building out a new $10 million transmitter site that will be up and operating next April. "While it's true we are always looking from FM sticks to improve our reach, with the new transmitter, regardless of what happens, 1050 will have a better signal next April to serve our listeners and advertisers."

» It's Snowing In Houston! Now there's a headline you don't read everyday, but that's just what happened last night in the Texas city. KTRH/Houston PD Bryan Erickson said the event wasn't exactly historic, but still a rare occurrence and a big surprise to most folks in that neck of the woods. "Yes Virginia, it does snow in Houston," said Erickson. "We were expecting cold temperatures, but not the white stuff. The last time it snowed here was Christmas Day 2004. The KTRH 24-hour Traffic and Weather Center was kept busy throughout last night and the early morning hours and our newsroom got tons of calls from excited listeners reporting on the snowfall in their neighborhoods. But in the end it was just a light dusting, no big problems. A few schools north of Houston delayed their start times this morning, but other than that there were no real issues as a result of our early 'White Christmas.'"

» Talk Media News Notes: Looks like NPR isn't immune from the same kinds of budget cuts we've been reporting for months at commercial radio as the pubcaster downsizes a reported 64 employees, many of them connected with Day To Day and News & Notes, two programs that have been cancelled by the network ... Bruce DuMont, head honcho at Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications, told Windy City television station WTTW last night that now infamous Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was behind holding back $8 million in promised state funding for the venue's recent expansion. DuMont said he was told by the disgraced guv's assistant that Blagojevich would let the project "twist in the wind" after hearing that a political opponent had surfaced as a potential "white knight" to help fund the MBC building project ... Congrats to longtime former ABC Radio exec Norm Schrutt who will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award tonight at ceremonies sponsored by the Atlanta Chapter of the March of Dimes AIR Awards.

» A Contest That Radio People Can Win! OK, admit it, how many times have you heard your own contest promotion on the air and said, "Geez, I'd like to win something for a change." Here's your chance as Into Tomorrow host Dave Graveline and his elves have put together an online "SANTABLOG" of holiday consumer electronics gift ideas at www.IntoTomorrow.com. Sponsored by Microsoft and TigerDirect, NTS Aircheck Today readers are invited to enter the "Win Your Dream Wish List" contest where you could win up to $3000 worth of gadgets that are on your very own wish list! Oh, you can also send an email to "Santa" if you want, many of which Dave will be reading on the air during his upcoming weekend shows.

In Tomorrow's NTS Aircheck Weekly: As the year begins to wind down we'll feature Part One of our annual look back at some of the people and events that made headlines in News/Talk/Sports radio over this past year. Our month-by-month review has become a yearly tradition that you won't want to miss and you'll find it exclusively in the December 12 edition of NTS Aircheck Weekly arriving in your inbox tomorrow morning!