By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Thursday, March 19, 2015
The NFL Network recently hired its first Atlanta-based correspondent Tiffany Blackmon.
She is covering NFL news events throughout the Southeast. Blackmon, a graduate of North Gwinnett High School and Georgia State University, has moved up the TV ranks, starting at a news station in Lake Charles, La., then Waco, TX, then Oklahoma City, then Houston.
"I always liked football," she said. "I grew up around it. I was always going to high school games on Friday nights."
She just returned from Jacksonville to cover free agency and will do a fair share of Atlanta Falcons games, along with the Tennessee Titans, the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. She said she might also do a bit of New Orleans Saints coverage.
***
Relativity Television, the creator of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," is working with a yet-unnamed network to bring a home-renovation competition to Atlanta. Chosen couples, over eight weeks, will tackle a series of intense renovation and remodel challenges. Only the most resourceful and competitive will survive, and the last coupl standing will win the mortgage-free deed to an Atlanta dream house.
To qualify, couples cannot currently own a home. Hopefuls can apply online at DreamHomeCasting.com, where they can also register for the show's open call to be held Saturday, March 21 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Midtown (97 10th St. NW)
***
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Gospel station Praise 102.5 raised $297,111 for the 8th Annual St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Radio-Thon Thursday. That's the highest total ever.
Claudia Jordan ("Real Housewives of Atlanta," Rickey Smiley Morning Show), gospel singer Ted Winn and comedians Griff and Double D answered phones.
“We could have never raised these funds without the trust and partnership of our Praise listeners,” said Tim Davies, Vice President, General Manager Radio One Atlanta, in a press release. “We’re grateful for their heart and helping us to answer the call for such a worthy cause.”
***
In February Nielsen Audio ratings, V-103 grew its lead over News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB to a 8 vs. a 7.1 in overall ratings. The R&B/hip-hop station has regained its footing in recent months. Its ratings are up from a year ago, when it garnered a 6.7. It also remains the dominant No. 1 among 18 to 34 year olds and 25 to 54 year olds.
Top 40 is hot in Atlanta. Three of the top six stations are pop stations, the first time in my memory that has ever happened. At No. 3 is B98.5 at 6.2. Power 96.1 had its best month ever for the second month in a row, moving to fourth overall with a 5.5 share. And not far behind at No. 6 is Q100 at 5.1.
Q100's Bert Show, covering the month after Bert Weiss announced his divorce with his wife, came in No. 1 among 25 to 54 year olds and 18 to 34 year olds with its strongest ratings since 2011.
92.9/The Game slipped a bit from its best month ever from a 3 to a 2.6 in February but still holds a sizable lead over 680/The Fan. I can't release Fan numbers since they are not subscribers to Nielsen Audio but its numbers are now far below that of the Game. The Game lapped The Fan last fall, soon after Mike Bell arrived and the Falcons began airing on the station. The Hawks are goosing numbers now.
In month three of the battle of the old-school rap stations, OG 97 had its best month to date with a 1.3 share, up from 1 in January. Boom 102.9 slipped from a 0.8 to a 0.7 while Old School 99.3/1010 held at 0.4.
The two R&B stations in town have taken the most direct hits: Majic 107.5 drew a 4.4 share, down from 5.5 a year ago. Kiss is at a 5.4, down from 6.8 a year ago. Collectively, that 2.5 share drop is very close to the 2.3 share from the three classic hip-hop stations.
Praise 102.5 had its best month (4.5) since April, 2012.
88.5/WRAS-FM had its best month since the switchover to GPB daytime programming last July: 0.5 share, up from 0.4. 90.1/WABE-FM drew a 3.1 share, below its average of 3.5 last year.
It's too early to judge the new (or revamped) morning shows on Star 94, Rock 100.5 and NewsRadio 106.7.
