The picture of a post-Sumner CBS is clearing up.

Not completely – there will still be infighting in the courts and the penthouses. But it appears that #1, Les Moonves would win a promotion from CEO to Chairman at CBS, following Sumner Redstone passing. The news is reported by Bloomberg, and it would seem to guarantee some continuity at a company that’s admired on Wall Street. Bloomberg says that’s the deal made by current vice-chairman Shari Redstone, Sumner’s daughter. #2, it’s clear that Shari Redstone isn’t fading away. The Wall Street Journal has a sensational news story - Shari rejected a $1 billion offer in late 2014 to buy out her 20% stake in National Amusements, the controlling shareholder of CBS and Viacom. That would’ve meant Shari giving up her right to become chairman of CBS and Viacom. Event #3 is the ongoing legal challenge over the competency of 92-year-old Sumner Redstone. An L.A. judge ruled on Monday that Sumner needn’t undergo a medical exam and competency test. But it’s possible that Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, Sumner’s health care guardian, may undergo a deposition. Also a couple of doctors who’ve treated the nonagenarian. Sumner’s ousted live-in girlfriend Manuela Herzer is challenging statements that Sumner made about his wishes, communicated through Dauman. Check what Judge David Cowan says – “Nobody, including Redstone, who has achieved what he has in life, deserves…to have to then suffer the indignity at his great age of being cast in an unfavorable light…Let him live in his home in peace.” Unless something happens with Sumner, the next court date concerning him, CBS and Viacom is February 8. Manuela Herzer says Sumner has already given her millions of dollars, and that this isn’t about the money.

Simon’s specialty is data analytics, and CBS says he’ll “work closely with senior management” on that. He’ll also “create new data-driven ad products and strategies for political campaigns, candidates, and related committees and organizations.” In a way, he’ll be stretching across two areas – figuring out where CBS Radio is and what it’s doing strategically, using “big data” to be shared with President Andre Fernandez, COO Scott Herman and other top brass. But CBS also hopes he and his knowledge will be useful in monetizing radio and digital assets in the 2016 campaign cycle. Simon worked on the Obama campaign and later in the administration itself. He also started the “data science consultancy” named HaystaqDNA. Simon’s appeared on CNBC and the PBS Newshour, has spoken at Harvard’s Kennedy Center of Government and the World Economic Forum of Young Global Leaders, and has been consulted for his expertise by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Buzzfeed, Slate and more. He got his bachelor’s degree and law degree from Michigan.

Though the terms are different from the National Football League deal announced this Fall. The NFL games are nested on the Premium tier for TuneIn users, who pay $7.99 a month (October 13 NOW). While the NHL games will be available for free (both home and away feeds, and in multiple languages). TuneIn Chief Content Officer Kevin Straley says “Over the past three months, we’ve seen increased interest and growth in our sports offerings” – so they go to the ice, for the NHL. There will be a 24/7 Hockey Channel, 30 distinct team channels, on-demand content, and integration of the TuneIn player on NHL.com. Only one hitch – TuneIn’s NHL stuff won’t be heard in hockey-mad Canada. The new online availability of the NHL won’t be loved by the terrestrial stations who are flagships – or SiriusXM. It’s been the only place to hear all the games.

From the Rumor Mill – No closing on Digity this week, and probably not this year.

Staffers at buyer Alpha Media have had several false alarms in the past month or so. They’ve been told “It’s happening this week,” and then it doesn’t. This week was one of those supposed “happening” times. At $264 million, Larry Wilson’s deal to acquire West Palm-based Digity is 2015’s most expensive radio deal, by far. It’s complicated by the recent weakening of the debt markets. This NOW Newsletter has told you that the lead bank may be keeping the entire deal, and that’s not the way these things usually go. (The lead lender normally syndicates pieces to other firms, to lay off some of the exposure.) So the closing is pushed back to 2016 – but what if it doesn’t take place at all? Alpha has relatively little to lose, beyond the time it’s put into the process with Digity and its backer, Garrison Investment Group. Alpha’s Larry Wilson signed a $7.5 million letter of credit that’s essentially a deposit. That would be forfeited to the seller if the deal fails to close, under certain circumstances. (Technically, the letter of credit would be released to Digity by the escrow agent. See the purchase agreement here.) $7.5 million is a relatively small deposit on a deal worth $264 million – only 3% of the total price. Deposits are often 5%, 10% or even more. What happens to Digity if Alpha doesn’t take over? There’s probably no other buyer who’s eager to swallow the entire 112-station group. Digity may be on its own for quite a while longer. Or – Wilson gets to the closing table. But his dream of an IPO may have to be put off. 2015 was the worst year for IPOs since 2009, says Business Insider.

The direct licensing agreement with BMI forestalls future litigation, which Pandora was pursuing after it lost a decision in rate-court. The deal with ASCAP should warm up a relationship that chilled after Pandora beat it in court, twice. As Kurt Hanson’s RAIN Newsletter says, “None of this happy handshaking bears on Pandora’s payments to [artists and] record labels – that is a different kind of licensing which represents a much higher share of Pandora’s revenues.” ASCAP President (and accomplished songwriter) Paul Williams is just one of the many folks at Performing Rights Organizations and the songwriter corps. who feel bitter about how small their percentage is, compared to the labels. We don’t know terms of the Pandora settlements with BMI and ASCAP. But everybody’s smiling. The Internet music service says “These deals create business benefits for Pandora, while modernizing compensation in the U.S.” for the two big PROs, BMI and ASCAP. Then there’s Pandora withdrawing its appeal of the May decision re: BMI. The court ordered it to hike its payments from 1.7% of revenue to 2.5%. BMI and ASCAP have another interest here – discouraging the music publishers it represents from cutting it out of future deals.

New webcasting rates keep “bumper music” mostly royalty-free on talk and sports stations.

They’ll still need to “make the minimum payment, [but] there’s no liability for incidental performances” of music that occurs during a streamed talk show, says attorney David Oxenford. This NOW Newsletter asked him about the “bumper-music” question, and he says “If stations use full songs, they pay on those songs…but they don’t pay performance royalties for certain short clips that would be used on a news or talk station, as there is an exception” for things like intro music. On another feature of the Webcasting IV ruling from the federal Copyright Royalty Board for 2016 – Oxenford stressed during Monday’s Triton Digital webinar that “these royalties do apply to broadcaster simulcasts” online. Already, “Broadcasters who stream music on the Internet, even a full simulcast of their over-the-air broadcasts, should be paying [clearinghouse] SoundExchange now, for the public performance of the sound recording they stream.” The good news – the rate’s decreasing from 25 cents per 100 plays to a listener to 17 cents. While Pandora’s rate will rise from 14 cents to 17 cents. David’s just-posted “basics of the CRB webcasting Royalty decision” is here. You can listen to a replay of Monday’s webinar there. Or Triton’s offering a replay of the Monday webinar with David, hosted by its John Rosso, here.

Day 2 December-book Nielsen PPMs -

Washington DC – All-Christmas AC WASH finishes third, and somewhere in the middle of the December-book range set two years ago (a 6.3 with age 6+ AQH share) and last year (a market-leading 8.6). This time it’s a 7.0 share for the iHeart station, though it does win nights and weekends. There’s a tie at the top between two talk-based stations. Those are Hubbard’s all-news WTOP and its regional simulcast signals (from an October-book 8.9 share to a November-book 8.2 and now a 7.9). At the same level is American University’s non-com news/talk WAMU (7.8-7.4-7.9) – and it accomplishes that with the market’s thirteenth-largest cume. Third place you know about (WASH, 5.9-6.1-7.0). Fourth place belongs to iHeart’s rhythmic “Hot” WIHT (5.9-5.9-5.8). Fifth place is a tie between Howard U.’s urban AC WHUR (4.8-4.7-4.9) and CBS’s urban WPGC (4.9-4.7-4.9). Donnie Simpson’s now added to afternoons at Radio One’s urban AC “Majic” WMMJ (moving 4.7-4.7-4.3, total week). Sometimes we see classical stations benefit from tune-in during the Christmas season, and Greater Washington Educational TV’s non-com classical WETA is up (3.5-3.7-4.2). WASH’s all-Christmas playlist isn’t hurting iHeart’s country WMZQ (3.5-3.6-3.6). No lift yet for Cumulus CHR WRQX, returning to its “Mix” branding and hot AC feel (2.1-2.6-2.4). As for CBS all-newser WNEW, being leased out to Bloomberg, its last book is 1.2-1.0-0.9. No cume bloom yet for all-Christmas AC WASH (at 1.2 million). It’s second in average weekly cume to rhythmic “Hot 99.5” (1,452,100). Nielsen’s “December” book actually contains just two days of its titular month, running November 5-November 2.

Boston – All-Christmas-wise, Greater Media’s AC “Magic” WMJX was already leading the market in the November book with an 8.0-share – and that’s just what it delivers in this new book. It’s moved 7.5-8.0-8.0. That compares to a 9.1 share a year ago, says ratings historian Chris Huff. Second with a great month is CBS Radio’s “Sports Hub” WBZ-FM (7.1-6.7-6.7) – relishing the controversy over Patriots QB Tom Brady, obviously. Its rival, Entercom’s WEEI-FM, holds last month’s share in the #6 spot (6.3-5.5-5.5). So Boston continues to be an amazing town for (local) sports. Third on the list is iHeart’s top 40 “Kiss 108” WXKS-FM (5.6-6.1-6.6) and fourth is Greater Media’s classic hits WROR (6.9-7.0-6.2). Boston U’s non-com news/talk WBUR pops (3.6-3.9-4.4). While Chris Huff highlights “the largest share for CBS Radio’s top 40 WODS since April 2014,” going 2.4-3.1-3.4. Checking the theory that all-Christmas can damage country shares, Greater Media’s country WKLB seems just fine, 5.0-5.1-5.0. Entercom’s talk WRKO gave up Rush Limbaugh this Summer and moves 2.3-2.5-2.6. No growth at iHeart’s former Spanish “Mia 1430” WKOX, now carrying Limbaugh and other talkers (0.3-0.4-0.4). AC/Christmas “Magic” cumes the most, at just about 1,420,000.

Miami – Entercom now owns AC “Lite 101.5” WLYF, and it’s #1 (8.3-7.6-8.0). Cox Radio has the #2 station in urban AC “Hot 105” WHQT (6.4-7.2-7.1 for the total week, and #1 in mornings with Tom Joyner). Hot is followed by Univision’s Spanish contemporary “Amor” WAMR with its best share since October of last year (5.8-5.8-6.0). Cox is fourth with easy oldies “Easy 93.1” WFEZ (5.5-5.3-5.1). Best topline since the Holiday book of 2013 for CBS Radio’s rhythmic “Power 96” WPOW (3.7-4.0-4.5). “Power” is #1 with teens in share, and tops in cume with 18-34 and 18-49. SBS’ Spanish tropical WCMQ (3.7-4.1-4.3) achieves its biggest share in over three years, since September 2012. Not much fun for CBS country “Kiss 99.9” WKIS, 2.8-2.9-2.3. AC “Lite” has the highest average cume at 1,331,000.

Detroit – Yes, iHeart’s all-Yule AC WNIC (4.9-4.5-8.0) wins the book. (It's approximately flat in weekly cume at 1,169,000, so they did it on time spent listening.) But compare that to last year’s 9.6 share. CBS has second and third place, with classic hits/Christmas WOMC (7.2-6.8-7.2) and all-sports “Ticket” WXYT-FM (7.0-7.1-6.7). Fourth is Greater Media’s classic rock WCSX (6.7-6.7-6.2) and then there’s CBS Radio’s all-news WWJ (6.4-6.7-6.2). Right behind is Cumulus talker WJR, holding its recent heights (from a 3.7 in July to a recent run of 5.0-5.8-5.8). Greater Media’s rock WRIF falls total week (5.8-6.1-5.2), though its morning show is still #1. In country, it’s a flattish CBS WYCD (4.7-4.8-4.8) versus Cumulus “Nash” WDRQ (2.7-2.7-2.2).

Seattle – Will all-Christmas AC “Warm” KRWM (4.4-4.8-6.5) overtake Hubbard sister top 40 KQMV next month? Warm has improved its cume, to a market-leading 1.1 million, and that could set the stage. Right now, KQMV’s double-digit “Brooke & Jubal” morning show helps it retain first place, total week (6.6-7.5-7.4). Third is Bonneville news/talker KIRO-FM (6.8-6.8-6.1) and fourth is CBS classic rock/Danny Bonaduce-mornings KZOK (5.3-5.7-5.3). Chris Huff says “3.7 is the largest share for Sinclair’s all-news KOMO-AM/FM since November 2012.” The KOMO combo moves 3.2-3.4-3.7. The country rivalry is CBS’ KMPS (5.0-3.9-3.9) and Entercom’s “Wolf” KKWF (4.0-3.6-3.3 – down from a 5.8 in the July book).

Phoenix – All-Christmas as a multi-week format tactic began about 20 years ago in Kansas City and here in Phoenix, at AC KESZ. This time, iHeart’s “KEZ” celebrates nicely, 6.6-6.0-9.5. That compares to last year’s 7.8 for the December book. For this just-completed four-week period, KEZ was #1 in all dayparts, and turning in double digits for middays. Second place goes to Hubbard’s classic rock KSLX with its loftiest PPM share ever, 6.1-5.8-6.2. Third is CBS classic hits KOOL (5.6-6.0-5.7). iHeart’s talk KFYI is fourth, 5.1-4.8-4.7. (It does that by converting its 18th-ranked cume very efficiently.) KFYI’s just ahead of co-owned hot AC “Mix” KMXP (5.3-4.7-4.6). The country tango is KNIX (iHeart, 4.0-4.5-5.3) and KMLE (CBS, 4.1-4.2-3.6). Of course AC “KEZ” wins in cume at 1,429,900 - and its margin is more than 400,000 pairs of ears.

Minneapolis – Classic hits/Christmas “Kool 108” KQQL (iHeart, 8.3-7.3-8.5) stays #1 but didn’t need Christmas to do it. A year ago Kool had a December-book 7.3 share. Second is Hubbard’s home-town hot AC KSTP-FM (8.3-8.0-7.9) and third is a pretty extraordinary performance by iHeart’s all-sports “Fan” KFXN (7.2-7.1-7.5). That’s the Fan’s best-ever PPM share. The #4 spot gets us into the country discussion. Fourth, powered by potent night numbers, is iHeart’s country “K102” KEEY (6.7-8.0-7.1). But CBS Radio’s country “Buz’n” KMNB is down in twelfth place, 5.4-4.9-4.3. Largest share since September of last year for the CBS Radio variety hits “Jack” KZJK (4.4-5.2-5.9). All-Christmas works just fine for University of Northwestern-St. Paul’s non-com contemporary Christian KTIS-FM (4.7-4.9-5.5). Hot AC “KS95” is the only Twin Cities station over a million in cume, at 1,035,400.

San Diego – Country KSON/KSOQ makes it to the top of a very compressed leaderboard with strong time spent listening. It’s #1 with its best share since January 2014 (5.3-5.2-5.4). But just a beat behind is Entercom sister easy oldies KIFM (5.5-5.0-5.3). Third is iHeart’s hot AC KMYI (4.6-4.5-5.0), closely trailed by top 40 sister KHTS-FM (5.0-5.1-4.9). CBS Radio’s AC KYXY (4.3-4.8-4.7) is doing Christmas, and it’s ahead of last year’s 3.7 share at this same point. Compass recently sold adult alternative KPRI to not-for-profit EMF for its K-Love contemporary Christian service – but neither Compass nor EMF subscribes to Nielsen, so we don’t see the numbers. Top 40 KHTS-FM is tops in cume at nearly 850,000.

Denver – All-Christmas KOSI (3.3-4.2-6.1) doesn’t quite rise to #1, but Bonneville’s probably expecting that to happen in this current Holiday book. This year’s 6.1 is down a bit from last year’s 6.5. Still on top is Entercom’s very steady classic rock “Mountain” KQMT (6.1-6.3-6.2). Third is Public Broadcasting of Colorado’s non-com news/talk KCFR (3.6-5.0-5.1). (KCFR is now #1 in the morning daypart.) In this year’s flurry of Denver sales and swaps, Bonneville wound up with Entercom’s country KYGO, now ranking fourth (4.5-4.4-4.8). The swaps and format changes are coming fast-and-curious for the sports format, led by Bonneville’s “104.3 the Fan” KKFN (3.7-3.6-3.9). iHeart’s talk KOA (4.4-4.0-3.5) probably misses Rockies baseball. AC KOSI leads the cume column at 664,100.

Tampa – Nobody’s doing full-time Christmas this year, and Cox-owned #1-ranked soft oldies “Dove” WDUV (8.6-8.5-9.3) clearly doesn’t need it. #2 is Beasley’s classic hits “Q105” WRBQ (6.5-6.2-6.1, and winning morning drive). #3 is iHeart’s country WFUS (5.0-5.2-5.6), followed by Beasley’s rhythmic “Wild” WLLD (5.4-5.8-5.5). The other big country station is Beasley’s fifth-place WQYK (5.2-5.2-5.5). The leading talk-based station is iHeart’s ninth-place talk WFLA (4.9-5.0-4.6 – and second in mornings). The Dove’s market-leading cume is 743,800.

Baltimore – Much better December-book number this year for CBS Radio’s all-Christmas AC WLIF – a 9.1 this time, compared to last year’s 7.0. It’s #1 in this new book, 7.4-7.6-9.1. Baltimore must love its Christmas tunes, because Peter & John-owned non-com contemporary Christian “Shine 95.1” WRBS-FM also hopped on Santa’s sleigh. It’s up to fifth place (4.1-4.9-5.7). Back to the non-Christmas world - Second is Radio One’s urban WERQ (8.1-7.2-6.9) and third is iHeart’s country WPOC (7.2-7.6-6.6). Fourth place belongs to Radio One’s urban AC WWIN-FM (7.1-5.9-6.5). It’s a three-year high for WCBM Inc.’s talk WCBM (3.4-3.1-3.8). AC/Christmas WLIF lengthens its cume lead and is now at nearly 830,000 Baltimoreans.

St. Louis – All-Christmas does it (barely) for CBS Radio’s AC KEZK (5.5-5.9-7.2). Emmis classic rocker KSHE is just a guitar pick behind (6.7-6.9-7.1), and third is iHeart’s classic hits KLOU (7.8-7.1-6.7). CBS hot AC KYKY (5.4-6.0-6.3) savors its best topline since September of last year. Fifth is sister news/talk KMOX (7.6-6.8-6.0). Radio One’s urban “Hot” WHHL improves, 4.2-5.0-5.6. The country contestants are Hubbard’s WIL (4.9-4.9-4.4) and iHeart’s “Bull” KSD (4.1-4.0-3.1). New spark for Emmis’ former classic hits/now top-40 KNOU (2.9-3.2-3.8). AC/Christmas KEZK is tops in cume at about 775,000.

Watch your email at 5pm Eastern time today for the Day 3 markets like Portland (Oregon), Charlotte and Milwaukee. If you’re signed up for it, you’ll be getting the Futuri-sponsored same-day Ratings Email from this Tom Taylor NOW newsletter. Not seeing the ratings? Fix that at the bottom of today’s issue, under “Update subscriptions” and “PM ratings updates.”

Cox experiments with a non-Tom Joyner morning show in Atlanta, using this holiday period to experiment with a local crew. Rodney Ho at AJC.com says “this is the first time [Cox-owned urban AC Kiss 104.1 WALR] has opted to go for something other than Joyner in mornings, even for a brief time, since he joined the station as a syndicated radio host two decades ago.” Through year-end, Kiss is trying out current midday personality Sasha the Diva along with afternoon hosts Art Terrell and Art Wood Jr. Tom Joyner, syndicated by Radio One’s Reach Media, returns live once the calendar page flips to January.

Forget the Miss Universe flub…Steve Harvey will have no trouble reading the card that names his newest market – Las Vegas. It’s the city where the comedian and morning show host made an emotional (and totally unrehearsed) acceptance speech as he was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2013. He’s visited plenty of times as a comedian. Now Harvey’s Premiere-syndicated morning show is added in Vegas by Beasley’s rhythmic oldies “Old School 105.7” KOAS, starting Monday, January 4. John Candelaria is the recently-promoted PD/OM for Beasley in Las Vegas.

San Bernardino’s alternative “X” becomes rhythmic hot AC “Hot 103.9.” The almost-sign-off song for All-Pro Broadcasting-owned KCXX Lake Arrowhead was “Closer” – the Nine Inch Nails song the Press Enterprise says first introduced the alternative rock format in 1995. “Closer” was followed by Slipknot’s “Snuff” – as in “death” – and then came the replacement format of Hot 103.9. Opening song – “Time Of Our Lives” by Pitbull and Ne-Yo. The new calls are KHTI. Last we heard of Bill Hurwitz earlier this year, he was retiring from his duties running the All-Pro Broadcasting-partnered Milwaukee Radio Alliance, in Wisconsin. Surprise – he’s All-Pro’s new general manager at “Hot 103.9” KHTI.

Cumulus modifies Topeka’s country KTOP/102.9 from “Nash” to “Nash Icon.” The shift reported by Radio Insight is more than just a branding thing – KTOP’s dropping the Blair Garner-led “America’s Morning Show” and “Nash Nights Live,” replacing them with the national Nash Icon personality lineup based at Cumulus-owned country WSM-FM Nashville (95.5). Radio Insight connects some dots and says Cumulus made similar moves (from Nash to an older-leaning Nash Icon) in Columbia, SC and Johnson City-Kingsport. Topeka-market KTOP is a Class C2 licensed to St. Mary’s, Kansas.

Another lay-Catholic station for New Jersey, where the Domestic Church Media Foundation’s buying south Jersey AM WGYM at 1580. It’s licensed to Hammonton and runs 1,000 watts daytime and just six watts at night. The “-GYM” call letters are a hangover from an all-sports format run by Howard Green. After his death the stations were sold, and Access.1 bought this 1580, which it’s now selling to Pennsylvania-based Domestic Church Media. Advance Media’s NJ.com reports the sale, and a conversion under an LMA from its current Spanish-language format to English-language Catholic programming on January 1. Jim Manfredonia-led Domestic Church Media owns Trenton’s WFJS/1260 (the market’s longtime WBUD) and Freehold’s WFJS-FM (89.3). Most of the programing will come from Alabama-based EWTN.

$250,000 cash (plus other consideration) is what WBEZ parent Chicago Public Media is paying for Kankakee’s WKCC/91.1. The buyer’s also committing to $100,000 in underwriting announcements over a five-year period for seller Kankakee Community College. Also to conducting “one student seminar per year for five years after closing,” run by the reporters and producers of non-com news/talk WBEZ Chicago/91.5 down in Kankakee – to “train students in reporting and narrative techniques.” The deal keeps Class A WKCC on the air, after the school encountered budget problems, and it extends WBEZ’s reach to the southwest. Chicago Public Media also has WBEQ Morris, Illinois (90.7), WBEW Chesterton, Indiana (89.5) and a couple of translators. Public Media Capital worked with buyer Chicago Public Media to prepare its business analysis and repped WBEZ in the negotiations with the college. Chicago Public Media is led by President/CEO Goli Sheikholeslami.

More loose ends tied up around Salt Lake City, in a complex deal whose roots trace back to 2008 and 3 Point Media/Millcreek leader Chris Devine, as well as Simmons Media Group. By 2010, Simmons had signed a re-structuring agreement with backer Goldman Sachs. Now we’ve got Dell Loy Hansen’s Broadway Media taking over recently-moved KAUU/105.1, which has re-licensed from Manti, Utah to American Fork as a Class C. This is part of a multi-station deal where Hansen’s donating KUDD Randolph (107.9) to the not-for-profit Community Wireless (December 3 NOW), so he can upgrade his own KUUU Tooele. (KUUU could slide down from 92.5 to 92.1, after Community Wireless adjusts its KPCW from 91.9 to 91.7.) That donation of KUDD creates cap-room for Hansen to add KAUU – which he’s now filed to do. Seller is the SLC Divestiture Trust I, led by Larry Patrick. KAUU’s been stunting with all-Christmas.

AC and hot AC stations are up for Nielsen’s December-book PPMs, and that may be the work of the Jolly Old Elf. Nielsen doesn’t specifically break out all-Christmas stations (complicated and messy, and most changed somewhere in the middle of the November 5-December survey period). But isolating AC and hot AC stations, the most likely to go all-Christmas, Nielsen finds a strengthening trend. AC is up from a 7.6% in the November book to an 8.6 share. Hot AC “posts its best December book ever in PPM measurement,” says Nielsen – up with persons 6+, 18-34 and 25-54. The Classic Hits format is also thriving, and you’ll find some all-Christmas players in those ranks, too. Read Nielsen’s take on the PPM markets (“Another classic radio Christmas is in store”) here.

Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is the most-played holiday song, so far, in the Nielsen PPM markets. It earned 10,497 spins in the December book, just ahead of Burl Ives’ “Holly Jolly Christmas” (10,394 spins), Andy Williams’ “Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” (10,288) and Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (10,167). Note the vintage of those songs – all were released between 1962 and 1965. See Nielsen’s “Most Played Christmas Songs” list here.

Jocks on stage – Steve Harvey’s difficulty at the live “Miss Universe” broadcast reminds longtime station owner/operator/onetime jock Bill Prettyman of the perils of being on-stage live – “In my early days in radio, I was ‘Doug Vanderbilt’ on ‘The New WEAM,’ a top 40 station in Washington DC. Jocks were liner-card readers – it was absolutely forbidden to ad lib. Therefore, I had zero shtick. A fellow DJ and I were invited to introduce Dionne Warwick at a mostly Urban package show in the heart of D.C. at Uline arena, now the Washington Coliseum. Waiting backstage, we watched the jock from the Urban station out front entertaining the crowd...seriously entertaining with jokes and patter. Heck, the guy even broke into song at one point. Then it was our turn. The show's producer said, ‘Go on out there. I need you to do twenty minutes.’ Huh? Lord knows we weren't prepared for that. What we did for twenty minutes is a blur, but I'm sure it was truly awful. Finally, mercifully, it was time to introduce Dionne Warwick and slink offstage. I never developed shtick, and took up sales instead.” Got an early memory of going on-stage for a radio station? Email “You Can’t Make This Up” – Tom@RTK-Media.com.

Day 3 Nielsen Audio PPM markets later today, which means analysis in tomorrow’s Tom Taylor NOW Newsletter – our last edition of 2015. Anything you’d like to get into the last NOW of the year? Email Tom@RTK-Media.com. See you back first thing tomorrow - Tom