FOX RADIO Debuts 5-Minute News

(From Billboard Radio Monitor -- By Ken Tucker)

It was a busy morning at FOX NEWS RADIO's New York headquarters as FOX NEWS chairman/CEO ROGER AILES cut the ribbon on newly constructed studios, the network debuted a five minute newscast and then officially signed on 60 new affiliates.

Though stations will be free to choose their news provider, the number of CLEAR CHANNEL affiliates is expected to grow in August when a deal with ABC NEWS RADIO expires. ABC has faced some difficulties in pro-Republican parts of the country where NEWS/TALK (N/T) AFFILIATES have delivered right wing offerings such as RUSH LIMBAUGH against ABC news content considered by some listeners in these regions to carry a liberal bias.

The deal with CLEAR CHANNEL was first reported by BILLBOARD RADIO MONITOR in December of last year.

FOX's five-minute newscast service consists of five minutes at the top of the hour and one minute at the bottom of the hour. It also includes FOX NEWS ALERTS up to six times per hour if needed, as well as live anchored coverage of breaking news events and unanchored feeds of news events as warranted.

The company previously provided a one-minute newscast, but added the five-minute cast to better serve N/T stations. "It's important if we're in this business that we're in it in the visible ways that the old-line guys are in it," FOX NEWS RADIO Senior VP KEVIN MAGEE told THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

The moves are the latest by the network, a leader in the TV news game, to broaden its reach into radio. FOX NEWS RADIO, which is under the FOX NEWS umbrella, will utilize some of the same personalities TV viewers are accustomed to.

Though the radio staff has grown from six employees to roughly 40, Magee tells BILLBOARD RADIO MONITOR that company lines will be crossed.

"It's a mistake to say that we've got 40 people working at FOX RADIO," Magee says, "because we've made it perfectly clear to everyone (within the organization) -- and the good news is, that everyone has made it perfectly clear to us -- that everyone that works at the FOX NEWS CHANNEL wants to work for FOX RADIO and, in fact, is working for FOX RADIO."

With today's addition, the number of affiliates rose to over 300, according to the company. The network expects to add 200 more by the end of the summer.