View source for Cumulus Media Networks

{{Short description|American radio network (1945–2013)}}
{{Redirect|ABC Radio Network||ABC Radio (disambiguation){{!}}ABC Radio}}
{{Distinguish|ABC Audio}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox radio network
| network_name = Cumulus Media Networks
| country = [[United States]]
| image = Cumulus Media Networks.svg
| network_type = [[Radio network]]
| available = National, through regional affiliates
| owner = {{ubl|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC, Inc.]] (1945–1953)|[[American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres]]|(1953–1965)|American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.|
(1965–1986)|[[Capital Cities/ABC]]|(1986–1996)|[[The Walt Disney Company]]|(1996–2007)|[[Citadel Broadcasting]]|(2007–2011)|[[Cumulus Media]] (2011–2013)|}}
| launch_date = {{start date and age|1945|6|15|p=y|br=yes}}
| replaced = [[Blue Network]]
| dissolved = {{ubl|{{end date|2013|12|12}}|({{Age in years and days|1945|6|15|2013|12|12}})}}
| replaced_by = [[Westwood One]]
| past_names = {{ubl|ABC Radio (1945–2009)|Citadel Media (2009–2011)}}
}}
'''Cumulus Media Networks''' was an American [[radio network]] owned and operated by [[Cumulus Media]]. From 2011 until its merger with [[Westwood One]], it controlled many of the radio assets formerly belonging to the [[American Broadcasting Company]] (ABC), which was broken up in 2007; Cumulus owned the portion of the network that was purchased by [[Citadel Broadcasting]] that year.

The network adopted its final name in September 2011, following Cumulus's acquisition of Citadel; prior to this, it had been known as '''Citadel Media Networks''' since April 2009, after licensing the "'''ABC Radio Networks'''" name from [[The Walt Disney Company]] for nearly two years. ABC now operates [[ABC Audio]] which produces mostly short-form audio content for radio stations.

As ABC Radio Networks, it was the penultimate of the original major radio networks to still be owned by its original founding company, [[CBS Radio]] being the last. The [[Mutual Broadcasting System]] and the [[NBC Radio Network]] were both dissolved in 1999 after both were sold to the [[Westwood One (1976–2011)|original Westwood One]] a decade earlier.

==History==
Cumulus Media Networks had its origins in an early network set up by WJZ (now [[WABC (AM)|WABC]]) in [[New York City]] which provided programs to other stations over [[Western Union]] lines.

===NBC Blue Network===
{{main|Blue Network}}
[[WABC (AM)|WJZ radio]], originally owned by [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation|Westinghouse]] and its informal network were absorbed into the [[NBC|National Broadcasting Company]] in 1927. To the parent company [[RCA|Radio Corporation of America]], WJZ and affiliates were known as the [[Blue Network]] while New York station [[WFAN (AM)|WEAF]] and its affiliates (also absorbed into NBC) were known as the "Red Network". On the air, both were identified as "NBC, the National Broadcasting Company." The distinctions between the two networks were, beyond staff and advertisers, mostly a matter of the more popular and established programming appearing on NBC Red.

Both NBC networks were owned by RCA; following a [[Federal Communications Commission]] investigation into the network's influence over advertising, strict ownership rules were introduced in 1941. RCA was compelled to sell one network and three local stations.

===ABC Radio===
{{Expand section|date=March 2011}}
[[File:ABC Radio Networks logo.png|Former ABC Radio Networks Logo used until 2009|right|thumb]]RCA put an asking price of $8 million on the Blue network; after two years on the market, it was sold in 1943 to businessman [[Edward J. Noble]], owner of [[Life Savers]] candy and the [[Rexall]] store chain, for the asking price.  After Noble took over, the network identified itself on-air as "The Blue Network". It was officially renamed ''American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.,'' in June 1945, after the company bought the rights to the name from (what would later become) [[Storer Communications|Storer Broadcasting]].

With about 65 affiliates, ABC began with few of the big names and popular shows the other networks offered, so counter-programming became an ABC specialty. Industry policy had been to forbid taped or pre-recorded programs; ABC lured some big-name stars by adapting the tape technology developed in World War II. To add to its programming, ABC bought stations KECA (now [[KABC (AM)|KABC]]) in [[Los Angeles]] and WXYZ (now [[WXYT (AM)|WXYT]]) in [[Detroit]], the latter home and originator of many popular serials such as ''[[Lone Ranger|The Lone Ranger]]''.

Financially unable to match the larger networks NBC and CBS, ABC merged with [[United Paramount Theaters]] early in 1953.<ref>''The New York Times'', February 10, 1953.</ref> Through the 1950s, network radio declined in popularity, and ABC radio gradually became more oriented to its local stations, especially its two pop-music powerhouses, New York's WABC (formerly WJZ) and Chicago's [[WLS (AM)|WLS]] (which was owned and operated by the ''[[Prairie Farmer]]'' in a time-share arrangement with ABC-owned WENR until both stations merged in 1954; ABC acquired the ''Farmer's'' minority stake in 1959).

Some network shows survived the transition to television: ''[[Don McNeill's Breakfast Club]]'', one of the country's first and longest-running morning programs, aired from 1933 to 1968 with [[Don McNeill (performer)|Don McNeill]] as the host. Other long-running ABC programs included the ''[[National Barn Dance]]'', running from 1924 to 1960, and [[Paul Harvey]]'s daily commentary, which ran from 1951 until his death in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wlshistory.com|title=The History of WLS Radio!|website=www.wlshistory.com}}</ref>

In 1958, ABC collaborated with its sister television network to produce the first national [[stereophonic sound]] broadcasts, when it simulcast ''The Plymouth Show'' (one of [[The Lawrence Welk Show|two shows]] hosted by [[Lawrence Welk]] at the time); the TV side broadcast one audio channel and the radio side broadcast the other in synchronization; viewers had to tune into both devices to achieve the stereophonic effect.

====John F. Kennedy assassination bulletin====
ABC Radio broadcast the first nationwide report of the [[Assassination of John F. Kennedy|assassination of President John F. Kennedy]]. Kennedy was shot in a motorcade in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], at 18:30 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on November 22, 1963, and ABC Radio's Don Gardiner anchored the network's initial bulletin at 18:36:50 UTC, minutes before any other radio or television network did the same.

A surviving [[aircheck]] from New York shortwave station [[WNYW (shortwave)|WRUL]] includes the first ABC Radio bulletin. Gardiner interrupts [[Doris Day]]'s recording of "[[Hooray for Hollywood]]" to tell listeners at 13:36:50 EST (UTC−5):

{{cquote|We interrupt this program to bring you a special bulletin from ABC Radio. Here is a special bulletin from Dallas, Texas: three shots were fired at President Kennedy's motorcade today in downtown Dallas, Texas. This is ABC Radio. To repeat: in Dallas, Texas, three shots were fired at President Kennedy's motorcade today. The president now making a two-day speaking tour of Texas. We're going to stand by for more details on the incident in Dallas. Stay tuned to your ABC station for further details. Now we return you to your regular program.<ref>{{YouTube|title=JFK Assassination: First Radio Network Bulletin|id=X1ataY2BdnU}}</ref>}}

====ABC Radio Networks====
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
! Network !! News aired !! Ad/minute $ !! Launched !! Ended
|-
| {{ubl|American Entertainment Network|(originally to be called|American Personality Network)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=ABC REVAMPS FOR 4 FORMATS|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/60s/1967/Billboard%201967-09-02.pdf|access-date=June 7, 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=September 2, 1967|page=8}}</ref>}} || :30  ||  $1,250
|rowspan=4| {{dts|1968|1|1}}<ref name=bc/>
||
|-
| American Information Network  || varies || $1,500 ||
|-
| American Contemporary Network  || :50-:60 ||  $2,500 ||
|-
| American FM Network || :15-:20  ||  $650 ||
|-
| ABC Rock Radio Network
|rowspan=2| :45
|rowspan=2| N/A
|rowspan=2| {{dts|1982|1|4}}
||
|-
| ABC Direction Radio Network
||
|-
| ABC Talk Radio || || || 1982 || 1989
|-
| [[ESPN Radio]] || || || {{dts|1992|1|1}} ||
|-
| [[Radio Disney]] || || || {{dts|1996|11|18}} ||{{dts|2021|04|14}}
|-
| Urban Advantage Network (UAN) || || || {{dts|2001|1|1}}

|}

Ralph Beaudin, group vice president of ABC Radio, came up with the idea of splitting the ABC Radio Network into four different networks. He felt that there was more product than stations could broadcast, causing a sale issue. The four separate networks would allow advertisers to better market to their preferred audience. Paul Harvey and the Breakfast Club were designated as Entertainment network features.<ref name=bc>{{cite news|title=600 stations set for new ABC|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1968/1968-01-01-BC.pdf|access-date=June 7, 2016|work=Broadcasting|date=January 1, 1968|pages=42–44}}</ref> Before the split, ABC obtained a waiver of the FCC's "Chain Broadcasting" rule on December 29, 1967, which had forced the sale of the Blue network in 1943.

Though each of the four new networks was carried on the same 5&nbsp;kHz telco line (3.5 in some cities), the move allowed ABC to have as many as four affiliates in one city, a major competitive advantage and a dramatic turning point in the history of network radio.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}} However, the FCC insisted that there be no overlap of any ABC network broadcast in a single market, and the network required affiliates to get approval before any delayed broadcast of network programming.<ref>{{cite news|title=ABC Radio plans get FCC's qualified OK|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1968/1968-01-01-BC.pdf|access-date=June 7, 2016|work=Broadcasting|date=January 1, 1968|pages=44–45}}</ref> The new networks were launched on January 1, 1968.<ref name="bc"/>

Two additional networks, ABC Rock Network and ABC Direction Network, were added on January 4, 1982. ABC Rock's anchor affiliate was [[WPLJ]] in New York City, and many [[album-oriented rock]]-formatted stations moved from the American FM Network, with a total of 40 affiliates. Executives in charge of ABC Rock at the launch were vice president Tom Plant and program director Denise Oliver. The Direction Network was under ABC Entertainment Network's executive's charge, was for adult (25–45) format stations, and started with 57 affiliates.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Lineups For ABC Networks |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1982/BB-1982-01-16.pdf|access-date=June 7, 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=January 16, 1982|page=21}}</ref>

ABC Radio acquired [[Watermark Inc.]], best known as the syndicator of [[American Top 40]] with [[Casey Kasem]] and American Country Countdown with [[Bob Kingsley]], in 1982. Kasem left ABC in 1988, reclaiming the ''American Top 40'' name from ABC in 1998, and selling the AT40 brand to AMFM Radio Networks (later absorbed into [[Premiere Networks]]). Kingsley left ABC in 2005, and 'ACC' continues to air as part of the ABC stable, with [[Kix Brooks]] as host since 2006. [[Dick Bartley]] joined the network in 1991 with the AT40 spinoff ''[[Dick Bartley's Classic Hits|American Gold]]'' and his live Saturday night call-in oldies show, before leaving at the end of March 2009.

{{anchor|ABC Talkradio}}
ABC launched a foray into [[talk radio]] with ''ABC Talkradio'' (similar to rival NBC's [[NBC Talknet|Talknet]]) in 1982. Among its most notable hosts were [[Michael Jackson (radio commentator)|Michael Jackson]], [[Owen Spann]], [[Toni Grant]] and [[Ray Briem]]. In 1987, an adjunctive network internally known as "ABC Radio Talk" was launched to wrest some programming control away from local ABC station KABC in Los Angeles. [[Tom Snyder]] and [[Barry Farber]] were featured on this secondary network, following a notable three-hour guest appearance by Snyder on Ray Briem's program. However, the rising popularity of [[conservative talk radio]], fueled by ''[[The Rush Limbaugh Show]]'', led to the main network's demise. Limbaugh had been picked to replace Owen Spann on the main ABC Talkradio network after Spann was forced to retire due to medical issues. This occurred when former ABC executive Ed McLaughlin purchased Spann's former weekday slot with the idea of giving Limbaugh a national platform following his initial success on [[KFBK (AM)|KFBK]] in [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]].

After Tom Snyder's retirement in 1992, ABC ostensibly filled his weeknight slot with [[Leslie Marshall (journalist)|Leslie Marshall]], at the time the youngest syndicated host ever, while most major affiliates instead picked up Limbaugh. ABC's national talk programming efforts ended shortly thereafter, though one program from the original Talkradio/Weekend network, [[Bob Brinker]]'s ''Moneytalk'', remained on the air until 2018.

ABC acquired the [[Satellite Music Network]], the first satellite-delivered music radio network, and its nine channels of programming in 1989. The division continues to operate semi-autonomously as Cumulus Music Radio at Cumulus's Dallas-Fort Worth cluster.

[[ESPN Radio|ESPN Radio Network]] was formed in September 1991 by both [[ESPN Inc.]] and [[Capital Cities/ABC]], Inc.'s ABC Radio Networks<ref name=lat>{{cite news|title=ESPN, ABC Planning to Form Sports Radio Network in 1992|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-09-05-sp-2364-story.html|access-date=June 7, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|agency=Associated Press|date=September 5, 1991}}</ref> and launched as Sports Radio ESPN on January 1, 1992.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Zumoff|first1=Marc|last2=Negin|first2=Max|title=Total Sportscasting: Performance, Production, and Career Development|date=June 20, 2014|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1317906766|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3qTcAwAAQBAJ&q=SportsRadio+ESPN+1992&pg=PT55|access-date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> [[Radio Disney]] was test-launched on November 18, 1996, in four markets by ABC Radio Networks, with a Los Angeles station added on August 26, 1997.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hochman|first1=Steve|title=Radio Disney Makes L.A. Debut|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-27-fi-26247-story.html|access-date=June 7, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 27, 1997}}</ref>

[[Image:ABC Radio 1.png|The ABCRadio.com logo used on 22 [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[Owned-and-operated station|O&O]] stations' Web sites before merger with Citadel Broadcasting|right|thumb]]
ABC again began building a talk network, this time with an emphasis on political talk, in 2001. Among the first hosts heard on the new ABC talk network were [[Sam Donaldson]] of [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] television, [[Sean Hannity]] of WABC, [[Larry Elder]] of KABC, and [[John Batchelor]] of WABC. Donaldson left his show after a short time. [[Mark Levin]] was added in 2005 and eventually replaced Elder in 2007, and [[Mark Davis (talk show host)|Mark Davis]] of WBAP had a brief syndication run on the network in 2005. Rush Limbaugh's program was not part of this network; following a series of mergers in the 1990s, Ed McLaughlin's company, EFM, was absorbed into [[Premiere Networks]], a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications (now [[iHeartMedia]]).

Hannity has been the most successful, displacing [[Laura Schlessinger]] as the most popular host in the time slot within a few years (especially on the East Coast); the network shared the program with Premiere Radio Networks from 2008 to 2013 before Premiere took over the program entirely beginning in 2014.

====Sale to Citadel====
In 2005, ABC began to explore the sale of its radio division. The two leading competitors for the purchase of the network, which included twenty-two of ABC Radio's top stations, as well as ABC's talk and music networks, were [[Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania|Bala Cynwyd]]-based [[Audacy, Inc.|Entercom Communications]] and [[Forstmann Little & Company]]'s [[Citadel Broadcasting]] unit. Citadel was chosen as the top bidder and the deal to purchase the stations and the network was struck in February 2006.<ref name="wsj_citadel_abc">"Citadel to Buy Most of Disney Radio Assets," ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', February 6, 2006.</ref>

The deal did not include [[Radio Disney]], [[ESPN Radio]] (or its Spanish counterpart, [[ESPN Deportes Radio]]), any of the five ESPN Radio stations (or the myriad of Radio Disney stations) Disney owned at the time, or any of ABC's television assets (the ABC name, which also remained in Disney's hands, would be licensed to Citadel for two years). [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]'s [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] unit will also still produce [[ABC News Radio]] programming for distribution by Citadel.<ref name="disney_merge_pr">"[http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/corporate/2006/2006_0206_radio.html ABC Radio to Merge with Citadel Broadcasting]." Official press release. February 6, 2006.</ref> Despite the change in ownership, Citadel Media still listed "ESPN Radio" & "ESPN Deportes" as part of its advertising sales family.<ref name="thelist">[http://citadelmedianetworks.com/article.asp?id=341544 List of radio services] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813153812/http://citadelmedianetworks.com/article.asp?id=341544 |date=August 13, 2011 }} from CitadelMediaNetworks.com</ref>

The acquisition of ABC Radio by Citadel Broadcasting was officially completed on June 12, 2007<ref name="merger_complete">"[http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/corporate/2007/2007_0613_abcradiomerger.html Disney and Citadel Announce Completion of ABC Radio Merger"] Official Press Release. June 12, 2007</ref> and the "ABC Radio Networks" logo was licensed from Disney until April 2, 2009.

Shortly after the announcement of the ABC/Citadel merger, the "FM" network was reactivated.  It now provides an hourly, two-minute newscast, similar in format to when the network formerly operated. Those newscasts carry the on-air brand "ABC News Now".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcfmnews.com/|title=ABC News Now Home Page|website=www.abcfmnews.com|access-date=July 13, 2007|archive-date=December 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213035535/http://abcfmnews.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Citadel Media===
[[File:CitadelMedia.png|thumb|Logo as Citadel Media, used from April 2009 through September 2011]]
On April 2, 2009, the staff at Citadel Broadcasting changed the branding of this network from ABC Radio to "Citadel Media" to reflect its current ownership of a major radio network. However, "ABC News"; and its programming/satellite format listings would remain.<ref>[http://www.abcradionetworks.com/article.asp?id=1250150 ABC Radio Networks Changes Name To Citadel Media] - Citadel Media (released April 2, 2009)</ref>

===Cumulus Media===
[[Cumulus Media]] absorbed all the assets of Citadel Broadcasting, including Citadel Media in September 2011, and the name change to "Cumulus Media Networks" immediately took effect upon acquisition.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radio-info.com/news/cumulus-will-be-digesting-citadel-fast-once-it-takes-over-in-late-q3 |title=Cumulus will be digesting Citadel fast, once it takes over in late Q3 |date=March 14, 2011 |work=Radio-Info.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110318080435/http://www.radio-info.com/news/cumulus-will-be-digesting-citadel-fast-once-it-takes-over-in-late-q3 |archive-date=March 18, 2011 }}</ref> Previously, Citadel turned down previous acquisition offers months after emerging from bankruptcy.

On August 29, 2013, Cumulus Broadcasting purchased Dial Global ([[Westwood One]] as of September 4). Cumulus paid $260 million in cash for this programming syndication service, part of which has paid off Dial's debt before it was folded into this network service. Cumulus funded the sale by making a pair of station deals with [[Townsquare Media]].<ref>[http://www.radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/84851/are-these-the-markets-in-the-cumulustownsquaredial-global-deal/ Cumulus Makes Dial Global And Townsquare Deals Official] - ''[http://www.radioinsight.com Radio Insight]'' (released August 30, 2013)</ref>

On July 31, 2014, Cumulus acquired the rights to [[CNN]]'s content to distribute to radio stations (the company had held CNN radio rights since its acquisition of Dial Global, but CNN had not produced any radio content since April 2012). The newly acquired Westwood One network would distribute the content, allowing stations to use it with their branding. As an example, Cumulus stated that its "Nash"-branded country stations would run the content under the "[[Nash (brand)|Nash]] News" name.<ref>[http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/89589/cumuluswestwoodone-to-establish-cnn-powered-news-service/ Cumulus/WestwoodOne To Establish CNN Powered News Service] ''Radio Insight'' (Published July 31, 2014)</ref> The programming deal started on January 1, 2015, when its broadcasting rights to ABC's news division expired. ABC relaunched an entirely new ABC Radio network (known as [[ABC Audio]] as of 2019).<ref>[http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/89657/abc-radio-to-expand-operations/ ABC Radio to Expand Operations] ''Radio Insight'' (Published August 7, 2014)</ref> ABC Audio renewed its affiliation with most of the Cumulus stations in 2020 when Westwood One made the decision to fold [[Westwood One News|its news division]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/200832/abc-audio-announces-addition-of-124-new-cumulus-affiliates/ | title=ABC Audio Announces Addition of 124 New Cumulus Affiliates | date=November 3, 2020 }}</ref>

The merger of Cumulus Media Networks into Westwood One was completed in mid-2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/143560/a-significant-number-of-people-laid-off-at-westwoo|title=A 'Significant Number' Of People Laid Off At Westwood One|website=allaccess.com}}</ref>

==Programming==

===Satellite formats===
In 1989, ABC Radio Networks acquired the [[Satellite Music Network]] which originally started in Chicago. Full-time music formats operated by ABC Radio, Citadel Media and Cumulus Media include the following:

* [[Best Country Today]]
* [[Classic Rock (Westwood One)|Classic Rock]]
* [[Good Time Oldies]]
* [[Hits & Favorites]]
* [[Jack FM]]
* [[Real Country]]
* Rejoice! Musical Soul Food
* The Nerve
* The Rhythm
* The Touch
* [[Timeless (radio network)|Timeless]]
* [[Today's Best Hits]]
* [[The Christmas Channel]]
* [[The True Oldies Channel]]
* [[Unforgettable Favorites]]
* [[Z Rock]]

===Former networks===

* [[ABC News Radio|ABC News & Talk]]
* [[ABC News Now (radio network)|ABC News Now]]
* [[Infinity Sports Network|CBS Sports Radio]]
* [[ESPN Radio]]
* [[ESPN Deportes Radio]]
* [[Radio Disney]]

== Former stations ==
{{see|List of radio stations formerly owned by the American Broadcasting Company}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{ABC Radio}}
{{Cumulus Media}}
{{American broadcast radio}}

[[Category:Westwood One| ]]
[[Category:Cumulus Media radio stations]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1927]]
[[Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2013]]
[[Category:Defunct radio networks in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct radio stations in the United States]]