As the calendar flipped to February, it became Black History Month. For the annual honor, the tri-state McDonalds restaurants select Black Media Legends and Trailblazers. Each year they are showcased on the place mats of customers’ trays.

This year, the lunchtime event moved from the Waldorf Astoria to the Plaza Hotel.

The 18 people are standouts in their fields (TV, radio, and newspapers). But this was all about the great WNBC anchor Sue Simmons, who stepped down last June.

Most of the presenters and award winners mentioned Simmons in their speeches, or ad libbed, due to her remarkable career and presence.

Ironically, John Noel, a reporter with WNBC since 1998, never mentioned Sue’s name in accepting his trophy. FishbowlNY did speak to Noel, a Brooklyn native, about sharing this year’s class with his former colleague.

“If you’re going to call anybody a legend in the media here in New York City, clearly she qualifies for the title,” Noel says. “She’s known and loved by millions of people in the metropolitan area. Much of what she’s done on the air remains legendary.”

The full list of winners after the jump

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In today’s world, mega events are televised via pay-per-view, usually at a steep price.

This time, however, we’re all in luck.

The concert for Sandy relief was organized in the days after the devastating superstorm. It takes place on the symmetric December 12, 2012–12/12/12–and is benefiting the Robin Hood Relief Fund.

An estimated 2 billion people worldwide will have live access to the show from Madison Square Garden. MSG Network is among the 34 outlets in the U.S. giving viewers a front-row seat.

WCBS will air the star-studded event on its sister station, WLNY–TV 10/55. WNET/Channel 13 is also scheduled to simulcast the show.

There are multiple other locations for fans, including HBO, Bloomberg, AMC, and IFC.

For those not able to watch the telecast, Clear Channel is the radio home of the 12-12-12 concert. Listeners can take their pick of any New York Clear Channel station (Z100/WHTZ, Lite FM, WLTW, Power 105.1/WWPR, Q104.3/WAXQ, and 103.5 WKTU).

The concert will also be shown live and free in select movie theaters that in the heart of Sandy.

The show starts Wednesday night at 7:30, and is expected to run at least four hours.

Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, The Rolling Stones, and The Who are just a small list of headliners on the program.

It’s no news that WLTW/Lite FM is the city’s top-rated station. The September Arbitron overall ratings show Lite FM increasing its audience slightly to 7.2.

However, its cushion is slipping. WCBS-FM is back in second place, within .6 of the Clear Channel mainstay. CBS’ Classic Hits offering had an impressive month, gaining .5 after dropping to third position for August.

CBS-FM leapfrogs WBLS, which took a .5 nosedive to 5.8.

As for WHTZ/Z100, a perennial Top 5 participant, is fourth but fell .6 for the month. Its sister station WKTU also went in negative territory, also lost .3 to stand at 4.7.

It’s a steady month for Spanish station WSKQ, holding at 4.2. It’s rival WXNY saw slight gains to 3.8.

Erasing the memory of WEMP and FM News, Merlin’s Alternative Rocker WRXP jumped .5 to 2.1. As a news station, WEMP never eclipsed a .6.

Among current news stations, WINS was tops with a 3.9, although down .2 for September. WCBS 880 had a .4 leap to 3.5.

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The big news of the August PPM is all about WBLS. The Urban Adult Contemporary station is finding new life since the ESPN/KISS FM deal in April. WBLS, now the only game in town for that format, jumped to number two, up .4 to 6.3.

Despite the great WBLS showing, WLTW continues to rule the radio roost. The Clear Channel heavyweight added a .1 to 7.0, but Lite-FM lost a chunk of its lead to ‘BLS in the latest Arbition figures.

WBLS’ good fortune means a backtracking for perennial number two, WCBS-FM. The Classic Hits station slipped into a third-place tie with WHTZ/Z100. However, the two stations got there in slightly different scenarios. CBS-FM gained .2, while Z100 lost .2 for the month.

The homecoming of WRXP to Merlin Media’s Alternative Rocker at 101.9 reaped the rewards. The station shot up a full ratings point to a 1.6.

More from the Top 10 after the jump

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Clear Channel has announced plans to purchase the venerable AM news/talker WOR 710 from Buckley Radio. Terms of the agreement were not released. A mandatory meeting was held this morning at WOR informing staffers of the dramatic, if not somewhat expected news.

The legendary WOR goes back to the origins of radio, 1922. Since its founding, WOR has had a longstanding commitment to technology and innovation; it was one of the first radio stations in America to use directional antenna to increase the scope and range of its broadcast, was the first AM radio station in New York to broadcast with HD radio technology and is one of the best radio broadcast signals in the U.S.

Change seemed to be on the horizon for Buckley Radio, a “mom and pop” ownership, when president Rick Buckley died after 40 years at the helm in July 2011. Buckley had succeeded his father as head of Buckley Radio.

“WOR is an iconic New York City brand with a rich history and an exciting future,” John Hogan, chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, says.  “Clear Channel is excited to add WOR as a powerful, high potential complement to our New York brands.  We believe WOR makes our already incredible platform even more interesting for listeners, advertisers, and strategic partners and we look forward to the tremendous potential WOR adds to Clear Channel Media and Entertainment New York.”

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As the adage goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. That could have been written about WLTW/Lite FM and its ratings prowess.

Once again, the Clear Channel heavyweight was tops on the overall PPM Arbitron ratings for April by maintaining a 7.5 rating for the second straight month.

WCBS-FM, which last week announced programmer Brian Thomas is leaving to run the CBS Radio cluster in Tampa, kept its number two position by posting a slight gain to 6.4.

The number three and four stations are familiar dwellers as well. Clear Channel sister stations WHTZ/Z100 was third with a .4 boost to 5.6. WKTU marked time at fourth by again registering a 4.7.

It was a strong finish for KISS FM/WRKS, jumping to fifth place with a 4.0. Last month, ESPN/Disney took over the Emmis’ 98.7 FM frequency.

More from the monthly radio ratings after the jump.

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has been hired by Clear Channel to head the New York unit’s digital division. Hall will oversee the strategy and integration of all digital platforms to promote audience and ratings growth.

Colby Hall

Hall will direct Clear Channel New York’s Intergrated Media Programming Department and oversee all social media activity.

He will also be responsible for creating digital product that is unique and exclusive.

“Digital has long been a core component of Clear Channel Radio New York’s industry-leading brands,” says Cadillac Jack, operations manager, Clear Channel Radio New York. “Colby has a track record as an innovator and I’m excited to have him work alongside our program directors to further develop these brands in the digital space. The digital DNA of our brands paired with the explosive growth of iHeartRadio gives Clear Channel Radio New York an ability to connect with consumers that no other media group can match.”

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As we reported on November 23, Power 105.1 (WWPR), following the termination of morning show host Ed Lover, reportedly was about to get rid of their entire on-air staff.

Now the station has, in part, begun the first wave of the lineup changes. As stated on the Power 105 website in a big banner across the page, former Philadelphia DJ Charlamagne Tha God, rumored to join the Clear Channel Urban station, takes hold of mornings with Power afternoon jock DJ Envy, and Sirius’ Angela Yee.

NorthEast Radio Watch reports the aforementioned changes begin on Monday, December 13.

Taking over afternoons (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.) at Power is DJ Prostyle, who has been with station as a producer and mixing DJ on Sundays.  He will also spin records on weekend shows.  

Messages left for Power 105.1/Clear Channel executives were not returned.

We told you last week about Power 105.1/WWPR releasing their veteran morning man Ed Lover, along midday host Deja Vu and producer Sarah O’Connor.

A report on allaccess.com surfaced Monday that said the Hip-Hop station fired the complete on-air staff.

The website also said the staff had been removed from the station’s website. However, FishbowlNY discovered that the jocks are still listed on the Power 105.1 page.  

WWPR/Clear Channel execs, including program director “Cadillac” Jack McCartney, had no comment Monday evening, leading to speculation that something may be brewing.

The report says WWPR will retain the Hip-Hop format, but go jockless in the short term.

One insider with knowledge of the situation tells FishbowlNY, though, that their entire on-air personnel being dismissed is “off-base.”

WWPR/Power 105.1 has fired its veteran morning man Ed Lover, along with show producer Sarah O’Connor. Lover had been with the Hip-Hop station since its inception in 2002. Originally, he was part of the morning team that featured Doctor Dre and Lisa G. (moved from rival WQHT/Hot 97). The show eventually was switched to afternoon drive.

Lover returned to mornings when Star and Buc Wild left in 2006.

There were changes to the midday shift as well.

Clear Channel ousted midday host Deja Vu with morning co-host Malikah Mallette taking over the slot.