ABC Radio Networks Announces Deal With 'C' Student Entertainment for Syndication of Perez Hilton

ABC Radio Networks Announces Deal With 'C' Student Entertainment for Syndication of Perez Hilton

Celebrity insider and blogger will host daily features on entertainment news - Seven of the top 10 radio markets signed before first broadcast

DALLAS, April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC Radio Networks announced today it has reached an agreement with "C" Student Entertainment for the syndication, sales and distribution of Perez Hilton's new daily features covering the world of entertainment and celebrity news. Radio Perez will take to the airwaves on May 5 and be available for syndication exclusively through ABC Radio Networks. Affiliates in seven of the top 10 U.S. radio markets including WQHT in New York, KPWR in Los Angeles and WBBM in Chicago have already signed on to receive the morning and afternoon updates produced by the popular celebrity gossip blogger and personality.

"The Perez Hilton brand is a leading property in the celebrity news arena and we're pleased to be able to offer our affiliates the latest scoop and breaking news on their listeners' favorite stars," said John McConnell, Senior Vice President of Programming for ABC Radio Networks. "This signing furthers our strategy to deliver programming that attracts the younger listening audiences our advertisers covet."

Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, launched his career of covering entertainers by writing for Star magazine. He then began writing a hobby gossip blog named pagesixsixsix.com after the famous New York Post gossip page. When the newspaper sued him in 2005 for name usage, Lavandeira chose a new moniker and created both a blogging site and new pseudonym for himself. Perezhilton.com quickly established itself as one of the preeminent celebrity Web sites and today receives approximately five million page visits per day. Hilton also hosts What Perez Sez on VH1.

"We're very excited about the partnership with ABC Radio Networks to syndicate Perez Hilton and debut what is sure to become some of the most engaging programming on radio each day," said Steve Lehman, co-founder of the newly formed "C" Student Entertainment. "I've known John McConnell for 20 years, and we decided to go with ABC Radio Networks because John is clearly superior to our "C" Student mentality."

"Perez has been named to Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People and the number one Web celebrity by Forbes Magazine," said Andy Schuon, co-founder of "C" Student Entertainment. "The opportunity to add daily radio reports to his repertoire further solidifies his place as a true media icon."

Radio Perez will consist of twice-daily weekday features, each up to two minutes in length, with two 30-second slots for advertisers. The features will be available for both morning drive time and afternoon programming.

About ABC Radio Networks

ABC Radio Networks has 4,400 affiliate radio stations reaching more than 105 million listeners in the 12+ demographic each week. Programs and services include ABC News Radio, Paul Harvey News and Comment, The Sean Hannity Show, The Tom Joyner Morning Show, Big Boy's Neighborhood, The Ride with Doug and DeDe, Kidd Kraddick in the Morning, MoneyTalk with Bob Brinker, The Mark Levin Show, American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks, The Michael Baisden Show and Dick Bartley's American Gold and Rock & Roll's Greatest Hits. Other ABC services include advanced digital media platforms with online interactive advertising, streaming audio and podcasts ABC Sports Radio syndicated music and talk programs including Flashback, format-specific ePREP, production libraries, nine 24-Hour Formats, including Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel, ESPN Radio and ABC Radio Networks en Espanol.

About "C" Student Entertainment

"C" Student Entertainment is a boutique cross-platform media company founded by Steve Lehman and Andy Schuon specializing in compelling content. The name was inspired by a comment made by Mel Karmazin, one of Andy Schuon's mentors, about how radio was populated by "C" students. Schuon and Steve Lehman have worked together on a number of ventures in the past including what is now one of the largest radio networks in the country, Premiere Radio, where Lehman was founder, chairman and CEO, and Schuon served on the board of directors. While at Premiere, Lehman consolidated the majority of independent syndication companies and signed or acquired most of the talent on the air at Premiere today. Schuon's background includes positions as Executive Vice President/Head of Programming of MTV, MTV2, and VH1, President of Programming of Infinity Broadcasting (now CBS Radio), President & CEO of on-line music service Pressplay (now Napster), Executive Vice President/General Manager of Warner Bros. Records, and founder, President & CEO of Universal Music Group's global multi-platform music business IMF: The International Music Feed.

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Source: ABC Radio Networks

CONTACT: Louis Adams of ABC Radio Networks, +1-972-448-3150; or Bob Gold
& Associates, +1-310-784-1040, for "C" Student Entertainment

Web site: http://www.abcradio.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment