We all could use some R&R. But in this economy, even that's going away.
The Nielsen Company announced today it was ceasing publication of Radio & Records after 36 years. The move takes place immediately; the Radio & Records website has been shut down and redirected to sister website Billboard.biz, where some of the airplay charts are available (subscription required.)
This comes as the economic downturn have hit all the industry trade magazines very hard. This week, Television Week ceased publication of its magazine after 27 years, but is keeping its website alive.
Nielsen purchased R&R in 2006, merged it with Billboard Radio Monitor, and changed the source of its music charts from Mediabase 24/7 to Billboard (Mediabase charts can still be found on All Access.)
Many countdown shows used R&R's charts, including American Top 40 (the second Casey Kasem-hosted version) and its various spinoffs; The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40; and Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40. When Nielsen dumped Mediabase for Billboard, these countdown shows stopped using R&R's charts to avoid paying costly fees Nielsen would have charged.
Currently, American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, American Top 10, American Top 20, Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 and many others now use Mediabase as the source for their chart information, since they wouldn't have to pay a fee for its use.
With the closure of Radio & Records, its link has been removed from T Dog's Media Friends section, and replaced by links from the Sun-Times new TV Critic, Paige Wiser.
updated at 10:43 p.m.
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