Tampa Radio: Cocaine OD Killed WQYK Host Dave McKay

Dave McKay

WQYK 99.5 FM morning host Dave McKay died from an accidental cocaine overdose, according to the results of his autopsy.

McKay, whose real name was Steven Ehmke, was found dead in his St. Pete apartment on August 4. Co-workers had become concerned when the 55-year-old failed to show up for work at WQYK radio early that morning, and they called police.

According to ActionNews, responding officers found drug paraphernalia and a note from a woman, whom they did not publicly identify, but they did not suspect any foul play.

"A note was left at the resident by another person at the home indicating that she had been with [McKay] and had left [him] at the residence intoxicated," the report stated.  "The female wrote in the note she had stayed with [McKay] until about 2:15 a.m."

The report states that cocaine and alcohol were both found in McKay's system.  The medical examiner concluded that the cocaine was to blame for his death, though the alcohol and heart disease were noted as contributing factors.

The death was ruled accidental.

Kim Guthrie Appointed Cox Media Group President

Cox Enterprises today announced that Kim Guthrie will be appointed president of Cox Media Group, an integrated broadcasting, publishing and digital media company.

She will succeed Bill Hoffman who has announced he will retire at the end of the year after a distinguished 38-year career in media. Guthrie will assume the role on Jan. 1, 2017 and report to Cox Enterprises Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Alex Taylor.

Kim Gurthie

"Kim has been with Cox for nearly 20 years and is an inspirational leader who has helped our media properties transform," said Cox Enterprises President and Chief Executive Officer John Dyer. "She played a key role in the successful creation of Cox Media Group in 2008 and has been recognized as one of the media industry's most influential leaders. She is a natural fit to ensure Cox Media Group continues to deliver innovative products and compelling news content."

Guthrie joined the company in 1998 and currently serves as Cox Media Group's executive vice president of national ad platforms and president of Cox Reps, the country's largest television advertising rep firm. She also oversees Videa, which provides sales automation solutions designed to simplify the buying and selling of television advertising.

She was previously responsible for all programming, operations and sales at Cox's 59 radio stations located in 11 markets. Under her leadership, the stations won multiple honors for programming excellence and outstanding community service, including several Marconi awards, Edward R. Murrow awards, Crystal Awards, New York Air Awards and Gracie Awards.

Prior to Cox, Guthrie was a television news reporter and held various news, sales and management positions in Minneapolis and Milwaukee.

She was elected to the National Association of Broadcasting board in 2014 and is a board member for the Metropolitan College of New York. She is a multi-year honoree as Radio Ink magazine's "Most Powerful People in Radio" and "Most Influential Women in Radio." She also was named a "Woman of Distinction" by the March of Dimes and "Humanitarian of the Year" by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She received a degree in journalism from Iowa State University.

Bill Hoffman

Hoffman assumed the role of president in 2013. Under his leadership, Cox Media Group launched Rare, one of the nation's fastest-growing news sites with 45 million monthly visits, and expanded into new niche content vertical businesses. The company also grew its digital presence, investigative journalism and content creation, as well as transformed the way television advertising is bought and sold through the formation of Videa.

He joined Cox in 1979 as an account executive with TeleRep in Detroit and held a number of roles within the company, including vice president and general manager of WFTV/WRDQ in Orlando and at WSB-TV in Atlanta. Before assuming the role of president, he was Cox Media Group's executive vice president of broadcast where he oversaw the majority of the company's radio and television operations, as well as its corporate revenue efforts.

Hoffman's board representation has included the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, American Rivers, BMI, the Associated Press, the National Association of Broadcasters, the Broadcasters Foundation of America, and the ABC Board of Governors, where he was a former Chairman.

"Bill has done a tremendous job leading Cox Media Group through a rapidly evolving media environment," said Dyer. "As a leader, he has always embodied the spirit of our company. He's inspired and valued employees, anticipated and driven change and been a true community champion in every city he's lived. We are grateful for his leadership and dedication."

Clinton, Trump Rumble Tonight

(Reuters) -- Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will face off for the first time on Monday in a presidential debate that could rank as one of the most watched and highly anticipated political showdowns in U.S. history.

The surprisingly tight race for the White House and the unpredictable clash in styles between well-known but polarizing foes has generated wide interest in the potentially pivotal encounter, which comes six weeks before the Nov. 8 election.

The size of the audience is expected to challenge the presidential debate record of 80 million who watched the 1980 encounter between Democratic President Jimmy Carter and Republican Ronald Reagan.

The 90-minute debate will begin at 9 p.m. at Hofstra University on New York's Long Island. It is the first of three planned presidential debates.

Graphiq

Both Trump and Clinton, who polls show are the least liked White House candidates in modern history, hope to use the debate to erase some of those lingering voter doubts and address campaign-trail weaknesses.

The volatile Trump, a businessman and former reality television star, will get a chance to show a depth and steadiness worthy of a credible commander in chief, while the cautious Clinton will be able to try to connect directly with voters who do not trust her, strategists said.

But Trump, a political newcomer who has often shown more affinity for putdowns than policy, could benefit from lower expectations from voters.

"There is no question it's a lower bar for Trump. He doesn't have to be brilliant, he just can't be too bombastic," said Dan Schnur, a former Republican strategist who is now a political scientist at the University of Southern California.

The stakes are enormous. The debate comes as polls show Clinton's once sizable lead over Trump has evaporated amid more questions about her family foundation and her use of a private email server while secretary of state.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday showed half of America's likely voters would rely on the debates to help them make their choice. More than half, 61 percent, were hoping for a civil debate and were not interested in the bitterness shown on the campaign trail.

InsideGov | Graphiq

GRUDGE MATCH

Clinton, 68, and Trump, 70, have regularly exchanged sharp insults, raising the prospect of a fiery grudge match. Trump frequently chides Clinton as "Crooked Hillary" and has called for her jailing for the email controversy. Clinton condemns Trump as temperamentally unfit for the White House.

Trump dominated the crowded Republican debates with rapid-fire attacks on his rivals, but he has no experience in a one-on-one debate setting that requires more prolonged discussion of issues.

Clinton has participated in many one-on-one debates on the national stage with Barack Obama during their 2008 battle for the Democratic presidential nomination and with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders in their Democratic nominating race earlier this year.

Clinton's camp has done its best to raise expectations for Trump.

"Getting through a debate while maintaining your demeanor and not becoming unhinged should not be the standard," Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri told reporters.

The role of moderator Lester Holt of NBC News has also come under scrutiny ahead of the debate, with the Clinton campaign and her Democratic supporters urging him to correct Trump if he makes false claims.

Trump has also tried to influence Holt and the moderators of the other showdowns with Clinton, saying the candidates should be the ones to correct the record.

But in a year when outsiders like Trump and Sanders have made a mark, Trump's best argument could be that he is a better agent of change than the former secretary of state and U.S. senator from New York, said Scott Reed, a veteran Republican operative who is now chief strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"He's got to draw the contrast between Trump as the candidate of change and Clinton as the candidate of more of the same," Reed said.

NBC's Lester Holt Is A First time Debate Moderator

Lester Holt

Lester Holt will enter one of the most pressure-packed environments of his journalistic career on Monday when he referees the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, according to The Hill.

For the 57-year-old NBC anchor, it’s the first time moderating a presidential debate.

And given the high stakes, both campaigns will be scrutinizing Holt closely to make sure that he calls things down the middle.

The harsh criticism endured by NBC and “Today Show” anchor Matt Lauer when he moderated a forum featuring Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton only raised the bar for Monday’s moderator.

The California native is no stranger to pressure. But the kind of pressure he'll be facing with potentially 100 million people watching will be a whole new level few in the broadcast journalism ever feel.

The Clinton camp is calling on Holt to actively fact-check Trump, while the Republican nominee says it's not the job of a moderator to ask questions, follow-up questions and fact check on the fly.

Jennefer Witter, CEO of the public relations firm Boreland Group in New York, says the moderator can improvise but only when clearly warranted.

“Holt needs to listen to the candidates' responses and delve deeper if they are vague, unclear or simply dodging the question,” says Witter. “He can go off-script and build questions out of the candidates' own replies. This will provide more thoughtful answers or demonstrate areas of weakness.”

Trump, who had said nothing but nice things about Holt in interviews, recently accused Holt of being a Democrat on “The O'Reilly Factor” on Fox News.   Holt actually has been a registered Republican since 2003.

Holt became the anchor of NBC News after Brian Williams was suspended for lying about being fired upon in a helicopter during the Iraq War.

Instead of shepherding the end of NBC Nightly News’s 19-year run as the most-watched evening news program, Holt has carried it forward. Since Holt took over in June of 2015 permanently, Nightly News has enjoyed some of its highest numbers in a long time while adding a 20th year to its streak.

Holt began his broadcast career right after Ronald Reagan took office in 1981 in New York, landing a job at a local CBS affiliate. A few years later, he would move to Chicago to begin a 14-year run on Chicago's popular WBBM 780 AM radio as a reporter and news anchor.

He was in his 40s when NBC News in New York came calling to sign him as a television reporter.

He’s an accomplished bass guitar player who has performed with Earth, Wind and Fire. His favorite way to relax is to fly from Los Angeles to San Francisco on his flight simulator, his #1 bucket list item is to run with the bulls in Pamplona and he speaks fluent Italian.

The Debate: Size Does Matter

Rita Cosby photo

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will have podiums of different sizes during their first presidential debate on Monday as new opinion polls put the bitter rivals neck and neck.

The two nominees will debate for 90 minutes straight on Monday starting at 9pm ET, with no commercial break. The event will take place at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, with NBC News' Lester Holt as a moderator.

Reports previously claimed that Clinton's campaign had requested a custom-made podium to make up for the difference in height between the two nominees.

Clinton is 5'4" and Trump is 6'2". Her campaign first asked that she debate on a step-stool so as not to appear smaller than Trump,

But, according to The Daily Mail, the presidential debate commission rejected the request and instead allowed Clinton to have a custom-made podium, the website reported.

Photos shared by WABC 770 AM host Rita Cosby on Sunday appear to show that the two podiums are of different sizes.

It is unclear which podium is destined to which candidate. But it would make sense for Clinton to use the smaller podium, which seems more adequate for a shorter person.

Jane Pauley To Succeed Charles Osgood As 'Sunday Morning' Host

Charles Osgood, Jane Pauley

Jane Pauley is becoming a morning television host again — this time at a much more relaxed pace. CBS said Sunday she will replace Charles Osgood as anchor of the “Sunday Morning” telecast.

The NY Post reports the bow-tied Osgood told viewers at the end of his last telecast after 22 years that Pauley would replace him. She’s been a contributor to the show since 2014.

Pauley will be only the third host of the program since its 1979 start with Charles Kuralt. “Sunday Morning” averages nearly six million viewers a week, the most popular morning news program on the weekend, heavy on features and a quiet, cultured vibe. Osgood leaves on a high note; ratings have increased for four straight years and this past season was his most-watched ever as host.

Osgood -circa early '90s

“Sunday Morning” devoted its program Sunday to a send-off for the 83-year-old Osgood, who will be an occasional contributor in the future and continue his radio work.

“It’s a great honor to be given the chance to further our show’s legacy on excellence,” Pauley said. “I look forward to bringing loyal viewers the kind of engaging, original reporting that has made the broadcast so irresistible for so long.”

Pauley, 65, was host of NBC’s “Today” show for 13 years, ending in 1989. She spent a decade as an anchor at “Dateline NBC” and tried her own syndicated talk show in 2004.

CBS honored Osgood with a tribute that delved into his signatures: a fashionable bow tie, his love of telling stories in verse and piano playing. He sat at the piano to sing a song of farewell.

“I can’t think of anything that has given me more pleasure professionally than Sunday Morning,” Osgood said during the show.

It featured cameos from Tom Brokaw, who tried futilely to tie his own bow tie; Ted Koppel, who noted that Osgood’s real last name, Wood, was abandoned professionally because ABC had another newscaster named Charles Wood; and David Letterman, whose beard is approaching Santa Claus lengths.

Pauley begins as full-time host on Oct. 9, after the show takes a week off for a football game.

Dickey Book: Rough Future Ahead

Lew Dickey

Former Cumulus Chief Executive Lew Dickey has penned a 238-page book (Kindle edition $399!) about the media business, with some gnarly words for those in terrestrial radio broadcasting.

According to The New York Post, Dickey’s new book, “The New Modern Media,” from publisher Tourbillon International, a unit of Dickey-owned Modern Luxury Media, points out just how tough it is for ad-supported media businesses to make a shift into subscriptions.

“Radio broadcasters will be unlikely to benefit from subscription revenue for their core service, leaving them highly exposed to the ad markets,” he writes.

Cumulus acquired a stake in subscription music outfit Rdio as a hedge against the vagaries of the ad business. Then Rdio was acquired out of bankruptcy by Web radio player Pandora, and service was discontinued.

On Friday, the nation’s No. 1 radio station owner, iHeartMedia, announced it is getting into the subscription music business.

“Broadcast has a narrow path to participating in subscription revenue with its core business,” observed Dickey.

D/FW Radio: PM Drive Co-Host Matt Mosley EXITS KESN

Matt Mosley

Matt Mosley's 10-year run at Cumulus Media's KESN 103.3 FM has ended. Also gone from the station is another show's co-host, Mark Friedman.

Mosley, who teamed with Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw in afternoon drive for the last three years on the station also known locally as ESPN Radio, wasn't on the air Friday.

His latest contract -- a one-year deal -- expires in October. He and station management could not come to terms on a new agreement.

Mosley's and Cowlishaw's show, which airs 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., had been ratings-challenged. Their show consistently finished third in the sports talk ratings behind The Ticket's Hardline and "The Fan" KRLD 105.3 FM Ben & Skin.

Still, Mosley's and Cowlishaw's show consistently outrated its lead-in that featured Friedman and Steve Dennis, who worked 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They also ran third in their time slot.

Speculation is that when the dust clears, Dennis will slide into Mosley's old seat alongside Cowlishaw, according to SportsDay at The Morning News. Their new lead-in could be Jean-Jacques Taylor and Will Chambers. Taylor confirmed on Facebook Friday that he will be the host of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

SiriusXM Adds Dan Rather To Radio Andy Channel

Dan Rather

SiriusXM has announced that legendary news anchor Dan Rather will join Radio Andy channel 102.

The veteran journalist will debut his weekly program Dan Rather's America on Tuesday, September 27 at 10:00 a.m. ET. The one-hour show will broadcast from SiriusXM's New York headquarters in Rockefeller Center.

Hot off his successful limited run show in July reporting for Radio Andy at the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention, the veteran journalist will return to SiriusXM for an exclusive new weekly show. Dan Rather's America will debut the morning after the first presidential debate, and will feature the news icon's fresh commentary and analysis of one of the most anticipated political events in recent American history. On his weekly program Rather will also talk with a regular rotation of top newsmakers about the political landscape and the big news stories of the day, and will also invite SiriusXM subscribers to call in and voice their opinions.

"I'm pinching myself that Dan has agreed to lend his iconic voice to my channel," said Andy Cohen. "Now more than ever, I'm hungry to hear his thoughts and reflections about what's going on in the world."

Created by Andy Cohen, the Radio Andy channel includes shows that cross the spectrum from news to pop culture, with a stable of hosts ranging from Andy himself, to Sandra Bernhard, Bevy Smith, John Benjamin Hickey, Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen, Jonathan Alter, and more.

SiriusXM subscribers will also be able to listen to Dan Rather's America via SiriusXM On Demand, through the SiriusXM app on smartphones and other connected devices, as well as online at www.siriusxm.com/player

Podcast To Provide The Lowdown On Downloads

As the recent Interactive Advertising Bureau’s (IAB) Podcast Ad Metrics Guidelines and upcoming measurement by Nielsen demonstrate, podcasting continues to quickly evolve and grow as a media platform.

DMR/Interactive and Texas A&M’s, The Download on Podcasting team will synthesize the immense amount of research that has been published. The team will then build on these findings by fielding an exploratory pilot study in early 2017 followed by a nationwide research project to further the insights available to radio and podcasting professionals.

According to Dr. Billy McKim, Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University and Director, Digital Media Research and Development Lab, “the term podcasting is such an all-encompassing word, we had to first identify our main target audience (radio and podcasting professionals). From there, the specific topics areas quickly came into focus.”

In Phase One, The Download on Podcasting will focus on these areas:

• Are podcast and radio listeners a duplicated audience? “Radio is still primarily listened to live and on actual radios. Podcast listening is time-shifted and primarily on smart phones. With these significant differences, we expect to learn a lot about how much or how little audience overlap exists," said Texas A&M researcher, Eva Vigh, a senior from Katy, TX.
• Is podcasting a viable talent pool for radio? “Depending on who you ask, there’s a healthy debate about whether or not podcasters see themselves as wanting to be on-air. As podcasting grows in popularity, it’s entirely possible that many podcasters will never pursue a radio show of their own,” said Rob Upchurch, a senior from Bedias, TX and member of the Texas A&M research team. 
• What are the biggest monetization opportunities and challenges for podcasting? “There’s no shortage of headlines about the interest that advertisers have in podcasts, but it’s still just a tiny fraction of the overall audio and digital advertising pie. Beyond the measurement limitations inherent in the Apple Podcast App, we look forward to examining the issue of monetization and are excited that Nielsen will begin measurement next year,” said Ben Haase, a senior from Dallas, TX and member of The Download on Podcastingteam at Texas A&M.    
• How are podcasters capturing and leveraging audience data? “User level data is a big part of what makes digital platforms so attractive to advertisers. Along with capturing and monetizing this data, how will podcasters use it to build relationships with their best listeners and drive TSL and consumption," said Meagan Hooker a senior at Texas A&M from Italy, TX.

 “The Texas A&M team has hit the ground running and is asking great questions. I’m looking forward to the insights that we will generate about this quickly evolving space,” said Andrew Curran, President and COO of DMR/Interactive.

The first installment of The Download of Podcasting is due at the end of October. For those interested in participating in this project, please email podcast@dmrinteractive.com.

L-A Radio: Talk Host Advises "Comply And You Won't Die"

Larry Elder

KRLA 870 AM and Salem synidciated talk show host Larry Elder on Saturday put his finger on a major flaw in the arguments by Black Lives Matter that claim institutional racism is at the heart of the high-profile cases of police-involved shootings.

Elder, speaking to Tucker Carlson on Fox News, said the notion of institutional racism ignores a whole lot of reality, particularly in the case of Keith Scott, who was killed by a black Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer and whose death set off days of unrest in Charlotte, N.C..

“This is a black suspect who was killed by a black police officer whose boss is a black PD chief — and rioters are attacking white people. What’s wrong with this picture?” Elder said.

“People complain about institutional racism,” noted Elder, highlighting the many levels at which black officials have been either appointed or elected, including the presidency. “How can you complain about institutional racism when blacks are running the institution?”

.@larryelder: "If you're pulled over by an officer, be polite. Be respectful. Comply with lawful orders and you will not die." pic.twitter.com/xP4QtIbPJZ

— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 24, 2016

Elder said that although Black Lives Matter is protesting police conduct, the end result has hurt black citizens.

“This whole Black Lives Matter movement, with George Soros’ fingerprints all over it, has resulted … in 25 of the largest cities … an increase in homicides and the victims of these homicides are the very black people that Black Lives Matter claim that they care about. It’s insane,” Elder said.

Elder also said that the conduct of those who were shot can explain why those incidents ended that way.

“Whatever happened to ‘Comply and you won’t die?'” he said.

Toledo Radio: Cumulus Shutsdown WTOD-AM, Moves Talk Format

As of midnight Saturday, WTOD 1470 AM has gone silent. But the station’s format will carry on the FM dial in a new home later next week: WQQO 105.5 FM HD2 and translator W264AK 100.7 FM.

Also, WTOD’s live broadcasts of Bowling Green State University football and basketball games are moving to HotAC 100.7 FM , while broadcasts of University of Michigan’s football and basketball games will relocate to NashIcon WMIM 98.3 FM 98.3.

That’s the good news, at least for the audience of 1470’s syndicated programming: Don Imus, Chris Plante, Jonathon Brandmeir, Dave Ramsey, Mark Levin, and Michael Savage.

According to The Toledo Blade, the bad news is for those who tune in to the alternative rock format of 100.7-FM (The Zone). The Zone is essentially dead, said Andy Stuart, regional vice president and market manager for Cumulus Media Toledo, which owns WTOD and WQQO-HD2, though he stressed: “Nobody is losing their job out of this. There is plenty of work to be done.”

W264AK 100.7 FM (82 watts)

The reason for the switch dates back at least a decade ago, when the FCC informed Cumulus that its AM station was out of compliance with its prescribed license limits.

WTOD has been operating via Special Temporary Authority since August 2003. Its ground system has required repair or replacement and the station has had multiple CP’s to build a new four tower array on the west side of Toledo. Stuart stated, “The cost to fix it and what the expected return is not a good investment. We decided the best thing is to turn [the license] back and maybe someone else will want to operate it.”

Bono Talks Donald Trump at iHeartRadio Music Festival

WHTZ 100.3 FM Z100's Elvis Duran talked with Adam and Bono from U2 for an interview about gambling, festivals, and yes, Donald Trump.

Last week, in an hour long interview with Charlie Rose, Bono told Rose that believed that the Republican nominee was 'not a Republican' and had hijacked the party and wanted to hijack the idea of America.

TX Radio: Chris Salcedo Talkin' Up A Storm

Chris Salcedo

As a Latino conservative who supports Donald Trump and thinks liberalism will ruin America, talk host Chris Salcedo is the stereotype-busting powerhouse of the airwaves.

A profile piece in the Sacramento Bee states that for the last quarter-century, he has climbed the ladder, thanks to talent, breaks, hustle, networking, perseverance and sweat.

The 45-year-old has a degree in the dramatic arts and initially wanted to be an actor. But he has been performing on a different stage, working in radio and television for most of his life -- in his native Southern California, in Washington, D.C., and most recently, in Texas. And all the dues-paying has finally been rewarded.

Salcedo now has not one, not two, but three daily two-hour radio shows broadcasting from the Lone Star State. He started out writing the news for others to read, and soon he was reading it himself. Then came a stint as the weatherman for a local TV station, and a move to Dallas to take a job as a reporter. By the time Washington beckoned with an offer to co-anchor a national morning radio show, he was eager to break out of the straitjacket of objective journalism.

Like everyone in broadcast media, Salcedo got jobs and lost jobs, and had his plans turned upside down.

“I was under the illusion that I was in control,” he told me. “It’s not true. It’s great to have a plan, but you have to be ready to change it.”

The change that Salcedo made, just three years ago, was to go from an employee to a brand.

“I got tired of depending on other people, and their idea of what I needed to be,” he said. “So I created the idea of ‘The Chris Salcedo Show.’”

It was a good idea. With a morning show on WBAP 820 AM in Dallas, an afternoon show on KSEV-700 AM in Houston, and a national show on Glenn Beck’s digital creation, TheBlaze Radio Network, Salcedo is talking up a storm.

“I like what I do on radio,” he said. “I have the ability to express my opinions. In a more structured news environment, it wouldn’t be as much fun. Here, I get to do my kind of radio.”

Salcedo’s kind of radio revolves around what he calls “the beer factor.” It’s about making listeners feel as if they want to have a beer with him. And that’s all about being authentic.

R.I.P. Golfing Great Arnold Palmer

Arnold Daniel Palmer 1929-2016

(Reuters) -- Arnold Palmer, one of golf's greatest players whose immense popularity drew a legion of fans to the game at the dawn of the age of televised sport, died of heart complications on Sunday. He was 87.

Palmer, a charismatic figure popularly known as 'The King' who accumulated 62 career victories on the PGA Tour including seven major championships, died at UPMC Hospital in Pittsburgh, near his hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

"Today marks the passing of an era," Alastair Johnston, his long-time agent, said in a statement.

"Arnold Palmer's influence, profile and achievements spread far beyond the game of golf. He was an iconic American who treated people with respect and warmth, and built a unique legacy through his ability to engage with fans."

Fellow golfing great Jack Nicklaus, who with Palmer and Gary Player formed the fabled 'Big Three', said in a statement: "He was one of my best friends, closest friends, and he was for a long, long time. I will miss him greatly.

"Arnold transcended the game of golf. He was more than a golfer or even great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend. Arnold was someone who was a pioneer in his sport. He took the game from one level to a higher level, virtually by himself.

"Along the way, he had millions of adoring fans ... we were great competitors, who loved competing against each other, but we were always great friends along the way ... he was the king of our sport and always will be."

There were also tributes from U.S. Presidents present and past as well as anybody who is anybody in the world of golf.

With his swashbuckling style, prodigious length off the tee, bold putting and affection for the galleries, Palmer had no peer as a fan favorite.

"PHILANTHROPY AND HUMILITY"

He always went to great lengths to ensure that every person waiting in line ended up with a cherished autograph, an approach today's players try to emulate.

"Thanks Arnold for your friendship, counsel and a lot of laughs," former world number one Tiger Woods, a 14-times major winner, tweeted late on Sunday.

"Your philanthropy and humility are part of your legend. It's hard to imagine golf without you or anyone more important to the game than the King."

At his death, Palmer ranked fifth on the PGA Tour's list of all-time tournament victories.

His biggest win may have come at the 1960 U.S. Open, when he trailed by seven shots in the final round at Cherry Hills Country Club before pulling off the greatest comeback in the tournament's history.

He beat Nicklaus, a then 20-year-old amateur, by two shots, prefacing a rivalry between the two that lasted throughout the 1960s.

Palmer was especially dominant from 1960 to 1963, winning 29 PGA Tour events. He was named Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" in 1960.

Palmer had an unorthodox swing and go-for-broke style that added to his appeal among his loyal fans, who became known as "Arnie's Army".

"I enjoy the crowds, and I enjoyed playing to them. I suppose that was one thing that helped me as much as anything," Palmer told Golf.com in 2011.

Palmer's affable demeanor, telegenic looks and success on the course all helped boost television ratings for golf, making it a staple of weekend TV sports.

In 1967, he became the first golfer to reach $1 million in career earnings. His last PGA Tour win came in 1973.

Sports Business Daily photo

SPORTS MARKETING PIONEER

He joined the Senior PGA Tour for players 50 and older in its inaugural season in 1980 and won 10 tournaments, including five majors, before retiring for good in 2006.

A successful businessman, Palmer owned a golf course design firm and a golf resort in Orlando, Florida, and was considered a pioneer in sports marketing.

He was an avid pilot who continued to fly until he was 81. He has a regional airport named after him in Pennsylvania.

Palmer was also a noted philanthropist, founding the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando and a number of other charities.

Medal of Freedom

President George W. Bush awarded Palmer the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, in 2004.

"For all who love the game of golf and love to see it played, there has never been a sight quite like Arnold Palmer walking down the fairway toward the 18th green," Bush said in a tribute on Sunday.

GREENSKEEPER'S SON

Palmer was born on Sept. 10, 1929, in Latrobe, a small industrial town east of Pittsburgh. He was the son of a greenskeeper and later club pro at the Latrobe Country Club.

He started golfing at the age of four on clubs cut down to size by his father and began caddying at Latrobe as an 11-year-old. He purchased the country club in 1971.

He attended Wake Forest University in North Carolina on a golf scholarship but left during his senior year after the death of a close friend in a car accident.

Palmer returned to competitive golf after a three-year enlistment in the Coast Guard and turned pro in 1954.

He met his first wife, Winifred Walzer, at a golf tournament in Pennsylvania. They married in 1954 and had two daughters. She died in 1999. Palmer married Kathleen Gawthrop, who survived him, in 2005.

R.I.P.: Country Singer Jean Shepard Dead At 82

Jean  Shephard

(Reuters) -- Jean Shepard, who played a pioneering role for women in country music and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame, died on Sunday at age 82, the Nashville Tennessean reported.

"Today is one of the hardest days of my life. Mom has been called home this morning and is now at peace,” the singer’s son Hawkshaw Hawkins Jr. said in a statement quoted by Billboard Magazine. The magazine said Shepard entered hospice care last week after a long illness.

Representatives for Shepard did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither the Tennessean nor Billboard listed a cause of death or said where she died.

Shepard, who had a No. 1 in 1953 with the song "Dear John Letter," performed into her final years and published a memoir, "Down Through the Years," the newspaper said. She was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville's famous country music weekly program, in 1955, at 22, the Tennessean said. At her death, she was its longest-serving member.

When the joined the Grand Ole Opry, the only other female members were Kitty Wells and Minnie Pearl, the newspaper said. In 1960, she married singer Hawkshaw Hawkins. In March 1963, when Shepard was 8 months pregnant with their second child, Hawkins died in the plane crash that killed country singer Patsy Cline.

She remarried twice, including in 1968 to her husband of almost 50 years, musician Benny Birchfield, the newspaper said.

Shepard was accepted as a lead touring and recording artist at a time when few women were able to do so, clearing the way for such performers as Loretta Lynn.

Born Ollie Imogene Shepard in Oklahoma in 1933, her family moved to California when she was 11, settling in the San Joaquin Valley farming community of Visalia.

She was a staunch supporter of traditional country music, releasing her last single in 1981 and dismissing modern pop-inflected country music as not "genuine," the newspaper said.


She is survived by her husband, three sons and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the newspaper said.

R.I.P.: KKXL Grand Forks Host Scott Swygman

Scott Swygman

The longtime radio voice of University of North Dakota sports and KKXL 1440 AM The Fan morning host Scott Swygman has died from cancer.

He was 59-years-of-age, according to the Grand Forks Herald.

He knew how to put listeners in the moment, never sugarcoating plays, said Tim Hennessy, a close friend and co-host with Swygman on the "Tim & Swyg in the Morning" show on 1440 AM-The Fan.

"He had a unique ability to do that; where listeners knew what was going on, and they knew exactly what was going on, whether it was good or bad," Hennessy said. "If the home team was not playing well, you knew that they weren't playing well."

Behind what Hennessy called the gruff exterior of Swygman was a heart of gold, one that will be missed by listeners across the region.

He grew up in Hopkins, Minn., before attending UND as a football player. After that, he started his career in radio, calling UND games from 1980 to 2009. He sometimes called football and men's hockey, but he was known best for his play-by-play voice for men's and women's basketball.

On his radio show, he gave the impression he was a "grumpy, old man," Hennessy said, joking. But what most people remembered him for was his honesty, whether it was for calling games or giving opinions.

"The thing that was most impressive about Swyg was you knew where you stood with him," he said. "He was honest, brutally honest at times, but you knew where you stood."

That gruffness didn't carry over off the air, Hennessy said, adding Swygman was kind, loving and generous. The radio show host was there when people needed him, Hennessy said, adding Swygman always was willing to lend a helping hand. He even worked as a bartender at UND hockey games.

Community members rallied behind Swygman when they learned he had cancer. An Aug. 4 benefit for him raised thousands of dollars to help with medical expenses.

September 26 Radio History

In 1887…Emile Berliner, a German immigrant living in Washington, DC, applied for a patent for the gramophone he had invented which could play flat discs, as opposed to the wax cylinders used on Thomas Edison's apparatus for playing recorded sound.

Lewis Stone and Faye Holden

In 1895...actress Fay Holden was born in Birmingham England. She was Mother in the Andy Hardy films & MGM’s transcribed Hardy Family radio series.  She died June 23 1973 at age 77.


In 1901...bandleader Ted Weems was born in rural Pennsylvania.  His band moved to Chicago in 1925, where he started to make radio appearances; at one time in the 30’s he played on the Jack Benny Show.  Perry Como began his career as a Weems band vocalist.  Weems died May 6 1963 at age 61.

In 1908...The first stereo advertisement, for an Edison Phonograph, appears in the Saturday Evening Post.



In 1919...radio/TV/film actress Barbara Britton was born in Long Beach Caifornia.  She played the female title role, an inquisitive amateur sleuth in the second half of the long network radio run of Mr. & Mrs. North (1954-55), and went on to play the role on TV as well.  She was widely known for her Revlon cosmetics commercials, appearing in live spots on CBS-TV’s The $64,000 Question.  She had a continuing role on TV’s One Life to Live from 1979 until her death due to pancreatic cancer Jan. 17 1980 at age 60.


In 1960…The first of the four televised presidential debates between hopefuls Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy took place at the studios of WBBM-TV in Chicago. Moderated by newsman Howard K. Smith, the debate was seen on TV by more than 69 million people, while another 17 million heard the debate on radio.


In 1962...The CBS radio network released a yearlong survey on the most popular radio features of the day. Note: these are not specific radio formats. Talk-Music (22%) - News, interviews, discussions, talks, sports and also have a minimum-to-moderate interest in music but do not tune in primarily for music. News only listeners - listen to newscasts. (12%) Classical/Semi-Classical Listeners (16%) Popular Music - Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Steve and Eydie, etc. (40%) Rock n Roll - (7%) The survey shows that rock n roll listeners have the lowest education and income levels of all listener groups.

Gary Owens

In 1962...Gary Owens moves from KFWB 980 AM to KMPC 710 AMLos Angeles. KFWB was playing Top40, KMPC played more adult pop like Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra etc.

Owens replaced previous host Johnny Grant and  he remained for the next two decades working the 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. shift, Monday through Friday. A gifted punster, Owens became known for his surrealistic humor. Among his trademarks were daily appearances by The Story Lady (played by Joan Gerber); the Rumor of the Day; myriad varieties of "The Nurney Song"; and the introduction of the nonsense word "insegrevious", which was briefly included in the Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary.




His regular on-air radio terms included "krenellemuffin," as in, "We'll be back in just a krenellemuffin." Gary always credited his radio engineer at the end of his broadcast: "I'd like to thank my engineer, Bob Jones, for creebling at the turntables." He also created the previously non-existent colors "veister" and "krelb".

In 1968...ABC radio says it will not run a radio commercial for the “Barberella” soundtrack album. The network says it won’t accept radioads because the film was given a condemned rating by the Legion of Decency - the official motion picture arm of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. The Paramount film stars Jane Fonda as “Barberella.”





In 1968...Progressive rock radio was making waves - Bill (Rosko) Mercer the 7p to midnight DJ on WNEW 102.7 FM in New York is getting 4 shares on his show and the third highest ratings among teens in the area (WABC and WMCA are first-second) . Says Rosko - “On a progressive rock program, it’s extremely important to think of the programming. Think before you do it, the same as any job requires. People are hungry for proper presentation of music. They don’t want “Ten Years After” or the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” thrown at them. They want it prepared for them. Anyone can play a stack of records at home. It’s a presentation that counts to a large extent.”

Gosden & Correll

In 1972...radio actor Charles Correll, the creator & voice of Andy Brown in the radio show “Amos ‘n’ Andy”, and the voice of the Colonel in the TV cartoon Calvin and the Colonel, suffered a fatal heart attack at age 82.  His Amos ‘n’ Andy co-star, Freeman Gosden, would live another ten years.

For 34 years Amos and Andy held a very singular place in the American old-time radio experience.In its early prime, the early 1930s, it was common for entire towns to be listening to the show. Stores would close, even movie theatres would stop the film while the Amos and Andy show was played instead for the movie audience. The national audience was estimated at 40 million, and that very large audience was made up of Americans of many races and national backgrounds.


In 1983... Falling star – KMET-FM Los Angeles, once the darling of album rock radio is falling apart. Seems that rival KROQ’s ascendance in the ratings has hurt the station. Gone is longtime program director Sam Bellamy. She believes that KROQ’s New Wave music and format would not have been accepted by her KMET audience even if she had chosen that direction. “Rock of the 80’s” programmer Rick Carroll is negotiating to bring his new hits format to New York (it never happened).


In 1983...WABC splits morning team “Ross and Wilson.” Actually, Ross Brittain got his walking papers. He says his firing came as a complete surprise. “Now I’m a member of the Dan Ingram Home For Unemployed Disk Jockeys.”

From December 1983, Brian Wilson solo on WABC...




In 1983...WFIL Philadelphia is bringing back Jim Nettleton for mornings on the oldies-based station.

Here's a terrific aircheck of WFIL 56 and WIBG 99, spaning the years 1970 thru 1983.  A ton of great Philly personalities including George Michael, Long John Wade, Don Wade, John Records Landecker, Don Cannon, Chuck Knapp, Hy Lit, Joe Niagra, Tony Mann, Dick Fennessy, & Jim Nettleton. (Courtesy of Ellis B. Feaster WPOZ Orlando)

Nettleton passed in 2009 from cancer.



In 1983...Jim Pewter is named program director of oldies KRLA Los Angeles.

In 1983...Sony introduced “Super Walkman.”


In1984…Philadelphia television news anchor (WCAU-TV for 25 years)/NFL films narrator John Facenda died of lung cancer at the age of 71.