Saturday, March 11, 2017

March 12 Radio History


In 1900...announcer Harlow Wilcox was born in Omaha, Nebraska.

He studied voice for three years in his youth and left home in his late teens to try for a career on the stage.  His first radio work was for station WGES in Chicago in 1930. In January of 1934, he was signed as a Chicago staff announcer by NBC.  He would deliver Johnson Wax commercials for the hit show Fibber McGee & Molly for seventeen years, 1935 through 1952, and became an integrated character in the script.  He also became the regular announcer for the half-hour radio version of Amos & Andy, for the Baby Snooks Show, Truth Or Consequences, and the Autolight-sponsored six years of Suspense.

One of the top announcers of bigtime radio, Wilcox died much too young on September 24, 1960, at age 60.


In 1912...orchestra leader Paul Weston was born Paul Wetstein in Springfield Mass.  First big break was as arranger for Rudy Vallee’s Fleischmann Hour on NBC Radio.  Worked as arranger for Tommy Dorsey, Dinah Shore and Bob Crosby, then joined Capitol Records, where he met & married singer Jo Stafford. He worked on radio with Johnny Mercer’s Music Shop, his wife’s Chesterfield Supper Club, & the Joan Davis & Duffy’s Tavern sitcoms.  In TV Weston was musical director for Danny Kaye, Jonathan Winters, Jim Nabors, etc.  He died Sep 20, 1996 at age 84.



In 1917...radio actress Georgia Ellis was born Georgia B. Hawkins in Ventura, Ca.  She is best remembered today as Matt’s love interest Kitty in the acclaimed CBS radio version of Gunsmoke.  Other featured radio credits include Dragnet, Dr. Kildare, Escape, Romance, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, This is Your FBI, and dozens of lesser known series.  She died at age 71 March 30 1988.


In 1923...Dr. Lee DeForest demonstrated his method for putting sound on motion picture film. One of the pioneers of radio in the early 1900s, DeForest came up with a snappy name for his invention; he called it: phonofilm. Today, we call it a soundtrack.


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In 1933...just eight days after he was inaugurated, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt broadcast his first presidential address to the nation.

It was the first of what were called Roosevelt’s famous Fireside Chats, a name that was coined by CBS newsman, Robert Trout. The frequent, soothing, down-to-earth radio talks helped bolster Roosevelt’s enormous popularity for four terms in office, making him, many say, the greatest President of the century, if not of all time.


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In 1953...Memphis disc jockey Rufus Thomas signed with Sun Records to release a song called "Bear Cat," an answer to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog."


In 1985...one of the great classical conductors of the 20th century, Eugene Ormandy, for 44 years leader of the Philadelphia Orchestra, died at age 85. That symphony had been the first orchestra to make a commercially sponsored radio broadcast (on NBC in 1929) and the first to appear on national TV (on CBS in 1948).

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In 2001...TV-radio talk show host/singer/songwriter Morton Downey, Jr., son of singers Morton Downey and Barbara Bennett, died of lung cancer at age 68.

Downey was a program director and announcer at a radio station in Connecticut in the 1950s, and later worked in various markets around the U.S., including Phoenix (KRIZ), Miami (WFUN), San Diego (KDEO) and Seattle (KJR).

Like his father, Downey pursued a career in music, recording in both pop and country styles. He sang on a few records and then began to write songs, several of which were popular in the 1950s and 1960s. He joined ASCAP as a result. In 1958, he recorded "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams", which he sang on national television on a set that resembled a dark street with one street light. In 1981, "Green Eyed Girl" charted on the Billboard Magazine country chart, peaking at #95.

In the 1980s, Downey was a talk show host at KFBK-AM in Sacramento, California, where he employed his abrasive style. He was fired in 1984. He was replaced on KFBK by Rush Limbaugh, who has held the time slot ever since, later via his national syndication.

Downey also had a stint on WMAQ-AM in Chicago where he unsuccessfully tried to get other on air radio personalities to submit to drug testing.  Downey's largest effect on American culture came from his popular, yet short-lived, syndicated late 1980s television talk show, The Morton Downey Jr. Show.

His third – and final – attempt at a talk radio comeback occurred in 1997 on Cleveland radio station WTAM in a late evening time slot.  It marked his return to the Cleveland market, where Downey had been a host for crosstown radio station WERE in the early 1980s prior to joining KFBK. This stint came shortly after the surgery for lung cancer that removed one of his lungs. At WTAM, Downey abandoned the confrontational schtick of his TV and previous radio shows, and conducted this program in a much more conversational and jovial manner.

Confrontation Reported In TWH Press Room

Jon Decker glares at Lucien Wintrich
A Fox News Radio correspondent confronted in the White House briefing room the White House reporter for a website that traffics in conspiracy theories, according to Politico.

As reporters were getting settled ahead of Friday’s briefing, the Fox correspondent Jon Decker pointed out that a reporter from Gateway Pundit, Lucian Wintrich, was in the room and that they “hate blacks, Jews, Hispanics,” according to BuzzFeed White House correspondent Adrian Carrasquillo, who tweeted about the incident.


Decker also sent an email to the entire White House reporter email listserv, noting that the White House "has admitted Gateway Pundit into today's White House Press Briefing."

While some in the White House briefing room say the White House should be open to any and all outlets, others have expressed concern with certain outlets being legitimized via their White House credentials.

Fox News confirmed Decker was reacting to previous tweets Wintrich had posted. According to a White House Correspondent in the room, several reporters shook Decker’s hands as he walked back to the Fox News radio booth.

"Props to Jon Decker for speaking up in the press room. It would be much harder for a minority reporter to speak up like he did,” the correspondent said. "As a member of the WHCA board and as a white man him standing up and saying that meant a lot to reporters in the room.”

Gateway Pundit, a pro-Donald Trump conservative blog known for at times posting false rumors, gained notice earlier this year when they announced they would be appointing a White House correspondent with official White House press credentials.

Milwaukee Radio: WMIL Confirms New Morning Show Ensemble

Country WMIL 106.1 FM announced Friday the debut of their new morning show, Ridder, Scott and Shannen, effective immediately. Ridder, Scott and Shannen will broadcast weekdays from 5 a.m. – 10 a.m.

“I am excited to introduce Ridder, Scott, and Shannen to the FM106.1 listener family,” said Kerry Wolfe, Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Milwaukee. “This trio has the energy and humor to get your mornings started. Their knowledge and passion for the Milwaukee community and country music make them a perfect team for FM106.1.”

Born and raised in Richfield, Shannen grew up listening FM106.1 and discovered a passion for country music. Her radio career began with an internship in the station’s promotion department her freshman year of college. After five years with the company, Shannen is now the newest member of the FM106.1 morning show.

WMIL 106.1 FN (12 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area
Ridder, a three-year vetern of the afternoon drivetime show, will move to mornings joining Shannen and current morning host Scott.

NOLA Radio: Entercom Launches UrbanAC Format On 103.7 FM


Entercom today announced the launch of Hot 103.7 FM, a new UrbanAC station on WWWL 1350 AM / W279DF 103.7 FM in New Orleans.

The station will AIR the hottest R&B hits from the 1990’s, the 2000’s and today. The station will join Entercom New Orleans’s robust roster of stations, including n/t WWL 870 AM/ 105.3 FM, Top40 wezb B97 FM, AC WLMG Magic 101.9 FM and Classic Rock WKBU Bayou 95.7 FM.

Hot 103.7 FM will be the only R&B station in New Orleans to host live and local programming in morning drive.

“We are focused on delivering the content and music that we know listeners in New Orleans are looking for,” said Chris Claus, vice president and market manager, Entercom New Orleans. “The combination of well-known and live local talent and the R&B hits that fans want to hear on 103.7 FM is a magical one that has not been on the dial in New Orleans.”

The station debuts with the kickoff of “Big Abe in the Morning”, hosted by Abraham “Big Abe” Johnson. Johnson is an on-air veteran in New Orleans and has previously worked as a producer and assistant program director in the market.

WWWL 1350 AM (5 Kw, DA-N)
In afternoon drive, Hot 103.7 FM will air Terrence “Terry Bello” Burton. Burton is a recognized on-air personality and hosted the nationally syndicated “Soul Lounge”. He will also serve as the station’s assistant program director and music director. Tom “Jammer” Naylor will serve as the program director for Hot 103.7 FM and will continue his role as the program director for B97 FM. Jay Dixon, urban radio veteran, will serve as a consultant to the station.

Denver Radio: Zach Bye Added To KKFN PM Drive

Zach Bye
Sports Radio KKFN 104.3 FM The Fan announced Friday the addition of Zach Bye, who will co-host “Stokley and Zach,” weekdays from 12 to 3 p.m., beginning March 31.

“This is a dream opportunity,” Bye said. “I’m both humbled and blessed. I can’t wait to build a relationship with my new partner, Brandon Stokley, who already has a strong brand and presence in the Denver market. The potential we have together is nothing short of thrilling.”

“After a national search, we were thrilled to find the perfect fit for Brandon (Stokley] and 104.3 The Fan in Zach,” said 104.3 The Fan Program Director Armen Williams. “Zach’s shown relentless work ethic throughout his career and has earned every opportunity that’s come his way. He’ll be a great addition alongside Stokley.”

KKFN 104.3 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local
“Zach is a guy I can grow with and, together, take our show to the next level. Zach and I had an instant connection,” Stokley said. “We’re going to bring a lot of passion, energy, and enthusiasm to the show every day and make it one-of-a-kind.”

An Albany, New York, native, Bye was most recently the co-host of “Big Board Sports” on 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio. Before that, he worked at the Fox Sports Albany affiliate. Bye also spent the past seven seasons at the University of Albany as a play-and-play voice and color analyst for men’s and women’s basketball, lacrosse, and football.

Charlotte Radio: WBAV Shuffles Line-Up

Beasley Media Group’s WBAV V101.9 FM “Your Favorite Throwbacks and Todays R&B!” announced Friday details of recent staff alignments.

Cortney Hicks, who has served as afternoon talent, will shift into her new role as the midday host from 10am – 3pm. She will also continue her duties as V 101.9 Music Director.

“The on air finesse that Cortney brought to afternoons, will be the jolt that we need in middays. She has a unique ability to make every listener believe she’s their personal friend,” noted Operations Manager Jeff Anderson.

With Cortney Hicks moving to middays, this means that the afternoon position will be filled by a familiar friend, named Tone X. Tone X has performed on a wide array of platforms. He was a mainstay as writer and talent on BET’s “The Mo’Nique Show”, and currently still tours with comedian and Academy Award winning actress Mo’Nique. Tone-X was previously one of the co-host of “No Limit Larry and the Morning Madd House” on WPEG Power 98 FM for 12 years, and is now making his return as the new Afternoon host on WBAV from 3pm – 7pm.

WBAV also welcomes back Derrick “Fly Ty” Jacobs. Fly Ty was previously on WBAV as afternoon drive co-host, and has also worked within the Charlotte market, but now “The People’s Host” is back with Beasley. Listeners may hear Fly Ty during programming, Monday – Friday 6am – 10am.

WBAV 101.9 FM (100 Kw)
“It feels good to welcome back someone like Fly Ty, who has made his mark in the community,” added Anderson. “We’ve missed him during his brief absence from radio!”

Kenneth “DJ Rham” Blackmon makes his way back to Charlotte after being away since 2012 when he was Assistant PD / Production Director for Radio One WQNC/WPZS. He recently worked with CBS in Atlanta and also worked independently with his personal production company. DJ Rham is now back as the Production/Imaging Director for WBAV/WPEG.

“Rham has always had an ear and the originality for production, and has managed to be a creative genius in story-telling, through imaging and production,” commented Anderson.

After taking an extended break from radio, Stu “Hanna’s Baby Boy” Robinson has made his return to the Carolinas. Stu was most recently afternoon drive talent / Music Director for WBTP Tampa. Stu also previously worked in Charlotte for Radio One’s WCHH when it was Hot 92.7. Stu is now back on air with WBAV, tracking evenings, 7pm – Midnight.

“All of these positive changes are a reminder that I am thankful to my GM Bill Schoening,” said Anderson. “I have been given a chance to build a team of talented radio professionals who can raise the bar of radio excellence in the Queen City.”

Cumulus Stations Draw Thousands To Mall Concerts

Cumulus Media has released a video compiled and posted by Victor Lentini of Hollywood Records, featuring Wednesday's live appearances of Hollywood Records recording artist Sabrina Carpenter at three Michigan malls.  Audiences at all the mall concerts was reported to be 4,500.



Cumulus Media-Michigan stations promoted these live events (one in Grand Rapids, another in Flint, and a third in Saginaw) for five days and drove 2,500 impassioned fans to these performances! WOW!



A great example of the power of Cumulus - and Radio! - to give listeners a really cool experience with the artists they love.

Fox Seeks Cross-Ownership Extension In NYC Market

The FCC is seeking comment on whether to grant Fox Television Stations another temporary waiver of the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule to continue to own WWOR Secaucus, N.J., reports Broadcasting&Cable.

Fox has owned the station under a series of temporary waivers since 2001 so that it could own both WWOR and WNYW, as well as the New York Post. Fox already has a permanent waiver to own the paper and WNYW but has only gotten temporary waivers for the WWOR-New York Post cross-ownership, the most recent in August 2014 when the FCC renewed the license over opposition by various groups.

Last month, with that temporary waiver nearing its expiration (it actually expired March 1), Fox asked for the waiver to be kept in place until 90 days after the FCC has ruled on petitions by broadcasters to reconsider the FCC's decision in the quadrennial review last August under Democratic chairman Tom Wheeler. That decision was not to eliminate the newspaper-broadcast crossownership rule.

FCC chairman Ajit Pai is no fan of the rule, and Fox is counting on that.

Cumulus Media Terminates Exchange Offer

Cumulus Media Inc. Friday announced the termination of its previously announced private exchange offer for any and all 7.75% Senior Notes due 2019 issued by Cumulus Media Holdings Inc., a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and guaranteed by the Company.

As a result of a recent ruling in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Company has concluded that the conditions to the Exchange Offer have not and will not be satisfied. Accordingly, the Company has elected to terminate the Exchange Offer.

As a result of the termination, none of the Outstanding Notes that have been tendered in the Exchange Offer will be accepted for purchase and no consideration will be paid or become payable to holders of the Outstanding Notes who have tendered their Outstanding Notes in the Exchange Offer. All Outstanding Notes previously tendered and not withdrawn will be promptly returned or credited back to their respective holders.

Furthermore, the Company has terminated the previously announced support agreement that the Company had entered into on December 6, 2016 with certain holders of the Outstanding Notes.

Cumulus expects to continue its evaluation of alternatives to address its capital structure including through ongoing discussions with its stakeholders.

Dalian Wanda's Acquisition of Dick Clark Productions Officially Dead

Dick Clark Productions has made it official: The $1 billion sale to China’s Dalian Wanda Group has been terminated.

According to Variety, DCP owner Eldridge Industries on Friday filed suit in Delaware Chancery Court to receive about $25 million in termination fee funds promised under the agreement reached in November. Both sides denied that the deal was in trouble last month when rumors first surfaced in late January. But earlier this week, there were internal signs at DCP that the deal was falling apart.

“Eldridge Industries announced today that one of its affiliates has terminated its agreement to sell Dick Clark Productions to the Dalian Wanda Group,” Eldridge said in a statement. “Wanda had agreed to acquire Dick Clark Productions in November 2016. Eldridge’s affiliate terminated the agreement this week after Wanda failed to honor its contractual obligations. Eldridge’s affiliate also has filed with the Delaware Chancery Court to compel release of the balance of escrowed funds to which it is contractually entitled given Wanda’s failure to consummate the sale.”

The next steps for DCP are not immediately clear. One source close to the situation predicted that the company will continue to operate autonomously within Eldridge Industries for the near term.

Starbucks Disputes Branding Claim


(Reuters) -- Starbucks Corp on Friday said its business has not been hurt by a social media boycott campaign started in response to the chain's promise to hire 10,000 refugees globally over the next five years.

Starbucks made its Jan. 29 refugee hiring announcement on the heels of President Donald Trump's first executive order that temporarily banned travel from seven mostly Muslim nations. The move angered some Trump supporters, who called on other customers to stop frequenting the coffee chain.

Matt Ryan, Starbucks' chief strategy officer, said results from a YouGov BrandIndex survey suggesting that the boycott had dented the brand, "do not reflect the customer satisfaction and perception trends we are seeing so far in 2017."

Kantar Millward Brown, a market research firm that has provided continuous Brand Equity measurement for Starbucks since 2013, said the chain has not suffered a consumer backlash related to its refugee hiring promise.

"In February 2017 — after the announcement — we did not observe any substantive impact on Customer Consideration, Future Visitation Intent or Brand Perceptions or any other key performance metrics for the Starbucks brand," Brian James, president of Kantar Millward Brown's brand and communications practice, said in a letter released by Starbucks.

The coffee company declined to release related data, citing confidentiality.

James said his firm's measurements do not substantiate findings from YouGov BrandIndex, whose data showed declines in consumer perception and purchase consideration after the refugee hiring statement.

A YouGov spokesman told Reuters it stood by the accuracy of its data.

Ed Sheeran New Album Is Fast Seller


(Reuters) -- British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's new album "÷" became the fastest selling by a solo male artist in British chart history on Friday, with hits from the record also dominating the singles chart.

"÷", pronounced "divide", sold 672,000 in its first week, making it the third highest seller of all time behind Adele's "25" and Oasis's "Be Here Now".

The third studio album by Sheeran, 26, has already achieved "double platinum" status, the Official Charts Company said, and sold more copies than the rest of the top 500 records combined.

Lead single "Shape Of You", initially released in January, was the top selling single, achieving 141,000 combined chart sales. The entire top 5 is composed of other songs by Sheeran, and all 16 songs from the album appear in the top 20.

"Wow! What a phenomenal week. I'm buzzing," Sheeran said.

The Official Charts Company said that the feat was something that no artist had come close to achieving before.

The album achieved success across all formats. It broke the record for highest first-week streaming sales, set by grime rapper Stormzy just last week, and even achieved the biggest one-week vinyl sales in over 20 years.

Charlie Rose Returns Monday To CBS

Charlie Rose
Charlie Rose is ready to return to his hosting duties at "CBS This Morning" and will be back on the job Monday, reports the LA Times.

A co-anchor on the network morning show since 2012, Rose has been off the air since Feb. 8, the day before undergoing surgery for an aortic valve replacement.

"Almost 15 years ago skilled surgeons replaced my aorta valve with a new replacement valve. It has served me well, enabling me to live the vigorous, full, complete life you are all so familiar with," Rose wrote in an official statement announcing his surgery last month.

"To continue to live this amazing life so full of challenges and friends, including so many of you in the audience, I have chosen to replace the valve with a new one," he added. "The timing is my choice."

On Friday, Rose shared plans to return to "CBS This Morning" a little more than four weeks since his operation.

"I can’t wait to see my friends at 'CTM' who have been so gracious in sitting in for me and making up for the fact that I was not there, especially Gayle [King] and Norah [O'Donnell], and a special thanks to Anthony Mason, who not only has done such a remarkable job filling in for me but also on my PBS show," Rose said in a statement shared on the show.



Valve replacements have made headlines recently, after it was revealed that late actor Bill Paxton was recovering from surgery to replace a bicuspid aortic valve when he suffered the stroke that took his life.

March 11 Radio History



In 1903...bandleader Lawrence Welk was born in Strasburg North Dakota.

The Champagne Music Maker was, early on, a popular staple of radio station WNAX in Yankton South Dakota.  When he settled in for 10 years at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom, his dance remotes developed a national radio following. In 1951 Welk began weekly appearances on KTLA Los Angeles, which led to an ABC television show beginning in 1955. His show was near the top of the ratings throughout the 1950’s and ’60s.  His big hit was the 1961 million seller, Calcutta.

He died from pneumonia May 17, 1992 at age 89.

In  1948...Audio Engineering Society founded in New York City.




In 1969...The Jackson Five signed a contract with Motown Records


In 2009...WXRK 92.3 FM NYC changes to CHR.

At 5PM on March 11, 2009, WXRK changed to a Contemporary Hit Radio format known as "92.3 Now FM". The last song played on K-Rock was "Right Now" by Van Halen. It was followed with the sound of a ticking clock, an announcement that K-Rock was moving to 92.3 FM HD2, and a montage of bumpers from stations such as WNBC, WABC, WMCA, WXLO, WQHT, and WHTZ, with a promotion saying in the following minutes, "it will be now".

An introductory montage was then played, followed by the launch of "Now" with the commitment to play "10,000 songs in a row, with zero minutes of commercials", beginning with "Boom Boom Pow" by The Black Eyed Peas.  It has been speculated in online forums and trade journals that CBS Radio will continue to unfold or tweak towards similar Top 40 radio stations in other major markets in the coming months leaning towards younger listeners. The station ended the "10,000 Songs in a Row" promotion in early April 2009.


Since the station's flip in 2009, WXRK/WNOW has only held a 2 share trailing Hertiage Top40 WHTZ. In addition, WXRK/WNOW has had a constant turnover of program directors and airstaff, including the sudden releasing of all the then-current airstaff (with the exception of midday host Niko and evening host Toro) on May 21st, 2014, as rumors of a complete rehauling of 92.3's format abounded. The following day at 2 PM, after stunting by giving away $1,000 to callers every 9 minutes for 2 hours,

WNOW-FM relaunched as 92.3 AMP Radio, launching with commercial-free weekends until Labor Day weekend. The final song on "Now" was "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, while the first song on "AMP" was "Summer" by Calvin Harris.  On June 23, 2014, WNOW-FM changed its call letters to WBMP to match the "AMP" branding.




In 2011...Longtime New York City area radio host (WNYC, WNSW, WJDM, WNJR, WPAT, WEVD) Danny Stiles died at the age of 87.

Stiles's first radio job was at WHBI in Newark on December 2, 1947, buying the air time for $65 a week.  His career took him to WHOL in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and stations in New Jersey before returning to Newark on WNJR (AM) as the "Kat Man." At WNJR, Danny met Robert Smith, a young Brooklyn native working as a gofer, who would later move to the border blaster XERB-AM and broadcast as Wolfman Jack.

Stiles, who among other alliterative monikers called himself The Vicar of Vintage Vinyl, had a loyal fan following and a distinctive radio presence.  At the end of his life, Danny was being heard on four stations in Metro New York, on WRCA 1330 AM, serving the Boston area, and was streaming 24 hours a day on the Internet. The broadcast material came largely from his personal collection of over 250,000 albums, many in their original 78 rpm format.

After his death, Stiles continued to be heard on the airwaves, with vintage shows re-aired Saturday nights at 8 PM Eastern time on WNYC 820 AM, until its final broadcast on January 3, 2015. His website dannystiles.com still offers a stream of archived shows.


In 2015...Longtime WGY 810 AM Albany, NY Morning Host Don Weeks died at age 76.

The station called Weeks "legendary" in its announcement -- and it might be difficult to argue that he wasn't, according to the Albany Times-Union.  Weeks joined WGY in December 1980 and retired from his morning show, a ratings juggernaut for years, in 2010.

Known as "Uncle Don" to two generations of WGY listeners, he brought an avuncular presence and a folksy style to a variety format. His conversation with on-air sidekicks meandered across news items, weather updates, school closings and zany comedy bits. Fans found his homespun humor as welcome as a freshly brewed cup of coffee early in the morning.

Weeks retired in 2010 after 30 years on WGY and his 50-year broadcast career included stints as a TV weatherman and in marketing and copywriting.

"He was the most well-known radio personality in the Capital Region and his storied career was known on a national level, too," said David Donovan, president of the New York State Broadcasters Association, which inducted Weeks into its Hall of Fame. Weeks also won a Marconi Award from the National Association of Broadcasters.



Weeks wanted to be on the radio since he was a young boy, his daughter said. "He used to pretend he was a radio host when he was really little. It was his dream job," she said. His single-minded drive earned him his first job at WSNY of Schenectady just out of high school and he later was hired as a Top 40-format disc jockey on WTRY.

He moved to TV in 1965 and earned a following on WNYT Ch. 13 as a weatherman who used his cartoon drawing skills to create an endearing character known as "Wally Weather." He was a talented artist who also worked as art director at WRGB and as a copywriter for an Albany ad agency. He moonlighted on WABY before joining the morning show at WGY in 1980.

Friday, March 10, 2017

2017 Infinite Dial Survey Updates Media Habits

  • Podcasting continues to boom as four in ten Americans tune in
  • Smart speakers make their debut
The 2017 Infinite Dial Study by Edison Research and Triton Digital Thursday unveiled the latest research around digital audio, social media, mobile, smart speakers, and podcast consumption

Podcasting continues to be a growth medium, as 40% of Americans 12+ say they have ever listened to a podcast, while 24% say they have listened to one in the past month, up from 21% one year ago. In addition, six in ten Americans are now familiar with the term “podcasting,” a number that has risen 22% in two years.


The 2017 Infinite Dial, the latest report in a series dating back to 1998 that covers consumer usage of media and technology, also introduced coverage of “Smart Speakers,” a category which includes voice-controlled devices such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home. Today, 63% of Americans 12+ are aware of at least one device in this category, while 7%, an estimated 20 million Americans, live in households that have at least one smart speaker.

The Infinite Dial study uses a random probability telephone sample, comprising both mobile phones and landlines, of all Americans ages 12 and older. The study has become the report card on digital audio and other digital media, and is widely used and quoted by broadcasters, Internet radio, ad agencies, and the financial community.



Among the many other highlights:
  • Half of Americans 12+ now have access to a Netflix subscription
  • The Weekly Online Radio audience is now 140 million Americans, or 53% of Americans 12+
  • Time spent listening to online radio surges to an all-time high of 14:39 per week
  • Pandora continues to lead in the online radio space—32% of Americans have listened in the past month—but Spotify is a strong second at 18%.
  • Social Media usage is beginning to consolidate around a few platforms, with Twitter’s growth rate continuing to decline—especially 12-24
“With 7% of Americans 12+ now owning smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google home products, this represents an extraordinary opportunity for increased consumption of internet radio in the home,” said John Rosso, President of Market Development at Triton Digital. “Content producers would be wise to pay close attention to this growing segment of the market.”


“The significant numbers we see for subscription products, such as Netflix and Spotify, as well as the continued growth for platforms that are relatively ‘advertising-light,’ such as Pandora and Podcasts, reflect a continued shift in the ability for advertisers to reach consumers with traditional, interruptive forms of advertising,” noted Tom Webster, Edison’s Vice President of Strategy. “Advertising models are going to have to adapt, and adapt quickly, to the American consumer’s increasing willingness to curate their own media mix and avoidance of traditional advertising messages.”

San Diego Radio: KBZT Adds Dana & Jayson For Mornings


Entercom/San Diego Thursday announced the debut of “Dana and Jayson” on Alternative KBZT 94.9 FM.

Starting Monday, the program will air Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and will be hosted by Dana DiDonato and Jayson Prim.

According to a press release DiDonato is a reformed sorority girl and married mother of 3, and Pri is the gay son of a Baptist preacher.  The duo bring their unique relationship as two unlikely best friends to morning drive on KBZT.

“It’s a really exciting day for FM 949 and Entercom San Diego to be able to add such dynamic personalities to San Diego’s Alternative,” said FM 949 Program Director and Entercom San Diego Operations Manager Kevin Callahan, “They made me laugh.

After this many years in radio that’s not easy to do.” DiDonato is one of the few lead female hosts in morning radio. She joins Entercom from WBLI (Nassau/ Suffolk County, New York) where she hosted morning drive for 11 years and won two Gracie Allen Awards. “It’s always been a gift to laugh and hang out with people each morning. We are so excited to invite the San Diego community into our lives, and we hope they make our show a part of theirs,” said DiDonato.

KBZT 94.9 FM (26.5 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area
“Thanks to Kevin Callahan, Pat Paxton and everyone at Entercom, your belief in us is humbling. We are so ready to do this.” Prim joins the company from WBLI after co-hosting for 3 years with DiDonato. Prior to joining WBLI, Prim worked as a performance artist in New York City. He is a graduate of the Experimental Theatre Wing at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. “I’m just happy that instead of talking to myself every morning, I finally get to have human interaction again,” said Prim. For more information about the show or to listen live, please visit www.fm949sd.com.

SBS Adds 'El Terrible' In Key Markets For Mornings

Spanish Broadcasting System Inc. Thursday announced that "El Terrible" ("The Terrible,") Terry Cortez "El Terrible", premiered on Thursday, March 9 from 6 am-10am (PST) on 97.9FM La Raza in Los Angeles, 93.3FM La Raza in San Francisco / San Jose and in La Ley 107.9FM in Chicago, simultaneously.

The cast of the show consists of "El Terrible", Kristel Yañez 'La Kristy' and Johnny Orta 'El Perro'. Listeners can listen online for free through the LaMusica App available on smartphones and mobile devices.

El Terrible is a fun family program that incorporates the best regional Mexican music, the latest news and information of interest to Latinos and a wide range of guests who share their views and opinions on topical issues and relevant trends spanning different Hispanic markets in the US.

Juan Carlos Hidalgo, Vice President of Programming for SBS Radio on the West Coast, said: "Not very often do you have the opportunity to have one of the most talented personalities in Spanish media on your team and that's what happened with El Terrible. Since I met El Terrible in 2013, I have had the privilege and pleasure to work with him for many years. His  relationship with his fans is undeniably intimate and he possesses a proven  ability to attract the biggest stars in the entertainment world."

"I'm happy to announce that starting March 9, I'll be able to reach millions of listeners in Los Angeles, San Francisco / San Jose and Chicago," said Alberto Cortez, "El Terrible." "I am honored that SBS has given me this incredible opportunity to have my own syndicated program. I'm excited to hear that my listeners can tune in from their homes, in their car or through their smartphones. We're going to have a good time! "

Milwaukee Radio: After 19-Years, WMIL's Karen Dalessandro Signs-Off

A longtime Milwaukee radio co-host is saying goodbye. After 19 years, Thursday, March 9th was Karen Dalessandro's last show at the Country WMIL 106.1 FM.

"It's been an honor to wake everybody up," Dalessandro told Fox6.

After 19 years at the radio station, as a co-host of WMIL's morning show, "Karen Scott and Radar with Shannen," Dalessandro said it's time to sleep in.

Goodbye flowers and well wishes made it feel real on Thursday.

"It is going to feel weird to be able to stay out late and hang out with people because my bed time was 8:00 or 8:30 at night with a wake up call at 3:30," Dalessandro said.

From 1998 through 2017, it has been a good run.

"If you get to spend five years with someone on a radio show together, it is an eternity,and we all got 19 together," Dalessandro said.

During her career, Dalessandro got to know some of the biggest stars in country music, raise money for child abuse prevention, provide mammograms for women in need, and be inducted into the County Radio Hall of Fame. She even received a CMA Personality of the Year award with her morning show team.

As she said goodbye on Thursday, she hinted that it might not be her last time on air.

"Take care Milwaukee. If there is something without an alarm clock, and it's on the radio, you may hear me again," Dalessandro said.

The WMIL morning show will continue on schedule, according to Kerry Wolfe, a senior vice president with WMIL owner iHeartMedia.

The station, which for years attracted one of the largest audiences in Milwaukee radio, ranked eighth in market share for January among all listeners of Milwaukee stations, according to Nielsen Co. WKTI 94.5 FM, which flipped to a country format in May 2015, ranked 14th in the same survey.

Branding: Starbucks CEO's Refugee Comments Sour Customers

(Reuters) -- Starbucks Corp's vow to hire thousands of refugees after President Donald Trump's first executive order that temporarily banned travel from seven mostly-Muslim nations appears to be hurting customer sentiment of the coffee chain.

Trump supporters have used Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites to call for a boycott since Jan. 29, when Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz vowed to hire 10,000 refugees over five years in the countries where it does business.

Schultz in a letter to employees said the promise of the American Dream was "being called into question" and that "the civility and human rights we have all taken for granted for so long are under attack."

YouGov BrandIndex, which tracks consumers' sentiment toward companies and their willingness to purchase from those brands, noted that the data around this boycott is different because both measures are declining.

Starbucks' consumer perception levels took an immediate hit as measured by YouGov BrandIndex's Buzz score, falling by two-thirds between Jan. 29 and Feb. 13, and have not recovered.

Starbucks Buzz score fell to 4 from 12 during that time. Such scores can range from 100 to -100 and are compiled by subtracting negative feedback from positive. A zero score means equal positive and negative feedback.

Prior to Schultz's refugee comments, 30 percent of consumers said they would consider buying from Starbucks the next time they made a coffee purchase, that fell to a low of 24 percent and now stands at 26 percent, according to a YouGov spokesman.

"Consumer perception dropped almost immediately," said YouGov BrandIndex CEO Ted Marzilli, who added that the statistically significant drop in purchase consideration data showed that consumers became less keen to buy from Starbucks.

"That would indicate the announcement has had a negative impact on Starbucks, and might indicate a negative impact on sales in the near term," he said.

Marzilli noted that the Starbucks holiday "red cup" controversy from November 2015 corresponded with an even larger drop in perception, but no real impact on purchase consideration scores.

Among other things, boycott supporters are urging like-minded friends to support Starbucks rival Dunkin' Donuts (DNKN.O). Representatives from Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts declined to comment on the surveys and the boycott's impact on sales.


The consumer sentiment data comes at a sensitive time for Starbucks, which reported an accelerated decline in traffic to established U.S. restaurants during the latest quarter.

Starbucks executives pinned much of the blame for its traffic setback on a pileup of mobile orders, which caused bottlenecks at drink pickup stations that thwarted walk-in customers.

NY Daily News Pulls Back On Trump


For most of 2016, the New York Daily News was America’s paper of opposition to Donald Trump.

But in the months since the election, just as Trump’s war with the press started going nuclear, the Manhattan-based tabloid has largely pulled back on its famous anti-Trump covers in favor of a decidedly more measured tone, according to a story at POLITICO.

The change followed a shakeup in editorial leadership just weeks before Nov. 8.

The previous editor, Jim Rich, had been resisting pressure from management to soften the Trump covers, people familiar with the matter said. He was told they were diminishing an already much diminished print subscriber base, these people said, particularly among blue-collar readers in certain corners of New York’s outer boroughs, where Trump’s nationalistic populism apparently resonates in a way that is anathema to the city’s cosmopolitan districts and immigrant enclaves.

After Rich stepped down on Oct. 18, his successor, the Pulitzer Prize-winning, longtime News fixture Arthur Browne, made clear in a meeting with editors that he believed the paper’s front-page Trump coverage needed to take a different direction, sources familiar with the remarks told POLITICO. At times, he has described the earlier anti-Trumpism as an “adventure,” according to someone who heard the remark, suggesting that the adventure is over.

Now, many News staffers and alumni feel like the air has been sucked out of the room, and they are perhaps coming to terms with the notion that Trump is more popular with segments of their readership than they thought, even in deep blue New York.

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Megyn Wants To Be The Next Oprah

Megyn Kelly
Megyn Kelly grew tired of combative hard news reporting and now wants “to help people the way Oprah did” on her new NBC show, sources tell Page Six at the NYPost.

After signing a deal with NBC worth between $12 million and $15 million, Kelly’s plans for her new show have been shrouded in secrecy.

NBC brass are interviewing executive producers in the hopes that Kelly will debut in September at either 9 or 10 a.m. in front of a live studio audience.

A source told us, “There was a lot of tough news to report on her show at Fox News. A lot of combative interviewing, going after people. Doing that every night was difficult. Megyn feels she has more to offer. She wants to help people the way Oprah did, and do something more positive. She’ll be focusing on issues and bringing in real people as well as celebrities. Plus, she has a sense of humor and she wants to use that.”

Kelly told Variety in 2015, “Barbara Walters has retired, Diane Sawyer left her anchor role. Oprah has moved to the OWN network and is doing a different thing now. So why not me?” The source added, “Megyn will have the Sunday night show on NBC to scratch that itch. That’s where you’ll see the big interviews and stories.”

Report: Entercom To Air Radio Disney On HD2 Stations

Entercom has signed a distribution agreement to carry Radio Disney-branded content on HD2 stations in nine radio markets in the United States.

According to RadioWorld, HD Radio will sell at least some of the airtime within those broadcasts, according to a company executive, in a move that further expands the HD Radio Ad Network.

In 2015, the developers of HD Radio announced an agreement with Radio Disney to broadcast content on HD2/HD3 stations nationwide as part of its digital ad network. (Tessera Holding Corp., now the parent company of HD Radio owner DTS Inc., recently changed its name to Xperi Corp.).

Rick Greenhut, director of broadcast business development for Xperi Corp., said the new Entercom agreement is similar to the company’s other Radio Disney deals. “We sell the aggregated audience of all the Radio Disney stations nationally like a traditional radio network would. The multicast channels clear the spots that are sent with the programming. The revenue share agreement pays the majority of the revenues earned to the stations,” Greenhut said.

The following Entercom HD2 channels will carry Radio Disney in these radio markets:
  • KDND(HD2) in Sacramento, Calif.
  • KRSK(HD2) in Portland, Ore.
  • WZPL(HD2) in Indianapolis, Ind.
  • KZPT(HD2) in Kansas City, Mo.
  • WMYX(HD2) in Milwaukee, Wisc.
  • WPTE(HD2) in Norfolk, Va.
  • WQMG(HD2) in Greensboro, N.C.
  • WRVR(HD2) in Memphis, Tenn.
  • WLMG(HD2) in New Orleans, La.
Radio Disney expanded the use of HD2 signals as one of its distribution channels after deciding to sell off most of its owned radio stations several years ago.

Tucker To Jorge: 'You're Whiter Than I Am"

Tucker Carlson had Univision anchor Jorge Ramos on his Fox News show Wednesday night, introducing his guest as one of President Trump's "loudest critics on immigration." Things got heated after Carlson opened by quoting comments Ramos made about how America is "our country" and "not theirs," with the host eventually calling his guest a "blue-eyed rich Mexican."

"Who is the 'us,' and who is the 'they?,'" Carlson asked his guest.

According to The Wrap, Ramos responded by saying America is everyone's country but Trump supporters think it belongs to them.

"This is not a white country. This is not their country. It is ours," Ramos said.

Carlson then told Ramos, "You're whiter than I am. You have blue eyes."

Ramos claimed that some people in America want to go back to a "1965 when there was a white majority," but explained this is not a multiracial country and everyone should be tolerant.

"I don't want to bring this to race. You did, so I'm going to follow up on that. You have posited yourself as the leader of Latinos and I'm not exactly sure what that word means," Carlson said. That's when the Fox News host called Ramos a "blue-eyed rich Mexican."



Carlson and Ramos went on to discuss what the exact definition of a Latino is, with Carlson eventually saying, "It still doesn't make any sense to me at all. But as a political matter it makes a lot of sense because it allows people like you to say, 'I represent everybody on an entire continent.'"

Report: DOJ. AT&T Negotiating Dodgers Settlement

(LA Times photo)
AT&T is negotiating a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department to resolve allegations that DirecTV executives improperly colluded with other pay-TV providers three years ago, effectively blocking carriage of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ television channel in Southern California.

According to the LA Times, a settlement could come in the next two weeks.

However, in a move that would probably disappoint thousands of Dodger fans, the proposed settlement would not require AT&T or its DirecTV subsidiary to begin carrying SportsNet LA, according to a person close to the negotiations who was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

That means the Dodgers channel shutout — which is about to enter its fourth season — will continue unless AT&T agrees on its own to carry the channel on its DirecTV and U-Verse pay-TV systems. DirecTV is the second-largest pay-TV provider in the Los Angeles region with about 1.5 million subscriber homes. Its unwillingness to carry SportsNet has been a major obstacle in getting wider carriage for the channel.

The Dallas company appears to be motivated to resolve the Justice Department lawsuit because it also is seeking that agency’s approval for its proposed $85-billion takeover of Time Warner Inc., which owns such prominent properties as HBO, CNN, TBS, the Cartoon Network and the Warner Bros. film and TV studio in Burbank.

The Justice Department sued AT&T and its DirecTV subsidiary in November, alleging that Dodgers baseball fans had been shut out of the action because of unfair play by DirecTV. The government alleged that DirecTV’s chief content officer, Dan York, colluded with rivals in an effort to make sure that other pay-TV companies would join him in refusing to carry the Dodgers channel. The effort stymied efforts in early 2014 to get wide carriage for the channel.

Charter Communications remains the only pay-TV company that carries SportsNet LA.

This week, Charter reached a deal with Tribune Media for 10 Dodger games to be simulcast on Tribune’s KTLA-TV Channel 5 in Los Angeles in April and early May.

Sinclair Debuts Net Targeting Millennials

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. has begun to roll out a first-of-its kind, over-the-air TV network showing digital programming that's designed to appeal to millennials.

According to The Baltimore Sun, Sinclair, one of the nation's largest owners of television stations, had announced plans in December to launch the TBD network and make it available in millions of U.S. homes.

The network will feature web series, short films, fashion, comedy, lifestyle, online video game competitions, music and viral content.

The broadcaster said Wednesday it will distribute TBD to its television stations in many of the 81 U.S. markets where it owns or operates broadcast properties.

Fifty-two markets are included in the first wave of rollouts, including Seattle; Tallahassee, Fla.,; San Antonio; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Fresno, Calif.; Little Rock, Ark.; Salt Lake City;, Providence, R.I.; and Washington.

Sinclair describes the network as combining the power and reach of free-to-air television with programming that millennial audiences watch on platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, Vimeo and Daily Motion. The network is targeting millennial mothers in mornings and throughout the day, younger girls after school and younger gamers during prime time.

Nashville Radio: Brothers Osborne Headline Kick-Off Party


Kick off the biggest week of music in Music City with Brothers Osborne and WKDF NASH FM 103.3 for their NASH Country Kick Off Party on Tuesday, June 6th at Cannery Ballroom.

The event, featuring Brothers Osborne with special guests Runaway June and NASH Next 2016 Winner, Todd O’Neill, will benefit Musicians On Call (MOC), a groundbreaking nonprofit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in hospitals across the country.

Tickets for the event, with doors opening at 6pm, are $35 and go on sale Today (Thursday, March 9th) at 10am.

“Musicians On Call is proud to celebrate our 10-year partnership with NASH to help kick off country music’s biggest week. It’s a special year for MOC as we also celebrate our 10 year anniversary in Nashville,” said Pete Griffin, Musicians On Call President. “We’re excited to bring these intimate performance to country music fans, just as we bring our Volunteer Musicians to bring similar intimate performances to patients in Nashville hospitals and across the country.”

BFA Announces Quaal Award Winners

The Broadcasters Foundation of America is proud to announce the recipients of the 2017 Ward L. Quaal Leadership Awards and the Chairman’s Award. The Awards will be presented at the Foundation’s annual breakfast at 7:00AM, Wednesday, April 26 in the Brahms Room of the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas, during the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show.

The 2017 Ward L. Quaal Leadership Awards recipients are:
  • Harry Jessell, Editor and Co-Publisher, TVNewscheck and NetNewscheck
  • David Lougee, President, TEGNA Media
  • Diane Sutter, President & CEO, Shooting Star Broadcasting
  • John David, Executive Vice President of Radio, National Association of Broadcasters
  • Scott Knight & the Knight Family, President & CEO, Knight Media Group
  • Larry Patrick, Managing Partner, Patrick Communications
The Leadership Awards are given annually by the Broadcasters Foundation in recognition of career contributions to the broadcast industry and the community at large, and are named in honor of iconic broadcaster Ward L. Quaal.

In addition, William Duhamel, President, Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises, will be honored with the 2017 Broadcasters Foundation of America Chairman’s Award for his numerous contributions to the broadcast industry and his community.

The breakfast is complimentary to all, although pre-registration is required. To register, or to obtain information on reserving a page in the Program Guide, please contact the Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org.

This year’s event is sponsored by Frank N. Magid Associates, Marketron, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Association of Media Brokers (NAMB), Nielsen, the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB).

For more than 70 years, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed millions of dollars to thousands of needy broadcasters and their families.  Individual donations can be made to the Guardian Fund, corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be arranged through the Legacy Society.

To learn more or to donate, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 or visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.

March 10 Radio History





In 1876...Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful test of his new invention, the telephone, in Boston, a month after patenting the device. He transmitted the first intelligible speech, room to room, telling his assistant, ‘Come here, Watson. I need you.' 


In 1920...singer/mandolinist Kenneth C. (Jethro) Burns was born near Knoxville Tennessee.  He was half of the famous country comedy team of Homer and Jethro, who first teamed up at age 12.  They appeared together many times on the WLS National Barn Dance.  He died Feb. 4 1989 at age 68.


In 1922...'Radio Sweeping Country-Million Sets In Use' headlines Variety.


In 1922...KLZ-AM, Denver, Colorado began broadcasting.

Two years earlier, Dr. William "Doc" Reynolds, a dentist, founded Colorado's first experimental radio station, 9ZAF, at his 1124 S. University home in Denver.

The studio was on the front porch and the transmitter was in the back yard.

On March 10, 1922, the station's call sign changed to KLZ, then-Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover granted Reynolds one of the first commercial broadcasting licenses in the country, and KLZ became Colorado's first commercial radio station.

1920s-Era Radio Receiver
In 1922…Variety magazine greeted readers with the front-page headline that read, "Radio Sweeping Country - 1,000,000 Sets in Use."


In 1934...announcer/disc jockey Gary Owens  was born in Mitchell, South Dakota. At 18 he began working as a news reporter at local radio station KORN, and two years later was made news director.

After several moves in the midwest he became a DJ in Dallas, New Orleans, St. Louis, Denver, Sacramento and San Francisco, before finally settling in Los Angeles. He spent two decades playing music with humorous word play in PM drive at KMPC, and became nationally known as the ear-cupping announcer (above) on TV’s Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. Owens is believed to have recorded some 30,000 commercials.

He died Feb. 12 2015 of complications from his life-long diabetes, at age 80.



In 1949…In 1949, Nazi propaganda broadcaster, 48-year-old Mildred E. Gillars, also known as “Axis Sally,” was convicted of treason following a six-week trial in Washington, DC. Gillars was sentenced to 10-to-30 years in prison; she was paroled after serving 12.

Gillars made her most notorious broadcast on June 5, 1944, just prior to the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, in a radio play written by Koischwitz, Vision Of Invasion. She played Evelyn, an Ohio mother, who dreams that her son had died a horrific death on a ship in the English Channel during an attempted invasion of Occupied Europe.

Gillars' remained in Berlin until the end of the war. Her last broadcast was on May 6, 1945, just two days before the German surrender. Having converted to Roman Catholicism while in prison, Gillars went to live at the Our Lady of Bethlehem Convent in Columbus, Ohio, and taught German, French, and music at St. Joseph Academy, Columbus.

Gillars died of colon cancer ain Columbus on June 25, 1988.


In 1952... WBZ 1030 AM  Boston began 24-hour a day programming.


In 1955..."The Silver Eagle" program was broadcast for the last time on radio. ABC began broadcasting The Silver Eagle during the summer of 1951. The stories centered on Sergeant Jim West of the Canadian Northwest Mounted Police, played by Jim Ameche (Don's kid brother). The show followed the traditions of Fran Striker's The Lone Ranger and Challenge of the Yukon.  Listeners could hear The Silver Eagle every Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.


In 1962...First New York Mets radio broadcast on WABC. Under PD Sam Holman, WABC achieved No. 1 ratings during much of 1962, after WMGM reverted to WHN. By the summer of 1963, WMCA led the pack, with WABC at No. 2 and WINS slipping to third place.  WABC aited the Mets for these two years only.



In 1980…Radio-TV broadcaster/creator of the Ronald McDonald character for McDonald's Corporation restaurants/commercial spokesman Willard Scott became the weather forecaster on NBC-TV's "Today" show. After more than a decade in that role, he is now the substitute for weatherman Al Roker on the program and appears twice weekly to wish centenarians happy birthday.



From 1955 to 1972, Scott teamed with Ed Walker as co-host of the nightly Joy Boys radio program on WRC 980 AM (now Sports-WTEM). (This was interrupted from 1956-1958 when Scott served on active duty with the U.S.Navy.)

Scott routinely sketched a list of characters and a few lead lines setting up a situation, which Walker would commit to memory or make notes on with his Braille typewriter (he was blind since birth).

In a 1999 article recalling the Joy Boys at the height of their popularity in the mid-1960s, The Washington Post said they "dominated Washington, providing entertainment, companionship, and community to a city on the verge of powerful change". The Joy Boys show played on WRC until 1972 when they moved to cross-town station WWDC 1260 AM (now Talk-WWRC) for another two years. Scott wrote in his book, The Joy of Living, of their close professional and personal bond, saying that they were "closer than most brothers".

n late 2015, Walker was diagnosed with cancer and retired from The Big Broadcast on non-com WAMU-FM in DC to focus on his health and spend more time with his family. His last show aired from 7:00 to 11:00 PM on October 25, 2015. It was recorded the week before from his room at Sibley Memorial Hospital where he had been receiving treatment. He died just three hours after that last broadcast concluded.


In 2003...Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines told an audience in London, “Just so you know, we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” That unleashed a firestorm of criticism back home in the US that included radio stations banning their music and protests outside their concerts.


In 2013…Newsman/staff announcer (WGN-TV, WGN-Radio, ABC Radio) Marty McNeeley died at the age of 86.

During 17 years with WGN television and radio, McNeeley took on a variety of roles. He was a weekend TV news anchor, co-hosted a radio sports talk show, delivered on-the-hour newscasts for Eddie Schwartz's overnight radio show and provided the voice-over introduction for Channel 9's weekly horror movie program, "Creature Features."

McNeeley grew up in Youngstown, Ohio. His first broadcasting job, while he was still in high school, was with a small Youngstown radio station, WFMJ-AM.

He studied at what is now Youngstown State University before being drafted into the Navy, where he wound up with Armed Forces Radio in San Francisco. After the war, he took a job as an announcer in Cleveland. He then worked in radio in Detroit and Philadelphia, moving into TV as an anchorman in the 1960s.

McNeeley joined WGN in 1969 as the primary news anchor of the overnight news show "Night Beat," which would last for 20 or 30 minutes before the station signed off at 1:30 a.m.

McNeeley resigned from WGN in 1986 and moved to New York. After brief stints at news stations WNEW 1130 AM and WINS 1010 AM, he found a home as an anchor for ABC Radio, where he worked until retiring in 1993.


In 2014…Radio station and sports team owner (Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Nets) Jospeh Zingale died of Parkinson's disease at the age of 80. Joe was one of the owners of WIXY-Cleveland.