Saturday, October 20, 2018

October 21 Radio History




➥In 1908...The first two-sided vinyl record was offered for sale by the Columbia label in an ad running in this week's Saturday Evening Post.

➦In 1915...First transmission of speech across the Atlantic by radiotelephone, Arlington, Va., to Paris

➦In 1948...the first Facsimile (FAX), was demonstrated through high-speed radio transmission. It was demonstrated in Washington D.C.

➦In 1969...Roby Yonge does the infamous “Paul is Dead” show at 77 WABC.



Originally hired for the 1 - 3 PM shift, Yonge was moved into the overnight shift in August 1969 when Charlie Greer left the station. He was told by program director Rick Sklar in the early fall, that his contract would not be renewed. He subsequently went on the air with the Paul McCartney "death" rumor on October 21, 1969, having heard the rumor from WKNR-FM (Detroit) radio personality Chris Randall.

Stating that he had already been fired and that at 12:39 AM, he would not be "cut" because there was nobody around, Yonge began to speculate on rumors circulating about the possible death of McCartney. He enumerated various "clues" in album cover art which he said had been catalogued by thirty Indiana University Bloomington students. Callers lit up the station switchboard. It was an hour and a half before program director Rick Sklar got Les Marshak in to relieve Yonge. Marshak continued to do Yonge's show until a replacement was hired.

Yonge was hired by WCBS-FM, where he helped introduce their "Oldies" format in the early'70s. After a few years, he returned to his nativeFlorida, where he served as general manager of Mother WMUM, an early FM rock station in Palm Beach. After the demise of Mother in 1972, Yonge became a morning personality on Y100 WHYI in Fort Lauderdale/Miami. He was fired after the first day on the air, August 3, 1973.  He moved to the competitor WMYQ-FM, where he spoke as a commentator with a morning show. In 1987, Yonge did a morning show at WKAT in Miami, then returned in 1993 to do a music/talk show on 790 WMRZ.

Roby Yonge died on July 18, 1997 of an apparent heart attack at age 54.

➦In 2000...Frankie Crocker, Personality at WMCA, WBLS died from pancreatic cancer.

Crocker began his career in Buffalo at the AM Soul powerhouse WUFO (also the home to future greats Eddie O'Jay, Herb Hamlett, Gary Byrd and Chucky T) before moving to Manhattan, where he first worked for Soul station WWRL and later top-40 WMCA in 1969.

He then worked for WBLS-FM as program director, taking that station to the top of the ratings during the late 1970s and pioneering the radio format now known as urban contemporary.

Frankie Crocker was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2000, and the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2005

➦In 2003...John Dennis and Gerry Callahan returned to their morning on WEEI-FM, Boston, after a 2 week suspension for allegedly racist remarks.

➦In 2014…Veteran Boston radio personaility (WODS-FM, WXKS-FM, WRKO-AM) Dale Dorman died at age 71.

Dale Dorman
With his lightening fast reflexes,  a gift for genuinely clever patter and an astounding ability to “post” a song intro, he did what few others have ever done — he remained a force and a positive influence on radio and music for 45 years. It all began in Syracuse in 1964. After establishing himself at WOLF, he sent a tape to the legendary programmer Bill Drake at KYNO/Fresno. It was Drake who then developed the famous Top 40 format aired on stations owned by RKO General. Drake liked what he heard, hired Dale to work at RKO’s KFRC/San Francisco, and under his tutelage Dale became an integral part of the Drake format and moved cross-country be on The Big 68, WRKO.

Dale was 24 when he took over morning drive at WRKO in August, 1968 and delivered top ratings for ten years. He also hosted the afternoon kid’s show on TV38 and the weekend “Creature Double-Feature” as Uncle Dale. By the late 70’s FM radio had eclipsed AM for music listening. After a brief stop at WVBF Dale landed his second long-term gig doing afternoon drive at Kiss 108 (WXKS-FM) for 23 years.  “To be able to be a top-rated jock on a Top-40 station in his 60s is really astounding,” Don Kelley, then Vice President of Programming for Magic 106.7 WMJX and now President of the Mass Broadcasters Hall of Fame, told the Boston Globe in 2003, when Dale left Kiss 108.

In 2003 Dale moved back to morning drive at Oldies 103 (WODS/Boston). “I wound up at Oldies 103 playing the same music that I played at WRKO when I was just starting out,” he told the Globe in 2008. “A bunch of people started calling. They were like, ‘Oh, wow! How are you? Where have you been?’ ” playing the same songs that he played on WRKO in the 60’s and 70’s, but by now they had become oldies.

Dale was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2015 the brand new Dale Dorman studio at Massasoit Community College was dedicated in his name.

Bay Area Radio: KGMZ Extends Dan Dibley

Dan Dibley
Entercom/S-F has announced a longterm-contract extension for veteran air personality Dan Dibley.

He'll continue as co-host of the Joe Lo & Dubs morning show on Entercom Sports KGMZ 95.7 The Game in San Francisco. With over 20 years in the industry, Dibley helped launch 95.7 The Game in 2011, serving as part of the original morning show team until 2014. He returned to the station in 2015 and has also served as an air talent for the station's midday and afternoon drives.

"Dan brings a unique style full of knowledge and humor to 95.7 The Game," said Entercom San Francisco Senior VP/Market Manager Gregory Nemitz. "He plays an important role on our morning team and we are excited to keep him around for years to come."

"I'm thrilled to continue my career with the radio station that I have been a part of since we launched in 2011," added Dibley. "It has been a true joy and an honor to talk to Bay Area sports fans daily on this rising powerhouse of a sports station."

Dibley has also won an Emmy Award in 2013 for his work as play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports Bay Area.

Saudi Arabia Admits Journalist Is Dead

Screenshot of The Washington Post website Saturday
The Saudi government acknowledged early Saturday that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, saying he died during a fistfight, but the new account may do little to ease international demands for the kingdom to be held accountable. reports The Washington Post.

The announcement, which came in a tweet from the Saudi Foreign Ministry, said that an initial investigation by the government’s general prosecutor found that the Saudi journalist had been in discussions with people inside the consulate when a quarrel broke out and escalated to a fatal fistfight.

The Saudi government said it fired five top officials and arrested 18 other Saudis as a result of the initial investigation. Those fired included Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri.

Jamal Khashoggi
The announcement marks the first time that Saudi officials have acknowledged that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate. Ever since he disappeared on Oct. 2 while visiting the mission, Saudi officials have repeatedly said that he left the consulate alive and that they had no information on his whereabouts or fate. He had gone to the consulate to obtain a document he needed for his upcoming marriage.

The Saudi statement comes as the kingdom is facing unprecedented political and economic pressure to disclose what happened to Khashoggi, a critic of the government and a contributing columnist to The Washington Post. But it is unclear whether the Saudi explanation — which clashes with details provided by Turkish investigators and makes no mention of the crown prince — will be enough to satisfy foreign leaders, global business executives and U.S. lawmakers pressing for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

The government said that Khashoggi got into a fight with the people he met at the consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on Oct. 2. The kingdom alleged that Khashoggi died in that clash.

That explanation counters multiple reports of how Khashoggi died. Turkish officials told The New York Times that it has audio evidence which proves Khashoggi was tortured, killed and subsequently dismembered by a hit team of Saudi agents.

It also contradicts the Saudi government’s earlier account of events. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously told Bloomberg that the dissident journalist left the consulate shortly after he arrived.

CIA officials have listened to an audio recording that Turkish officials say proves the journalist was killed and dismembered by the Saudi team, according to people familiar with the matter. If verified, the recording would make it difficult for the White House to accept the Saudi version that Khashoggi’s death was effectively an accident. ​

Nor has Khashoggi’s body been recovered, and the Saudi statement did not address what happened to it.

Spicer, Pavlich Launch Election Special Podcast

Entercom has announced a partnership with former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and political commentator Katie Pavlich. As part of the agreement, RADIO.COM, the exclusive digital home for all Entercom content across the company’s robust portfolio of 235 radio stations, will launch “Everything’s Going to be All Right” on October 22.

The 12-episode weekly podcast is a continuation of the pilot episodes launched by Spicer and Pavlich in June 2018. The midterm season of the podcast will feature Spicer and Pavlich discussing the latest political news and issues surrounding the country as Americans prepare to head to the polls in November.

“We are excited to welcome Sean and Katie back to RADIO.COM and hear their informative take on current events,” said Pam Russo, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Entercom. “Their intimate knowledge of today’s political landscape and expertise will provide listeners with a timely and diverse perspective.”

“The stakes for the upcoming midterm elections could not be higher,” said Spicer. “I’m excited that Katie and I will be able to break down the lead up and outcome of them. Beyond the election itself, each week in Washington has brought new issues that have turned politics into pop culture and we will talk about it all.”

“I look forward to covering the pivotal 2018 midterm elections with Sean and bringing a dynamic perspective to a new audience,” said Pavlich.

“Everything’s Going to be All Right” will be produced by Entercom Program Director Joe Zarbano.

ESPN Plans Extensive MLB-WS Coverage


ESPN today announced its extensive coverage plans for the Major League Baseball World Series presented by YouTube TV beginning with Game 1 on Tuesday, October 23. The American League will be represented by the Boston Red Sox, who will take on either the Milwaukee Brewers or Los Angeles Dodgers from the National League. Visit ESPN.com for current National League Championship Series news and information.

 The duo of play-by-play voice Dan Shulman and analyst Chris Singleton will call every pitch of the fall classic on ESPN Radio with on-field reports from Buster Olney. Marc Kestecher will lead into each broadcast with 60-minutes of pre-game coverage with reports from Tim Kurkjian and Olney beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

ESPN Deportes Radio

Eduardo Ortega will have the call on ESPN Deportes Radio with analysts Orlando “El Duque” Hernández, Renato Bermudez and José Francisco Rivera. Each ESPN Deportes Radio broadcast will also include a 30-minute pre-game show hosted by the game commentator team.

Baseball Tonight & SportsCenter

 ESPN’s signature MLB studio show, Baseball Tonight presented by Chevrolet will be on site at the World Series with a 60-minute show at 5 p.m. and a 30-minute show at 7 p.m. for most games. Veteran host Karl Ravech and a team of MLB experts including Eduardo Pérez, David Ross and Mark Teixeira will break down the key storylines and talk with players and managers before each game on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS.

SportsCenter at 6 p.m. will also be from site for Games 1-3 with host Sage Steele. SportsCenter will have live on-site updates and analysis for the remaining games. Following each game, SportsCenter will provide instant reaction, highlights and post-game interviews.

ESPN Sunday Night Baseball’s Jessica Mendoza will appear on Get Up! and SportsCenter throughout the World Series to provide analysis. Also, 2013 World Series Champion manager with the Red Sox and current ESPN MLB analyst John Farrell and reporter Pedro Gomez will also contribute to SportsCenter coverage throughout the World Series.

ESPN.com will have a team of writers on site including David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle and others who will be covering all the developing stories throughout the series with live updates and in-depth features.

All MLB content on ESPN Radio and ESPN’s television networks is also available streaming on the ESPN App.

Big Ten, SiriusXM Launching B10 Channel


SiriusXM, the Big Ten Network (BTN), and the Big Ten Conference have announced that they will launch SiriusXM Big Ten Radio, a new and exclusive 24/7 audio channel dedicated to Big Ten sports that will deliver fans and alumni across the country in-depth access to Big Ten-focused sports talk and news, plus an extensive schedule of Big Ten games.

SiriusXM Big Ten Radio will launch on October 22 and will be available exclusively to SiriusXM subscribers via the SiriusXM app, on connected devices including smart TVs, Amazon Alexa devices, Sony PlayStation, and Roku, on the streaming web player at SiriusXM.com, and on select SiriusXM radios (channel 372).  SiriusXM Big Ten Radio will feature live play-by-play broadcasts from several Big Ten men's and women's sports including football, basketball, baseball, softball and more.

The new channel's programming will feature exclusive new shows hosted by former Big Ten athletes, journalists and conference insiders, as well as simulcasts of BTN programming.  The daily schedule will include Big Ten This Morning (weekdays, 7:00-10:00 am ET) and the afternoon drive show, Big Ten Today (weekdays, 3:00-6:00 pm ET).

Hosts on the channel will include former Ohio State star LB and 2005 Lombardi Award winner A.J. Hawk; former Illinois All-America offensive lineman Brad Hopkins; former Iowa defensive lineman Anthony Herron; former Penn State basketball player Jon Crispin; former Ohio State tight end Ben Hartsock; as well as Jason Goff, Tom Luginbill, Pete Pistone and Matt Schick.

SiriusXM offers an unparalleled lineup of college sports programming.  Subscribers get access to dozens of live college football and basketball games from multiple conferences every week, plus several college sports-focused channels featuring many former coaches, players and insiders as hosts. SiriusXM's lineup includes the all-college sports channel, ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM, plus 24/7 channels focused on the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC conferences.

SiriusXM To Launch Big 12 Channel


The Big 12 Conference and SiriusXM have announced that they will launch SiriusXM Big 12 Radio, a new and exclusive 24/7 audio channel dedicated to Big 12 sports that will deliver fans and alumni across the country in-depth access to Big 12-focused sports talk and news, plus an extensive schedule of Big 12 games.

SiriusXM Big 12 Radio will launch on October 22 and will be available exclusively to SiriusXM subscribers via the SiriusXM app, on connected devices including smart TVs, Amazon Alexa devices, Sony PlayStation, Roku and more, and on select SiriusXM radios (channel 375).  SiriusXM Big 12 Radio will feature live play-by-play broadcasts from several Big 12 men's and women's sports including football, basketball, baseball, softball and more.

The new channel's programming will feature exclusive new shows hosted by former Big 12 athletes as well as journalists and conference insiders.  The daily schedule will include Big 12 This Morning (weekdays, 8:00-11:00am ET/7:00-10:00 am CT) and the afternoon drive show, Big 12 Today (weekdays, 4:00-7:00 pm ET/3:00-6:00 pm CT).

Hosts on the channel will include former Iowa State standout QB Dave Archer; former Oklahoma defensive lineman and 1985 Lombardi Award winner Tony Casillas; former Oklahoma offensive lineman Gabe Ikard; as well as Holly Rowe, Fran Fraschilla, Tom Luginbill, George Schroeder, Matt Schick and Ari Temkin.

"We are very pleased to be adding SiriusXM Big 12 Radio to our lineup and taking another step in enhancing our college sports coverage," said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM's President and Chief Content Officer.  "Passionate Big 12 fans are spread out across the country and we are looking forward to reaching these fans wherever they live, and giving them the ability to stay connected to their favorite conference and teams, with the games and the in-depth daily news and analysis they want, both on their SiriusXM radios and on the SiriusXM app."

Media Score Providing Online Listener Research

Envision Networks has announced it is now offering Media Score, an established research tool that allows radio stations to easily conduct quality, detailed listener research online. Long gone are the days of expensive telephone research and auditorium tests; Media Score offers the same valuable data for the 21st century with real-time results at a fraction of the price.

“Only listeners of a radio station can produce ratings,” said Media Score creator Mike Dorn.

“And only those listeners know what they like and don’t like when it comes to the stations’ songs, personalities, newscasts, ads, imaging and whatever else drives them. Over time winning radio stations are driven by local feedback. There is a reason we have a 16-year history with clients in eleven countries on three continents. Those stations ask their listeners what they think.”

With 40 years in radio and 28 years doing research, Mike understands the value of getting quality listener feedback.

Media Score already reaches stations across the country so lock it in for your stations now. Visit envisionnetworks.com, or call 216.831.3761.

DC Radio: Financial Host Guilty In Ponzi Scheme

Dawn Bennett
A Maryland woman was convicted of several counts of fraud connected to a Ponzi scheme in which the government says she scammed $20 million from victims by telling them they were investing in her luxury sportswear business but instead used the cash to support her luxurious lifestyle.

According to The Washington Post, a federal jury deliberated for less than five hours before convicting Dawn Bennett this week after a two-week trial in U.S. District Court in Maryland.

Bennett, 56, of Chevy Chase, Md., was found guilty of 17 counts including conspiracy, lying on a loan application and several charges of bank, wire, and securities fraud. Investigators alleged she turned to voodoo — filling her freezer with jars labeled with the initials of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawyers and spells involving beef tongue — in hopes of thwarting the probe of her financial dealings. Prosecutors also said she used victims’ money to pay to have priests in India perform religious ceremonies that would ward off investigators.

Bennett was a licensed financial adviser and hosted a weekly syndicated radio talk show in the Washington area. When she launched DJBennett.com, she began approaching clients from her brokerage business to invest in the sportswear company. She promised them a 15 percent return on what victims understood to be a loan, prosecutors said, and said that if they needed the money returned at any point, she would repay them immediately.

According to the charges, Bennett used promissory notes to raise more than $20 million from at least 46 investors in her company, DJBennett.com, authorities said. Investors ranged from personal friends to listeners of her radio program, which was heard in the DC area as brokered programming on Cumulus Media talk WMAL-AM/FM (630/105.9) before moving to Salem Media Group’s WWRC.

In court, prosecutors said Bennett spent victims’ money on expensive beauty treatments, her two penthouses, a $500,000 box suite at AT&T Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and to have priests in India to perform religious ceremonies to ward off federal investigators.

Corus Reports 2 Percent Q4 Radio Profit Increase

Corus Entertainment Inc.’s quarterly profit beat analyst estimates on Friday, as the Canadian media company kept a tight leash on expenses and declines in its struggling television business slowed, according to Reuters.

Traditional media companies such as Corus have been boosting their offerings to attract new customers as they shy away from expensive TV bundles for cheaper online streaming services like Netflix Inc, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

Netflix planned to invest more than US$8-billion in entertainment programming this year to lure new customers around the world.

Corus will be ramping up its advertising technology and investments in acquiring content for its television business, Chief Executive Officer Doug Murphy said on a post-earnings call with analysts on Friday,

The Toronto-based company’s shares, which fell more than 60 per cent this year, were up 8.5 per cent at $4.92 in early trading.



Total costs related to acquisitions and restructuring fell 42 per cent to $7.7-million in the fourth quarter.

Radio
  • Pevenues decreased 2% in Q4 2018 and 1% for the year
  • Profit increased 2% in Q4 2018 and for the year
  • Profit margin of 25% in Q4 2018 and 27% for the year, compared to 24% and 26%, respectively, in the prior year comparable periods
Corus’s television business, which houses brands such as HistoryGo and Global News, fell marginally to $344.6- million. The business reported a fall of 4.6 per cent in the third quarter.

Advertising revenue for the television business fell 4 per cent to $219 million, Corus said.

October 20 Radio History


➦In 1906...Dr. Lee DeForest demonstrated the electrical vaccuum radio tube.


DeForest disliked the term "wireless" and chose a new moniker, "radio."

In 1902 he and his financial backers founded the De Forest Wireless Telegraph Company. In order to dramatize the potential of this new medium of communication, he began, as early as 1902, to give public demonstrations of wireless telegraphy for businessmen, the press, and the military.



A poor businessman and a poorer judge of men, de Forest was defrauded twice by his own business partners. By 1906 his first company was insolvent, and he had been squeezed out of its operation. But in 1907 he patented a much more promising detector (developed in 1906), which he called the Audion; it was capable of more sensitive reception of wireless signals than were the electrolytic and Carborundum types then in use. It was a thermionic grid-triode vacuum tube—a three-element electronic “valve” similar to a two-element device patented by the Englishman Sir John Ambrose Fleming in 1905. In 1907 de Forest was able to broadcast experimentally both speech and music to the general public in the New York City area.

De Forest is credited with the birth of public radio broadcasting when on January 12, 1910, he conducted experimental broadcast of part of the live performance of Tosca and, the next day, a performance with the participation of Italian tenor Enrico Caruso from the stage of Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Arlene Francis
➦In 1908...Arlene Francis was born in Boston, Massachusetts.  Francis became a well-known New York City radio personality, hosting several programs. In 1938 she became the female host of the radio game show What's My Name?; although several men appeared as co-hosts over the years, Francis was the sole female host throughout the program's long run (on ABC, NBC and Mutual networks) until it ended in 1949.

In 1940, Francis played Betty in Betty and Bob, an early radio soap opera broadcast.

In 1943, she began as host of a network radio game show, Blind Date, which she hosted also on ABC and NBC television from 1949–52. She was a regular contributor to NBC Radio's Monitor in the 1950s and 1960s, and hosted a long-running midday chat show on WOR-AM that ran from 1960 to 1984.

Francis was a panelist on the weekly game show What's My Line? from its second episode on CBS in 1950 until its network cancellation in 1967, and in its daily syndicated version from 1968–75.


➦In 1930...the "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" premiered on the NBC Radio Network.




➦In 1945...the quiz show Break the Bank debuted on Mutual radio.  With contestants routinely winning as much as $3,000, It became known as the “highest paying quiz program in the world.”

➦In 1947...the radio rights to the World Series were sold to Mutual for three years for $475,000.

➦In 1969...WCBS 101.1 FM switched to live deejays when it launched a freeform rock format, which was becoming increasingly popular, and all other CBS-owned FM stations followed suit.


For the first time, WCBS-FM would have an airstaff. Bill Brown began his long tenure with the station, and Don K. Reed began his late in 1971; both remained there until 2005. Radio personalities such as Bobby "Wizzard" Wayne, Tom Tyler, Ed Williams, Steve Clark, Roby Yonge, K.O. Bayley (Bob Elliott from WOR-FM), Les Turpin, Bob "Bob-A-Lew" Lewis also briefly joined the WCBS-FM "freeform" format. Besides Bill Brown and Don K. Reed, Wizzard Wayne and Ed Williams also stayed into the early part of the oldies format.

Here's a pre-Oldies aircheck of PD Gus Gossert on WCBS-FM (courtesy of nyradioarchive.com)

➦In 1973...the Family Station Inc. purchased shortwave station WNYW, changed the call letters to WYFR & moved it from New York City to Scituate, Massachusetts.

Assocated Press photo
➦In 1977...Guitarist Steve Gaines, lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt, and backup singer Cassie Gaines of Lynyrd Skynyrd are all killed when the band's small Convair plane runs out of fuel and does down en route from Greenville, SC, to their next gig in Baton Rouge, LA. Crash landing in a forest near Gillsburg, MS, the accident also takes the lives of the band's assistant road manager as well as the two pilots, not to mention severely injuring the rest of the band and most of the other two dozen passengers. The remaining members would not reunite for another decade.

At the time of the 1977 plane crash, Lynyrd Skynyrd was at the height of its fame, having just released its sixth album, “Street Survivors,” only three days earlier. The original album cover featured a picture of the band surrounded by flames; it was changed shortly after the accident.

➦In 1984...The Hot 100...Stevie Wonder remained at the top with his eighth #1 song--"I Just Called To Say I Love You".  Billy Ocean closed with "Caribbean Queen" and Chicago was up to #3 with "Hard Habit To Break".

The rest of the Top 10:  Madonna edged up with "Lucky Star", the Cars slipped into reverse with "Drive", the new one from Bruce Springsteen ("Cover Me") was up to #7, John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band got their first taste of the Top 10 with "On The Dark Side", Prince shot up from 18 to 9 with "Purple Rain" and the Pointer Sisters were feeling good about their new hit "I'm So Excited".

➦In 1984...Prince reigned for the 12th week on the Album chart with Purple Rain.  Born in the U.S.A. from Bruce Springsteen was second, followed by Private Dancer from Tina Turner, Sports from Huey Lewis & the News and Heartbeat City by the Cars.  It was the ninth consecutive week that those five releases held down the Top 5 albums, believed to be the only time in the Rock Era that the feat has occurred.

➦In 2015...singer Cory Wells, a co-founder and longtime member of the rock group ‘Three Dog Night,’ died of an infection while battling cancer at age 74.

Friday, October 19, 2018

Cleveland Radio: Steve Wazz Joins WGAR For Mornings

iHeartMedia’s New country WGAR 99.5 FM has announced the new LeeAnn and Wazz Show, set to debut Monday, October 22. LeeAnn and Wazz will broadcast weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. EST.

Sommers and Waz
Steve Wazz, who will simply go by Wazz on the air, is a Cleveland native originally from Parma. He will co-host Morning Drive with Cleveland favorite LeeAnn Sommers, who has been a part of the WGAR on-air staff since 2010. The new morning show will focus on Country music, its stars, the community lifestyle and live events that make Cleveland a favorite tour stop for Country performers.

“Bringing Wazz back home to Cleveland is an important step for WGAR as we develop a fresh new morning show for Clevelanders by Clevelanders,” said Keith Hotchkiss, President of iHeartMedia’s North Ohio Region. “We are thrilled to pair Wazz with LeeAnn Sommers who is already a fan favorite on WGAR. Wazz is not only an engaging on-air talent, but he also possesses incredible talents off-air and in the social space.”

“It’s great to be home,” said Wazz. “It’s crazy, my parents still live in the same house I grew up in, and to think I would have the opportunity to work at WGAR, is incredible. I love Cleveland, I love Cleveland sports and I love everything this city stands for. The goal of this amazing radio journey was to eventually get back home and do radio in my home town. I could not be more excited.”

WGAR 99.5 FM (50 Kw) Red=54dBu Coverage Area
Wazz left Cleveland in 2003 to start his radio career and has developed a track record for success at huge stations in Des Moines, Minneapolis and most recently Raleigh, NC where he was the Assistant Program Director and top ranked afternoon personality for G105. Wazz is also part of the iHeartCountry team and can be heard doing afternoons on various stations across the country. In addition to his new co-host role, he will also serve as the Assistant Program Director at WGAR.

Sommers went country in October of 2010 when she joined WGAR. Her Cleveland radio resume includes stints on WZJM, WENZ, 96.5 KISS FM, and WMVX. Sommers also spent five years in Denver, Colorado working on-air in middays and afternoon drive for KIMN, KWLI, and KXKL. Her television credits include entertainment reporter at WEWS and WJW, both in Cleveland.

Milwaukee Radio: Borna Velic Promoted To PD At WHQG


Veteran Music Director and longtime air personality Borna Velic takes over the programming reins of WHQG 102.9 The Hog Milwaukee filling the vacated seat of Joe Calgaro.

Borna has spent his career in the Midwest working in rock radio, leaving Appleton in 2013 to join The Hog. In addition to programming The Hog, Borna will continue as host of the afternoon show with sidekicks Joe and  Mitch.

General Manager Annmarie Topel stated, “Borna has been a major contributor since he joined us and an integral part of The Hog’s success. He has great music intuition and knowledge of the format, coupled with a solid analytical ability that is essential in programming. It doesn’t hurt that the staff likes and respects him.”

WHQG 102.9 FM (50 Kw) Red=54 dBu Coverage Area
Saga Communications Vice President of Programming Bob Lawrence commented, “Borna was not only the most logical choice but far and away the best choice. He has proven to be an extremely strong, creative force at The Hog, and I’m just so pleased that we could pass him the baton.”

Velic shared, “I am beyond thrilled to work with the incredibly talented team already in place at The Hog. It has been a tremendous experience working alongside former PD, Joe Calgaro. I want to thank Ed Christian, Annmarie Topel and Bob Lawrence for giving me the opportunity to build upon The Hog’s success.”

Philly Radio: Stations Say Local Is Thriving


Philadelphia area radio stations gathered together to host local businesses including advertising agencies, marketers, business owners and media executives on October 17 for Radio. It’s On In Philadelphia – an event exclusively focused on radio’s attributes and how it can successfully drive revenue for Philadelphia’s business owners. The event was produced by the RAB, in partnership with local radio broadcasters --Beasley Media Group, Entercom Communications, iHeartMedia, Radio One, and sponsored by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters.

Local advertisers, business owners, agencies and media professionals participated in an insightful, content-infused networking seminar focusing on Philadelphia’s thriving local radio broadcasting community that featured leading experts in media, advertising creative, marketing and Philadelphia’s radio personalities.

Featured speakers included: Brad Kelly, managing director, Nielsen Audio; Erica Farber, president & CEO, Radio Advertising Bureau; Matt O’Grady, president & CEO, Nielsen Catalina Solutions; and Chris Smith, creative group head, The Richards Group.

To conclude the event, Philadelphia’s top on air-talent sat down with Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters’ President Joe Conti to discuss the personal connections and relationships they form with listeners across the local community every day. The on-air talent included: Michael Bennett, WTDY; John Debella, 102.9 MGK; Cherri Gregg, KYW NewsRadio; Quincy Harris Morning Show with K.Foxx, WRNB; Patty Jackson, WDAS; Frank Lario, XTU Morning Crew; Amber Miller, 104.5 and Pierre Robert, WMMR.

“This was a great opportunity for local business owners, advertising agencies, and marketers to gain insight that will work towards driving their business forward,” noted Erica Farber. “By bringing together the local Philadelphia market, we were able to spread the word to local business owners and advertising agencies regarding radio’s uncanny ability to connect with the local community unlike any other medium.”

Atlanta Radio: Officer Resigns After Tasing WHTA Personality

Ori Montague
Radio personality Ori Montague says an Atlanta police officer used a Taser on her during a traffic stop this week, reports FOX5-TV.

Qri Montague, who works for WHTA Hot107.9, says she did nothing to warrant that response. The confrontation followed Montague’s repeated request to know why the officer had placed her in handcuffs.

Officer Lemuel Gardner told her she was driving recklessly and could be taken to jail, according to Montague. The 22-year-old woman again asked why she had been handcuffed.

The officer ordered her to sit on the ground. She refused, explaining she had a white jumpsuit on.

The next move by Montague inadvertently escalated the situation. She says she realized she had on apparel from her employer. Montague walked away from the officer to try and take off a company jersey so that it would not be photographed as part of a jail mugshot.

Montague says the officer became angry, yelled at her, and drew his Taser. She says he pressed it against her leg – what is called a “drive-stun” – and fired, leaving prong marks on her leg.

In the end, the officer did not take the radio personality to jail. He gave her traffic citations instead.

The Atlanta Police Department placed him on desk duty pending an internal investigation, but Gardner walked into the APD Office of Professional Standards and handed in his resignation.

NYC Radio: iHM's Names Andrew Festo As Event Director

iHeartMedia/New York has  announced that Andrew Festo has been named Event Director.

As Event Director, Festo will be responsible for overseeing all events and work with the team in the cluster to create new partnerships and ideas to take activations to the next level. He will report to Joe DeAngelis, Director of Marketing and Promotions for iHeartMedia New York.

Andrew Festo
“It’s been a pleasure to watch Andrew grow within our cluster. He’s such a valued  member of our team and really helps create amazing moments for our listeners that can’t be found elsewhere,” said Thea Mitchem, EVP/Programming, iHeartMedia Northeast Division. “We’re thrilled to promote Andrew into this new position and we look forward to seeing him take on even more within his new role.”

Festo has spent his entire professional career with iHeartMedia New York starting as a Promotions Assistant with WKTU-FM and was most recently Promotions Coordinator for the cluster.

“I’ve been privileged to be a part of the evolution of iHeartMedia New York’s events and experiences. It has been fulfilling both personally and professionally,” said Festo. “I’m looking forward to working with our team to create even more great memories for all music lovers within the New York area.”

President Presumes WaPo Journalist Is Dead

Jamal Khashoggi
President Donald Trump said on Thursday he presumes missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead and that the U.S. response to Saudi Arabia will likely be “very severe” but that he still wanted to get to the bottom of what exactly happened.

Turkish police are searching a forest on the outskirts of Istanbul and a city near the Sea of Marmara for the remains of Khashoggi more than two weeks after he vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, two senior Turkish officials told Reuters.

Trump, who has forged closer ties with Saudi Arabia and the 33-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, acknowledged for the first time on Thursday that Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, had likely been killed.

“It certainly looks that way to me. It’s very sad,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One on a political trip. In an interview with the New York Times on Thursday, Trump based his acknowledgment that Khashoggi was dead on intelligence reports.

Turkish officials have said they believe Khashoggi was murdered at the consulate and his body chopped up and removed. Riyadh strongly denies the allegations and said it is investigating the disappearance of the journalist, who was critical of Saudi rulers, calling for reforms.

Trump spoke hours after receiving an update from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the results of Pompeo’s emergency talks in Saudi Arabia and Turkey this week.

In the New York Times interview, Trump also expressed confidence in intelligence reports that suggest a high-level Saudi role in the suspected killing of Khashoggi. Trump said, however, it was still “a little bit early” to draw definitive conclusions about who may have been behind it.

Asked what would be the consequences for Saudi Arabia, Trump said: “Well, it’ll have to be very severe. I mean, it’s bad, bad stuff. But we’ll see what happens.”

The United States considers Riyadh a linchpin in efforts to contain Iran’s regional influence and a key global oil source, and Trump has shown no inclination to mete out harsh punishment to the Saudis. The United States and other Western nations are in a dilemma of how to respond because of lucrative business ties, including weapons sales to Riyadh.

Trump Praises Montana Congressman Who Body-Slammed Reporter

Greg Gianforte with President Trump
President Donald Trump on Thursday heaped praise on a U.S. congressman from Montana who body-slammed a reporter during a campaign for a special election in 2017, reports Reuters.

Trump, who has called the media the enemy of the American people and regularly derides journalists as “fake news,” made his latest remarks during a campaign rally in Montana.

Representative Greg Gianforte, who made brief remarks at the rally with Trump, was ordered to perform community service as part of his sentence for attacking Ben Jacobs, a correspondent for Britain’s Guardian newspaper, on May 24, 2017, the day before a special election to fill Montana’s sole congressional seat.



“Any guy that can do a body-slam ... is my guy,” Trump told supporters at the rally, adding that he was concerned at first that the incident would jeopardize Gianforte’s campaign.

Bill Cunningham Compares Khashoggi Coverage To Benghazi

Bill Cunningham
While filling in for nationally syndicated talk host Mark Levin Wednesday, Bill Cunningham, host of “The Bill Cunningham Show,” on WLW 700 AM Cinccinnati contrasted what he called “over-the-top media coverage” of the alleged murder of Saudi Arabian dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi with the “lack of media curiosity” with the 2012 Benghazi attack on America’s consulate leading to the death of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador  to Libya Chris Stevens.

“Compare the over-the-top media coverage of Jamal Khashoggi’s death in Turkey, compared to the lack of media curiosity with the four Americans – not Saudis, but Americans – murdered on September the 11th – now, there’s a clue, Sherlock – 2012,” stated Bill Cunningham on “The Mark Levin Show.”

According to CNSNews.com, Bill Cunningham’s comments came in response to the heavy media coverage of Khashoggi’s Oct. 2 death.



“To give you an example of how the mainstream media doesn’t call balls and strikes but takes sides, on September the 11th – now, there’s a date that will live in infamy – 2012, there were certain, in Libya, militants that overwhelmed a U.S. mission and killed four Americans. That is Ambassador Stevens, Christopher Stevens, was murdered, Management Officer Sean Smith, Diplomatic Security Agents Tyrone Woods and Glenn Doherty. Four of them murdered, horribly.

“And those direct, those were, those were not Saudis living in Turkey or trying to get into Turkey and get permission to marry. These were actual, the United States ambassador – the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, who allegedly was a personal friend of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – and these are real American heroes that should never have been there in the first place, and that if they were there, they needed protection and didn’t get it.

“Compare the over-the-top media coverage of Jamal Khashoggi’s death in Turkey, compared to the lack of media curiosity with the four Americans – not Saudis, but Americans – murdered on September the 11th – now, there’s a clue, Sherlock – 2012.

“And now the media completely gave Obama a free pass because the election was only eight weeks away, seven weeks away. So, they couldn’t make it look as if militant Islamists had successfully attacked us on September 11th again, with Obama in the White House. So, they couldn’t use that against Obama. Therefore, they couldn’t use it against Hillary.

SiriusXM, Amazon Partner On Echo Devices


SiriusXM has announced a new marketing agreement with Amazon.com that bundles Amazon's popular line of Echo smart speakers with SiriusXM's streaming service, offering easy access to SiriusXM's acclaimed programming – Howard Stern, hundreds of channels of news, comedy, talk, live sports, and music – at significant savings to consumers, in the home.

The first phase of the collaboration showcases offers that are available to consumers now for a limited time. The offering is the largest initiative to date by SiriusXM – as part of its "Bring Us Home" campaign – to popularize its programming beyond its established base in cars, where it is installed in more than 110 million vehicles on the road today.

"Music and radio have always been central to the Alexa experience and how customers engage with her every single day," said Jeff Kunins, Vice President, Alexa Entertainment at Amazon. "We're excited to work with SiriusXM to offer customers even more ways to discover and listen to the content they love – including news, comedy, live sports, music and more from SiriusXM."

"The products that SiriusXM and Amazon offer, and that consumers love, truly go hand in hand," said Jim Meyer, Chief Executive Officer, SiriusXM. "Amazon is an unquestioned leader in delivering the products people want to their homes, and the extraordinary popularity of their Echo devices, and excitement for its latest Echo Dot, are the latest examples of that. As a leader in audio entertainment, SiriusXM's unparalleled bundle of programming makes listening through those devices more enjoyable. With an Echo device, the SiriusXM streaming service is easier than ever to use in the home. This marks the beginning of a collaboration between our two companies that will empower us both to serve new and existing customers better as we bundle our products and offer exceptional value for their purchase."

Eligible customers who currently own or purchase a new Amazon Echo device through Amazon.com will get their first three months free of SiriusXM programming when they subscribe to a new SiriusXM Premier Streaming or SiriusXM All Access subscription. For important offer details from Amazon, visit: www.amazon.com/sxmoffer.

Additionally, customers who go to SiriusXM.com to subscribe to a new SiriusXM All Access or SiriusXM Premier Streaming subscription – available at special promotional rates – will also receive Amazon's all-new Echo Dot for free, with a minimum six-month service requirement. Existing SiriusXM subscribers who upgrade from a SiriusXM Select to a SiriusXM All Access package will also be eligible for an offer to receive Amazon's all-new Echo Dot, thus unlocking access to SiriusXM's full streaming platform.

Mobile Ads To Surpass All Ad Spending Platforms


By 2020, mobile will make up a greater share of U.S. media ad spending than all traditional channels combined.

That remarkable projection comes from eMarketer, which expects mobile to account for 43% of media ad spending by 2020, reports MediaPost.

“Even the strongholds of TV, such as live sports and news, are starting to move online. People are consuming them on the go through mobile devices,” Martín Utreras, vice president, forecasting, eMarketer, notes in a new report. “Audiences continue to abandon traditional media and ad dollars follow.”


This year, mobile will account for $76.17 billion of domestic media ad spending. That’s easily more than the $69.87 billion going to TV, and far ahead of print’s $18.74 billion, radio’s $14.41 billion, and out-of-home’s $8.08 billion.

By 2022 -- which is the end of eMarketer’s forecasting period -- the research firm expects mobile ad spending to more than double TV spend.

By then, the channel will make up $141.36 billion of US media ad spending, while TV will account for $68.13 billion.

Contrary to conventional wisdom only a short time ago, it’s becoming clear that consumers are happy to watch just about any type of media content on their small screens.

Per Utreras, the major growth of mobile ad spending is largely due to devices’ relatively new video-streaming capabilities. He attributes the increased growth for mobile to Facebook and Google, "still driving double-digit growth. Part of that is driven by digital video growth coming from platforms like YouTube.”

Rush Limbaugh: Dems Don't Want To MAGA


In an exclusive, hour-long interview with Sean Hannity, EIB radio host Rush Limbaugh gave his take on numerous pressing issues facing America -- including the state of the Democratic Party.

Limbaugh said that many in the Democratic Party and the far-left do not want America to retain its status as a world superpower.

"They don't even want to make America great. They resent this whole idea of America becoming great," Limbaugh said.

Limbaugh said he "shudders" when he thinks of what a 'President Hillary Clinton' would have done to America's standing in the world.

"All her cronies [would be] in all the cabinet positions and the validation of all these oddball, weird [and] perverted left wing behaviors [would become] more and more normalized," he said.



He said the left has made America into a country consisting of "nothing but a bunch of victims, constantly angry and demanding that somebody do something about it -- instead of all of us... using self-reliance and our own initiative to handle life ourselves."

Limbaugh added that Democrats have "thrown everything at Trump" that would normally cause a Republican to back down, but that the president's resilience has forced the left to "overplay" their hands.

"They hate him, they despise him," he said. "This is going way over the bounds... of propriety."

Bill O'Reilly Knocks Tucker Carlson From Book Perch

The former Fox News star’s latest installment of his popular Killing series, Killing the SS: The Hunt for the Worst War Criminals in History, has vaulted to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

According to Mediaite, the interesting part of this: The book O’Reilly toppled from No. 1 is Ship of Fools, by Tucker Carlson — the man who replaced O’Reilly in his coveted primetime slot on Fox News, after the anchor was forced out of the network last year amid sexual harassment allegations.

Carlson’s book lasted a week in the top spot, after unseating Bob Woodward‘s massive seller on the Trump White House, Fear.

Killing the SS — co-written with O’Reilly’s regular collaborator Martin Duggard — chronicles the hunt for Nazi war criminals after World War II, and the various ways they were brought to justice, sometimes through death, sometimes capture and trial.

L-A Radio: KXOL Plans CALIBASH Event In January


LaMusica App, Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. and LA’s #1 Party Station, KXOL Mega 96.3FM will once again celebrate the holiday season across the nation with its annual presale for CALIBASH.

The New Year's most iconic music event captures the spirit of the LaMusica app, with performances by some of the year's biggest recording artists. CALIBASH 2019 returns to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on Saturday, January 19th, 2019.

The duo decimal annual-mega concert will celebrate the best in Urban, Hip Hop, Trap, Tropical, Pop and Reggeaton performances. Tickets goes on sale, Friday October 19th at 12:00pm (PST) with presales starting Thursday, October 18th using code: CALIBASH on www.axs.com.

The full artist line-up will be announced soon on Mega 96.3FM and across social media platforms. Make sure to tune in to Mega 96.3FM for more exciting lineup updates.

The CALIBASH Pre-Sale begins on Thursday, October 18 at 10 a.m. local time and runs through Friday, October 19th at 12 a.m. (PST) local time, or while supplies last. Tickets will be available at www.axs.com.

All other tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 19th at 12 p.m. local market time and will be available at www.axs.com.

The "Mega's 96.3FM, CALIBASH Rising Star" talent search will also return for the second year in a row providing emerging artists the chance to perform on the same venue as music's biggest superstars at the 2019 CALIBASH. Starting in early November, Mega’s 96.3FM listeners and LaMusica App's users will once again have their chance to cast their votes for their favorite up-and-coming artists, and by voting, fans will also be entered for a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles for the 2019 CALIBASH.

CALIBASH 2019 will broadcast live on SBS’s, Los Angeles, station Mega 96.3FM, and will also be featured as an exclusive national television broadcast special on MegaTV Network at a later date. The CALIBASH 2019 is produced by Alessandra Alarcon, Vice-President of SBS West Coast.

L-A Radio: KLAX Reveals Date For Dia Nacional de le Banda


LaMusica App, Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. and Los Angeles #1 Regional Mexican heritage station, KLAX 97.9 FM LA RAZA announced Thursday the annual presale for 2019 “Dia Nacional de la Banda” at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 20th, 2019. The annual concert will celebrate the best in Regional Mexican and Cumbia music with performances from top artist’s.

The 2019 “Dia Nacional de la Banda” will broadcast live on SBS’s 97.9FM LA RAZA Regional Mexican radio station in Los Angeles, California.

“This year we have an amazing line up and some surprise collaborations that are yet to be announced,” said Juan Carlos Hidalgo, Vice-president of Programming West Coast. “Come celebrate our culture through music at our annual Dia Nacional de la Banda.”

“Dia Nacional de la Banda” is part of SBS, LaMusica App incredibly successful roster of major concert events, which includes the biggest Regional Mexican concert event in radio history, which features A-listers artists across on one stage; generating Millions on social media impressions.

SBS Los Angeles will launch a promotion in San Francisco, San Jose and Chicago to give thousands of Regional Mexican music fans across the country the opportunity to win trips to Los Angeles to experience the 2019 “Dia Nacional de la Banda”. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 19th, at 12:00p.m. (PST). For more information, visit www.axs.com.