Radio History: July 28

➦In 1941...In Indianapolis, WTLC-AM began operation in 1941 as WISH. In 1947, principal owner C. Bruce McConnell sold WISH to Frank H. McKinney and associates for a "stripped price of approximately $500,000."

The owners of WISH radio also started a television station with the same call letters on Channel 8 in Indianapolis. In late 1963 the radio station, along with is sister FM operation, was sold to STAR Broadcasting (Don W. Burden) who changed the call letters to WIFE and WIFE-FM.

WIFE was the ratings leader during the mid and late sixties, sometime garnering as much of a forty share of the Indianapolis radio audience. The station built this audience for "Lucky 13" by playing Top40 along with heavy and frequent contesting such as, "The 100 Thousand Dollar Dream Home", "The 100 Thousand Dollar Cash and Car Give-A-Way", just to name a few.

The hands-on owner, Don W. Burden, hired some major on-air personalities and developed others, dubbed the "WIFE Good Guys" – Big Jack Armstrong, Roger W. Morgan, Reb Porter, Jay Reynolds (later WABC), Joe Light, Jay Hawkins, Buddy Scott, Jim Fox, T.J. Byers, Scott Wheeler, Mike O'Brien, Dan Summers, Steve Miller.

The 24 hour news department was home of news announcers Lyle Dean (later WLS) , Bob Schuman, Dean Sheppard and Paul Casey. During these years, the station was infamous for a billboard near Indianapolis' Weir Cook Airport (now Indianapolis International Airport) which told passing motorists, "While you're away, we'll be here with your WIFE".

After Burden later ran afoul of the FCC, Star Stations of Indiana was denied its license renewal application for WIFE in 1976. The station was ordered off the air, forcing a sale to new ownership and management. An era of frequent call letter changes (WMLF, WTUX, WTLC) and formats (Music of Your Life, Adult Standards, and Urban Oldies) began in 1984 and continued into the 1990s.

In late 1997, then-owner Panache sold the frequency to Emmis Communications and the new owners settled on Urban Gospel. For a two-year period the majority of programming was syndicated from Sheridan Broadcasting and branded as "The Light".

In January 2001, the station was purchased from Emmis by Radio One.

Dinah Shore

➦In 1974...NBC-TV removed the daily Dinah’s Place from its programming roster. The move brought Dinah Shore’s 23-year association with the Peacock Network to a close.

Born Frances Rose Shore (February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, radio/television personality, and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1940s. She reached the height of her popularity as a recording artist during the Big Band era of the 1940s and 1950s, but achieved even greater success a decade later, in television, mainly as hostess of a series of variety programs for Chevrolet.

She had a string of 80 charted popular hits, spanning the years 1940 to 1957, and after appearing in a handful of feature films went on to a four-decade career in American television, starring in her own music and variety shows from 1951 through 1963 and hosting two talk shows in the 1970s. TV Guide magazine ranked her at #16 on their list of the top fifty television stars of all time. Stylistically, Shore was compared to two singers who followed her in the mid-to-late 1940s and early 1950s, Doris Day and Patti Page.

1947

Shore made her radio debut on Nashville's WSM-AM radio station. Shore decided to return to pursuing her career in singing, moving to New York City to audition for orchestras and radio stations. In many of her auditions, she sang the popular song "Dinah." When disc jockey Martin Block could not remember her name, he called her the "Dinah girl," and soon after the name stuck, becoming her stage name.  Shore eventually was hired as a vocalist at radio station WNEW, where she sang with Frank Sinatra. She recorded and performed with the Xavier Cugat orchestra, and signed a recording contract with RCA Victor Records in 1940.

In March 1939, Shore debuted on national radio on the Sunday afternoon CBS radio program, Ben Bernie's Orchestra. In February 1940, she became a featured vocalist on the NBC Radio program The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street, a showcase for traditional Dixieland and Blues songs.

Shore soon became a successful singing star with her own radio show in 1943, Call to Music. She continued appearing in radio shows throughout the 1940s, including Birds Eye-Open House and Ford Radio Show. In early 1946, she moved to another label, Columbia Records.

➦In 1982...Dan Seymour died (Born - June 28, 1914). He was an announcer in the era of old-time radio and in the early years of television and later became an advertising executive

Dan Seymour

Seymour was once recognized as "Radio's best announcer." An obituary noted, "Seymour was best known as the deep-voiced announcer who startled Americans with a convincing but fictional account of Martians landing on Earth in the War of the Worlds broadcast in 1938."

His first job in radio—announcing came in 1935 at WNAC in Boston, Massachusetts, after his college graduation. While at the station, he was also an announcer for the Yankee Network. In 1936, he resigned and joined CBS in New York City. His first major assignment there was announcing for Major Bowes Amateur Hour.

A significant assignment early in his career was becoming the announcer on We the People, a job that led to a position with the program's advertising agency, Young and Rubicam.

Other programs on which Seymour worked as announcer were The Henry Morgan Show, The Aldrich Family, Songs by Jack Smith, Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories, Sing It Again, Bobby Benson, and Original Gillette Community Sing.

Seymour was one of the producers of You and the News.

Bob Hope

➦In 2003...singer-actor-comedian Bob Hope died of pneumonia at his home in Toluca Lake, California at the age of 100.

His career in broadcasting began on radio in 1934. His first regular series for NBC Radio was the Woodbury Soap Hour in 1937, a 26-week contract. A year later, 'The Pepsodent Show Starring Bob Hope' began, and Hope signed a ten-year contract with the show's sponsor, Lever Brothers. Hope hired eight writers and paid them out of his salary of $2,500 a week. The original staff included Mel Shavelson, Norman Panama, Jack Rose, Sherwood Schwartz, and Schwartz's brother Al. The writing staff eventually grew to fifteen.

The show became the top radio program in the country. Regulars on the series included Jerry Colonna and Barbara Jo Allen as spinster Vera Vague. Hope continued his lucrative career in radio through to the 1950s, when radio's popularity was overshadowed by television.

In the early days, Hope's career included appearances on stage in vaudeville shows and Broadway productions. He began performing on the radio in 1934 mostly with NBC radio, and switched to television when that medium became popular in the 1950s. He began doing regular TV specials in 1954, and hosted the Academy Awards nineteen times from 1939 through 1977.[21] Overlapping with this was his movie career, spanning 1934 to 1972, and his USO tours, which he conducted from 1941 to 1991.

➦In 2013…Dallas-based radio personality David "Kidd" Kraddick died at age 53 of a brain aneurysm while hosting his Kidd's Kids charity golf event.

Kidd Kraddick

Kraddick received the nickname "Kidd" from a radio producer and used the name on-air from 1978 until his death. He won the Billboard Magazine “Air Personality of the Year” Award three times, received the 1992 and 1997 AWRO "Air Personality of the Year," the Marconi Award for "Radio Personality of the Year", won the first annual 1999 WB Radio Music Award as the "Best Radio Personality in the Country", and also the 2001 "Radio and Records CHR/Pop Personality/Show of the Year."

He moved from Tampa to Dallas in 1984 and took over the night shift on the newly formatted Top40 station KEGL (The Eagle) and established a following. In 1990, Kraddick was named to the Ten Outstanding Young Americans list by the United States Junior Chamber. KEGL changed formats from Top 40 pop/rock to Modern Rock in 1992 and Kraddick was released from his contract.

After eight months off the air, he was hired to a morning position at Top40 KHKS 106.1 Kiss-FM in Dallas-Fort Worth.  He won a 1998 Marconi Award for Major Market Radio Personality of the Year while he was with KHKS and the next year he won Air Personality of the Year at the Radio Music Awards. He began to syndicate the show in 2001 and moved the production to an independent studio in Las Colinas.  He became a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

In the early 1990s, Kraddick launched two radio oriented businesses. A monthly publication for morning personalities called "The Morning Mouth" and a show prep "sharing service" for air personalities called "BitBoard".  Kraddick subsequently sold both entities; BitBoard is now operated by iHeartMedia and The Morning Mouth is owned and operated by Don Anthony's Talentmasters in Atlanta, Georgia.

➦In 2013...Herb Kaplow, for 45 years a Washington correspondent for ABC and NBC who brought an authoritative voice to his wide-ranging reporting, suffered a fatal stroke at age 86.

➦In 2016...Radio talk show host and TV actor Jerry Doyle, best remembered as security officer Michael Garibaldi in the futuristic 90’s series Babylon 5, died of complications from chronic alcoholism, less than 2 weeks after his 60th birthday.  When TV assignments dried up Doyle became a syndicated radio talk host.

Scott Pelley is 67

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Cartoonist Jim Davis (“Garfield”) is 79. 
• Actor Linda Kelsey (“Lou Grant”) is 78. 
• Singer Jonathan Edwards is 78. 
• Actor Sally Struthers is 77. 
• Drummer Simon Kirke of Bad Company is 75. 
• Guitarist Steve Morse of Deep Purple is 70. 
• CBS News anchor Scott Pelley is 67. 
• Bassist Marc Perlman of The Jayhawks is 63. 
• Actor Michael Hayden (“Murder One”) is 61. 
• Actor Lori Loughlin (“90210,” ″Full House”) is 60. 
• Jazz trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis is 59. 
• Actor Elizabeth Berkley (“Showgirls,” ″Saved by the Bell”) is 52. 
• Singer Afroman is 50. 
• Drummer Todd Anderson of Heartland is 49. 
• Singer Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach is 48. 
• Actor John David Washington (“BlacKkKlansman”) is 40. 
• Actor Jon Michael Hill (“Elementary”) is 39. 
• Actor Dustin Milligan (“90210”) is 39. 
• Rapper Soulja Boy is 34.

✞REMEMBRANCES

• In 1750..Johann Sebastian Bach, German composer (St. Matthew's Passion; Brandenburg Concertos; Toccata and Fugue), dies at 65
• In 1969..Frank Loesser, American songwriter and composer (Guys And Dolls; "Baby, It's Cold Outside"; The Most Happy Fella), dies at 59
• In 2003..Bob Hope, English-born American actor, comedian and entertainer, dies at 100
• In 2013..William Scranton, American Republican Party politician and diplomat, dies from a cerebral hemorrhage at 96
• In 2020..Bent Fabric [Fabricius-Bjerre], Danish pianist and composer (Alley Cat), dies at 95
• In 2021..2021 Ron Popeil, American inventor and TV personality who popularized the phrase "But wait, there's more!", dies at 86

Wyoming Plane Crash Claims 3 Members of Gospel Group The Nelons

Three members of The Nelons, a Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame quartet, were among seven people killed in a plane crash in Wyoming, according to CBS News citing a statement by a group member who was not aboard the aircraft.

The Nelons co-founder, Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, and their daughter, Amber Nelon Kistler died in the crash Friday afternoon, according to a statement from daughter Autumn Nelon Streetman.

"Thank you for the prayers that have been extended already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born baby boy, as well as Jason's parents, Dan and Linda Clark," Nelon Streetman said. "We appreciate your continued prayers, love and support as we navigate the coming days."

Also killed in the crash were Nelon Kistler's husband, Nathan Kistler, family friend Melodi Hodges, and Larry and Melissa Haynie, according to Nelon Streetman.

There were no survivors.

The group was traveling to join the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska, according to a statement from Gaither Music Group, the sponsor of the cruise that features numerous gospel singers and groups.

The crash occurred about 1 p.m. local time in Campbell County, Wyoming, north of Gillette and about 250 miles (402 kilometers) north of Cheyenne, according to a statement from Campbell County spokesperson Leslie Perkins.

The National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Keith Holloway said Saturday that a team of investigators is expected at the site later Saturday.

The Nelons were inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2016 and were winners of 10 GMA Dove Awards, including multiple song of the year and album of the year awards.

The Podcast Business Is Growing Up

Alex Cooper is nearing a $100 million deal for her “Call Her Daddy” podcast with Sirius. Trevor Noah is in talks to reup for a second season with Spotify. Joe Rogan inked a deal with the audio giant worth up to $250 million. And it’s looking like football’s Kelce brothers’ show could be next in line, as the No. 4 podcast in the U.S. 

The Wall Street Journal reports the podcast industry was initially a way for a crowd of voices from culture watchers to true-crime nerds to talk about everything from murders to science and sex. All you needed was a decent microphone.

Now, podcasting is turning into an industry of megastars who command the most money and the biggest audiences. There are still nearly 450,000 active shows that have published recent episodes, according to Podcast Industry Insights. But the top 25 podcasts reach nearly half of U.S. weekly listeners, according to Edison Research. The top talents have tours, merchandise and multiyear deals in the nine figures. Big advertisers want in.

WSJ Graphic

Podcast distributors, like Spotify and Amazon, are capitalizing on this dynamic. Some are experimenting with selling subscriptions for their top shows, in the hopes of persuading audiences to pay more to listen without ads, get early access or exclusive bonus content. They are making video versions of podcasts. Some are selling more ads to bigger brands like car manufacturers and alcohol distributors that spend much more than the startups that peppered most podcast ads for years, such as mattress-makers, health supplement brands, mindfulness apps and meal kit delivery companies. 

In Cooper’s anticipated deal with Sirius, the podcast would have to hit minimum audience targets, people familiar with the negotiations said. That kind of provision is becoming increasingly common. 

Noah’s deal with Spotify allows the streaming platform to recoup its initial multimillion-dollar investment and share any additional ad revenue with him, people familiar with the matter said. That structure has become a model for the audio streamer’s pared-down roster of talent deals.

“The business model used to be simple: create a new podcast, make a deal, and sell ads,” said Max Cutler, who was Spotify’s vice president of talk creator content and partnerships until leaving to launch media company Pave Studios. Now, other revenue streams including subscriptions, live events, and merchandise are core to making podcasts profitable, he said. “Diversification is crucial.”

Nearly 100 million Americans age 12 and older listen to podcasts every week, according to Edison. Podcast advertising revenue is projected to grow 12% to more than $2 billion this year and hit nearly $2.6 billion by 2026, according IAB and PwC.

Podcasters regularly record both audio and video of episodes and post them on YouTube—and they get a cut of revenue from any ads sold against those videos.

WSJ Poll: Harris Erases Trump's Lead

The presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is essentially tied, according to a new Wall Street Journal poll that shows heightened support for her among nonwhite voters and dramatically increased enthusiasm about the campaign among Democrats.

The former president leads the current vice president 49% to 47% in a two-person matchup, but that is within the margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Trump held a six-point lead earlier this month over President Biden before he exited the race and backed Harris.

On a ballot test that included Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other independent and third-party candidates, Harris receives 45% and Trump gets 44%. Kennedy is backed by just 4% and 5% remain undecided. Biden trailed in the multicandidate contest by six points in the last poll.

Harris has made strides in reassembling the coalition that put Biden in the White House in 2020, one that had been fraying under the stress of unease about his physical and mental sharpness. Black, Latino and young voters all showed greater support for her than they did for Biden in a Journal survey taken in the days after his disastrous debate performance on June 27.

Greenville SC Radio: Mike Gallagher Soars To No. 1

Salem Media Group has announced the recent ratings success of Salem Radio Network (SRN) host Mike Gallagher.

There is nothing like a little home cooking to give Mike Gallagher a little dose of success in his home market of Greenville, SC. Four months ago, Mike Gallagher returned to his roots on Greenville’s WYRD-FM, where he had originally started 35 years ago. Nielsen Media Research just reported the numbers and the station saw big gains in Mike’s time slot of 10am to Noon.

WORD-FM is now #1, 12+ in the 10am to 3pm daypart where Mike resides, with an 8.3 share 12+ and over five hours of time spent listening. In the 10am to Noon daypart, solely occupied by Mike, the station soared to a 9.1 for #1 12+, beating the 2nd ranked station by 1.7 shares.

Mike Gallagher

In the 25-54 demo, Mike’s daypart of 10am to Noon jumped to a tie for 3rd place in the market with a 6.4 share. In the all-important 35-64 demo, Mike’s daypart 10am to Noon jumped to #1, scoring a 13 share, beating the 2nd ranked station by over 5 shares.

“I am so proud of our loyal listeners in Greenville who came streaming back when we joined the great lineup on WORD-FM. They say a rising tide lifts all boats, and that could not be truer in this market and this station,” said Mike Gallagher. “Not just me, but Joey Hudson also came on board here and has been a great addition.”

“The addition of Mike Gallagher Show and Joey Hudson completes the incredible line-up on News Talk 98.9 WORD/WYRD-FM,” said Steve Sinicropi, Senior Vice President/Market Manager. “Mike resonates with listeners and clients. I couldn't be prouder of the entire team.”

Salem Radio Network syndicates Mike across the country in the 9am to Noon ET daypart. “Mike is the hardest working man in talk radio, as evidenced by his great coverage of the RNC convention, and huge breaking news stories in recent weeks,” said Salem Senior VP of Spoken Word Phil Boyce. “We would love to show your station what Mike can do in your market, if you give him a chance.”

R.I.P.: Mary Mason, Iconic Philly Radio Talk Host

Mary Mason (corrected photo) (1930-2024)

Philadelphia talk radio veteran Mary Mason has died.

Mason, whose real name was Beatrice Turner, started her career in 1958 as a gospel music radio host on the radio station WHAT.

Then in 1970, she began her talk program "Mornings with Mary." 

Mason became a Philadelphia radio star at a pivotal time, paving the way for women and minorities to do the same.

"Reverend Louise Williams Bishop and Mary Mason are the two African American women who really broke the barrier in Philadelphia radio for us to come behind them," Thera Martin, Mason's former program director, told Channel 6 Action News.

The show catapulted Mason's career, leading her to interviews with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, and Oprah. Martin said, "She was strongly focused on politics. She understood that politics makes the city, helps makes the state and the nation go round."

Mason died on Thursday at the age of 94 after living with Alzheimer's for years.

Radio History: July 27

➦In 1901...Hubert Prior "Rudy" Vallée born (Died – July 3, 1986) He was a singer, actor, bandleader, radio host and was first modern pop stars of the teen idol type.

Rudy Vallee

In 1929, Vallée began hosting The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour, a popular radio show with guests such as Fay Wray and Richard Cromwell in dramatic skits. Vallée continued hosting radio shows such as the Royal Gelatin Hour, Vallee Varieties, and The Rudy Vallee Show through the 1930s and 1940s.

In 1929, Vallée made his first feature film, The Vagabond Lover for RKO Radio. His first films were made to cash in on his singing popularity. While his initial performances were rather wooden, his acting greatly improved in the late 1930s and 1940s, and by the time he began working with Preston Sturges in the 1940s, he had become a successful comedic supporting player. He appeared opposite Claudette Colbert in Sturges's 1942 screwball comedy The Palm Beach Story. Other films in which he appeared include I Remember Mama, Unfaithfully Yours and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.

In 1955, Vallée was featured in Gentlemen Marry Brunettes, co-starring Jane Russell, Alan Young, and Jeanne Crain. The production was filmed on location in Paris. The film was based on the Anita Loos novel that was a sequel to her acclaimed Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Gentlemen Marry Brunettes was popular throughout Europe at the time and was released in France as A Paris Pour les Quatre ("Paris for the Four"), and in Belgium as Tevieren Te Parijs.

Vallée performed on Broadway as J.B. Biggley in the 1961 musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and reprised the role in the 1967 film version. He appeared in the 1960s Batman television show as the villain Lord Marmaduke Ffogg and in 1971 as a vindictive surgeon in the Night Gallery episode "Marmalade Wine".

He died July 3, 1986 at age 84.

➦In 1910...announcer Bill Goodwin was born in San Francisco. He was for years the announcer on The Burns & Allen Show, and as well was incorporated into the script playing a ladies man.  He was spokesman for Swan Soap and Maxwell House Coffee, among others, on radio; Carnation Evaporated Milk on television.  His last job was on The Bob Hope Radio Show (1953-55.)

Bill Goodwin

Goodwin was known for frequently promoting the item sold by the sponsor of the show (Swan Soap or Maxwell House Coffee, among others, on radio; Carnation Evaporated Milk on television). He was effective on radio in doing "integrated commercials", the first announcer to do so in which the advertisement was deftly woven into the show's storyline. In 1945, Goodwin was the "featured comedian" as a regular on The Frank Sinatra Show and The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. In 1947, he had his own program, The Bill Goodwin Show, a situation comedy, also known as Leave It to Bill, which ran from April 26-December 13, 1947. He was the announcer for the Blondie radio program.

He died following a heart attack May 9 1958 at age 47.

➦In 1914...bandleader Carmen Dragon was born in Antioch Calif.  He conducted the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, and they performed on The Standard School Broadcast, broadcast on NBC radio in the western U.S. for elementary schools from 1928 through the 1970s. The show was sponsored by the Standard Oil Company of California (now the Chevron Corporation), but other than the name there were no commercials. The program featured a high quality introduction to classical music for young people growing up in the 1940s and early 1950s.

In the summer of 1947, Dragon and Frances Langford had a program on NBC. Langford sang, accompanied by Dragon and his 25-piece orchestra. The show began June 5 and ran for 13 weeks as a summer replacement for George Burns and Gracie Allen's program.

Dragon also hosted a regular classical music radio show broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Network well into the 1980s.  Dragon's concert band arrangement of America the Beautiful is played by bands across the country in concerts of patriotic music.

He died Mar 28, 1984 at age 69.

➦In 1962...Westinghouse purchased then-Top40 WINS 1010 AM for $10 Million.

Billboard 7/2/62

The station began broadcasting first during 1924 on 950 kHz as WGBS, named after and broadcasting from its owner, Gimbels department store. It moved to 860 kHz sometime around 1927, to 600 around 1930, settling on 1180 around 1931. The station was bought by William Randolph Hearst in 1932, and it adopted its present callsign (named after Hearst's International News Service) the same year, effective January 15.

It changed its frequency from 1180 to 1000 on March 29, 1941 as part of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement and then eventually to 1010 on October 30, 1943. The Cincinnati-based Crosley Broadcasting Corporation announced its purchase of the station from Hearst in 1945,though it would be over a year before Crosley would take control of WINS, in July 1946.

Crosley sold the station to J. Elroy McCaw's Gotham Broadcasting Corporation in 1953, and soon after WINS became one of the first stations in the United States to play rock and roll music. Alan Freed was WINS earliest famous personality as disc jockey. Freed was followed years later by Murray "the K" Kaufman. Sports broadcaster Les Keiter, a latter-day member of the first generation of legends in that field, served as sports director for a period in the 1950s. Keiter is perhaps best remembered for his recreations of San Francisco (formerly New York) Giants baseball games, which WINS carried in 1958 to keep disconnected Giants fans in touch with their team, who moved west along with the Brooklyn Dodgers the previous year.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, as the transistor radio became popular rock and roll solidified as a genre, thanks in large measure to what became known as top 40 radio. In New York, four stations battled in the category: WMCA, WMGM, and WABC and WINS. While WMCA was only 5000 watts, it was at the bottom end of the dial, which advantages coverage. The other three were all 50,000 watts, but only WABC was both non-directional and a clear channel station. Being lower on the dial than the others, it also had more coverage. Of those three, WINS was the most directional (aimed straight at New York's inner boroughs), with a weaker signal than the others toward the New Jersey suburbs and the Jersey Shore. In 1962, WMGM defected to a beautiful music format under its previous call letters, WHN, while WINS was purchased by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. WMCA became the top-rated top 40 station in the New York area by 1963, then WABC became the dominant Top 40 station in the whole market by 1965. WINS bowed out of Top 40 competition with the song "Out in the Streets", by The Shangri-Las, on April 18, 1965, at around 8 PM.

Truman Bradley

➦In 1974...Truman Bradley died at age 69 (Born - February 8, 1905). He was an actor and narrator in radio, television and film. Bradley began his career in the 1930s as a radio broadcaster. Working at WBBM in Chicago, some considered him "the Mid-West's leading news commentator."

He was selected by Henry Ford to be the announcer for the Ford Sunday Evening Hour, for which he flew to Detroit, Michigan, each weekend. With his distinctive, authoritative voice, he soon became a radio actor as well as a narrator in numerous movies. In the mid-1940s, Bradley was a newscaster with KERN in Bakersfield, California. He was also the announcer for Red Skelton's program, Burns and Allen Easy Aces, the Frank Sinatra Show and Screen Guild Players.

➦In 1979...actor/director/screenwriter George Seaton died from cancer at age 68. He invented the cry ‘Hi-yo Silver’ as the first actor to play The Lone Ranger on radio.  Later he would also win Oscars for writing Miracle on 34th Street and The Country Girl.

➦In 2004...Jackson Beck, the man who introduced the Superman radio show with, “Faster than a speeding bullet!”, died at age 92. He also starred in the title roles of radio’s Cisco Kid and Philo Vance, and impersonated Joseph Stalin and other world leaders for the March of Time radio series.

Margot Adler

➦In 2014...radio reporter Margot Adler, one of the signature voices on NPR for more than three decades, lost her battle with cancer at age 68.   During the mid-1960s, Adler worked as a volunteer reporter for KPFA-FM, the Pacifica Radio station in Berkeley, California. After returning to New York City, she worked at its sister station, WBAI-FM, where, in 1972, she created the talk show Hour of the Wolf , and later another talk show, called Unstuck in Time.

Adler joined NPR in 1979 as a general assignment reporter.  After 9/11, she focused much of her work on stories exploring the human factors in New York City, from the loss of loved ones, homes and jobs, to work in the relief effort.

She was the host of Justice Talking up until the show ceased production on July 3, 2008. She was a regular voice on Morning Edition and All Things Considered. She was also co-producer of an award-winning radio drama, War Day.

Sally Struthers is 77

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Actor John Pleshette (“Knots Landing”) is 82. 
• Actor-director Betty Thomas (“Hill Street Blues”) is 77. 
• Singer Maureen McGovern is 75. 
• Actor Roxanne Hart (“The Good Girl,” ″Chicago Hope”) is 70. 
• Guitarist Duncan Cameron (Sawyer Brown) is 68. 
• Comedian Carol Leifer is 68. 
• Comedian Bill Engvall is 67. 
• Jazz singer Karrin Allyson is 62. 
• Country singer Stacy Dean Campbell is 57. 
• Singer Juliana Hatfield is 57. 
• Actor Julian McMahon (“Fantastic Four” films, TV’s “Profiler”) is 56. 
• Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”) is 54. 
• Comedian Maya Rudolph is 52. 
• Drummer Abe Cunningham of Deftones is 51. 
• Singer Pete Yorn is 50. 
• Actor Seamus Dever (“Castle”) is 48. 
• Actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“The Tudors”) is 47. 
• Comedian Heidi Gardner (“Saturday Night Live”) is 41. 
• Actor Taylor Schilling (“Orange Is the New Black”) is 40. 
• Singer Cheyenne Kimball of Gloriana is 34. 
• Actor Alyvia Alyn Lind (“Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors”) is 17.

✞REMEMBRANCES:

• In 1986..Leroy Holmes, Orchestra leader (The Tonight Show, 1956-57), dies at 72
• In 1990..Bobby Day [Robert Byrd], Rock musician (Rockin' Robin), dies of cancer at 58
• In 2012..Tony Martin, American singer, dies from natural causes at 98
• In 2022..Tony Dow, Actor (Leave it to Beaver - "Wally"), director, and sculptor, dies of cancer at 77

Paramount Global Investor Sues To Stop Merger

A Paramount Global investor has sued to block its merger with Skydance Media, saying the deal would cost its shareholders $1.65 billion, according to a lawsuit filed in Delaware’s Chancery Court on Wednesday.

The NY Post reports David Ellison’s Skydance Media bagged a deal to acquire Paramount early in July, ending months of discussion and speculation about the future of one of Hollywood’s oldest studios.

The lawsuit, filed by Scott Baker, claims the merger’s primary purpose is to cash out media mogul Shari Redstone’s investment in Paramount at a substantial premium, while other stockholders will receive a significantly lower payout.

TNT Expected To Sue NBA Over Lost Media Rights

Warner Bros Discovery will sue the National Basketball Association in New York after the league rejected its matching bid for TV broadcasting rights, reports Reuters citing a source familiar with the matter.

The NBA on Wednesday rejected an offer from Warner's TNT sports division — ending four decades of partnership — and announced new agreements with Walt Disney's ESPN, Comcast-owned NBCUniversal and Amazon.com in an 11-year deal worth $77 billion.

Shares fell more than 5% and the company that was formed in 2022 when WarnerMedia and Discovery merged was set to lose over $1 billion in market value, if losses hold.

After the loss of NBA rights, Macquarie Equity Research downgraded the stock to "neutral". "NBA rights were important in our view to the future success of the Max streaming service," its analysts said, adding the loss may hasten the downturn in linear networks too.

Some analysts said suing the NBA could hurt the company's competitiveness in the long run.

"When other leagues have rights come up, they will keep in mind how tumultuous the NBA and WBD relationship became when they accept WBD's bids," said Ross Benes, television and streaming analyst at eMarketer.

"WBD is desperate so they will pursue all possibilities to retain the NBA. A lawsuit would make the end of the partnership shift from awkward to hostile."

Price Increases Backfire On Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group shed around $15 billion off its value on Thursday after the world's biggest music label reported lower-than-expected streaming and subscription revenue for the second quarter.

The shares fell 30% at one point and were down 26%, on track for their biggest one-day loss ever. The move has wiped off some 13.6 billion euros ($14.75 billion) from their value so far.

Reuters reports UMG's second-quarter subscription revenue growth slowed to 6.9% from 12.5% in the first quarter, missing the 11.1% estimate in company-compiled consensus cited by Barclays.

"The speed and quantum of the slowdown in subscription revenues caught the company and analysts by surprise," JPMorgan analysts said in a note.

The slowdown was largely due to the timing of price increases, Chief Digital Officer Michael Nash said during a call with analysts, referring to hikes by Apple, opens new tab and Amazon, opens new tab that were fully annualized in the second quarter.

iHeartRadio Airing Olympic Games Audio Live

iHeartMedia will serve as the exclusive audio partner for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris as part of an agreement with NBCUniversal.

“We’re excited to partner with iHeartMedia to provide Olympic fans with even more ways to enjoy the Paris Olympic Games,” said Gary Zenkel, president of NBC Olympics, via NBC Sports. “This partnership allows iHeart’s large audio audience to hear NBCU’s Olympic coverage away from their televisions and digital devices, as well as engage with the Games through iHeart’s celebrated and entertaining podcasts."

iHeartMedia will provide 24-7 play-by-play audio channels for select NBCUniversal coverage, which will feature highlights from the top moments of the Summer Games with a focus on Team USA anticipated to include men's and women's basketball, soccer, volleyball, swimming, gymnastics and track and field. 

New, original podcast content hosted by Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang and actor-comedian Matt Rogers, which will include interviews from current and former Olympic athletes, as well as celebrity fans, is also scheduled to launch in late June just prior to the 2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony and will run through the Closing Ceremony in August.

With iHeart listeners be able to stream various Olympic events and listen to Team USA basketball or breakdancing.

NBCUniversal's Peacock To Showcase The Paris Olympics

The Paris Olympics will offer Comcast another chance to lift its streaming platform, Peacock, as it aims to not only attract more subscribers but keep them.

Although this Olympics is the third since Peacock debuted in 2020, it’s becoming the first real opportunity for Comcast’s NBCUniversal, CNBC’s parent company, to use its long-standing U.S. media rights to boost the streaming service.

“In some ways, Comcast is starting with a clean slate, in that this will be the first Olympics for Peacock since the games were blown up by the pandemic and distorted time zones,” said analyst Craig Moffett of MoffettNathanson. “But they’ve also had the opportunity to learn quite a bit, so they will be much better prepared for capitalizing on the Olympics than before.”

CNBC reports there are a handful of reasons this Olympics looks better for Peacock than recent Games, such as the favorable time zone — Paris is six hours ahead of the East Coast in the U.S., versus 13 hours for Tokyo in 2021. The end of the restrictions from the early days of the Covid pandemic is also a big factor, along with the allure of the host city of Paris.

But most importantly, Peacock will air the entirety of the Summer Olympics for the first time.

“It was different times, since Peacock didn’t have the rights to show all of the Olympics back in 2021,” said Molly Solomon, NBC’s executive producer of the Olympics. “But we’re in a different era of streaming with rights deals. Peacock is now the streaming home of the Olympics, and there’s no limits if you’re a super fan or casual fan, since it will all be available on Peacock.”

NBC, Peacock: Paris Olympics Open Today

Over 10,000 athletes will sail down the Seine on Friday in what is poised to be most ambitious Olympic opening ceremony ever attempted.

NBC News reports the 2024 Olympics, which kick off today in Paris, are intended to "revolutionize" the Games yet remain accessible to a broad audience.

To commemorate the official start of the Olympics, which were last held in Paris exactly a century ago, organizers have spent years orchestrating a dynamic, and distinctly French, affair.

Over a billion people around the world are expected to tune in. Here's everything to know about the ceremony, which, if all goes to plan, will go down in Olympic history.

undefined https://t.co/8RFcJHjWAW via @nbcnews

— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) July 26, 2024

The live NBC broadcast kicks off with a pre-show at noon ET Friday, and the ceremony itself begins at 7:30 p.m. Paris time, or 1:30 p.m. ET.

The prime-time encore telecast, which features additional content, will air later in the day for U.S. viewers, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The ceremony is expected to be over four hours.

NBC will have 40 cameras capturing the action in Paris, and live coverage begins at noon ET. The ceremony will be broadcast on TV and streamed in digital format on NBC, Peacock and NBC Olympics. (NBC News shares a parent company with those entities, NBCUniversal).

A complete schedule of the events over the next two weeks can be found here.

Charlotte Radio: Radio One, Romona Holloway Part Company

Romona Holloway

For the first time in more than 23 years, Ramona Holloway — longtime co-host of WLNK-FM’s old “Matt & Ramona Show” — is not working in a job for a radio company. 

The Charlotte Observer reports Holloway, 58, announced this week on social media that she had been laid off from her job as community affairs manager for Radio One Charlotte, which owns WLNK and several other area stations. She also no longer will make guest appearances twice a week on 107.9’s “The Morning Mix with Matt Harris & Liz Luda,” something Holloway had been doing since she moved into the community affairs role in the spring of 2023.

Holloway said by phone Thursday that when she was abruptly let go from the company during a meeting with her boss on Tuesday morning, she was told the decision was being made due to “budget cuts.” The position was originally created for her and, she said, “it was just, they felt, time to uncreate it, to save money.”

During the roughly 15 months Holloway had spent in the role, she said she spearheaded or pursued partnerships on behalf of the company — among other community entities — Breast Cancer Awareness Month; the Walk to End Alzheimer’s; Village Heartbeat’s Bridge to Better Mental Health program; Gaston Community Foundation; and the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission’s alcohol prevention and rehabilitation programs. “I really wanted to make it work. And it didn’t,” Holloway told the Observer.

2024 We Can Survive Concert Line-Up Revealed

Audacy announced the 2024 lineup for We Can Survive, the annual event supporting the Company’s mental health initiative, I’m Listening. Superstar Justin Timberlake will be joined by mega boy band New Kids On The Block, singer-songwriter Tate McRae, multi-instrumentalist Benson Boone, R&B crooner Khalid and emerging artist Isabel LaRosa at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, on Saturday, September 28. Hosted by NEW 102.7 FM (WNEW-FM), the event exemplifies music’s power to connect communities and promotes having more mental health conversations.

“Music is a driving force in so many of our lives. Having an event like We Can Survive that features artists our fans love while supporting mental health just shows how powerful songs and lyrics can be,” said Michael Martin, Senior Vice President of Programming and Head of Music Initiatives, Audacy. “We look forward to welcoming all of the extraordinary artists and can’t wait to see them light up the night.”

The show will follow the annual I’m Listening broadcast, which will air across Audacy’s portfolio of stations on Wednesday, September 25. I’m Listening delivers engaging conversations to listeners nationwide through the annual broadcast special, specialty radio programming, collaborations with national and local organizations and more. The campaign aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone.

A portion of the event's proceeds will benefit Audacy’s longstanding I’m Listening partner, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and their life-saving work of delivering education, loss support, advocacy efforts and community-based programs, including their ongoing public service campaign, “Talk Away the Dark,” which raises awareness of how to spot the warning signs for suicide and having real conversations that connect people to help.

“Partnering with Audacy to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention has been incredibly impactful and has helped us reach millions of their listeners with information on the importance of mental wellness,” said Bob Gebbia, Chief Executive Officer, AFSP. “Further, by bringing the biggest stars out for the We Can Survive concert, Audacy has raised over $2 million for suicide prevention since 2021. These funds support AFSP's mission to save lives, bring hope to those affected by suicide, and make possible programs that educate the public about mental health and suicide prevention, as well as programs for survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide. We are very grateful for Audacy's commitment to our cause and those who will attend the concert to support our lifesaving work.”

Listeners can get early access to tickets through the presale on August 1 from 10:00 a.m. ET until 11:59 p.m. ET or while supplies last. To get the presale link and code, download the free Audacy app and follow NEW 102.7, or sign up for the NEW 102.7 newsletter at NEW1027.com. Tickets for We Can Survive go on sale on August 2 at 10:00 a.m. ET and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. For more information on the event, visit WeCanSurvive.com.

Fans will have a chance to win tickets to Audacy’s We Can Survive through the Company’s partnership with Fandiem, a digital fundraising platform that allows fans to donate to charitable causes for a chance to win prizes and experiences. For more information on how to win, visit WeCanSurvive.com.

Audacy’s We Can Survive is sponsored by BetterHelp, Dove, Hyundai, Hard Rock Hotels, New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism, Slomin's, Key Food and Their Family of Supermarkets, Sangría Señorial and Verizon.

The event media kit is available here. Media interested in covering the event on-site can apply here.

FS1 Talking With Michelle Beadie

Michelle Beadie

Former ESPNer Michelle Beadle is in serious talks to join former WFAN broadcaster Craig Carton’s morning show as a daily co-host, The NY Post is reporting.

A deal has not been finalized and it is unclear at this time what other talents would be a part of the program as the ensemble takes shape.

Beadle, 48, is currently a host on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio and a talent on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.” It remains to be seen whether she will continue in those roles.

Beadle previously worked with FS1 bosses Charlie Dixon and Whit Albohm, as well as “First Things First” co-host Kevin Wildes, on ESPN’s “SportsNation,” which she co-hosted with FS1 pillar Colin Cowherd.

Beadle also worked with other FS1 behind-the-scenes staffers at ESPN.

As The Post first reported, “Undisputed” co-host Skip Bayless is set to leave the network later this summer.

Bayless had been at FS1 since 2016, spending the first seven years co-hosting with Shannon Sharpe.

For the last year, Bayless worked with a rotating cast of personalities including Keyshawn Johnson (who is on daily), Michael Irvin, Richard Sherman, Rachel Nichols, Lil Wayne and Paul Pierce.

The future plans for “Undisputed” are still taking shape.

Portland ME Radio: WIGY-FM Goes Jockless

Bennett Radio Group’s Classic Hits station, WIGY 105.5, has decided to part ways with its “Breakfast Club” hosts, Mark Turcotte and Sara Poulin. The station made an announcement on their Facebook page, expressing regret about the decision and thanking listeners for their support over the past four years.

Owner and Program Director Stan Bennett explained that the decision was driven by the challenges faced by small business owners, especially with rising costs of operation. Both Mark Turcotte and Sara Poulin are talented professionals, and their absence will be felt by the community.

The “Breakfast Club” had a unique format that allowed them to promote local businesses, events, and engage with community members. Losing a local radio show like this impacts not only the hosts but also the listeners who considered them part of their daily routine.

As a result of this change, WIGY will now operate without a live host, going jockless. 

FCC Moving On Plans For AI Guidelines On Politicals

With 102 days to go until the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the FCC on Thursday announced it would move forward with new proposed guidelines requiring political ads on TV and radio to include on-air disclosures if AI-generated content was used.

“Today, the FCC takes a major step to guard against AI being used by bad actors to spread chaos and confusion in our elections,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement announcing the new rule. “There’s too much potential for AI to manipulate voices and images in political advertising to do nothing. If a candidate or issue campaign used AI to create an ad, the public has a right to know.”

AI tools have already been used to interfere with the 2024 presidential race, the FCC noted, citing AI-generated robocalls that mimicked President Joe Biden’s voice and discouraged people from voting in New Hampshire's primary.

The new rules would not impact online political advertisements. And with the November presidential election only around three months away, it's unclear whether they would go into effect before Election Day.

After the commission’s 3-2 vote on Thursday, the proposal now advances to a 30-day public comment period. After that, there's another 15-day reply period before the rule can be finalized.

Even if the rules do go into effect by Nov. 5, experts fear they don't go far enough in addressing the corrosive effects of AI-generated disinformation.

Survey: Audiences Cautiously Embrace AI In Newsrooms

A SmithGeiger study, which initially sampled 2,036 adults aged 18-64 representing the general population in the United States, provides valuable insights for TV station group owners, business leaders in tech and media, and news organizations developing AI integration strategies. The study first assessed AI awareness among all participants, then proceeded to ask more detailed questions about AI to the subset of respondents who demonstrated at least some awareness of the technology.

Highlights from the survey include:

• 32% of respondents were aware of AI being used for news content creation 
• 58% of the survey participants believe AI may do more harm than good 
• 50% felt either positive or neutral about AI usage in news content creation (23% positive, 27% neutral)
• Concerns about job displacement remain prevalent
• Audience interest in news-related uses for AI increased from Aug ’23 to May ’24, with using AI to create hyper-local newscasts, including traffic and weather, being the most popular

Demographic Breakdown: 

• Males (39%) were more aware of AI use in news than females (25%)
• Younger age groups showed higher acceptance rates of AI, with 45% of males aged 18-34 being the most aware
• Asian Americans had the most positive outlook, with 38% expressing positive feelings about AI in news
• Older age groups tend to be more skeptical, with the lowest acceptance among females aged 50-64 (only 20% aware of AI use in news) 
• White respondents showed the highest level of negativity, with 57% expressing negative feelings about AI in news

On Kamala Harris’s Czar Role, Media Cross Border

Facts are facts, even if they make new presidential candidate Kamala Harris look bad, according to The Washington Examiner. This fact is undeniable, no matter how much dishonest media try to obfuscate it: President Joe Biden appointed the vice president to stem the tide of migrants to the U.S. southern border. Period. No wiggle room.

And the almost inarguable judgment is that she failed at the job. Miserably. The tide didn’t recede; it rose and crashed in huge waves upon our (figurative) shores.

VP Harris

It was way back on March 24, 2021. Biden, in a White House meeting that included Harris, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, announced he was tapping Harris to lead the administration’s response to the growing number of migrants arriving at the U.S. border. Her job, he said, was “stemming the migration to our southern border.” He also said she “agreed to lead our diplomatic effort and work with nations [to our South] to accept re- — the returnees, and enhance migration enforcement at their borders — at their borders.”

Biden told reporters before the meeting that he wanted Harris to be the point person on the border, to speak decisively for the administration. And in a call to reporters after the announcement, a senior official told reporters unequivocally that Harris’s focus would be on the historic surge of illegal border crossings.

Within hours stories emerged in major news organizations with clarity that “Biden was tasking her with leading efforts to stem migration and the border” with dozens of elite news organizations referring to her as the “border czar.” This is irrefutable history. It’s all documented.

Nonetheless, one hour after Biden endorsed Harris last Sunday, news organizations and Democrats were stridently saying it was never the case that Harris was in charge of the border, that they never said she was the border czar and that the claim was all a right-wing conspiracy.

A beautiful montage on the Parasite Media’s latest lie about Border Czar Kameltoe Harris. (1 min, 11 sec) pic.twitter.com/XL9mmp1rz5

— Carmandy Graff (@GraffCarmandy) July 25, 2024

The gaslighting of readers across multiple news organizations has been equally repulsive — and it may just be the final straw in that relationship between readers and news organizations.

The New York Times admonished readers Thursday, saying, “Ms. Harris was not in fact appointed border czar, nor was she tasked with addressing the border problems plaguing the border itself.”

That is not what Biden said. That is not what the press wrote and said.

Simply put they were either lying then or they are lying now.

Disney, WBD Launch Ad-Free Streaming Bundle for $30/month

A streaming bundle comprising Disney+, Hulu and Max services will be available in the United States from Thursday for a monthly price of $16.99 with ads, and $29.99 without ads, parent companies Walt Disney and Warner Bros Discovery said.

The bundle, plans for which were announced in May, would help customers save up to 38% compared to the cost of signing up for each of the streaming services separately, the companies said.

Media companies have been building out their own streaming services amid widespread cord-cutting - where consumers ditch traditional cable packages in favor of internet-based services - flooding the market with dozens of individual options.

Sactown Radio: iHM Names Steve Darnell As Metro President

iHeartMedia has announced Steve Darnell has been named Metro President for Sacramento, CA. He will report to DJ Hodge, Division President for iHeartMedia.

Steve Darnell

“After many years of successful leadership in our Pacific Area, it was clear early-on that Steve was the perfect candidate to lead our Sacramento Market as Metro President,” said DJ Hodge. “Steve is the ideal choice to continue the great work done by Sara McClure, who is moving into our Unified Partnerships Division.”

Darnell most recently served as the Area President for iHeartMedia’s Pacific Area. He also served as the Market President for iHeartMedia’s Fresno Market, as well as Fresno’s Senior Vice President of Sales.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to lead our Sacramento team and market leading iconic station brands. Sacramento is a dynamic, thriving city and I’m thankful that DJ Hodge, Hartley Atkins and Rich Bressler have entrusted me with continuing our growth in this very important market,” said Steve Darnell.