Fifteen years of unwelcome letters, cards and jewelry sent to an unidentified local radio personality led to the arrest of a Baton Rouge man last week.
David Plaisance, 63, began sending the correspondence and gifts in 2001, with the parcels always arriving at the woman's office, even after she changed jobs in 2010, according to an East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office report.
The woman didn't know Plaisance and never responded to his letters.
She contacted the Sheriff's Office in May after Plaisance's letters began "describing what she was wearing, and advising that he was watching her exit and enter her place of employment," the report says. The woman showed a detective a box containing hundreds of letters.
The detective ordered Plaisance to stop writing the woman and warned that he would be arrested if he didn't comply, the report says. But the victim called deputies again on Thursday, saying more letters had arrived from Plaisance.
When deputies found him at his home, Plaisance said: "I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm only sending letters to my girlfriend!", according to the report.
Plaisance was booked into Parish Prison on a count of stalking. He remained in jail Friday evening in lieu of $2,500 bail, according to online records.
Alpha Media, Far East Bay announced that Jim Hampton from AC KKIQ 101.7 FM and AC KKDV 92.1 FM encouraged fundraising efforts for The Taylor Family Foundation at the Day in the Park auction fundraiser.
Over $2 million dollars was raised at Day in the Park. All proceeds from Day in the Park go directly towards funding and facilitating The Taylor Family Foundation’s mission to provide wellness programs for Northern California children with life-threatening chronic illnesses, and developmental disabilities.
The festivities started with an Epicurean Ensemble showcasing more than 70 Bay Area restaurants, local breweries and California wineries including Walnut Creek Yacht Club, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Yankee Pier, The Boston Beer Company, Va de Vi Bistro, and Zephyr Grill & Bar, all of whom have supported the event for more than a decade.
Hampton commented on the announcement, “I can’t believe all of the people who opened up their wallets to help the kids. It was a great day and we are happy to have assisted in sending so many kids to camp!”
Since its inception in 1990, TTFF has raised close to $30 million to better the lives of 60,000 children and provide their families with a respite from ongoing challenges. In addition to funding camp programs, TTFF provides financial and emotional support for children and families in the community who are in critical need. TTFF supports these families in medical crisis through grants that provide children with clothing, pay for funeral expenses, pay for medical devices, and help with day-to-day expenses.
Merle Blair, a fixture on Topeka radio for more than 60 years and former longtime president of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, died last weekend.
Until his death, Blair produced a four-hour weekly radio show — “The Merle Blair Sunday Show” — that featured an eclectic mix of pop songs and standards from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.
The show, which started in 1964, was a fixture on KTOP 1490 AM before moving to sister station KMAJ 1440 AM a few years ago.
Frank Chaffin, co-owner and general manager of Topeka’s oldies internet radio station, Wrenradio.net, said he began working with Blair in 1958, when they were both at KTOP.
Chaffin said Blair was on the air as a disc jockey when he started at KTOP in the late 1950s. Blair then became program director before moving to sales and, ultimately, to the general manager’s chair at the station.
“Merle was a great general manager,” Chaffin said. “He really kept that place going. He was not one to micromanage. He kind of let everyone do what they needed to do, but every once in a while would give it a gentle nudge to get it back where he thought it should be.”
After leaving the full-time radio business, Chaffin said, Blair recorded his “Sunday Show” in his basement. “For a long time, it was on reel-to-reel tapes. Then he went over to CDs, and that’s what he’d take over to the radio station each week when he finished his show.”
Chaffin said Blair got his start in radio at KIND-AM in Independence, Kan., and came to Topeka on a Washburn University basketball scholarship in the 1950s.
Blair started his radio career at KTOP in 1955, and in 1999 he received the Kansas Association of Broadcasters’ Distinguished Service Award.
Current KAB President Kent Cornish recalled working at WIBW-AM radio in the 1970s and calling Washburn University basketball games as Blair did the same for KTOP a few feet away.
“Even though we were competitors, he was always so helpful to me — so friendly,” Cornish said.
Though Blair was well known in the broadcasting community, Cornish said that represented “maybe half of his professional life.” The other half, he said, was his 18-year stint as president and CEO of the Topeka Chamber, from 1983 to 2001.
In 1929...the forerunner to Let’s Pretend, a Saturday morning radio show for kids was heard for the first time on CBS Radio Network. The Adventures of Helen & Mary became Let’s Pretend 5 years later, all of it written & directed by Nila Mack, and hosted by ‘Uncle’ Bill Adams. It continued for a quarter-century, until 1954.
In 1934...Daniel Trombley "Dan" Ingram was born. Ingram is an American radio icon with a fifty-year career on radio stations such as WABC 770 AM and WCBS 101.1 FM in New York. "Big Dan" started broadcasting at WHCH Hofstra College, Hempstead, New York, WNRC, New Rochelle, New York, and WALK-FM, Patchogue, New York.
Ingram is a well regarded DJ from his era. He was noted for his quick wit and ability to convey a humorous or satiric idea with quick pacing and an economy of words—a skill which has made him uniquely suited to, and successful within, modern personality-driven music radio.
He is among the most frequently emulated radio personalities, cited as an influence or inspiration by numerous current broadcasters. One of Ingram's unique skills was his ability to "talk up" to the lyrics of a record, meaning speaking over the musical introduction and finishing exactly at the point when the lyrics started.
Dan was well known for playing doctored versions of popular songs. The Paul McCartney & Wings song My Love Does it Good became My Glove Does it Good. The stuttering title refrain of Bennie and the Jets went from three or four repetitions to countless. In the same vein, the distinctive refrain added to Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede, Ooga-ooga-ooga-chucka would start repeating and listeners would never know when it would end. (Other examples include Paul Simon's 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, and "rearranging" the spelling of "S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y" on the Bay City Rollers' Saturday Night.)
Dan's longtime closing theme song was "Tri-Fi Drums" by Billy May. An edited version of the song was used for broadcast.
Dan commented occasionally about the pronunciation of his name: jingles often are heard pronouncing his last name as "Ing-ram," but Dan has said it is correctly pronounced "In-gram."
Today, Dan Ingram is living in retirement in Florida.
In 1936...rock & roll innovator Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock Kansas. His name was misspelled on his first record contract and he decided to leave it that way. He was killed in a plane crash Feb 3, 1959 along with Ritchie Valens and J.P.Richardson (Big Bopper.) Holly was just 22.
In 1949...Windsor (Ont.) radio station CKLW, later to become Canada’s all-time most listened-to station (due to its huge US audience), increased power from 5000 to 50,000 watts. The station had moved from 1030 to 800 KHz, a Canada/Mexico clear channel, in the great frequency shuffle of 1941.
In 1979...ESPN, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, made its debut on US cable TV as the world’s first fulltime sports TV channel.
In 1985...Newcomer John Parr hit #1 on this date with "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)", overtaking "The Power of Love" from Huey Lewis & the News.
Tina Turner had #3--"We Don't Need Another Hero", swapping places with Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love". The rest of the Top 10: Bryan Adams from Reckless with "Summer of '69", Dire Straits with their biggest hit since "Sultans of Swing" in 1979--"Money for Nothing", Kool & the Gang and "Cherish", Phil Collins with his fifth consecutive Top 10 song "Don't Lose My Number" and Prince registered his 16th hit "Pop Life", with exactly half of those reaching the Top 10
In 1991...A pretty good Top 10 on this date--something you usually didn't find after about 1986--Bryan Adams scored week #5 at the top with "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", Paula Abdul moved up to challenge with "The Promise of a New Day" and Boyz II Men were up from 9 to 3 with "Motownphilly". C+C Music Factory had the #4 song--"Things That Make You Go Hmmmm..." and KLF had song #5 with "3 A.M. Eternal". The rest of the Top 10: Color Me Badd moved from 15 to 6 with "I Adore Mi Amor", Seal's first release "Crazy" hit #7, the Scorpions owned the #8 position with "Wind of Change", Michael Bolton enjoyed his 11th hit "Time, Love and Tenderness" and Hi-Five dropped with "I Can't Wait Another Minute".
In 2012...WEPN 1050 AM om NYC switched to ESPN Deportes
Over the holiday weekend Andrew Curran, President/COO for DMR Interative, issued an open letter to the radio inudstry. The letter also contains a challenge.
Curran writes, "As the media landscape continues to rapidly evolve, radio’s ongoing vibrancy in a mobile world will be hard fought, just as it has been for every generation dating back to Marconi. The talent, dedication and passion for radio that exists in our industry will serve us well. In fact, together, we represent the proverbial “cavalry.”
"With the arrival of another football season, the words of Coach Lou Holtz ring out, “In this world you’re either growing or you’re dying so get in motion and grow.”
"Yet, according to PWC’s annual Entertainment & Media Outlook report, radio revenue is projected to grow just .84% per year between 2016 and 2020 ($17.8 billion to $18.4). That level of growth won’t even keep up with inflation.
"Radio must focus on sustainable growth, which means as dollars shift between media each year (more for Facebook, less for print), we need to be winning dollars not from radio stations across the street, but from other media, specifically print, local TV and Pandora."
The challenge: increase revenue. Curran urges, "Radio’s aim should be $20 billion in annual revenue by 2022 (#20×22), which can’t be achieved by cannibalizing ourselves."
He further states, "In order for this growth target to happen, radio needs to rediscover its swagger. This includes continually telling a compelling story to our own industry, to our listeners who have ever increasing media choices and most importantly to the advertising and financial communities."
Curran's entire letter follows:
Hello,
As a radio professional, regardless of your title, market size, level of influence or years left until retirement, this is for you. As the media landscape continues to rapidly evolve, radio’s ongoing vibrancy in a mobile world will be hard fought, just as it has been for every generation dating back to Marconi. The talent, dedication and passion for radio that exists in our industry will serve us well. In fact, together, we represent the proverbial “cavalry.”
With the arrival of another football season, the words of Coach Lou Holtz ring out, “In this world you’re either growing or you’re dying so get in motion and grow.”
Yet, according to PWC’s annual Entertainment & Media Outlook report, radio revenue is projected to grow just .84% per year between 2016 and 2020 ($17.8 billion to $18.4). That level of growth won’t even keep up with inflation.
According to Coach Mike Ditka, “In life, you get what you tolerate.”
Radio must focus on sustainable growth, which means as dollars shift between media each year (more for Facebook, less for print), we need to be winning dollars not from radio stations across the street, but from other media, specifically print, local TV and Pandora.
If the experts are predicting, .84% avg. annual growth, we can do better. Radio’s aim should be $20 billion in annual revenue by 2022 (#20×22), which can’t be achieved by cannibalizing ourselves (avg. annual growth of 2.05%). Some might say this is not ambitious enough, but let’s add the first $2 billion in revenue and grow from there.
In order for this growth target to happen, radio needs to rediscover its swagger. This includes continually telling a compelling story to our own industry, to our listeners who have ever increasing media choices and most importantly to the advertising and financial communities. Right now, in the midst of the key Sept/Oct/Nov PPM ratings and fall diary book, is the perfect time to start.
In fact, this Labor Day provides an opportunity for those of us who work to create and monetize the power of radio to stop and consider the unique competitive advantages of our medium and double down on bringing them to life for advertisers and listeners. At the end of the day, the most important story is the one you tell yourself. Are your beliefs moving radio forward or holding radio back?
Every quarter hour of every day, radio delivers “Can’t Miss Moments” that audiences tune in to hear and advertisers pay to be part of.
(1) Radio has an actively engaged audience, which efficiently generates results for advertisers. You don’t hear it the first time, it’s gone. In a world of 8 second attention spans, radio stands out. Take TV, which is much more passive in part because there’s a digital safety net. Viewers can be less engaged knowing they can pause and rewind to catch anything they missed, not to mention the ability to skip ads altogether. In a similar way, digital platforms freely acknowledge that 50% of impressions never get seen by human eyes. For the other 50% of digital ads, they are viewed in the midst of display and pop up/pre roll clutter.
In addition, the lack of a safety net in radio, works to benefit on-air talent as they broadcast live without a “second take” and always have to be at their best. Unlike TV, which records and edits many shows until they are just right, (Stephen Colbert’s premiere on CBS made headlines because it almost didn’t make it on–air with all of the edits), radio benefits from a more relatable experience as both talent and audience know it’s the broadcast equivalent of a 2 minute drill in football.
(2) This authenticity strengthens radio’s relationship between the audience and the on-air talent. These one to one connections help raise money for well deserving charities and drive response to an advertiser’s call to action. In addition, radio’s core audience is full time employed, which means they have more income to spend with advertisers and are active mobile consumers visiting retailers.
(3) As these relationships drive more tune-ins and avg. daily cume, the ability to increase the size of the audience without adding incremental delivery costs is a tremendous competitive advantage compared to digital platforms. In fact, not being burdened by these variable bandwidth costs helps radio make money and ensure healthy margins, as other ad supported digital audio platforms can’t turn a profit despite significant audience growth.
Radio is the 800 pound gorilla of audio and will continue to lead the industry forward as we deliver “Can’t Miss Moments” on the way to #20×22.
As President and COO of DMR/Interactive, I have the privilege of working with radio groups across markets and formats. Each day we help build and strengthen the relationship between radio and the listeners who matter most.
The passion that listeners have for radio’s “Can’t Miss Moments” can inspire an industry wide conversation that is strategically shared internally and with the advertising and financial communities.
Join the conversation or start one of your own. Use hashtag #20×22 and contribute your thoughts. You can also email dmr360@dmrinteractive.comand together we’ll continue to create a vibrant future.
Greta Van Susteren, who has anchored early evening and primetime programs for Fox News Channel since 2002, will leave the cable-news outlet, a separation that one person familiar with the matter attributed to “a financial disagreement.”
“We are grateful for Greta's many contributions over the years and wish her continued success," Fox co-presidents Jack Abernathy and Bill Shine said in a statement.
Hume is a Fox and ABC News veteran. He spent 10 years as anchor of "Special Report" and also served as Washington managing editor.
"I am happy to take on this assignment for the balance of this extraordinary election. My Fox News colleagues have set a high standard for political coverage which I'll do my best to uphold. I'm honored to be asked," Hume said in a statement.
Fox News' Howard Kurtz reported that Van Susteren had asked to renegotiate her contract after Fox News chief Roer Ailes left his position in the wake of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former anchor Gretchen Carlson. According to Kurtz, Van Susteren had in her contract a "key man" clause that allowed her to leave if Ailes did, and when negotiations failed, she chose to activate that clause.
(Reuters) -- Fox News has reached a $20 million settlement of former anchor Gretchen Carlson's sexual harassment lawsuit against the network's former chief Roger Ailes, Vanity Fair said on Tuesday, citing three people familiar with the settlement.
The network also offered a public apology: "21st Century Fox is pleased to announce that it has settled Gretchen Carlson's lawsuit," said in a statement. "During her tenure at Fox News, Gretchen exhibited the highest standards of journalism and professionalism. She developed a loyal audience and was a daily source of information for many Americans. We are proud that she was part of the Fox News team. We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve."
It is unclear how much Ailes himself might pay, but Fox News, part of 21st Century Fox Inc, essentially insures Ailes against any settlement, the magazine said, citing two people familiar with the arrangement.
Carlson has voluntarily dismissed her federal lawsuit in New Jersey against Ailes, a court filing shows.
Though Carlson’s case was against Ailes personally, Fox is essentially his insurer for any settlement, according to two people familiar with the arrangement, and discussions between Ailes’s legal team and 21st Century Fox’s legal team became very tense regarding how much Ailes might pay in a settlement.
As part of the language at the end of the settlement, Carlson has agreed not to bring any further legal action against other executives at Fox News, or against the company itself.
The Wall Street Journal reports Carlson claimed her contract with the network wasn’t renewed as retaliation for her complaints about a hostile work atmosphere at Fox News and improper advances by Ailes. Ailes had denied the charges, saying she was let go because of performance issues. He resigned as Fox News Channel’s chairman and chief executive in July, just over two weeks after Ms. Carlson filed her suit.
Former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros has also filed a lawsuit that accuses Ailes of sexually harassing her. Fox News has responded in a legal filing, describing Ms. Tantaros’s claims as “a smokescreen to obscure her violation of her employment contract.” Fox News also said that the former on-air personality “is not a victim, she’s an opportunist.”
A lawyer for Roger Ailes, the former chairman of Fox News, has sent a letter to New York magazine suggesting he might take legal action over its reporting about Ailes.
The NY Times reports Lauren Starke, a spokeswoman for the magazine, said that Charles J. Harder, who was Hulk Hogan’s lawyer in his successful lawsuit against Gawker Media, had contacted the magazine by email and asked it to preserve documents related to Mr. Ailes in preparation for a possible defamation claim. Harder sent the email on behalf of Ailes and his wife, Elizabeth, Starke said.
Gabriel Sherman, a reporter for the magazine, has written extensively about Ailes and the sexual harassment allegations by female employees that resulted in his ouster in July as chairman of Fox News. On Friday, New York published a lengthy article by Mr. Sherman about Mr. Ailes and his downfall, and in July Mr. Sherman was the first to report that Rupert Murdoch and his sons, Lachlan and James, had decided to remove Mr. Ailes from his position.
Sherman declined to comment on Harder’s request. The magazine said Mr. Sherman’s work “is and has been carefully reported.”
Harder, a Hollywood lawyer, has become a big name in media circles recently for taking on publications on behalf of well-known clients. In March he won a $140 million judgment in favor of Hulk Hogan, the former professional wrestler whose real name is Terry G. Bollea, in an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against Gawker Media.
Harder is also representing Melania Trump, the wife of the Republican presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump, in a libel lawsuit filed last week against the publisher of The Daily Mail.
Glenn Beck’s multimedia empire took another hit over Labor Day Weekend as Beck announced that Mercury Radio Arts, his privately held umbrella company, has abruptly stopped producing scripted film and television projects under his once-cherished subsidiary American Dream Labs, reports The Daily Beast.
In a statement posted on his website, Beck characterized the apparent shutdown as a “divorce” because American Dream Labs “needs to exist separate and apart from Mercury in order to spread its wings.”
The demise of the Beck subsidiary is the latest troubling development for a once-flourishing enterprise that in the past year has terminated nearly half its estimated 300 employees, lost cable distribution and advertisers as Cablevision dropped Beck’s daily programming, and suffered a steep drop in its online audience.
In recent months, Mercury and its subsidiary, The Blaze, have become embroiled in cash-flow problems and costly litigation, notably against Beck’s former chief executive and ex-friend and confidant Christopher Balfe, whom Beck fired in December 2014 to make way for the promotion of tech entrepreneur Jonathan Schreiber.
Balfe is countersuing, claiming he is owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in deferred compensation and legal costs for his defense.
The Internet radio player is seeking to challenge streaming rivals with a revamped $5-a-month service that will give users added functionality, such as the ability to skip songs and play music off-line, according to The NY Post.
“The $5 offer will be killer for them,” said one industry insider. “Pandora has 76 million users that listen for free. It will have an easier time to get them to pay $5, so you might see some people switch back to Pandora.”
Most unlimited streaming services charge $10 a month. Pandora is also planning to offer a full-fledged streaming option in that same price range, along with the cheaper $5 tier, sources said.
Pandora investors are hoping the new options — coupled with other ideas such as new video ads — will juice revenue and push the stock into the $20 range, which both the company’s board and many shareholders feel is closer to its true value.
The stock, which is down 19 percent in the past year, closed Friday at $14.43. Pandora went public at $16 a share in 2011.
The Oakland, Calif.-based company currently offers a radio service, called Pandora One, for $4.99 per month with no ads and fewer interruptions than its free option. Those customers will be rolled into the revamped $5 offering, sources said.
But Pandora derives the bulk of its revenue from advertising as opposed to subscriptions. In the second quarter, Pandora recorded roughly $265 million in ad revenue.
At the same time, Pandora is being challenged by Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio and by a host of other paid streaming services, including Spotify, Rhapsody and Deezer, among others.
Pandora has reached global rights deals with two of the three music majors and has been targeting Sept. 12 as the launch date for the new price tiers, a source said.
One investor believes the $5 tier could attract 20 percent to 30 percent of its 78.1 million monthly active users.
Brian Williams, the veteran anchorman who was suspended from NBC in 2015 for making false statements on the air, is returning to a regular nightly newscast on Tuesday.
Williams left the network for six months without pay last year, then quietly resurfaced on sister channel MSNBC to deliver political coverage once the presidential campaign got rolling, often paired with Rachel Maddow. Penance done, he now assumes a much larger role. “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams” debuts at 11 p.m. EDT, featuring the anchor in a live half-hour recap of the day’s major political stories and election coverage.
“We want a broadcast that will feel like a continuation of the conversation we’ve had all during this unprecedented campaign season,” says Mr. Williams. “As the general election ramps up, there’s an opportunity to assess and discuss the campaign at the end of each day. With the help of the very best team in the business, we hope to offer some closure and sanity.”
The Washington Times reports ot is a pivotal time for MSNBC, which has pushed its way into second place in the great ratings war between cable news channels. Fox News remains number one across all viewers day and night, a position the network has held for 14 years. The audience typically tops 2 million people. MSNBC averages 1.1 million, CNN 844,000, according to the current Nielsen numbers.
CBS RADIO and CBS Local Digital Media today announced the podcast launch of “Loveline with Amber Rose,” a new weekly show hosted by feminist, author, model and actress, Amber Rose, hosted on the Play.it network. The hour-long show will be released weekly on Thursdays via LovelineWithAmberRose.com and iTunes beginning Thursday, Sept. 8. In the launch episode, Rose chats with the show's co-host and resident sex therapist, Dr. Chris Donaghue, delving into a number of topics including sexual confidence, sexting and more.
“Loveline with Amber Rose” marks the return of the popular “Loveline” talk radio show, now in the contemporary podcast format. The show will explore topics ranging from sexual curiosity and relationships to self-empowerment – all embodying Rose’s distinct and refreshing honesty and flair. In each episode, she and Dr. Donaghue will chat openly with other sex counselors and special guests as they discuss stories and topical issues, as well as take listeners’ calls so they can share their personal experiences in a judgement-free environment.
“We're excited to relaunch ‘Loveline’ as a Play.it original,” said Chris Oliviero, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS RADIO. “Amber’s modern take on love and relationships is not only an ideal fit for the evolution of this iconic franchise, but she will also help further expand the reach and appeal of our entire on demand platform.”
“Amber Rose’s distinctive voice is a welcomed addition to the growing roster of original podcasts on Play.it,” added Adam Wiener, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Local Digital Media. “Her blunt commentary on sex, relationships, and love is sure to be a hit with her loyal fans and our listeners. We are thrilled to bring a fresh take to the brand with Rose’s unique perspective and introduce a whole new generation to ‘Loveline.’”
The podcast will also be captured on video, which will debut at a later date via the Play.it YouTube channel. Additionally, upon video launch, the first 10-15 minutes of each podcast episode will be streamed on Facebook Live through Rose’s page, during which her fans can engage and ask questions.
Fans will have an exclusive opportunity to win a trip of a lifetime to Los Angeles to meet Rose in person through Play.it’s sweepstakes beginning today. More information on the contest can be found via LovelineWithAmberRose.com.
Listeners can also participate in the conversation via Rose’s official Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat pages using the hashtag #LovelineAmberRose.
Beginning in 1983 on CBS RADIO’s KROQ in Los Angeles, “Loveline” was the longest running talk radio show ever on FM radio in the United States. The program went on to be nationally syndicated, and eventually led to a television show on MTV with the same name. The show spanned multiple generations with listeners calling in to get their questions on sex, relationships and more answered live on-air.
Play.it offers more than 400 premium podcasts, including over 70 digital-exclusive programs from major brands and publishers across every key category, including news & information, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, comedy, health & wellness, business, and culture, as well as content from CBS RADIO shows on-demand. For more information, visit Play.it, and follow Play.it on Twitter @playit and Facebook.
WFDF 910 AM personality Cliff Russell, a fixture on Detroit's airwaves for three decades, has a message from a local hospital after a health scare.
Russell, who just turned 60 in August and hosts "The Cliff Russell Show" weekdays from 2-4 p.m. on 910 AM, posts this on Facebook::
I am currently in the hospital and I will be here for the next several days. After going to the emergency room last night, I learned that there is a blockage in my heart, and I will most likely be undergoing a cardiac catheterization in the next few days.
I decided to post this news on Facebook (along with this very unflattering photo) because I am hoping to persuade people, black men in particular, to take much better care of ourselves.
This latest health challenge is the direct result of my less-than-healthy eating habits. Even though I have had heart attacks before, I still was eating way too much junk food. I should know better, and I have no excuse. If the good Lord allows me to come through this ordeal, I am committing myself to practicing and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
In the meantime, I ask for your prayers. Thank you.
Russell tells Deadline Detroit on Sunday morning that he expects to have the balloon angioplasty procedure Tuesday.
In 1902...radio newsman Morgan Beatty was born in Little Rock Arkansas.
For many years in the 1940′s & 50′s in particular, he was a senior news broadcaster for NBC Radio based in New York. “This is Morgan Beatty speaking for Alka Seltzer bringing you news of the world! and the news tonight is…”
When TV arrived he became news anchor for the short-lived Dumont Network.
A great radio presence with natural gravitas in his voice, he died July 4 1975 at age 72.
In 1920...WWJ-Detroit became the first radio station to broadcast a professional boxing match. The bout was won by Jack Dempsey with a third round knockout of Billy Miske.
In 1959...the hit radio sitcom “Fibber McGee and Molly” ended after almost 25 years. The series was launched in 1935 in Chicago and starred Jim and Marian Jordan. For the final 2.5 years it was a series of 4-minute vignettes on NBC’s weekend service “Monitor.”
In 1965...Chuck Leonard started at WABC 770 AM.
From1968...
Chuck Leonard
He broke the color barrier for all who followed — the first African-American to cross over from black R&B radio to (then-mostly white) mass-appeal radio.
Leonard began in the 11 p.m. to midnight slot, and continued working late nights and Sundays at the station until November 27, 1979. He did the 10:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. shift following “Cousin” Bruce Morrow and later George Michael. He also gladly handled weekend and fill-in work.
Leonard was the host of "Sneak Preview," a five-minute Monday-through-Saturday evening program on ABC's American Contemporary Radio Network, which featured newly released songs. He stayed at WABC until 1979, before moving to WXLO and WRKS.
In 1975...Glen Campbell had the top song on this date with "Rhinestone Cowboy". Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds were still hanging around at #2 with "Fallin' in Love". K.C. and the Sunshine Band's former #1 "Get Down Tonight" was at #3 with Janis Ian moving up three with "At Seventeen". The rest of the Top 10: James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", the Bee Gees with their former #1 "Jive Talkin'", David Bowie with his biggest career hit "Fame" at #7, the Isley Brothers and "Fight the Power", Barry Manilow's adaptation of Frederic Chopin ("Could It Be Magic") moved into the Top 10 and the former #1 from the Eagles--"One of These Nights" was #10.
In 1975...Red Octopus completed an amazing comeback for Jefferson Starship, rising to the #1 album. Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy by Elton John fell to 2 while Janis Ian enjoyed the biggest album of her career with Between the Lines. The Eagles held steady at #4 with One of These Nights.
In 1985...singer Johnny Desmond, who sang with the big bands of Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa & Bob Crosby, and on Don McNeil’s ‘Breakfast Club’ show on ABC Radio, died of cancer at age 65.
In 1987...Pat St. John does last show at WPLJ 95.5 FM in NYC.
From 1984...
St. John is one of the U.S.'s preeminent and longest serving radio personalities and voice-over artists.
Pat St. John
Known as The Dee-Jay’s DJ, he began his radio career on Windsor, Ontario's CKLW 800 AM in 1969 and '70, followed by WKNR 1300 AM in late 1970 to early '72, followed by WRIF 101.1 FM to April 1973. Pat is best known for his work in the New York City market on WPLJ 95.5 FM , WNEW 102.7 FM, WAXQ and WCBS 101.1 FM. He can also be heard on Sirius XM Radio 60's on 6 afternoons from 1:00PM to 5PM (Eastern), . Pat has done extensive television voiceover work, including announcing for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve from 2000 to 2010.
St. John is known for his conversational on-air style with interspersed bits of music trivia, along with "Collectible Cuts" from his extensive record library. Pat has been called a "walking encyclopedia" when it comes to his knowledge of music.
In 2013…Veteran radio personality Don Wade died of brain cancer at age 72.
He spent 27 of his 55 years in broadcasting at WLS 890 AM in Chicago, after stops in Seattle, Denver, Hartford, New Orleans, Buffalo, Boston, Dallas and Philadelphia.
Don Wade, co-hosted of the "Don Wade & Roma" morning show with his wife on WLS from 1989 to 2012.
In 1910...Kenneth Howard “Kenny” Delmar was born in Boston. He was an actor in radio, films, and animation. An announcer on the pioneering NBC radio news series The March of Time, he became a national radio sensation in 1945 as Senator Beauregard Claghorn on the Fred Allen program. He had played multiple roles in Orson Welles 1938 sensation for CBS, The War of the Worlds. NBC radio’s Cavalcade of America featured him in their repertory cast, and he also was heard as Commissioner Weston on early episodes of Mutual radio’s The Shadow.
Delmar died July 14, 1984 at age 73. In 1938…The inspirational soap opera "Life Can Be Beautiful" began its 16-year run on radio, shifting its home back and forth between NBC and CBS, occupying five different time slots during its tenure.
In 1957...WPOW 1330 AM (now WWRV) became first NYC station to play Rock & Roll regularly
In 1965...The Rolling Stones began recording "Get Off My Cloud" at RCA Studios in Los Angeles
In 1966...A new group had been created to serve as "the American version of the Beatles". On this date, the Monkees released their first single--"Last Train to Clarksville".
In 1981...Bella Donna from Stevie Nicks moved into the #1 position on the album chart, taking over from Foreigner's 4, which slipped to 2. Journey's great album Escape locked in the #3 spot while Pat Benatar was fourth with Precious Time and Billy Squier landed #5 with Don't Say No. The rest of the Top 10: Rickie Lee Jones with Pirates, Rick Springfield and Working Class Dog, Street Songs from Rick James, the Moody Blues fell to #9 with Long Distance Voyager and REO Speedwagon closed the list with Hi Infidelity in its 39th week of release. In 1981..."Endless Love" by Ross & Richie made it four weeks at #1, holding off "Slow Hand" from the Pointer Sisters. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" from Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers came in third before the hard-charging "Urgent" from Foreigner. The rest of the Top 10: Ronnie Milsap and "(There's) No Gettin' Over Me", Juice Newton remained the same with "Queen of Hearts", Journey was up to #7 with "Who's Crying Now", the Commodores with "Lady (You Bring Me Up)", "Jessie's Girl" from Rick Springfield and Joey Scarbury had #10--"Theme From Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)".
In 1987...After a full three decades on ABC, Dick Clark's American Bandstand is canceled, largely due to MTV's influence on the younger generation. The show will limp along on the USA cable channel and in syndication for another three years, with a different host, before finally throwing in the towel.
In 1989...Mike & the Mad Dog debut on WFAN 660 AM.
In 2002...radio actor Jackie Kelk, who played Jimmy Olsen on Superman, and Henry Aldrich’s best friend Homer Brown on The Aldrich Family, died of a lung infection at age 79.
In 2012...Joe South, singer, songwriter and guitarist who did "Games People Play" and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes", died of heart failure in Buford, Georgia at age 72. South also wrote songs for Elivs Presley, Deep Purple, the Osmonds, Gene Vincent, Lynn Anderson ("Rose Garden") and Billy Joe Royal and worked with Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Tommy Roe and others.
In 2015…Baseball broadcaster Gene Elston, who called Colt .45s/Houston Astros games for 25 years starting in 1962, died at the age of 93.
