Wake-Up Call: Parade Shooting Suspect Confesses

CONSIDERED SECOND ATTACK: Authorities said Wednesday that the 21-year-old man charged with killing seven people in a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, confessed to police, and also said he'd considered carrying out another shooting at an event in the Madison, Wisconsin, area after he fled there following the parade attack. He returned to Illinois instead, where he was pulled over and arrested, with Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli saying Robert Crimo III decided he wasn't prepared to carry out another attack. Crimo appeared in court by video yesterday and was denied bond. Covelli said investigators who've questioned Crimo and reviewed his social media posts haven't determined a motive or found any indication that he targeted victims by race, religion or other protected status. He also said some of the wounded remained in critical condition, and that the death toll could still rise.

JUST IN: The man accused of killing 7 people at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, revealed that he considered a second attack in Madison, Wisconsin, authorities say. https://t.co/NMdbRpqj9G

— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 6, 2022

 
➤UVALDE OFFICER HAD CHANCE TO SHOOT GUNMAN, BUT WAITED FOR PERMISSION: A new report on the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May that left 19 children and two teachers dead says that a police officer watched gunman Salvador Ramos walk toward the campus with a rifle, but didn't fire with his own rifle as he waited for permission to shoot him from a supervisor. But the report said the supervisor, quote, "either did not hear or responded too late," and when the officer turned back toward the gunman, he'd already gone inside. The review by a training center as Texas State University for active shooter situations also said that some of the victims could have been saved if they'd received medical attention sooner while police waited more than an hour before breaching the fourth-grade classroom where the killer had shut himself in.

At least 220 people were killed and nearly 570 others were wounded in shootings in nearly every U.S. state over Fourth of July weekend. https://t.co/vIKK5xYZW6 pic.twitter.com/otuMyw2cRv

— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 6, 2022

 
➤TIP THWARTED JULY 4TH MASS SHOOTING IN VIRGINIA: The police chief and mayor of Richmond, Virginia, said Wednesday that a tip from a citizen thwarted a potential mass shooting during a July 4th celebration in the city. Police Chief Gerald Smith said during a news conference that the tipster, who he called a "hero," overheard a conversation about a mass shooting being planned for the Fourth of July celebration at the Dogwood Dell amphitheater and called police on July 1st. That same day, police went to a home where they found weapons and ammunition, including two assault rifles, and they arrested one man. A second man was arrested Tuesday, and both have been charged with being non-citizens in possession of a firearm. The men, who are roommates, are both originally from Guatemala.

Boris Johnson

➤BRITISH PM JOHNSON RESIGNS (7:30 UPDATE) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation, marking the end of his ill-fated three-year reign as leader. Speaking in front of his No. 10 residence in Downing Street, London, the scandal-scarred leader said “it is clearly now the will of the parliamentary conservative party that there should be a new leader and a new prime minister.”

“The process of that should begin now. the timetable should be announced next week. I want to say to the millions of people that voted for us in 2019, thank you for that incredible mandate.”

The prime minister’s decision to step down follows a string of controversies that broke trust in his leadership, from “Partygate” lockdown scandal to the cost-of-living crisis to accusations of sexual misconduct among his top leadership. Johnson, who took office in 2019, will remain as the British leader until a successor is appointed, which could be until fall if his party lets him.

➤TRUMP WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL CIPOLLONE TO TESTIFY BEFORE JAN. 6TH COMMITTEE: Former President Donald Trump's White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, will testify Friday before the House commitee investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to media reports Wednesday. AP reported that Cipollone agreed to appear for a private, transcribed interview, after he was subpoenaed by the committee last week following weeks of public pressure to provide testimony. Cipollone is said to have strongly and repeatedly warned Trump and his allies against their efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

MASSIVE OVERSIGHT?: New York Times 'forgot' to print Declaration of Independence for the first time in 100 years on July 4thhttps://t.co/zXmupZnaZs pic.twitter.com/RyvEsa9B0y

— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 6, 2022

➤SEN. GRAHAM TO FIGHT GEORGIA SUBPOENA RELATED TO 2020 ELECTION ACTIONS: Senator Lindsey Graham will fight a subpoena to appear before a special grand jury in Georgia investigating former President Donald Trump and his allies' actions after the 2020 election, attorneys representing the South Carolina Republican said yesterday. The attorneys said in a statement, "This is all politics. Fulton County is engaged in a fishing expedition and working in concert with the January 6 Committee in Washington." The attorneys also said they'd been told by Fulton County, Georgia, investigators that Graham is, quote, "neither a subject nor target of the investigation." Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said in a petition for the subpoena that Graham made at least two phone calls to Georgia's secretary of state and members of his staff in the weeks after the 2020 election that Joe Biden won, during which he asked about reexamining certain absentee ballots, quote, "to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump."

DOUBLE STANDARD?: Gavin Newsom vacations in Montana despite California banning official travel to statehttps://t.co/nIEbELAmRG

— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 6, 2022

➤JERRY HARRIS SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS: TMZ reports that Cheer star Jerry Harris has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in his child pornography case. The 22-year-old former cheerleader pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

➤STUDY..OVER-65 CROWD HAS MORE SEX THAN GEN-Z: A new survey revealed older couples are getting between the sheets more often than younger partners. 1/3 of those aged 65 and older are doing the deed at least once a day...while up to 40% of Gen Z are "active" just once a week. The survey asked 1,000 adults in relationships how often they got it on, with surprising results. 15% of boomers knock boots multiple times a day!

➤RUNNING OF THE BULLS RETURNING FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2019: The traditional running of the bulls that's part of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, is returning for the first time since 2019, after being canceled for the past two years due to the pandemic. The first bull run of the nine-day festival is taking place today, with thousands of people set to try to avoid six bulls as they charge along the route in Pamplona's streets to the city's bullring. Eight people were gored during the last festival in 2019. Sixteen people have died in the bull runs since 1910, with the last death in 2009.

➤EXPLOSION DESTROYS MYSTERIOUS GEORGIA MONUMENT: A mysterious monument in rural Georgia that some had dubbed "America's Stonehenge" but had been labeled "satanic" by some conservative Christians was destroyed by an explosion early Wednesday. One of four granite panels at the Georgia Guidestones monument near Elberton was blown up by the explosion, and the other three were taken down later for safety reasons. The monument was built in 1980 from local granite after being commissioned by an unknown person or group under the pseudonym R.C. Christian. That's led to mystery and conspiracy theories about it. The 16-foot-high panels had a 10-part message in eight different languages with guidance for living in an "age of reason." One part called for keeping the world population at 500 million people or less, while another called to "guide reproduction wisely - improving fitness and diversity." It also acts as a sundial and astronomical calendar.

🏈BROWNS TRADE QB MAYFIELD TO PANTHERS: The Cleveland Browns traded quarterback Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers yesterday for a conditional draft pick in 2024 or 2025, after four years with the team. Mayfield, who was the Number 1 overall draft pick in 2018, was pushed out of his starting job when the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson in March, and he demanded a trade after that. Mayfield will compete with Sam Darnold to be Carolina’s starting quarterback.

🎾NADAL DEFEATS AMERICAN FRITZ TO REACH WIMBLEDON SEMIFINALS: Second-seeded Rafael Nadal defeated 11th-seeded American Taylor Fritz in five sets in their Wimbledon quarterfinal match yesterday to reach the semifinals. Nadal battled pain from an abdominal muscle injury for the victory, but said he couldn’t be sure whether he'll be able to play Friday against Nick Kyrgios, who reached his first Grand Slam semifinal by beating Cristian Garin yesterday. In the day's women's quarterfinals, 16th-seeded Simona Halep beat 20th-seeded American Amanda Anisimova in straight sets, and Number 17 Elena Rybakina defeated unseeded Ajla Tomljanovic.

🏀BIDEN, HARRIS SPEAK TO GRINER'S WIFE: President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both spoke to WNBA star Brittney Griner's wife yesterday, with Biden reassuring Cherelle Griner that he's trying to get Brittney free from her detention in Russia as soon as possible. Biden's conversation with Cherelle came after Brittney's personal appeal to him in a handwritten letter, and criticism from Cherelle of how her wife's case has been handled. The White House said in a statement that Biden offered Griner's family his support and committed to making sure they receive, quote, "all possible assistance," and he also read a draft of a letter to her that he was sending to Brittney. Cherelle said afterward, "I am grateful to the both of them for the time they spent with me and for the commitment they expressed to getting BG home." Griner has been detained in Russia since February and is currently on trial, accused of possessing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil.

⚾JUDGE, HICKS BOTH HIT GRAND SLAMS IN YANKEES' 16-0 PIRATES ROUT: The New York Yankees had grand slams from both Aaron Judge and Aaron Hicks in their 16-0 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates last night. Judge hit his third career grand slam in the eighth inning, which put him at an MLB-leading 30th homer for the season so far. Hicks hit his grand slam in the ninth inning.

 

Aaron's 30th Bash 👨‍⚖️ pic.twitter.com/EjZb48jmKl

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 7, 2022

⚾ANGELS' OHTANI EXTENDS STREAK OF STARTS WITHOUT EARNED RUNS: Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani extended his streak of start without earned runs to four games last night (July 6th) in the Angels' 5-2 win over the Miami Marlins. Ohtani allowed just one unearned run while striking out 10 batters, and has now not allowed an earned run over his last 28 2/3 innings, the third longest streak by an Angels starter in a season in the last 50 years.

Seventy-eight million Americans across 18 states will face dangerous heat and severe weather throughout the end of the week. https://t.co/wL8UIqYNg0

— ABC News (@ABC) July 6, 2022

Confidence in U.S. Institutions Down; Average at New Low

Americans are less confident in major U.S. institutions than they were a year ago, with significant declines for 11 of the 16 institutions tested and no improvements for any. The largest declines in confidence are 11 percentage points for the Supreme Court -- as reported in late June before the court issued controversial rulings on gun laws and abortion -- and 15 points for the presidency, matching the 15-point drop in President Joe Biden's job approval rating since the last confidence survey in June 2021.

Gallup first measured confidence in institutions in 1973 and has done so annually since 1993. This year's survey was conducted June 1-20.

Confidence currently ranges from a high of 68% for small business to a low of 7% for Congress. The military is the only institution besides small business for which a majority of Americans express confidence (64%). Confidence in the police, at 45%, has fallen below the majority level for only the second time, with the other instance occurring in 2020 in the weeks after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

This year's poll marks new lows in confidence for all three branches of the federal government -- the Supreme Court (25%), the presidency (23%) and Congress. Five other institutions are at their lowest points in at least three decades of measurement, including the church or organized religion (31%), newspapers (16%), the criminal justice system (14%), big business (14%) and the police.

Confidence in large technology companies is also at a low point (26%) but has only been measured the past three years.

Record-Low Confidence Across All Institutions

Gallup summarizes Americans' overall confidence in institutions by taking an average of the ratings of the 14 institutions it measures consistently each year -- all but small business and large technology companies. This year's 27% average of U.S. adults expressing "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in those 14 institutions is three points below the prior low from 2014.

All Party Groups Less Confident in Institutions

All partisan groups are generally less confident in the 16 U.S. institutions than they were a year ago, with average declines of four points among Republicans, five points among Democrats and six points among independents.

All three party groups are much less confident in the presidency than they were a year ago, showing declines of at least 10 points. Beyond that, the major changes among party groups tend to be isolated to one or two groups.

Democrats and independents show more than a double-digit loss of confidence in the Supreme Court, with no meaningful change among Republicans.

Republicans have lost more confidence in banks than the other party groups have. Republicans also show double-digit declines in confidence in the military and the police.

Independents are significantly less confident in organized religion than a year ago, while there has been a smaller drop among Republicans and no real change among Democrats.

Republicans and Democrats differ most in the confidence they have in the presidency (49 points), the police (39 points), newspapers (30 points) and public schools (30 points). The groups differ less, but still by significant margins, in their confidence in the Supreme Court, organized labor, organized religion, the medical system, television news and large technology companies.

Democrats are more confident than Republicans in most of these institutions; the exceptions are the police, the Supreme Court and organized religion.

Study: Many Reporters Don’t Believe In ‘Equal’ Coverage

The public expects far more than journalists are delivering when it comes to equal treatment of all sides in the news.

Less than half of journalists — 44% — say every side of an issue deserves “equal coverage,” according to a survey of the industry by the Pew Research Center.

Among the broader community, though, the vast majority — 76% — believe in equal coverage.

At a time when trust in the media is nearing all-time lows, the disconnect between what the public says it wants and what editors and reporters are delivering looms large, particularly in the minds of those in the business.

“We need to be aware of the disconnect and attempt to strengthen/maintain/improve the trust of our audience,” David Stringer, the publisher of the Lawton Constitution and a past president of the Oklahoma Press Association, told The Washington Times in an email. “But I think we need to do our best to avoid presenting false information, even if one group claims it as ‘their side.’ And if we do report information that’s later deemed to be false, to report that as well.”

Online journalists were the least likely to be interested in equal treatment. Television journalists were the most committed, with print and radio reporters in between. Those who have been in the business the longest were more committed than newcomers, who were skeptical of the equal treatment concept.

Analysts said they doubt the numbers would have looked the same a decade ago. They said there has been a shift in the industry.

“That idea of giving things equal coverage was probably a more popular concept in journalism circles back then. I think people have taken a more nuanced view of it since then,” said Richard T. Kaplar, president of the Media Institute.

Tim Graham, executive editor of NewsBusters, a right-leaning press watchdog, was more pointed: “It just seems to me that the dominant message of journalism, in J-schools, journalism conferences, is the arrival of Donald Trump should have offered a death knell to the idea that there are two sides of things.”

Polling from Pew and Gallup have found levels of trust in the media dipping, powered in particular by a drop in confidence among self-identified Republicans.

Pew’s research showed Republicans have the most interest in equal treatment, with 87% saying they want all sides covered in the news. Among Democrats, it’s 68%.

Pew found just 37% of those who worked for outlets with audiences that tilted to the left believed in equal treatment, compared with 57% of journalists who worked for right-leaning outlets.

Pew’s survey, released last month, covered 11,889 U.S.-based journalists. Of those surveyed, 42% worked in newspapers or magazines, 29% online, 17% in television, 11% in radio and 1% in podcasting.

TV Ratings: Committee Hearings Got Viewers

Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony before the Jan. 6 committee was a big hit with television viewers, easily reaching a larger live audience than any of the four other daytime hearings, reports The Associated Press citing Nielsen data.

Hutchinson’s riveting testimony about former President Donald Trump’s temper as plans to overturn the 2020 election fell apart was seen by 13.17 million people last week, the Nielsen company said.

That’s a 28% jump from the 10.25 million who watched the committee’s previous daytime hearing, and 23% over the average from the four daytime hearings. The committee’s first hearing, the only one televised in prime-time, was seen by 19.4 million people.

CBS was the most popular network in prime time last week, averaging 2.7 million viewers. NBC had 2.4 million, ABC had 2.1 million, Fox had 1.6 million, Univision had 1.2 million, Ion Television had 1 million, and Telemundo averaged 900,000.

📺Top 20 Prime Times TV Shows (Total Viewers)

1. “America’s Got Talent,” NBC, 5.98 million.

2. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 4.35 million.

3. “FBI,” CBS, 3.63 million.

4. “60 Minutes” (Sunday, 8 p.m.), CBS, 3.598 million.

5. “The Price is Right” (Wednesday, 9 p.m.), CBS, 3.586 million.

6. “The Price is Right” (Wednesday, 8 p.m.), CBS, 3.36 million.

7. “Celebrity Family Feud” (Monday, 9 p.m.), ABC, 3.33 million.

8. “NCIS,” CBS, 3.32 million.

9. “Celebrity Family Feud” (Monday, 8 p.m.), ABC, 3.31 million.

10. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 3.24 million.

11. “The Neighborhood,” CBS, 3.22 million.

12. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Wednesday), Fox News, 3.18 million.

13. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Monday), Fox News, 3.162 million.

14. “FBI: Most Wanted,” CBS, 3.161 million.

15. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Tuesday), Fox News, 3.13 million.

16. “FBI: International,” CBS, 3.1 million.

17. “NCIS: Hawai’i,” CBS, 3.06 million.

18. “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” ABC, 3.01 million.

19. “Chicago Fire,” NBC, 2.95 million.

20. “Hannity” (Wednesday), Fox News, 2.58 million.

📺BROADCAST NETWORK NEWS

ABC’s “World News Tonight” led the evening news ratings race with an average of 7.2 million viewers. NBC’s “Nightly News” had 6.1 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 4.3 million.

TV Newser reports ABC’s evening newscast has now defeated its competition from NBC and CBS 187 of the past 188 weeks in average total viewers—and 116 of the last 118 weeks among adults 25-54.

How did the newscast fare last week against comparable weeks? The results are mixed. World News Tonight gained +1% in total viewers % but shed -5% from the adults 25-54 demo vs. the previous week. WNT also lost -4% in total viewers and -7% among adults 25-54 from the same week in 2021 (June 28).

NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt was the sole evening newscast to post viewer growth in multiple measurements from the previous week.

📺LATE NIGHT SHOWS

Graphic courtesy of RoadMN (w/permission)

Fox News Channel was the top-rated cable network in prime time, averaging 2.05 million viewers. MSNBC had 1.31 million, HGTV had 858,000, Hallmark had 730,000 and History had 685,000.

Graphics courtesy of RoadMN (w/permission)

On the programming front, Fox News’ The Five was the most-watched show of the week (3.15 million at 5 p.m.) and the second-most-watched among adults 25-54 (426,000) at 8 p.m. Tucker Carlson Tonight came in second in total viewers (3.06 million at 8 p.m.) and No. 1 among adults 25-54 (484,000). Jesse Watters Primetime took third place in average total viewers (2.75 million at 7 p.m.), Hannity ranks fourth in total viewers with 2.62 million at 9 p.m., and MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show (2.46 million at 9 p.m.) climbed to No. 5 in average total viewers.

Special Report with Bret Baier (2.32 million at 6 p.m.), The Ingraham Angle (2.27 million at 10 p.m.) , Gutfeld! (2.12 million at 11 p.m.), Outnumbered (1.69 million at 12 p.m.) and America’s Newsroom (1.63 million from 9-11 a.m.)  round out cable news’ 10-most-watched for the week, according to TV Newser.

Graphics courtesy of RoadMN (w/permission)

How Is CNN Doing?

CNN notched back-to-back weeks of viewer growth after what was an especially rough ratings week of June 13. TV Newser reports the network hauled in an average of 672,000 total viewers in primetime during the week of June 27, 10th-most on basic cable and up +2% from the week prior, but fewer than Fox News or MSNBC. CNN’s A25-54 viewership in primetime (143,000) ranks No. 18 on basic cable and is also up from the prior week (+8%), but still down from what MSNBC averaged. 

In total day, CNN averaged 565,000 total viewers, which is -1% from the prior week. The network ranked No. 3 on basic cable in total day viewers, which means that Fox News, MSNBC and CNN were the three-most-watched basic cable networks in total day for the second consecutive week. CNN did manage to beat MSNBC when it came to adults 25-54 in total day (120,000, +3% week-to-week), placing No. 8 for the week in the measurement.

Cable Stocks Fall In Q2

Do you want to know how bad it has been for cable stocks? NextTV reports so bad that even the apparent removal of one of the sector’s biggest albatrosses — the threat of net neutrality regulation — wasn’t enough to move the needle into positive territory as distributors, hampered by fears of slower broadband growth and stiffer competition, shed about 13% of their value in Q2.

Overall, cable distribution stocks — Comcast, Charter Communications, Altice USA and Cable One — saw their collective share prices fall 12.7% during Q2. The biggest loser was Altice USA, which fell 25.9% between March 31 and June 30, as fears of another quarter of broadband subscriber losses took hold. Other stocks didn’t fare much better — Comcast was down 15.7% in the quarter, closing at $39.24 per share on June 30, followed by Charter (down 14.1%) and Cable One (down 11.9%).

The stocks were down 48% for the first six months of the year, as a steep decline in Altice USA’s share value sunk the rest of the sector. Altice USA shares were down 42.8% for the first six months of 2022, followed by Charter (down 28.1%), Cable One (down 26.9%) and Comcast (down 21.2%).

A combination of fears that the slowdown in broadband subscriber growth will continue longer than originally expected, coupled with an overall market malaise (the S&P 500 entered into bear market territory in June), rising inflation and worries that the country may be headed into another economic recession all helped drive down stocks. For what it’s worth, every sector has had to weather some declines as the major indices have slipped over the past several months. The S&P is down 20% so far this year — its lowest point in more than 50 years -- while the Dow has slipped 15% and the NASDAQ Composite fell 30% in Q2.

Also: Has Cable Broadband Hit the Wall?

Content stocks fared no better. Warner Bros. Discovery, the new entity created through the merger of Discovery Inc. and AT&T’s WarnerMedia assets, fell the hardest, down 46.1% for the quarter and closing June 30 at $13.42 each. The Walt Disney Co., home of the Disney Plus streaming service, dipped nearly 31% during the period, followed by Paramount Global (down 34.7%), AMC Networks (down 28.3%) and Fox Corp. (down 18.5%). For the full year, Warner Bros. Discovery fell 43%, followed by Disney (down 39%), Paramount Global (down 18.2%), AMC Networks (down 15.4%) and Fox (down 12.3%).
Telcos Ride High

Denver Radio: Dave Tepper Names PD At N/T/S KOA

Dave Tepper

iHeartMedia has announced  Dave Tepper has been named Program Director for KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM, Colorado’s News, Talk & Sports Station. 

As Program Director, Tepper will be responsible for day-to-day oversight of KOA, the Rockies Radio Network and Broncos Radio Network and will lead and manage all aspects of the on-air experience, including talent, content, programming, and online presence. He will report to JoJo Turnbeaugh, Region Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Rockies Region.

“We are very excited Dave will be leading our incredible team at KOA,” said Turnbeaugh. “Dave’s track record, vision and leadership is exactly what we need as KOA continues to evolve as Colorado’s, News, Talk and Sports leader.”

Tepper joins Denver from Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 & 950, where he most recently served as the Program Director and Operations Manager for the KSE Radio cluster that also included KXKL and KIMN. He also served as the Operations Manager for NRG Media in Omaha, Nebraska overseeing KOZN 1620 the Zone and News Talk 1290 KOIL, while spending a season as Studio Coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs NFL Radio Network for Cumulus in Overland Park, Kansas; after his first Program Director opportunity at KFNC ESPN 97.5 FM and KGOW Yahoo! Sports Radio 1560AM in Houston, TX. His previous experience also includes hosting sports talk in Houston and Austin, TX after getting started in radio at KLSX and KABC in Los Angeles, CA.

“I’m thrilled and humbled by the opportunity to take the legendary KOA brands to new heights, including the game-changing chance to work with the Broncos, Rockies and Colorado Buffaloes radio networks,” said Tepper. “My proud journey that includes working with a variety of sports and talk formats, talents and sports radio networks has prepared me for this unique and once in a lifetime step.”

St. Louis Radio: WHHL To Debut 'The Home Team'

Audacy announced a new morning show on WHHL HOT 104.1 FM in St. Louis. The station will debut “The Home Team,” starring St. Louis natives Shorty Da Prince, Brittish Williams and Andrew Caldwell, weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. CT beginning July 11. A “best hits” version of the show will air Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. CT.

“We’re proud to bring together three immensely talented individuals to create a new morning show catered to the St. Louis community,” said Becky Domyan, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy St. Louis. “This cast brings a combination of experience, entertainment, content and celebrity status to St. Louis. This is going to re-energize the market and reinvigorate St. Louis radio.”

Shorty is a celebrated St. Louis radio personality and recording artist who started his radio career at KATZ-FM in St. Louis when he was only twelve years old. Other No. 1-rated stops include WGPR-FM in Detroit, WKYS-FM in Washington D.C. and WENZ-FM in Cleveland. Shorty is also well known for his years of hosting BET’s “106 and Park.” He is also a successful recording artist signed previously to Atlantic Records and is the creator of the “STL Fest” musical festival.

Williams is a radio and television personality, influencer, host and entrepreneur currently starring in the hit television show Basketball Wives on VH1. Williams has also collaborated with numerous brands to enhance their businesses and visibility and is the CEO of two brands – Shop Gossip Girl and The House of Hair.

Caldwell, also known as Mr. Delivert, is a social media influencer who gained national fame in 2018 when his church video went viral.

Listeners can tune in to HOT 104.1 (WHHL-FM) in St. Louis on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via Twitter and Facebook.

Bay Radio, Portland Radio: Mark Hamilton To PD at KIRZ, KNRK

Audacy has named Mark Hamilton brand manager of KITS 105.3 Dave FM in San Francisco and 94.7 Alternative Portland KNRK-FM, effective immediately. 

In these roles, Hamilton will oversee content strategy, talent, operations and branding for the stations. He will continue to serve as Operations Manager of Audacy Portland.

“Since Dave FM launched in October, Mark has successfully led the station’s initial programming charge, and we’re thrilled to officially expand his role as brand manager,” said Stacey Kauffman, Regional Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy San Francisco and Sacramento.

Mark Hamilton

“We’re equally as excited to have him return to 94/7 as Brand Manager in Portland and have him implement his leadership and expertise to bolster KNRK,” added Kim Martinez, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Portland.

“I’m so excited for this opportunity in both markets,” said Hamilton. “Let’s go!”

Hamilton joined the company in November 1988 as midday personality and assistant program director of Live 105 in San Francisco. In 1995, Hamilton transitioned to Portland to program KNRK, a position he held until September 2020. He picked up additional programming duties in 2010, taking the reins of sister station 97.1 Charlie (KYCH-FM).

➤Listeners can tune in to 105.3 Dave FM (KITS-FM) in San Francisco on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

➤Listeners can tune in to 94/7 Alternative Portland (KNRK-FM) in Portland on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Portland OR Radio: Danny Marang New Co-Host At KFXX

Audacy announced the addition of Danny Marang as midday show co-host for KFXX 1080 The Fan AM in Portland. Marang will join longtime station host Dusty Harrah on “Danny and Dusty,” weekdays from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. PT effective immediately.

“Danny brings a rich breadth of experience covering this area’s sports scene, and we’re pleased to team him up with Dusty Harrah for the launch of a brand-new midday show,” said Kim Martinez, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Portland. “Together, Danny and Dusty will deliver fresh, entertaining and informative content to carry our listeners through their workdays.”

“To be able to work at 1080 The Fan is the culmination of over a decade of blood, sweat and tears,” said Marang. “That I get this opportunity isn’t lost on me – but that I get this opportunity with Dusty and a host of others that I’ve known and worked with or alongside for so long really is something I never thought possible. I can’t wait to see what we can build together.”

Marang is a 10-year Portland media veteran who also hosts Jacked Ramsays, a Portland Trail Blazers-focused podcast alongside 1080 The Fan morning show host Brandon Sprague. Marang previously served as host of Trail Blazers pregame and postgame shows on NBC Sports Northwest and a writer for SB Nation website “Blazers Edge.” He also served as an operations intelligence officer in the United States Air Force.

➤Listeners can tune in to 1080 The Fan (KFXX-AM) in Portland on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Insights: Solutions To The Podcast Ad Frequency Problem

The number of times podcast listeners hear an ad campaign is soaring. 

According to Podsights, the leading podcast attribution measurement firm, average podcast ad frequency has doubled in the past year, reducing podcast conversions. 

This week’s Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group© blog outlines three solutions to the podcast ad frequency problem and explains why brands need to remind the many, not lecture the few.

• Podsights reports podcast ad campaign frequency is soaring, causing the proportion of site visits (conversions) and purchase rate to fall
• The solution is to grow reach at the expense of frequency
• Podcasts have audience scale; Podcasts' reach has tripled since 2016 as one-fourth of American persons 18–49 is reached daily

• Three strategies to optimize reach: 1) Buy more shows and genres than the “obvious” fit; Consult Nielsen’s Scarborough Podcast Buying Power study to find additional shows and genres to purchase; 2) Purchase podcast genres and shows based on reach among category buyers, not index; 3) Spread impressions further down the ranker and buy more than just top shows
• Take the advice of Erwin Ephron, the father of modern media planning: “Remind the many, don’t lecture the few”

FOX Lawyers Up

Fox News has hired veteran trial attorney Dan Webb to lead its defense against a defamation suit by Dominion Voting Systems over false claims made during the channel’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election.

The LA Times reports the move comes shortly after an unfavorable Delaware Supreme Court ruling last month, which allows the outlet’s parent company, Fox Corporation, to be included in the suit filed in March 2021. The June 21 ruling said Dominion “adequately pleaded” that top Fox executives — Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan — had a “direct role in participating in, approving, and controlling” the airing of baseless claims of voter fraud perpetuated by former president Donald Trump.

Dan Webb

A Fox News representative said the ruling was not a factor in the hiring of Webb, which was in the works for several weeks. The court admitted Webb to the case on June 30.

Webb, co-chairman of the Chicago-based firm Winston & Strawn, replaces Chip Babcock, a Houston-based litigator who specializes in First Amendment cases. Webb‘s appointment is an indication that Fox News expects to go to trial in the Dominion case, in which the voting systems company is seeking $1.6 billion in damages.

“His vast experience in trial litigation will add depth to our legal team, ensuring the protection of the First Amendment and the fundamental right to a free press remain intact,” the company said in a statement on Webb’s hiring.

Webb, 76, has a long career of handling high-profile cases. He is comfortable interacting with juries and the media, presenting himself with a modest, Midwestern demeanor even as press accounts of his career described him as a “superlawyer.”

Webb most recently served as a special prosecutor for Cook County, Ill., handling the charges against Jussie Smollett, the “Empire” actor convicted of hiring two men to stage a hate crime against him in January 2019.

Portland OR Radio: KRSK Raises $25K+ For Vet Pets

KRSK 105.1 The Buzz in Portland helped raise over $25,000 as part of the station’s 2nd annual “Service Pet for a Vet” campaign.

Morning show co-hosts Liz and Mike teamed up with Northwest Battle Buddies to raise funds to adopt and train a service dog for a local veteran battling PTSD.

“Seeing the community come together for such a great cause made us ugly cry,” said Liz and Mike. “With times so tough it was moving to see so many people give what they could.”

From June 27 to July 1, the duo encouraged listeners to donate, sharing stories of hope and inspiration about how service dogs can save the lives of veterans.

Listeners can tune in to 105.1 The Buzz (KRSK-FM) in Portland on air, as well as nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

R.I.P.: Hank Goldberg, Radio Host, TV Personality

Hank Goldberg

Hank Goldberg, a longtime South Florida radio host and TV personality, passed away Monday in his Las Vegas home. He died on his birthday at the age of 82 after a long battle with kidney disease.

A staple of the sports talk industry in Miami, Goldberg began work in the 1970s as the color analyst for the Miami Dolphins from 1978-1992. He spent that time covering the franchise’s golden era under legendary coach Don Shula, with whom he formed a close relationship.

Goldberg, who got his start ghost-writing Jimmy The Greek’s syndicated gambling column, broke Shula’s retirement story after the 1995 season.

Goldberg – whose nickname was the “Hammer” – was part of the Dolphins radio team during the franchise’s Perfect Season in 1972.

Goldberg also went on to spend nine years at local TV station, WTVJ, from 1983-1992.

He became best-known for hosting his radio talk show on WQAM from 1993-2009. At the same time, in 1993, Goldberg began to work for ESPN covering the Dolphins beat in addition to serving as the network’s horseracing handicap expert.

Goldberg’s father, Hy, was a legendary Newark sports writer who covered the New York Yankees.

Goldberg, who was waiting for a kidney transplant, had his right leg amputated below the knee last October due to complications. He was undergoing dialysis three times a week.

July 7 Radio History

➦In 1940...Beatle Ringo Starr born.

➦In 194?...Radio personality Joey Reynolds was born.  Joey Reynolds is the pseudonym of Joey Pinto, long-time radio show host and disc jockey. Reynolds' broadcasting career started on TV in Buffalo at WGR TV 2 and he worked at various stations, including at WNBC.

Joey Reynolds

His first radio job was WWOL in Buffalo with Dick Purtan, then WKWK, in Wheeling, WV. After that, he continued at several venerable stations, including WKBW in Buffalo, New York, WNBC and WOR in New York City, KQV in Pittsburgh, KMPC and KRTH in Los Angeles, WDRC in Hartford, WIXY in Cleveland, and WIBG and WFIL in Philadelphia.

He rose to fame as a Top 40 radio personality during the 1960s and 1970s, amassing large audiences in places such as Hartford, Connecticut, Cleveland, Ohio, Detroit, Michigan, and his hometown of Buffalo, New York. Reynolds is often regarded as an early progenitor of "shock talk radio", whose sometimes outlandish on and off-air stunts garnered widespread publicity.

Joey Reynolds was in the category of disc jockey, playing music on music intensive radio stations from the very late 1950s until the mid-1980s during his time on Z100 and WFIL. In 1986, he arrived at the former WNBC in New York City doing the afternoon drive, Howard Stern's previous shift. That station was attempting to move into a more talk intensive full service format with music taking a backseat but still heard. Reynolds was basically playing a mix of oldies and adult contemporary cuts along with comedy and personality, and was most notably on the air when the station's traffic helicopter crashed, killing reporter Jane Dornacker.

He exited WNBC at the end of February 1987 and was replaced by the late Alan Colmes.

His next stations were morning shows and at that point Joey had evolved into more of a talk intensive program. He was less a DJ and more like a talk show host. By 1995, Joey was no longer playing music on his shows and in 1996 he arrived at WOR in New York. He has been a talk show host since.

On March 10, 2010, it was revealed that WOR would pick up Coast to Coast AM from Premiere Radio and would cancel "The Joey Reynolds Show." (Coast to Coast had been heard on crosstown rival WABC for several years, before that station dropped the show in favor of an in-house offering from Doug McIntyre, which led Premiere to seek WOR as the new New York affiliate.) Reynolds' last show, which was segregated into the "Final Gay Hour," the "Final Jewish Hour" and "The Final Hour," aired the morning of April 3, 2010.

610 KFRC · 610 KFRC Bobby Ocean Summer 1986

➦In 1944...legendary radio personality, Bobby Ocean, was born. He worked primarily on the West Coast. As you might expect Bobby Ocean is not his real name.  His real is...Johnny! Johnny Ocean!

However, his first radio job was WDLP, Panama City, FL in 1963 using the name Ray Farrell.

He also used the on-air handles of 'Radio Ray' and 'Captain Turntable'. He first used the name Bobby Ocean at KGB 1360 AM, in San Diego, CA in 1968.

Best known for his work at KFRC 610 AM San Fransisco and KHJ 930 AM Los Angeles.

➦In 1949...the program "Dragnet" debuted on the NBC Radio Network.

Dragnet enacted the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from the police term "dragnet", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects.

Dragnet is perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in media history. The series gave audience members a feel for the boredom and drudgery, as well as the danger and heroism, of police work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers.

Actor and producer Jack Webb's aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals, and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media.

The show's cultural impact is such that after seven decades, elements of Dragnet are familiar to those who have never seen or heard the program. The ominous, four-note introduction to the brass and tympani theme music (titled "Danger Ahead"), composed by Walter Schumann, is instantly recognizable.

The radio series was the first entry in a Dragnet media franchise encompassing film, television, books and comics.

➦In 1974...“The Dr. Demento Radio Show” began national syndication, starring Barry Hansen who had created the persona of Dr. Demento in 1970 while working at Pasadena station KPPC-FM.

The positive listener response to the offbeat novelties that Hansen included in his rock oldies show led to his eventually turning it into an all-novelty show. At the end of 1971, he moved to KMET in Los Angeles. From 1972 to 1983, he performed a four-hour live show on KMET. From about 1974 on, the local Los Angeles market was the full 4 hours and the nationally syndicated show was cut to 2 hours. Later, the show would be a two-hour live show on KLSX, and after they converted to a talk-only format in 1995, moved again to KSCA, where it remained until they changed to a Spanish-language broadcast, in February 1997.

➦In 1989...Compact discs started to outsell vinyl record albums for the first time. The dominance of CDs practically wiped out the 45 RPM single format since nothing came along to replace it.

➦In 1990...radio/TV game show host & panelist Bill Cullen died from lung cancer at age 70.

Bill Cullen

Cullen's broadcasting career began in 1939 in Pittsburgh at WWSW radio, where he worked as a disc jockey and play-by-play announcer or color commentator for Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Hornets games. In 1943, Cullen left WWSW to briefly work at rival station KDKA before leaving Pittsburgh a year later to try his luck in New York. A week after arriving in New York, he was hired as a staff announcer at CBS.

To supplement his then-meager income, he became a freelance joke writer for some of the top radio stars of the day, including Arthur Godfrey, Danny Kaye, and Jack Benny; he also worked as a staff writer for the Easy Aces radio show.

Between 1946 and 1953, he worked as announcer for various other local and network shows, including the radio version of Mark Goodson and Bill Todman's first game show, Winner Take All, hosted by Ward Wilson; Cullen took over as host four months later when Wilson left. After a brief stint at WNEW in 1951, he hosted a popular morning show at WRCA radio from 1955 to 1961. His last regular radio job was as one of the hosts of NBC Radio's Monitor from 1971–73.

He was a longtime panel member on 'I’ve Got a Secret' & then 'To Tell the Truth' on TV.

➦In 2015…Longtime Chicago WVON radio personality/executive Moses "Lucky" Cordell died of injuries suffered in a fire at his home. He was 86.

Cordell had a long career in Chicago radio. After starting as a DJ at WGES in Chicago in 1952, Cordell moved to WGRY in Gary before working at WVON in Chicago.

He became the station's program and music director in 1965 and went on to become WVON's general manager in 1970.

Tom Marr

➦In 2016…Veteran Baltimore radio personality Tom Marr died at age 73.

Marr, who has been one of the more recognizable figures in Baltimore radio, began his career in 1967 with WFBR-AM where he started as a reporter and then served as the station’s news director. He was also the weekend sports anchor at WMAR-TV.

He joined WCBM in 1988 where he was both a reporter and political commentator and later became a talk show host.  Marr also hosted his own nationally broadcast talk show on the WOR Radio Network and spent eight seasons as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Baltimore Orioles.

Ringo Starr Then & Now

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Bandleader Doc Severinsen is 95. 
• Drummer Ringo Starr is 82. 
• Singer-guitarist Warren Entner of the Grass Roots is 79. 
• Actor Joe Spano is 76. 
• Singer David Hodo (the construction worker) of The Village People is 75. 
• Country singer Linda Williams is 75. 

• 

  Maddie Marlow is 27

  Actor Shelley Duvall is 73. 
• Actor Roz Ryan (“Amen”) is 71. 
• Actor Billy Campbell (“Once and Again”) is 63. 
• Bassist Mark White of the Spin Doctors is 60. 
• Singer-songwriter Vonda Shepard (“Ally McBeal”) is 59. 
• Comedian Jim Gaffigan is 56. 
• Bassist Ricky Kinchen of Mint Condition is 56. 
• Actor Amy Carlson (“Blue Bloods”) is 54. 
• Actor Jorja Fox (“CSI”) is 54. 
• Actor Cree Summer (“A Different World”) is 53. 
• Actor Robin Weigert (“Deadwood,” “Sons of Anarchy”) is 53. 
• Actor Kirsten Vangsness (“Criminal Minds”) is 50. 
• Actor Troy Garity (“Barbershop”) is 49. 
• Actor Berenice Bejo (“The Artist”) is 46. 
• Actor Hamish Linklater (“The New Adventures of Old Christine”) is 46. 
• Rapper Cassidy is 40. Actor Ross Malinger (“Sleepless in Seattle”) is 38. 
• Comedian Luke Null (“Saturday Night Live”) is 32. 
• Singer Ally Hernandez of Fifth Harmony (“The X Factor”) is 29. 
• Drummer Ashton Irwin of 5 Seconds Of Summer is 28. 
• Country singer Maddie Font of Maddie and Tae is 27.

🕇DEATH ANNIVERSARIES

• Novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, died on this day in 1930. He was 71.
• Gone with the Wind actress Vivien Leigh died on this day in 1967. She was 53.

R.I.P.: Mitch Faulkner, Atlanta R&B Radio Legend

Mitch Faulkner

Veteran Atlanta radio DJ Mitch Faulkner died last week of cardiac arrest, his brother Arvester Faulkner said. He was 64, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Faulkner, over the years, was heard on numerous Atlanta radio stations including jazz station 91.9/WCLK-FM, former R&B station 1570/WIGO-AM, V-103 and Kiss 104.1. He was also creative director of “The Tom Joyner Morning Show” for a time.

But his calling card for more than three decades was voice-over and imaging work for TV stations, ad campaigns and hundreds of radio stations worldwide, including stations in London, Nigeria, Brazil, the Bahamas, Jamaica and Denmark. His nickname was “The Voice,” given his skills at cutting promos.

He also provided the voice for Janet Jackson’s “Control” tour in 1987 and Tyler Perry’s early stage plays.

“He never met a stranger,” said Arvester. “If you were with him for two minutes, he’d make you feel like the most important person there was. He treated the executives and the guy cutting the grass exactly the same.”

Faulkner was inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame in 2018. But given his level of modesty, he chose not to attend the ceremony, working his weekend shift on Classix 102.9 that night instead.

Mike Roberts, the former V-103 morning man who now owns a station in Macon, hired Faulkner at WIGO in 1982 as an assistant program director and host. He loved Faulkner’s humility.

“He was a guy that did not put himself in front of everybody else. He was the guy that was always crediting other people,” Roberts said. “He’d do things without asking for anything in return. And he cared about radio and how it should focus on community and not dollars and ratings.”

Faulkner grew up in the small town of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where his older brother Arvester got him interested in recording equipment. Faulkner as a teen recorded a promo about voter registration for the local NAACP chapter. It was so good, he got hired by a local radio station. “He loved immersing himself in the technical aspects of production,” Arvester said. “He knew how to compress the sound to make his voice sound bigger. His production hit you in the face.”

Arvester was working at 11Alive in Atlanta when his younger brother followed him to the city and soon nabbed a series of jobs at multiple radio stations, including powerhouse FM station V-103. In 1987, Mitch Faulkner became the first program director of the new R&B station Kiss 104.7, which would later move to 104.1. He would work on and off with Kiss over the next three decades.

In the late 1980s, Mitch Faulkner started On Mic Productions with Arvester. It eventually became Faulkner’s primary job. He would build out four digital studios and have 11 employees at its peak.

Rick Party, a former V-103 jock who is now the voice of ESPN SportsCenter, said Faulkner inspired him to go into voice-over production. “Whenever I do my voice-over work for ESPN,” he said, “I hear little pieces of Mitch. He may be gone but he lives on in everyone he touched.”