Radio History: March 3

Alexander Graham Bell

➦In 1847...Alexander Graham Bell born (Died - August 2, 1922). The Scottish-born scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator is credited with inventing and patenting the first practical telephone. He also founded the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) in 1885.

Bell's father, grandfather, and brother had all been associated with work on elocution and speech and both his mother and wife were deaf, profoundly influencing Bell's life's work. His research on hearing and speech further led him to experiment with hearing devices which eventually culminated in Bell being awarded the first U.S. patent for the telephone in 1876. Bell considered his invention an intrusion on his real work as a scientist and refused to have a telephone in his study.Many other inventions marked Bell's later life, including groundbreaking work in optical telecommunications, hydrofoils, and aeronautics.

➦In 1885...Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, established American Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1885, which acquired the Bell Telephone Company and became the primary phone company in the United States. This company maintained a monopoly on telephone service in the United States until anti-trust regulators split the company in 1982.

AT&T Corporation was eventually purchased by one of its Baby Bells, the former Southwestern Bell, in 2005 and the combined company became known as AT&T Inc.

WWJ Control

➦In 1922...WWJ-AM, Detroit, Michigan signed-on.

WWJ first signed on the air on August 20, 1920 under the call sign 8MK, and was founded by The Detroit News; the mixed letter/number calls were assigned to the station by the United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Navigation, the government bureau responsible for radio regulation at the time. The 8 in the call sign referred to its location in the 8th Radio Inspection District, while the M in the call sign identified that the station operated under an amateur license. It is not clear why the Detroit News applied for an amateur license instead of an experimental license. As an amateur station, it broadcast at 200 meters (the equivalent of 1500 AM).

8MK was initially licensed to Michael DeLisle Lyons, a teenager, and radio pioneer. He assembled the station in the Detroit News Building but the Scripps family asked him to register the station in his name, because they were worried this new technology might only be a fad, and wanted to keep some distance.

Ty Tyson

The Scripps family were also worried radio might replace newspapers if the medium caught on, so the family financially supported Michael. In fact, most early radio stations were built, for the same reason, by families who owned newspapers – out of concern that radio would put them out of business, on the basis that newspaper readers would find it more timelier to tune to listen to the headlines on radio at any given time than wait to read them in a daily newspaper the next day.

On October 13, 1921, the station was granted a limited commercial license and was assigned the call letters WBL. With the new license, the station began broadcasting at 360 meters (833 AM), with weather reports and other government reports broadcast at 485 meters (619 AM).

On March 3, 1922, for reasons that are not known, the call letters, 'WWJ, were assigned to the station. Some believe the new call letters are an abbreviation for stockholders William and John Scripps, but on page 82 of a book published by the Detroit News in 1922, WWJ-The Detroit News, it stated that "WWJ is not the initials of any name. It is a symbol. It was issued to the Detroit News by the government in connection with the licensing of this broadcasting plant."

Ty Tyson was the original “voice” of the Detroit Tigers was 39 years old that first radio summer of 1927.

Today Newsradio WWJ 950 AM is owned by Audacy.

➦In 1925...KFWB Los Angeles signed-on.  The station was launched by Sam Warner, a co-founder of Warner Brothers. The station launched the careers of such stars as Ronald Reagan and Bing Crosby. The station was the first to broadcast the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.

FL Governor Vetoes Social Media Ban Bill

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed legislation that would have banned social media for minors younger than 16 and required age verification to access pornographic websites.

"I have vetoed HB 1 because the Legislature is about to produce a different, superior bill," DeSantis said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents’ rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech. I anticipate the new bill will recognize these priorities and will be signed into law soon."

Ron DeSantis

The Palm Beach Port reports the governor has been negotiating with House Speaker Paul Renner in recent days, and lawmakers are already pushing forward another proposal with a big concession to DeSantis’ parental rights concerns. 

In a statement, Renner said the new bill "will empower parents to control what their children can access online while also protecting minors from the harm caused by addictive social media platforms. This balance ensures that while you, as parents, have the power to guide your children's online activities, the law is also there to protect them."

That original (HB 1) would have been the strictest social media clampdown in the nation, banning platforms using “addictive features” for all minors younger than 16 years old. 

But an amendment to the replacement bill (HB 3), filed Friday afternoon shortly after DeSantis’ veto announcement, adds a parental permission exception for Floridians who are 14 and 15 years old. 

Legacy Media Advertisers Flocking To Social Media Platforms

Social media companies are soaking up the billions in advertising dollars that once flowed to legacy media companies — a trend that continues to accelerate despite an ever-growing mountain of evidence indicating the Silicon Valley titans govern their ballooning kingdoms with little regard for how their products negatively impact society.

CNN  reports that while the dramatic shift has empowered these companies, it has also simultaneously dealt massive blows to news organizations, most of which are struggling to survive as they see their one-time revenue sources sour on their products in favor of tech platforms.

Just two months into 2024, several news organizations are already collapsing in plain sight. The Messenger shuttered last month; an already-slimmed down BuzzFeed announced it would slash 16% of its remaining staff; and Vice Media said it would lay off hundreds of employees and cease publishing on its website as it pivots to an entirely new business model. Over the last few years, the situation has grown more dire, with nearly every major news organization cutting their workforces to survive — if they can. Hundreds of local outlets have not been so lucky, closing their doors as advertising dollars disappear.

A substantial portion of the advertising dollars that once supported the carefully manicured gardens of legacy media outlets have migrated over to a free-for-all hellscape ruled by mostly unregulated Silicon Valley deities who prioritize profits and growth over the public good. As a result, the news organizations which work tirelessly to behave responsibly are seeing their business models collapse and future jeopardized, while executives like Mark Zuckerberg tout record profits.

To be fair, brands would likely prefer to advertise on the platforms of responsible media actors versus the risky world of social media. But Big Tech offers these brands much more effective targeting, while boasting a larger and younger audience than legacy news organizations. To make matters worse, news companies have been far too slow to adapt to the changing technological landscape, often sporting ugly websites and apps and lacking the tools necessary to hone in on specific audiences advertisers want to spend their dollars to reach.

Meta Says It Won’t Renew Deals With News Publishers

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced that it will not renew commercial deals with news publishers in Australia and the U.S.. This decision comes after the number of people using a dedicated tab for news on Facebook in these countries dropped by more than 80% last year, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The move signifies a shift away from its previous strategy, and Meta also plans to remove the dedicated news feature.

These changes impact existing agreements with publishers. For instance, News Corp, which publishes The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, had a three-year deal with Meta regarding Australian news. Additionally, News Corp had previously reached a deal with Meta in the U.S. However, deals in the U.S. and the U.K. have already expired.

As Meta reevaluates its approach to news content, the landscape of digital media continues to evolve. The decision not to renew these deals reflects the challenges faced by both tech companies and traditional news outlets in adapting to changing user behaviors and preferences.

Nashville Radio: 2 New Stations Using AI To Reach Target Audiences

Two new radio stations in Nashville are powered using artificial intelligence to broadcast music for highly specific audiences.

“It’s making the creation of radio experiences so much faster and more efficient, that we can actually take the time to invest in these really localized interesting formats, like the ones that we’ve launched in Nashville,” said Super Hi-Fi CEO Zack Zalon.

WKRN TV2 reports Zalon’s company has partnered with Xperi and Cumulus Media to broadcast two HD radio stations on 104.5FM HD2 and HD3: “The Hill” and “Nashville Songwriter Radio.”

“The Hill” is meant for high school students and spans multiple genres while “Nashville Songwriter Radio” highlights songs from Nashville singers and songwriters.

“These kinds of stations are designed to bring the artists up that really deserve that kind of attention that would never get that attention through just a plain algorithm alone,” Zalon said.

Zalon said the stations use AI in concert with humans to bring hyper-specific stations cost-effectively.

Humans record song introductions and curate a large selection of music, and then the AI selects the songs and introductions and broadcasts the show.

“The humans are selecting all the ingredients and putting it all on a plate, and then the AI is kind of selecting those ingredients, mixing it all together and creating the final stew, the final dish,” Zalon explained.

Zalon said this use of AI won’t cost anyone their jobs in the short run because the technology speeds up tasks and doesn’t eliminate them.

“The best way to think about it is it’s like a power tool for the human to supplement what they’re doing,” he said.

Many Nashville musicians are worried artificial intelligence will hurt their industry and/or take jobs, but Belmont University music business professor Clyde Rolston is optimistic about AI and radio.

“I think it’s great for Nashville. People who aren’t necessarily signed to a big publishing company have the potential to get exposure that they might not get otherwise, and that’s a great thing for those artists and those songwriters,” Rolston said.

“I see this is just as the next step, and in radio embracing technology,” he added.

Musk Sues OpenAI

Elon Musk has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, alleging breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. 

The billionaire claims that OpenAI violated the agreement it made with him, which stated that the company would be a nonprofit developing AI for the public good and that its research would be open source.  Musk asserts that OpenAI has abandoned its mission of benefiting humanity in favor of profits. 

The lawsuit centers on the founding agreement, which Musk contends was memorialized when OpenAI was incorporated. 

However, legal experts express skepticism about Musk’s case, as oral promises made years ago without a formal contract may be challenging to enforce. Regardless, this legal battle highlights the evolving landscape of AI research and the delicate balance between profit motives and societal impact.

Nexstar Asks Court to Overturn Station Ownership Rules

Nexstar Media Group has filed papers in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit asking the court to overturn FCC station ownership rules, which the agency recently upheld and tightened in its 2018 Quadrennial Regulatory Review of the broadcast ownership rules. 

TVTechnology reports the FCC is required to review its ownership rules every four years but was so late with the 2018 review that it began the 2022 review without completing it. The NAB sued and in September U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has issued a ruling giving the Federal Communications Commission 90 days to complete the 2018 quadrennial review of ownership rules. 

In December, the FCC completed that review by upholding most of the ownership rules and tightening some others. The ruling closes “a loophole that involves the transfer of [a network] station affiliation to a multicast stream or low-power station that can be used to evade rules,” FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenthal said at the time. 

In its filing in the Appeals Court in Texas, where Nexstar has its headquarters, Nexstar complained that “despite the Commission’s delay [in completing the review], the Quadrennial Order is replete with legal errors. First, the Quadrennial Order violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 in several ways. 

Among other things, the Quadrennial Order fails to consider important data submitted by participants, reaches conclusions directly contrary to the record, and employs reasoning that is illogical and inconsistent. Second, the Order exceeds the Commission’s statutory authority because it tightens media ownership rules in spite of the statute’s clear deregulatory purpose and the lack of basis for such tightening. And third, the Order’s new content-based restriction on multicasting ignores important First Amendment and statutory authority concerns that participants raised directly with the Commission during the notice-and-comment period.”

Portland OR Radio: The Buzz Rebrands As Bella 105

Audacy announces the launch of Bella 105 (KRSK-FM) in Portland. The station, previously known as 105.1 The Buzz, will continue to provide favorites from today’s biggest pop artists like Adele, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and more.

“We’re thrilled to unveil the next chapter of KRSK and introduce Bella to listeners in Portland and beyond,” said Jamie Tanchyk, Brand Manager, Bella 105. “Making friends as an adult just got a whole lot easier! Your new bestie has arrived, and she can't wait to share her favorite songs with Portland.”

Additional on-air staff updates will be made in the coming weeks.

📻Listeners can tune in to Bella 105 (KRSK-FM) on air in Portland and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.

Judge Says Google Must Face Advertisers' Antitrust Claims

 Alphabet's Google must face advertisers' proposed class action lawsuit claiming that it monopolizes the ad exchange market, a U.S. judge ruled on Friday.

However, Reuters reports,  U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel dismissed some other antitrust claims, including those focused on ad-buying tools used by large advertisers.

Castel was reviewing a number of cases against Google, and his decision struck down many claims but allowed at least one key set to proceed.

The advertisers, he wrote, "have not plausibly alleged antitrust standing in the markets for ad-buying tools used by large advertisers, but they plausibly allege antitrust standing as to injuries they purportedly suffered from anti-competitive practices in the ad-exchange market and the market for small advertisers' buying tools."

Castel also said Gannett the largest U.S. newspaper chain and publisher of USA Today, could try in a separate case to prove that Google fraudulently concealed anticompetitive effects of some technology. Gannett alleged that it sold some of its ad space directly to advertisers, but Google still made the inventory available for auction on its ad exchange in order to accrue transaction fees for its own benefit.

The U.S. Justice Department sued Google in January 2023, accusing it of abusing its dominance in digital advertising. The government asked for the divestiture of the Google Ad Manager suite, including Google's ad exchange, AdX

Google Ad Manager is a suite of tools including one that allows websites to offer advertising space for sale and an exchange that serves as a marketplace that automatically matches advertisers with those publishers.

Boston Radio: WEEI Rival Hopes Audacy Will 'Make It'

98.5 Sports Hub's Mike Felger

As WEEI’s owner emerges from bankruptcy, the leading voice for the dominant rival in town says he hopes the sports talk competitor will “make it.”

98.5 The Sports Hub’s Mike Felger addressed Audacy’s bankruptcy and WEEI this week, saying he’s “rooting for them big time.”

The Boston Herald reports Felger on Wednesday during the “Off Air Show” asked ex-WEEI host Mark Dondero about his former employer’s situation. Dondero is the newest member of the 98.5 on-air team.

“So what’s the word over there?” Felger asked Dondero. “Are they going to make it?… I hate the bankruptcy (expletive). I hope they make it. I’m rooting for them big time.”

Dondero — who joined 98.5 as a part-time, on-air host, mainly on weekends — said he imagines that WEEI will continue to exist, but he said multiple times about WEEI’s future, “I don’t know.”

“You should be able to have two stations in Boston,” Dondero said. “It’s ridiculous with the amount of passion that’s in the area for the teams.

“I don’t see them going down,” he added. “I hope they’re fine, but I don’t know. They didn’t talk to me all that much with certain things, so I don’t know.”

Felger compared the Boston sports talk competition to the soda rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Twin Cities TV: Lee Valsik Signs-Off At KARE 11

Lee Valsvik has said goodbye to KARE 11 Saturdays after 26 years.

Valsvik appeared on her last Saturday morning broadcast with the Twin Cities NBC affiliate at the weekend. The segment was filmed at the Minneapolis Convention Center, which was hosting the Home and Garden.

KARE 11 marked Valsvik’s last day with highlights from her 26 years on the show.

“It’s hard getting up, but once you get up and you get there and you meet all these wonderful people all over the Twin Cities … we have so much fun,” Valsvik told cohost Belinda Jensen during the segment.

While she may be leaving TV, Valsvik will continue on the radio at KOOL 108 from 9 a.m. to noon on weekdays. She also hopes to spend more time at her cabin and with her family, according to KARE 11.

Last year, Valsvik was inducted into the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Pittsburgh Radio: Bill Hillgrove Exits Steelers Broadcast Booth

Bill Hillgrove

The radio voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers is stepping aways from the broadcast booth. Bill Hillgrove has been calling the Steelers on radio since 1994.

"Bill Hillgrove's contributions to both the Steelers Radio Network and the Steelers organization have spanned nearly three decades that included him serving as our play-by-play announcer for four Super Bowl appearances and countless other memorable games during his tenure," said President Art Rooney II on the Steelers website. 

"He has played a major role in broadcasting to our amazing fans on our radio network, but he also found time to be part of so many special events since he began working alongside the great Myron Cope on the airwaves in 1994. Bill will truly be missed by Steelers Nation, but we are excited for him and his family to enjoy his retirement."  

After the 1993 season, Jack Fleming announced his retirement, the Steelers began looking for his replacement and that's when Hillgrove answered the call.  He would become the voice of the Steelers along with the voice of both Pitt football and basketball. 

NYC Radio: Spanish Broadcasts of MLB Mets To Air On 92.3 FM HD2

Audacy announces Spanish broadcasts of New York Mets baseball will be available via the Audacy app and website beginning with the 2024 season. Games will also be heard on 92.3 FM HD2.

Broadcasters Max Perez-Jimenez and Nestor Rosario will return to deliver calls of the game. The duo will also continue to host pregame and postgame shows heard before and after every game on 92.3 FM HD2.

"We're thrilled to make it easy for Spanish-speaking fans to catch every play of the Mets season,” said Ivan Lee, Brand Manager, WCBS 880 and 92.3/1010 WINS. “The familiar voices of Max Perez-Jimenez and Nestor Rosario will sound incredible throughout the Tri-state area, whether you're tuning in through the Audacy app or on crystal clear HD radio.”

Listeners can also hear 92.3 FM HD2’s audio on all SNY and PIX11 television broadcasts by using the SAP option and selecting Spanish audio.

WCBS 880 (WCBS-AM / WCBS-FM HD2) serves as the flagship radio station of the New York Mets, including all English-speaking play-by-play broadcasts and pregame and postgame shows for all Spring Training, regular season and postseason games.

Fox News To Provide Extended Coverage of Super Tuesday

FOX News Media will present extensive live programming of the Super Tuesday presidential primaries emanating from the network’s New York City headquarters on Tuesday, March 5th.

Starting at 7 PM/ET, FOX News Channel’s (FNC) Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will lead live marathon coverage surrounding the results during Democracy 2024: Super Tuesday Primaries. Throughout the evening, the co-anchors will be joined by a rotating team of commentators and hosts including Dana Perino, Sandra Smith and Bill Hemmer who will break down the latest developments in real-time on the electronic “Bill-Board.” Chief political analyst Brit Hume, Harold Ford Jr. and Kellyanne Conway will also contribute to the live coverage, along with appearances from Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, Shannon Bream, Jonathan Turley, Andy McCarthy, Jessica Tarlov, Kayleigh McEnany, Trey Gowdy and Karl Rove who will analyze the impact of the critical primary races for the presidential candidates.

FNC White House correspondents Peter Doocy and Jacqui Heinrich will provide viewers with live reports from the White House while FOX News Media correspondents will provide updates across major campaign destinations, including Aishah Hasnie in Florida, Bill Melugin in South Carolina, Grady Trimble in Virginia, Rich Edson in Texas, Mark Meredith in North Carolina, Christina Coleman in California, Alicia Acuna in Colorado and Alexis McAdams in New York.

At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night anchor Trace Gallagher will continue the Democracy 2024: Super Tuesday Primaries coverage with Gillian Turner and Mike Emanuel taking the reins from 1-4 AM/ET.

FNC’s Special Live Programming Includes:

Layoffs Are Underway at Universal Music Group

The layoffs and restructuring at the Universal Music Group have begun to take place, multiple sources tell Billboard.

As part of the new structure, several top executives have been laid off, Billboard can confirm. Interscope Geffen A&M president of promotion Brenda Romano is among those to have been let go, as well as Interscope’s executive vp/head of media strategy and communications Cara Donatto and senior VP of A&R Nick Groff and Def Jam executive vp of media and brand strategy Gabe Tesoriero.

So far, Billboard has confirmed almost 50 layoffs across UMG labels, including Interscope, Republic, Capitol, Def Jam and Island, as well as at catalog division Universal Music Enterprises and in UMG corporate, though the total number is far higher. Def Jam executive vp of promotion Noah Sheer, Interscope executive vp of promotion Chris Lopes, Capitol executive vp of global marketing Mike Sherwood and UMe head of promotion Jamie Hartley have also been let go.