NBC Says Two 'Today' Show Staffers NOT Fired

Natalie Morales

Natalie Morales and Willie Geist are staying put at "Today."

The embattled NBC morning show was rocked early Wednesday by a report that two of its biggest stars had been axed — even as the pair appeared on the live telecast — but a NBC News official told the NYDaily News "it's not true."

Geist and Morales "were recently told they were fired," Us Weekly reported, adding that they were already in talks with other networks.

Willie Geist

"Willie and Natalie were never told they were fired," the NBC insider told the News.

"These plans were a part of a memo, a proposal — a potential future for the show that never came about," the source said.

"The memo was written by former 'Today' show general manager Jamie Horowitz, who was fired Monday afternoon, for various reasons, including the fact that this memo of proposed changes got leaked.

"An executive went rogue and got fired for suggesting crazy ideas no one agreed with," the insider told the News.

Toronto Radio: Bell Media Cuts 80 Jobs

Bell Media has cut 80 full-time positions in its latest round of layoffs, citing an “industry-wide challenging advertising market.”

The Financial Post reports the multimedia giant said Wednesday that the affected positions represent a cross-section of its areas of business: including local radio and TV; sales, research and revenue management; marketing and communications; network operations; and news.

Jacqueline Milczarek, who has worked as an anchor on CTV News Channel since 2007, is among the public faces hit by the cuts.

Other on-air talent who were laid off include CHUM-FM host Amanda Logan and BNN anchor and correspondent Chitra Nawbatt.

“The difficult decision was made as the result of continued financial pressure in relation to the industry-wide challenging advertising market for radio and TV,” said Bell Media vice-president of communications Scott Henderson in an email.

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Cincy Radio: NFL Bengals, iHM Sign Multi-Year Deal

The Bengals and iHeartMedia/Cincinnati announced Wedmesday they have extended the agreement to broadcast the team's games on radio through the 2019 NFL season.

The broadcasts will continue to be heard on one of the most powerful 'triple-casts' in the NFL, with a Flagship Station lineup of WLW 700 AM, WEBN 102.7 FM and WCKY 1530 am/ESPN.

Next year, Dan Hoard will enter his fifth season as the play-by-play announcer and Dave Lapham will enter his 30th consecutive season as analyst on the broadcasts. The 50,000-watt ESPN 1530 and 102.7 WEBN will serve as the broadcast flagship stations for all Bengals games. 700 WLW will also carry all games for which there is no conflict with Cincinnati Reds baseball broadcasts.

"iHeartMedia Cincinnati provides a strong station lineup, and we are excited to have them continue as our radio broadcast partner," said Brian Sells, Bengals Director of Corporate Sales, Marketing and Broadcasting. "The partnership provides a great platform to deliver in-depth team content to fans throughout the week and on game days."

"With this partnership we offer fans the "Best Bengals Coverage" across our media platforms whenever and wherever they want it," said Charles Fredrick, Market President for iHeartMedia Cincinnati.

NYC Radio: WABC's Rita Cosby, Geraldo Rivera Salute Warriors

Dionne Warick, Rita Cosby

On Monday, November 17th, FOX News’ Geraldo Rivera emceed a spectacular star-studded evening that supported the Wounded Warrior Project at The Edison Ballroom with about one thousand attendees.

Occurring just after Veteran’s Day, the evening included an impressive program that opened with an exciting performance by the Navy Color Guard and NYC Shield Pipe band. The legendary songstress Dionne Warwick and her granddaughter, Cheyenne Elliott, debuted their latest duet, entitled, “Let There Be Love,” along with performances by acclaimed actor Robert Davi, who galvanized the crowd with classic Frank Sinatra tunes, and The Voice’s Blessing Offor. Next up, Broadway’s own Tomaczek Bednarek performed and captivated the crowd to chant “USA, USA, USA!”

There was also a sneak peek at the highly anticipated, soon-to-be released WWII film, “Little Boy,” (Open Road Films).

The program culminated in a special 50th birthday celebration for Emmy-Winning TV and Radio Host Rita Cosby. Geraldo Rivera and John And Margo Catsimatidis sang Happy Birthday to Rita while presenting her with a beautiful cake. The crowd danced the night away to music by DJ Jimmy and once again Tomaczek sang to end the evening with a heart-wrenching rendition of “God Bless America.”

Billboard Revamps Album Chart Compilation

The Billboard 200 albums chart will premiere its biggest upgrade in more than 23 years, transforming from a pure sales-based ranking to one measuring multi-metric consumption, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Beginning with the chart revealed on Wednesday, Dec. 3, on Billboard.com (and in the Billboard issue dated Dec. 13), the chart, which currently tracks the top 200 albums of the week by sales alone, will be the first to include on-demand streaming and digital track sales (as measured by Nielsen Entertainment) by way of a new algorithm. It is the most substantial methodology update since May 1991, when Billboard first used Nielsen's point-of-sale data — SoundScan — to measure album sales.

The revamped chart will premiere with data from Thanksgiving week (ending Nov. 30), one of the most active music release periods of the year. The new methodology aims to provide a better sense of an album's popularity by reflecting not just sales, but consumption activity.

The updated Billboard 200 will utilize accepted industry benchmarks for digital and streaming data, equating 10 digital track sales from an album to one equivalent album sale, and 1,500 song streams from an album to one equivalent album sale. All of the major on-demand audio subscription services are considered, including Spotify, Beats Music, Google Play and Xbox Music. Current artists likely to benefit from this change in methodology include Ariana Grande, Hozier and Maroon 5, among others, as their streaming and digital song sales have been outperforming their album sales in recent weeks.

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RI Radio: Cumulus Stations Partner To 'Stuff A Bus'

Two Cumulus stations on Rhode Island are teaming to Stuff-A-Bus to benefit the Marine Corp.sd Toys For Tots Program.

Top WWKX 106.3 FM in Woonsocket and Top40 WPRO 92.3 FM will be broadcasting live starting Decembember 5 from the bus at a local Toys 'r' Us location collecting toys

“Last year our listeners helped us put smiles on the faces of so many kids in Rhode Island just by donating a toy,” said Hot106 APD/PM Drive Trey Miller. “This year I am thrilled that both of our radio stations are teaming up to make this CHRISTMAS a magical one for so many kids in our community!”

NYC Radio: Cumulus Stations Supporting City Harvest Food Drive

Approaching the Thanksgiving holiday, Cumulus Media’s local New York stations, WNBM 103.9 FM/Radio 103-9, WPLJ 95.5 FM, WNSH 94.7 FM/NASH FM 94-7 and WABC 770 AM are partnering  with City Harvest and The Daily News Food Drive to encourage New Yorkers to donate non-perishable items at various locations during the holiday season for those in need.

On-air radio personality Tom Joyner (heard on Radio 103.9 from 6:00am-10:00am) kicked off the Radio 103.9 Food Challenge. Today, Jasmine Sanders of the DL Hughley Show (heard on Radio 103.9 from 3:00pm-7:00pm) will continue the challenge.

Jasmine was on-site today encouraging all shoppers to pick up an extra few items to donate for the food drive. Radio 103.9 will also be offering a variety of tickets to win to thank those for stopping by.

All sister stations at Cumulus New York will be active out in the communities at various locations over the next month to participate in the Daily News Food Drive.

Bono Recovering From Five Hour Surgery For Injuries

An injury to U2 frontman Bono after what was described by the group as a "cycling spill" left him with multiple fractures that required him to undergo two surgeries, according to Fox News.

Bono

Bono was in what was termed a "high-energy bicycle accident" when he was trying to avoid another cyclist on Sunday, orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Dean Lorich said in a statement from NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Hospital for Special Surgery.

Bono arrived at the Manhattan hospital and underwent multiple X-rays and tests that showed he had a facial fracture involving his left eye socket, his left shoulder blade fractured in three places and a left elbow fracture that went through the skin and left the bone in six pieces.

Lorich said Bono underwent a five-hour surgery that included washing his elbow out, moving a trapped nerve and inserting three plates and 18 screws on Sunday night. Bono had another surgery to repair a fracture to his left little finger on Monday.

Lorich said Bono will need therapy but a full recovery is expected.

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Full Statement From Dean Lorich, MD on Bono's Condition:

On November 16th, Bono was involved in a high energy bicycle accident when he attempted to avoid another rider.  Presented as a Trauma Alert to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell's Emergency Department, his Trauma Work-up at that time included multiple X-rays and CAT scans showed injuries that include: 

1. Left facial fracture involving the orbit of his eye. 

2. Left scapula (shoulder blade) fracture in three separate pieces. 

3. Left compound distal humerus fracture where the bone of his humerus was driven though his skin and the bone was in six different pieces. He was taken emergently to the operating room for a five-hour surgery Sunday evening where the elbow was washed out and debrided, a nerve trapped in the break was moved and the bone was repaired with three metal plates and 18 screws. 

4. One day later, he had surgery to his left hand to repair a fracture of his 5th metacarpal. 

He will require intensive and progressive therapy, however a full recovery is expected. 

Dean Lorich, MDOrthopedic Trauma SurgeonNew York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Hospital For Special Surgery

R.I.P.: Motown Singer Jimmy Ruffin

Jimmy Ruffin

Jimmy Ruffin, whose poignant "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" is regarded by many as one of Motown's greatest works, died Monday afternoon in a Las Vegas hospital.

He was 78 years-of-age, according to The Detroit Free Press.

Ruffin had been hospitalized in September, where he developed pneumonia and further complications. An official cause of death has not been released.

A Mississippi native and the older brother of the late Temptations singer David Ruffin, Jimmy Ruffin did backup work with Motown in the early '60s before being drafted into the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany. Upon returning to Motown in 1964, he cut material with little success before striking it big in 1966 with "Brokenhearted," which took him to No. 7 on Billboard's pop chart.


The two brothers collaborated on the 1970 album "I Am My Brother's Keeper," and while Jimmy Ruffin ultimately notched eight solo songs on Billboard's R&B chart, his biggest success came in England, where he lived for a stretch and continued to perform frequently in later years.

While David Ruffin became an international success with the Temptations, Stevenson said he never witnessed the sort of jealousy or rivalry that often crops among artist siblings.

"(Jimmy Ruffin) was in the shadow of his brother and was OK with it, and that's kind of rare," said Stevenson. "I liked him because he was very calm. Which was good for me, because it was panic around that place all the time. So to run into him always made my day."

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