Harris Sits For Fiery Interview With Fox News

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris was grilled in a TV interview on Wednesday on the Biden administration's efforts to tackle a surge in illegal immigration at the southern border, and laid the blame on Republicans for failing to pass a border bill, according to Reuters.

In a combative interview with Fox News host Bret Baier, Harris was also pressed to defend President Joe Biden's mental fitness, her years as vice president and previous support of gender-affirming surgery for transgender inmates. Harris and Baier frequently talked over each other and Harris grew visibly frustrated.

She was asked to defend the administration's early decision to reverse some of Republican rival Donald Trump's restrictive policies, and to respond to a mother who testified in Congress about the loss of her daughter at the hands of an illegal immigrant.

"I'm so sorry for her loss, but let's talk about what is happening right now," Harris said. She said Trump told Republicans to reject a bipartisan immigration bill because "he preferred to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem."

Asked about her recent comment that there was "not a thing" she would change about the actions of the Biden administration, Harris said, “Let me be very clear, my presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden's presidency," but did not provide specifics.

Harris was pressed about her previous vouching for Biden’s mental fitness for office before he ended his reelection campaign in July.

Biden has the “judgment” and “experience” to be president, she said, while questioning Trump’s fitness for office.

“Joe Biden is not on the ballot, and Donald Trump is,” Harris said.

Fox’s @BretBaier challenges Kamala Harris: More than 70% of Americans say the country is on the wrong track. If you're turning the page, you've been in office for 3.5 years

Kamala: "And Donald Trump has been running for office."

Baier: "But you've been the person holding the… pic.twitter.com/X9n3ULJzdI

— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) October 16, 2024

She was pressed on her position on using taxpayer funds for gender-affirming surgery for transgender inmates, including those who are undocumented. Trump has spent millions of dollars in ads on the subject in battleground states.

“I will follow the law,” she said a few times, noting that the U.S. Bureau of Prisons provided gender-affirming treatments under Trump. She accused him of “throwing stones when you live in a glass house.”

The nearly 30-minute interview marked the first time Harris has appeared on the media network as a presidential candidate. Within minutes of the interview's end, the Trump campaign released a statement calling it a "train wreck."

Baier: Harris Staffers 'Iced' The Interview

Fox News “Special Report” host Bret Baier claimed Wednesday that Kamala Harris’ campaign team pared down the allotted time he had with her just before a highly anticipated interview — and then had the vice president show up late.

The NY Post reports Baier, a veteran political journalist, compared the Harris campaign’s tactics to a football team “icing the kicker” before an important field goal attempt.

“So, we were supposed to start at 5 p.m. — this was the time they gave us, originally. We’re going to do 25 or 30 minutes,” the host explained. 

“They came in and said, ‘Well, maybe 20 [minutes]. So, it was already getting whittled down,” Baier added.

“And then the vice president showed up at about 5:15 [p.m.].” 

🚨Kamala Harris is the same radical she’s always been:@BretBaier: “In 2019, you supported allowing illegals to apply for drivers' licenses, qualify for free tuition at universities, and get free healthcare. Do you still support those things?”

Kamala: “That was five years ago.” pic.twitter.com/fzeooR07GB

— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) October 16, 2024

The “Special Report” host noted that Harris’ tardiness made it a challenge for his production team to get the interview out at the start of his 6 p.m. show. 

“We were pushing the envelope,” Baier said. 

“So, that’s how it started. And I could tell when we started talking that she was going to be tough, to, you know, redirect without me trying to interrupt,” he continued, referring to the Democratic nominee’s efforts to “filibuster” during the interview and not allow him to get a word in edgewise. 

🚨Wow. @BretBaier was forced by Kamala Harris’s campaign staffers to end the interview. If that train wreck went on another few minutes, Kamala’s staffers might’ve tackled Bret:

“They’re wrapping me pretty hard here.” pic.twitter.com/AU1y3wyoGL

— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) October 16, 2024

In his post-interview analysis, Baier also revealed that he had hoped to ask more questions but several Harris campaign staffers were frantically signaling to him off-camera to end the interview because his time was up. 

“I’m talking, like, four people waving their hands like it’s got to stop,” he said. “I had to dismount there at the end.” 

Trump Talks with Friendly Audience During Fox Town Hall

Donald Trump’s Wednesday appearance on Fox News, recorded Tuesday, highlighted how his campaign is working to boost voter turnout among people who support him already, reports The Wall Street Journal. 

The town hall—geared to the women who watch the conservative network during the day—was an effort for Trump to bridge the gender gap he has faced as women are concerned about the loss of abortion rights in the country, an act by the Supreme Court for which Trump has taken credit. 

With a folksy background of chuck wagons, American flags and yellow flowers, Trump answered questions on topics ranging from the economy to foreign policy. The entire room of women raised their hands when asked if they were concerned about biological men playing in women’s sports. 

HUGE moment in Trump's town hall:

"How many of you are worried about biological men and boys competing against women and girls in sports?"

The entire room raises their hands.

Trump responds: “We’re not gonna let it happen." pic.twitter.com/bohZKXbfaR

— Moms for Safe Neighborhoods (@MomsSafe) October 16, 2024

Trump repeated several false statements that went unchecked by Faulkner, including an exaggeration of the inflation rate and the estimated number of immigrants who have crossed the border illegally.  

Near the end of the town hall, Trump said “everybody,” including “the Democrats” and “the liberals,” wanted abortion rights to be decided by the states, adding “nobody wanted it to be in the federal government.” Harris has said if she is elected, she will push Congress to pass a law enshrining the right to an abortion. 

Asked about protecting infertility care, which has been at risk since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Trump called himself “the father of IVF,” referring to in vitro fertilization, and said he supported it. 

When Faulkner pointed out that Democrats’ response to the town hall was an event featuring the family of Amber Thurman, a woman who died after driving across state lines to get abortion medication, Trump said, “We’ll get better ratings, I promise.” The women and Faulkner laughed.

TV Ratings: Jesse Watters is Number One in Primetime Cable News

During the week of October 7th - October 13th, FOX News Channel (FNC) led all of cable news with primetime and total day viewers powered by the network’s breaking news coverage of Hurricane Milton making landfall in Florida. FNC continued to lead cable news combined throughout primetime and total day, earning 2.5 million viewers and 301,000 in the 25-54 demo from 8-11PM/ET. 

In total day (6AM-6AM/ET), marking 40 consecutive weeks of dominance, FNC posted 1.6 million viewers and 201,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC also saw double-digit gains year-over-year among total viewers for primetime.

The extreme weather event that was Hurricane Milton could not match the draw of a vice presidential debate. Unlike the morning and evening news broadcasts, the three major cable networks all experienced week-to-week declines in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime.

The situation was not that much better during total day the trio once again saw drops in total viewers. In a lone bright spot, CNN was the only network to see a viewership uptick in the advertiser-coveted total day demo. 

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News fell behind ESPN to land in the No. 2 spot in total primetime viewers, and registered at fourth place in the primetime demo. In total day, it continued to lead in total viewers and placed second in the demo.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 1.241 million total viewers and 130,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo. That translates to week-to-week drops of -29% and -42%, respectively.

During total day, MSNBC averaged 874,000 total viewers and 94,000 A25-54 viewers. It was down a respective -12% and -14% compared to the week before.

Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC slipped one spot to land in fourth place in total primetime viewers and dropped from eighth to 10th in the demo. During total day, it was the No. 3 network in total viewers and slid from the No. 5 to the No. 7 position in the demo. 

CNN averaged 766,000 total primetime viewers and 162,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for drops of -21% and -28% compared to the previous week. In total day, the network had 558,000 total viewers and 108,000 viewers in the demo. That split the difference, as CNN dipped -2% in the former category, but ticked up by +4% in the latter.

CNN landed in sixth place in primetime with total viewers and moved down two spots to No. 9 in the primetime demo. It held onto fourth and sixth place in total day viewers and the total day demo, respectively. 

Fox News occupied 12 of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five (3.573 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) leaping over Jesse Watters Primetime to take the top spot. MSNBC occupied the remaining spots, with Deadline: White House with Nicole Wallace (1.666 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) landing at No. 13.

Jesse Watters Primetime (389,000 viewers at 8 p.m. ET) remained the top show in the Adults 25-54 demo. Fox News had 13 out of the 15 top shows in the demo, with CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 (211,000 viewers at 8 p.m. ET) landing in the No. 14 spot.

For the week, The Five averaged 3.6 million viewers and 361,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.6 million viewers and 275,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle saw 2.7 million viewers and 313,000 in the 25-54 demo at 7 PM/ET. 

• At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime delivered 3.3 million viewers and 389,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the top show in all of primetime across the board. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 2.8 million viewers and 334,000 with A25-54. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.5 million viewers and 225,000 in the 25-54 demo.
• FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! averaged 2.9 million viewers and 373,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1.8 million P2+; 312,000 A25-54) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1.2 million P2+; 315,000 A25-54), NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers (865,000 P2+ and 218,000 A25-54), HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher (668,000 P2+ and 104,000 A25-54) and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show (521,000 P2+ and 124,000 A25-54).
• FNC also excelled across daytime, occupying the highest rated programs among every hour. Kicking off with America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET) scoring 1,914,000 P2+ and 224,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 11 AM/ET Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET) also notched 1,914,000 P2+ and 239,000 25-54 demo and Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET) saw 2,094,000 P2+ and 266,000 25-54. From 1-3 PM/ET America Reports delivered 1,795,000 P2+ and 219,000 followed by Martha MacCallum’s The Story (weekdays, 3 PM/ET) with 1,809,000 total viewers and 226,000 25-54. At 4 PM/ET, Your World with Neil Cavuto drew 1,840,000 P2+ and 231,000 A25-54.

Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Week of 10-7-24 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54, P18-49. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats and include the corresponding program name.

TV Ratings: NFL Viewership Off During Week Six

The NFL has a big weekend of games coming up—including Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans and a Super Bowl LVIII rematch (Chiefs at 49ers)—that the league will be counting on to drive big TV audiences after a second consecutive rating dip this season.

After five weeks of the NFL’s regular season, game broadcasts were averaging 17.5 million viewers, up 1% from 2023. But in Week 6, the Chiefs didn’t play, the Cowboys got blown out, and most of the NFL’s broadcast partners suffered as a result. 

Front Office Sports reports NFL Network’s coverage of Jaguars-Bears from London and the early Sunday afternoon slot on CBS were the only two TV windows to outperform their 2023 Week 6 counterparts. The rest were down year over year:

• 
  49ers-Seahawks on Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football was down 5%.
• Fox’s 1 p.m. ET games were down 13%.
• Lions-Cowboys drew 24.06 million viewers on Fox, down 8% from Eagles-Jets in 2023.
• NBC’s Bengals-Giants matchup was the least-watched Sunday Night Football broadcast since 2020 with 15.44 million viewers.
• The 17.3 million viewers for Bills-Jets on Monday Night Football was down from 19.64 million for Cowboys-Chargers last year, but still the second-largest Week 6 MNF audience since 2000.

The Cowboys (3–3 and winless at home) are on a much-needed bye week, but Fox gets the new TV king, Kansas City, against the 49ers on Sunday afternoon, with San Francisco (3–3) looking for revenge against the unbeaten Chiefs, who beat Brock Purdy & Co. to win their second consecutive Lombardi Trophy in February. Last season, MNF got a Super Bowl LVII rematch, and that Eagles-Chiefs game drew 29 million viewers—at the time the most-watched game of the 2023 season.

Week 7 kicks off with the Broncos visiting the Saints on Thursday night. Prime Video is averaging 13.98 million viewers for TNF games this season, up 18% over the 2023 full-season average.

Ex-CNN Anchor Rips CBS News For Handling Of Book Interview

Ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon ripped CBS News leadership for forcing one of its anchors to meet with the “DEI” unit after staffers complained he was too tough on an anti-Israel journalist.

CBS News faced backlash after “CBS Mornings” anchor Tony Dokoupil grilled journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates on a section of his new book, “The Message,” which addresses the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Dokoupil raised concerns about anti-Israel bias in the book and questioned whether he believed Israel had “a right to exist.”

According to The New York Times, some of Dokoupil’s colleagues complained to network leadership afterward about his handling of the interview.

According To The NY Post, the Jewish anchor was forced to meet with both the CBS News standards and practices team as well as the Race and Culture Unit.

CBS executives reassured offended staffers that the interview did not meet the company’s “editorial standards,” according to audio obtained by the Free Press.

Lemon responded to the saga on his YouTube show this week, arguing that corporate leaders should not have treated Dokoupil that way and should’ve instead commended the interview as an example of “good journalism.”

The liberal journalist said he didn’t agree with everything Dokoupil said or what’s written in Coates’ book, but argued journalists should still be allowed to ask tough questions without corporate overreach.

“Stay out of it and let the journalists do the journalism,” he said.

Media heiress Shari Redstone, the controlling stakeholder in CBS News parent Paramount Global, reportedly fumed to network executives over its left-leaning lurch in its coverage of Israel and lobbied for them to hire more conservative voices.

Redstone sent clips from other outlets to CBS higher-ups as examples of what she felt was more balanced coverage of Israel’s battle against Hamas terrorists.

Watchdog Group Files FCC Complaint Over '60 Minutes' Edits

 

A conservative watchdog filed a formal complaint with the FCC that accuses CBS of distortion for airing edited answers from Vice President Kamala Harris’ interview on “60 Minutes.”

The NY Post reports The Center for American Rights (CAR), a nonprofit law firm, demanded the FCC order WCBS-TV — the network’s New York City station — to release the full, unedited “60 Minutes” interview transcript.

“This isn’t just about one interview or one network,” said CAR president Daniel Suhr.

“This is about the public’s trust in the media on critical issues of national security and international relations during one of the most consequential elections of our time. When broadcasters manipulate interviews and distort reality, it undermines democracy itself. The FCC must act swiftly to restore public confidence in our news media.”

In her answer to a question by Bill Whitaker that aired Sunday on “Face the Nation,” Harris said:

The internal polling numbers for Kamala Harris are so depressing that the Dems forced her to do some interviews. Her answers on 60 Minutes were so bad that CBS had to edit them to hide her ineptitude. CBS has been caught in a fraud against American voters. pic.twitter.com/cgJDE9pjfq

— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) October 9, 2024

“Well, Bill … the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region.”

During the prime-time broadcast of “60 Minutes” the next night, Harris’ answer was cleaned up: “We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.”

CBS has maintained that the answer was to the same question from Whitaker but that was edited for time constraints.

But Suhr dismissed the excuse.

“CBS crosses a line when its production reaches the point of so transforming an interviewee’s answer that it is a fundamentally different answer,” the filing said.

Harris’ campaign has since fought to distance itself from the network’s editing controversy.

News distortion “must involve a significant event and not merely a minor or incidental aspect of the news report” to be considered a policy violation, according to the FCC.

CAR argued that CBS’ editing of Harris’ interview fit those violation requirements.

Entravision Strengthens Leadership Team

Entravision Communications Corporation has announced several key leadership appointments aimed at bolstering its sales growth strategy and operational effectiveness:

• Juan Navarro has been appointed Chief Revenue Officer, after previously serving as Executive Vice President of Local Sales. Mr. Navarro will succeed Karl Meyer, who is departing the company.
• Marcelo Gaete has been appointed Chief Government Affairs Officer, after previously serving as Executive Vice President of Public and Government Relations.
• Larry Safir will assume the role of Executive Vice President for Entravision Texas. Mr. Safir has most recently served as a consultant advisor to Entravision, after previously serving as the company’s Executive Vice President for media properties in Texas.

Michael Christenson, Entravision’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “I am excited to welcome Juan to his new role as our Chief Revenue Officer. He is a proven leader with a commitment to local television, radio and digital media and a track record of building performance-focused sales teams across all of Entravision’s markets.”

“I am excited to serve as Entravision’s CRO and leverage my experience to help drive the company’s future growth,” said Mr. Navarro. “We have significant opportunities ahead to deliver innovative solutions and exceptional value to our clients, and I look forward to collaborating with our teams in this new capacity.”

Mr. Christenson added, “Marcelo’s expertise in the political landscape will be vital for us as we capitalize on opportunities in government and political advertising revenue during election years as well as off-cycle years. Larry has been a trusted advisor since I joined Entravision, and his deep industry insights and strategic vision will be instrumental as we navigate the evolving media landscape. I also want to thank Karl for his dedication and service to the company, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Edison: Sports Fans Bet on Audio

According to Edison Research, sports fans follow their favorite teams on audio and for some, the stakes are higher than just looking for a win. Recent data from the Sports Audio Report reveals that sports audio plays an integral role in how sports fans stay informed and make decisions when placing bets.

One standout finding from this report is the strong connection between fantasy sports and fan loyalty. A surprising 56% of those who play fantasy sports say they'd rather see their fantasy sports team win than their favorite sports team.

And for these engaged fans, sports audio is indispensable. The report shows that 65% of fantasy sports players consider audio content like podcasts, radio, or satellite radio essential for managing their fantasy teams. Similarly, 60% of sports bettors view such audio as crucial for their betting activities.

Audio content has become a vital tool, providing real-time statistics, expert analysis, and information that helps fans make informed decisions for both fantasy sports and betting.

More insights on sports fans will be available in the upcoming Sports Audio Report: Diverse Fans, supported by SiriusXM Media and GroupM. The webinar is scheduled for October 29 at 2 PM ET. Click here to register for the webinar.

D/FW Radio: Cowboys Owner Tries To Justify On-Air Meltdown

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made headlines Tuesday morning when he became angry during one of his weekly radio interviews, getting defensive when asked about the franchise’s lack of offseason moves to improve the roster.

Jones seemed to take exception with the line of questioning because he was speaking on the team’s flagship radio station, KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. Jones conducts interviews with the station on Tuesday and Friday mornings. He also takes part in a pregame interview with the station.

While attending NFL meetings Tuesday afternoon in Atlanta, Jones explained in an exclusive interview with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini why he reacted the way he did.

“I don’t know that I would go as far as (calling) the volume connotation as yelling,” Jones said. “OK? But the facts are that if I’m going to be grilled by the tribunal, I don’t need it to be by the guys I’m paying. I can take it from fans and take it from other people. I take a lot of pride in how fair and how much I try to work with the media, we’re brothers and sisters. But I was a little frustrated there today.

“We got in there as of accounting for decisions made in the offseason. OK? They might as well gone back to decisions made in 2010. My point is, and that’s from my perspective, there’s no question, I’m sure that they would have liked to have grilled me like the fans are thinking, what are you going to do about that? I get it. I get all of that. And really will go along with it.”

Jones went on to explain how his frustration stemmed from the individuals asking the questions, not necessarily the topic itself.

The Cowboys are coming off a 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday at AT&T Stadium, the worst home loss in Jones’ 35 years as owner and general manager.

Even Young Americans Mistrust The Media

Amidst the pervasive sludge of AI-generated content, ongoing conflicts around the world, and a monumental US election that’s now only 3 weeks away, the share of Americans who have a “great deal/fair amount” of trust in the mass media to report the news fully, fairly, and accurately has never been lower.

That’s according to a recent installment of a Gallup survey, which dates back to 1972 and has run almost every year since 1997, with the latest update revealing that just 31% of US adults reported having the top level of trust in mediums including newspapers and TV. By comparison, 33% said that they had “not very much” trust in the mass media, while 36% reported having “none at all”. 

The amount of trust Americans have in the mass media took a significant hit in 2016, a year in which Oxford Dictionaries declared “post-truth” the international word of the year, but this year has seen faith fall across every age group, not least the youngest cohorts. Across the 4 age ranges tracked by the Gallup survey, Americans aged 18-29 and those aged 30-49 reported having the least trust in mass media to report news accurately, both hitting a record low of just 26%.

It’s hard to overlook the simultaneous rise of social media alongside this fall in trust, as more and more of us each year put faith in our social feeds to stay up to date.

FAB Donates $25k to BFoA’s Hurricanes Helene and Milton Fund

The Florida Association of Broadcasters (FAB) has donated $25,000 to the Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) Hurricanes Helene and Milton Fund. With the addition of FAB’s donation, BFOA has exceeded the amount necessary for the $25,000 match donation from John Catsimatidis, Owner and CEO of Red Apple Media and WABC Radio.

“The Broadcasters Foundation has been a tremendous help to individuals in broadcasting who are in the greatest need of assistance from the onslaught of these back-to-back hurricanes. On behalf of FAB’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors, we are proud to make this contribution,” said Pat Roberts, President, and CEO of FAB.

“Unfortunately, this is far from over,” he continued. “Many of our colleagues are just now discovering the extent of the damage and the cost of repairing or rebuilding. On behalf of our members and all broadcasters who are suffering from the catastrophic impact of these storms, please continue to contribute to the Broadcasters Foundation Hurricanes Fund.”

“We are so grateful to John and Pat and all the individual donors who continue to rise to the occasion and provided much-needed donations to help our colleagues, many of whom are temporarily homeless,” stated Tim McCarthy, President of BFOA. “The volume of requests that pour in every day is overwhelming. We need everyone in radio and television to give as much as they can afford. There is no such thing as a too small donation. Every dollar helps.”

The Broadcasters Foundation has temporarily adjusted its already streamlined Emergency Grant Guidelines and Application Process to make it even easier and faster to get funds into the hands of broadcasters hit hardest by these storms. Under the adjusted guidelines, broadcasters who have suffered catastrophic loss contact their Market or General Manager, who then fills out the Hurricanes Helene and Milton Group Submission Form for all of those within their station who are applying. To access the new temporary application form Market or General Managers may click here.

To make a donation to the Broadcasters Foundation of America Hurricanes Helene and Milton Emergency Fund, please click here.

About the Broadcasters Foundation of America: www.broadcastersfoundation.org

Former Politico Gets Extended Sentence In Journalist's Murder

Robert Telles and Jeff German

A district judge extended the sentence for a former county official convicted of murdering a longtime Las Vegas journalist, ruling on Wednesday that he will have to spend at least 28 years behind bars before he is eligible for parole.

The journalist, Jeff German, had taken on mob bosses and casino titans during his four decades as a reporter. But it was a series of articles focused on an obscure county office and its leader, Robert Telles, that ultimately served as the motive for his murder in September 2022, prosecutors argued at trial.

A Clark County jury convicted Telles of first-degree murder in August, and he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years. On Wednesday, Judge Michelle Leavitt, who has discretion under Nevada law to consider enhancements, added eight years to that minimum sentence because the murder involved a deadly weapon and a victim who was 60 years or older.

R.I.P.: Singer-Songwriter Liam Payne, Member of One Direction

Liam Payne (1993-2024)

Former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead outside a hotel in Buenos Aires after the 31-year-old fell from his third-floor room balcony, Argentine police said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the capital police said they were called to the hotel in the capital's leafy Palermo neighborhood where they were notified of an "aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol."

The hotel manager said he heard a loud noise at the back of the hotel, and when police arrived they found that a man had fallen over the balcony in his room, the statement said.

News that he jumped came from Pablo Policicchio, communications director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry, who disclosed the findings in a statement provided to the Associated Press.

Radio History: Oct 17

➦In 1907...Guglielmo Marconi officially opened the first commercial transatlantic wireless telegraph service, which runs between Nova Scotia and Ireland.

➦In 1919...Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was created.

At the end of World War I, the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America was the only company in the United States that was equipped to operate transatlantic radio and telegraph communications. The United States government found this unacceptable since the Marconi Wireless Company of America was entirely owned by a foreign company—the British Marconi Company.

At the prompting of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was undersecretary of the navy at the time, General Electric (GE) formed a privately owned corporation to acquire the assets of American Marconi from British Marconi. On October 17, 1919, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was incorporated and within a month had acquired those assets.

General Electric was the major shareholder of RCA and the two companies cross licensed their patents on long distance transmission equipment. A year later American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) bought into RCA and also cross licensed patents with the new company. Transoceanic radio service began that same year with a major station in New Jersey broadcasting to England, France, Germany, Norway, Japan, and Hawaii. The world’s first licensed radio station also began transmitting in 1920. This station, KDKA of Pittsburgh, was owned by the Westinghouse Company.

In 1921, Westinghouse, too, joined the ranks of asset holders of RCA; in exchange for selling Westinghouse radio equipment to the public, RCA was permitted access to Westinghouse patents.

RCA entered the broadcasting field in 1921 with its transmission of the Dempsey-Carpentier fight in Jersey City, New Jersey. Using a transmitter borrowed from the navy. The company began full-time radio broadcasting shortly afterwards when it became an equal partner with Westinghouse in station WJZ of Newark, NJ.