UPDATE FRIDAY 12:45PM: A jury found that CNN committed defamation against U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young and is responsible for punitive damages on Friday after more than eight hours of deliberation.
The jury ruled Young is awarded $4 million in lost earnings, $1 in personal damages such as pain and suffering and said that punitive damages are warranted against CNN. The jury will now proceed to phase two of the trial to determine punitive damages. Lawyers on each side will have a chance to present evidence to determine punitive damages.
Earlier story....
CNN has spent nearly two weeks in court defending itself against defamation allegations by a U.S. Navy veteran who helped evacuate people from Afghanistan in 2021.
The network’s newsgathering practices are in focus, but the trial is playing out against a backdrop of intensifying distrust in the legacy news media, writ large.
The jury began deliberations Thursday afternoon in a case that could leave CNN on the hook for millions of dollars in damages and send ripples through the industry.
“Send a message that our news organizations must be held accountable,” Devin Freedman, a lawyer for plaintiff Zachary Young, told jurors.
“I’m not gonna ask you today to send a message. I’m gonna ask you to find the truth,” CNN’s lead counsel, David Axelrod, told jurors in his closing argument. “You all didn’t come and sit in this jury to deliver a message to big media.”
The five-minute segment at the center of the dispute aired in November 2021 and told viewers about the exploitation of Afghans trying to escape Taliban rule after the U.S.’s chaotic withdrawal.
The back half of the story focused on Young, an Austria-based security and intelligence consultant who had stints in the Navy and the Central Intelligence Agency. Young, CNN’s story said, posted messages on LinkedIn offering road evacuations from Kabul to Pakistan for $75,000 a vehicle, or $14,500-per-person flights to the United Arab Emirates.
A headline on screen read: “Afghans trying to flee Taliban face black markets, exorbitant fees, no guarantee of safety or success.”
Young, who sued CNN in 2022, claimed that the story’s portrayal rendered him an unemployable pariah in his industry and sent him into a spiral of depression and panic attacks.
The story, first airing on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” and narrated by its chief national security correspondent, Alex Marquardt, included a response from Young saying that his services were for Afghans with sponsors that could bear the costs.
WATCH LIVE: Day Nine of the $1 billion defamation trial against CNN - Jury is in deliberations - New stream started on order of Judge following accidental sharing of confidential information to media pool https://t.co/9IYjLIe0IK
Young alleged that CNN painted him as a villain illegally preying on people desperate to escape. The network, he said, failed to make it clear that his clients were corporations and nonprofits and that his prices reflected complex evacuation logistics. He said he conducted several operations—on behalf of Bloomberg, Audible and two nongovernmental groups—and found safe haven for nearly two dozen stranded Afghans.
Six jurors will decide whether CNN should be held liable and also whether Young can recover punitive damages, which can far exceed damages for financial losses.
The Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law requiring TikTok’s Chinese owners to sell or shut down the social-media app by Jan. 19, siding with Congress’s national-security concerns over the platform and its users’ claim that the ban violates the First Amendment.
The Wall Street Journal reports the ruling on Friday means the platform could go dark—at least temporarily—on Sunday, depriving millions of teenagers and other TikTok users of their daily fix of short-form videos that keep them glued to their phones.
President-elect Donald Trump and his allies are trying to find a political path forward to assuage security concerns and rescue the app. Biden administration officials have signaled they don’t intend to enforce the ban before leaving office, but that hasn’t been enough to give TikTok comfort.
If it lost at the Supreme Court, TikTok has been planning to shut down the app in the U.S. to comply with the law and avoid exposing companies that sell or distribute the app to legal liability. It has also been exploring other maneuvers and courting Trump.
The ruling set off a new last-minute round of scrambling. The White House made clear it intended to take no action when the law takes effect Sunday, given Trump’s inauguration the next day. “This administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next administration,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
The Justice Department said it welcomed the decision but offered no specifics on what happens now. “The next phase of this effort—implementing and ensuring compliance with the law after it goes into effect on January 19—will be a process that plays out over time,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said.
In recent years, TikTok has surged in popularity in the U.S. and across the globe, captivating users with easily consumable content.
With its innovative short-form video format, TikTok has become a cultural phenomenon, influencing trends in music, dance, comedy and beyond. Its algorithm-driven content recommendation system has proven highly effective in keeping users engaged, inspiring other social media platforms to lean heavily into algorithm recommendations as well (hello Instagram!).
According to Statista Consumer Insights, 4 in 10 U.S. adults aged 18 to 64 regularly used TikTok in 2024, making it the fourth most popular social media platform in the U.S., trailing only Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. That’s up from just 14 percent in 2020, showing how quickly TikTok has established itself as a key player in the social media landscape following its arrival in the United States in 2018. As our chart shows, the app is particularly popular among younger users with almost 60 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds using it regularly.
It is also the most popular social media platform for U.S. teens according to another recent survey, which is why some lawmakers fear it could be used by the CCP to “indoctrinate” the American youth.
Red Apple Music Networks, the music radio unit of Red Apple Audio Networks, has expanded its national syndication with one of America’s most popular, trusted, and beloved music radio personalities Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow. Cousin Brucie‘s Rock & Roll Party airs live on Saturdays from 6-10pm ET and is the second music radio program from the network, whose flagship is the iconic 77WABC.
Cousin Brucie has a long and storied career with 77WABC, where he was on the air during the early days of rock & roll and introduced fans to The Beatles, Motown, 60s Soul, surf music, and more. He even interviewed The Beatles when they first came to the U.S. in 1964!
Fast forward to 2020... John Catsimatidis purchases 77WABC and brings Cousin Brucie, who had been on SiriusXM, back to radio and his legions of fans. Last year, when Now and Then, a new Beatles song that used AI to fill in John Lennon’s voice, Paul McCartney recorded a personalized message for Cousin Brucie to play on his Rock & Roll Party.
The Iconic Cousin Brucie
“We are giving radio stations across America the opportunity to experience the success we have had with Cousin Brucie in New York,” said Catsimatidis. “Brucie is passionate about his show, the music, and his listeners and that is a large part of why his fans are so loyal.”
“Cousins, being on radio again, playing the best music, and connecting with listeners is as exciting for me now as it was in 1964,” said Morrow. “The magic of radio, the beauty of theater of the mind is unduplicated. I'm looking forward to the fun we’re going to have on radio stations across America!”
Morrow has 80,000 followers on Facebook where he interacts directly with his listeners throughout the week. Every Saturday, he posts a video to share with fans who his special guest will be that evening. Guests have included rock & roll superstars such as, Ringo Star, Frankie Valli of the Four Seasons, Darlene Love, Dion DiMucci of Dion & The Belmonts, Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes, and Darlene Love.
“The goal with our networks is to deliver top-quality programming and nationally recognizable talent like Cousin Brucie to radio stations across the country,” stated Chad Lopez, President of Red Apple Media and WABC Radio. “Brucie has unparalleled access to the artists who performed the biggest hits of the 50s and 60s, bringing listeners closer to the music they love.”
Cousin Brucie was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1988 and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2001
Since the launch of Red Apple Audio Networks in 2021, the network has gained industry-wide recognition for delivering the biggest names in broadcasting, entertainment, news, politics, finance, business, and more. Red Apple Music Networks also syndicates Sundays with Sinatra with Joe Piscopo.
Ratings-challenged CNN will reportedly move veteran anchor Wolf Blitzer to a new slot in the mornings as part of a wider reshuffle by the embattled cable news pioneer’s boss Mark Thompson.
The 76-year-old Blitzer, one of the network’s longest-tenured anchors and current host of “The Situation Room” at 6 p.m., will be teamed with Pamela Brown on a new morning show, sources told Status newsletter on Thursday.
The shakeup could also include frequent Donald Trump antagonist Jim Acosta being bounced as anchor of “CNN Newsroom” at 10 a.m., the sources said.
Thompson, the former BBC and New York Times head honcho who was brought in by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to right the ship at CNN, may also shift pre-dawn anchor Kasie Hunt to the afternoons, according to the newsletter, written by former CNN media analyst Oliver Darcy.
Blitzer recently signed a new multi-year deal with CNN, while Brown currently leads CNN’s 11 a.m. programming during the week.
It is unclear whether the new Blitzer-Brown pairing in the morning will adopt Blitzer’s signature “Situation Room” branding or debut under a different name.
Nonetheless, the reported change means Blitzer’s screen time will increase by an hour each day.
The rearranging of the anchor chairs is part of Thompson’s plan to pave the way for a new generation of on-air talent, according to Darcy.
The decision to shift Blitzer, who was recently mocked on social media for his outdated television setup, to mornings allows CNN to keep one of its most respected anchors on air while also gradually transitioning him out of the evening lineup.
But the change means CNN will have to tweak the rest of its lineup by cutting an hour of programming.
One scenario being considered under discussion is moving Hunt, the former MSNBC anchor and Associated Press scribe, from early mornings to 4 p.m. — a move that would elevate her profile significantly.
Hunt, who currently pulls down a salary north of $1 million per year, hosts “CNN This Morning,” which airs daily from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Olivia Trusty, a staffer for Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), to fill the fifth spot on the FCC.
Olivia Trusty
Trusty will work with the new FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, to cut regulations, protect free speech, and ensure affordable and fast internet access for all Americans, according to the President-elect. Donald Trump..
Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel plans to step down on Monday, leaving the FCC with a 2-2 split between Democrats and Republicans until the Senate confirms Trusty.
Trusty is currently the policy director on the Senate Commerce Committee and she previously worked as an aide to U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio). She also served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection. Earlier in her career, Trusty worked as a consultant for Verizon and as a policy representative at Qwest.
She holds a master’s degree in American government from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Bex, the co-host of Top 40 radio station WIOQ Q102’s afternoon drive show, was laid off by parent company iHeart Media while on maternity leave.
Bex, whose real name is Rebekah Maroun, revealed her departure from the station on social media, and a spokeswoman for San Antonio-based iHeart Media confirmed that she “exited the company” on Nov. 4.
The Philly Business Journal reports Maroun had been co-host and executive producer of the "Bex & Buster" afternoon show since July 2021. According to her LinkedIn page, prior to that, she was co-host and executive producer of a morning show at iHeart in Boston from 2018 to 2021. She also worked at Audacy-owned New 96.5 (WTDY-FM), a Philadelphia station with a similar format to Q102, from 2013 to 2017.
With Bex’s departure, Buster, whose real name is Brandon Scott, is now working the afternoon drive shift solo from 3 to 7 p.m. The rest of the station’s programming lineup includes New York-based Elvis Duran during morning drive, Rach on the Radio middays and Nico Oso evenings.
During an Instagram live Q&A last week, Bex told her followers that, “I was actually laid off while on maternity leave in November! Will eventually speak on it but getting everything squared away!! Miss being on the air for sure but grateful for the time with the little ones!! ... And love Buster dearly! This has nothing to do with him. … Just how corporate America works. Appreciate you listening always!!!”
Maroun declined a request for further comment.
The radio industry veteran was part of company-wide layoffs at iHeart implemented on Nov. 4 that impacted dozens of employees. In Philadelphia, radio industry trade publications had already identified two others impacted by the cuts — both from Q102. They are evening host Sam "Nugget" Dababneh and Mike Kaplan, program director for both Q102 and modern rock station Alt 104.5 WRFF-FM.
A source said several sales professionals in Philadelphia were also laid off.
FOX News Media will present extensive, multiplatform live programming for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, beginning Sunday, January 19 through the inauguration and its surrounding events on Monday, January 20.
On Sunday, FNC will present live programming originating from Washington, D.C. with weekend editions of FOX & Friends (6-10 AM/ET) featuring co-hosts Ainsley Earhardt, Steve Doocy, Lawrence Jones and Brian Kilmeade followed by America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino from 10 AM-12 PM/ET, Outnumbered from 12-1 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith from 1-3 PM/ET, The Story with Martha MacCallum from 3-5 PM/ET and The Five (5 PM/ET).
On FOX Network, Shannon Bream will helm FOX News Sunday (check your local listings) live from FNC’s special coverage set. Kicking off evening programming at 6 PM/ET, Bret Baier will anchor Special Report followed by The Big Weekend Show (7 PM/ET), Life, Liberty & Levin (8 PM/ET), Hannity at 9 PM/ET and Sunday Night in America at 10 PM/ET. FOX News @ Night will be live at 11 PM/ET from Washington.
On Inauguration Day, (January 20) FNC’s live Washington-based programming will kick off with FOX & Friends, America’s Newsroom and The Faulkner Focus followed by Inauguration of Donald Trump, from 11:30 AM-5 PM/ET. Chief political anchor Special Report’s Bret Baier and anchor and executive editor of The Story Martha MacCallum will helm the special as the 47th president and vice president of the United States are sworn into office. FNC’s Dana Perino, chief political analyst Brit Hume, The Five’s Harold Ford Jr., and anchors Harris Faulkner, Bill Hemmer and Sandra Smith will contribute to the network’s coverage.
Additionally, Outnumbered co-host Kayleigh McEnany, The Five’s Jessica Tarlov, Sunday Night in America’s Trey Gowdy and FOX & Friends Weekend co-host Charlie Hurt as well as FNC contributors Karl Rove, Kellyanne Conway, Ben Domenech and Marc Thiessen will break down the developments throughout the day.
After Donald J. Trump entered the White House in 2017, The Washington Post adopted a slogan that underscored the newspaper’s traditional role as a government watchdog: “Democracy Dies in Darkness.”
This week, as Mr. Trump prepares to re-enter the White House, the newspaper debuted a mission statement that evokes a more expansive view of The Post’s journalism, without death or darkness: “Riveting Storytelling for All of America.”
The NYTimes reports the statement is meant to be an internal rallying point for employees, according to two people with knowledge of the decision. Executives are not planning to replace its more strident public slogan. Suzi Watford, The Post’s chief strategy officer, has been previewing it to some employees this week.
The new mission statement comes amid turmoil in the newsroom. Since June, The Post has been reeling from a series of crises that has resulted in widespread dissatisfaction with Will Lewis, the company’s chief executive. On Wednesday, more than 400 employees sent a letter to Jeff Bezos, the paper’s billionaire owner, requesting a meeting to discuss leadership decisions that they said “led readers to question the integrity of this institution” and that “prompted some of our most distinguished colleagues to leave.”
Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has made comments in line with the new mission statement in conversations with Post journalists in recent years, according to two people familiar with those discussions. Mr. Bezos has expressed hopes that The Post would be read by more blue-collar Americans who live outside coastal cities, mentioning people like firefighters in Cleveland. He has also said that he is interested in expanding The Post’s audience among conservatives, the people said.
The Post has already begun to consider ways to sharply increase the amount of opinion commentary published on its website, according to two people with knowledge of the talks.
Cumulus Media announces that it has promoted Laura Dickerson to Assistant Program Director and On-Air Host, Middays, on Top 40 powerhouse Q99.7 Atlanta (WWWQ-FM).
She can be heard on Q99.7 weekdays from 11:00am-3:00pm. Dickerson, based in Atlanta, will continue to serve as Music Director for Cumulus Houston Top 40 station, 104.1 KRBE, and will continue to host “H-Town Nights with Laura” Monday through Friday from 7:00pm-Midnight.
Dickerson joined Cumulus Media and 104.1 KRBE in 2021, as On-Air Host, Weekends, and earned Music Director stripes for the station in 2022. Prior to that, she was Midday Host for Houston Top 40 station Radio Now 92.1 (KROI-FM) and rose to Music Director in 2019. She was also on-air in Phoenix from 2012-2017 at Hot 97.5/103.9 Hot AC (KMVA-FM). Dickerson holds a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Arizona State University and started her career at Boston Top 40, Kiss 108 (WXKS-FM).
Laura Dickerson
Leslie Whittle, VP, CHR, Hot AC and Rhythmic CHR, Cumulus Media, and Regional Content Director, Cumulus Houston and Atlanta, said: “It was obvious the day I met Laura four years ago that she's a star. Her pop culture fandom is unparalleled, as is the energy, knowledge, enthusiasm, and creativity she brings to any team she is a part of. She's always looking for "what's next,” and this is a huge, much deserved "what's next.” I'm beyond excited to continue to partner with Laura in Houston and to launch our Atlanta journey together.”
Laura Dickerson commented: “I am thrilled to step into this new role at such a legendary brand as Q99.7. I can't wait to get to know Atlanta, while continuing to build upon the strong foundation Leslie Whittle and I have created together at 104.1 KRBE in Houston. It truly feels like the best of both worlds!”
Dickerson added: “Thank you to Brian Philips for this incredible opportunity to grow within Cumulus Media, and to Alex Cadelago and Melissa Forrest for their collaborative efforts during this transition to what will be a dynamic and prosperous partnership between both markets.”
Cox Media Group announced Thursday David Abel has been named VP & Market Manager of CMG Atlanta Radio – effective February 17.
Abel brings a wealth of experience from within CMG and the radio industry. Abel began his radio career in New Orleans. He spent 11 years as a leader with Cox Radio in Birmingham, Orlando, and Greenville before becoming a VP/GM with Apex Broadcasting, ultimately working as its Chief Operating Officer. He joined Griffin Communications as VP of Radio and came back to CMG in 2019 as VP & Market Manager for CMG San Antonio Radio, one of the highest-rated radio clusters in the country, with 5 stations consistently ranked within the top 8 in the market, regularly the top revenue performer, and a team that has earned numerous industry awards including NAB Marconi Awards, Crystal Awards, CMA Awards, and many others.
David Abel
“It’s always rewarding to promote from within CMG,” said Rob Babin, CMG’s EVP of Radio. “I’m confident that David’s experience and expertise will help us achieve new milestones and drive our vision forward while we work daily to serve our audiences, clients, and talented employees at CMG Atlanta.”
Abel is a dedicated broadcaster actively involved in his community and with industry boards including the Texas Association of Broadcasters and San Antonio Sports Association. He was awarded the 2024 Breakie Legacy Award from the Texas YES Project, which is focused on improving resources to achieve educational equality.
“My journey with Cox Media Group started nearly 25 years ago, and it has been a privilege working alongside the many talented and dedicated team members in San Antonio and throughout our company,” said Abel. “I am looking forward to working with CMG’s flagship radio brands and serving our team, listeners, customers, and communities throughout Atlanta.”
CMG Atlanta and its top-performing radio stations (WSB-AM, WSB-FM, WALR-FM, WSRV-FM) are an integral part of Atlanta’s media landscape and have provided consentient leadership and service to the community for 102+ years. CMG Atlanta distinguishes itself from its competitors through a combination of factors including its historical legacy, local programming, proven advertising resources, and incredibly talented team of employees.
The FCC has dismissed a petition brought by the Media and Democracy (MAD) Project, which challenged the renewal of the broadcast license for Fox-owned WTXF (Channel 29) in Philadelphia.
This dismissal is part of a broader move by the FCC to reject challenges against broadcasters and news media organizations that it deemed politically motivated.
The MAD Project's petition, filed in July 2023, argued that Fox Corporation was unfit to hold a broadcast license for WTXF due to a multi-million dollar settlement involving Fox News and Fox Business Network over misinformation related to voting machines used in the 2020 presidential election.
The organization claimed that the separate business units of Fox News Media and Fox Television Stations were a distinction without a difference, as both were historically controlled by Rupert Murdoch1.
The FCC found that the MAD Project did not prove a link between the commentary aired on Fox News and the editorial operations of WTXF. The dismissal clears the way for the immediate renewal of WTXF's license, which had been operating under a temporary extension for two years while the challenge was pending.
The Special, which is availa blle to all radio stations, highlights Past Inaugurations from FDR to Donald J. Trump. Featuring Red Apple Audio Networks’ own Greg Kelly, Roger Stone, Dick Morris and The Red Apple Audio Networks News Team, Noam Laden, and James Flippin.
Plus, expert insight from historian Ryan Walters, an independent historian and the author of numerous books, including The Last Jeffersonian: Grover Cleveland and the Path to Restoring the Republic, and more.
The Inauguration: 2025 special is available to radio stations for download upon request. Stations may contact: affiliation@redappleaudionetworks.com
FOX Nation will present a new comedy special, “No Pardon Needed with Tyler Fischer” on Monday, January 20th, Inauguration Day. Taped at the Comedy Mothership, Joe Rogan’s comedy club in Austin, TX, the 45-minute special is a satirical look at the current state of politics and culture.
During the special, Fischer will blend his razor-sharp political commentary with impersonations of President-elect Trump, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Elon Musk and others in Trump’s cabinet. Delivering an unapologetic performance, Fischer captures everything from saying goodbye to the Biden years, imagining alternate political realities and more, just in time for the incoming administration to take office.
Fischer is a rising star in stand-up comedy and content creation fronting election and pandemic focused comedy specials, showcasing his celebrity impressions and knack for blending cultural commentary that resonates across generations and political leanings. He lives between Austin and New York City and is currently on his second nation-wide stand-up comedy tour. He’s a regular on Gutfeld!, Kill Tony and was a recent guest on The Joe Rogan Experience.
Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Joni Mitchell are among a star-studded set of musicians performing at a benefit concert this month for wildfire recovery and relief, organizers announced Thursday.
NBC News reports “FireAid” will be held Jan. 30 at the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum in Inglewood in the Los Angeles area, featuring a number of artists with California ties.
Tickets will go on sale at noon Wednesday through Ticketmaster, AEG announced. The money will go to both short-term and long-term relief, it said.
The Palisades and Eaton fires have killed at least 27 people and displaced tens of thousands. Los Angeles’ fire chief has said it will be one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the city.
Millions in donations have been made after the devastating fires, which destroyed an estimated thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and in the Altadena and Pasadena area.
Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, who play at the Intuit Dome, pledged $15 million. Other Hollywood and sports organizations and celebrities have also donated, including the Walt Disney Co., which committed $15 million.
A new report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is optimistic about digital ad spending this year. Although the growth rate has slowed down, digital ad revenues reached a record high of $225 billion in 2023, with a 7.3% increase from 2022.
The report highlights several areas that are driving growth, including:
Digital Video: Digital video revenues, including both Connected TV (CTV) and online video, grew 10.6% to $52.1 billion in 2023. CTV/OTT is expected to be the fastest-growing media channel in 2024.
Retail Media: Retail media ad networks grew 16.3% to $43.7 billion in 2023, and this growth is likely to continue.
Audio Advertising: Audio advertising saw a robust expansion, growing 18.9% to reach $7 billion in 2023.
The report also notes that the industry is adapting to changes in consumer behavior and technological advancements, with a focus on privacy-preserving advertising practices, social commerce, and generative AI.
Apple is temporarily pulling its newly introduced artificial intelligence feature that summarizes news notifications after it repeatedly sent users error-filled headlines, sparking backlash from a news organization and press freedom groups.
CNN Reports the rare reversal from the iPhone maker on its heavily marketed Apple Intelligence feature comes after the technology produced misleading or altogether false summaries of news headlines that appear almost identical to regular push notifications.
On Thursday, Apple deployed a beta software update to developers that disabled the AI feature for news and entertainment headlines, which it plans to later roll out to all users while it works to improve the AI feature. The company plans to re-enable the feature in a future update.
As part of the update, the company said the Apple Intelligence summaries, which users must opt into, will more explicitly emphasize that the information has been produced by AI, signaling that it may sometimes produce inaccurate results.
Last month, The BBC complained to Apple about the technology, urging the company to scrap the feature after it created false headlines stating that Luigi Mangione, who is charged with murder in the death of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, had shot himself. On another occasion, three New York Times articles were also summarized in a single push notification, falsely stating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been arrested.
A BBC spokesperson told CNN in December it “is critical that Apple urgently addresses these issues as the accuracy of our news is essential in maintaining trust. These AI summarisations by Apple do not reflect — and in some cases completely contradict — the original BBC content.”
➦In 1903...Radio game show host and actor Warren Hull was born in Gasport NY.
A movie actor in the 30’s, he turned to radio in the 40’s with announcer/host roles on such shows as Your Hit Parade and Vox Pop. Hull was also the emcee of Spin To Win, only the second game show created by the team of Mark Goodson and Bill Todman.
The next two decades he hosted TV game shows Strike It Rich, Top Dollar, Who In the World and Beat the Odds.
“Strike It Rich” was a wildly successful CBS radio‐television show of the 1950s that ‘was part quiz and part give‐away and offered the public the spectacle of often despondent people relating their hard‐luck stories to Mr. Hull.
Participants were able to win a few hundred dollars by correctly answering a few questions, in addition to which the program featured a “heart line” through which pitying viewers could telephone offers of cash, clothing, merchandise and jobs.
He died of heart failure Sept 14 1974 at age 71.
Betty White 1953 and 2019
➦In 1922...Comedic Actress Betty White was born. A pioneer of early television, with a career spanning over eight decades, White was noted for her vast work in the entertainment industry and being one of the first women to work both in front of and behind the camera. She was the first woman to produce a sitcom (Life with Elizabeth) in the United States, which contributed to her being named honorary Mayor of Hollywood in 1955. White is often referred to as the "First Lady of Television", a title used for a 2018 documentary detailing her life and career.
After World War 2, her first radio jobs included reading commercials and playing bit parts, and sometimes even doing crowd noises. She made about five dollars a show. She would do just about anything, like singing on a show for no pay. She appeared on shows such as Blondie, The Great Gildersleeve, and This Is Your FBI. She was then offered her own radio show, called The Betty White Show. In 1949, she began appearing as co-host with Al Jarvis on his daily live television variety show Hollywood on Television, originally called Make Believe Ballroom, on KFWB and on then KLAC-TV (now KCOP-TV) in Los Angeles.
After making the transition to television from radio, White became a staple panelist of American game shows, including Password, Match Game, Tattletales, To Tell the Truth, The Hollywood Squares, and The $25,000 Pyramid; dubbed "the first lady of game shows", White became the first woman to receive the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host for the show Just Men! in 1983. She was also known for her appearances on The Bold and the Beautiful, Boston Legal, and The Carol Burnett Show. Her biggest roles include Sue Ann Nivens on the CBS sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1973–1977), Rose Nylund on the NBC sitcom The Golden Girls (1985–1992), and Elka Ostrovsky on the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland (2010–2015). She gained renewed popularity after her appearance in the 2009 romantic comedy film The Proposal (2009), and was subsequently the subject of a successful Facebook-based campaign to host Saturday Night Live in 2010, garnering her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
White earned a Guinness World Record for "Longest TV career by an entertainer (female)" in 2014 and in 2018 for her lengthy work in television. White received eight Emmy Awards in various categories, three American Comedy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Grammy Award. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was a 1995 Television Hall of Fame inductee. White died December 31, 2021, six days after suffering a stroke.
➦In 1949... after 18 years on radio, “The Goldbergs” starring Gertrude Berg, began its seven-year run on TV.
➦In 1964...the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was “There! I’ve Said It Again” by Bobby Vinton. This song was the last No. 1 song before the British invasion. After four weeks at No. 1, Vinton gave way to the Beatles and their first U.S. hit, “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
➦In 1986...Longtime Chicago radio personality Joel Sebastian died at age 53. He began his radio career in his native Detroit at station WXYZ, moved to Chicago in 1966, after working at stations in Dallas, New Haven, Conn., and Los Angeles.
Over the last 20 years, he had been a disc jockey and morning on-air personality at eight Chicago radio stations, including WCFL, WLS, WGN, WMAQ and, most recently, WJMK-FM (104).
He began his Chicago career at WCFL as a talkative morning disc jockey. He would open each show with the greeting ''Good morning Chicago, baby,'' while playing Jack Jones` rendition of ''My Kind of Town.''
Sebastian performed a variety of radio roles, reflecting both the wide range of his abilities and the whimsical nature of the business. He was program director at WCFL, rock DJ at several stations and, in the late 1970s, an all-night classical music show host at WGN.
He survived a purge at WMAQ when the station switched to country music in 1975. Most of the on-air staff, including Mr. Sebastian, was fired. But he was rehired a short time later as production chief and weekend personality.
He also worked at WNEW, WKHK, WHN and WNBC in New York City, returning to Chicago in June 1983 to WJMX.
➦In 1989...Scott Shannon last show at WHTZ Z100 NYC. Shannon founded the "Z Morning Zoo" ensemble and he was the driving force in helping Z100 become the top-rated FM station in New York City within a mere 74 days of signing on the air.
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