Radio History: July 12

Milton Berle 1943

➦In 1908...Comedian Milton Berle was born in New York City (Died from colon cancer – March 27, 2002). Berle's career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and television. As the host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater (1948–55), he was the first major American television star and was known to millions of viewers as "Uncle Miltie" and "Mr. Television" during the first Golden Age of Television.

From 1934–36, Berle appeared regularly on The Rudy Vallee Hour, and he attracted publicity as a regular on The Gillette Original Community Sing, a Sunday night comedy-variety program broadcast on CBS from September 6, 1936 to August 29, 1937. In 1939, he was the host of Stop Me If You've Heard This One with panelists spontaneously finishing jokes sent in by listeners.

In the late 1940s, he canceled well-paying nightclub appearances to expand his radio career. Three Ring Time, a comedy-variety show sponsored by Ballantine Ale, was followed by a 1943 program sponsored by Campbell's Soups. The audience participation show Let Yourself Go (1944–1945) could best be described as "slapstick radio" with studio audience members acting out long suppressed urges—often directed at host Berle. Kiss and Make Up, on CBS in 1946, featured the problems of contestants decided by a jury from the studio audience with Berle as the judge. Berle also made guest appearances on many comedy-variety radio programs during the 1930s and 1940s.

Howard Duff

 ➦In 1946…"The Adventures of Sam Spade," debuted on ABC Radio.

The show ran for 13 episodes on ABC in 1946, for 157 episodes on CBS in 1946-1949, and finally for 51 episodes on NBC in 1949-1951. The series starred Howard Duff (and later, Steve Dunne) as Sam Spade and Lurene Tuttle as his secretary Effie, and took a considerably more tongue-in-cheek approach to the character than the novel or movie. The announcer was Dick Joy.

The series was largely overseen by producer/director William Spier. In 1947, scriptwriters Jason James and Bob Tallman received an Edgar Award for Best Radio Drama from the Mystery Writers of America.

➦In 1957…DJ Alan Freed - the man who coined the term "Rock and Roll" - started a Rock and Roll program on ABC-TV.

"The Big Beat" with guest performers Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers, the Everly Brothers and Connie Francis. The series was cancelled after the fourth show in which Frankie Lymon was seen dancing with a white girl, something that reportedly offended the management of the network's affiliate stations in southern states. Freed hosted a local version of "The Big Beat" on WNEW-TV New York until late 1959 when he was fired due to payola allegations.

➦In 1976…Ted Mack died (Born William Edward Maguiness February 12, 1904). He was the host of Ted Mack and The Original Amateur Hour on radio and television.

Trump Rails Against 'Maggot' And 'Flunky' NYT Journalists

Haberman, Swain

President Donald Trump on Saturday attacked New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, calling Haberman “Maggot” and Swan a “flunky” in a Truth Social post.

The outburst came one day after Trump’s Justice Department subpoenaed reporters at the newspaper.

Trump targeted Haberman and Swan over their book “Regime Change,” which examines the inner workings of his second administration. He has repeatedly criticized the book since its release.

In the post, Trump wrote:“Maggot Hagerman has covered me incorrectly for ten years. Her book is a joke! 90% of it is Fake News. She has made a living off her bad reporting, and will pay the price when our Multi Billion Dollar Lawsuit against The Failing New York Times gets to Court…”

He continued: “I don’t mind bad press, if they are right. I do mind Fake Reporting… Maggot is a loser! If she ever wrote the true story about me, it would actually be quite boring, but loaded with lots of SUCCESS.”

Haberman, a longtime White House correspondent, and Swan, a White House reporter, have covered Trump extensively throughout his political career.

Trump Administration Subpoenas NYTimes Journalists

The Trump administration issued subpoenas Friday to several New York Times journalists who reported this week on security concerns with President Trump’s new Qatari-donated Air Force One.

The subpoenas compel the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday. 

In some cases, federal agents delivered the subpoenas directly to the journalists’ homes. The move marks a sharp escalation in the administration’s efforts to pressure independent news organizations.

The Times strongly condemned the action. “The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,” said David McCraw, the Times’s top newsroom lawyer, in a statement Friday evening.

McCraw called the subpoenas “a brazen act” intended to intimidate journalists and prevent the public from learning how the government is operating and how taxpayer dollars are being spent.

The subpoenas, issued by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in Manhattan, contain few details. They require testimony only “in regard to an alleged violation of federal criminal law.” Clayton was recently nominated by Trump to serve as director of national intelligence.

White House and Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The subpoenaed journalists are Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt. Their reporting revealed that Trump flew on the older Air Force One during a recent trip from Turkey at the Secret Service’s urging due to security concerns, and that the new Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar lacks certain advanced protections, such as antimissile capabilities. Sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information.

Before the initial story published on Wednesday, an FBI official contacted The Times requesting the article be held for national security reasons but declined to specify the threat when asked, according to a person familiar with the conversation. The Times proceeded with publication.

This is the latest development in tensions between the Trump administration and news organizations over coverage of presidential security and foreign government involvement in U.S. assets.

Sports Has Exploded In Every Corner of Media Ecosystem

Sports Coverage Has Exploded Across Media Landscape, Including Unlikely Outlets.  Sports is experiencing a surge in attention from media organizations of all stripes, with even traditionally non-sports publications such as Politico and Vanity Fair (VF) ramping up their coverage. 

The reason is simple: sports delivers content that engaged readers deliberately seek out, rather than passively encounter while browsing.

This shift marks a significant expansion of sports journalism. Once confined largely to dedicated sports sections and specialty outlets, in-depth reporting, analysis, and storytelling on athletics have now ballooned into nearly every corner of the media ecosystem. 

Study: Sports Plays Major Role In Choosing Streaming Platforms

43% of Americans would switch their mobile, broadband, or TV provider for a better sports streaming bundle, according to new research commissioned by Bango, a U.K.-based subscription bundling platform provider. 

The finding highlights that more than four in ten customers are potentially up for grabs in the competitive telecom market. Sports has emerged as a frontline battleground for telcos fighting to win and retain customers amid fragmented sports rights across streaming platforms. 

Providers are increasingly seen as a trusted solution for consolidating live sports content into a single bundle, with more than half (52%) of respondents saying they would trust their own telco above anyone else to handle this.

Reports: ESPN Closing In On Adam Schefter Deal

ESPN is closing in on a long-term contract extension with top NFL insider Adam Schefter, according to reports, securing one of the league’s most prominent voices at the network well into the 2030s. The deal would lock in Schefter — widely regarded as the preeminent NFL insider in media — at ESPN (known as the Worldwide Leader in Sports) for several years beyond the current decade. Financial terms have not been disclosed, but his previous contract, signed in 2022, was reportedly worth approximately $9 million annually.

The move follows ESPN’s successful retention of other key NFL insiders, including Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, who joined the network as part of its broader push to dominate NFL coverage. ESPN’s roster of insiders now includes Schefter, Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, Garafolo, Jeremy Fowler, Kimberley Martin, Dan Graziano, Jeff Darlington, and Judy Battista, creating a formidable team for breaking news and analysis.

NBC's TODAY Extends Total Viewers Winning Streak

NBC News’ TODAY won in total viewers and the key demo A25-54 for the week of June 29-July 5 while remaining the #1 morning news program across the board season-to-date.

TODAY averaged 2.827 million total viewers, leading GMA by +59,000 viewers (+2%) and CBS by +1.089 million viewers (+63%). The show ranked #1 in total viewers for the 24th consecutive week, marking its longest winning streak since April 2012.

• TODAY also delivered 568,000 A25-54 viewers, leading GMA by +113,000 (+25%) and CBS by +280,000 (+97%).
• TODAY Highlights#1 morning show across the board for the week and season-to-date.
• #1 in total viewers for the 24th consecutive week, the program’s longest winning streak since April 2012.
• Posted its 35th weekly win of the 2025-26 season.
• Delivered 23 consecutive weeks of year-over-year total viewer growth, the show’s longest streak since August 2011.
• Recorded the largest year-over-year total viewer increase among the broadcast morning shows (+160,000 / +6%).
• Beat CBS by more than one million viewers for the 29th consecutive week, the longest such streak since May 2015.

Season-to-Date

TODAY ranks as the #1 morning show across the board season-to-date, leading in total viewers and the key demo A25-54, and is posting the biggest total viewer growth versus last season up +174,000 (+6%).

In total viewers, TODAY leads GMA by +134,000, its widest season-to-date advantage in 14 years.Leads CBS by +1.172 million viewers, its largest season-to-date advantage in 11 years and 62% larger than at the same point last season.

In the key demo A25-54, TODAY leads GMA by +138,000.Leads CBS by +334,000, its largest season-to-date demo advantage in five years.

ABC's GMA Delivers Week-To-Week Growth

“Good Morning America” averaged 2.768 million Total Viewers, 455,000 Adults 25-54 and 330,000 Adults 18-49 for the week of June 29, 2026, based on Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

• “GMA” improved on the previous week in Adults 25-54 (+1% – 455,000 vs. 451,000) and Adults 18-49 (+1% – 330,000 vs. 327,000).
• For the fifth week running, “GMA” grew year to year in Total Viewers (+3% – 2.768 million vs. 2.683 million) and Adults 18-49 (+27% – 330,000 vs. 260,000).
• “GMA” cut its week-to-week margins with “Today” by double digits in both Adults 25-54 (-36% – 113,000 vs. 177,000) and Adults 18-49 (-29% – 52,000 vs. 73,000). “GMA” posted its closest performance in Adults 25-54 in 6 weeks and its narrowest in Adults 18-49 in 8 weeks — since weeks of 5/18/26 and 5/4/26, respectively.
• “GMA” decreased its gaps with “Today” on the same week last year by double digits in both Adults 25-54 (-12% – 113,000 vs. 128,000) and Adults 18-49 (-45% – 52,000 vs. 94,000).
• “GMA” (2.768 million, 455,000 and 330,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Mornings” (1.738 million, 288,000 and 207,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+1.030 million), Adults 25-54 (+167,000) and Adults 18-49 (+123,000). In addition, “GMA” led “CBS Mornings” in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 for the last 1,432 weeks overall — since w/o 1/18/99.
• Season to date, “GMA” is up in Total Viewers (+1% – 2.852 million vs. 2.829 million) and Adults 18-49 (+9% – 334,000 vs. 307,000) compared to the same point last year.

SBS Wins Court Approval For Reorganization Plans

Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) has won court approval for its Chapter 11 reorganization plan, positioning the Hispanic media company to exit bankruptcy once federal regulators approve the transfer of its broadcast licenses.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Brendan Shannon signed the confirmation order on July 1 in Delaware. The prepackaged plan, filed in May, will slash SBS’s debt by more than 75% — eliminating roughly $240 million of its $310 million total — by transferring ownership to its creditors.

The company must now obtain FCC approval for the change in control of its radio and TV licenses, a process that could take several weeks or months.

SBS filed the Chapter 11 case after reaching an agreement with creditors. At the time, CEO Raúl Alarcón said the restructuring would strengthen the company’s balance sheet and better position it for the future. All publicly traded shares will be consolidated and transferred to debtholders.

R.I.P.: Actor Randolph Mantooth, Portrayed Firefighter-Paramedic

Randolph Mantooth, the actor who starred as firefighter-paramedic John Gage in the groundbreaking 1970s TV series “Emergency!,” has died at age 80 after a long illness, his family said Friday.

Mantooth’s portrayal and the NBC series, which aired for five seasons from January 1972 to May 1977, dramatically raised public awareness of paramedics and emergency medical services, inspiring generations to enter firefighting and EMS careers, his family said.

“The series helped introduce the public to paramedics and emergency medicine, inspiring countless individuals to pursue careers in EMS and firefighting,” the family said in a statement. “Its influence extended far beyond entertainment, contributing to greater recognition of emergency medical services throughout the country.”

The show followed the crew of Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 51 and included follow-up made-for-TV movies that aired until 1979.Los Angeles County Fire Department officials praised Mantooth as a lasting symbol of the department’s legacy. 

“Randolph Mantooth was the face of the Los Angeles County Fire Department for an entire generation,” said Capt. Aaron Katon. “Talk to any fire buff of a certain age, and Johnny Gage riding Squad 51 is the stuff of legend.”

Mantooth was born Sept. 19, 1945, in Sacramento, California. He earned a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and later appeared in the 2003 off-Broadway production of Lanford Wilson’s “Rain Dance,” which also starred James Van Der Beek.