March 7 Radio History

➦In 1876...Patent granted to  Alexander Graham Bell for the telephone. Three days later, he and associate Thomas Watson successfully tested their invention. Elisha Gray, Antonio Meucci and Thomas Edison all claimed to have invented the telephone first, and the issue is still a source of controversy.

There has long been a debate over whether Bell was truly the first man to invent the telephone. Bell was presented with more than 600 patent lawsuits, but the courts continually ruled that he was legally the inventor.

There are several controversies about the invention. First is that Bell received a patent before he had a working device, which was unusual. His critics, including Elisha Gray and Thomas Edison—who claimed to have had a working telephone but did not file for a patent—accused Bell’s father-in-law, former Congressman Gardiner G. Hubbard, of persuading the patent office to give Bell his patent over Gray.

➦In 1933... CBS radio debuted its first daytime radio serial, “Marie the Little French Princess”, which had a run of 2.5  years on the air.  Marie, The Little French Princess was the first soap opera on CBS radio. It was daily program at daytime. Hilman Brown as producer and director of the serial was one of respected person in radio broadcast. He was inducted into the  Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.

➦In 1962...The Beatles performed for 52 BBC Radio programs, beginning with an appearance on this date and ending with the special The Beatles Invite You to Take a Ticket to Ride, recorded on 26 May 1965. Forty-seven of their BBC appearances occurred in 1963 and 1964, including 10 on Saturday Club and 15 on their own weekly series Pop Go the Beatles, which began in June 1963. As The Beatles had not accumulated many original songs by this time, the majority of their BBC performances consisted of cover versions, drawing on the repertoire that they had developed for their early stage act.

In total, 275 performances of 88 different songs were broadcast, of which 36 songs never appeared on their studio albums.

Judy Garland, scene from 'Wizard of Oz'

➦In 2001…The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reveal their list of the top 365 "Songs Of The Century".

The project was part of a music education program, with a curriculum distributed to fifth grade teachers.  The list is far from authoritative (or even consistent - albums and two-sided singles are somehow included); voters include elected officials, teachers, students and members of the media.

Topping the list" Judy Garland's "Over The Rainbow" (Click Here for list). Rounding out their Top Ten were (#2) "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, followed by "This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie, "Respect" by Aretha Franklin, "American Pie" by Don McLean, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" by the Andrews Sisters, "West Side Story" (album) by the original cast, "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" by Billy Murray, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by The Righteous Brothers, and (#10) "The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin.

➦In 2014…Veteran broadcast journalist Bill McLaughlin, who covered the Vietnam War, two Arab-Israeli wars and the 1972 Palestinian terrorist attack on Israeli athletes at the Olympics, died from cardiac arrest. He was 76.  The newsman, who spent 25 years as a CBS News correspondent, headed bureaus in Germany and Lebanon. He also covered the United Nations for NBC from 1979 to 1981.

➦In 2014…Jack Roberts, a radio industry veteran who most recently served as executive producer for the CRN Digital Talk Radio Network, died in a Los Angeles hospital after a long illness. He was 62.  During his career, Roberts produced national radio shows for Dick Cavett, Oliver North, Doug Stephan, Jerry Williams and others. A native of Boston, Roberts worked in such major markets as Los Angeles, New York and Boston as an on-air personality, program director, executive producer, promotions director and GM.

Jack Roberts

Roberts,  who served as producer for Dick Cavett's and Oliver North's national radio shows and executive producer for L.A.-based Cable Radio Network (CRN),  also created and wrote the popular broadcast and music news blog "Hollywood Hills Group", which had an estimated 10,000 daily readers since its inception in 2011. His blog was very popular with radio/TV execs from L.A. to N.Y. and numerous record label presidents, personal managers, film and TV celebrities, recording artists and many, many others.

For more than 35 years, Roberts worked with some of the top celebrity broadcasters and air talent in major markets ranging from Los Angeles to New York and Boston.  Roberts’ experience ranged from working as a Top 40 format on-air personality in the northeast at a string of stations, including Boston’s WRKO, WMEX in Edgartown, MA; WXKS in Newton, MA; Providence, RI’s WPRO; WGUY in Veazie, ME; and WDRC in Bloomfield, CT, where he also became the station’s general manager and program director.

He eventually became general manager and program director at WWRC in Washington, DC, WMRE in Charles Town, WV; WBET in Sturgis, MI; and WHIL in Mobile, AL.

➦In 2015…Terry Dorsey, a longtime voice on North Texas airwaves, died unexpectedly at age 66. Dorsey made friends of everyone he met and won numerous awards over his 46-year career before retiring in December 2014.

Dorsey began spinning country records in 1977 after landing a gig in Dayton, Ohio. He moved to Dallas in 1980 and worked for KPLX 99.5 FM before moving to country KSCS in 1988.

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

• TV personality Willard Scott (“Today”) is 87. 
• Actor Daniel J. Travanti (“Hill Street Blues”) is 81. 
• Bassist Chris White of The Zombies is 78. 
• Singer Peter Wolf of The J. Geils Band is 75. 
• Keyboardist Matthew Fisher of Procol Harum is 75. 

• 

  Jenna Fisher is 47

  Guitarist Ernie Isley of The Isley Brothers is 69. 
• Actor Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”) is 65. 
• Actor Donna Murphy (“Mercy Street,” ″Murder One”) is 62. 
• Actor Nick Searcy (“Justified”) is 62. 
• Actor Mary Beth Evans (“Days of Our Lives”) is 
• 60. Singer Taylor Dayne is 59. 
• Actor Bill Brochtrup (“Major Crimes,” ″NYPD Blue”) is 58. 
• Opera singer Denyce Graves is 57. 
• Comedian Wanda Sykes is 57. 
• Actor Jonathan Del Arco (“Major Crimes”) is 55. 
• Drummer Randy Guss of Toad The Wet Sprocket is 54. 
• Actor Rachel Weisz (WYS) is 50. 
• Actor Peter Sarsgaard (“Kinsey,” ″Garden State”) is 50. 
• Actor Jay Duplass (“The Mindy Project”) is 48. 
• Singer Sebastien Izambard of Il Divo is 48. 
• Singer Hugo Ferreira of Tantric is 47. 
• Actor Jenna Fischer (“The Office”) is 47. 
• Actor Tobias Menzies (“Outlander,” ″Game of Thrones”) is 47. 
• Actor Audrey Marie Anderson (“The Unit”) is 46. 
• Actor TJ Thyne (“Bones”) is 46. 
• Actor Laura Prepon (“Orange Is The New Black,” ″That ’70s Show”) is 41. 
• Actor Bel Powley (Film: “Diary of a Teenage Girl”) is 29. 
• Actor Giselle Eisenberg (“Life in Pieces”) is 24.

R.I.P.: Michael Stanley, WNCX Radio Personality, Singer-Songwriter

Michael Stanley 1948-2021

Cleveland singer-songwriter and radio personality Michael Stanley died Friday at the age of 72, following a months-long fight with lung cancer.

On March 3, 2021, Stanley's family issued a statement on his behalf to let fans know why hadn’t been appearing in his usual 3-7 p.m. slot on 98.5 WNCX. Stanley’s last day on the air was on Feb. 19.

"Michael battled lung cancer for seven months with the same strength and dignity he carried throughout his life. He will always be remembered as a loving father, brother, husband, a loyal friend, and the leader of one of Cleveland's most successful rock bands," 98.5 WNCX said.

Prior to his passing, Stanley penned a farewell letter to his friends, family and fans. 98.5 WNCX shared his final message on their Facebook page.

Stanley, a Cleveland native, recorded several memorable hits, such as "My Town” and “He Can’t Love You,” over the course of several decades. In all, Stanley recorded more than 18 albums and gave hundreds of concert performances.

In the 1970s and 80s, Stanley toured with some of the biggest names in music, such as Foreigner, The Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, and The Doobie Brothers. He also worked with Joe Walsh, Todd Rundgren and David Sanborn.

In addition to music, Stanley was the recipient of a dozen regional Emmy Awards for his work on television with Fox 8. He’s been a fixture on WNCX for years, most recently hosting the morning show.

A private service will be held by his family, and Stanley will be laid to rest at Lake View Cemetery. Instead of flowers, contributions can be made to the Cleveland APL and the Cleveland Food Bank in his memory.

Harry, Meghan Interview Costing CBS At Least $7M

CBS is paying a license fee of between $7 million and $9 million for the rights to air OprahWinfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, according to The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the pact.

The two-hour interview is scheduled for Sunday on CBS at 8 p.m. ET, after the network’s popular news magazine “60 Minutes.” Sunday is one of the biggest nights of television consumption.

As part of the agreement between CBS and Ms. Winfrey’s production company, Harpo Productions, the network also has rights to license the special in international markets. In the U.K., the interview will air Monday on ITV. CBS is a unit of ViacomCBS Inc.

A spokeswoman for the couple said they are not being compensated for the interview.

CBS was seeking roughly $325,000 for 30 seconds of commercial time during the program, according to ad buyers, about twice the normal price of ad time in that time period.

Harpo also pitched Comcast Corp.’s NBC and Walt Disney Co. ’s ABC, people familiar with the situation said.

Winfrey has ties to CBS. She had a brief stint as a member of the “60 Minutes” team and has been longtime friends with CBS News anchor Gayle King. In addition, CBS owns the company that distributed Ms. Winfrey’s daytime talk show.

Baltimore Radio: WERQ Launches New Morning Show

Radio One Baltimore has announced the launch of  The A.M Clique with Porkchop and AngelBaby. The show will be heard on WERQ-FM Baltimore, MD, weekdays from 6 am to 10 am EST.

The A.M Clique with Porkchop and AngelBaby is a local, high-energy morning show that reflects the hip-hop lifestyle and culture. The A.M Clique with Porkchop and AngelBaby bring their listeners a show that is entertaining yet informative, complete with compelling interviews and some of the hottest entertainers and high-profile community activists bringing awareness to issues affecting the African American community.

Porkchop has been a staple in the Baltimore community for years. From dancing to rapping to even becoming a DJ, Porkchop’s talents have taken him straight to the top of his game. Not to mention he represents Coppin State University and is also a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. Hard work, humility and perseverance are just 3 of Porkchop’s attributes. The late great Khia “K-Swift” Edgerton gave him his start on 92Q as the producer of “Off The Hook Radio” with Reggie Reg. He moved up in the ranks after that, becoming the co-host of “Rap Attack.” His sharp, funny wit got him a spot on “The Big Phat Morning Show.” Shortly after, Porkchop joined Squirrel Wyde, making the 2-man wrecking crew perfectly named “Animal House.”

Dj AngelBaby, launched her career in Washington DC. She served as a host for The BET Music Matters Concert Series, guest host and correspondent for BET Networks, a Dj for the Coors Light Sunday Night Football Series, Dj for Nike’s Annual Women’s Half Marathon, and numerous events across the country. AngelBaby also serves as the official DJ for national recording artist Kash Doll. Dj AngelBaby has been featured in Hip Hop publications like The Fader, Source Magazine, and Hip Hop Weekly alongside her career achievements. Moreover, Dj AngelBaby is the founder of Urban Artemis, a non-profit organization geared towards uplifting and educating the youth with a special interest in mentoring young girls.

Howard Mazer, General Manager, stated, “Porkchop and DJ AngelBaby are two very strong radio talents who have an authentic connection to their audience, and I am confident that the show will be a huge draw for the local listening audience.”

NFL New Battleground In Streaming Wars

Negotiations over broadcast rights to National Football League games -- long seen as the biggest prize in television -- have become yet another extension of the streaming wars, Bloomberg reports.

As media titans such as Walt Disney Co. and Comcast Corp. hammer out deals to show games on their TV networks, they’re seeking new ways to add NFL action to their streaming platforms as well. Amazon.com Inc., meanwhile, is getting more ambitious about using NFL games to attract users to its Prime Video service, according to people familiar with the company’s thinking.

Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek said this week that all future sports deals will prioritize ESPN+, its US$6-a-month streaming service. Comcast’s Peacock and ViacomCBS Inc.’s Paramount+ are also expected to gain the rights to more NFL matchups. Media giants are planning for a future when online viewing rules the day.

Disney's Bob Chapek

Networks and pay-TV providers, such as DirecTV, have long relied on the NFL and other live sports to keep customers from cutting the cord. So it will be a twist if the league’s latest agreements hasten the shift to a streaming world.

NBC, Fox, and CBS are looking at paying as much as double their current fees, or about US$2 billion each a year for rights to the Sunday packages, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. That’s because they are the most popular-sports programming at those networks, accounting for 30 per cent to 57 per cent of their sports viewing.

The most striking turn of events could be the package Amazon wins. Currently, the company shares the rights to Thursday night games with Fox and the NFL Network. Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch said at a Morgan Stanley conference Thursday that while talks with the league are ongoing, his company will “most likely” give up its Thursday package and keep its Sunday afternoon games as the costs of the rights climb.

Amazon executives see live sports as a way to help the streaming service stand out in a crowded field, according to the people with knowledge of the matter. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Amazon wants to carry some Thursday games exclusively on Prime Video, potentially increasing their appeal.

Amazon could help set off a chain reaction. With more games on Prime Video, fans will be more likely to cut the cord. Broadcasters then may not be able to demand the same kind of fees from cable providers -- or the same rates from advertisers.

CNN Website Hits 'Pause" On Breaking Cuomo News

CNN’s website went more than 12 hours without covering the bombshell Wall Street Journal report that top advisers to embattled New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo influenced state health officials to remove data from a public report that showed coronavirus-related nursing-home deaths in the state had exceeded numbers previously acknowledged by the administration.

FOX News reports CNN, the network that employs the governor’s little brother Chris Cuomo, covered the report Friday morning on air but avoided it online through 11 a.m. ET on Friday, more than 12 hours after the Journal reported the latest development in the nursing home scandal. 

CNN’s verified Twitter account had not mentioned the report after 12 hours either. A report was then posted on Twitter at 2:00 p.m. ET on Friday. 

CNN had long been accused of covering for the governor as it allowed Chris Cuomo to conduct a series of widely panned, playful chats disguised as interviews at the height of the pandemic while largely ignoring the nursing home scandal. Once the governor started to face criticism, CNN implemented a policy that banned his brother from covering the story.

Cuomo also faces multiple allegations of sexual harassment, which the network has recently covered on air and online after being initially slow to cover the claims. In fact, on Friday morning "Andrew Cuomo" was listed among the trending topics on CNN’s website but clicking on his name brought readers to a story about the sexual harassment scandal while the site was silent on the latest developments in the nursing home crisis.

CNN has "Trump" mentioned 10 times on their home page right now.

"Cuomo" is mentioned once. In the tiny live updates at the top.

What absolute garbage. pic.twitter.com/1CeSnXBG9i

— GinaNdTonic (@BGBandita) March 5, 2021

A new article about Cuomo's nursing home scandal appeared on the CNN homepage Friday afternoon, but not as a top story. The lack of online coverage of the embattled governor was also noticed Thursday morning by Tom Bevan of RealClearPolitics, as Cuomo faced a litany of accusations from former female staffers of inappropriate advances and harassment. 

Nielsen Closes Sale Of Global Connect Business

Nielsen Holdings plc has announced it has completed the previously announced sale of NielsenIQ to affiliates of Advent International.

Under terms of the deal, affiliates of Advent International in partnership with James "Jim" Peck, former CEO of credit reporting agency TransUnion, acquired Global Connect for $2.7 billion.

David Kenny, Nielsen Chief Executive Officer said, “We thank the entire NielsenIQ team for their invaluable commitment and contributions over the years. We look forward to continuing a strong working relationship with them.

“This is a transformative time for Nielsen. We have redesigned our products, our business platform, and our operating model, positioning Nielsen to better deliver the solutions our clients need in the rapidly changing global media ecosystem. We are now fully aligned around three essential solutions–Audience Measurement, Audience Outcomes and Gracenote Content Services—that are designed to drive growth by leveraging a single media platform across a global digital-first footprint.”

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Guggenheim Securities, LLC acted as financial advisors to Nielsen, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Clifford Chance LLP, DLA Piper, and Baker McKenzie acted as legal advisors to Nielsen.

Tribune Revenue Drops

Tribune Publishing on Thursday reported fourth-quarter net income of $263,000, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.

The Chicago-based company, publisher of the Chicago Tribune and other major newspapers, said it had net income of 1 cent per share. Losses, adjusted for restructuring gains and to account for discontinued operations, were 12 cents per share.

The media company posted revenue of $192.7 million in the period.

For the year, the company reported that its loss widened to $39 million, or $1.08 per share. Revenue was reported as $746.3 million.

Tribune Publishing announced Feb. 16 that it has agreed to be acquired by Alden Global Capital and go private in a deal valued at $630 million. The deal, which the two companies said should close in the second quarter, requires the approval of two-thirds of shareholders not affiliated with Alden and must pass regulatory scrutiny.

For the current quarter ending in April, Tribune Publishing said it expects revenue in the range of $170 million to $172 million.

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Tribune Publishing shares have increased 24% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Thursday, shares hit $16.95, an increase of 57% in the last 12 months.

March 6 Radio History

➦In 1905...James Robert Wills born (Died – May 13, 1975 at age 70).  He was a Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western swing, he was widely known as the King of Western Swing.

Wills formed several bands and played radio stations around the South and West until he formed the Texas Playboys in 1934 with Wills on fiddle, Tommy Duncan on piano and vocals, rhythm guitarist June Whalin, tenor banjoist Johnnie Lee Wills, and Kermit Whalin, who played steel guitar and bass.

The band played regularly on Tulsa, Oklahoma radio station KVOO and added Leon McAuliffe on steel guitar, pianist Al Stricklin, drummer Smokey Dacus, and a horn section that expanded the band's sound. Wills favored jazz-like arrangements and the band found national popularity into the 1940s with such hits as "Steel Guitar Rag", "New San Antonio Rose", "Smoke On The Water", "Stars And Stripes On Iwo Jima", and "New Spanish Two Step".

Wills and the Texas Playboys recorded with several publishers and companies, including Vocalion, Okeh, Columbia, and MGM, frequently moving.  Throughout the 1950s, he struggled with poor health and tenuous finances, but continued to perform frequently despite the decline in popularity of his earlier music as rock and roll took over. Wills had a heart attack in 1962 and a second one the next year, which forced him to disband the Playboys although Wills continued to perform solo.

The Country Music Hall of Fame inducted Wills in 1968 and the Texas State Legislature honored him for his contribution to American music.

Abbott & Costello

➦In 1906... Lou Costello born (Died from a heart attack at age 52 – March 3, 1959), was an actor, best known for his film comedy double act with straight man Bud Abbott.

Costello had started as an athlete, before working in burlesque on Broadway, where he stood-in for Abbott’s partner who had failed to show up. They formally teamed up in 1935. Their signature routine, "Who's on First?", was carried through to radio and then to their film debut One Night in the Tropics (1940) and Buck Privates (1941). The duo would go on to make 36 films.



During World War II, they were among the most popular entertainers in the world, and sold $85 million in war bonds. A winter tour of army bases caused a recurrence of the rheumatic fever which Costello had contracted in childhood, and his health was badly affected from then on, worsened by the death of his infant son. They launched their own long-running radio show in 1942, and then a live TV show.

But by 1955, they were felt to be overexposed, their film contract was terminated, and the partnership split soon afterwards.




➦In 1954...FM pioneer Edwin H Armstrong closed experimental KE2XCC.  The station began experimental broadcasts at 93.1 FM in June 1938 followed by full power broadcasting beginning on July 18, 1939.  Today the 93.1 FM frequency in NYC is occupied by WPAT-FM.

➦In 1967...Singer Nelson Eddy died at age 65 (Born - June 29, 1901).  He was a singer and actor who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. A classically trained baritone, he is best remembered for the eight films in which he costarred with soprano Jeanette MacDonald. He was one of the first "crossover" stars, a superstar appealing both to shrieking bobby-soxers and opera purists, and in his heyday, he was the highest paid singer in the world.

During his 40-year career, he earned three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (one each for film, recording, and radio).



➦In 1981.. Walter Cronkite (November 4, 1916 - July 17, 2009), the dean of American television newscasters, said “And that’s the way it is” for the final time, as he closed the “CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite,” to be replaced by Dan Rather. An audience estimated at 17,000,000 viewers tuned in to see “the most trusted man in America” sign-off.

He served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years (1962–1981). During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll.

Conkite dropped out of college in his junior year, in the fall term of 1935, after starting a series of newspaper reporting jobs covering news and sports. He entered broadcasting as a radio announcer for WKY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1936, he met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" Maxwell, while working as the sports announcer for KCMO-AM in Kansas City, MO.

His broadcast name was "Walter Wilcox".  He would explain later that radio stations at the time did not want people to use their real names for fear of taking their listeners with them if they left. In Kansas City, he joined the United Press in 1937.  He became one of the top American reporters in World War II, covering battles in North Africa and Europe.

With his name now established, he received a job offer from Edward R. Murrow at CBS News to join the Murrow Boys team of war correspondents, relieving Bill Downs as the head of the Moscow bureau. CBS offered Cronkite $125 ($2,189 in 2018 money) a week along with "commercial fees" amounting to $25 ($438 in 2018) for almost every time Cronkite reported on air.

Up to that point, he had been making $57.50 ($1,006 in 2018) per week at UP, but he had reservations about broadcasting. He initially accepted the offer. When he informed his boss Harrison Salisbury, UP countered with a raise of $17.50 ($306 in 2018) per week; Hugh Baillie also offered him an extra $20 ($350 in 2018) per week to stay. Cronkite ultimately accepted the UP offer, a move which angered Murrow and drove a wedge between them that would last for years

In 1950, Cronkite eventually joined CBS News in its young and growing television division, again recruited by Murrow.




➦In 2002…Longtime Chicago radio personality on Top40 WLS and WCFL, 70-year-old Art Roberts, also remembered for his on-air stints in Milwaukee and Buffalo, died following a series of strokes.

Roberts, according his 2002 obit in The Chicago Tribune,  was known as Chicago's "hip uncle" for his work on AM radio in the 1960s and '70s. And to teenagers of that time he was a godsend for bringing them the rock 'n' roll stars they craved.

According to Jeff Roteman's WLS Tribute website,  his radio career began in Atlanta, Texas in 1953. In 1956, Art Roberts joined the legendary KLIF in Dallas. In 1959, Art worked in Buffalo at WKBW before joining WLS in 1961.

He was one of seven young, star disc jockeys hired by WLS to bring rock to Chicago. Roberts started in the early afternoon slot, then took over the popular 9 p.m. to midnight gig from Dick Biondi. He was known for telling bedtime stories about "the head that ain't got no body" and creating fictitious characters like "Hooty Saperticker," who wanted to go through life doing nothing.

Roberts stayed at WLS for 10 years before heading to San Francisco's KNBR in 1971, Other career stops included WCFL, WOKY, and KLUV. Art's final radio stop was KGVM in Reno in 1998.

➦In 2005...Former L-A 93KHJ Boss Jock Tommy Vance died.  Born Richard Anthony Crispian Francis Prew Hope-Weston on July 11, 1940.  He was one of the first music broadcasters in the United Kingdom to champion hard rock and heavy metal in the early 1980s, providing the only national radio forum for both bands and fans. The Friday Rock Show that he hosted gave new bands airtime for their music and fans an opportunity to hear it. His radio show was a factor in the rise of the new wave of British heavy metal. He used a personal tag-line of "TV on the radio". His voice was heard by millions around the world announcing the Wembley Stadium acts at Live Aid in 1985.

In 1964, he originally joined KOL Seattle Using the pseudonym Rick West working the midnight-to-6am shift broadcasting to a field of sleeping cows as he once described it.  From there Vance moved to Los Angeles where he was offered a show by programming consultant Bill Drake on 93KHJ radio, holding the evening airshift at KHJ for several months in late 1965.

The show had originally been intended for another presenter who had pulled out of the deal at the last moment, the jingles and pre-launch publicity could not go to waste so Rick West became "Tommy Vance", "The station asked if I would take the name as they had already made the jingles for him. I said, for that kind of money you can call me what you like, mate."



KHJ was one of the most successful and influential Top 40 stations of the era and California in 1965 was a great place to be. However, America was then involved in a war in Vietnam and when Tommy got his draft papers for the US Army, he decided it was time to head back to the UK.

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

• Dancer Carmen de Lavallade is 90. 
• Actor-writer Joanna Miles is 81. 
• Actor Ben Murphy is 79. 
• Drummer Hugh Grundy of The Zombies is 76. 
• Guitarist David Gilmour of Pink Floyd is 75. 
• Actor Anna Maria Horsford (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 74. 

• 

  Connie Britton is 54

  Actor-director Rob Reiner is 74. 
• Singer Kiki Dee is 74. 
• TV personality John Stossel is 74. 
• Sports correspondent Armen Keteyian is 68. 
• Actor Tom Arnold is 62. 
• Actor D.L. Hughley (“The Hughleys”) is 58. 
• Country songwriter Skip Ewing is 57. 
• Actor Shuler Hensley is 54. 
• Actor Connie Britton (“Nashville”) is 54. 
• Actor Moira Kelly (“One Tree Hill”) is 53. 
• Actor Amy Pietz (“Aliens in America,” ″Caroline in the City”) is 52. 
• Guitarist Chris Broderick of Megadeth is 51. 
• Country singer Trent Willmon is 48. 
• Guitarist Shan Farmer (Ricochet) is 47. 
• Rapper Beanie Sigel is 47. 
• Rapper Bubba Sparxxx is 44. 
• Actor Shaun Evans (“Endeavour”) is 41. 
• Drummer Chris Tomson of Vampire Weekend is 37. 
• Actor Eli Marienthal is 35. 
• Rapper-producer Tyler, the Creator is 30. 
• Actor Millicent Simmonds (“A Quiet Place,” “Wonderstruck”) is 18.

Broadcast Stocks Seal Strong Week

By: Jason Aycock, SA News Editor

Amid Friday's late stock rally, broadcast-related stocks are putting a button on a banner week.

• Fox is higher today (FOX +6.1%, FOXA +5.3%), and FOXA is up 18.3% over the past five days. Discovery (DISCA +1.3%) is on a five-day run of 22% gains. And AMC Networks (AMCX +1.2%) is up 28.4% in the past week.
• In some cases stocks are getting called out for having too-low valuations in recent weeks. BofA gave Fox a Street-high price target based on some unappreciated value among assets including its exposure to online betting - a hot topic this week - and its direct-to-consumer strategy.
• And a note from Stephens last week cited double-digit upside in broadcasters as the sector comes in for easy comparisons and "built-in" second-half gains. The firm favors Gray Television (GTN +2.4%) and Nexstar Media Group (NXST +3.1%). Gains this week for local-broadcast names: NXST +10.3%; GTN +1.5%; Tegna (TGNA +2.6%) down 1.3% for the week E.W. Scripps (SSP +5.1%) up 15.9% for week; Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI +0.5%) up 14.4%.
• ViacomCBS (VIAC +3.1%, VIACA +3.1%) is building on a few months' gains, up 15% this week, surrounding the high-profile launch of its streaming service Paramount Plus (likely the last of the big-service launches).
• The other major media story hitting broadcasters this week is the rapid development in NFL TV rights negotiations. Amazon.com (AMZN +0.2%) is pushing for the chance to exclusively stream more Thursday night games (which might cost it $1B or more), and Fox is at least hinting toward ceding Thursday night so it can focus on Sundays.
• That comes as the new deals look to be exploding in price, nearly doubling. Fox's annual average fee for Sunday afternoons is currently $1.1B, and looks to move to $2B; CBS will also probably pay $2B for its Sunday games, up from $1B, and NBC (CMCSA +2%) to $2B from a current $960M average as well.
• Those deals would lock in much higher payments for as long as 11 years, with deals set to start in 2022 or 2023.

Richmond Radio: Melissa & Jack OUT At WURV

Mornings on WURV 103.7 Play FM will no longer start with Melissa and Jack, according to a Facebook post from one of the radio hosts.

According to WRIC ABC 3 News, today was the duo’s last show at the station. Jack Lauterback wrote on Facebook that there was “no drama or anything” but they were let go because ratings were too low.

"Well no more waking up at 4am for me. After almost 10 years on the radio, today was my last day on 103.7.

"There was no drama or anything. Ratings are ratings and when you don’t perform, you go bye bye. I’m OK with that. Melissa and I actually had a really good show this morning so I feel like I went out on a high note. Thanks to everyone; especially Mel, Joe and Bob for the opportunity. It was a blast! I’ll look back fondly on this time.

"That being said, I’m now looking for a new job and I’m 99 percent sure it won’t be in radio. So if any of my friends know of anything or are hiring, I have a resume ready, college degree, references, etc. I’ll be reaching out to a lot of you as well.

"Also if any of my bar people know of any shifts to hold me over, that would be super appreciated. I’m pretty sure I still know what I’m doing back there.

"For now I’m sitting in the park staring at the water and talking to the geese for a few minutes. That’s what they do in the movies after they get fired.

"PS. Don’t worry about ol’ Jackie Boy. I’ll be OK"

Melissa Chase didn’t say a lot about the situation online, but did post a photo of her and Lauterback on Instagram.

“Thank you, RVA. We love you,” she said in the caption.

According to 103.7’s website, Style Weekly named Play Mornings with Melissa and Jack the “Best Morning Show in the City” seven years in a row.

Before joining the station, Lauterback was a bartender and while he doesn’t think he’ll return to radio, Lauterback said he might get behind a bar again to hold him over until his next job.

Bootleg Kev Starts Syndication

United Stations, an independent leader in content and services for radio stations, is thrilled to announce that beginning March 9, 2021, Bootleg Kev will officially launch his content into network syndication with United Stations. 

The Bootleg Kev lineup will include a daily 4-5 hour show for afternoons and nights along with a companion two-hour weekend mix show. As part of this announcement, we also welcome the first Bootleg Kev affiliates, with those being KKFR-FM in Phoenix, WLLD-FM in Tampa and KCAQ-FM in Oxnard, CA. Along with Kev, the show features the No Cap News with James Andre Jefferson Jr. and show producer Nico Blitz. This announcement comes from Stefan Jones, SVP/Content and Affiliation at United Stations, and USRN’s newly appointed content specialist/consultant Tim Richards of TR Media; jointly with the Bootleg Kev team, which includes network operations consultant Brian Samson.

Bootleg Kev, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, has been doing radio for over 15 years with stops in Las Vegas, Tampa, Phoenix, and for the last four years at REAL 92.3 in Los Angeles. He has established himself as one of the biggest hip-hop DJs in the country on the radio. Kev is currently married, and he and his wife Esmeralda have two children, ages 5 and 13. Kev is an avid video gamer, and he also likes to travel, geek out on technology and watch sports in his spare time. Most importantly for his radio content, Kev lives and breathes the Hip Hop format and he has spent his entire career building relationships with the who’s who of the format.

In marking the Bootleg Kev Show’s addition to the company’s lineup, Stefan Jones of United Stations commented, “This format requires complete authenticity, and Bootleg Kev delivers that. His connection to the music, the artists and his listeners is unmatched.” Kev added, “This show is something that is currently missing from the syndication world, and one that I’m very excited about bringing to airwaves across the country. I am so excited about our partnership with United Stations. Stefan Jones, Andy Denemark, Tim Richards and the whole team see the vision, and I look forward to shaking up radio with them in my corner.”

MN Radio: Tom Kreutzian Named MP For Townsquare Media

Tom Kreutzian

Townsquare Media Inc. announced that Tom Kreutzian has joined the Company as Market President and Chief Revenue Officer for its Faribault/Owatonna local media cluster.

Kreutzian will lead the local media team and their “Local First” strategy in both Faribault and Owatonna, which includes four top local media brands: KRFO-AM, KRFO-FM, KQCL-FM, and KDHL-AM. He will report to Townsquare Regional Vice President Kelly Quinn.

“There is an immense opportunity to partner with local businesses in this area stretching far south of the Twin Cities, which composes a large population base,” said Mr. Quinn. “We are already super-serving some of these areas with outstanding community involvement. And now, under Tom’s leadership and with his digital acumen, we will be able to not only better leverage our recently upgraded radio signals, but also better prescribe our incredible digital solutions, providing our business partners a fantastic path to growth.”

“I am so excited to be a part of Townsquare Media,” said Mr. Kreutzian. “Their dedication to the local communities they serve is outstanding and I can’t wait to be a part of that local focus in Faribault and Owatonna.”

Townsquare COO – Local Media, Erik Hellum added, “We made the strategic decision that the Faribault/Owatonna market needed a dedicated local Market President in order to best serve our local team, our community and our clients, and with Tom’s local roots and extensive media experience, he is absolutely the right person for that job. We are so glad to have Tom on our team.”

Prior to joining Townsquare, Mr. Kreutzian spent the last 20 years with Spectrum Reach (formerly Charter Communications) overseeing sales for several markets throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Wake-Up Call: U-S Senate To Start COVID Relief Debate

HARRIS CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE: The Senate voted yesterday to begin debate on President Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill, with Vice President Kamala Harris having to cast the tie-breaking vote as all 50 Democrats voted in favor and all 50 Republican were opposed. Democrats are hoping to get the legislation approved by next week, using a budget procedure that prevents Republicans from being able to use the filibuster to block it, so that it can pass with a simple majority. Republicans object to the huge cost of the package, saying it's not necessary as the Covid outlook is brightening. A central part of the bill is sending $1,400 to most Americans, and it also includes money for Covid vaccines and testing, aid to state and local governments, help for schools and the airline industry, and more.

➤CAPITOL POLICE CHIEF ASKS FOR NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO REMAIN: U.S. Capitol Police Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman yesterday urged congressional leaders to use their influence to keep National Guards troops at the Capitol, citing concerns about continuing threats in the wake of the January 6th attack. Pittman said in a letter obtained by the Associated Press that the board that oversees the Capitol Police has so far refused to extend an emergency declaration that's required to keep Guardsmen there. She asked for the congressional leaders' help with the Capitol Police Board, which reports to them. The request came on the same day that law enforcement was on high alert for a possible threat that never materialized of a militia group potentially trying to storm the Capitol again. The threat was connected to a largely QAnon conspiracy theory that former President Donald Trump would become president again yesterday, the original presidential inauguration day before it was moved to January 20th in 1933.

Fox’s @JoeConchaTV on the “absentee President” Joe Biden going 43 days without holding a solo press conference: The WH team “has zero confidence that this President can handle questions outside of hand picked reporters...” pic.twitter.com/Lj58jSWGIx

— TV News HQ (@TVNewsHQ) March 5, 2021

➤FAUCI: COVID RESTRICTIONS SHOULDN'T BE EASED UNTIL DAILY NEWS CASES UNDER 10,000: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, said on CNN yesterday that coronavirus restrictions shouldn't be eased until the number of new cases daily in the U.S. falls below 10,000. He added that the restrictions should be pulled back gradually, after a substantial percentage of Americans have been vaccinated. The seven-day average of daily new cases as of Wednesday was more than 64,000. It hasn't been below 50,000 since mid-October, and was last under 10,000 on March 22nd last year, in the early days of the pandemic. 

Fauci is insane & clearly drunk on power/attention.

We were told the fascist restrictions were ALL about hospitals not being overwhelmed. Thanks to vaccines we are already there.

10K cases a day is impossible to reach (unless we greatly slow testing) because of false positives! https://t.co/eZ6no0KrJF

— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) March 5, 2021

Fauci's comments came as some states have begun to rescind their restrictions, with some, such as Texas and Mississippi, allowing business to operate at full capacity and eliminating mask mandates, something Fauci called "inexplicable." Health officials have been strongly urging against that, saying the decline in cases from their high in January has stalled, and warning about the variants that are continuing to spread.

➤'WSJ,' 'N.Y. TIMES': CUOMO AIDES ALTERED REPORT TO HIDE NURSING HOME COVID DEATHS COUNT: The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported late last night that top aides to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo altered a state Health Department report last July to obscure the number of people killed by Covid-19 in the state’s nursing homes. The aides pushed state health officials to edit the report so only residents who died in nursing homes were counted as nursing home deaths, not those who became sick there, but died later at a hospital. The report was intended to push back on criticism of Cuomo for a March directive that prevented nursing homes from being able to refuse to accept recovering Covid patients that were discharged from hospitals. The report concluded that the policy didn't play a role in spreading Covid infection. State officials said yesterday that changes in the report were made only because of concerns about accuracy.

Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch says it is the job of Fox News to serve as the opposition to the Biden admin., stating clearly the political biases of a network that until 2017 billed itself as "fair and balanced." https://t.co/xM4hrCqLGo

— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 5, 2021

➤STUDY...ONE IN FIVE MEN PREFER TO DATE WOMEN AT LEAST FIVE YEARS YOUNGER: Here’s a finding that everyone basically already knows—men prefer dating younger women. Researchers from two universities looked at the dating profiles of 120,000 eHarmony users. They found one in five British men, or 20 percent, are in a relationship with a woman five years younger, citing looks and health as key factors for choosing younger women. However, men who are fathers were found to be more open to dating women their own age, as their priorities and core values change. The data also found that on average, women prefer dating men at least 18 months older, citing emotional maturity and a desire for a committed relationship. When the researchers looked at the UK population as a whole, they found the average age gap between a woman and her partner is 20 months. However, men who did not want children had no age gap with their female partners—the researchers say this could be due to the subconscious belief that women around age 25 have the highest fertility.

➤STUDY...HIGHER INCOME PREDICTS FEELINGS SUCH AS PRIDE AND CONFIDENCE:  People who make bank tend to feel more confident, a new study confirms. The American Psychological Association studied data from 162 countries and found consistent evidence that higher income predicts whether people feel more positive "self-regard emotions," including confidence, pride, and determination. Lower income had the opposite effect, and predicted negative self-regard emotions such as sadness, fear, and shame. Lead researcher Dr. Eddie Tong says, "The effects of income on our emotional well-being should not be underestimated. Having more money can inspire confidence and determination while earning less is associated with gloom and anxiety." The study did not find a consistent link between income level and how people feel about others. Tong adds, "Policies aimed at raising the income of the average person and boosting the economy may contribute to emotional well-being for individuals. However, it may not necessarily contribute to emotional experiences that are important for communal harmony."

➤TWITTER LOLs AS ALEC BALDWIN QUITS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MEAN: Alec Baldwin has deleted his Twitter account (again), this time after receiving blowback for commenting on an article titled "Gillian Anderson's American accent throws some people off." Alec, who has been combatting outrage over his wife Hilaria’s on-again off-again accent and fudging of her heritage, wrote: "Switching accents? That sounds ... fascinating."

On IG video, he explained his defection: "Someone said this actress, who I won't mention, had switched accents during the press for her show … and I just wrote, 'Oh, that's interesting.' And of course you can't do any irony on Twitter. You can't do irony in the United States anymore, because the United States is such an uptight, stressed-out place, and such an unpleasant place right now."

CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY! Alec Baldwin Quits Twitter, Says Social Media Full of ‘A**Holes’ https://t.co/tK3DqiloQi

— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) March 4, 2021

Twitter’s sympathy was limited. Wrote one: “Summary of events. Wife lies repeatedly about national origin. Once her lies are exposed, she and husband try gaslighting, which doesn’t work. Both throw temper tantrums and disavow everyone because being a victim is awesome and again, gaslighting. And here we are.”

🏀CAPTAINS LEBRON, DURANT CHOOSE ALL-STAR TEAMS: The two captains for the NBA All-Star Game this Sunday in Atlanta, the L.A. Lakers' LeBron James and the Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant, picked their team members yesterday (March 4th). James picked as his starters, along with him: Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo; Golden State's Stephen Curry; Dallas' Luka Doncic; and Denver's Nikola Jokic. Durant, who won't actually be able to play himself because of an injury, chose: Nets' teammate Kyrie Irving; Philadelphia's Joel Embiid; the L.A. Clippers' Kawhi Leonard; Washington's Bradley Beal; and Boston's Jayson Tatum. Both captains also chose their reserve players.

🏒FLAMES FIRE HEAD COACH WARD: The Calgary Flames fired head coach Geoff Ward last night (March 4th), after the team went 11-11-2 to start the season. Ward was officially named head coach in the offseason after taking over on a interim basis last season. The Flames are replacing Ward with Darryl Sutter, who's been an NHL coach for several teams over 18 years, including previously for the Flames, and led the L.A. Kings to two Stanley Cup championships.

🏈ROETHLISBERGER STAYING WITH STEELERS, TAKING PAY CUT: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be staying with the team, with the announcement made yesterday that the 39-year-old will be returning for an 18th season. Financial terms weren't disclosed, but it was reported that the two-time Super Bowl winner took a pay cut, with it having been widely known that the Steelers needed him to do so because of salary-cap issues.

🏀CREIGHTON BASKETBALL COACH SUSPENDED FOR 'PLANTATION' REMARK: Creighton University basketball head coach Greg McDermott was suspended indefinitely by the school last night for using racially insensitive language while speaking to the team after a loss last weekend. McDermott had publicly apologized on both Tuesday and Wednesday for urging the players to, quote, "stay on the plantation" after their loss to Xavier. He'd said, "Guys, we got to stick together. We need both feet in. I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I can’t have anybody leave the plantation." After the suspension was announced, McDermott wrote on Twitter: "I made a mistake and I own it. Mistakes come with consequences, and I accept and agree with the suspension."

June 2 will forever be known as Lou Gehrig Day.

Each year, we will celebrate his legacy and honor those we've lost to ALS. Together, we will help in the fight against this disease. #4ALS pic.twitter.com/jFP0Z7ym6L

— MLB (@MLB) March 4, 2021

⚾MLB TO HOLD FIRST ANNUAL LOU GEHRIG DAY IN JUNE: MLB announced yesterday (March 4th) that it will hold its first annual Lou Gehrig Day on June 2nd, honoring the New York Yankees baseball great throughout the major leagues. Each home team will have "4-ALS" logos in their ballparks to mark Gehrig’s No. 4, and all players, managers and coaches will wear a Lou Gehrig Day patch on uniforms and may use red "4-ALS" wristbands. The league said the day will focus on finding cures and raising money for research into ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which killed him at age 37 in 1941. June 2nd marks the 96th anniversary of when Gehrig began has consecutive games streak, which stood at 2,130 until his record was broken by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995.

NYC Radio: WFAN's Carton & Roberts Land SNY Simulcast

Entercom and SNY have announced a simulcast partnership, bringing WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM afternoon show “Carton & Roberts” to television, weekdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET on SNY. The exclusive simulcast, which will broadcast a live two-hour block of the show, is scheduled to begin in May.

“‘Carton & Roberts’ has quickly connected with audiences by providing a unique daily sports conversation experience,” said Chris Oliviero, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom New York. “WFAN has a long and storied history of bringing sports radio to life visually and we’re honored to join with SNY to expand Craig and Evan’s reach onto more screens, more devices and, of course, still in your car.”

“We are excited to partner with WFAN to bring ‘Carton and Roberts’ to SNY. Craig and Evan are engaging, insightful and know their New York sports,” said Steve Raab, President, SNY. “The addition of this simulcast not only enhances our daily television line up, but it elevates New York sports news and entertainment programming for a very passionate fan base.”

“Carton & Roberts” premiered in November 2020 on WFAN, the most listened to sports station in the country. The show airs Monday through Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.

Carton, who was released from prison this summer after serving a year for fraud, continues his comeback on the airwaves, according to The NY Post. Besides the afternoon drive time radio show and now simulcast, Carton has been in talks to potentially do an hour-long morning TV show on MLB Network.

After WEPN 98.7 FM's Michael Kay, Peter Rosenberg and Don La Greca beat “Carton and Roberts” in the abbreviated competition of the fall book, “Carton & Roberts” has struck back, moving into what amounts to a virtual tie after the first month, akin to three innings of the nine-inning game. “Carton & Roberts” had a tenth of a point advantage when both stations streams were included and the trends point to them having the advantage in the overall book.

The Kay show is hurt by the weak lead-in from Max Kellerman’s national program. However, Kay and company have also previously felt that their radio ratings might be lessened by those tuning in on YES. Now, at least for two hours, the two shows will be on more equal footing.

Carton joined Roberts on the station in November, and since then WFAN has been searching for a suitable TV simulcast home, reports Newsday.

"We’re thrilled with the partnership," Carton said on the air. "We look forward to working with SNY and being a part of all their Mets coverage, of course, and just being on TV and bringing the show to the next level of our evolution.

"In a lot of ways it validates the content of this show in a very short amount of time. Having been through this before, I can tell you on a personal note that I am thrilled they think as highly as they do of our show and want to put us on."

Historically, SNY has not been interested in simulcasting radio programs, but this will provide the station with original programming heading into its Mets coverage. The tentative start date is May 3.

The YES Network simulcasts Michael Kay’s ESPN New York show starting at 3 p.m.

Seattle Radio: Ryan Castle, Taryn Daly Promoted At KISW

Entercom has announced leadership promotions for KISW 99.9 FM in Seattle. Ryan Castle has been promoted as Brand Manager of the station and Taryn Daly has been elevated to Assistant Brand Manager of the station. Both moves are effective immediately.

Castle and Daly

“I am extremely proud to elevate these two tremendous leaders who have already contributed much success to KISW and reward their hard work and dedication,” said Jack Hutchison, Senior Vice President of Entercom Seattle. “I have full trust in Ryan and Taryn’s ability to lead this iconic brand celebrating in its 50th year in Seattle and beyond.”

“I’d like to thank Dave [Richards], Jack and Pat [Paxton] for entrusting me with this legendary brand,” said Castle. “This radio station and this staff mean the absolute world to me and I’m stoked for the opportunity to continue the legacy of the Northwest’s most entertaining radio station.”

Castle had previously served as the station’s Assistant Brand Manager since joining Entercom in October 2003. In addition to this role, Castle will continue as Brand Manager for Portland sister station 92.3 KGON.

“Joining this team eight years ago was an absolute dream come true, and that dream continues with the incredible honor of growing my career at this legendary radio station,” said Daly.

Daly has hosted evenings on 99.9 KISW served as Assistant Music Director and the station’s Digital Captain since 2015. She also currently serves as the Social Media Director for the company’s entire Seattle portfolio. She joined Entercom Seattle in 2013 as a parttime fill-in and weekend host for 99.9 KISW.

Listeners can tune in to 99.9 KISW in Seattle on air, as well as nationwide on the RADIO.COM app and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

KPIX 5 Reporter Robbed At Gunpoint

A KPIX 5 reporter investigating a series of auto break-ins around Twin Peaks in San Francisco was robbed of his camera at gunpoint Wednesday.

Residents who live near the city landmark say car break-ins have been commonplace in the neighborhood since the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Authority (SFMTA) closed the access road to the popular vista point to automobile traffic at the beginning of the pandemic.

On Wednesday afternoon, the smash-and-grabs turned into armed robbery. KPIX 5 reporter Don Ford was on the story Tuesday and again on Wednesday, and was preparing to interview nearby homeowners when a white luxury sedan with four men inside pulled up.

San Francisco police said the camera, which had a tracking chip, was recovered later Wednesday, but further details were not immediately available.

Skip Bayless Remains At FOX Sports Despite ESPN Bid

Stephen A Smith and Skip Bayless

ESPN made a full-court press to reunite Skip Bayless with Stephen A. Smith, The NY Post reports.

The duo would have done a daily ESPN+ show together, while being splashed all over ESPN, including weekly spots on the “Monday Night Football” halftime show.

After lengthy negotiations, it culminated in Fox Sports retaining Bayless with a four-year, $32 million contract, according to sources.

As part of the agreement, Bayless, a professional provocateur, continues to do his daily morning sports debate show on FS1’s “Undisputed” with Shannon Sharpe and host Jenny Taft. Bayless and FS1 are in the early planning stage of a potential second daily show for the afternoons. Bayless is expected to be a solo act for that program.

Smith, who makes close to $8 million per year, was a driving force in ESPN’s recruitment of Bayless. The long negotiations went over several months and did not conclude until late fall.

In August, ESPN offered the 69-year-old Bayless a four-year deal in the $30 million range. There is disagreement among sources on ESPN’s best offer, as some officials had it as high as $31 million and others had it as low as $26.5 million. The desire, though, was unquestioned.

The impetus for the move was not to put the “First Take” band back together, but rather to bolster the network’s burgeoning new subscription platform, ESPN+.

Bayless expressed an appreciation for both the leadership at Fox Sports and ESPN. He also lauded his relationship with Sharpe, saying the two get along great, even though it is not the family-like bond that he and Smith have forged. Bayless declined to go too deep into the finer points of the deal.

Fox Sports and ESPN declined comment.

When Bayless left ESPN for Fox Sports five years ago, there was a boilerplate matching clause included in his four-year, $24 million deal. In these negotiations, Fox Sports used that, while adding a $1 million sweetener, to top the ESPN offer.

D/FW Radio: KMVK Adds Erazno y la Chokolata For PM Drive

Entercom's KMVK La Grande 107.5 is the newest affiliate for Erazno y la Chokolata, the top-rated afternoon-drive Spanish-Language radio show from the HRN Network.

Jimmy Gonzalez, Brand Manager, La Grande 107.5, said, "El Show De Erazno Y Chokolata is a perfect fit for our already strong line up with Chiquilin in the Morning and Piolin in the midday slot.  Erazno's proven track record in Dallas-Fort Worth and his ratings success across the country will surely take La Grande to the next level, as we rebrand the station with los shows mas perros de la radio."  

Jimmy Pérez, Vice President of Affiliate Relations and Programming for HRN Media Network, which syndicates Erazno and La Chokolata in the US, added, “Congratulations to Erazno and La Chokolata and the La Grande 107.5 team who made it possible for us to enter a market as important as Dallas, TX. We are sure that the audience will enjoy America's most successful Spanish-Language afternoon-drive radio show.

One of the most loved Spanish-language radio shows in the country, Erazno y la Chokolata is heard on 91 stations across America and debuted on La Grande 107.5 this past Monday. Erazno and side-kick Chokolata keep their audience in stitches with  jokes, parodies and commentary on the current events of the day.

BOB & TOM Show to Feature Ladies That Make Us Laugh

The BOB & TOM Show announces that it will commemorate International Women’s Day on Monday, March 8, 2021, in a special showcase, Ladies That Make Us Laugh. The BOB & TOM Show will feature the women of The BOB & TOM Show, in addition to some of the show’s favorite female guests. 

Kristi Lee, News Director, The BOB & TOM Show, will be joined live by  BOB & TOM “relationship expert”, comedienne Alli Breen and guest comedienne Nikki Glaser. Also joining the show Monday will be BOB & TOM regulars, correspondents Jessica Alsman and Jess Hooker. All Monday morning, The BOB & TOM Show will feature past guest appearances from female comedians, including Maria Bamford, Rene Hicks, Miss Pat, and Amy Schumer. 

Tom Griswold, Host, The BOB & TOM Show, said: “Some of the funniest moments on our show have come from our many female guests. It’ll be fun hearing those highlights Monday morning. Also, we’ve been so fortunate to have Kristi Lee as a part of the show for over 35 years. Kristi is a savvy broadcaster who is open and honest about her life, and very funny. We will add to the mix, show staff members Jessica Alsman and Jess Hooker, along with comedienne Alli Breen… we feel the distaff portion of our show is well-represented.”

The BOB & TOM Show is a hilarious blend of comedy, talk, news, and sports, and is America’s leading media outlet for the best and developing comedians on the circuit. Listeners enjoy parodies, songs, bits and more produced by the large staff of writers, musicians, performers and misfits that populate The BOB & TOM Show.

The BOB & TOM Show is exclusively distributed by Westwood One, the largest audio network in America, and airs live weekday mornings from 6am-10am Eastern on more than 100 stations across the U.S. and on the American Forces Network worldwide. Inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame, The BOB & TOM Show features comedy, news, sports, lifestyle content, and interviews with today’s top actors, celebrities and newsmakers. 

U-K Radio: Listening Surges Among Those WFH

New research commissioned by England's Radiocentre shows that almost 8M adults working from home listen to commercial radio every day to help accompany their working day.

Radio Today reports the research, by DRG, also shows how those working from home have saved money in the last year, have big spending plans and will seek to continue working from home once the restrictions are lifted.

This new Radiocentre research New Ways of Working, New Ways of Connecting, is the industry body’s fifth listener study since the pandemic started and explores how commercial radio can help advertisers connect to 56% of the total full time working from home audience.

The research, which was in field in February, looked at the financial status of the working from home audience, as well as their shopping habits and spending intentions. It discovered all those now working from home full-time are predominately (83%) aged between 25 and 54.

50% of the commercial radio listeners who are working from home full-time are listening for longer than pre-pandemic, and this has increased from 45% since the first lockdown in March 2020, suggesting new listening habits were established at the very start of the pandemic and that these have become entrenched.

This audience relies on radio to lift their mood, stay up to date with news and keep them company while they go about their work. With nine out of ten (89%) of the working from home commercial radio audience specifying that they listening to more now because they can have the radio on while they do their work, the findings suggest that commercial radio is giving advertisers access to this high value audience during the working day at times where they may have been unlikely to have been listening pre-pandemic. This working from home audience is receptive to advertising, with 52% of them admitting that they search for something when they have heard it advertised on the radio.

Lucy Barrett, Client Director at Radiocentre, said: “Radio helps listeners stay connected which is especially important during lockdown. What is particularly interesting about this research is that it explores the ways working from home audiences have adapted, continuing to spend during lockdown and their plans for big ticket purchases once restrictions are lifted.

“Now we have an impressive vaccine rollout and people are getting closer to returning to offices, it’s also interesting that this audience is keen to retain some form of working from home in the future and radio will always be there to keep them company.”

FOX's Lachlan Murdoch Expects Biden Bump

Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch believes the ratings hit that Fox News took after the November election is turning around and will continue to over the next four years while they play the role of the “loyal opposition” during Joe Biden’s presidency, reports The Wrap.

“Going forward, if history is any lesson, the main beneficiary of the Trump administration, from a ratings points of view, was MSNBC,” Murdoch said Thursday at the (virtual) 2021 Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications Conference. 

“MSNBC had the biggest lift, relative to where it was before to its peers, throughout the Trump administration. We think that that’s because they’re the loyal opposition. They called out the president when he needed to be called out. That’s what our job is now with the Biden administration, and you’ll see our ratings really improve from here and will do so for at least the next four years.”

In January 2021, Fox News was down double digits in both total-day and primetime ratings. During a Feb. 9 earnings call, Murdoch compared the 13% drop in ratings Fox News saw following Biden taking over for Donald Trump as POTUS to CNN being -17% and MSNBC -10% after the 2016 presidential election, which Trump won over Hillary Clinton.

Murdoch said Thursday that Fox is “No. 1 again in primetime [viewers] and were sort of neck and neck with MSNBC in total-day viewers,” after recovering from the drop-off it expected to see after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Biden.