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Saturday, August 30, 2014

Cincy Radio: Seylhouwer's Wife Sues For Divorce

Misty Seylhouwer
UPDATE 09/01/14 9am:  Blake Seylhouwer was re-arrested for sending a text message to his wife's cellphone on Thursday night (08/28/14), according to an affidavit filed in Hamilton County Municipal Court on Saturday.

He's also accused of disabling Wi-Fi service to the "protected person's" cellphone and other devices, as well as cutting off her "financial access" by canceling their credit card.

Earlier Posting...

The wife of a Cincinnati radio brokered-show host charged with shooting at her filed for divorce this week as sex-related convictions against Blake Seylhouwer were uncovered by The Enquirer.

Misty Seylhouwer filed for divorce Wednesday from her estranged husband, the former host of 55KRC Radio "The Talk Station in Cincinnati."

The divorce papers accuse him of adultery, extreme cruelty and gross neglect of duty.

She asked for custody of their two daughters, 4 and 1, and a total of $7,500 in monthly spousal and child support.

The 27-year-old woman was treated and released from University Hospital after Madeira police say Blake Seylhouwer, 37, shot at her with a rifle in their driveway on Aug. 12. She was wounded by the cement shrapnel caused by the shot.

Blake Seylhouwer
She has since "fled" the area for her own safety and the safety of her children, court records show.

In that 2005 case, Blake Seylhouwer lived in Fresco, Texas, but went to the Columbus suburb of Westerville, Ohio, believing he was going to have sex with a 14-year-old girl. Blake Seylhouwer was 28 at the time and had been communicating with the girl over the Internet.

When he arrived, though, he discovered the girl actually was an undercover police officer. He was arrested and charged with importuning, attempted pandering sexually oriented matter involving a juvenile and attempted illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material or performance.

He pleaded guilty in July 2007 to reduced charges of telephone harassment and public indecency, both misdemeanors. He was ordered to spend 110 days in jail and placed on probation for five years. He served 13 months on probation before the judge terminated it.

Read More Now

Seylhouwer had been hosting a brokered show Sunday afternoons on WKRC 550 AM.

August 30, 31 In Radio History


On the 30th in 1903...Arthur Godfrey was born. Godfrey is probably best known for his "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scout" and was one of if not the most popular radio personalities of his day.

Arthur Godfrey
On leaving the Coast Guard, Godfrey became a radio announcer for the Baltimore station WFBR (now WJZ (AM)) and moved the short distance to Washington, D.C. to become a staff announcer for NBC-owned station WRC the same year and remained there until 1934.

Recovering from a near-fatal automobile accident en route to a flying lesson in 1931 (by which time he was already an avid flyer), he decided to listen closely to the radio and realized that the stiff, formal style then used by announcers could not connect with the average radio listener; the announcers spoke in stentorian tones, as if giving a formal speech to a crowd and not communicating on a personal level. Godfrey vowed that when he returned to the airwaves, he would affect a relaxed, informal style as if he were talking to just one person. He also used that style to do his own commercials and became a regional star.



On the 31st In 1920...The first news program to be broadcast on radio was aired. The station was 8MK in Detroit, MI.
Circa 1920
8MK soon became WWJ and was founded by The Detroit News; the mixed letter/number calls were assigned to the station by the United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Navigation, the government bureau responsible for radio regulation at the time. The 8 in the call sign referred to its location in the 8th Radio Inspection District, while the M in the call sign identified that the station operated under an amateur license.[3] It is not clear why the Detroit News applied for an amateur license instead of an experimental license. As an amateur station, it broadcast at 200 meters (the equivalent of 1500 AM).

8MK was initially licensed to Michael DeLisle Lyons, a teenager, and radio pioneer. He assembled the station in the Detroit News Building but the Scripps family asked him to register the station in his name, because they were worried this new technology might only be a fad, and wanted to keep some distance. Later that year, Michael and his brother Frank, also assembled the first radio in a police car in Toledo, Ohio (with Ed Clark who started WJR, 760 AM, in Detroit). They captured a prowler using the radio, making national headlines. RCA got the contract to install radios in police cars across the country.


On the 30th in 1934...KEX 1180 AM moved studios from the "Terminal Sales Building" to "The Oregonian" bldg. with KGW




On the 31st in 1941...Premiering on NBC, The Great Gildersleeve moved the title character from the McGees' Wistful Vista to Summerfield, where Gildersleeve oversaw his late brother-in-law's estate and took on the rearing of his orphaned niece and nephew, Marjorie (originally played by Lurene Tuttle and followed by Louise Erickson and Mary Lee Robb) and Leroy Forester (Walter Tetley). The household also included a cook named Birdie. Curiously, while Gildersleeve had occasionally spoken of his (never-present) wife in some Fibber episodes, in his own series the character was a confirmed bachelor.  The show Aired to 1957.




On the 31st in 1946...Superman returned to radio on the Mutual Broadcasting System after being dropped earlier in the year. Bud Collyer was the voice of Superman


On the 30th in 1959...Brill Building songwriter Carole King, already two months pregnant, marries her writing partner Gerry Goffin in New York City. The marriage lasts nine years


On the 30th in 1966...WOR 98.7 FM changed to rock.

It was nation’s first  free-form progressive rock format. Some legendary NYC disc jockeys, including Scott Muni and Murray “The K” Kaufman, were among the original WOR-FM staffers.



WOR-FM became popular on college campuses and the station racked up impressive ratings for an FM station in those days.

But owner RKO wanted to play just the hits.  It tweaked the format in 1967 to target a traditional Top 40 audience.  Consultant Bill Drake brought a version of his “Boss Radio” format, which had been popular on other RKO stations around the nation, to WOR-FM.  New York City’s version of the format was more oldies- and adult-oriented.


On the 30th in 1968...The Beatles' "Hey Jude" was released


On the 30th in 1968...Wheels of Fire by Cream continued to set the pace on the album chart.  Time Peace/The Rascals' Greatest Hits was #2 and the Doors' release Waiting for the Sun was at position #3.  Aretha Now by Aretha Franklin was #4 with Johnny Rivers moving up to 5 with Realization.  Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass had an entry in the Top 10 (which they did nearly ever week of the 60's)--The Beat of the Brass.  The rest of the Top 10:  Bookends, the great album from Simon & Garfunkel was #7, the self-titled Steppenwolf made its way onto the list, Feliciano!  by Jose Feliciano, and Disraeli Gears, another album from Cream, was at #10.


On the 30th in 1968...The Top Five:  The Rascals spent a fourth week at #1 with "People Got to Be Free", Steppenwolf was at #2 with "Born to Be Wild", Jose Feliciano edged up with "Light My Fire", the Doors were at #4 with "Hello, I Love You" and Cream had song #5--"Sunshine of My Love".


On the 31st In 1968...The Rolling Stones released the single "Street Fighting Man" in North America. The song was inspired by an anti-war rally Mick Jagger attended in March 1968 at London's U.S. embassy, during which mounted police attempted to control a crowd of 25,000. Some American radio stations refused to play the song based on its lyrics which were perceived as being subversive.


On the 31st in 1976...A judge ruled that George Harrison was guilty of copying from the song "He’s So Fine" (by the Chiffons)



On the 31st in 1981...Now WXLO 98.7 FM adopted the “Kiss” brand.  The station's transition to new urban contemporary format was completed. Early on, WRKS played a great deal of R&B and dance music, and became an almost instant hit with listeners, as its ratings skyrocketed from 22nd place to third. Notable Kiss FM Mixmasters at the time were Shep Pettibone and the Latin Rascals, who relied heavily on freestyle music. Longtime urban contemporary leader WBLS was caught off-guard by the sudden rise of the new station, which represented its first direct competition in that format.


On the 30th in 1991...Dottie West was critically injured in a car accident while en route to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. She died five days later



On the 31st in 1995...The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened in Cleveland, Ohio with a seven-hour concert featuring dozens of artists.


On the 30th in 2007...KIJZ Vancouver, Smooth Jazz format "Smooth Jazz 105.9" switched to Classic Hits as "Cool 105-9."


 On The 31st In 2008...CBS News radio/TV reporter Ike Pappas died of heart failure at 75.



Pryor
On the 30th In 2011…Longtime Austin, Texas radio and TV personality/movie actor  Richard "Cactus" Pryor died  of complications from a recent fall and Alzheimer's disease at 88.  He received his nickname after the old Cactus Theater on Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas, which was run by his father, "Skinny" Pryor.

Pryor was first heard on Lady Bird Johnson's radio station 590 KLBJ, though his face became as well known as his voice once he moved to television broadcasting on Austin television station KTBC.


On the 31st In 2011...Radio broadcaster Bob Laine, who in his 46 years at CHUM 1050 AM Toronto did everything from hosting the all-night show to managing the station, died of cancer at the age of 72.



On the 30th In 2012...Al Brady WOR FM, WWDJ, WXLO, WNBC, WABC (PD) died.

Al Brady Law
Law had three stints in New York radio from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. Law died at the age of  67. His work was varied, from air personality to programmer. His start in New York took place as WOR-FM evening jock in 1969. A year later, even though he bolted for Miami, Law was heard filling in on WWDJ, primarily on nights.

After some work in Denver, Law was back at WWDJ on a full-time basis as the station’s program director, along with his air work.  Following the short gig at ‘WDJ, Law appeared at WXLO where he was hired solely as the “99X” program director.

However, Law’s dual hats would return in a big way at WNBC Radio. In 1974, he was named a joint assistant program director and air personality. Later that year, Law took over as program director but only briefly before resuming his APD/weekend air work. He remained at the NBC flagship until 1976.


After stints in Boston and Washington, Law had another coveted New York job. Musicradio WABC was a shadow of its former self in 1979. The “D word” caused WABC to plummet. Disco 92/WKTU was the popular station in the market. It was Law’s decision to stop the bleeding by doing the unthinkable, firing Harry Harrison, George Michael, and Chuck Leonard.

Law followed the “controversial” time at WABC with, arguably, his best success: a return to the NBC family at their FM.

“I hired Al to his first GM job at WYNY. The station had a great group of talent notably Dan Daniel, Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Bill St. James,” Walter Sabo tells FishbowlNY. “Al and the PD Pete Salant took the station to a 5.0 share. His background was pure programming, not sales, and that’s why he was capable of managing such rapid audience growth.”

Eventually, he was promoted to VP of programming at NBC Radio.



On the 31st In 2012...Hal David, who with Burt Bacharach was one of the most successful songwriters of the Rock Era, died of a stroke at the age of 91 in Los Angeles.


David and Bacharach's hits include "(They Long to Be) Close To You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", "This Guy's in Love with You", "One Less Bell to Answer", "What the World Needs Now Is Love", "The Look of Love", "Do You Know the Way to San Jose", "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" and "Walk On By".  David was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.

Tri Cities Radio: Morning Host Dave Hogan Retires From WJCW

Dave Hogan
After 57 years on the radio waves across the hills of western North Carolina and East Tennessee, the man behind an iconic voice made his final broadcast Friday on Cumulus'  WJCW 910 AM in Johnson City, TN.

Dave Hogan's start in radio came at 12-years-old when he used a coffee can to broadcast his voice. The perfect pitch seems like something he's just always had a knack for.

"It's best if you just be natural, and that's what I've tried to, and use my natural voice," Hogan said.

In retirement, according to WCYB-TV, Hogan is finally getting rid of something that tends to come in the broadcasting world: the deadline.

"I love to fish, and I've always had a deadline, even if the fish are biting, I've had to thrown down my fishing pole and head back to work," Hogan said. "I won't be doing that anymore. If the fish are biting, I'll be staying there as long as they bite."

Along with the fishing pole, he might also have a baseball glove lying around somewhere. Hogan is a huge baseball fan, and he plans to visit as many professional parks as he can. His first stop is Nationals Park in Washington D.C.

Ames Radio: R.I.P. KWBG Morning Host Ben Parsons

Ben Parsons
Co-workers and community leaders were remembering Benjamin Parsons Friday as a friend and salesman for the city of Boone, Iowa.

He was 52, according to amestrib.com.

Parsons, the host of the KWBG 1590 AM radio morning show, died after the motorcycle he was driving crashed along U.S. Highway 30 near Ames.

“Ben was a loved and valued member of the KWBG and NRG Media family for 11 years,” KWBG General Manager Carol Kuster said in a statement released Friday morning. “He’s been a presence in the community as our Morning Show host, ad sales, former Chamber of Commerce President, and Chamber Ambassador who was always willing to lend a hand. We will miss our friend.”

Kuster said that Parsons was “someone worth knowing.”

The Story County Sheriff’s Office said Parsons was driving his Harley Davidson motorcycle westbound on U.S. 30 about 7:40 p.m. Thursday just outside of Ames and was thrown from the motorcycle.

No other vehicles were involved.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Tampa Radio: The Bone Bumps Bubba The Love Sponge


Cox Media Group (CMG) Tampa has announced it is redesigning its daily program lineup on WHPT 102.5 FM The Bone beginning Tuesday, Sept. 2.

The new lineup includes:
  •  6 a.m. – 10 a.m. – Mike Calta
  • 10 a.m. – noon – Billy Madison
  • Noon – 3 p.m. – Shannon Burke
  • 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. – In Your Face w/Drew Garabo 
  • 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. – The Bone Daily Rewind
“CMG periodically changes direction, talent and format of its various media programs in order to provide our audiences with fresh perspectives and compelling content,” said Keith Lawless, CMG Tampa’s VP and Market Manager.

“The Bone has proven to be one of America’s most outspoken radio stations. Tampa Bay can expect The Bone to continue to deliver ‘Real, Raw, Radio’ every day.” The Bone will discontinue airing the Bubba the Love Sponge Show effective immediately.

WHTP 102.5 FM (100Kw) 60dBu Coverage
“We appreciate everything the Bubba the Love Sponge Show has done for us over the past six years,” Lawless added. “We now are taking the station in a different direction.” CMG Tampa will continue to be the technical head end to the Bubba Radio Network through the end of 2014.

The Bubba the Love Sponge Show will continue to be aired on KRZQ – Reno, NV, WTRS – Ocala FL, WRXK – Ft. Myers FL, WZLB – Ft. Walton Beach FL, WYBB – Charleston SC, and WRSO – Orlando FL.

D/FW Radio: Louie Diaz New PD At KLIF-FM

Louie Diaz
Cumulus Dallas announces that Louie Diaz has been appointed Program Director of Top 40 station KLIF-93.3 FM i93-3.

Diaz was most recently Program Director of Alpha Broadcasting’s KBFF and KUPL in Portland, OR. A native of Queens, NY, he started his radio career at the age of 16 at WPLJ-FM in New York City, where he ultimately rose to Assistant Program Director of the station.

Mike McVay, Senior Vice President, Corporate Programming for Cumulus said: "Louie continues the drive for Cumulus to add great programming minds to the company. We are thrilled to have him rejoin our ranks."

Dan Bennett, Vice President/Market Manager for Cumulus Dallas/Fort Worth said: “We are excited to have a great talent like Louie Diaz create the future vision of i93 and write the next chapter for our CHR station in Dallas.”

Diaz said: "I am excited to join the Cumulus programming team! Thank you, John, Mike, Gillette, Dan and everyone at Cumulus for this exciting chance to lead i93.3 Dallas.”

KLIF 93.3 FM (16.5Kw) 60dBu Coverage
The appointment is effective immediately.

NYC Radio: Judy DeAngelis Leaving 1010 WINS

Judy DeAngelis
After 26 years in morning drive, Judy DeAngelis will be retiring from All-News WINS 1010 AM in New York on Sept. 30, according to northjersey.com.

Few on-air voices are more familiar or more recognizable in the tri-state area than that of the New Jersey resident.

"I have such mixed emotions," said DeAngelis. "I feel the time is right to 'sign off' and begin a new adventure."

DeAngelis said she will miss being so connected to local and world events and all the people who bring the promise of "you give us 22 minutes, we'll give you the world."

"I won't miss the alarm going off at 2 a.m. Twenty-six years is long enough," she adds.

No replacement has been named yet.

MLB Lawsuit Appeal Could Shake Up Sports Broadcasting

Major League Baseball could be on the cusp of enduring something almost unimaginable: The end of the lucrative system by which professional baseball games are televised by region, consumers pay high prices for out-of-market package fees, and some digital telecasts are blacked out in home markets, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

With the prospect that sports broadcasting might forever change, the league is seeking permission to file an interlocutory review of U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin's ruling earlier this month to reject summary judgment in a proposed class-action lawsuit.

In Judge Scheindlin's ruling, she determined that MLB's antitrust exemption doesn't apply "to a subject that is not central to the business of baseball, and that Congress did not intend to exempt — namely, baseball’s contracts for television broadcasting rights." As a result, she allowed the plaintiffs to pursue claims that MLB, Comcast and DirecTV have violated antitrust law by making anticompetitive agreements that negatively impact the output, price and perhaps even quality of game telecasts.

MLB is quite disturbed by the opinion and now wants to go before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to present this issue: "Whether the professional baseball exemption to the antitrust laws bars Plaintiffs' claims against Major League Baseball with respect to Major League Baseball's territorial broadcast rules and structure."

Read More Now

CBS Radio Stations Reject 'Local Choice' Commercials

CBS radio stations around the country have rejected to air a new ad from the American Television Alliance that supports a new proposal called “local choice” and was recently unveiled by the bipartisan leadership of the Senate Commerce Committee.

“CBS’s actions are certainly unethical and deserve the attention of Congress,” American Television Alliance spokesman Brian Frederick said. “It’s definitely not in the public interest to cut off voices because CBS disagrees with them. Broadcasters are stifling debate the same way they stifle innovation.”

All four CBS-owned stations that ATVA submitted its ad to rejected the ad. Those stations are: KMOX in St. Louis, WCCO in Minneapolis, KXNT in Las Vegas, and KDKA in Pittsburgh.

“Local choice will put an end to the back-and-forth negotiations between broadcasters and cable and satellite companies,” a narrator said in the radio ad states. “Instead, viewers can decide which local channels they want to pay for. Local choice will help update our TV laws to the 21st Century.”

If local choice becomes law, pay-TV companies will simply collect the money in full from consumers and pass it through to the broadcasters without any mark-ups. The idea for local choice came from Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD), who propose including it as part of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA) reauthorization.

“Local choice allows broadcasters to receive the fair market value they’ve been claiming they don’t receive and gives consumers choice,” Frederick said. “There’s no such thing as TV freedom when the government forces consumers to pay for broadcast channels they may not want.”

SiriusXM Has Good Week In Legal Battle Over Pre-1972 Music

SiriusXM could be on the verge of fending off the first major challenge in an ongoing lawsuit brought by major record labels over its royalty-free broadcasting of pre-1972 music, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

At a hearing on Wednesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Strobel indicated that she was leaning towards rejecting a motion by Warner, Universal, Sony, Capitol and ABKCO Records to accept the labels' interpretation of the law in jury instructions. The plaintiffs believe that state laws protect the misappropriation of older sound recordings that were authored before falling under federal copyright protection. But the judge isn't ready to go so far.

The lawsuits against the satellite broadcaster have piled up in the past year over the broadcasts of pre-1972 tunes. There's the $100-million class-action suit led by Flo & Eddie of the Turtles, in which the band behind "Happy Together" contends that state law protects pre-'72 music and the broadcaster can't rely on statutory royalty rates for the recordings. (The Turtles filed similar suits in Florida and New York, leading Sirius to accuse them of "lawsuit lottery.") Then there's the $100-million suit from SoundExchange, a non-profit performance rights organization, claiming SiriusXM underpaid federal royalties for pre-'72 tunes.

The lawsuit from the major record labels represents one of the biggest tests -- and because the plaintiffs are jumping to jury instructions, offered the prospect of some early guidance on an issue that potentially impacts not just SiriusXM, but Pandora, other website operators, television broadcasters and restaurants throughout the nation that perform pre-1972 music.

Read More Now

Mike Bennett Joins 'America Weekend' Line-Up

Mike Bennett
Envision Networks has announced host Mike Bennett (WHUD 100.7 FM Morning Show Host in the Hudson Valley, NY) as part of the all new America Weekend lineup. Bennett will debut the new show on August 30th and will continue to host Saturday mornings from 9am to noon.

“I’m honored to be a part of America Weekend and look forward to sharing what I find interesting with audiences across the United States,” said Mike Bennett. “I’ve been in the business a long time and I’ve got lots to say!”

“There is a reason Mike Bennett continues to have the number one morning show in his market,” said Michael Lichtstein, VP/Programming of Envision Networks. “His warm, engaging delivery and wealth of information will be destination listening for America Weekend audiences.”

Designed to be a break from the usual brokered programming and political fare of most News/Talk stations, America Weekend covers the lighter side of news and lifestyle issues facing today’s on-the-go talk listeners.

For more information on America Weekend contact Hannah Rosenthal at 216-831-3761 or hannahr@envisionradio.com.

Baton Rouge TV Personality Murdered

Scott Rogers
A Baton Rouge television personality, who died Wednesday, had a sexual relationship with his son-in law, who allegedly shot and killed him, Iberville Sheriff Brett Stassi said Thursday evening.

According to nola.com, Scott Rogers, 52 and the host of the Around Town show that aired on WAFB-TV, died from a single gunshot wound to the head in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide attempt. Stassi believes Matthew Hodgkinson shot and killed Rogers and then attempted to commit suicide. Hodgkinson survived and was transported to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital where he remains in critical condition.

Rogers, who is from the United Kingdom, was acquitted of child molestation charges involving a 13-year-old boy in the early 1990s.  He then moved from the UK to the United States in 1996 with his daughter.

Seth Dornier, Rogers' attorney said Thursday that Rogers was concerned that the child molestation case in England would come back to light as he was undergoing a federal investigation.

"A federal grand jury had been called to investigate if Scott Rogers was really Scott Rogers," Stassi said.

Hodgkinson, 36, is married to Rogers' daughter, Kimberly Ann Scott-Rogers, who was reportedly testifying before a grand jury when Rogers was killed Wednesday.

Stassi, however, says the marriage was a ploy to get Hodgkinson citizenship in the United States. Rogers owned a dance studio in the UK during the early 1990s and Hodgkinson was a student of his, Stassi said.

Read More Now

Just one day after Rogers died, two alleged victims came forward saying Rogers abused both of them when they were young boys.

Both spoke out anonymously for the first time on the Jim Engster Radio Show Thursday morning on WRKF 89.3 FM.

DC Radio: WTOP Poll Finds Support for 'Redskins' Name


A majority of adults in the region say they feel the Washington Redskins should not change the team name, according to a new poll. But a majority also believe the name will change, regardless of their personal views.

The WTOP Beltway Poll took the pulse of the area shortly after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceled the Redskins' trademark registration.

Among the 604 adults reached by phone, 61 percent supported keeping the Redskins name. The poll was taken June 20-26.

Geographic lines pitted those in the suburbs against those living in the District.

Convincing majorities in Virginia (67 percent) and Maryland (60 percent) support the name. In the District, results lean in the opposite direction: 57 percent of those polled believe the name should be changed.

Curiously, the poll found more than half (55 percent) of all those in the survey believe the team will have to change its name eventually.

Read More Now

Top Programmer At Turner To Depart

Michael Wright
Michael Wright, the president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM), has decided to leave the company, according to Variety.

Wright was in the running to replace Turner Entertainment Networks president Steve Koonin, who departed in April, but pulled himself out of consideration and has since been pursuing other opportunities.

A source confirms he will be staying on at Turner while the search continues. Former Fox head Kevin Reilly is said to be in the running.

Wright’s exit comes during a time of turmoil at the company, which is facing headcount cuts. Earlier this week, Turner Broadcasting announced a voluntary buyout program for 6% of its U.S.-based employees.

Ariana Grande To Guest-Host AT40


Ariana Grande
Award-winning singer/songwriter and actress Ariana Grande will guest host American Top 40 this weekend, August 30 and 31.

In addition to counting down the Top 40 songs, Grande will talk about the making of her new album, "My Everything," which was released on August 25 by Republic Records. She'll also share what her favorite song is on the album, as well as what the album name means, who was the most fun to collaborate with, and plans for an upcoming tour. Plus, Grande will reveal who she wants to work with in the future.

American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, the number one countdown show in the U.S., is syndicated by Premiere Networks on nearly 500 stations worldwide. Each week, Seacrest counts down the Top 40 songs and interviews the biggest stars in entertainment. The show, which is executive produced by Claudine Cazian and written by Miles Harvey, can be heard worldwide in markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Boston, Houston, Washington, D.C., Singapore, Shanghai, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Beijing, Dublin, Moscow, Berlin and many others.

August 29 In Radio History


In 1892...Harry Read was born in Seattle, WA. KXL Founder & Broadcast Pioneer


In 1924...KFQN 283 meters (1059.3kc) signed off the air at 9 P.M. forever. Oregon's First Religious Station.


Bwanna Johnny
In 1946...Bwana Johnny was born in Oregon.

Bwana Johnny, who had been battling congestive heart failure for several months, died in in 2005 Seattle at age 59.

Bwana, whose real name was Richard Johnson, had been a popular disc jockey at the old 1260/KYA back in the late 1960s. Most recently, he had worked in production with Jones Radio Networks in Seattle before his illness forced him into a care facility.

Before coming to the Bay Area in 1969, "Beautiful Bwana" worked at KLOG/Kelso, Wash., WUBE/Cincinnati and KJR/Seattle.

He moved on to WWDJ/New York as music director and afternoon-drive jock (1971-1973) and spun records for a year at WFUN/Miami before returning to his hometown, Portland, Ore., as "Crazy Dick Simms" on the Rose City's legendary KISN in 1975.



In 1957...The ABC radio network purchased KQV in August 29, 1957 for $700,000. ABC hired two executives from Storz Broadcasting to launch the top 40 format in Pittsburgh  They hired Dale Maudy who had been an executive engineer for the Stroz group and Ralph Beaudin, who had been a KOWH sales executive, as the KQV general manager.  For more on KQV: Click Here.


In 1958...The first of Alan Freed's Big Beat revues is held at Brooklyn, New York's Fox Theatre, featuring Chuck Berry, Billy Haley and his Comets, Frankie Avalon, The Elegants, Bobby Freeman, and Jimmy Clanton.


In 1964...In a clear case of rock and roll being saved by the British Invasion, Billboard magazine notes that guitar sales are the highest they've been since the advent of Elvis Presley.


In 1964...Roy Orbison’s "Oh, Pretty Woman" was released. It hit number one (for 3 weeks) on September 26th and became the biggest of his career. "Oh, Pretty Woman" was Orbison’s second #1 hit. The other was "Running Scared" (6/05/61).


In 1966...The Beatles play the last live gig for a paying audience, winding up their last world tour at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The show, which ends with a cover of Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally," is filmed by Beatles press officer Tony Barrow. Afterwardsm George Harrison is heard half-joking, "Well, that's it. I'm not a Beatle anymore."


In 1972..Guess who was #1 in Knoville, TN?



In 1979...In 1979...Sheridan Broadcasting Corp purchases Mutual Black Network

The Mutual Black Network or MBN was founded by the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1972, as the first national full-service radio network aimed at African Americans. It broadcast an hourly 5 minute newscast at 50 minutes past the hour. It also aired sports and feature programs, and for one year beginning in the spring of 1974, a 15-minute daily soap opera called Sounds Of The City. Some of its special programing focused on African American history, much of which was researched, written and narrated by MBN news anchor Ben Frazier.

Programming is what separated the Mutual Black Network from the rest of the pack. But its highest mark was made in the coverage of hard news and it’s savvy advocacy style of journalism. This was the genre of journalism, practiced by news anchors Ben Frazier, Glen Ford, John Askew and others. They would interview black news-makers who had previously been ignored by the traditional mass media outlets.

The Mutual Black Network was later sold to Sheridan Broadcasting which was a minority stockholder in MBN, becoming the Sheridan Broadcasting Network. By 1991, it would merge with the National Black Network, forming the present-day American Urban Radio Networks.



Lowell Thomas
In 1981..."So long, until tomorrow."

The baritone sign-off of pioneer broadcast journalist Lowell Thomas was known to millions of NBC and CBS radio listeners from 1930 to 1976. When he died on Aug. 29, 1981, he left a defining mark in news history.

Thomas started his career in print at the Chicago Evening Journal and later experimented with other media forms. During World War I, he went overseas to film the war for American audiences.

While in the Middle East, Thomas met a British Army captain named T.E. Lawrence. Thomas profiled Lawrence's activities in the Arabian desert in a film he titled "With Lawrence in Arabia." The film was a hit and made Thomas and "Lawrence of Arabia" internationally famous.

Thomas hosted a regular radio broadcast — "Lowell Thomas and the News" — from 1930 until 1976. The program was first on NBC and CBS, then later only on CBS. He narrated newsreels for Fox Movietone News for 17 years, beginning in 1935. Thomas also delivered the first regularly scheduled TV news broadcast in 1940.



Later in his career, Thomas formed a group of broadcast stations that would become known as Capital Cities. The company expanded through the years, and bought ABC in 1985. ABC is now owned by Disney.

Thomas was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1989.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Report: Album Sales Hit Low


The market for albums continues to recede, following a long-standing trend that has been accelerated by streaming's success.

Billboard reports this week's 3.97-million album sales tally is the smallest weekly sum for album sales since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991. It's also the first time weekly sales have fallen below four million in that time span.
 
To compare, a year ago this past week (ending Aug. 25, 2013), 4.88 million albums were sold. But sales have been losing steam all year. The weekly average number of album sales fell from 4.75 million units in the first quarter to 4.55 million units in the second quarter. In the first 8 weeks of the third quarter, the average has fallen further to 4.2 million.

This decline is actually in line with historical trends. In 2013, average weekly album sales experienced a similar fate, falling from 5.7 million units in the first quarter to 5.23 million units in the second quarter and then 4.86 million units in the third quarter. This year, overall U.S. album sales are down 14.6 percent, while digital album sales are down 11.7 percent and track sales are down 12.8 percent.

As more and more consumers transition from purchasing music to streaming tunes, it's natural to see album sales shrink. This year, there have only been five weeks where album sales were above 5 million.

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Study: FB Rules With Heavy Radio Listeners


NuVoodoo Media Services Thursday announced additional findings from its fourth and latest NuVoodoo Ratings Prospects Study. The company interviewed nearly 1100 respondents, ages 14-54, in all PPM markets to update NuVoodoo’s insights on emerging social media platforms.

Carolyn Gilbert, NuVoodoo President, “When we started NuVoodoo nearly four years ago, our goal was to use the power of today’s technology to help broadcasters win in the 21st Century.  We’ve walked away from the 20th Century’s dominant research tool: the landline telephone – which connects us to fewer and fewer each day. We’re using Big Data to help us ferret out the right people. We’re using Social Media to serve up much of our marketing punch.”

Leigh Jacobs, Vice President, Research for NuVoodoo said: “Facebook remains the dominant Social Media platform among these 14-54 year olds and, despite all the hype surrounding them, both Snapchat and Vine are comparatively small players overall. While other players get more coverage, Instagram has the deepest penetration among our sample of Teens 14-17 after YouTube and Facebook – and is getting traction among Adults 18-34.”


Jacobs continued: “We also wanted to explore usage momentum – especially for Facebook.  Among the users of each platform, we netted out those saying they’re using a platform more and those saying they’re using it less. We found continuing positive momentum for Facebook even among 14-17 year olds. Other platforms have stronger momentum, but given its tremendous reach, Facebook remains a powerful tool for connecting with listeners.”


Mike O’Connor, Executive Vice President, Marketing for NuVoodoo said, “Radio marketing is about influencing the most likely ratings respondents at the lowest cost possible. It’s pretty clear from our findings that heavy users of both Broadcast and Pandora can be reached in numbers on Facebook and YouTube that rival the home phone of a decade ago. But in 2014, why would anyone continue to overpay for telemarketing? Imagine knowing the exact music taste of everyone and then only calling the most likely listeners. It’s that precise targeting and cost-efficiency that make Social Media the great equalizer. I see it all the time: savvy stations up-ending much better-funded competitors that remain stuck in the past.”

Complete findings of the latest NuVoodoo Ratings Prospects Study are available exclusively to all NuVoodoo clients for their use in developing their marketing and promotion plans for the coming year. Past studies have been fielded late in the year for release after the holidays, but this update was fielded going into the fall ratings season to make sure NuVoodoo clients have the benefit of the very latest intelligence on emerging social media platforms for use in their marketing and promotion plans.

For more information about NuVoodoo Media Services, contact Carolyn Gilbert at 888.9VOODOO (888.986.6366) and at cg@nuvoodoo.com.

Report: License Challenges Possible Over 'Redskins'

John Banzhaf
George Washington University professor John Banzhaf and his supporters are considering challenging the radio station licenses of Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, but he is also considering a host of other ways to keep the FCC busy this football season, according to Broadcasting&Cable.

Synder's Red Zebra Broadcasting owns seven radio stations.

He told B&C there are a number of options if he goes that route, but there are other legal avenues he is exploring to pressure Snyder and/or broadcasters to drop the name. Snyder has so far been adamant about keeping the name and what he says is its proud and positive heritage.

If Banzhaf does challenge the licenses, that could start with a California station whose renewal date "is just around the corner," he says.

Banzhaf has successfully used legal campaigns, including FCC petitions, to promote causes including getting tobacco companies to take smoking ads off TV and getting more diverse faces on it.

Banzhaf has been trying for years to get the Redskins to change their name or broadcasters not to use it, but points to the many recent events that have "substantially strengthened" the arguments he plans to make.

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Chicago Radio: Patrick Mannelly To Continue WSCR Show

Matt Spiegel, Patrick Mannelly
In July, WSCR 670 AM The Score announced that the Chicago Bears' recently retired long snapper Patrick Mannelly had joined the station as a contributor. Wednesday, according to CRM,  it was announced that Mannelly will take over as permanent co-host of the station's midday show, teaming up with Matt Spiegel.

The newly re-named "Spiegel and Mannelly Show" will make its debut next Tuesday, September 2nd. The show will be heard weekdays from 9:00am-1:00pm.

Just over two months ago, on June 20th, Mannelly, announced his retirement from professional football.

He may be retired from playing football, but Mannelly, 39, is far from retired from working. The longtime local gridiron star joined WSCR-AM as a Bears and football expert in mid-July.

He replaced WSCR-AM's midday co-host Dan McNeil who left the airwaves just before the end of his contract in mid-June.

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Toledo Radio: Chris King New PD/AM Host At WMIM

Chris King
Cumulus Toledo/Monroe has announced that Chris King will take the reins as Program Director and Morning Show Host for WMIM 99.3 FM My 98-3.

Chris was formerly Assistant Program Director and Promotions Director for WCKY-FM in Findlay, OH.

He has also held on-air positions with Blanchard Valley Broadcasting at 100.5 FM WKXA and 106.3 The Fox, and most recently, was an announcer for 107.7 The Wolf. Chris is a graduate of Bowling Green State University with degrees in Telecommunications and Political Science. King’s appointment is effective immediately.

WMIM 98.3 FM (3.4Kw) 60dBu Coverage
Andy Stuart, Regional Vice President and Market Manager for Cumulus Toledo said: “After a lengthy search in which we wanted to make sure that we were engaging just the right person, we are very excited to have Chris King as the new PD/Morning Show Host for My 98.3. Monroe is a great place and Chris is dedicated to bringing great programming, promotion and public service to Southeast Michigan.”

King said: “I am very excited to be joining Cumulus Toledo/Monroe and to program My 98.3. I am also looking forward to working with the very talented staff. I cannot wait to get started!”

Detroit Radio: Greg Smith Named VP/Sales For WDVD, WDRQ

Greg Smith
Cumulus Detroit announces that 19-year Detroit radio veteran Greg Smith has been named Vice President, Sales for Hits WDVD 96.3 FM and Country WDRQ 93.1 FM NASH-FM. Smith comes to Cumulus from Greater Media Detroit, and prior to that served CBS Radio in Detroit for 17 years.

The appointment is effective immediately.

Gary Pizzati, Senior Vice President for Cumulus said: “Greg has the market equity we needed to lead the sales for WDVD and Nash in Detroit. He has the relationships and respect from the ad community in the Motor City to make an immediate impact. We're thrilled to have Greg as a part of the Cumulus family in Detroit.”

Smith said: "I started my radio sales career nearly 20 years ago at 93.1 WDRQ, and now I have the tremendous opportunity to return and help the teams at both NASH-FM and 96.3 WDVD excel and succeed."

Orlando Radio: Jonathan Beaton Departing WDBO For TV Gig

John Beaton
Jonathan Beaton is taking a big professional leap. The Orlando Sentinel reports he's leaving N/T WDBO 96.5 FM for TV in West Palm Beach.

His final day at WDBO is Sept. 5. He starts at WPEC, the CBS affiliate, on Sept. 8.

Beaton began as an intern at WDBO in 2011 and later joined the news team full time. He covered the George Zimmerman trial, and his reporting was featured on ABC News Radio and CNN Headline News.

He also reported on the Casey Anthony bankruptcy proceedings.

"Orlando's been very good to me," Beaton said. "I love the people and the diversity the town offers."

Keith Olbermann To Get SportsCenter Face Time

Keith Olbermann had some big news on the first anniversary of his ESPN2 show, Olbermann.

Starting on Sept.8, Olbermann’s timeslot will shift from 11 p.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET, and switch from a hourlong format to a half-hour-long format, freeing up time for the commentator to host segments of ESPN’s SportsCenter.

Olbermann previously hosted SportsCenter from 1992 until 1997, when he left under contentious circumstances with ESPN.

Charlotte Radio: CCM+E Launches Fox Sports 98-7

CCM+E/Charlotte Wednesday launched Charlotte’s first sports station on the FM dial.

It's Fox Sports 98-7 with Andy Furman and Mike North in morning drive followed by Dan Patrick at 9 a.m. to noon. Steve Gorman will be carried on afternoon drive time.

Until Wednesday Charlotte had three sports stations already; but, was one of only five regions among the nation’s top 25 radio markets without an FM sports station. Though it will broadcast on W254AZ and on WRFX 99.7 FM HD2, the translator signal is expected to reach most of Mecklenburg County and should be audible as far south as Rock Hill, giving it reach in the most populous region of the metro area.

W254AZ 98.7 FM (180watts) 60dBu Coverage
Charlotte’s existing AM sports stations WFNZ-610 AM The Fan, WZGV 730 AM ESPN and WBCN 1660 AM all have signal handicaps.

Jeff Kent, afternoon host and longtime program director for WRFX, will be program director for the new FM voice.

Kent said a rumored deal with the NBA Hornets “would be speculation at this point. We would be very interested in discussing (a contract with the team).”

The Hornets, last heard on WFNZ-AM, have made no commitments for 2014-15, the franchise’s first season with the Hornets name since 2002. Through last season, the Charlotte team was known as the Bobcats.

Bleacher Report Gets Full Channel On SiriusXM


SiriusXM and Bleacher Report have announced the upcoming launch of SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio, a new satellite radio channel debuting September 2.

Airing on Sirius channel 93 and XM channel 208, the exclusive new channel will showcase a variety of Bleacher Report voices and give sports fans from coast to coast a live, interactive forum to discuss their teams, topics and events with experts from every major sport.  SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio will also be available to subscribers via the SiriusXM Internet Radio App.

Bleacher Report, a division of Turner Broadcasting, is the leading digital destination for team-specific sports content and real-time event coverage and is one of the fastest-growing digital properties in the U.S. SiriusXM began airing a daily Bleacher Report-branded show in 2013.  The programming now expands to a full channel that will reach more than 26 million SiriusXM subscribers nationwide.

Scott Greenstein
The SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio channel will feature a daily lineup of shows hosted by some of Bleacher Report's most prominent voices, including Will Carroll, King Kaufman, Dan Levy and Josh Zerkle, as well as daily contributions from B/R's deep roster of writers and contributors.  Featured hosts will also include former NFL linebacker Kirk Morrison, broadcaster Nicole Zaloumis and others.

"Bleacher Report has had extraordinary success engaging fans with their unique way of covering sports. The launch of the SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio channel opens up a whole new level of communication for SiriusXM subscribers who are fans of the popular site," said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM's President and Chief Content Officer.  "This new forum gives Bleacher Report an expanded platform to showcase many of the best sportswriters in the business, and gives SiriusXM listeners the ability to call in and talk directly with the experts about their favorite team."

Dave Finocchio
"Our partnership with SiriusXM is a great opportunity to extend our brand and provide a unique new voice to the sports radio landscape," said Dave Finocchio, Founder and General Manager of Bleacher Report.

"SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio will provide fans with an opportunity to engage with our deep roster of analysts, reporters and columnists surrounding all of the top news stories each day."