October 11 Radio History

In 1868...Thomas Edison patents his 1st invention: electric voice machine. Edison was a prolific inventor, holding 1,093 US patents in his name.

In 1919...actress/voice actor Jean Vander Pyl was born in Philadelphia.  Her two main broadcast roles were as the wife Margaret in NBC Radio’s Father Knows Best, and as the voice of Wilma Flintstone in several cartoon series on TV.  She also provided the voice of Rosie the robot maid from the animated series The Jetsons,

She succumbed to lung cancer April 10 1999 at age 79


In 1936...the first radio quiz show premiered, "Professor Quiz".





In 1940...in New York City Glenn Miller recorded “Make Believe Ballroom Time” for RCA Victor’s Bluebird label, featuring the vocal group The Modernaires for the first time. It would become the theme song for Make Believe Ballroom on WNEW, New York, with host Martin Block.

Martin Block

Block created the aura of doing a “live” radio program, complete with performers (on records) like Harry James or Frank Sinatra, from the “Crystal Studios” at WNEW. Copycat versions of the ‘Ballroom’ featured Keith Sandy at CKEY in Toronto, and Al Jarvis at KHJ Los Angeles.

In 1935, while listeners to New York's WNEW in New York (now information outlet WBBR) were awaiting developments in the Lindbergh kidnapping, Block built his audience by playing records between the Lindbergh news bulletins. This led to his Make Believe Ballroom, which began February 3, 1935 creating the illusion that he was broadcasting from a ballroom with the nation’s top dance bands performing live. He bought some records from a local music shop for the program as the radio station had none. Block purchased five Clyde McCoy records, selecting his "Sugar Blues" for the radio show's initial theme song.



Because Block was told by the station's sales staff that nobody would sponsor a radio show playing music, he had to find himself a sponsor. Block lined up a producer of reducing pills called "Retardo"; within a week, the sponsor had over 3,000 responses to the ads on Block's radio show. Martin Block's style of announcing was considerably different than the usual manner of delivery at the time. Instead of speaking in a voice loud enough to be heard in a theater, Block spoke in a normal voice, as if he was having a one-on-one conversation with a listener.


In 1948...one of radio’s last premiering soap operas, “The Brighter Day”, took to the air for the first time on NBC. It’s interesting to take a look at the cast and see which names are still recognizable, like Hal Holbrook and William Redfield.  After six years on radio “Day” moved to TV.


In 1960...Radio/TV exececutive John Fetzer purchased a controlling interest in the Detroit Tigers.

Janet Jackson

In 1986...The Hot 100..Janet Jackson reached #1 for the first time of her career with "When I Think of You".  Canada's Glass Tiger moved to #2 with "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" and Stacey Q unbelievably reached #3 with "Two of Hearts".  Genesis moved from 7 to 4 with their great song "Throwing It All Away" and Tina Turner continued her comeback with "Typical Male".

The rest of the Top 10:  Huey Lewis & the News slipped with their former #1 "Stuck With You", Don Johnson moved into the Top 10 with "Heartbeat", Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson fell with "Friends And Lovers", Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" moved from 14 to 9 and Daryl Hall's solo hit "Dreamtime" was #10.


 In 1976...the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was “Disco Duck (Part 1),” by Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots. A morning DJ at Memphis radio station WMPS, Dees got fired when he mentioned his novelty song on the air.


In 1987...Rock DJ Sebastian Stone died in his sleep

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Sebastian Stone on WOR-FM in New York City. Stone was known as Johnny Holiday at KCBQ/San Diego in 1959, as Johnny Mitchell at KHJ in 1965 and Sebastian Stone at KFRC/San Francisco in 1967.  One of his goofy stunts early in his career was setting a world record of 195 "stay-awake" hours while on WYDE-Birmingham. In Billboard's 1966 polling of djs, Johnny was one of the leading early evening Top 40 personalities.

In 1997...The Hot 100..Elton John debuted at #1 with "Candle in the Wind".  Boyz II Men dropped after one week at the top with "4 Seasons of Loneliness" and LeAnn Rimes had song #3--"How Do I Live".  Usher was on his way down with "You Make Me Wanna...".

The rest of the Top 10:  Mariah Carey's "Honey", the Backstreet Boys and "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)", newcomers Third Eye Blind remained the same with "Semi-Charmed Life", the Notorious B.I.G. with Puff Daddy & Mase with "Mo Money Mo Problems", Jewel was up with "Foolish Games"/"You Were Meant for Me" and the Spice Girls dropped with "2 Become 1".

In 1998...actor Richard Denning, who starred in Mr. & Mrs. North on radio & TV, who had the title role opposite Lucille Ball (right) on radio’s My Favorite Husband, and played the Governor on TV’s original Hawaii 5-0, died following cardiac arrest at age 84.


In 2008...actor & sportscaster Gil Stratton Jr. died of congestive heart failure at age 86.  In the ’60′s he was the radio voice of the Los Angeles Rams, and for more than 20 years handled sports at KNX Radio & KNXT Los Angeles.

Orlando Radio: McKenzie Honor Walk Raises $450K

Fans and listeners and the late radio personality Scott McKenzie were out in full force Thursday at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk. The Orlando event honored the late WOMX Mix 105.1  FM host and drew about 2,600, the society estimates.

"We have raised $450,000 and counting -- the most ever in Central Florida," said Kelley Lesperance, executive director of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Northern and Central Florida. "Last year this event raised $365,000."

McKenzie, the morning host who entertained Central Florida for nearly 25 years, died in August after a seven-year battle with cancer. He was 59.

The Orlando Sentinel reports the society presented a special award to McKenzie's widow, Dr. Fran Lesser Friedman, to recognize his contributions to the group over the years. Since 1997, McKenzie had hosted the annual Light the Night Walk to support those affected by blood cancer.

"He hosted it every year, until the one he missed because he was in treatment for a blood cancer himself -- lymphoma," Lesperance wrote on Facebook in August.

The society started a Light the Night Team -- #OrlandoLovesScott -- and asked the community to join and make donations. Lesperance said the society was trying to get #OrlandoLovesScott to $10,000 -- it stands at $6,977.

To honor McKenzie at the walk, Cox Media Group Orlando, CBS Radio Orlando and  iHeartMedia Orlando joined forces.

Report: Ben Carson Does Not Like The Media

Ben Carson

Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson has found himself in the midst of a press frenzy recently, as his remarks about Muslims, guns and the Holocaust are taken through the media wringer.

Carson, in turn, has blamed the press for taking his comments out of context, a favorite tactic among, well, nearly every politician ever, reports Hadas Gold at Politico.
The retired neurosurgeon, at a speech and question and answer session at the National Press Club headquarters on Friday (note the irony of location) repeatedly took shots at the national media, which he said, "don't like" him because he's "not politically correct."

"I don't necessarily care whether the press likes me or not and therefore I'm not going to conform to all their little requirements," Carson said.

"I mean, you guys are down there with used car salesmen," he said.

"[T]he press is the only business protected by the Constitution," he lamented to CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "The reason they're protected is because it was assumed they'd be honest and they'd be on the side of the people and wouldn't have an agenda."

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Clinton Support Slides

By Alana Wise

(Reuters) - Just days before she will take the stage in the first Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton's lead over rival Bernie Sanders has narrowed, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Clinton's support among Democratic voters fell 10 points within less than a week.

From October 4 to October 9, Clinton saw her support tumble from 51 percent of Democratic support to just 41 percent.

Her nearest competitors, Vermont Senator Sanders and Vice President of the U.S. Joe Biden, who has yet to decide whether he will run, both made gains. Support for Sanders jumped from just over 24 percent to 28 percent, and Biden rose from 16 percent to a even 20 percent in the same time period.

Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders (Salon composite)

This is not the first time that Clinton’s support has taken a steep nosedive. Just last month, Sanders edged within eight points of the former secretary of state — Clinton at 39 percent; Sanders at 31.
Clinton, who was the Democratic front-runner when she announced her bid for the White House in April, has faced increasing scrutiny over her email use, including a personal computer server set up at her home in New York, and faces several inquiries in the Republican-controlled Congress.

Clinton has apologized over the email issue and has said she had turned over all her work emails from her time as the nation's top diplomat for the State Department to review and make public, which it is doing in batches.

In the same October 9 polling, other Democratic candidates vying for the party's nomination, former governors Lincoln Chafee and Martin O'Malley, as well as former Senator Jim Webb, all received less than three percent of Democratic support respectively.

The October 9 survey includes 624 respondents and has a credibility interval of 4.5 percent.

(Reporting by Alana Wise; Editing by Christian Plumb)

Liftable Media Acquires USA Radio Network

Patrick Brown, the CEO of Liftable Media Inc., has announced  the acquisition of USA Radio Networks from Cross Platform Media.

“USA Radio Networks has been a category leader in providing independent news to hundreds of radio stations around the country and we intend to take that platform and improve on it,” said Brown.
USA has two channels devoted to Christian stations and a secular channel aimed at talk based stations. It also provides both commercial and non-commercial newscasts hourly, 24 hours seven days a week.

Liftable Media is a top 100 digital Network according to Quantcast.com, reaching around 40 million unique American visitors a month. Founded in September of 2014, by 27 year old Patrick Brown with the social story website Lifitable.com, Liftable Media has grown through the purchase of numerous other digital properties.

Liftable Media purchased Thoughtfulwomen.org and WesternJournalism.com in 2014, and ConservativeTribune.com and TPNN.com in 2015. The purchase of USA Radio Networks is Liftable Media’s first foray into a non-digital media platform.

Brown further explained his reasoning for the combination. “We believe this acquisition will 1) provide a larger audience for our insanely interesting, positive, and quality media product and 2) provide great opportunities for cross promotion of both radio and digital platforms and 3) jumpstart our digital sales team with the integration of USA Radio Network’s stellar team.

“We have lots of ideas we want to implement, all of them aimed at helping our affiliates succeed both in listenership and financially. Radio is a medium which has experienced huge changes in the past 20 years but it is still viable, particularly in flyover country where many of our affiliates are located.”

CLICK HERE FOR USA RADIO NETWORKS LINE-UP

“By adding together the reach of our different properties we estimate we will reach over 50 million Americans with over 200 million impressions of original content each and every month. The acquisition of USA Radio Networks will put Liftable Media into an elite category of media firms which have broad cultural impact. We intend to be a force of positive, God honoring, tradition supporting quality content.”

USA Radio Network was established in 1985 by the late Marlin Maddoux. It was purchased by Sam Hassell’s Cross Platform Media in 2014. Hassell comments, “I am excited that USA and Liftable Media found each other. This is a perfect fit to accelerate our mutual vision with a team that absolutely gets the evolving media landscape – and how to capitalize on it. This is a very smart move for all involved.”

Broadcast Stations By the Numbers

The Federal Communications Commission has announced the following totals for broadcast stations licenses as of September 30, 2015:

October 10 Radio History

In 1900...actress Helen Hayes was born Helen Brown in Washington DC. After honing her craft on the stage Ms. Hayes began a 55 year big screen career in 1931. She had her own popular radio anthology series in the 1940′s; on  TV she played one of the Snoop Sisters in the 70′s, and Miss Jane Marple in the 80′s.

The First Lady of the American Theater died Mar 17, 1993 at age 92

Orville Gibson, Undated

In 1902...Kalamazoo, MI, mandolin maker Orville Gibson founds the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co, Ltd. In 1936 it would create the first commercially successful electric guitar.

Gibson began in 1894 in his home workshop in Kalamazoo, Michigan. With no formal training, Gibson created an entirely new style of mandolin and guitar, with tops carved and arched like the top of a violin. His creations were so different that he was granted a patent on his design.  More importantly, they were louder and more durable than contemporary fretted instruments, and musicians soon demanded more than he was able to build in his one-man shop.

On the strength of Gibson's ideas, five Kalamazoo businessmen formed the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd., in 1902. Within a short period after the company was started, the board passed a motion that "Orville H. Gibson be paid only for the actual time he works for the Company." After that time, there is no clear indication whether he worked there full-time, or as a consultant. Julius Bellson states in his 1973 publication, The Gibson Story, that "Orville Gibson had visions and dreams that were considered eccentric."

Starting in 1908, Gibson was paid a salary of $500 by Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Co., Limited (equivalent to $20,000 a year in modern terms). He had a number of stays in hospitals between 1907 and 1911. In 1916, he was again hospitalized, and died on August 19, 1918, at 62 years of age, in St. Lawrence State Hospital in Ogdensburg, New York.  Gibson is buried at Morningside Cemetery in Malone, New York

In 1932..."Betty & Bob" premiered on radio.

Betty and Bob was the first widely popular daytime serial soap opera created by the powerhouse producer-couple Anne and Frank Hummert in 1932.  The show was similar to their future soap opera creations featuring a poor simple girl who marries a rich distinguished man.  Betty is Bob's secretary and the two fall in love despite the disapproval of Bob's family.

Betty and Bob love created drama all around them including family problems, loss of money, murder, death of the young Bob jr., and bouts of amnesia and insanity.  Poor Bob was sent to a mental institution on more than one episode.  Originally starring Elizabeth Reller and Don Ameche as Betty and Bob, the cast underwent a number of changes.


In 1932...a syndicated adventure series for juveniles, Chandu the Magician was heard for the first time on KHJ radio Los Angeles.  It would continue with varying casts in various formats and networks until 1950.


In 1937...the Mutual Broadcasting System debuted Thirty Minutes in Hollywood. 48 sponsors shared the cost of the program that aired in 72 cities across the US. It was the first Mutual co-op radio show. George Jessel and Norma Talmadge starred, with music by the Tommy Tucker Orchestra.


In 1959...We all have career choices to make.  On this date, Ken Brown decided to leave the Quarrymen, leaving John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison to fend for themselves. (Don't worry about them; they were going to be fine...)  The group had played at the popular Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool, England in a show that Brown was unable to perform due to a heavy cold.  McCartney felt that Brown should not get a share of the performance fee since he did not perform.  Lennon and Harrison sided with McCartney and so Brown quit the group.




In 1962...the BBC radio service banned the Halloween novelty song “Monster Mash”by Bobby “Boris” Pickett. Neither obscene nor controversial, “Monster Mash,” like many other songs, was banned under a catch-all regulation prohibiting the broadcast of anything deemed “offensive.”

In 1970...The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) head, Nicholas Johnson, responded to recent comments made by Vice President Spiro Agnew that attacked radio stations for playing songs that contained "drug culture propaganda... (in) too many of the lyrics the message of the drug culture is purveyed," saying, "If we really want to do something about drugs, let's do something about life... The song writers are trying to help us understand our plight and deal with it. It's about the only leadership we're getting. They're not really urging you to adopt a heroin distribution program, Mr. Vice President."   In 1973…U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew pled no contest to income tax evasion, then resigned.

In 1970...The hot 100...1970:  Neil Diamond sipped his way to #1 with "Cracklin' Rosie" but the Jackson 5 were hot in pursuit with "I'll Be There".  "Candida" moved to #3 for Dawn while the previous #1 from Diana Ross--"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" came in fourth.  Newcomer Free was up from 10 to 5 with "All Right Now".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Julie, Do Ya Love Me" by Bobby Sherman, CCR's double sided "Lookin' Out My Back Door"/"Long As I Can See the Light", Sugarloaf had their song "Green-Eyed Lady" in the Top 10, the Carpenters moved from 18-9 with "We've Only Just Begun" and Rare Earth was at 10 with "(I Know) I'm Losing You".

In 1970...The Album Charts..1970:  CCR set the pace on the Album chart for the eighth straight week with Cosmo's Factory.  Mad Dogs & Englishmen by Joe Cocker was second with the Moody Blues making a healthy move (7-3) for their album A Question of Balance.  The "Woodstock" Soundtrack dropped to 4 and the Third Album from the Jackson 5 catapulted from 12 to 5.

The rest of the Top 10:  Tommy from the Who, Chicago II, Abraxas debuted at #8 for Santana, After the Gold Rush by Neil Young and James Taylor first hit it big with the album Sweet Baby James.

In 1985...actor & director Orson Welles suffered a fatal heart attack at age 70.  Besides his movie work, Welles was a star of bigtime radio; his Mercury Players produced The War of the Worlds in 1938, and dozens of other hour-long dramas.  His other hit radio series included The Shadow, Campbell Playhouse, The Lives of Harry Lime, and The Black Museum.


In 1998…Announcer (WNYC-New York starting in 1937, Arthur Godfrey's radio and TV shows for nearly 14 years starting in 1945)/commercial spokesman (Chesterfield cigarettes, the original Kellogg's Tony the Tiger)/radio newsman (Mutual Broadcasting System in the 1960s) Tony Marvin died at age 86.


In 2003...conservative talk-show host, Rush Limbaugh, admitted to his audience of 20 million listeners that he was addicted to painkillers and would be entering rehab for 30 days.

Lexington KY: N/T WVLK Gets Translator Simulcast

Cumulus Media announces that it has added News/Talk WVLK 590 AM to Lexington’s FM dial today with the addition of a new FM translator (W266AN).

At 10:00 a.m. CST, Cumulus Lexington launched the FM simulcast of its existing News/Talk station WVLK-AM on the 101.1 frequency.

Jim Mahanay, Corporate Program Director for Cumulus said: “We are extremely pleased to announce that our audience in Lexington can now enjoy WVLK’s exceptional News/Talk programming—including Larry Kudlow, John Batchelor, Mark Levin and The Savage Nation—on the all-new simulcast at 101.1 on the FM dial. Cumulus now has Lexington’s best News/Talk covered on both AM and FM, and we couldn’t be more excited.”

W266AN 101.1 FM (250 Watts) Red=Local Coverage Area

Report: Nielsen Releases CBET Rollout Schedule

During an webiner for clients Thursday, Nielsen released tentative schedule to upgrade markets to its enhanced CBET.

RadioWorld reports CBET is at the heart of the firm’s PPM system used in radio ratings, which has been at the center of industry controversy thanks to reported widespread use of the Voltair monitor/processor that seeks to compensate for alleged PPM shortcomings. Nielsen previously said it planned to increase its “code density” via a software update to existing PPM field encoders to improve the watermark algorithm. It said it would do so for all 11,000 stations; the schedule announced this week is the next step.

The company last week shared its methodology for development and rollout of a new version of its Critical Band Encoding Technology will go live in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore markets on Monday (Oct. 12).

Encoding upgrades will happen in other markets on the following rolling basis:

New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver and Seattle are scheduled for Nov. 2; followed by Philadelphia, San Francisco, Detroit, Boston, Providence, Hartford and Salt Lake City on Nov. 5; and Dallas-Fort Worth, Minneapolis, Cincinnati and Houston on Nov. 10.

Then Atlanta, Indianapolis, Portland, Phoenix, San Antonio, St. Louis, San Diego and Sacramento will upgrade Nov. 13; Nashville, Memphis, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Norfolk and Raleigh are slated for Nov. 18; and Tampa, Orlando, Austin, Greensboro, Las Vegas, West Palm Beach and Miami will upgrade Nov. 30.

InsideRadio reports large number of stations are likely to experience slight gains in their AQH ratings. Field testing in the Baltimore-Washington, DC market found more than half (52%) of the demo/daypart combinations tested in afternoon drive had an AQH ratings increase, compared to 48% in morning drive and 45% in middays.

As Nielsen begins rolling out new and improved PPM encoders it's logical  to wonder how do they stack up against the infamous Voltair unit that brought the encoding issue to the industry’s attention in such a dramatic fashion this year? Nielsen says both units produced indices that were “roughly equivalent.”

The Donald Targets Glenn Beck

Inquisitr graphic

Syndicated radio talker Glenn Beck was on Donald's Trump's radar Thursday.  Trump took to Twitter to call Beck a 'real nut job'.

I hear @glennbeck is in big trouble. Unlike me, his viewers & ratings are way down & he has become irrelevant—glad I didn’t do his show.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2015

Wacky @glennbeck who always seems to be crying (worse than Boehner) speaks badly of me only because I refuse to do his show--a real nut job!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2015

iHM: We Know A Lot About Our Listeners

Brian Kaminsky

Speaking at Ad Age's Data Conference in New York Thursday, iHeartMedia President of Programmatic and Data Operations Brian Kaminsky said programmatic is not about squeezing out efficiencies, and "we don't make any pretension about changing the way radio is delivered or creating a one-to-one impression"

Rather, reports Ad Age, it's about creating a platform that enables a buyer to understand the media he or she is buying, moving away from the rating point and toward an "audience."

According to the company's research a consumer's "musical tribe" is "probably one of the best indicators of your purchase patterns." Millennial moms who listen to urban radio are big gamers, for example. Millennial moms who listen to country band Florida Georgia Line are value shoppers.

Kaminsky said iHeartMedia knows what consumers are listening to and knows a lot about them.

He also attempted to clear up misconceptions that non-driving East Coasters might have about radio audiences. The online and app listener isn't actually different from the listener in the car. "They're one and the same," he said, adding that iHeartMedia's growth has "been purely organic. We've done no marketing at all except broadcasting it over radio stations."

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NYC Radio: New Imaging Voice Named At WABC

Christopher Libertini

Cumulus Media announces that it has appointed veteran voice talent and creative audio production professional Christopher Libertini as Staff Announcer and Production Director for 77 WABC Radio in New York City.

Libertini steps into the role formerly held by radio icon Johnny Donovan, who retired in May after 43 years at 77 WABC.

Libertini has worked for some of the biggest brands in media and entertainment over the past 15 years, and created signature sounds for Howard Stern, NFL Radio, SiriusXM, ESPN, MLB, and CBS Radio. Currently, Libertini’s voice can be heard on Cartoon Network, The Biography Channel, New York Lottery ads and various documentaries.

Craig Schwalb, Program Director for 77 WABC said: "Though you cannot truly replace a legend like Johnny Donovan, you can find the next generation of production enthusiasts with indelible voices that resonate with your audience. Chris is proof positive that the sonic element of a talk radio station is vital and worth investing in."

Libertini said: “It's an honor to be associated with a legendary brand such as WABC. In this ever changing landscape, content is king, and I look forward to fostering WABC into the future.”

Time Spent To Slow For Mobile Devices

Americans are spending an increasing share of their time on their mobile devices. But according to the latest eMarketer forecast, the channel’s growth rate is slowing considerably.

Nonvoice time spent on tablets and mobile phones will grow just 11.3% in 2015 to 2 hours and 54 minutes. Since 2012, there has been a considerable slowdown in the growth rate of time spent on mobile devices, and eMarketer expects that slowdown to continue. In 2016, growth of time spent on mobile will fall into the single digits, with US adults spending an average of 3 hours and 8 minutes per day on mobile devices, excluding voice activities.

“As the data shows, a large majority of American adults are already using mobile devices,” said eMarketer forecasting director Monica Peart. “This means there will be fewer new smartphone and tablet users added each year.

St. Louis Radio: CBS Radio, Blues Expand Deal

The St. Louis Blues and CBS RADIO’s St. Louis stations announced Thursday they have reached a multi-year broadcast rights agreement which will begin at the start of the 2015-16 season. The agreement expands the existing partnership between the Blues and CBS RADIO St. Louis, which includes Newsradio KMOX 1120 AM, KYKY 98.1 FM (Y98) and KEZK 102.5 FM.

The 2015-16 season marks the 41st year KMOX has served as the flagship radio station of the Blues. Under the new agreement, KMOX will continue broadcasting regular season and postseason games, select preseason games and a 30 minute pregame show. Y98 will also broadcast select Blues games as they have done in previous years.

One of the most significant changes under the agreement is the creation of new Blues-related programming on KMOX. In addition to existing game coverage, KMOX will introduce three new weekly shows during the season and will also carry a 30 minute Blues postgame show.

Blues broadcast team Chris Kerber and Kelly Chase will continue on-air coverage of Blues games on KMOX. Kerber and Chase will also be featured on new programming along with John Kelly, Darren Pang and Blues hall of famer Bernie Federko, among other Blues personalities. New shows will offer in-depth coverage of a variety of hockey-related topics including coaching strategy and a recap of weekly hockey news. Additional details about new programming will be announced at a later date.

The new agreement will also allow expanded marketing efforts between the Blues and each of CBS RADIO St. Louis’ three stations.

“KMOX is proud to be the home for St. Louis Blues Hockey for years to come,” said John Sheehan, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, CBS RADIO St. Louis.  “The change in Blues ownership has only strengthened our bond with the organization.  We are excited to align KMOX with the passionate ownership and leadership team at the Blues, and are honored to broadcast Blues Hockey on KMOX’s booming signal to help grow the Blues and NHL fan base across the St. Louis region and well beyond.”

Atlanta Radio: WSTR Promotes Michael Chase

Entercom/Atlanta has appointed longtime Assistant Program Director and Music Director Michael Chase as Assistant PD and Director of Marketing and Promotions at Hot AC WSTR 94.1 FM / Star 94.

Michael Chase

 Chase has been with WSTR since 2001, and will continue to work with the record and music industry, as well as other promotional partners and clients.

"Michael Chase lives, eats, and breathes this radio station," said PD Tony Lorino. "There are few people I've come across in my career who share the passion for our business that Michael does. With his hard work and leadership, the sky is the limit for the future of our Entercom Atlanta team."

"I have always have a deep love and respect for Star 94. I'm beyond excited to continue to grow with Entercom and expand my role as Director of Marketing and Promotions while continuing as APD at this amazing radio station," added Chase. "Big thanks to Tony Lorino, Mike Fowler, and the entire Entercom team for this fantastic opportunity."

SF Radio: Julian OTR Lands PM Drive On KYLD

Julian

iHeartMedia/San Francisco has announced the addition of  Julian on the Radio to host PM Drive on KYLD 94.9 FM, beginning Monday, November 2.

Julian On The Radio arrives from KZZP-FM in Phoenix, where he hosted theafternoon drive.  He worked previously at WBBM-FM in Chicago and WIHT in Washington, D.C.

“Thank you to iHeartMedia, who has been nothing but amazing to work for including my old team in Phoenix and my new team in San Francisco – they all have been simply awesome to work with," said Julian.

"I am really looking forward to connecting with listeners in San Francisco."

"I’ve been a fan of Julian for a long time. From his time in Washington, D.C. doing nights, to his morning show tenure in Chicago, and most recently the great work he’s done for our sister station KZZP in Phoenix," said Mark Adams, Program Director, WiLD 94.9.

"Julian’s a dynamic personality whose energy and humor are a great complement for afternoons here in the Bay. I’m excited for Julian to join our team at Wild 94.9."

KYLD 94.9 FM (30 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Des Moines Radio: Talker Streams Traffic Court

Simon Conway At Traffic Hearing

The debate in Iowa over automated traffic cameras has centered on safety versus profit, but radio talker Simon Conway calls the cameras a moneymaking speed trap is getting a lot of entertainment value out of a $75 speeding ticket he received this summer.

Conway, who talks politics and more on WHO 1040 AM in Des Moines and WMT 600 AM in Cedar Rapids, took his audience along via smartphone camera as he fought a ticket for going 67 in a 55 mph zone on Interstate 380.

“I am religious about cruise control,” Conway said during his hearing, which he live broadcast to his audience using his smartphone.

“When I am going through the cameras here in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines on 235, I always use my cruise control so I don’t give you people a dime. I didn’t do it. Your machine is wrong.”

The Gazette reports Conway, who has criticized traffic cameras for years on his programs and testified before a legislative subcommittee, called for his audience to show up at the hearing this week. Three did.

He claimed the proceedings were done in secret before a “kangaroo court” and he wanted people to see how his due process rights were being trampled.

Conway and his attorney questioned camera calibration, due process of the hearing and the lawfulness of the program. But Conway couldn’t say at what speed his cruise control was set, although he said it was “substantially” below 67 mph.

The camera is calibrated to snap a picture and issue a ticket at 12 mph over the limit with a 1 mph margin of error.

The hearing officer ruled Conway liable.  He hasn’t decided whether he will appeal to court.

Benztown, Dash Radio Partner For Imaging

Benztown has announced that it has partnered with Dash Radio, a revolutionary digital radio platform that features more than 70 originally programmed live channels curated by some of the world's top DJ's, radio personalities and programmers, to help create an incomparable sound and distinctive experience for Dash listeners.

Under the agreement, Benztown will provide comprehensive custom imaging for Dash’s 70+ stations. In addition, all Dash stations will have full access to Benztown’s production libraries. Benztown will also work closely with Dash on new station launches, curating custom content, and gathering content from events. Additionally, Benztown will consult on programming strategy for Dash, assisting Dash in getting great programming on the air and finding the freshest and most exciting talent for its stations.

Dash Radio’s DJ Skee said: “We are super excited to help pave the way forward for a new era of audio with our friends at Benztown. Their work and history speak for themselves, and their amazing sound will be enjoyed by our millions of listeners daily!”

Justin Case, Director of Programming and Imaging for Benztown said: “Dash is revolutionizing digital radio—and now we will help revolutionize their sound through our custom imaging and libraries. Through our innovative platform and specialized content production, Dash and Benztown will continue to push the boundaries of what radio is and sounds like. DJ Skee is a tastemaker in the truest sense, and this partnership will continue to drive the importance of audio branding and signature sound to radio as it evolves.”

To learn more about Dash and to download the free app today, please visit www.dashradio.com.

D/FW Radio: KSCS Raises $205K During Radiothon

New Country KSCS 96.3 FM, a Cumulus Media radio station, raised more than $205,000 for Cook Children’s, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, during its 2nd annual “KSCS Cook Children’s Radiothon” which took place October 7, 2015.  Last year’s event raised $121,322.

The 96.3 KSCS air staff broadcasted live from 6:00am until 7:00pm on location at Cook Children’s.  Mark “Hawkeye” Louis, Katelyn “Connected K” Maida, Michelle Rodriguez and Jasmine Sadry brought the stories of the patients, families and Cook Children’s staff to KSCS listeners, who did not hold back and responded with their own personal stories about Cook Children’s and generous donations.

Money raised through Radiothon will be used to fund all of the daily operations at the hospital including, but not limited to, the daily care of patients and their families, as well maintaining equipment that is up-to-date with the latest advances in medicine and technology.

KSCS Cook Children’s Radiothon was co-presented by Southwest Autogroup and EECU.

Study: Majority Of Adults Use Social Media

Social media usage among American adults has ballooned in the past decade with about two-thirds now on social networking sites, Pew Research Center said on Thursday.

Reuters reports the 65 percent of adults in the United States using social media is up from 46 percent in 2010 and just 7 percent in 2005, the year Pew began tracking usage.

Since the early 2000s, social media sites on the Internet have surged in popularity, from Friendster and Myspace to Facebook and Twitter, among others.

Social networking has evolved from people "poking" each other and connecting with one another to law enforcement agencies and national leaders using the sites to disseminate information.

For its findings on Thursday, Pew analyzed 27 national surveys of Americans, about 47,000 interviews among adult Internet users and about 62,000 interviews among all adults conducted from March 2005 to July 2015. Margins of error were up to plus or minus 3.9 percent.

Pew said the overall number of users of social networks has leveled off but there continues to be growth among some groups who were not early adopters, such as older Americans.

Social media use among those 65 and older has more than tripled to 35 percent since 2010, when just 11 percent used social media.

Those 18 to 29 years old are most likely to use social media and 90 percent of them use it today, compared to 78 percent in 2010, Pew said. In addition, Pew said usage among those aged 30 to 49 is up from 53 percent in 2010 to 77 percent this year.

Women began using social media more than men in 2009 but the difference has shrunk in recent years, Pew said, with 68 of women using social media in 2015, compared to 62 percent of men. These figures are up since 2010, when 50 percent of women and 42 percent of men used social media.

Those in higher-income households and those with at least some college experience have been more likely to use social media, according to Pew.

Historically, adults who live in rural communities have been the least likely to use social media, Pew said.

Pew said there are no notable differences in social media use among racial or ethnic groups - 65 percent of both whites and Hispanics and 56 percent of African Americans currently use social media.

(Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales; Editing by Bill Trott)

PLO Demands Apology From Howard Stern

Howard Stern

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) attacked and demanded an apology from radio host Howard Stern on Wednesday, a day after Stern offered a full-throated defense of the Jewish state and lashed out at Pink Floyd rocker Roger Waters for supporting boycotts of Israel, reports the Washington Free Beacon.

Stern was reacting to an open letter sent by Waters to rock star Bon Jovi, who recently played a concert in Israel. Waters offered in the letter his support of the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS), which seeks to wage economic warfare on Israel.

“Where do you want the Jews to go Roger?” Stern exclaimed. “Where do you want them to go? You want them to just go back to the concentration camp? What is it you want, f*ck head?”

The PLO took exception to Stern’s remarks and accused him of supporting genocide against the Palestinians.

Roger Waters

“The General Delegation of the PLO to the United States strongly condemns the recent inflammatory statements against Palestinians made by radio host, Howard Stern, as well as his shameful attack of human rights activist, Roger Waters,” according to the statement, a copy of which was sent to the Washington Free Beacon.

The PLO claims that Stern “has a track-record of misusing his national radio platform to espouse vitriolic and genocidal views against Arabs and, in particular, Palestinians.”

The statement does not acknowledge the PLO’s own role in promoting and facilitating deadly terror acts against Israel.

“We will not allow anyone, including Mr. Stern, to disseminate misguided, racist, or genocidal views into the public sphere without being held to account,” the PLO writes. “The General Delegation of the PLO to the United States calls on Mr. Stern to retract both current and past statements and issue an immediate apology, and urges Sirius XM Radio, who we are confident does not condone such views, to hold Mr. Stern responsible.”

L-A Radio: Vin Scully on DL For Playoffs

Vin Scully

Hall of Fame MLB broadcaster Vin Scully won't be calling any games in the baseball playoffs after undergoing a medical procedure.

The Los Angeles Dodgers said Thursday that Scully was resting comfortably after a recommended procedure earlier in the day. The team didn't specify what the procedure was.

Doctors advised Scully to skip the playoffs in order to rest up. Scully, who turns 88 in November, said in August he expects next season will be his last in the booth. His 66 years with the Dodgers are a broadcasting record for the same big-league franchise.

According to the LA Times, while no details of the procedure were available, people in positions to know say it was not life threatening and that Scully, 87, is expected to make a full recovery for what he has said probably will be his final season in 2016.

Scully's health had been in question after he missed the Dodgers' final seven games for which he is normally available — four games in San Francisco and the season-ending, three-game homestand against San Diego. The Dodgers announced he missed that final weekend with a cold, but because of Scully's age, many correctly worried it was something more.

October 9 Radio History

In 1890...Aimee Semple McPherson was born. She was a Pentecostal evangelist and radio preacher.


In 1935...the "Cavalcade of America" was first broadcast on he CBS Radio Network.  The CBS show (until moving to NBC 1939-53) featured some of Hollywood and Broadway’s most famous stars in leading roles in the half hour dramas about obscure incidents and people in American history.

The DuPont Company introduced its slogan on “Cavalcade of America” …”Better things for better living through chemistry.”


In 1943...The radio fantasy series "Land of the Lost," starring Betty Jane Tyler and Ray Ives, began its five-year run, first on the ABC Blue Network, then on the Mutual Broadcasting System for a year beginning in 1945, and back to ABC until the final broadcast in July 1948. The opening phrase for the show was, “In that wonderful kingdom at the bottom of the sea…” This children’s adventure-fantasy serial took the audience underwater where the main characters, Isabel and Jimmy, were guided by their friend, a red fish named Red Lantern and played at first by Junius Matthews and later, by Art Carney. Land of the Lost found a large audience and remained on the air until 1948.

In 1962...The BBC bans Bobby "Boris" Pickett's hit "Monster Mash," feeling the subject matter -- comical as it is -- may be deemed grotesque or otherwise tasteless to some listeners




In 1967...Legendary New York DJ Murray The K is fired from station WOR-FM, where he had moved to take advantage of the new free-form format of FM radio, when the station's new owners decided to move to a set playlist.  He was fired because of his "inability to live with direction."

When WOR switched to the tighter Drake format where DJ's weren't allowed to pick the music and talk as much, Murray the K left New York radio to host programs in Toronto - on CHUM 1050 AM -and on WHFS 102.3 FM in Bethesda, MD in 1972. He returned to New York after his short stint on WHFS on the weekend show NBC Monitor and as a fill-in morning dj, and then in 1972 moved to a regular evening weekend program on WNBC radio where Don Imus was broadcasting; he was joined there by the legendary Wolfman Jack, a year later. Although it was low-key, Murray's WNBC show featured his own innovative trademark programming style, including telling stories that were illustrated by selected songs, his unique segues, and his pairing cuts by theme or idiosyncratic associations.

In early 1975, he was brought on for a brief stint at Long Island alternative rock station WLIR, and his final New York radio show ran later that year on WKTU-FM after which — already in ill health — he moved to Los Angeles. The syndicated show Soundtrack of the 60s mentioned below was heard in New York City on WCBS-FM. Gary Owens succeeded Murray as its host.

Kaufman died of cancer a week after his 60th birthday on February 21, 1982.




In 1969...BBC's Top Of The Pops refuses to play the Number One hit in the country for the first time. The song, Serge Gainsbourg's "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus," is considered one of the first "orgasm records," that is, one of the first to feature heavy female breathing and moaning.


In 1990...radio stations around the world played "Imagine" to honor John Lennon on his birthdate. He was born in 1940 in the middle of an air raid at the Oxford Street Maternity Hospital in Liverpool, England; was shot to death in New York City on December 8, 1980.




In 2011…New York City disc jockey (WCBS-FM for parts of five decades) Bill Brown died at age 69.

In 1969, WCBS-FM traded in their easy listening 'Young Sound' format for an album rock format similar to WABC-FM (later WPLJ) and WNEW-FM. Brown was on the original airstaff.

Unfortunately, WCBS-FM did could not lay claim to sizable ratings in the New York City radio market while other stations such as WNEW-FM and WPLJ gained most of the rock n'roll radio audience. After research and several years of very low ratings WCBS-FM dropped the AOR format on July 7, 1972 at 6 AM and began playing Oldies from 1955 to then current product. Initially the station played both rock and roll songs and non rock songs of the 1950s and early 60's and only softer rock and pop hits of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Brown stayed on with the Oldies format. By the end of 1972, Brown was on the station weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

In 1975, Brown also became Program Director of WCBS-FM. For a few months he gave up his midday airshift. By the end of 1976, Brown was on from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays along with his Saturday morning shift. Under Brown, WCBS-FM moved away from easy listening and began to play more 60's rock. In 1978, Brown gave up his program director position but retained his airshifts. His shift was still 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturdays.

In 1984, when Ron Lundy arrived, Brown was moved to 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. while Ron moved to the 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. slot. Harry Harrison now aired from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. (previously he was on 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.). Bill's Saturday shift was then 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. every second week. Bill Brown also continued doing voiceovers for many commercials airing on WCBS FM and other radio stations.

Brown continued on consistently from noon to 3 p.m until 2005, when his airshift was moved to 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. With his years of service, age, and retirements of other well known staffers it was speculated that his retirement was not far off.

Bill Brown remained at WCBS-FM until June 3, 2005. Although ratings were decent and the station was profitable, CBS executives abruptly laid off the entire airstaff at 4 p.m. that day. Bill Brown was the last live air personality to sign off several minutes before 4 p.m.. He came out of Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett and played Rescue Me by Fontella Bass. It was unclear whether or not he knew the end was happening from his last statement, though he did not say a typical goodbye. His last words were, "CBS-FM 101.1, Fontella Bass... Do you ever feel the urge to just kinda scream, "RESCUE ME!?"... I'm beginning to get that feeling, here's Fontella Bass."

Brown then retired from CBS-FM after 33 years of playing oldies, as well as nearly 36 years of service. He is the only air personality to be with the station through their entire first run using live on-air personalities. He did one of their first shifts the day WCBS-FM adopted the rock format in 1969 and the very last live airshift doing oldies in 2005.


In 2012…Longtime Detroit radio and TV announcer (WWJ, WXYZ, WJR, CKLW)/Michigan Sports Hall of Famer Budd Lynch died at age 95. He was the radio voice of the Detroit Red Wings from 1949 to 1975, their public address announcer starting in 1985, and served as the team's public and community relations director.