November 8 Radio History

In 1939...WQXR FM NYC signed-on as W2XQR.

WQXR-FM is the outgrowth of a "high-fidelity" AM station, WQXR 1560 AM, which was founded in 1936 by John V. L. Hogan and Elliott Sanger. Hogan began this station as a mechanical television station, W2XR, which went on the air on March 26, 1929.

The radio station broadcast mainly classical music recordings. One of the station's listeners was the inventor of frequency modulation, Edwin Howard Armstrong. When Armstrong put his experimental FM station, W2XMN, on the air, he arranged to rebroadcast some of WQXR's programming. This ended in 1939, when Hogan and Sanger put their own experimental FM station on the air, W2XQR on this date, just down the dial from Armstrong at 42.3 MHz.

When the Federal Communications Commission began licensing commercial FM stations, W2XQR moved to 45.9 MHz and became W59NY; the special FM call signs were later dropped and the station became WQXQ.


In 1953...Buddy Holly's Sunday radio show (featuring the singer as part of a country duo called "Buddy and Bob") premieres on Lubbock, TX's KDAV.

In 2012....WXRK NYC changes call letters to WNOW-FM. The calls today are WBMP.

The station, first known as WMCA-FM, went on the air on December 25, 1948. It was co-owned with WMCA 570 AM by former New York state senator Nathan Straus. FM radio was not a successful venture for Straus, and he sought to either sell it or close the station down altogether.

Today WBMP-FM

In late 1950, Straus sold the station to the owners of WHOM 1480 AM, now WZRC, and WHOM-FM appeared on February 26, 1951, featuring a variety of formats, including ethnic, background music, classical, Spanish, and easy listening. By the early 1970s, WHOM-FM had a Spanish-language easy listening format.

Following the sale of the WHOM stations to SJR Communications, the FM station became WKTU, taking on an adult contemporary format that began on June 5, 1975. At that point, WKTU was positioned as a "soft rock" station and called "Mellow 92". Ratings were relatively low. The station held on to the format in spite of low ratings until 1978.

That June, when a station executive, David Rapaport (father of actor Michael Rapaport), visited New York's Studio 54 discothèque on half a dozen occasions, and was very impressed with the crowds there. He then got the idea that a disco-based station was needed, as several FM-based Top 40 stations were leaning disco in other markets.

As a result, Rapaport purchased 200 disco records and brought them into the station. Keeping the same airstaff, adding Paco from their Spanish-language AM station WHOM, and with no notice, the station abruptly flipped to a disco-based rhythmic top 40 format with the tagline "Disco 92" at 6 p.m. on July 24, 1978.

In fall 1978, the station rose from "Worst to First", unseating WABC in the 18−30 age demographic.

DC Radio: Layoffs Hit All-News WTOP-FM

Hubbard Broadcasting's WTOP 103.5 FM and its sibling station, WFED 1500 AM, have laid off four employees, General Manager Joel Oxley told staffers Friday.

It will not fill five other open jobs. 

Digital chief John Meyer, evening producer and transporation reporter Ari Ashe, WFED host Francis Rose, and producer Matt Wingfield lost their jobs, Oxley writes in the memo. Additionally, WTOP will not fill the spot reporter Andrew Mollenbeck is vacating to move to Los Angeles, the digital position Kerry Walter left earlier this year, or three open sales jobs.

“Our financial situation continues to be very challenging,” Oxley writes, saying revenue is down in several areas of advertising, and “costs that we cannot control continue to rise.”

Here’s Oxley's email:

For those of you who were not at the meeting today, I wanted to let you know that we have parted ways with John Meyer of TOP/FED Digital, Ari Ashe of WTOP and Francis Rose and Matt Wingfield of WFED. We will also not be replacing three open sales positions, the TOP reporter position left open by Andrew Mollenbeck’s departure and the Digital position that Kerry Walter held. 

Our financial situation continues to be very challenging. National, Local Agency and Sports revenue are all down. Many costs that we cannot control continue to rise. So we have had to make difficult expense decisions in all departments including these staff reductions as we head into 2016. 

I want to thank John, Ari, Francis and Matt for all they have done for Federal News Radio and WTOP and wish them all the best. 

Please come see me with your questions and concerns. Thanks.  

Elvis No. 1 In The U-K

"If I Can Dream," a collection of Elvis classics featuring orchestral reworkings by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

This means Elvis now has more Number 1 albums in the UK than any other male solo artist, and puts him level with Madonna in second place for the most chart-topping LPs, behind the Beatles, who have 15, the Official Charts Company said on Friday.

Elvis claimed top spot with 79,000 chart sales, it added, giving him the second-fastest selling album of the year behind Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' "Chasing Yesterday."

Rod Stewart landed his 34th Top 10 album with "Another Country," new at Number 2, while Elbow frontman Guy Garvey was third with his first solo release "Courting The Squall."

In the singles charts, Adele was top for a second week with "Hello," Britain's fastest-selling record of 2015, keeping Justin Bieber's "Sorry" down in second spot.

Sam Smith's James Bond theme "Writing's On The Wall" climbed back up one place to Number 3.

Indy Radio: Buster Satterfield New PD At WNOW-FM

Brandon Satterfield

Radio One/Indianapolis has announced the addition of Brandon “Buster” Satterfield as Program Director for its Top40 WNOW 100.9 FM.

Satterfield comes to Radio One with proven experience as both a PD and talent in Philadelphia, New York and most recently as East Coast Promotions Manager for Atlantic Records.

Colby Tyner, VP/Programming for Radio One, says “Brandon “Buster” Satterfield brings a wealth of experience to RadioNOW 100.9 and we’re excited to have him join our team.”

VP/GM of Radio One Indianapolis Chuck Williams includes, “Really love having Brandon join the Indy team. He is a great addition and a great fit to our very competitive Radio One staff. Brandon is way ready to go and his RadioNOW team is too.”

Brandon is excited to get started, noting “It's my pleasure to join the respected staff at Radio One in Indy! A huge thanks to Jay Stevens, Colby Tyner, and Chuck Williams for trusting me with their Top 40 Pride & Joy. The team at WNOW is deserving of a successful run and I can't wait to be a part of it. I'd also like to thank the amazing staff at Atlantic Records for letting me see how it is on their side of the biz this year. Now... someone point me to the studio!”

WNOW 100.9 FM (6 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Seacrest Studios Unveiled At DC Children's Hospital

Radio/TV personality Ryan Seacreat along with Robin Thicke and "Pretty Little Liars" actress Lucy Hale led an inaugural broadcast to patients and a live audience that filled the atrium at Children's National Health System this week. They were also joined by country artist Cam and gold medal-winning Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky.

Funded in part by the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, the new $800,000 studio is meant to be a diversion for pediatric patients and could also help draw celebrity visitors to the hospital, officials said.

"This is all I really know how to do, is stand in a studio and talk in a microphone. And we wanted to build something tangible for kids that could distract them from what they were going through," Seacrest told the Washington DC Business Journal.

It is the ninth such studio funded by Seacrest to open in a children’s hospital. Others are in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, Denver, Boston, Charlotte, North Carolina, Cincinnati, and Orange, California.

The studio will host TV and radio programming such as game shows, top 40 music, appearances from celebrities and karaoke, officials said. It will operate under the station handle WPAW-90. With some help from Bethesda-based GetWellNetwork, the closed-circuit television and radio station will allow patients who are unable to leave their rooms the opportunity to virtually interact with what is happening in the studio.

PA Radio: Scott Alexander Hosting Mornings On Froggy Stations

Alexander

Forever Media has announced that veteran Pittsburgh talent Scott Alexander is the new morning host at its Country WOGG Froggy 94.9 FM.

He'll use the Froggy handle "James Pond".

Alexander joins Froggy after a 14 year gig at CBS Radio HotAC WBZZ 100.7 FM in Pittsburgh.  He was let go in a round of layoffs this past July.

He replaces Dave Russell, known on Froggy as Pete Moss, who recently departed to be PD at Cumulus AC WARM 103.3 FM in York, PA.

“It's great to be able to add Scott to our very successful Froggy 94.9 station in suburban Pittsburgh,” said Froggy Network PD Dave Anthony. “This station is a huge part of our successful Froggy brand in this region.”

WOGG 94.9 FM (1.65 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Hangin' With Hank At NASH Nights Live

L-R: NASH Nights Live EP, Brian Egan; Co-Host, Elaina Smith; Hank Jr., Host, Shawn Parr

Country legend Hank Williams, Jr. stopped by NASH Nights Live thursday night to talk about his new music, and how he thinks it's his best yet.

Hank's new album, "It's About Time" drops January 15, 2016. He also talked about how much fun he had opening the CMA Awards last week.

Fargo Radio: Tom Szymanski Joins Midwest Radio

Tom Szymanski

Fargo radio station KFGO 790 AM announced Friday that long-time meteorologist Tom Szymanski will join the station, starting November 11.

"Too Tall" Szymanski will join Midwest Radio of Fargo-Moorhead as chief meteorologist for the six-station radio group.

“I am very pleased to be coming home after eight years and I look forward to again working with my good friends at KFGO,” Szymanski said. “I have been a fan of the station forever and always listened on my commute between Bismarck and Moorhead.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for KFGO,” said KFGO Operations Manager Joel Heitkamp.  “Tom is one of the most respected broadcast meteorologists in the Upper Midwest and his knowledge and sharp wit fit the personality of KFGO perfectly,” Heitkamp continued.  “Tom is a true professional and will help KFGO carry on its legacy as one of the nation’s heritage radio stations,” he added.

Szymanski, a Stevens Point, WI. native, has been a broadcast meteorologist since 1988, having worked in Mankato, MN; Bangor, ME, Fargo, and, most recently, Bismarck.

He replaces long-time KFGO Chief Forecaster Terry Spies, who joined the station in 1997 following a 31-year career with the National Weather Service.  Spies passed away unexpectedly in July.

Szymanski worked at KVLY-TV in Fargo for 15 years before he was fired by its corporate parent Hoak Media Corp. on Sept. 24, 2007.

KFGO 790 AM (5kw) Red=Day Local Coverage Area

A 6-foot-10-inch former college basketball player nicknamed “Too Tall,” Szymanski was a longtime champion for “Tom’s Coats for Kids,” a campaign to collect coats for needy children.

November 7 Radio History

In 1932..."Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" was first broadcast on the CBS Radio Network.

In 1937…"The Vaseline Program," aka "Dr. Christian's Office" and later simply "Dr. Christian," starring Jean Hersholt, began a run of more than 16 years on CBS Radio.

In 1938...Radio station "W9XZY" broadcasted a facsimile of the St Louis Post-Dispatch by radio.


In 1994...Radio personality Howard Stern talked a caller out of attempting to kill himself.

Stern In The '90s

Stern, contacted by cellular phone by a man threatening to leap from the George Washington Bridge, kept the man talking during his Wednesday morning show until police could seize the would-be jumper.

"Once I determined this was a jumper, I said: 'I have to keep this man laughing . . . until the cops get there,' " Stern told a news conference.

"Who better to help someone who is psychologically disturbed than Howard Stern, who himself is psychologically disturbed?" he joked as police officers offered congratulations.

Police said Emilio Bonilla, 29, walked to the middle of the bridge, climbed over a railing and called Stern.


In 2005...Howard Stern was suspended for 1 day from his radio show after an alteracation with Tom Chiusano, General Manager of WXRK, New York, Stern's flagship station, owned by Infinity.

The argument, which took place following Stern's show, apparently centered around Stern talking too much about Sirius on the show.

Indy Radio: Bob Kevoian Announces His Retirement

Bob and Tom after signing their official photograph in the National Radio Hall of Fame

Live from the stage of the National Radio Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, Bob Kevoian of the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Show announced his retirement by year’s end.

“When I was a teenager, I was a real smart ass," Bob Kevoian said in his remarks to the National Radio Hall of Fame. "I didn't get along with my Dad. And he said "if you continue this behavior, you'll amount to nothing. But you will make it to the big mouth hall of fame." I made it, Dad.always thought you had to die or be retired for five years to be considered for any hall of fame.  Thank God I’m not dead, but I am going to retire at the end of this year and walk away from the mic.”

Bob, Chick, Kristi, Tom

Tom Griswold commented, “It was a huge thrill to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame with my partner Bob.  He will always be a part of the Bob & Tom Show, and his presence will continue to be felt as we broadcast the show for many years to come.”

The National Radio Hall of Fame Induction ceremony was held Thursday evening at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in downtown Chicago.



Kevoian and Griswold, who originally teamed up in the early 1980s at the Petoskey, Michigan station WJML, began their show on Q-95 WFBQ 94.7 FM in 1983. In 1995 the show started syndicating across the country from its Indianapolis studio.

According to “The Bob & Tom Show” website, the show is currently heard on over 150 stations nationwide.

Kevoian, who will celebrate his 65th birthday on Dec. 2, grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Cal State Long Beach.

Griswold said that the show will continue.

The morning comedy show has collected Marconi Awards, presented annually by the National Association of Broadcasters, in categories devoted to on-air personalities in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2006.

Other members of the 2015 inductions class were: Big Boy (Kurt Alexander), Elvis Duran, Clark Howard, Dan Mason, Scott Muni, Ronn Owens and Dave Ramsey. The sold out night featured host Blair Garner, and announcer Jim Bohannon.

Facebook To Steal More TV Ad Dollars

By Tenzin Pema and Abhirup Roy

(Reuters) - Watch out, Time Warner. It's not just Netflix and Hulu you have to worry about.

Along with Facebook's strong financial results released on Wednesday was a number that should send a chill through the cable and broadcasting industry.

The social network - whose shares rose 5 percent to hit a record high of $109.44 on Thursday - said its video views surged to 8 billion per day in the third quarter, from just 1 billion a year earlier, highlighting a rising threat to TV ad revenue.

The growth in video views presents the most significant near-term opportunity for Facebook as the company looks to grab a bigger slice of the TV advertising market, analysts said.

Cable companies in particular face an increasing threat to revenue as consumers switch to online streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu - a trend known as "cord-cutting".

"We think (Facebook) looks well positioned to capture an increasing portion of TV ad budgets as markets migrate toward data-driven, highly targeted online video ad campaigns," Jefferies analyst Brian Pitz said in a client note.

The online video ad market is likely to be worth about $17 billion a year by 2017 in the United States alone, Pitz said.

Time Warner Inc, the owner of cable channels TNT, TBS Cartoon Network, said on Wednesday that ratings for its key U.S. entertainment networks had dropped more than expected, which will result in a fall in ad revenue next year.

"Video ad dollars will be the next big budget to shift online and FB is well positioned as one of the top properties to benefit," Susquehanna Financial analyst Shyam Patil said.

Atlantic Equities analyst James Cordwell said that about 50 percent of all media consumption was now online, but only 17 percent of non-search ad budgets were spent online.

"So, the opportunity for Facebook is to drive that 17 percent up to 50 percent, which would represent a $150 billion incremental advertising spend shifting from offline platform to online platforms," he said. "And the only place that can come from in meaningful volumes is TV."

ACTIVE USERS SURGE

In a bid to capture TV ad dollars, Facebook has launched several tools to target brand advertisers, including a way for marketers to plan, buy and measure Facebook video ads using target rating points (TRPs) - a metric similar to one used to sell TV ads. (http://on.fb.me/1Jymw6b)

"As the company further integrates TRP buying into the mix, it seems clear that advertisers continue to shift more incremental dollars to FB and we would expect further growth from video to continue," Barclays analyst Paul Vogel wrote.

Facebook said in September it had 2.5 million active advertisers, a 25 percent jump from February.
The potential viewership is huge.

Facebook - now valued at over $300 billion - said on Wednesday it now had 1.55 billion monthly active users, up 14 percent from a year earlier.

About 90 percent were mobile users. Daily active users exceeded 1 billion for the first time in the third quarter.

Buoyed by a surge in mobile users and advertising, Facebook's revenue jumped to $4.50 billion in the third quarter from $3.20 billion a year earlier. Analysts on average had expected revenue of $4.37 billion.

Excluding items, the company earned 57 cents per share, beating the average estimate of 52 cents.

At least 23 brokerages raised price targets on Facebook's stock, to as much as $155. The median price target is $125, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Facebook's shares were trading at $109.13 before the bell.

Of 52 analysts covering the stock, 48 have a "buy" or higher rating, three have a "hold" and only one has a "sell".

(Reporting by Tenzin Pema and Abhirup Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr)

Entercom Reports 3Q Revenue Up 15 Percent

Entercom Communications Corp. Thursday reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2015.

Third Quarter Highlights:

• Net revenues for the quarter increased 15% to $114.7 million
• Station expenses increased 17% to $80.9 million
• Station operating income increased 10% to $33.8 million
• Adjusted EBITDA increased 15% to $28.0 million
• Adjusted net income per share increased 25% to $0.25
• Free cash flow increased 40% to $18.3 million

Effective with the July 16 announced transactions, operating results for the quarter include the impact of newly acquired Lincoln Financial Media stations and the Los Angeles station Entercom operates under a time brokerage agreement and do not include the impact of stations exchanged with Bonneville.

David J. Field, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: “I am pleased to report an outstanding quarter for Entercom driven by strong organic revenue growth across our station group and the seamless integration of our new acquisitions in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, San Diego and Denver.

David Field

"While we are delighted with our progress and opportunities at the new stations, we are particularly pleased by our strong market share gains in the rest of our markets which enabled us to post approximately 3% same-station revenue growth for the quarter, and just over 4% growth when excluding the impact of political advertising.  We also achieved strong double-digit growth in Free Cash Flow and Adjusted Net Income Per Share and believe we are very well positioned for continued strong performance in 2016 and beyond.”

On July 16, the Company completed its acquisition of Lincoln Financial Media Corporation and commenced a station exchange with Bonneville International Corporation in which the Company exchanged four stations in Denver for KSWD-FM (The Sound) in Los Angeles and $5 million in additional cash consideration. The Company began operating The Sound under a time brokerage agreement on July 17. As a result, Entercom expanded its footprint to four new top 20 markets: Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Bouvard: AM/FM Is King Of the Road

Cumulus Media/Westwood One Thursday released a new report on “The State of American In-Car Audio,” featuring new data on how Americans listen to audio in the car from Edison Research’s just released Q3 2015 “Share of Ear” study.

Pierrie Bouvard

Pierre Bouvard, Chief Marketing Officer of Westwood One and Cumulus, delivered some of the findings at “DASH 3.0 Radio & The Connected Car: A Survival Guide For Radio Broadcasters” in Detroit.

Click Here to  more about the findings and see the full report on the Westwood One blog.

“Audio and radio are part of our life from the moment we get up, and accompany Americans throughout the day,” said Bouvard. “Americans listen to 74 minutes of audio daily in the car — 72% of this time goes to AM/FM radio. That’s 53 minutes a day of AM/FM in-car listening. AM/FM radio is truly America’s number one mobile mass reach medium.”

Here are some of the key findings:

• In-car audio is huge. Nearly one-third of all audio is consumed in the car. Americans spend an average of 1 hour and 14 minutes with in-car audio daily. 
• The “big three” audio platforms persist. Despite emerging audio sources, 97% of in-car listening comes from three established platforms (AM/FM radio, SiriusXM, and personal music collection).  
• AM/FM is the king of the road. With a 72% share of in-car audio time spent, AM/FM represents 53 minutes of daily in-car listening. AM/FM reaches three-quarters of all Americans in the car daily. Mass reach an​d massive time spent. 

News Corp Revenue Drops

News Corp, owner of the Wall Street Journal, reported its third straight quarter of revenue decline, hurt by a strong dollar and lower print ad sales, mainly in Australia.

The company, controlled by Rupert Murdoch, said on Thursday revenue from its news and information business fell about 11 percent to $1.29 billion in the first quarter.

The business, which accounted for nearly two-thirds of its total revenue, has been struggling for the past few years as readers shift to digital media and newspapers' advertising revenue slides.

Still, print and digital advertising revenue at Dow Jones, whose flagship publication is the Wall Street Journal, grew in the first quarter.

"We really think it was a good quarter, in line with what they had guided ... knowing that they are in this transformative period," said Tony Scherrer, director of research at Smead Capital Management, which owns about 3.9 million shares of News Corp.

The company - whose revenue is largely dependent on its newspaper holdings in the United States, Australia and the UK - has been diversifying its business to lower its dependence on print.

Revenue at the company's digital real estate services business, which includes U.S. website realtor.com and a stake in Australian REA Group, jumped 70.5 percent to $191 million.

The net income available to the company's stockholders rose to $175 million, or 30 cents per share, in the quarter ended Sept. 30 from $65 million, or 11 cents per share, a year earlier.

Total revenue fell 4.5 percent to $2.01 billion.

(Reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar and Kshitiz Goliya in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey and Anil D'Silva)

Disney Profit Rises With Gains At Cable Networks

(Reuters) -- Walt Disney Co reported higher quarterly profit that beat Wall Street forecasts as cable networks including ESPN brought in higher advertising revenue and collected more fees from pay TV distributors.

Disney shares were roughly unchanged in after-hours trading. In August, the stock plummeted when the company acknowledged a decline in subscribers at ESPN, elevating fears across the pay television business about a shift to online video services.

For July through September, Disney's net income rose to $1.61 billion, or 95 cents per share, from $1.50 billion, or 86 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the company earned $1.20 per share, beating analysts' expectations of $1.14, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Revenue came in slightly below analysts' estimates. The company also said it lost subscribers at certain cable networks while it gained customers from the SEC Network it launched last year.

Bob Iger

Overall, the media networks unit that includes ESPN, the Disney Channels and ABC recorded a 27 percent increase in operating income to $1.8 billion.

Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said the company was sticking with the forecast it gave in August when the company lowered its cable profit guidance after saying ESPN had experienced "modest" subscriber losses.

On Thursday, Iger said he remained "bullish" about ESPN and "there was no reason to panic" about his earlier comments acknowledging changes in TV viewing habits.

"We like the environment because we think long-term it gives us more opportunities," Iger said.

The threat of "cord-cutting," or dropping of pay TV service, remains a key concern for investors. On Wednesday, media stocks dropped when Time Warner Inc said it needed to take new steps to adapt to the television shakeup.

CLSA analyst Vasily Karasyov said Disney's latest results for ESPN "should be comforting" to shareholders.

The company's total revenue rose 9.1 percent to $13.51 billion, but missed the average analyst estimate of about $13.57 billion.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Devika Krishna Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey, Lisa Shumaker and Bernard Orr)

Takeaways from analysts conference call:

• While CEO Bob Iger used the beginning of last quarter's earnings call to talk about ESPN subscriber losses -- talk blamed for driving media stocks down overall this summer -- the Q4 call started out all Star Wars. 
• The company's pleased with ticket-sales excitement and looking ahead to videogames like Star Wars: Battlefront and a cavalcade of associated merchandise.
• Disney can't recognize revenue from the already-begun sales of (new) Star Wars consumer products until the movie opens, though execs say they're excited for the eventual inclusion in Q1, and merchandise tied to the previous films is building strength.
• ESPN was downplayed despite questions. There's nothing he'd retract from previous comments, Iger says: "We decided to be candid, I think refreshingly so, regarding sub losses in the last period. We feel there should be no reason to panic over comments like that ... We feel bullish about ESPN and ESPN's business."
• On the ESPN layoffs: "The best interpretation is that you should see it as not connected to anything else."

TV Ratings For CMAs Drop 16 Percent

The ample promotion and involvement of Justin Timberlake failed to ignite a ratings gain for the 49th Annual CMA Awards.

Final Broadcast Ratings: Per Nielsen’s final data, Wednesday’s 49th Annual CMA Awards ceremony averaged a 3.8 adults 18-49 rating with 13.62 million viewers from 8-11PM ET.

The numbers both trail those of last year’s show — 4.5 with 16.25 million — by 16%.

Fast National Ratings: Airing from 8-11PM, Wednesday’s 49th Annual CMA Awards broadcast averaged a 3.8 adults 18-49 rating. Its average total viewership clocked in at 13.58 million viewers.

Both numbers trail those of last years’s show — 4.5 with 16.25 million — by 16%.

While it would be easy to blame stiff competition from FOX’s “Empire,” it is worth noting that the show drew its best adults 18-49 rating in the “Empire”-occupied 9PM hour.

GOP Debate: Christie, Huckabee Sent to Kids Table

(Reuters) -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee failed to qualify for next Tuesday's prime-time Republican presidential debate, which will feature a smaller field of eight candidates, Fox Business said on Thursday.

Christie, Huckabee

Christie and Huckabee had both been on the main stage for the party's first three televised debates. But they did not meet the criteria set by the cable network in which candidates needed an average of at least 2.5 percent support in the four most recent major polls ahead of the November 2016 election.

They will join Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in the "undercard" debate of lower-polling candidates, who were required to score at least 1 percent in any of those four polls.

Two Republican candidates who previously appeared in the undercard debates - South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and former New York Governor George Pataki - joined former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore in failing to qualify for either of next week's debates because of low polling numbers.

The eight candidates chosen for the main debate according to Fox Business' polling criteria were billionaire businessman Donald Trump, who ranked first, followed by retired physician Ben Carson, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, former business executive Carly Fiorina, Ohio Governor John Kasich and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.

The previous Republican prime-time debates had at least 10 contenders on stage.

It doesn’t matter the stage, give me a podium and I’ll be there to talk about real issues like this: https://t.co/Fqu5Qi2piX #BringItOn

— Chris Christie (@ChrisChristie) November 6, 2015

Huckabee tweeted on Thursday night:

I'm happy to debate anyone, anywhere, anytime.

— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) November 6, 2015

Graham's campaign manager, Christian Ferry, voiced disappointment, saying in a statement: "Regardless of this decision tonight, Senator Graham continues to be the foremost expert on foreign policy and national security in this field of candidates, on either stage."

Pataki said in a statement: "I am very disappointed tonight that early national polls are shaping the election choices for the American people," adding the trend was "a clear boost to the worship of celebrity over accomplishment and ideas."

Some Republican campaigns are demanding a more active role in negotiations with TV networks after anger at how the CNBC debate last week was handled. There have also been concerns that too many candidates are on stage and do not get enough time to speak.

Next Tuesday's two-hour prime-debate in Milwaukee will air at 9 p.m. EST preceded by the undercard debate at 6 p.m. EST.

TN Radio: 90-Year-Old Host Still Talking

Eleanor Ford

At 90 years old, Gallatin, TN resident Eleanor Ford still has something to say and each week radio listeners from around the country tune in to hear it.

According to The Tennessean, Ford has hosted ‘Lunchtime with Eleanor,’ a weekly talk show since 2003 broadcast on WTNK 1090 AM / W228CB 93.5 FM in Hartsville and online through the station’s website. The program, which airs live every Friday from 11 a.m.-noon, is the station’s most popular program.

“I enjoy doing it,” she said. “I just invite people who are in the news to come on — if they have done something newsworthy or noteworthy or something to be complemented for. Just whatever strikes my fancy that they’ve done.”

Ford, who was a florist for 36 years and served as the executive director of the Hartsville Chamber of Commerce for 20 years, still stays deeply connected to what is going on in the city, said WTNK CEO/owner Lisa Frank.

“She is a huge influence here,” Frank said. “People have just grown to love her. I think it’s because she is just part of their lives so much and that’s why they tune in. They want to know what she is going to say.”

WTNK 1090 AM (1 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Ford’s connection to radio began in 1929 when she was “Baby Eleanor,” a singing radio star on WLAP in Louisville, Ky. The then-5-year-old traveled across 24 states making personal appearances up until the mid-1930s when she left radio.

“I stayed 5 years old for several years,” she said laughingly. “It was much cuter for me to be five, so I didn’t age.”

W228CB 93.5 FM (250 Watts)

“Radio has lost out on not being as personal as it once was,” Ford said. “I consider myself talking to the guest and the listener. I want to ask question that I think the person listening would want me to ask them.”

Premiere's Meghan McCain Added To Line-Up For TSBC-7

Talk Show Boot Camp 7 has announced that Meghan McCain, host of Premiere Network syndicated 'America Now with Meghan McCain,' will be among the featured guests at next year's event set for March 4 & 5th at Pier 66 Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Meghan McCain

Meghan McCain, daughter of U.S. Sen. John McCain, propelled into the national spotlight while working on her father's 2008 presidential campaign.

After launching a blog she gained wide readership almost immediately and received two distinguished awards in politics: The Golden Dot Award for Best Blog and two Pollie Awards from the Association of Political and Public Affairs Professionals. The success of the blog led McCain becoming s a columnist for The Daily Beast and an MSNBC contributor. Inspired by her time on the campaign trail, McCain authored the New York Times bestseller 'Dirty Sexy Politics: A True Story in 2010,' and her latest book, America, 'You Sexy (B)itch: A Love Letter to Freedom, recounts the cross-country road trip that she and the left-wing comedian Michael Ian Black took together in 2011.

In 2013, McCain launched her genre-busting docu-talk series “Raising McCain” on Pivot, Participant Media’s television network aimed at millennials.

In July 2015, McCain joined Premiere Networks as host of the nationally syndicated radio program America Now, which broadcasts live on weekdays from 3 - 6 p.m. PT/6 - 9 p.m. on 100 affiliates.

November 6 Radio History

In 1896...Jim Jordan, the radio comedian who portrayed Fibber McGee, was born.

Jim & Marian as Fibber  McGee & Molly

Jim and his wife Marian Jordan got their major break in radio while performing in Chicago in 1924; Jim said he could give a better performance than the singers they were listening to on the radio, and his brother Byron bet $10 that Jim couldn't do it. By the end of the evening, Jim and Marian had their first radio contract, at $10 per show for 26 weeks as The O'Henry Twins, sponsored by Oh Henry! candy.

In 1988, he died at the age of 91 at the Beverly Hills Medical Center from a blood clot in his brain, caused by a fall at his home


In 1925...WKOK Sunbury, PA began broadcasting as WJBQ

Edwin H. Armstrong

In 1935…Edwin H. Armstrong announced his development of FM broadcasting after conducting the first large-scale field tests of his new radio technology at RCA's facilities on the 85th floor of the Empire State Building from May 1934 until October 1935. In 1937, Armstrong financed construction of the first FM radio station, W2XMN, a 40-kilowatt broadcaster in Alpine, New Jersey.

NY Times 11/7/1935

The signal (at 42.8 MHz) could be heard clearly 100 miles (160 km) away, despite the use of less power than an AM radio station.

RCA began to lobby for a change in the law or FCC regulations that would prevent FM radios from becoming dominant (David Sarnoff was looking to protect his stations on the AM band) .


By June 1945, the RCA had pushed the FCC hard on the allocation of electromagnetic frequencies for the fledgling television industry. Although they denied wrongdoing, David Sarnoff and RCA managed to get the FCC to move the FM radio spectrum from 42–50 MHz, to 88–108 MHz, while getting new low-powered community television stations allocated to a new Channel 1 in the 44-50 MHz range.

Furthermore, RCA also claimed invention of FM radio and won its own patent on the technology. A patent fight between RCA and Armstrong ensued. RCA's momentous victory in the courts left Armstrong unable to claim royalties on any FM receivers, including televisions, which were sold in the United States.

The costly legal battles brought ruin to Armstrong, by then almost penniless and emotionally distraught. Eventually, after Armstrong's death, many of the lawsuits were decided or settled in his favor, greatly enriching his estate and heirs. But the decisions came too late for Armstrong himself to enjoy his legal vindication.

It took decades following Armstrong's death for FM broadcasting to meet and surpass the saturation of the AM band, and longer still for FM radio to become profitable for broadcasters. Two developments made a difference in the 1960s. One was the development of true stereophonic broadcasting on FM by General Electric, which resulted in the approval of an FM stereo broadcast standard by the FCC in 1961, and the conversion of hundreds of stations to stereo within a few years.


In 1945...the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) began an investigation of 7 radio commentators. The committee considered its duty to purge any influences of communism from America.

In 1954…Elvis Presley signed a one year contract with the “Louisiana Hayride,” the Saturday night radio show originating at KWKH, Shreveport, Louisiana.

Nat D. Williams

In 1957...Elvis visits radio station WDIA in Memphis and meets two of his idols, Little Junior Parker and Bobby Bland.

WDIA went on the air June 7, 1947, from studios on Union Avenue. The owners, John Pepper and Dick Ferguson, were both white and the format was a mix of country and western and light pop. The station did not do well.

Nat D. Williams, a syndicated columnist and high-school teacher, started Tan Town Jubilee in October 1948. This was the first radio program in the United States to specifically target black listeners, and WDIA soon became the number-2 station in Memphis. After a switch to all-black programming, WDIA was the city's top station.

Elvis At WDIA At Revue 1956

In June 1954 WDIA was licensed ar 50,000 watts-Day, 5Kw-Night. Its powerful signal reached down into the Mississippi Delta’s dense African-American population and was heard from the Bootheel in SE Missouri to the Gulf coast. As a result WDIA was able to reach 10% of the African-American population in United States.

Future WJLB strong jock herself, Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg became Princess Premium Stuff. Ernest Brazzell gave crop advice and Robert Thomas became a DJ named “Honeyboy” after he won a city-wide amateur competition. Among other notable personalities were Maurice "Hot Rod" Hulbert, Theo "Bless My Bones" Wade, and Ford Nelson, who remains an active gospel DJ on WDIA in 2013.

Many music legends got their start at WDIA, including B.B. King and Rufus Thomas. Elvis Presley was greatly influenced by the station.

In 1976...The hot 100..It was Steve Miller's turn in the spotlight as his new single "Rock 'N Me" reached #1.  "Disco Duck" by Rick Dees was waddling behind while Gordon Lightfoot made a move with "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald".  Chicago's #1 smash "If You Leave Me Now" fell to #4 and the resurgent Bee Gees were up to #5 with another hit--"Love So Right".

The rest of an excellent Top 10:  The Captain & Tennille's "Muskrat Love", Hall & Oates were stuck at #7 with the very underrated "She's Gone", Rod Stewart was on fire again, moving from 22-8 with "Tonight's the Night (Gonna' Be Alright)", Heart crept up with their first Top 10 "Magic Man" while the Commodores entered the list with "Just To Be Close to You".

In 1976...The Album Chart..Songs in the Key of Life was #1 for the fourth week for Stevie Wonder. Spirit by Earth, Wind & Fire remained #2 while Led Zeppelin made a great debut at #3 with the Soundtrack From "The Song Remains the Same".  The Steve Miller Band slipped with Fly Like An Eagle and Peter Frampton was still in the Top 5 with Frampton Comes Alive!

The rest of the Top 10:  a self-titled album by a group called Boston moved from 13-6 in its 7th week, Heart's Dreamboat Annie was stalled at #7, Chicago X, their greatest hits package, was #8, the Bee Gees edged up with Children of the World and Lynyrd Skynyrd joined the group with One More From the Road.


In 2007…Disc jockey (WCFL-Chicago, KYW-Cleveland, WOKY- Milwaukee, KYA-San Francisco, WYDE-Birmingham)/program director/record store chain owner (Record City) Jim P. Stagg died of complications from esophageal cancer at the age of 72.

Stagg's radio career began in Birmingham (on WYDE AM). From there, it was on to Philadelphia (on WBIG), San Francisco (on KYA), and Milwaukee (on WOKY) before his stint at KYW, Cleveland.

Jim Stragg-1966

In 1965, KYW program director Ken Draper moved to WCFL to assume the same duties. Stagg and many other station employees, both on and off air, including Dick Orkin, Jim Runyon and Jerry G. (Bishop) eagerly moved from KYW in Cleveland to WCFL in Chicago.

As his radio career wound down, Stagg hosted innovative talk and music shows on WMAQ-AM.

At WCFL, the "Voice of Labor",  Stagg did the afternoon drive shift. He referred to the studio call-in line as the "Stagg Line" and produced a feature titled "Stagg's Starbeat" – in-depth, provocative, and insightful interviews with local, national and international music celebrities. Staggs interviewed nearly every major rock star of the 1960s, including Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones, the Supremes, The Monkees, and Simon & Garfunkel.

Jim became the Chicago chairman of Let Us Vote (LUV), a youth campaign which began in late 1968 to establish the minimum voting age as 18 in all states. Joey Bishop was honorary national chairman and songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart contributed a campaign song. Everyone's efforts resulted in the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution being ratified in 1971.

Staggs eschewed the flashy theatrics of other Top-40 radio hosts in favor a straightforward rock and roll show that kept the focus on the music. His close-of-program line echos that: "Music is my business. I hope my business was your pleasure."