September 18 Radio History

In 1907... Eddie “Rochester” Anderson was born in Oakland Calif.   He was an essential member of the Jack Benny cast on radio & TV for more than 30 years.   He died Feb 28, 1977 at age 71.


In 1927...the Columbia Phonograph Broadcasting System debuted with a network of 16 radio stations. (Although other sources say 18.) The name was later changed to Columbia Broadcasting System, CBS.

The origins of CBS date back to January 27, 1927, with the creation of the "United Independent Broadcasters" network in Chicago by New York City talent-agent Arthur Judson. The fledgling network soon needed additional investors though, and the Columbia Phonograph Company, manufacturers of Columbia Records, rescued it in April 1927; as a result, the network was renamed the "Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System" on September 18 of that year. Columbia Phonographic went on the air on September 18, 1927, with a presentation by the Howard Barlow Orchestra from flagship station WOR in Newark, New Jersey, and fifteen affiliates.

William Paley

Operational costs were steep, particularly the payments to AT&T for use of its land lines, and by the end of 1927, Columbia Phonograph wanted out.  In early 1928, Judson sold the network to brothers Isaac and Leon Levy, owners of the network's Philadelphia affiliate WCAU, and their partner Jerome Louchenheim. None of the three were interested in assuming day-to-day management of the network, so they installed wealthy 26-year-old William S. Paley, son of a Philadelphia cigar family and in-law of the Levys, as president. With the record company out of the picture, Paley quickly streamlined the corporate name to "Columbia Broadcasting System".   He believed in the power of radio advertising since his family's "La Palina" cigars had doubled their sales after young William convinced his elders to advertise on radio.   By September 1928, Paley bought out the Louchenheim share of CBS and became its majority owner with 51% of the business.

During Louchenheim's brief regime, Columbia paid $410,000 to A.H. Grebe's Atlantic Broadcasting Company for a small Brooklyn station, WABC (no relation to the current WABC), which would become the network's flagship station. WABC was quickly upgraded, and the signal relocated to 860 kHz.  The physical plant was relocated also – to Steinway Hall on West 57th Street in Manhattan, where much of CBS's programming would originate. Other owned-and-operated stations were KNX in Los Angeles, KCBS in San Francisco (originally KQW), WBBM in Chicago, WCAU in Philadelphia, WJSV in Washington, D.C. (later WTOP, which moved to the FM band in 2005; the AM facility is now WFED, also a secondary CBS affiliate), KMOX in St. Louis, and WCCO in Minneapolis. These remain the core affiliates of the CBS Radio Network today, with WCBS (the original WABC) still the flagship (relocated in 1941 to 880 AM), and all except WTOP and WFED (both Hubbard Broadcasting properties) owned by CBS Radio. By the turn of 1929, the network could boast to sponsors of having 47 affiliates.

Paley moved right away to put his network on a firmer financial footing. In the fall of 1928, he entered into talks with Adolph Zukor of Paramount Pictures, who planned to move into radio in response to RCA's forays into motion pictures with the advent of talkies.  The deal came to fruition in September 1929: Paramount acquired 49% of CBS in return for a block of its stock worth $3.8 million at the time. The agreement specified that Paramount would buy that same stock back by March 1, 1932 for a flat $5 million, provided CBS had earned $2 million during 1931 and 1932. For a brief time there was talk that the network might be renamed "Paramount Radio", but it only lasted a month – the 1929 stock market crash sent all stock value tumbling. It galvanized Paley and his troops, who "had no alternative but to turn the network around and earn the $2,000,000 in two years.... This is the atmosphere in which the CBS of today was born."  The near-bankrupt movie studio sold its CBS shares back to CBS in 1932. In the first year of Paley's watch, CBS's gross earnings more than tripled, going from $1.4 million to $4.7 million.

Much of the increase was a result of Paley's second upgrade to the CBS business plan – improved affiliate relations. There were two types of program at the time: sponsored and sustaining, i.e., unsponsored. Rival NBC paid affiliates for every sponsored show they carried and charged them for every sustaining show they ran.  It was onerous for small and medium stations, and resulted in both unhappy affiliates and limited carriage of sustaining programs. Paley had a different idea, designed to get CBS programs emanating from as many radio sets as possible:  he would give the sustaining programs away for free, provided the station would run every sponsored show, and accept CBS's check for doing so.  CBS soon had more affiliates than either NBC Red or NBC Blue.

Paley was a man who valued style and taste, and in 1929, once he had his affiliates happy and his company's creditworthiness on the mend, he relocated his concern to sleek, new 485 Madison Avenue, the "heart of the advertising community, right where Paley wanted his company to be" and where it would stay until its move to its own Eero Saarinen-designed headquarters, the CBS Building, in 1965. When his new landlords expressed skepticism about the network and its fly-by-night reputation, Paley overcame their qualms by inking a lease for $1.5 million.


In 1942...the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was authorized for radio service.

In 1965...Billboard's Hot 100..1965:  The Beatles made it three consecutive weeks at #1 with "Help!".  Barry McGuire edged up one spot closer with "Eve of Destruction" while Bob Dylan slipped with "Like a Rolling Stone".  We Five had "You Were On My Mind" and the Dave Clark Five moved from 13-5 with "Catch Us if You Can".

The rest of the Top 10:  The instrumental "The 'In' Crowd" from the Ramsey Lewis Trio, the McCoys slipped into the Top 10 with "Hang On Sloopy", the Turtles were moving slower with "It Ain't Me Babe", Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" came in ninth and the Yardbirds reached the list with "Heart Full of Soul".


In 1967...Longtime NYC radio personality Martin Block WNEW, WABC, WOR died.

Martin Block

In 1934, he went to work for WNEW at a salary of $20 per week. 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 with Block borrowing both the concept and the title from West Coast disc jockey Al Jarvis, 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. When one of Block's sponsors offered a sale on refrigerators during a New York snowstorm, 109 people braved the elements for the bargain Block advertised; by 1941 potential sponsors for his show had to be put on a waiting list for availabilities.



In 1968...Gary Stevens does last show at WMCA 570 AM

In 1970...Jimi Hendrix died in his apartment from an overdose of sleeping pills in London at the age of 27.  Hendrix was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Mary Abbott's Hospital in London.  Hendrix had left a message on his manager's answering phone earlier in the evening--"I need help man."

In 1971...on the album charts...Stanley, Idaho's Carole King dominated the album chart once again as Tapestry was #1 for the 14th week in a row.  The Moody Blues remained in the runner-up spot with Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and Rod Stewart was next with Every Picture Tells a Story.  Who's Next was next followed by Ram from Paul & Linda McCartney.

The rest of the Top 10:  The self-titled Carpenters, Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon by James Taylor, the Soundtrack to "Shaft" by Isaac Hayes, Black Sabbath with Master of Reality and the epic What's Going On by Marvin Gaye.



In 1974...John Lennon was a guest DJ on WNEW 102.7 FM in New York City.

In 1978…"WKRP in Cincinnati," starring Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Tim Reid, Jan Smithers, Richard Sanders, and Frank Bonner, started a four-season run on CBS-TV.


In 1983...For an MTV publicity stunt to promote KISS' new album, Lick It Up , the band appear in public for the first time without makeup.


In 1997....Ron Lundy retired from WCBS 101.1 FM in NYC.  Aircheck from January 1990..



Lundy was born June 25, 1934 in Memphis, Tennessee, the only child of Fred Sr., a railroad engineer, and Mary Lundy. He served in the United States Marine Corps after graduating from high school. Following the completion of his military stint, he returned to his hometown and attended a local radio broadcasting school on the G.I. Bill.  At the same time, he worked across the street at WHHM-AM, where he got his first on-air experience one night when he substituted for the regular disc jockey who failed to report for his shift. This resulted in Lundy being hired as a full-time radio announcer by Hodding Carter for WDDT-AM, the latter's new station in Greenville, Mississippi.

After a stop in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at WLCS-AM, Lundy was brought to WIL-AM in St. Louis, Missouri in 1960 by Dan Ingram, who was the station's program director until the middle of the next year. Nicknamed the "Wil' Child", Lundy had a style which was described as a combination of "country and crawfish pie" by Bob Whitney, who also played a major role in the appointment.

Lundy was reunited with Ingram at WABC-AM in 1965. He made his New York radio debut on September 1, working the overnight shift as "The Swingin' Nightwalker."  Beginning in May 1966, he became the midday fixture at the station for the next sixteen years. With his catchphrase "Hello, Love–this is Ron Lundy from the Greatest City in the World,"  he usually preceded Ingram's afternoon drive time program, and sometimes when Ingram was running late to the studio, Lundy would keep going until Dan arrived, doing impressions of The Shadow, where he would play Margo Lane and Lamont Cranston. The two best friends hosted "The Last Show" before WABC's format conversion from music to talk radio at noon on May 10, 1982.

In February 1984, Lundy resurfaced at New York's oldies station WCBS-FM in the mid-morning slot, following former WABC colleague Harry Harrison. According to program director Joe McCoy, the station created the slot especially for Lundy, reducing other shifts from four hours to three.

On the following aircheck, Ron is working morning drive for Harry Harrison who was taking a few days off.   Dan Ingram stops-by,  at 10:10 into the audio, prior to doing Ron's regular late morning shift...



In June, 1997, Lundy's WCBS-FM show was awarded the 1997 "BronzeWorld Medal" at the New York Festivals Radio Programming Awards for the "best local personality".

Lundy retired from WCBS-FM on September 18, 1997. Upon retiring from radio, Ron and his wife Shirley moved to the small town of Bruce, Mississippi. However, during this time, Lundy did occasional interviews with Mark Simone on The Saturday Night Oldies Show for his former station, WABC.

Lundy was inducted the St. Louis Hall Radio Hall of Fame on January 1, 2006.

Lundy died of a heart attack at age 75 on March 15, 2010 in Oxford, Mississippi. He had been recovering from a previous heart attack after being dehydrated.


In 2006...WIYY-FM, Baltimore, becomes the 1,000th station to commence HD Radio transmissions.




In 2009…After 72 years on radio and television, the soap opera "Guiding Light," titled "The Guiding Light" until 1975, aired the last of its 18,262 episodes.

Birther Event Called Trump's Greatest Media Trick

The media showed up to the presidential ballroom of the new Trump International Hotel on Friday morning expecting Donald Trump to take questions about whether he still questions President Obama’s birthplace.

Instead, reports The Daily Caller, they got more than a half hour of a variety of military heroes — generals, medal of honor recipients and a gold star wife — expressing support for the Republican nominee. And it all aired live on the cable news networks.

Before the event, Trump tweeted: “I am now going to the brand new Trump International, Hotel D.C. for a major statement.” That was interpreted by the press to mean he was going to address “birther” questions.

Realizing Trump was not using the occasion to address that subject — and instead focus it on the military — many in the press were not happy.

Trump’s campaign announced the endorsement of 44 new military flag officers, saying that brings the number up to 164 now.

“I am grateful for the growing support of highly respected retired generals and admirals who have been so successful in defending our country,” Trump said.


At the very end of the campaign event, Trump finally addressed the topic the media was there to hear. “Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it.”
“President Barack Obama was born in the United States,” Trump said. “Period. Now we all want to get back to making America strong again.”

Many reporters, some standing on chairs, began shouting questions over the applause from the guests in attendance. But Trump, having accomplished what he wanted, took none.

The CNN Media blog reports following his press conference, Trump led a tour of his new hotel in Washington D.C. ... But after letting the cameras in, his campaign blocked the reporters...

Candace Smith, the ABC News producer who was on pool duty, says she was blocked from accompanying her cameraman. "The fact is Trump didn't allow the official pool to go with him, successfully avoiding answering any questions," she tweeted.

The television pool has a longstanding policy: It does not cover campaign events unless editorial personnel is present. Without a reporter or producer in place, such footage would effectively be an infomercial.

So what did the television pool do? They pulled their cameramen.

Philly Radio: Report...Jon Marks To EXIT WPEN 97.5 FM

Jon Marks

Jon Marks, a co-host on WPEN 97.5 FM The Fanatic’s Mornings with Anthony Gargano, has decided to leave the station after his contract expires on Oct. 20, sources confirmed to the Crossing Broad blog

According to philly.com, Marks, who started as an intern when WPEN first became a sports station in 2005 (as Sports Talk 950 AM), joined Gargano when the former 94.1 WIP host jumped to the Fanatic to launch the station’s first morning show in an attempt to compete with longtime ratings champ Angelo Cataldi of WIP.

Neither Marks nor management at The Fanatic would comment about the pending exit. There is also no indication WIP has tried to recruit Marks for its open afternoon shift vacated by the firing of Josh Innes. Since it’s likely Marks has a non-compete clause, it’s doubtful WIP would be willing to keep the slot vacant throughout the Eagles season.

More belt-tightening expected

In an investor presentation last week, Beasley detailed how it plans to save nearly $1.9 million at its four stations in Philadelphia, which in addition to The Fanatic include WMMR 93.3 FM, WMGK 102.9 FM, and WBEN 95.7 FM. According to the report, the two-step cost-cutting approach will “be driven primarily by headcount as well as compensation/contract expense reductions.”

Phase 1 of Beasley’s plan would involve cuts at the corporate level through the elimination of executive management and duplicative departments, as well as cuts to travel, entertainment expenses and Greater Media’s company newsletter. Phase 2 would be savings realized through lowering health care costs and renegotiating contracts with on-air talent.

Whatever cuts and cost savings come when Beasley takes over will just be the latest cutbacks Greater Media employees have been forced to endure. Ahead of the sale, all four Philadelphia stations were hit with layoffs, with WMMR receiving the brunt of the cuts. Nearly half the positions cut were part-time.

The deal is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2016. Once it’s done, the Philadelphia cluster of stations is expected to account for 19 percent of the combined company’s overall revenue.

SF Radio: J.T. 'The Brick' Joins KGMZ For Local Show

J.T. 'The Brick'

Entercom San Francisco announced Friday the return of a familiar voice to Bay Area sports fans, J.T. “The Brick” to KGMZ 95.7 FM The GAME as weekday host 10am to 12pm PST beginning Monday, September 19th.

“I am excited to welcome J.T. back to the local market and to the 95.7 The GAME family,” said KGMZ Program Director, Don Kollins. “He’s an accomplished radio and television personality with high energy, strong Bay Area ties and stronger opinions. I think he brings appointment listening back to the 10am-12pm time slot.”      

J.T.’s established career includes 6 years as host of the Oakland Raiders pre and post-game radio shows in San Francisco, host of “Behind the Shield” and the “Raiders Report” for Silver and Black Productions on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area as well as numerous guest appearances on FOX, CNBC and MSNBC network television programs.

“I'm beyond excited to connect locally each day with Bay Area sports fans on 95.7 The GAME,” said J.T. “I truly want to thank Don Kollins, Steve DiNardo and Pat Paxton at Entercom for inviting me to be a part of this great sports talk lineup at the flagship station for The Oakland Raiders, The Golden State Warriors and The Oakland A's.”

KGMZ 95.7 FM (6.9 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

J.T. “The Brick” will continue to host his nationally syndicated show with co-host Tomm Looney on FOX Sports Radio which can be heard on approximately 260 affiliates across the country.

Peoria Radio: WNGY Loses Energy For Classic HipHop

Alpha Media/Peoria announced Friday the launch of WNGY G102.3 FM "The Throwback Station"

Previously Energy 102.3, will play your favorite throwbacks like The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Destiny’s Child and many more.

Weekday mornings will kick off with Brooke & Jubal from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM.

Alpha Media SVP/Market Manager, Mike Wild commented on the announcement, “G102.3 will be an extremely fun and exciting station that brings back hits from 10 and 20 years ago when Top 40 was highly rhythm-driven.  It’s music from the period when Urban became Suburban.”

WNGY 102.3 FM (4.1 Kw) Red=Local Coverage

“This is so awesome!!! How cool is it that we get to play artists like Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony!?!?! These are the songs I grew up with and I’m excited to bring them to the Peoria area,” remarked Program Director, Chris “Lucky The DJ” Stewart.

Detroit Radio: Talk Host Wayne Bradley OUT At Talk WFDF

Wayne Bradley

Detroit radio personality Wayne Bradley is off the air at Talk WFDF 910 AM . Bradley, who is African American, is alleging it’s because he’s a supporter of Donald Trump.

“I was put on ‘hiatus’ at 910 am Superstation the weekend Donald J. Trump came to Detroit,” Bradley said in a public Facebook post Thursday. “I have not been allowed back on the air since. We had a great show going, with so much dialogue going with the community. Somebody wanted that dialogue to end. It’s supposed to be a Voice of the Community, not the silencer of voice and opinion.”

The Detroit News reports station owner Kevin Adell said Friday Bradley was fired “for violating corporate policy” and not because of his political stance.

“When I hired Wayne I knew his political views, I knew he was for Trump, it had nothing to do with that,” Adell said. “He violated corporate policy, that’s why he got fired. He was let go for insubordination.”

Bradley on Thursday encouraged his supporters to call the station and listed the phone number of Adell and station manager Dody Johnson. Hours later, he posted again to thank supporters and stated there was “no need to keep calling.”

“Though I am disappointed the show will end on that station, we will back. At least now there is clarification,” Bradley wrote. “Thank You to 910 AM Superstation for the opportunity. I will keep you updated on the next Wayne Bradley Show.”

Adell, who would not elaborate on what corporate policy Bradley violated, said the reason he put Bradley on the air in the first place is because of his views.

NPR's Terry Gross To Be Honored At TWH

Terry Gross

President Obama will honor 24 individuals and organizations next week for works that he says have helped Americans connect and understand each other a little better through the arts and humanities. Among them: Philly radio legend and "Fresh Air" host Terry Gross.

Besides Gross, the honorees to be celebrated at the White House on Sept. 22 will include actors Morgan Freeman and Mel Brooks, as well as author and former Inquirer contributor James McBride.

Gross, 65, a Brooklyn native, was chosen "for her artful probing of the human experience," according to the citation that will be read at the ceremony. "Her patient, persistent questioning in thousands of interviews over four decades has pushed public figures to reveal personal motivations behind extraordinary lives — revealing simple truths that affirm our common humanity."

For more than 40 years, Gross has presided over WHYY's weekday afternoon talk-and-commentary show "Fresh Air",  which reaches a national audience through syndication on NPR. The show is anchored by Gross' chats with A-listers from the arts, show business, journalism, business and politics.

NPR Unveils On-Air Changes

Mornings on NPR will sound a little different, thanks to a cascade of host changes triggered by Renee Montagne's departure as Morning Edition co-host, reports NPR.

Rachel Martin, currently host of Weekend Edition Sunday, will be joining David Greene and Steve Inskeep as co-host on weekday mornings.

Lulu Garcia-Navarro, NPR's South America correspondent, will be picking up the mantle at Weekend Edition Sunday.

And David, currently co-hosting Morning Edition from Washington, D.C., will be moving to the West Coast. He'll be joining All Things Considered co-host Kelly McEvers and newscaster Dwane Brown, who currently work out of NPR West in Culver City, Calif.
Renee has co-hosted Morning Edition from NPR West for a dozen years, arriving at work at midnight to be ready for the first broadcast of the morning drivetime show.

In July, she announced she would be leaving that role to become a special correspondent — and told NPR's Neda Ulaby that she's looking forward to seeing sunsets.

CMA's 'Forever Country' Music Video Stars Unveiled

After 10 days of speculation, the star-studded list of 30 former CMA Award winners in the “Forever Country” music video has been announced.

“The artists who stepped up to participate in this one-of-a-kind project span all five decades of the CMA Awards,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “They represent the heart of this song, the strength of our relationship with the fans, and the future of Country Music.”

“Forever Country” is a fresh take on three Country classics: John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” Denver, Nelson, and Parton are all former CMA Entertainers of the Year.

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the CMA Awards, the biggest music video in Country Music history includes the following CMA Award winners: Alabama, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Brett Eldredge, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Ronnie Milsap, Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Randy Travis, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Trisha Yearwood.

Sarah Trahern

Friday morning, Country radio participated in a global roadblock of the “Forever Country” single, which premiered on hundreds of radio stations simultaneously at 8:30 AM/ET across the United States and in several key international markets. The audio single is now available for digital download and streaming.

#ForeverCountry quickly became a top trending topic on Twitter, while the single skyrocketed to the Top 10 songs on digital retailers, topping the Country sales list.

As part of the U.S. radio roadblock, CMA’s radio partners (except for CBS) launched a “Forever Country” sweepstakes allowing fans to enter for their chance to win the “Ultimate CMA Awards Experience.”

The winner of the sweepstakes will be granted two tickets to “The 50th Annual CMA Awards,” round trip coach airfare to Nashville, two nights of hotel accommodations, the opportunity to walk the CMA Awards Red Carpet, sit in the Red Carpet fan section, present an official CMA Broadcast Award at the pre-broadcast Awards ceremony, and receive a $250 Visa gift card for food and transportation. Fans can learn more and enter to win at ForeverCountry50.com.

While listeners were getting their first listen across the Country radio universe, ABC’s “Good Morning America” announced both the full list of talent for the music video and that a portion of the video will premiere in an exclusive sneak peek during ABC’s popular, live, primetime program “Dancing with the Stars” on Tuesday, Sept. 20. “Good Morning America” debuted a 90 second behind-the-scenes video teaser that will live exclusively on GoodMorningAmerica.com on Yahoo for 24 hours.

Immediately following the sneak peek on “Dancing with the Stars,” fans will be directed to ForeverCountry50.com to see the full-length YouTube version of the music video.

“Forever Country,” the single was produced by CMA Award winner and CMA Board member Shane McAnally and the video was directed by Grammy Award-winning director Joseph Kahn.

Universal Music Group Nashville is exclusively partnering with CMA to market and distribute “Forever Country” worldwide. The song will be available at all digital retail and streaming outlet partners. CMA profits from the sales and streaming of “Forever Country” will benefit music education causes through the CMA Foundation.

“The 50th Annual CMA Awards” will be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and broadcast live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 2 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

September 17 Radio History

In 1931...RCA Victor unveils its new invention, the 33 1/3 rpm long-playing or "LP" record, at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York.

RCA Victor introduced "Program Transcription" discs, as Victor called them, played at 33 1⁄3 rpm and used a somewhat finer and more closely spaced groove than typical 78s. They were to be played with a special "Chromium Orange" chrome-plated steel needle. The 10-inch discs, mostly used for popular and light classical music, were normally pressed in shellac, but the 12-inch discs, mostly used for "serious" classical music, were normally pressed in Victor's new vinyl-based Victrolac compound, which provided a much quieter playing surface. They could hold up to 15 minutes per side. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, performed by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski, was the first 12-inch recording issued.

Unfortunately for Victor, it was downhill from there. Many of the subsequent issues were not new recordings but simply dubs made from existing 78 rpm record sets. The dubs were audibly inferior to the original 78s. Two-speed turntables with the 33 1⁄3 rpm speed were included only on expensive high-end machines, which sold in small numbers, and people were not buying many records of any kind at the time. Overall record sales in the US had crashed from a high of 105.6 million records sold in 1921 to 5.5 million in 1933, because of competition from radio and the effects of the Great Depression.  Few if any new Program Transcriptions were recorded after 1933 and two-speed turntables soon disappeared from consumer products. Except for a few recordings of background music for funeral parlors, the last of the issued titles had been purged from the company's record catalog by the end of the decade. The failure of the new product left RCA Victor with a low opinion of the prospects for any sort of long-playing record, influencing product development decisions during the coming decade.

The new format to lie dormant for years until Columbia revives it in 1948.

Kate Smith

In 1936..the Kate Smith Hour began a decade-long run on CBS radio, presenting weekly a 60-minute mix of music, drama, comedy & human interest.  The show first introduced America to the comedy team of Abbott & Costello, and to the future radio favorite ‘The Aldrich Family.’


In 1964...The Beatles break with established practice and agree to add an extra date to their current US tour after the group is offered a then-record $150,000 by the owner of the Kansas City (Missouri) Athletics to perform a gig in KC's Municipal Stadium. The Beatles cannily add their medley of "Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!" to the setlist, the only time they would play this song in concert in America.

Afterward, their hotel manager sells their unwashed bedsheets to two businessmen from Chicago, who promptly cut them up and sell the pieces for $10 a pop




In 1967...Appearing on CBS-TV's Ed Sullivan Show , the Doors are asked to change the line "Girl, we couldn't get much higher" in their hit "Light My Fire." Lead singer Jim Morrison agrees, then sings the offending words anyway, leading to a lifetime ban from the show.




In 1967...The Who performed on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.  But that's just part of the story.  Drummer Keith Moon rigged his drumset to explode at the conclusion of "My Generation", which he did for every show during the period.  Only this time, the jokester rigged several times the normal amount of explosives, and didn't tell the rest of the group.  The result of the stunt was a massive explosion on stage.  One of Moon's drum cymbals shattered, causing cuts to Moon's leg and arms was cut.  Guitarist Pete Townshend was closest to the blast, which singed his hair.


In 1976...Jay Thomas does first show at WXLO NYC

In 1983...The Hot 100..Michael Sembello remained at #1 with "Maniac" with Billy Joel climbing up with "Tell Her About It".  Men Without Hats were up to #3 with "The Safety Dance" and Bonnie Tyler's great song "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" was going to be a serious factor in the weeks to come.  The rest of the Top 10:  two former 1's--the Eurythmics and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) and "Every Break You Take" from the Police, Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" at #7, Taco with "Puttin' On The Ritz", Air Supply roared up from 15 to 9 with "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" and Asia cracked the Top 10 with "Don't Cry".

In 1983...on the Album Charts...Synchronicity returned to #1 for the Police on the album chart, temporarily derailing Thriller by Michael Jackson.  The Soundtrack to "Flashdance" was third


In 1989...WMCA 570 AM NYC flipped format to religious.

The WMCA Good Guys Meet The Beatles

Throughout the 1960s, WMCA beat other radio stations on most Beatles' promotions, scoring firsts, causing headaches in particular for rival WABC - most notably when Capitol Records printed a photograph of the "Good Guys" line-up - on the back of a limited edition record sleeve for the single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (Side 2: "I Saw Her Standing There"). WMCA's Good Guys were also featured at both of the Beatles' concerts at Shea Stadium, on August 15, 1965 and on August 23, 1966.

WABC responded in different ways, scoring a success during the Beatles' second New York visit in August 1964 - when the band stayed at the Delmonico Hotel, rousing thousands of teenage fans into a frenzy - while broadcasting from one floor above the Beatles' rooms.  WABC later went against its own music policies, promising promoter Sid Bernstein that it would play a new group he was handling before any other New York City radio station - if it could get exclusive access to the Beatles. WABC never added records "out of the box" - but it did for Sid Bernstein when it played The Young Rascals' "I Ain't Going To Eat Out My Heart Anymore" - before other radio stations.

Since WABC knew WMCA already had a relationship with the Beatles, with tapes of the group promoting the station - what could WABC do to achieve the same? In August 1965, WABC came up with what it thought was a brilliant idea - issuing "medals" called "The Order of the All-Americans" - tied to its own DJs.[18] The strategy was to present the medals to each of the Beatles the next time they were in New York. Everything was set.

WABC's Bruce Morrow interview The Beatles August 1965

The goal was to get each Beatle to comment on the "medal" - and then to get each to say the station's call letters, "W-A-B-C." These in turn could be used in station IDs and promotions, etc. - thus matching WMCA's success at getting the Beatles to promote WMCA and its Good Guys. But WABC's plan backfired. The station got its interviews, but none of the band's members would utter WABC's call letters. According to Beatles' historian Bruce Spizer, manager Brian Epstein ordered the Beatles to stop "giving away valuable promotional spots to radio stations for free."


In 1997…Comedian/radio and TV host Red Skelton died of pneumonia at age 84.

Red Skelton

Skelton's first radio appearance on Rudy Vallée's The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour on August 12, 1937. Vallée's program had a talent show segment and those who were searching for stardom were eager to be heard on it. Vallée also booked veteran comic and fellow Indiana native Joe Cook to appear as a guest with Skelton. The two Hoosiers proceeded to trade jokes about their home towns, with Skelton contending to Cook, an Evansville native, that the city was a suburb of Vincennes.

On October 1, 1938, Skelton replaced Red Foley as the host of Avalon Time on NBC; Edna also joined the show's cast, under her maiden name.  She developed a system for working with the show's writers: selecting material from them, adding her own and filing the unused bits and lines for future use; the Skeltons worked on Avalon Time until late 1939.  Skelton's work in films led to a new regular radio show offer; between films, he promoted himself and MGM by appearing without charge at Los Angeles area banquets. A radio advertising agent was a guest at one of his banquet performances and recommended Skelton to one of his clients.

Skelton went on the air with his own radio show, The Raleigh Cigarette Program, on October 7, 1941. The bandleader for the show was Ozzie Nelson; his wife, Harriet, who worked under her maiden name of Hilliard, was the show's vocalist and also worked with Skelton in skits.




In 2011…TV entertainment reporter (E! News Live)/sports reporter (ESPN)/radio show host (WCCO-Minneapolis)/actress Eleanor Mondale, daughter of former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale, died of brain cancer at 51.


In 2012…Fashion model/actress/radio personality (Miss Monitor on the NBC weekend radio series Monitor) Tedi Thurman died at the age of 89.

Tedi Thurman

Tedi Thurman, NBC radio’s Miss Monitor Weather Girl extraordinaire, posing in the '50s as a femme fatale seductress, costumed in a sun hat with batteries hanging off the side so that no one needs miss a word of her double entendre laden weather reporting.  With the tongue in cheek sash reading “Miss Portable Radio,” take that baby with you everywhere!

Her gig on Monitor made her the most recognizable female voice on radio during the 1950s-1960s. Notably, not only does Tedi have one of the most iconic voices in radio history, and her weather girl antics influenced the entire profession.


In 2015…Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton died at the age of 88.

NYC Radio: John R. Gambling Retires From WNYM

John R. Gambling, the last host in the Gambling family dynasty, has decided to retire again.  This time from Salem Media's Group's WNYM 970 AM The Answer, which he has been hosting 11a to 1p during the past 29 months.

John B Gambling

John R w/John A Gambling

Gambling announced his retirement from his radio show this morning. He stated that he’s been dealing with problems recuperating from a broken knee cap that led to his decision to step down.

Gambling started on WNYM in April 2014 after he retired from WOR in December of 2013.

Gambling's Grandfather John B. Gambling started a morning program on WOR in 1925. He was followed by his son John A. Gambling in 1959. He brought his son John R. Gambling to the microphone in 1985 as co-host, and then the solo host starting in 1991. WABC then brought Gambling over in 2000, and he returned to WOR in 2008, where he eventually retired in December of 2013. That retirement ended up being short lived.

Gambling joined his father as co-host of Rambling with Gambling in 1985, and took over as sole host in 1991 after his father's retirement. When WOR ended Rambling with Gambling in 2000 after 75 years on the air, John R. Gambling moved up the dial to WABC, taking over the post-morning-drive 10 a.m. - noon slot. Gambling was fired by WABC on February 29, 2008 in a cost-cutting move.

John R Gambling - 2013

On April 30, 2008, WOR announced the return of John R. Gambling to its air waves in his old morning-drive timeslot starting May 5, 2008.

On December 20, 2013 John R. Gambling did his last morning show on WOR after announcing his retirement from broadcasting. On April 14, 2014 Gambling returned to New York radio on AM 970 weekdays from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Denver Radio: John E. Kage To Program Country KYGO

John E. Kage

After less than ten months in Tampa, Programmer John E. Kage has decided the return to Danver to become Program Director for Bonneville International's Country KYGO 98.5 FM.

He succeeds Eddie Haskell who resigned in August.

Cox Media hired Kage in December 2015 to be Director of Branding for WPOI Hot 101.5 FM, which is locked in battle with iHeartMedia's Top40 WFLX 93.3 FM in Tampa . Kage also oversaw Alternative WSUN 97.1 FM.

Before joining CMG Tampa, Kage was Program Director and Digital Content Director for KQKS/ KS1075 in Denver, Colo.

KYGO 98.5 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

His career accolades include: Marconi CHR Station of the Year 2014; Colorado Broadcaster Award for Best use of New Media 2013; two-time AIR Award Winner as most accurate Hit Picker at Rhythm Radio; Program Director/Digital Content Director/Comedy 103.1 in Denver; Colorado Broadcaster Award for Best Use of New Media 2014; APD, Music Director and afternoon drive host for KSFM in Sacramento, Calif.; afternoon drive, mid-day host and Production Director for KKSS in Albuquerque, N.M.; morning drive host for KCLD in Saint Cloud, Minn.; host of mid days and nights at WKHI in Ocean City, Md.; late nights at KKXL in Grand Forks, N.D. and Producer at KDWB in the Twin Cities, Minn.

Wheeler Ripped For Partisan FCC

Tom Wheeler

Republican Sen. John Thune blasted Federal Communications Commission FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler Thursday for presiding over a more politically partisan regime at the regulatory agency than the last five chairman combined.

During an FCC oversight hearing in the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee — chaired by Thune — the South Dakota senator gave a self-described “hard hitting” opening statement, complete with a chart, counting off more partisan 3-2 votes at the five-commissioner agency during Wheeler’s tenure than the sum total of the last two decades, according to a story at
 valuewalk.com.

“Chairman Wheeler has forced 3-2 votes on party-line items a total of 25 times,” Thune said. “To put that in perspective, in three years under Chairman Wheeler the FCC has seen nearly twice as many partisan votes than in the previous 20 years combined.”

Sen. John Thume

Republican Commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael O’Rielly have repeatedly expressed their dismay with being “shut out” of the deliberative process under Wheeler virtually since the chairman took the reigns of the agency in 2013. During Thursday’s hearing O’Rielly recalled how Democrat Mignon Clyburn was pressured at the last minute to back out of a compromise with Republicans to expand the Lifeline program earlier this year, delaying the commission’s open meeting until Clyburn eventually got back in line with Wheeler’s bloc of Democrats.

Pai recounted how in a strange rule reversal, Wheeler required all of the commissioners to unanimously agree to change decades-old rules barring broadcasters from owning newspapers in the same market, despite a majority of commissioners supporting a change.

Republican lawmakers got at least one concession out of Wheeler without even having to ask, as they had during numerous hearings before, whether Wheeler intended to follow precedent and leave office in January with the exit of the Obama administration.

“As a certain November event approaches and a new administration is on the horizon, this may be my last appearance before this committee,” Wheeler said. “I will cooperate fully with the new administration to assure a smooth transition at the FCC.”

CBS Still Leaving Toward Radio Spinoff..However...

Les Moonves

CBS and Viacom are “not in active discussions” for a potential reunion, Leslie Moonves said on Thursday, adding, “or anything like that.”

“We are a standalone public company,” the broadcast boss continued. “We’re really happy with the hand we are playing.”

According to thewrap.com, Moonves’ comments took place during the Beverly Hills-based Bank of America-Merrill Lynch 2016 Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference. He’ll take the stage next week at the east coast Goldman Sachs version.

The question comes about amid struggles at Viacom, which recently saw Philippe Dauman stepping down as CEO. Meanwhile, CBS continues to surge. Both publicly traded corporations fall under the National Amusements, Inc. umbrella, which is controlled by the Sumner M. Redstone Trust. CBS and Viacom were one company until a 2005 split. Some analysts think it may be time to try that once-winning combination again.

Sumner Redstone and his former protege Dauman have been squabbling all year, both in courtrooms and through the media. Dauman believes that the ailing 93-year-old’s daughter Shari Redstone has been pulling dad’s puppet strings in an epic power play.

In the end, it was the Redstones who won, though Dauman received a pretty sweet severance package. The Viacom board of directors saw a shake-up beyond just the French-born executive, which will probably kill any sale of Paramount Pictures.

Among other highlights of the conversation, Variety reports:

• The decision to delay the premiere of CBS All Access’ marquee original series — “Star Trek: Discovery” — until May came down to the fact that producers Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman felt they needed more time. “I’d rather it be a few months late and great than early and not great,” he said. Moreover, the global licensing deal that CBS struck with Netflix for rights outside the U.S. to “Discovery” and all previous “Star Trek” series was rich enough to ensure that “Discovery” will make a profit from day one.
• Moonves said he expects to be able to cut a deal with the NFL “in the not too distant future” to make CBS’ football telecasts available on the All Access platform (at present they are blacked out). He acknowledged when pressed by Reif-Cohen that CBS’ “Thursday Night Football” package is a break-even proposition for the Eye but he stressed that CBS’ Thursday and Sunday NFL packages together are very profitable. Moreover, football delivers an invaluable ratings and promotional boost. Asked about the potential for rights fees to continue to climb, Moonves was candid. “They’re the 800-pound gorilla. The NFL says ‘jump’ and you say ‘yes sir.'”
• CBS’ local TV and radio stations are cleaning up on political advertising, particularly down-ballot Senate and gubernatorial races. “We are anticipating the best presidential election (cycle) for local ever,” he said.
• CBS’ plan to divest its radio station group is proceeding and leaning toward a spinoff transaction. However, they have had conversations with prospective buyers from the private equity and international side, as well as competing radio groups.

Pandora Lands Deal With Warner Music Group

Pandora Media Inc. has landed a licensing deal with the third of the "big three" music labels Thursday, one of the final steps for the company's planned on-demand streaming service.

The online-radio pioneer announced a direct licensing deal with Warner Music Group on Thursday, two days after announcing similar agreements with Sony Corp.'s SNE, Sony Music and Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group, as well as the independent collective Merlin Network.

The deals, which allow the company to stream music on-demand in the United States, are crucial for Pandora's plans to offer a streaming service similar to Spotify and Apple Music.

Pandora is known for its online-radio offering, but is looking to expand and find greater revenue streams;

Twitter Users Cheer Live NFL Coverage

(Reuters) -- Twitter Inc made a smooth debut with its broadcast of a National Football League game on Thursday, attracting generally positive tweets throughout the matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets.

The CBS live feed marked the first time an NFL game had been broadcast on Twitter and the event quickly began to trend on the social media platform in the United States.

Twitter users on computers and mobile devices were able to see tweet commentary running alongside a video feed that featured the same footage and commentary available on the television broadcast.

"In an Uber watching #TNF [Thursday Night Football] on Twitter," tweeted app developer John Shahidi (@john). "The future is cool so far."

Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams (@DeAngeloRB) tweeted: "Took 5-seconds watching #TNF on [Twitter] to know this is the wave of the future."

Some viewers, however, complained of persistent "buffering" and said that the Twitter video lagged behind the television broadcast. The video on the social media platform at some points was operating on a delay of almost 30 seconds.

"The quality is better than my HD TV, but it being delayed stinks," wrote Twitter user DCBlueStar (@DCBlueStar). "I'll stick to the TV, I reckon."

Available on Twitter's platform worldwide, Thursday's game was the first of 10 that the microblogging site plans to stream as it seeks to make itself a force in mobile video with live events.

Twitter has struggled with user growth and advertising competition, and livestreaming the games gives the social network a new avenue to attract users as it tries to catch up with rivals like Facebook Inc.

.@EricDecker87, @BMarshall & @MattForte22 combine for 300+ yards!

Highlights from the @nyjets trio's big night! 👇 https://t.co/QdP2dceDCL

— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2016

Media experts have said the NFL deal helps cement Twitter’s position as a venue for live video.

Twitter’s arrangement with the NFL comes as sports fans increasingly rely on the internet to watch video at the expense of traditional cable and satellite connections. Many already use Twitter to discuss events as they happen.

The broadcast was also available through Twitter apps on Apple Inc TV globally and on Microsoft Corp Xbox One and Amazon Inc Fire TV in select countries.

The NFL previously livestreamed an October 2015 game on Yahoo.

The New York Jets won Thursday night's game over the Buffalo Bills 37-31.

Trump Mocks The Press For Missing Rally

Donald Trump

Donald Trump has made no secret of his distaste for the mainstream news media, but Thursday was the first time he ever started a speech without them.

NBC News reports Thursday night in New Hampshire, Trump began his rally without dedicated reporters present — then he laughed about it.

"I have really good news for you," Trump said immediately upon taking the stage. "I just heard that the press is stuck on their airplane. They can't get here. I love it.

"So they're trying to get here now. They're gonna be about 30 minutes late," he continued. "They called us and said, 'Could you wait?' I said 'Absolutely not.' Let's get going right? Let's get going, New Hampshire."

The crowd looked back toward the riser with laughter and gleeful expressions, according to reporters who do not travel with the campaign on a campaign-run and organized charter.

Reporters arrived just in time to hear Trump's signature sign off riff about making America safe, strong, and great again. He made no mention of their entrance.

Albany NY Radio: Trump Touts Role In Reducing Trust In Media

Donald Trump

Donald Trump said Thursday morning that he was “really proud” of his role reducing Americans’ trust in media to a historic low, according to Business Insider.

The Republican presidential candidate, speaking to on WGDJ 1300 AM in Albany NY with host Fred Dicker, was referencing a Gallup poll which showed that only 32% of Americans had confidence in the media to “report the news fully, accurately and fairly.”

“The media has openly been dishonest and I look at that poll and I said, ‘Wow.’ Because every speech I talk about it,” Trump said. “And I have tens of thousands of people showing up to these speeches and they are on television. ... And I will tell you that everybody is talking about the dishonest.”

The New York businessman knocked what he characterized as the “total dishonesty” of certain outlets, but seemed to particularly zero in on CNN.

“CNN is unbelievably dishonest,” he said. “They call it the Clinton News Network. It’s like anything she does is fine. I mean it’s the Clinton News — it’s a joke. And that's why their ratings are terrible. So it’s really been amazing.”

Trump added: “I am really proud to say that I think I had a lot to do with that poll number.”

Philly Radio: Donald Jr. Clarifies 'Gas Chamber' Comment

Donald Trump Jr.

Donald Trump Jr. made what critics saw as an apparent allusion to the Holocaust as he accused the news media of propping up Hillary Clinton during an interview Wednesday on Talk WPHT 1210 AM in Philadelphia.

He suggested that if his father, or Republicans generally, had done the things Clinton did, the media would be preparing to gas them, reports philly.com.

“The media has been her number-one surrogate in this,” Trump Jr. said. “Without the media, this wouldn’t even be a contest, but the media has built her up. They’ve let her slide on every indiscrepancy (sic), on every lie, on every DNC game trying to get Bernie Sanders out of the thing. If Republicans were doing that, they’d be warming up the gas chamber right now.”


On Thursday, Trump Jr. told NBC News' Katy Tur the "gas chamber" crack was a reference to capital punishment, and not the Holocaust.

Reuters reports the Anti-Defamation League, which combats anti-Semitism, asked him to retract his statement.

"Trivialization of the Holocaust and gas chambers is NEVER okay," the Anti-Defamation League tweeted.  Nazis used gas chambers during World War Two to kill millions of Jews imprisoned in European concentration camps.

Trump's campaign said the uproar over the comment was another example of bias among the media covering the presidential campaign.

"Don Jr. was clearly referring to capital punishment to make the case that the media continues to take words out of context in order to serve as the propaganda arm of the Hillary Clinton campaign," Trump spokesman Jason Miller said in an email.

Jimmy Fallon Messes With The Donald's Do

Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump made an appearance Thursday on The Tonight Show on NBC.

Host Jimmy Fallon asked if he can tussle Donald Trump's famously controversial hair while the Republican presidential nominee is still a civilian.