November 20 Radio HIstory

In 1907...actress Fran Allison was born in smalltown Iowa. She played the folksy tale-telling Aunt Fanny for decades on ABC/CBC radio’s Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club.  On TV she was a co-star (with Burr Tillstrom & his puppets) on Kukla Fran & Ollie.

She died of bone marrow failure June 13 1989 at age 81

In 1928…WGH-AM in Newport News, Virginia began broadcasting.  The WGH call letters were not used from 9/1/83 to 12/10/84.

The earliest ancestor of WGH Radio was WPAB, granted a license by the Radio Division, Bureau of Navigation, United States Department of Commerce on December 4, 1926.  The licensee was the Radio Corporation of Virginia, who operated the new station for the Park Avenue Baptist Church in Norfolk.  On December 6, 1926, WPAB signed on the air at 1040 kilocycles with a power of 100 watts.  WPAB later became WRCV and broadcast programming mostly of a religious nature.

In January 1927, the Radio Corporation of Virginia put another station on the air, WSEA, which transmitted on the frequency of 1370 kilocycles with a power of 500 watts.  In April 1927 WSEA began broadcasting from the brand new Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach but was dark by the middle of 1928, the Radio Corporation of Virginia having gone bankrupt.  WSEA, however, had one shining moment on June 10, 1927 when Norfolk Mayor S. Heth Tyler became the first American to extend coast to coast radio congratulations to aviator Charles Lindbergh after his successful solo flight from New York to Paris.  Lindbergh heard the message on WSEA as he was passing over the Cape Henry Lighthouse.

Tom Little moved the WSEA allocation to Newport News and changed the call letters to WNEW (signifying its new city of license, Newport News) on August 8, 1928.  Facilities were in the Tidewater Hotel at 2400 Washington Avenue in Newport News.  The studio was on the ground floor, directly behind the front desk and switchboard for the hotel, and the transmitter and antenna were on the top floor.  Shortly thereafter  a new licensee, Hampton Roads Broadcasting Company, changed the frequency  to 1430, and government authorization came through on October 8, 1928.

The WNEW calls lasted for only a few weeks, when they were changed to WGH ("World's Greatest Harbor").  It was also among the first 100 radio stations on the air in the United States.  By 1928, however, the station was gone and the available WGH call letters were requested by Hampton Roads Broadcasting.  An application to the Federal Radio Commission was approved on November 19 of that year and the station began identifying itself as "WGH" the next day.  The abandoned WNEW call letters were later picked up by a Newark, New Jersey radio station on 1130 kilocycles.

In early 1959, a new era was ushered in with a switch to "Top-40" programming under the "Color Radio" banner.  Late 1950's performers included Jim Stanley, Jack Fisher, Lou Nelson, Dick Lamb, Jack Krueger, Frank Drake, Bob Calvert, Dean Collins (who went on to WPGC in Washington as Dean Griffith and later to New York as Dean Anthony, one of the WMCA "Good Guys"), Don Owens, Roger Clark, Bob Calvert's alter ego (and the inspiration for Wolfman Jack) "Baron Bebop", Throckmorton Quiff, and Gene Creasy.  Early newscasters included Ed Meyer, Dick Kidney, Pete Glazer, Bud Buhler and Art Merrill.

By 1960, the station was broadcasting at 5,000 watts from a non-directional daytime tower at the Newport News Small Boat Harbor, switching to the three-tower directional site in Hampton during the evening hours.

1960s on-air performers included George Crawford, Dave Cummins, Bob Calvert, Gene Loving, Keith James, Dick Lamb, Roger Clark (Program Director until 1967), Glenn "The Turtle" Lewis, Russ Spooner, Chuck Adams, Don Robertson, Bob Chesson (Production), Jim Lawrence, John Garry (who was also Program Director from 1967 until 1970, when he left WGH to program WIST-AM in Charlotte), Larry O'Brien, Tom Scott and J.J. Bowman.

In 1929… November 20, 1929…The radio program "The Rise of the Goldbergs," later known as "The Goldbergs," made its debut on the NBC Blue Network. The series continued on radio until 1946. The show's creator/writer/lead actress Gertrude Berg took the show to television – first to CBS, then NBC, the Dumont Network, and syndication – between 1949 and 1956.

In 1938… Father Charles Couglin broadcast the first documented anti-Semitic remarks over U.S. radio.

Father Coughlin

Coughlin began his radio broadcasts in 1926 on station WJR, in response to cross burnings by the Ku Klux Klan on the grounds of his church, giving a weekly hour-long radio program. His program was picked up by CBS four years later for national broadcast. Until the beginning of the Depression, Father Coughlin mainly covered religious topics in his weekly radio addresses, in contrast to the political topics which dominated his radio speeches throughout the 1930s. He reached a very large audience that extended well beyond his own Irish Catholic base.

On November 20, 1938, two weeks after Kristallnacht, Coughlin, referring to the millions of Christians killed by the Communists in Russia, said "Jewish persecution only followed after Christians first were persecuted."  After this speech, some radio stations, including those in New York and Chicago, began refusing to air his speeches without pre-approved scripts; in New York, his programs were cancelled by WINS and WMCA, leaving Coughlin to broadcasting on the Newark part-time station WHBI. On December 18, 1938 thousands of Coughlin's followers picketed the studios of station WMCA in New York City to protest the station's refusal to carry Father Coughlin's broadcasts. A number of protesters made antisemitic statements. The protests continued for several months.


In 1940..The iHeartMedia station now known as WRVE in Albany NY has a much longer history as one of the nation's pioneering FM radio stations. A byproduct of the station being owned by General Electric with similarly pioneering sisters WGY (AM) and WRGB (TV), WRVE traces its history to W2XDA Schenectady and W2XOY New Scotland, New York - two experimental frequency modulation transmitters on 48.5 MHz, which signed on in 1939. The two were merged into one station with the W2XOY call-letters on November 20, 1940 with the station then taking the W57A designation, and finally the long-running WGFM call-letters in the mid-1940s.

The station eventually settled on 99.5 MHz when the FM band was relocated to the 88-108 MHz portion of the radio spectrum.

On June 1, 1961 at 12:01 AM (EDT), WGFM became the first FM station in the United States to broadcast in stereo.

In 1954...when his career as America’s most successful singing cowboy was almost over, Gene Autry appeared for the first time on radio’s “Grand Ole Opry.”

Autry was easily the most popular country singer of the 1930’s and ’40s, with such hits as “Silver Haired Daddy of Mine,” “South of the Border” and “Tweedle-O-Twill.” Autry’s trio of million-selling children’s records — “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Peter Cottontail” — were recorded in the late ’40s.



In 1955...At New York City's Warwick Hotel, Sun Records owner and producer Sam Phillips sells Elvis Presley's contract to RCA for an unheard-of $35,000, at that time the largest amount ever paid to sign a recording artist. Elvis receives $13,500 of the total; Phillips invests his share in a local hotel chain called the Holiday Inn.

In 1959… Disc jockey Alan Freed was fired from New York's WABC 770 AM after refusing to sign a statement saying he had never accepted "payola" or gifts from record labels in exchange for airplay, a move that triggered his eventual downfall.

When Freed was employed by WABC, it was about two years before it evolved into one of America's great Top 40 stations by launching its "Musicradio" format. At this time, WABC (unlike Top40 1010 WINS) was more of a full-service station which began implementing some music programming elements.

Cathy Lewis

In 1961....Billboard reports on the stunning popularity of the "Twist" craze: three separate films, starring Chubby Checker, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, and Dion, are scheduled for production, and New York television station WOR is airing hourly twist lessons of between one and five minutes, also featuring Checker.


In 1968..radio actress and Spokane native Cathy Lewis died of cancer at age 50. Half of “the first couple of radio” (with husband Elliot Lewis) she was featured as Jane Stacy on My Friend Irma on both radio & TV.  She was one of the most oft-used stars on CBS radio’s Suspense series.  When Fibber McGee & Molly came (briefly) to TV, she was cast as Molly.

In 1994… KFWB-AM, Los Angeles' first morning man, Bruce Hayes, died Hayes worked atKFWB, 1958-61; KDAY, 1962; KHJ, 1963-64; KFWB, 1965-67; KFI, 1969.


In 2000...organist Gaylord Carter died of Parkinson’s at age 95.  Born in Wiesbaden Germany, his family moved to the US when he was a child.  He became active in playing music for bigtime radio, notably “Hollywood Hotel”, “The Packard Show”, “The Second Mrs. Burton”, and “Breakfast In Hollywood”. Carter will always be associated in the public mind with “The Amos & Andy Show”.  For seven years on radio he introduced the show by playing its theme, “The Perfect Song”.  After the war he played for both radio & TV, including “Bride & Groom”, “The Big Payoff”, and “The Pinky Lee” TV show.


In 2004…Longtime Toronto radio personality (CFTR, CHUM) Tom Rivers died of cancer at age 57.

American Music Awards Air Sunday

The 2016 American Music Awards are happening LIVE this Sunday, November 20th at 8pm on ABC-TV.

The world’s biggest fan-voted award show will host a variety of performances and celebrate the accomplishments of musicians nominated across many categories.

What can we expect from the show?

Performances from Justin Bieber, James Bay, Fifth Harmony, Lady Gaga, Green Day, Niall Horan, John Legend, Bruno Mars, Shawn Mendes, Twenty One Pilots, The Weeknd. As far as special duets? We’ll see those from The Chainsmokers and Halsey, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj, Maroon 5 with Kendrick Lamar, and “The American Music Award of Merit” honoree and performer Sting.

The nominations for the “2016 American Music Awards” were announced last month, revealing that Drake leads with 13 nominations, while Rihanna received seven and Adele and Justin Bieber received five nominations each. Beyoncé and The Chainsmokers each received four nominations.  Additionally, Bryson Tiller, Twenty One Pilots, Carrie Underwood, Fetty Wap and The Weeknd earned three nominations each.

Click Here for full list of categories and nominees.

CBS Radio to Trade On NYSE As 'CBSR'

CBS Friday filed an updated preliminary prospectus at the SEC for the operation to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CBSR.”

According to deadline.com, the document doesn’t yet disclose how many shares CBS intends to offer, and the pricing for the stock. But the offering will be underwritten by a who’s who of Wall Street bankers including Goldman, Sachs & Co. BofA Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Wells Fargo Securities, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan, and Deutsche Bank Securities.

The radio group has sold $1.46 billion of debt at a 5.25% average interest rate to prepare for the separation from CBS. The TV company probably will use the cash to repurchase its stock.

CBS told analysts early this month that the CBS Radio IPO likely will take place in early 2017, although there’s “a small window of opportunity” to move sooner.

The spin-off should strengthen CBS’ hand as it weighs the possibility of merging with Viacom, about a decade after the companies separated. Both are controlled by Sumner Redstone’s National Amusements, which has asked them to explore options to reunite.

The operation that gave birth to CBS in 1927 now has 117 stations in 26 markets.

Survey: Most Just Want Facts In News Stories

(Reuters) -- Most Americans want the media to present facts in news stories without adding interpretation, a Pew Research Center survey said on Friday amid a debate in the media about its role in covering Donald Trump's unconventional presidential campaign.

Journalists face the issue of how much guidance they should provide to help their audiences make sense of the news. The question is especially keen after the 2016 election when the media grappled with challenging false statements made by Republican Trump in his campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Fifty-nine percent of U.S. adults reject the idea of adding interpretation, saying that the news media should present the facts alone, the survey showed. Four in 10 favored adding some interpretation to the facts.

"Although the public prefers the news media to present 'just the facts,' they may not even agree on what the facts are," Pew said in a statement.

In the same survey, 81 percent of registered voters said that most supporters of Clinton and Trump not only disagreed over plans and policies, but also disagreed on basic facts.

Voters who supported Trump, now the president-elect, favored a "just the facts" approach by 71 percent to 29 percent. Clinton supporters were evenly split on the issue.

The survey showed strong support for fact-checking by the media.

The election campaign saw a proliferation of fake news sites and articles on social media competing with news published by traditional media, although this was not included in the survey.

Eighty-one percent of those who prefer facts without interpretation believe fact-checking is a major or minor responsibility of the news media. Among those who prefer interpretation, 83 percent think fact-checking is a responsibility.

The survey of 4,132 adults was conducted from Sept. 27 to Oct. 10, before Election Day. The margin of error is 2.8 percentage points.

Country Stars Share Holiday Memories During WO Special

Kix Brooks

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with “An American Country Christmas with Kix Brooks.” This Westwood One staple of holiday programming specials features 24 hours of holiday classics as Brooks and special guests share memories, music and holiday traditions.

"An American Country Christmas with Kix Brooks" has become an annual tradition around the holidays. This year Brooks shares music, memories, and traditions with special guests Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Brett Eldredge, Rascal Flatts, Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and more.

Stations can air “An American Country Christmas” from Monday, December 19 through Sunday, December 25 between 6:00 am and 12 Midnight. The show offers up to 24-hours of unique content with a minimum of eight hours required to air.

For more information, contact Donny Walker: dwalker@westwoodone.com (615) 727-6987.

R.I.P.: Longtime Vermont Morning Host Don Mullally

Vermont loses a broadcasting legend.  Don Mullally, who woke-up listeners on WSTJ 1340 AM in St. Johnsburg VT for more than 60-years has died.

He was 88-years-of-age, according to WCAX.com.

Generations of kids remember Don Mullally telling them whether school was closed for snow and reporting from the county fair.

He was on the radio up until three weeks ago when he became sick.

"When I was a child, Don was the person I listened to on the radio. We all wanted to be an announcer like Don. He really was the personification of local radio," said Bruce James of the Vermont Broadcast Group.

November 19 Radio HIstory

In 1919...actor Alan Young was born in England.

He moved to Vancouver at 6, and had his own CBC Radio show by the age of 17.   He got a big break when he was hired as the 1944 summer replacement for Eddie Cantor’s NBC radio show.

He hit the big time in TV as co-star to the talking horse on the Mr. Ed series. He also has done voices for many cartoon characters, notably Scrooge McDuck. Happy 96th Birthday, Mr. Young!


In 1933…Radio talk show host, Larry King was born. He later parlayed his Radio success into a successful television talk show on Cable News Network (CNN).

Larry King

King got his first job in radio in 1957, when the manager of a small station, WAHR (now WMBM) in Miami Beach, hired him to clean up and perform miscellaneous tasks. When one of their announcers quit, they put King on the air. His first broadcast was on May 1, 1957, when he worked as the disc jockey from 9 a.m. to noon. He also did two afternoon newscasts and a sportscast. He was paid $55 a week.

He acquired the name Larry King when the general manager Marshall Simmonds said that his real last name Zeiger was too ethnic and difficult to remember, so Larry chose the surname King, which he got from an ad in The Miami Herald for King's Wholesale Liquor, minutes before air.

He started doing interviews on a mid-morning show for WIOD 610 AM, at Pumpernik's Restaurant in Miami Beach.  He would interview anyone who walked in. His first interview was with a waiter at the restaurant. Two days later, singer Bobby Darin, in Miami for a concert later that day, walked into Pumpernik's as a result of coming across King's show on his radio; Darin became King's first celebrity interview guest.

Larry King circa 1960

His Miami radio show launched him to local stardom. A few years later, in May 1960, he hosted Miami Undercover, airing Sunday nights at 11:30 p.m. on WPST-TV Channel 10 (now WPLG). On the show, he moderated debates on important issues of the time.

King credits his success on local television to the assistance of comedian Jackie Gleason, whose national television variety show was being taped in Miami Beach during this period. "That show really took off because Gleason came to Miami," King said in a 1996 interview he gave when inducted into the Broadcasters' Hall of Fame. "He did that show and stayed all night with me. We stayed till five in the morning. He didn't like the set, so we broke into the general manager's office and changed the set. Gleason changed the set, he changed the lighting, and he became like a mentor of mine."

In 1978, King went national, inheriting the nightly talk show slot on the Mutual Broadcasting System, broadcast coast-to-coast, that had been "Long John" Nebel's until his death, and had been pioneered by Herb Jepko. King's Mutual show developed a devoted audience.

It was broadcast live Monday through Friday from midnight to 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time. King would interview a guest for the first 90 minutes, with callers asking questions that continued the interview for another 90 minutes. At 3 a.m., he would allow callers to discuss any topic they pleased with him, until the end of the program, when he expressed his own political opinions. That segment was called Open Phone America.

The show was successful, starting with relatively few affiliates and eventually growing to more than 500. It ran until 1994. King would occasionally entertain the audience by telling amusing stories from his childhood.

For its final year, the show was moved to afternoons. The afternoon show was eventually given to David Brenner and radio affiliates were given the option of carrying the audio of King's new CNN evening television program. The Westwood One radio simulcast of the CNN show continued until December 31, 2009.


In 1953...After popular singer and heartthrob Julius LaRosa finishes his version of "Manhattan" on today's CBS radio broadcast ofArthur Godfrey Time , host Godfrey says, "Thanks ever so much, Julie. That was Julie's swan song with us..." effectively firing the young singer on air without his prior knowledge.



Godfrey later holds a press conference after the incident becomes a national scandal, claiming that by hiring his own manager, LaRosa had lost his "humility," but several historians claim that Godfrey was actually upset that the singer was beginning to receive more fan mail than the host

In 1954…First mass-market transistor pocket radio introduced, the Regency TR-1. It's a four-transistor radio that operates on a 22.5 volt hearing aid battery and it sold for $49.95--quite a chunk of money for a radio back then.

In 1957…The local chapter of the Elvis Presley fan club picketed Chicago radio station WCFL after it banned Presley's records (before the station flipped to Top 40). Nevertheless, the station did not reverse its policy.

In 1965…ABC radio began a weekly "Vietnam Update" report.

In 1971…Sportscaster Bill Stern, who announced the first remote sports broadcast in the U.S. and the first telecast of a major league baseball game, died at age 64. Bill Stern's Sports newsreel was a show about the way Bill Stern broadcast baseball games from 1937 to 1956. Stern made famous the dramatic pause, the over emotional call and exagerrated words in every sentence.

Bill Stern 1949

Stern began doing radio play-by-play commentary in 1925, when he was hired by a Rochester station, WHAM, to cover football games. Shortly after that, he enrolled at Pennsylvania Military College, graduating in 1930.

NBC hired him in 1937 to host The Colgate Sports Newsreel as well as Friday night boxing on radio. Stern was also one of the first televised boxing commentators.

He broadcast the first televised sporting event, the second game of a baseball doubleheader between Princeton and Columbia at Columbia's Baker Field on May 17, 1939. On September 30, he called the first televised football game.

According to the book Sports on New York Radio by sportscaster and Westwood One executive David J. Halberstam, Stern's remarkable career flourished despite a physical handicap. In 1935, on his way home from a football game in Texas, the car Stern was in got into an accident, injuring him severely enough that his left leg had to be amputated just above the knee.

Some observers consider Stern's style a blueprint in the 1940s for the style of Paul Harvey, ABC Entertainment Network social commentator, who adapted both Stern's newscasting (transforming his Reel One to Page One) and his stories about the famous and odd (to Rest Of The Story), although Stern made no effort to authenticate his stories and, in later years, introduced that segment of his show by saying that they "might be actual, may be mythical, but definitely interesting."  Harvey, on the other hand, said he told only stories he had authenticated in some way.

In 1980…the "Sunday Morning Oldies Show" with Roger Ashby debuted on CHUM-1050 AM in Toronto.


In 1992...songwriter Bobby Russell, the composer of “Little Green Apples,” “Honey” and “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” died in Nicholasville, Kentucky, of heart disease at age 52. “Little Green Apples,” with hit versions by Roger Miller and O-C Smith, won Grammy awards in 1968 for song of the year and best country song. The same year, the Country Music Association voted “Honey,” recorded by Bobby Goldsboro, as song of the year.


In 2004...record producer Terry Melcher, the son of Doris Day, and the force behind hits by the Byrds, Ry Cooder and the Beach Boys, died aged 62 after a long battle with skin cancer. He had co-written ‘Kokomo’ for the Beach Boys, produced ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ for the Byrds, as well as hits for The Mamas and the Papas.

Chicago Radio: James VanOsdol Named P-C-S For WLUP, WKQX

James VanOsdol

Cumulus Media announces that it has promoted Chicago broadcasting professional James VanOsdol to the newly created position of Programming Content Specialist for Chicago radio stations WLUP 97.9 FM The Loop and WKQX 101.1 FM.

In his expanded role, VanOsdol will produce content that increases interaction with the social media channels for WLUP and WKQX.

A seasoned on-air personality, VanOsdol will continue to produce and host Demo 312, the weekly Chicago music show on 101 WKQX. VanOsdol will also continue as a part-time on-air personality on WLUP.

VanOsdol has years of Chicago radio experience going back to the 90’s – both on-air and behind the scenes on WKQX, WGN, WXRT, WZZN, and WTMX.

“JVO” is also a published author of two books and is a successful podcaster.Wade Linder, Operations Manager, Cumulus Media-Chicago said: “James is a well-regarded Chicago radio vet and a perfect fit with our all-star team.”

VanOsdol said: “Like any Chicago kid, I grew up listening to the Loop. It’s an honor to bepart of Chicago's most legendary rock station and I am honored to serve the station andWKQX in this expanded capacity to create exciting content that listeners will enjoy across the stations’ social platform, as well as on-air.

St. Louis Radio: WIL PD Scott Roddy Also Named PD For WARH

Scott Roddy

Hubbard Radio St. Louis has named Scott Roddy as Program Director of Adult Hits WARH 106.5 FM The Arch. Roddy has been the acting PD of The Arch since September.

Although Scott Roddy is already the Program Director for sister station Country WIL 92.3 FM, Hubbard St. Louis Vice President and Market Manager John Kijowski is confident that Roddy can handle the dual role in an official capacity.

“Scott Roddy has done an outstanding job as the acting PD for 106.5 The Arch, successfully performing the daunting task of programming both The Arch and WIL during our Program Director search.”

Kijowski adds, “Scott won this job for his talent, energy, focus, discipline, work ethic and holding others and himself to a high standard of performance.”

Commenting on his new responsibilities, Scott Roddy notes, “The live and local, “entertainment first” philosophy of Hubbard Broadcasting makes this opportunity a programmers dream. After an exciting start with WIL and the exceptional market response to the new ‘Bud and Broadway’ morning show on WIL, the chance to also be a part The Arch team is an honor.”

WARH 106.5 FMN (90 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Roddy continues, “I am humbled and grateful for the support of St. Louis Market Manager John Kijowski, the mentoring from Greg Strassell, and faith of Hubbard Radio’s Ginny Morris, Drew Horowitz, and Dave Bestler.”

Sean Hannity Tops 'Highest Paid TV News Hosts' List

Sean Hannity

Syndicated Radio Host and Fox News Channel Host Sean Hannity is now the highest-earning New Yorker in TV News, according to the New York Observer.

According to the NY Observer, which Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is named publisher, pegs Hannity's earning at $29 million annually.

Hannity now tops the New York Observer’s “Rich List of 2016” for earnings from his daily Fox News opinion show and his afternoon syndicated radio program. Just weeks ago Hannity was knocking ither members of the media as being too wealthy to be in touch with the American electorate.

Matt Lauer of NBC’s “The Today Show” ranked second on the Observer’s "rich list," earning a whopping $22 million annually.

Three other hosts included on the list of 10 highest-paid media elites — Fox News's Bill O’Reilly ranked third with an $18 million salary, Shepard Smith was seventh, making $10 million a year, and “The Kelly File” host Megyn Kelly came in the fifth with earnings between $10 and $12 million.

D/FW Radio: KDGE Airs Holiday Hits Now, MAC After Christmas

iHeartMedia Dallas has announced the debut of KDGE Star 102.1 FM, the new home of Mainstream Adult Contemporary (AC) for Dallas Fort Worth. The station kicked off Thursday at 5 p.m. commercial-free featuring around-the-clock Christmas music through the holiday season.

Shortly after Christmas, Star 102.1 will play hits from major artists like Madonna, Maroon 5, Michael Jackson, and Kelly Clarkson. The full programming lineup will be announced soon.

“We are excited to introduce the New Star 102.1 to our listeners! We believe this format will resonate well with the Dallas/Fort Worth audience and is a great complement to our other stations in the market,” said Patrick Davis, Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Dallas Fort Worth. “While we are kicking off commercial free with Christmas music, we can’t wait to reveal the station’s full programming lineup in the upcoming weeks.”

KDGE 102.1 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Some of the alternative music that previously found a home on The Edge is merging with KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle.

97.1 The Eagle will become Dallas Fort Worth’s official home to all things rock, now featuring music from former Alternative Rock station, The Edge, including hits from artists such as Green Day, Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

W-Palm Radio: Love Doctor Rich Dickerson Sets Retirement

Rich Dickerson

Rich Dickerson, one of Florida's most respected radiotalk show hosts, on Wednesday told his audience of loyal listeners he’s retiring from broadcasting.

“I don’t know if it’s a big announcement or not, and I think everybody has figured it out by now,” he said on the air shortly after 5 p.m. “But I’m retiring. … It’s time.”

Dickerson is expected to retire by Dec. 15, according to the Treasure Coast Palm.

“Dr. Rich,” 66, of Port St. Lucie, is best known as the lead host of Real Radio's "The Love Doctors," who, with co-host Glenn Curtis, fielded tens of thousands of live, unfiltered phone calls from devoted fans while entertaining Treasure Coast and South Florida listeners for more than 25 years.

Also featuring Lea Maresca and producer Dano Russo, "The Love Doctors" airs weekdays from 2 to 7 p.m. on WZZR 94.3 FM and repeated on WCZR 101.7 FM, located in Gifford.

WZZR 94.3 FM (50 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Saying he had a month to go, Dickerson refused to say goodbye to anyone and noted the show will continue after he's retired.

“It certainly is the end of an era,” added Curtis, who said he’s signed a new contract to remain as a host of "The Love Doctors." “It’s the end of an era for my life, too, because Dano and Lea and I will be venturing on and we’ll be taking over and doing the show."

Veteran CBS Newsman Bill Plante Retires

Scott Pelley of CBS News raised a toast to Bill Plante at a packed Mexican restaurant in Washington, D.C. Wednesday after a video snapshot of a remarkable 52-year career.

At 78, he’s covered five consecutive presidencies and worked with nearly a dozen different co-White House correspondents for CBS.

According to Vanity Fair, Lesley Stahl joked that “he’s outlasted about 300 CBS News presidents…and Larry Tisch,” the late long-ago CBS Inc. CEO-billionaire whose tenure is not venerated. He anchored the network’s Sunday evening newscast for seven years.

And Pelley said aptly, “He’s integrity wrapped in talent wrapped in grace.” There were instant “Here, here’s!” when glasses were held high.

It was a multi-generational celebration of a resilient, indefatigable journalist who’s endured in a competitive TV hothouse with grit and collegiality while navigating revolutionary changes that displaced or slowed many of his generation. Throw in some personal and health ups and downs, too, and you’ve also got a tale of individual fortitude.

In Detroit: WDIV’s Lauren Podell Resigns Amid Controversy

Lauren Podell

WDIV-TV4 reporter Lauren Podell has resigned from the station, officials there announced Wednesday, a day after calls for an apology from the station, saying Podell allegedly using a racial slur while off-air this year.

The incident apparently happened back in March but only recently came to light. Detroit activists Rev. W.J. Rideout and Sam Riddle demanded the station take action and called for Podell, 31, to be fired.

Reached Wednesday night, Marla Drutz, vice president and general manager of WDIV, said: “This is a personnel manner and as such, other than confirming her resignation, we have no comment.”

In an email to employees earlier Wednesday, Drutz said Podell’s resignation was effective immediately.

In the email to Ch. 4 staff Wednesday, Drutz wrote that Podell asked her to share a message: “During my time at WDIV I have created many friendships that I will continue to cherish.”

She joined the station as a traffic reporter in December 2007 while an Oakland University student.

In May, she filled in for her father, Doug “Doc of Rock” Podell, on classic rock station WCSX 94.7 FM while the DJ was on vacation.

George Beasley Among Those Inducted Into Nat'l Radio HoF

George Beasley

After more than 50 years of making waves in the radio industry, George G. Beasley has made it into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

The Naples News reports, the chairman and founder of Naples-based Beasley Broadcast Group Inc. and its subsidiary Beasley Media Group Inc. was honored along with the other 2016 inductees Thursday night. This year's list includes Delilah, Steve Harvey, Kidd Kraddick and Neil Rogers.

Beasley, 84, was one of four hall-of-famers the nominating committee chose this year for their "contribution to the industry."

The event was held at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in downtown Chicago — the home of the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Beasley launched his first station in 1961 — a 500-watt AM station — in Benson, North Carolina. He built his company from the ground up, selling his first station for a profit and buying another with a more powerful signal in a larger market.

Beasley has been a pioneer in the business, introducing radio to smaller cities and towns throughout the country after the technology became available to take it beyond larger markets.

Over five decades, Beasley's company continued a strategy of buying underperforming stations in growth markets.

After growing up in their family's radio business, four of Beasley's five children joined the company in the 1970s and '80s, taking on leadership roles. The four of them still work for the company, which now owns 69 stations in 16 markets in the United States.

Beasley Broadcast relocated its corporate headquarters to Naples in 1988.

In November, Caroline Beasley, George's only daughter, was named CEO of the family's radio business. She has served as the interim chief executive since March, stepping into the job after her father took a leave of absence for medical reasons. She will assume the permanent role Jan. 1.

Caroline Beasley accepted the hall-of-fame award for her father.

"This is a very special honor for my dad to be inducted in the National Radio Hall of Fame," she said. "I appreciate the steering committee recognizing his many contributions to the radio industry.  He is very honored and humbled."

left to right, MBC’s Bruce Dumont, Mix Group President Jason Garte, Inductees: Tony Roberts, Delilah, Bob Kingsley, Kathy Hart, Eric Ferguson, Tommy Sablan, Jeff Detrow, Jerry Cesak; and NRHOF Chairman Kraig Kitchin.

The 28th Annual National Radio Hall of Fame class of 2016 induction ceremony was a great success as the best of the best in radio were honored.  As the NRHOF was reviewing this year’s inductees, they made note of the ensemble cast behind the Jeff & Jer Showgram.  They decided to include Tommy Sablan who is a critical element in the success of the show.  Joining Jeff and Jer, Sablan is the first on-air producer to be inducted.  He commented on his opportunity to work on the show over 30 years ago, “I didn’t know what to do, but I did it.”

Bob Kingsley received two standing ovations and congratulatory video messages from Keith Urban and Garth Brooks.  Urban commented, “I feel like part of your family. You make everybody feel like family…thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”  Kingsley choked up when he thanked his wife “with all his heart.”

Delilah received a standing ovation from the crowd, whom she addressed through tears and laughter.  She commented, “Radio has been my passion for as long as I can remember.”

Other highlights included Kidd Kraddick’s daughter Caroline accepting on his behalf,

WO Offering Four AC Christmas Specials

Westwood One has the holiday season wrapped up for stations nationwide! The network is offering four one-hour AC Christmas Specials, available each Saturday from November 26 through December 1, 2016.

• November 26 – Trans-Siberian Orchestra –“Christmas Eve and Other Stories” 

This one-hour special, hosted by Ossie Davis, features the music from “Christmas Eve and Other Stories.”

• December 3 – Train – “Christmas In Tahoe” 

This one-hour special, hosted by Pat Monahan of Train, includes music from Train’s Christmas album, “Christmas in Tahoe.”

• December 10 – Rascal Flatts –“The Greatest Gift of All” 

This one hour, hosted by Rascal Flatts, includes music from the band’s first-ever Christmas album, “The Greatest Gift of All.”

• December 17 – Neil Diamond – “Acoustic Christmas” 

This one-hour special, hosted by Neil Diamond, includes the music from his new Christmas album featuring acoustic renditions of holiday classics along with several original titles.

Each Christmas Special can air on the noted Saturday from 6 am to Midnight.  For more information, contact Neal Bird at nbird@westwoodone.com or (310) 840-2811.

Cumulus' WBAP Donates JFK Assassination Coverage Dallas Museum

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and WBAP 820AM, a Cumulus Media radio station, are pleased to announce the donation of 21 original recordings of the events and coverage on WBAP 820 AM leading up to, including and following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 to the Museum’s collections.

These original “day-of” recordings are key materials documenting how this historic news event was reported to local audiences in 1963.

“The Museum is committed to preserving not only artifacts and documentation about the assassination itself, but also about the cultural legacy of that pivotal event in history,” said NicolaLongford, executive director of The Sixth Floor Museum.

“We are especially excited for this generous donation because it shows the vivid local perspective of this tragic day.”The WBAP 820 AM JFK Assassination Coverage Collection donation was spearheaded by longtime WBAP Operations Manager Tyler Cox, in the interest of preserving history. The recordings will be officially transferred to the Museum on Monday, November 21 at 10:30 a.m.

“The preservation of these original recordings has long been a goal of ours at WBAP,” Cox said.“The Sixth Floor Museum is the logical place for this audio glimpse of life in Dallas/Fort Worth on this fateful day to be preserved, and we’re pleased to make this donation to the Museum.”WBAP’s coverage on November 22, 1963, began with reporting from the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth, including a full broadcast of the president’s remarks from the hotel’s parking lot. It then followed President Kennedy’s entire morning in Fort Worth, including his remarks at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast, demonstrating the excitement and fanfare of the president’s visit to Texas.
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In Dallas, WBAP’s coverage began with the president’s arrival at Love Field and led up to a breathless report from WBAP reporter Bob Welch, who, as he raced behind the presidential caravan to Parkland Memorial Hospital, provided the most immediate coverage following the assassination that is known to exist.“It’s not known for sure, but it’s believed that President Kennedy has been shot,” he reported

“These recordings are a remarkable encapsulation of one of the most significant days in history:one that began with excitement and ‘electricity in the air’ and ended with tragedy and global mourning,” said Longford. “With this incredible donation from our partners at WBAP, we will be able to share them with audiences for many generations to come.

JFK, Mrs. Kebnnedy, TX Governor John Connally

(Editor's Note: In 1963 WBAP was sharing time with WFAA at 570 AM (5 Kw) and 820 AM (50 Kw). Part one of the following audio begains while wBAP was transmitting on 570 AM).

November 18 Radio History

In 1951…The newsmagazine and documentary series "See It Now," hosted by Edward R. Murrow and created by Murrow and Fred W. Friendly, began its 6½-year run on CBS-TV. The show was an adaptation of radio's "Hear It Now," also produced by Murrow and Friendly.


In 1954…At radio station WGST in Atlanta, Georgia, Ray Charles recorded "I've Got A Woman."





In 1954...ABC radio and T-V banned “Mambo Italiano,” a hit by Rosemary Clooney for so-called “offensive lyrics,” most likely due to the exaggerated Italian vernacular, including the words “goombah” and “gidrool.”

In 1957…At Master Recorders in Hollywood, Ricky Nelson recorded "Stood Up" and "Waitin' In School" with James Burton playing lead guitar on a Nelson session for the first time.

In 1963…The Beatles first appeared on U.S. television in a feature story on NBC-TV's "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" that included a film clip of the band performing in England.

In 1985...Howard Stern debuted on WXRK, New York.

In 1987...CBS Inc. announced that it had agreed to sell its record division to Sony Corp. for approximately $2 billion.


In 1994...the inimitable Cab Calloway died in a Delaware nursing home following a stroke. He was 86.

The big band leader, who became nationally known through radio broadcasts in 1931, had never recovered from a stroke he suffered June 12 at his home. He was best known for his trademark “hi-de-ho” song “Minnie the Moocher.” He was also featured in the movie “The Blues Brothers.” In October of ’94, the month previous, he’d been honored at a White House ceremony by President Clinton for his contribution to the arts.

In 2000...President Bill Clinton conducted his Saturday morning radio address from Hanoi, Vietnam.

In 2004...Howard Stern handed out 500 SIRIUS radios in downtown Manhattan plus 20,000 vouchers for free radios with SIRIUS subscriptions.

CBS Radio Names Fred Bennett VP/GM Traffic Ops, Partnerships

Fred Bennett

CBS RADIO today announces the appointment of Fred Bennett as Vice President and General Manager, Traffic Operations and Partnerships, effective Monday, November 21.

In this newly-created role, Bennett is charged with building an in-house traffic content and sales operation to serve CBS RADIO’s 117 radio stations operating in 26 U.S. markets and corresponding websites. He will report to Scott Herman, Chief Operating Officer, CBS RADIO, and be based in the organization’s New York headquarters.

In addition to leading the effort to further develop the businesses’ operations, Bennett will be working to create a content-specific group – composed of reporters and editors – which will create comprehensive local traffic reports to air on CBS RADIO stations and accompanying online properties. A dedicated sales team will focus on selling sponsorships within and around the traffic reports to regional and local advertisers. Bennett will also oversee CBS RADIO’s relationship with Radiate Media, its new traffic content partner that will supply customized data and also sell national sponsorships within traffic reports. The deal with Radiate Media is scheduled to commence on April 1, 2017.

“Fred’s 20-plus-year background in the traffic business coupled with his experience in radio station sales and management make him uniquely qualified to lead our traffic content and sales operations,” said Herman.

Bennett added, “I’m thrilled to join CBS RADIO and to have the opportunity to build traffic content and sales operations that focus on our audience needs and our advertising partner goals.”

Most recently, Bennett served as the president and chief revenue officer of WKXW NJ 101.5 FM

Prior to that, he was the chief business development officer for Jelli, Inc., the first cloud-based programmatic ad platform for the global radio market. While there, Bennett grew revenue and distribution and established key partnerships for the company. Bennett previously worked at Westwood One where he held a number of roles including president of Metro Television; EVP, Affiliate Sales & Business Operations of Metro Traffic; and SVP, Advertising Sales of Metro Traffic. Earlier in his career, Bennett held various senior level sales and operations positions with WABC, Pamal Broadcasting and Shadow Traffic. He is currently a board member of the International Radio & Television Society.

D/FW Radio: iHM Pushes The Edge Off The Cliff

Longtime Dallas radio home for alternative music KDGE 102.1 The Edge (KDGE) is no more,

iHeartMedia has shut it down after 27 years.

Currently, the station is playing "Closing Time" by Semisonic on repeat, along with a message telling listeners "You can hear the sound of 102.1 The Edge at 97.1 the Eagle. Beginning Thursday at 5:00 you can hear the new 102.1." Another message says "Thanks for 27 great years."

KDGE.iheart.com now redirects visitors to the KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle's website.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram speculates IHM could be trying to still some thunder from rival KLUV 98.7 FM, which is expected to do its traditional switch from classic hits to a Christmas format any day now; the station with the Christmas format tends to rule the Nielsen Audio ratings for a couple of months.

The Edge went on the air at 94.5 FM on June 30, 1989, with a mix of of current music. Elvis Costello, Midnight Oil, the Communards, lots of reggae -- Ziggy Marley [and] Bob Marley, UB40 ... Love and Rockets, the Cure, the new Bob Mould, the Indigo Girls, Caterwaul, Crowded House, Tim Finn.”

Study: Radio '20% More Cost-Effective' At Building Brands

Radiocentre, the trade body for British radio, said its new research, called Radio: The Brand Multiplier, shows how radio advertising "expands a brand’s network of mental associations and increases share of mind for a brand, significantly increasing the effect of brand communication over TV alone".

According to CampaignLive, Radiocentre said it took its inspiration from Australian academic Professor Byron Sharp who has argued in his books How Brands Grow, parts 1 and 2, that brands that spring easily to mind largely determine what we buy and that they must appeal to light buyers to grow.

Independent research agency Differentology tested ads for six consumer goods brands on six groups of 600 people and compared the effect of two TV ads with one TV ad and two audio ads.

While two TV ads helped to boost the average number of times a consumer would consider a brand, one TV ad and two audio ads had an additional 6% benefit, and was about 15% cheaper – making radio more than 20% more cost effective.

Radiocentre added that "multiple radio executions" and "distinctive audio assets" also helped a brand to stand out in audio.

The trade body said it carried out the research to demonstrate to FMCG advertisers that radio is not just a tactical and promotional medium but can also build brands.

Research: Music Passion, Tune-In Occasions Gap Grows

Bridge Ratings has completed its 16th annual progress report of music radio tracking how radio is performing with its music consumers.

They've been doing this report since 2001 in the interest of understanding the relationship between the rate of tune-in to favorite stations and the passion for music by its listeners.

Over the years Bridge Ratings began to see passion and tune-in diverge. It started around 2005-2006.

This created more questions than answers.

“Traditional radio’s music exposure structures no longer align with audience need.”— Dave Van Dyke, President Bridge Ratings

Why are radio listeners – still highly passionate about their favorite type of music – tuning in less to the station that primarily plays that music.

It comes down to knowing what listeners expect and delivering it.

Some radio music formats achieve a better relationship between listener passion for the music and tune-in. Others show an alarming trend that could affect the ability of those formats to recover.

Read more about this analysis in the latest “Navigate the Future” blog by clicking here or go to www.bridgeratings.com and click on the “Navigate the Future” link on the home page.

MA Radio: WAAF Inks Greg Hill To Long-Term Deal

Entercom/Boston has announced that veteran WAAF 107.3 FM morning host Greg Hill has signed a new, long-term contract.

Greg Hill

Hill, who started at the heritage rock station as the promotion coordinator in 1986, has been hosting the Hill-Man Morning Show for 26 consecutive years. This new agreement ensures Hill, partners Lyndon Byers and Danielle Murr, and producer Rob Stevens will anchor the WAAF personality line-up well into the future.

Since day one, Hill says the show has been about finding that element in any topic that everyone can laugh about. "Our job is to minimize the misery our listeners feel when waking up each morning so they have a good laugh by the time they get to work," he said.

Speaking about his new deal, Hill was introspective. "I am honored to work for a company like Entercom that, in this day and age, continues to value the contributions of their employees and was as eager as I was to extend our relationship. The value they put on personality radio is unique in our industry," he said. "I'm still amazed I get to do this every morning, and the fact that I will continue on the same station, in the same market, for more than 30 years is special. I still think there may be some sort of internal error on their part, but I'm hoping they don't figure it out for a while."

WAAF 107.3 FM (9.6 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Entercom New England VP/Market Manager Phil Zachary says he could not envision WAAF without Hill. "WAAF and Greg have been inextricably connected for more than three decades," he said. "Not only does the program deliver leading ratings across multiple New England markets, but Greg is one of the best sales ambassadors we have. If we didn’t get this deal done, I’d be out of work!"