March 5 Radio History

In 1927...the Federal Radio Commission held its first meeting.

The FRC existed until its replacement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1934.

The Commission was created to regulate radio use "as the public interest, convenience, or necessity" requires. The Radio Act of 1927 superseded the Radio Act of 1912, which had given regulatory powers over radio communication to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor. The Radio Act of 1912 did not mention broadcasting and limited all private radio

Prior to 1927, radio was regulated by the United States Department of Commerce. Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover played a strong role in shaping radio. His powers were limited by federal court decisions, however; in particular, he was not allowed to deny broadcasting licenses to anyone who wanted one.

Herbert Hoover cira 1930

The result was that many people perceived the airwaves to suffer from "chaos," with too many stations trying to be heard on too few frequencies. Others believed the government simply wanted to control content. (Initially only two frequencies were available for broadcasting with one of these being reserved for "Crop reports and weather forecasts.") After several failed attempts to rectify this situation, Congress finally passed the Radio Act of 1927, which transferred most of the responsibility for radio to a newly created Federal Radio Commission. (Some technical duties remained the responsibility of the Radio Division of the Department of Commerce.)

The five-person FRC was given the power to grant and deny licenses, and to assign frequencies and power levels for each licensee. The Commission was not given any official power of censorship, although programming could not include "obscene, indecent, or profane language." In theory, anything else could be aired. In practice, the Commission could take into consideration programming when renewing licenses, and their ability to take away a broadcaster's license enabled them to control content to some degree.



In 1940...NBC radio’s popular Fibber McGee and Molly comedy show featured the first opening of the door to McGee’s notorious overstuffed and cluttered closet.  The resultant clanging of the contents as they tumbled to the floor (at least as recreated by the sound effects specialists) became a memorable iconic highlight of the OTR era, repeated at intervals throughout the longrunning series.


In 1955...Elvis Presley made yet another appearance on the Shreveport radio show Louisiana Hayride , which is this time also carried over the TV airwaves by local station KWKH, making this Presley's first television appearance.

In 1957...Disc jockey Alan Freed tried to fool the panel on CBS-TV's game show "To Tell The Truth."




In 1958...English pop singer Andy Gibb, brother of The Bee Gees' Gibb brothers, was born. He died of a heart infection on March 10, 1988, just five days after his 30th birthday.




In 1960...Elvis Presley was discharged from the Army after two years of service




In 1963…Country music singers Patsy Cline (Crazy, I Fall To Pieces, She's Got You, Walkin' After Midnight), Cowboy Copas (Alabam) and Hawkshaw Hawkins (Lonesome 7-7203) were killed when their small plane crashed near Camden, Tennessee.

Cline was 30, Copas was 49, and Hawkins was 41.


In 1977...President Jimmy Carter participated in a radio program called “Dial-a-President.” (His official papers refer to the show as “Ask President Carter.”)

The program was the brainchild of Walter Cronkite, who anchored the “CBS Evening News” from 1962 to 1981. After a 20-minute practice session, the president and the anchorman went live on the air. With Cronkite serving as the program’s host, Carter, seated at his desk in the Oval Office, answered questions from callers throughout the country.

More than 9 million calls flooded CBS’s switchboard in New York during the two-hour broadcast. The questions addressed topics ranging from Carter’s decision to pardon Americans who had dodged the draft during the Vietnam War to his support for the pending Panama Canal Treaty. He was also asked why he decided to send his daughter, Amy, to a D.C. public school rather than to enroll her in a private school.

In 2012…John Madigan, whose 60-year journalism career included stints in radio (WBBM-AM, Chicago), television (WBBM-TV, Chicago) and print (Newsweek magazine), died of complications from a stroke at 94.




In 2014…Radio personality (KFI, KHJ, KMPC, KSUR-Los Angeles, KFMB-San Diego, WOKO-Albany, New York)/TV game show host Geoff Edwards died of complications from pneumonia at age 83.

Investors Bet Trump-Fueled Tech Rally Far From Over

By Noel Randewich

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Technology companies have been a driving force behind the U.S. stock market's recent record rally, and despite mounting evidence of stretched valuations the sector remains a top pick for investors expecting a wave of capital expenditures by U.S. corporations.

Corporate tax cuts and reduced regulations planned by President Donald Trump will give companies reason to spend more on cloud computing, factory automation and smart connectivity that will directly benefit Silicon Valley, many on Wall Street believe.

"The tax cuts are going to promote business investment across all industries, and the business investment is largely going to be in technology," said Doug Cote, chief market strategist at Voya Investment Management in New York.

Strong performances from big names including Apple Inc. and Facebook Inc have helped make technology the strongest S&P 500 sector so far this year, surging 10 percent compared to the broader index's 6 percent rise.

In the past month, investors have poured $325 million into to the U.S.-listed Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund, according to ETF.com, which tracks fund flows.

"We may be due for a little bit of a pullback, but we're still buyers on weakness because we like the longer-term outlook over the next two to three years," said Terry Sandven, chief equity strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

The proliferation of smart, connected devices in homes, factories and stores is leading to the collection unprecedented amounts of data and creating demand for more computing power to analyze it.

Spending on cloud computing will grow by 21.5 percent a year through 2020, almost seven times as fast as overall IT spending, according to a recent estimate by market research firm IDC.

PRICIEST OF THE PRICEY

Improved employment and consumer confidence have also been behind investors' optimism about tech, helping offset concerns about lofty valuations.

After an eight-year U.S. stock market rally, nearly all sectors are trading at earnings multiples above their long-term average, but none more so than technology, according to Thomson Reuters Datastream. The tech sector's strong performance has left it trading at 17.9 times expected earnings, compared to its 10-year average of 14.5 times expected earnings.

The S&P tech sector's price-to-earnings multiple has been above its own long-term average for about a year, and during that time the sector has surged about 28 percent.

Tech bulls believe earnings momentum is growing for the sector. S&P 500 tech earnings expanded 12.3 percent in the fourth quarter, more than any other sector, according to Thomson Reuters data. Analysts on average expect 13.6 percent growth for the March quarter.

Recent upbeat quarterly reports and commentary from Broadcom Ltd, Skyworks Solutions Inc and Applied Materials Inc suggest semiconductors are poised for strong growth, said Wedbush trader Joel Kulina.

Micron Technology Inc. jumped 3.5 percent on Friday after raising its 2017 forecast the day before, helped by healthy demand for its memory chips.

"I can't remember a time when we've seen this much excitement," Kulina said. "Semiconductors aren't as cyclical as they used to be, where quarters were driven by PC demand. Now it's automotive, it's data center, industrial automation."

Pandora Stock Surges Amid Sale Speculation

Pandora Media shares surged more than 3 percent Friday on speculation that founder and CEO Tim Westergren might be prepping a sale of the company.

The music-streaming service delayed a deadline for nominating dissident board directors to March 17 from this week — a move some investors interpreted as signaling a possible deal.

Tim Westergren

Shareholder support for a takeover is now so high that BTIG analyst Greenfield predicted in a Thursday research note that, without a sale, CEO Westergren risks losing his board seat at the company’s annual meeting.

Also calling for a sale is Keith Meister of Corvex Management, which owns about 10 percent of Pandora.

Last May, in a blistering letter to the company’s board, the former Carl Icahn protege urged the radio streamer to hire an investment bank to assess takeover interest.

Pandora tried to placate Meister by retaining Centerview Partners to weigh strategic options. Nevertheless, Pandora rejected an informal $15-a-share offer from SiriusXM Radio over the summer.

The stock has since languished below $13, closing Friday at $12.78 even with its bullish bump.

Sirius, with the backing of majority owner Liberty Media, is still considered the most likely partner for Pandora — a deal that would combine Pandora’s 81 million users with Sirius’ automobile-dominant 31.3 million subscribers.

But Liberty Media’s Greg Maffei indicated on Tuesday that no deal was imminent.
“Interesting asset,” he said of Pandora during Liberty’s earnings call. “But not clear the valuation makes sense — full stop.”

Ohio Radio: Former WDJQ Morning Host Loses Legal Battle

Bryan Modzelewski

A former WDJQ Q92.5 FM radio personality has lost a legal battle he launched after the station fired him.

According to indeonline.com,  Bryan Modzelewski, known on air as "Mo," was let go in February 2016. Last summer, he filed a lawsuit against the Alliance-based radio station, arguing that Q92 breached the employment agreement.

The radio station filed a counterclaim that said Modzelewski was fired because he publicly castigated Q92 during a 38-minute diatribe while he neglected to play music, news or commercial segments. Modzelewski made the comments while on the air with two other radio hosts, according to court records filed in the case.

Stark County Common Pleas Court Magistrate Kristen S. Moore issued the ruling in favor of Q92 this week following a non-jury trial held in late January.

Modzelewski's lawsuit had said that his dismissal was "based exclusively upon the defendant's single allegation of 'deceit, dishonesty or wrongful appropriation for personal use or benefit of company property or money.'" Steven Okey, Modzelewski's attorney, said previously that the radio station had not given his client a specific reason for the firing, either verbally or written. The attorney had said that if the station wanted to fire the radio show host without cause, the contract required the station to give him notice or pay. Okey had contended in a news release last June that Q92 failed to do either.

"Mr. Modzelewski's lawsuit against the Q92 team directly challenged one of the most fundamental principles recognized in the workplace: that an employee is obligated to competently perform his or her job, rather than advancing his or own personal agenda at the expense of the employer and fellow employees," said attorney Edmond Mack of Tzangas Plakas Mannos. "Magistrate Kristen Moore's decision confirms this workplace principle, and once again makes clear that an employee's disloyalty toward his or her employer and coworkers will not be tolerated in our community."

The lawsuit sought roughly $36,000, which accounts for about 54 weeks of what Modzelewski said were lost earnings. He also argued in the court filing that he would have been entitled to additional money for lost remote talent fees, bonus compensation, endorsement fees and live broadcast compensation. The lawsuit sought compensatory damages of about $50,000.

Research: Adele Rules Top40, AC Formats

Adele is by far the most popular artist with listeners of hit-based formats Top 40 and Hot AC, according to the Burns/Strategic Solutions national study of women’s media and music behavior, with one in every four women naming her as one of their three favorite artists. The English star won every demo except 15-24s, where she was second to 21 Pilots.

“It’s a pop world,” commented Strategic EVP Hal Rood, “with Top 40 and Hot AC sharing the same top two music styles: current Pop, such as songs like Sia’s ‘Cheap Thrills’, and slightly more pop-rockish hits like Walk the Moon’s ‘Shut Up and Dance.”

The study found that the appeal of EDM-flavored pop songs such as DJ Snake’s “You Know You Like It” varied widely between markets or regions, from a high score (3.9) in the New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas combination to a much lower rating (3.4) in the combination of Dallas, Charlotte, Nashville, and Tampa. “We were also a little surprised by the appeal of 2000s-era gold with Top 40 listeners,” said Burns President and CEO Alan Burns, “which may underscore the general sense that current product wasn’t at its strongest in 2016.”

The study’s “Deep Dive into Top 40 and Hot AC” also found that fun and personalities play vital roles in both formats. “Not only are fun and entertaining personalities important to the two formats’ listeners generally, but they also attract heavier listeners and ratings cooperators, with the added bonus that they are radio’s best assets versus competing media,” said Burns VP Jeff Johnson.

The study surveyed 2000 women 15-54 who cume either Top 40 or Hot AC weekly. Presentation of the data series wraps up next week on Wednesday, March 8 at 2pm EST/11am PST with a Deep Dive into AC and Hot AC. You can register for the free webinar, or download slide decks and recordings of the first three webinars at www.burnsradio.com, or http://www.whatwomenwantstudy.com/. Or register for next week by clicking here.

Arnold Says: 'Hasta la vista, baby'

(Reuters) -- Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Friday he will not be back for another season of NBC's reality show "The Celebrity Apprentice," blaming U.S. President Donald Trump's ongoing role as executive producer for low ratings.

Action movie star Schwarzenegger took over as host of "Celebrity Apprentice" last year. His first season, which premiered in January, has been watched by around 4 million to 5 million viewers.

"Everyone - from the celebrities to the crew to the marketing department - was a straight 10, and I would absolutely work with all of them again on a show that doesn't have this baggage," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

The actor's representative said Schwarzenegger would not be returning for a second season.

NBC, a unit of Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O), did not comment on Schwarzenegger's decision not to return for another season, or the show's future. There was no immediate comment from Trump or the White House on Friday.

Schwarzenegger, a Republican who served two terms as California governor but said he did not vote for Trump as president, told British film magazine Empire in an interview published on Friday that he was leaving the show due to Trump's involvement.

News that Trump will retain an executive producer credit on the show, which usually involves a payment, caused a media furor in December about potential conflicts of interest.

Schwarzenegger told Empire that the show was "a really great opportunity, but "under the circumstances I don't want to do it again."

"When people found out that Trump was still involved as executive producer and was still receiving money from the show, then half the people (started) boycotting it," Schwarzenegger said.

New York businessman Trump, who took office in January after winning November's presidential election, became a household name as the host of "The Apprentice" and "The Celebrity Apprentice" for 14 seasons, where contestants would compete in business challenges.

Trump mocked Schwarzenegger and the 43 percent fall in the coveted 18-to-49-year-old audience for the show's January premiere, sparking a Twitter fight between America's two biggest celebrities-turned-politicians.

"Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got 'swamped' (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT," tweeted Trump.

"I wish you the best of luck and I hope you'll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings," Schwarzenegger tweeted back.

Some 20 million Americans watched the first year of "The Apprentice" but viewership dropped to around 6 million in 2015 for Trump's final episode of "The Celebrity Apprentice."

Augusta GA Radio: WPRW, WKSP Make Morning Show Changes

Two of Augusta's most popular urban radio stations are announcing some lineup changes. WPRW 107.7 FM Power 107 and WKSP 96.3 KissFM are making these changes effective immediately.

WRDW-TV reports The Steve Harvey Morning Show will be moving to 96.3 Kiss FM from Power 107, and will air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. In it's place, nationally-syndicated "The Breakfast Club" will broadcast from 6 to 10 a.m. on Power 107.

"The Breakfast Club" is described as an "iconic NYC urban morning show that brings the hottest urban hits." It is hosted by Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee, and DJ Envy who have had recurring gigs on several MTV and VH1 shows.

Local morning show duo "Fattz & Cher" hosted by Minnesota Fattz and Cher Best will move to the afternoons, and will air their popular show from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on 96.3 Kiss FM.

"iHeartMedia Augusta is committed to providing the Central Savannah River Area with the best in music and radio programming," said Ivy Elam, Market President, "We've noticed growth trends for both Power 107 and 96.3 Kiss FM's audiences, and this is an exciting change for both brands."

iHM Gets Bad Press For Honoring Talk Host Michael Berry

Houston-based and Nationally syndicated talk host Michael Berry, who makes fun of Chicago homicide victims on his show is being honored by his bosses iHeartRadio as the "Talk Personality of the Year."

According to The Chicago Tribune, Texan Berry mocks homicide victims in his regular feature, "Chicago Weekend Crime Report," which includes a shooting victim bingo game in which listeners are supposed to guess where in the body victims were shot.

"He won't have to live with that name anymore," Berry chortled not long after 14-year-old Tyjuan Poindexter was the unintended and blameless victim of a September 2015 drive-by shooting.

Media Matters, a liberal media-monitoring organization that tracks conservative media, wrote about Berry online this week, and provided the Tribune with 10 clips from his shows. Those clips and others found online suggest that riffing on the fatal shootings of Chicagoans, particular African-Americans, is a routine part of the white 46-year-old former Houston council member's shtick. He refers to the segment as his "Butcher's Bill" and has been successful enough to have scored a 2015 interview with President Donald Trump, and to have become the nation's 16th highest-rated radio talker by the trade magazine, Talkers.

Berry last week said on air that he had won the award, saying "to be named the top radio personality in the country is rather humbling." He added that he was grateful to have an employer that gave him "room" and that didn't tell him "this is offensive — I don't like this."

He also tweeted last week that he was "honored to be named top talk radio personality by @iHeartRadio nationally in the 1st award for this. It's a testament to our team and listeners."

Berry will receive his award in a televised ceremony Sunday in Los Angeles.

But Berry and his producer did not respond to calls from the Chicago Tribune this week. Nor did bosses at Berry's Houston station, KTRH 740 AM in Houston, nor did representatives of its parent company, iHeartMedia.

Berry, who has referred to Chicago as "Thuglandia" and makes frequent sarcastic references to a black character he calls "Pookie" and the character's run-ins with the "po-po," has been making Chicago gags for at least a year and a half, accompanied by the "Peter Gunn" theme from "The Blues Brothers."

S-F Radio: KNBR 1050, MLS Earthquakes Ink Deal

Cumulus Media’s KNBR 1050 (KTCT-AM) and the San Jose Earthquakes announce that they have entered into a multi-year agreement, making the all-sports station the new radio flagship of the Bay Area’s MLS team.

KNBR 1050 will broadcast all games plus pre-game and post-game shows on one of the region’s strongest radio signals, and will stream all broadcasts at KNBR.com and through the KNBR app.

Jed Mettee, Executive Vice President, San Jose Earthquakes, said: “We are looking forward to a great partnership with KNBR. KNBR is one of the top sports radio brands in the country and we are happy to be a part of the station’s wide array of entertaining programming. With all the great talk shows and live sports, it is an ideal location for fans to listen to Quakes games.”

Jeremiah Crowe, Program Director of KNBR 1050 and Assistant Program Director of KNBR 680, said: “We couldn’t be more excited about the partnership between these two energized brands. The Quakes are a perfect fit for KNBR 1050’s expanding lineup and their game day experience is second-to-none across the market. We look forward to bringing that experience to the local airwaves and our loyal listeners starting March 4th.”

KTCT 1050 AM (50 KwD, 10 KwN, DA2)

The on-air broadcast team will include Ted Ramey and Joe Cannon. Ramey, who also hosts weekdays 12-3 p.m. PT on KNBR 1050, will serve as the primary play-by-play voice on the radio for the fourth consecutive year, with Cannon as the color analyst for all home broadcasts.

March 4 Radio History

In 1877...Emile Berliner, the man behind so many inventions, came up with a thing called the microphone. The Bell System, run by Alexander Graham Bell, came up with a compact way to put Mr. Berliner’s microphone on a wooden box, with a crank, an earpiece, a cradle hook for the earpiece and some wires, and called it thetelephone.


In 1910...DeForest conducted an experimental Radio broadcast from New York City.

Lee de Forest

Lee de Forest (August 26, 1873 – June 30, 1961) was an American inventor with over 180 patents to his credit. He named himself the "Father of Radio," with this famous quote, "I discovered an Invisible Empire of the Air, intangible, yet solid as granite,".

In 1906 De Forest invented the Audion, the first triode vacuum tube and the first electrical device which could amplify a weak electrical signal and make it stronger. The Audion, and vacuum tubes developed from it, founded the field of electronics and dominated it for 40 years, making radio broadcasting, television, and long-distance telephone service possible, among many other applications. For this reason De Forest has been called one of the fathers of the "electronic age". He is also credited with one of the principal inventions that brought sound to motion pictures.

He was involved in several patent lawsuits, and spent a substantial part of his income from his inventions on legal bills. He had four marriages and 25 companies. He was indicted for mail fraud, but later was acquitted.




In 1925...President Calvin Coolidge was adminstered the oath of office in Washington, DC. as it was was broadcast over the Radio for the first time.


In 1930...“The Redhead”, sportscaster Red Barber, began his radio career on WRUF at the University of Florida in Gainsville. He soon became one of the best known sports voices in America.


In 1935..WOR-AM went to 50 Kw power.

1934 WOR Ad courtesy of Faded Signals

In 1942...teenager Shirley Temple had the starring role as Junior Miss debuted on CBS radio. The show, costing $12,000 a week, was found to be too expensive to produce and ended after 6 months.  But a 1948 version starring Barbara Whiting as Judy Graves stayed on network radio for 5 years.


In 1952...the first seagoing Radio broadcasting station, "Courier", was dedicated by President Harry Truman.


In 1955...the first radio facsimile was transmitted across the continent.


In 1959...The very first Grammy Awards are held in New York City, and the winners, to no one's surprise, have nothing to do with rock and roll, or, sometimes, even the categories they were nominated in: for some reason, the Champs' "Tequila" wins Best R&B Song, but Record of the Year goes to "Volare" by Domenico Modugno, while Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn soundtrack LP wins Album of the Year.


In 1966…In London, the Evening Standard newspaper published an article titled "How Does a Beatle Live? John Lennon Lives Like This." In one small part of the story, Lennon was quoted as saying, "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue that. I'm right and will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus right now. I don't know which will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was alright, but his disciples were thick and ordinary."

The English public didn't raise an eyebrow over his remarks, but they caused controversy and protest in America when they were reprinted later in the U.S. teen magazine DATEbook. Thousands of Beatles records were smashed at mass rallies and some radio stations quit playing their songs altogether in protest. Lennon later apologized, explaining that what he meant was "the way some people carry on, (screaming at their concerts) you'd think we were more popular than Jesus Christ."

In 1982...FCC allows industry to select AM stereo standard

In 2001…Singer (In The Navy, YMCA, Macho Man) Glenn Hughes of the Village People died of lung cancer at the age of 50. He was buried in his leather biker outfit.

In 2004...Clear Channel Communications paid a record $755,000 fine for indecent material aired during broadcasts of the "Bubba The Love Sponge" program. Today, Todd Alan Clem is the host of The Bubba the Love Sponge Show on WBRN 98.7 FM in Tampa as well as online via RadioIO.

Joel A. Spivak

In 2008...Radio program director Fred Horton died at age 56. He was born in Syracuse. In the 80s he hosted the Saturday Night Oldies Party on WYYY Y94 FM. He also worked at WBEE Rochester, NY, Country WGNA Album , WYNY NYC, WRUN 1150 Utica NY.

In 2009…Peter Tork of the Monkees underwent extensive surgery after being diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare, slow-growing form of head and neck cancer. A preliminary biopsy discovered that the cancer had not spread beyond the initial site.

In 2011…Radio and TV host (WPTR, KILT, WPRO-AM/TV, WJAR, KLAC, WCAU-AM/TV, WWDB, KNBR, WRC/WWRC) Joel A. Spivak, one of the pioneers of talk radio, died of cancer at the age of 75.


In 2016…Tennis analyst/National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Famer/Tennis Hall of Famer Arthur Worth "Bud" Collins died at the age of 86.

CNN's Zucker: Our Job Is Gov't Accountability

Attacked on national TV for supposedly serving up "fake news." Shut out of a White House press briefing in retribution. Accused by a new president of "anger and hatred" and serving as the opposition to his administration.

In normal circumstances, news executives might be rushing for cover. In the age of President Trump, CNN President Jeff Zucker is rushing to the barricades, rallying staff and viewers around the banner of quality journalism.

"These are the moves that governments around the world make when they're less sophisticated and want to block the press from doing its job," Zucker told NPR.

Trump Press Coverage Overwhelmingly Negative

There was no press honeymoon for President Trump during his first month in office. The Washington Times reports a meticulous new study by the Media Research Center finds that 88 percent of the broadcast news coverage of Mr. Trump and his team was “hostile” during the first 30 days of office.

The study, which analyzed both tone and content for evening newscasts on ABC, NBC and CBS, found that the “Big Three” networks produced 16 hours of coverage on the new president and his staff. That is over half — 54 percent — of their total coverage for the month.

“Our measure of media tone excludes soundbites from identified partisans, focusing instead on tallying the evaluative statements made by reporters and the nonpartisan talking heads (experts and average citizens) included in their stories,” write Rich Noyes, research director for the conservative press watchdog, and fellow analyst Mike Ciandella.

“In their coverage of Trump’s first month, the networks crowded their stories with quotes from citizens angry about many of his policies, while providing relatively little airtime to Trump supporters.” the pair noted.

“And the networks’ anchors and reporters often injected their own anti-Trump editorial tone into the coverage. ‘It has been a busy day for presidential statements divorced from reality,’ CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley snidely began his February 6 broadcast.

“A new American president is always a big story, but TV news is obsessed with the Trump administration — and not in a good way,” they observed.

The study found that Mr. Trump’s call for a temporary ban on travel from seven specific Middle Eastern nations drew the most negative coverage — over three hours.

Charlotte Radio: Darrin Ariens New Entercom OpsDir

Darrin Arriens

Entercom/Charlotte has announced the appointment of  Darrin Arriens as the cluster's newly-formed Director of Operations post.

The role is part of local group's ongoing leadership and organizational restructuring since its acquisition in early January. Arriens will oversee the company's five Charlotte outlets, including News/Talk WBT 1110 AM & 99.3 FM, Sports WFNZ 610 AM & W273DA 102.5 FM and HotAC WLNK 107.9 FM.

Arriens will also oversee all components of the cluster's day-to-day Programming, while manage the syndication efforts for the Bob and Sheri Network.

"We are focused on maximizing our impact across all of our stations, being the best local marketing solutions partner and continuing to deliver the outstanding content that our fans have come to expect from us," said VP/Market Manager Matt Hanlon. "The move to establish a director of operations role underscores our commitment to being best-in-class. I am thrilled to welcome Darrin to the Entercom Charlotte family."

"I am thrilled to join Entercom Charlotte during this new and exciting time for local Charlotte radio," added Arriens. "I am looking forward to joining the community and being a part of the great work that is happening across our stations."

Previously, Arriens served as a Regional Director of Operations for Citadel Broadcasting, overseeing 55 stations in the Midwest.

NJ Radio: Maryann Morgan Joins WMGQ Morning Show

Maryann Morgan

Beasley Broadcast Group has announced that Maryann Morgan has joined Joel Katz on the morning show at WMGQ Magic 98.3 FM, New Brunswick NJ.

“We are so happy to be waking up Central Jersey every morning!  Well, that is… of course…excluding my Saturdays, my Sundays, my long weekends and my vacation days! ” Joel said, with a smile. “This could be the best morning show ever!  Well, it’s not…but it could be!”

Maryann added, “This is definitely not my first love affair with Magic! Back in the 1990’s, I was the host of Magic’s evening program called the ‘Call-in, Love and Dedication’ show!  Now, I am getting the chance to work with Joel in the early mornings.  So, this is a big change, but you definitely will find out exactly how much we enjoy working with each other.”

Joel and Maryann are busy creating their own, unique morning vibe, with humor and positive energy!  Their daily Impossible Questions, Entertainment Updates, and constant, compelling topics generate plenty of phone calls and interest.

WMGQ 98.3 FN (1.2 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

“I have been pushing for this for a long time and it’s finally here.  We just love Joel and Maryann in the Morning!  I can’t think of a better pair than those two!” said Program Director Debbie Mazella. “It’s a positive, family-friendly and upbeat show that is already on its way to taking the station to new heights. If you listen, you’ll hear what I mean!”

Entravision Promotes Jeffery Liberman to President/COO

Jeffrey Liberman

Entravision Communications Corporation, a diversified media company serving Latino audiences and communities across acculturation levels, today announced that it has promoted Jeffery Liberman to the additional position of President, effective immediately.

As Entravision's President & Chief Operating Officer, Liberman will continue to lead the management and operation of all of Entravision's radio, television and digital media properties, and will continue to report directly to Walter F. Ulloa, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Entravision.

"Jeff has helped grow and lead the company through his service, business insights and commitment ever since joining Entravision almost two decades ago," said Ulloa. "He has been an integral part of our senior executive team in setting our strategic vision and executing on our business plans, in addition to his numerous contributions to serving the Latino community."

"I am excited by this additional role and the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities in the future," said Liberman. "I look forward to working together with our incredible team in developing and implementing new strategic business initiatives and continuing to engage with our advertising partners and our expanding audience."

Jeffery Liberman joined Entravision in 2000 following the company's acquisition of Latin Communications Group. An industry veteran with over forty years of experience and a strong background in Spanish-language media, Liberman has been instrumental in Entravision's success, including expanding the company's media portfolio, overseeing the company's digital initiatives and launching new content initiatives. Liberman has served as Entravision's Chief Operating Officer since 2012.

Spotify Says It Reaches 50M Paid Subscribers

(Reuters) -- Spotify said on Thursday it has reached 50 million paid subscribers, growing 25 percent in less than six months and extending the Swedish music streaming service's lead over its closest rival, Apple Music.

Spotify, which has not yet shown a profit as it spends to grow internationally, is considering a potential U.S. stock market listing, according to a February TechCrunch report.

The Stockholm based company announced a major expansion in New York in February.

Spotify, one of Europe's most highly valued venture-backed startups, will move its New York office to the World Trade Center from the Midtown area of Manhattan, adding more than 1,000 new jobs.

Launched in 2008, Spotify had 40 million paid subscribers in September.

Apple, which launched its music service less than two years ago, had about 20 million subscribers in December.

In 2016, Americans used on demand streaming platforms, such as Spotify, to listen to 431 billion songs, Nielsen said in its U.S. year-end report.

Snap's Shares Pop After Year's Biggest IPO

(Reuters) -- Snap Inc's (SNAP.N) shares ended up 44 percent on their first day of trading as investors flocked to buy into the hottest technology stock offering in three years, overcoming doubts about the loss-making messaging app company's slowing user growth.

The stock closed at $24.48 on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, well above the initial public offering price of $17 per share on Wednesday, giving the company a market value of $28.3 billion, on a par with CBS Corp (CBS.N) and Target Corp (TGT.N).

At one point the stock hit a high of $26.05 and a market value of $29.1 billion.

The owner of Snapchat, an app popular with young people for its disappearing messages, raised $3.4 billion in its IPO on Wednesday, more than the $3 billion Facebook Inc (FB.O) offered to pay for the company in 2013.

With a full greenshoe option to issue more shares likely to be exercised, the company is poised to increase its deal size to $3.9 billion.

That makes it the biggest U.S. technology IPO since Alibaba Group Holding Inc (BABA.N) in 2014, despite the fact that Snap has never made a profit.

Secretive Snap co-founder Evan Spiegel, who usually favors sweats or a button-down shirt, showed up to the floor of the exchange in a suit and tie to ring the opening bell before leaving the building to watch festivities away from the spotlight he famously avoids. He earned $272 million on the offering.

Among the traders on the floor, men and women carried the company's video-camera glasses called Spectacles and stuffed versions of Snap's smiling ghost mascot.

The IPO has tested investor appetite for a social media app that is popular among people under 30 for applying bunny faces and vomiting rainbows onto selfies, but has yet to convert the cool factor into cash.

Despite a nearly seven-fold increase in revenue, Los Angeles-based Snap's net loss widened 38 percent last year to $514.6 million. It faces intense competition from larger rivals such as Facebook's Instagram as it grapples with decelerating user growth.

KEEN HUNGER

Snap launched its shares into a hungry market. The order book was more than 10 times oversubscribed and Snap could have priced the IPO at as much as $19 a share, but the company wanted to focus on securing mutual funds as long-term investors rather than hedge funds looking to quickly sell, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Underwriters often price their IPOs below where they estimate demand in order to maximize the chances of a first-day spike.

Such a pop, though it can be positive for a company's morale, does not ensure long-term success. Shares of social media company Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) surged 93 percent when they first opened on the New York Stock Exchange in 2013, but are now trading at $15.84, down nearly 40 percent from the $26 IPO price and nearly 70 percent from the opening price of $50.09.

The New York Stock Exchange carried out a trial run last week to make sure the third-biggest technology IPO ever went smoothly. Nasdaq Inc (NDAQ.O) received intense criticism for botching Facebook's 2012 IPO when its technology was unprepared for the level of demand for the shares.

Jeffrey Sprecher, chief executive of Intercontinental Exchange Inc (ICE.N), the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, stood in front of the trading post to monitor the hours-long pricing process, emphasizing the importance of the IPO going smoothly.

ANIMAL SPIRITS

Snap's offering was well timed, with investors clamoring for fresh opportunities after 2016 marked the slowest year for tech IPOs since 2008. The broader market has also been buoyed in the months following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, with the benchmark S&P 500 .SPX surging more than 11 percent since the Nov. 8 election, helped by optimism about the Republican administration's domestic proposals, including plans to reform taxes paid by businesses.

The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite all hit record highs on Wednesday.

"The environment is terrific. Animal spirits are running through the streets here," said Stephen Massocca, senior vice president at Wedbush Securities. "What better time to price?”

The launch could encourage debuts by other so-called unicorns, tech startups with private valuations of $1 billion or more.

Investors bought the shares despite them offering no voting power, an unprecedented feature for an IPO at odds with rising concerns about corporate governance from fund managers looking to gain influence over executives.

To justify its relatively high valuation and fend off concerns about slowing user growth, Snap has emphasized how important Snapchat is to its users, how long they spend on the app and the revenue potential of the emerging trend for young people to communicate with video rather than text.

L-A Radio: Kings Sports Voice Bob Miller Retiring

Bob Miller

Los Angeles Kings broadcaster Bob Miller has relinquished his microphone, a reluctant decision but one that was strongly recommended by his doctors to safeguard his health after he underwent quadruple bypass surgery early in 2016, suffered a mini-stroke three months later, and had another stroke in January.

According to KTLA-5, Miller, 78, was in his 44th season calling Kings games. He had cut back his schedule drastically and eliminated travel to games outside Pacific division cities, but even that reduced workload proved too much.

“I don’t want this to be a sad situation. I’ve had a great time working with people and visiting with fans down through the years,” he said at a news conference at Staples Center held in the Chick Hearn Press Room, named for the legendary Lakers announcer and the man who helped Miller get the Kings job.

Miller did say that he wants to do two more games, the Kings’ final games this season, April 8 and April 9, and that will be it.

Tom Hanks Sends TWH Press Corps An Expresso Machine

The White House press corps won’t need to worry about staying caffeinated covering the new administration thanks to a new espresso machine gifted by Tom Hanks yesterday.

Hanks surprised the press corps for the third time in 13 years with an espresso machine and added a note encouraging the journalists to continue their work. “Keep up the good fight for the truth, justice and the American way,” Hanks wrote in a note accompanying the gift. “Especially for the Truth part.”

Hanks first sent the press corps an espresso machine in 2004, when he and his family were visiting the White House. The actor was apparently surprised to find working journalists in the press area without a simple coffee pot and had an espresso machine delivered a short time later.

The actor replaced that machine for the “poor slobs of the Fourth Estate” in March 2010 after noticing the machine looked run down during a stop at the White House.

Report: The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac To Play Festivals

The Eagles will return for the first time since the death last year of founding member Glenn Frey for what is being widely reported as a new bicoastal music festival. The event will also feature Fleetwood Mac and is billed as Classic West and Classic East for the respective West and East Coast editions.

The LA Times is reporting both acts are managed by Azoff MSG Entertainment, but a spokesman for veteran superstar manager Irving Azoff said Thursday that “we are not prepared to release anything officially — this caught us by surprise,” in reference to Billboard’s initial report of the shows.

The magazine said the events are expected to take place in July at Dodger Stadium and at Citi Field in New York.

For the Classic West and East festivals, numerous other acts are expected to be added to the lineups. The return of the Eagles puts an end to speculation about whether the group would continue without Frey, long considered the band’s leader and the chief architect of its signature sound and cofounder with Don Henley.

Since Frey’s death at 67 from a combination of rheumatoid arthritics, ulcerative colitis and pneumonia, pop music pundits have speculated on whether and how the Eagles might continue.

Elton John Charges American Radio is 'Ageist'

Elton John

Is American radio "ageist" in choosing what artists it will play?

That's the charge from Sir Elton John in a new biography about the legendary British singer due out later this month. In the book by Tom Doyle, called Captain Fantastic, the 69-year-old John is quoted as saying, "There comes a point where you have to admit that you're not gonna get played on the radio in America because it's ageist. There's a whole stream of different music come along now. And you have to face up to it."

Although John still tours and his classic songs will get played on stations, the last time new music he put out got extensive airplay in the U.S. was 15 years ago.

HeatStreet noted that Madonna also brought up the ageist charge two years back when BBC Radio 1 in the U.K. wouldn't play her new music. A deejay from the station said at the time: "If you ask a 17-year-old about [Madonna], they go, 'Don't care' . . . It's a sign of the times, things change, it's a generational thing."

Philly Radio: Nathan James New iHM Marketing Director

Nathan James

iHeartMedia/Philadelphia has announced that Nathan James has been named Director of Marketing for Philadelphia.

The iHM cluster includes UrbanAC WDAS 105.3 FM, Top40 WIOQ 102.1 FM Q102, WISX Mix 106.1 FM, Urban WUSL 98.9 FM Power 99, Alternative WRFF 104.5 FM and Smooth Jazz WJJZ 1480 AM / 106.1-HD2.

James will oversee the promotions and digital departments for the area’s stations and will be responsible for building and executing unique revenue opportunities for key advertising partners that leverage iHeartMedia’s extensive product offerings across live broadcasts, events, social media, station contesting, talent appearances and more.

"Nathan has a wealth of experience across iHeartMedia’s vast array of multi-platform products and accels in the marketing field,” said Brian Check, Senior Regional Vice President of Programming. “We are excited to bring him aboard and welcome the fresh, creative ideas he has for both our sales and programming initiatives.”

"I am honored to take on this new challenge and lead these successful brands for years to come,” said James. “History is about to be made in Philly!”

James, a native of Philadelphia, joins iHeartMedia Phiadelphia from sister stations stations in Raleigh, North Carolina and Norfolk, Virginia. He also brings industry experience from Max Media in Norfolk and Entercom in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Orlando Radio: iHM Recruits Bill Reese As VP/Sales

Bill Reese

iHeartMedia/Orlando has announced the appointment of  Bill Reese as VP/Sales.

Reese previously worked for Renda Broadcasting in Jacksonville, FL, for fifteen years, most recently serving as General Manager where he lead the day-to-day operations for sales, programming and engineering. Prior to his radio career, he was the Division Manager for Nabisco Biscuit Company.

"We are very excited about adding Bill to our team," said iHeartMedia Central/North Florida Region Senior VP/Sales Barbara Latham. "Bill has an established track record of performance success, is a great leader and will be a very strong addition to iHeartMedia."

"I'm excited and honored to be joining iHeartMedia," added Reese. "The iHeartMedia team in Orlando is the best of the best and I'm looking forward to being a part of that. This next chapter in my career is going to be very exciting. I can't wait to learn new things and work with a team of professionals that is changing people's lives."

Fired ESPNer Suffers "Stress" Heart Attack

Doug Adler

A former ESPN announcer in the middle of a lawsuit against the company passed along word on Wednesday that he had suffered a heart attack linked to stress from the legal dispute.

According to Fox News, Doug Adler told Fox Sports Radio’s Clay Travis that he was taken to the hospital Tuesday and was still there. Adler said doctors blamed the heart attack on stress stemming from people calling him a racist.

Adler came under fire for a comment on Jan. 18 while he was calling a Venus Williams match at the Australian Open. He described Williams as using the “the guerilla effect” during a play in her match.

“By the way ESPN chose to handle this non-issue, they effectively branded me, my character and my reputation for the rest of my life,” Adler told Fox News last month.

Adler “has lost future opportunities in the sporting and business worlds because no one will hire a ‘racist,’” the lawsuit said. “He has suffered serious emotional distress and harm because he has been falsely accused of being the worst thing imaginable, and something he clearly isn’t and never has been, all over the use of the word ‘guerilla,’ a word that is commonly used in tennis.”


In addition to wrongful termination, Adler is claiming intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress and economic hardship. The suit also names ESPN Senior Vice President Mark Gross and Vice President Jamie Reynolds. It seeks unspecified damages.

Adler claims ESPN and its executives knew he used the word “guerilla” and not “gorilla,” but fired him anyway. He had finished work without a word from his managers following the incident and returned the next day.

Adler was told to apologize on air and he complied. But instead of resuming his broadcasting, he was pulled from the show and fired the next day. He was “told he was done working tennis at ESPN,” the complaint said.

R.I.P.: Longtime D-C Radio Personality Fred Fiske

Fred Fiske, who entertained and informed generations of listeners with a gentlemanly personality and a pleasing tenor voice that he parlayed into the longest-running career in Washington radio history, died March 2 at a hospice center in Columbus, Ohio.

He was 96, according to The Washington Post.  The cause was congestive heart failure.

Fiske’s 64 years behind a radio microphone in Washington began just before the television age dawned, and spanned 12 presidential administrations. He first went on the air in Washington in 1947, when the city had fewer than 10 radio stations. He retired in 2011, when audio programming was delivered via satellites and the Internet.

Fred Fiske 1954

Fred Fiske 1976

Mr. Fiske started as an announcer on WOL-AM and on the national radio version of “Meet the Press” on the Mutual Broadcasting Network. He subsequently became a pop-music disc jockey, nightly talk-show host and political commentator during an almost unbroken stretch that continued until his last commentary aired on WAMU 88.5 FM on Sept. 27, 2011.

WOL, a station with a tiny 250-watt signal, gave him a tryout. He spent 30 years on the station and its successor, WWDC-AM, before moving to WAMU in 1977.

After serving as an Army Air Forces radioman in Europe during World War II, Mr. Fiske found his way to Washington and became a DJ and morning “drive” personality at WWDC, offering light banter and the music of Perry Como, Doris Day and Rosemary Clooney, among others.

He told an assistant to call officials at the Memphis Draft Board, where Presley reported. “This is WWDC in Washington calling,” the assistant said. “Put Elvis Presley on the line.” Apparently thinking “WWDC in Washington” was related to the Department of Defense, Presley’s military superiors complied, and soon Mr. Fiske was chatting on the air with Presley.