April 16 Radio History

Joan Alexander

➦In 1913...actor Les Tremayne was born in England, but moved to Chicago at age 4. Landing his first radio job in 1930, he went on to appear in scores of serials and shows using a variety of voices and accents, including leads in First Nighter, The Thin Man & The Falcon.  He is believed to have worked on more than 30,000 broadcasts, with as many as 45 radio shows a week in the 30s and 40s. In TV he had recurring roles in One Man’s Family, Ellery Queen, Rin Tin Tin & General Hospital, as well as scores of guest roles.  Late in life he turned to voiceover cartoon work.  He died of heart failure Dec 19, 2003 at age 90.

➦In 1915...actress Joan Alexander was born in St. Paul, Minn. She played Lois Lane on the radio serial The Adventures of Superman (1940-51) for more than 1600 episodes, and Della Street on the CBS radio daytime drama Perry Mason.  On TV she appeared as a regular panelist on the 1951–1955 ABC-TV game show The Name’s the Same.  She died at age 94 due to an intestinal blockage on May 21 2009.




➦In 1935...the highly popular "Fibber McGee & Molly" Radio program was first broadcast.
Episode Titled The Blizzard 1942. Original Air Date Was 01/27/1942.


➦In 1956...the first solar powered radio went on sale.


➦In 1956...ABC Radio debuted “Rhythm Parade,” a a nationally broadcast rock and roll show from the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.




➦In 1962...The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite debuted. Over 18 years, Cronkite became known as "The Most Trusted Man in America."


➦In 1987...the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) sternly warned U.S. radio stations to watch the use of indecent language on the airwaves. This was directed at shock jocks, like Howard Stern, and those on your neighborhood radio station. Some stations, the FCC noted, had gone way beyond the seven dirty words made famous by comedian George Carlin in a routine from the early 1970s.


➦In 1997...the Howard Stern Radio Show debuted on WRQC-FM in Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota.


➦In 1999…Pittsburgh radio personality (KDKA)/actor/cartoon voicist Rege Cordic died of brain cancer at the age of 72.

Rege Cordic

Cordic was born in the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh and attended Central Catholic High School. He started in radio as a staff announcer and substitute sportscaster at WWSW-AM. When morning host Davey Tyson left the station in 1948, Cordic was one of a number of staffers given the opportunity to replace him. At first a straightforward announcer, Cordic began introducing comedy to his program—first in subtle ways, such as reading a sports score for "East Overshoe University" along with the real scores, and later by adding a repertory company of supporting comic characters. The morning show, renamed "Cordic & Company," became the most popular in Pittsburgh.

In 1954, "Cordic & Company" moved to KDKA-AM on Labor Day, one of the first times that an American radio station had hired a major personality directly from a local competitor. Popular Bette Smiley had decided to retire from her full-time KDKA wake-up show "Radio Gift Shoppe of the Air" and move to a Sunday-only condensed version on WCAE in August 1954 in order to raise her young son Robbie. Cordic's immediate predecessor in the morning slot was the "Ed and Rainbow" show, featuring Ed Schaughency with Elmer Waltman cast in the role of Rainbow, the janitor. Waltman was dropped, and Schaughency was moved to the afternoon with a show called "Schaughency's Record Cabinet."



Schaughency lasted less than two years in that role before he was replaced by Art Pallan, who also came over from WWSW. Schaughency took on a new role as a news reader and moved back to mornings, delivering the newscasts during "Cordic & Company." The Cordic show's ratings continued to grow until, at some points, it had an 85 share—meaning that 85% of all radios in Pittsburgh were tuned to "Cordic & Company" while it was on. By the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh, Cordic was reportedly earning $100,000 a year, a huge sum for a radio host at the time.



One of Cordic's most memorable running gags at both WWSW and KDKA were fake advertisements for "Olde Frothingslosh", "the pale stale ale with the foam on the bottom." The beer was supposedly brewed by Sir Reginald Frothingslosh at Upper Crudney-on-the-Thames. In 1955, Pittsburgh Brewing Company began issuing special Christmas-season cans and bottles of Olde Frothingslosh filled with real beer. Since the Cordic ad read "The foam is on the bottom", the bottles & cans were packed upside down in the cases. The humorous labels changed every year and became favorites of collectors. The brewery (as well as a few other small local Pittsburgh breweries such as Tech Beer) released new editions of Olde Frothingslosh even after Cordic left Pittsburgh, continuing until 1982 and then reviving the brand in 1998, and more recently in 2007.

In 1965, CBS Radio offered Cordic the morning drive-time spot at KNX-AM in Los Angeles. The spot was being vacated by Bob Crane, who was leaving radio to star in Hogan's Heroes. Cordic accepted the offer in July 1965, but KDKA owner Westinghouse Broadcasting Corporation refused to release Cordic from his contract until it ended in November 1965. KNX's morning ratings dropped precipitously during the four months that the show had no permanent host. They improved somewhat when Cordic arrived, but not enough to offset the drop, and the station switched to an all-news format after 18 months with Cordic as the morning host. The flair for Pittsburgh-centered satire, it seems, was difficult for Cordic to import to the more sophisticated Los Angeles radio market, despite the successes of similar personalities like Jim Hawthorne.

Cordic, still being paid for the remaining time under his KNX contract, studied acting, and began getting television roles. He first appeared on television in The Monkees in 1967 and The Flying Nun in 1968. He had small parts in a few films, but was primarily a television actor. Over the years, he appeared several times on Gunsmoke, and also had roles in Kung Fu, Nichols, Columbo, Barnaby Jones, The Waltons, and McCloud, among many others. From the late 1970s until 1991, he was heard in cartoon voice roles, starting with The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour in 1976, and also including Jabberjaw, Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Transformers, and a voice part in the 1977 animated film The Mouse and His Child. While he lived in Los Angeles, Cordic would regularly fly back to Pittsburgh to tape segments for WTAE-TV's Sunday Afternoon Movie. Cordic had an uncredited part, as a featured party guest in Woody Allen's 1973 movie, "Sleeper."

Cordic returned to morning radio for a brief time in late 1981, taking over at oldies station KRLA/Pasadena. He signed on for a year, but left the job after just four months. He spent the rest of his career in the lucrative voiceover field, lending his voice to many national commercials.


➦In 2005...NRSC adopts NRSC-4 (United States RBDS) and NRSC-5 (United Sates IBOC) standards


➦In 2013…former NFL placekicker and sportscaster Pat Summerall, the lead play-by-play voice of NFL football for first CBS, then Fox and ESPN, suffered cardiac arrest and died at age 82.

Boston TV Drops 'Fox" From News Branding

Fox News, powered by its strong conservative bent, is the most popular national cable news network. But in liberal Greater Boston, the brand has become a liability for the local Fox affiliate.

The Boston Globe reports that Cox Media's WFXT (Channel 25) said Thursday it is changing the name of its local “Fox 25 News” newscast to “Boston 25 News.”

The station will still broadcast Fox shows and refer to itself as Fox 25 in most cases, including on its building signs and on-screen visuals during non-news broadcasts. But “Fox” will come out of the name of the newscast, which is locally produced and independent from the cable network, starting April 24.

The change comes amid lagging ratings and after station research dating back more than two years found that 41 percent of Boston-area news consumers believed the local Fox 25 newscast leaned conservative.

WFXT general manager Tom Raponi said he believes the station has produced impartial local journalism in recent years.  Raponi attributes the conservative perception among viewers to Fox News’s national reputation — a problem compounded by an increasingly polarized political climate.

“The perception of what our TV news station does is not what we do. They perceive us to be part of the Fox News family,” Raponi said. The Fox 25 News brand, he said, “wasn’t built for this environment.”

The rebranding decision was made locally, and other Cox stations with Fox affiliations — in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Florida — are not taking similar action.

Fox News did not respond to a request for comment.

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Report: O’Reilly’s Behavior Helped Drive Megyn Kelly Out at Fox

Last fall, in the weeks after 21st Century Fox struck settlements with two women who said that Bill O’Reilly had sexually harassed them, the Fox News host went on morning television and offered a harsh assessment of women who had come forward with complaints about the network.

“Look, it’s open season,” he said, visibly irritated, when asked about a recently published book by Megyn Kelly, his colleague at the time. In the book, Kelly provided an account of being sexually harassed by Roger Ailes, the network’s former chairman. Later Mr. O’Reilly added, “Let’s whack the Fox News Channel. I’ve had enough of it. It’s a good place to work. All right?”

According to The NY Times, the comments set off a media firestorm and frustrated Kelly, who sent an email to Fox News executives complaining about his behavior and the chilling effect it could have on women at the company and beyond, according to four people with knowledge of the email who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.

Despite Kelly’s complaint, O’Reilly delivered a second public scolding on the program that night.

“If you don’t like what’s happening in the workplace, go to human resources or leave,” he said.

That experience, along with a deep skepticism about whether the network was truly committed to changing its culture after Mr. Ailes was forced out, was a factor in Ms. Kelly’s decision to leave Fox News for a new role at NBC News, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Her departure was a major blow to Fox News. Ms. Kelly was viewed as the network’s star of the future, and the Murdoch family, which controls 21st Century Fox, Fox News’s parent company, was prepared to pay her more than $20 million a year.

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Entercom CEO: "Stay Focused"

David Fields

“We are creating a truly preeminent radio company with an extraordinary platform of the industry’s best local brands, personalities, content and marketing solutions covering virtually all of the nation’s top 50 markets," so writes Entercom CEO David Field.

In a memo to the troops, Fields adds, "The new Entercom will be a leading local media and entertainment company with strong positions in radio, digital, events, news, sports, music and entertainment.  With close to $2 billion in annual sales, a value of over $4 billion, and a very strong financial position, we will have the scale and resources to compete aggressively with other media for a significantly larger share of advertising dollars…"

For now, Entercom and CBS Radio are operating as separate and independent companies and it is business as usual.

 Fields urges, "We ask that you stay focused on delivering great content to our listeners and providing the best media and marketing solutions to our advertisers.  With every passing day, I become even more excited about this combination and the opportunities it will create for our listeners, customers, shareholders, the radio industry, and most importantly, our outstanding team. As this process continues, we will do our best to keep you informed, providing you with periodic updates when we are able to do so. As always, thank you for your continued hard work, dedication and leadership.”

Poll: Trump Surveillance Went Too Far

More than a month has passed since President Donald Trump first claimed he and his associates were wiretapped by the U.S. government at Trump Tower last year. And despite no evidence to corroborate the allegation, many voters say the Obama administration went too far in monitoring intelligence information that may have included members of Trump’s transition team, according to The Morning Consult.

Half of registered voters in a Morning Consult/POLITICO survey, conducted April 6 through April 9, said the previous administration was excessive in its intelligence monitoring of Trump’s team, while 33 percent disagreed.

Susan Rice

Republicans, at 78 percent, were the most likely to say the Obama administration went too far, while a plurality (42 percent) of independents and 31 percent of Democrats agreed.

Since making his initial wiretapping claim, which FBI Director James Comey said on March 20 is not supported by any evidence, Trump has revised his accusation. In a Fox Business interview that aired April 12, the president said his original March 4 tweet on the subject was referring to surveillance practices in the Obama administration — particularly actions by former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, whom he accused of committing a crime in an April 5 interview with The New York Times.

“When you look at Susan Rice and what’s going on, and so many people are coming up to me and apologizing now,” Trump said in the Fox interview. “They’re saying, ‘You know, you were right when you said that.’ Perhaps I didn’t know how right I was, because nobody knew the extent of it.”

The allegation against Rice — that she “unmasked” certain members of Trump’s transition team caught up in surveillance by the U.S. intelligence community — has garnered a considerable amount of attention from voters. Sixty-one percent of poll respondents, including 67 percent of Republicans, said they’d heard “a lot” or “some” about allegations of wrongdoing by Rice.

White House Stops Publishing Visitors Logs

By Ayesha Rascoe | PALM BEACH, FLA.

(Reuters) -- The Trump administration will not make public White House visitor logs, the records that detail who has visited President Donald Trump and his staff on official business, his office confirmed, in a departure from a practice that was established under former President Barack Obama.

White House Communications Director Michael Dubke said in a statement on Friday that "the grave national security risks and privacy concerns of the hundreds of thousands of visitors annually" was the reason for keeping the records secret.

Transparency advocates had praised Obama's decision to release the logs, although his administration argued the disclosure was not required by law but instead was voluntary. As a result, Obama's team frequently redacted names from the list of visitors that were released to the public, including celebrities and donors who were sighted on the White House grounds.

The logs offer the most comprehensive look at who has access to the president and his team. Examining the logs provides insight into which interests are lobbying the White House and who may have more influence in the administration. Trump has continued the Obama policy of not allowing administration staffers to become lobbyists after leaving their government job, a rule that carries no enforcement mechanism and that they have already waived for one staffer.

The announcement that the logs would remain secret quickly drew criticism from watchdog groups.

"Elected officials work for the people and we deserve to see government business conducted in transparent daylight," Faiz Shakir, political director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. "The only reasonable conclusion is to believe the Trump administration has many things it is trying to hide."During the Obama administration, conservative watchdog groups sued the Secret Service, which maintains the records, in an attempt to make unredacted copies publicly available. After Trump took office, a liberal watchdog group has taken over the fight, filing a lawsuit on Monday demanding the records.

Separately, Democrats in Congress have filed legislation to force the administration to release visitor logs from Mar-A-Largo, the president's Palm Beach estate where he has spent most weekends since becoming president. The legislation is unlikely to gain any traction because Republicans control the legislative body.

Facebook Discloses Fake Account Spam-Scam

Facebook announced Friday it has disrupted an extensive fake account scam operation that targeted popular publishers' pages with false "likes" in an attempt to fraudulently gain more Facebook friends the scammers later planned to spam.

According to USAToday, the company has been fighting the spam operation for six months, Shabnam Shaik, a technical program manager at Facebook, wrote in a post on its security blog Friday.

The unknown group behind the effort had created large numbers of fake accounts, which then “liked” the publishers' pages and posted comments on them.

The group behind the activities used “sophisticated means that try to mask the fact that the accounts are part of the same coordinated operation. They used tricks to avoid detection, including redirecting their traffic through ‘proxies’ that disguised their location,” she wrote.

Facebook believes the campaign’s intent was for the fake accounts to deceptively gain new Facebook friend connections by liking and interacting primarily with publishers' pages so that later those friends could be sent spam.

Facebook did not give numbers for how many publishers' sites were targeted by the campaign nor would it say how many fake accounts were tied to the attempt.

USA TODAY was among the publishers impacted by the spammers. Parent-company Gannett executives had previously noticed and flagged the suspicious activity for Facebook.

"USA TODAY NETWORK takes great pride in our journalism and the trust our consumers and advertising partners have in us. Since we first brought this issue to Facebook’s attention, we have been in close communication with them and look forward to a swift solution that prevents this illegitimate activity from happening on our Facebook page in the future," said Maribel Wadsworth, the chief transformation officer of Gannett and USA TODAY NETWORK.

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Facebook Shareholders Want 'Fake News' Threat Report

(Reuters) -- Shareholders have proposed that Facebook Inc. prepare a report on the threat to democracy and free speech from so-called fake news spread on the social media forum, and the dangers it may pose to the company itself, according to a proxy filing made on Friday.

The proposal, which said Facebook had provided "a financial mechanism supporting fabricated content" on the internet, suggests the company review the issue broadly, including the extent to which it blocks fake posts, how its strategies impact free speech and how it evaluates claims in posts.

"Facebook is highly vulnerable, as fake news promoters are spamming their way to visibility for fake news through strategically gaming Facebook’s algorithms and publishing platform," the proposal states.

"In light of the societal crisis generated by the explosion of fake news and related hate speech, failure to effectively manage this issue creates public policy risk," it said.

The issue of fake news came to prominence during the U.S. presidential election last year, when many inaccurate posts were widely shared on Facebook and other social media services. Facebook has said it is tackling the problem.

It already has a program in France to use outside fact-checkers to combat fake news in users' feeds and suspended 30,000 accounts in France on Thursday, ahead of the country's presidential election.

Separately, shareholders also proposed a gender pay equality report be prepared by December.

The proposal recommends the company disclose the percentage pay gap between male and female employees across race and ethnicity, policies taken to address the gap, the methodology used to take those measures, and targets that could be set to reduce the gap.

Facebook's board of directors have recommended a vote against both proposals.

Johnny Stone Named New Host Of 'The Live Ride'

Envision Networks has announced Johnny Stone as the new host of The Live Ride. The weekly show brings listeners two hours of live performances from today’s country stars.  

“Country concerts are a blast to attend,” host Johnny Stone said, “And to bring that and much more to the listeners of The Live Ride each week is a joy and an honor.”

Johnny Stone

After many years broadcasting in New York City, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta, San Diego and now Washington, DC, Johnny Stone is now putting his skills to use on The Live Ride.  He’ll be bringing his passion for country music and experience in the industry to listeners every week.

“Johnny Stone’s boundless energy and enthusiasm are a perfect fit for The Live Ride,” said Envision Networks® Vice President of Programming Michael Lichtstein.  “The winning mix of live country hits with Johnny’s love for all things country will bring listeners back week after week.”

The Live Ride is a two hour radio show that brings a weekly “concert” to country radio, featuring live performances of current and recent chart hits by today’s biggest acts. As a longtime Nashville insider, host Johnny Stone provides the most up-to-date country news, concert information and artist interviews along with the perfect soundtrack for country radio listeners to relive their favorite country concert experiences!

Visit goenvisionnetworks.com for more details or contact Amber Wade at 216-831-3761,

Report: Slacker RIFs Hit 25 Percent

Slacker Radio has axed 25% of its workforce in a dramatic downsizing.

According to Music Business Worldwide, the San Diego-based streaming radio company confirmed the move Thursday, citing its need to “focus on efficiency and accelerate the path towards profitability”.

The news comes three months after loss-making Pandora announced that it was cutting 7% of its staff headcount, with around 100 jobs on the chopping block.

Slacker Radio was launched in 2007 by Dennis Mudd, the ex-CEO of MusicMatch – which was purchased by Yahoo Music and became known as Yahoo! Music Radio.

The company’s current CEO, Duncan Orrell-Jones, said in a statement: “Slacker Radio is laying off approximately 25% of the team as part of our ongoing effort to focus on efficiency and accelerate the path towards profitability.

“Our strategy has always been to innovate in the radio and music space, and we’ve been working hard to develop new experiences that we believe will fulfill the promise of radio reimagined. The Slacker Radio app will not be affected by these changes, nor will several new product releases that are scheduled for later this year.”

In 2013, Slacker was reported to have somewhere between 500,000 and a million paying subscribers in the US, amongst 35m registered users.

In Touch, Blake Shelton Settle Over Report

Blake Shelton was hopping mad when the InTouch magazine claimed he was such a debauched drunk that he urinated in public, ruined his marriage to Miranda Lambert, couldn't do his job on The Voice, and ended up in rehab. So he sued the magazine for defamation.

Now lawyers for Shelton and the magazine have settled the matter, and have asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit filed by the country music star over the cover story that declared he was headed to rehab, according to USAToday.

The filing Thursday in a Los Angeles federal court does not include any details of a settlement. But it says both sides will pay their own costs of the litigation.

Lawyers for Shelton and InTouch and its parent company Bauer Publishing Co. did not immediately return telephone and emailed messages seeking comment.

Shelton sued the tabloid over a September 2015 cover story it published that declared "Rehab for Blake" and included several anecdotes of the singer's alleged drunken antics. It suggested he was such a debauched drunk that he even urinated in public.

Shelton denied the incidents occurred and filed a $2 million lawsuit in October 2015.

T-Mobile Is RMA's 'Radio Marketer Of The Year'

T-Mobile has been selected to receive this year’s “Radio Marketer of the Year” Award to recognize their endeavors over the past year.

The company makes radio a key component in their advertising campaigns and activates programs leveraging radio’s core equities to garner results.  Just a few of the many brand efforts that T-Mobile has activated with radio to use the medium creatively and contextually include:

➦T-Mobile One Talent takeover, a partnership with Katz Radio Group Content integration and promotional activity surrounding the iHeartRadio Music Festival

As part of the overall #MusicFreedom campaign, T-Mobile is an active partner with NextRadio, the app that combines FM broadcast radio with the internet to create an interactive listening experience on all T-Mobile Android devices.

“T-Mobile’s partnership with the radio industry to drive key objectives forward truly sets it apart,” noted Erica Farber, RAB president and CEO, and chair of the Radio Creative Fund. “Broadcast radio is proud to collaborate with T-Mobile on efforts such as the #MusicFreedom campaign, and we welcome their continued innovative thinking and execution.”

T-Mobile will be honored with the Radio Marketer of the Year award at the 2017 Radio Mercury Awards on June 1 at Stage 48, New York City.

Call for Entry remains open until Friday, April 21. 2017 Radio Mercury Awards finalists will be announced in early May.

For more information regarding entry guidelines, category descriptions, entry fees, and deadlines please log onto www.radiomercuryawards.com.

Altice CEO To Be NAB Show Keynoter

The 2017 NAB Show will feature Dexter Goei, president of the board of Altice N.V. and Altice USA chairman and CEO, in a keynote conversation titled “Global Growth and the Future of Media,” Tuesday, April 25, 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. in Las Vegas. The session will focus on how global media companies are emerging as new leaders in the television market.

Through his experience leading the global Altice Group and now running Altice USA, the country’s fourth largest operator of cable telecommunications systems which delivers Optimum and Suddenlink-branded services, Goei will discuss the opportunities global media companies bring to the American television market and how they can serve an increasingly diverse American audience. Attendees will learn how global media companies are affecting decisions about content, products, new technologies and media, while improving and enhancing the customer’s experience.

Dexter Goei

“The whole beauty of NAB Show is that it brings together a diverse range of voices from all sides of the media and entertainment spectrum, and hosting a standout voice in the pay TV sector is a testament to that,” said Chris Brown, NAB executive vice president, Conventions and Business Operations. “To that end, we are very excited to have Dexter Goei – one of cable telecommunications’ greatest leaders – for a keynote discussion on the global growth of media companies at this year’s show.”

Goei is president of the board of Altice N.V., a global cable, fiber, telecommunications, content and media company; and chairman and CEO of Altice USA, a subsidiary of Altice N.V. and one of the largest broadband communications and video services providers in the United States. Goei also leads Altice N.V.’s global M&A-related activities and is responsible for the company’s overall strategic vision and growth in the U.S. He previously joined Altice N.V. as its CEO in 2009, helping lead the company’s development and growth from a French cable operator to a multinational telecommunications operator with fixed and mobile assets across 10 different territories serving 50 million residential and enterprise clients. Prior to joining Altice, Goei spent 15 years in investment banking with JP Morgan and then Morgan Stanley in their Media and Communications Group.

Altice entered the U.S. market with the acquisitions of Suddenlink Communications in 2015 and Cablevision Systems Corporation in 2016, forming Altice USA. Altice USA serves approximately 4.9 million customers across 21 states.

NAB Show To Feature Alexa Boot Camp

The 2017 NAB Show will feature a new program open to all attendees that explores Alexa voice service technology that powers the popular Amazon Echo device. The “Alexa Skill Building Bootcamp” will be held Saturday, April 22 from 12:30-5:00 p.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“Through Alexa’s voice-user interface, consumers are engaging with content in entirely new ways. Audiences can instantly play music, control smart home devices, receive news, weather and other information on a wide range of Alexa-enabled devices,” said NAB Chief Technology Officer Sam Matheny. “Attendees will receive the background and know-how necessary to build experiences that allow their audiences to engage with their content through this emerging platform.”

Designed for software developers and non-developers alike, the “Alexa Skill Building Bootcamp” will provide participants with an in-depth overview of voice-user technology. The program also offers as a take-away the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK.) ASK is a collection of the tools, code samples and application programming interface that enables the technology. Attendees will also gain useful experience in Amazon Web Services and related background applications and systems.

The program is free for NAB Show registrants.

April 15 Radio History

Jim and Marian Jordan

➦In 1898...radio actress Marian Jordan was born in Peoria Illinois. She is  most remembered for portraying  Molly McGee, the patient, common sense, honey-natured wife of Fibber McGee on the NBC radio comedy hit Fibber McGee and Molly from 1935–1959. She starred on this series opposite her real-life husband Jim Jordan.  She died of cancer April 7 1961 at age 62.

➦In 1912…After midnight, two wireless radio operators at Cape Race, Newfoundland heard the last of the RMS Titanic's distress calls.



At 2:27 a.m., the "unsinkable" ocean liner sank in the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg the evening before.

There were 711 survivors. A total of 1,517 people died, of which 328 bodies were recovered. Those too badly damaged or deteriorated were buried at sea, and the remaining 209 were taken to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they were claimed from the morgues or buried over an 11-day period starting May 3.


➦In 1956…Columbia Records music director Mitch Miller, disc jockey Alan Freed, and two psychiatrists appeared on Eric Sevareid's TV program "CBS Sunday News" to discuss the "potentially negative effects of rock 'n' roll on teenagers."


➦In 1970...pioneer record company owner George Goldner died in New York City at 52. Goldner was one of the first to recognize that black groups could score on the pop charts if their records were produced with the white audience in mind. Starting with “Crying in the Chapel” by the Orioles in 1953, Goldner had great success with New York street corner groups. Some of the other acts he recorded included Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Crows and the Chantels. Goldner eventually gambled away most of the fortune he made with his dozen or more record labels.


➦In 1994...In Cleveland, WMMS-FM's Jeff & Flash, & entire station staff, were fired.



WMMS, aka "The Buzzard", ruled the Cleveland airwaves through much of the 1970s and 80s. The morning team of Jeff Kinzbach and Ed "Flash" Ferenc were at the top of the ratings until their departure in 1994.


➦In 2013…In Boston, two bombs exploded near the finish line of the annual Boston Marathon, killing three people and causing injury to more than 260 others, the worst act of terrorism in America since 9/11. Two prime suspects were identified later that day as Chechen brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Tamerlan was shot by police. An unprecedented manhunt led to Dzhokhar's capture on April 19. According to FBI interrogators, Dzhokhar and his brother were motivated by extremist Islamic beliefs, but "were not connected to any known terrorist groups."

Street Talk: Apple, Disney Merger Talk Resurfaces

Variety is reporting Apple could potentially find the cash to pull off a $200 billion-plus takeover of Disney — creating a company worth $1 trillion with “almost limitless opportunities in content and technology.”

That’s according to a speculative analysis from RBC Capital Markets, which in a note to client Thursday said such a colossal tie-up would be contingent on Apple getting tax breaks to “repatriate” overseas cash.

“Recently, investors have increased their expectations that Apple could seriously consider acquiring Disney,” RBC analysts Steven Cahall and Leo Kulp wrote in the note.


A combined Apple-Disney would create an instant competitor to Netflix that would take advantage of the Mouse House’s content and Apple’s user base, the anlaysts speculated. Other benefits: integrating Apple consumer tech as experiences in Disney’s theme parks; and landing global streaming sports rights for ESPN via the combo of Disney-backed BAMTech and Apple distribution and a strong balance sheet.

“Content is a major focus for Apple, target size is not an issue, and Disney offers an avenue to diversify away from hardware without diluting the strong Apple brand,” RBC’s Cahall and Kulp wrote.

The M&A rumor mill got new grist last fall, when Apple chief Tim Cook (pictured above) told analysts that the tech giant was “open to acquisitions of any size.”

RBC gave six reasons why Apple may buy Disney:

1. "Accelerates AAPL's push into services and content."
2. "Instantly leapfrogs Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube in content and resets the lead with content narrative."
3. "AAPL has been unable to replicate its music playbook to video."
4. "Iconic brand — there are few brands that AAPL could acquire that wouldn't dilute its iconic presence and customer relationships; DIS would clearly strengthen (and not dilute) the brand value."
5. "Even using minimal cost synergy, we see the deal being accretive by 15-20 percent."
6. "AAPL has been increasingly looking at larger deals and noted that services is a focus."

Attorney: United Passenger Suffered Concussion, Broken Nose

By Timothy Mclaughlin and Karen Pierog

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The United Airlines passenger dragged from a plane in Chicago in an incident that sparked international outrage and turned into a corporate public relations nightmare suffered a concussion and broken nose and will likely sue, his attorney said on Thursday.

"For a long time airlines, United in particular, have bullied us," Thomas Demetrio told a news conference in Chicago, outlining the potential causes of action they may pursue against United and the city of Chicago.

Dr. David Dao

"Will there be a lawsuit? Yeah, probably."

David Dao, a 69-year-old Vietnamese-American doctor, was hospitalized after Chicago aviation police dragged him from the plane to make space for four crew members on the flight from the city's O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Kentucky.

Demetrio said the law stated that passengers could not be ejected from planes with unreasonable force. Chicago runs the airport and the city's department of aviation employs the three officers who dragged Dao off the plane.

Dao, who was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday night, suffered a significant concussion, a broken nose and lost two front teeth in the incident, and he will need to undergo reconstructive surgery, Demetrio said.

Video of Sunday's incident taken by other passengers and showing Dao being dragged up the plane aisle and with a bloodied mouth circulated rapidly, causing public outrage that was not calmed by the airline's initial response.

Dao's daughter, Crystal Dao Pepper, told the news conference that the family was "horrified, shocked and sickened" by what happened to her father. One of Dao's five children, Pepper, 33, called him a "wonderful father" and "loving grandfather" who had been returning from vacation in California.

Crystal Dao Pepper

"What happened to my dad should have never happened to any human being," she said.

Demetrio said Dao had told him that being dragged down the plane aisle was more terrifying than his experience fleeing Vietnam in 1975.

Demetrio and a second attorney, Stephen Golan, said neither they nor the family had heard from United yet.

United, in a statement, said Munoz and the company "called Dr. Dao on numerous occasions to express our heartfelt and deepest apologies." The company did not say how it would respond to any litigation, or whether the airline would try to settle.

Dao's lawyers filed an emergency request with an Illinois state court on Wednesday to require United Continental Holdings Inc and the City of Chicago to preserve video recordings and other evidence related to the incident, which would be a precursor to a lawsuit.

Other attorneys said state courts are typically more favorable to plaintiffs.

Chicago's law department spokesman Bill McCaffrey declined to comment in an email, citing the pending litigation.

At a later city council aviation committee meeting, Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans said the department was investigating the incident and reviewing its training. Chicago Alderman Michael Zalewski, head of the committee, called the incident a nightmare that should have been avoidable.

United officials at the meeting apologized again and said they were reviewing all related company policies and would complete that process by April 30.

United Vice President John Slater said he was not at liberty to say who called the aviation police, but ruled out the plane's captain. United has no set policy for physically forcing passengers to deboard, he added.

"Chicago employees should not be doing the dirty work for the friendly skies airline," Chicago Alderman Edward Burke said at the meeting, adding Dao's civil rights had been violated.

Evans and United officials said they could not discuss the incident in detail, citing the pending litigation. However, Chicago Department of Aviation policy calls for its officers to not board planes to handle customer service issues, Deputy Commissioner of Security Jeff Redding said.

Oscar Munoz

Several aldermen voiced frustration that Chicago's airport security force was deployed to handle a United problem, making the city a possible litigation target.

United Chief Executive Oscar Munoz is under pressure to contain a torrent of bad publicity and calls to boycott United, including from China, where people have been angered because Dao was an Asian-American passenger.

United shares have lost about 1 percent of their value since Monday. The stock closed down 1.2 percent on Thursday.

Munoz has sought in the last two days to make amends. In a statement on Tuesday he said he "deeply" apologized and was disturbed by what had happened. On Wednesday, he apologized to Dao, his family and United customers in an ABC News interview, saying the company would no longer use law enforcement officers to remove passengers from overbooked flights.

Demetrio called the apology "staged" and a response to the airline executive's earlier comments, which were heavily criticized by many.

In a letter to employees on Monday, Munoz did not apologize to Dao and defended the airline's actions, saying Dao had been "disruptive and belligerent."

Dao was offered $800 for his seat by United but did not want to take it, Demetrio said. Munoz previously said the airline offered up to $1,000.

Dao's wife was told to leave the plane after he was dragged off, Golan said.

AIRPORT POLICE

The city of Chicago, which Demetrio said had also not contacted the attorneys and family, is also potentially involved in any lawsuit because of the officers' involvement.

Chicago's Aviation Department said on Wednesday that two more officers had been placed on paid leave in connection with the incident. One officer was placed on paid leave on Tuesday.

Given the wide public outrage, Dao is in a strong position as he prepares to launch a legal action, lawyers who represent airlines and passengers said.

"United, if they're smart, will quickly and quietly settle the case," said Justin Green, a partner at the law firm Kreindler & Kreindler in New York who represents airline passengers.

FCC: Spectrum Auction Revenue Reaches $19.8B

The Federal Communications Commission has announced the closing of the broadcast incentive auction, which created a first-of-its kind market for repurposing valuable broadcast airwaves for nationwide wireless mobile use.

At $19.8 billion in gross revenue for 70MHz of spectrum, the incentive auction is among the highest grossing auctions ever conducted by the FCC. The Commission now commences a 39-month transition period to move broadcast stations to new channel assignments.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said, “The conclusion of the world’s first incentive auction is a major milestone in the FCC’s long history as steward of the nation’s airwaves. Consumers are the real beneficiaries, as broadcasters invest new resources in programming and service, and additional wireless spectrum opens the way to greater competition and innovation in the mobile broadband marketplace.”

The FCC notes there are more connected mobile devices than there are people living in the U.S., and about 70 percent of Americans use data-hungry smartphones. This increasing demand for wireless airwaves poses a major challenge to ensuring that America’s networks have the capacity to support the critical economic, public safety, health care and other activities that rely on them. In order to meet this challenge, the FCC designed the broadcast incentive auction through close bipartisan collaboration with Congress as well as the broadcast and wireless industries.

Authorized by Congress in 2012, the auction used market forces to align the use of broadcast spectrum with 21st century consumer demands for mobile video and broadband services.

Broadcasters: More than $10B in winning bids, minimal impact on viewers

More than $10 billion will go to 175 winning broadcasters that elected to participate in the incentive auction and repurpose their airwaves for mobile use. Of the winners, 30 stations will receive money for agreeing to move to a lower channel and 133 others will relinquish their licenses and indicated their intent to remain on air through channel-sharing agreements with non-winning stations.

The FCC also announced the new channel assignments, and effective dates of those assignments, for 957 non-winning stations that must change channels to clear the new wireless airwaves for use. The first group of stations to move channels is scheduled for November 30, 2018. Stations are required to provide 30 days’ notice, and the FCC provides information for over-the-air viewers on how to “rescan” their receivers to find new channels at www.fcc.gov/incentiveauctions/consumers.

To view the entire list of broadcasters who won at auction nationwide, Click Here

Wireless Carriers: Bid $19.8 billion for 70 MHz of spectrum for mobile use

In the forward auction, wireless carriers bid $19.8 billion on mobile broadband spectrum. A total of 50 winning bidders won 70 MHz of licensed spectrum nationwide. A total of 14 MHz of spectrum is available for unlicensed use and wireless microphones. On a nationwide basis, 70 MHz is the most mobile broadband ever auctioned below 1GHz by the FCC. Among the largest winners are T-Mobile, Dish, Comcast, and US Cellular. For a full list of winners, Click Here

T-Mobile, Dish Bid Combined $14B In Airwaves Auction

By David Shepardson and Anjali Athavaley | NEW YORK

(Reuters) -- T-Mobile US Inc bid $8 billion and Dish Network Corp $6.2 billion to win the bulk of broadcast airwaves spectrum for sale in a government auction, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday.

The two carriers accounted for most of the $19.8 billion in winning bids, the FCC said. Comcast Corp agreed to acquire $1.7 billion in spectrum, AT&T Inc bid $910 million and investment firm Columbia Capital offered $1 billion.

The FCC said 175 broadcast stations were selling airwaves to 50 wireless and other telecommunications companies. Companies plan to use the spectrum to build new networks or improve existing coverage.

The spectrum auction's end is widely expected to kick off a wave of deal-making in the telecom industry. Until now, companies participating in the auction have been restrained by a quiet period, but that will end after April 27, when down payments are due from auction winners.

T-Mobile said its $8 billion winning bid would enable it "to compete in every single corner of he country." The company, controlled by Deutsche Telekom AG, said the investment will quadruple its low-band holdings.

Verizon Communications Inc and Sprint Corp opted not to bid.

“What is most interesting to us was (Verizon) was nowhere to be found,” Jennifer Fritzsche, an analyst at Wells Fargo, said in a research note, adding that "we continue to believe Verizon’s interests lay in the higher band spectrum assets."

Craig Moffett, an analyst at MoffettNathanson, said in an email that there were three surprises in the results: “Comcast bought less than expected, Dish Network bought more, and Verizon bought nothing at all."

Dish shares fell 2.5 percent to close at $62.38. Comcast, Verizon and AT&T were down less than 1 percent at market close while T-Mobile rose marginally.

Moffett said Dish’s spectrum spending underscored "the growing importance of the company’s valuation as it relates to their spectrum holdings."

Comcast sold spectrum from three of its NBCUniversal owned stations in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago for $481.6 million.

The FCC also announced new channel assignments for 957 non-winning stations that must change channels to clear the new wireless airwaves for use.

Of the $19.8 billion bid, more than $7 billion will go to reduce the U.S. deficit and $10.05 billion to broadcasters relinquishing spectrum. Up to $1.75 billion will go to broadcasters that incur costs in changing channels.

Sellers had initially sought $86.4 billion for 126 megahertz. Many analysts had expected broadcasters to earn more and sell more spectrum.

Cumulus Promotes Three To EVP

Cumulus Media has announced the promotion of three Cumulus executives to newly-created EVP posts.

Mike McVay, Senior Vice President, Content & Programming, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Content & Programming.

Dave Milner, Senior Vice President, Operations, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Operations.

Bob Walker, Senior Vice President, Operations has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Operations.

Mary Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cumulus Media, said: “These promotions recognize the strong performance of these key members of our senior leadership team. Mike, Dave and Bob are terrific executives and have each been instrumental to the success we’ve achieved during the first year of executing our turnaround plan for the company.”

Philly Radio: Gargano Set To Return Monday To WPEN-FM

After an unannounced absence from his 97.5 The Fanatic morning show, Anthony Gargano will return on Monday, according to philly.com.

Rob Tornoe writes Gargano was reportedly upset when the station let go update anchor and co-host Maureen Williams, who helped him launch the show back in 2015, and “took a few days off to cool off,” one source said.

Maureen Williams

The removal of Williams means the show has lost two of its original four members since replacing Mike & Mike, which was syndicated by ESPN Radio and can still be heard locally on WTEL 610 AM.

Back in October, former co-host Jon Marks left the coveted morning radio slot to take a less prestigious (and lower-paying) position as the evening host at 94.1 WIP.

Jamie Lynch, who produces the show and is known to many listeners as "The Bro," remains on the show with Gargano, but is on vacation in Europe.

So far, The Fanatic is being tight-lipped about potential replacements for Marks or Williams.

The station also hasn't officially filled its open evening-host slot, vacated by the departure of longtime host Joe DeCamara. Like Marks, DeCamara took at job with rival WIP, and is hosting the station's afternoon show alongside former Eagles fullback Jon Ritchie.

STL Radio: Ryan Wrecker Lands Overnight America on KMOX

Ryan Wrecker

CBS RADIO St. Louis’ News/Talk station KMOX 1120 AM has signed Ryan Wrecker as the newest host of “Overnight America,” heard weekdays from 10:00 PM to 3:00 AM on-air, online at www.kmox.com and through the Radio.com app. Wrecker starts at KMOX 1120 on Monday, April 17, 2017.

KMOX Program Director, Steve Moore, said, “Ryan is a passionate advocate of local radio who comes to us from a legacy station and brings a great appreciation for KMOX and its role in the community.  In addition, Ryan understands how creating unique digital and social media content can quickly expand his reach in the market and grow his listener base.”

Wrecker added, "We’re going to have fun on ‘Overnight America.’  It's a show that's inclusive to new voices and topics.  Every night we will present fresh and unique ideas to the audience and explore them in a way that’s different from any other radio show.”

KMOX 1120 AM (50 Kw)

Wrecker moves to St. Louis from Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he most recently served as the Program Director of WOWO-AM. He previously worked in radio in Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Lima, and South Bend. He studied broadcasting at Central Michigan University.

Murdoch Touts Fox News, No Mention Of O'Reilly

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch gushed about Fox News to his employees on Thursday, but didn’t mention Bill O’Reilly, who has left for vacation since information about sexual harassment accusations against him have come to light, according to The Huffington Post.

“The first few months of this year have already given us much to be thankful for,” Murdoch, the Fox News chairman, said in a note to employees, Variety reported. He touted the “highest-rated quarter ever” for Fox News, adding that he was “tremendously proud and truly grateful for the hard work everyone has contributed” to both the news operation and Fox Business.

He offered no update on O’Reilly, who took off for vacation after Tuesday’s show amid rumors that he could lose his job with Fox News. The vacation — which O’Reilly said had long been planned and which is supposed to end in time for him to return to his program on April 24 — began less than two weeks after The New York Times reported that O’Reilly, Fox News and parent company 21st Century Fox had paid out $13 million to settle claims with five women who had accused the host of sexual harassment. Some 60 companies have since yanked their ads from “The O’Reilly Factor.”

O’Reilly has insisted that he is a target of unfounded attacks. New York magazine reported this week, however, that Murdoch’s son James, CEO of 21st Century Fox, wants him gone for good. Murdoch and son Lachlan are fighting for him to stay, according to sources.

Rogers Com New CEO Joe Natale Starts Next Week

Joe Natale

After six months without a permanent chief executive officer, Canada's Rogers Communications Inc. is preparing to welcome Joe Natale on board next week, bringing an end to an awkward and uncertain leadership transition.

The Globe&Mail reports Natale will start about two months earlier than expected thanks to a “confidential” deal Rogers struck with his former employer Telus Corp., which agreed to release Mr. Natale from the terms of a non-compete clause that would have barred him from working at the rival firm until July.

Mr. Natale, the long-time Telus executive who left the Vancouver-based telecom provider after about a year as CEO in 2015, will officially begin as Rogers’s CEO on April 19, the company said Thursday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Sources close to Rogers say the company was initially optimistic it could negotiate an earlier start date for Mr. Natale. But after several months passed and Rogers was unable to reach an agreement with Telus, it announced in late January that he would not start until July.

Until Thursday’s announcement from the company, Mr. Natale had never publicly commented on his plans to become CEO of Rogers. His new start date means curious employees will finally get a better sense of their new leader and his plans for the company.

Mr. Natale, who will also join the board of directors at the company’s annual general meeting next week, added that he is “really excited” to join the company.

NBA Playoffs Tip-Off This Weekend On ESPN Radio

ESPN Radio will tip off its coverage of the 2017 NBA Playoffs this weekend, beginning Saturday, at 2 p.m. ET as LeBron James and the defending NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers host Paul George and the Indiana Pacers.

Marc Kestecher and Jon Barry will call the action that day. On Sunday, April 16, Stephen Curry and the reigning Western Conference Champion Golden State Warriors host Damian Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers at 2:30 p.m., with Adam Amin & PJ Carlesimo on the call.

This year marks ESPN Radio’s 22nd season of the NBA postseason. Additional games in the schedule will be announced at a later date. All broadcasts will be available on ESPN Radio, ESPNRadio.com and, for the first time, via the ESPN app.

Report: Non-Sports TV Web Bundles Coming

Cable programmers including Viacom Inc., Discovery Communications Inc. and AMC Networks Inc. are in talks with pay-TV distributors about creating new online TV services for consumers who don’t want to pay for sports, according to Bloomberg.

The media companies have explored offering entertainment-only packages over the internet with four to six pay-TV providers, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing the private negotiations. The talks are at various stages, but at least one service could be introduced this year, the person said.

Channel owners hurt by subscriber losses want to be part of new web-based video services as people drop pricey pay-TV packages for cheaper options, yet some have been left out of new “skinny” bundles. Viacom and Discovery, for example, aren’t part of YouTube’s live TV service or Hulu’s upcoming package. While sports is the most popular live programming, it’s also the most expensive.

Sports-free TV would cost less than $20 a month, according to one person. That’s about half the expected price of Hulu’s upcoming live TV service and YouTube’s new TV package, which came out last week. Both YouTube and Hulu are offering or looking to offer about 40 channels, including ESPN and broadcasters like NBC, Fox and CBS that rely heavily on sports. YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said the service was designed “to be great for sports lovers.”

NYC Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM Honored With NYSBA Awards

WEPN ESPN New York 98.7 FM received three top honors from the New York State Broadcaster’s Association in the large market radio division. The New York State Broadcaster’s Association awards recognize excellence in broadcasting within the radio and television industry. ESPN New York 98.7FM honors:

• Best On-Air Broadcast Personality/Team— Hahn, Humpty & Canty was honored as standout broadcast team. The show is hosted by two former professional athletes– first overall selection in the 2000 NHL draft by the New York Islanders Rick DiPietro (Humpty) and Super Bowl Champion with the New York Giants Chris Canty– along with veteran broadcaster and journalist, Alan Hahn. The trio provides perspective and passion on New York’s biggest sports stories. Hahn, Humpty & Canty airs weekdays from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET.
• Best Station Sponsored Event— The Michael Kay Show was recognized for “The Great Sports Debate” from Fordham University. Co-hosts Michael Kay and Don La Greca tackled issues that mattered most to the sports fans of New York including Carmelo Anthony’s value to the Knicks and which New York team is closest to winning a title. Moderated by co-host Peter Rosenberg, the live broadcast on election eve provided great entertainment, interaction and education for those in attendance. The Michael Kay Show airs weekdays from 3. – 7 p.m.
• Outstanding Commercial — For the second year in a row, ESPN New York 98.7FM was awarded Outstanding Commercial. This year's winning campaign was produced in conjunction with New York Sports Clubs. The campaign highlighted a former athlete (Chris Canty), broadcaster (Alan Hahn) and ESPN senior director of network audio content (Justin Craig) and their experience with NY Sports Clubs as a method to better their health and fitness.

 Tim McCarthy, senior vice president of ESPN Radio Group, said, “I am so proud of the collaboration among the entire staff – sales and programming – to create unique content for our listeners and advertisers.  We are very lucky that our commentators understand and embrace the important role they play.”

Ryan Hurley, program director of ESPN 98.7FM, added, “It is always an honor to be recognized, especially for the results of hard work by a great team of people.”

WWOne, Cumulus To Cover BBMAs

Westwood One has announced a celebration of the hottest artists in music!

As official promotional partners of the “2017 Billboard Music Awards,” Westwood One through its partnership with dick clark productions, will offer its broadcast partners branded long-form and short-form content and promotions.

In addition, Westwood One will welcome more than 20 radio stations to its Westwood One Backstage at the BBMAs event with live performances and celebrity interviews during rehearsals the day before the “2017 Billboard Music Awards” at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

As official promotional partners of the Billboard Music Awards, Westwood One will provide branded long-form and short-form content plus live performances and interviews from the dynamic Westwood One Backstage at the Billboard Music Awards event.

This includes:

• 10 Tune-In Highlights – :30 sponsored content, available to air Monday-Friday, May 8 through May 19, 6 am to Midnight. Hosted by WPLJ-FM/New York personality Jayde Donovan. Available to Hot AC, AC and Top 40/Rhythmic format stations.

• Two-hour BBMA Nomination Special, hosted by WPLJ-FM/NY host Jayde Donovan, and available to stations the weekend of May 13/14 in Hot AC, AC and Top 40/Rhythmic formats.

• Billboard Music Awards Radio Row Remote: Saturday, May 20, 10 am-4 pm PT at the Lucky Live Lounge at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. During the course of Radio Row, Ralphie Aversa from WPLJ-FM/NY and WPRO/Providence will be hosting content online and on Cumulus station websites.  #WWOBackstage

• Five-hour BBMAs Night of Event Coverage on Sunday, May 21, 7 pm to Midnight ET:

➢ One-hour BBMAs Red Carpet, hosted by WPLJ-FM/New York’s Jayde Donovan
➢ Three-hour BBMAs Broadcast Companion -- Hot AC/AC formats hosted by Adam Bomb and The Bert Show’s Kristin Klingshirn; Top 40/Rhythmic formats hosted by Zach Sang
➢ One-hour BBMAs Wrap-up with Adam Bomb, Kristin Klingshirn, and Zach Sang

The 2017 Billboard Music Awards will broadcast live from T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, May 21st at 8:00p.m. ET / 5: 00p.m.PT on ABC.

For more information: Contact Neal Bird, nbird@westwoodone.com  or (310) 840-4207.