Saturday, June 9, 2018

June 10 Radio History


➦In 1895...actress Hattie McDaniel was born in Wichita Kansas.

In the 1910s she was a band vocalist, then began playing increasingly assertive maid roles on the big screen, culminating in the supporting-actress Oscar for her ‘Mammy’ in Gone With The Wind (1939), the first African-American to be so honored.  She played on the “Amos and Andy” and Eddie Cantor radio shows in the ’30s and ’40s, and had the title role in her own radio show “Beulah” (1947-51), which she also played on TV (1950-’52) until her death from  breast cancer Oct 2, 1952 at age 57.


➦In 1924…WTAM was the first radio station to broadcast coverage of a political convention when it covered the 1924 Republican National Convention at Cleveland's Public Auditorium on June 10–12, 1924.


➦In 1931...In a country-music milestone, Jimmie Rodgers records in a Nashville studio with gospel harmony legends The Carter Family.


➦In 1985...gravel-voiced sportscaster Bob Prince, for 28 years the radio play-by-play man for baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates, many of them during the team’s hey day, lost his battle with mouth cancer at age 68.


➦In 1995…Lindsey Nelson - Voice Of The NY Mets died of Parkinson's disease.

Lindsey Nelson
He spent 17 years with the New York Mets and three years with the San Francisco Giants. For 33 years Nelson covered college football, including 26 Cotton Bowls, five Sugar Bowls, four Rose Bowls, and 14 years announcing Notre Dame games. He is in 13 separate Halls of Fame. Fans remember a talented broadcaster, an expert storyteller, and a true sports enthusiast.

Nelson began his national baseball broadcast career as one of Gordon McLendon's radio announcers for the Liberty Broadcasting System, which primarily did recreations of games. After a stretch as an administrator with NBC Sports, he began doing the network's baseball broadcasts in 1957. He also broadcast college football, NBA and college basketball, and professional golf and tennis during his NBC tenure.




In 1962, he was hired as the lead broadcaster by the expansion New York Mets, and for the next 17 seasons did both radio and television with Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy. All three were eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.


➦In 2000...broadcast journalist Judd Rose, who built his reputation at ABC before becoming a CNN anchor, died from a brain tumour at age 44.

iHM Gets Okay to Finance Restructuring


A Texas bankruptcy judge on Thursday approved iHeartMedia Inc.’s requests to fund its Chapter 11 restructuring with a new $450 million revolving credit facility and pay its non-insider employees an aggregate of up to $66 million in bonuses to encourage peak performance.

The bankrupt media giant got the go-ahead to implement a 2018 incentive plan for 714 employees who don’t hold senior executive roles after an uncontested hearing Thursday in front of U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Marvin Isgur.

In a separate filing, Judge Isgur granted a motion that authorizes and approves iHeartMedia’s 2018 Debtors’ Incentive Plans. These are for “non-insiders,” and was designed to encourage iHeart staff to remain in their positions during the bankruptcy reorganization process.

The company sought approval for two employee incentive plans: the 2018 Incentive Plan for Insiders (IPI) and the 2018 Incentive Plan for Non-Insiders (IPN).


Under the 2018 Incentive Plan for Insiders, 11 senior executives would receive up to $24.9 million.  Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman would receive up to $10.5 million.  President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer Richard J. Bressler would receive just under $6 million.  Executive Vice President and General Counsel Robert Wells would receive up to $1.01 million.  Eight unnamed executives would receive up to $7.5 million.

Houston Radio: Gow Media Stations Consolidate Line-Up

Gow Media’s two Houston sports radio stations at KFNC 97.5 FM and K231CN 94.1 FM (fed via KFNC HD2) will begin Monday simulcasting three local shows, station owner David Gow said Friday.

According to The Houston Chronicle, the two stations will simulcast the John Granato-Lance Zierlein show from 7-9 a.m., Charlie Pallilo from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and Fred Faour-A.J. Hoffman from 4-7 p.m., Gow said.

During the rest of weekday daytime hours, 97.5 FM will air Granato with Raheel Ramzanali and Del Olaleye from 9-11 a.m. and Joel Blank-Barry Laminack from 1-4 p.m. Gow’s 94.1 FM will air ESPN Radio shows featuring Trey Wingo and Mike Golic from 9-11 a.m. and Stephen A. Smith from 1-3 p.m. Sean Salisbury will host on 94.1 FM from 3-4 p.m.

KFNC 97.5 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local Coverage
“We are excited about our roster. I would have been ecstatic 18 months ago to say that we would have the opportunity to reunite John and Lance and to add Charlie Pallilo and that Fred and A.J. would extend their leadership as much as they have, and now we have all of those elements in place.”

Portland OR Radio: Cort Johnson Lands PM Drive At KINK-FM

Cort Johnson
Cort Johnson, a 20-plus-year broadcast veteran, will rejoin the staff of Alpha Media Portland’s heritage AAA station KINK 101.9 FM as Assistant Program Director and afternoon drive host.

Cort commented, “I’m thrilled for this opportunity. KINK is a true Portland institution, as unique as the city itself. The opportunity to work alongside Ronnie Stanton, Lisa Decker and Scott Mahalick makes it even better.”

Cort started his radio career at his high school radio station. He then attended Brigham Young University, followed by a stint in the promotions department for Salt Lake City’s KENZ (Citadel). At KENZ, he rose to the role of morning show host and APD. In 2011, Johnson moved to Portland, OR, where he worked on Alpha Media stations KINK (morning show host) and FM News 101 KXL (reporter/anchor). Most recently, Cort worked on Alpha Media’s corporate digital content team.

Ronnie Stanton, KINK’s Content Director, commented “I am so thrilled to work beside a talent like Cort who brings local knowledge, on air and digital skills to the table and already understands and loves the intricacies of the KINK brand.”

KINK 101.9 FM (100 Kw) Red+Local Coverage Area
Alpha Media Portland Market Manager/SVP Lisa Decker remarked, “Cort has been a part of KINK for years. We are thrilled to expand his responsibilities. His talent, leadership, and creativity make him an excellent fit for KINK and the KINK team.”

Scott Mahalick, Alpha Media’s Executive VP of Content, commented “It is always a proud moment to promote from within Alpha, and Cort is a star whose time has come to shine.”

Johnson’s first on-air shift in his new role will be June 18, 2018

Boise Radio: 99.1 FM Drops ESPN For 'Pure' Rock

The Treasure Valley has lost it ESPN Radio as Impact Radio Group of Boise flipped format on its K256CZ 99.1 FM from ESPN Sports to Idaho's Pure Rock (via KQBL101.9 FM) as I-Rock at 5 p.m. Friday.

“We want to thank all of our fans and loyal sponsors of ESPN Boise for all of their support these past six years,” Impact Radio CEO Darrell Calton said in a statement. “The decision to change the format was not an easy one, but we are thrilled to bring the Treasure Valley community the true Rock station they have asked for and deserve.”

According to the Idaho Press, ESPN Boise burst onto the scene in 2013, providing listeners with both national ESPN shows, as well as local shows, including The Drive, hosted by Joey Jenkins and Alex Gold.

K256CZ 99.1 FM (250 watts) Red=Local Coverage
“Being a part of the ESPN Sports Network has been a great experience and opportunity,” Jenkins said in a statement. “Co-hosting The Drive alongside the talented Alex Gold has been a highpoint of my radio career and we are both excited for the new challenges that lie ahead for us individually.”

By Age 30, Most Become Settled In Music Preferences

A survey conducted by British online music streaming service Deezer seems to indicate most people stop following the latest music by age 30.

MyNDnow.com reports the reasons: Too much to choose from, and a busy work and family lifestyle at that age that leaves little time to spend discovering new tunes.

"With so much brilliant music out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed," says Deezer’s UK and Ireland music editor, Adam Read. "This often results in us getting stuck in ‘musical paralysis’ by the time we hit our thirties."

The survey notes it's not that people quit listening to new music by 30, they simply start spending less time keeping up with the latest tunes.

The need to know the newest songs takes a backseat to the growing influence of work, raising kids and other adult life stresses and demands.

According to the survey, the peak age for discovering new music is 24. About 75 percent of those surveyed at that age listen to 10 or more new tracks a week, and 64 percent seek out five new artists per month.

'Missteps' Force John Lasseter OUT At Disney

John Lasseter
Walt Disney Co animation head and co-founder of Pixar John Lasseter, regarded as a modern day Walt Disney because of his creativity and commercial success, will leave at the end of the year, the company said on Friday.

Lasseter was the creative force behind movie hits like “Toy Story,” “Frozen,” and “Finding Nemo,” that won Academy Awards and reaped billions of dollars at the box office.

According to Reuters, Friday’s decision, announced in a Disney statement, followed a six month leave of absence by Lasseter after what he called “missteps,” including unwanted hugs that made employees uncomfortable.

“Following his sabbatical, John Lasseter will assume a consulting role at The Walt Disney Company until December 31, 2018, at which time he will be leaving the company,” Disney said.

Disney did not announce a replacement but Chief Executive Bob Iger noted in the statement that Lasseter had assembled “a team of great storytellers and innovators with the vision and talent to set the standard in animation for generations to come.”

Lasseter, 61, said in the statement that “the last six months have provided an opportunity to reflect on my life, career and personal priorities.”

“While I remain dedicated to the art of animation and inspired by the creative talent at Pixar and Disney, I have decided the end of this year is the right time to begin focusing on new creative challenges,” he added.

Lasseter joined the company in 2006 when Disney bought Pixar Animation Studios.

Newsprint Tariffs Threaten Local Newspapers


A dozen House lawmakers have introduced legislation to remove President Trump's tariffs on Canadian newsprint so a study can be done on how much those tariffs are crushing local newspapers around the country.

According to The Washington Examiner, the bill, introduced by Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., is a response to the 22 percent tariff that the Trump administration has imposed on some Canadian newsprint since the beginning of this year. Noem said that tariff has led to rising costs for local newspapers, and are a threat to their survival.

"In recent years, new tariffs on Canadian newsprint have increased paper prices by 20 to 30 percent," Noem said in a statement. "That's significant. A paper that services around 20,000 customers, for instance, could see paper costs rise by about a quarter-million dollars annually, threatening the newspaper's survival."

Local papers have been complaining this year about rising costs, and Noem and her colleagues are hoping to give them at least a temporary break from the cost hike.

Under her bill, U.S. tariffs on newsprint would be put on hold until the Commerce Department studies "the negative impact the tariffs have on our hometown newspapers."

The bill has bipartisan support, as it's also co-sponsored by Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla. But the other 10 co-sponsors are Republicans, which reflect the opposition some GOP lawmakers have to Trump's decision to hit many U.S. trading partners with tariffs.

The newsprint tariffs are being collected, but they are not finalized yet. The Commerce Department is set to finalize its decision by August.

And The 2018 IBA Silver Dome Award Winners Are...

The Illinois Broadcaster Association (IBA) handed out the 2018 Silver Dome Awards at the conclusion of its annual conference in Normal, IL on Wednesday.

"The  Silver Dome Awards’ prestige probably results from the fact that the entries are judged by out-of-state broadcasters” said IBA Pres./CEO Dennis Lyle. “It’s the ultimate compliment to have a panel of judges who have never seen or heard a station’s or on-air talent’s work before recognizing you as 'best of state.'"

Tribune Media News-Talk WGN-A/Chicago; Nelson Multimedia Adult StandardsWSPY-A/Geneva, IL; and Virden Broadcasting Co. News-Talk-AC WSDR-A/Sterling, IL won Station Of The Year honors in their market categories.

Also, Qunincy Media Sports WGEM-A-W255CY/Quincy, IL's Josh Houchins, who passed away last year, won Best Radio Personality in a Medium Market, days after winning an award from the Missouri Broadcasters Association (MBA).

The awards were judged by a panel of Michigan broadcasters.

Radio winners included:

Best Radio News Reporter
Large Market:  WGN -- Andrea Darlas
Medium Market: WSPY -- Jim Wyman, "New Lawsuit Filed Against Former Speaker Of The U.S. House Of Representatives Dennis Hastert"
Small Market: Western Illinois Broadcasting Country WRMJ/Aledao, IL -- James Taylor, "The Beating Of Joy Farmer Fred Rooth"

Best Radio Personality
Large Market: Hubbard Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX)/Chicago -- Lisa Allen
Medium Market: Quincey Media Sports WGEM-A-W255CY/Qunicey IL -- Josh Houchins
Small Market: Rochelle Broadcasting Co. Country WYOT (102.3 The Coyote)/Rochelle, IL -- Kris Wexell,, "The Coyote Morning Show"

Charity/Cause
Large Market: iHeartMedia AC WLIT (93.9 Lite FM)/Chicago -- Dave Hilton, "Salvation Army PSA"
Medium Market: WSPY -- Melinda Collins, "Summer Lunch Box Promo"
Small Market: Nelson Multimedia Classic Hits WCSJ-A -- Kevin Schramm, "Habitat For Humanity Radiothon"

Best Radio Series Or Documentary
Large Market: Weigel Classic Hits WRME-LP (87.7 METV FM)/Chicago -- Bill Cochran and Rick O'Dell, "Dan Fogelberg Artist Feature"
Medium Market: WSPY -- Tyler Bachman and Mark Harrington, "Officials Discuss Impact Of Caterpillar Closing Montgomery Plant"
Small Market: Dana Communications Corp. Oldies WQRL (Q106.3)/Benton, IL -- Ashley Hugo "Eqlipse"

Best Radio Spot News Coverage
Large Market: none
Medium Market: WSPY -- Tyler Bachman and Ashley Retter, "Fugitive Max Ambler Captured After Overnight Stakeout In Earlville"
Small Market: WCSJ -- Justin Ritz, "Missing Child"

Best Radio Station Community Service
Large Market: none
Medium Market: WSPY -- Beth Pierre, Bonnie  Guyer, Cheryl Pearre, Liz Hanlon, Jim Wyman, "WSPY'S Summer Lunch Box Program Feeds Hungry Children"
Small Market: Cromwell Top 40 WCBH (104.3 The Party)/Casey, IL -- Kallie Middleton, Michelle Carman, Jesse Guinn, Hannah Carruthers, "104.3 The Party and the Polar Plunge For Special Olympics Illinois"

Best Radio Station Self-Promotion 
Large Market: WRME-LP -- Bill Cochran and Rick O'Dell , "Do-Re-Mi"
Medium Market: Neuhoff  Sports WFMB-A/Springfield, IL -- Johnny Vincent  and Robert Urbanek, "Soundtrack to the Solar Eclipse"
Small Market: Withers Hot AC WRXX (X95)/Centrelia, IL -- Matt James, "The Wake Up Call"

Best Radio Station Use of New Media
Large Market: iHeartMedia Urban WGCI/Chicago -- Jamal Smallz DJ Moondawg, Ashley  "AC" Trybula , Johnnie D, "HomeTurf"
Medium Market: WFMB -- Johnny Vincent and Shauna Evans, "I Love My Hometown Tour"
Small Market: Withers News-Talk WMIX- A/Mount Vernon, IL -- Avery Barton, "WMIX Extras"

Best Sportscaster
Large Market: WGN -- Dave Eanet
Medium Market: none
Small Market: Neufhoff News-Talk WDAN-A/Danville,, IL -- Eric Loy

Pensacola Radio: WPNN's 'Papa' Don Schroeder 'On The Mend'

'Papa' Don Schroeder
Best wishes go out to former Pensacola rock radio DJ from the 60's "Papa" Don Schroeder, who has been a patient at Baptist Hospital.  Schroeder is a survivor..cancer free for 15-years.

He was born in Pensacola, Florida in 1940 and in 1959 Schroeder recorded a single for Vee-Jay produced by Calvin Carter, featuring his song "Melanie", becoming the R&B label's first white artist.

Schroeder attended the University of Tennessee, and began doing promotions and working as a DJ for radio station WATE.  He recorded more singles under his own name in Nashville with producer Shelby Singleton for Philips Records, and at Sound Stage 7 Records. He also worked with Bobby Hebb in Nashville as well as preparing demos in Muscle Shoals.

He had shows on radio WKDA, and worked for Cedarwood music publishing in Nashville, where he wrote songs with Mel Tillis and Wayne Walker. In 1963 he had his first songwriting success with "Those Wonderful Years", a country music hit for Webb Pierce, whe he returned to Pensacola.

Working for radio station WBSR Pensacola, he became a local celebrity with the top-rated show in the area (the "Papa Ding-Dong Diddley Daddy Debatably Daring Dig'in Out Dash'n Dip Dig'in Don Schroeder Show"), mainly playing R&B music for a predominantly white audience. Schroeder said:

"I dreamed of bringing white people and black people together... and we did it...and packed it out... and never had a problem. It was phenomenal. That was a phenomenal statement in the '60s.... I played 75 percent black music and about 25 percent white music, and the white music I played was white music that I thought my black audience would put up with. But I was playing the black music I knew the white people would love, if they could just hear it. And that’s why we did the ratings we did."

He formed his own production company, Papa Don Productions and in 1966 he produced Mighty Sam McClain's version of Don Gibson's song "Sweet Dreams". Through McClain, Schroeder was introduced to James Purify and Robert Lee Dickey, and produced the pair's recordings as James & Bobby Purify, including the hits "I'm Your Puppet" and "Shake A Tail Feather", which was the first of Schroeder's productions to be recorded at Chips Moman's American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.  He also produced the 1967 hit "The Letter"  by The Box Tops.

In 1970, he took ownership of radio station WPNN 790 AM / 103.7 FM in Pensacola, and remains the station president.

June 9 Radio History



➦In 1900...choirmaster/bandleader Fred Waring was born in Tyrone Pennsylvania.  His career as orchestra/choir leader spanned 60 years, and included his strong performance as MC of his own radio & TV broadcasts.  His vocal group The Pennsylvanians were featured for 20 years on radio & in Waring’s weekly TV shows 1949-54.  He also invented the famous Waring blender.

He died July 29, 1984 at age 84.

Les Paul with wife Mary Ford
➦In 1915...Les Paul, one of the most influential guitarists in pop music history, was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin. With his wife Mary Ford, he had a string of hits in the late ’40s and early ’50s including “Mockin’ Bird Hill,” “How High the Moon” and “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise.” Those recordings were among the earliest to use multi-tracking. Paul also designed guitars which were marketed by the Gibson company and became the favourites of pop, rock and country musicians. Paul also built the first eight-track tape recorder, which helped pioneer multitrack recording. And he invented “sound-on-sound” recording, which has since become known as overdubbing.

Les Paul died of complications from pneumonia Aug. 12 2009 at the ripe old age of 94.

➦In 1934...soul singer Jackie Wilson was born in Detroit.  He scored six No. 1 songs on Billboard’s R&B singles chart, while his biggest pop hit was “Night,” which reached No. 4 in 1960. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He died Jan 21, 1984 at age 49, but he’d been comatose since a massive heart attack in 1975.

➦In 1934…In Alpine, New Jersey, Edwin Howard Armstrong conducted the first successful field test of FM radio.
Edwin Howard Armstrong

In 1934, Armstrong began working for RCA at the request of the president of RCA, David Sarnoff. Sarnoff and Armstrong first met at a boxing match involving Jack Dempsey in 1920. At the time Sarnoff was a young executive with an interest in new technologies, including radio broadcasting.  In the early 1920s Armstrong drove off with Sarnoff's secretary, Marion MacInnes, in a French sports car. Armstrong and MacInnes were married in 1923.  While Sarnoff was understandably impressed with Armstrong's FM system, he also understood that it was not compatible with his own AM empire. Sarnoff came to regard FM as a threat and refused to support it any further.


From May 1934 until October 1935, Armstrong conducted the first large scale field tests of his FM radio technology from a laboratory constructed by RCA on the 85th floor of the Empire State Building. An antenna attached to the spire of the building fired radio waves at receivers about 80 miles away.  However, RCA had its eye on television broadcasting, and chose not to buy the patents for the FM technology.  A June 17, 1936, presentation at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) headquarters made headlines nationwide. He played a jazz record over conventional AM radio, then switched to an FM broadcast. "[I]f the audience of 50 engineers had shut their eyes they would have believed the jazz band was in the same room. There were no extraneous sounds," noted one reporter. He added that several engineers described the invention "as one of the most important radio developments since the first earphone crystal sets were introduced."

In 1937, Armstrong financed construction of the first FM radio station, W2XMN, a 40 kilowatt broadcaster in Alpine, New Jersey. The signal (at 42.8 MHz) could be heard clearly 100 miles (160 km) away, despite the use of less power than an AM radio station.

➦Flashback:  From R&R June 9, 1985




➦In 1993... in 1993, the U-S Postal Service issued a 29-cent stamp honoring country music legend Hank Williams. His son, Hank Williams Jr., presided over the official unveiling in Nashville.  Others honored in the  “Legends of American Music, Rock and Roll-Rhythm and Blues” stamp collection were radio hit makers Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Clyde McPhatter, Otis Redding, Ritchie Valens, Dinah Washington, and Elvis Presley.

➦In 1996...Jack Lacy radio personality at 1010 WINS NYC died.

Lacy was heard on WINS-AM from the late 1940's through 1965, died on June 9 at San Juan de Dios Hospital in San Sebastian, Spain. He was 79 and had lived in San Sebastian since 1989.



Anyone who lived in the New York tri-state area in the 1950s and early 60s will remember the great Jack Lacy. His breezy, casual disc jockey style kept listeners locked down to 1010 WINS Radio for hours on end. He would sell laundry soap with the same smooth flair as he announced the latest hit record. Lacys eighteen year gig with WINS began in 1947 playing out the end of the swing era and transitioning to 50s pop. As the evolving sound of radio turned to rock & roll, his fish out of water personality really gave permission for a maturing audience to enjoy the new beat.

Lacy was a contemporary of such veterans of the airwaves as Murray (the K) Kaufman and Bruce (Cousin Brucie) Morrow. His "Listen to Lacy" program on WINS treated his audience to "easy listening" music and live interviews. He left WINS when it changed to all news, after which he worked for stations in Baltimore and Los Angeles.

Friday, June 8, 2018

Fox News' Charles Krauthammer Reveals He Has Weeks To Live

Charles Krauthammer
Charles Krauthammer, the beloved and brilliant Fox News Channel personality who gave up a pioneering career in psychiatry to become a Pulitzer Prize-winning political analyst, on Friday revealed the heartbreaking news that he is in the final stages of a losing battle with cancer.

According to Fox News, the 68-year-old’s incisive takes on politics of the day have been missing from Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” for nearly a year as he battled an abdominal tumor and subsequent complications, but colleagues and viewers alike had held out hope that he would return to the evening show he helped establish as must-viewing. But in an eloquent, yet unblinking letter to co-workers, friends and Fox News Channel viewers, Krauthammer disclosed that he has just weeks to live.

“I have been uncharacteristically silent these past ten months,” the letter began. “I had thought that silence would soon be coming to an end, but I’m afraid I must tell you now that fate has decided on a different course for me.”

Krauthammer, who graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1975 despite a first-year diving accident that left him a quadriplegic, explained that he had a malignant tumor removed from his abdomen last August. Although a series of setbacks left him in  the hospital in the ensuing months, he believed until recently that he was on the road to recovery.

“However, recent tests have revealed that the cancer has returned,” Krauthammer wrote. “There was no sign of it as recently as a month ago, which means it is aggressive and spreading rapidly. My doctors tell me their best estimate is that I have only a few weeks left to live. This is the final verdict. My fight is over.”

Audioboom Secures Additional Funding

Audioboom, the UK-based podcast host and sales house, has successfully completed a new set of funding, raising £4.5m (US$6m), according to PodNews.

The company, which withdrew from an attempted acquisition of Triton Digital in May, had been seeking new investment. The new funding comes from a mix of current investors and new ones. Trading will resume for Audioboom's shares again on 14 June.

In a telephone call with Podnews, Audioboom's Chief Operating Officer Stuart Last outlined the future for the company now that funding is secured, and talked about working with other podcasting companies to help grow the medium.

Audioboom will continue to focus on acquiring new podcast publishers for the company to represent for ad sales. “We really want to accelerate the growth of that,” Last said, highlighting that this is area of the market that has grown to be considerably more competitive. Audioboom’s package to content publishers will include more competitive revenue shares, a promotional budget, as well as guarantees of minimum revenue.

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R.I.P.: Chef Anthony Bourdain Dead Of Apparent Suicide

Anthony Bourdain, a gifted storyteller and writer who took CNN viewers around the world, has died.

He was 61, according to CNN.

The cause of death was suicide.

"It is with extraordinary sadness we can confirm the death of our friend and colleague, Anthony Bourdain," the network said in a statement Friday morning.

"His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time."

Bourdain was in France working on an upcoming episode of his award-winning CNN series "Parts Unknown." His close friend Eric Ripert, the French chef, found Bourdain unresponsive in his hotel room Friday morning.

"Tony was an exceptional talent," CNN President Jeff Zucker said in an email to employees. "Tony will be greatly missed not only for his work but also for the passion with which he did it."

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Moonves-Redstone Showdown Date Set


The legal fight between CBS and controlling shareholder National Amusements Inc. now has a trial date: Oct. 3 in Delaware Chancery Court, according to The NYPost.

CBS, led by Les Moonves, has also rescheduled its annual meeting, which will take place on August 10 in Pasadena, Calif.

The annual meeting, originally scheduled on May 18 in New York, was postponed after a week of fireworks ignited when CBS filed a lawsuit against NAI on May 14.

The suit charged NAI and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone with breaches of fiduciary duty for allegedly forcing CBS to merge with Viacom — another NAI-controlled entity — against the will of the CBS directors.

It also sought a temporary restraining order against NAI and Redstone to keep them from meddling in a special CBS board meeting to issue a stock dividend.

A majority of the CBS board passed the stock dividend on May 17, which had the intended effect of reducing NAI’s voting interest in the company from 79 percent to 20 percent. A day earlier, however, NAI amended the CBS bylaws to raise the board vote necessary to issue such a dividend from a majority to a supermajority.

Report: Joy Reid Created “Toxic Environment" At Radio Station

Joy Reid
MSNBC star Joy Reid faces fresh questions over her conduct during her brief but “toxic” time as a co-host and producer of “Wake Up South Florida” on radio station WTPS 1080 AM between 2006 and 2007.

Andre Eggelletion, former lead host of the morning show with Reid, recently spoke out about her for the first time in more than a decade, saying Reid created “the most toxic work environment I've ever experienced” and threatened him with violence.

“It was a very unhealthy work environment because of her attitude. She attacked me on a constant basis while I was there. I was even once threatened with physical violence during a break with her,” he revealed to Fox News.

The incident was corroborated by Lee Michaels, then-national program director for Syndication One, a network of radio stations of Urban One (Radio One back then) that owned WTPS.

“It absolutely happened -- 100 percent,” he told Fox News, noting that he had to put in a lot of effort to convince Eggelletion not to quit over Reid’s conduct.

The threat came following a “dispute” over a news item that Reid opposed covering -- despite Eggelletion being the show's lead host.

“There was a dispute over it and I told her, ‘Go ahead and call the manager’,” Eggelletion said he told Reid, after she refused to cover the story suggested by him.

To which she allegedly replied, “If you ever speak to me like that again I’m coming over there and it’s gonna be me and you.”

Philly Radio: Sports WPEN Adjusts Line-Up


Beasley Media Group has unveiled WPEN 97.5 FM The Fanatic’s new summer lineup in Philadelphia:

The Fanatic At 5 with Eytan Shander and Jamie Lynch
Fanatic listeners can catch up on the Philly sports they missed the night before, as well as find out what’s coming up the later in the day with Eytan Shander and Jamie Lynch. The sports-news based show featuring host and listener opinion can be heard weekday mornings at 5am on 97-5 The Fanatic.

Devon & Geoff/D&G Radio
Devon Givens and Geoff Mosher will entertain Philly sports fans from 6-9pm Monday thru Friday over summer months until hockey and basketball season return. Devon’s great basketball mind, combined with Geoff’s football expertise is the perfect combination to get ready for the most anticipated Eagles season ever!

Joe Tordy
Joe Tordy will keep the exciting Fanatic sports talk rockin’ late into the night from 9pm-12a Monday thru Friday.

The Complete 97.5 The Fanatic Line-up Weekday Schedule includes:
  • 5-6am The Fanatic At 5 with Eytan and Jamie
  • 6am-10am Anthony Gargano and the Morning Guys
  • 10am-2pm Harry Mayes and Jason Myrtetus
  • 2pm-6pm The Mike Missanelli Show
  • 6-9pm Devon & Geoff
  • 9pm-12am Joe Tordy
WPEN 97.5 FM (26 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area
“Beasley is a content first company,” said Executive Vice President of Programming Justin Chase. “We’re always looking to elevate our local personalities to key dayparts. Eytan, Jamie, Devon, Geoff, and Joe are all outstanding and we expect great things from them this Summer on The Fanatic!”

“We are very excited about our summer line up here at 97.5 The Fanatic,” said Eric Johnson, director of Sports Content. “The Fanatic At 5 with Eytan & Jamie will take an in-depth look at daily Philly sports news. It will include the scores, stories and sounds that bring Philadelphia sports to life. Listeners can enjoy Devon’s Sixers knowledge and Geoff’s deep Eagles insight over the summer until the Flyers and Sixers seasons return.

MD Radio: Adams Cluster Names Chris Walus DO$

Chris Walus
Adams Radio Group has named Chris Walus Director of Sales for its Salisbury-Ocean City, MD cluster.

The cluster includes: Classic Rock WGBG 98.5 FM, Rock WZBH 93.5 FM, Oldies WOCQ 104.3/105.1 FM, CHR WOCQ 103.9 FM and Country WKHI 107.7 FM.

Walus for the past nine years served as regional President & Market Manager for iHeartMedia for Wilmington/Dover Salisbury-Ocean City. Prior to that he was in a similar capacity in the same region for Benchmark Communications. He began his career with Capital Broadcasting and has also worked with CBS Radio.

Walus commented on his appointment “I am excited to be joining Adams Radio in Salisbury-Ocean City, the market I have enjoyed working in since 1992! Adams has five great brands, three of which have been in the same format for 30 years, a rarity these days! The Adams vision commitment to community service and the live and local aspect of their products sets the company apart and this is what I have missed the most. I could not be more excited to be back on the street with a sale staff!"

Ron Stone, CEO of Adams added “Chris Walus is a great addition to our staff. He brings a wealth of talent and market knowledge to our team and 18 years of on the street experience in sales and management from inside the market. We rarely get a chance to partner with an “insider” so to speak! We have been searching for some time for the right person to lead our sales efforts in Maryland & Delaware and I believe we have finally found him!

Joy Taylor To Anchor With The Herd On FOX Sports


FOX Sports has announced changes to its FS1 studio show casts as Joy Taylor will leave SKIP AND SHANNON: UNDISPUTED to be the news anchor for THE HERD WITH COLIN COWHERD and Jenny Taft will begin a new role as moderator for UNDISPUTED.

“We’re thrilled to announce new roles for Joy and Jenny on THE HERD and UNDISPUTED,” said Albohm. “Both have been consummate professionals – Joy having been a major part of UNDISPUTED’s rise and Jenny’s extensive resume, including her upcoming World Cup duties in Russia. We’re proud of what they’ve accomplished so far and excited to see what’s next.”

Taylor, who moderated for UNDISPUTED since its debut in 2016 will begin with THE HERD, simulcast on FS1 and the FOX Sports Radio Network, on Monday, June 18. She joined FOX after spending the previous five years in Miami at AM 790 The Ticket and hosting the top-rated radio morning-drive program “Zaslow and Joy Show” after beginning there as executive producer. The Pittsburgh native currently hosts her own podcast “Maybe I’m Crazy with Joy Taylor,” and also has hosted “Thursday Night Live” and “Fantasy Football Today” for CBSSports.com. She is the younger sister of NFL Hall of Famer and former Miami Dolphins star Jason Taylor.

“Hosting UNDISPUTED has been an amazing experience and an exciting chapter in my career working with Skip and Shannon each weekday morning,” said Taylor. “I look forward to my new role with Colin on THE HERD and the opportunity to continue engaging sports fans on FS1.”

Jenny Taft
Taft, a member of FOX Sports’ lead college football broadcast team, will add to her network duties Monday, July 23 while continuing to serve as a reporter on Saturdays during the Fall. She began her career at FOX Sports in 2011 when she accepted a position with the Twin Cities- based regional network FOX Sports North. There she appeared in on-air promos, in-game segments and produced digital content. After auditioning for a new role in 2013 with FS1, she then expanded her duties for the network having worked on the NFL, college football, Supercross, MLB, World Cup soccer and the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show to name a few.

“I’m honored to join UNDISPUTED with both Skip and Shannon, two people I highly respect having known Skip as one of the best in the business and Shannon as a respected sports analyst and fellow dog lover from our days working together at the Westminster Kennel Dog Show,” said Taft. “FS1 has believed in me since day one and I’m proud to see another page unfolding within the company.”

iHeartMedia Inks c-OZY Audio Deal


iHeartMedia and OZY Media, the daily information source for important stories told nowhere else, today announced a creative multiyear partnership leveraging OZY Media’s compelling news and storytelling capabilities and iHeartMedia’s national cross-platform network to reach hundreds of millions of consumers across the country.

OZY stories on a range of topics from politics, to culture to technology to sports, will be featured in iHeartMedia’s top-rated morning shows across 150 markets in the U.S. The new partnership also includes promotion across iHeartMedia’s multiplatform network including radio, digital, social and live events.

“We are impressed with OZY’s rapid growth, diverse content and versatility across platforms, especially in today’s competitive media landscape,” said Joe Robinson, President of Ventures for iHeartMedia. “We are excited to partner with OZY, and with our massive reach of a quarter of a billion listeners a month across the country, this partnership gives us the opportunity to share even more critical news and information with our diverse audience.”

iHeart and OZY will work together to co-produce iHeartRadio Original podcasts and develop shared revenue opportunities for advertisers. iHeartMedia is the largest publisher of podcasts in the country and the iHeartRadio Podcast Network has more than 630 original shows available to listeners nationwide.

In addition, OZY Media’s hit podcast series “The Thread,” which takes listeners through nearly a century of great American stories, will join iHeartRadio, the free all-in-one digital music, podcast, on demand and live radio streaming service – which is available across more than 250 device platforms including in-car, in-home, on wearables, across gaming consoles and more.

“OZY wants to be everywhere you are, so what better company to partner with then iHeartMedia which reaches more than 90 percent of Americans a month” said Carlos Watson, co-founder and CEO of OZY Media. “We’re proud to bring the best of OZY to iHeart listeners, and hope they will be surprised, delighted, and enlightened by this offering, and what’s to come.”

OZY Media recently announced their third primetime television series with PBS, Breaking Big, profiling 12 celebrities and influencers and telling the stories of how they “broke big.” The series premieres on Friday, June 15th at 8:30pm ET.

Pittsburgh Radio: NFL Steelers QB Re-Ups With KDKA-FM


Entercom has announced that Ben Roethlisberger will continue his in-season radio show for a sixth consecutive season in 2018, KDKA 93.7 FM The Fan announced on Thursday. Season six of "The Ben Roethlisberger Show" with Ron Cook and Andrew Fillipponi will debut September 4 at 11 a.m. and will continue every Tuesday during the season at 11 a.m.

"We're excited to welcome Ben back to The Fan for another stimulating season of football talk," said Michael Spacciapolli, Interim Market Manager, Entercom Pittsburgh. "With Ben's keen insight and candid approach, "The Ben Roethlisberger Show" with Cook and Poni is a must listen every Tuesday during the season."

"I'm excited to share every snap of the season with all of Steeler Nation on 93.7 the Fan," Ben added.

Bozeman Radio: Reier Stations Couldn't Pay Building Lease



Country KBOZ 99.9 FM and four sister stations owned by Reier Broadcasting Co. went off the air last Friday.

Owner Bill Reier Sr., 78, wouldn't talk with the reporter for the Bozeman Chronicle.  Contacted twice Reier responded he was in the "middle of something and to call back later". However, The Chronicle reports further attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.

Ed Donohue, operations manager until last week, said Wednesday that he had worked for Bill Reier on and off for 28 years and had been associated with KBOZ since 1994.

“It’s sad,” Donohue said. “I’m out of a job and so are others. As a broadcaster, it’s sad to see a longtime local owner turn off his stations.”

The Reier stations are KBOZ-FM, N/T KBOZ 1090 AM, Oldies KOBB 93.7 FM, Sports KOBB 1230 AM and Classic Rock KOZB 97.5 FM.

Donohue said attorneys for the owners notified the station in early May that they had 30 days to vacate. There had been an issue with lease payments, he said.

Last Friday (6/1/18), the owners’ attorneys took possession of the building, land and equipment, he said, though Reier Broadcasting retains the FCC radio operating licenses.

Donohue said Reier first put KBOZ on the air on Dec. 16, 1975, and owned it for a long time. The station hired many well-known local on-air personalities, including Dave Visscher and Dean Alexander, “the voice of the Bobcats.” Reier sold the stations, but bought them back in 1994.

Gallatin Country District Court records show that Reier and his broadcasting company have had issues paying bills, including $1,175 in back taxes owed to the state of Montana in April 2018; $11,085 owed to the state in 2016; $4,433 owed to the state for unemployment insurance in 2017; and $70,480 owed to Broadcast Music Inc. of New York in 2014.

WAY Media Adds Carlos Anthony As Evening Producer

WAY Media Network Chief Content Officer Faron Dice has announced that Carlos Anthony has been named Operations Coordinator/Night Show Producer for WAY-FM.

Carlos Anthony
Anthony comes to WAY-FM after a stint with Entercom in New York, (including WCBS, WNEW, and WBMP.)

“We’re very excited to have Carlos join our team,” said Network Assistant Program Director Steve Shore. “The amount of passion for radio, and especially for Christian radio, that Carlos brings to the table is incredible – and his hard work, dedication, and experience is sure to be a positive addition to what we do here on WAY-FM.”

Anthony added, “I’m thrilled to start my new journey at WAY-FM and make Nashville my new home. It’s been the opportunity I’ve prayed and fasted for. I look forward to working with great people such as Justin Paul, Steve Shore, and Todd Stach. I’m excited to grow in my radio career. God has definitely taken me out my comfort zone to do His will and spread the love of Jesus through WAY-FM.”

R.I.P.: ReelRadio Aircheck Founder Richard Irwin


Radio aircheck fans are mourning the death of Richard Irwin who founded and operated the ReelRadio aircheck website.

Irwin, born 1951, Flushing, New York,  grew up in Concord, North Carolina and worked at radio stations from age 14. By the time he started the Reelradio Repository, he had worked for about 10 radio stations, including programming KAFY, Bakersfield and KROY in Sacramento.  He also wrote early Commodore 128 software to schedule music for radio stations

Richard Irwin
He died Wednesday (6/6) in Sacramento at age 67.

Just last month Irwin shut down the ReelRadio website for health reasons.  He suffered a spinal injury in an accident two years ago.

Each week, the web site would list the "Reelradio Fab 40", a list of the top exhibits that were played by listeners to the web site for the prior week. Like the surveys printed by top 40 radio stations in their heyday, the Reelradio Fab 40 list showed an entry's current position on the list, what it's position was for each of the previous three weeks, and how many weeks it had been in the Fab 40 list.

By 2016, the web site stated that the membership fee would cover just six months at a time, but by 2017 this requirement was not being enforced. On September 24, 2017, new registrations to the website were closed, and donations were no longer being requested. A statement on the front page of the web site indicated that the Reelradio board of directors had voted to end the site, but would keep it operating while there was still money in its fund to pay licensing fees. Reelradio, Inc. planned to archive and preserve the site until such time that a qualified operator could be found.

However, as of May 2, 2018 the site was no longer online.

R.I.P.: VA Radio Personality Jeff Beck Dead At 66

Jeff Beck
Virginia radio personality Jeff Beck has died from brain cancer at the age of 66, according to fredericksburg.com.

For over a decade, the Jeff & Jeff show was a staple of Richmond radio.  The team of Jeff Beck and Jeff McKee hosted the morning program, which was known for its mix of prank calls and community-oriented programming, from 1990 to 2001. They revived the show in 2012 on WWUZ 96.9 The Rock in Fredericksburg, VA.

“We became over time a local institution, and we felt a great responsibility for the people who were our community,” McKee said.

The duo was inducted into the Richmond Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2006.

“[Beck] was a wizard in the studio,” said Brian Illes, who was a program director at WRXL-102 in the 1990s when Jeff & Jeff was on the air.

“Every day it was good to be working with him, and every day you knew what you were going to get with him, and you knew you were going to get a guy who was having a good time,” Illes said.

After the Jeff & Jeff show went off the air in 2001, Beck worked for several stations in the Richmond and Fredericksburg areas. He finished his career as operations director with Alpha Media in Fredericksburg.

Before moving to Richmond in 1990, Mr. Beck’s career included jobs at several New York radio stations, including WLIR. The station—and Beck—was featured in the 2017 documentary, “New Wave: Dare To Be Different.”

His wife, Joyce Beck, said her husband was raised as a “radio brat” whose father was a general manager at stations around the country.

June 8 Radio History




➦In 1947...the 15-minute "Lassie" radio show began its three-year run – first on ABC then on NBC.


➦In 1955…The TV quiz show "The $64,000 Question," hosted by actor/comedian Hal March, premiered as a summer replacement series on CBS. It was based on the radio program, "Take it or Leave It," which had a $64 top prize.


➦In 1967...Exactly one week after its release in the UK, the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" went to #1, where it remained for 27 weeks. Costing $42,500 to produce and requiring 700 hours of studio time, it was also the first album to print the lyrics on the sleeve.


➦In 1968…The Rolling Stones released the single, "Jumpin' Jack Flash"



➦In 1968…Gary Puckett & The Union Gap released "Lady Will Power"



➤In 1988...Billboard Blast From The Past....





➦In 2003...Dan Ingram does last show at WCBS 101.1 FM NYC. Here's an aircheck from 1992:




➦In 2011…Steve Popovich, who founded and managed Cleveland International Records, died at the age of 68.


➦In 2011…Former Detroit Tigers broadcaster/outfielder Jim Northrup died of complications from Alzheimer's disease at age 71.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Nielsen: 82% Of CMO's To Increase Digital Spending


In an in-depth survey of chief marketing officers, Nielsen reports that 82% of them expect to increase their spending on digital media in the next year, but only 30% plan to increase the share they parcel out to ad buys in traditional media.

According to MediaPost, these CMOs, on average, say they expect the digital spend to increase by 49% in the next 12 months. In traditional media, nearly half expect a decrease in spending there, with the average prediction being about 5%.

But they also admit they maybe flying blind. In terms of measurement, only one in four marketers reported high levels of confidence in the ability to measure the return-on-investment  (ROI) of their media spend, regardless of type or the trade spend, Nielsen reports. Not surprisingly, 79% expect to increase their investment in marketing analytics and attribution in the next 12 months.

Over 44% of the marketers agreed that they are getting the most out of their media budget with the data they have. But about 28% say they don’t have enough quality data. Only 26% feel “very” or “extremely” confident they have the right technology and resources  to do the job, but 30% are on the opposite side of that question. For Nielsen, which is in the data business, the findings seem to be a mixed bag of answers.

“The marketers we spoke with and surveyed made it clear that it’s not more data they are looking for, rather better insight. They’re aflush with dashboards, yet only a quarter are highly confident in ROI measurement,” Nielsen’s report says.



Social media tops on the food chain

Among digital media types, 79% think social media is tops on the food chain, compared to 73% for search (and search gets high marks through most of this report). Less important is mobile display (44%) and, last of all, over-the-top/connected TV which only 23% feel is a “extremely important” or “very important” part of the digital constellation at this point. Nielsen points out that OTT is a the new kid on the digital block, and the findings support that.

In terms of effectiveness, social media and search both top that list, too, with a matching 69% of respondents rating them effective, compared to 60% for mobile, 54% for programmatic and 28% for OTT.

The report says that 55% of its respondents allocate at least 40% of their ad budget to traditional (TV, print, radio, etc) media, with one in ten giving 80% or more. But 49% say digital media makes up at least 40% of its spend, with 19% spending 80% or more. More than 51% say Television is either highly or extremely important in their marketing plans. 30% ranked TV as “extremely important.” No other traditional media reached 10%.

Chief marketing officers were also asked to rate the effectiveness of media channels for their business with 46% finding broadcast radio to be an effective channel. Of that, 19% gave radio the highest marks – 6% ranked it extremely effective and 13% very effective. Another 27% called radio somewhat effective.