Saturday, December 8, 2018

December 9 Radio History



➦In 1902...announcer/actor Brace Beemer, the voice of radio’s Lone Ranger for more than 13 years, was born in Mount Carmel Illinois.

He had been the announcer on the WXYZ Detroit production from early in the series (1933), and assumed the title role when the program’s early star, Earle Graser, was killed in a car accident in 1941.  Beemer starred in more than 3,000 episodes of the youth-oriented western radio adventure.

He died after a heart attack March 1 1965 at age 62.


➦In 1933...Talk show host Morton Downey Jr. was born in Los Angeles.  Unsuccessful as a pop & country singer, in the 1960’s he turned to deejaying at radio stations in Bakersfield, San Diego, and Miami as “Doc Downey the DJ.”

He perfected the abrasive, right-wing populist style of talk radio at Sacramento’s KFBK before transferring it to TV out of New York. (He was replaced at KFBK by Rush Limbaugh.)

Downey died from lung cancer Mar 12, 2001 at age 67.



➦In 1940...the radio panel show that originated with joke-telling sessions at the Friar’s Club, 'Can You Top This' debuted on WOR New York.  It would hit the networks 22 months later, and run on first NBC, then Mutual, ABC, and then NBC again, until 1954.

➦In 1940...The Longines Watch Company became the first FM radio advertiser when it signed a contract with W2XOR in New York City, an experimental station.


➦In 1968...Douglas Engelbart demonstrates the computer mouse

➦In 1977...Gene Klavan last show at WNEW 1130 AM NYC.

Klavan is most known for his time as half of the morning program "Klavan and Finch." The program ran from 1952 to 1968; prior to 1952, Dee Finch had co-hosted the show with Gene Rayburn. Co-host Finch departed and Klavan continued solo until 1977.



He wrote a biography in 1964, "We Die at Dawn", that largely focused on the morning show. He followed it up in 1972 with "Turn That Damned Thing Off", a book about the news media industry. In 1977 he moved to 710 WOR and left radio in 1980. He later became a commentator at WCBS-TV, a host for the AMC channel, and a columnist for Newsday.

➦In 1998...CBS Corp. raised $2.9 billion by selling a 17 percent stake in Infinity Broadcasting Corp., its radio and outdoor advertising business. The initial public offering of stock was the largest ever in the media industry.

➦In 2004...Boston radio listeners lost one of that city's most listened to and respected talk show hosts, David Brudnoy, who succumbed to cancer. During his career, he worked at WBZ 1030 AM, WHDH-AM, and WRKO-AM. He was 64.

David Brudnoy
Brudnoy began a career in broadcast commentary in 1971 on Boston's local PBS television station, WGBH-TV.

In 1976, David Brudnoy took over as host of his friend Avi Nelson's radio show on WHDH, in the midst of the city's unrest over forced busing and desegregation in schools. He took to the job with ease, and increasingly gained popularity. From 1981 to 1986, he appeared on former Top 40 WRKO, which was now news and talk, before moving to local stalwart WBZ. The top-rated talk radio host in New England, he appeared in a regular weekday evening slot until his retirement. At the end of his career, Brudnoy was among the most-listened-to evening talk hosts in the United States.

Over the years, Brudnoy also appeared as a news commentator and host on local TV stations besides WGBH, including WCVB-TV (ABC), WNAC-TV, and WBZ-TV (CBS). He also appeared nationally on the CBS Morning News. He wrote movie reviews for Boston magazine and local community newspapers. During the 1970s he wrote articles for the National Review, and befriended its editor William F. Buckley.  He also wrote for The Alternative (later known as The American Prospect) in the early 1970s, but quit because of the editor's unwillingness to adopt a more liberal position on gay rights.   His articles have appeared in The New York Times, The New Republic, and the Saturday Evening Post.

In 1990, his WBZ show was canceled, but a mass public response, including a letter writing campaign sponsored by The Boston Globe, helped lead to his quick return to the station's lineup.

Brudnoy's popularity escalated him into the Boston media elite, and he was the host of numerous social gatherings at his upscale Back Bay apartment, mixing students, media personalities, and politicians. After his bout with AIDS, Brudnoy began broadcasting from his apartment four nights out of five, welcoming his radio guests into his home.

His popularity in Boston was so great that when he returned to the air in early January 1995, after his first battle with HIV/AIDS kept him off the air for ten weeks, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino formally declared January 5 as "David Brudnoy Day."

Brudnoy was awarded the Freedom of Speech Award from the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts, and nominated for the "Personality of the Year" Marconi Award, both in 1997.

In 2001, he celebrated his 25th anniversary on the air.

➦In 2016…St. Louis broadcaster (KSD-Radio, KSD-TV) Clif St. James, a TV weatherman who also played children's show character Corky the Clown for 26 years, died of complications from pneumonia at 91.

Philly Radio: WTDY Taps Coop & Casey For Mornings


Entercom has announced Sean "Coop" Tabler and Casey Reed as morning hosts for HotAC WTDY-96.5 FM in Philadelphia.

"Coop and Casey" can be heard weekdays from 6-10am. Prior to joining Entercom, "Coop" served as morning host for Country WGH 97.3 The Eagle in Norfolk-Virginia Beach. "Coop" has also held on-air roles for sister stations WDZH-98.7 The Breeze and WYCD 99.5 in Detroit, as well as KKWF 100.7 The Wolf in Seattle.

Coop & Casey
The move signals a return to 96.5 TDY for Reed, who held midday and afternoon drive host roles at the station (then WRDW-FM) from 2005-2014. She most recently served as Music Director and afternoon drive host for WIOQ Q102 in Philadelphia.

“We are so excited to bring Coop to Philly and to welcome Casey back to the 96.5 TDY family,” said David Yadgaroff, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Philadelphia. “Together, their focus on all things Philadelphia, along with their infectious energy is just what WTDY’s listeners are looking for in the morning.”

To celebrate their debut as the station’s new morning show team, “Coop” and Reed will meet listeners in person at “Suds and Ugly Sweaters” event on today, December 8 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET at Spring Mountain Adventures in Spring Mountain, PA. The event, hosted by Entercom Philadelphia stations, will feature an ugly sweater contest and top winter local craft beer selections from Sly Fox Brewing Co., with additional seasonal beers on tap. Other activities include live music, a Christmas card workshop and other holiday fare.

“I am beyond thrilled to be a part of the incredible Entercom team in Philly,” said Sean “Coop” Tabler. “I’ve been looking forward to working with Shelly Easton [Program Director, Entercom Philadelphia] and soak up her wealth of knowledge and talent. I can’t thank David Yadgaroff enough for allowing me the opportunity to work at TDY and I am absolutely honored to be a part of a team with Casey Reed. Her talent, hard work and dedication to Philly are unmatched.”

WTDY 96.5 FM (9.6 Kw) Red=54dBu Coverage Area
“I can’t describe how it feels to have come full circle and be back at 96.5 where I started my on-air career,” said Casey Reed. “Shelly Easton is second to none when it comes to leadership, so it’s an honor to be working with her again as well as with David Yadgaroff and everyone at Entercom in my hometown. Teaming with Sean is an absolute pleasure. I doubt there’s another morning talent as hard-working, forward-thinking and humble as he is.”

Women Put Nashville Back In The Grammy Conversation


There's lots to unpack from the long — and notably inclusive — list of nominees for the 61st annual Grammy Awards, which was revealed Friday. Along with the local acts vying for the top prizes, The Nashville Tennessean lists few things what else Music City residents should take note of:

First and foremost, without a few key female artists, Nashville wouldn’t have much to sing about at next year’s ceremony.

Remember last year’s dismal nominations? Country music didn’t have a single nominee in any of the all-genre categories — which hadn’t happened since 2004. This year, the genre can claim four artists up for top prizes, and all but one are female.

Kacey Musgraves’ acclaimed ”Golden Hour" is nominated for Album of the Year, while Maren Morris' crossover pop smash “The Middle” is nominated for Record and Song of the Year. Independent country favorite Margo Price landed an overdue nod for Best New Artist, along with country chart-topper Luke Combs.

The strong showing of female nominees, of course, comes at a time when women have undeniably lost ground on country radio. This week’s Billboard Country Airplay chart doesn’t have a single female artist in the Top 20 — and that has literally never happened before.


Margo Price’s nomination for Best New Artist might come as a surprise — but only because many observers thought she would have been nominated for the award two years ago, on the heels of her breakout 2016 debut “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter.”

How does the Recording Academy decide if an established artist is “new?” They say artists are selected for the category “if their eligibility year release/s achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.”

That’s a hard sell with Price, who spent the first half of 2016 appearing on “Saturday Night Live.”

Ellen DeGeneres Gets Her Own Spotify Hub


Usually it's Ellen DeGeneres who serves as host, but now Spotify is making a special welcome for the charismatic comedienne and talk show host on the music service.

DeGeneres gets her own hub on Spotify starting Friday. Within the hub, you can find her playlists including tracks from recent guests on her shows and her podcast "Ellen on the Go." Videos will hit the hub next year.

A music fan frequently prone to dancing on her daily show, DeGeneres said in a statement to USAToday, “I’m so excited to partner with Spotify on my very own music hub because music truly makes everything better. Well, music and salt.”

The deal represents Spotify's first long-term partnership and includes the music service being incorporated into the syndicated TV series.

The Ellen hub on Spotify is live now at Spotify.com/Ellen.

Spotify's team wanted to work with DeGeneres for a long time, said Dawn Ostroff, chief content officer at Spotify.

"It’s not that easy to find somebody who has a mission so similar to ours," she said. "She is sort of cut from the same cloth as us because both of our brands' ethos is about being able to let the power of music help build culture and community ... and to create opportunities for new voices and cultures to be discovered and enjoyed by millions of people."

Media Stocks Finish Week With Average 4% Declines


It's been a rough time for TV-video and media tech stocks and publicly traded companies, which are down around 4% for the week -- all due to concerns over a U.S. economic slowdown, reports Wayne Firedman at MediaPost.

The Dow Jones Media Index lost 3.9% to 874.64. Dow Jones U.S Broadcasting and Entertainment Index also dipped 3.9% to 1,304.54.

Big media and technology stocks highlighted the suffering: Netflix was down 7% to $265.14, while Google (Alphabet) lost 5.7% to $1,046.58; Apple gave back 5.7% to $168.49; Amazon dropped 3.6% to $1,629.13; and Facebook was down 2.3% to $137.42.

Among traditional media companies: Comcast dropped 4.1% to $37.41. Walt Disney was down 3% to $111.98; Charter lost 4.1% to $315.70; CBS fell 5.7% to $51.10; Viacom declined 3.1% to $29.91; and Dish Network was off 2.5% to $31.93.

Among local TV station groups, Sinclair Broadcast Group was down 2.5% to $30.66, and Tegna sank 4.5% to $12.69.

Two local TV station groups stocks gained in the week: Tribune Media was 11.8% higher to $44.99 and Nexstar Media Group was up 3.2% to $85.30. Nexstar announced a deal to buy Tribune Media during the week.

Report: Les Moonves May Sue CBS Over Leaks

Les Moonves
Media mogul Les Moonves is threatening to sue CBS over recent leaks of lurid details about his alleged sexual misconduct, The NYPost is reporting.

In what’s expected to amount to a breach of contract suit, Moonves’ lawyers are preparing to allege that leaks to the NYTimes this week about CBS’ pending investigation into Moonves broke a confidentiality agreement and sullied the exec’s reputation, sources close to Moonves said.

At stake is a $120 million exit package for Moonves, which could get slashed or wiped out entirely if the board finds that CBS’ ex-chairman and chief executive violated the company’s harassment policies.

“He was about to get nothing,” an insider said of Moonves, citing the report’s damaging findings, including that the media exec had oral sex with at least four employees, as well as one network employee “on call” to pleasure him, according to a Wednesday report by the Times.

The 59-page draft report also claimed that Moonves destroyed evidence of his misdeeds and evaded investigators, and that CBS employees and some former board members covered up Moonves’ behavior.

With those confidential findings now public, lawyers for Moonves, who has said he believed the sexual encounters were consensual, believe they’ve now got a foot in the door to “challenge the process legally,” the source said.

Milwaukee Radio: WRNW Snags Badgers Sports For 97.3 FM

iHeartMedia and Learfield, the multimedia rightsholder for University of Wisconsin Athletics, have announced that WRNW 97.3 The Game will be the new radio home of the Wisconsin Badger Sports Network in Milwaukee.

Starting with the men's basketball game at Marquette on Saturday, December 8, all Badger broadcasts, including the New Era Pinstripe Bowl on December 27, can be heard in Milwaukee on WRNW and will continue to be simulcast on WOKY 920 AM.

This move follows iHM's announcement last week that it would flip WRNW to Sports. Badger broadcasts have been simulcast on WRIT 95.7 Big FM, WOKY-AM and WRNW since the announcement.

"We have enjoyed great success with many of our new sports/talk and entertainment brands and are excited about the launch of 97.3 The Game for Milwaukee and Southwestern Wisconsin," said iHeartMedia Division President Jeff Tyler. "We are also pleased to continue and expand our longtime partnership with Learfield's Badgers Sports Properties and the University of Wisconsin with The Game, The Big 920 and all the other Milwaukee stations and of course our iHeartRadio brand."

"We have a great radio partner in iHeartMedia, and we know Badger fans will easily adapt to making the switch to 97.3 The Game to hear all things Badgers," said Badger Sports Properties' Vice President and General Manager Scott Silvestri.

The Wisconsin Badger Sports Network can be heard on more than 70 statewide radio affiliates this season.

Former NBA Player In The Lead To Buy Sports Illustrated

Ulysses Lee “Junior” Bridgeman, a former U.S. basketball player who became a fast-food mogul, is in the lead to acquire Sports Illustrated magazine from media company Meredith Corp for about $150 million, according to Reuters citing people familiar with the matter.

The deal would be the result of a review that Meredith is carrying out in its portfolio, following its $1.84 billion acquisition of Time Inc last year. It has already sold off its Time and Fortune magazines and is exploring a sale of Money Magazine.

One aspect of the deal still being hashed out in the negotiations is the outsourcing agreements related to printing and paper costs of the magazine, one of the sources said. These discussions are common when a buyer who does not own a media company purchases a magazine, the source added.

For example, when Marc and Lynne Benioff bought Time magazine for $190 million in cash in September, Meredith entered into a multiyear agreement with them to provide services such as subscription fulfillment, paper purchasing and printing.

Bridgeman
A Bridgeman purchase of Sports Illustrated would be the latest example of a wealthy individual taking over a storied media brand that has declined in profitability and influence since its peak years.

Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post in 2013 for $250 million. Earlier this year, Marc Benioff, founder of Salesforce.com, bought Time Magazine from Meredith for $190 million. Chatchaval Jiaravanon, a Thai businessman, bought Fortune for $150 million.

First published in 1954, Sports Illustrated is a U.S. magazine brand best known for its annual swimsuit issue. It has nearly 3 million subscribers but has been scaling back in recent years, reducing its print edition to 24 issues annually, in the face of pressure from online media.

Bridgeman played for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers during his career with the National Basketball Association, which ran from 1975 to 1987. He later began acquiring Chili’s and Wendy’s restaurant franchises, which he sold for $400 million in 2016.

'Billboard' Names Hannah Karp Editorial Director


Billboard Media Group has announce that Hannah Karp has been named Editorial Director effective immediately.

The newly created role marks the first new editorial promotion at Billboard since Valence’s acquisition. Karp is being promoted from her most recent role as Billboard’s News Director, overseeing all music industry coverage for the publication, and she will now oversee all editorial coverage and analysis of the music business with a specific emphasis on content and serving the industry across platforms.

Hannah Karp
“Promoted from within, she both knows and is known to the industry, while her editorial vision aligns with the bigger business vision across platforms, genres, and territory lines as well as print, digital and television live events and conferences. Also worth noting, Hannah is the first woman in the history of the publication to assume this role,” says Deanna Brown, Valence Managing Director.

Prior to joining Billboard, Karp led business-related music coverage at The Wall Street Journal. As the newspaper’s music industry reporter, she covered breaking news, crafted narrative features, wrote for the publication’s business, entertainment and technology blogs, and covered earnings and financial news. Over the course of the decade-plus Karp spent at the Wall Street Journal, she covered a range of beats including sports, national news, the consumer product industry, travel, and lifestyle.

“Hannah has an exemplary history as a journalist, and particularly in music. She is respected throughout our hallways, and our industry,” said Modi Wiczyk, Co-CEO of Valence Media. “We know that she will relentlessly pursue integrity – in our journalism, in our charts, in our corporate culture, and in our interactions with our industry constituents.”

FCC Probes Wireless Providers For False Data


The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced Friday that it will investigate whether major wireless service providers have submitted false data to the agency about their coverage areas, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said.

According to The Hill, the FCC said it would be temporarily suspending the rollout of a $4.53 billion program to boost wireless internet in under-served areas while the investigation is underway.

"In order to reach those areas, it's critical that we know where access is and where it is not," Pai said in a statement. "A preliminary review of speed test data submitted through the challenge process suggested significant violations of the Commission's rules. That's why I've ordered an investigation into these matters. We must ensure that the data is accurate before we can proceed."

Under the FCC's Mobility Fund Phase II program, major wireless providers were required to submit up-to-date data on their wireless broadband coverage reach to determine which areas of the country are most in need of government support.

The program is part of an effort to expand internet access to rural areas and other underserved communities.

Leonard Wheeler Named To NAB Radio Board

Leonard Wheeler
Leonard Wheeler, president and general manager of Mel Wheeler, Inc., has been appointed to the NAB Radio Board of Directors by Radio Board Chairman Randy Gravley in accordance with NAB by-laws, effective immediately.

Wheeler assumes the board seat previously occupied by Jim Watkins, prior to his retirement from WHUR-FM.

Wheeler began his career in radio sales in 1979. He later joined his two brothers and father in developing Mel Wheeler, Incorporated, a family broadcast business.

Wheeler moved to Roanoke, Virginia in 1992 to take over as manager of WSLQ-FM and WSLC-AM. Since 1996, he has led the company through the successful acquisition and development of six FM stations in the Roanoke/Lynchburg/New River Valley markets, an additional AM signal and two stations operating via HD-2/Translators.

Wheeler is currently president of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters and serves on the board of the Foundation for Roanoke Valley, Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge organization (the Convention and Visitors Bureau Organization), and the Roanoke-Blacksburg Business Council.

December 8 Radio History


➦In 1928…In Nashville, George D. Hay used the term "Grand Ole Opry" for the first time when introducing the show to the WSM radio audience.

➦In 1940... the first NFL championship game heard nationally was broadcast by the Mutual radio network. The Bears beat the Redskins, 73-0, in the most one-sided NFL final ever.



➦In 1941…A Presidential Address was delivered at 12:30 p.m. to a Joint Session of Congress by U. S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one day after the Empire of Japan's attack on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii. Roosevelt described the previous day as "a date which will live in infamy."

Within an hour of the speech, Congress passed a formal declaration of war against Japan and officially brought the U.S. into World War II. Britain and Canada also declared war on Japan, although both countries already had been fighting World War II in Europe against Germany.


➦In 1943....The Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison was born. He died of heart failure in Paris on July 3, 1971 at 27.


➦In 1962…In New York City, disc jockey and promoter Alan Freed appeared at his payola trial and admitted to receiving money from record labels to play their songs on the air. He was found guilty, fined $300, and given six months probation, but the irreparable damage to his reputation and career had been done. Dick Clark, host of ABC-TV's "American Bandstand," was also questioned but was cleared of all charges.

➦In 1962...New York newspaper strike begins - WABC FM goes all news



➦In 1980…Two months after his 40th birthday, John Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman, outside his home at the Dakota apartment building on the northwestern corner of 72nd Street and Central Park West in New York City.

After approaching the former Beatle and calling his name, Chapman dropped into a combat stance and shot John in his chest, back and left arm. Lennon staggered into the porters' vestibule and was comforted by porter Jay Hastings, who covered him with his jacket and removed his glasses. Police were quickly summoned and took John to Roosevelt Hospital on West 59th Street. Doctors did everything they could to save him, but John Lennon was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m. A sobbing Yoko Ono cried "Oh no, no, no, no ... tell me it's not true," and was led away in shock.

The 24-year-old Chapman remained at the scene, took out his copy of "The Catcher in the Rye" and read it until the police arrived and arrested him without incident.

Many Americans learned of the tragedy while watching ABC-TV's "Monday Night Football." Howard Cosell announced the news of the murder: "This, we have to say it, is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City: John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City, the most famous perhaps of all of the Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival."

After being denied parole multiple times, Lennon's killer remains in prison.

➦In 2004…Producer/former "American Bandstand" host Dick Clark was hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering a stroke. Clark later reduced his workload and public profile but returned to Times Square for limited TV segments during the annual New Year's Eve celebrations. He died of a heart attack in April 2012.

➦In 2012…Arnold Dean, a radio broadcaster for nearly 65 years and the host of WTIC-Hartford's "SportsTalk" show since 1976, died a day after he had his pacemaker replaced at age 82.

➦In 2015...Bonnie Lou, a pioneering country music artist and rockabilly singer who later became a radio and TV host on programs such as Midwestern Hayride on WLW Cincinnati, died at age 91.

Friday, December 7, 2018

Cincy Radio: Hubbard's Country WYGY Cuts Air-Staff

Ernie Brown
43-yer-old radio vet Ernie Brown along with personalities Pete Miller and Jimmy Salzurulo didn't get to say goodbye this week as they were pink-slipped from Hubbard's other Country station WYGY-FM "97.3 The Wolf".

The station is now jockless.

According to Cincinnati Media Watcher John Kiesewetter, The Wolf  has always been the little sister station to Hubbard's WUBE 105.1 FM, the area's most popular country music station.  WUBE-FM, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next spring, was named the County Music Association's "Station of the Year" in November for the fifth time in 20 years.

The Wolf cutbacks came less than a week that Hubbard plans to build new offices and studios for WUBE-FM, WKRQ-FM, WREW-FM and WYGY-FM and follows other personnel downsizing at Hubbard stations in Chicago and St. Louis.

Brown said Hubbard "was kind enough to give me a severance package. I have nothing but high praise for them."

He's heard from many old radio friends and former coworkers since word spread that he was let go. He's looking for full-time work (and health insurance), "even if it's not radio," says Brown, who turns 64 in June.

Tampa Radio: Laura Diaz Moves To WMTX For Mornings

Laura Diaz
WMTX Mix 100.7, The Best Variety of the 80’s, 90’s, and Today, announced today the debut of The Mix Morning Show with Laura Diaz. The new show will broadcast weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. beginning January 3.

Diaz joins Mix 100.7 from iHeartMedia Orlando’s XL106.7, where she co-hosted alongside Johnny Magic on Johnny’s House for seven years.

“My great-grandparents emigrated from Spain to Tampa in search of the American Dream,” said Diaz. “To think that 103 years later I have the opportunity to be the female lead on a morning show and continue the dream is overwhelming! I’m grateful and humbled to be able to join a community-focused station like Mix 100.7 and to continue doing what I love with iHeartMedia.”

WMTX 100.7 FM (100 Kw) Red=60dBu Coverage Area
“Laura’s unique female perspective makes her the perfect fit for mornings on Mix 100.7,” said Randi West, Mix 100.7 Program Director. “I’m excited for her to join us in Tampa Bay!”

Women Dominate 2019 Grammy Nominations


Rap stars Kendrick Lamar and Drake lead the list of nominees for the 2019 Grammy Awards announced Friday, but, reports The NYTimes,  right behind them is a crop of young and less heralded artists, notably women, after years of friction about diversity, including a major dust-up over gender representation after the last ceremony.

The Instagram star turned rapper Cardi B, the folk singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, the left-of-center country singer Kacey Musgraves, and the R&B artists H.E.R. and Janelle Monáe are among the women who will compete for album of the year against some of hip-hop’s biggest names. Lamar received eight nominations — including his fourth for album of the year — for his role as executive producer of the soundtrack to Marvel’s “Black Panther,” and Drake was nominated seven times in connection with his blockbuster double album “Scorpion” and guest appearances. Rounding out the category is “Beerbongs & Bentleys” by the 23-year-old rapper and singer Post Malone.

But each of the big four general field categories — record of the year, song of the year, album of the year and best new artist — is dominated by women, including six out of eight acts up for best new artist: Chloe x Halle, H.E.R., Dua Lipa, Margo Price, Bebe Rexha and Jorja Smith. (The others are the country singer Luke Combs and the retro-rock band Greta Van Fleet.)

There’s little question that the biggest snub goes to 10-time Grammy winner and 31-time nominee Taylor Swift, who has just one nod for her controversial “Reputation” album.

The Grammy Awards air on CBS-TV February 10, 2019.

The Grammy Nominees Are:

Frank Loesser's Daughter Blames Cosby For 'Cold' Ban

Baby, it’s really, really cold outside for Frank Loesser’s Oscar-winning song this Christmas season.

Under fire amid the #MeToo movement from critics who say "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is sexist and hints at date rape, radio stations in Cleveland and San Francisco have dropped the holiday staple from their Christmas playlists and others in the U.S. and Canada are following suit.

This is not sitting well with the daughter of Broadway legend Frank Loesser, who said she has heard complaints in the past about her dad’s ditty but blames Bill Cosby for turning it into something fiendish.

"Bill Cosby ruined it for everybody," Susan Loesser told NBC News on Thursday. “Way before #Me Too, I would hear from time to time people call it a date rape song. I would get annoyed because it’s a song my father wrote for him and my mother to sing at parties. But ever since Cosby was accused of drugging women, I hear the date rape thing all the time.”

Cosby was convicted earlier this year of drugging and sexually assaulting one woman and has been accused of doing the same to dozens more. And the link between the song and disgraced actor was even reinforced in a memorable SNL skit — from 2015.

Sue Loesser
Loesser, 74, said she understands why women nowadays might bristle at the song, which features a man trying to convince a woman to spend the night because the weather outside is frightful — and includes the line, “Say what’s in this drink?”

"Absolutely I get it," she said. “But I think it would be good if people looked at the song in the context of the time. It was written in 1944.”

How would her dad, who died in 1969, react to his song being banned from the radio?

"I think my father would be furious at that," she said. "People used to say 'what’s in this drink' as a joke. You know, this drink is going straight to my head so what’s in this drink? Back then it didn’t mean you drugged me."

Toledo Radio: Cumulus Shuffles Air Chairs


Cumulus Media/Toledo is switching up four of its morning shows.

Starting Dec. 17:
  • The WRQN 93.5 FM drive-time duo Cliff and Lyn will join Gary Shores from 5-9 a.m. on WKKO-99.9 FM (K-100)
  • Denny Schaffer and his WQQO 105.5 FM morning team relocating down the dial to WRQN
  • Eric Chase, who handles evenings on WQQO, will be replacing Schaffer. Chase had his own morning show on iHeartMedia’s WVKS-FM, 92.5, but was let go when the station replaced him with a simulcast of Detroit’s long-running Mojo in the Morning.
  • On Dec. 21, WXKR 94.5 FM  listeners will be waking up to a new voice. Mark Benson, the classic rock station’s longtime morning man, is retiring, with former WIOT 104.7 FM radio personality Pyke tapped as his replacement. Pyke most recently broadcast in the Chicago market.
Andy Stuart, regional vice president and market manager, said in an email announcement to Cumulus Radio Station Group, this many morning-show changes at once may be a first for radio.

“As far as I can tell, this is another first in broadcast history in that one company is making four morning show changes virtually at once,” Stuart said. “We believe that this is possible only because each of these people have great and established brands and that each of the stations themselves have excellent foundations.”

Indy Radio: Karen Vaughn Returns As OM For Radio One


Radio personality Karen Vaughn has returned to the Indianapolis radio scene as the operations manager for Radio One where she will manage three urban and inspirational stations.

“I am honored to return to Radio One Indianapolis, a cluster that is rich in heritage and anchored in excellence,” Vaughn said in a press release. “To reunite with one of the most creative and hardworking teams [sic] is truly exciting and I’m enthusiastic to reconnect with listeners across the Circle City.”

WTLC 106.7 FM listeners may remember Vaughn from her on-air radio voice. At the time of her departure, she had the No. 1 afternoon show, according to the Indianapolis Recorder.

Vaughn has received several awards including Assistant Program Director and Music Director of the Year from Billboard Magazine, R&R Magazine’s “Women on the Rise” top 10 list, and she was recently inducted into the Ohio Radio TV Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

In addition to Indianapolis, Vaughn has worked at radio stations in Cleveland, Miami and most recently Philadelphia.

“Karen Vaughn is a seasoned programmer with an outstanding major market track record,” GM and Regional Vice President Deon Livingston said. “We [sic] look forward to having her back in Indianapolis after an amazing run in our Radio One Philadelphia market.”

CNN NYC Building Evacuated After Another Threat

Police and CNN have issued an all-clear message after the network's New York offices and studios were evacuated Thursday night because of a phoned-in bomb threat.

"The NYPD has now given us the all clear, and employees have been permitted to return to the building,"CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker said in an internal memo to staff. "The building is secure and safe for everyone to return in the morning."

"We appreciate the swift action by the local authorities, and the patience and professionalism of all the employees who were impacted."

The threat was not substantiated, the New York Police Department tweeted.

The threat came Thursday night when a caller indicated there were five devices in the building, according to a law enforcement source.

Several fire alarm bells rang inside CNN's New York newsroom, signaling an evacuation after the call was received shortly before 10 p.m., the company's security said.

Staffers evacuated the CNN New York offices in the Time Warner Center building and Don Lemon's "CNN Tonight," which had been on a commercial break, was taken off the air.

The network temporarily went to taped programming for about half hour before going live from the street while police investigated.

"We were told to evacuate the building and to do it as soon as possible. We grabbed what we could and got out of the building and now, we are standing outside of the building," Lemon said.


Numerous police and fire department trucks blocked all vehicle and pedestrian traffic on West 58th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue due to a police investigation at Columbus Circle, where the Time Warner Center is located, the New York Police Department tweeted.

The network's bureau was evacuated in October after a package with an explosive device, addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, was discovered, officials said.

Leaked: ‘60 Minutes’ Independence Led to Trouble At CBS

Jeff Fager (Reuters photo)
For decades, “60 Minutes” has reigned at the top of television news, bringing in hundreds of journalistic awards, not to mention weekly ratings for CBS that are the envy of the industry. The success has allowed “60 Minutes” to operate independently from the larger network news division to which it belongs.

But, reports The NYTimes,  that independence came at a cost: The show proved unable to prevent inappropriate conduct by some of its top executives, according to lawyers hired by the CBS Corporation board of directors to investigate the workplace culture of the program.

In a leaked draft of a report for the board, investigators wrote that “the physical, administrative and cultural separation between ‘60 Minutes’ and the rest of CBS News permitted misconduct by some ‘60 Minutes’ employees.”

The executive producer of “60 Minutes,” Jeff Fager, was fired in September after he threatened a CBS News reporter looking into allegations about his behavior. The investigators wrote that the firing was justified, adding that Fager had “engaged in certain acts of sexual misconduct” with colleagues and failed to stop misbehavior by others.

Don Hewitt
They also said the misdeeds during Fager’s run as executive producer, which began in 2004, were less severe than under his powerful predecessor, Don Hewitt, who died in 2009.

Hewitt, who created the program in 1968 and produced the show for 36 years, is a journalistic legend. But investigators revealed that CBS continues to pay out a settlement to a woman who claimed that Hewitt sexually assaulted her on repeated occasions and destroyed her career. The settlement, reached in the 1990s, has been amended multiple times, including this year. In total, CBS has agreed to pay the former employee more than $5 million.

The investigators’ report will be presented to the CBS board next week, during a period of reckoning for the company. CBS forced its longtime chief executive, Leslie Moonves, out of his job in September after he faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.

Interview: Fox News' Tucker Carlson Rips Trump

Tucker Carlson
In a candid interview with the Swiss weekly "Die Weltwoche," Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson reveals that he believes President Trump is incapable of the legislative demands of being president.

When asked if Trump has kept his campaign promises, Carlson says, "No".

He tells WW foreign editor Urs Gehriger:
  • "His chief promises were that he would build the wall, de-fund Planned Parenthood, and repeal Obamacare, and he hasn't done any of those things."
  • "I don't think he's capable. I don't think he's capable of sustained focus. I don't think he understands the system." 
  • "I think Trump's role is to begin the conversation about what actually matters." In the wide ranging discussion, Carlson also reveals that:
  • "I self-consciously try not to go crazy."    
  • "I've never read an article about myself, ever."         
  • "If I wanted to be a policy adviser, I probably could. The bar seems to be very low. Most policy advisers are very stupid."
"Die Weltwoche" is Switzerland's leading German language opinion weekly with a readership of over 400,000 in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.

Sean Hannity Tops Mediaite’s Most Influential 2018 List

The Mediaite website has unveiled their ranking of the Most Influential in News Media 2018.

Top of the list: Sean Hannity, the Fox News mega-host. In the Trump era, Hannity has emerged the king of cable news, with ratings that consistently best rivals on all three networks, including his close No. 2, Rachel Maddow. Hannity’s radio show, blanketing airwaves for three hours daily, adds millions of listeners to his national reach.

Hannity airs on Fox News at 9 p.m., taking the already massive ratings the network garners to record numbers. The show regularly notches a whopping three million viewers a night, and sometimes breaks four. Those numbers have made Hannity the most-watched cable news host in America for two years running.

According to Mediaite, there’s also the little question of his proximity to the White House. Media titans have been close to presidents in the past, but few in history are reported to have the relationship between President Donald Trump and Sean Hannity. The top rated Fox News host speaks with the leader of the free world on a nightly basis — they talk policy, media, ratings, and gossip — after the airing of Hannity’s show, which Trump rarely misses.

It’s a relationship that has become the obsession of media criticism, and the driver of international policy. Hannity’s critics — and there are plenty — argue his sort of advocacy doesn’t belong on a news network. Nonetheless, as we wrote in our official ranking: “He’s emerged as the king of cable news — after playing the long game over two decades at Fox. Pair that with a direct line to the White House, and there’s simply no one more influential.”

Oscars Now Hart-Less


Comedian Kevin Hart has announced he is stepping down from hosting the 2019 Academy Awards amid criticism over years-old tweets deemed anti-gay.

Hart, 39, posted on Twitter early Friday an apology to the LGBTQ community for his past comments.





The announcement came two days after Hart announced on his Instagram account that he’d been selected to host the 91st Academy Awards, which will be broadcast Feb. 24. He was slated to take over the hosting duties from Jimmy Kimmel, who emceed the past two ceremonies.

Shortly after announcing the hosting gig, several now-deleted tweets by Hart using words such as “homo” and “gay,” dating back to 2011, resurfaced.

In a 2010 stand-up special, Hart said "If I can prevent my son from being gay, I will."

GLAAD, a media monitoring group founded by LGBT people in media, said it had contacted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to discuss Hart’s gig prior to him stepping down.

Twitter Unveils 'Most-Tweeted-About' News Outlets List


Twitter released its list of the top 10 most tweeted about news outlets, along with their most tweeted about reporter at each. the No. 1 spot was Fox News and Sean Hannity, with CNN, The Hill, MSNBC and The New York Times filling out the top five.

The bottom five include ABC, NBC News, The Washington Post, the Associated Press and NowThis.

NowThis, launched in 2012 with a mission to connect young adults with the news by making stories relatable in a relevant way, was the only digital-first company on the list. That's a place its president, Athan Stephanopoulos, attributes to the outlets ability to engage with its audience in an honest and organic way and its use of video as a predominant medium.

According to Brandwatch, a social intelligence company, the NowThis story with the biggest impact over the past 30 days was a video called “Man Begged Hospital Staff to Save His Wife,” which counted over 51,000 retweets and 71,000 likes and saw a 300% increase in Twitter mentions for the brand.

According to MediaPost, The New York Times attracts a sizeable portion of its social-media attention from negative interactions with Trump and his supporters, as does CNN. The cabler found itself becoming the news rather than delivering it when reporter Jim Acosta’s White House press credentials were revoked. Its Twitter mentions jumped by 221% between November 7 and 8.

The Times, though, is more likely to record positive sentiments from uses of its Twitter handle, with nearly 60% of its attention on Twitter skewing positive over the last 30 days, per Brandwatch data.

Westwood One Offers Trio of Holiday Music Specials


Deck the halls! Westwood One kicks off the holiday season with a stocking chock-full of musical treats for radio stations across America, featuring three top, multi-platinum recording artists – former Journey frontman and solo artist Steve Perry, GRAMMY Award-winning band Train, and the wildly-popular acapella quintet Pentatonix.

The following one-hour specials are available for AC and Hot AC stations during the dates listed, and can air any time between 6:00 am and 12 midnight:
  • STEVE PERRY, My Favorite Christmas Music – December 15 and 16, 2018
  • TRAIN, Christmas in Tahoe – December 22, 2018
  • PENTATONIX, Christmas is Here – December 23, 2018
 Westwood One's famous holiday music specials, hosted by the biggest and brightest stars in music, have become a welcome tradition with hundreds of programmers, millions of listeners, and local advertisers.

Stations interested in airing any of these specials can contact Neal Bird at nbird@westwoodone.com or (310) 840-4207.

Westwood One News Presents The Year in Review

In a recap of a very busy and bustling news year, Westwood One News is offering its affiliates a series of 20 Year in Review reports featuring one-minute vignettes showcasing many of the year’s biggest stories.

The reports will cover the Mueller Probe; Hurricanes Florence and Michael; the #MeToo Movement; the midterm election; immigration; changes on the Supreme Court; mass murders in Miami, Pittsburgh, Annapolis and Thousand Oaks; the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul; the deaths of John McCain, Burt Reynolds, Aretha Franklin, Stephen Hawking, former President George H.W. Bush, Barbara Bush and others; plus the top stories in sports, entertainment, and business.

Westwood One News will also provide two long-form Year in Review programs: “The Year in Review – The Big Stories,” hosted by correspondent Michael Toscano, and “The Year in Review – People and Entertainment,” hosted by correspondent John Trout. These programs will replace The Week in Review and America This Week respectively the weekends of December 22 and 23 and December 29 and 30, 2018.

This special Westwood One News Year in Review content is available to affiliated stations for unlimited use from Friday, December 21, 2018 through Tuesday, January 2, 2019.

Stations interested in learning more about Westwood One News can contact Jim Jones at jimjones@westwoodone.com or (202) 840-7933.

Tampa Radio: WILD Hosting Annual Toy Drive Tower


Beasley Media Group has announced WiLD 94.1 FM’s Freak Show Personality and Program Director, Orlando Davis’ will host the station’s 7th Annual Toy Drive Tower event to benefit The Children’s Home Network in Tampa.

Orlando Davis
Beginning today through Saturday, December 15th at 5pm, Orlando will climb the Toy Drive Tower, an outdoor constructed platform which will be elevated 30 feet in the air overlooking the City of Tampa and Metro by T-Mobile (2907 North Dale Mabry), where he will remain for eight days.

Orlando will encourage listeners to stop by and donate unwrapped toys, bicycles, toys, gift cards and monetary donations to benefit The Children’s Home Network.  In addition, the Freak Show will join Orlando from the tower and broadcast live every morning from December 10th-14th, 2018.

The WiLD 94.1 FM Morning Show Personality hopes to break last year’s donation collection record, which included more than 600 bicycles, 2 Full POD containers of toys and over $25,000 in cash and gift cards!

“WiLD is an incessant party, so it feels great to circle our wagons and help the kids of The Children’s Home Network have a memorable Christmas”, said Davis. “Our listeners use this opportunity to show their big hearts and for 8 days there are laughs, tears, numerous hugs and an immense amount of care.  I’m really proud of how we all stand up, for this community.”

The Children’s Home Network is a non-profit organization that serves as a sanctuary for abused, neglected or abandoned children in the community.

D/FW Radio: Country KSCS Raises $175K+ For Children's Hospital


Pictured, Back Row (L-R): Natalie Houghton (Cook Children’s Health Foundation Director of Annual Giving), Clara Martin (KSCS Promotions Coordinator), Mark “Hawkeye” Louis (KSCS Morning Show), Mac Daniels (KSCS Program Director), Grant Harris (Cook Children’s Health Foundation Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer), Cheryl Clark (Cook Children’s Health Foundation Manager of Communications). Front Row (L-R): Teresa Bingham (Cook Children’s Gift Processing Coordinator), Amanda Lewis (Cook Children’s Health Foundation Director of Development - Centennial), Lauren Estlinbaum (Cook Children’s Health Foundation Development Associate, Communications), Michelle Rodriguez (KSCS Mid Days), Al Farb (KSCS Assistant Program Director, Afternoons), and Rebecca Kaplan (KSCS Promotions Director).

New Country 96.3 KSCS, a Cumulus Media radio station, raised $175,670 for Cook Children’s, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, during its 5th Annual KSCS Cook Children’s Radiothon which took place Saturday, December 1, 2018.

At the conclusion of the broadcast, more than $173,000 was raised, but the phones were still ringing with listeners donating almost an additional $2,000. This brings the total KSCS has raised for Cook Children’s in the five years of this event to more than $1,090,000.

The 96.3 KSCS air staff broadcast live from 6:00am until 7:00pm at North East Mall in Hurst, Texas. Mark “Hawkeye” Louis, Al Farb and Michelle Rodriguez were all live on-air together for the entire event, bringing stories of the patients, families and Cook Children’s staff to KSCS listeners, who did not hold back and responded with their own personal stories about Cook Children’s and generous donations.

Money raised through Radiothon will be used to fund the areas where the need is greatest at Cook Children’s. This includes, but is not limited to, the daily care of patients and their families, enhancement of programs, and investing in innovative equipment that is up-to-date with the latest advances in medicine and technology.

KSCS Cook Children’s Radiothon was co-presented by EECU Credit Union and Albertsons/Tom Thumb.