WTIC AM dates back to 1925 when it came on the air with 500 watts of power from the 6th floor of the Travelers 26 Grove St bulding in Hartford where there were seven studios, most or all with control rooms. The station was licensed to the Travelers Insurance Company ("TIC") and had studios in downtown Hartford.
The 1931 CT State Register shows WTIC, owned by Travelers Broadcasting Service, operating on 1060 Khz with 50,000 watts, the most powerful station in the state. The transmitter, referred to as "old number one" was the first 50,000 watt transmitter ever manufactured by RCA and has serial number 001. This RCA 50 transmitter was the first high power commercial transmitter to use 100-kilowatt tubes, the first to use mercury-vapor type rectifiers throughout, and the first capable of true 100 percent modulation of its full rated 50-kilowatt carrier output.
By 1941 they had changed frequency to 1080 khz. WTIC is now owned by CBS Radio.
Bob Steele
WTIC was known for its historic time tone, which is a broadcast of the Morse code letter "V" every hour on the hour since 1943. This makes it one of the oldest continuously broadcasting radio time tones in the world. WTIC employs a GPS master clock system that fires the custom-built time-tone generator shortly before the top of the hour, timed such that the final tone of the sequence occurs precisely on the hour (Even though everything else heard on the station is on a 10-second delay), and listeners have been setting their watches to WTIC for many years. The notes of the sequence were pitched to mimic the famous opening sequence of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, whose "short-short-short-long" rhythm matches that of the Morse code letter "V". The Morse code letter "V" for Victory was selected during the height of WWII.
WTIC's best-known personality was Bob Steele, who started with the station in 1936 and stayed with WTIC for his entire sixty-six year career, ending with his death on December 6, 2002 at the age of 91.
Steele continued to broadcast a 5:30 - 10:00 AM Monday-Saturday morning show for WTIC for fifty-five years, scaling back to Saturdays only after September 1991; by the time of his last broadcast in November 2002, he was only heard on the first Saturday morning of every month. Despite WTIC's various format changes over the years, Steele's show (which featured musical standards, farm news and prices early in the morning, novelty songs, silly jokes, horrible puns ("...and the weather for Mexico City is chili today, hot tamale") and a regular "Word of the Day" segment - even long after WTIC itself had abandoned music for a focus on news/talk remained unchanged throughout its run, making it perhaps the longest-running radio program in history to have never undergone a significant format change.
➦In 1964...Johnny Holliday started at 1010 WINS. He hosted the station's final music broadcast in 1965. This led him west to Top 40 giant KYA in San Francisco where in 1965 Holliday was named America's number one disc jockey by the Bill Gavin Radio "Gavin Report." His radio work is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In connection with the station he hosted record hops and concerts, including co-hosting the final concert by the Beatles at Candlestick Park in 1966.
Holliday moved to Washington, D.C., in 1969, handling morning drive time duties for WWDC until 1978, and sports for WMAL from 1978 to 1991
➦In 1996...“The New” WKTU officially debuts at 103.5 FM.
At 6 p.m. on February 9, 1996, WYNY, which had dropped it's Country Format, switched its stunting to a heartbeat sound effect, promoting the launch of a new format coming the following day at Noon. At that time, WKTU was relaunched on 103.5 FM with a dance-based CHR format; WKTU's first song was "Gonna Make You Sweat" by C+C Music Factory. The station instantly skyrocketed to number one in the Arbitron ratings.
Drag performer RuPaul co-hosted mornings with Michelle Visage, Lisa Taylor and Freddie Colon around this period, further helping their ratings. Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton and Goumba Johnny made their debut at night and after much success were moved to mornings in 1998.
By 2002, the moderate amount of rap played on the station was gone and the station evolved into more of a Rhythmic Hot AC.
➦In 2004...After 23 years on KIIS 102.7 FM, Rick Dees announced he was leaving/ The issue was a contract dispute. Click Here for his final KIIS-FM Show.
➦In 2015…NBC News anchor Williams was suspended for six months from the broadcast for misrepresenting his experience in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. At the time, his salary was $10 million a year. He was replaced by Lester Holt. Williams now appears on MSNBC.
➦Click Here for more Historical Events that occurred on Sept 10.
Nearly three hours after performances from a starry array including Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, Don Henley and Vince Gill and Miley Cyrus and Shawn Mendes, Dolly Parton was officially christened the 2019 MusiCares Person of the Year, reports ajc.com.
Surprising Parton at the ceremony at the Los Angeles Convention Center were her longtime “Trio” friends, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, making a rare public appearance since her Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2012.
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NARAS
Parton, who joins an illustrious list of recipients including Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Elton John and last year’s honorees, Fleetwood Mac, was chosen in recognition of her creative accomplishments as well as her support of charitable causes.
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood – two of the last big names on the carpet because of their willingness to spend time with every reporter – spoke about Big Picture Parton.
“She’s so much more than an icon. I feel like everybody is here,” Yearwood said, holding her hand chest high, “and Dolly is up here. She’s a positive role model for men and women and for how to control your own business. She’s one of those women who can do it (all) without being called anything ugly. Sometimes if you really force your way, some of the words that are used aren’t that nice, but everybody loves Dolly.”
Added Brooks, “She’s the first one from Nashville that’s done MusiCares so that’s inspiring to men and women. She just kinda becomes the first on everything it seems…The Beatles have chord progressions nobody has touched yet. Dolly still has licks no one has touched yet.”
The owner of U.S. tabloid newspaper the National Enquirer pushed back on Friday against accusations of “extortion and blackmail” from Amazon.com Inc Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, saying its reporting on an extramarital relationship involving the world’s richest man was lawful and it would investigate his claims, reports Reuters.
Bezos on Thursday accused American Media Inc (AMI) of trying to blackmail him with the threat of publishing “intimate photos” he allegedly sent to his girlfriend unless he said in public that the American supermarket tabloid’s reporting on him was not politically motivated.
The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan is reviewing whether the alleged extortion violated a non-prosecution agreement, a person familiar with the matter said, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News.
AMI signed the agreement with federal prosecutors last year in connection with a $150,000 hush-money payment to a former Playboy model who claims she had an affair with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump denies the affair.
The agreement can be voided if AMI commits any crimes. If the agreement is nullified, AMI or its executives could face prosecution for the hush payment and its conduct with Bezos, legal experts said.
AMI and its CEO David Pecker have had close links to Trump, who has attacked Bezos, Amazon and the newspaper he owns privately, the Washington Post, on Twitter.
“American Media believes fervently that it acted lawfully in the reporting of the story of Mr. Bezos,” the company said in a statement.
Bezos and his wife announced last month that they were divorcing after 25 years of marriage. That same day, the National Enquirer touted it was publishing alleged intimate text messages between Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, a former television anchor whom he was said to be dating.
Bezos opened an investigation into how the messages could have ended up in the hands of the tabloid, led by longtime security consultant Gavin de Becker. De Becker told media that the leak was politically motivated.
In a blog post on Thursday, Bezos cited an email from AMI deputy general counsel, Jon Fine, to a lawyer representing de Becker. In it, AMI proposed a public acknowledgment from Bezos and de Becker that “they have no knowledge or basis for suggesting that (AMI’s) coverage was politically motivated or influenced by political forces.”
Amazon is now reconsidering a second headquarters in New York City after backlash from several protestors and New York politicians.
Amazon’s decision to open HQ2 in New York City has been a controversial decision since day one. The company has been championing the estimated 25,000 jobs the move could bring to the metropolitan area, while citizens and local government officials have balked at promised tax breaks and the added strain on housing and an aging infrastructure.
Kevin 'DreX' Buchar is the odd man out at the WBBM-FM B96 Morning Show after just 10months.
Chicago Media Watcher Robert Feder reports Friday turned out to be the last day on the air for DreX, whose brief run on B96 never approached the ratings popularity he commanded on iHeartMedia Top 40 WKSC 103.5-FM from 2003 to 2010. In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, B96 tied for 18th in mornings with a 1.8 percent share (6+).
Todd Cavanah, vice president of programming at B96, announced the move in an email to staff, saying of DreX: “He will remain a friend to many of us and I want to thank him for being a great teammate and true professional in every sense of the word.”
Gabe Ramirez and Nina Hajian, who co-hosted mornings with DreX, will stay on as the station’s permanent morning team, according to Cavanah.
“During the past 10 months, Gabe and Nina have developed not only a friendship off the air but a great deal of chemistry with each other and the audience on air, at our bashes, their appearances and their social media platforms,” Cavanah said.
“We see an enormous potential with both of these rising stars to achieve our goals on B96 for mornings. Gabe and Nina will take over mornings immediately, and we are confident that their engagement with each other and the listeners will be a huge success.”
Before joining B96, Hajian worked for stations in New York, Sacramento and Seattle. Ramirez was a holdover from the previous morning show, hosted by Jamar “J Niice” McNeil and Michelle “Showbiz Shelly” Menaker.
Buchar arrived at B96 in April 2018 and prevously hosted mornings at WKSC 103.5 KissFM for iHeartMedia. Previous experience includes mornings at KTFM 102.7 FM in San Antonio.
Sports Radio KKFN 104.3 The Fan and KEPN ESPN 1600 AM have announced that Raj Sharan has been appointed Program Director for both stations effective immediately.
Sharan has spent the last three years at Bonneville Denver as Assistant Program Director and Executive Producer for Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan and ESPN Denver 1600. Prior to that, he held the position of Assistant Program Director and Executive Producer for the former Front Range Sports Network in Denver. Sharan also served as radio play-by-play voice for University of Denver Men’s Basketball from 2015-2017.
“I couldn’t be happier to give Raj the opportunity to program Denver’s biggest sports brand, 104.3 The Fan,” said Bonneville Denver VP/Market Manager Bob Call. Raj has a natural leadership quality that is apparent the moment you meet him. His creativity, superb coaching skills and knowledge of winning sports content makes him the perfect choice to lead 104.3 The Fan into the future.”
“I came to the Denver market a decade ago with the goal of working at Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan,” said Sharan. “I’m so incredibly thankful to Bonneville and Bob Call for giving me this opportunity to live out my dream. I’m honored, overwhelmed and ecstatic to have the chance to lead such an iconic staple of the local Denver sports community. In addition, I’m excited to continue working with ESPN Radio, bringing the biggest events in sports to the Denver market.”
Sharan replaces Armen Williams who left to program for KILT-AM in Houston.
Griffin Communications has announced one new hire and two promotions to full-time positions at Griffin Communications-owned Tulsa radio stations.
Dave Michaels, better known as “Wavy Davy,” has joined KBEZ 92.9 The Drive as program director and afternoon host from 3-7 p.m., according to Tulsa World.
Michaels has a long career in audio production, voice talent and consulting. He joined Cox Media Group in 1995 and has served as production manager at CMG-Tulsa, but may be best known as “Wavy Davy” on KJSR 103.3 The Eagle, where he has been a distinctive personality in afternoon drive slot for several years.
Prior to joining Cox Media Group, Michaels has been a successful operations manager, program director and music director along with being a programming consultant to radio stations throughout Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas.
“Dave’s experience, well-loved personality and voice talents make him an invaluable addition to our team,” said Steve Hunter, Griffin Radio's director of operations. “We’re looking forward to seeing his work in action here at The Drive.”
Tanner Messer was promoted to a full-time position as an on-air personality afternoons on KXBL-FM Big Country 99.5 and evenings from 7 p.m. to midnight at 98.5 KVOO. His addition allows KVOO to be live in all major dayparts.
iHeartMedia has announced that Jessica Farias has been named Market President for the Colorado Springs market, effective immediately. She will report to Tim Hager, President of iHeartMedia Denver.
"Over the years, I've marveled at Jessica's ability to lead and motivate a winning team, to cultivate impactful relationships and elevate her department to unmatched heights," said Tim Hager, President of iHeartMedia Denver. "I'm so proud of what Jess has accomplished. I now have the privilege of watching her grow within our region and lead a best-in-class team at iHeartMedia Colorado Springs."
Farias joins the Colorado Springs market from iHeartMedia Denver, where she most recently served as Region Vice President of Sales.
In addition, she also served as Vice President of Sales for 97.3 KBCO and Channel 93.3; General Sales Manager for KOSI, KALC and KIMN; and Sales Manager for 630 KHOW and 760 KTLK. Farias began her career at 630 KHOW and KSYY in Denver.
"As a Colorado native, I'm thrilled to join the iHeart Colorado Springs team," said Farias. "Not only is Colorado Springs one of the fastest growing markets for millennials, has a low unemployment rate and is considered one of the nation's best cities for business and careers, but I also get to see Pikes Peak every day!"
Qualified candidates can apply for iHeartMedia Denver's open region vice president of sales position through the iHeartMedia careers site here: www.iheartmediacareers.com.
iHeartMedia/Columbus OH has announced the return of WXZX 105.7 The Brew, The New Generation of Classic Rock.
105.7 The Brew will broadcast rock music spanning from the 80s into the 2000s, including songs from artists such as AC/DC, Foo Fighters, Tom Petty, Soundgarden, Van Halen, Metallica, Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses. The station will also feature Columbus rock veteran on-air personalities, Mark Blazor (mornings) and DaveMan (afternoons).
“We are excited to offer a unique station for Columbus’ rock listeners,” said Michael McCoy, Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Columbus. “The Brew’s mission is to provide one great rock song after another and that’s why we call it the new generation of Classic Rock.”
Kathy Higgins has been named President of Summit Media Omaha.
The Omaha cluster consists of KXSP 590 AM Sports, Classic Rock KKCD CF 105.9, A/C KSRZ Star 104.5 FM, and Rock KEZO Z92
Kathy has a long history in broadcast with 5 years in television and 17 years in radio. Most recently, she led Sales and Marketing for an IT Software and Consulting firm in Omaha.
Kathy stated, “I am thrilled to be back home….these stations and the team who make them possible hold a very dear part of my heart. We look forward to continuing to improve our ability to entertain our audiences and deliver results for our clients.”
Carl Parmer, SummitMedia CEO added, “We are very excited to bring Kathy back to lead our Omaha team. Her energy, competitiveness and passion will help Omaha fulfill it’s incredible potential.”
Les Moonves is aparently at the helm of a new business venture just months after being ousted from CBS over a string of sexual misconduct allegations.
The Hill reports Moonves is heading up Moon Rise Unlimited, The New York Times reported Friday, citing a filing with the California secretary of state's office.
According to the filing, Moon Rise is a limited liability company that will focus on “entertainment services.”
CBS is reportedly footing the bill for Moonves’s office space for a year as part of his exit agreement.
The filing shows that Moonves has also formed Moon Rise Technologies and Moon Rise Productions to provide streaming services and entertainment production assistance, respectively, according to The NYTimes.
However, the three companies have all maintained low profiles, with Moon Rise Unlimited not even creating a website or seeking any promotion.
Moonves has denied all the misconduct allegations made against him and maintained that any sexual encounters were consensual. He is currently gearing up for a legal battle with his old company over his severance.
CBS had said it will not pay him any of the $120 million severance package he was due under his employment contract, saying he did not cooperate with an internal company inquiry into his behavior and misled investigators.
The network has also been paying Moonves’s legal fees as part of his exit agreement, though Moonves would have to pay for it himself if CBS wins the severance fight.
SiriusXM will offer the most comprehensive audio coverage of the 61st running of the Daytona 500 on February 17, as well as all the news and events of NASCAR's annual Speedweeks leading up to race day.
Subscribers nationwide will have access to the live race broadcast, in-car audio from some of the sport's top drivers, and daily coverage from Daytona International Speedway.
On Daytona 500 race day, SiriusXM will offer 15 hours of live programming from the speedway starting at 7:00 am ET. Subscribers will hear every lap of the "The Great American Race" (green flag approximately 3:00 pm ET) plus full pre- and post-race coverage with expert analysis, reports from pit road and the garages, driver introductions and interviews with the race winner and other drivers.
SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will also provide live coverage of the Gander RV Duel at DAYTONA, the 150-mile Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying races, on Thursday, Feb. 14 (6:00 pm ET), the NextEra Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race on Friday, Feb. 15 (7:00 pm ET), and the NASCAR Racing Experience 300 Xfinity Series race on Saturday, Feb. 16 (2:00 pm ET).
Each day leading up to the Daytona 500, fans will get up-to-the-moment news, analysis and interviews with drivers, owners and crew members on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, which will broadcast live from Daytona every day.
This Sunday, Feb. 10, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry live coverage of Daytona 500 qualifying starting at noon ET, followed by the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash at 2:00 pm ET.
On Monday, Feb. 11 (1:00 pm ET), 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2007 Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick will host a new live edition of his exclusive SiriusXM show, Happy Hours. The award-winning weekly show, which Harvick co-hosts with Matt Yocum, will move to its new Wednesday (1:00 pm ET) timeslot starting February 27.
On Thursday, Feb. 14, leading into the Gander RV Duel at DAYTONA, SiriusXM's Dave Moody will host a special broadcast (3:00 pm ET) from the SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Tailgate live at the Chevy Experience at Daytona. Moody will preview the evening's twin races and interview several Chevy drivers.
On Monday, Feb. 18, on The Morning Drive, hosts Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone will be joined live in studio by the 2019 Daytona 500 champion driver, crew chief and owner.
Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has suffered vocal cord damage after undergoing emergency open heart surgery last week. Now the musician is home and on the mend, according to The NYPost.
“Each day he is stronger than the last,” the 69-year-old’s wife Kristen Buckingham tweeted in a statement on Friday. “While he and his heart are doing well, the surgery resulted in vocal cord damage.”
She continued, “While it is unclear if the damage is permanent, we are hopeful it is not.”
All scheduled gigs have been postponed as Buckingham heals.
His wife then took a moment to spread awareness of heart disease, saying that Buckingham’s father and brother died from heart-related illness.
“If anyone is experiencing even the mildest of symptoms we encourage you to seek the care of a physician,” she urged.
Buckingham split from the band last year following disagreements before the iconic group headed out on tour.
➦In 1934...FCC granted 500kw license to WLW for W8XO.
Powel Crosley studio of radio station WLW
On March 22, 1922, the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation began broadcasting with the call sign WLW and 50 watts of power. Crosley was a fanatic about the new broadcasting technology, and continually increased his station's capability. The power went up to 500 watts in September 1922, 1000 watts in May 1924, and in January 1925 WLW was the first broadcasting station at the 5000 watt level. On October 4, 1928, the station increased its power to 50 kilowatts. Again it was the first station at this power level, which still is the maximum power currently allowed for any AM station in the United States.
At 50 kilowatts, WLW was heard easily over a wide area, from New York to Florida. But Crosley still wasn't satisfied. In 1933 he obtained a construction permit from the Federal Radio Commission for a 500 kilowatt superstation, and he spent some $500,000 ($9.02 million in 2014) building the transmitter and antenna.
Cooling Pond (James P. Hawkins photo)
It was the first large amplifier used in the United States for public domestic radio broadcasting and was in operation between 1934 and 1939. It was an experimental amplifier and was driven by the radio station's regular 50 kW transmitter. It operated in class C with high-level plate modulation. The amplifier required a dedicated 33 kV electrical substation and a large pond complete with fountains for cooling. It operated with a power input of about 750 kW (plus another 400 kW of audio for the modulator) and its output was 500 kW.
In January 1934 WLW began broadcasting at the 500 kilowatt level late at night under the experimental callsign W8XO. In April 1934 the station was authorized to operate at 500 kilowatts during regular hours under the WLW call letters. On May 2, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a ceremonial button that officially launched WLW's 500-kilowatt signal.
As the first station in the world to broadcast at this strength, WLW received repeated complaints from around the United States and Canada that it was overpowering other stations as far away as Toronto. In December 1934 WLW cut back to 50 kilowatts at night to mitigate the interference, and began construction of three 50 ft. tower antennas to be used to reduce signal strength towards Canada.
With these three antennas in place, full-time broadcasting at 500 kilowatts resumed in early 1935. However, WLW was continuing to operate under special temporary authority that had to be renewed every six months, and each renewal brought complaints about interference and undue domination of the market by such a high-power station.
The FCC was having second thoughts about permitting extremely wide-area broadcasting versus more locally oriented stations, and in 1938, the US Senate adopted the "Wheeler" resolution, expressing it to be the sense of that body that more stations with power in excess of 50 kilowatts are against the public interest.
As a result, in 1939 the 500-kilowatt broadcast authorization was not renewed, bringing an end to the era of the AM radio superstation. Because of the impending war and the possible need for national broadcasting in an emergency, the W8XO experimental license for 500 kilowatts remained in effect until December 29, 1942. In 1962 the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation again applied for a permit to operate at 750 kilowatts, but the FCC denied the application.
For more, visit Jim Hawkins WLW Transmitter Page: Click Here.
➦In 1958...ABC's American Bandstand moved from Philadelphia to the ABC Television Center in Los Angeles coincidentally it was the same weekend that it's Philly home WFIL-TV moved from 46th and Market to their then-new facility on City Line Avenue as well as the day before the Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.
➦In 1964...The Beatles made their first appearance on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show." An estimated 73.7 million Americans watched in over 23 million households, or 34 per cent of the American population. Biographer Jonathan Gould writes that, according to the Nielsen rating service, it was "the largest audience that had ever been recorded for an American television program".
The Beatles appeared on three consecutive Sundays in February 1964 to great anticipation and fanfare as "I Want to Hold Your Hand" had swiftly risen to No. 1 in the charts.
Their first appearance on February 9 is considered a milestone in American pop culture and the beginning of the British Invasion in music. The broadcast drew an estimated 73 million viewers, at the time a record for US television. The Beatles followed Ed's show opening intro, performing "All My Loving"; "Till There Was You", which featured the names of the group members superimposed on closeup shots, including the famous "Sorry girls, he's married" caption on John Lennon; and "She Loves You". The act that followed Beatles in the broadcast was pre-recorded, rather than having someone perform live on stage amidst the pandemonium that occurred in the studio after the Beatles performed their first songs. The group returned later in the program to perform "I Saw Her Standing There" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand.
The following week's show was broadcast from Miami Beach where Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) was in training for his first title bout with Sonny Liston. The occasion was used by both camps for publicity. On the evening of the television show (February 16) a crush of people nearly prevented the band from making it onstage.
A wedge of policemen were needed and the band began playing "She Loves You" only seconds after reaching their instruments. They continued with "This Boy", and "All My Loving" and returned later to close the show with "I Saw Her Standing There", "From Me to You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
They were shown on tape February 23 (this appearance had been taped earlier in the day on February 9 before their first live appearance). They followed Ed's intro with "Twist and Shout" and "Please Please Me" and closed the show once again with "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
The Beatles appeared live for the final time on August 14, 1965. They performed "I Feel Fine", "I'm Down", and "Act Naturally" and closed the show with "Ticket to Ride", "Yesterday", and "Help!"
A future music star from Britain also appeared on the Sullivan stage that night: Davy Jones, two years before he would became a member of The Monkees, performed as part of the cast of the Broadway show "Oliver!" Jones said of that night, "I watched the Beatles from the side of the stage, I saw the girls going crazy, and I said to myself, this is it, I want a piece of that."
➦In 1964...1010 WINS DJ Murray The K took John, Paul & Ringo to NYC's 'Peppermint Lounge' nightclub, a hot spot. He subsequently accompanied the band to Washington, D.C. for their first U.S. concert, was backstage at their The Ed Sullivan Show premiere, and roomed with Beatles guitarist George Harrison in Miami, broadcasting his nightly radio shows from his hotel room. He came to be referred to as the "Fifth Beatle", a moniker he said he was given by Harrison during the train ride to the Beatles' first concert in Washington, D.C.
➦In 1973...Max Yasgur, former owner of the farm land in Bethel, New York where Woodstock was staged in 1969, died following a heart attack at age 53.
➦In 1976...Musical conductor Percy Faith died of cancer aged 67. His 1960’s ‘Theme From A Summer Place’, was No.1 for nine weeks, and won the Grammy’s Record of the Year in 1961.
➦In 1981...Early Rock 'n' roll singer Bill Haley died. He was 55 and is credited by many with popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and million-selling hits such as "Rock Around the Clock", "See You Later, Alligator", "Shake, Rattle and Roll", "Rocket 88", "Skinny Minnie", and "Razzle Dazzle". He has sold over 60 million records worldwide and has been described as the greatest musical pioneer of the 20th century
Johnny Michaels
➦In 2002...NYC Radio Personality Johnny Michaels died. Michaels had stints at WOR FM, WMCA, WNEW FM, WCBS FM, WKTU, WBLS, WNBC
➦In 2012... Longtime WBZ host Dave Maynard died in Citrus Hills, Florida, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 82 years old.
Maynard was a fixture in Boston television and radio for 48 years. He began his career in 1952 at WHIL radio (now WXKS-AM) and then moved on to WORL radio, working as a rock ‘n’ roll disc jockey at both stations. In 1979 he began doing talk radio on the night shift from 12 A.M. to 5 A.M. One of Maynard’s most memorable on-air moments was one summer night when he kept a suicidal caller on the air for over an hour, saving the man’s life by tracking down his whereabouts.
One year later, Maynard was offered the position of WBZ 1030 radio’s morning man taking over for Carl deSuze who moved to the afternoon shift. In the 1980s he was the top rated morning man in the region. He retired in 1991, but appeared frequently filling in for other people for another several years.
Maynard was honored as the 1999 Massachusetts Broadcast Association “Broadcaster of the Year,” and was later inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcaster Hall of Fame.
➦Click Here for more Historical Events that happened on Feb 9
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos dropped bombshell allegations against the National Enquirer on Thursday — accusing its publisher David Pecker of trying to blackmail him with nude selfies, reports The NYPost.
In a post on the website Medium, the billionaire alleges the Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc., threatened to publish a nude photo of him and other lewd images they’d obtained if he did not stop investigating the tabloid’s recent exposure of his affair and publicly declare that its reporting on it had not been “politically motivated.”
“These communications cement AMI’s long-earned reputation for weaponizing journalistic privileges, hiding behind important protections, and ignoring the tenets and purpose of true journalism,” Bezos wrote in the lengthy missive.
“Of course I don’t want personal photos published, but I also won’t participate in their well-known practice of blackmail, political favors, political attacks, and corruption. I prefer to stand up, roll this log over, and see what crawls out.”
The extraordinary public entreaty comes two days after the Washington Post, which Bezos owns, published a story exploring whether the Enquirer’s recent exposé on his affair with also-married TV anchor Lauren Sanchez — and subsequent split from his wife of 25 years — was a “political hit job.”
Sanchez, Bezos
The magazine’s January scoop included pages of saucy texts and descriptions of racy photos exchanged between the illicit couple — and forced Bezos to publicly announce his divorce before the issue hit newsstands.
In the Washington Post report, Bezos’ “longtime private security consultant” Gavin de Becker said he has been looking into how the magazine got a hold of the private correspondence and has concluded that it was a “politically motivated” leak aimed at shaming the Post and Amazon owner.
AMI — which is run by David Pecker, a longtime pal of President Trump — has admitted to buying the rights to potentially embarrassing stories about the commander in chief in an effort to keep them from seeing the light of day.
And de Becker told the paper that he was exploring whether Sanchez’s brother Michael — an enthusiastic Trump supporter who the gumshoe says is an associate of presidential pals Roger Stone and Carter Page — was behind the leak.
Sanchez, Stone and Page all denied any involvement to the paper.
The owners of News/Talk WDEL, CHR WSTW, and eight other radio stations have agreed to sell to Pennsylvania's Forever Media for $18.5 million, pending approval of the Federal Communications Commission.
According to delawareonline.com, the deal marks the latest shakeup in Delaware's small media and newsgathering landscape, of which The News Journal is a part. Last year, owners of WBOC-TV in Salisbury bought WRDE, an NBC affiliate based at the Delaware Beaches.
Upon the closing of the deal, Delmarva Broadcasting Company, the seller of the stations, will temporarily terminate all employees, according to the sales agreement document. Forever Media will then "offer employment to substantially all employees of sellers," the document stated.
"The buyer of each respective station shall provide written notice to sellers as to which employees of sellers it will not make offers of at-will employment," the agreement stated.
Potential job cuts at WDEL would add to a decade of layoffs at newsrooms nationally, including those controlled by Gannett, the owners of The News Journal.
WDEL employs 12 people on its news staff and three anchors. The station plays a larger role in newsgathering than many stations in comparably sized markets outside Delaware. That is, in part, because there is little competition from broadcast television news in the state.
More than a decade ago, another Delaware radio station was acquired by an out-of-state conglomerate. When Clear Channel purchased WILM 1450 in 2004, it drastically changed what was then one of the last, family-run, all-news broadcasters in the nation.
Today, WILM relies heavily on nationally syndicated content.
Alpha Media/Fredericksburg, VA has announced the appointment of Ricky Thomas as program director for CHR WVBX Live 99.3, launched last June.
Beth Vickers, Market Manager remarked, “Ricky comes to us with a solid level of expertise in the CHR format and is a welcomed addition to LIVE 99.3! His talent on and off the air are sure to bring new and exciting things to Alpha Media, Fredericksburg.”
Bill West, Content Director & Operations Manager commented, “Ricky’s energy is already creating excitement in the building. His love for radio is what drives him and it is exactly what we need to move Live 99.3 forward. We are thrilled to have someone with his experience on our team.”
“I’m excited to be joining the Alpha Media team in Fredericksburg as part of WVBX! A big thank you to Bill West, Beth Vickers and Phil Becker!, stated Ricky Thomas, Live 99.3 Program Director.
A hedge fund-owned newspaper company with its eyes on Gannett Co. is launching a hostile bid to take control of Gannett's board of directors.
According to USAToday, MNG Enterprises Inc., also known as Digital First Media, notified Gannett of its plans to nominate six directors to its board.
The move sets the stage for a high-stakes tug of war between the two media companies over control of Gannett, which owns USAToday, more than 100 local media brands and digital marketing assets such as ReachLocal and SweetIQ.
Gannett on Monday said its board had unanimously rejected MNG's unsolicited bid to buy the company for $12 per share, saying it was not "credible."
Gannett shareholders will ultimately vote on whether to elect new board members, keep the current slate or choose a mix. Names of nominees were not immediately available.
In a statement, Gannett said it "will consider whether MNG is nominating these candidates to support its acquisition proposal, which the board has already rejected, and whether MNG’s proposed nominees are committed to acting in the best interests of all of Gannett’s shareholders, or are beholden to MNG."
Digital First, majority owned by New York hedge fund Alden Global Capital, operates daily and weekly publications including the Denver Post and the Boston Herald.
MNG, which holds a 7.5 percent ownership stake in Gannett, has argued it can do a better job with the business. MNG representatives did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment Thursday
PodcastOne has announced the addition of Peter Morris as new CEO. Morris is a media and entertainment exec who’s worked at Funny Or Die, Barstool Sports and Imax.
In the new role, he will manage all day-to-day operations at the podcast network. He joins the management team led by founder and executive chairman Norm Pattiz and president Kit Gray.
PodcastOne in 2016 had tapped Jim Berk, formerly CEO of Participant Media, as CEO. Berk exited the company last year and Pattiz assumed the role of chief exec.
Most recently, Morris served a brief, four-month stint last year as executive VP of Barstool Sports, the digital-media firm majority owned by Chernin Group, where he led business affairs, partnerships and business development.
Before that, he was EVP of entertainment at Imax from June 2016 to September 2017. He worked at Funny Or Die for six years, most recently as head of business affairs and strategy and general counsel.
When Apple launched Apple Music in June 2015, many people thought it would be a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ Apple would catch up with and eventually surpass Spotify. Apple’s financial and marketing power combined with an installed base of hundreds of millions of iOS devices seemed like a tough combination to beat for the Swedish music streaming pioneers.
And yet, ever since Apple launched its own streaming service halfway through 2015, Spotify has managed to keep Apple Music at arm’s length. If anything, Spotify appears to be pulling away from Apple Music in terms of paid subscribers. As the following chart illustrates, the gap between the two streaming services has gradually widened from 20 million when Apple Music was launched to more than 40 million subscribers by the end of 2018.
As Spotify reported on Wednesday, the company that went public in a private listing last year now has 96 million paid subscribers and 207 million monthly active users across its premium and ad-supported tiers. In line with its European heritage, Spotify is most popular across the old continent with 40 percent of its premium subscribers located in Europe. North America, the home turf of its fiercest rival Apple Music, is Spotify's second largest market, accounting for 30 percent of premium subs.
Former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson, who on Wednesday denied accusations that parts of her new book, "Merchants of Truth," were plagiarized, admitted Thursday that certain passages may have been "too close" to the source material, reports Fox News.
Abramson’s book, which publisher Simon and Schuster described as a "definitive report on the disruption of the news media over the last decade," was released Tuesday. On Wednesday, Michael Moynihan of Vice News claimed passages of the book were “often not true” or were “plagiarized.”
Abramson appeared on Fox News’ “The Story” Wednesday night, telling Martha MacCallum she was “100 percent” confident that her research was original and backed by “70 pages of footnotes showing where I got the information.”
But on Thursday, Abramson conceded that certain passages “should have been cited as quotations in the text,” according to a statement she gave to CNN. “I wouldn’t want even a misplaced comma so I will promptly fix these footnotes and quotations as I have corrected other material that Vice contested.”
Regardless of the admission, Abramson is standing by her work in a statement to CNN. She conceded on Thursday that some of the passages in her new book "Merchants of Truth" too closely mirrored work that first appeared in other publications.
"The language is too close in some cases and should have been cited as quotations in the text," Abramson said in a statement provided to CNN Business.
The veteran journalist added that the language in question would be "fixed," saying that while writing her book she "tried above all to accurately and properly give attribution to the many hundreds of sources that were part of my research."
Abramson profiles four news organizations in her book, including Vice, amid a time of upheaval in journalism. Some Vice journalists have taken issue with her portrayal of their company, and Abramson has suggested their dissatisfaction has been their underlying motive for unearthing problems with the book.
News Corporation Thursday reported financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2018:
Revenues of $2.63 billion, a 21% increase compared to $2.18 billion in the prior year, reflecting the consolidation of Foxtel and continued strength at the Book Publishing and Digital Real Estate Services segments
Net income was $119 million compared to a net loss of ($66) million, which included a $174 million negative impact related to the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in the prior year Total Segment EBITDA was $370 million compared to $328 million in the prior year
Continued revenue improvement at Dow Jones driven by record digital advertising revenues and acceleration in digital paid subscriber growth
Commenting on the results, Chief Executive Robert Thomson said: “News Corp has reported increased profitability and revenue growth during the first half of Fiscal 2019, highlighting the power of premium content and authenticated audiences in a fact-challenged world that craves credibility.
"For the second quarter, the Company saw 21% revenue growth and a 13% rise in profitability, reflecting the consolidation of Foxtel and a healthy expansion of revenues in the Book Publishing and Digital Real Estate Services segments.
"At News and Information Services, we saw a continuation of positive trends in paid digital subscriptions, including accelerating gains at The Wall Street Journal, and stronger digital advertising revenues in both the U.S. and Australia.
"Although our teams have been diligent in pursuing revenue opportunities, the digital platforms, which arbitrage algorithmic ambiguity, remain dysfunctional. It is clear that there has been a regulatory awakening and the time has come for a regulatory reckoning."
Entercom announced content distribution agreements with CNN, one of the leaders in online news and information delivery, and Bloomberg Media, a leading global business and finance media company.
As part of the agreement, RADIO.COM, the digital audio app in the U.S. and the exclusive digital home for all Entercom content across the company’s robust portfolio of 235 radio stations, will launch 10 live stations for CNN and Bloomberg properties, along with leading podcasts from Turner Podcast Network’s portfolio of entertainment, kids, news and sports.
“We are thrilled to welcome CNN and Bloomberg to RADIO.COM as we increase our premium content offerings. Through our deep roster of industry-leading radio stations and premium live and on-demand content, RADIO.COM is quickly becoming an important part of the daily audio habit for the tens of millions of listeners we reach per month,” said JD Crowley, Chief Digital Officer, Entercom. “These agreements further cement RADIO.COM’s position as the premiere destination for on-demand audio news, entertainment, music and sports content on a national scale.”
CNN content to be simulcast includes CNN International, CNN en Español and HLN, as well as podcasts from Turner’s Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, NBA, truTV and CNN anchors Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett and Jake Tapper.
Bloomberg content to be simulcast on the digital platform includes Bloomberg Radio National as well as New York, D.C., Boston, Bay Area and London editions; Bloomberg Live TV and podcasts such as “Bloomberg Business of Sports,” “Bloomberg Best,” “A Closer Look,” “Deal of the Week” and “Bloomberg Brief.”
Westwood One is ready to rock GRAMMY® weekend and Music’s Biggest Night® with exclusive backstage performances from Columbia Records’ Lauren Juaregui, First Access/AWAL’s Madison Beer, and 12Tone Music Group’s LIVVA.
Westwood One is the official radio broadcast partner of the Recording Academy™ and the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards®. Hosted by 15-time GRAMMY winner Alicia Keys, the GRAMMYs® will broadcast live from LA’s STAPLES Center on Sunday, February 10, 2019, 8:00 – 11:00 pm ET, on CBS.
Lauren Juaregui will kick off the Westwood One Backstage event on Friday, and Madison Beer will close out the day with a live performance. LIVVIA will perform during backstage orientation.
The Westwood One Backstage at the GRAMMYs Radio Row and Podcast Alley remote takes place at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Friday, February 8 from 10 am to 4 pm PT. Westwood One national radio shows Zach Sang Show, Jayde, The Bert Show, The Adam Bomb Show, NASH Nights Live, Rick and Sasha, and select radio groups -- including Entercom / Radio.com, Cox Media Group, Townsquare Media, iHeartMedia and other media companies – will be onsite gathering exclusive content to share with their owned stations and listeners.
Westwood One Podcast Network programs Pop Talk with Ross Mathews and Screwed-Up Stories, plus podcasters Babes and Babies, will be also be backstage curating exclusive audio and video content for their on-demand podcast listeners.
“Our longstanding and exclusive partnership with the GRAMMYs provides immense value to our brand partners, our stations, and our shows, all of whom are able to align with the stars celebrating Music’s Biggest Night,” said Suzanne Grimes, EVP Marketing, CUMULUS MEDIA and President, Westwood One. “We look forward to sharing our exciting backstage content with music and entertainment fans across America.”
