Saturday, May 30, 2020

May 31 Radio History


➦In 1898...Author, Columnist and radio minister Dr. Norman Vincent Peale was born in Bowersville Ohio. For 54 years (from 1935 to 1989), Peale hosted the weekly radio program The Art of Living.  He was best known for the best selling book The Power of Positive Thinking.  He served as mentor to televangelist Robert Schuller. He died Dec 24, 1993 at age 95.



➦In 1908
...Entertainer Don Ameche was born Dominic Felix Amici (Died at age 85 from cancer – December 6, 1993), He was an Actor, voice artist and comedian. After playing in college shows, stock, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which led to the offer of a movie contract from 20th Century Fox in 1935.

As a handsome, debonair leading man in 40 films over the next 14 years, he was a popular star in comedies, dramas, and musicals. In the 1950s he worked on Broadway and in television, and was the host of NBC's International Showtime from 1961 to 1965. Returning to film work in his later years, Ameche enjoyed a fruitful revival of his career beginning with his role as a villain in Trading Places (1983) and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cocoon (1985).

➦In 1943...The comic strip Archie Andrews came to radio on the Blue Network for the first time. Archie, Veronica and the gang remained on network radio for some nine years.

➦In 19??..Longtime Philadelphia and NYC Radio Personality Ross Brittain was born.

Most recently he was working weekends and fill-in at Classic Hits WCBS-FM in NYC.  Previously, he was at morning host at then-CBS owned WOGL 98.1 FM in Philly and he's also worked in Atlanta, New Orleans, Cleveland and Hartford as well as NYC.  In 1982, Brittain was cohost of the first morning show Ross & Brittain on 77WABC as a Talk station.

In 1984, he teamed with Scott Shannon on the Z100 Morning Zoo on WHTZ 100.3 FM.



Confer RTI Ross Brittain Guest Faculty Profile from National Radio Talent System on Vimeo.

Brittain is a former Billboaard and Radio&Records "Personality of The Year".


Mary Margaret McBride
➦In 1949...a crowd of 35,000 people paid tribute to radio personality Mary Margaret McBride at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. McBride was celebrating her 15th year in radio.   Her popular radio shows spanned more than 40 years. In the 1940s the daily audience for her housewife-oriented program numbered from six to eight million listeners. She was called "The First Lady of Radio."

McBride first worked steadily in radio for WOR in New York City. In 1937, she launched on the CBS radio network the first of a series of similar and successful shows, now as Mary Margaret McBride.

She interviewed figures well known in the world of arts and entertainment, and politics, with a style recognized as original to herself. She accepted advertising only for products she was prepared to endorse from her own experience, and turned down all tobacco or alcohol products.

She followed this format in regular broadcasts on CBS until 1941,  NBC (where her audience numbered in the millions) from then until 1950,  ABC from then until 1954,  NBC again until 1960, and The New York Herald Tribune's radio broadcasts with a wider audience via syndication.

➦In 1958...guitarist Dick Dale introduced “surf music” for the first time when he played  “Let’s Go Trippin'” at a concert in Balboa Calif.   Dale died in Loma Linda, CA on March 16, 2019, at age 81.

➦In 1966...filming began on The Monkees TV sitcom. Starting on NBC in September the weekly series chronicled the misadventures of a struggling rock band.

➦In 1999...77WABC-AM, New York, presented "WABC Rewound" where the news/talk station broadcast airchecks from its glory days when it was a Top 40 formatted music station. At first, WABC's early days in the 60s as a Top 40 station were humble ones.


Top 40 1010 WINS was the No. 1 hit music station and WMCA 570 AM, which did a similar rock leaning top 40 format, was also a formidable competitor, while WABC barely ranked in the Top Ten. Fortunately for WABC, the other Top 40 outlets could not be heard as well in more distant New York and New Jersey suburbs, since WINS, WMGM 1050 AM, and WMCA were all directional stations.

WABC, with its 50,000-watt non-directional signal, had the advantage of being heard in places west, south, and northwest of New York City – a huge chunk of the growing suburban population – and this is where the station began to draw ratings.

Early in 1962, WMGM, owned by Loew's, which then owned MGM, was sold to Storer Broadcasting. Upon its sale, WMGM reverted to its original WHN call letters and switched to a middle of the road music format playing mostly non-rock artists such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Andy Williams.


Sam Holman was the first WABC program director of this era. Under Holman, WABC achieved No. 1 ratings during much of 1962, after WMGM reverted to WHN. By the summer of 1963, WMCA led the pack among contemporary stations, with WABC at No. 2 and WINS slipping to third place. It has been said, but is difficult to verify, that WMCA dominated in the city proper, while WABC owned the suburbs. This would be consistent with WMCA's 5,000-watt directional signal.

GM Hal Neal hired Rick Sklar as WABC's program director. He would go on to become a member of the Radio Hall of Fame and be credited as one of the pioneering architects of the Top 40 format.

Under Sklar, the station went to the shortest playlist of any contemporary music station in history. The number one song was heard about every hour during the day and every 75 minutes or so at night. The other top 5 songs were heard nearly as often. Other current songs averaged once to twice per airshift. The station played about 9 current hits per hour and several non-current songs. The non-currents were no more than 5 years old and the station played about 70 of them in total.

Through the years, WABC was known by various slogans, "Channel 77 WABC" and later "Musicradio 77 WABC". Due to the high number of commercials each hour, WABC played no more than two songs in a row and there was frequent DJ talk and personality between every song. The station averaged 6 commercial breaks per hour but they were no more than 3 ads in a row. Often the air personalities delivered live commercials in their own humorous style, so that listeners would consider the spot part of the entertainment.




➦In 2019...After EMF acquired the station on May 31, 2019. WPLJ 95.5 NYC  joined the K-LOVE network at 7pm, and now airs Christian contemporary music. K-Love's first piece of audio was a request for listener financial support.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Lea Thompson is 59

  • Actor-director Clint Eastwood is 90. 
  • Singer Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary is 82. 
  • Keyboardist Augie Meyers of the Texas Tornadoes and the Sir Douglas Quintet is 80. 
  • Actress Sharon Gless (“Cagney and Lacey”) is 77. 
  • Actor Tom Berenger is 70. 
  • Actor Gregory Harrison is 70. 
  • Actor Kyle Secor (“Homicide: Life on the Street”) is 63. 
  • Actress Roma Maffia (“Nip/Tuck,” ″Profiler”) is 62. 
  • Comedian Chris Elliott is 60. 
  • Actress Lea Thompson (“Caroline in the City,” ″Back to the Future”) is 59. 
  • Singer Corey Hart is 58. 
  • Rapper DMC of Run-DMC is 56. 
  • Actress Brooke Shields is 55. 
  • Country bassist Ed Adkins of The Derailers is 53. 
  • “The Amazing Race” host Phil Keoghan is 53. 
  • Jazz bassist Christian McBride is 48. 
  • Actress Archie Panjabi (“The Good Wife”) is 48. 
  • Actress Merle Dandridge (“Greenleaf”) is 45. 
  • Actor Colin Farrell is 44. 
  • Trumpet player Scott Klopfenstein of Reel Big Fish is 43. 
  • Actor Eric Christian Olsen (“NCIS: Los Angeles” is 43. 
  • Drummer Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy is 40.
  • Actor Curtis Williams Jr. (“Parent’Hood”) is 33. 
  • Singer Normani Hamilton of Fifth Harmony is 24.

Fox News Reporter Chased While Covering Protests At TWH


The protests over George Floyd's death hit the nation's capital Friday night as angry protesters arrived at Pennsylvania Avenue, leading to a short lockdown at the White House, spokesman Judd Deere confirmed to USA TODAY.

NY Post 5/30/2020
Floyd, a black man, died in Minneapolis police custody this week after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee. His death has sparked demonstrations against police brutality and racial discrimination in cities across the United States.

On Friday, President Trump spoke with Floyd's family, saying he understood their pain. That call came several hours after his tweet about about rioters in Minneapolis sparked outrage, and drew a warning label from Twitter.

Fired officer Derek Chauvin was arrested Friday and charged with murder in Floyd's death. The Hennepin County Attorney's complaint said Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, including for 2 minutes and 53 seconds after Floyd was non-responsive.


Outside the White House on Friday, Secret Service could be seen after 7 p.m. taking at least one person into custody. Videos showed a large group of protesters gathering, with some burning flags and knocking over barricades. The protesters have moved from the White House to another part of the city.

Multiple reporters posted that they were inside the White House and that the Secret Service was not letting them leave the grounds during the lockdown.

The Secret Service frequently locks down the White House for perceived security threats, such as packages or bags left nearby. But the building is rarely locked down for protests. And while protests are a daily occurrence outside the White House, they are often small – drawing a few dozen people, at most.

Some of the protesters ran off a Fox News journalist who had been covering clashes between the Secret Service and more than 100 people early Saturday morning.

The chase happened as Fox News reporter Leland Vittert was providing updates about the situation outside the White House where Secret Service members in riot gear squared off with an angry crowd who hurled bricks, water, and verbal abuse for hours.



As Fox News went live to Vittert, the reporter said "media critics" were surrounding him before several protesters got into his face and began chanting "F--- Fox News" as he and his crew scrambled to leave the area.

Video shared on Twitter showed a massive group of people chasing Vittert and his crew into the darkness of Lafayette Park across from the front of the White House.

CNN Headquarters In Atlanta Vandalized



Hundreds of demonstrators poured into the streets near Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park on Friday night, smashing windows and clashing with police officers in a protest that grew so tense that the city’s mayor forcefully told people to go home.

(ajc.com photo)


The NY Times reports not far from the park, the city’s iconic tourist destination, some people climbed atop a large red CNN sign outside the media company’s headquarters and spray-painted messages on it. Some people jumped on police cars. Others threw rocks at the glass doors of the Omni Hotel, eventually breaking the glass, and shattered windows at the College Football Hall of Fame, where people rushed in and emerged with branded fan gear.

Protestors reach CNN Headquarters Friday evening (Reuters photo)
“It’s enough,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in an evening news conference. “We are all angry. This hurts. This hurts everybody in this room. But what are you changing by tearing up a city? You’ve lost all credibility now. This is not how we change America. This is not how we change the world.”


At CNN Headquarters, protesters smashed the lobby windows and seemed prepared to go inside during a tense face-off that was broadcast live on the cable network. A line of officers in riot gear blocked the way. At one point, protesters appeared to hurl a firework that set off a loud bang.


Rapper and activist Killer Mike had an urgent plea for CNN following the vandalism its headquarters faced in Atlanta amid the George Floyd protests.

Killer Mike, an Atlanta native, was speaking at a news conference alongside Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Friday night as a violent mob defaced the CNN Center's iconic sign outside the of the building, broke windows, and threw objects inside the lobby.

During his remarks, the rapper had some choice words for the liberal network.

"I love CNN ... but what I'd like to say to CNN right now- karma's a mother..." Killer Mike said. "Stop feeding fear and anger every day. Stop making people so fearful. Give them hope!"

'Miss Americana' Condemns Trump


Taylor Swift condemned President Donald Trump's tweet about "looting" and "shooting" during the George Floyd protests with a powerful message of her own on Twitter, CBS News reports.

 The pop star, who had a long history of staying silent on political matters until two years ago, urged her followers to vote the president out of office in the upcoming 2020 election.

Protests erupted after video emerged of Floyd pleading "I can't breathe" as a white police officer kneeled on his neck. (The officer was charged Friday with murder.) Mr. Trump called "it very sad and tragic" in a tweet Wednesday and said he'd requested the FBI and Justice Department investigate.



But as protests turned violent, Mr. Trump's tone changed, and he tweeted early Friday: "These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

Twitter placed a warning label on the tweet for violating its policy against "glorifying violence."

Swift called out those comments herself on Friday.

Survey: CNN, MSNBC Viewers Significantly More Stressed


Watching the major cable and broadcast news outlets during the coronavirus pandemic, Americans on lockdown are more than twice as likely to cry during MSNBC reports than during Fox News shows—specifically, 23 percent of MSNBC viewers have been wet-eyed and choking up versus just 10 percent of Fox News fans.

A far greater percentage of MSNBC viewers (67 percent) than Fox News viewers (45 percent) are living in fear during the lethal outbreak—which has so far killed more than 100,000 people in the United States—and the more hours they watch each day, the more terrified they become.

Fox News fans, meanwhile, are far less likely than MSNBC or CNN loyalists to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to wear masks, scarves, or bandanas over their faces when they venture outdoors. That is, 25 percent of Fox News viewers follow the example of President Donald Trump and go maskless, while only 14 percent of the folks tuned to MSNBC and CNN leave home without face coverings.

Those are just some of the results of the “COVID-19 American News Fear Index,” an extensive public-opinion survey of an online panel of 4,021 adults 18 and older (with a plus or minus 1.5 percent margin of error) that was released Thursday morning by Newsy, the 24-hour live-streaming news app that also reaches more than 40 million households via various cable and satellite television providers.



“Following the deadly spread of the novel coronavirus, Americans voraciously consumed news in March and April,” Newsy’s “Fear Index” reports. “And while some of the record ratings and blockbuster traffic is flattening, we’re getting a clearer picture of how heightened news consumption may have impacted our psyche, and how that impact differs depending on a viewer’s network of choice.”

The report asserts: “Upon breaking down the fear viewers feel in correlation to news networks watched, a trend emerges that those watching liberal-leaning sources tend to agree they’re significantly more scared.”

Yahoo! News reports the online survey, conducted during the final week of April by the YouGov global polling firm, determined that only 29 percent of Fox News fans feel more stressed-out and anxious than usual while watching their favorite programs, compared to a jittery 43 percent of CNN viewers. Overall, 65 percent of U.S. residents who watch the various broadcast and cable channels (namely ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC America, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and Newsy) are worried about becoming infected with the virus.

The Radio Station Mobile App Sees COVID-19 Growth


Consumer usage of station-specific mobile apps is on the rise since the onset of consumer behavior changes spurred by restrictions related to COVID-19. Futuri, a leading provider of mobile apps for broadcasters, has seen the following trends across Futuri’s station-specific mobile apps:
  • Average of +25% increase in sessions since the early April across a variety of market sizes and format types, with higher increases showing for brands who actively promote mobile on-air and on social.
  • The station’s stream is the top mobile app feature on all mobile apps, but non-stream features have seen consistent increases in usage. Top features that significantly contribute to increased engagement include:
  • Open Mic, which allows users to send audio messages from their phones directly to the studio.
  • Flash Contesting, which enables stations to run contesting through their mobile app instead of a traditional “Caller 9” execution. This also provides station data on listener engagement unavailable with call-in contests.
Daniel Anstandig
Breaking news (via mobile web integration), driven by push notifications

These increases come at a time when consumers have indicated an increased interest in their favorite station brands having their own mobile app In January’s Country Listeners National Survey Report 2020, a study conducted by Futuri Media and the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications which surveyed 1,400 people who identified country music as their favorite music format, 44% of AM/FM country radio listeners have their favorite stations’ app installed on their mobile device, a number that grows to 48% when looking at 18-34 AM/FM country listeners. While these stats are country format-specific, Futuri Mobile station app growth is consistent across a variety of formats.

“As consumer habits continue to change due to COVID-19 disruptions, audiences want new and different ways to engage with their favorite radio station brands,” said Futuri CEO Daniel Anstandig. “Content-rich station mobile apps are a critical complement to aggregator presence, giving listeners ways to stay connected with their favorite brands, personalities, and features beyond just streams, websites, and socials, and sales teams new ways to generate digital revenue.”

For more information on Futuri Mobile and growth trends, visit futurimedia.com/mobileapps.

R.I.P.: Bob Kulick, Rock Guitarist


Legendary guitarist Bob Kulick, who is best known for his work with KISS, Lou Reed and Diana Ross - has died at age 70.

His younger brother Bruce took to Twitter on Friday morning to make the announcement of his passing.

Bruce wrote: 'I am heartbroken to have to share the news of the passing of my brother Bob Kulick. His love of music, and his talent as a musician and producer should always be celebrated.

'I know he is at peace now, with my parents, playing his guitar as loud as possible. Please respect the Kulick Family’s privacy during this very sad time.'

Kulick composed, produced, performed, and co-wrote SpongeBob SquarePants song Sweet Victory which appeared on 2001 episode Band Geeks which became one of the most iconic anthems for fans of the highly-popular show

No official cause of death was given.

May 30 Radio History


➦In 1894...John Florence Sullivan was born (Died – March 17, 1956).  Known professionally as Fred Allen, he was a comedian. His absurdist, topically pointed radio program The Fred Allen Show (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the Golden Age of American radio.

His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it was only part of his appeal; radio historian John Dunning (in On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio) wrote that Allen was radio's most admired comedian and most frequently censored. A master ad libber, Allen often tangled with his network's executives (and often barbed them on the air over the battles) while developing routines whose style and substance influenced fellow comic talents, including Groucho Marx, Stan Freberg, Henry Morgan and Johnny Carson; his avowed fans also included President Franklin D. Roosevelt, humorist James Thurber, and novelists William Faulkner, John Steinbeck and Herman Wouk (who began his career writing for Allen).

From 1942...



Allen has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: a radio star at 6713 Hollywood Blvd. and a TV star at 7001 Hollywood Blvd

➦In 1908...Melvin Jerome Blanc born (Died – July 10, 1989). He was a voice actor and radio personality. After beginning his over-60-year career performing in radio, he became known for his work in animation as the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Marvin the Martian, Pepé Le Pew, Speedy Gonzales, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, the Tasmanian Devil, and many of the other characters from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical cartoons during the golden age of American animation. He voiced all of the major male Warner Bros. cartoon characters except for Elmer Fudd, whose voice was provided by fellow radio personality Arthur Q. Bryan, although Blanc later voiced Fudd, as well, after Bryan's death.

He later voiced characters for Hanna-Barbera's television cartoons, including Barney Rubble on The Flintstones and Mr. Spacely on The Jetsons. Blanc was also the original voice of Woody Woodpecker for Universal Pictures and provided vocal effects for the Tom and Jerry cartoons directed by Chuck Jones for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, replacing William Hanna. During the golden age of radio, Blanc also frequently performed on the programs of famous comedians from the era, including Jack Benny, Abbott and Costello, Burns and Allen and Judy Canova.

Having earned the nickname The Man of a Thousand Voices, Blanc is regarded as one of the most influential people in the voice acting industry

Mel Blanc and Characters
Blanc began his radio career at the age of 19 when in 1927 he debuted as a voice actor on the KGW (Portland OR) program The Hoot Owls, where his ability to provide voices for multiple characters first attracted attention. He moved to Los Angeles in 1932, where he met Estelle Rosenbaum (1909 - 2003), whom he married a year later, before returning to Portland. He moved to KEX in 1933 to produce and co-host his Cobweb And Nuts show with his wife Estelle, which debuted on June 15. The program played Monday through Saturday from 11:00 pm to midnight, and by the time the show ended two years later, it appeared from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm.

With his wife's encouragement, Blanc returned to Los Angeles and joined Warner Bros.-owned KFWB in Hollywood, California, in 1935. He joined The Johnny Murray Show, but the following year switched to CBS Radio and The Joe Penner Show.

Blanc was a regular on the NBC Red Network show The Jack Benny Program in various roles, including voicing Benny's Maxwell automobile (in desperate need of a tune-up), violin teacher Professor LeBlanc, Polly the Parrot, Benny's pet polar bear Carmichael, the tormented department store clerk, and the train announcer. The first role came from a mishap when the recording of the automobile's sounds failed to play on cue, prompting Blanc to take the microphone and improvise the sounds himself. The audience reacted so positively that Benny decided to dispense with the recording altogether and have Blanc continue in that role.



By 1946, Blanc appeared on over 15 radio programs in supporting roles. His success on The Jack Benny Program led to his own radio show on the CBS Radio Network, The Mel Blanc Show, which ran from September 3, 1946, to June 24, 1947. Blanc played himself as the hapless owner of a fix-it shop, as well as his young cousin Zookie.

Blanc also appeared on such other national radio programs as The Abbott and Costello Show, the Happy Postman on Burns and Allen, and as August Moon on Point Sublime. During World War II, he appeared as Private Sad Sack on various radio shows, most notably G.I. Journal. Blanc recorded a song titled "Big Bear Lake."

He passed away on July 10, 1989.

➦In 1917...actor & voiceover artist Peter Leeds was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. He appeared on television more than 8,000 times, on radio programs more than 3,000 times, and also had many film and Broadway credits. The majority of his work took place in the 1950s and 1960s,; he was best known as a straight man for funnyman Stan Freberg.  Leeds died of cancer Nov. 12 1996 at age 79.

➦In 1922...Smilin' Ed McConnell made his first radio broadcast in Atlanta. He was best known as the host of the children's radio and television series, Smilin' Ed's Gang, closely identified with its sponsor, Buster Brown shoes, and also known as The Buster Brown Program. For his work in radio, McConnell was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Smilin' Ed McConnell
In 1937, he moved to NBC as their "Sunshine Melody Man", offering hymns and uplifting messages. McConnell’s blend of "songs, humor and philosophy" aired over network affiliates at 5:30pm. Guests included the Doring Trio, The Four Grenadiers, The Campus Choir and the Rhythmaires.

McConnell became known in New York City when he was heard over WJZ, though the show was broadcast from Chicago and he lived in Elk Rapids, Michigan.

McConnell grabbed children's attention when he created the character Froggy the Gremlin, performing with Irma Allen on the organ or Del Owen on the piano. Even though McConnell became famous as "Smilin' Ed," he continued to host programs for religious adults. While his Buster Brown show was running, McConnell presided over a five-minute show sponsored by the American Poultry Journal. It reached over 50 stations.  Another Smilin' Ed show was a 15-minute program sponsored by the Purity Baking Company.

By 1948, 145 ABC stations were subscribing to his 15-minute programs. Smilin' Ed's humor, songs, and music were condensed into a five-minute program especially for electric lamp dealers. So it is very likely that this series originated after 1948.

➦In 1928...Legendary radio personality Herb Oscar Anderson was born. HOA was the morning drive-time personality on WABC Radio in New York City December 1960 to September 1968. He referred to himself as the Morning Mayor Of New York.

He also worked at KSTP and WDGY St. Paul-Minneapolis during the '50s. Also in the '50s HOA appeared on a number of shows for the ABC Radio network. He started in 1958 at WMCA NYC, worked WMGM in '59 and became the Morning Mayor on WABC in 1960.



HOA died January 29, 2017 at age 88.

➦In 1935…"America's Town Meeting of the Air" was first heard on NBC Blue (the predecessor to ABC radio) for the first time. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the debaters on the opener. The issues-oriented discussion program lasted a total of 21 years, with a name change to America’s Town Meeting of the Air.  It was moderated throughout by George V. Denny Jr.

➦In 1943...the "Archie" comic strip was first aired on radio.




➦In 1989...the 20,000th "Rambling with Gambling" Radio show aired on WOR-AM, New York City. (Several generations of Gamblings kept the program going continuously)
John A, John R, John B Gambling
John B. Gambling started the show in March 1925, when WOR was a promotional arm of the Bamberger's department store in Newark. His son, John A. Gambling became host in 1959. He brought his son, John R. Gambling, to the show as co-host from 1985 until his retirement in 1991. John R. Gambling has been solo host since that time.



In September 2000, WOR cancelled the program. At the time, it was the longest continually-running radio broadcast in America, a position now held by the Grand Ole Opry.

After a brief hiatus, WABC hired John R. Gambling.

WOR owned the rights to the name Rambling with Gambling, so the revived show was renamed The John Gambling Show.

In January 2008, WABC laid off Gambling in a cost-cutting measure.

On Wednesday, April 30, 2008, WOR and John R. Gambling announced the return of the show to its original station.

They began broadcasting on Monday, May 5, 2008, from 6 AM to 10 AM. despite the return to WOR.


Gambling retired from WOR radio at the end of 2013, bringing an end to the almost 89-year combined run of The John Gambling Show and Rambling with Gambling.

He has since returned to the NYC airwaves hosting 11am to 1pm on WNYM 970 AM The Answer.

➦In 2014...Radio, TV actress Joan Lorring, who began her career in 1940’s Hollywood radio and was regularly of member of the cast on CBS Radio’s Mystery Theater in the 70’s died at age 88. She was also featured in the early TV series ‘Norby,” and guested in anthology & episodic TV until 1980. Her many small screen appearances included The Star Wagon, a 1966 movie with Dustin Hoffman and Orson Bean, and The Love Boat in 1980.

Idina Menzel is 49
HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

  • Actress Ruta Lee (“High Rollers,” “What’s My Line?”) is 85. 
  • Actor Keir Dullea (“2001: A Space Odyssey”) is 84. 
  • Guitarist Lenny Davidson of The Dave Clark Five is 76. 
  • Actor Stephen Tobolowsky(“Groundhog Day,”″Sneakers”) 69. 
  • Actor Colm Meaney (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) is 67. 
  • Actor Ted McGinley (“Hope and Faith,” ″Married...With Children”) is 62. 
  • Actor Ralph Carter (“Good Times”) is 59. 
  • Country singer Wynonna Judd is 56. 
  • Guitarist Tom Morello of Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine is 56. 
  • Actor Mark Sheppard (“Supernatural”) is 56. 
  • Actor John Ross Bowie (“Speechless,” ″The Big Bang Theory”) is 49. 
  • Guitarist Patrick Dahlheimer of Live is 49. 
  • Singer-actress Idina Menzel is 49. 
  • Singer Cee Lo Green (Gnarls Barkley, Goodie Mob) is 45. 
  • Rapper Remy Ma is 40. Guitarist James Smith of Underoath is 38. 
  • Actress Javicia Leslie (“God Friended Me”) is 33. 
  • Actor Sean Giambrone (“The Goldbergs”) is 21. 
  • Actor Jared Gilmore (“Once Upon a Time,” ″Mad Men”) is 20.

Friday, May 29, 2020

Daniel York Named President, CEO For Cox Media Group


Cox Media Group today announced the appointment of Daniel York as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Daniel York
York most recently served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer of AT&T and its subsidiary, DIRECTV. As President and CEO of Cox Media Group, York will be responsible for all aspects of managing the company’s market-leading, award-winning media platforms and will oversee CMG’s long-term strategic priorities.

“I’m excited to welcome Dan as the President and CEO of Cox Media Group,” said David Sambur, Co-Lead Partner of Private Equity at Apollo Global Management. “He has an outstanding record of leadership in this industry, and of operating efficiently, creating strategic vision, and inspiring organizations to innovate and grow.”

Steve Pruett will continue to serve as Executive Chairman of CMG and said, “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to welcome Dan as the President and CEO of Cox Media Group. He has a background of success in media, content, distribution, operations, and successfully leading large organizations. Most importantly, he embraces contemporary thinking as the media landscape continues to evolve. We have full confidence he is the right person to lead CMG in the next phase of the company’s growth.”

York said, “I am excited to lead Cox Media Group, a company that has the most talented team and leadership in the industry. I have always admired and respected the unparalleled quality of CMG’s 90+ TV and radio stations, digital and advertising platforms, and the company’s unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity. The past few months have underscored that there is no substitute for the most important and valuable content in the ecosystem, market-leading local news and entertainment. I look forward to working with the Board and the CMG team as we continue to enhance our partnerships with our advertisers, content providers and distribution outlets to best serve our communities and millions of viewers and listeners.”

CNN Reporter, Crew Released By Authorities

Police arrest CNN's Omar Jimenez
UPDATE 12:00 PM MAY 29th: Three members of a CNN crew have been released Friday mornng after being placed under arrest during a live report, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The journalists were among four people arrested as troopers were “clearing the streets and restoring order” following the protests. Floyd died on Memorial Day shortly after being taken into custody on suspicion of passing a bad check and a white police officer knelt on his neck.

The patrol said the CNN journalists “were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.”

Jimenez was holding what appeared to be a laminated ID card before he was handcuffed, and his fellow crew members told police that they were from CNN and showing the scene live on the air.


Earlier Posting...

CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his camera crew have been arrested during a live broadcast from the protests in Minneapolis, according to Deadline.

Footage quickly emerged online, and many of Jimenez’s colleagues took to twitter in outcry over the incident (see below).

In the footage, Jimenez, sporting a virus protective mask, is being quizzed by his anchor in front of a group of riot police as they move to arrest a nearby person. State patrol then approach the presenter and his crew, and Jimenez can be heard telling the officers that the four-strong unit can move “to where they would like” and get out of their way in a cooperative and non-confrontational manner. The officers surround the crew as Jimenez continues to report live on air, before he is told that he is under arrest and placed in handcuffs, displaying them to the camera as he is walked away. After a moment, the crew are also placed into handcuffs.



“That is an American television reporter being led away by police officers. He clearly identified himself as a reporter and was respectfully explaining to the police that the CNN team was there and moving away as they would request, and then for some reason he was taken into police custody live on television,” added the anchor off screen.

“I have never seen anything like this,” the anchor adds on several occasions. The camera continued to roll after the incident, placed on the floor at the feet of the officers.

CNN adds a producer and camera operator were also arrested.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has reportedly apologized to CNN President Jeff Zucker over the arrest of CNN Reporter Omar Jimenez during a live report of the civil unrest and protest of the police killing of George Floyd.

CNN’s New Day reported that Zucker spoke with the Minnesota governor who said he deeply apologizes for what happened. The governor reportedly promised to the CNN president that he is going to have the team released and that the arrest “was inadvertent and unacceptable what happened.”

The Rundown: 2.1M File, State Of Agony In Minneapolis

The Labor Department reported Thursday that another 2.1 million Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week even as businesses around the country have gradually begun to reopen, bringing the total number of Americans who've filed for unemployment since the coronavirus shutdowns began in March to a staggering 41 million. But there were some positive signs in the data, as the overall number of Americans currently getting unemployment benefits fell for the first time since the crisis began, from 25 million to 21 million. Additionally, the number of first time unemployment applications fell for an eighth straight week.

President Trump tweeted a message Thursday morning acknowledging the U.S. passing 100,000 deaths a day earlier.


There have been more than 101,600 deaths in the U.S. from the virus as of last night, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, and more than 1,721,000 confirmed cases.


In other developments:
  • Illinois Ending Stay-at-Home Order: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced yesterday (May 28th) that he's ending the stay-at-home order he put in place 10 weeks ago, after every region of the state has met the conditions needed to do so. That moves Illinois into the third phase of Pritzker's plan, which will allow the reopening of manufacturing and retail, outdoor dining at restaurants, and small social gatherings.
  • Union: At Least 44 Meatpacking Workers Have Died: The United Food and Commercial Workers union released an estimate yesterday that at least 44 meatpacking workers have died in the U.S. from the coronavirus, and another 3,000 have tested positive. Meat processing plants have been hot spots for the virus, and many have temporarily closed at some point, with the union saying it's led to a 40 percent reduction in pork production and a 25 percent reduction in beef. However, most of the plants have stayed open since President Trump declared them critical infrastructure a month ago. Although many plants have installed physical barriers between workstations and set up hand-sanitizing stations, the union called for more safety measures to be implemented.
Wall Street Journal 5/29/20
➤PROTESTS CONTINUE IN MINNEAPOLIS, ELSEWHERE OVER FLOYD'S DEATH; POLICE STATION SET ON FIRE: Protests continued in Minneapolis for a third day and spread to other places in the country Thursday over the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died Monday after a white officer held him facedown on the ground handcuffed with a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes as he pleaded that he couldn't breathe and finally became unresponsive. Cell phone video of the incident sparked national outrage.

Some of the protests have turned violent and led to looting, and last night protesters in Minneapolis broke into a police station and set it on fire. The 3rd precinct station had been the focus of many protests, and staff had evacuated it before the protesters broke in. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard earlier in the day, and 500 of them were being sent to Minneapolis and surrounding areas. However, there were peaceful marches as well in the city. Protesters turned out in New York City's Union Square, where they clashed with police, and demonstrators blocked traffic in Denver. There were demonstrations in Los Angeles and Memphis on Wednesday.

D.A. Says Won't 'Rush to Justice': Derek Chauvin, the officer who held his knee on Floyd's neck, was fired the next day, as were the three other officers who were with him and did nothing to intervene. There are growing calls for criminal charges to be brought, including from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Hennepin County District Attorney Mike Freeman said yesterday, "That video is graphic and horrific and terrible, and no person should do that. But my job in the end is to prove that he violated a criminal statute, and there's other evidence that does not support a criminal charge." He said they will investigate, quote, "as expeditiously, as thoroughly and completely as justice demands," but stated, "I will not rush to justice." The U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica MacDonald called it "imperative" that the public understands, quote, "how seriously we are taking this and how quickly and swiftly we are moving on this." The FBI is also investigating. 


911 Call Transcript: The city released the transcript yesterday of the 911 call from a convenience store that the officers responded to about a man using a counterfeit $20 bill. The caller described the man as "awfully drunk" and "not in control of himself." When the 911 operator asked if the man was under the influence of something, the caller said, "Something like that, yes. He is not acting right." Police said Floyd matched the description of the caller and stated that he resisted arrest. However, CNN reported that surveillance video from a nearby restaurant appears to contradict that Floyd was resisting.

Chauvin Complaints, Shootings: The Minneapolis Police Department said yesterday that Chauvin had 18 prior complaints filed against him. It's unclear what they were for, but two of them were closed with discipline, which CNN said was apparently a letter of reprimand. He was also involved in two shootings. In the first, he was one of six officers who fatally opened fire on a stabbing suspect in 2006 after a chase that ended when the suspect pointed a shotgun at them. A grand jury decided the use of force was justified. In the second, Chauvin shot a man two years later while responding to a domestic dispute. Chauvin shot the suspect, who survived, twice in the stomach after he went for Chauvin's gun.

➤TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER CHALLENGING SOCIAL MEDIA PROTECTIONS: President Trump signed an executive order Thursday challenging social media companies' protection from lawsuits, two days after Twitter labeled two of his tweets claiming that mail-in voting would lead to widespread vote fraud as "potentially misleading." Trump called the fact checks "editorial decisions" that were political activism, and said it should lead Twitter to lose its liability protection for what's posted on its platform. The protection is given because the platforms aren't considered publishers. The executive order directs that rule-making agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission be asked to study whether they can put new regulations on the companies. However, experts doubted much could legally be done without Congress acting. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said Wednesday night that Twitter would continue to, quote, "point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally."


➤BOSTON MARATHON CANCELED FOR FIRST TIME: Organizers announced yesterday that the Boston Marathon had been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, the first time that's happened in its 124-year history. The marathon had already been postponed from April 20th to September 14th, before now being scrapped altogether. It will be replaced by a virtual event in which participants who verify that they ran 26.2 miles on their own will get their finisher's medal. They can run between September 7th and 14th.

➤NFL COACHES EXPECTED TO BE ALLOWED AT TEAM FACILITIES NEXT WEEK: NFL coaches may be allowed back in team facilities starting next week, according to a memo sent by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Thursday to all 32 teams. In the memo, obtained by the AP, Goodell says, "We expect that next week clubs will be permitted to include members of their coaching staffs among the employees permitted to resume work in the club facility." A limited number of team personnel, but not coaches, have been allowed at facilities since May 19th. The only players who are allowed are those undergoing therapy and rehab for injuries.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram 5/29/20
➤TEXAS TO ALLOW FANS AT OUTDOOR SPORTING EVENTS AT 25 PERCENT CAPACITY: Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Thursday that fans will be allowed to attend outdoor professional sporting events in almost all counties in the state at up to 25 percent capacity starting this Sunday. Guidelines from the state recommend that fans and employees remain six feet apart from anyone who's not in their household. Any indoor sporting events will still have to be held without fans.

NBC Allegedly Tells Reporters Not To Use Word 'Riots'


NBC News came under scrutiny Thursday for allegedly telling its reporters to refer to the events in Minneapolis this week as "protests" and not "riots," according to one of its anchors.

Fox News reports Craig Melvin, an MSNBC host and co-anchor of "Today," shed some light as to how his network is framing its reporting.


Melvin's tweet raised eyebrows among critics who accused the network of downplaying the violence that took place in the city to protest the death of George Floyd.

"What kind of alternate reality is this where the mass looting and burning of businesses is not considered a riot by a news network? A protest is what we had here in LA last night. What’s happening in Minneapolis is the textbook definition of a riot. Protesters don’t loot. Period," local Fox affiliate reporter Bill Melugin tweeted.

NBC says that the riots are not riots. Those 'protests' must have magically caused spontaneous combustion that lit buildings on fire, threw flatscreen TVs into the hands of innocent 'protestors' and caused hands to slam hammers into cash registers. What a wild series of events!" filmmaker Robby Starbuck tweeted.

NBC says that the riots are not riots. Those 'protests' must have magically caused spontaneous combustion that lit buildings on fire, threw flatscreen TVs into the hands of innocent 'protestors' and caused hands to slam hammers into cash registers. What a wild series of events!" filmmaker Robby Starbuck tweeted.

Trump Tweet Flagged By Twitter


Twitter Inc. placed a notice on a tweet from President Trump, shielding it from view for breaking what the company said are its rules about glorifying violence, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Trump’s tweet was a comment on the violent protests in Minnesota. The post can now only be seen after users click a box with a notice saying it violated Twitter’s rules against encouraging violence, but it otherwise remains visible.


This is the first time such a step has been taken against a head of state for breaking Twitter’s rules about glorifying violence, a company spokesman said.

The company said users’ ability to interact with the tweet will be limited, and that users can retweet it with comment, but not like, reply to, or otherwise retweet it.

The move by the social media company escalates a dispute with the president that could change the legal environment in which the industry operates. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order seeking to limit the broad legal protection that federal law currently provides to social-media and other internet platforms, a move expected to draw immediate court challenges.

Infographic: Trump Tweeting As Much As Ever Amid Twitter Standoff | Statista You will find more infographics at Statista

The president signed the order after Twitter on Tuesday moved for the first time to apply a fact-checking notice to tweets by the president on the subject of voter fraud.

Radio Correspondent Mark Knoller Included In CBS News Layoffs


Veteran White House correspondent Mark Knoller has reportedly been laid off by CBS News, promoting reactions of lament from journalists across the media spectrum.

Knoller, who has been at CBS News for 32 years, primarily reporting for CBS News Radio, wrote in a tweet that he's still with the organization "for the time being."

A CBS News spokesperson directed The Hill back to Knoller's tweet when reached for comment. Knoller's layoff was reported on Twitter by New York Magazine and HuffPost contributor Yashar Ali.


Knoller has won universal respect in the journalism world for his objectivity. He's also been referred to as a "human encyclopedia" known for counting certain aspects of each presidency.

CBS News Layoffs Impact Philly, Chicago

Lesley Van Arsdall
Veteran sports anchor Lesley Van Arsdall was one of more than a dozen staffers this week to fall victim to cutbacks within the news operation at CBS3.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports also ousted were Chandler Lutz, the morning traffic anchor; Cleve Bryan, the station’s South Jersey reporter; and Chantee Lans, the general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor considered to be a rising star. Several engineers, writers, freelancers, and producers also lost their jobs at the Philadelphia news outlet, a station staffer said.

“It’s really lean now," said the station staffer, who was not authorized to speak to the media. "And we were already so lean to begin with.”

CBS3 has seen significant turnover in its executive, newsroom and sales personnel in recent years. While 6ABC and NBC10 battle it out at the top of the local ratings board, CBS3’s Eyewitness News has been stuck jostling for third place with Fox29.

The layoffs came as part of a nationwide staff reduction this week by the station’s parent company ViacomCBS.

Citing financial pressures from the coronavirus pandemic and an ongoing corporate restructuring, ViacomCBS slashed more than 300 personnel across its news and entertainment divisions, according to the Los Angeles Times.

CBS merged with Viacom in December to create a new multinational multimedia behemoth then valued at $15.6 billion.

Though TV news viewership has soared as Americans hunger for pandemic news, advertising revenue has shriveled to close to zero because most ad-placing businesses have remained shuttered since mid-March because of COVID-19 .

Pam Zekman
By Thursday afternoon, the station’s website had scrubbed any evidence that Van Arsdall, Lutz, Bryan, or Lans had ever worked there.

Van Arsdall, 47, spent nearly 20 years at the station and was named the station’s weekend sports editor in 2011. She joined the Eyewitness News in team in 2003 as a general assignment reporter. Previously, she was a reporter and anchor at Newsradio KYW 1060 AM.

In Chicago, the legendary Pam Zekman, one of Chicago television’s premier investigative reporters, was among at least a dozen employees at WBBM-Channel 2 who lost their jobs today in sweeping companywide layoffs at CBS, according to Chicago Media Waatcher Robert Feder.

Others cut reportedly included morning news anchor Erin Kennedy, sports anchor Megan Mawicke, meteorologist Megan Glaros, and reporters Mike Puccinelli and Mai Martinez, according to insiders. Additional staffers, including some outside of the news department, were expected to be notified before the end of the day.

Philly Inquirer Cuts Ad Staff In Half

Almost half of the advertising department at the Philadelphia Inquirer has either accepted a buyout package or been laid off, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal citing both management and the NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia, and CBS3 has reportedly laid off 14 people as part of broader cuts announced by parent company CBS Viacom.

The cuts are part of a larger trend at print and broadcast media outlets who have been hit hard by steep declines in advertising revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.

At the Inquirer, there were 32 buyouts and layoffs, with 26 emanating from the advertising department and six from the newsroom.

In late April, management offered buyouts to all 55 members of the advertising department. According to an April 22 bulletin sent by Guild Executive Director Bill Ross and President Diane Mastrull to membership, layoffs would follow if at least 20 staffers in the department did not voluntarily apply for the buyout package.

Ross said Thursday that 20 members of the advertising department accepted the buyouts and the Inquirer laid off six other employees. This is the company’s fourth staff reduction in five years.

Ross said all employees received contractual severance pay and benefits that vary by seniority. A buyout is three weeks of pay per year of service with the company, and three weeks of medical per year of service. He said layoffs were done based on seniority and those six employees received double the severance and benefits as a penalty under the collective bargaining agreement.

“Obviously, due to revenue losses in advertising, the employer had to resort to buyouts and layoffs,” Ross said. “Appreciated the employer doing its best to wait through the pandemic to shed staff, but understand it. Our members are long-term dedicated employees and pros. They understood the situation, and thanks to our contract, received severance pay and unused vacation and personal days.”

At the request of the Guild, the Inquirer also extended a buyout opportunity to newsroom employees aged 65 and older. The Guild told members last month that it was simply a courtesy from management “because some in the newsroom have been asking about buyout options,” but the note was clear that there were no plans for newsroom layoffs. Five newsroom employees accepted buyout packages, including veteran sports columnist Bob Ford and news editor David Lee Preston.

Lauren Kauffman, vice president of people and culture at the Inquirer, said that since Feb. 23 a total of 23 Guild members accepted buyout packages and an addition nine were laid off.

TN Radio: WNWS Wants to Keep Dan Reaves Off WTJS

Dan Reaves
News/Talk WNWS 101.5-FM in Jackson, TN has filed for a temporary restraining order to prevent radio talk host Dan Reaves from remaining on the air at Talk WTJS 93.1-FM, the Jackson Sun reports.

"Dan broke the promise he made to me personally, and a legal commitment to our company which has supported him for 20 years," Carlton Viers, President of WNSW parent company Wireless Group, said.

Previously, Reaves worked at WNWS and served as its 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. weekday host. He left on May 12 and joined WTJS, filling the same time slot. Reaves launched his new show on WTJS on May 26.

The lawsuit alleges that Reaves violated his non-compete agreement with WNWS by joining a competing radio station. The non-compete states that Reaves has to wait a year after leaving WNWS before he can join any radio or TV broadcast company that competes with them in West Tennessee.

The lawsuit says that Reaves signed the non-compete on June 24, 2001.

WNWS also filed a second lawsuit against Reeves, alleging he violated his contract, intentionally interfered with its business and revealed company secrets to a competitor.

The company sent Reaves a letter notifying him that he was in breach of contract on May 18 to prevent him from working at WTJS.

Reaves was unavailable for comment but confirmed Grace broadcast, the parent company of WTJS, had hired a lawyer and was reviewing the lawsuit.