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Saturday, July 18, 2020

July 19 Radio History



WRC in the Trans Lux Building
First Home Riggs Bank
➦In 1923...WRC-AM, Washington, DC  signed-on.  WRC started at 640 AM and share the frequency with WCAP.

WRC was owned and oeprated by RCA.  By the 1930, 500 watt WRC moved to 950 AM and was part of the NBC's Red Network. The station moved to 980 AM in the lates 1940s.

The two stations WRC and now WMAL were located in the Trans Lux Building at 14th & New York Ave.

In 1972,  NBC made the decision to take the MOR station to a Top 40 format and challenge DC champ WPGC in the ratings game.

The birth of The Great 98 had a lot of help from some Philly radio vets.  Lee Sherwood was brought in as PD and Bob Gross was Promotions Director.  Both were from WFIL.  The original on air team consisted of Johnny Andrews, Bobby McGee, Simon Trane, James Michael Wilson and Ron Starr.

Being an NBC O&O had its drawbacks:  NBC Hourly News, NBC Monitor on weekends, special features (Graham Kerr, Gene Shalit, etc) had to be carried.

The Top 40 format moved to WRC-FM, and WRC-AM switched to an all-news format in 1975 before switching to news/talk in 1979.

Greater Media bought WRC-AM in 1984, changing the call letters to WWRC. It switched to business news and talk.   In 1998, sports-formatted WTEM-AM 570 moved its programming and call letters to 980 AM.  The WWRC call letters were moved to 1260 AM, which carried the old business news format until switching to all-sports in 2003.

Today, 1260 AM is owned by Salem Communications, carrying a news/talk format.  The call letters still are WWRC, but the station is branded “1260 WRC,” though it has no connection to WRC-TV, Washington’s NBC affiliate.

Eve Arden, Dick Crenna and Gloria McMillian at CBS Mic
➦In 1948..."Our Miss Brooks", starring Eve Arden and Gale Gordon, debuted on CBS radio.

Our Miss Brooks was a sitcom starring Arden as a sardonic high-school English teacher. It began as a radio show broadcast on CBS from 1948 to 1957. When the show was adapted to television (1952–56), it became one of the medium's earliest hits.

Our Miss Brooks was a hit on radio from the outset; within eight months of its launch as a regular series, the show landed several honors, including four for Eve Arden, who won polls in four individual publications of the time. Arden had actually been the third choice to play the title role. Harry Ackerman, at the time CBS's West Coast director of programming, wanted Shirley Booth for the part, but as he told historian Gerald Nachman many years later, he realized Booth was too focused on the underpaid downside of public school teaching at the time to have fun with the role.

Lucille Ball was believed to have been the next choice, but she was committed to My Favorite Husband and did not audition. Then CBS chairman Bill Paley, who was friendly with Arden, persuaded her to audition for the part. With a slightly rewritten audition script—Osgood Conklin, for example, was originally written as a school board president but was now written as the incoming new Madison principal—Arden agreed to give the newly revamped show a try.

According to radio critic John Crosby, her lines were very "feline" in dialogue scenes with principal Conklin and would-be boyfriend Boynton, with sharp, witty comebacks. The interplay between the cast—blustery Conklin, nebbishy Denton, accommodating Harriet, absentminded Mrs. Davis, clueless Boynton, scheming Miss Enright—also received positive reviews.

Arden won a radio listeners' poll by Radio Mirror magazine as the top-ranking comedienne of 1948–49, receiving her award at the end of an Our Miss Brooks broadcast that March. The radio series continued until 1957, a year after its television life ended.

➦In 2012...Top 40 program director Ted J. Atkins, who helped make KHJ, KFRC, WOL, CKLW and many others successful modern radio stations, succumbed to his pancreatic cancer at age 72.

He also had stints at KHJ and KIIS in Los Angeles, KFRC-San Francisco, CKLW Detroit, WOL Washington, WTAE, WWSW, WXMP in Pittsburgh, KROY-Sacramento, KLAK, KIMN, KBTR, KDAB in Denver and KUDL, WHB in Kansas City.

Bill Diehl at a record hop
➦In 2017...Iconic Twin Cities Radio Personality and one time newspaperman Bill Diehl died at age 91.   He worked at the St. Paul Dispatch/Pioneer Press for 53 years. He was at WMIN from 1948-1956; WDGY for 11 years, and WCCO Radio for 26 years.

Radio listeners knew him as “Bill Diehl, the Rajah of the Records, the Deacon of the Discs, the Purveyor of the Platters and the Wizard of the Wax, with all the musical facts.” When he wasn’t ruling the AM airwaves, he appeared on local television, emceed teen dances and concerts, booked and mentored young rock bands, introduced local audiences to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
Erin Cummings is 43
  • Actress Helen Gallagher (“Ryan’s Hope”) is 94. 
  • Country singer Sue Thompson is 94. 
  • Singer Vikki Carr is 80. 
  • Musician Commander Cody is 76. 
  • Actor George Dzundza (“Hack,” “Law and Order”) is 75. 
  • Singer-bassist Alan Gorrie of Average White Band is 74. 
  • Guitarist Brian May of Queen is 73.
  •  Actor Campbell Scott is 59. 
  • Actor Anthony Edwards (“ER”) is 58. 
  • Actress Clea Lewis (“Ellen”) is 55. 
  • Singer Urs Buhler of Il Divo is 49. 
  • Drummer Jason McGerr of Death Cab For Cutie is 46. 
  • Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is 44. 
  • Guitarist Bernie Leadon (Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 73. 
  • Actress Beverly Archer (“Major Dad, “Mama’s Family”) is 72. 
  • Actor Peter Barton (“Sunset Boulevard,” ″Burke’s Law”) is 64. 
  • Drummer Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) is 60. 
  • Actress Erin Cummings (“Astronaut Wives Club”) is 43. 
  • TV Chef Marcela Valladolid (“The Kitchen”) is 42. 
  • Actor Chris Sullivan (“This Is Us”) is 40. 
  • Actor Jared Padalecki (“Supernatural,” ″Gilmore Girls”) is 38. 
  • Actor Trai Byers (“Empire,” ″Selma”) is 37. 
  • Actress Kaitlin Doubleday (“Nashville,” ″Empire”) is 36. 
  • Comedian Dustin Ybarra (“Kevin (Probably) Saves The World”) is 34. 
  • Actor Steven Anthony Lawrence (“Even Stevens”) is 30.

Nick Cannon TV Talk Show On Pause

Nick Cannon
Amid the anti-Semitic controversy Nick Cannon caused for himself, his eagerly anticipated syndicated daytime talk show will not premiere on Oct. 5 as originally scheduled.

On Friday, producers of the talk show — which was already cleared to launch in 90% of the country — said that the show will not go on.

At least for now.

In a statement obtained by The Daily News, Debmar-Mercury said the “Nick Cannon” talk show “will not debut this year” and hope it will hit the airwaves next year.

“After conversations with Nick, we do believe that his public comments don’t reflect his true feelings and his apology is heartfelt and sincere,” the statement read. “We want to continue the healing process as he meets with leaders of the Jewish community and engages in a dialogue with our distribution partners to hear their views.”

“We are standing by Nick in our hope that by fall 2021 he will be able to use his extraordinary talent and platform to entertain, enlighten and unite his audience on the ‘Nick Cannon’ talk show.”

SD Radio: KJBI-FM Drops Bob & Tom Over 'Disparaging' Comment

Dakota Radio Group owners, management and staff have announced that the Bob & Tom Show will no longer be heard on any of their stations, but specifically, KJBI 100.1 The Eagle in Port Pierre, SD.

The company cites an offensive comment was made on Thursday that depicted Native Americans in a disparaging way. No one at Dakota Radio Group condones that type of uneducated and hurtful comment and although we have received an apology from Tom Griswold of the Bob & Tom Show, we stand with the Native American community to break ties with the show.

Mr Griswold stated, “I made an attempt at humor on a sensitive subject and I sincerely apologize to our listeners. My ire was directed at Mr. Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington DC NFL team, who has repeatedly been insensitive to the difficulties that many people have with the name Redskins. I should have not used an analogy with another offensive name.

"We apologize that any negative comment was heard while listening to one of our stations and ask for your forgiveness and opportunity to continue to be your source for news, sports, local activities, weather and appropriate entertainment. We will strive to earn your trust and respect back as we determine how to proceed with programming on KJBI FM."

Report: Widespread Layoffs Coming To NBCUniversal


The axe is about to fall at media giant NBCUniversal to offset losses brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, The NY Post is reporting.

The New York-based broadcaster is preparing broad-based layoffs that will hit its network employees especially hard, sources said. The scale of the layoffs could not yet be determined, but insiders described the job cuts as “sweeping”and “significant.”

NBCU declined to comment.

The company, which owns cable news networks  MSNBC, NBC News, CNBC, as well as Hollywood studio, Universal Pictures and theme park, Universal Studios, has been struggling to cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has crimped ad sales, sources said.

In May, Jeff Shell, who took the reins as NBCU’s CEOin December, cut senior management pay by 20 percent and he rolled back pay for employees making more than $100,000 by 3 percent.

Since then, Shell and his team have been “exploring ways for NBCU to operate more efficiently,” as the coronavirus has also its ability to operate its theme parks and shoot film and TV shows and release movies in cinemas, an insider told The Post.

The Comcast-owned NBCU said in April that first-quarter revenue fell 7 percent to $7.7 billion, as a result of pandemic pressures on its business. At the time, the company warned that it expects to lose about $500 million if its theme parks remained closed through June, and said it expected advertising to fall “significantly” in the second quarter.

K-C Radio: Entercom Unveils NFL Chief's Radio Team


Entercom and the Kansas City Chiefs announced the play-by-play broadcast team for the 2020 season on WDAF 106.5 The Wolf, the flagship station of the 70 station Chiefs Radio Network and home of the team. The Chiefs Radio Network broadcast team will feature play-by-play announcer “Voice of the Chiefs” Mitch Holthus, who is entering his 27th season, and newcomers Danan Hughes and Josh Klingler.

“Like all of Chiefs Kingdom, we’re eagerly awaiting the return of the defending Super Bowl champions and look forward to another great season,” said Dave Alpert, Regional President and Market Manager, Entercom Kansas City. “As the new flagship station of the team, we look forward to providing fans unrivaled coverage of everything Chiefs, including a marquee radio team delivering rich gameday analysis and exciting calls of the action.”

“We are very excited to begin defending our Super Bowl championship in a few short weeks and are thrilled to have Mitch, Danan and Josh bringing the game action to Chiefs fans throughout the Kingdom, while Art anchors the pre- and postgame coverage on 106.5 The Wolf,” said Tyler Epp, Executive Vice President of Business Operations, Chiefs. “The Chiefs Radio Network is adding talented individuals to the booth, and we know they will provide the excitement and insight that Chiefs fans have come to expect when tuning in.”

One of the Midwest’s most recognizable radio and television personalities, Mitch Holthus will return for his 27th season as the play-by-play personality for the Chiefs Radio Network. Holthus has called a team-record 433 career regular and postseason games for the club and has earned eight Kansas Sportscaster of the Year awards. Joining Holthus in the booth for the first time is former Chiefs wide receiver and current Ambassador Danan Hughes, who will begin his inaugural campaign as the network’s color commentator. Hughes has been broadcasting football and baseball as part of the Big Ten Network since 2008, as well as Chiefs pregame and postgame shows on local television since 2014. Entering his first season as the network’s sideline reporter is Josh Klingler, a morning show host on 610 Sports Radio (KCSP-AM) who has been broadcasting collegiate athletics as a sideline reporter for the University of Kansas for more than 14 years and has been part of the local sports talk radio landscape for more than 16 years. On-air personality Art Hains will also return as host of 106.5 The Wolf’s pregame and postgame show coverage.

Fired Hockey Analyst Jeremy Roenick Sues NBC

Jeremy Roenick
Hockey analyst Jeremy Roenick has accused NBC of wrongfully firing him over his infamous threesome comments saying the network held him to a different standard than skating commentators Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, The NY Post reports.

The 50-year-old former NHL forward was fired from the network in February following comments he made on a Dec. 18 episode of Barstool Sports’ podcast “Spittin’ Chiclets,”  in which he joked about the possibility that he would “go to bed” with his wife and coworker Kathryn Tappen on a vacation in Portugal.

Roenick says that racy comments that former figure skating Olympians Lipinski and Weir made on a July 2 spoof video of 1998 Olympic bronze medalist figure skater Bradie Tennell in which they made innuendos about a camel toe and an affair, prove that Roenick was held to a different standard than they were, the Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit from Friday alleges.

Lipinski, Weir
Lipinski posted the since-removed video to her Instagram account May 29 allegedly making a thinly veiled reference to a camel toe when she introduced Tennell saying, “Nice camel spin into a toe loop,” despite the fact Tennell hadn’t attempted either move in the video clip, USA Today reported earlier this month.

Then Weir and actress Elizabeth Banks joked about Weir cheating on his “wife” Lipinski after Weir said of Tennell, “I’m really hoping we get to see her quads during this program,” even though Tennell hadn’t tried for a quadruple jump, the outlet reported.

'The suit also claims that during the 2018 Olympics “after hearing colorful commentary regarding the body parts of ice skaters from analyst/commentator Johnny Weir” Roenick asked his boss Sam Flood about the remarks and Flood responded that Weir, “is gay and can say whatever,” the court papers allege.

Roenick brought 12 claims against NBC Sports and Flood including one that alleges he was discriminated against because of his sex or sexual orientation while Lipinski — a woman — and Weir — a gay man — were not suspended or terminated for similar conduct, the court documents show.

Chicago Radio: WGN Radio Promotes Steve Tarpley To GSM


News/Talk WGN 720 AM Chicago has promoted Local Sales Manager Steve Tarpley to General Sales Manager.

Steve Tarpley
He joined then Tribune's WGN in 2010 as an account executive and rose to National Sales Manager in 2014 for WGN-AM and Sports WGWG-LP.

"I am delighted to name Steve Tarpley as General Sales Manager of WGN Radio," said GM Mary Sandberg Boyle. "We had our choice of top candidates and Steve proved to be the best person for the job. He's had incredible success as a seller in his career here at WGN, and he's excelled as a manager since 2014. Steve knows how to drive results for our advertisers and lead a team of sellers successfully."

"It's an honor to take on a greater role at the place where I've spent more than a decade of my professional career," added Tarpley.

"I'm most excited about the opportunity to work closer with our sponsors, and all of the talented people at WGN. This is home."

FNC's Chris Wallace Fact Checks President Trump

President Trump and Chris Wallace
In a fox News Sunday interview to air this weekend, Fox News’ Chris Wallace spoke to President Donald Trump for the first time in a long while, and he shared a preview of the hour-long sit-down on Friday with Bill Hemmer.

In the preview, Wallace asked the president about the increase of violence in cities like New York and Chicago.

Trump said it’s because they’re “Democrat-run cities” that are being “stupidly run.”


“Liberal Democrats have been running cities in this country for decades,” Wallace said. “Why is it so bad right now?”

Trump said it’s now “gotten totally out of control,” bringing up calls to defund the police before claiming that Joe Biden wants to defund the police too.

Wallace immediately jumped in and said, “Sir, he does not.”

Twitter Says Hackers Got Data From 8 Non-Verified Accounts

Twitter Inc said on Saturday that hackers were able to download account information for up to eight accounts involved in the hack of its systems this week, but said none of them were verified accounts, Reuters reports.

The company said the attackers targeted 130 accounts, and were able to reset passwords and take control of 45 of them and tweet from those accounts.

Hackers accessed Twitter’s internal systems to hijack some of the platform’s top voices including U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden, reality TV star Kim Kardashian, former U.S. President Barack Obama and billionaire Elon Musk and used them to solicit digital currency.

Publicly available blockchain records show the apparent scammers received more than $100,000 worth of cryptocurrency.

The high-profile accounts that were hacked also included rapper Kanye West, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, investor Warren Buffett, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and the corporate accounts for Uber and Apple.

In its latest statement, Twitter said attackers “manipulated a small number of employees” to gain access to the internal support tools used in the hack.

The company said it was holding back some of the details of the attack as it continues its investigation and reiterated that it was working with impacted account owners.

Houston Radio: KHMX Launches 'Hangry' Podcast


Entercom has announced the launch of I’m Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hangry!, an epicurean foodie podcast featuring KHMX Mix 96.5 FM morning show personality Jessie Watt and food influencer, Hangry Houstonian, Danielle Dubois. I’m Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hangry! will air every Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. CT on sister station CBS Sports Radio 650 (KIKK-AM) beginning July 18, and will be available to listeners nationwide on RADIO.COM, the fastest-growing digital audio app in the U.S.

“The amalgamation of cultures in Houston has created a place where limitless food combinations are created, and the sheer quantity of excellent new endeavors has catapulted us onto the national stage,” said Sarah Frazier, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Houston. “Houston food is second to none, and we believe it deserves dedicated attention. I’m Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hangry was created to serve as a unique and special celebration of the Houston food scene and fulfill our listeners’ craving for their local favorites.”

I’m Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hangry! was founded on the premise of bringing people who love food together to talk about food. Like the melting pot that makes up the Houston food scene, Watts and Dubois have roots spanning from the Midwest to the Southern Creole of Louisiana. The show will combine Dubois’ food expertise with Watt’s enthusiasm for food to create a show that features where to go for the best food, reviews of new restaurants, some of the best happy hour spots in town and the best takeout.

“Since my arrival to Houston in January, I have been able to experience the vast array of food options the city has to offer,” said Watt. “I look forward to teaming up with Danielle to use food as a vehicle for connecting with our listeners every weekend.”

Jessie Watt has served as an on-air personality for Mix 96.5’s “The Morning Mix” since January 2020. Prior to that role, she was a morning show producer and on-air personality for sister station 99.5 WYCD (WYCD-FM) in Detroit. She joined Entercom in 2017 as a promotions coordinator and was previously a board operator".

“I’m excited to showcase why and how I fell in love with the city of Houston and to give locals and transplants like myself and Jessie a resource to utilize to get the most out of the city,” said Dubois. “Houston has such a diverse culinary and bar scene and we look forward to doing the leg work and let listeners know our findings.”

Danielle Dubois, a Louisiana native, launched Hangry Houstonian in 2017 to share the best of her food experiences with the Houston community.

July 18 Radio History



➦In 1909...Harriet Nelson, formerly Hilliard; born Peggy Lou Snyder. (Died at age 85  – October 2, 1994) . She was best known is best known for her role on the radio and TV sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.  She sang with husband Ozzie Nelson’s band, and played other comedic roles on radio’s Red Skelton Show.

➦In 1913...Richard Bernard Eheart born (Died at age 84 – September 17, 1997). Professionally known as Red Skelton, he was best known for his national radio and television acts between 1937 and 1971, and as host of the television program The Red Skelton Show. He has stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in radio and television, and also appeared in burlesque, vaudeville, films, nightclubs, and casinos, all while he pursued an entirely separate career as an artist.

Red Skelton
Skelton began developing his comedic and pantomime skills from the age of 10, when he became part of a traveling medicine show. He then spent time on a showboat, worked the burlesque circuit, and then entered into vaudeville in 1934. The "Doughnut Dunkers" pantomime sketch, which he wrote together with his wife, launched a career for him in vaudeville, radio, and films.

His radio career began in 1937 with a guest appearance on The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour, which led to his becoming the host of Avalon Time in 1938. He became the host of The Raleigh Cigarette Program in 1941, on which many of his comedy characters were created, and he had a regularly scheduled radio program until 1957. Skelton made his film debut in 1938 alongside Ginger Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Alfred Santell's Having Wonderful Time, and would appear in numerous musical and comedy films throughout the 1940s and 1950s, with starring roles in 19 films, including Ship Ahoy (1941), I Dood It (1943), Ziegfeld Follies (1946), and The Clown (1953).

Skelton was eager to work in television, even when the medium was in its infancy. The Red Skelton Show made its television premiere on September 30, 1951, on NBC. By 1954, Skelton's program moved to CBS, where it was expanded to one hour and renamed The Red Skelton Hour in 1962. Despite high ratings, the show was cancelled by CBS in 1970, as the network believed that more youth-oriented programs were needed to attract younger viewers and their spending power. Skelton moved his program to NBC, where he completed his last year with a regularly scheduled television show in 1971.

Marvin Miller
➦In 1913...Marvin Elliott Miller born (Died at age 71  – February 8, 1985). Possessing a deep, baritone voice, Marvin Miller began his career in radio in St. Louis, Missouri, before becoming a Hollywood actor.

Miller graduated from Washington University before commencing his career in radio. When a singer named Marvin Miller debuted on another St. Louis radio station, he began using his middle initial to distinguish himself from the newcomer. For the Mutual Broadcasting System, he narrated a daily 15-minute radio show entitled The Story Behind the Story, which offered historical vignettes. He also served as announcer on several Old Time Radio shows of the 1940s and 1950s, including The Jo Stafford Show and the long-running mystery series The Whistler.

Miller played Dr. Lee Markham on The Woman in White on NBC radio and Howard Andrews on Midstream on the Blue Network and appeared as "The voice of the Past" on the May 21, 1942 broadcast of The Right to Happiness. In 1945–47, he was the announcer for Songs by Sinatra. He played two characters and was the announcer on The Billie Burke Show (1943-1946).

From 1949 to 1950 he starred as Dr. Yat Fu on the short-lived ABC series Mysteries of Chinatown, with Gloria Saunders cast as his niece. In 1961, Miller guest-starred as Johnny Kelso, with Erin O'Brien, in "The Marble Slab" episode of the Frederick Ziv-, United Artists-, and MGM-produced Bat Masterson, starring Gene Barry. Original air date was May 11, 1961.

Miller as depicted in 1959
Miller made a guest appearance in 1963 on Perry Mason as unscrupulous attorney F.J. Weatherby in "The Case of the Lover's Leap."

He voiced Aquaman for the Filmation studio for their 1967 series The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure. He was also the voice of pilot/scientist Busby Birdwell in the company's animated series Fantastic Voyage.

He was the voice of the arrogant alien "Zarn" in three episodes of the second season of Land of the Lost.  Miller also lent his distinct voice to The Pink Panther Show, often talking with the feline offscreen and asking questions, while also voicing The Inspector, his second Deux Deux and their boss The Commissioner.

On The Millionaire, Miller played Michael Anthony in over 200 episodes, conveying the wishes of the "fabulously wealthy" John Beresford Tipton, voiced by Paul Frees.[24

He won Grammy Awards in 1965 and 1966 for his recordings of Dr. Seuss stories: in 1967 for Dr Seuss Presents – If I Ran the Zoo and Sleep Book and 1966 for Dr Seuss Presents Fox in Socks and Green Eggs and Ham. He also read Horton Hatches the Egg, The Sneetches and Other Stories and Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories.

In the mid-1970s, Miller even lent his voice to sports films, narrating the official Indianapolis 500 films in 1975 and 1976.

➦In 1922...WHAS-AM signed-on in Louisville KY.


On May 16, 1925, the first live broadcast of the Kentucky Derby was originated by WHAS and was also carried by WGN in Chicago. The call of the Derby featured an announcer who watched from the windows of one of the famous twin spires of Churchill Downs.

On May 15, 1932, WHAS changed from being an NBC affiliate and joined CBS. At that time, WHAS operated on 820 kHz with 10 KW power, but the output was soon increased to 25 KW as authorized by the Federal Radio Commission.

During a 1937 flood, WHAS aired 115,000 messages. On March 29, 1941 the station moved to its current frequency of 840 AM and made a clear-channel station, both as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement, which relocated the 840 clear channel allocation to Louisville from Toronto, where it was used by CBL. On March 30, 1970 WHAS began 24-hour operation.


The station was originally part of the local media empire ruled by the Bingham family, which also published Louisville Courier-Journal and Louisville Times.  WHAS and its FM sister station, WAMZ (the former WHAS-FM) were acquired by Clear Channel Communications (which, as iHeartMedia, continues to own the stations to this day) in 1986.


➦In 1964…United Artists -the label which issued  the soundtrack to “A Hard Day’s Night” and Capitol Records - locked horns on the songs from the film.

UA had the rights to the original soundtrack album which contains seven songs and instrumental music by George Martin. Capitol was going “all-out” to buck the soundtrack album. Capitol had the rights to issue singles off the album.

UA rush released advance copies of the “A Hard Day’s Night” soundtrack album to radio stations and stores, after WMCA 570 AM New York got an advance copy and began playing it to their huge New York audience. Capitol issued a single disc by the Beatles, coupling the movie’s title song “A Hard Day’s Night” with “I Should Have Known Better.”

The Capitol album contained the seven picture songs and five new tunes, but could not be identified as a soundtrack album – only UA had those rights.  

1010 WINS and 77WABC weren’t happy about the “Hard Day’s Night” WMCA exclusive.

WINS got a Beatles exclusive from a special overseas source and began playing “Slowdown” by the Beatles soon after. 


➦In 1964…Tom Clay departed from station CKLW 800 AM, Windsor-Detroit.  The station and Clay called it an amiable parting. Clay felt he was not doing enough on his show when not allowed to play the records himself (union rules). Clay’s nighttime slot was taken by Terry Knight from WTRX, Flint.

Knight would go on to become a recording artist with Terry Knight & The Pack . Their biggest hit was 1966’s “I Who Have Nothing.”) Knight would then go on to bigger and better things as the manager for Grand Funk Railroad .

➦In 1974… KNEW-AM in San Francisco changed to country. Today the station is owned by iHeartMedia and Progressive Talk as KKSF 910 AM.

➦In 1974…Cousin Bruce Morrow departed WABC 770 AM New York to take the spot vacated by Wolfman Jack on rival WNBC 660 AM.

Morrow's first stint in radio was in Bermuda at ZBM-AM, where he was known as "The Hammer".

Morrow began his career in the USA at New York Top 40 station 1010 WINS in 1959. In 1960, he relocated to Miami, Florida for a stint at WINZ (AM) before returning to New York the next year for the major station WABC.

Morrow's return to New York City came just as rock and roll music was becoming extremely popular among the baby boom demographic, and Morrow found himself on the most powerful radio station on the East Coast at the beginning of the so-called British Invasion. His main competition came from his previous station WINS, which featured "Murray the K," a DJ who claimed an association with the Beatles.

Morrow quickly became a success on WABC's teenager-oriented evening shift.

Morrow worked for WABC for 13 years and 4,014 broadcasts until August 1974, when he transferred to rival radio station WNBC; after three years there, he quit performance to team with entrepreneur Robert F.X. Sillerman to become the owner of the Sillerman Morrow group of radio stations, which included WALL; WKGL, now WRRV, in Middletown, New York; WJJB, later WCZX, in Poughkeepsie, New York; WHMP in Northampton, Massachusetts; WOCB in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts; WRAN (now dark) New Jersey 1510 in Randolph, New Jersey; and television station WATL Atlanta. The group later purchased WPLR in New Haven, Connecticut.

During 1982, Morrow resumed working as a radio announcer, for New York's oldies station WCBS 101.1 FM.  As of 2019, Morrow hosts programs for SiriusXM, on the '60s on 6 channel. Cousin Brucie's Saturday Night Party – Live is broadcast Saturday nights, while Cruisin' with Cousin Brucie is broadcast live on Wednesday nights. The Wednesday broadcast used to repeat on Sunday nights, but no longer does. In place of the repeat, a show titled "Best of Brucie" airs, a compilation of all of his best moments on SiriusXM. 

➦In 1984…KPLZ Seattle becomes the 11th station to license Mike Joseph’s “Hot Hits” phrase.

➦In 1984…Chicago Radio Arbitron Ratings… WGN-AM was best with an 8.8...Urban WGCI-FM is up to a 6.1...News WBBM  4.6...Easy WLOO – 5.6...B-96 (WBBM-FM) dips to a 4.6 from 5.0...WLS-AM dips to a 3.2 from 3.7...WLS-FM is up to a 3.5 from 2.9...WCLR (A/C) is up to a 4.1 from 3.4...Country WMAQ scores a 4.1...WLUP up from a 3.0 to 3.4...WLAK (Nothing but love songs) is down to a 3.2 from a 3.9.

➦In 1984…Capital Cities bought Metromedia’s KLAC 570 AM in Los Angeles.

➦In 1984…WGAR 1220 AM Cleveland flipped to  Country. Today, the station airs a religious format as WHKW.

Adrian Cronauer September 8, 1938 – July 19, 2018
In 2018...Adrian Joseph Cronauer, best known for co-writing the original story for the film "Good Morning Vietnam" about his time as an DJ at American Forces Vietnam Radio, died at the age of 79.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
Kristen Bell is 40
  • Director Paul Verhoeven (“Basic Instinct,” ″Showgirls”) is 82. 
  • Singer Brian Auger is 81. 
  • Singer Dion is 81. 
  • Actor James Brolin is 80. 
  • Singer Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas is 79. 
  • Guitarist Wally Bryson of The Raspberries is 71. 
  • Actress Margo Martindale (“Sneaky Pete,” “The Americans”) is 69. 
  • Bluegrass singer Ricky Skaggs is 66. 
  • Actress Audrey Landers (“Dallas”) is 64. 
  • Drummer Nigel Twist of The Alarm is 63. 
  • Actress Anne-Marie Johnson (“That’s So Raven,” “In The Heat of the Night”) is 60. 
  • Actress Elizabeth McGovern (“Downton Abbey”) is 59. 
  • Keyboardist John Hermann of Widespread Panic is 58. 
  • Talk show host/actress Wendy Williams is 56. 
  • Actor Vin Diesel is 53. 
  • Actor Grant Bowler (“True Blood,” ″Ugly Betty”) is 52. 
  • Actor Eddie Matos (“All My Children”) is 48. 
  • Rapper M.I.A. is 45. 
  • Actor Andre Royo (“The Wire”) is 52.
  • Guitarist Daron Malakian of System of a Down and of Scars On Broadway is 45. 
  • Actress Elsa Pataky (“The Fast and the Furious” films) is 44. 
  • Drummer Tony Fagenson (Eve 6) is 42. 
  • Actress Kristen Bell is 40. 
  • Actor Michiel Huisman (“Game of Thrones”) is 39. 
  • Singer Ryan Cabrera is 38. 
  • Actress Priyanka Chopra (“Quantico”) is 38. 
  • Drummer Aaron Gillespie of Underoath is 37. 
  • Actor Chace Crawford (“Gossip Girl”) is 35. 
  • Bassist Paul Kowert of Punch Brothers is 34. 
  • Guitarist Joe Dean Junior (Dailey and Vincent) is 31.

Friday, July 17, 2020

As Consumers Age, New Music Becomes Less Important

Edison Research has release the findings from never-before-seen research which debuted in a webinar, New Music Seekers: An Infinite Dial Report, presented by Edison Research VP Nicole Beniamini.

The new research explores how this 24% of America — the “new-music seekers” for whom learning about and staying up–to–date with music is very important — listens to, discovers, and shares music.

As listeners age, fewer say it is “very important” to learn about and stay up–to–date with music:
35% of those age 12-34 say it is “very important,” 25% of those age 35-54 say it is “very important,” and 10% of those age 55+ say it is “very important.” Nearly half of new-music seekers, 46%, are between the ages of 12-34, and 54% are 35+, so although interest in new music is more concentrated in very young demos, there are still large numbers of new-music seekers over the age of 35.



New-music seekers are willing to pay for music services.  Forty-nine percent of new-music seekers have listened to Spotify in the last month, and of those, 45% have a paid subscription. More than one-third of new-music seekers say they have a subscription to SiriusXM, which is nearly double the percentage of the general population 12+. Many of these new-music subscribers are maintaining paid subscriptions to both SiriusXM AND a streaming music platform.

Sources for new music discovery vary greatly depending on the age of the listener.
Overall, YouTube (68%) tops the list of sources that new-music seekers age 12+ say they use for music discovery, followed by friends and family (47%), and AM/FM radio (46%).



The top three sources for music discovery are as follows for three different age groups:
  • Listeners age 12-34: YouTube (72%), Spotify (51%) and friends and family (49%)
  • Listeners age 35-54: YouTube (64%), AM/FM radio (53%), and Facebook (45%)
  • Listeners age 55+: AM/FM radio (70%), YouTube (57%), friends and family (53%) 
“It’s surprising to see how high YouTube ranks for music discovery among all ages. This new research gives us a better grasp of just how important online platforms are for music discovery, especially among those who value new music. And while AM/FM radio is not so much a place to ‘learn about new music,’ our data shows that it’s still a place to ‘learn what the hits are,” said Beniamini.

Among the one-third of Americans age 12+ (33%), for whom learning about and staying up-to-date with music is “not at all important,” AM/FM radio tops the list as the source used most often for music discovery at 35%, followed by YouTube at 17%, and friends and family at 17%.


Music listening is a private experience for many new-music seekers. Sixty-seven percent of new-music seekers say they do most or all of their audio listening through headphones/earbuds, with 30% saying all of their audio listening is private. This is not limited to the youngest listeners, as even the majority of new-music seekers age 35-54 listen to most of their music through headphones/earbuds. Social media becomes important, then, as a way to share music, because 53% of new-music seekers say they currently use social media to share updates on music they are listening to with friends and family.

The Rundown: New Daily Record Set for New U-S Coronavirus Cases

A new daily record of 77,255 coronavirus cases were reported across the U.S. Thursday, passing the previous record of 67,791 set just two days earlier. Florida had nearly 14,000 of those cases, it's second-highest daily count, and Texas topped 10,000 new cases for a third straight day. Florida also reported 156 deaths and Texas had 129 deaths, with Texas having had more than one-third of its 3,400 coronavirus deaths just in the first two weeks of July. South Carolina had 69 deaths, more than double it's had on any other day, and certain hard-hit counties in Arizona and Texas are bringing in refrigerated trucks as their morgues fill up. There have been more than 138,300 deaths in the U.S. as of early this morning, and more than 3,576,000 confirmed cases.

The governors of two more states, Arkansas and Colorado, issued orders requiring people to wear face masks in public, and three more retail chains, Target, CVS and Public Super Markets, said they will require customers to wear face masks.

AJC 7/17/20


But Republican Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia filed suit against Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and its City Council to block the city from enforcing its face mask requirement and other coronavirus rules. A day earlier, Kemp barred cities and counties in the state from requiring face masks, something at least 15 of them, including Atlanta, Augusta and Savannah, had done. Bottoms and some other mayors said they would continue to enforce the order, leading Kemp to file the suit, charging she was overstepping her authority and must obey his executive orders. Kemp has said he supports wearing face masks, but it can't be mandated. Georgia currently has more than 2,800 people hospitalized with the coronavirus, the highest number it's had so far.

Border Closures with Canada and Mexico Extended: Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said yesterday that the U.S., Canada and Mexico had agreed to extend the closure of their shared borders for all but essential travel. The restrictions, which have been in place since March, will now be extended until at least August 21st.

➤RUSSIAN HACKERS TRYING TO STEAL CORONAVIRUS VACCINE INFO: The U.S., U.K. and Canada yesterday charged that hackers that are believed to be part of Russian intelligence are trying to steal valuable private information about coronavirus vaccine development. The accusation and warning to scientists and medical companies said the group, known as "Cozy Bear," is trying to hack into and take information from academic and pharmaceutical research institutions involved in COVID-19 vaccine development. It's unclear whether any useful information was stolen. Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said, "Russia has nothing to do with those attempts." Cozy Bear is the same group involved in hacking Democratic email accounts during the 2016 presidential election. 

WSJ 7/17/20
➤AFTER TWO EXECUTIONS IN THREE DAYS, FEDS SET TO EXECUTE ANOTHER MAN TODAY: Following a second federal execution in three days Thursday morning after there hadn't been one for 17 years, another federal execution is set to take place today. Dustin Honken, who was meth kingpin in Iowa, was convicted of the 1993 killing of five people -- government informants and two young girls -- to try to impede his drug trafficking prosecution. His execution would follow that yesterday of Wesley Ira Purkey, who was put to death hours after the Supreme Court lifted a hold on his execution. Purkey's attorneys had argued he'd developed dementia and could no longer understand why he was to be executed. Purkey was convicted of kidnapping and killing a 16-year-old girl. Daniel Lewis Lee was executed Tuesday for killing three people, one of them an eight-year-old girl, becoming the first federal inmate executed since 2003.

➤FIRE PUT OUT ON NAVY SHIP IN SAN DIEGO AFTER FOUR DAYS: A fire on the Navy ship USS Bonhomme Richard at a San Diego naval base was finally put out yesterday after four days. Rear Admiral Philip Sobeck said the ship was stable and, quote, "survivable," but that it will take time to assess the damage, saying, "The ship can be repaired, whether or not it will be repaired, that will be determined." The Bonhomme Richard was near the end of a two-year upgrade when the fire broke out Sunday. All 160 sailors were safely evacuated, with only minor injuries among sailors and civilians. The Navy will be investigating the cause of the fire, as well as what caused two explosions after it began.

WSJ 7/17/20
➤REPORT: 15 EX-WASHINGTON EMPLOYEES ALLEGE SEXUAL HARASSMENT: The Washington Post reported yesterday that 15 women who are former employees of the Washington Redskins say they were sexually harassed while they worked for the NFL team by former scouts and members of owner Daniel Snyder's inner circle. Among those accused are former director of pro personnel Alex Santos, former assistant director of pro personnel Richard Mann II, and longtime radio play-by-play announcer and senior VP Larry Michael, all of whom left the organization in the past week. Others named are former president of business operations Dennis Greene and former chief operating officer Mitch Gershman. There are no allegations against Snyder. The team said, "While we do not speak to specific employee situations publicly, when new allegations of conduct are brought forward that are contrary to these policies, we address them promptly." Snyder has hired a law firm to carry out an independent review of the team's culture, policies and allegations of workplace misconduct.

➤NCAA GIVES CORONAVIRUS GUIDELINES, BUT WARNS ABOUT HIGH RATES: The NCAA yesterday released its updated guidance for schools to be able to play college sports amid the coronavirus pandemic. They include having athletes be tested for the virus no more than 72 hours before they play and everyone on the sideline wearing a face mask. But they also warned about if it will be possible for college sports to be played as coronavirus rates are soaring in large parts of the country. President Mark Emmert said in a statement: "If there is to be college sports in the fall, we need to get a much better handle on the pandemic."

➤MLB TO USE CROWD NOISE AT GAMES FROM VIDEO GAME: When the coronavirus-shortened MLB season begins next week, there won't be any fans in the stands, but the players will still hear the noise and cheers of a stadium crowd, with MLB to play crowd noise through the ballparks' sound systems from its official video game, MLB The Show. Stadium sound engineers will be able to use some 75 different effects and reactions, according to MLB. The sounds will also be audible on radio and TV broadcasts.

➤DANICA PATRICK AND AARON RODGERS' RELATIONSHIP OVER: Former race car driver Danica Patrick and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers are no longer a couple, a rep for Patrick told E! News yesterday. The two had been dating since 2017, but there'd been speculation over the past week that they'd broken up. Patrick wasn't in Lake Tahoe, where Rodgers competed in golf's American Century Championship, and had also stopped following him on Instagram.

➤ALEX TREBEK SHARES UPDATE ON HEALTH: 
Newsday 7/17/20


➤NICK CANNON IS TAKING TIME OFF FROM HIS RADIO SHOW: Nick Cannon has announced that he is taking time off from his nationally syndicated radio show following the fall out from his recent "anti-semitic" comments.

Cannon announced via Twitter yesterday, "I have decided to take some time away from my radio show so I can commit myself to deeper, more thorough reflection and education. I continue to express my gratitude to the Rabbis, community leaders and institutions who have reached out to me to help enlighten me.” He continued, “Their input and friendship will help me as I further commit myself to more profound learning and towards strengthening the bond between the Black and Jewish cultures every day going forward."

Skyview Networks, the syndicator for Nick's show, said in a statement to ET that “Nick Cannon has begun a period of self-reflection to address the pain he caused. While we recognize his apology, this time is needed to establish an action plan towards real change and advocacy,” the statement continued. “During this period, production of the Nick Cannon Radio show will pause. Skyview Networks values all communities and faiths and we expect all programs and personalities we syndicate to adhere to these principles.”

Newsday 7/17/20

Report: Why Entercom Partnered With Game Streaming Platform Twitch


Entercom Communications Corp. experimented last year with video streaming on its website and social media, and the feedback was extremely positive, reports The Philly Business Journal. Chief Digital Officer J.D. Crowley said the radio station operator and audio streamer quickly decided that was an area of potential growth.

That led to Thursday’s distribution partnership agreement with video streaming service Twitch, which will broadcast live and on-demand content from Entercom’s sports stations in 29 different cities.

In addition to video streaming, Twitch offers chat boxes, dynamic polls and video commentary. Entercom’s sports stations already conduct polls on their Twitter pages but Crowley envisions hosts being able to pull commentary from both platforms.

Amazon-owned Twitch will initially distribute video simulcasts from six Entercom sports stations: Boston’s WEEI, New York’s WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM, Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan, Chicago’s 670 The Score, Atlanta’s 92.9 The Game and Detroit’s 97.1 The Ticket. Philadelphia’s Sportsradio 94 WIP-FM will not be part of the original content package, but Crowley said there are plans to add the Twitch feature in the 23 other markets that have sports stations. Due to Covid-19 and other factors, he said there is not an exact timetable for a complete rollout.

Financial terms of the partnership were not announced, though Crowley did say both sides would split advertising revenue generated from the video streams. Crowley said Twitch will help expand Entercom’s advertising base through its own pool of advertisers and perhaps expand relationships with existing customers by offering another avenue for placement.

Like Entercom’s own audio streaming platform, Radio.com, the content on Twitch will not include play-by-play of the 58 college and professional teams with which it has broadcast rights agreements. Crowley did say the company could experiment with alternative programming during games that could include content built around sports betting, which has become a big advertising component for WIP and will only grow across the country as more states legalize online and in-person wagering on sporting events.

Entercom has the largest number of pro sports team broadcast partnerships among U.S. radio operators, so it has lost a good deal of revenue from the suspension of the NBA and NHL seasons and the delayed start of the MLB season. During its first-quarter earnings call with investors in May, Entercom CEO David Field said some of that can be offset by the reduction of play-by-play broadcast rights fee obligations, which are prorated based on a number of games canceled under virtually all of its agreements.

Twitch says it has about 17.5 million daily active users, the majority of them skewing younger. Crowley said the partnership will allow Entercom to offer more to existing listeners and add new ones.

Detroit Radio: Rico Beard Joins Mike Valenti On WXYT-FM

Entercom has  announced on-air veteran Rico Beard will join WXYT 97.1 The Ticket, Detroit’s only local sports talk station. Beard will be heard alongside Mike Valenti on “The Mike Valenti Show with Rico,” weekdays from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 ET, beginning August 3.

Rico Beard
“Rico’s immeasurable experience covering all avenues of the Detroit sports scene has granted him a front row ticket to some of the biggest stages in sports,” said Debbie Kenyon, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Detroit. “Rico has been on our wish list of talent to join our team for quite some time and we look forward to him joining Mike Valenti in offering a dynamic afternoon show for our listeners. We thank Mike Sullivan for his contributions to the team and wish him all the best in his new endeavor.”

“I am extremely blessed and honored in becoming a host on ‘The Mike Valenti Show’ on 97.1 The Ticket,” said Beard. “I was flattered when Mike Valenti himself asked me to join his show. My job will be to bring in a new voice and opinions to a show that is already one of the best shows not only in Detroit but in the sports talk radio industry throughout the U.S.”

“I’ve wanted to work with Rico for several years now and it is simply fantastic the occasion has arrived,” said Valenti. “Adding Rico to our show represents a massive opportunity to not only stay at No. 1 but to evolve and become even stronger. I’m really proud of the show we created. Sullivan means a lot to this show, to the station and to me personally. I’m excited about his new opportunity and wish him all the success in the world.”

Beard is a Detroit native with over two decades of experience covering local professional and collegiate sports. Prior to joining Entercom, he served as a host of The Spartan Beat podcast as well as a co-host of “The Ryan and Rico Show” for Detroit Sports 105.1. He has also held on-air roles for local television stations, including FOX affiliates WJBK-TV in Detroit and WSYM-TV in Lansing. Throughout his career, he has covered nine Final Fours, three Stanley Cups, two NBA Finals, five college football bowl games and two World Series. Rico is a Michigan State University alumnus, Heisman Trophy voter and has also served as a college professor and instructor.

Mike Sullivan has been a producer and on-air contributor for “The Mike Valenti” show since 2014. His last day at the station will be July 31. 

Listeners can tune in 97.1 The Ticket (WXYT-FM) in Detroit, as well as nationwide on the RADIO.COM app and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

CT Radio: Lay-Offs Reach Hall Communications

Hall Communications, which owns a half-dozen radio stations in eastern Connecticut, laid off four of its employees this week due to the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on advertising revenue, the stations’ general manager said Thursday.

The Day reports WICH 1310 AM news reporters Kevin Gorden and Bernie Loubier and on-air personality Glenn O’Brien were let go, as was WCTY 97.9 FM host Josh Matty, said the general manager, Andy Russell.

Gorden and Matty were full-timers, O’Brien and Loubier part-timers.

“It’s unfortunate. These are all good people,” Russell said. “It’s 100% COVID-related. Obviously, when businesses aren’t operating, there’s no reason for them to advertise. We just couldn’t sustain it any longer.”

Gorden, 60, who had been with the station for nearly 36 years, said he got the news Wednesday after finishing his 5 p.m. newscast.

“Basically, it was the downturn in the economy. That was the only reason,” he said of his being laid off.

He said he hoped to find another job in communications, “tapping into whatever connections I’ve got. It’s a tough business. It’s tough in journalism right now.”

Hall Communications owns WICH and WCTY in Norwich, WNLC and WKNL in New London and WILI and WILI-FM in Willimantic. The company also owns radio stations in Providence; Burlington, Vt.; Lancaster, Pa., and Lakeland, Fla.

Netflix Adds 10M New Subs, Promotes Content Chief To Co-CEO


Netflix Inc., the company at the forefront of remaking entertainment, promoted the architect of its programming strategy to the role of co-chief executive as it reported that the shelter-in-place world garnered it another 10.1 million subscribers in the second quarter.

The Wall Street Journal reports the elevation of Ted Sarandos, 55 years old, to the role of co-CEO puts him in position to eventually succeed Netflix Chairman and Chief Executive Reed Hastings, 59.

“This change makes formal what was already informal—that Ted and I share the leadership of Netflix,” Mr. Hastings said in a letter to shareholders.

Ted Sarandos
Netflix has gained more than 26 million subscribers in the last two quarters, helped by a thirst for entertainment when sports and most content production have been shut down. The 10.1 million net new subscribers it reported Thursday surpassed the 7.5 million Netflix had projected for the second quarter earlier this year. But the increase was less than the company’s gain for the first quarter, when it added about 16 million customers as economies and people began locking down amid the spread of the coronavirus.

The appointment of Sarandos is indicative of the integral role he has played in Netflix’s meteoric growth over the last decade. As chief content officer, he has been the architect of the streaming service’s hugely successful original-programming strategy. Not only has Netflix become the most prolific producer of content, it is also a regular contender for Academy and Emmy awards.

The company has benefited from heightened demand for television shows, movies and other forms of content that can be streamed at home as the pandemic forces changes in consumer behavior. People in many markets have stayed at home as movie theaters have shut down, sports leagues have delayed competition and entertainment venues have canceled concerts.