August 15 Radio History

➦In 1877…Thomas Edison wrote to the president of the Telegraph Company in Pittsburgh suggesting that the word "hello" would be a more appropriate greeting than "ahoy" when answering the telephone.

➦In 1935...radio humorist/philosopher Will Rogers and his pilot, Wiley Post, died in a plane crash near Point Barrow, Alaska. Rogers was aged 55.

➦In 1945...Emperor Hirohito of Japan announces the news of his country's unconditional surrender in World War II over a radio broadcast to the Japanese people.

After meeting with the Soviet Union in Potsdam, near Berlin, to determine post-war terms for defeated Germany, the governments of the United States and Great Britain (together with China) issued an ultimatum to the Japanese government in late July 1945. It offered a simple choice: surrender unconditionally to the Allies in World War II, or risk total annihilation. In their carefully worded reply, the Japanese failed to capitulate completely, and on 6 August, the U.S. B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the world's first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, another such bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The threat of further nuclear attacks drove Japanese officials on 10 August to accept the terms put forth by the Potsdam Declaration and submit their unconditional surrender.

On the afternoon of 14 August, a Japanese radio broadcaster told the public that Emperor Hirohito would soon make an Imperial Proclamation announcing the defeat. The following day at noon, Hirohito went on the radio himself, blaming Japan’s surrender on the enemies' use of "a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which is incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives." The emperor was not only a political leader in Japan, he was also revered as a near-god, and many Japanese did not fully accept the news of defeat until they heard him speak those unthinkable words.

As sadness and shame engulfed Japan, joy spread around the Western world. In the United States, news of Hirohito's announcement reached airwaves on 14 August (due to the time difference), and that day was declared Victory in Japan – or V-J – Day.



That afternoon, President Harry S. Truman addressed a crowd that had gathered outside the White House, saying "This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbour. This is the day when Fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would."

That day, photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt snapped one of the most famous photos ever published, a shot of a sailor in full uniform kissing a nurse in the middle of New York City's Times Square. The photo, published by Life magazine, became a symbol of the general atmosphere of jubilation in the United States following the end of World War II.

In Indianapolis, WIBC 1070 AM listeners - at least those who were up between 1:30 and 2:00am Eastern War Time on August 14, 1945 - likely heard; a Mutual network live broadcast of Cab Calloway's band from New York City, interrupted just before 2:00am with the first correct report that Japan had surrendered.

➦In 1948…CBS launched network television's first nightly newscast, a 15-minute show called "CBS Television News," anchored by Douglas Edwards. It was broadcast at 7:30 p.m. and in only five eastern cities at first. In 1950 the program's name changed to "Douglas Edwards With The News."

➦In 1965...The Beatles concert at Shea Stadium.  It was the first time a rock band headlined a stadium concert and, with 55,600 people, it set a new record for largest attendance at a pop concert. Tickets for the show had sold out in three weeks, merely by word of mouth created by young fans who asked the concert promoter about the next Beatles show while he strolled in Central Park. Supporting acts for the concert were Brenda Holloway, the Young Rascals, the King Curtis Band, and Sounds Incorporated. The show grossed $304,000. The Beatles' share was $160,000.

In 

➦In 1969…The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, promising "three days of peace, love, and music," began on Max Yasgur's 60-acre farm in Bethel, New York.

Of the more than 450,000 music fans drawn to the town, three died, two gave birth, four had miscarriages, and two got married during the festival. Performers included Joe Cocker, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, the Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, the Band, Canned Heat, Joan Baez, Santana, Melanie, Ten Years After, Sly & the Family Stone, Johnny Winter, Jefferson Airplane, Ravi Shankar, Country Joe and the Fish, Blood Sweat & Tears, Arlo Guthrie, and Jimi Hendrix. Joni Mitchell was scheduled to appear but had to cancel due to being booked for a TV show.

Hendrix earned the most money from the festival, pulling in about $18,000. (For reference, that’s roughly $112,000 in 2015). Blood, Sweat and Tears ($15,000), Joan Baez ($10,000), Creedence Clearwater Revival ($10,000), and The Band ($7,500) rounded out the Top 5 earners. Other A-listers such as The Who and Joe Cocker took home $6,250 and $1,375, respectively. There was a lot of cash to go around, to be sure, but the event wasn’t as steep as some of today’s big-budget productions. Here’s one way to look at it: The in-demand deadmau5 is currently 2x more expensive to book than Hendrix was at his prime. Check out the full listing below.

1. Jimi Hendrix – $18,000
2. Blood, Sweat and Tears – $15,000
3. Joan Baez – $10,000
4. Creedence Clearwater Revival – $10,000
5. The Band – $7,500
6. Janis Joplin – $7,500
7. Jefferson Airplane – $7,500
8. Sly and the Family Stone – $7,000
9. Canned Heat – $6,500
10. The Who – $6,250
11. Richie Havens – $6,000
12. Arlo Guthrie – $5,000
13. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – $5,000
14. Ravi Shankar – $4,500
15. Johnny Winter – $3,750
16. Ten Years After – $3,250
17. Country Joe and the Fish – $2,500
18. Grateful Dead – $2,500
19. The Incredible String Band – $2,250
20. Mountain – $2,000
21. Tim Hardin – $2,000
22. Joe Cocker – $1,375
23. Sweetwater – $1,250
24. John B. Sebastian – $1,000
25. Melanie – $750
26. Santana – $750
27. Sha Na Na – $700
28. Keef Hartley – $500
29. Quill – $375

➦In 1986...WAPP 103.5 FM dropped Top40 for dance music as WQHT.

On August 15, 1986 at 6 pm, The Rolling Stones' "It's All Over Now" and a bomb noise rang out WAPP and the classic rock titles. The station debuted as "Hot 103.5" with new call letters WQHT and a new CHR/Dance format.

The first song was believed to be "R.S.V.P." by Five Star. Nobody in the radio industry expected it, but the new rhythmic/CHR format was taking shape. WQHT was the second such station with the format, months after Emmis launched it on KPWR "Power 106" in Los Angeles earlier that year.

WQHT moved to 97.1 FM on September 22, 1988 at 5:30pm with WYNY moving to 103.5 FM.

➦In 1988...WPIX 101.9 FM changed call letters to  WQCD, "CD 101.9", intially was a AC/Jazz hybrid, later just Contemporary Jazz.  In 1989, they added some New Age and Soft AC cuts.

➦In 1995…NBC anchorman (Camel News Caravan, 1949-1956)/radio-TV game show panelist (Who Said That?)/Timex watch pitchman ('It takes a licking a keeps on ticking!') John Cameron Swayze died at age 89.

➦In 2002...Opie & Anthony broadcast the “Sex For Sam” St. Pat’s incident on WNEW 102.7 FM.

One of Opie and Anthony's stunts was "Sex for Sam", an annual contest where the goal was to have sex in notable public places in New York City. Couples from various states would be selected to be trailed by a comedian or member of the show, who would call the program to report the location. The contest was sponsored by Boston Beer Company, maker of Samuel Adams beer, and prizes included trips to Boston concerts sponsored by the beer company. The contest was approved by the station and had no major problems for the first two years.

However, in "Sex for Sam 3", comedian Paul Mecurio encouraged Brian Florence and Loretta Harper, a Virginia couple visiting Manhattan, to have simulated sex in a vestibule at St. Patrick's Cathedral on August 15, 2002, which was also a Catholic Holy Day of Obligation, and a Mass was going on at the time. When a security guard ordered Mecurio and the couple to leave the church immediately, Mecurio began to argue with the guard, who then contacted police. The couple was arrested and charged with public lewdness. Intense media scrutiny led to the Catholic League demanding that Opie and Anthony be fired. The Catholic League also threatened to get WNEW's license revoked.

Brian Florence, Loretta Harper

Opie and Anthony broadcast the next day, but were ordered not to directly address the incident for legal reasons. The show went into reruns the following week. On August 22, Infinity suspended Opie and Anthony for the duration of their contract, and canceled the show. However, the company continued to pay the duo to stay off the air for the balance of their contract. The Catholic League immediately dropped its bid to have WNEW's license revoked.

The repercussions of the incident were widespread:

• Infinity was fined a total of $357,500 by the FCC, the maximum amount allowed by law, and the second-largest indecency fine in American radio history. Infinity appealed the fine but again lost the case.
• WNEW's ratings had been dreadful overall aside from Opie and Anthony. With the forced cancellation of its only strong performer, its ratings dropped even lower than those of noncommercial stations and never recovered. The station began playing music again in January 2003, starting with a Top 40 format, then going to an adult contemporary format, and later switching to a classic dance music format before returning to the AC format, at which point the station's call letters were changed to WWFS. The station has since been moderately successful. In a bit of irony, Opie and Anthony would make fun of an incident at WNEW in late 2004, in which the program director got drunk, went on air, and confused the call letters with those of WNEW's arch-rival WKTU.
• Harper pleaded guilty a month later to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to seven days of community service.  Her partner, Brian Florence, died of a heart attack on September 25, 2003.

➦In 2003…NBC News reporter (from 1952 until his retirement in 1986)/aerospace specialist Roy Neal died following heart surgery at age 82.

➦In 2014...Al Meredith, longtime newsman at Oldies WCBS 101.1 FM, died.

Al Meredith

In an age when radio news was disappearing faster than rotary-dial telephones, Al Meredith remained a radio newsman for 38 years, according to David Hinckley at The NY Daily News on the occasion of Meredith's retirement in 2008.

Meredith retired in 2008 retiring amid a shower of accolades from everyone he ever worked with.

Meredith  was heard on WCBS-FM for 28 years. "It was the only place I wanted to work," he once stated.

 Meredith didn't start out as a newsman. His first radio gig, in 1964, was playing music on WGBB. But after four years in the Air Force, "getting C-130s in and out of Vietnam from Okinawa," he came back and found no deejay jobs open.

There was a full-time news job, though, at WGLI. He took it, liked it and over the years got deeper and deeper into it. He won numerous awards for public service specials, which he particularly enjoyed because "they always teach me something, too."

Drummer Pete York is 79

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Actor Pat Priest (“The Munsters”) is 85. 
• Drummer Pete York of The Spencer Davis Group is 79. 
• Author-journalist Linda Ellerbee is 77. 
• Songwriter Jimmy Webb is 75. 
• Singer-guitarist Tom Johnston of The Doobie Brothers is 73. 
• Actor Phyllis Smith (“The Office”) is 72. 
• Actor Tess Harper is 71. 
• Actor Larry Mathews (“The Dick Van Dyke Show”) is 66. 
• Actor Zeljko Ivanek (“Madam Secretary,” ″Heroes”) is 64. 
• Actor Rondell Sheridan (“That’s So Raven,” ″Cory in the House”) is 63. 

  

  Debra Messing is 53

• Singer-keyboardist Matt Johnson (The The) is 60. 
• Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (“Birdman,” “Babel”) is 58. 
• Actor Peter Hermann (“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”) is 54. 
• Actor Debra Messing (“Will and Grace”) is 53. 
• Actor Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”) is 51. 
• Actor Ben Affleck 49. 
• Actor Natasha Henstridge (“The Whole Nine Yards,” ″Species”) is 47. 
• Bassist Tim Foreman of Switchfoot is 43. 
• Actor Emily Kinney (“Conviction,” “The Walking Dead”) is 37. 
• Actor Courtney Hope (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 32. 
• Singer Joe Jonas of The Jonas Brothers is 32. 
• Actor-singer Carlos PenaVega (“Big Time Rush”) is 32. 
• Actor Jennifer Lawrence is 31. 
• DJ Smoove da General of Cali Swag District is 31.

Audacy Confirms EPV/Programming Pat Paxton Has Exited

Audacy's CEO David Field has unveiled that Pat Paxton, EVP of Programming has exited the company.  In a memo to staffers Friday, Field also announced Jeff Sottolano had been promoted to fill the slot.

Paxton served as Audacy’s Chief Programming Officer. Field described him as “a key leader in the organization for the past 21 years, spearheading programming and playing a critical role in helping us build many of the industry’s greatest brands.”

Here is the contents of Fields Memo:

Team-

Field (Top), Paxton

I am writing to share the news that Pat Paxton, Audacy’s Chief Programming Officer, is stepping down from his role and leaving Audacy.  Pat has been a key leader in the organization for the past 21 years, spearheading programming and playing a critical role in helping us build many of the industry’s greatest brands. Pat’s steady, decisive leadership and thoughtful insights have made him a valuable and trusted voice on Audacy’s leadership team. Pat has left an outstanding legacy at Audacy which will stand the test of time. We deeply appreciate his many important contributions to our success and everything he has meant to this company. Please join me in thanking Pat for all of his excellent work at Audacy and wishing him all the best for the future. 

Today, I am pleased to announce that Jeff Sottolano has been promoted to EVP, Head of Programming. Like Pat, Jeff is a veteran team member, having spent his entire career at Audacy, Entercom, CBS Radio and Infinity. Since the merger, he has played an important leadership role overseeing a number of initiatives and many key elements of our programming.  Over the past year, Jeff led our news transformation efforts and the launch of the BetQL Network. In addition, he expanded our programming data and analytics capabilities, managed our network content partnerships and contributed to our Audacy Exclusive Station launch strategy. 

In his new role, Jeff will be responsible for the content strategy and performance of Audacy’s local brands in all formats across both broadcast and digital distribution platforms. He will oversee our outstanding programming leadership team, including SVP, Programming Dave Richards, VP, News Bill Smee, VP, Sports Matt Volk and Audacy’s team of experienced Format VPs.  He will also work closely with our Music Initiatives and Live Events team led by SVP, Music Initiatives Michael Martin and SVP, Promotions and Experiences Chad Fitzsimmons, as Audacy curates amazing experiences for its listeners in-person and online. Finally, he will collaborate with digital leadership to ideate new and exclusive features and content on the Audacy app and distribution platform as the company expands its capabilities and offerings.

Please join me in congratulating Jeff on his new role at Audacy.

David

Before joining what was then Entercom, Paxton served as national program director for Nationwide Communications and Adventure Communications. He also ran stations in Houston, Orlando, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Iowa and even spent time on TV as a weatherman.

The news about Sottolano’s ascension should be seen mostly as a positive. He recently played a role in the launch of the BetQL Audio Network, and prior to moving up at CBS to a corporate role, he once programmed WIP in Philadelphia.

TV Ratings: 'Field of Dreams' Game Was A Home Run

The “Field of Dreams Game” had a dream ending for Chicago White Sox fans, and its Nielsen ratings were a dream for Fox. 

The Wrap reports the walk-off win over the New York Yankees was the most-watched regular season baseball game on any network in 16 years (since the Yankees played the Boston Red Sox on Oct. 1, 2005).

And Thursday was a busy night on broadcast TV. In addition to the big baseball game on Fox, NBC brought back “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” — a former Fox series — for one final run. CBS aired “Big Brother.”

The “Field of Dreams Game,” based on the 1989 Kevin Costner movie, had a final scene fit for Hollywood. Trailing for most of the game, the New York Yankees took the lead in the top of the 9th inning after scoring four runs on the Chicago closer — a tall order against the first-place team in the A.L. Central.

But in the bottom half of the inning, Tim Anderson’s two-run homer into the cornfield ended the game, 9-8. Cue fireworks above the Iowa stalks.

Fox was first in ratings with the “Field of Dreams” game generating a 1.5 rating in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic. The network was also first in total viewers with an average of 5.871 million, which came courtesy of the baseball.

CBS was second in ratings with a 0.5 and in viewers with 2.5 million. At 8, “Big Brother” got a 0.9 and 3.9 million viewers. At 9, “Love Island” had a 0.4 and 1.9 million viewers. A repeat followed.

Univision was third in ratings with a 0.4 and fourth in viewers with 1.5 million.

Terre Haute Radio: DLC Media Sells WVIG, Revamps Remaining Stations

DLC Media, Inc. has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to sell Radio Station WVIG 95.9 FM licensed to Seelyville, Indiana to Educational Media Foundation. Educational Media Foundation is a not-for-profit Christian Ministry based in Rockland, California and is the parent company of K-Love and Air1 – The nations largest contemporary Christian music radio networks.

According to DLC Media, Inc. President and General Manager, Dave Crooks, he has decided to consolidate his 5 Terre Haute area radio stations to 4. 

However, Crooks says: “If you are a fan of 95.9 The Legend, Classic County, the popular format featuring Country Music Hall of Fame announcer Barry Kent will be moving to 105.5 FM”. Crooks added: “The Legend format will soon replace the current Jack FM format. The WZJK call letters will eventually be changed to WVIG to accommodate the move down the dial”. WZJK 105.5 licensed to West Terre Haute is currently the home of The Bob & Tom Show and Indiana University Sports. However, both radio programs will be moving to 92.7 The Rock WFNB in Brazil. (Active Rock) The “Playing what we want Adult Variety Hits” format currently on 105.5 will be leaving the group of DLC Media Terre Haute area radio stations.

Crooks added, “We also plan to broaden the current music format of WAMB 1130 AM  / 106.9 FM in Brazil and WAMB 99.5 FM in Terre Haute. We will soon change the music on WAMB from Timeless Classics (Adult Standards) to Lite & Easy “The Breeze” (Soft Adult Contemporary). WAMB will continue to feature CBS Radio News, Network Indiana as well as local News with Frank Rush and Northview High School Sports.

Dave Crooks

Super Hits 104.9 WAXI in Rockville-Clinton will continue to feature the greatest hits of the 60’s and 70’s, local news with Frank Rush as well as Chicago Cubs Baseball and Parke & Vermillion High School Sports.

In the recently released 2021 Spring Nielsen Ratings, the group of DLC Media, Inc. radio stations had its best Nielsen Radio Ratings report since expanding in the Terre Haute Market in 2017. The latest radio ratings show DLC Media with a combined 20.8 Average Quarter Hour share of the local radio market. 

Crooks said: “The current WVIG Classic Country scored an impressive increase going from a 4.4 last fall to 7.3 this spring. WAXI-FM 104.9 increased from a 3.8 last fall to a 4.5. WAMB 1130, 106.9 & 99.5 increased from a 1.3 to 1.7. share” Crooks added, “The addition of The Bob & Tom Show and IU Sports should help WFNB to continue its strong growth on 92.7 FM. When you consider my company doesn’t have the larger 50,000-watt heritage signals, we did very well, especially with those who are 35 years of age and over. That’s our target audience”.

Afghan Radio: Taliban Drops Music For 'Voice of Sharia'

The Taliban seized a province just south of Afghanistan's capital and launched a multi-pronged assault early Saturday on a major city in the north defended by powerful former warlords, Afghan officials said.

The insurgents have captured much of northern, western and southern Afghanistan in a breakneck offensive less than three weeks before the United States is set to withdraw its last troops, raising fears of a full militant takeover or another Afghan civil war.

The Taliban captured all of Logar province, detained its provincial officials and reached a district in the neighboring Kabul province on Saturday, said Hoda Ahmadi, a lawmaker from Logar. That puts the insurgents less than 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Kabul, the nation’s capital.

The Associated Press reports the Taliban meanwhile released a video announcing the takeover of the main radio station in the southern city of Kandahar, renaming it the Voice of Sharia, or Islamic law.

In the video, an unnamed insurgent said all employees were present and would broadcast news, political analysis and recitations of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. It appears the station will no longer play music.

It was not clear if the Taliban had purged the previous employees or allowed them to return to work. Most residents of Kandahar sport the traditional dress favored by the Taliban. The man in the video congratulated the people of Kandahar on the Taliban's victory.

Taliban have used mobile radio stations over the years, but have not operated a station inside a major city since they ruled the country from 1996-2001. At that time, they also ran a station called Voice of Sharia out of Kandahar, the birthplace of the militant group. Music was banned.   

Earlier this week, it was learned suspected Taliban fighters killed an Afghan radio station manager in Kabul and kidnapped a journalist in southern Helmand province.

‘White Powdery Substance’ At FOX News Results In Evac

The Fox Media News headquarters in New York received an envelope containing a white powdery substance Friday, forcing them to immediately evacuate the 21st Floor and bring in a HAZMAT crew.

The contents was ultimately found to be “non-hazardous.”

A statement from a Fox Media spokesperson sent to employees said the envelope was opened on the building’s 21st floor and when its contents were seen, it was “alarming to all involved.”  The memo was attributed to Suzanne Scott, CEO of Fox News Media:

Following the 2001 attacks, envelopes containing threatening letters and powdered anthrax spores began appearing in U.S. mail. Five Americans were killed and 17 were sickened in what the FBI called “the worst biological attacks in U.S. history.”

Judge Tosses Avenatti Defamation Case Vs FOX News

A lawsuit by celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti accusing Fox News Network LLC of defaming him in the coverage of his arrest for suspicion of domestic violence and seeking $250 million was dismissed Friday when a federal judge in Delaware found that the report was substantially true, reports Bloomberg.

Avenatti filed suit in state court in November 2020, accusing the news network of “purposeful and malicious efforts” to “destroy his reputation and livelihood” and remove him as a threat to then-president Donald Trump. The complaint was removed to federal court, which rebuffed Avenatti’s bid to return the case to the state court.

The defendants moved to dismiss the suit in March, arguing that the case represented a “textbook example” of speech that’s protected by the First Amendment.

Judge Stephanos Bibas, sitting by designation from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, agreed: “News outlets are not liable for minor mistakes, especially when reporting on public figures and matters of public concern.”

Most of the statements made by Fox in its coverage of Avenatti’s arrest were substantially true, and the famous attorney had failed to show that “Fox or its employees knew that the statements were false or recklessly disregarded that possibility,” he said.

Bibas left open the option for Avenatti to amend his complaint.

Fox News hailed the opinion as an important legal victory for the news giant.

Raleigh Radio: Michael Burger Named SVP/Sales For iHM

iHeartMedia announced Friday that Michael Burger has been named Senior Vice President of Sales for Raleigh, effective immediately.

As Senior Vice President of Sales, Burger will be responsible for overseeing all revenue and sales operations for the Raleigh market. He will report to Alan Kirshbom, Market President for iHeartMedia Raleigh.

Michael Burger

“Michael has a proven record of winning,” said Kirshbom. “Having held virtually all sales roles since joining the industry, his experience will help him lead our team of champions to even greater success.”

Burger joins the Raleigh market from iHeartMedia St. Louis, where he most recently served as the Vice President of Sales, working closely with market-leading brands such as 93.7 The Bull and Z107.7. He also served as the political point for iHeartMedia’s Midwest Zone, which encompasses 12 markets. Prior to that, he was a Senior Account Executive for KTVI FOX 2 in St. Louis. He began his career at KMIZ/KQFX, an ABC/FOX duopoly in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri, where he attended the University of Missouri.

“The opportunity to join this accomplished team in Raleigh, a team that is reshaping the way we help clients tell their stories and also leaning into the ever-evolving audio/digital/events/data space, is exhilarating,” said Burger. “My appreciation goes to iHeart Raleigh for welcoming me with open arms and my family and I are beyond excited to make Raleigh our new home.”

Report: 'Snopes' Plagiarized Articles

Snopes, which has long presented itself as the internet’s premier fact-checking resource, has retracted 60 articles after a BuzzFeed News investigation found that the site’s co-founder plagiarized from news outlets as part of a strategy intended to scoop up web traffic.

“As you can imagine, our staff are gutted and appalled by this,” Vinny Green, the Snopes chief operating officer, told The NY Times on Friday. He said the Snopes editorial team was conducting a review to understand just how many articles written by David Mikkelson, the site’s co-founder and chief executive, featured content plagiarized from other news sites.

David Mikkelson

As of Friday afternoon, the team had found 60, he said. By Friday morning, dozens of articles had been removed from the site, with pages that formerly featured those articles now showing the word “retracted” and an explanation that “some or all of its content was taken from other sources without proper attribution.” Ads have been removed from these articles, according to Mr. Green.

Mikkelson, who owns 50 percent of Snopes Media Group, will continue to be Snopes’s chief executive, but his ability to publish articles has been revoked, Mr. Green said.

In a statement, Mikkelson acknowledged he had engaged in “multiple serious copyright violations of content that Snopes didn’t have rights to use” and praised the work of the 20 or so “dedicated, professional journalists” employed by Snopes.

“There is no excuse for my serious lapses in judgment,” he wrote, adding, “I want to express how sorry I am to those whose copyright I violated, to our staff, and to our readers.”

The BuzzFeed investigation, which was published Friday, found that from 2015 to 2019 — under the Snopes byline, his own name and another pseudonym — Mikkelson published dozens of articles that included language that appeared to have been copied directly from The New York Times, CNN, NBC News, the BBC and other news sources. The investigation also identified cases in which entire paragraphs — and in at least one case, nearly an entire article — appeared to have been copied.

Cancel Culture Deep Sixes Boston's 'Beat The Press' Show

“Beat The Press,” the popular local news program hosted by Emily Rooney on GBH News, has been canceled after a 22-year run, reports The Boston Globe citing a network executive.

In a statement, Pam Johnston, general manager at GBH News, confirmed the cancellation, a stunning development on the Boston media landscape. “Beat The Press” had been on a summer hiatus, following a controversy that erupted in April over on-air comments made by Rooney that she later apologized for.

“This was a difficult decision,” Johnston said. “Beat the Press has been one of GBH’s longest running news shows and has provided viewers with informative and thought-provoking insight, commentary and perspective on the workings of the media. We are grateful to Emily Rooney for her award-winning work, her dedication to her craft, and her many contributions to GBH over 24 years.”

Emily Rooney

The end of the line for “Beat The Press” follows a controversy that gripped the show in April, following a statement made by Rooney with the cameras rolling.

On the April 2 episode of “Beat the Press,” Rooney appeared to minimize the complaints of a group called Beyond Inclusion, which in March released a letter critical of PBS’s ties to documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and its effect on nonwhite filmmakers.

Rooney characterized Beyond Inclusion’s grievances, which were sent to PBS President Paula Kerger and posted on the group’s website, as “resentment that a white guy is getting all this time.” She went on to say “there’s a possibility” that the PBS series “Asian Americans,” whose director, Grace Lee, signed the Beyond Inclusion letter, “wasn’t as good as some of Ken Burns’s films.”

Rooney’s comments ignited a firestorm, with a group calling itself Documentary Producers Alliance-Northeast sending GBH executives a letter, protesting what it called Rooney’s “demeaning and racist commentary” on the April 2 show.

Rooney later issued a mea culpa, telling viewers in a taped apology that “in an attempt to defend PBS and Ken Burns, I suggested that perhaps some of the other documentaries, like the ‘Asian Americans’ series, weren’t as good as Burns, and that could be the reason they did not get more air time.”

After hearing from viewers, Rooney said, she “now understands my comments were uninformed, dismissive, and disrespectful. While my intention was to offer further balance to the discussion, my comments did not accomplish that, and instead I crossed a line.

August 14 Radio History

➦In 1909...Edward Joseph "Ed" Herlihy born (Died at age 89 – January 30, 1999). He was an newsreel narrator for Universal-International. He was also a long-time radio and television announcer for NBC, hosting The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour in the 1940s and 1950, and was briefly interim announcer on The Tonight Show in 1962. He was also the voice of Kraft Foods radio and TV commercials from the 1940s through the early 1980s. When he died in 1999, his obituary in The New York Times said he was "A Voice of Cheer and Cheese".[

Educated at Boston College, graduating in 1932, he gained his first radio job in his home town, at Boston's WLOE. When he was hired by NBC in 1935, he decamped for New York, along with his friend, fellow Boston announcer Frank Gallop, who was hired by CBS. He was the announcer for many radio shows from the 1930s, to the 1950s, among them: America's Town Meeting, The Big Show, The Falcon, Mr. District Attorney, and Just Plain Bill. He became the host of The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour on radio in 1948, remaining its announcer when the show went to television. He continued his success in the new medium: his early television credits included Sid Caesar's hit Your Show of Shows and soap operas As the World Turns and All My Children. He was also the host of Recollections At 30, which was a special NBC Radio series created for the network's 30th birthday.

For Universal Newsreels in the 1940s, Herlihy narrated editions describing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Allies' early setbacks against the Axis powers, the turning of the tide of WWII, the death of President Roosevelt, the execution of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the detonation of the first atomic bombs. In the next decade, during the Cold War, he narrated the very first American newsreel on the launch of Sputnik.

➦In 1932...Philips makes 1 millionth radio

'Ma Perkins' Cast

➦In 1933..., Crossley Broadcasting’s WLW in Cincinnati premiered the daytime drama “Ma Perkins.”

Starting December 4, 1933, Ma Perkins was heard on NBC from 1933 to 1949 and on CBS from 1942 to 1960. Between 1942 and 1949, the show was heard simultaneously on both networks.

The series was produced by Frank and Anne Hummert with scripts by Robert Hardy Andrews, Orvin Tovrov and others. Ma Perkins began August 14, 1933, on WLW in Cincinnati. On December 4 of that year, it graduated to the NBC Red network. On NBC and CBS the series ran for a total of 7,065 episodes.

"America’s mother of the air" was portrayed by actress Virginia Payne, who began the role at the age of 23 and never missed a performance during the program's 27-year run. Kindly, trusting widow Ma Perkins had a big heart and a great love of humanity. She always offered her homespun philosophy to troubled souls in need of advice.

➦In 1942...“The Show Without a Name” hosted by Garry Moore started airing on NBC.  It was an effort to crack the morning show dominance of Arthur Godfrey (CBS) and “Don McNeil’s Breakfast Club” (ABC). A prize of $500 was offered to name the show and someone came up with the title, “Everything Goes”.

NY Times article 8/15/1945

➦In 1945...radio brought the news of Japan’s surrender ending World War II.

➦In 1957...1010 WINS-AM New York went Top40. 1010 WINS used a strict playlist, except for Alan Freed and Jack Lacy.

➦In 1957...ABC Radio announced an experiment with a “live” music show hosted by Herb Oscar Anderson. This was 3 years before WABC flipped to Top40.

John, George, Paul, Peter Best

➦In 1962…Pete Best was let go from the Beatles. Producer George Martin was unhappy with his drumming and it was said that some group members felt overshadowed by Best's teen idol good looks.

John Lennon later admitted to the group's "cowardly" handling of the event. Ringo Starr, drummer for the Liverpool group Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, was asked to join the group as Best's replacement. Ringo made his first appearance with the Beatles on August 18.

Tom Harmon

➦In 1962...It was announced that starting in September, sportscaster Tom Harmon will be heard on ABC radio where he will have a 10-minute weekday sports broadcast and he’ll also be heard on weekends in eight five-minute broadcasts. He joins ABC after 13 years with CBS’ Pacific radio network.

Once a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Tom Harmon was one of the first athletes to go into broadcasting. He was an All-American football player in 1940 at the University of Michigan.

One of Tom’s daughters would marry Ricky Nelson and, later, son Mark would become a well-known actor. He currently stars in NCIS on CBS-TV.

➦In 1973...In the past six years, FM radio listening had increased by 152%, according to Arbriton and a statistic that should give AM music stations some pause. The study covered 8 of the top-10 markets.

➦In 1973...WYSP 94.1 FM became the third FM rock station in Philadelphia.  It went up against (Now Country WXTU) WIFI 92.5 FM and WMMR 93.3 FM. WYSP (Your Station in Philadelphia) jocks included Tom Straw, Dean Clark, and Doug Cristian with Frank X. Feller as program director. The music included popular cuts from albums by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Chicago, and Crosby Stills and Nash.

➦In 1983...WFIL 560 AM Philadelphia switched to all oldies.

It was on September 18, 1966, that WFIL began playing a Top40 format. It quickly became the most successful non-RKO "Boss Radio" formatted station, known locally as "The Pop Music Explosion". The original line up of air personalities, or "Boss Jocks" were scheduled as follows:

6-10am: Chuck Browning
10am-2pm: Jay Cook ("Captain Jay Cook")
2-6pm: Jim Nettleton ("Diamond Jim" Nettleton)
6-10pm: George Michael ("King George" Michael)
10pm-2am: Long John Wade
2-6am: Dave Parks ("Dave the Rave" Parks)
Weekends: Frank Kingston Smith

WFIL announcers heard in later years of the Top 40 era included Dr. Don Rose, Jim O'Brien (who later also became a WPVI-TV weather broadcaster and station personality), Dan Donovan, J. J. Jeffrey, Dick Heatherton, Tom Dooley, "Tiny" Tom Tyler, Mitch "K.C." Hill, "Big" Ron O'Brien, Kris Chandler, Geoff Richards, Joel Denver, Brother Lee Love (Alan Smith), and Banana Joe Montione.

➦In 1988...Shadoe Stevens became host of “American Top 40”

Casey Kasem left the show over contract concerns with ABC. Billboard magazine reported that the main disputes between Kasem and Watermark/ABC were over his salary, because of declining ratings and a smaller number of affiliates. Casey's final AT40 show aired on August 6, 1988. At no point during that final show did Kasem ever let on that any changes were afoot, and simply omitted the phrase "join me next week" while closing the show.

Kasem was replaced by Shadoe Stevens, whose first American Top 40 show aired on August 13, 1988, on 1,014 stations.  Kasem joined the Westwood One less than a year later to start a rival show, Casey's Top 40. Many AT40 listeners were upset by Kasem's departure and, as a result, many stations dropped American Top 40 in favor of Casey's Top 40 once it hit the airwaves on January 21, 1989.

➦In 1993...It was announced teens are listening to country music more and more. Country has climbed from a 2.3% share of teens in the summer of 1989 to an 8.7% share this year.

Charly Butcher

➦In 2007...Ryan Seacrest was tapped to host the 59th annual Emmy Awards.

➦In 2012…Actress Rosemary Rice died after a heart attack at 87. She provided the voice of Betty Cooper on the Archie Andrews radio series, played the oldest daughter and narrated the early 1950s TV series, "Mama," appeared on Broadway, recorded 15 children's albums, and earned three Clio Awards for her work in television commercials – on camera and as a voiceover artist. For Clairol, she became the familiar voice of the ad slogan, "If I've only one life to live, let me live it as a blonde."

➦In 2018...Fort Wayne radio icon Charly Butcher, died from a heart attack at age 61.  Butcher spent more than 30 years on the air in Fort Wayne, both on WMEE, and at the time of his death, as host of WOWO’s morning show. Over the years, he became a crucial part of many people’s morning routines as he helped get their day started.

Steve Martin is 76

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Singer Dash Crofts of Seals and Crofts is 83. 
• Singer David Crosby is 80. 
• Country singer Connie Smith is 80. 
• Actor-musician Steve Martin is 76. 
• Actor Antonio Fargas (“Starsky and Hutch”) is 75. 
• Bassist Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone is 75. 
• Actor Susan St. James is 75. 

• 

  Mila Kunis is 38

  Romance novelist Danielle Steel is 74. 
• Keyboardist Terry Adams of NRBQ is 73. 
• Cartoonist Gary Larson (“The Far Side”) is 71. 
• Actor Carl Lumbly (“Alias”) is 70. 
• Actor Jackee Harry (“Sister, Sister,” ″227″) is 65. 
• Actor Marcia Gay Harden is 62. 
• Singer Sarah Brightman is 61. 
• Actor Susan Olsen (“The Brady Bunch”) is 60. 
• Actor Halle Berry is 55. 
• Actor Ben Bass (“Rookie Blue”) is 53. 
• Actor Catherine Bell (“JAG”) is 53. 
• Keyboardist Cody McCarver of Confederate Railroad is 53. 
• Guitarist Kevin Cadogan (Third Eye Blind) is 52. 
• Actor Lalanya Masters (“Barbershop”) is 49. 
• Actor Christopher Gorham (“Ugly Betty”) is 47. 
• Actor Mila Kunis is 38. 
• Actor Lamorne Morris (“New Girl”) is 38. 
• TV personality Spencer Pratt (“The Hills”) is 38. 
• Actor Marsai Martin (“black-ish”) is 17.

Detroit Radio: Audacy's WWJ Tweaks Anchor Line-Up

Top: Jason Scott, Roberta Jasina, Tony Ortiz, Brooke Allen

Newsradio WWJ 950 AM, Detroit’s top news station, as announced a new anchor lineup:

• Jason Scott has been promoted to morning drive and will co-anchor with Roberta Jasina from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. 
• Tony Ortiz has also been elevated as new afternoon drive co-anchor, teaming with Jackie Paige from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 
• Brooke Allen will continue in middays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

“I couldn’t be more excited to elevate Tony and Jason into their new roles,” said Debbie Kenyon, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Detroit. “Both know the Detroit area well and that will allow them to bring our listeners valuable insight into the stories we cover each day.”

“I'm excited about this opportunity to make the move from sports to news,” said Ortiz. “I am looking forward to co-anchoring with Jackie, who is just an amazing person to work with. It's also an honor to be able to deliver the news on WWJ, a station that I grew up listening to and have been pleased to work at for the last 21 years.”

“I'm both excited and honored by the opportunity,” said Scott. “I remain thrilled to be working with Roberta Jasina and such professional people at such a revered station.”

Charleston SC Radio: Charlamagne Proves You Can Go Home Again

CUMULUS MEDIA announces that WWWZ Z93 JAMZ in Charleston, SC, will broadcast live from Berkeley High School, 406 W. Main St., Moncks Corner, SC, on Saturday, August 14, 2021, from 2:00pm-5:00pm as the City of Charleston officially proclaims the day as “Charlamagne Tha God Day.”

Charlamagne Tha God, Z93 JAMZ morning personality and nationally syndicated host of The Breakfast Club, is a native of Moncks Corner, and began his successful radio career at Z93 JAMZ as an intern. The official proclamation event and live Z93 JAMZ broadcast will coincide with Charlamagne Tha God’s 5th Annual Backpack/School Supply Giveaway & Fish Fry.

Kathy Brown, Program Director, Z93 JAMZ/WWWZ-FM, said: “We are so excited to celebrate all the great accomplishments of Charlamagne Tha God, and what he gives to the Moncks Corner community with free back packs. Many kids will be able to start the school year off right, courtesy of Dr. Charlamagne.”

Consistently ranked #1, The Breakfast Club – The World’s Most Dangerous Morning Show – is widely regarded as the most informative and entertaining top-rated contemporary Hip-Hop/R&B morning show today. 

Each morning, fans of The Breakfast Club tune in to hear DJ Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God’s unrivaled interviews and conversations with celebrities like Kevin Hart, 2 Chainz, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez to icons such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Nicki Minaj, plus entertainment news and fresh music mixes, along with their signature blend of honesty and humor. Launched in December 2010, The Breakfast Club has been named the No. 1 radio program in the nation by “The Source” magazine on multiple occasions and was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in October 2020. 

The show is nationally syndicated by Premiere Networks.

The Breakfast Club airs on Z93 JAMZ Monday through Friday from 6:00am-10:00am. For more information, visit: https://www.z93jamz.com/.