November 7 Radio History

'Buck Rogers'

➦In 1932..."Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" was first broadcast on the CBS Radio Network.

➤In 1935...Broadcasting Magazine Flashback...

➦In 1937…"The Vaseline Program," aka "Dr. Christian's Office" and later simply "Dr. Christian," sbegan a run on CBS Radio. Jean Hersholt played the part of the kindly, elderly Dr. Christian who practiced on the air until 1954. Laureen Tuttle, Kathleen Fitz, Helen Kleeb and Rosemary De Camp played his nurse, Judy.  Sponsors of the show included Vaseline (petroleum jelly, hair tonic and lip ice).

➦In 1938...Radio station "W9XZY" broadcasted a facsimile of the St Louis Post-Dispatch by radio.

➦In 1938...the first broadcast of “This Day is Ours” was heard on CBS radio. Eleanor McDonald, played by Joan Banks and later by Templeton Fox, had all kinds of problems. Her child was kidnapped, she lost her memory, helped a friend find a killer, etc. The soap opera ran for two years.

➦In 1940..WBZ-FM Boston first signed-on-air.

The first WBZ-FM had its origins in a construction permit held by Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company to operate at 42.6 MHz; this facility signed on as W1XK from the Hull transmitter site of sister station WBZ-AM .  Westinghouse soon sought a commercial FM license, and on February 19, 1941 was granted a construction permit for W67B on 46.7.  W1XK left the air for good on December 28, 1941, and W67B signed on March 29, 1942. The call letters became WBZ-FM on November 2, 1943. Initially, W67B/WBZ-FM was largely separately-programmed, though in later years it became a simulcast of its AM sister station.

After the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) moved the FM band to 88–106 MHz (later expanded to 108), WBZ-FM began to operate on 100.7 MHz on January 1, 1946 (while still operating on 46.7 as well).  The frequency again changed to 92.9 MHz on August 10, 1947 (the 100.7 frequency was reoccupied by WCOP-FM, now WZLX, in 1948).

WBZ-FM's transmitter moved to the WBZ-TV (channel 4) tower at the stations' new studios in the Allston-Brighton portion of Boston in 1948, with 92.9 operations from Hull ceasing on July 23, 1948 and the 46.7 operation shutting down on November 21, 1948.  The tower was destroyed by Hurricane Carol on August 31, 1954, after that point, WBZ-FM's operations were discontinued and the license surrendered to the FCC, which deleted it and a Springfield sister station, WBZA-FM (97.1), on November 22, 1954.  (The 92.9 frequency has been occupied by WBOS since 1960.)

After securing a new license for operation on 106.7 MHz, Westinghouse reactivated WBZ-FM on December 15, 1957.  On July 14, 2009, CBS Radio announced that it would re-introduce WBZ-FM as a sports radio station named "98.5 The Sports Hub" effective August 13, 2009.  Today, the station is owned by Beasley Media and aired a sports talk format.

➦In 1967...the non-profit Corporation for Public Broadcasting came into being when President Lyndon Johnson signed the authorizing legislation. It is the agency through which US government funding reaches public TV stations.

➦In 1994...WREK Atlanta, operated by the students of Georgia Tech, became the first radio station anywhere to simulcast their on-air signal on the Internet.

➦In 2005...Howard Stern was suspended for 1 day from his radio show after an altercation with Tom Chiusano, General Manager of WXRK, New York, Stern's flagship station, owned by Infinity.

The argument, which took place following Stern's show, apparently centered around Stern talking too much about his forthcoming show on Sirius satellite.

Singer Lorde is 25

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Actor Barry Newman is 83. 
• Actor Dakin Matthews (“Gilmore Girls,” “King of Queens”) is 81. 
• Singer Johnny Rivers is 79. 
• Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is 78. 
• Actor Christopher Knight (“The Brady Bunch”) is 64. 
• Guitarist Tommy Thayer of Kiss is 61. 
• Actor Julie Pinson (“As The World Turns,” “Days of Our Lives”) is 54. 
• Guitarist Greg Tribbett of Mudvayne is 53. 
• Actor Michelle Clunie (“Queer As Folk,” “The Jeff Foxworthy Show”) is 52. 
• Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me”) is 51. 
• Actor Jeremy London (“Party of Five”) is 49. 
• Actor Jason London (“The Rage: Carrie Two”) is 49. 
• Actor Yunjin Kim (“Mistresses,” “Lost”) is 48. 
• Actor Adam DeVine (“Modern Family”) is 38. 
• Guitarist Zach Myers of Shinedown is 38. 
• Actor Lucas Neff (“Raising Hope”) is 36. 
• Rapper Tinie Tempah is 33. Singer Lorde is 25.

Poll: Americans Prefer Year-Long DST

Polled days before the annual ritual of ending Daylight Saving Time by changing their clocks, Americans say they would much rather have one time that lasts all year long, one that doesn’t require changing all clocks twice a year. The latest Economist/YouGov Poll finds that nearly four times as many Americans would end the practice of setting clocks ahead in the spring and back again in the fall.

This preference is a rare one that transcends politics: Democrats and Republicans agree. Older and younger adults agree, too, but the margin in favor of ending clock changing is much smaller among Americans under the age of 30 — who have experienced the yearly ritual fewer times than their elders — than it is among Americans 65 and older, 77% of whom want to avoid changing time.

While Americans would prefer one time for the whole year and not worry about keeping their clocks in order, if there is going to be only one time for the U.S, which one should it be?

Nearly twice as many Americans who prefer not changing their clocks would prefer that Daylight Saving time – not Standard Time – be the one that is kept.

Again, which time one picks isn’t a matter of politics. Instead, it appears age matters more. Adults under the age of 30 are closely divided on whether they want sunlight later into evening (which happens with Daylight Saving Time) or in the morning. Older adults have a clear preference for Daylight Saving Time. So do people from every region. 

At least some of Americans’ stated preference to eliminate changing times may stem from the inconvenience and abruptness of the transition between times, which they could feel more strongly when asked about it near clock-changing times. Many Americans say they dread the forthcoming transition from Daylight Saving Time. Asked about its end this Saturday, 34% of Americans say that they are not looking forward to it, 21% say they are looking forward to it, and 38% say they don’t really care.

According to LiveScience, Benjamin Franklin takes the honor (or the blame, depending on your view of the time changes) for coming up with the idea to reset clocks in the summer months as a way to conserve energy, according to David Prerau, author of "Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time" (Thunder's Mouth Press, 2005). By moving clocks forward, people could take advantage of the extra evening daylight rather than wasting energy on lighting. At the time, Franklin was ambassador to Paris and so wrote a witty letter to the Journal of Paris in 1784, rejoicing over his "discovery" that the sun provides light as soon as it rises.

Even so, DST didn't officially begin until more than a century later. Germany established DST in May 1916 as a way to conserve fuel during World War I. The rest of Europe came onboard shortly thereafter. And in 1918, the United States adopted daylight saving time.

Though President Woodrow Wilson wanted to keep daylight saving time after WWI ended, the country was mostly rural at the time and farmers objected, partly because it would mean they lost an hour of morning light. (It's a myth that DST was instituted to help farmers.) And so daylight saving time was abolished until the next war brought it back into vogue. At the start of WWII, on Feb. 9, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt re-established daylight saving time year-round, calling it "War Time."

After the war, a free-for-all system in which U.S. states and towns were given the choice of whether or not to observe DST led to chaos. And in 1966, to tame such "Wild West" mayhem, Congress enacted the Uniform Time Act. That federal law meant that any state observing DST — and they didn't have to jump on the DST bandwagon — had to follow a uniform protocol throughout the state in which daylight saving time would begin on the first Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October.

Fewer than 40 percent of the world's countries observe daylight saving time, according to timeanddate.com. However, those that do are taking advantage of the natural daylight in the evenings.

iHeartMedia Flips 80 Stations To Holiday Hits

To celebrate its annual switch to festive music of the Christmas season across its stations nationwide, iHeartMedia Friday announced the second annual iHeartRadio Holiday Special, a virtual concert hosted by Mario Lopez. This special event will feature Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bublé, Train and Pentatonix performing some of the most popular holiday classics, and will broadcast across iHeartMedia’s AC, Hot AC and Classic Hits stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app, and video stream on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages on November 24 at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Watch the exclusive VR performance in the Horizon Venues app on Meta Quest. 

DeeJay Santa

Every holiday season, iHeartMedia converts music radio stations in its key markets to all Christmas music through Christmas Day. Each year, these stations continue to have the largest audiences of all radio stations in each market – often doubling the audience size from non-holiday programming – making iHeartMedia the No. 1 holiday music listening destination. 

This season, iHeartMedia’s annual station flip to Christmas music kicked off Friday at 5 p.m. local time, with more than 80 stations across the country broadcasting and streaming the season’s festive music from today’s biggest artists as well as holiday classics from Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and more around-the-clock. 

“Our listeners always anxiously await the day our stations flip to Christmas music,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bublé, Train and Pentatonix have some of the best songs of the holiday season, and we’re excited to have them perform on our show.” 

Additionally, listeners can hear even more holiday cheer anywhere they are across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices with the iHeartRadio app with iHeartRadio Original stations like “iHeartChristmas,” playing all the holiday favorites; “North Pole Radio,” hosted by Santa Claus and featuring a message line where kids can leave Christmas wishes for the big man himself; “iHeartChristmas Classics,” the place to hear all the timeless holiday classics; or for listeners who like to jam out, they can check out iHeartChristmas R&B, iHeartChristmas Country, iHeartChristmas Rock and more. iHeartRadio has a holiday station for every musical taste and listeners can check them out on the dedicated iHeartRadio Holiday page.

Byron Allen Raises $10B For Tegna Bid

Media mogul Byron Allen has raised $10 billion in preferred equity and debt for his bid for U.S. regional TV station operator Tegna Inc, hoping to prevail over a rival offer from investment firms Apollo Global Management Inc and Standard General LP, reports Reuters citing people familiar with the matter.

The financing is backed by a consortium of 14 banks and 10 investors, including Ares Management Corp (ARES.N), Fortress Investment Group, Oaktree Capital Management and Michael Milken's family office, one of the sources said.

Ares is leading a $2.2 billion preferred equity investment in support of Allen's financing package, another of the sources added.

Tegna could choose a winning bidder as early as this month, the sources said.

Allen, who acquired the Weather Channel TV network for $300 million in 2018, made a $23 per share offer for Tegna in September, while Apollo and Standard General offered $22 per share, according to people familiar with the matter.

Tegna wants both bidders to raise their offers, one of the sources said. It also expects assurances from both bidders that they will entertain all regulatory demands necessary to complete the acquisition, and views the Apollo/Standard General bid as most likely to raise antitrust concerns, the source added.

Apollo owns 33 TV stations in 20 markets through its portfolio company Cox Media Group, while Standard General owns four TV stations, according to their websites.

Tegna reported third-quarter earnings on Thursday and said on a call with analysts it was still evaluating acquisition proposals versus its stand-alone prospects.

The company recorded $756 million in revenue in the quarter, up 2% year-over-year. It has 64 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, and a market value of $7.75 billion including debt.

Canadian Judge Reinstates Edward Rogers As Company CEO

Rogers Communications Inc on Friday reinstated ousted Chairman Edward Rogers after a court backed his petition to constitute a new board, drawing curtains on a rare public battle for the control of a Canadian company even as the family feud showed no signs of ending.

Reuters reports the Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled in favour of Edward Rogers, handing a big victory to the late founder's son in a dispute that pitted him against his mother and sisters and had weighed on the stock.

The rare public fight in the Canadian corporate world was sparked over the question of who should lead the company, and some analysts have raised concerns the dispute could potentially impact Rogers' C$20 billion ($16.1 billion) bid for rival Shaw Communications.

But soon after the ruling, Edward Rogers said that he supported CEO Joe Natale, though the entire conflict was sparked after he tried and failed to remove Natale as chief executive, saying at the time he had lost confidence in Natale's ability to lead the combined entity after the Shaw deal.

"Much has been written about Rogers CEO Joe Natale and his future," Edward Rogers said in a statement after Friday's ruling. "Mr. Natale remains CEO and a director of Rogers Communications and has the Board's support."

He said the focus must now return to closing the Shaw deal, the company's biggest M&A.

Even as the brawl at the corporate level cooled off, the family fight showed no signs of easing. In a statement, the family matriarch, Loretta Rogers, and her two daughters said the ruling "represents a black eye for good governance and shareholder rights and sets a dangerous new precedent for Canada's capital markets by allowing the independent directors of a public company to be removed with the stroke of a pen."

"The company now faces a very real prospect of management upheaval and a prolonged period of uncertainty, at perhaps the worst possible time," the statement added.

Edward Rogers' attempt at dislodging Natale as CEO in September put him at odds with his mother and two sisters, who are Rogers directors. Edward Rogers - son of the late founder, Ted Rogers - lost out in the ensuing power struggle, and he was removed as the chair of Rogers Communications.

.Edward Rogers said the judgment confirmed that he had acted in accordance with the company's rule.

"Our family has disagreements like every other family. I am hopeful we will resolve those differences privately, as any family would," he added.

After he was removed as the chair of Rogers Communications, Edward Rogers constituted a new board that included himself as chairman, leveraging his power as chair of the family-owned Rogers Control Trust - which controls 97.5% of the company's voting shares - to do so. He then petitioned the Supreme Court of British Columbia to validate his slate of directors.

TV Ratings: More Liberals Watching FNC Than CNN

Graphic courtesy of RoadMN

More Democrats are watching Fox News during prime time than CNN, according to The Hill citing data from Per Nielsen MRI Fusion

The data shows Fox News is watched by 29 percent of liberal prime-time viewers compared to CNN, which garners 25 percent of those viewers.

Only MSNBC, which is watched by 46 percent of liberal viewers during prime time, has a larger liberal audience at that time than Fox News.

During the day, CNN has a larger liberal audience than Fox News — barely — with 29 percent of Democrats tuning into CNN and 28 percent tuning into Fox News.

Fox News is known for its popularity among Republicans, with a majority of conservatives picking Fox News for both day and prime-time coverage. 

Fox News also beats both CNN and MSNBC for the largest number of independents watching the network during both the day and prime time. 

“So in a news monetization, as you mentioned, our share of audience is, you know, now 55 percent of cable news viewers, is incredibly impressive. It's a lot of hard work to build that share and maintain it,” Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch said during an earnings call Wednesday.

“One of the interesting things as a byproduct of that share is really the breadth of our audience as well. We have more independents watching Fox News than anyone else. And interestingly, we have just about an equal amount of Democrats watching Fox News as watch CNN, according to Nielsen,” Murdoch added.

When the Virginia's governor race was called, Fox News had 2.8 million viewers. At the same time, CNN and MSNBC had audiences of 716,000 and 800,000 respectively.

Denver Radio: Jeffrey Ramsey To Handle PM Drive At KPTT

KPTT's J-R

KPTT HITS 95.7 has announced Friday that Jeffrey JR Ramsey will be the iHeartMedia station's new Afternoon Drive Host, effective Monday November 8. JR will broadcast weekdays from 3-7 p.m.

As afternoon drive host, JR will broadcast all of the latest hits from top artists including Arianna Grande, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone and more. In addition, listeners will have an opportunity to participate in fun on-air games and have the chance to win cool prizes.

“JR is a super talented jock, with a track record of success in Top 40 stations, said John E. Kage, Program Director for HITS 95.7. “His social media skills are next level and I’m excited to bring his passion and excitement to HITS 95.7 and the Mile-High City.”

“JR is one of the final pieces to the puzzle to level up Hits 95.7,” said JoJo Turnbeaugh, Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Denver. “His passion, content and social media skills are a perfect match to drive home Mile High city listeners.”

“I’m excited to be a part of the iHeartMedia Denver team,” said JR. “I can’t wait to get to work and help build HITS 95.7 into a powerhouse while connecting with the Colorado community. I’m thrilled to call Colorado my new home.”

JR joins the Denver market from Midwest Communications Inc. in Nashville, where he most recently served as the PM Drive Host on WNFN-FM. He began his career at Q97.9 (WJBQ) in Portland, Maine.

Detroit Radio: WDVD, WJR, WDRQ Helping 'Toys for Tots'

CUMULUS MEDIA announces that its three Detroit radio stations, 96.3 WDVD, New Country 93.1 (WDRQ), 760 WJR, together with the U.S. Marine Corps, have launched their annual toy drive benefiting Toys For Tots of Southeastern Michigan. 96.3 WDVD’s The Blaine Fowler Morning Show kicked off this year’s campaign to help area children have a brighter holiday season with a live remote broadcast on Monday, November 1st at Gordon Chevrolet, 31850 Ford Road, Garden City, MI, where generous donors may drop off new, unwrapped toys for children of all ages now through Thanksgiving.

The 2021 Toys For Tots Toy Drive will continue to collect toy donations on Saturday, November 27th and Sunday, November 28th from 9am to 6pm, at Oakland Mall, 412 West 14 Mile Road, Troy, MI, and also at Novi Town Center, 43259 Crescent Boulevard, Novi, MI. On Saturday, December 4th and Sunday, December 5th, the 2021 Toys For Tots Drive will collect toy donations from 9am to 6pm at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets, 4000 Baldwin Road, Auburn Hills, MI; and at The Home Depot, 23300 West Allen Road, Woodhaven, MI.

Steve Finateri, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Detroit, said: “We couldn’t be more proud to support the great work of our U.S. Marine Corps for this very worthy cause for children.”

Blaine Fowler, Host, The Blaine Fowler Morning Show on 96.3 WDVD, commented: “Toys For Tots and the U.S. Marine Corps have been helping kids receive toys since 1947. Your donation can help families to have a more joyful holiday season. It’s our privilege to get the word out and help Toys For Tots make this a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season for all!”

David Cooper, Vice President, Toys For Tots, said: “Last year despite the pandemic, Toys For Tots was able to deliver toys to almost 31,000 kids in Wayne and Oakland counties. The goal is always to do more. Thank you to Cumulus Radio Detroit for everything you do getting the word out. This year, we’re looking forward to helping as many children as possible.”

8 Dead, Several Injured After SRO Crowd Surges At Rap Concert

At least eight people are dead and several more injured after a sold-out crowd of roughly 50,000 surged during rapper Travis Scott's  performance at Friday's Astroworld Festival outside NRG Park, overwhelming the security forces at the show, reports The Houston Chronicle.

Houston Chronicle photo

"We had a mass casualty event here at Astroworld," Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña said. "We had people falling out and passing out."

Seventeen people were taken to the hospital, 11 of whom Peña described as being in cardiac arrest.

"I've heard of other events like this at soccer, but not here, not in these sorts of events," Peña said.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo called it an "extremely tragic night," as families awaited word on whether their loved ones were OK. HPD is in the process of identifying victims at hospitals. 

A crowd of 50,000 showed up for the two-day event, an homage to Houston's shuttered Astroworld amusement park. Day 2 of the festival, scheduled for Saturday, has been canceled. It was to feature Bad Bunny, Earth, Wind & Fire and Beaumont native Teezo Touchdown.

 At 9 p.m. the crowd for Scott's closing performance began to push toward the front of the stage, according to Peña, causing panic and injuries. People began to fall unconscious, and the mayhem escalated until 9:38 p.m. when a "mass casualty incident" was triggered. The Houston Fire Department had 55 units respond at that time. More than 300 people were treated at the field hospital at NRG Park.

Scott, a Houston native, stopped multiple times during his 75-minute performance when he spotted fans in distress near the front of the stage. He asked security to make sure they were OK and help them out of the crowd. Emergency vehicles, lights and alarms flashing, cut through the crowds several times.

Another video- #Disturbing video shows people #jumping on top of the police personal cars while they were trying to get #unconscious people out of the #crowd.#Houston #ASTROWORLDFest #TravisScott #AstroWorld #music #festival #Houston#KHOU11 pic.twitter.com/tubnfQIVPS

— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) November 6, 2021

Videos taken at NRG Park began to surface on social media overnight, showing the melee during the concert.

R.I.P.: Scott Hoffman, Former Farmington NM Radio Personality

Scott Hoffman

Longtime New Mexico radio personality Scott Hoffmann, also known as Adam Savage, passed away peacefully at his home in Farmington, Tuesday, Oct. 26, after dealing with years of declining health, according to family and loved ones. 

Hoffmann was 56 years old, reports The Daily Times.

Hoffmann, who worked in radio more than 35 years, was born in Dubuque, Iowa and arrived on the Farmington radio scene in 1993 after having previously worked at stations in the Midwest, primarily in Wisconsin.

Hoffmann worked as program director and on-air talent for classic rock, active rock and adult hit music stations, including 96.9 FM KDAG and 92.9 FM KRWN. 

Former operations manager of KDAG Dan Kelley recalled hiring Hoffmann away from KRWN in 2001 after a very public and months-long battle over ratings on the radio dial.

"It was a war between the stations, but it was also because I respected his talent so much," Kelley said this week. "He was the big catch for us and to get him to come to our station was a huge move."

Hoffmann spent nearly 20 years on KDAG, working for both Clear Channel Radio and iHeartMedia before corporate layoffs forced his midday show off the air on Jan. 14, 2020.

In addition to his on-air roles, Hoffmann also was instrumental in the creation and implementation of live charitable events, including the annual T's for Turkeys event, a collaborative project between iHeartMedia stations and the local chapter of the Salvation Army.

November 6 Radio History

➦In 1933...Windsor Ontario radio station CKOK and London, Ontario's CJGC merged to create CKLW. The call letters stood for “London-Windsor”.  CKLW (“The Big 8”) became one of the most influential powerhouses of early Top40 radio, breaking national hits and dominating Detroit ratings for years in the late 1960’s and early ’70’s.

Armstong

➦In 1935…Edwin H. Armstrong announced his development of FM broadcasting after conducting the first large-scale field tests of his new radio technology at RCA's facilities on the 85th floor of the Empire State Building from May 1934 until October 1935.

In 1937, Armstrong financed construction of the first FM radio station, W2XMN, a 40-kilowatt broadcaster in Alpine, New Jersey.

The signal (at 42.8 MHz) could be heard clearly 100 miles (160 km) away, despite the use of less power than an AM radio station.

NYTimes 11/6/21

RCA began to lobby for a change in the law or FCC regulations that would prevent FM radios from becoming dominant (David Sarnoff was looking to protect his stations on the AM band) .

By June 1945, the RCA had pushed the FCC hard on the allocation of electromagnetic frequencies for the fledgling television industry. 

Although they denied wrongdoing, David Sarnoff and RCA managed to get the FCC to move the FM radio spectrum from 42–50 MHz, to 88–108 MHz, while getting new low-powered community television stations allocated to a new Channel 1 in the 44-50 MHz range.

Furthermore, RCA also claimed invention of FM radio and won its own patent on the technology. 

A patent fight between RCA and Armstrong ensued. RCA's momentous victory in the courts left Armstrong unable to claim royalties on any FM receivers, including televisions, which were sold in the United States.

The costly legal battles brought ruin to Armstrong, by then almost penniless and emotionally distraught. Eventually, after Armstrong's death, many of the lawsuits were decided or settled in his favor, greatly enriching his estate and heirs.

But the decisions came too late for Armstrong himself to enjoy his legal vindication.

It took decades following Armstrong's death for FM broadcasting to meet and surpass the saturation of the AM band, and longer still for FM radio to become profitable for broadcasters. Two developments made a difference in the 1960s.

One was the development of true stereophonic broadcasting on FM by General Electric, which resulted in the approval of an FM stereo broadcast standard by the FCC in 1961, and the conversion of hundreds of stations to stereo within a few years.

➦In 1939...the first commercial TV station in the US, General Electric’s WGY-TV Schenectady, NY, began service.

➦In 1947...The weekly show “Meet the Press” started on NBC TV, and it is still running, making it the longest running TV show in U-S broadcast history.  It started as a Mutual radio show in 1945.

➦In 1954…Elvis Presley signed on for the 'Louisiana Hayride; for one year. The Saturday night radio show originated at KWKH, Shreveport, Louisiana.

Nat D Williams

➦In 1957...Elvis visits radio station WDIA in Memphis and meets two of his idols, Little Junior Parker and Bobby Bland.

WDIA went on the air June 7, 1947, from studios on Union Avenue. The owners, John Pepper and Dick Ferguson, were both white and the format was a mix of country and western and light pop. The station did not do well.

Nat D. Williams, a syndicated columnist and high-school teacher, started Tan Town Jubilee in October 1948. This was the first radio program in the United States to specifically target black listeners, and WDIA soon became the number-2 station in Memphis. After a switch to all-black programming, WDIA was the city's top station.

Elvis 1956

In June 1954 WDIA was licensed at 50,000 watts-Day, 5Kw-Night. Its powerful signal reached down into the Mississippi Delta’s dense African-American population and was heard from the Bootheel in SE Missouri to the Gulf coast. As a result WDIA was able to reach 10% of the African-American population in United States.

Future WJLB strong jock herself, Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg became Princess Premium Stuff. Ernest Brazzell gave crop advice and Robert Thomas became a DJ named “Honeyboy” after he won a city-wide amateur competition. Among other notable personalities were Maurice "Hot Rod" Hulbert, Theo "Bless My Bones" Wade, and Ford Nelson, who remains an active gospel DJ on WDIA in 2013.

Many music legends got their start at WDIA, including B.B. King and Rufus Thomas. Elvis Presley was greatly influenced by the station.

➦In 2007…Radio personality Jim P. Stagg died of complications from esophageal cancer at age 72. 

Stagg's radio career began in Birmingham (on WYDE AM). From there, it was on to Philadelphia (on WIBG), San Francisco (on KYA), and Milwaukee (on WOKY) before his stint at KYW, Cleveland.

Jim Stagg

In 1965, KYW program director Ken Draper moved to WCFL to assume the same duties. Stagg and many other station employees, both on and off air, including Dick Orkin, Jim Runyon and Jerry G. (Bishop) eagerly moved from KYW in Cleveland to WCFL in Chicago.

As his radio career wound down, Stagg hosted innovative talk and music shows on WMAQ-AM.

At WCFL, the "Voice of Labor",  Stagg did the afternoon drive shift. He referred to the studio call-in line as the "Stagg Line" and produced a feature titled "Stagg's Starbeat" – in-depth, provocative, and insightful interviews with local, national and international music celebrities. Staggs interviewed nearly every major rock star of the 1960s, including Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones, the Supremes, The Monkees, and Simon & Garfunkel.

Jim became the Chicago chairman of Let Us Vote (LUV), a youth campaign which began in late 1968 to establish the minimum voting age as 18 in all states. Joey Bishop was honorary national chairman and songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart contributed a campaign song. Everyone's efforts resulted in the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution being ratified in 1971.

Stagg eschewed the flashy theatrics of other Top-40 radio hosts in favor a straightforward rock and roll show that kept the focus on the music. His close-of-program line echos that: "Music is my business. I hope my business was your pleasure."

Sally Field is 75

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Actor June Squibb (“Nebraska”) is 92. 
• Country singer Stonewall Jackson is 89. 
• Singer P.J. Proby is 83. 
• Actor Sally Field is 75. 
• Jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval is 72. 
• TV host Catherine Crier is 67. 
• Former news correspondent Maria Shriver is 66. 
• Actor Lori Singer (“Fame,” ″Footloose”) is 64. 
• Actor Lance Kerwin is 61. 
• Bassist Paul Brindley of The Sundays is 58. 
• Singer Corey Glover of Living Colour is 57. 
• Actor Peter DeLuise (“seaQuest DSV,” ″21 Jump Street”) is 55. 

• 

  Emma Stone is 33

  Actor Kelly Rutherford (“Melrose Place”) is 53. 
• Actor Ethan Hawke is 51. 
• Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson (“The Taste,” ″Chopped”) is 51. 
• Actor Thandiwe Newton is 49. 
• Model-actor Rebecca Romijn is 49. 
• Actor Zoe McLellan (“NCIS: New Orleans”) is 47. 
• Actor Nicole Dubuc (“Major Dad”) is 43. 
• Actor Taryn Manning is 43. 
• Actor Patina Miller (“Madam Secretary”) is 37. 
• Singer-songwriter Ben Rector is 35. 
• Actor Emma Stone is 33.

Accuser: Marilyn Manson Worse Than His Persona

Esme Bianco, Marilyn Manson

In a U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles, the British-born actor Esmé Bianco is waging a legal battle to prove that his menacing persona was all too real, reports The L-A Times.

Bianco’s federal suit, filed April 30, alleges sexual assault, sexual battery and human trafficking beginning in February 2009, when Manson flew her to L.A. to shoot a video for his song “I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies.”

The video never materialized. Instead, the 39-year-old says that, over the course of four days, Manson locked her in a room, beat her with a whip and shocked her with electricity in his frigid home in Los Angeles.

Although the two established a sexual relationship later that year, the “Game of Thrones” star alleges in her lawsuit that she tolerated a number of abuses, including forced labor, sleep deprivation and rape, after Manson offered to help secure a U.S. work visa, then threatened to obstruct the process when she didn’t meet his demands.

Manson, whose legal name is Brian Hugh Warner, has said the claims are “horrible distortions of reality.” His attorney, John Snow, petitioned to dismiss the case at a hearing in August, arguing that Bianco’s claims had expired under California’s statutes of limitations for domestic violence and sexual assault.

In 2018, California’s statutes of limitations for civil actions were extended from three to 10 years after the last alleged act of sexual assault. The new law allows victims to pursue claims up to three years after “the plaintiff [discovers] that an injury or illness resulted from an act.” Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha allowed the case to move forward, saying the alleged misconduct could fall within the statutes of limitations.

GA Radio: Longtime Morning Host Cadillac Jack Is Back

Cadillac Jack

Former WKHX Atlanta morning host Cadillac Jack is returning to radio two years after Kicks 101.5 cut him.  Starting Monday, he'll  hosting afternoons on country station WEKS 92.5 FM The Bear, which is owned by the Georgia Radio Alliance.

According to Rodney Ho at ajc.com, Caddy will be replacing veteran country music jock and programmer Steve Mitchell, who will work behind the scenes on improving the imaging of the station while hosting a weekend show.

Cadillac Jack, whose real name is William Choate, said in a press release while he was off air, “I’ve binged Netflix. Not just a particular show but all of Netflix. I have mastered the complexities of the washer and dryer and I’ve learned to become a better dad, husband and friend. It’s time to plug back in and reconnect with country music fans in Atlanta.”

He added: “I’ve seen the battle plans. I am beyond hungry and I can’t wait to fire the first shot on Monday.”

Caddy filed a lawsuit against Shannon and Atlanta-based Cumulus for wrongful termination, believing his high salary and sexual orientation made him a target.

WEKS 92.5 FM (12 Kw)

Kevin Steele, vice president of programming, noted that he used to work with Caddy at Kicks and believes in his passion for country music.

Caddy has been doing a podcast the past two years with his wife Donna and will continue to do so called “Cadillac Jack: My Second Act.”

Gannett Posts Second Straight Profit

Gannett, the owner of USA TODAY, posted a second straight quarterly profit as the company's digital subscription strategy gained momentum.

The media company, which also owns more than 200 other daily publications as well as several hundred weeklies, reported net income of $15 million for the period ended Sept. 30.

The earnings report came after Gannett in the second quarter posted its first profit since the 2019 merger of New Media Investment Group and the company formerly known as Gannett.

In the third quarter of 2021, Gannett recorded total revenue of $800.2 million, down 1.8% from a year earlier. On a comparable basis – a figure representing continuing operations – revenue rose 0.9%.

Gannett has been grappling with the industry-wide challenge of declining print revenue for years but has been recently increasing its paid digital subscriptions.

Digital subscriptions, which are viewed as crucial to creating a path for growth, rose 46% to more than 1.5 million at the end of the third quarter. That led to a 26.6% jump in digital-only circulation revenue to $25.7 million.

Gannett Chairman and CEO Michael Reed said in January that the company had set a goal of securing 10 million digital subscriptions within five years. That target includes subscriptions from USA TODAY, which launched paid digital access for premium content earlier this year.

On a comparable basis, circulation revenue fell 8.2%, while advertising and marketing services revenue rose 5%. Digital sales totaled $265 million, up 17.8%.

Worldwide: DAB Sales Zoom Past 100 Million

Global DAB receiver sales have broken through the key 100 million milestone this year – reaching a cumulative figure of 110 million units, including both consumer and automotive receivers.

The latest information released by industry body WorldDAB shows that despite the impact of the pandemic, sales continue to rise.

In the last 12 months, automotive DAB receivers exceeded 10 million units for the first time, and consumer receiver sales registered over five million units.

The automotive DAB+ market has been transformed over the last two years – with DAB+ now a standard feature in over 89% of new cars in all key European markets.

This growth reflects the impact of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) introduced in December 2020, requiring all new car radios in the EU to be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio.

In the consumer receiver market, the proportion of devices featuring DAB / DAB+ has also seen a sharp increase – from 28% two years ago to 42% in the second quarter of 2021. DAB sales are benefiting from strong marketing in Germany and the Netherlands, receiver regulation in Germany, France and Italy – and the emergence of new DAB markets including Belgium, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Patrick Hannon, President of WorldDAB, said: “The data in our new infographic clearly demonstrate that even in the most challenging of times, DAB+ continues to grow as the core future platform for radio in Europe. We’re delighted to see big increases in consumer units and in particular the automotive sector. The implementation of the EECC last year, driving growth in the in-car market, highlights the power of regulation to bring significant benefits not only for listeners across Europe, but also for the environment at this crucial time.”

Highlights of the report

• Digital radio reach has achieved record levels in several markets, including the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Australia
• Sales of consumer DAB+ receivers have performed strongly over the last 12 months – with annual sales in Italy and the Czech Republic more than doubling; sales in France growing by 45%; and sales in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Austria all growing at rates of over 20%
• In all major European markets, at least 89% of new cars come with DAB+ radio as standard.

Analyst: Live Nation Stock Could Jump 50 Percent

When it comes to the stock of concert promoter Live Nation Entertainment , there are two distinct camps: those who think it’s overvalued after a huge climb, and those who think it has much further to run as reopening play.

According to Barron's, T. Rowe Price‘s Justin White is in the latter camp. Although the stock has doubled since White scooped it up last year, he’s hanging on to it and sees more big gains ahead.

“It is a well-positioned business that has a very manageable level of competition,” says White.

The company, which bills itself as the world’s largest provider of live entertainment, was ravaged by the pandemic, which shut down concert tours and venues starting in March of 2020.

Still, “It a good business, and now it is less about the valuation,” says White. “It still feels like there are enough other things going forward.”

One is demand for live concerts as consumers and performers continue to return to their prepandemic ways. White expects the 2022 company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to surpass its previous peak of about $940 million in 2019, driven by an increase in concerts and the accompanying revenue. In 2019, Live Nation promoted about 40,000 events — a level that will be hard to reach next year, but the overall trend is positive.

“In 2022, you have not only huge pent-up demand from consumers, but you also have huge pent-up demand from the artists to supply tours to the market,” White says.

Live Nation looks well fortified for any volatility that may like ahead. As of June 30, cash and cash equivalents of about $4 billion. Its net long-term debt totaled about $5.3 billion–nothing to sneeze but certainly manageable. Live Nation is scheduled to discuss its third-quarter results on Thursday during a conference call.

Assuming there isn’t another big resurgence of Covid, the stock has upside of 30% to 50%, as White sees it. “If the [2022] touring season is as good as I think it will be, 50% is possible,” he says.

Liberty Media Corporation Reports 3Q Financial Results

Liberty Media Corporation Thursday reported third quarter 2021 results. Headlines include(1):

➤Attributed to Liberty SiriusXM Group  SiriusXM reported strong third quarter 2021 financial results:

• Third quarter revenue of $2.20 billion; increase of 9% from prior year period
• Third quarter net income of $343 million; diluted EPS of $0.08
• Record quarterly adjusted EBITDA of $719 million, up 9% from prior year period
• SiriusXM self-pay net subscriber additions of 616,000 in third quarter and 1.1 million year-to-date
• SiriusXM increased 2021 subscriber and financial guidance on October 28th
• SiriusXM recently increased quarterly cash dividend by 50%
• Effected tax-free exchange of 5.3 million LSXMA shares for 43.7 million SIRI shares on November 3rd, taking Liberty Media’s ownership in SiriusXM to approximately 80.2%
• All future distributions to Liberty SiriusXM Group from SiriusXM will be tax-free
• Announced 2.25% Live Nation exchangeable debentures will be redeemed in full on December 1st put / call date; any exchanges expected to be settled in January 2022
• From August 1st through October 31st, Liberty repurchased 2.0 million LSXMA/K shares at an average price per share of $48.19 for total cash consideration of $98 million

➤Attributed to Formula One Group

• F1 announced record 23-race calendar for 2022 season running March 20th to November 20th
• Qatar will join 2021 calendar for November 19th weekend and signed additional 10-year deal to host race beginning 2023
• US Grand Prix was largest race in F1 history, with total attendance of 400,000 over three-day weekend
• Secured multiple broadcast deals with partners in Asia until end of 2022 following closure of Fox Sports channels in region, and extended agreement with Canal+ in France until 2024
• Formula 1 leverage of 5.6x near target range of 5.0x – 5.5x
• From August 1st through October 31st, Liberty repurchased 1.0 million FWONA shares at an average price per share of $45.02 for total cash consideration of $47 million

➤Attributed to Braves Group

• Braves claimed first World Series title since 1995 and 4th title in franchise history
• Braves are second in MLB in regular season attendance at 2.3 million

“Across the board, our companies had an outstanding third quarter. The Atlanta Braves convincingly claimed their first World Series title since 1995. Congratulations to the team, Braves management and all of Braves Country! SiriusXM posted record self-pay subscriber growth and increased guidance across all metrics. Our ownership in SiriusXM now exceeds 80%, and all future distributions from SiriusXM will be tax-free. Formula 1 set a record with US Grand Prix attendance over 400,000 for the weekend and is enjoying a suspenseful championship,” said Greg Maffei, Liberty Media President and CEO. 

“It’s amazing how much progress has been made over the past year given the challenging environment, and I am truly grateful for the hard work and dedication of all these team members to produce such impressive results.”

iHeartMedia Says Revenue Jumped 24.7 Percent During 3Q

iHeartMedia reports consolidated revenue increased $183.6 million, or 24.7%, during the three months ended September 30, 2021 compared to the same period of 2020. 

The increase in Consolidated revenue is attributable to the continued recovery from the macroeconomic effects of COVID-19 and the continuing growth of our operating businesses. Multiplatform revenue increased $103.9 million, or 18.7%, primarily resulting from strengthening demand for broadcast advertising compared to the third quarter of 2020, partially offset by lower political advertising revenue compared to the same period of 2020, which was a presidential election year. Digital Audio revenue increased $89.6 million, or 77.1%, driven primarily by continuing increases in demand for digital advertising and the continued growth of podcasting. Audio & Media Services revenue decreased $9.0 million due to lower political advertising revenue, partially offset by the continued recovery from the impact of COVID-19.

Bob Pitman

Consolidated direct operating expenses increased $54.9 million, or 20.3%, during the three months ended September 30, 2021 compared to the same period of 2020, primarily as a result of the expenses directly associated with the significant increase in revenue. The increase in direct operating expenses was driven primarily by higher content and talent and profit sharing expenses, third-party digital costs, and costs related to the return of local and national live events. The increase in Consolidated direct operating expenses was partially offset by lower employee compensation and other expenses resulting from our modernization and cost-reduction initiatives executed in 2020 and 2021.

"Our strong results this quarter are further evidence of the success of our company’s continuing transformation – data-led, digital and podcast focused, along with the unparalleled audience reach of our broadcast radio assets, and supported by the largest sales force and the only unified ad tech stack in audio advertising -- all with the strong flywheel effect of our scale and leadership position," said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, Inc. "These results highlight both the strong growth and potential of our digital business, including podcasting, and the strong recovery and growth potential of our radio business."

"Bob and I are pleased to report our strong top line growth was coupled with continued margin expansion, generating Adjusted EBITDA of $230 million in the third quarter. We remain confident that we’ll be back to 2019 Adjusted EBITDA levels by the end of 2021, and that we will continue to grow beyond that as our investments in high growth areas and strict cost discipline continue to generate profit and Free Cash Flow," said Rich Bressler, President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of iHeartMedia, Inc.

Oct PPMs Day 4: Austin, Nashville +10 More Markets Released

 👉Nielsen on Thursday, November 4, 2021 released the final batch of October  2021 PPM data for the following markets:

32  Austin

38  Raleigh-Durham NC

39  Indianapolis

40  Nashville

42  Milwaukee-Racine

44  Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket

45  Norfolk-Virginia Beach- News News

46  Jacksonville FL

47  West Palm Beach-Boca Raton

48  Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point NC

51  Memphis

52  Hartford-New Britain-Middletown CT

➤Click Here to view topline number for subscribing Nielsen stations.

Wake-Up Call: Vote Expected Today on Build Back Better Plan

The House is expected to vote today on President Biden's Build Back Better social and climate legislation and the bipartisan infrastructure bill, CNN reported late last night. However, House Democratic leaders had been hoping to vote on the economic package last night, and earlier hoped-for votes have also been delayed, so it remains to be seen if the votes will happen. Whether they do will depend on if the Democrats have the votes to pass the bills.

Taxes in the House social spending bill could bring in $1.48 trillion https://t.co/EvoVGjmogM

— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 5, 2021

➤FED. GOV'T. MANDATES COVID VACCINATION OR WEEKLY TESTING FOR LARGE COMPANIES: The administration issued new requirements yesterday that Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees will need to either be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by January 4th or be tested weekly for the virus and wear a mask in the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations will affect some 84 million workers at medium and large businesses. OSHA left open the possibility of expanding the requirement to smaller businesses.

➤JUSTICE DEPT. SUES TEXAS OVER NEW ELECTION LAWS: The Justice Department sued Texas yesterday over parts of its new election laws that were in sweeping legislation signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott. The Justice Department is challenging the provisions regarding mail-in voting requirements and voter assistance, which it says violate federal civil rights protections. Texas is among at least 18 states that have enacted new voting restrictions since the 2020 election, part of a national Republican campaign to tighten voting laws.

Juror dismissed in Rittenhouse trial for joke about Jacob Blake shooting https://t.co/Kkmy68t4lj pic.twitter.com/J1JP43fcqB

— Reuters (@Reuters) November 4, 2021

➤JUROR DISMISSED FROM RITTENHOUSE MURDER TRIAL OVER JOKE ABOUT POLICE SHOOTING: A juror was dismissed from Kyle Rittenhouse's Wisconsin murder trial yesterday after making a joke to a court security officer about the police shooting of Jacob Blake, the August 2020 incident that set off the at-times violent protests in Kenosha during which the then 17-year-old Rittenhouse shot three people, two of them fatally. Judge Bruce Schroeder said Thursday that the joke showed bias that, quote, "would seriously undermine the outcome" of the trial. The juror, who didn't want to repeat the joke in court, objected, saying, "It wasn’t anything to do with the case. It wasn’t anything to do with Kyle." The trial began this week.

ANALYST WHO WORKED ON STEELE DOSSIER ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF LYING TO FBI: An analyst who worked on the Steele dossier, the largely unverified claims of former President Donald Trump's links to Russia from the 2016 election, was arrested Thursday on charges that he lied to the FBI. The arrest of Igor Danchenko came as part of the investigation by John Durham, the special counsel appointed by Trump’s Justice Department. The indictment charges Danchenko lied to FBI agents in 2017 about some of the sources of information he gave to former British spy Christopher Steele. It claims Danchenko told agents he hadn't used any information from a PR executive who was a longtime Hillary Clinton supporter when he had, and that Danchenko made comments about getting an anonymous phone call that he believed was from a prominent Russian-American businessman that he didn't get. The FBI used information from the Steele dossier as part of its legal argument for secret government surveillance of Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser, during the 2016 election.

➤JURY SELECTION BEGINS IN TRIAL OF GHISLAINE MAXWELL, JEFFREY EPSTEIN'S EX-GIRLFRIEND: Jury selection began yesterday in the federal sex trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, a process that is expected to take weeks. The 59-year-old Maxwell is accused of recruiting underage teenagers for Epstein to sexually abuse from 1994 to 2004. She's been held in federal jail in Brooklyn since being arrested in July 2020, with bail requests rejected several times. Epstein was found dead in his federal jail cell in August 2019, his death ruled a suicide, as he awaited his own trial on charges of sex trafficking of minors.

➤FUNERAL AT WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL TODAY FOR COLIN POWELL: A funeral is being held at Washington National Cathedral today for retired General, former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who died on October 18th at age 84 of complications of Covid-19. President Biden is expected to attend, but won't be speaking at the service. Eulogies will be delivered by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Richard Armitage, who was deputy secretary under Powell, and Powell’s son Michael Powell.

➤DWAYNE JOHNSON VOWS TO STOP USING REAL FIREARMS IN HIS FILMS: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has vowed to stop using firearms on movie sets in the wake of the shooting death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The action star and Seven Bucks Productions co-founder told Variety Wednesday (Nov. 3rd), “I can’t speak for anyone else, but I can tell you, without an absence of clarity here, that any movie that we have moving forward with Seven Bucks Productions — any movie, any television show, or anything we do or produce — we won’t use real guns at all.”

He continued, “We’re going to switch over to rubber guns, and we’re going to take care of it in post[-production]. We’re not going to worry about the dollars. We won’t worry about what it costs.”

Johnson added that in the wake of a tragedy, “the most prudent thing and the smartest thing to do is just pause for a second and really re-examine how you’re going to move forward.”

🕔19 STATES WANT YEAR-ROUND DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME: This is the weekend when Daylight Saving Time ends and we "fall back," setting our clocks back one hour early Sunday to return to regular time. But there are a significant number of states that would like for us to never have to do that again by making Daylight Saving Time permanent year-round. Jim Reed of the National Conference of State Legislatures told USA Today, "In the last four years, 19 states have enacted legislation or passed resolutions to provide for year-round Daylight Saving Time, if Congress were to allow such a change, and in some cases, if surrounding states enact the same legislation." Because of the 1966 Uniform Time Act, unless Congress acts, states can only opt out of Daylight Saving Time, putting them on standard time permanently, which is what Arizona and Hawaii have done, but not put themselves on Daylight Saving Time permanently. Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida has been a longtime advocate of permanent Dalight Saving Time, with a press release from his office contending the advantages would include a reduction in car crashes, fewer cardiac problems and stroke, improved mental health, less crime, increased economic growth and increases in physical fitness.

💻MEMES REPORTEDLY LOWER YOUR STRESS LEVELS: Good news – your chronic social media scrolling habits may actually be doing your health some good! A new study reports that memes have helped Americans deal with stress related to the pandemic, noting that those who viewed memes felt “calmer and more content” afterwards. The study even said that those who viewed memes that were directly about the COVID epidemic felt more confident in their ability to deal with the crisis. The positive responses are attributed to the feeling of connection and understanding that memes provide.

🐶DOGS EXPERIENCE WORSE SEPARATION ANXIETY WHEN WITH ANOTHER ANIMAL: Thinking about getting your dog a companion pet for when you are away? Maybe it's time to reconsider – a new Swiss study recorded canine’s behavior while their owners were away, and the results show that animal companionship may do more harm than good. Academics filmed dogs left at home alone, both with and without another dog, and reported that barking and physical activity were more common in a multi-dog house than a single-dog house. Signs of separation anxiety included baring, howling, digging, and destructive chewing—all of which were reported in even well-trained dogs.

🎄ROCKEFELLER CENTER CHRISTMAS TREE COMING FROM MARYLAND FOR FIRST TIME: For the first time ever, the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in NYC will come from Maryland. The Norway spruce is being delivered by truck from outside the tri-state area, scheduled to arrive in NYC on Saturday, November 13th. Once it is wrapped in more than 50,000 multi-colored lights and topped off with a Swarovski crystal star, it will be lit up for all to enjoy on December 1st.

Jonathan Taylor takes off for 78 YARDS 🔥 (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/VLRZCYGblh

— Overtime (@overtime) November 5, 2021

🏈COLTS DEFEAT JETS 45-30, JETS QB WHITE LEAVES WITH INJURED ARM: The Indianapolis Colts defeated the New York Jets 45-30 at home last night, with Colts quarterback Carson Wentz throwing for 272 yards and three touchdowns and running back Jonathan Taylor rushing for 172 yards and two scores, including a 78-yard touchdown run. The Jets lost quarterback Mike White, who left in the first quarter after two fingers on his right hand went numb and he couldn't grip the ball. That happened four days after White threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns in his first NFL start as he stepped in for Zach Wilson, who has an injured knee. Josh Johnson came in at quarterback after White left the game.

🏈BROWNS' BECKHAM JR. KEPT AWAY FROM PRACTICE FOR SECOND DAY: The Cleveland Browns' Odell Beckham Jr. was kept away from practice for a second straight day Thursday  as the organization tries to decide what they will do with him. Beckham was told by the team not to go to practice Wednesday after his father shared an 11-minute video on social media highlighting plays in which his son was open and quarterback Baker Mayfield didn't throw to him or missed him. Media reports say it's likely Beckham's time with the Browns is done.

🏒ISLANDERS' NELSON, BRUINS' BERGERON BOTH SCORE FOUR GOALS: The New York Islanders' Brock Nelson and the Boston Bruins' Patrice Bergeron both scored four goals in their teams' wins last night (November 4th). Nelson scored a career-high four goals in the Islanders' 6-2 defeat of the Montreal Canadiens, and Bergeron scored four goals in Boston's 5-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

⚾GIANTS CATCHER POSEY RETIRES: San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey made it official yesterday (November 4th), announcing that he was retiring after 12 years, all of them with the Giants. The 34-year-old said he was leaving the game because he wanted to spend more time with his family and because of the toll on his body of playing catcher. Posey, a seven-time All-Star, helped the Giants win three World Series, in 2010, 2012 and 2014, was the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year, and won the 2012 NL MVP.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy denies sexual misconduct allegations published by Insider, accusing the outlet of targeting him for a "hit piece." https://t.co/wRS5UnfSCg

— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 5, 2021

🏀NBA ASKS FOR PROBE OF SUNS AFTER RACIST, MISOGYNIST ALLEGATIONS AGAINST OWNER SARVER: The NBA has asked a law firm to investigate the Phoenix Suns after an ESPN report detailed allegations of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents by Robert Sarver over the 17 years he's owned the team. The Suns denied the report in a statement yesterday (November 4th) and Sarver denied the allegations via his attorneys in the ESPN report. Among the allegations are that Sarver repeated the the n-word several times when he was upset that the Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green used the n-word during a 2016 game, that he passed around a photo of his wife in a Suns bikini to employees, and that he has a history of, quote, "making lewd comments in all-staff meetings."

NBA opens investigation into racism and sexism allegations against Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver https://t.co/VrxshvEfcx

— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 5, 2021