July 17 Radio History

➦In 1912...Art Linkletter born Arthur Gordon Kelly (Died at age 97 – May 26, 2010). He was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada and was an American radio and television personality, best known as host of  House Party which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny on NBC radio and television for 19 years. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1942.

Art Linkletter

One popular feature of his House Party program was the Kids Say the Darndest Things segments. A series of books followed which contained the humorous comments made on-air bychildren.

When he was five, his family moved to San Diego, California, where he graduated from San Diego High School at age 16. During the early years of the Great Depression, he rode trains around the country doing odd jobs and meeting a wide variety of people.

In 1935 he met Lois Foerster. They were married at Grace Lutheran Church in San Diego, November 28, 1935. Their marriage lasted until Linkletter's death, ​74 1⁄2 years later.

After receiving his teaching degree, Linkletter decided to go to work as a radio announcer at KGB in San Diego, because radio paid better than teaching. He directed radio programs for fairs and expositions in the mid-1930s. Afterwards, he moved to San Francisco and continued his radio career.

In the 1940s, Linkletter worked in Hollywood with John Guedel on their pioneering radio show, People Are Funny, which employed audience participation, contests and gags. The series served as a prototype for future radio and television game shows. People Are Funny became a television show in 1954 and ran until 1961.

➦In 1934…FCC adopts Order No. 1

➦In 1981…Bruce Bradley did his final show on WBZ 1030 AM, Boston.

Bradley joined WBZ in 1960, when the station is still playing middle of the road pop music. Gradually, as the music becomes more top-40, “Juicie Brucie” Bradley’s night-time show became extremely popular.

The station moved from Top40 to Full-Service AC in 1974.

Bradley passed away in June 2013. Click Here for more.

➦In 2009…Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. died at age 92 (Born - November 4, 1916). He was a broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years (1962–1981). During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll.

He reported many events from 1937 to 1981, including bombings in World War II; the Nuremberg trials; combat in the Vietnam War; the Dawson's Field hijackings; Watergate; the Iran Hostage Crisis; and the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, civil rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr., and Beatles musician John Lennon.

He was also known for his extensive coverage of the U.S. space program, from Project Mercury to the Moon landings to the Space Shuttle. He was the only non-NASA recipient of an Ambassador of Exploration award.

Cronkite is well known for his departing catchphrase, "And that's the way it is," followed by the date of the broadcast.

Walter Cronkite-1985

He entered broadcasting as a radio announcer for WKY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1936, he met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" Maxwell, while working as the sports announcer for KCMO-AM in Kansas City, Missouri.  His broadcast name was "Walter Wilcox". He would explain later that radio stations at the time did not want people to use their real names for fear of taking their listeners with them if they left. In Kansas City, he joined the United Press in 1937. He became one of the top American reporters in World War II, covering battles in North Africa and Europe.

In 1950, Cronkite joined CBS News in its young and growing television division, again recruited by Murrow. Cronkite began working at WTOP-TV (now WUSA), the CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C..

On April 16, 1962, Cronkite succeeded Douglas Edwards as anchorman of the CBS's nightly feature newscast, tentatively renamed Walter Cronkite with the News, but later the CBS Evening News on September 2, 1963, when the show was expanded from 15 to 30 minutes, making Cronkite the anchor of American network television's first nightly half-hour news program. Cronkite's tenure as anchor of the CBS Evening News made him an icon in television news.

During the early part of his tenure anchoring the CBS Evening News, Cronkite competed against NBC's anchor team of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, who anchored the Huntley-Brinkley Report. For much of the 1960s, the Huntley-Brinkley Report had more viewers than Cronkite's broadcast. A key moment for Cronkite came during his coverage of John F. Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963.  Another factor in Cronkite and CBS' ascendancy to the top of the ratings was that, as the decade progressed, RCA made a corporate decision not to fund NBC News at the levels that CBS provided for its news broadcasts. Consequently, CBS News acquired a reputation for greater accuracy and depth in coverage. This reputation meshed well with Cronkite's wire service experience, and in 1967 the CBS Evening News began to surpass The Huntley-Brinkley Report in viewership during the summer months.

In 1969, during the Apollo 11 (with co-host and former astronaut Wally Schirra) and Apollo 13 moon missions, Cronkite received the best ratings and made CBS the most-watched television network for the missions. In 1970, when Huntley retired, the CBS Evening News finally dominated the American TV news viewing audience. Although NBC finally settled on the skilled and well-respected broadcast journalist John Chancellor, Cronkite proved to be more popular and continued to be top-rated until his retirement in 1981.

➦In 2011…WRXP NYC drops Triple A format.

On June 21, 2011, it was announced that majority ownership of WRXP was acquired by Merlin Media LLC, a new entity headed by veteran radio executive Randy Michaels.   The sale, which the FCC approved in September 2011, included two other Emmis-owned stations in Chicago, WLUP-FM and WKQX. They then registered several domains for what the new format of the station would be, including a return of WYNY's country format, but many promoted an FM news format. WRXP's rock format ended with the song "Long Live Rock" by The Who.

After a brief period of dead air, WRXP (whose call sign was changed to WEMP on July 21) switched to a stunt of Adult Contemporary music branded as "101.9 FM New," a stunt that served as a transition to the station's new format.  "FM New" featured a live morning show that began at 6AM on July 18, hosted by veteran New York City radio personality Paul Cavalconte (who has been with 101.9 since 1998), with Jeff McKay (formerly of Shadow Traffic and WINS) providing traffic and weather updates(until the next day when Meteorologist Scott Derek began).   News reports and news blocks were gradually introduced beginning with a 3PM newscast on July 25, 2011, anchored by Dave Packer and Mike Barker.

Walt Sabo

On August 12, 2011, the station ended its Adult Contemporary stunt and went full-time all-news as "FM News 101.9," following in the footsteps of its Chicago sister station WWWN (the former and current WKQX), which flipped to all-news on July 29.  As conceived by Merlin's then-COO, Walter Sabo, "FM News" was what Sabo considered a "redefining" of the all-news format;  the on-air presentation was generally looser and conversational in tone, while an emphasis was placed on lifestyle, health, and entertainment features.  The initial news staff at WEMP included those with experience in New York radio, including WINS alums Catherine Smith, Alice Stockton-Rossini, and Brett Larson, as well as former WCBS anchor Therese Crowley and WRXP holdover Paul Cavalconte.

Over time, the "FM News" approach on WEMP would be adjusted: The reliance on lifestyle and entertainment features was decreased; the station turned towards a tighter, polished on-air presentation; and several new features were added, including "ten minutes of non-stop news," the "top 5 trending stories" leading off every hour, and hourly sports and business updates.  Coinciding with the on-air changes was a major promotional push, including television ads and promotions that tweaked WINS' longtime "22 minutes" slogan, with WEMP proclaiming "Give us 10 minutes, we'll give you the world."   (After WINS owner CBS Radio sent a cease-and-desist letter to Merlin Media, WEMP dropped its "world" slogan.) 

Merlin’s WEMP-FM  NYC dropped news in 2012 in favor of new rock format. Today, 101.9 FM is Home To Audacy's Sports WFAN-FM.

Donald Sutherland is 87

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Actor Donald Sutherland is 87. 
• Bassist Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath is 73. 
• Actor Lucie Arnaz is 71. 
• Actor David Hasselhoff is 70. 
• Bassist Fran Smith Jr. of The Hooters is 70. 
• TV producer Mark Burnett (“Survivor,” “The Apprentice”) is 62. 
• Actor Nancy Giles (“China Beach”) is 62. 
• Singer Regina Belle is 59. 
• Country singer Craig Morgan is 58. 
• Bassist Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Folk Implosion) is 56. 

• 

  Susan Ashton is 55

  Contemporary Christian singer Susan Ashton is 55. 
• Actor Andre Royo (“The Wire”) is 54. 
• Actor Bitty Schram (“Monk”) is 54. 
• Actor Jason Clarke (“Zero Dark Thirty,” ″Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) is 53. 
• Director F. Gary Gray (“Straight Outta Compton,” “Furious 8″) is 53. 
• Singer JC of PM Dawn is 51. 
• Rapper Sole’ is 49. 
• Country singer Luke Bryan is 46. 
• Actor Eric Winter (“Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay”) is 46. 
• Actor Mike Vogel (“Under the Dome,” ″The Help”) is 43. 
• Actor Tom Cullen (“Downton Abbey”) is 37. 
• Actor Brando Eaton (“Dexter”) is 36. 
• Singer Jeremih is 35. 
• Actor Billie Lourd (“Scream Queens”) is 30.

✞DEATH ANNIVERSARIES

• Hall of Fame baseball player Ty Cobb died on this day in 1961. He was 74.
• Legendary CBS Evening News anchorman Walter Cronkite died on this day in 2009. He was 92.
• Jazz and blues singer Billie Holiday died on this day in 1959. She was 44.
• Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis died on this day in 2020. He was 80.

Disney Plans Massive Streaming Fee Hike For ESPN+

Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN will raise the price of its streaming service by 43% next month, betting that it can help cover the escalating cost of sports rights without losing subscribers who are grappling with soaring inflation, reports Bloomberg.

Starting Aug. 23, the cost of an ESPN+ subscription will jump to $9.99 a month from $6.99, or to $99.99 a year from $69.99. ESPN says the price increase reflects the growing amount of live sports and original programming on the streaming service.

Shares of Disney rose on the news, climbing as much as 3.7% as of 11:57 a.m. in New York.

Disney is taking a risk with the timing of its price hike as the highest US inflation in four decades is already squeezing household budgets, souring people’s view of the economy and forcing some to scale back entertainment and other discretionary spending.

At the same time, media companies are under increasing pressure to turn a profit with their streaming ventures. ESPN+ has been gaining momentum, with subscribers climbing 62% in the past 12 months, to 22.3 million, after years of anemic growth. But it’s still not making money.

The new price structure could push more people to buy Disney’s bundle of streaming services. That bundle, which includes ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu, costs $13.99 a month, or $4 more than the new standalone price of ESPN+. The bundle’s price will not change for now.

The streaming service includes more than a dozen live sports, including professional hockey, college football, UFC, soccer, lacrosse and golf. This fall, the service will broadcast an exclusive NFL game. It also features original docuseries such as “Man In The Arena: Tom Brady” and the “Places” franchise executive produced by Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions.

Yet even after the increase, ESPN+ remains more affordable than many other sports-focused streaming services. NBA League Pass, for example, costs $14.99 a month, while MLB.tv charges $24.99 a month.

Bob Iger Regrets Tapping Bob Chapek as Disney CEO

Bob Chapek, Bob Iger

Ex-Disney boss Bob Iger is still reportedly unhappy about the way the Mouse House handled his exit and considers naming current CEO Bob Chapek as his successor one of his “worst business decisions.”

Iger, who stepped down as Disney CEO in early 2020 just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, came to regret his decision as the scope of the challenge facing the company became clear, according to The NY Post.

“He said he was tired of being harangued about [succession] and said, ‘Fine, you guys have someone else run the business,’” a former Disney executive told Insider regarding Iger’s initial decision to step down and name Chapek to succeed him.

“He greatly regretted it as soon as COVID hit,” the executive added.

While the succession plan called for Chapek to report to both Iger and the Iger-led Disney board, their relationship soured quickly. The two executives reportedly disagreed on several key elements of Disney’s business — including how the company should be structured internally, its handling of political matters and its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dysfunction was so significant that Iger and Chapek had their own advisory teams that occasionally competed, according to the report, which cited Disney sources and people familiar with Iger’s thinking.

Iger quickly chafed at Chapek’s leadership style and reportedly found his successor to be a “novice” in responding to talent management concerns and politics-adjacent disputes — such as the company’s infamous contract dispute with “Black Widow” actress Scarlett Johansson and its clash with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the GOP-backed “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Iger also purportedly viewed Chapek as “arrogant and uninterested in other people’s opinions.”

When Iger stepped down as CEO in February 2020 “effective immediately,” tensions between him and Chapek were already running high. The board had expected Iger to remain as CEO through the end of that year.

Musk Attempting To Block A Quick Twitter Trial

Elon Musk’s lawyers say Twitter Inc. officials are unfairly pushing for a “warp speed” trial over claims the billionaire improperly canceled his proposed $44 billion buyout of the social media company, and asked for the case to be heard next year instead.

Bloomberg reports Musk’s legal team on Friday rebuffed Twitter’s argument the case over the teetering transaction can be wrapped up in a four-day trial starting in September in Delaware Chancery Court, saying it will require “forensic review and analysis of large swaths of data” about Musk’s claims that Twitter’s customer base is riddled with spam and robot accounts.

Musk is requesting a Feb. 13, 2023, trial at the earliest, “an extremely rapid schedule for a case of this enormous magnitude,” he said in a 14-page filing, according to a representative for Musk. The judge will hold a hearing July 19 on whether to put the case on a fast track.

The Twitter buyout agreement specifies that all legal disputes over the deal must be heard in Delaware, corporate home to more than half of US public companies, including Twitter and Musk’s Tesla Inc., and more than 60% of Fortune 500 companies.

Unlike some states, where it can take several years to get a case to trial, Delaware Chancery Court moves quicker. The judges, business law experts, are known for parsing legal thickets of complex merger-and-acquisition disputes fast and thorough. Complex business cases are often argued before a judge within six or seven months of being filed.

Elon Musk

Until now, Musk hadn’t responded in court to Twitter’s allegations that he’s using the bots issue as a pretext to walk away from the $54.20-per-share bid he made for the company in April. The Tesla chief executive backed out of the deal July 8, saying in a regulatory filing that Twitter had made “misleading representations” over the number of spam bots on the service.

In his response to Twitter’s fast-track request, Musk said the platform’s officials delayed in providing information about the spam and robot accounts to gain a “tactical delay” that would buttress their demand for an expedited trial.

“Twitter’s sudden request for warp speed after two months of foot-dragging and obfuscation is its latest tactic to shroud the truth about spam accounts long enough to railroad defendants into closing,” his lawyers said in the filing.

“The core dispute over false and spam accounts is fundamental to Twitter’s value,” according to the filing. “It is also extremely fact and expert intensive, requiring substantial time” for pretrial exchanges of information.

Saudi Security Grabs Arm Of NBC Reporter

Saudi security personnel “grabbed” NBC News White House Correspondent Peter Alexander as he shouted questions about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).

Mediaite reports Biden and MBS each gave brief remarks at the top of their meeting, minutes after the Fist Bump Heard ‘Round the World, after which Alexander began shouting to the leaders about Khashoggi, whose murder is believed to have been ordered by MBS.

In a tweet shortly after the photo op, Alexander reported he was grabbed by security.

“Jamal Khashoggi, will you apologize to his family?” I shouted to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the end of the press pool spray.

MBS had a slight smirk, before a Saudi aide grabbed my arm tightly. pic.twitter.com/htrSAvu2f7

— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) July 15, 2022

Another reporter shouted to Biden, “Is Saudi Arabia still a pariah?”

Cincy Radio: WOFX's Jay Gilbert Retires

Jay Gilbert

Radio personality Jay Gilbert, who has spent most of the past 48 years on Cincinnati's airwaves, told listeners on his 4-8 p.m. show Friday that it's his final day on Classic Rock WOFX 92.5 FM .

The Marconi Award winner, while working at WEBN-FM in 2000, told media watcher John Kiesewetter he's leaving the classic rock station after eight years by mutual agreement. The decision was made after his show Thursday.

“Changes are coming, and I decided it was time to go," he tells me. "I've been doing this for a long time."

His Cumulus bosses let him to do one last show on Friday, unlike when he was fired by WEBN-FM in 2012 after 32 years as afternoon drive host.

Gilbert has been a fixture on Cincinnati radio for nearly five decades. The Philadelphia native came to WEBN-FM as production director and midday host in 1974, and did a four-year stint. He returned to host the Sunday night Get Back show 1983-87, then went full-time as afternoon host from 1987 until he was fired in a nationwide budget cut by Clear Channel, now known as iHeartMedia.

He won the National Association of Broadcasters' prestigious Marconi Award for large-market "personality of the year" in 2000, the same year WEBN-FM was honored as the NAB's "legendary station."

One of the city's most creative minds, Gilbert has been much more than just a DJ in Cincinnati. He's written advertising jingles and songs, and created satirical bits for the Rush Limbaugh and Jerry Springer nationally syndicated radio shows. He did satirical "Uncle Jay Explains The News" commentaries for WCPO-TV until 2015. He's written Cincinnati Magazine's "Dr. Know" monthly local history column since 2014, and added a bi-monthly "Living in Cin" feature in 2017.

In 1985, Gilbert teamed up with advertising guru Jerry Galvin to create the campaign for Plummet Mall, Cincinnati's greatest radio stunt – and one of the best scams in radio history. Their radio-only campaign had the town buzzing about a new underground vertical shopping mall with spiral escalators and moving sidewalks to demonstrate the impact of radio.

"The best value in town is a hole in the ground!" said the advertisements secretly funded by the Greater Cincinnati Radio Broadcasters Association. (Stations' employees didn't know who was behind the mysterious radio spots.)

Hartford Radio: Savannah Joins KISS 95-7 Morning Show

Savannah

WKSS KISS 95-7, All The Hits: Hartford, announced Friday that Savannah will join “Courtney and KISS in the Morning,” effective August 1. “Courtney and KISS in the Morning” broadcasts weekdays from 5 a.m. – 10 a.m.

“KISS in the Morning,” the popular heritage morning show, features longtime host Courtney, who has been on the KISS 95-7 airwaves for over 25 years, alongside Walmart Jeff, who has been on the air for 20 years. Savannah will join the duo, and the show will continue to provide entertainment headlines and segments such as War of the Roses, as well as celebrity news and gossip.

“Savannah is a fantastic addition to the already legendary team that is well-known in the market,” said Steve Honeycomb, Market President for iHeartMedia Connecticut. “She will work great alongside Courtney and Walmart Jeff to continue to provide the best morning entertainment with a fresh perspective”

“I am excited to announce the addition of Savannah to ‘Courtney and KISS In The Morning,’ said Joey Brooks, SVP of Programming for iHeartMedia Connecticut. “Courtney and Walmart Jeff have done an incredible job entertaining the listeners of Connecticut for years and I’m very excited for the future. Not only is this group entertaining, but they are committed to Connecticut and will do amazing things for the listeners and community.”

Savannah joins iHeartMedia Hartford’s KISS 95-7 after starting her own social media management company, Savvy Social Media Management, LLC, in 2021. Prior to that, Savannah worked at iHeartMedia New Haven as an integrated events specialist in 2020. She began her career at iHeartMedia Connecticut in 2019 as a part-time promotions assistant and is a graduate of Quinnipiac University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with a focus on Broadcast and her Masters of Science in Public Relations.

NFL Sunday Ticket 2022 Streaming Plans

For what will be the final year of NFL Sunday Ticket Online from DIRECTV, the streaming version of the out-of-market package is returning without many changes from past years. Streaming NFL Sunday Ticket Online during the 2022 season will still be expensive and there are certain restrictions as to who can sign-up for the NFL Sunday Ticket streaming package.

According to The Streamable, NFLSundayTicket.TV 2022 Pricing:

• To Go: $73.49 per month or $293.96 per season
• Max: $99.99 per month or $395.99 per season
• Student: $120 per season
• Recent Grad: $199.99 per season
• However, if you can get DirecTV satellite, new subscribers can get NFL Sunday Ticket for free.

To stream NFL Sunday Ticket, as in years past, customers will need to live in a dorm or apartment without the ability to install a DirecTV satellite. As of right now, there doesn’t look like there will be an exception for DIRECTV STREAM streamers as there was a few seasons ago. In 2018, DIRECTV NOW (which is now DIRECTV STREAM) subscribers were eligible to subscribe to the package in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Boston, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Hartford, or Louisville.

And unless you’re a student, who can get the service for just $120 a year (which went up $20 last season), the cheapest option is almost $300 ($73.49 per month during the season) — and nearly $400 ($99 per month) if you also want the [NFL Red Zone] and Fantasy Zone channels as well. When you subscribe, you can also add NFL Game Pass for just $49.99 (normally $100), which adds radio broadcasts and replays of every game including 45 minute condensed telecasts. They also provide additional feeds like “All-22” angles and Coaches Film.

R.I.P.: William Hart, Lead Singer of The Delfonics

William “Poogie” Hart, lead singer and songwriter of the Delfonics and one of the driving forces behind the Philadelphia sound that defined the 1960s and ‘70s, died Thursday.

He was 77-years-of-age, reports The Philly Inquirer. Hart died at Temple University Hospital after complications from surgery

Kinged as one of the best falsettos of the time, Mr. Hart’s vocals and lyrics fueled some of the genre’s biggest hits, including “La-La (Means I Love You),” “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),“ and “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love).”

“He was a great leader, he believed in helping people, and he really believed in showing people some good, clean music,” said his son Hadi. “If you’ve ever listened to his music, it was very clean, no dirty lyrics. He took pride in that.”

Hart and his brother, Wilbert, founded the group with Randy Cain at Overbrook High School in the 1960s. They quickly became known for their falsettos and three-part harmonies.

Hart’s “unusual falsetto voice” was a special one to behold, according to Philadelphia International Records cofounder and Sound of Philadelphia architect Kenny Gamble — the pair met 60 years ago while living in West Philadelphia.

“People used to have contests to see who could sing the highest, and Poogie was right there with the best of them,” along with Russell Thompkins Jr. of the Stylistics, said Gamble.

The Delfonics never did record for Philadelphia International. Instead, they were signed to Philly Groove records, along with the Stylistics, who were run by their manager Stan Watson.

Still, the Delfonics collaborated with Gamble and Huff’s songwriting partner Thom Bell, the producer and arranger who provided the feathery sound on hits like “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mine This Time)” and “La-La (Means I Love You),” the latter of which was covered by Prince, among many others.

Radio Personality Jerry Blavat said the Delfonics leaned heavily on romance. The music spoke to young people who called Blavat’s show asking for the perfect song to dedicate to the person they didn’t know how to talk to.

The perfect example is the 1968 hit “La-La (Means I Love You),” penned by Mr. Hart with Bell on production and arrangement. Together the pair defined the group’s silky, sophisticated sound, which transported listeners through the highs and lows of love.

July 16 Radio History

➦In 1934...the NBC Red radio network premiered the musical drama, 'Dreams Come True'. The show concerned the lives of baritone singer Barry McKinley and his novelist sweetheart.

➦In 1981...Harry Forster Chapin died in a traffic accident on the Long Island Expressway after suffering a heart attack (Born -  December 7, 1942).  He was a singer-songwriter, humanitarian, and producer best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs, who achieved worldwide success in the 1970s and became one of the most popular artists and highest paid performers. Chapin is also one of the best charting musical artists in the United States. Chapin, a Grammy Award winning artist and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, has sold over 16 million records worldwide and has been described as one of the most beloved performers in music history.

Chapin recorded a total of 11 albums from 1972 until his death in 1981. All 14 singles that he released became hit singles on at least one national music chart.  Chapin was best known for “Taxi,” a top-20 hit in 1972, and “Cat’s in the Cradle,” which hit number-one in ’74.

As a dedicated humanitarian, Chapin fought to end world hunger; he was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. Chapin is credited with being the most politically and socially active American performer of the 1970s. In 1987, Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work.

➦In 1990..DJ Rick Dees debuted his TV show "Into The Night" on ABC-TV

➦In 1991…Radio announcer Dwight Weist died of a heart attack at age 81.  He announced on radio shows such as Inner Sanctum Mysteries), Mr. District Attorney, The Shadow and March of Time.  He was known as the "Man of 1,000 Voices." He also narrated countless film documentaries from the 1930s through the 1950s.

➦In 2003…Baltimore radio, TV personality Buddy Dean died from the effects of a stoke at age 78.

The Buddy Deane Show aired on WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland from 1957 until 1964. It was similar to Philadelphia's American Bandstand.

Many top acts of the day appeared on The Buddy Deane Show. Acts that appeared on the show first were reportedly barred from appearing on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, but if they had been on Bandstand first they could still be on The Buddy Deane Show. The rivalry with Dick Clark meant that Deane urged all his performers not to mention American Bandstand or visits to Clark in Philadelphia.

Although WJZ-TV, owned by Westinghouse Broadcasting (now CBS), was an ABC affiliate, the station "blacked out" the network broadcast of American Bandstand in Baltimore and broadcast the Deane program instead, reportedly because Bandstand showed black teenagers dancing on the show (although black and white teenagers were not allowed to dance together until the show was moved to California in 1964). The Deane program set aside every other Friday for a show featuring only black teenagers. For the rest of the time, the show's participants were all white.

Phoebe Cates is 59

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Singer William Bell is 83. 
• Actor-singer Ruben Blades (“Fear the Walking Dead”) is 74. 
• Drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police is 70. 
• Actor Faye Grant (“Affairs of State”) is 65. 

• 

  AnnaLynne McCord is 35

  Dancer Michael Flatley (“Lord of the Dance”) is 64. 
• Actor Phoebe Cates is 59. 
• Actor Paul Hipp is 59. 
• Actor Daryl “Chill” Mitchell (“Ed”) is 57. 
• Actor Jonathan Adams (“Last Man Standing”) is 55. 
• Actor Will Ferrell is 55. 
• Actor Rain Pryor (“Head of the Class”) is 53. 
• Actor Corey Feldman is 51. 
• Singer-guitarist Ed Kowalczyk (Live) is 51. 
• Singer Ryan McCombs (Drowning Pool) is 48. 
• Actor Jayma Mays (“The Millers,” ″Glee”) is 43. 
• Actor AnnaLynne McCord (“Nip/Tuck”) is 35. 
• Actor-singer James Maslow (“Big Time Rush”) is 32. 
• Actor Mark Indelicato (“Ugly Betty”) is 28. 
• Singer-guitarist Luke Hemmings of 5 Seconds of Summer is 26.

✞DEATH ANNIVERSARIES

• Folk singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, whose songs included "Cat's in the Cradle," died in a car crash on this day in 1981. He was 38.
• Thirty-eight-year-old John F. Kennedy, Jr., his 33-year-old wife Carolyn Bessette, and his sister-in-law, 34-year-old Lauren Bessette, were killed on this day in 1999 when the small plane Kennedy was piloting crashed in the waters off Martha's Vineyard.
• Former First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, President Abraham Lincoln's widow, died on this day in 1882. She was 63.
• Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who retired in 2010 after 35 years on the nation's highest court, died on this day in 2019. He was 99.

Rush Limbaugh's Southern Command Can Be Yours For $175M

The longtime Palm Beach home of the late conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh is being quietly shopped for sale with an asking price of $150 million to $175 million, according to The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the offering. 

The roughly 2.7-acre waterfront property, located on Palm Beach’s tony North Ocean Boulevard, includes multiple structures, including a large main house built in West Indies style, according to public records and people familiar with the property. The property has roughly 250 feet of ocean frontage and direct access to the beach, records show.

Limbaugh, a talk-radio icon and right-wing media stalwart, died last year at age 70. Records show the property is owned by a trust tied to his widow, Kathryn Adams Limbaugh.

Limbaugh purchased the property for $3.9 million in 1998 through a limited liability company, records show. 

The main house spans roughly 24,000 square feet, according to the 2010 book “An Army of One” by Zev Chafets. 

“Largely decorated by Limbaugh himself, it reflects the things and places he has seen and admired,” Mr. Chafets wrote. The house had a vast salon meant to suggest Versailles, he wrote, and a massive chandelier in the dining room was a replica of the one in New York’s Plaza Hotel. The main guest suite was modeled after the Presidential Suite of the Hotel George V in Paris, while the library was a scaled-down version of the library at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, with wood-paneled walls and cherubs dancing on the ceiling, the book said. It wasn’t clear if the property has been updated since the book was published. 

While the main house is in good condition, real-estate agents said it might be considered a teardown since today’s buyers prefer more contemporary architectural styles. 

If it sells for $150 million or more, the property will be among the most expensive ever sold in Palm Beach, where the luxury real-estate market posted record levels of activity during the pandemic.

New Pressing Plant Cements Nashville As Vinyl City USA

With a new plant opening doors on the city's north side, Nashville could soon be known for a new nickname: Vinyl City U.S.A., according to The Tennessean.

Albums began spinning last month out of Nashville Record Pressing, a $13 million operation from GZ Media, a Czech Republic company with existing North American operations in Toronto and Memphis. The company aims to bring 36 new pressing machines online — a needed capacity addition in an industry fighting to meet rocketing demand. 

When teaming Nashville Record Pressing with a landmark expansion at longstanding plant United Pressing and independent operation Vinyl Lab, it could be argued that no city in U.S. produces more vinyl albums than Nashville. 

Add in a $30 million expansion planned for GZ-owned Memphis Record Pressing and Tennessee could be considered the vinyl capital of North America, said Drake Coker, CEO of Nashville Record Pressing. 

"Our customers asked us to be here," Coker said. "They continued to ask us ... for more and more capacity. And they specifically asked us to locate here, if we could, to get close to them and close to their distribution." 

He later added: "There's going to be a tremendous amount of capacity here." 

The new plant began pressing records on six new machines by late June. Nashville Record Pressing plans to add 12 to 24 machines — depending on international shipping and installation logistics — by the end of the month. 

When the plant hits 36 machines, Nashville Record Pressing should produce about 96,000 albums a day out of the 100,000-square-foot space. 

What does a new plant mean for record collectors? More albums and — hopefully — shorter wait times for a release to hit shelves. 

Last year, U.S. sales reached nearly 42 million units, according to Luminate, a media consumption company formerly known as MRC-Nielsen-SoundScan. Vinyl accounted for more than half of all physical music sales in 2021, growing dramatically from 3.9 million records sold a decade ago. 

Music Consumption: Catalog Titles Still Growing

Catalog titles — releases more than 18 months old — made up a bigger share of U.S. music consumption in the first half of 2022 by capturing 72.4% of album equivalent units, up from 69.4% during the first half of 2021, according to Billlboard citing a report from Luminate. Current releases’ share of consumption fell from 30.6% to 27.6%.

Americans consumed less current music than a year ago, with album equivalent units of current music falling 1.4% to 131.9 million in the first half of the year. Although sales of current albums increased 5.8% to 17 million units, Americans consumed less current music across all digital formats: on-demand audio streams fell 2.6%, video streams sank 10.4%, digital album sales dropped 15.7% and digital track sales plummeted 26.0%.

Luminate measures music consumption in album equivalent units by converting digital track purchases, on-demand audio and video streams and programmed audio and video streams into equivalent album units. For example, 10 digital track purchases equal one album equivalent unit and 1,250 on-demand audio streams on a premium subscription service equal one album equivalent unit.

Catalog music tallied a record 17.7 billion on-demand audio and video streams in the first half of 2022, up 18.2% from the prior-year period. Despite a 15.7% decline in catalog album sales, overall catalog consumption measured in album equivalent units jumped 14.0% to 344.1 million.

Not Your Father's Catalog Music

Many executives think streaming is giving songs more longevity. Whether a track first finds an audience on Spotify, YouTube or TikTok, “if something breaks, then the long tail is pretty dramatic,” Sony Music chairman Rob Stringer said during a May 25 investor presentation. The data backs this up: 698 of the top 1,000 tracks of the first half of 2022 were older than 18 months (as of June 30), up from 641 in the same period in 2021. That influx of catalog songs raised the average age of the top 1,000 tracks from 2,969 days to 3,086 days. This effect was more pronounced at the top of the charts: the average age of the top 100 tracks went up by more than a year, from 591 days to 1,070 days.

New music still broke through, of course. In the first half of both 2021 and 2022, roughly the same number of tracks in the top 1,000 came out within the previous six months (197 in the first half of 2022 and 193 in the first half of 2021). Numerous tracks in the top 10 were released in the past few months: Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” the No. 2 track of the first half of 2022, was released on March 30. Jack Harlow’s “First Class,” released April 4, ranked No. 5. Future’s “Wait For U,” released April 27, ranked No. 8.

But the top 1,000 got more catalog-heavy this year: only 302 of the top 1,000 in the first half of 2022 were less than 18 months old, down from 359 in the same period in 2021. Overall, the songs that accounted for a third of all catalog streams were released between 2017 and 2019, according to Luminate.

Vinyl Records Sales Climb Just One Percent

US sales of vinyl LP records rose just 1% in the first half of 2022, suggesting a cooling after years of dramatic growth and a spike during the pandemic, according to Bloomberg.

About 19.4 million vinyl LP records were sold in the six months that ended June 30, up from 19.2 million in the year-earlier period, according to Luminate Data. That follows a more than 51% surge in annual sales in 2021.

The resurgence of records has led big-box retailers like Target Corp. and Walmart Inc. to double their share of vinyl album sales, according to Luminate. Other stores, such as Amoeba Music, have redone their floor plans to focus on vinyl.

Demand for older, “catalog” vinyl albums has fallen while current music less than 18 months old remains a growing market for vinyl fans. The most popular vinyl album in the first half of 2022 was “Harry’s House,” from British singer-songwriter Harry Styles. The album broke the modern-era record for most vinyl album sales in a single week, according to Luminate.

TV, Steaming Deals Expected To Boost Women’s Sports

In the early days of the National Women’s Soccer League, the games were streamed almost entirely on You-Tube. They usually drew just a few thousand viewers at a time. And they were largely available for free.

Ten years later, it’s safe to say the situation has changed. The NWSL has secured seven-figure broadcasting deals with CBS and Amazon-owned streaming platform Twitch. Ratings are trending upward, and there’s a belief that revenue from the next deal, or deals, could be substantially larger.

“I think maybe it won’t surprise you to know that we expect significant growth,” commissioner Jessica Berman told USA TODAY Sports.

And in the world of women’s sports, the NWSL is hardly alone.

As fan and sponsor interest in women’s sports continue to grow, and the media landscape continues to shift, several leagues are also nearing the end of their current broadcasting deals. It’s a metaphorical perfect storm, a combination of market and societal factors that could lead to a TV revenue boon in the next several years.

“I think 50 years post-Title IX, we’re effectively at a convergence moment,” said Ellen Staurowsky, a professor of sports media at Ithaca College’s Park School of Communications.

“I think the sport industry understands that they’re leaving money on the table by leaving women out. We then have pushing from the other side, in terms of consumers ... knocking on the door saying, ‘Where the heck are the women?’ “ In a 2020 report, Deloitte spotlighted women’s sports as “ripe for greater monetization,” predicting that it will become a $1 billion industry in the coming years. And rights fees from TV deals are expected to be one of the main engines behind such growth.

The NWSL will be the first major entity in women’s sports to get a crack at negotiating a new contract, as its threeyear deal with CBS is set to expire next year. Berman said the league has already had preliminary conversations with the network about a renewal, but she did not offer further details about the nature or status of those talks.

The NCAA’s championships package, which includes TV rights for the women’s March Madness, is then set to expire the following year, in August 2024. And the WNBA’s current deal with ESPN runs through 2025.

As part of a wide-ranging review, sports rights consultants from Desser Media, Inc. analyzed the NCAA’s current sponsorship and rights deals — including a deal with ESPN that bundles broadcasting rights for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament with those for championships in 28 other sports.

The NCAA currently receives $34 million per year in the deal, according to the report. But Desser Media estimated that women’s March Madness, on its own, will be worth roughly three times that amount starting in 2025 — pegging its value at roughly $100 million per year.

“Our view at the time was that there’s a whole lot of untapped value here,” said Ed Desser, the sports media industry veteran whose team conducted the analysis.

The explanation is simple: The NCAA first negotiated its deal with ESPN in 2001, then re-upped it in 2011. As the deal has remained stagnant, streaming services have brought competition to the marketplace. Ratings have gone up. And there’s evidence that stronger investment in women’s sports could drive them even higher.

Gen Z Is Using TikTok, Instagram For Search Instead of Google

TikTok is coming for more than just its social media competitors. 

Nearly 40% of Gen Z prefers searching on TikTok and Instagram over Google Search and Maps, according to Business Insider citing Google's internal data first reported by TechCrunch. 

TikTok, which is the fastest-growing social media app, has exploded in popularity over the past few years — so much so that it inspired social media competitors Instagram and Snapchat to roll out copycat video features in Reels and Spotlight. 

Now, a Google executive has confirmed that TikTok's format is changing the way young people conduct internet searches, and Google is working to keep up. 

Google senior vice president Prabhakar Raghavan told the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference that according to Google's internal studies, "something like almost 40% of young people when they're looking for a place for lunch, they don't go to Google Maps or Search, they go to TikTok or Instagram."

Google confirmed this statistic to Insider, saying, "we face robust competition from an array of sources, including general and specialized search engines, as well as dedicated apps." 

Google highlighted changes it plans to make to its search engine to appeal to a younger audience, including the ability for a user to pan their camera over an area and "instantly glean insights about multiple objects in a wider scene." 

Insider has previously reported about the threat TikTok poses to YouTube, which is also owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet. Insider Intelligence predicts TikTok's advertising revenue will overtake YouTube by 2024. 

Wake-Up Call: Biden Commits To 'No Nukes" For Iran

President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a joint declaration Thursday committing to never allowing Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, and affirming that the U.S., quote, "is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome." Biden, who is in Israel as part of his Mideast trip, and Lapid then held a joint press conference, at which Lapid urged Biden to threaten military force to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He said, "Words will not stop them, Mr. President. Diplomacy will not stop them. The only thing that will stop Iran is knowing that if they continue to develop their nuclear program, the free world will use force. The only way to stop them is to put a credible military threat on the table."

The U.S. and Israel have signed the "Jerusalem Declaration" vowing to work together to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But as CBS News' @edokeefe reports, there is "vagueness" about the agreement that concerns some Israelis moving forward. pic.twitter.com/ClHjr2FJE0

— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 14, 2022

The Biden administration has been trying to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that then-President Donald Trump walked the U.S. away from in 2018, but talks have stalled. Biden said yesterday, "[Iranian officials] have an opportunity to accept this agreement that’s been laid down. If they don’t, we’ve made it absolutely clear: We will not -- let me say it again -- we will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon." Biden will meet with Palestinian officials in the West Bank today, and then travel to Saudi Arabia.

US President Joe Biden forgot himself again and said out loud that he has a list of journalists whose questions he would like to answer.

💬 - pic.twitter.com/SIOqPFIQZ2

— Spriteer (@spriteer_774400) July 14, 2022

 
➤AT LEAST 23 KILLED IN RUSSIAN MISSILE STRIKES IN CENTRAL UKRAINIAN CITY: At least 23 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in Russian missile strikes Thursday on the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia. Officials said four missiles were fired from a ship in Black Sea, and that Ukrainian air defenses downded two of them. Damaged by the strikes were residential buildings, stores, offices and a medical clinic. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians in locations that don't have military value, and repeated his call for Russia to be declared a state sponsor of terrorism. A member of Russia's permanent U.N. mission claimed the strike targeted an officers' residence.

➤BUFFALO SUPERMARKET REOPENING TWO MONTHS AFTER MASS SHOOTING: The Buffalo, New York, supermarket where 10 Black people were killed by a white gunman in a race-driven mass shooting is re-opening today, two months after the May 14th attack. Ahead of the return of customers today, the victims were remembered yesterday in a ceremony at the shooting site. The names of the 10 people killed were read aloud outside the Tops supermarket, and a bell was rung after each name. Employees, neighbors and elected officials also toured the redesigned store. Near the entrance, there were mirrors reflecting cascading water on both sides of a poem by Buffalo’s poet laureate, Jillian Hanesworth, which begins: "Let the hopeful healing waters flow." The supermarket is the only one in the area. The 19-year-old accused shooter was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday, including on federal hate crime charges that could bring the death penalty. Peyton Gendron has pleaded not guilty in both the state and federal cases.

Manchin says he won't support climate, tax provisions in sweeping Democratic bill https://t.co/9pFSVtpdOl

— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 15, 2022

➤TEXAS SUES U.S. OVER RULES SAYING ABORTIONS MUST BE PROVIDED IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: Three days after the Department of Health and Human Services told doctors and hospitals that they're still required by federal rules to provide abortions in emergency situations if a pregnant woman's life is at risk, even if states have instituted near-total abortion bans in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Texas has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal rules. The Texas lawsuit claims the administration, quote, "seeks to transform every emergency room in the country into a walk-in abortion clinic." The HHS said in its guidance that emergency conditions under which the federal rules would apply include "ectopic pregnancy, complications of pregnancy loss, or emergent hypertensive disorders, such as preeclampsia with severe features."

U.S. Secret Service erased text messages from both Jan. 6 and the day before the attack on the Capitol after the DHS internal watchdog requested records of electronic communications tied to the insurrection. https://t.co/ouus7c6WtJ

— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 15, 2022

✞IVANA TRUMP DIES AT 73: Ivana Trump, businesswoman, fashion designer, and first wife to former President Donald J. Trump, passed away on Thursday at the age of 73.

According to New York City officials, police responded to a 911 call at Trump’s Upper East Side home at approximately 12:40pm. Ivana was found alone and unresponsive and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Former President Trump announced the news on his social media site Truth Social, writing that she was a "wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great inspirational life." He and Ivana were married from 1977 to 1992, and together they had three children—Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, and Eric.

"Her pride and joy were her three children. She was so proud of them, as we were all so proud of her. Rest in Peace, Ivana!" the former president wrote. Eric shared old family photos to Instagram shortly after his father announced the news, calling Ivana “an incredible woman — a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend.”

How President Biden's brother peddled influence using the Biden family name in the Middle East: GOP lawmaker https://t.co/bAU4cdeprM

— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 15, 2022

➤ALEX RODRIGUEZ COMMENTS ON RELATIONSHIP WITH JENNIFER LOPEZ: On Wednesday’s episode of The Martha Stewart Podcast, Alex Rodriguez shared how he felt about his ex-fiancé Jennifer Lopez, a little more than a year after their breakup. The baseball player said he has “no regrets” about his relationship with Lopez and that they had a “great time.” Rodriguez added, “Here’s what I will tell you about Jennifer, and I was telling some of my colleagues here the other day, she’s the most talented human being I’ve ever been around.”

🎥‘TOP GUN: MAVERICK’ BECOMES PARAMOUNT’S HIGHEST-GROSSING MOVIE: People reports that Top Gun: Maverick has surpassed Titanic to become Paramount’s highest-grossing film at the domestic box office. The movie has pulled in $601.9 million so far, beating out Titanic at $600.8 million.

🏌U.S. ROOKIE CAMERON YOUNG LEADS AT BRITISH OPEN AFTER FIRST ROUND: American rookie Cameron Young is leading at the British Open after the first round at St. Andrews in Scotland Thursday, with a 8-under 64 for a two-shot lead over Rory McIlroy. But it wasn't a good opening round at the 150th British Open for Tiger Woods in what could be his last competitive appearance at St. Andrews. He had a 6-over 78, his second-worst score in his Open career.

🏀SUNS MATCH PACERS $133 MILLION OFFER TO KEEP AYTON: The Phoenix Suns matched the Indiana Pacers $133 million, four-year offer to Deandre Ayton yesterday to keep the center, according to media reports. Ayton, who was the Number 1 pick in the 2018 draft, was eligible to get an extension from Phoenix last summer. He didn't get one, and became a restricted free agent this summer, which meant the Suns had the chance to match any offers, which they quickly did after the Pacers' offer.

🏀CHARACTER WITNESSES SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF GRINER IN RUSSIAN TRIAL: Character witnesses spoke in support of Brittney Griner Thursday as the WNBA's star drug possession trial resumed in Russia. Testifying were the head of the Russian basketball club she plays for in the offseason and a teammate from the club, who spoke in support of her character and what Griner has meant for women's basketball in Russia. Griner has been detained in Russia since February.

🏀ACES SCORE WNBA RECORD 71 POINTS IN FIRST HALF OF 108-74 WIN OVER LIBERTY: The Las Vegas Aces scored 71 points in the first half of their 108-74 win over the New York Liberty last night, setting a new WNBA record. The previous record for points in the first half of a game had been 69, scored by the Phoenix Mercury in 2010. Just two days earlier, the Liberty scored 73 points in the second half of a 107-101 loss to the Aces, which set a new WNBA record for any half. It had previously been 72 points scored by the Detroit Shock in the second half of a 2007 game.

A'ja Wilson scored 20 of her 25 points in a record-breaking first half to help the Las Vegas Aces rout the New York Liberty 108-74 on Thursdayhttps://t.co/GQ9ZxruxO3

— CBC Sports (@cbcsports) July 14, 2022

 
⚽U.S. WOMEN ADVANCE TO FINALS OF CONCACAF W SOCCER TOURNAMENT: The U.S. women's soccer team beat Costa Rica 3-0 last night in their CONCACAF W semifinal in Mexico to advance to the final match. The U.S. will play Canada in the final after the Canadians beat Jamaica 3-0 in the other semifinal. For finishing among the top four teams in the group stage, the U.S. qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The winner of the W Championship additionally earns one of the region’s spots in the Olympics.

➤JIM THORPE REINSTATED AS SOLE WINNER OF 1912 OLYMPIC DECATHLON, PENTATHLON: The International Olympic Committee yesterday reinstated American Jim Thorpe as the sole winner of the 1912 Stockholm Olympics' decathlon and pentathlon. Thorpe, who was voted the greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century by the Associated Press, was stripped of his 1912 gold medals in 1913 for violating the amateur rules because he'd been paid to play minor league baseball in 1909 and 1910. After years of lobbying over the controversial decision, the IOC Executive Committee reinstated Thorpe in 1982, but named him the co-champion with the second place finishers in both events. Yesterday, he was restored as the sole champion. Thorpe, who was a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, was the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal. He died in 1953 at age 65.

Members of Congress, family and friends honored World War Two veteran Hershel Woodrow ‘Woody’ Williams, who lay in honor at the U.S. Capitol. He was the last surviving World War Two Medal of Honor recipient pic.twitter.com/JuD8Y6CaHH

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 15, 2022

➤LAST WORLD WAR TWO MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT LIES IN HONOR AT U.S. CAPITOL: Hershel W. "Woody" Williams, the last remaining World War Two Medal of Honor recipient, who died last month at age 98, was honored by laying in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda yesterday (July 14th). Williams was only the sixth private citizen to receive the honor, after civil rights icon Rosa Parks, the Reverend Billy Graham, and four Capitol police officers. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said Williams wanted the ceremony as a way to recognize every Medal of Honor recipient from World War Two.

NAB: SiriusXM Is Siriusly Wrong About Radio

The NAB President has penned a blog posting call out SirciusXM for its recent eMail bashing of AM and FM Radio.

Curtis LeGeyt calls radio the most-listened-to audio platform writing broadcast radio is no stranger to our competitors’ envy of the popularity and connection we enjoy with Americans. That’s why SiriusXM’s new marketing campaign taking direct aim at local radio should come as no surprise.

Curtis LeGeyt

In his posting LeGeyt writes SiriusXM attempts to woo new subscribers by disparaging the unique free service broadcast radio provides to tens of millions of Americans in communities across the country. Instead of turning a blind eye to SiriusXM’s disingenuous efforts, this is an opportunity for radio to continue spotlighting the incredible role we play in keeping listeners entertained, informed and engaged.

"Broadcast radio continues to be the leading platform for people to tune in to hear hit music, their favorite DJs, the latest songs by today’s hottest musicians and new tracks from emerging artists. Yet, what truly sets us apart is the connection we provide listeners to their neighbors and communities. No other audio platform is locally based in the cities and towns we serve. Broadcast radio is the voice of local communities, providing news, information and programming that meet local needs and interests.

"There is no better demonstration of the importance of radio’s localism than when disaster strikes. During times of emergency, Americans are not told to turn to SiriusXM for lifeline information. They are not going to get emergency alerts, hear up-to-the-minute reporting or find out where to get help on Pandora or Spotify. No other audio medium can replicate our service when lives are in danger.

"Broadcast radio also provides an engine for economic activity. When local businesses want to get the word out about their goods and services, local radio stations provide an affordable way for them to advertise and reach the consumers who live in their area."