April 2 Radio History

➦In 1872…Samuel Finley Breese Morse died at age 80. (Born April 27, 1791).  Morse was an American painter and inventor. After having established his reputation as a portrait painter, in his middle age Morse contributed to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs. 

He was a co-developer of the Morse code and helped to develop the commercial use of telegraphy.

Gertrude Warner

➦In 1917...Gertrude "Trudy" Warner born (Died from cancer at age 69 – January 26, 1986). She was a voice talent who played multiple characters on radio productions during the Golden Age of Radio.

Warner's first starring role on radio came when she was 23, playing Rebecca Lane in Beyond These Valleys on CBS.  Her successful radio career continued for 28 years and well over 4,000 performances. She was considered one of the queens of daytime radio, appearing in dozens of daytime serials. Among her accomplishments was being the female lead on the dramatic anthology Brownstone Theater on Mutual.

Jack Webb

➦In 1920...John Randolph Webb born in Santa Monia (Died from an apprent heart attack at age 62 – December 23, 1982).  Best known as Jack Webb, he is most famous for his role as Sgt. Joe Friday in the Dragnet franchise (which he created). He was the founder of his own production company, Mark VII Limited.

Following his military discharge after WW2, Webb moved to San Francisco, where a wartime shortage of announcers led to a temporary appointment to his own radio show on KGO Radio. The Jack Webb Show was a half-hour comedy that had a limited run on ABC radio in 1946. Prior to that, he had a one-man program, One Out of Seven, on KGO in which he dramatized a news story from the previous week.

By 1949, he had abandoned comedy for drama, and starred in Pat Novak, for Hire, a radio show originating from KFRC about a man who worked as an unlicensed private detective. The program co-starred Raymond Burr. Pat Novak was notable for writing that imitated the hard-boiled style of such writers as Raymond Chandler, with lines such as: "She drifted into the room like 98 pounds of warm smoke. Her voice was hot and sticky--like a furnace full of marshmallows."

Webb's radio shows included Johnny Madero, Pier 23, Jeff Regan, Investigator, Murder and Mr. Malone, Pete Kelly's Blues, and One Out of Seven. Webb provided all of the voices on One Out of Seven, often vigorously attacking racial prejudice.

With much assistance from Sgt. Marty Wynn and legendary LAPD chief William H. Parker, Dragnet premiered on NBC Radio in 1949 and ran till 1957. It was also picked up as a television series by NBC, which aired episodes each season from 1952 to 1959. Webb played Sgt. Joe Friday and Barton Yarborough co-starred as Sgt. Ben Romero. After Yarborough's death, Ben Alexander joined the cast.

➦In 1947...The Big Story debuted on NBC Radio.  The show was a crime drama which dramatized the true stories of real-life newspaper reporters. The only continuing character was the narrator, Bob Sloane.  Its final radio broadcast aired March 23, 1955.

The radio series was top rated, rivaling Bing Crosby's Philco Radio Time.  Each week the program recognized the reporter who wrote the story on which that episode was based and the newspaper in which the story appeared. The reporter received $500, was interviewed on the air and was acknowledged in the introduction, as in this example:

"Pall Mall, famous big cigarette, presents The Big Story, another in a thrilling series based on true experiences of newspaper reporters. Tonight, to Russ Wilson of the Des Moines Tribune goes the Pall Mall award for The Big Story. Now, the authentic and exciting story of "The Case of the Ambitious Hobo."

The radio series was adapted for television where it debuted on NBC on September 16, 1949. The series continued to air on NBC until June 28, 1957, after which it appeared in syndication until 1958. The half-hour program was hosted by Robert Sloane, Norman Rose, Ben Grauer, and, finally, Burgess Meredith.

➦In 1964...As popular music’s most resounding commercial success, The Beatles have sold more than 2.3+ billion albums, while earning six diamond, 24 multi-platinum, 39 platinum and 45 gold albums in the United States alone. It is a remarkable sales record, by any measure, although their most historic, chart-making moment is easily the first week of April 1964, when the band held the top five positions on the vaunted Billboard charts, writes Kenneth Womack at Penn State University.

As the April 4, 1964, issue of Billboard magazine demonstrates, The Beatles were simply dominating the American music scene. And during that unforgettable week, their music occupied the top five chart positions — the only time in pop-music history that a single act has accomplished such a feat. With “Can’t Buy Me Love” holding down the top slot, “Twist and Shout” was second and “She Loves You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Please Please Me” rounded out the top five.

Even more incredibly, the Beatles held seven additional positions on Billboard’s Hot 100, including “I Saw Her Standing There” at No. 31, “From Me to You” at No. 41, “Do You Want to Know a Secret?” at No. 46, “All My Loving” at No. 58, “You Can’t Do That” at No. 65, “Roll Over Beethoven” at No. 68 and “Thank You Girl” at No. 79. As if to underscore the awe-inspiring power of Beatlemania during that fabled period, two Beatles tribute acts clocked hits that very same week, including the Carefrees’ “We Love You Beatles” at No. 42 and the Four Preps’ “A Letter to the Beatles” at No. 85. For April 11, 1964, issue of Billboard, the Beatles added two more hits to the Hot 100, including “There’s a Place” at No. 74 and “Love Me Do” at No. 81, giving them a total of 14 hits songs on the Billboard charts at the very same time.

➦In 1973...the CBS Radio Network started airing its top of the hour newscast 24-hours-a-day.

During the 1970s and into the mid-1980s, the CBS Radio owned-and-operated news stations had a superior style and sound: tight and cohesive production, lively presenters, excellent engineering and outstanding "audio logos" from a company called Identitones. This compilation contains a few stagers and sounders from the heyday of the CBS Radio local news format.

In partnership with CBS Laboratories, CBS Radio developed a unique system to advise affiliates of news bulletins. When activated from network headquarters, CBS NetAlert transmitted coded information over the network lines to each station to communicate anything from the start of a special feed to a national emergency. The system had the capability to override local programming for a special report from CBS News. A NetAlert receiver is seen toward the end of this video.

➦In 2017…Warren "Rhubarb" Jones died from a heart attack at age 65 (Born - August 9, 1951).  He was a DJ at Country WYAY Eagle 106.7 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the longest running morning radio personality in the Atlanta radio market, having been at the 106.7 spot on the FM dial from January 1985 to February 29, 2008.

D/FW Radio: Hal Jay Returns Monday Morning To WBAP

Hal Jay, a Texas Radio Hall of Fame personality who has been with WBAP 820 AM for 42 years, will be back on the air starting Monday morning, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Jay, 69, has been off the air since Jan. 10 when he collapsed at home from an irregular heart rhythm or ventricular tachycardia. He suffered another incident at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas on Jan. 24 and was put on a heart transplant list.

Hal stayed in the intensive care unit, expecting a long wait for a heart. Within 10 days, he said, he got the call. Early Feb. 3, Jay underwent heart transplant surgery. Nine days later, he was back at home, recovering. On Saturday, he drove for the first time since October.

“It’s amazing what doctors can do. It’s amazing what God can do,” Jay said Thursday. “I’m doing a lot of my own and taking a lot of pressure off my wife, Ann [Harbuck], who has been my caregiver.”

Jay while awaiting a new heart

Bruce Collins, WBAP program director, confirmed that the broadcaster will return on Morning News with Hal Jay and Ernie Brown remotely, from home. The four-hour show starts at 5 a.m.

What’s the first thing he’ll tell his listeners Monday?

“It’s going to be: ‘As I was saying ...’ It’s an old joke. I think it was a David Letterman line,” Jay said.

Jay was preparing to record an American Heart Association public-service announcement on Thursday. He said the message will be heartfelt.“I know that exercise and just walking is amazing,” he said. “The day after I had the transplant, I had two or three nurses with me in rehab and there were all kinds of monitors, and you could see what walking can do for the heart — even if it’s 20 to 30 minutes. It doesn’t have to be five miles.”

Jay, a Fort Worth native, started his broadcast career as a teenager in Liberal, Kan. He worked at Fort Worth and Memphis stations before joining WBAP in 1981. His laugh has been called “the most recognizable laugh in the Metroplex,” according to his bio.

On Monday, listeners should hear that laugh again.

News Organizations Call for Release of WSJ Reporter

Detained by Russian Authorities

More than three dozen top editors of news organizations around the world signed a letter to the Russian ambassador to the U.S. condemning the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and calling for his immediate release.

The editors said in the letter to the ambassador, Anatoly Antonov, that they were deeply concerned about Gershkovich’s detention.

“Gershkovich’s unwarranted and unjust arrest is a significant escalation in your government’s anti-press actions,” the letter said. “Russia is sending the message that journalism within your borders is criminalized and that foreign correspondents seeking to report from Russia do not enjoy the benefits of the rule of law.”

The letter was signed by 38 editors, representing news organizations and journalism groups including The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the BBC, the Washington Post, and the Committee to Protect Journalists. CPJ said Friday it coordinated for the letter to be put together.

Gershkovich, a 31-year-old Journal reporter accredited to work in Russia, was arrested on Wednesday for alleged espionage while on a reporting trip to the provincial city of Yekaterinburg, around 800 miles east of Moscow. His arrest was widely condemned by the Biden administration, press-freedom groups and news organizations including the Journal.

The letter called for the Kremlin to give Gershkovich immediate access to a lawyer provided by the Journal and to give confirmation of his well-being. The signees also said he should be allowed to communicate with his family

“Gershkovich is a journalist, not a spy, and should be released immediately and without conditions,” the letter said. “We look forward to your response as we continue to vigilantly follow every step of the proceedings against Evan Gershkovich and call for his immediate release.”

Fox News Defamation Case Will Go To Trial

A Delaware judge ruled Friday that a jury should decide the fate of a defamation case against Fox News for airing unsupported claims that a voting-machine company was involved in election fraud during the 2020 presidential election. 

The Wall Street Journal reports Superior Court Judge Eric Davis rejected Fox News’s arguments that it should be declared the victor before trial because its conduct was protected by the First Amendment. The judge said the plaintiff, Dominion Voting Systems, had established that the network in fact aired false statements that the company helped rig the election for Joe Biden.  

Trial Scheduled for April 17

“The evidence developed in this civil proceeding demonstrates that [it] is CRYSTAL clear that none of the statements relating to Dominion about the 2020 election are true,” Judge Davis wrote.

The judge said Dominion would need to prove to a jury that Fox News knew it was airing false statements or acted with reckless disregard for the truth, and that the company suffered damages as a result.

Dominion’s lawsuit, which seeks $1.6 billion in damages, centers around broadcasts aired on Fox News and Fox Business in which associates of former President Donald Trump falsely alleged that Dominion was involved in a scheme to steal the election. Dominion argues that Fox had a financial incentive to air the claims, in a bid to retain viewers, an allegation that Fox denies.

Portland OR Radio: Jayn Adds KRNK To Her Daily Plate

Audacy announced Jayn as midday host on KNRK 94/7 Alternative  in Portland. Jayn will be heard weekdays from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. PT beginning April 3. Jayn currently serves as afternoon host and Music Supervisor for Alice @ 97.3 (KLLC-FM) and Music Supervisor of 105.3 Dave FM (KITS-FM) in San Francisco and will continue in those positions.

“What a thrill it is to have one of America's top air talents rejoin the 94/7 team,” said Mark Hamilton, Brand Manager, 94/7 Alternative Portland. “Jayn was part of the original lineup from 1995 to 2003. Her passion for alternative music, Portland and radio puts the icing on the 94/7 cake. Welcome back Jayn!”

Jayn

“To be coming back to the incredible Portland team is beyond surreal, and I am beyond thrilled,” said Jayn. “Endless thanks and gratitude to Mark Hamilton, Kim Martinez, Stacey Kauffman, Jeff Sottolano, and Michael Martin.”

Jayn began her radio career writing news for radio as a summer intern in the gallery of the House of Representatives. Once back in Reno where she went to college, she worked at several stations before joining KRZQ, where she began at nights and later moved to mornings. She moved on to mornings at KEDJ in Phoenix, and from there headed north to sister station 94/7 Alternative Portland (KNRK-FM) where she spent eight years in middays and as Assistant Program Director and Music Director. She joined Alice @ 97.3 in San Francisco in 2004 and hosted middays from 2006 until 2014, when she then took over afternoons. In January 2020, she was named Music Supervisor of Alt 105.3 (KITS-FM), and she rejoined that team in October of 2021 as Music Supervisor of the rebranded 105.3 Dave FM.

📻Listeners can tune in to 94/7 Alternative Portland (KNRK-FM) in Portland on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Atlanta Radio: Will Pendarvis Returns to 99X

Cumulus Media announces that Atlanta Alternative Rock radio personality Will Pendarvis will return to the legendary 99X (WNNX-FM) as On-Air Host, Afternoon Drive, and Assistant Program Director, beginning Monday, April 17, 2023. Pendarvis, a cult favorite with Atlanta radio listeners, is one of the original members of the 99X on-air team that helped define Alternative Rock and a generation, launching 99X in 1992 with Sean Demery and Leslie Fram.

Will Pendarvis

Pendarvis can be heard weekdays from 3:00pm-7:00pm ET on 99X, which re-launched to an appreciative audience of 99X fans in December and last month, welcomed the return of original 99X morning hosts, Leslie Fram and Steve Barnes to Mornings on 99X. Pendarvis’ Afternoon Drive program will air all-new content as well as classic segments from the legacy show. The show can also be streamed on https://99xatl.com/ or via the 99X app.

Brian Philips, Chief Content Officer, Cumulus Media, said: “Will’s arrival is yet another landmark moment for the re-born 99X. Will personifies the 99X vibe, always has— he’s a soulful, one-in-a-million bundle of surreal contradictions. He is cosmically imaginative, lightning-fast with deadpan, self-deprecating humor, and of course, he’s a master class professor in all things Rock. We’ve still got a few rabbits to pull from the Original 99X hat, but securing Will’s return is as epic as anything the new station has done.”

Pendarvis commented: “Everybody knows however awesome it is to travel, nothing beats the feeling of finally getting home. In a huge sense, that is exactly what I'm doing. Going back to the people and the place that is 'home' for me... and I could NOT be more excited about coming home to 99X! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – happening AGAIN!"

Cedar Rapids Radio: CHR KZIA launches 'Girls In The Afternoon' Show

CHR Z102.9 (KZIA-FM) has announced the launch of the “Those Girls in the Afternoon” show, pairing station veterans Destiny and Taylor. Those Girls in the Afternoon is not only one of the Corridor’s first two-person afternoon radio shows, but it’s also the first show anchored by two women in any daypart. 

The show will air weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. on KZIA- FM (102.9), kzia.com and on smart speakers and smartphones via the free Z102.9 app.

Those Girls in the Afternoon is an on-air reinvention of Destiny and Taylor’s popular “Girl, Can We Chat Quick?” podcast, which they’ve been hosting since 2021. Those Girls pairs two music-loving, coffee-addicted, reality show-bingeing friends not afraid to share with the world their adventures in learning to adult.

Taylor, a University of Iowa graduate who has been hosting afternoons on Z102.9 since 2021, is joined by Destiny, a Kirkwood Community College graduate who previously hosted nights. To celebrate their first show, Those Girls in the Afternoon will be giving away four-packs of tickets to The Kid LAROI’s April 8 concert at Coralville’s Xtream Arena every half hour.

When introduced to the idea, Destiny, Those Girls in the Afternoon co-host, said, “So, you’re saying I get paid to spend four hours every day with my best friend and my favorite listeners? Is this an April Fool’s Day prank?”

Taylor, Those Girls in the Afternoon co-host, responded, “We can’t both be paranoid, so I’ll just be excited. When I started on the Z102.9 Street Team, I never expected to be on the air, let alone getting to host a show every day with a friend. This is great!”

“I’m not paranoid, I just know the world likes messing with me,” Destiny said.

Destiny and Taylor

Those Girls in the Afternoon will carry on the tradition of broadcasting greatness from KZIA’s 25 years on the air. “Z102.9 has always had a building full of funny and talented people, like Clare and Eric on The Morning Scramble, winners of the Iowa Broadcasters of the Year Award in 2022; Lady J and now this show,” KZIA President and CEO Julie Hein said. “We’re proud to see how many of our staffers started at Z102.9 while in college, working under our tent at the Farmers Markets, then work their way up to prime time airstaff!”

The co-hosts’ chemistry made them an obvious choice, said Z102.9 Program Director Brian Davis. “My goal for our new afternoon show was to find hosts who are fresh, funny and relevant,” he said. “Destiny and Taylor’s podcast is consistently hilarious, and they have incredible natural chemistry, so putting them together was a no- brainer. It wasn’t our intention to create one of the few two-woman teams in the industry, but Z102.9 has always been a trailblazer, and I’m proud we’re continuing that tradition.”

CMT Awards Air This Weekend

The CMT Music Awards hit the road this year, swapping former homebase Nashville for a night in Austin, Texas.

The fan-voted show makes a Texas-sized debut inside Austin's Moody Center this weekend with performances from Carly Pearce, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker with the Black Crowes, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson and more.

During the ceremony, artists compete for Video of the Year, CMT Performance of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year and more. Country hitmakers Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown return to co-host the show.

How to watch: The show kicks off Sunday at 7 p.m. on CBS. In Nashville, audiences can tune-in live via NewsChannel 5. The program plans to run until 10 p.m.

How to stream: Those looking to catch the show online can livestream the CMT Music Awards via Paramount+. After the show wraps, viewers can re-watch on-demand via the streaming platform.

Trump Campaign Raises $4M Off Indictment News

Reporter in NYC Friday

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign says it raised more than $4 million in the 24 hours after reports that the former president had been indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan on charges related to a hush-money payment, according to Bloomberg.

News of the indictment came Thursday — the day before the end of a quarterly reporting period for campaign contributions, when federal candidates often escalate their fundraising efforts to demonstrate the strength of their support.

“This is the battle I willingly signed up for when I decided to take on the entire Washington Machine as a political outsider 8 years ago, and be YOUR voice,” Trump said in a Friday fundraising email, which dubiously promised that donations would have “1,500% impact.”

Trump is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday on the charges. His fundraising appeal, quoting a New York Times article reveled in the details of his arraignment: “He will be fingerprinted. He will be photographed. He may even be handcuffed.”

The Trump campaign said contributions came from all 50 states within five hours of the indictment news, and 25% of the donations came from first-time donors.

Those numbers can’t be confirmed until the campaign files its first quarter report by April 15. The campaign had less than $4 million to start the year after transferring $68.9 million from various campaign accounts to an affiliated Super PAC.

The exact charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg haven’t been released. But the Associated Press reported Friday that at least one is a felony charge related to an alleged scheme to pay hush money to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election to cover up a sexual liaison.

Michael Cohen, a former Trump lawyer, was convicted in 2018 on tax evasion and campaign finance violations for facilitating the $130,000 payment.

Canada Okays Rogers-Shaw Deal with Conditions

Canada on Friday approved Rogers Communications Inc's C$20 billion ($14.8 billion) buyout of Shaw Communications after securing binding commitments to pay financial penalties if it failed to create new jobs and invest to expand its network.

Reuters reports the final nod from Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne capped two years of antitrust uncertainty and paves the way for the creation of Canada's No. 2 telecoms firm in a market with some of the highest wireless bills in the world.

The deal was opposed by consumer advocates and politicians on worries it could lead to higher prices due to an overlap between Rogers and Shaw's wireless divisions.

On Friday, Champagne agreed to the transfer of wireless licenses held by Shaw's Freedom Mobile unit to Quebecor Inc-owned Videotron - a proposal that helped resolve antitrust concerns.

Champagne has secured a commitment from Videotron that it will offer plans at least 20% cheaper than competitors and invest C$150 million to upgrade Freedom Mobile's network in the next two years, or risk a fine of up to C$200 million.

Rogers reaffirmed its conditions, including setting up a western headquarters in Calgary, creating 3,000 new jobs in Western Canada and investing C$6.5 billion to upgrade connectivity. If it breaches the commitments, Rogers will have to pay a fine of as much as C$1 billion, Champagne said at a news conference in Ottawa.

The merger unites two of Canada's wealthy families whose companies have for long fought for market share.

Tony Staffieri, president and CEO of Rogers, said in a statement the company is "deeply" committed to delivering on its promises.

Time Is Up For Old-School Twitter Blue Check Marks

Twitter Inc.’s new owner, Elon Musk, HAS purged the social network’s free legacy labels as of April 1 and replacing them with a new designation that he says will make the platform more egalitarian and generate much-needed revenue, reports Bloomberg. 

But legions of users are balking at forking over the $8 a month fee, and some say the pay-to-play system, dubbed Twitter Blue, will make it easier for pranksters, hoaxers or criminals to pose as someone they’re not — potentially facilitating use of the site to spread misinformation and sow discord.

Opinions among Twitter users run the gamut on the value of the check mark, and whether it’s worth the $8 a month — discounted to $84 if you buy a whole year, but $11 per month if you buy it through the Apple or Google app store. Some users say they’ll refuse to subscribe to Twitter Blue because they don’t want to support Musk, the world’s second-richest person, or because they object to paying for the reach that they used to be able to earn on merit. Others are willing to pony up for the credibility and exposure that comes with verification.

Businesses likewise will have to choose whether to pay thousands of dollars for their accounts’ verification — under the new system, organizations will pay $1,000 per month for verification, with some exceptions, plus $50 for each employee that also gets a check — or face increased risk of imitation on the platform. 

The potential danger of declining to verify is that fake accounts with paid check marks could pose as any business, including financial firms or media organizations, and then perpetuate scams or spread misinformation. 

Audacy Adds Ed Egros as Co-host of “BetQL Daily”

Audacy announced the addition of Ed Egros as co-host of “BetQL Daily” on the company’s BetQL Network. Egros will join co-hosts Joe Ostrowski and Erin Hawksworth, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET beginning April 3.

“Ed has become a leading voice on sports betting and analytics over the course of his career and we’re pleased to add him and his perspective to our weekday ‘BetQL Daily' program alongside Joe and Erin,” said Mitch Rosen, Vice President, Audacy’s BetQL Network. “Through his wealth of experience in sports reporting and analysis, Ed will provide valuable insights to our listeners as they make their betting decisions, while using his expertise to break down games, analyze players and teams, and provide valuable betting tips, strategies and Wagertainment.”

Ed Egros

“I could not be more excited! To join an established show with two of the more talented pros in the business in Erin and Joe is an opportunity I wholeheartedly embrace,” said Egros. “It has always been a professional dream of mine to have a platform to combine my loves of sports analytics and sports betting. I am thrilled to be able to move the sports betting conversation forward and have a strong group to do it with.”

Egros began his career as a local sports reporter in Alabama, where he covered multiple national championships. He then moved to Dallas, where he worked for the FOX affiliate covering the Dallas Cowboys and Texas high school football. Later, he joined FOX Sports Southwest before relocating to Los Angeles to be with Bally Sports West and FanDuel. Most recently, Egros served as an analyst with the Next Gen Stats team at the NFL, creating digital content previewing and recapping games and performances, while also assisting with the broadcasts of the top games from the major networks.

April 1 Radio History

➦In 1932... Alexander Gordon Jump born (Died at age 71 – September 22, 2003). He was an actor best known as the clueless radio station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson in the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati and the incompetent "Chief of Police Tinkler" in the sitcom Soap.

Gordon Jump

Jump first began his acting career in the 1960s with minor roles in television on such shows as Get Smart, Lancer, Here Come the Brides, and Green Acres. He also guest-starred in a number of series during the 1970s including The Rockford Files, A Touch of Grace, Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers, The Incredible Hulk (in an October 1978 episode called "Ricky"), The Lost Saucer, Starsky & Hutch, Lou Grant, Kojak, The Bionic Woman, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. He had a brief speaking role as a farmer in the 1976 television movie Sybil.

In 1978, he landed his signature role of Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson on the situation comedy WKRP in Cincinnati, portraying a bumbling radio station manager whose main qualification for the job is being the son of the station's owner.

In 1989, Jump took over the Maytag repairman role from Jesse White. In the 1990s, Jump starred in a short-lived revival of WKRP in Cincinnati entitled The New WKRP in Cincinnati. He also appeared in the ninth and final season of Seinfeld, in which he played George Costanza's boss at a playground equipment company over two episodes. Jump's last movie role was in the 2004 film Changing of the Guard, released after his death.

➦In 1936..Don Steele born as Donald Steele Revert (Died at age 61 from lung cancer  – August 5, 1997).  He was one of the most popular radio personalities in the U-S from the middle of the 1960s until his retirement (for health reasons) in May 1997.

He was better known as "The Real Don Steele," a name suggested by his program director, Steve Brown, at KOIL-AM in Omaha, Nebraska. Brown hoped the moniker would click with listeners and make him stand out from other radio personalities.

Born in Hollywood, California, Steele served in the U-S Air Force and then studied at a local radio school, the Don Martin School of Broadcasting, where he also taught for a short time. Shortly thereafter, Steele began his radio career working outside of L.A. at a small station, KBUC in Corona, CA then moving on to KEPR Kennewick, KIMA Yakima and KXLY Spokane, all in Washington; KOIL Omaha, Nebraska; KISN Portland, Oregon, and KEWB San Francisco before returning to Los Angeles to help kick off what would become one of the most influential radio stations in the country, 93/KHJ, Boss Radio, in April 1965.

Steele became nationally-known as a DJ on radio station KHJ in Los Angeles, where he helped to promote the "ultrahip" top-40 Boss Radio format which began at 3pm on April 27, 1965. He also appeared on TV as host of Boss City and The Real Don Steele TV Show, a show which ran from 1965 to 1975 on KHJ-TV channel 9 in Los Angeles. When the popularity of AM radio gave way to FM stereo in the 1970s, Steele continued to remain a popular personality at the station. Following the years at 93/KHJ, The Real Don Steele continued to be heard on Los Angeles radio stations, including KIQQ (K-100), KTNQ (Ten-Q), KRLA, KCBS-FM and KRTH-FM (K-Earth 101), until his death in August 1997.

Steele also gained additional notoriety due to an ill-fated promotion which KHJ undertook on behalf of his show during the summer of 1970. The promotion was dubbed a “Super Summer Spectacular” and involved Steele driving around the Los Angeles-area in a flashy red car. Throughout the day, KHJ would broadcast clues about Steele’s location, and listeners who successfully tracked him down would receive cash prizes of about $25. On July 16, 1970, two teenagers attempting to track Steele by car at speeds of roughly 80 miles per hour forced another car into a highway center divider, causing the death of Ronald Weirum. Weirum's family sued various parties, including KHJ, asserting that the tragedy was a foreseeable consequence of the recklessness inherent to the nature of the "Super Summer Spectacular" promotion. The family's lawsuit eventually reached the Supreme Court of California, which held for the plaintiffs. The Court's opinion in the case, Weirum v. RKO General, Inc., 15 Cal.3d 40 (1975) has since become a well-known holding on the subject of foreseeability in torts law, and is often studied in American law schools.

"Robert W. Morgan was the first one hired for Boss Radio," RKO program consultant Bill Drake said. "He recommended Steele. He flew down from San Francisco. I was a little leery because I had heard he was kind of a crazy man, but it turned out he was very dedicated to his work." One of Steele's ongoing on-air bits was the refrain, "Tina Delgado is alive, alive!" Legends grew as to the meaning of the phrase, but Steele never did reveal what it really meant, or who the girl was who uttered the words.

The Real Don Steele stayed at KHJ until June 1973, then moved on to L.A. radio stations KIQQ, KTNQ, KRLA, KODJ / KCBS and arrived at KRTH in July 1992. He recorded commercials and at one time had a successful, nationally syndicated radio show.

That show, "Live From the 60's", was created by Steele along with friend and contemporary M.G."Machine Gun" Kelly, who followed Steele at KHJ-AM, then D.J'd with him in the '70s at 10Q. "Live From the 60's" was a three-hour program that featured oldies exclusively from the 1960s.

A poll seeking the top 10 disc jockeys in Los Angeles from 1957 to 1997 rated Steele second (behind Gary Owens) among the 232 personalities nominated.

➦In 1951…the ABC Radio Network debuted Paul Harvey News and Comment "Commentary and analysis of Paul Harvey each weekday at 12 Noon". Harvey was also heard originally on Sundays; the first Sunday program was Harvey's introduction. Later, the Sunday program would move to Saturdays. The program continued until his death on February 28, 2009 at 90-years-of-age.

Chet Huntley

➦In 1956...News anchor Chet Huntley began his career with NBC.

Huntley began his radio newscast career in 1934 at Seattle's KIRO AM, later working on radio stations in Spokane (KHQ) and Portland. His time (1936–37) in Portland was with KGW-AM, owned by The Oregonian, a Portland daily newspaper. At KGW he was writer, newscaster and announcer. In 1937 he went to work for KFI in Los Angeles, moving to CBS Radio from 1939 to 1951, then ABC Radio from 1951 to 1955. In 1955, he joined the NBC Radio network, viewed by network executives as "another Ed Murrow".

After NBC successfully teamed him with David Brinkley for 1956 election coverage the duo became coanchors of the nightly Huntley-Brinkley Report. Huntley (in New York) and Brinkley (in Washington) closed each broadcast with the trademark, “Good night Chet. Good night David. And good night from NBC News.”

Phoenix Radio: Dave & Mahoney Morning Show To KSLX

The Compass Media Networks-syndicated Dave & Mahoney, hosted by Dave Farra, Audrey Drake and Jason Mahoney will be moving to Phoenix from their longtime base at Beasley’s KXTE (X107.5)/Las Vegas, and debuting on KSLX on Monday, April 10. 

The Dave and Mahoney Show will continue to be carried on KXTE/Las Vegas.

Trip Reeb, VP/Market Manager of Hubbard Radio Phoenix, stated, “It’s tough to follow a great show like Mark and Neanderpaul, but we are beyond happy to be able to introduce the Dave and Mahoney Show to our morning listeners of KSLX. They are incredibly talented and I’m excited for this new era in Phoenix.” 

KSLX Brand & Content Director David Moore commented, “This is a rare instance of a great show retiring and a great show replacing it. We have had our ears on Dave and Mahoney for a long time and I’m grateful that we were able to persuade them to join us here at KSLX.”

Dave Farra commented, “To be able to make the legendary KSLX our flagship station is a dream come true. It’s an incredible honor to be trusted to start each morning on this powerhouse frequency, to join the Hubbard Broadcasting family, and to have the opportunity to live in one of the most family-friendly best places in the country. Many thanks to Trip Reeb, Greg Strassell, David Moore and our extraordinary team at Compass Media for seeing this through. We cannot wait to get started with Hubbard and KSLX.”

And The 2023 Gracie Awards Winners Are...

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) has announced the winners of the 48th Annual Gracie Awards. 

The Gracies recognize outstanding programming and individual achievement created by women, for women, and about women in all facets of media in news and entertainment. Winners will be honored at a gala event on May 23 at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel in LA. The local and student award-winners will be recognized at the Gracie Awards Luncheon on June 20 at Cipriani in NYC.

This year's theme, "Storytelling," highlights and celebrates the narratives shared by the winners, which not only inform, inspire, and captivate audiences, but also enrich our collective comprehension of the world. Winners include Christina Applegate, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Ava DuVernay, Faith Hill, Amanda Seyfried, Danielle Monaro, Shelley Wade, Abbott Elementary, TODAY, The Drew Barrymore Show, 48 Hours, along with frontline journalists, and some of the most talented women in television, radio/audio and digital media.

Moreover, EXTRA's Rachel Lindsay will once again serve as the organization's Social Media Ambassador and the AWMF will honor The First Lady with its prestigious Grand Award. While all Gracie Awards celebrate excellence, the Grand Award signifies a distinct level of achievement, acknowledging the extraordinary talent, dedication, and production involved in creating these exceptional pieces.

Wake-Up Call: Grand Jury Votes To Indict Donald Trump

Donald Trump was indicted for his role in paying hush-money to a porn star on the eve of the 2016 election, marking the first time in American history that a former president has faced criminal charges. 

The grand jury returned the indictment of Mr. Trump after a vote on Thursday, kicking off a process in which the former president is expected to come to New York to face the charges. The indictment, sought by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (above top) , isn’t public. “This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender,” a Bragg spokeswoman said.

In New York, judges routinely keep charges under wraps until defendants make their initial appearance in court. Mr. Trump is likely to surrender and appear for his arraignment on Tuesday, said Susan Necheles, one of his lawyers.  Necheles and fellow Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina said, “He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in Court.”

Necheles and fellow Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina said, “He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in Court.” Mr. Trump said that Democrats had “done the unthinkable—indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference.” Trump said that Democrats had “done the unthinkable—indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference.”

Donald Trump was indicted for his role in paying hush-money to a porn star on the eve of the 2016 election, marking the first time in American history that a former president has faced criminal charges.

The former president is expected to come to New York to face the charges. The indictment, sought by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, isn’t public. “This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender,” a Bragg spokeswoman said.

Trump is likely to surrender and appear for his arraignment on Tuesday, said Susan Necheles, one of his lawyers.

The indictment of Donald Trump is unlikely to derail his 2024 White House bid and could help in the GOP primary, but it could also further alienate swing voters turned off by the controversies that continue to swirl around him since he left office.

Trump indictment: Eric, Donald Trump Jr blast 'third-world prosecutorial misconduct' https://t.co/jlmEjyPUgF

— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 31, 2023

➤DOJ NOT PLEASED WITH INDICTMENT: Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney on Thursday announced that Trump would be criminally charged. DoJ officials told The New York Times they were worried that Trump's indictment by New York prosecutors could complicate the work of Special Counsel Jack Smith - appointed by the attorney general, Merrick Garland, to investigate both Mar-a-Lago classified documents and Trump's actions in relation to the efforts to overturn the election. The Justice Department had no comment about the Trump indictment. The White House has also refused to comment. Trump blasted the indictment and said Democrats would regret persecuting an innocent man when his supporters dumped them out of office. In the meantime, the Manhattan district attorney's office said it was in touch with Trump's lawyers to arrange his surrender in New York.

A New York judge will soon unseal criminal charges against Donald Trump related to a payment to a porn star. The alleged coverup that followed the payment is likely to be as important for the future of the case.

Donald Trump’s rivals for the Republican presidential nomination jump to his defense after he was indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan, a sign of the former president’s continued power within the party. https://t.co/TOeO9qh3D9

— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 31, 2023

SPECIFIC CHARGES UNKNOWN FOR NOW: The Manhattan district attorney’s office could unveil any number of charges, including those related to the payment to Ms. Daniels or a separate $150,000 payment to a former Playboy model who alleged that she had an affair with the former president. The grand jury has heard detailed accounts of both deals, according to people familiar with the investigation.

FL Panhandle Radio: WYZB Rebrands As Y1055, The Best Country

Cumulus Media announces that Heritage Country radio station WYZB-FM in Fort Walton Beach/Destin, FL, has rebranded today as Y1055 – The Best Country. The station, formerly known as NASH FM 105.5, will continue to play the biggest Country hits for Fort Walton Beach/Destin. 

The rebrand celebrates the rebuilding of the radio station from the ground up, with a new transmitter and antenna, a new studio, and state-of-the-art processing. The result is a signal that is powerful, crisp, and clean, showcasing the perfect music mix of familiar artists and their biggest hits with the best in new Country music. Country fans will hear all their favorites from artists including Morgan Wallen, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, and more.

Y1055 launches the next generation of great Country music entertainment with a weekday lineup that includes popular morning show, “Kincaid & Dallas” - now heard one hour earlier, from 5:00am-9:00am, followed by an hour of commercial-free Country music from 9:00am-10:00am kicked off by local on-air personality and Y1055 Program Director, Hayden Green, who takes the mic from 9:00am-2:00pm, with Taryn hosting afternoons from 2:00pm-7:00pm. From 7:00pm-Midnight, “Nights With Elaina” features interviews with Country’s biggest stars, hosted by Gracie Award-winner and CMA and ACM nominee Elaina Smith.

Baltimore Radio: WBAL Radio Adds Coast To Coast

WBAL NewsRadio 1090 and FM 101.5 announced today the addition of Coast to Coast AM – the most-listened-to overnight radio program in North America – to its nightly lineup. Beginning Monday, April 3, the program can be heard live seven days a week from 1 to 5 a.m. ET.

“Coast to Coast AM has enthralled late-night listeners for decades,” says WBAL Director of Programming/News Director Jeff Wade. “The show’s unique blend of topics and issues, and live coverage of news events as they happen, make it the ideal complement to WBAL’s live and local daytime talk lineup.”

“It’s great to be back in the Charm City!” shared Noory. “As a young boy, I’d spend many days visiting family, and even took in a few Oriole games. I couldn’t be more excited to be heard on the legendary WBAL.”

January 2023 marked George Noory’s 20th anniversary as host of Coast to Coast AM. Nationally syndicated by Premiere Networks, the program reaches millions of listeners on more than 640 radio stations across the U.S. Each night, Coast to Coast AM features discussions on news and current events, paranormal phenomena, time travel, alien abduction, and all things curious and unexplained. Noory also welcomes guests and callers from all walks of life, while providing a judgment-free forum for ideas beyond the mainstream. For more information, please visit www.CoasttoCoastAM.com.

Detroit Radio WJR New Home For USFL Panthers Football

Cumulus Media announces that its Detroit News/Talk radio station 760 WJR has entered into an agreement with the United States Football League (USFL) to serve as the official radio broadcast and play-by-play partner of the Michigan Panthers for the 2023 season. 

Branded as “Michigan Panthers Football on 760 WJR,” the station’s dedicated Panthers coverage will include live on-air and streaming broadcasts of the team’s home games from Ford Field, as well as away games.

Michigan Panthers Football on 760 WJR will cover every snap, every play, and every exciting moment live and however sports fans want it, with coverage on-air at 760 WJR, online at WJR.com, and on-the-go with the WJR app. 760 WJR will also take listeners behind the scenes with the players and coaches who are building Detroit’s newest professional sports experience. Fans will get chances at exclusive access, with free tickets, fan experiences, and more.

Five-time Michigan Association of Broadcasters award winner Chris Renwick will serve as play-by-play announcer. Renwick is Senior News Analyst for 760 WJR and host of 760 WJR’s “SportsWrap.” He began his career at 760 WJR as an anchor and reporter in the 760 WJR newsroom before transitioning to “The Frank Beckmann Show” as executive producer. Since 2015, Chris has been the play-by-play voice for the Siena Heights Saints University football team and handled play-by-play duties for the 2019 Quick Lane Bowl.

Pittsburgh Radio: Audacy Stations Team for Food Bank

Audacy raised funds to provide over 350,000 meals for people in need through Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. The “Giant Eagle Feed the Need Radiothon” directly benefits those dealing with food insecurity in the Pittsburgh region.

“This is what Pittsburghers do,” said Michael Spacciapolli, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Pittsburgh. "Time after time I am amazed at the incredible generosity and support that our city shows to each other in any time of need. We are so grateful at Audacy Pittsburgh to all of our partners and listeners who stepped up once again to help our friends at The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.”

“The Food Bank is proud to partner with Audacy on the 'Feed The Need Radiothon,'” said Lisa Scales, President and CEO, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “What started in response to the pandemic has now grown into an annual event that raises enough money for hundreds of thousands of meals for our neighbors in need. It reflects the power of community and how together, we can achieve lasting solutions to hunger and its root causes.”

“We are so appreciative of each and every person who chose to support the incredible efforts of Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank by participating in ‘Feed the Need,’” said Jannah Jablonowski, spokesperson, Giant Eagle. “Pittsburghers never fail to show up for one another, and we are in awe of how that generosity is once again shining through.”

“Giant Eagle Feed the Need” was broadcast live on KDKA News Radio 100.1 FM and 1020 AM (KDKA-AM), 93.7 The Fan (KDKA-FM), 100.7 Star (WBZZ-FM), Y108 (WDSY-FM) WAMO 107.3 (WAMO-FM) on March 25 from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. Current and former stars and executives from the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Pirates and University of Pittsburgh all joined the stations to support the radiothon. Listeners were encouraged to donate online and via phone through the call center or text message.