➦In 1900.. Lawrence E Spivak born (Died at age 93 – March 9, 1994).
He was a publisher and journalist who was best known as the co-founder, producer and host of the prestigious public affairs program Meet the Press. He and journalist Martha Rountree founded the radio program in 1934 as a promotion for Spivak's magazine, The American Mercury, and it became the longest-running continuous network series in television history. During his 28 years as panelist and moderator of Meet the Press, Spivak was known for his pointed questioning of policy makers
Spivak sold Meet the Press to NBC in 1955 but remained as moderator, producer and panelist.
➦In 1914...actor Gerald Mohr was born in New York City. The radio, film and television character actor appeared in over 500 radio plays, including the title role in Raymond Chandler’s “Adventures of Philip Marlowe.” He made 73 films and over 100 television shows, including westerns “Maverick”, “Cheyenne”, “Bronco”, “Sugarfoot” and “Bonanza”, as well as episodes of “Perry Mason”, “77 Sunset Strip”, “Hawaiian Eye”, “Lost in Space” etc, and did announce/narration for early episodes of “The Lone Ranger.” He died of a heart attack Nov 9 1968 in Stockholm at the age of 54.
➦In 1953...the all-black TV sitcom “Amos ‘n Andy,” which had begun on radio in 1929 with two white men playing all the parts, was driven from the air in the heat of the civil rights movement, for its so-called stereotypical characterizations. This was the last time it was seen on CBS, though the radio series on which it was based ran until 1960.
The indictment former president Donald Trump assures that his legal woes will be the focal point of the Republican presidential primary contest, with the possibility he will have to shuttle between courtrooms and the campaign trail. They will also likely be a central element of the 2024 general election, regardless of who is on the ballot, further dividing a politically polarized country.
The Wall Street Journal reports the charges against Trump for mishandling classified documents come as members of each political party already view the others as a threat to the nation, polling shows. Republicans will see the case as a Democratic president persecuting their leading figure, prompting many GOP voters to demand a strong response from their presidential candidates, while Democrats will view Republicans as standing by an alleged criminal.
Trump will run for the White House with the case and a federal trial hanging over him. In fact, he faces the prospect of multiple trials.
Trump has already been charged by New York prosecutors in a hush-money case, and remains under scrutiny in a federal probe of his actions surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot as well as a Georgia investigation into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump has denied wrongdoing in all those cases.
How long the documents case could drag out is unclear.
In the hours after Donald Trump announced that he had been indicted on a charge of hoarding classified documents, conservative media outlets and personalities jumped to the usual barricades, according to The Washington Post.
“A dark day in America,” Fox News host Sean Hannity said on his program Thursday night. The sometime Trump adviser continued: “Our system of justice has now been weaponized beyond belief, and this country is in serious trouble.”
“Well, they did it, and how dare they — they indicted him again,” fulminated Greg Kelly, a prime time host on Newsmax, a smaller cable channel that has attempted to outflank Fox on the right. He added: “This will not derail Donald Trump, no way.”
By then, the framing of the indictment was largely set — initially by Trump, who broke his own news Thursday evening on his Truth Social platform. He called the at-the-time unreleased indictment the work of “the corrupt Biden administration,” though it was the work of a grand jury, acting on evidence presented by a special counsel appointed by attorney general Merrick Garland to limit perceptions of political influence.
The Daily Wire, a news and commentary site co-founded by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, played the news relatively straight, citing mainstream media reports about the indictment.
The Trump talking points — the prosecution is unfair, Democrats are guilty of similar crimes, the indictment amounts to 2024 “election interference” — quickly echoed across Trump-partisan media. It was a replay of the reaction to Trump’s first indictment, in March, by prosecutors in New York City in connection to alleged hush-money payoffs to an adult-film star.
Townsquare Media announces plans to take over Star brand
WKBW-TV reports Star 102.5, owned by Audacy, signed off Friday morning for the final time and another local radio company, Townsquare Media, quickly announced plans to take over the Star brand.
Star 102.5 was sold along with an Audacy-owned country station in Memphis for $15.5 million to Educational Media Foundation. Educational Media Foundation (EMF) is a noncommercial Christian radio group based in a Nashville suburb.
Longtime radio host Rob Lucas, who has been on-air at 102.5 for more than three decades, thanked Western New Yorkers for their loyalty this morning before ending his namesake morning show for the final time.
On its website, Star 102.5 posted the following:
"Our time has come, and it's time for a new chapter... THANK YOU from the bottom of our Star 102.5 hearts for listening over the years and being a part of our great station. We hope to see you on the other side of the dial with our friends at Kiss 98.5 and all of the ways to listen are below. Again, THANK YOU for listening to Star 102.5 in Buffalo!"
In a release, Townsquare Media said it will give fans of Star 102.5 a new place to call home - the New Star 96.1 - and provided the following information:
"The New Star 96.1 will feature the biggest stars you know and love like Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Maroon 5, The Weeknd, and more from the '90s to Now.
“Feel Good Mornings with Dave Fields” will continue to wake up Western New York every weekday morning from 6 am to 10 am. Listen while you work with Jess Rowe from 10 am to 3 pm. Jen Austin will get you home after work from 3 pm to 7 pm. Delilah is featured every night from 7 pm to midnight.
During the holiday season, The New Star 96.1 will carry on the long-cherished Star tradition and celebrate the season as “Buffalo’s Christmas Station”."
This month, state broadcaster associations will converge on Washington D.C. with the National Association of Broadcasters to urge elected officials to support the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to keep free, local radio in cars. Broadcasters will also relate how AM radio is the backbone of our country’s emergency alert system and how keeping AM in cars protects Americans from risk.
Now, Nielsen is releasing a deeper dive on the vitality of AM radio in local markets with new data at the state and local DMA level. Here are the Top 10 state for AM Radio Listening from the Westwood One blog:
Based on the Fall 2022 survey, this new report depicts the % of the DMA audience that listens to AM radio in a month. AM listening for every state is also detailed. Download the PDF here.
These analyses are based on all radio stations in the U.S., not just Nielsen subscribers.
Key takeaways:
States with the largest proportion of AM listening tend to be from the Midwest with a few from the West Coast
The states with the largest AM radio usage have a wide variety of sizes and broad geographical diversity
Source: Nielsen Nationwide Fall 2022, Persons 12+, Monday – Sunday 12m-12m, 4-week reach, Nielsen data processed by Act1 Systems
Former Fox News star Megyn Kelly says her old network is in a "deep panic" about having to compete against Tucker Carlson, and that it now appears "multiple people" are working against the ousted primetime host whose new Twitter show has already lit the wick on a potential legal showdown.
"They recognize that he will hurt them, and they're doing everything in their power to keep him on the sidelines," Kelly said Thursday on her Sirius program "The Megyn Kelly Show."
The Wrap reports Carlson has now released two episodes of his show on Twitter, which his legal team believes is in bounds because the social media platform is not a direct Fox News competitor. But the network sees things differently, and sent a letter to Carlson this week saying the 11-minute debut episode was in violation of their contract, which reportedly runs through 2025.
"This is how panicked they are about Tucker 2.0," Kelly said, speaking with her guest, writer and Tucker Carlson biographer Chadwick Moore.
Audacy has named Will Calder as Brand Manager of Mix 105.1 (WOMX-FM) in Orlando. In this role, Calder will oversee the station’s content strategy, talent, operations, and branding. He will continue to serve as Director of Programming and Operations for Power 96 (WPOW-FM) in Miami.
Additionally, the station welcomes Danny Serrano as morning show host. Serrano will be heard weekdays on “Mix Mornings with Danny Serrano” from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET beginning June 12.
The new Mix 105.1 weekday lineup is as follows.
6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET: “Mix Mornings with Danny Serrano”
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET: “Middays with Jenn Lopez”
2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET: “Afternoons with CJ”
“We’re excited to have Will oversee this heritage brand and lead the new vision for Mix 105.1,” said Claudia Menegus, Regional President, Audacy. “Will, along with our new lineup are designed to bring energy, depth and Mix back to its rightful position in Orlando.”
“Being back with Audacy Miami this past year has felt like such a rewarding reunion,” said Calder. “I’m honored by the trust that Jeff Sottolano, Dave Richards, Steve Salhany and Claudia Menegus have put in me to reunite me with Orlando, this time at the legendary Mix 105.1! I’m looking forward to making some noise with new and familiar faces.”
Calder’s radio career began in 2001 which included various stops at Big City Radio Chicago (WKIE-FM), then Entercom Milwaukee (WXSS-FM/WMYX-FM), CBS Radio New York (WXRK-FM), Cox Media Group Orlando (WPYO-FM) and Tampa (WPOI-FM) and currently Audacy Miami (WPOW-FM). From 2005 to 2013, he joined forces with colleagues to create RADIOMIXES.com, a nationally syndicated radio mix show with Audacy’s B96 (WBBM-FM) in Chicago and 103.7 KISS-FM (WXSS-FM) in Milwaukee as their first two affiliates. At its prime, RADIOMIXES was heard on hundreds of radio stations worldwide. Additionally, in 2005, Calder created an internet radio station called iPartyRadio, which played non-stop up-tempo dance and party music and quickly became one of the world’s top 200 most-listened-to internet streams during its era.
“Thank you to Claudia Menegus and Will Calder for bringing me on to this legendary station,” said Serrano. “I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my career.”
Serrano joins Mix 105.1 from Cox Media Group Tampa, where he was Assistant Program Director and afternoon host on Hot 101.5 and was highlighted as one of the company’s rising Hispanic leaders.
5 Star Media/Saga Communications is thrilled to announce the appointment of Chad Heritage as Program Director of WVVR Beaver 100.3, a flagship radio station in the Clarksville/Hopkinsville market. Heritage will assume his new role on June 27th, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a deep passion for the Country format.
Heritage joins the Beaver 100.3 team after an incredible career in Country Radio. Most recently, he served as the Program Director for WGKX (Kix 106) in Memphis. Prior to his tenure at WGKX, Heritage was Program Director at KSSN/KMJX and served as the Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeart in Little Rock. Additionally, he also served as National Brand Coordinator at iHeart, showcasing his exceptional talent and expertise in the field.
Ryan Ploeckelman, the Operations Manager of Saga’s Clarksville/Hopkinsville Cluster, expressed enthusiasm about the appointment, stating, “Chad brings an incredible level of experience to the role, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him join our team. His unwavering dedication to the Country format and his exceptional ability to coach and inspire talent are precisely what we need to take Beaver 100.3 to new heights.”
As Program Director, Chad Heritage will play a pivotal role in leading Beaver 100.3’s programming strategy, ensuring that the station continues to provide high-quality content and serve the communities of Clarksville, Hopkinsville, and Fort Campbell. With his extensive knowledge and a demonstrated track record of success, Heritage is poised to spearhead a new era of excellence for Beaver 100.3.
iHeartMedia Omaha’s NewsRadio 1110 KFAB – Nebraska’s News, Weather, and Traffic Station – has announced Emery Songer is the station’s new afternoon drive host. Songer’s first show with KFAB will be Monday, June 26th, and continue weekdays 2-6 p.m.
Emery Songer
“Emery will continue KFAB’s nearly 100-year-old tradition of on-air personalities who are passionate about connecting with the community we serve,” said Scott Voorhees, KFAB program director. “It’s not about hammering an agenda; it’s about entertaining and relevant conversations of interest to Omaha/Council Bluffs and the surrounding area.”
Emery Songer joins KFAB/Omaha after more than five years as a host and producer with Newsradio 1040 WHO in Des Moines. During that time, he has guest-hosted statewide news-talk programs as well as a regular weekend show, produced their daily morning show, worked with clients in a creative variety of ways, and spent countless evenings and weekends announcing local soccer and baseball games.
“I’m incredibly excited for this opportunity to be a part of Omaha and the KFAB team,” said Songer. “My wife and I can’t wait to be a part of the Omaha community and meet all the amazing people that make this city move.”
Bud Light sales plunged in May, toppling the beer brand from its longtime perch as the nation's best-selling brew.
CBS News reports parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) sold $297 million worth of Bud Light for the four weeks ending May 28 — a 23% drop from the same time period the year before, according to consumer behavior data analytics firm Circana. Modelo Especial ranked No.1 in May, with $333 million in sales — a 15% increase from 2022.
The sales drop for Bud Light follows a promotion debacle with TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney, a trans rights activist and actress, that sparked an uproar among conservatives including singers Kid Rock and Travis Tritt, who called for a boycott of the popular beer.
Anheuser-Busch's Global CEO, Michel Doukeris, said last month on an investor call that Budweiser was still experiencing conservative backlash over the episode, in part because the public mistakenly believed it had a long-term partnership with the social media influencer.
The company's attempt to distance itself from the campaign caused further backlash, this time from the LGBTQ+ community, with some bars pulling all Anheuser-Busch products from their menu.
Bud Light is still enormously popular and has sold more cases than any competitor year to date, but the Mulvaney fiasco threatens to change that, according to Bump Williams Consulting, which tracks the alcohol industry.
"Unless Bud Light starts to experience a serious course correction in terms of performance, which can only come from consumers finding their way back into the brand family, then that firm grip on the No. 1 rank by year-end loosens a bit more every week," Dave Williams, vice president of analytics and insights at Bump Williams Consulting, told CBS MoneyWatch.
Williams pointed out that Bud Light had been the best-selling beer prior to May, and if it can reverse its sales decline, the brand could regain its top spot, he added.
Donald Trump can proceed with a lawsuit against his niece Mary Trump for providing information to the New York Times for its 2018 report on his taxes, a judge ruled.
Bloomberg reports New York state court Justice Robert Reed on Friday rejected Mary Trump’s argument that the former president’s lawsuit violated a state law against frivolous litigation “aimed at chilling freedom of speech and the press.”
The ruling is a modest procedural victory for Trump on an otherwise rough day in which he became the first-ever ex-president indicted for federal crimes.
Reed earlier dismissed Trump’s claims against the New York Times and ordered the former president to pay the newspaper’s legal fees and costs, saying the award-winning story was protected by the First Amendment.
Donald Trump claims that, by acting as a source for the newspaper, Mary Trump violated confidentiality provisions of a 2001 settlement that resolved an estate dispute over the family property business.
Mary Trump
In Friday’s ruling, Reed said Trump can advance with a breach-of-contract claim against his niece, while dismissing allegations of unjust enrichment and bad-faith conduct.
A psychologist and the daughter of the former president’s deceased older brother, Mary Trump has emerged as a fierce critic of her uncle. She wrote her 2020 book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” with the goal of helping to stop his reelection.
In the book, she described providing documents to the Times for its 2018 report detailing how Donald Trump used low property valuations to minimize his tax liability. The report, which won the Pulitzer Prize, also revealed that he inherited more than $400 million from his father, contrary to Trump’s frequent assertion that he only received a small loan of around $1 million.
➦In 1895...actress/singer Hattie McDaniel was born in Wichita Kansas.
In the 1910s she was a band vocalist, then began playing increasingly assertive maid roles on the big screen, culminating in the supporting-actress Oscar for her ‘Mammy’ in Gone With The Wind (1939), the first African-American to be so honored. She played on the “Amos and Andy” and Eddie Cantor radio shows in the ’30s and ’40s, and had the title role in her own radio show “Beulah” (1947-51), which she also played on TV (1950-’52) until her death from breast cancer Oct 2, 1952 at age 57.
➦In 1924…WTAM was the first radio station to broadcast coverage of a political convention when it covered the 1924 Republican National Convention at Cleveland's Public Auditorium from June 10–12, 1924. Graham McNamee provided coverage of the Republican National Convention from Cleveland. HE was also one of the great sports broadcasters of radio’s early years.
➦In 1985...Bob Prince died of cancer at age 68 (Born - July 1, 1916). He was a radio and television sportscaster and commentator best known for his 28-year stint as the voice of the MLB Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he earned the nickname "The Gunner" and became a cultural icon in Pittsburgh.
Bob Prince
Prince was one of the most distinct and popular voices in sports broadcast history, known for his gravel voice, unabashed style and clever nicknames and phrases, which came to be known as "Gunnerisms." His unique manner influenced a number of broadcasters after him, including Pittsburgh Penguins voice Mike Lange and Pittsburgh Steelers color analyst Myron Cope.
Prince called Pirates games from 1948 to 1975, including the World Series championship years of 1960 and 1971. Nationally, Prince broadcast the 1960, 1966, and 1971 World Series and the 1965 All-Star Game for NBC, as well as the first year (1976) of ABC's Monday Night Baseball. He also broadcast at different times for other Pittsburgh-area sports teams, including Steelers football and Penguins hockey.
An Army brat, he attended many schools in Pittsburgh. An athlete himself, he lettered in swimming at the University of Pittsburgh. Prince worked for radio station WJAS, then landed a sports show on KDKA-TV. Prince joined Rosey Rowswell in the Pirates' broadcast booth as a commentator in 1948, and he was promoted to the top spot shortly after Rowswell's death in February 1955. He also broadcast Pittsburgh Steelers and Penn State football and once a Duquesne basketball game in the 1950s.
As a result of his distinct voice, knowledge of baseball, and high-profile persona, Prince was very popular among Pirates supporters. Prince was a fixture on team broadcasts for three decades on KDKA-AM, a clear channel radio station that could be heard throughout the eastern United States after sundown.
➦In 1995…Radio/TV Sportscaster Lindsey Nelson died of Parkinson's disease at age 86.
Lindsey Nelson
He spent 17 years with the New York Mets and three years with the San Francisco Giants. For 33 years Nelson covered college football, including 26 Cotton Bowls, five Sugar Bowls, four Rose Bowls, and 14 years announcing Notre Dame games. He is in 13 separate Halls of Fame. Fans remember a talented broadcaster, an expert storyteller, and a true sports enthusiast.
Nelson began his national baseball broadcast career as one of Gordon McLendon's radio announcers for the Liberty Broadcasting System, which primarily did recreations of games. After a stretch as an administrator with NBC Sports, he began doing the network's baseball broadcasts in 1957. He also broadcast college football, NBA and college basketball, and professional golf and tennis during his NBC tenure.
In 1962, he was hired as the lead broadcaster by the expansion New York Mets, and for the next 17 seasons did both radio and television with Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy. All three were eventually inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
➦In 2000...Radio, TV journalist Judd Rose died from a brain tumor at age 44. He rose to prominence as an investigative reporter for ABC News, where Rose spent 16 years working on shows such as Prime Time Live and Good Morning America. His first Emmy came in 1987 for covering the fall of Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos, and he would go on to receive a total of four Emmy awards. He ended his career as co-anchor of the CNN program Newsstand.
His father was radio talk show host Hilly Rose. His mother was a 1940s radio actress turned award-winning NPR broadcaster, the host of Midday with Sondra Gair.
Is 82
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS
Actor Alexandra Stewart (“Under the Cherry Moon”) is 84.
Singer Shirley Alston Reeves of the Shirelles is 82.
Actor Jurgen Prochnow (“The English Patient,” “Das Boot”) is 82.
Actor Frankie Faison (“The Village,” “The Wire”) is 74.
Actor Andrew Stevens (“Dallas”) is 68.
Bassist Kim Deal of The Pixies and The Breeders is 62.
Singer Maxi Priest is 62.
Actor Gina Gershon is 61.
Actor Jeanne Tripplehorn is 60.
Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin of Smashing Pumpkins is 59.
Actor Kate Flannery (“The Office”) is 59.
Model-actor Elizabeth Hurley is 58.
Guitarist Joey Santiago of The Pixies is 58.
Actor Doug McKeon (“On Golden Pond”) is 57.
Guitarist Emma Anderson (Lush) is 56.
Country guitarist Brian Hofeldt of The Derailers is 56.
Rapper The D.O.C. is 55.
Singer Mike Doughty (Soul Coughing) is 53.
Singer JoJo of K-Ci and JoJo is 52.
Singer Faith Evans is 50.
Actor Hugh Dancy is 48.
Singer Lemisha Grinstead of 702 is 45.
Actor DJ Qualls (“Memphis Beat,” ″Hustle and Flow”) is 45.
Actor Shane West (“ER,” ″Now and Again”) is 45.
Country singer Lee Brice is 44.
Singer Hoku is 42.
Actor Leelee Sobieski is 41.
Bassist Bridget Kearney of Lake Street Dive is 38.
Actor Titus Makin (TV’s “The Rookie”) is 34.
Actor Tristin Mays (2018′s “MacGyver,” ″The Vampire Diaries”) is 33.
Actor Eden McCoy (“General Hospital”) is 20.
✞DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
In 1967..Spencer TracySpencer Tracy, Actor (Woman of the Year, Father of the Bride), dies at 67
In 1970..Earl Grant, Pop pianist, organist, and singer ("Ebb Tide"; "Winter Wonderland"), dies in a car crash in New Mexico at 39
In 1985..Bob Prince, Sportscaster (Monday Night Baseball, Pittsburgh Pirates), dies of cancer at 68
In 1995..Lindsey Nelson, Sportscaster (NY Mets), dies at 76
In 2004..Ray Charles, Singer and pianist who pioneered soul music ("Georgia On My Mind"; "Mess Around"; "Hit The Road, Jack"), dies at 73
Audacy announces the launch of 99.7 The Wolf (WLFP-FM) in Memphis, effective June 12 at 12:00 p.m. CT. The station, previously heard on 94.1, will assume the former FM 100’s 300,000-watt signal and be heard across the Mid-South.
The launch is headlined by the addition of FM 100 morning show host Erin Austin as the new midday host on 99.7 The Wolf. Austin will be heard weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT.
The full on-air lineup is as follows.
6:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. CT: “Mo & StyckMan”
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT: Erin Austin
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CT: “Katie & Company”
3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. CT: “Duane & Abby”
7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. CT: “Rob & Holly”
On Saturdays, Audacy's “Top 20 Countdown with Rob & Holly” will continue to be heard from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. CT and “Coop's Rocking Saturday Nights” will air from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. CT. On Sundays, “90's Country with Heather” will be heard from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. CT, with Brad Carson, Bru and Cindy D filling out the weekends.
“For the last decade, The Wolf has transformed into a local fan-favorite, delivering the very best of country for Memphians,” said Dan Barron, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Memphis. “We’re delighted to increase the signal and reach of the station, bolster the on-air lineup and enhance the overall listening experience for Memphis’ and now the greater Mid-South's country music fans.”
Concurrent with the launch of 99.7 The Wolf, FM 100 (WMC-FM) will be heard exclusively on the Audacy digital platform. A celebration show is planned for June 12 from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. CT featuring stories, music and interviews with current personalities Ryan Anderson and Erin Austin, Jill Bucco and Chris Michaels, as well as alums including Ron Olson, Karen Perrin, Steve Conley, Tom Prestigiacomo, Henry Nelson, Rob Grayson, Wendi Hayes, Michelle Lewis, Danger Boy and more.
94.1 The Wolf launched in September 2014.
📻Listeners can tune in to 99.7 The Wolf (WLFP-FM) in Memphis on air and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website. Listeners can also connect with the station via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Winners at the 2023 Radio Mercury Awards were announced this evening at the 32nd annual awards presentation held at SONY Hall in New York as well as online. This year’s Best of Show award was presented to FCB Chicago for their "Glad Strength: App" radio commercial for The Clorox Company and Glad Products.
Best of Show Winner:FCB Chicago, John Fiebke, Nick Farley, John Doessel, Sherman Winfield and Erica Farber
"I'm honored that I got to lead this year's judges and award this class of winners; this has been an experience I'll treasure," noted Sherman Winfield, executive creative director, VMLY&R Atlanta and chief judge, Radio Mercury Awards. "The final round jury was really impressed by this year's winning work, and they all #SetTheFrequency.
"Tonight was another great night for radio, celebrating the creativity that agencies and radio stations are producing on behalf of their clients," said Erica Farber, president and chief executive officer, RAB and chair, Radio Creative Fund. "The Radio Mercury Awards continues to advance the medium forward by showcasing and awarding work that is innovative and effective."
iHeartMedia Washington, D.C. and Baltimore announced today that Shelby Sos has been named Morning Show Co-Host for HOT 99.5, DC’s #1 Hit Music Station and Z104.3, Baltimore’s #1 Hit Music Station, effective early July.
As Morning Show Co-Host, Shelby Sos will be responsible for co-hosting “Your Morning Show” alongside Intern John.. Sos will report to Rob Kruz, Program Director for iHeartMedia Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.
Shelby Sos
“Shelby started her radio journey at HOT 99.5 and Z104.3 and I couldn’t be happier to bring her back home,” said Rob Kruz, Program Director. “Sos’ ability to connect with audiences across multi-platforms and willingness to live her life on-air and online makes her the perfect choice to join Intern John and Your Morning Show!”
Shelby Sos joins the Washington, D.C & Baltimore Region from Power 96.1 in Atlanta, GA, where she most recently served as the Midday Host. She began her career at HOT 99.5 and Z104.3 as an intern for The Kane Show and is a graduate of University of Maryland Baltimore County.
“As a Baltimore native I am so excited to be back on the two stations I grew up listening to, HOT 99.5 and Z104.3,” said Shelby Sos. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to join the Your Morning Show team and can’t wait to work with my friends again. It’s truly a dream come true!”
The Fox Business Network continued its lead against Comcast’s CNBC during the month of May, grabbing more viewers during key business hours, when corporate executives and investors are more likely to watch financial news channels on cable, according to The Desk.
Two of the network’s programs — “Kudlow” and “Varney & Company” — were the highest rated financial news programs on cable and satellite for the 15th straight month, according to an examination of Nielsen data for May 2023.
Kudlow led with an average of 260,000 total viewers during May, outpacing CNBC’s “Closing Bell” in the same time slot, which had an average of 170,000 total viewers. Meanwhile, Varney & Company had an average of 245,000 viewers between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon Eastern Time, pulling ahead of CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street,” which had an average of 197,000 viewers. The Nielsen data did not include special programming.
Other Fox Business programs also topped CNBC shows, including “Mornings with Maria,” hosted by former CNBC reporter Maria Bartiromo, between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Eastern Time. “The Evening Edit,” a post-market hours wrap-up program, grabbed more viewers than CNBC’s “Fast Money/Options Action” for the ninth consecutive month in a row.
Daytime programming on Fox Business proved capable of regularly pulling in strong numbers, including The Claman Countdown” (158,000 viewers), “Cavuto: Coast to Coast” (152,000 viewers) and “The Big Money Show” (132,000 viewers).
Fox Business competes in the financial news space against CNBC, Bloomberg and Cheddar News. The network is headquartered in New York City and is operated by Fox News Media, a division of Fox Corporation.
Audacy welcomes Bo Jaxon as the new morning show co-host for Country 92.5 WBEE in Rochester. Jaxon joins “The Bee Morning Coffee Club” alongside Terry Clifford and TJ Sharp, weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET beginning June 12.
“We had a lot of qualified applicants for our opening at WBEE, and Bo quickly rose to the top,” said Chris Michaels, Brand Manager 92.5 WBEE. “His passion, creativity and personality made him the perfect fit to join Terry and TJ on ‘The Bee Morning Coffee Club.’”
Bo Jaxon
“I grew up in New Jersey, so thank you, Audacy, for helping me come back home to the East Coast,” said Jaxon. “I am super excited to join ‘The Bee Morning Coffee Club’ with TJ and Terry. They are incredible talents, and we will have so much fun waking up Rochester! I could not ask for a better opportunity with the leadership team of Tim Roberts, Chris Michaels and Sue Munn. The sky's the limit! Let's get this started!”
Jaxon joins WBEE from KATC in Colorado Springs, CO, where he spent the last three years as morning show host and Program Director. Prior stops include KWOF and KIMN in Denver, KBBY and KVEN in Ventura, CA, and Audacy’s 98.5 KLUC (KLUC-FM) in Las Vegas.
📻Listeners can tune in to 92.5 WBEE (WBEE-FM) in Rochester on air and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website. Listeners can also connect with the station via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Randy Travis helped Midwest Communications, Inc. flip the switch and launch a new country station in Nashville Thursday when WNFN Hot 106.7 was transformed to Y’all 106.7.
The first song to air on the new ’80s and ’90s-based country format was Travis’ “Forever and Ever, Amen,” and Travis was in the Y’all 106.7 studio with Brand Manager Ron Allen to help celebrate and kick off the new format, according to Music Row.
Allen, Brand Manager for Nashville’s 96.3 JACK-FM, will add programming responsibilities for the new brand. Allen has served as Midwest Communications Duke FM Format Captain (Classic Country), and has launched and programmed several country stations over the course of his career.
WNFN 106.7 FM (15 Kw)
“Nashville is a market already rich in great country programming, but we feel that this unique ’80s and ’90s-based format will bring country listeners an exciting new option,” says Representing Midwest Communications ownership family, Mary Kay Wright. “It’s such an honor to have Randy Travis as part of our Y’all 106.7 launch. He isn’t just a top artist from the ’80s, he helped define the best of what country music was then and still is today.”
“We fully appreciate that the country format in Nashville is crowded, but we believe there is still an opportunity to serve the community and be successful in this lane,” says Allen.
A radio host is suing OpenAI for defamation, alleging that ChatGPT created a fake legal complaint about him.
According to Business Insider citing the lawsuit filed in a Georgia court, Mark Walters alleged that ChatGPT provided journalist Fred Riehl with a false legal complaint instead of a real case he was reporting on. The bot falsely identified Walters as involved in the case and said he was accused of "defrauding and embezzling funds," per court documents.
Mark Walters
Walters is a syndicated talk personality for Armed American Radio.
In the complaint, Walters said Riehl asked the AI-powered chatbot for a summary of a Washington case involving Attorney General Bob Ferguson and the Second Amendment Foundation, providing the chatbot with a link to the case.
The complaint said that in response to this, ChatGPT provided a summary saying the case was between Walters and the Second Amendment Foundation, and that Walters was "accused of defrauding and embezzling funds from the SAF."
The bot named the radio host as the organization's treasurer and chief financial officer, and said he had been accused of misappropriating funds for personal expenses and manipulating financial records, according to the suit.
Walters said that when the bot was pressed for more details, it eventually provided an entirely fake complaint, per court documents. The Georgia suit called the complaint a "complete fabrication" that "bears no resemblance to the actual complaint, including an erroneous case number."
The defamation case is the first of its kind, according to Bloomberg Law, and was most likely caused by a "hallucination." Experts have been warning for some time that AI chatbots can sometimes give false but convincing answers.
University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., announced that Pete Bevacqua will succeed Jack Swarbrick as vice president and Director of Athletics when he steps down in 2024.
Swarbrick will continue to run the athletics operations at Notre Dame for the remainder of 2023. But at the same time he will begin mentoring Bevacqua.
Bevacqua is a Notre Dame graduate himself and has been the chairman for NBC Sports the past several years. Prior to that Bevacqua was the CEO of the PGA of America.
Bevacqua's current position at NBC gives him a unique background in which to try and navigate the ever-changing landscape of televised sports, which is such a big component, to Notre Dame's football independence. And it no doubt made him an attractive candidate to replace Swarbrick.
Bevacqua will start July 1 in the role of Special Assistant to the President for Athletics, under Swarbrick, before taking on the role.
Donald Trump was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in the investigation into his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, marking the first time in history that the federal government has brought charges against a former president. Trump was charged with seven counts, a person familiar with the matter said, including violations of the Espionage Act, which bars the misuse of classified information, as well as obstruction and false statements. A lawyer for Trump, James Trusty, confirmed those counts on CNN.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said his lawyers had been informed of his indictment in connection with what he called the “Boxes Hoax.” Trump declared his innocence and said he had been summoned to appear Tuesday at the federal courthouse in Miami.
Federal prosecutors informed Trump’s legal team of an investigation Thursday over his alleged mishandling of the documents. Trump faced another indictment by a Manhattan grand jury over allegations that he paid $130,000 in hush money to former porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged affair in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election.
The FBI raided Trump’s home in August to retrieve 15 boxes of classified documents requested by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
Federal officials have also located documents at Penn Biden and at Biden's Wilmington home, and have searched his Delaware beach house after the initial discovery at Penn Biden days before the November elections. Citing three sources, NBC News reported Thursday that not only is the end of the investigation into Biden not 'imminent,' they have yet to even question the president. The president has insisted that he and his team are being transparent and cooperative with investigators. He's also brushed off reporters' questions on the matter and outright ignored them at times.
Republican lawmakers fume over Trump indictment, accuse Biden admin of political motivations | Just The News https://t.co/bkvTnX5ub3
➤BIDEN CALLS ALLEGATIONS 'MALARKEY': Congressional Republicans who read an FBI informant file accusing President Biden of a role in a $5 million bribery scheme said Thursday that it involved the Ukrainian company Burisma — but Biden tauntingly retorted, “Where’s the money?”
The SAME DAY @GOPoversight is shown a document by the FBI showing evidence that Biden and his son were each paid $5 million dollars by a foreign national the DOJ indicts Trump. Coincidental? I think not. pic.twitter.com/YdmbbAo6fX
“It’s a bunch of malarkey,” Biden told a reporter when asked about the bribery claim hours after FBI Director Christopher Wray agreed to let rank-and-file House Oversight Committee members read a June 2020 document in a bid to avoid being held in contempt. Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) revealed details after reading the file at the Capitol. Both said Burisma owner Mykola Zlochevsky allegedly told an FBI source that he paid $5 million apiece to Hunter and then-VP Joe Biden in an attempt to shake off a corruption investigation.
Google said a long-delayed product that pays news publishers to feature their content would launch in the U.S. this summer, part of what the company said is an effort to support media outlets, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The coming debut of the product, called Google News Showcase, comes as various countries around the world have passed or are considering legislation to help publishers get payments from technology companies—including Google and Facebook parent Meta Platforms META 0.37%increase; green up pointing triangle—for featuring their content.
Showcase was announced in 2020 and has since been introduced in more than 20 countries but had yet to debut in the U.S. amid stalled efforts to negotiate with some publishers.
The company said Showcase would feature more than 150 U.S. news publications, including local outlets such as the Duluth News Tribune in Minnesota and Orlando Weekly in Florida, as well as larger new outlets such as the Associated Press, Bloomberg, Reuters and The Wall Street Journal.
Google didn’t say how much money U.S. publishers were being paid as part of the partnership.
Google has faced criticism in recent years from executives at major news organizations—including Wall Street Journal parent News Corp—for using news content in its products without paying the publishers that provide it.
News Corp reached a global multiyear deal with Google in 2021. The media company said the deal and other tech tie-ups would generate a combined annual revenue of more than $100 million, the Journal previously reported. Beyond the Journal, News Corp owns news organizations in Australia and the U.K., as well as Barron’s, MarketWatch and the New York Post in the U.S.
The New York Times recently signed a deal with Google, including Showcase, that will pay it around $100 million a year over three years, the Journal reported.
The rise of Google and Facebook as digital-advertising behemoths has had a significant impact on the media industry, leaving publishers grappling with increased competition for ad revenue and attention. Both Google and Meta have explored ways to compensate publishers, and Showcase is part of that effort.
Billionaire John Catsimatidis teased that he aims to buy CNN from its corporate parent, Warner Bros. Discovery — and told The NY Post he’d “go run the place tomorrow morning and all I’d want is $1 per year.”
The New York supermarket mogul first said he’d bid on the beleaguered network during a Thursday morning appearance on 77 WABC’s “Sid & Friends in the Morning.”
In a subsequent interview with The Post, however, 74-year-old Catsimatidis wasn’t ready to share details, including how much he’d be willing to pony up.
“It’s up to the investment bankers to come up with the numbers,” Catsimatidis said, although he also signaled that he didn’t believe financing a bid would be a problem.
“We could always bring partners in, but I want to run the place,” he said. “We are capable of putting down a substantial amount of money.”
John Catsimtidis
“I’d go run the place tomorrow morning, and all I’d want is $1 per year and a piece of the upside,” Catsimatidis said, claiming he could “double the profits” in a short amount of time.
Catsimatidis, who boasts a net worth of $4.1 billion, pointed to 77 WABC shooting up to No. 1 in Nielsen’s rated talk radio ratings under his rule as proof that he could bolster CNN’s rank. (77 WABC took first place in October 2021, but sits in the No. 11 spot 6+ as of April.)
Catsimatidis also assured in an interview with The Post that under him, C N would be nothing like it was under Jeff Zucker, who was very publicly anti-Trump and was booted out of the network in early 2022 for failing to disclose his relationship with a subordinate.
He said that if he were to take over, CNN would continue to make moves towards becoming more bipartisan.
“I want the truth, not opinions,” Catsimatidis emphasized. “If people say there’s two truths, let’s voice both truths and let the viewers decide.”
Reach Media Announces Two New Pick-Up’s for Incognito and the Posted on the Corner Show
Urban One Inc.’s Reach Media is pleased to announce that the syndicated Posted on the Corner Show hosted by Incognito has been picked up by KBXX in Houston and KBFB in Dallas.
“Everywhere we have put the Posted on the Corner night show we have seen incredible ratings results. Adding both Houston and Dallas only makes sense to continue to grow this brand,” said Colby Tyner, Reach Media Senior Vice President, Programming.
Posted On The Corner cast
Posted on the Corner started on WENZ in Cleveland then became a regional show in Ohio before spreading to the rest of the country in 2020.
“I am truly grateful for this opportunity to expand my Posted on the Corner Show by also making and impact with the communities in Texas. We know everything is big in Texas; expect nothing less from the POTC Team!,” said Incognito.
With the new pick-ups, it is now heard in 16 markets including airing in 4 of the top 10 radio markets.
“Since the 2021 launch into syndication, we have been impressed with not only the evolution of Posted on the Corner, but more importantly the enthusiasm and dynamitic personality that is Incognito. He is engaging, hardworking, positive and loves to super serve his affiliates. The success of this show is no surprise & we are excited to take it next level,” says Melody Talkington, Vice President Affiliate Relations at Reach Media.
➦In 1900...Fred Waring born (Died – July 29, 1984). He was a musician, bandleader, and radio and television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing". He was also a promoter, financial backer and eponym of the Waring Blendor, the first modern electric blender on the market.
From 1923 until late 1932, "Waring's Pennsylvanians" were among Victor Records' best-selling bands. In late 1932, Waring abruptly quit recording, although his band continued to perform on radio. In 1933, "You Gotta Be a Football Hero" was performed on radio to great acclaim. His 1930 recording of "Love for Sale" by Cole Porter is one of the only period versions of this popular song.
The Fred Waring Show was heard on radio in various forms from 1933 to 1957.
Les Paul with wife Mary Ford
➦In 1915...Lester William Polsfuss Born (Died at age 94 – August 12, 2009), He was known as Les Paul and was a jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, and his techniques served as inspiration for the Gibson Les Paul. Paul taught himself how to play guitar, and while he is mainly known for jazz and popular music, he had an early career in country music. He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention.
His innovative talents extended into his playing style, including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day. He recorded with his wife, the singer and guitarist Mary Ford, in the 1950s, and they sold millions of records.
Among his many honors, Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed. Les Paul is the only person to be included in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Early ins hie career he played or conducted bands that performed on KMOX in St. Louis and WBBM and WLS in Chicago.
Armstrong
➦In 1934…Edwin Howard Armstrong conducted first successful field test of FM radio at Alpine, NJ.
In 1934, Armstrong began working for RCA at the request of the president of RCA, David Sarnoff. Sarnoff and Armstrong first met at a boxing match involving Jack Dempsey in 1920. At the time Sarnoff was a young executive with an interest in new technologies, including radio broadcasting.
In the early 1920s Armstrong drove off with Sarnoff's secretary, Marion MacInnes, in a French sports car. Armstrong and MacInnes were married in 1923. While Sarnoff was understandably impressed with Armstrong's FM system, he also understood that it was not compatible with his own AM empire. Sarnoff came to regard FM as a threat and refused to support it any further.
From May 1934 until October 1935, Armstrong conducted the first large scale field tests of his FM radio technology from a laboratory constructed by RCA on the 85th floor of the Empire State Building. An antenna attached to the spire of the building fired radio waves at receivers about 80 miles away. However, RCA had its eye on television broadcasting, and chose not to buy the patents for the FM technology. A June 17, 1936, presentation at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) headquarters made headlines nationwide. He played a jazz record over conventional AM radio, then switched to an FM broadcast. "[I]f the audience of 50 engineers had shut their eyes they would have believed the jazz band was in the same room. There were no extraneous sounds," noted one reporter. He added that several engineers described the invention "as one of the most important radio developments since the first earphone crystal sets were introduced."
In 1937, Armstrong financed construction of the first FM radio station, W2XMN, a 40 kilowatt broadcaster in Alpine, New Jersey. The signal (at 42.8 MHz) could be heard clearly 100 miles away, despite the use of less power than an AM radio station.
➦In 1996...Jack Lacy, a New York radio personality and disk jockey who was heard on 1010WINS from the late 1940's through 1965, died. He was 79 and had lived in Spain since 1989.
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