Radio History: November 5

Dale Evans and Roy Rogers

➦In 1911...Roy Rogers was born Leonard Franklin Slye (Died of heart failure at age 86 - July 6, 1998). Known as the "King of the Cowboys", he appeared in over 100 films and numerous radio and television episodes of The Roy Rogers Show. In many of his films and television episodes, he appeared with his wife, Dale Evans; his golden palomino, Trigger; and his German shepherd, Bullet. His show was broadcast on radio for nine years and then on television from 1951 through 1957. His productions usually featured a sidekick, often Pat Brady, Andy Devine, George "Gabby" Hayes, or Smiley Burnette. In his later years, Rogers lent his name to the franchise chain of Roy Rogers Restaurants.

➦In 1946...This ad appeared in the NY Times...

➦In 1948...Jack Sterling started at WCBS 880 AM.

The "Jack Sterling Show," aired Monday to Friday from 1948 to 1966, was noted for its relaxed chatter, joking, storytelling, interviews, features on news and sports and tips on fishing sites.  For seven of those years Sterling hosted a TV Show in Philadelphia in a bid to launch a television career.

The show was one of the last radio programs to offer live music -- by a quintet occasionally joined by the host's drumming. Sterling succeeded Arthur Godfrey in the local show when that humorist joined the CBS network.

Sterling, a six-footer with a trim mustache and contagious laugh, described his style this way: "It isn't pleasant for most people to get up early in the morning, so we use the undersell, quiet approach."

Alec Cumming · Jack Sterling's Tenth Anniversary 11/6/58

At age 24, he turned to radio, working for stations in Peoria and Quincy, Ill.; St. Louis; Bridgeport, Conn., and Chicago. He worked for CBS and its affiliates for 25 years and retired in 1979.

Sterling died November 1, 1990 at his home in Stuart, Fla. He was 75 years old.

The Big Show with Tallulah Bankhead (far right)

➦In 1950...a 90-minute radio spectacular to battle the TV onslaught, 'The Big Show' was launched by NBC Radio. “The greatest stars of our time on one big program” was the introduction by hostess/actress Tallulah Bankhead.  It was a big show all right. The peacock saw red as losses exceeded a million dollars in the three years the program was on the air.

➦In 1988...The Beach Boys set two records with their #1 hit, "Kokomo." It  marked the group as having the longest gap between chart-toppers (21 years and ten months from 1966's "Good Vibrations") and the longest stretch of career #1s (dating back to their first, "I Get Around," 24 years and four months earlier).

➦In 1988...CBS flips KHTR St. Louis to oldies, continuing a year-long trend moving its FM stations from Top 40 to classic hits. By the winter book of 1989, the station improved to #2 in 12+.

➦In 2011…Longtime Pittsburgh radio personality Perry Marshall died at age 86. 

Born, Sheldon Roy Lewis, he worked as "Roy Silver" in Chicago before coming to Pittsburgh. In Chicago he began his career as a writer and editor of news at WBBM.

Perry Marshall

His first Pittsburgh radio job was at WPGH in 1951. From there, he became the morning deejay at WEDO in McKeesport using the name Roy Lewis.. He then became the first Top 40 Rock & Roll deejay in Pittsburgh at WEEP when it went top 40 in October, 1957.

He was given the name "Perry Marshall" when he went to work as a DJ at WEEP.  In 1961, it was back to Chicago and WIND. In March, 1963, Marshall reached 18% of the afternoon audience at WIND, while competing against WLS.

He returned to Pittsburgh and WTAE in the mid 1960's. He then became part of the talk format at WJAS in 1968. On November 6, 1972, Marshall joined KQV.

Perry remained at KQV until March, 1974 when he moved over to KDKA part time. That part time job led to long career at KDKA. Perry replaced Jack Wheeler in overnights at KQV and the rest is history. Perry retired from full time work at KDKA in May 1988.

(H/T:  to Jeff Roteman's KQV page)

Elke Sommer is 83

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Actor Harris Yulin (“The Hurricane,” “Scarface”) is 86. 
• Actor Chris Robinson (“General Hospital”) is 85. 
• Actor Elke Summer is 83. 
• Singer Art Garfunkel is 82. 
• Singer Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits is 76. 
• TV personality Kris Jenner is 68. 
• Actor Nestor Serrano (“24″) is 68. 
• Comedian-actor Mo Gaffney is 65. 
• Actor Robert Patrick (“The X-Files”) is 65. 
• Singer Bryan Adams is 64. 
• Actor Tilda Swinton is 63. 
• Actor Michael Gaston (TV’s “Unforgettable,” “The Mentalist”) is 61. 
• Actor-singer Andrea McArdle is 60. 
• Actor Tatum O’Neal is 60. 
• Singer Angelo Moore of Fishbone is 58. 
• Actor Judy Reyes (“Scrubs”) is 56. 
• Actor Seth Gilliam (TV’s “Teen Wolf”) is 55. 
• Keyboardist Mark Hunter of James is 55. 
• Actor Sam Rockwell is 55. 
• Country singers Jennifer and Heather Kinley of The Kinleys are 53. 
• Guitarist-keyboardist Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead is 52. 
• Actor Corin Nemec (“Parker Lewis Can’t Lose”) is 52. 
• Singer-guitarist Ryan Adams is 49. 
• Actor Sebastian Arcelus (“Madam Secretary,” ″House of Cards,”) is 47. 
• Actor Luke Hemsworth (“Westworld”) is 43. 
• Actor Annet Mahendru (“The Americans”) is 38. 
• Guitarist Kevin Jonas of The Jonas Brothers is 36.

✞REMEMBRANCES

• In 1942..George M. Cohan, American father of musical comedy (Phantom President; Give My Regards to Broadway), dies of cancer at 64
• In 1986..(Ulysses) Bobby Nunn, American singer (The Robins; The Coasters - "Charlie Brown"; "Youngblood"), dies of a heart attack at 61
• In 1989..Barry Sadler, American singer ("Ballad Of The Green Berets"), dies from complications of being shot 14 months earlier at 49
• In 1990..Bobby Scott, American composer, arranger and jazz singer ("He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"), dies of cancer at 53
• In 1991..Fred MacMurray, American actor (Double Indemnity, The Apartment, My Three Sons), dies of pneumonia at 83
• In 2000..Jimmie Davis, American singer and songwriter ("You Are My Sunshine"), dies at 101
• In 2003..Bobby Hatfield, American singer (Righteous Brothers - "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"), dies of acute cocaine toxicity at 63
• In 2005..(Fred Lincoln) "Link" Wray, Native American rock guitarist ("Rumble"), dies of heart failure at 76
• In 2022..Aaron Carter, American singer, rapper and songwriter, accidently drowns in his bathtub while under the influence of prescription sedatives and non-medicinal inhalants at 34

Daylight Saving Time To End Sunday 2AM

At 2 a.m. Sunday, daylight saving time comes to an end — at least until March 10 meaning that the clocks must be reset and we get back the hour we lost in March.

For most of us, the extra hour comes and goes because we are in bed at 2 a.m., sleeping, and other than noticing more sunlight in the morning and perhaps feeling a little more refreshed, we hardly even notice it. Smart clocks, now, know when to change on their own.

But every year, partly because stupid clocks still need to be changed, news outlets remind everyone to "fall back." And the debate begins: How did this tradition start? Is it good for us? And if it is not, should we always be an hour ahead or an hour behind?

What is daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time, or some people say daylight savings time, is the term we use to distinguish between the part of the year starting in March when we advance clocks — or they now advance themselves — an hour ahead. Ironically, when this happens there's less daylight in the morning.

When we set clocks back an hour, it's called standard time.

To help schoolchildren remember what to do with clocks when they learn the mnemonic device: "spring forward" and "fall back." Get it?

Benjamin Franklin, the statesman and inventor whose picture appears on the $100 bill, is credited with the idea to conserve candles back in 1784. Others offered other proposals over the years, and in 1966, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, the twice-year time change became law.

Despite the commonly held belief that daylight saving time was to help farmers, it was created to save energy, and according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, when the sun sets later, it's presumed that people will stay out longer and spend more time outside leading to a need for less electricity usage for lights and appliances.

There's also lots of debate about whether the time change is good for our health.

Among the evidence: Americans experience physical health problems caused by the biannual time changes, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health. The problems included strokes, heart attacks, accidents, and changes in mood.

Comcast Selling Its Stake In Hulu, What Happens Now?

Comcast Corp. is officially selling its 33% stake in Hulu to Walt Disney Co. but the price is still to be determined, reports the Philadelphia Business Journal.

The stake is worth at least $8.61 billion, according to original terms of the deal, but will go through an appraisal process in which Comcast CEO Brian Roberts has said the streaming service could be worth "way more."

Comcast and Disney agreed to a deal in 2019 in which Comcast can force Disney to buy its 33% stake in Hulu at current market value, or Disney could force Comcast to sell the stake. The option was set to trigger on Nov. 1 and Disney announced late Wednesday that Comcast has exercised its right to sell, giving Disney total ownership of Hulu after the transaction closes. The deal sets a ground floor value of the streaming service at $27.5 billion, but it will now go through an appraisal process to determine Hulu's true market value as of Sept. 30

According to a release from Disney, "the timing of the appraisal process is uncertain" but expected to be completed sometime in 2024. Negotiations on the deal were originally set to begin in January 2024, but the two sides moved the timeline up in September.

Disney will pay Comcast $8.61 billion by Dec. 1. That amount is less than 33% of the deal's $27.5 billion floor value because it factors in outstanding capital payments Comcast must make to Disney.

Both Comcast and Disney have retained independent companies to appraise the value of Hulu — Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan, respectively. If the two sides aren't within 10% of each other, a third party will enter the fray to settle the appraisal.

Hulu had about 48 million subscribers as of July. That compares to the 28 million that Comcast's NBCUniversal streaming service, Peacock, has after it added 4 million in the company's third quarter.

As Philadelphia-based Comcast steps away from Hulu, it's investing heavily into Peacock to gain ground in the streaming wars. Peacock subscribers jumped nearly 80% year over year in the third quarter and revenue from the platform grew 64%. Comcast officials pointed to Peacock's growing live sports offerings as a driver of growth, an area Hulu has leaned into in recent years as well.

Liberty Media Reports 3Q Financial Results

Liberty Media Corporation Friday reported third quarter 2023 results. Headlines include:

Attributed to Liberty SiriusXM Group

• SiriusXM reported third quarter 2023 operating and financial results
• Third quarter 2023 revenue of $2.27 billion
• Net income of $363 million, up 47% year-over-year; diluted EPS of $0.09
• Adjusted EBITDA(2) of $747 million; up 4% year-over-year
• Free cash flow(2) of $291 million
• Year-to-date capital returns to SiriusXM stockholders total $555 million
• SiriusXM reiterated 2023 financial guidance; planned November 8th next generation event
• Liberty Media’s ownership of SiriusXM was 83.5% as of October 27th
• Retired remaining $199 million outstanding principal amount of 1.375% cash convertible notes in October

Chicago Radio: WXRT's Terri Hemmert Reaches 50-Year Milestone

Radio Personality Terri Hemmerts this week celebrates 50 years on WXRT. The iconic Chicago radio station, which celebrated its own 50 year anniversary last year, marks the occasion beginning Friday November 3rd (50 years to the day since Terri’s first air shift) at 8 a.m. when she joins Marty Lennartz on the morning show. 

She shared stories and memorable moments from her career so far, her favorite songs, and throughout the day WXRT DJ’s read messages submitted by the public answering What does Terri Hemmert Mean To You?

“I saw a picture in a teen magazine of Cleveland disc jockey Jim Stagg interviewing Ringo Starr on The Beatles’ 1965 tour,” Terri Hemmert said. “I thought if I became a DJ I could meet The Beatles. Being surrounded by music I love and colleagues who are family while calling Chicago home - that’s why I stuck around for 50 years.”

The day’s on-air celebration was capped by a special presentation of WXRT’s weekly live music series Live From The XRT Concert Archives - Mavis Staples’ performance from the Old Town School of Folk Music in November 2004. Mavis Staples and Terri Hemmert have enjoyed a decades-long friendship.

Today, Saturday November 4, Terri will host WXRT’s (and one of Chicago’s) longest-running radio programs Saturday Morning Flashback. From 9 a.m. till noon, Terri will capture 1973’s spirit through music, memories and shared experiences.

On Sunday November 5, Breakfast With The Beatles will feature the just-released Beatles song “Now And Then.” The song is the final new Beatles song and the first song to feature John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr recorded together as The Beatles since 1970’s Let It Be. A fitting way to celebrate “Chicago’s #1 Beatles Fan and foremost authority on the Fab Four.” Terri has produced and hosted the weekly program since its debut in 2002.

Terri Hemmert was born in Piqua, Ohio and graduated Elmhurst College (now Elmhurst University) in Illinois with a Bachelor's Degree in speech. Her broadcasting career began at the school’s non-commercial radio station WRSE-FM/Elmhurst. Her professional experience commenced in 1970 at WGLD-FM/Oak Park. In 1972, she went to WCMF-FM/Rochester, New York before returning briefly to WGLD in 1973. She made her debut on WXRT on November 3, 1973.

Miami Radio: WFEZ Adds Nikki For Middays

Cox Media Group announced Nikki Imbracsio has replaced Korby Ray in Middays. Korby shifted to Mornings with Bobby Mitchell back in July on WFEZ Easy 93.1 Favorites from the 80s 90s and more.

Nikki

Nikki remains in the South Florida area, where she previously hosted afternoons in West Palm.


“All roads led me to South Florida, and I’ve never felt more welcomed and grateful to be here,” Nikki said. “I’ve been so blessed and honored to work with some of the country’s most elite programming teams, and CMG Miami is right at the top. Thank you, Ian Richards, Phil Michaels-Trueba and Ralph Renzi for saving me this seat at the table. My cup is full.”

“I’m so happy to have Nikki part of the Easy team! I followed her career from back in Chicago to now and she’s already made an impact and meshing with the team,” said Ian Richards, Director of Branding and Programming.

FNC's Trey Yingst Has Close Call With Incoming

A rocket launched from Gaza exploded near a kindergarten building in southern Israel, just feet from a crowd of journalists covering the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The attack was witnessed by Fox News foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, who estimated that he was within 100 feet of the blast.

"It appears there has been a direct impact. This was not intercepted, it was a massive explosion," Yingst reported from near the site of impact.

Trey Yingst reports 'massive explosion' roughly 100 feet from his location | https://t.co/BvPrll4Ftf

— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) November 4, 2023

Yingst reported that there do not appear to be any casualties despite the dangerous proximity to reporters covering the fighting at the Gaza border.

TWH Denounces Mark Levin Comments

The White House joined CNN in denouncing radio host Mark Levin after he attacked the Jewish heritage of two CNN anchors, reports The Hill.

On his radio show this week, Levin — who is also Jewish — described CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper as “self-hating Jews” during a diatribe criticizing the network’s coverage of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

“Not only is Fox News aligning with those who fan the flames of hate – Fox is paying their salaries,” Andrew Bates, deputy White House press secretary, said Friday.

“Lying to insult the pain that families suffered in the Holocaust has absolutely no place in America. None,” Bates continued. “Sadly, this is not the first time in recent months that a Fox News host made sickening remarks about the Holocaust.” 

Levin also claimed Blitzer’s parents “weren’t victims in one way or another, of the Holocaust,” which is not true. Blitzer’s parents were impacted by Nazi concentration camps and his grandparents were killed in the Holocaust, according to CNN.

CNN condemned the comments on Thursday evening as “wildly uninformed, inappropriate and shameful,” and said Levin’s “antisemitic rhetoric is dangerous, offensive and should be universally denounced.”

NYC Radio: SiriusXM, Audacy & iHM Team Up with WhyHunger

WhyHunger has announced the annual Hungerthon fundraiser and awareness drive returns for its 38th year. Conceived and hosted by WhyHunger – a non-profit working to end world hunger and the injustices that cause it – the annual, multifaceted campaign runs now through the holiday season, and has raised millions to tackle the root causes of hunger and invest in community driven solutions that ensure nutritious food for all.

• The 2023 WhyHunger Hungerthon campaign consists of: Radio and Ambassador Partnerships: Hungerthon’s long-time radio partners including SiriusXM, Audacy New York, and iHeartMedia New York, as well as celebrity supporters including Yoko Ono Lennon and Bruce Springsteen, will help amplify the message of Hungerthon and raise critical funds to fuel solutions.
• Charity Auctions: Supporters can bid on elite auction items and experiences from celebrities, musician and athletes at Charitybuzz starting on November 14.
• Celebrity Merchandise: Signature Hungerthon merchandise make great holiday gifts. This year’s merchandise includes a John Lennon Imagine There’s No Hunger Pullover Hoodie and Tee, a Bruce Springsteen “Darkness on the Edge of Town” Tee and Hat, and a vintage Hungerthon Tee, and more, and will be available as a gift with your donation at Hungerthon.org, with all proceeds supporting WhyHunger’s work.
• Live Hungerthon Day (November 21): On November 21, WhyHunger will host its annual live Hungerthon Day via radio partners at Audacy New York on stations including: WFAN (WFAN-FM/AM), WCBS 880 (WCBS-AM), 1010/92.3 WINS (WINS-AM/92.3 FM), 101.1 WCBS-FM (WCBS-FM), 94.7 The Block (WXBK-FM) and NEW 102.7 (WNEW-FM). Live broadcasts feature interviews, auctions, Hungerthon merchandise and more. Donations are accepted online at Hungerthon.org.
• Amplified: A Hungerthon Kick Off Concert: The inaugural concert kicks off Hungerthon on November 1, at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, tapping into the transformative power of music.

Audacy's Country Concert Benefits Wounded Warrior Project

On Thursday Audacy rounded up HARDY, Brian Kelley, Ashley McBryde, Michael Ray, Cole Swindell and Hailey Whitters for its annual Country music concert Stars and Strings at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. Hosted by KISS Country 99.9 (WKIS-FM) as a part of Audacy’s I’m Listening mental health initiative, proceeds from the show benefited Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP).

“Last night was a testament to the declarations of pride and solidarity embedded within Country music,” said Tim Roberts, Country Format Vice President, Audacy. “Stars and Strings and Audacy have long supported Wounded Warrior Project, and it was our honor to bring together some of Country’s biggest names to support the life-saving programs Wounded Warrior Project provides for our nation’s heroes.”

Before the show, attendees headed to Hard Rock Cafe for the free pre-party, hosted by Audacy’s nationally syndicated Rob + Holly Show, with performances by Hailey Whitters, George Birge and Florida’s own Sammy Arriaga.

WWP offers innovative and accessible no-cost mental health programs and services that address invisible wounds, bridge gaps in care, and help warriors and their families build resilience. Stars and Strings benefits WWP programs like Warrior Care Network, a partnership that provides veterans with improved access to personalized, accelerated treatment for mental and brain injuries alongside other veterans in a supportive peer setting.

Stars and Strings is one of the events supporting I’m Listening, Audacy's ongoing commitment to mental health conversations, and follows the 10th annual sold-out We Can Survive concert, which benefited the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). For more on I’m Listening, including content from the performers, Dan + Shay, Luke Bryan and Audacy Launch artist Jelly Roll, visit ImListening.org.

ESPN's Online Sportsbook Launches Nov. 14

ESPN BET, a newly-branded online sportsbook for fans in the United States, is set to debut with a planned launch on Nov. 14. Subject to final approvals, ESPN BET will go live in 17 states, which include: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Additionally, ESPN is now using official odds provided by ESPN BET across editorial and other content.

ESPN BET Creative: ESPN BET has released a teaser spot featuring SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt. In the spot, Van Pelt receives notifications from both the ESPN and ESPN BET apps, showcasing the cohesiveness between the two brands. The full creative campaign, which will debut around ESPN BET’s launch, will also include SportsCenter anchor Elle Duncan.

Daily Wager Rebrand: As part of the overall launch of ESPN BET, ESPN’s Daily Wager program will rebrand to ESPN BET Live, beginning Nov. 10. The show’s final episode as Daily Wager will be Nov. 6.

ESPN Headquarters Sweepstakes: Ahead of the ESPN BET launch, fans can enter into a sweepstakes for the chance to win an exclusive trip to the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn. More details to follow.

For more information and to sign up for updates about ESPN BET, visit ESPNBET.com.

Radio History: November 4

➦In 1916...David Sarnoff proposed the concept of a "radio music box" for radio reception.

The curator of Sarnoff's papers found a previously mis-filed 1916 memo that mentioned Sarnoff and a "radio music box scheme" (the word "scheme" in 1916 usually meant a plan).  Here is the memo:

David Sarnoff

"I have in mind a plan of development which would make radio a 'household utility' in the same sense as the piano or phonograph. The idea is to bring music into the house by wireless.  

"While this has been tried in the past by wires, it has been a failure because wires do not lend themselves to this scheme. With radio, however, it would seem to be entirely feasible. For example--a radio telephone transmitter having a range of say 25 to 50 miles can be installed at a fixed point where instrumental or vocal music or both are produced. The problem of transmitting music has already been solved in principle and therefore all the receivers attuned to the transmitting wave length should be capable of receiving such music. The receiver can be designed in the form of a simple 'Radio Music Box' and arranged for several different wave lengths, which should be changeable with the throwing of a single switch or pressing of a single button.  

"The 'Radio Music Box' can be supplied with amplifying tubes and a loudspeaking telephone, all of which can be neatly mounted in one box. The box can be placed on a table in the parlor or living room, the switch set accordingly and the transmitted music received. There should be no difficulty in receiving music perfectly when transmitted within a radius of 25 to 50 miles. Within such a radius there reside hundreds of thousands of families; and as all can simultaneously receive from a single transmitter, there would be no question of obtaining sufficiently loud signals to make the performance enjoyable. The power of the transmitter can be made 5 k.w., if necessary, to cover even a short radius of 25 to 50 miles; thereby giving extra loud signals in the home if desired. The use of head telephones would be obviated by this method. The development of a small loop antenna to go with each 'Radio Music Box' would likewise solve the antennae problem.

"The same principle can be extended to numerous other fields as, for example, receiving lectures at home which be made perfectly audible; also events of national importance can be simultaneously announced and received. Baseball scores can be transmitted in the air by the use of one set installed at the Polo Grounds. The same would be true of other cities. This proposition would be especially interesting to farmers and others living in outlying districts removed from cities. By the purchase of a 'Radio Music Box' they could enjoy concerts, lectures, music, recitals, etc., which may be going on in the nearest city within their radius. While I have indicated a few of the most probable fields of usefulness for such a device, yet there are numerous other fields to which the principle can be extended... 

"The manufacture of the 'Radio Music Box' including antenna, in large quantities, would make possible their sale at a moderate figure of perhaps $75.00 per outfit. The main revenue to be derived will be from the sale of 'Radio Music Boxes' which if manufactured in quantities of one hundred thousand or so could yield a handsome profit when sold at the price mentioned above. Secondary sources of revenue would be from the sale of transmitters and from increased advertising and circulation of the Wireless Age. The Company would have to undertake the arrangements, I am sure, for music recitals, lectures, etc., which arrangements can be satisfactorily worked out. It is not possible to estimate the total amount of business obtainable with this plan until it has been developed and actually tried out but there are about 15,000,000 families in the United States alone and if only one million or 7% of the total families thought well of the idea it would, at the figure mentioned, mean a gross business of about $75,000,000 which should yield considerable revenue.  

"Aside from the profit to be derived from this proposition the possibilities for advertising for the Company are tremendous; for its name would ultimately be brought into the household and wireless would receive national and universal attention."

Sarnoff eventually ruled over an ever-growing telecommunications and consumer electronics empire that included both RCA and NBC, and became one of the largest companies in the world. Named a Reserve Brigadier General of the Signal Corps in 1945, Sarnoff thereafter was widely known as "The General."

Sarnoff is credited with Sarnoff's law, which states that the value of a broadcast network is proportional to the number of viewers.

Walter Cronkite

➦In 1916...Longtime CBS Evening News anchorman Walter Cronkite, once called "the most trusted man in America," was born on this day in 1916. 

20-years-old - 1937 WKY

He dropped out of college in his junior year, in the fall term of 1935, after starting a series of newspaper reporting jobs covering news and sports.  He entered broadcasting as a radio announcer for WKY in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1936, he met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth Maxwell (known by her nickname "Betsy"), while working as the sports announcer for KCMO (AM) in Kansas City, Missouri. His broadcast name was "Walter Wilcox".

In Kansas City, he joined the United Press in 1937.  He became one of the top American reporters in World War II, covering battles in North Africa and Europe,  and in 1943 turned down a job offer from Edward R. Murrow of CBS to relieve Bill Downs in Moscow.  Cronkite was one of eight journalists selected by the United States Army Air Forces to fly bombing raids over Germany in a B-17 Flying Fortress part of group called the Writing 69th, and during a mission fired a machine gun at a German fighter. He also landed in a glider with the 101st Airborne in Operation Market Garden and covered the Battle of the Bulge.

He died on July 17, 2009 at 92.

Honorees Inducted Into The Radio Hall of Fame

The Radio Hall of Fame inducted its 2023 class of honorees last night, Thursday, November 2, 2023, at the 2023 Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony and dinner at the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel in New York City. 

2022 Radio Hall of Fame Inductee, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo was Master of Ceremonies for the event, with Radio Hall of Fame Co-Chairmen, Kraig Kitchin and Dennis Green, welcoming attendees with opening remarks. 

Also honored were the 2023 Legends Inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame, 12 individuals inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame earlier this year, all of whom were honored posthumously.

Gerry House, Shadoe Stevens, Charles Warfield, Deborah Parenti, Nina Totenberg,
John DeBella, Pat St. John, and Bob Rivers

The eight Class of 2023 Inductees are:

• Pat St. John
• Deborah Parenti
• Bob Rivers
• Shadoe Stevens
• Gerry House
• Nina Totenberg
• Charles Warfield
• John DeBella

The 12 2023 Legends Inductees are:

• Eduardo Caballero
• Ed Christian
• Terry Dorsey
• Jack "The Rapper" Gibson
• Marty Glickman
• Bob Grant
• Long John Nebel
• Steve Rivers
• Dave Robbins
• Tom Rounds
• Joe "Butterball" Tamburro
• Mary Turner

The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations in 1991. The Radio Hall of Fame is a project of the Chicago-based Museum of Broadcast Communications and honors notable radio personalities, and showcases their accomplishments. Each year, 24 nominations are slated by the organization’s nominating committee, which is comprised of industry leaders.

Apple Sales Decline

Apple said sales fell for the fourth consecutive quarter, including a decline in China that came as the company faces a broad economic slowdown in the country and new competition from rival Huawei Technologies.

The Wall Street Journal reports the September quarter marks the fourth straight period in which Apple reported year-over-year declines in total revenue, the longest such slump in years. Apple sales were $89.5 billion, down less than 1% from the previous year and largely in line with analyst estimates, even as net income of about $23 billion exceeded expectations.

Despite a broad market decline in demand for smartphones, the Cupertino, Calif., company said its iPhone business advanced 2.8% to $43.8 billion, matching analysts expectations. The tech giant released four new phones in the iPhone 15 family in September, including models that featured titanium cases and better cameras.

The company’s business in China, its third largest market, shrank 2.5% to $15.1 billion, missing analyst estimates. In the country, Apple is facing a broad economic slowdown, stronger domestic competition and heightened government scrutiny.

During the quarter, Apple-rival Huawei made a comeback with a new high-end phone after being shut out of the market for years due to Western technology sanctions. The Chinese phone vendor released the Mate 60 Pro in September that is reportedly able to achieve 5G-like wireless speeds using homegrown technology.

For the three months that ended in September, Huawei smartphone sales grew 37% from a year earlier in China, while Apple’s iPhone shrank 10%, according to Counterpoint Research. Overall smartphone sales in China fell 3% in the period, said the research firm.

China recently ordered central government employees to not use iPhones or other foreign-branded phones for work, The Wall Street Journal reported in September.

Trey Yingst: The Current Generation’s Top War Correspondent

Try Yingst, Fox News

by Richard E. Vatz, Ph.D, For The Baltimore Post Examiner

I have always had a warm professional spot in my heart for good war correspondents.  They are performing one of the most difficult jobs known to civilians.

In today’s Hamas war against Israel – and more — which began with a cowardly Pearl Harbor-type attack and massacre of 1400 Jewish residents of Israel, including an initial slaughtering with videoed glee by the perpetrators of over 250 innocent and unsuspecting concertgoers by Hamas soldiers who came in on motorcycles and trucks with grenades and AK-47 assault rifles, there is one war correspondent who stands out among a lot of good ones: Trey Yingst.

Yingst has proved over the last couple of weeks to be the best war correspondent of this war and one of the best of any war, per his preparedness, his knowledge, his clear articulation nearing eloquence, his awareness of what security concerns allow him to say and withhold, and, of course, his bravery.

Sinclair Wants Bankrupt RSN Giant Diamond Sports

Sinclair Broadcasting Group wants to pay pennies on the dollar to regain control of a nationwide chain of regional sports networks — which it had paid $10.6 billion to acquire four years ago only to see it fall into bankruptcy this spring, The NY Post has learned.

Sinclair, which owns 185 television stations in 86 markets, has offered roughly $850 million in partnership with Bally’s owner Soo Kim to regain control of its bankrupt subsidiary, Diamond Sports Group, which airs local games on TV under the Bally Sports brand and owns the rights to 39 teams across MLB, the NBA and NHL, sources said.

Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley

The deal looks like a last gasp to keep the decades-old regional sports networks broadcasting on local TV. Diamond, which has been mired in bankruptcy court since March and is looking to restructure debts of up to $8.6 billion, has asked the court for another extension, from November 29 to Jan. 29, to present a restructuring plan, the sources said.

But industry experts and the sports leagues say a delay only prolongs the inevitable fate of the troubled RSN model, which suffers from continued cord-cutting and dwindling advertising revenue.

“You need to stop putting a Band-Aid on the regional sports network problem and come up with long-term solutions,” media analyst Rich Greenfield of LightShed Ventures told The Post. 

Those solutions involve finding deep-pocketed streamers like Amazon and Apple to buy the rights, or reselling them to the individual teams, sources said.

11/3 WAKE-UP CALL: Russian Paramilitrary Group To Aid Hamas

The Russian paramilitary group Wagner plans to provide an air-defense system to Hezbollah, U.S. officials say, citing intelligence. This comes amid broader concerns that Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese militia, may open up a northern front against Israel, which is fighting Hamas in Gaza. The Russian Embassy didn’t respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council declined to comment. 

The U.S. has positioned an aircraft carrier in the Eastern Mediterranean to try to deter Hezbollah and Iran. Separately, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his deputies are speaking with their counterparts in Arab states about plans for governing Gaza after Israel finishes its main military operations there, according to people familiar with the early stage conversations. In Washington, the House is set to vote today on Republicans’ $14.3 billion Israel aid proposal, kicking off a legislative fight complicated by growing disagreements about assistance for Ukraine and securing the U.S. border.

Biden supports humanitarian pause as Israel surrounds Gaza City: The Israeli military said Thursday it has surrounded Gaza City, heightening concerns about civilian casualties at a time when Israel faces increasing pressure to agree to a humanitarian halt in the war. A rising Palestinian death toll that has surpassed 9,000 − including more than 3,600 children − and images of widespread destruction in densely populated areas of Gaza have contributed to growing unease among Israel supporters and Arab nations with which it has peaceful relations. That continued even as more foreign nationals, including 74 Americans, and injured civilians fled from Gaza into Egypt on Thursday. President Joe Biden has endorsed a humanitarian "pause," a message likely to be underscored in Friday's visit to Israel by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is also expected to push for better protections for civilians and more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. 

There is growing concern among top Biden administration officials about how the Israelis are carrying out the war against Hamas and uncertainty about whether Israel can be reined in, according to senior U.S. officials familiar with internal discussions. https://t.co/KCXaPfFYaM

— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 3, 2023

➤HAMAS TERRORISTS DRUGGED: It's called many names. The jihadi drug, Captain Courage, the Poor Man’s Cocaine. But were Hamas terrorists high on the synthetic stimulant Captagon when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, brutally killing more than 1,400 people and kidnapping at least 220 more? Two Israeli security officials with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY that the methamphetamine-like substance was found on at least some Hamas members killed during or after the stunning raids on Israel, bolstering an Oct. 19 report by Israel's Channel 12 News that was not based on official sources. Officially, the Israeli military declined to confirm or deny the use of Captagon by Hamas. "We can't comment on this matter," a spokesperson told USA TODAY.

➤HOUSE PASSES ISRAEL AID PACKAGE: The House of Representatives approved more than $14 billion in Israel aid Thursday afternoon setting up House Speaker Mike Johnson’s first major legislative clash with the Senate and White House. The bill, titled the “Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act” cleared the lower chamber by a vote of 226-196 with most Republicans voting for the legislation and most Democrats voting against it. Two Republicans defected and voted against the bill while twelve Democrats voted for it. Aid to Israel, a close U.S. ally, as it fights a war against Hamas militants, has garnered widespread bipartisan support, but Johnson’s proposal for standalone Israel funding has drawn considerable backlash from the Democratic-controlled Senate and the White House. 

Cornell University cancels classes Friday amid 'extraordinary stress,' following antisemitic threats https://t.co/sC8zL5YQjI

— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 3, 2023

➤UAW TARGETS TELSA: The United Auto Workers’ victory in Detroit has the union eyeing Tesla and other nonunionized carmakers. The last time the UAW tried to organize the world’s most valuable automaker, CEO Elon Musk took aim directly at his workers and went on the defense, framing Tesla as David in a battle against Goliath. At companies such as Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen or Nissan, the union would rely on workers to stick out their necks in fights with companies that want to squash labor efforts. The UAW—which won record contracts with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler-parent Stellantis—also has to contend with right-to-work laws and cultural challenges in southern states, where many new car factories were built and where unions are less popular.

BREAKING: DeSantis just went on MSNBC and suggested Trump should be removed from the primary if he is convicted in any of the cases against him pic.twitter.com/bDPZXPPIus

— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) November 2, 2023

➤DISABILITY SUITS GROWING OVER WORKPLACE RETURNS: U.S. workers are filing more charges of disability discrimination as employers deny their requests to continue working from home. An increasing share of the claims are based on mental-health conditions such as anxiety, depression and PTSD. Companies OK most requests, but the approval rate has declined since early in the pandemic, according to Sedgwick, which manages leave and disability claims for employers. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for workers and prohibits them from asking for details about their disabilities. Company lawyers say permitting some people to work remotely can cause grumbling about unequal treatment from the return-to-office crowd. Employers that required working from home at the start of Covid-19 find it harder to argue now that it isn’t a reasonable accommodation.

Sam Bankman-Fried

➤FTX FOUNDER SBF FOUND GUILTY: FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s spectacular rise and fall in the cryptocurrency industry — a journey that included his testimony before Congress, a Super Bowl advertisement and dreams of a future run for president — hit a new bottom Thursday when a New York jury convicted him of fraud in a scheme that cheated customers and investors of at least $10 billion. After the monthlong trial, jurors rejected Bankman-Fried’s claim during four days on the witness stand in Manhattan federal court that he never committed fraud or meant to cheat customers before FTX, once the world’s second-largest crypto exchange, collapsed into bankruptcy a year ago. “His crimes caught up to him. His crimes have been exposed,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon told the jury of the onetime billionaire just before they were read the law by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan and began deliberations. Sassoon said Bankman-Fried turned his customers’ accounts into his “personal piggy bank” as up to $14 billion disappeared.

Paramount Forecasts Shrinking Losses

Paramount Global's investments in its fast-growing but unprofitable streaming unit have peaked a year ahead of the target, the media company said on Thursday, sending its shares 10% higher in extended trading.

Reuters reports the company also beat estimates for third-quarter earnings as the integration of streaming service Paramount+ with Showtime helped its subscription numbers and advertising revenue, while potentially keeping its spending on content in check.

Bob Bakish

"We now expect DTC losses in 2023 will be lower than in 2022 – meaning streaming investment peaked ahead of plan," CEO Bob Bakish said.

The upbeat quarterly results and company comments come a day after streaming device maker Roku signaled a rebound in the advertising market, lifting its shares and also those of Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount in regular trading on Thursday.

However, Huber Research Partners analyst Craig Huber said production shutdowns, caused by the Hollywood strikes, could have been a factor helping Paramount forecast lower losses from streaming.

Paramount+ added 2.7 million subscribers in the third quarter, beating analysts' estimates of 2.02 million additions, according to Visible Alpha estimates.

Despite expenses at the streaming division jumping 23% to $1.93 billion, the company managed to narrow its adjusted operating loss to $238 million from $343 million a year earlier, partly due to benefits from price hikes.

Lachlan Murdoch Praises Fox News Israel-Hamas Coverage

Lachlan Murdoch, the incoming chair of Fox Corporation and News Corp., is touting Fox News’s coverage of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas over the past several weeks, according to The Hill.

“We are living through tumultuous times and at the outset, I want to acknowledge the work our journalists are doing covering the horrific Oct. 7 terrorist attack and the subsequent ongoing war in the Middle East,” Murdoch said, according to a transcript of his remarks during an investor call Thursday morning.

Lachlan Murdoch

Murdoch called out several Fox News journalists by name, all of whom he said are “fulfilling its mission to find, report and analyze the news of the day without fear or favor.”

“News reporting is hard and war reporting is perhaps the hardest,” he said. “And while the horror central to this news cycle, can wear heavily on those we ask to expose them, their exposure is necessary.”

Since Hamas’s attack on Israel earlier this month, dozens of news organizations have sent scores of reporters, producers and camera people to the region, where fighting is expected to continue for months.

Dozens of journalists working in the region have been killed while others have spent time running from shelling, coming face-to-face with protesters and struggling to describe the brutality of the fighting in both Israel and neighboring Gaza.

Fox correspondent Trey Yingst, during one recent broadcast, broke down in tears while reporting on civilians, including children, who have been “slaughtered,” as part of the war.

MLB World Series Least-Watched Fall Classic In TV History

The Texas Rangers 5-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks for their first championship on Wednesday night drew the largest audience of this World Series. However, it was not enough to prevent the five-game series from being the least-watched Fall Classic in recorded TV history, according to AP News.

Nielsen and Fox said Thursday the World Series averaged 9.11 million viewers, less than the 9.79 million average from the 2020 series, when the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays in six games.

It was a 23 percent decline from last year’s series, when the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games and averaged 11.78 million.

Wednesday night’s game averaged 11.48 million on Fox, a jump of 3 million compared to Tuesday night’s audience. The total audience across Fox, Fox Deportes and Fox streaming platforms was 11.64 million.

It was the first audience over 10 million for this year’s series. Monday night’s Game 3 set the record for the least-watched World Series game on record at 8.13 million.

The audience peaked with 14.27 million viewers for the final three outs.

Baseball and network executives figured this year’s series might face a tough audience because of two teams that don’t have much national appeal. The expanded playoffs also meant it was a series matching the teams with the seventh- and 11th-best records.

Entravision Reports Record Quarterly Ad Revenue

Entravision Communications Corporation, a leading global advertising solutions, media and technology company, today announced financial results for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2023.

Third Quarter 2023 Highlights

• Record quarterly advertising revenue
• Net revenue up 14% over the prior-year quarter
• Net income attributable to common stockholders down 71% compared to the prior-year quarter
• Consolidated EBITDA down 45% compared to the prior-year quarter
• Operating cash flow up 45% over the prior-year quarter
• Free cash flow down 74% compared to the prior-year quarter
• Quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per share

“We achieved a record quarterly advertising revenue of $274.4 million, up 14% year-over-year, led by strength in our Digital segment, which now comprises 84% of total revenue,” said Chris Young, Chief Financial Officer. “We continued to execute on our Digital transformation strategy during the quarter with the signing of two new partnerships with Match and Pinterest to further diversify our portfolio of digital solutions. While non-returning political revenue and sales mix contributed to the year-over-year decline in our Consolidated EBITDA, we anticipate increased political spending ahead of the 2024 elections will benefit our Television and Audio segments and Consolidated EBITDA in the quarters to come."

Jacobs Media Gearing Up For Techsurvey 2024

Jacobs Media Strategie is gearing up its 20th annual Techsurvey, set to field early next year. This study is the radio broadcasting industry’s largest survey, with participation from more than 430 radio stations and over 30,000 core radio listeners surveyed last year. The survey is open to commercial radio stations in the U.S. and Canada and examines the online habits of radio audiences.

Past surveys have enabled Jacobs Media to identify key digital trends, including smart speakers and the rise of voice technologies, on-demand audio and video entertainment options like podcasts and Netflix, and the surge in social media usage.

In Techsurvey 2024, we will continue trending on gadgets and media use, with a unique opportunity to learn more about how media habits are changing – by age and generations, by gender, and ethnicity.

New questions this year will explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), what it means to be “local,” social media usage in a rapidly evolving landscape, the subscription economy, and more in-depth questions on expectations of personalities among listeners who value them most.

In addition, Techsurvey 2024 will deliver fresh data for 10-12 radio formats (music + spoken word), especially useful for stations and companies to better understand how their brands are similar or different than the national norms.

➤LEARN MORE/REGISTER: Here

Jacobs invites commercial radio stations in the U.S. and Canada to participate in Techsurvey 2024. Every participating station will receive the nationwide total results. For a small fee, broadcasters will also receive the results for their individual radio stations, an especially useful tool for strategic planning.

Separate Public Radio and Christian Music companion studies will follow, with registration for each opening in late winter/early spring 2024.

Edison Webinar Explores 5 Audio Streaming Megatrends

Edison Research and Amazon Ads hosted a webinar on Thursday titled “Audio in Evolution: Five Megatrends from a Decade of Streaming Research.”

Streaming audio gained prominence in the 2010s as a way for listeners to easily buy, listen to, and share audio content digitally at scale for the first time. This change sparked the beginning of an audio evolution. Edison Research says that since then, it has seen an explosion in new listeners adopting the content format, the birth of new streaming audio technologies, and an increased diversity of streaming audio content.

“Audio in Evolution” uncovered the top five trends driving audio growth and revealed key factors driving these megatrends. Findings include opportunities these trends can bring to brands who want to reach and engage with consumers through audio advertising.

Edison Research has published its Share of Ear results for Q3 2023. Share of Ear measures the full audio space in the United States and how much audio the average American consumes in a typical day.

The graph shows the percentage of daily listening that Americans age 13+ spend with each type of audio.

Mariah Carey Sued Over 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'

Country singer Andy Stone has refiled a U.S. copyright lawsuit accusing Mariah Carey of ripping off his band Vince Vance & the Valiants' song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" with her holiday hit of the same name.

Reuters reports Stone and his co-writer Troy Powers said in the California federal court lawsuit on Wednesday that Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" copies their song's "compositional structure of an extended comparison between a loved one and trappings of seasonal luxury" and other lyrical and musical elements.

They requested at least $20 million in damages.

The new lawsuit, which also names Carey's label Sony Music and Universal Music Group which owns publishing rights in the song, comes one year after Stone withdrew his lawsuit over the same songs in Louisiana federal court.

Stone and Powers' attorney Cirstan Fitch declined to comment. Representatives for Sony Music and UMG did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Stone, who performs as Vince Vance, said that his band released their "All I Want for Christmas Is You" in 1989 and that it became a country hit during holiday seasons in the 1990s.

Carey's song appeared on her 1994 album "Merry Christmas" and has since become a popular Christmas standard, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart every holiday season since 2019.

Stone and Powers' lawsuit said that Carey's song copies elements of their "All I Want for Christmas Is You" including its melody, lyrics and "feel."