Radio History: Sep 15

➦In 1907...John Wesley "Jack" Bailey Jr. born in Hampton, Iowa (Died from cancer at age 72 in Santa Monica, CA– February 1, 1980).  He was an actor and daytime game show host.

Jack Bailey

Bailey is best remembered as the host of Queen for a Day, a daytime game show which first aired on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1945 and later moved to television, where it ran locally in the Los Angeles area from 1948 through 1955, on the NBC Television network from January 3, 1956 to September 2, 1960, and on the ABC network from September 5, 1960 to October 2, 1964. Each episode started with a different introduction (some of which were parodies of other popular shows of the time period), but inevitably the opening would resolve when Bailey pointed to the camera (and the audience) and loudly asked, "Would you like to be Queen for a Day?" as the live audience, mostly women, cheered.

He was an announcer for several radio programs, including The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Duffy's Tavern, and Meet the Missus.

His other work in television included appearances in episodes of The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, Mister Ed, Green Acres, I Dream of Jeannie, Gunsmoke, and Ironside, plus narration for the Walt Disney organization. He had a small part in the Frank Capra film It's a Wonderful Life and he also toured the country in musical stage productions, such as Hello Dolly, The Sound of Music, and The Music Man.

Bailey was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one for his radio career, at 1708 Vine Street, and one for his work in television, at 6411 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

➦In 1907...Announcer Jimmy Wallington was born in Rochester NY (Died at age 65 – December 22, 1972). After playing small roles in a few Hollywood films, he was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1940s and 1950s.

Jimmy Wallington

For his work on radio, Wallington has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6660 Hollywood Blvd.

He was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, including Texaco Star Theatre with Fred Allen (1941–44) and Texaco Town with Eddie Cantor. As with most announcers, Wallington would announce the program's star, then read the sponsor's commercials. In addition, he was often given comedy lines. When radio shows moved to television, he continued as a television announcer in the 1950s.

After years as a radio announcer, he became a TV star in California doing Life Insurance and other commercials. He ended his professional radio career as a Voice of America radio announcer in the Worldwide English service.

Blondie, Dagwood

➦In 1908...Penny Singleton born Mariana Dorothy McNulty (Died at age 95 – November 12, 2003). During her 60-year career, she appeared as the comic-strip heroine Blondie Bumstead in a series of 28 motion pictures from 1938 until 1950 and the popular Blondie radio program from 1939 until 1950. Singleton also provided the voice of Jane Jetson in the animated series The Jetsons from 1962–1963 and 1985–1987.

She was cast opposite Arthur Lake (as Dagwood) in the feature film Blondie in 1938. They repeated their roles on a radio comedy beginning in 1939 and in guest appearances on other radio shows. As Dagwood and Blondie Bumstead, they proved so popular that a succession of 27 sequels was made from 1938 until 1950, with the radio show ending the same year. Singleton's husband Robert Sparks produced 12 of these sequels. Also in 1950, she had her own program, The Penny Singleton Show, on NBC radio

➦In 1915...John Conte  born (Died at age 90 – September 4, 2006).  Conte entered broadcasting with a job at KFAC in Los Angeles. Two years later, he had become a network announcer. One of his first regular roles was on The Grape Nuts Program (1937-1938) with George Burns and Gracie Allen. Conte was host for Screen Test and Master of ceremonies for the Maxwell House program that featured Fanny Brice and Frank Morgan He was also the announcer for Silver Theater. It Happened in Hollywood and The Screen Guild Show.  Conte, who ended up a CA TV station owner.

➦In 1934...the Mutual Broadcast System was formed.

The three national radio networks already in operation—the Columbia Broadcasting System and the National Broadcasting Company's NBC Red and NBC Blue—were corporate controlled: programming was produced by the network (or by advertising agencies of program sponsors that purchased airtime on the network) and distributed to affiliates, most of which were independently owned. In contrast, the Mutual Broadcasting System was run as a true cooperative venture, with programming produced by and shared between the group's members.

The majority of the early programming, from WOR and WGN, consisted of musical features and inexpensive dramatic serials.

WOR had The Witch's Tale, a horror anthology series whose "hunner-an'-thirteen-year-old" narrator invited listeners to "douse all [the] lights. Now draw up to the fire an' gaze into the embers ...gaaaaze into 'em deep!... an' soon ye'll be across the seas, in th' jungle land of Africa ... hear that chantin' and them savage drums?"   WGN contributed the popular comedy series Lum and Abner. Detroit's WXYZ provided The Lone Ranger, which had debuted in 1933 and was already in demand. It is often claimed that Mutual was launched primarily as a vehicle for the Western serial, but Lum and Abner was no less popular at the time.

What WLW brought was sheer power; billing itself as "The Nation's Station," in May 1934 it had begun night broadcasting at a massive 500,000 watts, ten times the clear-channel standard.

➦In 1948...WHN 1050 AM NYC changed call letters to WMGM to reflect the Loew’s then-ownership of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio.  Today, the station is WEPN-AM.

The station continued its diversified format until flipping to Top 40 and rock music in the mid 1950s. While it included some R&B, country and instrumentals in the Top 40 mix, WMGM carried a narrower, more up-tempo playlist.

By the early 1960s, WMGM 1050 AM had several competitors in the Top 40 radio market.  1010 WINS, 77WABC and WMCA 570 all were playing rock, and WMGM was falling behind in the ratings.

Storer Broadcasting bought the station in 1962, renaming it WHN and dropping the Top 40 in favor of slow-paced “beautiful music” and standards.

➦In 1959...The transistor radio was making some in the record business a bit nervous, because teens could listen almost anywhere they go.  Companies worried record sales would suffer:

• Marty Salkin - a VP at Decca Records believes the pocket-sized radios are having an impact on record sales, “You see a lot of the kinds walking around listening to them all day long, which could mean they are not buying records.” 
• Arnold Maxim of MGM Records says, “It’s no longer considered the smart thing among teenagers to be a collector of records. It’s much smarter now to be so familiar with the local top-40 jockey- because you listen all the time on your portable radio - that you can tell exactly what time he’s gong to play a certain record, because you know when he played it yesterday and the day before. Somehow, we have to recreate the disk-buying habit with teenagers or tomorrow’s market for LP’s is endangered.”

➦In 1959...Top 40 1010 WINS, New York offered $250 in  silver dollars to the listener who guessed the first time the temperature drops to freezing

➦In 1965... The Ford Motor Company introduced factory-installed and dealer-installed eight-track tape players as an option on three of its 1966 models and RCA Victor introduced 175 Stereo-8 Cartridges from its RCA Victor and RCA Camden labels of recording artists catalogs.

By the 1967 model year, all of Ford's vehicles offered this tape player upgrade option. Most of the initial factory installations were separate players from the radio (such as shown in the image), but dashboard mounted 8-track units were offered in combination with an AM radio, as well as with AM/FM receivers. Muntz, and a few other manufacturers, also offered 4/8 or "12-track" players that were capable of playing cartridges of either format, 4-track or 8-track. With the backing of the U.S. automakers, the eight-track format quickly won out over the four-track format, with Muntz abandoning it completely by late 1970.

➦In 1965...Two people were seen leaving the KNX Los Angeles transmitter site shortly after the radio tower toppled to the ground at 10:45 p.m., during veteran talk-show host Michael Jackson’s show. Investigating officers discovered that the vandals had sawed through the top turnbuckle of one of the tower’s guy wires, which caused the entire tower to come loose and tumble to the ground.

L-A Times 9/16/65

KNX-AM was off the air for a day. A temporary 10,000-watt transmitter was set up on the site so the station could resume broadcasting.

Later, an extra tower that was not in use was located at station KFAC-AM and brought to Torrance. The 365-foot tower was used while a new 494-foot tower was being built.

L-A Times  9/18/65

When the new tower went into operation in July 1966, the older one was kept as a backup. These two towers still stand on the site today.

➦In 1965...MOR  WJRZ 970 AM Newark, NJ became the first radio station in the New York metro area to play a country music format 24 hours a day. WJRZ was the flagship radio outlet for the New York Mets from 1967 until 1971.

➦In 1965...The 107.5 frequency in New York City signed on in July 1951 as WEVD-FM, simulcasting its sister station at 1330 AM. Within a few years, WEVD-FM moved to 97.9, and 107.5 went off the air.

Several years later the New Broadcasting Company, then-owners of WLIB, was awarded a construction permit for the dormant frequency and on September 15, 1965 reactivated 107.5 as WLIB-FM. As the FCC recently instituted a rule prohibiting full-time AM/FM simulcasting in large markets, WLIB-FM was programmed with a jazz music format.

The stations were split up in 1972, when Inner City Broadcasting purchased WLIB-AM; WLIB-FM was then renamed WBLS. Inner City reunited the pair with its purchase of WBLS in 1974.

In 1995, after WRKS was purchased by Emmis Communications and dropped an all hip-hop music in favor of a similar adult R&B format, WBLS countered with a controversial advertising campaign labeling WRKS as a "plantation station."  WBLS shortly reverted to urban contemporary, only to exit again in 2004 when WBLS switched to urban adult contemporary.

WBLS acquired WRKS's intellectual property in a merger of the two outlets announced on April 26, 2012 with a joint statement on both stations' respective websites.  In addition to acquiring WRKS's intellectual property, WBLS and WLIB also moved into Emmis's New York production facility in the West Village section of Manhattan, into studio space vacated by WRKS during the week of May 21, 2012.

On February 11, 2014, Emmis Communications announced it would purchase WBLS and WLIB from YMF Media LLC for $131 million, pending final approval from the FCC.  The purchase was consummated on June 10, 2014.

➦In 1969... Portland, OR got its second Top40 station as KGW 630 AM dropped MOR to challenge KISN 910 AM.

Gus Gossert

➦In 1969...New York City will get its sixth rock station as WCBS 101.1 FM announced it will go rock October 6. Program Director Gus Gossert says the sound will be half hit singles and half album cuts. The city already had WABC, WMCA, WOR-FM, WNEW-FM, WABC- FM.

WCBS-FM launched a freeform rock format, which was becoming increasingly popular, and all other CBS-owned FM stations followed suit.

For the first time, WCBS-FM would have an airstaff. Bill Brown began his long tenure with the station, and Don K. Reed began his late in 1971; both remained there until 2005. Radio personalities such as Bobby "Wizzard" Wayne, Tom Tyler, Ed Williams, Steve Clark, Roby Yonge, K.O. Bayley (Bob Elliott from WOR-FM), Les Turpin, Bob "Bob-A-Lew" Lewis also briefly joined the WCBS-FM "freeform" format. Besides Bill Brown and Don K. Reed, Wizzard Wayne and Ed Williams also stayed into the early part of the oldies format.

WCBS-FM was never successful with their rock format, competing with stations such as WPLJ (the former WABC-FM) and WNEW-FM had most of the rock audience. As a result, WCBS-FM switched to oldies on July 7, 1972, becoming one of the first full-time stations in the country to use that format.  The change coincided with rival WOR-FM's decision to drop pre-1964 oldies from its playlist a few months prior (as they became WXLO). Johnny Michaels, formerly of WMCA, played the first record,   Dion's "Runaround Sue". The entire staff from the rock format remained at the station.

➦In 1982..the first issue of "USA Today" was published by Gannett Co Inc.

➦In 1989...Arbitron Ratings

• New York Radio – WHTZ is #1 rising 5.8-6.1… easy WPAT AM/FM – 5.9-5.6… WLTW – 5.5-5.6… WCBS-FM – 4.7-4.6… WNEW-FM – 4.3-4.2… WPLJ (Power 95 – 3.4-3.7. Mornings – WINS (all news) – 8.2… Z100 and WOR – 6.4 share. 
• Los Angeles Radio – KPWR (Power 106) – 7.2-6.7… KOST – 6.6… KIIS AM/FM – 5.3-5.9… Pirate Radio (KQLZ) – 5.4-5.6.. KABC 5.0-4.6…… KLOS – 3.8-3.9…
• L-A Mornings – Rick Dees – 6.5-6.9… Jay Thomas 6.5-6.1… Mark & Brian – 6.3-6.5 … Scott Shannon – 4.2-4.3

➦In 1989...Bright A/C KKBT 92.3 FM  debuted in Los Angeles. It had been classical KFAC-FM for many years. Comedian Paul Rodriquez and Ron O’Brien are part of its airstaff.

➦In 1991...Announcer and radio personality Andre Baruch died at age 83.  He was one of the great announcers of network radio and Pathe Newsreels.  He also worked regularly on Your Hit Parade, The Shadow, The Kate Smith Hour & American Album of Familiar Music.

➦In 2013…Radio-TV personality Jerry G. Bishop died from a heart attack at age 77 (Born August 3, 1936). He is known for being Chicago's original "Svengoolie", and for his award-winning twelve-year stint on "Sun-Up San Diego."

Jerry G Bishop

In 1961, he got his start in radio at WNMP (now WCGO) in Evanston, hosting the morning-drive program. He also worked part-time on stations in Rockford and Springfield. In 1962, he was hired at WPGC-AM-FM in Washington, D.C., where he stayed for a year, before being hired on at Cleveland giant KYW as a night-time DJ. He had used his real name of Jerry Ghan at his previous jobs, but began using the name, 'Jerry G' at WPGC. KYW program director Ken Draper requested he use that same name. "

During his three-year stint at KYW, Jerry G. toured with the Beatles as a reporter for Group W and NBC Radio stations on their 1964 and 1965 tours, hosted a weekly dance-party program, "Jerry G & Co.," on KYW's television outlet.

When Ken Draper was program director at Chicago's WCFL from 1965 to 1968, he hired Bishop in 1967. Draper then asked him to pick a last name to go with the "Jerry G." name he had been using. He and his wife flipped through the Cleveland phone book, and together settled on the name "Bishop."

In 1969, Jerry G. became a staff announcer and the host of an afternoon local version of the movie/call-in contest show Dialing For Dollars on WFLD-TV, which was also located in Marina City in what is now The House of Blues building. This affiliation with WFLD would, of course, lead to Jerry inventing his most famous role as Svengoolie on Channel 32's Screaming Yellow Theater in 1971.

Bishop as "Svengoolie"

After leaving WFLD, Bishop would be hired by WMAQ as their morning-drive personality. He also worked on the station's television outlet (channel 5), hosting "Chicago Camera," a Sunday-afternoon variety program. He also anchored the "Today in Chicago" segment of NBC's "Today" show. He would work for WMAQ until 1975, when WMAQ changed formats from MOR/talk to country and replaced their entire announcing staff. Bishop remained in the Windy City for a short time afterwards, acting as Director of Corporate Affairs for The National Easter Seal Society of Chicago.

In August 1978, he headed West, to San Diego and KFMB-TV, where he assumed the co-host chair of the long-running morning-talk program "Sun-Up San Diego." He collected three local Emmy Awards and a National Press Club Award for his work on the show, which he co-hosted for twelve years until its cancellation in 1990.

He also worked at adult-contemporary KPOP (mow sports KLSD) and wound up his broadcasting career with a three-year stint hosting a show (via voice-tracking from San Diego) on WRLL ("Real Oldies 1690"), an Oldies extended-AM station aimed at the Chicago area, beginning in 2003.

Marisa Ramirez is 47

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Screenwriter and director Ron Shelton (“Bull Durham,” “White Men Can’t Jump”) is 79. 
• Actor Tommy Lee Jones is 78.
• Movie director Oliver Stone is 78. 
• Drummer Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger is 72. 
• Actor Barry Shabaka Henley (“Bob Hearts Abishola”) is 70. 
• Drummer Mitch Dorge of Crash Test Dummies is 64. 
• Actor Danny Nucci (“The Fosters”) is 56. 
• DJ Kay Gee (Naughty By Nature) is 55. 
• Actor Josh Charles (“The Good Wife,” ″Sports Night”) is 53. 
• Actor Tom Hardy (“The Dark Knight Rises,” “Mad Max: Fury Road”) is 47. 
• Actor Marisa Ramirez (“Blue Bloods”) is 47. 
• Guitarist Zach Filkins of OneRepublic is 46. 
• Actor Dave Annable (“Special Ops: Lioness,” “Brothers and Sisters”) is 45. 
• Actor Amy Davidson (“8 Simple Rules”) is 45. 
• TV personality Heidi Montag (“The Hills”) is 38. 
• Actor Kate Mansi (“General Hospital,” “Days of Our Lives”) is 37.

✞REMEMBRANCES

• In 1979..Tommy Leonetti [Tomaso Lionetti], American singer ("Free"), songwriter ("My City of Sydney"), and actor (Gomer Pyle, USMC), dies of cancer at 50
• In 1991..Andre Baruch, Radio/TV announcer dies at 83
• In 2004..Johnny Ramone,v American punk rock guitarist and songwriter (Ramones - "I Wanna Be Sedated"), dies of prostate cancer at 55
• In 2019..Ric Ocasek [Otcasek], American rock singer-songwriter (The Cars - "Best Friend's Girl"; "Shake It Up"; "You Are The Girl"), found dead at 75

Disney Deal Done! Blackout Ends on DirecTV

DirecTV and Disney have reached a deal that brings Disney’s ESPN and other channels back to the pay-tv provider’s customers after a roughly two week blackout.\

CNBC reports the deal comes in time for college football this Saturday, which airs on ABC, ESPN, as well as the SEC Network and ACC Network, as well as the Emmy Awards which air on ABC. CNBC earlier reported a deal could be made as early as Saturday.

Disney’s networks went dark on Sept. 1 after the two sides could not agree to terms on fees and bundle structures. The dispute left DirecTV’s more than 11 million customers without access to the U.S. Open, college football and this season’s opening “Monday Night Football” game.

DirecTV executives began calling for the ability to offer skinnier, genre-specific bundles to customers in the weeks leading up to the dispute, and again when the Disney networks went dark. Disney had said that DirecTV’s offers did not reflect the value that its networks provide. 

On Saturday, DirecTV and Disney said they reached a deal that called for “market based terms” on pricing.

The deal also gives DirecTV the opportunity to offer multiple genre-specific options, such as sports, entertainment and kids and family, inclusive of Disney’s traditional TV networks, along with its streaming services, Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.

False Pet-Eating Claims Cause Internet Frenzy

Springfield News-Sun photo

A false Republican talking point is causing chaos in the small city of Springfield, Ohio.

The Wall Street Journal reports the city of 59,000 outside Columbus has faced a torrent of bomb threats and unwanted attention since former President Donald Trump repeated the claim this week that immigrants there were eating pets. Springfield has evacuated schools and temporarily closed its city hall. City officials have repeatedly debunked the pet-eating claim and are trying to spread the word that pets are safe in Springfield.

The far-right has portrayed Springfield as a city overrun by Haitian migrants snatching dogs, cats and ducks. The city has no credible reports of pets being taken and eaten, said Springfield Mayor Rob Rue. He said it has been frustrating to watch politicians spread the false rumor.

The Springfield News-Sun reports there have been two reports this year of people believed to be Haitian grabbing geese and ducks from Snyder Park in Springfield, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “Upon follow-up, no supporting evidence was found of wildlife being illegally removed from the park in either case,” according to a statement from ODNR.

The pet-eating conspiracy spread through the far-right corner of the internet. Ohio Republicans including Sen. JD Vance and Rep. Jim Jordan posted about it on social media. A city once best known as a former manufacturing town was now a poster child for anti-immigration.

At the presidential debate this week, before more than 67 million viewers, Trump said, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”

NewsGuard, a company that tracks online misinformation, said the rumor was started by a woman on Facebook who cited a neighbor’s third-hand account of a cat getting carved up to be eaten outside a home where Haitians lived. The post didn’t say who was handling the cat.

The talk about pets has reached a frenzy. In the three days since the debate, there were more than 1.1 million posts on X, formerly Twitter, about pets being eaten, according to PeakMetrics, a company that tracks online discussions. Elon Musk has posted about it. Trump posted about cats and ducks being eaten. Vance has repeatedly talked about Springfield.

Some Democrats have poked fun at the absurdity of it all. Others have highlighted the toll the conspiracy has taken on Haitians in Springfield.

Millennial Women More Likely to Be Swayed By Swift Endorsement

The Taylor Swift effect brought new fans to America's biggest sporting event this past winter. Will the pop star's endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris after Tuesday night's debate drive more votes in the year's biggest election?

USAToday reports:  Yes.  According to Resonate, a data and intelligence company that analyzes trillions of online interactions. Typical polling extrapolates the pulse of American voters from a few hundred or thousand responses. The Reston, Virginia, company uses its AI modeling system to develop its own insights on 250 million people.

Resonate says 2.3 million Americans in battleground states are more likely to be swayed by celebrity endorsements. Those people may be rethinking their voting plans because of Swift's Instagram post, which supported Harris and chided former President Donald Trump for a false AI-created endorsement of him.

Resonate's definition of battleground state is broader than most, but should the Swiftie faithful turn out for Harris in states such as Florida, would it perhaps return to battleground status? The company estimates as many as 667,000 Florida voters, or 29% of the 2.3 million, might be swayed by Swift.

Of the more than 2 million people, it's not just younger, female voters. Still, the majority of Americans who are more open to supporting and voting for Harris are likely to be millennial women.

TNF On Prime Reaches Almost 15M Viewers

The Buffalo Bills’ win over the Miami Dolphins averaged 14.96 million viewers — the third most-watched game ever on Prime Video, despite a 1% decrease from last year’s 15.06 million viewers who tuned into the Vikings vs. the Eagles, and the third consecutive season opener to reach over 13 million average viewers.

TheWrap reports the game’s average viewership topped the TNF on Prime 2023 season average of 11.86 million by 23%. It also registered a peak audience of 18.09 million — an all time high for TNF on Prime.

Thursday’s viewership within the 18-34 demographic averaged 7.44 million viewers, a 36% increase over last year’s 5.49 million. The median age of the game’s audience was 46, more than seven years younger than the NFL average on linear networks through the first week of the 2024 season.

TNF’s pregame show also achieved its highest average audience in history with 1.88 million viewers and a 35% increase over last year’s season average of 1.39 million, setting an all-time season high.

Since its debut on Prime Video in 2022, nearly two-thirds of all “Thursday Night Football” presentations (19 of 31) have attracted an average audience of over 10 million viewers.

NYC Radio: WKTU Names Astra & Marie Join The KTU Morning Crew

iHeartMedia New York announced Friday that Astra and Marie have been named morning show co-hosts for WKTU (103.5 KTU), The Beat of New York, effective Monsday. They will report to Chris Conley, Program Director for iHeartMedia New York.

Astra

“Get ready, New York! The highly anticipated new KTU morning crew is gearing up to take over the airwaves, starting September 16,” said Chris Conley, Program Director of 103.5, KTU. “KTU is bringing fresh energy, exciting segments and the hottest music to kick off your mornings right on the Beat of New York. Stay tuned for a whole new level of entertainment!”

Astra is no stranger to the KTU audience as she joins the morning show moving up from weekends. She recently landed a job as the global anchor for Page Six, shooting daily news segments for New York Post‘s iconic entertainment column.

Marie

“I’m thrilled to join Hollywood Hamilton & The KTU Morning Crew—pinch me, this feels unreal,” said Astra. “Working with such a talented host I’ve long admired is a dream come true. As a lifelong New Yorker with over two decades in the market, I’m incredibly excited for this opportunity to tackle morning radio with the best. A big thank you to Hollywood for this amazing chance, and to Thea Mitchem and Chris Conley for believing in me. And don’t worry, you’ll still catch me on ‘Page Six’ with all the latest celebrity news. Get ready for what’s next!”

Marie is bringing the popular feature “War of the Roses” to mornings after a long successful run during Hamilton’s afternoon show the last 13 years. She is a radio veteran who has been featured on many of the most prominent national and local radio shows in the business and is an accomplished voice over artist, actress and producer.

“I am truly honored and grateful for this incredible opportunity,” said Marie. “A heartfelt thank you to iHeart and Hollywood Hamilton for their years of support and fun. I am excited to join the amazing team at WKTU and be part of this fantastic show. Thank you all!”

Toronto Radio: David Corey Returns To CHUM-FM For Mornings

As announced on Toronto’s Best Music, CHUM 104.5, David Corey joins Marilyn Denis as the new co-host of THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, beginning Monday, Sept. 16. 

THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW airs weekday mornings from 5 – 9 a.m. ET on 104.5 FM in the GTHA, and for listeners across Canada via audio live stream on iHeart.com and the iHeartRadio Canada app. 

David Corey

“David is one of my favourite people in the world,” said Denis. “I can’t wait to work with him again and spend time talking and laughing together every morning!” 

“Returning to CHUM 104.5 is a dream come true, but to return as co-host of THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW is a true highlight of my career,” said Corey. “Marilyn became a best friend the moment I met her in 2006, and to sit next to her every weekday morning is the best way to start my day.” 

“Listeners will love spending their mornings catching up with two dear friends in Marilyn and David,” said Heidi Baiden, Program Director, CHUM 104.5. “Their easy banter and genuine connection will continue to make THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW a bright and entertaining way to kick off the workday.” 

Denis’ legendary radio career has spanned over four decades. She began her radio journey in 1976 and since then has seamlessly balanced a busy career in both radio and television. While her television career began CTV Calgary and eventually included a 19-year stint at CITYLINE and 13 years as host of CTV’s THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, her radio roots remained strong. Denis’ dedication to radio is evident in her long-standing role as co-host of the morning show at CHUM 104.5, a position she has held since 1986. 

Boston Radio: Ryan Johnston To Call Bruins On Radio

As the Bruins broadcast reshuffle continues after the retirement of longtime TV voice Jack Edwards, another piece of the puzzle fell into place Friday with 98.5 The Sports Hub announcing that Ryan Johnston will call games on the radio this season.

The Boston Globe reports Johnston, the fill-in play-by-play man for the station since 2010 and a 98.5 voice since 2009, is getting a shot to call games full time, as previous play-by-play man Judd Sirott moves over to TV in Edwards’s place.

“This is truly my dream job, and I could not be more excited for this opportunity,” said Johnston in a statement. “I’m thankful to the management team at 98.5 The Sports Hub and the Bruins organization for putting their faith in me.

“I’m fortunate to work alongside Bob Beers, who is one of the best analysts in the NHL. Really looking forward to the season and providing listeners with the quality broadcast they’ve come to expect.”

Miami Radio: Officer Has History of Misconduct

Hill and Danny Torres 

A Miami-Dade police officer at the center of Tyreek Hill’s controversial detainment reportedly has a history of misconduct.

Danny Torres, who Hill accused of using “excessive” force when he detained the Dolphins’ superstar wide receiver prior to the team’s season opener on Sunday following a traffic stop for alleged speeding, was suspended six times previously in his career, according to Andy Slater, PM Drive sports talker at Fox Sports WMEN 640 AM.

The suspensions varied in length from five to 20 days, according to The NYPost.

Torres was accused of misconduct, such as force violations and improper procedures, and was investigated for his use of force 13 times.

SLATER SCOOP: The officer involved in the Tyreek Hill incident had been suspended multiple times in his career.

Danny Torres, a 27-year vet with Miami-Dade Police, had a total of six suspensions with some lasting up to 20 days.

Part of the summary report I obtained is below 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/ge0oLibBON

— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) September 13, 2024

Torres is on administrative leave as MDPD conducts an investigation. Hill has demanded he be fired.

Hill was cited for driving 60 mph in a 40 mph construction zone. Hill did admit this week that he “could have been better” during the encounter.

Torres has also received a plethora of commendations, including an award in 2023 for professionalism.

Justin Timberlake Pleads Guilty

Ten-time Grammy winner Justin Timberlake, who was arrested and charged with drunken driving in Sag Harbor on June 18, pleaded guilty to driving while impaired Friday, saying he had learned from his "mistake" and urging others to do the same.

Newsday reports Sag Harbor Village Justice Carl Irace sentenced Timberlake to 25 hours of community service for the nonprofit of his choice and ordered him to pay a $500 fine, along with a $260 surcharge. Irace also ordered the musician and actor to issue a public safety announcement. His driver’s license was suspended in New York State for 90 days.

"What I’d like to say to everyone watching and listening, even if you’ve had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car," Timberlake told the media and fans outside the Sag Harbor Municipal Building. "There are so many alternatives. Call a friend, take an Uber, there are many travel apps, take a taxi. This is a mistake that I made but I am hoping that whoever is watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake.

"I know that I certainly have," Timberlake added.

Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to impaired driving in Sag Harbor #newyo... https://t.co/PnbYTzeCuc via @YouTube

— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) September 14, 2024

In court, Timberlake, 43, of Franklin, Tennessee, gave a statement expressing remorse for his actions. He said he grew up in a small town and understood the strain his arrest put on Sag Harbor.

Timberlake pleaded not guilty to driving while intoxicated after his arrest but agreed to plead guilty to the lesser, noncriminal charge after negotiations with Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office. Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke Jr., praised prosecutors for agreeing to "a fair resolution of the case."

U-S Senate Passes Kids Online Safety Act

The US Senate on Tuesday passed two landmark pieces of legislation—the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)—with bipartisan support.

eMarketer reports the move could force social media companies and other digital platforms to drastically change how young consumers access their services.

The bill now moves to the House. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has not set a date to vote on the bill.

The change list: The two pieces of legislation establish a “duty of care” that platforms must maintain in product design and operation to protect minors from a list of social media harms including mental health disorders; addictive behaviors; bullying and harassment; and sexual harassment.

Sony Could Spend $500M On Pink Floyd’s Catalog

British dad rock royalty Pink Floyd might be the latest artists to cash in on their back catalog, with Sony making an offer for the songbook to the tune of $500 million, according to a new report from the FT.

The deal’s been a while in the making, as disagreements within the band that brought us The Dark Side of the Moon complicated negotiations last year. Although the internal feuding hasn’t faded — guitarist David Gilmour this week told fans who hoped for an Oasis-style reunion to “dream on” — Sony Music execs are hoping they can work out a way to add Pink Floyd’s music to their expanding portfolio.

Full catalog sales have been happening in the music industry for decades, though the practice has surged in the years since the pandemic, when musicians found revenue streams aside from international touring, and investors were drawn in by the longevity of certain artists’ music. Thankfully for some of the biggest artists in music history, Sony (and others) have been all too happy to splash out on the rights for major songbooks.

This year alone, Sony Music has spent $1.27 billion acquiring Queen’s catalog, as well as $600 million on a 50% share of Michael Jackson’s, and their ~$500 million 2021 deal to buy the Boss’s tunes still ranks as one of the costliest in music history. 

Radio History: Sep 14

➦In 1814...Attorney Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the "Star-Spangled Banner" after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry, Maryland during the War of 1812.

Key, accompanied by the British Prisoner Exchange Agent Colonel John Stuart Skinner, dined aboard the British ship HMS Tonnant as the guests of three British officers: Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane, Rear Admiral George Cockburn, and Major General Robert Ross. Skinner and Key were there to negotiate the release of prisoners, one of whom was Dr. William Beanes, a resident of Upper Marlboro, MD, who had been arrested after jailing marauding British troops who were looting local farms.

Skinner, Key, and Beanes were not allowed to return to their own sloop because they had become familiar with the strength and position of the British units and with the British intent to attack Baltimore. Thus, Key was unable to do anything but watch the bombarding of the American forces at Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore on the night of September 13–14, 1814.

At dawn, Key was able to see an American flag still waving.

Back in Baltimore and inspired, Key wrote a poem about his experience, "Defence of Fort McHenry", which was soon published in William Pechin's American and Commercial Daily Advertiser on September 21, 1814. He took it to Thomas Carr, a music publisher, who adapted it to the rhythms of composer John Stafford Smith's "To Anacreon in Heaven".  It has become better known as "The Star-Spangled Banner". Though somewhat difficult to sing, it became increasingly popular, competing with "Hail, Columbia" (1796) as the de facto national anthem by the time of the Mexican–American War and American Civil War.

More than a century after its first publication, the song was adopted as the American national anthem, first by an Executive Order from President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and then by a Congressional resolution on March 31, 1931, signed by President Herbert Hoover.

Cecil Brown

➦In 1907...Cecil Brown, radio newsman & commentator, was born in New Brighton, PA.  Some of his most important broadcasts were from the Pacific war front during the early days of World War II. One of the correspondents known as ‘Murrow’s Boys,’ he resigned from CBS in 1943 after being rebuked by CBS news director Paul White for expressing an editorial opinion during an August 25 news broadcast. Brown had stated that "a good deal of the enthusiasm for this war is evaporating into thin air." Announcing his resignation Brown said that he could not subscribe to what he characterized as CBS' policy of "non-opinionated" news.

Brown continued his commentaries with Mutual, NBC and ABC. For his contributions to radio he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He died Oct. 25 1987 at age 80.

Jerry Coleman

➦In 1924...Gerald Francis Coleman born in NYC (Died at age 89 after a fall – January 5, 2014),  Jerry Coleman was a MLB second baseman for the New York Yankees and manager of the San Diego Padres for one year.

Coleman was named the rookie of the year in 1949 by Associated Press, and was an All-Star in 1950 and later that year was named the World Series Most Valuable Player. Yankees teams on which he was a player appeared in six World Series during his career, winning four times. Coleman served as a Marine Corps pilot in World War II and the Korean War, flying combat missions.

He later became a broadcaster, and he was honored in 2005 by the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick Award for his broadcasting contributions.

Murdoch Family Feud Moves Monday To Closed-Door Court

A closed-door court battle over control of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire begins Monday and could determine the future of Fox News and the Wall Street Journal.

Reuters reports Murdoch, 93, is attempting to change the terms of the family’s irrevocable trust to ensure his newspapers and television networks remain under control of his eldest son and chosen heir, Lachlan Murdoch, according to the New York Times, which obtained a sealed court document detailing the succession drama.

Reuters and other news organizations are attempting to gain access to sealed court records, and to open the court hearings in Reno, Nevada, before probate commissioner Edmund J. Gorman Jr.

The trust lays out a scenario on how a potential takeover could occur, according to a source who has seen the documents. The trust is the vehicle through which the elder Murdoch controls News Corp and Fox with roughly a 40% stake in voting shares of each company. Murdoch also holds a small amount of shares of the companies outside the trust.

Upon Rupert Murdoch’s death, News Corp and Fox voting shares will be transferred to his four oldest children – Prudence, Elisabeth, Lachlan and James. Potentially, three of the heirs could out-vote a fourth, setting up a battle over the future of the companies, even as Lachlan Murdoch runs Fox and is sole chair of News Corp.

Rupert Murdoch’s proposed amendment to the trust would block any interference by three of Lachlan’s siblings, who are more politically moderate, the Times reported, citing a sealed court document.

Lachlan Murdoch is viewed as ideologically aligned with his conservative father. James Murdoch, who has donated to progressive political groups, resigned in 2020 from the News Corp board, citing disagreements over editorial content. James also has criticized the U.S. media for amplifying disinformation about the 2020 election results ahead of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He hosted a fundraiser for U.S. President Joe Biden in 2021, before the Democrat ended his re-election campaign.

A hearing to determine whether Rupert Murdoch's proposed changes to the trust would benefit his heirs will take place in a Reno courtroom, well outside the media hubs from which the conglomerate operates in New York, Los Angeles, London and Sydney.

A group of news organizations, including the New York Times, CNN, The Associated Press, National Public Radio, The Washington Post and Reuters, have asked to intervene in the matter, arguing that the court should unseal the records and provide access to the proceedings.

Megyn Kelly Rips Taylor Swift For Backing Kamala Harris

PodcasterMegyn Kelly lashed out at Taylor Swift after the pop superstar threw her support behind presidential candidate Kamala Harris, reports The Boston Herald.

The 34-year-old global phenomenal officially endorsed the Democratic nominee after Tuesday night’s presidential debate in which Harris, by most accounts, bested Republican candidate Donald Trump.

According to Kelly — a former Fox News star who briefly worked for NBC — Swift’s choice to voice her opinion will cost her fans.

“You can kiss your sales to the Republican audience goodbye,” Kelly, 53, sneered on her SiriusXM talk show. “Hope you enjoyed them while you had them.”

She then launched into a dramatic tirade, attacking Swift for praising vice presidential candidate Tim Walz as a proponent of LGBTQ rights, a cause the singer holds dear.

“I’m allowed to criticize Taylor Swift, and I don’t give a s–t who gets upset,” Kelly continued. “This is disgusting. If she wants to vote Harris-Walz, she can do it all she wants but to say the reason she is doing it is because of Tim Walz’s stance on LGBTQ … F you, Taylor Swift. And F all of the people who want to see these children have body parts chopped off and watch them sterilized under the age of consent.”

She also went after Swift’s boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, calling the couple “elite snobs” who don’t really “care what happens to these kids, just like [Kelce] doesn’t give a s–t what happens to all the young men who take the Pfizer booster he’s been pushing on them.”

FuboTV Gets October Court Date

FuboTV Inc.’s lawsuit against Fox Corp., Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. and Walt Disney Co. over their plans to start a new sports-streaming service will go to trial next fall, potentially preventing a planned launch ahead of the next football season.

Bloomberg reports US District Judge Margaret Garnett on Thursday set the trial to start on Oct. 6, 2025. Garnett last month issued a preliminary injunction blocking the $42.99-a-month service, Venu Sports, from going forward while the lawsuit proceeds.

The media giants had planned to launch Venu on Aug. 23, before the beginning of the college and pro football seasons. The schedule likely means that, even if the three companies prevail, Venu will likely miss out on at least the early games. Garnett said she expects the trial to last from three to four weeks.

Fubo, a smaller sports streaming service, filed suit in February, accusing the larger media companies of using their control of the rights to major sports contests to unfairly dominate their competition.

The lawsuit is among a wave of legal battles being fought over the valuable rights to sporting events as viewers increasingly eschew cable television for streaming services.

Fox, Warner and Disney argue that Venu wouldn’t hurt competition because they still have to negotiate rights themselves and still vie for viewers against each other on different platforms.

TV Ratings: VMAs Pulls In Larger Audience

The MTV Video Music Awards saw a jump in viewership over last year’s telecast, according to Variety citing Nielsen data.

The VMAs nabbed approximately 4.08 million viewers with the original telecast and two encore airings. That is up roughly 8% compared to last year’s show, which pulled in 3.78 million viewers. The 2024 show represents the VMAs biggest audience in four years.

The main telecast was broadcast across 13 Paramount-owned networks — MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, TV Land, CMT, MTV2, LOGO, Pop, Nick/Nick at Nite, VH1, BET, BET Her, Univision, and Unimas.

Per Paramount, the show also pulled in 66.7 million social media interactions, making it the most social interactions ever for a VMAs telecast.

Taylor Swift was the big winner of the night, winning seven awards out of her 12 nominations, including artist of the year and song of the summer. Swift notably broke Beyoncé’s record for most solo VMA wins, with 30 total wins over Beyonce’s 26. Swift is now also the first artist to win video of the year five times.

BMI Takes SiriusXM to Court

BMI is taking SiriusXM to court after the two sides failed to reach a deal on royalty rates during more than two years of negotiations, arguing that the satcaster is “no longer a startup” and must pay more to songwriters, reports Billboard.

In a petition filed in court Thursday, BMI asked a Manhattan federal judge to uphold a higher royalty rate it has asked SiriusXM to pay – citing increased revenue for the radio giant and a shift toward more lucrative digital streaming.

“SiriusXM’s financial performance, and its expansion of its digital offerings, make clear it is no longer a startup in a nascent industry,” lawyers for the rights group wrote. “Yet, despite achieving its secure and successful position, Sirius has continued to pay songwriters — who create the music essential to SiriusXM’s business — at rates that are below those negotiated decades ago when satellite radio was an infant industry with an uncertain future.”

A spokeswoman for SiriusXM declined to comment on BMI’s case.

BMI is a so-called performance rights organization that collects copyright royalties owed to publishers and songwriters when their songs are performed publicly, offering blanket licenses that allow for the use of more than 22 million tracks. When BMI cannot agree with a licensee like SiriusXM, either side can ask a federal judge to decide the dispute and set a reasonable rate.

In doing so on Thursday, BMI pointed to what it sees as key shifts in SiriusXM’s business model since the two last negotiated a licensing deal in 2018 – namely, an increasing reliance on internet streaming rather than old-school satellite radio.

“As a result of these changes, SiriusXM’s business has shifted and is becoming more akin to a music streaming service than a traditional satellite radio or broadcast radio,” BMI’s attorneys wrote. “Digital music services pay higher rates to BMI than satellite radio, and the new SiriusXM rate should reflect this expansion of digital performances.”

The specific terms of the royalty rate that BMI is seeking from SiriusXM were not disclosed in court filings because BMI said it was “competitively sensitive.” The new rate would cover the period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2026.

In a statement announcing the case on Thursday, BMI said that songwriters “should not have to accept an outdated rate that significantly undervalues their music.”

New Season For 60-Minutes Means More Airtime

Making its highly anticipated return for a 57th season, 60 MINUTES will premiere Sunday  at 7:30 PM, ET/7:00 PM, PT immediately following an NFL doubleheader on the CBS Television Network and Paramount+.* 

After 50 consecutive years as America’s #1 news program, the award-winning CBS newsmagazine will return with original episodes, including six 90-minute broadcasts and a Monday night primetime election special. In addition, the franchise is expanding to more platforms with a free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel, launching today, and an original audio series, 60 MINUTES: A SECOND LOOK, beginning next week.

“This season will feature more 60 MINUTES than ever before. Across every platform, we’re offering more opportunities for viewers to engage with our stories and inviting new audiences to experience the journalism and storytelling that defines us,” said Bill Owens, executive producer of 60 MINUTES. “Our goal is always to deepen the viewer’s understanding of the world, and the best 60 MINUTES stories reveal something new or take viewers on unforgettable journeys. We are excited to share our reporting and bring these adventures to even more people, wherever and whenever they choose to watch or listen.”

The 57th season premiere of 60 MINUTES on Sunday, Sept. 15 will feature Scott Pelley’s interviews with some of the people at the center of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including the first sit-down TV interview with top prosecutor U.S. attorney Matthew Graves; Cecilia Vega’s report on the growing tensions between China and the Philippines over territory in the South China Sea and how it could lead to U.S. involvement; and Anderson Cooper’s interview with pop star Dua Lipa about her journey from unknown singer to international sensation.

A special primetime Monday night edition of 60 MINUTES will air Monday, Oct. 7 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET) on CBS and Paramount+, featuring the latest reporting on both the Republican and Democratic presidential tickets.

Building on the success of last season’s expanded episodes, which reached over 20 million viewers each, 60 MINUTES will become 90 minutes six times this fall, including some Sundays when CBS airs an NFL doubleheader. The expanded 60 MINUTES episodes are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 29, Sunday, Oct. 20, Sunday, Nov. 10 and 17, and Sunday, Dec. 1 and 8.


The FAST channel dedicated to 60 MINUTES launched Thursdayon Paramount+, Pluto TV and CBS News’ streaming platforms, with additional streaming platforms to be announced soon, offering access to the newsmagazine’s library of unparalleled stories anytime, anywhere. Streaming viewers can enjoy classic segments from 60 MINUTES correspondents past and present, including legendary interviews by Mike Wallace, essays by Andy Rooney and iconic moments about leading political figures, celebrities, artists, athletes and innovators. Many of the stories will feature updates and extras. The CBS broadcast will also continue to be available on Paramount-owned platforms, including Pluto TV, Paramount+, CBS’ owned and operated media properties, and CBS and Paramount digital platforms.