JD Souther, a singer-songwriter known for writing hits for the Eagles that included “Best of My Love” and “New Kid in Town,” has died, his longtime friend and veteran PR executive Larry Solters told TheWrap. Souther, who died in his sleep at his New Mexico home, was 78 years old.
Souther, an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, wrote and recorded songs with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. Souther had two major hits as a solo artist: “You’re Only Lonely,” his biggest hit, and “Her Town Too,” a duet released with his friend James Taylor. “You’re Only Lonely,” off his 1979 album of the same name, peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Her Town Too” went to No. 11.
Souther also co-wrote “Heartache Tonight” with Glen Frey and Don Henley of the Eagles and Bob Seger. Souther formed his partnership with the Eagles’ Frey after they met in Los Angeles in the late 1960s. The two briefly formed their own brand, Longbranch Pennywhistle, and released an album together.
He later teamed with Linda Ronstadt for a duet, “If You Have Crying Eyes,” released on his second solo album, “Black Rose.” Ronstadt and Souther collaborated on several songs and also dated. They would again team for the duets “Prisoner in Disguise,” “Sometimes You Can’t Win” and “Hearts Against the Wind,” which was fatured in the 1980 film “Urban Cowboy.”
Before his death, Souther had been scheduled to go on tour in just one week with Karla Bonoff, beginning Sept. 24 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Born John David Souther in Detroit, Michigan, he was raised in Amarillo, Texas and first recorded with local group The Cinders. Buddy Holly’s producer shopped their music to Warner Bros., releasing a single under the name “John David and the Cinders.”
Souther released his self-titled solo debut in 1972, later forming the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band with former Byrds member Chris Hillman and Poco’s Richie Furay.
When he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013, he was described as “a principal architect of the Southern California sound and a major influence on a generation of songwriters.”
A New York federal judge denied bail to Sean “Diddy” Combs at an arraignment hearing on Tuesday, leaving the once-powerful rapper and music executive behind bars as he awaits trial on sweeping allegations of sexual abuse.
Billboard reports the charges, unsealed earlier on Tuesday, accuse Combs of running a decades-long racketeering conspiracy that included sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson and bribery. If convicted on all the charges, he potentially faces a sentence of life in prison.
At an initial hearing Tuesday in front of a packed Manhattan courtroom, Combs formally pleaded not guilty to each of the three charges he’s facing. His attorneys also requested that he be released on a $50 million bond, saying he’d surrender his passport and submit to constant monitoring.
Cassie Ventura
But according to the Associated Press, Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky ultimately sided with prosecutors, who had warned that the billionaire executive still posed a flight risk and might intimidate witnesses if released. She ruled that Combs attorneys had not overcome the “presumption” that defendants in such serious cases should remain behind bars.
Combs, also known as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, was once one of the most powerful men in the music industry. But he’s faced a flood of civil lawsuits in recent months over allegations of sexual abuse, starting with a high-profile case last year from his former longtime girlfriend Cassie Ventura. That lawsuit quickly settled, but it was later corroborated by a widely shared video of Combs assaulting Ventura at a hotel.
In Tuesday’s indictment, prosecutors accused Combs of running a sprawling criminal operation aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.” The charges detailed “freak offs” in which Combs and others would allegedly ply victims with drugs and then coerce them into having sex with male sex workers, as well as alleged acts of violence and intimidation to keep victims silent.
“For decades, Sean Combs … abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct,” prosecutors wrote in the indictment. “To do so, Combs relied on the employees, resources and the influence of his multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled.”
The presidential candidates and their allies plan to spend more than half a billion dollars on television and radio advertising over the final seven weeks of the campaign, The NYTimes is reporting.
Groups backing Vice President Kamala Harris have reserved $332 million worth of airtime for television and radio ads — 63 percent of the total — while just about $194 million will come from groups backing former President Donald J. Trump, according to data supplied by AdImpact, an advertising tracking firm.
The ad wars are the consequence of the fund-raising wars: Democrats have significantly out-raised Republicans in the months after Ms. Harris succeeded President Biden as the head of the Democratic ticket, and Ms. Harris has more money to spend on paid media.
Harris’s campaign has portrayed her as the underdog and often points to the existence of several outside Republican groups to argue that Democratic donors should not be complacent. But the biggest spender by far in the campaign is Future Forward, the main super PAC blessed by the Harris campaign, which is scheduled to spend $186 million on television and radio over the final 49 days.
Harris campaign itself is spending more than the Trump campaign in the remaining weeks of the election. Harris is set to air about $109 million in advertisements, while Mr. Trump will air about $98 million worth.
The state where the candidates and their allies plan to spend the most money on advertising is Pennsylvania: $133 million in all. Democrats have about a $21 million advantage in the state.
The next noisiest state will be Michigan, where about $95 million will be spent on television and Democrats have a $23 million advantage. Democrats have $6 million to $15 million advantages in four big battleground states — Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin — as well as Nebraska, which is home to a single congressional district that is competitive at the presidential level. Republicans have no advertising reserved in Nebraska, while Democrats have nearly $6 million booked there through Election Day. Democrats are also set to run small amounts of ads in New Hampshire, Minnesota and Maine, which Republicans are almost entirely ignoring.
But by and large, Democrats and Republicans seem to agree about which states are the most important relative to one another: About 29 percent of Republicans’ reservations for advertising airtime are in Pennsylvania, while 23 percent of Democratic dollars are headed there. In the other battleground states, the proportion of money that each party is spending is similar.
iHeartMedia has announced key leadership promotions across its Dallas, Austin and San Antonio markets, reinforcing its position as the leading media company.
Effective immediately, Christine Escobar re-joins the company as Market President for Austin. Rosie Perez steps into the role of Market President for San Antonio. Additionally, George Flora has been elevated to Senior Vice President of Sales for Dallas-Fort Worth.
Christine Escobar
As Market Presidents, Perez will oversee the operations of all seven iHeartMedia San Antonio stations and Escobar will oversee the operations for all five iHeartMedia Austin stations. As Senior Vice President of Sales, Flora will be responsible for driving client success, leading the sales management team, working closely with sellers and growing revenue in the Dallas – Fort Worth region. All three leaders will report to Amy Leimbach, Region President for iHeartMedia Dallas-Austin-San Antonio.
“Rosie, Christine and George are incredibly talented and are the right choice to lead their teams in the Dallas-Austin-San Antonio Region,” said Leimbach. “They each have a strong track record and a unique set of skills that fit their respective markets, with the ability to build and cultivate winning teams.”
Rosie Perez, a 24-year veteran of iHeartMedia San Antonio, has held several roles within the company, including Account Executive, Vice President of Sales and Senior Vice President of Sales. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Rosie Perez
“It’s been an honor to be part of the iHeartMedia San Antonio family for over two decades. I am thrilled to take on this new challenge as Market President and to work with such a passionate team. To continue to grow with a company that is constantly innovating and changing the industry is so inspiring and a dream come true for me,” said Rosie Perez, Market President for iHeartMedia San Antonio.
Escobar re-joins iHeartMedia from Univision, where she most recently served as the Austin Market President and General Manager. During her time at Univision, her roles included Director of Sales, General Sales Manager, National Sales Manager and Account Executive. Escobar is a graduate of the University of Texas, Austin.
“I am beyond excited to rejoin the iHeartMedia family, representing our legacy brands in Austin. The audience and client connections that the team has established are unmatched. To be associated with The University of Texas athletics as well as Austin FC shows the true local value that iHeartMedia brings the Central Texas community. I look forward to much success with the organization in Austin and beyond,” added Christine Escobar, Market President for iHeartMedia Austin.
George Flora
George Flora will transition to his new role from the Austin market, where he served as Senior Vice President of Sales. Prior to iHeartMedia Austin, Flora held key positions within iHeartMedia, including Vice President of Sales, Director of Automotive Partnerships in Los Angeles, and Vice President of Sales in Phoenix, AZ. His work portfolio includes sales management roles at Bonneville, ESPN, and CBS Radio.
“I’ll miss the exceptional team in Austin. That said, I’m excited to embrace this new role and build upon the tremendous success in the DFW region. I look forward to leading the talented sales team to continue to deliver innovative solutions and optimistic about the incredible achievements we’ll accomplish together,” said George Flora, Senior Vice President of Sales for iHeartMedia Dallas-Fort Worth.
Peter Burns credits Mizzou Fan for saving his life
Choking on a piece of food for several minutes at a Columbia, Missouri, restaurant, ESPN host Peter Burns saw his life flash before his eyes. “It’s at that moment, man, that I realize I don’t know if I’m going to live,” Burns, an SEC Network anchor and national radio host for ESPN Radio, said on his show Monday, Sept. 16.
Finally, a University of Missouri fan stepped in, rescuing the TV personality and giving him a new appreciation for life, according to kansascity.com.
Burns was at Bud’s Classic BBQ in Columbia on Friday, Sept. 13, ahead of ESPN’s coverage of the University of Missouri’s football game against Boston College. He said he swallowed a piece of steak and quickly realized “something’s not right.”
A member of his dining party tried applying the Heimlich maneuver to Burns, as did the owner of the restaurant. Neither were successful. About a minute-and-a-half into the situation, a nurse was called over to help. He, too, could not dislodge the piece of food, Burns said. “Two minutes into this, I started really getting blurry eyed and started blacking out,” Burns said.
Quick thread:
This man saved my life on Friday night in Columbia, Missouri
Jack Foster, a Mizzou football fan who was at the restaurant with his family, gave it the last try. He proved to be just the person to save Burns, as he recently went through CPR certification and how to save someone from choking.
Foster — the fourth person to attempt to save Burns — was finally able to dislodge the food “right as I was about to lose consciousness,” the ESPN host said on X, formerly Twitter. “That training is why I am here right now,” Burns said on X. “I’m thankful for him and all involved that helped saved my life that night.”
Burns was emotional on his ESPN show as he thanked Foster. After the Friday ordeal, he said he was treated by Mizzou’s football trainers. “I have four cracked ribs right now, but I’ve never been so happy,” he said.
Universal Music Group said on Tuesday it expects annual core profit growth of more than 10% through 2028 on higher subscription revenue, expanded partnerships, and boosted by the superfans of its artists such as Taylor Swift, BTS and Drake, according to Reuters.
At its first Capital Markets Day, held at London's Abbey Road Studios, the world's biggest music label spelled out its plans to revive slowing subscriber and streaming growth.
CEO Lucien Grainge said streaming was entering a new era that would rely on monetizing superfandom, focusing not only on subscriber growth, but also on average revenue per user (ARPU).
"Valuable as streaming is, it has also levelled the playing field... the deeply passionate listener pays the same price for the same access as the casual one," Grainge told investors.
He said the company was targeting superfans through physical collectibles, premium merchandise as well as live and digital experiences.
Grainge added that subscription penetration was still under 50% in the group's most established markets, while high potential markets such as India and China were still in early stages of subscription adoption.
The Amsterdam-listed group, which announced its financial targets through 2028 ahead of the event, also said it expects compound annual revenue growth of 7% in the period.
UMG's second-quarter results had triggered a 30% slump in its stock in late July, after subscription revenue growth slowed to 6.9% from 12.5% in the same quarter a year earlier, missing the 11.1% estimate in a company-compiled consensus cited by Barclays.
"We expect periods of acceleration and deceleration", said finance chief Boyd Muir at the Capital Markets Day, urging investors "not to overreact to modest period-to-period fluctuations", as the group implements its multi-year strategy.
Television viewing in August was defined by the undeniable influence of the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to The Gauge™ report from Nielsen. The Summer Games had the most notable impact on broadcast viewership, notching growth levels more typical for September with increases of 8% versus July and 11.7% year over year. The broadcast category ultimately accounted for 22.0% of TV in August, and when looking week-by-week, its share peaked during the first week of the interval with 24.3% of TV.
On the streaming side, Peacock offered broad Olympics coverage to complement linear offerings, the success of which was demonstrated by a monthly viewership increase of 39% for the streaming service overall, and nearly double the amount of viewers aged 35-49. These factors helped lift Peacock from a 1.5% share of TV in July to a new platform-best 2.1% share in August (+0.6 pts.). It also makes Peacock only the third streaming platform this year to record a 0.5 point share increase or more on a monthly basis, in addition to YouTube (Feb. and July) and Netflix (June).
Olympics programming on NBC drew millions of viewers in both primetime and daytime windows. Across all of NBC’s Olympics telecasts that aired during the August interval*, 32 of them totaled more than 5 million viewers, and 17 garnered more than 10 million viewers. Moreover, Olympics telecasts on NBC notched the top 19 broadcast telecasts of the month. Leading the charge with 17.9 million viewers was NBC’s July 30th primetime program that highlighted Simone Biles and the U.S. women’s gymnastics team winning gold in the team competition, as well as four American medals in swimming and the dramatic bronze-medal victory by the U.S. women’s rugby team.
From a total television usage perspective, August levels were even with July. However, a year-over-year comparison revealed a larger imbalance, as usage this month was up 3.5% versus August 2023. A notable year-over-year difference was also evident among broadcast program genres, with broadcast sports program viewership up 239% over August 2023, further illustrating the impact of the Games on the overall TV landscape.
A new survey indicates that cable networks and broadcasters are losing the battle for being top of mind with viewers as the default destination for viewing TV, with nearly half of all viewers (46%) saying that their first stop when they start watching TV is with an app from one of the top five SVOD streaming services.
TV Technology.com reports Hub Entertainment Research's latest "Decoding the Default" study found that for the first time in five years of tracking, the combined "Big 5" SVODs (Netflix, Prime Video Disney+, Hulu, and Max) are more likely to be the "first stop" for 46% of viewers versus 38% starting with live TV via cable, vMVPD or antenna.
This is a monumental shift in viewing habits that has worrying implications for traditional TV. In 2018 only 30% started viewing with one of the top five SVOD services versus 62% for live TV. In a landscape of endless viewing choices, the services that viewers turn to first are the ones that consumers engage with most and are least likely to cancel, the researchers said.
The survey also found that Netflix is the top SVOD default, on par with cable TV as a "first stop" to watch. Around one quarter of viewers (26%) say that Netflix is the first place they turn to when they want to watch something, on par with the 26% of viewers who say traditional cable (excluding vMVPD and antenna) is their default source.
The research also found that different kinds of content play a key role in anchoring viewers to SVODs, live TV and FAST services.
About 42% of viewers who default to a major SVOD say that "favorite shows" connect them to that service. In contrast, live programming (sports, news) continues to make traditional cable a default source, while those who default to a free ad-supported (FAST) service say that "variety" is the big draw.
While sports rights are migrating to streamers, the current hold-up of Venu sports and other challenges in finding sports content online will continue to challenge viewers juggling both traditional cable and online options.
NewsNation anchor Chris Cuomo sharply rebuked American media for what he said was a “lack of reaction” to the second apparent assassination attempt against former President Trump
The Hill reports Cuomo opened his monologue during the Monday night broadcast of “Cuomo” by chastising those who have sought to downplay the incident or who have suggested the public not “make too much of it.”
“What if it was your father? Or what if it was Kamala Harris or President Biden? God forbid,” Cuomo said. “Do you think that it would be almost a shoulder shrug and more of talk about the Secret Service and allocation of funds, than just, how crazy it is that this is what’s happening in our country?”
Addressing those who say, “But the guy didn’t even shoot,” Cuomo said, growing increasingly animated, “He had an AK-47 pointed at him.”
“The reaction is unacceptable,” he continued. “And it’s the second time media and political players have gotten away with playing down what should be a cause for panic.”
Cuomo criticized political players from across the political spectrum for their response to the attack.
He slammed tech billionaire Elon Musk, who posted a now-deleted “joke,” which questioned why “no one is even trying” to assassinate Biden or Harris.
“Elon Musk – I’m a believer in this guy’s potential, okay? – Now, he hasn’t learned that erasing the tweet doesn’t make it go away. It only shows that he knows what he said was stupid, and that is what hinting about targeting Harris is: It’s stupid.”
Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group is planning deeper cost cuts as it stares down debt maturities, and has retained advisers, according to people familiar with the matter.
Bloomberg reports the company, which owns The Weather Channel and other television stations, has engaged Moelis & Co. and Kirkland & Ellis as its own legal counsel, some of the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private. In July, creditors grouped together to tap their own legal advisers.
Allen Media’s debt has been trading at distressed levels over the last few months. The company’s $840 million term loan, which is maturing in 2027, was trading at around 65 cents on the dollar as of Tuesday, down from 88 cents in May, according to data compiled by Bloomberg
“We’re 100% in compliance with all of our lenders,” a company representative said in an emailed statement, adding its term loan isn’t due until February 2027. “We’re highly confident that we will successfully refinance at that time or before.”
In its report, S&P said Allen Media faced “elevated refinancing risk due to its substantial debt burden.”
“Allen Media has a very limited ability to afford the current market interest rates on its term loan,” S&P said, adding it viewed the firm’s capital structure as “unsustainable.”
The company is expecting a boost over the next few months, thanks to political advertising ahead of US elections in November, said people familiar with Allen Media’s earnings.
On a call with investors last week discussing second quarter earnings, Allen Media’s management outlined year-over-year gains and said it expected earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to be more than $300 million this year, the people said.
ABC’s “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir may have driven away some viewers after the Disney-owned network irked conservatives during last week’s presidential debate, reports The NY Post.
Muir and co-moderator Linsey Davis fact-checked former President Donald Trump five times without ever correcting Vice President Kamala Harris, prompting a plethora of conservatives to suggest the debate wasn’t fair. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America even called for a correction after Davis made an abortion claim made during the debate during one of the fact-checks on Trump that the group said was “100% inaccurate.”
📺Muir’s “World News Tonight” averaged 6.7 million viewers on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the three episodes following the debate, after averaging 7.6 million in 2024 leading up to the debate.
The 12% drop in viewers for “World News Tonight” is more significant than slight declines “CBS Evening News” and “NBC Nightly News” saw when comparing the three episodes following ABC’s debate to the year-to-date totals, although Muir’s newscast remained the No. 1 broadcast evening newscast.
While it’s unclear if Trump supporters have tuned out ABC’s newscast on the heels of the debate, the former president has blasted it as “one-sided.” Trump told Fox News that he believed Harris should have been fact-checked on a variety of claims.
“Every one of them should have been questioned by David Muir, who I’ve lost a lot of respect for. Everyone’s lost respect for him,” Trump said last week.
Meanwhile, Muir has dismissed the criticism he received after the Donald Trump/Kamala Harris TV debate of last week as “noise.” He opted not to engage with the criticism leveled by Trump during a Monday appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark, calling the second assassination attempt on the former president “horrific,” while also suggesting people “lower the temperature” after Sunday’s incident.
CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings blamed his own network Monday for allowing former President Trump’s rhetoric to be mischaracterized by the Harris campaign in a way “designed to radicalize.”
Trump was rushed off of the golf course this past Sunday at Trump International in West Palm Beach, Fla., after the Secret Service discovered a gunman in the bushes.
As authorities treat the episode as a second apparent assassination attempt, the former president has argued that President Biden and Vice President Harris’ “rhetoric” is what is causing him to be “shot at.”
The day after the assassination attempt, CNN host Abby Phillip hosted a panel debating the relationship between heated rhetoric about the election and the recent attempts on Trump’s life.
“I have to say, when I see what Democratic politicians say about Donald Trump, when I see what Democratic commentators say about Donald Trump, and their platform is built on a bunch of lies, frankly, that are designed to radicalize a political base, it makes me wonder… How much do they really care about the violence that you and I both agree is terrible?” Jennings asked.
He called out the Harris campaign for fearmongering about what the country would look like if Trump becomes president again.
Why aren’t we asking Biden & Harris to stop invoking “bloodbath” and other falsehoods against Trump? Isn’t that the inciting rhetoric that should be stopped in the wake of a 2nd attempt on Trump’s life? Back and forth on @cnn today… pic.twitter.com/DOA3VMM0ak
“‘There‘ll be a bloodbath,’” Jennings said as another example of Trump being taken out of context when he predicted an economic “bloodbath” for the automotive industry should President Biden win.
During last week’s presidential debate, Harris said, “Donald Trump, the candidate, has said, in this election, there will be a bloodbath if the outcome of this election is not to his liking.”
“It is said by every Democrat working for or around [Harris’] campaign every day on this network and every other one,” Jennings said.
“The bloodbath thing is stated every single day.”
“Use of the word ‘bloodbath’ when he was talking about vehicle manufacturing jobs in the United States, Vice President Harris improperly and unfairly mischaracterized that as him saying there would be a bloodbath if he were elected,” Phillip confirmed, but clarified, “However, she did not say that if Trump were elected, there would be a bloodbath.”
Jennings argued that these kinds of false narratives are part of the Democratic Party’s strategy.
FOX News Digital finished August as the top news brand with multiplatform minutes and views, according to Comscore.
FOX News Digital closed out the month reaching 3.3 billion total multiplatform minutes, 1.7 billion total multiplatform views, and 114 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors.*
Notably, FOX News Digital saw a 24% gain year-over-year with total digital multiplatform unique visitors, while CNN was down 10% compared to August 2023. Additionally, FOX News Mobile App reached 6.3 million unique visitors in August.**
FOX News was once again the most engaged brand on social media in the competitive set in August, with 39 million total social interactions, marking a 62% gain year-over-year, according to Emplifi. FOX News drove 13.3 million interactions on Facebook, 22.4 million Instagram interactions and 3.2 million X interactions. This marked the 100th consecutive month that FOX News has led news brand on Instagram. On YouTube, FOX News secured 238.7 million video views, seeing a 48% year-over-year increase according to Shareablee.****
FOXBusiness.com drove 175 million multiplatform views in August, surpassing CNN Business for the 29th straight month and Bloomberg.com for the 40th consecutive month. Additionally, the business site delivered 242 million multiplatform minutes and 27.5 million multiplatform unique visitors (up 32% year-over-year).*** FOX Business’ videos on YouTube remained the most viewed among the business news competitive set for the 32nd straight month, achieving 69 million views in August.*****
AUGUST 2024 FOX NEWS DIGITAL VS. CNN.COM AND NYTIMES.COM
Multi-Platform Total Views
FOX News Digital – 1,680,000,000 (down 8% vs. August '23)
CNN.com – 1,301,000,000 (down 5% vs. August 2023)
NYTimes.com – 1,627,000,000 (up 23% vs. August 2023)
Multi-Platform Total Minutes
FOX News Digital – 3,317,000,000 (up 3% vs. August '23)
CNN.com – 2,341,000,000 (up 11% vs. August 2023)
NYTimes.com – 1,717,000,000 (up 25% vs. August 2023)
Total Digital Multi-Platform Unique Visitors
FOX News Digital - 114,389,000 (up 24% vs. August 2023)
CNN.com – 116,015,000 (down 10% vs. August 2023)
NYTimes.com – 73,871,000 (down 1% vs. August 2023)
In what must count as one of the more extraordinary acts of sabotage of all time, as many as 2,800 people, including hundreds of Hezbollah officials, were injured and several killed across Lebanon on Tuesday, according to the country’s health ministry, when the pagers they use to communicate exploded. Somebody transformed the devices into bombs before their distribution, and the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon was among those wounded.
Bloomberg reports that from the moment pagers began exploding across Lebanon Tuesday, theories began to circulate on how devices considered outmoded in much of the world were turned into dangerous weapons that killed several people and wounded almost 3,000.
As Lebanon accused Israel of engineering the attack aimed at Hezbollah militants, much of the debate centered on the possibility that the supply chain for the retro devices had been compromised. One prevailing idea was that the pagers had been engineered so that their batteries would heat up until the devices exploded.
Overheating of the batteries indicated “foul play,” Lebanon’s Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm told Bloomberg.
But one cybersecurity expert, Robert Graham, dismissed that theory. He said on X that “making batteries do anything more than burn is very hard and implausible. Far more plausible is that somebody bribed the factory to insert the explosives.”
Among the other theories was that an electronic signal triggered the explosions.
“If true, I suspect it was an intentional physical defect enabled by cyber” or a radio frequency signal, said Mark Montgomery, a retired admiral and executive director of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.
Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television showed what it said were images of Motorola pagers that were being used before the attack. “These pagers were detonated with high-tech by the Israeli enemy,” Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim Mousawi told the group’s TV network.
➦In 1907... Edmund Lincoln Anderson born (Died at age 71 – February 28, 1977) was an American comedian and actor. To a generation of early radio and television comedy he was known as "Rochester."
Anderson got his start in show business as a teenager on the vaudeville circuit. In the early 1930s, he transitioned into films and radio. In 1937, he began his most famous role of Rochester van Jones, usually known simply as "Rochester", the valet of Jack Benny, on his NBC radio show The Jack Benny Program. Anderson became the first Black American to have a regular role on a nationwide radio program. When the series moved to CBS television in 1950, Anderson continued in the role until the series' end in 1965.
➦In 1927...the Columbia Phonograph Broadcasting System debuted with a network of 16 radio stations. (Although some sources say 18.) The name was later changed to Columbia Broadcasting System, CBS.
William Paley
The origins of CBS date back to January 27, 1927, with the creation of the "United Independent Broadcasters" network in Chicago by New York City talent-agent Arthur Judson. The fledgling network soon needed additional investors though, and the Columbia Phonograph Company, manufacturers of Columbia Records, rescued it in April 1927; as a result, the network was renamed the "Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System" on September 18 of that year. Columbia Phonographic went on the air on September 18, 1927, with a presentation by the Howard Barlow Orchestra from flagship station WOR in Newark, New Jersey, and fifteen affiliates.
Operational costs were steep, particularly the payments to AT&T for use of its land lines, and by the end of 1927, Columbia Phonograph wanted out.
In early 1928, Judson sold the network to brothers Isaac and Leon Levy, owners of the network's Philadelphia affiliate WCAU, and their partner Jerome Louchenheim. None of the three were interested in assuming day-to-day management of the network, so they installed wealthy 26-year-old William S. Paley, son of a Philadelphia cigar family and in-law of the Levys, as president.
With the record company out of the picture, Paley quickly streamlined the corporate name to "Columbia Broadcasting System". He believed in the power of radio advertising since his family's "La Palina" cigars had doubled their sales after young William convinced his elders to advertise on radio. By September 1928, Paley bought out the Louchenheim share of CBS and became its majority owner with 51% of the business.
During Louchenheim's brief regime, Columbia paid $410,000 to A.H. Grebe's Atlantic Broadcasting Company for a small Brooklyn station, WABC (no relation to the current WABC), which would become the network's flagship station, WCBS. WABC was quickly upgraded, and the signal relocated to 860 kHz.
Other owned-and-operated stations were KNX in Los Angeles, KCBS in San Francisco (originally KQW), WBBM in Chicago, WCAU in Philadelphia, WJSV in Washington, D.C. (later WTOP, which moved to the FM band in 2005; the AM facility is now WFED, also a secondary CBS affiliate), KMOX in St. Louis, and WCCO in Minneapolis. By the turn of 1929, the network could boast to sponsors of having 47 affiliates.
Paley moved right away to put his network on a firmer financial footing. In the fall of 1928, he entered into talks with Adolph Zukor of Paramount Pictures, who planned to move into radio in response to RCA's forays into motion pictures with the advent of talkies. The deal came to fruition in September 1929: Paramount acquired 49% of CBS in return for a block of its stock worth $3.8 million at the time. The agreement specified that Paramount would buy that same stock back by March 1, 1932 for a flat $5 million, provided CBS had earned $2 million during 1931 and 1932.
For a brief time there was talk that the network might be renamed "Paramount Radio", but it only lasted a month – the 1929 stock market crash sent all stock value tumbling. It galvanized Paley and his troops, who "had no alternative but to turn the network around and earn the $2,000,000 in two years.... This is the atmosphere in which the CBS of today was born." The near-bankrupt movie studio sold its CBS shares back to CBS in 1932. In the first year of Paley's watch, CBS's gross earnings more than tripled, going from $1.4 million to $4.7 million.
Much of the increase was a result of Paley's second upgrade to the CBS business plan – improved affiliate relations. There were two types of program at the time: sponsored and sustaining, i.e., unsponsored. Rival NBC paid affiliates for every sponsored show they carried and charged them for every sustaining show they ran. It was onerous for small and medium stations, and resulted in both unhappy affiliates and limited carriage of sustaining programs. Paley had a different idea, designed to get CBS programs emanating from as many radio sets as possible: he would give the sustaining programs away for free, provided the station would run every sponsored show, and accept CBS's check for doing so. CBS soon had more affiliates than either NBC Red or NBC Blue.
➦In 1967...NYC radio personality Martin Block died (Born - February 3, 1903). It is said that gossip columnist and radi personality Walter Winchell invented the term "disk jockey" as a means of describing Block's radio work.
Local News radio is the most trusted news source, besting TV and social media, according to a new study conducted by Audacy in partnership with Alter Agents.
The study – “Local News Radio: Credible, Engaging & Mobilizing” – explores News radio's powerful connection with news enthusiasts who consider News radio to be a vital part of their day and demonstrates how unbiased journalism and trusted relationships create a safe haven for audiences and brands. The study surveyed 2,542 listeners from seven markets with Audacy News stations, including Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
“In an age of information overload, Americans seek credible news sources they can rely upon. Enter local news radio,” said Paul Suchman, Chief Marketing Officer, Audacy. “Local news radio serves as a trusted voice, delivered by brands that are deeply connected to the communities they serve. These environments create exceptional opportunities for advertisers to reach engaged audiences with significant buying power. And the premium content local news stations deliver is unparalleled in its relevance, timeliness and humanity.”
At all moments throughout the day, millions of listeners turn to their trusted local news radio stations for the latest updates, insights and stories that shape their community and the world. These listeners are deeply engaged with their cities, constantly seeking information and turn to trusted news sources to stay informed. 85% of listeners find local radio news credible – more than any other medium.
This credibility pays immense dividends for advertisers, as 92% of listeners pay attention to advertisements they hear on local radio, with almost 80% of these listeners finding ads on news stations both trustworthy and informative.
Savvy local and national brands are tapping into the power of local news radio to deliver engaged audiences. Local news radio’s differentiators, including its relevance to local communities and trusted status, make the medium a preferred source of information. The study revealed that consumers in Audacy local news radio markets are 1.5x more likely to rely on their radio (53%) than TV (36%) to check in on news.
Additionally, the study revealed that:
74% of listeners agree they like to learn about local businesses through ads
70% rely on radio news to relay information in times of crisis or emergency
SiriusXM announced today that Nikki Haley, former U.N. Ambassador, governor, and presidential candidate, will host a new show exclusively for SiriusXM’s Triumph channel (111). Titled “Nikki Haley Live,” the hour-long program will premiere on September 25 and air every Wednesday at 8 am ET through the presidential inauguration in January.
Nikki Haley
Each week Haley will analyze and simplify the week’s most significant headlines – including the upcoming election, hotspots around the world, U.S. policy, and even some music and entertainment – offering her insights and engaging in conversations with key figures. Haley, who as a former GOP candidate has played an important role in the ongoing presidential race, will also offer her unique and highly-sought-after opinions on the campaigns of former President Trump and Vice President Harris.
Throughout the hour Haley will also have open dialogues with a wide array of guests and callers, featuring clear and compelling conversations about the challenges facing Americans of varying perspectives and backgrounds.
“The American people are smart. They’re sick of distractions in DC and noise from the mainstream media. They want to know what the issues are and how the solutions will impact them. I’m excited to partner with SiriusXM on a show that breaks down the policies and empowers them with the facts,” said Haley.
“Nikki Haley Live” will air on SiriusXM’s Triumph channel every Wednesday from 8-9 am ET. As part of the multi-platform agreement, video of the program will be available on the SiriusXM app, and the show can be found across major podcast platforms following its premiere on SiriusXM.
FOX Weather, FOX News Media’s free ad-supported streaming television service (FAST), will now be available to DIRECTV customers effective today, announced its president Sharri Berg.
In making the announcement Berg said, “As the fastest growing weather service, we are excited to expand our relationship with DIRECTV to bring our crucial coverage to their audience.”
Available to all DIRECTV customers with the Entertainment package or higher, FOX Weather will now be accessible to millions of satellite subscribers with an internet-connected set top box on channel 363 and by using the DIRECTV App. The network continues to be available to customers who stream DIRECTV satellite free.
Since launching in October 2021, FOX Weather has added a number of distribution partners including Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, Verizon Fios, The Roku Channel, Fubo, YouTube TV, YouTube.com, Fire TV Channels, Xumo Play, Hulu + Live TV, TCLtv+, DISH Network and Sling TV, among others. The service continues to be available via simulcast each weekday morning on FOX Business Network from 5-6 AM/ET and weekend mornings from 6-9 AM/ET, as well as via FOX Television Station Diginets in top markets including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, among others.
FOX Weather is a 24/7 free ad-supported television service (FAST) operated by FOX News Media. The service builds upon FOX News Channel’s expansive news gathering units & FOX Television Stations’ (FTS) added resources with a combined 120 meteorologists for a comprehensive suite of weather products featuring local, regional, and national reporting, in addition to live programming.
Local radio is poised for a resilient year in 2024, with ad revenue projected to reach $13.6 billion (Radio OTA + Radio Digital), marking an increase from 2023.
RAB, in partnership with BIA Advisory Services, took a deep dive into radio’s evolving landscape to help broadcasters navigate Q4 2024 and plan for 2025. Within the total local advertising marketplace spending of $174 billion, local radio is the fifth largest advertising media. BIA’s U.S. Local Advertising Forecast predicts a positive outlook for radio revenue for this year and next. For 2025, BIA estimates local radio will generate $12.9 billion, with Radio Digital delivering $2.9 billion of that amount.
In terms of vertical advertising, in 2024, political advertising will be the clear spending leader in local radio with just over $631 million. Other traditionally radio-focused verticals round out the top five, including Investment & Retirement Advice, Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), Commercial Banking and Supermarkets.
Anticipated 2025 landscape shifts will create a couple of new spending leaders. QSRs will emerge as the top spender with $558 million. Similar categories from 2024 remain in the top next year along with the addition of Hospitals at number five with $429 million.
An analysis of radio’s digital KPIs generates interesting trends for 2025. Specifically, radio’s digital platforms and services serve as a growth medium for key local verticals. When examining the top 12 business categories in BIA’s forecast, the top two spenders in Radio Digital are Finance/Insurance at $586 million and Retail at $466.6M. Other top spenders include Restaurants, Auto and Technology.
Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested in Manhattan by federal agents on Monday evening based on a sealed indictment, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York said.
"We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr Combs by the U.S. Attorney's Office," said Marc Agnifilo, an attorney for Combs to Reuters.
Agnifilo said that Combs voluntarily relocated to New York in anticipation of the charges.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York declined to comment on Agnifilo's remarks.
Combs, 54, has faced several allegations of sexual assault.
Last week, singer Dawn Richard filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of sexual assault, battery, sex trafficking, gender discrimination and fraud in the Southern District of New York. Combs denies the allegations.
In the same month, Combs was ordered to pay $100 million in a different sexual assault lawsuit to Derrick Lee Smith, who accused Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a party almost 30 years ago. An attorney for Combs said the rapper would move to have the judgment dismissed.
R&B vocalist Casandra Ventura sued Combs in 2023 accusing him of serial physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape during a 10-year professional and romantic relationship. She agreed to an undisclosed settlement in November 2023, and Combs strongly denied the allegations.
Combs is one of the most influential producers and executives in hip-hop and was a hugely successful performer.
Using data from research leaders Nielsen, Maru, and Edison Research, this week the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group® disproves eight of the biggest misperceptions brands hold about AM/FM radio.
82% of Americans are reached by AM/FM radio weekly, nearly twice what advertisers perceive.
85% of pre-COVID commuters are now working outside the home. The proportion of in-car AM/FM radio listening has returned to pre-pandemic norms.
The audience share of AM/FM radio is 17X larger than ad-supported Spotify and 14X larger than ad-supported Pandora.
AM/FM radio rules ad-supported audio in the car
AM/FM radio boosts campaign reach, adding over 14 points of incremental reach beyond TV, CTV, and digital.
In a typical day, digital audio reaches only a third of America. AM/FM radio reaches two-thirds of America.
Audio is #2 in short-term return on investment and #3 in long-term ROI. On average, AM/FM radio generates a +14% lift in site traffic across 17 campaigns.
Anything that can measured in digital and TV can be measured in audio with Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group® measurement solutions.
Persons 18-34 is one of the largest AM/FM radio listening demographics. Over 55M persons 18-34 listen to AM/FM radio weekly.
An estimated 6.9 million people watched Sunday's Emmy Awards telecast that featured record-setting wins for sweeping historical drama "Shogun," Disney-owned broadcaster ABC said on Monday, reaching a three-year high for the awards show.
The audience grew 54% from the all-time low set by the previous Emmys ceremony, which aired in an unusual January slot because of disruptions caused by Hollywood labor strikes. That ceremony attracted roughly 4.3 million viewers.
Hosted by Emmy® Award-winning father-and-son duo Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, the “76th Emmy Awards” on ABC drew 6.87 Million Total Viewers and a 1.02 rating in Adults 18-49, surging by double digits of +54% and +17%, respectively, over the “75th Emmy Awards” on FOX (4.46 million and 0.87 rating, respectively, on 1/15/24).
The “76th Emmy Awards” telecast on ABC posted the award show’s largest overall audience in 3 years, since the show’s airing on CBS (9/19/21), which enjoyed an NFL football game lead-in.
Sunday’s show outperformed ABC’s previous airing by +8% in Total Viewers (6.87 million vs. 6.39 million on 9/20/20).
Despite facing substantial competition from NFL programming in local markets that included Chicago and Houston, ABC’s eight Owned Television Stations saw a combined 2.56 million Total Viewers and 650,600 Adults 25-54, outdelivering the “75th Emmy Awards” on FOX, by +68% and +23% respectively.
Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast National Live+Same Day Program Ratings, or as dated. Local markets: Nielsen, Live+Same Day Overnights.
Rupert Murdoch and four of his children on Monday went before a Nevada probate commissioner behind closed doors to an evidentiary hearing that could decide who controls Murdoch's media empire after his death.
ABC News reports the hearing scheduled to resume Tuesday and continue into next week comes after Murdoch, 93, moved last year to change the terms of his irrevocable family trust.
The New York Times reported, based on a sealed Washoe County court document, that it was part of a bid to ensure that his eldest son, Lachlan, remains in charge of his cadre of newspapers and television networks, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News Channel.
The court has kept the hearings closed to the public and most documents sealed, largely rejecting requests for access by news organizations including The Associated Press.
The trust was originally set up to give equal control over Rupert Murdoch’s businesses to his four oldest children upon his death, according to the Times.
Murdoch stepped down as leader of both Fox News’ parent company and his News Corp. media holdings last fall. He is arguing that to preserve his businesses’ commercial value for all his heirs, the trust must be changed so Lachlan can ensure his newspapers and TV networks continue to have a conservative editorial outlook, the Times reported.
Lachlan succeeded his father as chairman of News Corp. in November. He's also executive officer at Fox Corp., home to conservative news network Fox News, the Fox broadcast and sports networks, and local TV stations. The media empire spans continents and helped to shape modern American politics.
Rupert Murdoch's bid to change the trust has pitted him against his other three children named as beneficiaries: James, Elisabeth and Prudence, and they have united to stop their father from revising the trust, according to the Times.
Irrevocable trusts are typically used to limit estate taxes, among other reasons, and can’t be changed without permission from the beneficiaries or via a court order.
FOX Nation has tapped former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to host a new series for the platform, announced Lauren Petterson, president of the streaming service.
Premiering on Sunday, September 22, Truths with Vivek Ramaswamy will also air in a condensed version on the FOX News Channel (FNC) that night at 10 PM/ET. Over the course of the series, Mr. Ramaswamy lays out a positive alternative to the left's vision for the future by presenting hard "truths" that the American conservative movement must embrace with topics including American national identity, the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Israel and the protests on US college campuses, religion and more.
In the lead up to the premiere, FOX Nation will also release Just Ask: Vivek Ramaswamy on Friday, September 20, in which Mr. Ramaswamy answers questions from an audience, with nothing off the table. The one-hour forum, filmed in Philadelphia, will be moderated by Fox & Friends Weekend co-host and FOX Nation personality Pete Hegseth.
In making the announcement, Ms. Petterson said, “We are excited to launch this new series showcasing Mr. Ramaswamy’s thoughtful and unique perspective on the state of American politics after his meteoric rise over the last year.”
Mr. Ramaswamy added, “Today conservatives know what we’re against. But what exactly do we stand FOR? To answer that question, we need to talk to every American, not just those who agree with us. That’s the subject of my new book 'TRUTHS: The Future of America-First,' and I enjoyed partnering with FOX Nation to host provocative dinner table conversations that we rarely have in our country anymore.”
Throughout the series, Mr. Ramaswamy presents the idea that the conservative party knows what they're against: anti-woke, anti-globalist, anti–big government, but what exactly do they stand for? Alongside a panel including his wife Apoorva Ramaswamy, journalist Matt Taibbi, American theoretical physicist Steven Koonin, Priovant Therapeutics CEO Ben Zimmer, Rabbi Shmully Hecht and others in a roundtable style format, Mr. Ramaswamy will dissect the best ways to speak about the “truths” even with those who do not agree.
Mr. Ramaswamy is an American business leader, New York Times bestselling author, and former 2024 Republican U.S. Presidential candidate. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, he went on to become a serial entrepreneur and CEO who founded several successful businesses including Roivant Sciences, Strive, and Chapter.
The man accused of aiming a rifle at Donald Trump on Sunday made his first appearance in federal court Monday.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is charged with two federal firearms offenses and faces up to 20 years in prison. Neither charge alludes to the assassination attempt authorities say they foiled when they spotted Routh at Trump International Golf Club, crouched in a bush and aiming a semi-automatic rifle toward the former president.
The West Palm Post reports the first charge, felony possession of a firearm, carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The second, possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, is punishable by up to five years. Both charges carry a maximum three-year period of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to his criminal complaint, Routh waited in the vicinity of the golf course from about 2 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Secret Service agents who walked the golf course ahead of Trump on Sunday spotted a gun barrel in the bushes and opened fire. Routh then fled in a black Nissan SUV, leaving behind a loaded assault rifle, a backpack, two bags, a digital camera and some food.
Martin County sheriff's deputies arrested Routh a short time later as he drove along Interstate 95. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said Routh was about 300-500 yards away from Trump, who was not injured in the incident.
The criminal complaint did not detail how Routh, whose last known address was in Hawaii, arrived in Palm Beach County, or where he obtained his weapons.
Also on Monday, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pointed to “the rhetoric of [Joe] Biden and [Kamala] Harris” as responsible for the second apparent assassination attempt against him at his Florida golf club in an interview with Fox News Digital on Monday.
“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out,” Trump said in the interview, without citing specific evidence.
Harris and Biden both released statements condemning political violence on Sunday.
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