Radio History: Sep 22

➦In 1899...Lee DeForest sought employment with Marconi. Lee DeForest de Forest (August 26, 1873 – June 30, 1961) was an American inventor with over 180 patents to his credit. He named himself the "Father of Radio," with this famous quote, "I discovered an Invisible Empire of the Air, intangible, yet solid as granite."

Lee de Forest

In 1906 de Forest invented the Audion, the first triode vacuum tube and the first electrical device which could amplify a weak electrical signal and make it stronger. The Audion, and vacuum tubes developed from it, founded the field of electronics and dominated it for forty years, making radio broadcasting, television, and long-distance telephone service possible, among many other applications. For this reason de Forest has been called one of the fathers of the "electronic age".

He is also credited with one of the principal inventions that brought sound to motion pictures.

De Forest was a charter member of the Institute of Radio Engineers. DeVry University was originally named De Forest Training School by its founder Dr. Herman A. De Vry, who was a friend and colleague of de Forest.

➦In 1899...Hanley Stafford born (Died September 9, 1968) He was an actor principally on radio.

Hanley Stafford

He is remembered best for playing Lancelot Higgins on The Baby Snooks Show. Stafford also assumed the role of Mr. Dithers, the boss of Dagwood Bumstead on the Blondie radio program. He is commemorated by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

After emigrating to the US in his twenties he became active in radio acting, appearing in show on KFWB, L-A. Beginning in 1937 he became widely known as Lancelot Higgins (“Daddy”) in Fannie Brice’s radio skit, ‘Baby Snooks,’ and as Dagwood’s boss Mr.Dithers on the radio version of the comic strip ‘Blondie.’

Stafford emigrated from England to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1911. He enlisted in the 43rd Battalion of the Canadian Scottish Infantry in 1915, was wounded in the Third Battle of Yprès in 1916 and returned to England in 1918. Until 1924 he toured Canada in drama productions and landed in Los Angeles that year. He played in stock for eight years and then in tent shows. He was appearing on KFWB radio in Los Angeles by April 1932 then went to Phoenix to manage a stock company, the Delmas-Lawless Players, before returning to Los Angeles to resume stage and radio work the following August.

➦In 1927...NBC Radio's sportscaster Graham McNamee called the famous “Long count” championship fight in which Jack Dempsey lost the heavyweight boxing title to Gene Tunney. He was featured on the cover of the October 3, 1927 issue of Time magazine

➦In 1943...singer Kate Smith ended her War Bond radio appeal. She had been on the air for 13 continuous hours and collected $39 million in bond pledges.

Kate Smith

Smith was a major star of radio, usually backed by Jack Miller's Orchestra. She began with her twice-a-week NBC series, Kate Smith Sings (quickly expanded to six shows a week), followed by a series of shows for CBS: Kate Smith and Her Swanee Music (1931–33), sponsored by La Palina Cigars; The Kate Smith Matinee (1934–35); The Kate Smith New Star Revue (1934–35); Kate Smith's Coffee Time (1935–36), sponsored by A&P; and The Kate Smith A&P Bandwagon (1936–37).

The Kate Smith Hour was a leading radio variety show, offering comedy, music and drama with appearances by top personalities of films and theater for eight years (1937–45).

The show's resident comics, Abbott and Costello and Henny Youngman, introduced their comedy to a nationwide radio audience aboard her show, while a series of sketches based on the Broadway production of the same name led to The Aldrich Family as separate hit series in its own right in 1940.

➦In 1957...the CBS Radio Workshop ended after 18 months of what the critics said was ingenious radio programming. The CBS Radio Workshop was an experimental dramatic radio anthology series that aired starting January 27, 1956.

➦In 1988...103.5 WQHT and 97.1 WYNY switched frequencies in New York City.

➦In 1989...Irving Berlin, one of the greatest songwriters in American history, whose "White Christmas" is one of the top-selling singles of all-time, died in his sleep at the age of 101 in New York City.

Irving Berlin

Berlin composed some 1,500 songs -- including favorites like "God Bless America" and "White Christmas" -- 19 Broadway musicals, and 18 movie scores.

"God Bless Ameria" was also written by Berlin in 1918, he filed it away until 1938, when Kate Smith's manager asked Berlin if he had a patriotic song Smith might sing to mark the 20th anniversary of Armistice Day, celebrating the end of World War I. According to author Sheryl Kaskowitz, who wrote a book about the history of the song, not only was Smith looking for a song to remember veterans of that war, but she was also hoping that there would not be another war, seeing that hostilities and war "tensions in Europe were escalating." It was "a simple plea for divine protection in a dark time—a plangent anthem in just 40 words," adds film writer Richard Corliss.

Berlin's daughter, Mary Ellen Berlin-Barrett, states that the song was actually "very personal" for her father, and was intended as an expression of his deep gratitude to the nation for merely "allowing" him, an immigrant raised in poverty, to become a successful songwriter.

➦In 2003...Alexander Gordon Jump died (Born - April 1, 1932). He was best known as the clueless radio station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson in the TV series WKRP in Cincinnati and the incompetent "Chief of Police Tinkler" in the sitcom Soap.

He also played the "Maytag Repairman" in commercials for Maytag brand appliances, from 1989 until his retirement from the role in July 2003.

➦In 2004…CBS-owned TV stations were fined a total of $550,000 by the Federal Communications Commission for showing Janet Jackson's exposed right breast during the Super Bowl halftime show. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit later voided the fine ruling that the broadcast was legal under the FCC's then-current policy of allowing "fleeting" indecency on the airwaves.

TV Ratings: NFL Is Soaring, But...

NFL viewership is up heading into Week 3 of the regular season. By how much? That depends on how you look at it, according to Front Office Sports.

Through two weeks of action, the average viewership of all NFL games is 18.7 million, 8% higher than the average audience during the first two weeks of the 2023 season. 

However, this season included the league’s debut game in Brazil, an Eagles 34–29 win over the Packers, which was streamed exclusively on Peacock. That rare Friday night matchup in Week 1 drew 14.2 million viewers in prime time, including local over-the-air audiences in Philadelphia and Green Bay.

Since there’s no previous game window to compare that to, the NFL has been excluding it from its viewership reports. Without the Peacock game, NFL broadcasts are averaging 19.7 million viewers—up 12% compared to last season, and the second highest on record through two weeks.

So, the story around NFL viewership to start the season is positive, either up 8% or 12%—dealer’s choice. And as the weeks go on, the impact of the Peacock stream on overall NFL numbers will lessen, according to Front office Sports.

FCC Urged To Nix AI Disclosure Proposal

Broadcasters and cable companies are urging the FCC to scrap a proposal to require on-air disclosures when political ads use artificial intelligence.

MediaPost reports the FCC's proposal, which aims to combat deep fakes in political ads, would apply to broadcasters and cable operators. But, given that the agency lacks jurisdiction over internet content, the proposed rule wouldn't apply to social media companies, streaming video operators and other online publishers.

Groups that represent cable companies and broadcasters are now arguing that a different standard for on-air and online political ads will leave viewers puzzled.

“Americans are likely to be confused by seeing the 'same' political advertisement containing AI content with disclosures on television and without disclosures online,” the NCTA--The Internet & Television Association writes in comments filed Thursday with the FCC.

The National Association of Broadcasters makes a similar argument.

In a new blog post, Rick Kaplan, NAB chief legal officer and executive vice president, Legal and Regulatory Affairs contends that the FCC’s proposed rules for disclosing AI content in advertising are misguided and risk “doing more harm than good."  

In a new Sept. 20 blog post, Kaplan admitted that “artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the entire political landscape, influencing not only how campaigns are conducted but also how voters access and process information about them. Its rise brings serious risks, including the spread of deepfakes – AI generated images, audio or video that distort reality. These deceptive tactics threaten to undermine public trust in elections and NAB supports government efforts to curtail them.”

But Kaplan noted that those problems are best addressed by Congress, not the FCC.

“The proposed rules favor advertisers who advertise on streaming and online platforms over those who advertise on platforms subject to the FCC’s jurisdiction because their advertisements will not be subject to the FCC’s disclosure requirements,” the NCTA contends.

“It is not difficult to conclude that if only broadcast ads require these disclosures, advertisers would think twice about placing ads with radio and TV stations,” the National Association of Broadcasters adds.

Report: Harris 'Too Busy' For News Media Interviews

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms argued Friday that the reason Vice President Kamala Harris has done so few media interviews is because she’s “very busy.” 

Harris, 59, is on pace to grant the fewest interviews of any major party’s presidential nominee ever. She has been slammed by both allies and critics for giving just six sitdown interviews since President Biden ended his re-election bid on July 21. 

The NY Post reports Bottoms, a senior adviser for the Harris-Walz campaign, suggested that the vice president doesn’t have time to do interviews when asked about her reluctance to speak with the media during an appearance on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper.”

“She’s a very busy person,” Bottoms said. “She’s the vice president as well as a candidate.” 

Harris’ first sitdown interview since replacing Biden on Democratic ticket came almost a month after the 81-year-old president endorsed her to run in his stead. 

She brought along her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, 60, to sit beside her for the Aug. 29 interview with CNN’s Dana Bash.  

Harris has also sat down with Philadelphia’s ABC station, Spanish-language radio host Chiquibaby and a panel at a gathering of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

By comparison, former President Donald Trump, 78, has done at least three times as many interviews in the same period, with some lasting at least an hour — such as his recent one-on-one over X Spaces with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. 

Meanwhile, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, 40, the Republican vice presidential candidate, has become a regular guest on the Sunday morning network public affairs programs.

Fox Can Skip Vote On Labeling Cable As Opinion Shows

Media company Fox can avoid a shareholder vote on a measure asking it to consider different labels for its news and opinion shows, the top U.S. securities regulator said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission wrote in a Thursday letter seen by Reuters News that it agreed with Fox's, opens new tab argument that the proposal from activist investors related to "ordinary business." That is one of the criteria the agency uses to judge company requests to leave investor proposals off their proxy statements.

The decision marks a win for the parent of conservative-leaning Fox News Media ahead of its annual meeting, traditionally held in the fall.

The proposal was filed by private investor John Chevedden and is similar to one from 2023, which was withdrawn before last year's meeting. Both cited Fox's $787.5-million settlement of a defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems over Fox's coverage of false vote-rigging claims in the 2020 election.

The suit "highlights the risk of a news organization inadequately differentiating its news reporting from its opinion and entertainment programming," stated this year's proposal text. Proponents asked Fox to consider some type of "public differentiation" between news and other programming, as well as a Fox board report on the matter.

In addition to arguing the matter related to ordinary business, Fox told the SEC the proposal could be excluded for being misleading.

"By its nature, journalism can encompass both news and opinion, news broadcasts can incorporate elements of opinion, and opinion broadcasts can incorporate elements of news. Consequently, the Proposal’s implication that differentiation between journalism and opinion is possible is materially false and misleading," an attorney for Fox, Lyuba Goltser of law firm Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP wrote the agency on July 2.

The SEC said it was not necessary to address that argument.

NYC Radio: John Catsimatidis Invests In “Save AM Radio” Campaign

Red Apple Media and WABC Radio Owner John Catsimatidis has taken a leading role in the Save AM Radio campaign, responding to car manufacturers’ plans to phase out AM Radio from electric vehicles. Along with airing promos on WABC, Catsimatidis has funded multiple ads in the New York Post and other media to amplify the message.

A well-known figure in Washington, Catsimatidis has used his political connections to highlight AM radio’s critical role in delivering emergency information. “Americans need to understand that removing AM radio from cars puts lives at risk,” Catsimatidis stated. “The fact that this issue has bipartisan support reflects the vital role radio plays in emergencies. When all else fails, AM radio still delivers life-saving information.”

He further emphasized the importance of AM radio by recalling the 9/11 attacks and past blackouts: During those times, when landlines and cell service were unreliable, New Yorkers and the country turned to their radios for real-time updates.”

Catsimatidis also pointed out the relevance of AM radio in national security. “Space Force was created to protect our satellites, but if they’re ever compromised, AM radio be our only lifeline.”

The most recent New York Post ad ran on Friday, September 20, 2024.

'What We Have Here Is A Failure to Communicate'

The Secret Service failed to give clear and crucial directions to its local law enforcement partners at a July campaign rally in Butler, Pa., allowing a would-be assassin to climb onto a warehouse and shoot at former President Donald J. Trump, an agency internal investigation has found.

The NY Times reports the lapse was one of several damning findings in the summary of an internal investigation report the Secret Service released Friday in response to the shooting on July 13 at a Trump campaign rally where the former president was grazed by an assailant’s bullet. Three attendees at the event were wounded, one fatally.

La película se llama Cool hand Luke, el protagonista es Paul Newman, ahora, identifique la canción... pic.twitter.com/LKAf73EuSb

— Juan Kiss (@juankiss67) October 17, 2022

During a news briefing on Friday in conjunction with the release of the summary, Ronald L. Rowe Jr., the acting director of the Secret Service, ticked off several other failures, including complacency by some advance team members charged with securing the site and technological breakdowns that if better managed could have thwarted the gunman.

Rowe said that while he could not discuss individual personnel matters, there would be consequences for agents responsible for deficiencies in the security plan and its implementation.

The assassination attempt by Thomas Crooks, who fired off eight rounds, was the first shooting of a current or former president since 1981.

The close call on Trump’s life shocked the country and raised profound questions about whether the Secret Service was up to the task of protecting American leaders in the current, unusually high, threat environment.

Those concerns were underscored on Sunday when the Secret Service spotted a man with a firearm hiding in the wooded area of a golf course in Florida where Trump was playing a round. That episode, which ended with a Secret Service agent firing at the gunman, who sped off in a vehicle and was arrested 45 minutes later, appeared to be a second assassination attempt on Trump

Layoffs Expected To Increase At Warner Music

Warner Music expects to lay off more employees than it originally forecast as part of a restructuring plan aimed at boosting its core recorded-music business.

The entertainment and record-label conglomerate said Thursday that it would reduce its workforce by about 750 employees, representing 13% of its total headcount. The company had previously said it would lay off 600 employees, or 10% of its workforce.

Warner Music first disclosed its cost-cutting measures in February. Universal Music followed with its own restructuring plan, which is expected to deliver 250 million euros, equivalent to $279 million, in annual savings by 2026.

Most of the cuts are still expected to be related to O&O Media Properties, as well as corporate and support functions.

The restructuring plan is designed to free up more funds to invest in music and accelerate growth for the next decade, Warner Music said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Warner Music added that it now expects to book pretax restructuring charges of $210 million, up from an original estimate of $140 million.

The company’s updated cost-cutting measures come about a month after it reported a slight decline in quarterly revenue after its recorded-music business took a hit from a terminated distribution agreement with BMG.

In August, the company made two organizational changes at Atlantic Music Group and other regional hubs to restructure its recorded-music business and drive revenue growth.

Charlotte Radio: Ace Cannon Exits The Ace & TJ Show

Fans of the morning-radio personalities “Ace & TJ” were blindsided by the news on Friday that the long-running duo on Beasleyt'd Classic Hits WKQC was splitting up — after more than a quarter-century on the airwaves together in Charlotte. 

The departure of David “Ace” Cannon from the popular syndicated program was announced on its social-media platforms at 7 a.m. like this: “The new TJ & Riggins Show begins Monday, September 23. Expect much of the same content and products with some new additions to be announced soon. Ace is no longer associated with the show.”

Cannon did not immediately respond to attempts by The Charlotte Observer to reach him. The duo’s manager, Adam Goodman, told the Observer “we have an agreement with Ace that’s basically a nondisclosure agreement,” but added that “we want to try at least to relay that ... he is still our friend.”

Commenting was turned off for the identical statements posted to Instagram and Facebook. 

Hundreds of users shared the announcement on Facebook, however, and expressed varying degrees of shock and bewilderment. 

Just a sampling: 

• “What happened? “This is a joke, right?” 
• “I need to know the tea. That’s drastic.” 

Cannon and Beams had been an on-air duo since 1993, when the Louisiana natives were paired up for the first time on a Top 40 station in Alexandria, near their hometowns of Pineville and Winnfield. They moved from nights to mornings, then on to Baton Rouge, then to stations in Huntsville and Birmingham in Alabama, before being hired to do Kiss 95.1’s morning show in Charlotte in 1998. 

Locally, “Ace & TJ” had moved up and down the dial, including to “Channel 96.1” WHQC in 2012; back to WNKS in 2022; then to “K104.7” WKQC in May. The show was syndicated to several stations in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, and spawned a podcast. 

Said Goodman: “We’re doing the exact same show (starting) Monday. It’s just called something different — and Ace isn’t there.”

Family Man Whines About Not Being To Talk To His Kids

Justin Dior Combs, Christian Combs, Quincy Brown, Sean “Diddy” Combs, D’Lila Star Combs, Chance Combs,
and Jessie James Combs

Sean “Diddy” Combs has been complaining about his inability to talk to his seven children as he remains behind bars on disturbing sex trafficking charges, The NY Post reports.

The disgraced music mogul is currently on suicide watch in a Brooklyn lockup — but is desperate to reach out to his kids: Quincy, Justin, Christian “King”, Chance, twins D’Lila and Jessie and two-year-old Love, sources close to the family told TMZ.

Combs’ family, distraught over the sickening allegations against the rapper, has been supporting each other and turning to God for guidance since his arrest in New York City on Monday, the outlet reported.

Those closest to the family are trying to keep it together as best they can for the sake of Combs’ children, the source said.

Diddy Day In Court

Combs, 54, was taken into custody by Homeland Security agents at the Park Hyatt New York and charged with three counts each of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.

He was denied bail at his Tuesday arraignment and sent to Brooklyn’s infamous Metropolitan Detention Center ahead of his trial.

The fallen rap mogul allegedly “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct” for decades, “creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in … sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice,” according to the damning indictment.

Combs is accused of regularly forcing women to engage in sick “Freak Off” sex sessions with male prostitutes that were often recorded while the music producer masturbated, according to the document.

Haters Gonna Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate

Pop superstar Taylor Swift got a cruel end to her summer Thursday as new polling showed that fewer Americans view her favorably than they do Donald Trump.

The antihero former president, 78, earned a 47% favorability score in the national survey by the New York Times and Siena College, conducted Sept. 11-16 after Swift’s endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Swift, 34, was down bad by comparison, only managing a 42% favorability rating.

The Republican candidate has trashed his fellow billionaire for backing Harris, 59, writing Sunday on social media, “I hate Taylor Swift!”

Harris herself also topped Swift — with 48% viewing the vice president positively.

Both of the major-party nominees had higher unfavorable ratings than Swift, however — with Trump viewed negatively by 50% of respondents and Harris by 48% — reflecting a sharply polarized electorate where few are neutral on the contenders.

Swift, by comparison, was only viewed unfavorably by 34% of respondents while 22% had no opinion.

Democrats overwhelmingly had a favorable view of Swift — 70% — versus just 41% of independents and 23% of Republicans.

Radio History: Sep 21

➦In 1943...WNYC-FM call letters debut.

WNYC began regularly scheduled broadcasts on the FM band on March 13, 1943 at 43.9 megacycles. Known originally as W39NY, the FM outlet adopted its present WNYC-FM call letters and its present frequency of 93.9 MHz within a few years.

➦In 1948..."Life With Luigi" debuted on the CBS Radio Network. It continued to March 3, 1953.

➦In 1965..KYW 1060 AM in Philadelphia flipped to an all-news format.

KYW began in 1921 in Chicago, Illinois. It was jointly owned by Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Commonwealth Edison. Westinghouse later bought out ComEd's share and became sole owner of the station.

In 1927, Westinghouse aligned its four radio stations (KYW, KDKA in Pittsburgh, WBZ in Boston and WBZA in Springfield, Massachusetts) with the NBC Blue Network, which originated from former sister station WJZ (the present-day WABC) in New York City. Westinghouse had been a founding partner of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), NBC's original parent company.

On September 21, 1965, shortly after Westinghouse regained control of 1060 AM, the newly rechristened KYW once again dropped its NBC radio affiliation and was converted into one of the first all-news stations in the country.  Newsman Steve Porter read the first newscast. It had been edited by Fred B. Walters, the former Harrisburg bureau chief and eventual Executive Editor.

Five months earlier Westinghouse Broadcasting converted 1010WINS, KYW's New York sister station since 1962, from a Top-40 format to all-news.  A similar move was made three years later at another Westinghouse-owned station, KFWB in Los Angeles.  KYW has been one of the highest-rated radio stations in the country since that point and has been the market leader in Philadelphia for much of that time. The Westinghouse all-news trio, meanwhile, revolutionized and defined the all-news format. KYW's early format elements were shared with WINS, such as the distinctive teletype sound effect playing in the background, and the slogans "All News, All the Time", "The Newswatch Never Stops", "Listen 2, 3, 4 Times a Day" and "You Give Us 22 Minutes, We'll Give You the World".

KYW's present format runs on a 30-minute cycle. Regular segments include contains traffic and mass transit reports from Metro Traffic every ten minutes on the "twos" (six times an hour), sports updates every quarter-hour (twice an hour, at :15 and :45), weather reports as much as six times an hour (four regularly scheduled reports at :07, :14, :37 and :44 past every hour with breaking weather news plus special forecasts for the New Jersey Shore and the Poconos), and business news from Bloomberg twice an hour (at :25 and :55). When breaking news warrants, KYW will break format to provide continuous coverage of any event.

Its television sister took advantage of the radio station's popularity by incorporating a version of KYW's musical sounder into its news themes from 1991 to 2003. In addition, a television program entitled KYW Newsradio 1060 This Morning aired from 5 to 8 a.m. on sister station WPSG (channel 57) in the early 2000s, adapting KYW's "clock" to television. The show was popular among local cable programming in its daypart, and in late 2004 was usurped (due in part to a new affiliation to Traffic Pulse) by television staffers and assumed the name Wake UP News.

Westinghouse Electric announced its purchase of CBS in 1995, and upon its completion KYW became a sister station to its long-time rival, CBS-owned WGMP (1210 AM, now WPHT). That station, under its original WCAU call letters, attempted to compete with KYW in all-news programming during the late 1970s but failed, dumping the format after only three years. Today, the news format continues and the station is owned by Entercom.

KYW is currently the easternmost station in the United States whose call-sign begins with the letter K. It is also one of three such stations in Pennsylvania, the other ones being KQV and sister station KDKA, both in Pittsburgh.

➦In 1968...Harry Harrison air his last show at WMCA 570 AM. In 2-days he started at 77WABC.

Gutfeld! Notches Largest Audience with Nearly 5M Viewers

On Wednesday, September 18th, FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! delivered its highest-rated telecast in program history, averaging 4.9 million viewers and 744,000 in 25-54 demo. The program featured former President Donald Trump’s first late-night appearance since a 2016 interview with NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. 

Additionally, Gutfeld! was the most-watched show in all of cable and broadcast primetime defeating the debuts of CBS’s Survivor (4.7 million P2+) and ABC’s The Golden Bachelorette (2.8 million P2+) . Since its launch in 2021, Gutfeld! has continued to upend the late-night television landscape, routinely beating all programs in the genre. **Data from broadcast late-night shows will be available tomorrow morning.

According to Nielsen MRI Fusion, Gutfeld! attracts more Independents and Democrats than all broadcast late-night programs. Notably, for 2024 so far, Gutfeld! is outpacing all broadcast and late-night television, including CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS’ After Midnight and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. 

Since its launch in April 2021, Gutfeld! has increased its audience by 81% in total viewers, 37% in the 25-54 demo and 52% in the 18-49 demo. Gutfeld! is also home to the most affluent audience in the 25-54 demo and the most politically balanced audience in its cable news timeslot, according to data from Nielsen and Nielsen MRI Fusion, respectively.

The Radio Hall of Fame Inducts its 2024 Class of Honorees

 The 2024 Class of Radio Hall of Fame Inductees. Pictured: Kraig Kitchin, Phil Hendrie, Lorianne Crook, Matt Siegel, Mary McCoy, Barry Mayo, Charlie Chase, Lee Harris, Jaime Jarrín with Master in Ceremonies Lon Helton (Kris Rae Orloski photo)

The Radio Hall of Fame inducted its 2024 class of honorees last night, Thursday, September 19, 2024, at the induction ceremony and dinner at the Omni Nashville in Nashville, TN. 2022 Radio Hall of Fame Inductee, Lon Helton was Master of Ceremonies for the event, with Radio Hall of Fame Co-Chairmen, Kraig Kitchin and Dennis Green, welcoming attendees with opening remarks.

The eight Class of 2024 Inductees are:

• Lee Harris (inducted by Scott Herman)
• Mary McCoy (Inducted by Larry Galla)
• Phil Hendrie (Inducted by Patrick Reynold)
• Crook & Chase/Lorianne Crook & Charlie Chase (Inducted by Reba McEntire and John Zarling)
• Matt Siegel (Inducted by Tom McConnell)
• Jaime Jarrin (Inducted by Orel Hershiser)
• Barry Mayo (Inducted by Tony Gray)
• Kraig T. Kitchin (Inducted by Jim Rome)

Six inductees were determined by a voting participant panel comprised of more than 900 industry professionals and two inductees were voted on by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. The confidential ballot was conducted by Votem.com and overseen by Miller Kaplan’s Andrew Rosen.

The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations of the Hall in 1991.

NY Mag Reporter On Leave Over RFK Jr 'Relationship'

New York magazine’s Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi was placed on leave after she had an alleged romantic relationship with former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr while covering his campaign. 

Nuzzi, without naming the 70-year-old Kennedy scion, admitted in a Thursday night statement that earlier this year “the nature of some communications between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal.” 

The 31-year-old star political reporter insisted the relationship was not physical in nature. 

RFK Jr

Sources told The NY Post that Nuzzi and RFK. Jr. — the son of RFK and nephew of John F. Kennedy — were allegedly sexting while she was engaged and he was married. 

Nuzzi penned a profile on Kennedy that was published in November 2023 and sometime after that two began their alleged fling, STATUS news reported, citing sources. 

While reporting out the feature article, Nuzzi visited RFK. Jr’s sprawling Brentwood, California home and the two went hiking together in the Santa Monica Mountains.

“Mr. Kennedy only met Olivia Nuzzi once in his life for an interview she requested, which yielded a hit piece,” a Kennedy spokesperson told The Post when asked about their alleged relationship. 

After recently coming clean to editors at New York magazine, Nuzzi was placed on leave. 

She confessed “she had engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures,” the publication said in a statement.

More Americans Are Regularly Getting News on TikTok

A small but growing share of U.S. adults are regularly getting news on TikTok. In fact, since 2020, no social media platform we’ve studied has seen faster growth in the share of Americans who regularly turn to it for news, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis.

Bar chart over time by age group showing that about 4 in 10 young adults in the U.S. now regularly get news on TikTok

In just four years, the share of adults who say they regularly get news from TikTok has grown about fivefold, from 3% in 2020 to 17% in 2024.

TikTok, primarily known for short-form video sharing, is especially popular among teens – 63% of whom report ever using the platform – and young adults.

Young adults also stand out when it comes to turning to TikTok for news. Today, 39% of adults under 30 say they regularly get news there, compared with much smaller shares of adults ages 30 to 49 (19%), 50 to 64 (9%) and 65 and older (3%).

News consumption is also trending upward when looking at TikTok users, specifically. Around half of TikTok users (52%) now say they regularly get news there, up from 43% last year and just 22% in 2020. TikTok users are now more likely to get news from TikTok than Facebook users are to get news from Facebook. Still, TikTok users are less likely than users of X (formerly Twitter) to get news on the site.

Oprah Winfrey, Chris Rock and Celebs Rally For Kamala Harris

A star-studded virtual event hosted by Oprah Winfrey Thursday night to build enthusiasm for Kamala Harris' campaign was marked by teary moments and celebrity endorsements, drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers across social media.

Reuters reports Winfrey hosted the "Unite for America" event with activist group Win with Black Women, that aimed to register people to vote and bolster Harris in states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia and Michigan that are set to decide the Nov. 5 election.

Harris campaign advisers say nearly 200,000 people signed up to watch the livestream, and its YouTube audience was nearly 100,000 by the end. Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and Twitch accounts for both Winfrey and Harris also showed the event.

Shanette Williams, the mother of Amber Nicole Thurman, a 28-year old Georgia woman who died in August 2022 after a hospital treatment delay related to the state's restrictive abortion laws, told the audience: "You're looking at a mother that is broken, the worst pain ever that a mother, that a parent can ever feel."

Phoenix Radio: Niko Petrou Lands New Deal At KOOL-FM

Audacy has announced a multiyear contract extension with BIG 94.5 (KOOL-FM) afternoon show host Niko Petrou. Petrou will continue to be heard on “The Niko Show” on weekdays from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. MT.

“We’re ecstatic to bring listeners Niko’s electrifying energy for another three years,” said Dave Pugh, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Phoenix. “After two decades on the radio, Niko still knows how to put on a lively show, and we’re excited for him to continue turning up the party during afternoons on BIG 94.5!”

Niko Petrou

“I’ve had an amazing experience since joining Audacy and moving to Phoenix. I’m beyond grateful for the listeners who have matched my vibe and helped me feel at home here,” said Petrou. “Thanks so much to Dave Pugh, Chris Hernandez and Larry Morgan for continuing to support this playground we call work. There are BIG things to come, and I cannot wait to continue relishing in all that Phoenix offers.”

Petrou is a 20-year radio veteran who joined the Company in 2018 as a morning show co-host for sister station KMLE Country 107.9 (KMLE-FM). Before KMLE Country 107.9, Niko held various roles at WBMP-FM, including assistant program director, music director and midday on-air personality, as well as evening on-air host for WHTZ-FM in New York. He also previously hosted Music Choice’s “The Cut" and announced some of the biggest artists at Madison Square Garden.

🎧Listeners can tune in to BIG 94.5 (KOOL-FM) in Phoenix on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.

Detroit-Ann Arbor: Theresa Vicari Ahee Named RSM For Cumulus

Cumulus Media announces that it has appointed Theresa Vicari Ahee as Regional Sales Manager for the company’s six radio stations in the Detroit and Ann Arbor, MI, markets. Vicari Ahee brings more than 16 years of experience in media, public relations, and marketing to leading Cumulus Media’s Detroit and Ann Arbor sales teams.

In her new role, Vicari Ahee will help oversee sales operations, foster new business partnerships, and drive revenue growth for Cumulus Detroit/Ann Arbor. Her deep understanding of media sales, strategic planning, and customer-focused solutions will play a crucial role in leading her team to success.

Theresa Vicari Ahee

The appointment marks a return to Cumulus Media for Vicari Ahee, who was recruited by Cumulus Detroit’s 760 WJR-AM in 2015 as Senior Account Executive, where she excelled at developing new business and managed a variety of local accounts for six years. Prior to that she spent eight years as Marketing Manager and Media Buyer for the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group in Detroit. She started her career as Entertainment Publicist for Allied Advertising in Bloomfield Hills, MI.

Steve Finateri, Regional Vice President and Market Manager, Cumulus Detroit/Ann Arbor, said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Theresa back with Cumulus, and we are confident she will help lead us to even greater successes in both the Detroit and Ann Arbor markets. Theresa brings a special kind of energy to our highly talented sales teams and there could not be a better brand ambassador for us, as she has always excelled at building and maintaining outstanding client relationships.”

Finateri continued: “Theresa is also a well-regarded team player who will work collaboratively with our Programmers and On-Air Talent to help us create and execute the most successful marketing campaigns for our customers.”

Theresa Vicari Ahee commented: “I am so pleased to rejoin my Cumulus family! I look forward to the opportunities that this elevated role will present in the Detroit and Ann Arbor markets. Cumulus stands at the forefront of both radio and digital media, supported by the very best people in the industry and we have clients that are truly second to none. I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this amazing organization. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Steve Finateri for his guidance over the years and for this incredible career opportunity.”

Cumulus Media owns and operates two powerhouse stations in Detroit, 760 WJR-AM (News/Talk) and 96.3 WDVD-FM (Adult Contemporary), and four popular stations in Ann Arbor, 107one-fm/107.1 WQKL-FM (Alternative Rock), W4 Country/102.9 WWWW-FM (Country), Big 1050 WTKA-AM (Sports), and 1290 WLBY-AM (Talk).

Philly Radio: Talk Radio WPHT Welcomes Jimmy Failla

Audacy announces “FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla” on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia. Failla’s nationally syndicated political show will be heard weekdays from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET beginning October 7. “FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla” features guests from across the political spectrum for lively discussions on the day’s leading headlines.

Jimmy Failla

“Jimmy’s coverage of today’s top stories brings a refreshing lightness to the political polarization in America, uniting listeners from all parties with laughter,” said David Yadgaroff, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Philadelphia. “Talk Radio has proved to be a reliable news source for listeners, so we’re proud to add this renowned program to our airwaves as the anticipation builds for the 2024 presidential election.”

“As a former taxi cab driver, I am thrilled to join a station that's built the same strong relationships with its listeners as I built with my passengers,” said Failla. “I can't wait to take this ride!”

In addition to his radio program, which is heard on 150 stations nationwide, Failla hosts the television show “FOX News Saturday Night,” where he uses his experience as a stand-up comedian to add humor to the biggest stories of the week. He is the New York Times bestselling author of the FOX News book Cancel Culture Dictionary and began writing for the network in 2016.

🎧Listeners can tune in to Talk Radio 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.

CBS News Announces VEEP Debate Oct 1

CBS News officially released details of its 90-minute vice-presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance starting at 9:00 PM, ET on Tuesday, Oct. 1 that will be broadcast on the CBS Television Network and live streamed on all platforms where CBS News 24/7 and Paramount+ are available. The debate will also be made available to simulcast.

CBS EVENING NEWS anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell and FACE THE NATION moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan will moderate the debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. Information on format and additional details will be released at a later date.

In addition to the live debate on Tuesday, Oct. 1, CBS News will deliver 6+ hours of coverage on television and streaming beginning at 4:00 PM, ET on CBS News 24/7 and at 8:00 PM, ET on CBS and CBS News 24/7. CBS News chief political analyst and anchor of THE DAILY REPORT on CBS News 24/7 John Dickerson and 60 MINUTES correspondent Cecilia Vega will anchor coverage leading up to and after the debate from CBS News’ election headquarters in Times Square. Anthony Salvanto will provide polling and analysis throughout the coverage, and the team of political journalists from across CBS News and Stations will deliver the latest reporting and analysis.

Benztown Contemporary Christian Music Library Adds 3 Markets

Benztown, a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company, announces that it has signed Hope Media Group’s KSBJ-FM in Houston to its growing group of Contemporary Christian Music affiliate stations airing the Benztown Contemporary Christian Music Library.

In addition, Benztown announces that Salem Media has added two new Christian-formatted affiliate stations in Oxnard, CA, 98.3 The Word/KDAR-FM, and Honolulu, HI, 99.5 The Word/KGU-FM, to their existing partnership with Benztown for the CCM Library. Salem currently airs content and imaging from Benztown’s CCM Library on 10 stations across the U.S.

The Benztown Contemporary Christian Music Library, launched last year, is the first of its kind and is the only imaging and production library that addresses the artists, community, and lifestyle of the Contemporary Christian Music format.

Randy Fox, Program Director, KSBJ-FM, said: "The Benztown Christian imaging library adds cutting edge imaging elements to KSBJ, that give us the fresh sound that we have been looking for."

Masa Patterson, Vice President, Sales & Operations, Benztown, commented: "CCM is the fastest growing format in the country, and we are extremely proud that its best and brightest brands turn to the Benztown CCM Library to help curate their sonic identity.”

San Antonio Radio: WOAI Co-Host Discloses Cancer Fight

WOAI's Cari Laque

Cari Laque, who co-hosts the News Radio 1200 WOAI talk show with title talker Joe Pagliarulo, posted Wednesday she's battling stage 4 colorectal cancer. The post comes with a link to a GoFundMe her son Jacob set up to help with medical costs.

The San Antonion Express-News reports Laque was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in late July, according to the GoFundMe. CT scans and an MRI revealed the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. A liver biopsy showed two cancerous tumors as well.

Laque's son noted on the GoFundMe his mother is in for at least six months of chemotherapy, followed by another set of scans to determine if the tumors have shrunk enough for surgery, then more chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

"My Mom works when she can but with upcoming treatments and surgeries that will be hard to do some days," Jacob Laque posted. "We want to make sure she gets the best medical care as possible but with out of pocket costs and high deductibles it's a financial strain that is challenging.

It's unclear if Laque has discussed her cancer on "The Joe Pags Show." Pagliarulo, on the other hand, has spoken out loud and at length about his own bout with testicular cancer.

Radio History: Sep 20

➦In 1921...KDKA Pittsburgh established the world's first radio newsroom.  The first daily radio newscasts featured a reports from The Pittsburgh Post.

Harry Harrison

➦In 1930...NYC Personality Harry Harrison was born in Chicago. (Died January 28, 2020)

Harrison is the only DJ to be a WMCA "Good Guy", a WABC "All-American", and on the WCBS-FM line-up when the New York station flipped to the "Jack" format in June 2005.

He attended a seminary, intending to become a priest. But he decided to make broadcasting his career after spending nearly a year as a teenager glued to the radio while bedridden with rheumatic fever.

Harrison worked at WCFL in the early 50s as a summer replacement, yet remained there eight months, substituting for the permanent DJs. In 1954, Harrison became program director at WPEO, Peoria and hosted the morning show as the "Morning Mayor of Peoria."  In just six months, Harrison made WPEO the top station.

In 1959, Harrison joined WMCA, New York, as the mid-day "Good Guy." Joe O'Brien (mornings) and Harrison gave WMCA a "one-two punch" for over eight years.  In 1965, he recorded the nationally charted holiday narration "May You Always" on Amy Records.

Harrison became popular with his "Housewife Hall of Fame” feature, and participated in the 1966 WMCA Good Guy picnic. Often, he scored the highest ratings on WMCA. WABC program director Rick Sklar took note.

In 1968, when WABC morning man Herb Oscar Anderson left the station, Rick Sklar hired Harrison to replace him. Harrison was followed in the WABC day by Ron Lundy.