Radio History: Oct 13

 

Bruce Morrow

➦In 1935...Bruce Morrow (born Bruce Meyerowitz) known to many listeners as Cousin Brucie was born.

Morrow's first stint in radio was in Bermuda at ZBM-AM, where he was known as "The Hammer."

Morrow began his stateside career at New York Top 40 station WINS in 1959. In 1960, he moved to Miami for a brief stint before returning to the New York airwaves the following year on powerhouse 77WABC. Morrow's returned to New York City came at the precise moment that rock and roll music was exploding across the Baby Boom demographic and Morrow found himself on the most powerful radio station on the East Coast at the onset of the British Invasion.

"Cousin Brucie" quickly became a success on WABC's teen-oriented evening shift in the 6:15 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. slot. Morrow became a commercial radio powerhouse and household name through his ability to maintain a rapport with his listeners while smoothly mixing the diverse musical genres of the time (Motown soul, pop, hard rock, surf music, novelty records), and then seamlessly segueing into commercials for youth-oriented sponsors like Thom McAn shoes, local clothing outlets in the New York and New Jersey areas, and events such as concerts and drag-strip races.

He served at WABC for 13 years and 4,014 broadcasts until August 1974, when he jumped to rival station WNBC 660 AM; after three years there, he left the airwaves to team with entrepreneur Robert F.X. Sillerman to become the owner of the Sillerman Morrow group of stations, which included WALL; WKGL, now WRRV, in Middletown, New York; WJJB, later WCZX, in Poughkeepsie, New York; WHMP in Northampton, Massachusetts; WOCB in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts; WRAN (now dark) New Jersey 1510 in Randolph, New Jersey; and television station WATL Atlanta. The group later purchased WPLR in New Haven, Connecticut.

In 1982, Morrow returned to the DJ role with New York's WCBS 101.1 FM. Initially, he filled in for Jack Spector every third Saturday evening for the Saturday Night Sock Hop program. Following Spector's resignation in 1985, Morrow took over the show and renamed it the Saturday Night Dance Party. The station also added his nationally syndicated show Cruisin' America. In 1986, he took on the Wednesday evening slot, where he hosted The Top 15 Yesterday and Today Countdown. In 1991, the Wednesday show became The Yearbook, focusing on music from a year between 1955 and 1979. Cousin Brucie was also the "breakfast presenter" on Atlantic 252 from 1992 to 1996.

When Cruisin' America ended its run in December 1992, Morrow continued hosting a WCBS show called Cruising with the Cuz Monday evenings until the end of 1993. After that show ended, he hosted the Saturday night and Wednesday night shows there until the station's change to the adult hits format called Jack FM on June 3, 2005. Shortly thereafter, he signed a multi-year deal to host oldies programming and a weekly talk show on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Morrow recently hosted programs for Sirius XM satellite radio, on the '60s on 6 channel. Today Cousin Brucie is hosting a Saturday evening oldies show on former Musicradio 77WABC in NYC.

➦In 1963...the term 'Beatlemania' was coined, as The Beatles made their first major TV appearance from the London Palladium. The BBC had an audience of 15 million tuned in. Thousands of delirious fans jammed the streets outside the theater to voice their support of the Fab Four. A few months later, Beatlemania would sweep the U.S. as well.

➦In 1967...CBS Radio Network canceled "House Party". Art Linkletter discusses his years in radio.

Sponsored by General Electric, the 25-minute House Party premiered on CBS Radio on January 15, 1945, and ran weekdays at 4 p.m., three days a week, through January 10, 1947. Following a break, it then ran weekdays at 3:30 p.m. from December 1, 1947 to December 31, 1948. It continued to be sponsored by General Electric even as it switched to ABC Radio, where it ran for 30 minutes in the same timeslot from January 3 to July 1, 1949. ABC then aired it as a 25-minute sustained-advertising program weekdays at noon from September 19 to December 30, 1949.

The show returned to CBS Radio only days later, making its longest continued run from January 2, 1950 to October 13, 1967 as a 30-minute show running weekdays at various times. Sponsors included Pillsbury from 1950 to 1952, and Lever Brothers from 1952 to 1956. During its first season, the soundtrack from the TV show was run immediately on radio following the telecast.

➦In 1974...Ed Sullivan died from esophagal cancer at the age of 73 (Born September 28, 1901). He was a TV personality, impresario, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist for the New York Daily News and the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate. He is principally remembered as the creator and host of the television variety program The Toast of the Town, later popularly—and, eventually, officially—renamed The Ed Sullivan Show. Broadcast for 23 years from 1948 to 1971, it set a record as the longest-running variety show in US broadcast history. "It was, by almost any measure, the last great TV show," said television critic David Hinckley. "It's one of our fondest, dearest pop culture memories."

His column, "Little Old New York" for the New York Daily News, concentrated on Broadway shows and gossip. Sullivan soon became a powerful starmaker in the entertainment world himself, becoming one of Walter Winchell's main rivals. Sullivan continued writing for The News throughout his broadcasting career.

Throughout his career as a columnist, Sullivan had dabbled in entertainment—producing vaudeville shows with which he appeared as master of ceremonies in the 1920s and 1930s, directing a radio program over the original WABC (now WCBS) and organizing benefit reviews for various causes.

In 1941, Sullivan was host of the Summer Silver Theater, a variety program on CBS, with Will Bradley as bandleader and a guest star featured each week

He introduced numerous acts to audiences and the show featuring the Beatles on February 9, 1964 is one of the milestones in popular culture, viewed by 73 million people.

➦In 1990...News anchor Douglas Edwards died of cancer at the age of 73. He anchored CBS's first network nightly television news broadcast from 1946–1962, which was later to be titled CBS Evening News.

Turmoil At CBS News

CBS News is in disarray, facing multiple controversies irking everyone from former President Trump and his supporters to pro-Israel viewers and media professionals in the process, reports Fox News Digital. 

CBS first sparked confusion by airing two different answers to the same question about Israel in its "60 Minutes" interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, replacing a clip from the Democratic nominee that aired Sunday on "Face the Nation" when the interview package aired in a primetime special on Monday. That same day, CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil was shamed by colleagues for being too tough on a pro-Palestinian author during an interview that reportedly didn’t sit well with the network’s Race and Culture unit.

The two issues have resulted in negative attention for the network, but Fox News contributor Joe Concha feels at least the editing controversy can be quietly put to bed if CBS chooses.

"It's very simple if you're CBS News… release the entire interview on CBSNews.com and let everybody see it from start to finish without any edits or jump cuts. Release the unedited transcript, while you're at it," Concha told Fox News Digital. 

Harris to Appear on ‘The Breakfast Club’

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to attend a town hall-style event in Detroit on Tuesday hosted by the morning radio program “The Breakfast Club,” one of the show’s hosts, Charlamagne Tha God, said Friday.

Charlamagne, a comedian and author whose nationally syndicated show is popular with Black millennials, said the event in the swing state of Michigan would have a local audience that would be allowed to ask Harris questions.

The event will last an hour and air Tuesday evening across some 140 radio stations nationwide, according to the Harris campaign.

On Friday morning, October 11, The Breakfast Club co-host announced his plans to sit down with the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. "We The People: An Audio Town Hall with Kamala Harris" will air live from Detroit on Tuesday, October 15. In addition to a thorough discussion about the election, Vice President Harris also plans to answer some questions from voters around the country.

"Our listeners are very passionate," Charlamagne said before he brought up the crew's conversation with a concerned citizen from Tampa.

"I want local voices from Detroit and voices from all the battleground states to get the opportunity to ask Vice President Kamala Harris some questions," he continued. "I know we got some pressing issues to talk about. The future of the nation is decided by who we elect."

Listeners can submit their questions to Vice President Harris right now by downloading the iHeartRadio app and using the Talkback function. Simply click the microphone icon on your favorite iHeartRadio station, record your question and hit "send." The event will be broadcast nationwide exclusively on iHeartRadio starting at 5 p.m.EST/2 p.m. PST.

According to The NY Times, Harris’s planned appearance comes as her campaign works to solidify its support with Black men. Harris would be the second Black president and first Black woman in the office, but Democrats view the vice president’s relatively soft support from Black men as a significant concern in the election.  

On Thursday, former President Barack Obama delivered a stern message to Black men, who he said were “coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses” not to back Ms. Harris.

AQE Radio: Hot Air Balloon Strikes KKOB Tower

A hot air balloon caused KKOB’s radio tower to collapse in Albuquerque’s North Valley Friday morning, according to Bernalillo County Fire Rescue (BCFR)

KRQE-TV reports fire crews and law enforcement were called out to the scene after the balloon hit the tower around 8:45 a.m. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the balloon collided with the tower shortly after launching from Balloon Fiesta Park.

Three people were on board and were able to safely land in the balloon, according to the FAA and BCFR. No one was injured in the incident, BCFR added.

Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies tracked the balloon as it was still in the air and, along with the FAA, met with the two occupants and one pilot, Dan Ewer of Tuscon, Arizona, who landed in the front yard of a home.

The FAA is the lead investigating agency and expects to release a preliminary accident/incident report in the coming days.

The downed tower forced News Radio 770 KKOB AM off the air. Cumulus Broadcasting, which owns KKOB, is assessing the damage and clean up of the tower. 

Cumulus has not commented on the accident.

TV Ratings: VEEP Debate Boosts Cable TV News

While the evening news broadcasts may not have seen a bounce from last week’s CBS News vice presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. J.D. Vance, the cable news nets did enjoy a boost for their simulcasts. All three outlets saw primetime gains of more than +30% in total viewers and the advertiser-rich Adults 25-54 demo. CNN, Fox News and MSNBC also enjoyed double-digit gains in both of those measured categories during total day.

TV Newser reports Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of September 30 saw FNC average 3.128 million total viewers and 439,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was up +34% in the latter category and +59% in the latter relative to thre week prior. In total day, Fox News saw an average of 1.696 million total viewers and 234,000 demo viewers for gains of +18% and +24%, respectively.

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News remained at No. 1 in total primetime viewers and second in the demo. In total day, it continued to lead in total viewers and stayed in second place in the demo.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 1.745 million total viewers and 223,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week gains of +48% and +70%, respectively. In total day, the network averaged 997,000 total viewers and 109,000 A25-54 viewers for respective bumps of +18% and +21% compared to the week prior. MSNBC once again finished third on the basic cable charts in total primetime viewers and dropped one place to eighth in the demo.

CNN averaged 975,000 total viewers and 224,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for respective gains of +40% and +62% compared to the previous week. CNN remained in fourth place in primetime with total viewers and dropped one spot to No. 7 in the demo. In total day, it held onto fourth place in total viewers and moved up one spot in the demo to land at No. 6.

Fox News occupied 12 of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with Jesse Watters Primetime (3.701 million viewers at 8 p.m. ET) taking over the top spot. MSNBC occupied the remaining slots, with Deadline: White House with Nicole Wallace (1.841 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) leading the way.

The top spot in the demo was also occupied by Jesse Watters Primetime (488,000 viewers at 8 p.m ET), with FNC claiming 13 out of the 15 spots. CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 (203,000 viewers at 8 p.m. ET) was No. 14 followed by an average of MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes and Inside with Jen Psaki (192,000 viewers at 8 p.m.) at No. 15.

• For the week, The Five averaged 3.6 million viewers and 401,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.6 million viewers and 291,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle saw 2.7 million viewers and 328,000 in the 25-54 demo at 7 PM/ET. At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime delivered 3.7 million viewers and 488,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the top show in cable news across the board. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 3.2 million viewers and 436,000 with A25-54. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.7 million viewers and 288,000 in the 25-54 demo.

• FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! continued to lead all late-night television across the board. For the week, Gutfeld! averaged 2,889,000 viewers and 378,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2,020,000 P2+; 309,000 A25-54), ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,766,000 P2+; 374,000 A25-54) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1,198,000 P2+; 297,000 A25-54).

• FNC also saw a number of its daytime programs outrank the broadcast competition. Most notably, Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 2,036,000 P2+), America Reports with Sandra Smith and John Roberts (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 1,962,000), The Story with Martha MacCallum (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 1,951,000 P2+), Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 1,794,000 P2+), and America’s Newsroom with Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 1,744,000 P2+) all outpaced NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna (1,323,000 P2+) and ABC’s GMA3 (1,315,000 P2+).

Diddy Trial Date Set

Sean “Diddy” Combs will stand trial on May 5 in his racketeering and sex trafficking case, a federal judge ruled at a court hearing on Thursday (Oct. 10).

Billboard reports the order from Judge Arun Subramanian — who replaced Judge Andrew L. Carter as the presiding judge last week and will handle the eventual trial — was issued from the bench at a live hearing, federal court records show.

The trial date is in line with what the rapper’s legal team wanted. In court documents filed Wednesday (Oct. 9), his lawyers said they were continuing to assert his constitutional right to a speedy trial and would be seeking to get the case before a jury in April or May.

Though a trial date is now set, the schedule could still be pushed back, particularly if prosecutors file new charges or add defendants to the case. It could also be delayed if Combs eventually waives his speedy trial right to give his team more time to prepare — a decision that might hinge on whether he’s granted bail in a pending appeal.

When he does stand trial, Combs will face charges of racketeering and sex trafficking over what prosecutors say was a sprawling criminal operation aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.” The decades-long scheme allegedly involved not only elaborate sexual parties called “freak offs” and other sex abuse, but also forced labor, kidnapping, arson and bribery.

Thursday’s hearing came less than 24 hours after Combs’ lawyers accused the government of leaking evidence to the media, including the infamous surveillance video of Combs assaulting then-girlfriend Cassie in 2016.

The next court date for Combs’ case is currently set for December.

Jeff Shell To Lead Paramount

Less than two years after NBCUniversal fired Jeff Shell for alleged sexual harassment, the former CEO is close to finding himself back in the saddle leading a storied media company.

CNBC reports the longtime media executive is primed to help run the day-to-day media operations of Paramount Global as president of the company when its merger with Skydance Media closes in the first half of 2025, assuming regulatory approval. He’ll report to current Skydance CEO David Ellison, who will take the top job as the combined company’s CEO.

While neither Shell nor Ellison has publicly declared specific intentions for Paramount Global due to regulations banning “gun-jumping” in pending mergers, Shell’s recent tenure as the CEO of Comcast’s NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC, offers clues to what may be in store for Paramount.

Jeff Shell

CNBC spoke with a dozen people who worked closely with Shell during his tenure as CEO from 2019 to 2023. They described Shell as a person with big ideas and a willingness to make bold moves but with a style that depends on those around him to talk him out of decisions that may not make sense. Some of Shell’s boldest ideas — such as giving NBC’s 10 p.m. hour over to affiliates, merging with a rival, and turning CNBC primetime into a Fox News facsimile — never played out.

Comcast CEO Brian Roberts chose Shell to replace Steve Burke as NBCUniversal CEO in 2019. Shell had consistent success running a variety of different divisions within Comcast and NBCUniversal, including NBCU International and Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.

Colleagues told CNBC they found Shell to be a good listener and a collaborative decision-maker with a predilection for sometimes saying too much. His departure from NBCUniversal was sudden. In April 2023, a Comcast investigation corroborated allegations from a former CNBC reporter of sexual harassment. Shell joined private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners in February. RedBird backed the Skydance-Paramount merger and will assume a minority equity stake.

NAB Says 12,000 Attended The NAB Show New York

The 2024 NAB Show New York concluded, solidifying its place as the must-attend East Coast event for not only broadcast, media and entertainment professionals but for anyone creating content across various industries. With more than 12,000 attendees, some 250 Exhibitors, 50 of which are first-timers, and 20 new product launches, the Show offered a comprehensive look at the latest trends and innovations shaping the industry. Held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, the Show’s Q4 timing provided a pivotal opportunity for professionals to explore end-of-year purchases and prepare strategic decisions for 2025.

NAB Show New York continues to attract growing enterprise audiences, including government agencies, higher education, finance and more. Attendees from Bank of America, Best Buy, Capital One, Dell, Ford Motor Company, IBM, JP Morgan Chase, LIV Golf, MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NFL, NHL, NYU, Pepsico, Pfizer, QVC, Samsung Ads, United Nations, U.S. Air Force, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Military Academy and other notable brands attended, reinforcing the event's expanding reach. Attending brands from the core audience include ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, HBO, Audacy, Urban One and Univision. This diverse mix of attendees makes NAB Show New York a critical event for anyone involved in content creation, distribution and monetization.

NAB Show New York’s unique positioning in the media capital of the world attracted a high-quality audience of decision-makers, with 79% of attendees actively involved in buying decisions, which is up roughly 6% from last year, and 34% serving as final decision-makers. Notably, three-quarters of attendees do not attend NAB Show in Las Vegas, offering Exhibitors the chance to connect with a fresh regional audience. Additionally, preliminary data shows roughly 64% of attendees were first-timers, reinforcing the event’s ability to reach new professionals and drive meaningful business connections.

“NAB Show New York is where professionals across all industries come to connect, explore new technologies and make key business decisions,” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president and managing director of NAB Global Connections and Events. “With Q4 being such a critical buying season, this event allows attendees to finalize their budgets and set the stage for 2025. Our Exhibitors provided the tools and solutions that will shape content creation, distribution and monetization in the coming year.”

Too Many Ads Plagues Media

Ad fatigue negatively impacts viewers' purchasing decisions, with 61% of participants to a survey released this week saying they are less likely to want to buy products or use services from the company that shows the same ad back to back, and 49% said in the past they had decided not to purchase a product from a brand when they see repetitive ads too often.

Adults under 55, men, parents of children under 18 and adults with children in the household are significantly more likely than their respective counterparts to agree.

“Not only are consumers getting fatigued, but the investment could also be detrimental to what you’re trying to accomplish,” said AD-ID CEO Nada Bradbury. “I’m spending all this money to bring consumers to my product, but because someone isn’t controlling frequency like they should be, I may be turning people off from my product, brand or entire category.”

Bradbury wants advertisers to use media budgets wisely, pointing to findings from the AD-ID and The Harris Poll study released this week.

Data from the poll is from a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. About 1,921 watch TV or view content on streaming. The study shows how ad fatigue negatively impacts viewers’ purchasing decisions.

MediaPost reports the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) are the industry bodies that developed and support AD-ID.

When 59% of viewers cite seeing the same ads repeatedly, this leads to a negative impact on their viewing experience, with 50% saying they get annoyed and 26% saying that it has negatively impacted their purchasing decisions. 

The data shows why advertisers need to pay attention to frequency capping to get through to consumers.

AppleTV To Be Available from Prime Video

Amazon said this week that Apple TV+ will become available on Prime Video later this month in the U.S. for $9.99 per month, in a boost for the iPhone maker which has lagged behind streaming rivals Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video itself.

Reuters reports the Apple TV+ streaming service, known for its original series like Ted Lasso, The Morning Show and Severance, has so far differentiated itself in the streaming landscape with a focus on in-house content, a strategy that has helped it garner 72 Emmy Award nominations.

Apple TV+, however, is among the streaming platforms with the highest number of customers cancelling a subscription, while Netflix has the lowest, according to market research firm Antenna.

Amazon will add Apple TV+ as a channel on Prime Video, where other streaming services like HBO Max, Discovery+, Starz, Showtime, and Paramount+ are already available.

R.I.P.: J J Jeffrey, Legendary Personality, Station Owner

J.J. Jeffrey, a legendary broadcaster born in Maine and who worked at major market radio stations, has passed away at the age of 84 after a brief illness.

Born Joseph Noyes Jeffrey, Jr. in 1940 in Portland, Maine, J.J. Jeffrey and his business partner Bob Fuller started WBLM radio in a trailer in Litchfield, Maine. That tiny little radio station grew to become a classic rock powerhouse in New England.

Previously, J.J. had worked in Boston, Pensacola, Philadelphia, and Chicago before coming back to his home in Maine and starting WBLM, forming the company Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting with business partner Bob Fuller.

J.J. later branched out to own Atlantic Coast Radio after Fuller-Jeffrey sold WBLM, WCYY, WHOM, WJBQ in Maine and WOKQ and WSHK in New Hampshire.

Jeffrey’s career indeed began in the 1960s, and he made a significant impact at major Top 40 stations like WMEX in Boston, WFIL in Philadelphia, and WLS in Chicago. His engaging and humorous style, especially as “Melvin X. Melvin” at WMEX, earned him a dedicated following12.

In 1975, Jeffrey made the surprising decision to leave WLS in Chicago, despite being under contract, to return to Maine and focus on station ownership. This move led to the formation of Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting with Bob Fuller, and they launched WBLM in Portland, Maine. Their broadcasting group expanded significantly, making a lasting impact on the radio industry in New England12.

In 1997 Jeffrey and Fuller were inducted into the Maine Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Radio History: Oct 12

➦In 1937...'Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons' debuted on the NBC Blue Network.  It was one of radio's longest running shows, airing to April 19, 1955, continuing well into the television era. It was produced by Frank and Anne Hummert, who based it upon Robert W. Chambers' 1906 novel The Tracer of Lost Persons. The sponsors included Whitehall Pharmacal (as in Anacin, Kolynos Toothpaste, BiSoDol antacid mints, Hill's cold tablets and Heet liniment), Dentyne, Aerowax, RCA Victor and Chesterfield cigarettes. It aired on the NBC Blue network until 1947, when it switched to CBS.

➦In 1944...What would come to be known as the "Columbus Day Riot" took place in New York City, when 35,000 hysterical teenage girls crowded into the Paramount Theatre for a chance to see the return of Frank Sinatra. The crowd of teen "bobbysoxer" girls stopped traffic in Times Square and  refused to leave between shows.

➦In 1950…The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, sometimes called The Burns and Allen Show, made it debut on TV.   The is a half-hour series broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS.

Burns and Allen were headliners in vaudeville in the 1920s, and radio stars in the 1930s and 1940s.

Their show was initially staged live and broadcast every other Thursday at 8 pm ET. In fall 1952, it became a weekly series filmed on the West Coast. From March 1953 through September 1958, The Burns and Allen Show aired Mondays at 8 pm ET.

The show was an immediate success.

➦In 1955...Chrysler introduces the world's first sound system for it cars.  The system consisted of -- record player mounted under the dashboard.

➦In 1969...Pop Culture's "Paul is Dead" hoax began when Tom Zarski, a student at Eastern Michigan University, called WKNR in Detroit and informed DJ Russ Gibb on air of the rumor that Paul McCartney died in a car crash, perhaps as long ago as 1966. Zarski told Gibb that by playing a section of the band's "Revolution 9" backwards, a clue emerges: the phrase "Turn me on, dead man." Gibb proceeds to do just that. Many listeners were stunned.

Two days after the WKNR broadcast, The Michigan Daily published a satirical review of Abbey Road by University of Michigan student Fred LaBour under the headline "McCartney Dead; New Evidence Brought to Light".  It identified various "clues" to McCartney's death on Beatles album covers, including new clues from the just-released Abbey Road LP. As LaBour had invented many of the clues, he was astonished when the story was picked up by newspapers across the United States. WKNR-FM further fuelled the rumor with a special two-hour program on the subject, "The Beatle Plot", which aired October 19, 1969.

In the early morning hours of October 21, 1969, Roby Yonge, a disc jockey at New York radio station 77WABC, discussed the rumor on the air for over an hour before being pulled off the air for breaking format. At that time of night, WABC's signal covered a wide listening area and could be heard in 38 states and at times, other countries.

Later that day, the Beatles' press office issued statements denying the rumour which were widely reported by national and international media.

Various 'clues' were used to suggest the following story: three years previously on November 9, 1966.  The rumored story was that McCartney, after an argument during a Beatles' recording session, had angrily driven off in his car. He had crashed it and died as a result. To spare the public from grief, the Beatles replaced him with "William Campbell", the winner of a McCartney look-alike contest.

➦In 1997...Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. died in a light plane accident (Born December 31, 1943). He was known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, activist, and humanitarian, whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singer.

John Denver 1974

After traveling and living in numerous locations while growing up in his military family, Denver began his music career with folk music groups during the late 1960s. Starting in the 1970s, he was one of the most popular acoustic artists of the decade and one of its best-selling artists. By 1974, he was one of America's best-selling performers, and AllMusic has described Denver as "among the most beloved entertainers of his era".

Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs, about 200 of which he composed, with total sales of over 33 million records worldwide. He recorded and performed primarily with an acoustic guitar and sang about his joy in nature, his disdain for city life, his enthusiasm for music, and his relationship trials. Denver's music appeared on a variety of charts, including country music, the Billboard Hot 100, and adult contemporary, in all earning 12 gold and four platinum albums with his signature songs "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Annie's Song", "Rocky Mountain High", "Calypso", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", and "Sunshine on My Shoulders".

From The Wetlands Of Florida!

 THANKS MILTON! (Just Kidding)  We're Ramping up Again.....Thanks for your patience!

Xperi Lists Most Listened-To Songs In-Vehicle for Q3 2024

DTS, Inc. has revealed the Top Most Listened-To Songs In-Vehicle for Q3 2024* in the U.S., U.K. and globally, based on data gathered by the DTS AutoStage Broadcaster Portal. DTS is a global leader in next-generation audio and a wholly owned subsidiary of Xperi Inc.

Most of the chart toppers for the second quarter among in-vehicle listeners were toppled in Q3, with mega stars like Beyoncé and Ariana Grande dropping out of the Top Five, and, following a yearlong trend, country continued to make its mark on the Top Most Listened-To Songs In-Vehicle. Country singer/rapper Shaboozey’s “ Bar Song (Tipsy) ” and the Post Malone / Morgan Wallen country collab “I Had Some Help” hit #1 and #2 respectively in the U.S., with “ Bar Song (Tipsy) ” topping the U.K. chart and taking the #2 spot globally. Former Disney Channel actress Sabrina Carpenter continues her 2024 hot streak as her song “Espresso” hit #1 globally, #2 in the U.K., and #3 in the U.S. among in-vehicle listeners in Q3.

“In the past year, our reports have highlighted the country crossover of Tracy Chapman’s ' Fast Car' (thanks to Luke Combs’ cover), Jelly Roll, and Beyoncé, and now, Post Malone and Shaboozey are making country waves with in-vehicle listeners. The trend of artists seamlessly crossing genres and categories appears to be here to stay and, as our Top Most Listened-To Songs In-Vehicle charts confirm, listeners are here for it,” said Joe D’Angelo, senior vice president of broadcast at Xperi. “Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter and Benson Boone’s continuing popularity underscores that there is no one size fits all with today’s listeners, making access to a wide range of listening content in-vehicle more important than ever.”

Top Most Listened-To Songs In-Vehicle (U.S., U.K. and Global) Q3 2024

On the heels of collaborating with Beyoncé for two songs on her “Cowboy Carter” album, multi-genre artist Shaboozey’s solo single, “ Bar Song (Tipsy), ” climbed from #34 (U.S.) and #30 (globally) in Q2 to the #1 and #2 spots in the third quarter, respectively. In addition to topping the Top Most Listened-To Songs In-Vehicle charts, the song has spent the most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024 (12 weeks beginning July 13).

Sabrina Carpenter’s hot streak with “Espresso,” which won “Song of the Year” at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards in September, continued in Q3, as the song hit the #1 spot with in-vehicle listeners globally, #2 in the U.K. and #3 in the U.S. Meanwhile, her new song “Please, Please, Please” made an impressive debut in Q3, placing in the Top 10 in the U.S., U.K. and globally.

Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help” country collaboration with Morgan Wallen was released mid-Q2, and debuted in the U.S. (#2) and globally (#4). Cementing his country crossover, in August 2024, Post Malone released his first dedicated country album, “F-1 Trillion,” featuring this chart topper.

TikTok star Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things,” released in Q1 and awarded the “Best Alternative” song at last month’s MTV Video Music Awards, remained in the Top 5 among in-vehicle listeners for Q3 in both the U.K. and globally, and in the Top 10 in the U.S., after reaching the #1 spot globally and #2 in the U.S. in Q2.

New to the Top Most Listened-To Songs In-Vehicle Top 5 are “Million Dollar Baby” by American singer and rapper Tommy Richman, an R&B / electro-funk breakout hit which took the #5 spot in the U.S., and “Stargazing” by English singer-songwriter Myles Smith which debuted in the #3 spot in the U.K.

*Data from vehicles equipped with DTS AutoStage

And Your 2024 Marconi Radio Winners Are...

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) presented the 2024 NAB Marconi Radio Awards, a celebration held at the Javits Center during NAB Show New York. The ceremony, presented by Xperi, was hosted by radio and television personality Bobby Bones featuring DJ Scratch as the house DJ for the night.

Established in 1989 and named after inventor and Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi, the NAB Marconi Radio Awards are given to radio stations and outstanding on-air personalities to recognize excellence in radio.

This year’s NAB Marconi Radio Award winners are:

• LEGENDARY STATION OF THE YEAR KYGO-FM Denver, CO.
• LEGENDARY RADIO MANAGER OF THE YEAR Bennett Zier, Audacy, VA
• NETWORK/SYNDICATED PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR Erica Campbell, Reach Media/Urban One, Dallas, TX
• MAJOR MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR Rachel Ryan, KSCS-FM, Dallas, TX
• LARGE MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR Dan Mandis, WWTN-FM, Nashville, Tenn.
• MEDIUM MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR Andy Beckman & Kat Walburn, WAJI-FM, Fort Wayne, IN
• SMALL MARKET PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR Kat Mykals, WGBF-FM, Evansville, IN
• COLLEGE RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR WPSC-FM, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ
• COUNTRY STATION OF THE YEAR WXTU-FM, Philadelphia, PA
• NEWS/TALK STATION OF THE YEAR KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh, PA
• RELIGIOUS STATION OF THE YEAR WNNL-FM, Raleigh, NC
• ROCK STATION OF THE YEAR KQMT-FM, Denver, CO
• MAJOR MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR KTCK-AM Dallas, TX
• LARGE MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR WWRM-FM Tampa, FL
• MEDIUM MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR WNRP-AM Pensacola, FL
• SMALL MARKET STATION OF THE YEAR KQRQ-FM Rapid City, SD
• BEST RADIO PODCAST OF THE YEAR “El Bueno, La Mala y El Feo”, Univision Radio, Los Angeles, CA
• AC STATION OF THE YEAR WTVR-FM Richmond, VA
• CHR STATION OF THE YEAR WBLI-FM Long Island, NY
• CLASSIC HITS STATION OF THE YEAR WGRR-FM Cincinnati, OH
• SPANISH LANGUAGE STATION OF THE YEAR WLZL-FM, Washington, DC
• SPORTS STATION OF THE YEAR KKFN-FM, Denver, CO
• URBAN STATION OF THE YEAR WBTJ-FM, Richmond, VA

Marconi finalists were selected by a committee of broadcasters, and the winners were voted on by the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Selection Academy.

FLA Broadcast: FCC Reports Station Affected By Milton

The following is a report on the status of communications services in geographic areas impacted by Hurricane Milton as of October 10, 2024.  This report incorporates network outage data from Commission (FCC) Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS).  Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida the evening of October 9, 2024.

Most of the affected radio stations are on the FM band, though four radio stations broadcast on AM. The specific location of the radio and TV stations knocked off the air was not disclosed by the agency, though the count was accurate as of Thursday morning.

The outages were largely attributed to disruptions in electrical service, which knocked TV and radio transmitters offline. Nearly 3 million Florida residents and businesses were plunged into the dark between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning, as the storm spawned dozens of tornadoes and caused flash flooding that damaged electrical equipment throughout the state.

• Television station status:  There are 3 TV stations reported as being out of service in the area affected by Hurricane Milton.
• FM Radio station status:  There are 10 FM stations reported as being out of service in the area affected by Hurricane Milton.
• AM Radio station status:  There are 4 AM stations reported as being out of service in the area affected by Hurricane Milton..

ESPN Names Broadcast Team for MLB Championship

Broadcast Teams for ESPN Radio’s Exclusive National Audio Coverage of 2024 MLB Championship Series Starting October 13

ESPN Radio will continue its exclusive, national audio coverage of the 2024 MLB Postseason with the Championship Series starting Sunday, October 13. The broadcast teams for each of the two series are listed below.

American League:

• Detroit Tigers/Cleveland Guardians vs. Kansas City Royals/New York Yankees: Karl Ravech (play-by-play), Eduardo Pérez (analyst), Tim Kurkjian (analyst).

National League:

• New York Mets vs. San Diego Padres/Los Angeles Dodgers: Jon Sciambi (play-by-play), Doug Glanville (analyst).

Major League Baseball recently released the schedule with start times for the first several days of each Championship Series matchup.

ESPN Radio broadcasts the entire MLB Postseason, culminating with the World Series. More information about commentator assignments and additional coverage will be announced soon.

Ex-CBS Staffers Call For Independent Probe of '60 Minutes'

Ex-CBS staffers call for outside probe of ‘60 Minutes’ interview with Kamala Harris  

Former CBS News staffers are demanding an independent investigation into “60 Minutes” over the brewing Kamala Harris interview scandal — even as the network stubbornly digs in its heels and refuses to release the full, unedited transcript, The NY Post has learned. 

The long-running news show has come under fire after allegedly cleaning up the Democratic presidential candidate’s answer to a question from “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker about Israel that aired during a special episode on Monday.

Also, The LA Times reports “CBS Mornings” co-host Tony Dokoupil will not face any further repercussions over his controversial interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates about Israel, according to an executive familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The news division was roiled Monday after management admonished Dokoupil on an editorial call over his exchange with Coates on the Sept. 30 edition of the program.

Dokoupil took criticism for how he questioned Coates about his new book, “The Message,” which examines the Israel-Gaza conflict. CBS News leadership said on the call that the interview did not meet the company’s editorial standards.

FCC Chair Rejects Trump Call For CBS To Lose Licenses

Former president Donald Trump said Thursday that CBS News should lose a broadcasting license over how it edited a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, even though the federal government does not issue licenses for such television networks.

The Washington Post reports it was the latest example of Trump calling for media outlets that have angered him to lose their rights to broadcast — a push that evokes government control of media, which is a hallmark of authoritarianism.

Rosenworcel

FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel denounced Trump’s latest call targeting CBS, flatly rejecting an idea the independent agency has ruled out under both the Biden and Trump administrations.

“While repeated attacks against broadcast stations by the former President may now be familiar, these threats against free speech are serious and should not be ignored,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “As I’ve said before, the First Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy. The FCC does not and will not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage.”

Trump has been fixated for days on Harris’s interview with “60 Minutes,” which came after he backed out of sitting for his own interview with the show, according to the network. Since Harris’s interview aired Monday night, Trump has focused on how it featured a shorter version of Harris’s answer to a question about Israel than was shown in a clip previewing the interview.

It is standard for television networks to edit interviews for broadcast, especially to fit time restraints.

NYC Radio: John Catsimatidis Matches Donations To BFoA

John Catsimatidis, Owner of Red Apple Media and WABC Radio, is matching $25,000 of donations to The Broadcasters Foundation of America to help fund Emergency Grants for individual broadcasters devastated by the destruction of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“My family, Red Apple Media, and WABC Radio have supported numerous causes and organizations,” stated Catsimatidis. “At this time of great need for colleagues catastrophically impacted by these storms, I will match the next $25,000 in donations to help them get back on their feet. I applaud all those who have already donated any amount because every dollar helps.”

“We are grateful to John and Red Apple Media for their generous patronage of our charitable mission,” said Tim McCarthy, President of the Broadcasters Foundation of America. “It is with the support of industry leaders like John that the Foundation can provide assistance to those in our industry who need it most, including in times of emergency. I ask every broadcaster to consider giving an individual or corporation donation so that we can continue our charitable mission for broadcasters in need.”

Additionally, WABC Radio is running PSAs to appeal to listeners for donations. In addition, the station has produced a version of the PSA that can be tagged by a radio station with their own call letters. To download the PSA, stations may click here.

To make a donation to the Broadcasters Foundation of America Hurricanes Helene and Milton Emergency Fund, please click here.

Radio History: Oct 11

➦In 1919...Actress/voice actor Jean Vander Pyl was born in Philadelphia.  Her two main broadcast roles were as the wife Margaret in NBC Radio’s Father Knows Best, and as the voice of Wilma Flintstone in several cartoon series on TV.  She also provided the voice of Rosie the robot maid from the animated series The Jetsons,

She succumbed to lung cancer April 10 1999 at age 79

➦In 1936...the first radio quiz show premiered, "Professor Quiz".

➦In 1940...in New York City, Glenn Miller recorded “Make Believe Ballroom Time” for RCA Victor’s Bluebird label, featuring the vocal group The Modernaires for the first time. It would become the theme song for Make Believe Ballroom on WNEW, New York, with host Martin Block.

Martin Block

Block created the aura of doing a “live” radio program, complete with performers (on records) like Harry James or Frank Sinatra, from the “Crystal Studios” at WNEW. Copycat versions of the ‘Ballroom’ featured Keith Sandy at CKEY in Toronto, and Al Jarvis at KHJ Los Angeles.

In 1935, while listeners to New York's WNEW-AM in New York (now information outlet WBBR) were awaiting developments in the Lindbergh kidnapping, Block built his audience by playing records between the Lindbergh news bulletins. This led to his Make Believe Ballroom, which began February 3, 1935 creating the illusion that he was broadcasting from a ballroom with the nation’s top dance bands performing live. He bought some records from a local music shop for the program as the radio station had none. Block purchased five Clyde McCoy records, selecting his "Sugar Blues" for the radio show's initial theme song.

Because Block was told by the station's sales staff that nobody would sponsor a radio show playing music, he had to find himself a sponsor. Block lined up a producer of reducing pills called "Retardo"; within a week, the sponsor had over 3,000 responses to the ads on Block's radio show. Martin Block's style of announcing was considerably different than the usual manner of delivery at the time. Instead of speaking in a voice loud enough to be heard in a theater, Block spoke in a normal voice, as if he was having a one-on-one conversation with a listener.

➦In 1948...One of radio’s last premiering soap operas, “The Brighter Day”, took to the air for the first time on NBC. It’s interesting to take a look at the cast and see which names are still recognizable, like Hal Holbrook and William Redfield.  After six years on radio “Day” moved to TV.

➦In 1976...“Disco Duck (Part 1),” by Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots was the Number One songs on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. At the time he was a morning DJ at Memphis radio station WMPS.

Sebastian Stone

➦In 1987...New York radio personality Sebastian Stone died.  During other stints in other markets, he was known as Johnny Holiday at KCBQ/San Diego in 1959, as Johnny Mitchell at KHJ in 1965 and Sebastian Stone at KFRC/San Francisco in 1967.  One of his goofy stunts early in his career was setting a world record of 195 "stay-awake" hours while on WYDE-Birmingham. In Billboard's 1966 polling of djs, Johnny was one of the leading early evening Top 40 personalities.

Richard Denning and Lucille Ball

➦In 1998...Actor Richard Denning died at age 84. On radio, Denning starred with Lucille Ball in CBS's My Favorite Husband, which led to a role on CBS television's series adaptation of Mr. and Mrs. North.

➦In 2008...Actor & sportscaster Gil Stratton Jr. died at age 86.

Gil Stratton

In addition to acting in several films, Stratton began working as a radio actor in the late 1940s, performing in such shows as Lux Radio Theater, The Great Gildersleeve, and My Little Margie He worked opposite Judy Garland in the 1950 radio adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, and acted opposite Shirley Temple in a radio version of The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.

Stratton was hired by Los Angeles television station KNXT-TV (now CBS-2) in 1954 as a sportscaster and sports news anchor. He spent sixteen years as sports anchor of the show The Big News during the 1960s and 1970s.   He also served as a sportscaster for California CBS AM radio station, KNX 1070, from 1967 to 1984 and from 1986 to 1997 and for KTTV for a time in the 70's and 80's.

Stratton won five local Emmys during his television career, and was also awarded seven Golden Mike awards from the Radio-Television News Association.

Paulette Carlson is 73

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

• Country singer Gene Watson is 81. 
• Singer Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates is 78. 
• Actor Catlin Adams (“The Jerk,” ″The Jazz Singer”) is 74. 
• Country singer Paulette Carlson (Highway 101) is 73. 
• MTV VJ Mark Goodman is 72. 
• Actor David Morse (“St. Elsewhere”) is 71. 
• Actor Stephen Spinella (“24″) is 68. 
• Actor Joan Cusak is 62. 
• Guitarist Scott Johnson of Gin Blossoms is 62. 
• Actor-writer Michael J. Nelson (“Mystery Science Theater 3000”) is 60. 
• Actor Sean Patrick Flanery is 59. 
• Actor Lennie James (“The Walking Dead”) is 59. 
• Musician Todd Snider is 58. 
• Actor Artie Lange (“MADtv”) is 57. 
• Actor Jane Krakowski (“30 Rock,” ″Ally McBeal”) is 56. 
• Actor Andrea Navedo (“Jane the Virgin”) is 55. 
• Rapper MC Lyte is 54. 
• Actor Constance Zimmer (“UnREAL,” ″Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) is 54. 
• Actor Darien Sills-Evans (“Superior Donuts,” “Treme”) is 50. 
• Singer NeeNa Lee is 49. 
• Actor Emily Deschanel (“Bones”) is 48. 
• Actor Trevor Donovan (“90210″) is 46. 
• Actor Michelle Trachtenberg (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” ″Inspector Gadget”) is 39. 
• Rapper Cardi B is 32.

✞REMEMBRANCES:

• In 1809..Meriwether Lewis, American explorer, soldier and public administrator who helped lead the Lewis and Clark Expedition, dies of gunshot wounds at 35 under mysterious circumstances that could have been murder or suicide along the Natchez Trace in Tennessee at an inn called Grinder's Stand
• In 1961..Leonard "Chico" Marx, comedian (Marx Brothers), dies at 74
• In 1985..Tex Williams, American country-western singer, dies of cancer at 68
• In 1990..Douglas Edwards, American newscaster (CBS Evening News, FYI), dies of cancer at 73
• In 1991..Redd Foxx [JohnSanford], American comedian and actor (Sanford & Son; Redd Foxx Show), dies of a heart attack at 68
• In 2007..Werner von Trapp, Austrian singer (Trapp Family Singers), dies at 91
• In 2008..Neal Hefti, American jazz trumpeter, arranger (Woody Herman; Count Basie); bandleader (Kate Smith Show) and composer ("Li'l Darlin"; The Odd Couple; Batman theme), dies at 85
• In 2020..Joe Morgan, American Baseball HOF infielder (10 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1975, 76; NL MVP 1975, 76; Cincinnati Reds) and broadcaster (ESPN), dies at 77
• In 2022..Angela Lansbury, Irish-British-American Golden Globe and multiple Tony Award-winning stage and screen actress (Gaslight; The Manchurian Candidate; Mame; Murder, SheWrote; Beauty and the Beast), dies at 96

CBS' Redstone Supports Interview, Chastises News Managers

Dokoupil (lower left), Redstone

The fallout from CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil’s interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates has taken another turn. Shari Redstone, chair of CBS News’ parent company Paramount Global, publicly defended Dokoupil and expressed disagreement with how network executives handled the post-interview controversy.

According to CNN, Redstone commented on the situation during an Advertising Week panel discussion on antisemitism. “I frankly think Tony did a great job with that interview,” she said, adding: “He showed that there was accountability, that there is a system of checks and balances, and frankly, I was very proud of the work that he did.”

Meanwhile, Redstone voiced stern comments about the network executives who determined that the interview violated CBS News’ editorial standards. “I think we made a mistake,” she remarked. “I think we made a bad mistake this week.”

Redstone also indicated that she has spoken directly to Dokoupil offering her support. (Paramount Global is in the process of being acquired by Skydance Media, a deal that is expected to close in 2025.)

CBS News declined to provide TVNewser with an official comment on the matter, but a source within the network said that Redstone’s remarks have no bearing on how the network handled the issue, which the source said has been “handled respectfully.”

The source also suggested that Monday’s editorial call attended by CBS News and Stations president and CEO Wendy McMahon and president of editorial and newsgathering Adrienne Roark was a culmination of the Coates interview and other previous instances where Dokoupil’s framing of the conflict in Israel had shown a perceived bias.

McMahon and Roark were asked about the interview on that call, and they indicated that it did not meet CBS News’ editorial standards after being reviewed by the network’s standards and practices and race and culture units. According to comments obtained by The Free Press, chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford defended Dokoupil during the call.