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Saturday, October 19, 2024

Radio History: Oct 20


Lee DeForest

In 1906...Radio pioneer Dr. Lee DeForest demonstrated the electrical vacuum radio tube. DeForest disliked the term "wireless" and chose a new moniker, "radio."

In 1902 he and his financial backers founded the DeForest Wireless Telegraph Company. In order to dramatize the potential of this new medium of communication, he gave public demonstrations of wireless telegraphy for businessmen, the press, and the military.

A poor businessman and a poorer judge of men, de Forest was defrauded twice by his own business partners. By 1906 his first company was insolvent, and he had been squeezed out of its operation. But in 1907 he patented a much more promising detector (developed in 1906), which he called the Audion; it was capable of more sensitive reception of wireless signals than were the electrolytic and Carborundum types then in use. It was a thermionic grid-triode vacuum tube—a three-element electronic “valve” similar to a two-element device patented by the Englishman Sir John Ambrose Fleming in 1905. In 1907 de Forest was able to broadcast experimentally both speech and music to the general public in the New York City area.

De Forest is credited with the birth of radio broadcasting when on January 12, 1910, he conducted experimental broadcast of part of the live performance of Tosca and, the next day, a performance with the participation of Italian tenor Enrico Caruso from the stage of Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

Arlene Francis

In 1908...Arlene Francis was born in Boston, Massachusetts.  Francis became a well-known New York City radio personality, hosting several programs. In 1938 she became the female host of the radio game show "What's My Name?" although several men appeared as co-hosts over the years, Francis was the sole female host throughout the program's long run (on ABC, NBC and Mutual networks) until it ended in 1949.

In 1940, Francis played Betty in Betty and Bob, an early radio soap opera broadcast.

In 1943, she began as host of a network radio game show, Blind Date, which she hosted also on ABC and NBC television from 1949–52. She was a regular contributor to NBC Radio's Monitor in the 1950s and 1960s, and hosted a long-running midday chat show on WOR-AM that ran from 1960 to 1984.

Francis was a pioneer for women on television, one of the first to host a program that was not musical or dramatic in nature. From 1954-57, she was host and editor-in-chief of Home, NBC's hour-long daytime magazine program oriented toward women, which was conceived by network president Pat Weaver to complement the network's Today and Tonight programs. Newsweek put her on its cover as the "first lady of television". She hosted Talent Patrol in the mid-1950s.

Francis was also a panelist on the weekly game show What's My Line? from its second episode on CBS in 1950 until its network cancellation in 1967, and in its daily syndicated version from 1968–75.

She died May 31, 2001 in San Francisco at 93 after a long bout with Alzheimer’s and cancer.


In 1930...the "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" premiered on the NBC Radio Network.

In 1945...'Break the Bank' debuted on Mutual radio.   Sponsored by Vicks, the series was heard Saturdays on Mutual until April 13, 1946. Initially, it featured different hosts each week, including John Reed King and Johnny Olson. Bert Parks became the full-time host in 1946. With Vitalis Hair Tonic as the sponsor, the series returned Friday, July 5, 1946, on ABC for a run until September 23, 1949. Bud Collyer and Bob Shepherd were the announcers, and Peter Van Steeden provided the music.

The questions were written by Joseph Nathan Kane, the author of Famous First Facts, who hand-delivered the sealed envelopes to the radio studio. Jack Rubin directed for producers Walt Framer and Ed Wolfe. On October 5, 1949, the series moved to NBC, continuing until September 13, 1950. It was heard weekdays on NBC in 1950-51 and weekdays on ABC (1951–53). With Miles Laboratories as the sponsor, it moved back to weekdays on NBC (1953–55), overlapping with a weekdays series on Mutual (1954–55).

In 1948, Radio Mirror called Break the Bank "the highest-paying quiz program in the world." That same year, the series moved to television with Bert Parks and Bud Collyer co-hosting.

In 1947...World Series radio rights were sold to Mutual for three years for $475,000.

In 1969...WCBS 101.1 FM switched to live deejays when it launched a freeform rock format, which was becoming increasingly popular, and all other CBS-owned FM stations followed suit.

Philly Radio: Iconic Personality Andre Gardner Exits WMGK


Andre Gardner, the afternoon drive host and resident Beatles fanatic at 102.9 WMGK-FM for the past 22 years, hosted his final show at the classic rock station on Friday.

The Philadelphia Business Journal reports Gardner, who broke the news to his listeners on-air, said in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he was informed Thursday by executives at WMGK parent company Beasley Broadcast Group that his position has been eliminated due to budgetary issues.

Beasley spokeswoman Heidi Raphael confirmed Gardner’s departure via email, thanking him for his contributions and wishing him well. She did not respond to an inquiry about whether any other Beasley employees were laid off.

Gardner signed a multiyear contract extension with Beasley in April 2023.

“The radio business has faced huge challenges over the last decade, with a continuing decrease in ad revenue and the shift to digital,” Gardner said in his post. “The change has forced radio companies like Beasley, iHeart and Audacy to make some tough strategic decisions.”

Gardner went on to thank Market Manager Paul Blake and WMGK Program Director Eric Johnson for “gifting me a true rarity in this business — the chance to say goodbye on the air this afternoon. I will be forever grateful.”

Save for a stint at New York’s 92.3 K-Rock from 1993 to 2002, Gardner has been a staple in the Philadelphia-area radio and rock music scene since the late 1970s. According to his LinkedIn page, Gardner started in 1977 as a high school student working weekend shifts at Trenton’s WPST before moving on to WIFI-92, Sunny 104.5, and Z-106 mixed in with very short stints at stations in Atlanta, Dallas and Fort Pierce, Florida.

Gardner was hired as music director and nighttime disc jockey at 94.1 WYSP when the rock station was at the height of its popularity with Howard Stern working morning drive. He left for K-Rock five years later but returned to Philadelphia after being hired by Buzz Knight to handle afternoon drive for WMGK, where his show has consistently been among the top-rated in his time slot among the key adults-25-to-54 demographic. Up until last year, Gardner spent 20 years as host of the station’s Sunday morning "Breakfast with the Beatles" syndicated program.

Gardner told his social media followers that he could not say who would succeed him on the WMGK afternoon shift “but I can assure you that you will be in good hands … What’s next for me? Who knows?! And THAT is actually very exciting!”

Andre Gardner Has Date With Philly Hall of Fame

Andre Garner

Andre Gardner’s layoff ar 102.9 WMGK FM comes just months after the announcement that he would be inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia’s 2024 hall of fame class. A ceremony slated to celebrate Gardner and the other inductees is scheduled for Nov. 22.

According to The Philly Business Journal, the news about Gardner comes several months after Fanatic host Bob Cooney was laid off in July and after the company cut 7% of its workforce in May, including two other on-air personalities at The Fanatic (WPEN-FM). Jennifer Scordo, a producer and on-air contributor to the Fanatic's afternoon drive show, and nighttime host Pat Egan were among several employees at local Beasley-owned stations impacted by the cuts. Sources said others caught up in the layoffs included two longtime producers and other behind-the-scenes staffers.

Beasley also conducted similar layoffs last year that impacted Fanatic afternoon drive co-host Hunter Brody as well as another round in 2022 that impacted The Fanatic’s morning show co-host Jamie Lynch, WMMR afternoon drive disc jockey Paul Jaxon and country music station 92.5 WXTU midday disc jockey Charlie Maxx.

Like many of its peers in the radio industry, Beasley has been facing a difficult economic situation. The company suffered a net loss of $276,000 in the second quarter, down from $10.4 million in the same period of 2023.

Net revenue was down 4.8% to $60.4 million in the second quarter. Beasley attributed the revenue decline to a year-over-year drop in audio advertising and other revenue related to divestitures of a station in Wilmington and e-sports holdings, in addition to a continued soft commercial advertising business. Beasley said those declines were partially offset by growth in digital and political advertising.

Naples, Florida-based Beasley also owns rock station 93.3 WMMR-FM, adult contemporary 95.7 BEN FM, sports talk station 97.5 The Fanatic (WPEN) and country station 92.5 XTU (WXTU-FM) in the Philadelphia market. Beasley owns 59 stations across the country.

Denver Radio: KOSI 101 Poaches Steve Marshall from Mix 100


Denver market radio veteran, Steve Marshall, has joined the “Jenny and Friends” morning show, which airs Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. 

Marshall joins KOSI 101.1 from crosstown KIMN (MIX 100), where he was the program director and afternoon show host for the past seven years. KOSI 101.1 

Program Director Jim Lawson said, “As we focus on being live and local, I’m so excited for Steve to bring his considerable talent and experience to KOSI 101.1.” 

Marshall commented, “I’m excited to join such a classic station, and I look forward to helping the Denver area wake up and feel good each morning.” Marshall joins the “Jenny and Friends” morning show on Monday, October 21.

Update: Liam Payne Died of 'Multiple Trauma'


31-year-old Liam Payne, a former singer in the popular British boy band One Direction, died on Wednesday after falling from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires.

Payne’s family released a statement on Thursday asking for privacy. “We are heartbroken,” the family said. “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”

According to The NY Times, here is what we know about the circumstances of his death, which led to an outpouring of grief from fans, and the ensuing investigation.

A 911 call was made moments before his death.

The Buenos Aires police released a recording of a 911 call that was placed minutes before Payne’s death from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, where he was staying.

A man who identified himself as the hotel desk manager said on the call that a guest who appeared to have excessively consumed drugs and alcohol was “breaking everything in the room.” The manager requested urgent assistance because the room had a balcony and hotel employees were “afraid he could do something that puts his life at risk.”

The local prosecutor’s office, which is investigating the death, said in a statement that it appeared Payne was alone when he fell. It said investigators found broken objects and furniture in his hotel room, as well as what appeared to be narcotics and alcohol. The results of toxicology tests will most likely not be made public for several weeks.

In an autopsy performed a few hours after Payne’s death, forensic experts determined that he died from falling out of a window and that there were no signs of anyone else being involved. It is not clear whether Payne intentionally jumped or accidentally fell from the third floor.

The autopsy report was submitted to the prosecutor’s office, which said it indicated that Payne died of “multiple trauma” and “internal and external bleeding” in the skull, chest, abdomen and limbs.

The prosecutor’s office indicated that, because of the position in which the body was discovered and the 25 injuries he sustained, officials presume that Payne did not try to protect himself from the fall and may have been in a state of unconsciousness.


FCC Commissioner Seeking Investigation Into Alleged CBS Distortion


A member of the FCC has asked the body’s chair to take up a complaint filed with the FCC to compel CBS to release the full transcript from its “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Daily Caller News learned first.

CBS aired two different broadcasts with separate answers from Harris in response to the same question from “60 Minutes” interviewer Bill Whitaker on whether Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “listening” to the Biden-Harris administration. FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington said that while the commission often receives frivolous complaints alleging news distortion, the complaint lodged on Oct. 16 by the Center for American Rights (CAR) against WCBS, CBS’ New York subsidiary, is substantively different and should not be dismissed at face value.

“Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or a result of, many things including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region,” Harris responded in a previewed clip of the “60 Minutes” interview that aired on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Oct. 6.

“We are not gonna stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end, “Harris answered during the “60 Minutes” broadcast that aired the following night in primetime.


“The FCC does not regulate, or really even respond to, allegations of politically unfavorable coverage or legitimate editorial discretion,” Simington wrote in a statement to the DCN. “The recent complaint regarding WCBS-TV raises a fully different set of issues regarding whether or not coverage was intentionally distorted: reporting that something was said in response to a question that literally was not. I don’t know whether that’s true, but it’s a different issue.”

A person familiar with the FCC told the DCN that while CAR’s complaint could potentially move forward, the Democratic chair of the commission, Jessica Rosenworcel, is unlikely to act on the complaint, especially 18 days before the presidential election. In the event former President Donald Trump returns to the White House, the commission could be given a green light to act on the complaint with a Republican commissioner appointed as chair, the person told the DNCF.

When any of CBS News’ wholly owned and operated broadcast subsidiaries attempt to renew their license under a majority Republican FCC, the commission could put conditions on the license, including compelling the broadcaster to release the “60 Minutes” transcript, according to the person.

CAR’s complaint alleges that because WCBS aired two distinct broadcasts of the Harris interview — one on “Face the Nation” and the other on “60 Minutes” — with different responses from the Democratic candidate, the conflicting answers “amount to deliberate news distortion.”

Chattanooga Radio: Greg Rambin Promoted to WRXR Brand Manager

Greg Rambin
Audacy elevates Greg Rambin to Brand Manager of Rock 105 (WRXR-FM) in Chattanooga. In this role, Rambin will oversee the station’s content strategy, talent, operations and branding. Rambin will continue to serve as the station’s midday host on weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET, as well as the Brand Manager for sister station 98.1 The Lake (WLND-FM).

“Greg Rambin has been an integral part of the Chattanooga radio scene for over two decades, and his passion for our industry and deep connection to our community make him the perfect leader for Rock 105,” said Nichole Hartman, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Chattanooga and Memphis. “We’re excited to see Greg continue elevating the Rock 105 brand for our listeners and partners.”

“This is an exciting and humbling time for me,” said Rambin. “I'm honored to carry forward the legacy of Chattanooga’s Rock Station—the house that Randy 'Boner' Smith built—and I look forward to keeping that spirit alive for years to come. Thanks to Nichole and Justin [Cole] for trusting in me.”

Rambin has been a key part of the Chattanooga family of radio stations for over 20 years, working as a Production Director and on-air jock. For the last seven years, he has been the Brand Manager for 98.1 The Lake and has been the midday host on Rock 105 since 2018. He launched his radio career at KRRV-FM in Alexandria, LA.

📻Listeners can tune in to Rock 105 (WRXR-FM) in Chattanooga on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.

Prime Video Resurrects Brian Williams


Brian Williams, the longtime news anchor, will host a newscast on the evening of Election Day on Amazon Video, the company said on Thursday.

The NY Times reports the show, titled “Election Night Live With Brian Williams,” will deliver election results and analysis beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 5, from a studio in Los Angeles. No end time for the show has yet been set.

The show will be made available to all Amazon customers, regardless of whether they subscribe to the company’s streaming service, Amazon Prime.

“After 41 years in the business — from local news to network shows to cable news — this feels like the next big thing,” Mr. Williams said in a statement. “And the global marketplace of Amazon is a natural home for this first-of-its-kind venture. Together we will follow the story line on election night wherever it leads us.”

Williams left NBC as its top news anchor after a fabulism scandal but then mounted a comeback with a popular talk show on MSNBC. Amazon said he would rely primarily on election results from third party sources, probably The Associated Press or Reuters. The show will feature live expert commentators “representing a range of backgrounds and perspectives.” A longtime news producer, Jonathan Wald, will serve as the show’s executive producer and showrunner, while a pair of Emmy-winning live event producers, Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner, will produce the show.  

“This nonpartisan live special will draw from major news sources and complement the various partner news channels available on Prime Video,” Albert Cheng, a Prime Video vice president, said in a statement. “Our comprehensive offering is designed to give today’s viewer a direct and seamless way to keep up with election results.”

Mr. Williams show will be seen as a test case to determine the streaming giant’s interest in live news.  The company has spent the last few months expanding its offerings of live sports.

NOLA Radio: iHM Hopes To Cast A Spell With VooDoo 103.7 FM

iHeartMedia New Orleans has announced the debut of the all new VooDoo 103-7 (WFFX-FM).

VooDoo 103-7 will feature New Orleans 90s to now, including songs from artists like P!nk, Maroon 5, Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Nickelback and Matchbox 20. The station’s weekday lineup will also feature the Louisiana based nationally syndicated, Murphy Sam & Jodi in morning drive, New Orleans legendary rock host Kat in PM drive, and longtime personalities Jennie James in midday and Michelle Fay at night.

Area President Tori Kahl unveiled the new Voo Doo 103-7 in true New Orleans style to a captive audience of clients – with a catered ‘Format Launch Party’ before its debut at 5pm.

Bob Murphy, Senior VP of Programming of Louisiana/Arkansas markets says “It’s exciting to launch a fresh station concept with a beloved New Orleans radio brand name from the 2010s and air talent who call South Louisiana home.”

Executive VP of Programming Angela Watson-Charles adds, “VooDoo is what the energy of New Orleans is all about-fun and full of culture! We’re super excited to reintroduce this station and to connect with our listeners!”

Radio History: Oct 19


Bern Bennett
➦In 1921...Announcer Bern Bennett born (Died at age 92 – May 29, 2014). For nearly sixty years, beginning in 1944, Bennett was a staff announcer at CBS Radio and television. In the 1940s and 1950s, he was closely associated with Bud Collyer, as announcer on three Collyer-hosted game shows, Winner Take All, Beat the Clock, and To Tell the Truth, all produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman.

Other radio programs for which Bennett was the announcer included This Is Broadway, School of the Air and Breakfast With Burrows. In 1960, he was host of Upbeat Saturday Night, a 30-minute program featuring live jazz music on CBS radio.

In 1937...the radio classic, “Big Town“, made its debut on CBS radio. Star reporters at the Illustrated Press, Steve Wilson and Lorelei Kilbourne, were played by Edward G. Robinson and Claire Trevor. In 1942 they were succeeded by Edward Pawley and Fran Carlon, who carried the show for most of its 14 year run.

Julius LaRosa
In 1953...Julius LaRosa was fired live on-air by Arthur Godfrey.

La Rosa was on Godfrey's shows from November 19, 1951 to October 19, 1953. When Archie Bleyer, Godfrey's bandleader, formed Cadence Records in 1952, the first performer signed was La Rosa. Cadence's first single, which was also La Rosa's first recording, was "Anywhere I Wander." It reached the top 30 on the charts, and his next recording, "My Lady Loves To Dance", was a moderate success.

After La Rosa's third recording, and a dispute with Godfrey over his failure to attend a Godfrey-mandated dance class required of all cast members, La Rosa hired his own agent and manager: Tommy Rockwell.

With hit recordings and his appearances on Godfrey's shows, La Rosa's popularity grew exponentially. At one point, La Rosa's fan mail eclipsed Godfrey's. A year after La Rosa was hired, he was receiving 7,000 fan letters a week.  Godfrey did not react well to LaRosa hiring Rockwell as his manager. After consulting with CBS President Frank Stanton, on the morning of October 19, 1953 (in a segment of the show broadcast on radio only), after La Rosa finished singing "Manhattan" on Arthur Godfrey Time, Godfrey fired La Rosa on the air, announcing, "that was Julie's swan song with us." La Rosa tearfully met with Godfrey after the broadcast and thanked him for giving him his "break".

In 1970, he became a very successful and amiable disc jockey at one of America's biggest radio stations in the top market, Metromedia's WNEW 1130 AM in New York City.

In 1958...Brenda Lee, still weeks short of her 14th birthday, recorded a Johnny Marks song destined to become a seasonal classic, ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.’ Floyd Cramer played piano for the Nashville session, Boots Randolph was on sax.

In 1975...Phillips Haynes Lord died at age 73 (Born - July 13, 1902). He was a radio program writer, creator, producer and narrator as well as a motion picture actor, best known for the Gang Busters radio program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1957.

His thirty-minute program ran on Wednesday nights at 10:00 p.m. on CBS radio and opened with the portentous sounds of machine gun fire, police whistles screaming and tires screeching, causing the phrase "coming on like gangbusters" to be coined. Copied years later by the television show America's Most Wanted, each episode of Gang Busters had up-to-the-minute reports of criminals wanted by the FBI or other law enforcement officials, many of whom were later arrested due to tips from listeners.

The Gang Busters radio show was an enormous long-running success with 1,008 radio broadcasts over twenty-one years from July 20, 1935, to November 20, 1957.  In 1998, Gang Busters was part of the 30-hour audio cassette called CBS's 60 Greatest Old-Time Radio Shows.

In 1991...Grant Turner, WSM-AM Nashville and Grand Ole Opry announcer for 49 years, died at the age of 79.

Friday, October 18, 2024

Milwaukee Radio: N/T WTMJ Evolving Under New Ownership


Milwaukee's WTMJ 620 AM was once the pinnacle of conservative talk radio in Wisconsin. However, with the station’s ownership change and its fresh, news-driven approach, WTMJ has moved away from conservative rhetoric, according to Wisconin Watch.  The move is reflecting a shift in Milwaukee’s demographics and media landscape.

“​​It’s very much changed now. I mean, quite significantly. They’re clearly moving away from conservative talk radio,” said former WTMJ host Charlie Sykes, a pioneer of right-wing radio in Wisconsin who helped pave the way for the 2010 election of Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

The conservative reputation long stuck with WTMJ, but in recent years some believe the station is turning left.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said WTMJ is now a “left wing” station that has faced a “precipitous decline” in ratings since it “left conservative talk radio.” 

Charlie Sykes
“They’ve tried to have liberal talk radio in Wisconsin for 20 years, and it’s always failed, because you still have to get listeners and you have to get advertisers,” Vos said. “I have a feeling that unless they have deep pockets from some billionaire who wants to say, ‘I’m going to help make Wisconsin more liberal by having liberal talk radio,’ it’s not going to be successful. But you know, the free market’s a free market.”

Sykes said WTMJ’s change could reflect the shifting political leanings of the Milwaukee suburbs. Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington — the WOW counties — were once the “beating heart of the new resurgent Republican Party,” but since 2016 have become more liberal.

“Radio is always going to chase the audience, and there’s nothing radical about this,” Sykes said. “They will always try to go where the audience is.”

Current WTMJ radio hosts Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi call the station’s shift natural. The station has started to appeal to younger generations by producing more podcasts, YouTube videos and digital content, Brey said, focusing more on age than political leanings.

Owned by Good Karma Brands, the station has a news/talk radio format. Its sign-on dates back to 1922 and for most of its history it was owned by The Milwaukee Journal newspaper.

CNN to Anchors: 'Take It Or Leave It'


CNN’s Jake Tapper and Wolf Blitzer have been denied salary raises while Chris Wallace will likely be forced to take a pay cut — even as rank-and-file journalists at the network brace for “inevitable” layoffs, according to a report from the online industry newsletter The Ankler.

The Ny Post reports Mark Thompson — the former BBC and New York Times boss who was brought in to overhaul CNN by Warner Bros. Discovery overlord David Zaslav — has told some of his highest paid and most recognizable stars to “take it or leave it.” 

Thompson recently re-signed Tapper, CNN’s chief Washington correspondent who anchors “The Lead,” to a new three-year contract that will pay him the same $7 million annually that he had earned under the terms of his previous deal.

Blitzer, the 76-year-old longtime CNN veteran who anchors “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” has also been re-signed to a new three-year contract that will freeze his pay at roughly $3 million annually — the same sum of money he had been making before, the newsletter reported.

“Flat is the new up,” an agent who represents CNN talent told The Ankler when asked about the latest developments.

Another online newsletter, Puck, disputed The Ankler report, saying it “got almost all the salary figures wrong — in some cases egregiously” and that Tapper and Blitzer “make millions more than $7 million and $3 million, respectively.”

But the online newsletter conceded that “the broader point about talent being forced to renew at equal or lower comps is true.”

John Berman, the co-anchor of “News Central” alongside Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner, had his contract renewed at the same $1 million per year salary, The Ankler reported.

Meanwhile, speculation about Wallace’s future at the network is sure to ramp up given that the 77-year-old former Fox News personality was reportedly told that he will have to accept a salary that is significantly less than the $8.5 million that he is earning under his current deal, according to The Ankler.

Boston Radio: 98.5’s Tony Massarotti Apologizes


WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub talk show host Tony Massarotti has apologized yet again.

More than a year after Mazz was suspended for comments he made about Black people, the “Felger and Mazz” co-host on Thursday addressed using the term “zipperhead” on air.

Zipperhead is a racial slur referring to Asian people. Clint Eastwood’s character in “Gran Torino” uses the racial slur.

The term has other definitions, describing narrow-minded people.

Mazz used the term to describe Gen Z during the show on Wednesday.

“Gen Z, which I’ve determined incidentally that Z stands for zipperhead,” Mazz said, noting that he had spoken with Gen Z 98.5 baseball nerd Tyler Milliken about the Red Sox having two finalists for the Gold Glove award, despite the Sox having the most errors in baseball.

Mazz addressed using the term during the afternoon radio show on Thursday.

Mazzarotti
“I made reference to Tyler Milliken and people his age and their reliance on some of the metrics, and how I didn’t believe in them, and in so doing, I used a derogatory term that was unbeknownst to me,” Mazz said. “I didn’t know that this term had a derogatory connotation.”

“I have since come to the realization that historically, there is some derogatory context for that term, which I assure you I did not know,” he added. “Nonetheless, in so doing, if you are among those who I offended, I apologize for that. It was not my intent. I can you assure of that. I had no idea that the word had that meaning. As such, I won’t use it again. You’ll never hear me use it again, on the air or off.”

Last February, Mazz was suspended for his “insensitive” and “hurtful” comments about Black people sitting behind his 98.5 co-host Mike Felger, warning Felger that they might steal his car.

Rock & Roll Hall Induction Set for Saturday


The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is a prestigious event that celebrates the influence and achievements of legendary musicians. The 39th annual ceremony will be held on October 19, 2024, at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, with a live stream available on Disney+ and subsequent broadcasts on ABC and Hulu.

Honoring Musical Icons

This year’s inductees highlight the diversity and evolution of rock and roll. The Performer Category includes Mary J. Blige, Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & The Gang, Ozzy Osbourne, and A Tribe Called Quest. These artists have made significant contributions to music, breaking barriers and influencing countless others. For instance, Cher and Foreigner are first-time nominees, showcasing their lasting impact on music.

The ceremony also recognizes individuals in other categories:

  •  Musical Influence Award: Alexis Korner, John Mayall, and Big Mama Thornton.
  •  Musical Excellence Award: Jimmy Buffett, MC5, Dionne Warwick, and Norman Whitfield.
  •  Ahmet Ertegun Award: Suzanne de Passe for her influence as a non-performing industry professional.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Swifties Find Secondhand Ticket Prices Are Soaring


Taylor Swift will kick off the final leg of her global Eras Tour tonight in Miami.

With only a handful of cities remaining on Swift's list, including three U.S. cities, many fans are searching for last-minute tickets, with several Swifties falling victim to scams and grossly up-charged resale prices.

Some have even complained that their tickets were cancelled only a few days before their show. according to The Tennessean.

How much would you pay to see your favorite artist perform live? For several Swifties, the answer to that question may be upwards of $4,000.

The Ticketmaster pre-sales and general sales for the remaining Eras Tour shows have long since passed. If you want to secure a seat now, the only option is to buy tickets second hand.

As of Oct. 1, the average price for a secondhand ticket to one of the three upcoming Eras Tour shows in Miami is $3,472, according to a study conducted by SeatPick.

The same study found that one ticket to one of three upcoming New Orleans shows will set you back $3,986 on average. Tickets to one of the three Indianapolis shows cost $4,365 on average.

After closing out her final U.S. show, Swift will head up to Canada to perform in six shows in Toronto and three in Vancouver. The average ticket prices for Toronto and Vancouver are $4,450 and $4,459 respectively.

Judge Orders Florida to Stop Threatening TV Stations


A federal judge in Florida on Thursday ordered the state to stop threatening TV stations with criminal charges if they run a political ad in support of a referendum that would repeal the state’s six-week abortion ban.

The Washiington Post reports proponents of Amendment 4 sued the state on Wednesday over letters from the Florida Department of Health to broadcast stations around the state, threatening “criminal proceedings” if they ran the ads.

U.S. District Chief Judge Mark Walker said the state’s actions amount to “unconstitutional coercion” and violate the First Amendment.

“Whether it’s a woman’s right to choose, or the right to talk about it,” Walker wrote, “the First Amendment prohibits the State of Florida from trampling” on the abortion rights proponents’ freedom of speech.

The plaintiff in the case, Floridians Protecting Freedom, celebrated Walker’s injunction against the state, which lasts until Oct. 29 — a week before the Nov. 5 election.

“This critical initial victory is a triumph for every Floridian who believes in democracy and the sanctity of the First Amendment,” said Lauren Brenzel of Yes on 4 Florida, the campaign arm of the organization. “The court has affirmed what we’ve known all along: The government cannot silence the truth about Florida’s extreme abortion ban.”

Julia Friedland, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s deputy press secretary, denounced the decision as “another order that excites the press.”

“The ads are unequivocally false and put the lives and health of pregnant women at risk,” she said. “Florida’s heartbeat protection law always protects the life of a mother and includes exceptions for victims of rape, incest, and human trafficking.”

In the ad, Caroline Williams, a parent in Florida, describes how the state’s current abortion ban would have endangered her life if it had been enacted a couple of years ago. She does not say at what point in her pregnancy she obtained the abortion.

The ad is airing on more than 50 stations across the state. The state sent cease-and-desist letters to at least two TV stations, but only one pulled it off air, according to Floridians Protecting Freedom, the main group backing the “Yes on 4” campaign.

The group called the letters “blatant government interference” and a violation of the First Amendment.

VP Harris’ on Fox News’ Special Report Delivers 7.8M Viewers


FOX News Channel’s (FNC) Special Report with Bret Baier delivered 7.8 million viewers and 1,126,000 in the 25-54 demo during anchor Bret Baier’s exclusive interview with Vice President Kamala Harris from 6 – 6:30 PM/ET on October 16th, according to Nielsen Media Research. 

The interview marked the highest rated of the Harris-Trump political season, outrating Harris’s appearances on 60 Minutes, The View, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CNN and MSNBC. For the full 6 PM/ET hour, Special Report drew 6.7 million viewers and 901,000 in the 25-54 demo. Combined with the show’s midnight airing (6-6:30 PM/ET and 12-12:30 AM/ET), Special Report’s interview with Vice President Harris nabbed 9.2 million viewers and 1.4 million in the 25-54 demo, beating ABC’s interview with President Biden before he dropped out of the race (8.5 million viewers). FNC averaged more than 12 million viewers on Wednesday between all three airings of its interviews with Vice President Harris (6 PM/ET & 12 AM/ET) and its town hall with former President Trump (11AM-12 PM/ET).

The network’s first formal interview with the vice president topped her appearance on CBS News’ 60 Minutes (5.7 million viewers), ABC’s The View (3.1 million viewers) and CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2.9 million viewers) as well as CNN and MSNBC’s Harris appearances. Special Report saw 189% growth with viewers and 285% growth in the 25-54 demo compared to its 2024-to-date average and was the top program on cable news on Wednesday.


Additionally, FNC’s The Faulkner Focus’ women’s issues town hall with former President Donald Trump in Georgia hosted by Harris Faulkner, nabbed 3.1 million viewers and 440,000 in the 25-54 demo, leading the cable news competition combined in its timeslot. This marked the show’s second highest-rated show since launch.

According to Nielsen Media Research, Pittsburgh, PA was the top-rated market in the country for the interview. FNC is the most watched cable news network in every swing state, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin per Nielsen. 

Additionally, more Independents and Democrats continued to tune in to FNC over any other network, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion, and the network was also number one among Hispanic and Asian viewers. According to a recent YouGov study, more Independents get their news from FOX News than from any of the competition.

FOX News Go also saw a strong day of engagement marking triple digital increases. According to Adobe Analytics, FOX News Go posted a 698% increase in content starts during the 6 PM/ET hour compared to an average weekday in 2024.

Charlotte Radio: The Kat's Paul Schadt Announces Retirement


Charlotte’s #1 station for New Country WKKT 96.9 The Kat announced Thursday that Paul Schadt, co-host of “The Paul Schadt & Sarah Lee Morning Show,” will retire in February 2025. 

After his retirement, Schadt will serve as a station ambassador and make on-air and on-site appearances.  “This has been the toughest decision of my life by far, because I love what I do,” said Paul Schadt. 

Paul Schadt
“I’m a very lucky guy, I’ve had the most remarkable ‘job’ anyone could ever ask for. Growing up, I never would have believed the people I’d meet and work with, the experiences I’d have and all the lives I’d get to be a part of every day.” “I have interviewed everyone from music pop legend Taylor Smith to country superstar Reba McIntyre. The list of people span from the music world , NASCAR, NFL and more.”

Dave Carwile, iHeartMedia Region President, praised Schadt’s lasting impact: “Paul’s journey from the daily broadcast to a cherished ambassador role is a testament to his unmatched contributions and passion for the industry. While he may no longer be on-air with us every morning, his influence and spirit will continue to guide and inspire listeners and colleagues alike. Congratulations to Paul on this exciting new chapter!” 

“I have spent 27 years at iHeartMedia - the leading media outlet in the Charlotte market with multiple platforms, including its broadcast stations; live events; data; and its digital businesses and platforms, including mobile, social and its own iHeartRadio” says Schadt. He adds “I will be taking on an ambassadorial role so I will still be around. I am happy and blessed that I got to be in radio for a living.”

Carwile praised Schadt’s lasting impact: “Paul’s journey from the daily broadcast to a cherished ambassador role is a testament to his unmatched contributions and passion for the industry. While he may no longer be on-air with us every morning, his influence and spirit will continue to guide and inspire listeners and colleagues alike.

Albany Radio: Rob VanDerbeck Named Market President For iHM


iHeartMedia has announced that Rob VanDerbeck has been named Market President for Albany, NY, effective immediately. He will report to Bob Morgan, President for iHeartMedia Upstate New York.

VenDerbeck
“Rob has been exceptional in leading our stations in Poughkeepsie and Sussex, and I am looking forward to working with him as he expands his oversight into the Capital Region,” said Bob Morgan, President for iHeartMedia Upstate New York.

VanDerbeck started at iHeartMedia in 2012 as Senior Vice President of Sales in Hudson Valley and Sussex, NY, where he played a pivotal role in driving revenue and market growth. In 2022, he was elevated to Market President for both markets. Prior to his tenure with iHeartMedia, he served as Director of Sales at Albany Broadcasting for two years and as Vice President of Sales at Cumulus Broadcast for nearly ten years.

“I am excited for this next chapter. As a lifelong competitor, and I look forward to competing once again in the Albany Market and working alongside our strong, talented team to deliver great results,” said Rob VanDerbeck.

Orlando Radio: CMG Goes Bilingual With Hits 96.5 FM


Cox Media Group / Orlando has relaunched  WOEX as Hit 96.5 FM.  The station is targeting Spanish listeners in Central Florida to who may have grown-up hearing English songs, but prefer the content delivered by  Spanish speaking personalities.  The music will be English AC pop hits from the '80s, '90s, and '00s,

JC Campese, VP/Market Manager for CMG Radio Orlando, emphasized their commitment to serving the entire community, reflecting the region’s growing and diverse population1. The station’s lineup includes popular artists like Ed Sheeran, Whitney Houston, Adele, Michael Jackson, Shakira, and Adam Levine.

Netflix Shares Soar


The streaming giant added 5.07 million subscribers in the third quarter, compared with 8.76 million net new subscribers during the same period a year earlier, when its password-sharing crackdown initially took hold. Netflix reported revenue was up 15% and net income rose 41% from a year earlier.

Netflix had around 282.7 million paid subscribers worldwide as of the third quarter of 2024. This marked an increase of over five million subscribers compared with the previous quarter. Most Netflix subscribers are based in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), accounting for around 96 million of Netflix’s total global subscriber base.

Netflix picked up 5.1 million streaming subscribers in the third quarter, topping Wall Street estimates by more than 1 million users, and said it expected higher customer growth around the holidays when Korean drama “Squid Game” returns.

Shares of Netflix rose 3.5% to $711.98 in after-hours trading.

Statista Graphic


Investors had expected Netflix to bring in 4 million subscribers from July through September, according to analysts’ estimates compiled by LSEG. New programming during the period included murder mystery “The Perfect Couple” and romantic comedy “Nobody Wants This.”

FOX & Friends Barbershop Series Making Stops In 3 Cities


FOX News Channel’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (6-9 AM/ET) will showcase Lawrence Jones’ barbershop series with stops in Detroit, New York and Atlanta. 

The series, which started at Larry’s Barber Maximus and Infinite Styles Barbershop in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention, features Jones as he visits barbershops across the country to discuss the major issues impacting the Black community and what is driving votes this election season. Based off the popular “Breakfast with Friends” series, the second installment kicked off this morning at Executive Cuts in Detroit. 

The next stop at Knockout Barbershop in The Bronx will feature an interview with former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump airing Monday, October 21st while the final stop will include Jones at the Fadeologist 3 barbershop in Atlanta on October 23rd.

Trump will also appear on FOX & Friends on Friday morning (October 18). During the live, on-set interview with co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, Brian Kilmeade and Jones, Trump will discuss the 79th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner from the previous evening among other topics. FOX & Friends has offered the Harris campaign the same two opportunities for an interview either in-studio with the show’s co-hosts or with Lawrence Jones in a local barbershop of their choosing on the campaign trail.

FOX & Friends is FNC’s flagship morning franchise featuring co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, Brian Kilmeade and Lawrence Jones. Every weekday morning from 6-9 AM/ET, the show highlights the latest in news, weather, sports and entertainment with a casual and spontaneous discourse and has been the most watched morning program in cable news for 22 years.

FCC Proposes Huge Fine For E$PN


ESPN's promos for the 2023-24 NBA season might end up being more expensive than expected, according to Variety.

The FCC announced Thursday it was proposing a maximum fine of $146,976 against the network for six apparent violations of Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules. Specifically, ESPN is accused of transmitting or causing the transmission of EAS codes during a promotional segment for the start of last season.

The FCC claimed ESPN "apparently willfully and repeatedly violated section 11.45(a) of the Commission’s rules," specifically warning that excessive alerts could cause "alert fatigue." While presenting it as a serious violation, the agency had a little fun with the announcement on social media:

The FCC says it received complaints about ESPN transmitting or simulating EAS tones, which ESPN admitted to doing six times on the dates of Oct. 20-24, 2023. It also claims ESPN has "a history of noncompliance with the Commission’s EAS rule," with violations in 2015 and 2021, which affected the size of the fine.

ESPN will now receive an opportunity to respond the FCC's claims and proposed fine before the agency makes a final decision.

R.I.P.: Monty Jett, Longtime Hilton Head Area Personality

Monty Jett (1948-2024)

Monty Jett, a longtime radio personality in the Hilton Head Island area whose deep voice was a staple of many local commutes, died Thursday morning at age 76. The “voice of Hilton Head” was revered for his kindness, friendly morning banter and prolific charity work.

The Island Packet reports Jett passed away at 6 a.m. Thursday after suffering a heart attack Wednesday, according to his family.

“He left as if starting his final morning show in the sky — right on time,” his daughter wrote on Facebook.

With more than three decades on the airwaves of Beaufort County, Jett hosted “Mornings with Monty Jett” on the WHHW 1130 AM station from 6 to 10 a.m. on weekdays. He spun “Hilton Head’s timeless favorites” like Dean Martin, Neil Diamond and local treasures like the Headliners.

Radio History: Oct 18


In 1922…The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was established to monitor the development of the radio in Great Britain.

In 1928...Keith Max Jackson born in Roopville, GA.(Died at age 89 – January 12, 2018). Jackson was a sports commentator, journalist, author and radio personality, known for his career with ABC Sports (1966–2006). While he covered a variety of sports over his career, he is best known for his coverage of college football from 1952 until 2006, and his distinctive voice, "a throwback voice, deep and operatic. A voice that was to college football what Edward R. Murrow's was to war. It was the voice of ultimate authority in his profession. His trademark expression?  “Whoa Nelly!”

Keith Jackson
The son of a dirt farmer, Jackson was born in Roopville, Georgia and grew up on a farm outside Carrollton, near the Alabama state line.  He was the only surviving child in a poor family and grew up listening to sports on the radio. After enlisting and serving as a mechanic in the United States Marine Corps, he attended Washington State University in Pullman under the G.I. Bill.[8] Jackson began as a political science major, but he became interested in broadcasting.He graduated in 1954 with a degree in speech communications.

Though best known for his college football broadcasts, Jackson announced numerous other sports for ABC throughout his career, including Major League Baseball, NBA basketball, boxing, auto racing, PGA Tour golf, the USFL, and the Olympic Games. He briefly worked college basketball with Dick Vitale. Jackson also served as the pregame, halftime, and postgame anchor for ABC's coverage of Super Bowl XXII in 1988. During his on-air tenure, he is credited with nicknaming the Rose Bowl as "The Grandaddy of them All" and Michigan Stadium as "The Big House".

Jackson began his career as a broadcaster in 1952, when he called on radio a game between Stanford and Washington State. He then worked for KOMO radio in Seattle, and later for KOMO-TV from 1954 to 1964 as co-anchor for their first news team.

Jackson became a radio news correspondent for ABC News Radio and sports director of ABC Radio West in 1964 before joining ABC Sports in 1966.

In 1931…Inventor Thomas Alva Edison died at age 84 (Born February 11, 1847). He has been described as America's greatest inventor. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world.  He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He established the first industrial research laboratory.

Edison was raised in the American Midwest; early in his career he worked as a telegraph operator, which inspired some of his earliest inventions. In 1876, he established his first laboratory facility in Menlo Park, NJ, where many of his early inventions were developed. He later established a botanic laboratory in Fort Myers, FL in collaboration with businessmen Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone, and a laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey that featured the world's first film studio, the Black Maria. He was a prolific inventor, holding 1,093 US patents in his name, as well as patents in other countries. Edison married twice and fathered six children. He died of complications of diabetes.

In 1943...Perry Mason was first heard on CBS Radio Network. The 15-minute continuing series aired weekdays until December 30, 1955. Geared more towards action than courtroom drama, it mixed mystery and soap opera, with attorney Perry Mason sometimes even exchanging gunfire with criminals.

Erle Stanley Gardner's literary success with the Perry Mason novels convinced Warner Bros. to try its hand, unsuccessfully, with some motion pictures. However, the Perry Mason radio show stayed on the air for 12 years.  Mason was played by Barlett Robinson, Santos Ortega, Donald Briggs and finally & most memorably by John Larkin as Perry Mason and Joan Alexander as Della Street. Larkin played the role the longest and was reportedly very disappointed when Raymond Burr got the role for TV in 1957.



In 1954…Six years after Bell Laboratories developed the first prototype, Texas Instruments announced the first production model of a transistor radio.  The small portable radio receiver used transistor-based circuitry. The mass-market success of the smaller and cheaper Sony TR-63, released in 1957, led to the transistor radio becoming the most popular electronic communication device of the 1960s and 1970s. Transistor radios are still commonly used as car radios. Billions of transistor radios are estimated to have been sold worldwide between the 1950s and 2012.

The pocket size of transistor radios sparked a change in popular music listening habits, allowing people to listen to music anywhere they went. Beginning in the 1980s, however, cheap AM transistor radios were superseded by devices with higher audio quality such as portable CD players, personal audio players, boomboxes, and (eventually) smartphones.

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Harris Sits For Fiery Interview With Fox News


Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris was grilled in a TV interview on Wednesday on the Biden administration's efforts to tackle a surge in illegal immigration at the southern border, and laid the blame on Republicans for failing to pass a border bill, according to Reuters.

In a combative interview with Fox News host Bret Baier, Harris was also pressed to defend President Joe Biden's mental fitness, her years as vice president and previous support of gender-affirming surgery for transgender inmates. Harris and Baier frequently talked over each other and Harris grew visibly frustrated.

She was asked to defend the administration's early decision to reverse some of Republican rival Donald Trump's restrictive policies, and to respond to a mother who testified in Congress about the loss of her daughter at the hands of an illegal immigrant.

"I'm so sorry for her loss, but let's talk about what is happening right now," Harris said. She said Trump told Republicans to reject a bipartisan immigration bill because "he preferred to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem."

Asked about her recent comment that there was "not a thing" she would change about the actions of the Biden administration, Harris said, “Let me be very clear, my presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden's presidency," but did not provide specifics.

Harris was pressed about her previous vouching for Biden’s mental fitness for office before he ended his reelection campaign in July.

Biden has the “judgment” and “experience” to be president, she said, while questioning Trump’s fitness for office.

“Joe Biden is not on the ballot, and Donald Trump is,” Harris said.

She was pressed on her position on using taxpayer funds for gender-affirming surgery for transgender inmates, including those who are undocumented. Trump has spent millions of dollars in ads on the subject in battleground states.

“I will follow the law,” she said a few times, noting that the U.S. Bureau of Prisons provided gender-affirming treatments under Trump. She accused him of “throwing stones when you live in a glass house.”

The nearly 30-minute interview marked the first time Harris has appeared on the media network as a presidential candidate. Within minutes of the interview's end, the Trump campaign released a statement calling it a "train wreck."