Saturday, November 2, 2024

Radio History: Nov 3


➦In 1906...International Radiotelegraph Conference in Berlin selects "SOS" (· · · – – – · · ·) distress signal as the worldwide standard for help

➦In 1946...This photo appeared in the NY Times...


➦In 1957...Sam Phillips, owner of legendary Sun Records in Memphis released Great Balls of Fire, by Jerry Lee Lewis. The single sold 5 million copies worldwide. Looking carefully at the original label, one will find credit to Lewis and “his pumping piano.”

➦In 1961...Newscasters and deejays returned to the air on Top40 KFWB 980 AM in Los Angeles after a striking for 122 days. Major provisions included raising base wages of staff announcers (disc jockeys) for the first year as of May 1 to $187.50 a week, $197.50 the second year and $205 the third year. Base wages of three returning newsman will be increased to $195 a week as of December 1st.

➦In 1962...Billboard magazine drops the "Western" from its "Country and Western" chart title.

Radio's Hugh Hewitt Walks-Off Live WaPo Show


Conservative radio host and political pundit Hugh Hewitt stormed off a Washington Post live event Friday after an argument over former President Trump’s rhetoric on election integrity ahead of Tuesday’s election, reports The Hill..

“Is it me or does it seem like Donald Trump is laying the groundwork for contesting the election?” Post host Jonathan Capehart asked Ruth Marcus, who was appearing with Hewitt as part of the live event. “By claiming that cheating was taking place, but suing Bucks County [Pennsylvania] for alleged irregularities … “

Marcus replied Trump has been “laying the groundwork” to contest the election for months, setting Hewitt off.

“Jonathan, I’ve gotta speak up,” he tried to interject.

“Let Ruth finish, Hugh,” Capehart shot back.

“Well, I’ve just got to say, we’re news people, even though it’s the opinion section,” Hewitt said after Marcus finished. “It’s got to be reported. Bucks County was reversed by the court and instructed to open up extra days because they violated the law and told people to go home. So, that lawsuit was brought by the Republican National Committee, and it was successful. The Supreme Court ruled that Glenn Youngkin was successful,” he added, referring to the GOP Virginia governor’s efforts to purge some 1,600 people from the voter rolls.

“We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story if we bring up part of the story. So, yes, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right, and he won in court. That’s the story,” Hewitt said.

Trump Spox Delivers Stinging Rebuke to ABC News


The Trump campaign’s National Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, took ABC News and the mainstream media to the woodshed with a blistering takedown of double standards.

Leavitt appeared on ABC to address former President Donald Trump’s comments about Liz Cheney, which the media falsely spun as advocating her execution.

Leavitt quickly dispelled the narrative, calling out Democrats’ hypocrisy and the media’s blatant attempts to twist Trump’s words.

ABC’s Elizabeth Schulze began the segment by suggesting Trump’s comments were “inciting violence” against Cheney.

Leavitt expertly dismantled Schulze, pointing out that Trump’s comments were a valid critique of Cheney’s hawkish foreign policy stances and her willingness to send American soldiers to war while she herself has never served.

When Schulze pushed the narrative that Trump’s words could lead to violence, Leavitt flipped the script, exposing the left’s hypocrisy, reports The Gateway Pundit.

Fox News Coverage Includes Linear, Digital, and Broadcast


Fox News is going state of the art for its Election Night edition of Fox News: Democracy 2024. The network will debut immersive graphics technology in Studio M—its election coverage HQ in New York City.

Anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will again lead the network’s extensive multiplatform coverage beginning at 6 p.m. on Nov. 5. (All times Eastern.) Bill Hemmer will helm the augmented reality-enabled “Bill-board,” which provides county-by-county and state-by-state breakdowns throughout the evening.

Meanwhile, Sandra Smith shares developments from the Fox News Voter Analysis, a survey of voters conducted by NORC, the nonpartisan research organization overseen by the University of Chicago and the Associated Press.

Harris Faulkner will speak with voters throughout the day, while Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters and Sean Hannity will be on air in the evening hours. Dana Perino, Brit Hume, Harold Ford Jr., Jessica Tarlov, Karl Rove, and Kellyanne Conway will be on hand for additional analysis. Another panel of experts—including Kerri Urbahn, Andy McCarthy, and Jonathan Turley—will specifically address at any nationwide legal challenges.

Leading up to election day, FNC will present live programming surrounding the election. On Sunday, November 3rd, the network will present special weekend editions of FOX & Friends with co-hosts Ainsley Earhardt, Steve Doocy, Lawrence Jones and Brian Kilmeade followed by America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino from 9-11 AM/ET, The Faulkner Focus with Harris Faulkner at 11 AM/ET, Outnumbered from 12-1 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith from 1-3 PM/ET, The Story with Martha MacCallum at 3 PM/ET, Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET and The Five (5 PM/ET). 

On FOX Network, FOX News Sunday anchor Shannon Bream and America Reports’ John Roberts will co-anchor election night coverage from 7 PM/ET until 1 AM/ET. During the special, they will be joined by FNC contributors Mary Katharine Ham, Marie Harf, Guy Benson and senior political analyst Juan Williams. FNC correspondent Rich Edson will be live from Vice President Harris’ campaign headquarters while Alexis McAdams will be reporting live from former President Donald Trump’s. FOX Network will also provide analysis and insight on legal challenges and their impact on the election with guests former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Thomas Dupree and Constitutional Accountability Center President Elizabeth Wydra. Additionally, correspondent Jonathan Hunt will provide hourly news updates throughout FOX’s programming.

FOX & Friends Weekend co-host Pete Hegseth will host opinion-based election night coverage on FOX Nation live from Nashville beginning at 8 PM/ET for subscribers. UnConventional with Pete Hegseth will include commentary from OutKick’s Tomi Lahren and Clay Travis, FOX & Friends Weekend’s Will Cain and Rachel Campos-Duffy, FOX News Saturday Night’s Jimmy Failla, and more as they react to the updates and results throughout the evening.



Turning to Fox News Media’s other platforms, Shannon Bream and John Roberts are co-anchoring Election Night coverage on the Fox Network from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Mary Katharine Ham, Marie Harf, Guy Benson and Juan Williams will appear during the evening as well, while Rich Edison has been assigned to the Harris campaign and Alexis McAdams will be covering Trump. Additional analysis will be provided by Thomas Dupree and Elizabeth Wydra, with Jonathan Hunt providing hourly updates.

On the Fox Business Network, Charles Payne, Dagen McDowell, and Sean Duffy will lead FBN Democracy 2024: Election Coverage from 5-7 p.m. FBN will simulcast FNC’s Election Night coverage for the rest of the evening. Fox Weather has special Election Night content planned as well, covering how the recent outbreaks of severe weather in states like Florida and North Carolina could impact voters.

Fox News Media’s streaming platform, Fox Nation, will feature opinion-based coverage from Pete Hegseth beginning at 8 p.m. Hegseth will be joined by such guests as Tomi Lahren, Clay Travis, Will Cain, Rachel Campos-Duffy, and Jimmy Failla. Fox News Radio’s coverage begins at 7 p.m. led by Jared Halpern and Jessica Rosenthal, while SiriusXM subscribers can here regular updates on Fox News Headlines 24/7.

ABC News Promises 72+ Hours of Continuous Coverage


ABC News announced 72+ hours of comprehensive coverage of the 2024 election on Tuesday, Nov. 5, with special programming on ABC; ABC News Live, the 24/7 streaming news channel available on Disney+, Hulu, YouTube, Roku, Amazon, Samsung TV and other platforms; and ABC News Digital properties, including the ABC News app. 

Streaming coverage begins Monday, Nov. 4, at 2 a.m. EST, and network coverage kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. EST. “World News Tonight” anchor and managing editor David Muir will lead the network’s coverage. He will be joined by ABC News’ powerhouse political team, including ABC News Live “Prime” and “World News Tonight” Sunday anchor Linsey Davis, chief global affairs correspondent and “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz, chief Washington correspondent and “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl, chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce, senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, senior national correspondent Terry Moran and Washington, D.C., bureau chief and vice president Rick Klein. Chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas, correspondent and senior investigative reporter Aaron Katersky, chief legal analyst Dan Abrams and SCOTUS contributor Kate Shaw will comprise the “Ballot Watch” desk, led by the ABC News investigative unit, monitoring all storylines related to election integrity.

Anchors and correspondents will report from across the country, as well as from both election night presidential campaign headquarters, bringing viewers the latest updates from key races and battleground states, including “Good Morning America” Saturday and Sunday and “World News Tonight” Saturday co-anchor Whit Johnson covering the Trump/Vance campaign, “GMA3: What You Need to Know” co-anchor Eva Pilgrim covering the Harris/Walz campaign, “Nightline” co-anchor Juju Chang in Michigan, “Nightline” co-anchor Byron Pitts in North Carolina, “20/20” co-anchor Deborah Roberts in Wisconsin, chief national correspondent Matt Gutman in Pennsylvania, chief business, technology and economics correspondent Rebecca Jarvis in New York, senior national correspondent Steve Osunsami in Georgia, White House correspondent MaryAlice Parks covering the White House, correspondent Mireya Villarreal in Nevada, correspondent John QuiΓ±ones in Texas, correspondent Kayna Whitworth covering the West Coast from California, and correspondent Elizabeth Schulze will join from Arizona.


“This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” anchored by George Stephanopoulos from New York on Sunday, Nov. 3, will preview Election Day.

“World News Tonight with David Muir” will feature special editions of the broadcast on Monday, Nov. 4, and Tuesday, Nov. 5, from the new election set before the network’s election coverage begins at 7 p.m. EST on Election Day.

Election Day kicks off with “Good Morning America,” setting the stage for election night with ABC News’ powerhouse political team live in Times Square on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and then bringing viewers the latest overnight developments beginning at 7 a.m. EST the morning after Election Day.

NBC To Cover 'Decision 2024'

 


NBC News will offer “Decision 2024” election coverage across NBC, NBC News NOW and NBCNews.com beginning Tuesday, November 5.

Originating from a brand-new, state-of-the-art election set from 30 Rockefeller Plaza, NBC News’ marquee anchors will offer 24 hours of consecutive live coverage to viewers on their local NBC stations for the first time ever beginning at 5 p.m. ET on Election Day. 

NBC News NOW will present live programming for 40+ hours, beginning at 7 a.m. ET Tuesday and continuing late into Wednesday evening. 

NBCNews.com and the NBC News app will feature up-to-the-minute results pages for the latest in the race, as well as a comprehensive live blog powered by the whole NBC News team with the latest race calls, breaking news, live video and on-the-ground reporting.

Over 100 journalists will contribute coverage from around the country, continuing the network’s on-the-ground investment in battleground regions. Vote Watch, a network-wide effort to identify and report on false claims or misinformation if they arise, will have a dedicated desk staffed with reporters and experts who will fact-check and debunk potentially misleading stories or statements. The team will also track any voting irregularities and potential legal challenges that may arise.

New interactive production elements will be on display throughout the week, including pioneering mixed reality technology and interactive graphical elements that extend into a working newsroom space — helping viewers witness firsthand the energy of the newsroom as anchors, reporters and experts track the latest developments in the race.

24-Hours of Special Coverage Begins at 5PM On Election Day:

  • NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt and TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie lead rolling special coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET, joined by Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker, Hallie Jackson NOW anchor Hallie Jackson and Top Story anchor Tom Llamas, who will be stationed at the Big Board throughout the night to break down the latest numbers and results.
  • Jackson and Llamas kick off coverage earlier that evening on NBC and NBC News NOW, bringing broadcast and streaming viewers key insights from the first wave of exit polls and early analysis of the evening ahead. 
  • At 2 a.m. ET on Wednesday morning, NBC News Daily co-anchor Kate Snow and TODAY news anchor Craig Melvin continue anchoring rolling coverage through 6 a.m. ET, with NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd at the Big Board and senior White House correspondent Kelly O’Donnell and Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles on set for insight and analysis.

CBS To Air 'America Decides' Coverage


CBS News and Stations will deliver comprehensive coverage and analysis of the results of the 2024 presidential election starting on Tuesday, Nov. 5 across all broadcasts and platforms. 

Primetime election night coverage on CBS and CBS News 24/7 will begin at 7:00 PM, ET, anchored by Norah O’Donnell from CBS News’ election headquarters in New York City. O’Donnell will be joined at the anchor desk by CBS News’ expert team, including Margaret Brennan, John Dickerson, Gayle King, Cecilia Vega, Robert Costa and Ed O’Keefe. Throughout the night, Nancy Cordes and contributor Ed Gordon will report from the Harris/Walz election night headquarters in Washington, D.C., and Tony Dokoupil and Caitlin Huey-Burns will report from the Trump/Vance election night headquarters in West Palm Beach, Fla.

The CBS News Data Desk, led by executive director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto along with Major Garrett, will make projections and characterize races in real-time throughout the night. The Data Desk will provide viewers with in-depth explanations of CBS News’ methodology, exit poll data and how the Network calls races on election night.

Maurice DuBois will report on the “Paths to 270” for each presidential candidate throughout the night. Scott MacFarlane will report in-studio on the battle for control of the U.S. Senate and House.

CBS News correspondents will be on the ground in each of the seven battleground states CBS News has identified as being most likely to determine the outcome of the presidential election: Jericka Duncan (Michigan), Weijia Jiang (Pennsylvania), Kris Van Cleave (Arizona), Nikole Killion (Georgia), Janet Shamlian (Wisconsin), Lilia Luciano (Nevada) and Skyler Henry (North Carolina). Contributor Ed Gordon will report from the Harris/Walz election night headquarters, and contributors Leslie Sanchez and Joel Payne will offer analysis from the Washington bureau.

CBS Stations will cover the election live across its 14 owned markets, including key battleground states Michigan and Pennsylvania. For the first time, CBS Stations will debut the first-ever augmented and virtual reality presidential election center live from its New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver and San Francisco technology-driven studios.

CNN Providing Cross-Platform Election Coverage


CNN will provide comprehensive coverage and real-time election results of the historic 2024 presidential race and key state races. The network’s expert team of anchors, correspondents, analysts, and commentators will provide around-the-clock special coverage from the CNN Election Center in Washington, DC as well as New York City, with reporters stationed across the country for on-the-ground updates from battleground states, polling places and campaign headquarters. CNN’s election coverage will expand across platforms, giving audiences a chance to follow along with real-time election results in whatever format they choose.

Election Day in America coverage begins at 12aET on November 5 with Boris Sanchez and Jessica Dean. Erica Hill continues coverage at 3aET and Kasie Hunt kicks off the 5aET hour, with Omar Jimenez live at the Voting Desk to bring audiences key voter updates as the sun rises on the East Coast. John Berman anchors Election Day in America from 7-10aET, along with Sara Sidner on the ground in Wisconsin and Kate Bolduan live from the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania. Phil Mattingly will be at the Magic Wall breaking down the latest real-time data as election day gets underway.

Anderson Cooper continues coverage at 10aET with Paula Reid reporting from the Voting Desk as voters continue to make their way to the polls, and MJ Lee offering her key analysis on the panel. From 12-4pET, Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett lead continued Election Day in America coverage, joined by Jamie Gangel, Manu Raju and CNN’s political experts. Priscilla Alvarez, Kristen Holmes, Eva McKend and Alayna Treene will be reporting the latest on the Harris and Trump campaigns throughout Election Day.

Starting at 4pET, CNN’s Election Night in America special coverage will be anchored by Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper, who will be joined by Dana Bash, Erin Burnett, Audie Cornish and Chris Wallace. John King will be at the Magic Wall breaking down election results for audiences as ballots are counted across the country. Pamela Brown will be at the Voting Desk, reporting on voter turnout and the outstanding vote in critical states. David Chalian will be at the Battleground Desk with analysis of exit polling and voting data. Laura Coates will provide legal insights with expertise from election law scholars, and Boris Sanchez will provide the latest on key Senate, House, and gubernatorial race results. Kaitlan Collins will anchor live from the Trump campaign headquarters along with Kristen Holmes reporting. At the Harris campaign headquarters, Abby Phillip will anchor live along with Jeff Zeleny reporting. 

CNN’s Election Night in America coverage will stream live, without requiring a pay TV login, from 7:00p-3:00aET on Tuesday, November 5 on CNN connected TV and mobile apps and on CNN.com. It will also stream live on Max for Max subscribers. 

Tune-In Collates Audio Coverage Into A Single Channel


TuneIn, the world’s leader in live audio, announced today the launch of its “Election Channel” ahead of Super Tuesday to give listeners easy access to news coverage around the presidential primary election day. The channel features a comprehensive collection of the top national and regional news stations to help listeners stay up-to-date on the latest in the race to the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election in November. The Election Channel brings together all voices and viewpoints to empower listeners to stay informed on all party news.

From national and global news networks and stations, including NBC News NOW, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Radio, Newsmax and Progressive Voices, to local stations across the country, listeners can easily access news coverage at the tap of a screen. Listeners can tune into the latest updates from their state, interviews with candidates and all notable events with a range of stations offering different viewpoints and perspectives across parties.

TuneIn offers one of the most extensive collections of news programming, which includes CBS News, WSJ Radio, Sky News and Al Jazeera, among others.

The TuneIn Election Channel is free through mobile or desktop devices or by asking your smart device to play your preferred station. Listeners can also upgrade to TuneIn Premium for a commercial-free experience. To learn more about TuneIn, visit TuneIn.com.

PA Gov Insists False Election Claims Are 'Misinformation'


Gov. Josh Shapiro shot down false election claims about Pennsylvania on Fox News Thursday night, blaming former President Donald Trump for putting out "a lot of misinformation."

The Philly Inquirer reports Fox News anchor Bret Baier pressed Shaprio on Bucks County, where a Pennsylvania judge — following a legal challenge from the Trump campaign — extended the deadline for residents to apply for and cast their mail ballots in person until 5 p.m. Friday.

The original deadline was Tuesday, but when the number of voters exceeded what county election officials could process that day, they began cutting off people in line hours before the deadline

"The issue was resolved. So, a legal eligible voter could be counted in this election," Shapiro said.

Baier pressed Shapiro on comments made by Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio), who falsely claimed Democrats were "depriving people of the right to vote."

"Yes, that's just more bulls– from JD Vance," Shapiro said. "Our system is run by Republican and Democratic clerks of elections in our 67 counties. It's overseen by my Secretary of State, who is a Republican."

"I think everybody needs to take a deep breath and understand that it is our fellow Pennsylvanians who are running these elections and we will again have a free and fair, safe and secure election," Shapiro added.

San Antonio Radio: Mix 96.1 Launches Tus Favoritas De Siempre


iHeartMedia San Antonio  has announced the debut of the new Mix 96.1, Tus Favoritas de Siempre.

The innovative Mix 96.1 brings a unique blend of content to listeners, as the station will broadcast a fusion of English-language music from the ‘80s and ‘90s. It’s a blend that caters to a wide spectrum of listeners in the San Antonio area, and will feature a variety of hits from Whitney Houston, Marc Anthony, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Shakira, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and more.

PJ Gonzalez
“We’re thrilled to introduce Mix 96.1 to San Antonio, a station that celebrates the vibrant Latino community with the best music from the ’80s and ’90s, in both English and Spanish,” said PJ Gonzalez, Senior Vice President, iHeartLatino. “Mix 96.1 will bring together the timeless hits our listeners love, creating a unique listening experience that resonates with our bilingual audience and reflects the rich culture of San Antonio.”

“We are thrilled to announce the launch of Mix 96.1, Tus Favoritas De Siempre. This new format will unite and celebrate the vibrant energy of San Antonio’s Hispanic community,” said Rosie Perez, Market President for iHeartMedia San Antonio.

“I’m excited to bring Mix 96.1 to life. This station blends the best of 80s and 90s English hits with timeless Spanish AC favorites, creating a nostalgic yet fresh listening experience. With Mix 96.1 joining 104.5 Latino Hits and La Preciosa 105.7, iHeart San Antonio is positioned as a powerhouse in Hispanic radio and we’re dedicated to offering brands that speak to this community,” said Pedro Escalera, Director of Programming and Brand Strategy for iHeartLatino.

The station is currently featuring 5,000 songs in a row commercial free.

D/FW Radio: KVIL Tweaks Line-Up


Audacy has announced weekday lineup updates for ALT 103.7 (KVIL-FM) in Dallas, effective Monday November 4.

Ian Camfield will now be heard weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT. The station adds Marci Wiser, who will host weekdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT. Nicole Alvarez will now be heard weekdays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. CT.

“We’re excited to unveil this dynamic new lineup, designed to enhance our overall weekday programming slate,” said John Allers, Regional Vice President of Programming, Audacy. “We’re committed to delivering an exceptional listening experience to our listeners in the DFW area and beyond, and we look forward to this revamped lineup entertaining them throughout their day.”

The new weekday lineup is as follows.

  • 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CT: Ian Camfield
  • 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. CT: Marci Wiser
  • 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. CT: Nicole Alvarez
  • 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. CT: Kevan Kenney

Fall Back Tonight


At 2 a.m. Sunday, daylight saving time comes to an end — at least until the second Sunday in March — meaning that the clocks must be reset and we get back the hour we lost in March.

For most of us, the extra hour comes and goes because we are in bed at 2 a.m., sleeping, and other than noticing more sunlight in the morning and perhaps feeling a little more refreshed, we hardly even notice it. Smart clocks, now, know when to change on their own.

But every year, partly because stupid clocks still need to be changed, news outlets remind everyone to "fall back." And the debate begins: How did this tradition start? Is it good for us? And if it is not, should we always be an hour ahead or an hour behind?

⏰What is daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time, or some people say daylight savings time, is the term we use to distinguish between the part of the year starting in March when we advance clocks — or they now advance themselves — an hour ahead. Ironically, when this happens there's less daylight in the morning.

When we set clocks back an hour, it's called standard time.

To help schoolchildren remember what to do with clocks when they learn the mnemonic device: "spring forward" and "fall back." Get it?

Benjamin Franklin, the statesman and inventor whose picture appears on the $100 bill, is credited with the idea to conserve candles back in 1784. Others offered other proposals over the years, and in 1966, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, the twice-year time change became law.

R.I.P.: Jill Tracey, Former Hot 105 Miami Personality

Jill Tracy ('84-'24)
Jill Tracey, the beloved media personality known most recently from her work with WHQT HOT 105 FM Miami, died on Friday at the age of 60.

Tracey, a popular voice in South Florida radio for more than three decades, was also running for a seat on the Hollywood city commission at the time of her death. She formerly served as the president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) South Florida chapter, where she advocated for diversity in journalism.

Most recently, Tracey had spent more than a decade with HOT105, where she took on various roles. She served as news director and co-hosted the Rickey Smiley Morning Show on weekdays, in addition to leading her own program, “Hot Talk with Jill Tracey,” on Sunday nights at 11 p.m.

She was abruptly fired from the Cox Media station in June, citing financial issues.

“Jill Tracey was more than a colleague; she was a beloved member of the South Florida community, known for her warmth, humor, and unwavering support for others,” reads a GoFundMe that has been set up in her honor. “Her legacy will continue to inspire and uplift those she touched throughout her life.”

The page notes that Tracey was facing health challenges before her death,

Radio History: Nov 2


➦In 1920...KDKA in Pittsburgh went on the air as the first commercial radio station, a distinction that has also been challenged by other stations (see below), although it has claimed to be the "world's first commercially licensed radio station": WWJ in Detroit, Michigan, lists its "First Air Date" as August 20, 1920.

Listen to announcer Leo Rosenberg, radio's first announcer:

Frank Conrad's experimental 75-watt transmitter

Frank Conrad
KDKA's roots began with the efforts of Westinghouse employee Frank Conrad who operated KDKA's predecessor 75 watt 8XK from the Pittsburgh suburb of Wilkinsburg from 1916. Conrad, who had supervised the manufacturing of military receivers during WWI, broadcast phonograph music and communicated with other amateur radio operators via 8YK. On September 29, 1920, the Joseph Horne department store in Pittsburgh began advertising amateur wireless sets for $10, which could be used to listen to Conrad’s broadcasts.

Westinghouse vice president and Conrad’s supervisor, Harry P. Davis, saw the advertisement and recognized the economic potential of radio. Instead of it being limited as a hobby to scientific experimenters, radio could be marketed to a mainstream audience. Consequently, Davis asked Conrad to build a 100-watt transmitter, which would air programming intended to create widespread demand for Westinghouse receivers.

KDKA 11/2/20 Coverage of Harding-Cox Election

The KDKA callsign was assigned sequentially from a list maintained for the use of US-registry maritime stations, and on November 2, 1920, KDKA broadcast the US presidential election returns from a shack on the roof of the K Building of the Westinghouse Electric Company "East Pittsburgh Works" in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania.  Four men basically manned that first broadcast: Engineer William Thomas; telephone line operator John Frazier; R.S. McClelland, a standby and Leo Rosenberg, radio’s first announcer.

The election results were relayed to about 1,000 listeners, who learned that Warren Harding beat James Cox in the race for the Oval Office.

The original broadcast was said to be heard as far away as Canada. KDKA continued to broadcast from the Westinghouse building for many months.

Soon after its successful election coverage, KDKA upgraded to a 100-watt transmitter.

Early programming often featured live musical performances from a Westinghouse band. KDKA provided its first remote broadcast by airing a choir, live, from the Pittsburg Calvary Baptist Church in January 1921.  On January 15, 1921, at 8 p.m., KDKA broadcast a speech on European relief by Herbert Hoover from the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh that was transmitted ten miles down a telephone line to Westinghouse's East Pittsburgh Works.

Friday, November 1, 2024

Cumulus Media Reports Drop In 3Q Revenue...Ad Future 'Uncertain'


Cumulus Media Inc. today announced operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024.

Mary G. Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cumulus Media, said, "During the third quarter, we delivered revenue and EBITDA in-line with pacing commentary and analyst estimates. Given the market challenges, we maintained our focus on what we can control. Specifically, we continued investing to drive growth in our digital businesses, including in digital marketing services which increased revenue nearly 40% in the quarter; capitalizing on areas of improvement in national and political ad spending; maximizing operating cash flow; and improving operating leverage through ongoing expense reductions."

Mary Berner
Berner continued, "Looking forward, the advertising environment remains uncertain. Nonetheless, Cumulus has a valuable set of assets with which to navigate that uncertainty including: profitable and fast-growing digital businesses; a vast national platform that can reach audiences whenever and wherever they choose to listen; extensive feet-on-the-street local sales capabilities which allow us to walk product through the door; premium programming with particular strength in sports and news/talk; an extensive untapped audio library; and a leadership team with a strong track record of expense management and disciplined stewardship of capital. As we continue to execute against our priorities, we see many paths for leveraging these assets to maximize the value they produce for our shareholders."




Q3 Key Highlights:
  • Posted total net revenue of $203.6 million, a decline of 1.8% year-over-year:
  • Generated digital revenue of $40.0 million, up 7.5% year-over-year Grew digital marketing services by 38% driven by an increase in new customers, improved customer retention and higher average order size
  • Increased number of radio-only customers who also bought digital marketing services by 32% year-over-year
  • Increased digital revenue to 20% of total company revenueRecorded net loss of $10.3 million compared to net income of $2.7 million in Q3 2023 and Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $24.1 million compared to $26.9 million in Q3 2023
  • Generated $3.9 million of cash from operations
  • Reported total debt(2)(3) of $673.0 million, total debt at maturity(1)(2)(3) of $642.1 million, and net debt less total unamortized discount(1)(2)(3) of $590.0 million at September 30, 2024, including total debt due in 2026(3) of $23.9 million
(1) Adjusted EBITDA, total debt at maturity and net debt less total unamortized discount are not financial measures calculated or presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). For additional information, see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

(2) The exchange offer was accounted for as a debt modification resulting in a prospective yield adjustment and the carrying value was not changed. The $33.1 million difference between the principal amounts exchanged and the resulting principal amounts will be amortized to interest expense (thereby reducing interest expense) over the life of the debt. As of September 30, 2024, $15.4 million and $15.5 million of unamortized difference for the Term Loan due 2029 and the Senior Notes due 2029, respectively, remain.

(3) Excludes any debt issuance costs.

World Series Delivers a Ratings Victory for Fox


The World Series proved to be a ratings boon for Fox Sports — even if it ended too soon for network executives hoping Major League Baseball’s championship would run for the maximum seven games.

Bloomberg reports Fox Sports said Thursday an average of 15.8 million people tuned in each night to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees over the five-game series. LA clinched the championship in New York on Wednesday after beating the Yankees 7-6 in a dramatic comeback. About 18.6 million viewers watched Game 5.

The series registered the highest ratings since 2017, when the Dodgers lost to the Houston Astros in seven games. The 2023 championship between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks drew 9.1 million viewers per game on average. The Dodgers and Yankees’ rich histories, their large television markets and star players helped the sports division of Fox Corp. deliver a major viewership bump.

The allure of two big MLB stars, Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge and Dodgers slugger-pitcher Shohei Ohtani, was expected to help draw fans for the series. Game 2, which featured Ohtani alongside another Japanese superstar, Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, actually drew higher ratings in Japan than in the US.

A four-game sweep by the Dodgers would have cost Fox $150 million in lost ad revenue, according to Sportico. Prior to the start of the series, Fox said it sold out its ad positions for the first two games. It had been seeking $450,000 to $500,000 for 30-second spots in the first five.

Both Judge and Ohtani underperformed in the championship. Judge hit his only home run on Wednesday, while Ohtani suffered a shoulder injury in Game 2 that hampered his batting.

Comcast Considers Cable Changes


Comcast Corp. is exploring spinning off its cable networks into a standalone company and is also open to partnerships with its streaming platform Peacock.

The Philadelphia Business Journal reports the media and technology conglomerate's cable networks include Bravo, USA Network, the NBC family of channels and Syfy, among others — though the legacy NBC channel would not be a part of the spinoff.

The networks are under the umbrella of Comcast's NBCUniversal division, which also includes production studios like DreamWorks and Universal Pictures, in addition to theme parks like the Universal Orlando Resort.

Michael Cavanaugh
Comcast President Michael Cavanagh said there "could be an opportunity to play some offense."

"We’re experiencing the effects of the transition of our video businesses and have been studying the best path forward for these assets,” Cavanagh said on the company's third quarter earnings call Thursday morning. "To that end, we are now exploring whether creating a new, well-capitalized company owned by our shareholders and comprised of our strong portfolio of cable networks would position them to take advantage of opportunities in the media landscape and create value for our shareholders."

Cavanagh added that Comcast will commence a study to determine if spinning off the cable networks is the right path, adding that the company is "not ready to talk about specifics."

"The reason we’re announcing here is that we want to study it," he said. "There are a lot of questions to which we don’t have answers."

If the spinoff materializes, Peacock would still be a part of Comcast's core business. Comcast, however, could look to partner with other streaming platforms, a move that has become increasingly common as the streaming industry gets more crowded and media giants look to consolidate content and bring in viewers. Cavanagh said that the company chose not to participate in the bidding for Paramount a couple of months ago, but it could be more active in seeking partners in the future for Peacock.

"We would consider partnerships in streaming despite their complexities," Cavanagh said. He added that partnerships in streaming can "be complicated," and there is a "high bar," but the company is "open to discussing partnerships."

Peacock has secured some major wins of late thanks to its coverage of the Paris Olympics and exclusive broadcasts of a handful of NFL games, but is still running at a loss. Peacock tallied $1.5 billion in revenue in the third quarter, an 82% increase over its $830 million revenue the year prior. However, it lost $436 million in the last three months, albeit smaller than the $565 million in the same period a year prior.

Total subscribers on the streaming platform increased 29% year-over-year in the third quarter to 36 million, with three million net additions in the third quarter alone, which included the Olympics coverage.

Americans’ Top Sources of Political News


Americans have a wide variety of news sources available to them this election season.

In September, Pew Research Center asked U.S. adults to name the source they turn to most often for political and election news. People mentioned hundreds of unique sources across more than 8,000 open-ended responses, demonstrating the fragmented nature of the modern news environment.

The most common single outlet that Americans name as their main source for political news is Fox News (13%). Older adults are much more likely than younger adults to name Fox News: 22% of those ages 65 and older say this is their main source for this news, compared with just 5% of adults under 30.

One-in-ten Americans cite CNN as their top source of political news. This represents a slight decline since the last time they were asked this question in 2021, when 14% of respondents said CNN was their main political news source.

Beyond Fox News and CNN, at least 2% of Americans name eight other sources:
  • A specific local TV station or local TV in general
  • Other national TV news channels (ABC News, NBC News, MSNBC or CBS News)
  • NPR, the only radio organization among these top sources
  • The New York Times, the only traditional newspaper on the list
  • X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. A previous Pew Research Center study found that X is more of a destination for news than other social media sites.

About a third of Americans (32%) name a source other than these top 10. Another 17% say they don’t have a main source of election news or decline to answer the question.

The September survey also asked respondents what platform they most often use for election news (e.g., TV, news websites, etc.) and whether they use several specific news outlets (including many of the most common sources mentioned above) as a major or minor source of political news.

Trump Sues CBS


Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump sued CBS on Thursday over an interview of his Democratic rival Kamala Harris aired on its "60 Minutes" news program in early October that the lawsuit alleged was misleading, according to a court filing.

Reuters reports the complaint, filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas, alleges the network aired two different responses from Harris responding to a question about the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The version that aired during the "60 Minutes" program on Oct. 6 did not include what the lawsuit calls a "word salad" response from Harris about the Biden administration's influence on Israel's conduct of the war.

"Former President Trump’s repeated claims against 60 Minutes are false," a CBS News spokesperson said. "The lawsuit Trump has brought today against CBS is completely without merit and we will vigorously defend against it."

Trump and Harris face each other in what polls show to be a tight race ahead of Tuesday's U.S. presidential election.

The suit demanded a jury trial and about $10 billion in damages, the filing showed. It alleges violations of a Texas law barring deceptive acts in the conduct of business.

Trump has repeatedly assailed the network on the campaign trail over the episode and has threatened to revoke CBS's broadcasting license if elected. CBS has said Trump backed out of his own planned interview with "60 Minutes."

Elon Musk Voter Registration Giveaway Can Continue


A Pennsylvania state judge said on Thursday he would not immediately move forward with a lawsuit that seeks to stop Elon Musk's $1 million voter giveaway ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election.

At a hearing in Pennsylvania, Judge Angelo Foglietta said he would place the lawsuit on hold while a federal court considers whether to take up the case.

Reuters reports Musk's bid to move the case frees him to continue the giveaway, because the matter likely won't be resolved until after Tuesday's election.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is seeking to halt the giveaway less than a week before the tightly contested presidential election between Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.

Krasner, who championed progressive causes when running for district attorney, accuses Tesla CEO Musk and his political action committee America PAC of hatching an "illegal lottery scheme to influence voters."

Musk has been giving $1 million checks to randomly selected people who sign a petition pledging support for free speech and gun rights. The offer is limited to registered voters in one of seven states that will likely decide the outcome of the Nov. 5 election - Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Musk gave away the first $1 million at an Oct. 19 America PAC rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's state capital.

TWH Altered Biden's 'Garbage' Transcript


The White House press office engaged in a “breach of protocol” when it altered the transcript of President Biden’s “garbage” remark about Donald Trump’s supporters Tuesday over the objection of the administration’s stenographer’s office, according to The NY Post citing an internal email.

Stenographers heard the 81-year-old president tell a Latino group — in response to a comedian’s comments about Puerto Rico being “a floating island of garbage” during Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden Sunday — that “the only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”

The White House press office, however, added an apostrophe to “supporter’s,” suggesting that Biden was only attacking the comedian.

“If there is a difference in interpretation, the Press Office may choose to withhold the transcript but cannot edit it independently,” the supervisor of the White House stenographers fumed in an email to the press office, obtained by the Associated Press.

“Our Stenography Office transcript — released to our distro, which includes the National Archives — is now different than the version edited and released to the public by Press Office staff,” the missive continued.

The supervisor further declared that the way the situation was handled amounted to “a breach of protocol and spoilation of transcript integrity between the Stenography and Press Offices.”

White House stenographers are widely considered by reporters who cover the executive branch to be very professional and accurate with their transcriptions. It is highly unusual for the press office to dispute what the stenographers heard. 

The AP reports that the press office demanded a quick transcript from the two-person stenography team covering Biden Tuesday night after his remarks set off a firestorm of controversy. 

The press office “conferred with the president” after the campaign call, according to the email, and wanted to add the apostrophe to the transcript — an alteration that usually requires the approval of the stenography supervisor. 

When the higher-up was not immediately available to review the proposed change, Biden’s press team forged ahead — widely releasing the improperly altered transcript on social media and the White House website.

SiriusXM Trims Outlook


SiriusXM trimmed its full-year revenue forecast on Thursday as it expected slower growth in paying users for its content that includes the Howard Stern show, sending the company's shares down 4.2% before the bell.

SiriusXM now expects full-year revenue of about $8.68 billion, lower than its previous forecast of about $8.75 billion, according to Reuters.

The company's self-pay subscribers increased by about 14,000 in the third quarter, compared to a decrease of 96,000 a year ago. Analysts at Visible Alpha were estimating a decrease of about 47,390 subscribers.

Its third-quarter churn, which is the rate of customers who stopped using its services, was 1.6% among self-pay users, consistent with a year ago.

Paid promotional subscribers declined by about 114,000, which the company attributed to certain automakers transitioning to unpaid or shorter-term paid promotional plans.

SiriusXM's quarterly revenue of $2.17 billion came in marginally below estimates of $2.19 billion. Of that, advertising revenue of $450 million was also below analysts' average expectation of $465.7 million.

The company reported a quarterly net loss of $2.96 billion, which included a non-cash impairment charge of about $3.36 billion related to the Liberty Media transaction. Last month, the company began trading under a new structure after billionaire John Malone's Liberty Media completed a merger of its business that holds a majority stake in the radio company with the rest of SiriusXM.

SiriusXM's free cash flow fell to $93 million in the quarter from $291 million a year ago. It had earlier cut its full-year free cash flow forecast by more than 16% to $1 billion.

Apple Offers Modest Growth Outlook


Apple's AI-enhanced iPhone made a strong start, pushing quarterly sales ahead of Wall Street expectations, but a modest revenue forecast raised questions about whether that momentum will hold over the holiday sales season.

Reuters reports a decline in China sales during the fourth quarter also concerned some analysts and investors, helping send shares down 1.4% in after-hours trade, despite surprisingly large overall profit and revenue in that period.

Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told analysts during a conference call that Apple expects overall revenue to "grow low to mid single digits" during its fiscal first quarter, which ends in December. Analysts had expected revenue growth of 6.65% to $127.53 billion during the quarter, according to LSEG data.

Apple did say it expects double-digit growth in its services business in its first quarter, leading some analysts to ask executives during a call if overall hardware revenue might decline.

In Apple’s earnings report on Thursday, the company said it reached just under $25 billion in services revenue, an all-time high for the category, and 12% growth on an annual basis, according to CNBC.

“It’s an important milestone,” Apple CFO Luca Maestri said on a call with analysts. “We’ve got to a run rate of $100 billion. You look back just a few years ago and the the growth has been phenomenal.”

.Apple’s services unit has become a critical part of Apple’s appeal to investors over the past decade. Its gross margin was 74% in the September quarter compared to Apple’s overall margin of 46.2%.

Services contains a wide range of different offerings. According to the company’s SEC filings, it includes advertising, search licensing revenue from Google, warranties called AppleCare, cloud subscription services such as iCloud, content subscriptions such as the company’s Apple TV+ service, and payments from Apple Pay and AppleCare.

Apple boasts to investors that its sales from Services will grow alongside its installed base. After someone buys an iPhone, they’re likely to sign up for Apple’s subscriptions, use Safari to search Google, or buy an extended warranty.

Sony Sues CBS Over Game Shows


“Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” are two of TV’s best known programs, and have been churning out profits for years. Now a legal fight has erupted between the companies behind the game shows, reports The Wall Street Journal..

Sony—which makes “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!”—is suing CBS the distributor, for allegedly undercutting the value of the shows to serve its own interests. CBS licenses the shows to television stations and sells some ad space in them, receiving a cut of the revenue.

“Wheel” and “Jeopardy!” have been staples of broadcast television for more than 40 years, and together generate more than $100 million in profits annually for Sony, a person familiar with the matter said.

Both shows have sustained their popularity even with new frontmen. Pat Sajak retired from his “Wheel” duties earlier this year, and Ryan Seacrest took over. On “Jeopardy!” Ken Jennings succeeded Alex Trebek, who died in 2020. Vanna White remains on “Wheel,” unveiling the letters that contestants guess. 

On Thursday, Sony filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging breach of contract and claiming CBS earned distribution fees from unauthorized deals, licensed the shows at prices below market rates and favored its own shows over “Wheel” and “Jeopardy!” when making distribution deals and selling advertising. 

Sony said it was seeking damages and will try to end its agreement with CBS and find new distribution and advertising partners for the shows.