Saturday, November 30, 2024

Radio History: Dec 1


➦In 1931...Gene Autry, nicknamed The Singing Cowboy, debuted this weekly show on WLS Chicago.

From 1940 to 1956, Autry had a huge hit with a weekly show on CBS Radio, Gene Autry's Melody Ranch. His horse, Champion, also had a CBS-TV and Mutual radio series, The Adventures of Champion. In response to his many young radio listeners aspiring to emulate him, Autry created the Cowboy Code, or Ten Cowboy Commandments. These tenets promoting an ethical, moral, and patriotic lifestyle that appealed to youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts, which developed similar doctrines. The Cowboy Code consisted of rules that were "a natural progression of Gene's philosophies going back to his first Melody Ranch programs

Autry is a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and is the only person to be awarded stars in all five categories on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for film, television, music, radio, and live performance.

➦In 1941...WNEW (now WBBR, NYC) moved to 1130 AM. WNEW had been on 1250 AM and shared time with Newark station WHBI. In March 1941, WNEW and WHBI were both reassigned to 1280. Then, on December 1, 1941, a swap of call letters and frequency took place between WNEW on 1280 and WOV on 1130. WOV moved to 1280 (to later become WADO) and WNEW moved to 1130 and assumed full-time status.

For most of its first 70 years on the air, WNEW was known for its popular adult music selection as well as its staff of radio personalities including Martin Block, Dee Finch, Gene Rayburn, Gene Klavan, Al "Jazzbo" Collins, Ted Brown and William B. Williams. WNEW is credited with pioneering the role of the disc jockey, as well as for developing the modern morning radio show format and debuting the first all-night radio show. In addition to its music and entertainment programming, WNEW featured an award-winning news staff and became "The Voice of New York Sports" for its coverage of New York Giants football team as well as the New York Rangers hockey and New York Knicks basketball.  After years of declining ratings and management changes in the 1980s, WNEW was purchased by Bloomberg L.P. in 1992 and changed call letters to WBBR on December 15.

Radio History: Nov 30


➦In 1924...the first radio photo facsimile was transmitted across the Atlantic.

The concept of sending images by wire had been around for a long time before it was ever applied to radio.  The first rudimentary fax patent was issued in Paris in 1843 and used a swinging pendulum to draw the image.  Englishman Edwin Belin first demonstrated his Belinograph in 1913.  Western Union and AT&T both transmitted photos via wire in the early 1920’s, and the technology was quickly accepted by the press as a way to send newspaper photos instantly to cities around the country.  RCA was the first company to adapt facsimile to radio, and sent a transoceanic image of President Calvin Coolidge from New York to London on November 29, 1924.



Two years later, RCA began a commercial service of transmitting transoceanic photos by shortwave radio for the newspaper industry, and transmitting weather maps to ships at sea.  RCA’s patented “Photoradio” technology was invented by RCA scientists Richard H. Ranger and Charles J. Young.  It used a rotating drum and a photoelectric scanner to convert a document into a continuous tone that varied in pitch with changes in the image.  The image was reproduced on the receiving end with another rotating drum having a stylus that pressed black carbon paper against white paper to reproduce the image.

 A few radio broadcasters showed early interest in adapting the technology to send pictures to the public.  KPO in San Francisco, owned by the San Francisco Chronicle, became the first radio broadcaster to transmit a photograph by radio when it transmitted a picture of cartoon character Andy Gump on August 22, 1925.  The image was signed by Chronicle publisher George T. Cameron with the message "Radio's latest wonder - pictures through the air.  What new marvels will this science bring forth?"   The image was received on a single machine invented by C. Francis Jenkins.

➦In 1929...Dick Clark born (Died at age 82 - April 18, 2012). He was a radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting American Bandstand from 1957 to 1988.

As host of American Bandstand, Clark introduced rock & roll to many Americans. The show gave many new music artists their first exposure to national audiences, including Iggy Pop, Ike & Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Talking Heads, Simon & Garfunkel and Madonna. Episodes he hosted were among the first in which blacks and whites performed on the same stage, and likewise among the first in which the live studio audience sat without racial segregation. Singer Paul Anka claimed that Bandstand was responsible for creating a "youth culture". Due to his perennially youthful appearance and his largely teenaged audience of American Bandstand, Clark was often referred to as "America's oldest teenager" or "the world's oldest teenager".

Friday, November 29, 2024

TV Ratings Weekly: FNC Wins As CNN, MSNBC Sink to New Lows


During the week of November 18-24, FOX News Channel (FNC) notched 99 of the top 100 weekly cable news telecasts as MSNBC and CNN continued to mark new lows following the election.

Notably, FNC commanded 72% of the primetime cable news share and 67% of the total day share, while CNN and MSNBC fell to below 20% across both dayparts. FNC was also the most-watched network in cable news combined across both primetime and total day. In primetime (8-11 PM/ET), FNC earned 2.7 million viewers and 323,000 in the 25-54 demo, commanding all of cable news across the board. In total day (6AM-6AM/ET), FNC posted 1.7 million viewers and 206,000 in the 25-54 demo.

CNN and MSNBC both shrunk to historic lows for Monday-Friday in the 25-54 demo, as well as both networks seeing all-time lows for multiple shows. 

During Monday-Friday total day CNN saw just 59,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo and 38,000 in the 18-49, the lowest in its history. In Monday-Friday total day MSNBC saw just 50,000 in the 25-54 demo and 30,000 in the 18-49 demo, which the network hasn’t seen since 1999. 

On CNN Anderson Cooper 360 had a 10-year low while CNN News Central and CNN Newsroom marked their lowest weeks ever in the 25-54 demo. On MSNBC, The ReidOut, Jose Diaz Balart Reports, Ana Cabrera Reports saw their worst weeks ever with both viewers and A25-54, Deadline: White House and The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle marked their worst week ever in the 25-54 demo and Alex Wagner Tonight marked its worst week since launch with total viewers. 

Additionally, Morning Joe slumped to 691,000 viewers and 66,000 in the 25-54 demo, its worst non-holiday week since 2015 after the co-hosts met with president-elect Trump.

Ratings Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN


For the week,
The Five averaged 4.2 million viewers and 440,000 in the 25-54 demo, leading cable news. At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 3 million viewers and 325,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle saw 3 million viewers and 346,000 in the 25-54 demo at 7 PM/ET. At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime delivered 3.7 million viewers and 432,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the top show in cable news primetime across the board. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 2.9 million viewers and 342,000 with A25-54. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.7 million viewers and 241,000 in the 25-54 demo.


FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! continued to lead all late-night television across the board. For the week, Gutfeld! averaged 3.1 million viewers and 431,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (1.8 million P2+; 325,000 A25-54), ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1.7 million P2+; 346,000 A25-54) and NBC’s The Tonight Show (1.2 million P2+; 268,000 A25-54).

FNC also saw a number of its daytime programs outrank the broadcast competition. Most notably, Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 2,212,000 P2+), Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 2,043,000 P2+), The Story with Martha MacCallum (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 1,978,000 P2+), America Reports with Sandra Smith and John Roberts (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 1,969,000) and America’s Newsroom with Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 1,949,000 P2+) and all outpaced NBC’s TODAY Third Hour (1,892,000 P2+), ABC’s GMA3 (1,353,000 P2+), NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna (1,300,000 P2+) and CBS’ The Talk (1,273,000 P2+).

On Saturday, Life, Liberty & Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) was the most-watched show of the day with 1,564,000 million viewers and 133,000 in the 25-54 demo. FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10 AM/ET) and Cavuto Live (Saturday 10 AM - 12 PM/ET) led in the younger demo with 171,000 viewers. The Big Weekend Show (weekends, 7 PM/ET) averaged 1.5 million viewers and 137,000 in the 25-54 demo. FOX News Saturday Night with Jimmy Failla (Saturday, 10 PM/ET) nabbed 1 million viewers and 132,000 in the 25-54 demo.

On Sunday, Maria Bartiromo’s Sunday Morning Futures (Sunday 10 AM/ET) was the top show across the board with 1.8 million viewers and 176,000 in the 25-54 demo. Life, Liberty & Levin was most-watched in primetime with 1.5 million viewers. MediaBuzz (Sunday, 11 AM/ET) commanded 1.5 million viewers and 136,000 in the 25-54 demo.

Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Week of 11-18-24 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54, P18-49. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats and include the corresponding program name.

Judge Dismisses Defamation Suit Against Fox News


A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out a defamation lawsuit against Fox News brought by a man who claimed that the network’s former star host, Tucker Carlson, had falsely accused him of being a government provocateur who instigated the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The NY Times reports the judge, Jennifer L. Hall, ruling from the bench in Federal District Court in Wilmington, Del., dismissed the defamation claims by the man, Ray Epps. He and his lawyers had failed to prove that Mr. Carlson had acted with “actual malice,” the judge said.

Epps had accused Mr. Carlson last summer of promoting a “fantastical story” that he was an undercover agent who had helped foment the riot at the Capitol to disparage President Donald J. Trump and his followers.

Ray Epps
Defamation lawsuits are notoriously difficult to win — especially those brought against members of the news media. Judge Hall seemed to acknowledge as much by saying that even if Mr. Carlson had “engaged in subpar journalism” or failed to fully investigate Mr. Epps’s story, that did not mean he had acted with malicious intent.

The dismissal of Epps’s case was a victory for Carlson, who left Fox last year.

In a statement, Fox said the dismissal of Epps’s case was the third time in recent months that judges had tossed out defamation claims against the network.

“Fox News is pleased with these back-to-back decisions from federal courts preserving the press freedoms of the First Amendment,” the network’s statement said.

Epps, a former Trump supporter who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for his role in the Capitol attack, filed his suit against Fox in July 2023, claiming that Mr. Carlson had turned him into “a scapegoat” for the events of Jan. 6.

Aussies Ban Kids From Social Media


Australians reacted on Friday with a mixture of anger and relief to a social media ban on children under 16 that the government says is world-leading, but which tech giants like TikTok argue could push young people to "darker corners of the internet".

Reuters reports Australia approved the social media ban for children late on Thursday after an emotive debate that has gripped the nation, setting a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech.

The law forces tech giants from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta Platforms, opens new tab to TikTok to stop minors from logging in or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million). A trial of enforcement methods will start in January, with the ban to take effect in a year.

"Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday

"We're making sure that mums and dads can have that different conversation today and in future days."

Announcing the details of the ban earlier this month, Albanese cited the risks to physical and mental health of children from excessive social media use, in particular the risks to girls from harmful depictions of body image, and misogynist content aimed at boys.

In Sydney on Friday, reaction to the ban was mixed.

"I think that's a great idea, because I found that the social media for kids (is) not really appropriate, sometimes they can look at something they shouldn't," said Sydney resident Francesca Sambas.

Others were more scathing.

"I'm feeling very angry, I feel that this government has taken democracy and thrown it out the window," said 58-year-old Shon Klose.

"How could they possibly make up these rules and these laws and push it upon the people?"

Children, meanwhile, said they would try to find a way around the ban.

Countries including France and some U.S. states have passed laws to restrict access for minors without a parent's permission, but the Australian ban is absolute. A full under-14s ban in Florida is being challenged in court on free speech grounds.

Radio History: Nov 29

Thomas Edison 1878
➦In 1877..U-S inventor Thomas Edison demonstrates his hand-cranked phonograph for the first time. Edison was one of the great inventors and designers in the history of the world. He invented the first practical light bulb, the motion picture camera and the phonograph. Others had attempted to invent the latter but Edison's was the first to actually reproduce the sound.

The phonograph was Edison's first major invention and the one that earned him the moniker "the wizard of Menlo Park" as the invention was so unexpected by the public as to appear magical. His first invention recorded on tinfoil around a grooved cylinder, and although the recordings could only be played a few times due to low quality, Edison's reputation was cemented.

He demonstrated the device on November 29, 1877, having announced its invention days before. He would patent it later that February. Recalling a demonstration in December, an employee of Scientific American magazine wrote: " "In December, 1877, a young man came into the office of the SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, and placed before the editors a small, simple machine about which very few preliminary remarks were offered. The visitor without any ceremony whatever turned the crank, and to the astonishment of all present the machine said: "Good morning. How do you do? How do you like the phonograph?" The machine thus spoke for itself, and made known the fact that it was the phonograph..."

Edison did not improve on his design but Alexander Graham Bell invented an improved phonograph using wax cylinders in 1880.

Harry Bartell
➦In 1913...Announcer and actor Harry Bartell born (Died at age 90 – February 26, 2004). With his rather youthful sounding voice, Bartell was one of the busiest West Coast character actors from the early 1940s until the final end of network radio drama in the 1960s.

He was the Petri Wines announcer who interacted with “Dr. Watson” on 1940’s episodes of “The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” and in the ’60’s was the announcer on CBS Radio’s “Dear Abby.”  His TV acting credits include Gunsmoke and Dragnet plus Get Smart, I Love Lucy, Wild Wild West, and The Twilight Zone.

➦In 1917...Announcer George Walsh was born in Cleveland (died from heart failure at age 88 -  Dec 5, 2005). He was also a newscaster at KNX 1070 AM L-A from 1952 to 1986.

George Walsh
Beginning in 1952, Walsh opened the weekly series that was broadcast live on radio with these words: “Around Dodge City and in the territory out West, there’s just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that’s with a U.S. marshal and the smell of ‘Gunsmoke.’ ”

The radio version of “Gunsmoke,” which starred William Conrad as Marshal Matt Dillon, aired until 1961. When it moved to television in 1955, James Arness took over the starring role but Walsh remained as the show’s announcer.

For 34 years, Walsh worked at KNX as an interviewer, sports reporter, newscaster and announcer for a number of shows, including a fashion show hosted by film costume designer Edith Head.

One show, “Music ‘Til Dawn,” featured mainly classical music and aired overnight from 1952 until about 1970. The show won a Peabody Award in 1966.  Another, “This Is Los Angeles,” aired nightly at 8:15 and earned him a Golden Mike Award in 1961 from the Radio and Television News Assn. of Southern California.

➦In 1917...Merle Robert Travis born in Rosewood, KY (Died from a heart attack at age 65 – October 20, 1983).  He was a country singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

His songs' lyrics often discussed both the lives and the economic exploitation of American coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons," "Re-Enlistment Blues," "I am a Pilgrim," and "Dark as a Dungeon." However, it is his unique guitar style, still called Travis Picking by guitarists, as well as his interpretations of the rich musical traditions of his native Muhlenberg County, KY for which he is best known today. "Travis Picking" is a syncopated style of guitar fingerpicking rooted in ragtime music in which alternating chords and bass notes are plucked by the thumb while melodies are simultaneously plucked by the index finger.

During the '30 and '40s, he was heard regularly on WLW radio Cincinnati as a member of The Drifting Pioneers.

➦In 1918...Humorist, radio personality ad TV host Herbert Arthur "Herb" Shriner born (Died in a car accident at age 51 – April 23, 1970). He was frequently compared to humorist Will Rogers.

In 1940, Shriner was hired by NBC for occasional radio appearances, which led to a regular spot in 1942 and 1943 on the comedy-variety program Camel Caravan. During World War II, he served in a United States Army special services unit and performed for two years in USO shows for GIs in Europe. After the war, he appeared on a number of radio shows, including The Philip Morris Follies of 1946 with Johnny Desmond and Margaret Whiting.

In 1947 he appeared in a Broadway musical review called Inside U.S.A. The performances were panned by critics, but Shriner's monologues made it a success and carried the show for over a year. Shriner hosted Herb Shriner Time, a CBS Radio weekday program, in 1948 and 1949 with the Raymond Scott Quintet, singer Dorothy Collins, and announcer Durward Kirby. The program was initially titled Alka-Seltzer Time (not to be confused with the later Alka-Seltzer Time that starred Curt Massey and Martha Tilton).  In August 1949, Shriner decided not to continue the program because it was too much work.

➦In 1927...Legendary sportscaster Vin Scully was born in the Bronx NY. (Died at age 94 on August 2, 2022).

His 67-year tenure with the Brooklyn & LA Dodgers is the longest of any broadcaster with a single club in professional sports history. Scully has called six World Series championships and 14 National League pennants for the club.

Vin Scully circa '50s
After serving in the United States Navy for two years, Scully began his career as a student broadcaster and journalist at Fordham University. While at Fordham, he helped found its FM radio station WFUV (which now presents a Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award each year), was assistant sports editor for Volume 28 of The Fordham Ram his senior year, sang in a barbershop quartet, played center field for the Fordham Rams baseball team, called radio broadcasts for Rams baseball, football, and basketball, earned a degree, and sent about 150 letters to stations along the Eastern seaboard. He received only one response, from CBS Radio affiliate WTOP in Washington, which made him a fill-in.

Scully was then recruited by Red Barber, the sports director of the CBS Radio Network, for its college football coverage. Scully impressed his boss with his coverage of a November 1949 University of Maryland versus Boston University football game from frigid Fenway Park in Boston, despite having to do so from the stadium roof. Expecting an enclosed press box, Scully had left his coat and gloves at his hotel, but never mentioned his discomfort on the air.  Barber mentored Scully and told him that if he wanted to be a successful sports announcer he should never be a "homer", never listen to other announcers, and keep his opinions to himself.

In 1950, Scully joined Barber and Connie Desmond in the Brooklyn Dodgers radio and television booths. When Barber got into a salary dispute with World Series sponsor Gillette in 1953, Scully took Barber's spot for the 1953 World Series. At the age of 25, Scully became the youngest man to broadcast a World Series game. Barber left the Dodgers after the 1953 season to work for the New York Yankees. Scully eventually became the team's principal announcer. Scully announced the Dodgers' games in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles.

➦In 1929...NBC began using the iconic chimes as an identification sounder.

Thursday, November 28, 2024

Happy Thanksgiving 2024


Thanksgiving Day, annual national holiday in the United States celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people, according to britannica.com. The American holiday is particularly rich in legend and symbolism, and the traditional fare of the Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. With respect to vehicular travel, the holiday is often the busiest of the year, as family members gather with one another. 

Thanksgiving Day did not become an official holiday until Northerners dominated the federal government. While sectional tensions prevailed in the mid-19th century, the editor of the popular magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book, Sarah Josepha Hale, campaigned for a national Thanksgiving Day to promote unity. She finally won the support of President Abraham Lincoln. On October 3, 1863, during the Civil War, Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26.

The holiday was annually proclaimed by every president thereafter, and the date chosen, with few exceptions, was the last Thursday in November. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, however, attempted to extend the Christmas shopping season, which generally begins with the Thanksgiving holiday, and to boost the economy by moving the date back a week, to the third week in November. But not all states complied, and, after a joint resolution of Congress in 1941, Roosevelt issued a proclamation in 1942 designating the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.


A record 80 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more over Thanksgiving weekend, the majority (a record 71.7 million) by car. Millions more are expected to fly, including a record-breaking 3 million on Sunday alone.

Over 80% of Americans will eat turkey, requiring an estimated 46 million birds to supply the feast. A recent survey suggests mashed potatoes, bread rolls, and pie will be standard fare; macaroni and cheese consumption is highly regionalized. A holiday meal for 10 will cost $58 on average, down 5% from last year and the lowest inflation-adjusted cost in the 39 years of the farmers' survey.

Meteorologists are predicting a relatively wet, chilly Thanksgiving for half the country, with snow in the Midwest and rain on the East Coast. A cold front will impact close to 200 million Americans by Saturday. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place rain or shine this morning in New York City (8:30 am ET, NBC).


Radio History: Nov 28


➦In 1917...Elliott Lewis was born in New York City (Died from cardiac arrest at age 72 – May 23, 1990). He was active during the Golden Age of Radio as an actor, writer, producer and director, proficient in both comedy and drama. These talents earned him the nickname "Mr. Radio".

Elliot Lewis - 1954
Elliott Lewis made his radio debut in 1936, at the age of 18, in a bit part on a True Boardman-produced biography of Simon Bolivar. Lewis' role was to scream and bang metal chairs, in an earthquake scene.

As an actor, Lewis was in high demand on radio, and he displayed a talent for everything from comedy to melodrama. He gave voice to the bitter Harvard-educated Soundman on the 1940-41 series of Burns and Allen and several characters (Rudy the radio detective, the quick-tempered delivery man, and Joe Bagley) on the 1947-48 series, many characters on The Jack Benny Radio Show (including the thuggish "Mooley", and cowboy star "Rodney Dangerfield"), a variety of comic and serious characters on the Parkyakarkus show, and Rex Stout's roguish private eye Archie Goodwin, playing opposite Francis X. Bushman in The Amazing Nero Wolfe (1945). He played adventurer Phillip Carney on the Mutual Broadcasting System's Voyage of the Scarlet Queen, and appeared on many episodes of Suspense and The Whistler.

But perhaps Lewis' most famous role on radio was that of the hard-living, trouble-making left-handed guitar player Frankie Remley on NBC's The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show.

During the run of The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show, Lewis took over as a director of the well-known radio series Suspense.

In the 1970s, Lewis produced radio dramas during a brief reincarnation of the medium. In 1973-74, he directed Mutual's The Zero Hour, hosted by Rod Serling. In 1979, he and Fletcher Markle produced the Sears Radio Theater, with Sears as the sole sponsor. Lewis wrote the episodes "The Thirteenth Governess" and "Cataclysm at Carbon River" (the latter was pulled by CBS due to its subject matter of a nuclear disaster, and was never aired), and acted on the episodes "Getting Drafted", "The Old Boy", "Here's Morgan Again", "Here's Morgan Once More", and "Survival". [11]

In 1980, the series moved from CBS to Mutual and was renamed The Mutual Radio Theater, sponsored by Sears and other sponsors. Lewis scripted the episodes "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" and "Our Man on Omega", and acted on the episodes "Interlude", "Night", "Hotel Terminal", and "Lion Hunt".

➦In 1925..."The Grand Ole Opry" debuted on WSM, Nashville under the name "Barn Dance". The first artist to perform on the show was fiddler Uncle Jimmy Thompson.

George Hay
In June 1928, the Opry got its name by an unusual coincidence: Soon after Program Director George D. Hay started his show, WSM radio joined the NBC radio network. Since the program followed a performance on the network called the Metropolitan Grand Opera. So, Hay decided to call his program the Grand Ole Opry.

Hay was born in Attica, Indiana. In Memphis, Tennessee, after World War I, he was a reporter for the Commercial Appeal, and when the newspaper launched its own radio station, WMC, in January 1923, he became a late-night announcer at the station. His popularity increased and in May 1924 he left for WLS in Chicago, where he served as the announcer on a program that became National Barn Dance.

On November 9, 1925 he moved on to WSM in Nashville. Getting a strong listener reaction to 78-year-old fiddler Uncle Jimmy Thompson, Hay announced the following month that WSM would feature "an hour or two" of old-time music every Saturday night. He promoted the music and formed a booking agency.

In the 1930s the show began hiring professionals and expanded to four hours; and WSM, broadcasting by then with 50,000 watts, made the program a Saturday night musical tradition in nearly 30 states. In 1939, it debuted nationally on NBC Radio. The Opry moved to a permanent home, the Ryman Auditorium, in 1943. As it developed in importance, so did the city of Nashville, which became America's "country music capital". The Grand Ole Opry holds such significance in Nashville that its name is included on the city/county line signs on all major roadways. The signs read "Music City | Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County | Home of the Grand Ole Opry".






Membership in the Opry remains one of country music's crowning achievements. Such country music legends as Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Roy Acuff, the Carter family, Bill Monroe, Ernest Tubb, Kitty Wells and Minnie Pearl became regulars on the Opry's stage. In recent decades, the Opry has hosted such contemporary country stars as Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton and the Dixie Chicks. Since 1974, the show has been broadcast from the Grand Ole Opry House east of downtown Nashville, with an annual three-month winter foray back to the Ryman since 1999.

The Grand Ole Opry is broadcast live on WSM 650 AM at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday nights.

The Opry can also be heard live on Willie's Roadhouse on channel 59 on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. A condensed radio program, America's Opry Weekend, is syndicated to stations around the United States. The program is also streamed on WSM's website.

➦In 1932...Groucho Marx performed on radio for the first time. Besides, his film work Marx is best know for  his show 'You Bet Your Life' debuted in October 1947 on ABC radio (which aired it from 1947 to 1949) and then on CBS (1949–50), and finally NBC. The show was on radio only from 1947 to 1950; on both radio and television from 1950 to 1960; and on television only, from 1960 to 1961.

The show proved a huge hit, being one of the most popular on television by the mid-1950s. With George Fenneman as his announcer and straight man, Marx entertained his audiences with improvised conversation with his guests. Since You Bet Your Life was mostly ad-libbed and unscripted—although writers did pre-interview the guests and feed Marx ready-made lines in advance—the producers insisted that the network prerecord it instead of it being broadcast live.

There were two reasons for this: prerecording provided Marx with time to fish around for funny exchanges and any intervening dead spots to be edited out; and secondly to protect the network, since Marx was a notorious loose cannon and known to say almost anything.

The television show ran for 11 seasons until it was canceled in 1961.

➦In 1960...The CBS Radio Network expanded its Top of the Hours newscasts from 5 to 10 minutes.

➦In 1987...Pat St. John debuted on WNEW 102.7 FM, New York City. He was previously at WPLJ. In April 1973, St. John began an almost 15-year stint at New York's WPLJ. For most of his years at WPLJ he was rated by Arbitron as the most-listened-to afternoon radio personality in America. He survived the station's transition from AOR to top 40 in 1983.

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Mobile In-Car Audio Listening Nearly Doubles


If you’re traveling by car this Thanksgiving holiday, you’ll be sharing the road with 72 million of your closest friends, according to AAA, and your audio selections should certainly be counted among your road trip necessities.  

This week’s insight from Edison Research takes a closer look at in-car listening specifically on mobile devices. In 2014, only 15% of in-car audio users listened on their phones in the car. Today that number has nearly doubled, and now 29% of the U.S. population age 13+ who listen to audio in-car do so on a mobile phone.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone in the car is listening to the same thing and participating in Wicked sing-alongs or solving the next true crime podcast together. Earbuds and individual devices mean that each occupant could be listening to something different – think of teenagers in the back seat enjoying playlists or downloaded music on their phones. And besides in-dash systems, phones can also be connected to the audio output through Bluetooth, aux cords, or USB cords, which means almost anyone can listen through a phone in their vehicle. 

To Enlarge: Right Click On Graphic, Then Click On Enlarge Image


The graphic below shows how Americans spend their in-car audio time when listening through a mobile phone.

The majority of time listening in-car on a phone, 53%, is spent listening to streaming music services. With both free and paid apps at the ready, there are plenty of options for listeners who just want music. Listeners can opt for the linear nature of a streamed playlist or full control of on-demand selections. 

The next most-listened-to type of audio is podcasts at 17%, and owned music such as downloaded digital files at 14%. Listening to music and music videos on YouTube accounts for 9% of listening on a phone in-car. Audiobooks clock in with 4% of the total. 

SiriusXM gets 1%, as nearly all of SiriusXM’s in-car listening is done through a satellite receiver, not a mobile phone.  The same holds for AM/FM Radio, where there is some listening to streams, but most all listening happens through the car radio. 

 So whether for musical entertainment, or to finish your favorite audiobook, or to learn some things from a podcast before the inevitable post-election family conversations, enjoy your in-car audio time as you travel. We are thankful for all of you and wish you the best this Thanksgiving week! 

TV Ratings November: FNC 'Most-Watched'.. MSNBC, CNN Collapse


FOX News Channel (FNC) commanded its highest-share of the cable news audience in network history across total day, holding 62% of the cable news audience during the historic election month, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. 

Leading across every category, FNC marked 45 consecutive months as number one with cable news in primetime and total day in both viewers and the 25-54 demographic. In primetime (8 – 11 PM/ET), FNC delivered 3.2 million viewers and 476,000 in the 25-54 demographic, growing its audience 86% year-over-year in total viewership and 147% in the 25-54 demo. 

In total day, FNC drew 2 million viewers and 282,000 in the 25-54 demo, marking 67% growth year-over-year with viewers and 101% in the 25-54 demo. Once again, more Independents and Democrats continued to tune in to FNC over any other network with A25-54, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion. 

FNC was also number one in cable news with Asians, Hispanics and upscale viewers throughout total day. Additionally, FNC was November’s fastest growing television network in both viewers and the 25-54 demographic. This month, FNC delivered 248 telecasts with over two million viewers, compared to MSNBC which saw just 14 and CNN with only ten.

Since election night, FNC has been the most-watched network in all of television in primetime, topping ABC, CBS, NBC and all cable networks with over four million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. 


The channel has also outpaced broadcast network CBS and cable during a historical breaking news year from the ill-fated Biden-Trump debate at the end of June through the end of November. Following the November 5th election, FNC’s audience has risen 24% in primetime compared to year-to-date and the network now holds 73% of the cable news share as CNN (down 39%) and MSNBC (down 52%) have seen their audiences collapse to record lows in primetime. 

FNC increased its total day viewership increase by 32% compared to year-to-date. While FNC commands 3 million viewers and 382,000 in the 25-54 demo in primetime post-election, MSNBC has collapsed to 644,000 viewers and 63,000 in the 25-54 demo and CNN dropped to just 453,000 viewers and 92,000 in the 25-54 demo. Across total day, FNC has scored 1.9 million viewers and 249,000 in the 25-54 demo compared to CNN with just 357,000 viewers and 65,000 in the 25-54 demo and MSNBC’s 497,000 viewers and only 49,000 in the 25-54 demo.

Notably, MSNBC’s Morning Joe has seen 37% of its viewership flee after the co-hosts met with president-elect Trump, slumping to just 618,000 viewers and 49,000 in the 25-54 demo on November 20th, marking a low going back to 2021. Numerous other shows on MSNBC have marked all-time lows in the 25-54 demo including Jose-Diaz Balart Reports, 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle, Ana Cabrera Reports, Chris Jansing Reports, Katy Tur Reports and The Reidout.

Ratings graphics courtesy of RoadMN


FNC’s special coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris’ concession speech was number one in television on November 6th, delivering nearly 8 million viewers and 1.4 million in the 25-54 demo. Anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, the FOX News Democracy 24 special coverage from 4:15-4:45 PM/ET set a record for post-election coverage and commanded 64% of the cable news audience. Comparatively CNN struggled to 2.2 million viewers and 555,000 in the 25-54 demo and MSNBC saw 2.3 million viewers and 353,000 in the 25-54 demo. According to Nielsen numbers, ABC saw just 2.4 million viewers and 572,000 in the 25-54 demo, NBC averaged only 1.7 million viewers and 396,000 in the 25-54 demo during and CBS lagged behind with 1.5 million viewers and 327,000 in the 25-54 demo during the speech.

At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s The Five secured 4.4 million viewers and 510,000 in 25-54 demo, leading all of cable news among total viewership and the younger demo for the month. FNC’s primetime lineup once again swept the competition every hour, beginning at 7 PM/ET with FNC’s The Ingraham Angle averaging 3.3 million viewers and 427,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 8 PM/ET Jesse Watters Primetime commanded 3.9 million viewers and 503,000 in the 25-54 demo. Winning the 9 PM/ET hour across the board, FNC’s Hannity remained dominant with 3.2 million viewers and 424,000 in the 25-54 demo, nearly doubling MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show was saw just 223,000 in the 25-54 demo

FNC’s hit late-night program Gutfeld! (10 PM/ET) marked its best month since launch and continued as the genre’s most watched in broadcast and cable television, sweeping both total viewers and the 25-54 demo. Notching over 3.3 million viewers, 480,000 in 25-54, Gutfeld! outranked CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS’ After Midnight and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart across the board.

TV Ratings November: FOX Business Delivered Record Numbers


FOX Business Network (FBN) delivered record numbers across business day, total day and primetime for the month of November, sweeping CNBC for the first time ever in primetime viewers and the 25-54 demo, according to Nielsen Media Research. 

Fueled by the 2024 election, FBN also notched its second consecutive business day win over CNBC in viewers and its eighth straight monthly victory in total day viewers. Across all key dayparts, FBN delivered year-over-year gains while CNBC netted network lows dating back to 1993 in primetime. Notably, FBN’s market-open and close programming, led by Kudlow and Varney & Co, remained the top two programs in business news.


During November, FBN nabbed 220,000 in business day viewers (9:30 AM-5 PM/ET), an 8% advantage over CNBC and a 15% year-over-year advantage, marking FBN’s highest rated month since 2023. Across total day, FBN drew in 155,000 viewers, a 25% gain over CNBC, delivering its highest rated total day since 2020. In primetime, FBN saw a whopping 58% viewership increase year-over-year, while the 25-54 demo grew 106% and the 35-54 demo posted a 50% advantage.

Once again, Larry Kudlow’s eponymous program, Kudlow (weekdays, 4 PM/ET), was the top-rated show in business television for the 19th month in a row and delivered its fourth highest month since show launch. Scoring 343,000 viewers, Kudlow also saw an 88% advantage over CNBC’s Closing Bell (182,000), besting its 4PM/ET competition for the 38th month in a row. Additionally, Stuart Varney’s three-hour market-open program Varney & Co (weekdays, 9 AM-12 PM/ET) notched 33 months beating CNBC’s Squawk on the Street/TechCheck (FBN 270,000 P2+ vs. CNBC 203,000 P2+) and placing second on the business news ranker.


During the critical pre-market hours: Maria Bartiromo’s Mornings with Maria (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) drew 129,000 viewers across its three hours, marking its 10th consecutive monthly win over CNBC’s SquawkBox and its highest rated month since 2022 with viewers. FBN’s additional core business day programs including, CAVUTO: Coast to Coast (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 163,000 viewers) anchored by Neil Cavuto, The Big Money Show (weekdays, 1 PM/ET; 153,000 viewers), Making Money with Charles Payne (weekdays, 2 PM/ET; 153,000 viewers) and The Claman Countdown (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 158,000 viewers) anchored by Liz Claman all scored placements in the top 15 business programs on television with total viewers and each notched their highest rated months with A25-54 since 2023. During post-market coverage, FBN’s The Evening Edit (weekdays, 5 PM/ET; 210,000 viewers) with Elizabeth MacDonald posted its most-watched month ever since it moved to the 5 PM/ET hour and The Bottom Line (weekdays, 6 PM/ET; 193,000 viewers) marked its highest rated month since launch. Additionally, both shows led CNBC for the ninth consecutive month. On Fridays, Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street (Fridays, 7-7:30 PM/ET; 89,000 viewers) posted a 24% advantage over CNBC’s programming.

CBS Accused Of ‘Defying’ 0rders to Probe Laptop Scandal


Fired CBS News reporter Catherine Herridge accused her former editors of “defying orders” to probe into Hunter Biden’s laptop from their own bosses at the Tiffany Network — namely, media heiress Shari Redstone and CBS CEO George Cheeks.

Herridge posted an explosive video on X Tuesday that revealed that Cheeks told her “multiple” times that he wanted her to investigate the Hunter Biden laptop scandal — a directive that came directly from Redstone, the controlling shareholder of CBS parent Paramount Global, who pressed that it was “high priority.”

“George Cheeks said to me on multiple occasions that this was a story of the highest priority for the network and that it was a high priority for his boss, Shari Redstone. So I took on that assignment and I did it to the best of my ability,” she said.

Cheeks told her CBS wanted to “have accountability” on the issue and to “speak truth to power on both sides of the aisle,” which the investigative reporter welcomed.

But the journalist said there was pushback inside the left-leaning network over her probe into the laptop of the president’s son, and whether its contents revealed corruption by President Biden.

“There were corners of support in the company for it and there were corners of support who understood the value of investigating the Hunter Biden story, but there were some elements within CBS News that were just resistant to it,” Herridge said.

“It didn’t matter what the facts of the case really were, and this bothered me as a journalist a lot.”

Earlier this month, Herridge revealed in her recently launched newsletter that her direct bosses, Washington bureau chief Mark Lima and CBS News president Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, pushed back on Herridge’s reporting, killing potential stories in the early days of the laptop scandal.

In her bombshell allegation, Herridge said she brought evidence to Ciprian-Matthews and “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell in early October 2020 that the laptop contained material about “a million-dollar retainer from a Chinese energy firm,” along with business texts and emails from the son of Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

But her reporting never aired.

The Post was the only mainstream publication to report at the time that the laptop belonged to Hunter Biden — leading to a ban on the story by social media giants Facebook and Twitter.

It took an additional two years for CBS to broadcast a forensic review of the Hunter Biden laptop data. By that time, Ciprian-Matthews had been elevated to the role of CBS News president.

Fox News Wins Defamation Suit Against Jessica Tarlov


Tony Bobulinski’s $30 million defamation suit against Fox News host Jessica Tarlov was dismissed on Tuesday by a New York judge, who also ordered Bobulinski to pay Tarlov’s legal fees in a first-of-its-kind decision.

“Before the Court is Tarlov’s motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and motion for attorney’s fees under New York’s anti-SLAPP law. For the reasons that follow, the motion to dismiss is granted. And because the Court concludes that the mandatory fee-shifting provision of New York’s anti-SLAPP law applies in federal court, Tarlov’s motion for attorney’s fees is also granted,” wrote District Judge J. Paul Oetken in his decision.

A spokesperson for the network told Mediaite in a statement, “FOX News is pleased with the court’s landmark decision, which not only dismissed Tony Bobulinski and Stefan Passantino’s meritless allegations against Jessica Tarlov, but also marks the first federal court decision to award attorney’s fees under New York’s anti-SLAPP statute.”

Bobulinski, a former associate of Hunter Biden, sued Tarlov in March over a comment she made on top-rated show The Five, on which she is a co-host. Tarlov, in an exchange with Judge Jeanine Pirro said, “Ok, Tony Bobulinski’s lawyers’ fees have been paid by a Trump Super PAC. That’s as recent as January.”

Bobulinski’s attorney Jesse Binall sent Fox Corp a letter the next day demanding a retraction and apology from Tarlov, threatening to “immediately file a defamation lawsuit against Fox, and Ms. Tarlov if this lie is not retracted by Ms. Tarlov on-air today.” The following day Tarlov addressed the statement on-air and offered a clarification.

Double Duty For CNN's Kaitlan Collins


In an unprecedented and expanded new role, Kaitlan Collins has been named Anchor and Chief White House Correspondent by CNN. 

Collins will continue to anchor her weekday 9pm program, The Source with Kaitlan Collins, while also contributing her signature reporting on President-elect Trump’s second administration across all of CNN’s digital, television and streaming platforms.

“Kaitlan Collins is the perfect person to lead coverage of the new Trump White House, even as she continues to anchor her key primetime show The Source,” said CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson. “Kaitlan is a political journalist of real depth and tenacity who already boasts an amazing record of scoops and exclusive interviews. I’m excited to see what new heights she scales as she combines this key new posting with her duties as a major CNN anchor.”

Throughout her career, Collins has consistently demonstrated a track record of exclusive reporting and news making interviews, breaking numerous scoops in the weeks since the election alone.

Since launching The Source, Collins has conducted a parade of headline-grabbing interviews, including with Secretary Hillary Clinton, Vice President-elect JD Vance, Attorney Marc Agnifilo, Former Attorney General William Barr, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Trump’s criminal defense attorneys, GOP presidential candidates and more. In May 2023, Collins also moderated CNN’s live Republican Presidential Town Hall with former President Donald Trump, which was his first town hall-style event of the 2024 presidential campaign.

Since joining CNN in 2017, Collins has broken several stories in her coverage of both the Biden and Trump administrations, including major staff departures and consequential policy decisions. In those years, she covered President Biden and President Trump abroad and pressed both on key international issues. 

Shake-Up Could Be Coming To TWH Press Room


Donald Trump is considering giving the likes of Joe Rogan and Megyn Kelly a seat in the White House press briefing room instead of mainstream media journalists in a plot that will 'blow up some heads'.

The Daily Mail reports the stunning plan was revealed by the president-elect's eldest son Donald Trump Jr. on a recent episode of his podcast 'Triggered with Donald Trump Jr.'

Speaking to his co-host Michael Knowles, Jr. admitted that the incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt may rework the briefing room seating arrangement to make way for Trump's new podcast 'bro' buddies.

'I wonder now, as your father is assembling his team, as maybe Karoline Leavitt is looking at the new press briefing room chart, maybe it's time to reorder that chart and maybe take away some people's seats,' Knowles inquired. 

The future president's son quickly shot back: 'We're gonna break some news here.'

'I literally had this conversation with—I was flying back, I was on the plane with my father, I think it was coming back from the SpaceX launch with Elon [Musk] last week,' Jr. said. 

'And we were talking about the podcast world and some of our friends and Rogan and guys like you.'

Seating chart in TWH Press Room


Then the 46-year-old Trump revealed the podcaster plan was met with great enthusiasm, 'That's a great idea, Don.'

'And so that may be in the works,' Jr. continued. 'That's going to blow up some heads, so we'll see.' 

CNN Commentator Argues X Is Balanced Platform


CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings caused an uproar on CNN Monday night after telling a network panel that X is the most "ideologically balanced" social media platform.

One panelist in particular, Prime Video talk show host Cari Champion, objected to the statement, cutting Jennings off mid-sentence and demanding he stop.

"Oh, come on. Scott, stop, stop! It’s too early, I just sat down. I’ve only been here for two minutes. You cannot continue to say – You cannot say that!" 

The exchange happened during a discussion on X owner Elon Musk’s recent social media posts in which he toyed with the idea of buying MSNBC after news that Comcast was looking to sell it off to another company.

For liberal panelists on CNN NewsNight, Musk’s post appeared to be more evidence of encroaching right-wing authoritarianism in America. 

"We are in for some tough years ahead," Champion said, referring to the media.

Jennings was then asked to address fears over our government buying media outlets to spread propaganda, though the commentator insinuated that has already happened in the U.S. 

"Is the concern that certain media outlets would become propaganda arms of political ideologies? I mean, don’t we already have that in this country at large scale?"

He then insisted that Musk’s platform is much more balanced than liberal critics claim.

"I mean also, I heard what you‘re saying about X. I saw a survey this week –  it‘s now the most ideologically balanced user platform of any platform."

Champion could not abide by the statement, telling him to stop. Scott jabbed at her in response, saying, "You’re going to be embarrassed when I tweet it out after the show."

America Has Been Cutting The Cable Cord, Now Comcast Is Trying


Entertainment giant Comcast is planning to spin off a number of NBCUniversal’s flagship cable properties, including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, Golf Channel, E!, and Syfy — a group of channels that brought in $7 billion in revenue in the 12 months to September 2024, per The Wall Street Journal.

When Comcast first gained control of NBCUniversal in 2011, before streaming became as ubiquitous as it is now, cable networks were considered some of the most attractive assets in media. But in the years since, millions of Americans have cut the cord on cable, canceling their pay-TV contracts in favor of cheaper month-to-month options like streaming — or even YouTube. Comcast has been no exception, shedding video customers like clockwork for the better part of a decade.


Though in terminal decline, cable assets still tend to be very profitable. That’s a source of cash that’s funded much of the investment that legacy media players have poured into the streaming game — a well of profits that Comcast is seemingly willing to give up. Through the spin-off, the media company is betting that its remaining businesses, including the NBC broadcast network, its television shows, and theme parks, will be in a better position for growth. Peacock, the company’s entry into streaming, now has 36 million paid subscribers, up 29% in the last year... but it’s still losing money.

Westwood One Launching Country Nights Live With Bev Rainey


Cumulus Media’s Westwood One today announced the launch of a new nighttime Country music radio show, “Country Nights Live with Bev Rainey.” The engaging five-hour nightly program will broadcast live from Nashville. Hosted by award-winning Country radio personality Bev Rainey, the show will engage listeners with top stars and showcase new talent. “Country Nights Live with Bev Rainey” is available seven days a week airing 7:00pm to Midnight. The show will debut on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, in markets across the U.S. 

“Country Nights Live with Bev Rainey” is packed with chart-topping Country music and the hottest Country stars. It will deliver the latest news and gossip from Music City. Bev's colorful storytelling and lively listener interactions from across the U.S. create a fun, fast-paced nighttime entertainment extravaganza.

Bev Rainey
A seasoned broadcaster and entertainer, Bev is known for her fun, uplifting on-air presence, deep knowledge of Country music, and genuine connection with fans.

Bev Rainey said: “I’m thrilled to be hosting ‘Country Nights Live’ and joining the Westwood One team. I appreciate the opportunity to work with the pros at Cumulus Country’s Nashville nerve-center. From the moment I began in Country radio, it’s been my dream to broadcast nationally, live from the capital of Country music!”

“The fresh adrenaline in ‘Country Nights Live’ will come from Bev’s ability to spontaneously interact with fans from all over America,” according to Brian Philips, Chief Content Officer for Cumulus Media. “This key daypart deserves more showmanship and razzle-dazzle than Country, as a format, has historically given it. As we welcome Bev, everything changes in the New Year!” 

To get “Country Nights with Bev Rainey” for your station, contact Neal Weiner, VP, Affiliate Sales, Westwood One, at nweiner@westwoodone.com or at 206.335.5259.

MSNBC Says It Was Unaware Of Sharpton-Harris Pay For Play Deal


MSNBC was "unaware" that Kamala Harris's campaign paid Al Sharpton's nonprofit $500,000 shortly before Harris sat for a softball interview with the cable host, a network spokesman told the Washington Free Beacon.

He wouldn't say, though, whether the left-wing network is taking any action against Sharpton for a move that appears to violate network policy. Other network hosts like Joe Scarborough have been publicly reprimanded for their failure to disclose making, rather than receiving, political donations.

The Harris campaign made a $250,000 contribution to Sharpton's National Action Network on Sept. 5 and another on Oct. 1, just weeks before Sharpton conducted a favorable interview with the Democratic nominee, the Free Beacon reported.

Sharpton did not inform MSNBC viewers of the contributions during the segment, nor did he inform network brass, a network spokesman said.

"MSNBC was unaware of the donations made to the National Action Network," the spokesman said. He declined to say whether the network would take any action, indicating that it does not comment on "personnel matters."

MSNBC has reprimanded hosts over similar violations in the past. In 2010, then-MSNBC president Phil Griffin suspended host Joe Scarborough over $4,000 in political contributions Scarborough made years earlier, including to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R., Fla.). Griffin also suspended host Keith Olbermann that same year over donations made to Democratic campaigns, saying in a statement that "it is critical that we enforce our standards and policies."