Saturday, February 1, 2025

Radio History: Feb 2


Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll

➦In 1890
...Charles James Correll born in Peoria, IL (died at age 82 September 26, 1972). He and Freeman Gosden gave birth to the 1930’s radio sensation ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy’.  The two developed ‘Sam & Henry’ in 1926 for WGN Chicago, which they renamed ‘Amos ‘n’ Andy’ when they jumped to WMAQ in 1928. They would be staples of network radio for more than 30 years, with Correll throughout portraying Andy Brown.  Later, for the early TV cartoon show ‘Calvin & the Colonel,’ he was the voice of Calvin.

➦In 1940...Frank Sinatra made his professional singing debut with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.

➦In 1946... the radio quiz show “Twenty Questions” debuted on the Mutual network. Bill Slater was the quizmaster, and newscaster Fred Vandeventer, his wife Florence & son Bobby made up the panel. The latter two adopted different surnames to mask the nepotism. it was a major Monday night hit via delayed broadcast on CKWX Vancouver. The show ran for 8 years on radio & 6 more on TV.

Radio listeners sent in subjects for the panelists to guess in 20 questions.

➦In 1958...‘Frontier Gentleman‘ starring John Dehner debuted on CBS Radio. Frontier Gentleman is a short-lived radio Western series originally broadcast from February 2 to November 16, 1958,






➦In 1959...Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper made what turned out to be their last public appearances at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. They died in a plane crash a few hours later.  Admission to the show was just $1.25. On September 6, 2011, The Surf Ballroom was added to the National Register of Historic Places

Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly

Holly, Valens and Richardson left The Surf immediately after the show, going to the nearby Mason City airport and chartering a small plane to take them to Fargo, North Dakota to prepare for their next show at the Moorhead Armory in Moorhead, Minnesota.

The plane took off at 12:55 AM Central Time on Tuesday February 3, 1959. Shortly after takeoff, young pilot Roger Peterson, in a combination of spatial disorientation and misinterpretation of a flight instrument, flew the plane into the ground, killing everyone aboard. According to the report, Peterson was not certificated to fly commercially at night, nor was he qualified to fly in the adverse weather (IFR) conditions which prevailed at the time of the flight. Although Peterson underwent formal IFR training, he failed his final check ride weeks before the accident.

A concrete monument was erected outside The Surf, and the ballroom is adorned with large pictures of the three musicians. A street flanking the facility's east property line is named Buddy Holly Place in his honor.

Medical Jet Crashes in Northeast Philly In Fiery Scene


UPDATE SATURDAY 12N:
   A medical transport jet with six people on board plummeted to the ground near the Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night, bursting into flames that spread to homes and cars in a heavily trafficked residential and commercial area and killing everyone on board the plane and at least one person on the ground.

The Philly Inquirer reports the Learjet 55 went down shortly after 6 p.m. near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard just after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, creating a chaotic and horrific scene of death and destruction.

The Death toll is now at Seven. At least one person on the ground — a person in a car — was killed, according to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, and at least seven people on the ground have been reported injured.

A shelter has been established for those who could not get to their homes or whose homes were damaged in the crash and resulting fire.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board were at the scene Saturday morning and city officials said updates would be provided throughout the day.


What happened? A private medical transport jet took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport just after 6 p.m. and within a minute appeared to have nosedived into a commercial and residential area of Northeast Philly.

Who was on the plane? The company said a pilot, copilot, flight physician and paramedic along with a pediatric patient and their escort were on the plane. The patient had been treated at Shriners Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and was returning home with her mother on a “contracted air ambulance,” said a hospital spokesperson, describing the Shriners community as “heartbroken.”

Earlier Story...

A medical jet with six people on board — including a pediatric patient — crashed Friday evening near the Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philadelphia, erupting into a massive fireball, scattering debris throughout the streets, and setting multiple homes and cars ablaze in a devastating scene.

In a briefing Friday night, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said there was no official number yet for how many people may have been killed or injured from the crash, but asked for the city’s prayers, and called the situation “all hands on deck.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports droves of first responders filled the area near Bustleton and Cottman Avenues — a mix of commercial and residential, surrounded by strip shopping centers and abutting neighborhoods of rowhouses. Thick smoke hung in the air as police ushered onlookers away from the scene, and the mall was evacuated. The mayor urged residents in the immediate area to stay inside and not interfere with the ongoing response and investigation.

Six patients were being treated at Temple University Hospital’s Jeanes Campus in the Northeast, according to a spokesperson. Three of the patients were treated and released, and another three remained hospitalized in fair condition, the spokesperson said.

The Learjet 55 departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport just after 6 p.m. and crashed moments later near the mall, flight logs show. The aircraft was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, the FAA said. Flight logs show the plane was in the air for only a minute before it crashed. At the time of the crash, light rain and fog were in progress with visibilities lowered to 5 to 7 miles, said Jon Porter, chief meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, a medical flight company, posted on LinkedIn that a Learjet 55 owned by the company, with the designation XA-UCI, crashed after taking off from Philadelphia. The company wrote that four crew members and two passengers, a pediatric patient and their escort, were on the plane.

Democratic, GOP Lawmakers Push Again Pay-For-Play’ Bill


  • Democratic and GOP Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Compensate Artists for AM/FM Airplay
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have introduced the American Music Fairness Act, aiming to close a significant loophole that currently exempts AM and FM radio stations from compensating artists for playing their music.

Under this proposed legislation, traditional broadcasters would be required to pay artists royalties, aligning their obligations with those already faced by digital broadcasters and streaming platforms.

"The United States stands alone among democratic nations in not requiring AM and FM radio to pay artists for their music," stated Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), one of the bill's co-sponsors.

Marsha Blackburn
The bill seeks to address what advocates claim is a $200 million annual shortfall in royalties for musicians, as reported by SoundExchange, a music technology organization advocating for the bill. "For over a century, American artists have been unfairly denied compensation for their music played on traditional radio," said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.

However, the legislation faces opposition from broadcasting groups. The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters warns that the additional royalty fees could financially devastate local radio stations, potentially affecting their service to millions who depend on them for news, emergency alerts, weather updates, and entertainment.

"The imposition of yet another royalty on local broadcasters, on top of existing fees, is burdensome and could lead to the closure of many stations," they argue.

The National Association of Broadcasters has also criticized the bill, pointing out that it would disrupt the symbiotic relationship between artists and radio. They emphasize that radio stations operate on tight budgets to deliver free-to-air content.

The bill includes provisions for smaller stations, offering a sliding scale of royalties where stations with annual revenues under $100,000 would pay just $10 per year, provided their parent companies earn less than $10 million annually.

This legislative move marks another attempt to balance the interests of musicians with those of broadcasters, with significant implications for both the music and broadcasting industries.

New Survey: 85 Percent Listen Weekly to AM/FM Radio


The 2025 survey indicates that 85% of adults aged 25-64 tune into radio at least once a week, highlighting radio's enduring stability in the audio landscape over the past three years.

A notable highlight from this year's data is the significant surge in podcast listening. Despite this increase, the consumption of weekly radio, streaming, and satellite radio has remained unaffected, suggesting that podcast growth is adding to, rather than competing with, overall audio consumption.

Listening Mediums:

  • Traditional AM/FM Radio: Accounts for two-thirds (66%) of primary radio listening.
  • Streaming: Represents 16% of radio listening.
  • Mobile Apps: Contribute 9% to the listening share.

In markets ranked 31 and above, traditional AM/FM radio constitutes 71% of all listening.



Commercial Break Preferences:

  • The survey explored listener preferences for commercial breaks, finding no clear consensus:
  • 50% of listeners prefer multiple shorter commercial breaks per hour.
  • 50% favor fewer, longer breaks.

Specific Preferences:

  • Sports radio listeners lean towards shorter breaks.
  • Large market music radio listeners prefer longer commercial breaks.

The data from FMR/Eastlan's demographically balanced and geographically representative sample confirms that traditional AM/FM radio continues to dominate, with 66% of the listening market, while streaming and mobile apps hold smaller but significant shares.

FCC Requests ‘60 Minutes’ Harris Interview Material


The FCC has requested that Paramount Global hand over its footage and transcripts from an October CBS News “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris as part of its review of the company’s planned merger with Skydance Media.

Trump’s lawsuit against CBS, which seeks $10 billion in damages, alleges that the network committed election interference by editing portions of an interview with Harris, favoring her campaign for president. Trump claimed CBS aired one version of the interview in a segment on its Sunday morning news magazine show “Face the Nation” that wasn’t flattering to the vice president, and then another version in the full interview on that evening’s episode of “60 Minutes.”

CBS has said it aired a more succinct version of Harris’s interview on “60 Minutes.”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has made it clear to Paramount executives that the agency’s review of its merger with Skydance will be tough and has said that bias accusations against Paramount’s CBS News are fair game for the agency. In a November Fox News interview, he cited a news-distortion complaint against CBS from the Center for American Rights as an element he would consider during the merger review.

The FCC has authority over the transaction because it would involve the transfer of broadcast television licenses held by CBS. The commission is currently comprised of two Republicans and two Democrats, with one open seat.

Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez called the commission’s request for the “60 Minutes” materials “a retaliatory move by the government against broadcasters whose content or coverage is perceived to be unfavorable. It is designed to instill fear in broadcast stations and influence a network’s editorial decisions.”

Trump has begun settlement talks with Paramount over his lawsuit, according to people familiar with the situation. Paramount began planning for a potential settlement before Trump took office, The Wall Street Journal first reported. The New York Times reported Thursday that settlement talks had begun.

CBS News Staffers Outraged


CBS News employees are reportedly seething with anger over the decision by their parent company, Paramount Global, to consider settling a $10 billion lawsuit brought by President Trump. The lawsuit stems from an allegedly biased "60 Minutes" segment featuring former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The newsroom at CBS has been thrown into turmoil since Paramount chairwoman Shari Redstone authorized negotiations with Trump's legal team regarding a potential settlement, according to reports from the Status newsletter.

Trump, during his campaign, initiated legal action in October, claiming that "60 Minutes" had edited the interview with Harris in a manner detrimental to his electoral prospects.

Sources within CBS News, including president Wendy McMahon and "60 Minutes" executive producer Bill Owens, have expressed firm opposition to any settlement, arguing that it could undermine press freedoms. Staffers are further incensed by the potential implications of such an agreement. 

Shari Redstone
Legal experts, like First Amendment attorney Theodore Boutrous Jr., have labeled the lawsuit as baseless, stating, “There is absolutely no reason, from a legal perspective, for CBS to settle — this is a ridiculous case.”

However, Shari Redstone, who inherited control of Paramount Global and National Amusements from her father Sumner Redstone, appears motivated to resolve the lawsuit swiftly. This move is speculated to be aimed at smoothing the path for regulatory approval of a merger with Skydance Media under Trump's administration, as per the New York Times. Redstone could significantly benefit financially from this merger.

Trump sued CBS last year for $10 billion and accused the network of deceptively editing the interview with Harris in a manner that benefited her candidacy. Many media law experts had dismissed the litigation as an idiosyncratic effort to punish a news outlet, and CBS called the lawsuit “completely without merit.”

But in the wake of Trump’s election, CBS’s parent company, Paramount, has begun settlement discussions with representatives of Mr. Trump, according to several people with knowledge of the talks. Many executives at Paramount believe that settling the suit could help pave the way for the FCC to approve Paramount’s planned multibillion-dollar merger with another company.

Official: Chuck Todd Exits NBC News


Chuck Todd, a staple of Washington coverage for NBC News since 2007, is leaving the network.

The LA Times reports Todd, who moderated NBC’s “Meet the Press” from 2009 to 2024, told staffers Friday he is departing to pursue new projects on his own.

Todd joined NBC News in 2007 as political director after serving as editor of the Hotline, a newsletter aimed at Beltway insiders. He is among the first TV journalists to provide granular analysis of voting data, which are now a standard part of election coverage. He replaced David Gregory as “Meet the Press” moderator in 2014.

Todd’s departure is not a surprise. He was asked in 2023 to give up his “Meet the Press” role so the network could install Kristen Welker as host.

Todd’s time at the network also appeared to be limited when he criticized NBC News during a “Meet the Press” appearance in March over the decision to hire former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel.

He said NBC News was often subjected to “gaslighting” and character assassination when dealing with McDaniel during her term as RNC chair. He questioned how McDaniel could now be a credible source in a journalistic setting.

“Meet the Press” was frequently the most-watched Sunday roundtable program during Todd’s tenure as moderator. But he became a polarizing figure during the first Trump administration.

In addition to his Sunday duties, Todd hosted “Meet the Press Daily” for MSNBC. At a time when the cable network became more of a destination for politically progressive viewers, Todd was often attacked by the network’s loyal fans for his more straight-ahead approach to his interviews.

At the same time Todd was branded “fake news” by President Trump.

In his note to staff, Todd acknowledged the fraught situation but understood it came with the territory.

“If you do this job seeking popularity or to simply be an activist, you are doing the job incorrectly,” Todd said in his farewell note.

NYTimes, Other Media Offices Booted From The Pentagon


President Donald Trump's administration, in an unprecedented move, announced late on Friday it would remove four media organizations including the New York Times from their dedicated office spaces in the Pentagon, citing a desire to make room for others.

The memo on a "New Annual Media Rotation Program" said it would also remove National Public Radio, Comcast Corp-owned NBC News and Politico, which must vacate their spaces by Feb. 14. In their place, it would give dedicated office space to the New York Post, One America News Network, Breitbart News Network and HuffPost News.

Each year going forward, one outlet from print, online, television and radio will rotate out of the Pentagon "to allow a new outlet from the same medium that has not had the unique opportunity to report as a resident member of the Pentagon Press Corps," the memo said.

"We’re disappointed by the decision to deny us access to a broadcasting booth at the Pentagon that we’ve used for many decades," an NBC News spokesperson said by email. "Despite the significant obstacles this presents to our ability to gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has."

The Times, Politico and NPR did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.

More than two dozen news organizations operate out of the Pentagon, including Reuters, reporting on the daily activities of the U.S. military.

"To be clear, the outlets that vacate the spaces loaned them by the Secretary (of Defense) will remain full members of the Pentagon Press Corps," said John Ullyot, acting assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs.

"The only change will be giving up their physical work spaces in the building to allow new outlets to have their turn to become resident members of the Pentagon Press Corps."

The Pentagon Press Association, which represents journalists who cover the Defense Department, said it was "greatly troubled by this unprecedented move by DOD to single out highly professional media."

It's Time For The Grammys


Sunday evening is the 67th annual Grammy Awards! "Music's biggest night" at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The awards will go on despite the wildfires that devastated L.A. in January. The Recording Academy announced plans to reimagine the show as a way to raise funds to support wildfire relief efforts and aid music professionals impacted by the wildfires.

As far as the nominees go, Beyoncé, the most-nominated artist in Grammys history, leads the pack with 11 nods — including Album of the Year. That category also features first-time nominees Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and Charli XCX, alongside Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Andre 3000 and Jacob Collier. Kendrick Lamar, Charli XCX, Post Malone and Billie Eilish have seven nominations each. Swift received six.

Trevor Noah is this year's host, and the broadcast will feature performances by Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter and more. The 2025 Grammys will air on CBS and stream on the Paramount+ premium Showtime tier. Stars will hit the red carpet beginning at 6 p.m. ET.


The Grammys will air on CBS and stream live on the Paramount+ with Showtime tier. Regular, ad-supported tier Paramount+ subscribers will not be able to watch the show on the platform until the following day.

PQ Media Expects Global Advertising To Decelerate


Global advertising and marketing spending accelerated in 2024, rising 8.7% to $1.776 trillion, but spending is projected to decelerate in 2025, posting only a 5.3% gain, as inflation and recessionary fears reappear in many markets due to the expectation that the Trump Administration will levy higher tariffs on foreign goods, which may lead to major trading partners imposing counter tariffs on US goods. Growth in 2024 was fueled by the influx of advertising & marketing dollars from elections in 15 of the 20 largest global markets as well as worldwide coverage of the Paris Summer Olympics, according to new research released today by leading media economist PQ Media.

The global advertising sector grew 7.9% in 2024 to $791.61 billion, while the overall marketing sector expanded 9.4% to $984.49 billion, according to PQ Media's Global Advertising & Marketing Spending Forecast 2025-2029. Global digital & alternative media spending increased 13.3% to $935.07 billion in 2024, while traditional media spend grew 4.1% to $841.09 billion.

Growth in the US and global markets in 2024 was driven by double-digit expansion in 29 of 45 digital media channels tracked by PQ Media, led by smart tech marketing, streaming video, podcasting, digital OOH advertising and influencer marketing.

The US remained the world's largest media market in 2024 and ranked seventh as far as spending growth. Total US ad & marketing investments rose 9.7% to $708.45 billion last year, driven by a surge in political media spending in hotly contested races in key states and record expenditures on various ad & marketing media to fund a riveting presidential campaign. Also driving growth were major omnimedia brand campaigns that spanned across multiple platforms and channels throughout the exciting Paris Summer Olympics.

Growth in the overall global and US markets was driven by double-digit expansion in 29 of 45 digital media channels tracked by PQ Media, led by smart technology marketing (STM), streaming video, podcasting, digital out-of-home media, influencer marketing and content marketing.

Since the pandemic's peak in 2H 2020 media growth rates have fluctuated more than they did in previous five-year periods. For example, the steep declines in 2020 were followed by sharp rebounds in 2021-2022, but then cooled suddenly in 2023 when supply chain issues led to high inflation and recessionary fears. When inflation stabilized and recession fears subsided in 2024, brand marketers progressively increased their media budgets during the year, and not just for political campaigns or the Summer Olympics.

However, PQ Media expects year-to-year growth to decelerate in 2025 as high inflation worries and recession anxieties have intensified due to uncertainty regarding Trump's proposal to levy more aggressive tariffs on foreign goods, which may lead to major US trading partners imposing counter tariffs on US goods. While the negotiated cease fire between Israel and Hamas may ease some of these fears in 1H 2025, the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on into a fourth year.

R.I.P.: Dick Button, Olympic Skating Champion and TV Analyst


Dick Button, a dominant and electrifying force in figure skating who was the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport, then shaped the public understanding of skating for decades as a producer of competitions and a television analyst known for his impassioned and sometimes acerbic critiques, died Jan. 30 in North Salem, New York. He was 95.

The Washington Post reports few people have exerted as deep and enduring an influence over a sport as Button. As a competitor in the 1940s and early 1950s, he brought an innovative flair to figure skating, inventing jump sequences, spins and other maneuvers never attempted before, as he ushered in an era of American preeminence in the sport.

Later, as a longtime broadcaster, he was the unofficial arbiter of skating. He questioned the judging standards in competitions and once led an unsuccessful effort to replace figure skating’s international governing body with a new organization.

Dick Button
“No other individual in the 20th century represents the sport better than Dick Button,” skating analyst and publisher Mark Lund said in 1999. “From his technical innovations to his creation of the world of professional figure skating competitions … Dick Button has by far had the most influence on the sport during the last century.”

In 1948, he won the first of five straight world titles and became the first and last American to win the European figure skating championship. Button also won his first Olympic title in 1948, skating on an outdoor rink in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He received what is believed to be the first 6.0 mark — a perfect score — given in Olympic competition. He was 18 years old — still the youngest male gold medalist in the sport. On his return to the United States, he was honored at the White House by President Harry S. Truman.

At the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Button became the first person to land a triple jump — a triple loop — on his way to winning his second gold medal.

Button covered figure skating for CBS during the 1960 Winter Olympics in California, then joined ABC Sports two years later. He became the voice of skating for generations of viewers, contributing to the network’s weekly “Wide World of Sports” and its Olympic coverage.


Glib, opinionated and extemporaneously eloquent, Mr. Button explained the sport in a way never before seen on television, as if he were a critic covering the opera or ballet. He saw figure skating as a rare blend of athleticism and artistry. “It has music, it has choreography, it has personality,” he said. “You watch it not to see only who wins, but to see how they win.”

Radio History: Feb 1


Hildegarde w/orchestra leader Paul Whitman

In 1906...the 4th most prolific recording artist of all time was born in suburban Milwaukee.  She was known as “the incomparable Hildegarde,” a title bestowed on her by Walter Winchell. She appeared in cabarets & supper clubs up to 45 weeks a year.  The woman born Hildegarde Loretta Sell was the “girl” on CBS Radio’s “Ninety-Nine Men & a Girl” (1939), the hostess on 1943’s “Beat the Band” musical quiz show, and “Hildegarde’s Raleigh Room” on NBC Radio.  She also appeared in several TV specials, and continued performing to age 89.

She died of natural causes July 29 2005 at age 99.

➦In 1926...Flashback...Station news from Radio Digest:

Courtesy American Radio History

➦In 1940...NBC performs the first inter-city television broadcast from its station in New York City to another in Schenectady, New York by General Electric relay antennas.

➦In 1941…Even before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government’s Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI, in Washington) had already begun providing war news and commentary to the commercial American shortwave radio stations for use on a voluntary basis through its Foreign Information Service (FIS, in New York) headed by playwright Robert E. Sherwood, the playwright who served as President Roosevelt’s speech writer and information advisor.

Direct programming began a week after the United States’ entry into World War II in December 1941, with the first broadcast from the San Francisco office of the FIS via a leased General Electric’s transmitter to the Philippines in English (other languages followed). The next step was to broadcast to Germany, which was called Stimmen aus Amerika ("Voices from America") and was transmitted on February 1, 1942. It was introduced by "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and included the pledge: "Today, and every day from now on, we will be with you from America to talk about the war... The news may be good or bad for us – We will always tell you the truth."

It was Sherwood who actually coined the term "The Voice of America" to describe the shortwave network that began its transmissions on February 1, from 270 Madison Avenue in New York City.

➦In 1949...RCA Victor countered Columbia Records‘ 33-1/3 long play phonograph disk with a new-configured product: the 45-rpm.  It started a revolution made made the 78-rpm record a true oldie.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Investigators Seek To Salvage Aircraft


  • A midair collision occurred between an American Airlines jet with 64 people onboard and a U.S. Army chopper carrying three soldiers on Jan. 29 in Washington, D.C.
  • Among the fatalities in the crash include 14 U.S. figure skaters, according to Doug Zeghibe, CEO of The Skating Club of Boston
  • The black box recording devices have not yet been recovered from the accident scene, said the NTSB, which did offer specifics on what caused the crash
Investigators plan to push forward on Friday with efforts to retrieve the two aircraft involved in a crash in Washington that killed 67 people and raised questions about air safety in the U.S. capital.

Fresh from recovering the so-called black boxes from the American Airlines plane that crashed into the Potomac River after colliding with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday, divers aim to "salvage the aircraft" and find additional components on Friday, Washington's fire department said.

"Overnight, boats will remain on scene for security and surface searches from local, state, and federal regional partners," it said.

Reuters reports the National Transportation Safety Board is studying the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the CRJ700 airplane, which carried 60 passengers and four crew members, all of whom perished in the crash. The three members of the helicopter crew also died.

Authorities have not pinpointed a reason for the collision, which happened as the regional jet was trying to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The military said the maximum altitude for the route the helicopter was taking is 200 feet (61 meters) but it may have been flying higher. The collision occurred at an altitude of around 300 feet, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

The Passengers: What Is Known

 


U.S. Figure Skating said a number of its skaters, their coaches and family members were on board the flight returning home from a training camp in Wichita.

The Skating Club of Boston has confirmed six people associated with it were on the plane—two teenagers, their mothers and a married couple of Russian world champions-turned coaches, former world figure-skating champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

Russian state news agency TASS said former Soviet competitor Inna Volyanskaya was on the flight. Volyanskaya, Shishkova and Naumov had been working as coaches, the agency reported.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Andrew Eaves, a chief warrant officer in the Army, was killed in the crash.

In a post on X, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp sent condolences “to the families and friends of Ryan O’Hara and Sam Lilley.” Lilley was a pilot on the American flight.

Beijing’s embassy in Washington said two Chinese nationals appear to have been on the flight.

Elizabeth Keys and Sarah Lee Best, associates at Wilkinson Stekloff, a high-profile law firm in Washington, D.C., were on the flight, their employer confirmed.

Civil-rights attorney Kiah Duggins was on the American Airlines flight, returning to Washington, D.C., after visiting Wichita, where she had attended high school and Wichita State University.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said on X that Casey Crafton was among those killed in the plane crash. “Salem has lost a dedicated father, husband, and community member,” Lamont said.

A GE Aerospace employee was on the flight, the company said on X.

Horror Over the Potomac: How Did It Happen?

 


A series of grave miscommunications in one of the most crowded and complex patches of sky in the US likely caused Wednesday night’s deadly midair crash between an American Airlines passenger plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport, The Post can reveal.

The crash, which killed all 64 people aboard the packed Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas — plus three people on the chopper — is the deadliest US air disaster since 2001.

Less than 20 seconds before the collision, an air traffic controller warned the chopper that it was getting too close to the CRJ-700 passenger jet, and the experienced helicopter pilot acknowledged.

However, The NY Post reports experts believe the helicopter pilot may have maneuvered to avoid the wrong plane — a jet of the same model that was taking off farther away — and never saw the American Airlines flight until it was too late. 

The Black Hawk helicopter was apparently flying too high — at about 400 feet — when it collided with the American Airlines jet, which was rapidly descending after it was cleared for landing, experts said. 

However, because of the close quarters around Reagan National — there is just 50 feet separating the maximum allowable altitude for helicopters and the minimum altitude for planes that are landing in the spot — leaving almost no room for error. 

Officials have not yet offered a possible cause for the crash, however, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday that the tragedy was “absolutely” preventable.

It also has been learned  another flight arriving at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was forced to abort landing due to helicopter traffic just 24 hours before the tragic midair crash between an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk chopper, according to a report.

Republic Airways Flight 4514, from Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, had to make a second approach at Reagan National on Tuesday — after a helicopter appeared near the plane’s flight path, the Washington Post reported.

FCC Opens Investigation Into NPR And PBS


Brendan Carr, a Trump-appointed chairman of the FCC, has initiated an investigation into NPR and PBS this week for potentially violating federal laws by broadcasting sponsorships, a practice they've long employed.

In his letter dated Wednesday, Carr expressed concerns, stating, “I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials. Specifically, it appears that NPR and PBS member stations might be broadcasting underwriting announcements that could be considered prohibited commercial advertisements.”

Katherine Maher
In response, Katherine Maher, CEO of NPR, issued a statement on Thursday defending their practices: "NPR's programming and underwriting messages adhere to federal regulations, including the FCC's guidelines for noncommercial educational broadcasters, and our member stations are expected to comply as well."

According to Mediaite, She further emphasized, "We are confident that any review of our programming and underwriting practices will affirm NPR's compliance with these rules. We have decades of collaboration with the FCC supporting noncommercial educational broadcasters who deliver vital information, educational content, and emergency alerts to communities nationwide."

This investigation coincides with President Donald Trump's continued criticism of NPR and PBS.

Elon Musk has similarly criticized NPR in the past, advocating for its defunding. Some conservatives have consistently opposed government funding for these public broadcasters, even as such funding has significantly decreased in recent years.

NPR's David Folkenflik provided context on the financial model behind Carr's concerns: "Underwriting has become increasingly crucial for public broadcasting as federal and state funding has diminished. According to recent data, NPR gets approximately 1 percent of its funding from the federal government annually, while PBS receives 16 percent."

Additionally, Carr last week reinstated FCC complaints against CBS and NBC that were previously dismissed by the former FCC chair under President Joe Biden, who had argued that such complaints could stifle free speech. Notably, these reinstatements did not include a similar complaint against Fox News.

Paramount in Settlement Talks With Trump


When Donald J. Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS just days before the 2024 election, alleging that the network had deceptively edited a "60 Minutes" interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, many legal experts viewed the case as an unlikely and punitive move against a disliked media entity.

Now, with Trump back in the White House, executives at Paramount, CBS's parent company, are considering settling the lawsuit. They believe this could smooth the path for the regulatory approval of their planned multibillion-dollar merger with another firm, sources familiar with the situation have indicated.

Settlement negotiations are currently taking place between Paramount representatives and Trump's team, although three sources caution that no agreement is guaranteed, and the specifics of any potential settlement remain uncertain.

Shari Redstone, who holds controlling interest in Paramount, is reportedly a strong advocate for settling the lawsuit, according to two insiders. This move aligns with her interests since she could gain billions from the sale of Paramount, a company established by her father Sumner Redstone, to Skydance, which is supported by billionaire Larry Ellison and managed by his son David.

The NY Times reports a settlement would be an extraordinary concession by a major U.S. media company to a sitting president, especially in a case in which there is no evidence that the network got facts wrong or damaged the plaintiff’s reputation.

It could also cause an uproar within CBS News and among the “60 Minutes” staff. Journalists at the network have expressed deep concern about the notion of their parent company settling litigation that they consider tantamount to a politician’s standard-issue gripes about a news organization’s editorial judgment, according to several people familiar with internal discussions.

Audacy's Interim CEO Issues Memo To Staffers


Just Two days after Audacy closed its Chapter 11 proceedings, David Field stepped down Tuesday as the company’s president, CEO and board member.

Kelli Turner, who joined the Audacy board in September 2024, has been appointed interim president and CEO, while the company begins the search for a permanent successor, with Field remaining in an advisory role.

Team Audacy:

I’m excited to assume the role of interim President and CEO of Audacy.

In my four months on the Board, I’ve been incredibly impressed by your work and dedication to Audacy’s success. I’m also thankful for David Field's substantial legacy and leadership over the last 27 years. His ongoing insight will be invaluable to me and the Board as he transitions to an advisory role for Audacy.

Over the next few months, I will work closely with our executive team to ensure we remain focused on our principles, make smart investments and implement changes that will generate long-term success and efficiency. The team has my full confidence and support as we move forward and begin the search for a permanent CEO. I ask for your patience as we develop and implement these strategies, and I promise to deliver clear and transparent communication at each milestone.

I encourage you to continue doing what Audacy does best: create great content, serve our clients, and support each other. We have a bright future ahead of us, and I am excited to see what we will accomplish together.

I look forward to meeting everyone and being part of the team!

Kelli

Turner’s resume includes stands at Sun Capital Partners, SESAC Holdings and Downtown Music Holdings. She earned her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

Audacy, Inc. is based in Philadelphia. Founded in 1968 as Entercom Communications Corp., it is the second largest radio company in the United States, owning over 220 radio stations across 47 media markets.

Amazon Returns Ads To X


Amazon is ramping up ad spending on Elon Musk’s X, according to people familiar with the situation, a major shift after pulling much of its advertising more than a year ago, when many brands had concerns about hate speech on the platform.

Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy was involved in the decision, which could result in the company spending significantly more on X. Apple, which pulled all of its ad dollars from X in late 2023, in recent weeks has had discussions about testing out ads on the platform, according to The Wall Street Journal citing a person familiar with the situation.

Some large companies that have cut or zeroed out advertising on X are re-evaluating their stances in a changing political and social climate. Musk, X’s owner, has championed a lighter touch in online content moderation and has emerged as one of the most powerful people in President Trump’s orbit. Business and world leaders have worked to improve relations with him, given his elevated role in Washington. 

Musk is leading the Department of Government Efficiency, a group that has planned to eliminate $2 trillion in government spending. He contributed roughly a quarter of a billion dollars to a super politi

Ad buyers said that some brands that are returning to X are doing so at spending levels that are still well below their spending before Musk acquired the company, then known as Twitter, for $44 billion in 2022.

The return of advertisers to X would bolster its balance sheet at a critical moment. The investment banks that lent Musk cash for the acquisition have struggled to offload that debt from their books. They are now arranging for a sale of senior debt at 90 to 95 cents on the dollar, The Wall Street Journal reported. Selling the debt will be easier if the company’s finances improve.

SiriusXM To Offer Ad-Supported Subscriptions


SiriusXM is betting that it can convert a pool of would-be subscribers into paying customers who will listen to ads in exchange for a cheaper subscription. 

On an earnings call, Chief Executive Jennifer Witz says the company is preparing to offer a lower-priced sign-up option to support the company’s growth goals. 

The satellite radio and audio-streaming company ended 2024 with fewer year-over-year self-pay subscribers who are responsible for paying their recurring fee for the service, and a lower-priced option could help the company reach a broader base. The company’s profit rose in 4Q, but sales dropped, with subscriber revenue down 5%.

The auto-minded satellite radio company (and Pandora parent) disclosed its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financials Thursday.

Diving directly into those numbers, SpaceX-partnered SiriusXM pointed to Q4 revenue of $2.19 billion (down 4.3% YoY) and, with operating expenses having declined, $287 million in net income (up almost 26% YoY) for the same window.

According to Digital Music News, the lion’s share of Q4 revenue came from core satellite radio operations. That refers specifically to $1.62 billion overall (down 5.6% YoY) as well as $1.50 billion solely from satellite subs (down about 5.4% YoY), according to the company, which brought on Wayne Thorsen as COO last month.

Pandora and off-platform revenue, for its part, was roughly flat year over year at $568 million for Q4, consisting of $434 million from advertising (down slightly YoY) and the remaining $134 million from subscriptions (likewise down less than 1% YoY).

And amid stiff competition from well-entrenched players such as Spotify, Pandora parted with 101,000 total self-pay Plus and Premium subscribers on the quarter, finishing 2024 at 5.77 million (down 279,000 YoY).

Additionally, Pandora’s ad-supported listener hours dipped (2.53 billion to 2.39 billion) in Q4 and fell more than that for the entire year (10.48 billion to 9.94 billion), the report shows. Advertising revenue per thousand listener hours grew a bit on the year but slipped from $111.27 to $108.37 in the fourth quarter.

During SiriusXM’s Q4 earnings call, CEO Jennifer Witz said the company, notwithstanding a coming embrace of “click to cancel,” expects “subscriber results in 2025 to be slightly better than what we saw in 2024.”

Furthermore, the exec pointed to strong usage growth for SiriusXM’s updated app and for podcasts (owing in large part to several exclusives) in particular.

NBC Sports Reportedly To Offer Chris Collingsworth Long-Term Deal


NBC is reportedly set to offer a massive contract extension to "Sunday Night Football" analyst Cris Collinsworth, securing his role through the 2029-30 NFL season, according to The Athletic.

At 65, Collinsworth is anticipated to ink a four-year deal, which would enable him to broadcast two more Super Bowls for NBC in 2026 and 2030.

The network views Collinsworth as "the best in the game" among NFL analysts, as per the report, ensuring his continued presence for their premier primetime event each week.

This extension might help Collinsworth bridge the salary disparity with other top NFL analysts. Currently, he earns approximately $12.5 million annually, which is significantly less than the $37.5 million Tom Brady will make under his 10-year contract with Fox. However, Brady's deal is considered an anomaly when compared to the $18 million earned by CBS' Tony Romo and ESPN's Troy Aikman.

Collinsworth's existing contract extends until the 2026 Super Bowl, but this new agreement would keep him in the booth for one of the NFL's highlight games each week.




The former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver has been working alongside Mike Tirico since Al Michaels moved to Amazon Prime to cover "Thursday Night Football."

Study: Newspaper Readers Make Good Podcast Listeners


A new study has found a correlation between newspaper readership and podcast consumption. 

MediaPost reports adults who have listened to podcasts in the past day as the study was being conducted showed a general market index of 100, according to The Media Audit.

However, those who read The Wall Street Journal had an index of 191, The New York Times had 186 and USA Today 174. In general, those who read newspapers at all scored 137.

Newspaper readers and podcast listeners alike tend to come from higher-income households. Those earning $100,000+ annually index at 118, college graduates at 115 and individuals with advanced degrees at 139.

“As media consumption habits evolve, these insights reaffirm the enduring relevance of newspapers while highlighting the increasing role of podcasts in reaching an influential, information-hungry audience,” says Phillip Beswick, CEO of The Media Audit. “The data makes it clear that publishers have a unique opportunity to align their print and digital assets with podcasting to strengthen audience engagement and drive revenue growth.”

Harris Faulkner Beats ‘The View’


In January’s cable news ratings, Fox News Channel’s The Faulkner Focus beat ABC’s long-running The View for the first time ever, with host Harris Faulkner delivering an average total audience of 2.552 million viewers, just ahead of The View’s 2.508 million. The win is even more notable given the larger reach of broadcast television, available to anyone without cable.

“I could not grab this big win without my wonderful team,” said Faulkner. "It’s a testament to the hard work and passion we put into bringing Americans the latest news and analysis on what matters most to them. The Faulkner Focus is a place where audiences can tune in and know their questions about the day’s headlines will be answered with respect for all sides and we are proud viewers continue to choose us at 11 a.m."

Forbes reports The Faulkner Focus was one of several Fox shows--including America’s Newsroom, Outnumbered, and America Reports--that posted all-time ratings records in January, as the network cruised to the highest-rated January in cable news history, with an average audience in prime time of 2.8 million viewers and 353,000 viewers in the key demographic of adults 25-54--the demo most valued by advertisers.

Compared to the same month one year ago, Fox News was up 40% in prime and 61% in the key demo. January also marked FNC’s 23rd consecutive year as the top-rated network in cable news.

“As we mark 23 years as America’s most-watched cable news network, I would like to thank our incredible team both on and off the camera for their dedication to delivering the best product in news," said Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott in a statement provided by the network. "Each year, we surpass new milestones, continue to innovate, and outperform the competition due to their tireless efforts and I could not be prouder.”

Chattanooga Radio: Brian Joyce Exits WGOW


Brian Joyce, who had been with Talk Radio WGOW 102.3 FM for over 12 years, announced on Thursday that he and the station have parted ways. 

At 48, Joyce plans to explore new opportunities. He joined WGOW in 2012 and became the lead morning host in 2018 following Jeff Styles' departure, adding to the "Morning Press" team with Jim Reynolds and Kevin West. 

In 2023, the station introduced a new morning show, "Jed and JR Mornings," and Joyce moved to host "Brian Joyce Unfiltered" from 10 a.m. to noon, where he was known for tackling significant local and national issues. 

Additionally, Joyce opened the a nightclub in 2021, which faced multiple suspensions and eventual revocation of its beer license due to alleged violations. The club closed in August 2023 amidst legal disputes, with Joyce claiming he was unfairly targeted by city officials.

Radio History: Jan 31


➦In 1892...comedian Eddie Cantor was born Edward Israel Iskowitz in New York City.  The man known for his “banjo eyes” and his five daughters was the first of the great vaudevillians to hit it big on radio, after an appearance on the Rudy Vallee Show in early 1931.  In 1950 he jumped into TV & was an instant hit in the new medium.  But he never fully recovered from a heart attack two years later, and died Oct 10, 1964 at age 72.

Cantor was regarded almost as a family member by millions because his top-rated radio shows revealed intimate stories and amusing anecdotes about his wife Ida and five daughters. Some of his hits include "Makin' Whoopee", "Ida", "If You Knew Susie", "Ma! He's Makin' Eyes at Me", "Baby", "Margie", and "How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)?" He also wrote a few songs, including "Merrily We Roll Along", the Merrie Melodies Warner Bros. cartoon theme.

His eye-rolling song-and-dance routines eventually led to his nickname, "Banjo Eyes". In 1933, artist Frederick J. Garner caricatured Cantor with large round eyes resembling the drum-like pot of a banjo. Cantor's eyes became his trademark, often exaggerated in illustrations, and leading to his appearance on Broadway in the musical Banjo Eyes (1941).

➦In 1902...acclaimed actress Tallulah Bankhead was born in Huntsville Alabama. Her most important broadcast credit was as hostess of NBC Radio’s last hurrah, the star-studded “The Big Show” Sunday night variety extravaganza as the tidal wave of TV was taking effect.

➦In 1915..Radio-TV broadcaster Garry Moore was born Thomas Garrison Morfit in Baltimore. Moore (January 31, 1915 – November 28, 1993) was an American entertainer, comedic personality, game show host, and humorist best known for his work in television. He began a long career with the CBS network on radio in the 1940s and was a television host on several variety and game shows from the 1950s through the 1970s.

After dropping out of high school, Moore found success as a radio host and then moved on to the medium of television. He hosted several daytime and prime time programs titled The Garry Moore Show, and the game shows I've Got a Secret and To Tell the Truth. He was instrumental in furthering the career of comedic actress Carol Burnett. He became known for his bow ties and his crew cut fashion early in his career.

After being diagnosed with throat cancer in 1976, Moore retired from the broadcasting industry, only making a few rare television appearances. He spent the last years of his life in Hilton Head, South Carolina and at his summer home in Northeast Harbor in Maine. He died on November 28, 1993 at the age of 78.

Starting in 1937, he worked for Baltimore radio station WBAL as an announcer, writer and actor/comedian. He used his birth name until 1940, when, while on the air announcing Club Matinee hosted by Ransom Sherman at NBC, Chicago, Sherman held a radio contest to find a more easily pronounceable one. "Garry Moore" was the winning entry, which was submitted by a woman from Pittsburgh who received a prize of $100.

It was on Club Matinee where he met his long-time friend and broadcasting partner Durward Kirby.

Moore headed Talent, Ltd., a variety program on Sunday afternoons in 1941. In the years that followed, Moore appeared on numerous network radio shows. He started out as an announcer and then as support for broadcast personalities, one of whom was Jimmy Durante.

From 1943-47, Durante and Moore had a joint show with Moore as the straight man. Impressed with his ability to interact with audiences, CBS offered him his own show. Starting in 1949, the one-hour daytime variety show The Garry Moore Show aired on CBS. Moore briefly returned to radio as host of NBC's Monitor in 1969.

He died of emphysema Nov 28, 1993 at age 78.

➦In 1936...The Green Hornet“ was introduced by its famous theme song, “The Flight of the Bumble Bee”. The George W. Trendle radio production was first heard on WXYZ radio in Detroit, the same radio station where “The Lone Ranger” had originated 3 years previous.  The title character in “The Green Hornet” was really named Britt Reid, and was supposedly the great nephew of John Reid, the Lone Ranger. The Hornet stayed on the air for 16 years.

Beginning on April 12, 1938, the station supplied the series to the Mutual Broadcasting System radio network, and then to NBC Blue and its successors, the Blue Network and ABC, from November 16, 1939, through September 8, 1950. It returned from September 10 to December 5, 1952.

➦In 1954...Major Edwin Armstrong - founder of FM radio - died at age 63, an apparent suicide.

Edwin Armstrong
He has been called "the most prolific and influential inventor in radio history".  He invented the regenerative circuit while he was an undergraduate and patented it in 1914, followed by the super-regenerative circuit in 1922, and the superheterodyne receiver in 1918. Armstrong was also the inventor of modern frequency modulation (FM) radio transmission.

Armstrong was born in New York City in 1890. He studied at Columbia University.  During his third year at Columbia, Armstrong came up with his first major invention: the first radio amplifier. He had learned how Lee DeForest's radio tube worked, then he redesigned it by taking the electromagnetic waves that came from a radio transmission and repeatedly feeding the signal back through the tube. Each time, the signal's power would increase as much as 20,000 times a second.