NYC Iconic News Anchor Chuck Scarborough To Semi-Retire

Chuck Scarborough announced his retirement as WNBC/4 anchor during the station's 6 p.m. broadcast Thursday, wrapping a historic run at Ch. 4 that reached the half-century mark this past March.

"I'd like to break some personal news -- the time has come to pass the torch after 50 years, eight months and seven days," Scarborough said at the end of the newscast, adding " I will step away from this anchor desk" on Dec. 12.

According to Newsday, no one individual — anchor or reporter — has appeared on any New York TV news broadcast longer than Scarborough, who turned 81 Nov. 4. And no single individual on TV has come to represent such a vast stretch of New York City's tumultuous history over these past 50 years.

Scarborough has anchored Ch. 4's coverage of 9/11, the COVID pandemic, AIDS, Superstorm Sandy, five major plane crashes, three blackouts, a couple of Wall Street crashes and seven mayors, beginning with Abe Beame. There was Son of Sam, a city's near-bankruptcy, John Gotti and Donald Trump.

There are believed to be only two anchors in the United States who have done this job longer — Dave Ward, of Houston's KTRK/13 (who retired in 2017 after 51 years) and Don Alhart, of Rochester's WHAM/13, who hit the 50-year mark in 2016 and retired this past June.

But Houston and Rochester are not New York City — far and away the most competitive TV news market in the nation. On the major stations, WABC/7's Bill Beutel came closest to Scarborough's record. He retired in 2003 after 37 years on the air (Beutel died in 2006). Rafael Pineda, of Univision flagship WXTV/41, came closer, at 41 years, until his retirement in 2013. Among active anchors, only WPIX/11's weekend anchor Kaity Tong — 43 years on the air in New York — is closest.

To look at this historic run from a different perspective, Scarborough — who joined Ch. 4 from Boston's WNAC/7 (now WHDH) on March 25, 1974 — started at Ch. 4 two years after Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" moved from 30 Rock to Burbank, and a year before "Saturday Night Live" launched. When he arrived at Ch. 4 to anchor a new 5 p.m. newscast, Scarborough's program originated out of the studio Carson had recently vacated.

Seattle Radio: Dave Ross, Colleen O’Brien Retiring From KIRO

Dave Ross, one of Seattle’s most influential and trusted broadcasters, and Colleen O’Brien, a broadcasting legend who’s hosted “Seattle’s Morning News” for 10 years alongside Ross, are both retiring from radio, leaving behind a legacy that has profoundly impacted the Seattle community.

Ross first joined KIRO Newsradio in 1978 as a news anchor, quickly becoming a trusted voice for listeners across the Pacific Northwest. Known for his thoughtful commentaries and balanced perspective, he began hosting “The Dave Ross Show” in 1987, where his engaging storytelling and sense of humor made complex topics accessible and relatable. In 2013, Dave began anchoring “Seattle’s Morning News,” kicking off Seattleites’ day with news analysis that boasted both clarity and insight.

“Dave Ross is more than just a broadcaster; he’s the heart and soul of KIRO Newsradio,” Cathy Cangiano, market manager for Bonneville Seattle, said. “His ability to present a balanced perspective and his distinctive voice has made him an irreplaceable part of our team. Dave prefers not to make a big fuss, but we can’t let this moment pass without honoring his incredible service to our station and our community.”

https://t.co/OJum9n1Pkb

— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) November 22, 2024

Ross joined KIRO Newsradio in 1978 as a news reporter and anchor, quickly becoming a central figure in Seattle media. Over the years, his commentary and balanced approach to the news have fostered trust among listeners across the Pacific Northwest. In 1987, he launched "The Dave Ross Show," bringing clarity and humor to complex topics. Since 2013, he has anchored "Seattle's Morning News."

MSNBC Chops $5M From Rachel Maddow's Contract

MSNBC slashed star anchor Rachel Maddow’s annual salary by $5 million as the left-leaning network continues to reel from parent company Comcast’s decision to spin off its struggling cable properties, according to The NY Post report.

Maddow — who rakes in $30 million a year for hosting “The Rachel Maddow Show” just one day a week on Mondays — renegotiated for a $25 million salary for the next five years, The Ankler reported on Thursday.

“This is a difficult time and they needed to keep her,” one executive told the news site. “No one else can do what she does. You can’t build a brand like it overnight.”

A source with knowledge disputed that Maddow’s haircut was for $5 million, but would not say how much less she will be earning.

The pay reduction comes as panic engulfed MSNBC’s 30 Rock headquarters in Midtown, as The Post reported, over Comcast’s plan to spin off off its cable channels by the end of 2025.

Splitting off MSNBC from NBC News could force the cable channel to change its name, logo and headquarters, and may lead to layoffs.

Fox News Digital Over Takes CNN Multiplatform Visitors

FOX News Digital finished October delivering year-over-year growth, overtaking CNN with total digital multiplatform unique visitors for the third time this year, according to Comscore.

While continuing to lead all news brands with multiplatform views and minutes, FOX News Digital secured 3.9 billion total multiplatform minutes (up 13% over October 2023), 2 billion total multiplatform views (up 9% over last year) and 115.8 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors (up 6% over October 2023).* 

Comparatively, CNN saw double digit declines across the board and lagged behind FOX News Digital in all three of these key categories, despite the historic run up to the presidential election. Additional highlights include:The FOX News Mobile App reached 6.5 million unique visitors in October.**

FOX News was once again the most engaged brand on social media in the competitive set in October, with 47 million total social interactions, more than doubling its interactions from the year prior, according to Emplifi. FOX News drove 17.1 million interactions on Facebook, 27.1 million Instagram interactions and 3.7 million X interactions. FOX Business drove 1.3 million social media interactions during October surpassing CNBC. On YouTube, FOX News secured 283.2 million video views, seeing an 11% year-over-year increase according to Shareablee.****

FOXBusiness.com drove 160 million multiplatform views in October, surpassing CNN Business for the 31st straight month and Bloomberg.com for the 42nd consecutive month. Additionally, the business site delivered 217 million multiplatform minutes and 23.3 million multiplatform unique visitors.*** 

FOX Business’ videos on YouTube remained the most viewed among the business news competitive set for the 34th straight month, achieving 59 million views in October.*****


OCTOBER 2024 FOX NEWS DIGITAL VS. CNN.COM AND NYTIMES.COM

Multi-Platform Total Views

• FOX News Digital – 2,012,000,000 (up 9% vs. October 2023)
• CNN.com – 1,192,000,000 (down 14% vs. October 2023)
• NYTimes.com – 1,595,000,000 (up 10% vs. October 2023)

Multi-Platform Total Minutes

• FOX News Digital – 3,885,000,000 (up 13% vs. October 2023)
• CNN.com – 1,868,000,000 (down 16% vs. October 2023)
• NYTimes.com – 1,578,000,000 (up 2% vs. October 2023)

Total Digital Multi-Platform Unique Visitors

• FOX News Digital - 115,809,000 (up 26% vs. October 2023)
• CNN.com – 115,500,000 (down 11% vs. October 2023)
• NYTimes.com – 79.605,000 (up 6% vs. October 2023)

Twin Cities Radio: Cumulus Promotes Marv Nyren to Regional VP

Cumulus Media announces that it has promoted Marv Nyren to Regional Vice President of Cumulus Media in Chicago, IL, and Minneapolis, MN. Nyren currently serves as Vice President/Market Manager for Cumulus Chicago and adds oversight responsibilities for Cumulus Minneapolis to his purview.

Nyren joined Cumulus Media in 2017 as Vice President/Market Manager of Cumulus Chicago. Prior to that, he was Vice President, Corporate Sponsorships for Chicago Public Media’s WBEZ-FM. Nyren also held roles as President/Regional Vice President for iHeartMedia’s 13 radio stations in Jacksonville, FL, and Brunswick, GA, and was Regional Vice President/Market Manager for Emmis Media for 12 years, managing the company’s stations in Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Indianapolis.

Marv Nyren

Dave Milner, President, Operations, Cumulus Media, said: “Marv brings a wealth of experience across multiple U.S. markets to this expanded role. Known for his highly effective and impactful leadership in Chicago, Marv will be a tremendous asset to our talented teams and strong brands in the Twin Cities.”

Marv Nyren commented: “I’m deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead the Cumulus Chicago team, and now, expanding to the Minneapolis market is truly a dream come true. Being part of both teams is a privilege, and I’m excited to contribute and make a positive impact in both markets.”

Cumulus Media owns and operates three radio stations in Chicago, including Q101/WKQX-FM (Alternative); 890 WLS AM (News/Talk); and 94.7 WLS FM (Classic Hits).

Cumulus Media owns and operates three radio stations in Minneapolis, including: 92 KQRS/KQRS-FM (Classic Rock); 93X/KXXR-FM (Rock); and Love 105 FM/WGVX-FM/WWWM-FM/WLUP-FM (Adult Contemporary).

Birmingham Radio: Layoffs Persist At Summit Media

Longtime Birmingham radio personalities have left the air as Summit Media replaces hosts with syndication.

On Oct. 29, Kim Moore, also known as The Night Bird, quit her decades-long, highly-rated night show on 98.7 Kiss FM. She worked at the station for more than 25 years.

AL.com reports Moore is one of multiple people who have left various stations so far this year. In June, Darryl Johnson of 98.7 Kiss FM and Young Dil of 95.7 Jamz were laid off. In October, Leo Taylor and Pisani Baldwin of 610 WAGG also were laid off. Baldwin made the announcement on Facebook.

“And just like that the station that has been a staple for our community is no longer as you’ve known it to be,” Baldwin said.

Summit Media owns radio stations around the country and is headquartered in Birmingham.

Kiss, JAMZ and WAGG are three urban stations that drove the highest radio ratings in Birmingham, according to Nielsen Ratings.

As of Nov. 20, the hosts have either been replaced by a syndicated personality that’s based in other markets or music has filled the time slot where they were previously on air.

Johnson, Dil, Taylor, Baldwin and Moore had all worked for the company since its inception in 2012. Prior to that, all of the stations were owned by Cox Media where the same talent previously worked.

Fox and Hulu Content Streaming Partnership

Fox Entertainment announced on Thursday a multi-year content deal whereby the Walt Disney will retain the streaming rights for Fox's extensive programming slate.

Reuters reports the agreement includes an expansion of their platform marketing arrangement, reportedly valued at over $1.5 billion across four years, according to Deadline.

The new deal builds upon both firms' partnership spanning more than two years, a period that saw a surge in consumer interest in streaming platforms, prompting traditional television companies to look for partners to house their shows and movies.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Fox's prime-time entertainment programming — including "The Masked Singer", "The Simpsons", and "Family Guy" — will continue to stream on Hulu a day after the telecast.

"Our collective marketing efforts, which will continue with this new deal, have generated impressive results and helped viewers successfully find the shows they want to watch, when they want to watch them," said Lauren Tempest, general manager at Hulu.

Disney's efforts to raise prices and crack down on password sharing helped the House of Mickey report a second straight quarterly profit for its streaming business.

Fox is also enjoying strong growth with its own streaming business Tubi, an ad-based platform which the company expects to cross the $1 billion revenue mark in this fiscal year.

The deal also includes a renewal of an agreement that allows Hulu to stream out-of-season episodes of a number of Fox's unscripted programs.

Tech-stock concentration a 'big concern,' says market expert

DirecTV, Dish Merger Plans End

DirecTV has decided to walk away from its proposed merger with rival Dish Network, abandoning a tie-up that the two satellite-TV companies have attempted several times. 

The Wall Street Journal reports DirecTV said that it informed Dish owner EchoStar it plans to scrap the deal at 11:59 p.m. ET Friday. The decision came after a rebuke from bondholders representing about $10.7 billion of debt in Dish and its DBS subsidiary. The broader tie-up depended on the creditors’ approval.

In September, DirecTV agreed to buy Dish from EchoStar for a nominal $1, plus the assumption of debt. The deal started to break apart last week after the companies failed to secure concessions from the key creditor group.

The merger’s failure poses another setback for the satellite companies and their respective owners, EchoStar and TPG. Executives had banked on saving both satellite operators’ flagging fortunes by pooling their resources to negotiate better rates for the TV programming they carry.

Private-equity firm TPG is still set to buy the remainder of DirecTV it doesn’t already own from AT&T but now faces the prospect of managing a debt-laden business without the benefit of future cost savings to lift its trajectory. TPG bought a 30% stake in DirecTV in 2021.

EchoStar Chairman Charlie Ergen had planned to shed Dish and its SlingTV service to focus on building a new wireless network operator. The company has said it plans to move forward with those plans regardless of the satellite merger’s outcome.

FCC Adopts Final Rules For FM Boosters To Originate Content

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new rules allowing FM boosters to create programming for up to three minutes per hour. This will enable the use of the ZoneCasting geotargeting system, which had previously been allowed on a temporary basis.

The final rules were approved unanimously by the commissioners. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel highlighted that this change provides FM broadcasters with opportunities to deliver hyper-local content to different parts of their service areas.

This will potentially lead to more diverse content and new advertising opportunities for small businesses, helping them grow their audiences.

Here are takeaways from the final adoption:

• Stations using FM boosters to originate content must file a quarterly public service certification.
• Broadcasters must notify the commission at least 15 days in advance before using boosters.
• Procedures are in place to predict and address potential interference before construction, with a cap of 25 boosters per station.
• State Emergency Communications Committees must update their state EAS plans to reflect the use of program-originating boosters.
• Broadcasters using ZoneCasting must adhere to political advertising rules.
• The FCC's new rules primarily regulate the use of the ZoneCasting system from GeoBroadcast Solutions.
• Several broadcasters have applied for booster construction permits, but only one has applied for experimental authority for program origination.
• The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) opposes geotargeting, fearing it will harm small broadcasters and cause signal disruption.

The Commission’s decision to allow geo-targeting is a significant change for FM boosters, which in the past were designed to help a station improve its coverage where reception was poor, such as when a mountain blocked off a portion of a market from a signal.

“This can help broadcasters further serve their local communities. It is going to benefit a lot of small businesses along the way,” said Commissioner Brendan Carr, who championed the proposal with Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. “It has taken a lot of work to get here,” Carr noted.

The change is expected to enhance the ability of broadcasters to connect with listeners through more localized and relevant content, addressing specific needs of their communities while also opening doors for small businesses to reach a more targeted audience.

Twin Cities Radio: WCCO Raises $348K+ for Hunger Mission

Audacy Minneapolis’ 830 WCCO raised over $348,000 to provide meals and care for those in need for Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities during the 22nd annual “Hunger Mission Radiothon.” This brings the total amount raised to $4.6 million since the radiothon’s inception in 2003. Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities helps people rebuild their lives and aims to break the cycle of poverty. 

“We are deeply grateful to our fans who always show such tremendous generosity,” said Brad Lane, Brand Manager of WCCO. “This outpouring of support will continue helping UGMTC do the tremendous and necessary work they are engaged in every day here in the Twin Cities. It also demonstrates the power and relevance of this legacy station in the community!”

“Our partnership with WCCO for the Hunger Mission Radiothon 2024 reflects the heart of our mission at Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities – coming together as a community to extend hope and transform lives,” says Pam Stegora Axberg, Chief Executive Officer, Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. “We are deeply grateful for WCCO’s unwavering support in amplifying the stories of resilience and redemption that inspire us all to make a difference and bring the community together to give.”

830 WCCO’s 22nd annual “Hunger Mission Radiothon” was broadcast live on November 19 from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. inside the Mall of America Huntington Bank Rotunda. You can hear all of the interviews and support UGMTC with additional donations at wccoradio.com.

830 WCCO’s “Hunger Mission Radiothon” is part of Audacy’s commitment to making a meaningful difference at scale. Audacy uses its reach and personal connection with listeners to advance causes that promote strong mental health and build sound communities.

Mobile Radio: WABD Camp Out for Hunger Collects 3K+ Pounds

Cami Marlowe, WABD Promotions Director, and Mojo Wilson

Cumulus Media’s 97.5 WABD, the Gulf Coast’s Hit Music Station, and Mojo, On-Air Host, Middays, joined forces with Feeding the Gulf Coast and generous sponsors including Mobile Mitsubishi, Walmart, and Mobile Country Public Schools to present the station’s annual Camp Out for Hunger Food Drive. 

The popular charitable event kicked off on Friday, November 8th and continued through Monday, November 18th in Mobile, AL. Station personalities, staff, and sponsors were on hand throughout the event to collect donations of non-perishable food items for Gulf Coast families facing food insecurity.

Throughout the ten-day event, Mojo camped out on a school bus parked in the Walmart parking lot until the station collected enough food items to fill the entire bus. By Noon on Monday, the Mobile community had donated more than 3,000 pounds of food for area families in need this holiday season.

Don Boyd, Regional Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Mobile and Pensacola, said: “I couldn’t be prouder of Mojo and the entire Cumulus Mobile team for stepping up to meet such an important need in our community. Leveraging the power of our five market-leading radio stations and digital platforms, the team demonstrated the incredible impact we can have when we work together. A special shout-out to Mojo, whose dedication and commitment—camping out on a bus for 10 days—serve as an inspiring example for us all."

Vincent “Mojo” Wilson, On-Air Host, Middays, 97.5 WABD and Regional Operations Manager, Cumulus Mobile and Pensacola, FL, said: “I have had no sleep and heard every car alarm and parking lot sound that you can imagine, but it was all worth it. I am so grateful to the Gulf Coast community for showing up and giving back to Feeding the Gulf Coast. Special thanks to my co-host and friend Cami for keeping me sane and my onesies clean. My dream of making sure families don't go hungry started to take shape in the last few days of Camp Out for Hunger. I am going to catch a few days' rest before we order up our next school bus for December. Yes! We are stuffing another school bus! Details coming soon!”

Radio History: Nov 22

➦In 1899…Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America registered in New Jersey

➦In 1904...Actor Roland Winters was born in Boston.  He was the longtime radio announcer for John J Anthony’s Goodwill Hour.  In TV he had recurring roles on the series Mama, Door With No Name & Green Acres, as well as dozens of guest spots. He died Oct. 22 1989 after a stroke, at age 84.

➦In 1906...Actor & announcer Howard Petrie was born in Beverly Mass. He had many bigtime radio announcing assignments with Garry Moore, Jimmy Durante & Judy Canova, frequently taking part in the skits himself. In TV he had recurring acting assignments on Bat Masterson & The Edge of Night, plus scores of guest roles.  Howard died March 24 1968 at just 61.

➦In 1934...“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” was aired on radio for the first time, on NBC’s Eddie Cantor Show.

➦In 1955...RCA paid the unheard of sum of $25,000 to Sam Phillips of Memphis for the rights to the music of a truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi: Elvis Presley. Thanks to negotiations with Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, RCA tossed in a $5,000 bonus as well — for a pink Cadillac for Elvis’ mother.

➦In 1963…Most U-S radio stations suspended regular programming following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas.  The Number One song that week was 'Sugar Shack' by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs.

More than three hours of KLIF 1190 AM audio from November 22, 1963, the day of President Kennedy's assassination.

Coverage begins at 11:30 AM (Dallas time) on 11/22/63, with Joe Long of Dallas radio station KLIF reporting live from Love Field Airport as President Kennedy arrives in "Big D".

Today 1190 AM is the home of Talk KFXR.

Kennedy coverage as heard on WBAP 820 AM Fort Worth:

And From The Big One, WLW 700 AM Cincinnati (then an NBC Affiliate):

Here is the initial bulletin heard on the NBC Radio Network about the shooting of President Kennedy in Dallas. Robert MacNeil reports live from a telephone located inside the Texas School Book Depository Building, which is where the gunshots came from.

This is the line feed from the ABC Radio Network News in the initial moments of the coverage of the JFK Assassination. Included is the ABC Log Book notes on what they were airing. Someone in ABC Master Control had to log literally everything that was broadcast each day. Also included UPI and AP wire copy which you can see the network anchors are relying on for information.

➦1963…The Parlophone label released the Beatles' second album in the U-K, "With the Beatles," and the single, "Roll Over Beethoven." Capitol Records in Canada issued the album as "Beatlemania! With the Beatles," which has the distinction of being the first Beatles album ever released in North America. Most of the songs from the album were not released in the United States until January 20, 1964 when Capitol Records issued "Meet the Beatles!"

➦In 1980...actress Mae West  died at her Hollywood home at age 87 following a stroke.

CMA Music Awards: Broadcasters Honored

The 58th Annual CMA Awards took place on Wednesday night from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Luke Bryan and former NFL star Peyton Manning returned to host the ceremony, with last year’s entertainer of the year award winner – country music superstar Lainey Wilson – joining as cohost.

Morgan Wallen earned the most nominations with seven, followed by Cody Johnson and Chris Stapleton with five. Post Malone and Wilson earned four nods each.

Despite being seemingly plagued by sound quality issues, the show included several starry performances, including a show-opener from Malone and Chris Stapleton and a tribute to this year’s lifetime achievement award recipient George Strait.

Ladies and gentlemen, the King of Country Music@GeorgeStrait
#CMAawards pic.twitter.com/8abAESzNM6

— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 21, 2024

Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan, among many others, also took the stage to perform.

🎵CMA MUSIC AWARDS: Winner's List

🎤2024 CMA Broadcast Personality Of The Year Winners:

• Weekly National: Crook & Chase Countdown (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase) – Jim Owens Entertainment
• Daily National: The Bobby Bones Show (Bobby Bones, Amy Brown, “Lunchbox” Dan Chappell, Eddie Garcia, Morgan Huelsman, “SZN Raymundo” Ray Slater, “Mike D” Rodriguez, Abby Anderson, “Kick Off Kevin” O’Connell and Stephen “Scuba Steve” Spradlin) – iHeartMedia
• Major Market: Frito & Katy (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas
• Large Market: Jesse & Anna (Jesse Tack and Anna Marie) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Medium Market: Steve & Gina In The Morning (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa
• Small Market: The Eddie Foxx Show (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, N.C.

📻2024 CMA Radio Stations Of The Year:

• Major Market: WYCD – Detroit, Michigan
• Large Market: WQDR – Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
• Medium Market: WUSY – Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Small Market: WYCT – Pensacola, Florida

📻CMA BROADCAST AWARDS: Winner's List

The CMA Awards aired live on ABC and will be available to stream on Hulu on Thursday.