Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. announced Thursday that employees at its Chicago radio station, WLEY – La Ley 107.9 FM, have voted to decertify and remove the Union that had previously represented them in dealing with the Company.
The Union -- Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, or SAG-AFTRA -- had represented certain on-air talent and production employees in Chicago since being voted in almost three years ago.
Since that time, SBS and the Union had been negotiating the terms of an initial collective bargaining agreement, but no agreement was ever reached. Employees voted on the decertification question by mail over the past few weeks, and the results of the vote were officially confirmed on June 28 by the National Labor Relations Board, the government agency that conducted the vote.
“We greatly respect the important decision made by our employees to move forward without a union to act as intermediary between them and the Company in the resolution of personnel matters at our Chicago facilities,” said Richard Lara, SBS General Counsel. Mr. Lara added, “The Company looks forward to working more directly with our employees to build an even stronger presence in Chicago with our unique branded entertainment in this important market.”
Cox Media Group has announced that longtime WSB Radio veteran and first and only radio-only meteorologist Kirk Mellish is retiring at the end of July after 30+ years with the station. Mellish will transition into a consultant role beginning in August 2021 and will remain through the end of the year.
For more than three decades, listeners have tuned in each day to find out how Kirk will rate that day’s weather on the “Mellish Meter” and when there is severe weather to report, to hear his now famous call to action: “When the weather is hellish, depend on Mellish.”
”When I joined WSB in Atlanta in July 1987 just three years after graduation, I never would have thought I’d stay this long,” said Mellish. “It has been a blessing to turn my childhood hobby into a career and to serve most of these decades as the first radio-only, full-time meteorologist in the country. This is the type of broadcasting innovation typical of WSB and CMG leadership in the industry. It has been an honor and privilege to work with so many great colleagues and big names in our business in management, on-air and behind the scenes. I look forward to the next chapter in my life and am excited to pass the baton, or should I say barometer, to Christina Edwards who will be a great fit for the tradition of weather coverage on 95.5 WSB.”
“It has been an incredible honor to work with Kirk. An icon in Atlanta Radio, Kirk is best-in-class in his approach to weather,” said WSB Radio Director of Branding & Programming Drew Anderssen.
Mellish is a multiple award-winning meteorologist certified by both the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association. He is also a member of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame since being inducted in 2010.
Starting in late July, Meteorologist Christina Edwards will join the WSB Radio team, returning to Atlanta after six years of serving the Tennessee Valley at WHNT News 19. Prior to moving to Huntsville, Edwards was a longtime resident of Atlanta where she experienced a wide range of wild weather, including the Blizzard of ’93 coined the “Storm of the Century” that dropped nearly three feet of snow in her neighborhood.
”I am thrilled to be joining the legendary 95.5 WSB Radio! I grew up in metro Atlanta, listening to Kirk Mellish’s weather reports during my family’s daily commute, and I continue to listen even today. I appreciate Kirk’s ability to break down complex weather forecasts in a way listeners can understand. And, of course, diving into the details online in his weather blog,” said Edwards.
”I am thankful for Kirk’s service and weather forecasts. It is an honor to join 95.5 WSB Radio and continue in the footsteps of Kirk’s legacy.”
Purdue University announced Thursday that it has signed a letter of intent to enter an agreement for WBAA radio AM and FM to be operated by Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media (MIPM), which currently operates WFYI public broadcasting in central Indiana, with the goal of enhancing the station’s public service mission and offerings while preserving WBAA’s strong local heritage.
“Like we’ve seen done at many other higher education institutions, Purdue University has been looking for a public radio partner to lead WBAA toward its next 100 years in Greater Lafayette,” said R. Ethan Braden, Purdue senior vice president for marketing and communications. “WFYI is a strong public broadcasting entity, well-known and respected throughout Indiana, and we believe this agreement represents enhanced opportunities for our students, it preserves the experience that listeners enjoy today, and it extends WBAA’s reach and public service offerings.”
Pending approval by Purdue’s Board of Trustees, which will address the matter at its July 7 meeting, and approval of the license transfer by the Federal Communications Commission, MIPM is expected to assume operations of WBAA on or around Oct. 1.
Through the proposed agreement, WBAA will maintain its call letters, its strong heritage and its physical presence in Greater Lafayette. Local news and reporting, NPR and global news, and classical music — mainstays of WBAA’s current lineup — will continue to be aired on WBAA-AM and WBAA-FM and its digital frequencies.
Details are still to be determined, but enhancements are expected to include:
Purdue students in the Brian Lamb School of Communication, WBAA’s internship partner, will have access to expanded learning and development opportunities both locally with WBAA and through the larger MIPM and WFYI networks, in positions spanning broadcasting, digital media, sales and marketing, and more.
WBAA members who donate at least $60 annually would receive a complimentary WFYI Passport membership (including access to a robust video streaming library of PBS and local programs) as part of the transition, an added membership perk for WFYI members that is not currently available for WBAA members.
Program and underwriting partners will gain access to a broader listenership via shared programming that will also air on WFYI stations.
“We are so pleased to work with Purdue University — a world-class research institution — on preserving its public service mission through WBAA,” said Greg Petrowich, president and CEO of Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media. “Through this agreement, we will strengthen and build on WBAA’s commitment to listeners and the communities served by WFYI and WBAA.”
WBAA-AM received its broadcast license on April 4, 1922. It is Indiana’s longest continuously operating radio station, one of several AM stations signed on by land-grant schools in the early days of radio. WBAA-FM began broadcasting in 1993. WFYI recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of operations.
This transition is subject to approval by the FCC, expected in September.
Meghan McCain has announced live on air that she is quitting ABC's The View after four years to raise her daughter in Washington DC, saying 'this was not an easy decision'.
DailyMail.com had revealed earlier on Thursday that the 36-year-old was stepping away from the daytime talk show at the end of the month with two years remaining on her contract.
Her co-hosts, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro, were not aware prior to Thursday that McCain had resigned, a source told The DailyMail.
McCain addressed her resignation during the The View's opening segment, saying: 'I'm going to rip the bandaid off'.
'I am here to tell you - all of my wonderful co-hosts and viewers at home - that this is going to be my last season here at The View.
'It's not easy to leave but I feel like this is the right decision for me at the moment.'
McCain also praised her co-hosts, who she regularly spars with on the show, saying it had been 'one of the greatest, most exhilarating, wonderful privileges' of her life working on The View.
'It is a privilege to work alongside such strong, brilliant, intelligent broadcasters... You are the most talented women on all of television,' she said of her co-hosts.
The View and ABC had fought to keep McCain on the show, according to DailyMail.com's source.
'We have tried to keep her, but she is adamant that now is the right time for her to leave,' they said.
The Wrap Graphic
While McCain’s comments often trended on Twitter and blew up the internet (including many on these here pages), it doesn’t seem like she had much of an impact when it came to the daytime show’s viewership. But to be fair: “The View” didn’t lose viewers either — at a time when just about every other daytime show has dropped, often by double digits.
Audacy has been named a 2021 honoree of The Civic 50 Greater Philadelphia by Philadelphia Foundation, in partnership with Points of Light and local partners. Modeled after Points of Light’s national program, The Civic 50 Greater Philadelphia provides a standard for corporate citizenship and showcases how employers use their time, skills and resources to drive social impact in their communities and company. This is a first-time regional effort to identify and celebrate civic-minded regional businesses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The award was announced yesterday.
This announcement follows the publication of Audacy’s first ever Social Impact report, which highlights the company’s efforts in it six pillars of impact: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Civic Education, the Environment, Mental Health, Children’s Health and Veteran and Service Members. The report also includes Audacy’s COVID-19 response and how through local and national efforts, listeners were kept connected and informed – even during periods of social isolation.
(Left to Right: Michael Nutter, Former Mayor of Philadelphia; Natalye Paquin, President & CEO, Points of Light Foundation; Sarah Harris, VP Social Impact, Audacy; David Yadgaroff, SVP / Market Manager, Audacy Philadelphia; Diane Melley, Points of Light Board Member & Executive Director, Philadelphia Foundation; Pedro Ramos, President & CEO, Philadelphia Foundation)
“We are honored to be recognized as one of the region’s most community-minded companies,” said Sarah Harris, Vice President of Social Impact, Audacy. “And I am thrilled to share our national impact and commitment to supporting sound communities in our inaugural social impact report. Thank you to our employees, partners and neighbors for the incredible work you do to move people to action within our markets.”
“Philadelphia Foundation is proud to recognize Audacy’s outstanding civic engagement,” said Pedro Ramos, President and Chief Executive Officer, Philadelphia Foundation. “All of the 2021 honorees have demonstrated great passion and dedication to making a meaningful impact in the local communities they serve. It is this type of commitment that resonates throughout a region and sets the standard for corporate stewardship. We thank Audacy for their efforts and congratulate them on this exciting honor.”
➦In 1916...Radio personality Barry Gray born Bernard Yaroslaw (Died – December 21, 1996). He is considered "The Father of Talk Radio".
Barry Gray
Initially a disc jockey (a role he portrayed in the 1949 short subject Spin That Splatter), Gray was working for New York's WMCA radio station in 1945 when he, bored one evening with simply spinning music, decided to put the telephone receiver up to his microphone and share his conversation with the listening audience. The caller that evening just happened to be bandleader Woody Herman, one of the most popular celebrities of the day. This spontaneous live interview was such a hit with both his listeners as well as station bosses, that the talk radio format resulted. Gray subsequently began doing listener call-ins as well.
Rival station WOR also saw the attraction of the talk format, and Gray worked an overnight shift there from 1945 to 1948 or 1949. He also broadcast for WMGM from the Copacabana night club in the late 1940s. In addition during 1947 he hosted the New York-based show Scout About Town for the Mutual Broadcasting System.
Gray also pioneered in early television, first as the host of The Barry Gray Show on New York's WOR-TV when Channel 9 went on the air in 1949, then more visibly as host of the first Goodson and Todman game show Winner Take All, replacing Bud Collyer in 1951.
In 2002, industry publication Talkers magazine selected Barry Gray as the 8th greatest radio talk show host of all time. Beginning in 1950 he ran for 39 straight years late-night on WMCA, then moved to WOR until his death Dec. 21 1996 at age 80.
➦In 1939…The Aldrich Family debuted as the summer replacement for Jack Benny Sunday nights at 7 on NBC radio.
For the next 13 years the program would open to the sound of Mother Aldrich calling, “Hen-ree! Henry Aldrich!” Mrs. Aldrich was named Alice; Mr. Aldrich was Sam; Henry’s sister was Mary; Henry’s mischief-making friend was Homer Brown; and Henry’s girlfriend was Kathleen. The teenaged Henry was played delightfully by Ezra Stone who was then already in his mid-20’s.
The show moved to CBS from 1944 to 1946, then back to NBC until 1953.
➦In 1941...'The Adventures of the Thin Man', based on the Nick & Nora Charles movie series of the same name, debuted on NBC radio. The radio series, initially starring Les Damon, was broadcast on all four major radio networks during the years 1941 to 1950. Claudia Morgan had the female lead role of Nora Charles throughout the program's entire nine-year run.
The first series, sponsored by Woodbury Soap Company, aired on NBC Wednesdays at 8pm from July 2, 1941 to December 23, 1942. Les Damon portrayed detective Nick Charles, and he continued in the role into 1943.
Sponsored by General Foods (Post Toasties, Maxwell House Coffee, Sanka), the next series began on CBS January 8, 1943, airing on Fridays at 8:30pm and some Sunday timeslots and continuing until December 26, 1947. Les Tremayne and David Gothard were heard as Nick Charles in 1944-45, with Tremayne still in the role in 1945-46. Les Damon returned as Nick in 1946-47, with Tremayne back in 1948-49 (sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon beer during the summer of '48). The last actor to do the part was Joseph Curtin in 1950.
➦In 1946…Radio personality Arthur Godfrey was signed by CBS Radio to host a weekly nighttime show called "Talent Scouts."
➦In 1951...Bob & Ray show premiered on NBC radio network.
Elliott and Goulding began as radio announcers (Elliott a disc jockey, and Goulding a news reader) in Boston with their own separate programs on station WHDH-AM, and each would visit with the other while on the air. Their informal banter was so appealing that WHDH would call on them, as a team, to fill in when Red Sox baseball broadcasts were rained out. Elliott and Goulding (not yet known as Bob and Ray) would improvise comedy routines all afternoon, and joke around with studio musicians.
Elliott and Goulding's brand of humor caught on, and WHDH gave them their own weekday show in 1946. Matinee with Bob and Ray was originally a 15-minute show, soon expanding to half an hour. (When explaining why Bob was billed first, Goulding claimed that it was because "Matinee with Bob and Ray" sounded better than "Matinob with Ray and Bob".) Their trademark sign-off was "This is Ray Goulding reminding you to write if you get work"; "Bob Elliott reminding you to hang by your thumbs".
They continued on the air for over four decades on the NBC, CBS, and Mutual networks, and on New York City stations WINS, WOR, and WHN. From 1973 to 1976 they were the afternoon drive hosts on WOR, doing a four-hour show. In their last incarnation, they were heard on National Public Radio, ending in 1987.
➦In 2015…Longtime CBS Radio News correspondent David Jackson died of cancer. He was 70.
Jackson reported on many of the important events marked on the timeline of modern history. He was on the ground in Beijing during the Tiananmen Square student protests. He was in Germany for the return of the American hostages from Iran. He was there when a gunman shot Pope John Paul II.
Jackson joined CBS News as a radio newswriter in 1972, becoming a reporter and special correspondent in 1976 and a full correspondent in 1981. Before joining CBS News, he was a radio and TV correspondent with the Marines and served one tour of duty in Vietnam from March 1968 to April 1969.
Owain Yeoman is 43
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal is 91.
Actor Robert Ito (“Quincy”) is 90.
Actor Polly Holliday (“Alice”) is 84.
Writer-director Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” ″Seinfeld”) is 74.
Keyboardist Roy Bittan of the E Street Band is 72.
Margot Robbie is 31
Actor Wendy Schaal (“American Dad,” ″It’s a Living”) is 67.
Model-actor Jerry Hall is 65.
Actor Jimmy McNichol is 60.
Bassist Dave Parsons of Bush is 56.
Actor Yancy Butler (“Witchblade”) is 51.
Violinist Melodee DeVevo of Casting Crowns is 45.
Actor Owain Yeoman (“The Mentalist”) is 43.
Singer Michelle Branch is 38.
Vanessa Lee Chester (“The Lost World: Jurassic Park”) is 37.
Actor Nelson Franklin (“The Millers”) is 36.
Ashley Tisdale (“Hellcats,” ″High School Musical”) is 36.
Actor Lindsay Lohan is 35. Actor Margot Robbie is 31.
iHeartMedia New York's WAXQ Q104.3 is celebrating 25 years as New York's Classic Rock Station.
The station started the celebration this morning with original morning team Donna Donna and Steve Morrison, former Program Director and morning man Bob Buchmann and original DJ and long-time metal guru Eddie Trunk joining the show along with well wishes from celebrities including Gilbert Gottfried, The Doobie Brothers' Tom Johnston, Jill Hennessy, Black Crowes' Rich Robinson, Steve Schirripa and Billy Joel!
Q104.3 is the #1 Classic Rock Station in America, with nearly two million weekly listeners.
In celebration of 25 years rocking New York, Q104.3 will be giving away $25,000 to one lucky listener. To win the contest participants must listen weekdays, starting around 9 a.m. during Q104.3's Free Music Mornings. When listeners hear the 25th song in the set, they must then visit the station website and enter the song's title, and artist played to be qualified.
Jim Kerr and Shelli Sonstein
Radio Hall of Fame member Jim Kerr leads the station's on-air staff partnering with Shelli Sonstein in the morning, followed by DJs Maria Milito, Ken Dashow, Carol Miller, Marc Coppola, Gerry Martire, Doc Reno, Jonathan Clarke, Ian O'Malley and Ralph Tortora. Q104.3 has been a staple in the New York community with the biggest rock stars gracing the stations airwaves from Jimmy Page to Paul McCartney, Bono to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and many more. The on-air staff have also hosted live broadcasts and reported on some of the most iconic entertainment moments, including the Led Zeppelin reunion at the O2 Arena in London, the Live 8 benefit concert and Billy Joel's The Last Play at Shea.
In addition, the team at Q104.3 has also helped New York get through its darkest moments from 9/11 to Hurricane Sandy to the current pandemic, serving as a trusted information source as well as comfort through music.
"I've been here for 21 of the 25 years that we've been bringing classic rock to the tri-state area," said Eric Wellman, Program Director for Q104.3. "Not a day goes by where I don't walk out of Penn Station, see the Empire State Building, and think how lucky I am to run a station that gets to broadcast the best music on earth from the top of that iconic building. I can't believe it's been 25 years already; it feels like yesterday. Here's to 25 more!"
"When Q104.3 signed on in July of 1996, I knew I wanted to be a part of it," said Jim Kerr, host of the ‘Jim Kerr Rock and Roll Morning Show' on Q104.3. "It took me seven years, but I was finally able to join this incredible on-air staff with the most talented and experienced people in the business. What a great team, and I am so proud to be a part of it!"
The remains of six more victims, including two children, were found Wednesday in the rubble of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, which partially collapsed a week ago. The children were identified as 10-year-old Lucia Guara and four-year-old Emma Guara. The remains of their mother, Anaely Rodriguez, were also recovered yesterday, and those of their father were found on Saturday. The total confirmed number of dead is now 18, with 145 people still missing. Also yesterday, a ramp was completed that should allow rescuers to use heavier equipment, hopefully speeding up the search through the concrete rubble, according to The Miami Herald. President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Surfside today, where they will meet with the families, as well as with the first responders and rescue teams.
➤EXTREME HEAT WAVE IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST COULD HAVE CAUSED HUNDREDS OF DEATHS: Authorities in Oregon and Washington state and in western Canada said yesterday that they were investigating hundreds of deaths that were likely caused by the historic heat wave that seared the Pacific Northwest in the past few days. Oregon health officials said more than 60 deaths have been linked to the extreme temperatures, which the region isn't used to, and at least 20 deaths in Washington were tied to the heat. British Columbia chief's coroner said her office had reports of deaths between Friday and Wednesday that were more than normal by some 300 people. Interior regions were still being affected by the heat wave yesterday, while temperatures had cooled significantly in western Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.
A historic heat wave is now underway in the Northwest as a heat dome intensifies.
Some will see temperatures unlike anything they have seen in decades of history - including Seattle and Portland.
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) June 26, 2021
😡WHAT IS A HEAT DOME?: You may have heard the term “heat dome” over the last week in relation to the oppressive temperatures in the Pacific Northwest. The National Weather Service (NWS) says the cause of the dangerous weather was a dome of high pressure positioned over a large swath of the western U.S. for most of June. Now the “heat dome” has shifted north, giving little relief to California, Arizona, Nevada and other states already threatened with sweltering weather. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says a heat dome occurs after “strong, high-pressure atmospheric conditions” join with influences from La Nina, climate pattern leading to the creation of vast areas of scorching heat “that gets trapped under the high-pressure ‘dome.’” The scientists say the main cause of heat domes is a “strong change (or gradient) in ocean temperatures from west to east in the tropical Pacific Ocean during the preceding winter.” Unprecedented heat will continue through the rest of the week for the Northern Great Basin and Northern Rockies.
➤TROPICAL STORM ELSA FORMS: Tropical Storm Elsa, a record-breaking fifth named storm of the season, formed early Thursday in the Atlantic, with South Florida in its cone of uncertainty for early next week.
➤TRUMP ORGANIZATION, CFO WEISSELBERG REPORTEDLY INDICTED: Former President Donald Trump's company, the Trump Organization, and its CFO, Allen Weisselberg, have been indicted, according to media reports last night. The criminal indictments for tax crimes related to fringe benefits given to top executives are expected to be announced today. Those benefits include things like the use of apartments, cars and school tuition, according to AP. Weisselberg has reportedly been targeted, in part, because of his son's use of a Trump apartment at little or no cost. There was no indication that Trump himself will be charged at this point in the joint investigation by the Manhattan and New York State district attorneys.
➤HOUSE VOTES TO CREATE COMMITTEE TO PROBE U.S. CAPITOL ATTACK: The House yesterday approved the creation of a special committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, with just two Republicans joining with the Democrats in the 222-190 vote. They were Rep. Liz Cheney, who lost her position in the Republican House leadership because of her criticism of former President Donald Trump, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger. The Democrats, who hold the House majority, will be in charge of the panel. Its creation comes after Senate Republicans blocked the creation of a bipartisan, independent commission whose members would have been evenly split between both parties. Several police officers who were injured fighting with the rioters on January 6th were in the gallery above the House floor for the vote.
Meanwhile, 54-year-old Mark Grods, yesterday became the second member of the extremist Oath Keepers group to plead guilty to conspiracy for storming the Capitol to try to block the certification of Joe Biden's presidential victory and to agree to cooperate with prosecutors
➤BILL COSBY GOES FREE AFTER CONVICTION IS OVERTURNED: Bill Cosby was released from prison Wednesday after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his 2018 conviction for sexual assault.
The 83-year-old comedian served nearly three years out of his 10-year sentence for three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault of drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004.
The court overturned the conviction after finding that he was denied protection against self-incrimination. The court said a “non-prosecution agreement” struck in an earlier case allowed Cosby to speak freely in a lawsuit against him, thinking he could not be incriminated criminally. That testimony later became a key element in his criminal case.
The state Supreme Court said Cosby cannot be retried on the same charges, essentially shutting the door on any further convictions for the former sitcom star. Legal experts told The New York Times that while more than 50 women have accused him of sexual assault, the statues of limitations on their cases make further prosecutions unlikely.
Cosby’s spokesman Andrew Wyatt told The New York Post, “It’s a beautiful day, and it’s a beautiful day, also for women.”
He alleged, “Millions of supporters and millions of women have gotten in touch with us and said ‘We know these women made up these allegations. We know it’s not true.
“But the beauty of today, another great thing, they can no longer call him a sexual violent predator. No longer call him a rapist. No longer call him these horrible things. He’s now Bill Cosby, an American and national treasure.”
Mack
➤ALLISON MACK SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON: Allison Mack, a high-ranking member of the Nxivm sex cult was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday. The former Smallville actress is required to have three years of supervised release after serving her prison term and has to pay a $20,000 fine. Mack pleaded guilty to a laundry list of charges including sex trafficking, identity fraud and money laundering in April 2019. Mack was arrested in 2018 along with several other Nxivm leaders, including Keith Raniere, who was convicted of racketeering charges and sentenced last year to 120 years in prison. Prosecutors asked US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis to give Mack below the recommended rage of 14-17.5 years in prison because of the “substantial assistance” she gave the government.
➤SAN JOSE PASSES LEGILATIONS REQUIRING GUN OWNERS TO HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE: San Jose, California's City Council this week passed legislation that requires gun owners to have liability insurance and pay a fee to cover the cost to taxpayers associated with gun violence. The first-in-the-nation law that was unanimously approved is part of a 10-point gun control plan unveiled by Mayor Sam Liccardo after the May 26th mass shooting by a San Jose rail yard employee in which he killed nine of his coworkers and then himself. Liccardo applauded the law's approval, saying, "We won’t magically end gun violence, but we stop paying for it." Officials have yet to determine how much the fees will be for gun owners, which will cover the costs of gun violence to taxpayers for things like police response, ambulance transportation to hospitals, and gunshot-related medical treatment.
With over 40 million Americans expected to travel for July 4, gas prices are at their highest level in seven years and many gas stations are running out. My latest for @NBCNightlyNews on the shortages and what you can do before hitting the road this weekend. #ThePriceYouPaypic.twitter.com/wZZaBEvWpO
🚘JULY 4 WEEKEND TRAVEL: WHEN NOT TO DRIVE: Fourth of July weekend is nearly here, and if you’re driving anywhere you’ll want to plan carefully. The American Automobile Association (AAA) says there are some days and times that are better for travel than others. AAA spokesperson Julie Hall says, “Travelers this Independence Day should be sure to pack their patience. Major metro areas across the U.S. could see nearly double the delays versus typical drive times. Plan your route in advance, leave early and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.” Auto analytics company INRIX says the worst travel times between today (Thursday, July 1st) and Monday, July 5th will likely vary. They say today (Thursday, July 1st), the worst hours to drive will be between 3 and 5 p.m. While on Friday (July 2nd) you should avoid the roads between 4 and 5 p.m.; Saturday (July 3rd) you can expect delays between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; while on Sunday (July 4th) traffic is expected to be light; and on Monday (July 5th) traffic is once again expected to be worst between 4 and 5 p.m. The AAA’s holiday forecast predicts more than 47.7 million Americans travel by car and plane during the Fourth of July, when last year just 34.2 million did so.
🚗LOS-ANGELES-AREA TRAFFIC NO LONGER NATION’S WORST, REPORT SAYS: The coronavirus pandemic got rid of one things many Americans hate, at least temporarily: traffic. But as the world slowly reopens, traffic is back in a big way. The Texas A&M Transportation Institute says in the past, the Los Angeles area was considered home to the nation’s worst vehicular traffic. But for 2020 the new title holder is the New York City-Newark, New Jersey, region. Los Angeles didn’t even finish in second, and instead tied for fourth place with the San Francisco-Oakland area, while Boston came in second place, and Houston came in third. The U.S. metro areas were ranked by how many total hours drivers were delayed over the course of 2020. New York City/Newark drivers were delayed 56 hours, followed by Boston (50 hours), Houston (49 hours), and the two California regions (both 46 hours.)
➤FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD RUMSFELD DEAD AT 88: Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who served in the position in two Republican administrations, died on Tuesday, his family announced on Wednesday. He was 88. Rumsfeld first served as defense secretary under Gerald Ford from 1975 to 1977, and then under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2006, leading the Pentagon into the post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Critics have faulted Rumsfeld for an apparent lack of sufficient planning for what would come in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, including for dismissing the assessment of the Army's top general, Eric Shinseki, that several hundred thousand allied troops would be needed to stabilize Iraq.
➤BUSINESS IS BOOMING FOR CASINOS IN LAS VEGAS: Tourists have been returning to Las Vegas in a big way as it recovers from the pandemic, with the city's casinos setting a record in May by winning $1.23 billion. It's the largest single-month win in the state's history, topping the previous $1.165 billion record set in October 2007. Additionally, the record in May came before Nevada lifted virtually all its pandemic restrictions on crowds and capacity on June 1st. Hotel rooms were about 71 percent occupied on average in May, with weekends at 88 percent, but that's still below what they were in the same period in 2019, before the pandemic struck.
➤YALE DRAMA SCHOOL TO NOW BE FREE AFTER $150 MILLION DONATION: Yale Drama School announced yesterday that it will no longer charge tuition after receiving a $150 million donation from music industry bigwig David Geffen. Free attendance will begin this fall, with Yale President Peter Salovey saying it will apply to, quote, "all students forever." Geffen said that removing tuition will, quote, "allow an even greater diversity of talented people to develop and hone their skills." He also stated that "Yale was the right place to begin to change the way we think about funding arts education." The school will be renamed the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University.
🏒LIGHTNING TOP CANADIENS 3-1 TO TAKE 2-0 STANLEY CUP FINAL LEAD: The Tampa Bay Lightning are now halfway to repeating as NHL champions after beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 last night (June 30th) in Tampa to take a 2 games to none lead in the Stanley Cup Final. Anthony Cirelli, Blake Coleman and Ondrej Palat scored for Tampa Bay, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made a playoff career-high 42 saves. Game 3 is Friday in Montreal.
🏀SUNS IN NBA FINALS AFTER BEATING CLIPPERS 130-103 IN GAME 6: The Phoenix Suns will be playing the NBA Finals after beating the L.A. Clippers 130-103 last night to win the Western Conference Finals 4 games to 2. Chris Paul led the Suns with 41 points and Devin Booker added 22 points, sending Phoenix to its first NBA Finals in 28 years. They will play the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks, which is tied at 2-2.
It's been a long journey for Chris Paul to finally reach the NBA Finals. https://t.co/4S97oZGTKe
🏀NBA PLAYOFFS: Results from Conference Finals yesterday:
Phoenix Suns 130, L.A. Clippers 103 - Suns win series 4 games to 2
⚾MISSISSIPPI STATE SHUTS OUT VANDERBILT 9-0 TO WIN COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Mississippi State shut out Vanderbilt 9-0 last night (June 30th) to win the College World Series 2 games to 1 for MSU's first national championship. Will Bednar and Landon Sims combined on a one-hitter, and Bednar was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player. MSU came back after losing the first game to win the next two and the championship.
🤑NCAA TO ALLOW ATHLETES TO PROFIT FROM NAME, IMAGE: The NCAA's Board of Directors yesterday approved allowing athletes to profit from their names and images, okaying one of the biggest changes ever in college sports. The expected decision came as a growing number of states passed laws that would have allowed athletes to profit in this way anyway, and as several of the laws in those states going into effect today. The NCAA will also allow athletes to enter into agreements with agents, but they are expected to keep their school informed of any and all name, image and likeness arrangements.
🎾DJOKOVIC, MURRAY, STEPHENS AMONG DAY 3 WIMBLEDON WINNERS, AMERICAN KENIN UPSET: Top-seeded Novak Djokovic, the U.K.'s Andy Murray and American Sloane Stephens were among the winners on a busy Day 3 at Wimbledon yesterday, during which players competed in scheduled second-round matches while others were still playing in their first-round matches that had been delayed by rain. Fourth-seeded American Sofia Kenin was upset by unseeded Madison Brengle, and 41-year-old Venus Williams lost her second-round match.
Audacy Wednesday announced the immediate launch of WLKK 107.7FM / 104.7FM The Wolf, Buffalo’s new country.
Previously known as Alternative Buffalo, the station will also be heard on local FM translator 104.7FM and now boast a vast music library of today’s top country hits, featuring artists like Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Dan + Shay, Miranda Lambert and Luke Bryan, among others.
“This is a great opportunity for us to add country to our content offering, and we’re delighted to now offer our listeners a new choice for country music,” said Tim Holly, Senior Vice and Market Manager, Audacy Buffalo. “Whether serving as the soundtrack to backyard barbecues or your commute to work, The Wolf will be home to fan favorites from some of today’s top country artists, and we look forward to celebrating this launch with our audience.”
107.7FM and 104.7FM The Wolf will launch with 5,000 songs commercial-free. On-air programming details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Hall Communications heritage country WPCV 97.5 FM in Lakeland – Winter Haven FL has announced Nic Allen as the new midday host beginning July 1. Allen fills a position that has been vacant since mid-May.
“Nic has been a bench player for all of our Florida properties for 6 years,” said Bob Walker, Vice President of Programming for Hall Communications and 97 Country Program Director. “He is a fantastic air-talent, understands social media, knows how to interact with the public and has a terrific work ethic. Nic is also a rock solid bass player to the delight of music fans across Florida.”
“I’m beyond pleased and excited, being named Midday Host for such a legendary station, 97.5 WPCV,” said Allen. “I would like to thank Art and Bonnie Rowbotham, Nancy McHan Cattarius and Mike James for getting me the door 6 years ago, and Bob Walker for letting me play on the radio. This is more fun than any human being should be allowed to have!”
Before joining Hall, Allen was both a PD and air talent in Ocala, Montgomery, and Chicago.
Donald Trump's super-charged return to the political stage over the weekend was a ratings smash for Newsmax, which trounced Fox News in key ratings.
According to Newsmax citing Nielsen data, 1.9 million cable viewers tuned into Newsmax to watch the network's coverage of the former president's rally Saturday in Wellington, Ohio.
Newsmax estimates another 1.3 million viewers watched through free streaming devices, bringing Newsmax's total viewership over 3 million. Fox News did not air the President's rally live
Newsmax's Nielsen ratings success is even more astounding considering Newsmax is carried in about 30 million less U.S. cable homes than Fox.
Still, in a key demo of 35-64, Newsmax had cable impressions per minute of 483,000 viewers, compared to Fox's 409,000.
Even with a significantly larger reach than Newsmax, Fox was able to eke out a small win in total impressions, 1.53 million to Newsmax's 1.4 million.
Newsmax had more than double CNN's impressions and triple MSNBC's, during the same time period.
The Nielsen Coverage Rating indicates from 8 p.m. Eastern — when Trump's speech started until its end at 9:30 p.m. — Newsmax had a household Coverage Rating of 2.01, while Fox drew just 1.60 during the same time period.
Newsmax also trounced cable news competitors CNN and MSNBC in Coverage Ratings.
For the first time in 2020, the newspaper industry earned more money from circulation than advertising, reports The Associated Press.
Yet like many of the other benchmarks noted this week by the Pew Research Center in the first of a series of reports on the state of the news media, that’s not necessarily good news.
Circulation revenue, from people buying digital or print subscriptions, reached $11.1 billion in 2020, Pew said. The newspaper industry reported $8.8 billion in ad revenue last year.
In 2006, in the early stages of the internet eating away at the industry, newspapers reported $49.3 billion in advertising revenue. Circulation revenue in 2006 was much the same as it was last year.
Pew’s estimate of weekday newspaper circulation, which is complicated by the move to digital and some different reporting sources, was 24.3 million last year. Twenty years ago, it was 57.8 million.
Newspaper newsroom employment stood at 74,410 in 2006, the last year that figure grew over the previous year. In 2020, there were 30,820 people in newsrooms.
The median wage for editors last year was $50,010, or $2,104 less than it was in 2012, Pew said.
Where’s the growth? Earlier this year, Edison Research and Triton Digital estimate 41% of Americans aged 12 and up had listened to a podcast in the past month, up from 9% in 2008.
Despite early rumblings from politicians, many legal experts expected Amazon’s $8.45-billion purchase of MGM to be a straightforward merger without major regulatory hurdles, reports The L-A Times.
However, On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) urged the Federal Trade Commission to do a “broad and meticulous review” of the proposed merger, raising concerns about Amazon’s reach in the marketplace and its competitive advantage.
Separately, in a petition filed Wednesday, Amazon questioned the motives of FTC Chair Lina Khan and asked that she be recused from the agency’s antitrust investigation of the company.
Among the concerns cited by Amazon was a paper Khan wrote as a student for the Yale Law Journal discussing Amazon’s dominance called “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox.”
“Given her long track record of detailed pronouncements about Amazon, and her repeated proclamations that Amazon has violated the antitrust laws, a reasonable observer would conclude that she no longer can consider the company’s antitrust defenses with an open mind,” Amazon said in its petition.
The scrutiny raises questions over whether other large tech companies that are growing their presence in entertainment could face similar challenges.
Amazon faces significant competition in the streaming video space from rivals like Netflix, Apple TV+ and Disney+. By buying MGM, Amazon would snap up a library of more than 4,000 movies and franchises like “James Bond” and “Rocky.”
Some legal experts have said they did not expect the acquisition would be blocked.
Former Fox News anchor Ed Henry sued the cable channel Wednesday, accusing his former employer of defaming him in a statement the company issued after it fired him last year following a sexual misconduct investigation, reports The Wall Street Journal.
In his 23-page lawsuit, Mr. Henry claimed that Fox News and Fox News Media Chief Executive Suzanne Scott lent credence to false allegations of sexual misconduct against him by issuing a statement about the circumstances of his dismissal. Henry said in his lawsuit that the statement was designed to “burnish [Ms. Scott’s] image as a tough, no nonsense female executive who cleaned up Fox News.”
Scott was named to the top role at the cable network in 2018, after a period of turmoil during which Fox News faced a number of high-profile sexual misconduct allegations against on-air talent and senior executives.
Fox News fired Henry in July last year after investigating a complaint made by a former employee of the network. The company said at the time that it had hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations and terminated him based on the probe’s findings.
Less than a month after Henry’s firing, Jennifer Eckhart, a former associate producer at the Fox Business Network, sued Henry, claiming that the former anchor had raped her in 2017 at a New York hotel and had sexually assaulted her in a separate incident two years earlier. Eckhart’s lawsuit against Henry is continuing, according to a person familiar with the case.
Henry has repeatedly denied all allegations of sexual misconduct.
Fox News denied Henry’s accusations and said it stands by its decision to fire him. The company said in a statement Wednesday that it would “vigorously defend against these baseless allegations as Mr. Henry further embarrasses himself in a lawsuit rife with inaccuracies.”
A judge ruled against Britney Spears on Wednesday in her attempt to have her father, Jamie, removed as conservator of her estate, reports The NY Daily News.
The “Toxic” singer, 39, first tried to have Jamie removed in November 2020. Her lawyer said at the time she was afraid of Jamie. So far her efforts have failed, and she was formally denied Wednesday, NBC News reported.
Judge Brenda Penny denied the request without prejudice, according to Variety, meaning Britney can file new motions to have her father removed.
Late Tuesday, Jamie Spears curiously called for an investigation into Britney’s claims of abuse. In explosive testimony last week, Britney detailed the draconian nature of the conservatorship, including that she is forced to use an IUD and not allowed to have children or drive a car.
“I’m not happy, I can’t sleep. I’m so angry it’s insane. And I’m depressed. I cry every day,” she said. “It is my wish and my dream for all of this to end.”
Jamie, 68, is in charge of Britney’s finances but not her day-to-day life in the two-part conservatorship. Britney’s personal decisions are controlled by Jodi Montgomery, a professional conservator. Jamie claimed that he’s been cut off from communicating with his daughter.
