A year after polarizing conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's death from lung cancer, his widow, Kathryn, is remembering her late husband and — no surprise — sharing some of what he thinks about the country now, according to People.
Speaking to Fox & Friends on Thursday morning, the 45-year-old Kathryn reflected on Rush's life and legacy, saying that she felt he "always led us to believe that America's best days are ahead. He would say I'm just a voice on the radio, but he was so much more. I call him America's Winston Churchill."
Limbaugh commanded an enormously popular and a deeply controversial career until he died, drawing millions to his daily radio show even as he was still regularly denounced by critics for a history of racist, misogynistic and inflammatory comments.
Kathryn, his fourth wife, was the one who announced his death last year, telling listeners on his show that February that her "wonderful husband" was "larger than life."
Kathryn & Rush
"I, like you, very much wish Rush was behind this golden microphone right now, welcoming you to another exceptional three hours of broadcasting," Kathryn said at the time. "For over 32 years, Rush has cherished you, his loyal audience, and always looked forward to every single show. It is with profound sadness I must share with you directly that our beloved Rush, my wonderful husband, passed away this morning due to complications from lung cancer."
Rush was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2020. He died at the age of 70 about a year later.
Describing her husband outside of the broadcasting world, Kathryn said he was a man of faith who was "always mentally engaged, whether it was watching a television program or reading his iPad. He always said that life is show prep and I think it was very much, in his case."
Still, she said her late husband would likely be angry at the current state of affairs in the country, given his conservative background.
"I think he would be rather furious," she said in the interview, a full version of which was posted on Fox Nation. "He would be upset with the United States not being as strong as it has been and should be. I know he would say it's not time to panic."
➦In 1920...Bill Cullen born (died from lung cancer July 7, 1990).
He was a radio and television personality whose career spanned five decades. His biggest claim to fame was as a game show host; over the course of his career, he hosted 23 shows, and earned the nickname "Dean of Game Show Hosts". Aside from his hosting duties, he appeared as a panelist/celebrity guest on many other game shows, including regular appearances on I've Got a Secret and To Tell the Truth.
Cullen's broadcasting career began in 1939 in Pittsburgh at WWSW radio, where he worked as a disc jockey and play-by-play announcer or color commentator for Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Hornets games. In 1943, Cullen left WWSW to briefly work at rival station KDKA before leaving Pittsburgh a year later to try his luck in New York. A week after arriving in New York, he was hired as a staff announcer at CBS.
His last regular radio job was as one of the hosts of NBC Radio's Monitor from 1971–73.
➦In 1922...WOC-AM, Davenport, Iowa, went on the air. WOC is widely known as the radio station where future U.S. President Ronald Reagan got his start re-creating Chicago Cubs baseball games.
Ronald Reagan
WOC traces its roots to 1907, when Robert Karlowa began an experimental station in Rock Island, Illinois. The station was known under several call-signs, including 9-BC, 9-XR and 9-BY.
On February 18, 1922, the government assigned the fledgling station the WOC call letters, and full-time broadcasting commenced. Historians believe WOC to have been the first commercial radio station west of the Mississippi River, and certainly the first in Iowa.
Karlowa continued to operate the station, but the costs quickly became too great. In March, he sold the station to Col. B. J. Palmer, who operated the Palmer School of Chiropractic, later the Palmer College of Chiropractic, in Davenport. The equipment was moved to a small studio on Palmer's Brady Street campus, and a family connection was started that lasted almost 75 years.
WOC was known for many firsts in the radio industry. A short list might include:
Broadcasting from the Iowa Legislature.
On-air and studio personnel being required to keep logs of such things as electrical consumption and on-air programming (to the second). The programming log also helped the station begin programs on an absolute "minute-and-second" schedule.
Use of a fader panel, allowing use of several microphones in the studio at one time.
On January 26, 1925, WOC formed a network and joined forces with radio station WEAF. In September 1927, WOC became a charter member of the new NBC radio network.
In 1933, Ronald Reagan got his first broadcasting job at WOC as a sportscaster. Reagan returned to WOC in 1988, when WOC and FM-affiliate KIIK 104 dedicated its new studios on East Kimberly Road.
Courtesy of Faded Signals
Early radio stations often shared frequencies. One station often would broadcast during the day and the other station at night.
According to Faded Signals, beginning in 1930, WOC in Davenport, Iowa, shared a frequency with WHO in Des Moines. In 1933, WHO signed on a 50,000-watt transmitter. The two stations shared the transmitter until 1934 when the owner of WOC-WHO, B.J. Palmer, was able to move WOC back to a full-time frequency in Davenport.
Today, both stations are owned by iHeartMedia.
➦In 1927...singer Jessica Dragonette starred on radio’s first Cities Service Concert (sponsored by the oil company of the same name) and literally, “sang her way into radio immortality.”
The Cities Service Concerts were musical broadcasts which had a long three-decade run on radio from 1925 to 1956, encompassing a variety of vocalists and musicians.
The concerts began with trial broadcasts in the New York area during 1925 and 1926 Graham McNamee was the announcer for the brass group of Edwin Franko Goldman when the hour-long program began February 18, 1927 on NBC, expanding to a symphonic sound with Rosario Bourdon and a 30-piece orchestra that summer along with the Cavaliers quartet.
On January 3, 1930, Jessica Dragonette brought her repertoire of 500 songs to the series, often doing duets with Frank Parker and generating top ratings during the 1930s. She was replaced by soprano Lucille Manners in 1937. Other performers during this period were Robert Simmons and James Melton. Along with the Cities Service Singers, baritone Ross Graham (1905-1986) arrived in 1939. Graham was also heard on Show Boat. Maestro Dr. Frank Black headed the show from at least 1938 to 1942 along with Manners and Graham.
The title changed to Highways in Melody in 1944 when Paul Lavalle was the orchestra leader. Lavalle continued after the show was retitled yet again as The Cities Service Band of America which experimented with simulcasting (audio broadcast separately over the radio) in 1949 and 1950. The series came to an end on January 16, 1956.
➦In 1949...The radio drama "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar" premiered on CBS Radio Network.
The show aired on CBS Radio from January 14, 1949 to September 30, 1962. There were 811 episodes in the 12-year run, and more than 720 still exist today.
Each story started with a phone call from an insurance executive, calling on Johnny to investigate an unusual claim. Each story required Johnny to travel to some distant locale, usually within the United States but sometimes abroad, where he was almost always threatened with personal danger in the course of his investigations.
The first several seasons imagined protagonist Johnny Dollar as a private investigator drama. In 1955 after a yearlong hiatus, the series came back in its best-known incarnation with Bob Bailey starring in "the transcribed adventures of the man with the action-packed expense account – America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator." There were 809 episodes (plus two not-for-broadcast auditions) in the 12-year run, and more than 720 still exist today.
Each story of the Bailey years usually started with a phone call from an insurance adjuster, calling on Johnny to investigate an unusual claim: a suspicious death, an attempted fraud, a missing person, or other mysterious circumstances
As originally conceived, Johnny Dollar was a smart, tough, wisecracking detective who tossed silver-dollar tips to waiters and bellhops.
CBS Radio tried to institute an economy measure in June of 1959: its four remaining dramatic series (Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar; Suspense; Gunsmoke; and Have Gun, Will Travel) would be moved from Hollywood to New York. The plan met with some resistance, because the cast members and crews of Gunsmoke and Have Gun, Will Travel were willing to cancel the shows themselves rather than move to New York. The situation was stalemated for 17 months, as all four programs remained on the air. Finally, in November 1960, CBS Radio kept Gunsmoke in California, discontinued Have Gun, Will Travel, and moved Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense to New York. Bob Bailey, unwilling to relocate, gave up the Johnny Dollar role. Bailey's last performance, aired November 27, 1960, was in a script titled "The Empty Threat Matter," perhaps writer Johnstone's editorial comment on CBS's intention to shut down production in California.
The final episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense, airing on CBS, are often cited as the end of the golden age of radio. The last episode of Johnny Dollar, "The Tip-Off Matter", ended at 6:35 pm. Eastern Time on September 30, 1962, followed immediately by the final broadcast of Suspense.
In 1964...The Beatles visited the Miami training camp of boxer Cassius Clay – later known as Muhammad Ali – who was preparing for his February 25th fight against heavyweight champion Sonny Liston.
In the evening The Beatles went to a drive-in movie, where they watched Elvis Presley in Fun In Acapulco.
➦In 1973...The nationally syndicated radio concert series The King Biscuit Flower Hour premieres, featuring Blood, Sweat & Tears, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
➦In 1992...WOWO 1190 AM's Jack Underwood died in Fort Wayne, IN. He hosted mid-days from 1956 to 1984.
➦In 1994..."Jungle Jay" Nelson, a popular Toronto and Buffalo radio personality and TV show host in the late 1950s and early 1960s, was found dead in his home. He was 57.
He was a DJ at powerhouse Top 40 WKBW 1520 AM Buffalo and hosted "Jungle Jay Show" on WKBW-TV.
He left Buffalo for Toronto in 1963 to become the morning personality at CHUM Radio, the Toronto equivalent of the old "KB," after a ballyhooed contest for the job. He left CHUM in 1981 and moved to CJEZ-FM and City TV in Toronto. Out of the broadcast limelight in recent years, he worked for the National Institute of Broadcasting in Toronto and as maitre d' at a restaurant, the Daily Planet.
Born Frank Coxe in Scranton, Pa., Nelson was a disc jockey there before coming to Buffalo, where WKBW was riding the crest of rock's surging popularity.
He joined Joey Reynolds, Danny Neaverth, Fred Klestine and a handful of other star disc jockeys who were kings of radio and school record hops. Owing to the station's 50,000 watts, their irreverent voices and record selections boomed into homes up and down the Eastern Seaboard.
On weekends Nelson changed into a pith helmet and khakis for his role as host of WKBW-TV's "Jungle Jay Show," a humorous audience participation series that aired on Saturday morning. The program was a hit with Canadian viewers as well, and it was Nelson's cross-border popularity that earned him the morning job at CHUM, said Michael Clement, a Toronto Sun reporter who once worked at the station.
Over the next two decades, he became a very big star in the market, known for his fast humor and impressions."
➦In 1998... the much beloved Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray died after a heart attack at age 84. He covered five Major League Baseball teams, beginning with 25 years of calling the games of the St. Louis Cardinals with two of these years also spent calling games for the St. Louis Browns. After a year working for the Oakland Athletics and eleven years with the Chicago White Sox, Caray spent the last sixteen years of his career as the announcer for the Chicago Cubs.
Caray caught his break when he landed the job with the Cardinals in 1945 and, according to several histories of the franchise, proved as expert at selling the sponsor's beer as he'd been in selling the Cardinals on KMOX.
Patti Wheeler
➦In 2012...Radio personality Patti Wheeler, a longtime fixture in Birmingham radio before retiring in 2008, died. She was 71.
For nearly 30 years, Wheeler co-hosted two of Birmingham's most well-known and highly rated radio shows. The first was "Patti and the Doc" with the late Tom "Doc" Atkinson. After that came "Patti and Dollar Bill" with "Dollar" Bill Lawson for 16 years.
Wheeler worked at WZZK 104.7 FM for 23 years before moving to The Bull (FM-102.5) with Lawson in 2002.
Cybill Shepherd is 72
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Vocalist Yoko Ono is 89.
Singer Herman Santiago of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers is 81.
Singer Irma Thomas is 81.
Actor Jess Walton (“The Young and the Restless”) is 76.
Singer Dennis DeYoung (Styx) is 75.
Actor Cybill Shepherd is 72.
Singer Randy Crawford is 70.
Drummer Robbie Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive is 69.
Actor John Travolta is 68.
Actor John Pankow (“Mad About You”) is 67.
Game show hostess Vanna White (“Wheel of Fortune”) is 65.
Vanna White is 65
Actor Jayne Atkinson (“Criminal Minds”) is 63.
Actor Greta Scacchi is 62.
Actor Matt Dillon is 58.
Rapper Dr. Dre is 57.
Actor Molly Ringwald is 54.
Guitarist-keyboardist Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion is 47.
Actor Ike Barinholtz (“The Mindy Project”) is 45.
Actor Kristoffer Polaha (“Ringer,” “Life Unexpected”) is 45.
Guitarist Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek is 45.
Actor Tyrone Burton (“The Parent ’Hood”) is 43.
Musician Regina Spektor is 42.
Bassist Zac Cockrell of Alabama Shakes is 34.
Actor Shane Lyons (“All That”) is 34.
Actor Sarah Sutherland (“Veep”) is 34.
Actor Maiara Walsh (“Desperate Housewives”) is 34.
The MSNBC ratings with the all-important 25-54 age group have taken nearly a 30% hit since Rachel Maddow, the host of the network’s marquee 9 p.m. ET program, has gone on hiatus to work on a variety of projects, including a movie, reports Marketwatch. Ali Velshi and Alex Wagner have filled in for Maddow, and MSNBC has plans for others to step into the critical spot.
Maddow started her leave earlier in February and is expected to be gone for two months. News reports have suggested, however, that she may not permanently return to her eponymous 9 p.m. show.
MSNBC, which is part of the NBCUniversal conglomerate that is owned by Comcast CMCSA, isn’t the only cable news network dealing with major changes. CNN fired its longtime 9 p.m. host Chris Cuomo late last year — he was originally suspended because of his political ties to his embattled brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — and now the network has also parted ways with its president, Jeff Zucker, in a growing management scandal. CNN’s ratings took a hit as well following Chris Cuomo’s departure.
The ratings downturns don’t come as a surprise to media watchers, who say that cable news has increasingly become a personality-driven business. That is, viewers aren’t tuning in just for the news — they tune in for a particular host’s take on the day’s events.
“There’s a human relationship that happens,” says Eric Schiffer, a Los Angeles-based media and marketing expert.
Schiffer adds that the tie between host and audience has only deepened during the pandemic, because so many of us have been living in increased isolation. The news anchors have, in effect, taken the place of friends.
Not that this is entirely new ground. Americans have long placed their faith in prominent television news people — think of the hold that CBS’ Walter Cronkite once had on the nation.
But that connection only deepened in the era of cable news, particularly after CNN started to face competition from other networks — namely, MSNBC and Fox News.
Robert Thompson, a media expert who is director of Syracuse University’s Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture, says that the loss of a star news talent, even for a short period, is devastating for a network in that the host is a daily presence. Contrast that to a hit sitcom, which airs but once a week — and even then might have only 26 new episodes a year.
Plus, star hosts give networks a “face,” one that can be leveraged to develop or promote other programming, Thompson notes. “They’re very, very important” to a network’s identity, he says.
iHeartMedia Charlotte’s WHQC HITS 96.1, Charlotte’s #1 For All The Hits, announced today that renowned on-air personalities Miguel Fuller and Holly O’ Connor are coming to the HITS 96.1 morning airwaves with the debut of a new show, “Miguel & Holly,” effective March 7. “Miguel & Holly” will broadcast weekdays from 6-10 a.m.
On-air personalities Miguel and Holly are true local content enthusiasts, known for having natural and infectious chemistry that delivers a fun and interactive morning show.
“I am so excited to welcome Miguel & Holly to Charlotte and iHeartMedia,” said A.J., Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Charlotte and Raleigh. “They hold a winning track record and I’ve always appreciated how quickly they make a strong personal connection with their audience, lean into and embrace their local community, and provide a place where listeners can experience pop culture moments together.”
“It is evident that Miguel and Holly strive to be the best every day,” said Dave Carwile, President for iHeartMedia Charlotte. “I am confident that they will quickly engage with a sensational morning show and build strong relationships with our listeners and the local advertising community in Charlotte and the Carolinas.”
“Holly and I are absolutely honored to join the iHeartRadio family as we’ve always admired the company’s cutting-edge approach in keeping listeners and advertisers connected,” said Miguel. “I am so thankful that Holly and I get to continue to work together and host a morning show that will bring new, fun and genuine energy to The Queen City every morning!”
“Miguel and I met for the first time at a radio conference in Charlotte back in 2008,” said Holly. “We’ve come full circle and will now work together in the same city where it all began. Words can’t describe how excited we are to get started at our new home, HITS 96.1. We are so grateful to the entire iHeartMedia senior leadership team for this opportunity.”
iHeartMedia New York hs announced legendary talk radio station 710 WOR, The Voice of New York, will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its first day of broadcast on February 22, 2022.
On February 22nd, Len Berman and Michael Riedel in the Morning will kick off the tribute by interviewing on-air hosts from WOR’s history to share memories of their time at the station. WOR will also air audio of historic moments and invite listeners to call in with their favorite WOR recollections.
WOR's First Control Room
On February 23rd, the Empire State Building will light up in the colors of the station’s logo beginning at 5:40 p.m.
"For over 100 years, 710 WOR continues to remain one of the most trusted New York media brands and has kept generations of listeners informed with the latest stories and breaking news,” said Bernie Weiss, President iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group – New York.
“A station broadcasting for over a century is truly incredible,” said Tom Cuddy, Program Director of 710 WOR. “710 WOR has a strong connection with the communities we serve, and as the media landscape continues to evolve, it’s exciting to see our reach has continued to grow as WOR listeners adopt streaming on smart devices and the iHeartRadio app.”
John B Gambling 1930
WOR was initially started to sell radios and other merchandise at Bamberger’s department store in Newark, NJ. It quickly evolved into the leading news and talk station in New York and is the only station remaining in New York City approved by the FCC to retain a three-letter call sign.
Countless notable politicians and public figures have appeared on WOR during its 100-year history, including Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, Albert Einstein, Harry Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, Roy Rogers, Nelson Rockefeller, Coretta King, Mayor Ed Koch, Governor George Pataki, First Ladies Rosalyn Carter and Barbara Bush, and radio legends Dick Clark and Casey Kasem. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg made weekly one-hour appearances, and former New York Governor David Paterson hosted a daily afternoon-drive show.
1933
Other celebrity hosts include Joan Rivers, who hosted an evening talk show on WOR in the late 90s. WOR was also the flagship station for Larry King’s national overnight radio program and the first major radio station to feature three generations of one family as morning show hosts. The Gambling family hosted the morning show on WOR for more than 80 years (Rambling with Gambling starting in 1925 and then The John Gambling Show beginning in 2008).
710 WOR continues as a leading media outlet in the New York market with multiple platforms, including its broadcast stations; live events; data; and its digital businesses and platforms, including mobile, social, and its own iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service – with more than 3 billion app downloads and more than 150 million registered users.
Cumulus Media announces that it has appointed Colin Mathews as Program Director for CHR-formatted radio station WLTO Hot 102.5 FM in Lexington, KY.
Mathews joins Cumulus Lexington from Hot AC station 97.3 WMEE-FM in Fort Wayne, IN, where he was On-Air Host, Mornings. Prior to that, he was On-Air Host of “Mornings With Colin & Anna” on Country station NASH FM 102.5/WMDH-FM in Muncie, IN.
Mathews started his radio career as a producer for "Bob & Marianne in the Morning" on AC-formatted WARM 98.5/WRRM-FM in Cincinnati, OH.
Scott Frazier, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Lexington, said: “I am very excited to have Colin Lutz join our Lexington Team as WLTO FM Program Director. Colin’s experience, enthusiasm and engaging on-air presence will be well-received in our market. Can’t wait to see what he brings to both the listeners and our Cumulus radio cluster in Central KY.”
Colin Mathews commented: “While working as a morning show host for the past seven years, I’ve had PD after PD say that I would be a programmer someday, and that time has come! I can’t wait to learn from the Cumulus Lexington group and build on the already stellar Hot 102.5 brand.” Mathews added: “So excited to be a part of the Lexington community! Now I just have to join a bourbon Facebook group to keep my eye on releases!”
Cumulus Media announces that it has appointed Danielle Norwood as Co-Host of the KMAJ-FM/Majic 107.7 Morning Show.
Norwood joins Majic 107.7 Morning Show Host Shawn Knight on-air beginning Tuesday, February 22nd. The Majic 107.7 Morning Show airs Monday through Friday from 5:30am-10:00am.
Norwood was recently named “Best Local Radio Personality” in the Topeka Capital-Journal’s “Best Of” Awards for the second year in a row. She has also been recognized by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for the past several years for her daily television talk show on KTWU-TV, which highlights nonprofit organizations and special events in Topeka and northeast Kansas. Norwood joins Cumulus Topeka after six years hosting The Danielle Norwood Show for Alpha Media’s WIBW AM 580/FM News 104.9.
Nic Merenda, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Topeka, said: “Danielle Norwood is a tremendous addition to our Majic 107.7 programming lineup. She is the total package: a passionate broadcaster with equally strong relationships in the market with business leaders, community activists and most importantly, the listeners.”
Amber Lee, Operations Manager, Cumulus Topeka, and Program Director, KMAJ-FM, noted: “Danielle is someone I've admired in radio and in our local community for several years. I'm ecstatic to have her on our team and know our listeners will love waking up to Knight & Norwood each morning on Majic 107.7!”
Danielle Norwood commented: “I'm so excited to be co-hosting the morning show on Majic 107.7 and to be joining the team at Cumulus! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I am blessed to receive. Topeka and Northeast Kansas... start the coffee! Shawn Knight and I can't wait to start your day.”
The U.S. said Wednesday that Russia has increased the number of its forces along the Ukraine border by as many as 7,000 troops, despite Moscow's claims several times this week that it was pulling back some military units, claims about which the U.S. and its Western allies have been skeptical. AP reported that a satellite imagery company, Maxar Technologies, reported that Russia had built a new pontoon bridge and a field hospital in neighboring Belarus. Asked why Russia would claim to be withdrawing forces when there's no evidence of that, State Department spokesman Ned Price said, "This is the Russian playbook, to paint a picture publicly . . . while they do the opposite." Meanwhile, Ukraine's president declared yesterday a day of "national unity," with Ukrainians waving the country's flag in the streets and from their windows across the country.
BREAKING: Russia has added as many as 7,000 troops near the Ukraine border in recent days, contrary to claims by President Vladimir Putin that troops would be pulled back from the region, according to a senior Biden administration official. https://t.co/U0aECk9V1d
➤LAST U.S.-CANADA BRIDGE TRUCK BLOCKADE ENDS, OTTAWA PROTESTERS WARNED BY POLICE: The last blockade of a bridge between the U.S. and Canada by truckers protesting Covid restrictions and mandates ended Wednesday, with all border crossings open for the first time in more than two weeks after they'd disrupted cross-border trade. Those who'd blocked traffic at the crossing between Emerson in Manitoba and North Dakota drove away without any arrests. With the national capital of Ottawa, where the protests began nearly three weeks ago, now the remaining site of them, police warned participants yesterday to leave or risk arrest, giving them leaflets saying they could face charges, lose their licenses and have their vehicles seized. The warnings came two days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked Canada's Emergencies Act. The trucks have been blocking traffic in downtown Ottawa since late January, and residents have complained about loud honking and being harassed and intimidated on the streets. Interim Police Chief Steve Bell said yesterday, "We are going to take back the entirety of the downtown core and every occupied space. We are going to remove this unlawful protest. We will return our city to a state of normalcy."
'This is Canada it's supposed to be a free country', bridge blockade protesters speak out after police move in https://t.co/KIpE3fybzi
➤FBI SAYS AHMAUD ARBERY DEFENDANTS REPEATEDLY USED RACIAL SLURS: An FBI witness testfied yesterday in the federal hate crimes trial of three men convicted of state murder charges in the Georgia death of Ahmaud Arbery, saying that two of three men, all of whom are white, repeatedly used racial slurs in texts and social media posts, including some violent comments. Arbery was Black. Intelligence analyst Amy Vaughn referred to more than a dozen conversations Travis McMichael, the man who shot Arbery, and William "Roddie" Bryan had with others in which they often used the n-word to describe Black people. Among other comments, McMichael also said in one conversation that Black people, quote, "ruin everything," and he commented on a 2018 Facebook video of a Black man pranking a white person, "I'd kill that f***ing n****r." The FBI wasn't able to access the phone of Greg McMichael, Travis' father, because it was encrypted. The McMichaels chased down Arbery in a pickup truck as he jogged through their neighborhood in February 2020 and Bryan joined them. Travis killed him with a shotgun. The defense has said they were suspicious of Arbery because he was repeatedly seen inside a nearby home that was under construction.
Prosecution argues race played key role in death of Ahmaud Arbery during killers' federal trial https://t.co/qnLYQmjdm7 via @nbcnews
➤RETAIL SALES IN U.S. GREW ALMOST 4% IN JANUARY, NEARLY TWICE WHAT ANALYSTS EXPECTED: Retail sales in the U.S. grew by nearly four percent in January. The Commerce Department released its monthly report yesterday (February 16th) and says sales nationwide increased 3.8 percent in January to $649.8 billion—well above the 2.1 percent growth that most economists predicted. The figure also showed remarkable improvement over December, when sales saw a decline of 2.5 percent. The report reflects some improvement in supply chain shortages that have plagued global industries for much of the past two years. The Omicron variant also began to ease in January, which experts believe also accounts for some of the economic growth. Earlier this month the Commerce Department said inflation in the U.S. rose by 7.5 percent for the 12 months ending in January to the highest level in 40 years.
➤PALIN DEFAMATION SUIT JURORS SAW NEWS THAT JUDGE SAID WOULD DISMISS CASE: The jurors who ruled against Sarah Palin this week in the former Alaska governor's defamation trial against the New York Times saw push notifications on their phones while they were still deliberating that the judge had said he was going to dismiss the case, finding that Palin hadn't proved malice by the Times, according to court documents filed yesterday. The jurors told the court's law clerk that they "involuntarily" saw the push notifications on their phones, but, quote, "repeatedly assured the Court's law clerk that these notifications had not affected them in any way or played any role whatever in their deliberations." Although the judge said Monday that he would dismiss the case, he also said he'd allow the jurors to continue to deliberate to a verdict for potential appeal reasons. The jury returned their verdict rejecting Palins' claim a day later.
➤BIDEN ORDERS RELEASE OF TRUMP WHITE HOUSE VISITOR LOGS TO JAN. 6TH HOUSE COMMITTEE: President Biden has ordered the release by the National Archives of the Trump White House visitor logs to the House committee investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Biden rejected the executive privilege claim made by former President Donald Trump. The visitor logs show appointment information for people who were allowed to enter the White House on that day. The Biden administration releases White House visitor logs voluntarily monthly as did the Obama administration.
➤UBER USERS CAN SEE THEIR RATINGS NOW: Although Uber users have long been able to see their average ratings from drivers, there are now able, starting yesterday, to see more detailed information. The platform's Privacy Center now shows riders and drivers a breakdown of their ratings, including how many one-star ratings and how many five-star ratings. Users should go to the privacy section of the settings menu, swipe to the right, select the "would you like to see a summary of how you use Uber" tile, scroll to "browse your data," and then tap "view my ratings."
➤STUDY..ATTRACTIVE PEOPLE HAVE BETTER IMMUNE SYSTEMS: Beauty isn’t the only thing attractive people have. Texas Christian University researchers found that traits traditionally linked to attractiveness, such as a symmetrical face and bright eyes, may be signs the body is better at fighting off infections. In their study, the scientists found people rated most attractive by other participants also had higher rates of phagocytosis, the process by which white blood cells destroy bacteria before it can make someone ill. It’s long been suggested that good-looking people are healthier as, for example, people with symmetrical faces are less likely to have had developmental problems in the womb or during childhood. Study leader Summer Mengelkoch adds, “With modern medicine, infections are not as deadly as they used to be, so perhaps it’s ok if people lower their standards and start to give people who are less attractive a shot.”
🛫THE DIRTIEST AREAS OF A PLANE ARE PROBABLY NOT WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT: Airplane bathrooms aren’t actually the dirtiest place on board. A new report from BestLife reveals seat back tray tables are the single most disgusting surface on just about any aircraft. A flight attendant tells Business Insider, “You may think that people only place drinks on seatback trays, but the person before you could’ve slept on it or used it to change a baby’s diaper. I’ve seen people put their bare feet on top of tray tables.” This echoes findings from a 2015 study that found seatback tray tables contained an average of 2,155 colony-forming units per square inch, and researchers said as a result you should try to eliminate any direct contact your food has with the tray table. The issue is the cleaning crew only has a limited amount of time to do their work, and is more likely to focus on more obviously dirty places such as the bathrooms, as opposed to seat back tables or windows, which BestLife also says are teeming with germs. So don’t underestimate how important sanitation wipes and hand sanitizer are to take on your next trip.
Canadian Women Beat U.S. for Hockey Gold Medal - Archrivals the U.S. and Canada faced off in the women's hockey gold medal game and Canada came out on top, beating the defeating Olympic champion Americans 3-2. Marie-Philip Poulin scored two of Canada's three goals, and Sarah Nurse had the third. The U.S., which gets the silver medal, fought back from being down 3-0, but didn't make it far enough, with their second goal coming with just 14 seconds left in the game. Finland won the bronze, beating Switzerland 4-0.
"There was so much positive that's happened in the last couple weeks."
American Skier Mikaela Shiffrin Out Early for Third Time - U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin stunningly went out early in another race, missing a gate and landing on her hip in the slalom portion of the two-part combined event. She was in fifth place after the downhill portion. This was the third race in which Shiffrin was disqualified, after falling in the giant slalom and hitting a gate in the slalom, a particular surprise because they are her best events. She came in ninth in the super-G and 18th in the downhill. Defending Olympic champion Michele Gisin of Switzerland won the gold. So Shiffrin, who came to Beijing with the possibility of winning medals in five individual events, will go home with none from them. She has said she plans to appear in a sixth and final race Saturday, the team event.
U.S. Men Make Curling Semifinal with Win Over Denmark - The defending Olympic champion U.S. men's curling team made the semifinals with a 7-5 win over Denmark. They will play Great Britain in their semifinal competition. Sweden will play Canada in the other semi.
Ukrainian Skier Tests Positive for Doping - The International Testing Agency said Ukrainian cross-country skier Valentyna Kaminska tested positive for a steroid and a banned stimulant in a sample taken last Thursday. She already competed in all three of her events, finishing well out of the medals, and is now provisionally suspended pending a prosecution of her case. She is the second athlete to test positive for doping in Beijing, after Iranian skier Hossein Saveh Shemshaki. Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who's been allowed to continue competing, tested positive in a sample taken in December.
🥇MEDAL COUNT: (As of 4:00 a.m. ET) - Norway is in first place with 28 medals, followed by the Russian Olympic Committee with 24, and Germany has 21. In the gold medal count, Norway is first with 13, Germany is second with 10, and the U.S. is third with eight. The U.S. has 20 medals overall, eight gold, eight silver and four bronze. ESPN'S MEDAL TRACKER
OTHER SPORTS:
🏈VICTORY PARADE IN L.A. FOR SUPER BOWL CHAMPION RAMS: The Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams were celebrated with a parade and rally in L.A. yesterday. Fans lined the mile-long parade route as players went by in open-top, double-decker buses that went to a plaza outside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a rally. Although the Rams play in new SoFi Stadium, the Coliseum was their home for decades. Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. gave the key to his city -- which is home to SoFi Stadium -- to Rams owner Stan Kroenke as part of the celebration. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who was the Super Bowl MVP, and future Hall of Famer defensive tackle Aaron Donald were among those who spoke. Kupp responded to calls to "run it back" and win again next year by saying he thinks they can do it, declaring, "I really believe it. This is just the start." Meanwhile, Donald suggested he might not retire after all, saying, "We built a super team, we can bring the super team back. Why not run it back? We can be world champs again!"
🏀BULLS' DEROZAN BREAKS WILT CHAMBERLAIN RECORD: The Chicago Bulls' DeMar DeRozan yesterday broke a record set by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain as he scored 38 points in the Bulls' 125-118 win over the Sacramento Kings. DeRozan, who made 16 of 27 field goals, became the first player in NBA history to score 35 or more points and shoot 50 percent or better in seven consecutive games. Chamberlain did it in six straight games twice, during the 1960-61 and 1962-63 seasons.
⚾PITCHER HARVEY COULD BE SUSPENDED AFTER ADMITTING GAVE OPIOIDS TO SKAGGS: Free agent pitcher Matt Harvey could be suspended for at least 60 days for admitting during federal court testimony Tuesday that he'd provided opioids to late pitcher Tyler Skaggs on several occasions, ESPN reported Wednesday, citing an MLB official who said it would qualify as distribution under the league's drug policy. Harvey was given immunity from the government to testify, meaning he can't be prosecuted for anything he admitted to in court. He testified in the trial of Eric Kay, the former Los Angeles Angels communications director who is facing charges of distributing fentanyl and causing Skaggs' drug-related death in 2019.
🏌WOODS SPEAKS ABOUT 'FRUSTRATING' PACE OF ONGOING RECOVERY FROM CRASH: Tiger Woods spoke Wednesday about the, quote, "frustrating" pace of his ongoing recovery from his car crash a year ago next week in which he suffered severe injuries to his right leg. Speaking at a news conference at the Genesis Invitational, which benefits his foundation, Woods said, "I wish I could tell you when I'm playing again. I want to know, but I don't. . . . What's frustrating is it's not at my timetable. I want to be at a certain place, but I'm not. I've just got to continue working."
Podcast “Super Listeners,” Americans 18+ who listen to five or more hours of podcasts weekly, are engaged more than ever with podcast ads, according to the latest Super Listeners Study from Edison Research, the global authority in audio research, and Ad Results Media, an audio industry leader in branded personality-driven advertising.
Highlights from the latest research include:
Super Listeners continue the trend of spending more time each week with podcasts.
Super Listeners spend an average of 11.2 hours listening to podcasts weekly. This is up from 10.5 hours last year and 9.8 hours the year before. Measures for Super Listeners’ engagement with podcast ads are up or stable since last survey.
51% of podcast Super Listeners agree that they pay more attention to ads on podcasts than on other media, up from 48% last year.
53% of podcast Super Listeners agree that their opinion of a company is more positive when it is on a podcast they regularly listen to, up from 49% last year.
50% of podcast Super Listeners agree that advertising on a podcast is the best way for a brand to reach them, up from 49% last year.
Over half (56%) of Super Listeners said that hearing an ad on a podcast (compared to other places) makes them more likely to purchase a product, up from 54% last year.
Super Listeners are continuing to notice an increase in the number of commercials and length of ad breaks in podcasts.
59% of Super Listeners say the total number of ads in the podcast they regularly listen to has increased, up from 56% last year.
43% of Super Listeners say the length of the average ad break in the podcast they regularly listen to has increased, up from 41% last year.
22% of Super Listeners said that there are “way too many” advertisements on podcasts relative to other types of media, up from 18% last year
This year’s study saw an increase in the number of Super Listeners who believe it is important or very important to limit their exposure to advertising, up to 59% from 50% from last year.
According to Tom Webster, SVP at Edison Research, “It’s clear that podcasting’s most active consumers are both difficult to reach through traditional means of advertising, and also extremely receptive to the right message, in the right context, in their favorite podcasts. The podcast industry has an incredible opportunity to be a trusted means of access to an extremely valuable subset of consumers.”
Super Listeners often consume podcasts that include video.
Over half (55%) of Super Listeners currently ever listen to podcasts through YouTube, and 20% listen to podcasts through YouTube most often, second only to Spotify (23%).
Nineteen percent of Super Listeners say they discover podcasts most often through YouTube, ahead of recommendations from friends and family (17%) and searching the internet (13%).
“It seems that for the next generation of audio listener, podcasting has shown to be the medium of choice for spoken word content. Not only are people discovering podcasting at scale and through a number of various channels, the ‘super listener’ is choosing podcasting as one of their primary sources for content. Couple that with the level of trust and response that podcast advertising yields and you have the audio and audio advertising channel for the next era,” said Marshall Williams, Partner and CEO at Ad Results Media.
Shares of ViacomCBS Inc, rebranded as Paramount Global, plunged 21% on Wednesday to their lowest in over a year, after the media company's earnings miss and its move to ramp up investments in streaming raised questions over its ability to stay profitable, reports Reuters.
The company was a late entrant to the crowded video streaming industry, where Netflix and Disney+ have already carved out a big slice of the market by pouring billions of dollars into original content like "Money Heist" and blockbuster franchises like "Star Wars".
ViacomCBS said on Tuesday it would invest more than $6 billion by 2024 to create new content, $1 billion more than it had previously committed. read more
The steady stream of investments required to grow the business, including Paramount+, Showtime and BET+, will "limit margin expansion more than previously expected," Morningstar analyst Neil Macker wrote in a note.
Despite having a string of shows and films in the pipeline, including new installments of "The Quiet Place" and "Mission Impossible", the company's forecast to exceed $9 billion in revenue by 2024 in its direct-to-consumer (DTC) segment seems to have failed to impress.
MoffettNathanson analyst Robert Fishman said Paramount's losses will continue to mount, peaking at 2023 before improving as its content investment grows, while its traditional network TV business will come under pressure, limiting the company's ability to fully invest in streaming.
"Despite the big announcement of ViacomCBS changing its name to Paramount ... we are left with a similar question as we had last year: will the company be able to grow EBITA and FCF again to match prior levels?" Fishman said.
Spotify Inc has deepened its investment in podcasting with the acquisitions of Podsights and Chartable, two services that provide greater insights for advertisers and podcasting publishers, the Swedish company said on Wednesday.
Podsights helps marketers gauge the effectiveness of their ads, one area that Spotify said has been a major challenge. Chartable provides audience insights that help podcast publishers measure the effectiveness of their growth campaigns.
Reuters reports financial details of the transactions were not available.
"Our acquisitions of podcast technology players Podsights and Chartable are helpful in our pursuit of up leveling digital audio measurement insights," said Khurrum Malik, head of ads business marketing at Spotify.
Stockholm-based Spotify has been investing heavily in podcasts as unlike the music business, which is largely commoditized and low margin as it pays out a part of the revenue to the rights holders, podcasts engage listeners for hours on end, creating valuable advertising inventory that has underpinned the optimism by Wall Street over its long term future.
Since it announced its "Audio-First" initiative in 2019, signaling its push into podcasting, Spotify has acquired podcast networks such as Gimlet Media and Anchor, negotiated exclusive deals with popular personalities including Joe Rogan and "Call Her Daddy" host Alex Cooper, and invested in underlying technology.
Rogan has emerged as Spotify's most popular podcast in 90 markets, even as he has become a lightning rod for criticism for views on COVID-19 and use of racist language. He has apologized and more than 100 episodes of his show have been removed.
Spotify has been working to modernize podcast advertising through such features as the real-time ad insertion and acquisitions like Megaphone, which helps podcast publishers earn more from their content. It is hoping to capture a share of the $2 billion that eMarketer predicts will flow into podcasting by 2023.
Townsquare Media announced today that Cat Collins and Doug Montgomery on the company’s corporate Content and Programming Team have been promoted to Vice President, effective immediately.
Cat Collins
As Vice President, Cat Collins oversees CHR & Hot AC Content and Programming across all platforms – broadcast, digital, social and events — for the company’s 34 CHR-formatted stations and 18 Hot ACs. He also continues as the showrunner for both the CHR and Hot AC versions of Townsquare’s nationally syndicated show PopCrush Nights, which airs 7 nights a week and includes a Top 30 Countdown and Mixshow on the weekends. He has overseen the formats and shows since joining the company in 2016.
Doug Montgomery will continue to oversee Content and Programming for 70 Country stations, now as Vice President of Country Content and Programming. Since joining the company in 2017 he has led the Country format for Townsquare, and is the showrunner for Taste of Country Nights, which is produced daily on Music Row in Nashville and airs 7 nights a week on over 110 stations nationwide.
Both Collins and Montgomery report directly to Kurt Johnson, Townsquare’s Senior Vice President of Content and Programming, who has been with the company since 2011.
Doug Montgomery
Townsquare’s Chief Content Officer Jared Willig notes, “We are tremendously proud of the work that Kurt Johnson and the entire Content and Programming team do every day to grow our influential radio brands on-air, online and on the ground in their local communities. Cat Collins and Doug Montgomery are incredibly deserving of their new VP titles given their track records of achievement and impact for the company.”
Kurt Johnson, SVP of Content and Programming added, “Cat and Doug are two of the elite professionals in their respective genres. I am thrilled to recognize their top-level performance with much-deserved VP stripes, and am very fortunate to work with them daily.”
“It’s truly a privilege to work with such a talented team,” said Collins. “The six plus years I’ve spent with Townsquare has been an amazing journey as we have continued to innovate our multi-platform company. Thanks to Bill Wilson, Erik Hellum, Jared Willig, and Kurt Johnson for their belief in me and their unwavering commitment to excellent content on air and online.”
Montgomery commented, “Of course I appreciate the promotion, but helping our Country talent and programmers at Townsquare Media grow in their development is the reward in itself. I am excited to continue working closely with our Country station brands.”
Bobby Jack Murphy, who has been an on-air radio personality for close to 45 years, is retiring from WAKY and WLVK after his broadcasts Friday morning, reports The News Enterprise.
“It’s given me a good life and allowed me to do things I’ve always wanted to do,” he said about radio and the experiences it gave him. “I didn’t think I would ever be this lucky, but it worked out. I’ve really been blessed.”
Born Robert Lynch in Louisville and raised in Marion County, Murphy remembers the first time he fell in love with radio.
“I don’t know how old I was,” he said, guessing he was 7, 8 or 9 when his mother would take him along to her hair appointments to play with other children in the neighborhood. “They lived just up the road from the local station and their dad was on the radio. So we rode bikes down to the radio station because it had snacks.”
Murphy remembers the other children going to the creek to play, but his attention was captured by the broadcast.
He’s worked under other recognizable voices and notable names in radio such as Jerry David Melloy at WHAS, Johnny Randolph at WAKY and Coyote Calhoun at WAMZ, who gave Murphy his on-air name.
“That was a magical time,” he said of his stint with WAMZ in Louisville in the ’90s and early 2000s. “WAMZ owned the radio. Country exploded again with Garth (Brooks) and Clint Black and Brooks and Dunn and the free concerts. To be there when that time was going on was just cool.”
René Bell, managing partner and general manager of the local stations, said “He’s going to leave a big hole,” she said. “He’s an amazing friend to everyone he meets and he has a huge heart for community … anything he can help out with and spends a lot of personal time doing just that.”
Bell said Murphy has one of the smoothest voices in radio, making him hard to replace.
After the death of his wife, Debbie Lynch, and his father in August, Murphy said he decided it was time to take a step back from work.
“You just start re-evaluating,” he said. “Do you wait and retire — I mean, I don’t want to stop working — or do work for a few more dollars.”
iHeartMedia announced a partnership Wednesday with Sounder, an audio intelligence platform that builds foundational podcasting technology to drive monetization, brand safety and discoverability for audio content.
iHeartMedia will leverage Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud’s automated best-in-class AI and ML brand safety solution to ensure advertisers can confidently invest in the iHeartPodcast Network’s expansive and rapidly growing line-up of diverse content with more than 392 million downloads and streams a month (more downloads than the next three podcast publishers combined). The brand safety solution enables iHeartMedia’s marketing partners to buy across a wide array of creators with the assurance that the content adheres to industry safety standards. The technology will quickly expand to also allow advertisers to customize their brand safety guidelines, unlocking new and more diverse publishers to provide even more effective ad placements.
“As the leader in podcasting, the iHeartPodcast Network hosts the most diverse group of high-quality creators in the world and produces the most podcasts that generate over one million plus downloads. It’s critical that we learn from the challenges advertisers have had with video and social media to deliver safety tools and controls that allow brands to customize their campaigns and ensure that their ads will be delivered at scale in a brand safe environment,” said iHeartMedia Chief Data Officer Brian Kaminsky.
Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud enables large publishers the ability to perform brand suitability analysis, topic analysis, content summarization, and dynamic segmentation. These solutions help accelerate the size and engagement of the iHeartPodcast Network’s large and growing audience from the biggest and most diverse shows in the network, to the rapidly growing number of up-and-coming creators. Audio Data Cloud leverages Sounder’s proprietary automated speech recognition technology and powerful AI/ML models. In doing so, it unlocks uncaptured value for all enterprise audio content.
In addition to this commercial partnership, iHeartMedia has also announced a strategic investment in Sounder, as lead investor in the company’s Series A round.
➦In 1908...Walter Lanier "Red" Barber born (died October 22, 1992 at age 82). Barber was a sports commentator, nicknamed "The Ol' Redhead", was primarily identified with radio broadcasts of Major League Baseball, calling play-by-play across four decades with the Cincinnati Reds (1934–1938), Brooklyn Dodgers (1939–1953), and New York Yankees (1954–1966). Like his fellow sports pioneer Mel Allen, Barber also gained a niche calling college and professional American football in his primary market of New York City.
Red Barber 1934
Barber was born in Columbus, Mississippi. The family moved to Sanford, Florida in 1929, and at the age of 21, he hitchhiked to Gainesville and enrolled at the University of Florida, majoring in education. It was there in January 1930 that Barber got his start in broadcasting.
An agriculture professor had been scheduled to appear on WRUF, the university radio station, to read a scholarly paper over the air. When the professor's absence was discovered minutes before the broadcast was to begin, Barber, who working as a janitor, was called in as a substitute. It was thus that the future sportscaster's first gig was reading "Certain Aspects of Bovine Obstetrics". After those few minutes in front of a microphone, Barber decided to switch careers. He became WRUF's director and chief announcer and covered Florida football games that autumn. Then he dropped out of school to focus on his radio work. After four more years at WRUF he landed a job broadcasting the Cincinnati Reds on WLW and WSAI when Powel Crosley, Jr., purchased the team in 1934.
Joe Kearns
➦In 1947...The US government’s Voice of America began shortwave transmissions to the Soviet Union. It targeted the Soviet citizens in Russia under the pretext of countering "more harmful instances of Soviet propaganda directed against American leaders and policies". The Soviet Union responded by initiating electronic jamming of VOA broadcasts on April 24, 1949.
➦In 1962...actor Joseph Kearns, one of bigtime radio’s busiest regulars, best remembered as Mr. Wilson in TV’s Dennis the Menace, died after a cerebral hemorrhage at age 55. He was The Man in Black in the early years of CBS Radio’s ‘Suspense,’ and played Ed the security guard for Jack Benny’s underground vault. Kearns joined the staff of radio station KSL in Salt Lake City in 1930 remaining there until 1936 when he moved to Los Angeles, where found regular work in network radio.
➦In 1972...after getting their hands on some stolen tapes Los Angeles radio station KDAY played two unreleased Rolling Stones songs non-stop for 18 hours. The outraged Stones got a cease-and-desist court order the next day. The tapes were stolden from the home of producer Marshall Chess home.
➦In 1979…after five years airing locally on Minnesota Public Radio, Garrison Keillor‘s variety show “A Prairie Home Companion” was first broadcast nationally as part of NPR’s “Folk Festival America.” It's first local radio broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio in 1974.
➦In 1991…Radio Personality Gary Gears died from a heart attack at age 46.
Gary Gears AFVN 1968
Gary Gears may have had one of the best voices of all. According to Jeff Roteman's WLS Tribute website, The "Big G" joined WLS in 1971 after a brief stop at WCFL. Gary started at the Big 89 doing the 1-5 am overnight shift. By 1972, Gary had moved to middays working 9 til 12 noon replacing Joel Sebastian. In 1973, Gary was replaced by J.J. Jeffrey.
Gary Gears spent time at the legendary KOIL in Omaha before joining and serving in the US Armed Services. Gary was heard on AFVN radio in Vietnam. After his time in the service, Gary went to KQV in Pittsburgh from Minneapolis St Paul. After leaving Pittsburgh , Gary spent most of his career in Chicago at legendary stations WCFL, WLS and many others including WDAI, WIND, WJEZ, WJJD, WKQX, WMAQ and WRQX. He also spent time at CHUM in Toronto.
He served in Vietnam where he was a DJ at AFVN in Saigon.
Gary's voice was heard on commercials all over the country in the 70's.
➦In 1994...Radio personality Barney Pip (real last name: Pipenger) was killed in a traffic accident in Indianapolis. He burned to death in the accident. An article in Radio & Records said it was two weeks before his body was identified.
Pip started his career in 1959 with notable stops at WCFL Chicago, WPIX FM NYC and WIFE Indianapolis. He also worked at WJET Erie, Pa., WEEP Pittsburgh, WGLI Babylon, N.Y., WOKY Milwaukee, WIFE Indianapolis, WHHY Montgomery, Ala.
➦In 2021...Syndicated radio talker Rush Limbaugh died at age 70 from lung cancer.
Richard Karn is 66
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Comedian Dame Edna (Barry Humphries) is 88.
Actor Christina Pickles (“The Wedding Singer,” ″St. Elsewhere”) is 87.
Actor Brenda Fricker is 77.
Actor Becky Ann Baker (“Girls,” ″Freaks and Geeks”) is 69.
Actor Rene Russo is 68.
Actor Richard Karn (“Home Improvement”) is 66.
Sasha Pieterse is 26
Actor Lou Diamond Phillips is 60.
Comedian Larry the Cable Guy is 59.
Director Michael Bay (“Transformers,” “Armageddon”) is 58.
Singer Chante Moore is 55.
Guitarist Tim Mahoney of 311 is 52.
Actor Dominic Purcell (“Prison Break”) is 52.
Actor Denise Richards is 51.
Singer-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day is 50.
Drummer Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters is 50.
Actor Jerry O’Connell is 48.
Country singer Bryan White is 48.
Actor Kelly Carlson (“Nip/Tuck”) is 46.
Actor Conrad Ricamora (“How To Get Away With Murder”) is 43.
Actor Jason Ritter (“Kevin (Probably) Saves the World,” ″Joan of Arcadia”) is 42.
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is 40. TV personality Paris Hilton is 41.
TV co-host Daphne Oz (“The Chew”) is 36.
Actor Chord Overstreet (“Glee”) is 33.
Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is 31.
Actor Sasha Pieterse (“Pretty Little Liars”) is 26.
