Radio History: Dec 6

➦In 1877...Thomas Edison made his first recording of a human voice. On the recording Edison recited, “Mary had a little lamb. Its fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go.”  Edison recordings were made on tin foil and could sustain replaying only a few times.  Nevertheless, Edison’s little machine was an immediate sensation, widely demonstrated and covered by the press.

After the initial excitement around his invention, Edison turned from work on his “talking machine” to improve the electric light bulb.  He would not work on the phonograph again until the late 1880s, when wax cylinders replaced tin foil as his recording medium.

Sound recording instruments before Edison’s did exist, but they were not intended to replay what had been recorded.  Notable among these was Frenchman Leon Scott’s phonautograph.

Inspired by Edison’s work with sound recording, other inventors sought to improve the phonograph. Among the most noted were Alexander Graham Bell and Emile Berliner.  Bell and his associates experimented with disc and cylinder recordings and their graphophone, which employed wax cylinder records, became a popular dictating machine.  Berliner had commercial success with disc records and the machine to play them—the gramophone.

➦In 1923...President Coolidge became the first president to address the American people on broadcast radio from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC. Coolidge delivered a message about national priorities and the state of the nation to a joint session of Congress. Nowadays, that speech is known as the State of the Union address.

Over the years, technology has greatly changed the way Presidents deliver the State of the Union address. We've moved from broadcast radio to television, and now the Internet. Here's a timeline of some of the digital "firsts" when it comes to the State of the Union address:

• President Calvin Coolidge in 1923: First radio broadcast of the address
• President Harry Truman in 1947: First televised broadcast of the address
• President George W. Bush in 2002: First live webcast on the Internet of the address
• President Barack Obama in 2011: First to live-tweet the address

While there isn’t an exact number of how many people listened to President Coolidge’s first State of the Union address, the White House Historical Association estimates that his 1925 inaugural address reached more than 23 million radio listeners. In past administrations, reaching that many Americans was practically unheard of.

In 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881) spoke on the telephone to the instrument’s inventor, Alexander Graham Bell. Two years later, Hayes had his own telephone in the White House, but the invention was so new that very few homes or offices in Washington had phones, so Hayes had few people to talk to. In fact, the president’s telephone number was "1".

➦In 1943...the prestigious hour-long drama show “Theatre Guild On the Air” began an almost ten-year run, debuting on CBS radio.  For much of its run it was known as “The United States Steel Hour” first on ABC and then NBC radio, before moving to TV in 1953.

➦In 1957... Elvis Presley visited Memphis radio station WDIA 1070 AM where he met two of his music idols, R&B singers Little Junior Parker and Bobby “Blue” Bland.

FCC’s Carr: Broadcasters Must Be ‘Held to Public Interest Obligations’

In an interview with Nexstar’s NewsNation, Brendan Carr, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for FCC chairman, highlighted his commitment to “diversity of opinion” while also signaling he might have the regulator crack down on fact-checking efforts as part of a larger effort “to smash” the “censorship cartel.”

Carr made the remarks during a Dec. 2 interview with NewsNation host Chris Cuomo where he argued, “I think Americans have been seeing an unprecedented surge in censorship, particularly over the last couple of years.”

“As you said yourself, diversity of opinion is so important in this country, and it's gonna be one of my top priorities, is trying to smash this censorship cartel,” Carr added.

 

In discussing the definition of the “censorship cartel” and FCC’s role in combating misinformation, TV Technoloy.com reports Carr also launched into a critique of fact-checking that could be used against broadcasters.

“Look, at the end of the day, trying to draw the lines between disinformation and misinformation is very fraught,“ Carr said. “At the end of the day, more often than not, people are slapping those labels on political speech they disagree with. I think what we should try to protect is core political speech, religious speech, scientific speech. I don't think we want, you know, the FCC or any entity to be sort of superintending a lot of these decisions. But we have a lot of these fact-checkers out there that are really just narrative checkers.

Radio Leads Among Music Sources

What do listeners in the U.S. spend 74% of their average daily audio time listening to? MUSIC! For as much attention as is given to podcasts and other spoken-word audio sources in the press, we want to remind you that three-quarters of daily audio time is spent listening to music.

 
If podcast catalogs go back decades, music libraries go back hundreds of years (we’re looking at you Bach, Gershwin, and more) and those substantive libraries are available on a variety of audio platforms.

The graphic below shows the portion of time spent in the average audio day with various platforms when listeners consume music content.

For listeners age 13+ in the U.S., 32% of their music-listening time is spent with AM/FM radio and radio streams, making radio the source used the most to deliver music content.

Streaming services such as Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Pandora, and YouTube Music follow very closely behind at 28%. YouTube for music and music videos accounts for 18% of daily music listening.

Another 9% is spent with SiriusXM, 9% with Owned Music such as vinyl, CDs, or downloaded digital files, and 3% with Music Channels on TV such as Music Choice or Stingray.

Keep in mind that this data is for listeners age 13+. If we only look at listeners ages 13-64, streaming passes AM/FM by one percentage point, with streaming accounting for 31% of music listening by this demo, and AM/FM accounting for 30%.

China's 'Salt Typhoon' Seen As Threat To Telecom Companies

U.S. government agencies held a classified briefing for all senators on Wednesday on China's alleged efforts known as Salt Typhoon to burrow deep into American telecommunications companies and steal data about U.S. calls.

The FBI, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, the National Security Council and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency were among the participants in the closed-door briefing, officials told Reuters.

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden told reporters after the briefing he was working to draft legislation on this issue, while Senator Bob Casey said he had "great concern" about the breach and added it may not be until next year before Congress can address the issue.

Republican Senator Rick Scott expressed frustration with the briefing. "They have not told us why they didn't catch it; what they could have done to prevent it."

Separately, a Senate Commerce subcommittee will hold a Dec. 11 hearing on Salt Typhoon and how "security threats pose risks to our communications networks, and review best practices." The hearing will include Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan.

There is growing concern about the size and scope of the reported Chinese hacking into U.S. telecommunications networks and questions about when companies and the government can assure Americans over the matter.

A U.S. official told reporters a large number of Americans' metadata has been stolen in the sweeping cyber espionage campaign, adding dozens of companies across the world had been hit by the hackers, including "at least" eight telecommunications and telecom infrastructure firms in the United States.

"The extent and depth and breadth of Chinese hacking is absolutely mind-boggling -- that we would permit as much as has happened in just the last year is terrifying," said Senator Richard Blumenthal.

Incoming FCC Chair Brendan Carr said Wednesday he will work "with national security agencies through the transition and next year in an effort to root out the threat and secure our networks."

Report: MSNBC President Rashida Jones Mulling Network Exit

MSNBC president Rashida Jones is considering leaving the network after President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in to a second term in the White House as the left-leaning channel’s ratings crash, according to a report.

Jones – who took the helm in 2021 and became the first black woman to lead a major national news network – is mulling an exit from the job early next year, according to a report by Oliver Darcy in his Status newsletter. 

The move would only come after Trump is sworn in to serve a second term as president on Jan. 20, Darcy reported, citing anonymous sources.

“It’s amazing how people want to spend more time with their families or look for new challenges when the ratings crash,” a TV exec said sarcastically — skeptical that Jones would be leaving the helm on her own accord.

Rashida Jones

“Of course she’s making the decision,” the TV exec added. “They’re all leaving on their own, Norah O’Donnell, Chris Wallace.”

CNN anchor Chris Wallace was reportedly told his two poorly-rated shows would be axed and his massive salary slashed before he announced in November that he was leaving the network, according to Puck News.

And Norah O’Donnell announced in July that she would be leaving her CBS anchor chair — after her salary was slashed and the network’s ratings have continued to fall over the past few years.

A network source, however, disputed speculation that Jones would be forced out. “Anyone who believes that Rashida’s potential decision to leave is influenced by anyone other than herself clearly underestimates the respect she has inside 30 Rock,” a network source said.

MSNBC’s ratings have been in free fall since Trump clinched the White House in November.

Since Election Day, MSNBC recorded an average of 497,000 total-day viewers – a 47% drop, according to data from Nielsen. The network only registered a paltry 49,000 viewers in the advertising-coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54, according to Nielsen.

Bezos To Trump: The Press Is Not The Enemy

Speaking at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday, the billionaire Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos said he hopes that a second Trump administration will look more favorably on the press, saying he will “try to talk [Trump] out of” the idea that journalists are an enemy, according to CNN.

“I don’t think the press is the enemy,” Bezos told Andrew Ross Sorkin. “The press is not the enemy, let’s go persuade him of this.”

While Trump famously targeted Bezos and his companies during his first term, Bezos said he was “very optimistic” about a second Trump administration and suggested he even wants to help the incoming president.

“I am very optimistic this time around, I am very hopeful, he seems to have a lot of energy around reducing regulation, and if I can help him do that, I am going to help him,” he said of Trump.

During Trump’s first administration, he railed against Bezos and Amazon, called the Post “The Fake News Washington Post” and derided the paper as Amazon’s “chief lobbyist.” Trump accused the e-commerce giant of failing to pay its share of taxes and his administration blocked Amazon’s $10 billion cloud computing contract with the Pentagon, which was widely seen at the time as Trump seeking retribution against Bezos over the Post’s reporting.

“You’ve probably grown in the last eight years,” Bezos said Wednesday. “He has, too.”

Bezos, speaking publicly for the first time since he vetoed The Post’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, defended the controversial move, saying, “I’m proud of the decision we made, and it was far from cowardly.”

Study: Vehicle Ownership Regarded As Important 'Third Space'

DTS, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of entertainment technology company Xperi Inc. has released its new connected car report, “Vehicle Ownership and its Role as a Third Space: Alive, Well and Enduring.” 

The report confirmed the importance of personal vehicle ownership to today’s consumers and reveals that car owners continue to view their vehicle as an important third space, a place to take time alone, to relax and escape the stresses of home or work. Furthermore, as traditional ideas about both living and work spaces have evolved, many car owners see a future where their personal vehicle can become an extension not only of their living room, but also of their office.

Based on the findings of a survey of 3,217 U.S. consumers at least 18 years old who currently own or lease a vehicle, the report shows that 92% of respondents consider their personal vehicle important, with luxury/ultra-luxury owners and Gen Z indexing the highest for viewing their vehicles as a third space (after the first space of home and second space of work). The report also offers key insights into why consumers are spending time in their vehicles, what entertainment choices they are opting for and how automakers can make those third spaces better for their customers.

“There is heartening news for automakers in this consumer report: vehicle ownership is here to stay and its function as something beyond a mode of transportation is important to today’s consumers, whether they choose to be alone, to relax or de-stress in their vehicle, listen to music or watch videos when the car is parked,” said Jeff Jury, senior vice president and general manager of connected car for Xperi.

As the vehicle becomes a more centralized hub for entertainment, consumers will be looking for additional options to help them on their journeys. 88% of respondents noted that they listen to audio in the car, which has remained relatively steady over the past two years. Video on the other hand, has seen a healthy increase in usage. From 31% in 2022 to 47% in 2024, respondents stated that more drivers and passengers are watching video in the car. Additionally, respondents indicated that improved comfort and personalization, as well as having as many entertainment choices on their vehicle’s infotainment system as on their TV or mobile device, are among the features that would make their vehicle a better third space.

Key report takeaways:

• 92% say their personal vehicle is important and only 19% of respondents are likely to give it up in the next few years.
• 65% of Gen Zers and 63% of millennials view their vehicle as a third space.
• 61% of respondents expect their vehicle to eventually become an extension of their office or living room.
• Making the vehicle more physically comfortable inside ranked the highest with respondents for making their vehicle a better third space, followed by personalization, voice commands, more entertainment choices and auto pay functionality.
• 41% say they spend 30 minutes or more ‘taking time alone’ — more time than any other reason measured, except for vacation trips.
• 30% have parked their car in a quiet location to recharge, destress and relax, and over one in four (29%) have driven around without a specific destination, just to clear their head or relax.
• 62% of consumers would not even consider buying a vehicle if it did not have AM/FM radio available.
• 47% of respondents say video is watched in the car, mostly when parked, though some while in motion. Most video sessions are under 20 minutes and primarily short-form video, with the exception of road trips, which rely more on longer-form video like TV shows and movies.

Download the “Vehicle Ownership and its Role as a Third Space: Alive, Well and Enduring” report here.

NYC Gunman Remains At Large

The story begins with a killer waiting outside the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning where UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investors day, and within an hour it would be filled with Wall Street analysts and stockholders.

Brian Thompson

Despite the cold and the people passing by, he remains focused on his target. At 6:44 a.m., he spots Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, walking towards the hotel entrance in a blue suit. The killer's mission is clear, and the tension builds as he prepares to act.

The killer popped out from behind a car and raised a pistol fitted with a long silencer. What followed was what the police would call a bold assassination, which shook the insurance industry and sent a jolt through an area packed with holiday tourists.

By nightfall, a sprawling manhunt with police officers, dogs and drones spread citywide, bearing down on surveillance videos, a dropped cellphone and even Citi Bike data in search of the killer.

The NY Times reports the police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, who was sworn in 10 days ago, called it a “brazen targeted attack,” adding, “We will not rest until we identify and apprehend the shooter in this case.”

The killer wore a dark hooded jacket and a gray backpack, pictures released by the police show, with his face covered to his nose. He apparently knew which door Thompson was going to enter and arrived outside the hotel about five minutes earlier.

Surveillance video shows Mr. Thompson’s arrival. The shooter, seen from behind, walks up and fires at least three times, striking Mr. Thompson in the calf and in his back.

The victim manages a couple of steps and turns to face his attacker before collapsing on the sidewalk. The shooter’s pistol jammed during the shooting, but the gunman quickly cleared the jam and resumed firing, the police said.

CNBC reports Thompson is survived by his wife, Paulette Thompson, and their two children.

Thompson’s wife told NBC News that he had been receiving threats. She said the NYPD told her it was a planned attack.

“Yes, there had been some threats basically I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details,” she told NBC News. “I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

She told NBC News that Thompson did not alter any of his travel habits despite the threats.

LA Times to Launch 'Bias Meter' To Help Readers

Patrick Soon-Shiong’s plans to give the Los Angeles Times newsroom a rebirth continue to take shape, this time with the implementation of a so-called “bias meter,” according to The Wrap.

The L.A. Times owner explained his decision to add the artificial intelligence-backed feature with recent editorial board addition, Scott Jennings. The pair discussed the update — which could come as soon as January 2025 — on Jennings’ “Flyover Country” podcast on Wednesday.

“Whether in news or opinion … you have a bias meter,” Soon-Shiong said. “So that someone could understand as a reader that the source of the article has some level of bias.”

Patrick Soon-Shiong

He elaborated, “The reader can press a button and get both sides of that exact same story, based on that story, and then give comments.”

The billionaire’s newly unveiled plan echoed similar sentiments he made in November while promising impending changes at the LAT. “It is our obligation to ensure that our readers can tell what is News versus just Opinion,” Soon-Shiong wrote on X. “Every American’s views should be heard and we will label Opinion as ‘Voices’ … Voices of California and of the USA.”

Jennings was added to the Times’ new editorial board after Soon-Shiong was criticized for blocking his staff’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. The newspaper owner explained that he wanted to make changes in order to become more “fair and balanced” in light of President-elect Donald Trump winning the election.

“Growing the board with experts who have thoughtful balanced views and new candidates are accepting the challenge to join us,” Soon-Shiong wrote on X. “Way to go Scott and thanks for accepting.”

LA Radio: ‘Omar y Argelia’ Joins Jose 97.5 FM and 107.1 FM

Entravision Communications Corporation announces the addition of Omar y Argelia, one of the most beloved and dynamic duos in Spanish-language radio, to its Los Angeles station line-up. 

Beginning January 6, 2025, fans can tune in to their highly anticipated show exclusively on Jose 97.5 FM & 107.1 FM weekdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Omar Velasco and Argelia Atilano, affectionately known as Omar y Argelia, have built a remarkable and proven legacy over two decades as trusted voices in Latino households. Their dynamic as a married couple allows them to share personal stories, cultural nuances and everyday experiences that reflect the essence of Latino family life. Their unique chemistry, relatable storytelling, and commitment to celebrating Latino culture have made them household names, earning numerous accolades and the hearts of a very loyal following.

“We are thrilled to welcome Omar y Argelia to the Entravision family,” said Jeffery Liberman, President and COO of Entravision. “Their positive energy and deep connection to our audience perfectly align with our mission to deliver premium content that resonates with the Latino community in Los Angeles. With Omar y Argelia joining our programming lineup on Jose 97.5 FM & 107.1 FM, we’re delivering on our commitment to providing the best in live & local Spanish-language entertainment in Los Angeles.”

Charlamagne Spars On The View About Pardon

Radio personality Charlamagne tha God argued with the ladies on ABC News’s The View about President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden.

“All of the criticism is valid,” the radio host said Wednesday about the president’s Sunday pardon. “Democrats stand on this moral high ground all the time, and, you know, they act so self-righteous. The reality, he didn’t have to say anything in regards to whether or not his son wanted to be pardoned.”

He added, “He could have said, ‘Hey, man, I’m not focused on that right now.’ But since they were calling Trump a threat to democracy and saying nobody is above the law, but speaking about him, that’s what they were running on, so when he kept saying things like, ah, you know, nobody is above the law, I respect the jury’s decision in regards to my son. He didn’t believe that. But he didn’t have to volunteer that lie to begin with.”

“I’m going to stop you for a second only because you don’t know that it was a lie,” co-host Whoopi Goldberg interrupted.

Charlamagne laughed and asked, “You really think he just changed his mind over Thanksgiving weekend, all of the sudden?”

Goldberg asserted that she thought the president could have “changed his mind.”

Charlamagne just absolutely COOKED The View women…

“Why can't you say when Democrats are wrong!?" 👀 pic.twitter.com/8QUnnDLCT4

— American AF 🇺🇸 (@iAnonPatriot) December 4, 2024

“At some point, you get to the place where you just go, ‘So I’m just going to follow the straight and narrow always,’ because that’s what’s expected of Democrats,” she rationalized to him.

Charlamagne responded, “That’s their fault because they put themselves on a moral high ground, and they don’t have to do that.”

He explained, “The moral high ground is nobody is above the law. I respect what the jurors are saying. He didn’t — “

“So we’re mad at him because he changed his — ” Goldberg said. However, the radio host interjected, saying, “I’m not mad at him pardoning.”

“But you sound like it,” she said.

Charlamagne later asked Goldberg, “Why can’t you say when Democrats are wrong?”

Goldberg and co-host Sunny Hostin continued to defend the president’s pardon.

“Well, that’s ridiculous,” Charlamagne said.

“You’re ridiculous,” Goldberg shot back.

The Washington Examiner reports  rhe two later hugged it out and made amends.

Spotify Wrapped Reveals: The Tops of 2024

Spotify Wrapped is all about celebrating the fans, artists, authors, podcasters, and creators who made 2024 the record-breaking, culture-making, fandom-shaking year it was. And this year, Spotify is celebrating this cultural moment that’s driven by the passion of hundreds of millions of fans around the world.

Wrapped has continued to command a global spotlight as artists, genres, and trends break into new spaces like never before. This includes:

• Pop stars like Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, and Sabrina Carpenter rocketing to the top of our charts.
• Genres like country crossing over like never before in the capable hands of artists such as Beyoncé, Shaboozey, Lana Del Rey, and Post Malone.
• Indie acts like Clairo, Mk.gee, and The Marías garnering both critical acclaim and streaming success.
• Collaborations between artists (e.g., Billie Eilish and Charli xcx, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, and Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus), creating some of the most-talked-about culture-shifting moments of the year.
• The notable success and growth of female artists, specifically on our top albums list, where women hold eight of the spots in the top half of the list.
• “Die With A Smile” by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga taking the top spot as the song most frequently shared from Spotify to social platforms; “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish coming in at number two, and “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone, “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims, and “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan rounding out the top five.

In the world of podcasts, we have seen the growth of incredible fandoms across sports, comedy, and true crime in 2024. In fact, more than half a billion people have listened to a podcast on Spotify since 2019. And with more than 300,000 video podcasts soaring on Spotify in markets where they’re available, we saw fans enjoy the diversified way they consume content more than ever this year.

Taylor Swift’s Concert Book Is Tops

Taylor Swift’s fans turned out in droves to buy her self-published “The Eras Tour Book,” making it into one of the bestselling nonfiction book debuts on record. 

The Wall Street Journal reports Target, which is the title’s exclusive retailer, put the work on sale in stores on Black Friday and on its website beginning Saturday. Circana BookScan said the book sold 814,000 print copies in the week that ended Saturday, Nov. 30. 

That’s the second highest adult nonfiction release in the history of BookScan, the tracker said, behind former President Barack Obama’s “A Promised Land,” which sold 816,300 print copies in its first week. The presidential memoir went on sale in 2020. 

The former president’s book was available for sale at all major retailers; Swift’s book can only be purchased from Target, where it is priced at $39.99. The 256-page offering includes more than 500 images, including costume sketches and rehearsal shots. 

Though “The Eras Tour Book” is posting strong sales, it has also received some harsh reviews. Fans on social media have pointed out typos and lamented the layout of some photos, in which Swift’s image ends up folded into the crease between pages. 

Target and Swift have high expectations for “The Eras Tour Book.” A person familiar with the situation said the first print run was two million copies. By means of comparison, the biggest selling book of 2023, Colleen Hoover’s novel “It Ends with Us,” sold nearly 1.3 million print copies, according to Circana BookScan. 

A Target spokeswoman didn’t respond to a request for comment Wednesday evening. 

Report: The Disney Channel To Remain Active In The U-S

The online rumor mill has gone into hyperdrive over chatter about the channel – home to popular shows "Bluey" and "Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends" and other programs – being shuttered and filed away in the Disney vault.

In reality, USA Today reports the whole kerfuffle grew out of a misunderstanding. The Disney Channel is leaving two European TV services – Canal+ and Net TV in France and Spain, respectively – in January, the Walt Disney Co. says.

But viewers in both countries will still be able to watch Disney Channel programs on demand through the Disney+ subscription streaming service, Disney says.

The Disney+ fan site What's on Disney Plus also posted a statement from Disney about the shutting down of the Disney Channel linear network in Brazil in February 2025.

When asked about online chatter that Disney Channel was shutting down, Disney told USA TODAY that the channel has a full slate of children's programming – for preschoolers and kids who are older – planned through the coming year and 2026.

Overall, the Disney Channel is currently in more than 160 countries and in 34 languages, the company said.

Radio History: Dec 5

➦In 1901...Walter Elias Disney born (Died at age 65 – December 15, 1966).  He was the founder of the Disney entertainment empire and an animator, voice actor and film producer. 

Mickey & Friend

A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film producer, Disney holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual, having won 22 Oscars from 59 nominations. He was presented with two Golden Globe Special Achievement Awards and an Emmy Award, among other honors. Several of his films are included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Born in Chicago in 1901, Disney developed an early interest in drawing. He took art classes as a boy and got a job as a commercial illustrator at the age of 18. He moved to California in the early 1920s and set up the Disney Brothers Studio with his brother Roy. With Ub Iwerks, Walt developed the character Mickey Mouse in 1928, his first highly popular success; he also provided the voice for his creation in the early years.

➦In 1902...Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the first readable wireless radio signals 3,200 km across the Atlantic from his station at Glace Bay, Cape Breton to Poldhu in Cornwall, England.

➦In 1906...Radio, TV writer, producer and director William Spier was born in NYC (Died at age 66 - May 30, 1973). He is best known for his radio work, notably Suspense and The Adventures of Sam Spade.

Spier began his career on the editorial staff of Musical America magazine, eventually becoming its chief critic.   His radio career began in 1929, when he produced and directed The Atwater Kent Hour, an hour-long Sunday night presentation of Metropolitan Opera artists.

Spier was chief of the writers' department and director of development at CBS in 1940, when he was co-producer of Suspense and Duffy's Tavern. In 1947, he won a Mystery Writers of America award for The Adventures of Sam Spade. A 1949 magazine article said Spier "is generally rated radio's top-notch creator of suspense-type dramas."

➦In 1925...WIBX Utica NY signed-on. WIBX 1460 AM would move around the dial until 1948

According to the WIBX website,  at the time WIBX began transmitting, there were about 1,600 radio stations operating throughout the United States. It was estimated that when WIBX signed on the air, only about 19-percent of households actually had radio receivers and it wouldn't be until the late 1930s that radios would be considered standard features in cars. 

Over the years, WIBX's programming would change significantly. In the 1930s, WIBX would become an affiliate of the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and would broadcast programs from "the Golden Age of Radio" including dramas, comedies, soap operas, and sports; as well as newscasts which would become the standard for the top and bottom of every hour. In the 1950s, the sports talk program Sportswatch debuted and would continue until 2013, with many legendary hosts that would move on to the national scene. Through the 1960s and 70s, WIBX would become known for its Middle of the Road (MOR) format which would include a mixture of music and personality, sports, nationally syndicated programs and news. In the late-1980s, WIBX dropped music and moved towards the news-talk format that it runs today, that features Rush Limbaugh's nationally syndicated program and its affiliation with Fox News Radio.

Bing Crosby

➦In 1936...Bing Crosby started hosting the Kraft Music Hall radio show on NBC.

The program debuted June 26, 1933 as a musical-variety program featuring orchestra leader Paul Whiteman and served to supplement print advertising and in-store displays promoting Kraft products. During its first year the show went through a series of name changes, including Kraft Musical Revue, until it finally settled on Kraft Music Hall in 1934. Paul Whiteman remained the host until December 6, 1935. Ford Bond was the announcer.

Bing Crosby was host until May 9, 1946. Other entertainers who appeared regularly during Crosby's tenure included Connie Boswell, Victor Borge, and Mary Martin. A review in Billboard magazine commented, "It is a tribute to Bing Crosby, program's highlight, that the Music Hall seems to survive all talent change -- these changes simply pointing up the fact that the show is completely dependent on Crosby."

For the advertising managers at Kraft, it was imperative that advertising and entertainment be kept separate. For this reason, Kraft insisted that an announcer, not cast members, read its commercials.

➦In 1952..Mutual Radio broadcast “The Green Hornet” for the final time. The show left the air after 15 years on Mutual, NBC and ABC. “The Green Hornet” reappeared in 1966, this time on TV.

➦In 1955...Disc-Jockey Alan Freed‘s movie “Rock Rock Rock” (with Connie Francis singing for Tuesday Weld) opened to packed theaters in New York City. Other artists featured were Chuck Berry, LaVern Baker, Teddy Randazzo, The Moonglows, The Flamingos, and The Teenagers with Frankie Lymon.

➦In 1967... Top 40 WMCA 570 AM  was rated by Billboard magazine as the most influential in selling single records in New York.