December 30 In Radio History

In 1936...The famous radio feud between Jack Benny and Fred Allen began. After a 10-year-old performer finished a violin solo on "The Fred Allen Show," Allen said, "A certain alleged violinist should hide his head in shame for his poor fiddle playing." It didn't take long for Benny to respond. The humorous feud lasted ten weeks on both comedian's radio shows, and gave them material they continued using over the next 20 years.

In 1942...the radio program, "Mr. and Mrs. North", began it's run on the NBC Radio network.




In 1942...Frank Sinatra opened at New York's Paramount Theatre for what was scheduled to be a four-week engagement, but turned into eight weeks because of its popularity. Police were called to help curb the excitement among the screaming teenage girls known as bobbysoxers -- a phenomenon not seen before for a pop singer


In 1943...Mike Nesmith of The Monkees was born.




In 1945...Singer Davy Jones, "the cute one" on TV's The Monkees, was born. He died February 29, 2012 at 66




In 1950...At the National Studios in New York City, the Dominoes, a group that included Billy Ward and Clyde McPhatter, recorded the sexually suggestive novelty song "Sixty Minute Man," with Bill Brown taking the lead vocal. In the spring of 1951, despite being banned by many U.S. radio stations, the record rose to #1 on the R&B charts, where it remained for 14 weeks.


In 1962...Radio/TV talker Sean Hannity was born.




In 2005...Longtime Seattle radio disc jockey (KOL, KJR) Lan Roberts died of lung cancer at 69.

Lan Roberts

During the 1960s and 1970s, Roberts was a high-profile presenter with KJR in Seattle. Like many of the local DJs of the time, he left KJR for rival top 40 station KOL in a late 60s talent raid and returned to KJR in the early 70s.   He was known primarily for comedic skits and gags, working the coveted morning drive shift from 6:00am until 10:00am on weekdays. Lan Roberts was a master of voices and surrounded the top 40 hits of KJR with odd characters with names like Phil Dirt and The Hollywood Reporter. Roberts would carry on spirited conversations between his regular on-air voice and the characters. The Hollywood Reporter (no other name was given) would always begin a report on celebrity gossip in a lisping, snide, mocking voice "This is The Hollywood Reporter," and then continue with a totally bogus report. His career also included spells in Los Angeles, Hawaii, Taipei and San Francisco.

Later in life, Roberts returned to live in his old home town and worked as a radio consultant. He gained a new following by sharing his Liberal political views on his website. In the last ten years of his life he suffered from lung cancer, and urged visitors to his site not to smoke.  In addition, he used his internet presence to chastize the corporate mentality and lack of creativity in the modern broadcast industry.

In 2014...Scotty Rhodarmer did his last show on WWNC 570 AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Rhodarmer did the morning show for 50 years beginning in 1954.

Audio Consumers: It's the Sound That Counts

Global listeners have become more sophisticated with their audio preferences and have higher expectations regarding sound quality, however, just one in four believe that their current systems are delivering the premium sound they desire.

According to research commissioned by CSR, 82% of those surveyed rate excellent sound quality as one of the most important features in home audio systems with 79% agreeing that the quality of sound is becoming more important than the appearance of devices.

Along with the desire for CD-quality sound everywhere, the research highlights a growing shift to streaming music from the internet, and a preference for easy to install systems that can be networked in the home and accessed through multiple devices, including smartphones and tablets.

The State of Play global snapshot of listener habits, commissioned by CSR plc, surveyed 2,000 music lovers across China, Germany, USA, Japan and the UK, to find out what drives the audio equipment choices of today and what will drive them in the future.

Anthony Murray

“Music is hugely important to consumers and a way many of us make a personal statement, manage our emotions and deal with the daily grind. The desire for quality sound, particularly in the home is not surprising, but the fact that consumers are seeking more from their existing home audio equipment is,” comments Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President, Business Group at CSR.

“While people historically liked to show off the look of their speakers, today they value sound. The fast pace of technology innovation is a key driver for this, because as technology has matured, consumer tolerance for anything less than superior clarity has diminished.”

As well as a shift towards digital, more control over music is a priority with 69% of consumers stating that they would listen to more music if they could control music as they move into different rooms. When asked what they would expect from their audio equipment in 10 years’ time, 72% of listeners want control over the music playing throughout their home using a mobile device, allowing them to effortlessly change the music they listen to as they move from room to room.

With great confidence in the future of audio, consumers still crave simplicity in setting up and using technology due to varying levels of technical confidence.

Key Stats

• 77% state that they would like to get better audio sound quality at home, with over half (54%) of listeners saying it would improve their home audio experience
• 65% think they could tell the difference between a $500 and a $50 set of headphones purely by the sound quality
• Three quarters (76%) of listeners have streamed music at home in past month
• 62% think that in 5 years’ time everyone will be streaming their music from the internet / CDs, vinyl and MP3 files will be obsolete
• CDs still mostly popular in Germany (80%), UK (76%) USA/Japan (66%), China (49%)
• Radio is most popular in Germany (84%), UK (80%) and USA (72%)
• China streams the most music from the internet (88%)

Cincy Radio: Cumulus Stations Air No Charges For 'The Interview'

Cumulus Media radio stations in Cincinnati will began broadcasting no-charge commercials for the Sony motion picture “The Interview” Christmas Day.

The commercials are airing on radio stations AC WRRM 98.5 FM Warm98, Classic Hits WGRR 103.5 FM, Classic Rock WOFX 92.5 FM The Fox, Country WNNF 94.1 FM NashFM and  Rock WFTK 96.5 FM.

Listen To Commercial: Click Here

Local Cincinnati Cumulus employees also wrote and voiced an editorial in support of the movie’s release.  Click Here For Audio.

“We support the decision of Sony to release the movie and as a tribute to the generations of Americans and their families who have fought to preserve our rights, we thought this is the least we could do,” said Cincinnati Cumulus Media market-manager, Dave Crowl.

The Interview is an action-comedy in which celebrity tabloid reporter Dave Skylark (James Franco) and his producer Aaron Rapoport (Seth Rogen) are recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The film was originally set for a Christmas day debut. However, Sony pulled release plans after company computer servers were hacked, sensitive documents released and the company and theater chains were threatened by a group allegedly fronted by the North Korean government. In a turn of fast moving events, Sony then decided to a limited release and to make the movie available on various digital platforms.

Albany NY Radio: WZMR Readies Flip To Sports Talk

WZMR 104.9 FM The Peak will be changing its format from album Rock to Sports Talk starting Jan. 12, Albany Broadcasting general manager Bryan Hollenbaugh has announced.

The station joins WOFX 980 AM, WTMM 104.5 FM and WPTR 1240 AM airing sports in the market..

Hollenbaugh said the station will be affiliated with CBS Sports Radio. Currently, WPTR has is the Capital Region's home for CBS Sports Radio.

There will be new call letters for 104.9, Hollenbaugh said.

“We saw an opportunity to introduce CBS Sports Radio to the FM dial and took it," Hollenbaugh said. "Sportstalk programming is one of passion and loyalty among it’s listeners, and is a format that provides longevity. It is also a smart business decision, as advertisers see the value in marketing to this audience.”

WZMR 104.9 FM 530 Watts 60dBu Coverage

Asked if there will be any play-by-play sports on the station, Hollenbaugh said he will explore all options. WROW 590 AM, which is also part of Albany Broadcasting, carried Army football games this season.

WOFX is affiliated with FOX Sports Radio and has a partial affiliation with NBC Sports Radio. WTMM is with ESPN Radio.

NC Radio: WPCM Flips to Country

Curtis Media Group has changed the format of WPCM 920 AM / 95.1 T-FM  to mainstream country after playing beach and oldies music, General Manager Byron Tucker said.

The station was first founded on playing country music — the call letters stand for We Play Country Music — and the station has heard mostly positive responses, Tucker said, but some listeners did take to Facebook to air their complaints about the format change.

Others said they were excited for the change or inquired whether the station would play classic country songs.

“The music will be mainstream country, but we are mixing in a couple (older songs) per hour,” Tucker said. “We’ll reach back to Garth Brooks and Brooks and Dunn, but not very old. And it has to be an incredible huge hit along with today’s hits.”

Tucker said listeners can expect some changes to their DJ lineup, but they hadn’t sorted through all the details yet.

WPCM (W236BO) 95.1 FM (250 watts ) 60dBu Coverage

“We have listeners in all surrounding counties, but programming will remain for folks in Alamance County,” he said. “So we will hear local events and local folks on the radio.”

The station posted the following message to announce the change:

Thank you WPCM family. 

It has been an amazing time, from Oldies And Beach to Classic Hits and you have shown us unprecedented love over the years. Today we begin an exciting new chapter in our life as a radio station as we bring you the best in country music. 

We know that many you will miss the old music, but many of you will also be as excited as we are. Alamance County has a love of country music and it is our responsibility to the community and to ourselves to play the music that you want to hear and that our advertiser’s clients want to hear. 

Our devotion to Alamance County will not waiver, we will continue to bring you local events and news, keeping you, our listeners, at the top of our minds. 

Thank you again for your support, we hope that you enjoy this new phase of our lives. 

-The Staff And Managment Of WPCM

SD Radio: Fired Sales Rep Sues Citing Age Discrimination

A fired Rapid City, SD radio sales executive has filed a federal lawsuit accusing her former employer, New Rushmore Radio, Inc., of age and sex discrimination, according to The Journal.

Sherry Erickson had worked as a sales representative for the radio group for almost 12 years when General Manager Lia Green fired her in September 2013 after she refused to resign, according to the suit.

A subsidiary of Schurz Communications, New Rushmore Radio operates Fox 96.9, KRCS 93.1 FM Hot93-1, KOUT 987. FM KatCountry and AC KKMK 93.9 FM Mix93-9.

Erickson, who the lawsuit identifies as "over age 40," was granted permission to sue the radio group by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September, one year after her termination.

In court documents, Erickson said her duties were equal to her male co-workers', Erickson asserted she was not treated equally when it came to overtime and a bi-weekly salary draw. Sales representatives worked on a salary plus commission basis, with a bi-weekly salary draw.

In 2012, Green used every opportunity to ask Erickson when she was going to retire, and in a sales meeting, Green once asked Erickson her age, according to the lawsuit. A supervisor also told Erickson that "the company would prefer a younger, more energetic employee," according to court documents.

Erickson seeks compensatory damages, including back pay, liquidated damages, and interest. She has also asked for general damages for past and future losses arising from the pain, anxiety, humiliation and embarrassment she suffered, along with punitive damages, court costs and attorneys' fees.

Rolling Stone, Don Lemon Top 2014's 'Worst Journalism' List

The prestigious Columbia Journalism review released its list of the worst journalism of 2014 and several notable moments popped up including the "Jackie" fiasco from Rolling Stone and Ebola coverage from CBS.

Rolling Stone made the list for its multiple lapses in telling the story of a woman called "Jackie" who said she was raped at the University of Virginia. The powerful tale spread like wildfire throughout the country before other media outlets found issues with the storytelling itself, eventually revealing more questions than answers. RS didn't handle the aftermath very well either, earning it the negative accolade.

CNN's Don Lemon had several notable mistakes in 2014 including suggesting that missing flight MA Flight 370 could have been swallowed by a black hole, making comments about "preventing" oral rape and suggesting that Ferguson smelled like weed smoke.

The journalism review also called Fox and Friends "Fox and Fail" after a morning anchor suggested that the Rices (Ray Rice and Janay Palmer) should have taken the stairs because elevators have cameras. The two were involved in a violent assault on an elevator in which Rice knocked Palmer out cold.

Read More Now

Nielsen Releases More December PPM Data

Nielsen Friday released the third batch of December PPM results.  Markets released were:

23 Portland OR

 

24 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill

25 Pittsburgh  

27 Sacramento

28 San Antonio  

29 Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo

30 Cincinnati  

          31 Cleveland

32 Las Vegas 

33 Orlando 

34 Kansas City

37 Columbus OH

To See Topline Numbers for Nielsen subscribers: Click Here.

Boston Radio: The Sports Hub #1 Men 25-54

CBS Radio's WBZ 98.5 FM The Sports Hub finished first and Entercom's WEEI 93.7 FM was third in the men 25-54 demographic for the three-month fall Nielsen Audio Ratings period of September 11-December 3.

The Sports Hub had a 10.5 share, while WEEI had 7.0. Rock station WZLX, also owned by CBS Radio, was second (7.4), reports Boston.com.

It's the 10th straight three-month period that the Sports Hub has been the top-rated sports station in the market.

In morning drive, The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich program regained the top spot, earning an 11.4 share. WEEI's Dennis and Callahan program, which also includes third host Kirk Minihane, was strong second with a 9.7.

Read More Now

                  December 2014 6+ Topline Numbers for Nielsen Subscribers:

© 2005-2014 Arbitron Inc. All Rights Reserved. Arbitron radio audience estimates and data are federally copyrighted by and proprietary to Arbitron Inc. All Arbitron data are protected under U.S. copyright law, state misappropriation law, and other state and federal laws. Violations of Arbitron’s rights under U.S. copyright law may result in statutory damages per act of infringement and the recovery of Arbitron’s attorneys’ fees required to enforce Arbitron’s rights, in addition to other rights and remedies under other applicable laws, such as the Lanham Act.

Atlanta Radio: Clark Howard Collects Toys For Foster Kids

Clark Howard

Syndicated Financial Talk Host Clark Howard, in his 24th year, has collected enough toys and gifts for 5,200 foster kids statewide for Christmas, the most ever.

The year he joined WSB 750 AM radio, the Atlanta-based talker began this quest in 1991 to help kids who are often forgotten, ones who don’t know their moms and dads, who lack the traditions that many hold dear.

The syndicated talk show host consumer advocate said the process has become more streamlined over time, his National Guard buddies always a huge help. Every year, he stops by several retail stores as collection points for toys.

Howard said he was taken aback by the number of kids in need this year but his listeners stepped up. “The turnout was huge the last two days,” he texted me after Christmas. “I was on Cloud Nine!”

December 29 In Radio History

In 1891...Thomas A. Edison patented "transmission of signals electrically" (radio).


In 1945...Sheb Wooley recorded four songs for Bullet Records at the studios of WSM Radio, the first commercial recordings made in Nashville.


In 1945...The mystery voice of "Mr. Hush" was introduced to the audience of the radio show, "Truth or Consequences", which was hosted by Ralph Edwards.

Ralph Edwards

Born in Merino, Colorado,  Edwards worked for KROW Radio in Oakland, California while he was still in high school.  Before graduating from high school in 1931, he worked his way through college at the University of California, Berkeley, earning a B.A. in English in 1935. While there, he worked at every job from janitor to producer at Oakland's KTAB, now KSFO. Failing to get a job as a high school teacher, he worked at KFRC and then hitchhiked across the country to New York, where, he said, "I ate ten-cent ($2 as of 2014),  meals and slept on park benches".

After some part-time announcing jobs, he got his big break in 1938 with a full-time job for the Columbia Broadcasting System on WABC (now WCBS), where he worked with two other young announcers who would become broadcasting fixtures - Mel Allen and Andre Baruch.

It was Edwards who introduced Major Bowes every week on the Original Amateur Hour and Fred Allen on Town Hall Tonight. Edwards perfected a chuckling delivery, sounding as though he was in the midst of telling a very funny story. This "laugh in the voice" technique served him well when 20th Century Fox hired him to narrate the coming-attractions trailers for Laurel and Hardy movies. He later used the conspiratorial chuckle frequently when surprising someone on his programs.

In 1940, Edwards created the game show Truth or Consequences, which aired for 38 years on radio and television. Contestants were asked to perform (often ridiculous) stunts for prizes of cash or merchandise.


In 1958...the first radio broadcast from space occurred when the voice of President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "To all mankind, America's wish for Peace on Earth & Good Will to Men Everywhere".

In 1963...WMCA 570 AM first station in New York to Play “I Want to Hold Your Hand " at 12:50 PM.  Across town, 77 WABC plays the song an hour later.

Throughout the 1960s, WMCA would continue to beat other radio stations on most Beatles' promotions, scoring firsts, causing headaches in particular for rival WABC - most notably when Capitol Records printed a photograph of the "Good Guys" line-up - on the back of a limited edition record sleeve for the single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (Side 2: "I Saw Her Standing There"). WMCA's Good Guys were also featured at both of the Beatles' concerts at Shea Stadium, on August 15, 1965 and on August 23, 1966.

WMCA Good Guys: Johnny Dark, Joe O'Brien, Jack Spector, B. Mitchel Reed. Harry Harrison

WABC responded in different ways, scoring a success during the Beatles' second New York visit in August 1964 - when the band stayed at the Delmonico Hotel, rousing thousands of teenage fans into a frenzy - while broadcasting from one floor above the Beatles' rooms.  WABC later went against its own music policies, promising promoter Sid Bernstein that it would play a new group he was handling before any other New York City radio station - if it could get exclusive access to the Beatles. WABC never added records "out of the box" - but it did for Sid Bernstein when it played The Young Rascals' "I Ain't Going To Eat Out My Heart Anymore" - before other radio stations.

Since WABC knew WMCA already had a relationship with the Beatles, with tapes of the group promoting the station - what could WABC do to achieve the same? In August 1965, WABC came up with what it thought was a brilliant idea - issuing "medals" called "The Order of the All-Americans" - tied to its own DJs.  The strategy was to present the medals to each of the Beatles the next time they were in New York. Everything was set. The goal was to get each Beatle to comment on the "medal" - and then to get each to say the station's call letters, "W-A-B-C." These in turn could be used in station IDs and promotions, etc. - thus matching WMCA's success at getting the Beatles to promote WMCA and its Good Guys. But WABC's plan backfired. The station got its interviews, but none of the band's members would utter WABC's call letters. According to Beatles' historian Bruce Spizer, manager Brian Epstein ordered the Beatles to stop "giving away valuable promotional spots to radio stations for free."


In 1980...the Mutual Broadcasting Service cancelled the "Sears Radio Theater" program.


In 1985...Phil Donahue and a Soviet radio commentator hosted a special program called the "Citizens’ Summit" via satellite Television.