Report: Classic Rock Defined By Geographical Location

Migration within the 50 states plays a role in dfining what is considerd as Classic Rock.

Walt Hickey at the FivethirtyEight website writes Billy Joel is bigger in New York than anywhere else in the country, but he’s also the most disproportionately played artist in Miami. Why? According to Hickey, "think about who might be listening to classic rock stations in Miami: retired New Yorkers!"

Hickey looked at each city to find the artist its classic rock station played most disproportionately. Essentially, this map shows the local and regional preferences in classic rock.

Cities where rock stations have longer legacies, like Detroit and Philadelphia, tend to prefer an older style of classic rock — think J. Geils Band and the Beatles — while cities without that history tend to favor the more contemporary set.

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Survey: 1 In 5 Believe First Amendment Goes Too Far

The Newseum Institute, in partnership with USA Today, has released the results of its annual State of the First Amendment survey, which shows 19 percent of Americans think the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees — the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. That is a marked change from the 2014 survey, when 38 percent said the First Amendment goes too far.

The latest findings echo a pattern seen in the surveys conducted in 2002 and 2003 after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, when threats to public safety and national security temporarily caused Americans to question whether First Amendment freedoms were worth the risk. Eight months after 9/11, the survey found that the number of Americans who thought the First Amendment guaranteed too much freedom stood at 49 percent, only to drop to 39 percent in 2003, and as low as 13 percent in 2012.

The 2014 survey was taken in the aftermath of the 2013 terrorist bombings at the Boston Marathon.

"Fear can put at risk even our most cherished freedoms, which protect our right to say, write and believe what we want, and our ability to seek change in how our government operates," said Gene Policinski, chief operating officer of the Newseum Institute. "We would do well to consider the trends identified in this survey the next time enemies, foreign or domestic, threaten our way of life. Limiting laws enacted in a time of great fear have a permanence that our immediate reactions to threats do not."

Though the 2015 survey was conducted in May 2015, before the Supreme Court's recent ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage nationwide, 54 percent of respondents believed the decision would have no lasting impact on religious freedom.

• This year's survey also shows that 70 percent of Americans believe the news media is biased, the highest percentage since the survey first asked the question in 1997.
• Other responses indicated 88 percent of Americans believe citizens should be able to record police activity
• 83 percent believe that any footage from police "body cams" should be part of the public record.

The annual State of the First Amendment survey has been conducted by the Newseum Institute's First Amendment Center since 1997 to determine public knowledge and opinion about the First Amendment and related issues. The 2015 survey was supported in part by a grant from the Gannett Foundation.

Glenn Beck Admits Boycotts Work

Glenn Beck

 Radio host Glenn Beck took to airwaves last week with harsh words for the Walt Disney Company, saying its recent decision to light its signature Cinderella Castle at Disney World in rainbow colors was hardly a family-friendly move.

“Disney is supposed to be serving all families, but have you noticed that Friday, they lit the castle up with rainbow colors? That’s quite the statement,” Beck said.

Beck, who has previously shied away from boycotting businesses, also wondered if that was perhaps the path to now take against Disney.

“Why did they do that?” he asked, of the rainbow lighting. “Because they know you’re sheep. They know you’re not going to say ‘no’ to them, they know the other side will boycott them. … The left knows boycotts work and so, the other side is terrified.”

Aides Use Ropeline To Keep Reporters Away From Hillary

As Hillary Clinton walked freely down a New Hampshire road during a July 4th parade, members of the press accompanying her were a bit more restricted in their movements - as they were guided through the streets with a rope.

The former Secretary of State's campaign staff kept reporters, cameramen and photographers at arm's length as she joined a July 4 parade in Gorham, NH - fueling cirticism she is trying to control the media.

In June Daily Mail Online's Political Editor David Martosko was barred from one of her events at the last minute, even though he was designated pool reporter.

New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman tweeted: 'Clinton advance aides create a rope line for the press, moving with the candidate.

She added: 'Spectacle of Clinton as candidate - press being pulled along with a rope, Benghazi protester screams "carpetbagger".

Politico reports her campaign, meanwhile, shrugged off the rope-line drama with humor and said the day went according to plan. “While the GOP may want to spin a good yarn on this, let’s not get tied up in knots,” spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement. “We wanted to accommodate the press, allow her to greet voters, and allow the press to be right there in the parade with her as opposed to preset locations. And that’s what we did.”

Report: Gawker's Plan to Body-Slam Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan’s $100 million sex-tape lawsuit against gossip site Gawker that was set to begin Monday has been delayed.

A Florida state court of appeals cited a rule that requires a minimum of 50 days between “the service of the last pleading and commencement of trial.”

The court cited several violations of the rule, including an amended complaint filed June 18 by Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan.

With $100 million on the line, Gawker is fighting for its survival.  Now, documents released in the case show Gawker plans to use Hulk Hogan's own words against him, reports myfoxtampabay.com.

Hogan is suing Gawker for violating his privacy after the media giant posted a clip of a leaked sex tape that showed Hogan having sex with the now-ex-wife of Bubba 'the Love Sponge' Clem, heard daily on WBRN Bubba 98.7 FM.

Heather, Bubba

Gawker attorney Heather Dietrick says Hogan made his sex life a hot topic and therefore newsworthy.  "Previously he was talking in detail about his sex life again and again in very color detail."

Dietrick says Hogan even joked about the sex tape on radio shows. Expect the jury to hear about it.

Hogan claims he was secretly recorded having sex and someone was trying to extort money from him.  So he asked the FBI to investigate it.  They discovered three DVD's.

Gawker  says they show Hogan having sex, but there are also conversations, they say, between Hogan and Bubba that could be critical in the case.

Gawker fought to get the tapes from the FBI, and won.

FCC Gets Complaints On Pirates In NYC and Cincy

There's a new pirate radio station 87.9 FM on Cincinnati's west side airing vulgar language in the rap music which residents calling the FCC.

No one knows who is operating the pirate radio station but it can be heard in West Price Hill, North Fairmount and Westwood.

Tuesday night, June 30, and Wednesday afternoon, July 1, rap music from the group The Geto Boys played continuously. "If it was going down like that I didn't give a F#@k." one of the lyrics blared Wednesday.

Resident Pete Witte told Local12-TV someone hijacked the frequency a couple of months ago and it's been playing rap music with illicit lyrics. Witte said it’s not the rap that bothers him – it’s the vulgar language in the lyrics. Witte has filed a complaint with the FCC.

Dave Schram is the operations manager at non-com WMKV 89.3 FM.  He said hijacking a frequency is not difficult to do. "Not many people realize you can go on the Internet and buy an exciter and an antennae and the cabling to go with it. You do not need an FCC license to do this," Schram said.

The Geto Boys played Cincinnati over the holoiday.  Local12 News contacted the FCC for a comment. The agency declined.

Last month, 33 members of Congress asked FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler crack down on pirate radio stations in the New York area.

The legislators complained of 34 pirates "operating on rooftops in Brooklyn and The Bronz area. Plus, another and 15 in Newarck, NJ.

 "The number of pirate FM radio stations throughout New York City could well outnumber the number of licensed operations," the letter stated.

NYC Radio: MLB Mets Radio Voice Falls Ill

Howie Rose

The New York Mets charter flight Thursday to Losa Angeles was forced to make an emergency landing in Detroit after long time radio broadcaster Howie Rose began feeling ill on the trip.

The Mets began a six game west coast road trip at Chavez Ravine against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday Night. The 61-year-old voice of the Mets sought medical attention in the Motor City and has been advised to skip to trip due to a “non-life threatening” condition and rejoin the team next Friday at Citi Field when they begin a three game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Josh Lewin and backup play-by-play voice Wayne Randazzo will have the call on the WOR 710 AM Mets Radio Network during the remainder of the road trip.

Rose’s connection with the New York Mets began in 1987 as the host of “Mets Extra”, a pre and post game show prior to each game on WFAN radio. By 1996, he would join former big league catcher Fran Healy on the club’s television broadcasts, before moving to radio as the primary play-by-play voice in 2004, replacing original team broadcaster Bob Murphy.

12-Year-old Lionel Richie Album Tops UK Album Chart

Lionel Richie performs at Glastonbury

The final Sunday album charts was topped by Lionel Richie scoring his first British No 1 in 23 years.

Lionel Richie

Fans sent the singer’s album, The Definitive Collection, to the top spot after a well-received performance on the Pyramid Stage during the third day of the Glastonbury Music festival.

The album was first released in 2003, reaching No 10 in the UK charts. The position marks Richie’s first UK album No 1 since Back to Front in 1992. The Definitive Collection will be the last album named No 1 on a Sunday as the charts move to Fridays to tie in with a new global music release day.

“I was overwhelmed performing at Glastonbury in front of all those people, and for the fans to make the album No 1 is unbelievable,” Richie said. “The UK has always been a special place for me.”
Nearly half of the Top 40 albums belonged to acts that performed at Glastonbury this year. Florence and The Machine’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful was second in the charts and James Bay’s Chaos and the Calm third.

The Independent reports veteran folk-rock guitarist Richard Thompson scored his first Top 10 album at the age of 66. The former guitarist with Fairport Convention entered the charts at No 10 with Still.

Kanye West, who headlined the Pyramid Stage on the Saturday, failed to reap a Glastonbury charts boost, however.

R.I.P.: RI, MI Radio Broadcaster Dave Barber

Dave Barber

Flint area radio veteran, Dave Barber, has died.

Barber, 60, became ill ten days ago during a visit back home in Michigan. In recent years he worked in Rhode Island in radio then as a TV personality for the state’s Capitol TV service.

Previously Barber worked in the Mid-Michigan area earning a reputation as an outspoken radio host before moving to Providence. Barber worked as a talk radio host in Flint at radio stations WTRX 1330 AM, WTAC 600 AM and WFDF 910 AM in Michigan.

His commentary’s also appeared on Michigan TV and here on WNEM-TV5.

R.I.P.: CBS Radio Network Newsman David Jackson

Longtime CBS Radio News correspondent David Jackson died of cancer Thursday at his home in Kula, Hawaii.

He was 70, according to CBS News.

Jackson reported on many of the important events marked on the timeline of modern history. He was on the ground in Beijing during the Tiananmen Square student protests. He was in Germany for the return of the American hostages from Iran. He was there when a gunman shot Pope John Paul II.

Jackson joined CBS News as a radio newswriter in 1972, becoming a reporter and special correspondent in 1976 and a full correspondent in 1981. Before joining CBS News, he was a radio and TV correspondent with the Marines and served one tour of duty in Vietnam from March 1968 to April 1969.

July 6 Radio History

In 1924...in an experiment, the first photo was sent across the Atlantic by radio from the United States to England.

In 1957...Liverpool teenagers John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time after a performance by Lennon's band, the Quarrymen.



In 1963...Dick Biondi - the once-popular evening DJ on WLS 890 AM inChicago, begins on KRLA 110 AM in Pasadena, Calif. He walked out on WLS about 2 months ago in a disagreement. KRLA is in a top-40 battle with KFWB.Even though KFWB is #1 - the new KRLA lineup looks like this - Reb Foster, Casey Kasem, Bob Eubanks, Dick Biondi, Ted Quilin. (Today, Biondi airs on WLS 94.7 FM in Chicago.)

KRLA overtook KFWB by the mid-1960s. In 1965, KHJ start its “Boss Radio” Top 40 format, which launched it to the No. 1 position.  KRLA was the second-place Top 40 station.  KFWB abandoned music and flipped to all-news in 1968.



As music listeners moved to FM, KRLA evolved to adult contemporary by 1982.  It became an oldies station in 1983.  That lasted until 1994, when KRLA moved to urban oldies.  In 1998, KRLA went to an all-talk format before flipping to all-sports KSPN in 2000.  Today, it’s KDIS, a Radio Disney children’s music station.

When KRLA became KSPN in 2000, the KRLA call letters went to 870 AM, which carries a conservative talk format.


In 1974..."A Prairie Home Companion," a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor and first broadcast from Macalester College in St. Paul, made its debut on Minnesota Public Radio.