Route 91 Harvest Fest Revival Brings Mixed Response

Fourteen months after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history broke out at the 2017 event, the promoter has announced plans to bring the Route 91 Harvest music festival back to Las Vegas.

Sources told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the revived festival would take place at a different venue, although still on the city’s Strip — the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, a 35-acre plot on the southwest corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard — in the fall. The tragic shooting, in which 58 people died and hundreds more injured, took place at another location, the Las Vegas Village, near the Mandalay Bay resort.

The news was met with mixed reviews. People who supported the idea tended to echo the thoughts of Grammy-nominated singer Luke Combs, who was standing on the side of the stage, watching Jason Aldean perform, when the shooting began. Combs is in favor of bringing back Route 91, which was not held in 2018.

“It could be the kind of show that can be a show of solidarity,” Combs told Taste of Country on Thursday. “You can’t let something like that dictate what you are going to do because that’s what those people want — they want people to remain in fear. I’m not going to be scared to live my life, so I think it’s a really good thing that it would go back.”

He sees the idea of another Route 91 as “a really awesome way to honor the victims and survivors.”

Combs said he has a close connection with the fans who were also there at the time.

“We have helped them heal, and they have helped us heal,” Combs said. “So I would be very welcoming of seeing that festival come back.”

There are reportedly plans to bring the Route 91 Harvest festival to the Las Vegas Strip in the fall of 2019...

— Anthony (@KFRGFrogatelli) December 13, 2018

KFRG 95.1 FM personality Anthony (Donatelli) Tweeted results of a station poll.

Portland OR Radio: KUPL-FM Raises Over $250K for St. Jude

Alpha Media, Portland, OR., has announced Country  98.7 The Bull KUPL raised $250,931 during their radiothon for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital earlier this month. Since 2009, 98.7 The Bull has raised over $1,269,452 for the kids at St. Jude.

Tony Russell, Jake Byron, Jenn Hays, Danny Dwyer and MoJoe Roberts broadcasted live from the Bloodworks Live Studio both days encouraging listeners to call in and become a Partner in Hope. They had numerous local patient families call in to tell their stories on the air, including one Portland family currently receiving treatment in Memphis at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

98.7 The Bull Content Director, MoJoe Roberts commented on the announcement, “To say I’m proud of this team is an understatement. We truly have a gifted group and our amazing listeners came through again this year to deliver the biggest check we’ve ever presented to St. Jude!”

TX Radio: Alpha Stations Stage Successful Food Drive

Alpha Media/North Dallas, TX., has announced Country 93.1 KMKT, HotAC 97.5 KLAK, and Mad Rock 102.5 KMAD collected over 133,000 food items during the 22nd Annual Bob Skaggs Memorial Food Drive.

The three-day event sponsored by Tyson Foods, Lankford Roofing, and Visionary Home Health Care, was held at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Sherman, Texas. The donations amounted to well over 133,000 food items, which is 50 pallets of food for the Salvation Army of Grayson County. Financial donations from listeners around the community were staggering, at well over $36,000 in cash/check donations.

Alpha Media, N. Dallas Operations Manager, Dave Hilton commented on the announcement, “The incredible number of donations we received this year is a true testament to the giving and caring nature of our listeners, local businesses and our community here in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. Thanks to their generosity, the Salvation Army of Grayson County can ensure more local families don’t have to worry whether they have enough food to feed their children in 2019. I can’t thank our on air & sales teams, the Skaggs family or our sponsors enough for all the time and effort they put into making the 22nd Annual Bob Skaggs Memorial Food Drive such a rousing success.”

YouTube Cracks Down On Videos

YouTube removed 58 million videos between July and September this year because they broke community guidelines.

According to The Hill, More than 7.8 million of those videos were taken down because they violated community guidelines. The other 50.2 million were taken down as YouTube removed 1.67 million channels.

The online video platform said 72 percent of the videos removed for violating guidelines in the latest quarter were "spam or misleading," 10.2 percent were removed out of concern for "child safety" and 9.9 percent were removed for including "nudity or sexual content," according to its latest report.

The "transparency" report, which was released publicly on Thursday, emerges as YouTube touts its efforts to screen and delete harmful content more often and more efficiently.

YouTube, which is owned by Google, has deleted more than 31 million videos since October 2017, and started releasing "transparency reports" in 2017.

The reports have expanded significantly as YouTube faces intensifying criticism over the deluge of controversial, harmful and violent content on its platform.

U-K Ad Watchdog To Crack Down On Sexist Stereotypes

Advertisements showing a woman struggling to park a car or a man refusing to do housework while his wife cooks dinner will be banned from next year in the U-K as part of an industry-wide crackdown on sexist stereotypes, reports The Guardian.

Under the new rules, British companies will no longer be able to create promotions that depict men and women engaged in gender-stereotypical activities, amid fears that such depictions are contributing to pay inequality and causing psychological harm.

Ads will no longer be able to show a person failing to achieve a task specifically because of their gender, such as a man unable to change a nappy or a woman unable to do DIY.

The rules will also ban adverts that suggest that transforming your body will make you romantically successful, while also clarifying rules on the sexualization of young women.

The Advertising Standards Authority will enforce the new code starting June 2019. Members of the public will be able to report adverts to the regulator if they feel they breach the code.

The ASA’s Ella Smillie, who helped to devise the new rules, said: “We don’t see ourselves as social engineers, we’re reflecting the changing standards in society. Changing ad regulation isn’t going to end gender inequality but we know advertising can reinforce harmful gender stereotypes, which can limit people’s choices or potential in life.”

She said comedy would not serve as a defense. “The use of humor or banter is unlikely to mitigate against the potential for harm. It’s fine to show people undertaking gender-stereotypical roles such a woman cleaning. But if an advert showed a woman being solely responsible for cleaning up mess within a home while a man sits around with his feet up, then that would be a problem.”

The ASA operates a system of self-regulation but all major advertisers have signed up to its code of practice.

Other examples of ads that will be banned include those that belittle men for carrying out stereotypically “female” roles or tasks; adverts that emphasise the contrast between a boy’s stereotypical personality and a girl’s; and adverts aimed at new mothers that suggests that looking attractive or keeping a home pristine is a priority for their emotional wellbeing.

Here's What News Voters Saw, Read or Heard in 2018

The deadly Parkland high school shooting, the death of former President George H.W. Bush and Hurricane Florence’s battering of the Carolinas were the news events voters were most likely to hear about this year, while many bits of Beltway drama did not break through, according to an analysis of yearlong Morning Consult polling.

Throughout 2018, Morning Consult surveyed roughly 100,000 registered voters about how much they had seen, read or heard about the top news of the day, from major stories such as Democrats winning the House, to news that didn’t make much of a dent in voters’ minds, such as the arrest of alleged Russian agent Maria Butina.

Among more than 130 events included in surveys this year, Morning Consult narrowed the list down to 72 noteworthy stories — see the full interactive here.

Tim Groeling, a professor of communications at UCLA, said consumption of such news items can be discretionary, “depending on how they’re connected to people’s lives in general.” Another thing could be the onslaught of headlines that dominated the news this year, moving from one apparent bombshell to another.

“It is often the case that there are lot of things that happen, and there is less of an attention span to follow up than there used to be, often on the part of the press,” he said in an interview. 

Seventy-six percent of voters heard “a lot” about the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, which kicked off the “March For Our Lives” movement, two points higher than the share who heard “a lot” about Bush’s death.

Is #MeToo Causing Companies To Ditch Holiday Parties

In many U.S. offices, employers and employees are getting ready to celebrate the end of a long work year by throwing a holiday party. Some party animals may be disappointed to hear that 2018 will see the fewest planned holiday parties in nearly a decade. A new poll conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. has found that 65 percent of companies will hold a holiday party this year, the lowest number since 2009 when it was 62 percent. That of course came amid a backdrop of the recession and tighter budgets.

Nearly a decade later, the economy is thriving and the money is flowing. If the country's economic situation has nothing to do with companies ditching holiday parties, then what's going on? According to the survey, concerns about potential liability following the #MeToo movement could be having an impact while increases in remote working might be making holiday party gatherings difficult to organize in some cases. Concerns about bad behavior at Christmas parties is well-founded and the occasion is often blamed for workers releasing pent-up stress accumulated throughout the year, over-indulgence in alcohol, a willingness to make feelings about co-workers known and in some cases, sexual harassment.

You will find more infographics at Statista

The research made the point that the impact of #MeToo has been overwhelmingly positive in U.S. workplaces and spurred companies to introduce important policies to protect staff. Even though it found that 40 percent of companies took no action to address the issue and do not intend doing so prior to the party, others have managed to make progress and address their staff. 27.3 percent said they briefed staff on the issue and that precautions are being taken to ensure revellers are mindful of avoiding any impropriety. 24.2 percent said that even though they did not take any precautions in advance of the holiday party, the issue of #MeToo was addressed at some point over the past year.

SiriusXM Radio: Plans Margaritaville Studio In Orlando

SiriusXM’s Radio Margaritaville will be opening a new studio at Margaritaville Resort Orlando, the 300-acre destination in Orlando, Fla.

 The island-inspired channel is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and preparing to enter the next phase of inspiring a relaxing state of mind with a more spacious, interactive studio at the brand’s newest resort destination.

“Radio Margaritaville will be broadcasting on SiriusXM from a brand-new window on the world! This studio will give our listeners a chance t become a part of Radio Margaritaville by hanging out with host JD Spradlin, live, each weekday, and having their voices heard on-air across the country. It’s a perfect way to celebrate Radio Margaritaville’s 20th anniversary!” said Kirsten Winquist, vice president of programming for the station.

The new station will be located at the Sunset Walk shopping district, which features nearly 200,000 square feet of retail space – including Studio Movie Grill and BurgerFi.

To learn more about Margaritaville Resort Orlando, visit MargaritavilleResortOrlando.com.

Brendan Carr's FCC Nom Process Held Hostage

Brendan Carr

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has placed a hold on a Republican nomination to the FCC in response to the agency’s decision to pause a program that would fund wireless internet expansion in rural areas.

According to The Hill, Manchin has announced the hold on Commissioner Brendan Carr’s renomination, a week after FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the agency’s Mobility Fund Phase II program would be suspended temporarily while regulators investigate whether major wireless carriers submitted false data on their coverage maps.

“Last week the FCC finally recognized that their broadband maps were inaccurate,” Manchin said in a statement. “That’s something that I have been saying since day one. But the answer is not to put the Mobility Fund on an indefinite hold that prevents states like West Virginia from receiving the funding they desperately need to deploy mobile broadband.”

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) had also placed a hold on Carr’s nomination earlier this year in another dispute with the FCC.

Pai said last week that the agency would be looking into whether “one or more major carriers” had submitted false broadband mapping data in violation of commission rules.

The chairman said the rollout of the $4.53 billion mobility fund would be suspended until the investigation is complete.

A spokeswoman for the FCC declined to comment.

FCC Radio Call Letter Activity For November 2018

During November 2018, the FCC accepted applications to assign call signs to, or change the call
signs of the following broadcast stations:

December 17 Radio History

Katherine Raht, House Jameson

➦In 1902...actor House Jameson was born in Austin, Texas.

Success on Broadway led to a starring role in CBS radio’s Renfrew of the Mounted, and the part for which he is beloved, playing father over the 14 year run of NBC’s The Aldrich Family.  When the family comedy went to TV in 1949 he was the only radio cast member to move with it.  His many guest appearances on TV through the 1960’s were highlighted by recurring roles on the soaps The Edge of Night and Another World.

He died April 23 1971 at age 68.

➦In 1926...WCBS signed-on (as WABC)

The station's history traces back to 1924, when Alfred H. Grebe started WAHG at 920 AM. WAHG was a pioneering station in New York, and was one of the first commercial radio stations to broadcast from remote locations including horse races and yachting events. Two years later, in 1926, Alfred Grebe changed the station's call sign to WABC (for his Atlantic Broadcasting Company) after concluding a business arrangement with the Ashland Battery Company (which had owned the call sign for a station in Asheville, North Carolina) and moved his studios to West 57th Street, which would not be the last time the station would operate from 57th Street.

In 1928, General Order 40 moved the station's frequency to 970 AM, and the station became a part-time affiliate of the Columbia Broadcasting System, which was looking for a full-time radio presence in New York City (CBS's first flagship was WOR). After a short time broadcasting CBS programming three days a week, CBS president William S. Paley purchased WABC and it became a subsidiary of CBS.

Soon after this purchase the station moved to a new frequency, this time to 860 AM, and would eventually increase its transmitting power from 5,000 to its present 50,000 watts. The station also moved its studios into the CBS headquarters at 485 Madison Avenue (on the corner of 52nd Street). The station, still operating as WABC, featured a mix of local interest programming, ethnic content and music programs from CBS's national feed. As time went by, WABC turned more and more to the national programming provided by CBS and its affiliates, and its broadcast day was influenced by CBS's growing interest in news programming. In 1939, the broadcasting operations were moved across 52nd Street from the headquarters to the new CBS Studio Building. In 1941, WABC moved to the frequency it currently occupies, 880 AM, and changed its call letters to WCBS on November 2, 1946, to identify more closely with its parent network, the Columbia Broadcasting System or CBS, and avoid possible confusion with the rival network of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), which had begun operation in 1943.

As a result, this station has no relation to the longtime ABC radio flagship station on 770 AM that began in 1921 as WJZ, and has operated as WABC since 1953.

➦In 1926...KYA San Francisco, California was licensed.  It signed-on 12/18/1926.

KYA went on the air on 18 December 1926, with 500 watts on 970 kHz from the Clift Hotel in San Francisco. The owners were Vincent I. Kraft of Seattle, who had started KJR (AM) there; and Frederick C. Clift of San Francisco. It got a license for 1000 watts on 850 kHz in November 1927. Its studios moved to the Warfield Theatre Building at 988 Market Street, but the transmitter stayed at the Clift Hotel.

In November 1928 moved to 1230 kHz as part of a nationwide frequency reshuffling, and joined the Columbia Broadcasting System. By May 1929 its transmitter was reported to be at 680 Geary Street at Taylor Street. The station licensee went bankrupt in August, and KYA was transferred to a new corporation by the end of 1929. The transmitter facility was moved again, on 25 June 1930, to the Whitcomb Hotel.  Having moved to various locations around the radio dial during the chaotic early days of broadcasting, KYA was assigned permanently to 1260 kHz as a result of NARBA in 1941.

"The Boss of the Bay" - KYA as a Top 40 Rock Station

In the mid-1950s, KYA made its mark as a rock and roll station. KYA was for many years the leading Top 40 music radio station in the Bay Area, until the stronger-signalled KFRC switched to the format in 1966. From time to time, up through 1970, KYA would again beat KFRC in the Arbitron ratings, but KYA's dominance was truly over after the mid-60's.  Former KYA morning man and legendary radio programmer Bill Drake went on to consult KFRC to its ratings success; it was at KYA that Drake first made his mark as program director. KYA was also instrumental in the careers of future sportscaster Johnny Holliday, audio and electronics store pitchman Tom Campbell, Hall of Fame disc jockey and underground radio pioneer Tom Donahue (a/k/a "Big Daddy"), and Tommy Saunders, who retired from KYA's successor, KOIT, in 2006.

Other notable disc jockeys who plied their trade on KYA's airwaves in the 1960s included Les Crane, (air name Johnny Raven), Casey Kasem, Jim Stagg, Bobby Mitchell, Norman Davis, "Emperor" Gene Nelson, Peter Tripp, Tony Bigg, Russ "The Moose" Syracuse, Chris Edwards, Ed Hider, Johnny Holliday, Bill Holley (a cousin of Buddy Holly), Bwana Johnny, and Gary Shaffer. The 1970's saw a staff that included Christopher Cain, Roger W. Morgan, Jay Stone, Scott Thomas, Steve Jordan, Jimmy "Jet" Powers, Gary Mora, and Michael Rivers.

In December 1979, KYA AM & FM flipped to a light album rock format under the title "Easy Rock 93." Within months the AM station would flip again, this time to an oldies format while the FM station would continue the light album rock format as KLHT (K-LITE). Morgan, Mora, and Syracuse would be brought back to revive the station from its heyday. This format would hold until the station was sold in 1983.

KYA's dominance was basically over by the late 1960s when FM stations began playing rock 'n' Roll and gained large chunks of the audiences.




In mid-2007, Bonneville reached an agreement to sell the 1260 AM frequency to IHR Educational Broadcasting. IHR took over the station's operations in December of that year under a time-brokerage agreement, and officially closed on the station on February 1, 2008.

In 2007, KOIT-AM, the former 1260/KYA, became KSFB, a Catholic-oriented station owned by Immaculate Heart Radio. Ironically, KYA's chief Top 40 rival in the 1960s and 1970s, KFRC (610 AM), is now the Christian-oriented KEAR (the KFRC call letters would return in January 2009, this time at 1550 AM replacing KYCY and the station is owned by CBS Radio).

On December 10, 2007, a religious format came to 1260 AM; the call sign was changed to KSFB. KSFB is part of one of the largest Catholic radio network in America, and its daily broadcasts include daily mass and rosary.



➦In 1936...Edgar Bergen became the first ventriloquist to successfully perform on national radio as he and Charlie McCarthy appeared on NBC's "The Royal Gelatin Hour," hosted by singer/bandleader Rudy Vallée.



➦In 1955...Carl Perkins wrote "Blue Suede Shoes." Less than 48 hours later, he recorded it at the Sun Records studio in Memphis.

Carroll James

➦In 1963...Carroll James Jr. became the first American Disc-Jockey to air a Beatles record on radio station WWDC in Washington, DC. That was two months before the Beatles were on the “Ed Sullivan Show.” Carroll played ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, which he’d obtained from his stewardess girlfriend, who brought the single back from the UK.

James won a place in Beatles mythology as the first disk jockey to play the group's records on American radio. But D. L. MacLaughlan, a Beatles researcher at UCLA, has found playlists and top-40 charts from radio stations around the country that predate Mr. James's broadcast by as much as 10 months. The earliest was WLS in Chicago, which began playing ''Please Please Me'' in February 1963. Nevertheless, the Beatles and Capitol considered Mr. James's advocacy helpful, and invited him to be the master of ceremonies at the group's first American concert, at the Washington Coliseum.

James died from cancer in 1997.

➦In 1976...Ted Turner's WTCG-TV in Atlanta changed call letters to WTBS and its signal was sent via satellite to cable systems all over the U.S. – the first commercial TV station to cover the entire country – making it the first TV "Super Station."

➦In 1986...Wayne Newton won a $19.2 million suit against NBC News. The network had aired reports claiming a link between Newton and mob figures, reports later proven to be false.

➦In 1987...WPLJ NYC calls were changed to WWPR ("World Wide Power Radio") and 95.5 became "Power 95." However, a year later - December 21, 1988 - calls were changed back to WPLJ and "Power 95" was dropped.

Richard C. Hottelet 1944

➦In 2014…Richard C. Hottelett, who spent more than four decades reporting news for CBS and was the last of the original "Murrow's Boys," wartime journalists hired in the 1940s by Edward R. Murrow, died at the age of 97.

➦In 2016…Radio personality (Rockline, Los Angeles stations KLOS, KCBS-FM, KMET, KZLA, KLSX) Bob Coburn died of lung cancer at age 68.