The Rundown: 500,000 Evacuate Wildfires

Some 500,000 people in Oregon -- more than 10 percent of the state's population -- have evacuated from their homes because of the threat from wildfires, the Oregon Office of Emergency Management reported late Thursday. Wildfires in the heavily-populated northwest part of the state were growing, with two large fires in Clackamas County threatening to merge. In the southern part of the state, much of Phoenix, a small town of about 4,000, was destroyed by a wildfire that the Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated burned 600 homes. The state's Office of Emergency Management said 37 wildfires were burning in Oregon, with Governor Kate Brown saying more than 900,000 acres had burned in the state in just the past three days, nearly double the amount that burns in a typical year. There have been at least four wildfire-related deaths in the state.

Track the wildfires currently burning in California with our map: https://t.co/BkzkiZK0ur

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) September 11, 2020

Across the border, California was continuing to deal with its own record wildfires, including the North Complex fire in the northern part of the state, which has killed at least 10 people, with 16 others missing and four hospitalized with critical burns. However, the wildfire's rapid spread and ferocity from earlier in the week began slowing early today after the winds died down and sun-blocking smoke lowered the temperature. More than 2,000 homes and other buildings have been burned by the fire. So far this year, 19 people have been killed by wildfires in California and at least 4,000 structures burned. Battalion chief Sean Norman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said, "It’s a historic season on top of a historic season that replaced a historic season. We just keep setting new precedents, and then we keep destroying them." Wildfires are also burning in Washington state.

➤TRUMP DENIES LIED ABOUT CORONAVIRUS, DESPITE HAVING ADMITTED DOWNPLAYING ITS DANGER: President Trump on Thursday denied that he'd lied when he publicly downplayed the seriousness of the the coronavirus, something he told journalist Bob Woodward he did in interviews for Woodward's new book, Rage, excerpts of which were published Wednesday. When asked by a reporter yesterday why he'd lied when he repeatedly downplayed the virus to the public, including saying it was like the flu even though he'd told Woodward at the same time that it was worse, Trump said, "I didn't lie. What I said is we have to be calm, we can't be panicked." Trump told Woodward he downplayed the seriousness of the virus because he didn't want to create panic. He repeated that defense during a rally in Michigan yesterday, comparing himself to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War Two and saying, "They wanted me to come out and scream, 'People are dying, we're dying.'" Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden again blasted Trump yesterday over the revelations, saying in a virtual fundraiser, "Donald Trump knew all along just how deadly this virus is. He knew and purposefully played it down because all he was concerned about was his reelection, didn’t want to affect economic growth."

Watch Joe Biden spokesman TJ Ducklo absolutely melt down when @BretBaier asks him if Biden has ever used a teleprompter for news interviews from his house. Ducklo explodes and, like he did throughout the interview, accuses him of being a Trump campaign shill pic.twitter.com/oIfCID9qAb

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) September 10, 2020

➤SENATE REPUBLICANS' CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PACKAGE BLOCKED BY DEMS, WHO SAY MORE NEEDED: A $650 billion coronavirus relief package put forward by Senate Republicans yesterday was blocked by Democrats, who said much more aid is needed in what would be a fifth coronavirus aid package since the pandemic began. The failed vote comes after weeks of talks that have failed to reach a compromise, and likely means there'll be no new aid package before the election. The $650 billion measure was significantly smaller than what Republican leaders had promoted this summer, but it was reduced because of opposition from conservative members of the party. House Democrats passed a much larger $3.5 billion package back in May, which the Senate didn't take up for a vote.

➤JUDGES RULE TRUMP CAN'T EXCLUDE THOSE IN U.S. ILLEGALLY FROM COUNT USED TO DRAW DISTRICTS: A three-judge panel in New York ruled yesterday that President Trump exceeded his authority when he ordered in July that people in the country illegally be excluded from the U.S. Census figures used to redraw congressional districts. The judges granted an injunction blocking Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, whose agency oversees the Census Bureau, from following through on Trump's order. They wrote, "Throughout the Nation’s history, the figures used to determine the apportionment of Congress . . . have included every person residing in the United States at the time of the census, whether citizen or non-citizen and whether living here with legal status or without." The decision can be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

➤TREASURY DEPT. SANCTIONS UKRAINIAN LAWMAKER FOR HELPING RUSSIA UNDERMINE U.S. ELECTION; HAS MET WITH GIULIANI: The Treasury Department yesterday issued sanctions against a Ukrainian lawyer for helping a Russian effort to try to undermine this year's election. Andriy Derkach has spread damaging misinformation about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and met with President Trump's attorney, Rudy Giuliani, last year in Ukraine as the former New York City mayor was trying to find dirt on Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Treasury alluded to Derkach's anti-Biden efforts, saying he, quote, "cultivat[ed] false and unsubstantiated narratives" about U.S. officials in this year's election and spread them through "audio tapes and other unsupported information." Treasury said Derkach, who was sanctioned along with three Russians, has been an "active Russian agent for over a decade" and had "close connections with the Russian Intelligence Services."

Kansas City Chiefs fans boo Houston Texans at NFL opener after team stayed in locker room during national anthem https://t.co/DCqLuaOOXM

— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 11, 2020

➤CHIEFS TOP TEXANS 34-20 IN NFL SEASON-OPENER: The Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 34-20 last night in the NFL's season-opening game. The two teams played in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium before a socially-distanced crowd of about 17,000 people, at 22 percent of capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

FINAL: The @Chiefs open the season with a 34-20 win! #Kickoff2020 #ChiefsKingdom

(by @Lexus) pic.twitter.com/ARPHC9E1tO

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2020

The Chiefs stood along the goal lines as Alicia Keyes performed "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," considered the Black national anthem, in a video about racial inequality, and as Chloe x Halle did a virtual performance of the National Anthem, while the Texans stayed in the locker room for both. Shortly before kickoff, the two teams lined up together at midfield and linked arms as social justice messages, including "End Racism," were shown on the scoreboard. A moment of silence for the fight for equality was then held, during which some boos could be heard from the crowd.

➤DOLPHINS VIDEO SAYS WILL STAY IN LOCKER ROOM FOR ANTHEM: The Miami Dolphins players and coach Brian Flores released a video on social media yesterday saying they'll protest racial injustice by staying in their locker room during the national anthem before their opening game on Sunday at New England, as well as during "Life Ev'ry Voice and Sing," considered the Black national anthem, which will also be sung before every NFL game this weekend.

BREAKING NEWS: The@MiamiDolphins players will stay inside for both national anthems. They express their discontentment with what they call “fluff and empty gestures” by the @NFL pic.twitter.com/ghUktHhPt9

— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) September 10, 2020

In the video, close to 20 players say brief phrases about the social justice movement, such as center Ted Karras saying, "If we could just right our wrongs, we wouldn’t need two songs." Flores ends the video, wearing a T-shirt that says VOTE and saying, "Before the media starts wondering and guessing, they just answered all your questions. We’ll just stay inside."

➤NBA PLAYOFFS: Results from Conference Semifinals yesterday:

• L.A. Lakers 110, Houston Rockets 100 -- Los Angeles leads 3 games to 1 (West)

➤NHL PLAYOFFS: Results from Conference Finals yesterday:

• Dallas Stars 3, Vegas Golden Knights 2 (OT) -- Dallas leads series 2 games to 1 (West)

➤SERENA WILLIAMS UPSET BY AZARENKA IN U.S. OPEN SEMIFINAL: Serena Williams was upset in her U.S. Open semifinal yesterday by Victoria Azarenka, falling to the Belarusian player 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. The loss means the 38-year-old Williams again fell short in her effort to get a 24th Grand Slam single title to tie the record. Azarenka will play for the championship Saturday against Naomi Osaka of Japan, who defeated American Jennifer Brady in their semifinal yesterday 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-3. The men's semifinals will be played today.

➤KORDA IN LEAD AFTER OPENING ROUND OF ANA INSPIRATION: American Nelly Korda is in the lead after the opening round of the ANA Inspiration Thursday, one of the majors in women's golf. Korda shot a 6-under 66 at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California, for a one-stroke lead over In Gee Chun of South Korea and Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden, who were tied in second place.

➤'FORBES': COWBOYS MOST VALUABLE NFL TEAM: The Dallas Cowboys are the NFL's most valuable team, worth $5.7 billion, according to Forbes' magazine, the 14th year in a row they've held the top spot. The New England Patriots are second at $4.4 billion, followed by the New York Giants at $4.3 billion, the Los Angeles Rams at $4 billion and the San Francisco 49ers at $3.8 billion. The bottom three teams are the Detroit Lions at $2.1 billion, followed by the Buffalo Bills at $2.05 billion, and the Cincinnati Bengals, who were last at $2 billion.

Entercom To 'Reimagine And Enhance' Programming And Sales

Entercom President/CEO David Field, Thursday suggested significant programming strategy alterations are coming for the company’s Country and Alternative Rock properties.  At the same time, a restructuring of Entercom's national sales teams is underway.

The moves were disclosed in a staff memo Thursday. Field called the moves “important” as Entercom continues “to transform and improve our organization to best serve our listeners and customers.”

Field stated entercom needs “reimagine and enhance” its programming and sales strategies “to ensure that we are meeting evolving listener and customer expectations.”

Field made clear in the staff memo clear that Entercom is “of course, not alone” in making “meaningful changes to address new opportunities and competition.”  Entercom has started “a new chapter in its Country and Alternative formats with "enhanced content and listener experiences – connecting our communities with the content they love."

David Field

This could be parlance for job reduction, with certain local talent replaced by more nationally recognized individuals — taking a cue from iHeartMedia, which is among the first of America’s largest radio broadcasting companies to engage in multi-market voicetracking and program syndication in key dayparts.

Field stated, Country and Alternative music fans who consume Entercom stations such as WUSN-FM in Chicago, KROQ-FM in Los Angeles, WDSY-FM in Pittsburgh and KVIL-FM “ALT 103.7” in Dallas “will enjoy an improved listening experience.”

“Quality local content remains at the heart of our business, and we remain committed to delivering the best local programming with the best and most popular local personalities and deep local community engagement,” he said, suggesting that a large-scale reduction in local program origination is not in the works.

He also noted that Entercom wishes to “elevate our best programmers and personalities into larger roles,” which means job cuts.

According to AllAccess.com, job cuts include Entercom/Phoenix OM and VP of Branding Tim Richards; St. Louis OM/PD Cat Thomas; KSON-FM in San Diego Asst. PD/MD/nighttimer Greg Raneiri and midday host Amber Barton; WSFS-FM “104.3 The Shark” in Miami midday host Deena Lang, a market veteran who had been there for five years; WLKK-FM/Buffalo PD/afternoon host Nik Rivers; and KKWF/Seattle interim PD/MD/afternoon host Erik Halverson.

“While this is an exciting time of growth and transformation and we look forward to the creative opportunities that lie ahead, we also recognize that change is hard,” Field said. “As we make the necessary changes to best serve our listeners and customers, it is difficult to part ways with members of our team who have made significant contributions to our company over the years. We are grateful to them for their service. In order to assist in their transition, we are providing enhanced benefits for each affected individual and wish them the very best.”

Field also announced that Entercom will be restructuring its national sales teams.  “We have operated with multiple national teams calling on the same accounts, limiting our ability to focus our communications and hindering our ability to execute as seamlessly as possible on behalf of our national agency and client partnerships. Effective immediately, we are aligning and unifying our national sales teams to make it easier for clients to do business with us while creating more flexibility for national client integration with our brands — locally and at scale across our platform. Our goal is simple: [to] super serve our national clients and agency partners.”

NYC Radio: iHM Adds WWRL-AM To Portfolio

BIN: Black Information Network, the 24/7 comprehensive national audio news service dedicated to providing an objective, accurate and trusted source of continual news coverage with a Black voice and perspective, announced Thursday that it will now be available on air on WWRL 1600 AM in New York City.

 iHeartMedia has entered into a Local Marketing Agreement (LMA) and an Asset Purchase Agreement for the historic station, which has been on the air in New York for 94 years; the station joins other BIN markets across the country, including the Atlanta, Augusta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus – GA, Dayton – OH, Detroit, Greenville, Macon, Minneapolis, Montgomery-AL, Nashville, New Orleans, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Riverside, San Francisco, St. Louis, Seattle and Washington, D.C. markets, bringing the number of BIN markets to 22 with more to be announced.

“We are excited to welcome WWRL AM as the newest member of the Black Information Network family,” said Tony Coles, President of BIN: Black Information Network. “This station has a long history of service in New York City, and in the ‘60s was an important voice for change for the Black community. At BIN, we are proud to continue that legacy, and to once again make AM 1600 a trusted source for the news and information that impacts Black New Yorkers.”

WWRL 1600 AM (25 Kw) (Courtesy of Rec Networks)

Starting November 2nd, listeners in New York City will be able to tune in to BIN, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service focused on service to the Black community, providing an information window for those outside the community to help foster communication, accountability and a deeper understanding.

Abrams: Clock Is Ticking on Outdated Terrestrial Formats

Lee Abrams

Veteran media consultant Lee Abrams might seem the least likely person to complain about the corporatization and sameness that afflicts today’s traditional terrestrial AM and FM radio stations, according to Variety.

After all, it was his infamous tightening of playlists at rock radio during the ‘70s that ushered in the AOR (Album-Oriented Rock) format, which replaced the progressive free-form FM and, some would argue, led the way to today’s bland, consolidated broadcast landscape.

But now it’s Abrams sounding the alarm about playing it too safe risking death knells for terrestrial formats. “Radio should be going into creative overdrive. Instead, it’s going backwards, contributing to its own demise by getting more vanilla when they should be alive and well in technicolor,” he says. “Nobody’s bringing their A-game.”

The 67-year-old pioneer — a member of the Rock Radio Hall of Fame — started the AOR format as a DJ/PD at WRIF in Detroit before installing a similar streamlined rotation, dubbed SuperStars, at WQDR in Raleigh, NC.

“That was a style of radio that was right for the times — it was extremely successful and brought economic gains to FM radio,” he says, defending his programming decisions, versus what’s become of similarly formatted stations in 2020. “Today, radio has become too corporate, too consolidated, too boring.  But that was a different era, with a competitive opportunity which we took advantage of. We valued personalities, though. We gave Howard Stern, Steve Dahl and Sonny Fox some of their first on-air gigs.”

In March, just before the pandemic hit, Abrams launched MediaVisions, a consultancy which promotes his new “reimagination” of radio, incorporating news and information, video content and music innovation.

As part of the launch, Abrams’ company is touting a “reimagining” of TV news with “NewsMovie,” “Radio Free Earth,” a 24/7 streaming service aimed at the 40-and-over crowd, and a documentary charting the history of music and radio in the 20th century, “Sonic Messengers: When Music and Radio Changed the World.”

Abrams insists radio needs a complete overhaul, “blowing up the ‘80s focus-group mentality and starting to reinvent themselves.” He wants stations to go back to supporting new music and emerging artists, not just the familiar oldies.

These days, he’s bullish on Spotify, comparing it to the influence MTV once had in breaking new music. “As a radio programmer, I would embrace that totally. It’d be silly not to,” he says. “Those who say no one will turn to Spotify during a hurricane are simply arrogant.”

In that vein, Abrams agrees radio becomes more valuable when there’s a crisis, like the current COVID-19 virus, as news, talk and sports rapidly take over the AM and FM dials.

iHM's Pittman Views Podcasts As Extension Of Radio

Bob Pittman

iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman told an investor conference on Thursday that podcast advertising trends have remained strong during the coronavirus pandemic and described podcasting as a Netflix for radio, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Speaking during the virtual Bank of America Securities 2020 Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference in a session that was webcast, he said: "Podcasting is already bigger than streaming music services like Spotify, and the growth continues, so we are investing heavily into it."

Pittman also shared the company's take on the space, saying: "Internally, we think about podcasting as sort of like Netflix was for TV, it's sort of the on-demand version of radio."

But he emphasized that iHeartMedia doesn't plan to leave the business opportunity to a disruptor like the entertainment industry did in streaming when Netflix came along. "We see it as an extension of radio," he said. "Unlike the TV people, we don't intend to give our power to create this product to someone else. We are creating it ourselves."

Pittman also said that the host was "very important" for podcasts, driving their success or lack thereof. And addressing the outlook for podcasting as a business, he said: "I feel like this is another one of those that is going to surprise on the upside."

Pittman was also asked about the relationship with John Malone's Liberty Media, which owns a 5 percent stake in iHeart, lauding the company as a "valued" and "supportive" shareholder. "We certainly have tremendous respect for their management team." Highlighting Liberty's early investment in audio entertainment companies, including SiriusXM, Pittman called Liberty "brethren in terms of our view of audio."

IL Radio: Carrie Grant To Manage Townsquare Cluster

Carrie Grant

Townsquare Media Inc. announced Thursday that Carrie Grant has joined the Company as Market President and Chief Revenue Officer for its Quincy-Hannibal local media cluster.

Grant will lead the local media team and their “Local First” strategy in Quincy-Hannibal, which includes Country Kick-FM 97.9 (KICK-FM), AC Y101 (KRRY-FM), Classic Country Kick-AM (WLIQ-AM), and News-Talk KHMO 1070-AM.

She will report to Townsquare Regional Vice President Kelly Quinn.

“Carrie has a very successful background in growing both digital and broadcast revenue, as well as building strong sales teams,” commented Mr. Quinn.

“Carrie plans to quickly add to our sales team as well as immediately engage with our local partners to bring them the most effective integrated advertising solutions in the region.”

“I’m excited to contribute my leadership efforts to Quincy-Hannibal’s amazing team and delve into this rich and historical market. Townsquare is a world class organization that has a deep commitment to “Local First.” I look forward to helping the small and medium sized businesses in our community grow with the robust advertising and marketing solutions that we have to offer,” said Ms. Grant.

Townsquare COO – Local Media, Erik Hellum added, “Carrie is a rising star in our business, and we are excited to tap into her broadcast and digital expertise as she leads our team in Quincy-Hannibal.”

Prior to joining Townsquare, Ms. Grant had spent the last eight years at Nexstar Broadcasting group in Springfield, Missouri as the Director of Digital Media and National Sales Manager for KOLR10, KRBK, KOZL, and Ozarksfirst.com.

Toronto Radio: CILQ Rises To Numeris' Top Spot

With a blend of the best rock music from the 70’s to 90’s, and iconic personalities, Q107 (CILQ-FM) was the most listened to station in Toronto this summer, according to the newest Numeris radio ratings, released Thursday. 

The station finished the summer with a 11.2 share of tuning for Adults 25-54 – the demographic looked at most closely by advertisers and agencies – putting the station at #1 against all other stations in the market*. The achievement marks the first time in 15 years that Q107 has been #1**.

“Though Q107 has been a quintessential station for rock fans in the GTA for decades, it once again reaching number one demonstrates that our music, on-air personalities and community involvement resonates with not only life-long listeners, but new ones too,” said Tammy Cole, Toronto/Hamilton Regional Program Director for Corus Radio. “We couldn’t be more proud of what our team has achieved. With the outstanding talent we have in place across all dayparts on Q107, we look forward to continuing this success long-term.”

Q107’s programming lineup kicks off every weekday through Derringer in the Morning with John Derringer from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. ET, followed by Joanne Wilder from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET, Fearless Fred from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. ET, and Dan Chen/Kella from 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET. For more information or to listen to Q107 online visit q107.com.

* SOURCE: Numeris, Radio PPM, Toronto CTRL, Summer 2020, A25-54, Shr%, All Week, All Dayparts
** SOURCE: Numeris, Micro+, Diary Data Spring 2000 - Summer 2009, Toronto CTRL, A25-54, Shr% M-Su 5a-1a & Numeris, Radio PPM, Toronto CTRL, Fall 2009 - Summer 2020, A25-54, Shr%, All Week, All Dayparts

Vermont Radio: Non-Coms To Merge

Vermont's biggest and wealthiest nonprofit media organizations are merging. Officials at Vermont Public Radio and Vermont PBS say the goal is to provide stronger public service programming through a combined radio, TV, digital news and entertainment network.

The boards of the two nonprofits voted Wednesday to formally ratify the deal, reports VPR.

Marguerite Dibble, the chair of the Vermont PBS board, said after about a year of intensive study, board members saw the potential of working together as one media organization.

The merger requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission, and the recognition of tax-exempt status from the IRS. The anticipated launch date is July 2021.

If approved, the deal would create a statewide news and public affairs service with extremely deep pockets. According to public tax filings, Vermont Public Television, based in Winooski, has assets of $61 million. The organization sold one of its broadcast spectrums for $56 million in 2017. VPR, based in Colchester, has $30 million in assets, including property and equipment.

Megyn Kelly Launches Podcast Venture

Megyn Kelly announced Thursday the launch of her latest venture, Devil May Care Media, a new, independent media company. Devil May Care Media will produce content including podcasts and other shows discussing the latest news, current events, legal and cultural issues with the same tough, fair, smart perspective that has made Kelly one of America's most respected broadcast journalists.

With the launch of her company, Kelly will have a new platform for connecting directly with her audience without the constraints or political agendas of other media outlets. At the center of the venture will be Kelly's own podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show, which will feature interviews with newsmakers, thought leaders and compelling voices from the heartland and beyond. Listeners can expect interviews that transcend the superficiality and sound-bite driven confines of traditional broadcast and cable news, and instead deliver in-depth, uncensored, thought-provoking conversations. The first episode of the show is scheduled to be released the week of September 28th.

Megyn Kelly

Commenting on the new endeavor, Kelly said, “Every journalist's dream is to cover the biggest stories and talk to the most interesting people without the shadow of a politicized media institution hanging over them. That's what I'm about to do. With Devil May Care Media, I answer only to my audience and my conscience. Those who like what I have to say will find the experience deeply rewarding. Those who don't can look elsewhere. The point is to give the audience authentic content that goes places where traditional media can't or — more often — won't. It's a great challenge that will reconnect me with my audience and I'm excited to get started.”

Kelly brings to this new venture a stellar track-record of some of the most compelling and important broadcast journalism of the past twenty years. Her interviews and exchanges with world leaders including Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin, as well as her viral exchanges with national figures from Dick Cheney and Newt Gingrich to Anthony Weiner and Donna Brazile have made Kelly's name synonymous with fearlessness and integrity.

Devil May Care Media will be assisted by Red Seat Ventures (“RSV”) in producing and managing her show. RSV is an innovative leader in the new media landscape providing media entrepreneurs with the investment capital, technology and skilled management to create thriving brands. RSV's portfolio of companies includes true crime fan convention CrimeCon, streaming TV network The First, Nancy Grace's media company CrimeOnline, and many others.

RSV co-founder Chris Balfe said, “Megyn Kelly is an icon of modern American journalism because she has always taken the side of the viewer, rather than any political or corporate agenda. That approach has earned her the trust and respect of tens of millions of Americans, which in turn makes her a perfect voice for today's direct-to-consumer media ecosystem. We are thrilled to be partnering with her on this exciting chapter”.

Vinyl Records Outsell CDs

Sales of vinyl records surpassed those of CDs in the U.S. for the first time since 1986, marking a key turning point for the format’s nostalgia-fueled resurgence, reports Bloomberg.

People spent US$232.1 million on long-play and extended-play records in the first half of the year, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, eclipsing the US$129.9 million they spent on compact discs.

Vinyl was the most popular way people listened to music throughout the 1970s and the early 1980s, at which point it gave way to tape cassettes -- followed by CDs and digital formats. Each new format was more convenient than the last and suppressed interest in vinyl.

Yet vinyl sales have been rising since 2005, when they bottomed out at just US$14.2 million. Music fans value the higher-fidelity sound produced by vinyl and record players, which contrasts with the compressed files offered by most digital services. The top-selling LP in the U.S. last year was the Beatles’ “Abbey Road.”

Overall physical sales have fallen this year due to the coronavirus, which has stunted traffic to retail stores. CD sales fell 48 per cent in the first half of the year.

Even with the rebound, vinyl and all physical media are increasingly niche products. Streaming accounted for 85 per cent of music revenue in the first half, the RIAA found.

September 11 Radio History

Kenneth Banghart

 ➦In 1909....Radio announcer Kenneth Banghart born in Paramus, NJ (Died at age 70 - May 25, 1980 in Delray Beach, FL).

Banghart was working as a tour conductor and manager of Thomas Cook and Son Travel Agency in Washington, D.C., when he became a radio announcer at WRC, then went on to be a radio and television announcer, and a news commentator and sportscaster. Served briefly during WWII, as a war correspondent, then in 1944, he moved to New York where he became an NBC staff announcer.

He was the announcer Archie Andrews,  Katie's Daughter (1947-1948); syndicated program, Proudly We Hail (1947-1957); The Private Files Of Rex Saunders on NBC (1951); Encore on NBC (1952-1953); Best Of All on NBC (1954-1955).

Host of The Ken Banghart Show on NBC-Radio (1947); News Game on NBC-Radio (1954). Commentator on The Gillette Summer Sports Reel for NBC-TV (1953). In 1962, Banghart left NBC to work at CBS until he retired to Florida.

➦In 2000...John R. Gambling does the last “Rambling With Gambling” show on WOR 710 AM NYC.  Gambling joined his father as co-host of Rambling with Gambling in 1985, and took over as sole host in 1991 after his father's retirement. When WOR ended Rambling with Gambling in 2000 after 75 years on the air, John R. Gambling moved up the dial to 77WABC, taking over the post-morning-drive 10 a.m. - noon slot. Gambling was fired by WABC on February 29, 2008 in a cost-cutting move

➦In 2001...Terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City silenced four FM and nine TV stations.

Video produced by Art Vuolo Jr:



Since three of the major television broadcast network owned-and-operated stations had their transmission towers atop the North Tower (One World Trade Center), coverage was limited after the collapse of the tower. The FM transmitter of National Public Radio station WNYC was also destroyed in the collapse of the North Tower and its offices evacuated. For an interim period, it continued broadcasting on its AM frequency and used NPR's New York offices to produce its programming.

The satellite feed of one television station, WPIX, froze on the last image received from the WTC mast; the image (a remote-camera shot of the burning towers), viewable across North America (as WPIX is available on cable TV in many areas), remained on the screen for much of the day until WPIX was able to set up alternate transmission facilities. It shows the WTC at the moment power cut off to the WPIX transmitter, prior to the towers' collapse.

During the September 11, 2001 attacks, WCBS-TV channel 2 and WXTV-TV channel 41 stayed on the air. Unlike most other major New York television stations, WCBS-TV maintained a full-powered backup transmitter at the Empire State Building after moving its main transmitter to the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The station was also simulcasted nationally on Viacom (which at the time owned CBS) cable network VH1 that day. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the station lent transmission time to the other stations who had lost their transmitters, until they found suitable backup equipment and locations.

The Emergency Alert System was never activated in the terrorist attacks, as the extensive media coverage made it unnecessary.

9/11 Simultaneous Broadcast from Six Networks of the first fifteen minutes



Television coverage of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and their aftermath was the longest uninterrupted news event in the history of U.S. television.  The major U.S. broadcast and cable networks were on the air for days with uninterrupted coverage from the moment news first came that the first plane hit the World Trade Center.

Millions of shocked television viewers watching live pictures of the World Trade Center saw the second plane hit and both buildings come down. In order to keep up with the constant flood of information, at 10:49 a.m. EDT, Fox News Channel began running continuous updates in the form of a news ticker that crawled along the bottom of the screen. This was so well received by viewers that it became a permanent feature on the channel and was adopted by many other news channels.

Like television, almost all radio stations across the United States put a halt on all programs and commercials to simulcast affiliated news coverage of the attacks from ABC News Radio and CBS Radio News, or taking an audio simulcast of a television news operation, be it local or national, while national morning shows hosted by personalities such as Rick Dees or Howard Stern focused on providing both information about the attacks and call-in forums for listeners to express sympathies.

Local New York all-news radio operations WINS and WCBS, along with Washington's WTOP carried locally based coverage that was simulcast on those sister FM stations without operations destroyed at the World Trade Center as AM operations with transmitters on the outskirts of metropolitan areas were unaffected outside of security concerns for studio and transmitter facilities.

XM Radio, a subscription-based satellite radio service headquartered in Washington, D.C., was scheduled to launch on September 12, 2001. As a direct result of the attacks, the launch was delayed until September 25 when the service debuted on a limited basis in San Diego and Dallas.

➦In 2005…Sportscaster Christopher Eugene Schenkel died at age 82 (Born - August 21, 1923).  Over the course of five decades he called play-by-play for numerous sports on television and radio.

He began his broadcasting career at radio station WBAA while studying for a premedical degree at Purdue University. He served in the military during World War II and the Korean War.  He worked in radio for a time at WLBC in Muncie, Indiana.and then moved to television, in Providence, RI, and in 1947 began announcing Harvard football games. For six years he did local radio and called the Thoroughbred horse races at Narragansett Park.

In 1952, Schenkel was hired by the DuMont Television Network, for which he broadcast New York Giants football and hosted DuMont's Boxing From Eastern Parkway (1953-1954) and Boxing From St. Nicholas Arena (1954–56), replacing Dennis James as the network's primary boxing announcer.Schenkel was at the microphone for DuMont's last broadcast and its only color telecast, a high school football championship game held on Thanksgiving in 1957.

In 1956, he moved to CBS Sports, where he continued to call Giants games, along with boxing, Triple Crown horse racing and The Masters golf tournament, among other events. Along with Chuck Thompson, Schenkel called the 1958 NFL Championship Game for NBC. He was the voiceover talent for the first NFL Films production ever made, the 1962 NFL Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants.

ABC Sports hired Schenkel in 1965, and there he broadcast college football, Major League Baseball, NBA basketball, golf and tennis tournaments, boxing, auto racing, and the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. He became widely known for covering professional bowling, mainly for the Professional Bowlers Association (with the program becoming known as the Professional Bowlers Tour). He covered bowling from the early 1960s until 1997, as it became one of ABC's signature sports for Saturday afternoons.

Chris Schenkel also did play-by-play (with Bud Wilkinson providing color commentary) for the legendary 1969 Texas vs. Arkansas football game, known as the "Game of the Century", culminating the first 100 years of College Football in 1969. The game, also known as the "Big Shootout", garnered a share of 52.1, meaning that more than one half of the televisions in the United States were tuned in. Years later, Schenkel said "it was the most exciting, most important college football game I ever televised".

Schenkel went on to broadcast many more huge games, including the celebrated Nebraska-Oklahoma match on Thanksgiving Day 1971, as well as the Sugar Bowl national championship showdown between Notre Dame and Alabama on New Year's Eve 1973 (with Wilkinson and Howard Cosell, in a rare college football appearance). Schenkel was replaced by Keith Jackson as ABC's lead play-by-play man for college football telecasts in 1974, but continued to call college football games for several more years.

In 1976, Schenkel was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in the "Meritorious Service" category and in 1988 was inducted into the American Bowling Congress (now United States Bowling Congress) Hall of Fame, he was inducted in 1981 in the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame.

He was named National Sportscaster of the Year four times, and in 1992 received a lifetime achievement Emmy Award. Also in 1992, the Pro Football Hall of Fame presented Schenkel with its Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award. In 1999, he received the Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement Award.

In a 2009 vote by its members, the American Sportscasters Association ranked Schenkel 25th on its list of the Top 50 Sportscasters of All-Time.

Larry Gelbart

➦In 2009...Producer, screenwriter Larry Gelbart died from cancer at age 81.   Drafted shortly after World War Two, Gelbart worked for the Armed Forces Radio Service in Los Angeles.

Gelbart began as a writer at the age of sixteen for Danny Thomas's radio show after his father, who was Thomas's barber, showed Thomas some jokes Gelbart had written. During the 1940s Gelbart also wrote for Jack Paar and Bob Hope. In the 1950s, his most important work in television involved writing for Red Buttons, for Sid Caesar on Caesar's Hour, and in Celeste Holm's Honestly, Celeste!, as well as with writers Mel Tolkin, Michael Stewart, Selma Diamond, Neil Simon, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Woody Allen on two Caesar specials.

In 1972, Gelbart was one of the main forces behind the creation of the television series M*A*S*H, writing the pilot (for which he received a "Developed for Television by __" credit); then producing, often writing and occasionally directing the series for its first four seasons, from 1972 to 1976. M*A*S*H earned Gelbart a Peabody Award and an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series and went on to considerable commercial and critical success.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

Ariana Richards is 41

• Actor Earl Holliman is 92. 
• Comedian Tom Dreesen is 81. 
• Movie director Brian De Palma is 80. 
• Actor Lola Falana is 78. 
• Drummer Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead is 77. 
• Guitarist Leo Kottke is 75. 
• Actor Phillip Alford (“To Kill A Mockingbird”) is 72. 
• Actor Amy Madigan is 70. 
• Guitarist Tommy Shaw of Styx is 67. 
• Sports reporter Lesley Visser is 67. 
• Drummer Jon Moss of Culture Club is 63. 
• Actor-director Roxann Dawson (“Star Trek: Voyager”) is 62. 
• Actor Scott Patterson (“Gilmore Girls”) is 62. 
• Keyboardist Mick Talbot (The Style Council, Dexys Midnight Runners) is 62. 
• Actor John Hawkes (“Deadwood”) is 61. 
• Actor Anne Ramsay (“Mad About You,” ″A League of Their Own”) is 60. 
• Actor Virginia Madsen (“Sideways,” ″American Dreams”) is 59. 
• Actor Kristy McNichol is 58. 
• Musician Moby is 55. 
• Singer Harry Connick Jr. is 53. 
• Actor Taraji P. Henson (“Empire”) is 50. 
• Actor Laura Wright (“Guiding Light”) is 50. 
• Guitarist Jeremy Popoff of Lit is 49. 
• Singer Brad Fischetti of LFO is 45. 
• Rapper Mr. Black is 43. 
• Guitarist Jon Buckland of Coldplay is 43. 
• Rapper Ludacris is 43. 
• Actor Ariana Richards (“Jurassic Park” films) is 41. 
• Singer Charles Kelley of Lady A is 39. 
• Actor Elizabeth Henstridge (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) is 33. 
• Actor Tyler Hoechlin (TV’s “Teen Wolf”) is 33. 
• Actor Mackenzie Aladjem (“Nurse Jackie”) is 19.