➤HURRICANE SALLY HEADING FURTHER EAST: Hurricane Sally is continuing to move slowly toward the Gulf Coast of the U.S., heading further east than earlier predictions of a Louisiana landfall and also expected to come ashore later, with forecasters now saying it should make landfall near the Alabama-Mississippi state line by late today or early Wednesday.
Sally strengthened from a tropical storm to become a hurricane on Monday and grew into a Category 2 storm with winds of 100 miles per hour. The storm has since been downgraded to a Category 1, Forecasters are warning of potentially deadly storm surges, flash flooding caused by up to two feet of rain, and possible tornadoes.
➤TRUMP VISITS CALIFORNIA AMID WILDFIRES, DISMISSES THAT CLIMATE CHANGE PLAYING A ROLE: President Trump visited California on Monday where historic wildfires have been burning, along with in Oregon and Washington state as well. Scientists have been saying that climate change is playing a significant role in the wildfires, but Trump dismissed that, and repeated his unfounded claim that not raking forest floors and clearing dead timber is mostly to blame.
“It’ll start getting cooler, you just watch,” Trump said of the climate. “I wish science agreed with you,” Crowfoot replied. “I don’t think science knows, actually,” Trump said, without providing any further explanation. https://t.co/e2bCtt3Com
Trump was briefed on the situation by Governor Gavin Newsom and other state and federal officials. When the state's Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot urged Trump to recognize that climate change is having a major effect, Trump said, "It will start getting cooler, just you watch." When Crowfoot said he wished the science agreed with Trump, the president said, "I don't think science knows, actually." Trump's Democratic presidential opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, blasted Trump in his speech Monday, calling him a "climate arsonist" and saying, "This is another crisis, another crisis he won’t take responsibility for."
➤TRUMP CALLED COVID 'KILLER,' SAID 'RIPS YOU APART' IN WOODWARD INTERVIEW: CNN released more audio last night from Bob Woodward's taped interviews with President Trump for Woodward's new book, Rage. In the conversation from April 13th, Trump told Woodward about the coronavirus, "This thing is a killer if it gets you. If you're the wrong person, you don't have a chance." He also said the virus, quote, "rips you apart" and called it "the plague." In earlier excerpts released last week, it was shown that Trump told Woodward in February and March about the seriousness of the coronavirus, how it spread through the air and was deadlier than the flu, but said that he played it down publicly because he didn't want, quote, "to create a panic." Trump told Woodward in mid-March, "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down because I don’t want to create a panic."
➤SOUTH DAKOTA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL BELIEVED HE'D HIT DEER, BUT DISCOVERED NEXT DAY HE'D KILLED A MAN: After South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem revealed Sunday night that state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg had been involved in a fatal car accident, Ravnsborg released a statement yesterday in which he said he'd thought he'd hit a deer on a rural stretch of highway, but when he returned the next day he found a body and realized he'd hit and killed a man. Ravnsborg had been driving home from a Republican fundraiser Saturday night at the time of the accident that killed 55-year-old Joseph Boever, who'd crashed his truck in the area earlier and was apparently walking near the road toward it. Ravnsborg said he called 911 immediately, believing he'd hit a deer. The Department of Public Safety is investigating.
🏈PITTSBURGH, TITANS WIN IN 'MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL': The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans were the winners last night in the first Monday Night Football games of the new NFL season. After missing the last 14 games of last season following elbow surgery, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to a 26-16 win over the New York Giants at the Giants' MetLife Stadium. In Denver, the Titans topped the Broncos 16-14. Stephen Gostkowski kicked the winning 25-yard field goal for Tennessee with 17 seconds left, after missing four kicks in the game.
NFL PLAYERS MAKE SOCIAL JUSTICE STATEMENTS: NFL players against made social justice statements during the two games last night. Before the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants, the Steelers held a white banner that read "Steelers Against Racism" during the national anthem. Several players also held their fists in the air. On the Giants side, about 20 players kneeled during the anthem. In the game between the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans, 20 Broncos players and 12 Titans players kneeled during the anthem. A few Denver players stood with a raised fist instead.
NFL REMINDS TEAMS ABOUT WEARING MASKS ON SIDELINES: The NFL yesterday reminded teams that personnel on the sidelines, including coaches, must wear face coverings during games. Players are exempt. The reminder came after team members other than players weren't wearing face coverings during several games on Sunday. The memo said that if the guidelines aren't followed, it could put the season "at risk," and said there'd be punishments for violations.
🏆DALLAS GETS 3-2 OT WIN AGAINST VEGAS TO REACH STANLEY CUP FINAL: The Dallas Stars are heading to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years after beating the Vegas Golden Knight 3-2 in overtime last night to win the Western Conference championship 4 games to 1.
This is the EXACT kind of reaction you want when you make the #StanleyCup Final.
Denis Gurianov scored the winning OT goal. They'll face the winner of the Eastern Conference final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders, which Tampa Bay is leading 3 games to 1
. ⚾BILLIONAIRE STEVE COHEN AGREES TO BUY METS: Billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen has agreed to buy MLB's New York Mets, the team announced yesterday. Sportico reported that Cohen will own 95 percent of the team, with the current owners, the Wilpon and Katz families, keeping the remaining five percent. The deal reportedly values the franchise at about $2.4 billion.
Entercom Communications has unveiled a new nationwide programming slate for it's Alternative and Country stations that replaces local radio hosts with syndicated out-of-town personalities in many time slots.
Details of the changes already are represented by new schedules posted on individual stations around the country, reports the Orange County Register
The Inland Empire-based Country K-FROG 95.1 will lose most of its local weekday hosts as a result of the shake-up.
“The Wake Up Call” morning show, which on Friday said goodbye to Ginny Harman, one of its three hosts, will continue with current hosts David Bugenske and Kelli “Green” Barajas.
K-Frog's Wake-Up Crew Kelli & David
From there, though, the rest of the Monday-Friday lineup looks nothing like it did before, with 10 hours each weekday hosted from studios thousands of miles from K-FROG’s studios.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. K-FROG will broadcast “Katie & Co.,” a New York City-based show hosted by Katie Neal on Entercom’s country station in New York City.
Her arrival bumps Heather Froglear to the afternoon drive shift where she will now team up with Kimo Jenson, a longtime host at KSON-FM/103.7 in San Diego, for “Kimo & Heather,” a program that will be syndicated regionally. They replace Anthony Donatelli who now moves to weekends on K-FROG.
The nighttime shift at the station becomes the “Rob and Holly Show,” a nationally syndicated program hosted by Rob Stone and Holly Hutton at Entercom’s country station in Detroit. They replace Vicki Pepper, who will continue to work for the station on weekends as well.
At KROQ-FM in Los Angeles/Pasadena, no current hosts lost their gigs as part of the Entercom reorganization, and some will expand into new markets.
The biggest change for local listeners is the announcement that Kevan Kenney, the nighttime host at Alt 92.3 in New York City and host of MTV’s “TRL Top 10,” will be syndicated weeknights from 7 p.m. to midnight on KROQ.
The changes come after Entercom initiated several major layoffs and staff realignments on Thursday -- mainly across its Alternative and Country formats.
Entercom is expected to roll out national midday and night shows across all of its stations in the Country format. The midday program will be hosted by WNSH-FM/New York midday personality Katie Neal. The show will also include a "Superstar Power Hour," with a different Country star co-hosting each week, starting with Luke Bryan. WYCD-FM/Detroit afternoon hosts Rob Stone and Holly Hutton will handle the company's evening show. The company will continue to air local morning programs, and afternoons will air local or regional talent.
Susan Larkin
“Today is launch day for our country and alternative brands reimagined with enhanced content and listener experiences – connecting our communities with the content they love,” Entercom Chief Operating Officer Susan Larkin said in a company memo. “I’m really proud of the creative thinking and hustle our team, broadly throughout the organization, has exhibited in making today possible… One of the most exciting things about this new plan is the opportunity to promote some of our very best leaders and talent. Their skill set and demonstrated success have already created value and now it’s the time to expand that beyond their home markets. Please join me in congratulating our newly promoted team and areas of responsibility.”
Tim Roberts continues as Format Captain/VP of Country Programming, while also serving as WYCD Detroit PD. Mike Kaplan remains as Format Captain/Senior VP Alternative Programming, with day-to-day oversight of “Alt 92.3” WNYL New York and KROQ-FM Los Angeles (106.7).
In the memo, Larkin also recognized Chief Programming Officer Pat Paxton and Executive Vice President, Programming Jeff Sottolano and singled out Kaplan, Roberts and Foxx as “the architects of the alternative and country brand plan.”
Jacobs Media has announced its third study of radio listeners focusing on the impact of COVID-19.
While the first two studies in March and May provided insight into the way the pandemic affected radio listening and media consumption, this study will focus on how the pandemic is affecting planned shopping this holiday season. The COVID3 study is being implemented in partnership with the Radio Advertising Bureau.
“While radio stations have done an admirable job responding to the pandemic through support of their local communities, advertising revenue has really been impacted,” remarks Paul Jacobs, Vice President/General Manager of Jacobs Media. “Many aspects of Americans’ lives have changed, and it’s important for radio salespeople to have reliable audience information to not only use to plan their 4th quarter sales strategy, but to also share with their clients in order to devise plans that will work. That’s what we hope to provide in this research.”
Participation in the study is open to all commercial radio stations in the US and Canada for a small processing fee. All stations will receive the Total Study Report, as well as an individual report for their station so they will have local data to be shared with clients. The study will be fielded at the end of September so radio salespeople will be armed with the results as holiday ad spending is ramping up.
Some of the areas of focus on radio listener perceptions and behaviors will include:
The impact of COVID-19 on their shopping plans, including shopping at local businesses vs. eCommerce
Black Friday shopping plans
Planned spending by category
What they are looking for from radio stations to help improve their holiday shopping experience
“Our first two COVID studies for radio helped radio broadcasters understand these rough waters,” comments Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs. “We’ve been able to provide insight into the impact of working from home, attitudes about the virus, and more, and we will be asking these questions in the COVID3 study. But right now, radio and its local advertisers need help ensuring this holiday season is successful, and this project is an important tool.”
RAB President & CEO Erica Farber comments: “This third study on the impact of COVID in the marketplace may be the most important one to date. Having a better understanding of what consumers’ ‘new normal’ is along with their intended buying habits is powerful data for broadcasters as we look towards continued positive growth going into the important holiday season.”
Alpha Media has announced that Amanda “Ice” Habrowski has been named as content director of Live KBFF 95.5 FM in Portland, Oregon.
Amanda Habrowski
A 16-year veteran of radio, Habrowski commented, “I am beyond thrilled to be named Content Director of Live 95.5. I’ve believed in this station and vision since moving to Portland six years ago and can’t wait to continue to grow our brand and make waves in the Rose City. I am proud and honored to be an example for women in this industry that if you put your mind to it, you can do it all. Thanks to Phil Becker for everything. And all of you who believe in me and helped coach me to be the best I can be, here’s to another 16 years, radio!”
Alpha Media Portland market manager, Lisa Decker, commented, “Amanda is very talented, ambitious, hard-working and always looking for continuous growth. This is a well-deserved promotion and an easy decision to make.”
Phil Becker, Executive VP of Content, stated “I feel privileged to get to hand the reins of Live 95.5 to Amanda. In my opinion, the radio industry needs more female content creators, and I know she will be an inspiration for other women aspiring to run radio brands. Her promotion is well deserved and I’m confident she can take the station even further.”
iHeartMedia Chicago announced today that Angi Taylor will be the Morning Show Host of WCHI ROCK 95 FIVE, Chicago’s Rock Station. “The Angi Taylor Show” is set to debut in Fall 2020 and broadcast weekday mornings from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
ROCK 95 FIVE is excited to launch a new live and local morning show with Chicago market veteran personality Angi Taylor. Taylor has been entertaining Chicagoans as host of iHeartMedia Chicago’s 103.5 KISS-FM “Fred+Angi Morning Show” since 2011. Prior to joining 103.5 KISS-FM in 2008 as morning show contributor, Taylor hosted mornings at iHeartMedia’s Q102 Philadelphia and KDWB Minneapolis.
“Taylor’s love of music and life in Chicago makes her the ideal host to help kickstart any Rock fans day,” said James Howard, Regional Senior Vice President of Programming of iHeartMedia Chicago. “She is unfiltered, undeniable and her lust for life is contagious, I can’t wait to listen.”
“Angi Taylor is a true icon of Chicago radio,” said Matt Scarano, President of iHeartMedia Chicago. “Angi’s wit, wisdom, experience and incredible talent make her the perfect fit for ROCK 95 FIVE. I am thrilled to launch ‘The Angi Taylor show’!”
“I’ve been working 22 years for the moment that I could host my very own morning show,” said Taylor. “I can’t express how much it means to me that my dream is coming true on Chicago’s ROCK 95 FIVE! Thank you iHeartMedia, 103.5 KISS-FM, and all the listeners for letting me into your lives every day.”
A longtime Minnesota Public Radio reporter resigned Monday over her editors’ decision to hold off on airing a story about #MeToo allegations made against an unamed DJ at KCMP 89.3 FM The Current.
WCCO-TV4 reports Marianne Combs, who’s reported for the radio station for more than 20 years, posted a Twitter thread about her decision, saying that her resignation is a show of solidarity with the women who shared their stories with her.
“I’m resigning to show my continued support for these women,” she wrote. “Their stories matter, their trauma is real, and the issues their experiences raise are relevant to all women, as well as all parents.”
Marianne Combs
In the thread, Combs says she investigated allegations against the DJ, whom she doesn’t name, for more than two months this summer, talking with eight women who said that the DJ sexually manipulated and psychologically abused them. According to Combs, the women said that the DJ used his status as a radio personality to attract and then torment young women.
Even though a lawyer found no legal threat to MPR if it aired the story, the station’s editors didn’t want to run it, Combs said. She said that although the editors found the DJ’s alleged actions “creepy,” they weren’t illegal and therefore not worthy of news coverage.
The decision showed a lack of leadership on the part of her editors, Combs said, adding that she has lost all confidence that they could handle this story appropriately. She also said that MPR and its sister stations should hold their on-air personalities to a higher standard than simply not breaking the law.
“These times call for leadership, a moral compass and courage,” Combs wrote. “I sincerely hope that my resignation can serve as a catalyst for positive change and push the newsroom to do right by victims of abuse in the future.”
WCCO reached out to MPR for comment, and MPR president Duchesne Drew said, in part, that management was “shocked by Marianne Combs’ decision to resign her position at MPR News. That said, I fully support the editors who reviewed her story. The MPR News editors decided that the story, which deals with complex and sensitive issues, is not ready to run because it does not meet our journalistic standards.”
Netflix investors may be tuning out after the controversial french film 'Cuties' has ignited a #CancelNetflix campaign on social media.
Shares fell on Monday, despite a broad market rally, following a report that the streaming service may be losing subscribers.
YipitData, a global research firm, told FOX Businessthat Netflix's churn, or the amount of customers who choose not to renew their subscription, began to substantially increase following the film's release.
As of Saturday, the firm found that Netflix's daily churn reached a multi-year high that was nearly eight times higher than levels observed by the firm in August.
YipitData believes churn could continue to grow in the coming days, as an online petition against the film has gained over 614,000 signatures as of Monday evening.
The streaming giant, known for its popular titles such as "The Crown" and "House of Cards", has seen a subscriber boom during the pandemic, adding 10.1 million paid memberships in the second quarter, up from 2.7 million in the same period a year ago.
In a recent interview with CNN, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings was not asked about the film's controversy and last week the company issued an apology for the artwork associated with the film.
Since, the #CancelNetflix movement has also gained momentum in Congress, with Sen. Josh Hawley calling for the film's removal from the platform for appearing to "sexually exploit children and endanger child welfare."
Florida Congressman Vern Buchanan, a Republican, blasted the film in a Monday press release after introducing legislation in Congress to "ban the sale of lifelike child sex dolls used by pedophiles."
Buchanan argues that we need to "stop catering to predators and start paying more attention to protecting children.”
We shouldn’t be afraid to call “Cuties” what it is. It is Child Pornography.
The film focuses on an 11-year old named Amy who "starts to rebel against her conservative family’s traditions when she becomes fascinated with a free-spirited dance crew," according to Netflix's synopsis.
ESPN has announced a season-long music collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer DJ Khaled for Monday Night Football. DJ Khaled – who also announced the news on social media, including a takeover of ESPN’s social accounts – will work with ESPN throughout the season to choose tracks that reflect the energy, intensity, and storylines of select Monday Night Football match-ups on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
Curated music will run in Monday Night Football promotional spots, live telecasts and pre-game shows for five games this season, starting with one of the biggest match-ups of the regular season, Chiefs-Ravens on Monday, Sept. 28. DJ Khaled will also select a song specifically celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month for the Chargers-Saints game on Monday, Oct. 12.
“I’m excited to collaborate with the NFL and ESPN again as we celebrate the return of the 2020 season,” said DJ Khaled. “Last year was a movie, kicking off the Super Bowl in Miami and now I am providing the vibes for fans everywhere as a music curator for Monday Night Football. From working with ESPN in their creative campaign ‘READY FOR FOOTBALL’ to providing the soundtrack for the NFL season – this is going to be epic.”
GRAMMY nominated multiplatinum artist DJ Khaled’s discography to date encompasses eight gold singles, five platinum singles, and two double-platinum singles. Since launching his career over two decades ago, he has sold in excess of 18 million singles and 5 million albums and generated 3 billion-plus streams.
Additionally, Khaled runs We The Best Music Group—a record label, management, publishing, and production company and in-demand studio. Beyond his multiple television appearances, as an author, Khaled’s impact extends to the New York Times Bestseller List with 2016’s publication of The Keys. Giving back whenever possible, Bono of U2 welcomed him as the first social media ambassador for Project Red and Get Schooled enlisted him as its national spokesperson.
➦In 1907...John Wesley "Jack" Bailey Jr. born in Hampton, Iowa (Died from cancer at age 72 in Santa Monica, CA– February 1, 1980). He was an actor and daytime game show host.
Jack Bailey - 1947
Bailey is best remembered as the host of Queen for a Day, a daytime game show which first aired on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1945 and later moved to television, where it ran locally in the Los Angeles area from 1948 through 1955, on the NBC Television network from January 3, 1956 to September 2, 1960, and on the ABC network from September 5, 1960 to October 2, 1964. Each episode started with a different introduction (some of which were parodies of other popular shows of the time period), but inevitably the opening would resolve when Bailey pointed to the camera (and the audience) and loudly asked, "Would you like to be Queen for a Day?" as the live audience, mostly women, cheered.
He was an announcer for several radio programs, including The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Duffy's Tavern, and Meet the Missus.
His other work in television included appearances in episodes of The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, Mister Ed, Green Acres, I Dream of Jeannie, Gunsmoke, and Ironside, plus narration for the Walt Disney organization. He had a small part in the Frank Capra film It's a Wonderful Life and he also toured the country in musical stage productions, such as Hello Dolly, The Sound of Music, and The Music Man.
Bailey was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one for his radio career, at 1708 Vine Street, and one for his work in television, at 6411 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
Jimmy Wallington
➦In 1907...Announcer Jimmy Wallington was born in Rochester NY (Died at age 65 – December 22, 1972). After playing small roles in a few Hollywood films, he was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1940s and 1950s.
For his work on radio, Wallington has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6660 Hollywood Blvd.
He was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, including Texaco Star Theatre with Fred Allen (1941–44) and Texaco Town with Eddie Cantor. As with most announcers, Wallington would announce the program's star, then read the sponsor's commercials. In addition, he was often given comedy lines. When radio shows moved to television, he continued as a television announcer in the 1950s.
After years as a radio announcer, he became a TV star in California doing Life Insurance and other commercials. He ended his professional radio career as a Voice of America radio announcer in the Worldwide English service.
Blondie, Dagwood
➦In 1908...Penny Singleton born Mariana Dorothy McNulty (Died at age 95 – November 12, 2003). During her 60-year career, she appeared as the comic-strip heroine Blondie Bumstead in a series of 28 motion pictures from 1938 until 1950 and the popular Blondie radio program from 1939 until 1950. Singleton also provided the voice of Jane Jetson in the animated series The Jetsons from 1962–1963 and 1985–1987.
She was cast opposite Arthur Lake (as Dagwood) in the feature film Blondie in 1938. They repeated their roles on a radio comedy beginning in 1939 and in guest appearances on other radio shows. As Dagwood and Blondie Bumstead, they proved so popular that a succession of 27 sequels was made from 1938 until 1950, with the radio show ending the same year. Singleton's husband Robert Sparks produced 12 of these sequels. Also in 1950, she had her own program, The Penny Singleton Show, on NBC radio
➦In 1915...John Conte born (Died at age 90 – September 4, 2006). Conte entered broadcasting with a job at KFAC in Los Angeles. Two years later, he had become a network announcer. One of his first regular roles was on The Grape Nuts Program (1937-1938) with George Burns and Gracie Allen. Conte was host for Screen Test and Master of ceremonies for the Maxwell House program that featured Fanny Brice and Frank Morgan He was also the announcer for Silver Theater.[5] It Happened in Hollywood,[4]:165 and The Screen Guild Show. Conte, who ended up a CA TV station owner. ➦In 1934...the Mutual Broadcast System was formed.
The three national radio networks already in operation—the Columbia Broadcasting System and the National Broadcasting Company's NBC Red and NBC Blue—were corporate controlled: programming was produced by the network (or by advertising agencies of program sponsors that purchased airtime on the network) and distributed to affiliates, most of which were independently owned. In contrast, the Mutual Broadcasting System was run as a true cooperative venture, with programming produced by and shared between the group's members.
The majority of the early programming, from WOR and WGN, consisted of musical features and inexpensive dramatic serials.
WOR had The Witch's Tale, a horror anthology series whose "hunner-an'-thirteen-year-old" narrator invited listeners to "douse all [the] lights. Now draw up to the fire an' gaze into the embers ...gaaaaze into 'em deep!... an' soon ye'll be across the seas, in th' jungle land of Africa ... hear that chantin' and them savage drums?" WGN contributed the popular comedy series Lum and Abner. Detroit's WXYZ provided The Lone Ranger, which had debuted in 1933 and was already in demand. It is often claimed that Mutual was launched primarily as a vehicle for the Western serial, but Lum and Abner was no less popular at the time.
What WLW brought was sheer power; billing itself as "The Nation's Station," in May 1934 it had begun night broadcasting at a massive 500,000 watts, ten times the clear-channel standard.
➦In 1948...WHN 1050 AM NYC changed call letters to WMGM to reflect the Loew’s then-ownership of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio. Today, the station is WEPN-AM.
The station continued its diversified format until flipping to Top 40 and rock music in the mid 1950s. While it included some R&B, country and instrumentals in the Top 40 mix, WMGM carried a narrower, more up-tempo playlist.
By the early 1960s, WMGM 1050 AM had several competitors in the Top 40 radio market. 1010 WINS, 77WABC and WMCA 570 all were playing rock, and WMGM was falling behind in the ratings.
Storer Broadcasting bought the station in 1962, renaming it WHN and dropping the Top 40 in favor of slow-paced “beautiful music” and standards. Here’s what the switchover sounded like:
➦In 1959...The transistor radio was making some in the record business a bit nervous, because teens could listen almost anywhere they go. Companies worried record sales would suffer:
Marty Salkin - a VP at Decca Records believes the pocket-sized radios are having an impact on record sales, “You see a lot of the kinds walking around listening to them all day long, which could mean they are not buying records.”
Arnold Maxim of MGM Records says, “It’s no longer considered the smart thing among teenagers to be a collector of records. It’s much smarter now to be so familiar with the local top-40 jockey- because you listen all the time on your portable radio - that you can tell exactly what time he’s gong to play a certain record, because you know when he played it yesterday and the day before. Somehow, we have to recreate the disk-buying habit with teenagers or tomorrow’s market for LP’s is endangered.”
➦In 1959...Top 40 1010 WINS, New York offered $250 in silver dollars to the listener who guessed the first time the temperature drops to freezing
➦In 1965... The Ford Motor Company introduced factory-installed and dealer-installed eight-track tape players as an option on three of its 1966 models and RCA Victor introduced 175 Stereo-8 Cartridges from its RCA Victor and RCA Camden labels of recording artists catalogs.
By the 1967 model year, all of Ford's vehicles offered this tape player upgrade option. Most of the initial factory installations were separate players from the radio (such as shown in the image), but dashboard mounted 8-track units were offered in combination with an AM radio, as well as with AM/FM receivers. Muntz, and a few other manufacturers, also offered 4/8 or "12-track" players that were capable of playing cartridges of either format, 4-track or 8-track. With the backing of the U.S. automakers, the eight-track format quickly won out over the four-track format, with Muntz abandoning it completely by late 1970.
L-A Times 9/16/65
➦In 1965...Two people were seen leaving the KNX Los Angeles transmitter site shortly after the radio tower toppled to the ground at 10:45 p.m., during veteran talk-show host Michael Jackson’s show. Investigating officers discovered that the vandals had sawed through the top turnbuckle of one of the tower’s guy wires, which caused the entire tower to come loose and tumble to the ground
KNX-AM was off the air for a day. A temporary 10,000-watt transmitter was set up on the site so the station could resume broadcasting.
Later, an extra tower that was not in use was located at station KFAC-AM and brought to Torrance. The 365-foot tower was used while a new 494-foot tower was being built.
L-A Times 9/18/65
When the new tower went into operation in July 1966, the older one was kept as a backup. These two towers still stand on the site today.
➦In 1965...MOR WJRZ 970 AM Newark, NJ became the first radio station in the New York metro area to play a country music format 24 hours a day. WJRZ was the flagship radio outlet for the New York Mets from 1967 until 1971.
➦In 1965...The 107.5 frequency in New York City signed on in July 1951 as WEVD-FM, simulcasting its sister station at 1330 AM. Within a few years, WEVD-FM moved to 97.9, and 107.5 went off the air.
Several years later the New Broadcasting Company, then-owners of WLIB, was awarded a construction permit for the dormant frequency and on September 15, 1965 reactivated 107.5 as WLIB-FM. As the FCC recently instituted a rule prohibiting full-time AM/FM simulcasting in large markets, WLIB-FM was programmed with a jazz music format.
The stations were split up in 1972, when Inner City Broadcasting purchased WLIB-AM; WLIB-FM was then renamed WBLS. Inner City reunited the pair with its purchase of WBLS in 1974.
In 1995, after WRKS was purchased by Emmis Communications and dropped an all hip-hop music in favor of a similar adult R&B format, WBLS countered with a controversial advertising campaign labeling WRKS as a "plantation station." WBLS shortly reverted to urban contemporary, only to exit again in 2004 when WBLS switched to urban adult contemporary.
WBLS acquired WRKS's intellectual property in a merger of the two outlets announced on April 26, 2012 with a joint statement on both stations' respective websites. In addition to acquiring WRKS's intellectual property, WBLS and WLIB also moved into Emmis's New York production facility in the West Village section of Manhattan, into studio space vacated by WRKS during the week of May 21, 2012.
On February 11, 2014, Emmis Communications announced it would purchase WBLS and WLIB from YMF Media LLC for $131 million, pending final approval from the FCC. The purchase was consummated on June 10, 2014.
➦In 1969... Portland, OR got its second Top40 station as KGW 630 AM dropped MOR to challenge KISN 910 AM.
Gus Gossert
➦In 1969...New York City will get its sixth rock station as WCBS 101.1 FM announced it will go rock October 6. Program Director Gus Gossert says the sound will be half hit singles and half album cuts. The city already had WABC, WMCA, WOR-FM, WNEW-FM, WABC- FM.
WCBS-FM launched a freeform rock format, which was becoming increasingly popular, and all other CBS-owned FM stations followed suit.
For the first time, WCBS-FM would have an airstaff. Bill Brown began his long tenure with the station, and Don K. Reed began his late in 1971; both remained there until 2005. Radio personalities such as Bobby "Wizzard" Wayne, Tom Tyler, Ed Williams, Steve Clark, Roby Yonge, K.O. Bayley (Bob Elliott from WOR-FM), Les Turpin, Bob "Bob-A-Lew" Lewis also briefly joined the WCBS-FM "freeform" format. Besides Bill Brown and Don K. Reed, Wizzard Wayne and Ed Williams also stayed into the early part of the oldies format.
Original Oldies Years and Greatest Hits
WCBS-FM was never successful with their rock format, competing with stations such as WPLJ (the former WABC-FM) and WNEW-FM had most of the rock audience. As a result, WCBS-FM switched to oldies on July 7, 1972, becoming one of the first full-time stations in the country to use that format. The change coincided with rival WOR-FM's decision to drop pre-1964 oldies from its playlist a few months prior (as they became WXLO). Johnny Michaels, formerly of WMCA, played the first record, Dion's "Runaround Sue". The entire staff from the rock format remained at the station.
➦In 1989...Arbitron Ratings
New York Radio – WHTZ is #1 rising 5.8-6.1… easy WPAT AM/FM – 5.9-5.6… WLTW – 5.5-5.6… WCBS-FM – 4.7-4.6… WNEW-FM – 4.3-4.2… WPLJ (Power 95 – 3.4-3.7. Mornings – WINS (all news) – 8.2… Z100 and WOR – 6.4 share.
Los Angeles Radio – KPWR (Power 106) – 7.2-6.7… KOST – 6.6… KIIS AM/FM – 5.3-5.9… Pirate Radio (KQLZ) – 5.4-5.6.. KABC 5.0-4.6…… KLOS – 3.8-3.9…
L-A Mornings – Rick Dees – 6.5-6.9… Jay Thomas 6.5-6.1… Mark & Brian – 6.3-6.5 … Scott Shannon – 4.2-4.3
➦In 1989...Bright A/C KKBT 92.3 FM debuted in Los Angeles. It had been classical KFAC-FM for many years. Comedian Paul Rodriquez and Ron O’Brien are part of its airstaff.
➦In 1991...Announcer and radio personality Andre Baruch died at age 83. He was one of the great announcers of network radio and Pathe Newsreels. He also worked regularly on Your Hit Parade, The Shadow, The Kate Smith Hour & American Album of Familiar Music.
➦In 2013…Radio-TV personality Jerry G. Bishop died from a heart attack at age 77 (Born August 3, 1936). He is known for being Chicago's original "Svengoolie", and for his award-winning twelve-year stint on "Sun-Up San Diego."
Jerry G Bishop
In 1961, he got his start in radio at WNMP (now WCGO) in Evanston, hosting the morning-drive program. He also worked part-time on stations in Rockford and Springfield. In 1962, he was hired at WPGC-AM-FM in Washington, D.C., where he stayed for a year, before being hired on at Cleveland giant KYW as a night-time DJ. He had used his real name of Jerry Ghan at his previous jobs, but began using the name, 'Jerry G' at WPGC. KYW program director Ken Draper requested he use that same name. "
During his three-year stint at KYW, Jerry G. toured with the Beatles as a reporter for Group W and NBC Radio stations on their 1964 and 1965 tours, hosted a weekly dance-party program, "Jerry G & Co.," on KYW's television outlet.
When Ken Draper was program director at Chicago's WCFL from 1965 to 1968, he hired Bishop in 1967. Draper then asked him to pick a last name to go with the "Jerry G." name he had been using. He and his wife flipped through the Cleveland phone book, and together settled on the name "Bishop."
In 1969, Jerry G. became a staff announcer and the host of an afternoon local version of the movie/call-in contest show Dialing For Dollars on WFLD-TV, which was also located in Marina City in what is now The House of Blues building. This affiliation with WFLD would, of course, lead to Jerry inventing his most famous role as Svengoolie on Channel 32's Screaming Yellow Theater in 1971.
Bishop as "Svengoolie"
After leaving WFLD, Bishop would be hired by WMAQ as their morning-drive personality. He also worked on the station's television outlet (channel 5), hosting "Chicago Camera," a Sunday-afternoon variety program. He also anchored the "Today in Chicago" segment of NBC's "Today" show. He would work for WMAQ until 1975, when WMAQ changed formats from MOR/talk to country and replaced their entire announcing staff. Bishop remained in the Windy City for a short time afterwards, acting as Director of Corporate Affairs for The National Easter Seal Society of Chicago.
In August 1978, he headed West, to San Diego and KFMB-TV, where he assumed the co-host chair of the long-running morning-talk program "Sun-Up San Diego." He collected three local Emmy Awards and a National Press Club Award for his work on the show, which he co-hosted for twelve years until its cancellation in 1990.
He also worked at adult-contemporary KPOP (mow sports KLSD) and wound up his broadcasting career with a three-year stint hosting a show (via voice-tracking from San Diego) on WRLL ("Real Oldies 1690"), an Oldies extended-AM station aimed at the Chicago area, beginning in 2003.
Heidi Montag is 34
HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
Comedian Norm Crosby is 93.
Actor Henry Darrow (“The High Chaparral”) is 87.
Actor Tommy Lee Jones is 74.
Movie director Oliver Stone is 74.
Drummer Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger is 68.
Actor Barry Shabaka Henley (“Bob Hearts Abishola”) is 66.
Drummer Mitch Dorge of Crash Test Dummies is 60.
Actor Danny Nucci (“The Fosters”) is 52.
DJ Kay Gee (Naughty By Nature) is 51.
Actor Josh Charles (“The Good Wife,” ″Sports Night”) is 49.
Actor Tom Hardy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) is 43.
Actor Marisa Ramirez (“Blue Bloods”) is 43.
Guitarist Zach Filkins of OneRepublic is 42.
Actor Dave Annable (“Brothers and Sisters”) is 41.
This week’s Westwood One blog looks at multiple Nielsen case studies that prove AM/FM radio ad campaigns lift TV viewership.
The studies compared those who had been exposed to AM/FM radio ads for TV tune-in with people who had not heard the ads. The difference in TV audiences between those exposed and not exposed is the “lift” generated by the AM/FM radio ads.
To be effective, TV tune-in campaigns on AM/FM radio require a 45% weekly reach and at least 150+ GRPs. Buying a handful of GRPs on premiere day is “spray and pray” ineffectiveness.
While on-network promos and paid TV buys reach heavy TV viewers, AM/FM radio TV tune-in campaigns reach medium and light TV viewers.
AM/FM radio campaigns generate outsized incremental reach and audiences among younger demographics. As such, the younger the demo, the greater the lift in TV tune-in viewing.
Case study: An eight-part documentary series used AM/FM radio to generate a +52% lift in viewing and an even greater increase of multi-episode tuning.
Case study: The returning season of a scripted cable drama ran an AM/FM radio campaign that represented only 5% of the media plan but generated 20% of the total campaign impressions. 70% of the AM/FM radio impressions were from persons 18-54, while half of the paid TV and TV promo impressions were from persons 55+.
Case study: A historical mini-series radio tune-in campaign generated a +44% increase in viewing. The vast majority of the viewers AM/FM radio delivered were new and light viewers of the network.
Fifteen Nielsen case studies across four years revealed that among viewers who tuned into a program, persons who were exposed to an AM/FM radio ad were +33% more likely to tune in compared to viewers who were not exposed to AM/FM radio.
Apple Inc. will kick off a broad slate of new products at a virtual event on Tuesday, with upgrades to two of its most important hardware lines beyond the iPhone.
Bloomberg reports the Cupertino, California-based technology giant will debut an Apple Watch, likely to be called the Series 6, with features such as a faster processor and a blood oxygen meter, according to people familiar with the product. The new Watch will come in the same 40mm and 44mm sizes as the current models. The company is also planning a new low-end model to help fend off cheaper offerings from rivals such as Fitbit Inc.
The Apple Watch has become one of the company’s best-selling devices, making it the biggest contributor to Apple’s wearables and accessories division. That segment generated revenue of US$24.5 billion in fiscal 2019, almost double two years earlier.
The Apple Watch was last updated in September 2019 when the company added an always-on screen and new cases. This year will be the first time since 2016 that two new models are released at once.
Apple’s event will also be notable for what won’t be unveiled: new iPhones. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted final testing of new 5G models earlier this year and delayed the company’s ability to kick off mass production. Apple now plans to announce its four new iPhones in October, marking the latest iPhone announcement since 2011. Some of the phones could even ship later than the iPhone X, which went on sale Nov. 3, 2017.
For Tuesday, Apple is also readying its first update to the iPad Air since re-launching the line in March 2019. The new model will look similar to the iPad Pro by replacing the home button with an all-screen look. It will use a slower processor and lack some features such as the iPad Pro’s ProMotion screen.
A new mid-tier iPad could continue to juice Apple sales as consumers look for devices to help them work and learn from home. The current iPad Air costs US$499, far less than the US$799 price of the iPad Pro. A tablet that looks similar to the iPad Pro but at a much lower price could make the new iPad Air a hot holiday season seller.
