“The Pat McAfee Show” will be looking for a new radio home.
McAfee told The NYPost that the show’s time at SiriusXM is over after the network “never made an offer to continue our partnership” and there are “no ill feelings” between the two.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo broke the news of the split, saying McAfee and SiriusXM parted ways amicably on Monday.
McAfee’s show, which has become a regular home for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, has been broadcast on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio from noon-3 p.m. since September 2020 while also being streamed on YouTube. It’s become a massive hit as the 35-year-old McAfee, a former Colts punter turned media darling, signed a $120 million deal with FanDuel Sportsbook last December to sponsor the show. McAfee called it a great two-year run.
“Sirius doesn’t provide any information on who/if anybody listens, so all of our business agreements with our other fantastic partners has been done strictly off of our YouTube and social media presences so it legitimately affects nothing other than we won’t be able to be listened to by whomever was potentially listening on SiriusXM,” McAfee told The Post.
“I have heard from some of our Sirius Listeners today on Social and in our YouTube comments, I’m very grateful for those that listened to us on XM. I took a lot of pride in being a host who could hopefully paint a picture for those who couldn’t watch what was happening. I have no clue how many folks listened on Sirius but I appreciate them all for taking a chance on us. We’ll continue to move forward and hopefully continue creating a product worth consuming.”
While McAfee told The Post they have spoken to a few places about housing that audio-only version of the show, which only was 5 percent of the McAfee Show revenue while it was on SiriusXM, his partnership with FanDuel could provide at least one potential avenue. The FanDuel Group announced last week its intent to launch the FanDuel TV network and the OTT platform FanDuel+ in September. McAfee’s PMI Network will be producing content for the FanDuel network.
Find where you’re celebrated… not where you’re tolerated.
The latest installment of Sirius XM’s “Home of Sirius XM” ads features Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper, 2 Chainz, Mickey Guyton and others.
According to MediaPost, as with the previous round of ads, launched last summer, the campaign is based on the idea that the musicians are housemates in a reality TV show. The newest ad, “Dinner,” features Morissette trying to avoid talking about Sirius XM, when it’s clear that that’s all the others want to do.
“I listen to it on the app, 24/7,” says Cooper, gesturing with a cellphone, “no car required.”
Morrisette, clearly frustrated with all the talk, then says, “Can we please not talk about Sirius XM for one meal?” After that, a long silence ensues, which is broken by 2Chainz, asking if “Y’all ever listen to yacht rock?”
After that Morrissette walks off and is chided by 2Chainz, who says “Alanis, it’s on the app. You oughta know!”
Previous ads in the series, via Translation, have featured Kevin Hart, LL Cool J, Dave Grohl and Brett Favre. Like the current ads, the new ones aim to further the idea that you can listen to Sirius on your phone or computer, not just in your car.
Benztown + McVayMedia Podcast Networks announces that it has released the latest episode of the Sound, Sobriety & Success podcast, hosted by Rock journalist Matt Pinfield and featuring Grammy-winning Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Matt Sorum, drummer for the iconic rock bands Guns N’ Roses, The Cult, and Velvet Revolver.
In the new episode, Sorum discusses his journey from drug smuggler to rock star, and shares stories about the peaks and valleys of his career, life on tour, and settling down to become a family man. Listen to Sound, Sobriety & Success now, Click Here
In this episode, Sorum tells Pinfield and his podcast audience about:
How Ringo Starr inspired him to get into drumming, his early career, and meeting his idol
His early years drumming for as many as 10 bands at once, playing up to five gigs a night
Playing with other legendary musicians including Slash, Axl Rose, Ian Astbury, and Scott Weiland
Getting sober with Velvet Revolver and how a return to partying derailed the band
His transition from the hustle of Hollywood to the calm life of Palm Springs
Pinfield, a former MTV host currently heard on hundreds of radio stations across the country as host of Westwood One’s Rock radio show, “Flashback” – has been a fixture in the music scene for three decades and has been on the road to recovery along the way, with a little help from his friends. In his inspiring podcast Sound, Sobriety & Success, Pinfield is vocal about his sobriety journey, and talks to people from all walks of life who have hit rock bottom and are finding their way back from addiction.
September is Sobriety Awareness Month. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, MusiCares operates a Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Program that recognizes those issues unique to music professionals at any stage of their career, offering eligible individuals financial assistance and resources for psychotherapy, coaching, and psychiatric expenses, inpatient and outpatient treatment, detox and sober living costs.
A U.N. team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency left Monday on a urgent mission to inspect and safeguard the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant amid growing fears of a disaster. The plant, which is the largest in Europe, has been occupied by Russian forces since soon after the invasion of Ukraine in February, and it is in the middle of fighting, with both Russia and Ukraine accusing the other side of attacks on or near the plant. Ukraine has accused Russia of storing weapons at the plant and launching attacks from around it. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, who is heading the team, tweeted Monday, "The day has come" and that the team "is now on its way."
After weeks of crisis around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, strikes continues to imperil the facility.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said that military operations were underway to retake Russian-held areas in the south of the country, with CNN citing a source as saying Ukrainian forces had taken back four villages from Russian occupation near the city of Kherson, which is their main target.
➤DOJ CPOMPLETES REVIEW OF POTENTIALLY PRIVILEGED DOCUMENTS FROM MAR-A-LAGO: The Justice Department has completed its review of potentially privileged documents taken from former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this month when the FBI executed a search warrant seeking classified documents, according to a court filing yesterday, which said there were a, quote, "limited set of materials that potentially contain attorney-client privileged information." A judge's order over the weekend indicated she was inclined to grant Trump's request for a special master to oversee a review of documents to make sure any that might be protected by claims of legal privilege be set aside, but yesterday's filing seems to suggest a special master isn't required as the review has already been done. The judge had given the Justice Department an opportunity to respond and scheduled a hearing Thursday on the issue.
➤BIDEN TO GIVE PRIME-TIME SPEECH THURSDAY ON 'SOUL OF THE NATION,' WARN RIGHTS 'UNDER ATTACK'; President Biden will give a prime-time speech Thursday outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia where he will speak about the, quote, "continued battle for the soul of the nation," and warn that American's, quote, "rights and freedoms are still under attack," NBC News first reported yesterday, citing a White House official.
The "soul of the nation" argument was central to Biden's 2020 presidential run, and the official said the president believes it's still as vital as ever. Biden will speak about what he views as progress made during his time in office in protecting our democracy, but say that our rights and freedoms are still at risk, and that our democracy and standing in the world are at stake. The planned speech comes as Biden is increasing his travel plans ahead of the midterm elections.
Republican National Committee spokesperson Emma Vaughn told NBC News in response to news of Biden's speech: "Biden has pitted neighbors against each other, labeled half of Americans as fascist, and tarnished any idea of his promise of 'unity.'"
➤OREGON SUPERMARKET EMPLOYEE KILLED IN SHOOTING TRIED TO DISARM GUNMAN: Police said Monday that a 66-year-old employee at a Bend, Oregon, Safeway supermarket where there was a shooting on Sunday evening attacked the gunman and tried to disarm him before being killed, likely preventing more deaths. Donald Ray Surrett Jr., who police hailed as a hero, was one of two people killed, along with 84-year-old customer Glenn Edward Bennett, and two others were injured. The 20-year-old shooter, Ethan Blair Miller, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Miller lived in an apartment complex behind the shopping center, and witnesses said he began shooting with an assault rifle as soon as he left the complex and continued as he went into the shopping center's parking lot and then into the Safeway. Three Molotov cocktails and a sawed-off shotgun were found in Miller's car. There were some reports that Miller had posted his plans online.
Police say a heroic act by a grocery store worker may have saved dozens of lives during a deadly shooting at an Oregon supermarket. Police say the alleged gunman started firing as he walked across a parking lot and into the store. @elwynlopez reports. https://t.co/mH6NNNC3ILpic.twitter.com/3ihlvZxGOr
➤INDIANAPOLIS POLICE TRYING TO IDENTIFY SUSPECTS IN SHOOTING THAT LEFT DUTCH SOLDIER DEAD, TWO INJURED: Indianapolis police are working to identify those involved in a shooting early Saturday morning that left one Dutch soldier dead and two wounded while they were in the U.S. for training exercises at an Indiana military base. The three were shot after what police believe was a disturbance outside the downtown hotel where they were staying about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. One of them, 26-year-old Simmie Poetsema, died Sunday night, and the other two had what police described Monday as non-life threatening injuries.
➤JAN. 6TH RIOTER SENTENCED TO MORE THAN FOUR YEARS IN PRISON: A 40-year-old Maryland man affiliated with the far-right Proud Boys extremist group who was one of the rioters in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced to four years and seven months in prison yesterday. During the melee, Joshua Pruitt came face-to-face with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and his security detail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Loeb said in a court filing, "One look at Pruitt, and the leader of Senator Schumer’s security detail immediately saw the threat and hustled the 70-year-old senator down a hallway, having to change their evacuation route on a dime." Defense attorney Robert Jenkins Jr. said Pruitt saw the security detail, but didn't recognize Schumer, stating, "It’s not as though that Mr. Pruitt ran toward the detail or made any threatening posture toward them." Pruitt pled guilty in June to a felony charge of obstruction of an official proceeding, the joint session of Congress for certifying Joe Biden’s president victory over Donald Trump.
US government can’t force Christian groups to perform abortions, gender reassignment surgery, court rules https://t.co/w92x32XqbD
➤STUDY: 'ZOMBIE ICE' FROM GREENLAND WILL RAISE SEA LEVEL BY AT LEAST 10 INCHES: A new study out yesterday says that "zombie ice" from the huge Greenland ice sheet will eventually raise global sea levels by at least 10 inches, regardless of what actions are taken now on climate change. Zombie ice is ice that's still attached to thicker areas of ice, but is no longer being fed by those larger glaciers because the glaciers are getting less snow, and meanwhile the zombie ice is melting from climate change. Study co-author William Colgan of the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland said, "This ice has been consigned to the ocean, regardless of what climate [emissions] scenario we take now." That 10 inches of sea level rise is more than twice what scientists had previously predicted from the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet. The scientists don't know how long it will take for the zombie ice to melt, but Colgan said that it would probably be by the end of this century or at least by 2150.
➤HONDA AND LG ANNOUNCE DEAL TO BUILD $4.4 BILLION EV BATTERY FACTORY IN U.S.: Honda and Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution announced Monday that they are partnering to build a $4.4 billion factory in the U.S. to make batteries for electric vehicles. They said they plan to begin construction early next year, with the aim of having mass production at the site by the end of 2025, but didn't say where in the U.S. the factory will be built. The companies said they chose the U.S. because local production and a "timely" supply of batteries would best position them to succeed in the growing North American electric vehicle market. New electric vehicle tax credits encourage automakers to produce batteries in North America.
"Honestly still to this day I don't know what really I did...I literally spoke in a British accent to a doctor to prescribe my medication and three days later there was a SWAT team in my home...None of it made sense. https://t.co/tn4wF6o0oG
➤OREGON'S SWASTIKA MOUNTAIN IS GETTING A NAME CHANGE: It's a safe bet that most Americans don't know there's a mountain in Oregon with the very questionable name Swastika Mountain, but it's apparently not going to have that name for much longer. Oregon resident Joyce McClain learned about the name of the mountain near Eugene earlier this year after news that two hikers needed to be rescued from it. She filed paperwork with the Oregon Geographic Names Board to change the name, beginning the process for it to happen sometime next year. Swastika Mountain was given the name in the early 1900s, when the swastika was seen as a symbol of "good fortune" or "well-being," before Adolf Hitler used it as a Nazi symbol. KOMO News reports the peak is expected to be renamed Mount Halo, after late Chief Halito, who once led the Yoncalla Kalapuya tribe in the region.
A little-known state law banning canned whipped cream sales to those under 21 is catching consumers by surprise. “I was so confused,” one shopper said. “... I’m 43 with gray hair.” https://t.co/9GnjrFnyus
🎄NEW DOLLY PARTON CHRISTMAS SPECIAL IN THE WORKS: E! News reports that a new Dolly Parton Christmas special was announced by NBC on Monday, titled Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas. The TV event will feature Parton in the lead role alongside Tom Everett Scott, Ana Gasteyer, and Angel Parker. Guest stars include Jimmy Fallon, Miley Cyrus, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jimmie Allen, and Zach Williams. Fallon took to Instagram on Monday (August 29th) to share behind-the-scenes snapshots. “I never need an excuse to go hang out with @dollyparton and eat some Tennessee BBQ, but this trip was extra special. I’m so excited to kick off the holidays at Dollywood for Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas - this holiday season on @nbc,” he captioned the post.
🎾SERENA WILLIAMS WINS OPENING MATCH AT U.S. OPEN: Serena Williams won her opening round match Monday before an adoring crowd on the first day of the U.S. Open, which is expected to be the final tournament of her career. Williams defeated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, in a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows in New York, where 23,000-plus fans gave her a standing ovation. Her match in the second round is set to be a tougher battle for Williams, who will play second-seeded Anett Kontveit of Estonia on Wednesday.
In other matches yesterday, Ukraine's unseeded Daria Snigur stunningly upset Number 7 Simona Halep 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 in her first appearance in a Grand Slam tournament and first time facing a top 20 player. Other winners included top-seeded men's player Daniil Medvedev, third-seeded Maria Sakkari, and 12th-ranked American Coco Gauff.
⚾JUDGE HITS 50TH HOMER, ONE OF 10 WITH MULTIPLE 50-HR SEASONS: The New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hit his 50th home run of the season last night, launching the solo homer in the eighth inning of the Yankees' 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Judge is now one of just 10 players in MLB history with multiple 50-homer seasons, after having 52 in his rookie season in 2017.
🏈COMMANDERS' ROBINSON HAS SURGERY AFTER SHOOTING: Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. revealed on social media yesterday that he'd undergone surgery a day after being shot Sunday in Washington, D.C., in what the NFL team called an attempted robbery or carjacking. The 23-year-old said the surgery went well and thanked people for their prayers. A police report said Robinson was shot in the leg by two suspects. Head coach Ron Rivera said after practice that doctors had been positive, and Robinson is "doing well," but there's no timeline for him to return to football.
⚾MLB PLAYERS' UNION TRYING TO UNIONIZE MINOR LEAGUERS: The MLB players' union is now trying to unionize minor leaguers after decades of being opposed to doing so. The Major League Baseball Players Association said Monday that it's circulating union authorization cards among minor league players to form a separate bargaining unit from the major leaguers. Union head Tony Clark said in a letter to player agents Sunday, "The working conditions facing these players have been nothing short of offensive. . . . minor league players have never had a seat at the bargaining table. It’s time for that to change.” Minor league players can earn as little as $400 a week.
The woman who accused NFL punter Matt Araiza of rape says the claim she's looking for money makes her "sick." https://t.co/0Um39k4EuD
🏈QB GAROPPOLO STAYING WITH 49ERS UNDER ONE-YEAR CONTRACT: Jimmy Garoppolo has agreed to terms to stay with the San Francisco 49ers under a restructured one-year contract that will make him the highest-paid NFL backup quarterback, according to media reports. ESPN reports Garoppolo, who will be the backup to Trey Lance, will earn a fully guaranteed base salary of $6.5 million, and the contract has no-trade and no-tag clauses, which will allow him to be a free agent in the next offseason.
Severe weather continues to sweep across the country as heavy rains bring floods to Mississippi, tornadoes touch down in the Twin Cities and fires burn in the West. https://t.co/6FqQCScEqX
Cumulus Media has announced VP of Programming Operations Greg Frey has been tapped to lead Music Partnerships, a new division within Cumulus, as VP, Music Partnerships. Frey, a 12- year Cumulus veteran, will serve as the company’s creative liaison with artists, labels, booking agencies, and promoters. Frey will report to Chief Content Officer Brian Philips.
Greg Frey
Frey will front the team which will develop music marketing partnerships for Cumulus’s 300+ music stations, Westwood One network franchises, and related social/digital platforms. The team’s focus will be on enhancing partnerships, creating value for the music industry as well as new content and revenue opportunities for Cumulus. Frey will be supported by a coalition that includes local and national advertising sales; music format VPs; digital leaders; and programming, promotion, and marketing executives.
“Greg will advance Cumulus’s music industry collaboration with his trademark credibility and tastemaker’s integrity,” said Philips. “Greg enjoys the longstanding respect of the industry and from all at Cumulus, and I’m confident we will see success with his leadership right out of the gate.”
Said Frey, “We’ve spent the recent months laying the groundwork for this critical function so that we can best support collaboration between Cumulus and our esteemed music partners. I’m eager to get out there and show the music world what more we can do together.”
Late Sunday, Taylor Swift announced her 10th studio album, “Midnights,” to be released on Oct. 21, which she described on social media as “the story of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life.”
“This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams,” she added. “The floors we pace and the demons we face.” An image posted to Instagram, sure to be pored over for clues, shows Swift posed at a table in dim light, resting her head in one hand and holding out the receiver of a landline phone in the other.
The NY Times reports “Midnights,” which Swift began selling through pre-orders on her website — available on “moonstone blue marble” vinyl and CD, as well as on cassette and download — will be the singer’s fifth album in just over two years. In 2020 she released a pair of LPs recorded in quarantine, “Folklore” and “Evermore.” (“Folklore,” which arrived in July 2020, won the Grammy for album of the year.) And in 2021 came “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and “Red (Taylor’s Version),” the first of her planned series of rerecorded simulacra of her old albums — a move, prompted by the sale of Swift’s old record label without her participation, that gave her new control over her recordings.
Fans have been buzzing about a possible new version of “1989,” her pop breakthrough from 2014, especially since a new version of “Bad Blood,” from that album, was used in the soundtrack to “DC League of Super-Pets,” a new animated comedy film.
“Midnights” will come too late to qualify for the next Grammy Awards; the eligibility window for the 65th annual ceremony closes on Sept. 30. But, particularly with its robust offerings on physical media, the album has a strong possibility of becoming one of the year’s biggest commercial successes, rivaling releases like Harry Styles’s “Harry’s House” (which had the biggest opening of the year, thanks in part to vinyl sales), Bad Bunny’s “Un Verano Sin Ti” and Disney’s “Encanto” soundtrack.
Swift’s competition this year has also been notably soft. Despite the arrival of new albums by high-profile artists — Drake, Lizzo, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, even BTS — few have had huge debut weeks or much staying power on the charts; one of the few new releases that has held fast in the Top 5 lately is Beyoncé’s “Renaissance,” which also had the biggest opening for a woman this year. The last artist to sell a million copies in a week was Swift, with “Reputation” in 2017.
iHeartMedia announced Monday that Leon Williamson has been named Vice President of Sales for Indianapolis.
As Vice President of Sales, Williamson will work closely with the local sales team, with a goal of meeting and exceeding station revenue and prospecting new business targets. He will report to Kristy Beebe, Market President for Indianapolis.
“We are so excited to welcome Leon to iHeartMedia Indianapolis,” said Beebe. “Leon’s unique skill set and passion to lead our sales team is what we’re most excited about. His familiarity of our brands and products, along with the experience he brings from different sectors will be a tremendous addition to our Indianapolis team.”
Williamson has nearly 12 years of broadcast marketing experience and joins the Indianapolis market from the iHeartMedia Miami cluster. Throughout his career he has held various leadership positions, including Local Sales and Digital Sales Manager for Urban One St. Louis. He began his career at Cox Media Group in Miami, Florida, and he is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University.
“I am extremely excited to lead the Indianapolis team with both my professional and personal skills,” said Williamson. “I look forward to creating a legacy and blazing a trail for young professionals in media that share my experience.”
Salem Media Group / Denver has announced former 710 KNUS Weekday Morning Host Peter Boyles will transition in to a new weekly program on Saturdays from 9 am – 12 pm starting September 10th.
Operations Manager Kelly Michaels said, “Pete is a Denver radio legend and we are blessed to have him back sharing his unique take on the issues of the day.” As part of the lineup change, Randy Corporon’s weekly live call-in program moves to Saturdays from 5 pm – 8 pm on 710 KNUS.
Since the 1970’s Peter Boyles has been a driving force in Denver radio, beginning as a traffic reporter. Later becoming a disc jockey and talk host at legendary Denver radio stations including KAAT, KLAK, KWBZ, KYBG, KHOW, and KOA. He received national attention in 1997 for his investigation and commentary about the death of JonBenét Ramsey. Boyles, who is no stranger to controversy commented, “One reason to come back is to make the right people angry.”
710 KNUS is Denver’s Local Talk Leader featuring more live, local talk programming than any other Denver area radio station.
In a nearly 3-hour segment on "The Joe Rogan Experience," Mark Zuckerberg last week covered a lot of ground, from his company's plans in the metaverse to Elon Musk's brain chip company to his work relationship with his wife Priscilla Chan.
Insider listened to the show in its entirety. Here are the biggest moments:
The FBI warned Facebook about polarizing content leading up to the 2020 election
Rogan asked Zuckerberg about the late 2020 New York Post story about Joe Biden's son and how the company handled the article's reach online. Zuckerberg said the FBI had already approached Facebook with a warning to be on the lookout for such controversial content, especially since Russian propaganda played a role on the platform around the 2016 election.
Zuckerberg said the agency, which he called a "legitimate institution" and "very professional law enforcement," didn't warn them about that article specifically but that it "fit the pattern."
Zuckerberg gave up running as exercise because it was easy to overthink
The executive said he values exercise every morning because checking his phone feels like he's being "punched in the gut." And while he used to jog often, he stopped because "the problem with running is you can think a lot."
Now he does mixed martial arts as a pre-work activity.
Zuckerberg said people don't want Elon Musk's brain chips in their heads
He told Rogan that "normal people" won't want brain implants like the one Neuralink is developing for at least a decade. Tech like 5G, IoT, and computer vision is supercharging automation. Here’s how it’s happening across different industries.
"Normal people I think in the next 10 or 15 years are probably not going to want to get something just installed in their brain for fun," Zuckerberg said.
The CEO admitted that Meta's smart glasses privacy is hackable
Rogan asked Zuckerberg if a "creep" could just put a piece of tape over the light that flashes when the smart glasses, which the company unveiled in September 2021 via a partnership with Ray Ban, are recording.
The executive said, "I guess, in theory."
It's hard to be on Twitter without getting upset
Zuckerberg said it's difficult to spend time on Twitter, while being on Instagram is much more positive. He attributed it partly to the design of the two platforms, one of which is more photo-centric.
Two more R. Kelly accusers have taken the stand at his Chicago federal trial and testified that the singer had sexual contact with them when they were underage, reports The Chicago Tribune.
Monday’s first witness, a 37-year-old woman testifying under the pseudonym “Pauline,” said she was best friends with “Jane,” Kelly’s goddaughter. When she was about 14 years old she went looking for Jane at Kelly’s home and found her naked, kneeling in front of Kelly, she testified.
“He told me he was just looking for bruises on her, because she hurt herself,” she said. “I told him that ‘that’s not how you look for bruises’ and he said that’s how he looked for bruises ... then he stated that ‘we all have secrets.’ ”
For most of her testimony, R. Kelly, dressed in a dark blue suit, kept his head down, sometimes shaking it back and forth as she’s talked about things he allegedly said to her about “secrets.”
Kelly directed her to have sexual contact with him and Jane, and the three began to have sexual interactions regularly, she said. It was dozens or maybe hundreds of times when Pauline was ages 14 to 16, she testified, with Kelly providing alcohol, specifically Hpnotiq.
Pauline testified she also had threesomes with Kelly and another girl, “Brittany.” Kelly would videotape the encounters, she said.
Kelly, 55, is charged with 13 counts of production of child pornography, conspiracy to produce child pornography and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Also on trial are former Kelly associates Derrel McDavid and Milton “June” Brown, who, according to the indictment, schemed to buy back incriminating sex tapes that had been taken from Kelly’s collection and hide years of alleged sexual abuse of underage girls.
➦In 1903...Arthur Godfrey was born (Died: March 16, 1983). Godfrey is probably best known for his "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scout" and was one of if not the most popular radio personalities of his day.
Arthur Godfrey
On leaving the Coast Guard, Godfrey became a radio announcer for the Baltimore station WFBR (now WJZ (AM)) and moved the short distance to Washington, D.C. to become a staff announcer for NBC-owned station WRC the same year and remained there until 1934.
Recovering from a near-fatal automobile accident en route to a flying lesson in 1931 (by which time he was already an avid flyer), he decided to listen closely to the radio and realized that the stiff, formal style then used by announcers could not connect with the average radio listener; the announcers spoke in stentorian tones, as if giving a formal speech to a crowd and not communicating on a personal level. Godfrey vowed that when he returned to the airwaves, he would affect a relaxed, informal style as if he were talking to just one person. He also used that style to do his own commercials and became a regional star.
➦In 1931...gossip columnist Walter Winchell began his long distinctive radio career with a quarter hour Tuesday nights coast-to-coast on CBS, after a 3-month trial run on the local New York affiliate WABC.
➦In 1934...KEX 1180 AM moved studios from the "Terminal Sales Building" to "The Oregonian" bldg. with KGW
➦In 1963...“American Bandstand” aired for the final time as a daily show on ABC-TV, it became a weekly show on Saturdays for another 26 years
NY Times Story
➦In 1966...WOR 98.7 FM changed to rock. (Now Sports WEPN-FM)
It was nation’s first free-form progressive rock format. Some legendary NYC disc jockeys, including Scott Muni and Murray “The K” Kaufman, were among the original WOR-FM staffers.
WOR-FM became popular on college campuses and the station racked up impressive ratings for an FM station in those days.
But owner RKO wanted to play just the hits. It tweaked the format in 1967 to target a traditional Top 40 audience. Consultant Bill Drake brought a version of his “Boss Radio” format, which had been popular on other RKO stations around the nation, to WOR-FM. New York City’s version of the format was more oldies- and adult-oriented.
Today, the station is owned by Emmis Communications and leased by ESPN airing sports as WEPN.
➦In 1984...Elected in the Sportscasters Hall of Fame were President Ronald Reagan, radio pioneers Red Barber, Bill Stern, Graham McNamee, Don Dunphy and Ted Husing.
➦In 2011…Richard "Cactus" Pryor died (Born - January 7, 1923). He was a broadcaster and humorist. He received his nickname after the old Cactus Theater on Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas, which was run by his father, "Skinny" Pryor.
Pryor was first heard on Lady Bird Johnson's radio station KLBJ 590 AM, though his face became as well known as his voice once he moved to television broadcasting on Austin television station KTBC.
In addition to his work in radio and television, Pryor also appeared in two movies, Hellfighters and The Green Berets with John Wayne. He was the author of a 1995 collection of some 40 essays entitled Playback. At KTBC, Pryor had served as programming manager and had hosted a variety of shows. He had conducted interviews with celebrities such as Arthur Godfrey and Dan Blocker and narrated behind-the-scenes programs about KTBC.
A Brady Law
➦In 2012...Programmer Al Brady Law died at age 67.
He had three stints in New York radio from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. His work was varied, from air personality to programmer. His start in New York took place as WOR-FM evening jock in 1969. A year later, even though he bolted for Miami, Law was heard filling in on WWDJ, primarily on nights.
After some work in Denver, Law was back at WWDJ on a full-time basis as the station’s program director. Following the short gig at ‘WDJ, Law appeared at WXLO where he was hired solely as the “99X” program director.
However, Law’s dual hats would return in a big way at WNBC 660 AM. In 1974, he was named a joint assistant program director and air personality. Later that year, Law took over as program director but only briefly before resuming his APD/weekend air work. He remained at the NBC flagship until 1976.
After stints in Boston and Washington, Law had another coveted New York job. Musicradio 77WABC was a shadow of its former self in 1979. Disco caused WABC to plummet as 92/WKTU became NYC's most popular station. It was Law’s decision to stop the bleeding by doing the unthinkable, firing Harry Harrison, George Michael, and Chuck Leonard.
Law followed the “controversial” time at WABC with, arguably, his best success: a return to the NBC family at their FM.
“I hired Al to his first GM job at WYNY. The station had a great group of talent notably Dan Daniel, Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Bill St. James,” Walter Sabo told FishbowlNY. “Al and the PD Pete Salant took the station to a 5.0 share. His background was pure programming, not sales, and that’s why he was capable of managing such rapid audience growth.”
Eventually, he was promoted to VP of programming at NBC Radio.
Elizabeth Ashley is 83
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Actor Elizabeth Ashley is 83.
Actor-turned-politician Ben Jones (“The Dukes of Hazzard”) is 81.
Actor John Kani (“Black Panther”) is 80.
Cartoonist R. Crumb is 79.
Comedian Lewis Black (“The Daily Show”) is 74.
Actor Timothy Bottoms (film’s “The Last Picture Show,” TV’s “The Paper Chase”) is 69.
Cameron Diaz is 50
Jazz saxophonist Gerald Albright is 65.
Actor Michael Chiklis (“The Fantastic Four,” ″The Shield”) is 59.
Actor Michael Michele (“ER,” ″Homicide: Life on the Street”) is 56.
Country singer Sherrie Austin is 51.
Guitarist Lars Frederiksen of Rancid is 51.
Actor Cameron Diaz is 50.
TV personality Lisa Ling (“The View”) is 49.
Singer-guitarist Aaron Barrett of Reel Big Fish is 48.
Actor Raul Castillo (“Looking”) is 45.
Actor Michael Gladis (“Reckless,” ″Mad Men”) is 45.
Drummer Matt Taul (Tantric, Days of the New) is 44.
Singer Rachael Price of Lake Street Dive is 37.
Guitarist Ryan Ross (Panic! At The Disco) is 36.
Actor Johanna Braddy (“Quantico”) is 35.
✞DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
Actor Charles Bronson died on this day in 2003. He was 81.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda actress Valerie Harper died of cancer on this day in 2019. She was 80
