Benztown, a global leader in radio imaging, voiceover, programming, podcasting and jingles, has announced that it has bolstered its production leadership team with the addition of two experienced new hires. Benztown has appointed Darren Silva as West Coast Director of Commercial Production for the company and client YamanAir. Benztown has also appointed Jake Urbanek as Production Manager, Long Form Programming. The appointments are effective immediately.
Darren Silva
Darren Silva joins Benztown after 22 years as Network Production Manager for Radio Disney in Los Angeles. He specializes in commercial production, imaging, writing, and voiceover. Silva got his start in radio in 1984 as an overnight jock for his hometown station in San Luis Obispo, CA, then moved to Los Angeles in 1987 to be on-air at the legendary 105.5 KNAC under the name “Dangerous Darren”, and headed to Dallas in 1995 to rock the airways on 97.1 The Eagle. Silva joined Radio Disney in 1998. He has also been with SiriusXM for the past 17 years as a DJ on Hair Nation, Ozzy’s Boneyard, and Classic Rewind.
Jake Urbanek
Jake Urbanek joins Benztown from Apple Music in Los Angeles, where he was Assistant Producer of The Zane Lowe Show. Prior to that, he was Audio Engineer for over 8 years Mr. Smalls Recording Studio in Pittsburgh, PA. He was also Sound Engineer for the Washington Symphony Orchestra in Washington, PA. Urbanek studied Commercial Music Technology at California University of Pennsylvania, where he hosted a weekly radio show on WCAL 91.9 FM.
Dave “Chachi” Denes, President, Benztown, said: "Darren and Jake are world class producers with remarkable resumes and amazing attitudes. We’re ecstatic to have them both join the Benztown team!”
Darren Silva commented: “I've been aware of the Benztown company and brand since they started. I've been in touch with them since my days with Radio Disney. The talent at Benztown is unmatched and I am honored to be part of this company and work with these amazing people, as well as with Yaman and the amazing creative team at YamanAir.”
Jake Urbanek remarked: “I look forward to working and learning from the best, while bringing my experience in production to such an amazingly talented and driven team."
President Biden met with Senator Joe Manchin yesterday, one of the two Democratic senators who've been roadblocks to getting his Build Back Better agenda passed, as they worked on resolving the issues that had prevented agreement on the landmark legislation. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joined them at Biden's Delaware home. The Associated Press cited an unnamed source as saying Manchin is okay with the White House's new approach for raising revenue to pay for it all that would impose new taxes on billionaires and certain corporations. That comes after what had originally been a $3.5 trillion plan focused on social service and climate change has been pared back to a still very large $1.75 trillion.
➤APPARENT COUP IN SUDAN: Sudan's acting prime minister and senior government officials were arrested today by military forces in an apparent coup, according to the country's information ministry, which said the forces also disrupted internet access and blocked bridges in the capital of Khartoum. Thousands of people were protesting in the streets in response.
The apparent coup came after weeks of rising tensions between civilian and military leaders in the African nation, with a failed coup attempt taking place last month. Sudan has been attempting to transition to democracy since longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir was ousted two years ago by mass protests.
💲YELLEN EXPECTS INFLATION TO LINGER INTO 2022: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said yesterday that she expects higher inflation to linger before easing by, quote, "the middle to end of next year." Appearing on CNN's State of the Union, Yellen said, "The Covid shock to the economy has caused disruptions that we'll be working through over the next year. And, of course, Americans have not seen inflation like we have experienced recently in a long time. As we get back to normal, expect that to end." Prices have gone up 5.4 percent in the past 12 months, according to the most recent Consumer Price Index.
.@SecYellen on the proposed tax which would pay for the Build Back Better act: "It's not a wealth tax, but a tax on unrealized capital gains of exceptionally wealthy individuals." pic.twitter.com/XGsQC3GgIU
➤TWO CHILDREN KILLED AT TEXAS DRAG RACING EVENT: Two children, one a six-year-old boy and the other an eight-year-old boy, were killed at a Texas drag racing event Saturday when a driver lost control and slammed into a crowd of spectators. Eight other people were injured, at least one of them critically. The "Airport Race Wars 2" was being held at the Kerrville-Kerr County Airport, with more than 3,500 people attending the event that involved drivers speeding down a runway as they competed for cash. Although water-filled plastic barriers lined the course, AP cited Louis Amestoy, a freelance journalist who was there, as saying they didn't go past the finish line, leaving no protection as cars slowed down at their end of a race. Amestoy said the driver was nearing the end of the strip when the car veered off course. There were no stands, and spectators could get within 15 feet of the track.
➤ATTORNEY..AUTOPSY INCONCLUSIVE FOR LAUNDRIE CAUSE OF DEATH: An attorney for Brian Laundrie's family said Sunday that an autopsy of his remains, which were found last Wednesday in a Florida reserve authorities had been searching for more than one month, was inconclusive for a cause of death, and the remains are now being transferred to an anthropologist for further investigation. Attorney Steven Bertolino also told CNN that Laundrie's family plans to cremate his remains and won't have a funeral service. The 24-year-old Laundrie had been named a person of interest in the death of fiancee Gabby Petito, whose remains were found in Wyoming last month and was found to have died by strangulation. The two had set off months ago on a cross-country van trip, but Laundrie returned at the beginning of September without Petito, and refused to speak to police or her family even as they reported her missing before she was eventually found dead. Laundrie set off by himself more than a month ago, according to his family, and investigators had been looking for him until his remains were found last week.
Witnesses said actor Alec Baldwin was "practicing" with a gun when it went off before filming started on the set of 'Rust' in New Mexico, search warrants say. https://t.co/q1inE0aPhH
⛄NOAA RELEASES WINTER WEATHER PREDICTIONS FOR U-S: Winter is coming. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has put together a list of what they believe is the most-likely weather pattern we’ll see this winter. NOAA is forecasting a warmer than average winter for much of the country. The South and the Gulf Coast have the strongest probability of a warmer-than-usual winter. The Southwest, much of the Midwest, and the Northeast can also expect a warmer winter. Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest, Montana and the western half of the Dakotas are likely to see a colder-than-average winter. Northern California, Wyoming, and Minnesota look like they will see normal temperatures. As far as precipitation, the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes region are most likely to see a wetter-than-average winter this year. The Northern Rockies, parts of New York, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Missouri may also see more precipitation. The southern half of the country is looking at drier conditions, especially the Southwest, Florida and southern Georgia. For the second winter in a row, La Nina conditions are forecast to affect winter weather. John Gottschalck, chief of NOAA’s operational prediction branch, says the predictions are based on probability, and that other outcomes are possible.
➤EASTERN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN PATRIARCH HOSPITALIZED AT START OF U.S. VISIT: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the religious leader of some 200 million Eastern Orthodox Christians, was hospitalized yesterday in Washington, D.C., on the first full day of a planned 12-day U.S. trip. The Greek Orthodox Archiocese of America said he'd been taken to the hospital after feeling unwell, quote, "due to the long flight and full schedule of events upon arrival," and that the 81-year-old would stay at the hospital overnight for rest and observation. As part of his schedule, Bartholomew is set to meet with President Biden and to hold a ceremonial door-opening at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in New York City, which was built to replace a parish church destroyed in the 9/11 attacks.
➤TWO JFK NEWPHEWS CALL FOR ASSASSINATION DOCUMENTS RELEASE AFTER DELAY: Two nephews of President John F. Kennedy are calling for the Biden administration to release the final batch of secret documents related to his 1963 assassination after their scheduled release was delayed. The records were set to be made public on Tuesday, but the White House announced on Friday that it would delay the release until at least December 15th, and potentially longer. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Politico that it's a, quote, "outrage against American democracy" that the documents haven't been released, and his cousin, former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, said, "I think for the good of the country, everything has to be put out there so there’s greater understanding of our history." Politico said the White House issued a background statement saying that the National Archives had advised them that the review of the classified material was, quote, "severely hampered" due to the pandemic, and "asked for more time."
➤AMANDA KNOX ANNOUNCES BIRTH OF FIRST CHILD: Amanda Knox, the American woman who was exonerated in the 2007 killing of her British roommate in Italy after serving nearly four years in an Italian prison, has announced the birth of her first child. The now 34-year-old Knox said in a New York Times article Friday night that her daughter with husband Christopher Robinson was named Eureka Muse Knox-Robinson, and then posted an Instagram Saturday about the news. Knox said in the Instagram post that the image she shared of herself holding the baby would be the only image of her daughter that she'll post on social media. She wrote, "I'm so grateful to everyone who has wished [Robinson] and I well on our journey to parenthood. Thank you for believing in us." Knox also said she's put out a three-part podcast called, Labyrinths, about her pregnancy, saying she's able to tell the story in her own words. In it, she ends by saying her daughter's life is, quote, "off limits" to the media, stating, "Her life is her own, and she is not your content. She deserves to have her privacy respected in the way that mine never
💔FTC WARNS OF INCREASE IN ROMANCE SCAMS, ESPECIALLY TARGETING OLDER ADULTS: If it seems to good to be true it probably is. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published an updated report on the top scams that cost people ages 60 and up millions of dollars. The FTC writes, “Romance scams; prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scams; and business impersonator scams caused the highest aggregate reported losses for older adults.” In 2019, American seniors lost around $84 million to online scammers who posed as potential love interests on dating apps, and that number rose to $139 million in 2020. Romance scammers reportedly accepted money through bank transfers and direct payments ($31 million) and cryptocurrency ($12 million) in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic was often cited as a reason for needing money. The FTC’s associate director for marketing practices says, “Fortunately, there are clear steps consumers can take to protect themselves, with the most important being this: don’t ever send money, gift cards, or anything else of value to someone you’ve never met in person. And talk with your friends, family, and community members about romance scams to help spread the word.”
🏈NFL SCORES -- WEEK 7:
Green Bay Packers 24, Washington Football Team 10
Tennessee Titans 27, Kansas City Chiefs 3
Atlanta Falcons 30, Miami Dolphins 28
New England Patriots 54, New York Jets 13
New York Giants 25, Carolina Panthers 3
Cincinnati Bengals 41, Baltimore Ravens 17
Las Vegas Raiders 33, Philadelphia Eagles 22
Los Angeles Rams 28, Detroit Lions 19
Arizona Cardinals 31, Houston Texans 5 -- Cardinals remain NFL's only undefeated team, now at 7-0.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38, Chicago Bears 3
Indianapolis Colts 30, San Francisco 49ers 18
Monday Night Football game on ESPN: New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET)
Tom Brady is the first player in NFL HISTORY with 600 career pass TD 🐐
🏈BRADY BECOMES FIRST TO THROW 600 TOUCHDOWNS PASSES: Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady became the first-ever to have 600 touchdown passes yesterday, reaching the career mark in the Buccaneers' 38-3 pummeling of the Chicago Bears. Brady did it during a day in which he threw for 211 yards and four touchdowns, ending with 602 TD passes. Brady said of the accomplishment, "I just think about all the guys that shared it with me. That’s the reality. There’s nothing about this sport that you do by yourself." Mike Evans caught three of Brady's four touchdown passes, including that one that gave him Number 600 with six seconds left in the first quarter.
🏈FANS GIVES BACK TOM BRADY'S 600TH T-D PASS FOOTBALL: When Tom Brady threw his 600th career touchdown pass yesterday in his Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 38-3 win over the Chicago Bears, becoming the first NFL quarterback to ever reach the mark, Mike Evans, who caught the pass, didn't realize it was a milestone play, so he gave the ball to a fan in the front row at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium. Brady unsurprisingly wanted that ball back, and the fan, 29-year-old Byron Kennedy, was good enough to agree to it -- but not at first. Kennedy told the Tampa Bay Times that he said no twice when a Bucs staffer first came over and told him Brady wanted the ball, saying, "I was hesitant to give it back." But he eventually agreed, and while Kennedy hadn't gotten anything from the Buccaneers as of last night, the Times reported it's believed they were putting together a reward package for him. Brady called Kennedy's gesture "pretty cool" after the game, and said, "He’s going to get something nice in return, so we’ll get him a helmet or a couple of jerseys or some other stuff." Ken Goldin, the founder of Goldin Auctions, tweeted that the ball could easily go for $500,000.
🏈JETS' QB WILSON INJURES KNEE: New York Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson injured his knee in the team's lopsided 54-13 loss to the New England Patriots yesterday and will undergo an MRI this morning. Wilson left the game after getting hurt on a hit in the second quarter that injured the posterior cruciate ligament of his right knee, with Wilson saying the knee got "twisted" and he "felt a pop." The Jets are hoping it's not a season-ending injury, and if it's a mild PCL sprain, Wilson could be back in three to four weeks. Mike White took over for Wilson, making his NFL debut.
🏀DEMONSTRATORS PROTEST NETS' IRVING NOT BEING ALLOWED TO PLAY: A group of a few dozen demonstrators protested outside the Barclays Center before the Brooklyn Nets' home opener yesterday over Kyrie Irving not being allowed to play because he's refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19. At one point, a small group of them broke through barriers outside Barclays and made it to the front entrance, leading arena officials to briefly close the doors as ticketed fans were trying to get in. Under a New York City mandate, pro athletes playing for teams in the city must be vaccinated to play in public venues. Although the Nets could have allowed Irving to play in road games, they decided against it.
⚾REPORT...CARDINALS TO HIRE MARMOL AS NEW MANAGER: The St. Louis Cardinals plan to hire Oliver Marmol as their new manager, according to media reports last night, after he was their bench coach for the past two seasons. The 35-year-old would be the youngest active MLB manager and the youngest to manage any team on Opening Day since 2003. Mike Shildt was fired as the Cardinals' manager earlier this month, after their playoff loss to the L.A. Dodgers.
Ex-Packers TE Martellus Bennett says release was 'tied' to national anthem protests, received death threats https://t.co/BAeZcVf1FT
🏒TWO MORE BLACKHAWKS PLAYERS JOIN KANE IN COVID PROTOCOL: Two more Chicago Blackhawks players, Riley Stillman and Jujhar Khaira, joined Patrick Kane in the NHL's Covid-19 protocol yesterday. It was also announced that Ryan Carpenter and Erik Gustafsson had been removed from the protocol, one day after entering it. But there was no further word on Kane, who also entered it on Saturday. The players could be in the protocol because they tested positive or because they were a close contact of someone who did. General manager Stan Bowman said before the season began that the team was 100 percent vaccinated.
Rogers Communications Inc reiterated support on Sunday for Chief Executive Joe Natale following attempts by former Chairman Edward Rogers to remove him from the Canadian company, according to Reuters.
"We unequivocally support Joe Natale as CEO and support his management team," Rogers said in a statement.
The Board is comprised of Jack Cockwell, Michael Cooper, Robert Dépatie, Ivan Fecan, Robert Gemmell, Alan Horn, Jan Innes, Jack Kerr, Philip Lind, Joe Natale, Edward Rogers, Loretta Rogers, Melinda Rogers-Hixon, and Martha Rogers.
Loretta Rogers
Bloomberg reports Loretta Rogers, the matriarch of the Rogers family, said in a statement Sunday that the board meeting her son intends to hold is illegitimate. She said the board remains constituted under John MacDonald as chair despite her son’s insistence that it was revamped through a written shareholder proposal Friday.
“Edward unfortunately continues to proceed down a misguided and miscalculated path which leads nowhere productive and puts his own interests ahead of those of Rogers employees, customers and shareholders,” Loretta Rogers said in an emailed statement. “He should stop immediately, as his behavior simply serves to underscore his seemingly wanton disregard for good governance.”
Edward’s sister, Martha Rogers, has been on Twitter throughout the weekend trying to discredit her brother’s attempt to take control of the board.
Edward Rogers
“Like in a bad movie, Ed & his Old Guard literally meet in dark boardrooms,” she said in a tweet Sunday. “All men. All white. All old. They think they are masters of the universe instead of thinking about the impact their instability is causing tens of thousands of people.”
Rogers' board last Thursday voted out Rogers, son of the late founder, Ted Rogers, after he tried to replace Natale with another executive. The move put him at odds with his sisters and mother, all of whom are fellow board directors and said they supported Natale. read more
The company also said no other individuals had the authority to act as the board of Rogers after the ousted chairman tried to reconstitute the board by removing the directors who acted against him and replace them with his own candidates.
"We remain as duly elected members of the Rogers Communications Inc Board and represent the majority of the Board members of the company," the board members said in the statement.
After testing positive for COVID-19 last week, Fox News host Neil Cavuto begged the news network’s viewers to get vaccinated, saying that doing so likely saved his life.
“I can’t stress this enough. It’s not about left or right, not who’s conservative or liberal. Last time I checked, everyone, regardless of political persuasion is coming down with this,” Cavuto told Howard Kurtz on Fox News’ media program “MediaBuzz” on Sunday, reports The Wrap. “Take the political speaking points and toss them! For now, I’m begging you, toss them! And think of what’s good not only for yourself but those around you.”
Cavuto has a long public history of health issues, including multiple sclerosis and a compromised immune system, making him particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. During the remote interview, he noted that recent COVID-19 reports show that around half of the breakthrough cases of COVID among vaccinated individuals are of immunocompromised people.
“There are many like that all around us, and mine is not secret at Fox. But there are plenty of people around you, Howie, at Fox and all types of business environments who are susceptible to this kind of thing,” he said.
iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman talked Friday on 'Bloomberg Technology to discuss the changing media and advertising landscape due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Makers of smart speakers could face new measures to protect listener access to radio services
Follows review of UK radio to benefit future audiences and continue sector’s success
Review also concludes there should be no FM switch-off until at least 2030
The Digital Radio and Audio Review found that smart speakers such as Amazon Echo and Google Home are owned or accessed by a third of all adults and now play a central role in many of our lives - despite only being available for around five years.
The report recommends new measures to protect UK radio stations’ accessibility so that their content is carried on platforms via connected audio devices such as smart speakers and car ‘infotainment’ systems. This will mean they can continue to reach loyal audiences as radio is increasingly listened to via tech platforms rather than traditional radio sets.
The review, commissioned by the government and undertaken with a broad cross-section of industry stakeholders including commercial radio groups, the BBC, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and techUK, looked at the challenges radio services are likely to face in the future from changing listening habits and new technologies.
Other recommendations include that there should be no mandated switch-off of analogue radio until at least 2030 - meaning that FM radio broadcasts can continue for at least another decade so the elderly, vulnerable and people in remote communities can access essential news and entertainment.
The government will consider the review’s recommendations as it prepares a Broadcasting White Paper and develops a new pro-competition regime for digital markets.
Media Minister Julia Lopez said:
British radio showcases some of our best creative talent and played a vital role in the pandemic bringing news and entertainment to those in need.
We must make sure this treasured medium continues to reach audiences as listening shifts to new technologies and that we have a gradual transition away from FM to protect elderly listeners and those in remote areas.
We will not have a digital switchover until at least 2030 and will consider new rules to keep our thriving radio sector at the heart of the UK’s media landscape.
Radio listening habits have changed markedly over the past ten years, with more listener choice than ever before thanks to the increasing availability of on-demand audio and the successful development of DAB digital radio.
There are now more than 570 stations available on DAB across the UK, in addition to thousands of online stations and more than 300 stations on analogue. Around 60 per cent of all radio listening is now via DAB or another digital platform, and the review concludes that DAB will underpin listening well into the 2030s and beyond. New small scale DAB networks are coming on air giving more and more small local stations the ability to broadcast digitally.
The review found that the ability of the UK radio industry to thrive in the long term is increasingly dependent on listeners having free access to the hundreds of different UK radio stations on connected audio devices.
Sixty four per cent of audio consumed on a smart speaker is live radio and the review predicts that live radio will still account for more than 50 per cent of UK audio listening in the mid-2030s.
Amazon, Google and Apple currently provide more than 95 per cent of voice-activated smart speakers and the review notes there is nothing within the current regulations to prevent tech platforms from being able to limit or restrict access to UK radio services or to charge stations for carriage.
Other research undertaken for the review found analogue radio listening will account for just 12 to 14 per cent of all radio listening by 2030, but FM in particular remains highly valued by many listeners, especially those who are older or more vulnerable, drive older cars or live in areas with limited DAB coverage.
Through six weeks of NFL season so far, national TV revenues are up 11% over a year ago -- to $1.75 billion, according to Mediapost citing estimates from iSpot.tv. TV viewership, per Nielsen, is 12% higher per game.
To date, individual networks' national TV ad take is estimated as: Fox, $458.9 million; CBS, $452.8 million; NBC, $427.3 million; ESPN, $208.5 million; and NFL Network, $61.5 million.
Through five weekends, MediaRadar says each national televised game has averaged $39.3 million. This is for 28 nationally televised games aired across ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC and NFL Network.
TV viewership for the NFL has kept pace with rising national TV advertising revenue this season. The average national TV NFL game over the six-week period is up 12% over a year ago to average 16.2 million Nielsen-measured viewers.
MediaRadar estimates the NFL pulled in $41.9 million in preseason national TV advertising.
Top NFL advertisers this season are much like the list for 202: Geico, Apple iPhone, Progressive Insurance, State Farm Insurance, and Verizon Wireless.
“As the months continue, it’s likely that we’ll see even more year-over-year growth,” stated Todd Krizelman, CEO/co-founder, MediaRadar.
Radio One and Reach Media, the audio division platforms of Urban One, Inc., the largest diversified Black-owned media company in the country, have announced its virtual upfront experience "Millions. Billions. Trillions." in partnership with Dream Currency, a small Black-owned business. "Millions. Billions. Trillions." focuses on a movement to promote the importance and buying power of the African American consumer.
Radio One and Reach Media together make up the country's largest Urban audio network covering 90% of the country's African-American population and reaching 31 million monthly listeners. In addition, Radio One and Reach Media properties reach 90% of all Black listeners who tune into Black-owned radio stations each week.
"The mission for our upfront experience is to invite brands to join us in amplifying the voice, culture and sound of Black America," said Josh Rahmani, SVP of National & Network Sales for Radio One and Reach Media. "Our diverse portfolio of local and syndicated programming, trusted personalities, immersive digital platform, and culturally engaging events are paramount when it comes to gaining the trust and loyalty of influential Black consumers. By working with Radio One and Reach Media, brands will engage millions of African Americans, access billions of impressions, and unlock trillions in spending power."
Dream Currency, a lifestyle brand and Black-owned business designed to encourage and inspire the Black community to keep thriving in all aspects of their life, developed the moniker "Millions.Billions.Trillions." (MBT). Ever since its inception, artists, celebrities and athletes are often seen wearing MBT apparel as part of their everyday lives in support of the brand and its mission. The exclusive partnership with Radio One and Reach Media consists of co-branded merchandise worn by radio personalities to amplify the message and movement.
"In addition to showcasing the power of our audio brands, it was imperative for us to collaborate with other Black-owned businesses in the creation of our audio upfront experience," said Samuel Tatum, VP of Integrated Marketing & Partnerships for Radio One and Reach Media. "We encourage all brands to join our movement and continue to foster positive social change by investing in Black-owned media."
"The partnership between Radio One/Reach Media and the Millions. Billions. Trillions. brand is representative of their commitment to uplifting and inspiring the Black community in everything they do," says Travis Malloy, founder, Dream Currency.
Urban One's audio upfront experience consists, in part, of a comprehensive video reel narrated by Radio Hall of Famer Donnie Simpson and messaging from founder and chairwoman Cathy Hughes. Urban One's audio division developed all video and creative elements in collaboration with Matt Anderson Films and other Black and minority-owned businesses.
The number of people who have cut the cord and moved to the more custom approach to TV of streaming has been on the rise during the last decade. Currently, 25% of homes in the U.S. are signed up for broadband internet services without pay-TV, and that number is only expected to rise. According to Cord Cutter News citing research from TDG, 54 million households will be broadband-only by 2025, a 42 percent increase from 2020’s 38 million.
Back in 2010, only 8 per cent of US broadband households didn’t have a Multichannel Video Programming Distributor (MVPD) like Dish, Xfinity, etc, as streaming was relatively new and viewed as more of a supplement to pay-TV. But that percentage doubled to 16% by 2015, then 35 per cent in 2020, and the 42 percent it is today.
“A decade ago,” adds Hockenbury, “the BBO segment was comprised almost exclusively of bleeding-edge adopters; those defined by a fascination with new products and services and a pocketbook to fund their experiments. Today, the BBO segment is largely defined by early-mainstream dispositions: buying only when the price has come down, the technology has peer-demonstrated benefits, and plenty of support is available.”
After 42 years of first working and then owning KFUN 1230 AM and KLVF 100.7 FM radio stations on Tower Road overlooking Las Vegas, NM, Joe and Loretta Baca are ready to sign off, reports The Las Vegas Optic.
Loretta Baca turned 75 Saturday and her husband of 53 years will celebrate his 75th birthday on Oct. 29.
“The station has been good to us,” Joseph Baca said. “It was a big risk and a big commitment, but owning the station was my dream.”
The Bacas had planned for their sons Mike, 51, and J.R., 46, to take over the business. Mike Baca, however, has suffered with brain tumors resulting in five brain surgeries. J.R. Baca didn’t want to go into the business alone. The couple’s daughter Annette, 50, also wasn’t interested.
Katharine Duke, owner of Duke Realty Group in Las Vegas, has listed the radio station, which includes four acres. KFUN went on the air 80 years ago -- on Christmas Day 1941.
As for Loretta and Joseph Baca, they married on Feb. 25, 1968, and lived in Tucson, Albuquerque and Seattle before returning to Las Vegas in the mid-1970s with their three children.
“I love radio, but I never liked working for someone else,” said Joseph Baca. “For 20 years, I would come in to open and say ‘good morning KFUN, I love you and want to own you one of these days.’”
After the station’s former owner sold the station, Joseph thought he’d lost his dream.
KFUN 1230 AM (1 Kw)
However, the new owner named Joseph Baca the manager, which turned into 15-hour days. To ease the workload, Loretta Baca joined the station. The couple eventually had the opportunity to buy KFUN.
When given the chance to buy KLVF, the couple was in the midst of arranging the $1.2 million financing when Joseph Baca remembered to buy a lottery ticket.
“It was a Friday night. I had gone home and was watching the news and looked at the clock,” he said. “I’d forgotten to buy a Powerball ticket. I grabbed a Hawaiian shirt, drove to the station and went home forgetting about the ticket.”
Three days later, he returned to the store and asked the clerk to check his ticket.
“I found out I had the winning ticket,” he said about the $1 million prize. “I think the girls were more shaken up than me. That was in 2008, on my mother’s birthday, Aug. 8.”
For now The Bacas to find a buyer who will continue caring about the community because turning off the lights isn’t an option.
Bob Neumeier, the affable broadcaster known as “Neumy” to legions of sports fans familiar with his work at Ch. 4, as a host on WEEI, or as a horse racing expert for NBC, died Saturday, according to The Boston Globe and confirmed by his family.
Neumeier, a 1972 graduate of Syracuse University, had battled health issues recently, including trouble with his heart. He suffered a stroke in October 2014, requiring 5½ hours of surgery, but returned to work at Comcast SportsNet New England (now NBC Sports Boston) the following May.
From 1981-2000, during the heyday of local news, Neumeier was a reporter and anchor at Ch. 4, where his deft writing ability made him a perfect complement to irreverent weekday sports anchor Bob Lobel.
Later, he hosted middays at WEEI Radio from 2002-05. He joined CSSNE in 2010. He also called the Bruins on WBZ 1030 AM from 1996-99, and was best known to a national audience as a trusted expert on NBC’s horse racing coverage.
“We are saddened to offer our condolences to the friends and family of Bob Neumeier, who passed away last night. In the midst of a prominent career in Boston,” an NBC spokesperson said in a statement. “Neumy joined NBC Sports and for more than two decades was a beloved member of our family working on horse racing, football and Olympics, among other events. Our thoughts are with Bob’s wife Michele, and the many sports fans to whom he meant so much.”
“Neumy took his work seriously but not himself seriously," said Gary Tanguay, who worked with Neumeier at Ch. 4 and NBC Sports Boston. “I never saw him get upset at anything. Something like the wrong video could play, and he would just roll with it, like no big deal. I never saw him angry once. That is very unusual in the world of sports television.”
Neumeier was a serious journalist, too. On July 27, 1993, he broke the news of Celtics star Reggie Lewis’s death.
“He was an old-school reporter who knew how to tell a story as well as any reporter I’ve ever met,” said Dan Roche, a Ch. 4 sports anchor and reporter. “He was great at television, because he would use the best video he had and match it with amazing writing. He was the best TV writer I’ve ever known.”
Neumeier's first job in broadcasting began in 1975 on WTIC in Hartford where he called play-by-play of the Whalers, working with Bill Rasmussen and Larry Pleau; among their calls was the famous "Brawl at the Mall" in April 1975 during a playoff series with the Minnesota Fighting Saints. In 1979, Neumeier left the Whalers to become the sports anchor at WFSB in Hartford.
➦In 1937...The soap opera "Stella Dallas" made its debut on WEAF in New York City.
It aired until December 23, 1955. The New York Times described the title character as "the beautiful daughter of an impoverished farmhand who had married above her station in life."
She was played for the entire run of the series by Anne Elstner (1902–1982). Her husband Stephen Dallas was portrayed by various actors. The series was created and produced by the husband and wife team of Frank and Anne Hummert, based on the 1923 novel Stella Dallas by Olive Higgins Prouty. The 15-minute drama began on October 25, 1937, as a local show on WEAF in New York City, in the wake of the successful movie version starring Barbara Stanwyck, and it was picked up by the NBC Radio network beginning June 6, 1938, running weekday afternoons.
➦In 1959...Chicago-based announcer & host Bob Murphy (not to be confused with sportscaster Bob Murphy) died at age 42. He was best known nationally for his announcing & substitute hosting on Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club on ABC Radio.
➦In 1984...The summer ratings book…
Los Angeles – KIIS-FM (top-40) gets a 10.0 share. Rival KKHR is up to a 3.0. Talk KABC is up to a 7.9. Easy JOI – 4.4 and Easy KBIG – 4.1. Rock KLOS down to a 3.5 from a 3.9. Nostalgia KMPC at a 3.4 and AC KOST gets a 2.7. Rock KMET is at a #.1, All news KNX and KFWB are tied at a 2.9. A/C KFI is up to a 1.8 from a 1.4. KHTZ is at a 2.0.
New York – WHTZ – 6.6 and rival WPLJ – 5.3. WRKS gets a 5.4. WOR – 4.7. WINS – 4.4 and Easy WRFM – 3.7. Urban WBLS at a 3.5. WBLS is the “Quiet Storm” at night. WKTU – 3.1. WNBC – 3.0 and Country WHN – 2.9. WNEW AM and WNEW-FM both at a 3.1. WLTW and WYNY are tied at a 2.8. WABC gets a 2.6. WAPP – 2.4 and WMCA – 1.5
Chicago – Top-4- WBBM FM – 5.0. WGN-AM – 11.4 share. Easy WLOO – 6.8.
➦In 1984...CKLW Windsor/Detroit is switched to a nostalgia music format.
Out was long-time music director Rosalie Trombley who served in that capacity since CKLW’s influential heyday in the ‘60’s. In the summer ratings book, CKLW dropped again, from a 1.2 to a .7.
Many believe that CKLW started to decline in popularity after Canadian content regulations went into effect. Although having to play some "CanCon" songs that generated little in the way of sales put the station at a competitive disadvantage compared to its U.S.-based competition, CKLW still managed to help break a number of Canadian songs and artists in the United States.
Just as, if not more, responsible for the decline in CKLW's ratings as the 1970s wore on was the rise of FM radio as an outlet for contemporary music, as the station gained a direct FM Top 40 competitor, WDRQ, in 1972, and its listening audience was also fragmented between album oriented rock outlets such as WWWW, WRIF and WABX and adult contemporary stations like WNIC and WMJC.
The Canadian government's initial unwillingness to licence FM frequencies with pop or rock formats stranded Canadian stations on AM while an entire demographic of listeners began the exodus to US-based FM outlets anywhere the signals were in range. For many younger listeners by 1978, CKLW was the station they listened to only if they had an AM-only radio in their cars.
As a result, like many other powerhouse AM Top 40 stations, CKLW evolved during the late 1970s into an Adult Top 40 sound. The station's music softened to the point where by 1982 it gave no airtime to harder-rocking songs like Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", and jingles were initially phased out, with new jingles and a new slogan ("The Great Entertainer") being introduced in 1979.
Dick Purtan joined the station for mornings in 1978, coming over from WXYZ-AM. Largely due to Purtan's popularity, CKLW remained a moderately popular station into the early 1980s, but after Purtan departed at the start of 1983 for FM competitor WCZY, the station quickly tumbled to the bottom of Detroit's Arbitron ratings (its last appearance in the Top 10 was in 1981). In an attempt to go after longtime "full service" powerhouse WJR, CKLW converted to AM stereo in 1982 and even got the rights to broadcast University of Michigan football and NASL soccer.
In 1984, the station's owners (Baton Broadcasting) sold CKLW-AM-FM to Russwood Broadcasting Ltd. Also in 1984, CKLW made an attempt to transfer its CHR format to its FM sister station, big band and jazz standards-formatted CKJY. These hopes were dashed when the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) refused to approve the format change on anything more than an "experimental" basis, reasoning that FM was for "fine" music and that Top 40 music belonged on AM.
The final death knell for the "Big 8" came in October 1984, when the station fired 79 staffers (including most of the remaining announcers and Rosalie Trombley), closed its American sales office in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Michigan, and announced that it would soon change format to Al Ham's "Music of Your Life" format of Jazz standards and big-band music and go completely automated.
Morton Downey - 1933
➦In 1985...one of early radio’s singing stars Morton Downey died at age 83. In 1930, Downey began making national radio broadcasts after opening his own nightclub (The Delmonico) in New York. He was voted America's "Radio Singer of the Year" in 1932. At the time, Downey was featured nightly on the Camel Quarter Hour radio broadcast. On February 5, 1945, his transcribed program, Songs by Morton Downey, moved from the NBC Blue Network to the Mutual Broadcasting System. The move came after Blue Network officials adopted a policy "against the use of transcriptions for network originated programs, except where technical difficulties void live broadcasts." As a result of the shift, the number of stations carrying the program more than doubled.
➦In 1987...CBS radio correspondent Cecil Brown, one of Ed Murrow’s “boys” who reported from the Pacific front during WWII, died at age 80. In September 1943, Brown resigned from CBS after being rebuked by CBS news director Paul White for expressing an editorial opinion during an August 25 news broadcast. Brown had stated that "a good deal of the enthusiasm for this war is evaporating into thin air." Announcing his resignation Brown said that he could not subscribe to what he characterized as CBS' policy of "non-opinionated" news.
After leaving CBS Brown covered the rest of the war at home, in the United States, for the Mutual Network. When World War II ended, Brown continued to work in broadcast journalism as a correspondent for Mutual, NBC and ABC. He retired from broadcasting in 1967.
Bill Graham
➦In 1991...Rock promoter Bill Graham died in a helicopter crash at age 60.
He was killed in a helicopter crash west of Vallejo, CA, while returning home from a Huey Lewis and the News concert at the Concord Pavilion. Graham had attended the event to discuss promoting a benefit concert for the victims of the 1991 Oakland hills firestorm. Once he had obtained a commitment from Huey Lewis to perform, he returned to his helicopter.
Flying in severe weather, with rain and gusty winds, the aircraft flew off course and too low over the tidal marshland north of San Pablo Bay. The Bell Jet Ranger flew directly into a 223-foot high-voltage tower near where Highway 37, which runs between Vallejo, California and Marin County, California, crosses Sonoma Creek. The helicopter burst into flames on impact, killing Graham, pilot and advance man Steve "Killer" Kahn, and Graham's girlfriend, Melissa Gold. The charred remains of the helicopter hung in the tower for more than a day.
Among other events produced by Graham were the Live Aid concert, Amnesty International tour and US Festival.
At times he managed the careers of the Grateful Dead, Van Morrison and Santana.
Marion Ross is 93
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Actor Marion Ross is 93.
Singer Jon Anderson (Yes) is 77.
Guitarist Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest is 74.
Actor Brian Kerwin is 72.
Guitarist Matthias Jabs of Scorpions is 65.
Actor Nancy Cartwright (“The Simpsons”) is 64.
Country singer Mark Miller of Sawyer Brown is 63.
Drummer Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers and of Chickenfoot is 60.
Actor Tracy Nelson (“Father Dowling Mysteries”) is 58.
Actor Michael Boatman (“The Good Wife,” ″Spin City”) is 57.
Actor Kevin Michael Richardson (“The Cleveland Show”) is 57.
Actor Mathieu Amalric (“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Quantum of Solace”) is 56.
Singer Speech (Arrested Development) is 53.
Comedian Samantha Bee (“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” ″The Daily Show”) is 52.
Katy Perry is 37
Actor Adam Goldberg (“Saving Private Ryan”) is 51.
Actor Adam Pascal (“Rent”) is 51.
Guitarist Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies is 51.
Actor Persia White (“Girlfriends”) is 51.
Country singer Chely Wright is 51.
Actor Leslie Grossman (“American Horror Story,” “Popular”) is 50.
Classical violinist Midori is 50.
Actor Craig Robinson (“The Office”) is 50.
Actor Mehcad Brooks (“Supergirl,” ″Desperate Housewives”) is 41.
Actor Josh Henderson (“Desperate Housewives”) is 40.
