Good Morning! Let's Check The Pulse for Monday Feb 9

Radio Broadcasting

Broadcast Ownership Hearing and Potential Regulatory Changes:  On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is scheduled to hold a full committee hearing titled "We Interrupt This Program: Media Ownership in the Digital Age." Chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the hearing will examine the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) current broadcast media ownership rules, with a particular focus on the 39% national cap limiting a single broadcaster's reach to U.S. television households. While the discussion centers on TV, it has direct implications for radio broadcasting, as industry groups like the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) are pushing for broader deregulation to help radio compete with digital platforms. 

Witnesses include NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt, who supports lifting ownership caps, and Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, a vocal opponent concerned about media consolidation. This hearing comes amid ongoing FCC reviews of ownership rules, following a 2025 court decision that struck down restrictions on owning multiple top-4 TV stations in a market. For radio, stakeholders hope for relief from 30-year-old local ownership limits, which cap the number of stations one entity can own in a market (e.g., up to 8 in large markets, with subcaps on AM/FM).

Radio Revenue Forecasts for 2026: Analysts project a mixed but stabilizing outlook for U.S. radio revenue in 2026, with over-the-air (OTA) broadcasting showing slight growth or stability amid digital shifts. BIA Advisory Services forecasts total local advertising at $182 billion, with radio's OTA revenue growing 1.83% (excluding political ads), reversing 2025 declines, and digital radio revenue up 5.01%. Streaming audio is expected to grow 9.2%, outpacing other formats, driven by platform partnerships and cross-media buying. Borrell Associates echoes this, predicting a 0.9% decline in overall radio but strong digital audio gains.

Media News

Trump Endorses Nexstar-Tegna Merger (Major Reversal):  President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Nexstar Media Group's proposed $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna on Saturday, marking a significant reversal from his earlier criticism of the deal late last year. In a Truth Social post, Trump framed the merger as necessary for increasing competition against what he called "THE ENEMY, the Fake News National TV Networks," stating that approving such deals would "help knock out the Fake News" by fostering more sophisticated competition in local broadcasting. The deal, announced in August 2025, would combine the two companies to create the largest U.S. local TV station operator, with stations reaching over 80% of households and potentially exceeding the FCC's 39% national ownership cap on TV households. 

Super Bowl LX TV Coverage: Super Bowl 60 (LX) took place yesterday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, pitting the Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots. The game kicked off shortly after 6:30 p.m. ET.NBC held the exclusive national broadcast rights. Play-by-play was handled by Mike Tirico and analyst Cris Collinsworth, with sideline reporters Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung. A Spanish-language broadcast aired on Telemundo and Universo.  Streaming was available exclusively on Peacock (NBC's platform), with additional options like NFL+ for mobile viewing. The event drew massive viewership as usual, with heavy ad inventory (a packed slate of commercials), Bad Bunny performing the halftime show, and features like Pokémon's 30th anniversary spot. Coverage emphasized the matchup's nostalgia (echoing past rivalries) and broader entertainment elements.

U.S. News

Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial Begins in Los Angeles:  Opening arguments are underway in a major Los Angeles County Superior Court trial against Meta (Instagram) and Google (YouTube), alleging the platforms deliberately design addictive features that harm children. This is the first of several anticipated cases holding tech giants accountable for youth mental health impacts. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify during the six-to-eight-week proceedings, drawing national attention to ongoing debates over social media regulation.

Other Key U.S. Stories:

• Powerball Jackpot Climbs: The jackpot reached an estimated $113 million for the February 9 drawing after no winner on Saturday, with excitement building around potential payouts.
• Measles Outbreak Concerns: A top U.S. health official urged vaccination amid rising cases in multiple states, warning the country risks losing its measles elimination status.
• Immigration and Detention Issues: Reports highlight prolonged waits and dire conditions in U.S. detention centers under current policies, with migrants facing extended holds.
• Winter Olympics Coverage: Team USA athletes compete in Milano Cortina 2026 events today (February 9), including figure skating ice dance with stars like Madison Chock and Evan Bates in medal contention.
• Federal Reserve Closed Meeting: The Board of Governors holds a pre-scheduled closed session to review advance and discount rates charged by Federal Reserve Banks.
• Ghislaine Maxwell-Related Developments: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) sent a letter outlining plans to question Maxwell in an upcoming deposition about any connections to President Trump in the Epstein case, stirring political controversy.

Trump Gives Thumbs-Up To Nexstar-Tegna Merger

President Donald Trump endorsed Nexstar Media Group's $6.2 billion purchase of broadcast rival Tegna on Saturday, an apparent reversal from earlier criticism of the deal.

“We need more competition against THE ENEMY, the Fake News National TV Networks,” Trump wrote on social media. “Letting Good Deals get done like Nexstar — Tegna will help knock out the Fake News because there will be more competition. ... GET THAT DEAL DONE.”

The acquisition, which Nexstar announced in August and requires regulatory approval, would bring together two companies with significant holdings in local broadcast media. Nexstar oversees more than 200 owned and partner stations in 116 markets nationwide and also runs networks like The CW and NewsNation. Meanwhile, Tegna owns 64 news stations across 51 markets.

Trump criticized the purchase in November, saying: “If this would also allow the Radical Left Networks to 'enlarge,' I would not be happy.”

But the companies operate independently of the large broadcast networks such as ABC and NBC. In September, Nexstar, along with the right-leaning Sinclair Broadcast Group, suspended Jimmy Kimmel's ABC late-night talk show for about a week after Kimmel's comments on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The deal has occurred as the Federal Communications Commission is seeking to reform rules that limit local TV station ownership. Some court decisions have also struck down regulations that limited the number of top TV stations in a single market that one company could own.

Nexstar has sought to portray the deal as consistent with the Trump administration's deregulatory moves.

“The initiatives being pursued by the Trump administration offer local broadcasters the opportunity to expand reach, level the playing field, and compete more effectively with the Big Tech and legacy Big Media companies that have unchecked reach and vast financial resources,” Nexstar CEO Perry Sook said when announcing the deal.

Yet some conservative voices still oppose the deal.

“The Nexstar deal means dangerous consolidation that will limit competition, harm conservative voices and dramatically increase consumer cable bills,” the right-leaning network Newsmax said in a statement. “President Trump was right in November when he called for smaller networks and for keeping TV ownership caps to limit massive broadcast consolidation.”

ABC’s ‘The View’ Under Federal Investigation

The FCC has launched an investigation into ABC's daytime talk show "The View" for potentially violating federal equal time rules for political candidates.

The probe, first reported by Fox News Digital and confirmed by sources to Reuters and other outlets, was triggered by the show's recent appearance by Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. 

This marked one of the first such political interviews on the program since the FCC issued new guidance in January 2026 emphasizing enforcement of the rule. Under Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934, if a broadcast station (like ABC) allows a legally qualified candidate to appear, it must provide equal opportunities — comparable time and placement — to all other candidates for the same office, regardless of party. 

The rule applies to over-the-air broadcast TV but not cable networks.

The FCC's January public notice clarified that exemptions for "bona fide" news programming are not automatic for daytime or late-night talk shows. Interviews motivated by "partisan purposes" or used to advantage one candidate do not qualify for exemption, and networks must offer opposing candidates equal access or seek formal assurance.

ABC's parent company, Disney, reportedly did not file an exemption petition for Talarico's appearance and has not provided comparable airtime to his Republican opponents in the Texas Senate race.

The investigation aligns with a broader FCC crackdown on rarely enforced equal time requirements for broadcast networks, including concerns about shows on ABC, NBC, and CBS. FCC Chair Brendan Carr has previously questioned whether programs like "The View" qualify as neutral news content.

"The View" has long been critical of President Trump and his allies, featuring a panel including former Trump adviser Alyssa Farah Griffin but known for its predominantly anti-Trump commentary. Trump has had a longstanding feud with the show and its moderator, Whoopi Goldberg, including past public exchanges and White House criticisms of hosts like Goldberg and Joy Behar.

The equal time rule has historically seen limited enforcement, but the current FCC push signals stricter scrutiny of perceived political bias in broadcast programming. No formal findings or penalties have been announced yet in the ongoing inquiry.

WaPo CEO Exits

Will Lewis

Washington Post CEO and Publisher Will Lewis has stepped down, the company announced Saturday, just three days after massive layoffs that eliminated about one-third of the newsroom staff — more than 300 journalists — and drew intense backlash.

Jeff D’Onofrio, the newspaper’s chief financial officer, was named acting CEO and publisher effective immediately.

Lewis announced his departure in a brief email to staff, stating that “after two years of transformation at The Washington Post, now is the right time for me to step aside.” He cited “difficult decisions” made to ensure the paper’s sustainable future and thanked owner Jeff Bezos for his support, but made no mention of the laid-off journalists or current staff.

The exit follows widespread criticism of the layoffs, which decimated local, international, and sports coverage, including the shutdown of the renowned sports section. Former executive editor Marty Baron described the cuts as one of the “darkest days” in the history of a major news organization.

The timing amplified outrage: Lewis was seen in meetings Wednesday with no hint of leaving and was photographed at a pre-Super Bowl event in San Francisco the next day, even as the sports department was being shuttered. 

He did not join the Zoom call where top editor Matt Murray informed employees of the job losses.

Katie Mettler, a former chair of the Washington Post Guild, reacted sharply: “I’m glad Will Lewis has been fired. I wish it had happened before he fired all my friends.”

In a separate statement, Bezos emphasized the Post’s “essential journalistic mission and an extraordinary opportunity,” noting that readers provide a “road map to success,” without directly addressing the layoffs or Lewis’s departure.

The British-born Lewis was a former top executive at The Wall Street Journal before taking over at The Post in January 2024. His tenure has been rocky from the start, marked by layoffs and a failed reorganization plan that led to the departure of former top editor Sally Buzbee.

His initial choice to take over for Buzbee, Robert Winnett, withdrew from the job after ethical questions were raised about both he and Lewis' actions while working in England. They include paying for information that produced major stories, actions that would be considered unethical in American journalism. The current executive editor, Matt Murray, took over shortly thereafter.

Report: Lewis Pissed-Off Bezos

The Financial Times reported that Will Lewis, the publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, stepped down amid intense backlash following massive layoffs at the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper.

A Washington Post newsroom source told the FT that senior management was livid upon learning Lewis attended Super Bowl-related festivities in San Francisco around the time the job cuts were announced. The source added, “Bezos lost patience,” describing the optics as the “last straw” for Lewis's controversial tenure.

The layoffs, announced earlier in the week, affected about one-third of the staff—more than 300 journalists—decimating sections like sports (which was effectively eliminated), local news, international coverage, and others, as the paper grappled with years of multimillion-dollar losses.

Lewis, appointed by Bezos in late 2023 to turn around the struggling publication, faced criticism for his absence during the layoff announcement and for not addressing staff or readers directly. Photos of him at a pre-Super Bowl event, juxtaposed with the gutting of the sports desk, fueled outrage among current and former employees.

His departure was announced via email to staff, where he called it “the right time for me to step aside” after two years of transformation efforts, and he praised Bezos as an ideal owner. The Post's chief financial officer, Jeff D’Onofrio, was named interim replacement.

The episode highlights ongoing tensions at the Post over cost-cutting, strategic direction, and leadership perception under Bezos's ownership.

Media Mogul Sentenced To 20-Years

Jimmy Lai

A Hong Kong court sentenced 78-year-old pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison on Monday, marking the harshest penalty imposed under the Beijing-imposed national security law and effectively concluding a high-profile, five-year legal battle that has symbolized the erosion of freedoms in the semi-autonomous territory.

The sentence, handed down by the High Court in West Kowloon, combines convictions on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces (under the national security law) and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious materials. Lai, the founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, had pleaded not guilty. 

The ruling means his earliest possible release could be in 2044 (assuming good behavior reductions), when he would be in his late 90s—amounting to what critics describe as a de facto life sentence.The case stemmed from Lai's outspoken criticism of Beijing, his meetings with foreign politicians (including in the United States), and content published in Apple Daily, which authorities cited as seditious and endangering national security. 

Prosecutors pointed to over 160 articles from the tabloid as evidence. Lai was first arrested in 2020, shortly after the national security law's enactment, and has been in detention for much of the intervening period while facing separate fraud and assembly-related convictions.

Six former senior executives and staff from Apple Daily were also sentenced on the same day, receiving terms ranging from about 6 years and 9 months to 10 years on related collusion and sedition charges. 

The newspaper, once a leading voice for Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, was forced to shut down in June 2021 amid mounting pressure, including asset freezes and arrests.

Hong Kong authorities, including city leader John Lee, defended the outcome as a demonstration of the rule of law and justice being upheld. Beijing-affiliated statements echoed this view, portraying the sentence as a necessary response to grave criminal conduct.

Hong Kong's most vocal China critic, media tycoon Jimmy Lai, was sentenced to 20 years in jail, ending the city's biggest national security case which drew international concern about Beijing's clampdown on the city's freedoms and autonomy https://t.co/Sp3OUV7Hw5 pic.twitter.com/x8JXdRBOhf

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 9, 2026

Internationally, the verdict drew sharp condemnation. The United Kingdom—where Lai holds citizenship—called it tantamount to a life sentence and pledged to engage rapidly on the case. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, labeled it a "cold-blooded attack" on freedom of expression and press freedom, highlighting the trial's lack of jury and use of handpicked judges as evidence of an unfair process. Lai's daughter has publicly stated that, if served fully, the sentence could mean her father "will die a martyr behind bars."

The sentencing caps a saga that has drawn global attention to Hong Kong's shifting political landscape since the 2020 national security law, which has led to the prosecution of dozens of activists, the closure of independent media outlets, and widespread international concern over the city's autonomy and civil liberties.

Broadcast Ownership Hearing Set for Tuesday

The Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), will hold a hearing titled “We Interrupt This Program: Media Ownership in the Digital Age” on Tuesday, at 10:00 a.m. EST.

The session will examine the FCC’s broadcast media ownership rules—especially the national cap limiting a single broadcaster to reaching no more than 39% of U.S. television households—in light of shifting media consumption toward streaming and social media.

The hearing features witnesses including Chris Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax, who supports retaining current ownership caps, and Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), who advocates for eliminating or relaxing the rules to help local broadcasters compete.

Ted Cruz

Cruz emphasized the need to assess whether the rules remain legally sound, are outdated, or require updates to foster competition and guard against corporate censorship targeting conservatives. “The media market is changing rapidly, leading many to wonder if broadcast media ownership rules should reflect this new reality,” he stated.

The review occurs amid the FCC’s ongoing 2022 Quadrennial Review of ownership regulations, where Chair Brendan Carr has signaled openness to modifications to bolster local broadcasters, though no final decision has been made. Recent major deals, such as those involving Nexstar, would necessitate rule changes to proceed.

The original purpose of these rules—to promote competition and viewpoint diversity by restricting consolidation—faces scrutiny as video viewing shifts online. Some experts note the 39% national cap is statutory and can only be altered by Congress, not FCC regulation alone. Critics warn that easing restrictions could reduce conservative voices on broadcast TV.

Study: Attention Span Is Trainable, Not Fixed

The latest research into human attention spans shows a consensus among key studies that our ability to sustain focus on a single task or screen has declined significantly over the past two decades, largely due to digital environments, frequent interruptions, notifications, and multitasking.

The most influential and frequently cited ongoing work comes from Professor Gloria Mark (University of California, Irvine), a leading researcher in human-computer interaction and attention. Her longitudinal studies, tracking real-world behavior since around 2003, measure how long people stay focused on a screen or task before switching:

• In 2003/2004: Average ~2.5 minutes (150 seconds).
• By 2012: Dropped to ~75 seconds.
• In recent years (roughly 2018–2025, with data replicated in the past five years) Stabilized around 40–47 seconds.
• Her most recent references (including in a January 2026 National Geographic article and her book Attention Span) put the figure at roughly 40 seconds on average for screen-based attention before switching. 

She notes this has held relatively steady in the last 5–6 years but remains far shorter than earlier baselines. Mark links shorter spans to higher stress, elevated heart rates, and reduced wellbeing from constant context-switching.

Other recent insights include: A 2025 review on "brain rot" (a term for cognitive overload from excessive short-form digital content) associates heavy social media and rapid information intake with reduced attention span, memory, and problem-solving, especially in adolescents and young adults.

A 2025 study on social media's impact (published in Psychology) finds a negative correlation between excessive use and sustained attention/working memory in young adults.

Broader surveys (e.g., Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 2025) show Americans largely blame stress/anxiety (43%), lack of sleep (39%), and digital devices (35%) for perceived shorter focus.
Some 2025 pieces (e.g., in education contexts like LSU or TeacherToolkit) discuss evolving rather than purely declining attention in younger people, with brain development extending into the 30s and adaptation to rapid, relevant content.

The famous "8-second attention span" (shorter than a goldfish's 9 seconds) still circulates widely in 2025–2026 media and marketing stats, tracing back to a 2015 Microsoft report (itself based on unverified sources). Many experts now call this figure a myth or oversimplification—it's not from rigorous peer-reviewed longitudinal science and confuses quick task-switching in digital contexts with overall attentional capacity.

Critics argue attention isn't vanishing but fragmenting or becoming more selective in information-rich environments. Some 2024–2025 analyses (e.g., Nature Communications discussions) suggest people adapt by processing short bursts efficiently, especially if content is engaging.

Overall, while not everyone agrees on exact numbers or universality, empirical data from observational studies (especially Mark's) supports that digital-era interruptions have meaningfully shortened typical on-task focus time compared to 20 years ago. 

The good news: Researchers like Mark emphasize recoverability through strategies such as scheduled breaks, reducing notifications, single-tasking, and mindfulness—attention is trainable, not fixed.

DOJ, Live National Talking Settlement

Settlement talks between ticketing giant Live Nation and the U.S. Department of Justice are intensifying internal divisions within the Trump administration over antitrust enforcement, according to an exclusive report by Semafor's Rohan Goswami, Liz Hoffman, and Ben Smith.]

Live Nation executives and lobbyists have engaged in negotiations with senior DOJ officials outside the antitrust division. The goal is to reach a settlement and avoid a trial on allegations that the company maintains an illegal monopoly in the live events industry, contributing to higher concert ticket prices. The case, originally filed in 2024 under the Biden administration (with involvement from 40 states and districts), accuses Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster of anticompetitive practices like exclusive venue contracts and dominance in promotion, ticketing, and venues.

These back-channel discussions have sidelined antitrust division chief Gail Slater, who inherited the lawsuit and has pushed aggressively toward a trial scheduled for March 2026. Slater, a Trump appointee with a reputation for skepticism toward big corporate mergers, has seen her authority challenged in multiple high-profile matters.

Tensions stem from a broader clash: the Trump administration's generally business-friendly stance and preference for lighter regulation conflict with Slater's tougher approach. This has created friction between more accommodative DOJ officials and those favoring stricter enforcement, diminishing expectations for aggressive antitrust action among both progressive critics and populist MAGA supporters.

A potential DOJ settlement would not automatically resolve parallel state-level claims against Live Nation. The ongoing fractures highlight competing visions within the administration on balancing corporate interests with competition policy in industries like live entertainment.

R.I.P.: Brad Arnold, Lead Singer For 3 Doors Down

Brad Arnold

Brad Arnold, the lead singer, founding member, and primary songwriter of the rock band 3 Doors Down, has died at age 47 after a courageous battle with stage 4 kidney cancer.

The Mississippi-based band announced the news on social media on Saturday. Arnold passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his wife Jennifer and loved ones.

Arnold revealed his diagnosis of clear cell renal carcinoma (a form of kidney cancer) that had metastasized to his lung in May 2025. He shared the news openly in a video to fans, expressing faith and no fear, though the band canceled their summer tour that year to focus on his health.

Known for his powerful voice and heartfelt lyrics, Arnold co-founded 3 Doors Down in 1996 in Escatawpa, Mississippi. He originally started as the drummer before shifting to lead vocals. The band skyrocketed to fame in the early 2000s with multi-platinum hits like "Kryptonite," "Here Without You," "When I'm Gone," and "Be Like That," defining post-grunge and alternative rock radio for a generation.

Their self-titled debut album in 2000 and follow-ups earned Grammy nominations and sold millions worldwide, with Arnold's songwriting often drawing from personal themes of resilience, loss, and hope.

Bandmates and tributes described him as a devoted husband, kind, humorous, and generous—someone whose music created lasting connections and moments of joy. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered by fans and the music community.

Radio History: Feb 9

➦In 1902...radio actor Chester H. Lauck was born in Allene Arkansas.  With fellow Arkansan Norris Goff he would create one of radio’s alltime favorite programs, “Lum & Abner,” hillbilly proprietors of the “Jot ‘Em Down Store” in Pine Ridge Arkansas. 

Their idea was a switch on Amos ‘n’ Andy. He died Feb. 21 1980, 12 days after his 78th birthday.

➦In 1934...FCC granted 500kw license to WLW for W8XO.

Powel Crosley studio of radio station WLW

On March 22, 1922, the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation began broadcasting with the call sign WLW and 50 watts of power. Crosley was a fanatic about the new broadcasting technology, and continually increased his station's capability. The power went up to 500 watts in September 1922, 1000 watts in May 1924, and in January 1925 WLW was the first broadcasting station at the 5000 watt level. On October 4, 1928, the station increased its power to 50 kilowatts.  Again it was the first station at this power level, which still is the maximum power currently allowed for any AM station in the United States.

At 50 kilowatts, WLW was heard easily over a wide area, from New York to Florida. But Powel Crosley still wasn't satisfied. In 1933 he obtained a construction permit from the Federal Radio Commission for a 500 kilowatt superstation, and he spent some $500,000 ($9.02 million in 2014) building the transmitter and antenna.

Cooling Pond

It was the first large amplifier used in the United States for public domestic radio broadcasting and was in operation between 1934 and 1939. It was an experimental amplifier and was driven by the radio station's regular 50 kW transmitter. It operated in class C with high-level plate modulation. The amplifier required a dedicated 33 kV electrical substation and a large pond complete with fountains for cooling. It operated with a power input of about 750 kW (plus another 400 kW of audio for the modulator) and its output was 500 kW.

In January 1934 WLW began broadcasting at the 500 kilowatt level late at night under the experimental callsign W8XO.   In April 1934 the station was authorized to operate at 500 kilowatts during regular hours under the WLW call letters. On May 2, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a ceremonial button that officially launched WLW's 500-kilowatt signal.

As the first station in the world to broadcast at this strength, WLW received repeated complaints from around the United States and Canada that it was overpowering other stations as far away as Toronto. In December 1934 WLW cut back to 50 kilowatts at night to mitigate the interference, and began construction of three 50 ft. tower antennas to be used to reduce signal strength towards Canada.

With these three antennas in place, full-time broadcasting at 500 kilowatts resumed in early 1935. However, WLW was continuing to operate under special temporary authority that had to be renewed every six months, and each renewal brought complaints about interference and undue domination of the market by such a high-power station.

The FCC was having second thoughts about permitting extremely wide-area broadcasting versus more locally oriented stations, and in 1938, the US Senate adopted the "Wheeler" resolution, expressing it to be the sense of that body that more stations with power in excess of 50 kilowatts are against the public interest.

As a result, in 1939 the 500-kilowatt broadcast authorization was not renewed, bringing an end to the era of the AM radio superstation. Because of the impending war and the possible need for national broadcasting in an emergency, the W8XO experimental license for 500 kilowatts remained in effect until December 29, 1942. In 1962 the Crosley Broadcasting Corporation again applied for a permit to operate at 750 kilowatts, but the FCC denied the application.

📻For more, visit Jim Hawkins WLW Transmitter Page: Click Here.

➦In 1958...the CBS Radio Network first aired “Frontier Gentleman” starring John Dehner.  The classy western production came too late in the OTR era to achieve the success it deserved, and it was pulled from the schedule that November.

➦In 1964...ABC's American Bandstand  moved from Philadelphia to the ABC Television Center in Los Angeles (now known as The Prospect Studios), which coincidentally was the same weekend that WFIL-TV moved from 46th and Market to their then-new facility on City Line Avenue as well as the day before the Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.

➦In 1964...The Beatles made the first of three record-breaking appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show”. The audience viewing the Fab Four on CBS TV was estimated at 73,700,000 (34 percent of the American population).

Ed Sullivan and the Beatles

Radio History: Feb 8

➦In 1922...President Warren G. Harding had the first radio installed in The White House.

➦In 1924...From a banquet hall at the Congress Hotel in Chicago one man could be heard simultaneously in New York, Jacksonville, Denver, San Francisco, and even Havana, Cuba. This was the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast and it was accomplished less than a decade after the first coast-to-coast telephone call was placed in 1915. The future of broadcasting had arrived.

General John J. Carty, a vice president at Bell Telephone Company, spoke from Chicago, addressing by name the various telephone managers in each city where he was being heard. Only about 10% of Americans had a radio set in 1924, but "millions" of others also heard the broadcast, all tuning in with the new radio sets which were quickly becoming quite a coveted new piece of tech for American homes.

➦In 1929...KOY-AM, Phoenix signed-on.

KOY was the first radio station in the state of Arizona, signing on in 1921 as Amateur Radio station 6BBH on 360 meters (833 kHz). Earl Neilsen was the holder of the 6BBH callsign (there were no country prefixes for hams prior to 1928). At that time, broadcasting by ham radio operators was legal.

In 1922, the station received its broadcast license, under the Neilsen Radio & Sporting Goods Company business name, with the callsign KFCB. While the KFCB call letters were sequentially assigned, the station adopted the slogan "Kind Friends Come Back" to match the callsign.

A Phoenix teenager and radio enthusiast named Barry Goldwater was one of the new station's first employees.

When the AM broadcast band was opened in 1923 by the Department of Commerce, KFCB moved around the dial, as did many stations at the time. It was on 1260, 1230, 1310, and 1390 before moving to its long-time home of 550 kHz in 1941. KFCB became KOY on February 8, 1929.  Today the station is owned by iHeaertMedia and is branded as "93.7 El Patrón", simulcasting on an FM translator.

Dick Clark

➦In 1960... U.S. Congressional investigators began exploring the influence of payola in the radio and record industries. Alan Freed and “American Bandstand” host, Dick Clark, among others, were called to testify.

The term Congressional Payola Investigations refers to investigations by the House Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight into payola, the practice of record promoters paying DJs or radio programmers to play their labels' songs. Payola can refer to monetary rewards or other types of reimbursement, and is a tool record labels use to promote certain artists.

Alan Freed

Other forms of payola include making arrangements to purchase certain amounts of advertising in exchange for staying on a station's playlist, forcing bands to play station-sponsored concerts for little or no money in order to stay in a station's good graces, and paying for stations to hold "meet the band" contests, in exchange for air time for one of the label's newer, lesser-known bands.

Alan Freed, who was uncooperative in committee hearings, was fired as a result. Dick Clark also testified before the committee, but survived, partially due to the fact that he had divested himself of ownership interest in all of his music-industry holdings.

After the initial investigation, radio DJs were stripped of the authority to make programming decisions, and payola became a misdemeanor offense. Programming decisions became the responsibility of station program directors.

➦In 1985...actor Marvin Miller died at age 71 after a heart attack.  He was best known as the Signal Oil announcer on CBS Radio’s memorable series The Whistler, and as Michael Anthony, the man who passed out a weekly cheque on CBS-TV’s hit series The Millionaire in the late 1950’s.

Marvin Miller 1958

For the Mutual Broadcasting System, he narrated a daily 15-minute radio show entitled The Story Behind the Story, which offered historical vignettes. He also served as announcer on several Old Time Radio shows of the 1940s and 1950s, including The Jo Stafford Show and the long-running mystery series The Whistler.

In 1945–47, he was the announcer for Songs by Sinatra.

In 1952, Miller had a one-man program, Armchair Adventures, on CBS. He did "all voices and narration" in the 15-minute dramatic anthology. He also recorded 260 episodes of a program described in a 1950 trade publication as "Marvin Miller: Famous radio voice in series of five minute vignettes about famous people." The program was syndicated via electrical transcription by The Cardinal Company.

He also won Grammy Awards in 1965 and 1966 for his recordings of Dr. Seuss stories.

➦In 1994...Barry Manilow launched a $28M dollar lawsuit against Los Angeles radio station KBIG over its pledge to not play his music and its TV ad campaign in support of the “No Manilow” policy.  Hastings, Clayton & Tucker, a Nevada-based entertainment firm that owned the promotional and marketing rights to Barry Manilow's name, filed suit in Orange County Superior Court against Utah-based Bonneville International Corp.  The station used Manilow's name in promos for its  "No Manilow" music policy.  The legal action was dropped a few days later after KBIG agreed to withdraw the promotional spot.

➦In 1996...the "Telecommunications Act of 1996" de-regulated Radio ownership.