With work from home quickly becoming a reality for some Americans, Pierre Bourvard reports the Westwood One blog has fielded questions from agencies and advertisers seeking insight into current listening habits:
➤What is AM/FM radio’s reach among Americans who work from home?
Nielsen Scarborough USA+ reports that 90.8% of Americans who work from home are reached by AM/FM radio. AM/FM radio is the soundtrack of the American worker regardless of where they sit. Even if more are currently working from home, AM/FM radio is still America’s number one mass reach media.
➤What is AM/FM radio’s share of audio at home and how does it compare to the workplace?
An agency asked, “If more people are working from home, are AM/FM radio shares lower at home versus at work?” Edison Research’s latest Q4 2019 “Share of Ear” study indicates AM/FM radio’s share of ad-supported audio is very strong at home and at work. In fact, AM/FM’s at-home share of ad-supported audio is actually a bit stronger at home versus at work. In both locations, AM/FM radio is the dominant audio platform.
In conclusion:
AM/FM radio has massive reach among at-home workers and dominant shares at home.
Those that work at home are 43% more likely to own smart speakers. AM/FM is the most listened to audio source on smart speakers.
At home, ads on Pandora/Spotify can only he heard half the time. Streaming music services are played softly in the other room.
Network radio audience measurement services measure audiences on a one-year rolling average, which smooths out the highs and the lows of listening. Changes in listening are mitigated over an extended period.
Local audience measurement also uses rolling averages to provide stable deliveries.
Al Roker and Craig Melvin were given the morning off after a staffer at the Today show tested positive for the novel coronavirus. NBC is attempting to trace the contacts of the staff member, who works on the weekday third-hour show from 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the Daily Beast reports.
Noah Oppenheim, the president of NBC News, emailed employees late Sunday to tell them that the unnamed member of the team was receiving medical care for “mild symptoms” and wished them a speedy recovery.
A third "Today" show staffer has tested positive for the coronavirus, the network reported early Monday
The show will go on, but all members of the third-hour editorial team have been told to work from home Monday while the network sets out to identify everyone who has had close contact with the individual. Those people will then be told to self-isolate for some time.
The third-hour show is usually hosted by Sheinelle Jones and Dylan Dreyer, alongside co-hosts Al Roker and Craig Melvin.
We learned late last night a colleague on the 3rd hour of TODAY tested positive for COVID-19.
Out of an abundance of caution, Craig and Al are taking the morning off while we map that colleague’s close contacts. pic.twitter.com/aVHJpMU1Fj
Today co-host Savannah Guthrie announced at the top of Monday’s show that Melvin and Roker “have taken the morning off so we can trace their contacts, see what's going on with them.” She added: “We promise to keep you posted... They feel good. Caution is the order of the day.”
Townsquare Media, Inc announced today selected results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2019.
"During 2019, the Townsquare Team worked tirelessly to deliver upon our 'Local First' strategy to drive strong operational and financial results and to create value for all of our stakeholders. We are pleased to see our efforts driving very strong results, as full year 2019 net revenue increased 5.7% and 7.5% excluding political, which is above our prior guidance. Townsquare's total digital revenue grew in excess of 25% to more than $150 million, which equates to digital now comprising 35% of total net revenue," commented Bill Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Townsquare.
"In addition, 2019 Adjusted EBITDA increased to $102.4 million, an increase of 7.8% and 15.3% excluding political. Our strong revenue growth, coupled with our disciplined expense management, allowed us to reduce net leverage to 4.6x as of December 31st, a reduction of 0.5x year over year and the lowest net leverage level in our Company's history. I want to thank the amazing and talented Townsquare Team across the country for their hard work each and every day that is driving our strong results; 'You Matter.'"
Bill Wilson
Wilson added, "As we look forward, we are excited about the future of our Company. We believe that our talented teams, broad multi-platform marketing and advertising product suite and in particular, our robust digital solutions, led by Townsquare Interactive and Townsquare Ignite, our proprietary digital programmatic advertising platform, will continue to differentiate us in the marketplace. We are proud of our broadcast performance, but our overall financial results clearly demonstrate what I have been stating for quite some time: Townsquare has transitioned from being a traditional broadcaster to being a premier local media and digital marketing solutions company with fast growing, profitable digital products and solutions."
"While the specific impact of the Coronavirus pandemic to our business is unknown at this time, we know that there will be a negative impact. However, we are confident and optimistic about the long-term customer demand for our multi-platform products and marketing solutions."
➤Fourth Quarter Highlights, As compared to the fourth quarter of 2018:
Net revenue increased 2.9% and 6.9% excluding political revenue
Advertising net revenue increased 0.9% and 5.6% excluding political revenue
Townsquare Interactive net revenue increased 19.5%
Live Events net revenue decreased 15.7%
Adjusted EBITDA decreased 2.8% and increased 13.5% excluding political
Townsquare Interactive Adjusted Operating Income increased 20.0%
➤Full Year Highlights, As compared to the year ended December 31, 2018:
Net revenue increased 5.7%, and 7.5% excluding political revenue
Advertising net revenue increased 4.0%, and 6.2% excluding political revenue
Townsquare Interactive net revenue increased 26.6%
Live Events net revenue decreased 15.9%
Adjusted EBITDA increased 7.8%, and 15.3% excluding political
Townsquare Interactive Adjusted Operating Income increased 34.0%
Pro forma net revenue increased 4.7%, and 6.6% excluding political revenue
Pro forma Adjusted EBITDA increased 6.7%, and 14.0% excluding political
Townsquare Interactive added 3,650 net subscribers, ending the year with approximately 19,000 subscribers
U.S. officials warned that much more needs to be done to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and help the economy cope, urging Americans to significantly curb their social activity and calling for more action from Congress.
The Wall Street Journal reports the warnings Sunday came after the Trump administration expanded restrictions on travel from Europe and faced criticism for how it was processing frazzled travelers who were scrambling to return home from overseas. The administration also sought to expand access to tests for the virus, as the White House said over the weekend that President Trump himself had been tested negative for coronavirus.
The federal government’s leading voice on infectious diseases said Americans—particularly younger people—must help prevent community spread of the virus, urging them to stay home and avoid unnecessary public outings.
“Americans should be prepared that they are going to have to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Dr. Fauci, appearing on all the major Sunday morning television shows, warned that it could be several weeks to a few months before life in the U.S. begins to return to normal. Dr. Fauci urged people to work from home if they can and practice “social distancing” to prevent a potentially catastrophic spike in infections.
He said he wouldn’t eat at crowded restaurants or fly on planes unless it is necessary, advice that he said applies especially to older Americans and those with health conditions. He said parents should think twice about sending their children out to crowded playgrounds. And young people, even though they appear to be less vulnerable, could be endangering the lives of their grandparents or elderly relatives by not heeding public health warnings, he said.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to congregate anybody anywhere,” Dr. Fauci said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
As Dr. Fauci issued his warnings, the Trump administration grappled with how to handle an influx of Americans and other travelers into the country, who were clogging customs at major airports in response to the European travel ban.
Moderators CNN chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper and CNN political correspondent Dana Bash listen to Democratic presidential hopefuls former US vice president Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders take part in the 11th Democratic Party 2020 presidential debate. The debate was staged in a CNN Washington studio minus an audience.
Wolf Blizter and panelists on a CNN set are shown sitting further apart...
60 Minutes Correspondent Scott Pelley kept his distance from a mother of four whose family has been quarantined at home for a week...
Pelley was required to sit 10 feet apart from New York governor Andrew Cuomo during an interview.
Producers were shown measuring the distance ahead of the interview.
Meanwhile, two more employees of CBS News have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total so far to six. Last Wednesday, the news division's NYC offices were emptied after two employees fell ill with the virus. One of the new cases is CBS correspondent Seth Doane, who has elected to identify himself and talk about it on the air. He will be on "CBS This Morning" on Monday with a first-hand account.
Most CBS News NYC staffers continue to work from home, but small numbers of people are being allowed into the building for live broadcasts.
In Nashville, the regular Grand Ole Opry performance Saturday evening aired as usual on WSM 650 AM without an audience.
Organizers postponed the annual Academy of Country Music Awards to September, per a statement released Sunday. Previously slated for April 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the show now takes place at an exact date, time and venue to be determined.
The Tennessean reports the postponement comes as the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, continues to spread through much of the United States. Last week, the virus caused virtually all live entertainment to pause as medical experts and government officials call for "social distancing" to suppress contamination.
"The health and safety of our artists, fans, industry, staff and partners is our number one priority," a news release said.
The decision involved "constant conversation" from show stakeholders and industry leaders, a statement from ACM CEO Damon Witeside said.
CBS plans to broadcast the rescheduled show.
"The ACM Awards is a tentpole event for our country music industry, and the Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions went to great lengths to find a safe solution for the show to go on so that we can honor our artist community," Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, said in a statement. "We look forward to identifying a future date that we can celebrate with our Country community safely."
Traditionally taking place in April, the 55th annual ACM Awards unveiled 2020 nominees in late February.
From professional sports to arena tours, major events in March and April continue to postpone in wake of the coronavirus spreading.
Saturday night, the Grand Ole Opry made a historic decision to broadcast without an audience. The program plans to continue through April 4 without live attendees.
ACM organizers ask ticketholders to monitor acmcountry.com for show refund updates.
Sun Broadcast Group announced today that it is currently offering FREE programming to any radio stations that need to fill airtime due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. If stations are in need, they can reach out to SBG and receive any programming in their lineup that is available in their market for as long as needed, free of charge. There are no strings attached and no contracts needed.
With the abundance of companies announcing quarantine protocol and working remotely, SBG is positioned to step in and help however possible at this time.
“SBG is here to help and serve radio stations first and foremost, especially in times of need,” stated Sun Broadcast Group’s Chief Development Officer, Danno Wolkoff. “Our offer of free programming and services for radio’s use to better serve their local communities is exactly what we need to do right now. Let’s all serve, inform and protect our listeners together.”
Programming included are:
The Sam Alex Show, Ashley & Brad, Country Fried Mix with DJ Sinister, Around The House With Eric G, The Jim Brickman Show, The Michael Baisden Show, Full Metal Jackie, The Jared Dillian Show, The Woody and Wilcox Show, Red Cup Country, Barbeque Nation and all other programs available through Sun Broadcast Group.
Universal Music Chairman and Chief Executive Lucian Grainge has been hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus and is receiving treatment since Friday at UCLA Medical Center, according to the L-A Times citing a report from Variety.
A source with knowledge of the company’s operations confirmed that UMG closed its Santa Monica offices Friday ahead of a previous plan to do so this coming week because an employee tested positive for COVID-19. There has not yet been confirmation on the identity of the employee, which was reported by Variety to apparently be Grainge.
The source was unsure if the closure also extended to UMG-owned Capitol Music Group facilities in Hollywood or UMG’s New York offices.
Grainge succeeded Doug Morris as CEO of UMG in 2010, after having served as the head of the music group’s international operation. He was credited with expanding the company’s reach through digital distribution and for moving into new businesses, including merchandise sales, live event production and artist services.
The same year, he relocated Universal’s headquarters from New York to California to be closer to tech companies like YouTube and Apple that had begun to replace radio stations and record stores as the gateways through which new generations consumed music.
Grainge celebrated his 60th birthday in Palm Springs on Feb. 29 with a host of other West Coast power players, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, veteran music manager Irving Azoff and Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue, Variety reported.
Some 58% of Americans get news about coronavirus online, including social media, 30% from television, 5% just from social media, 3% from radio, and 8% said they’re not following the news about coronavirus. Where they get their news has a direct influence on a variety of factors.
The data from Civicscience is based on survey results of 10,454 respondents between March 5 and March 12, 2020, reports MediaPost.
There is a high correlation between coronavirus concerns, consumer economic sentiment and political affiliation. Some 46% of survey participants said they are concerned about the potential for the coronavirus to become an epidemic in the United States, and in doing so the U.S. economy will get worse, while 33% are somewhat concerned and 16% are not concerned.
Civicscience polling
People in the mid-west are slightly less concerned than those in other parts of the country. About 65% say they are shopping the same in stores and 54% say they are shopping the same online. It's not clear if the search engines -- Bing or Google -- that consumers use to find the news has an impact or influence.
Nothing is more predictive than the extent of the concerns people have about this virus than the cable news network they watch, said John Dick, CEO of CivicScience, a consumer polling service that produces real-time consumer insights.
“It’s remarkable enough to believe it is a causal factor and not a correlated one, which is not something we often make a leap to, but it’s pretty evident,” he said during a webinar on Friday.
The survey asked those polled to name the cable news network they watch and how concerned they are about the potential for coronavirus to become an epidemic in the U.S. Those who watch CNN and MSNBC are the most concerned at 52% and 44%, respectively. Only 9% and 5% are not concerned, respectively.
Some 39% who watch Fox News said they are not at all concerned, while 39% are somewhat concerned and 21% are very concerned.
“The outcome of peoples’ concern is very, very closely related to the news network they watch, and that has amazing implications downstream into consumer behavior,” he said.
The data suggests tight relationships between consumers who are concerned and not concerned and their likeness to make purchases. In the case of Nike shoes, people who are not at all concerned with coronavirus are the least likely to buy Nike shoes or products because that group tends to be politically conservative. They have never forgiven Nike for the company’s association with Colin Kaepernick.
All-News 1010 WINS in NYC reports Kentucky Fried Chicken has temporarily suspended its "finger lickin' good" slogan amid coronavirus concerns.
The company notes that although the slogan has been a part of the company since 1956, promoting "finger lickin' good," might not be the best option it when trying to preserve the safety and health of their customers around the world.
"It doesn’t feel like the right time to be airing this campaign, so we’ve decided to pause it for now -– but we’re really proud of it and look forward to bringing it back at a later date," a KFC spokesperson told the UK’s Independent.
The Centers for Disease Control says the best way to prevent from contracting the coronavirus is by practicing good hygiene, including washing you hands often for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap is not readily available.
With Major League Baseball, like all major sports, delaying its 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, PBS is allowing fans to share in America’s pastime by making Ken Burns’ 1994 documentary series Baseball available to stream for free.
“This is a difficult time for all of us. We’re worried about the health of our kids, our families, our friends and neighbors, and the vitality and safety of our communities. It’s also a time we realize, more than ever, that we’re all in this together,” Burns said in a video statement Sunday.
With events canceled & so much closed, I asked @PBS to stream BASEBALL for free so we can participate in the national pastime together. Watch at the link below or on any streaming device. And please look out for those with greater needs. Play ball. @MLBhttps://t.co/WaQLSpeYkFpic.twitter.com/QYp1XE0SLC
Rolling Stones reports the nine-part Baseball originally aired on PBS in September 1994. The documentary series — with each of the nine parts representing an inning, like a baseball game — charts the history of America’s pastime, from its genesis in the late 1800s up through 1990. Baseball is available to view now on the PBS site and its streaming apps.
Burns added, “Stay healthy, and let’s look after each other. Play ball.”
The series was narrated by the late John Chancellor of NBC News. He died in 1996.
CNN's ratings have somehow tanked even worse than they previously had as Americans began to quarantine themselves and stopped taking commercial flights, emptying American airports and robbing the cable channel of its captive audience. While CNN is usually able to claim millions of captive viewers every day, their audience dropped to almost nothing overnight. With airports completely devoid of weary travelers with dead smartphones and nothing to look at but CNN, the core of the channel's audience has disappeared overnight. Screens at airports across the country continued to play CNN to empty airports, creating a spooky, dystopian atmosphere as hosts ranted to no one in particular. On-air personalities were quick to blame the ratings dive on President Donald Trump, suggesting that he had a hand in creating the virus specifically so that CNN would implode. "This is clearly a Trump and Fox News plot to destroy us," said Brian Stelter. "The anti-science, racist Trump administration wants you to believe this started in China, but it was clearly created in a U.S. government lab to stop the extremely popular CNN!"
In his first run-in with death 45 years ago, Arch Deal remembers spinning toward the ground at 120 mph, his useless parachutes trailing behind him, wondering how much it would hurt when he finally hit.
Arch Deal - 2011
Friends and emergency responders launched a search for a body in the area around Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, now part of Legoland. Instead, they found Mr. Deal alive. In fact, he told a Tampa Tribune reporter years later, he was cracking jokes to cheer up a worried ambulance crew. Deal suffered a broken pelvis, broken neck and cracked ribs, but three months later, he was back at work.
It was a more down-to-earth accident that finally claimed his life Friday.
Deal came to the Tampa Bay area from his home state of North Carolina in the 1950s. He first worked for WTVT, Ch. 13 but gained a big following as news anchor at WFLA, Ch. 8, where he worked almost 20 years.
"He was the ultimate anchor,” said Jack Jarvis, who worked with Mr. Deal directing news, weather and sports from the WFLA control room. Deal had no ego, Jarvis said, and was always professional and dependable.
After his WFLA career, Deal worked for a couple years at WTSP, Ch. 10, then moved to radio in the 1980s, working as a traffic reporter. He was also part of the Q Morning Zoo on WRBQ 104.7 FM. Later, in semi-retirement, he recorded voice-overs from a home studio.
➦In 1916...Mercedes McCambridge born (Died at age 87 - March 2, 2004). She was an American actress of radio, stage, film, and television. Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress."She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for All the King's Men (1949) and was nominated in the same category for Giant (1956). She also provided the voice of Pazuzu (the demon) in The Exorcist (1973)
She had lead roles in many of his Mercury Theatre broadcasts in the 1930’s while starring on Broadway. She guested on numerous radio dramas (Lights Out, Inner Sanctum, Studio One, Bulldog Drummond, Ford Theatre, Gang Busters, Abie’s Irish Rose, etc.) and had lead roles in both East and West Coast originations of I Love a Mystery. Later she had a healthy career in TV, and won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for All the King’s Men.
➦In 1922...WKY AM, Oklahoma City, OK signed-on.
1944 Print Ad
"5XT" became the 87th licensed station in the United States on March 16, 1922. It was owned by the Oklahoma Radio Shop (Earl C. Hull & H.S. Richards). The station was assigned the WKY call letters and began broadcasting weekdays from noon to 1:00 P.M. and from 7:30 to 9:30 P.M. On Sundays, WKY was on the air from 3 to 4 P.M. and 7:30 to 9:30 P.M.
On November 1922, WKY announced a "silent night" policy, meaning the station would broadcast only four, and later three nights a week. This was so listeners could have a chance to tune into other stations in neighboring states.
Richards and Hull struggled to keep WKY on the air. In late 1925, Richards left the radio business, but Hull continued to keep WKY on the air by selling shares of the station to radio dealers in Oklahoma City. The dealers paid Hull a small salary to keep the station broadcasting; however they decided the financial drain had become too much. In 1928, WKY was purchased by the Oklahoma Publishing Company, publishers of the Daily Oklahoman for the hefty sum of $5,000 (over $63,000 in 2010 dollars).
The formal opening of the new WKY was set for November 11, 1928, but the station went on the air several days earlier to carry the presidential election returns as Herbert Hoover won in a Republican landslide.
By the following year, WKY was attempting to operate like the powerhouse stations in the east. Aside from the programming from NBC, everything broadcast by WKY originated locally.
In 1958, WKY became the second Top-40 formatted station in Oklahoma City, behind KOCY, (now KEBC). During the 1960s and 70's WKY fended off serious challenges from 50,000 watt rival KOMA 1520 AM.
Although KOMA was very famous outside Oklahoma City, due to its large nighttime signal (like WABC in New York), WKY was usually the ratings leader in the city itself (as WMCA won New York City ratings books from 1963–1966); WKY continued to top many Arbitron ratings sweeps into the 1970s.
Ironically, WKY mainstays during that time—Danny Williams, Ronnie Kaye and Fred Hendrickson—would go on to become "KOMA Good Guys" when the station flipped from a standards to an oldies format.
Today, WKY is owned by Cumulus and airs ESPN DePortes radio.
➦In 1926...Joseph Levitch aka Jerry Lewis was born (Died – August 20, 2017). He was a comedian, actor, singer, director, producer, screenwriter and humanitarian, whose career spanned eight decades and was nicknamed "The King of Comedy". He was known for his partnership with Dean Martin as the groundbreaking act of Martin and Lewis.
Lewis went on to star in, write, produce and direct many motion pictures, such as The Delicate Delinquent, The Sad Sack, Rock-A-Bye Baby, The Geisha Boy, Don't Give Up The Ship, Visit to a Small Planet, Cinderfella, The Bellboy, The Ladies' Man, The Errand Boy, It's Only Money, The Nutty Professor, Who's Minding the Store?, The Patsy, The Disorderly Orderly and The Family Jewels. He would also appear in concert stages, nightclubs, music recordings and television.
Outside of his career, Lewis supported fundraising for muscular dystrophy research, during 60 years as national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and 44 years hosting The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon every Labor Day weekend. In 1977, he was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
Lewis initially gained attention as part of a double act with singer Dean Martin, who served as straight man to Lewis' zany antics as the Martin and Lewis comedy team. They were different from other duo acts of the time because they played to each other and had ad-libbed improvisational segments within their planned routines.
After forming in 1946, they quickly rose to national prominence, first with their popular nightclub act, then as stars of The Martin and Lewis Show on the radio NBC Red Network. The two made appearances on early live television on their June 20, 1948 debut broadcast on Toast of the Town (later renamed as The Ed Sullivan Show on September 25, 1955) on CBS. This was followed on October 3, 1948, by an appearance on NBC's Welcome Aboard.
In 1950, Martin and Lewis signed with NBC to be one of a series of weekly rotating hosts of The Colgate Comedy Hour, a live Sunday evening broadcast. Lewis, writer for the team's nightclub act, hired Norman Lear and Ed Simmons as regular writers for their Comedy Hour material. Their Comedy Hour shows consisted of stand-up dialogue, song and dance from their nightclub act and movies, backed by Dick Stabile's big band, slapstick and satirical sketch comedy, Martin's solo songs, and Lewis' solo pantomimes or physical numbers.
As one of the most successful performers in show business, with worldwide box office receipts of his films in excess of $800 million, Lewis received global acclaim for his unique ability and style with both comedy and drama. As part of Martin and Lewis and as a solo actor, he was voted Hollywood's top box-office draw from 1951 to 1965, in later years as the sole comedian.
Dick Beals
➦In 1927...Richard "Dick" Beals was born (Died at age 85 – May 29, 2012). He was an American actor and voice actor, who performed many voices in his career, which spanned the period from the early 1950s into the 21st century. Beals specialized in doing the voices of young boys, although he was also hired to voice young female children.
Perhaps his most recognizable characterization was the voice of the stop-motion animation figure called "Speedy Alka-Seltzer", featured in television commercials for more than 50
Beals was born in Detroit, Michigan, and graduated in 1949 from Michigan State University (MSU), where he majored in radio broadcasting and puppetry. He covered intramural sports and performed in weekly radio dramas for the campus radio station WKAR.
In January 1949, as a senior at MSU, Beals got a call to do a radio commercial for WXYZ, Detroit. After the show, the director asked him to be on call for all the children's voices as well as those of small, talking animals on all three network radio shows produced by WXYZ - The Lone Ranger, Green Hornet and Challenge of the Yukon.
In 1952, after performing in an episode of The Green Hornet, WXYZ station manager Jack McCarthy referred Beals to Forrest Owen of Wade Advertising. Owen showed Beals a rendering of a proposed product spokesman for their client, Alka-Seltzer and had him record a voice audition. Four months later, Beals was notified that he had been selected as the voice for Speedy Alka-Seltzer as well as the voice of Sticky, the Vaseline mascot.
Beals moved to Los Angeles where he continued making commercials as Speedy Alka-Seltzer and also provided voices for other commercials, such as Alka-Seltzer, Oscar Mayer, the Campbell Soup Kids, and Bob's Big Boy. Beals recorded his first Speedy Alka-Seltzer television commercial in 1953, doing a total of 225 in his career.
➦In 1929...WHP-AM, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania signed-on.
The origin of WHP actually dates back to 1925, when a small radio station, known then as WHBG signed on at 1300 AM, with a tiny 20 watt transmitter (today it has 5 Kw DA-2). The station was first owned by Skane Electrical Service, however, it was then sold in early 1927 to Mack’s Battery Service, who changed the name to WMBS, moved its location to Lemoyne, and changed it’s position on the dial to 1280 AM.
The WHP name was crowned to the station in 1929, when the Harrisburg Telegraph Newspaper took over the station, and moved it’s dial position to 1430 AM. The station later moved to 1460 AM, and eventually moved to its well known frequency of 580 AM in 1949.
Today, WHP is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a News/Talk format.
➦In 1956...WQXR 1560 AM boosted power to 50Kw. Today, the station call sign is WFME and airs a religious-format licensed to New York City. The station is owned and operated by Family Radio, a Christian radio ministry based in Alameda, California. The station broadcasts the Family Radio - East satellite feed from its transmitter located in Maspeth, Queens.
➦In 1983...Arthur Morton Godfrey died (Born - August 31, 1903). He was a radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname, The Old Redhead. An infamous on-air incident undermined his folksy image and resulted in a marked decline in his popularity. At the peak of his success in the mid-1950s, Godfrey helmed two CBS-TV weekly series and a daily 90-minute television mid-morning show, but, by the early 1960s, his presence had been reduced to hosting the occasional TV special and his daily network radio show, which ended in 1972.
Arthur Godfrey
One of the medium's early master commercial pitchmen, he was strongly identified with many of his sponsors, especially Chesterfield cigarettes and Lipton Tea. Having advertised Chesterfield for many years, during which time he devised the slogan "Buy 'em by the carton", Godfrey terminated his relationship with the company after he quit smoking, five years before he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1959. Subsequently, he became a prominent spokesman for anti-smoking education.
Godfrey served in the United States Navy from 1920 to 1924 as a radio operator on naval destroyers, but returned home to care for the family after his father's death. Additional radio training came during Godfrey's service in the Coast Guard from 1927 to 1930. It was during a Coast Guard stint in Baltimore that he appeared on a local talent show and became popular enough to land his own brief weekly program.
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.
Arthur Godfrey 1948
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 addition to announcing, Godfrey sang and played the ukulele. In 1934 he became a freelance entertainer, but eventually based himself on a daily show titled Sundial on CBS-owned station WJSV (now WFED) in Washington. Godfrey was the station's morning disc jockey, playing records, delivering commercials (often with tongue in cheek; a classic example had him referring to Bayer Aspirin as "bare ass prin"), interviewing guests, and even reading news reports during his three-hour shift. Godfrey loved to sing, and would frequently sing random verses during the "talk" portions of his program. In 1937, he was a host on Professor Quiz, radio's first successful quiz program.
Godfrey became nationally known in April 1945 when, as CBS's morning-radio man in Washington, he took the microphone for a live, firsthand account of President Roosevelt's funeral procession. The entire CBS network picked up the broadcast, later preserved in the Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly record series, I Can Hear it Now. Unlike the tight-lipped news reporters and commentators of the day, who delivered breaking stories in an earnest, businesslike manner, Arthur Godfrey's tone was sympathetic and neighborly, lending immediacy and intimacy to his words. When describing new President Harry S. Truman's car in the procession, Godfrey fervently said, in a choked voice, "God bless him, President Truman." Godfrey broke down in tears and cued the listeners back to the studio. The entire nation was moved by his emotional outburst.
Godfrey made such an impression on the air that CBS gave him his own morning time slot on the nationwide network. Arthur Godfrey Time was a Monday-Friday show that featured his monologues, interviews with various stars, music from his own in-house combo and regular vocalists. Godfrey's monologues and discussions were usually unscripted, and went wherever he chose.
"Arthur Godfrey Time" remained a late morning staple on the CBS Radio Network schedule until 1972.
➦In 1983...B. Mitchel Reed died at age 56 (Born Burton Mitchel Goldberg - June 10, 1926). Hewas a successful radio personality and worked inNew York and Los Angeles during his 25-year career.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he entered the world of radio while teaching political science at his alma mater.
Reed hosted the all-night Birdland Jazz Show at WOR (AM) in New York in 1956. A year later, he landed a job at KFWB in Los Angeles.
On January 2, 1958, KFWB became a Top 40 station known as "Coloradio Channel 98," and the DJ's were known as "The Seven Swinging Gentlemen." The lineup included Bruce Hayes, Al Jarvis, Joe Yocam, Elliot Field, Bill Ballance, and Ted Quillan. Reed held the 6-9 P.M time slot. Under Program Director Chuck Blore, KFWB became the number one radio station in LA.
He was known as "The Fastest Tongue in the West," for the speed in which he spoke to his audience. He left KFWB for WMCA in his home state of New York on February 7, 1963. He soon became part of a team of disc jockeys known as "The Good Guys," among them Jack Spector.
Reed went to London, England in pursuit of a band making headlines in hopes of breaking them in New York. The band was none other than The Beatles. His persistence paid off as it led to advance record pressings and exclusive interviews. This helped usher in "Beatlemania" in early 1964.
By 1965, Reed decided to return to Los Angeles. His last show at WMCA was on March 20. Thousands of his fans cheered him at the airport upon his departure. Many fans who were thrilled of his return greeted him when he arrived in LA. This ushered in his second stint at KFWB and The Wide Wide Weird World of BMR.
After attending the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, Reed realized he wanted to go in another direction music-wise. He met with San Francisco based DJ Tom Donahue over the frustrations of radio music restrictions. Donahue was a Program Director for underground station KMPX (FM). With no such music station in LA, Reed left KFWB and founded KPPC-FM in Pasadena. Both stations achieved more success than anticipated with the popularity of AOR programming.
Both stations ran into a conflict with their respective owners thus resulting in a strike. After the strike ended in June 1968, Donahue, got Metromedia to take on the AOR format at KMET (FM). Reed programmed what would become one of the first 24 hour automated music stations. It would go live in the summer of 1969. He left KMET for one year in 1971 to work at KRLA. He returned to KMET in 1972 where he stayed the next six years.
In 1978, Reed underwent coronary bypass surgery. He would leave KMET for KLOS (FM) in 1979. His lingering heart condition caught up with him on March 16, 1983. He died in his West Los Angeles home at the age of 56.
➦In 2012...Bell Canada, that country's biggest telecommunications company, announced it was going to acquire Montreal-based Astral Media Inc. for $3.38B. The deal gavethe company more control over content for its cellphone, Internet and land-line services. The deal included acquisition of Astral's 84 commercial radio stations, 22 English-language specialty television channels, and 13 French channels.
