Radio History: November 14

➦In 1901...singer Morton Downey was born in Wallingford Connecticut. His national radio appearances began in 1930, in 1932 he was voted Radio Singer of the Year. In 1949 he debuted on TV, hosting the show Star of the Family in the 1950′s.

He died of a stroke at age 83, Oct. 25 1985.

➦In 1920...singer Johnny Desmond was born in Detroit.   He was featured on Don McNeill’s Breakfast Club (radio& TV), and was a regular on TV’s Your Hit Parade, Face the Music & Songs for Sale.   He died from cancer Sept. 6 1985 at age 64.

➦In 1921...Chicago radio station KYW broadcast the first opera by a professional company. Listeners heard ‘Samson Et Dalila’ as it was being performed at the Chicago Auditorium.

The first words ever broadcast in Chicago were, "My God, but it's dark in here!"

Mary Gardner

According to radio historian Rich Samuels, they were spoken by Mary Garden, world-class soprano and director of the Chicago Grand Opera Association. They were uttered 98 years ago tonight on radio station KYW, licensed to the Westinghouse Manufacturing and Electric Company.

Ms. Garden said what she said because she couldn't see: the area where she was standing was lit by a single bare light bulb.

In 1934, the assignment of clear channels took a frequency away from Illinois and gave it to Pennsylvania, resulting in Westinghouse moving KYW to Philadelphia.  KYW used the frequency of 1020 AM at the time.

In March 1941, KYW changed frequencies to 1060 AM as part of a nationwide shift of radio frequencies mandated by the North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement. KYW and the other Westinghouse radio stations remained with NBC after RCA was ordered by the FCC to break up its radio networks, aligning with the former Red Network (the predecessor of modern-day NBC) in 1942. KYW acquired a television counterpart when Westinghouse bought WPTZ (channel 3) – the nation's third commercial television station and NBC's second television affiliate – in 1953.

In June 1955, Westinghouse agreed to trade KYW and WPTZ to NBC in exchange for the network's properties in Cleveland, WNBK TV and WTAM-AM-FM. Westinghouse also received $3 million in cash compensation.  The main impetus for the trade was NBC's desire to acquire an owned-and-operated television station in the fourth-largest American television market. NBC had to seek a waiver for the swap since KYW and NBC Radio's New York City flagship, WRCA (now WFAN) were both clear channel stations; at the time, the FCC normally did not allow common ownership of clear-channel stations with overlapping nighttime coverage.

After clearing final regulatory hurdles, the swap went into effect on February 13, 1956. NBC took over the Philadelphia stations, rechristening 1060 AM as WRCV (for the RCA-Victor record label), and Westinghouse moved the KYW call letters to Cleveland.

However, almost immediately after the trade was finalized, Westinghouse complained to the FCC and the Department of Justice about NBC's coercion and an lengthy investigation was launched.  In August 1964, NBC's license for WRCV radio and television was renewed by the FCC – but only on the condition that the 1956 station swap be reversed.  Following nearly a year of appeals by NBC, Westinghouse regained control of WRCV-AM-TV on June 19, 1965 and subsequently restored the KYW call letters to the radio station (the television station became KYW-TV at this point).  To this day, the KYW stations insist that they "moved" to Cleveland in 1956 and "returned" to Philadelphia in 1965.

➦In 1922...The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began its domestic radio service.

➦In 1994...FCC adopted EAS rules.

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) is a national warning system in the United States put into place on January 1, 1997, when it superseded the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), which in turn superseded the CONELRAD System.

It is jointly coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The EAS regulations and standards are governed by the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the FCC.

Beatlemania Returns

The Beatles returned to the top of the UK music charts on Friday, with the record-breaking track "Now And Then", making history as the act with the longest gap between its first and last No. 1 single, Reuters reports.

Billed as the last Beatles song, "Now And Then" features the voice of late member John Lennon and was developed using artificial intelligence. It also features parts recorded by surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr as well as the late George Harrison.

The group's 18th UK No. 1 hit, it brings The Beatles back to the top of the Official Singles Chart 60 years after the group's first No. 1 single "From Me to You". The feat also extends The Beatles' record as the British act with the most UK No. 1 singles in Official Charts history.

"It’s mind boggling. It’s blown my socks off," McCartney said in a statement. "It’s also a very emotional moment for me. I love it!"

The song is the fastest-selling single of the year to date in Britain with 48,600 physical and download sales based on the its first seven days, the Official Charts Company said.

It is also the fastest-selling vinyl single of the century so far in Britain with more than 19,400 copies sold on vinyl, and the most-streamed Beatles track in one week, with 5.03 million streams, it added.

The group is also the act with the longest gap between No. 1 singles - 54 years - and the oldest band to score a UK No. 1 single, the Official Charts Company said. McCartney is 81 while Starr is 83.

iHM Flips 85 Stations To Christmas Favorites

iHeartMedia announced the annual station flip to holiday music with more than 85 stations across the country broadcasting the season’s festive music from today’s biggest artists as well as Christmas classics from Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and more 24/7. 

Continuing the celebration of the holiday season, the iHeartRadio Holiday Special returns this year on November 22. Hosted by Mario Lopez, the two-hour special event will feature interviews with Cher, David Foster and Katharine McPhee, Elton John, Meghan Trainor, Rob Thomas, Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic and Train discussing their favorite holiday songs and traditions. The special will broadcast across iHeartMedia’s AC and Classic Hits stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app on November 22 at 7 p.m. local time.

DJ Santa

Every holiday season, iHeartMedia converts music radio stations in its key markets to all holiday music through Christmas Day. Each year, these stations continue to have the largest audiences of all radio stations in each market – often doubling the audience size from non-holiday programming – making iHeartMedia the No. 1 holiday music listening destination.

Listeners can discover a holiday station for every mood and celebration across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices with the iHeartRadio. Original stations like “iHeart Christmas,” playing all the holiday favorites; “North Pole Radio,” hosted by Santa Claus himself; “iHeart Christmas Classics,” the place to hear all the timeless holiday classics; or holiday channels playing all kinds of music, including iHeartCountry Christmas, iHeart Christmas Jazz, iHeart Christmas Rock, iHeart Christmas R&B, and more. To find all iHeartRadio’s extensive holiday offerings, listeners can visit the iHeartRadio app and search “iHeart Holiday.”

“Listeners look forward to that special day when we convert so many of our stations to Christmas music because it means that the holiday season has really started,” said Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer for iHeartMedia. “To celebrate we are bringing back the iHeartRadio Holiday Special with Cher, David Foster and Katharine McPhee, Elton John, Meghan Trainor, Rob Thomas, Ryan Tedder and Train who will be sharing their personal holiday memories.”

Broadcast Networks Race to Save the TV Season

Melissa Rauch and John Larroquette in “Night Court” 

Within moments of the SAG-AFTRA strike ending on Wednesday night, the broadcast networks kicked into high gear to salvage the 2023-24 TV season, which suddenly appears possible — barely.

The Wrap reports “Night Court” on NBC will be one of the first shows to return to filming starting next week, according to one person close to the production — with numerous other shows close on its heels.

More than two dozen network shows have been on hold during the six-month work stoppage, and at least a dozen of them will start production within the next few weeks. Some will join “Night Court” next week, others the week after Thanksgiving, like ABC’s “Abbott Elementary, CBS’ “Bob Hearts Abishola” and “Young Sheldon.”

Cable and streaming shows are also on deck to kick off production, including Freeform’s “Grown-ish” in December. But there’s a higher sense of urgency for the broadcasters to get back on track, since they’re at risk of losing ad revenue for the TV season ending in May 2024.

Though full recovery will take time, the goal is to produce 10-13 episodes of the shows and debut them midseason, some as early as January. Veteran franchises like Wolf Entertainment’s “Law & Order” and “Chicago” franchises are “well-oiled machines,” according to a source close to those productions, and should be able to pick cameras back up and turn around episodes to air quickly.

YouTube Takes the Lead in Teens' Daily Video Consumption

YouTube and Netflix have been the top platforms for teens’ daily video viewing for several years now, with Netflix edging ahead in terms of share of daily time in recent years. However, a slight rebound for YouTube and a larger drop for Netflix mean that YouTube now garners a slightly larger share of US teens’ daily video viewing time than Netflix, according to the latest semi-annual report from Piper Sandler.

Recent research suggests that Netflix is losing some of its dominance in the streaming market and that other major streaming platforms are becoming destinations for viewers’ favorite content. Additionally, free streaming services may be leading to decreased viewing of SVOD platforms, according to a recent study.

It’s against this backdrop that YouTube has taken the lead with teens, though only ever-so-slightly. In this latest survey it accounted for an estimated average 29.3% share of teens’ daily video viewing time, just ahead of Netflix’s 28.5%.

The last time – and only time – YouTube was ahead of Netflix in share of viewing time was 4 years ago, in the Fall 2019 survey.

Entravision Names Jack Randall EVP/Political & Strategic Sales

Entravision Communications Corporation, a leading global advertising solutions, media and technology company, today announced the hire of Jack Randall as Executive Vice President of Political and Strategic Sales, effective November 13, 2023. 

In his new role, Mr. Randall will lead the development and execution of high-impact sales strategies tailored specifically for the political and advocacy sector. Mr. Randall’s expertise and understanding of the unique needs of this segment will help propel the Company to new heights by optimizing Entravision’s potential in what will be the highest funded election cycle in U.S. history. Mr. Randall will report to Chris Munoz, Executive Vice President of National Sales.

Jack Randall

“We eagerly welcome Jack to the Entravision team,” said Chris Munoz, Executive Vice President of National Sales, Entravision. “His remarkable expertise in media sales, coupled with a deep understanding of our audience, instills confidence in his capacity to spearhead our endeavors in this specialized field. Jack's appointment stands as a significant milestone for our company, underscoring our dedication to innovation and strategic growth.”

Mr. Randall brings more than 40 years of experience as an accomplished executive in the media industry. He previously served as Head of Strategic Sales at T-Mobile Advertising Solutions from 2022 to 2023, where he worked directly with brands to develop custom interactive content and proprietary custom audiences for targeted media plans. 

“Entravision’s commitment to the Latino community is unwavering, and I am thrilled to join a company that recognizes the vital role of this community in shaping our future,” said Mr. Randall. “As a longtime advocate for the Hispanic community, I look forward to contributing to Entravision’s growth trajectory ahead.”

11/13 WAKE-UP CALL: No Way Out, Fighting Rages Near Hospital

The area around Al Shifa Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip was slammed by heavy shelling Sunday as the fate of the thousands of patients, staff and civilians seeking shelter there grew more desperate by the hour. Dr. Marwan Abusada, head of surgery at al-Shifa Hospital, said the bombardment has continued unabated for days. He dismissed the Israeli military claims that it had provided an escape route.

“No one can get out. No one can come in," Abusada told Al Jazeera. "People who tried to evacuate the hospital, they were shot at in the streets."

Palestinian officials say thousands of civilians have taken refuge among patients and staff, but Israeli officials accuse Hamas of concealing a command post in the hospital compound. Hamas denies it. The regional directors of three U.N. aid agencies issued a statement urging immediate international action to end the attacks on Gaza hospitals.

Gaza's main hospital is "out of service." The GOP has a new plan to avert a government shutdown. Workers are burnt out by mandatory overtime.

Here's the biggest news you might've missed this weekend: https://t.co/MRz5xbETxs

— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 13, 2023

Fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants intensified in Gaza City, around Al-Shifa Hospital, the enclave's biggest medical facility. Food and water supplies for the thousands of people taking shelter there are dwindling, and two newborns died when the hospital's incubators shut off due to a power outage, doctors there said. Other hospitals in the northern part of the strip reported similarly dire conditions. Israel said it created a safe corridor for pedestrians and vehicles to evacuate Al-Shifa, but doctors said there was no safe way to evacuate. Follow our live coverage of the war here.

Netanyahu says Israel must 'destroy Hamas' to secure Palestinian future, too https://t.co/ZcmdlTYxtC

— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 13, 2023

➤U-S JETS ATTACK SYRIAN TARGETS: President Biden ordered airstrikes against two facilities in Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards on Sunday.  The strikes, carried out by Air Force F-15E fighter jets are the latest retaliatory attacks for the daily barrage of rocket hits on US forces in Iraq and Syria. The US jets hit structures in Abu Kamal and a safe house in Mayadin - used for weapons and ammunition storage and command and control HQs.  The attacks come four days after US warplanes hit a munitions depot in eastern Syria and the same day five US Army soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash in the Mediterranean Sea.

➤3-YEAR OLD AMERICAN AMONG HOSTAGES: A three-year-old American orphan is among the hostages held by Hamas, the White House has revealed. The toddler's parents were slaughtered by the terror group during the October 7 massacre inside Israeli territory that saw 1,200 civilians killed and around 200 people taken hostage including at least nine US nationals. In a call with Qatar's leader Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani on Sunday, Biden 'condemned unequivocally the holding of hostages by Hamas, including many young children, one of whom is a three-year old American citizen toddler, whose parents were killed by Hamas on October 7th.' The White House statement added: 'The two leaders agreed that all hostages must be released without further delay.' It comes amid warnings from Congress that some of the hostages could be held by other terror factions, raising a nightmare scenario for negotiators. Only four prisoners have been released so far. 

Iran paid a man $30,000 to buy a semi-automatic rifle and kill an Iranian women’s rights activist living in the U.S., according to the FBI. The plot would eventually fail. https://t.co/404dE3mtWE pic.twitter.com/HGTWNd34jV

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 13, 2023

➤MAHER DISAPPOINTED WITH OBAMA: VBill Maher has expressed disappointment with former President Barack Obama's comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Obama said 'nobody's hands are clean' amid the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Maher described such sentiments as a 'moral equivalency'  and admitted to feeling let down by the remarks, describing them as 'not horrible' but unhelpful. Maher argued against the moral equivalency, emphasizing the recent brutal attack by Hamas and drawing a distinction between unintentional collateral damage and the deliberate targeting of civilians. He also highlighted Israel's initiative in allowing a four-hour pause for civilian evacuation, contrasting it with Hamas' actions.

➤5 U-S SOLDIERS DEAD IN CRASH: Five U.S. service members were confirmed to have died when their military aircraft crashed over the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Saturday morning during a routine training mission, military officials said Sunday. U.S. European Command (EUCOM) said the aircraft "suffered a mishap" and crashed into the sea during a routine air refueling mission. Search and rescue efforts began immediately, including nearby U.S. military aircraft and ships. All five service members on board the aircraft were determined to have died. An investigation into the crash is underway, though military officials have said that there are no indications of any hostile activity involved.

New SiriusXM Logo Aims To Play Catch-Up

SiriusXM is known for its satellite radio. It would now also like to become your music streaming app of choice. Last week, the company announced a forthcoming streaming app, new artist-themed channels, and a rebrand designed around its namesake: the night sky’s brightest star, which it hopes will appeal to new and younger listeners, according to Fast Company.

Though SiriusXM counts a combined monthly audience of approximately 150 million listeners, on the day of its rebrand announcement, the app sat at No. 9 on Apple’s list of the top free music apps, behind streaming apps Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, and others. The company recently announced it would be overhauling its app and services to try to catch up to those competitors.

Previous Logo

The company dropped its old logo, which showed radio waves emanating from its wordmark, for a new wordmark that creates a star in the letter S using negative space. The company’s also bringing back its dog mascot, another star reference, for the star Sirius’ nickname, the “dog star.”

“SiriusXM was born of the sky, with our satellites lighting up the night alongside the stars,” Suzi Watford, the company’s senior vice president and chief growth officer, said during a presentation. “So with our new branding, we are embracing our roots and our future all in one.”

The S logo comes in variants, like a disco ball, rainbow Pride colors, and another version in black surrounded in barbed wire. They can convey different genres, and additionally, the logo can house a different kind of star, the musicians and hosts who populate SiriusXM’s programming.

“At SiriusXM, we are home to the stars,” Watford said. “With this new branding, we have an opportunity to showcase how these stars are at the core of our value, and to give them the spotlight.”

The new visual identity is the work of London-based Uncommon Creative Studio, which previously worked with EA Sports, and announced its first U.S. studio last month in New York. They weren’t going for subtlety. “I think some rebrands can be an exercise in remaining invisible,” the studio’s creative founder Nils Leonard tells Fast Company. “We’re not in the business of a slightly different shade of blue.”

Instead, SiriusXM has a new color palette designed around the color of stars across their lifespan, from blue to orange to red. The concept of getting closer to the stars was a through line of the project. The brand’s new S logo came from “an intention to create an icon for the brand,” Leonard says, and “the idea of you pressing on a star when you open the app . . . I think it will get a new generation to get what [SiriusXM is] about.”

NAB Disputes Cost Analysis Of AM Radio In EVs

There is growing momentum in Congress for the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in new vehicles to ensure public safety. Automakers are opposed to this legislation and claim that listeners desiring AM content can use audio streaming platforms instead (ignoring the fact that streaming services are likely not available during emergencies).

According to the NAB blog, automakers are especially concerned about being required to provide AM radio in electric vehicles (EVs), claiming electromagnetic interference (EMI) from EV components causes distortion to AM radio signals which is costly to remediate.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) funded a Center for Automotive Research (CAR)  study investigating possible technical solutions and cost mitigation for implementing AM radio in EVs.  The resulting 21-page report includes an estimate that the auto industry will spend $3.8 billion over the next seven years mitigating EMI through shielding and filtering in forecasted EV production.

Significantly, this report finds that “…the cost burden is shared by a number of other electronic modules in EVs that also have EMI mitigation needs, including AM radio.”  According to the report, “CAR’s SME discussions revealed that the material cost of addressing AM band interference in EVs is relatively low because mitigation measures are often necessary and implemented to support other electronic systems susceptible to EMI.”

AAI misrepresents, distorts and spins the results of the report it paid for to advance its position. Let’s set the record straight:

➤Claim: Reducing interference to AM radio would cost $3.8 billion over the next seven years.

Fact:  To quote the CAR report (page 11), technical solutions such as the shielding of cables and electrical systems or filters that suppress unwanted EMI “can help mitigate interference with the functioning of electronic modules or components supporting attributes such as vehicle safety, durability, thermal conduction and functional purposes of chassis, body, infotainment and all the associated power distribution needs. They may be useful countermeasures, regardless of the presence of AM radio.”

In other words, these are costs automakers would incur even with no AM radio in EVs.  AAI wrongly attributes the entirety of this $3.8 billion cost to keeping AM radio in EVs, ignoring that these interference-addressing measures are also in use to ensure that many other key operational parts of EVs can function.

Furthermore, the impartial Congressional Budget Office estimates that the cost for automakers to ensure AM radio capability in their current and future vehicles under the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act would be far less than the AAI estimate.

Detroit RadioTV: Jason Benetti Exits Chicago For Tigers

After eight seasons, beloved broadcaster Jason Benetti is leaving the Chicago White Sox and heading to Detroit as the Tigers’ play-by-play announcer. Here’s what you need to know:

The Athlete reports Benetti, 40, signed a multiyear contract with the Tigers, the team said Thursday. The club did not disclose the terms of the deal.

He will appear on Tigers broadcasts on Bally Sports Detroit and call at least 127 games each season.

One of the top voices in sports is coming to the 313!

Renowned broadcaster @jasonbenetti has inked a multi-year contract to be our television play-by-play announcer.

🔗: https://t.co/lqtPaadLPw pic.twitter.com/anVDU1x8wO

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) November 9, 2023

Benetti will continue his national broadcast duties with Fox, and if they conflict with a Tigers game, longtime radio play-by-play voice Dan Dickerson will fill in for Benetti in the television booth.

R.I.P.: Kurt David Engelhart, Longtime Paducah Personality

Long-time Paducah radio DJ Kurt David Engelhardt (right) passed away Sunday at the age of 71, The Western Kentucky Star reports.

Engelhardt was a familiar voice in the 1970s on Paducah radio stations WKYX and WDXR, and again in the 90s on WDDJ and WZZL. 

He could most recently be heard on WCBL in Benton on his syndicated musical feature, "Takin' Ya Back."

He was also employed at WPSD-TV and did voiceover work on many local commercials. He retired from Murray State University in 2019.

R.I.P.: Charlie Salisbury Jr., Founder of Salisbury Broadcasting

(1940-2023)

Charles H. “Charlie” Salisbury Jr., a former executive at T. Rowe Price and president of Salisbury Broadcasting Corporation, died of progressive supranuclear palsy Oct. 30 at his Towson home. He was 83, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Born in Ithaca, New York, his parents soon moved to Maryland, Mr. Salisbury went on to graduate from the Friends School of Baltimore in 1959. He obtained a degree in American history from what is today Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 1963, according to a family-submitted biographical profile. After college, Mr. Salisbury joined the Air Force, from which he retired as a captain in 1968. During his time in the military, he was stationed in Taipei, Taiwan, during the Vietnam War, his wife, Edith Salisbury, said.

“Charlie was most certainly a good man in every sense of the word; a good person, good husband, father, friend, brother-in-law,” Ted Gans, a friend, said in a submitted obituary. “I knew him best for the love of his family.”

After leaving the military, Mr. Salisbury received a master’s degree in business administration from what is today Loyola University Maryland in 1973.

He began working at T. Rowe Price Associates in 1970 in various positions, including as a member of several boards.

Elaine Kllinger, Mr. Salisbury’s executive assistant for 38 years, said he was a mentor and father figure to her.

“Charlie had an exceptional gift for energizing and engaging others,” she said in his obituary. “Even more impressive than his own philanthropy was his ability to inspire others to action, especially for projects and causes that not everyone immediately saw the value of.”

R.I.P.: John Morris, Helped Organize The Original Woodstock

John Morris (1939-2023)

John Morris, who helped organize the historic 1969 Woodstock Festival of Art and Music, died Friday at his home in Santa Fe, N.M., his family confirmed to The LA Times. He was 84.

Morris died after dealing with a long illness — he suffered from COPD for years and had previously battled cancer.

“One of the things that I always loved most about John is that he was one of the most egalitarian people you would ever meet. He would think nothing of putting a plumber next to the Queen of England at a dinner party and it would be fun — that’s just the way he was. He saw people for who they were,” Luzann Fernandez, Morris’ partner of 33 years, told The Times.

Radio History: November 13

Lee de Forest

➦In 1906...Lee de Forest, who coined the term "radio", patented Audion tube.

De Forest was interested in wireless telegraphy and invented the Audion in 1906. He then developed an improved wireless telegraph receiver.

On 25 October 1906, de Forest filed a patent for diode vacuum tube detector, a two-electrode device for detecting electromagnetic waves, a variant of the Fleming valve invented two years earlier.

One year later, he filed a patent for a three-electrode device that was a much more sensitive detector of electromagnetic waves. It was granted US Patent 879,532 in February 1908. The device was also called the de Forest valve, and since 1919 has been known as the triode.

De Forest's innovation was the insertion of a third electrode, the grid, between the cathode (filament) and the anode (plate) of the previously invented diode.

The resulting triode or three-electrode vacuum tube could be used as an amplifier of electrical signals, notably for radio reception. The Audion was the fastest electronic switching element of the time, and was later used in early digital electronics (such as computers). The triode was vital in the development of transcontinental telephone communications, radio, and radar until the 1948 invention of the transistor.

de Forest w/Audion tube

In 1904, a De Forest transmitter and receiver were set up aboard the steamboat Haimun operated on behalf of The Times, the first of its kind.  On July 18, 1907, De Forest broadcast the first ship-to-shore message from the steam yacht Thelma. The communication provided quick, accurate race results of the Annual Inter-Lakes Yachting Association Regatta. The message was received by his assistant, Frank E. Butler of Monroeville, Ohio, in the Pavilion at Fox's Dock located on South Bass Island on Lake Erie. DeForest disliked the term "wireless" and chose a new moniker, "radio."

De Forest is credited with the birth of public radio broadcasting when on January 12, 1910, he conducted experimental broadcast of part of the live performance of Tosca and, the next day, a performance with the participation of Italian tenor Enrico Caruso from the stage of Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

➦In 1913...Alexander Scourby was born (Died at age 71 – February 22, 1985). He was a film, television, and voice actor known for his deep and resonant voice.  He is best known for his film role as the ruthless mob boss Mike Lagana in Fritz Lang's The Big Heat (1953), and is also particularly well-remembered in the English-speaking world for his landmark recordings of the entire King James Version audio Bible, which have been released in numerous editions. He later recorded the entire Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Scourby recorded 422 audiobooks for the blind which he considered his most important work.

Jack Gale

➦In 1925...Legendary radio broadcaster Jack Gale was born (Died - January 24, 2018) .  During his remarkable career he has been a radio performer, programmer, owner, voice-over talent, music publisher, manager and record producer spans more than 50 years.