Denver Radio: KNUS Talker Fired During Show

Talk show Host Craig Silverman KNUS 710 AM, said he was fired mid-show Saturday after criticizing President Donald Trump.

Silverman was in the middle of a segment about Roy Cohn, Trump’s former personal attorney, when he suddenly was interrupted by network news, he told The Denver Post.

Silverman’s producer threw his hands up in the air, indicating it wasn’t him.

Instead, program director Kelly Michaels came through the door.

“You’re done,” Silverman recounted Michaels as saying.

The former prosecutor, who has hosted “The Craig Silverman Show” from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays for more than five years, responded to the sudden firing on Twitter.

Thanks Dylan. I cannot and will not toe strict Trump party line. I call things as I see them. I see corruption and blatant dishonesty by President and his cronies. I also see bullying/smearing of American heroes w/courage to take oath and tell truth. Their bravery inspires me. https://t.co/o9Z4cb7pfe

— Craig Silverman (@craigscolorado) November 16, 2019

Representatives from KNUS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The page for Silverman’s show appears to have been removed from the station’s website. A link to his show gives a “404 Error — Not Found” message.

Silverman’s last segment of the hour, before he was taken off the air, was to “observe how toxic Trump is in Colorado,” he said in a text. “And to continue my show theme today that Democrats are making a strong case at the House impeachment hearing.”

Big Machine Closed Early Friday After Perceived Threats

Big Machine Records reportedly opted to close its Tennessee headquarters early for the weekend due to death threats aimed at label employees amid its ongoing battle with Taylor Swift, according to The NY Daily News.

The Nashville-based office closed its doors just after noon on Friday following “hostile death threats” that made staff feel unsafe, a source told Entertainment Tonight.

It’s only the latest drama between Big Machine and 29-year-old Swift, who recently alleged her former label is preventing her from playing her older songs at the American Music Awards later this month, where she is being honored as artist of the decade.

In a social media post on Thursday, Swift took direct aim at Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta, who own the music rights to her first six albums.

“Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun have now said that I’m not allowed to perform my old songs on television because they claim that would be re-recording my music before I’m allowed to next year,” she wrote, adding that the pair are also preventing her from using songs and performance footage in an upcoming Netflix documentary.

The pop superstar earlier this year blasted Braun as a bully after he acquired Borcehtta’s Big Machine Records, a hefty purchase that includes the masters to all of Swift’s music outside of her most recent “Lover” album. The songstress subsequently announced that she would re-record her first albums as soon as she is allowed to in November 2020.

According to Swift, Borchetta said he would only allow the use of her old tunes during the AMA medley if she stopped speaking about them in public and vowed to never record copy-cat versions of her music.

“This is WRONG. Neither of these men had a hand in the writing of those songs. They did nothing to create the relationship I have with my fans. So this is where I’m asking for your help,” Swift tweeted on Thursday.

The  label lashed out Friday in response to her claim that Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun are blocking her from singing her earlier hits at the American Music Awards.

"As Taylor Swift’s partner for over a decade, we were shocked to see her Tumblr statements yesterday based on false information," the label posted on its website. "At no point did we say Taylor could not perform on the AMAs or block her Netflix special. In fact, we do not have the right to keep her from performing live anywhere."

Billboard reports within hours after Taylor Swift took to social media to put Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta on blast for supposedly not allowing her access to her older music for an upcoming American Music Awards performance and a Netflix special, tens of thousands of fans have rallied in her support.

A Change.org petition started by fan Jade Rossi has gathered 35,000+ signatures in just three hours, calling on Braun, Borchetta and investment firm The Carlyle Group to stop holding Swift’s art hostage. 

In the petition, Rossi calls out sexism, the misuse of power and hints at “blackmail”.

Senator and presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren came to the defense of Swift:

Unfortunately, @TaylorSwift13 is one of many whose work has been threatened by a private equity firm. They're gobbling up more and more of our economy, costing jobs and crushing entire industries. It's time to rein in private equity firms—and I've got a plan for that. https://t.co/r2UD4CT1Ba

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 16, 2019

Warren tweeted that Swift’s work was being “threatened by a private equity firm,” adding that she has a plan to address this very issue.

Lawmaker Wants ABC News To Come Clean On Epstein Story

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and two other top Republicans sent a letter to ABC News on Sunday demanding the network explain why it “quashed” ABC News anchor Amy Robach’s story that would have exposed allegations against the now-deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein three years ago. reports Fox News.

The letter, to ABC News President James Goldston, was first reported by Megyn Kelly, formerly of Fox News. House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mike McCaul of Texas and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Doug Collins of Georgia also signed it.

Brian Epstein

Video captured Robach on a hot mic claiming higher-ups at her network killed the story. The footage was published earlier this month by Project Veritas, whose controversial founder, James O'Keefe, has described himself as a “guerrilla journalist.” The video included Robach saying ABC refused to air an interview she

“I’ve had the story for three years. ... We would not put it on the air,” Robach said on the hot mic. “Um, first of all, I was told, who’s Jeffrey Epstein? No one knows who that is. This is a stupid story.”

She also said she tried to get the interview on the air for three years “to no avail.”

Less than two weeks after the footage was published, the House Republicans wrote the letter, asserting, “What appears to have been presented to Ms. Robach is first-hand evidence of human trafficking.”

They noted they were “deeply concerned that this victim, in search of justice, went to ABC News, provided information and an interview and then ABC News chose to bury the truth. This was a decision that Ms. Robach alluded was due to protecting powerful people or financial interests.”

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MK Exclusive: Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy demands answers from ABC News re: Epstein

A post shared by Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) on Nov 17, 2019 at 4:13pm PST

Robach admitted the authenticity of the video, which has not been independently verified by Fox News, but dismissed the notion of unethical journalism.

“As a journalist, as the Epstein story continued to unfold last summer, I was caught in a private moment of frustration. I was upset that an important interview I had conducted with [Epstein accuser] Virginia Roberts didn’t air because we could not obtain sufficient corroborating evidence to meet ABC’s editorial standards about her allegations,” Robach said in a statement provided to Fox News earlier this month.

McCarthy, R-Calif., and the other Republicans wrote in the Sunday letter, “Although it is unclear whether anyone thought to alert authorities to further examine these deeply disturbing allegations, it is clear that ABC News’ enabling of Mr. Epstein has consequences: fewer victims willing to come forward to bring perpetrators of this modern-day slavery to justice and, more grievously, the possibility that any number of minors could have been spared from human trafficking over the past three years.”

The three Republicans wrote that they were requesting more information from ABC News. They asked if the network will provide Congress with the interview Robach conducted with the victim, what ABC News learned about Epstein after Robach first presented her story to executives and who was involved in deciding the story was not of public interest as well as any rationale for that decision.

Podcasters Debate Prospect of Automated Ads

As podcasts attract more advertisers, podcast publishers and ad sellers are beginning to embrace tactics that are common on the internet, including the automated buying and selling of targeted ads, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Midroll Media, a podcast ad sales group that offers 200 to 250 shows daily, plans to expand programmatic sales in 2020 after a small number of tests this year.

“With the range of shows we work with and the advertisers we talk to, it makes sense to start bringing in a whole range of ad products that meet brand needs across the board—and take more of their ad dollars, frankly,” said Erik Diehn, the chief executive of Midroll parent Stitcher Inc., a podcast platform owned by broadcasting company E.W. Scripps Co.

Podcasts are shifting from a “nice to have” element of marketers’ brand campaigns to becoming integral elements, said Rachel Lowenstein, associate director of Invention+ at WPP PLC -owned agency Mindshare. That adds to the pressure to implement ad technology.

“If there is any way we can make things more efficient and targeted, it’s going to happen,” Ms. Lowenstein said.

But not everyone wants to follow the web-advertising playbook.

The vast majority of podcast ads today are sold directly, not auctioned through programmatic technology vendors. Most also are read by hosts or producers and baked into episodes during the recording, though they are sometimes edited in afterward.

Barstool Sports Inc., whose podcasts include “Pardon My Take” and “Spittin’ Chiclets,” refuses any podcast ad formats except live reads. It is on track to generate more than $22 million in podcast ad revenue this year, all from ads read by the hosts, according to a person familiar with the matter. The company has 31 different podcast series with clients that include PepsiCo Inc.’s Mountain Dew brand, Nascar Holdings Inc. and New Amsterdam Spirits Co.

“Podcasting is a great medium because there’s essentially a relationship between a host and a listener—they are in your ears, they are telling you stories and it creates an ongoing relationship,” said Barstool Sports Chief Executive Erika Nardini. “That’s also what makes advertising so effective.”

The programmatic advertising now seeping into podcasting could erode that intimacy, Ms. Nardini said. And pooling ad inventory for auction could sap prices, she added.

Others worry ad tech will encourage publishers to pack podcasts with more commercials, because it’s easier with automation than doing more live reads.

U-K Radio: Station Airing Podcasts In the Works

The UK’s first 24-hour radio station devoted exclusively to podcasts is launching in London.

A news release states Podcast Radio will showcase podcasts from all over the globe enabling content providers to market and promote their audio across broadcast radio.

CEO Gerry Edwards says: “Podcast Radio will allow listeners to discover, engage with and consume an ever-changing and diverse range of podcasts across all genres.”

The new station, which will broadcast on DAB+ to a potential audience of 12 million people across the capital, was announced to an international audience of podcast, digital and radio delegates at today’s 8th annual RAIN (Radio and Internet News) Summit at the Congress Centre in London.

Consultant Paul Chantler, who previously helped set up successful builder and tradespeople station Fix Radio in 2017, has been working with Gerry to develop and devise Podcast Radio since the spring.

Paul says: “The popularity of podcasts and live radio is intoxicating. Radio is a natural way for people to sample different podcast content and find out what they like so they can download more episodes.”

Edwards, from Liverpool, started his radio career as a presenter and producer on radio in New Zealand. In the UK, he has worked for Global Radio and for the last few years designed and managed Panda Radio for the European-based media company GB Times.

“I’m excited to combine my love of podcasts with radio. We already have a wide variety of podcast partners to provide content and this will be growing over the next few months as we bring on some big names. The aim is more effective discovery.” he says.

Gerry will be Podcast Radio’s first “podjock” – a cross between a DJ and a continuity announcer – who will link the podcasts throughout the day and also present podcast related features such as a top 40 of the most popular, reviews and recommendations as well as interviews with content creators.

The exact launch date for Podcast Radio and some of the stars appearing on podcasts to be featured on the station will be revealed shortly.

Could Cord-Cutting Doom Cable?

Cable cord-cutting is unlikely to abate any time soon, because consumers today can drop cable and replace it with an array of streaming services for less money. It's possible to get nearly every channel via streaming, so consumers can theoretically save money and still get what they want.

How bad is it?

USAToday reports the major pay-television providers lost a total of 2.87 million net customers in 2018, up from 1.49 million the previous year, according to data from Leichtman Research Group (LRG). Those numbers got even worse in the first half of 2019, when the industry dropped another 2.88 million subscribers. And matters got still bleaker in the third quarter: According to the report LRG released Wednesday, the pay-TV companies lost another 1.74 million customers in Q3, the biggest single-quarter loss the industry has ever posted.

Arguably, those declines are even worse than the headline numbers would suggest because LRG counts 3.83 million streaming cable customers as part of the total. But those are subscribers who opted for cheaper plans, so they are probably significantly less profitable to the cable companies serving them.

This accelerating pace of people dropping cable coincides with a  slowdown in the growth of broadband subscriptions – signing up new internet customers no longer compensates for the earnings lost from cord-cutting pay-TV customers. After adding 2.4 million broadband users in 2018, the industry has added about 1.9 million so far in 2019. That's still strong, but it's well below the approximately 4.5 million net decline in cable customers.

Study: 'Desk Jockeys' Work Faster

Britain is a nation of "desk jockeys" - with half of employees listening to music while they work, reports The Sun.

A study of 2,000 employed Brits found many slip on headphones as soon as they sit down in a bid to concentrate more - or block out colleague’s chit-chat.  A third even think they work harder when listening to music, while two in five get more done.

Almost half (47 per cent) also claim to feeling less stressed with background melodies and more than a third said their productivity improves.

But the study, commissioned by Scala Radio, found that while more than a quarter use music to block out their colleagues' noise, a tenth do so to avoid silence.

The results come after an experiment saw four office workers given a 600-word task to complete to see how music affects their productivity compared to being in a silent room.

It found that when music was played, workers completed the task three minutes faster than they did with no background tunes.

Psychologist Dr Becky Spelman said: “Music has a really powerful impact on the brain, it affects mood and mental and physical performance.

The study also found that of those who listen to music at work, six in ten are based in an office, with 49 per cent either always or sometimes working from home.

More than two thirds of those who work from home would "struggle" to concentrate without having music on.

A quarter of home-based workers listen to classical music and 37 per cent admitted they find it easier to hear instrumental-only songs.

One in four workers opt for R&B to soundtrack their day, while almost three in 10 choose rock.

Half play music to help pass the time, four in 10 like to fill the silence of being the only one in their home office, and a further 28 per cent feel less alone.

In comparison, almost a third of employees have communal music played in their offices but 36 per cent prefer to keep themselves to themselves with their personal music selection.

Shari Redstone Talks About Media Pay For Execs

Shari Redstone

Shari Redstone, the ViacomCBS heiress, thinks the media industry has a poor “track record” when it comes to paying its executives, reports The NYPost.

“I believe that it should be performance-based,” Redstone told a crowd at a media conference in Manhattan Friday.

“The media industry does not have a good track record of doing that in the past, and I hope to lead that charge going forward,” she said.

Redstone gave the remarks just days after it emerged that acting CBS Chief Executive Joe Ianniello will be getting $100 million for not being named head of to-be-merged ViacomCBS — despite remaining head of the network.

Ianniello, who will grab the reins as chairman and CEO of CBS after it merges with Viacom, was promised $70 million in severance if he was not named head of ViacomCBS. That payment deal was made well before the companies agreed to join forces in August in a long-anticipated deal.

The sum has since been juiced by a $10 million payment to extend his CBS contract in June, plus $20 million in stock in the newly combined firm.

Redstone on Friday appeared to be saying Ianniello’s pay package will not be replicated.

“In terms of executive compensation, I can only say that ViacomCBS is going to be fully aligned with the interest of all of our stakeholders,” Redstone told the crowd at the event hosted by the Paley Center for Media.

Redstone, who will serve as vice chair of ViacomCBS when the two companies merge, vowed to “be very involved in what happens going forward.”

Private Funding Favored For 'Subsidizing' Local News

Most Americans – 86 percent – think people should have access to local news – even if they don’t pay for it, a new Gallup/Knight study published today has found. However, as local outlets continue to adapt to the digital landscape, Americans are divided along partisan lines on how – or whether – to sustain local news organizations.

Most Americans (76%) say they need local and state news organizations to be informed, and 59% see their local newspaper as an important symbol of civic pride. But when it comes to financial support, Americans’ behaviors do not match the value they place on local news, the report, “Putting a Price Tag on Local News” found.

With just 1 in 5 Americans subscribing or donating to local news organizations, the financial base for the industry is limited, the report found. Americans believe that individuals, philanthropic organizations and tech platforms should help close the financial gap for local news.

Americans are deeply divided on whether subsidies are appropriate, even as some experts have argued that they are a key part of the funding puzzle: 66% oppose support from the federal government for local news, and 60% from the local government.

Views on subsidies vary greatly by political affiliation, with most Democrats (53% and 61%) saying they favor federal tax funds and local tax funds, respectively, to support local news organizations, while most Independents (30% and 37%) and Republicans (8% and 14%) do not.

One of the challenges facing local news is that Americans still believe local news is doing well financially. Yet as news publishers compete with search engines and digital platforms for advertising revenue, the financial strain on local news organizations – especially newspapers– has hollowed out newsrooms, leaving some communities without a fundamental democratic institution.

In addition, the Gallup/Knight report found:

• Americans take pride in their local newspapers. Six in 10 Americans consider the local newspaper in their community an important symbol of civic pride (44%) or the most important symbol of civic pride (15%). 
• The subscriber base for local news has shrunk dramatically: 57% say they at one time subscribed but only 33 % – 1 in 5 – subscribe today.
• No one type of content will help news organizations regain subscribers: When asked what would make news consumers re-up their subscriptions, no common themes emerged, though special content and discounts were the most often chosen responses, each by 31%.
• There’s little consensus on how – or whether – to sustain local newspapers. Nearly half (47%) of Americans say local newspapers are vital and should be preserved, but there is a deep partisan division about whether those newspapers should be allowed to fail if they can’t sustain themselves. 
• Age and political affiliation are important lenses to view how Americans support local news organizations. U.S. adults over 55 years old are more likely to subscribe, while those 18 to 34 years old are twice as likely as people 55 and older to donate to a news organization. Democrats are also more likely to have donated to news organizations (30%) over the past 12 months than Republicans (8%) and Independents (17%).
• Information on the industry can change minds. When provided information about the financial situation facing local news organizations and the ways in which local journalism supports a healthy democracy, respondents were significantly more likely to donate to a non-profit organization that supports local journalism (54%) than those in the control group (40%).

Detroit Free Press Unveils Layoff Plan

The Detroit Free Press has announced it will lay off four employees this year, ahead of a sale that will leave the daily in the hands of a hedge fund-backed media conglomerate, reports Deadline Detroit.

Three reporters and one photographer will be let go, according to an email sent by the union to its members Wednesday and obtained by Deadline Detroit. Free Press Editor and Vice President Peter Bhatia, the notice says, is looking for staff to voluntarily leave. Those who do would receive a week of severance for every six months they've been with the paper, up to 40 weeks.

This is the latest in a series of layoffs at the Free Press over the past decade, as the print media industry grapples with shrinking ad revenue and print circulation. The news comes after Free Press parent Gannett reported last week that 3rd quarter revenues were down 8 percent. Free Press employees last year managed to escape layoffs when some senior staff took buyouts.

It's unclear whether layoffs are planned at Gannett's other properties. The company, which owns USA Today, is also in a partnership with the business side of the Detroit News. That paper's editor and publisher, Gary Miles, said in a memo to staff Tuesday that it would "entertain a voluntary layoff for those who are interested," but that preliminary budget projections were "better than in many years."

Gannett earlier this year announced its pending sale to hedge fund-backed media group GateHouse, in a deal expected to bring even more layoffs — though mostly in back-offfice administrative operations, rather than newsrooms. Shareholders are due to vote on the sale Thursday.

Canadian Radio: 35 Employees Get Notice From CBC News

CBC has given 35 employees a “notice of redundancy” amidst budget pressures.

The majority of the affected positions are in Toronto with layoffs set to take effect Dec. 31.

“As is the case with every Canadian media company, CBC faces challenges in the context of an ever-shifting media landscape with so much disruption,” said Chuck Thompson, Head of Public Affairs for CBC English Services, in an email to Broadcast Dialogue. “To meet these challenges, as an organization, we have to make changes. Yesterday’s layoffs are part of a difficult but necessary exercise to manage a decrease to the News operating budget.”

Bell Media also made a round of layoffs this week, that included  TSN 690 morning show co-host and Alouettes/Impact play by play announcer Rick Moffat and CJAD weekday morning weather forecaster Eramelinda Boquer and other several long-serving employees. While the company declined to say how many positions or stations were affected, job losses were reported in Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa.

Among the casualties were longtime CTV Winnipeg anchor Gord Leclerc, who had been with the station since 1995; 99.9 Bob FM (CFWM-FM) Winnipeg morning co-host Mark Morris, CFRA Ottawa midday talk host Rob Snow, who had been with the station for two decades; CJAD Montreal host and weather specialist Eramelinda Boquer, who had been with the station since 1999; and TSN 690 (CKGM-AM) morning show co-host Rick Moffat, who also served as the play-by-play voice of the Montreal Alouettes and Montreal Impact.

“Our industry is changing fast, with growing international competition and new viewing and listening options impacting audiences and advertising across the Canadian media sector,” said Bell Media Communications Manager Patricia Garcia, in an emailed statement. “We’re feeling the effects of rapid industry change in many parts of our business, including local TV and radio. To ensure we remain competitive, we’re managing the impact on our bottom line while also investing in content and platforms.”

Cape Coral FL Radio: 'Win a Baby' Promotion..It's A Boy!

Garrett Rivera

A once-in-a-lifetime radio promotion has helped a Cape Coral couple start their own family, reports FOX-TV4.

WXKB B1039 held a 'Win a Baby' contest in which the winner received a round of in vitro fertilization treatments and required medication.

Now, Krista and Anthony Rivera can call themselves parents.

“When we thought we couldn’t have a baby, it was crushing,” said Krista.

“Out of nowhere, we got the news that I was diagnosed with testicular cancer,” said Anthony.

Their only option was IVF treatment but it’s expensive. Then last year, they won the 'Win a Baby' contest.

“Without the contest, we definitely would not have been able to have our dream of having a baby,” said Krista.

Their baby boy, Garrett is now 3 months old and they are forever grateful for this little guy.

“I never ever would have thought that three years later, I would be holding my baby boy,” said Anthony.

“This is really a dream come true. we never thought we’d have our miracle and we’re so happy to have our little family,” said Krista.

They said Garrett is truly a miracle because the IVF process isn’t easy. It turns out one in eight couples have trouble getting pregnant.

They want to inspire other couples who are struggling to get pregnant to never give up hope.

Krista: “It’s so worth it so keep fighting. I know it’s hard it’s never easy but it’s worth it,” said Krista.

R.I.P.: Bob Bailey, Former Atlanta Radio Personality

Bob Bailey, a former 96rock and Z93 rock jock from the 1980s and 1990s, died of lung cancer this week. He was 66.

Bob Bailey

According to media writer Rodney Ho at ajc.com, his family posted a social media note announcing his passing. A memorial is planned in December.

Bailey was well liked and well respected by many of his radio peers at both rock stations, neither of which exist anymore. Mara Davis, former Z93/Dave FM host who now works at Adult Swim, Atlanta Eats and WABE-FM, said she arrived in Atlanta in 1994 unsure how the existing staff at Z93 would treat a young female rock jock.Bailey, she said, embraced her and they became fast friends, often hanging out at Highland Tap in Virginia Highland.

She loved his on-air delivery and how he told stories with “personality, humor and vigor,”“He had an impact on my gut, on my style,” Davis said.

Craig Ashwood, a former mid-day host at 94Q in the 1980s, said he became drinking buddies with Bailey. “He was a great normal guy,” Ashwood said. “No ego, no bull****, none of that radio crap. He showed up and did his job.”

Bailey spent his entire radio career in Atlanta, starting at Georgia State University’s WRAS-FM. He spent nine years (1977-1986) spinning Van Halen and Aerosmith on 96rock. Steve Mitchell, a DJ at 96rock in the 1980s, said Bailey became music director for a time and “was the best guy for the job. He loved music. He made sure we were playing the right stuff.”

After two years at 94Q (now Star 94.1) as Gary McKee’s morning producer, he joined Z93 when it changed to classic rock in 1989. As afternoon jock on Z93, he created a signature daily feature called “Traffic Jam and Jokes.” After he lost his Z93 gig in 1998, Bailey was unable to find another regular radio job. For many years, Bailey hosted trivia nights around town.

R.I.P.: Jack Morse, Longtime Central NY Broadcaster

Jack Morse, a longtime television and radio broadcaster in Central New York, died on Thursday at his home in Manlius. He was 84 years old, according to syracuse.com.

Morse spent more than four decades broadcasting in Central New York and was named to the Syracuse Press Club’s Wall of Distinction in 2002.

According to his biography with the Syracuse Press Club, Morse began his broadcasting career when he was in high school, serving as a summer replacement at WINR 680 AM in Binghamton, NY.

He arrived in the Syracuse area during the late 50s and never left. He began working locally when he was a college student at Syracuse, working part-time at WOLF Radio. He became a sports broadcaster in 1966 with WHEN 620 AM, doing the station’s last broadcast from Syracuse’s Loew Building and its first broadcast from its James Street location (now Channel 5).

He began doing sports part-time with Channel 5 in 1966, and also spent time with Syracuse Newchannels (now Time-Warner), Channel 9 and on the Phil Markert morning show.

November 18 Radio History

➦In 1951…Edward R. Murrow and Fred Friendly  launched one of the most highly-praised TV productions in history. The newsmagazine, documentary "See It Now' debuted on CBS. The aired for more than six years. On that first program, which evolved out of Murrow’s radio (and Columbia Records) series Hear It Now, we saw a live camera shot of the Atlantic Ocean, followed by a live shot of the Pacific, then Murrow said, “We are impressed by a medium through which a man sitting in his living room has been able to look at two oceans at once.”  In April of 1952, See It Now moved into an evening time slot.




➦In 1954...ABC radio and TV banned “Mambo Italiano,” a hit by Rosemary Clooney for so-called “offensive lyrics,” most likely due to the exaggerated Italian vernacular, including the words “goombah” and “gidrool.”

➦In 1963…The Beatles got their first exposure on U-S TV in a feature story on NBC-TV's "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" it included a film clip of the band performing in England.

➦In 1987...CBS Inc. announced that it had agreed to sell its record division to Sony Corp. for approximately $2 billion.

➦In 1994...the inimitable Cab Calloway died in a Delaware nursing home following a stroke suffered in June. He was 86.  The big band leader, who became nationally known through radio broadcasts dating back to 1931. He was best known for his trademark “hi-de-ho” song “Minnie the Moocher.” He was also featured in the movie “The Blues Brothers.” In October of ’94, he’d been honored at a White House ceremony by President Clinton for his contribution to the arts.

➦In 1994...The Rolling Stones broadcast a 20-minute segment of their show in Dallas, TX, live over the Internet. They were the first major band to stream a live show on the web.

➦In 2004...Howard Stern held a rally in downtown New York City. Thousands showed up and Stern gave away 500 free SIRIUS radios and 20,000 coupons for free radios for those who signed up for the service.