Trump Threatens To Strip Broadcast Licenses

Broadcast television licensing is not ordinarily a hot topic during a presidential election. But Donald Trump’s threats are not ordinary, either.

In the past two years, Trump has called for every major American TV news network to be punished, according to a CNN review of his speeches and social media posts.

He has imprecisely but repeatedly invoked the government’s licensing of broadcast TV airwaves and has said on at least 15 occasions that certain licenses should be revoked. His anti-broadcasting broadsides – against CBS, ABC, NBC, and even Fox – are almost always in reaction to interview questions he dislikes or programming he detests.

Trump’s threats against CBS have been particularly intense in recent weeks. He has railed against “60 Minutes” for editing the newsmagazine’s interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The venerable program said Sunday that his claims are false, but on Monday he continued to bring it up on the campaign trail, and his legal team sent a threatening letter to CBS.

“It’s so bad they should lose their license, and they should take ’60 Minutes’ off the air,” Trump told podcaster Dan Bongino last week.

National networks like CBS are not licensed, but local stations are. The licensing agency is the government’s Federal Communications Commission, which grants eight-year license terms, and hasn’t denied any license renewal in decades. The process “is so time consuming that no license renewal could be denied before the end of a hypothetical second Trump term,” public interest lawyer Andrew Jay Schwartzman told CNN.

Still, there is a conceivable chilling effect. Trump’s threats have grown so insistent that some TV industry executives have speculated that they could be vulnerable to some sort of retaliation if Trump returns to power.

In response to CNN’s request for comment, the National Association of Broadcasters, the trade association for American TV and radio operators, said Trump’s rhetoric undermines First Amendment freedoms. NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt did not call out the former president by name, however.

“From our country’s beginning, the right of the press to challenge the government, root out corruption and speak freely without fear of recrimination has been central to our democracy,” LeGeyt wrote in the statement. “Times may have changed, but that principle – enshrined in the First Amendment — has not.”

“The threat from any politician to revoke a broadcast license simply because they disagree with the station’s content undermines this basic freedom,” he wrote.

FCC's Brendan Carr: CBS Distortion 'Not Frivolous'

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr on alleged social media censorship, Kamala Harris' record on broadband support, the formal complaint on CBS' '60 Minutes' 'distorted' interview with Harris and criticism of Elon Musk's Starlink.

NYC Radio: Charlamagne Sends Cease and Desist To Donald Trump

It seems Charlamagne Tha God has had it with former President Donald Trump’s campaign ads, particularly when they sample his voice

The WWPR NYC and syndicated radio personality issued a cease-and-desist order regarding Trump’s campaign ad, according to multiple media outlets.

The ad in question attacks Vice President and Trump’s presidential opponent Kamala Harris’ stance on funding surgical procedures for transgender prisoners using taxpayers’ dollars.

A clip of Charlamagne Tha God was used in Trump’s ad, showing the radio show host discussing the matter and expressing disapproval of that stance.

The 30-second ad used the New York Times bestselling author’s remarks from a recent episode, where he can be heard saying, “[expletive] no, I don’t want my taxpayer dollars going to that.”

The clip is from an episode of his show, where he recognized a Trump ad’s effectiveness in getting its message across.

“I’ll tell you what, that ad they was running during the football games this weekend claiming the vice president supports funding gender transition surgeries for all prison inmates and migrants in the U.S., that was nuts,” he said at the time.

“I don’t know if it was the backdrop of football, but when you hear the narrator say Kamala supports taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners, that one line I was like, ‘Hell no, I don’t want my taxpayer dollars going to that.’”

“That ad was effective. It literally said that Kamala supports taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners, and it talks about how, you know, she supports funding gender transition surgeries for all prison inmates and migrants in the United States. That ad was impactful,” he added.

Apparently upset that his image and voice were used without his endorsement, the radio personality has since issued a legal notice to Trump demanding the immediate removal of portions of the campaign ad that includes his voice.

This Trump campaign ad with clips from the popular The Breakfast Club radio show with Charlamagne tha God and DJ Envy just ran during the Georgia vs. Texas game.

pic.twitter.com/xhorYSrQQP

— Gary G. Hamilton (@GaryGHamilton) October 20, 2024

“Cease and desist been sent. Since when does Trump care about what’s legal?” he announced in response to the backlash he’s receiving due to the misleading remarks.

In the past, Harris has advocated for transgender inmates and ICE-detained migrants to have access to necessary medical services, including gender transition surgeries. She also stated that those procedures are a “medical necessity” for those who depend on state care.

Trump Books Joe Rogan Podcast Interview

Former President Donald Trump plans to tape an interview with Joe Rogan on Friday as part of his final push for votes ahead of the Nov. 5 election, multiple sources confirmed to The Post.

Rogan, 57, has a massive and passionate following and is known for his idiosyncratic politics — making the interaction a potential harvest for the Republican nominee.

“The Joe Rogan Experience” has an estimated 14.5 million followers on Spotify. His audience is believed to be overwhelmingly male.

The NY Post reports it’s not yet clear when Rogan intends to publish the interview.

Trump has appeared on many podcasts in the home stretch of the campaign and co-hosted a streaming conversation with X owner Elon Musk in August that the billionaire leader of Tesla and SpaceX said reached 1 billion viewers.

Atlanta Radio: WALR Teams Toni and Tony For Mornings

WALR-FM (Kiss 104.1) in Atlanta's R&B launches Toni & Tony in the Morning, airing live weekdays from 6-10am, beginning today. 

Toni Moore will lead the show. She's a 30-year broadcast vet and has held various on-air roles with WALR since 2019. Joining Moore is Tony "Sco" Sculfield, who previously hosted mornings at WGCI-FM in Chicago and KBLX-FM in San Francisco. Sculfield has been a stand-up comedian 34 years and has worked in radio in major markets for 26 years.

"The evolution of Kiss 104.1 continues with a fresh approach to morning entertainment. Mornings with Toni & Tony will be an authentic, info-tainment show created in Atlanta for Atlanta," said CMG Atlanta Music Brands Director of Operations Nate Reed.

"Being local and live helps us to genuinely connect with the community and keep our finger on the pulse and culture of ATL," added Moore, an Atlanta resident and founder of The Moore Help Foundation of Atlanta. "We're your morning drive in, your inspiration, and your source for headlines and trending topics.

Gallup: Majority Feel Worse off Now Than 4 Years Ago

A new Gallup poll reveals that more than half of Americans feel worse off financially than they did four years ago.

The survey, released on Oct. 18, found that 52 percent of U.S. adults believe their financial situation has deteriorated since 2020, while 39 percent feel they are better off.

A similar Gallup poll taken at the tail end of the Trump presidency in September 2020 found this sentiment roughly reversed, with 56 percent saying they were better off and 33 percent saying they were worse off than four years prior.

The Epoch Times reports partisan divides were stark in the latest poll, with 90 percent of Republicans feeling worse off, compared to just 16 percent of Democrats. Crucially, 55 percent of Independents, a pivotal voting bloc in the close 2024 presidential race, feel worse off, with 35 percent saying their financial situation has improved.

The economic confidence index, tracked by Gallup, has been predominantly negative over the course of the Biden administration. In 2022, it reached lows not seen since the 2007–2009 recession, largely due to inflation hitting a 40-year high.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee for the coming election, has blamed President Joe Biden’s policies for inflation and what he calls economic stagnation.

Poll: Fox News 'Most-Trusted' By Voters...But...

Fox News is the most-trusted cable TV news channel, according to results of a new national survey of U.S. likely voters released Monday.

“Which cable TV news channel would you be most likely to trust?” Rasmussen Reports asked in a survey conducted October 9-10 and 13, 2024. Among the choices, Fox News came out on top:

• 30% most likely to trust Fox News.
• 23% most likely to trust CNN.
• 15% most likely to trust Newsmax.
• 15% most likely to trust MSNBC.
• 14% not likely to trust any of the choices.
• 4% not sure.

However, more voters (33%) trust “independent online sources” for political news than place their faith in either “major cable news channels” (29%) or “network TV news.”

Of just those who trust cable news the most for political news, Fox News (38%) and CNN (29%) still come out on top, once again besting MSNBC (17%) and Newsmax (15%).

According to media watchdog MRC, m,ajor cable news channels (33%) were the top “most-trusted” source of political news among Democrats, while “independent online sources” were most often cited by both Republicans (34%) and those not affiliated with either of the two major parties (45%).

A 56% majority of all U.S. likely voters report that it’s become harder to find accurate political news in recent years – a view shared by nearly two-thirds of Independents (64%) and Republicans (63%), but less than half of Democrats (44%).

'Wheel' Most-Watched In September

Viewers are still giving “Wheel of Fortune” a spin with new host Ryan Seacrest. The syndicated strip’s Season 42, with Seacrest taking over for longtime host Pat Sajak (and joining co-host Vanna White), made a splash in its opening month as the most-watched entertainment series in September across broadcast, cable and syndication.

According to Variety citing Nielsen data, “Wheel of Fortune” averaged 7.99 million viewers during its premiere month (September 9 to October 6, 2024). When sports and news are taken out of the equation, that means more people watched “Wheel” than any other entertainment program on linear TV. And even when you add news into the mix, only “60 Minutes” (8.98 million viewers) beat it.

The arrival of Seacrest helped give “Wheel” its highest best premiere month audience in three years, up 12% from last year. According to producer Sony Pictures TV, the show reached 40 million total viewers in its premiere month. 

According to early, local data, the Season 42 premiere averaged a 4.62 household rating in the overnight markets, vs. a 2.94 rating for the Season 41 premiere in 2023. “Wheel of Fortune” returned on Monday, Sept. 9, for its Season 42 with some big changes, including a new set (which, Seacrest noted, came with a lot of lights) and, of course, the biggest change of them all: A new host. That was acknowledged up top, when announcer Jim Thornton opened the show: “And now together for the first time, here are the stars of our show, Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White!”

Introducing, for the very first time, our hosts: Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White! Let's play some Wheel of Fortune 🎉 💪 pic.twitter.com/0nVtP6uIkO

— Wheel of Fortune (@WheelofFortune) September 10, 2024

As for Sajak, he will still be seen this midseason in ABC’s primetime edition of "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune."

D/FW Radio: Cowboys' Owner Returns To 105.3 The Fan

Jerry Jones

Jerry Jones returned to the radio waves Tuesday for the first time since his tense dust-up with “Shan & RJ” on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) last week, the Dallas Morning News reports...

While the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager did not offer an apology to the show hosts for comments he made last week, which included some threats at their jobs, Jones appeared content to move on from the interaction.

“I don’t have anything to say about last week,” Jones said. “I must tell you, I’m surprised that last week got the attention it got.”

Jones also has a weekly time slot with the station on Fridays, but he did not appear in his usual segment during the team’s bye week, making Tuesday morning the first reintroduction between the sides since.

“We all have different ways of dealing with angst or dealing with pressure,” Jones said. “I like the way we do this show, and I’ll tell you this right now, I don’t think it does us any harm at all to have disagreements. I don’t think it does any harm to show emotion. I think all of that is a part of it.

“I try to basically have more than just answers that you could get by reading the paper. I try to do that sometimes with emotion, and I’m not reluctant to show emotion.”

After briefly revisiting their last conversation, the interview this week became business as usual as they spoke about a variety of football topics including Derrick Henry’s big night on Monday Night Football and Troy Aikman’s recent criticisms of the Cowboys.

“I’m tickled to death that we have as much interest in this as we do,” Jones said. “Guys, I have no issue ... with getting up in front of a bunch of media and people of journalism and getting the question and answer.”

R.I.P.: Michiana Radio Legend Tony ‘The Boss’ Ross

Tony Ross

The Plymouth and Knox communities are mourning the loss of a beloved voice over the airwaves.

According to WKVI, Tony “The Boss” Ross has sadly passed away. He was a long-time morning show host, general sales manager, and sportscaster at WYMR MAX 98.3 FM.

Tony began his illustrious radio career at WKVI Radio in Knox. He then spent nearly 20 years at WTCA in Plymouth before making the move to MAX 98.3 FM when it first took to the airwaves in February 2015.

He will be remembered by his family, friends, co-workers, and members of the community as a man of faith who dedicated his life to local radio and serving the community.

“Tony was not just a broadcaster; he was deeply involved in numerous community organizations, constantly seeking to shed light on their valuable contributions through his morning show,” says Plymouth Mayor Robert Listenberger. “His enthusiasm for local sports was particularly evident as he dedicated countless hours to gathering statistics and stories, ensuring that every athlete’s accomplishments were celebrated and appreciated. With an unwavering commitment to highlighting local talent, he fostered a sense of pride within the community that will not be forgotten.”

Radio History: Oct 23

➦In 1904...David Ford Bond born (Died at age 57 – August 15, 1962). He was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1930s and 1940s, earning him a spot on the This Is Your Life television show.  For his work on radio, Bond has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6706 Hollywood Blvd.

Bond began working on radio at WHAS in Louisville, Kentucky, and joined NBC in 1928. For 20 years in the 1930s and 1940s, he was the announcer for several radio soap operas and other shows, including the advertising voice for a sponsor's product called Bab-O. He was also a sports announcer for NBC radio in the 1930s, calling college football games as well as the 1934 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and 1934 World Series.

For almost 30 years, Bond was the spokesman for Cities Service petroleum company, "the longest sponsor-announcer association in the history of radio".

➦In 1928…RCA announced the creation of the Radio-Keith-Orpheum holding company, more commonly known as RKO, with David Sarnoff (general manager of RCA) as its chairman of the board.

➦In 1932...the "Fred Allen Show" premiered on radio.  Allen's radio show (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the Golden Age of American radio.

Fred Allen

His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it was only part of his appeal; radio historian John Dunning (in On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio) wrote that Allen was radio's most admired comedian and most frequently censored.

A master ad libber, Allen often tangled with his network's executives (and often barbed them on the air over the battles), while developing routines whose style and substance influenced fellow comic talents, including Groucho Marx, Stan Freberg, Henry Morgan and Johnny Carson; his avowed fans also included President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and novelists William Faulkner, John Steinbeck and Herman Wouk (who began his career writing for Allen).

➦In 1940...Ellie Greenwich, songwriter with Jeff Barry on "Leader Of The Pack" by the Shangri-Las, "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes, "River Deep, Mountain High" for the Supremes & Four Tops and many others, was born in Brooklyn, New York.

ESPN+, SiriusXM Bundled For Free Subscriptions

Today, Disney has announced that it has teamed up with SiriusXM to offer select SiriusXM subscribers in the United States can now get up to a 6-month subscription to ESPN+.  New and existing ESPN+ subscribers in the United States will also be eligible to get a 6-month subscription to SiriusXM’s streaming-only service beginning later this month.

Through this offer, ESPN+ subscribers will be able to access SiriusXM’s full library of content on the SiriusXM app, including hundreds of expertly curated, ad-free music channels, the most extensive lineup of live pro and college sporting events in audio, and more than 20 sports-focused channels that deliver reactions and analysis from industry experts and insiders 24/7. They’ll also be able to stay informed and entertained with the latest in news and politics, entertainment, comedy, and beyond with celebrity interviews, iconic hosts, trusted opinions, non-stop laughs, and so much more, available only on SiriusXM.

Eligible SiriusXM subscribers, beginning with Platinum VIP and expanding to additional tiers next month, can access ESPN+, the No. 1 sports streaming platform, where they can view thousands of live sports events and replays, on-demand original content, premium articles, and more. ESPN+ offers sports fans more than 32,000 live sports events each year, including exclusive UFC events; more than 50 exclusive and 1,000 out-of-market NHL games per season; college sports including football, basketball and nearly a dozen other sports from 20 conferences, top domestic and international soccer, golf, Top Rank Boxing, Grand Slam tennis, MLB games, international cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series and studio shows, and access to the entire library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.

Sean Breen, Executive Vice President, Platform Distribution, Disney Entertainment and ESPN, said in a statement:

“Collaborating with SiriusXM on this offer will not only provide ESPN+ subscribers with access to their vast entertainment offerings, but it also opens the door for SiriusXM customers to experience our premium sports content on ESPN+.  This deal underscores our commitment to providing consumers with unparalleled access to best-in-class programming spanning all genres and interests.”

Jeff Dallesandro, Senior Vice President, Streaming Distribution Partnerships, SiriusXM, added:

“ESPN and SiriusXM are powerhouses in sports news and entertainment, and we’re thrilled to expand upon our longstanding relationship with this new agreement.  Designed to bring listeners and viewers closer to the personalities, players, teams and leagues they love by combining both SiriusXM’s and ESPN+’s live sports programming, exclusive analysis, and extensive on-demand content, this collaboration will deliver value for fans while also potentially driving growth for each brand.”

Boston Radio: WBZ NewsRadio Reporter Exits After 26 Years

A longtime familiar voice on WBZ NewsRadio 1030 won’t be heard by loyal listeners moving forward.

The Boston Herald reports Kim Tunnicliffe, who has been with the Boston radio station for more than a quarter century, announced that she has gotten the boot from the iHeartMedia station.

“Some personal news to share. After 26 yrs at WBZ Radio, I’ve been let go due to corporate budget cuts,” Tunnicliffe posted on Monday. “Quite the shock, but I’m taking some time for me, & spending lots of qt w/my pets. They love having me home & honestly, I don’t miss the hellish Boston commute….

“I’m taking time to decide what I want to do next, but in meantime, I want to thank all the ppl I’ve interviewed over the years, esp the everyday folks who welcomed me into their homes as if I were family,” the reporter added. “Thank you for trusting me w/your stories. It’s been an absolute honor!”

Kim Tunnicliffe

Tunnicliffe has been with WBZ NewsRadio since 1998. She has covered a wide range of stories, including politics, crime, and human interest features.

“I love my job and enjoy traveling all over New England…meeting not only the newsmakers but the every day people who have their own stories to tell!” her LinkedIn page reads.

The Herald reached out to leaders at WBZ NewsRadio about the extent of the budget cuts and how many employees are being impacted, but they did not immediately respond to comment on Monday.

Last week, the radio conglomerate Audacy announced “difficult but necessary” cuts. That included WEEI Patriots reporter Mike Kadlick being laid off by the company right before the NFL Draft.

Also last week, WBUR announced that Boston’s NPR station is laying off seven employees and 24 others are taking buyouts. The layoffs and buyouts come weeks after the station on Commonwealth Avenue warned of possible job cuts.

WBUR’s on-air sponsorship income plummeted by about $7 million in recent years, and the station is looking to begin the next fiscal year with a budget that’s at least $4 million lower than this year.

College Football Scores For ABC

Saturday’s Georgia-Texas game drew in the biggest audience a regular season college football game has seen since 2016.

According to The Wrap, the matchup between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Texas Longhorns averaged 12.9 million viewers on Saturday, Oct. 19, and peaked at 14.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen viewing figures. Not only did the game, which saw Georgia score a 30-15 victory over Texas, score the best viewership for a regular season game since 2016, but the Georgia-Texas game also scored the second biggest regular season audience in ten years.

The Tennessee-Alabama game, which saw Tennessee win 24-17 over Alabama, also broke records as the second most-watched matchup between the schools to date, with the game drawing 10.7 million viewers, and peaking at 14.7 million. Final viewership figures for both games will be available on Tuesday.

Together, the Georgia-Texas game and Tennessee-Alabama matchup, which ran as a doubleheader on ABC, marked the first time since 1996 that a single network aired to regular season college football games that drew over 10 million viewers on the same day.

Boston Radio: WGBH Names New Interim Host For 'Morning Edition'

Boston Public media juggernaut GBH said Monday it will relaunch next year a new version of ”Basic Black,” previously the longest-running public television program nationwide focused on people of color until GBH suspended production earlier this year.

The Boston Globe reports the announcement was among a number of programming changes GBH announced, including new roles for both ”Morning Edition” cohosts. Paris Alston will host the new version of “Basic Black,” which will have a new name when it restarts in 2025, and fellow cohost Jeremy Siegel will host a new one-hour news show and podcast that will center on stories that make Massachusetts unique, also launching next year.

“Paris and Jeremy are both accomplished storytellers, and we hope listeners will join us as we explore new topics and geographies together,” said Dan Lothian, editor in chief of GBH News and “The World,” in a statement.

The latest changes come after the public media organization, which operates an NPR news station and is the country’s top producer of PBS programming, in May laid off 31 employees, or roughly 4 percent of its workforce, and suspended the three TV programs, citing rising costs as revenue remained flat.

Starting Oct. 28, GBH News reporter Mark Herz will serve as the interim host of “Morning Edition.” The program will air from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The new programming is also the latest development under Lothian, who became editor in chief in May after the departure of former general manager Pam Johnston, now the president and CEO of the merged Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio. GBH also launched an equity and justice unit to pursue stories “that aim to explore and expose injustice at all levels of society earlier this month after it initially announced its creation last year.

WBUR, Boston’s other NPR news station, has also made changes to its “Morning Edition” show recently. “Morning Edition” is produced nationally by NPR, but stations such as GBH and WBUR also include local programming and hosts. Tiziana Dearing, who previously hosted WBUR’s “Radio Boston,” began hosting “Morning Edition” last month after the departure of Rupa Shenoy at the end of June.