Longtime talk-show host and former CNN interviewer Larry King is recovering in a hospital after undergoing a procedure to address chest pain, known medically as angina, Ora TV said in a statement.
CNN reports he had been scheduled for an angioplasty but visited the hospital early last Thursday to be examined for the chest pain, said the statement, issued Monday.
“His doctor successfully performed the angioplasty and inserted stents to reopen the previous bypass from 1987,” the statement said. “He has been recuperating in the hospital and is scheduled to be released soon. His doctors expect him to make a full recovery.”
Ora TV, an on-demand digital TV network, said that contrary to some media reports King’s doctors say he did not have a heart attack and did not go into cardiac arrest.
“Larry is in good spirits and thanks everyone for their concern. He’s expected to be back to work on his shows, ‘Larry King Now’ and ‘PoliticKING with Larry King’ soon,” the statement said.
King, 85, has had several heart attacks, and in 1987 he underwent quintuple bypass surgery. His medical issues led him to establish the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping those who do not have health insurance afford medical care.
King began his long broadcasting career in the late 1950s as a radio deejay in Miami.
In January 1978, he launched “The Larry King Show,” a nationally syndicated late-night radio talk show, which later won a Peabody Award.
His TV interview show, “Larry King Live,” premiered on CNN in 1985. Over the course of more than 6,000 episodes, King interviewed presidential candidates, death row inmates, Hollywood stars and everyone in between — all while wearing his large eyeglasses and trademark suspenders — until his retirement in 2010.
He received a lifetime achievement award at the News and Documentary Emmy Awards in New York in 2011. King came out of retirement in 2013 to host “Larry King Now” on the Russian-owned news channel network RT America. He currently hosts “Larry King Now” and “PoliticKING with Larry King” on Ora TV.
King was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017 and underwent successful surgery to treat it.
Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), Broadcast Music, Inc., and the Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) Group will present the 12th annual “Rising Through the Ranks” Seminar on August 13-15 at BMI's Nashville office.
As in years past, BMI will offer 20 scholarships for this year's program. These scholarships cover the cost of the professional development course which is designed to foster and educate current and emerging female radio managers within broadcast radio.
Sessions at this year's seminar will include, among others:
Modern Female Manager – Juggling it all
Managing Up and Down
Advancement & Getting that Promotion
Budgeting and Forecasting
Recruiting, Hiring, and Firing
Culture... Healthy vs. Toxic?
Building Your Personal Brand
Scholarship winners will also hear from leading radio industry executives across various station groups and industry backgrounds. Featured speakers include: Hartley Adkins, president, integrated revenue strategy, iHeartMedia, Inc; Georgia Beasley, manager, professional development, RAB; Joe D'Angelo, senior vice president, broadcast radio, Xperi Inc. DTS/HD Radio; Erica Farber, president and chief executive officer, RAB; Kim Guthrie, president, Cox Media Group; Bill Hendrich, executive vice president, Cox Media Group; Amy Hughes, director of sales, Entercom Memphis; Laurie Kahn, founder/chief multi-tasker, Media Staffing Network; Susan Larkin, regional vice president, Entercom; Denyse Mesnik, president, The Mesnik Group/MIW Executive Committee; Val Maki, president and chief operating officer, Brandovation; Jennifer Morelli, senior vice president, live events & experiences, Entercom; Ginny Morris, chairperson and chief executive officer, Hubbard Radio; Beth Neuhoff, chief executive officer, Neuhoff Media; Dan Spears, vice president, industry relations, BMI; Erika Sylvia, controller, Emmis Communications.
"Fostering the development and advancement of emerging female leaders is crucial to the future of the radio industry," noted Denyse Mesnik, president, The Mesnik Group and spokeswoman for the MIW Radio Group. "Rising Through the Ranks is a hallmark event for MIW Radio Group, with a proven track record of nurturing and building relationships amongst up and coming female leaders."
Scholarship applications and registration are available at www.rab.com and will be accepted April 29, through June 5, 2019, 5:00PM CST. Scholarship recipients will be notified of their selection by Wednesday, June 25. Learn more at http://www.rab.com/public/academy/rttr-info.cfm.
“America’s local radio and television stations have a deeply rooted commitment to public service,” said NABLF President Marcellus Alexander. “This year’s STA winners epitomize broadcasters’ devotion to positively impacting their communities and creating a lasting difference. We look forward to recognizing their exceptional work.”
The 2019 Service to America Awards will honor the following broadcasters:
⏩Service to Community Award for Radio – Ownership Group Beasley Media Group, “Beasley Best Community of Caring”
Recognizing the community service of its local stations, Beasley Media Group (BMG) realized that, working together, they could make an even greater impact and the Beasley Best Community of Caring (BBCC) was born. BBCC created and distributed scripts for 30- and 60-second public service announcements, asking stations to air spots a minimum of ten times each week. These campaign announcements were supported through social media, articles, blogs, interviews and podcasts. In addition to on-air support, each market partnered with a local group working on an issue important to their community. In 2018 topics included opioid addiction, mental health awareness, Autism Spectrum Disorder and hunger. Through this partnership with its 64 stations across 15 markets, BBCC donated nearly 33,000 spots and countless hours supporting causes important to the local communities it serves.
⏩Service to Community Award for Television – Ownership Group Hearst Television, Inc., “Commitment 2018”
The 2018 midterm elections were historic and marked the highest voter turnout seen in midterms since 1914. Months before the election, while the candidates were on the campaign trail, Hearst Television was there to bring viewers important information to help them make critical choices. Hearst Television stations were committed to covering this election cycle like none other; by digging deeper and exposing issues as they emerged, hosting a record-setting 98 debates and airing 5,034 political stories and segments, adding up to over 13,178 minutes of coverage.
⏩Service to Community Award for Radio – Major Market WMMR-FM Philadelphia, Pa., “Preston and Steve’s Camp Out for Hunger” Beasley Media Group
Philadelphia is among the poorest of the top ten American cities. While food insecurity is decreasing across the rest of the country, the city is home to more hungry people than ever before, and the number is growing. Preston and Steve, WMMR’s top-rated morning hosts, decided to do something about it and the annual “Camp Out for Hunger” was created. Now in its 21st year, “Camp Out” is the largest single location food drive in America, generating millions of meals. The 2018 Preston & Steve Camp Out for Hunger collected food and cash donations that translated into over 2 million meals for the hungry.
⏩Service to Community Award for Television – Large Market WKMG-TV Orlando, Fla., “Legislative Lifeline for First Responders” Graham Media Group
WKMG-TV presented a series of investigative reports featuring first responders diagnosed with PTSD, providing a platform for these men and women to expose the state’s failure to recognize PTSD as a medical injury. Under Florida law at the time, workers’ compensation insurance was not available for those diagnosed with PTSD unless they could prove they were also physically injured during the emergency call. The station’s reporting began with the story of one of the officers assigned to remove the dead from the Pulse Night Club shooting. This segment led to a flood of responses from first responders struggling with PTSD who had been afraid to come forward. On March 27, 2018, Governor Rick Scott signed the Workers’ Compensation Benefits for First Responders Act into law. Governor Scott said WKMG-TV’s reporting was instrumental in the passage and signing of the new law.
⏩Service to Community Award for Radio – Medium Market WYCT-FM Pensacola, Fla., “WYCT Cat Country 98.7 and Santa Rosa Kids House” ADX Communications
Beyond its effective approach to child abuse cases, the Santa Rosa Kids’ House offers on-site specialized sexual abuse therapy to help child victims and their families recover. To help raise funds and awareness for Santa Rosa Kids House, Cat Country 98.7 hosted its first-ever Spring Jam. Tickets were only $10 for an all-ages show featuring popular country music acts. This inaugural event raised nearly $15,000 for Santa Rosa Kids House.
⏩Service to Community Award for Television – Medium Market WREG Memphis, Tenn., “Go Jim Go!” Tribune Media
Go Jim Go! is a 333-mile bicycle ride through WREG’s viewing area led by meteorologist Jim Jaggers. One week each fall, Jim rides to raise money for LeBonheur Children’s Hospital. When the hospital opened in 1952, LeBonheur’s founders promised that its doors would always be open to children in need. To keep that promise, monetary donations are critical for the hospital’s operations. During Go Jim Go!, Jim and his team stop at schools, businesses, farms and other locations to collect donations raised by a wide-range of supporters in the community. To help support the effort, WREG-TV features the lifesaving and ground-breaking work being done at LeBonheur. In 2018, WREG raised $370,000, increasing the total amount raised by the station to $2.9 million.
⏩Service to Community Award for Radio – Small Market WLEN-FM Adrian, Mich., “Thank A Vet” Lenawee Broadcasting Company
Thirteen years ago, station staff learned of local veterans living in the woods in their southern Michigan community. To provide a solution to the days and weeks of red tape our veterans must navigate to get critical assistance, WLEN created the Veterans Dire Needs Fund. Annually, on Veterans Day, the station collects money for local vets and raises awareness for homeless veterans and their critical needs. This event has grown from $5,000 raised in the first year to more than $30,000 raised in 2018. More than $250,000 has been raised over the years to help support Lenawee County veterans with a goal of helping local veterans to live as proudly as they served.
⏩Service to Community Award for Television – Small Market WCTV Tallahassee, Fla. Gray Television
In the wake of Hurricane Maria, a local Tallahassee couple started collecting relief supplies for the residents of their home town, Jayuya, P.R. The station soon began covering their efforts and within days, several truck-loads of relief supplies were collected and on their way to Jayuya. Wanting to do more, a WCTV reporting crew traveled to Jayuya to document how supplies donated in Tallahassee were helping people recover from the hurricane’s devastation. The station also highlighted the continued struggles many were having getting money for housing repairs. Rather than continuing to wait for FEMA to approve or deny financial aid, the station sprang into action and helped raise funds, equipment and materials to help provide new roofs for homes in Jayuya.
➦In 1908....actress Eve Arden was born Eunice Quedens in Mill Valley Calif. She won an Emmy for her star-making turn as “Our Miss Brooks”, which she introduced on CBS Radio in 1948 and on CBS-TV in 1952. It continued weekly on television through 1956 and on radio through 1957. She died from arteriosclerotic heart disease Nov 12, 1990 at age 82.
➦In 1917...Beatrice Ruth Wain born in the Bronx (Died at age 100 – August 19, 2017). She was a Big Band-era singer and radio personality.
She had a number of hits with Larry Clinton and his Orchestra. After her marriage she and her husband became involved in radio, helming a show titled "Mr. and Mrs. Music". Wain made her debut on radio at age six as a "featured performer" on the NBC Children's Hour. As an adult, she sang regularly on The Larry Clinton Show (NBC 1938), Monday Merry-Go-Round (NBC Blue 1941-1942), Starlight Serenade (Mutual 1944) and Your Hit Parade.
She was married to radio announcer André Baruch. They were married for 53 years. Baruch died in 1991.
Following her musical career, the couple worked as a husband-and-wife disc jockey team in New York on WMCA, where they were billed as "Mr. and Mrs. Music". In 1973, the couple moved to Palm Beach, Florida, where for nine years they had a top-rated daily four-hour talk show from 2 PM to 6 PM on WPBR before relocating to Beverly Hills. During the early 1980s, the pair hosted a syndicated version of Your Hit Parade, reconstructing the list of hits of selected weeks in the 1940s and playing the original recordings.
➦In 1938...Historic CBS Columbia Square Studios Dedicated. Click Herefor the full story on this, and all the CBS studios in California.
Jack Bailey
➦In 1945...“How would you like to be queen for a day?!” was heard for the first time, as Jack Bailey introduced the show “Queen For a Day” on Mutual radio. The show later moved to television, where it ran locally in the Los Angeles area from 1948 through 1955, on the NBC Television network from January 3, 1956 to September 2, 1960, and on the ABC network from September 5, 1960 to October 2, 1964.
Each episode started with a different introduction, but inevitably the opening would resolve when Bailey pointed to the camera (and the audience) and loudly asked, "Would you like to be Queen for a Day?" as the live audience, mostly women, cheered.
Prior to his success with Queen for a Day, Bailey had a varied career, including "playing with jazz bands, directing musical comedy, tent shows and barking for the World's Fair in Chicago in 1933." He was an announcer for several radio programs, including The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Duffy's Tavern, and Meet the Missus.
Bailey also hosted the television game shows Place the Face (1953 – February 1954) and Truth or Consequences from 1954 to 1956. His run as host on that show followed Ralph Edwards as host (1940–1957 on the radio and 1950–1954 on television). In time Bailey was succeeded by Bob Barker (1956–1975) Bob Hilton (1975–1978), and Larry Anderson (1987–1988). The television version of the show ran on CBS, NBC, and also in syndication.
He was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one for his radio career, at 1708 Vine Street, and one for his work in television, at 6411 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
➦In 1945...Arthur Godfrey began his CBS Radio Network show. It aired for 27 years until the very same day in 1972. 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.
➦In 1957…Elvis Presley recorded "Jailhouse Rock" at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.
➦In 2004...Radio/TV Newscaster Rolf Hertsgaard died at age 81.
Hertsgaard was born in Minneapolis to first-generation Norwegian-Americans. He attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., and by his early 20s he had gone into broadcasting. He worked at WCCO-AM in Minneapolis until 1955.
Hertsgaard anchored the evening newscasts of WBAL from 1958, when they were only fifteen minutes long, until 1973, when a shift to so-called "happy talk" news led to his dismissal.
The cause of death was complications from prostate cancer.
➦In 2005...WOR moved to 111 Broadway, NYC
➦In 2012...WEPN NYC moved to 98.7 FM, when the Walt Disney Company and Emmis Communications agreed to a 12-year-lease of the 98.7 FM frequency for an undisclosed price.
➦In 2016...Peter Addenbrooke Thomas died at age 91 (Born in Pensacola FL - June 28, 1924). He was an announcer and narrator of television programs, including shows such as Nova and Forensic Files.
Thomas began his career at 14 as an announcer on a local radio show. Since the station could not pay him, due to his age, they arranged for the sponsor, Piper Aircraft, to give him flying lessons in a Piper Cub. Within just a few years, Thomas would be hosting big band remotes.
With the onset of World War II, he served with Armed Forces Radio, and served with the First Infantry Division in five major campaigns, including the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He was issued a Battle star for each of the five campaigns. He was also awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Unit French Croix de guerre, and Belgian Fourragère.
Thomas received many awards for his work but cited, as one of his best, the Oscar won by a documentary he narrated, One Survivor Remembers. The film, produced by HBO, chronicles the personal experience of Gerda Weissman Klein, who was interned at the Nordhausen Concentration Camp when she was a teenager; Thomas' unit participated in the liberation of Nordhausen.
He was also a news anchor at WCBS-TV, and did voiceover commercials for Coca-Cola, IBM, Valvoline, NBC, United Technologies, Burger King, etc., and ESPN Monday Night Football commercials.
➦In 2017…Classical music radio announcer June LeBell, who logged almost 30 years as a presenter on New York's WQXR, died of ovarian cancer at 73.
She became a familiar voice on the station, hosting “IBM’s Salute to the Arts” and “Kitchen Classics,” which coupled her favorite subjects, music and food.
LeBell was 29 when she joined WQXR, an FM station then owned by The New York Times Company, becoming what the station described as its first full-time female host and the first woman on the staff of any major commercial classical radio station.
Woodstock 50 has been cancelled. Earlier today officials with Dentsu Aegis Network, which is funding the festival, released the following statement to Billboard:
“It’s a dream for agencies to work with iconic brands and to be associated with meaningful movements. We have a strong history of producing experiences that bring people together around common interests and causes which is why we chose to be a part of the Woodstock 50th Anniversary Festival. But despite our tremendous investment of time, effort and commitment, we don’t believe the production of the festival can be executed as an event worthy of the Woodstock Brand name while also ensuring the health and safety of the artists, partners and attendees."
The statement goes on, "As a result and after careful consideration, Dentsu Aegis Network’s Amplifi Live, a partner of Woodstock 50, has decided to cancel the festival. As difficult as it is, we believe this is the most prudent decision for all parties involved.”
Reps for the festival say concerns about the capacity of the festival, site readiness and permitting issues led to the cancellation.
Entercom has announced the induction of heritage Classic Rock WCMF 96.5 FM into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame. The station is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary on air. During the ceremony, the station’s midday host Dave Kane was honored with a Special Merit Award for his 38 years on air and overall contributions to music in the Rochester community. Rochester Music Hall of Fame Class of 2019 inductees were honored on April 28 at the Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre in Rochester, NY.
“We are excited to be recognized by the Rochester Music Hall of Fame and celebrate with the community who has accompanied us on our 50-year journey,” said Sue Munn, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Rochester. “For WCMF to be inducted in the same class with such talented, accomplished, and widely regarded individuals in the music industry is truly an honor.”
“I am so grateful to have been acknowledged with such a prestigious honor,” said Kane. “The Rochester community is my home and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to do what I love each day. Thank you to the Rochester Music Hall of Fame for this incredible recognition and to my team at Entercom Rochester for their support.”
Kane was joined by “The Break Room” morning show co-hosts Tommy Mulé, Pat Duffy, and Kim Berntson; Michael “Mud” Gross [Program Director and afternoon host, 96.5 WCMF] and Sue Munn at the induction ceremony.
The event featured musical performances by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal; Talas lead vocalist Phil Naro; The Firm and Whitesnake bassist Tony Franklin; and Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice.
Listeners can tune in to 96.5 WCMF in Rochester on air, as well as nationwide on the RADIO.COM app and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter and Facebook.
Beasley Broadcast Group today announced operating results for the three-month month period ended March 31, 2019.
The results include the operations of WXTU-FM in the three months ended March 31, 2019.
Operating income, net loss and net loss per diluted share in the three months ended March 31, 2018 were impacted by a $4.4 million charge due to the change in fair value of contingent consideration while 2019 first quarter results reflect a $3.5 million gain on dispositions.
The $2.5 million, or 4.6%, year-over-year increase in net revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2019 reflects growth in the Company’s Philadelphia cluster primarily related to the September 2018 acquisition of WXTU-FM, growth in the Company’s Tampa cluster primarily related to the 2018 acquisition of an event company, and revenue growth in three of the Company’s other radio markets, partially offset by declines in the remaining markets where the company operates.
Beasley reported operating income of $6.8 million in the first quarter of 2019 compared to operating income of $0.4 million in the first quarter of 2018. The year-over-year increase in operating income reflects the higher revenue and a 2019 first quarter gain of $3.5 million on dispositions while the year ago period was impacted by a $4.4 million charge due to the change in fair value of contingent consideration.
The $1.4 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, in 2019 first quarter net income primarily reflects the higher operating income during the period which more than offset a $1.0 million year-over-year increase in interest expense.
Station Operating Income rose $0.6 million or 6.2% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2019 to $10.2 million. The year-over-year increase reflects the net revenue growth during the period which more than offset a 4.3% year-over-year rise in station operating expenses related to the Company’s expanded platform.
Commenting on the financial results, Caroline Beasley, Chief Executive Officer, said, “The ongoing execution of our strategies to expand our scale, diversify our revenue mix and leverage the value of our premium local brands and content continued to serve Beasley well in the first quarter of 2019. The strength of our station clusters in three of our top five largest revenue markets as well as contributions from recent acquisitions and station swaps resulted in a 4.6% revenue increase and more than offset the $0.8 million year-over-year decline in revenue from our prior relationship with United States Traffic Network, which was discontinued in the third quarter of 2018. As a result, Beasley’s first quarter net income rose to $1.4 million, we generated a 6.2% year-over-year increase in SOI and generated an overall margin improvement.
Caroline Beasley
“The $2.9 million year-over-year decline in first quarter free cash flow was due to a $1.0 million gain due to a pension plan termination in the prior year period, as well as an approximate $1.0 million increase in interest expense related to the WXTU-FM acquisition and an approximate $0.7 million increase in capital expenses. As we move through the remainder of 2019, we expect the operating and financial benefits of our disciplined approach to building Beasley’s broadcast and digital platform to become more visible.
“During the first quarter, we continued to advance our initiatives focused on premium local programming to support ratings and market leadership, while aggressively rolling out our digital offerings and distribution capabilities to create new value for consumers and advertisers. In this regard, we made significant progress in expanding our local and national digital content production to reinforce and grow Beasley’s leadership position and distribution across all audio platforms in our markets, including the development of new podcasts featuring our biggest local franchises.
“Looking ahead, we remain confident in our prospects going forward and continue to believe that Beasley’s ongoing initiatives to diversify and drive revenue, productivity and efficiency across our platforms, combined with prudent management of our capital structure, is a proven formula for sustained long term financial growth and enhanced shareholder returns. Our platform, market position, ratings and content are strong, and as the number one reach medium, we remain confident in the radio industry’s future. We look forward to realizing the full value of our recent investments and intend to continue our strategic priorities of reducing debt and leverage, improving top- and bottom-line performance and taking advantage of opportunities that will create new value for our shareholders.”
Spotify Technology narrowed its loss in the most recent quarter as the music-streaming giant invested heavily in its growing podcast business and said it now has 100 million paying users., according to The Wall Street Journal.
During the quarter, Spotify acquired podcast companies Gimlet Media and Anchor, and announced plans to acquire another podcast producer, Parcast. The company has said it plans to spend as much as $500 million on such deals this year as it expands into nonmusic audio content to keep listeners more engaged and improve margins.
The company ended the quarter with 217 million monthly active users, in line with its expectations of 215 million to 220 million. It said it now has 100 million premium subscribers—its most lucrative type of customer—at the top of its guidance, helped by promotions in the U.S. and Canada and growth in family plans.
Spotify in February launched in India, a large market that has struggled to get consumers to pay for music. The company, which had previously said more than one million users signed up in the first week in the market, said Monday growth there has outpaced expectations and it now has more than two million users in India.
In all, for the three months ended March 31, Spotify posted a loss of €142 million ($158.3 million), or 79 European cents a share, compared with a loss of €169 million, or €1.01, in the year-earlier period. Revenue rose 33% to €1.51 billion, at the high end of the company’s estimates. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were expecting a loss of 35 European cents a share on €1.47 billion in revenue.
For the current quarter, Spotify said it expects total monthly active users to rise to a range of 222 million to 228 million, and premium subscribers to increase to 107 million to 110 million.
Entercom has unveiled the lineup for The World Famous 27th annual “KROQ Weenie Roast.” For the first time, this year’s installment will move to Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, CA on Saturday, June 8 and will feature musical performances from The Lumineers, 311, Silversun Pickups, The Revivalists, Catfish and the Bottlemen, X Ambassadors, Flora Cash, Smith & Thell and The Regrettes.
“We've always believed ‘Weenie Roast’ belonged on the beach and we are thrilled that after 27 years we are finally able to dig our feet in the sand,” said Jeff Federman, Senior Vice President, Entercom Southern California. “We look forward to entertaining our listeners with this amazing lineup, featuring some of their favorite artists that they hear on KROQ.”
All proceeds will benefit Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association, Heal the Bay and the Surfrider Foundation. Doheny State Beach Interpretive Association is the non-profit cooperating association of Doheny State Beach dedicated to the protection of the park’s beaches, facilities, marine refuge and historical and cultural stories. Heal the Bay is an environmental nonprofit dedicated to making the coastal waters and watersheds of Greater Los Angeles safe, healthy and clean. The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's ocean, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network. Additional educational support is offered for the California Coastal Commission including messaging about the Coastal Cleanup Day which is scheduled for September 21, 2019.
Tickets go on sale May 2 at 10:00 a.m. to KROQ Street Team members. Public on sale begins Friday, May 3 at 10:00 a.m. viafrontgatetickets.com. For more information, please visit kroq.radio.com/weenieroast.
Listeners can tune in to KROQ (KROQ-FM) in Los Angeles on air, as well as nationwide on the RADIO.COMapp and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Almost half (44%) of TV viewers ages 16 and older say that if they could only keep some of the TV networks they have access to, Netflix would be on their list, according to figures published by Hub Entertainment Research. This number puts it well above incumbent broadcast and cable networks, but how does it pan out across age groups?
Netflix has an even stronger lead among those age 16-34, with close to 6 in 10 (59%) putting it among their indispensable programming sources. Two other streaming services – Hulu (26%) and Amazon Prime Video (17%) – also make the top 5 for this age bracket.
But among older viewers Netflix drops down the list. TV viewers ages 35 and older are more likely to put CBS (41%), ABC (37%) and NBC (37%) above Netflix (35%) when it comes to their indispensable networks and sources. FOX (26%) rounds out the top 5 for these viewers, who clearly remain attracted to broadcast networks. That’s likely not too surprising given the enduring appeal of traditional TV among older Americans.
These findings align with data from a separate study from Solutions Research Group, which also puts Netflix as the leader among “must keep” TV brands for younger viewers (18-34 year olds), while ABC leads among the population as a whole.
Earlier research by Hub also found that Netflix now tops live TV as the destination for viewers’ favorite shows.
The Hub Research Entertainment study also demonstrates how original content increases viewing likelihood. More than two-thirds (69%) of viewers aged 16-34 and almost half (46%) of those ages 35+ said that the term “original” makes them more interested in a show or movie they haven’t seen before.
Three years after launching, MeTV FM’s eclectic soft oldies format has turned a low-power TV signal at 87.7 FM into a top-10 Chicago radio station, confounding competitors and rewriting the unwritten rules of broadcast radio, reports The Chicago Tribune.
“A lot of people think it’s amazing that we’re doing the kind of numbers we are without all those traditional things,” said Neal Sabin, 61, vice chairman of Weigel Broadcasting, which operates the station. “But we’ve broken a lot of radio rules here.”
The mastermind behind the national MeTV classic television network, Sabin used his own iPod playlist to create an unlikely radio success story at WRME-LP, which can be heard at 87.7 FM but is actually licensed as Ch. 6, a low-power Chicago TV station.
Neil Sabin (Tribune photo)
The so-called Franken FM station is one of a handful of TV channels operating as radio stations across the country. All are potentially on borrowed time, facing a three-year window before regulators at the FCC may force them off the FM band.
None has progressed beyond the fringes as fast and far as WRME, which has resonated with its target audience by playing both familiar and forgotten songs for listeners who grew up glued to the radio from the 1960s through the 1980s.
Owned by Los Angeles-based Venture Technologies Group, WRME MeTV FM has steadily built its audience since debuting in February 2015.
The secret sauce, Sabin said, is an under-served older audience and an enormous playlist of about 3,500 songs. The format draws heavily on mainstays such as the Beach Boys, the Beatles and Billy Joel, but it also brings in more obscure singer-songwriters, one-hit wonders, deep album cuts and plenty of guilty pleasures.
There are no on-air personalities, but the station uses clever promos and well-produced artist profiles to create a strong connection with listeners. WGN Radio provides bite-size newscasts twice per hour in drive time, but a shared passion for the music is what drives the relationship.
The station’s core demographic is 45- to 64-year-olds, with a fairly even split between men and women. The aging audience makes MeTV FM something of a tough sell for advertisers, who traditionally covet younger consumers.
Sabin didn’t disclose annual sales but said the station’s revenues are up 50 to 60 percent from last year, thanks in part to the recent ratings boost.
In Chicago, MeTV FM may be facing another challenge. Despite its success, WRME and all low-power TV stations have been given a 2021 deadline by the Federal Communications Commission to convert to a digital broadcasting signal, which would end the de facto radio stations, since FM is still an analog medium.
Venture, which owns six low-power TV stations operating as radio stations, has a pending petition that, if granted, would permit it to continue transmitting their FM signals in analog after they transition to digital TV, FCC spokesman Charlie Meisch said. Otherwise the Franken FMs will disappear within three years.
Statistically speaking, over 50% of people are consuming media in some form at this given moment.
In fact, the latest data shows that Americans spend over 12 hours per day consuming media in various forms. This means that people spend more time consuming media than they do working or sleeping – a prolific insight that explains why companies like Apple, Alphabet, Facebook, and Netflix have exploded in size and dominance over the last decade.
At the rapid changing intersection of media and technology, consumers are presented with a wide-array of options for media consumption.
Here are the most ubiquitous forms of media in U-S and Canada:
Source: Jacobs Media Tech Survey Graphics: from visualcapitlist.com
1. Weekly or more 2. One+hour per day 3. Paid and Trial Users 4. All Platforms and devices
Considered by many to be worth of the price of admission alone...The Conclave this June will be featuring what is expected to be a must-see, must hear event.
Radio critic and gadfly Jerry Del Colliano is scheduled to interview brothers John and Lew Dickey, former top execs at Cumulus Media.
The Conclave will be Wednesday, Thursday and Friday June 19-21, 2019 at Delta Hotels Minneapolis Northeast.
The New York Times on Sunday apologized for a cartoon published in the Opinion pages of its international edition that drew widespread condemnation for being anti-Semitic.
The cartoon, which was published on Thursday in the print newspaper, portrayed a blind President Trump, wearing a skullcap, being led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, drawn as a dog on a leash with a Star of David collar.
“The image was offensive, and it was an error of judgment to publish it,” The New York Times said in an editors’ note that will be published in Monday’s international edition.
Eileen Murphy, a New York Times spokeswoman, said the paper was “deeply sorry” for publishing the cartoon.
“Such imagery is always dangerous, and at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise worldwide, it’s all the more unacceptable,” Ms. Murphy said in a statement on behalf of the Opinion section. “We are committed to making sure nothing like this happens again.”
The cartoon drew hundreds of critical comments from people worldwide. The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, CNN, Fox News and others published articles about the cartoon.
“Apology not accepted,” the American Jewish Committee said in response to The Times’s editors’ note. “What does this say about your processes or your decision makers? How are you fixing it?”
The cartoon was drawn by the Portuguese cartoonist António Moreira Antunes and originally published by Expresso, a newspaper in Lisbon. It was then picked up by CartoonArts International, a syndicate for cartoons from around the world.
Ms. Murphy declined to identify the editor, who she said was “working without adequate oversight” because of a “faulty process” that is now being reviewed.
➦In 1903...singer Frank Parker was born (Died at age 95 – January 10, 1999). Parker debuted on radio as a substitute singer on The Eveready Hour, and he was a regular on radio and television in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s with personalities including Jack Benny, George Burns and Arthur Godfrey.
Frank Parker
An October 30, 1930, newspaper listing shows Parker singing on the Van Heusen Program on WABC in New York City. Also, in the early 1930s, he was a featured singer with Donald Voorhees and his orchestra on the Bond Sunshine Program on WEAF in New York City.
Beginning September 14, 1935, he had his own program, That Atlantic Family on Tour, with Frank Parker, which was heard on 36 CBS stations.
In September and October 1936, Parker and Ramona were featured on a 15-minute weekly program on WEAF in New York City and WMAQ in Chicago. Beginning June 30, 1937, In the early 1940s, he sang with Andre Kostelanetz on broadcasts over WABC in New York City. He was the featured male singer on Your Home Front Reporter, which was broadcast on CBS in 1943. ➦In 1940...The radio show"Young Dr Malone" moved to the CBS Radio Network.
It was an American soap opera which began on the NBC Blue Network on November 20, 1939.
The producer was Betty Corday who later was a co-creator with husband Ted Corday of NBC-TV Daytime's Days of Our Lives.
The radio program ended on November 25, 1960, known as "the last day of radio soap opera" because CBS cancelled several other series on that day, including Ma Perkins, The Second Mrs. Burton and The Right to Happiness.
➦In 1953...Coke Time with Eddie Fisher began a run on NBC-TV and Mutual radio.
Coke Time with Eddie Fisher aired NBC on Wednesday nights in early prime time from 1953 to 1957. The program was aired from 7:30 to 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesdays and Fridays, and was not seen during the summer months. A radio edition, recorded from previous TV soundtracks, was also heard on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:45 P.M. Eastern Time over the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1953 through 1955).
➦In 1963...KRE 1400 AM in Berkeley CA changed call letters to KPAT.
KRE circa 1922
The Maxwell Electric Company put KRE on the air on March 11, 1922, with studios and transmitter at the Claremont Resort Hotel. In May of that year, KRE was sold to the Berkeley Daily Gazette. It was bought in January 1927 by the First Congregational Church of Berkeley, which moved the studios and built a new transmitter. In January 1930, the Chapel of the Chimes (an Oakland funeral home) bought KRE. Ownership passed in December 1936 to Central California Broadcasters, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chapel of the Chimes.
On June 11, 1972, KRE commemorated its fiftieth anniversary with a huge celebration. In an unusual event, the FCC gave permission to KPAT to revert to its previous three-letter call sign. However, today the call letters are KVTO 1400 AM and is airing a Chinese format. Licensed to Berkeley, California, USA, the station serves the San Francisco Bay Area.
