Atlanta Radio: Surgery Needed For Jenn Hobby's Dauther

Reese

Jenn Hobby’s 1-year-old daughter battling cancer is set to undergo surgery the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Hobby, of WSTR Star 94.1 FM’s "The Jeff & Jenn Show,” announced in August her youngest daughter, Reese, had been diagnosed with cancer after doctors discovered a plum-sized, solid mass tumor in her abdomen. Reese immediately started chemotherapy at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Aflac Cancer Center.

According to Fox5 Atlanta, Reese completed her fourth and final round of chemo last month and at a doctor’s appointment last Wednesday, doctors said her blood counts looked great and she was ready for surgery.

“The finish line is in sight and we’re so encouraged and so grateful,” Hobby said on the air last Thursday.

Hobby, fighting back tears, told listeners as they left Reese’s clinic visit last week, Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” started playing on the radio as soon as they got in the car.

“It was just tears, streaming down my face as we were leaving,” Hobby said. “She’s our little fighter.”

The longtime Atlanta radio personality said as the song played she could see her daughter well again.

Reese is scheduled to have the tumor removed on Monday. In the meantime, Hobby said her family is looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with loved ones.

Prayers and well-wishes!

November 22 Radio History

In 1899…Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America registered in New Jersey

In 1906…the "S-O-S" distress signal was adopted at the International Radio Telegraphic Convention in Berlin.


 In 1934...a song destined to become a seasonal classic, “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” was aired on radio for the first time, on NBC’s Eddie Cantor Show.


In 1955...RCA paid the unheard of sum of $25,000 to Sam Phillips of Memphis for the rights to the music of a truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi: Elvis Presley. Thanks to negotiations with Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, RCA tossed in a $5,000 bonus as well — for a pink Cadillac for Elvis’ mother.

In 1963…Many U.S. Radio stations suspended regular programming following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  The Number One song that week was 'Sugar Shack' by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs.

More than three hours of KLIF 1190 AM audio from November 22, 1963, the day of President Kennedy's assassination.

Coverage begins at 11:30 AM (Dallas time) on 11/22/63, with Joe Long of Dallas radio station KLIF reporting live from Love Field Airport as President Kennedy arrives in "Big D".

Today 1190 AM is the home of KFXR.

Kennedy coverage as heard on WBAP 820 AM Fort Worth:




Also, from WCCO 830 AM Minneapolis/St. Paul:



And From The Big One, WLW 700 AM Cincinnati (then an NBC Affiliate):

This is the initial bulletin heard on the NBC Radio Network about the shooting of President Kennedy in Dallas. Robert MacNeil reports live from a telephone located inside the Texas School Book Depository Building, which is where the gunshots came from.

This is the line feed from the ABC Radio Network News in the initial moments of the coverage of the JFK Assasination. Included is the ABC Log Book notes on what they were airing. Someone in ABC Master Control had to log literally everything that was broadcast each day. Also included UPI and AP wire copy which you can see the network anchors are relying on for information.

And Bulletin coverage from KILT 610 AM Houston:

1963…In the UK, the Parlophone label released the Beatles' second album, "With the Beatles," and the single, "Roll Over Beethoven." Capitol Records in Canada issued the album as "Beatlemania! With the Beatles," which has the distinction of being the first Beatles album ever released in North America. Most of the songs from the album were not released in the United States until January 20, 1964 when Capitol Records issued "Meet the Beatles!"


In 1980...actress Mae West   died at her Hollywood home at age 87 following a stroke.



Famous for her double-entendres she had a sensational if brief radio career, appearing in two risque sketches on the Charlie McCarthy Show on a Sunday in Dec. 1937.  The listening audience was so shocked that Ms. West did not appear again on radio for another 31 years.

In 2002...actor Parley Baer died at age 88 after a stroke.  He was active in bigtime radio, playing Chester on Gunsmoke, and dozens of supporting roles on The Lux Radio Theater, Escape and Suspense.   On TV he was seen in everything from The Andy Griffith Show to Star Trek: Voyager. Six decades of character roles in broadcasting.

Gunsmoke "The Stage Holdup" CBS 1/2/54 Oldtime Radio Drama Western
Matt Dillon: William Conrad...Kitty: Georgia Ellis...Chester Proudfoot: Parley Baer

In 2011…he lead anchor for 25 years at CNN Radio Stan Case was killed in a traffic accident in Birmingham Alabama, as he was driving to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving. He was 59.


In 2015…Longtime WCCO Minneapolis radio personality Charlie Boone, who spent 37 of his 51 years on the air partnered with Roger Erickson on the popular Boone & Erickson morning show, died at age 88.

TV Ratings: AMAs Tumble To All-time Low

“Sunday Night Football” on NBC saw the Green Bay Packers trounced by Washington, and a subsequent drop in the overnight ratings. In Nielsen’s preliminary ratings for primetime, the pummeling drew a 5.6 rating in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and 17.08 million viewers. (As usual, the game extended to well past the 11 o’clock hour.)

According to Variety, the game’s overnight metered market household rating for the duration of the game, an 11.9, was up slightly over the same week last year (an Arizona Cardinals-Cincinnati Bengals match-up that drew a season-low 11.7), but well below last week’s Seahawks-Patriots rating (14.3).

On ABC, the American Music Awards averaged a 2.4 in the demo and 8.16 million viewers. That was down a nasty 31% from last year’s 3.5 demo rating and 11 million viewers, which itself was down from the previous year. However, the telecast was a vast improvement on ABC’s usual Sunday night, which has been hovering around a 0.8 demo rating in the last few weeks.

D/FW Radio: Kevin Graham New PD for N/T WBAP, Talk KLIF

Kevin Graham

Cumulus Media announces that it has named seasoned programming professional Kevin Graham as Program Director of News/Talk radio stations WBAP and KLIF in Dallas.

Graham moves to Dallas from Boston, where he was Brand Manager for WEEI-FM/AM and Red Sox Radio Network and Sports Radio Format Captain for Entercom. Prior to that, Graham was Program Director and Afternoon Host for KFNZ-1320 KFAN, for Cumulus Media-Salt Lake City. He has held Program Director positions for stations including: KTAR/ArizonaSports.com in Phoenix; WXYT in Detroit; and WEPN-ESPN Radio, New York City. He replaces longtime Program Director Tyler Cox, who is retiring.

WBAP 820 AM (50 Kw) Red-Local Coverage Area

Dan Bennett, Regional Vice President, Cumulus Media-Dallas/Houston said:  “Kevin Graham is one of the country’s brightest spoken word PD’s and is an innovative thinker who will take us into the next chapter of WBAP and KLIF’s on-air and digital growth. His major market experience in Boston and New York has prepared him for this next step in his career.”

KLIF 570 AM (5 Kw)

Graham said: “I am very humbled and excited to join the Cumulus Dallas team. I have long admired Dan Bennett’s and OM Jeff Catlin's work. I consider it a great honor to follow in Tyler Cox's footsteps to assist in the continued growth of two of the most successful News/Talk brands in the country-- WBAP/KLIF."

NOLA Radio: Cumulus Promotes Knight, Williams

Cumulus Media announces that it has promoted two broadcasting professionals from within its New Orleans, LA, station group.

• Talus Knight, Program Director of KKND – Power 102.9 and KMEZ Old School 106.7 in New Orleans, has been promoted to Operations Manager for Cumulus Media-New Orleans.
• Shawn Williams has been promoted to Assistant Program Director of WRKN NASH 92.3 and WZRH 106.1 the Underground. She will continue as on-air host for WRKN NASH 92.3 (Afternoons) and WZRH 106.1 the Underground (Middays).

Talus Knight

Pat Galloway, Regional Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Media-New Orleans/Baton Rouge/Columbus-Starkville, said: “Sometimes the best fits for your team are already on your team, and this is exactly what happened in New Orleans with the promotion of Program Director Talus Knight of KKND – Power 102.9, and KMEZ Old School 106.7 to Operations Manager of the cluster. Talus’s positive attitude, knowledge of the market, ability to produce incredible concerts and events, and leadership skills is exactly what we need in an Operations Manager.”

Shawn Williams

Galloway continued: “Shawn Williams was also extremely deserving of her promotion to Assistant Program Director of WRKN NASH 92.3 and WZRH 106.1 the Underground. Shawn is a true New Orleanian, and embodies the unique culture of our incredible city-- She even has her own band. Shawn’s incredible work effort and team collaboration make her the right person for this position.”

Knight said: “As a result of Pat Galloway’s leadership at Cumulus-NOLA we’ve been able to do some remarkable things this year and I look forward to working with him to continue the growth of our brands heading into 2017."

Williams said: “I am beyond honored and thrilled to keep WRKN and WZRH thriving and progressing in our unique market. We have an awesome team I am fortunate to collaborate with in continuing to build these brands in our community. I’m excited to take on this role with Cumulus.”

NY Times Public Editor Acknowledges Trump Fury

Liz Spayd

The public editor for The New York Times reported on Sunday that complaints to the paper are at their highest since 2001 following the election of Donald Trump.

According to The Hill, Public Editor Liz Spayd described the comments and dissatisfaction with the news organization’s coverage of the 2016 election as “searing.”

“The number of complaints coming into the public editor's office is five times the normal level, and the pace has only just recently tapered off,” writes public editor Liz Spayd. “My colleague Thomas Feyer, who oversees the letters to the editor, says the influx from readers is one of the largest since Sept. 11.”

The complaints include charges that the Times was biased against Trump during the general election, and that it favored Democrat Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary.

Readers complaint that “The Upshot” column forecasting the race was hopelessly wrong; it had said Clinton had an 80 percent or better chance of winning the election.

Letters and comments to the public editor also registered unhappiness with the coverage of Trump supporters, arguing they were stereotyped and misunderstood. And the public editor said many complained that The Times is not even aware of the “liberal tint” it applies to its coverage.

The Times reported last week that it added 41,000 print and digital subscriptions since Trump's victory on November 8.  It marks the most subscribers the paper has added in one week since it digital subscriptions began being offered in 2011.

Miami Radio: Al P Named New Night Host At WFLC

Al P

Cox Media Group (CMG) Miami names Al P as the new Night Show host for Miami’s CHR Top 40 radio station, WFLC HITS 97.3 FM.

“I have not met someone with more hustle than Al P,” said Director of Branding & Programming for WFLC Jill Strada. “Al came to HITS with a dollar and a dream…literally. And he proved that he has what it takes to take over the Miami scene and squash the competition!”

Al P started his radio career at the age of 16, hosting and mixing on internet radio show. Then at 19 he interned for at SBS Entertainment in New York City. His big break came when he was hired to be a part of the morning show at CBS’ WBMP. In April 2016, Al P moved down to Miami to work at CMG’s WFLC/HITS 97.3.

“Al P has been a fantastic addition to our HITS 97.3 team,” added CMG Miami’s VP and Market Manager Rob Babin. “He will no doubt make an even greater impact to our brand in his new role!”

Al P said, "First and foremost, all the glory goes to God. So many things could've gone wrong in my life, but I chose to stay away from the negatives that surrounded my life in order follow and finally achieve my dreams of being on the radio! I can't wait to take over the city with my HITS fam!"

WFLC 97.3 FM (100 Kw) Red=Local Coverage Area

Al P is second generation Colombian-American and was born and raised in Patterson, New Jersey. He said he always had two dreams in life, first to become a professional soccer player and second to spin and talk on the radio. He added, “I'm just glad at least one of them worked out for me. What a time to be alive!”

Report: ABC Looking To Launch Digital News Channel

ABC reportedly is exploring the possibility of a new 24-hour digital news channel.

According to the NY Post, ABC owner Disney has been looking into such a news service channel, though it wouldn’t launch until next year.

ABC used to have its own stand-alone news channel, ABC News Now, which it rolled together with Univision’s Fusion.

But when ABC exited the Fusion joint venture, it left the network without a stand-alone channel, just at a time when other outlets were recording sky-high ratings thanks to the election.

The Post reports ABC News chief James Goldston is spearheading the effort, and is bullish on it given the election bump from recent Facebook live experiments.

Ariana Grande Wins Top American Music Award

By Rollo Ross

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Canadian rapper Drake won his first ever American Music Awards on Sunday, Ariana Grande was named artist of the year, and punk band Green Day took aim at newly-elected U.S. President Donald Trump.

"No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA," sang Green Day, performing their controversial anti-gun violence single "Bang Bang" on the live show and re-writing some of the lyrics.

It was the most overt reference to the Nov.8  U.S. presidential elections at the three-hour awards show where the focus was otherwise mostly on music.

Pop singer Selena Gomez, 24, who surprised fans by making her first major public appearance since cutting short her world tour in August to deal with panic attacks and depression, won the best pop/rock female artist award.

In an emotional speech, Gomez thanked her fans for their loyalty and explained why she felt the need to take a break.

"Most of you know a lot of my life whether I like it or not. I had to stop. I had everything, but I was absolutely broken," said Gomez, who is also known for her on and off again romance with Justin Bieber for the past five years.

The American Music Awards are chosen by fans voting online.

Drake, 30, who got a leading 13 nominations, won best rap/hip-hop artist, song and album for his best-selling "Views", which earlier this year became the first album to earn one billion streams on Apple Music.

"For our genre, I like to keep things exciting and keep making music... more like this is coming soon," Drake said, accepting the award.

But pop singer Grande, 23, was chosen artist of the year, beating Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Gomez.

"I can't believe this. I am shaking with nerves," she said. "I hope that I can bring joy to you and make you feel unified and happy."

Former One Direction member Zayn Malik, who quit British boy band One Direction last year to launch a solo career, bested Canadian Shawn Mendes to take the best new artist trophy.

"It's been a crazy year... I didn't expect anyone to still vote for me," said Zayn, who now uses only his first name.

British singer Sting, who last week released his first pop/rock album in a decade, "57th and 9th," sang a medley of his hits and was presented with an honorary award recognizing his contribution to the music industry.

Sting said he owed a debt to American rock and roll, adding "While I may be an Englishman in New York, my musical soul is all American."

Bieber performed "Never Give Up" via satellite from a concert in Italy and won awards for best pop/rock male artist, album, song and video.

Click Here for Official Winner's List

Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj,  The Weeknd, Niall Horan, James Bay and John Legend were among the dozens of other performers on the Los Angeles stage.

The American Music Awards were created in 1973 as an alternative to the Grammys.

Facebook's Zuckerberg Discloses Steps To Fight Fake News

(Reuters) -- Facebook Inc, facing withering criticism for failing to stem a flood of phony news articles in the run-up to the U.S. presidential election, is taking a series of steps to weed out hoaxes and other types of false information, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post Friday evening.

Facebook has long insisted that it is a technology company and not a publisher, and rejects the idea that it should be held responsible for the content that its users circulate on the platform. Just after the election, Zuckerberg said the notion that fake or misleading news on Facebook had helped swing the election to Donald Trump was a "crazy idea."

Zuckerberg then said last Saturday that more than 99 percent of what people see on Facebook is authentic, calling "only a very small amount" fake news and hoaxes.

But in his Friday posting Zuckerberg struck a decidedly different tone. He said Facebook has been working on the issue of misinformation for a long time, calling the problem complex both technically and philosophically.

"While the percentage of misinformation is relatively small, we have much more work ahead on our roadmap," Zuckerberg said.

He outlined a series of steps that were already underway, including greater use of automation to "detect what people will flag as false before they do it themselves."

He also said Facebook would make it easier to report false content, work with third-party verification organizations and journalists on fact-checking efforts, and explore posting warning labels on content that has been flagged as false. The company will also try to prevent fake-news providers from making money through its advertising system, as it had previously announced.

Zuckerberg said Facebook must be careful not to discourage sharing of opinions or mistakenly restricting accurate content. "We do not want to be arbiters of truth ourselves, but instead rely on our community and trusted third parties," he said.

Facebook historically has relied on users to report links as false and share links to myth-busting sites, including Snopes, to determine if it can confidently classify stories as misinformation, Zuckerberg said. The service has extensive "community standards" on what kinds of content are acceptable.

Facebook faced international outcry earlier this year after it removed an iconic Vietnam War photo due to nudity, a decision that was later reversed. The thorniest content issues are decided by a group of top executives at Facebook, and there have been extensive internal conversations at the company in recent months over content controversies, people familiar with the discussions say.

Among the fake news reports that circulated ahead of the U.S. election were reports erroneously alleging Pope Francis had endorsed Trump and that a federal agent who had been investigating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton was found dead.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday To Kick-Off Holiday Shopping

E-commerce retailers stand to benefit from shoppers’ continued affinity for online shopping, according to Nielsen’s 2016 holiday trend report. Consumers across all generations are spending more online, however Millennials are leading the way with 25% planning to increase their online expenditures this holiday season. Overall, 19% of U.S. shoppers are planning to spend more online, up from 17% in 2015.

This holiday season, digital shopping will play a major role in retail holiday sales. According Nielsen’s bi-weekly Omnibus English language survey of 1,159 adults aged 18+, as of Nov. 11, consumer sentiment around online shopping is outpacing in-store. Fifty-eight percent of shoppers stated that they have purchased their holiday gifts online compared to 40% in big-box retail stores and 25% in department stores.

“With a growing appetite for all things digital, online platforms will have a more significant role in helping consumers both research and purchase gifts during this holiday season,” says Jordan Rost, VP of Consumer Insights, Nielsen. “Retailers take note, virtual environments present opportunities and unlimited growth potential for merchants - especially with the millennial, digital consumer."
For the 2016 holiday season, Nielsen worked to uncover the top retail and shopping trends. The below insights are derived from a Nielsen survey of 2,037 U.S. adults aged 18+ online between Nov. 2 and 4, 2016, by The Harris Poll®.

Top Retail Shopping Trends

• Black Friday: 54% of U.S. consumers are planning to shop on Black Friday, up from 50% in 2015. That said, the weight of Black Friday deals continues to shift beyond a one-day-event.  Digitally savvy consumers are looking for deals on a daily basis.
• Black Friday Categories On The Rise: This year, shoppers are planning to spend more on pet gifts (30%), jewelry (29%) and cookware (29%)  than they did in 2015. Traditional categories such apparel, consumer electronics, video games, toys and gift cards remain at the top of shopping lists for Black Friday.
• Department and dollar stores are set to see the biggest rise in shoppers compared to last year, with 59% of consumers planning to shop in department stores and 21% in dollar stores, increases of 2% and 3% respectively.
• Cyber Monday: This year, more consumers plan to shop on Cyber Monday (63% vs. 60% in 2015).
• Mobile commerce is making large gains in 2016, with 50% of consumers planning to use their phones to shop on Cyber Monday, up from 39% in 2015.

Optimism: Millennials lead all generations in spending optimism, with 12% planning to spend more, followed by Generation X at 8%, Boomers 6% and the Greatest Generation planning on 4% increase in spending

Ready to shop: Millennials also lead consumers who are shopping earlier with 30% having already started, followed by Generation X (23%), Boomers (22%) and Greatest Generation (16%)

Spending More: African Americans lead increased spending, with 15% planning to spend more, up from 14% in 2015 while the total population only has 9% planning to spend more

More Food: Multicultural households are leading the push towards food as holiday gifts, with 19% of African Americans, 14% of Asian Americans, 13% of Hispanic Americans and 8% of Non-Hispanic white consumers planning to spend 8% more on food as a gift

Cookware as Gifts: Multicultural households also dominate shoppers planning to spend more on cookware as gifts: 8% of African Americans, 7% of Asian Americans and 6% of Hispanic Americans anticipate spending more on cookware gifts, compared to the average population at 5%.

“For retailers, the winning strategy for this holiday season will be to get digital right,” said Thom Blischok, Strategic Retail Advisor to Nielsen "In today's digital landscape, it's no longer just about promotions, it's about effectively engaging with the omnichannel consumer. Malls will need to go very deep on discounts early to attract shoppers and bricks and mortar stores will really need to provide a captivating, in-store experiences to properly compete."

Advertisers Search for Middle America

Harris Diamond

Advertisers are grappling with a stark realization: After spending years courting U.S. consumers with aspirational images of upscale urban living, they may have misjudged the yearnings of much of their audience, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president with a wave of support from middle American voters, advertisers are reflecting on whether they are out of touch with the same people—rural, economically frustrated, elite-distrusting, anti-globalization voters—who propelled the businessman into the White House. Mr. Trump’s rise has them rethinking the way they collect data about consumers, recruit staff and pitch products.

A few days after the Nov. 8 election, the chief executive of the ad agency giant McCann Worldgroup summoned top executives to discuss what the company could learn from the surprising outcome. One takeaway for him and his staff was that too much advertising falsely assumes that all U.S. consumers desire to be like coastal elites.

“Every so often you have to reset what is the aspirational goal the public has with regard to the products we sell,” said Harris Diamond, McCann’s CEO. “So many marketing programs are oriented toward metro elite imagery.” Marketing needs to reflect less of New York and Los Angeles culture, he said, and more of “Des Moines and Scranton.”

Some marketers, concerned that data isn’t telling them everything they need to know, are considering increasing their use of personal interviews in research. Meanwhile, some ad agencies are looking to hire more people from rural areas as they rethink the popular use of aspirational messaging showcasing a ritzy life on the two metropolitan coasts. One company is also weighing whether to open more local offices around the world, where the people who create ads are closer to the people who see them.

Read More Now (Paywall)

Judge OKs Suit By Ex-TV Anchor Fired After Online Remarks

Wendy Bell

A federal judge has ruled that former WTAE Pittsburgh PA news anchor Wendy Bell can proceed with her lawsuit against the television station and its parent company.

According to TribLine.com, U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Reed Eddy on Friday denied an attempt by Hearst Stations Inc. to dismiss the lawsuit, according to court documents filed in federal court in Pittsburgh.

WTAE fired Bell for an online comment she posted using a company Facebook account following the March 9 massacre of five people and an unborn child in a backyard barbecue ambush in Wilkinsburg.

Bell speculated in the post about the race and family background of the shooters and contrasted that profile with her recent encounter with a black busboy.

The company fired her March 30.

In a post that was later edited, then deleted from a Facebook fan page, Bell wrote: “You needn't be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers who broke so many hearts two weeks ago Wednesday. ... They are young black men, likely teens or in their early 20s. They have multiple siblings from multiple fathers and their mothers work multiple jobs.”

The post, the company's delayed reaction and Bell's subsequent firing drew widespread public criticism on social media.

Bell sued the station in June, claiming racial discrimination. She claimed through her attorney that she wouldn't have been fired for her comments if she were not white.

Two Lawmarkers Drop Rosenworcel Blocking Effort

Jessica Rosenwarcel

Democratic FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel’s winding road to reconfirmation took another sharp twist on Friday after two Democratic senators who had vowed to block a vote dropped their objections.

Spokeswomen for Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden (Ore.) and Ed Markey (Mass.) told Morning Consult that the lawmakers lifted the formal objections, or “holds,” to Rosenworcel’s confirmation vote that they submitted on Thursday.

The sudden about-face was sparked by discussions between Rosenworcel and the senators following Thursday’s unproductive Federal Communications Commission meeting. The FCC abruptly removed nearly all items from the meeting’s agenda, with Chairman Tom Wheeler blaming the move on commissioners concerned about a warning from GOP lawmakers against “controversial” actions. Both Wyden and Markey appeared to blame canceled votes on Rosenworcel.

“Senator Wyden was assured that Commissioner Rosenworcel is committed to working toward consensus on all items before the commission this year, including the Mobility Fund, and has lifted his hold on her nomination,” Wyden spokeswoman Rebecca Steele said in an email statement to Morning Consult on Friday.

The Mobility Fund promotes broadband in rural areas, and it was slated for an expansion vote on Thursday.

FCC Urged To Crack Down on ‘Zero-Rating Offerings’

Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are among seven senators who urged the Federal Communications Commission on Friday to take enforcement actions against companies offering “harmful zero-rating” plans.

“Without proper oversight and enforcement action, zero-rating can discriminate against certain services, potentially distorting competition, stifling innovation, and hampering user choice and free speech,” the senators wrote in their letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. “When ISPs, not the consumer, choose online winners and losers, the very core tenants of net neutrality could be disrupted.”

According to Morning Consult, Zero-rating allows customers to use data for certain applications or internet services free of charge in limited or metered data plans. Open internet advocates say those offerings violate the FCC’s net neutrality rules because they could “provide an unfair advantage to the provider of the content that is zero rated, compared to other content providers or potential new entrants.”

The FCC has been examining the zero-rating market for the past year to gain insight into various offerings from mobile network providers. The agency has not charged any companies with violating net neutrality rules. Friday’s letter indicates a growing frustration among some lawmakers with the FCC’s lack of enforcement action.

R.I.P.: WTOC Savannah News Anhor Don Logana

Don Logana

WTOC-TV11 Morning News Anchor/Reporters  Don Logana died in an early Sunday 4AM morning car crash that near the Talmadge Bridge in South Carolina.

Don was the weekday morning anchor for WTOC 11’s THE News at Daybreak and an experienced investigative reporter exposing consumer issues. Don had over twelve years of experience covering news in the Savannah/Hilton Head market. He received multiple awards and honors. Most recently, Don was voted Best Local TV News Anchor 2016 by Connect Savannah.

WTOC 11 is deeply saddened by this tragic event. Larry Silbermann, WTOC 11 Vice President/General Manager stated, “Don was not only a valued member of our WTOC family, but a trusted friend to all.” Scott Galloway, WTOC 11 News Director further claimed, “Don was a great guy and such a big part of WTOC and our newsroom family, his loss has left us with a huge void that will be tough to fill.”

Before WTOC 11, Don began his career in his hometown of Syracuse, New York at WIXT-TV. He started as an intern and rose to the ranks of producer and reporter. Don later moved to Watertown, NY to become reporter and anchor at WWTI-TV.

Police say a blue pick-up truck and a red four-door vehicle were involved in a head-on crash.

November 21 Radio History

In 1877…At a gathering of friends and colleagues, Thomas Edison unveiled his new "talking machine," later called the phonograph. The first thing recorded on Edison's new invention was the song "Mary Had a Little Lamb."  Recording made by Thomas A. Edison on August 12, 1927, at the Golden Jubilee of the Phonograph ceremony. In this recording Edison demonstrates how in 1877 he made the first record on his tinfoil phonograph. The original 1877 recording was not saved and no longer exists.

In 1944…The first episode of "The Roy Rogers Show," featuring the Whippoorwills and the Sons of the Pioneers, was broadcast by radio stations of the Mutual Broadcasting System. It began as a western music and variety show and evolved into an action-drama series during its 10-year run. "The Roy Rogers Show" on television ran for six seasons beginning in December of 1951.

Roy's radio show lasted 11 seasons and the Roy Rogers Show On TV stayed on the air for 6 seasons! Roy also made a ton of movies and appeared on numerous other radio and TV shows as a guest star! In addition, Roy had a successful recording career for several years with songs that made it to the top of the charts! His, perhaps, best known song was "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" although most people probably remember him and Dale Evans singing "Happy Trails to You" at the end of each show!

In 1955…In Memphis, Sun Records owner and producer Sam Phillips sold Elvis Presley's contract to RCA for an unheard-of $35,000, at that time the largest amount ever paid to sign a recording artist and topping the offer of $25,000 for Presley's contract made by Atlantic Records. Elvis received $13,500 of the total. Phillips invested his proceeds from the deal in a two-year-old Memphis-based hotel chain called Holiday Inn.

In 1963…U.S. President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, arrived in San Antonio, Texas. They were starting a two-day visit to Texas that would end in Dallas.

John B. Gambling

In 1974...longtime WOR 710 AM NYC Morning personality John B. Gambling died.

He was a member of the The Gambling family, 3 generations of whom - John B., John A. and John R. - were hosts of WOR Radio's morning show Rambling with Gambling (now known as The John Gambling Show) over the course of over 75 years.

John B. was the host from 1925 to 1959, when he retired in favor of his son, John A. Gambling. With his Musical Clock, his all-in-fun setting-up exercises, cheerio music, wheezy gags, weather information and news scraps, John B. Gambling was a WOR fixture.

In 1979…morning man Harry Harrison did his last show on WABC 770 AM, New York. Here's an January 1979 aircheck of Harry.


In 1981...radio & TV announcer Harry Von Zell died of cancer at age 75.  Best known as the announcer on the George Burns/Gracie Allen Show both radio & TV, he also made his mark as actor in several TV guest spots, and screenwriter on a number of series such as Wagon Train.



 
In 1983…In Los Angeles, movie theaters premiered Michael Jackson's 14-minute "Thriller" video. The Guinness Book of World Records later named it the "most successful music video" of all time, selling more than 9 million copies.

In 1993…Jim McLaughlin, radio newsman for WYSL, WKBW, WBEN, Buffalo, died at age 59.

In the early 1960s, he worked as a deejay for KNBA in Vallejo, California taking the air name "Lucky Jim" because he didn't have to study and always knew instinctively what to say. He began delivering the news at KFOG-FM in San Francisco. In 1963, he moved back east and became the news director at WRVM in Rochester in 1964. Jim continued his career working in Buffalo as the news director of WYSL in the late 1960s, WKBW from 1970 to 1978 and then at WBEN until he was forced to retire due to health issues in 1987.

Jim was the first news director to hire a full-time street reporter, a female news staff member, to use co-anchors and to use short wave radio to cover international stories. In 1979, he won the New York State Associated Press Award for WBEN's "Newsday," being the best radio news program. Jim was also the only radio reporter allowed to cover the 1971 Attica Prison riot from inside the prison.