Ahmet in "intensive care"

Ahmet Ertegun

While his condition has improved, 83 year old Atlantic Records

 founder Ahmet Ertegun is still in intensive care at New York�s

 Presbyterian hospital after being in a coma and fighting for his

 life following a fall and hitting his head while attending Bill

 Clinton�s 60^th birthday party in New York on October 29th.

 At first doctors considered his condition �grave� but recently

 express hope for a full recovery,  �but it could take some time.�

jr

                                                                                                                                                      = = = = =

Pat Buchanan�s new book �State of Emergency: Third World Invasion and Conquest of America� will place him on the agenda of numerous talk shows in the days ahead.

 One day after release the book is    #1 at Amazon.com

Released just in time to awaken the electorate before the November election, Buchanan warns the Bush scheme to erase the border to form �The American Union� is a disaster for our nation. 

Pat Buchanan charges Mexico with dumping its poor and unemployed, both to relieve social pressure and effect a cultural re-annexation of the American Southwest.

A republican himself, Buchanan charges the Republican Party, a wholly owned subsidiary of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is in the grip of a cult called �Economism.� It is all about money now. The GOP worships at the �Church of GDP.�  

Buchanan lays out a national plan to deal with the State of Emergency, before it ends the America we know. Pat reminds us that President Eisenhower returned millions of illegal aliens back to Mexico during his administration  fifty years ago. 

Doing the same now backed with a moratorium on immigration and a 2,000 mile double-line security fence on the border is a must according to Buchanan.

= = = = =

Death Threats

Art & Airyn Bell

There is hope that the millions who listen to talk show host Art Bell will spread the word that the on going hoax attributed to him and still circulating the internet reaches those who have threatened to kill him and his wife Airyn, a Filipino. 

A malicious letter entitled �Filipinos Make Me Puke� has generated several death threats that are especially worrisome now that Art makes his home in the Philippines.  With his name signed as the author, authorities have traced the letter to a typewriter at a San Diego college. Art of course had nothing to do with the letter and finds its contents disgusting. 

Art explains that he is keeping a very low profile in his Manila condo but is very concerned since assassination of Journalist is not uncommon in the Philippines.

= = = = =

White House "Rubber Stamps"

           Mike Gallagher, Neal Boortz, Laura Ingraham, President Bush, Sean Hannity & Michael Medved.

Never before has any White House occupant courted talk show hosts like the current incumbent. Serving as an equalizer to the Bush bashing print media, conservative talk show hosts rubber stamp the view of the Oval Office via the airwaves reaching millions each day. 

Only Rush Limbaugh was missing in recent days as President Bush invited half dozen cheerleaders to the white house for a pep rally that was arranged by former talk show host, press secretary Tony Snow.  El Rushero rates a private audience with the president for his services as the official �republican echo chamber.� 

This week the administration will host dozens of talkers who will be pampered and fed top cabinet officials as interview guests. Favored talk show hosts will be awarded an off-the-record meeting with the president.

                                                                                                                   Savage                Doyle

Don�t look for syndicated talk show hosts Michael Savage or Jerry Doyle to be among the �chosen few�. They along with others of independent leanings haven�t been harnessed by the administration or for that matter�by anyone.

= = = = =

Wanted - Program Director

Long time Spanish language pioneer Lotus Communications may be giving more attention to the legality of their mostly Hispanic employee roster. Immigration authorities have picked up 44 year old Jose Abel Castro-Lopez at his home shortly before he was to leave for his job as program director of Tucson�s top rated Mexican radio station and is expected to be deported because he is in the U.S. illegally. 

Lotus says Castro-Lopez had followed employment rules and they were unaware of his illegal status. Perhaps in the future the company will ask for more than a valid driver�s license for proof of an employee�s legality. This is the third time Castro-Lopez has been deported.

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Elvis & Sun...together again

 

 

Before moving to RCA Victor, Elvis started his spectacular career as a Sun Records artist.

 

Now Elvis Presley Enterprises has licensed the use of its trademarks in the name, image and likeness of

Elvis Presley to Sun Entertainment for a broad range of commemorative retail products officially reuniting the identity of the legendary superstar with the historic Sun Record Company and its iconic Sun Records logo

 

Sun Entertainment chairman Shelby S. Singleton. "Bringing Elvis and Sun Records back together in a special way at retail offers all kinds of exciting possibilities."

 

The new Elvis and Sun Records co-branded products should begin appearing in the months ahead at various retail outlets in the United States, including online

retailers such as  www.SunRecords.com and www.ShopElvis.com . 

 

And speaking of Elvis you gotta go here

= = = = =

�Enough already�

San Antonio says to Clear Channel

While Clear Channel lobby�s to gobble up even more radio stations, the folks who know the company best disagree.  In the home town of the nation�s biggest broadcast owner, The San Antonio Business Journal poll show 66% of the participants believe their should be no increase in the number of radio stations Clear Channel can own. 

Several expressed the view that the number of stations under the control of any one broadcaster should be reduced because the media already is under the control of too few players. 

Many who voted in the poll said further consolidation would lead to an even greater degradation of programming content.  Add this to the aggressive outcry against allowing any further deregulation and perhaps this time the FCC and congress just might be listening. 

= = = = =

Harry Martin

We congratulate long time radio veteran

"Happy Hare" (Harry Martin) who is being inducted

into the Ohio Radio Hall of Fame.  

His latest commentary "SOS" should be must reading for all who are concerned about the future of our nation.

  S.O.S

(Save Our Sovereignty) 

Why hasn�t the Bush administration done something to control the border?  

 Why has President Bush been so inactive in the face of this crisis?  It makes no sense until you consider what Jerome Corsi and Jim Gilchrist have written, a book called �The  Minutemen.�  It chronicles the secret actions of Bush, Vicente Fox, and Paul Martin,  Prime Minister of Canada, who have allegedly formed a  shadow coalition called the �Security and Prosperity Partnership,� The SSP, aimed at erasing the borders between the  three countries, without public disclosure or Congressional oversight.

 Read it all here

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CBS  $ellathon

Following its plan to unload up to forty radio stations, CBS has dropped out of Austin, Cincinnati, Memphis and Rochester with the sale of 15 stations to Entercom for $262 million in cash and Border Media Partners picks up Talk-KTSA and AC-KJXK-fm in San Antonio for $45 million cash, half of what they paid for the stations six years ago when CBS was eager to enter the Clear Channel stronghold          of San Antonio. 

Regent Communications is purchasing CBS's five Buffalo stations for $125 million.

Disposing of its Kansas City and Columbus stations for $138 million to Wilks Broadcasting, this leaves the official For Sale sign on CBS stations in Greensboro/Winston-Salem.

This probably won�t be the end of the CBS sell-off of its  radio stations. Company czar Sumner Redstone isn�t a       big believer in radio's future.

= = = = = 

The Dean Retires

Lyle Dean (1969)

The Dean of Chicago newsman has hung up his headset and formerly retired from WGN. 

Hiring Lyle Dean forty years ago and bringing him to WLS from KOIL in Omaha was one of the best moves I made as PD at WLS. 

Lyle�s voice became a signature for WLS as a newsman and in voicing our �The Big 89�WLS� tracks.  Always a gentleman, always professional and always loved by all of those we worked with�.Lyle is a gem. 

We wish him many years of happy retirement.

Contact him at [email protected]

jr

= = = = =

Coming Soon to Radio?

Dr. Phil

His TV show is a magnet for women and now  Dr. Phil    and other family members are having discussions with Westwood One about a radio program that could compete with Premiere Radio's Dr. Laura Schlessinger. 

�Tired of guys lying to get you into bed?�, �Want to send your hubby off to husbands Boot Camp?�, �Has your husband changed dramatically since the wedding?�

Dr. Phil's wife Robin plays a role on the daily TV show and could be a part of the planned radio show too along with their son Jay McGraw.

No official date yet but giant dollars could bring the McGraw family affair to radio in the not too distant future.

 = = = = =

The New World Disorder

Again and again Jerome Corsi is in the forefront of exposing the secrets of government. Using the Freedom of Information act, he reveals the Bush administration is running a "shadow government" with Mexico and Canada. 

"The documents clearly reveal that SPP, working within the U.S. Department of Commerce, is far advanced in putting together a new regional infrastructure, creating a 'shadow' trilateral bureaucracy with Mexico and Canada that is aggressively rewriting a wide range of U.S. administrative law, all without congressional oversight or public disclosure," according to Corsi.

If it were not for talk radio and the internet, this is a story virtually not covered by the media. 

Read it from World Net Daily

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Jay Severin

The big national talk radio stage didn�t appeal to Jay Severin who is returning to Boston to again do drive time on WTKK-fm.  CBS�s Westwood One ballyhooed their syndication deal with Severin just a few short months ago, but Greater Media was willing to fork over $500,000 to the eye allowing Jay to head back to his old haunts for at least seven years. 

Prior to departing bean town Severin was raked over the coals for his libertarian views.  The former GOP consultant played a role in the presidential campaigns of George H.W. Bush and Pat Buchanan before radio.

TV or not TV

Les promises more in his comments to those investors willing to bet on CBS. Predicting radio would be in better shape for his company in 2007 than it is today, CBS�s head honcho Les Moonves crowed �Television is still the biggest game in town�. 

Apparently the New York Times disagrees as it announces their TV stations in Des Moines, Iowa; Fort Smith Arkansas; Huntsville, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; Moline, Illinois; Norfolk, Virginia; Oklahoma City and Scranton, Pennsylvania will all be offered to the highest bidder.

= = = = =

The top dog in radio, Clear Channel, has shown limited interest in supporting ARBITRON�s long time stranglehold on the radio ratings game. Now we find them paying some attention to Nielsen Media Research who just could give ARBITRON a run for the money�.a substantial amount given Clear Channel�s 1200 + radio stations nationally.

Bush Secret Exposed by Talk Radio

The Bush administration plan to build a huge NAFTA Super Highway, four football- fields-wide connecting Mexico, the US and Canada is another step toward erasing the borders. While the media machine is mum, talk radio is once again telling the public of the secret that will also cost US taxpayers at least 3 million to build a Mexican customs office deep inside the US at Kansas City. 

Read it here

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Bill Press

Meanwhile, our long time friend Bill Press is now syndicated daily on Sirus satellite channel "left" 146, on the Internet and distributed by Jones Radio Networks. 

A columnist, commentator, author, Radio/TV talk show host, if your audience hungers for a view opposite the glut of conservative hosts, then Bill is your man...he's great !  

= = = = = 

Jonathan Adelstein

The two lone democrat appointees at the Federal Communications Commission, Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps have faced an uphill fight in their attempt to reverse the monopolization of an industry born of run-a-way deregulation. 

While republican FCC commissioners were intent with just listening to the voices of a chosen few, Adelsten and Copps  conducted a series of public meetings inviting the voices of the often unheard.

Commissioner Adelstein speaks loudly when he reminds, �Who owns the media profoundly shapes how we experience news and entertainment. Our daily lives are affected by what we see on television, hear on the radio and read in the newspapers.�

�Americans have a right enshrined in the law to receive a diversity of viewpoints and local programs, rather than allowing a handful of giant companies to dominate our media landscape. It's the Federal Communications Commission's job to protect that right.� 

Not only are our elected officials favoring political contributors, but that greedy few controlling the media provides the government with the ultimate ability to control.  Anyone who thinks censorship is prohibited should look no further than the quid pro quo formed by such favors.  It would be hard to quell the voices of hundreds of individual owners lambasting government policy, but quite easy to understand why we're only hearing part of the story from the news disseminated by the greedy few. 

It's a win-win for the government.  All those campaign contributions, and the net result is exponentially increased power and control given to a limited number of owners.

jr

=====

CBS Radio Drops the Ball�. Again

Professional baseball has been the magnet that contributed to keeping WCCO, KMOX and KDKA #1 in the ratings during the decline of AM radio nationally.  

The powers that be at CBS decided to end decades of those stations being the anchor for the Minnesota Twins, the St. Louis Cardinals and now the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

For 46 years Twins fans in the tri-cities have locked on to WCCO to hear Twins games. A 54 year reign on KMOX has ended for the St. Louis Cardinals and now legions of Pirate fans will only hear them for a few more weeks on KDKA ending a 70 year run there. The long time voice of the Pirates, Bob Prince, must be turning in his grave.  

The orders from CBS brass to trim the overhead of these powerful facilities comes as an opportunity for others, including Clear Channel who not only will carry Pirate games on their WPGB-fm but in doing so will take a giant slice of listeners from KDKA and  propel the CC talker to the top of the ratings.  

Clear Channel now owns the broadcast rights to all three Pittsburgh teams, the Penguins on WDVE-fm, the Steelers on WXDX-fm and now the Pirates on WPGB-fm. 

For generations Pittsburghers live for their local professional teams, it�s a smart move by Clear Channel. 

CBS Radio has dropped the ball�again.  

=====

"Me Too" Martin

It didn�t take long for FCC commissioners Adelstein and Copps to rattle the cage of Chairman Kevin Martin.  The two democrat members gave the republican majority a lesson in public relations with their hearings in Los Angeles where they got an earful of �heat� from angry Angelino�s concerning multiple subjects.  (see below)

Now just a few days later, the chairman has announced the first �official� public hearings in Los Angeles on October 3. In making the announcement Martin said, �Public input is integral to this process�.  His �official� hearing will seek comments on local programming and minority ownership, with no mention of his desire to further monopolize radio.

Seeking a second term as chairman of the FCC, Martin is being considered by a congressional committee, which we suspect has some bearing of his sudden interest in public hearings.

And, his nomination to continue as chairman has been "held up" as at least one senator is having second thoughts.

= = = = =

Clear Channel �fire sale� underway

As expected, Clear Channel is quietly dumping radio stations the company considers non productive at �undisclosed� prices. 

Its good news for radio listeners as the seven station cluster of Clear Channel stations in Fargo/Moorhead has been sold to members of the Ingstad family, long time broadcasters in the Dakota�s who built their stations by providing �local� service to the market. They�ll be picking up Top 40 WDAY-fm, Classic Hits KKBX-fm, Talk KFGO-am, Sports KVOX-am and Country stations KDAM-fm and KFAB-fm. 

In Santa Fe locals are upset with the announcement Clear Channel is preparing to sell Adult Alternative KBAC-am and Jazz programmed KSFQ-fm to a religious broadcaster.  Again don�t expect an announcement of the price as CBS has done with the scaling back of ownership. Clear Channel continues to take whatever they can get from the sale of stations in markets outside the major population centers.

= = = = =

FCC Hammered Again

The �official� public hearing by the FCC in Los Angeles had republican chairman Kevin Martin attempting to soft peddle the monopolization of the media, urging more acceptance of the �competitive realities of the media marketplace.�  He was hammered by both speakers and those in the audience who were more in touch to the views of FCC democrat commissioners Michael Copps and  Jonathan Adelstein. 

As has often been the case, Commissioner Copps reminded the chairman that airwaves belonged to the public as Commissioner Adelstein spoke of hearing �the same sorry story� from the public about media consolidation in hearings he and Copps had conducted without participation of the republican commissioners at the Federal Communication Commission. 

New to such hearings, Republican commissioners Deborah Taylor Tate and Robert McDowell seemed to sense the anger in the room aimed at past FCC rulings that allowed run-a-way consolidation of the media, as they meekly said, �we�re here to listen to you.� 

Hearing complaint after complaint, mostly about how past FCC rulings have allowed the media to be gobbled up and controlled by a select few, one speaker brought down the house by telling of Clear Channel�s moves following the passing of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Calling it �criminal�  saying  "Owning a radio station, like driving a car, is a privilege, not a right. If I drive my car in a reckless manner, I don't get to keep my license simply because I own 1,200 cars." 

Commission chairman Martin may have heard views opposing his own, but remembering them when he returns to Washington D.C. may be more than can be expected.

jr

= = = = =

CBS Nosedive Continues

Katie Couric

As they try to conceal their hand wringing, CBS excuses the entrance of Katie Couric as anchor of the Evening News, saying they are "in it for the long haul" and their high priced star just needs more time. 

  Even with months of preparation, Katie's debut was just about as exciting as David Lee Roth was for CBS radio.  Since taking on the job as anchorwoman of the CBS Evening  News the ratings have dropped, dropped and dropped to the point that the CBS brass must be reading from the same manual that guided the company's radio division.

Judging from what I see Katie is in over her head and is either not accepting direction from the CBS programming guru's or they have about as much expertise as those who drove CBS radio into a nosedive.

It will take more than "time" for CBS to reverse a horrible start. It will take a new game plan that "moves," not just another "conversation with Katie."

Thus far the CBS Evening News is boring and offers little reason for viewers to stay tuned through the full 30 minutes, must less return.  

jr

= = = = =

A Hollywood landmark

As teenagers my friend Eddie Cochran and I were invited to a recording session by Gene Vincent on a spring day in 1957 at the new Capitol Tower. We had hoped to see �all of LA� from the top of the tower but were limited to the studio on the ground floor. 

Parking our car at a lot off Sunset and Vine that was reserved for Music City customers, we first stopped there to purchase the latest release, �A White Sport Coat� by a new country sensation, Marty Robbins. and then walked past Dot Records for three blocks up Vine to the tower. It was the talk of Hollywood, a building resembling a stack of phonograph records piled thirteen stores high�.a skyscraper by Hollywood standards in those days. 

Entering the building, I remember Eddie telling me how earlier Music City owner Glenn Wallichs had been one of the founders of Capitol records, a new west coast start up label set to challenge RCA Victor, Columbia and Decca, the three big recording companies  each located in New York City. 

A few years later, a singing idol of my high school days, Nat King Cole would fill me in on much of the history of the Capitol Tower. His string of sixty hits started well before the tower was built but he was explicit in describing how excited it was for him to record there. He counted Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Les Baxter, Ray Anthony and Billy May �all made great music out of that building.� 

They say �you can�t stop progress,� but in later years a tinge of despair always grips me when I travel those streets in Hollywood. Wallichs Music City, Dot Records, the Gold Star recording studio where so much music history was made, are gone. As is Liberty,  Imperial, A&M records and so many others. 

Purchased for 50 million dollars by a New York investor of commercial property with a  pledge it will remain intact�.at least for now.

The Capitol Tower is a historic Hollywood landmark where music history was made, let�s hope it remains so.

 = = = = =

Bombshell dropped on FCC

Government Bought and Paid For�.

Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer dropped a bombshell on the hearings to appoint Kevin Martin to a second term as chairman of the FCC when she divulged a 24 page report from the University of Delaware that questioned broadcast deregulation was given no attention by the agency.  

Days later, the California senator followed up by requesting an investigation into the FCC�s suppression of yet another report on the effects of radio consolidation to "examine whether it was then or is now the practice of the FCC to suppress facts that are contrary to a desired outcome." Almost immediately thirty four Senators echoed Boxer's call for an investigation of the FCC.

Martin and none of the current commission members claimed to know much of anything about  either study but a law professor at Michigan State University, Adam Candeub, who served as a lawyer during the administration of former chairman Michael Powell said senior managers at the agency then ordered �every last piece� of at least one of the reports destroyed.  �The initial project was very compelling, and it was just stopped in its tracks because it was not the way the agency wanted to go� said Candeub who added, �The order did come down from  senior management that this study had to end and they wanted all of the copies collected�. 

It�s another example of government turning a blind eye to all but an agenda that favors political contributors. 

Deregulation, fed by hefty payoffs from the broadcasting industry provided the grease that moved congress to allow a greedy few to monopolize the industry. 

Michael Powell - Reuters

So it comes as no surprise to find the shredding of a report questioning the wisdom of run-a-way deregulation, never found its way to the desk of former FCC Chairman Michael Powell, at least as far as he can remember. Powell, who moved from heading up the anti trust division of the Department of Justice to the FCC should never have been given either job to my way of thinking. 

While Powell was at the Department of Justice I provided that agency with documentation demonstrating how I was being forced out of radio ownership by the collusion of companies intent on monopolizing radio. After meetings with investigators from the Department of Justice I was encouraged to file an anti trust suit with the assurance the DOJ would be following in my footsteps. The agency accepted several files and tape recordings documenting my charges.   

Two years later, I was informed by the Department of Justice,�the person at the top of the anti trust division had decided against involving the agency in this matter.� And those files they were given by me, turned up missing at the DOJ.

Out litigated by the combined dollars of those who were intent with driving me out of business, I was nearly broke from legal expense, my radio stations gobbled up by those I had faced in litigation. It took an inquiry on my behalf by a member of congress for the Department of Justice to finally deliver a slap on the wrist for a promise to cease their anti trust actions.

 Michael Powell was moved by the Bush administration to head up the FCC where he spearheaded a drive to allow further monopolization of the broadcasting industry. Never mind the chief benefactors would be backer and close friend of President Bush, Lowry Mays of Clear Channel, the company largely responsible for driving me out of radio ownership. 

With what little blood was left in my veins, friends encouraged the telling of my experience via this website.  Now, with the passing of several more years, seldom do I allow the dim experiences that clouded my life back then to enter my mind. 

What�s worrisome today is a government bought and paid for by special interests and no longer in touch on a multitude of issues important to the American people.

jr

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Unemployed Superjock

Larry Lujack

Here he is, an experienced entertainer with a proven track record�cut from the talent roster of America�s biggest radio group. �It has to be age discrimination,� jests 66 year old Superjock Larry Lujack, a recent inductee to the prestigious Radio Hall of Fame. 

An employee with nary a blemish of any kind in his Clear Channel personnel file, always on time and having taken no time of for sickness, you�d think he would have some value to the 1,200 plus stations owned by the Texas based radio giant. Instead, he�s joined the hundreds of unemployed professionals seeking a job at a time when the bottom line is the only thing that counts in radio today. 

Still the same thoughtful guy I�ve known all these years, Larry says, �I just wanna get back to work, I still have my parents to support.�  A trait not all that prevalent among today�s generation.

He and his long time side kick, Tommy Edwards, still have the magic it takes to create ratings, but not on a radio station (WRLL) with only a hint of a signal in the Chicago market. 

Always the humble one, Lujack says, �Given the fact that I�m still charming, still delightful, and still blessed with the God-given ability to pleasure the listeners in every conceivable way, you would think that some station manager would be eager to throw money at me.� 

A few years older than Lar, I explained I was on the lookout for a younger hand that could buck bales of hay and clean the horse barn, but he declined saying the daily drive from his New Mexico home to mine in North Idaho would be too expensive given the price of gas these days. 

Larry Lujack comes with the full recommendation from at least two of his former bosses, John Gehron and     John Rook.

Marty Greenberg e-mails, "Make it three bosses...Larry was the most thorough, professional jock...a true talent and more importantly, a good guy."

Yep...that's him.

jr

= = = = =

Thanks Mel !!

Howard Stern

Radio has delivered some big pay days and been a platform for some big names in the past but I can't recall anyone that has surpassed Howard Stern in using the airwaves in such a lucrative fashion.  

Radio�s bad boy raked in $588 per minute in 2005 for a whopping $308 million according to Forbes magazine. That puts his income ahead of Oprah�s $230 million, Jerry Seinfeld�s $102 million and golf king Tiger Woods who added only $93 million to his bank account.  

Talk about betting everything on one horse. How long will it be before Howard breaks the Sirius bank?

Radio�s former golden boy Mel Karmazin will need a magic wand to reverse Sirius losses of $860+ million last year alone.

= = = = =

Indecency, Vulgarity & Smut

The distribution lately of a song chastising the FCC for its recent stand against indecency is indeed creative, actually funny and provided a voice for those who needed to express their anti-FCC, pro indecency views. 

For a dozen years I have called on the FCC to wake up and retake control of the public airwaves at a time when deregulation was allowing an industry to monopolize and a new brand of owners to police themselves. They didn�t, thus the FCC has begun too. 

Some of us recall the owners and managers of radio�s past. Almost without exception they valued the privilege given them to use the public airwaves. They also seldom if ever received a red flag, much less a fine for programming indecency.  Any programmer who crossed that line was terminated and most likely didn�t work in radio again. 

For decades no written guidelines were needed to explain �indecency.�  If a program director and/or a performer didn�t know what would be offensive to the listener, then he or she was not hired in the first place.

There are those today who claim to need a written response from the FCC outlining indecency. I can assure you the great on air talents and program directors of an earlier era needed no such explanation for indecency, vulgarity & smut.

Perhaps their actually is something after all that today�s radio owners, programmers and performers could learn from those who preceded them.

The �use� of a radio station is to be earned by a broadcaster. Unfortunately today�s owners are from a different breed than those of the past.  Most collect FCC fines as nothing more than file fodder.

Now we have the nation�s largest group of radio stations, Clear Channel, who is once again "over reaching" in asking the FCC for the right to expand in markets they already monopolize.

 AM/FM owners insist satellite radio can't complete with their "local" programming. Yet they also need dozens more HD side channel's to complete with satellite radio.

 It would be interesting to know just how much stock  Clear Channel has and their involvement in satellite radio. If its the competitor they claim, then they should have none. 

jr

= = = = =

CBS PAYS THE PIPER....but will appeal

While CBS hands $550,000 over to the FCC to pay a fine for airing the Super Bowl 2004 Janet Jackson strip tease, they are also seeking to overturn the FCC action in the US Court of Appeals. 

Responding, the FCC said, "The Commission will vigorously defend the Forfeiture Order issued against CBS. CBS� continued insistence that the halftime show was not indecent demonstrates that it is out of touch with the American people. Millions of parents, as well as Congress, understand what CBS does not: Janet Jackson�s �wardrobe malfunction� was indeed indecent." 

The Communications Act of 1934 has been a guideline for broadcasters ever since. It advises that broadcasters are awarded a license only to serve the public interest. Former commissioner Byron White said it best when he explained there is no First Amendment right to a broadcast license. �It is the right of the viewers and listeners, not the right of the broadcaster that is paramount.� 

In the 90�s following deregulation of broadcasting, a glut of smut and vulgarities have flooded the airwaves. Just recently a New York DJ threatened to sexually abuse a rival DJ�s four year old daughter and urinate on her. He called the rival DJ�s wife �a slant-eyed whore�. The FCC took no action but the stations owner, Clear Channel did by terminating the entire show, only following an outburst of complaints from listeners and city officials.

It seems clear broadcasting has lost its will to police such rubbish. It took the will of the people and their representatives in congress to remind the industry they don�t own those licenses�they merely are using the public airwaves�at a profit for themselves. 

Generations of broadcast owners before recent times considered it a privilege to "use" the public airwaves.

 Now that the FCC is putting a price on indecent programming, today�s owners are just beginning to.

jr

= = = = =

Hold on Kevin�.not so fast !

Following the plan of the Bush Administration, FCC chairman Kevin Martin is in a hurry to hand over more and more control of the broadcast media to feed the desires of current owners.  

However, at least 84 members of congress have demanded the FCC make no more rule changes allowing a continued hogging of the already bloated portfolio of owners without allowing the American public a chance to review any proposed moves that would further monopolize the industry. 

Congressional members are also insisting the FCC expand the time for public comment on any rule changes and extend them to a series of town hall meetings in various locations. 

The Future of American Media (FAM) Caucus cautions the rush to deregulate further �will greatly affect the democratic discourse in our nation, impacting how media companies control and influence what the American public reads, sees, and hears.�

= = = =

RDN Guest Commentary

"It's quite amazing how five + generations have been

entertained by Radio, WITHOUT the use of profanity"

by Robert E. "Rob" Hummel

It takes true ingenuity and talent to produce a really entertaining and funny program, without dipping into the vulgar sex and profanity bucket. I would like to know why would an otherwise intelligent person or persons, put their entire career on the line, or wish to develop a risky or poor reputation with the use of such profanity on the air?"

This excellent Radio Daily News

Guest Commentary is here

 jr

=====

The Hayloft Gang

The Story of the National Barn Dance

Some will remember it as a programmer of top 40, or rock music and in more recent years WLS is a favorite to fans of talk radio.  

It�s a story not known by many today, a Chicago based variety show heard on WLS during radio�s golden age. It served as a family gathering place, from its first broadcast in 1924 to its final almost four decades later. 

 As a kid, my grandpa�s floor model Zenith radio would  bring the stars of that generation into our living room hundreds of miles away as he strummed his banjo accompanying the songs of Gene Autry, Rex Allen, Lulu Belle & Scotty, Red Foley, the Girls of the Golden West, Patsy Montana and the mountain music of Bradley Kincaid.  

Known then as the Prairie Farmer Station, WLS�s National Barn Dance was a listening habit for families gathered across the nation to laugh at the dry wit of Pat Buttram, the humor of Uncle Ezra, Smiley Burnette, George Gobel and the Hoosier Hotshots who coined a phrase still sparingly used today, �Are you ready hezzie?� 

On any given Saturday night, listeners could tune into the show to hear everything from a cowboy crooner to a barbershop quartet, from a hillbilly string band to a polka trio.   

Before becoming Amos and Andy, Charles Correll and Freeman Gosden were heard on the National Barn Dance during a time when tickets to the live broadcast were sold out two months in advance. 

During the Great Depression of the 30�s, many found escape while listening to the weekly National Barn Dance. The program encouraged patriotism to a nation at war as the performers to most were "family." 

Now a film project is underway that will document the rich history of the National Barn Dance for generations in the future with music used to set the tone, convey emotions, and establish the time period.  

WLS was the first radio station to create a studio for a live audience and never-before-seen footage and a wealth of master recordings will be used to tell the story of the National Barn Dance. Garrison Keillor, host of A Prairie Home Companion, has expressed interest in narrating the documentary.   

My days at WLS gave me insight and allowed me to meet some of those who helped bring the National Barn Dance to life in those early years. Their stories of WLS and radio history are well worth telling to future generations. 

Karl Davis was a �record turner� when I arrived at WLS. His job was to record the music played on the station to a cart. Only a member of the Musicians Union was allowed to handle the actual photograph record. Through Karl I learned much about the days of the National Barn Dance where he was known first as a member of the Renfro Valley Boys and later the Cumberland Ridge Runners. 

Karl Davis

Karl wrote several hit songs, among them �Kentucky� recorded by the Everly Brothers and �The Country Hall of Fame� for Hank Locklin. A kindly gentleman, Karl would often detail the history of the bygone era to Art Roberts and myself. He passed away in 1979. 

Mary Jane Johnson was secretary to Ralph Beaudin, who became manager of WLS when the station was purchased by ABC in 1960.  She told how so many of the files and photo�s of the National Barn Dance days were packed up and sent to the dump, with no thought given of their historical value.

Read more of The Big 89- WLS here

The Hayloft Gang is currently in post-production. Ninety percent of the photography is complete. Since the start of the project in 2002, money from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Humanities Council and the Kentucky Arts Council have aided the efforts of    Stephen Parry and the team dedicated to completing this project. 

I encourage you to support this worthwhile endeavor.  

jr

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The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are investing in MediaNews who besides owning the Denver Post is buying California newspapers The San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, Monterey County Herald and the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Minnesota.  

Bill explains the world�s riches philanthropic organization needs to concentrate more on spreading the �Gates Gospel� to the global community.  

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The Best of The Best 

I�ve been asked many times, �what makes a great manager?� As a program director, a consultant and an owner, I�ve worked with and for dozens of radio managers.  In thinking about it, one word summarizes the secret of success for managing others - �teamwork.� 

I�ve attempted to work �with� them all. As a program director, only one stood out from all the rest. While I respected him as my superior�he never made me feel inferior. His occasional questions of the direction I was taking the station seldom interfered. Any suggestions he did make, always seemed to improve the path I was on. 

A smile of approval and words of appreciation often ended with a variation of �you make me proud.� Early on he asked that I not call him �the boss�. Everyone referred to him as �Mr.Gibbs�, but he was �John� when we conversed one on one behind closed doors.  It was he who encouraged me to never lock my office door, nor my desk. �Trust delivers trust, respect delivers respect� he said. It was a trait that served me well throughout my radio career. John Gibbs, VP General Manager of KQV was the best manager I ever worked �with�. 

Despite great successes at two legendary stations, the managers never once expressed appreciation of my efforts or that of the on-air talent. Unfortunately, this was true at so many stations that rose from the ashes to become top rated big money makers. At one major station I resigned early on when the manager found it impossible to relinquish the responsibility of programming.

As a consultant I contracted with group presidents and/or owners, seldom the manager of a radio station. Almost all radio stations in need of consultation also needed a change in managers. Few were receptive; most felt their turf had been violated by the group head or owner when they hired a consultant. They soon would abdicate their throne and search for a new kingdom, usually ending up in a smaller market. 

Again, most managers considered on-air talent and programmers as something to avoid.  Although upon being advised a change in Program Directors was being considered by the consultant, they always had a suggestion of someone already in-house who qualified simply because he wore a suit and tie and was the lone person on the programming staff the manager felt �comfortable� with. When the Consultants choice turned out to be someone else, usually from a distant city, the manager laid in wait ready to make his job more difficult. In almost every case the new Program Director would be employed long after the manager and in some instances they would become programming head for the group of stations. 

                                                                  Ken Palmer        John Gibbs           Cecil Heftel

Two owners stood out as superb to my way of thinking. Cecil Heftel was extraordinary. He was creating KIMN-Denver at a time when Todd Storz and Gordon McLendon were birthing top forty in Omaha and Dallas.  Even with four other top forty stations as competitors, KIMN owned the mile high airwaves for more than two decades. A Colorado Springs station owner, Ken Palmer became KIMN�s owner as Heftel ventured to Hawaii, where as an owner he built radio and TV facilities that became top rated there. A few years later Heftel would return to the mainland as an owner and with the help of a young programmer named Bill Tanner, Y-100 became south Florida�s top station. 

Cecil Heftel and Ken Palmer both placed great importance on programming. While sales personnel received solid compensation for delivering advertisers, on-air talent was rewarded even more so. Heftel once admonished a station manager for driving a Cadillac, saying �Cadillac�s are for disc jockeys, Fords are for you who make a good living due to their talent.� 

Heftel was elected to congress but returning to his paradise isle, Hawaii, wrote a book, �End Legalize Bribery - An Ex-Congressman's Proposal to Clean Up Congress." Always ahead of his time and always seeking the truth Cecil Heftel is a man of ethic's, a man of his word, a trait missing too often today. Heftel�s book is still available here.

Ken Palmer expected the program director �to police everything that goes out over the air��including commercial content.  KIMN gave strict attention to commercial load limits, promotions and news coverage. Palmer provided all of the tools that kept KIMN on top in one of the worlds most competitive radio markets. �We strive to be first in everything we do� he said.  KIMN always was. Ken insisted the station have two totally separate divisions, programming and sales. �They both have a job to do, but a strong P.D. must be in charge of what gets on the air�, he said.  It was this kind of attention given to programming that gave KIMN more listeners than all other Denver radio stations combined.

Ken Palmer was responsible for my being hired by ABC.

Chuck Blore & Don Richman

Chuck Blore is the most exciting programmer I've ever known. He taught me to think "outside the damn box." He and his partner, the late Don Richman dominated the 1983 Clio awards for radio commercials, winning seven in that year alone.

Chuck's offices were lined with hundreds of awards for excellence as major companies waited in line for Chuck Blore Creative Services to breathe life into their pitch to the public.

I've brushed against a slew of creative people in my career, none any more so than Chuck Blore. The days I spent quietly watching he and Don work in the office and studio are the most exciting days I ever experienced during my career of almost 50 years. Today's radio could learn so much from Chuck Blore.

Chuck Blore's recommendation opened many doors for me during my career.

The best of the best, much of my motivation came from Chuck Blore, Cecil Heftel, Ken Palmer and John Gibbs. To each I owe gratitude and to all those program directors and on-air talent that contributed to my success�.I continue to give my love and appreciation.

jr

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KFI's recent ratings on top in LA

By Richard Wagoner
Friday, August 4, 2006 

KFI's (640 AM) rise to the top of the ratings in the newly released spring Arbitrons was cause for celebration among the station's personalities, staff and management.

Though KFI has flirted with the top for some time, it had never quite made it. And when the station finally did climb to No. 1, with a 4.8 rating, it not only was a major achievement for itself, but for all AM stations. KFI's top ranking marked the first time in almost two decades that an AM station reached No. 1 in the Los Angeles market.

Each rating point is an estimate of the percentage of listeners age 12 and older tuned to a station between 6 a.m. and midnight.

How did KFI get where it is? To answer that means taking a trip through the rich history of the station.

(Southern California's "Daily Breeze" has the rest of the story here)

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Russ Regan

Our friendship with Russ Regan has lasted through more than four decades as we continue to talk on a regular basis. Always a gentleman, Russ has an �ear� for hits having played a major role in the careers of Elton John, Neil Diamond, Barry White, Olivia Newton-John, the Beach Boys and dozens of other giant music stars.

He supervised the soundtracks for "Flashdance," "Chariots of Fire," "The Karate Kid" and "Spinal Tap."

Several months ago he quietly shared the excitement of his latest project. It�s now on the lips of many in the music business. Look for Russ in the winners circle again with a giant blockbuster.  

Cream always rises to the top.

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CBS�s decision to sell upwards of 40 radio stations and terminating scores of employee�s including top line managers is now followed by syndication arm Westwood One showing dozens the door.  

It�s anyone�s guess how long radio will be a part of parent company Viacom�s portfolio.   

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Radio has long fed from the trough of advertising agencies, who exercised enormous control over programming.  Finally the hand writing is on the wall as web giant Google is testing the waters with an automated system that circumvents the role of ad agencies, by simplifying the purchasing of advertising and providing tracking information of commercials.

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Bob Pittman

Starting out as a Mississippi DJ he became head of MTV, Quantum Media, Time- Warner, Six Flags Entertainment, Century 21 Real Estate, America Online� 

Now Bob Pittman is excited about a new service that will introduce your favorite music to others and allow your friends to share new music with you. 

He�s betting you�ll like� ILike.

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Clear Channel now has 300 of its radio stations programming in HD digital quality. The Texas giant will have almost all of their top 100 markets programming HD within a year. Hear them here.

Up to the minute traffic information will soon be heard on most of Clear Channel�s major market HD channels.   

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Bruce Hinton

It took him almost 25 years to finally see I was right when I advised him against moving from Los Angeles to Nashville.

Imagine, giving up a national promotional job with Warner Bros. in the show business capitol of the world to take a job with a country music label in Tennessee. 

Oh sure, he would go on to make Vince Gill, George Strait, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood and others into super stars. 

But now the former chairman of MCA, Nashville has made a surprising move to make his home in Utah.

 See Bruce, I told you it wouldn�t last.

Happy retirement pal

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Harpo�s Gehron adds Cantillo

Laurie Cantillo 

A strong programmer and architect of KFYI-Phoenix�s perch at the top of the ratings in one of the world�s  most competitive radio markets, Laurie Cantillo has been named program director by Harpo radio chieftain John Gehron.

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Opie & Anthony

With New York shock jocks Opie & Anthony showing immediate rating increases for CBS following their return to terrestrial radio, Citadel has taken the plunge by considering the syndicated show for a dozen of their stations nationally.  

Among the Citadel facilities taking a chance on triggering FCC headaches are stations in Buffalo, Portland, Providence & Tucson.  

Meanwhile O & P are spreading their mischief to CBS stations in Chicago, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

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George Norry

With a number of hot spots in the news, some who  deserve immediate coverage as conditions warrant, George Noory announces a �floating format.� His top rated Coast to Coast will move on a moments notice to cover late breaking news, the fuel of talk radio. Immediacy is an advantage radio often forgets it has  over other media. �Playing the hits,� can only add to it. 

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Australia moves to allow foreign ownership of its local media, one can only wonder how long it will be before the same thing happens in the US. Given the move to erase our borders and merge the US with Canada and Mexico, it won�t take long.

The changes Down Under will also abolish cross-media restrictions and allow companies to own three forms of media - newspapers, radio and television in each major city of Australia.

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Mike McConnell

WLW�s Mike McConnell challenges Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham and Dr. Laura Schlessinger as he moves to full time syndication.

Starting in radio as a rock jock, the fast paced Buckeye plans on being the #1 syndicated morning show nationally within two years.  

�My goal is to win� say�s Mike, who explains �I�m a little right of center, and a little bit Libertarian�.  His �The Weekend� is heard on 120 Clear Channel stations.

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�Thinking Outside the Box�

One would assume the #1 news story in America is once again the JonBenet Ramsey murder of a   decade ago.

Turn on any news program, local or national, radio or television and there it is over and over, the lead off of every newscast for more than a week. While talk radio gave the murder suspect some attention early on, most realized the public was �burned out� and moved on to more important issues in a fast moving world.  

Sure it may warrant a headline or two on day one, but  until an arrest is made, this could just be another case of someone with the desire to be in the spotlight.  

The �monkey see � monkey do� mentality of today�s news directors could learn much from those of past generations who would seek out news no one else had and take delight in scooping their competitors.  Even music radio of those days searched for records that made the difference between them and  everyone else.  

But not today when even the commercial breaks are all scheduled at the exact same time.  

It�s a �sea of sameness� that invites someone to break the mold and do something different.

  Thinking outside the box is a lost art, but it could be found again.  

jr          

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Rollye James

On XM channel 165, AM/FM and streaming on the Internet, it will be three great hours for radio & record buffs on Friday, July 28 as Rollye James interviews legendary disc jockey�s Art Laboe and Jerry Blavat and ends with Joe Smith, who played both sides of the game, first as a Boston DJ and then becoming a major force in the recording industry.

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Talk Radio Exposes �Scamnesty�

agenda of the CFR

While television anchor�s continued for the most part feeding viewers a diet of soft news, it is talk radio that is giving voice to the political revolt sweeping our nation. 

With a huge majority of our citizens making certain their views were heard by the United States Senate, 63 members of that body betrayed them and rubber stamped S-2611 legislation long sought by a semi-secret Council of Foreign Relations that aims to end our nations sovereignty, erasing our borders by the year 2010. 

Most Americans never heard of the CFR, had no idea what President George H. W. Bush had in mind when he spoke of the �New World Order�, but his son the current occupant of the white house is racing to make his legacy fulfill the desire of his dad and the Council on Foreign Relations.  

With a membership of our nations political and media elite  pledged to keeping the plans of the CFR quiet, only recently  has the organizations agenda surfaced.   

Talk radio is at the forefront exposing the Council on Foreign Relations whose agenda will destroy the country so many have fought and died to preserve.   

 For the sake of the United States of America, let us hope the backlash underway is successful.  

Go here for a partial list of CFR foot soldiers.

Thanks to talk radio the public is learning that immigration is just the "wag" part of this dog.

jr

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Director Ronald F. McDonald

on the set of "Gods and Generals"

Dear President Bush,

Perhaps you know me from my work. I wrote and directed the movies "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals." Walking Civil War battlefields, soaking up the letters and diaries of that generation, re-creating the world of our ancestors -- all this has given me a deep appreciation for our
country. My dad was with the Army Air Corps in North Africa while your dad was in the Pacific. My French mother was liberated in Tunisia and became a lawful immigrant to the United States. For an American, my story is unique and typical at the same time.

    You probably don't need to be reminded of the hostility and animus directed your way by most of the Hollywood community. Then again, I'm sure you don't take it personally. After all, they held Ronald Reagan in equal contempt. As one of the very few directors of major motion pictures who sees you in a different light, I implore you to listen seriously to what I have to say.

Ronald F. Maxwell, a writer and director, is currently working on a satirical motion picture about immigration into America. "Who's your Daddy?"

 

Go here to read his excellent letter to President Bush

 

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"Snowed"

As the new White House Press Secretary, Tony Snow attempted to do the job of explaining why his boss, President Bush just now was beginning to realize our borders are not secure. 

 This of course was after the President assured the nation they were secure one week earlier.

Tony, a former talk radio host found being a guest trying to explain the administration wasn't for an amnesty  much harder than he expected.  

Hear Bush speak of border security here

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Talk Radio

not the issue,

Just the messenger

The Governor of Florida called it �hurtful� and his brother the president advises Americans to be more �civil� in debating his immigration agenda. 

Both speak and understand the language from south of the border and while they are transfixed on admonishing English speaking talk radio, one could only hope their remarks are also aimed at Hispanic radio and mainstream Latino leaders. 

To this date, I doubt any talk show hosts speaking the queens English, could equal the diatribe used to inflame illegal Hispanic�s in recent weeks.  

Richard Alatoore, of the Los Angeles City Council � �They�re afraid we�re going to take over the government institutions and other institutions. They�re right, we will take them over, we are here to stay� 

University of Texas Professor Jose Angel Gutierrez � �We have an aging white America. They are not making babies. They are dying. The explosion is in our population�I love it.  They are Shi- -ing in their pants with fear.� 

Excelsior, the national newspaper of Mexico � �The American southwest seems to be slowly returning to the jurisdiction of Mexico without firing a single shot.�  

Jose Pescador Osuna, Mexican Consul General � �We are practicing �La Reconquista� in California.� 

Loyola Marymont University Professor Fernando Guerra � �We need to avoid a white backlash by using codes understood by Latinos.�  

The president of Mexico and his partner in deception, President Bush refer to our Minutemen and others who are concerned about the invasion of our country as �vigilantes�. 

Complaining about our immigration laws, perhaps the government of Mexico would rather we adopt parts of their constitution that forbids any foreigner to participate in the political affairs of that country.  Among other things, it prohibits demonstrations expressing opinions in public, like those who threaten to shut down our cities on May 1st.  

Of course, equal employment rights are denied to immigrants south of the border. �Mexicans shall have priority over foreigners� who are also forbidden to ever hold elective positions.  

In Mexico, immigrants are denied the right to own property. Citizens of that country are encouraged to arrest any lawbreaker and turn them over to the police.  Granting citizens the right to arrest illegal aliens and hand them over to authorities.  

Awakened by talk radio, citizens are reacting. In response to the thousands of illegal aliens who have been waving the flag of Mexico, demanding a change in our nation�s laws, a group of legal Hispanic�s named the �You don�t Speak for Me� coalition is urging the media to fairly portray their views to dispel the impression given by those who don�t respect our laws and our border. Pete Nunez, a former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury and a spokesman for the group says, �In fact, millions of Hispanic-Americans including many who have gone through the immigration process the right way are offended by the demands being made by people who have broken our nation�s laws. We are even more offended that the views of Hispanic citizens are not being accurately portrayed.�    

Talk Radio spearheaded the debate on the need to secure our borders and have challenged our government to do more than just sweep the problem under the rug with another �scamnisty�.  Seeking to quite them, our President and those who would rubber stamp his agenda to erase our border, sharply criticize and suggest those who disagree are bigots and racists. Nothing could be further from the truth.  

I applaud talk radio and its hosts whose patriotism is beyond question.  By encouraging debate on this most important issue that will have an impact on our nation for years to come...

You are not the issue - you are the messenger.  

Few could say it any better than Rush Limbaugh

Click here for Rush Limbaugh's "message"

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Who�d a Thought ? 

They could have passed for disc jockeys of the era, but instead they started a company aimed at providing a service to the fledgling computer industry. This AP photo taken in Albuquerque before a move to Washington state twenty five years ago, shows the eleven who pooled their talents to start the Microsoft Corporation. 

Shown top row, from left, are: Steve Wood, Bob Wallace and Jim Lane; second row: Bob O'Rear, Bob Greenberg, March McDonald and Gordon Letwin; and front row, Bill Gates, Andrea Lewis, Marla Wood and Paul Allen. 

The head man sez he will begin to concentrate more on the charitable work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and leave CEO Steve Ballmer in charge at Microsoft.

Meanwhile the world's second richest man, Warren Buffet has announced he is about to start giving an estimated $30 billion of his fortune to the Gates foundation. That will match a like amount Bill already has in world's largest philanthropic organization.

Both Bill and Warren are self made billionaires who gathered their riches during the time I spent in radio.

Talk about feeling insignificant !

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Lars Scoops All Talkers

Lars Larson

Syndicated talk show host Lars Larson scooped all talkers by giving the Mayor of Hazelton, Pennsylvania a national stage to explain how his city approved a measure that would revoke the business licenses of companies that employ illegal aliens, slap any landlord who rents to illegal aliens with a $1,000 fine and make English official language of his city. 

Hispanics represented about 5 percent of the city's population of 23,000. The population has since shot up to 31,000, with Hispanics now representing 30 percent, lured to Hazleton by cheap housing, a lower cost of living and jobs in nearby plants, factories and farms.

Hazelton officials are receiving an overwhelming vote of confidence by residents of the community who blame Hispanic arrivals for the increase in drugs, gangs and crime. 

Mayor Lou Barletta

�Illegal immigrants are destroying the city� said Mayor Lou Barletta, �I don�t want them here, period.�

Meet the Mayor here

Read it here

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Clear Channel�s head honcho Mark Mays is crying the blues over competitors who are selling advertising that his stations could be getting but for the �less is more� commercial cutting campaign. Remember those days when radio used �fewer commercials� to gain listeners and hoped a competitor wouldn�t do the same ?

Meanwhile, overall radio has cut back on the amount of commercial time each hour. Clear Channel has thrown a trial  balloon up for selling what they call "blinks," mini reminders of a product that will be less than 5 seconds in length.  Frankly, its an idea that has some merit given the fact that the attention span of most radio users these days is shorter than ever.

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It made sense when Clear Channel decided to replace CNN news with the new Fox news coverage for its radio stations. CNN news left much to be desired. However, Fox radio news has fallen into the same habit of repeating the same stories over and over with little effort made to rewrite them, not to mention some glaring production gasps. 

ABC radio news continues to be a first class operation, so I�m pleased to see Clear Channel�s Cincinnati powerhouse WLW dropping Fox after a short affair and returning to the alphabet network. Fox will be moving over to "practice" on Clear Channel�s WKRC.

With its programming now being heard via the internet, WLW is once again referring to itself as the The Nation's Station. Some may remember those days when that Buckeye signal with 500,000 watts blanketed the nation from coast to coast, border to border. 

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Clear Channel has canned Tampa radio/TV reporter Dennis Roper and radio personality Amy Newman for allowing the F-bomb to explode on WMTX. Seems Roper was frustrated with the equipment when he uttered the profanity on a taped weather report. Poor Amy was merely the person on the air when the pre-programmed tape hit the air.

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Erich "Mancow" Muller 

Chicago�s �Wild Child�, MANCOW MULLER  says in departing his long time Chicago Q-101 flagship, �I need to expand my audience without interference, I need a new partner.� 

 TRANSLATION: They want a more music intensive show with less chance of additional FCC fines. 

Mancow�s Morning Madness is syndicated by TRN.

While Mancow hogged the Chicago news scene, almost lost was how WJMK HD-2 "laid off" two long time Chicago radio legends, Dick Biondi and Fred Winston.

Dick and Fred were casualties of CBS's radio's cost cutting measures along with dozens of others nationally including top management at stations in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Dallas and                    San Francisco.  

Although most of those shown the door were not from programming, CBS radio programming head Rob Barnett was removed from his constantly revolving slot.  No announcement was made about his replacement.

   Cutting this many employees and putting up to 40 radio stations on the block  should verify CBS's commitment  to radio.     

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Joe did Rollye

Joe Smith

As a disc jockey at the start of Rock n� Roll he would become an  industry icon that played a major role in the recording careers of  Peter, Paul & Mary, Bill Cosby, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, The Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, The Allman Brothers, Jethro Tull, The Doobie Brothers, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Seals & Crofts, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jimi Hendrix, Trini Lopez, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Queen, The Cars, Carly Simon, Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, Motley Crue, Hank Williams Jr, Garth Brooks, Tina Turner, Bob Seger, MC Hammer and David Bowie among others.

An officer or director of the City of Hope, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, TJ Martell Foundation, Variety Club, and the Neil Bogart Memorial Lab, he is a Trustee at the California Institute of the Arts (CALARTS), Yale School of Music, the Basketball Hall of Fame, Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, Magic Johnson Foundation, Rhythm & Blues Foundation, and the Museum of Science and Industry. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Westwood One.

Joe Smith was guest on the nationally syndicated

 Rollye James show

On Thursday night, June 29.

If you missed it Rollye say's it will be repeated in the near future. A great interview with a man who doesn't do many of them.

jr