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January 10 Radio History
➦In 1942..."The Better Half,", an early battle of the sexes type quiz show, debuted on the Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS). The show aired until 1950.
➦In 1949...Vinyl records were introduced by RCA (45 rpm). RCA's entry was a new 7-inch, 45 rpm phonograph record. Soon, the 45, the record with the big hole in the middle, would change the pop music business. RCA even manufactured a record player that played only 45s — with a fat spindle that made "stacking wax" real simple.
➦In 1956...Elvis Presley recorded his first tunes as an RCA Victor artist in a marathon 8-hour session. Recording in Nashville, Elvis sang "Heartbreak Hotel", "I Was the One", "I'm Counting On You", "I Got a Woman" and "Money Honey". Elvis was backed by a drummer, D.J. Fontana, for the first time, in addition to guitarists Scotty Moore and Chet Atkins, bassist Bill Black and piano player Floyd Cramer.
➦In 1960...Marty Robbins' hit tune, "El Paso", set the mark for the longest #1 song to that time. The song ran 5 minutes and 19 seconds, giving many radio Program Directors fits; because the average record length at that time was around 2 minutes, and formats and commercial loads didn't allow for records much longer than that.
➦In 1964...The first North American Beatles album, "Introducing The Beatles," was released by Chicago-based Vee-Jay Records.
➦In 1965...Howard Cosell aired his first "Speaking of Everything" publica affairs-type show on 77WABC NYC.
➦In 1969... a frustrated George Harrison quit the Beatles, saying sarcastically as he walked out 'see you around the clubs.' With Eric Clapton being considered as his replacement, George came back a week later. George later stated that while he had a growing backlog of new material, he constantly had to work on Lennon and McCartney's songs before the group would work on his.
➦In 1987...NRSC-1 went into effect establishing AM radio emphasis/de-emphasis curves. Read more here.
➦In 2016…Music artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member David Bowie died of liver cancer at age 69.
Singer Ronnie Hawkins of Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks is 86.
Actor William Sanderson ("Deadwood," ″Newhart") is 77.
Singer Rod Stewart is 76.
Singer-keyboardist Donald Fagen of Steely Dan is 73.
Singer Pat Benatar is 68.
Guitarist Michael Schenker (Scorpions) is 66.
Singer Shawn Colvin is 65.
Singer-guitarist Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets is 62.
Actor Evan Handler ("Sex and the City") is 60.
Singer Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies is 57.
Actor Trini Alvarado is 54.
Singer Brent Smith of Shinedown is 43.
Rapper Chris Smith of Kris Kross is 42.
Twitter Cancels Trump, Limbaugh Quits Tweeting
Reuters graphic
President Donald Trump said he will look at building his own platform after Twitter suspended him on Friday, citing a risk of further incitement of violence following the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday by hundreds of his supporters.
He had 88.6 million followers, reports Reuters.
Trump sent the latest tweets on his @POTUS account after Twitter banned his personal account.
Twitter shut down his @TeamTrump campaign account shortly after it sent out a tweet with a "statement from President Trump" accusing Twitter of "banning free speech" and coordinating with "the Democrats and the Radical Left" to silence him.
The account shortly before that had pointed its 2.3 million followers to its account on Parler, which is popular with conservatives for its hands-off approach to content moderation.
Alphabet Inc's Google suspended Parler on Friday, citing posts inciting violence, while Apple Inc gave the service 24 hours to submit a detailed moderation plan.
Meanwhile, radio host Rush Limbaugh's Twitter account has been deactivated.
Twitter confirmed to USAToday that the account wasn't suspended but "deactivated by the owner."
Limbaugh has been on the airwaves for more than three decades and has been an adamant supporter of President Donald Trump and his Twitter account, @RealRLimbaugh, had a similar to the style of Trump's @realDonaldTrump.
Trump tweeted "We will not be SILENCED!" from the @POTUS government account, with 33.4 million followers. Twitter had permanently suspended the president's go-to megaphone, his @realDonaldTrump personal account, hours earlier.
The company said accounts used by Trump to try to get around the ban could face permanent suspension as well under its "ban evasion" policies.
"Twitter is not about FREE SPEECH," Trump wrote in the now-deleted tweets, adding that he is considering building his own social media platform in the near future.
@realDonaldTrump, the Twitter feed that grew from the random musings of a reality TV star into the cudgel of an American president was not quite 12 years old, according to The Associated Press.
The provocative handle was given birth by a New York real estate tycoon who used it to help him become the 45th U.S. president. It began with a May 4, 2009, tweet promoting Donald Trump's upcoming appearance on David Letterman's show. It died more than 57,000 tweets later.
Tucker Carlson: CNN Is Trying To Force Fox News Off The Air
CNN's Brianna Keilar went on a tear trashing Fox News' Tucker Carlson on Friday, calling him a "propagandist" and a "liar" after he mocked her coverage of the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol Building, according to Mediaite.
Carlson mocked Keilar for calling it an insurrection and said it wasn't one — though during his dunk on CNN he actually conceded that "the president recklessly encouraged it."
Keilar fired back and said what happened absolutely qualifies as an insurrection and mockingly said, "Since this guy pretends not to understand words… let's use pictures." She showed some of the most disturbing images of the violent mobs who tried to intimidate members of Congress, even a photo of one man with zip ties.
Carlson responded by laughing at her and accusing CNN of trying to "force Fox News Channel off the air."
CNN Dwarf King's Morning Call: "Stop Fox News!" pic.twitter.com/PD0rG5mbXy
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) January 9, 2021
Carlson railed against CNN and said they're "calling for censorship" to ban a competitor, before doing an extended bit mocking Brian Stelter and Jeff Zucker as Dr. Evil and Mini-Me.
He went on to go after Keilar, mocking Keilar over her background and saying, "Not everyone takes her seriously."
He laughed as he played parts of Keilar's segment and mocked her for saying the violent storming of the Capitol building to intimidate lawmakers and the vice president of the United States while they were tallying up the election results was an insurrection.
D-C Radio: WJFK Moves Grant & Danny to PM Drive
Entercom has revealed a revamped weekday programming lineup for WJFK 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C.
As part of the new update, the top-rated midday team of Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier will move to afternoon drive and will now be heard from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., effective January 11. Subsequently, the station announces on-air personality Pete Medhurst will serve as interim midday show host.
"Grant and Danny mix the smartest and most credible sports opinion and information in Washington with their own unique personalities and humor," said Ivy Savoy-Smith, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Washington D.C. "They've built an incredible community of listeners and we're thrilled that they'll be entertaining DC sports fans on their drives home for years to come."
"This is a huge opportunity and a thrill," said Paulsen. "Like almost everybody else my age, I grew up listening to 106.7 FM and I don't take lightly what it means to host the drive-time show on such an important radio station. I'm honored to have this opportunity with Danny and can't thank our listeners enough for making this possible."
"Growing up in the Washington D.C. area, I loved 2 things: D.C. sports teams and WJFK," said Rouhier. "It is surreal to me that a local kid gets to live out his dream and talk sports in my hometown. We owe everything to our amazing listeners who have supported us over the years and it's because of them that we have this chance."
Paulsen and Rouhier have hosted "Grant and Danny" on 106.7 The Fan since January 2014, quickly establishing their show as the number one rated midday sports show in Washington, and a go-to destination for interviews with high-profile athletes and leaders in Washington D.C. sports.
Paulsen joined 106.7 The Fan in 2009 and was named as the station's Washington Redskins beat reporter a year later. In 2014, he joined the station's midday show alongside Rouhier. He currently hosts pre and postgame coverage for Washington Capitals games on NBC Sports Washington and writes a regular column for The Athletic. He was named the 2017 D.C. Sportscaster of the Year at the National Sports Media Association's annual awards. Rouhier joined 106.7 The Fan in 2009 as an on-air contributor before expanding his role to a full-time host in 2010. He has served as a co-host for the station's midday show since 2011.
Fresno Radio: KMJ Gets Heat Over Host's "Hanging" Comment
KMJ radio talk show host Ray Appleton said Thursday on air that "certain news editors should be hanged." Appleton admitted himself to having said that on a Facebook post in which he apologized "to those of you who were upset by that."
Ray Appleton
It comes one day after a mob of violent supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol.
FOX 40 TV reports Fresno Bee Editor Joseph Kieta said he found out about what Appleton had said from their editorial page editor who was listening to Appleton and heard him say that. Kieta said he wanted to get a recording of what exactly was said on air by Appleton, but he added that the station won't release it.
"After everything that happened yesterday, words matter," Kieta said. "I read Ray's apology. Obviously he says it was tongue and cheek and it's something that wasn't serious on his part, but I do think the rhetoric matters and in this case probably 99% of people who listen to him didn't take him seriously but what about that 1% who did and that's the part where it gets really scary."
"Our job is to tell you what is happening, to be your eyes and ears, and to relay truthful information to you. And when you see stuff like 'murder journalists' on the Capitol doors and you hear rhetoric like we heard today, it just makes our jobs much more difficult to do," Kieta said.
The Fresno Bee reports City Councilmember Miguel Arias said Friday he will pursue pulling any marketing dollars the city spends with the parent company of KMJ talk radio following controversial comments from the previous day.
KMJ is owned by Atlanta-based Cumulus Media, which did not immediately respond Friday to multiple requests for comment.
The city of Fresno spends upwards of $6 million a year on advertising and marketing in radio, TV and newspapers for special events, cleanup efforts and other topics, according to Arias. It wasn't immediately clear how much is specifically spent on Cumulus airwaves.
Twin Cities Radio: Longtime WCCO Host Dave Lee Sets Retirement
Dave Lee
For three decades, Minnesotans have been waking up to Dave Lee on WCCO Radio.
Friday, they awoke to learn their morning relationship will soon be ending, reports KARE TV11.
"I'm retiring," Lee told his audience, his normally smooth voice cracking. "May 1st the alarm clock will not be set. April 30th is my last day."
At age 66, after 32 years at the good neighbor, Radio Dave says it's time.
Shannon Knoepke, Entercom's VP/MM For the Twin Cities, issued a memo to staff starting, "It's hard to imagine radio with him".
A 2019 vacation to Italy with wife Julie lit a spark in the early-rising Lee. "I was sleeping late every day and I said, 'You know what? This isn't too bad.'"
The Hatton, North Dakota native started his career at radio stations in East Grand Forks and Fargo.
Lee's father did not initially approve of his son's career choice. Lee didn't blame him. "The hours are terrible, the money's terrible, but it was so much fun."
After initially turning down WCCO, Lee agreed to make the move from Fargo in 1989. In Lee's early years, he served a utility role at the station, reading station IDs and filling in for other hosts.
Lee found a home on the legendary Boone & Erickson morning show, then was handed the keys to morning drive when Charlie Boone and Roger Erickson retired.
The affable host excelled at interviewing, becoming fast friends with sports stars, entertainers and politicians.
Along the way, Lee joining the broadcast teams for the Minnesota Twins, Gophers football and basketball, and St. Thomas football.
While too soon to have specific retirement plans, Lee is looking forward to spending more time with his three kids and five grandchildren.
Julie Lee informed her husband on the radio Friday she'll also have a list of household projects ready when he signs off for the last time.
Milwaukee Radio: 'The Big Unit' Walks Away From The Fan
Bill Michaels
After more than two decades on Milwaukee airwaves, longtime local sports radio personality Bill "The Big Unit" Michaels is out at WSSP 1250 AM / 105.7 FM The Fan in what the host calls "a brief break from the airwaves," reports on milwaukee.com.
The announcement was made on the station in a written statement from Michaels read on air by Joe Zenzola, executive producer at The Fan, at the end of Friday's "The Bill Michaels Show," hosted during the weekday midday slot from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
"There comes a time in your time when some stresses begin to drag you down," Michaels said in the statement. "In doing so, your effort and attention is pulled in numerous directions, leaving you with the inability to focus on your sole task. At this time, I'm going to take a brief break from the airwaves.
"I have nothing but respect and admiration for Entercom as a company, and I thank them for helping me build a dream. I can't thank my co-workers and friends enough for their support, energy, effort and professionalism. You are all the best.
"I love radio and its ability to touch so many people informatively as well as passionately. That drives me every day and will continue to run deep in my soul. I believe that if you trim back the dead branches, ultimately, the tree grows stronger. I hope to do just that."
Jeopardy Bids Farewell To Alex Trebek With Touching Video
Alex Trebek Hosted Jeopardy 1984-2020
More than two months after Alex Trebek's death, fans of "Jeopardy!" finally got the chance to say goodbye.
A video tribute to the host closed Friday's episode of the quiz show, the final one that Trebek taped before pancreatic cancer claimed his life on Nov. 8, reports The Associated Press.
The 90-second montage, set to Hugh Jackman singing the Peter Allen song "Once Before I Go," is a lighthearted and laughter-filled remembrance showing Trebek's changing look through his 36 years as host, with moustache and without, with black hair and with grey, with suits from several decades.
It celebrated the wackier moments of the usually strait-laced Trebek, showing him verbally sparring with contestants and arm-wrestling with one.
Consumers Want Warm And Cuddly Ads
Bud Puppy Commercial
People respond most to ads with emotional resonance, and the same is probably true of marketing emails, reports Mediapost citing a new survey by a Vancouver-based marketing performance management company.
Shoppers particularly like to see ads that reflect:
Inspiration — 42%
Joy — 40%
Love — 38%
Hope — 34%
But some won't buy if an ad incites:
Sadness — 7%
Fear — 8%
Anger — 8%
Annoyance — 6%
In line with the above, shoppers cited these ads as having the biggest emotional impact on them:
Budweiser's holiday puppy commercials — 28%
Google's "Loretta" commercial (where a man asks Google Assistant to remember details about his late wife) — 25%
Nike's social justice commercial for the Black Lives Matter movement — 24%
Of the consumers polled, 73% want brands to incorporate more diversity into their campaigns this year.
Of those polled, 50% say social media ads spark gift ideas, and 44% that social ads remind them of products they want or need. But TV commercials have the greatest impact with consumers—54% say so. In contrast, 36% say the same about social media ads and 15% about radio.
Nicki Minaj To Pay Tracy Chapman $450K In Copyright Settlement
Nicki Minaj, Tracy Chapman
Nicki Minaj and Tracy Chapman have reached a settlement in the copyright dispute that accused Minaj of sampling Chapman's 1988 song "Baby Can I Hold You" in the rapper's leaked track "Sorry."
USAToday reports Chapman and her team accepted a $450,000 offer Thursday, which Minaj and her team finalized on Dec. 17, according to public court documents filed in a California federal court. This sum includes of all costs and attorney fees related to the case, and the dispute will not proceed to a trial.
Despite Judge Virginia Phillips' ruling last September that Minaj did not commit copyright infringement when writing and recording "Sorry," the settlement reflects a victory for Chapman in the suit.
Chapman first filed a copyright infringement lawsuit on Oct. 22, 2018, claiming that Minaj's leaked track "Sorry" incorporated lyrics and vocal melody from "Baby Can I Hold You."
"Sorry" was not included on Minaj's 2018 album "Queen" but Chapman alleged that the rapper gave it to a popular New York DJ DJ Flexx who played parts of the song on WQHT's The Breakfast Club and posted it to his social media accounts.
Phillips concluded in her summary judgment that Minaj had fair use to enable musical experimentation, stating that "a ruling uprooting these common practices would limit creativity and stifle innovation within the music industry."
Urban One To Raise $825M To Refinance Existing Debt
Urban One Inc., the Silver Spring, MD-based media company with national radio and television holdings as well as a digital footprint, is looking to raise $825 million in a private debt offering, according to the Washington Business Journal.
The notes would be due in 2028 and the proceeds from the sale would be used to repay existing notes due in 2022 as well as other shorter term credit facilities, according to a press release. As the notes will be offered privately, they will be unregistered and not subject to the Securities Act of 1933. There was no closing date listed for the offering.
Urban One also reported preliminary fourth quarter and full year 2020 financial results along with the notice of the debt offering. The Black-owned media company's fourth quarter significantly outperformed its fourth quarter of 2019, but the numbers were not so positive for the full year. The results come after Urban One launched a debit card in the fourth quarter as a new revenue stream.
Urban One expects fourth quarter net revenue of between $110 million and $114 million, which would be a 3.9% to 7.7% increase over the $105.9 million it reported in the fourth quarter of 2019. However, full year net revenue is expected to come in between $373 million and $377 million — a decline of 13.7% to 14.6%. The company had between $70 million and $73 million of cash on hand as of Dec. 31 and borrowing capacity of $37.5 million.
Lastly, the company also named a new director as it entered 2021. B. Doyle Mitchell, president and CEO of D.C.'s Industrial Bank, was named to the board. Mitchell previously served on Urban One's board from 2008 to 2011, and currently serves on the board of the National Bankers Association.
FCC To Drop Section 230 Issue
The FCC won't move forward with an attempt to regulate how online media companies treat speech by users, outgoing chairman Ajit Pai said this week.
Mediapost reports the comment came during an interview for C-SPAN's "The Communicators' series." Pai said there wasn't enough time to complete the necessary administrative procedures before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. Pai previously said he will leave the agency on January 20, the same day as Biden's inauguration.
In October, Pai said the FCC would consider issuing regulations to "clarify" Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act -- the 25-year-old law that protects internet companies from liability for decisions about how to treat content created by users.
Pai took that step after the President Trump issued an executive order directing the Commerce Department to petition the FCC for rules to limit tech companies' immunity when they restrict or remove users' posts without a "reasoned explanation."
Section 230 immunizes companies from lawsuits for removing or placing warning labels on users' speech -- including comments that violate the companies' editorial policies. (Even without Section 230, companies have a First Amendment right to decide what type of speech to ban from its platform. But litigating a First Amendment issue can be more complicated and expensive for companies than obtaining immunity under Section 230.)
Trump's executive order regarding Section 230, issued in May, came shortly after Twitter alerted users that his posts contained dubious statements about voter fraud.
Voice of America Employees Protest Pompeo Speech
Staffers at Voice of America, the government-funded international news organization, have filed a whistleblower complaint raising concerns about an upcoming address by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying it would be risky for them to gather at the agency's headquarters amid the coronavirus pandemic and that orders to broadcast his speech amount to promoting "propaganda," reports The Washington Post.
In a letter to Michael Pack, the Trump appointee who heads VOA's parent agency, the employees wrote that the planned speech "endangers public health and safety, violates law, rule and regulation and grossly wastes government resources."
The complaint is the latest skirmish in an ongoing battle among current and former employees of VOA and Pack, a conservative former documentary filmmaker who runs the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA and four other international news networks.
Since his appointment in June, Pack has fired longtime managers and installed a cadre of loyalists while asserting the right to dictate news coverage, despite legal requirements prohibiting it.
The agencies, which include Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, were set up by the federal government decades ago to provide independent news reporting and commentary to countries in which authoritarian governments suppress free speech and the news media.
Pompeo is scheduled to address VOA employees at its headquarters in Washington on Monday afternoon. According to a staff announcement sent Friday, Pompeo will address "the continuing importance of our work given emerging threats to the values and interests of the United States." VOA Director Robert Reilly will conduct a question-and-answer session with Pompeo afterward.
January 9 Radio History
Courtesy of American Radio History
➦FLASHBACK..to January 9, 1926 edition of Radio Digest. Click Here
➦In 1922...KQV-AM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania began broadcasting. Jeff Roteman's Tribute website.
KQV was one of Pittsburgh's five original AM stations, signing on as amateur station "8ZAE" on November 19, 1919, predating KDKA which was granted the distinction of being, as KDKA claimed, the world's first commercially licensed station, on November 2, 1920. KQV did not receive a commercial license until January 9, 1922, despite having started transmitting three years earlier. KQV's call letters reportedly stand for "King of the Quaker Valley".
Only five radio stations east of the Mississippi River have call letters which start with K: along with KQV and KDKA, the others are KYW in Philadelphia (though the KYW callsign has in the past been used in Chicago and Cleveland), KTGG in Spring Arbor, MI, and KFIZ in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. KQV and KTGG are the only two of these such stations that have never had an associated TV station.
KQV was extremely successful as a top 40 station during the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, owned by ABC for nearly all of that period with Count John K. Chapel as the radio personality. Known variously as "Colorful KQV," "Audio 14," "Groovy QV," and "The Big 14" over the years, KQV premiered its top 40 format on January 13, 1958, and is remembered for its high-profile, high-energy personalities, such as Chuck Brinkman, Hal Murray, Dave Scott, Steve Rizen, Dex Allen, Jim Quinn, future game show announcer Rod Roddy, and their large-scale promotion of a Beatles concert at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena in 1964, and its former showcase studios at the Chamber of Commerce Building in downtown Pittsburgh, where the disk jockeys could be watched through a large window.
Dominant with young listeners throughout the 1960s, the station was a major force in breaking new music and introducing Pittsburgh to new artists such as Sonny & Cher, the Rolling Stones, the Supremes, the Beach Boys, the Dave Clark Five and others. KQV slowly began to decline after 1970 with the advent of new competition from WJAS and the rise of FM radio (including its then-sister station WDVE, which began life as KQV-FM).
"Jeff Christie"
One of KQV's top-40 personalities in the 1970s, with the on-air name of "Jeff Christie," later became famous as a talk-show host under his real name, Rush Limbaugh
At the end of 1974, ABC Radio sold both KQV and WDVE to Cincinnati-based Taft Broadcasting. Taft made another attempt at Top 40 on KQV, this time with a far more radical presentation, with Joey Reynolds as program director, before dropping the format altogether. Its final night as a top 40 station was October 14, 1975, with Neil Diamond's "Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" played as the final song.
The next morning, October 15, 1975, KQV switched to its present all-news format, carrying NBC Radio's 24-hour News and Information Service. Even though NBC cancelled this service two years later, KQV continued as an all-news station with local elements.
In 1982 Taft executives told KQV's general manager, Robert W. Dickey (no relation to the Dickey family that founded the Cumulus Media conglomerate), that it intended to sell the station. Hoping to avoid a potential format change that often results from an ownership shift, Dickey decided to make a bid to buy the station. He received financial backing from newspaper publisher Richard Mellon Scaife and together they formed Calvary, Inc., purchasing the station from Taft that same year.
Dickey died on December 24, 2011, his estate remained a partner in the station's ownership, with Robert W. Dickey Jr. succeeding his father as general manager. Dickey Jr.'s sister and station co-owner, Cheryl Scott, died in November 2017 at age 65.
On May 14, 2013, it was announced that Richard Mellon Scaife was selling his shares in KQV to the Dickey family, giving the Dickeys full ownership. Scaife died a year later. Citing declining revenue, all-news KQV signed-off on December 31, 2017. New owners returned the station to the air on December 19, 2019, simulcasting 'beautiful music from sister-station WKGO in nearby McKeesport.
➦In 1929...KFCR San Barbara, CA became KDB radio. The station launched on the 720 kHz frequency as KFCR in April 1926; it moved to 1420 kHz the following year.
KFCR was purchased in 1929 by George Barnes, owner of KGB in San Diego. Barnes changed the call letters to KDB in tribute to his wife, Dorothy Barnes, and moved the station to 1500 kHz. In October of that year, KDB's license was canceled for failure to comply with regulations from the US Federal Radio Commission (forerunner to the Federal Communications Commission or FCC). At issue were broadcasts featuring The Crusaders, an organization that promoted the repeal of Prohibition. The station's management fought vigorously to get the license back, and KDB returned to the air by the end of the year.
Over the next couple of decades, KDB was bought and sold several times. In 1931, it became part of the Don Lee Network by virtue of being sold to Lee under the corporate name Santa Barbara Broadcasters. KDB relocated to the 1490 kHz frequency in 1941.
In 1969, then-owner Len Menard sold KDB-AM-FM to Pacific Broadcasting Company, owned by Richard E. Marsh, for $400,000. On September 1, 1990, KDB changed its call letters to KSPE. Two months later, in a reorganization effort, Pacific Broadcasting sold KSPE to Spectacular Broadcasting for $302,000. Around the same time, the station began airing a regional Mexican music format. The station's call-sign changed once again in 1997 to KBKO.
In October 1998, Spectacular sold KBKO and its sister station, then known as KSPE-FM, to Jacor Communications (later part of Clear Channel Communications, now iHeartMedia) for $4.6 million.On January 11, 2007, Clear Channel Communications sold all of its radio stations in Santa Barbara, including KBKO, to Rincon Broadcasting for $17.3 million.
On October 28, 2008, the KBKO callsign changed to KIST, which was previously used on 1340 AM (now KCLU).
On July 19, 2010, KIST changed its call letters to KSPE. This was accompanied by a format flip on September 15, 2010 to Spanish adult hits with the branding "La Preciosa". In July 2017, KSPE adjusted its format to Spanish adult contemporary and adopted the branding "La Musical".
On September 14, 2017, La Musical moved to KFYZ (94.5 FM); KSPE stunted with a looped announcement in Spanish notifying listeners to tune in at the new frequency. The next day, the stunt ended and KSPE introduced a rhythmic oldies format with new callsign KOSJ.
➦In 1935...Future sportscaster Dick Enberg born (Died -December 21, 2017). Over the course of an approximately 60-year career, he provided play-by-play of various sports for several radio and television networks, including NBC (1975–1999), CBS (2000–2014), and ESPN (2004–2011), as well as for individual teams, such as UCLA Bruins basketball, Los Angeles Rams football, and California Angels and San Diego Padres baseball.
Enberg was well known for his signature on-air catchphrases "Touch 'em all" (for home runs) and "Oh, my!" (for particularly exciting and outstanding athletic plays). He also announced or hosted the Tournament of Roses Parade for many years, sometimes with the help of family members. Enberg retired from broadcasting in 2016, after seven seasons as the Padres' primary television announcer.
He died of a suspected heart attack Dec. 21 2017 at age 82.
➦In 2001...Apple announced iTunes at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, for organizing and playing digital music and videos
➦In 2006...The Howard Stern Show made its debut broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio. The show began with Also Sprach Zarathustra with added flatulence sound effects. 180,000 Sirius radios were activated a day before. In May 2006, Stern claimed he had received offers from three major companies to return to terrestrial radio. Although he would never return, Stern did mention that it would be "cool to go back and kick their asses."
➦In 2007...WNEW 102.7 FM in NYC became WWFS.
The 102.7 FM frequency was first assigned in the mid-1940s as WNJR-FM from Newark, New Jersey. Initially intended to be a simulcasting sister to WNJR (1430 AM, now WNSW), the FM station never made it to the air despite being granted several extensions of its construction permit. WNJR finally gave up and turned in the FM license to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1953.
In 1955 the FCC awarded a new permit for 102.7 FM to a group called Fidelity Radio Corporation, based in West Paterson, New Jersey. The station was later granted the call sign WHFI, and a year later the community of license was moved back to Newark from West Paterson. Once again, the owners failed to put the station on the air.
In November 1957, the WHFI construction permit was purchased by the DuMont Broadcasting Corporation, which already owned WABD (later WNEW-TV) and earlier in the year bought WNEW radio. In January 1958, WHFI was renamed WNEW-FM and DuMont completed its build-out, moving the license to New York City. The station finally came on the air on August 25, 1958, partially simulcasting WNEW (AM) with a separate popular music format. DuMont Broadcasting, meanwhile, would change its corporate name twice within the next three years before settling on Metromedia in 1961.
WNEW-FM's early programming also included an automated middle-of-the-road format, followed quickly by a ten-month-long period (July 4, 1966, to September 1967) playing pop music—with an all-female air staff. The gimmick was unique and had not before been attempted anywhere in American radio. The lineup of disc jockeys during this stunt included Margaret Draper, Alison Steele (who stayed on to become the "Night Bird" on the AOR format), Rita Sands, Ann Clements, Arlene Kieta, Pam McKissick, and Nell Bassett. The music format, however, was a pale copy of WNEW-AM's adult standards format and only Steele, Sands, and Bassett had broadcast radio experience. The all-female disc jockey lineup endured for more than a year, changing in September 1967 to a mixed-gender staff.
On October 30, 1967, WNEW-FM adopted a progressive rock radio format, one that it became famous for and that influenced the rock listenership as well as the rock industry. The original disc jockeys were Bill "Rosko" Mercer, who started on October 30, 1967; Jonathan Schwartz, who made his debut on November 16, 1967; and "the Professor" Scott Muni, who first appeared on November 18, 1967. Alison Steele would stay on from the female staff and eventually take over the overnight shift on January 1, 1968.
Today, the station airs a Hot A/C Format.
➦In 2008... Johnny Grant died at age 84 (Born - May 9, 1923). He was a radio personality and television producer who also served as the honorary mayor of Hollywood, in which capacity he was often present at Hollywood community functions, including the unveiling of new stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. An intersection just north of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue is designated "Johnny Grant Way".
He made his show business debut on the radio in 1939 as a local newscaster. Grant joined the Army Air Corps during World War II, hosting a daily radio show in New York City for servicemen and women.[citation needed] During this time, he interviewed many entertainment stars who were in the city.[citation needed] After his discharge, he stayed in New York, working as a reporter for station WINS.
Having moved to California, Grant appeared as a disc jockey on Los Angeles area radio stations KGIL (1949–50) and KMPC (1951–59). Along with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, Grant co-hosted the first national telethon ever produced, a fundraiser to help send America's athletes to the Helsinki Olympics in 1952. In the 1950s, he appeared in several films, often portraying uncredited fictional hosts. He played "Ed Harrison," an Ed Sullivan-type TV-show host, in the 1954 film White Christmas, and the Master of Ceremonies in the 1956 film The Girl Can't Help It.
➦In 2013... Raymond Franklin Page, known as Frank Page died at age 87 (Born - July 16, 1925). He was a broadcaster from radio station KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana, who on October 16, 1954 introduced Elvis Presley to the Louisiana Hayride Country music program. The Hayride was presented weekly from 1948 until 1960 at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium; it was akin to Shreveport's temporary alternative to the permanent Grand Ole Opry of Nashville, Tennessee.
Page was born in Malvern in Hot Spring County, Arkansas. He enrolled in high school in the capital city of Little Rock, where he worked beginning at the age of sixteen for KGHI radio and thereafter at KLRA. On December 7, 1941, Page was broadcasting at the time of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1943, he enlisted in the United States Army during World War II. He was assigned briefly at the end of the war to American Forces Network in Berlin, Germany. In 1946, he returned to KLRA but he and his announcing partner, Bob Fulton, were soon fired. Page joined the staff of KWKH, named for broadcast pioneer W. K. Henderson, and worked at the station for sixty-five years until his retirement in 2005 at the age of eighty.
During a year-long series of Presley appearances on the program, Wilkinson was the first to tell an audience, "Elvis has left the building."
➦In 2015…Radio, TV entrepreneur Lowell "Bud" Paxson died at age 80. He was also the , creator of The Home Shopping Network and PAX TV.
Actor K Callan ("Lois and Clark") is 85.
Singer Joan Baez is 80.
Guitarist Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin is 77.
Actor John Doman ("Gotham") is 76.
Singer-actor Buster Poindexter (David Johansen) is 71.
Singer Crystal Gayle is 70.
Actor J.K. Simmons (TV's "The Closer," ″Spider-Man" movies) is 66.
Actor Imelda Staunton ("Harry Potter" movies, "Vera Drake") is 65.
Nina Dobrev is 32
Guitarist Eric Erlandson (Hole) is 58.
Actor Joely Richardson is 56.
Guitarist Carl Bell of Fuel is 54.
Actor David Costabile ("Billions," ″Breaking Bad") is 54.
Singer Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth is 54.
Singer Dave Matthews of The Dave Matthews Band is 54.
Actor Joey Lauren Adams ("Chasing Amy," ″Big Daddy") is 53.
Actor Deon Cole ("black-ish") is 50.
Actor Angela Bettis ("Carrie," ″Girl, Interrupted") is 48.
Actor Omari Hardwick ("Power") is 47.
Singer A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys is 43.
Guitarist Drew Brown of OneRepublic is 37.
Singer Paolo Nutini is 34.
Actor Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries") is 32.
Actor Kerris Dorsey ("Ray Donovan," ″Brothers and Sisters") is 23.
Actor Tyree Brown ("Parenthood") is 17.
Tampa Bay Times To Outsource Printing
Times Publishing Co. announced this week it will outsource printing of its newspapers starting in March and will close its own production facility in St. Petersburg.
The company has signed a three-year agreement with Gannett, the country's largest newspaper chain, to print the Tampa Bay Times at its operations center in Lakeland. That plant already produces some of Gannett's own newspapers, plus the Orlando Sentinel, New York Times and Wall Street Journal.
Times Publishing issued a required 60-day notice to about 90 full-time and 60 part-time workers who will lose their jobs when the transition is complete. Gannett intends to expand its own operations team in Lakeland and has said some jobs could go to Times employees.
The decision does not affect the Times' independent ownership or other parts of the newspaper. Times journalists, who still make up the largest newsroom in Florida, will report the news. Sales staff will sell and schedule advertising. But instead of transmitting final page designs to its own print facility, the Times will send pages to Lakeland.
Gannett will print and truck the newspapers to Times distribution centers around Tampa Bay, where the papers will be delivered by Times staff and contractors.
In response to steep advertising declines brought on by the coronavirus, the Times reduced its print editions to Sunday and Wednesday last April. The company said the move to Lakeland makes sense even if business recovers enough to add another day of printing.
"The news business was already shifting toward digital delivery, and the pandemic put that change into overdrive," said Times chairman and CEO Paul Tash. "This is a hard decision, and we feel it keenly. But it helps position the Times for the future as a vibrant news company in a media landscape that is increasingly digital."
On Wednesday, the Times also said full-time employees whose jobs are not affected will take a temporary pay cut of 10 percent for up to six months, while the transition takes place. Tash is reducing his own salary by 20 percent.
But consolidation of printing by newspapers at fewer plants has become a trend in an industry seeking expense reductions and greater efficiency. In just the past year, the Miami Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, Hartford Courant, San Antonio Express-News and Kansas City Star have moved their printing operations or announced plans to do so.
Block Newspaper Owner Accused Of 'Watering Down The Truth'
Reporters at the Toledo Blade and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said Friday that the right-wing views of the papers' owners are hindering their ability to accurately cover President Donald Trump and Wednesday's Capitol riot, reports The Wrap.
Blade executive editor Kurt Franck directed digital journalists on Wednesday not to describe the rioters as Trump supporters, TheWrap also reports. According to Blade journalists and a statement from the guild that represents them, their reporting on the event was edited without their permission to remove some references to Trump and leave room for ambiguity about how many of the demonstrators involved were his supporters.
Those who stormed the Capitol Wednesday came from a pro-Trump protest and were instructed by the president to direct their attention on the Capitol. Elected officials and journalists who were in a joint session of Congress at the time entered a lockdown amid the chaos, postponing the certification of President-elect Joe Biden's electoral win, and when it was over, four people were dead.
The stealthy editing "waters down the truth of what happened on Wednesday and is a disservice to our readers," the union said in a statement, which added the changes "are also done in a political climate where some are attempting to create misinformation about who was responsible for, and participated in, Wednesday's chaos."
Reporter Jay Skebba told TheWrap that newsroom employees have "always known" that publisher John Robinson Block has "tried to manipulate stories to be more pro-Trump," but this week marks the first time he can recall "where that mentality has seeped into management inside the Blade newsroom."
A representative for Block Communications did not immediately return a request for comment.
Rush Limbaugh Defends Insurrectionists
On his Thursday radio program, conservative talk personality Rush Limbaugh compared the insurrectionists who raided the U.S. Capitol to overturn the election with heroes in the American Revolution, reports Newsweek.
"There's a lot of people calling for the end of violence," Limbaugh said. "There's a lot of conservatives, social media, who say that any violence or aggression at all is unacceptable. Regardless of the circumstances. I'm glad Sam Adams, Thomas Paine, the actual tea party guys, the men at Lexington and Concord didn't feel that way."
In his statement, Limbaugh compared Wednesday's insurrectionists who broke into the U.S. Capitol and ransacked senators' offices to overturn the election in favor of President Donald Trump with the people who helped start the American Revolutionary War and participated in the first military battle against British forces at Lexington and Concord.
On his Thursday radio program, right-wing political personality Rush Limbaugh compared the insurrectionists who raided the U.S. Capitol to overturn the election with heroes in the American Revolution. In this February 4, 2020 photo, Limbaugh pumps thumb after being awarded the Medal of Freedom by First Lady Melania Trump after being acknowledged by US President Donald Trump as he delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
Limbaugh served as an apologist for the rioters, calling them "Americans who have gotten tired of being ignored and lied about and smeared as racists by these very Democrats in the media and the popular culture."
He also called the mob, "Americans who have gotten fed up with having the election stolen from them by the Democrats," even though nearly 60 lawsuits claiming that Democrats stole the election, filed by the Trump campaign and other Republican officials, have been thrown out or withdrawn from courts for lack of evidence.
The AM Confidential: Trump Facing Growing Calls For Removal
➤TRUMP RELEASES NEW VIDEO: President Trump was the subject of growing talk Thursday about removing him from office before the end of his term on January 20th because of his actions egging on his supporters before they went on to storm the Capitol Wednesday. In the face of that, Trump released a brief new video in which he condemned the the violence that had taken place at the Capitol, after having a day earlier said of the rioters, "We love you" and you're "very special." He also finally acknowledged there would be a new administration -- although never mentioning President-elect Joe Biden by name -- and said he would focus on helping ensure there is a smooth transition of power, adding, "This moment calls for healing and reconciliation." For the more than two months since the election, Trump had until that video insisted that he'd won and was cheated out of his victory by massive voter fraud.
pic.twitter.com/csX07ZVWGe
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday charged that Trump had, quote, "incited an armed insurrection against America," calling him "a very dangerous person who should not continue in office." She urged that the 25th Amendment be used by Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Cabinet to remove Trump from office, and said that if that wasn't, the House was eyeing impeaching Trump again, even though his term ends in just 12 days. It was reported, however, that Pence is opposed to using the 25th Amendment to oust Trump.
Poll: Majority of Republicans blame Biden for mob storming the Capitol https://t.co/vLCDjBtjzX pic.twitter.com/LhQCNnKD3R
— The Hill (@thehill) January 8, 2021
In further fallout of the storming of the Capitol and the Trump's actions leading up to it:
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos both resigned. Although both cited what had happened at the Capitol, there was speculation they resigned to avoid involvement in any potential 25th Amendment move.
Trump's former chief of staff, retired General John Kelly, told CNN he thought Trump should be removed via the 25th Amendment.
The Wall Street Journal, which, like Fox News, is owned by Rupert Murdoch, called on Trump to resign. The conservative editorial board wrote, "This was an assault on the constitutional process of transferring power after an election."
USA Today just came out in favor of a 25th Amendment removal. They are running my column as the opposing view. https://t.co/44doQBIzUm In order to impose this ignoble moment on Trump, the Congress would create precedent for future such removals on ill-defined mental disabilities.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) January 8, 2021
➤CAPITOL POLICE REJECTED OFFERS OF HELP; INJURED OFFICER DIES: U.S. Capitol Police twice rejected assistance related to the pro-President Trump rally that led to the Capitol being breached, the Associated Press reported Thursday. The Pentagon asked the Capitol Police three days before Wednesday's planned rally if it needed National Guard forces, and as the rioters stormed the Capitol, the Justice Department offered FBI agents, and they were turned down both times, according to the report. Despite the warnings about what could happen, the Capitol Police only planned for a free speech rally, and in the wake of criticism over the response to last summer's Black Lives Matter protests near the White House, officials didn't want the appearance the active duty or National Guard troops were being deployed against Americans, according to AP. U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund was forced to resign yesterday under pressure from congressional leaders, as was the Sergeant at Arms of the Senate and the Sergeant at Arms of the House.
Stunning >> MULTITUDE of officers line the front of the Capitol in silence, honoring fallen US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick... Rest In Peace#breaking @WUSA9 @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/swKVbSKcQe
— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) January 8, 2021
A Capitol Police officer who was injured after responding to the riots died last night. Officer Brian D. Sicknick died due to injuries he suffered while, "physically engaging with protesters," according to a statement.
Fears of new attacks after pro-Trump rioters breach Capitol https://t.co/yHNQro0SNV
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 8, 2021
Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported yesterday that the Pentagon put tight limits on the D.C. National Guard ahead of the Wednesday's protest to keep the use of military force constrained, with the guardsmen carrying out a narrow mission requested by Mayor Muriel Bowser to help handle traffic. They were barred from receiving ammunition or riot gear, interacting with protesters unless necessary for self-defense, sharing equipment with local law enforcement, or using Guard surveillance and air assets without the defense secretary's approval. The Post said those limits were imposed because the Guard hadn't been asked to help with crowd or riot control. When the Capitol was stormed and Capitol Police asked for help from the National Guard, it was denied by the office of the secretary of the Army, with the Post citing an official as saying they didn't want the "optics" of soldiers in the Capitol building. Higher-up Pentagon leaders later activated the full D.C. Guard. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said yesterday that he'd gotten frantic calls from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer asking that he send the Maryland National Guard, but federal authorization was being refused. Finally, Hogan said he got a call from the Army secretary about 90 minutes later asking if the guardsmen could, quote, "come as soon as possible."
Cruz hits back after Ocasio-Coretz calls for his resignation https://t.co/2F51VYKNEM pic.twitter.com/Ps7fFJY58Q
➤U.S. HAS MORE THAN 4,000 CORONAVIRUS DEATHS IN ONE DAY FOR FIRST TIME: The U.S. had more than 4,000 coronavirus deaths in one day for the first time Thursday, with The COVID Tracking Project reporting 4,033 deaths. There have now been more than 365,000 deaths in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University's data. California continues to be hit very hard, with only Arizona ahead of it in cases per resident, and its overwhelmed hospitals are on the brink of having to ration care.
In some much-needed good news, new research suggests that Pfizer's vaccine can protect against mutations first found in the U.K. and South Africa, which have been causing concern around the world because they are more contagious. The both share a common mutation, but Pfizer's vaccine seems to work against it. However, researchers say that even if the virus eventually mutates enough that the vaccine needs to be adjusted, it wouldn't be difficult to do.
➤BIDEN ANNOUNCES GARLAND AS ATTORNEY GENERAL PICK: President-elect Joe Biden made official Thursday what had been reported a day earlier, announcing Judge Merrick Garland as his pick for attorney general. Biden presented his choice as moving to de-politicize the Justice Department after President Trump, saying, "More than anything, we need to restore the honor, the integrity, the independence of the Department of Justice that's been so badly damaged." Biden said that Garland's loyalty would be to the law and Constitution, saying to him, "You don't work for me." Garland, who held senior positions at the Justice Department decades ago, was the judge chosen by then-President Barack Obama for the Supreme Court after the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016. However, his nomination was blocked by Senate Republicans, who refused to bring it up for a vote, saying the winner of the November election should fill the seat. Donald Trump won, and as president appointed Neil Gorsuch to the seat.
➤PENCE EXPECTED TO GO TO BIDEN'S INAUGURATION, TRUMP TO MAR-A-LAGO:
Vice President Mike Pence is expecting to attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration in less than two weeks, Politico reported yesterday (January 7th), citing three sources as saying he'd like to go in a show of support for the peaceful transition of power. The sources also said the decision to go became easier after President Trump publicly criticized Pence because of his refusal to block the certification of Biden's electoral college win, something he didn't have the power to do in his ceremonial role in Wednesday's counting of the votes anyway. Trump, meanwhile, hasn't said if he's going to the swearing-in, but it's not expected, with the president having told staff he doesn't plan to be there. Instead, it's being discussed that Trump and First Lady Melania Trump might leave the day before the inauguration to fly to Mar-a Lago so he won't be in Washington for it. Part of the reason is also that he wants to fly on Air Force One, and if he leaves after Biden is sworn in, he'd have to ask him to use the plane, which is customarily done.
➤MERCURY, JUPITER, AND SATURN WILL FORM A RARE 'TRIPLE CONJUNCTION': If you thought the "Christmas star" was a big deal when it graced the sky in 2020, just wait til you hear what's coming up this weekend. From this evening (Friday, January 8th) through Monday evening (January 10th) Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn will be visible in the night sky at the same time. NASA says, "[…] the planet Mercury will appear to pass first by Saturn and then by Jupiter as it shifts away from the horizon, visible each evening low in the west-southwest and setting before evening twilight ends." Forbes reports the three planets will be in the same two degrees of the sky in the Capricorn constellation. EathSky.org says you can see the event by looking for Jupiter first, then spotting Saturn and Mercury—Jupiter will be the brightest of the three. The last time this triple conjunction occurred was in October 2015, and after this weekend the next time it will happen will be February 13th, 2021.
➤KFC ROLLS OUT NEW CHICKEN SANDWICH: As the fast-food chicken wars continue, KFC has announced a new sandwich offering—the KFC Chicken Sandwich. It's made with double-breaded chicken breast filet and pickles on a brioche bun, with either spicy or non-spicy mayo. KFC calls the sandwich the "best" ever, and the brand promises each one will be made to order. The sandwich is currently available at "select" restaurants in Chicago, Kansas City, Louisville, Portland (Oregon), St. Louis, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle and Tulsa (Oklahoma). Fans can visit KFC.com/findthesandwich to learn where it will become available next.
Bold colors in shades of brown, red and green are a nod to Burger King's flame grilling process and its use of fresh ingredients, the company said... pic.twitter.com/WXzajk5tgt
— Marketing Mind (@MarketingMind_) January 8, 2021
➤BURGER KING REVAMPS BRAND FOR FIRST TIME IN OVER 20 YEARS: Burger King announced yesterday that it has redesigned its brand, including its logo, food packaging and restaurants in order to reflect improvements they've made over the last 20 years. The rebranding includes a new logo with a rounded font that mirrors the shape of its burgers and other menu items. The brand says the new colors—brown, red, and green—are a nod to the brand's flame grilling process and its use of fresh ingredients. Earlier this year Burger King announced it would remove all artificial colors and preservatives from its signature Whopper burgers. They also noted they'll be keeping their mascot, The King.
🏀76ERS' CURRY TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS: Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry tested positive for the coronavirus last night, with the team finding out near the start of their 122-109 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN reported. Curry, who sat out the game with ankle soreness, was on the bench for the first quarter, wearing a face mask in line with the NBA's rules. However, he left the court area and went into isolation after the 76ers found out about the positive result.
The Cleveland Indians have traded star shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets in a six-player deal.
Lindor has averaged 29 homers, 86 RBIs and 21 steals over 6 seasons.
by @twithersap https://t.co/mD2jNgbp7i
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) January 7, 2021
⚾INDIANS TRADE LINDOR, CARRASCO TO METS: The Cleveland Indians traded four-time All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets yesterday in return for young infielders Andrés Giménez and Amed Rosario, and two minor league prospects. Trading Lindor, who's eligible for free agency after the upcoming season, takes about $30 million off the Indians' payroll, which will help them rebuild. Meanwhile, the Mets have a new owner, Steve Cohen, who wants to spend on his team.
Irwin Rivera
➤UFC'S RIVERA ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER: UFC fighter Irwin Rivera was arrested Thursday on two counts of attempted murder in Boynton Beach, Florida, according to ESPN, accused of stabbing his two sisters. Police found the 22-year-old and 33-year-old women with multiple stab wounds after being called to a home, and they were rushed to the hospital. One told police they were staying with Rivera in one of his spare rooms and woke up to him repeatedly stabbing them with knife before he fled. After Rivera was apprehended by police, he told them he stabbed his sisters because it was his purpose, told to him by a, quote, "higher power." The 31-year-old, who debuted for the UFC in May, last fought at UFC Fight Night on September 19th.
➤TRUMP GIVES MEDAL OF FREEDOM TO GOLFERS SORENSTAM, PLAYER, ZAHARIAS: President Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom yesterday to Hall of Fame golfers Annika Sorenstam and Gary Player, and late Olympian golfer Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Although Trump has usually held public ceremonies when presenting the Medal of Freedom, one of the nation's highest civilian honors, yesterday's event was closed to the media. It was held the day after the storming of the Capitol by pro-Trump supporters.
CNN's Riot Coverage Was Most-Watched
The coverage of the siege on the U.S. Capitol building drove CNN to record ratings. In fact, Wednesday was the most-watched day in the network's history, reports The Wrap.
In addition, more TV viewers got their news via CNN than on any other TV channel. Yes, that includes broadcast television as well as cable — and it holds true for any part of the day.
From 8 to 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday, CNN averaged 8.203 million total primetime viewers to competitor MSNBC's 7.382 million total viewers, according to Nielsen. Fox News finished in third place among the cable news networks — but not third overall, more on that in a bit — with an average of 4.577 million total viewers across those three hours.
In "total day" ratings, which examines the 24-hour period beginning at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, CNN averaged 5.221 million total viewers to MSNBC's 4.006 million total viewers and Fox News Channel's 2.988 million total viewers.
The 1. CNN, 2. MSNBC, 3. Fox News order among the cable news channels maintained in the key news demographic of adults 25-54.
On broadcast, NBC averaged 5.774 million total viewers throughout its three-hour primetime coverage of the sad day in our nation's history. ABC News' efforts averaged 4.882 million total viewers, good for second place on the free over-the-air networks.
TV RATINGS: Wednesday, huge audiences turned to cable news for coverage from the Capitol with up to 23 million total viewers watching the three main cable news channels at the height of the troubles.https://t.co/KYFoPbk51C pic.twitter.com/rG7sST3ZPu
— TV News HQ (@TVNewsHQ) January 7, 2021
FOX News Decries Capitol Riot
Media outlets that appeal to conservatives offered condemnations, explanations and deflections following the U.S. Capitol riot by President Donald Trump's supporters, but little introspection, according to David Bauder at The Associated Press.
Dealing with the shocking breach of the national landmark was a complex task for outlets aimed at Trump's base, many of whom are suspicious of more mainstream news sources. Most were clear: the violence was indefensible.
Fox News Channel's Tucker Carlson said that voting is democracy's pressure relief valve but trouble ensues when people lose faith in the act.
"Millions of Americans sincerely believe the last election was fake," Carlson said. "You can dismiss them as crazy, you can call them conspiracy theorists, you can kick them off Twitter, but that won't change their minds."
Opponents would rather silence these people — many of whom have made Carlson television's top-rated political opinion host — than understand them, he said.
"It's not your fault," he said. "It's their fault."
Carlson's colleague, Sean Hannity, denounced the violence. Like his show has consistently over the past few months, however, he amplified Trump's claims of wrongdoing. Hannity said the vast majority of people who attended Trump's rally in Washington were peaceful.
Fox highlighted its lineup of prime-time opinion stars Wednesday, in contrast to networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC, which focused more on members of Congress speaking about the election certification.
A number of Fox personalities expressed disgust in the riot's wake, including Stuart Varney, Karl Rove and Geraldo Rivera. "Fox & Friends" host Brian Kilmeade on Thursday said Trump's behavior since the election has been "terrible."
Several figures in conservative media suggested liberal politicians and mainstream media outlets are more outraged when Trump supporters are violent than they were about civil rights demonstrations last summer.
WSJ Editorial Demands Trump Resign
The Wall Street Journal editorial board has joined the chorus of those in the media demanding Donald Trump resign as president, reports The Wrap.
"This goes beyond merely refusing to concede defeat. In our view it crosses a constitutional line that Mr. Trump hasn't previously crossed. It is impeachable," the Journal wrote. "If Mr. Trump wants to avoid a second impeachment, his best path would be to take personal responsibility and resign."
The editorial, a stunning rebuke coming from a Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper, comes a day after Trump supporters, egged on by the president himself, stormed the Capitol in a last-gasp bid to overturn the election he lost to Joe Biden. The ensuing melee on Wednesday afternoon forced congressmembers to evacuate and resulted in the deaths of five people, including a U.S. Capitol police officer. Congress formally certified Biden's victory in the early hours of Thursday.
Even so, multiple lawmakers — including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — called for Trump to be removed from office, either by impeachment or invoking the 25th amendment.
This isn't the first time the Wall Street Journal — which, for much of Trump's presidency, supported the Republican commander-in-chief — has gone against Trump. In an editorial last month, the board called the then-upcoming attempt by some Republicans to challenge election results and get votes for Biden thrown out "embarrassing."
FCC's Pai Does Not Object to Facebook, Twitter Blocking Trump
President Donald Trump's top communications regulator said on Thursday he did not object to decisions by Facebook and Twitter to block the president from their social media platforms, reports Reuters.
"Given the circumstances that we saw yesterday... I'm not going to second-guess those decisions," Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai told C-SPAN on Thursday, according to a recording of the interview seen by Reuters.
Asked if Trump bore responsibility for the violent actions Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, Pai said "it was a terrible mistake to suggest that the results of the election, and particularly the process that culminated yesterday in the Senate and the House, could in any way be changed. That was a terrible mistake and one that I do not believe should have been indulged."
Pai, who was designated chair by Trump in January 2017, said he will not move forward to set any new rules sought by the outgoing president to limit liability protections for the social media companies, a spokesman for the agency confirmed.
Trump last year demanded the FCC set new rules to limit protections for social media firms under Section 230, a provision of the 1996 Communications Decency Act that shields the companies from liability for content posted by their users and allows them to remove lawful but objectionable posts.
Pai had said on Oct. 15 he would move forward to set new rules but he told C-SPAN Thursday there was not enough time before President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20 to proceed;
NYC Radio: WFAN Launches Gambling Addiction Show
Entercom announced the launch of "Hello, My Name is Craig," a new Saturday morning program featuring WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM afternoon show co-host Craig Carton. In the thirty-minute show, presented by 1-800-GAMBLER, Carton will drive candid conversations with listeners about different aspects of gambling, and provide resources and outlets to those seeking help or looking for ways to help their loved ones. "Hello, My Name is Craig" will be heard on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. ET on WFAN, and will also be available as a podcast on RADIO.COM and the station's website.
The show will welcome former New Jersey governor Chris Christie as a regular contributor, as well as various guests to share stories of indulgence, falls from grace and the fight to overcome gambling addiction. Guests will include medical and therapy experts, members of the 1-800-GAMBLER team, founders of rehabilitation treatment centers, and more.
"Legalized gambling is a growing part of the modern sports experience and the everyday fans' conversations," said Chris Oliviero, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom New York. "Our obligation and commitment are to serve not only the audience that can responsibly enjoy these gaming elements, but also in a meaningful way help those, like Craig, who have an addiction. With Craig's voice and unique perspective, along with outstanding partners and the influence of the WFAN platform, we will do just that."
"Each week, we will tackle different aspects of what for some is a fun recreation but for others is an addiction that forever alters and sometimes ends lives," said Carton. "The show will be a raw and revealing look into the fastest-growing vice in the country and I look forward to providing my first-hand perspective for both those dealing with the grip of their gambling compulsions as well as the loved ones in their lives."
"We are excited to both sponsor and partner with Craig on this endeavor and shed light on this often-overlooked topic," said Neva Pryor, Executive Director, The Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ (800-GAMBLER). "Gambling addiction is hidden and silently impacting both the family members as well as the individual who struggles. Through this show and podcast, we hope to start the conversation and reduce the stigma around gambling addiction while heightening awareness as to the warning signs and resources available for both the problem gambler and loved ones."
Carton recently rejoined WFAN as afternoon show co-host in November 2020 after previously serving as co-host of the station's morning show "Boomer & Carton" from 2007 to 2017.
Listeners can tune in to WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM (WFAN-FM/AM) in New York on air, as well as nationwide on the RADIO.COM app and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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text:
Collegiate Racing Recap: CCSA, RMISA
by Luke Brown
The American cross country community rendezvoused last week at Soldier Hollow for the USSS National Championships. The week of racing gave collegiate athletes a chance to race against the best junior and professional skiers in the country and gave us an opportunity to see the three different college conferences go head to head… to head. For two of the conferences, select races during the week were the first to count for NCAA qualification this season. RMISA scored the Freestyle Sprint and the Classic Distance race with the CCSA scoring exclusively the Classic Distance race. With extensive coverage of Nationals already published, here is a look specifically at how the college racers performed in Utah.
Day 1, Freestyle Sprint
The races started off with a bang, or rather with a series of beeps, and the freestyle sprints were underway. In a race eventually won by Caitlin Patterson (GRP), Sydney Palmer-Leger (UU) was the top collegiate athlete, placing third. The Midwestern collegiate highlight in the women's race was Luci Anderson (UNH). Anderson qualified in 13th but skied aggressively throughout the heats and ended the day in 9th. "Being top ten in the sprint really surprised me," said Anderson, "but it showed me the kind of results that I am capable of and that I'm able to be up there with some of the best in the country. Sadly we don't sprint in college racing, but I'm ready to see what I can do at an international level." Anderson will get that opportunity when she heads to the U23 World Championships in Lygma, Norway in late February.
Anderson showing impressive form. She went on to qualify for U23 World Champs (Credit: Jackie Schneider)
Anderson was followed closely by Abby Jarzin (UU), who finished 13th overall and 3rd for RMISA. The freestyle sprint was the first official competition for RMISA as a part of the Utah Invitational. In RMISA specific results, Emma Albrecht (MSU) finished 15th, and Sarah Olson (UAF) was 16th.
Lauren McCollor, a first year at NMU, finished just off the podium in fourth in the Junior Women category.
In the men's race, John Schwinghammer (CSS) made a statement that many people will not, or should not forget. Schwinghammer qualified in 29th (thirty skiers make the heats) but then placed second in his quarterfinal to the eventual winner, top collegiate man on the day, and US Ski Team member JC Schoonmaker (UAF). While Schwinghammer's lunge toward underdog glory was stopped short when he was caught and tripped from behind in his semifinal, his end-of-day 12th place was simply impressive.
Schoonmaker (second from the left) surging to second in his quarterfinal (Credit: Linda Kerker)
Roger Anderson (UNH), taking notes from his older sister's performance, placed fourth for the Junior Men.
Freestyle Sprint Results
RMISA Women's Results
RMISA Men's Results
RMISA Recap
Day 2, 20/30k Freestyle Mass Start
The leaders in the men's race set a fast pace from the start and the field, perhaps especially the collegiate field, spread out over the thirty kilometers. Jacob Nystedt (UVM) was the top collegiate athlete, placing 11th, almost five minutes behind winner Scott Patterson (APU and UVM alum). Skylar Patten (MTU) led the CCSA men in 20th position. Mark Ousdigian had his best results of the week by far, placing 36th. None of the Northern Michigan men started the race because of COVID contact.
It was a similar story in the women's 20k, with Rosie Brennan (APU) dominating from the first kilometer. Palmer-Leger, the top college skier, placed 7th. Jarzin (UU), with a very strong 10th place, showed that she is one to be reckoned with as the RMISA season ramps up. Jarzin, a Wisconsin native, said, "I knew that it was going to be a long and hard race especially since the course was so hilly, but I just tried to stay as close to the front as I could. I just held on until the end, which was pretty hard to do for the last lap. It was great to be back competing with so many strong athletes. My parents came out to watch as well, and hearing their cheering out on the course was awesome." With this results, Jarzin clinched a spot on the U23 World Champs roster (an athlete's best two out of the four races at Nationals count).
Jarzin starting the season strong (Credit: Jackie Schneider)
Renae Anderson (BOW) placed 19th, Luci Anderson (UNH) 22nd, and Emma Albrecht (MSU) was just outside the top thirty, in 31st.
Skate Mass Start Results
Day 3, 10/15k Classic Interval Start
On a day when rain and warm weather caused conditions to deteriorate with time, Palmer-Leger (UU) was once again the top college athlete in 6th place. Jarzin placed 16th (4th for RMISA), Renae Anderson (BOW) was 21st, and Anabel Needham (MTU) placed 31st. Emma Albrecht (MSU) placed 17th in the RMISA.
Unofficial scoring for the CCSA has Michigan Tech in first (the only team to have three skiers), NMU in second, with St. Olaf in third.
In the men's race, won by Adam Martin (GRP), the University of Alaska Anchorage showed their strength. UAA placed four guys in the top ten. That is an NCAA team championship performance if there is one. The RMISA guys, spurred on with extra motivation to start out strong in NCAA qualification, put ten men ahead of the first collegiate skier from another conference. Kjetil Baanerud (NMU, NOR) placed 37th as the top CCSA skier. St. Scholastica's top skiers sat out this race with rumors that the team, similar to NMU, had COVID troubles toward the end of the week.
The Michigan Tech men took top CCSA honors over Northern Michigan and Scholastica in second and third respectively.
Schoonmaker with an impressive distance race (Credit: Jackie Schneider)
Classic Distance Results
Day 4, Classic Sprint
The final day of racing at Soldier Hollow was not designated as a national championship but was an official SuperTour event. Former NCAA champion Katherine Ogden (SMST2) won for the women. Not surprisingly, Sydney Palmer-Leger placed in the top ten overall and was once again the top collegian as she was for each race at Nationals - wow. Anabel Needham (MTU) had her best result of the week, placing 11th, and in so doing claimed the last spot on the U23 World Champs roster. Renae Anderson continued to show her classic form, placing 16th. Anderson said, "My biggest strength as an athlete is uphill running, so going into the classic sprint I knew I wanted to make the steep hill sections count. I had great wax in the qualifier that allowed me to run right up the hills, and I was really excited to qualify for my first heats at US nationals! This week in Soho was a good confidence booster in terms of fitness and it got me excited for the first collegiate 20k next week."
Jarzin (UU) rounded out an impressive week of racing finishing in 19th.
Another former NCAA champion, Magnus Boe (CU, NOR/KOR), won the men's race. Surprisingly, Boe had not shown great form throughout the week, but finally put the pieces together. Schoonmaker (UAF) was third. Baanerud (NMU, NOR) led a strong NMU performance, taking 12th place with teammates Kristoffer Karsrud (NOR) and Daniel Streinz in 15th and 17th.
Classic Sprint Results
CCSA Nationals Recap
U18, World Junior, and U23 World Champs Qualifying Lists
Next up in college racing is the Colby Carnival for the EISA starting on January 14th. RMISA joins the SuperTour in Sun Valley beginning the 15th. The CCSA will race on January 22nd at Mt. Itasca. Stay tuned for results and recaps.
Luke Brown, a graduate of Minnehaha Academy and Dartmouth College, is a skier and biathlete for the Craftsbury Green Racing Project. He enjoys running in the mountains, writing, and eating cereal with whole milk. He lives in Craftsbury, VT.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl