Saturday, February 2, 2013

Saturday Aircheck: NYC Radio June 1984

Z 100 Morning Zoo, Harry Harrison WCBS FM, and clips from WQXR, WHN, WRKS, WYNY, WSKQ, & WNEW FM. from June 1984.

Friday, February 1, 2013

NBC News Chief Steve Capus Is Out

Steve Capus
Steve Capus, the president of NBC News for the last eight years, said Friday that he is leaving the network news division in the coming weeks, according to Brian Stelter at Media Decoder.

“It has been a privilege to have spent two decades here, but it is now time to head in a new direction,” Mr. Capus wrote in an internal memo on Friday afternoon. “I have informed Pat Fili-Krushel that I will be leaving NBC News in the coming weeks.”

Media Decoder reports Capus’s exit has been rumored at the network ever since Comcast put Ms. Fili-Krushel in charge of all of NBC’s news assets six months ago.

Mr. Capus made no secret of his unhappiness with the restructuring, which meant that he no longer reported directly to the NBCUniversal chief executive, Steve Burke. His contract had a clause that allowed him to leave in the event that he no longer reported to Mr. Burke, according to two people with direct knowledge of the arrangement at NBC.

Read More Here.

DJ Mo Apologizes, Suspended For Bullying Woman

WDJQ (in Alliance, OH) Q92 DJ Mo has publicly apologized to the woman he bullied on-air while also announcing he's been suspended from the radio station, according to newsnet5.com

On Thursday, Mo apologized for making fun of the woman he thought was a prank caller "and played along with it." That caller was Kellie Baker, a woman with Down syndrome who accidentally dialed the radio station on Jan. 21 looking to talk with her friend.



Instead of Mo explaining to Baker she had the wrong number, he said "obviously you have some sort of a speech impediment" and made fun of her voice for the next three hours. (See original posting, Click Here)

At 2 p.m. Thursday, Mo said on-air that he was sorry for his actions and wants to take responsibility.

LISTEN TO APOLOGY AUDIO, Click Here.

"Beginning today, I will take a suspension and be off the air. The station and I are committed to raising awareness in any way we can in an effort to make this right with the family, and to any and all who have, or know someone with, developmental disabilities."

Additionally, Q92 is participating in a coordinated collaboration with the Stark and Tuscarawas County’s Boards of Developmental Disabilities for a formal and on-going awareness campaign to focus on the abilities, strengths, and talents of people who are developmentally disabled. 

R.I.P.: NYC Mayor Ed Koch Was Also Radio/TV Personality

Ed Koch
Ed Koch, the brash former New York City mayor who typically greeted constituents with a "How'm I doin'?" died Friday at the age of 88, according to CNN.

Koch died of congestive heart failure, spokesman George Arzt said. The former mayor felt very tired Thursday morning and was admitted to the intensive care unit, Artz said. Koch lost consciousness that afternoon and ultimately passed away around 2 a.m. Friday.

The lawyer-turned-public servant was a U.S. congressman from 1968 until he ran for mayor of the city in 1977 He served three terms until David Dinkins defeated him in a Democratic primary.


Among his post mayoral years, Koch was a judge on TV’s The People’s Court for two years in the late ‘90s and had a talk show on WABC radio and for Bloomberg.


Andy Fisher, former newsman for CNBC, NBC Radio and WNEW 1130 AM, posted

“We lost a giant this morning. Former mayor Ed Koch certainly had a face for radio, and from soundbite to talk show, he was always entertaining on the air. He presided over New York City's financial and psychological comeback from chaos in the late 1970s, so he was a pretty good mayor by anyone's standards, although for a long time, as someone pointed out this morning, he did seem to have a "tin ear" when it came to the subject of race relations.”
Fisher recalls interviewing Koch during Liberty Weekend July 4, 1986, when President Reagan came to town to re-dedicate the renovated Statue of Liberty.
“I was a radio correspondent for NBC News, and Mayor Koch came to the press compound on the landfill for Battery Park City. I needled him about Liberty Island really being in New Jersey, and about his own origins in Newark, and, of course, he gave as good as he got. I tend to judge people by their senses of humor, and on that basis, I regard Ed Koch as the greatest New York mayor I can remember. 
I can't conceive of Michael Bloomberg standing on the Brooklyn Bridge asking, "How'm I doing?" I can remember John Lindsay getting huffy when he was reminded about calling New York "Fun City." You wouldn't dare try to have fun with Rudy Giuliani. Ed Koch was a gift to radio, to politics, and, most of all, to New York.”

R.I.P.: Bay Area Radio Personality Lee Rodgers

Lee Rodgers, SF Chronicle photo
Former San Francisco talk radio personality Lee Rodgers has died.

Rodger, hosted morning on KSFO 560 AM from the mid-90s until 2010.  He also made stops in Chicago and Seattle.

He had been troubled by heart issues and according to reports died on an operation table early Friday morning.

His wife Susan wrote on his blog:
Dear Friends: 
Some of you may have heard that Lee has been dealing with some health issues of late. Unfortunately the rumors are true. 
After extensive heroic surgery performed by seven wonderful surgeons and 13 hours, Lee decided to leave the bounds of earth and soar with the eagles. At 12:32 a.m. on January 31, Lee died. However, he died like he lived. He was brave to take the chances of a risky surgery and thanked his surgeons prior to beginning to try to find a way to extend his "used-by" date. 
I loved this man with all my heart and it has been a privilege to share 35 years with him. He had integrity, he was responsible and he was honest to the core.

Read More Now

Years ago, Rodgers and co-host Melanie Morgan interviewed a ‘turkey tugger” and some listeners consider the bit one of the hilarious moments ever captured on AM radio.

For the longest time, KSFO-AM played this segment every year around Thanksgiving.



No Charges To Be Filed Against 2DayFM Hoaxers

Greig, Christian
The Australian DJs who made a prank call to the hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge will not be prosecuted.

No charges will be brought against Mel Greig and Michael Christian over the hoax, Sky News reports quoting the Crown Prosecution Service.

Details of the Duchess' rare form of morning sickness were revealed on air on December 4, 2012, when the pair made the prank call to King Edward VII's Hospital in central London, posing as the Queen and Prince Charles.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha transferred them to a colleague, who then described Kate Middleton's condition in detail.

Ms Saldanha, a mother of two, was found hanged three days later in her living quarters at the hospital, sparking a backlash against the 2Day FM DJs.

Malcolm McHaffie, from the CPS, said there was no evidence to support a manslaughter charge and any potential prosecution would not be in the public interest.

Scotland Yard provided the CPS with a file of evidence on December 19 and asked advice on whether a prosecution should be brought.

Mr McHaffie said the CPS had taken into account, among other matters, that it is not possible to extradite people from Australia on the potential offences in question.

He also said it considered that "however misguided, the telephone call was intended as a harmless prank".

"The consequences in this case were very sad. We send our sincere condolences to Jacintha Saldanha's family," he added.

John Lofthouse, chief executive at King Edward VII's Hospital, said it would not be commenting on the matter.

Letterman's Top 10 Changes At CNN

Beyonce Shows Off All-Girl Bowl Band

After all these awesome rehearsal sneak peeks, this year's Super Bowl should be called the Beyonce Bowl! Queen B released even more behind-the-scenes shots from New Orleans, proving that on her stage, girls do run the world.

The footage shows Beyonce, 31, rehearsing with an all-girl band and all-female backup singers.



This video release comes after Beyonce put her lip-synching presidential inauguration reports to rest when she sang the national anthem live at her Super Bowl press conference.

Todd Schnitt Invites Media To Radio Studio

Radio personality Todd "MJ" Schnitt invited the bay area media into the WFLA studios Thursday afternoon to answer questions about his defamation lawsuit loss to Bubba the Love Sponge Clem.

ABC Action News reports, Schnitt began with a defiant monologue on Wednesday's verdict.



"I've had better days.  I was disappointed," he said. "I respect the jury's verdict.  But, I'm still allowed to disagree with the verdict, and I do."

Read More Now.

Todd Schnitt MTP On His Radio show

A day after losing his defamation lawsuit, Todd "MJ" Schnitt was back on 970 WFLA Tampa during the first hour of his show, which is also synidcated across the country. He fielded questions from members of the news media, including WTSP 10News reporter Melanie Michael.



On Wednesday, a jury of six sided with the rival radio DJ Bubba the Sponge Clem, agreeing he did not defame Schnitt and his wife Michelle.

Schnitt, 10 News Interview Gets Heated

WTSP 10News reporter Melanie Michael describes heated moments with Todd 'MJ' Schnitt.



According to a story at tampabay.com, Schnitt tangled most visibly with Melanie Michael, a reporter/anchor from WTSP — who Clem had thanked for her coverage on his Twitter feed earlier Thursday, urging his fans to follow her on the social media site.

Michael peppered Schnitt with questions about why he didn't consider his wife a public figure despite her appearances on his show, whether he planned to sue the jurors, or if he might leave town.

After the broadcast, Schnitt asked, half-jokingly, "Melanie, are you working for (Clem)?" Michael replied that she asked tough questions of both men.

Ready More Now.

TWC Ranks Top Weather Prognosticating Groundhogs

Saturday, as America awaits one of the biggest weather decisions of the year, turn to The Weather Channel for uninterrupted coverage of “Decision 2013: Phil’s Forecast” live from Punxsutawney and TWC headquarters in Atlanta. Stick with The Weather Channel on Groundhog Day across all screens – TV, online, mobile and tablet – for the latest updates on celebrations, prognostications and commentary of America’s most popular weather-related holiday.

A true celebration of weather, Groundhog Day predicts the arrival of spring. According to folklore, if it’s cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

In honor of Groundhog Day, The Weather Channel has compiled a list of the “Top 11 Groundhogs in the Weather Prediction Business” based on accuracy and popularity.


Check out the list of the Top 11 Groundhogs – and the rationale behind the rankings – on weather.com:



1. Punxsutawney Phil (Punxsutawney, PA)

2. Staten Island Chuck (Staten Island, NY, and official groundhog meteorologist of New York City)

3. General Beauregard Lee (Lilburn, Georgia)

4. Dunkirk Dave (Dunkirk, NY)

5. Chattanooga Chuck (Chattanooga, TN)

6. Buckeye Chuck (Marion, OH)

7. Sir Walter Walley (Raleigh, NC)

8. Jimmy the Groundhog (Sun Prairie, WI)

9. Malverne Mel (Malverne, NY)

10. Holtsville Hal (Holtsville, NY)

11. Woody (Howell, MI)

To agree or disagree with these rankings visit Facebook.com/TheWeatherChannel to cast your vote for America’s most trusted groundhog.

R.I.P.: WBZ’s Joe Morgan Was 67

Joe Morgan
Former WBZ Radio traffic reporter Joe Morgan died Wednesday after a long illness, the radio station reported on its website.

Morgan, who was 67, worked for more than 30 years in Boston radio before he retired two years ago.

During his career, Morgan also worked for WCOP, WRKO and WHDH radio.

Former WBZ news anchor Ed Walsh worked with Morgan for years at WRKO and WBZ and said he had an incredible voice.

"Joe and I sort of had an informal contest every morning on who could project the deeper, more authoritative baritone and Joe won every single day," Walsh told WBZ.

"He was quite a guy, and he loved what he did. He will be terribly missed."

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Chelsea Handler to Piers Morgan: “Suck My A**!”

To mark the second anniversary of Piers' show for CNN, the Brit TV star joined Chelsea on her hit programme Chelsea Lately last night (January 30). Despite being on the other side for once it was clear Piers still wanted to be the star!

The former newspaper editor spent his entire slot insulting his rival host, who eventually ended up losing her cool and telling him: "You can suck my a**."




Piers' digs included the charming "Either you've had plastic surgery or a makeover as you look really hot today."

Clearly not impressed with his cheeky comment, the 37-year-old comedienne replied: "You are so annoying, you are so obnoxious and you wonder why everyone hates you. I specifically covered up so you couldn't look at me and undress me with your molester eyes."

Katherine Webb Tells Ryan Seacrest She Wanted To Do DWTS

Miss Alabama Katherine Webb, better known as 73-year-old ESPN announcer Brent Musburger‘s crush during the BCS Bowl, revealed to “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” although she’s set to take a dive on ABC’s upcoming Splash, she totally would have done Dancing With the Stars.

Oh, and sorry fellas, but Katherine could soon be Mrs. AJ McCarron!

When asked about the DWTS rejection rumors, Katherine shared: “If I were to do any show it would have been Dancing With the Stars just because I love dancing…I don’t know the technicalities on that, but I know that I was on the list I think, but I had a secured spot for celebrity diving so I went ahead with diving.”

So why did the gorgeous beauty queen choose Splash? “It’s something I never imagined myself doing and at the same time, you know, it’s such like out of the norm idea that people will have to watch it.”

On another note, is Katherine Webb ready to become Mrs. AJ McCarron?!

Orlando Radio: Brooke Hogan Defends Hulk Over Leg Photo

Brooke Hogan is ready to put a piledriver on anyone who dares criticize her famous wrestler dad.

The 24-year-old daughter of Hulk Hogan leapt to the defense of her father after he got some heat in the Twitterverse for posting a photo of her lounging in a chair with the caption, “Brooke’s legs.”

According to the nydailynews.com, some critics were quick to call out the 59-year-old former WWE icon as “creepy” and “perv.”



In an exclusive interview with The Buckethead Show on WTKS Real Radio 104.,1 FM Orlando, Brooke Hogan defended controversial photos of herself, including the 'leg photo' and the 'suntan lotion on her backside' photo.  (About 3:50 in)

Bubba Talks To Juror During Show

Bubba the Love Sponge Clem pounded his chest in victory on WHPT 102.5 The Bone on Thursday, spending most of his morning show on the Bubba Radio Network talking about the civil defamation trial he's spent five years fighting.

 On Wednesday, a jury of six sided with the Bubba, agreeing he did not defame the characters of his radio rival Todd "MJ" Schnitt and Schnitt's wife. Bubba hailed it as a victory, not just for himself, but the First Amendment.

  

Read More Now.


Tampa Jury Rules Schnitts Were Not Defamed

A jury has sided with Bubba the Love Sponge Clem in the defamation trial between two Tampa-based radio shock jocks.

WTSP 10News reports jurors found comments Clem made on-air about his radio rival Todd "MJ" Schnitt and Schnitt's wife Michelle did not defame them and no financial damages were awarded.

Attorneys for Schnitt told jurors Wednesday that Clem defamed Schnitt "out of sheer hatred." Clem's lawyer countered by saying that "context is everything."

The jury deliberated for about three hours on whether Clem's on-air statements about Schnitt and his wife, Michelle, were injurious before coming back with a not guilty verdict on all 24 counts.

Schnitt filed the suit, claiming Clem and his Bubba Radio Network defamed the Schnitts and incited Clem's fans, known as the "Bubba Army," to harass the family.


Schnitt didn't speak with reporters after the verdict, but did write on his Twitter page: "My wife & I were protecting our reputations & also standing up for so many others who have been defamed, but didn't have the means to fight."

Read More Now

Bubba Vows ‘MJ Funeral In The Streets”

Todd MJ Schnitt was seeking damages of $18,000. He said he paid for a security system of that amount after the egging incident.

But the jury declined to award him a single cent. An alternate juror -- excused from deliberations and free to talk -- told FOX 13 that she thought MJ's team failed to make much of a case.

In fact, Alana Wilshire said the trial had been "absolutely" a waste of time and expense.

"I think anybody that runs and cries and hides in their house because someone called them a name kind of needs to grow up," she said. "Develop a thicker skin. Especially if you're in the public eye."


After the verdict Wednesday, Clem apologized for what a "great waste of taxpayer dollars" that he characterized as a "name-calling, fifth-grade bully-fest." But he didn't miss the opportunity to take one more jab at his rival.

"I can tell you this," he vowed, "we're going to have an MJ funeral in the streets soon, I'll tell you that."

Bubba Could Go After MJ For Attorney Fees

Bubba hugs attorney after verdict
Now that the defamation trial against radio shock jock Bubba "The Love Sponge" Clem is over, resulting in a not guilty verdict, his attorneys say they are now looking into going after Todd "MJ Kelli" Schnitt for attorney fees.

"We'll have to tabulate all our hours and figure out what the bills are," Clem attorney Joseph Diaco Jr. told WTSP 10News.

He made the statement moments after the jury found that Bubba did not maliciously defame "MJ" during a radio rivalry that played out over the airwaves for years.


"None of it was malice ... none of it was intended to hurt. It was classic radio war," said Clem outside the courtroom after the Wednesday afternoon verdict.

Schnitt was seeking $18,000 in damages, money used to pay for a security system at his home after it was egged and a note was found attributing the attack to a member of the "Bubba Army."



Meet 'Only Person Working Full Time At Programming HD”

Radio Rich
St. Louis radio listeners wondering what happened to "Radio Rich" Dalton, who had been running the 10-2 midday shift at KHTS FM-96 (KIHT), he still is working at Emmis Communications.

He's just programming for the future — which he hopes will sound like the past.

Dalton has been asked by station management to work full-time on running KSHE's HD radio operation, known as KSHE II.

"It's been operating for six years, since December 2006," Dalton tells Joe Holleman at stltoday.com. "But now, I may be the only person in the U.S. working full-time at programming HD radio."

Dalton started his jock career in 1971 with KADI, which rivaled KSHE in the revered "album-oriented rock" format of the late 1960s and 1970s — the days when FM rock stations operated without market studies and computer-generated playlists, when disc jockeys picked their own selections.

Dalton's old shift at K-HITS is now manned by Todd Morgan.

Jamaica Supports Controversial Pre-Super Bowl Ad

Jamaica has come out in support of an online, pre-game Super Bowl ad for Volkswagen that's taken some flak for showing a white office worker from the Midwest feigning a Jamaican accent to show a cheerful, upbeat outlook.


Some critics have charged that the ad, which debuted Monday (January 28th), is offensive and culturally insensitive, portraying it as referencing segregation-era "blackface" depictions of white people posing as happy-go-lucky blacks.

But in Jamaica, which is predominantly black, but also has white, Asian, Middle Eastern and mixed-race minorities, they've been puzzled by the reaction.

The Jamaican government has endorsed the commercial, which shows the office worker trying to cheer up his colleagues, including by paraphrasing Bob Marley lyrics by saying, "No worries, mon.  Everything will be all right."

Jamaica's tourism minister called the ad, quote, "a very creative commercial which truly taps into the tremendous appeal that brand Jamaica and its hospitable people have globally." Volkswagen has no plans to pull the spot.

Don't Mess With Jess

WKMG Local6 reporter Jessica Sanchez effectively uses wit with a walk-in, live-shot crasher in New Orleans. Sanchez was doing a live report for the Orlando station covering Super Bowl activities.

 

KMVQ Super Bowl Song Soars

Hands down, the most requested song on San Francisco's 99.7-FM KMVQ (NOW!) is the station's own ode to the 49ers -- "Win the Bowl (Go Niners Go)."

"It's No. 1," "Jazzy" Jim Archer, the assistant program and music director for KMVQ tells Jim Harrington at mercurynews.com.
.
The idea for the track was hatched right after the 49ers beat the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 20, thus earning the team's sixth trip to the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Shan Clark, the assistant producer for the station's morning show, organized the recording, even adding her own vocals to the mix.

The result is a poppy rap/sung diddy with such playful lyrics as "Forget about Tebow, we out here Kaepernicking..."

And the chorus?

"We gonna win the bowl
Only got one more game to go
Yes, we all cravin'
For us to beat the Ravens
Go, Niners, Go."


Read More Now.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Jury Rules In Favor Of Bubba, Schnitt Loses Case

Todd Clem wins
The jury reached their verdict in about three hours. The jury, mostly women, ruled in favor of Todd 'Bubba The Love Sponge' Clem.

They agreed with Bubba's attorny, no defamation took place.

The verdict mean noo financial damages were to be awarded.

Attorneys for Schnitt told jurors Wednesday that Clem defamed Schnitt "out of sheer hatred." Clem's lawyer countered by saying that "context is everything."

Alt. Juror To Schnitt: ‘Put Your Big Girl Panties On!’

During jury deliberations, a dismissed alternate juror talked with reporters. Alana Wilshire spoke at length with the media.



"I think MJ should put on his big girl panties and get over it," she told WTSP 10 News. "This is a waste of taxpayer money.  I would rule in favor of Bubba.  I wouldn't give MJ a dime!" 

Alana, along with other jurors, are prohibited from speaking to one another about the case as it's happening.  When we asked her if other jurors felt the same she said, "I don't know. We can't talk about it. I've been dying to voice my opinion."

Alana said this case has been a waste of time and pointed out that even she has been called names in the past.  "MJ should get over it.  When Bubba called MJ's wife a whore, it wasn't meant about Michelle, it was a way to get back at MJ. It was aimed at him."

Attorneys Finish Closing Arguments

Highlights of Closing Arguments In Defamation Trial

Report: Todd Schnitt Has Sued A Rival Previously

Schnitt Called 'Spoiled Little Boy'

Long before his radio fight with Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, Todd "MJ" Schnitt sparred over the airwaves with a rival radio personality in Virginia Beach.

In 1988, MJ worked nights at WNVZ-FM Z104 while Roy Jaynes, known on the air as "D.B. Cooper," worked nearby at WGH-FM 97-Star.

See Also: Both sides rest their case in MJ vs. Bubba trial

Eventually MJ filed a $3 million slander suit, claiming Jaynes called him names on the air.

Howard Stern Voices Support for Bubba


Howard Stern voiced his support for Bubba the Love Sponge on Monday morning, after a caller brought up the Tampa based radio host's current defamation trial, according to examiner.com.

Bubba, who was featured on Howard Stern's secondary Sirius XM channel Howard 101 for years, is being sued by fellow Tampa radio host MJ Schnitt. In addition to calling Schnitt's wife Michelle a "wh**e" on air, MJ claims that Bubba's statements incited his fan club known as "Bubba Army" to harass them in both public and private settings. Stern said that he has been attempting to follow the case, but the crux of the case is still eluding him.

"I have gone online and read about it," said Stern. "But I don’t even understand what I’m reading…It seems like one DJ’s upset because Bubba made fun of him...I didn’t hear the broadcast, but it sounds like a lot of nonsense. It sounds like a free speech issue...Listen: I’m biased towards Bubba. He’s a friend of mine. I like him very much. I don’t know this other DJ, but things can get heated in these radio wars. It’s sort of not a big deal. I think it sounds like the type of thing that on free speech you can get away with and I think Bubba will be OK and I’m hoping Bubba comes out all right. I’m a Bubba guy. So what am I supposed to do?”


CCM+E Wins MLB Indians Broadcast Rights

Games To Air On Iconic WMMS FM

The Cleveland Indians and Clear Channel have reached an agreement on a five-year contract that will allow the long-time flagship station of the team to carry games through 2017.

Newsradio WTAM 1100 will continue to be your home for the Cleveland Indians for at least the next five years.  However WMMS 100.7 FM— the flagship station of the Cleveland Browns — will reportedly simulcast 144 games over the course of each season, leaving any mid-day broadcasts to air solely on AM station.  

As recent as this past October, Clear Channel was in a bidding war for the Indians’ broadcast rights as CBS’ upstart sports talk station 92.3 The Fan was reportedly making a hard push.



Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus will remain as announcers. This will be Hamilton’s 24th season with the team.

Mindy McCready Denies Shooting Boyfriend

The past few years haven't been easy for Mindy McCready; the country singer has dealt with drug addiction and jail, plus a protracted custody battle over her son with Billy McKnight. But Jan. 13, the day her boyfriend David Wilson died of a gunshot wound, was likely her lowest point in recent memory, as she told NBC's Andrea Canning on ‘Today’ Tuesday.



CNN Shuffles Chairs

Jeff Zucker
Many of CNN’s top talents were being moved around like chess pieces Tuesday.

After new CNN honcho Jeff Zucker hired Chris Cuomo from ABC, he dismissed pundits James Carville, Mary Matalin and Bill Bennett. CNN managing editor Mark Whitaker resigned, and Anderson Cooper learned his show will no longer be repeated in prime time.

Cuomo is expected to be joined by Erin Burnett on a new morning show. The NYPost’s Page Six reported Dec. 10 that Zucker wanted to move Burnett from her prime-time slot “to revive the cabler’s moribund morning ratings.” She is, however, contracted to prime time, and a source says, “They’ll have to throw a bucket of money at her to go to the morning.”

And Soledad O’Brien has been promised a role in prime time.

Zucker has been taking an active role in all departments of CNN, not just human resources. “He is all over everyone at the network,” said one source. “He is e-mailing everyone, around the clock, the anchors, the control rooms, he has inserted himself into everything. It is great for the network.”

Personality Accused Of Mocking Woman With Disability

Q92's Mo
The family of Kellie Baker of Strasburg, Ohio hopes to raise awareness of bullying of people with disabilities after she was mocked by the host of a show on an Alliance radio station.

On Jan. 21, Baker, who has Down’s syndrome was trying to call a friend whom she hadn’t seen for a while. The 30-year-old said she found a piece of paper with a telephone number on it, so she dialed it, thinking it was her friend’s number. Instead, she dialed the number of Q92 in Alliance.

The host of “The Mo Show” answered the phone. “She thought she was speaking with her friend’s dad,” the woman's mother explained.

The radio host kept Baker on the phone for several minutes, and then played a recording of their conversation on the air. Near the end, Mo asked her if she knew who he was. Baker answered, “No.”

“OK, so I can laugh at you and you won’t know who to call and say you’re offended,” Mo said, and then laughed. “Very good.”

Contacted Tuesday by Jon Baker with timesreporter.com, the radio station issued a statement through its attorney, Amanda M. Paar Conroy of Tzangas, Plakas and Mannos of Canton:

“Q92 and ‘The Mo Show’ would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its support of efforts to raise awareness regarding the challenges faced by those with developmental disabilities.

Specifically, the station wishes to sincerely apologize again for any actions or comments that could be construed as making light of the challenges faced by persons that are developmentally disabled or casting those persons in any humorous light.

The station’s policy is to treat our callers and listeners with the utmost respect, professionalism, and sensitivity.”

This isn’t the first time Q92 has come under fire for ridiculing individuals with disabilities. In 2006, numerous area advocacy groups, including The Arc of Ohio, urged the radio station to stop airing a bit dubbed “Name that Tune with Mongoloid Mike.” The bit invited listeners to “name that tune” after a character voiced lyrics to a popular song as if sung by a person with a disability.

Facebook Provides Accurate NFL Fandom Map

Facebook's Data Science team has combed the more than 35 million users who have "liked" a team's fan page, and put it into graphic form, down to the county level.

Barry Petchesky at deadspin.com writes Click the overall fandom map above to enlarge.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Tampa Trial: Testimony Ends, Jury Gets Case Wednesday

Radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem's attorneys rested their case late Tuesday morning.

Clem is fighting a defamation lawsuit brought by Clem's former radio rival, Todd "MJ" Schnitt, who is asserting Clem has made "false, highly offensive and defamatory statements" about him and his wife.

Tampabay.com is reporting Circuit Judge James Arnold denied the defense's motion Tuesday afternoon that the judge throw out the remaining defamation charges. Arnold also denied the plaintiff's motion for a directed verdict.

Court adjourned at about 2:30 p.m., and the decision will likely be in the jury's hands Wednesday, after closing statements.

Huge Bear Wanders Onto TV Commercial Set

Check out this "cool" video. On an advertising shoot for washing machines in Canada to show off the cold wash performance, the Samsung crew are surprised when a bear wanders into the shoot location.

Thunder Rumbles Again In Tampa Bay

Clear Channel’s simulcast of N/T WFLA 970 AM on two translators has ended with the relaunching of Classic Rocker Thunder in the Tampa market.

W290BJ 105.9FM 60dBu Coverage Map
Two translators, W290BJ 105.9 FM in West Tampa on the Tampa side of the bay and W233AV 94.5 FM in Gulfport on west wide of the bay, are rebroadcasting WMTX-HD2 at 100.7 FM.  Both were simulcasting N/T WFLA.

W233AV 94.5 FM 60dBu Coverage Map
Tampa Bay’s Thunder last aired under the WTBT call letters and was Jacor’s classic rock Thunder 105.5 when it went on the air in 1995. Clear Channel bought out Jacor in 1999 and WTBT moved to 103.5 in a frequency swap with Bradenton’s WDUV. It also upgraded power from 3,000 watts to 100,000 watts and moved its tower, which changed the city of license to Gulfport.

Thunder was the #1 station 25-54 in the Tampa market in 2001.

However, in 2005 Clear Channel traded WTBT’s rock’n’roll shoes for a pair of country boots and flipped the station to WFUS West Florida’s US 103.5, setting up a showdown with Infinity’s heritage WQYK.
  
ThunderTampaBay.com has been registered by Clear Channel, but is now redirecting to iHeart Radio.

Testimony Concludes In ‘MJ’ vs. Bubba Defamation Trial

Kim 'Jabberjaw' Collelo
With witness testimony apparently complete, Bubba the Love Sponge Clem's attorneys asked a judge again to throw out a defamation lawsuit filed by radio rival Todd "MJ" Schnitt.

The request came today after the jury was dismissed for lunch, according to tbo.com.   Before that, they heard testimony from Kimberly Collelo, known as "Jabberjaw" on air when working as a producer, first for Schnitt and later Clem. She now works for a law firm.

Closing statements could come next in the high-profile trial. In the suit, Schnitt claims Clem defamed Schnitt and his wife in a ratings battle and incited Clem's fans, known as "Bubba's Army," to harass the Schnitts.

Today, Clem's attorney, Greg Hearing, argued that other parts of the suit should not go to the jury, based on testimony given during trial. Five of the defamation counts were dismissed Monday.

The judge did not rule on the request before attorneys were sent out for lunch.

Collelo worked for Schnitt's show in the mid-2000s. She also did babysitting work for the Schnitts during that time. She later worked for Clem's show about 2½ years, until 2011.

In an on-air 2008 conversation with Clem, Collelo said a "reliable source" accused Schnitt of fixing ratings books. She also accused Schnitt of receiving "plug-ola" money for personal sponsorships. "There's no doubt in mind," she said in the recording playedin court.

Under cross-examination, Collelo denied having direct knowledge of either allegation.

Tempers Flare in Bubba vs. MJ Trial

Monday was an emotional day in court for both sides in the MJ vs. Bubba trial as it entered week three. In fact, this is the first day the jury was brought back into the courtroom since last Wednesday.

According to WTSP10News, the day began with Bubba's team asking for a mistrial, saying that the intense media coverage would not allow their client to get a fair shot. In addition, there was the soap opera saga from last week, where MJ's attorney, Phil Campbell, was arrested for DUI after drinking at Malio's with a pretty legal assistant from the same law firm representing Bubba. He then reportedly left his all-important briefcase behind, with legal documents inside.

Was that flirty encounter a setup? Could it be grounds for a mistrial?

RADIO DISCUSSIONS MESSAGE BOARD, Click Here.

Tempers flared from attorneys on both sides Monday. The tension was visible by legal counsel from each team.


Atlanta Radio Cumulus Taps Perry As Newser WYAY PD

Former WGST 640 AM anchor Jennifer Perry has been named program director at eight-month-old WYAY All News 106.7 FM, according to Rodney Ho at ajc.com.

She takes over for Marshall Adams, who left last fall after just five months on the job.

Perry, according to her LinkedIn page, worked as an anchor and reporter at what was N/T WGST from 2004 until the station's demise in September, 2012. The station is now EPSN Hispanic sports talk.

She was also Rusty Humphries' news sidekick for his local afternoon show, which died along with the format last fall.

All News has drawn relatively modest ratings, averaging a 1.3 share the past few months.

Arbitron: Younger Men Respond To Sports Talk On FM

From Jenny Tsoa, Arbitron, Programming & OperationsManager:

Spoken-word formats moving to FM is one of the major storylines recently in the radio industry. It seems that every week we open the trades to find another broadcaster launching an FM simulcast or replacing an underperforming music format with news, talk, or sports programming. 
Today I’ll share with you some interesting stats I discovered in the upcoming 2012 report about sports on FM: 
Between Fall 2010 and Fall 2011 (which compose Radio Today 2012), the All-Sports format added 15 new stations, going from 693 stations to 708. 
That may not seem like a big number, until you consider that 14 of the 15 were FM. There were119 FM sports stations in Fall 2010 and 133 in Fall 2011. 
Moving spoken-word programming and sports broadcasts onto the FM band has many upsides such as better signal coverage and more potential audience. But does it fundamentally change the way listeners consume the station? Does it lead to more tune-ins and improved P1 engagement or a higher percentage of female audience? 
To answer these questions, I recently dug into the PPM markets and examined 45 sports formats, splitting them into two groups: AM stations and FM standalone or FM simulcast stations. 
The data come from the first quarter of 2012 (Jan-Feb-Mar average) using a Monday-Friday 6AM-7PM daypart.
Read More Now.