Paul Harvey's "Rest Of the Story" Reaches Final Chapter

For just about everyone who has ever worked and studied radio broadcasting knows the tremendous legacy of Paul Harvey. Paul began working in radio in high school 1933, but he continued in 1944 after the War a time when America really needed a beacon of hope. Now, because of that tenure, Paul leaves the airwaves permanently taking with it a folksy style that American broadcasting may never ever get back.

In my own radio career, Paul was a featured broadcaster during my tenure at WRSC AM and WBLF AM in State College. His broadcasts started at 11:30 AM at that time, leaving few options to fill in the 11 AM first half hour. We then continued the evening with Paul's classic "Rest of the Story" monologue at 5:20 PM before we started the local sports talk shows. One day, I was working as the producer and a technical glitch caused the cutting of the end of the Paul Harvey story broadcast. I got so many calls asking me what had happened. I missed the end of it too and had no answer for the big pay off closing line. So, I know how much Paul's broadcasts can mean to a community.

He was elected to the National Association of Broadcasters Radio Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005 from President George W. Bush

In my opinion, listeners to radio today see a vast competition to get people's attention with a perpetual decline in standards. "Shock-Jocking" works to a degree, but at what cost? Paul Harvey, while he was broadcasting, was living proof that broadcasters didn't have to be controversial.

I would hope that production directors everywhere would tribute this great American by playing a minute of "white noise" as an alternative instead of going silent.

Canadian Communications Pioneer Dies

I like to listen to the Toronto media through streaming Internet audio quite often. One name that stands out frequently is Ted Rogers of Rogers Communications. He is known throughout Ontario and Canada for having an empire of broadcasting and sports ownership. Remember the Skydome? In 2003, he bought the naming rights to make it the Rogers Center.

Ted passed away in his Toronto home today reportedly surrounded by his family. An official statement was made by the company to say

It is with great sadness that the Board of Directors of Rogers Communications Inc. announces the death of our colleague, leader and friend, Edward Samuel "Ted" Rogers, the founder of the company, a visionary communications industry pioneer and an icon in Canadian business.

I would like to agree with that. I feel a little bit of loss by the news, but having not known the man personally.

Sirius Welcomes Added XM Channels

Sirius and XM have now enacted their merging content plans and I cannot be any more excited about it. Since my Sirius radio was a gift, I soon longed for the day when I could also listen to some of the channels that were exclusive to XM.

The "Best of XM" package can be found on the enclosure link to the blog post. It means that I would be able to hear the NHL Network channel called "Home Ice" channel as well as the MLB package and more NCAA Sports channels dedicated to specific conference affiliations like the ACC and Big 10.

But it isn't all just sports, it also includes the allegedly wacky and controversial "Opie and Anthony" show.

For those people who have maintained a subscription to XM can also purchase a "Best of Sirius" which includes Howard Stern 100 as well as other celebrity sponsored channels as well as NFL football channel.

The Sirius/XM merger looks to benefit both companies as well as the subscribers now they have available all possible content, but equal exposure to new content from here on out!

Pirates Broadcaster Retires

Long time Pirate announcer Lanny Frattare has decided to call it quits after being witness to 15 years of an inept organization with no hope in sight. Frattare, who's familiar style to Pittsburgh sports fans, became the voice of the Pirates after long time broadcaster Bob Prince. Prince's legacy, to those who remember him, posed a large challenge to fill his spot, but Frattare walked up to the plate and consistently delivered the home run calls. His voice became the standard package to Pittsburgh fans while watching Pirates baseball.

I briefly met him in the Pirates broadcast press box in passing while he was getting ready before the game. I remember he made eye contact with me, gave me a polite greeted gesture, and continued on through the door. That moment signaled to me that he didn't allow the stature of his stardom to

The next fellow to fill his shoes will most likely be walking into the same situation as Frattare did all those years ago.

Sirius and XM Get To Merge

It took the Gov't a long time to figure out that satellite radio was not a monopoly; that it had other competition and the NAB knew it all along. While the merger was waiting to go through, it subsequently put Sirius and XM people on hold in their careers until things fell into place. I didn't like how it held up two profitable companies in limbo.

But just as the wait for approval was painstakingly slow, the vote came down to the wire as well.

The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 to approve the buyout, with the tiebreaker coming Friday night from Republican commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate.

That is the most stand out sticking point to the whole storyline. Howard Stern, a subculture pop icon, railed against Pres. Bush for the ongoing war, but now he has to eat crow that the party lines have been drawn.

The approval was a major blow for the land-based radio industry, which lobbied hard against the buyout. It was also opposed by consumer groups, various members of Congress and state attorneys general, all of whom argued a satellite radio merger would hurt consumers and was not in the public interest.

I currently own a Sirius Starmate and Boombox and listen to it a lot in the late night hours. My dad just bought a car with XM in it. So, as a sports fan, I would really love to get to hear all the sports on one system soon.

I will keep up on how they will amalgamate the stations into one product.

Bon Voyage, you MF'er!

If Hillary Clinton made similar remarks about the tragic condition of Ted Kennedy and she still gets to keep her job and siphon off the limelight of her celebrity status, then Mark Madden, including his army of loyal listeners known affectionately as "M F'ers", would still be continuing the highest rated sports radio broadcast in Pittsburgh right now.

"I'm very disappointed to hear that Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts is near death because of a brain tumor. I always hoped Senator Kennedy would live long enough to be assassinated." - Mark Madden

That quote does indeed seem cruel and it eventually did him in as those words got him fired from ESPN 1250AM in his native Pittsburgh.

I never really liked Mark Madden professionally, but having met him personally he was nice to me and felt approachable. A part of Mark's shtick was that he was a very rude shock jock, but he had a respectability about him that he had pro athlete connections out the wazoo. The side to his personality that always deserved a big thumbs down from me is that he flat out stole his catch phrases from his pro wrestling buddies from his days in World Championship Wrestling. There really wasn't an original thought in that man's head. In that way, I am glad that Madden is now gone, summarily dishonorably discharged.

Montreal Station Preforms "Dangerous" Stunt

A Montreal Rock station CHOI (96.9 FM) engaged in some psychological warfare today as the character "Super Pig" and a fellow conspirator taped a Montreal Canadiens jersey to the iconic Rocky statue in Philadelphia, PA. You can watch the photos here.I would never try something this dangerous as knowing Philadelphia's reputation. I have been there plenty of times to know that Philly will not take this lying down.

When I was at Penn State, we continued the tradition called "guard the lion" - an all night party the night before the Penn State Football Homecoming game. The logic being that any rival school would not deface the Nittany Lion statue as it currently sits in the grotto just outside the Rec Hall gymnasium.

Not that I would condone such an act, but would we see a Philadelphia banner flying from Stade Olympique in the near future for retribution?