Pittsburgh RRK Switch Formats yet again

WRRK-FM formerly a strong active and classic rock station in the Pittsburgh market has now changed over to the surging BOB FM trend. Bob FM is a new "we'll play anything" radio format that is competing with the people who listen to a large variety of music.

They have dumped mostly all of their broadcasters and signed off of their Bob and Tom syndicated morning show. RRK was struggling to survive when the Pittsburgh market is dominated by classic DVE station. This makes the third format change for 96.9 FM in three years.

I am very disappointed in the change and I do not like the "play anything" format. It seems to be eliminating the human element to radio and could be putting a lot of jocks out of work.

I'll be watching this story closely as the radio trends unfolds.

NHL, XM Become Partners for Next Decade

Well, I'm glad that I didn't impulsively buy the Sirius Radio when I did, because after reading this news, I guess I'll be joining up with XM next year when I have even more money to afford.

The NHL announced a great deal that they have come to terms with XM Satellite Radio to be the exclusive satellite broadcasters for the next 10 years. The contract is set to net the NHL $100,000,000(US).

There is also in the works a satellite channel dedicated to hockey 24/7 for the XM network.

According to a FAN 590 radio interview, NHL Pres. Bettman has stated that they have also extended their agreement with Satellite Radio Canada so that hockey fans there can enjoy the same broadcasts that Americans do.
[Yahoo! Sports & Radio & Records]

Broadcasters Rush To Help Hurricane Victims

In an attempt to do some kind of good, broadcasters all over the country have made some kind of effort to raise the public's contributions to the Red Cross and other lifesaving charities.

Rush Limbaugh has announced that he will be giving a one-man performance at New York's New Amsterdam Hall on October 18th, 2005. The benefit will go to the Hurricane victims of this recent Katrina disaster. Also appearing at the show will be EIB heir-apparent Sean Hannity to do an introduction.

The Bob and Tom Morning Show, with 150 affiliates nationwide, is running an auction on their website with the money also going to help victims. They've relied on their long time friend of the show Peyton Manning. For more information, please visit the links below.

Also, I would like to warn everyone who reads this post. I am guessing that 60% of the broadcast media who is currently seeking relief and monetary funds is not doing it out of charity. They are using this tragedy to their own exploitive self promotional needs (with the above mentioned people excluded). Listen closely at how many times they mention their own name and attach it to the generosity they claim to give. Watch NBC's telethon and watch the parade of every slipping movie star and musician who will trip over themselves to put their name out in public again. Give your donations directly to the people who need it. Your donation to the Red Cross goes to the salaries of people who work for it.

[Via: Radio & Records, Radio & Records]

Construction Starts on Broadcasting Museum

The American Broadcasting Museum began it's construction in Chicago today. It will take over from the previous location in the downtown Cultural museum. It will open up next summer with a projected cost of $21 million(US).

No word as of yet if they have reserved a wing for my career highlights.

Radio & Records

Death to Disco Anniversary

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the day that the old Comisky Park in Chicago held a disastrous promotion celebrating the backlash against the disco music genre. Originally, records and 8-tracks were detonated in the outfield, but soon chaos erupted and the rally turned into a full scale riot.

It caused the White Sox to forfeit the game that day and many unruly people were arrested.

Today people talk about it as a black day in broadcasting history as it was widely promoted by a Chicago area disk jockey.

Any Idiot in Florida Can Do Radio

THE MAN came crashing down on the citizens of Florida and made some arrests in an apparent rescuing of the public airwaves.

North Miami Beach, FL police detectives on June 23 seized and impounded equipment being used by an unlicensed radio station that used the 91.7 MHz frequency -- the same one used by Christian Rock noncomm WMKL/Key Largo-Miami.

According to the police report, the pirate station's transmitter was located on a two-story office building. The station was unattended, using a Windows Media Player running on a PC with a DSL connection. Furthermore, police say the pirate station's transmitter was turned on every evening using a "hot water heater"-type timing switch, which would turn off each morning.

Nice job, guys! Apparently the set-up sounds like it was put together by some chemistry and electrical engineering guys that just wanted to have something to brag to all their friends about.

Marquis McDonald and Rasheem Oriley are being accused by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement of airing uncensored rap and hip-hop music from a Ft. Lauderdale apartment on an unlicensed station at 88.5 MHz. The broadcasts effectively jammed WKPX/Sunrise, FL a student-run operation based at Piper High School

The underlining story to these two news blurbs are that it's obvious that a niche audience is being under-served. Even to a degree that people have to set up their own pirate station just to listen to the music that they wanted. Wait 'till ClearChannel hears about these stories. They read the trades. But of course, the spin would appear in the regular news that the real crime was that they aired R&B with explicit lyrics.

Maybe this is what The Lion 90.7 FM is going to have to become soon? Do you see it in their future?

[Via: Radio & Records and Radio & Records]

Penn State University Losing FM Station?

It couldn't have happened to nicer people!
After the Penn State office of Student Affairs saw that there was a "inequality" in how much money they dole out to their students through their clubs, Penn State radio is now scrambling to find funding to keep their FCC licensed FM signal up and running.

In the e-mail explain how much the Lion means to you and why UPAC should keep us around. Do your part, keep good radio alive!

Welcome to the real world kiddies! Money doesn't grow on trees! And it sure just doesn't appear there if you ask for it with your hand out! Get out there and sell the station like the rest of us who actually work in commercial radio has to do.

Of course this could all come off and sound like I've got an ax to grind against the boys club called student radio. I've never forgotten and neither should you.
[Via:The Digital Collegian]

PBS Station Has Sellers Remorse

The seemingly last bastion of liberal elitist is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the USA's PBS affiliates all over the country. There they take millions of dollars of tax money and promote their secular world view.

When KOCE-TV was put up for auction by the Coast Community College District, it came as a giant shock to find that the highest bidder was Daystar Television Network based out of Dallas, TX.

I can almost hear the cacophonous screams of liberal terror to see that their station had been bought by Christians. They can't stand the idea that Pat Robertson may appear on the station that they had in their grubby control. Now, fighting to keep the Word of a Christian God out of the public discourse, Coast Community College District rescinded their sale.

The college district apparently wasn't watching the [case law]. It now has gotten itself into a real bind, because the sale is off the table. Unless, that is, Daystar, whose corporate name is Word of God Fellowship, Inc., succeeds in convincing a court that the district make good on the sale to its organization.

It's a whole other discussion as to whether it would be better if KOCE remains in the Public Broadcasting System fold. I wish it would, but as the appellate court unflinchingly noted, you can't be so obvious in trying to thwart televangelists from buying your station in a fair auction.

I can only laugh my ass off at this news. Score another one for the good guys.

Giveaway Mistakes Costs Radio Stations Money, Fines

Cumulus owned WLTO-FM in Lexington, KY is in a lot of hot water these days. After evening jock "DJ Slick" (oh yea.... real original) promised a lucky called $100 Grand.

Well, Mrs. Norreasha Gill, 28, was that "lucky" caller and when she went to claim the "prize", the GM of the station told her it was just a Nestle brand candy bar. Uh-oh! Somebody's in trouble!

FCC regulations say contest descriptions can't be false or deceptive and that stations must conduct contests as advertised. Stations in two other states have been fined for contests that told listeners they'd won cash prizes without specifying they were in the Italian or Turkish lira, not the U.S. dollar.

Okay then, what happened to the DJ in all this mess?

DJ Slick did not return an e-mail from the Herald-Leader, but he said on his Web site that he had left his job. WLTO and Cumulus declined to comment, identify DJ Slick by his given name or say whether he was fired.

In Hartford, CT the FCC fined ClearChannel for being responsible in WKSS's mishap involving promises to provide an "all expenses paid" wedding".

...the FCC investigated and confirmed claims that WKSS's "I Do Island" contest awarded a prize package valued significantly less than the value publicized by the station and stated in the contest rules.

Specifically, the contest required five brides-to-be to live continuously in the center court of a local shopping mall for seven days and nights, utilizing only the clothes worn on the contest's first day, a sleeping bag and one additional item. Each day WKSS listeners voted to eliminate one of the contestants. The contest winner — who is the complainant — was entitled to a "Wedding Package" consisting of a wedding reception, bridal gown, bridesmaids' dresses, wedding rings, a honeymoon package and other parts of a traditional wedding event. WKSS staffers told her on the day she won the contest that she would receive all of the information necessary to collect the prizes advertised within two weeks.

However, the contest winner had not received all of the information needed to plan her wedding approximately three months after the contest had ended. WKSS ultimately informed her that the prizes awarded were worth $20,330; the station advertised the prize as being valued at $35,000.

If you think this is anything new, guess again! There have also been other idiots who try to cheat the public by stretching the truth a bit with their prize payouts.

A prank in Florida led to a similar lawsuit that was settled in 2002. A former waitress claimed Hooters promised to award her a new Toyota car — but instead gave her a toy Yoda.

That's hysterical!


[Via: Yahoo! News & Radio & Records]

Pittsburgh Broadcasting Legend Retires After 35 Years

Even with a raspy voice, the legendary broadcaster loved so much by the city he called home, announced to a gathering of his own colleagues that he was unable to continue his career.

Myron Cope, the innovator of "the terrible towel" fad, was saddened to call his career to an end when his list of ailments beginning last offseason became too much to bear. A 35 year veteran of the broadcasting industry, Cope was the most recognizable voices in Pittsburgh sports. He made all Steeler games unique with his own catch phrases and made up words. "Yoi!" and "Urm-ha" were just some of the added bonuses that listeners got from the unpredictable Cope.

[Via: The Pittsburgh Channel - WTAE]

Canada Gov't. Gives Permission to it's Citizens to have satellite Radio

So it looks like the Canadian contingency will eventually get to hear my radio program after all. I was a little dismayed at the attempts that the CRTC to block the ownership of satellite radio services in Canada.

But I guess something allegedly got around to the controlling board because Canada's gov't. never met a bag man they didn't like *ahem*.

The CRTC's approval of the satellite initiatives has a few conditions, however: At least eight channels must be Canadian-produced with 25% of the offerings French-language; at least 85% of the content on the Canadian-produced channels must be Canadian; at least a quarter of the music on those channels must be from new Canadian artists, and another 25% on the Canadian-produced must be from emerging Canadian artists. Sirius Canada and CSR must contribute 5% or more of their gross revenue to develop Canadian talent, and the CHUM-Astral conglomerate is required to contribute 2% or more.

You'd think that it would be a sweet victory for freedom lovers and broadcasters everywhere, but no.... the gov't. has to weasel themselves into places they don't belong. I've never seen so much regulations in my entire life! So where's my 24 hour Sarah McLachlan, Nickelback, Rush, Avril Lavigne, and Celine Dion channel? This is strictly a case of the minority forcing it's will on the majority.

The Canadians have hit a small snag in their plans for meeting the CRTC regulations. According to the second article, CHUM radio is expected to pull out of their plans to produce their channels in space leaving the doors open for XM and Sirius.

...the situation may be further muddied if the CHUM/Astral Media partnership the only 100% Canadian-owned company to win one of the three licenses issued by the CRTC drops out due to the cost of launching the service against XM and Sirius, which both already have systems in place that can reach Canada.

[Via:Radio & Records & Radio & Records]

Rams Hire Mole in KTRS/FSN-Midwest

When I studied politics, I was really disheartened to see just how many politicians are corruptible. When I did my turn to look into the broadcasting field, I have found that the same ratio of corrupted media types were about the same.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has broken a story claiming that the well known commentator, John Hadley, was hired as a consultant to the St. Louis Rams. Some fans and other journalists fear that there might be a conflict of interest. Even Hadley agrees,

"It's not a perfect situation by any means," Hadley acknowledges. "I'll have to be very careful"

I guess he's not worried now that as long as he gets paid. The concern is that as long as he is employed by the Rams, he can use his broadcasting position to spin the news in favor of the Rams.

[Via: St. Louis Post-Dispatch]

Perfume Chokes up Detroit Broadcaster

This seems like real interesting news involving a radio broadcaster.

A Detroit radio DJ was awarded 10.6 million dollars this week because she was fired for complaining about a co-worker's perfume.

Former top-ranked radio host Erin Weber said exposure to Lancome's Tresor perfume caused her to lose her voice and take lengthy absences from work, the Detroit News reported.

She also said she once "felt an electric shock quell through my entire body" and required heavy medication to combat the effects.

It's amazing why she didn't just move on to another station. That's the trouble with working in broadcasting for so long... the ego just gets larger and larger with time. It's as if the entire world should adjust themselves according to her over-sensitive nostrils.

A jury of six women deliberated for eight days before awarding Weber 1.6 million dollars Monday for past and future compensation, seven million dollars in punitive damages and two million dollars for mental anguish and emotional distress.

Eh, talk about yer "jury of peers".

"I'm thankful that the jury took so much time to come to the right conclusion," Weber, 43, told the Detroit News after the verdict. "It's a great [pay] day."

Okay... so I added in the word "pay".
What does the Broadcasting company have to say in response?

A spokeswoman for Infinity Broadcasting, which owns the station, said the company planned to appeal. "We're disappointed in the verdict and intend to make all the appropriate post-trial motions," Karen Mateo told the Detroit News.

Chicago Stations Find New Format

Have you ever heard of the new "play anything and everything" format called JACK? Apparently, a crazy idea started to combat those people who have been using iPods and Win Media Players who like a wide variety in their music styles.

I hate it. If this catches on, a lot of other broadcasters will be out of work. When stations today can just employ a powerful computer to broadcast everything 24/7, actual hosts will no longer be required. That's why my goal was always to make it in the news/talk format.

Here's an AP story that talks about the trend. Make up your minds for yourselves.

CHICAGO (AP) -- The posters hanging on the walls of the broadcasting booth at Nine FM are as eclectic as the music the radio station plays -- Pink Floyd and Aerosmith sharing space with the Marx Brothers, the Rat Pack and the Beatles.

Bob Perry, a veteran radio programmer, started the variety format on the Internet radio station JACK.FM in 2000 and later licensed the name for terrestrial stations in Canada and the U.S.

Sinclair's variety stations have done well in the Arbitron ratings, and only one -- in Honolulu -- has fizzled. Bob Sinclair notes Bob FM in Austin, Texas, has rated No. 1 in its market's 25-54 demographic.

Links of interest:


• Jack FM


• Bob FM


• Variety

[Via: Yahoo! Biz News]

Broadcaster loses job after taunts from fans

Chalk up another victory to the rebel radio personalities "Opie and Anthony". With marching orders to their fans, it seems as if the legions of people can be effective.

Chi'en was in the middle of a 6a.m. broadcast about MetroCard scammers when two men sneaked up behind him with a sign promoting radio shock jocks Opie & Anthony.
But as soon as he finished his report, he spun around and shouted at the intruders: "What the f--- is your problem, man?"

But Mr Chi'en was very remorseful for his outburst.

"I regret the entire thing and I apologize to those who were offended," he said.

If that wasn't enough, Opie and Anthony gleefully reveled on their show.

Meanwhile, fans of the Opie & Anthony show, who have mounted a campaign to annoy television reporters, were boasting about the infantile stunt on the deejays' Web site.

Their history of naughty behavior is well documented after this popular stunt that made headlines and other broadcasters irate... including me.

The potty-mouthed pair have a show on XM satellite radio, where they landed after being bounced by WNEW-FM for a contest that enticed two listeners to have sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Pittsburgh Searches for Cure of Cancer with Radio Waves

I've always felt that radio is an amazing thing, but can it cure cancer? Apparently, some doctors at the UPMC research facility will learn if high doses of heat from radio waves will kill cancer cells.

I hope this comes through for the researchers involved. It's about time that somebody came through with a new breakthrough in a cure for cancer.

John Kanzius, 61, a former partner at Jet Broadcasting Company Inc. in Erie, developed the idea and is seeking patents for his prototype device. [Dr. David] Geller said he was impressed by Kanzius' scientific approach, despite his having no medical training.

[Via: CBS NY]

In Related News.....

Syndicated Radio broadcaster Laura Ingraham is said to be resting calmly after receiving treatments for breast cancer. I have been praying for her with all the hope that she makes a full recovery. I've had family members and other people in my career affected by cancer. Please keep everyone that has suffered with this terrible disease in your thoughts.

Canadians Won't Allow for satellite Radio

What the hell is wrong with Canada? I was hoping that once I get farther in my career, that my Canadian fans would like to hear me via satellite radio. I guess they're going to have to wait!

The Globe and Mail recently reported that two Canadian car makers won't be offering satellite radio in their 2006 models because the CRTC refuses to approve the radios for sale in Canada.

The broadcast regulator has steadfastly refused to allow two American satellite radio providers, Sirius satellite radio and XM satellite radio to operate in this country and will prosecute Canadians who dare to operate or sell these products in Canada.

I guess they aren't about to reach any solutions quickly.

The primary reason why there are no Canadian satellite radio companies is because the cost of putting satellites up in the sky and offering the service is very high and the Canadian population is not big enough to support it.

It's disappointing on so many levels. I've got a lot of friends and fans in the Canadian Province of Ontario, but it pisses me off to no end how badly their own Liberal Government is f---ing them up the ass. Are they afraid of news and information that the Gov't can't control?

Ratings go up for baseball in D.C.

Here's some news from the R&R's Al Peterson:

Arbitron has released the first-ever results from its new Broadcast Sporting Events custom ratings service for local radio stations. The company surveyed the Washington metro to estimate the radio audience of Major League Baseball's new Washington Nationals' opening-day game against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 5. Arbitron estimates that 164,600 persons age 18+ -- that's enough local listeners to fill Washington's RFK Stadium almost four times -- listened to some portion of the radio broadcast of the game, the pre-game or the post-game show on one of five area radio stations that carried the team's season opener. Bonneville-owned WWVZ & WWZZ-FM and WFED-AM are the Nats' DC radio flagship outlets. The game also aired on suburban DC stations WAGE/Leesburg, VA and WTRI/Brunswick, MD.

It looks like an initial success, but what about the 182 game season? Will D.C. get tired of the games by July?
It is looking positive for stations to pick up the broadcast. I may tell my friends in Chambersburg, PA to maybe give the baseball games a try. They are sitting on a big Washington/Baltimore market.

R.I.P. Dame Broadcasting

I guess it feels like I get the last laugh among all that has happened to me during my tenure in State College, PA. My buddy Dan calls me up to say he read this article in the Centre Daily Times.

He tells me the news that Al Dame of Dame Broadcasting has decided to sell the stations off to the competition - Forever Broadcasting! Forever in turn has chosen to skirt the FCC rules and permit a operating manager to take care of the ex-Dame properties.

All I could say is.. it couldn't have happened to nicer people!