Monday, April 29, 2024

4.29 WAKE-UP CALL: Russians Gaining Ground In Ukraine


Ukraine's top commander said on Sunday Kyiv's outnumbered troops had fallen back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations. The statement by Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi reflected Ukraine's deteriorating position in the east that Kyiv hopes it can stabilize once it takes delivery of U.S. weapons under a $61 billion aid package approved this week.

"The situation at the front has worsened," Syrskyi wrote on the Telegram app, describing the "most difficult" areas as west of occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka, the town captured by Russian forces in February. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy issued a fresh plea to international partners to speed arms deliveries so Kyiv could maintain its positions and disrupt Russian plans. He said he spoke on Sunday with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and "underscored that Patriot systems are needed, and as soon as possible."

HAMAS SUPPORT SPREADS: Pro-Palestinian protests at U.S. universities showed no sign of slowing as they spread coast-to-coast over the weekend and police crackdowns and arrests continued into another week while students vowed to stay in tent encampments until their demands are met. The students' demands range from a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas to calls for universities to stop investing in Israeli enterprises involved with the country's military to an end for U.S. military assistance for Israel.

Pro-Palestinian protests have spread to college campuses across the U.S., stoked by the mass arrest of over 100 people on Columbia University's campus more than a week ago. The Columbia campus was peaceful on Saturday and there were no reports of arrests of disturbances overnight. But crackdowns continued at a handful of campuses on Saturday including a lockdown at the University of Southern California (USC) and a heavy police presence. More than 200 people were arrested at a handful of schools including 80 late on Saturday at Washington University in St. Louis. Among those arrested at Washington University was 2024 Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein.

➤TWISTERS POUND MIDWEST: At least five people died, including a four-month-old baby, and scores were injured in Oklahoma this weekend after dozens of twisters swept the U.S. Southern Plains, while weather alerts on Sunday put more than 7 million Americans under tornado warnings.

Storm warnings for high winds, heavy rain and hail also were issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday for more than 47 million people stretching from East Texas all the way up through Illinois and Wisconsin. The unsettled weather is forecast to continue across the mid-section of the country into Monday, the weather service said. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on Sunday declared a "disaster emergency" for the state, freeing up more money for first responders and recovery operations. Stitt said in a video message posted on social media that he planned to tour the storm damage on Sunday and asked for prayers for those suffering.

➦But Wait! There's More To The Story...
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Taylor Swift Dominates Sales With TTPD


Pop megastar Taylor Swift sold 2.61 million album and streaming units of "The Tortured Poets Department" during its first week of release in the U.S., Billboard reported on Sunday, calling it "a gigantic debut at No. 1" on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Traditional album sales totaled 1.91 million in the week ending April 25 between digital download albums, CDs, cassettes and also included 859,000 vinyl sales, Billboard said, citing data from Luminate. The album generated 891.34 million on-demand official streams.

The album scored the largest streaming week for an album ever and the largest sales week for an album on vinyl in the modern era, Billboard said. It is also the top-selling album so far in 2024.

It was Swift's 14th chart-topping album, tying with Jay-Z for the most No. 1s among soloists.

Here’s a look at the acts with at least 10 No. 1s on the Billboard 200, since the list began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March 1956.

19 The Beatles
14 Jay-Z
14 Taylor Swift
13  Drake
11  Bruce Springsteen
11  Barbra Streisand
11  Ye (formerly Kanye West)
10  Eminem
10  Future
10  Elvis Presley

Swift released the first 16 tracks of "Poets" on April 19. Two hours later, she surprised fans by revealing it was a double album with 15 more songs.

It was the 11th studio album from the 34-year-old record-setting singer, who won an unprecedented fourth album of the year award at February's Grammys for "Midnights."

Last week, Spotify said "Poets" was its most-streamed album in a single week, surpassing 1 billion streams.

Swift also topped the British music charts on Friday, outselling the rest of the top 10 combined and beating the Beatles for the record of fastest artist to rack up 12 UK number one albums.

"Poets," distributed by Universal Music Group received mostly positive reviews from critics and fans.

Reuters reports Swift will resume her Eras Tour, the highest-grossing concert tour in history, in Paris in May.

She is among several of music's top female artists releasing albums this spring. Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter" debuted in March, and Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish have releases scheduled for next month.

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Senator Ted Cruz Blisters CPB With Concern Over NPR


U-S Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas, has criticized the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for its role in providing federal funding to scandal-plagued NPR.

In a scathing letter to CPB President and CEO Patricia de Stacy Harrison, Cruz expressed deep concern about NPR’s departure from its stated mission. 

He highlighted NPR’s deep-seated partisanship and refusal to acknowledge journalistic errors. Cruz emphasized that NPR benefits from federal funding allocated through CPB, which obligates it to uphold a higher standard of journalistic integrity. 

The controversy also involves NPR’s new CEO, Katherine Maher, whose social media posts revealed a history of Democratic activism and promotion of woke ideologies11.

In the complex landscape of media, where narratives intertwine, Senator Cruz’s words echo, a spotlight on the line, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, its role dissected, As scandal shadows NPR, a tale of ethics and perspectives.

“Complicit,” he declares, as the nonprofit’s funds flow, To a network embroiled, where biases often grow, NPR, once a beacon of independent journalism’s light, Now veers off course, its compass lost in partisan flight.

Uri Berliner’s essay, a bombshell revelation, Exposed the ideological takeover, a newsroom’s transformation, Far-left currents swirling, truth’s foundations shaken, And Cruz’s letter pierces, demanding answers unshaken.

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Biden Mocks Trump At TWH Correspondents' Dinner


President Joe Biden poked fun at Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night, while seeking to portray his Republican rival as a threat to democracy six months before their rematch.

Bloomberg reports Biden’s remarks touched on many of the central themes of his campaign, including that America’s democratic institutions remain fragile and still under threat from Trump and his supporters.

Trump “promised a bloodbath when he loses again. We have to take this seriously,” the president said. “Eight years ago you could have written it off as just Trump talk but no longer, not after Jan. 6.”

Administration officials from Vice President Kamala Harris to Secretary of State Antony Blinken were in attendance, as well as celebrities such as Jost’s wife Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, the winner of this year’s Academy Award for Supporting Actress.

Biden’s remarks come as his general-election rematch against Trump heats up. The president has been visiting key swing states in recent weeks in a bid to reverse polls that show him trailing the presumptive Republican nominee.

That travel blitz has come with his rival largely stuck in Manhattan for a criminal trial involving hush-money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels — the first of four indictments the former president is facing.

“Donald’s had a few tough days lately. You might call it stormy weather,” Biden said at the dinner, often an opportunity for presidents to showcase their lighter side, poking fun at their rivals and themselves.

The celebrity host for the evening was comedian Colin Jost..


Biden, 81, the oldest US president in history, regularly jokes about his age in effort to defuse anxiety among voters about his fitness to serve a second term in office.

“The 2024 election is in full swing and yes, age is an issue,” Biden said Saturday. “I’m a grown man running against a six year old.”

The evening’s festivities were clouded by protests over the Israel-Hamas war, with large crowds rallying against the conflict outside the event as Biden and other guests arrived. Posts on social media showed a Palestinian flag unfurled from the Hilton hotel, where the dinner is being held.

While the president didn’t directly address the conflict or the protests at the event and at college campuses across the country, he paid tribute to reporters who have been killed in the line of duty in Ukraine, the Middle East and elsewhere.

He also repeated his call for the release of journalists imprisoned all over the world, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is currently being held in Russia.

“Journalism is clearly not a crime — not here, not there, not anywhere in the world,” Biden said. “I give you my word as a Biden, we’re not going to give up until we get them home. All of them home.”

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Interest Surges For Women's Sports Media Rights


Media organizations are increasingly investing in covering women’s sports, recognizing the importance of amplifying athletes’ stories and experiences. Here are some key points:

Growing Attention: Women’s sports are no longer just a passing trend. Reporters are now actively using their platforms to elevate these stories and connect with audiences. For instance, the NCAA women’s basketball final recently garnered more views than the men’s championship game, signaling a shift in viewership.

Representation Matters: Having diverse representation in media coverage is crucial. Vinciane Ngomsi, a reporter and digital creator, emphasizes that seeing African representation can broaden interest and excitement around women’s sports.

Balancing Critique and Praise: Analyst Aaron West notes that strides have been made in covering women’s sports. Reporters now have the space to discuss tactical aspects, critique the game, and share holistic stories, similar to men’s coverage.

Investment in Rights Deals: Networks are recognizing the value of women’s sports. Soccer and basketball, in particular, are becoming sought-after rights packages. ESPN, for example, pays the NCAA for women’s basketball rights, alongside other sports championships.


Axios reports attention to women's sports reached new heights last month, when — for the first time in NCAA history‚ the women's basketball final garnered more views than the men's championship game, That milestone comes on the heels of a slew of historic new rights agreements between women's leagues and networks.

The NWSL inked its landmark four-year $240 million TV rights deal with ESPN, CBS Sports, Amazon Prime Video and Scripps Sports last year. ESPN's new NCAA TV deal valued the women's college basketball tournament at $65 million a year, tripling the annual value from its last deal.

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Report: TikTok Will Not Be Sold, Chinese Parent Tells U-S


TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance says it has no intention of selling the business after the US passed a law to force it to sell the hugely popular video app or be banned in America.

"ByteDance doesn't have any plans to sell TikTok," the company posted on its official account on Toutiao, a social media platform it owns.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the BBC.

Earlier this week, TikTok said it would challenge in court the "unconstitutional" law.

The statement from ByteDance came in response to an article by the technology industry website The Information that said it was exploring the potential sale of TikTok’s operation in the US without the algorithm that powers it.

"Foreign media reports of ByteDance selling TikTok are not true," the company said in the post, which included a screen shot of the article with the Chinese characters meaning "false rumor" stamped on it.

Beijing's tightening grip on private companies has raised concerns in the US, and other Western countries, about how much control the Chinese Communist Party has over ByteDance, and the data it holds.

TikTok has repeatedly denied claims the Chinese government has control over ByteDance.

"We are confident and we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts," said TikTok boss Shou Zi Chew in a video posted on the platform this week.

"The facts, and the Constitution, are on our side... rest assured, we aren't going anywhere."

According to TikTok, ByteDance's Chinese founder owns 20% of shares, through a controlling stake in the company. About 60% is owned by institutional investors, including major US investment firms Carlyle Group, General Atlantic, and Susquehanna International Group.

The remaining 20% is owned by its employees around the world and three of ByteDance's five board members are American.

The Chinese government has also dismissed such concerns as paranoia and has warned that a TikTok ban would "inevitably come back to bite the US".

However, TikTok is not facing an immediate ban in the US.

The new law gives ByteDance nine months to sell the business, and an additional three-month grace period, before a potential ban can be enforced.

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Poll: 42 Percent Of Americans Support TikTok Ban


According to recent research, 42% of Americans support the U.S. government’s TikTok ban, while only 23% are against it, and 31% have no strong opinion on the matter1. Interestingly, even though 42% of Gen Z and 35% of millennials regularly use the app, 36% and 40%, respectively, still support the ban.

This data was collected just before President Biden officially signed the bill, which gives TikTok’s parent company ByteDance nine months to arrange a sale of the platform or face a ban in the United States. While 25% of respondents believe they would be impacted by the bill passing, 45% say it would not impact them at all, and 58% reported that they don’t use the app at all.

Parents expressed concern over their children using TikTok, with 47% worried about their child using the app and 21% finding it “very” worrying. The top concerns include the possibility of children seeing inappropriate or disturbing content (58%), becoming too obsessed with the app (51%), data privacy concerns (44%), and the risk of cyberbullying (43%).

In summary, opinions on the TikTok ban vary, but a significant portion of Americans do support it, especially considering the potential risks associated with the app.

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Teens Say They Spend Too Much Time on Social Media


Some 27% of US teens ages 13-17 say they spend to much time on social media, though the majority (64%) are comfortable with the amount of time they spend, saying it’s about the right amount. That’s according to survey results from the Pew Research Center, which found girls more concerned than boys about their social media time.

Indeed, almost one-third (32%) of girls surveyed said they spend too much time on social media, compared to 22% of boys.

The same pattern is apparent for smartphone use: while 38% of teens report spending too much time on their smartphones, that figure is more pronounced among girls (44%) than boys (33%).

Some 97% of teens girls have access to a smartphone, as do 94% of teen boys, according to previously-released research from Pew. Almost half (46%) say they’re online almost constantly, and more than 1 in 5 teen girls say they’re almost always on TikTok.

As a result, some have pulled back on their device and social media time. More than one-third (36%) of teens have cut back on smartphone time, with this again higher among girls (41%) than boys (32%). Additionally, roughly 4 in 10 (39%) have reduced their social media time, including 44% of girls.


Interestingly, while young people have traditionally felt wedded to their phones, this survey reveals that three-quarters (74%) feel happy either often (32%) or sometimes (42%) when they don’t have their smartphone with them. Furthermore, more than 7 in 10 feel peaceful either often (25%) or sometimes (47%) when without their phone.

Teens are considerably less likely to say they feel anxious (44%), upset (40%), or lonely (39%) when they don’t have their smartphone with them.

Overall, 7 in 10 say that when it comes to people their age using a smartphone, there are generally more benefits than harms, as opposed to 3 in 10 who feel that there are more harms than benefits. The main advantages that smartphones afford are to pursue hobbies and interests (69% saying it makes this easier) and to be creative (65%).

For more, check out the full survey results here.

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Bill Maher Sounds Off On Traffic Demonstrators


Bill Maher isn’t mincing words when it comes to pro-Palestine protesters, who have been demonstrating across the country this week amid the months-long war in Gaza following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre of Israeli civilians.

In Friday night’s “New Rule” segment of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” the Emmy Award winner dubbed such demonstrators as unemployed and self-involved, claiming their “activism merges with narcissism.”


“Yes, I’m sure there are injustices on both sides in the Middle East, as there are injustices all over the world, but I’m going to be late for work!” he said, referencing protestors who have blocked highways and bridges. “[Work is] something you protesters on the bridge seem to have the luxury of not having to worry about, which seems kind of privilege-y.”

“I’m not saying there aren’t sincere passions about Gaza, especially among people from the region, but social justice warriors? For a lot of them, it seems like it’s more about the warrior-ing than about whatever the cause is,” he added.

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Radio History: April 29


➦In 1903...singer Frank Parker was born (Died at age 95 – January 10, 1999). Parker debuted on radio as a substitute singer on The Eveready Hour, and he was a regular on radio and television in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s with personalities including Jack Benny, George Burns and Arthur Godfrey.

Frank Parker
An October 30, 1930, newspaper listing shows Parker singing on the Van Heusen Program on WABC in New York City. Also, in the early 1930s, he was a featured singer with Donald Voorhees and his orchestra on the Bond Sunshine Program on WEAF in New York City.

Beginning September 14, 1935, he had his own program, That Atlantic Family on Tour, with Frank Parker, which was heard on 36 CBS stations.

In September and October 1936, Parker and Ramona were featured on a 15-minute weekly program on WEAF in New York City and WMAQ in Chicago. Beginning June 30, 1937, In the early 1940s, he sang with Andre Kostelanetz on broadcasts over WABC in New York City. He was the featured male singer on Your Home Front Reporter, which was broadcast on CBS in 1943.

➦In 1940...The radio show "Young Dr Malone" moved to the CBS Radio Network. It was an American soap opera which began on the NBC Blue Network on November 20, 1939.

The producer was Betty Corday who later was a co-creator with husband Ted Corday of NBC-TV  Daytime's Days of Our Lives.

The radio program ended on November 25, 1960, known as "the last day of radio soap opera" because CBS cancelled several other series on that day, including Ma Perkins, The Second Mrs. Burton and The Right to Happiness.

➦In 1953...Coke Time with Eddie Fisher began a run on NBC-TV and Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS).

Coke Time with Eddie Fisher aired NBC on Wednesday nights in early prime time from 1953 to 1957. The program was aired from 7:30 to 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesdays and Fridays, and was not seen during the summer months. A radio edition, recorded from previous TV soundtracks, was also heard on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:45 P.M. Eastern Time over the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1953 through 1955).

➦In 1963...KRE 1400 AM in Berkeley CA changed call letters to KPAT.

KRE - 1922
The Maxwell Electric Company put KRE on the air on March 11, 1922, with studios and transmitter at the Claremont Resort Hotel. In May of that year, KRE was sold to the Berkeley Daily Gazette. It was bought in January 1927 by the First Congregational Church of Berkeley, which moved the studios and built a new transmitter. In January 1930, the Chapel of the Chimes (an Oakland funeral home) bought KRE. Ownership passed in December 1936 to Central California Broadcasters, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chapel of the Chimes.

On June 11, 1972, KRE commemorated its fiftieth anniversary with a huge celebration. In an unusual event, the FCC gave permission to KPAT to revert to its previous three-letter call sign.  However, today the call letters are KVTO 1400 AM and is airing a Chinese format. Licensed to Berkeley, California, USA, the station serves the San Francisco Bay Area.

Tommy James is 77
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

  • Singer Bob Miranda of The Happenings is 82. 
  • Country singer Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys is 81. 
  • Singer Tommy James is 77. 
  • Director Phillip Noyce (“Patriot Games,” “Clear and Present Danger”) is 74. 
  • Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is 70. 
  • Actor Kate Mulgrew (“Orange Is the New Black,” “Star Trek: Voyager”) is 69. 
  • Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is 67. 
  • Actor Michelle Pfeiffer is 66. 
  • Actor Eve Plumb (“The Brady Bunch”) is 66. 
  • Country singer Stephanie Bentley is 61. 
  • Actor Vincent Ventresca (TV’s “The Invisible Man,” “Boston Common”) is 58. 
  • Singer Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips is 56. 
  • Actor Paul Adelstein (“Private Practice”) is 55. 
  • Rapper Master P is 54. 
  • Actor Uma Thurman is 54. 
  • Actor Darby Stanchfield (“Scandal”) is 53. 
  • Country singer James Bonamy is 52. 
  • Singer Erica Campbell of Mary Mary is 52. 
  • Bassist Mike Hogan of The Cranberries is 51. 
  • Actor Tyler Labine (“New Amsterdam”) is 46. 
  • Actor Megan Boone (“The Blacklist”) is 41. 
  • Actor Zane Carney (“Dave’s World”) is 39. 
  • Singer Amy Heidemann of Karmin is 38. 
  • Singer Foxes is 35. 
  • Actor Grace Kaufman (“Man with a Plan”) is 22.
✞DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
  • In 1980..Alfred Hitchcock, English film director (Psycho; The Birds; Rear Window; Vertigo), dies of renal failure at 80
  • In 2014..Paul Goddard, American rock bassist (Atlanta Rhythm Section - "So In To You"), dies of cancer at 68
  • In 2023..Tim Bachman, Canadian rock guitarist and vocalist (Brave Belt; Bachman–Turner Overdrive), dies of brain cancer at 71
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Saturday, April 27, 2024

Radio History: April 28


➦In 1922...WOI-AM, Ames, Iowa, became the country's first licensed educational radio station.

The history of WOI can be traced back to 1911 when Physics Professor "Dad" Hoffman set a transmission line between the Campus Water Tower and the Engineering Building and set up a wireless telegraph station. By 1913 this was known as experimental station 9YI and it was sending and receiving weather reports by morse code on a regular basis. The first sound broadcast was an hour of concert music on November 21, 1921.

The Commerce Department issued a full radio license for station WOI in April 1922 and the first regular broadcast took place on April 28, 1922. It is the oldest fully licensed noncommercial station west of the Mississippi River. The original callsign 9YI is now WOYI and is retained by the ISU Campus Radio Club, with the amateur radio station located in the Electrical Engineering building.  The first regular programming on WOI was farm market reports gathered by ticker tape and morse code and broadcast throughout the state.

➦In 1932..."One Man's Family" was first aired on the NBC Radio Network.

One Man's Family, was an American radio soap opera, heard for almost three decades, from 1932 to 1959. It was the longest-running uninterrupted dramatic serial in the history of American radio. Television versions of the series aired in prime time from 1949 to 1952 and in daytime from 1954 to 1955.

One Man's Family debuted as a radio series on April 29, 1932 in Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco, moving to the full West Coast NBC network the following month, sponsored by Snowdrift and Wesson Oil. On May 17, 1933, it expanded to the full coast-to-coast NBC network as the first West Coast show heard regularly on the East Coast. The show was broadcast as a weekly half-hour series (1933-1950), sponsored by Standard Brands from 1935 through 1949, then shifted to daily 15-minute installments, initially originating from the studios of San Francisco radio station KPO, NBC's flagship station for the West Coast, eventually moving to Los Angeles.

➥In 1958...Herb Oscar Anderson started at WMCA 570 AM NYC.   H-O-A became the morning personality at 77WABC during most of the 1960s.  When he arrived at WABC in 1960, the station was in the early stages of a battle for listeners with WMCA, WINS and WMGM. He was one of the station’s “Swingin’ 7” air personalities, a group that included Scott Muni and was known as the All Americans. But Anderson was a throwback in a changing music scene, a fan of the big band sound, not necessarily the rock ’n’ roll he was playing on a 50,000-watt station that reached well beyond the city limits.

As the station’s low-key “morning mayor,” Mr. Anderson had a mandate: to appeal to adults whose buying power was critical to advertisers, more than to the teenagers who were already tuning in. Each morning, his booming, melodic voice crooned his lyrics to his signature song, “Hello Again”:

“Hello again, here’s my best to you. Are your skies all gray? I hope they’re blue."

➦In 1965...at 3 p.m., Top 40 radio visionary Bill Drake took over KHJ 930 AM in Los Angeles, and introduced the ‘Boss Radio‘ format, featuring the top hits of the day, quick jingles, fast DJ talk, and fewer commercials. Drake installed his protege Ron Jacobs as PD.  KHJ hit #1 within six months and was quickly copied across North America.

The format featured a restricted playlist and restrained commentary by announcers (although a few, such as Robert W. Morgan, Charlie Tuna, Humble Harve and The Real Don Steele, were allowed to develop on-air personalities). Other DJs from 1965-68 included Roger Christian, Gary Mack, Dave Diamond, Sam Riddle, Johnny Williams, Frank Terry, Johnny Mitchell, Tommy Vance, Scotty Brink, Steve Clark, Bobby Tripp, Tom Maule and Bill Wade. Part of the format, known as "Boss Radio", were jingles by the Johnny Mann Singers.

"Boss Radio" spread throughout the U.S., bringing high ratings to KFRC in San Francisco, WFIL in Philadelphia, KGB in San Diego, WQXI in Atlanta, CKLW in Windsor, Ontario and WRKO in Boston. Drake and Gene Chenault brought many of their announcers from the other "Boss" stations, using them as a proving ground for talent.

The format brought high ratings to the station until the late 1970s, when FM radio became the dominant form of music broadcasting. In November 1980, during the Bob Shannon show, "93 KHJ" switched from top-40 to country music. The country format, with the slogan "We all grew up to be cowboys", lasted three years before it was changed to an oldies format: "The Boss is Back", with the original Johnny Mann Singers "Boss Radio" jingles, on April 1, 1983.

➦In 1972...Arthur Godfrey aired his last show on CBS Radio Network.

Godfrey became nationally known in April 1945 when, as CBS's morning-radio man in Washington, he took the microphone for a live, first hand account of President Roosevelt's funeral procession. The entire CBS network picked up the broadcast.  Unlike the tight-lipped news reporters and commentators of the day, who delivered news in an earnest, businesslike manner, Godfrey's tone was sympathetic and neighborly, lending immediacy and intimacy to his words. When describing new President Harry S. Truman's car in the procession, Godfrey fervently said, in a choked voice, "God bless him, President Truman."

Godfrey made such an impression on the air that CBS gave him his own morning time slot on the nationwide network. Arthur Godfrey Time was a Monday-Friday show that featured his monologues, interviews with various stars, music from his own in-house combo and regular vocalists. Godfrey's monologues and discussions were usually unscripted, and went wherever he chose. "Arthur Godfrey Time" remained a late morning staple on the CBS Radio Network schedule until 1972.

➦In 1975…Influential radio progressive personality Tom Donahue died from a heart attack at age 46.

He has been credited as the inventor of 'free form, 'deep cuts' and 'classic rock' radio.  During his career, he made stops at  KSAN San Fracisco, KMET Los Angeles, KPPC Los Angeles, KMPX San Francisco, KYA San Francisco and  WIBG Philadelphia.

➦In 2006…When syndicated radio talk host Rush Limbaugh was accused by Florida prosecutors of "doctor shopping" for prescription  painkillers, his attorneys worked a deal under which a single prescription fraud charge would be dismissed after 18 months, provided Limbaugh remained drug-free and did not violate any laws.

The Property Brothers are 46
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
  • Actor-singer Ann-Margret is 83. 
  • Actor Paul Guilfoyle (“CSI”) is 75. 
  • Former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno is 74. 
  • Actor Mary McDonnell is 72. 
  • Singer-bassist Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth is 71. 
  • Rapper Too Short is 58. 
  • Actor Bridget Moynahan (“Blue Bloods”) is 53. 
  • Actor Chris Young is 53. 
  • Rapper Big Gipp of Goodie Mob is 52. 
  • Actor Jorge Garcia (“Hawaii Five-0,” “Lost”) is 51. 
  • Actor Elisabeth Rohm (“Law & Order”) is 51. 
  • Actor Penelope Cruz is 50. 
  • Actor Nate Richert (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch”) is 46. 
  • TV personalities Drew and Jonathan Scott (“The Property Brothers”) are 46. 
  • Actor Jessica Alba is 43. 
  • Actor Harry Shum Jr. (“Glee”) is 42. 
  • Actor Jenna Ushkowitz (“Glee”) is 38. 
  • Actor Aleisha Allen (“School of Rock,” “Are We There Yet?”) is 33.
✞REMEMBRANCES
  • In 1988..B. W. Stevenson, Country singer, dies at 38
  • In 1991..Ken Curtis, Actor (Festus - Gunsmoke), dies at 74
  • In 2015..Jack Ely, Singer and guitarist (The Kingsmen - "Louie, Louie"), dies at 71
  • In 2020..Bobby Lewis, Rock and roll singer ("Tossin' and Turnin'"), dies at 95
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D/FW Radio: iHM Freaks Out, KEGL 97.1 FM Changes Format


KEGL 97.1 The Freak, launched in 2022, has undergone a significant format change. The station, known for its “free-flowing” talk format, is apparently no more. 

Here are the key details:

Format Shift: The station’s owner, iHeartMedia, announced a format change, leading to several firings. The frequency had previously abandoned its identity as The Eagle, which featured heavier rock music, to become 97.1 The Freak.

Legendary Voice Fired: Mike Rhyner (right), a Texas Radio Hall of Famer and co-founder of The Ticket, joined The Freak after coming out of retirement. He hosted the afternoon show called The Speakeasy. Unfortunately, he and the rest of the on-air crew were fired, including Jeff Cavanaugh and Julie Dobbs.

Flip to Rock Programming: The station will revert back to its original rock programming and adopt the Eagle branding once again. This change is set to take place on Monday, April 29.

How It Happened: The Freak aired its usual "The Downbeat" morning show with Danny Balis, Mike Sirois and Kevin Turner from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., then abruptly switched to a simulcast of WTKS-FM Orlando based “The News Junkie” instead of the regularly scheduled "The Ben & Skin Show" with Ben Rogers, Jeff "Skin" Wade, Krystina Ray and Steve Shackleford from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and "The Speakeasy" with Rhyner, Jeff Cavanaugh, Julie Dobbs and Michael "Grubes" Gruber from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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President Tells Stern He'll Debate Trump


President Biden said on Friday that he would participate in a general-election debate with former President Donald J. Trump, a striking shift after months in which he and his campaign declined to commit to appearing onstage with his Republican rival.

Biden’s announcement, made in response to a question from the radio host Howard Stern on SiriusXM, comes after pressure from television networks and Trump’s campaign for the president to agree to participate in debates.

When Stern asked Mr. Biden if he would debate Trump, the president replied: “I am, somewhere, I don’t know when, but I am happy to debate him.”


Biden’s remarks appeared to be off the cuff, rather than a planned announcement of a shift in his campaign’s strategy, according to a top Democratic official familiar with its thinking. The Biden campaign directed questions on Friday about whether its stance on debates had changed to Biden’s comments on the Stern program.

On Stern's Show Friday, Biden made the following claims...


This month, the five major TV news networks and The Associated Press wrote an unusual letter to the Biden and Trump campaigns urging them to debate. Some of Mr. Biden’s top aides and closest advisers have been longtime critics of the presidential debate system, which is organized by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
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