Media Notebook (May 22, 2008)

Collected and Edited by Rick Kaempfer





Highlights and links to the big stories in the news this week about the media. This column appears twice a week at MEDIA NOTEBOOK

Is the Live TV Commercial making a comeback?
(New York Times) Stuart Elliot writes: "The networks are also reusing a popular advertising ploy of the past: the live commercial. When TV began as a national medium, many spots were delivered live because many programs — dramas, soap operas, talk shows — were live. Some products, among them Timex watches and Polaroid instant cameras, made their reputations through spots that offered audiences live demonstrations. The shift to recorded series relegated live commercials to “remember when?” reels. Now, as marketers strive to counter the growing ability of viewers to skip or avoid spots, live sales pitches are being reconsidered for their potential stopping and staying power."


Did John McCain create an HD Monster?
(Slate) Timothy Noah writes: "Marie Curie died from exposure to radium, her greatest discovery. Jim Fixx, who sold Americans on the health benefits of running, was killed by a heart attack at 52. To this roster of ironic demise we may soon add John McCain, the Senate's pre-eminent champion of high-definition TV. As Senate commerce committee chairman in 1998, and later as the committee's highest-ranking Republican in 2002, McCain excoriated broadcasters for transitioning too slowly to the digital spectrum after the government had given away billions of dollars in HDTV-ready frequencies. Then, this past weekend, I watched Saturday Night Live with my kids. McCain appeared in close-up in a mildly amusing skit whose purpose (at least from McCain's perspective) was to remove the age issue from voters' minds by turning it into a joke. It worked for Ronald Reagan in 1984; why shouldn't it work for McCain in 2008? With me, though, it had the exact opposite effect. As someone who'd pooh-poohed the age issue, I found myself gasping at McCain's mug as transmitted in glorious HDTV. Wrinkles, blotches, liver spots, scarry tissue—none of these were hidden by McCain's makeup."


Reality Show Judges
(Washington Post) Jennifer Frey writes: "Reality show judges sit imperiously on high, issuing criticism and encouragement and soul-crushing snark from their bronzer-and-buff-and-Botox faces, but rarely have to face the heat themselves. Judge not lest ye be judged, the Bible says, but to that reality television says: Feh! These professional judges' panels are preordained celebrity collections of wit, wisdom and, at times, simpering idiocy that rule so much of reality TV. These panels sometimes are chock-full of charisma and sometime are heavy on shtick, but their interpersonal dynamics are a huge part of what keeps the viewers tuning in."


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Random House hires an engineer to be CEO
(New York Post) Keith Kelley writes: "Random House is owned by German media giant Bertelsmann, which yesterday said it was dispatching Markus Dohle, an industry outsider with a background in industrial engineering, to take over its American subsidiary. Dohle was most recently the CEO of Arvato Print, a Bertelsmann unit with 11,500 employees worldwide. In contrast, Random, the nation's largest trade book publisher, employs about 5,700, and most observers think that number is surely going to be cut. 'People are panicking and saying it couldn't be worse,' said one Random House author. 'On the face of it, it looks like the guy is a complete production bean counter. It doesn't look hopeful that he'll share the romantic idea of literature and publishing.'"


Karl Rove's sly deal with Fox
(Salon) Terkel and Corley write: "It has now been more than three months since Karl Rove first appeared on television as a Fox News political analyst on Feb 5. In no fewer than 57 appearances, he has increasingly been welcomed into the Fox News fraternity, even joking that the "Hannity & Colmes" show should be renamed the "Colmes & Rove" show. After departing from a Bush administration in political tatters last August, he has reemerged to hold forth at length on the 2008 presidential race. And he may have plenty of seasoned political wisdom to offer Fox's audience. Rove, however, is playing a strategic role that he and the network refuse to reveal to viewers. Fox News hosts routinely introduce Rove as a "former senior advisor to President Bush," "the architect," a "political wizard" and a "famed political consultant." But never has he been introduced as he should be -- as an informal advisor and maxed-out donor to John McCain's presidential campaign."


The end of the newsroom as we know it?
(Editor & Publisher) Joe Strup writes: "At the Times Union in Albany, N.Y., Editor Rex Smith is slowly replacing his newsroom's desktop computers with laptops to allow for quick getaways when reporters need to chase a story. 'We made a policy decision to do that in 2007,' he says. Some even predict the 'mojo' concept could lead to editors and some non-journalistic staffers working outside the office. With most editing, ad placement, layout, and design done on computers anyway, it's conceivable that the newsroom as it exists today could be eliminated, with folks working from home, their car, or even the local Starbucks. 'It is easy to imagine a day when that will happen,' says Keith Woods, dean of faculty at The Poynter Institute. 'We are technologically in a place where we can already do that.'"





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WLS Rewind returns on Memorial Day
(WLShistory.com) Last year it was spectacular...an entire day of former WLS Rock Jocks back in the saddle, taking the 50,000 watt blowtorch for a ride. This year's it back with even more of your all-time favs, including Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards, Fred Winston, John Records Landecker and more. I know I'll have it on all day long.


An interview with Tony Lossano
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Last weekend I spoke with Nude Hippo co-host and Melissa Forman producer (WLIT) Tony Lossano about his television show and the radio show he's been a part of at three different radio stations. Coming this weekend, WLS Radio's Paul Brian.

Anchor Away
(New Yorker) Nancy Franklin writes about Katie Couric: "I thought she had a decent chance of succeeding as the anchor at CBS. By some standards, she wasn’t qualified for the job (limited hard-news credentials), and, by some standards, she was (smart, mature, an old hand at being on TV). In any case, it turns out that no one knows exactly why anchors are or aren’t popular or why they do or don’t last. Why, for example, was Dan Rather in the anchor chair for so long, when, for years, his broadcast was consistently in last place in the ratings? And how puzzling must it have been for CBS when Bob Schieffer, a bona-fide old guy, with white hair and a gravelly voice, got ratings that were better than both Rather’s and Couric’s?"


Bob Schieffer changes his mind about retirement
(Washington Post) Howard Kurtz writes: "Bob Schieffer had announced that he planned to hang it up after the presidential inauguration. Then the CBS newsman said maybe he'd stick around a little while longer. Now the network plans to announce today that Schieffer, 71, has signed a 'long-term deal' to continue as chief Washington correspondent and 'Face the Nation' host. What happened? With Katie Couric's future uncertain, CBS News President Sean McManus talked one of his most durable stars -- who has already filled in once as interim anchor -- out of leaving. McManus doesn't have an immediate replacement for 'Face the Nation.' And the two men have become close friends. What does 'long-term' mean? 'That means I'll be at CBS for the rest of my life,' Schieffer says, adding that he plans to host 'Face' for several more years."


Is 50 Cent about to become one of News Corp's biggest investors?
(San Francisco Chronicle) Rap superstar 50 Cent is on the verge of signing a new branding deal with media mogul Rupert Murdoch's company that's worth a cool $300 million The "In Da Club" hitmaker is in final negotiations with Murdoch's News Corp firm, which owns social networking site MySpace, for a large stake in all aspects of the 50 Cent brand, including music, concerts, books and his label G-Unit Records. If the agreement goes ahead, G-Unit Records and its roster of artists will move under News Corp's MySpace Records umbrella. According to reports, half of the $300 million deal will be in stock, potentially making 50 Cent one of the biggest News Corp shareholders.


CLICK HERE



Why is Bill O'Reilly really going after GE?
(Washington Post) As usual, it's all about Bill. Howard Kurtz writes: "Bill O'Reilly, the Fox News star, is mounting an extraordinary televised assault on the chief executive of General Electric, calling him a "pinhead" and a "despicable human being" who bears responsibility for the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq. On the surface, O'Reilly's charges revolve around GE's history of doing business with Iran. But the attacks grow out of an increasingly bitter feud between O'Reilly and the company's high-profile subsidiary, NBC, one that has triggered back-channel discussions involving News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch, Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes, NBC chief executive Jeff Zucker and General Electric's CEO, Jeffrey Immelt. Ailes called Zucker on his cellphone last summer, clearly agitated over a slam against him by MSNBC host Keith Olbermann. According to sources familiar with the conversation, Ailes warned that if Olbermann didn't stop such attacks against Fox, he would unleash O'Reilly against NBC and would use the New York Post as well."


Why old media is running scared
(c/net) Charles Cooper writes: "Talk about missing the forest for the trees. With everyone and their mother-in-law predicting a coming wave of acquisitions of so-called new media companies by old media outfits, that future's already snuck up on us. In the last year:
• Cox bought Adify
• Hi-Media Group bought Fotolog
• Time Warner's AOL bought Bebo, Quigo, Third Screen Media
• Comcast bought Plaxo
• Disney bought Club Penguin
• CBS bought Last.fm, CNET Networks, Wallstrip, Dotspotter
• Microsoft bought 1.6 percent of Facebook
• Hearst bought Kaboodle and Answerology
• Jupiter Media bought MediaBistro
• News Corp. bought Photobucket, Beliefnet
• The New Times bought Freakonomics blog
• Forbes bought Clipmarks
• Discovery bought Treehugger





CLICK HERE





Senate votes to block cross-ownership change
(Broadcasting & Cable) The Senate Thursday night voted, without debate, to invalidate the Federal Communications Commission's Dec. 18 decision to loosen the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) has been pushing hard for the resolution of disapproval, which passed the Senate Commerce Committee last month. He argued that media consolidation has already led to a lack of localism and diveristy, so any more loosening of rules is uncalled for. The measure passed on a voice vote, with Dorgan saying the vote sent the signal to the FCC to "get things right." He decried what he said were three of the five FCC commissioners becoming cheerleaders for more consolidation.

Suburban Man: Career Planning

By Rick Kaempfer





My five year old son Sean is about to “graduate” from pre-school and move on to the big bad world of kindergarten. We talked about that on the way home from school the other day.

Dad: Now that you’re going to start kindergarten in a few months, it won’t be long before you have to get a job. Have you thought about you want to be when you grow up?

Sean: Yeah. I’m going to be a policeman.

Dad: Really? Why?

Sean: Because I want to get rich.

Dad: Why do you think policemen get rich?

Sean: Every time somebody goes too fast in their cars, they make people pay money. And when they get the bad guys, they can take all of the bad guys money. Some bad guys have lots of money.

Dad: But the policemen don’t get to keep that money.

Sean: They don’t?

Dad: No. They have to turn it in to their bosses.

Sean: Oh.

Dad: Still want to be a policeman?

Sean: No. I want to be the policeman’s boss.

Dad: But he doesn’t get to keep the money either. He has to turn it in to the government.

Sean: Oh.

Dad: Still want to be a policeman’s boss?

Sean: No. I want to be a fireman.

Dad: Why?

Sean: Because they get the biggest trucks with the loudest sirens.

Dad: And they fight fires.

Sean: What do you mean?

Dad: They put on their fire suits and walk right into the fires, trying to put them out with their fire hoses.

Sean: Right into the fires?

Dad: Yup. Still want to be a fireman?

Sean: No.

Dad: So what do you want to be?

Sean: A mom.

Dad: Why?

Sean: Because then I can do whatever I want.

Dad: But boys can’t be moms.

Sean: Yuh huh. There was a boy mom on TV. He had a baby in his tummy.

(Long silence)

Dad: Does Oma (my mom) watch Oprah when you’re over there?

Sean: Uh huh.

Dad: Remind me to talk to her about that.

Sean: Don’t forget Dad, she’s your mom. She can do whatever she wants.

Monday Musings

Every Monday stop by for jokes, links to stories you might have missed, amusing photos and video, and more. Contributions and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Click on the "Email Me" link on the right to contribute.



Joke of the Week: Contributed by "B"



A dog is truly man's best friend.

If you don't believe it, just try this experiment :

Put your dog and your wife in the trunk of the car for an hour.
When you open the trunk, see which one is really happy to see you!




Stories you might have missed

1. Rate Your Wife
(A funny glimpse into the past)

2. Black cat causes 72 hour blackout in Albania
(That cat over there better stop it, man. Like every other scene has been cool.)


3. Big hairy pig attracts gawkers in Wisconsin
(This story is not about Gene Simmons from Kiss)

4. Veggie Pride Parade
(All we are saying, is give Peas a chance.)


5. Why do attractive women choose unattractive men?
(You know what's funny about this study? They didn't factor money into the equation.)



Video of the week: Contributed by "R". An inspiring message for people who have failed.





Picture of the Week: Contributed by "B"























Reader Response



Regarding "Suburban Man: Mother's Day Recital"

"That is awesome! I bet Bridget loved it. Your boys are so creative!"
--P

"Ok, this is awesome. I only hope my boys perform for me someday."
--S

Regarding "Just One Bad Century"

"I listen to you and John every Saturday morning on WLS. I'm usually up and around because of the kids, and it's comforting to hear the both of you on the air together again. Plus, you talk about the Cubs which is a bonus."
--R

"This Week in 1908 is such a great feature. I love it."
--J

"That Jackie Robinson story this week was an eye opener. It's hard to believe that was going on in Chicago just sixty years ago."
--H




246 days until we get a new president.

Chicago Radio Spotlight: Tony Lossano

Tony Lossano is the co-host of the television show "Nude Hippo: Your Chicago Show" and the producer of the Melissa Forman show on WLIT-FM.



Rick: Before we get to your radio career, your TV show "Nude Hippo" recently celebrated it's 10th anniversary. Talk about what inspired you to start that show.

Tony: Actually we just turned 11 on May 3rd, but that had no hoopla. The 10th anniversary was the big celebration. We even got our first Emmy nomination for that...though we really didn't submit any shows for consideration prior to that. -- Anyway, it all started back when I realized that there was very little local programming out there anymore. I grew up on Gigglesnort, Bozo, Family Classics, etc.

So when I started NUDE HIPPO, the only other local shows were Svengoolie (which I grew up on), Wild Chicago and the Illinois State Lottery Drawing. All great shows, but there was nothing like the amount of shows that I remembered. NUDE HIPPO started more like a sketch variety show and has transformed into an offbeat magazine style talk show. Now there are so many copycats out there doing almost exactly the same things that we have done. However, we still have the most creative team that keeps us in front.

Rick: Every time I interview someone for this blog I do a video search to see if there is anything out there. Inevitably, they have already been on Nude Hippo. Who are some of your favorite interview subjects from radio (and why), and is there anyone on the air that you still need to cross off the list?

Tony: I admire John Records Landecker (photo) He was always great to work with. He even became our movie critic for two years before taking it to WTTW-TV. Jonathon Brandmeier has been tops in my books since he started but I have only gotten to do one quick bit with him at a LOOP event. I would really like to do something fun with him. Steve Dahl was another one I have always enjoyed and the support he gave us was amazing. Everytime he talked to us or about us on the air was pure gold. I would love to do more with him but believe that we have gotten more than our fair share. I got to do 30 minutes in our studio with Eric & Kathy and I believe that was the most in-depth interview that they ever did.

Also, Ramblin' Ray was just plain nuts and fun and I would like to do more with him, Steve Cochran is hilarious, Jim Johnson is the only one I know who can make my sides split, DreX (photo) is so quick on his feet and should be doing more, Garry Meier was very dry in a funny way, Eddie & JoBo were so down-to-Earth, Mike North is a great guy and has been a longtime friend from the days before either of us were in radio...

But I met a couple of my best pals in the world by doing NUDE HIPPO, Melissa Forman & Jimmy Gronemann. Jimmy started on my TV crew and became a very good friend, he then later got a gig on Melissa's radio show and I brought her on my show as a guest co-host and we all have been together ever since.

Rick: Nude Hippo is now part of the NBC family. For people that don't know, talk about where and when they can see the show now.


Tony: It is always changing and we're always on. We were on cable for a decade and for the last 3 years we have been on NBC5.com as well. There are several things that we are working on. I along with my business partner, the great and wonderful Mariana Perin, have been working on some things that we feel have not been done yet...So there is more to come. For right now, just go to NudeHippo.tv and you'll get all that you need.

Rick: Your day job is producer of the Melissa Forman show on WLIT. I've interviewed Melissa a few times and she seems to be just about the nicest person in the biz. Tell us about Melissa's dark side.

Tony: Well you know there is no way that somebody can be that nice all of the time...but she really is! Melissa is an amazing Mom and a super talented radio personality...but when those mics go off, she is so unbelievable. After each show, she meets with the entire crew, not just from our show, but other shows too, and sales, promotion, engineering, etc. and she gives them a pep talk...it is like this motivational speaking event with 30 minutes of yoga...she then takes all of us out for brunch...everyday.

Not everyone appreciates all the good that Melissa does...which is why occasionally she will have one of the interns killed to help get her point across, but those are the sacrifices that are expected if you want to make a difference in this business.

Rick: You've been with her show now for many years. How has your role on the show evolved?

Tony: Nine years, three stations two tour of duties. I started with her at the suburban KISS-FM, then Energy-FM, both as her Webmaster and occasional on-air stooge. Soon thereafter, Melissa was offered a gig at The Lite. She took it, Jimmy Gronemann (one of her producers at the time) and I came with her. I remained the Webmaster for MelissaForman.com and became the Assistant Morning Show Producer, plus I worked with the WLIT Promotions team and become the Webmaster for WLIT.com.

Within a couple of years, I left the show for a couple years to focus on NUDE HIPPO, but always helped Melissa & Jimmy whenever I could. About four years ago, I came back, and took on my old role...It wasn't until 6 months later that all of us except newsman Rick Zurick (Photo: Melissa, Jimmy Gronemann, Rick Zurick and Tony) was let go to make room for a syndicated radio show with Whoopi Goldberg. A week into that, I was offered the Producer gig. I took it. 14 months later, they brought back Melissa to mornings and I remained as the Producer and Jimmy was brought back as an on-air foil to Melissa and became the second Producer. No matter who does what, we are all just happy to be together with Melissa doing a great show again!

Rick: The morning radio market in Chicago may be the most competitive in the country. Every time I see the top ten listed in Robert Feder's column, I think of the many great shows that aren't even mentioned. What do you do at the Melissa Forman show to set yourself apart from the rest of the shows out there?

Tony: The ability that Melissa has to connect with her listeners is amazing. She is so natural at making any topic interesting and funny. The way that Jimmy, Rick and myself all click with her is a perfect blend. How many radio shows can you name that are lead by such a talented woman surrounded by strong men?

I'm use to being the one in charge and in the spotlight with NUDE HIPPO, but my true love is producing and it is so refreshing to get out of the spotlight and have it focus on someone who is so good at what she does. There are very few individuals who I would ever want to work with and I've been lucky enough to be in the position to pick and choose...and I'm happy to be with Melissa on such a refreshing, real and fun show. (Photo: Tony with Maureen McCormick)

Rick: It's a weird time for the media these days. Support staff is being cut all over the country in both radio and television, and the remaining staff is being asked to do more and more for the same amount of money. As someone who has survived in both radio and television, what tips do you have for people getting into the industry today?

Tony: Know the evolving business. Be prepared to understand that this is a business and the more that you can do, the more value you have. Though it is a very tough business. I've been lucky. Even though I am with WLIT and NBC, I have the freedom with NUDE HIPPO to cover events and personalities from any of the other TV & radio stations. I have seen the inner workings of those places. 'They ain't no different over by there.' Be passionate, be well rounded, get educated beyond just from broadcasting classes...you have to know about the world and how it works to succeed. Finally, enjoy living...you will need to pull from your personal experiences to give yourself that something special that will connect you with listeners. This is for both potential on-air talent and producers.

Rick: Which direction do you see your career heading from here--do you see yourself in radio or television or both a few years down the road?

Tony: I know that I can do anything that I want and I am sure that I will still being doing both TV & radio and don't under estimate this interweb thing...it's not just a fad. I really enjoy doing this and the people I work with are amazing. They have helped me change my life.

Media Notebook (May 15, 2008)

Collected and Edited by Rick Kaempfer





Highlights and links to the big stories in the news this week about the media. This column appears twice a week at MEDIA NOTEBOOK


Clear Channel Buyout Deal Done: At $36 a share
(Radio Ink) Clear Channel Communications' board of directors has voted unanimously to approve an amended merger agreement that puts a new price of $36 a share -- down from $39.20 -- on the long-running buyout of Clear Channel by private equity firms Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital. The deal is now valued at about $17.9 billion. Clear Channel, TH Lee, and Bain came to the agreement with the six banks that earlier agreed to fund the transaction -- Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Wachovia -- and the litigation over the deal in both Texas and New York has been settled.


VIDEO: Bill O'Reilly has a hissy fit

VIDEO: Bill O'Reilly addresses the hissy fit on his current show
(You have to sit through a few minutes of his usual fake outrage about the liberals that are destroying this country first)


Bill O'Reilly's cosmic sister



ABC-TV will only have 2 new shows in fall
(Associated Press) ABC will introduce only two new series in the fall, one of them scripted, in a schedule the network admits was severely affected by the 100-day TV writers strike. The new David E. Kelley-produced drama, "Life on Mars," is about a police detective transported back to 1973. ABC gave it a plum Thursday time slot following "Grey's Anatomy." The second new series, "Opportunity Knocks," is a game where producers show up at a home with a truckload of prizes and quiz family members on what they know about each other.



CLICK HERE



New sites make it easier to spy on your friends
(Wall Street Journal) Vauhini Vaura writes: "If you are still relying on Google to snoop on your friends, you are behind the curve. Armed with new and established Web sites, people are uncovering surprising details about colleagues, lovers and strangers that often don't turn up in a simple Internet search. Though none of these sites can reveal anything that isn't already available publicly, they can make it much easier to find. And most of them are free. Zaba Inc.'s ZabaSearch.com turns up public records such as criminal history and birthdates. Spock Networks Inc.'s Spock.com and Wink Technologies Inc.'s Wink.com are "people-search engines" that specialize in digging up personal pages, such as social-networking profiles, buried deep in the Web. Spokeo.com is a search site operated by Spokeo Inc., a startup that lets users see what their friends are doing on other Web sites. Zillow Inc.'s Zillow.com estimates the value of people's homes, while the Huffington Post's Fundrace feature tracks their campaign donations. Jigsaw Data Corp.'s Jigsaw.com, meanwhile, lets people share details with each other from business cards they've collected -- a sort of gray market for Rolodex data."


Is Jay Leno really out at NBC?
(New York Times) Bill Carter writes: "After a news conference on Monday introducing Jimmy Fallon as the next host of the 12:35 a.m. “Late Night” series, Ben Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC Entertainment, acknowledged that the changing late-night landscape at the network would probably mean that Jay Leno would leave it. Asked about the prospect that NBC would be able to keep Mr. Leno after his contract expires in January 2010, with Conan O’Brien having taken over his spot on the “Tonight” show, Mr. Silverman said NBC was going to do everything it could to find something that would induce Mr. Leno to stay but that it was unlikely that it would succeed. “I think it’s a reach,” Mr. Silverman said."





CLICK HERE




Disney to create lab to test ads
(Associated Press) Will people remember three-second video ads on their mobile phones? Do high-definition commercials on big screens get people's hearts racing more than other pitches? Is the sports ticker crawl distracting or does it add value to the 30-second TV spot? A laboratory in Austin, Texas, to be founded by The Walt Disney Co. by the end of the year aims to answer these questions and more by testing the biometric reactions of a pool of up to 4,000 people to advertising that takes advantage of the latest technology. In a controlled living room setting, scientists will measure heart rate and skin conductivity and track the gaze of participants who are exposed to new ad models over the Internet, mobile devices and TV screens.
(Rick's note: Now if they would only have this kind of interest in their own product...)


An interview with Ron Britain
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Last weekend I spoke with radio legend Ron Britain. Ron talks about his days at WCFL in the 1960s, including spending time with the biggest rock and roll stars in history. He also talks about two of the most entertaining resignations in radio history. Coming this weekend: An interview with Nude Hippo co-host and Melissa Forman producer (WLIT) Tony Lossano.


CNN Reporter narrowly escapes capture in Burma
(AP via USA Today) A CNN reporter who left Burma Friday was chased by authorities as he reported on the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis but escaped primarily because of the incompetence of the people after him. Dan Rivers hid under a blanket at one police checkpoint and casually covered up his name on a passport to avoid detection another time. He may ultimately have gotten out of the country due to a stewardess' impatience. "I was amazed at the lengths they apparently went just to catch me," Rivers told The Associated Press by telephone from Thailand on Saturday. Rivers' story illustrates the preoccupation of Burma's military government with things other than helping the country recover from a storm that killed thousands and left many survivors homeless. Aid groups have reported difficulties in getting badly needed supplies and relief workers into the secretive country.


CLICK HERE



Big Media Slams Proposal to Roll-Back Media Ownership Rules
(ars technica) Rarely has one Federal Communications Commission filing provoked as much ire as this. Thirteen major broadcast and newspaper groups have filed lengthy denunciations of a public interest group's appeal to redo the FCC's recent relaxation of its TV station/newspaper cross-ownership ban. Their comments once again expose the enormous divide between public opinion and big media on this issue. "The Commission should deny the petition," insists CBS. "CBS has submitted hundreds upon hundreds of pages of comments, facts, and studies in this proceeding, all with the goal of demonstrating that the FCC's broadcast ownership scheme is woefully and perilously out of sync with the realities of today's media marketplace. To that end, we have urged the Commission to deregulate all of its media ownership rules."
(Rick's note: Hey big media companies, guess what? You have no one to blame for this but yourselves. Today's media marketplace is woefully and perilously out of synch with it's obligations. Your fault. Deal with it and pay the piper.)


The best writer on radio today: Jerry Del Colliano
(Inside Music Media) Jerry was the founder of Inside Radio and really knows what he's talking about when he writes about radio. He's not involved in the industry at all right now, so he is free to write what he really believes without worrying about upsetting media honchos or advertisers. These two columns are excellent reading if you want to know what is wrong with radio and why. The first one is a blistering attack on Citadel's Farid Suleman--an article that has been blocked on all Citadel computers by the way. The second one is a tribute to Jimmy deCastro. Great stuff, and I agree with every word.
Farid Einstein: Half is More
Radio One Dollar





CLICK HERE




Cablevision announces deal to buy Newsday
(Newsday) Mark Harrington writes: "Cablevision Systems Corp. announced Monday morning an agreement to acquire Newsday from Tribune Co. in a $650-million deal that would create a regional news and advertising giant with a powerful grip on Long Island. Under the deal, Cablevision would own about 97 percent while Tribune would retain about 3 percent and ownership of real estate assets. 'Newsday is one of the great names in the history of American journalism, and it is both an honor and privilege to return Newsday back to Long Island-based ownership after nearly 40 years,' said Charles Dolan, Cablevision's founder and chairman. 'We admire Newsday's strong editorial voice and reputation for quality as well as its leadership in print and online journalism. We are committed to maintaining Newsday's journalistic integrity and important position in the marketplace.'"

Suburban Man: Mother's Day Recital

By Rick Kaempfer






Last week I read a great Mother's Day post from a fellow blogger at NWI Parent about Mother's Day. It was about what mothers really want for mother's day.

A few days after I read that piece, my wife Bridget took a few days off work. She didn't go anywhere special, didn't do anything special, just took the time to spend with the boys. I watched how much she loved the little routines that she misses when she goes to work--getting the boys ready for school, making lunches, doing homework, and hearing all about their days. Honestly, she didn't lose that smile on her face for three days in row.

Well last weekend was Mother's Day, and after reading the blog post and observing the way Bridget enjoyed the little things around the house, the boys and I decided to go a different route with her Mother's Day present. We didn't buy her a gift, and the boys didn't make her a gift. Instead, they gave her something she misses every day.

A musical performance.

I've heard the boys perform these songs a million times because they practice after school, but Bridget does not. So, they staged a Mother's Day recital for her. I was not allowed to attend--this was strictly for their mom.

Tommy even created an invitation.


























Our extrovert, Sean, was the Master of Ceremonies. He introduced the performers before each song. He also took Bridget's breakfast order, and submitted it to the chef in the kitchen (me).

Of course I heard the whole show while I was making breakfast. I laughed at Sean's hilarious introductions ("Ladies and gentlemen..um..I mean lady...please welcome the the piano playing Johnny playing the piano"), and I cringed at a few of their musical gaffes because I had previously heard each of them perform those songs perfectly in the past, but I could also hear the smile in Bridget's appreciative voice from around the corner.

It was exactly what she wanted for Mother's Day.

And we got to see her beautiful smile for another whole day.

Monday Musings

Every Monday stop by for jokes, links to stories you might have missed, amusing photos and video, and more. Contributions and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Click on the "Email Me" link on the right to contribute.




Joke of the Week: Contributed by "E"--John McCain jokes by David Letterman

But seriously how about that John McCain? John McCain looks like a guy whose head you can barely see over the steering wheel. ...

John McCain looks like the guy who thinks the nurses are stealing his stuff. 'Dad, why would they take your socks? It doesn't make sense.'"

How about that John McCain, huh? John McCain looks like the kind of guy who brags that his new denture adhesive allows him to eat corn on the cob.

He looks like a guy who parked his RV overnight at Wal-Mart.

How about John McCain? He looks like a guy at a restaurant that says I'm leaving 10%, that's good enough.

John McCain, looks like the guy who goes to the curb for the paper and locks himself outside of the house.

John McCain ... He looks like the guy that walks up to the mound to settle down a young pitcher.

John McCain looks like the guy who picks up his TV remote when the phone rings.

I like that John McCain. He looks like a guy who gets tickets for mowing under the influence.

He looks like a guy with a collection of movies he bought at the car wash.

He looks like a guy on the beach with a metal detector.

He looks like the guy who is still confused by the phone answering machine: 'Hello, is that - hello, is that you? Larry, Larry, hello?'

He looks like the guy who calls his grandson when he screws up the remote: 'Well, now all the shows are in Spanish. What am I going to do, hello?'

How about that John McCain? He looks like the guy at the movies whose wife has to repeat everything.

He looks like the guy who has to always be told something is on his chin.

He looks like a guy who still has a rotary phone. He looks like a guy who's backed over his own mailbox.

He looks like a guy whose sweater is always mis-buttoned.

He looks like the guy who always tells you he's 72 years young.

He looks like the guy who's bragged that oatmeal has lowered his cholesterol.

Hey, how about this John McCain, huh? Whoa, my gosh –- doesn't he look like the old guy at the barber shop?

He looks kind of like a Wal-Mart greeter, John McCain.

He kind of looks like the neighbor who says, 'Oh, that dead tree is on your property,' one of those guys.

He's the guy who is always early for the early bird special, that's what he looks like.

He looks like a mall walker, ladies and gentlemen.

He looks like the guy at the supermarket who is confused by the automatic doors.

He looks like the uncle who pretends to remove his thumb.

I like John McCain. He looks like an old guy in a coffee shop who's still complaining about the designated hitter.

He looks like the guy who asks the driver if he's on the right bus.

He looks like the guy who's always saying, 'What was that? Nothing? That's what I thought.'




Stories you might have missed



1. Oprah and Barbara discuss sleeping with married men
(I can see the ad now..."Barack Obama endorses adultery.")

2. Suburban Chicago Man plans his beer can funeral
(This guy is obviously insane. His favorite beer is Pabst Blue Ribbon.)

3. Yankees-Red Sox fued ends in murder
(And you thought the Cubs-White Sox rivalry was intense.)

4. Striped Icebergs
(This isn't a joke...these photos are awesome)

5. A-Rod's wife says he fainted during birth
(See guys? We're much manlier than A-Rod. Don't forget to tell your wife.)




Video of the week: Contributed by "S". "Coolest Bowling Trick Ever"






Picture of the Week: Contributed by "D". He calls it "Only in America."














Reader Response



Regarding "Suburban Man: Mother's Day Rap"

"That is priceless! I think your boys have a future in the music biz. Watch out Eminem!"
--P

"What’s cuter than a giggling, grunting baby? Nothin’."
--M







253 days until we get a new president.

Chicago Radio Spotlight: Ron Britain

Ron Britain was one of Chicago's most popular personalities. He worked up and down the AM and FM dial, most famously for Super-CFL in the 1960s.

(Photo by Kelly Mackey)



COMPLETE RADIO-OGRAHPY

WHAS-Louisville 1949
WKLO-TV Louisville 1953
WINN-Louisville 1954
WKAY-Bowling Green 1954
WIEL-Elizabethtown 1954
WSAZ-TV Huntington 1956
WFMT-TV Ft. Monmouth NJ 1957
WLBS-Monmouth NJ 1957
WKAZ-TV-Charlestown 1959
WSAI-Cincinnati 1960
WHK-Cleveland 1964
WCFL-Chicago 1965
WIND-Chicago 1970
KCMO-Kansas City 1974
WLS-FM Chicago 1974
WKRC-Cincinnati 1976
WCFL-Chicago 1978
Satellite Music Network-Chicago 1980
WJMK-Chicago 1984
WTMX-Chicago 1992-1994
WRLL-Chicago 2002-2003


Rick: Your real name isn't Britain. How did you end picking that name or did someone pick it for you?

Ron: I didn't use that name when I first started in radio. I was only 14 years old when I hosted a show in Louisville, a teen show called "High Varieties." This was during a different era in radio. It was one of those old time radio shows performed in a huge studio with a script and a full orchestra, and I went by my real name, which is Ron Magel.

It wasn't until I got my first big break in Cincinnati that someone suggested I change my name. Right after I was hired, I was having breakfast with the Program Director Jim Lightfoot, and he asked what I was going to call myself. I said "How about Ron Magel?" He thought it sounded a little too ethnic, and wanted something more showbizy. We started brainstorming possible names, and he asked me to tell him a little more about myself.

Well, I told him that everyone liked to kid me about so being such an Anglophile. You have to remember, this was before the British Invasion. It seemed a little unusual at the time. I drove a Jaguar, which I still do by the way, and I dressed like an Englishman. He said, well let's go with "Britain," like the country, and from that point on it was my name. The name took off. In Cincinnati, I leased a supper club that seated like 10000 people, and I had a big banner with the Union Jack British flag, and I did record hops, and it was a huge hit. At one point in Cincinnati I had 72% of the listening audience.

I remember one time, when I was doing morning drive in Chicago at WIND, I flew into town from Louisville, and I saw a whole fleet of trucks, one after the other, with huge British flags on the side and my name, Ron Britain written in the middle of it. That was really something.

Rick: You were also known as King Bee. Where did that come from?

Ron: The King Bee thing started in Cincinnati. I had all these teen clubs, and I couldn't stand it when the kids called me Mr. Britain and they didn't feel comfortable calling me Ron, so they started calling me King Bee. I liked it, and started using it myself.

Rick: You arrived in Chicago with a big splash in 1965 at WCFL. That had to be an exciting time. Thanks to you and a few other talented jocks at WCFL, your radio station really was on the cutting edge, wasn't it?

Ron: It really was. It was really exciting. I had been a big fish in a small pond in Cincinnati, but I really wanted to go to New York. I had a few interviews in New York, and I told them how hot I was in Cincinnati. I had a great audience, and a hit record ("Are we going to wail Tulu"), and they said "That's great. You should stay in Cincinnati."

Well, I had a brother in law who worked in radio in Cleveland, and I called him up, because I figured that if I made it Cleveland, they'd take me in New York. I did make it there, but New York didn't call. Chicago did.

So I flew up to Chicago and met with the folks at WCFL. I thought, you know what? This is a great radio town. Maybe this is where I should go. Ken Draper, the guy who hired me, and Jim Runyan drove me into the city. All these lights were lit along Michigan Avenue, and they told me that they decorated the city just for me. I took the job, but I was scared to death.

I had never worked at a place that had so much talent. It was just unbelievable—I was intimidated by it. They had guys I really respected like Jim Runyan and Joel Sebastian. I thought, how I can work alongside great talent like this? I was so scared when I went on the air the first time—I didn't know what to do. I thought what I had been doing before wasn’t good enough. My first night on the air, I was using squeaky toys, and I got a note from Ken Draper. The note said "We hired Ron Britain not Pinky Lee." Of course, he was right.

I had a long chat with Joel Sebastian about it, and he said, "Play me a tape of what you used to do." So I played him this tape of a quick-draw old-western bit. Two gunslingers would meet and one would say, "This town ain't big enough for the both of us. On, the count of three, draw. 1, 2, 3..." After that I played sound effect records of an entire war going on, bombs, machine guns, explosions, for like three and a half minutes, followed by a second of silence. Then the guy would say-- 'ha ha you missed'.

Joel listened to the tape, and asked me why I didn't continue to do that sort of thing. Getting that advice from someone like Joel Sebastian really gave me the confidence I needed. So, I started out with a few sound effects, fanfare, and crowd noise, and I went into the hallway where people used to watch the show, and recorded those people applauding, and saying yeas, and that sort of thing. After that, I was off and running.

(Rick's note: Thanks to Rick Johnson who sent me these awesome classic WCFL jingles from this era. They don't make 'em like this anymore... WCFL 1, WCFL 2, and WCFL Ron Britain)


Rick: Your approach to doing a radio show was completely radical. Your show was like Phil Spector's Wall-of-Sound. All these sounds and noises were coming at you fast and furious and you reacted to it...all over the intro of a record. I haven't heard anything like it before or since... it was almost like radio scat singing. Take us behind the scenes and explain how that all worked.

Ron: I used to think that it would be great to have three or four things going on at the same time, and it just went from there. It was a combination of knowing what was coming, and my engineer Al Urbanski just throwing stuff at me. I had the bits prepared, and Al would have a general idea what was coming, but he was given the freedom to add whatever he wanted.

Rick: I worked with Al at WJMK. He was an absolute sweetheart of a man.

(Rick's note: I've previously written about my memories of Al here)

Ron: Yes, he was. He was a dear, dear friend. I still can't believe he's gone.

Rick: Was he your only engineer?

Ron: Most of the time. There were others, but Al was the one I really clicked with. On days when Al was there, I'd ask him for something, say—Jungle sound effects—and he would know what was coming. I had a character named Taboo and his faithful companion Harold, who only said one word—"Yeah." Well, Al knew when I was talking to Harold to hit the "Yeah", and Al knew that Taboo was eventually going to get attacked, and he had the freedom to do it whenever he wanted, so I could react to it.

Al knew what I was doing, and played along. I didn't like things that were too set up and scripted, like another guy on WCFL at the time, Jerry G. Bishop. I thought that approach was a little too concocted. I wanted it more free form.

But on days Al wasn't there, some of the other guys thought that it was funny to just load up and fire stuff off willy nilly... and it wasn't as good. For instance, I had a burp cart that should have been used discreetly, and the guy who subbed for Al used it too much. With Al, Some things were set up and some weren't, and it was fun to feed off those things because it was like another person on the air with me. We would laugh until our sides hurt. One critic said it sounded like I was going on the air just to entertain myself. He meant it as a slam, but he was right. I thought everyone else was in on it, and the people that got it, got it. It was just a wonderful thing.

Rick: The 60s was also an incredible time for rock and roll music. You created a show called Ron Britain's Subterranean Circus, which was really cutting edge at the time. What was the inspiration for that show?

Ron: I went over to Mercury Records in London in 1966, and they wanted me to produce a follow up to the hit song Winchester Cathedral. When I was over there, I was told about this guy who was the next great thing. I met him and we hung out, and I knew he was selling records, but even though he was an American, he wasn't getting played on the radio in our country. His name was Jimi Hendrix.

Anyway, when I came back, I asked CFL to let me play a few songs that were selling but weren't getting airplay, like Hendrix, and to be honest with you, I think they only let me do it because they figured if they gave me that show, they wouldn't have to give me a raise. And they were right.

It aired on Sunday's, and we recorded it in this little production studio. Al would be on one side of the glass, and there was a record turner in there with him (which was still the union requirement), and I was on the other side. Well, the first week we did it, it didn't sound right. It sounded like I was making fun of the music by playing all of my sound effects, and I didn't want to do that because I loved the music so much.

So, the next week I used Ravi Shankar music bed as the backdrop, and that sounded much better. It fit the tone of the show. I just talked about the music, and why I loved it. On the other hand, Al didn't have anything to do except play the Shankar cart. So he would try to do things to make me laugh. Sometimes it worked. People that listened to the show would hear me giggle or laugh and they thought I was high—even though I wasn't.

Rick: You had everyone on that show. Which guests do you remember most fondly or least fondly?

Ron: Well, we had Zappa (photo) on the show once, and I was scared to death of him, but he turned out to be the nicest guy in the world. Most of the people we had on were really nice people. The only people I didn't get tuned into were Van Morrison—I don't know what planet he was from, and Doug Engle from Iron Butterfly. I don't know if he was stupid, or if he was just pretending to be, but he and I didn't click at all. The others were all great—Blood Sweat and Tears was fabulous. Janis Joplin was great. The guys in the band Chicago used to listen to me when they were practicing on Rush Street. It was a wild time.

Rick: And the British Invasion guys?

Ron: I did a few shows with the Beatles, and hung out with them a few times. I introduced them on stage. After the show, I was looking for something of theirs to sell—remember they were selling everything they touched in those days—even the sheets they slept on, so I went on stage and thanked the audience for coming out...and I saw that Ringo had left his drumsticks on the stage. I put them in my pocket and gave them away on the air the next night.

Another time I was with the Beatles at a press conference and they were getting all the same stupid questions, and I could tell they were completely bored, so I took out a sketch pad, and drew a picture for John. Somebody took a picture of us laughing...and then Paul took a look to see what John was laughing about, and someone snapped another picture. Then there was a picture with George, and then finally Ringo. That was the pecking order of those guys; John, Paul, George, and Ringo, and there were pictures of me with all four of them. I was happy about that because I was never the kind of guy who could ask for my picture to be taken with celebrities, because it just didn't feel right. So, I don't have pictures of myself with very many of these great rock stars, but I do have those pictures with the Beatles.

Hanging out with them was a strange experience. When you were with them, it was like being in prison. They had a whole floor in the hotel, and security was everywhere. One time I talked to Ringo for about three hours about pirate radio in England, which we both thought was very cool. I also told him that I called everybody "Tulu," and asked if he would say "Hi Tulu Baby" on tape for me. He wouldn't do it because he said it was "too commercial." So I asked John, and he said "Sure." Well after John agreed, they all did, and they went in their usual pecking order; John, Paul, George, and then Ringo agreed too.

Rick: You also interviewed the Rolling Stones. I heard that you wouldn't let Mick Jagger drive your Jaguar. Is that a true story?

Ron: Yes it is. My wife and I drove up to Montreal to get some driving lights on the Jag, because they weren't selling them here in this country at the time. Anyway, around 3 am we stopped at a Howard Johnson's and the Stones were there, eating breakfast. I had done a show with them before, so they knew me and invited us to eat breakfast with them, which we did. Anyway, after breakfast they came out to check out my car, and Mick really wanted to drive it. I said no way.

Rick: Is it because they were bad boys?

Ron: No, not really. Nobody drives my Jag. I mean, they did have this bad boy image and I must admit, I didn't like them the first time I interviewed them. Mick was playing with a Slinky the whole time, and it was a rough interview. But as I got to know them better when I did all these concerts with them, I really got to like them. Especially Mick.

Rick: You are one of the most influential rock jocks in radio history. Your name comes up all the time when I'm interviewing jocks about their influences. My radio hero, John Records Landecker, considers you the greatest jock of all time. Who are some of your radio influences, and who do you admire of the jocks that have followed you?

Ron: A guy named Bob Puhl in New Orleans was a guy I really admired. He used these Spike Jones drop ins and things, and he was really funny. I'm sure there were others, but he was the big radio guy. I was probably just as influenced by the Marx brothers though. They were always my favorite. As for the guys who have followed me, there are a lot of great ones, including John Landecker.

Rick: Of course, you've worked at many other stations on the Chicago radio dial, including WIND, WLS, WJMK, WTMX, and WRLL. Some of the stories of how you left those stations are still being discussed in town. Let's go over a few of them. Talk about the day you quit WJMK.

Ron: Oh boy. Well, about a year before I quit WJMK, I went up to Harvey Pearlman, the GM, and asked for more money because they had taken a big promotional job away from me, and I needed to make that up somehow. Harvey said, "If you can find somebody else to pay you that kind of money, by all means, take it."

He didn't think I would, and it took me a year to do it, but I did. Nobody knew I was leaving except for John Patton at WTMX. I wanted to get the word out, so I decided to do it live on the air. The plan was to record the last part of the show saying where I was going on the dial, and then hopping in a limo, and finishing the show on the other radio station—which was WTMX.

The only wrinkle was that Harvey Pearlman, who usually left at 4:00 in the afternoon, was still there at 5:30. I decided to turn the microphone on while I played the recorded bit, and then if he stormed into the studio and started swearing and trying to hit me over the head with his vodka bottle, it would all go on the air.

He didn't go in there, but I did go over to WTMX. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the wrong station for me. I should have gone to a station that was playing the same kind of music. The music wasn't quite right for my fans that had been with me all those years.

Rick: Harvey never forgave you for that. I remember a WJMK Christmas party...my first one there, it must have been 1993 or so. You showed up to make amends with him, and he had to be physically restrained from going after you. Do you remember that night?

Ron: (Laughs out loud, long, and hard) Yeah, I remember that. I'm a manic depressive and I was in a manic moment, and I just wanted to say Happy Holidays to Harvey. So I hopped in a cab, and well...you saw it. You know, I always liked him in a Don Rickles sort of way, and I know he liked me, and that's probably why he was so upset by that move. But he told me to take it if I got that money from someone else...

(Rick's note: I've previously written about a few of my encounters with Harvey Pearlman here, and here.)


Rick: Your last turn on the radio dial was at Real Oldies WRLL, which was at a dial position I didn't even know existed, 1690 AM. When you quit there, you did it very publicly, releasing your resignation letter to the press. How did all of that go down there?

Ron: John Gehron, who was running the show at Clear Channel in Chicago, was a guy I always wanted to work with, but it turned out that I didn't really deal with him. Tommy Edwards was the PD, and Tommy wanted to control things. The thing that hacked me off was that I wanted to show everyone that you could a funny show without being dirty, and I never really got that chance. Because I was recording the show and sending it in hours before it aired, they had time to listen to it all, and edit out whatever they didn't like.

One of the first things I did was a Halloween party bit, and when I opened the door to the party, people were dressed up like the scary radio managers I had worked for, like Harvey Pearlman. They cut that out. I told them when I took that job that I just wanted to do my thing, and when they wouldn't let me do it, it was time for me to go.

Rick: One last question. I know you're a little disenchanted with the current state of radio—as I am. What do you think that radio needs to do to get its act together?

Ron: I don't like to say this, because I absolutely love radio, I really do. But it's run by the accountants these days, and that's why it has lost its personality. The kind of radio I loved, that's like Vaudeville, man. I think it's all over.

Radio is a personal thing and they took all of the personal out of it. I could feel those listeners were right there with me all those years. Radio isn't connecting with them anymore. Clear Channel owns like 10 stations here in Louisville, and they're all in one building. All the call letters are up on the wall, but there's nobody inside.