Media Notebook (August 14, 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


The FBI spied on reporters
(NY Times) Eric Lichtblau writes: "Two leading senators said Monday that they were troubled by the F.B.I.’s collection of the phone records of four reporters at The New York Times and The Washington Post and that the episode showed a “pressing need” for legislation pending in the Senate that would provide greater legal protection for journalists. Last week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation disclosed to the two newspapers that it had improperly obtained the phone records of reporters in their Indonesian bureaus in 2004 by using emergency records demands from telephone providers as part of an investigation. Robert S. Mueller III, the director of the bureau, made personal calls to Bill Keller, executive editor of The Times, and Leonard Downie Jr., executive editor of The Post, to apologize. But the ranking senators on the Judiciary Committee, Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, and Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania, said that was not enough."


Newspapers cutting back on convention coverage
(Forbes) Wingfield and Zumbrun write: "Forget April. For bean counters at financially troubled newspapers, August is the cruelest month. Their budget-stretching began with coverage of the Beijing Olympics, which ends Aug. 24. A day later, the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Denver, and the Republican National Convention begins Sept. 1 in St. Paul, Minn. The result is predictable. 'Almost every large news bureau, with maybe a few exceptions, is cutting back,' says Jerry Gallegos, superintendent of the House of Representatives' daily press gallery, which is handling newspapers' convention credentials. In some cases, though he won't say which ones, papers have reduced their staffing 'by as much as 20%.'"


Olympics scoring huge ratings for NBC
(New York Times) Benjamin Toff writes: "NBC continued to steamroller its competitors on Monday, with its coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics attracting an average of 30 million viewers during prime time, according to Nielsen’s estimates."


CLICK HERE



Facebook: #1 Globally
(Business Week) Catherine Holahan writes: "When Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants to illustrate the impact of his social network, he tells a story about several young religious militants from Lebanon who changed their view of Western culture through Facebook friendships. The subtext to the tale is that free expression of ideas, enabled by the Web, bridges deep cultural divides. But we knew that: It's one of the central concepts behind the Olympics, after all. What we didn't know is that Facebook is in Lebanon."


Chicago gets it's own Huffpo site
(Chicago Tribune) Phil Rosenthal writes: "By midday Thursday, The Huffington Post Chicago—a local amalgam of news, commentary, features and personal reflections that's part media outlet, part salon in the fashion of The Huffington Post—should be linked and loaded, ready for viewing off thehuffingtonpost.com. 'I just got a great blog post from John Cusack,' Huffington said. 'People who are from Chicago have all these amazing warm feeling and memories of Chicago. … It is tribal. John is in Bangkok making a movie, and he was kind of emotional with this ode to Chicago.' Chicago-raised actress Jami Gertz is working on a submission, as is Fred Armisen of 'Saturday Night Live.' On tap are such familiar bylines as Jonathan Alter, Lynn Sweet, Cornelia Grumman, Lee Bey and Esther Cepeda. Others, such as environmentalist Howard Lerner and chef Gale Gand, bring a particular expertise to the party."





CLICK HERE






Peterson leaves WUSN & WCFS
(Radio Online) Mike Peterson is leaving CBS Radio's Country WUSN-FM (US 99)/Chicago as Program Director to operate a family business in Oregon. Peterson also served as PD of co-owned AC WCFS-FM (Fresh 105.9). Prior to joining US 99 in June, 2004, he was PD and afternoon talent at then sister KSKS-FM (Kiss Country 93.7)/Fresno, coming from APD/MD duties at KYPT-FM/Seattle. In a memo to the staff, VP/GM Dave Robbins said, "While the decision to leave was very hard for Mike and we will miss him greatly, the combination of this business potential and a return home to Oregon were simply too powerful to ignore." Peterson's last day will be Friday, August 29.



Chicago Radio Spotlight interview with Clark Weber
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Last weekend I spoke with radio legend Clark Weber about his new book; "Clark Weber's Rock and Roll Radio: 1955-1975, The Fun Years." As always, Clark has some great stories about early rock and roll stars, and the radio people who helped make them famous. Coming this weekend: An interview with ESPN Radio's Dan McNeil.


Reticence of Main Stream Media to cover John Edwards controversy is a story in itself
(NY Times) Carter and Perez-Pena write: "For almost 10 months, the story of John Edwards’s affair remained the nearly exclusive province of the National Enquirer — through reports, denials, news of a pregnancy, questions about paternity and, finally, a slapstick chase through a hotel in Beverly Hills. Political blogs, some cable networks and a few newspapers reported on it — or, more accurately, reported on The Enquirer reporting on it. Jay Leno and David Letterman made Mr. Edwards the butt of jokes on their late-night shows, but their own networks declined to report on the rumors surrounding him on the evening news. Why?"


The FCC’s war on indecency is “a Victorian crusade.”
(Radio-info.com) Tom Taylor writes: "That’s not my phrase (though it fits) but a quote from the first paragraph in a powerful brief just filed at the Supreme Court by some very influential people – two former FCC Chairmen, Mark Fowler and Newton Minow (he once labeled TV “a vast wasteland”), and respected former Commissioner and interim Chairman Jim Quello. It’s also signed by several former top-level legal and policy minds at the FCC, and these aren’t wild-eyed throw-open-the-gates guys – two of the ex-Commissioners signed the FCC’s original Pacifica George Carlin decision...Bottom line: the FCC’s indecency standards have never really been tested at the Supreme Court. It’s apparently going to take a bunch of TV broadcasters – Fox plus the other TV networks – to get it there. While radio watches from the bleachers. Of course there’s the little matter of the Congressionally-mandated $325,000 fines for indecency."




CLICK HERE



Mel Karmazin warns Viacom CEO about Sumner Redstone
(NY Post) Peter Lauria writes: "Sirius XM Radio CEO Mel Karmazin has some advice for Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman: put some distance between yourself and Sumner Redstone. Karmazin, after all, knows all too well that once inside Redstone's inner circle, it's only a matter of time before the Viacom chairman starts looking for ways to push you out. "Philippe is very close to Sumner," said Karmazin in an interview from a conference room at Sirius' Midtown headquarters. "There was a time when Sumner was very close to a lot of people. The only thing that's certain is that if Sumner is close to you now, he won't be close to you in the future because that's been his track record, including with family members...When [Redstone] would talk to me about Freston, who I think is a great executive, he used to talk like he was his son," Karmazin said. "Then the stock goes down for two days and he fired him."



Mel Karmazin: "We're going to be bigger than Clear Channel"
(New York Post) Peter Lauria writes: "Mel Karmazin is on a mission. Now that the creation of Sirius XM is official, terrestrial radio's formerly brightest star is after nothing short of total domination of his old medium. "We're going to be the most successful company in radio," Karmazin said in an interview with The Post. "We're going to be bigger than Clear Channel because we're growing and they're going the other way."


Nightline at risk if Leno jumps to ABC
(LA Times) Meg James writes: "This should be a new dawn for "Nightline." Instead, it could be good night. After years of lagging behind dueling late-night talk shows, the ABC news program is winning attention with a series of high-profile scoops and closing the viewer gap against "Late Show With David Letterman." But instead of celebrating, "Nightline" staffers are anxious. Six years ago, Walt Disney Co. tried to lure Letterman to its ABC network, a move that backfired and frayed relations with the news division. Now, the company seems interested in courting Letterman's nemesis -- NBC's Jay Leno. If Leno landed at ABC, it would probably spell the end of the nearly 29-year-old program, which launched in 1979 as a late-night report called "The Iran Crisis -- America Held Hostage" during the occupation of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran."

Suburban Man: Extending Your Life

By Rick Kaempfer




I turned 45 years old a few weeks ago. My mom and sister took me out to dinner that night, and between the salad and the steak, I had an epiphany.

My mom said: “Isn’t time moving too fast?”

Now, normally I would have agreed with her. But she happened to ask me this question in the middle of the longest summer of my life. That’s when it hit me. I may have stumbled onto the secret of living a long life. Life can’t possibly just pass you by when it seems like it’s taking forever. This summer, my boys have helped me live an extra few months by making the time tick off the clock at an excruciating pace. If I can figure out a way to do this all the time, I can live forever.

So, I started brainstorming ideas to help extend my life after school starts up in the fall. Feel free to use any of these ideas yourself. I’m happy to share. We can all live forever together.

1) Volunteer to take kids to pre-school birthday parties
You don’t have say another word. Father Time will take care of the rest. Don’t worry if the first few minutes of the party go by quickly–the kids are cute for about five minutes or so. After that, time starts to crawl. The more screaming kids, the better. The more “that’s mine” yelps, the slower the earth rotates. By the time the party is over, you will already have lived longer than your father.

2) Ask every guy you meet to tell you more about his job
Then get specific. Ask about paperwork: “What sort of information do they ask for in the requisition forms these days?” Or, ask about specific petty co-worker squabbles: “So, what’s the status of Ralph’s stapler. Any sign of it yet? I bet if you open Doris’ desk…” Better yet, offer advice on how to deal with issues at work: “You know how I would reorganize your department if I were you?” Any of those office discussions will actually make the clock start moving backwards. Remember, God could have created three universes in the time it takes a typical worker to explain a new office voice-mail system.

3) Go to weddings
Oh, not just any weddings. Family weddings don’t count. Weddings of close friends don’t count either. Any other wedding, however, will do. It’s a little known fact that Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel between the “cutting of the cake” and the “father-daughter dance” at his mother’s best friend’s daughter’s wedding.

4) Talk to three-year-old children on the phone
That little three-year-old voice is so cute…for one second. Then, you’re liable to get a play-by-play of the paint drying. “And um…my shirt is green…and um…squirrel!…” Don’t set the phone down on your end either. That’s cheating. You must simply endure. Every time you feel yourself about to say “Can you put mommy on the phone, honey,” ask another question about the child’s wardrobe or better yet, Dora the Explorer.

There are four free ones. Got any other ideas?

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: Olympic Jokes.

"China is getting ready for the Olympics. The official motto for the Olympics is 'One World, One Dream.' Restrictions Apply. Tibet Not Included." --Jay Leno

"China has announced that during the Olympics, protesters will be allowed to assemble in designated protest areas. Yeah. Or, as they're commonly called in China, jails." --Conan O'Brien

"Beijing skies are so polluted that Chinese authorities are planning emergency measures for the Olympics. For example, protesters will now only be run over with hybrid tanks." --Jay Leno

"Everybody going to the Olympics is concerned about the air quality in China. There is a lot of smog. Friends over there tell me that the air in China looks like the air in Willie Nelson's tour bus." --David Letterman

"There's excitement in the air over the Olympics...also lead, arsenic, benzene." --David Letterman

"For some reason, they're having the Olympics in Beijing, which means the Chinese government right now is very hard at work trying to cover up all the horrible things about their country. It's like when your mom comes to visit your dorm room." --Jimmy Kimmel

"China has announced that they're shutting down several of their largest factories for the rest of the summer -- so that there will be less pollution for the Olympics. Chinese officials say: 'Sorry, but for the next few months, you're going to have to buy your lead-coated toys somewhere else." --Conan O'Brien

"China is upset because somebody leaked a video of the rehearsal for the Olympics Opening Ceremony on the Internet. I don't want to give away too much, but it ends with the lighting of a torch." --Conan O'Brien

"But I think the U.S. is going to do well, particularly in swimming, I think we have a very strong swimming team this year for the Olympics, yeah, that's right. Dick Cheney in particular looks great in the freestyle waterboarding." --David Letterman

"Now you think I'm exaggerating, but they had a practice today in Beijing for the Olympics and a javelin thrower threw the javelin up into the air and it stuck." --David Letterman

"Yesterday, President Bush gave the U.S. Olympic team a rousing send-off to the Olympics. Again, I don't think President Bush is that up on geography. Like he told the athletes to get there a couple of days early to acclimate themselves to the fact that China is upside-down" --Jay Leno

"And China says it will ban entertainers they deem a threat to the government from taking part in any activities during the Olympics. You make fun of the government, you'll be banned from the Olympics, to which Bush said, "You can do that?" --Jay Leno

"And human rights activists have sent a letter to President Bush, asking him to raise human rights issues with the Chinese government during the Olympics. Unfortunately, they also sent a letter to the Chinese government asking them to bring up human rights issues with President Bush. So, it's pretty much a wash." --Jay Leno

"The government of China has banned restaurants from serving dog meat during the Olympics. This is particularly bad news for the popular Chinese fast food chain, 'McDachsunds.' --Conan O'Brien




Stories you might have missed

1. Paul McCartney at a gas station in Springfield
(If I had a billion dollars, I'd like to think I would do the same thing.)

2. Cops follow Cheetos trail to find criminals
(The police call this the Hansel & Gretel case.)

3. Racist held after making Obama death threat
(There goes Obama playing the race card again...)

4. Madonna once pooped in her dominatrix costume
(This story is from a book written by her brother...thanks a lot, bro.)

5. 26 cheerleaders trapped in an elevator
(It happened in Dallas. I think I saw that movie in college.)




Video of the week: Funny Olympic Moments...





Photo of the week: Contributed by "B"

Chicago Radio Spotlight: Clark Weber (2)

Last year I interviewed Clark Weber about his remarkable career. This interview is strictly about his brand new book: "Clark Weber's Rock and Roll Radio, 1955-75, The Fun Years"






Rick: I noticed that the Foreword to your book was written by Neil Sedaka. How did that come to be?

Clark: I knew Neil from back in the 60s, and I decided to call and ask if he would do it, and he said hell yes. He and I were good buddies, and he would call on my office at WLS from time to time when I was the program director at WLS. The record company had their own promo people but if he was in town, he would come in personally. One time he was in my office and I got a phone call about a band cancelling at a church event in Evanston that I was supposed to be hosting. Well I went there that night, and I was ready to go on stage, and the people from the church said, 'You're not going to believe who is backstage to perform.' It was Neil, and he entertained the crowd for a half-hour. The ironic thing is the story is coming full circle. I'm going to be introducing him on stage in St. Charles in September for his show there, and he doesn't know I'm coming yet.

Rick: Your co-writer is Neil Samors. Tell me about him.

Clark: Neil is the owner of a publisher called 'Chicago Books Press' and they write books about Chicago and Chicago history and things of that nature. He did a book called "Chicago in the 60s" and he interviewed me for that book, and while we were talking that day he said 'you've got so much to say, and you should write your own book.' Well, I laughed and said no. I had tried to write it at least three times; with two different sons-in-law, who were both writers, and once with my news director at WJJD. All three times it didn't work, and it didn't feel right. This time Neil said 'you narrate a chapter and I'll write it.' We did that for a few chapters, and then Neil said "You can write this Clark." And I did. I wrote it-- with his expert help—he has a PhD in English.

Rick: The book is called "Clark Weber's Rock and Roll Radio, 1955-75, The Fun Years." Were those the fun years for you personally, or the fun years for Rock Radio?

Clark: Those were the fun years for rock radio because by 1975, FM radio had taken so much of the audience, it had already turned into 'three songs in a row' followed by eight commercials, followed by three in a row, etc. The DJ had become completely superfluous, and I think rock radio has never really recovered from that.

Rick: To me, as a long time radio guy, I'm even more fascinated with the rock and roll part of this story. You told me some incredible stories the last time I interviewed you, including a story I've retold a million times to friends and relatives about George Harrison. Can you tease a few of the other rock and roll stories?

Clark: That George Harrison story in the book, complete with pictures. There's also story about the Monkees. I threw them out of the radio station and you'll discover why I did that and why they came back the next day to apologize. There's another story about a famous female singer that wasn't famous at the time, and in order to get an audience to see her, Mr. Kelly's had to give away free drink tickets. You won't believe it when you see who it is. Another story about a record promoter that gave me a record of a young unknown artist. I played the record a few times and I could just tell it was going to be a hit—-so I said—"I'm going to play this one." I asked the promoter is the singer had accompanied him to the station, and he told me that the kid who sang it was so nervous about being rejected that he was waiting outside on the street corner too afraid to come in. That was 1965. There are lots of stories like that, from the very beginning of rock and roll, when it was known as dirty crotch music—-especially stories about the difficulties it had breaking into the mainstream.

Rick: Did you talk to any of the other rock radio jocks from that era when you were writing this book, and if so, who?

Clark: Ron Riley—of course. He lives in a radio announcers home for the lame—I'm joking of course. I saw him the other night, and we had a great time. He has a comment on the back cover of my book, and of course felt it was necessary to say something bad about Weber. He originally said "I heard the only way Weber finished this book was by being connected to a Sears Die-Hard," but we couldn't use it because that's a trademarked product, so he wrote something else. I also talked to Don Phillips, the all night man, and Bernie Allen, and Bob Hale. Oh, and Larry Lujack of course. There's a whole chapter about how I scared the crap out of him.

Rick: Did you learn anything about that era that you didn't know before you wrote the book?

Clark: Not about radio, really, because I had been so personally immersed in that world. I did learn some things about the artists though...so much great stuff, and a lot of it I just couldn't fit into the book. We had decided to keep it at 200 pages, and that really proved to be a challenge because we had so much material. Maybe we'll do another book (laughs). Not going to happen! In all seriousness, this book has the best stuff—-200 pages, 75 of my personal photographs, and a CD insert. It's selling very well already; which is something that makes me very proud.

Rick: Looking back on that era now, who would you say were the most important and lasting figures in Chicago rock radio and why?

Clark: Larry Lujack, of course. You can't really talk about that era without talking about Lujack. And Dick Bi-oldie. That's what I call him that—it's a joke. I mean Dick Biondi, of course. The feud between Ron Riley and myself—-that feud worked perfectly. Really, all of the jocks contributed to that era; some more, others less, but they all contributed, as did the program directors of that era.

Rick: What lessons are there to be learned by today's rock radio?

Clark: I was listening to a rock station a little while ago and I was so disappointed...it was time and temp and little giggling. I felt so excluded by what was going on. They aren't doing a very good job of involving the listeners—making them feel like they are a part of the experience. Rock radio today has its work cut out for it. They have to do something to make it more interesting—like newspapers, they have to completely reinvent themselves. They need some personality.

Rick: Why do you think the personalities aren't there anymore?

Clark: The farm clubs are gone and jocks don't have stations in smaller markets where they can learn their craft.

Rick: Thanks, Clark. Where can people get the book?

Clark: It's available at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and independent book stores around the city, and you can also get it online.

Rick: And if people want to meet you—are you doing any book signings?

Clark: Lots of them. Thursday August 14th, I'll be Barnes & Noble—Depaul, State & Jackson at 12:30. On Saturday the 23rd I'll be at Borders in Oak Park from 2-3 pm. And there are a bunch more being scheduled.

A tribute to 8 on 8/8/08

Media Notebook (August 7, 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


Presidential Debate Moderators Set
(Huffington Post) PBS will host two of the four debates this presidential cycle, with Jim Lehrer hosting the first Presidential debate and Gwen Ifill hosting the only Vice Presidential debate, it was announced Tuesday. NBC's Tom Brokaw and CBS' Bob Schieffer will host the remaining two Presidential debates. ABC News is noticeably left without a debate, perhaps a response to what many perceived as a "Gotcha!"-style debate hosted by Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos.


Does Rupert Murdoch's WSJ have a problem with women?
(Portfolio) Jeff Bercovici writes: "Some at the paper have begun to say so, albeit quietly, in the weeks since managing editor Robert Thomson put his leadership team in place...As that shuffle was going on, Laurie Hays, the deputy managing editor in charge of investigations, was leaving for a job at Bloomberg. Her departure -- said to be at least partly the result of marginalization from above -- left the paper with only two women among its nine deputy m.e.'s, neither of them with a news job: Alix Freedman, the editor in charge of standards and ethics, and Cathy Panagoulias, who oversees staffing. And then there was the recent buyout of Carol Hymowitz, the management columnist who doubles as the paper's point person on women's workplace issues...Put it all together and you have, if not the makings of a clear pattern, then at least a confluence worthy of comment -- especially in light of the questionable sexual politics at other Murdoch-owned outlets. At Fox News, it's an all-but-official rule that women must show their legs, while at the New York Post, political correctness exists only to be mocked."


Circuit City apologizes to Mad Magazine
(Consumerist) After a thin-skinned Circuit City exec ordered stores carrying Mad Magazine to search and destroy all copies of a recent issue featuring a 4-page parody of "Sucker City," someone with a brain stopped the madness. (The entire apology letter to Mad Magazine is at the link)



CLICK HERE



Why aren't cable talk shows covering the John Edwards story?
(TV Newser) Since the John Edwards National Enquirer story broke more than a week ago, the cablers have largely ignored it. There are various theories as to why that's the case. But as time goes on, producers are finding creative ways to work the story in. Fox News Channel has covered the story the most, although still only four times. Hannity & Colmes aired a segment on the story July 25, the day Foxnews.com advanced the details first reported in the Enquirer. Bill O'Reilly mentioned the story on Thursday's show, saying, "The Factor's trying to decide exactly how to cover the story responsibly, and it is not easy," before playing a Jay Leno clip. Then, during Friday's Special Report, Bret Baier reported a different angle to the story, about the Charlotte Observer obtaining the birth certificate of the child in question. MSNBC used a late night talk show to bring up the story as well. Its only two mentions came on Thursday by playing part of a David Letterman's Top 10 list, in which the top answer to "Signs Barack Obama is Overconfident," was: "Been cruising for chicks with John Edwards." CNN has not covered the story yet.


Dana Milbank leaves Countdown for CNN
(Daily Kos) Keith Olbermann writes about Milbank's decision in the Daily Kos thusly: "Dana Milbank of The Washington Post, who notified us today that after four years appearing with us, he had accepted another television offer. This saved your crack Countdown staff an increasingly difficult decision. For nearly a week we'd been waiting for him to offer a correction or an explanation for his column from last week in which he apparently reported an Obama quote without a full context turned the meaning of the quote inside-out. Then he called criticisms of his column "whines" even though the dispute was over whether Obama said the self-deprecating: "It has become increasingly clear in my travel, the campaign -- that the crowds, the enthusiasm, 200,000 people in Berlin, is not about me at all. It's about America. I have just become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions" -- or only the part about "I have just become a symbol..." We had decided not to have Dana on this news-hour again until this was cleared up, and, sadly after some very happy years, he's apparently chosen to make that cloud permanent. Good luck, Dana."


The rich get richer
(Mel Phillips) Mel writes: "Under the chapter ”The Rich Get Richer” comes word that Mel Karmazin, CEO of Sirius XM Radio Inc. was not content owning a measly 6.5 million shares of the company he runs so he went out and bought 2 million more shares. Karmazin now owns $11.8 million in stock and an additional 33,800 shares through a retirement plan. Yikes! I mean does anyone need that much wealth? The Sirius all-stock takeover of XM was worth $2.76 billion and Mel is on his way to buying enough stock to eventually reach that figure."





CLICK HERE






Skip Caray dead at 69
(MLB.com) Mark Bowman writes: "The Braves family lost one of its most beloved members on Sunday, when Skip Caray passed away at his Atlanta-area home. Caray, who would have celebrated his 69th birthday on Aug. 12, went to take a nap Sunday afternoon and didn't awaken. He is survived by his wife, Paula, two sons, Chip and Josh, two daughters, Shayelyn and Cindy, and seven grandchildren. 'Our baseball community has lost a legend today,' said Braves president John Schuerholz. 'The Braves family and Braves fans everywhere will sadly miss him. Our thoughts are with his wife Paula and his children.' The two sons will carry on the family's rich broadcasting tradition, which began with Skip's father, Harry Caray, a Hall of Fame announcer who remains one of the most popular figures in baseball history."


CBS plans to sell radio stations
(Radio Online) CBS Radio announced Thursday that it would divest 50 mid-size market radio outlets so the company can focus on its major market stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The company sold 40 stations in several smaller markets in 2007. During its a conference call to discuss earnings, CFO Fred Reynolds said CBS has already had "preliminary discussions with strategic buyers." "We continue to see proof that focusing on better content in our largest radio markets is working," said CEO Les Moonves during the call. "The 15 major market stations that have been reformatted have dramatically improved their profits, underscoring radio's potential."
(This is good news for smaller markets)


CLICK HERE



Luke Russert hired by NBC News
(NY Times) Brian Stelter writes: "The late “Meet the Press” moderator Tim Russert’s imprint will remain with NBC News for some time to come: his son Luke will serve as a correspondent at large for the network. The elder Mr. Russert, 58, died of a heart attack on June 13. He frequently mentioned Luke, his only son, in television appearances. The younger Mr. Russert’s first assignment will be at the Democratic National Convention in Denver at the end of August and at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul at the beginning of September. A 2008 Boston College graduate, he will focus on youth issues for NBC."


Network and Cable Ratings getting closer
(LA Times) Scott Collins writes: "AND THEN, the audience parted. Here's what has happened to TV viewing this summer: People who want reality shows have stuck with the broadcast networks. Viewers who prefer scripted series have migrated to the cable channels. And in terms of ratings, the once-vast gap between the two worlds is shrinking like never before."


BBC fined for faking contests
(Independent) Sherna Noah writes: "The BBC has been fined £400,000 by Ofcom, the media regulator, for faking winners and misleading audiences in viewer and listener competitions. The penalty, for flagship TV shows such as Comic Relief, Sport Relief and Children in Need as well as the Jo Whiley and Russell Brand radio shows, is a record for the corporation. Comic Relief and Sport Relief were each fined £45,000, Children in Need £35,000, and the children's show TMi £50,000."





CLICK HERE






Morning Fix fired at Q-101
(Chicago Tribune) Phil Rosenthal writes; "Alan Cox and Jim Lynam's "The Morning Fix" has been bounced from Emmis Communication's WKQX-FM's 101.1, with afternoon hosts Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle set to take over in morning drive, effective Aug. 11, the station said August 1. WKQX Program Director Marc Young plans to hire a new afternoon personality for a new program, heavy on Alternative Rock music.Cox and Lynam were the only survivors last November when WKQX ditched its original "Morning Fix," a bold but flawed 14-month experiment with ensemble comedy in morning drive after the 2006 ouster of Erich "Mancow" Muller. In the last eight months, the "Fix" was more focused on music with Cox as host and Lynam handling headlines, sports and traffic."

Clark Weber interview
(Chicago Sun Times) Rob Feder beat me to a Clark Weber interview about his new book. His interview is excellent. You can read it at the link above. Mine will be posted this Sunday at Chicago Radio Spotlight.


Chicago Radio Spotlight interview with KC Lupp
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Last weekend I spoke with Actor/Broadcaster KC Lupp. When he worked in Chicago radio he was known as KC White; so named because he was only white guy on the WGCI Morning show. He's currently in town performing in The Full Monty, and we talked about that too. Coming this weekend: Radio legend Clark Weber talks about his new book.

Suburban Man: An Old Soul

By Rick Kaempfer




My middle son Johnny is 10 years old, but he speaks about life like someone who has seen it all. He's just wired that way--he's always been an old soul.

The day he turned 5, as I put him to bed, he muttered: "I never thought this day would come."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Just yesterday I was four," he said. "And now..." He was getting choked up, just thinking about the implications. "And now I can't play at the mall playground anymore. The sign says 'For kids under 5."

He had that "my life is passing me by" look in his eyes.

When his younger brother Sean started pre-school, I overheard Johnny counseling him in their room one night.

"These are the best years of your life," he told him. "It's all playing all the time in pre-school. Tons of toys, and nothing but playing. Once you get to kindergarten, the fun ends."

Again, he was totally serious.

The other day we were at the doctor's office, and the doctor asked Johnny how old he was. He answered: "I'm three years away from being a teenager."

The doctor laughed and said "I guess you're really looking forward to it."

"No," he said sadly. "It's going to be here before you know it. This decade has gone by like this."

And he snapped his fingers.

Did I mention he was 10?

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 my wife

Ever wondered how a woman's brain works?

It's finally explained here in one, easy-to-understand illustration:



Every one of those little blue balls is a thought about something that needs to be done, a decision or a problem that needs to be solved.

A man, of course, has only 2 balls and they take up all his thoughts







Stories you might have missed

1. 14 radio voices
(Another piece written by my favorite magazine writer)

2. Smugopedia
(Love this...it's not a news story, but it should be)

3. John McCain's $520 shoes
(If they were Air Jordans, I could understand...)

4. Man gets two hole-in-ones in same round
("Why does he bring an extra pair of pants? In case he gets a hole in one." joke by Tommy Kaempfer, age 12)

5. Ex-Exterminator survives on bugs
(Good thing he wasn't a septic tank repairman. joke by "B")



Video of the week: "Turd Blossom Special" by Harry Shearer






Photo of the week: Now it's even happening in Green Bay...






















READER RESPONSE

Regarding Suburban Man: Pink Eye

"Well, at least it’s a cute-sounding disease. If chicken pox were called “Pink Pox” or if diaper rash was referred to as “Pink Butt,” wouldn’t the world be a much more civilized place? And it’s not head lice. Just trying to see the glass half full…"
--M

"Dropped my son off at daycare this morning and they handed me a note telling me that one of the boys in his room has pinkeye...must be going around..."
--J

"I just read your blog on the pink eye illness that has reared its head at your house, and I feel for you. My son has had it once or twice, and I've had it once as well. It's a real pain in the ass-once my son and I had it at the same time. I would come home, wash my hands, give him his drops, wash my hands again, and then do my drops for myself. I can get a laugh out of it now, but at the time it was not funny."
--K

Regarding my song/video "We can wait 100 years"

"That's very funny."
--C

"I loved it. I commented on the You Tube page. Good work!"
--K

"Good one! I've heard this on Brandmeier's show...didn't know you did this."
--M

"This is awesome! Also, I wear my t-shirt ALL the time!"
--M

"awesome...steve goodman is laughing...leon durham, not so much."
--R

"Lol :) nice song GO CUBS!"
--D

Regarding "$everance"

"Rick--did you see this awesome review of your book? markarayner.com/blog/archives/1289"
--O

Rick responds: Thanks! No, I hadn't seen that. I appreciate it.

Chicago Radio Spotlight: KC Lupp

KC Lupp was part of the morning show at WGCI in the earlier part of this decade. He currently works as an actor/disc jockey in Oklahoma but is back in Chicago this summer starring in The Full Monty at the Marriott Lincolnshire. The Chicago Tribune gave him an excellent review.


RADIO-OGRAPHY

Shadow/Metro ’98 – ’99
WGCI ’00 – ’03
ClearChannel Tulsa - ’04 – current - at:
KTBZ
KIZS
KMOD


Rick: KC, first of all, welcome back to Chicago. Have you been back much since you moved down to Oklahoma ?

KC: Unfortunately, after having children, a new mortgage, my radio job, voice over jobs, PA job with the Tulsa Talons Arena Football team…etc. I haven’t been back in Chicago since ’02.

Rick: People probably remember you best as KC White (so named because you were the white guy) on the morning show at WGCI in the earlier part of this decade. Looking back on those award-winning years there, what are a few of your favorite moments?

KC: Ah, the Blazin’ Caucasian..the Funky Honky…the Tryin’ to be Blacker Cracker…those were the days! I loved being at GCI, and I've run into a lot of old friends since I'm back. Thank you for saying they were award-winning years. That has to be a highlight: winning three AIR Awards. But honestly, my favorite moments were when I was at GCI events and seeing the passion the listeners have for their radio station. I brought a friend to an event on The Odyssey Boat trip…and watching people ask him if he was ‘the white guy’ was quite a kick. Also, the ins and outs of radio I learned from Elroy Smith (photo). He gave me a huge opportunity, not only to be on 107.5, but to jock…and even fill-in as morning host. That was a dream come true.

Rick: Other than Elroy Smith, who were some of your radio mentors or role models in town?

KC: I have to say, Kevin Matthews (photo) was…and still is an idol of mine. I was fascinated by a DJ…that was an entertainer. And he was successfully able to transfer theater and standup comedy to the airwaves. When I met Dorothy Humphrey as a co-worker when I started at Shadow/Metro, I was literally star struck. Being a student of theater, I came into radio later, mostly as a listener. It was exciting to me to step inside WLUP, to meet people from WBBM, XRT, and have drinks with all these talented radio people that I felt like I knew for so long.

Rick: You're back in town to perform in "The Full Monty" at the Marriott Lincolnshire. One of your former radio colleagues, Joe Collins (who is also an actor), told me that you are a very good actor-- truly a triple threat on stage. Do you consider yourself an actor first, and a radio guy second or vice versa?

KC: Wow, Joe (photo) is awesome. He is a fantastic talent and has such a passion for theater. He works very hard producing, directing and acting as well as being a traffic guru. I started theater when I was 8, and worked at it as a career full-time right out of high school. I was very fortunate to get work here in Chicago , and tour with shows like “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” which luckily stayed here in Chicago for over a year and a half. With not starting my performing ‘behind the mic’ until I was 29, I’d have to say actor first, radio second. But, it’s funny, as unstable as a career is in radio…theater is more unstable. I don’t mind not visiting the unemployment office every three months.

Rick: How do each of those facets of your career help or hurt the other?

KC: Great question. Being an actor helped with the ease of ‘being on’ when the mic is on.

Also with simple things like reading liners or voice overs in producing spots. It did have drawbacks though, and Don Cristi, OM of ClearChannel Tulsa said it perfectly. He said, that I have gotten by with my personality, which is great…but I need to learn basic radio formatics. When and why we do things a certain way. He has become such a huge mentor and I wouldn’t be surprised if you are interviewing him when he’s in Chicago running 5 stations.

My time in radio has helped my acting. I believe it has made me a more natural actor. The drawback there is that being behind a mic, you get used to no reaction at your delivery. Was it funny? Compelling? You hope. Now on stage again, the audience tells you immediately if what you did worked…or not.

Rick: Tell us a little bit about the show, and the part you play.



KC: I play Jerry Lukowski in Full Monty at Marriott Lincolnshire Theater. Tix available at 847-634-0200!!!

It’s a great musical adaptation of the film. It’s set in Buffalo , NY as opposed to England like the movie. It’s a great show about six guys putting on a strip show to make money after over a year from losing their jobs when the steel mill closed. The show is really about these guys stripping down to their honest obstacles in their life they need to overcome. My character sets it all up with the purpose of making enough money to not lose custody of his son. It’s a fantastic role and I’m unbelievably fortunate to have the opportunity.

Rick: I understand you're still hosting your afternoon radio show while you're in town. Where are you recording the voice tracks?

KC: I’m recording them at the ClearChannel Studios downtown. Don Cristi, OM in Tulsa …and also my PD on 97.5 KMOD told me I should pursue doing this show, that creatively it would be good to be back on stage for awhile. Tulsa CC, and Chicago CC worked hard to make the tracking seamless. My listeners think it’s pretty cool I’m doing my show from Michigan Avenue .

Rick: When the show ends at the end of September, what are your plans?

KC: I’m heading back to beautiful little town of Bristow , Oklahoma to be DJ and husband/dad. No plans on moving back to Chicago …unless some radio gig gets offered! My wife loves being back here…it really feels great to be back home. Chicago is the best city in the country. Hands down.

Media Notebook (July 31, 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



AP Bureau Chief Considered Job with McCain Campaign
(Politico) Michael Calderone writes: "Before Ron Fournier returned to The Associated Press in March 2007, the veteran political reporter had another professional suitor: John McCain’s presidential campaign. In October 2006, the McCain team approached Fournier about joining the fledgling operation, according to a source with knowledge of the talks. In the months that followed, said a source, Fournier spoke about the job possibility with members of McCain’s inner circle, including political aides Mark Salter, John Weaver and Rick Davis. Salter, who remains a top McCain adviser, said in an e-mail to Politico that Fournier was considered for “a senior advisory role” in communications."


Where did McCain's playmates go?
(New York Observer) Benson & Gillette write: "The McCain campaign’s response to the quantifiable imbalance in volume-of-coverage—a function, depending on whom you ask, of the fact that the press loves the Barack Obama story or that John McCain is the Republican nominee for president—has been a petulant cry of foul for the kind of infraction gentlemen are supposed to ignore. “It’s difficult not to see McCain’s point that Obama has generally been getting not only more positive press but quantitatively more press, period,” said Jake Tapper, the senior national correspondent for ABC News who, as a reporter for Salon in 2000, was famously instrumental in cementing the image of Mr. McCain as a straight-talking renegade and an improbable hero of the left. “That just seems empirically true. But it is a bit like Britney Spears complaining that Miley Cyrus gets more publicity than her talent warrants. True, but haven’t you been there yourself?”


Study says media is being tougher on Obama than McCain
(LA Times) James Rainey writes: "The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University, where researchers have tracked network news content for two decades, found that ABC, NBC and CBS were tougher on Obama than on Republican John McCain during the first six weeks of the general-election campaign. You read it right: tougher on the Democrat. During the evening news, the majority of statements from reporters and anchors on all three networks are neutral, the center found. And when network news people ventured opinions in recent weeks, 28% of the statements were positive for Obama and 72% negative. Network reporting also tilted against McCain, but far less dramatically, with 43% of the statements positive and 57% negative, according to the Washington-based media center."



CLICK HERE




FCC Approves $13B Sirius-XM Satellite Radio Merger
(RADIO ONLINE) The FCC approved, 3-2, the pending merger of Sirius and XM Satellite Radio Friday evening. After considering a new draft proposal, the 5-member panel signed-off on the deal along party lines. "The merger is in the public interest and will provide consumers with greater flexibility and choices," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said in a statement. "Consumers will enjoy a variety of programming at reduced prices and more diversified programming choices. It will also spur innovation and advance the development and use of interoperable radios, bringing more flexible programming options to all subscribers."


Details about the new Sirius/XM
(Radio Ink) The two satcasters are now one, as Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio complete the merger that got the blessing of the FCC on Friday. The new company is known as Sirius XM Radio Inc., with the stock trading under Sirius' former symbol, SIRI, and XM shareholders will receive 4.6 shares of Sirius stock for each share of XM. XMSR stock ceased trading at the end of the day Monday. "I am delighted to announce the completion of this exciting merger between Sirius and XM," said Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin. "We have worked diligently to close this transaction, and we look forward to integrating our best-in-class management teams and operations so we can begin delivering on our promise of more choices and lower prices for subscribers."
(Mmmm Hmmm. Remember, Mel would never lie to us...again.)


Clear Channel deal closes
(Inside Radio) Bain Capital and THL Partners closed their $17.9 billion buyout of Clear Channel this morning, taking radio's largest group private. Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays says "Today is a great day for our loyal and patient shareholders." THL Partners co-president Scott Sperling adds "We look forward to working with our management partners to continue building this great company." Clear Channel's stock stopped trading at the end of the day Wednesday.
(A great day for shareholders...but is it a great day for radio listeners? Time will tell.)






CLICK HERE






China plunges into controversy with Internet backflip
(AFP) The Beijing Olympics were plunged into another controversy on Wednesday as China announced a backflip on Internet freedoms for the thousands of foreign reporters covering the Games. China's decision to reverse a pledge on allowing unfettered web access proved an embarrassment for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which had repeatedly said foreign press would not face any Internet curbs in Beijing. It was also the latest in a long line of issues to have tarnished the run-up to the Olympics, which start on August 8, following controversies over pollution, human rights and terrorism threats. Beijing Olympic organising committee spokesman Sun Weide triggered the latest public relations flare-up when he confirmed foreign reporters would not have access to some sites deemed sensitive by China's communist rulers. "During the Olympic Games we will provide sufficient access to the Internet for reporters," Sun said. However "sufficient access" falls short of the complete Internet freedoms for foreign reporters that China had promised in the run-up to the Games.


The end of the church lady era at the FCC?
(Advertising Age) Simon Dumenco writes: "Watching the "Church Lady" legacy of the FCC get slowly dismantled should be more fun than it is. Instead, it's just reminding me how much time we've all wasted thinking about it over the past few years. That's time we'll never get back. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals last week dismissed the $550,000 indecency fine against CBS in the wake of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at the 2004 Super Bowl. The judges rightly ruled that the FCC had acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in fining CBS. Easy enough to laugh off, right? Not really. Because the thing is, the FCC's holy war against Janet Jackson's breast was always something of a red herring meant to distract us from ... well, the FCC's larger holy war. It was about using a tacky moment on live TV (accidental or not) to attempt to not only block future glimpses of ungodly human flesh from broadcast TV, but to infantilize us all with a vastly expanded censorship system."



FCC to Rule Comcast Can't Block Web Videos
(Wall Street Journal) Amy Schatz writes: "Federal regulators are set to announce this week that Comcast Corp. wrongly slowed some of its customers' Internet traffic, in a victory for consumer groups and high-tech companies that have fought to keep Web traffic free from interference. The Federal Communications Commission will rule that the cable giant violated federal policy by deliberately preventing some customers from sharing videos online via file-sharing services like BitTorrent, agency officials said. The company has acknowledged it slowed some traffic, but said it was necessary to prevent a few heavy users from overburdening its network. The decision, expected Friday, would set an important precedent in the continuing fight about how far phone and cable companies can go to make more money from their Internet networks."


CLICK HERE



A preview of the "W" movie
(The Hollywood Reporter) After all the casting announcements, Drudge links and general Oliver Stone-ish handwringing, there's finally some footage to go along with the speculation about the upcoming "W." extravaganza. Lionsgate has released a trailer -- a mix of Bush behaving badly and quick shots of actors doing their best impersonations of administration figures -- and while it's hard to get a full read on the movie, there's certainly some tonal inferences about Stone's sardonic take on the commander-in-chief (and a bonus Kennedy joke!) Here's the trailer so you can be amused/closely study it yourself. (Click on the link above)


Pat Cassidy quits WBBM News Radio
(Chicago Tribune) Phil Rosenthal writes: "Pat Cassidy has left as co-host of CBS Radio's all-news WBBM-AM 780's high-rated morning program, station staff members were told today. John Hultman will replace him opposite Felicia Middlebrooks on an interim basis from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., effective tomorrow, until a successor is named in the coming weeks, according to Rod Zimmerman, senior vice president and market manager of CBS Radio Chicago and general manager of Newsradio 780. "[Cassidy] has told me he has a desire to do talk-radio, so we have respected that decision and today was his last day on WBBM," Zimmerman said. "He's been a great contributor to a great brand and a great product that a lot of people use every day. So we certainly wish him well personally." Cassidy was not immediately available for comment. It was not yet known what station he plans to join."




Chicago Radio Spotlight interview with Bill Leff
(Chicago Radio Spotlight) Last weekend I spoke with WLS funny man Bill Leff about his long and interesting radio career, from his earliest days just off the stand up comedy tour to his current stint as part of the Roe Conn Show. Coming this weekend: Actor/Broadcaster KC Lupp.

Suburban Man: Pink Eye

By Rick Kaempfer




I totally made the wrong call.

I thought Sean was walking around the house with pink eyes because of constant exposure to chlorine. After all, he's been going to the swimming pool nearly every day. When he woke up with crusty eyes, however, I knew I had goofed. I took him to the doctor, just to make sure, and the doc confirmed the diagnosis.

"It's pinkeye," he said. "Wash all of his sheets and pillowcases and clean off anything he might have touched."

"Anything?" I asked.

"Anything," he said. "Pink Eye is HIGHLY contagious."

That's when I knew we were in trouble. Sean is a walking talking germ spore, floating from room to room. The average time he spends in any one place is 1.4 seconds. I'm not even sure if his feet touch the ground as he moves, but his hands definitely make contact with everything in his path.

Everything.

He's also very touchy-feely with his older brothers; hugging, touching, petting, (and lately) punching and kicking them whenever and wherever he can. He follows them around like a homing device, chanting the same three words ("Play with me") until he wears them down.

Bridget tried to clean everything anyway. With Bridget on the case (she's a much more thorough cleaner than I am), we had a chance to avoid the pass-it-back-and-forth nature of the pink eye beast. We weren't kidding ourselves...the odds were slim...but it was our only hope. She even spent hours meticulously wiping off every single Lego piece with disinfectant wipes.

For three days we thought we had escaped. Sean religiously took his drops and his pink eyes cleared up. All of us washed our hands a thousand times a day. At dinner that third night I even said a little thank you prayer to the Big Guy for helping us avoid a full-fledged outbreak.

But the next morning when Johnny came to the breakfast table, the crusty yellow goop around his eyes greeted us with a hearty "Good Morning!"

And the cleaning cycle began all over again.