Industry News

Sports Talk “105.7 The Fan” in Baltimore Celebrates 15 Years

Audacy sports talk outlet WJZ-FM, Baltimore “105.7 The Fan” is celebrating 15 years as a sports talker with its “Fanniversary.” Through May 31, the station will launch special “FAN 15” content to honor the past 15 years by highlighting key interviews, contributors’ top moments, vignettes that capture the mostim important sports moments and “105.7 The Fan” personalities’ favorite memories. Celebratory programming includes two live broadcasts of the “Big Bad Morning Show” hosted by Ed Norris, Rob Long and Jeremy Conn. The celebration begins tonight (3/21) with a 15th Anniversary Kick-Off Party at Ryleigh’s Oyster House. Audacy Baltimore SVP and market manager Tracy Brandys comments, “105.7 The Fan’s beloved personalities have consistently delivered high-quality sports coverage fueled by passion. We’re ready to replay 105.7 The Fan’s history on and off the air and recognize the programming, personalities and listeners that have helped serve up the best in sports talk to Baltimore.”

Industry News

Audacy Names New Afternoon Show at “The Fan Upstate”

Starting next Monday (3/25), “WIRE 2 WIRE,” starring Greg “Diesel” Abee (left)and Cole Bryson (right), fills the afternoon drive daypart on Audacy sports talk outlet WYRD-AM/W249DL/W246CV,im Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina “The Fan Upstate.” The program takes over for “Offsides with Marc Ryan,” as Ryan moves to the company’s WXYT-FM, Detroit “97.1 The Ticket.” Audacy Greenville-Spartanburg SVP and market manager Steve Sinicropi states, “‘WIRE 2 WIRE’ allows us to elevate Diesel, who has worked alongside Marc for years, and Cole, who has done a great job with every sports assignment we’ve given him. ‘WIRE 2 WIRE’ will be a live, local sports show with knowledgeable, well-known local talent, and I know sports fans will love it.”

Industry News

Morning Drive Changes at WHO, Des Moines

The morning drive team of Maxwell Schaeffer and Amy Sweet are out at iHeartMedia’s news/talk WHO-AM, Des Moines after a little more than three years in the role. The duo took over for Van Harden, who retired at the end of 2020. iHeartMedia has made no announcement regarding its plans for theim WHO morning show. Today, Simon Conway – the station’s PM drive host – was part of the on-air team. Amy Sweet posted the following message to Facebook, “Our sincere appreciation goes out to every listener who has tuned in to WHO over the years, making it possible for us to build upon the rich tradition of excellent programming that sets us apart from other stations. We have truly enjoyed connecting with each one of you through various initiatives designed to foster deeper connections within our beloved community. As we move forward into unknown territories, we are filled with anticipation and hope for what lies ahead!”

Industry News

JVC Expands Florida Man Radio in Orlando and Ocala

JVC Broadcasting expands its Florida Man Radio format to two FM signals – Class C2 WFYY-FM, Windermere in the Orlando market and translator W266DY at 101.1 FM in Dunnellon in the Ocalaim market (fed by WXUS-HD3). Florida Man Radio continues to air on WZLB-FM, Fort Walton Beach. The programming includes Bubba the Love Sponge in morning drive, Don Miller in middays, and Shannon Burke in afternoon drive. JVC president and CEO John Caracciolo says, “Programming like FMR is what makes terrestrial radio relevant and strong. We have to dare to be different and produce content that drives listeners to our platform and that entertains, educates and sometimes just makes us laugh out loud. The vision of a locally based talk station that isn’t afraid to confront the big topics while not taking itself too seriously, screams the mantra of JVC. We need to keep live and local radio working for our clients and listeners.”

Industry News

Nashville’s “104.5 The Zone” Renews Buck Reising Show

Nashville sports talk host Buck Reising renews his contract with Cumulus Media to continue as host of the midday program, “The Buck Reising Show,” on WGFX-FM “104.5 The Zone.” Reising also hosts an NFL podcast called “The Install Live,” with executive producer and co-host Greg Cosell, in addition toim other content he creates with the station’s partnership with A to Z Sports. Cumulus Nashville VP and market manager Allison Warren says, “In the heart of Middle Tennessee, where sports pulse through our veins, we proudly announce the contract extension for our dynamic midday host, Buck Reising. Our airwaves resonate with the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and the unwavering passion of fans. As the must-listen sports station, we’re more than a frequency; we’re the heartbeat of every game, every play, and every championship.” Reising comments, “I’m so grateful to ‘The Zone’ and Cumulus for believing in and investing in Lucas, Jackson, and me. We could not be happier to continue to do the show for such an incredibly supportive audience and the city that we love. We’re just getting started.”

Industry News

Cumulus Launches “106.1 The Ticket” in New Orleans

Cumulus Media flips WKRN-FM, New Orleans from country to sports talk as “106.1 The Ticket.” The station will air FOX Sports Radio programming and several local shows. In addition to FSR shows suchim as “Two Pros and a Cup of Joe” and “The Dan Patrick Show,” the station will air “Inside New Orleans with Eric Asher” from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, followed by “All Access with Ken Trahan” from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Cumulus Media New Orleans RVP and market manager Pat Galloway says, “The love and passion of New Orleans’ sports fans is amazing. It starts in the playgrounds and ends up in the Superdome and Smoothie King Center, and now we can talk about it all the time on the all-new ‘106.1 The Ticket.’”

Industry News

John Clay Wolfe Show Adds Palm Springs Affiliate

“The John Clay Wolfe Show” adds Alpha Media’s KCLB-FM, Palm Springs to its affiliates roster of moreim than 65 stations. “The John Clay Wolfe Show” is a Saturday morning program that focuses on Wolfe’s love of cars, comedy, and daily observations along with celebrity guests like Sammy Hagar, Adam Carolla, and Cheech & Chong.

Industry News

Compass Media Networks’ Michelle Salvatore to Leave the Company

Compass Media Networks announces that sports division SVP and general manager Michelle Salvatore is resigning after more than 15 years with the company to pursue an entrepreneurial opportunity outside of media. The company says Salvatore will continue with the company through the spring and will advise the company on a transition plan. Compass founder and CEO Peter Kosannim says, “Back in Spring of 2009, during the chaos and sleepless nights involved in launching this national media company, the media gods sent me an angel in the form of Michelle Salvatore. Michelle faced down every challenge, worked tirelessly and with good cheer, and set a gold standard of excellence for not only Compass Media Networks, but our industry. We love and will miss Michelle dearly. Our goal is to build upon the greatness she created as we move ahead into the next chapter of our evolution.” Salvatore comments, “Working at Compass Media Networks literally changed my life for the better. I was able to travel the globe, producing games throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe, and had the chance to work with incredibly talented, passionate, and kind people. I am forever grateful to my dear friends at Compass Media Networks.”

Industry News

“Gonzo” Joins Bonneville’s KHTK, Sacramento as PD

GV Wire reports that Jose “Gonzo” Gonzalez leaves his post at Fat Dawgs 7 Broadcasting’s sports talk KFIG-AM, Fresno “1430 ESPN Radio” where he was PD and host to join Bonneville’s sports talkim KHTK-AM, Sacramento “Sactown Sports 1140 AM.” Gonzo posted to X, “I’ve loved my time here. Fresno born and raised. This is home. Through the hard times and the great times everyone here has had a hand in my growth. Thank you! Excited for my next radio chapter.” At the same time Fat Dawgs 7 Broadcasting announces that Enrique Loera is named VP and general manager for the company’s Fresno radio stations. Read the GV Wire story here.

Industry Views

Pending Business: The Biggest of the Big

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

imSuper Bowl LVIII could have been the best ever.

The pre-game hype was over the top, blending unique Vegas themes with the traditional NFL superhype we all know and enjoy. Digital Frank Sinatra singing “My Way” with the Super Bowl Symphony, Wayne Newton sharing his life story – pure Vegas, baby – and the 2024 pre-game was a scene set like no other. Usher fans enjoyed a halftime show that was pure energy. The storylines for this game featured more themes away from the game than any other in history. Could there have been any more written about Taylor Swift and her connection to this game, impact on NFL viewership and could she make it from Tokyo on time? It seemed like Sunday morning’s New York Times digital edition devoted more front-page space to Taylor Swift than the game itself.

Ironically, Super Bowl LVIII was a stunner. The Niners missed a point after kick that could have made them Super Bowl Champions. The miss led the game into overtime and another amazing Patrick MahomesAndy Reid last minute Super Bowl win. But the real treat was all the new think in creative commercials.

No longer were TV ads limited to one or even two celebrities per commercial. It was almost a competition for how many stars you could fit into 30 seconds. After all, when a 30-second commercial cost $7 million, maybe you cast Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, J Lo, Tom Brady, David Beckham, half the cast of “Suits,” to name a few, in one ad.

Madison Avenue was under more pressure than Brock Purdy, so the creative juices were flowing. Love it or hate it, the creative pressure to make a $7 million investment in 30 seconds payoff was intense. The new think worked. Go big or go home! Stand-by for the countless industry articles measuring everything from recall to audience size. The trend is your friend, and the trend says, this could be a peek into the future of open-your-wallet marketing. But where does this put audio pricing and creative on the impact spectrum?

Odds are the creatives that just opened the door to a new chapter of multiple celebrity integrations will stimulate the next generation of “theatre of the mind” producers. They are out there, for sure. We just need to work harder to attract their talent. As for pricing, that part is up to you.

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com.

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

The latest editions of Benztown president Dave “Chachi” Denes’ podcast “Chachi Loves Everybody” features two radio executives as Denes interviews Dennis Green, COO, Key Networks and Sun & Fun Media, and Jeff Warshaw, founder and CEO of Connoisseur Media. Listen to the podcasts here.

Edison Research announces that The Infinite Dial 2024 will be presented on March 28 live at Podcast Movement Evolutions in Los Angeles. A free streaming option will be available for those not attending the conference in person. Edison says, “The study provides important benchmark measures for usage and behavior around streaming audio, podcasting, radio, smart audio, social media, and more. The 2024 Infinite Dial will be presented by Edison Research VP Megan Lazovick.

Features

“Ladies and Gentlemen… THE BEATLES!”

On a February night in 1964, a veteran TV host and four young musicians from England changed music, broadcasting, popular culture… they changed everything.
im

 

By Mark Wainwright

 

imIn early December 1963, America was a very gloomy place. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22 brought the country to a virtual standstill for four days, and the emotional and psychological hangover lingered for weeks. The nation needed a dose of uplifting energy and fun, and the Beatles were the ideal remedy.

The Beatles were hardly newcomers. They had already been a successful act in the UK and mainland Europe (especially in Germany) for several years; oddly, they never got much traction in the United States. They had released a handful of songs in the US on smaller, independent record labels as far back as 1962, but they received little attention.

“She Loves You,” one of their early signature songs, was a failure when it was first released here in 1963. Dick Clark tried to feature it on “American Bandstand,” but the young dancers on his show didn’t know what to make of it and rated it poorly. But as the year went on, their popularity in England dramatically turned into a phenomenon that featured wildly enthusiastic crowds of screaming teenage girls. No one seems to be able to pinpoint what the catalyst was, but their already established popularity quickly grew into what became known as “Beatlemania.”

The Beatles first appeared on American TV on network news broadcasts. NBC’s “Huntley-Brinkley Report” aired a segment about the Beatles and Beatlemania in England on November 18,1963. Edwin Newman was the correspondent, and he and his colleagues were rather dismissive of the group, their music, and their young fans. Meanwhile, over at CBS, Walter Cronkite’s take was more generous. Their reporter in London, Alexander Kendrick, was pretty condescending as well, but Cronkite liked the segment when he saw it on the “CBS Morning News” on November 22 and planned to run it on his evening newscast. Sadly, what happened in Dallas hours later preempted everything.

A few weeks later, Cronkite thought his viewers could use a lift from the gloom that had descended upon the country, and he thought that segment would be a nice diversion. He ran it on his newscast on December 10, and that story really got the nation’s attention.

Young America was soon clamoring for everything Beatles. Radio stations dug up the records that hadn’t been successful and started playing them constantly. Beatles paraphernalia was heavily marketed and sold well. Capitol Records released “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in the United States on December 26 — the boys finally had a deal with a major record company in the US — and by New Year’s Eve, it was already a hit. It was the first of six Beatles’ songs that reached #1 on the Billboard “Hot 100” chart in 1964.

Meanwhile, Ed Sullivan was the host/master of ceremonies of a long-running CBS variety show that dominated the Sunday night ratings for years. Unlike most of his contemporaries, he was happy to present many of the early stars of rock-and-roll; Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Jackie Wilson were among the pioneering artists of the new music genre who got their first major television exposure on Sullivan’s program.

Sullivan heard about the Beatles, saw them receive a tumultuous reception at Heathrow Airport in London, saw the CBS news segment, and was determined to present them on his show. Whatever he thought of their music, he respected talent and knew a hot act when he saw one.

A deal was quickly arranged between Sullivan and Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ long-time manager. Sullivan would bring them to the United States for three consecutive Sunday night shows. The February 16 performance would be broadcast live from the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, the third appearance on February 23 would be taped in advance. But the first of the three, a live performance on the Ed Sullivan Show February 9, was the one most anticipated. The two New York shows would be presented at the studio venue now known as the “Ed Sullivan Theater.”

When word got out, the demand for tickets was insane. CBS received more than 50,000 ticket requests (the tickets were free) for a studio theater that held 728. Getting one of the tickets was largely a matter of luck. Numerous notables and VIPs called upon favors owed and contacts at CBS to get tickets for their daughters (or granddaughters). Only a few succeeded.

When the Beatles arrived in New York on a Pan Am 707, they were greeted by a near-hysterical crowd of teenage girls (this had become a routine occurrence). They needed a police escort to get into Manhattan, and they needed a phalanx of New York cops to get them in and out of their hotel. All of this, of course, was breathlessly reported in the news media.

They arrived at the theater on Saturday, February 8, for a lighting and sound check and a brief rehearsal. George Harrison was recovering from a throat infection and was still tired and feverish, so he stayed at the hotel to rest, while a member of their entourage and a CBS production assistant took turns as stand-ins for George.

The following evening, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time, the “Ed Sullivan Show” went on the air, and shortly after the opening credits, Sullivan came on stage and offered a few brief remarks about the Beatles and their spectacular overnight success (“overnight” at least as far as Americans were concerned). Then… “Ladies and Gentlemen… THE BEATLES!” The theater erupted.

im

im

 

This moment led to one of the enduring music/broadcasting history trivia questions: What was the first song the Beatles performed live on their first “Ed Sullivan Show” appearance? No, it wasn’t “She Loves You” or “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (although they did those later in the show). Hint: while it was one of their most popular early songs, it was never officially released as a single. Okay, it was “All My Loving,” track #6 on side one of their iconic Meet the Beatles! album.

The ratings for the show were unprecedented. More than 73 million viewers – 39% of the country’s population – saw the performance. The broadcast drew a 60 share, which meant that 60% of American TV households were tuned in. Ed Sullivan always had pretty good ratings, but this was more than triple the size of his usual audience.

The Beatles were far from finishing their first American visit. Brian Epstein had managed to squeeze a couple of concert appearances into their tight schedule. One of those took place in Washington, DC two nights later, at the old Washington Coliseum. The old barn had seen some big events in its history, but nothing like this. The folks who owned and managed the building had barely heard of the group, but a concert promoter in the region convinced them to book a show. There was minimal promotion and advertising, but it wasn’t necessary. The tickets sold out in only a few hours.

im

 

It turned out to be one of the most intense and intimidating concert environments ever seen, and is still regarded as such. The Beatles performed one of their few (maybe their only?) concerts “in the round,” on a small stage at the center of the arena, placed where the boxing ring would normally be situated. The building was packed with 8,092 ticket holders, most of them (as usual) screaming teenagers, with the front rows only a few feet from the stage. Imagine the frenzy in Ed Sullivan’s studio theater, now multiplied by a factor of ten. Fortunately, nothing really serious occurred, and the band handled the situation flawlessly, even making adjustments on the fly to handle audio and microphone issues…although it’s hard to believe they could even hear themselves amidst the screaming. They returned to New York to perform at Carnegie Hall the following day, then flew to Florida to spend a few days before returning to England. They returned for a North American concert tour in late summer. That tour was much better organized and promoted, although Beatlemania had not subsided at all, and the receptions they received were just as frenzied as their earlier appearances.

Typically, in an article like this, you would see links to various sources on the web. It would be superfluous here. There are countless sources of audio, video, photographs, and text of all these events and many others relating to that weekend in 1964. They are easily accessed on YouTube and other online locations. You can use one of the popular search engines or simply type a few key words into the YouTube search bar. All sorts of material will pop up; you’ll never run out of stuff to enjoy. If you are looking for maximum available audio and video quality, there are many downloads and DVD’s available from Amazon and other merchants.

The Beatles’ first weekend in America – particularly that first appearance on the “Ed  Sullivan Show” – is widely regarded as a sort of cultural watershed that ignited Beatlemania here and opened America to other performers of the “British Invasion” era… artists like the Rolling Stones, the Dave Clark Five, Dusty Springfield, and many others. Many sociologists and cultural historians have opined that the Beatles coming to the United States was (at least in a pop culture sense) the beginning of the era that we now  commonly view as “The Sixties.” Indeed, a veteran television host and four young musicians from the UK changed everything that night.

im

 

EPILOGUE

If their first “Ed Sullivan Show” performance was the “penthouse suite” of their first visit to America, the foundations of that structure were the countless radio stations around the United States that highlighted the band and played their music incessantly. There are endless stories about the big AM Top-40 stations of that era, their star disc jockeys, and their various encounters with the Beatles, both on and off the air.

I was a youngster in Baltimore at that time, and I was already hooked on radio and everything about it. I was a big fan of AM Top-40 powerhouse WCAO. The “Big 60” was the radio station for young Baltimore in that era, and their on-air staff were all celebrities in the community. Noted radio entrepreneur Kerby Confer was a WCAO disc jockey then, using the name “Kerby Scott” on the air.

im1964 WCAO Promotional Material: “Kerby Scott photo
(Photo courtesy Kerby Confer)

I recently spoke with Kerby Confer (almost two hours on the phone!) and reminisced about that era and WCAO’s role in it. When the Beatles took the train from New York to their gig in Washington, one of Kerby’s colleagues, veteran WCAO newsman Frank Luber, managed to board the train when it stopped at Pennsylvania Station in Baltimore and recorded an interview with the Beatles. The tape was brought back to the station and aired.

If WCAO was already immersed in Beatlemania, that episode had the station and its staff absolutely swimming in it. Kerby Confer told me that moment influenced his life and his career in ways he didn’t fully appreciate at the time. He said he was just another guy doing pretty well on the air in Baltimore, but that moment led to him becoming Baltimore’s “Fifth Beatle.” Wait, what? Baltimore’s “Fifth Beatle?”How did that come about?

im

September, 1964: The Beatles and Baltimore media. “Kerby Scott” Confer is at the far right, directly behind Ringo  (Photo courtesy Kerby Confer)

As it turned out, Kerby Scott soon became the host of WCAO’s “Liverpool Hour,” an evening program in conjunction with his regular on-air work at the station. The program featured the music of the Beatles and the many other artists who came out of the UK at that time.

Kerby usually wore his hair short in a buzz cut, but Paul Rodgers – his lifelong friend, WCAO colleague, and business partner later – convinced him to grow his hair out enough to solidify the “Fifth Beatle” persona. Kerby eventually sported a very restrained Beatles-style haircut to complete the image (I don’t think he kept the haircut for very long). He was an obvious choice to emcee one of the Beatles’ shows when they performed at the Baltimore Civic Center in September of 1964, and he later hosted “The Kerby Scott Show” on WBAL-TV; it was a dance party program, Baltimore’s version of Dick Clark’s show “American Bandstand,” and I believe it was eventually syndicated elsewhere. Before long, Kerby Confer moved over to the business side of radio in management and ownership. He was very successful in that endeavor, and still owns and operates many radio stations today.

So, Kerby Scott Confer and Mark Wainwright were just two more young radio guys whose lives and careers were influenced by that first Beatles weekend in the United States. It bears repeating: a veteran television host and four young musicians from England changed everything on the night of February 9,1964.

Mark Wainwright is a long-time radio personality, talk show host, and voiceover performer who has worked on the air at numerous respected radio stations around the United States. He was most recentlythe morning host at WSYR in Syracuse, New York. A Baltimore native, Mark currently resides inSaratoga County, New York. He can be reached at: markwainwright@earthlink.net