College Radio's take on the satellite merger...
Sometimes those of us who were, or still are, in radio just get too jaded when offering opinions on the current state of the medium. It helps to get the view of those who listen to radio for the sole pleasure of being entertained with no axes to grind, no opinions to offer other than they're not playing my favorite record enough. They neither critique nor compare, they just like listening to radio - but at what cost???
The Harvard Crimson Arts section in yesterday's edition had an interesting column written by 2 students (Evan L. Hanlon and Kimberly E. Gittleson - only Harvard writers would use middle name initials) who work for WHRB, the RADIO FREE HARVARD station (so they do have a vested interest). In it they express the fact that "in many cases, (satellite radio) offers the same programming that listeners can get on regular radio stations." They also add: "While Wall Street may not have realized it, it's perfectly obvious why satellite radio is not making money: no one wants to pay for radio, especially radio with generic programming." They go on to add that radio needs to get back to "local programming, local personalities, local bands - radio is a medium that needs to be devoted to the communities in which they exist, not to Howard Stern's deranged antics." I agree with everything in that statement except the "local bands" part but I get their point...
They close the article by saying "the radio industry needs to be focused on technologies that can bring radio back to what it does best in terms of live music and new ideas. Leave talk about satellite to the lawyers and the deal makers; even after 100 years, traditional radio is still the future of broadcasting." Amen to that brother...
We continue our tribute to WRKO's 40th anniversary and there are 2 video links which can be found in our "Happy Trails" and "Debuted on this date" timelines...
Timeline Memories...
"Happy Trails": 1992] Former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin who had a history of heart trouble, dies at 78 from natural causes...1996] Legendary comedian George Burns joins Gracie at age 100 (video link: A scene from the "Burns and Allen" TV series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW6GWEi3g3U )...
"Rather": 1981] Dan Rather makes his debut as principal anchorman on "The CBS Evening News"...
"NOT": 2005] Dan Rather signed off for the last time as principal anchorman of "The CBS Evening News"...
TV's Finest Hour: 1954] On "See It Now" Edward R. Murrow takes a stand against Senator Joseph McCarthy and his communist witch hunt with a hard hitting interview of the Wisconsin Senator...
"NOT": 1954] WNBT (now WNBC) New York runs the 1st local color TV commercial for Castro Convertible as Bernadette Castro makes the couch into a bed for the 1st time...
Sink your teeth into this: 1822] Charles M. Graham receives the 1st patent for false teeth...
What's the tie-breaker?: 1862] During the Civil War, the ironclad Monitor and Virginia (formerly the Merrimac) fight to a draw in a 5-hour battle at Hampton Roads (VA)...
"Debuted on this date": 1955] James Dean debuts in "East of Eden". Dean will make 2 more movies, "Rebel Without A Cause" and "Giant" before his short life ends in September of '55 (video link to a documentary done on his life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21bqgY5HLPw&mode=related&search= ) 1959] The Barbie Doll... 1964] The 1st Ford Mustang rolls off the assembly line...
Recorded on this date: 1966] "God Only Knows" - Beach Boys...
Spell it 'Cadettes': 1976] The 1st female Cadets are accepted at the West Point Military Academy...
"Frankly Charlotte, we do give a damn": 1985] "Gone With The Wind" goes on sale in video stores for the 1st time...
Not so 'Notorious": 1997] Gangsta rapper "The Notorious B.I.G." (Christopher Wallace) is the victim of a drive-by shooting in L.A. Biggie was 24...
"Guilty as Charged": 2004] Convicted Washington D.C. sniper John Allen Muhammad is sentenced to death in Virginia. He's on death row in Maryland...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Chuck "Chuckles" Knapp remembering WRKO on the eve of WRKO's 40th anniversary - March 13, 1967
"I remember when we gave away an original oil portrait of the Sgt. Pepper LP cover to that young man in a contest. I hope he still has it and now knows how valuable it must be. I loved the games at Fenway, meeting Bobby Orr, watching Bill Russell and when Curt Gowdy introduced me to Ted Williams at that charity softball game with the Boston Playboy bunnies - wow! I remember the metro bus driver shouting hello to Arnie (Ginsburg) as we walked in Kenmore Square when WMEX forced him off WRKO by producing an area radius clause signed by Max Richmond's brother that Arnie forgot he signed. Arnie used to intro me as "the kid from Fergus Falls, Minnesota" just before 9 o'clock. When he left I moved up into his slot and worked 7 days a week for 8 months without a day off and I loved it. Who could have known that a kid could jump from Fargo to Boston and 40 years later still be practising the craft that I love. How great is that? Happy 40th to all the listeners and all the people who loved radio and made WRKO shine. Proudly and thanking God for his blessings." (Chuck is now working in Minneapolis on a country station (KLCI). He reminded me that Shadow Stevens replaced him twice. Once when he left Fargo to come to WRKO and again at WRKO - Mel)...
Ed Walsh remembers WRKO
"I was a student at Holy Cross College in Worcester when WRKO debuted and had already been listening to WRKO-FM ("R-KO, your automated all-music station."). Unfortunately, I couldn't get the AM until my next weekend visit home to Wellesley. Little did I know I'd start at WRKO 9 years later and stay for a decade". (Ed is now the morning anchor on WBZ, recently replacing Gary LaPierre - Mel)...
John Gorman on being influenced by WRKO
"Let me add my "Happy Birthday" to WRKO. Your first week on the air convinced me to make radio my career. It was truly the first top 40 station in Boston that played rock and r&b hits without the peppering of middle-of-the-road. It was young, fresh, exciting and obviously Boston's biggest radio success story and my preference was the pre-Drake "6-8-0 WRKO". What other radio station, especially back then, could've distributed a button that just read "NOW" with nearly everyone between 12 and 20 knowing that by wearing it, you were one of WRKO's "Now Crowd". (John would go into Cleveland radio and have tremendous success. He also consults stations and has become a good writer whose love of radio cuts through all his articles devoted to the medium - Mel)...
We have more memories to share right up until March 13, 2007, the 40th anniversary of the legendary WRKO...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Emanuel Lewis (36), Charles Gibson (64), Chess recluse Bobby Fischer (64), Mark Lindsay (65), Marty Ingels (71), Lloyd Price (74) and Keely Smith (79)...
Timeline Countdown: 12 days until spring and 23 days until Opening Day...
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Saturday, March 10, 2007...
(Set clocks forward one hour before going to bed)
Timeline Memories...
"Happy Trails": 1966] 5-time horse of the year, the mighty Kelso retires but does not go 'to stud' because...he was a gelding. He does live a nice long life, passing away in October, 1983...1980) Scarsdale Diet Dr. Herman Tarnower is murdered by his lover Jean Harris who will be pardoned in 1992 by Gov. Mario Cuomo after she served time in a penitentiary...1988] Andy Gibb dies suddenly of heart inflammation at the age of 30...
"Can you hear me now?": 1876] The 1st successful voice transmission over Alexander Graham Bell's telephone takes place in Boston when his asst. hears "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you." Mr. Watson replies, "how exactly do you mean that?"...
"Long gone Sally": 1949] Nazi wartime broadcaster Mildred E. Gillars a.k.a. "Axis Sally" is convicted of treason and will serve 12 years in prison...
"Long gone Michael": 2005] Clad in pajamas and twirling an umbrella, Michael Jackson shows up one hour late to his trial after the judge threatened to have him arrested for tardiness. A back injury was given as Michael's excuse...
"The Odd Couple": 1965] The play opens on Broadway and the original Oscar and Felix are Walter Matthau and Art Carney. Jack Klugman will replace Matthau and Tony Randall replaces Carney when the TV series starts...
"Guilty as Charged": 2004] Teenage Washington D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo is sentenced to life in prison. He's incarcerated in Virginia...
"Guilty - not guilty - guilty - not guilty.": 1969] James Earl Ray pleads 'guilty' to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. but will later repudiate his guilty plea and maintain his innocence until his death in April, 1998...
"I'd like to help you son but you're too young to vote.": 1971] The Senate lowers the voting age to 18...
Willard and weather together: 1980] It just seems that Willard Scott debuted with J. Fred Muggs, today was the actual day the weather man debuted on "The Today Show"...
Going to Hall: 1983] Walter Alston who began his career as manager of the Dodgers in Brooklyn is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Carrie Underwood (24), Edie Brickell (41), Jasmine Guy (43), Sharon Stone (49), Boston's Tom Scholz (60), Dean (Jan & Dean) Torrance (67) and Chuck Norris (67)...
Timeline Countdown: 11 days until spring and 22 days until Opening Day...
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Sunday, March 11, 2007...
(You should be on Daylight Savings Time)...
Timeline Memories...
Get the hip boots out: 1888] 'The Blizzard of '88' shuts down communication and transportation along the Atlantic Seaboard and more than 400 will perish in the blizzard...
The Man of Steel: 1901] U.S. Steel is formed when industrialist J.P. Morgan purchases the Carnegie Steel Corporation. The sale makes Andrew Carnegie the world's richest man...
Debuted on this date: 1927] Samuel Roxy Rothafel opens the world famous Roxy Theatre in Manhattan...1930] President Howard Taft becomes our first president to be buried in Arlington's National Cemetery...
" I Shall Return": 1942] With Japanese forces advancing in the Pacific during WWII, General Douglas MacArthur leaves the Philippines for Australia vowing "I Shall Return". He does...
Pre-Doody: 1947] The DuMont TV Network airs "Movies For Small Fry", network TV's 1st successful children's program...
Gold Standard: 1968] "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" reaches gold status after the death of Otis Redding...
"It's deja vu all over again": 1970] Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young" release the LP "Deja Vu"...
British royalty: 1997] Paul McCartney is knighted by QEII (the Queen, not the ship)...
Bell bottom blues: 1969] Levi-Strauss begins selling bell-bottom jeans...
Stick It": 1986] Popsicle announces its plan to end the traditional twin-stick Popsicle for a one-stick model (how do you split a one-stick Popsicle?)...
"Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?": 1989] The reality-based "Cops" debuts on Fox (it's still on Saturday Night)...
"It's unanimous": 1993] Janet Reno is confirmed by the Senate to be the nation's 1st female attorney general...
Picabo, I see you: 1995] Picabo Street becomes the 1st U.S. woman to win a gold medal in downhill at the world championships in Spain...
Good thing it wasn't in 2004] Bombs explode in quick succession across the commuter rail system in Madrid killing 191 and wounding more than 2,000 as terrorists linked to al-Qaida strike...
Cleveland rocks: 1996] The city of Cleveland mourns the decision made by NFL owners to allow Art Modell to move the Browns to Baltimore where they become the Ravens. Cleveland gets revenge by keeping the Browns name and a new team to replace the original one...
WTC tribute: 2002] Two columns of light reach to the heavens from ground zero in Manhattan as a temporary memorial to the victims of 911. The search lights could be seen in all 5 boroughs. That was quite a sight...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Lisa Loeb (39), Cheryl Lynn (50), Bobby McFerrin (57), Sam Donaldson (73) and Rupert Murdoch (76)...
Timeline Countdown: 10 days until spring and 21 days until Opening Day...
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