The I-man loves Country music so maybe it's fitting that when he returns to radio in a couple of weeks (Dec. 3 on WABC) his TV coverage will be on "Rural America's Most Important Network" a.k.a. RFD-TV. Imus will share the network with farm reports, tractor pulls and "a little bit country" minus the "little bit of rock and roll". If you choose to pass on all of those fun events and just watch Imus doing his radio show you might have a problem unless you have DirecTV, EchoStar and some other minor satellite companies. Chances are, oh about 100% that Comcast, Time Warner or whatever cable company you pay an exorbitant amount to watch, does not carry RFD. Time Warner doesn't even carry the NFL or Biography as you all know if you've been reading MPR. That's one of the reasons that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is proposing to re-regulate the cable industry...
That's what RFD's Patrick Gottsch is hoping for. Gottsch is banking on Imus' political clout and loyal urban fan base to help get his network on the air in major markets like New York and Washington, D.C. Tom Eagan, Oppenheimer & Company analyst adds: "Recent FCC attempts at re-regulating the cable industry will make it easier to get carriage for independent networks (like Hallmark Channel and NFL Network)". And Biography???
Both the New York Daily News (David Hinckley) and New York Post (Peter Lauria) were all over this story this morning and for good reason. There's a lot at stake. Gottsch hopes that over the next two years he can add 20 million homes for a total of 50 million. Agreements with Cablevision, Comcast and Time Warner, would give RFD about 40 million subscribers...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1926] Debuted on this date: The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) debuts with a radio network of 24 stations. The first network broadcast is a 4-hour special from the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria featuring big band music and it probably sounded like the music on this video clip, circa 1927: http://youtube.com/watch?v=2TLQewntE1w ...1940] The Midtown Tunnel linking Manhattan and Queens opens to traffic...1956] Elvis Presley's movie career is launched when "Love Me Tender" premieres at the New York Paramount Theater. The film will earn back it's $1 million cost in just 3 days. Over the next 13 years Elvis will appear in 33 movies...1969] Wendy's opens its first restaurant in Columbus (OH). They now have 10,000 restaurants...1990] David Bowie makes his Broadway debut in "The Elephant Man"...
- 1939] Planting the seed: FDR lays the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C...
- 1967] MVP...MVP...MVP: The Red Sox' Carl Yastrzemski wins the AL MVP in the best individual season performance by a player I've ever seen (this includes watching Mantle & Maris in New York). Yaz won the highly coveted Triple Crown in '67 and it hasn't been done since. This video clip from the PBS "Baseball" special sums up the season Yaz had. It gave me chills just watching his intensity of play: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RGhcavwAzaE ...
- 1969] Anti-War: A quarter of a million protesters stage a peaceful demonstration in Washington, D.C., against the Viet Nam War...
- 1988] Staking their claim: The legislative body of the PLO proclaims the establishment of an independent state. Zionists take a different view...
- 1992] Not a petty career: Richard Petty's 35-year reign as stock-car king ends in a fiery crash when his famous #43 gets caught in a pileup in his last race. Unhurt, he finishes the race retiring with 7 NASCAR championships and 7 Daytona victories. Both are records...
- 1993] Guilty as charged: A judge in Mineola (LI) sentences Joey Buttafuoco to 6 months in jail for the statutory rape of Amy Fisher, who shot and wounded Joey's wife, Mary Jo...
- 1996] "Happy Trails": Alger Hiss, 92, a former State Dept. official who fell from grace in a Communist spy scandal dies...
- 2004] McGrieved: New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey leaves office 3 months after resigning due to a gay extra-marital affair. State Senator Richard Codey takes over as interim Gov...
- 2005] Saving face: In Amiens, France, Isabelle Dinoire becomes the first person to undergo a partial face transplant. A mauling by an attacking dog earlier in the year badly disfigured her face...
Music Memories:
- 1965] Appearing on 'Hullabaloo': The Rolling Stones sing "Get Off Of My Cloud"...
- 1969] Released on this date: "I Want You Back" - Jackson Five. This is how I'd like to remember Michael: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sgObIx5bihQ ...
- 1990] Read my lips: A Milli Vanilli publicist admits that Fabrice Morvan and Rob Pilatus never sang a note on their album when they lip-synched, performing live. Here in this video clip is a lip-sync of a lip-sync: http://youtube.com/watch?v=t0qTOkUPlGk ...
Commentary:
Just an observation on the anti-Vietnam timeline from 1969. I heard an explanation on why we don't have similar demonstrations today against a highly unpopular war in Iraq. The explanation was that we no longer have a military draft like we did in 1969 so the stakes are not as high (the U.S. draft ended in 1973). High enough though because of all those who have and continue to lose their lives...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Frida Lyngstad of ABBA (62), Sam Waterston (67), Yaphet Kotto (70), Joanna Barnes (73), Petula Clark (75) and here's the youthful looking and singing Pet singing "This is My Song" live (French and English): http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZVp97USJtZY , Edward Asner (78) and judge Joseph Wapner (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 7 days until Thanksgiving, 20 days until Hanukah, 37 days until winter and 40 shopping days until Christmas...
