Greg Walden fans are coming out of the woodwork. Who is Greg Walden and why is he being praised? Walden is a former broadcaster who has often spoken up for broadcaster issues in House hearings. He's also the newly named chair of the House Communications Subcommittee. Just about every form of media ever heard of, is now Walden's best friend. "NAB congratulates Rep. Walden on being picked to serve as chair of the House Communications Subcommittee. Greg Walden is a remarkably gifted public servant steeped in the nuances of communications policy and broadcast-related issues." That was the National Association of Broadcasters greeting from president Gordon Smith. And there were more such greetings...
The American Cable Association and phone companies also kissed Walden's ring but I won't bore you with those quotes. The hope is that Walden's background and experience will influence Congress to promote media interests and "the interests of consumers" without imposing new regulatory measures. Whether the hope turns to reality should be answered as soon as the new session of Congress opens in January...
Walden's appointment comes at a time when lawmakers on Capitol Hill have had it with NAB lobbying efforts. Politico reports that "Tensions are already flaring with the end of the current session fast approaching. Some Democratic and GOP staffers say their bosses are tired of negotiating with the NAB on lingering policy issues because the trade association seems unwilling to hammer out a compromise" (on low power FM stations, the so-called LPFMs and performance royalties). It's good to have a friend on Capitol Hill but how good a friend will Walden be???
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1956] Debuted on this date: “To Tell The Truth” on CBS-TV (12/18). The first edition of the classic game show runs until 1968 when it goes into syndication from ‘69 to ‘78 and then off and on through 2002 (12/18)...
2.1959] Blasted beach: “On The Beach” which shows life after a nuclear holocaust, premieres in New York City and becomes the first movie to debut simultaneously in major cities worldwide, 18 cities in all, including Moscow (12/17)…
3.1966] Christmas debut on this date: Dr. Seuss’ “How The Grinch Stole Christmas“, a special on CBS-TV (12/18)…
4.1969] UF what?: The U.S. Air Force closes its ‘Project: Blue Book’ by concluding there’s no evidence of UFOs, as a mysterious flying disc hovers overhead (12/17)...
5.1969] TV History: Tiny Tim and Miss Vicki (Budinger) are married on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”. An estimated 50 million viewers see the couple tip toe through the tulips (12/17)...
6.1976] Super!: WTCG-TV in Atlanta becomes WTBS, uplinking with a satellite to become the first TV Super Station, blanketing the United States (12/17)…
7.1987] All Paul Simon all the time: Presidential candidate Paul Simon introduces singer Paul Simon on ‘Saturday Night Live’ (12/19). Will the real Paul Simon please stand up (12/19)…
8.1989] “D’oh!” Debut: “The Simpsons” debuts in its own time slot on Sunday nights (Fox) (12/17). The animated classic was first introduced on “The Tracey Ullman Show” on April 19, 1987…
9.1997] ‘Happy Trails’: SNL comedian Chris Farley becomes the shows’ latest tragedy when he overdoses on morphine and cocaine in Chicago at 33. One of Farley’s best characters was Matt Foley, the inspirational speaker (12/18)…
10.2002] This is justice?: Citing new DNA evidence, a judge throws out the convictions of 5 young men for the 1989 attack on the ‘Central Park Jogger’ who was raped and left for dead (12/19). Miraculously she survives…
Music Memories:
- 1955] Written on this date: Carl Perkins wakes up in the middle of the night, writes the lyrics to a song on a brown paper "tow sack" and less than 48 hours later, out comes "Blue Suede Shoes"(12/17)...
- 1958] Number One on this date: "The Chipmunk Song" - David Seville aka Ross Bagdasarian, one of the first records I played (along with "Tom Dooley" in Radio)(12/19)...1979] "Escape (Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes (12/19)(the last #1 hit of the 70s)...1984] "Like a Virgin" - Madonna (12/18)...
- 1960] Released on this date: "Calendar Girl" - Neil Sedaka. Great timing on the release. It was played for months (12/19)...
- 1965] Recorded on this date: "The Ballad of The Green Berets" - S/SGT Barry Stadler (12/18)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday": (12/17) Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao (32), Michele Tafoya (46), Barry ("Ernie" of 'My Three Sons') Livingston (57), Eugene Levy (64), Ernie Hudson (65) & Chris Matthews (65)...(12/18)Christina Aguilera (30), Katie Holmes (32), Rachel Griffiths (42), Brad Pitt (47), Ray Liotta (56), Leonard Maltin (60), Steven Spielberg (64), Keith Richards (67) & Roger Smith (78)...(12/19) Jake Gyllenhall (30), WABC-TV news anchor Liz Cho (39), Jennifer Beals (47), Kevin McHale (53), Charlie Van Dyke (63), Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire) (69), Baseball HOFer Al Kaline (76), Cicely Tyson (77) and Little Jimmy Dickens (90)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 days until winter, 6 days until Festivus, 8 days until Christmas, 14 nights until New Year's Eve & 22 days until the NFL Wild Card Playoffs...
