Thursday, March 17, 2011

FCC Aids Earthquake Relief Effort & "WRKO...The Launch"...

(St. Patrick's Day Edition)

FCC rules don't prohibit commercial stations from any sort of fund raising. Commercial stations could raise money for public broadcasting if they chose, although my guess is they probably wouldn't. Non-commercial stations can only raise funds for themselves, until now. The FCC is issuing temporary waivers of the existing rules to non-commercial stations that apply for permission. This will allow for funding the victims of Japan's horrific earthquake and tsunami as daily events seem to be getting worse with threats of a total meltdown at nuclear plants a real posibility...

According to Inside Radio, interested broadcasters must file a formal request with the FCC detailing their planned fundraiser, how long it will run, which relief groups will get the proceeds and whether it will be part of the regular station pledge drive. This move by the agency isn't unprecedented. The FCC made similar exemptions for 911, the 2005 tsunami in Southeast Asia, Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina and last year's Haitian earthquake...

Interested stations should contact the FCC directly by clicking here...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.461] ‘Happy Trails’: St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland dies from unknown causes, leading to the celebration of St. Patrick's Day…
2.1756] Happy Times: New York City’s first St. Patrick’s Day celebration is held at the Crown and Thistle Tavern. Here's a clip of a recent New York St. Patrick's Day Parade.…
3.1776] Redcoats don’t wear green: British forces evacuate the city of Boston during the Revolutionary War. On St. Patrick’s Day? Now they’re really asking for it…
4.1897] Falling: Bob Fitzsimmons, a 167-pound middleweight KOs Gentleman Jim Corbett in the 14th round to claim the world title. After the fight, Fitzsimmons says of the 183-pound Corbett: “The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”…
5.1905] Wedding Bells: Franklin D. Roosevelt marries his distant cousin, Eleanor Roosevelt in New York City. President Theodore Roosevelt, FDR’s 5th cousin, gives his niece away. Quite conveniently Eleanor doesn’t have to change her last name but how distant a cousin was she???
6.1959] Get out of town: The Dalai Lama aka Lhama Dhondrub Tenzin Gyatso flees Tibet for India. The Chinese took over Tibet in 1950 and opposition to their regime by Tibet’s Monks is causing all hell to break loose in Tibet now…2003] President George W. Bush gives Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave Iraq. He rejects the ultimatum. Tick…tick…tick…
7.1969] This I swear: Golda Meir is sworn in as the 4th Premier of Israel…
8.2005] I smell a rat: Rafael Palmeiro, who rats out teammate Miguel Tejada, and Sammy Sosa (who forgets how to speak English) testify before Congress saying they never used steroids. Mark McGwire, also testifying, turns into a sphinx…
9.2008] Client #9 replaced: David Paterson is sworn in as the new Governor of New York after the Eliot Spitzer (aka ‘Client #9′) prostitution scandal…
10.2008] Heather scores: Paul McCartney’s divorce from Heather Mills is settled for $48.6 million…

Music Memories:

  • 1958] Recorded on this date: "Yakety Yak" - Coasters...1967] "Come Back When You Grow Up" - Bobby Vee...
  • 1962] Debuted on this date: Ray Charles starts his own (Tangerine) label...
  • 1997] Gold Standard: The RIAA announces that the Eagles' "Greatest Hits" LP has tied Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as the all-time best-selling album...

"WRKO...The Launch" (Part 13) (March marks the 44th anniversary of WRKO Boston. All month long, I will be serializing the story behind the actual launch of what would become one of the country's legendary Top 40 radio stations and today continues to be a mainstay in New England with a N/T format)...

J.J. Jeffrey (3pm - 6pm) wasn't the life of the party, he was the party. Still is. J.J. was made for afternoon drive. With a boundless supply of positive energy and a raspy delivery, J.J. made each show an adventure. J.J. was one of those disc jockeys that could turn a phrase into a trademark. From his imaginary "Villa in Dorchester" he would exhort his female companions to "shake their money maker" and "put their business in the street." It sounds sexist and gross but made perfect sense coming from "Triple J." J.J. knew how to make it work without somehow offending anyone...

J.J. was totally uninhibited on the air and everyone's friend off the air. J.J., a native of Massachusetts, was born in Newton, a western suburb of Boston but eventually would make his home in Maine after attending college in that state. J.J. was known as Melvin X. Melvin when he worked at WMEX in the early 60s. To hear airchecks of J.J. click here and then go to "Talent Pages/Airchecks", "J.J. Jeffrey". Publicity shots are available here and by going to "Publicity Photos", "J.J. Jeffrey"...

(Tomorrow: "WRKO...The Launch" - Part 14: A Profile of Arnie Ginsburg (6pm - 9pm)...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Caroline Corr (38), Mia Hamm Garciaparra (39) (Nomah!!!), Rob Lowe (47), Danny Ainge (52), Gary Sinise (56), Lesley-Anne Down (57), Kurt Russell (60), John Sebastian (67), Patti Boyd (67), Paul Kantner (70), Gene Scurti (73) and Adam Wade (74)...

Timeline Countdown: 3 days until the first day of spring, 14 days until MLB Opening Day, 33 days until Passover & 39 days until Easter Sunday...