Internet Coverage Of Earthquake Was Second To None & "WRKO...The Launch"...

The best coverage of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan was offered by the new media. The internet cleaned radio and TV's clock when it came to instantaneous updates from Japan on the devastation created by one of the most horrific acts of nature on record. The social networks offered information directly from those on the scene quicker than any other medium. Internet video shots, supplied by Japanese news sources and average citizens were fed to U.S. TV, proving that non-professionals are becoming the new newsmakers. Cell phone video made TV coverage look like print media. Which begs the question, is the net becoming our number one source of news??? There are those that believe it is - like Doc Searls who writes a blog for Harvard Law...

Searls "This post is not a slam on the good work that broadcasters do. Nor am I declaring the death of TV and radio as we know it. I am using logic here, when I say that the Net is becoming the base medium. Broadcasters need to normalize to the Net. Broadcasters need to be streaming online and well as over the air and over cable." While this might be old news to those of us who've been advocating what the good doctor from Harvard suggests in his post, it is reassuring to see an institute of higher learning spread the message to its readers...

You would be lying if you didn't admit that you wanted developing information on the earthquake once you heard about it. You probably went to the internet first for the most accurate account of the devastation in Japan. You would be part of a minority if you turned on your radio first for updates, less of a minority if you turned on your TV. Despite the enormity of this major news story, I actually heard someone in radio say that his station is downplaying the story because it's not a local event. I can't even begin to comment on that moronic statement...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1743] The meeting is in order: The first town meeting in America is held at Faneuil Hall in Boston...
2.1794] Eli's coming: Eli Whitney receives a patent for his cotton gin...
3.1923] H&R Block's first customer: President Warren Harding becomes the first president to file an income tax report...
4.1961] Meet the Mets: Former Yankees GM, George Weiss becomes president of the New York Mets (who begin play April, 1962...
5.1964] Guilty as charged: A Dallas jury finds Jack Ruby guilty of the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, JFK's assassin. About 50 million people witnessed the shooting on live TV...
6.2000] Vote for me: George W. Bush & Al Gore sweep their southern primaries and head for a showdown in November...2004] Vladimir Putin is re-elected Russian president with 70% of the vote. The 30% that didn't vote for him are sent to Siberia...
7.2003] Free as a bird: Robert Blake is released from jail on $1.5 million bail after being jailed for the murder of his wife, Bonny Lee...
8.2008] Monks go Sheen: Protests led by Buddhist monks in Tibet turn violent, leading to an extensive crackdown by China's military...
9.2010] Bend it but don't break it: David Beckham tears his Achilles tendon in a match for A.C. Milan. He is ruled out for the 2010 FIFA World Cup...
10.2010] Death of a star: Veteran actor Peter Graves, dies of a heart attack, four days before his 84th birthday...

Music Memories:

• 1958] Gold Standard: Perry Como gets the 1st official Gold Record for "Catch A Falling Star" from the RIAA. Gold records were awarded for sale of one million copies (singles) and 500,000 for albums (the cast album of "Oklahoma" was the 1st Gold Album)...
• 1958] #1 on this date: "Tequila" - The Champs (Glen Campbell, Jim Seals and Dash Crofts will all join the group after this release)...1979] "I Will Survive" - Gloria Gaynor (this was the 'B' side, the 'A' side was "Substitute")...
• 1965] Sullivan's "Pet": Petula Clark makes her American TV debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show"...
• 1972] Grammy Gold: Carole King wins a Grammy for "Record of The Year", "It's Too Late" and "Album of The Year": "Tapestry". Carly Simon is "Best New Artist".

"WRKO...The Launch" (Part 10) (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 with a N/T format in New England)...

Al Gates was our original morning man. Al was working at WIXY in Cleveland when he was hired. "Feathers" migrated from Lake Erie, where he nested. He found Boston Harbor more to his liking. One listen to Al, told you all you needed to know. He was the ultimate professional and personality. He filled his show with one-liners, self-made sound effects and delivered it all in a rapid tempo. News, weather & sports, was well handled with veteran newscaster Palmer Payne & Curt Gowdy. We had helicopter traffic reports too. If you ever had to fight Boston traffic, you know how valuable that was...

Of all of our disc jockeys, Gates read the best live commercials. He would make a career of doing voice work when his disc jockey days ended. WRKO had a promotion featuring fake dollar bills that we gave away by the thousands - why not? it didn't cost us anything. The bill had a picture of Al, Feathers, Palmer Payne & Curt Gowdy on it and was inscribed "For A Million Dollar Morning", 6-9am and signed by Al. A picture of the bill, profile of Al Gates and aircheck can be seen & heard by clicking here and then going to "Talent Pages/Airchecks" & "Al Gates"...

(Tomorrow: "WRKO...The Launch" - Part 11 Features: A profile of John Rode 9-12Noon)...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Monaco's Prince Albert (53), Jerry (Ben & Jerry) Greenfield (60), Rick "Disco Duck" Dees (61), Billy Crystal (63), Michael Caine (78), Quincy Jones (78), Phil ("Sea of Love") Phillips (80) and former astronaut Frank Borman (83)...

Timeline Countdown: 6 days until spring, 17 days until MLB Opening Day, 36 days until Passover & 42 days until Easter...