There's one thing that TV is doing that I don't agree with and I hope radio doesn't follow. Networks want to charge advertisers more to reach the boomers. The theory being that these viewers watch a disproportionate amount of TV, and they control half of all U.S. consumer spending. There's no reason to raise your rates because you're stretching your demographic target. It may be good business but it's just wrong...
Jim Speros, chief marketing officer at Fidelity Personal and Workplace Investing, a unit of Fidelity Investments says the stretching of demographics to include baby boomers "Isn't a wave, it's a tsunami. Pharmaceuticals, luxury-car makers and financial firms are on board." Memo to music radio stations: Lots of teenagers watch "American Idol" but did you know that the average age of AI viewers is 51 and growing older each year???
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1876] Can you hear me now?: The first successful voice transmission over Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone takes place in Boston when his assistant hears, “Mr. Watson, come here. I want you.” Mr. Watson replies, “how exactly do you mean that?”…
2.1949] Guilty as charged: Nazi wartime broadcaster Mildred E. Gillars aka “Axis Sally” is convicted of treason and will serve 12 years in prison…1969] James Earl Ray pleads ‘guilty’ to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. but will later repudiate his plea and maintain his innocence until his death in 1998…2004] Teenage Washington (D.C.) sniper Lee Boyd Malvo is sentenced to life in prison in Virginia…
3.1965] The Odd Couple: The play opens on Broadway with Walter Matthau and Art Carney as Oscar and Felix. Jack Klugman will replace Matthau and Tony Randall replaces Carney when the TV series starts…
4.1966] ‘Happy Trails’: Five-time ‘Horse of the Year’, the mighty Kelso retires. The gelding lives a long life, passing away in October, 1983…1980] Scarsdale Diet guru, Dr. Hyman Tarnower is murdered by his lover, Jean Harris who will be pardoned in 1992 by Governor Mario Cuomo after serving time in a penitentiary…1988] Andy Gibb dies suddenly of heart inflammation at the age of 30…
5.1971] Vote for me: The Senate lowers the voting age to 18…
6.1980] Debuted on this date: Willard Scott debuts as weather man on “The Today Show”...
7.1983] Going to Hall: Walter Alston who began his career as manager of the Dodgers in Brooklyn is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame…
8.1993] Gunned down: Dr. David Gunn is shot to death outside a Pensacola (FL) abortion clinic…
9.2002] Yasser pinned: Israeli helicopters destroy Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s office in Gaza City, hours after 11 Israelis are killed in a suicide bombing in a cafe across the street from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s residence in Jerusalem…
10.2005] Wacko Jacko: Wearing pajamas and twirling an umbrella, Michael Jackson shows up one hour late to his trial. A back injury is given as MJ’s excuse, however there’s no excuse offered for his bizarre behavior. Charlie Sheen takes notes...
Music Memories:
- 1961] Number One on this date: "Pony Time" - Chubby Checker...1971] "One Bad Apple" - Osmonds...1981] "I Love a Rainy Night" - Eddie Rabbitt...
"WRKO...The Launch" (Part 8) (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)...
The summer of 1967 was known as "The Summer Of Love." TSOL started with a Be-In, celebrated in San Francisco in the early part of the year and spread nationwide. Inflation was only 2.7% and the average cost of a new house would set you back $14,250. Average yearly income was $7,300. Gas was 33 cents a gallon for the average car that cost $2,750. The price of a movie ticket was a mere $1.75, even for the James Bond film, "Casino Royale", which WRKO would make famous. More on that later...
The first Super Bowl was played in 1967 but it wasn't even called the Super Bowl. Green Bay beat Kansas City, 35-10 in the NFL Championship Game. Music gave us the Doors, Aretha's "Respect" and The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu got married, Clint Eastwood gave us "A Fistful Of Dollars", Off-Broadway gave us "Hair" and NASA introduced the Apollo 7 crew. Monterrey produced a Pop Festival and TV gave us "The Monkees"...Locally, The Summer of Love would end in The Impossible Dream as the Red Sox stole our hearts with thrilling victories, making it all the way to the World Series. But that wasn't the only big story in Boston. On March 13, 1967, a new radio station surfaced that would change listening habits with its rapid rise to the top of the ratings...
(Tomorrow: "WRKO...The Launch" (Part 9) (WRKO Is Launched)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Olivia Wilde (27), Carrie Underwood (28), John Hamm (40), Edie Brickell (45), Jasmine Guy (47), Rick Rubin (48), Sharon Stone (53), Tom Scholz (64), Dean Torrance (71) and Chuck Norris (71)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until Daylight Savings Time, 10 days until the first day of spring, 21 days until MLB Opening Day, 40 days until Passover & 45 days until Easter...
