Where Are The Political Buck$ ???

(Weekend Edition)

In twelve weeks we will elect a new president but so far neither candidate is filling the radio coffers with political bucks.  Both Barack Obama and John McCain are spending five times as much on TV and Cable TV than they are on radio.  McCain even cut his radio budget this past week, according to Media Monitors…

While McCain is spending less, Obama has increased his radio budget and is spending more.  No format information comes along with that data so we don’t know where that money is being spent - something that would be valuable to know.  With the election moving into its stretch run soon, after the Olympics, conventions and Labor Day, both candidates should be spending more…

There will be no political windfall for radio this year but the hope is that when such “distractions” as the Olympics, the Russian invasion of Georgia and the John Edwards-Rielle Hunter soap opera fade along with the leaves, that more attention will be paid to the election and more money will be rolling in.  You can only hope…    

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1790] Musical Capitals: The capital  of these United States moves from New York City to Philadelphia (8/17). Apparently they preferred cheesesteaks more than bagels and lox…
2. 1896] Thar’s gold in them thar hills: The Klondike gold rush is set off by George Carmack who discovers gold in Rabbit Creek, Alaska (8/17)…
3. 1920] “Happy Trails”: 29-year old Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians is beaned by Yankees fastballer Carl Mays (8/16) and succumbs to the beaning (8/17). It’s the first and last time a baseball player is killed in a game (so far)…1935] Humorist Will Rogers (56) and aviator Wiley Post, 37, are killed when their experimental, top-heavy plane crashes near Point Barrow, Alaska (8/15)…1948] Babe Ruth  loses his battle with throat cancer at 53 (8/16). His body lies in state at Yankee Stadium as thousands pay their respects…1973] 34-year old Paul Williams  of The Temptations dies from a self-inflicted gun shot wound (8/17)…1977] Elvis Presley  dies suddenly at home in Memphis (8/16). Cause of death is listed as “coronary arrhythmia”. “The King” was just 42. The world mourns…
4. 1939] Premiered on this date: The MGM musical “The Wizard of Oz“premieres at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood (8/15)…1948] CBS-TV inaugurates the 1st nightly news broadcast with anchorman Douglas Edwards (8/15)…
5. 1945] V-J Day: The Allies proclaim V-J Day, one day after Japan agrees to surrender unconditionally (8/15)…
6. 1954] On the cover of Sports Illustrated: Milwaukee slugger Eddie Matthews as SI debuts (8/16)…
7. 1958] Wedding Bells: Buddy Holly  and Maria Elena Santiago rock down the aisle in Lubbock (TX) (8/15)…1983] Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher tie the knot (8/16)…1985] Ditto - Madonna and Sean Penn (8/16)…
8. 1988] “I’m confessin”: President Bill Clinton finally admits to an improper relationship (but not sex, right?) with “That woman, Miss Lewinsky” (8/17)…
9. 1990] A bad break: Cancer sufferer, Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky  breaks his arm while throwing a pitch in a televised game (8/15)…
10. 1992] Daddy Dearest: Woody Allen  admits to being romantically involved with 17-year old Soon-Yi Previn, adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, Allen’s longtime companion (8/17). They are now married. Woody and Soon-Yi, not Woody and Mia…

Music Memories:

• 1962] Musical chairs: Ringo Starr  replaces Pete Best as Beatles drummer (8/16)…1975] Peter Gabriel leaves Genesis as lead singer. Phil Collins  replaces Gabriel (8/16)…
• 1964] Released on this date: “You Really Got Me“ - Kinks (8/17)…1966] “Last Train To Clarksville“ - Monkees (8/16)…1968] “Hush“ - Deep Purple (8/17)…
• 1965] Live from Shea Stadium: The Beatles set a record for the largest single crowd at a concert as Shea Stadium swells to 56,000 fans screaming their brains out for the Fab Four (8/15)…
• 1969] Live from Woodstock: Richie Havens opens the 3-day historic music event. Also appearing during the weekend of music, mayhem, mud and luvvv, man, include acts like: Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone, Joe Cocker, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Crosby, Stills & Nash and more (8/15)…
• 1991] Live from Central Park: Paul Simon plays a free concert in CP before a cozy crowd of 750,000 (8/15)…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”:

(8/15) Oliver Perez (27), Ben Affleck (36), Debra Messing (40), Jimmy Webb (62), Linda Ellerbee (64), Jim Lange (75), Mike Connors (83) and Rose Marie (85)…(8/16) Bonnie Bernstein (38), Steve Carrell (46), Timothy Hutton (48), Angela Bassett (50), Madonna (50), J.T. Taylor(Kool and The Gang) (55), Kathie Lee Gifford (55), Leslie Ann Warren (62), Julie Newmar (75), Eydie Gorme (77), Frank Gifford (78), Robert Culp (78), Ann Blyth (80) and Fess Parker (84)…(8/17) Dustin Pedroia (25), Jorge Posada (37), Donnie Wahlberg (39), Sean Penn (48), Belinda Carlisle (50), Robert DeNiro (65) and Maureen O’Hara (88)…

Commentary:

After 19 years of co-hosting “Mike and the Mad Dog”, the latter - Chris Russo has left the building, leaving Mike Francesa behind as the sole host of the sports show on WFAN.  Operations manager Mark Chernoff says that all parties agree “the show has kind of run its course.”  I still love the I-man’s description of the hosts of the show:  “Fatso and Fruit Loops“…Matt Levison from iBiquity’s PR firm, Brainerd Communicators, Inc. wanted to make clear that the company’s new alliance with NXP is not their first move into in-car units.  Indeed, BMW was the first automaker to include iBiquity’s HD Radio technology back in 2006.  This was followed by MINI USA in 2007 and Ford, Mercedes, Toyota’s Scion, Volvo, Jaguar and Hyundai that came aboard in 2008.  Thanks for your input Matt…  

Timeline Countdown: 17 days until Labor Day and 20 days until the NFL opener (Washington @ NYG)…

This entry was posted on Friday, August, 15, 2008 at 07: 10:10 p08 and is filed under Today's Post. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.