Cuomo Makes It A Fight-To-The-Finish…

Monday, October, 13, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

All of this nonsensical Arbitron/NY/NJ/PPM Coaltion legal action would go away in a minute if not for one man - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.  Not leaving well-enough alone he continues to press a fight-to-the-finish with Arbiton over the Portable People Meter methodology.  He’s not looking for a decision, he’s looking for a TKO.  He’s now accusing Arbitron of false advertising and deceptive business practices.  All this because Arbitron had the ’audacity’ to press ahead - lawsuit or not, to use PPM in New York for the first time one week ago…

Arbitron has suits pending to prevent both Cuomo’s office and the New Jersey attorney general from stopping PPM publication.  Cuomo on Friday asked New York County Supreme Court to enjoin Arbitron from proceeding with the new PPM system which Cuomo warns could drive black and Hispanic stations out of business.  My feeling is that Arbitron has already shown that that theory has no basis in-fact.  Arbitron being a private business has the right to do whatever it damn pleases with their service.  Arbitron does not put a gun to any station’s head to subscribe.  You don’t feel their PPM methodology is fair, don’t subscribe to it.  You don’t like the bagels at Bagel Bob’s - don’t buy them.  That’s simple enough, isn’t it???

Here’s Brooklyn Representative Nydia Velazquez’s take:  “Arbitron clearly doesn’t understand our community and their faulty data now jeopardizes the diversity of our airwaves.”  Here’s my take - show us some proof that Arbitron’s PPM system has done that to one station.  Just one station.  That’s all I ask…

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1775] Fleet’s in: The Continental Congress orders the construction of a naval fleet for the U.S…
2. 1843] The birth of the B’rith: The B’nai B’rith is founded in New York City…
3. 1960] Debatable: Richard M. Nixon and JFK hold their 3rd televised presidential debate with Nixon in Hollywood and Kennedy in New York…
4. 1960] The Walk-Off is born: The Pirates’ Bill Mazeroski hits the 1st walk-off home run in World Series history as Pittsburgh wins the series over the Yankees…
5. 1967] The ABA is born: Oakland beats Anaheim in the 1st ABA game in history, 134-129.  Connie Hawkins and some ABA highlights…
6. 1970] “Happy Trails“: Janis Joplin’s ashes are scattered off the coast of California.  Janis Joplin’s last concert at Harvard Stadium…1974] Ed Sullivan dies from cancer at 73.  Here’s Ed speaking on behalf of the Jimmy Fund…
7. 1985] Wrap & Roll: Cardinal rookie Vince Coleman is injured prior to the NLCS when he’s caught in Busch Stadium’s automatic tarp. The Cardinals would go on to win the NL pennant but lose to KC in the World Series…
8. 1996] Here’s the kicker: Jet kicker Nick Lowery breaks Jan Stenerud’s NFL field goal record with his 374 field goal…
9. 1998] Locked out: The NBA cancels the first 2 weeks of the season because of a lockout of players…
10. 1999] Not so grand: The JonBenet Ramsey grand jury is dismissed after 13 months when there’s not enough evidence to charge anyone in the 6-year old’s strangulation death…

Music Memories:

• 1960] Number One on this date: “Save The Last Dance For Me” - Drifters…1974] “Nothing From Nothing” - Billy Preston…
• 1963] Beatlemania: That term is coined when a Beatlesappearance on the BBCs “Sunday Night At The Palladium” almost turns into a riot.  In this clip the Beatles make an appearance on ‘Late Scene Extra with Ken Dodd’ in 1963…

Commentary:

On the subject of doing news on contemporary radio stations, Jay Clark comments:  ”When I programmed WABC, it was the number 3 station in NYC for news and information.  WABC was just behind 1010 WINS and WOR.  Back then we had a 12-man department and with the help of ABC network, were capable of covering everything.  Back then WABC was a music station with 4 minutes of news per hour!” …

Congratulations to Len Zola for another successful and entertaining ‘Media Gang” luncheon in Randolph, MA.  Speaking for the entire crew of WNAC/WRKO former employees in attendance, we had a great time.  I’m looking forward to the next one…   

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:  Sacha Baron Cohen (37), Nancy Kerrigan (39), Kate Walsh (41), Doc Rivers (47), Marie Osmond (49), Sammy Hagar (61), Demond Wilson (62), Robert Lamm (64), Paul Simon (67) and Margaret Thatcher (83)…

Timeline Countdown: 12 days until the first game of the World Series, 18 nights until Halloween and 19 nights until standard time (back one hour)…

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