Just Dial 1-800-Radio…

I hope the NAB and RAB realize that selling Radio is not the same as selling flowers.  Public Relations firm MWW has been hired to carry on the “Radio Heard Here” campaign that was launched last spring in hopes of bringing in new radio listeners.  MWW lists 1-800 Flowers as one of their clients but that won’t diminish the enthusiasm voiced by NAB President/CEO David Rehr: ”the agency will be a great partner in this effort as we excite and engage radio fans everywhere, igniting their passion for this great medium and sharing with them fantastic new applications and technology advancements that are increasing radio’s value and relevance.”  RAB President/CEO Jeff Haley has sipped the same Kool-Aid: “MWW Group’s affinity for radio, as well as their marketing expertise through creative programs, media relations, and digital outreach uniquely positions them to help us create energy for, and excitement about, the medium of radio”…

I’m still working on the “fantastic new applications and technology advancements that are increasing radio’s value and relevance” statement of David Rehr’s, wondering what they might be.  Whatever they are can be bunched in dozens of floral displays and ribbons and placed in a beautiful glass vase and be sold on 1-800-Radio.  I mean, it works for flowers, right???

Oh wait, here they are.  MWW plans to emphasize the ready accessibility of radio online, through smartphones and MP3 players and Via HD Radio.  MWW Group CEO Michael Kempner buys it: “as an agency, we have long been committed to the effectiveness of radio as a marketing vehicle.  We couldn’t be more excited to represent the radio business as it moves aggressively into the future.”  Cue the violins and release the rose petals…   

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1777] Better late than: The people of New Connecticut declare their independence from Great Britain. The tiny republic will become known as the state of Vermont…
2. 1844] Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame: The University of Notre Dame receives its charter from the state of Indiana…
3. 1870] Donkey serenade: The Democratic Party is represented as a donkey for the first time in a cartoon by Thomas Nast in “Harper’s Weekly“…
4. 1892] Basketball rules: The official rules of basketball are published for the first time in Springfield (MA) where the game is invented…
5. 1947] The death of a dahlia: The mutilated remains of 22-year old aspiring actress, Elizabeth Short a.k.a. The ‘Black Dahlia’ for her dark outfits, are found in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. The case is never solved…
6. 1967] Super Sunday: The Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in what will eventually be called Super Bowl I. Back then it was called the NFL Championship Game…
7. 1973] Debuted on this date: Gene Shalit brings his bushy mustache and doctor’s bag to “The Today Show” as movie reviewer.  Shalit gets parodied on “Family Guy“…1974] “Happy Days” on ABC-TV. The highly rated show will run until July of 1984 and spawn the spin off, ‘Laverne and Shirley’ in January, 1976…
8. 1976] Guilty as charged: Sara Jane Moore is sentenced to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Gerald Ford in San Francisco…
9. 1987] “Happy Trails“: Ray Bolger dies from cancer at 83…
10. 2001] Wiki sighting: Wikipedia goes online…

Music Memories:

• 1961] Signed, sealed, delivered: Motown signs the Supremes…
• 1964] So, sue me: Vee Jay Records files suit against Capitol and Swan over recording rights to the Beatles…
• 1967] Lyric content: The Rolling Stones change the lyrics to “Let’s Spend The Night Together” on the ‘Ed Sullivan Show’ to ‘Let’s Spend Some Time Together’ for network censors.  “Top of The Pops” didn’t have censors…
• 1971] Released on this date: “My Sweet Lord” - George Harrison…

Commentary:

We lost Mr. Roarke, who was the host who welcomed us to ”Fantasy Island” on TV and melted us with his description of the Chrylser Cordoba, “available in soft, Corinthian leather.”  Ricardo Montalban who died at 88 “from complications of advancing age” was described as the person “you saw on the screen and on television and on talk shows, this very courtly, modest, dignified individual, that’s exactly who he was.”  That statement from longtime friend and publicist David Brokaw… “Prisoner” actor Patrick McGoohan also passed away after a short illness at 80.  McGoohan, born in New York and raised in England and Ireland was a fine actor on stage, movies and TV…    

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

Chad Lowe (41), Lisa Lisa (Velez) (42), Marty Lyons (52), Charo (58), Andrea Martin (62), Captain Beefheart a.k.a. Don Van Vliet (68) and Margaret O’Brien (72)…

Timeline Countdown: 4 days until MLK Jr. Day, 5 days until the Inauguration, 17 days until the Super Bowl and 30 days days until pitchers and catchers report voluntarily…

This entry was posted on Thursday, January, 15, 2009 at 08: 10:10 p01 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.