What’s Next For House Hound Dogs ? The FBI???

Wednesday, July, 29, 2009 by Mel Phillips.

The Government Accountability Office or GAO does audits.  It is an investigative arm of Congress and is located in the legislative branch of our government.  The GAO was just assigned a new investigation.  House Judiciary Committee Chairman and chief of ratings police, John Conyers (D-MI) and others have asked the GAO to launch a probe into Arbitron’s PPM and its “effect on advertising revenue streams for radio stations.”  “The advertising revenues and viability of minority-owned radio stations depends on an accurate measurement of their audience ratings” says Conyers.  “I believe it would best serve the public interest to conduct an independent review of methodology and accuracy of this process.”  From what I’ve read about the GAO, their focus is primarily on conducting financial audits not on accuracy of methodology but that won’t stop Conyers…

Arbitron which must be unfazed by still another investigation into their PPM methodology responds to Conyers with this statement: “As always, Arbitron welcomes every opportunity to discuss the PPM technology, service and our sampling methodology.  We continue to have a dialogue with key members of Congress as well as other interested parties and look forward to helping the radio industry as a whole, remain competitive in the current media marketplace”.  I love Arbitron’s attitude.  They never panic.  They always say the right things when attacked…

What’s next for Conyers and his fellow House Hound Dogs in their quest to bring down Arbitron?  The FBI?  Hey, don’t laugh…   

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1957] Paar for the course: Jack Paar becomes the new host of the “Tonight Show“. Paar will host until 1962 and the arrival of Johnny Carson…
2. 1966] Rock and Roll Wreck: Bob Dylan crashes his motorcycle near his home in Woodstock, breaking his neck. He remains in critical condition for a week. When he recovers he becomes a recluse for months…
3. 1974] “Happy Trails“: Mama Cass Elliot dies from heart failure in London at the age of 32 (reports that circulated for years about her choking on a ham sandwich were bogus according to the coroner)…
4. 1981] Royal Wedding Bells: England’s Prince Charles, 32 and Lady Diana Spencer, 20, tie the royal knot at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London (the royals will divorce in 1996)…
5. 1987] Life is just a bowl of cherries: Ben & Jerry introduce a new flavor in honor of the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia: “Cherry Garcia“, still their #1 best-selling flavor. Many assume that they created the flavor after Garcia died…not true…
6. 1989] “Worst Trade“: Texas Rangers’ owner George W. Bush makes what he describes as his “worst trade“: Sammy Sosa and 2 lesser players for Harold Baines (a pretty good hitter) and the immortal Fred Manrique. Sosa will only hit about 400 home runs after the trade…
7. 1993] Ivan the Free: The Israeli Supreme Court acquits retired Ohio autoworker John (”Ivan the terrible“) Demjanjuk as a Nazi death camp guard.  Demjanjuk was finally deported…
8. 1998] Right you are: Miramax buys the rights to the Beatles film, “A Hard Day’s Night“…
9. 1999] Blood Bath: A day trader opens fire in 2 Atlanta brokerage offices, killing 9 and wounding 13. He then turns the gun on himself. Earlier in the day he had killed his wife and 2 children…
10. 2003] Two Salami’s, no waiting: Bill Mueller of the Red Sox becomes the 1st player in major league history to hit grand slams from both sides of the plate in a single game which the Sawx win 14-7 over Texas…

Music Memories:

• 1959] Recorded on this date: “Shout” - Isley Brothers…
• 1961] On the road again: Dick Clark premieres his “Dick Clark Caravan of Stars” on the Steel Pier in Atlantic City (NJ). The first Caravan starred Chubby Checker, Duane Eddy, Bo Diddley and others…
• 1978] Released on this date: “Whenever I Call You Friend” - Kenny Loggins & Stevie Nicks…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: Martina McBride (43), Patti Scialfa Springsteen (56), Ken Burns (56), Tony Sirico (67), Sen. Elizabeth Dole (73) and Robert Horton (85)…

Timeline Countdown: 10 days until NFL HOF induction, 40 days until Labor Day and 43 days until the opener of the NFL…

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