January 2012
1 post
Jim Delmonico
Jim Delmonico was many things but when asked to reflect upon his life I would first remark that it was always a unique and invigorating experience to be in his presence. Jim had a marvelous wit and his impersonations of colleagues were perfect, funny and always well meaning. He was a raconteur and his ruminations were wonderful whether true to the facts or purposefully fictional. His stories...
November 2011
1 post
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Friedman- Understanding The Big Issues-Required...
Tom Friedman’s and Michael Mandelbaum’s That Used To Be Us, How America Fell Behind In The World It Invented and How We Can Come Back, places in focus the current economic and social turbulence in America. It is an important read regardless of your industry or politics.
Friedman and Mandelbaum cite four major challenges facing America: How to adapt to globalization, how to adjust...
October 2011
4 posts
2 tags
Eric Rhoads- The Right Perspective
Radio Ink Publisher Eric Rhoads posted a thoughtful and statesman like position on his blog today titles Emerging From the Darkness. radioink.com Finding a positive approach to the dramatically changing radio landscape is essential, and Eric has done just that in a thoughtful and progressive manner. It is imperative that radio maintain a positive attitude and optimism must come from within if...
Gordon's Good Reads
My book blog now has its own exclusive domain name, gordonsgoodreads.com
You no longer need the Word Press reference. In the month of October we have exceeded 12,000 visits. Thanks!
3 tags
PUBLIC BROADCASTING CAN PROSPER WITHOUT GOVERNMENT...
Anticipating the reduction or removal of government funding and the immediate need to find sources of replacement revenue, NPR and public broadcasting stations must petition the Federal Communications Commission to remove its current restrictions on underwriting and sponsorship announcements for public stations.
The FCC rules regarding non-commercial and educational stations state...
4 tags
Bob Pittman
Bob Pittman’s elevation is good news for radio. His new position with reach across all of Clear Channel’s platforms is the very integration that radio needs to build its future. Pittman will not limit his thinking to a single delivery system for radio and I would guess he will embrace a world view of radio’s potential audience.
The Iheartradio Las Vegas Music Festival was a big idea, the kind...
September 2011
1 post
2 tags
VENU MAGAZINE OCTOBER-NOVEMBER ISSUE
Gordon’s Good Reads is in the current October-November issue of VENU. VENU,the exciting new Arts and Culture Magazine has been expanded to serve both Fairfield and Westchester Counties in Connecticut and New York. Also in the new issue is an article on Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy’s Young Investigator Clodagh O’Shea. ACGT is a ghhManagement conculting client.
August 2011
2 posts
5 tags
Alliance For Cancer Gene Therapy Research...
ghhMAnagement consulting client Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy announced a major cancer treatment breakthrough this week in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania. Barbara Netterwho ten years ago co-founded ACGT with her late husband Edward, appeared on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, The Today Show and Fox News. ACGT funded the research of Dr. Carl June at U-Penn which is...
Rick Buckley
The death of Rick Buckley will leave a void that will be impossible to fill. This chorus of sympathy is universal, first to Connie and Jen and then extending to his entire community of friends and colleagues. This is a personal loss for so many.
Rick Buckley personified credibility, responsibility and integrity. His imprimatur was with his family, in the ether waves emitting from his radio...
June 2011
1 post
5 tags
Her2 by NBC's Robert Bazell Finds New Relevance In...
Last night on the NBC Nightly News Chief Science Reporter Robert Bazell reported on the controversy surrounding the breast cancer drug Avastin. No one in television news has better qualifications to report on this subject.
The Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy is a national organization based in Connecticut that funds research and clinical trials to find new treatments for Cancer through cell...
May 2011
2 posts
Ann Curry Great Choice For Today Show
Ann Curry in her new role as Today’s co-anchor will strengthen the program. She brings enormous journalistic experience and her long history of investigative reporting at NBC is praiseworthy. Ann is empathetic with a natural instinct for the human side of the story. She never appears rushed. Ann places those she is interviewing at ease, asks insightful questions and then listens to the answer. It...
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The Incomparable Charles McCord
It is a momentous day in radio. Charles McCord wraps up a 48-year broadcasting career. Charles is in great part responsible for the incredible success and on going reinvention of Imus in the Morning.
There is little doubt that the Imus/McCord team will be enshrined as one of the greatest in the radio and cable television medium. The Imus/McCord partnership ranks right along side Johnny and...
March 2011
3 posts
4 tags
Tack Nail, An Original
Dawson “Tack” Nail was “edgy” long before the term became part of the vernacular. He unquestionably qualified for the appellation an “original.” Excuse the cliché but let there be no doubt that he was indeed always as sharp as a tack!
The esteem in which Tack Nail was held was never more evident than when with great gusto he made his entrance at the annual NAB Convention BMI...
4 tags
The Legendary Steve Labunski
Steve Labunski, will always be the quintessential Vice-President of New York!
I remember first seeing Steve as the impresario at one of those wonderful IRTS Gold Medal Dinners at The Waldorf, Astoria. Steve, as executive director of the International Radio and Television Society, was clearly the face of the broadcasting industry. To young and old radio and television professionals Steve...
3 tags
Carl Hirsch's Unforgettable Legacy
Carl Hirsch was born to be a radio person. For Carl, radio was not a way to make a living but a way of life. Carl did not go to “work “in the morning. He hurled himself into the day with a level of energy and excitement beyond compare.
Carl believed that a new idea was a good idea! He spent his career embracing change, understanding human energy, cultivating creativity and daily...
February 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Clear Channel-Facebook-Lady Gaga-Brilliant!
It is impossible not to be a fan of the idea machine within Clear Channel. The Grammy Award Contest tie-in with Facebook on-line registration is just another example of someone asking, how can we make our radio stations and platforms more exciting and user friendly? radioink.com Clear Channel has lead the way with iheartradio, crowd-sourcing for new groups and artists and social media. Now we...
3 tags
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE WITHOUT A DOUBT
The pinnacle of recognition for Eddie Fritts’ service to the radio and television profession as head of the National Association of Broadcasters has been attained with the announcement that he will receive the organization’s most coveted Distinguished Service Award. The honor will be presented during the opening keynote address at the annual NAB Convention in Las Vegas in April.
Many will...
3 tags
Roger Goodell, Please Save The National Anthem!
Following the Super Bowl performance of the National Anthem by Christina Aguilera would it be reasonable to ask the Commissioner of Football to do two things. First, make sure the next artist knows the words and secondly would it be too must to ask that the anthem be sung as originally arranged.
I recognize that Francis Scott Key was no Johnny Mercer or George Gershwin but he did compose our...
January 2011
3 posts
Yes, Colonel Roosevelt is a Page-Turner!
Yes, Colonel Roosevelt is a Page-Turner!
He is sitting just above a cowcatcher railroading out of Mombasa, hunting White Rhino in the Dark Continent, receiving a triumphant hero’s royal welcome in the palaces of Europe. A spoiler in an election campaign, living on the edge of death exploring an unknown Brazilian River, the presidency yet again within reach, a passionate advocate of the war and...
Stewardship and Broadcast Mergers
It is a fascinating coincidence and somewhat ironic that on the day that the FCC and Justice Department approved the Comcast/NBC Universal Merger that a tiny transaction by comparison was announced in the purchase of a large group of radio stations by Hubbard Broadcasting from Bonneville International.
In making the Comcast/NBC Universal announcement, the FCC felt obligated to assure the public...
VOX POPULI
Bill O’Shaughnessy’s books run the risk of unfairly falling into the category of vanity publications. The Westchester County radio broadcaster, who is equally prominent as a political insider dating back to the Rockefeller era, is out with his latest tome titled VOX POPULI the O’Shaughnessy Files, Fordham University Press, 2011. His three previous anthologies are AirWAVES, It all Comes Back to Me...
December 2010
5 posts
Les Goldberg
Another iconic figure in the radio industry has died.
Les Goldberg made enormous contributions to the radio representation business. Les was a formidable competitor during the period in which over two dozen radio representatives of substance competed for both clients and advertising dollars. He recognized early the power of both country and urban radio. He was a highly visible advocate...
NAME BFOA CELEBRITY GOLF STU OLDS MEMORIAL
Gordon Hastings, president and CEO of ghhMANAGEMENT and founder and former president of the modern day Broadcasters Foundation of America (formerly the Broadcast Pioneers) today suggested naming the annual Broadcasters Foundation of America Celebrity Golf Tournament the Stu Olds Memorial.
Hastings said, “Stu was instrumental in joining me in founding the first BFOA Golf Tournament fifteen years...
Stu Olds A Champion of Family, Friends & Radio
”Exceeding all of Stu Old’s great business acumen was his tremendous loyalty to his family, friends, employees and company. There was never any equivocation with Stu when it came to loyalty. This endearing attribute combined with his abundant talent and incredible work ethic, very simply set him apart. Stu was rock solid and even handed. I would be remiss in this brief space if it...
Bold Move With Seacrest. Exactly What Radio...
The announcement of the $60 million dollar deal with Ryan Seacrest is bold, beautiful and buoyant for the entire radio industry. What a fabulous way for Bob Pittman the newly named chair of media and entertainment platforms to come out of the box!
Hidden in the excitement is the biggest news of all! The development of a record label! Yes, a record label and this is something that every major...
The Age of Music Piracy Is Officially Over
My radio friends will find the above headlined article in Wired Magazine very interesting. You will also see my thoughts posted among the comments following the article. Follow the link:
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/11/st_essay_nofreebird/
November 2010
3 posts
Radio Ink Comes Aboard
Great to see the highly respected and admired Eric Rhoads change course on the NAB PRA Term Sheet and come out in favor of negotiation. As I said a year ago, and a dozen times since, the risk was always far too great to stone wall this critical issue. Now it is incumbent upon the radio industry to find a positive aspect in any final deal. There must be a way that radio can negotiate a...
MORE INNOVATIVE MOVES AT CLEAR CHANNEL ARE GOOD...
Let me say it one more time. Good for Clear Channel! They understand exactly where they want to be in the media world. Bob Pittman is a great addition to an already very perceptive team. Kudos’s also on yesterday’s news regarding Clear Channel’s IheartRadio and Toyota. More radio options in the dashboard! Clear Channel is layering innovation upon innovation, which will ultimately...
Poll Radio Industry for Ideas Not Votes
In this morning’s Radio Business Report, Ed Christian asks for a poll of NAB members on whether or not the radio industry is behind the NAB PRA position! What is needed is a polling of the industry for content ideas to add a benefit to the PRA negotiation not a referendum on the popularity of writing a check!
Look for an opportunity in this impasse with the PRA . Find a way that instead...
October 2010
2 posts
Kit Hunter Franke-Job Well Done!
Kit Hunter Franke deserves accolades for her long-standing commitment to the Bayliss Foundation. Her enthusiasm for the young people helped by the Bayliss Mission was always electric and her efforts on their behalf was tireless. Congratulations to you Kit on a job well done. There are many young broadcasters who are thankful that you were always at your post on their behalf. THE BEA will carry...
Thank You Mickey Luckoff
Mickey Luckoff’s contributions as a broadcaster and steward of the public trust are exemplary and with certainty are destined to be legendary. The city of San Francisco and the State of California are better places because of Mickey’s commitment to his beloved city and state.
Mickey Luckoff is a gentleman and no company, enterprise or industry could ask for a finer representative. In his...
September 2010
3 posts
Ward L. Quaal
WARD L. QUAAL
When he entered a room even if you had never met him, you would know he was important. Ward Quaal was crisp, impeccable, confidant, purposeful, statesmanlike and presidential. Ward, always resplendent in his trademark blue suit and unobtrusive tie. Nevertheless, the measure of the man was the antithesis of cosmetics.
Ward Quaal believed from the depth of his soul in the genuineness...
Clear Channel Makes Crowdsourcing Work For Radio!
Good for Clear Channel! Crowdsourcing at its best. Presenting new music helped make radio what it is today. Let us discover more new talent as a radio industry. Why wait for the recording industry to do it for us. The internet as so wisely being used by Clear Channel opens the doors to incredible possibilities. See earlier entries on this blog and read the latest below as appeared today in Radio...
August 2010
2 posts
A DIALOGUE AT LAST ON RADIO PRA
FRESH AIR-FRESH APPROACH-FRESH START
KEEP THE HITS COMING
HD FAST TRACK RADIO
It is indeed refreshing to see that the NAB has taken a second look at their approach to resolving the issue of music performance royalties. Good for Gordon Smith and Bruce Reese and kudos’s to Jeff Smulyan and Peter Smyth for publically coming forward in favor of a compromise.
The conversation must be about...
Clear Channel Understands Crowdsourcing
Good for Clear Channel Communications. Four new artists discovered for and by radio and the way as I read the following RBR Article rbr.com , no record label involved.
Clear Channel Radio announced the four winners of its “Get Discovered” contest, as part of its three-month national campaign to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The contest gave independent and unsigned music...
July 2010
1 post
BETTER TO BE PARTNERS THAN ADVERSARIES
IS DIPLOMACY STILL POSSIBLE?
The NAB has chosen a hard-hitting and very public winner take all approach in its heated conflict with Music-First over performance royalties. Good to see Bruce Reese set a different tone. I wonder if under the leadership of NAB President Gordon Smith, an alternative might indeed be considered. Under the current scenario if radio loses, the only discussion would be...
January 2010
2 posts
Radio World Commentary
Radio World picked up Tapping The Intellectual Resources of the Next Generation at the NAB Show.
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/newbay/rw_20100113/index.php?startid=34
Good To See More Radio Crowdsourcing!
As we have suggested over the past several months, Crowdsourcing is a real opportunity for radio as evidenced in this most recent Wall Street Journal article. Please check out my earlier blogs. There is so much more potential here. Gordon Hastings
For Radio Listeners, a Louder Voice —- Broadcasters Experiment With Online Services Letting Audiences Vote on Songs By Sarah McBride 31 December...
November 2009
1 post
Should Radio Enter The Music Business?
There is flood of articles being written regarding the radio industry’s long fought battle over performance rights. The outcome is pending.
In the midst of this all-consuming issue, there is a reasonable question bubbling below the radar. Should the radio industry form a consortium to move directly into the business of publishing and distributing music?
If you are a believer in crowdsourcing,...
October 2009
3 posts
StreamSerf Research Confirms Crowdsourcing May...
New research reported this week by StreamSerf indicates that Internet radio audiences are choosing dramatically different tunes that are programmed on broadcast radio. The StreamSerf research was first reported in the Saturday edition of Radio Business Report “Internet Radio Stations Play More Artists than Broadcast Stations.”
“The number of unique artists played on Internet...
Hearst Corporation Tapping Youth Intellect
Hearst Corporation’s Innovation group will partner with the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and Adobe Systems to launch a student design competition to develop interactive projects that will ultimately be used by Hearst. This was reported on October 23 in Radio/TV Business Report THis concept is not unlike our blog post TAPPING THE...
TAPPING THE INTELLECTUAL RESOURCES OF THE NEXT...
Gather in one place the brightest young minds in radio and TV to interface with their counterparts and envision the future of broadcasting. The time is due for broadcasting’s young talent to be provided with a platform to develop new ideas. Bring them together with their peers across all media in an environment where no concept is out of bounds. The annual NAB Convention is the natural place for...
September 2009
2 posts
IRadio, MyRadio, OurRadio! Pepsi’s On Target
“We see this on YouTube, in which budding comedians and filmmakers have been able to secure first a cult audience, then industry contacts and finally paying gigs and mainstream recognition. But more than simply identifying diamonds in the rough, crowdsourcing also cultivates and nurtures that talent.” (CROWDSOURCING, Jeff Howe)
Who said the concept of YouTube need be limited to visual media? ...
Crowdsourcing for Radio's Future
Hastings Responds To WSJ Article On Radio And Change
August 26, 2009: Wall Street Journal drama critic Terry Teachout said in an August 22 feature that once-dominant network radio declined sharply after the arrival of television in the late 1940s because it failed to come to terms with the challenges posed by the new medium. He wrote, “Americans of all ages embraced TV unhesitatingly. They...