Author Archives: Fred Stiening

Start with a big fortune! Jeff Smulyan, the CEO of Emmis Communications, fancies himself to be the pied Piper of radio. He was the guy who tried to force Apple to turn on the hidden chip that would allow your … Continue reading →

This sponsored “news” story profiles KHIL-AM in Willcox Arizona as typical of the decline of America’s rural radio, which the story blamed primarily on the 1996 Telecom Reform Act (without mentioning that Bill Clinton pushed for it). Willcox is on … Continue reading →

People may not remember what it was that popped the NASDAQ tech bubble. I was there – I remember. Attorney General Janet Reno announced that she was going to initiate antitrust action against the evil Microsoft in November 1999 following … Continue reading →

Longer days mean more Hannity

According to insightradio.com, Cumulus media has applied to the FCC to allow “up to 100%” foreign ownership. I remember thinking at the time of the Cumulus bankruptcy that for Carlos Slim, coughing up a billion dollars to take over Cumulus … Continue reading →

The month for everyone with a mother.

Back in December, Countess and I both caught the H1N1 flu at the Christmas village held at a local brewery on December 1st (at least that is the best time match). The average incubation period from exposure to symptoms is … Continue reading →

I lived in Flint Township in the mid 1980s working for EDS (contractor) at Buick City, and returned to Grand Blanc, on the South side of Flint in the mid 1990s, to retire at age 40. I frequently spent time … Continue reading →

On the main page, you may see a new section called “In the Radio News”. I have a pretty simple method to clip URLs from news stories. If you perceive that this blog is losing critical mass, your perception is … Continue reading →

Before jumping to conclusions, reading about the Sri Lanka civil war of 1983 can be helpful. Women wearing suicide belts was an innovation of the Tamil Tigers, who were motivated by anti-British sentiments, as after the country became free of … Continue reading →