Michael Savage in Altercation with Man at California Restaurant. Several news reports indicate that
Westwood One nationally syndicated talk show host
Michael Savage was allegedly assaulted by an unidentified man outside a restaurant in Tiburon, California. According to
TMZ, the
Daily Mail and other media outlets, while
Savage was eating inside Servino Ristorante with his pet poodle Teddy, the man taunted him by repeatedly saying "weener, weener" – a reference to Savage's legal surname, Weiner. It's not clear how it escalated but one report says the two got into some sort of scuffle outside the restaurant, ending with each man declaring the other under a citizen's arrest. Police arrived, interviewed both men and released them. The local district attorney's office is reviewing the matter and will determine if charges will be filed. Savage's attorney –
Daniel Horowitz – told the
Mercury News that another restaurant patron who attempted to intervene was punched in the face by the heckler.
BFoA to Honor Jeff Smulyan with Lowry Mays Award. This honor from the
Broadcasters Foundation of America will be presented to
Emmis Communications founder and chairman
Jeff Smulyan at the BFoA
annual breakfast at the
NAB Show in Las Vegas on April 26. The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is bestowed annually by the BFoA on an individual in broadcasting whose work exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. It salutes its namesake
Lowry Mays and is underwritten by The Mays Family Foundation. The breakfast is complimentary to all, although pre-registration is required.
Westwood One Adds Two Shows to Podcast Offerings. Audio content syndicator and sales division
Westwood One announces new partnerships with
Frances Callier and
Angela V. Shelton, known together as the comedic duo
Frangela (right), and radio pro, author, blogger and cancer survivor
Robin Marshall. Callier and Shelton are hosting WW1's
first fully produced podcast titled "Frangela: The Final Word," that promises "insights and witty perspective on news and culture." Marshall's "Sugar Mom" is for "smart and sexy women who want to try something new." Both programs are available via the
iTunes and
audioBoom platforms. Westwood One president/
Cumulus Media EVP corporate marketing
Suzanne Grimes comments, "Frances, Angela, and Robin are powerful women who inspire, motivate, and make us laugh. Westwood One is proud to help these fresh and funny shows build audience and brand partnerships."
TALKERS News Notes. Hard-working talk show host
Simon Conway (left) is doing a couple days of triple duty
this week. Today and tomorrow, Conway will do is regular shows – afternoon drive at
iHeartMedia's WHO, Des Moines and morning drive at the company's WMT, Cedar Rapids – as well as filling in for WOAI, San Antonio-based, syndicated personality
Joe "Pags" Pagliarulo (right)…..Nationally syndicated morning talk personality
Doug Stephan checks in with
TALKERS magazine to report his show,
"On Air with Doug, Jen & Victoria," has added 17 new affiliates in the first two months of 2017, including: KPHX, Phoenix; WOMI-AM, Owensboro, Kentucky; KQAM, Wichita; WXDE-FM, Salisbury, Maryland; and KYCA-AM/FM, Prescott, Arizona. Stephan says, "The table for conversation is growing larger, and co-hosts
Jennifer Horn and
Victoria Keelan embrace the future and are constantly reinventing the program."…..
Cumulus Media's news/talk radio stations WBAP-AM and KLIF-AM in Dallas picked up multiple honors from the 2016
Texas Associated Press Broadcasters contest. WBAP won first place for "Spot News by a Station" for its coverage
of the July 7, 2016 police ambush. For the third consecutive year, KLIF's
Dave Williams and
Amy Chodroff (pictured at right) grabbed first place for "News Anchor/Anchor Team." WBAP's
Brian Estridge took home first place for "Sports Play-by-Play." Cumulus Media RVP for Dallas/Houston
Dan Bennett states, "We are all extremely proud of our news team, news director
Freda Ross and program director
Kevin Graham. These awards speak to them and the talent in our newsroom. The awards honor a team that brings their news 'A-game' every day."
Jones Receives RTDNF Award. At Tuesday evening's 2017 Radio Television Digital News Foundation First Amendment Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., ABC News Radio VP/GM Steve Jones (right) received the First Amendment Service Award. He's pictured here with ABC News' Robin Sproul (left).
Trump Travel Order Blocked, Fed Hikes Interest Rates, Trump Budget Cuts, Wiretapping Accusations, North Korea Threats/Tillerson Asia Trip, GOP Health Care Plan, Trump's Tax Returns, Dutch Elections, Snoop Dogg Video, and March Madness Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/15). A judge blocks the Trump Administration's second attempt at a travel ban; Fed Chair Janet Yellen announces raising of key interest rate hike for overnight lending of a quarter point; the Trump Administration's budget proposal that seeks to make drastic cuts to a number of federal departments; the accusation by President Donald Trump that President Barack Obama ordered Trump Tower to be wiretapped during the 2016 election; North Korea's nuclear missile program and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to Asia; the Trump Administration's and the GOP's plans to replace ObamaCare with their own health care plan; far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders comes up short in Wednesday's Netherlands elections; controversy over the latest Snoop Dogg video in which he shoots a clown dressed as President Trump; and the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
