Podcasts about Clear channel

About Mark: They call me the Event Maestro. Here's why that matters to you.Your last event was a success. Yet, you left a fortune on the table. The feedback was great. The room was full. And still — the mission didn't accelerate the way it could have. Not because the event failed. Because no one showed you what the room was actually capable of. For one brief window, you had your investors, donors, board members, team and community leaders in a single space. Most leaders use that moment to share updates and deepen connections.The “Event Maestro” uses that moment to activate these stakeholders. Investors who came to observe - write a big check. Donors who increase their giving without being asked. Board members who become more cooperative. Sponsors who witnessed your culture and expanded their commitment on the spot. That's not a better agenda. That's a gathering engineered to turn your mission into a movement. For 30 years, I've been in the business of turning audiences into believers — and believers into buyers.I've strategized 900+ events over three decades. I help Impact CEOs activate stakeholder engagement through immersive experiences that don't just captivate rooms — they move people to act, lead and invest. As Co-Founder of BigImpactHQ, my wife Shannon and I have trained over 3,000 leaders to harness the power of speaking and live events. Our "Speak Your Path to Cash" System has generated more than $150M in revenue for our clients and landed them on stages most people only dream about — Tony Robbins, TED Talks, CNN, The View, Brendan Burchard, Mama Gena, and more. Before BigImpactHQ, I spent years as a Senior Branding Strategist for Clear Channel, writing 1,100+ radio ads and campaigns for Porsche, Harley-Davidson, AFLAC, and Marriott. That background wired me to think in messages that cut through noise and land with precision. I've shared stages with Jack Canfield, Robert Kiyosaki, Les Brown, and others — not just because I'm a good speaker, but because I understand the science of influence and the art of transformation. My work sits at the intersection of conscious leadership, transformational influence, and the inner game of business success. I help companies live from their higher purpose, build conscious cultures, and follow the principles of Conscious Capitalism — because mission-driven businesses outperform, period.Connect with him here: www.MAGspeaks.comDon't forget to register for our limited-space 5-day LinkedIn workshop here: https://www.thetimetogrow.com/AtoEonLinkedinWorkshop

We're off to “The Land” to chat with Carrie Samek, Vice President of Event & Media Marketing at Rocket Arena and Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland, Ohio. After learning about the arena and Carrie's role with the venue and team, we chat through what it was like curating an exhibit around the 10 year anniversary of the Cav's iconic 2016 NBA Championship, and the challenges of joys that came along with it. Carrie tells us about how they planned the arena's 30th anniversary two years ago, which included a performance by Diplo and a drone show. We talk about her fun career path, from cold emailing the creator of Warped Tour to working phones at ClearChannel to touring with The Black Eyed Peas to her time with Belkin Productions and Live Nation and ultimately her current role. Whether you know her as Carrie, Wizzysis, Queen of Drones, or museum curator – to know Carrie is to love her and we know you'll love this episode all about someone who has helped shape some of Northeast Ohio's biggest moments.

Hour 3 (8.24) Malibu's ten new speed cameras start issuing warnings in late September and real citations in late November — 11 mph over is all it takes. Plus two street takeovers in two hours, and a robot that ran a 9.32 hundred. 8:05 — Sunday night, a crowd of about 100 gathered for a street takeover on Whittier Boulevard in Boyle Heights while burglars cut into Lorena Pharmacy with a saw and walked out with baskets of merchandise. Fifteen minutes later and less than two miles away, masked suspects walked two cash registers out of a Jack in the Box in East LA. No arrests. Also: Conway's case for fries as a taco heat-warmer, and the Conway Show sandal line Angel still refuses to greenlight. 8:20 — Halloween season is close enough to smell, and the LA Haunted Hayride is the ex-Clear Channel executive success story nobody talks about. Melissa Carbone walked into Shark Tank's fifth season in 2013 and walked out with the biggest investment in the show's history to that point — Mark Cuban, $2 million for 20 percent. Plus a Chinese humanoid called Lightning that ran 100 meters in 9.32 seconds. 8:35 — Ten automated cameras on Malibu's 21-mile stretch of PCH, using lidar to flag anyone doing at least 11 over. Warnings start in late September, citations in late November — civil penalties, no license points, no insurance hit. More than 60 people have been killed on that stretch since 2010. Sorry, Ashley Mackie. 8:50 — Conway responds to YouTuber Nick Shirley's videos claiming widespread fraud against California welfare and health programs — what he's actually shown, what the state says, and where the number came from. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk www.LearningLeader.com The Price of Becoming is a USA Today, LA Times, and Publishers Weekly Best-Seller! www.LearningLeader.com/Becoming This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire one person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world has the hustle and grit to deliver. Blake Mycoskie founded TOMS Shoes in 2006 after a trip to Argentina, where he saw children without shoes and built a company around giving away a pair for every pair sold. TOMS went on to donate more than 100 million pairs of shoes and became one of the most copied business models in the world. What most people don't know is what happened after he sold it, and I'm grateful that he was open to talking about that on this episode of The Learning Leader Show. Key Learnings Make your gratitude specific. Not "I'm grateful for my family." Name the exact thing. Blake's example from that morning: the photos the camp posted of his daughter laughing in the lake, and knowing his stoic kid does not smile like that unless she is genuinely happy. He kept the practice going for five years when he couldn't feel any of it. Blake could not name five things he was grateful for, and he had all the same things in his life he has now. He did it anyway. He credits it as one of the things that kept him going. Surfing is a great thinking practice. Surfing is mostly just sitting on the board. Three hours in the water, ten waves, maybe five minutes standing. The rest is paddling and sitting. That's why it works as a thinking practice. Capture the idea in the moment or lose it. Blake programmed the side button on his Apple Watch to open a voice memo. Every idea he has sitting on the board, he records. They're all waiting when he gets out. He hit every marker and still felt worthless. "I did everything, and I still, deep down in my soul, had this feeling like I'm not worthy, I'm not enough, and I never will be." The external validation was the drug. Selling TOMS cut off the supply. The thing that had been holding up his sense of self was suddenly gone. If you get there and it's empty, don't panic. Panicking is what Blake did, and having money meant he could make expensive mistakes fast. Build the dream house. Get divorced. One thing after another. The emptiness may be the point. Blake's read on it: if achievement delivered what society promises, you'd never go inward. Feeling hollow at the summit is what forces the inner work. He re-patterned the sentence he'd been telling himself since childhood. The old one was "you're not enough." He replaced it with "I am enough. I've always been enough." Twenty minutes every morning and every evening. Forty straight days. It worked, and he no longer needs to do it daily. Sometimes you just need a physical cue to catch the loop. That's the whole idea behind the bracelet he wears. Not magic. A reminder on your wrist that interrupts the thought. Give the second one away. Blake found the bracelet's real power was handing one to a friend. Now you're both wearing it, you're both in on it, and there's an unspoken agreement that neither of you has to have a bad day alone. Men are worse at building that than women are. Tell your kids they're enough, and keep telling them. They're going to get the opposite message from everywhere else, which is exactly why it has to come from you repeatedly. Blake says the relaxation you'll see in them is immediate. Be brutally honest about how hard the job is. Try to talk them out of it. Blake is the last interview in the process now. If he can lay out every negative and they still desperately want it, the commitment is real. "How many people did you convince not to take the role before you got the right person?" Most leaders slip into sales mode, talk the candidate into it, and end up talking themselves into the candidate. What he screens for during the interview process: Integrity first. If it isn't there, it surfaces fast now. Attitude second. The person who never says "that's not my job." Whether they're building a resume or joining a movement. Find the people who cover what you're bad at. Blake is a storyteller, a vision-sharer, and high energy. He is not a supply chain guy, not a finance guy, and he has trouble saying no. So he hired around it. That's what let him actually be the chief shoe giver instead of pretending to be a CEO. Don't wait for permission. Most people stand in line at the front door. Blake looks for side doors. In Argentina he had no investors and no plan, just an idea and the words One For One. Ryan's version for his kids: everyone can apply online. Drive to the restaurant and go talk to the manager instead. Having no experience was the advantage. He'd never made a shoe, so he didn't know which rules he was breaking. Same with outdoor advertising. Same with driver's ed. He learned it from Richard Branson: ask forgiveness, not permission. Nashville wouldn't allow advertising, so he sold art instead. Blake spent two years with the city council and got there by removing the ad from the ad. No price, no call to action. Just album covers on the sides of buildings, called country music art. Once one artist had one, they all wanted one. He sold the company to Clear Channel. You don't attract what you want. You attract what you are. Want honest friends, be honest. Want peace at home, bring peace. Want trust, practice it when nobody's watching. Blake applies it to customers too: sloppy companies attract sloppy customers, and that's usually the real reason the business fails. Charlie Munger got asked how to get a great wife. He said: deserve one. Be known for doing what you said you'd do. Early on Blake didn't have the skills, so he built the reputation on execution instead. Move fast, keep it simple, do it with integrity. Momentum is a form of trust. The other half of that is not overpromising. Blake's own failure mode is getting excited, feeling falsely confident, promising something big, and missing. When it happens, own it fast and be honest, and the relationship usually survives. Be careful using a general-purpose chatbot as a therapist. Blake's warning, and the reason the founders of Sonia built a purpose-built tool instead: the big consumer models are designed to make you feel good about yourself. If you need to hear something hard, that's the last thing you want. He went from skeptic to advisor in six months. Blake met the Sonia founders at a mental health conference, tried the app to be polite, and by the third session was getting insights he hadn't gotten elsewhere. He now spends five to ten hours a week helping them. His reason for loving the work: "Now I get to be the coach instead of the athlete." Stop chasing balance. Design for harmony. Blake picked this up from an executive at Cannes who said she'd given up on balance. He goes hard in phases. Full dad mode with the office waiting on emails. Then all in on a launch and missing things at home. The measure isn't evenly split day to day. It's whether, over a year, everyone in his life feels like they got what they needed to thrive. Including him. Reflection Questions What did you actually feel grateful for today? Not the category. The specific moment. What is the sentence you've been repeating to yourself since childhood, and is it true? In your last hire, how hard did you try to talk them out of it? Or did you spend the interview selling them, and then sell yourself? More Learning #598: Sam Parr - Bold. Fast. Fun. Living by a Mantra & Building a Media Company #547: Dr. Michael Gervais - Stop Worrying About What Other People Think of You #676: Jesse Cole - Built for The Fans (The Owner of the Savannah Bananas)  Episode Chapters 00:00 Meet Blake Mycoskie 01:38 Surfing is Great for Deep Thinking 03:41 Make Your Gratitude Specific 05:39 Blake Sold TOMS and Fell Apart 11:20 Advice for Those to "Make It" and Feel Nothing 13:23 "I Am Enough" and the Bracelet on His Wrist 17:35 The No Magic Pill 19:41 The Risk of Chatbot Therapy 22:42 A Surgeon Dad, a Bestselling Mom, and the Pressure Nobody Said Out Loud 25:13 Telling Your Kids They're Enough 31:31 How He Got Country Music Art on the Side of Buildings 35:15 Learning to Be Proud of TOMS Again 38:49 Hiring Around Your Weaknesses 41:25 Try to Talk Them Out of the Job 45:07 You Don't Attract What You Want. You Attract What You Are. 46:54 Don't Wait for Permission 48:34 Be Known for Doing What You Said You'd Do 50:02 The Champagne Question: Harmony, Not Balance 52:28 EOPC

Send a question or message to Kate & SamKate and Sam sit down with Skip Wilson, founder and CEO of DraftMedia Partners, and former VP of Digital Media at Clear Channel/iHeartRadio, for a deep dive into paid advertising: what it actually costs, when a business is genuinely ready for it, and why most people treat it like an unpredictable black box instead of a diagnosable system. Skip pulls back the curtain on demand-side platforms (DSPs), the most underused ad channel right now (OTT/CTV), how AI is already reshaping search and influencer marketing, and a customer lifetime value case study that completely reframes what "ROI negative" actually means.About our guest:Skip Wilson is the founder and CEO of DraftMedia Partners, a full-service paid advertising agency that started life as a SaaS forecasting tool (Direct Response Advertising Forecast Technology) before pivoting into hands-on execution — much of it white-label work behind other creative and digital marketing agencies. Before DraftMedia, Skip was VP of Digital Media at Clear Channel, which became iHeartRadio. Website: draftadvertising.com0:00  Podcast intro0:17  Episode opens, Kate and Sam welcome guest Skip Wilson (DraftMedia Partners)2:25  Today's topic: paid advertising, the channel people "either love or hate"6:26  The two schools of thought on when to start advertising — and why Skip says wait until you have capacity and know your customer's entry point10:36  How DraftMedia started as a SaaS forecasting tool before pivoting to full execution (and why two-thirds of its business is white-label)16:02  What a DSP (demand-side platform) actually is, in plain English21:31  The minimum ad budget rule of thumb: ~$1,000/month per tactic22:59  The Bojangles case study: why a "$6 ticket" that looked ROI-negative was actually a huge win once customer lifetime value entered the picture25:46  Is paid advertising coming to ChatGPT and other AI chat tools? (It's already here, and influencer marketing may get disrupted first)30:09 Skip's favorite advertising platform: why OTT/CTV (streaming TV) is the most underutilized channel for small business right now37:56  Apple Search and Apple Intelligence: why you'll soon need an "Apple Business Profile," not just a Google one40:28  Are Meta ads about to get more expensive? Skip's take on pricing plateaus and Meta's wearables (smart glasses) as a future ad channel46:54  Skip's closing insight: advertising isn't a black box, it's a series of steps, and why that reframe makes broken campaigns easy to diagnose54:15 OutroWhat you'll learn in this episodeWhy you shouldn't spend a dollar on ads until you can answer two questions: do you have the capacity to handle more business, and do you actually know who your customer is and how they first reach you (6:26)The "customer journey" framing Kate and Sam use with new businesses, and why advertising without it just scales the wrong thing faster (6:26)What a DSP (demand-side platform) actually is, and why DraftMedia calls itself a "DSP aggregator" that gives small businesses access to inventory (Hulu, Amazon's DSP, etc.) they'd normally be locked out of by high minimum spends (16:02)The rule-of-thumb minimum ad budget: roughly $1,000/month per tactic, and why running on two or three platforms means budgeting accordingly (21:31)The Bojangles case study: a $6 average ticket that looked disastrously ROI-negative — until customer lifetime value (a $300+/year loyalty customer) told the real story (22:59)Why Skip thinks OTT and connected TV (streaming) advertising is the most underutilized channel available to small businesses right now, and how it's been democratized away from being "network-television-budget only" (30:09)The real difference between YouTube pre-roll ads and YouTube TV (which counts as true CTV) (30:09–37:56)How AI is already showing up in advertising (ads inside ChatGPT and Gemini), why Google's move away from exact-match keywords is a response to longer, conversational searches, and why Skip thinks influencer marketing is the segment most likely to be disrupted first (25:46)Why small businesses will soon need to think about an "Apple Business Profile" the same way they think about Google Business Profile, as Apple rolls out its own search and Apple Intelligence (37:56)Skip's take on Meta ad costs plateauing, and the wildcard of Meta's wearables (smart glasses) becoming an ad channel (40:28)Skip's closing reframe: advertising isn't a mysterious black box — it's a series of steps, each with one job, and knowing that makes it easy to diagnose which piece is actually broken (46:54)DraftMedia Partners: https://draftadvertising.comThriving Business Podcast

This Gemini New Moon (June 14/15, 2026) sits in the decan known as the executioner's blade, the place of life-or-death decisions. If something in your life is ending right now, this episode is for you. We go deep: decan mythology, the asteroids conjunct Mercury (very relative to my healers and intuitives), the medical astrology and astroherbalism of this lunation, and Akashic oracle readings for every sign! If you're a healer, practitioner, therapist, coach, or someone doing your soul work, this one was made with you in mind.

Today's guest is a multi-instrumentalist, music educator, interviewer, producer, and songwriter. He is also one of the most influential independent music voices online. His real story isn't the channel he built after a 90-second video of his son's perfect pitch hit 80 million views overnight, it's his incredible value to the music community and the conversations he sparks online about the state of the music industry and his conversations with some of the biggest creators within it's orbit.This is one of the more unflinching conversations we've had about what's actually happening to music. Two musicians from different generations of the same fight, working it out in real time. Where do you stand when the rules of the music industry keep changing under your feet?And The Writer Is... Rick Beato!In this episode of And The Writer Is, we go deep on:How getting dropped in 1999 built a YouTube empire 16 years laterWhy Ringo would be a co-writer of every Beatles song in 2026The Eli Mercer experiment: building a fully fake AI artist with Claude — and what happened when he uploaded itThe NPR EDM stunt: 4 million monthly Spotify listeners, 6,300 followers, and what that math says about AIThe 90-second video of his son's perfect pitch that hit 3 million views by 10pm and 80 million total"There's no two current artists with the gravity of Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder" — and Ross's case for their modern counterpartsWho is the Michael Jordan of pop music? Queen at 3 billion streams enters the chatWhy Ross is still bullish on songwriting — and what the Music Modernization Act got right that the No Fakes Act needs to finishAnd much more...Hit subscribe and turn on notifications. Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music.Follow us on socials: @andthewriterisA special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible.Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishers Association. Your support means the world to us.Chapters0:00 Intro2:14 The beginning of Rick Beato's music career3:11 The rollercoaster of an early music career5:32 The Napster era and the dawn of digital recording9:16 Producing Shinedown — and how "Simple Man" became the hit10:54 Why "Yellow Ledbetter" was a B-side — and why bonus tracks are back12:48 What country radio still gets right about hits14:54 Inside Nashville sessions and the number triangle17:28 The future of AI in music — and the No Fakes Act21:20 The future of prompting and curating music23:54 Would The Beatles be a four-way publishing split in 2026?25:39 The modern music economy: are album tracks worthless now?27:58 American writers are chasing global stars now34:30 The Eli Mercer experiment: a fake artist built with Claude36:52 The NPR EDM stunt and what it proved about AI on Spotify41:18 4M monthly listeners. 6,300 followers. AI is winning the algorithm.42:58 How Rick Beato built a YouTube empire45:22 The "What Makes This Song Great" era51:49 1984 vs now — and the search for a modern Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder54:18 Who is the Michael Jordan of pop music?55:51 Queen at 3 billion streams — what counts as "biggest"1:00:28 Golden, Blinding Lights, and what makes a 2020s standard1:06:53 Songwriter similarities and the lawsuits that never happened1:09:42 "Best era of pop music. Am I wrong?"1:13:56 1998: how Clear Channel and Cumulus consolidated radio1:20:14 The Music Modernization Act and what's actually next1:24:54 Is the future of songwriting still bullish?Credits:Hosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London & Jad SaadEdited by Jad SaadPost-Production VFX by Pratik Karki Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on No More Booze, I'm joined by Nadija Bajrami, a multi-award-winning trauma-focused hypnotherapist, coach, psychic medium, Reiki master, grief educator and end-of-life doula and my own personal psychic reader. As regular listeners know I am deeply spiritual and this conversation with Nadija goes way beyond the drink. We talk intuition, spirituality, near-death experiences and what it really means to follow your soul, especially when life forces you to reassess everything. Nadia shares the moment she stopped running from her abilities and how surviving brain tumours and surgeries changed her entire path. And she's alcohol-free too. Nadia opens up about quitting in May 2024 to become a clearer channel, the energy and self-esteem boost that followed her choice and the surprising judgement people throw at you when you say: I don't drink.Nadija is French by birth, but also lived in Scotland for years and has travelled the world. She shares her time and work between Dublin, France and Switzerland. She has a business management and corporate background and even though she enjoyed that path for years, she always knew she wanted to do something to help people take full control of their lives and be the best version of themselves. Nadija recovered from several brain surgeries between 2014 and 2015. While recovering, she promised herself that she would create a new life, a life in which she could be her authentic self and in which she could be of service to others. Now with her many hats, Nadija helps people get empowered and supercharge their confidence and self-esteem and overcome their limiting beliefs, manage anxiety and symptoms of traumatic experiences, heal their inner child, develop their intuitive abilities as well as navigate the often-unacknowledged rocky terrain of grief. She is also here as a guiding light and companion for those who have reached the end of their physical life. In a nutshell, she helps people build a solid toolbox so that they can build the life they desire and deserve. Enjoy!Nadija Bajrami Strategic Hypnotherapist Mind Coach Psychic Medium

Jaume Segalés y su equipo comentan asuntos de la actualidad y traen las mejores recomendaciones culturales. Hoy en Km0, tras repasar la actualidad informativa y deportiva, profundizamos en los siguientes asuntos: MMMAD 2026 y Cine clásico: 'Alarma en el expreso' MMMAD 2026 El Festival Urbano de Arte Digital de Madrid (MMMAD) ya se está celebrando bajo el lema "Condiciones de uso". Se trata el evento creativo de referencia que combina el arte digital con el espacio público y con las tecnologías contemporáneas. Su 7ª edición, que arrancó ayer jueves 16, va a extenderse hasta el domingo 26 de abril con una programación que incluye instalaciones, performances, intervenciones urbanas y encuentros profesionales. Sus actividades se distribuyen en diversos espacios cubiertos como Réplika Teatro, HYPER HOUSE, Navesierra, GAVIOTA, y también en localizaciones exteriores como el Palacio de la Prensa, la Casa de Campo o el Cementerio de la Almudena. A todo ello se une el que es probablemente sea rasgo más característico: la activación de más de 300 pantallas urbanas de Clear Channel, que convierten la ciudad en una gran galería digital de acceso abierto. Este año, MMMAD se centra en las tecnologías que ya operan en el presente: desde la inteligencia artificial y los sistemas de control algorítmico hasta las ecologías alteradas y los proyectos de post-humanidad. Entrevistamos al codirector de MMMAD, Diego Iglesias. Sección de cine clásico "Es sesión continua" Antolín de la Torre hoy nos habla sobre 'Alarma en el expreso' (The Lady Vanishes). Película de suspense británica de 1938 dirigida por Alfred Hitchcock. Una cinta basada en la novela coetánea The Wheel Spins de Ethel Lina White y protagonizada por Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Basil Radford, Paul Lukas y Dame May Whitty La trama se centra en una joven turista de la alta sociedad, Iris Henderson, que viaja en tren por un país centroeuropeo imaginario antes de regresar a Inglaterra, donde le aguarda una boda que no le hace feliz. Debido a que una avalancha de nieve ha bloqueado las vías, los pasajeros se ven obligados a pernoctar en un pequeño hotel. Durante la noche, en las inmediaciones del establecimiento, se produce un asesinato que pasa inadvertido para los viajeros. El tren reemprende la marcha y, en uno de sus vagones, Iris entabla conversación con una anciana institutriz, la señorita Froy. En un momento dado, la joven se da cuenta de que la dama ha desaparecido e intenta encontrarla. Para su sorpresa, en lugar de contar con la colaboración del resto de pasajeros, Henderson se topa con la incomprensión generalizada, pues según sus compañeros de viaje, la señorita Froy no ha existido nunca y es producto de su imaginación.

After 7 long months Neil Rogers, and Jorge return to the airwaves on WQAM. His take on Paxson, Clear Channel, and Huizenga. Henry Barrow from WAXY, Jeff Hy, fans, chronics, and Stem call. TV stations show up. Some former WIOD people including Bob Green drop by. Ellie Brecher gives Neil some tongue. Crossovers with the First Team, and Hank Goldberg.

This week we discuss Clear Channel's proposed list of songs to stop playing after 9/11patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Noise vs Focus.Bob McCuin, Chief Revenue Officer and EVP at Clear Channel Outdoor, has spent decades inside the attention economy...radio, sports media, and literally the most valuable billboards on the planet.When you live in that world long enough, you start to notice something about leadership.What's shaping how organizations behave.Bob told me that attention determines priority.Most leaders think priorities are set through goals, meetings, and KPIs.But teams don't really follow the slide deck.They follow what the leader consistently pays attention to.If the leader reacts to the loudest issue…the team learns to chase noise.If the leader jumps to every new idea…the team learns that focus doesn't matter.But when a leader consistently directs attention to what truly matters…the entire organization starts to align around it.Bob put it this way to me:“Where I place my attention determines the organizational energy.”That's an enormous leadership responsibility.Because attention isn't just something leaders give.It's something they teach the organization to VALUE.What do you think?Are most organizations struggling with strategy…or with leaders who simply can't stop chasing noise?-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

This one's a big deal. The Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case is one of the most consequential battles in live music right now, and it's far more complicated than the headlines suggest. In this episode, Matt Ford sits down with Randy Nichols to break down what's actually happening, from the DOJ settlement that didn't end the case to the political and structural forces shaping what comes next. If you care about the future of live music, this is essential listening.As mentioned in the episode, Michael Rapino is testifying on Thursday, and Inner City Press is an amazing resource to stay in the loop as things continue to unfold. Check them out here: https://x.com/innercitypressEpisode Timestamps:(0:00) | The Case Isn't Over The DOJ settled, but the multi-state case continues. This is a bipartisan issue with Tennessee as a key case study.(4:30) | What the Case Is Really About It's not just about breaking up Live Nation — a breakup alone might not fix structural issues. You could end up with local monopolies, and the secondary market drives a lot of the pricing problem.(10:00) | PR Spin, Pardons & Political Pressure Live Nation is aggressively shaping the narrative, including a since-deleted blog post signaling fear about a breakup. Tim Leiwicke's pardon adds another political layer.(16:00) | Antitrust Leadership & Why This Differs from Big Tech The DOJ antitrust division had a leadership shake-up with Gail Slater and Roger Alford's firing. Unlike Big Tech cases, breaking up Live Nation could redirect revenue back into local economies.(22:00) | Unintended Consequences, AEG & How States Saved the Case Regional spinoffs could still squeeze indie venues. Live Nation is trying to frame AEG as equally dominant. The states kept the case alive by hiring a top litigator days before trial.(33:00) | Trial Mechanics, Trump & Ticket Pricing The trial runs weeks with major witnesses, and appeals could drag on for years. Trump seems more interested in a "win" than structural reform. Biden's all-in pricing rules are a separate thread.(42:00) | The Slack Messages Bombshell & the Scalper Fight Leaked internal Slack messages from Live Nation/Ticketmaster employees were a massive moment — staff openly calling fans "stupid" and celebrating how much money they could extract through ancillary fees.(54:00) | What's Next Rapino's testimony is a key upcoming moment. The likely outcome is modest remedies, fines, and long appeals — no single fix.(1:03:00) | Reforms, Indie Venues & Closing Randy wants more protection for indies and real ticketing innovation. The death of local radio under Clear Channel is a warning — live music could follow the same path.Please share this with anyone that might be interested in the topics, links below to subscribe and stay in the loop with the podcast and Prism:Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Prism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@prismfm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Follow us on LinkedIn (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)Meet the Podcast Host/CEO of Prism -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt Ford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Opening Music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Banana Bread - Layton.rx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Prism engineer!)

What happens when a childhood dream refuses to let go? In this episode, I sit down with cartoonist and Lum and Abner historian Donnie Pitchford to explore how old-time radio, comic strips, and a love for storytelling shaped his life. Donnie shares how he grew up inspired by classic radio shows like Lum and Abner, pursued art despite setbacks, and eventually brought the beloved Pine Ridge characters back to life through a modern comic strip and audio adaptations. We talk about creativity, persistence, radio history, and why imagination still matters in a visual world. If you care about classic radio, cartooning, or staying true to your calling, I believe you will find this conversation both inspiring and practical. Highlights: 00:10 Discover how a childhood love of Lum and Abner sparked a lifelong dream of becoming a cartoonist. 08:00 Hear how college radio and classic broadcasts deepened a passion for old time radio storytelling. 14:33 Understand how years of teaching broadcast journalism built the skills that later fueled creative success. 23:17 Learn how the Lum and Abner comic strip was revived with family approval and brought to modern audiences. 30:07 Explore how two actors created an entire town through voice and imagination alone. 1:00:16 Hear the vision for keeping Lum and Abner alive for new generations through comics and audio. Top of Form Bottom of Form About the Guest: Donnie Pitchford of Texas is a graduate of Kilgore College, Art Instruction Schools, Stephen F. Austin State University and the University of Texas at Tyler. He has worked in the graphic arts industry and in education, teaching at Hawkins High School, Panola College, and Carthage High School at which he spent 25 years directing CHS-TV, where student teams earned state honors, including state championships, for 20 consecutive years. In 2010, Donnie returned to the endeavor he began at age five: being a cartoonist! The weekly “Lum and Abner" comic strip began in 2011. It is available online and in print and includes an audio production for the blind which features the talents of actors and musicians who donate their time. Donnie has created comic book stories and art for Argo Press of Austin, illustrated children's books, written scripts for the "Dick Tracy" newspaper strip, and produced the science fiction comedy strip "Tib the Rocket Frog." He has collaborated with award-winning writers and cartoonists George Wildman, Nicola Cuti, John Rose, Mike Curtis, Joe Staton, and others. In 2017, Donnie began assisting renowned sculptor Bob Harness and currently sculpts the portraits for the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame plaques. Awards include the 1978 Kilgore College "Who's Who" in Art, an Outstanding Educator Award from the East Texas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs in 1993, the CHS "Pine Burr" Dedicatee honor in 2010, and a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2018 from Spring Hill High School. In 2024, Donnie was inducted into the City of Carthage Main Street Arts Walk of Fame which included the placement of a bronze plaque in the sidewalk and the Key to the City. Donnie and his best friend/wife, Laura, are members of First Methodist Church Carthage, Texas. Donnie is a founding officer of the National Lum and Abner Society and a member of Texas Cartoonists, Ark-La-Tex Cartoonists, Christian Comic Arts Society, and the National Cartoonists Society. Ways to connect with Michaela**:** https://www.facebook.com/groups/220795254627542 https://lumandabnercomics.com/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson  01:21 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. I've been looking forward to this one for a while. We have Donny Pitchford as our guest today. You're probably going, who's Donnie Pitchford? Well, let me tell you. So years ago, I started collecting old radio shows. And one of the first shows that I got was a half hour episode of a show called Lum and Abner, which is about a couple of characters, if you will, in Pine Ridge, Arkansas. And I had only heard the half hour show sponsored by frigid air. But then in 1971 when ksi, out here in Los Angeles, the 50,000 watt Clear Channel station, started celebrating its 50 year history, they started broadcasting as part of what they did, 15 minute episodes of lemon Abner. And I became very riveted to listening to lemon Abner every night, and that went on for quite a while. And so I've kept up with the boys, as it were. Well, a several years ago, some people formed a new Lum and Abner society, and Donnie Pitchford is part of that. I met Donnie through radio enthusiast of Puget Sound, and yesterday, USA. And so we clearly being interested in old radio and all that, had to have Donnie come on and and talk with us. So Donnie, or whatever character you're representing today, welcome to unstoppable mindset. Donnie Pitchford  02:58 Huh? I'm glad to be here. Michael Hingson  03:00 He does that very well, doesn't he? It's a Donnie Pitchford  03:04 little tough sometimes. Well, I'm really glad to be here. Thank you. Michael Hingson  03:10 Well, I appreciate the audio parts of lemon Abner that you you all create every week, and just the whole society. It's great to keep that whole thing going it's kind of fun. We're glad that that it is. But let's, let's talk about you a little bit. Why don't you start by telling us about the early Donnie, growing up and all that. I'm assuming you were born, and so we won't worry about that. But beyond that, think so, yeah. Well, there you are. Tell us about tell us about you and growing up and all that, and we'll go from there. Donnie Pitchford  03:42 Well, I was born in East Texas and left for a little while. We lived in my family lived in Memphis, Tennessee for about seven years, and then moved back to Texas in 1970 but ever since I was a kid this I hear this from cartoonists everywhere. Most of them say I wanted to be a cartoonist when I was five years old. So that's in fact, I had to do a speech for the Texas cartoonist chapter of the National Cartoonist Society. And that was my start. I was going to say the same thing, and the President said, Whatever you do, don't do that old bit about wanting to be a cartoonist at age five. Everybody does that, so I left that part out, but that's really what I wanted to do as a kid. And I would see animated cartoons. I would read the Sunday comics in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, and then at some point, my dad would talk about radio, and my mother would talk about listening to radio. We would have the reruns of the Lone Ranger television show and things like Sky King and other programs along those lines, and my parents would all. Way say, Well, I used to listen to that on the radio, or I would hear Superman on the radio, or Amos and Andy or whatever was being rerun at that time, and that fascinated me. And I had these vague memories of hearing what I thought were television programs coming over the radio when I was about two years old. I remember gunshots. I remember, you know, like a woman crying and just these little oddball things. I was about two years old, and I kept thinking, Well, why are we picking up television programs on my mother's radio? Turns out it was the dying gasps of what we now call old time radio. And so at least I remembered that. But when I was about, I guess eight or nine we were, my dad took me to lunch at alums restaurant in Memphis, and I saw that name, and I thought, What in the world? So what kind of name is that? And my dad told me about London Abner, and he said it reminds me. It reminded him of the Andy Griffith Show or the Beverly Hillbillies. I said, I'd love to hear that. He said, Ah, you'll never hear it. He said, those were live they don't exist, but years later, I got to hear them. So yeah, but that's how I grew up wanting to be a cartoonist and coming up with my own characters and drawing all the time and writing stories and that sort of thing. Michael Hingson  06:24 So when did you move back from Memphis to Texas? Donnie Pitchford  06:28 July 2, 1970 I just happened to look that up the other day. How old were you then? I was 12 when we came back. All right, so got into, I was in junior high, and trying to, I was trying to find an audience for these comic strips I was drawing on notebook paper. And finally, you know, some of the kids got into them, and I just continued with that goal. And I just, I knew that soon as possible, you know, I was going to start drawing comics professionally. So I thought, but kept, you know, I kept trying. Michael Hingson  07:06 So you, you went on into college. What did you do in college? Donnie Pitchford  07:11 Well, more of the same. I started listening to some old time radio shows even as far back as as high school. And I was interested in that went to college, first at a college called Kill Gore College, here in East Texas, and then to Stephen F Austin State University. And I was majoring in, first commercial art, and then art education. And I thought, well, if I can't go right into comics, you know, maybe I can just teach for a while. I thought I'll do that for a couple of years. I thought it wouldn't be that long. But while I was at Stephen F Austin State University, the campus radio station, I was so pleased to find out ran old time radio shows. This was in 1980 there was a professor named Dr Joe Oliver, who had a nightly program called theater of the air. And I would hear this voice come over the radio. He would run, he Well, one of the first, the very first 15 minute lemon Abner show I ever heard was played by Dr Oliver. He played Jack Benny. He played the whistler suspense, just a variety of them that he got from a syndicated package. And I would hear this voice afterwards, come on and say, It's jazz time. I'm Joe Oliver. And I thought, Where have I heard that voice? It was, it's just a magnificent radio voice. Years later, I found out, well, I heard that voice in Memphis when I was about 10 years old on W, R, E, C, radio and television. He was working there. He lived in Memphis about the same time we did. Heard him on the campus station at Nacogdoches, Texas. Didn't meet him in person until the late 90s, and it was just an amazing collection of coincidences. And now, of course, we're good friends. Now he's now the announcer for our audio comic strip. So it's amazing how all that came about. Well, I Michael Hingson  09:16 I remember listening to sort of the last few years of oval radio. I think it was, I don't remember the date now, whether it's 57 or 50 I think it's 57 the Kingston Trio had come out with the song Tom Dooley, and one day I was listening to K and X radio in Los Angeles. We lived in Palmdale, and I heard something about a show called suspense that was going to play the story of Tom Dooley. And I went, sounds interesting, and I wanted to know more about it, so I listened. And that started a weekly tradition with me every Sunday, listening to yours truly Johnny dollar and suspense, and they had a little bit of the FBI and peace and war. Then it's went into half and that that went off and Have Gun Will Travel came on, and then at 630 was Gun Smoke. So I listened to radio for a couple of hours every week, not every Sunday night, and thoroughly enjoyed it. And so that's how I really started getting interested in it. Then after radio went off the air a few stations out in California and on the LA area started playing old radio shows somebody started doing because they got the syndicated versions of the shadow and Sherlock Holmes with Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson. And I still maintain to this day that John Gielgud is the best Sherlock Holmes. No matter what people say about Basil Rathbone and I still think Sir John Gielgud was the best Sherlock Holmes. He was very, very good. Yeah, he was and so listen to those. But you know, radio offers so much. And even with, with, with what the whole lemon Abner shows today. My only problem with the lemon Abner shows today is they don't last nearly long enough. But that's another story. Donnie Pitchford  11:11 Are you talking about the comic strip adaptation? Okay, you know how long, how much art I would have to 11:21 do every week. Michael Hingson  11:25 Oh, I know, but they're, they're fun, and, you know, we, we enjoy them, but so you So you met Joe, and as you said, He's the announcer. Now, which is, which is great, but what were you doing then when you met him? What kind of work were you doing at the time? Donnie Pitchford  11:45 Well, of course, there was a gap there of about, I guess, 15 years after college, before I met him. And what ended up happening my first teaching job was an art job, a teaching art and graphic arts at a small high school in Hawkins, Texas, and that was a disaster. Wasn't a wasn't a very good year for me. And so I left that, and I had worked in the printing industry, I went back to that, and that was all during the time that the National London Abner society was being formed. And so I printed their earliest newsletters, which came out every other month. And we started having conventions in MENA, Arkansas and in the real Pine Ridge and the my fellow ossifers As we we call ourselves, and you hear these guys every week on the lemon Abner comic strip. Sam Brown, who lives in Illinois, Tim Hollis, from Alabama. Tim is now quite a published author who would might be a good guest for you one day, sure. And just two great guys. We had a third officer early on named Rex riffle, who had to leave due to various illnesses about 1991 but we started having our conventions every year, starting in 1985 we had some great guests. We brought in everybody we could find who worked with lemon Abner or who knew lemon Abner. We had their their head writer, Roswell Rogers. We had actors, I'm sure you've heard of Clarence Hartzell. He was Ben withers, of course, on the Old Vic and Sade show. He was Uncle Fletcher. We had Willard Waterman, parley Bayer, some of their announcers, Wendell Niles. And my memory is going to start failing me, because there were so many, but we had Bob's, Watson, Louise curry, who were in their first two movies. We had Kay Lineker, who was in their third movie. The list goes on and on, but we had some amazing when did Chester lock pass away? He passed away? Well, Tuffy passed away first, 1978, 78 and Chet died in 1980 sad. Neither of them, yeah, we didn't get to media. Yeah, we didn't meet either one of them. I've met Mrs. Lock I've met all of chet's children, several grandchildren. We spoke to Mrs. Goff on the phone a time or two, and also, tuffy's got toughie's daughter didn't get to meet them in person, but we met as many of the family as we could. Michael Hingson  14:32 Still quite an accomplishment all the way around. And so you you taught. You didn't have success. You felt really much at first, but then what you taught for quite a while, though, Donnie Pitchford  14:45 didn't you? Yes, I went back to the printing industry for about a year, and in the summer of 85 about two weeks before school started, I had got a call that they needed someone to teach Broadcast Journalism at. Carthage High School, and we had a department called CHS TV. I ran that for 25 years. I taught classes. We produced a weekly television program, weekly radio program. We did all kinds of broadcasts for the school district and promotional video. And then in the last I think it was the last 10 years or so that I worked there, we started an old time radio show, and we were trying to come up with a title for it, and just as a temporary placeholder, we called it the golden age of radio. Finally, we said, well, let's just use that, and I think it's been used by other people since, but, but that was the title we came up with. I think in 19 I think it was in 93 or 9495 somewhere in there. We started out. We just ran Old Time Radio, and the students, I would have them research and introduce, like, maybe 45 minutes of songs, of music, you know, from the 30s, 40s, maybe early 50s, big band and Sinatra and Judy Garland and you name it. Then, when the classes would change, we would always start some type of radio program that was pre recorded that would fill that time, so the next class could come in and get in place and and everybody participated, and they went out live over our cable television channel, and we would just run a graphic of a radio and maybe have some announcements or listing of what we were playing. And we did that for several years, usually maybe two or three times a year. And then in I think it was 2004 or so, we had an offer from a low power FM station, which was another another county over, and we started doing a Sunday night, one hour program each week. And I think we ended up doing close to 300 of those before I left. And so we got old time radio in there, one way or the other. Michael Hingson  17:03 Well, I remember. I remember, for me, I went to UC Irvine in the fall of 1968 and by the spring the last quarter of my freshman year, I had started getting some old radio shows. So started playing shows, and then in the fall, I started doing a three hour show on Sunday night called the Radio Hall of Fame, and we did radio every night. And what I didn't know until, actually, fairly recently, was our mutual friend Walden Hughes actually listened to my show on Sunday, and so did the gas means actually, but, but we had a low power station as well, but it made it up, and so people listened to it. And I've always been proud of the fact that during the fact that during the time I ran the Radio Hall of Fame, I'd heard of this show called 60 minutes with a guy named Mike Wallace, but never got to see it. And then it was only much later that I actually ended up starting to watch 60 Minutes. Course, I always loved to say I would have loved to have met, met Mike Wallace and never got to do it, but I always said he had criminal tendencies. I mean, my gosh, what do you think he was the announcer on radio for the Green Hornet, a criminal show, right? Sky King, a lot of criminals. Clearly the guy. Anyway, I would have been fun to meet him, but, Donnie Pitchford  18:31 and his name was Myron. Myron Wallach at the time. Wallach, you're right. I think that's right. Michael Hingson  18:37 But it was, it was fun and and so I've actually got some Sky King shows and green Hornets with him. So it's, it's kind of cool, but Right? You know, I still really do believe that the value of radio is it makes you imagine more. I've seen some movies that I really like for that the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers with Kevin McCarthy back in 1955 I thought was such a good movie because they didn't show the plants taking over the humans. It was all left to your imagination, which was so cool, and they changed all that in the later remake of it with Leonard Nimoy, which I didn't think was nearly as good, not nearly as suspenseful. But anyway, that's just my opinion. But radio, for me was always a and continues to be a part of what I like to do. And so I've been collecting shows and and enjoying and, of course, listening to lemon Abner, So what made you decide to finally end teaching? Donnie Pitchford  19:38 Well, you know, I could only do that so long. I was getting I was getting very tired, getting kind of burned out, and I had to have a change. There's something had to change. And I was able to take a few years early and retire, and I still the whole time I had a. That it was like a haunting feeling. I, you know, I wanted to be a cartoonist. I would pray, you know, you know, Lord, is there some way can I, can I get out of this? And can I do what I really want to do? And I had some mentors that was finally able to meet people that I would write letters to as a kid, a cartoonist and comic book editor named George Wildman was one of them. He was nice enough to answer my letters when I was a kid, and I'd send him drawings, and he would encourage me, or he would send little corrections on there, you know. And another one was a gentleman named high Eisemann, who passed away recently at age 98 on his birthday, but men like this inspired me, and that it kept at me through the years. I finally met George in 1994 at a convention of the the international Popeye fan club. And I'm I'm at high the same way, and also a writer named Nicola Cuddy, who wrote some Popeye comics. I met him the same way, same event, we all became friends, and I had a good friend named Michael Ambrose of Austin, Texas, who published a magazine devoted to the Charlton Comics company. Sadly, he's deceased now, but Mike and I were talking before I retired, and finally I got out of it. And he said, now that you're out of that job, how would you like to do some art? I said, That's what I want to do. So he gave me the opportunity to do my first published work, which was a portrait of artist George Wildman. It was on the cover of a magazine called Charlton spotlight, then I did some work for Ben Omar, who is bear Manor media publisher for some books that he was doing. One was Mel Blanc biography that Noel blank wrote, did some illustrations for that. This was all happening in 2010 and after that. So I was getting it was getting rolling, doing the kind of work I really wanted to do. And there's a gentleman named Ethan nobles in Benton, Arkansas, who wanted to interview me. I'd gotten, I don't know how he I forgot how he got in touch with me. Maybe he heard me on yesterday USA could be wanted to interview me about London Abner. And so he was starting a website called first Arkansas news. And somewhere in early 2011 we were talking, and I said, you know, you want this to be an online newspaper, right? He said, Yes. I said, What about comics? He said, I hadn't thought about that. So I said, Well, you know, you're a big Lum and Abner fan. What if we could we do a Lum and Abner comic strip? He said, Well, who would Where would I get? Who would do? And I said, Me. So I drew up some proposals, I drew some model sheets, and we did about four weeks of strips, and got approval from Chester lock Jr, and he suggested there's some things he didn't like. He said, The lum looks too sinister. He looks mean. Well, he's mad. He said he's mad at Abner. This won't happen every week. He said, Okay, I don't want LOM to be I said, Well, you know, they get mad at each other. That's part of the that's the conflict and the comedy Michael Hingson  23:30 at each other. Yeah. Donnie Pitchford  23:33 So we, we ironed it all out, and we came up with a financial agreement, and had to pay royalties and one thing and another, and we started publishing online in June 2011, and about six weeks later, the MENA newspaper, the MENA star in MENA, Arkansas, which was the birthplace of Lyman, Abner, Chet Locke and Norris Goff, they picked it up, and then we had a few other newspapers pick it up. And you know, we're not, we're not worldwide, syndicated in print, but we're getting it out there. And of course, we're always online, but and the first Arkansas news went under three or four years later, and so now we have our own website, which is Lum and Abner comics.com so that's where you can find us Michael Hingson  24:24 online. So where's Pine Ridge? Donnie Pitchford  24:28 Pine Ridge is about 18 miles from Mena, Arkansas. MENA is in western Arkansas, and Pine Ridge is about 18 miles east, I believe I'm trying to picture it in my mind, but it's it's down the road, and it actually exists. It was a little community originally named for a postmaster. It was named waters, waters, Arkansas, and in 1936 the real. At cuddleston. He was a real person who owned a store there in waters, and was friends with the locks and the golfs with their parents, as well as Chet and Tuffy. But he proposed a publicity stunt and an actual change of name to name the community Pine Ridge. So that's how that happened. Michael Hingson  25:24 Now, in the original 15 minute episodes, who is the narrator? Donnie Pitchford  25:28 Well, it depends what era their first one trying to remember. Now, Gene Hamilton was an early announcer in the Ford days, which was the early 30s. We don't have anything recorded before that. Charles Lyon was one of the early announcers, possibly for for Quaker Oats. I don't have any notes on this in front of me. I'm just going on memory here. Memory at the end of a long week. Gene Hamilton was their Ford announcer. Carlton brickert announced the Horlicks malt and milk did the commercials when they 1934 to 38 or so. Lou Crosby took over when they were sponsored by General Foods, by post them, the post them commercials, and Lou stayed with them on into the Alka Seltzer era. And his daughter, the celebrity daughter, is Kathie Lee Crosby, you may remember, right, and she and her sister Linda, Lou were a couple of our guests at the National lemon Avenue society convention in 1996 I think let's see. Crosby was Gene Baker came after Crosby, and then in the 30 minute days, was Wendell Niles. Wendell Niles, yeah, in the CBS the 30 minute series and Wendell. We also had him in Mina, super nice guy when it came, when it got into the later ones, 1953 54 I don't remember that announcer's name. That's when they got into the habit of having Dick Huddleston do the opening narration, which is why we now have Sam Brown as Dick Huddleston doing that every week. Michael Hingson  27:27 So was it actually Dick Huddleston? No, it Donnie Pitchford  27:30 was North golf, tough. He always played the part of Dick Huddleston. Okay, the only, the only time that, as far as I know, the only time the real dick Huddleston was on network radio, was at that ceremony in Little Rock Arkansas, when they changed the name of the town that the real dick Huddleston spoke at that event. And we actually, we discovered a recording of that. I was just gonna ask if there's a recording of that there is. Yeah, it's on 12 inch, 78 RPM discs. Wow. And they were probably the personal discs of lock and golf, and they weren't even labeled. And I remember spinning that thing when Sam Brown and I after we found it, it was down in Houston, and we brought them a batch of discs back, and I remember spinning that thing and hearing the theme song being played, I said, this sounds like a high school band. And suddenly we both got chills because we had heard that. I don't know if it was the Little Rock High School band or something, but it's like, Can this be? Yes, it was. It was. We thought it was long lost, but it was that ceremony. Wow. So that was a great find. Michael Hingson  28:45 Well, hopefully you'll, you'll play that sometime, or love to get a copy, but, Donnie Pitchford  28:50 yeah, we've, we have we played it on yesterday, USA. Oh, okay, so it's out there. Michael Hingson  28:57 Well, that's cool. Well, yeah, I wondered if Dick Huddleston actually ever was directly involved, but, but I can, can appreciate that. As you said, Tuffy Goff was the person who played him, which was, that's still that was pretty cool. They were very talented. Go ahead, Donnie Pitchford  29:19 I was gonna say that's basically tough. He's natural speaking voice, yeah, when you hear him as Dick Huddleston, Michael Hingson  29:24 they're very talented people. They played so many characters on the show. They did and and if you really listen, you could tell, but mostly the voices sounded enough different that they really sounded like different people all the time. Donnie Pitchford  29:41 Well, the fun thing are the episodes where, and it's carefully written, but they will, they will do an episode where there may be seven or eight people in the room and they get into an argument, or they're trying to all talk at the same time, and you completely forget that it's only two guys, because they will overlap. Those voices are just so perfectly overlapped and so different, and then you stop and you listen. So wait a minute, I'm only hearing two people at a time, but the effect is tremendous, the fact that they were able to pull that off and fool the audience. Michael Hingson  30:15 I don't know whether I'd say fool, but certainly entertained. Well, yeah, but they also did have other characters come on the show. I remember, yes, Diogenes was that was a lot of fun listening to those. Oh yeah, yeah, that was Frank Graham. Frank Graham, right, right, but, but definitely a lot of fun. So you eventually left teaching. You decided you accepted jobs, starting to do cartoons. What were some of the other or what, well, what were some of the first and early characters that you cartooned, or cartoons that you created, Donnie Pitchford  30:50 just, you mean, by myself or Well, or with people, either way, I did some things that were not published, you know, just just personal characters that I came up with it would mean nothing to anybody, but a little bit later on, I did a little bit of I did a cover for a Popeye comic book. Maybe 10 years ago, I finally got a chance to work with George Wildman, who was the fellow I talked about earlier, and it was some of the last work he did, and this was with Michael Ambrose of Argo press out of Austin, Texas. And we did some early characters that had been published by Charlton Comics. They had, they had characters, they were, they were rip offs. Let's be honest. You know Harvey had Casper the Friendly Ghost. Well, Charlton had Timmy, the timid ghost. There, there was Mighty Mouse. Well, Charlton Comics had atomic mouse, so and there was an atomic rabbit. And Warner Brothers had Porky Pig. Charlton had pudgy pig, but that was some of George's earliest work in the 1950s was drawing these characters, and George was just he was a master Bigfoot cartoonist. I mean, he was outstanding. And so Mike said, let's bring those characters back. They're public domain. We can use them. So I wrote the scripts. George did the pencil art. Well, he inked the first few, but Mike had me do hand lettering, which I don't do that much. So it was that was a challenge. And my friend high Iseman taught lettering for years and years, and so I was thinking, high is going to see this? This has to be good. So I probably re lettered it three times to get it right, but we did the very last story we did was atomic rabbit and pudgy pig was a guest star, and then George's character named brother George, who was a little monk who didn't speak, who lived, lived in a monastery, and did good deeds and all that sort of thing. He was in there, and this was the last thing we did together. And George said, you know, since I've got these other projects, he said, Do you think you can, you can ink this? So that was a great honor to actually apply the inks over George's pencil work. And I also did digital color, but those were some things I worked on, and, oh, at one point we even had Lum and Abner in the Dick Tracy Sunday comic strip, and that was because of a gentleman named Mike Curtis, who was the writer who lived in Arkansas, was very familiar with Lum and Abner, and he got in touch with me and asked, this was in 2014 said, Would it be possible for me to use Lum and Abner in a Sunday cameo? So I contacted the locks. First thing they first thing Chet said was how much I said, I don't think they're going to pay us. I felt like, Cedric, we hunt, no mom, you know. And I felt like he was squire skimp at the time, yeah, but I said, it's just going to be really good publicity. So he finally went for it, and Lum and Abner had a cameo in a Sunday Dick Tracy comic strip, and about four years later, they honored me. This was Mike Curtis, the writer, and Joe Staton, the artist, who was another guy that I grew up reading from as a teenager, just a tremendous artist, asked if they could base a character on me. And I thought, what kind of murderer is he going to be? You know, it was going to be idiot face or what's his name, you know. So no, he was going to be a cartoonist, and the name was Peter pitchblende. Off, and he was, he said his job was to illustrate a comic strip about a pair of old comedians. So, I mean, who couldn't be honored by that? Yeah, so I don't remember how long that story lasted, but it was an honor. I mean, it was just great fun. And then then I had a chance to write two weeks of Dick Tracy, which was fun. I wrote the scripts for it and and then there's some other things. I was able to work with John rose, a tremendously nice guy who is the current artist on Barney Google and Snuffy Smith. We did a story, a comic book story, on Barney Google on Snuffy Smith in a magazine called Charleton spotlight, and I did the colors, digital coloring for that. So just these are just great honors to me to get to work with people like that. And Nick Cuddy, I did some inking, lettering coloring on some of his work. So just great experience, and Michael Hingson  36:02 great people, going back to atomic rabbit and pudgy pig, no one ever got in trouble with, from Warner Brothers with that, huh? Donnie Pitchford  36:09 Well, not, not on atomic rabbit, however, pudgy pig created a problem because George was doing some art, and I think somebody from Warner Brothers said he looks too much like Porky, so the editor at the time said, make one of his ears hang down, make him look a little different. But pudgy didn't last long. Pudgy was only around maybe two or three issues of the comic book, so, but yeah, that's George. Said they did have some trouble with that. Michael Hingson  36:44 Oh, people, what do you do? Yeah, well, I know you sent us a bunch of photos, and we have some of the Dick Tracy ones and others that people can go see. But what? What finally got you all to start the whole lemon Abner society. Donnie Pitchford  37:07 Oh, well, that goes back to 1983 right, and I'll go back even farther than that. I told you that my dad had mentioned lemon Abner to me as a kid. Dr Joe Oliver played a 15 minute lemon Abner show on KSA you at Stephen F Austin State University. That got me. I was already into old time radio, but it was the next summer 1981 there's a radio station, an am station in Gilmer, Texas Christian radio station that started running Lum and Abner every day. First it was 530 in the evening, and then I think they switched it to 1215 or so. And I started listening, started setting up my recorder, recording it every day. And a friend of mine named David Miller, who was also a radio show collector, lived in the Dallas area, I would send them to him, and at first he wasn't impressed, but then suddenly he got hooked. And when he got hooked, he got enthusiastic. He started making phone calls. He called Mrs. Lock chet's widow and talked to her. He spoke to a fellow who had written a number of articles, George Lily, who was an early proponent or an early promoter of lemon Abner, as far as reruns in the 1960s and it was through George Lilly that I was put in touch with Sam Brown in Dongola, Illinois, and because he had contacted Mr. Lilly as well. And before long, we were talking, heard about this guy named Tim Hollis. Sam and I met in Pine Ridge for lemon Abner day in 1982 for the first time, and hit it off like long lost friends and became very good friends. And then in 84 I believe it was Sam and Tim and Rex riffle met again, or met for the first time together, I guess in Pine Ridge. And I wasn't there that time. But somehow, in all of that confusion, it was proposed to start the national lemon Abner society, and we started publishing the Jot them down journal in the summer of 1984 Michael Hingson  39:43 and for those who don't know the Jotham down journal, because the store that lemon Abner ran was the Jotham down store anyway, right? Donnie Pitchford  39:50 Go ahead, yes. And that was Tim's title. Tim created the title The Jotham down journal, and we started publishing and started seeking information. And it started as just a simple photocopy on paper publication. It became a very slick publication. In 1990 or 91 Sam started recording cassettes, reading the journals, because we were hearing from Blind fans that said, you know, I enjoy the journal. I have to have somebody read it to me. This is before screen readers. And of course, you know this technology better than I do, but before any type of technology was available, and Sam said, Well, I'll tell you. I'll just start reading it on tape and I'll make copies. Just started very simply, and from then on, until the last issue in in 2007 Sam would record a cassette every other month, or when we went quarterly, four times a year, and he would mail those to the the blind members, who would listen to those. And sometimes they would keep them, and sometimes they would return them for Sam to recycle. But incidentally, those are all online now, Michael Hingson  41:03 yeah, I've actually looked at a few of those. Those are kind of fun. So the London Avenue society got formed, and then you started having conventions. Donnie Pitchford  41:14 Yes, yes. First convention was in 1985 and we did a lot of things with we would do recreations. We would do a lot of new scripts, where, if we had someone that we got to the point where we would have people that hadn't worked with lemon Abner. So we would have lemon Abner meet the great Gildersleeve. Actually, Willard had worked on the lumen Abner half hour show at some point. I believe les Tremain had never worked directly with them, but he was well, he was in some Horlicks malted milk commercials in the 1930s and of course, the Lone Ranger was never on the London Abner show and vice versa, until we got hold of it. So we had Fred Foy in 1999 and he agreed to be the announcer, narrator and play the part of the Lone Ranger. So we did Lum and Abner meet the Lone Ranger, which was a lot of fun. We had parley bear, so Lum and Abner met Chester of Gun Smoke. And those were just a lot of fun to do. And Tim, Tim would write some of them, I would write some of them, or we would collaborate back and forth to come up with these scripts. Did love and amner, ever meet Superman? No, we never got to that. That would have been great. Yeah, if we could have come up with somebody who had played Superman, that would have been a lot of fun. We had lemon Abner meet Kathie Lee Crosby as herself. Yeah, they met Frank brazzi One time. That must be fun. It was a lot of fun. We had some people would recreate the characters. We had the lady who had played Abner's daughter, Mary Lee Rob replay. She played that character again, 50 years later, coming back home to see, you know, to see family. Several other things, we had London Abner meet Gumby one time. Of all things, we had Dow McKinnon as a guest. And we had Kay Lineker come back and reprise one of her roles, the role she played in the London Abner movie. Bob's Watson did that as well. Some years we didn't have a script, which I regret, but we had other things going on. We had anniversaries of London Abner movies that we would play. So whatever we did, we tailored it around our guest stars, like Dick Beals, Sam Edwards, Roby Lester, gee whiz. I know I'm leaving people out. Michael Hingson  43:52 Well, that's okay, but, but certainly a lot of fun. What? Yes, what? Cartoonist really influenced you as a child? Donnie Pitchford  44:01 Oh, wow. I would say the first thing I saw that got my attention was the Flintstones on on prime time television, you know, the Hanna Barbera prime time things certainly Walt Disney, the animation that they would run, that he would show, and the behind the scenes, things that would be on the Disney show, things like almost almost anything animated as a kid, got my attention. But Walter Lance, you know, on the Woody Woodpecker show used to have, he'd have little features about how animation was done, and that that inspired me, that that just thrilled me. And I read Fred lachel's Snuffy Smith Chester Gould's Dick Tracy. Tracy, which that was a that's why the Dick Tracy connection, later was such a big deal for me. Almost anything in the Sunday comics that was big. Foot. In other words, the cartoony, exaggerated characters are called, sometimes called Bigfoot, Bigfoot cartooning, or Bigfoot characters. Those were always the things I looked for, Bugs Bunny, any of the people that worked on those some were anonymous. And years later, I started learning the names of who drew Popeye, you know, like LZ seagar, the originator, or bud sagendorf or George Wildman, and later high eysman. But people like that were my heroes. Later on, I was interested in I would read the Batman comics, or I would see Tarzan in the newspaper. I admired the work of Russ Manning. Michael Hingson  45:49 Do you know the name Tom Hatton? Yes, I do. Yeah. Yes. Tom did Popeye shows on KTLA Channel Five when I was growing up, and he was famous for, as he described it, squiggles. He would make a squiggle and he would turn it into something. And he was right on TV, which was so much fun. Donnie Pitchford  46:09 We had a guy in Memphis who did the same thing. His name was, he's known as Captain Bill, C, A, P, you know, Captain Bill. And he did very much the same thing. He'd have a child come up, I think some, in some cases, they're called drools. Is one word for them. There was a yeah, in Tim hollis's area, there was cousin Cliff Holman who did that. And would he might have a kid draw a squiggle, and then he would create something from it right there on the spot, a very similar type of thing, or a letter of the alphabet, or your initials, that sort Michael Hingson  46:43 of thing. Yeah. Tom did that for years. It was fun. Of course, I couldn't see them, but he talked enough that I knew what was going on. It's kind of fun. My brother loved them, yeah? So later on, when you got to be a teenager and beyond what cartoonist maybe influenced you more? Donnie Pitchford  47:03 Well, I would have to say George, probably because I was corresponding with him, right? Also, I would see the work of Carl Barks, who created Uncle Scrooge McDuck and the Donald Duck comics and all that. His stuff was all in reprint at that time, he was still living, but I didn't know he could be contacted. I didn't try to write to it, right? Years later, years later, I did get an autograph, which was, was very nice. But those people, a lot of people, Neil Adams, who did Batman, the guys at Charlton Comics, Steve Ditko, who was the CO creator of spider man, but he had a disagreement with Stan Lee, and went back to Charlton Comics and just turned out 1000s of pages, but his work was was inspirational. Another was Joe Staton, who was working at Charleton comics, who I got to work with on several projects later on, and I would say just all of those guys that I was reading at the time. Pat Boyette was another Charlton artist. I tend to gravitate toward the Charlton company because their artists weren't contained in a house style. They were allowed to do their own style. They didn't pay as much. But a lot of them were either older guys that said, I'm tired of this, of the DC Marvel system. I want to just, you know, have creative freedom. Charlton said, come on. And so they would work there and less stress, less money, probably one guy named Don Newton started there and became a legend in the industry at other companies. So I found all of those guys inspiring, and I felt I could learn from all of them. Michael Hingson  48:59 Well, you always wanted to be a cartoonist. Did you have any other real career goals, like, was teaching a goal that you wanted to do, or was it just cartooning it? Donnie Pitchford  49:07 Well, it was just a secondary, you know, as I said, when I started, I thought, I'll just do that for a few years. You know, I didn't know it was going to be like 27 but I we had a lot of success. We had, I had some student groups that would enter video competitions. And for 20 straight years, we placed either first, second or third in state competition with one Summit, one entry, another or another every year. And that was notable. I mean, I give the kids the credit for that. But then about five or six of those years, we had what we call state championship wins, you know, we were like the number one project in the state of Texas. So, you know, we had some great success, I think, in that so a lot of years there, I really, you know, that was a blessing to me. Was that career, you. Well, it just, it just got to be too much time for change. After a while, Michael Hingson  50:05 was art just a talent that you had, and cartoon drawing a talent you had, or, I don't remember how much you said about did you have any real special training as such? Donnie Pitchford  50:14 Well, all of my training was, I just couldn't afford to go to a specialized school. You know, at one time, the Joe Kubert School opened just about the time I graduated high school, it was in New Jersey. I just couldn't make that happen, so I went to state colleges and universities and did the best I could. I took commercial art classes, drawing classes, design classes, even ceramics, which came in very handy when I did some sculpting here in the last eight or nine years and worked as an assistant to a sculptor named Bob harness who lives here in Carthage, but I never had any actual comic strip slash comic book training, so I learned as much of that as I could from guys like George wild. And then after I started the lemon Avenue comic strip, an artist named Joe, named Jim Amish, who worked for Marvel, did a lot of work for the Archie Comics. And tremendous anchor is his. He's really a tremendous anchor, and does a lot of ink work over other artists pencils. Jim would call and say, he said, I want to give you some advice. I'm like, okay, at 3am he's still giving me advice. So I'd go around for two or three days feeling like a failure, but then I would, I would think about all the lessons, you know, that he had told me. And so I learned a lot from Jim and tremendous, tremendous guy. And I would listen to what high, sometimes high would call up and say, Why did you use that purple beg your pardon. So it was fun. I mean, those fellows would share with me, and I learned a great deal from those guys. Michael Hingson  52:11 Are you in any way passing that knowledge on to others today? Donnie Pitchford  52:16 I don't know that I am. I've had an offer or two to do some teaching. I just don't know if I'm if I'm going to get back into that or not. Yeah, I'm so at this point, focused on, quote, unquote, being a cartoonist and trying to make that, that age five dream, a reality, that I'm not sure I'm ready to do that again. And you know, I'm not, I'm not 21 anymore. Michael Hingson  52:45 I didn't know whether you were giving advice to people and just sort of informally doing it, as opposed to doing formal teaching. Donnie Pitchford  52:51 Well, informally, yes, I mean, if anybody asks, you know, I'll be glad to share whatever I can. But yeah, I'm not teaching any classes at this point. Michael Hingson  53:01 Well, you have certainly taken lemon Abner to interesting places in New Heights. One, one thing that attracted me and we talked about it before, was in 2019, lemon Abner in Oz. That was fun. Donnie Pitchford  53:17 Well, the credit for that goes to Tim Hollis. Tim wrote that as a short story years ago when he was first interested in lemon Abner. And I don't know if he ever had that published through the International oz society or not. I don't remember, but Tim later turned that into a radio script when we had a batch of guests. This was in 2001 we had, let's see Sam Edwards, Dick Beals, Roby Lester and Rhoda Williams. And each of them had done something related to Oz, either the children's records or storybook records or animation or something. They were involved somewhere in some type of Oz adaptation. So Tim turned his short story into a radio script that we performed there at the convention. So that was a lot of fun. And then he suggested, Why don't I turn that into a comic strip story? So that's what we did. But that was fun, yeah, and we used the recordings of those people because they had given us permission, you know, to use a recording however we saw fit. The only problem is we had a mistake. The fellow that was running the sound had a dead mic and didn't know it. Oh, gosh. So some of them are bit Off mic in that audio, but we did the best. I did the best I could Michael Hingson  54:40 with it's it sounded good. I certainly have no complaints. 54:45 Thank you for that. Michael Hingson  54:47 I I said no complaints at all. I think it was really fun and very creative. And it's kind of really neat to see so much creativity in terms of all the stuff that that you do. As a cartoonist, me having never seen cartoons, but I learned intellectually to appreciate the talent that goes into it. And of course, you guys do put the scripts together every week, which is a lot of fun to be able to listen to them well. Donnie Pitchford  55:17 And that's what that was, the audience I hoped that we would would tap into right there and it, it was guys like you that would would talk to me and say, What am I going to do? You know, I can't see it. So that's why the audio idea came about. And it's taken on a life of its own, really. And we've got Mark Ridgway, who has created a lot of musical cues for us that we use and Michael Hingson  55:45 who plays the organ? Donnie Pitchford  55:47 That's Mark Ridgway. It is Mark, okay, yes, yes. And it's actually digital, I'm sure. I think it's a digital keyboard, Michael Hingson  55:55 yeah, but it is. It's a, it's a really good sounding one, though. Donnie Pitchford  55:59 Yes, yes. There are a few cues that I did, which probably are the ones that don't sound so good, like if we ever need really bad music. If you remember the story we did, and I don't remember the name of it, what do we call it anyway? Lum tries to start a soap opera. Think this was about a year ago. Yeah, and Cedric is going to play, I don't remember it was an organ or a piano, and I don't remember what he played, but whatever it was, I think was Mary Had Michael Hingson  56:32 a Little Lamb, Mary's, Mary Had a Little Lamb on the piano. Sort of kind played. Donnie Pitchford  56:35 It was played very badly, well that, yes, it was on purpose. When mom plays lum tries to play the saxophone. That was me, and I hadn't played this. I used to play the sax. In fact, I played in a swing orchestra here in Carthage, Texas for about five years back in from the early 90s. And so I had this idea, and I hadn't played the horn probably since, probably in 20 years, and his. So I got it out, and I thought, you know, it's gonna sound terrible because it needs maintenance, but it doesn't matter. It's lump playing it, so I got to play really badly. Michael Hingson  57:14 It was perfect. It was perfect, Donnie Pitchford  57:16 yeah, because it had to sound bad. Michael Hingson  57:19 How do y'all create all these different plots. I remember so many, like the buzzard, you know, and, oh yeah, that was fun. And so many. How do you come up with those? Donnie Pitchford  57:28 Well, I used to get some really good ideas while mowing the yard. Don't ask me, why? Or I get ideas. I get ideas in the weirdest thing, weirdest places. Sometimes I have ideas in the shower. You know, I said, I better write this down. Sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, but there the ideas just come to me. Yeah? The buzzard was fun. I'd had that one. Pretty creative. Yeah, the one about, the one about, let me see. Oh, there was one we did, where wasn't the buzzard? What was that other one? I called the Whisper? Yeah, there was a strange voice that was coming lum thought it was coming from his radio. And he turns his radio off, and He still hears it, and it was a villain who had somehow hypnotized everyone so that they wouldn't see him and he would use his voice only. And then there's a character I came up with, and let me see Larry Gasman played it, and I called him Larry John Walden, and he was the only guy he was blind. He was the only guy that wasn't hypnotized because he couldn't see the you know, I use the old thing about the watch in front of the eyes. I mean, he was the only guy that wasn't hypnotized, so he wasn't fooled by the whisper, and he could track him, because his hearing was so acute that he was able to find him. In fact, I think he could hear his watch ticking or something like that. So he was the hero of that piece. But, well, I just, I just think up ideas and write them down. Tim Hollis has written some of the scripts, maybe three or four for me, I've adapted some scripts that London Abner did that were never broadcast or that were never recorded. Rather, I've adapted a few, written several, and I keep saying, Well, when I completely run out of ideas, I'll just have to quit. Michael Hingson  59:32 Well, hopefully that never happens. What? What are your future plans? Donnie Pitchford  59:38 Well, right now, there's nothing major in the works other than just maintaining the strip, trying to continue it, trying to make it entertaining, and hopefully doing a little work on the website and getting it into the hands of more people. And I'd like to increase. Least newspaper coverage, if at all possible. And because this thing doesn't, you know, it's got to pay for itself somehow. So you know, I'm not getting rich by any means. But you know, I want to keep it fun. I want to keep having fun with it. Hopefully people will enjoy it. Hopefully we can reach younger readers, listeners, and hopefully lemon Abner can appeal to even younger audiences yet, so that we can keep those characters going. Michael Hingson  1:00:29 Yeah, there's so much entertainment there. I hope that happens now in the the life of Donnie Pitchford. Is there a wife and kids? Donnie Pitchford  1:00:40 Yes, there's a wife of almost 40 years. We unfortunately don't have any children. We've almost feel like we adopted several children all the years we were teaching. We we've adopted several cats along the way. And so, you know, we've had cats as pets for almost ever, since we were married. But that's she's, she's great, you know, she's, she's been my best friend and supporter all these years. And we were members of first Methodist Church here in Carthage, Texas, and doing some volunteer work there, and helping to teach Sunday school, and very involved and active in that church. Michael Hingson  1:01:19 So I have a cat, and I hear her outside, not outside the house, but outside the the office here, she wants me to go feed her, and we, we shaved her yesterday because her hair gets long and Matt's very easily. So she got shaved yesterday. So she's probably seeking a little vengeance from that too, but, but my wife and I were married 40 years. She passed away in November of 2022 so it's me and stitch the cat and Alamo the dog, and Karen is monitoring us somewhere. And as I tell everyone, I've got to continue to be a good kid, because if I'm not, I'm going to hear about it. So I got to be good. But it's a lot of fun. Well, I want to thank you for being with us today. This has been a lot of fun. I've learned a lot, but it's just been great to have another podcast talking about old radio shows. And you said again, if people want to reach out, they can go to lemon Abner comics.com if people want to talk to you about doing any kind of cartooning or anything like that. What's the best way they can do that? Donnie Pitchford  1:02:24 Well, they can go to the London Abner dot lumen, Abner comics.com website, and there's a contact a link right there at the top of the page. So yeah, they can contact me through that. Probably that's the easiest way to do it. Michael Hingson  1:02:37 Okay, well, I want to thank you again for being here, and I want to thank all y'all out there. That's how they talk in Texas, right? It's all y'all for everybody. Donnie Pitchford  1:02:46 Well, some of them do, and some of them in Arkansas do too. Well, yeah. Michael Hingson  1:02:49 And then there's some who don't, yeah, y'all means everything, and it Speaker 1  1:02:54 don't, yeah, I don't think squire skimp says it that way. Michael Hingson  1:02:58 Well, Squire, you know, whatever it takes. But I want to thank you all for being here, and please give us a five star rating wherever you're listening or watching the podcast. Donnie would appreciate it. I would appreciate it, and also give us a review. We'd love to get your reviews, so please do that. If you can think of anyone else who ought to be a guest, and I think Donnie has already suggested a few. So Donnie as well, anyone else who ought to come on the podcast, we'd love it. Appreciate you introducing us, and you know, we'll go from there. And I know at some point in the future, the Michael hingson Group Inc is going to be a sponsor, because we've started that process for lemon. Abner, yes, thank you. Thank you. So I want to, I want to thank love and Squire for that 1:03:45 years. Well, it's been my pleasure. Michael Hingson  1:03:50 Well, thank you all and again, really, seriously, Donnie, I really appreciate you being here. This has been a lot of fun. So thank you for coming. Donnie Pitchford  1:03:58 Thank you. It's been a great honor. I've appreciated it very much. Michael Hingson  1:04:06 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Radio host Charles Goyette, who was forced out by ClearChannel for not taking the reliably Republican position on the Iraq War, is back with a book about the lies of the empire. Sponsors: HomeServe: Help protect your home systems – and your wallet – with HomeServe against covered repairs. Plans start at just $4.99 a month. Go to HomeServe.com to find the plan that's right for you. Agorist Tax Advice: Pick up a free copy of the brilliant Matthew Sercely's Agorist Tax Toolkit at: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/woods Monetary Metals Guest's Book: Empire of Lies   Guest's Twitter: @CharlesGoyette Show notes for Ep. 2739 The Tom Woods Show is produced by Podsworth Media. Check out the Podsworth App: Use code WOODS50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings, sound like a pro, and also support the Tom Woods Show! My full Podsworth ad read BEFORE & AFTER processing: https://youtu.be/tIlZWkm8Syk

Are you a healer, lightworker, or intuitive spending all your energy on LLCs, business cards, and website design, yet still struggling to find consistent clients?In the kickoff of the High Ticket Healer Series, Katie J (aka Kaje) breaks down why the "logistics first" approach is actually repelling the people you are meant to serve. If you want to consistently sign high-ticket clients (offers starting at $1,000+), you have to stop aligning with the world's hustle and start aligning with Spirit.In this episode, we dive into:The Truth About "Selfish" Desires: Why healers having more money is exactly what the world needs right now.The "Clear Channel" Framework: Your only job as a spiritual CEO and how to let the Universe act as your Head of Marketing.The 3 Prerequisites for High-Ticket Sales: Why you need an established financial "safety net" to avoid "sticky," desperate energy during sales calls.Energetic Hygiene & Nervous System Regulation: Practical somatic tools to help you navigate triggers and become a magnet for ideal clients.A 3-Hour Morning Ritual: Behind the scenes of the daily ceremony Katie uses to manifest "payment notification" emails and soulful client connections.Stop trying to do it all yourself and learn how to co-create your business with Source energy.Resources & Links Mentioned:Free Business Consultation: Ready to sign high-ticket clients with ease? Schedule a free 1-on-1 consultation with Katie to get feedback on your business and see if you're a fit for the High Ticket Healer guarantee. https://calendly.com/womanifester/claritySomatic Tools: Breathe With Sandy on YouTube for the manifestation breathwork mentioned in today's episode. https://youtu.be/Po6_yt-t8Ko?si=bIvG8LuLJL8ZbhkPConnect on Instagram: Follow @womanifester to watch the video replays of this series and send a DM to chat about your mission.

Will Westercauw and Orly talk about the modern rock hits of April 1994. Songs under discussion include: Morrissey - "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get" Enigma- "Return to Innocence" Sarah McLachlan - "Possession" Charlatans UK- "Can't Get Out of Bed" Season 7 (1994) Spotify Playlist: Will Westercauw chats with Johnny (guitarist from the band Dig) about scandalous rumors, working at Tower Records, Clear Channel censorship, and the modern rock hits of March 1994. Songs under discussion include: Crash Test Dummies - "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" Tori Amos - "God" Alice In Chains - "No Excuses" Dig - "Believe" Season 7 (1994) Spotify Playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/19V29Sq8PhdbMVyODJyUz6

In 2001, in the nascent days of the internet, activists came together to wrestle with a growing challenge, the impacts of an increasingly corporatized media ecosystem on communities of color. They set out to intervene in media and tech practices that harm people of color and reimagined how these sectors could better represent the aspirations of local communities. This led to the founding, in 2009, of Media Justice, an organizing, education and field building organization that has generated significant wins, from passage of the nation's first facial recognition ban to another first, limiting the rates that families of incarcerated people could be charged for phone calls. As Steven Renderos, my exceptional guest on this episode of Power Station explains, where 25 years ago the villains dominating the field were Clear Channel and Comcast, they are now the tech oligarchy, billionaires whose influence is weakening our democracy and extracting local resources. But the public, in these harrowing times, is waking up and taking action. First-time protesters are showing up at public hearings to speak out against the economic and environmental harms of data centers. And Media Justice is powering their activism, developing leaders and connecting them across our nation.

On today's MJ Morning Show:MJ's dreamMorons in the news2 nighttime behaviors that could extend your lifeBattery fire in a garageFester's son wanted to visit something on MJ's InstagramSupermarket receipt prices compared from 1997 to todayMichelle dating The Amazon driver in south Tampa that blocked MJ and another driverBoogerwallWindow for women to get pregnant and live longerMichelle's latest accusation of MJWhat's happening at the former Clear Channel property in Tampa?Skip Bayless on Tom BradyDiscovery, Amex....Kelly Ripa's husband Mark Consuelo says leggings are deadTabellasDaniel Stern received a citation for soliciting a prostituteAchievement cakesWeekend's NFL results... who did you root for callsFear Factor rebootSad news: 17-year-old hit by train Man receives 21 felony charges, opened fire on vehicleNY plastic surgeon hackedA young cancer patient asks transport drivers to stop at McDonald'sHealthiest statesGetting drunk from pizzaWaymo car drove on light rail tracksBilly Howard from The Consumer Protection FirmSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Be a Voice for the Voiceless Guests: Andi Buerger, Alma Tucker, Dr. Pamela J. Pine, Brian Searcy and Bruce Ladebu BIOS:  Andi Buerger, JD, international speaker, author, and survivor of child sex trafficking, advocates globally for victims of exploitation. She founded Beulah's Place, rescuing 300+ at-risk teens, and later co-founded Voices Against Trafficking, uniting voices worldwide to defend human rights. Her books and the internationally distributed Voices of Courage magazine empower survivors and honor human rights champions. In 2025, the Voices of Courage television series debuts, expanding her mission to inspire justice and hope. Website: https://voicesagainsttrafficking.com/ Alma Tucker, Notable Achievements: Founder and Executive Director of International Network of Hearts, an institution and pioneer in providing care for victims of human trafficking with international presence in both Mexico and the United States. Founded the only shelter in Baja California dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and young women in vulnerable situations, recognized by the United Nations as one of 12 Mexican shelters dedicated to victims of human trafficking. Clinical Psychologist with 35+ years of experience in education, training, human rights, and victim support. Alma founded the first and only group home in Baja California designed for young survivors of human trafficking, with over 200 children coming through the shelter since 2010. Named 2024 Citizen of the Year in Baja California by Grupo Salinas for altruistic work on behalf of children. Nominated for and received 2024 San Diego Magazine's Celebrating Women Award as a Trailblazer in the NonProfit category. Honored with “Alma Tucker Day” by the City of National City, in recognition of contributions to justice, healing, and the global fight against human trafficking. Charter Member in the Board of Voices Against Trafficking. Honored in 2022 and 2024 by the Soroptimists Together Against Trafficking for dedication to raising awareness through trainings in San Diego and supporting children. Received a Social Impact in Tijuana award given by the digital media outlet El Tijuanense in 2025. Advocated and helped launch the International Amber Alert Program in Mexico, aiding to the search and rescue of missing children. Invited to the White House in 2019 to discuss issues related to human trafficking along the US-Mexico border. Spoke at the Vatican in Rome and Dubai through the Global Sustainability Network on human trafficking. Honorary academic member of the National Commission of the Ministry of the Interior to Prevent Human Trafficking in Mexico since 2017. In 2014, INH collaborated with UCSD researchers who published a study in 2015: Vulnerability Factors and Pathways Leading to Underage Entry into Sex Work in Two Mexican-U.S. Border Cities. Starting in 2011, INH held its annual binational conference on human trafficking at the Chula Vista City Council Chambers, convening federal and local authorities from both sides of the border. Dr. Pamela J. Pine, PhD, MPH, has been an international health, development, and communication professional throughout her adult life, supporting the lives of poor and otherwise underserved groups in over 30 countries worldwide (from Albania to Zambia), with the past more than two decades focused on childhood trauma and protection. Since 2000, she has been a dedicated advocate focusing on the critical issues of child sexual abuse (CSA), including trafficking, and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). With extensive experience in trauma-informed programming, she aims to educate and empower individuals, communities, organizations, and companies around the world to prevent abuse and recognize the signs of abuse and its long-lasting effects on children, adolescents, and adults they become, as well as on their families, communities, organizations/companies, and societies. She was the Founder and CEO of the free-standing international non-profit, Stop the Silence® - Stop Child Sexual Abuse, Inc., and became the Director of Stop the Silence® - A Department of the Institute of Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT) in January 2021 when the original organization became a part of the larger non-profit. Dr. Pine is also a professor of public health as well as a multimedia artist working in oils, watercolor, pastel, clay, song, and the written word (she is a best-selling author of adult and children's books and a poet, and an award-winning photographer), which she uses in her work to open hearts and minds. She is the 2025 Voices Of Courage Award® recipient. Dr. Pine has been a regular expert on leading media outlets such as: NBC, CNN, PBS, iHeart (formerly ClearChannel) radio, and many others. Articles about her and her work have been featured in the Washington Post, Washington Times, The Maryland Gazette, TruEntertainment Magazine, Women's Calendar/Women's Radio, On Purpose Women's Magazine, and many others. Please see: https://www.ivatcenters.org/stop-the-silence and https://www.drpamelajpine.com. Connect with her via email at pamelap@ivatcenters.org. and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-j-pine-3123b78/ Brian Searcy, Col (Ret) USAF, is a #1 International Best Selling Author! Situational Awareness Expert. After a decorated senior leadership career in the USAF as a commander and combat veteran, he transitioned into executive roles as a business entrepreneur, writer, publisher, and public speaker. He founded The Paratus Group to use his decades-tested and proven leadership and training experience to solve a need for relevant, effective, trustworthy principles, training methodologies, and programs to allow for the learning of Leadership and Situational Awareness. The Leadership Abilities and Situational Awareness Mindset and Behaviors that are developed allow Critical Decisions to be made in the complex dynamics of the Home, Schools, the Workplace, and our Communities to both grow as leaders and to make us all safer. Bruce Ladebu spent 20 years as a professional adventurer, explorer, and guide, traveling to some of the wildest places on earth, including first ascents in the Arctic and an expedition on the polar ice cap. He also spent time over four winters in the Canadian Rockies following and photographing wolves and other wildlife. He has guided hundreds of clients in climbing, survival, wilderness expeditions, and other adventure sports. Since then, Bruce has started a number of organizations and has advised leaders in many nations, along with speaking in those nations. He has extensive training in tactical skills and has trained in multiple combative arts, including Krav Maga, Silat, and Systema. He has completed two multi-week courses in executive protection. Bruce has also spoken in churches all over the US and around the world, including doing pastors' conferences and large crusades! In the early 90s, Bruce traveled through the ex-Soviet Union countries and saw the terrible conditions children were forced to live in, including the marketing of young girls and boys forced into sex trafficking. Then, in 2009, after witnessing labor slavery firsthand, Bruce worked to develop a strategy to rescue these individuals, and the Children's Rescue Initiative was formed. As of August 2025, Bruce and his teams have personally rescued 2,600 children and adults from labor slavery/sex trafficking and given them a start at a new life. Bruce has a master's degree in Christian Leadership. His first book was published, “Out of the Slave Fields," and he's working on a second book about his life story.”  Video Version: https://www.youtube.com/live/wDMQ9K3JBRU?si=d03ZvATb6ifg4cXb Chat with Teresa during Live Show with Video Stream: write a question on YouTube Learn more about Teresa here: https://www.webebookspublishing.com   http://authenticendeavorspublishing.com/

This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is today.Today: A look back at the way speech was policed in the wake of the 9-11 attacks. Bill Maher lost his job, professors were fired, Clear Channel removed songs that mentioned airplane crashes... and the Bush White House told people to "watch what they say."Sign up for our America250 Watch newsletter, where you'll also get links and lots more historical tidbits.https://thisdaypod.substack.com/Find out more about the show at thisdaypod.comThis Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.comGet in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypodOur team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Brittani Brown, Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

EPISODE SUMMARY: Tim Dukes is the president of Hope Media Group. He shares his radio journey including leadership roles at Jacor, Emmis, Tribune and Clear Channel, and the lessons he learned along the way. On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to Tim Dukes about:Growing up in Louisville, KY, and the host who inspired him to work in radioExaggerating his credentials to get his first radio job at Y107How his mentors taught and supported him throughout his careerMoving to Tampa and helping to build the Power Pig brandTransitioning to PD in Louisville, Cincinnati, and San DiegoNavigating Jacor's sale to Clear Channel and joining EmmisWhy leading with creativity makes for great radioReevaluating his career and transitioning to nonprofit radio in Dallas How he became President of Hope Media GroupHow he gives back to the community-And more! ABOUT THIS EPISODE'S GUEST:Tim Dukes spent 24 years in secular media and markets that include Chicago, Atlanta, San Diego, and Tampa before answering God's call to vocational ministry in 2011. He joined WayFM as General Manager of its new station in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2015 and added regional responsibility in 2019 for Way Media properties in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and Indiana. In 2020, Tim was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and added interim CEO responsibilities a year later. When Way Media and Hope Media Group merged in May 2022, he became the new organization's COO, and assumed the role of President in August 2024. Tim and his wife Susan were married in 1989 and live in Dallas, as does their adult daughter, Macy.ABOUT THE PODCAST: Chachi Loves Everybody is brought to you by Benztown and hosted by the President of Benztown, Dave “Chachi” Denes. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the myths and legends of the radio industry.PEOPLE MENTIONED:Art VuoloGary BurbankMark ChaseTom SteeleJason PullmanScott ShannonCoyote McLeodRhett WalkerBo WoodRandy MichaelsJack EvansGary EdensJohn AnthonyBJ HarrisJeff KapugiDave MannJeff LawrenceDon CarpenterJack HarrisMike AlblTom OwensBrad HardinCarolyn GilbertVin ScullyJeff and JerGreg SummsTracy JohnsonJagger and ChristieBooby LawrenceRick DeesJean RomanoBill PughJeff SmulyanRick CummingsPat McDonaldMike SternJimmy SteelJonathan BrandmeierSam ZellSean ComptonMike O'ConnorFrank ReedJoe PauloABOUT BENZTOWN: Benztown is a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company with over 3,000 affiliations on six different continents. Benztown provides audio brands and radio stations of all formats with end-to-end imaging and production, making high-quality sound and world- class audio branding a reality for radio stations of all market sizes and budgets. Benztown was named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 by Inc. magazine for five consecutive years as one of America's Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies. With studios in Los Angeles and Stuttgart, Benztown offers the highest quality audio imaging work parts for 23 libraries across 14 music and spoken word formats including AC, Hot AC, CHR, Country, Hip Hop and R&B, Rhythmic, Classic Hits, Rock, News/Talk, Sports, and JACK. Benztown's Audio Architecture is one of the only commercial libraries that is built exclusively for radio spots to provide the right music for radio commercials. Benztown provides custom VO and imaging across all formats, including commercial VO and copywriting in partnership with Yamanair Creative. Benztown Radio Networks produces, markets, and distributes high-quality programming and services to radio stations around the world, including: The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown, The Todd-N-Tyler Radio Empire, Hot Mix, Sunday Night Slow Jams with R Dub!, Flashback, Top 10 Now & Then, Hey, Morton, StudioTexter, The Rooster Show Prep, and AmeriCountry. Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Networks produces and markets premium podcasts including: IEX: Boxes and Lines and Molecular Moments.Web: benztown.comFacebook: facebook.com/benztownradioTwitter: @benztownradioLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/benztownInstagram: instagram.com/benztownradio Enjoyed this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody? Let us know by leaving a review!

On the September 14 edition of the Music History Today podcast, Handel completes the Messiah, Clear Channel puts some artists on a naughty list, & the first MTV Video Music Awards takes place. Plus, it's Amy Winehouse's & Nas' birthdays.For more music history, subscribe to my Spotify Channel or subscribe to the audio version of my music history podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts fromALL MUSIC HISTORY TODAY PODCAST NETWORK LINKS - https://allmylinks.com/musichistorytoday

On This Weeks Episode of The Super Review Show's Mixed Bag - Podcast Edition Bill, Justin and Vinny sit in for the J-Man to discuss Songs that were banned after the 9/11 Attacks and were they truly banned for the right reason back in 2001? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuperReviewShowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesuperreviewshow/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSuperReviewShow

Welcome back to Once, Every Two Weeks, the podcast where long-time friends Mark and Thom subject themselves (and anyone still listening) to even more 90s nostalgia, deep cuts, and questionable life choices. This time, they dust off Placebo's “Without You I'm Nothing”—the album that taught awkward teens it's okay to be a little messy and a lot loud. Join us as we unpack Placebo's sound, their accidental run-ins with David Bowie, and why this record deserves more than one spin on the Discman. From Panda Express mishaps to bitter rants about American radio, we'll hit every high, low, and crunchy snare in-between. And, as always, we'll argue about which tracks still slap and which ones are just...well, very Placebo.Show Notes00:00:50 – Thom's Panda Express story; Mark meets Nada Surf (again, without Thom)00:05:42 – Placebo's name origin, awkward Europe-to-London backstories, and the “right place, right time” magic00:12:30 – Why Placebo's androgynous image confused and delighted absolutely everyone00:16:15 – The parade of Svens, Stephens, and Steves; producer Steve Osborne and that weird Real World studio00:21:40 – Did the band even like their own album? Mark recaps cryptic interviews and British press drama00:26:20 – Pitchfork bashing and why American critics “just didn't get it”00:29:10 – The Placebo sound: unpretentious, moody, always one snare away from a tantrum00:32:30 – “Pure Morning” (how Placebo made insomnia sound cool)00:36:00 – “Brick Shithouse” (and why production tricks can sometimes just be...really annoying)00:39:40 – “You Don't Care About Us” and the many faces of Mark's 1998 alt-rock playlist00:43:00 – “Ask for Answers” and the art of mopey Radiohead vibes00:45:30 – Title track “Without You I'm Nothing”, David Bowie's surprise phone call, and why the Bowie version divides the pod00:48:40 – “Allergic to Thoughts of Mother Earth”: a rock song that's secretly a hippie manifesto00:51:20 – “The Crawl”: why Placebo slow songs aren't just filler (they're...something else)00:53:00 – “Every You, Every Me”—the twisted joy of hearing their most infectious song in Cruel Intentions00:57:00 – A short sidebar on why American radio, Clear Channel, and Britney Spears ruined our collective Placebo education01:02:00 – Mark and Thom's top picks from “Without You I'm Nothing”01:05:00 – Wrapping up: proselytizing for Placebo and final thoughts on their “never quite mainstream” legacy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's brand new episode of the cast to kick off the new season, we take a look at the 9/11 Banned Songs list that was issued by Clear Channel in the aftermath of the Sept. 11th attacks that wasn't an outright order, but as a request to not play songs that were deemed insensitive and questionable that contained references with anything that was associated with 9/11. We take a look at the hundred or so songs on the list, and I give you my reaction to the songs that were included on the list, some that were obvious calls and some that were ridiculous that were total overreach and censorship, proving that Clear Channel was completely overreacting and not knowing what to do with itself. I also look at the Billboard Modern Rock Charts on the week before and after 9/11 to show the songs that were on the chart at that time, and how the tone and nature of music changed as a whole and how we all gravitated towards music to provide for some comfort and joy in the aftermath of an awful time in American history. I also play you P.O.D.'s "Alive", a song that became an anthem for many people in the months that followed after the attacks.

We discuss censorship in alternative and electronic music across the globe. Featuring the music and stories of Sama Abdulhadi, The Cranberries, Kraftwerk, and Oingo Boingo.SOURCESBain, Katie. (2021 May 2). Months After Her Arrest Made Global Headlines, Sama Abdulhadi Is Still Pushing Palestinian Techno Katie Bain. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/sama-abdulhadi-palestinian-dj-arrest-interview-9565884/ Boiler Room. (2018 September 29). “Sama' Abdulhadi | Boiler Room Palestine”. [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9VYKrtziSgFRANCE 24. (2017 July 17). Music: Meet Sama Abdulhadi, the pioneering Palestinian DJ! [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL-QDvepXhU Kaiman, Jonathan. (2018, February 22). Kraftwerk denied China visa over 1999 Free Tibet concert. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/mar/29/kraftwerk-denied-china-visa-tibetKeith, Casey. (2025, July 29). Clear Channel Memorandum: A misguided ban on American songs. US History, SEO, AI, and More. https://caseykeith.substack.com/p/clear-channel-memorandum-a-misguidedOingo Boingo Last.FM. https://www.last.fm/music/Oingo+BoingoKraftwerk Last.FM. https://www.last.fm/music/Kraftwerk Music Censorship. (2025 July 8). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_censorship Sama Abdulhadi Resident Advisor https://ra.co/dj/samaabdulhadi Stewart, A. (2021, October 8). The fallout over Clear Channel's do-not-play list lasted well past 9/11. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/clear-channel-911-list/2021/10/07/2dd3dee2-17d8-11ec-b976-f4a43b740aeb_story.html Stoic Rockstar. (2025 March 18). The Cranberries on Writing Zombie. [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SnYqrxGzInoZombie (The Cranberries song). (2025 July 12). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie_(The_Cranberries_song) 

Sean is CEO of the new Destination Media and GSTV. He was recruited to lead the next generation of growth following a joint venture announcement that combined the assets and operations of Verifone's media division with the former Gas Station TV, owned by Detroit-based Rockbridge Growth Equity and Falcon Investment Advisors.  The combined business now operates under the GSTV brand and deliver 3.3 billion brand safe 1-to-1 annual impressions from over 29,000+ locations in all 50 states.Sean previously served as EVP – Strategy & Partnerships at Clear Channel Outdoor, Americas. While at CCO he led all strategic revenue activity with leading agency and brand partners and pioneered new product and partnership approaches to OOH, DOOH and integrated media campaigns. He's been continually focused on driving business results by understanding the evolution of media, the consumer journey and behavioral insights by using data, technology and the power of content to drive brand and consumer engagement. While at Clear Channel he also led industry sales and marketing initiatives across verticals, integrated sales partnerships, industry events such as Cannes Lions, CES, ANA events and so on and he has been a featured speaker and writer. He also led global client outreach & strategy which created first-to-market global client and agency partnerships across technology, fashion, beverages and more as well leading global agency holding companies.Prior to his last role, Sean held a variety of executive sales and marketing positions across North American regions. He began his career at a private-equity backed media company which ultimately grew to a 9-figure IPO and subsequent acquisition and consolidation of an industry sector. Working for both small and large organizations and public and private ownership, he has a broad point-of-view of managing organizational change, integration, business growth strategy, team strategy development and collaborative leadership and vision.

Skip Wilson: The Secret to Scalable Advertising Execution Without Tech Overload The Entreprenudist Podcast https://entreprenudist.com On this episode of The Entreprenudist Podcast, we sit down with Skip Wilson, CEO of DRAFT Media Partners, to discuss why empathy and operational excellence—not just technology—are the real engines of sustainable success in advertising. With 100+ clients across four locations, Skip shares exactly how his team builds systems that scale, deliver measurable results, and keep humans—not just tools—at the center of every campaign.

This week we're talking the business of sports! Co-founder Chris Ackerley shares his insights about owning the Sonics, trying to buy a rugby team, and much more!Top Stories:1. Ackerley Sports Group bids on rugby teamSportcal article2. Hockey updates in SeattleSeattle Times article (PWHL)PSBJ article (Kraken coach)3. Memorial Stadium updatesPSBJ article & MSN article4. LinkedIn CEO gets another roleGeekWire articleAbout guest Chris Ackerley - Ackerely Sports GroupChris is the Managing Director and co‑founder of Ackerley Partners, a private investment firm in Seattle. Formerly President of The Ackerley Group, he helped steer the firm through its public company merger Clear Channel. Together with his brother, he launched Ackerley Sports Group in 2023, investing in major sports ventures like the Seattle Kraken, Seattle Storm. Chris also acts as a board director & advisor across multiple companies.About host Rachel Horgan:Rachel is an independent event producer, emcee and entrepreneur. She worked for the Business Journal for 5 years as their Director of Events interviewing business leaders on stage before launching the weekly podcast. She earned her communication degree from the University of San Diego. Contact:Email: info@theweeklyseattle.comInstagram: @theweeklyseattleWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theweeklyseattle.com⁠⁠

Come and listen to Host Gia-Raquel and she talks with her guest Sandy Roth on today's show. Sandy Roth, RYT,Reiki Master, Pastry Chef, has dedicated her life to healing practices through somatic practices complimented with energy work. She has been active in the Yoga community teaching at private studios, nonprofits, corporate settings and cancer care centers. Her pastry creations are an edible avenue to share loving kindness. She enjoys gardening, spending time with family and long walks with her Shiba Inu.

Will Westercauw chats with Johnny (guitarist from the band Dig) about scandalous rumors, working at Tower Records, Clear Channel censorship, and the modern rock hits of March 1994. Songs under discussion include: Crash Test Dummies - "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" Tori Amos - "God" Alice In Chains - "No Excuses" Dig - "Believe" Season 7 (1994) Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19V29Sq8PhdbMVyODJyUz6

Is audience-targeting just for digital… and TV? In a privacy-conscious world, are there better, safer ways to reach your customers?Joining us today is Jeremy Flynn, Senior Vice President of Data Products & Strategy at Clear Channel Outdoor. Jeremy is at the forefront of innovating out-of-home (OOH) advertising, helping brands navigate modern marketing challenges by enhancing the value of their media investments. With a deep understanding of privacy-conscious solutions, audience targeting, and brand safety, Jeremy's insights are vital for brands looking to thrive in today's evolving ad environment.In his role, Jeremy, works closely with Clear Channel Outdoor's sales leadership and marketing teams to develop innovative solutions and data products that help brands and advertisers plan, measure, and amplify their media investments.Jeremy is an integral part of Clear Channel's RADAR Data Solutions team and can speak to how Clear Channel is solving modern marketing challenges by innovating OOH in an evolving environment so brands can understand and enhance the value of their media investment.RESOURCESClear Channel Outdoor: https://clearchanneloutdoor.com/ Don't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registrationRegister now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price.Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnowThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is audience-targeting just for digital… and TV? In a privacy-conscious world, are there better, safer ways to reach your customers? Joining us today is Jeremy Flynn, Senior Vice President of Data Products & Strategy at Clear Channel Outdoor. Jeremy is at the forefront of innovating out-of-home (OOH) advertising, helping brands navigate modern marketing challenges by enhancing the value of their media investments. With a deep understanding of privacy-conscious solutions, audience targeting, and brand safety, Jeremy's insights are vital for brands looking to thrive in today's evolving ad environment. In his role, Jeremy, works closely with Clear Channel Outdoor's sales leadership and marketing teams to develop innovative solutions and data products that help brands and advertisers plan, measure, and amplify their media investments. Jeremy is an integral part of Clear Channel's RADAR Data Solutions team and can speak to how Clear Channel is solving modern marketing challenges by innovating OOH in an evolving environment so brands can understand and enhance the value of their media investment. RESOURCES Clear Channel Outdoor: https://clearchanneloutdoor.com/ Don't miss Medallia Experience 2025, March 24-26 in Las Vegas: Registration is now available: https://cvent.me/AmO1k0 Use code MEDEXP25 for $200 off registration Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price. Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

What if the mentor you trusted to elevate you was actually the one holding you back? Spiritual leadership should empower—not manipulate. It's time we talk about what happens when coaching crosses the line.In this eye-opening new series, I join Robyn McKay for a raw and vulnerable conversation about a toxic coaching experience we both went through—along with other women in our industry. This is the first of a series of episodes where we unpack the red flags, manipulative tactics, and unethical practices that took place, and how we finally broke free.In this first episode of the series, I take the guest seat and share my experience and POV with coach "Betty". I share how I found myself in a high-control mentorship dynamic, what made me question my own judgment, and why it took time to fully recognize the emotional and psychological impact of this experience. We explore the power imbalances, coercion, and gaslighting that often go unnoticed in spiritual coaching spaces—and how to spot them before they cause harm.This series isn't about blame—it's about education, empowerment, and healing. If you've ever felt manipulated or misled in the coaching world, or if you want to learn how to navigate mentorship with discernment, this conversation is for you.TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS(00:00) Intro(00:52) Welcome to the Bewitched Series(01:53) Ethical Dilemmas and Vulnerability(03:30) How and Why Bewitched was Born(07:58) The Metamorphosis Method is Almost Here(08:54) When Coaching Goes Bad...Finally Sharing My Experience(12:47) Working with "Betty": Early Successes(19:50) Red Flags - Manipulative Practices, Ethical Concerns, and The Snake Bite(32:08) Coercive Control(44:16) Retreat Experiences and High-Control Tactics(52:20) The Concept of a Clear Channel(52:52) Patterns of Manipulation, The San Diego Retreat Experience, Psychodrama and Altered States(56:06) Questioning Intentions and Ethics(01:00:05) Deciding on the Santa Fe Retreat - Manipulative Sales Tactics and Recognizing the Patterns(01:07:53) Realizations and Reflections(01:10:16)  "Talking to You is Like Groundhog Day" - The Miracle of Getting "Fired"(01:17:47) Questioning Myself, Healing and Moving Forward(01:26:24) Final Thoughts and Advice **WAYS TO ENTER MY WORLD**Leave a review, send us a screenshot and get a $250 credit, you can apply to anything else in my world.The Metamorphosis Method starts February 27th and you can still enroll. Master my proven methodology to guide your clients to rapidly and efficiently transmute lifetimes of familial and ancestral trauma. Jump on a call with me to learn more about the program and find out if this is a fit for you.CONTACT ROBYN drrobynmckay.com Follow her on InstagramOr contact her directly at robyn@drrobynmckay.comCONTACT ALYSEJoin my FB groupIG @alyse_breathesVisit alysebreathes.cominfo@alysebreathes.com

Join Nick Constantino and Mike Jasper on an unscripted journey through their shared history in the marketing world. From their early days at Clear Channel to Mike's rise as a top agent at WME, discover the evolving landscape of marketing, the importance of relationships, and the intricate nuances of deal-making in the entertainment industry. Get insights into the challenges, successes, and future trends that shape the industry. #MarketingMadmen #BrandPartnerships #MikeJasper #WME #EntertainmentIndustry #MarketingInsights #Advertising #NickConstantino #MarketingEvolution #DealMaking #MarketingMadmen #BrandPartnerships #MikeJasper #WME #EntertainmentIndustry #MarketingInsights #Advertising #NickConstantino #MarketingEvolution #DealMaking Key Takeaways: The journey from mailroom to top agent at WME The importance of relationships in the marketing industry The evolution of marketing from radio to brand partnerships Insights into the complexities of deal-making The role of authenticity in advertising Future trends in marketing and brand partnerships patreon.com/TheMarketingMadMen: https://www.nick-constantino.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting the new year with health improvements via hormone testing with Dr. Powers. Exploring benefits of hormone and peptide therapy, with Andrea and Crystal's experiences. Free consultations and nutritional coaching at myeternalvitality.com. Nostalgia for a Dr. Pepper holiday ad and intro to a holiday-themed show. Story about UPS drivers and curiosity about a driver's house. Reflections on relationships, distractions, and chirping while finishing a book. Humorous musings on Dansby's behavior and yelling "boring" at football. Observations on familial storytelling habits and unconscious information absorption. Joke about flight landing updates being unnecessary due to news coverage. Anecdote on sun damage from Crystal's car sickness and reflections on infidelity fears. "10% Rule" and how small changes impact life or business. Differences between Tom and Dan complementing podcast dynamics. Bird noises disrupting work and coping with noise distractions. Breakup story stemming from relationship inferiority and humorous musings on body size. Justin Timberlake's controversies and generational music preferences. Christmas traditions, advent calendars, and reflections on holiday changes. Nostalgia for past Orlando nightlife, including Cyber Zone and Club Juana. Drinking habits then vs. now and forced work holiday events. Stories about Crystal's career shifts, gravedigger jumps, and biker bar connections. Recollections of odd workplace dynamics, like crackheads driving moving trucks. Crow throwing a hot dog and comparing Crystal to The Office characters. Holiday party antics, Clear Channel nostalgia, and workplace chaos. Daniel's approachable nature and commentary on TV dramas like Yellowstone. Humor about intimacy dynamics and costumes like Handmaid's Tale outfits. Medical marijuana's benefits, BudDocs.org promotions, and changing habits. Absurd youthful dreams vs. adult practicality and consistent personality traits. Post-children plans, travel challenges, and adapting to new conditions. Tom's small drone purchase causing family anxiety. Maisie's belief in Santa and reflections on keeping the magic alive. Cigarette cravings, childhood smoking memories, and nicotine pouches. Listener voicemail about unregistered vehicle driving and procrastination stories. Abolishment of Florida vehicle emissions testing and Jeb Bush's cost-saving measures. Hitchhiker anecdotes and the potential dangers of helping strangers. Wild travel stories involving trust and risky situations. Humor about blending daily routines with absurd fantasies. Lighthearted jokes and wrapping up the conversation. ### **Social Media:**   [Website](https://tomanddan.com/) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/tomanddanlive) | [Facebook](https://facebook.com/amediocretime) | [Instagram](https://instagram.com/tomanddanlive) **Where to Find the Show:**   [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-mediocre-time/id334142682) | [Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2FtZWRpb2NyZXRpbWUvcG9kY2FzdC54bWw) | [TuneIn](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Comedy/A-Mediocre-Time-p364156/) **The Tom & Dan Radio Show on Real Radio 104.1:**   [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-corporate-time/id975258990) | [Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Fjb3Jwb3JhdGV0aW1lL3BvZGNhc3QueG1s) | [TuneIn](https://tunein.com/podcasts/Comedy/A-Corporate-Time-p1038501/) **Exclusive Content:** [Join BDM](https://tomanddan.com/registration)   **Merch:** [Shop Tom & Dan](https://tomanddan.myshopify.com/)

Pete Joseph is an accomplished executive with a career spanning over two decades in the media and entertainment industry. Before starting Skutch Media, he held key roles at Live Nation, Atlanta Motor Speedway, The Madison Square Garden Company, GMR Marketing, Clear Channel and Cox Media, developing his expertise in business development, sales, marketing, and brand […]

Pete Joseph is an accomplished executive with a career spanning over two decades in the media and entertainment industry. Before starting Skutch Media, he held key roles at Live Nation, Atlanta Motor Speedway, The Madison Square Garden Company, GMR Marketing, Clear Channel and Cox Media, developing his expertise in business development, sales, marketing, and brand […] The post Pete Joseph With Skutch Media appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

Kenny Rogers - "Daytime Friends": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ9QvfnIJUkPatreon: Patreon.com/ChrisCroftonJUDGEMENTAL BARISTA  -for Simon Workmanin light of every microphonebeing owned by iHeartRadio -which is also Ticketmasterand also Live Nationand iHeartRadio is just Clear Channel, renamedin light of the diabolicalhedge-funders rebranded as TED-talkers,offeringfor-profit amends  in light of those monetized,sex offendingMaharishis in light of Orwellrolling in his gravein light of all thatbow down tothe judgemental barista be grateful thatthe poorwill stilltell you the fucking truth 

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Mark O. Hubbard, seasoned broadcasting executive and author, to discuss the impact Coach Ara Parseghian had on those around him. The author of four books, including Ara-The Life and Legacy of a Notre Dame Legend, Mark spent more than 25 years in the broadcasting industry, including serving as President of Flagship Broadcasting, President of Fairmont Communications, and Senior Vice President for Corporate Development at Clear Channel.  Mark was most recently an independent consultant providing services exclusively to senior management at established companies and to entrepreneurs at start-up ventures.  Mark also has served as an Adjunct Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is currently serving as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Notre Dame, where he was awarded a prestigious Marshall Scholarship, and he received an MBA from Wharton. Mark is also a registered Architect.   Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, just click here! SHOW NOTES: MARK O. HUBBARD: BIO: FEATURED BOOK: Ara-The Life and Legacy of a Notre Dame Legend: The Authorized Biography of Coach Ara Parseghian, by Mark O. Hubbard ADDITIONAL BOOKS: Business Wise Guide, 80 Powerful Insights You Can't Get in Business School, by Mark O. Hubbard Undisputed, Notre Dame National Champions 1966, by Mark O. Hubbard, Roger Valdiserri, et. al. Forgotten Four, Notre Dame's Greatest Backfield and the Undefeated 1953 Team, by Donald J. and Mark O. Hubbard (brothers) ARTICLES: Hubbard's biography ‘ARA' reveals true greatness of legendary Irish football coach, South Bend Times ‘Ara' Review: The Savior of Notre Dame Football, Wall Street Journal The MacArthur Bowl

Rundown -    Intro - 00:35   Thom Hartmann - 08:56   Troubadour Dave Gunders - 43:50   "Good To Believe" by Dave Gunders - 57:01   Outro - 01:01:59   Donald Trump made a fool of himself in Aurora, CO, just hours before Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur 5785. The host hits on the numerous lowlights. Trump is whipping up hate in Colorado, but he's looking like a sweaty loser. https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5136337/president-trump-announces-operation-aurora-illegal-immigration   Trump promises death to anybody who gets in his way. He tries out capital punishment talk in Aurora, where the Colorado death penalty went to die when DA George Brauchler lost his DA Office's effort in the Aurora theater massacre.   World-famous radio talk show host Tom Hartmann explains the attempted MAGA fascist takeover of America. The threat is spelled out in his fine new book, The Hidden History of the American Dream: The Demise of the Middle Class – And How to Rescue Our Future. https://www.thomhartmann.com/   Hartmann begins his book with this quote by FDR: “The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism: ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or any controlling private power.”   Hartmann is an expert on economics, history, politics, ADHD, and religion. Thom Hartmann's America's number one listened-to progressive talk show host, with 7 million weekly listeners. He's also an accomplished entrepreneur, clergyman, and world traveler. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thom_Hartmann   We discussed his radio career, including his time on AM760 in Denver. Hartmann explains what happened to Air America and how corporate media (including Mitt Romney's Bain Capital) destroyed AM radio's being objective and entertaining. ClearChannel was never the same after that and became more and more right-wing.   Hartmann recalls his interactions with Michael Medved and Salem Media. The AM radio takeover by billionaires paved the way for blue states to become GOP-red, being propagandized by Rush Limbaugh and other hate talkers demonizing the “Left.”   October 7 massacre was memorialized and discussed with Troubadour Dave Gunders, who brought us his song, "Good To Believe," right on time for the deeply meaningful Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Hashem's healing power gets reviewed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FVnRA3VemQ

This episode features an interview with Dan Levi, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Clear Channel Outdoor. He leads the organization's marketing strategy and connects brands and consumers through innovative advertising insights and solutions. Prior to joining Clear Channel Outdoor, Dan held positions at Captivate, Zoom Media, Monster Worldwide, and MTV. He has a proven track record of driving significant revenue growth, developing brands, and creating opportunities for B2B and B2C organizations.In this episode, Kailey and Dan discuss understanding consumer journeys, the role of out-of-home advertising in driving conversions, and the need for adaptability to optimize brand performance.-------------------Key Takeaways:Balancing technological advancements like AI with the inherently human aspect of marketing, ensures that relationships and trust with customers remain central to marketing strategies.With consumers now relying on digital tools for navigability, advertisers should consider journeys and audience behaviors rather than just proximity to locations. When out-of-home advertising is combined with other channels, marketers are able to drive performance, brand awareness, and direct conversions.-------------------“Advertising, especially one that is such a local business, people, relationships, they're really important. I think there is a very big risk in trying to move too fast to embrace automation in a way that undermines the strength that we have. Which is we have people on the ground, in our local markets, working with our customers.” – Dan Levi-------------------Episode Timetamps:‍*(02:49) - Dan's career journey*(05:38) - Trends impacting customer experience*(21:05) - The role of AI in Clear Channel's strategy *(30:21) - Challenges on the customer engagement journey*(35:33) - How Dan defines “good data”‍*(42:14) - Dan's recommendations for upleveling customer experience strategies-------------------Links:Connect with Dan on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios-------------------SponsorGood Data, Better Marketing is brought to you by Twilio Segment. In today's digital-first economy, being data-driven is no longer aspirational. It's necessary. Find out why over 20,000 businesses trust Segment to enable personalized, consistent, real-time customer experiences by visiting Segment.com

On this episode, Jeremy Flynn, Senior Vice President of Data Products and Strategy at Clear Channel Outdoors, discusses the measurement and targeting capabilities of out-of-home advertising and emphasizes that out-of-home is a communal and unskippable medium that offers a unique ad experience. Plus, he explains how advances in geo-location technology allow for more accurate targeting of specific demographics and locations, and he discusses how Clear Channel is leveraging data and analytics to measure the effectiveness of out-of-home campaigns and connect them to consumer behaviors and outcomes.Key Topics:The Unique Advantages of Out-of-Home AdvertisingMeasurement and Attribution in Out-of-Home AdvertisingThe Unique Benefits of Out-of-Home AdvertisingAdvances in Geo-Location Technology for TargetingBeing Nimble and Privacy-Centric in Using Location DataChallenges and Opportunities for Clear Channel OutdoorMission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

Join Steve Turk on this captivating episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast as he sits down with Vanessa James, CEO and founder of VJ Media, and the visionary behind Food, Wine and Fete. Vanessa shares her incredible journey from aspiring sports broadcaster to becoming a dynamic force in the media and events industry. Discover how she navigated her career, overcame challenges, and successfully built her own brand, all while staying true to her Caribbean roots. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a media enthusiast, or just love a good success story, this episode is packed with insights, tips, and inspiration.Show Notes with Timestamps:[00:00:00] Introduction:Steve Turk introduces Vanessa James, CEO and founder of VJ Media and Food, Wine and Fete.[00:01:00] Early Beginnings:Vanessa's early aspiration to become a sports broadcaster inspired by Robin Roberts.Her move from Trinidad to the US and initial love for football.[00:03:00] Transition to Radio:Vanessa's start as a receptionist at Clear Channel (now iHeart Radio).Her progression to becoming the first female program director in her market.[00:08:00] Career Growth in Tallahassee:Details on Vanessa's roles and responsibilities in Tallahassee.Balancing multiple jobs and gaining corporate radio experience.[00:10:00] Move to Miami:Vanessa's strategic move to Miami to further her career.Working at the Sun Sentinel and transitioning back to radio.[00:13:00] Entrepreneurial Leap:The pivotal layoff that led Vanessa to start Vanessa James Media.Building a voiceover business and securing initial clients.[00:19:00] Building a Brand:Strategies Vanessa used to grow VJ Media.The importance of networking and maintaining professional relationships.[00:25:00] Event Production:Creation and success of BJ Media Mixology.Launching Food Wine and FET, an all-inclusive Caribbean celebration.[00:30:00] Advice for Aspiring Professionals:Key advice for young professionals entering the industry.Importance of being reliable, trusting your gut, and valuing collaboration.[00:40:00] Future Plans:Vanessa's vision for the future of her events and business.Excitement for upcoming Food Wine and FET events and other projects.[00:43:00] Conclusion:Steve Turk's appreciation for Vanessa's insights and contributions.Vanessa's final thoughts and encouragement for listeners.[00:45:00] Professional Sign-off:Vanessa James provides a professional sign-off for the podcast.[00:46:00] Sponsor Message:Steve Turk mentions Biscayne Coffee, the episode's sponsor, and their mission to preserve Biscayne Bay.Listeners can tune into The Hospitality Mentor Podcast on all major streaming platforms and YouTube. For more information, visit Vanessa James Media's website and follow her on social media platforms.

Swamp rock afficianados, this is your podcast!Despite forming in California, Creedence Clearwater Revival was known for their Louisiana sound often described as "swamp rock" or later as roots rock.  They tended towards an earlier rock sound during a time when much of their fellow performers were moving in a more psychedelic direction.  But CCR (as the band was known, or Creedence) would find prolific success in the time from 1969 to 1971 when they would produce 14 consecutive top 10 singles and five consecutive top 10 albums.The band featuring front man and multi instrumentalist John Fogerty, brother Tom Fogerty on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Stu Cook on bass, and Doug Clifford on percussion got their start as a band playing rock standards and instrumentals in 1959 under the name "The Blue Velvets."  They changed their name to "the Golliwogs" in 1964, then became CCR in 1967.  The name Creedence Clearwater Revival comes from three sources - John Fogerty's friend Credence Newball, a beer commercial touting "clear water," and the word "revival" depicting the members' re-commitment to the band.Cosmo's Factory is the band's fifth studio album takes its title from the warehouse in Berkeley where the band practiced in early days.  Doug "Cosmo" Clifford called it "The Factory" because they practiced there almost daily.  This album went to number 1 on the Billboard 200 charts and remained there for nine weeks.  It is one of those albums that appears to be a "greatest hits" album rather than a studio release because of the number of very familiar songs originating on it.The group would be prolific, but short-lived.  Tom Fogerty left the group at the end of 1971 and the rest had an acrimonious falling out shortly thereafter.  But for a few years, CCR produced a gigantic body of work, despite never having a number 1 hit.Wayne takes us through this classic album of swamp rock for this week's podcast. Who'll Stop the RainOften considered a Viet Nam protest song, the inspiration for this track is actually Woodstock, where multitudes of music fans congregated in the rain to hear the music of the age.  It was released as a double A single along with "Travelin' Band," and went to number 2 on the American charts.Run Through the JungleAnother song mistakenly considered to be a Viet Nam protest (and often used that way in films), Fogerty wrote this about the proliferation of guns in the United States, comparing city streets to a jungle.  This was another double A single release, paired with "Up Around the Bend."  It has appeared in multiple films including "Air America," "Rudy," and "Tropic Thunder."Up Around the BendThis track is a more straightforward invitation to a gathering that is, as you might guess, up around the bend.  It went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and number 3 on the UK singles charts.  John Fogerty wrote this song, as he did most of the original CCR tracks.Travelin' BandThis song draws its inspiration from 1950's rock songs, particularly paying homage to the style of Little Richard.  The lyrics talk about a band on the road.  It's reference to "737 coming out of the sky" - a new passenger plane at the time the song was written - put the song on a list of inappropriate tracks in a post-9/11 memo by Clear Channel. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Main theme from the television series “Dark Shadows”A feature length horro film entitled "House of Dark Shadows" was released in 1970 based on the vampire soap opera.  STAFF PICKS:Tears of a Clown by Smokey Robinson & the MiraclesLynch's staff pick has upbeat music that belies the sad lyrics depicting a man who has to put on a happy front despite facing the loss of his love.  The track was originally recorded in 1966, but not released until 1970.  It topped both the UK charts and the US Billboard Hot 100.  Long Long Time by Linda RonstadtRob's staff pick may not be a rock song in the traditional sense, but it shows off the vocal capabilities of one of the leading female rock figures prior to her breakthrough as a soloist.  The song about a woman's undying love for a guy who will never be hers went to number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Diana RossBruce features a song written by Ashford and Simpson in 1966, and originally a hit for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell who took it to number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.  Diana Ross released this as a solo song with a reworked sound incorporating gospel elements with strings and horns.  It went to number 1 making it Ross's first number 1 solo hit.Vehicle by The Ides of MarchWayne presents a one-hit wonder out of Chicago with a funky sound and a great horns section.  The vocalist and guitarist for The Ides of March would later become a founding member of Survivor.  General Motors used this song extensively in national advertising, and it will tend to get you driving faster! NOVELTY TRACK:Chicken Strut by the MetersThis novelty song inspired a short-lived dance, and wraps up this week's podcast. Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

NAVEX continues to produce high-quality compliance reports, many of which are a must-read in the compliance industry. Its annual Whistleblower Report is of particular note -- NAVEX is the leading provider of hotline services in the world, and its data is invaluable as a source of trends in this industry. This year --2024 -- is no exception. NAVEX combed through the data from 3784 organizations for 2023. Its headline conclusion -- 2023 was a busy year, with a record level of use and the substantiation rate reaching an eleven-year high. More reports came in, and more were found to be true. Listen in as Michael discusses the findings of these reports and why the increase is a good sign, not a bad sign. It means that employees trust their respective hotline reporting systems to produce results.NAVX's 2024 Whistleblower Report revealed a record level of use and an 11-year high substantiation rate, indicating increased trust in employee reporting systems.Accounting-related reports, comprising approximately 4.3% of all reports in 2023, had a significant impact. With a median substantiation rate of 50%, these reports often led to employment separation events, underscoring the seriousness of the issues raised.Third-party reports were more likely to focus on business integrity and financial misconduct issues, accounting for 50% of reports compared to employees' 17%.Reports of imminent threats had a high substantiation rate in 2023, with nearly 9 out of 10 reports proven to be substantiated, highlighting the seriousness of such issues.Workplace civility complaints increased to 18% of reported cases, reflecting a growing concern within organizations about maintaining a respectful work environment and culture.HR issues, a significant portion of all reports in 2023, accounted for 55% of the total. This underscores the importance of addressing internal workplace issues, such as workplace discord, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, to maintain a healthy and productive work environment.Clear Channel's extensive cooperation with the investigation, prompt sharing of facts, document production, and employee interviews demonstrated a commitment to transparency and accountability in addressing compliance issues.ResourcesMichael Volkov on LinkedIn | TwitterThe Volkov Law Group

Out-of-home advertising is the oldest form of marketing around, outside of word-of-mouth. But is there a way to revolutionize what has always been pretty traditional? On this episode, Dan Levi, the CMO of Clear Channel Outdoor, discusses the company's focus on digital innovation in the out-of-home advertising space and he explores the impact of AI in the industry and how it is being used to enhance creativity and optimize campaigns. Plus, lessons learned from his time at MTV and Monster, and what it takes to build high-performing teams.  Tune in to learn:What is Clear Channel Outdoor (1:50)The importance of having the right people (03:30)How to build relationships (6:10)Learnings from MTV (9:30)What led Dan to Clear Channel Outdoor (21:00)Understanding attribution of OOH (28:00)Social responsibility in the corporate world (40:30)The culture of the ELT (46:00)--Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at http://www.mission.org.