CREDIT: MTV publicity photo

This is my weekly print column that’s set to run on Monday:

The Parents Television Council, a non-profit watchdog group, sometimes comes off as a humorless schoolmarm wagging its finger in the face of racy TV programming. But when it latches onto a topic that resonates with the public, it can be quite effective.

Its members flooded the Federal Communications Commission with complaints over the Janet Jackson Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction” in 2004. The FCC fined CBS $550,000.  Though the case remains on appeal, the effect was palpable as radio and TV placed delay buttons on live events and scaled back crude content.

Since then, as the economy cratered, the PTC’s influence waned. TV has been pushing the boundaries of taste again. PTC efforts last year to get CBS to change the title of “[Bleep] My Dad Says” failed. Last fall, the New York Times highlighted the group’s dwindling finances and internal strife.

But last month, the PTC found …

Continue reading Parents Television Council targets MTV’s ‘Skins’ »

Courtesy of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame

Folksy talk-show host Ludlow Porch died early Friday, according to his website funseekers.net.

God is laughing today. Ludlow Porch passed from this mortal plane at 6:06 AM.

Memorial service will be held at Big Canoe Chapel next Saturday February 19, 2011 at 2 p.m. A reception will follow in the Broyles Community Center.

Porch, whose real name was Bobby C.  Hanson, was living in Dawsonville. According to his official obituary, sent by Bearden Funeral Home, “in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, 121 S. Saint Asaph St., Alexandria, VA 22314, or to the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame, P. O. Box 5313, St. Mary’s, Georgia 31558.”

Porch had suffered strokes recently, according to Denny Ainsworth, his long-time producer and sidekick who took over his radio network last year.

Porch, 76,  spent many years on 680/WRNG-AM Ring Radio, where Neal Boortz also got his start. He also worked for WSB-AM in …

Continue reading UPDATE: Former Ring Radio/WSB Radio host Ludlow Porch has died »

Adam Ferrara, Tanner Foust and Sequoia's Rutledge Wood. CREDIT: History publicity photo

The U.S. version of “Top Gear” didn’t exactly blow up with “Pawn Stars” numbers, but it did well enough for the History network to give it a second season.

The show, which features comic Adam Ferrara, rally racer Tanner Foust and Senoia’s Rutledge Wood, includes ridiculously souped up vehicles, extreme challenges and stunts, car reviews and celebrity visits by the likes of Ty Burrell (”Modern Family”), Michelle Rodriguez (”Lost”), actor Tim Allen (”Home Improvement”), singer Bret Michaels (”Celebrity Apprentice,” “Rock of Love”) and skateboard legend Tony Hawk. The first episode was shot in Griffin and included a faux battle between a Dodge Viper and a Cobra attack helicopter.  In all, there were 10 episodes, of which one was a clip show.  Ten are are forthcoming for season two.

Wood, who is at a NASCAR race in Daytona, Fla. today, told me that they are already planning ideas for the next …

Continue reading History rewards ‘Top Gear’ with second season »

11 Alive (WXIA-TV)  has started a feature called “I’m Just Sayin’,” allowing citizens and celebrities a chance to  “rant” about a subject that’s bugging them for about a minute.

Among those who have done it so far: Atlanta City Hall councilman Kwanza Hall on turning schools into 24-hour community centers, Megan McGlover on Valentine’s Day, V-103’s Frank Ski on adults taking responsibility to improve the moral fabric of society and Dave FM’s Jimmy Baron on reality stars.

These are kind of like the commentary that Sue Sylvester (”Sue’s Corner”) does on the local news on the TV show “Glee.”

Baron last night in his second segment critiqued the National Anthem after Christina Aguilera’s rendition at the Super Bowl.

“Our National Anthem stinks,” he said, because it’s hard to sing and lyrical content makes no sense.

He thinks it should be replaced by Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” “It’s already a mainstay at every bar and ballgame,” he said. “In other words, it’s easy to sing …

Continue reading 11 Alive starts ‘I’m Just Sayin’ ‘ rants from celebrities and citizens »

(AP Photo/Photo courtesy of Rush Limbaugh)

Rush Limbaugh, for the fifth year in the row, topped the annual Talkers magazine’s “Heavy Hundred”  talk show hosts.

He has drawn the biggest audiences of any radio talk show host in history, estimated to be more than15 million listeners a week, far greater than any individual cable news show. He is the strongest performer in Atlanta on 640/WGST-AM, though his ratings slipped as 2010 went along.

And he’s still very much loved and hated, depending on your point of view. (Haters will love an upcoming new book called “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Rush Limbaugh’s Assault on Reason.”)

Five Georgia-based talk-show hosts made the cut: Neal  Boortz, Clark Howard,  Allen Hunt, Martha Zoller and new Atlanta-based syndicated host Rusty Humphries. Syndicated sports duo The 2 Live Stews on 790/the Zone and Atlanta-based talk host Mike Malloy were included in a secondary list of 150 other notable shows.

Despite huge audiences, syndicated …

Continue reading Rush Limbaugh tops talk radio rankings for fifth year in a row »

CREDIT: AP

Atlanta radio stations have spun Rihanna’s “What’s My Name?” more than 2,100 times over the past seven weeks, by far the most popular song the past two months.

Q100, V-103, Hot and Wild have been spinning the song at top rotation for much of that time. Q100 is the first to reduce airplay. It’s now in the second tier of airplay with 64 spins this past week, down about 30 spins. But V-103 (51), Hot (86) and Wild (95) remain diligently loyal.

The No. 2 song, Katy Perry’s “Firework,” is only on three stations: Star, Wild and Q100. Soon to overtake her appears to be Bruno Mars‘ latest “Grenade,” which Star is finally giving some spins.

Two songs jump into the top 10: Nicki Minaj’s “Moment 4 Life” and Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me.”

New songs added from various stations:

V-103: Kanye West’s “All of the Lights,” 8-Ounz “College Girls,” Mary Mary “Walking”

Hot 107.9: Nothing I can see

Project 9-6-1: Again, no new songs added

Dave FM: No new songs

Star 94: Bruno Mars …

Continue reading Seven weeks on top of Atlanta radio for Rihanna’s ‘What’s My Name?’ »

CREDIT: Courtesy of Randi Rhodes

Atlanta fans of quick-witted Randi Rhodes should be thrilled to know she’s returning to the AM dial on Monday on NewsTalk 1160/WCFO-AM.

She had been on AM 1690 in Atlanta  from 2004 to 2006 when Air America attempted to create a liberal counterpoint to the heavily conservative world of talk radio.

Jeff Davis, vice president and general manager of WCFO, runs mostly conservative talk show hosts but after fiery Dr. Laura Schlessinger left in December for Sirius/XM, he decided to try something different.

“From the frying pan,” Davis said, “into the fire. We want someone to stir the pot and bring some balance in a radio market that is woefully lacking in balance. She had a lot of fans when Air America was here.”

She will  air from 3 to 5 p.m. between Dennis Miller and Mancow.

Rhodes, a progressive talk show host on 40 stations nationwide, mostly does well in liberal alcoves such as Seattle, Denver, Portland, New York and Los Angeles. WCFO’s signal …

Continue reading 1160/WCFO-AM adds Randi Rhodes to lineup Feb. 14 »

Comedian Steve Harvey greets Kmart customers for the holiday season before signing copies of his new book, "Straight Talk, No Chaser, " Friday, Dec. 10, 2010, in Burbank, Calif. (Rene Macura/AP Images for Sears Holdings)

Atlanta syndicated talk show host and entertainer Steve Harvey is battling back against nasty allegations his ex wife made on a set of YouTube videos last month.

In the videos, Mary Harvey claims Harvey cheated on her regularly throughout their marriage and left her penniless and without their son after their divorce.

“He turned my son against me, had me evicted me from our house, I was thrown out,” she said. “He manipulated the courts, everything against me. I woke up, everything was gone.”

Harvey has gone to court to release previously sealed information about his divorce to disprove her case.  Today, he  released the following in a press release:

On Monday, February 7, 2011, the Honorable Judge Dry of the District Court in Collin County, Texas has …

Continue reading Steve Harvey fights back over ex-wife’s allegations »

Christina Aguilera sings the national anthem before the NFL football Super Bowl XLV game between withe Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Charlie Krupa)

The power of the pigskin reigns supreme in America: the Super Bowl broke viewership records last night with 111 million viewers. That’s more than one-third of the U.S. population and nearly triples the Academy Awards.

The top “American Idol” episode this year, in comparison,  has drawn less than one-quarter of that audience.

The Packers-Steelers game also breaks last year’s 106.5 million viewers by 4.5 million.

Nationally, it  pulled in a 46 rating and a 69 share, best since a comparable figure in 1996.That means more than 50 million homes had the Super Bowl on and 69 percent of all TVs that were in use were tuned to Fox.

Only  eight Super Bowls have had higher ratings numbers, all from the 1978-85 era.

Atlanta pulled in a below-average rating of 44.2 but that …

Continue reading Super Bowl breaks viewership records at 111 million viewers »

CSS Sports

Sandra Golden, who was on 790/The Zone’s “Mayhem in the AM” from 2004 to 2008, will be joining rival show the Rude Awakening on 680/The Fan starting Feb. 14.

Golden left in 2008 to start her own media coaching firm. She has also worked at CSS’s “Sports Nite” the past few years. In 2009, she returned part time to the Zone but the station has not had any openings for anything meaningful full time.

David Dickey, the Fan general manager, said she will add a new voice to a team that features Chris Rude, Perry Laurentino and Leo Mazzone.

“We want to continue to evolve the brand,” Dickey said, “and broaden the appeal. She’s not a former coach or player. She’s coming in as an established sportscaster. She has great relations with the local teams and within the various leagues, professional and college. She’s a great gal.”

Golden said Dickey called her with the offer. “I really feel like when the Dickeys call, to be part of something successful, you’d have to be an idiot …

Continue reading Sandra Golden joining the Rude Awakening on 680/The Fan Feb. 14 »