ISSUE NUMBER 360 THE INDUSTRY'S NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 28, 1980 REGAN NEW WEST COAST VP GM FINES WIGO $10,000 Clean Sweep At Casablanca As Bird "Terminated" FCC Revokes 96X License Polygram "terminated our re- (and helping name) the Beach made and brought to the attention lationship" with Casablanca Pres- Boys and recording a few singles The FCC upheld a judge's 1978 of the Commission by a disgruntled ident Bruce Bird Monday (11-25), under his own name and pseudonym- decision to revoke the license of former employee. leaving the company without a ously. He became GM of Warners' Charter's WMJX(96X)/Miami, but Violations taken into account in- President and apparently elimi- Loma subsidiary in 1966, and join- reversed another judge's 1979 ruling clude: congratulating a car winner nating a number of top executives ed MCA's fledgling Uni label, be- to strip WIGO/Atlanta of its li- of competing station WHYRY100)/ as well. Russ Regan has been ap- coming GM before assuming the cense, instead imposing the maxi- Miami as if the car was given pointed West Coast VP/GM of Poly- presidency at 20th Century Rec- mum-allowable fine, $10,000, on away by 96X; falsifying news gram Record Operations (PRO), ords in 1972. In 1977 he founded his the station's owner. broadcasts, stating that one of managing all label activities (Cas- own label, Parachute (distributed WMJX has been having prob- WMJX's announcers, Greg Austin, ablanca. Polydor, and Mercury) by Casablanca); most recently he lems with the FCC since 1975, was lost in the Devil's Triangle in that region for Polygram's um- formed Fabulous Records and when contest violations and false and that police helicopters were brella organization. A Polygram headed his own Utopia Produc- news broadcasts were allegedly standing by for a search and rescue 1" spokesman told R&R that there tions firm. Ironically, his new of- operation; and the wording of a are no plans to consolidate the fice at Polygram West is the one Russ Regan Cancer Claims promotion that said, "You can win three PRO labels at this time, but he occupied while at 20th, and hundreds of thousands of dollars" with at least four key Casablanca which have become institutions in marks the fourth time he's worked Dick Haynes when in fact only $5000 was given VP's reliably reported as depart- our business. We fully anticipate out of his "lucky building" on Sun- away. ing (VP/GM Al Di Noble, VP/Sin- that he will be able to apply the set Blvd. (Uni and Parachute gles Promotion T.J. Lambert, VP/ same talent and integrity to Poly- were also located there at various Charter Reviewing Album Promotion Bobby Apple- gram and contribute greatly to times.) Decision gate, and VP/Artist Relations Don our future success." Official announcements on Poly- Charter Broadcast Group Presi- Wasley), the future of Casablanca Regan began his career in 1961 gram West's new executive struc- dent John Bayliss told R&R, "We're appears to be clouded. The label's as a promotion rep, working with ture are expected shortly. very disappointed with the deci- offices were at one point Monday sion. Before we take any action, reportedly closed for the rest of we want to review the full text of the week. but Tuesday (Regan's RKO Chooses Dearborn the Commission's decision. We first day in the offices) several label won't have access to all the paper- personnel were present and work- work for a couple of weeks." ing. Meanwhile. Bird reportedly For "Night-Time America" "Short-term renewal is the harsh- plans to seek legal recourse over The RKO Radio Network has se- Bob. It was a project looking for Dick Haynes, one of Los est punishment that should be his contract settlement with Poly- lected Bob Dearborn as host of its just the right person, and he was a Angeles's and Country radio's handed down," argued WMJX at- gram. ambitious five-hour-nightly "Night- person looking for just the right most famous and best-loved torney Rich Rodin of the Washing- ton firm of Hogan & Hartson. He Regan Time America" program. Dear- project. I'm really excited about air personalities, died Tuesday born has enjoyed a long and varied it." added, "The misconduct suggest- Administration night (11-25) after a long battle radio career, including a lengthy Dearborn echoed those senti- with cancer. "Haynes At The ed by the judge does not warrant Commenting on Regan's ap- stint with WCFL/Chicago and a ments, commenting. "Needless to Reins" was an L.A. radio fix- revocation." Rodin defended Charter by pointment, which took effect Tues- recent airshift at WTAE / Pitts- say, it's the opportunity of a life- ture for 35 years, following on- FCC/See Page 28 day (11-25), PRO-USA President burgh. time. I've never been so thrilled air experience in his native David Braun stated. "Russ has RKO Director of Programming reaching a position in this busi- Texas, St. Louis, and Sacra- distinguished himself as one of the Jo Interrante told ft&R, "After a ness. I've found something that mento, and was the morning Curtains For most creative figures in our indus- very illuminating search, in which far exceeds anything I'd ever man at KLAC until illness try, and has been responsible for I talked to a lot of people, it was imagined before in the way of a forced him off the air about a Mutual's "Radio the development of many acts almost star-crossed that we found challenge, and I couldn't be more year ago. Earlier this year he excited about it. We're going to was honored by hundreds of $1 MILLION DRIVE, MODULAR SPOTS give it our best effort and try to fans and professional friends Theatre" do something that's never been for his 35 years in L.A. radio, Mutual Broadcasting has closed done before." as "Dick Haynes Day" was of- down two significant program- Dearborn began his radio career ficially proclaimed and his ming ventures, including the Styx Picks Radio For at age 15 at CKOC/Hamilton, On- name was added to the Holly- widely-aired "Mutual Radio The- tario (his birthplace), moving to wood Walk of Fame. atre." President/CEO Marty Ru- the U.S. in 1963 and joining Top 40 Massive New Campaign Haynes was known as one of benstein cited "a lack of sponsor WPRO/Providence. He then be- the top comic air personalities support" as the reason for closing access to the concert promotion. came Production Manager at Beau- Stardust Enterprises, which in the business, thanks to char- down "Radio Theatre" and the We feel this is very destructive for tiful Music WRTH/St. Louis, manages A&M's Styx, is launch- acters like "Gum Drop Gus" Southwest Regional Network. moving to WIXY/Cleveland be- ing an extensive radio campaign major acts, as it excludes radio and "Sir Chester Drawers" Rubenstein stated, "Effective stations. We'd rather encourage fore being drafted and working in in support of the group's forth- and a seemingly inexhaustible at the end of December, we will coming 110-date North American the natural competition between radio while in the armed forces. supply of jokes. Fellow KLAC close down Mutual's Southwest stations." Subsequent stops included WPTR/ tour, utilizing a novel approach to air personality Larry Scott Regional Network based out of the radio spots designed to in- Albany and WKNR/Detroit, and called him "one of the most Dallas. Coverage of the Dallas Image Openings in 1970 he began a six-year stay at crease significantly the number of dedicated people I've ever met Cowboys and Southwest Confer- participating radio stations. Ac- With this goal in mind, Stardust WCFL, where he became nation- in show business. He was al- ence games will continue. The cording to group manager Derek Project Director Jim Cahill devised ally known via a syndicated show ways on. He loved people, and cal Texas and regional news to Sutton, total expenditures for the a series of color-coded radio spots, he created which analyzed the he would be crushed if he surrounding states will be discon- tour may exceed $1 million, with a professionally-produced series lyrical complexities of Don thought anyone might not like tinued." an estimated 90% going to radio McLean's "American Pie." In of teasers, on-sale announcements, him or might be upset at him." He continued, "December 19 (exclusive of album wits pur- 1976 he joined WTAE, and most and sold-out notifications, along Rtii it Country Editor Jim marks the last broadcast of Mutual's chased by A&M). with a special "green series," recently he was GM at a St. Peters- Duncan, who also worked with 'Radio Theatre' series, which has Sutton explained, "Traditional- which features "open spots" cus- burgh cable TV station, WPAT-TV. "Uncle Dick" at KLAC, said, been running five nights a week ly, when a big show comes to town, tom-designed to allow radio sta- He begins working on "Night- "He always considered himself since last March. This is one of our the local promoter gives it to one tions to insert their own image Time America" December 1, and a comedian and an entertainer highest clearing shows in terms of radio station as the concert pre- material and, as Sutton says, to the show, which RKO hopes will I) as well as a disc jockey. He stations (over 300), but this is an- senter. The other stations are then "participate in their own unique become an overnights sensation, was one of the best." other effort to minimize losses." out in the cold as far as gaining STYX/See Page 28 is set to debut January 5.