Week of January 1, 1984
The largest corporate breakup in business history goes
into effect this week (as of January 1) - the breakup of
AT&T. The company begins the New Year by spinning of
its 22 local operating companies and reorganizing them
into seven independent regional telephone companies.
Today’s AT&T has about one-third of the total $156 billion
in assets of its predecessor. AT&T retains its long-distance
operations.
San Salvador - Leftist Guerrillas blow up the largest bridge
in El Salvador, possibly heralding a new series of offensive
for 1984.
Jesse Jackson lends an assist in getting Navy Lt. Robert Goodman Jr. released
from Syria. President Reagan thanked Jackson, saying - “You don’t quarrel with
success.’
President Reagan says he would be willing to meet with Syrian President Hafez
Assad and that Assad’s decision to release a captured U.S. Navy flier may lead
to such an encounter.
Unemployment hits a 26-month low at 8.2%.
The mid-sized Oldsmobile Cutlas bumps the subcompact Ford Escort out of first
place as the nation’s top-selling car in 1983. Rounding out the list were the
compact Chevrolet Cavalier; Chevrolet Caprice, Buick Regal and Oldsmobile, all
full-sized models. Next - the Honda Accord, Nissan Sentra, Oldsmobile Clera
and the Chevrolet Chevette.
In a Parade Magazine interview - Tennis star
Billie Jean
King
says she and her husband, Larry, have lost more than
$2 million because of the reaction to her seven-year lesbian
affair with her secretary Marilyn Barnett.
Wall Street trading volume hits a record for a day as volume
on the New York Stock Exchange reached an estimated
161.49 million shares, surpassing the record of 149.35
million in November of 1982.
Week of January 1, 1984
Media - Australian publisher Rupert Murdock declares his intention to acquire up
to 49.9% of Warner Communications voting stock. Murdoch is Warner’s largest
shareholder with a 7% stake acquired in recent months.
Sports -
Phil Niekro
signs a 2-year contract with the New
York Yankees, ending a long association with the
Atlanta Braves that began in 1959.
Bowl Games -
Sugar - Auburn 9 Michigan 7
Cotton - Georgia 10 Texas 9
Orange Miami (Fla) 31 Nebraska 30
Rose - UCLA 45 Illinois 9
Fiesta - Ohio St. 28 Pittsburgh 23
Radio news -
Top-40 KIIS-FM Los Angeles is on fire. They’re up to an 8.1% of the total
audience - up from 7.4% the last ratings period.
Television news
ABC is readying an experimental pay-TV service called “Telefirst," a video
recording service offering recent motion pictures on a pay-per-view basis. The
service depends on subs using the service to record to VCR. ABC is suing its
WLS-TV (channel 7) to transmit the movies and other original programs from 2
to
5:30am each morning.
Tuesday night television -
CBS - Special-Andy Rooney Takes Off, Movie
NBC - The A-Team, Riptide (debut), Tonight, Late Night With David Letterman
ABC - Life’s Most Embarrassing Moments, Three’s Company Madeline, Hart to
Hart, Nightline
PBS - The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
ARTS - Hugh Downs Spotlight.
ESPN - Sportscenter, NFL’s Greatest Moments, Big East Basketball
USA - Wrestling
Special-Andy Rooney Takes Off - Andy’s take on our country from a helicopter.
Week of January 1, 1984
Life’s Most Embarrassing Moments - John Ritter hosts with guests Kathy Lee
Crosby, bob Eubanks, Eugene Roche, Garo Yepremian, Phil Esposito, pat
O’Brien
Riptide (debut) See ad.
Madeline - Madeline and Charlie go on a canoeing expedition, but wind up in jail.
Tonight Show - Martin Mull, Stephanie Zimbalist and Jane Goodall join Johnny
Carson.
Week of January 1, 1984
Lorne Michaels Is The Producer
