Week of October 23, 1980

President Carter equates what he is calling Ronald Reagan’s “secret plan” to free

the American hostages in Iran to former President Nixon’s secret plan in the

1968 election campaign to win the Vietnam War.

A package bomb containing a trick-or-treat message explodes in a Phoenix

accounting office, injuring nine people.

Release imminent? - The Iranian Parliament meets to open its long-awaited

debate on conditions for freeing the 52 American hostages.

Inflation jumps back into double digits in September as consumer prices led by

rising food costs, rose a full 1% - translating into 12.7% compound annual

inflation.

President Carter says, “I don’t have nay way of

knowing. I can’t predict” whether the hostages will

be released by Iran before Tuesday’s presidential

election.

Richard Allen, Ronald Reagan’s principal foreign

policy adviser who has come under fire for alleged

activities while a member of the Nixon White

House Staff, withdraws from the Republican

presidential nominee’s campaign organization.

Carter-Reagan debate (Cleveland) - President

Carter accused Ronald Reagan of being

“dangerous.” Regan responded coolly and

assailed Carter for his economic records in the

hostage situation in Iraq. Both sides claimed

victory in their critical nationally televised debate.

Sen. Harrison Williams Jr. (D-NJ) is indicted in the government’s wide-ranging

Abscam investigation. He is accused of conspiring to get federal contracts for a

titanium mine in which he was given an interest.

Chrysler Corp reports its losses continued in the third quarter, but less than

earlier in the year. Meantime, General Motors reports a third quarter loss of $567

million - largest ever for a U.S. corporation (so far).

Montgomery ward & Co. the troubled retailing unit of Mobil Corp., will report a -

month loss of over $100 million.

Week of October 23, 1980

Music news -

Paul Kantner (39) of the Jefferson Starship, suffers a

serious stoke.

Car Stereo sales have risen about 15% over last year.

This particularly bodes well for FM stereo and

cassette listening in cars.

The Bee Gees are in the middle of a lawsuit with their

old label - RSO Records. The suit alleges that Robert

Stigwood “appropriated” copyrights and master

recordings belonging to the Gibbs, “surreptitiously”

diverted millions of dollars from them by creating self-servicing corporate entities

that shunted money and delayed royalty payments and ‘resisted and

discouraged” any attempt by the group to work for companies outside the RSO

family.

“The Grateful Dead In Concert” will be among the initial offerings from RCA

SelectaVision videodisks.

Despite that the movie or soundtrack of “Roadie” is not making it in sales, there’s

one hit out of it - “Drivin’ My Life Away” by Eddie Rabbit is a hit.

It’s estimated that home taping is costing the music industry about $700 million in

losses per year.

Entertainment news -

On the “Tomorrow Show” - Actor Cary Grant is gong to sue comic Chevy Chase

for slander because of references made about him on a recent New York

television show. On it, but jokingly, Chase referred to the venerable actor as a

“homo.”

Radio news - After just a few weeks, Timothy Leary ,

the former drug guru, loses his job ad SJ and talk show

host in KEZY-AM in Anaheim. Apparently, many older

listeners could not forget his drug proselytizing of the

nation’s youth.

British singer Jonathan King, whose hit “Everyone’s Gone

To The Moon” hit the top-5 in 1965, his now a talkshow

Week of October 23, 1980

host on WMCA, New York. He’ll include musical guests from time to time. Look

for Dusty Springfield soon.

Whose “Rocktober” is it anyway? - Although no one seems to know for certain

where the term originated, some say it came from Australia. Besides the New

York mess, other stations across the U.S. use the term. Metromedia, owners of

WNEW-FM New York has gone to federal court to obtain an injunction against

the use of the term “Rocktober” by anyone other than its own stations, but it

hasn’t stopped rival WPLJ-FM.

Week of October 23, 1980

XTRA-AM (690) In Tijuana, but serving So. California goes from beautiful music

to top-40. It’s theme is “Clutter Free: the mighty 690.” The station will have a tight

playlist.

Bobby Rich, former program director of KHTZ-FM Los Angeles, WXLO-Fm New

York and KFMB-FM San Diego is now with Drake-Chenault as head of a new

consultation operation for the company.

Week of October 23, 1980

Jay Clark, the new operations manager of WABC-AM in New York, says he’s in it

for the long haul. The station will not make any radical changes as has been

rumored. His first move was to demote evening jock Howard Hoffman to

overnights.

Talk WCFL Chicago makes the switch back to music and will play adult

contemporary music. Program director is Dave Martin.

RKO says it will beam a stereo radio show via satellite! The first music show to

benefit is a two-hour special on Paul Simon. A Linda Ronstadt special will also be

fed by satellite Nov. 8 The bold step puts RKO in the forefront of the race into

satellites by the networks. Mutual is doing it, but on a limited basis.

Cousin Bruce Morrow just bought WRAN-AM in Dover NJ

(1510) and installs a format he calls Family Oriented Radio.

Morrow also owns similar-formatted WALL (1340) Middletown

NY. He says the format doesn’t have the same sound in the

evening as it does in the daytime. Morrow still has a contract

with ABC for “Memory Weekend” shows

New York ratings -

WBLS (disco-urban) - 8.7, WKTU-FM - 6.2. WNBC-AM - 4.7. WABC-AM - 4.2.

WPLJ-FM - 4.2. WNEW-FM - 2.9. WRFM (beautiful music) - 4.7. Country WHN

-2.6. WPIX-FM - 1.6.

Chicago ratings -

WGN-AM - 12.0, WLOO-FM (beautiful music) - 6.0. WLAK-FM (beautiful music)

-5.0. WLS-AM - 5.7 (down from a 6.7 a year ago). AOR WLUP - 4.7. WMAQ-

AM (country) also with a 4.7. WFYR-FM - 3.4 Talk WCFL - .5

Television news -

Carter-Reagan debate - ABC news correspondent Barbara Walters and two

news executives and a Washington correspondent have been named to the

panel which will question both in the debate. Howard K. Smith will moderate.

Patti Reagan Davis , daughter of Ron and Nancy, will

play a bit part on the debut of NBC-TV’s “Here’s

Boomer.” Look for it December 7.

Week of October 23, 1980

Friday night television -

CBS - Life is a Circus, Charlie Brown,

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,

Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas

NBC - Centennial, NBC Magazine with

David Brinkley, Tonight, Midnight

Special

ABC - Movie - Invasion of the Body

Snatchers, Fridays

PBS - Washington Week, Wall Street

Week

Midnight Special - The Oak Ridge

Boys guest host with Queen, Debby

Boone, Pat Benatar, Don McLean, Ra

Goodman and Brown.

Hot Albums -

Guilty - Barbara Streisand

The Game - Queen

Crimes of Passion - Pat Benatar

One Step Closer - Doobie Brothers

Diana - Diana Ross

Emotional Rescue - Rolling Stones

Xanadu - Soundtrack

Back in Black - AC/DC

Panorama - The Cars

Honeysuckle Rose - Soundtrack

TP - Teddy Pendergrass

Urban Cowboy - Soundtrack

Give Me The Night - George Benson

One Trick Pony - Paul Simon

Christopher Cross - Christopher Cross

Hold Out - Jackson Browne

Wild Planet - B-52’s

Zapp - Zapp

Week of October 23, 1980

Hot in Discos -

Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

Can’t Fake the Feeling - Geraldine Hunt

If You Could Read My Mind - Viola Wills

I Need Your Lovin’ - Teena Marie

Love Sensation - Loleatta Holloway

Private Idaho - B-52’s

Top Country -

Theme From The Dukes of Hazzard - Waylon Jennings

I Believe In You -Don Williams

Old Habits - Hank Williams Jr.

Faded Love - Willie Nelson & Ray Price

I’m Not Ready Yet - George Jones

Could I Have This Dance - Anne Murray

On The Road Again - Willie Nelson

Sweet Sexy Eyes - Cristy Lane

Loving Up A Storm - Razzy Bailey

Top Hits In Britain -

D.I.S.C.O. - Ottawan

Baggy Trousers - Madness

My Old Piano - Diana Ross

Master Blaster - Stevie Wonder

One Day, Ill Fly Away - Randy Crawford

Stereotype - Specials

Amigo - Black Slate

Of You’re Lookin’ For A Way Out - Odyssey

Hot Hits -

Upside Down - Diana Ross

Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

All Out of Love -Air Supply

Woman in Love - Barbra Streisand

Real Love - Doobie Brothers

I’m Alright - Kenny Loggins

Drivin’ My Life Away - Eddie Rabbit

Xanadu - Olivia Newton John

The Wanderer - Donna Summer

Never Knew Love Like This Before -

Stephanie Mills

Week of October 23, 1980

Jesse - Carly Simon

Give Me The Night - George Benson

Lady - Kenny Rogers

Dreaming - Cliff Richard

Hot Rod Hearts - Robbie Dupree

Late in the Evening - Paul Simon

Look What You’ve Done To Me - Boz Skaggs

Master Blaster - Stevie Wonder

At the movies -

Madness

Motel Hell

Private Benjamin

Ordinary People

Elephant Man From Yesterday Airplane!

Devine Madness

Loving Couples

Somewhere In Time

Gloria

It’s My Turn