Baltimore21201.Com - The Blog

Casting Frontiers on One Union: All work counts toward SAG-AFTRA health plan.

SAG-AFTRA MERGER IMPROVES ACTOR'S
WORKING CONIDITIONS, SHIFTS HOLLYWOOD
POWER STRUCTURE

More than 150,000 actors will benefit from the recent merger of SAG and Aftra ‒ and not only because bases dues for dual cardholders will decrease from $243 to $198 per year.

In the big picture, no longer will producers be able to leverage one union against the other during negotiations.

SAG President, Ken Howard

"That was the big problem ‒ the two unions being pitted against each other," says Jennifer Bailey, a SAG member since 1993 currently appreaing in the "Thanking our Teachers" Exxon mobile campaign. "And the kicker was a few years ago when Afra negotiated separately and undercut SAG on most of the TV shows."

With the merger, SAG has addressed its key deficiency: Its perceived powerlessness.

 

The merger means that members of Aftra are now SAG members ‒ one reason why many SAG members were apprehensive about the merger. "You have to do work to get into SAG", says Kim Kopf, an SAG member for 27 years. "But anyone can join Aftra, and then when the merger happened, they would automatically be an SAG member, so there was a little bit of hesitation about that. But as long as the union is stronger, and joining with Aftra makes it stronger moving forward, I'm all for it."

"I feel very good about the merger," says Sherry Locher, an Aftra member since 2007 who recently appeared in the indie film 8:46. "It's one union now, so there are no longer two different rates, and I think that'll make a huge difference during contract negotiations."

Although the health benefit plans have yet to be worked out, most actors we spoke with were optimistic there would be efficiencies found in greater numbers. "It's up to the trustees as to what is the best course of action," says Jennifer Bailey. "Not everything is 100-percent laid out as to what's going to happen, but as far as I'm concerned, as it is now, it's going from bad to worse, so we do need some kind of a change. But it's like when you have a company that has 10 people as opposed to a company that has 1,000 people ‒ the rates for health insurance should be better, and people will now only have to qualify in one plan."

Indeed, it should be easier for actors to get medical and dental coverage. Prior to the merger, actors might do four or five Aftra jobs, and four or five SAG jobs and fail to qualify for either health plan. Now, as they're combined, all work will count toward on health plan.

The first test of SAG-Aftra's post-merger power will be staged this fall, when commercial contracts will be renegotiated, during which, according to the Union, "management will be pushing us to implement a completely new system for payng principal performers in national commercials."

One casting director we spoke with believes the merger will have little bearing on the reality of what's going on right now in commercial work in L.A.

"It feels like sixty percent of commercial work is non-union," says Cathy Reinking, who has cast for Frazier and The Office, as well as for commercials. "So you don't have as many of those lucrative national commercials that everbody used to dream about. And I don't think the [SAG-Aftra] union will reduce that number. I think that producers more and more want to cut costs, and I think they're finding enough good people who aren't union ‒ although I'm skeptical of that, but they must be getting enough. The more I talk to commercial agents the more sense I get that non-union is dominating right now."

Still, the tenor among actors is one of optimism. "I wasn't thrilled witht he idea of joining Aftra to get work," says Bailey. "They seemed a bit disorganized. So I'm really glad they merged, because I think the accounting of the membership dues, pension credits, and health plans will be accurately accounted for. I know AFTRA had something of an honor system, and I just don't know how that can work."

 
This is how it will work.

Congrats to all of my fellow union members for helping to make One Union happen. Many of us have been working to make One Union a reality since 1975. That said, remember Rule No. One.

75 Years Ago Today, Baltimore's News-Post Reported: 'Hindenburg Explodes'

On many fronts, 1937 wasn't altogether a great year. The United States was still attempting to recover from the Great Depression, Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared after taking off from New Guinea, Japan occupied Beijing, the Great Hong Kong Typhoon killed 11,000 people, Italy withdrew from the League of Nations. John D Rockefeller, George Gershwin, and Jean Harlow died. In April of 1937 German warplanes from the Luftwaffe's Condor Legion destroyed the Basque town of Guernica during what was reported as the first air bombardment of an undefended town in history; more than 1,600 civilians were killed.

And, the Baltimore News-Post ran this this headline in May:

 

 

 

 

 

 

1937, Baltimore News-Post Reported: Hindenburg Explodes

Earlier that year WLS, Chicago's powerhouse of a radio station, dispatched announcer Herb Morrison and his engineer, Charlie Nelhsen, to cover the Hindenburg landing in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Morrison's report was to be recorded on a large acetate disk for later broadcast. Recording news and actualities was, in 1937, against all the rules of network radio broadcasting. Morrison's recorded report lead to a change of those rules, which at the time only allowed recordings to be used for sound effects in radio dramas. Morrison's report was so human and so compelling that NBC played the recording on it's network and it became the prototype for news actualities in the post war years.

Morrison was a slender, diminutive man with dark hair, dimples, and a strong chin. On the air, he sounded older than his years. He was dapper, and by all accounts he was exceedingly handsome. Prior to his dispatch to Lakehurst, the majority of his radio work had been as an announcer for live musical programming. For the Hindenburg report from Lakehurst he wore a blue serge suit and a tailored top coat.

Announcer, Herb Morrison

Today most people see, or remember, a newsreel of the Hindenburg disaster with Morrison's account as the voice-over. However, that's a later construction of how the actual reports were filed, seen, and heard.

Even in 1937 newsreels were a low-budget affair. Black and white cameras with no ability to record sound were used. And Morrison and his one-man crew were recording a transcription to a disk with no ability to add visuals. Think of what you remember seeing as one of the earliest audio-visual mashups.

Here is an actual (and yes, silent) newsreel from the time with post production, editing, and a certain amount of 'film touch-up' as performed by the releasing studio.

 

And this, from the Smithsonian, is Herb Morrison's radio report added to actual newsreel film, without any film reconstruction. The difference in film quality is all-telling.

  

According to WLS radio: Listeners in Chicago and across the country didn't hear Morrison's coverage of the disaster until the next day because his report wasn't broadcast live from Lakehurst. He and engineer Charley Nehlsen had been experimenting with field recordings on huge acetate discs. They realized the gravity of their recordings as they found themselves being followed by German SS Officers! After hiding out for a few hours, the two managed to make a clean getaway and get back across the country to WLS. The chilling account aired the next day on the station and was the first recorded radio news report to be broadcast nationally by NBC.

I've been fascinated by lighter-than-air craft, zeppelins, and blimps for as long as I can remember. In Baltimore we all see quite a few small blimps soaring over the city—Dish Network, MetLife, and yes, the Conan craft. I wondered what a zeppelin the size of the Hindenburg would have looked like flying over Baltimore. I wondered if it might have looked this:

Hindenburg Over Baltimore, MD

The Hindenburg explosion killed 35 of the 97 people on board and one person on the ground. A cause of the disaster has been widely speculated about and has created more conspiracy theories than the Kennedy assination, yet the true cause of the Hindenburg's demise has never been discovered.

Casting Notice 4-9-12: MGH Advertising is Searching for the Voice of Baltimore

At first glance, I thought, "Hey, that's me!" Then, reading closer, I discovered that I'd qualify on only one count. According to my buddy, Ryan Goff at MGH, "The ideal candidate will be over 40—the older the better." (I was pinning my hopes on the 'older-the-better' line.)

                 Graphic courtesy MGH Advertising, Owings Mills

To me, this looks like the fun-gig of a lifetime. And, working with MGH could never be anything but a great time. Here are the details directly from the horse's Ryan's mouth:

BECOME THE VOICE OF BALTIMORE!
You could be featured in a future MGH ad campaign.

Audition Today

Now through April 30, we're auditioning residents of Charm City and the surrounding area in an effort to discover someone we're calling the "Voice of Baltimore." This is a man or woman who eats, sleeps and breathes Baltimore – and has a genuine "Bawlmerese" accent to match. If we find this person, he or she may be hired as the voice of a future MGH ad campaign.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

• You must have a genuine Baltimore accent – not a silly one you do at parties, but the real thing.
• The ideal candidate will be over 40 – the older the better – although anyone 18 or older will be considered.
• You should be passionate for Baltimore and have lived in the city or surrounding area your whole life.
• You should be outgoing with a great sense of humor.
• Don’t try to be funny. Just be genuine.

Here's the script for you to read and record:

I’ve lived in Baltimore all my life. I grew up on Bel Air Road and used to root for the Colts with my dad, who worked at Bethlehem Steel in Sparrows Point. We’d also watch the Orioles at Memorial Stadium. After high school, I drove an ambulance, and I made a lot of friends on the police force. Sometimes after a shift I’d say, “Did you eat yet? Let’s go down to Little Italy.” I don’t leave town much. Had to go to Washington a few times. Didn’t care for it. Wow, reading this made me thirsty. You got a glass of water?

All of the details are here. Check them out. Read through the script a couple of times. Record it, and submit your best effort. Again, check the official MGH rules and regulations.

Good luck to everyone and to my SAG-AFTRA union friends, remember Rule One!

Who's the Elephant Insurance Guy? Well, That Would Be Dave Parker from Virginia.

If you live most anywhere in the mid-Atlantic region, I'll bet you've seen this commercial for Elephant Auto Insurance. In the Baltimore area it seems like it's on every fifteen minutes.

 
              "Easy buddy, there's not much left up there."

The first few times I saw the Elephant spot, I thought, "What an unusual casting choice for a spokesperson." I didn't know who the guy in the commercial was, but he really worked. On camera he provided an unusual combination of sincerity, innocence, and humor.

After a few weeks my curiosity got the best of me.

Let me introduce you to Virginia's own Dave Parker, weatherman, family man, talk radio host, Radford alumnus, and Elephant Auto Insurance front-man. Oh yes, he's a country music DJ, also.

                   Dave Parker's Twitter Photo — @daveparkr

Dave Parker's Bio —

Dave's fond of the quote, "Like what you do, do what you like!"

Dave is a native of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. As a graduate of Kempsville High School, Radford University, and additional studies at Mississippi State University, he has spent most of his life in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Many people recognize him as the long-time Chief Meteorologist at WTKR NewsChannel 3, where he worked for almost a decade. Viewers named him the area's Best Weatherman, and he's also picked up awards from the Associated Press in West Virginia and Ohio for his forecasts.

Dave has also appeared on CNN, The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and even The Dating Game.

Parker's first book was published in 2001, titled, "History Next Door, Stories of World War II by Hampton Roads Veterans."

After 18 years of television weather, he decided it was time for a change that would allow his family to stay in Virginia, close to extended family.

Having worked in radio since 2006, Dave was given the chance to pursue his love of country music by becoming one of the initial staff at US106.1, WUSH. You can hear him weekdays from 10 -3. He's also on Talk Radio AM790, WNIS. You'll also hear his voice and see his face in local and national commercials. Dave lives in Va. Beach with his wife, two teenage daughters, and their two crazy dogs.

You can follow Dave Parker on Twitter: @daveparkr

About Elephant Auto Insurance:
Elephant Insurance is a subsidiary of Admiral Group plc. Admiral Group is the third largest auto insurer in the United Kingdom with eleven brands extending into three additional European countries. Admiral operates a direct-to-consumer business model, serving customers via the phone and internet, and has nearly 2 million customers worldwide. Admiral Group plc is consistently listed among the top places to work for by UK and EU national publications. More information is available at www.admiralgroup.co.uk.

It's a Big Package, an Important Package! I Voted YES. Join Me.

             Stephen Brockelman, proud SAG member since 1971

An urgent note to all of my fellow SAG and AFTRA members in Baltimore and Washington, DC:

By now you should have received a hefty, Tiffany blue envelope. If you haven't received it, please call your union local at (301) 657-2560 or (800) 724-0767.

                                SAG - AFTRA Merger Package

The package contains:

• an introductory letter, 10 pages
• a FAQ and Contact document, 8 pages
• a P&H, H&R, Feasibility Report, 32 pages
• the SAG-AFTRA Constitution, Dues Structure, Merger Agreement document, 86 pages
• the Ballot
• the Secret Ballot envelope (with QR codes)
• the return mail envelope (with bar code and QR codes)

                            SAG - AFTRA merger package

It's a formidable package. And, as a SAG or AFTRA member, it is the most important group of documents that you've ever received from your union. The ballot enclosed in your package is—without a doubt—the most important ballot you'll ever receive from your union. After you review the material, I urge you to vote YES for MERGER.

And, when you vote YES, you'll be in good company.

The Amercian Federation of Musicians supports the merger. The entertainment trade magazine, Variety, reports:

The American Federation of Musicians has endorsed the proposed merger between the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, joining Actors' Equity in blessing the union.The exec board of the AFM said it is in "full support" of the merger pact. "When ratified by the group's memberships, the uniting of the two groups will result in a more powerful and united face to represent workers in both film and broadcasting," the AFM said.

Ballots went out this week to 120,000 SAG members and 70,000 AFTRA members, who include actors, broadcasters, DJs, singers and dancers, with a tabulation date of March 30. To be approved, the merger must receive at least 60% of the votes from each union.

"The proposed merger is a historic step and is a symbol of unity for the entertainment sector and for the entire labor movement," said AFM president Ray Hair. "For decades, AFTRA and SAG have stood prominently and proudly for dignity and justice in the entertainment industry workplace. The joining of these two great unions will focus union power toward a better future for the media business, not only here in the United States but throughout the world."

And our brothers and sisters who work on the Great White Way support the SAG-AFTRA merger. The Hollywood Reporter's Jonathan Handel wrote:

The national Council of Actors Equity voted unanimously Tuesday night to endorse the planned merger of SAG and AFTRA. The vote by the nearly century-old union, which represents performers in live stage productions, adds fuel to the movement toward a combined SAG-AFTRA.

The Equity motion was a single sentence: “AEA strongly supports SAG and AFTRA in their proposal to merge their Unions.”

In response, SAG president Ken Howard thanked Equity president Nick Wyman and the Council, and said, “We're honored by their action today and by the support of  Equity members, who are very often members of SAG and AFTRA as well.”

He added, “There¹s a real spirit of unity in our ranks, and it can only serve to make us all stronger.”

Before you vote YES, please read this document so that you may vote YES with confidence:

MYTHS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF the SAG - AFTRA MERGER

MYTH #1:
Merger will jeopardize my pension.
MERGER FACT:  Your accrued pension benefits are protected by federal law. Benefits can only be reduced under certain conditions relating to plans in financial distress. Neither the AFTRA Plan nor the SAG plan is in that situation – both plans are in the “green zone.” As explained in the Feasibility Report, a merger of the plans would make it less likely that that your pension plan reaches the level of financial distress that places your accrued benefits in jeopardy: Multi-employer plan mergers do not pose any increase in the risk of loss of benefits to plan participants according to the government agency in charge of mergers. Indeed, the law requires that if pension plans are merged, the plans’ trustees have a legal obligation to ensure that no participant’s accrued benefits will be less after the merger than it was before.

Click: Here's your direct link to the other 39 Merger Myths .

Vote YES.

And finally, my personal thanks to SAG, AFTRA, the labor attorneys, and the AFL-CIO consultants for creating one of the finest collective bargaining agreements ever written. 

Baltimore Casting Notice - February 9th

The map below has everything to do with this highly specific casting notice from my friends at Taylor-Royall. This is for union work, but if you are non-union and meet the criteria this may be the opportunity you've been looking for to snag a union card.

Here's the story, feel free to pass it along to anyone who may fit the bill:

We're in need of men & women who are able to speak Swahili, as well as English with a Tanzanian accent, to audition for a radio spot. This is a union job, but non-union are welcome to apply.

If you are fluent and would be able to record your own .mp3 audition, please email agents@taylorroyall.com ASAP with the subject "Swahili radio spot" for copies of the audition scripts. Please include your name, phone number, union status, and a copy of your resume.

Good luck, all. And to my fellow union members, remember Rule One.

Baltimore - Washington SAG Members: Merger Documents are Available

Here are the links to the official SAG-AFTRA Merger Documents.

January 31, 2012
Dear SAG and AFTRA Members:

As you know, merger referendum ballots are scheduled to be mailed on or about February 27 – but members of both unions now have access to the complete merger documents online. Full printed merger documents will also be mailed to each voter with the referendum ballot, which will be due for return on March 30. This will give each member ample time to make a thoughtful and well-informed decision.  Please click the below links to view the SAG-AFTRA Merger Agreement, SAG-AFTRA Constitution and the Pension & Health / Health & Retirement Feasibility Review.

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE SAG-AFTRA MERGER AGREEMENT.

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE SAG-AFTRA CONSTITUTION.

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE P&H/H&R FEASIBILITY REVIEW.

As a reminder, watch for the launch of the new joint website to provide members all the information they’ll want to consider before casting their votes. The website will include complete merger details, FAQs, and a comprehensive calendar of events to alert members nationwide to informational meetings and other opportunities for learning about the plan. Watch your email later this week for details of the website launch.

After more than a year of intensive work, we are extremely proud to bring you this historic opportunity. We also want to acknowledge the ceaseless dedication of the AFTRA and SAG members and staff who came together as the Group for One Union (G1) to produce this remarkable plan. We look forward to sharing all the details and answering any questions you may have. Finally, we are confident that SAG and AFTRA members will embrace this singular chance to harness the true power of unity, and that SAG-AFTRA will protect members and shape the entertainment and media industries for decades to come.

In unity,
Ken Howard, President , Screen Actors Guild
Roberta Reardon, President AFTRA

Baltimore-Washington Members: An Update on the SAG - AFTRA Merger

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 28, 2012) – The National Board of Directors of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO – a national union of more than 70,000 actors, broadcasters, singers, dancers, recording artist and other performers who work across the spectrum of media industries including television, radio, cable, sound recordings and digital media – today voted overwhelmingly to approve and recommend to the AFTRA membership a plan to merge with Screen Actors Guild.

The National Board met in a regularly scheduled meeting via videoconference in New York and Los Angeles to vote on the merger package put forward by the AFTRA and SAG Group for One Union (G1), which includes a Merger Agreement, Constitution and Dues Structure.

The vote was 94%-6% in favor.

The AFTRA National Board’s resolution will provide for the referendum material to be mailed to AFTRA members on or about Feb. 27, 2012, with a ballot return and tabulation deadline of March 30, 2012.

This time frame was created  to avoid interfering with the ratification period for AFTRA members to vote on the tentative agreement for the AFTRA Network Television Code (“Front of the Book”) – the union’s largest contract that covers programming in all television day parts (except for scripted primetime programs on the major networks and the CW, which are covered under the AFTRA Exhibit A contract) and programming produced for digital media.

The AFTRA National Board unanimously voted to recommend the terms of the 2011-2014 Network Television Code agreement to AFTRA members for ratification. Ballots on the Network Television Code will go out on Monday, Jan. 30 with a return date of Feb. 22.

The Merger package outlines the merger plan, dues and finance structure, membership requirements and other basic attributes of the successor union, including the proposed name for the new union, which is SAG-AFTRA.

“I applaud the AFTRA National Board for their overwhelming approval of this historic merger package. The partnership we formed on the G1 was one of collegiality and consensus that went into laying the foundation for a new union. This plan embodies the thoughtful work and valuable perspectives from large and small markets across the nation of many working actors, broadcast professionals, recording artists and other performers who all worked together in solidarity through the G1,” said AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon. “I thank the G1 for their good work, and the National Boards for their approval and we will now present this plan to the members of AFTRA and SAG for their review and approval.

“We now have the opportunity to finally stand united through one union to secure more union work and better benefits for our members, and for the generations of entertainment and media professionals who follow us," she added.

On Friday, the SAG National Board of Directors overwhelmingly approved the same merger package with a vote of 87.1% - 12.9%. With AFTRA’s vote, a referendum will be sent out for a vote by members of both unions.

In voting for the package, AFTRA National Board members passed a resolution that read, in part:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the National Board, in accordance with its authority under AFTRA’s Constitution, approves the merger documents and the merger of AFTRA and SAG into SAG-AFTRA, a unified, powerful union committed to organizing all work in our jurisdictions, negotiating the best wages, working conditions and health and pension benefits, preserving and expanding our members’ work opportunities, vigorously enforcing our contracts and protecting our members against the unauthorized use of their work; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Article XX of AFTRA’s Constitution is interpreted so as not to apply to a transaction, such as this merger, in which all of AFTRA’s rights, liabilities, contracts and collective bargaining agreements will be assumed, without impairment or interruption, by a successor union; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that AFTRA’s staff is directed to commence a vigorous campaign to educate our members about the benefits this merger in order to secure a resounding “yes” vote in the upcoming membership referendum; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the National Board expresses its deepest gratitude to and commends the members of AFTRA’s New Union Committee and AFTRA’s staff for their herculean efforts and extraordinary work in completing the merger documents and concluding the merger negotiations.

The G1 began meeting in June of 2011 and held a total of five rounds of meetings to create the successor union merger package. The meetings followed an historic Listening Tour conducted by AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon and SAG National President Ken Howard. The G1 voted to approve the merger package on Jan. 16.

The Network Television Code contract generates more than $250 million a year in member earnings and covers a variety of media and entertainment professionals, including sportscasters, broadcasters, actors, singers and talk show hosts. Current programs covered by this contract include: “Good Morning America,” “The View,” “The Voice,” The Young and the Restless,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Nightline,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and “Late Night with David Letterman.”

About AFTRA

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO, are the people who entertain and inform America. In 32 Locals across the country, AFTRA members work as actors, broadcasters, singers, dancers, announcers, hosts, comedians, disc jockeys and other performers across the media industries including television, radio, cable, sound recordings, music videos, commercials, audio books, non-broadcast industrials, interactive games, the Internet and other digital media. The 70,000 professional performers, broadcasters and recording artists of AFTRA are working together to protect and improve their jobs, lives and communities in the 21st century. From new art forms to new technology, AFTRA members embrace change in their work and craft to enhance American culture and society. Visit AFTRA online at www.aftra.com.

Statement from SAG National President Ken Howard:

LOS ANGELES (January 28, 2012) — Screen Actors Guild National President Ken Howard released the following statement regarding the AFTRA National Board vote on the proposed merger with Screen Actors Guild:

“This is a terrific outcome and I offer my sincere thanks and congratulations to AFTRA’s National Board and National President Roberta Reardon. Professional performers are now an important step closer to the strongest union representation possible. Just as our boards have, I believe our members will decisively approve this merger and that SAG-AFTRA will be a leader in shaping the entertainment and media industries.”

Gov O'Malley Talks About Raising Taxes

Hear all about it.

Maryland State Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch weigh in on this and other important issues, on tonight's 2-hour special taped edition of today's Annapolis Summit!

Tune in from 5:00 to 7:00 to hear what's in store for the 2012 Maryland Legislative Session! Click here to read an Associated Press article about today's event!

Email or post on the The Marc Steiner Show Facebook page with your questions and comments!

Listen from 5-7 pm on WEAA 88.9-FM or online at www.weaa.org. All shows are also available as podcasts at www.steinershow.org. Join the conversation by calling 410-319-8888 or emailing steinershow@gmail.com.

Spend Tuesday Evening with Dan Rather

An Evening with Dan Rather - A SAG Foundation Live Stream Event for Everyone:

                                   Rather photo courtesy CBS

Tuesday, December 6th
8:30 PM EST / 5:30 PM PST

View Live Stream at www.sagfoundation.org/videogallery/livestream

This is a pulic live stream event. To view the Q&A you DO NOT need to log into our website or RSVP online.

Get Involved! During the event, you can email questions to the moderator at LiveStream@sagfoundation.org or tweet to @SAGFoundation or #SAGF.

Dan Rather has covered virtually every major news event in the world in the past 50 years. His resume reads like a history book, from his unparalleled reporting on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, through the civil rights movement, to Watergate, and wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. (He has covered, on scene, in person, more than twenty wars, violent insurrections, uprisings, coups and riots all over the world—including the 1965 India-Pakistan War, the Rhodesian War of Independence and the Tiananmen Square uprising for freedom and democracy in China—earning the nickname “War Zone Dan”)

From his early days as the Associated Press reporter in Huntsville, Texas, in 1950, Rather has more than earned his reputation as the “hardest working man in broadcast journalism.”

                                     Rather photo courtesy CBS

Now the anchor and managing editor of DAN RATHER REPORTS, which began broadcasting on HDNet in November, 2006, Rather served as anchor and managing editor of the CBS EVENING NEWS from March 9, 1981 to March 9, 2005, the longest such tenure in broadcast journalism history. He also served as anchor of the CBS program 48 HOURS and as a correspondent for 60 MINUTES and 60 MINUTES II.

Rather has interviewed every United States president from Dwight D. Eisenhower to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and virtually every major international leader of the past 30 years. He landed two world exclusive news-breaking interviews with Saddam Hussein, in 1990 and in 2003.

 

Rather has received virtually every honor in broadcast journalism, including numerous Emmy and Peabody Awards and citations from critical, scholarly, professional and charitable organizations.

This event will be moderated by Anthony DeRosa, Social Media Editor, Reuters.

About Anthony DeRosa:
Anthony is the Reuters Social Media Editor, integrating the “ambient wire” that exists on social networks, where news now breaks before anywhere else, into Reuters platforms. As part of his mission, he helps Reuters journalists and editors use social media tools to monitor news, report news, and find leads. The New York Times declared him “The undisputed King of Tumblr” based on soupsoup.tumblr.com. Mashable named it one of the best tumblrs of 2008. On Feb 23, 2010, it cracked the Technorati Top 100. Soup was recently cited as a reliable source for news on ABC, NBC, CNN and by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. Connect with Anthony at twitter.com/antderosa.

Visit the SAG Foundation website at www.sagfoundation.org

Election Year 2012: Vintage Fun and Nostalgia from Voice Actor, Gary Owens

                                     Gary Owens at the RCA 44

In 1972 my old friend, Gary Owens, crafted a wonderfully zany comedy album. Put Your Head on My Finger was released through MGM Records on the Pride label and today it seems to be largely forgotten. And, that's a shame.

On the album Owens poked fun at horoscopes, politics, old vaudeville actors (my favorite bit), teenagers, funerals. You know, silly and insignificant things. 

Since it's election year, I thought you might like to hear three little clips from Put Your Head on My Finger.
[Tech note, click the bars once. Audio may take a moment to start. The clicks and jumps in the Nixon piece were intended are on the album.]

A bit about Democrats: 

Owens_Democrats

On Nixon:

Owens_Nixon

And, on the perennial candidate,
Harold Stassen:

Owens_Stassen

On a personal note, I haven't seen Gary Owens in a long time, but here is my insegrevious memory of him:

One afternoon in the early 1980s, I took a new friend of mine to a Hollywood Radio and Television Society luncheon at the newly renovated Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard and North Orange Drive.

                                     Hollywood Roosevelt

Sitting at our table with drinks in hand, my friend gazed around the room, got all excited, and said, "Wow, there's Gary Owens!"

"Would you like to meet him," I asked?

My friend's reply was a bit sour and very emphatic, "You don't know Gary Owens."

He looked back at the room and noticed Gary Owens walking toward our table. The new friend looked down at his cocktail and started to fidget with the swizzle stick.

In his deep, booming, unmistakeably articulated voice, Gary Owens said, "Stephen! It's good to see you! Come over, I'll introduce you to my friends."

At his table he said, "I'd like you all to meet Stephen Brockelman. Stephen is a very clever writer. He also made me a 3-dimensional rebus once."

I nodded at everyone, did the hellos, went back to my table and, listening to the HRTS presentation, I feasted on flattery. As I remember my friend dined on crow.

Baltimore 21201. The Blog, The Swan Song

That's it for this blog. To quote my favorite broadcast journalist, Edward R Murrow, "Good night and good luck.

To my friends, Keep On Truckin'.

Someone in Baltimore Wants to Sit-in on this Broadcast with the King of All Media

...and I think I know who you are.

                       Photo courtesy of CharityBuzz.Com

You, yes you, can have a great time with Howard Stern and make a big difference in the continuing development of a great cause.

Here's the scoop from CharityBuzz:

Howard Stern fans rejoice, this is a never-before-available chance, an unbelievable chance, to see and meet the Man, the King of All Media, live and in person! But wait, there's more!

This unforgettable experience includes your very own seat in the inner sanctum of the one and only, Howard Stern Show, as it's being broadcast live and uncensored from the SIRIUS XM Radio Studio in New York City. (Think Pace Picante Sauce and say it like you mean it, "IN-NEW-YORK-CITY.")

You'll sit down in the broadcast studio at SIRIUS, adjust your headset, and take part as broadcast history unfolds before your very eyes with your favorite Howard Stern Show regulars: Robin Quivers, Fred Norris, Artie Lange, Gary "Baba Booey" Dell'Abate, and more!

All of the details, terms and conditions are on the CharityBuzz website. Check them out and get on with your bidding. Yes, Ryan Goff I'm talking to you!

This incredible opportunity to witness the uncensored humor and broadcast chaos up close is truly a rare and amazing treat for any fan of the worldwide "King of All Media!"

The proceeds from this item benefit a charity the I support with all of my heart:  Rosie's Theater Kids.

Marc Steiner on Capitol Hill - Tonight

                                               Marc Steiner

We interrupt this blog for breaking news from Marc Steiner:

Today my producers, interns, and I are spending the day on Capitol Hill interviewing legislators about the budget debate. You can tune in tonight to listen to these interviews in a special two-hour broadcast from 5:00-7:00pm (EDT).

You will hear our interviews with Senator Ben Cardin and Congresswoman Donna Edwards, as well as Congressmen Andy Harris, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, and Chris Van Hollen.

You can join in the discussion on Marc Steiner's Facebook page.

Listen from 5-7 pm on WEAA 88.9FM or online at www.weaa.org. All shows are also available as podcasts at www.steinershow.org.

Be part of the conversation by calling 410-319-8888 or emailing steinershow@gmail.com.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled blog...