WOMC-FM says No to Canadian's 10,000 prize winnings
The Windsor Star reports Chris Soulliere has had a bitter experience with Infinity's WOMC-FM Detroit. He thought he won 10,000 dollars in a phone-in birthday contest but was informed he could not collect because he was Canadian. WOMC morning man and Detroit radio legend Dick Purtan had just announced the latest birth date in the Motor City station's high-stakes Birthday Game, and the first caller could claim the big cash prize.
"I called twice and it was busy ... the third try I got through -- I was the first caller," said Soulliere. "Congratulations! You're the $10,000 winner," Soulliere said Purtan announced from the other end of the line.
But after next being asked where he was from, Soulliere said there was a short pause and then an "Oh ... oh sorry, Chris, you can't win the prize."
Soulliere, one of almost 20,000 Windsor-area adults who tune in daily to the Oldies outlet, is "very disappointed" that the contest, much-hyped on Detroit television and by the radio station itself, had made, to his knowledge, no on-air or website mention that Canadian fans are excluded from the Birthday Game.
He said Purtan apologized, purportedly saying he was unaware of the no-Canadian rule. "I did win, and then I didn't win ... I was slightly distraught," said Soulliere. Six days later, Soulliere spoke with a WOMC-FM spokesman, who cited contest rules and "legal matters" that exclude Canadians from the birthday contest.
"It's a standard rule we have on major contests," said WOMC-FM marketing director Kessie Kretzschmar, adding Soulliere "was never declared a winner."
Kretzschmar said the U.S.-resident stipulation for the birthday contest is specified in written rules that can be obtained from the station. She said that condition has also been periodically mentioned on-air.
Like all potential winners, she said, Soulliere, whose call was pre-recorded on delayed tape and never aired, was informed of contest rules before getting bumped.
However, Canadians have won prizes in WOMC-FM's less lucrative contests.
On Monday, Amherstburg's Isobel DiNardo was raking in smaller prizes by being the lucky sixth caller in the morning show's movie trivia contest. Kretzschmar was unable to immediately answer why WOMC-FM rules exclude Canadians from some contests but not others. The Birthday Game pot rises to 15,000 US starting today.
Purtan, a radio hall-of-famer and morning show powerhouse shied away from the controversy. "I don't want to make a comment on it...I love our Canadian listeners," he told the paper.
O'Reilly seeks tapes in extortion case
Lawyers for Fox News/Westwood One talker Bill O'Reilly said on Tuesday they believe Andrea Mackris, a former associate producer accusing him of sexual harassment, has tapes of calls between them and they are seeking a court order to obtain them. Mackris, and her attorney have been ordered to appear for a hearing in New York state Supreme Court on Friday to divulge whether such tapes exist and "show cause" why they should not be opened to examination by lawyers for O'Reilly and Fox News Channel. A copy of the Nassau County judge's order obtained by Reuters also bars Mackris and her lawyer, Benedict Morelli, from destroying any such tapes, should they exist.
O'Reilly launched a pre-emptive legal strike last Wednesday with a lawsuit accusing Mackris and Morelli of extortion and suggesting they were motivated by greed and politics.
Fox News lawyer Ronald Green said he believes made the recordings as part of a plan to extort 60 million from O'Reilly.
Frank Herzog and "Battle of the Unbeatens" featured on Sports USA Radio
Longtime Washington Redskins play-by-play announcer Frank Herzog will step into the national spotlight as he calls the broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles (5-0) at the Cleveland Browns (3-3) on Sunday, October 24th at 12:45pm ET. The national radio broadcast will be heard in Washington, DC on WTEM-AM.
"Frank Herzog is a broadcasting legend." Said Larry Kahn, President of Sports USA Radio Network. "He's a longtime favorite of football fans in the greater Washington area from his years with the Redskins. Now the rest of the nation will get the opportunity to enjoy Frank's call of the NFL on Sports USA Radio Network."
Aside from being the "voice of the Washington Redskins" for 25 years on the radio, Frank Herzog has broadcast college and professional football and basketball on television and radio, including the NBA Championship and four Super Bowls. Frank currently anchors a Redskins post game show on WTEM-980 in and provides 'skins segments on WTOP-A/FM in DC.
Free airtime: Fox accepted, BET rejected
Actually, BET is one for two, announcing that President George W. Bush has turned down its offer of a primetime appearance on the "BET Nightly News" to be interviewed about issues of relevance to the network's viewers. Sen. John Kerry accepted and his interview aired October 7th. BET founder and CEO Robert Johnson says he has sent letters to prominent African-Americans in the Bush administration, including Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, urging them to ask the president to reconsider.
Meanwhile, both presidential candidates have accepted an invitation from the Fox network to air 10 uninterrupted statements from each, lasting 60 seconds each, answering questions on key issues. The two campaigns agreed on the list of questions to be answered. Fox says Bush's statements began airing yesterday and Kerry's will begin on Sunday.
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