Philadelphia City Council Press Conferences, 18 Sep 2018

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From YouTube: Councilman David Oh Honors the 50th Anniversary of 93.3 WMMR 9-18-2018

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On Tuesday, September 18, 2018, Councilman David Oh (At-Large) joined Beasley Media Group to celebrate the 50th anniversary of 93.3 WMMR-FM (WMMR), the longest-running rock radio station in America, by presenting a City Council resolution to the station.

Legendary WMMR-FM midday personality Pierre Robert broadcast the reading of the Council resolution live as part of The Preston & Steve Show that morning. The event will kick-off “Alumni Week”, a weeklong celebration featuring former DJs as guest hosts on the air with Pierre. “Alumni Week” will culminate with the station’s 50th Reunion this Saturday from 5-8 PM inside The Fillmore Philadelphia at The Foundry. In addition, WWMR will broadcast a special weekend-long feature highlighting archived DJ audio from the many talented personalities and DJs that have worked at the station over the past five decades.

WMMR is a live and local broadcaster, employing live DJs around the clock, 7 days per week, 52 weeks per year. WMMR’s legendary talent includes David Dye, Steve Martoranno, Ed Sciaky, Mark Goodman, Michael Tearson, Bubba John Stevens, John DeBella, Joe Bonnadonna, Lyn Kratz, Matt Cord, Earle Bailey, Pierre Robert, Preston and Steve, Jaxon, Jacky Bam Bam , and Brent Porche. WMMR is not only alive, but continues to thrive as a trusted brand with ratings consistently placing the station at the very top of local audience rankings.

The station has consistently played a significant role in the Philadelphia community. It has supported local bands and musicians throughout its history with Street Beat in the 1980s and 1990s and Jaxon’s Local Shots for the past 15 years, giving local talent regular, primetime airplay. The station also helps spotlight local acts by slotting them to open for national acts such as Guns and Roses, Bon Jovi, and the annual MMR*B*Q music festival. Additionally, WMMR remains steadfast in its commitment to community service. It has been a proud supporter of Dining Out For Life, Preston & Steve’s Campout For Hunger, MMR Blood Drive, and dozens of sponsored walks and charity 5K runs every year. The station has also sanctioned events to help others produce events as large as Live-Aid and as community-based as charity beef & beer fundraisers.

A

Yes, I do and welcome everyone. Let me start with this: it may sound familiar to some arise, my heart and fill your voice with music, for he who shares not dawn with his song, is one of the sons forever of ever darkness.

A

Well, that was the first words uttered back on April 29th 1968 by Dave Herman, when he first did the Marconi experiment, which was wmm ours, a debut into the world of progressive rock, really quite a thing back in those days, because rock was not really that accepted and MMR was cutting new ground and that became kind of the monarch, our moniker of WMMR, that is being relevant, delivering music and news serving the community in ways that have been impactful, not only here in Philadelphia but across our nation, and so now, 50 years later, we celebrate WMMR s impact in our city.

A

Let me first recognize that we are very fortunate to have joining us today, the president of Beasley broadcasting, and that is a Bruce, breezily Bruce Beasley right here, president CEO, thank you. We have the vice president and marketing manager, Joe Bell, right there and, of course, wmm. Our program director bill Weston has joined us as well. I know that we're being broadcast live, preston, &, steve, show everybody out there great show right number-one-rated and let me give a special shout out to brent course. I love working with brent.

A

He does so much here in philadelphia, especially with phl, live and I know. Jackson Jackson is among us I believe right. Well, he not only rocks, but he rolls Brazilian Jujitsu is his thing, and so we got quite a quite an active group of folks here. um Let me just say that as a councilman here in Philadelphia, who chairs a committee that deals with the Global Opportunities creative, innovative economy, music is so important.

A

Not only is it a something that uplifts people, it's also a an economic engine and there are people with god-given talents who can earn a living and create livings for other people and through that platform inform us encourage us, inspire us, and mmm our WMMR 93.3 has been doing that since 1968.

A

Let me at this time just thank WMMR for all its charitable work, all its community work and at this time I am going to read the resolution itself.

A

This resolution was introduced voted on in council and is part of our legislative record recognizing and honoring WMMR on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. Whereas WMMR is the longest running rock station in america still playing brand-new brands, new bands I'm. Sorry, let me start that again, whereas WMMR is the longest-running rock station in America, still playing new bands and embracing new music.

A

Philadelphia for 50 years, rocking Philadelphia from the days of LPS to CDs to mp3s it currently broadcasts on 93.3, FM and whereas WMMR signed on the air with the Marconi experiment on April 29 1968 Dave Herman hosted a three-hour experiment which followed the Frank Sinatra hour and whereas WMMR has broadcast to Philadelphia and the surrounding area for 50 years from studios at Rittenhouse, Square, Independence, Mall and one ballot plaza.

A

It is a live and local broadcaster employing live DJs around-the-clock, seven days per week, 52 weeks per year for 50 years, whereas W MMR's, legendary talents include David dies, Steve, Martorano at shocky, Mark, Goodman, Michael, Kherson, Bob, John, Stevens, John de Bella, Giovanna Donna, Lynn, Kratz, Matt, cord Earl, Bailey Piero, Bear, Preston and Steve Jackson, jockey, bamm-bamm and Brent Porsche, and whereas WMMR introduced Philadelphia and in some cases to the world two acts like Billy Joel for a Springsteen.

A

Yes, Genesis you to Pearl Jam, Foo, Fighters and hundreds of others, and whereas WMMR remained steadfast in his commitment to community service. It has been a proud supporter of dining out for life, preston, & steve's camp out for hunger, MMR blood drive and dozens of sponsored walks in charity. 5K runs every year.

A

This station is also sanctioned events to help other produce events as large as Live Aid and as community-based as charity, beef and beer fundraisers, where, as news was at the foundation of WMMR and to this day, WMMR broadcast interviews in the public interest during all programs, including the weekly WMMR public affair, show hosted by marcus goldman WMMR is consistent, free and high quality source of both entertainment and information.

A

Whereas WMMR has supported local bands and musicians for 50 years with street beat in the night 1880s and 90's and Jackson's local shots for the past 15 years, giving local talent regular, primetime airplay.

A

The station also helps spotlight local acts by sliding them to open for national acts such as Guns and Roses, Bon Jovi and the annual mm rbq Music Festival, and whereas WMMR sales and marketing representatives provide effective advertising solutions to help local businesses, reach and engage in active consumer base and whereas WMMR, in addition to the traditional radio broadcast platform, remains an innovator in the digital realm.

A

It was one of the first Philadelphia radio stations to offer online streaming was the first to have a daily podcast starting in 2005, and offers robust on-demand video content and whereas wmr is not only alive but continues to thrive as a trusted brand. With ratings consistently placing the station at the very top of local audience ratings, the station has kept audience Rocking and the city's music economy rolling and the city looks forward to WMMR, delivering more great music and elevating Philadelphia's music scene.

A

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Council of Philadelphia that it hereby recognizes and honors WMMR on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and resolve further than any gross copy of this resolution, be presented to WMMR, evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body. At this time, I will ask our host right now the legendary Pierre ro-bear to step up and receive this on behalf of the city of Philadelphia.

B

So that we keep broadcasting the the councilman is now presenting us with this beautiful proclamation and we will bring that back to the radio station shortly. It's got a beautiful image of City Hall on the left side and it the resolution that the councilman just read is on the on the left side, just a beautiful Proclamation. We will have this framed and it will reside in honor in our hallways councilman. Oh thank you. So much.

A

Thank you very much. He reminds me we got to keep talking right because we are on the air. Well at this time, let me ask the president and CEO CEO of WMMR Beasley broadcasting, Bruce Beasley, to come up and say a few words.

C

Councilman, oh thank you very much for this honor you've bestowed upon this incredible brand that has made it through 50 years and I hope. Another 50 years I want to really congratulate the audience that has made this happen because I without the participation of our listeners, MMR wouldn't be where it is today. I also want to thank current and past employees, who've driven this radio station and taken it to amazing levels and we're gonna continue to do our best to deliver what your expectations are as we move forward councilman. Thank you. So much.

A

At this time, I'd like to ask the vice president marketing manager, Joe Bell, to step forward, to say a few words.

D

I feel a little like Doug Peterson this morning, I showed up two years ago when that's handed the keys to a Super Bowl winning team in the group at WME Mar, it's quite an honor and a pleasure. The other thing that's exciting, I look out here. Not only have we been rockin and rollin for 50 years, I. Think some of the people here today from the radio station have been here since that first day, some of them will probably be here on the next 50th anniversary.

D

I, don't think I will be, but it's been a great run councilman. Thank you so much and let's keep rocking and rolling on MMR. Thank you.

A

All right, outstanding and now bill Weston wmm, our program director.

E

Thank You councilman, oh, it's a Bruce hit it on the head. There's these two groups of people and it's like the the listeners that have been with us for the very beginning who listen to us all day or five minutes on the way into work or on a podcast or looking at some of our video content. Every one of those is so important to our 50 years of success. But then the other group of people is every intern.

E

Every street crew person every van driver, all these other people that you don't get to hear that also make the engine run and there have probably been maybe not thousands, but certainly over a thousand over 50 years of these people that have come in devoted their lives to making this thing special and it's an honor to be the program director for this great station at its current mark in history at 50 years. So thank you to Councilman, David, oh and to our City Council of Philadelphia. Thank you very much. Thank.

A

You well it's a pleasure for me to simply acknowledge recognize in a formal way, the contributions and longevity of WMMR now to close us out, of course, Pierrot Baron.

B

So, thank you. A thousand thank yous to councilman, oh and to the City Council, and to the mayor again to be in this beautiful and ornate mayor's reception room with this gigantic chandelier in the center of it and the great history I. Think of the history of this city thing about it. This is where America began. Bono from u2 describes America as a great experiment and I love that a great experiment and a great idea and out of that imperfect idea and experiment.

B

All these hundreds of hundreds of years later we have this wonderful country that we live in and in a similar way. In this space, where history began, keep in mind, City Hall is one of the five squares that William Penn designed the city of Philadelphia around. This was, if you will, the center Square, where we began just down.

B

The way, is Rittenhouse Square, one of those five squares and through our history here in this city, we've been so blessed through the years with all the people that bill talked about and the councilman talked about to have this energy that's continued and the the reason for it is part of that idea that experiment that began on April 29th in 1968 when Dave Herman, our first DJ started this experiment within a very short period of time.

B

It was clear that the experiment was in fact a success as Michael Harrison likes to say, and so all these years later, as the councilman said, you know we are live and local all day long. It's something you don't get in. Hardly any radio anymore. We're really proud of that. 365 days a year for 50 years, we have been on the air and the reason for it, as is this government. As you know, a government of the people by the people for the people.

B

You know we're not that as grand, perhaps as United States government, but MMR as a station of the people, by the people and for the people, and so I like to equate it as a long running train and in 1968 when it left the station. No one had any idea what would make it too, even to the next station, let alone you know all these years later and have not just limped along but thrived and survived, and the reason for that is because of the people, the people that worked at the station.

B

But thank you to those of you who listened because and we have people who were there and that beginning that are still with us, but other people have gotten on at different stops along the way and for you listeners wherever you joined and got on this train you're, just as important as the person that got on in the very beginning. We thank you and thank you and thank you.

B

We simply couldn't be here without you and again in the history of this city, in this historic room in this historic space in this historic city, to have the history of MMR being fifty thanks to you, we couldn't be more thrilled. We couldn't be more excited and we're like official, so this is so cool councilman. Oh, thank you so much anything you'd like to say in conclusion,.

A

That was pretty good, pretty official, too huh PR robear for mayor all right thanks for thanks for joining us, we're gonna take a quick photo here to memorialize this. Thank you.

B

Actually, I really do believe. I could win were right to run. Then the next question will be what the hell would I do next, however, I do believe I could run and if elected there will be coffee in every pot and none of it will be decaf. So let me run back and check.

F