Radio

This is a cute story from orange.co.uk about two BBC presenters, Betty Smith and Beryl Renwick. They broadcast as "Betty and Beryl" on BBC Radio Humberside in Yorkshire. The two just won a top award from the Sony Radio Awards for best British entertainment show. They are also the oldest folks to win the award. Smith is 90 and Renwick is 86.

The two women were spotted by producer David Reeves in 2006 and he thought they would be good on the air, representing older citizens. The duo talk about lots of things including fashion, local history, and their favorite music. But, a warning: they're not big fans of new music, calling it "absolute piffle." TheFreeDictionary.com defines "piffle" as "nonsense."

Facebook: Visit Beryl and Betty's page.

Listen: A listening link and news of Radio Humberside is available online.

Every business has terms and expressions that are used on a regular basis by the people it employs. Often, workers develop lingo to describe certain aspects of their work or environment which have only meaning for them. It's a language outsiders don't understand. Radio is no different. Here are a few words and phrases used in the radio business which sound like one thing but have totally different meanings. Read more.

Police in Linwood, New Jersey are searching for the killer of a local radio host, April Kauffman. Kauffman was found in the bedroom of her home on Thursday shot to death. According to foxnews.com a handyman discovered the body.

Kauffman, 47, was co-host of The King Arthur Show on WIBG 1020 AM and prior to that worked on-air at WOND in Linwood. At this time, police do not think the crime is related to her radio hosting duties. Kauffman was an outspoken supporter and advocate of military veterans. (Screenshot: Fox 29 News)

According to The King Arthur Show website, this Monday WIBC 1220 will air the last full 2-hour broadcast between 3-5 p.m. which Kauffman participated in.

More: The List of Murdered Deejays, Hosts, and Radio Personalities

On Monday (5/14) Howard Stern debuts on America's Got Talent. His detractors are already trying to convince us he's not the man for the job (replacing Piers Morgan). I don't agree. Howard Stern is the perfect replacement for Piers Morgan and will be wildly successful. Radio's original bad boy might very well even endear himself to mainstream America. Read more. (Opinion) (Howard Stern - SIRIUS Satellite Radio)

SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio has made several recent programming announcements. Willie Nelson will present the world premiere of his new album, Heroes, on Willie's Roadhouse, channel 56. Beginning this Saturday (5/12), the channel will play a different song from Heroes each hour accompanied by commentary by Nelson. Then, on Tuesday, May 15, the entire album will be aired. Willie's Roadhouse also plays artists like Merle Haggard, George Jones, Johnny Cash, and Waylong Jennings. (Graphic: SIRIUS XM Radio)

On May 16 Grammy winner Usher will do a live Q&A sesson with SIRIUS XM listeners from the satellite radio provider's New York City studios. The special, "Sirius XM's Town Hall with Usher", will air live on The Heat, channel 47 beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. The "Town Hall" series offers intimate moments with musicians. Previous editions have included Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Coldplay, Ringo Starr, and others.

Finally, SIRIUS XM Radio has launched an expanded group of 30 play-by-play Internet channels for streaming broadcasts of Major League Baseball. The streams are available on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com. For more information, visit siriusxm.com/baseball.

In my continuing series on this business called "Radio", I now address an interloper of sorts: the Record Rep. He comes from the record company to make peace with the radio station. He comes bearing gifts: usually crappy songs he wants airplay for. There was a day when the gifts were drugs and cash but, now it's just crappy songs. Mostly. Read more. (Humor/Satire) (Graphic Credit: © Corey Deitz)

Adam Yauch, one of the originators of the Beastie Boys, succumbed to cancer. He was 47. The Beastie Boys sold over 40 million records and achieved four #1 albums. The band, comprised of Yauch, Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz, also won three Grammy Awards and received the MTV Video Vanguard Lifetime Achievement Award. "Emerging from the hard-core punk scene in New York in the late 1970s, the Beastie Boys were the first white group to successfully sing rap songs and have remained popular for more than a quarter century," noted nytimes.com. (Adam Yauch in 2007, Photo: Fabio Venni, Creative Commons)

Billboard Magazine says their first album, "Licensed to Ill", was the first rap album to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. In all, it sold nine million copies.

According to Billboard, these are the Beastie Boys Top 5 Hot 100 Hits:

1. "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)" - 1987 - No. 7
2. "Intergalactic" - 1998 - No. 28
3. "Hey Ladies" - 1989 - No. 36
4. "Brass Monkey" - 1987 - No. 48
5. "Ch-Check It Out" - 2004 - No. 68

Billboard hit songs are often indicative of similar radio airplay.

Last.fm features a channel called Beastie Boys Radio which streams the group's music plus similar artists.

The Father of modern FM, Edwin H. Armstrong, was probably a genius. He invented much and held many patents. But, possibly the most interesting part of the man was how he approached life - and what he thought was the best way to impress a woman. This is a great story so read more. (Photo: Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University)

A lot of stupid stories have crossed the path of this blog but it's been a while since one this dumb has come along. From Vallego, California comes word that two roomates in the psych ward at San Francisco General Hospital got into a tussle, as reported by azcentral.com.

Tyone Shleton, 36, allegedly poked his roommate's eye out on purpose after the two of them got into an argument because the 61-year-old victim was playing his radio too loud.

No word if the format of the radio station played any role in fanning the flames of discord.

Want More? 10 Bizarre Ways Radio Can Kill You Suddenly

Attention Doomsday Preppers, Survivalists, and Zombie Hunters: you are not alone. If you're just finishing up that underground bunker in preparation for the end of the world, don't miss the free guidance and tips from the many online radio shows and podcasts. These folks are serious about emergency preparedness. Read more. (Photo: United States Air Force, Public Domain)