Dateline: Events/Week of January 15, 1989 In News, Pop Culture, Tech, Celebrity, Entertainment & Fascinating Facts
In The News
The Soviet military commander in Afghanistan says that he expects all of the Kremlin’s troops to be withdrawn from that country by next month.
Stockton (CA) - Armed with an AK-47 assault rifle, a 9-millimeter pistol and bayonet, a young drifter attacks an elementary school, spraying children with bursts before taking his own life. In the end – Patrick Purdy had killed 5 and injured some 29.
Miami – Several days of racial violence leads to 1 dead with 8 shot. Some 230 were arrested in the neighborhoods of Overtown and Liberty City.
President Reagan pardons George Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees, who was fined $15,000 for campaign law violations.
George Bush, on the eve of his inauguration, spoke of his optimism about the future, but also expressed his feeling that President Reagan’s “shoes are going to be pretty darn hard to fill.”
George Herbert Walker Bush is inaugurated 41st President of the United States, describing the nation at the end of the Reagan era as prosperous and at peace but promised that “a new breeze is blowing.”
Ronald Reagan leaves a handwritten note for George Bush in the Oval Office and then takes a 16-block ride to private citizenship before leaving the capitol en route to his Los Angeles home.
In the wake of the riot in the Overtown section of Miami, the NFL issues a statement announcing that all its Super Bowl activities would proceed as planned.
Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev says the Soviet defense budget is to be reduced by more than 14% and that nearly half of a previously announced cut of 500,000 troops will come from units in the European part of the country.
Deficit meeting - President Bush invites Democratic and Republican congressional leaders to a federal budget summit.
Florida’s Supreme Court refused to block Theodore Bundy’s scheduled execution for the murder of a 12-year-old girl in 1978 and says it does not want to hear from the suspected serial killeragain. Bundy is scheduled to die in the electric chair on Tuesday.
Evangelist Jim Bakker pleads not guilty in Charlotte (NC) to federal charges that he diverted millions of dollars from his PTL TV audience for personal use.
Radio news – January 15, 1989
The industry is watching as Casey Kasem returns to challenge his old “American Top 40” with a new national show from rival Westwood One called “Casey’s Top 40 With Casey Kasem.” Since August, Shadow Stevens has hosted “American Top 40” which is owned by ABC and is heard on 487 U.S. radio stations – 1,012 stations worldwide. “Casey’s Top 40” is set to air on 425 stations.
Scott Shannon has yet another project – The Z-100 program director and morning talent adds the video show “Smash Hits.” It will count down the top-10 and even include, what Shannon is calling, a “gold clip.’ Shannon is co-producing the show with radio syndicater Dana Miller. Miller says Shannon will be placed in a hi-tech setting that’s as much a spaceship as a radio control room. But wait…
Scott Shannon – VP/programming and morning man for WHTZ, “Z-100” New York is signed to a five-year deal as VP of Westwood One’s radio station group. He’ll be based at the company’s ready purchase of KIQQ Los Angles. That station is expected to shift to some top-40 format under Shannon. It has the same channel has Z-100 (100.3) and is currently a soft a/c station.
Michael Reagan, the adopted son of the President, begins his first day on talk station KSDO – San Diego. Reagan had worked as a summer fill-in for the station before he got his own show. His father called in and the message was played back on radio 1130/ KSDO: “This is your old man. I’m a little too far away to hear your program, but I wanted to call and wish you good luck on your new show.”
American Top 40 host Shadoe Stevens has a two-hour “movie of the week’ ready to air. If it goes well, Stevens could have a sitcom. Fred Silverman (that one) is producing. Seems that Stevens has had his eye on TV ever since those “Fred Rated” manic TV commercials seen on the West Coast.
Larry Berger – The longtime program director of WPLJ New York, is now the program director of KIOI-FM San Francisco. Berger says one of his motivations is not to be near WPLJ. “It’s like breaking up with a girlfriend. You don’t want to be near a lot of memories.”
ABC is buying Satellite Music Network out of Dallas – a company that feeds radio formats to medium and smaller markets.
Evergreen Media says it will acquire longtime Los Angeles classical music station KFAC-FM for $55 million.
White rappers? That’s what they call themselves, but they are DJ’s rapping between the music. Out front is WQHT (New York) talent Bill Lee. Another is in San Francisco – George McFly at KXXX. The father of DJ rap, make no mistake – is Douglas “Jocko” Henderson. He was doing it back in the 1950’s at WOV New York and WDAS in Philly. Lee’s signoff after each shift – “Stay Calm. Kiss your mom. Ban the bomb. Do the best you can. Remember God loves you, man.” Lee’s been rhyming since his early days at WTIC-FM (Hartford) – around 1977.
Sports news - January 15, 1989
Passing – Carl Furillo – right fielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was 66.
Music news – January 15, 1989
Metallica – after years of refusing to make an MTV video, now have one. In fact, it’s “One,” a song from their “… And Justice For All.” Their 7-minute video stars actor Jason Robards.
Bobby Brown becomes the youngest artist (19) to have a #1 album since Stevie Wonder in 1963. Bobby’s doing it with “Don’t Be Cruel” and Stevie did it with “Little Stevie Wonder/the 12 Year Old Genius.” Ricky Nelson was the first: in 1957 at age 17 with his album, “Ricky.”
MTV is moving into the concert tour packaging business. On April 3, it kicks off a 30-city “Headbanger’s Ball Presents” heavy metal tour. Featured acts include Anthrax, Helloween and Exodus.
Tiffany and Debbie Gibson – the two top teen stars are going strong. Tiffany has her fourth top-10 single with “All This Time.” Debbie Gibson’s “Lost In Your Eyes” is headed straight up the charts – her fifth major hit. Ms. Gibson writes most of her songs.
As Michael Jackson is to Diet Pepsi – Diet Coke will be using George Michael. We should see the first ad on Super Bowl Sunday.
Television news – January 15, 1989
“The Pat Sajak Show” beats “The Tonight Show” its first week on the air with a 5.3 rating compared to “Tonight’s” 4.7.
Geraldo Rivera, comedian Richard (Cheech) Marin and three other prominent Latinos have formed a new company to buy and run network-affiliated TV stations. The company is called Maravila Communications.
On “Saturday Night Live” – John Malkovich hosts with music guest Anita Baker.
Thursday night television listings/TV guide – week of January 15, 1989
CBS – Presidential Inaugural Gala, Knots Landing, Pat Sajak
NBC – Cosby Show, A Different World, Cheers, Dear John, L.A. Law, Tonight Show
ABC – Knightwatch, Heartbeat, Command Performance, Nightline
PBS – Planet Earth, Mystery!, One More Season
HBO – Will Rogers, Movie, 1st & Ten: The Bulls Mean Business, Inside the NFL, movies
Presidential Gala – Participating – Frank Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, Roberta Peters and randy Travis.
Inside the NFL – With Len Dawson and Nick Buoniconti preview the Superbowl.
Pat Sajak – Emma Samms, Hal Linden, Barry Steiger.
Johnny Carson – Suzanne Pleshette.
Morton Downey Jr. (syndicated) – Lawyers Vs. Lawyers.
Hot Children’s Video Tapes – January 15, 1989
Bambi
Teen Mutant Ninja Turtles: Killer Pizzas
The Land Before Time
Charlotte’s Webb
Teen Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Shredder
The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones
Winnie The Pooh: New Found Friends
Top Modern Rock Music Tracks – January 15, 1989
Fine Time – New Order
Stand – R.E.M.
Dear God – Midge Ure
Charlotte Anne – Julian Cope
Dirty Blvd – Lou Reed
Orinoco Flow – Enya
Sweet Jane – Cowboy Junkies
Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys
I’m An Adult Now – Pursuit of Happiness
Grain of Sand – The Saints
Top Pop Music Hits in Britain – January 15, 1989
Buffalo Stance – Neneh Cherry
Especially For You –Kyle Minogue & Jason Donovan
Crackers International EP – Erasure
The Living Years – Mike + The Mechanics
Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird – Will To Power
Good Life – Inner City
You Got It – Roy Orbison
Waiting For A Star To Fall – Boy Meets Girl
She Drives Me Crazy – Fine Young Cannibals
Cuddly Toy – Roachford
Hot Rock Music Album Tracks – January 15, 1989
The Love In Your eyes – Eddie Money
Last Night – Traveling Wilburys
Got It Made – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Stand – R.E.M.
Marathon – Rush
Driven Out – The Fixx
When Love Comes To Town – U2
You Got Ii – Roy Orbison
The Crush of Love – Joe Satriani
The Living Years – Mike + The Mechanics
Top pop hit music singles(top-40) – January 15, 1989
Don’t Rush Me – Taylor Dayne
Armageddon It – Def Leppard
Two Hearts – Phil Collins
Smooth Criminal – Michael Jackson
Every Rose Has Its Thorn – Poison
My Prerogative – Bobby Brown
When the Children Cry – White Lion
The Way You Love Me – Karyn White
Born To Be My Baby – Bon Jovi
Put A Little Love in Your Heart – Annie Lennox/Al Green
When I’m With You – Sheriff
All This Time – Tiffany
Straight Up – Paula Abdul
Holding On – Steve Winwood
Wild Thing – Tone Loc
I Remember Holding You – Boys Club
Little Liar – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
I Wanna Have Some Fun – Samantha Fox
Top Music Albums – January 15 1989
Appetite For Destruction – Guns N’ Roses
Don’t Be Cruel – Bobby Brown
Traveling Wilburys – Traveling Wilburys
New Jersey – Bon Jovi
Rattle and Hum – U2
Hysteria – Def Leppard
G N’ R Lies – Guns N’ Roses
Cocktail soundtrack
Hysteria – Def Leppard
Silhouette – Kenny G.
Delicate Sound of Thunder – Pink Floyd
Giving You the Best That I Got – Anita Baker
Greatest Hits – Fleetwood Mac
Shooting Rubber bands At The Stars – Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Green – R.E.M.
American Dream – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Journey’s Greatest Hits
Faith – George Michael
Smashes, Thrashes & Hits – Kiss
Kick – INXS
Any Love – Luther Vandross
Long Cold Winter – Cinderella
Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman
Hold An Old Friend’s Hand – Tiffany
Til I Loved You – Barbra Streisand
“… And Justice For All – Metallica
Winger – Winger
OU812 – Van Halen
Reach For The Sky – Ratt
Tell It To My Heart – Taylor Dayne
Top Country Hit Music Singles – January 15, 1989
What I’d Say – Earl Thomas Conley
She’s Crazy For Leaving – Rodney Crowell
Deeper Than The Holler – Randy Travis
All The Reasons Why – Highway 101
Song of the South – Alabama
Hold On (A Little Longer) – Steve Wariner
I Sang Dixie – Dwight Yoakam
Big Wheels In the Moonlight – Dan Seals
Change of Heart – The Judds
Burnin’ A Hole In My Heart – Skip Ewing
Life As We Knew It – Kathy Mattea
Top movies – January 15, 1989
Rain Man
Twins
Beaches
Accidental Tourist
Working Girl
Mississippi Burning
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Naked Gun
Tequila Sunrise