» Pray For Andrew: We were saddened to learn this morning that FOX Sports Radio VP/GM Andrew Ashwood suffered a major heart attack yesterday and as of this posting remains on life support and unconscious in a Los Angeles hospital. Although Ashwood has been fighting a severe form of cancer for more than a year, he remained positive and optimistic about his future, a sentiment that was encapsulated by his long-runnng e-mail signature box that reminded all that, "Winning is the only option." Our prayers and best wishes go out to Ashwood's wife and family during these difficult hours.

» Third Time's A Charm ... Maybe: South Florida radio and TV traffic reporter Paul Cavanaugh walked away from a hard-landing of his helicopter this morning, the third time he's done so during his 30-year airborne reporter career. Both Cavanaugh and his pilot Takayuki Tanaka suffered back injuries in today's crash which happened shortly after an engine warning light illuminated. Reporting via his cell phone while still in the emergency room, Cavanaugh told WFTL/Ft. Lauderdale morning host Russ Morley that Tanaka, "did a great job avoiding live power lines" and landing the aircraft in the early morning darkness, "where you really couldn't see much." The longtime traffic reporter quipped he'll be back in the air again just as soon as he's cleared to fly, "because I have a mortgage to pay." You can hear Cavanaugh's personal report on the incident at the WFTL website HERE.

» Life's A Beach: Even as you read this story, nationally syndicated radio talker and Sports Illustrated columnist Dan Patrick is winging his way to a top secret tropical island where he'll join the SI crew for this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue photo shoot. Patrick and a pair of winners of a web-only contest held at danpatrick.com are flying via private jet to the exotic locale of the photo shoot where the Content Factory-syndicated Sports talker will also host a long-distance, international remote broadcast of his daily radio show. Yes, we asked the same question you just did -- how the heck do I get that gig?

Talk Back On Talk's Relevance: We heard from quite a few readers in response to yesterday's (11/10) report on a Boston Globe op-ed piece suggesting that last week's election of Barack Obama is a sign of the rising irrelevance of Talk radio. "[Authors] Elman and Tolz need to check ratings from the summer and fall books," writes Citadel VP News/Talk/Sports Brian Jennings.  "They are excellent. Apparently, they think Talk radio's relevance is only related with its ability to elect a President. It's about ratings, and ratings for the format are pretty damned good. Entertaining audio content has a bright future with all the platforms that will require it. I'll take ratings over electing a President any day."

» A New Media Wake-Up Call: That's how McVay Media News/Talk Specialist Holland Cooke characterized the message in the aforementioned Boston Globe editorial. "While Time Spent Listening is leaking to various new platform competitors, Talk radio's Republican rant droned on and the Democrat with the best Facebook page won the White House. Now, for the first time in decades, young children and a puppy will live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, a politically-useful neo-Camelot, because whoever got elected would be asking Americans for lots of sacrifices in the New Year. Optimism abounds, at least for now; and listeners will find People magazine-type stories about this historic moment lots more interesting than those annoying Rev. Jeremiah Wright sound bites we are still, unfortunately, hearing from some of Talk radio's biggest stars."

» Don't Hold Back, Tom: Tell us what you really think. "In one of the most unintentionally comedic columns ever written, Steve Elman and Alan Tolz postulate -- among other errata -- that, "phone calls from listeners once occupied 40 to 50 percent of a typical program," writes Salem Radio Network VP News/Talk Tom Tradup in response to the Globe think piece. "In what parallel universe did that supposedly happen? The medium where "just folks" dominated the conversation was CB radio convoys in the 1970s, not Talk radio in 2008. People do not tune in to hear callers, or guests. They love Talk radio because of compelling hosts who set the table for an unrehearsed, unscripted national dialogue on a medium that is not only live and growing in its own right, but also is repurposed via new media options such as streaming, blogging, podcasting and more. Elman and Stolz in the Boston Globe are also repurposed, but only when people need to re-line the bottoms of parakeet cages."

» AP Pacts With Virgin Mobile: Two new mobile Web sites produced by the Associated Press are now available on Virgin Mobile USA handsets. The AP Entertainment and the Can You Believe It? mobile web sites are accessible by Virgin Mobile USA customers from their VirginXL on-deck homepage. AP reports that entertainment and quirky news are among the most popular content categories that AP offers in mobile news. "More than ever people on the go demand a rich mobile experience," said Jeffrey Litvack, GM for mobile and emerging products for AP. "Having access to the latest wacky and celebrity news gives Virgin Mobile USA customers social cache with their friends and acquaintances." AP's Mobile News Network is a multimedia news portal providing anytime access to international, national and local news content.