Sunday, July 19, 1998
News radio WTAM-AM, the flagship station of the Cleveland Indians and owned by Covington-based Jacor Communications, had a blond binge last week. Afternoon sports talker Mike Trivisonno and staff brought in beauticians and went bottle-blond like Tribe ballplayers Jaret Wright, Charles Nagy and David Bell.
The stunt brought coverage from four television stations, and later this month, 50 tickets will be given away to all-blond fans.
With the Reds on a winning tear, rivaling the 1975 Big Red Machine, could a makeover be in store for staff at Jacor's WLW-AM, the flagship station of the Reds? Perhaps a Marge Schott coiffure for Bill Cunningham? An Opie-esque cut like Brett Boone's for Mike McConnell? Barry Larkin's near-shaved pate for Gary Burbank?
"We have a serious dilemma," said Chuck Ingram, promotions director at WLW, when informed of the Cleveland promotion. "Whose hair to choose?" -- John Eckberg
PETA seeks royal ouster
Will the Queen of England clear the palace of all Pringles? Her Majesty won't say, but the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are hoping so. The advocacy group, which has engaged in a sometimes colorful campaign against Procter & Gamble Co.'s product testing, sent Queen Elizabeth a letter requesting that she decree no P&G product be used in the royal household. It also requested that she "revoke the Royal Warrant bestowed upon Procter & Gamble until they cease all animal tests not required by law."
Procter has said it reduced animal testing for non-drug goods by 85 percent since 1984.
A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace declined to detail the queen's reaction to the July 7 letter. "Suffice it to say the letter has been received and responded to," she said.
Andrew Butler, who penned the letter from PETA's United Kingdom office, is optimistic. He said newspapers reported just last week that Her Majesty has switched to fake fur.
"I think the Monarchy really are looking to move with the people, as it were," he said. -- Lisa Biank Fasig
Star's name in lights?
Now for one of the more interesting rumors swirling through Cincinnati: Is Star Banc Corp. considering a bid for naming rights to two of the city's biggest landmarks?
Talk has it that Star would like to put its name on the planned $235 million ballpark for the Reds or on the Crown sports and entertainment center. That speculation blossomed after Star said it would acquire Firstar Corp. but move its headquarters to its partner's hometown, Milwaukee.
Of course, if Star accomplished such a quest, it would be interesting to see whether the sports complexes would carry the ubiquitous Star label or display the Firstar name, which the merged company will named.
When asked about the speculation, the company said: "We have no comment on the siutation at this time, but Star Bank is always looking for ways it can support the Greater Cincinnati community and other markets." -- Jeff McKinney
Locals on Fortune list
The world may not be getting smaller, but a handful of Tristate companies are becoming larger on the global business scene, an annual report by Fortune magazine indicates.
Four area companies -- three that count Cincinnati as home -- are among the world's 500 largest corporations based on 1997 revenue, according to Forbes' Aug. 3 edition. Indeed, each company -- Procter & Gamble, Kroger, Federated Department Stores and Ashland -- moved up in their rank among the biggest of the big: P&G rose to No. 64 from 65, Kroger to 114 from 119, Federated to 246 from 262 and Ashland to 307 from 357.
Their climb was aided by slowing sales growth from 1996 for the top 500 combined -- a miserly 0.2 percent gain to $11.454 trillion, compared with '96's sluggish 0.5 percent rise.
General Motors and Ford ranked 1-2 for a second straight year, but given GM's troubles in the wake of strike-induced North American production shutdown, a new world leader might emerge in '98. -- Dominic Cappa
Items for Tipsheet are gathered by Enquirer business staff.
