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Newsmax Signs Rick Santorum to Contract Extension

BNM Staff
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Newsmax Signs Rick Santorum to Contract Extension

Newsmax has announced a new deal with former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) to continue to serve as a Senior Political Analyst for the network.

Santorum — who joined Newsmax in 2021 after exiting CNN — signed a multi-year contract to remain with the company.

“I’ve been on all the major news networks and I am impressed how Newsmax has a become a first-rate news organization with an extremely influential reach across the nation,” Santorum said. “I am glad to renew and look forward to my role over the coming years here.”

“Rick Santorum has brought an honest, incisive, and experienced voice to Newsmax, helping our viewers better understand the shifts in American politics over the past few years and we are looking forward to his insight as the Trump administration gets underway,” added Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy.

A U.S. Senator from 1995 to 2007, Santorum ran for President in 2012, winning 11 states including the Iowa caucus. The now 66-year-old also launched a campaign for the 2016 Republican nomination but dropped out of the race and endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL).

After the 2016 race, Santorum joined CNN, where he remained until his 2021 departure.

During his time in the Senate, he served as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, making him the third-ranking member of the party’s leadership.

Bobby Jack Murphy Unretires And Joins 94.3 The Wolf WULF

BMM Staff
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Bobby Jack Murphy Unretires And Joins 94.3 The Wolf WULF

Bobby Jack Murphy has transitioned to a new chapter in his broadcasting career following his retirement from W&B Broadcasting. After serving as the morning host at Classic Hits 620 WAKY/100.1/106.3 in Louisville and as midday host and program director at “Cat Country 105.5” WLVK in Fort Knox/Elizabethtown, he is now set to join Skytower Communications. Murphy will take on the role of afternoon host at Country “94.3 The Wolf” WULF in Hardinsburg, KY.

Murphy will debut on January 6th. He said, “I’m thrilled to be back in the studio with the incredible team at 94.3 The Wolf. I’ve always believed in the power of radio to connect people, and that’s exactly what I’m looking forward to doing again—making listeners feel like they’re a part of something special while playing the best country music on the radio.”

Skytower General Managers Todd and Amy Bush added, “We are thrilled to welcome the legendary Bobby Jack Murphy to the WULF family. His unmatched passion and presence will perfectly align with our overall goal as a station– which is to make everyone feel like they are a part of Wolf Country.”

Program Director Kevin Jaggers said, “We are beyond excited to welcome Bobby Jack back to the airwaves. When you think of radio in this area, the name ‘Bobby Jack Murphy’ immediately comes to mind! He has been a staple of country radio in this region for years, and we know our listeners will be just as thrilled to hear him back on the air as we are to have him.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Triton Digital Unveils New Data and Trends Insights Dashboard for Sounder

BNM Staff
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Triton Digital Unveils New Data and Trends Insights Dashboard for Sounder

Triton Digital has announced a new dashboard for Sounder, its AI-powered platform for podcasters.

As part of its new dashboard, Sounder will display the top categories, entities, and brand suitability trends taking place in the podcast and digital audio spaces.

“This feature provides publishers with a more in-depth view of IAB categories that were present in their catalog, beyond the genre of their catalog, within the past three months,” a statement from the company reads.

These new features will equip content creators with new data and insights to help understand content and inventory for sales opportunities.

“Brand suitability is increasingly becoming table stakes as brands seek more control over where they reach their audiences. Meanwhile, publishers have more audience insights than ever before but they often face the challenge of trying to decide where to start with those insights,” said Triton Digital Executive Vice President of Podcast and Content Delivery Sharon Taylor.

“With Sounder’s new Overview analysis, publishers have the data they need to showcase the depth and trustworthiness of their content and give advertisers more confidence in their contextual targeting campaigns.” 

The development of the new dashboard comes on the heels of Triton Digital releasing the new PromoHub for Sounder earlier this year. The PromoHub automates aspects of the podcast promotion process. Triton acquired Sounder in March of this year.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Emirates NBA Cup Final Averages 2.99 Million Viewers on ABC

BSM Staff
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Emirates NBA Cup Final Averages 2.99 Million Viewers on ABC

The final matchup within the Emirates NBA Cup in-season tournament, which featured the Milwaukee Bucks facing the Oklahoma City Thunder, garnered the second-largest audience of the NBA season. The game, which aired in primetime on ABC, averaged 2.99 million viewers, which is down 35% compared to last year’s final matchup. LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the Los Angeles Lakers to a victory in that year over the Indiana Pacers in a game that averaged 4.58 million viewers. The 1.75 rating is also down 29% compared to last year, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.

Viewership of the National Basketball Association on ABC, ESPN and TNT is down a collective 19% from last season, amassing an audience of 1.4 million viewers per game, according to data from Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch. Nonetheless, the matchup between the Bucks-Thunder was the largest regular-season audience of the year excluding the Opening Night matchup between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, which averaged 3.01 million viewers. Both matchups between the Bucks and Thunder last year aired on NBA TV and averaged under 400,000 viewers.

Semifinal games within the Emirates NBA Cup also registered declines, with the showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets averaging 1.89 million viewers on ABC. Viewership was down 13% from the Western Conference semifinal game last year, and the 1.1 rating represented a 15% diminution from that time as well. Earlier in the day, the Eastern Conference game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks averaged 1 million viewers, indicative of a 37% decline. This game was up against the annual Army-Navy matchup on CBS, which attained its strongest viewership in 35 years.

Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA, addressed the decline in viewership on the season thus far and mentioned how “cable television viewership is down double digits.” The league recently signed new 11-year media rights deals with The Walt Disney Company, Comcast and Amazon reportedly worth a total of $77 billion.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Nielsen Diary Markets 12+ Trends November 2024 6 am-midnight

BMM Staff
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Nielsen Diary Markets 12+ Trends November 2024 6 am-midnight

You can dive deeper into each market on Barrett Media’s ratings page. Powered by Harker Bos Group.

#94 Chattanooga

Country and Classic Rock set the pace for the market.

Classic Rock WSKZ leads despite losing a share, continuing a three-month slide. 14.7-14.1-11.7-10.7

Country WUSY 9.1-10.6

AC WDEF 9.7-8.9

#100 Huntsville

Country WDRM loses a share but remains in the lead. 9.7-8.7

Top 40 WZYP 6.5-6.6

Classic Rock WTAK continues a four-month upward trend 3.9-5.9-6.1-6.2

Urban WHRP grows 3.4-4.3

You can dive deeper into each market on Barrett Media’s ratings page. Powered by Harker Bos Group.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

George Stephanopoulos Inks Extension With ABC News

BNM Staff
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George Stephanopoulos Inks Extension With ABC News

George Stephanopoulos has signed a new contract with ABC News, keeping him with his longtime news outlet for several more years.

The 63-year-old will remain as a host of Good Morning America, as well as his Sunday political affairs show This Week with George Stephanopoulos as part of his news contract.

After joining ABC News as a political analyst, Stephanopoulos served as a correspondent for This Week before becoming host of the program in 2002. He was later elevated to Chief Washington Correspondent in 2005. He added regular duties on Good Morning America in 2009, replacing Diane Sawyer who moved to the anchor desk of World News Tonight.

The news comes on the heels of ABC News settling a defamation lawsuit from President-elect Donald Trump geared toward the outlet and host. In March, George Stephanopoulos stated that Trump had been found civilly liable for rape in the case with writer E. Jean Carroll. Attorneys for Trump sued the network and host, with Disney settling the case for $15 million and legal fees.

A contract extension for Stephanopoulos will likely quell any questions about the host’s future with the outlet. Previous reporting shared that he was “furious” behind the scenes that the company settled the case, alleging that settlement makes it appear as if he had done something wrong or acted with malice in his comments.

The news of Stephanopoulos’ contract extension was first reported by Stephen Battaglio of The Los Angeles Times.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

CNN Political Analyst Gloria Borger to Depart

BNM Staff
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CNN Political Analyst Gloria Borger to Depart

Longtime CNN political analyst Gloria Borger has announced she will exit the cable news channel at the end of the year.

Borger has previously been a prominent figure in the network’s election coverage. She also was a regular guest on shows like The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper 360 during her tenure.

Gloria Borger has been at CNN since 2007. She was also the network’s Chief Political Analyst, hosting the documentary on Joe Biden’s ascent to the White House in 2021.

Before joining the network, Borger worked as a national political correspondent at CBS News and contributed to Face the Nation and 60 Minutes II. Additionally, she was co-anchor of Capital Report on CNBC before her stops at CBS and CNN.

Borger becomes the latest longtime employee to announce their departure from the cable news outlet. Earlier this month, anchor Alisyn Camerota shared that it was her final day with CNN after 10 years with the company.

CEO Mark Thompson has previously stated the company will undergo a strategy shift to focus on more digital efforts with a smaller budget than the network has operated with in the past.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Barrett Media to Run Lighter Schedule During the Holidays

Jason Barrett
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Barrett Media to Run Lighter Schedule During the Holidays

The phone never stops buzzing, and the emails pour in rapidly. People and brands have news to share, and stories to tell, and expect us to be on it. Covering the media industry is a constant grind, and though I and my crew enjoy it, there are times where breaks are needed. Thankfully, they come during a time when many across the industry do the same.

Starting on Christmas Eve and continuing through Friday January 3rd, Barrett Media will be in holiday mode. This means we’ll deliver one (1) daily newsletter (the holiday edition), each day at Noon ET. Content for the next two weeks will also be lighter as we give our editors time off, half-day work schedules, and allow our part-time contributors to take a break to gear up for 2025.

Columns and features will still be created by myself, Dave Greene, Garrett Searight, Derek Futterman, and Jeff Lynn. We’ll also have the important daily news stories you’ve come to expect from us. For instance, you can expect that we’ll have something up on 12/26 regarding Netflix’s entry into broadcasting the NFL. However, the pace of our production will decrease for two weeks.

Despite daily content slowing down, things won’t get easier for yours truly. I’ll spend the holiday weeks working on a year-in-review column, adding more speakers/sessions to the BSM Summit (tickets are on-sale thru 12/31 for $249.99), and collaborating with Dylan Barrett to produce the BNM Top 20 of 2024 and the BMM Top 20 of 2024. The BNM series drops January 6-10 and 13. BMM’s series debuts January 20-24 and 27-29.

We Are Hiring

With a new year approaching, one project that I have to dive into is hiring. It’s a never ending process when you run an independent operation. The good news is that a lot of people are interested in working for us and we have opportunities available. Finding the right fit however can be difficult in the B2B publishing space.

Before I add to our team, I try to make sure candidates know and understand me, our brand, my approach, and the business. I don’t always get it right but we’ve featured a pretty good group throughout the years. Being driven to write/create, work in a team environment, and appreciating what we do and those across the industry doing it are important. We have a team of self-starters who enjoy their work, and embrace an all hands on deck mentality. Anyone coming on board has to fit into the culture or it won’t last.

Entering 2025, I’m looking to hire a Site Editor/Manager, Music Radio Writer/Reporter, and Social Media Coordinator.

The Site Manager/Editor will be well versed in sports/news media, and music radio. This person will oversee all three areas of our online operation. They’ll work closely with me on the daily content strategy to grow traffic, influence, audio/video content, and strengthen our events and partner relationships. The Music Radio Writer/Reporter will write daily news, edit content, and interview people for future stories. Lastly, the Social Media Coordinator will create/schedule posts, analyze data and trends, and tackle other digital needs as they arise.

Secondly, if you’re not based in the USA or haven’t worked in the media industry, I’m not going to call. It’s hard to get access to people, events, and key information if you don’t know the issues and haven’t lived this life. I’m looking for folks who have knowledge and passion for the industry, are connected across it, and can dive right in. I’m a very driven individual who expects to grow, and won’t slow down. If we’re not in this to make an impact then what’s the point?

There are people in the media business who love it but are sad over revenue losses and/or co-workers exiting. Others are on the outside looking in and miss the fun, but the unstable nature of the business has them questioning whether or not to return. What we do keeps you connected to the industry but in a different way. It’s a lot of fun. However, it only works if you enjoy working remotely, have a passion to write, and wake up each day ready to talk to people and create content.

If that sounds like you, send me a note with your resume and work samples at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.

‘NFL Fantasy Live’ on NFL Network Is Heavy on Information, Trust and Fun

John Molori
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‘NFL Fantasy Live’ on NFL Network Is Heavy on Information, Trust and Fun

As NFL fantasy football season dives headlong into the playoffs, there are a plethora of programs out there for fantasy footballers. Some are heavy on stats, others on analysis, still more feature experts giving you their roster breakdowns to like, dislike, consider, or ignore.

One of the more intriguing fantasy football programs is NFL Fantasy Live on NFL Network. It takes a different approach to fantasy football. While ESPN’s Fantasy Football Now is more stat heavy and traditional, NFL Fantasy Live takes a lighter approach. Don’t get me wrong, the program still provides all of the trends, tendencies, and numbers, but in a more casual and relaxed atmosphere. 

It’s actually very similar to the split between ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown and NFL Network’s NFL GameDay programming. There is much more of an emphasis on personality and humor with the NFL Network shows.

The December 17 edition of NFL Fantasy Live featured regulars Patrick Claybon, Marcas Grant, and Adam Rank. The participants are all attired in casual clothing and sneakers in a sort of living room/den atmosphere with leather chairs. I like the way the group opened the show with by lamenting their personal fantasy failures of last week. Those who partake in fantasy football can surely relate.

Grant said that he regretted playing Cooper Kupp this past week as I’m sure a lot of fantasy GM’s did as Kupp was a complete fantasy failure. NFL Fantasy Live offers a What We Learned segment looking back on the previous week’s action. This show mentioned Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Bears wide receivers in general, RB Ameer Abdullah of the Raiders, and Kirk Cousins and Bijan Robinson of the Falcons. It was a good back-and-forth segment focusing on the positives and negatives of selecting certain players for your fantasy team.

The Ones segment of the show predicted who will be the top fantasy players for the upcoming Week 16 of the NFL season, and another round of playoffs for many fantasy leagues. Grant is excellent. He provides that middle ground between Claybon’s straight laced hosting and Rank’s utter lunacy. On this show, Grant spotlighted Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield as a player to watch for Week 16. Rank pointed to Eagles’ Quarterback Jalen Hurts as a QB1 for this week’s fantasy rosters, while Claybon chose James Conner of Arizona as an RB1. Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Evans, and Josh Jacobs were also mentioned.

NFL Fantasy Live mixes things up with a lot of video clips and, on this particular episode, an interview with NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. Injuries are a huge part of both NFL and fantasy football, and Pelissero provided an update on Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a QB1 on many fantasy teams. He stated that Mahomes did practice on Tuesday, but Andy Reid has full confidence in Carson Wentz if Mahomes cannot play this weekend.

All types of news affects fantasy football – from injuries to off the field issues to coaching situations, weather, and specific game plans. Detroit RB David Montgomery is now out for the season which means if you have Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs on your fantasy team, you’re probably looking at more carries and the potential for more points.

NFL Fantasy Live is all about humor with campy segments aplenty. The Panic or Patience segment looked at Cooper Kupp, C.J. Stroud, Deebo Samuel, Sr., and Alvin Kamara. When a  host hits the panic button, the whole studio shakes with an earthquake visual effect. Rank had a good take on Saquon Barkley’s subpar fantasy performance last week saying that regular season stats don’t matter now. It’s all about what you do in the fantasy playoffs.

Rank is unquestionably the lightning bolt for NFL Fantasy Live. He is the fantasy version of Good Morning Football’s eclectic and eloquent Kyle Brandt. Rank is outrageous and outstanding, a fantasy geek and a fantasy god, equal parts informative and insane. His wacky, over-the-top, and, at times, hilarious takes on all things fantasy football bring spark and shine to the program.

On this episode, Rank did a standup Waiver Wire Hot Sauce Advent Calendar for fantasy football. Just the premise of an advent calendar for fantasy is funny in itself. Rank’s analysis included references to his personal life, pop culture, and even Christmas songs. The segment was not just amusing, however. It mentioned some dark horse fantasy players to try including Jerome Ford, Tyjae Spears, and Brenton Strange.

On many fantasy football shows, defense and special teams are often overlooked, but those positions can make or break a playoff team. NFL Fantasy Live looked at the top prospects for defense/special teams for the upcoming week. Grant made the telling point that you don’t have to be a great overall defense to be a great fantasy defense, you just have to get sacks and turnovers.

As host of the proceedings, Claybon does a nice job of moving the show along while promoting upcoming NFL Network programming and initiatives. Meanwhile, Grant and Rank form a nice duo in several segments on the program.

One of those segments is called Higher or Lower. Grant and Rank assign a certain fantasy point total to a player, then analyze whether that player will exceed or fall short of that point total. It is actually a helpful tool for fantasy football players to listen to two guys who know what they are talking about. This particular segment focused on quarterbacks Mayfield and Jordan Love as well as running backs Rico Dowdle and James Cook.

Fast paced production values are a huge part of NFL Fantasy Live, from lightning bolts to quick edits to statistical blurbs and hardcore fantasy facts. One of the strengths of the program is that as the personalities talk about a particular player, there is a lower third graphic with the player’s name, his opponent for the upcoming week, and key statistics.

The normally staid Claybon comes out of his shell with his fantasy forecast, offering roster advice with comical costumes and backdrops including an aquarium, beach, a roaring fire, and outer space. I like the comedic aspect of NFL Fantasy Live because it comes rather naturally and is not forced. Plus, this is fantasy football, an appropriate venue for mixing in some slapstick with the stats. Humor has been a huge part of Rank’s repertoire for years, but he is adept at balancing the jokes with information that fantasy GM’s need.

Costumes and comedy are fine, but hardcore fantasy footballers watch these programs to get information, score points, win titles and, in many cases, earn money. NFL Fantasy Live brings the heat with a triumvirate of stars who play fantasy football and pass along unbridled real talk to viewers.

With a combination of the stats, analysis, and trends, Grant, Claybon, and Rank offer opinions and projections, but of course, it comes down to trust. Fantasy stats are pretty much the same from show to show. The challenge is figuring out which personalities and opinions to trust. If that is the test, I would definitely choose NFL Fantasy Live in round one of any fantasy draft.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Promo Meeting: Ideas, Concepts And Thought Starters For Music Radio

Jeff Lynn
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Promo Meeting: Ideas, Concepts And Thought Starters For Music Radio

For decades, Beasley’s KKLZ Las Vegas has presented the “Jingle Bell Rock.” Somewhere in the Las Vegas valley, the station has hidden the rock, a 20×15 flat slate that weighs around 25 pounds. It looks normal on one side, and on the other are the directions to claim the $10,000 prize.

Listeners get clues on air five times daily. This is a great example of setting appointments and getting another listening occasion.

Another way to execute something similar is virtual. When I worked at the legendary News/Talk WHO Des, Moines, then morning show, Van and Bonnie would virtually hide a prize somewhere in the metro. It’s the same thing; people just don’t have to search the city.

Both make for great promotions.

iHeartMedia’s Lite 106.7 WLTW is hosting a Virtual Toy Drive. On the station website, a page gives you a click-to-donate page that redirects to Amazon and a wish list for three local Children’s hospitals.

This one is easy to execute, and with the proper associated promos, sponsored of course, it becomes turnkey year after year.

If you ever watch WWE, you know that the fans love to get attention by making signs to taunt the heel or cheer on the babyface.

Encourage listeners to creatively display your station’s call letter or slogan at a concert. I’ve seen some creative, not always PG-rated, ways the listeners tried to get the station’s attention.

Pick the best or most creative and upgrade their seats to the front row.

My Promotion Director, the late Ken Kohls, brought this to me when we launched 97.3 The Brew in Milwaukee. Kohls had a way of doing things that got under the competition’s skin.

When your competition has its Christmas Show or any other exclusive event, rent one of those mobile sign boards that you see that are typically used to announce, “This ramp will be closed Monday at 7:30.”

He called the city, paid for, and reserved a street parking spot right in front of the competitors’ event, with a sign that read “97.3 The Brew welcomes you to the show.”

Brilliant.

Let Barrett Media showcase you best. Email me here, jeff@barrettmedia.com

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

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