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Bill Melton, White Sox Slugger and Broadcaster, Dies at 79

BSM Staff
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Bill Melton, the Chicago White Sox slugger who was also a broadcaster for the team, died Thursday at the age of 79.

Melton, who played for the Sox from 1968 to 1975, became an analyst for pregame and postgame shows for Chicago TV station WGN in 1998. He also appeared on Comcast SportsNet and NBC Sports Chicago until he retired in 2020.

Known as “Beltin’ Bill Melton,” the third baseman led the American League with 33 home runs in 1971. He was also an All Star that season.

Over the course of his MLB career, Melton had a .253 batting average and 160 home runs. After leaving Chicago, he played for the California Angels and the Cleveland team then known as the Indians.

 “Bill Melton enjoyed two tremendous careers with the White Sox,” said White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf in a statement

 “His first came as a celebrated home run king for White Sox teams in the early 1970s, where ‘Beltin Bill’ brought power to a franchise that played its home games in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. Photos of Bill wearing his home run crown and others of him posing with ballpark organist Nancy Faust still generate smiles to this day,” Reinsdorf said. “Bill’s second career came as a well-liked and respected pre and postgame television analyst, where on a nightly basis Sox fans saw his passion for the team, win or lose. Bill was a friend to many at the White Sox and around baseball, and his booming voice will be missed. Our sympathies go out to his wife Tess, and all of their family and friends.”

On Twitter, another White Sox slugger turned broadcaster, Frank “Big Hurt” Thomas, said “Bill and I shared many nights in studio talking baseball. He really knew how to light up a room. I  loved his humor and stories. When he dropped Laddy on you you knew something funny was coming. God Bless Rest in peace.”

After his playing career ended, Melton returned to Chicago as a team ambassador and part-time scout. When Michael Jordan left the Chicago Bulls to play baseball in 1993, Melton worked with Jordan as a hitting instructor.

Melton is survived by his wife, Tess, son, Billy, daughter, Jennifer, a grandson in addition to many extended family members.

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.

Women in Horse Racing: How Female Jockeys, Trainers, and Owners Are Changing the Sport

Sponsored Post
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Over the past decades, horse racing has evolved from a purely male domain to a sport where women compete on par. This is only due to the female trailblazers and their long-haul fight for the right to step onto the racetrack. Here’s an exciting story of breaking barriers in horse racing.

Introduction

Historically, the horse racing industry has been masculine, with men playing the key roles, whether grooming, training, or riding horses. Women were not allowed to join jockey clubs and enter races; all they could do was attend a racetrack dressed up for the show’s visual appeal. 

The rudiments of gender equality in racing emerged in the late 1960s as restrictions were lifted on female participation in the sport in different parts of the world. And it wasn’t until a few years later that women became eligible to compete with men in top-level horse racing events.

Since then, women’s impact on the industry has significantly grown. They rack up major trophies and earn widespread acclaim as riders, trainers, owners, and other participants. By fostering gender diversity, the sport has taken on a whole new dimension of competitiveness and thrill.

Source: gettyimages.in

Historical Background of Women in Horse Racing

Equestriennes, like women in sports overall, forced their way through deep-rooted stereotypes and blatant discrimination. Their first attempts to break onto the racecourse faced pushback with mockery and protests from the men’s side. Yet, they maintained unwavering determination.

There are quite a few names of the women pioneers in racing whose audacious feats set the stage for the next generations of female jockeys and others in the industry. Below are some of the trailblazers who revolutionized the sport and contributed to the women’s ascent. 

  • Laska Durnell won the 1904 Kentucky Derby as the first female horse owner. 
  • Wantha Davis beat Johnny Longden, a US male multiple-champion jockey, in 1949.
  • Norah Wilmot became the first official female trainer of a winning racehorse in 1966.  
  • Kathy Kusner sued a US racing commission and obtained a jockey’s license in 1968.  
  • Diane Crump became the first female entrant of a parimutuel race in the US in 1969. 
Source: gettyimages.in

Female Jockeys: Breaking Barriers on the Track

The pioneering female jockeys struggled to be accepted in the male-only sport. Only a year before Diane Crump was allowed to participate in a race, Penny Ann Early failed to ride in a racing series at Churchill Downs as the male contenders boycotted the races because of her.

Nevertheless, women withstood the devastating criticism and numerous bans and rose to the top of the industry, as evidenced by a host of stellar female jockeys, among whom are:

  • Julie Krone, the Triple Crown triumphant.
  • Rosie Napravnik, the Kentucky Oaks winner.
  • Michelle Payne, the Melbourne Cup champion. 
  • Rachael Blackmore, the Grand National winner.

Men still noticeably outnumber women, but the industry has recently witnessed a slight but steady shift toward female representation. Today, women perform on an equal footing with male riders at world-class equestrian competitions and receive well-deserved recognition.

Female jockeys are great options for value bets, as their true odds of winning are often higher than bookies quote. You can bet profitably on established and promising female talents at 1xBet.  

Source: gettyimages.in

Women as Trainers: A Rising Influence

Apart from having brilliant riding skills, women have proven being excellent horse trainers. The way to training was paved by Ellen Chaloner, who was officially permitted to train horses in 1886 after her husband, an eminent jockey and trainer, died. Ellen achieved several wins with her runners.

Despite being turned down repeatedly, Mary Hirsch finally obtained a trainer’s license in 1935, creating a precedent for many other women. In 1983, Jenny Pitman led her horse to a Grand National victory, the first such achievement by a woman, and repeated the feat in 1995.   

The list of phenomenal female horse trainers goes on and on. Deep affection for their charges and overwhelming dedication to their job help women excel in training. Hence, the likes of Kathy Ritvo, Gai Waterhouse, Parvati Byramji, and Jena Antonucci have ruled the roost these days.

The Role of Female Owners in Horse Racing

By owning premier runners, women have made an invaluable contribution to the sport. Starting from a winning owner, Laska Durnell, female ownerships have produced a sheer amount of champions and, what’s more, have taken the industry to new social and economic heights. 

Racehorse aficionados know Penny Chenery, who owned the iconic Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Marylou Whitney, Stella Thayer, and other prominent owners popularized the sport, drew sizable investments, and took great care of horses during and after their racing careers.  

Barriers to Further Progress and Challenges Ahead

Despite the recent tangible progress in eliminating gender disparity, the horse racing industry is yet to overcome inequality and bias toward women. Female riders still lack representation, have fewer earning opportunities, and experience prejudiced and even misogynistic attitudes.      

Considerable efforts on national and international levels are required to break the barriers and change the perception of women in the industry. Today’s mission behind the industry-related institutions and communities is to empower and engage female participants in equestrianism. 

Source: gettyimages.in

Positive Changes and the Road Ahead

However, positive trends do exist. Racing organizations and initiatives help fight inequality and promote inclusivity in the sport. Women begin to garner financial, institutional, and media support from dedicated associations and networks. If the trends persist, the future will be bright. 

Finally, young girls passionate about horses and equestrian sports have remarkable examples in front of them. By looking up to female horse racing stars, such as Rosie Napravnik and Rachael Blackmore, they have a good chance to pursue a successful jockey career.

Conclusion

Due to the incredible perseverance and immense talent of female jockeys, trainers, and owners, the modern world of horse racing is more diverse, competitive, prosperous, and thrilling than it once was. Although the sport is still imbalanced gender-wise, equality is an achievable goal.

Source: gettyimages.in

Good for Stephen A. Smith, But Will ESPN Eventually Regret This Mega Deal?

Dave Greene
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Good for Stephen A. Smith, But Will ESPN Eventually Regret This Mega Deal?

Value is what someone is willing to pay for something. So, for anyone saying the reported 6-year, $120 million deal is too much for ESPN to pay Stephen A. Smith, they need to re-read that first sentence. ESPN doesn’t have to do this, they are choosing to do this, so all congratulations to Stephen A. for getting what he wanted all along – to be the big dog both on the air and at the bank.

I will say it was rather humorous to read what Smith told The Athletic about the report of a deal being close – “I don’t talk about my contract negotiations. Never have. Never will.” Sure, he may not talk publicly about the specifics of his negotiations, but running around telling anyone that will listen, “It’s my turn,” saying he expects to be the highest paid personality at ESPN isn’t exactly the same as being silent about negotiations.

The first thing I thought of when I read that quote were the group of memes that get circulated about not telling anyone if you won the lottery…but there would be hints!

Meme saying I wouldn't tell anyone I won the lottery but there would be signs.

I don’t think I would be the first person to say that while supremely talented, Stephen A.’s BS meter runs a smidge higher than most. That’s his schtick and good for him for turning that into millions and millions of dollars.

His stuff isn’t necessarily my cup of tea, I don’t like being yelled at or watching others yell at one another, so I mostly take in his content on short-form videos posted on social and that is usually about enough for me. The problem even with that though is I see clips from First Take, clips from his podcast, clips from NBA shows, clips from his newfound political analyst career and on and on. Now, it sounds like he will be creating even more content with a production company and we already kind of got a glimpse at one of those projects, with the Up For Debate: The Evolution of Sports Media project on ESPN+ which, if anything, proved not everything Stephen A. Smith is a part of turns to gold.

So, this is what I am getting at. Is anyone else concerned that Stephen A. Smith may be at his peak now. Or that the amount of Stephen A. Smith we get already is more than enough and any more of him will oversaturate it and bring his value down?

I root for any talent to get as much money as they possibly can, especially when it is from a big corporate company. Take all their money. However, I am deeply invested in the success of ESPN – what I consider to be one of the best things to ever happen to sports fans. So, that is my worry here, is that eventually, like a long-term player contract in any major sport, the team (in this case the company), will regret this down the road. It all looks good today, but will ESPN be happy paying $20 million per year in years four through six?

This is where the risk comes in. The risk of overexposure, the risk of complacency after signing the mega deal (not likely as we do know Stephen A. Smith is one of the hardest working people in the business, I doubt that changes much), the risk of the other talent who will now want more money (be it people already working for them or others they may want to poach from another network) and the risk that he will be even further out of the 25-54 demo as this deal goes along – he will turn 60 in year 3.

Tough to really compare this situation to anyone else because there really is no comparison. And that may be the very reason ESPN sees this as a great investment – Stephen A. Smith in a lot of ways is one of one.

The question is, can he stay at the top? Can he really do all of the other things that he wants to do and remain focused enough on his ESPN commitments to have it all pay off for the company?

As we like to say in this business…stay tuned.

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The Best/Worst Thing I’ve Heard/Watched/Read Recently

I spent some time over Thanksgiving week in New York and always like to listen to local sports talk radio when I am on the road. While you would expect the No. 1 market to have great programming, I am not sure that fits every show on the two major sports stations, but I do know that the WFAN morning show and the ESPN NY afternoon show (for now) are both about as good as you can expect.

I have written about The Michael Kay Show before, and to me, that is a New York sports talk show, complete with just about everything you would expect that to be. Some of the calls they take will make me laugh out loud and the person isn’t trying in the least to be funny. The three hosts have great chemistry, and Kay is one of the best to ever do it. If reports are true and Kay leaves the show to go solo earlier in the day, I will be glad I got to tune in and listen for a few days before it came to an end.

On WFAN, Boomer Esiason gives you great opinions along with the insight of a former professional athlete. The concern always is that a former athlete will only know their own sport well enough, but that is far from the case with Boomer, he really knows his stuff. Additionally, you can tell he appreciates the ‘locker room’ vibe of the show.

His partner Gregg Giannotti, in my opinion, is phenomenal. There’s something about the way Gio says things, whether he is providing information, giving what is generally a very strong opinion about something, or just bantering back and forth with the guys, that makes you want to keep listening. He is that perfect mix of both funny and serious and runs point very well, always seeming to have a good feel for when to let something breathe a bit and knowing when to cut something off before it goes completely off the rails.

Both shows kept me very entertained while I was in town and that is all a sports radio listener can ask for.

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In Case You Missed It

My colleague Peter Thiele on the news side of Barrett Media had an interesting column earlier this week. What he wrote about applies to all talent, so I wanted to make sure we posted about it on the sports side as well.

The crux of the column was that hosts need to be very aware of the revenue that is tied directly to them and their show as well as what the expectations are from the company. They need to look at things the way corporate does, which is to only look at the income versus the expense.

Thiele wrote, “The paradigm has changed. You can no longer live in ignorance over the billing assigned to your show. If you work for one of the larger companies that has debt, the bean counters are looking for things that lose the company money. Your job is a gift from your employer. There was a time when hosts did their work, and the sales department sold. The sales department and programming department had separate floors and rarely interacted unless it was for an endorsement lunch. Even the hand off for copy was rarely direct. I know a lot of hosts who love it that way. Ok crew, those days are gone.”

Peter offers some additional tips and while I disagree that anyone should offer to give salary back (it’s a revenue problem, focus on that!), it is a great thing for hosts to think about while they are still employed.

You can read the full column by clicking here.

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.

Learning Video Editing is a Must for News Talk and Sports Talk Hosts

Pete Mundo
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Learning Video Editing is a Must for News Talk and Sports Talk Hosts

There’s been plenty written on Barrett Media recently about the push towards video and the developing strategy for radio stations and shows around video. They’re all columns worth your time, as it’s just another data point to consider when understanding the shift in media consumption as we get set to head into 2025.

YouTube remains the second-largest search engine in the world after Google. So, it’s not just a place to watch goofy viral videos. It’s a place where people can search for information or entertainment related to topics you might talk about on your show.

As Barrett Media wrote this week: “Podcasts continue to increase in popularity, and along with it, YouTube sees an uptick in listeners, besting Spotify and Apple Podcasts as the biggest platforms. According to new data from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights, 34% of weekly podcast listeners point to YouTube as their primary listening platform. That figure represents an increase from 2023 when 28% of similar respondents identified it as their primary source of listening. Elsewhere, 17% of respondents said Spotify was their preferred listening platform, with 11% claiming Apple Podcasts was their top platform.”

Now many podcasts can be found on YouTube as simply an audio file with either limited, or no real video component. That’s Step 1.

But Step 2 is developing your show to have at least a semblance of a video component. That could be live streaming. It could be long-form interviews or monologues sliced up for easily consumable content. It could also mean a short-form video that plays as a YouTube short, Instagram, or Facebook reel. In a perfect world, it’s all of the above. 

But no matter what, this is a critical part of our future that we all need to focus on sooner rather than later. It is a priority for us at KCMO Talk Radio, as it has been for many News/Talk and Sports Talk brands as of late. 

But just as important is how hosts and producers can ensure they maximize their talents and prospects for the future based on industry trends.

One of the questions I keep hearing industry-wide is, “Who’s going to edit/produce on the video side?”

Every person working in radio would be wise to learn how to video edit and cut, just like we all learned how to use Adobe Audition, or any of its competitors, to cut audio (I never worked in a reel-to-reel world). But in an industry that needs to evolve rapidly, we can either learn the skill sets necessary to move the business forward or die on the vine and then go to social media to complain about the industry.

Then, there’s the graphics work that should not be overlooked. As Barrett Media’s piece also added, “Additionally, for podcast discovery on YouTube, 53% of those surveyed between the ages of 18-34 say they have chosen a podcast based on the thumbnail image.”

Thumbnail images can make or break anything on YouTube. It’s another skill set that will never let you down in the digital age we are living through.

These are challenging times, and while learning these new skills doesn’t guarantee job security, they’re valuable skills that are in high demand and translate to almost any other industry in today’s workforce. Marketing companies, ad agencies, and other traditional and emerging media outlets are all looking for people who possess this skill. There’s literally no downside.

So, start learning, and start now, whether it’s Adobe Premier, VidCut, Instagram’s Video Editor, Canva, Photoshop or anything else of its ilk. Even an hour a week. And by the spring, you’ll be a completely different content creator. And for the better. 

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.

Women’s Sports Boom Could Get Volleyball Bump

BSM Staff
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Women’s Sports Boom Could Get Volleyball Bump

Women’s sports are booming. With ratings up for basketball and soccer, a new report says volleyball could be the next big thing.

Horizon Sports & Experiences on Wednesday issued a report pointing to continued growth and encouraging media companies and sponsors to invest in women’s sports. Some advertisers are joining the lineup and new leagues are being formed.

The Caitlin Clark effect has already benefited the WNBA. That helped the league secure a $2.2 billion, 11-year rights deal with ESPN, NBCUniversal and Amazon Prime Video.

2024 was a milestone year for women’s sports, according to Kerry Bradley, senior VP, strategy for HS&E, the firm co-founded by former Turner and Turner Sports President David Levy.

Bradley told Barrett Media that not so long ago, TV execs, Levy included, didn’t have data showing there was enough potential return on investment to putting a women’s game in a coveted time slot. “There’s only so many hours in a day and men’s sports have always been a safer bet in terms of reach and scale,” she said.

The female stars of the Olympics and college basketball’s big number are changing that perception.

Now Levy’s company is prioritizing investing in women’s sports, with the launch of the Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic college basketball event airing on Fox and Unrivaled, a women’s three-on-three hoops league whose game will appear on Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT, truTV and Max.

“More marketing and media dollars are being spent to spotlight the stories of female athletes and that creates more awareness, more buzz, more household names, creating rivalries between Kaitlin Clark and Angel Reece,” Bradley said. “That means more eyeballs, more advertising dollars and more advertising dollars means more resources for the [leagues] to create better in-venue experiences, which drives more ticket sales, which drives the media rights up. There’s this flywheel effect happening.”

Kerry Bradley, senior VP, strategy for HS&E

The next women’s sport that could make an impact on TV could be volleyball. Bradley said volleyball is the fastest-growing sport in terms of participation among high-schoolers. It is posed to explode at the professional level. 

Right now there’s not much women’s volleyball on TV, but HS&E’s analysis of ratings trends for NCAA volleyball and beach volleyball telecast shows a 126% increase. “That’s a positive growth trajectory if I’ve ever seen one,” Bradley said. This month, ESPN will be televising all of the games in the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championships.

One professional women’s volleyball league, The Pro Volleyball Federation, started in January and drew 3.9 million viewers on YouTube. Another outfit, League One Volleyball (LOVB) will launch in 2025. Bradley said League One is particularly interesting because its teams are forging links to local youth leagues.

“You got a built-in pipeline, you’ve got a built-in infrastructure, you’ve got a built-in fan base,” she said. “It captures eyeballs, hearts and minds. I think it’s going to be big.”

To get really big, ad dollars are needed. At this point, Bradley said that only 6% of Fortune 500 brands invest as women’s sports sponsors.

Women’s sports fans should be attractive to media and advertisers. First of all, they’re not just women. According to HS&E’s report, the audience for women’s sports is 55% male and 45% female–not very different from the skew in men’s sports.

Women’s sports viewers are also engaged with teams on social media and more importantly they’re “fiercely loyal” to their favorite teams and players. HS&E’s research found that 67% of fasn choose to reward brands that sponsor their favorite athletes and teams, Bradley said..

“To know that  two-thirds of the audience is going to not only take note of and become aware of my brand, but then potentially make a point of intentionally and consciously supporting my brand but just because I’ve showed up for women’s sports, that makes it a really interesting investment opportunity,” she said.

On top of that the cost to sponsor women’s sports is much cheaper than men’s sports, and with fewer advertisers involved, there are more opportunities to stand out in women’s sports and build relationships with fans through authentic integration.

Sponsors Pay to Play

Giant media buyer GroupM, for one, has noticed. It recently said that it exceed its goal of doubling annual media spending on women’s sports in 2024. 

GroupM clients expanding their involvement in women’s sports include  adidas, Adobe, Ally, Coinbase, Danone, Discover, Domino’s, DoorDash, Google, Indeed, Mars, method, Nationwide, Target, TJ Maxx, Unilever, Universal Pictures and Volvo Car USA. 

Women’s sports programming sponsored by GroupM client appears on Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount and YouTube.

“Doubling spend in women’s sports within a matter of months marks a significant milestone for our company and the industry alike,” said Matt Sweeney, Chief Investment Officer, GroupM US. “While some clients have long been pioneers in this space, others are now broadening their commitments or making first-time investments. This surge of momentum reflects more than a passing trend — it’s a full-fledged movement.” 

Employment website Indeed jumped into women’s sports as Presenting Sponsorship of Thursday Primetime Women’s College Basketball on Disney’s sports platforms and bought the WNBA Feature Sponsorship on Paramount’s.  

“By amplifying visibility, embracing innovation, and fostering equity in sports, we are setting a new standard for what’s possible across all sectors,” Carmen Graf, global VP of marketing at Indeed. “Engaging with this audience is not just good business; it’s essential. Indeed champions salary transparency, promotes fair and equitable workplaces, and advocates for better work for all. Supporting women’s sports underscores our commitment to creating a more inclusive landscape across every field.”   

If you need evidence that sponsoring women’s sports works, EDO, a data company that measures the impact of ad campaigns.

EDO’s recent Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report revealed double-digit year-over-year improvements in TV ad effectiveness during women’s sports programming, with major events like tennis and basketball emerging as top performers for advertisers in 2023, GroupM noted.

Sounds like a win.

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.

The Pulse: Christmas Music, Community Connections, And Radio Industry Happenings

Jeff Lynn
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The Pulse: Christmas Music, Community Connections, And Radio Industry Happenings

A few years ago, I had a conversation with a well-known consultant. I suggested that the shine was finally off the all-Christmas music format for music radio stations.

Agreeing with me, though not 100 percent, he indicated his belief that certain stations had a heritage with Christmas music and that stopping it now would violate expectations.

When I was programming, the year one of my stations had the greatest success in the all-Christmas format was the year we played just 43 Christmas songs—the biggest of all time—and we played them over and over.

I love Billy Squier’s “Christmas Is A Time To Say I Love You.” However, if you are the all-Christmas station, it has no business on your playlist. You need Burl Ives, Andy Williams, and Bing Crosby, and you need them repeatedly.

That takes a lot of programming discipline, not listening to your on Airstaff (if you still have one) complaining ad nauseam, and having brilliant imaging.

Earlier this week, I wrote about the strength of Classic Rock and Classic Hits in the fall PPMs (BMM 12/4). I theorized that the performance was due not only to it being some of the best music ever recorded but also to its comfort. It is comfortable because it takes people back to a time when they had fewer worries, the country was less divided, and the world was a simpler place.

After a highly contested election, if you lived in a battleground state like I do, all you saw were political mudslinging ads and car dealers willing to pay the bump rate. Christmas music is a breath of fresh air—a refreshing alternative.

All Christmas stations should do very well this season.

Community Connections:

Audacy Portland’s 99.5 The Wolf (KWJJ) has once again alleviated the financial burden of medical bills for numerous listeners. The recent initiative, Nick and Kristen’s Medical Debt Payoff, successfully raised $4.6 million to eliminate medical debt for 3,345 individuals across the Pacific Northwest.

This year’s campaign, which took place from November 18 to 22, was spearheaded by morning hosts Nick and Kristen in collaboration with the national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt. With encouragement for listeners and local businesses to contribute, the campaign significantly surpassed the previous year’s total of $2.5 million.

KAFE 104.1 in Bellingham, WA, launched its first-ever Airwaves for Animals radiothon in collaboration with the Whatcom Humane Society, aiming to gather support and funds for animals in need.

The goal was set at $50,000, but thanks to the community’s generosity, the radiothon exceeded expectations, raising an impressive $50,640 over just two days. These funds will go towards vital programs, including the organization’s animal food bank, adoption services, and care for domestic, wild, and farm animals throughout Whatcom County.

Cox Media Group Atlanta’s radio stations aligned with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to combat food insecurity in the lead-up to Thanksgiving. Through their efforts, the partnership successfully collected 8,782 pounds of food, translating to 12,272 meals for individuals facing food insecurity throughout Georgia.

Industry Happenings:

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation is calling on content creators to submit their work for the 50th Annual Gracie Awards. This prestigious event celebrates five decades of media excellence. Creators who apply by the December 12, 2024, Early Bird Deadline can take advantage of discounted entry fees.

Add Ons:

Rowdy Yates, syndicated host of “The Ride Home with Rowdy Yates,” again offers two holiday special programs free of charge this year. “A Really Rowdy Christmas” is a five-hour holiday music program, blending classic yuletide standards, country Christmas hits, and playful seasonal songs to create the perfect soundtrack for the festive season.

In a celebration of Texas culture, Yates presents “A Lone Star Christmas,” a special one-hour program showcasing renowned Texas artists. Featured performers include George Strait, Clint Black, Clay Walker, Johnny Mathis, and fan favorites Pat Green and Kevin Fowler.

Bit Of The Week:

In future weeks, The Pulse will include the “Bit Of The Week.” If you want to be featured, please send me an mp3 of your best, most recent bit to 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.

Music Radio Holds 18 Of The Top 20 Spots In November 6+ PPM Cume

BMM Staff
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Music Radio Holds 18 Of The Top 20 Spots In November 6+ PPM Cume

Music Radio holds 18 of the top 20 spots in November 6+ PPM Cume.

Not surprisingly, New York and Los Angeles stations placed the most entries, with Houston and Chicago placing one, respectively.

From Nielson Audio AQH cume persons 6+ Mon-Sun 6 am to 12 am PPM Markets November 2024.

iHeartMedia’s AC WLTQ 106.7 – Lite FM – New York  3,513,500

iHeartMedia’s Top 40 WHTZ  Z-100 – New York  2,528,600

Audacy’s Classic Hits WCBS – 101.1 CBS-FM – New York  2,518,300

iHeartMedia’s Hot AC WKTU – 103.5 KTU – New York  2,337,500

Audacy Hot AC WNEW – New 102.7 – New York  2,108,400

Audacy’s Classic Hits KRTH – K-Earth 101- Los Angeles  2,021,000

iHeartMedia’s AC KOST – KOST 103.5 – Los Angeles  1,880,000

iHeartMedia’s Hot AC KBIG – 104.3 MYfm – Los Angeles  1,809,000

Spanish Broadcasting’s WSKQ – Mega 97.9 – New York  1,715,100

iHeartMedia’s Classic Rock WAXQ – Q104.3 – New York  1,691,600

iHeartMedia’s AC KODA – Sunny 99.1 – Houston  1,672,600

iHeartMedia’s Top 40 KIIS – 102.7 KISS-FM – Los Angeles  1,633,500

Audacy’s Rhythmic AC KTWV – 94.7 The Wave – Los Angeles 1,372,600

Media Co.’s Adult R&B WBLS – 107.5 WBLS – New York  1,360,200

Audacy’s Adult Hits KCBS – 93.1 JACK-FM – Los Angeles  1,286,000

iHeartMedia’s Hip Hop/R&B WWPR – Power 105.1 – New York  1,229,800

iHeartMedia’s Soft AC WLIT – 93.9 Lite FM – Chicago  1,195,300

Media Co.’s Rhythmic Top 40 WQHT – Hot 97 – New York  1,066,300

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.

Borna & Mandy Rock Afternoons ‘Willy Nilly’ At 102.9 ‘The Hog’ Milwaukee

Charese Fruge
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Borna & Mandy Rock Afternoons ‘Willy Nilly’ At 102.9 ‘The Hog’ Milwaukee

Borna & Mandy host Afternoons for 102.9 “The Hog,” WHQG, in Milwaukee. Borna is also the Program Director of the station and the PD of sister WKLH, while Mandy is the Programming Assistant for WKLH and Oldies Music Programmer for Saga Communications. Mandy also has a side hustle; she makes her own dog stews and sells them at farmers’ markets.… “I love dogs more than people!” she says.

Borna began his career at his high school radio station, a 250-watt community transmitter, WDGC, in Downers Grove, IL. “I went to college at the University of Illinois, the home of WPGU FM, which was so much bigger than most traditional college radio stations,” he says.

“I worked with some of the most incredibly talented people there! I then moved to Wisconsin to do nights at WAPL, eventually added Music Director at WAPL and sister Active Rocker, Razor 94.7, then moved to “The HOG” in Milwaukee as Music Director and co-host of Afternoon Drive. I eventually became the Program Director of the station and added PD duties at our Classic Rock station.

“My father was a big talk radio fan, and growing up in Chicago, there was no shortage of legendary hosts,” says Borna. “He always had “The Loop” on in the car, whether it was Steve and Gary or Jonathan Brandmeier. I always thought that seemed like a really cool job. When my best friend’s older brother got his FCC broadcasting license (remember those), I knew I wanted one myself. I took the class in high school, and I was hooked.”

Mandy started her career with an internship at WZZN in Chicago. Over the years, she worked at WRXW Jackson, MS, KQCH Omaha, NE, and WNRG, Milwaukee. Currently, she works for WHQG Milwaukee, WKLH, and WRXS (in programming) and voice tracks WLRW Champaign Middays and KSTZ Des Moines Nights.

“My high school had a radio station, and it was over from there!” she says. “I started my own show at Valparaiso University and was working with Chicago bands while pursuing my degree in Science and Education. I decided to go for the radio thing after graduation, and look at me now!”

“Real life is most of our show prep,” explains Mandy. “I have a list in my phone that I will constantly add to when I’m out living life on things that are hilarious/relatable/interesting. We check out the local news and what people in Milwaukee are gabbing about on social media. Then, we will often prep out a whole show and let the listeners veer off with their calls…the show is super interactive with calls/texts. The vibe of the show is Willy Nilly. Nonsense. Fun. Ridiculous. Sometimes Informative. Relatable.”

“Our show is out broadcasting live at least weekly, so we are literally in front of our listeners, where they live, quite often,” she says. “Lots of face time, and lots of people saying we have faces for radio. Every year, we host a 414 Day Show (414 is the area code of Milwaukee) and feature prominent community guests like the Mayor, Police Chief, and people who have made news headlines during the year. I also work with the Humane Society to feature an adoptable pet every week, which, over the years, has united hundreds of animals with their forever homes.”

“Our parent company, Saga Communications, prides itself on live, local, and community-oriented events,” adds Borna. “‘See a need, fill a need’ is our mantra. We’re always looking at ways to positively impact our community. At “The HOG,” we’ve launched our annual Lend A Helping Ham campaign. We raise money for the Hunger Task Force to help local Milwaukee Families in need. Our morning show, Bob & Brian, does year-round fundraising and awareness for the MACC Fund (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer).”

“On “The Hog,” we play a handful of currents, but we’re primarily a gold -based Rock station,” says Borna. “As for the Rock format, it is certainly alive and thriving here in Milwaukee,” he insists. “You can check out multiple Rock shows in town on any given week. And we have two viable Rock stations in our building that co-exist and complement each other. There is a strong appetite for the format.”

“We’ve put on ‘HOG Fest’ the past couple of years in the Spring, and we added a fall show this year, HOG Havoc.’ Both have done well… Look, we can always use more new music to keep the format growing. And it’s cool when we see a new band breakthrough, but it seems tougher than ever these days with the new stuff. But Bad Omens is a band that’s been fun to watch their ascendence in the past few years. Going from smaller rooms to selling out venues. We had Sleep Theory at our recent ‘HOG Havoc’ show, and they clearly have a following.”

“My goal as the Program Director for “The Hog” (and WKLH) is to continue to evolve our brands in the best way possible,” says Borna. “It’s a fast-paced, constantly changing media landscape. I’m looking to find ways to meet our audience where they are. It’s so much more than the terrestrial radio signal. It’s social media, podcasting, community involvement, etc.… It’s the total package.”

Follow Borna & Mandy  @1029thehog on all platforms. Facebook/Instagram/TikTok/X

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.

Ratings Roundup: Fox News Enjoys Post-Election Surge, Newsmax Gains Win Over CNN, ABC World News Tonight Extends Lead Over NBC Nightly News

BNM Staff
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Ratings Roundup: Fox News Enjoys Post-Election Surge, Newsmax Gains Win Over CNN, ABC World News Tonight Extends Lead Over NBC Nightly News

The Lead

Fox News has long been a cable news juggernaut. That has been on display since Election Day as the network continues a strong performance in the ratings.

During the week of Thanksgiving, Fox News reached new heights in the Adults 25-54 demographic, as it earned 70% of the total cable news audience in the demo. CNN featured 18%, while MSNBC dropped to 12% in the total day category.

For the week overall, 98 of the top 100 cable news broadcasts were seen on Fox News.

The Five from Fox News led the cable news ratings for the week with an average of 4.1 million viewers. Jesse Watters Primetime earned 3.5 million viewers while The Ingraham Angle (3.1 million), Special Report with Bret Baier (2.9 million), and Hannity (2.7 million) also saw strong ratings performances.

Newsmax Scores, CNN and MSNBC Stumble

Elsewhere in the cable news ratings, Newsmax had reason to celebrate. Rob Schmitt Tonight, the network’s 7 PM ET show — featured an audience of 509,000 viewers on Monday, besting CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront, which saw 484,000 total viewers. Newsmax also saw it’s primetime offerings of Finnerty — hosted by Rob Finnerty — within striking distance of CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, and Greg Kelly Reports earning similar ratings to The Source with Kaitlan Collins, also from CNN.

Ratings drop-offs for CNN and MSNBC continued, as both are featuring lows not seen in decades. In primetime, CNN featured an average of 297,000 viewers for the week, a low that hasn’t been seen in nearly 30 years. CNN’s total day audience averaged 268,000 viewers, a low since 2001. Meanwhile, MSNBC saw its ratings in the Adults 25-54 demographic drop to 37,000 viewers in primetime and 29,000 in the total day ratings for the week. Those figures are the lowest seen since 1997.

ABC News vs. NBC News

In the network nightly news ratings, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir remained ahead of NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

During the week of November 25th, the Muir-led program saw an average audience of 7.7 million viewers. Meanwhile, Holt’s Nightly News averaged 6.2 million, while CBS Evening News — anchored by Norah O’Donnell, who will leave the program in January — averaged an audience of 4.4 million.

The race between the ABC News program and the NBC News show is much tighter in the Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 demographics, however. World News Tonight (1 million viewers) still beats NBC Nightly News (934,000 viewers) in the 25-54 demo, with an even closer margin in the 18-49 demo with 703,000 viewers for ABC compared to 639,000 viewers for NBC.

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Newsmax Tabs Tim Gaughan as Vice President of News Operations

BNM Staff
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Newsmax Tabs Tim Gaughan as Vice President of News Operations

Newsmax has announced the hiring of Tim Gaughan as its new Vice President of News Operations.

Gaughan joins the network after more than 25 years of experience in the television news and digital business. He previously worked as the Vice President of Newsgathering for Fox News.

He additionally served as the Vice President of Affiliate Services, Baghdad Bureau Chief, Assignment Manager, and Director of Domestic Newsgathering during his time with the network.

Before his stop at Fox News, Gaughan worked at CBS News, serving as Director of Digital Newsgathering and Special Events.

”Tim has managed newsrooms, control rooms, and large complex remote productions, with a proven track record of launching and managing innovative platforms, optimizing workflows and technologies, and recruiting and mentoring diverse talent,” said Newsmax Senior Vice President of News and Operations Gary Kanofsky.

”We are looking forward to benefitting from his experience as we expand our news gathering operations.”

The addition of Tim Gaughan comes as Newsmax sees continued growth in the the cable news ratings. The network recently added Rob Finnerty to its primetime lineup, which has led to the show battling CNN in the ratings. The network has also seen increased distribution on television providers in recent months.

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