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Carl Jackson to Fill-In for Dennis Prager Until Salem Radio Network Host Ready to Return

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Carl Jackson to Fill-In for Dennis Prager Until Salem Radio Network Host Ready to Return

Last month, longtime nationally syndicated radio host Dennis Prager suffered a debilitating injury from a fall. Today, Carl Jackson was named as the permanent fill-in for the Salem Radio Network show.

“I wanna thank Dennis Prager and Sue (Prager, his wife) for this opportunity,” Jackson said. “I love you guys. You guys know that I am praying for you and I am praying for your family. For those of you that may not know, Dennis Prager is the one that discovered me and put me on the national stage. (He) introduced me to (Salem Media Group Vice President) Phil Boyce, gave me a shot here. So I will be forever grateful and appreciative of that.”

Jackson is the host of The Carl Jackson Show which is heard on several stations around the country. He will fill in on The Dennis Prager Show — airing live from 12-2 PM ET– until the longtime radio host is set to return.

Jackson, Mark Davis, and Jennifer Horn, among others, had filled in on the show since Prager’s mid-November injury.

Earlier this week, podcast co-host Julie Hartman shared that she spent eight hours visiting with Prager over the weekend as he remains hospitalized after falling

“This is a very, very slow climb,” Hartman shared. “He suffered a very, very serious back injury. And this is going to be weeks, months, honestly, for him to recuperate and for his body to heal. If we’re not telling you information, we’re not withholding it from you. We don’t have it.”

Hartman added that Prager is “100% mentally there.” She continued by noting that Prager has the ability to mouth words and communicate, but is not able to speak.

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ESPN Launches Annual ‘V Week’ to Raise Funds for Cancer Research

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ESPN said it has launched its 18th Annual V Week for Cancer Research on December 3, Giving Tuesday.

V Week is designed to raise funds for the V Foundation, started by legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator Jim Valvano.

ESPN says that it has helped raise more than $237 million for the V Foundation’s crusade against cancer and that 100% of all funds raised will be directed to cancer research.

This year’s V Week will feature storytelling around the impact of cancer in the sports world and the importance of cancer research and support systems for all those who are impacted.

“Each year, we’re incredibly excited for Giving Tuesday and V Week and are appreciative to our founding partner ESPN for their continued investment in helping us fundraise for game-changing cancer research,” said Shane Jacobson, CEO of the V Foundation for Cancer Research.

“ESPN is proud to carry on the torch Jim Valvano lit in his legendary speech over 30 years ago, as we make strides in supporting cancer research with the goal to achieve Victory Over Cancer,” said Kevin Martinez, vice president of ESPN Corporate Citizenship. “As we approach the 10-year anniversary of legendary ESPN broadcaster Stuart Scott’s passing from cancer, ESPN is committed to continue to honor his legacy and raise funds and awareness in the fight against cancer.”

Special programming includes:

  • The ESPN Roadblock, a 15-minute special that features the timeless Jim Valvano 1993 ESPYS speech as well as a tribute to his legacy and the impact of the V Foundation. The Roadblock runs from 7-7:15 p.m. ET on December 4 across nearly all ESPN networks and platforms.
  • NFL My Cause My Cleats, with Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo and Detroit Lions defensive end Josh Paschal wearing V Foundation-inspired cleats during the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative.
  • The 30th Annual Men’s Jimmy V Classic begins with a pair of matchups on Dec. 10 at Madison Square Garden. At 6:30 p.m. ET, Miami faces No. 3 Tennessee, and at 9 p.m. ET Michigan takes on Arkansas. Both games will be on ESPN.
  • Boo-Yah (Dec. 11) will be hotels by the V Foundation as a tribute to the late ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott. Funds raised at the event will benefit the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund dedicated to tackling racial disparities in cancer outcomes. The fund has awarded $19.5 million in grants since 2015. 
  • Fight Like Hell Night (Dec. 14), with the UFC continuing to support the V Foundation. This year, UFC is dedicating its fight on Dec. 14 to the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. Fight Like Hell Night will feature Stuart Scott-related content and personal cancer stories from the UFC community. While battling cancer, Scott would do MMA training after chemotherapy treatments.
  • Women’s Jimmy V Classic (Dec. 15) features North Carolina State and No. 22 Louisville at 1 p.m. ET on ABC. This matchup will be played in Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.

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.

Kansas City Royals Agree to New Deal with Diamond Sports Group

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Kansas City Royals Agree to New Deal with Diamond Sports Group

The Kansas City Royals have announced that the team has reached an agreement with Diamond Sports Group to continue broadcasting its games in the 2025 Major League Baseball season. As a result, the FanDuel Sports Network-branded cluster of RSNs will enter the season with seven MLB teams in its portfolio after it recently received approval of a restructuring plan to emerge from Ch. 11 bankruptcy. Royals games will air on the recently rebranded FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City, coming off a season in which linear viewership of the games was up by more than 30% and the streaming audience proliferated by over 200%. The Royals have a partial ownership stake in the regional sports network, one of four teams in the league with such an arrangement.

“Our top priority has been and always will be reaching as many fans as possible,” John Sherman, chairman and chief executive officer of the Kansas City Royals, said in a statement. “We want to be available to anyone who wants to watch our exciting team as the ownership group continues to invest in the progress we’re making on the field.”

The Royals qualified for the MLB postseason for the first time since the organization won the World Series in 2015; however, the team was eliminated in the ALDS in four games by the New York Yankees. The team concluded last season with over 40,000 streaming subscribers, more than half of which watch each game for at least 90 minutes. Compared to the rest of the league, the Royals communicated that they experienced the largest subscriber growth last season. Starting next season, fans will be able to watch the team through Amazon’s Prime Video as an add-on subscription to augment accessibility. The two companies reached a multiyear agreement during Diamond’s Ch. 11 bankruptcy that extends to its 16 regional sports networks in 31 states.

“This past season reinforced what we’ve always known about the passion of our fans and how much they enjoy watching our great athletes perform,” Brooks Sherman, president of business operations for the Kansas City Royals, added in a statement. “Our viewership grew towards the top of all of baseball, and we’re excited to continue to position ourselves for the future.”

Major League Baseball and the Atlanta Braves had initially objected to the reorganization plan for Diamond Sports Group to exit Ch. 11 bankruptcy, stating that there would be “a substantial likelihood that the debtors will find themselves once again in financial distress and/or bankruptcy court in the near future.” Yet both entities ended up withdrawing the objection, helping to clear the path forward for the plan to be confirmed by the court.

The league has been independently producing and disseminating live game broadcasts for several teams formerly on Diamond RSNs, including the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins. The league has also been presenting Colorado Rockies games since last season following the cessation of AT&T SportsNet-branded RSNs by Warner Bros. Discovery at the end of last year. MLB will add regional broadcasts for the Cincinnati Reds to its portfolio next year as well as it explores the possibility of nationalizing its local media rights deals and ending blackouts in 2028.

This new agreement with the Royals covers all games that are not on national television next season, which begins with spring training. MLB currently has national television deals with ESPN, FOX Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery, along with games exclusive to streaming on Apple TV+ and Roku. Diamond Sports Group also has the local television rights for 13 NBA teams and eight NHL franchises.

“Our renewed partnership with the Royals highlights our shared commitment to connecting as many fans as possible to the team, however they choose to watch,” David Preschlack, chief executive officer of Diamond Sports Group, said in a statement. “We are confident that our evolving partnerships with Amazon and FanDuel, and combined linear and digital platforms will provide fans with exceptional value and an unparalleled viewing experience.”

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.

Dan Markus Joins Civic Media In Milwaukee/Racine

BMM Staff
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Dan Markus Joins Civic Media In Milwaukee/Racine

Dan Markus has joined Civic Media Oldies 1400 WRJN/99.9 Racine and 98.1 Kenosha WI as midday host.

Markus recently concluded a 25-year tenure at Cumulus Media in Green Bay and Appleton, where he served as the midday host for Classic Hits 103.1 WVBO.

In June, he left the station to concentrate on podcasting and writing.

While in Green Bay, he also hosted mornings on Standards 1280 WNAM and was Program Director of Classic Hits 103.1 WOGB from 1999 to 2017.

Markus takes the slot previously occupied by Cindy Huber, who had hosted middays since the station’s shift from Liberal Talk to Oldies in May. Huber has stepped down to dedicate more time to her family business but will continue to contribute to the station as a fill-in host and is considering adding weekend hours in the upcoming year.

“Dan helps us maintain the high standard that Cindy set with this station and format,” WRJN VP/General Manager Chris Moreau said in a release. “His knowledge and love for the music from this era and overall experience make Dan the perfect fit for Racine, WRJN, and Civic Media.”

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*Updated* More Names Surface In Ongoing Cumulus Layoffs

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*Updated* More Names Surface In Ongoing Cumulus Layoffs

Two more radio veterans have joined the ever-growing list of Cumulus Media downsizing.

Steve Smith, Operations Manager/Program Director of Top 40 WZYP in Huntsville, AL, is the latest long-serving Cumulus Media employee to be impacted by corporate downsizing, departing the company after two decades of service.

In February 2010, Smith transitioned to Huntsville after programming Top 40 sister station WHHY in Montgomery, AL. Before that, he spent seven years at WMGI in Terre Haute, IN, where he served as Program Director from 1999 to 2004.

Reach Smith here.

After three years, Breck Kinsey is out as the midday host at Rock “Z93” WKQZ and the afternoon host at Top 40 102.5 WIOG in Saginaw, MI. A native of the area, Kinsey previously hosted the evenings at Country 98.1 WKCQ and was also part of the team at AC “Cruise 102.1” WLEW in Bad Axe, MI.

Daniel Merry is out as the evening host in New Orleans at ALT 92.3.

He announced the news on Instagram.

Also, in The Big Easy, Kim Che’re’ Hardy has departed as midday host at Gospel “Heaven 106.7” KKND. Throughout her career, Hardy has served at several prominent Gospel stations in New Orleans, including 750 KKNO and Praise 94.9” KPRF.

Buck Stevens has departed Country “B104” WBWN in Bloomington, IL, after 26 years. His most recent roles included Program Director and afternoon host. Reach him here.

Wally B’ Berlingeri is out as the afternoon host at Classic Hits “Sunny 103.1” WSYN in Myrtle Beach, SC. Berlingeri has been a prominent figure in the Myrtle Beach radio market for many years, with previous roles at Top 40 “Mix 97.7” WWXM, “Hot 100” WSEA, and Rhythmic AC “Movin 94.5” WYEZ.

Country “I92,” 92.3 WLWI Montgomery, AL, has canceled the Southern Gospel program “Grand Old Gospel Time” after a 35-year run. The show, which featured part-time host Bill Roberts, will conclude its broadcast as Roberts departs from the station.

Alternative “95X” 95.7 WAQX Syracuse, NY, has canceled its “Morning Mess” show after a decade on the air, with Shannon Wells exiting.

The show’s hosts, Marty The One Man Party and Wells, joined WAQX in 2014, following their tenure at Top 40 “Hot 107.9” WWHT, where they hosted mornings from 2004 to 2010. Local social media groups first noted Shannon Wells’ absence from the program in late November.

If you have been let go or know of someone who is not on the most recent list, please email 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.

Sean Hannity to Launch Long-Form Interview Show on FOX Nation

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Sean Hannity to Launch Long-Form Interview Show on FOX Nation

FOX Nation has announced the debut of a new long-form interview show helmed by longtime Fox News host Sean Hannity.

The new show, named simply Sean, will feature a wide variety of guests from the sports, entertainment, and political realms for sit-down conversations.

Sean will release new episodes each month, with guests including actor Sylvester Stallone, sports pundit Stephen A. Smith, and celebrity fitness trainer and TV host Jillian Michaels already tabbed to be featured on the show. Other guests will be revealed at a later date.

“Throughout the course of my career, I’ve had the honor of meeting the world’s most interesting people,” said Hannity. “It is often the struggles and obstacles they have overcome that makes them most captivating. I look forward to sharing these conversations with FOX Nation viewers.”

The first episode — featuring the conversation between Sean Hannity, Stallone, and his wife Jennifer Flavin Stallone — debuted on the streaming platform today.

“Sean’s signature political commentary has advanced the cultural conversation while connecting with the FOX News Media audience for more than 28 years,” said FOX Nation President Lauren Petterson. “FOX Nation subscribers will have the opportunity to see Sean in a new setting as he conducts long-form interviews with newsmakers and celebrities, delving deep into their life journeys and the challenges and successes they have had along the way.”

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ESPN to Carry All Games in Women’s NCAA Volleyball Tournament

BSM Staff
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ESPN said it will carry every match during the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship on its linear and streaming platforms.

The tournament starts December 5, with the first and second rounds carried on ESPN+. Regional matches start December 12 on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. The semifinal will appear on ESPN on December 19 and the championship match airs on ABC December 22. The championship match also aired on ABC last year. All matches will stream on ESPN+

The carriage of the matches highlights increased interest in women’s athletics and the potential of volleyball as a television sport. ESPN said that this season was its biggest women’s college volleyball season ever, with 635M minutes watched across 38 matches, on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. A match between Nebraska and Louisvill on September 23 drew 684,000 viewers on ABC, making it the most-watch match ever.

ESPN’s coverage will feature The Fifth Set, a volleyball whip-around show available on ESPN+. Sam Gore will host the show, joined by analysts Anne Marie Anderson, Nicole Branagh, Jennifer Hoffman and Paul Sunderland.   

Matches will be held on the campuses of the top 16 seeds in the tournament. Those teams are: Pittsburgh, Nebraska, Penn State, Louisville, Stanford, Wisconsin, Creighton, SMU, Kentucky, Texas, Kansas, Arizona State, Purdue, Baylor, Utah and Oregon. Reigning national champ Texas is looking for a three-peat. 

The year, the network is launching the ESPN Volleyball Championship Challenge. Fans who fill out brackets and  pick the National Champion will be entered in a drawing to win $10,000 in prizes. Fans can complete and enter brackets until shortly before the start of the tournament’s first match.

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YouTube Popularity with Podcast Listeners Grows in 2024, Doubling Spotify and Apple Podcasts As Primary Source

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YouTube Popularity with Podcast Listeners Grows in 2024, Doubling Spotify and Apple Podcasts As Primary Source

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.

Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights believe the data shows undeniable proof that after starting as a primarily audio-focused medium, podcasting has seen as dramatic shift to video.

“Though podcasts started as an auditory medium, the shift toward visual elements is undeniable,” said Cumulus Media and Westwood One Audio Active Group Vice President of Advertiser Studies and Insights Lauren Vetrano. “YouTube’s growth underscores how video has become an integral part of the podcast experience.”

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.

“Thumbnails are a vital discovery tool for YouTube podcasts,” said Signal Hill Insights President Paul Riismandel. “This insight provides podcasters with a clear direction to grow their audiences by optimizing visual elements.”

The power of the digital video platform was on display throughout the data from Cumulus and Signal Hill. YouTube was listed as the top platform for podcast newcomers, podcast pioneers, and heavy podcast consumers.

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Kyle Brandt: Mike Tirico Called Bills-49ers on Night Before Achilles Surgery

BSM Staff
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NBC Sports play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico recently ruptured his left Achilles tendon, revealing the news on the Week 12 edition of Sunday Night Football. Nonetheless, he is going to continue calling games throughout the rest of the season and has been using a knee scooter to utilize in the press box. Kyle Brandt, co-host of Good Morning Football on NFL Network, revealed that Tirico was scheduled to have his Achilles surgery the day after calling the Week 13 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers, completing a marathon of three games in eight days.

On top of that, Highmark Stadium was buried in 18 inches of snow that needed to be shoveled before the game and consistently maintained. Nonetheless, Tirico was present for the matchup and ended up calling a highlight play on the NFL season thus far.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 148 yards and two touchdowns as the team defeated the 49ers 35-10 to clinch the AFC East division title and a playoff berth. On a play in the third quarter, Allen threw a short pass to wide receiver Amari Cooper, who then began to run for a lateral from Cooper and dived into the end zone, knocking down the pylon for an improbable touchdown. Tirico described the play as it happened in real time and was exhilarated towards what he had just witnessed. Moreover, analyst Cris Collinsworth said that it was “showtime in Buffalo” and remarked about the grandeur of the play before revealing that it had added significance.

“Josh Allen’s my fantasy quarterback,” Collinsworth said. “Not kidding you – it just showed up. I got a touchdown pass and whatever the touchdown was to move ahead of [my son] Jac.”

In a segment on the Tuesday morning edition of Good Morning Football, Brandt and his co-host Peter Schrager awarded the broadcast with its ‘Best Play Call’ distinction for the week. Upon listening to the replay of the call, they were laughing not about the achievement on the field, but the ingenuity and rapport of the broadcast booth.

“They’re so happy, and it’s like, it’s pure, it’s real, it’s earnest,” Schrager said. “Cris is having a blast. Mike’s having a [blast]. Mike’s sitting there with a boot on his leg about to get Achilles surgery and he’s in the snow. [He] probably took an elevator up there with a giant car, who knows. Meanwhile, Cris is talking about being his son in fantasy football live on the air.”

Brandt acknowledged that the scene represented bedlam and that Tirico was calling a highly unusual play. Additionally, he gave him plaudits for working the game preceding the surgery on his Achilles, contrasting it with his own experience undergoing the operation in the past.

“I wasn’t calling a game or doing anything intelligible like Mike was,” Brandt said. “Both of those guys were great.”

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NBC Sports ‘Sunday Night Football’ Averages 22.5 Million Viewers for Bills-49ers

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NBC Sports ‘Sunday Night Football’ Averages 22.5 Million Viewers for Bills-49ers

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen passed for 148 yards and two touchdowns, leading his team to a 35-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in prime-time on Sunday Night Football. With the victory, which took place after approximately 18 inches of snow buried Highmark Stadium, the Bills secured a postseason berth by clinching the AFC East division for the fifth consecutive year. The broadcast on NBC and Peacock attained a total audience delivery of 22.5 million viewers, according to data from Nielsen Media Research and Adobe Analytics, representing the second-most watched Week 13 game in the history of NBC Sunday Night Football.

Play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico, analyst Cris Collinsworth and sideline reporter Melissa Stark were on the call for the game, which was the third NFL matchup being televised by NBC in an eight-day span.

Earlier in the week, NBC Sports garnered a total audience delivery of 26.6 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo, NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital platforms for its Thanksgiving Day broadcast of the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers. Viewership of the matchup peaked at 31.3 million viewers in the second quarter during the 9 to 9:15 p.m. EST quarter-hour. Moreover, the game collected a national NBC-TV household rating of 8.9 and a 31 share. The viewership metric marks the third consecutive NBC NFL Thanksgiving night game to surpass an average of 26 million viewers.

During halftime of the Thanksgiving game, NBC announced that Peacock would present its first alternate sports broadcast on Saturday, Dec. 21 implementing elements of the EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 video game. The presentation will utilize data from NFL Next Gen Stats and Genius IQ and feature an on-air broadcasting team of Paul Burmeister, Kurt Benkert, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Henry Leverette. Steve Greenberg will produce the alternate presentation with director Geoff Butler as the company is in the midst of its second season of a 10-year media rights deal with the NFL reportedly worth $2 billion per year.

Entering Week 13, live game broadcasts of NFL action across media companies were averaging 17.5 million viewers per game, the highest metric in this category since the 2015 season. Furthermore, 47 of 50 NFL games ranked within the top-50 shows on television since the beginning of the season, excluding NFL Network international games, along with Peacock and ESPN+ broadcasts. NBCUniversal will broadcast Super Bowl LX at the conclusion of next season from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., one of three presentations of the championship game within its NFL media rights deal.

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