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For Ray Stevens, It’s Time to Focus All of His Energy on WLS-AM 890

Garrett Searight
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For Ray Stevens, It’s Time to Focus All of His Energy on WLS-AM 890

Since June, Ray Stevens has been pulling double duty. During morning drive, he’s been hosting a show for WLS-AM 890 in Chicago. Meanwhile, from 10 AM to Noon, he’s been on in Kansas City on sister-station KCMO.

But that changed Monday, as it was announced he would relinquish the KCMO timeslot to focus all of his attention on mornings in Chicago. In his place, the Kansas City news/talk station has launched a one-hour show hosted by former sports talk host Kevin Kietzman, in addition to airing an additional hour of the nationally syndicated Dan Bongino Show to cover the window Stevens’ was previously in.

As one can imagine, hosting two different shows, in two dayparts, in two local markets was quite the challenge for Stevens. After doing it for months, he now knows it’s time to focus his efforts on making his morning show on WLS the priority going forward.

“I loved my time at KCMO and without (program director) Pete (Mundo) and (Cumulus Media Kansas City Market Manager and Vice President) Donna (Baker), I’m not sure I get hired back in Chicago,” Stevens said. “I owe them a lot, both for their professionalism and their friendship.”

KCMO became a landing spot for Stevens. In 2016, the Country Radio Hall of Famer joined Big John Howell in mornings on the Cumulus Media Chicago station. But changes were made, and in 2019, he departed the news/talk genre.

However, he got a second chance at KCMO in 2023 after being away from the format. His return coincided with the exit of Chris Stigall from the station, leading to that new opportunity and fresh state in the news/talk genre.

Under the direction of Mundo and Baker, Stevens reshaped his sound and quickly grew an audience in the Missouri city. But when Cumulus Media and already established morning host Steve Cochran couldn’t come to terms on a new contract, Ray Stevens couldn’t say no at the chance to return to his old stomping grounds. And he didn’t want to leave Kansas City behind, either. So he did both.

And while that was manageable for a time, he knows focusing on one show is the right thing for everyone involved.

“WLS needs every ounce of my being,” he admitted. “We expect to continue with our heavy street presence. Our job is to be in every neighborhood in Chicagoland doing charity work and bringing our show to the public. To do that makes it hard to give my best to KCMO. So that’s why I relinquished my slot at KCMO.”

The charity aspect is one that’s near and dear to Stevens’ heart. His mantra has long been “Doing good in the ‘hood,” helping people all around the Windy City however he can.

In addition to his praise for Mundo and Baker, Ray Stevens added he’ll miss working alongside producer Mark Van Sickle, calling him “the OG of KC” and labeling him an integral part of his success in the market.

“I wish them the best and will look back at it as one of my favorite all-time gigs,” he shared. “If you don’t know Pete Mundo, get to know him. I think we will all be working for him soon. The guy is a star.”

Stevens admitted the decision to leave KCMO was a harder decision than he originally anticipated. But, in his mind, it is the correct choice and the timeline just simply no longer worked in his favor.

“If there wasn’t that hour in between where I come down from doing the morning show and then amp back up to do the two hours, I think it would have been easier to go from one to the other,” admitted Stevens. “But it’s difficult doing talk radio for five hours a day in two different markets. It’s hard.

“I’d like to be in the market again, maybe in some kind of a syndicated role, if that would allow. But to try to plug yourself in from Chicago to KC on a daily basis is tough. Chris Stigall did it for many, many years, and I give that guy a lot of props, because it’s not easy.”

Stevens added that he believes a host needs to be local to provide what the audience expects from a news/talk host.

“The only reason I left is because I feel like … for talk radio, or any radio really, to survive, you’ve got to be as local as possible. And from that standpoint, I guess (deciding to step away) was a little bit easier if you looked at it that way because you’ve got to be boots on the ground to make this stuff work. You got to do stuff that Pandora and some of the streaming services can’t do. That’s the only way radio will survive.”

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.

Elvis Duran Says Radio Isn’t What It Used To Be

BMM Staff
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iHeartMedia syndicated morning host Elvis Duran, host of Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, was featured in a profile yesterday with “CBS Sunday Morning.”

CBS correspondent Mo Rocca caught up with Duran at iHeart’s annual “Jingle Ball” at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Duran heard on 70 markets across the United States from his flagship Z-100, New York, told Rocca that he grew up wanting to be on the radio and feels a special bond with his listeners.

“We are in the friendship business. I think about you when you hop in your car in the morning. You’re either leaving a house that may be full of turmoil or going to a job with a boss you don’t like. But I have you for 20-30 minutes, and I can be your friend,” said Duran.

In a surprising statement and question, Rocca said, “Growing up, I remember big-name radio DJs. Now it’s kind of you and Ryan Seacrest. What happened?

Duran responded, “Radio isn’t what radio used to be. A lot of radio companies gave up on personalities; they just wanted to play music, it’s cheaper. That’s not good for our business. So, I’ve done everything I can to keep personality on a radio show in the mornings.”

We asked Derek “Big D” Haskins of the nationally syndicated Country morning show, “Big D & Bubba,” for a reaction to that statement and Duran’s answer.

“We love Elvis, but I think he simply forgot the other formats and their great national talents. Country, NewsTalk, AC, etc. are all benefiting economically and receiving strong ratings from those national shows,” said Haskins.

You can see the interview 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.

Arthur Kogan Joins Netflix in Sports Social Media Role After Five Years with ESPN

BSM Staff
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Arthur Kogan Joins Netflix in Sports Social Media Role After Five Years with ESPN

Arthur Kogan, who worked at ESPN over the last five years within its social media content, has joined Netflix to serve as the manager of social media for sports. Kogan, who started at ESPN in 2020 as a social media manager, previously served in a social media programming position at Bleacher Report where he worked on its House of Highlights property. After four years as a social media manager at ESPN, he was promoted to senior social media manager this past April as the brand continued its growth trajectory. Kogan revealed the news of joining Netflix through a LinkedIn post on Monday afternoon.

Several former colleagues at ESPN liked and commented on the post offering their congratulations and wishing him the best in his future endeavors. Kogan shared that he had recently completed his final day at ESPN and that his next stop was Los Angeles, Calif after having worked in the New York metropolitan area. Throughout his time with the company, Kogan covered a variety of events such as the Leagues Cup, the NBA All-Star Game and Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

“There are simply too many people to thank, but I’ll always be grateful to Omar Raja for taking a chance on me back in 2018 to help shape House of Highlights at Bleacher Report and for bringing me along for the ride to ESPN,” Kogan wrote in the post. “And a huge thank you to Kaitee Daley for the opportunity to contribute to what truly is the best social media team in sports media.”

Over the last several years, ESPN has precipitously grown its presence on social media across a wide variety of platforms and consistently ranks among the top brands in engagement and following. In fact, the company recently secured its 40th straight month finishing as the No. 1 sports property on social media, cultivating 738 million engagements throughout the month of October. Daley oversees the department as the senior vice president of digital, social and streaming content at ESPN, a position to which she was appointed amid a restructuring of the content organization earlier in the summer.

Netflix has continued its expansion in live sports coverage, recently working with Most Valuable Promotions to broadcast a fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson that attained 65 million concurrent streams. The bout secured an estimated average minute audience (AMA) of 108 million live viewers globally and generated 1.4 billion owned impressions on Netflix-owned global social media channels.

The streaming company will present exclusive broadcasts of two National Football League games on Christmas Day this year, the first season of a three-year deal it agreed to with the league in March. During its last quarterly earnings report, Netflix revealed an addition of 5 million subscribers over the span, accruing a total of 282.7 million global subscribers with net income of $2.3 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.

Jon Jansen: I Don’t Think Gus Johnson ‘Understands the Context’ of Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry

BSM Staff
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Jon Jansen: I Don’t Think Gus Johnson ‘Understands the Context’ of Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry

As the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines fought on the gridiron following the conclusion of the game, FOX Sports was documenting the action for a nationwide audience to observe in real time. The fight, which is believed to have precipitated from Michigan players planting their school flag at the 50-yard line of Ohio Stadium, began while sideline reporter Jenny Taft was in the midst of interviewing Wolverines defensive tackle Mason Graham. Upon the chaotic scene beginning, the broadcast cut away from the interview and went back up to the booth where play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson and analyst Joel Klatt conveyed what was taking place and their feelings on the situation.

Throughout the quarrel, Johnson opined that Michigan planting its flag at midfield was an “unsportsmanlike gesture” and classified it as being “unnecessary.” The Wolverines had already secured the 13-10 victory, marking the university’s fourth consecutive win over their Big Ten Conference rivals, and that there was no reason for the team to be disrespectful towards the opponent. Once the audio finished playing, 97.1 The Ticket morning co-host Jon Jansen remarked that it was purportedly a matter of perspective on the situation. Jansen was on the call with Doug Karsch on the Michigan Sports Network providing analysis during the annual contest and witnessed the fight break out from the press box.

“I mean, if you got to talk about [something], talk about something you know about, and I don’t really think he understands the context of this rivalry, so sign off,” Jansen said regarding Johnson. “Hopefully everybody enjoyed the radio broadcast – turn your TV down.”

Jim Costa, who is in his first year as the co-host of the weekday program, voiced that the display may have been disrespectful by Michigan, but at the same time, there are instances where Ohio State emits vitriol and antipathy as well. Jansen later referenced a marching band routine in which Ohio State visually maligned Michigan weeks before the matchup took place.

“We’ve seen disrespecting the rivalry, but to me, you win, you get to celebrate,” Costa said. “If you lose, you get to tuck your tail and get the hell off the field, and Ohio State wasn’t willing to do that. That’s on them. Michigan’s allowed to revel in it. They had four quarters to defend their field.”

Greg Hargrave, who was behind the glass for the morning show, referenced a situation when Ohio State players ripped down the ‘Go Blue!’ banner at Michigan Stadium in 1973. The clip, he explained, is used in historical retrospectives reflecting on the impact and eminence of this rivalry. As the matchups between the two teams continue under the seven-year media rights agreement with the Big Ten Conference reportedly worth about $8 billion, Hargreaves expects the clip to be part of recurring highlights.

“Like Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt saying, ‘Nobody wants to see this,’ while this is going to be used as promo fodder for the next decades to come is the high point of hilarity,” Hargreaves remarked.

Costa added that when Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was waving to the crowd after the game and reveling in the victory, Johnson voiced that he was saying, “We didn’t cheat – this time.” Furthermore, he added that it was something Michigan fans did not like on top of Johnson’s broadcast of the game, leading Jansen to elucidate that everyone is going to take their shots. When he asked what the Buckeyes were doing this week, he hypothesized that they had no plans since the path to the Big Ten Championship Game had become more complicated.

“And planting a flag doesn’t have to turn physical,” Costa said. “We’ve seen it happen in years past in this rivalry and other rivalries and other big games. It got physical because Ohio State had an attitude about it, because they were sore losers. That’s what it came down to.”

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TNT Sports Tees Up Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka for ‘The Crypto.com Showdown’ Golf Event

BSM Staff
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TNT Sports Tees Up Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka for ‘The Crypto.com Showdown’ Golf Event

TNT Sports said that top golfers Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka will compete in The Crypto.com Showdown, which will air live on December 17.

The 18-hole event will be simulcast on Warner Bros. Discovery cable networks TNT, TBS and  truTV, as well as streamed via B/R Sports on Max. It features player from both the PGA and LIV Golf camps.

The announcement comes as WBD looks to bulk up its sports portfolio ahead of the loss of NBA games broadcasts next season. Sports programming is a key to WBD being able to continue to get lucrative carriage fees from cable operators.

Superstar sports analyst and noted struggling golfer Charles Barkley will be among the commentators. Barkley will be joined by analysts Ernie Johnson, Trevor Immelman and David Feherty. Two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson and Lauren Jbara will share observations from the course.

TNT said the golfers will be competing for a multi-million-dollar purse that will be awarded in CRO Cryptocurrency.

The network said it will also use innovative production technology during the event, including dozens of camera and microphones designed to provide access as the players interact with one another during the match.

The Crypto.com Showdown will take place at MGM Resorts’ Shadow Creek golf course in Las Vegas. 

Shadow Creek’s 18-hole course will be divided into three six-hole sections, with each segment assigned a point value. Best ball will lead off the first six holes, followed by alternate shot throughout the middle stretch and singles during the final six holes.

TNT has held a number of special golf events featuring top names competing for big prizes in the past, including The Match. The first edition of The Match also took place at Shadow Creek and featured Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

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Lucy Rohden, Stephanie Otey Reflect on Ohio State-Michigan Postgame Fight, Use of Pepper Spray

BSM Staff
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Lucy Rohden, Stephanie Otey Reflect on Ohio State-Michigan Postgame Fight, Use of Pepper Spray

Following a 13-10 upset victory by the Michigan Wolverines over the rival Ohio State Buckeyes, officers from law enforcement agencies worked to break up a fight that started at midfield. As personnel from both teams scuffled in the middle of general postgame activities, the officers decided to deploy pepper spray to cease this altercation. Numerous athletes were impacted by the defense mechanism, in addition to media members who were covering the game, capturing footage and interviewing players and coaches. During Monday’s episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, on-air talent and producer Lucy Rohden recalled her experience within the fracas from Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

Rohden, who was on location to shoot content for Meadowlark Media, had compiled a plan with film director Rose Arias about how to best gather footage at the end of the game. The intent was to have Arias follow the Michigan football team for the postgame celebrations, which included running towards the band and cheerleaders, and then immediately exiting the stadium to speak with disappointed Ohio State fans. While the first part of this plan started without any complications, everything changed once Michigan players procured their flag emblazoned with the school insignia and chose to plant it midfield.

“We’re standing there, and a Michigan player runs up to us and starts throwing up, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, guess it was a tough game,’” Rohden said. “It’s really cold outside, and so I just didn’t assume that someone got pepper sprayed because we were watching the fights happen, and we saw people get tackled, we saw student assistants on the ground with three cops holding them down. It was crazy, and then another Michigan player walks up and he’s sobbing uncontrollably.”

One of Rohden’s colleagues began to feel the pepper spray and instructed her to move out of the area. As they escaped the melee, they looked back and saw Arias on the ground, creating concern about what had taken place. Before Rohden went to check on her colleague, she started to laugh because they are close friends and found the situation to be amusing.

“[W]e ran back, went into the line of action to make sure our dear Rose was okay, and all the Michigan players really helped her out,” Rohden said. “They gave her their towels and they had medics come. She was okay, she got pepper sprayed in one eye. A state trooper came and helped her, not one who did the pepper spray, but someone else.”

Le Batard then played a video of Arias reflecting on what took place outside of the stadium in a video with Rohden where she communicated that she was doing okay. Once this concluded, Rohden divulged that they had a video of Arias yelling as she was pepper sprayed, leading Le Batard and other members of the show to wonder where it was and how to play it expediently.

“Hurry up and get that – get it immediately!” Le Batard exclaimed. “Why are we waiting? How has it taken this long?”

Stephanie Otey, a reporter for 97.1 The Fan, was on the field when law enforcement officers began utilizing pepper spray to break up the fight. After the situation simmered down, she took to social media to detail her experience, which included being pepper sprayed in the eyes and presumably being temporarily unable to see. Otey was filming the altercation at midfield at the moment where she was pepper sprayed and received help as she was in pain.

“I don’t know where it came from, but there was a lot of chaos,” Otey said. “First time being pepper sprayed, right in my eyes.”

Later in the day, Otey shared a follow-up message on social media where she reflected on the incident and assured her followers that she was fine. In the immediate aftermath of being pepper sprayed, she was concerned about her vision but fortunately experienced a haste recovery.

“What an experience to get pepper sprayed and to be in a quarrel like that,” Otey remarked. “Honestly, it’s kind of like a reporter’s dream to be part of those kinds of games.”

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ABC News Senior Vice President Derek Medina Announces Upcoming Departure

BNM Staff
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ABC News Senior Vice President Derek Medina Announces Upcoming Departure

ABC News Senior Vice President Derek Medina has announced plans to depart the outlet later this month.

Last week, Medina informed staffers of his intention to leave the network at the end of the year.

“We have reveled in hard-fought victories and weathered unprecedented challenges,” he wrote. “And I would like to acknowledge the many people who have positively impacted my experience through the mountains and valleys of the past four decades and thank them for their continued support and encouragement,” Medina’s memo continued. “It has meant more than you know.”

Medina joined ABC News in 1998 as a director of business affairs. In 2020, he was elevated to his current role of Senior Vice President.

During his tenure, Medina often oversaw talent relations for the network and was an integral part of the outlet’s business operations. The heads of marketing, global newsgathering operations, news administration, news practices, and non-fiction production all reported to Medina during his time with the company.

The news of Derek Medina departing ABC News was first reported by Oliver Darcy of Status News.

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Dinesh D’Souza Issues Apology Over Salem Media Group Documentary 2000 Mules

BNM Staff
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Dinesh D’Souza Issues Apology Over Salem Media Group Documentary 2000 Mules

Dinesh D’Souza has issued a public apology for his 2000 Mules documentary for Salem Media Group he now admits portions of were inaccurate.

In a note published to his website, D’Souza stated that his partnership with organization True the Vote led him to believe that surveillance video and cell phone data proved a conspiracy to rig the 2020 election for President Joe Biden.

However, he said that might not have been an accurate representation.

“We recently learned that surveillance videos used in the film may not have actually been correlated with the geolocation data,” D’Souza’s statement read.

The assertions made in 2000 Mules have been debunked by law enforcement, election officials, and other media outlets since its release. Earlier this year, Salem Media Group issued an apology to Mark Andrews, a Georgia man who was wrongly identified as one of the “mules” in the supposed scheme.

As part of his public apology, Dinesh D’Souza made an expression of regret to Andrews.

“While all of these individuals’ images were blurred and unrecognizable, one of the individuals has since come forward publicly and has initiated a lawsuit over the use of his blurred image in the film and the book,” D’Souza said. “I owe this individual, Mark Andrews, an apology. I now understand that the surveillance videos used in the film were characterized on the basis of inaccurate information provided to me and my team. If I had known then that the videos were not linked to geolocation data, I would have clarified this and produced and edited the film differently.”

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Country Radio Seminar Announces 2025 New Faces Of Country Music Nominees

BMM Staff
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Country Radio Seminar Announces 2025 New Faces Of Country Music Nominees

The Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) have officially revealed the nominees for the highly anticipated New Faces of Country Music Show at CRS 2025.

The artists nominated include Ashley Cooke (Big Loud/Back Blocks), Bryan Martin (Average Joes), Chase Matthew (Warner Music Nashville), Chayce Beckham (19 Recordings/BBR/BMG), Dasha (Warner Records), Drew Baldridge (Lyric Ridge/BMG/Stoney Creek), Dylan Marlowe (Sony Music Nashville), Tucker Wetmore (UMG Nashville), Warren Zeiders (Warner Records), and Zach Top (Leo33).

Since its launch in 1970, the New Faces of Country Music Show has shaped the careers of nearly every prominent Country star. This event remains essential for industry professionals.

The final lineup for the New Faces of Country Music Show 2025 will be decided based on the five acts that receive the most votes. Voting for the Class of 2025 is open for one week, from today, December 2, to Friday, December 6, at CountryRadioSeminar.com.

For over five decades, the New Faces of Country Music Show has been a standout event at the Country Radio Seminar and serves as a platform to showcase five emerging artists who have achieved notable success on Country Radio during the qualification period, which spans from Nov. 1, 2023, to Oct.31, 2024, for the 2025 edition.

Eligible voters must be full-time employees engaged primarily in the programming, promoting, and distributing Country music. This encompasses professionals from broadcast radio, satellite radio, television, and digital service providers.

Individuals with vested interests in specific artists or musical works, including labels, managers, agents, and publishers, are not eligible.

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Radio Stations Owned By Author Stephen King to Cease Operations Later This Month

BNM Staff
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Radio Stations Owned By Author Stephen King to Cease Operations Later This Month

A trio of Maine radio stations owned by renowned author Stephen King for more than four decades are set to go silent later this month, his company confirms.

The stations — 620 WZON, 96.3/103.3 WZLO, and 100.3 WKIT — are all set to cease operations on December 31st. The stations are all licensed either in or around the Bangor, Maine area.

“While radio across the country has been overtaken by giant corporate broadcasting groups, I’ve loved being a local, independent owner all these years,” said King. “I’ve loved the people who’ve gone to these stations every day and entertained folks, kept the equipment running, and given local advertisers a way to connect with their customers. Tabby and I are proud to have been a part of that for more than four decades.”

King purchased the stations in 1983. A release from his The Zone Corporation points out he “was a young man of 36” when he made the purchase, but is now 77 and “time to get his business affairs in better order.”

The release adds that the stations have “consistently” lost money over the four decades of ownership by King.

The stations feature “retro radio”, adult alternative, and rock formats.

Known as “The King of Horror”, Stephen King has published 65 novels/novellas and more than 200 short stories since his debut in 1974.

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