Home Blog Page 1261

Prime Video Draws 14.58 Million Viewers for Bengals-Ravens on Thursday Night Football

BSM Staff
-
0
Prime Video Draws 14.58 Million Viewers for Bengals-Ravens on Thursday Night Football

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.

Amazon’s Prime Video scored an average audience of 14.58 million viewers for their Thursday Night Football matchup featuring the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. The game was tight throughout and had 48 points scored in the second half as the Ravens held on for a 35-34 win, stopping the Bengals on a 2-point conversion late in the game to earn the victory and improve to 7-3.

The game once again won the night on television and is TNF’s 31st consecutive week winning in prime time, which dates back to the 2022 season. It was a 42% increase from the 2023 season and a 100% increase from 2022.

To date, Thursday Night Football is averaging 14.13 million viewers per week. That is 7% over the nine-game average for 2023 and 10% more than the 2022 full season average.

The game peaked at 15.3 million viewers from 9:30 p.m. ET to 9:45 p.m. ET.

Prime Video reports the content is reaching younger viewers through its stream. TNF averaged 2.69 million viewers in the P18-34 demographic and was the most-watched program of the week for that demo. For the season, TNF is averaging 2.74 million viewers amongst the group which is a 14% increase over the full season a year ago.

For the season to date, TNF on Prime Video’s median age is 48, more than 7 years younger than audiences watching the NFL on linear networks which is 55.3 and almost 15 years younger than the broadcast primetime average age of 62.9.

The figures used in this story are from Nielsen’s Panel Only measurements, the full numbers will come out on Monday.

Brian Wheeler, Longtime Radio Voice of the Portland Trail Blazers, Gone at the Age of 62

BSM Staff
-
0
Brian Wheeler, Longtime Radio Voice of the Portland Trail Blazers, Gone at the Age of 62

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.

Brian Wheeler, who was the radio play-by-play voice of the Portland Trail Blazers for more than 20 seasons has died at the age of 62. According to several reports, Wheeler had to step away from calling Trail Blazers games in 2019 due to health complications which never subsided.

Wheeler called more than 1,800 games for the Trail Blazers and prior to 2013 called over 1,300 consecutive games, however, was forced to take several leaves of absence in his final seasons for medical reasons. 

Kerry Eggers, longtime Portland sports media member, posted the news on his X account saying, “Sorry to hear of the passing of Brian Wheeler, the radio voice of the Trail Blazers for 21 years (1998-2019). Brian had been in failing health for some time. He had a booming voice and a good heart. R.I.P. Wheels.”

Wheeler and the team had announced in July of 2019 that he would not return for the following season. At the time, Wheeler said, “I want to thank the Portland Trail Blazers for the incredible opportunity and honor of calling radio play-by-play for the past 21 years. I was honored and blessed to be a Blazer for 21 seasons, and fortunately I’ve accumulated some precious memories that will last a lifetime.”

Seattle sports talker Mitch Levy wrote about Wheeler’s passing on social media saying, “I just received truly heartbreaking news. My friend Brian Wheeler passed away this morning in Portland. Wheels overcame the worst upbringing possible and blossomed into 1 of the best radio voices in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers. But so much more importantly, as kind and gentle a soul that you’ll ever find. I was with him just a couple weeks ago and we were laughing non stop. As I left his room – he said “Love ya Mitch Levy”.”

‘Loud 103.7’ Debuts In Northeast Pennsylvania

BMM Staff
-
0
‘Loud 103.7’ Debuts In Northeast Pennsylvania

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.

Major Keystone has officially debuted its new Rhythmic Top 40, “Loud 103.7,” in Scranton, PA. The launch took place Friday at 4 PM, following a few weeks of stunting featuring all-Drake music.

The station becomes the fourth market in Pennsylvania under the “Loud” brand, joining “Loud 99.5/106.9” Allentown, “Loud 98.5” Reading, and “Loud 101.5” State College.

The “Loud” brand is also licensed to Over/Under LLC for “Loud 102.3”, Youngstown, OH. And “Loud 103.3” Fort Wayne, IN.  

The station will offer a programming lineup familiar to audiences across Pennsylvania, featuring Superadio’s “Ebro In The Morning with Laura Stylez and Rosenberg,” originating from WQHT in New York mornings. DJ H Vidal will take over the midday slot, while Owner/Program Director Pat ‘DJ Grooves’ Cerullo and Assistant Program Director/Music Director Vijay Das will share responsibilities in the afternoon. Bez Musiq will round out the schedule with a night show.

Cerullo said, “Expanding the LOUD Radio brand into Northeast PA finalizes our regional footprint. In an area with unique and fast-changing demographics, this new signal allows us to better serve our listeners and our advertising partners.”

Whoopi Goldberg Announces Launch of All-Women’s Sports Network

BSM Staff
-
0
Whoopi Goldberg Announces Launch of All-Women’s Sports Network

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.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, global superstar Whoopi Goldberg announced she is part of a group which has launched a new women’s sports network. The network, called the All-Women’s Sports Network (AWSN) will look to piggyback off the recent success of women’s sports led by the Caitlin Clark revolution in basketball.

“I’m launching the first global women’s sports channel,” Goldberg said to Fallon. “It’ll be the home for live women’s sports from around the world. Everything from soccer, basketball, tennis, cricket, curling, you name it, if a woman is playing it, we’re showing it.”

Per the official website, the company says the channel will be available in 65 countries. Goldberg said the network has already launched in Asia, the Middle East and India. Goldberg also said a big announcement is coming soon about launching in the United States.

Goldberg told Fallon she has had an idea like this for a long time. “…For years, I’ve been talking to people and saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could go around the world, start getting young athletes in high school so that we can grow with them and grow up with them?’…”I feel like that will help us show that athletics, when they’re done brilliantly…it doesn’t matter who’s doing it. We don’t really have that relationship with women’s sports.”

Newstalk 93.9 WSBA Morning Host Gary Sutton Exits After 28 Years

BNM Staff
-
0
Newstalk 93.9 WSBA Morning Host Gary Sutton Exits After 28 Years

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.

Newstalk 93.9 WSBA morning host Gary Sutton has announced he has exited the Cumulus Media news/talk station in York, Pennsylvania.

Sutton had been with the station since 1991, and joined in a full-time capacity in 1997.

In a post to Facebook, Sutton revealed he and producer Mark Makenzie had been laid off as part of cost-cutting measures.

He noted that Friday was “the first time in 52 years that I don’t have to work, but I hope that doesn’t last long because I am not retiring. God is in control, and I know there are new opportunities ahead and a new chapter in my life. Thank you to all of you who have tuned in over the years no matter what time slot I was in. I am grateful. All my Best to All of you.”

It is unclear what WSBA plans to air in the 6-9 AM ET daypart that Sutton previously occupied.

Miami Marlins, Diamond Sports Group Reach Deal to Continue Airing Games on FanDuel Sports Network Florida

BSM Staff
-
0
Miami Marlins, Diamond Sports Group Reach Deal to Continue Airing Games on FanDuel Sports Network Florida

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 Miami Marlins are the latest Major League Baseball team to solve their television broadcasting situation this week. The team and FanDuel Sports Network owner Diamond Sports Group, reached agreement to continue partnering according to Barry Jackson of Florida Sports Buzz.

Jackson reports that unlike the St. Louis Cardinals, the Marlins did not have to accept a large reduction in rights fees to remain on the network. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch had reported the Cardinals were looking at around a 20% reduction of a deal worth more than $75 million per season. Jackson’s report notes the network formerly known as Bally Sports Florida will retain the Marlins and the Miami Heat but has lost the Florida Panthers rights.

Six teams in the league have decided to work with Major League Baseball on their production and distribution, which includes the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres.

The Marlins and Cardinals are now two of eight teams that will be working with FanDuel Sports Network for 2025. The others are the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays.

Newsmax Ratings Up Nearly 50% During 2024 3rd Quarter

BNM Staff
-
0
Newsmax Ratings Up Nearly 50% During 2024 3rd Quarter

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.

Newsmax has seen a large uptick in ratings since April 2023. That continued during the third quarter of 2024 before its new primetime lineup began.

In total, ratings were up 48% at Newsmax during July, August, and September. Many cable news outlets saw ratings gains during the quarter as several newsworthy items — including the assassination attempt of Donald Trump, both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, and the news that President Joe Biden would no longer seek re-election — happened during the timeframe.

In primetime, ratings were up 56% with shows hosted by Rob Schmitt, Greg Kelly, and Chris Plante anchoring the daypart.

With more than 34 million viewers during the quarter, the conservative cable channel founded by Chris Ruddy finished as the fourth most-watched cable news network and the seventh highest-rated cable channel overall in the extended day ratings, when adjusted for distribution in available homes.

The quarter was the highest rated in network history that has seen steady growth since Fox News parted ways with primetime host Tucker Carlson last year.

At the conclusion of the quarter, Newsmax announced it was adding a new 8 PM ET show hosted by Rob Finnerty. He joined the primetime lineup after previously working on the network’s morning show. Eric Bolling hosted in the daypart before his departure earlier this year.

iHeartMedia Layoffs Begin at News/Talk Stations, Including Joe Pags and 710 WOR Hosts Len Berman, Michael Riedel

BNM Staff
-
0
iHeartMedia Layoffs Begin at News/Talk Stations, Including Joe Pags and 710 WOR Hosts Len Berman, Michael Riedel

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.

iHeartMedia has been making nationwide cuts that had largely not involved news/talk radio personnel. That changed on Friday.

1200 WOAI and nationally syndicated host Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo has departed the company. He had been with the station since 2005 and launched nationally in 2014.

“It’s been an amazing run,” Pagliarulo said in a video posted to social media. “I want to thank the city of San Antonio and the amazing listeners for all your support.”

His show will continue in national syndication with Compass Media Networks, which he called “the start of a new era” for The Joe Pags Show.

710 WOR morning hosts Len Berman and Michael Riedel have departed the daypart at the New York news/talk station. Berman joined the station in 2015 before being paired with Riedel, who was added in 2018. Berman was a longtime fixture in New York television as a sports anchor at WNBC. Riedel, meanwhile, previously hosted a weekly show at AM 970 The Answer for Salem Media Group amid a longtime career as a Broadway critic and columnist for the New York Post. Additionally, Terry Trahim, a morning news editor and producer for the station, has also departed.

NewsRadio WFLA Orlando co-host and morning news anchor Alan Spector has departed. He spent more than a decade with iHeartMedia.

Several sources indicated to Barrett Media that WSPD Program Director Scott Sands has exited the Toledo news/talk outlet. He had been with the station for the past 11 years since joining as the Program Director in 2013. He served as the Senior Vice President of Programming for the Ohio and West Virginia region at iHeartMedia.

600 KCOL morning host Jimmy Lakey and producer Mark Lillie have exited the Fort Collins station. Lakey had been with the station for a decade after previous stops included stations like WBT in Charlotte, KVOR in Colorado Springs, KLIF in Dallas, KNUS in Denver, and KXNT in Las Vegas, among others. Lillie had been with the station for just over two years.

In Des Moines, 1040 WHO morning show producer and co-host Margaret Kispert has departed the station.

Justin Miller has departed KASI in Ames, Iowa. Miller served as the sports director of KASI and also worked at sister-station KXnO in Des Moines as a producer and play-by-play announcer for local sports.

The cuts at iHeartMedia news/talk stations come after the conclusion of the 2024 election cycle earlier this week.

As we learn of any other iHeartMedia layoffs in sports, we will add more to this story. If you have been laid off and want the industry to be aware of your availability, please email garrett@barrettmedia.com.

Nominees Revealed For the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards

BMM Staff
-
0
Nominees Revealed For the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards

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.

This morning (11/8), the nominees for the 67th GRAMMY Awards were announced across all categories.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. unveiled the nominees alongside a star-studded lineup, including GRAMMY winners Brandy Clark, Kirk Franklin, David Frost, Robert Gordon, Kylie Minogue, Victoria Monét, Gaby Moreno, Deanie Parker, Ben Platt, Mark Ronson, and Hayley Williams, as well as GRAMMY-nominated comedian Jim Gaffigan and CBS Mornings host Gayle King.

“Today we celebrate the amazing creative achievements of our music community,” said Mason Jr. “It was an incredible year in music and these nominations reflect the work of a voting body that is more representative of the music community than ever before. The GRAMMY became music’s most coveted award precisely because the recognition comes from one’s peers, and I’m so grateful for the Academy’ s 13,000 voting members who take the time to evaluate all the amazing music, cast their votes, and honor their peers. Congratulations to all the nominees.”

The eligibility period for this year’s GRAMMYs covers recordings released from September 16, 2024 to August 30, 2025. The final round of voting, which will decide the winners, will take place from December 12, 2024 to January 3, 2025.

The event is scheduled for Sunday, February 2, 2025 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

You can view the complete list of nominees at GRAMMY.Com.

KFI-AM 640 Program Director Robin Bertolucci Exits iHeartMedia Los Angeles

BNM Staff
-
0
KFI-AM 640 Program Director Robin Bertolucci Exits iHeartMedia Los Angeles

Talk radio is losing one of its sharpest programmers. KFI-AM 640 PD Robin Bertolucci is departing her role with the iHeartMedia Los Angeles news/talk station. The news comes on the same day that her husband Don Martin exits as Executive Vice President of Sports for iHeartMedia.

Bertolucci spent the past 22 years programming the venerable Los Angeles radio station. KFI has featured talk radio stars Bill Handel, John and Ken, Gary and Shannon, and Tim Conway Jr., just to name a few, and has been one of the strongest forces in all of talk radio. In addition to leading KFI, Bertolucci also oversaw The Patriot 1150 AM.

Under her tutelage, KFI AM-640 has routinely been a Marconi Award finalist in the News/Talk Station of the Year, Legendary Station of the Year, and Major Market Station of the Year categories, in addition to individual hosts and projects being nominated for the prestigious honors. She was twice voted the top Major Market Program Director in Barrett Media’s Top 20 of News/Talk Radio series.

“A thing that defines me is that I have been able to have a career and do it the way I want to and find a path that is uniquely my own,” told Barrett News Media during a 2023 profile interview. “When you help craft a station or help build a station that feels perfectly right for a community and would only work there and is unique to that place, that’s one of the things I am most proud of. KFI is a very special station, and I feel honored to work there and work with the people and continue to make it uniquely Southern California.”

Prior to moving to Los Angeles in 2002, Bertolucci worked for KGO in San Francisco and KOA in Denver. Her decision to exit comes on the heels of widespread layoffs at iHeartMedia. The company is in the midst of cutting 5% of its workforce.

In an internal memo, Bertolucci thanked everyone for an incredible 24 years. She told the team she was proud of them, and honored to have been able to work with everyone. To put it in perspective, she shared that when she arrived her son was in pre-school, and he is now 27 years old.

Bertolucci also pointed out the uniqueness of the KFI way, explaining that the brand has been a true outlier filled with talented people on air and behind the scenes. She expressed her appreciation for her time spent guiding the brand, and said she’s going to catch her breath before deciding what comes next.

iHeartMedia EVP of News/Talk and Sports programming Chris Berry is serving as the interim PD of KFI and KLAC in the interim.

Barrett Media congratulates Robin on an incredible run guiding KFI, and wishes her the very best moving forward.

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.

1...1,2601,2611,262...2,896Page 1,261 of 2,896