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Hayley St. John is Rocking Nashville on 102.9 The Buzz

Charese Fruge
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Hayley St. John is Rocking Nashville on 102.9 The Buzz

Radio runs in Hayley St. John’s blood. She followed in the footsteps of her mom and started working at her hometown radio station in Jamestown, ND in 2007. She worked as a board op and on-air talent until 2011 when she decided to take a blind leap and moved to Nashville. About a year into her move, she got a part-time job at 102.9 The Buzz, which turned into a full-time on-air position, while eventually taking on the website/social media for the station and APD position. 2024 marks 17 years on the mic for her and 12 years at The Buzz. “I wear a lot of hats,” she says. “But I’m proud to have a big role at an amazing station. A typical day for me is website/social media content, show prep, scheduling music, meeting with the PD, and then live on the air until 7pm. As if I don’t talk into a microphone enough, I host trivia on weeknights at different locations in Middle TN, and I also volunteer at an animal shelter on the weekends.”

The state of the rock format is forever growing and always changing, according to St. John. “It’s sounding better all the time. I’m elated that rock music giants that have been around forever, like Smashing Pumpkins, Staind, The Offspring, and FFDP, continue to make new rock. Even reuniting bands like Blink-182 and Jane’s Addiction are making comebacks. It’s so cool to see! The rock format is such a passionate format as it is. Going to a great rock show is like an escape, and I’ve made so many new friends over the years that share the same love for the bands that I do. And it’s timeless! Rock songs that were popular 40-50 years ago are still just as beloved as they were back then.”

“And as far as local music, We play local rock every weeknight! The local music scene in Nashville is undeniably the biggest and best in the country, so we try to incorporate these bands in our regular rotation every evening. We also have a page dedicated to local bands on our website with new releases, upcoming gigs, etc.”

“The rock community is a fun place to be. The bands, the listeners and fans… it’s a very passionate group. I still pinch myself over all the cool things I’ve gotten to do just by being in the rock industry. ‘Hey, do you wanna introduce Shinedown on stage?’ ‘Is it cool if Sully from Godsmack comes in for an interview?’ HELL YEAH! The rock format has been so accommodating as far as letting the Buzz get closer to the bands and artists. Many of them are local and live in Nashville too!”

Besides providing Nashville with the best of rock: old, new, and local, The Buzz plays a big role in the Music City community. “Recently, I began showcasing adoptable pets from the rescue I volunteer at (True Rescue) on The Buzz socials to raise awareness and hopefully help the rescue,” says St. John. “I’m a big animal rescue advocate and hopefully can use my role at The Buzz for greater good and help animals in need. The Buzz is always very involved in the community, and we’ve partnered with excellent organizations like The Nashville Predators Foundation, Second Harvest Food Bank, Soles 4 Souls, and Folds of Honor, just to name a few. Each year, we have a golf tournament for a good cause, too! The Buzz loves every chance to give back to the community.”

Bands St. John is into right now? “Beartooth,” she says. “I’ve liked the band for years, but I’ve been wearing out their album ‘The Surface’ that came out last year. It’s so positive and uplifting, yet badass at the same time. The new Nothing More album ‘CARNAL’ is amazing too, and they’re an incredible band. (Is it still even possible to ‘wear out’ an album?)”

Some of St. John’s favorite stations to listen to? “We recently rebranded a new station called 93.3 FM, which is part of Cromwell Media, and it sounds amazing. I love the familiarity during the day and new music at night. I’ve also been a fan of Lightning 100 for years and applaud them for being so attentive to the local scene. I’ve discovered many bands and artists I love through Lightning.”

Like every format, rock has its challenges. “There are so many different types of ‘rock,’” says St. John. “So it’s a matter of finding the best style for the station. Just because a song sounds good doesn’t necessarily mean it belongs on The Buzz, which gets challenging. The Buzz has experimented with being a more alternative station, a more classic-forward station, a much harder rock station… It’s challenging to find the right lane, but we’ve become successful by listening to feedback and, as rock fans ourselves, how it sounds to us. We can’t please everybody, but we try to.”

“As far as my on-air shift, I try to incorporate as much local news and happenings as possible. Nashville is growing and changing like crazy, and all of our listeners know it. We’re all tired of the traffic and the country bars on Broadway, so talking about it is relatable to the listener. I like to use local news and websites like Loudwire and Consequence to be informative of the music I’m playing. Since many bands and artists have been through the Buzz Studios over the years, I like to share my personal experiences with these bands, too.”

“As far as my favorite Talent, I love listening to Theresa (@theresarockface), who’s on 94.5 The Buzz in Houston and multiple other stations. She’s charismatic and amiable, like listening to a friend talk, although she probably doesn’t even know I exist.”

Out of curiosity, I had to ask St. John, “How do you feel about music icons like Dolly Parton being inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame, and what about the ‘rock’ album she released?” “I admire her longevity in the industry and the fact that she hasn’t slowed down,” she says. “The fact that she even tried to decline her invite speaks volumes, but releasing a rock album to follow up with it is amazing. And the collabs she pulled off on the album are immaculate. Plus, she is a Tennessee treasure. Bravo, Dolly!!”

Speaking of collabs? Who are the best in the format so far? And what would your dream collab be? “A couple of recent ones that blew my mind were Nothing More with David Draiman for ‘Angel Song’ and Eric Church with Lzzy Hale for ‘That’s Damn Rock and Roll.’ Are they as iconic as ‘Walk This Way’ and ‘Numb?’ I don’t know, but I was pleasantly surprised by them. I would absolutely love to hear something dark like Deftones and Lana Del Rey together.”

And your ideal songs for an Olympic soundtrack? “’Get Up’ by Shinedown, ‘Rise Above This’ by Seether, and ‘This is the Time’ by Nothing More.

Follow Hayley St. John @Facebook.com/HayleyonAir, @buzzhayley on Instagram, and @buzzhayley on TikTok.

20 Brands In 20 Days: Louie Diaz Q99.7, Atlanta, GA

Jeff Lynn
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20 Brands In 20 Days: Louie Diaz Q99.7, Atlanta, GA

To support the launch of the new Barrett Media, we’ve created a special series titled “20 Brands In 20 Days.” Highlighting successful stations across the country in various formats by conducting conversations with their brand leaders. Up next is Cumulus Media’s Louie Diaz. Louie is VP/Contemporary Formats and is the PD of Top 40 WWWQ (Q99.7)/Atlanta. The station we are highlighting today.

Jeff Lynn: Give me the state of the state on Top 40 right now.

Louie Diaz: The state of the state on Top 40 at the moment seems to be coming out of the doldrums that we’ve heard so much of over the years. The songs are getting stronger with research scores, and in some cases, we’re seeing triple-digit love scores on pop music, which we haven’t seen in quite some time in call out. That’s a big plus for the format, meaning that these songs will test from an active age group all the way to a young adult, active adult.

JL: How do you feel about seeing acts like Post Malone cross over to Country, and kind of broaden out like Top 40 was in the 70s and early 80s?

LD: Growing up and listening to Z100 and learning how to program radio by listening to Z100 in New York in the 80s, I remember Phil Collins by himself playing next to Expose, “Point of No Return,” and I would hear Philip Bailey team up with Phil Collins for “Easy Lover.” I think we’re getting close to that point right now.

Getting back to that, where it’s a fusion of artists, sound, and feel, and for Top 40, and even Country for that matter, I think it’s just a big benefit. It’s a benefit when sounds are able to fuse into a different dimension and give people feel-good vibes. That’s what it’s all about: a fusion of sounds that’s being accepted by the Top 40 audience, and that’s exciting for the format.

JL: So give me a top-down look at Q99.7

LD: It’s a very unique market in Atlanta because of its diverse population. You’re programming to multiple counties.

Q 99.7 caters to all ethnicities and it’s a wide net to fish in. The best part about it is that whether it’s Post Malone or Charlie XCX or Sabrina Carpenter or Kendrick Lamar or throwbacks like Rihanna or One Republic, it all fits for Q99.7, and it’s all based around our entry every single morning with “The Bert Show.”

JL: “The Bert Show” is clearly a behemoth for you.

LD: No doubt about it. Bert can run for mayor in Atlanta and give it a pretty good run for office. I’m sure he’s not going to do that, and that’s not in his future.

But if he did, he certainly has the name recognition and has worked hard over the years to continue to evolve the show with content that makes it a true player, even in today’s times.

JL: You’re still doing a $1,000 Thursday, Back-To-School, and things like that. Does contesting still play a big part in your strategy?

LD: Not only contesting, but if I can go back one second. PPM contests like $1,000 Thursdays are necessary, no doubt. But the radio station’s overall effect is community first.

JL: And I think that’s something that’s being lost on a lot of people these days, especially in PPM, where they think that that’s not necessary anymore. The smart players are still doing that because it does make a difference.

LD: You still have to work very, very hard to be top of mind, more so in PPM than ever before. Not only because of the measurement, but the competition that we’re facing. It’s beyond the FM.

It’s DSPs. It’s streaming on YouTube. It’s all sorts of things that are fighting for young American time. And we need to be in that fight also.

JL: Do you still see a sales stigma with Top 40? That the audience is too young and outside the money demo?

LD: Well, I think the radio stations with the big morning shows certainly make it a lot easier because of the heritage over time. They bring in that older demo that either grew up listening to them or were talking about things that are in young adult lives that have already happened in people’s lives and experiences. Is it a sellable demo? 25-54 is too wide of a target for Top 40.

No Top 40 is targeted 25-54. There are subgroups inside of 25-54. And in some cases, some of those subgroups that you target would be 25-34 or even 35-44.

But either way, if you’re doing those subgroups, you have to be number one or number two in those demos, or it just won’t work.

JL: Tell me a little bit about your social media strategy and how that’s working for you.

LD: Because we’re an active Top 40 station in a city like Atlanta, you can walk down the street and see the next Avengers movie or any show being filmed for Netflix. The city is literally the soundstage for so many movies and TV shows today that we have to work twice as hard to create content for social media. So again, going back to “The Bert Show” and starting there, our studios are fitted with HD cameras and audio.

And most of the content that you see on our videos are repurposed things from that morning show. And I’m glad to say that “The Bert Show” views on a daily basis. The reach is just unbelievable on how many people watch that show on Facebook or any other one of our video channels on a daily basis.

JL: That’s interesting because you’re just looking in on a show. Sometimes, that’s not the most exciting thing. So that demonstrates quite a passion for that morning show if people are watching it that way.

LD: We do test a lot of our content. We’re lucky enough to have research, and our content scores very, very high. We just give the audience a lot of what they want to hear on the radio and what they want to stream. And now we’ll give them an option to watch it on video.

JL: Anything that you want to add that I haven’t covered at this point?

LD: Yeah, I think for Q99.7, I’ll start there. Again, the entry of “The Bert Show” is a luxury that we have and something that we continue to work very hard on a daily basis. But the trick today is to obviously move that audience, ever-shrinking audience into other day parts, middays, afternoons, and nights.

At Q99.7, we work really hard to recycle audience to all day parts. And part two of that will be I’m very excited about where Top 40 Music is going today. We need to continue to work hard to develop artists, whether it’s Chappell Roan or Teddy Swims, or Charlie XCX.

We need to continue to work very hard to develop those artists to be long-term artists.

In the 1980s, Phil Collins was from Genesis. Stephen Tyler was from Aerosmith. You had all of these artists with a massive past.

Peter Cetera from Chicago. One after another, they became solo acts in the 80s, but they had all of this time brewing in the 70s as a massive rock band. Today, we don’t have many artists that have too much of a history from the previous decade.

We’re just creating new artists. It’s really difficult when we create new artists and don’t go the long haul with them. The Top 40 today doesn’t have the luxury it did in the 80s with familiar-sounding lead singers, artists, or songs.

We have to work twice as hard. It’s critical to develop young artists for the long haul so they’re here for the next decade.

Listen to Q99.7 here.  Find them on Facebook and Instagram. Connect with Louie here.

Steve Cohen is in Training Camp with VSiN After a Successful Run at SiriusXM

Derek Futterman
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Steve Cohen is in Training Camp with VSiN After a Successful Run at SiriusXM

The conversations between Steve Cohen and Brian Musburger began in Chicago in 2015 while the city welcomed the next generation of the NFL. Two years before the official launch of the Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN), Cohen provided suggestions to the founding group to create a vertical that would make an impact in the niche format as more consumers began betting on sports. Over his years working as the senior vice president of sports programming at SiriusXM, he had successfully built a variety of domains for consumers to discover specified content tailored to their proclivities. The paradigm ushered in several league partners, play-by-play rights and a new era of sports talk on satellite radio.

In the last fiscal year, SiriusXM underwent a reverse stock split as part of a reorganization and merger with Liberty Media Corporation. Additionally, the company revealed a refreshed brand identity and reimagined streaming application implementing a simplified user interface. Ahead of these changes though, Cohen could evince that the economic situation had changed regarding the price of play-by-play broadcasting rights.

Since these broadcasts are the most important for sports channels on SiriusXM, the network had to allocate its funds in that area and diminish some of its investment into sports talk radio. Thinking about the situation, Cohen determined that he would be unable to continue to grow the platform in the way he hoped, indicating that it was time for him to take a step back. The amicable decision resulted in him signing a one-year advisory deal last March through which he continued to advise the outlet.

“It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do anymore, and I just put my personal life ahead of my business life, and I’m really glad that I did it because I speak with my friends at SiriusXM every day,” Cohen said. “I mean, they’re family members, and that’s never going to change whether I work for Sirius or not.”

VSiN successfully launched in 2017 and broadcast from a studio at the South Point Casino, leveraging its position in the marketplace with acclaimed broadcasters such as Brent Musburger and Al Bernstein. Sports gambling journalists and oddsmakers contributed to creating a comprehensive multiplatform product that was purchased by DraftKings four years later for $70 million. Throughout their partnership, VSiN programming was presented on the DraftKings Network in addition to being available to watch through its FAST channel and select regional sports networks. The network currently operates out of studios at the Circa Resort & Casino and The D Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas and produces approximately 18 hours of live, daily weekday programming.

Cohen’s one-year deal with SiriusXM expired earlier in the year, leading him to begin performing advisory work for Brian Musburger and Bill Adee in June. Through conversations ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, he learned that they were hoping to purchase the company back from DraftKings. If the transaction proved successful, Cohen was offered to join the company in any role that he wanted ranging from advising to running programming entirely. The reacquisition of VSiN was finalized towards the end of July, officially placing the entity back under the control of Musburger Media while retaining DraftKings as an advertising partner.

“They got their deal done and they were like, ‘Well, do you want to run this thing for us?’” Cohen said. “I looked at it and told them what I could do and what I’d like to do, and they’re like, ‘Great, let’s do it,’ so we put a deal together, and I’m thrilled with the outcome.”

As the global pandemic resulted in companies adopting remote and/or hybrid workflows, Cohen became more apt to managing from afar. When he was working for SiriusXM, Cohen managed teams from New York City, Washington, D.C., Nashville and Los Angeles, and he did not detect it impeding his overall workflow. Cohen considered other ventures in considering the next steps for his career, one of which was working on documentaries. Yet he questioned how he would take part in such projects that may not be released for three years after working in a dynamic environment for nearly four decades. In the end, he decided to move back into real-time programming because of the aptitude and passion he has for the occupation.

“Even though I’ve had great titles, I’m not a suit,” Cohen said, “so my job is to maximize the potential of each and every programming employee at VSiN, and so that’s the mission.”

Although Cohen will make frequent trips to Las Vegas, he will largely operate from a remote setting and gauge its current slate of programming. Cohen expects to make a variety of changes, but not before consulting with company employees and viewers of the content. In fact, he was in Las Vegas earlier this week where he had a chance to see the studios, meet staff members and observe the production.

“We have a lot of talent, and so that’s a great thing, but my feeling is I can create a better gameplan than the one they’ve had to carry out their programming mission,” Cohen said. “I think implementing that is really going to maximize the potential of VSiN and maximize the potential of our audience.”

For example, Cohen asked why one host who displayed expertise in horse racing was not providing daily picks regarding the sport, something that will now be instantiated on the network. Furthermore, he questioned why there has been a lack of fantasy sports discussion, especially as consumers prepare for their fantasy football drafts.

VSiN is currently considering a search for several partnerships in order to effectuate added brand equity and aggregate proliferation, adopting a similar mentality that precipitated the growth of SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. By providing fantasy sports enthusiasts with what they wanted, the entity became one of the most popular sports talk channels at SiriusXM, a success that he hopes to replicate with VSiN.

“For me, it’s always been a ‘one hand washes the other, both hands wash the face’ mentality when it comes to partnerships,” Cohen said, “so I think we’re in a great position now to partner with all the top folks that are in the business, and so that’s what we’re looking to do and that helps us grow.”

During his formative years in the sports media business, Cohen gained expertise from various industry luminaries and traditional media outlets. In a conversation with football reporter Peter King, he gave Cohen the idea to start a newsletter, which in turn prompted him to launch the first iteration of the Pro Football News and Injury Report. While he remained at WFAN where he served in roles including producing, beat reporting and hosting, he was also compiling the latest developments around the NFL.

“I knew the information was important to Mike [Francesa] and Bill [Parcells], and if it was important to Mike and Bill, it certainly was important to the average football fan, especially the enthusiastic football fans who would wager on games and also were in fantasy football leagues, so it was valuable information,” Cohen said. “It was information that couldn’t be found anywhere else.”

Cohen started working for SiriusXM in May 2004 as its director of NFL programming and was named the vice president of sports four months later. The satellite radio company had 250,000 subscribers when he first arrived, many of whom were truckers who would drive across the country and listen to the content.

SiriusXM now has 34 million subscribers who listen to its radio channels and podcast offerings spanning a multitude of genres. Cohen believed in the product from the beginning, remarking at the array of content and accessibility around the country. The steady foundation allowed him to construct and maintain sports radio channels, including NFL Radio, NASCAR Radio and Mad Dog Sports Radio.

“I think each and every sports radio station we programmed was very relevant because we did so many things that had never been done before, whether it’s having every game and every broadcast of every professional league, every race, every golf tournament – it was amazing what we created and what people still can get from a SiriusXM subscription,” Cohen said. “I think when you do things better than anyone else, you become very relevant, and that’s what we did at SiriusXM.”

As someone who has performed virtually every role behind-the-scenes in the media industry, Cohen wants to hear the opinions of everyone involved with the venture to better guide resolutions. Akin to concerns he has regarding the sports talk radio format, VSiN will need to replenish its staff after losing members of the team contemporaneous with DraftKings selling the company back to Musburger Media. Once this process is completed, the company will be able to move towards implementing some of the ideas that Cohen has to help it become even more successful.

“I believe in, ‘We’re in the communications business – let’s communicate,’” Cohen said, “and so before I ask associate producers and producers currently who are putting in a lot of hours to do even more, I need to lighten their load in some aspects to bring in new people to do that so I can get our top folks to do the things from a communication standpoint that will help us grow.”

In a quest to claim a spot at the top of the marketplace, Cohen is conducting an ostensible review of VSiN processes and programming to gauge necessary actions. Part of the reason he decided to take the job was his avidity for live programming, and he wants to deliver an enthralling consumer experience featuring salient points and thought-provoking conversation. Once the platform achieves that goal, Cohen will feel as if it has “arrived as a channel” and move from there.

“I’m trying to figure out who my starting lineups are going to be and who my impact players are going to be, so it’s a bit premature to say exactly what that will be, but I know I’m dealing with a lot of talent here,” Cohen said. “We’ve got some great talent, and so I just think we need to hone the game plan and get the talent to a place where they’re making that 20-minute experience for the consumer a great one.”

Throughout the process of determining the next steps to position VSiN to attain strong viewership and revenue for years to come, Cohen will use the lessons he learned at SiriusXM and beyond to execute his role with aplomb. With a demonstrated track record of crafting new and innovative productions that are able to withstand market headwinds, he is optimistic that he will help VSiN benefit and further establish itself in the niche area. By focusing on the content itself and its subsequent distribution promoting convenience, coherence and connected to the pulse of the audience, Cohen believes that VSiN content will be able to thrive and promote responsible gambling.

“I hope that anyone who is looking for content is going to call us and see if they can work out a deal to bring our content to their radio network, their regional sports network and all of the above,” Cohen said. “This is content that they know that the people who tune in to their service want, and they want to come to us for the absolute best product available anywhere.”

Sugar Bowl Kickoff Country Concert Cancelled

BMM Staff
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Sugar Bowl Kickoff Country Concert Cancelled

The 2024 Sugar Bowl Country Kickoff concert has been canceled. It was abruptly canceled, and ticketholders received a notice saying, “Unfortunately, the Event Organizer has had to cancel your event.” According to WVUE TV/New Orleans, refunds should be expected in 14-21 days.

The show was set to feature Eric Church, Thomas Rhett, Jon Pardi, and Ashley McBryde. In 2023, it included Garth Brooks and Lainey Wilson.

The show was announced in April and had been scheduled for August 31 at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome.

Nielsen 6+ PPM Ratings Day Four

BMM Staff
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Nielsen 6+ PPM Ratings Day Four

Nielsen has released day four PPM markets 6+

Austin

Adult Hits KBPA off 12.1-11.2

Country KASE grows 5.3-6.2

AC KKMJ up 5.4-6.2

Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point NC

Hip Hop WJMH up a full share 9.2-10.2

Adult Hits WSMW drops 9.4-8.1

AC WMAG falls 8.0-6.2

Hartford

AC WRCH off 9.5-8.8

Hip Hop WZMX grows 6.6-7.6

Country WWYZ up 6.1-7.5

Indianapolis

Urban WIBC drops 8.4-7.7

Country WFMS up 6.3-7.4

Classic Hits WJJK off 8.7-6.9

Jacksonville

Urban WOKV up 6.5-7.8

AC WEZI off 5.3-4.7

Urban WSOL up 6.5-7.8

Memphis

Urban KJMS up 6.7-7.7

Gospel WHAL up 5.5-6.6

Country WLFP down 4.0-3.6

Milwaukee

Classic Rock WKLH up 7.5-8.2

Classic Hits WRIT up 7.0-7.3

Country WMIL up 5.8-6.3

Nashville

AC WJXA falls 11.4-9.3

Adult Hits WCJK off 9.0-8.0

Country WSIX up 6.0-6.4

Norfolk-Virginia Beach

Classic Rock WAFX up 5.5-6.9

Adult Hits WNOB drops 7.6-6.8

AC WWDE falls 7.3-6.0

Providence

Country WCTK off 9.1-.78

Hot AC WSNE up 6.5-7.1

Top 40 WPRO up 5.2-5.5

Raleigh-Durham

Urban AC WFXC up 10.5-10.8

Country WQDR up 6.0-6.4

Adult Hits WBBB up 7.1-6.7

West Palm Beach

Hot AC WRMF up 7.9-7.1

AC WOLL off 5.9-5.4

Country WIRK down 4.3-3.7

Paramount Global to Cut 15% of Its U.S. Workforce, Announces $5.98 Billion Write Down of Cable TV Networks

BSM Staff
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Paramount Global to Cut 15% of Its U.S. Workforce, Announces $5.98 Billion Write Down of Cable TV Networks

As Paramount Global is in the midst of a transaction that will result in a merger with Skydance Media upon the latter’s acquisition of National Amusements to create “New Paramount,” the company reported its second-quarter earnings on Thursday. The company has advanced its strategic plan, part of which includes at least $500 million in annualized cost savings, and is also working to improve its balance sheet “by growing free cash flow and optimizing our asset mix.”

Part of this cost savings plan includes reducing its U.S.-based workforce by approximately 15%, focusing on functions within marketing, communications, finance, legal and technology. These job cuts will begin taking place in the coming weeks and will mostly be completed by the end of the year, according to Paramount Global management.

The network also took a $5.98 billion goodwill impairment charge on its cable television networks, reflecting the changing nature of the subscriber marketplace amid a declining pay TV penetration rate. Recent data from MoffettNathanson conveys that consumers are leaving pay television at an annual decline of over 7% and that there are about 55 million U.S. households that still subscribe to traditional pay television. The goodwill impairment charge, which acknowledges the reduced monetary value of these networks, is factored into the company’s $5.32 billion operating loss.

The company’s streaming division attained a profit in the quarter, marking the first time that the direct-to-consumer business has attained such a feat. Paramount+ increased its revenue 46% year-over-year despite a loss of 2.8 million subscribers during that time period to mark a total of 68 million. Global average revenue per user augmented 26% year-over-year, helping contribute to an overall 13% year-over-year rise in total revenue to $1.8 billion. Moreover, adjusted OIBDA in the category equated to $26 million, an increase of $450 million year-over-year.

Advertising revenue in the sector grew by 16%, which reflects the growth attained by both Paramount+ and Pluto TV. The company is in the process of exploring “potential strategic partnerships” for Paramount+, an effort that contains active discussions with several parties in order to ensure it sustains profitability.

CBS finished the 2023-24 season as the No. 1 network in prime time television for the 16th consecutive year, holding eight out of the top 10 broadcast series. Yet the division reported a decrease in revenue to $4.27 billion, down $886 million year-over-year, and an additional $710 million in expenses. Adjusted OIBDA in the category finished at $1.02 billion, representative of a 15% year-over-year decrease.

During the quarter, CBS broadcast several golf tournaments on the PGA TOUR, including the Masters Tournament from Augusta, Ga. The entity has served as a home for WNBA broadcasts as well, several of which broke the 1 million viewer mark amid a year of record viewership and broadened interest. CBS Sports also broadcast the UEFA Champions League Final and averaged a total of 2.32 million viewers for the contest.

CBS Sports is preparing to enter another broadcast season with the National Football League, coming off a year in which it attained a record-setting audience for Super Bowl LVIII and various playoff games. As a whole, the NFL on CBS averaged 19.35 million viewers in the 2023-24 regular season, marking the most-watched regular season since the network regained broadcasting rights to the league in 1998.

Longtime chairperson Sean McManus officially retired from CBS Sports in April and is succeeded by David Berson, who is in the role of president and chief executive officer of the sports division. CBS Sports will also continue to broadcast Big Ten Conference football for the second season of its seven-year media rights deal, which includes its first broadcast of the conference’s championship game on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Paramount Global is currently headed by an Office of the CEO that contains division leaders George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins. Upon the close of the Skydance transaction, David Ellison will take over as chairman and chief executive officer, and Jeff Shell will be the company president. The transaction is subject to a 45-day “go-shop period,” which allows the special committee of the Paramount Global Board of Directors “to actively solicit and consider alternative acquisition proposals.”

96.5 JACK-FM Arrives in Fayetteville, NC

BMM Staff
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96.5 JACK-FM Arrives in Fayetteville, NC

Beasley Media Group has unveiled 96.5 JACK FM WFLB in Fayetteville, NC. Six decades of music, including everything from Pink Floyd to Guns N’ Roses, will fall under the JACK-FM “Playing What We Want” banner.

Ronnie Glover, VP Market Manager, said, “We are JACKED about bringing this brand into the Fayetteville market. We love the energy and fun this station will bring to the airways here and look forward to watching it grow in big ways.”

Check out 96.5 JACK-FM here.

ESPN Announces New College Football Anthem by Jelly Roll

BSM Staff
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ESPN Announces New College Football Anthem by Jelly Roll

Award-winning singer/songwriter Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, has been selected by ESPN to create the music anthem for the 2024-25 college football season on ESPN platforms, which kicks off Saturday, Aug. 24.

Jelly Roll’s single from his upcoming album, ‘Get By’, will serve as the soundtrack for ESPN’s college football coverage.

In a release, Curtis Friends, ESPN Vice President of Marketing said, “there’s a powerful connection between music and college football and for more than a decade, the ESPN college football music anthem has been integral to the promotion of the sport while its release has marked the unofficial start to the season. Jelly Roll is a talented, award-winning artist whose music speaks to the passion of college football fans across the country, and we’re excited ‘Get By’ will soundtrack the sport all season long.”

This marks the 11th season that ESPN has partnered with an acclaimed artist to create a college football. Others have included: Post Malone, Fall Out Boy, Lauren Alaina, X Ambassadors, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Imagine Dragons, Judah & the Lion, Juice WRLD & Marshmello, DJ Snake & Rick Ross, Yungblud.

College Football kicks off Saturday, Aug. 24 in Dublin, Ireland, featuring Florida State vs. Georgia Tech at Noon ET on ESPN. 

Joe ‘Crash’ Kelley Named OM For Allegany Communications

BMM Staff
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Joe ‘Crash’ Kelley Named OM For Allegany Communications

Joe “Crash” Kelley announced today on Facebook that he is the new OM for Allegany Communications’ six stations in Cumberland, MD.

Allegany operates AC WDYK (Magic 100.5), Rock WQZK (94.1 QZK), Country WVMD (100.1 – 99.9 The Wolf), Rock WDZN, WCMD-102.1 FM and 1230 AM and WKLP-1390 AM.

Posting on his Facebook profile, Kelley said, “I am proud to announce my new radio home in historic and beautiful Cumberland, Maryland, in the majestic Allegany  Mountains, home to six incredible radio stations and a dynamic, locally focused team of professionals. I can’t wait to get started.”

World Federation of Advertisers to Discontinue GARM Ad Buying Standards After Pushback From Conservative Media

BNM Staff
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World Federation of Advertisers to Discontinue GARM Ad Buying Standards After Pushback From Conservative Media

The World Federation of Advertisers is planning to shut down the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) after receiving strong pushback from conservative media outlets.

The decision to shut down GARM comes a week after 40 marketers in the group were sent letters as the House Judiciary Committee continues its investigation into the group.

Additionally, X and Rumble both announced lawsuits against both the World Federation of Advertisers and GARM over what it claims was an illegal collusion to avoid placing advertisements with the platforms.

In a complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, X argues that GARM enacted the quasi-boycott when Elon Musk purchased the social media platform in 2022.

“These actions were all against the unilateral self-interest of the advertisers; they made economic sense only in furtherance of a conspiracy performed in the confidence that competing advertisers were doing the same,” the lawsuit says.

The Daily Wire had strongly urged the advertising world to stop following guidelines put in place by the organization, arguing that it was “gravely concerned” about the “considerable market power” of the group.

“The application of the subjective elements of GARM’s Brand Safety Floor also frequently leads to conservative media content being erroneously maligned as misinformation, harassment, or even hate speech,” the company wrote in an open letter.

In a committee meeting last month, the House Judiciary claimed it had uncovered emails that purport to show a concerted effort by GARM leadership to move advertising dollars away from conservative media like Fox News, The Daily Wire, Breitbart News, and The Joe Rogan Experience, among others.

World Federation of Advertisers CEO Stephan Loerke told staffers in an internal memo that the decision “was not made lightly,” Business Insider reported.

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