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Mark Simone: Push to End TikTok Comes After Lack of Censorship of Conservative Voices

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Yesterday, Congress approved a bill that could ban TikTok in the United States. 710 WOR host Mark Simone believes he knows why the recent push has gotten so much support.

While discussing the legislation Thursday, the New York-based host argued that the platform’s lack of censorship has made it a prime target from those on the other side of the political aisle.

“I know it’s kind of silly, stupid, but believe it or not, all over TikTok, there’s a lot of political discussion. And unlike Facebook and Instagram, and even Twitter…They don’t censor conservatives on TikTok,” said Simone. “They don’t shadowban them or throttle them down. It’s total free speech, politically. So that’s why Donald Trump and others have now flip-flopped on this and don’t want to shut down TikTok.”

197 Republican representatives voted in favor of the bill, compared to 155 Democrats. Only 15 Republicans opposed the bill, while 50 Democrats voted against it.

Mark Simone continued by noting that forcing ByteDance, the parent company of the social media app, to sell could push it into the hands of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who he believes has a history of strong censorship against conservatives.

“The fear is, if you ban it, you give total control of social media to Zuckerberg, who is just legendary for his censorship of conservatives. Now, the other problem is if you forced the sale of TikTok, the most obvious likely buyer would be Facebook and then once again, Zuckerberg has total control of everything,” Simone stated. “Who would you trust more with your data? Communist China or Mark Zuckerberg? It’s quite a toss-up there. I don’t know.”

Tony Massarotti: I Just Don’t Think Bill Belichick is a Good Fit For TV

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Reports have linked Bill Belichick with Omaha Productions and a potential spot on the Manningcast in 2024. 98.5 The Sports Hub afternoon host Tony Massarotti doesn’t believe it will work.

While discussing whether or not the former Patriots head coach would need to rehabilitate his image before getting another job in the NFL next year, the Felger & Mazz co-host shared that he doesn’t think TV will help accomplish that goal.

“I think he’d be better off coaching somewhere, but I just don’t think he’s a great fit for TV. I don’t,” Massarotti reiterated. “It will come off as fake, I think, because I don’t think he’ll do TV the same way.”

When Mike Felger asked if Tony Massarotti thought Bill Belichick needed to soften his image, Mazz agreed.

“Yes, he needs to make himself more marketable. Definitely needs to do that. I guess what I’m saying is I won’t buy it.”

When Felger read a report from ProFootballTalk linking Belichick with Omaha Productions, Felger argued that the unscripted nature of working with Peyton and Eli Manning is the antithesis of everything Belichick is known for.

“I just don’t think he’s a fit. There’s a goofy element to that (alternate) cast, which I kind of like. It’s more casual. It’s kind of off the cuff,” said Mazz. “It’s almost ‘Let’s not take it quite as seriously,’ and I think Bill is as serious as it gets when it comes to football.

“If you’re telling me the Mannings might be able to get it out of him, I’d be willing to see what it looks like. But I think the place for him, honestly, is on the desk.”

Wisconsin Badgers Radio Voice Matt Lepay Elected to Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame

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Matt Lepay has served as the radio voice of the Wisconsin Badgers for the past 35 years. He’s now being honored for his efforts.

Lepay will be one of four broadcasters inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in its class of 2024.

The longtime Voice of the Badgers calls both football and men’s basketball for the university, and has called everything from the Rose Bowl to trips to the Final Four during his illustrious career behind the mic.

Joining Lepay in the Class of 2024 are longtime broadcast engineer Steve Brown, broadcasting education Patty Loew, and broadcaster Dave Robinson.

The 2024 Hall of Fame honorees will be celebrated the night of June 20 at the 2024 Summer Conference at Hotel Retlaw in Fond du Lac.

86% of Radio Listeners Will Closely Follow 2024 Presidential Election, Jacobs Media Survey Shows

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Jacobs Media has released the first portion of its annual Techsurvey, and one of the results shows how important the upcoming election is for radio listeners.

In a survey of nearly 30,000 radio listeners, the results show that the election is near the top of mind for a vast majority of users.

When asked “How closely do you plan on following the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election coverage?”, 51% of respondents said they would “very closely” be monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, another 35% added they would “somewhat closely” follow the developments along the campaign trail.

15% claimed they would “not closely at all” be following the run-up to the November election.

Unsurprisingly, the numbers are higher for more older listeners. 92% of the “Greatest” generation said they would either very closely or somewhat closely follow the election. Boomers (89%), Gen X (84%), Millennials (76%), and Gen Z (75%) each responded in descending figures.

Men were more likely than women to follow the election closely, with 89% of males saying they would “somewhat or very closely” follow the Presidential election. 83% of females responded similarly.

Meanwhile, a whopping 94% of those who spend the majority of their time with spoken word audio fall into the “very or somewhat closely” category. 83% of those who predominately listen to music stations responded the same.

In the report, Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs shares his belief that the numbers show how powerful of an advertising medium AM/FM radio can be for political campaigns.

“While Techsurvey 2024 results won’t be widely released until next month, the importance of this data for radio stations today is obvious,” Jacobs said. “As the Nielsen study notes, radio is an excellent marketing vehicle in political races.”

JRSportBrief After Heavy Criticism Over CBS Sports Minute: ‘I Genuinely Regret My Words’

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Early Thursday morning, South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley shared her displeasure with a CBS Sports Minute encapsulation of one of her players from JRSportBrief. The CBS Sports Radio host has now apologized for his commentary.

During the vignette, the nationally syndicated host shared his stance that he was more excited for the NCAA Women’s Tournament than the men because of the star power provided by the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, before adding “and the giant Brazillian woman from South Carolina that knocks people over,” referring to South Carolina star Kamilla Cardoso. Cardoso was involved in a physical altercation at the end of the SEC Tournament Final Sunday and was ejected and subsequently suspended for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Staley took to X to criticize not only CBS Sports but also her local station, 107.5 The Game in Columbia, for airing the commentary.

“Never thought I’d hear one of my players described in such an offensive way. I’m not sitting this one out. Kamilla deserves an apology,” the Basketball Hall of Famer wrote.

After 107.5 The Game apologized, despite not being at fault for the situation, JRSportBrief did the same Thursday afternoon.

“This morning on an Audacy Sports Minute, as I was sharing my excitement for this year’s Women’s NCAA Tournament and watching some of the game’s brightest stars, I referred to University of South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso by only her height and ethnicity. I genuinely regret my words, and I sincerely apologize to Kamilla, her family, and the University of South Carolina,” the CBS Sports Radio host wrote in a statement on X. “She deserves better. I will learn from this and be better going forward.”

Tony Katz: Don Lemon Purposely Sabotaged Deal With Elon Musk

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Don Lemon remains the talk of the news media world after revealing his deal with X for a program was canceled by Elon Musk after their on-camera interview. Tony Katz believes the conversation was a setup.

While discussing the move on Tony Katz + The Morning News on 93 WIBC, the Indianapolis host argued if you thought Lemon learned from his CNN firing, think again.

“He really believed that he was touched with the secret knowledge and you needed to be instructed,” Katz said of Lemon’s attitude during his time with the cable news giant. “He’s impossible to deal with on the morning show, because of course, he believes himself to be the most important person out there. And then he gets fired. It seems that the firing would be a little bit humbling.

“But in this first episode, Don Lemon was so aggressively nasty. He hasn’t changed at all! He’s pompous and maniacal.”

Katz continued by sharing his belief that Lemon intentionally pressed Musk to the point of cancellation so he could return to his “victim” status.

“He has learned nothing. And I am here to tell you that to me. It seems obvious that Don Lemon wanted to burn it all down. That this was an act of self-sabotage. Having lived through some of this in my life, this is a guy who doesn’t want it, but just wants to complain that he doesn’t have it,” he said, before comparing Lemon to another high-profile figure. “Don Lemon is the Colin Kaepernick of today.”

The comments from Katz on his radio show echo those he shared on social media late Wednesday evening after the news of Lemon’s cancelation became public.

Sports Illustrated Potentially Headed to The Players Tribune, The Big Lead Owner

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Sports Illustrated could be back under new ownership — a longtime sports media company with other established brands under its belt. According to Front Office Sports, Minute Media is the leader in the clubhouse to acquire publishing rights to Sports Illustrated from Authentic Brands Group.

FOS reporter A.J. Perez says Minute — the parent company of sites like The Players’ Tribune and The Big Lead — is considered the front-runner to take over SI’s operations. One of Perez’s two cited sources said Authentic is expected to decide who will operate SI over the next month.

In January, SI’s parent company Authentic Brands Group pulled the SI license from The Arena Group, the publishing company that was in charge of SI’s daily operations. In response, Arena laid off SI’s entire staff, although some, like media reporter Jimmy Traina, were still working.

The article also states that while Minute Media would own the sports publishing arm, it probably won’t own the SI Swimsuit Edition, which FOS says could be split off and sold to another bidder. Perez says the move to split SI and its Swimsuit Edition was received well by current Arena Group leader Manoj Bhargava.

Perez notes that the Swimsuit Edition used to be a major profit driver for the publication but that things have changed in recent years and was actually close to losing money. He also says that, like much of the rest of SI, the swimsuit edition has languished under Arena.

Westwood One to Launch Daily ‘Today in Women’s Sports’ Vignette

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Westwood One has announced it will launch a new daily vignette centered on women’s sports.

Today in Women’s Sports will debut on Monday, March 18th, and will be a daily two-minute feature covering athletes, teams, coaches, and sports in the women’s sports landscape.

The debut coincides with the rise in popularity of several women’s sports, including college basketball, driven by the ascension of stars like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Sabrina Ionescu.

A rotating cast of female sports broadcasters will anchor the two-minute feature, including CBS Sports Radio hosts Amy Lawrence and Maggie Gray, as well as NFL reporters Olivia Harlan Dekker, Laura Okmin, and Amber Theoharis.

NFL Network Strikes Deal to Televise Arena Football League

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The NFL Network is combating the no-football springtime blues head-on by airing not one, but two alternate football leagues during the NFL offseason. The Arena Football League returns to NFL Network and Overtime’s OT7 7-on-7 football league debuts on the network starting this April.

NFL Network’s schedule of live AFL games begins on Saturday, April 27 following the network’s live coverage of the 2024 NFL Draft. Game #1 will feature the Albany Firebirds hosting the Orlando Predators at 8 p.m. ET. NFL Network will broadcast 30 of the league’s 80 regular-season games. This will mark the first time AFL football will be seen on NFL Network since 2012.

Meanwhile, live coverage of OT7’s regular season begins Saturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7 at 4 p.m. ET, and continues through May 5. OT7 describes itself as, “a content-first, fast-paced football league that spotlights some of the best high school football players in the country.” This year’s schedule features a five-week schedule with 30 teams playing over 200 games, culminating with championship weekend on Thursday, June 6 through Sunday, June 9 in Tampa.

“The Arena Football League and Overtime’s OT7 provide yet another opportunity for coaches, players, and officials to develop their skills and showcase their talent to the growing football fanbase,” said Troy Vincent, Sr., NFL executive vice president of football operations. “This expanded coverage further underscores the many avenues available in the sport of football.”

These games will also be available on NFL+. You can view NFL Network’s full schedule of events below:

NFL Network Arena Football League Schedule

DateGameTime (ET)
Saturday, April 27Orlando Predators at Albany Firebirds8 p.m.
Sunday, April 28Georgia Force at West Texas Desert Hawks1 p.m.
Sunday, April 28Southwest Kansas Storm at Salina Liberty6 p.m.
Thursday, May 2Nashville Kats at Albany Firebirds8 p.m.
Sunday, May 5West Texas Desert Hawks at Orlando Predators1 p.m.
Sunday, May 5Philadelphia Soul at Minnesota Myth6 p.m.
Thursday, May 9Orlando Predators at Louisiana Voodoo8 p.m.
Sunday, May 12Philadelphia Soul at Nashville Kats1 p.m.
Sunday, May 12West Texas Desert Hawks at Washington Wolfpack3:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 16Orlando Predators at West Texas Desert Hawks8 p.m.
Sunday, May 19Philadelphia Soul at Albany Firebirds1 p.m.
Sunday, May 19Salina Liberty at Iowa Rampage3 p.m.
Thursday, May 23Oregon Blackbears at Washington Wolfpack8 p.m.
Sunday, May 26Nashville Kats at Orlando Predators1 p.m.
Sunday, May 26Philadelphia Soul at Georgia Force3:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 30Washington Wolfpack at Minnesota Myth8 p.m.
Sunday, June 2Louisiana Voodoo at Georgia Force1 p.m.
Sunday, June 2Albany Firebirds at Nashville Kats3:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 6Nashville Kats at Minnesota Myth8 p.m.
Sunday, June 9Philadelphia Soul at Wichita Regulators1 p.m.
Sunday, June 9Washington Wolfpack at Southwest Kansas Storm6 p.m.
Thursday, June 13Louisiana Voodoo at Orlando Predators8 p.m.
Sunday, June 16Oregon Blackbears at Nashville Kats1 p.m.
Sunday, June 16Georgia Force at West Texas Desert Hawks3:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 20Albany Firebirds at Billings Outlaws8 p.m.
Sunday, June 23Nashville Kats at Philadelphia Soul1 p.m.
Sunday, June 23Salina Liberty at Louisiana Voodoo3:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 27Iowa Rampage at Orlando Predators8 p.m.
Sunday, June 30Albany Firebirds at Georgia Force1 p.m.
Sunday, June 30Minnesota Myth at Philadelphia Soul3:30 p.m.

NFL Network OT7 Schedule

DateLocationTime (ET)
Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14Dallas College-Brookhaven Campus4 p.m.
Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5Dallas College-Brookhaven Campus4 p.m.
Sunday, April 28Orlando, Austin Tindall Sports Complex4 p.m.
Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5Orlando, Austin Tindall Sports Complex4 p.m.
Thursday, June 6 – Sunday, June 9Championship Weekend: Tampa, Tournament Sportsplex of Tampa BaySaturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7

107.5 The Game Apologizes to Dawn Staley After ‘Offensive’ JRSportBrief Commentary

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Over the weekend, South Carolina forward Kamilla Cardoso was ejected after an on-court fight with several LSU players at the conclusion of the SEC Tournament. A subsequent CBS Sports Minute from JRSportBrief that aired on 107.5 The Game in Columbia caught the ire of Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley, leading the station to apologize for the incident.

During his commentary, the CBS Sports Radio host said he was more interested in the NCAA Women’s Tournament than the Men’s edition because of stars like “Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, and the giant Brazillian woman from South Carolina that knocks people over,” referring to Cardoso.

Staley took to X to share her displeasure with the comment.

“Never thought I’d hear one of my players described in such an offensive way. I’m not sitting this one out. Kamilla deserves an apology, (CBS Sports) (and) (107.5 The Game),” she wrote, adding that she knew the situation was out of the Cumulus-owned station’s control.

107.5 The Game quickly responded, apologizing for the commentary.

“Coach you have every right to be upset. We as a CBS affiliate do not control what plays in their sports minutes and we certainly don’t condone what was said. We try and treat all women’s sports with the upmost respect,” a statement from the station read. “It’s unfortunate some national voices don’t. Even though it was not one of our voices that said this, we are ultimately responsible for what plays on our airways and we will work to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again. We sincerely apologize to you, Kamilla, and your entire team.”

Staley responded by saying she accepted the apology with “love and understanding.”