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Jared Carrabis Announces He is Leaving DraftKings

BSM Staff
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After two years, Jared Carrabis has announced he is leaving DraftKings. Carrabis said on his latest edition of The Name Redacted Podcast, “Our contract with DraftKings comes to an end at the end of this month, which would make this the last episode with DraftKings.”

Fans of the show had taken to X to voice their frustration with DraftKings, however, Carrabis said the decision was his. “…This is not a DraftKings decision, this was a me decision, which was a difficult decision. It’s a bitter sweet decision…These last two years, this is the best I have ever been treated…this is an awesome work environment…We are going to move on. With that being said, I want to give the biggest heartfelt thanks to DraftKings… DraftKings gave us the opportunity to stand out on our own and that was something that was high on my list.”

Carrabis is best known for his baseball analysis and commentary, notably relating to the Boston Red Sox, and in addition to The Name Redacted Podcast, he also hosts Baseball is Dead. Carrabis was with Barstool Sports from 2014-2022 before leaving for DraftKings.

When Carrabis moved over, he said he was anxious about whether or not the audience would follow, or if they were only supporting the show because of its association with Barstool.

“DraftKings gave me the opportunity to exist outside of Barstool,” said Carrabis. “… this was not a situation where it didn’t work out, it was a mutually beneficial relationship between the podcasts and DraftKings. I think at the end of the day…when I left Barstool I did what was best for me. This time around, I feel like we are doing what is best for the audience and for the fans…What could we do that would make them the most excited? That’s ultimately what I weighed the heaviest, this wasn’t about money…this was just about me being in my mid-30’s now…”

Carrabis said DraftKings is allowing him to keep the names of his podcasts, however, fans of the show will have to locate it on a new feed as they did when he left Barstool.

As for what is next, Carrabis would not say, but it did sound like an announcement would be coming soon. “I am not going to use DraftKing’s platform to promote where the next chapter will be,” he said. “That is something we will announce in the coming days, coming weeks…but I am excited about it and I think you guys will be, too.”

iHeartMedia Revenue Dropped 4% in 2023, Podcast Revenue Up 14%

BNM Staff
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iHeartMedia has announced its fourth-quarter earnings from 2023, which shows a slight drop in total revenue for the calendar year.

In the fourth quarter, the company saw $1.067 billion in revenue, down 5.2% year-over-year.

For the entire year, iHeartMedia saw revenue of $3.751 billion, which was down 4% overall. That drop was slightly better than the guidance range that predicted drops of high single digits, though.

In the political sector, the company was off by a 2% drop. However, digital audio revenue rose 5%, with podcast revenue rising 14% year-over-year.

“We’re pleased to report that our fourth quarter results were in line with our previously provided Adjusted EBITDA and Revenue guidance ranges,” said Bob Pittman, iHeartMedia’s Chairman and CEO, in a statement.

“This quarter the Digital Audio Group achieved the highest Adjusted EBITDA and margin in its history, illustrating the success of this high-growth business. We view 2024 as a recovery year in which the company returns to growth mode — we expect to see our Multiplatform Group performance improve quarter by quarter throughout the year, and we expect our Digital Audio Group, including our industry-leading podcast business, to continue to grow and reinforce its leadership position in the segment.”

“We continue to see signs of improvement throughout our business and the broader advertising marketplace. Our results this quarter are a strong indication that the reallocation of resources towards our high-growth Digital Audio Group has been successful – through our relentless focus on efficiencies we have reduced our Multiplatform Group expenses by approximately 7% since 2019, which has in part enabled us to build a Digital business that generated $1 billion of revenue in 2023 with an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 33%,” added Rich Bressler, iHeartMedia’s President, COO and CFO.

“We expect to see a significant year-over-year improvement in our 2024 financial performance, supported by our ongoing efficiency efforts and what is anticipated to be a record-setting political advertising year.”

The Mark Kaye Show Canceled By Cox Media Group

BNM Staff
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The Mark Kaye Show Canceled By Cox Media Group

Cox Media Group has ended The Mark Kaye Show — which aired from noon-3 PM — on its news/talk stations around the nation.

In a memo to staffers obtained by Barrett News Media, Cox Media Group Jacksonville Vice President and Market Manager Jimmy Farrell said “Earlier today we let Mark Kaye know that we’re no longer continuing with The Mark Kaye Show. The show’s last airing was today. Moving forward, we’re excited to transition to The Erick Erickson Show weekdays from 12 – 3 PM.”

Like Mark Kaye, Erickson’s show originates from a Cox Media Group station, 95.5 WSB in Atlanta.

Kaye’s program — based in Jacksonville on 104.5 WOKV — was heard on Cox Media Group stations in Dayton, Tulsa, and Augusta, among others. The show was launched into national syndication as a replacement for stations that had previously aired Rush Limbaugh in the noon-3 PM timeslot.

On social media, Kaye teased a “new era” of the program “begins soon.” In addition to his nationally syndicated radio show, the host also featured a video simulcast on YouTube, which currently holds more than 30,000 subscribers.

Bruce Gilbert Sees Power in Numbers at the BSM Summit

Demetri Ravanos
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Bruce Gilbert Sees Power in Numbers at the BSM Summit

The name Bruce Gilbert carries weight in the sports radio world. Great programmers and marquee talent alike credit him with molding their careers. Lucky for attendees of the BSM Summit, Jason Barrett is one of those people and Bruce is a regular at the event every year.

Maybe you heard them directly from Bruce. Maybe they have been relayed to you via any number of retellings or presentations. However you became aware of them, if you work in sports radio, you know Bruce Gilbert’s list of deadly sins. They are rules he developed during his time at ESPN for ensuring both the host and the listener got the most out of every segment.

At last year’s BSM Summit, Gilbert revisited and revised some of those rules. It ran a little long, because how could it not? A contemporary reframing of one of sports radio’s best known how-to manuals is the kind of thing people go to the BSM Summit to hear.

“It was fun to share those common traits of success, the ‘ass-kicking attributes,’ as we called them,” Gilbert says with his trademark modesty. “You know, every business has its best practices, and it was really fun for me to be able to collate those and aggregate all those together and present what you hope, if you do a long enough list, is 1 or 2 that actually can help somebody be a little more effective in their abilities moving forward. That, to me, is what it’s all about. So that’s why I just keep making the list longer and longer. Hopefully at least one of them will be good.”

For Gilbert, the BSM Summit was the ideal place for presenting the next chapter of something so engrained in the way talent and programmers think. The event is something he says sports media needs, particularly as audiences change and new mediums spring up.

“There is a feeling of comfort in knowing that you’re not on this road by yourself and that others are trying to accomplish the same thing you’re trying to accomplish,” he says. “Others are running into similar speed bumps that they need to understand and work through. So, there is this power in gathering that comes out of Jason’s conference that I find to be motivating and reassuring in many ways. There’s strength in numbers and there’s power in information and there’s an unbelievable benefit to sharing it.” 

If he wanted to, Gilbert knows he could be a little more guarded. He could be a little more stingy with his expertise. He works for Cumulus and Westwood One. People from his company will be in the room, but so will people from Audacy, ESPN Radio, iHeartMedia, and more. 

Gilbert echoes one of his most successful protégés, ESPN Radio’s Justin Craig, with how he views the state of the radio industry right now. If something is working, there isn’t much value in keeping the secret sauce a secret.

“I think we’re kidding ourselves if we put ourselves in this really small bubble with Cumulus and iHeart and Audacy and Townsquare and name all the other radio ownership groups, because we’re not just competing with those people at all. We’re competing with every digital property that does sports across the globe. To think we only compete with other radio stations is myopic and I think ignorant. And nothing makes competition better than talent and success. And it doesn’t matter if it’s coming on a radio or on any platform available for fans to consume. We need to learn from that because it’s what makes us all better.”

There are all kinds of things Bruce Gilbert wants to hear about when he goes to New York in March. It’s not just about how to compete with digital platforms for ever-shrinking ad dollars. 

He’ll want to know how radio can make the most of its own digital platforms. What trends are talent seeing from management that have shaped their opinions, both positive and negative, about the state of the business? Does social media bring the value to brands and individuals that it did a decade ago?

Some of those thoughts and insights will be shared by his old friends and people whose careers he has touched in some way. Some of it though will come from voices he hasn’t heard from before. That is what Bruce Gilbert comes to the Summit for.

“I usually find myself being most blown away by somebody I’ve never met before. I go into their session or I listen to their words with an open mind,” he says.

Modesty may be the name of Gilbert’s game, but he knows there will be plenty of people that want to bend his ear at the BSM Summit. He’s a good friend to have and all of the hosts, producers and programmers with upward aspirations know that. 

His advice for them is to come say hello, but don’t stop at “hello” and don’t stop after meeting him.

“Talk to everybody, meet everyone. Get phone numbers, get emails. That’s what this is all about, because relationships still matter tremendously,” he says. 

“The opportunity to learn from as many people as possible is valuable because what we do is quite subjective. What one person tells you you have to do someone else will tell you ‘you shouldn’t do that.’ In the end, you’re going to learn to form your own views, and you’re going to learn to find your own path. That’s where success comes from. It comes from listening to a lot of different voices, taking in all that information, but then still being true to yourself and formulating that information in a way that you’re comfortable with for your brand and for what you’re trying to achieve.”

How the Media Pundit Class Grew and Why That’s a Problem

Perry Michael Simon
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How the Media Pundit Class Grew and Why That’s a Problem

What makes an expert an expert? Is there a media pundit certification process? Does a particular post-graduate degree include the qualification to sit on a CNN or Fox News panel? Does everyone who has ever worked in any administration get to be anointed an expert on anything? If you’ve been within spitting distance of The New York Times or Washington Post buildings, are you immediately entitled to banter with Joe and Mika? How does this work?

Lately, watching coverage of the presidential horse race on cable news has become even more aggravating than usual, with a continuous parade of failed candidates, minor ex-bureaucrats, and random reporters offering the kind of expert opinion also available from randos on social media. Turn on talk radio and it’s the same thing. To whom is the host talking, and what qualifies them as knowing anything about anything?

Okay, so, it’s not like you have to explain every guest to the audience, but maybe you should if it’s not obvious. Merely presenting someone who was Deputy Assistant Communications Sub-Director in a previous administration, or even a former Congressperson of whom nobody’s ever heard, isn’t really enough to explain why their opinions and analysis are more valuable than anyone else’s.

There’s also the related question of why some pundits who are consistently wrong keep getting called upon to appear on cable news panels and talk radio shows. Shouldn’t there be some kind of three-strikes rule: Three incorrect predictions and you’re banished from the Council of Experts? How wrong do you have to be to lose your expert status? Because if you’re, say, a sports betting host and your picks are always wrong, you’re not going to last long, are you? (Don’t answer that.)

Slight digression: I once went to lunch with a reporter who had just been assigned to cover broadcast media by a very large regional newspaper, who told me why they quoted the same questionable “experts” as their predecessor.

There’s no time, they said, to find out who the real experts are, and it’s much, much easier to consult previous articles and just call the same sources their predecessor cited. Why do the work when someone else did it for you, as poorly as they may have done so? If that’s how you book your guests or get your expert quotes, don’t. Just don’t.

(Another digression: Are you old and experienced enough to remember that brochure they used to send out every month pitching guests for radio and television interviews? So many psychics and “miracle cure” doctors, SO many psychics and “miracle cure” doctors. I wonder how many of those guests actually got booked.)

As we move forward in this election year, it’ll be tempting to fill time with endless interviews and panels with analysis of whatever temporary burning issue is in the headlines that hour.

There’s no getting around that, but if you’re going to do that, at the very least, get guests who have real-world qualifications that put weight behind their opinions, and, if at all possible, get people who aren’t affiliated with the campaigns. If you can identify their agenda before you even hear a word they say, what’s the point of having them on? Who wants to see or hear what they already know is coming?

Find experts and pundits who you can certify know what they’re talking about, and who you know are interesting and entertaining enough to hold an audience. That’s more work than just grabbing the same guests as usual, but that’s kind of your job.

(And if there’s no standard for who qualifies as an expert, well, you know where to find me. I’ll talk about anything.)

Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Kevin Kugler

Andy Masur
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Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Kevin Kugler

Everywhere a sports fan turns these days, you’re bound to see or hear Kevin Kugler on the call. The versatile broadcaster is knee deep into the college basketball season, which will culminate with him calling the National Championship Game on Westwood One. He’s come a long way from his days as a co-host on 1620 “The Zone” in Nebraska.

Kugler holds a number of high-profile jobs these days, not just with Westwood One. Kugler calls basketball and football on the Big Ten Network and is a regular voice of the NFL on Fox. It’s a demanding schedule at times, but Kugler manages to handle it just fine.

“This time of year, isn’t really as crazy as the crossover season when I’ve got both football and basketball on my schedule.” Kugler told me.  “There’s a lot of hoops games to call, but when I’m not juggling football and basketball, it’s certainly a little more manageable.”

Kugler has certainly made a name for himself and become one of the best in the business.

Road to Today

Kugler’s career began at 1620, “The Zone” in Omaha, Nebraska.

“I was there for nearly 12 years.  We started the afternoon drive show “Unsportsmanlike Conduct” in September of 2000 and I left the station in July of 2012.” Kugler says.

From that job, he got to do some play-by-play at the College Baseball World Series, which is based in Omaha. It led to him being “discovered” if you will, on the national stage.

“So, the Westwood One opportunity came from the CWS.  Our station, 1620 The Zone, acquired the rights to produce the preliminary games.” Kugler explained. “As part of the deal, Westwood One agreed to use a 1620 The Zone person on the sidelines.  Thanks to my terrific boss, Neil Nelkin, that person was me.”  

That particular assignment helped beyond Kugler’s wildest expectations.

“As it turned out, Howard Deneroff (now the EVP, Executive Producer at WWO) was the producer of those games.” he told me. “So, I met him (Deneroff) through that.  Every year, he asked me to send him my tape.  I was doing Division II football and basketball for the University of Nebraska-Omaha at the time.  Sent him tapes each year after the CWS.” Kugler remembered. 

“Then, prior to the CWS in 2006, he asked to hear stuff again.  Then asked for more stuff.  By this point, I’m digging into some of the clunkiest cassette tapes that I had, but that didn’t seem to faze him.  He called in the summer of 2006, after the CWS, and offered me the chance to do college football and basketball for the network starting that fall.  It was one of the best phone calls I’ve ever received!”

That is an understatement.

National Work, Big Ten, Westwood One, Fox

The Westwood One gig started to open doors for Kugler. But, one that previously opened to allow his success, closed.

“I only do the Championship series (of the CWS) these days for Westwood One.  My good friend John Bishop handles the preliminary games and does a tremendous job.” Kugler told me. “I had the opportunity a few years back to expand my role with Fox and do some MLB and spring football coverage, so I had to give those games up.” 

Kugler is happy to still be a part of the festivities, because that tournament means a lot to him. “The CWS is Omaha’s calling card!” Kugler proudly proclaimed.  “And as someone who still calls Omaha home, it’s always an amazing thrill to walk into the booth at the CWS.  I hope I get the chance to remain involved in that in some way for years to come.”

He now has three national jobs. At WWO, he’s been the voice of the Final Four and Championship Game since 2008. For a time Kugler was the voice of Sunday Night Football on the radio, but had to give that up for a bigger role too. More on that in a second.

In 2011, Kugler added the Big Ten Network to his portfolio, calling college football and basketball, among other sports. Since BTN was owned by Fox, Kugler also called some national games in both sports as well.

Kugler is also a play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ NFL broadcasts. He assumed that role in 2020. In addition to the NFL, he calls select college basketball and MLB telecasts.

What Makes Him Good?

Full disclosure, Kugler is one of my favorite people in the industry. I worked with him for a brief time at BTN doing baseball and softball broadcasts.

That being said, in all objectivity, he’s one of the best around right now for a number of reasons.

First off, he’s developed into one of the more versatile broadcasters in the industry. In a given week, he could be calling the NFL, College Football and College Basketball. That’s not as easy as it might sound. I mean how do you prep for a week like that?

“I’ve always been kind of a prep junkie.  I enjoy telling stories, and getting lost down those ridiculous little rabbit holes where you start following a thread and a half hour later, you realize you finally found what you were looking for.” Kugler says.  “To balance that with limited time takes a certain amount of discipline…I can’t chase those as much as I’d like sometimes, but I make sure I work ahead as much as I can, and I’m always grateful for a repeat team here and there!”

Yeah, I’ll bet.

But the amount of prep he does comes shining through in his broadcasts. There’s an ease about him that is a very comfortable listen. By that I don’t mean generic or vanilla. Kugler easily raises his energy to match the action and dials it down when needed as well. He creates anticipation in his voice in the way he builds up to the moment. I find this especially true when he’s calling basketball on the radio. The ability to use his voice to generate that hope for a listener is only something the best of the best can do. 

The more he’s able to call games on the biggest stage, the more Kugler is able to earn that “you know it’s a big game when you hear him” badge. Young broadcasters tend to get too hyped for a championship type game, but Kugler has mastered his pacing, bringing the moment to his viewers and listeners in a manner that is just right.

There is a humbleness about Kugler as well. When I asked him, “what was the ‘ride’ like early in your career to get to this point?” 

“My journey is probably no different than how it starts for so many of us in the business.  I went to a small market, called high school sports, made a ton of mistakes, and tried to find my voice.  I’ve been fortunate to have some terrific advice and opportunities along the way to where I am today.” Kugler said.  “I’ve struggled to make it as a freelance broadcaster.  I wrestled with the idea that it wasn’t going to happen for me, and what in the world would I do for a living if it didn’t?  (I have no real discernable skills beyond talking).”

As for his successes? “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to find a path to doing play-by-play now at the highest level, whether it be the NFL for FOX Sports and Westwood One, college basketball for Fox, BTN and Westwood, the Final Four, etc.  I wouldn’t trade the journey for anyone else’s path, but I wasn’t exactly a child prodigy!” He said. “Ian Eagle told me one time that the more people that can take credit for your career, the better your career has gone.  I feel like a lot of people have played a role in this and I hope that they are happy that they were able to push me forward each step along the road.”

Did You Know?

Kugler hosted the Masters golf tournament for Westwood One in 2009 and 2010. He filed radio reports for the network from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Kugler has been accused, as have most broadcasters that do national games, of hating YOUR team. He’s steering into the skid, so to speak, by putting that in his “X” bio. It’s legendary enough that there has been a parody account created, @KuglerH8sUrTeam.

Does Your Radio Station Reflect Your Audience?

Peter Thiele
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I try to be at the forefront of trends, whether in the news/talk radio format or otherwise.

Our society has seen cracks. We have a rise in antisemitism, wars around the world, weak leadership in Washington and internationally. 

Seemingly, the ceiling is crashing down upon us. Hope is perhaps a thing of the past. Colleges and universities are hocking degrees with no value to a career path and future. Narcissism has been amplified by social media.

Now, for some good news.

News/talk radio works best when we represent the people. I just listed a small number of problems in our society and world. There are people in this nation who really feel powerless.  Does your station stand up for the people? Does your show understand their pain? Do you represent your listeners’ concerns, fears, hopes, and dreams? 

Here is where news/talk radio can shine: Millennials and Gen Z are growing up. Regulations are choking out businesses and innovation. Who is there to represent these people? Are you? I like living in Realville. There are huge opportunities. Are you thinking this through?

We live in a world of disconnection which was amplified by the COVID pandemic. TikTok and Reddit do not offer solutions to our society’s ills. In fact, social media and the internet can only magnify these issues. The average household in the USA is less than three people. These individuals could be in any age group. Census figures for your community may indicate that up to 40% of people in their 30s, 40s, or 50s are single. They probably live alone. Humans are made for belonging.

What brings our society together? Religion? Community groups? Neighborhoods? I don’t know the answer to solve these questions. Do you? Do you know your neighbors? When was the last time you got together with friends? There is a huge subset of people who are alone in this world. These individuals could be successful in any outward metric. They could have a great job or live in a cool house. Who speaks for them?

There are people just struggling just to make it. They are homeowners. Married. Dual Careers.  Kids. Nice cars. Yet every month they are falling a little bit behind. Student loans, underemployment, and rising costs in almost every aspect of their lives. The smiles on their faces are the false façade of posing in a modern society. Who is speaking for them? 

There are business owners who struggle to make payroll. Their kids are eating ramen just to make sure that the employees can eat chicken. Increased taxation, material costs, healthcare costs, and growing salaries are eating the profits of these good people who have risked it all.  Who is speaking for these good people?

Car-jackings are on the rise. Vandalism is creating a blight upon once proud neighborhoods.  Criminals are on the streets again hours after their arrest only to commit crimes again. Really good people are stuck in terrible cities. The jobs have left the area. These people have little options to escape their reality. Who is speaking for them? 

The epidemic of homeless veterans who are our heroes is a never-ending curse on America.  The government seems more interested in migrants who have done nothing for the USA than those with physical, psychological scars from the horrors witnessed while supporting our country. Who is speaking for them?

There are children stuck in failing schools. Teachers unions are more interested in protecting members than raising a new generation of people. Who is speaking for these children and the future of our society? 

This took me 15 minutes to think through. You probably can come up with dozens of other scenarios. This is the future of news/talk radio. Be the advocate of these people.

You will hear me often discuss entertainment first. Yes, you are doing a show. We are in show business. We are an avenue of escapism for your audience. That microphone in front of you is a gift and an honor to speak into it. There are responsibilities. Are you living up to it? Are you there for your listeners?

If you see injustice, you must be the amplifier. People in your community are working multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Who is speaking for them?

If you are representing your listeners, you win. Lots of talk show hosts just want to be powerbrokers. These people have a dream of political power but are too chicken to quit their job to run for office. Who are you speaking for?

I stand for the people, I stand for those who are voiceless, and I stand for my station’s listeners. I am their voice. That is the correct answer. You know that I am right. I can’t force you to do the right thing. But, you must.

Do Talk Radio Hosts Have to Be Great Friends to Be Great Co-Hosts?

Garrett Searight
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Do Talk Radio Hosts Have to Be Great Friends to Be Great Co-Hosts?

In 2023, sports talk radio show Toucher & Rich on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston went their separate ways after 18 years on the air together.

In the aftermath of the breakup, Fred Toucher admitted on the air that he and Rich Shertenlieb were not friends off the air. Not that they were unfriendly with one another or that they were mortal enemies, but he remains adamant that he hardly knew his co-host off the air.

With dynamics like that, you may question how a show without on-air chemistry could last that long. Except, they had incredible on-air chemistry. They were one of, if not thee, best sports shows in America. The duo was as accomplished as any local show in the format’s history, despite the lack of friendship off the air.

After that development, I began asking those involved in shows with a co-host their views on whether or not a show can be successful if the co-hosts aren’t friendly with each other off the air.

When asked if it was possible to do a great show without being friendly with your co-host, Gee Scott Sr. of The Gee Scott & Ursula Reutin Show on KIRO Newsradio in Seattle, he had a simple answer.

“Nope,” Scott Sr. said with a chuckle. “If you don’t like your co-hosts, that is probably a good chance you don’t trust your co-hosts. Probably the number one, the most important word in co-hosting with somebody doing the show is ‘trust.’

“Because when you say something, you know that you’re saying it, you’re not gonna have to be on the defensive because your co-host’s gonna say something. You actually believe in your heart that what’s being said and talked about is literally for the sake of the show,” Scott continued. “I’ve been in it for 10 years. My opinion is if you don’t like your co-host, chances are you have no chemistry.”

Armstrong & Getty hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty have been hosting their nationally syndicated show together since 1998. Obviously, their lives have changed since the show began, which results in them rarely spending time with one another outside the studio.

However, Joe Getty argued it made the show stronger.

“When we were young, starting out, and a little more footloose and fancy-free, we’d hang out and go to ball games or drink beer and play golf or whatever. But now we each have completely separate lives that we bring to the show. And it’s more material,” said Getty.

Despite the lack of time spent together away from the show, Getty maintained that the bond between the two is as strong as ever on the air.

“I think there’s a feeling of ‘Let’s come together, do the show, and then go live our lives.’ So it’s always fresh. Because, a minute before we go on the air, I’m enthusiastic about the idea of telling Jack what I saw, read, thought, and bouncing it off of him,” he admitted. “He makes me laugh all the time. It’s great, and the only time I get that is on the air.”

Jack Armstrong agreed with Getty’s sentiments, adding that doing a show that’s been together as long as theirs would be insanely difficult if you didn’t like one another.

“If you didn’t get along or didn’t like each other, I think it would be damn near impossible,” stated Armstrong. “There’s nobody else in my life I come close to talking to this much.”

Similarly to Toucher & Rich, the longest news/talk duo in history — John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou of KFI AM-640 in Los Angeles — separated last year, albeit in a much less acrimonious manner.

When asked about his relationship with Chiampou, Kobylt said the two were friends before becoming co-hosts together, and that he just knew the fit was the correct one before they ever took the air together.

“We knew how each other sounded, and it just made sense to both of us it would that we would really be complimentary. I always go by instinct. I have no patience for research, no patience for focus groups, or testing,” Kobylt said. “The public doesn’t know what they like until they hear it in action over a long period of time. There’s no way to test for this sort of thing. I don’t believe in forced chemistry. I have an instinct. And I had one for him, and it worked perfectly.”

So, the folks inside the studio are in almost unanimous agreement that — at minimum — a friendly relationship is necessary to be great together on the air.

But what about from a management perspective?

I asked 95.5 WSB Brand Manager Ken Charles his thoughts on the topic. He wasn’t necessarily in lockstep with those in the studio creating the content.

“There are probably hundreds of examples of great FM morning shows and great tandem talk shows where, other than the time they spent in the studio with a mic on, never talked to each other,” Charles shared. “This is showbiz. And if they have that chemistry, and they have that ability to be great and entertaining together, if they don’t hang out if they don’t drink together, if they don’t share Christmas and family holidays and birthdays with each other, it doesn’t matter.”

Paramount CEO Bob Bakish: ‘Hard to Believe’ Disney, FOX, WBD Joint Streaming Venture is ‘Ideal’ for Consumers

BSM Staff
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Paramount CEO Bob Bakish: ‘Hard to Believe’ Disney, FOX, WBD Joint Streaming Venture is ‘Ideal’ for Consumers

Paramount Global revealed its quarterly financial results on Wednesday, summarizing the three and 12 months ending on Dec. 31, 2023. While the company fell short of its overall revenue expectations, it reported gains on its Paramount+ streaming service with a total of $67.5 million subscribers. The metric is up 4.1 million subscribers compared to last year, although it does not take into account the recent Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. The National Football League’s championship matchup attained a record audience of 123.7 million average viewers with a household rating of 43.5 with broadcasts across CBS and Nickelodeon, both of which were available to stream on the platform.

Although a report from CNBC indicated that merger talks between Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery has come to a halt, there are concerns about the future of the company. Paramount shut down Showtime Sports last quarter and laid off approximately 800 employees in the week after the Super Bowl, equating to about 3% of its workforce. Shares for Paramount Global have declined of late with the media conglomerate closing Wednesday down 1.69% at $11.06 per share.

Total company revenue finished at $7.6 billion with earnings at $0.04 per share, but the outlet experienced a substantial slide in advertising revenue that affected total revenue by 6%. Revenue in the “TV Media” category finished at $7.638 billion for the quarter, which is down 6% from the previous year. For the four quarters within 2023, the company garnered overall revenue of $29.652 billion; however, it attained a loss of $451 million overall. Media revenue during the 12-month stretch equated to $20.09 billion.

Direct-to-consumer revenue increased 34% year-over-year with a 27% boon in global viewing hours. According to Antenna, Paramount+ was the No. 1 premium streaming service in U.S. sign-ups in the fourth quarter and since its launch. Overall revenue for the business sector was $6.74 billion on the year, a 37% increase compared to the finish in 2022. The direct-to-consumer segment continues to operate at a loss with an adjusted OIBDA of $1.664 billion, a 9% improvement from the previous year. Global average revenue per user for Paramount+ augmented by 31% in addition to a 69% increase in revenue for the subscription-based platform.

“Our disciplined execution and strong content offering drove our results in 2023, as we continue to evolve our business for profitable growth in 2024 and beyond,” Bob Bakish, Paramount Global president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “In Q4, Paramount+ revenue increased 69%, DTC Adjusted OIBDA improved for the third consecutive quarter, and we now expect to reach domestic Paramount+ profitability in 2025 – a significant milestone.”

During the company’s earnings call on Wednesday afternoon, Bakish discussed the joint streaming venture between The Walt Disney Company, FOX Sports and Warner Bros. Discovery that would also include its other cable networks. As the company continues to try and lower costs and increase shareholder value, it has reportedly discussed combining streaming services with Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal and its NBC Sports division. The aforementioned joint streaming venture is scheduled to launch this fall but is facing a lawsuit from FuboTV that alleges the service is in violation of U.S. antitrust law.

“There’s still a lot we don’t know about this service – things like price; packaging; consumer appetite – and to the consumer point, for a true sports fan, this product only has a subset of sports,” Bakish said. “It’s missing half the NFL, a lot of college [and] has virtually no soccer [or] golf. So look, it’s hard to believe that’s ideal, especially at the price points that have been speculated in terms of our view on sports.”

For the quarter, Paramount Global cultivated $558 million in net operating cash flow along with $443 million in free cash flow. The company also believes in its sports strategy, primarily driven through its CBS Sports division that includes live broadcasts of games in the National Football League, Big Ten Conference and the PGA Tour. CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus is planning to retire from the company in April after leading the division for 27 years. He will be succeeded by David Berson, who will lead the division in the role of president and chief executive officer.

‘The Match’ Does Record-Low Viewership Numbers Across TNT, truTV and HLN

BSM Staff
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‘The Match’ Does Record-Low Viewership Numbers Across TNT, truTV and HLN

The ninth edition of ‘The Match’ which featured Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang earlier this week, brought in just over 500,000 viewers across TNT, truTV and HLN. That was more than 250,000 less viewers than had tuned in for the event in June 2023 featuring Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce against Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, which was the previous record low. The numbers were first reported by Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal.

Monday night’s event began at 7 p.m. ET and took longer than the three hours it was originally scheduled for.

The record high for the event came in 2020 when Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady faced Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. That Memorial Day weekend broadcast featured 5.6 million viewers on TNT, TBS, HLN and truTV.

According to Golf Week, the made-for-TV event has raised more than $41 million for charity.

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