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Jordan Schultz Leaving theScore for Bleacher Report

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Jordan Schultz Leaving theScore for Bleacher Report

NFL Insider Jordan Schultz is leaving theScore to move to Bleacher Report.

In a post to X, formerly Twitter, Schultz revealed he’s joining the digital outlet in the same capacity.

“BR is a phenomenal brand that I have admired for years, and its coverage is synonymous with bringing you the best sports media,” Schultz said in the announcement. “I will continue to do what I love most: Breaking news, reporting stories, and covering the NFL while highlighting and empowering the players. I am excited for this new journey and can’t wait to get started.”

Previously, Schultz worked at Yahoo! Sports and ESPN as an NFL Insider and NBA Analyst.

Last year, Schultz told Barrett Sports Media a meeting with ESPN’s Adam Schefter changed his career.

“I just talked to him for a good thirty minutes and I asked him how did he get into the position he was in because that’s what I wanted to do.” Schultz. “I didn’t know if it was going to be an insider but I knew I wanted to be on TV and I knew I wanted to be considered one of the best.”

Kristen Ledlow Stepping Away from NBA TV, NBA on TNT This Season

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Kristen Ledlow has announced that she will be departing Warner Bros. Discovery’s coverage of the National Basketball Association on TNT and NBA TV for the 2023-24 season to focus on her priorities at home. Within her statement, which was posted to X on Tuesday morning, she also revealed that she is pregnant and that she will see everyone down the road.

Ledlow previously worked in radio at 92.9 The Game with Jason Bailey and Randy Cross before joining NBA TV to host NBA Inside Stuff with Grant Hill. Throughout her time with the company, she also hosted Handles, a social-media driven show, along with a podcast with WNBA superstar Candace Parker. Ledlow also worked as a sideline reporter for NBA on TNT broadcasts, interviewing players, coaches and personnel and delivering insights to enhance the overall presentation of the game.

“From a young woman living in the city to a married mother (of almost two!) living in the suburbs, I’ve broadcasted the game I fell in love with as a little girl,” Ledlow expressed.

In her message, Ledlow emphasized that while she is replaceable in her role in sports media, she views herself as the opposite at home. It is not currently known if Ledlow intends to return to sports media, as she concluded her message by stating, “This isn’t goodbye. I’ll be seeing you.” Along with her media responsibilities, Ledlow is the founder and chief executive officer of Positionless by Kristen Ledlow, a clothing brand that specializes in apparel for babies, toddlers and children.

“To basketball fans around the world, your passion has propelled me and I am humbled to have covered 10 years of your favorite sport’s stories,” Ledlow said. “To my NBA TV and NBA on TNT colleagues, you were the friends that I now call family. Though it was undeserved, you made room at your table and wrote my name on a seat.”

Vince Carter Joining YES Network for Select Brooklyn Nets Games

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Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member and former NBA All-Star Vince Carter is joining the YES Network to serve as a color commentator for select Brooklyn Nets game broadcasts throughout the season. Carter retired from the National Basketball Association in 2020 and signed a multi-year contract with ESPN to work as an analyst for NBA and college basketball coverage.

He had served as a guest analyst before his retirement and proceeded to appear across the network’s studio programming and live game broadcasts. The entity decided to move on from Carter amid layoffs throughout the summer. The developments for Carter at ESPN and YES Network were first reported by Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.

While Carter will be on certain broadcasts, most of the color commentary duties will be handled by Sarah Kustok and Richard Jefferson throughout the season. YES Network will utilize play-by-play announcers Ian Eagle and Ryan Ruocco on telecasts throughout the year, along with Eagle’s son, Noah, who is the lead voice of Big Ten football and basketball on NBC Sports.

It remains unknown whether or not Carter will participate in any other media endeavors or if he is looking to rejoin a national platform amid a media ecosystem with the potential for widespread change with the impending expiration of the league’s television media rights contract.

In addition to his role at ESPN, Carter worked with Bally Sports Florida last season as a color commentator for select Orlando Magic games with play-by-play announcer David Steele and color commentator Jeff Turner.

While calling the games in Orlando, he was also on Bally Sports Southeast for marquee Atlanta Hawks broadcasts with play-by-play announcer Bob Rathburn and color commentator Dominique Wilkins.

Vince Carter previously suited up for the Nets, who were playing games in East Rutherford, N.J., over the course of five seasons. During his time with the organization, he averaged 23.6 points per game on 5.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

Shan Shariff: David Ortiz is ‘1 Million Percent Clueless’ on FOX Sports

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The Texas Rangers completed a thrilling Game 7 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night, sending the franchise to its first World Series since 2012. The ALCS was broadcast by the lead FOX Sports baseball announcing team of Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal, and Tom Verducci, with the network’s pregame show including Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz also working on location.

In recapping the victory though, Rangers fans evidently remember a part of the MLB on FOX Pregame that proved to be incorrect.

Before the start of Game 7, analysts and former New York Yankees teammates Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter selected the Rangers to come away with the win, while former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz chose the Astros. During the Tuesday morning edition of Shan & RJ on 105.3 The Fan, Shan Shariff provided his opinion on what Ortiz had to say prior to the win-or-go-home matchup.

“David Ortiz, who’s 1 million percent clueless as I tweeted, probably picked the Astros to win in eight last night even after the game,” Shariff said. “He’s so freaking clueless. He has no idea where he even is – some generic crap that he spews out, but Jeter and A-Rod were on team Rangers.”

While he feels strongly about Ortiz being subpar on the FOX Sports broadcasts, he can understand where the Hall of Fame member was coming from with his opinion. The Astros have advanced to seven consecutive league championship series and captured two World Series championships over the previous six seasons. The Rangers, however, clicked on all cylinders last night en route to a pennant win.

“When Derek [Jeter] was like, ‘I just don’t think they’re going to be able to score enough,’ I was like, ‘What?,’” referring to the Houston Astros. “….I was like, ‘Man, are they really struggling that much offensively,’ and that’s why Jeter picked the Rangers to win.”

Jeter, Rodriguez, and Ortiz will be featured on the World Series broadcasts alongside pre and postgame host Kevin Burkhardt, which begins Friday.

Nick Kayal: MSNBC’s Ratings Dropping Due to Anti-Israel Coverage

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Cable news outlets have seen differing viewership totals since the outbreak of attacks between Israel and Hamas earlier this month. However, 1210 WPHT morning host Nick Kayal argues MSNBC is losing viewers because of its biased coverage.

During Kayal and Company Monday, Nick Kayal claimed that MSNBC has seen a decline in audience because hosts like Mehdi Hasan and Ali Velshi have shared their pro-Palestinian views, which isn’t widely accepted.

“MSNBC has actually fallen off in the ratings during this war coverage we gave you the ratings are down about 33%. That’s the Hamas propaganda right there,” said Kayal. “By the way, Mehdi Hassan has made his stance very clear on this issue. The problem facing MSNBC is you employ Mehdi Hassan who has been very pro-Palestinian cause.”

Kayal opined that for a network like MSNBC to remove hosts like Hasan and Velshi because of their “slanted” views on a topic shows how out of step they are with the average cable news viewer.

Earlier this month, it was reported that MSNBC had sidelined Hasan, Velshi, and reporter Ayman Mohyeldin — who was a frequent fill-in host for Joy Reid — for their pro-Palesinian stances. However, the network denied the allegations.

“We have and will continue to thoroughly cover the horrific terrorist attacks on innocent civilians in Israel over the past weekend and the resulting tragic war in all its aspects,” stated NBCUniversal Executive Vice President of Communications Stephen Labaton.

Monica McNutt Named New York Knicks Lead Radio Analyst

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Monica McNutt Named New York Knicks Lead Radio Analyst

MSG Networks and ESPN commentator Monica McNutt has been named the new lead analyst for New York Knicks radio broadcasts on the MSG Radio Network.

McNutt will be on the call for most games with play-by-play announcer Ed Cohen, although he will be absent for some games during the early stages of the regular season due to a minor medical issue. Don La Greca and Pat O’Keefe will fill in the role in the meantime, and will also work with Alan Hahn and Wally Szczerbiak on select games.

Neil Best of Newsday was first to report the addition to the radio broadcast team.

“I’m looking forward to working with my MSG Networks team for another season and contributing this season on 98.7FM ESPN New York,” McNutt said in a statement. “I love talking Knicks basketball and can’t wait to get going.”

McNutt joined ESPN in 2019 to contribute to ACC Network studio and game coverage before her role was expanded two years later. Since then, she has appeared across the network’s slate of studio programming on shows including Around the Horn, First Take, NBA Today, and SportsCenter.

Additionally, McNutt has worked on studio coverage for women’s college basketball and the WNBA, along with reporting at the 2022 NBA Finals and NBA Draft.

At the regional level, McNutt served as a studio analyst for New York Knicks broadcast coverage on MSG Networks and was frequently situated in the role last season. It remains unknown how this decision will affect her gameday responsibilities on MSG Networks. Moreover, she also appeared on CBS Sports Network, FS1, and Warner Bros. Discovery networks (TNT, NBA TV).

“Monica is one of the most talented basketball analysts around, and we’re excited to have her expand her role at MSG Networks and join the 98.7 ESPN New York Knicks radio team,” Kevin Marotta, senior vice president of marketing and content for MSG Networks, said in a statement. “Knicks fans respect her work and basketball acumen, which she’ll continue to provide on our pre and postgame shows as well.”

Monica McNutt enters the role after radio analyst Brendan Brown was fired by MSG Networks last season following allegations of verbal harassment. For the remainder of last season, various Knicks personalities filled in as color commentators on the air, a full-time role he had worked in since 2012. The Knicks open the 2023-24 regular season on Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics.

Miami Dolphins to Be Featured on In-Season ‘Hard Knocks’

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Miami Dolphins to Be Featured on In-Season ‘Hard Knocks’

The NFL has announced that the Miami Dolphins will be featured on the in-season edition of the HBO and NFL Films original series, Hard Knocks. The program will air on Max later this fall with more details to come soon, marking the first time the franchise has been featured on the program since the training camp edition in 2012.

The in-season edition of the series will give viewers an inside look at a Dolphins team that has caught the attention of the NFL world thanks to stellar play by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and running back Raheem Mostert. Head coach Mike McDaniel, in his second season leading the team, did not view the move to participate in Hard Knocks as a team decision and refrains from worrying about things out of their control.

“I see some positives with this particular team, just knowing that there’s a lot of things that, in terms of when we do have success on the field, people are curious as to how that happens,” McDaniel said. “I think they’ll see exactly where that comes from – I don’t think it’s a bad thing for people to see our day-in, day-out hard work.”

Over the summer, the New York Jets were featured on the training camp edition of the show after reports of the team being forced to participate in the series. Even though access was limited for certain parts of the series, including roster cuts, the five episodes drew an average of 4.4 million viewers. Parts of the series were focused on Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the impact he was having on the team throughout the preseason.

No specific release date for the series has been announced, although last year’s in-season edition of the show ran on Wednesdays starting in early November, excluding the team’s bye week. At the moment, the details made available list the series as airing on Max, the streaming service from Warner Bros. Discovery.

“I know there’s some guys on this team that garner interest, and I think that a platform for them to showcase who they are, and really the fan base to get to know the players and coaches better – I can understand the value to the National Football League; to HBO; to NFL Films; and I can understand the value for the Miami Dolphins,” McDaniel said. “It’s something that I think this particular team is equipped to handle, just because of the way they go about their day-to-day jobs.”

Westwood One to Offer AI-Powered Local Weather Reports

BNM Staff
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Westwood One to Offer AI-Powered Local Weather Reports

Westwood One has announced it is partnering with audio tech firm Super Hi-Fi to provide AI-powered local weather reports to stations under a new agreement.

The syndicator will provide three different updates for stations, either 15, 30, or 60-second varieties. Additionally, the reports will be updated three times per day, and will include a national sponsorship from Westwood One with a local adjacency available.

“We are always looking for game-changing technological innovations that deliver exceptional results for our affiliates and modernize the audio ecosystem,” Westwood One President and Cumulus Media Executive Vice President of Corporate Marketing Suzanne Grimes said.

“Our Super Hi-Fi partnership allows us to offer our radio affiliates the highest quality weather reports for their listeners with minimal effort and maximum value.”

“With Westwood One’s scale and Super Hi-Fi’s AI-powered innovation, we’re making it easier than ever to help radio transform into a digital future that offers material growth opportunities using the power of AI,” added Super Hi-Fi Chief Business Officer John Bolton.

Stations will be able to choose from a variety of AI-generated voices, with ChatGPT utilizing information provided by the National Weather Service for all of its information. Each station will also be able to provide their own music beds, station identifications, and terminology should they choose.

Those interested in learning more about the offerings from Westwood One and Super Hi-Fi can click here.

Study: 81% of Podcast Listeners Interested in Hearing Curated Content on Radio

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Study: 81% of Podcast Listeners Interested in Hearing Curated Content on Radio

With the creation of the Podcast Radio brand in the U.S., the question of whether or not there is strong interest in curated podcast content on AM/FM was broached. A new study shows that the interest is there.

In a study published by Coleman Insights, 81% of respondents said they would be very to somewhat likely to listen to a radio station that curated podcast content.

In the survey, 500 adults aged 18-64 were asked about the appeal of Podcast Radio, with 44% saying they like the idea, 28% saying they like it a lot, and 25% saying they love the concept.

“Podcast Radio can help radio effectively play offense to the rise of podcasts as an in-vehicle, in-home and mobile entertainment choice,” Podcast Radio Founder and CEO Gerry Edwards said. “This new data reinforces that strong, engaging, spoken word content continues to evolve in exciting ways to meet the needs of U.S. listeners.”

Last month, Beasley Media Group brought the format to the United States by placing Podcast Radio on four of its signals in Detroit, Tampa, Charlotte, and Ft. Myers.

“Listeners are enthusiastic about getting high engagement podcasting content on their local radio stations – and that presents a premium opportunity for advertisers,” Beasley Media Group Southwest Florida Vice President and Market Manager AJ Lurie said. “In just a short time airing the Podcast Radio format on our stations, we have already started selling local programming and we are excited to see continued revenues and growth.”

“The Coleman Insights study reinforces what we are experiencing in the first U.S. markets to introduce Podcast Radio: Podcast Radio is an innovative and highly appealing new option for spoken-word radio programming in the U.S. – and an idea whose time has come,” said KMG Networks Founder and CEO Gary Krantz.

John Howell: News/Talk Hosts Need to Stop Misleading Their Audience

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John Howell: News/Talk Hosts Need to Stop Misleading Their Audience

John Howell is a veteran of Chicago radio with over four decades of experience. In September, Howell exited his role hosting afternoons at WLS 890 AM.

Recently, he shared his insights in an op-ed for the Chicago Sun-Times. In his piece, he emphasizes that radio companies, stations, and hosts must stop spreading falsehoods, conspiracies, and divisive content under the guise of “It’s just business.”

According to Howell, perpetuating misinformation and divisive narratives cannot be excused as a byproduct of the industry. He champions a straightforward principle he has upheld for years: “If you break the stupid, you own the stupid.”

Howell says, “In today’s environment, where many individuals are susceptible to extremist ideologies, the age-old excuse of ‘I didn’t think they’d believe me’ no longer holds water.”

Howell’s words serve as a reminder that media figures have a responsibility beyond profits and ratings. They shape the discourse and beliefs of our society in profound ways.

“I was saddened, but not surprised, by the news of the stabbing death of Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume. An innocent 6-year-old victim of a racial, hateful, and utterly inexplicable murderous rampage. Wait, maybe not inexplicable,” he wrote.

John Howell says he’s intimately familiar with techniques to influence an audience.

“It’s one thing to exaggerate, embellish, and utilize satire to make a point about pop culture and politics. It’s entirely different and far more dangerous to mislead and misinform an audience intentionally. Over the past few years, I’ve heard far too much of the latter. Extreme rhetoric from both sides is on the rise,” he said.

“Radio hosts (and companies) have to exercise self-control and discretion when presenting and discussing serious, incendiary, life and death topics. Don’t pander to the…(and I’m being kind here) under-informed. You’ll regret it. Those hosts who do so should be held accountable, and so should their enablers and sponsors,” he added.  

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