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Sean Casey Reportedly Leaving MLB Network for Yankees

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Is Sean Casey’s media career over? Well, it appears to at least be on hold as the MLB Network analyst is on his way to the Bronx to take over as the hitting coach for the New York Yankees.

The MLB Network analyst is taking over for Dillon Lawson, who was let go over the weekend. Casey and manager Aaron Boone were teammates with the Cincinnati Reds in the early 2000s.

Casey’s playing career ended in 2008. He began his media career in 2009. He has been with MLB Network the entire time. 

He has been used across nearly the entire program lineup. He is a regular contributor to MLB Tonight. He has also been a prominent part of the Spring Training series 30 Teams in 30 Days and the demonstration show Play Ball.

Jake Tapper: ‘Morale Hasn’t Been Better in Years’ at CNN

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It has been just over a month since CNN CEO Chris Licht was fired after a disastrous profile in The Atlantic questioned his ability to lead the company going forward. CNN anchor Jake Tapper said the feeling at the network has been the opposite of doom and gloom.

In an interview with Kara Swisher for her On podcast, Tapper shared he was disappointed Licht’s tenure came to an abrupt end.

“I’m not here to judge whether the firing was the right thing to do. I’m bummed that it didn’t work out with Chris. I am,” admitted Tapper. “I’m bummed that it didn’t work out. But I will say that things are really good right now.”

He then added that the feels a close connection to the executives who place in charge of the network in Licht’s stead, so he couldn’t be unbiased about the current state of CNN.

“Take what I’m saying with a grain of salt,” Tapper said. “I think they’re doing a great job and the focus is back our journalism, not on palace intrigue and not on media criticism. And morale hasn’t been better in years.”

Tapper then was asked if the failings of Licht prove there isn’t an appetite for straight-down-the-middle news coverage.

“I think there is. That’s what I watch. That’s what I want to watch. I don’t want to watch anything else, and I do think most Americans feel that way,” he said. “It’s just that most Americans aren’t news junkies, and the ones who are, when there isn’t a big news story, might like, especially in prime time, putting on their team jerseys and rooting for their side. I think that’s certainly possible. But that’s not a long-term play. That’s a short-term business decision.

Charter Introducing New Sports Package Amid RSN Uncertainty

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Charter Introducing New Sports Package Amid RSN Uncertainty

As regional sports networks try to stay prudent of mercurial revenue streams, cable operators are searching for methods to sustain the fading business model and continue profits. Charter, which owns and operates Spectrum cable, is now launching a programming package bereft of both regional sports networks and league-owned networks beginning in the third fiscal quarter.

Service in the revamped Spectrum TV Select will be split into two different tiers depending on the presence of these sports networks. Spectrum Select Signature will not include the aforementioned sports networks, but subscribers will still have access to ESPN and FOX Sports 1. Conversely, Spectrum Select Plus will include the regional sports networks and additional premium sports services, some of which include Golf Channel, NHL Network and NFL RedZone.

The cost between the two services is expected to vary by about $10 per month, according to Sports Business Journal media reporter John Ourand. Moreover, the new tiers will reportedly only be marketed to new customers or those interested in changing their slate of programming.

Additionally, Charter has renewed its regional deals with the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Dodgers on Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum SportsNet LA, respectively. The latter channel had a prolonged contract dispute with DIRECTV; however, terms were agreed to that significantly attenuates the distribution threshold.

As a result, the company was able to create an option with a nominal fee and aims to create an over-the-top (OTT) streaming platform for consumers to have more ways to watch the networks. DIRECTV will also create direct-to-consumer streaming services for its Los Angeles regional sports networks, and it will be available to all multichannel video customers subscribed to a package with these networks. A specific launch date and price has not yet been determined.

After all, cord cutting has remained persistent in the United States with rising cable prices and viable alternatives in the marketplace, whether or not they are free ad-supported streaming television services notwithstanding. In fact, streaming comprises a preponderance of total day television consumption among persons age 2+ per the latest Nielsen Gauge Report.

The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) is the only one of Charter’s current regional sports networks that has not agreed to the new terms of the deal. The broadcast home of the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals contested a decision by the restructured Major League Baseball Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee regarding rights fees for the teams between 2012 and 2016.

The decision was ultimately upheld by a New York Court of Appeals, requiring MASN to pay approximately $100 million to each franchise, something it argued would jeopardize aggregate profitability. Terms for payments during the five-year periods of 2017-2021 and 2022-2026 have yet to be agreed upon. Charter has informed league executives and regional sports networks that the tiers will not be activated unless all of a market’s regional sports network agrees to the terms of the new deal.

Regional sports executives are trying to ensure they remain available on cable and satellite systems, but are also working on securing direct-to-consumer rights to launch a different means of subscription. Various networks have already launched products, including NESN, MSG Networks and Bally Sports, the latter of which is in an imbroglio against Major League Baseball amid its parent company, Sinclair Broadcast Group, declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

OutKick Adds Riley Gaines for Podcast Series

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OutKick Adds Riley Gaines for Podcast Series

OutKick has announced that former All-American swimmer Riley Gaines will host a podcast for the company.

Gaines for Girls will debut on Wednesday, July 12th, and feature Gaines defending the role of biological females competing in women’s sports. Gaines rose to prominence after losing to transgender athlete Lia Thomas in the 2022 NCAA Women’s Swimming Championships. She has since advocated for changes to NCAA rules that allowed Thomas to compete and has become an outspoken voice against allowing trans athletes to compete in women’s sports.

“I’m so excited to be partnering with Outkick to release my new podcast Gaines for Girls,” said Gaines. “The audience can expect open conversations from policy experts, world-renown scientists, elite athletes, and others who have been affected by the cultural issues plaguing America. OutKick is the ideal place to facilitate these conversations considering their understanding of sports and politics as well as their love for America and our freedoms. You can expect raw truth from Gaines for Girls!”

In addition to hosting the podcast, Gaines will also be a contributor on OutKick shows like Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich, OutKick Hot Mic with Chad Withrow and & Jonathan Hutton, and Tomi Lahren is Fearless.

“OutKick is the foremost defender of truth in sports media today. Men who identify as women winning championships is patently absurd and only woke idiots at ESPN will defend it,” said OutKick founder Clay Travis. “I’m proud of Riley’s bravery in standing up for women against this absurdity and excited to have her as a part of the OutKick family.” 

Brent Axe: ‘Can’t Prove Jim Boeheim Had Me Fired,’ But I Think He Was a Part Of It

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Brent Axe: ‘Can’t Prove Jim Boeheim Had Me Fired,’ But I Think He Was a Part Of It

Galaxy Media’s firing of Brent Axe earlier this year got a lot of attention across the sport media world. Sure, Syracuse is a breeding ground for big name talent in the industry, but the real curiosity came from a station owner saying publicly that he fired a popular host for being “too negative” about the home team.

Plenty was made of former Orange basketball coach Jim Boeheim’s stake in Galaxy Media at the time. It’s something that Axe told the WJPZ at 50 podcast that he cannot overlook.

“Look, I can’t prove that Jim Boeheim had me fired, JAG, but I will go to my grave believing it was done to appease him,” he said on an episode released Monday.

Axe was heard on ESPN Syracuse, a station owned by Galaxy Media. The day before his firing was announced, the station announced that Boeheim would be making more regular appearances on the station.

Galaxy Media CEO and President told Syracuse.com that he “had a problem with the content” of Axe’s show. Axe told JAG Gay, host of WJPZ at 50, that he was surprised Levine acknowledged that publicly. 

“When Ed Levine talked on the record to Syracuse.com and the reasons for firing me, I mean, that is almost word for word what he said to me when it was an inquiry about Jim Boeheim that set him off with that.”

Axe says that Levine never directly said that Boeheim asked that he be fired, but it was easy for him to read between the lines of what was said.

“It’s announced on a Saturday he has more involvement in Galaxy Media. I get fired on a Sunday like, listen, I don’t think we have to go to a whole episode of Law & Order to figure out what went on here.”

Erika Ayers: Dave Portnoy Does Not Know His Future

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Erika Ayers: Dave Portnoy Does Not Know His Future

What does the future hold for Dave Portnoy at Barstool Sports? He told Kirk Minihane earlier this year that it is as uncertain as it has ever been. Erika Ayers told The New York Post that she has no reason not to believe him.

“Dave was pretty honest in his conversation with Kirk,” she told Ryan Glasspiegel. “He’s an enormous talent. He built something extraordinary. I want him to be so happy. I would work with him for the rest of my life. I think he’s incredible.”

Portnoy publicly chided Penn Entertainment following the company’s decision to part ways with Ben Mintz. He has gone on multiple platforms to say that he did not think Mintz accidentally saying a racial slur on video while reading rap lyrics was a fireable offense, because it was clear to anyone that saw the video, that Mintz meant no harm and was immediately horrified by what had happened. He even cited the incident days later when Penn’s stock price dropped.

Dave Portnoy has since clarified his position. While he disagrees with Penn Entertainment’s decision, he is still happy to be working with the company and trusts the direction it has for Barstool.

Ayers says she appreciates Portnoy’s entrepreneurial spirit. She adds that makes it hard for her to figure out exactly what he will do next.

“Maybe he stays and does this. Maybe he doesn’t do anything. Maybe he goes on a beach. Maybe he does something else.”

The current contract between Barstool and Portnoy ends in 2025. While he has publicly said that he isn’t sure if the company wants to sign a new deal with him, Ayers says that Portnoy may have a little more say in the matter than he lets on.

“I think he’s got a little bit of time and is just kind of thinking through what that could look like,” she told Glasspiegel.

Freedom 104.7 Debuts in Washington D.C.

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Freedom 104.7 Debuts in Washington D.C.

After a short six-month stint as 1190 iHeart Sports DC, iHeartMedia has returned the station to conservative talk with the launch of Freedom 104.7.

The station will feature a completely syndicated lineup of mostly shows from Premiere Networks.

The lineup will include:
6-9A: America’s First News with Matt Ray
9A-12P: The Glenn Beck Program
12-3P: The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show
3-6P: The Sean Hannity Show
6-9P: The Jesse Kelly Show
9P-12A: Our American Stories with Lee Habeeb
12-6A: Coast-to-Coast AM with George Noory

Previously, only The Sean Hannity Show was heard in the nation’s capital, airing on Salem Media Group’s 570 The Answer.

“We are excited to welcome Sean, Glenn, Clay & Buck, and a number of best-in-class personalities to Freedom 104.7,” said iHeartMedia Senior Vice President of Programming Jeff Kapugi. “We are confident that Freedom 104.7 will quickly become a favorite destination for DMV talk radio listeners.”

The station is broadcasting on W284CQ with 99 watts of power, which encompasses most of the area inside the Beltway.

Former CNN Reporter Files Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

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Former CNN Reporter Files Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

Former CNN reporter Saima Mohsin has filed a lawsuit against the cable outlet. In the suit, she alleges she was subject to racial discrimination and unfair dismissal.

While reporting on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in 2014, Mohsin was left disabled after an accident. Her cameraman allegedly ran over her foot with a car, causing tissue damage. As a result, she struggles to sit, stand, and walk, and has yet to return to full-time work.

She claims she asked the network to move from a reporter role to the anchor desk, but was told “You don’t have the look we are looking for”. Her contract was later terminated.

In the lawsuit, she alleges she was denied high-profile opportunities with CNN due to her Pakistani-British heritage. She claims white American correspondents were given assignments despite her proximity to stories that needed to be covered.

“I’m also taking the opportunity to highlight the racism and gender pay gap issues that I experienced. I was repeatedly let down and denied the ability to achieve my potential while I was at CNN,” Mohsin said. “I am bringing my claim to take a stand and call for change to ensure women journalists, and women journalists of colour, are better protected”.

CNN has declined to comment on the allegations but has opposed the lawsuit, saying Mohsin’s contract shows she does not have the right to sue the outlet in the United Kingdom.

Since her exit from CNN, Mohsin has worked at Sky News on a freelance basis.

KFRU Launching New ‘Columbia Today’ Afternoon Show

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KFRU Launching New ‘Columbia Today’ Afternoon Show

KFRU 1400 AM and 98.9 FM in Columbia, Missouri is set to debut a new afternoon show called Columbia Today.

The new program — which will air weekdays from 4:00-6:00 PM — will be hosted by former Missouri State Representative Ted Farnen.

“For nearly 100 years, KFRU has been Columbia’s best source for news and entertainment, and the station has a deep commitment to keeping the public informed, The debut of ‘Columbia Today’ and the recent investments by Cumulus Media in studio renovations and the news department demonstrate that KFRU will continue to be an important voice in Columbia’s conversations,” said Farnen.

“This will be a fun and informative show with a heavy concentration on local issues and guests. It will be a program to which everyone will be welcome, and it will complement the outstanding local programming KFRU already provides.” 

Farnen has lived in the Columbia area for over 30 years. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri’s prestigious School of Journalism.

“We are thrilled to have Ted join our team,” KFRU Program Director Luke Swezy said. “He brings a valuable and informed perspective on local issues that will strengthen our programming.” 

“We are excited to have Ted join our KFRU line-up in the afternoons. He brings experience and a local perspective that we believe will resonate well with the listeners of KFRU,” added Cumulus Columbia Vice President and Market Manager Greg Renoe.

Columbia Today will debut on Monday, July 17th.  

Fox News Debuts Marketing Campaign For New Primetime Lineup

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Fox News Debuts Marketing Campaign For New Primetime Lineup

Fox News is slated to kick off a new marketing campaign touting its revamped primetime lineup.

“The right voices at the right time,” is how the cable outlet will brand the lineup consisting of Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld.

The new primetime lineup is unique in that it features almost an entirely new schedule, but is built on familiar personalities to Fox News viewers. Hannity was the only program that remained in its previous timeslot, with Laura Ingraham and Greg Gutfeld moving up to earlier timeslots.

Watters is slotting into the window previously occupied by Tucker Carlson, who was unceremoniously fired in April.

Both Gutfeld and Watters saw their profiles grow as panelists on The Five. The show has grown to be the highest-rated program on the network. According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, both Gutfeld and Watters will remain as panelists on The Five for the time being.

The newly revamped lineup will debut on Monday, July 17th.

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