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ABC News Names Selina Wang Senior White House Correspondent

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CNN reporter Selina Wang is moving to ABC News as a senior White House correspondent.

The move will give Wang her first taste of White House coverage after being the sole CNN reporter based in China. She joined the network in 2020 before moving to be based in Beijing in 2022.

Before joining CNN, Wang worked as an anchor and correspondent for Bloomberg TV.

Additionally, ABC is adding Politico Playbook co-author Rachel Bade and NPR White House correspondent and NPR Politics Podcast host Asma Kahlid as political correspondent and political contributor respectively.

“As our political coverage continues to ramp up with the presidential election season upon us, Selina’s, Rachael’s and Asma’s multifaceted experience will add value to ABC News’ coverage and undoubtedly continue to set us apart as the leading news source for viewers everywhere as they join our powerhouse political team in Washington, D.C.,” said ABC News President Kim Godwin.

Geraldo Rivera: Tucker Carlson ‘Got Way Too Big For His Britches’ Before Departure

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Tucker Carlson’s exit from Fox News will go down as one of the more shocking developments in cable news history. However, his former colleague and now-former Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera says the exit was warranted.

During an appearance on The Interview podcast, Rivera said Carlson was allowed to operate in a special manner by Fox News due to his strong ratings.

“He was very, very, very powerful. In discovery in the Dominion lawsuit, you see how arrogant he was; how contemptuous he was. It was pathetic, really pathetic,” Rivera said. “He really got way too big for his britches. The worst thing about what he did was the ruthless pragmatism that he displayed. ‘I’m going to do this because that’s what the audience wants’. In other words, it wasn’t the malevolent media leading the audience. It was the audience leading the malevolent media.

“What he did was unforgivable. He made a mockery of the tenets of journalism,” Rivera explained.

His contempt for Carlson’s January 6th encapsulation was a factor in his exit from Fox News. After Carlson was fired, Geraldo Rivera called his reporting “bullshit”, which caught the ire of The Five panelist and Fox News late-night host Greg Gutfeld. The pair sparred behind the scenes — which he labeled a “very toxic relationship” — before Rivera’s departure.

Sandra Golden ‘Can’t Stand It When Media Only Thinks About New York’

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The 2023 Atlanta Braves are in the midst of compiling a historic season and are the widely projected favorites to win the World Series. Led by superstars Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Sean Murphy, the lineup from top to bottom has virtually no holes and is supplemented by a stellar young pitching staff. Over the weekend, the team was featured on America’s Game of the Week on FOX Sports and defeated the rival New York Mets 6-0 in the back half of a split-admission doubleheader. Although the Mets beat the Braves the next day on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, the game came down to the wire and was an enthralling battle for viewers to watch.

The Braves returned home from their four-game tilt at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y. – only to be greeted by the other New York baseball team, the 27-time World Champion Yankees. These “Bronx Bombers,” however, are in last place in the American League East, and the likelihood they qualify for the postseason dwindles with each passing defeat.

On Monday night, the Braves clobbered the Yankees 11-3, and they will look to secure the series with a win on Tuesday as part of TBS’ MLB doubleheader. New York has been at the center of discussion in the sports ecosystem for much of the summer, largely due to the Jets acquiring superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers ahead of the 2023 NFL season. The trend caused 92.9 The Game morning host Stephen “Steak” Shapiro to pose a question about New York sports and how they are disseminated worldwide.

“Are you of the notion that sports is better if the New York teams aren’t awful?,” Shapiro asked his co-host, Sandra Golden. “The big city; the bright lights of New York, [is] it good to have one of those teams in the mix either to love them or to hate them?”

Golden is an avid college football fan and grew up rooting for the Florida State Seminoles college football team. She outlined that the sport is better when the school’s rivals, the Florida Gators and the Miami Hurricanes, are contending and relevant. The same premise applies in Georgia in looking at the Georgia Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. As it pertains to the No. 1 media market in the world, however, Golden feels much differently.

“I cannot stand it when the media – all they think about is New York,” Golden explained. “Last night, Max Scherzer was the lead story; he pitches for the [Texas] Rangers [and] they beat the [Los Angeles] Angels. I just thought, ‘They’re so in love with the big names like that,’ and oh by the way, the best team in baseball was story No. 20.”

Golden went on to say that she loves when the New York sports teams are “terrible,” especially since she is from the South. Braves players and fans have been outspoken throughout the season on how it feels to defeat the Mets, with infielder Ozzie Albies mentioning how it brings the team “a lot of pleasure.” Across professional sports, the rivalry between Atlanta and New York seems to be gaining traction once again, sparked not only by Braves-Mets, but also Knicks-Hawks during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

“I believe when the Yankees stink, that’s not good for baseball,” Shapiro said. “You want them to have big names; you want to see [them] in the pinstripes. Álex Rodríguez [is] the most hateable guy ever, but Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera were hard to hate. Sports is better when the Yankees don’t stink or when you don’t look at a Yankee roster and go like, ‘Who are these guys?’”

The Yankees defeated the Braves during the 1996 and 1999 World Series, the latter of which resulted in a sweep. Atlanta had won its first World Series crown in 38 years in 1995 when the team defeated Cleveland in six games. After a 26-year drought, the Braves captured another championship in 2021, and the team is now looking to capitalize on its championship aspirations for years to come. Shapiro hopes it happens as the Yankees remain relevant and contain marketable, eminent superstars.

“I don’t like seeing a bunch of no-names on the Yankees,” Shapiro said, “and I don’t like seeing them in last place because it’s sexier when the Yankees are better.”

Tucker Carlson Biography Sales Off to Slow Start

BNM Staff
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Tucker Carlson Biography Sales Off to Slow Start

Tucker, the biography of the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, got off to a slow start in its first week available.

According to numbers produced by Publisher’s Weekly, Tucker sold just over 3,200 copies in its first week. That number ranks it as the 15th best-selling hardcover non-fiction book of the week.

In rankings from Amazon, the book was the 57th best-selling biography of the week, while the digital version did not reach the Kindle top 100.

Additionally, the book did not make The New York Times bestseller list.

The biography, written by Chadwick Moore, received much fanfare as Carlson was unceremoniously fired by Fox News as the story was being completed. Moore subsequently reported he had been told by several informants that Carlson’s exit was agreed upon as part of the network’s settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. Fox News has continually denied the allegations.

Moore, who was a somewhat regular guest on Carlson’s Fox News program as well as other shows on the network, claims he has since been “banned” from appear

Big 12 Getting More Money from ESPN But Not FOX With Expansion

BSM Staff
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When the Big 12 Conference came to terms on a six-year media rights extension with ESPN and FOX Sports last October, it was viewed as a haste decision by Commissioner Brett Yormark – but it now seems to be paying dividends. The deal, which is reportedly worth $2.3 billion, has a pro rata clause in its contract for ESPN, meaning that the network will need to allocate more money to each school if the conference adds teams.

Due to the downfall of the Pac-12 Conference, the Big 12 has added the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils and Utah Utes, taking advantage of a precarious situation that threatens the future of college sports as we know it. Conversely, FOX Sports does not have a pro rata clause in its deal, allowing it to dole out a fixed amount of money per school in exchange for a share of the media rights.

“We’ve talked to FOX,” Yormark said during an appearance on the upcoming milestone 100th episode of The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast. “They see the value of expansion and what it can mean for us today and in the future. They’re involved financially and very supportive, so it worked out for us.”

Yormark was always open to expanding from the time he started serving as the conference’s commissioner at the beginning of last August. From the moment he assumed leadership, he hired Mark Shapiro’s company, Endeavor, to evaluate the media landscape and provide guidance regarding the best path forward. With the Pac-12 failing to reach a media rights deal, a prime opportunity arose, and Yormark was prepared to act swiftly in the best interests of the conference.

“This was something that we had to do, and this was something that the board and our key stakeholders encouraged,” Yormark said. “I’m sorry that my gain is your loss. [Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff and I] had a very collegial conversation. George was fantastic, and I’ll be seeing him again in a couple of weeks at some industry meetings.”

When the Big 12 sealed the agreements with ESPN and FOX, the conference could collectively breathe easier that they would be televised for the foreseeable future. Few people seemed to realize that it would be the last major media deal in the market, especially after following the Big Ten’s record-breaking seven-year, $7 billion pact with NBC, FOX and CBS.

“Sometimes in life, you’ve got to get lucky,” Yormark said, “and we got a little lucky because had we not done that deal at the time we did, who knows if I’d be [on] your 100th show here today.”

Eric Von Haessler: Social Media Helps My Show, But I Still Don’t Want to Use It

BNM Staff
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Eric Von Haessler: Social Media Helps My Show, But I Still Don’t Want to Use It

An angry comment from a listener gave 95.5 WSB host Eric Von Haessler the opportunity to remind his audience about his lack of interest in social media. However, he noted it helps the show.

During The Von Haessler Doctrine last week, the Atlanta-based host admitted that while producing clips of his programs for Facebook, X, and Instagram helps distribute his show to a wider audience, that doesn’t entice him to join any of them.

A listener claimed that Von Haessler’s show was sounding similar to The Sean Hannity Show. He joked that you can’t even tell the two apart before discussing social media’s role in his show.

“I’ll try to stop paying any attention to social media. You see this is the problem. We recognize we need to get the clips out there because you know, I’m only contracted for another year and a half who knows what the landscapes gonna look like when it’s time for the next go-round on a contract,” Von Haessler admitted.

“So we want to be known by more than what we’re known for now and the internet is the way to do that. But then it sucks me in because I’m not on social media personally, for anything. The show is, but notice, it’s not me.

“I even just had (a producer) respond to that one commenter with ‘Eric has never — Eric von Haessler, personally, is not on any social media sites. None. Not even the artist formerly known as Twitter’. I’m not on any of these sites.”

Aaron Rodgers: ‘Hard Knocks Has Not Been a Distraction At All’

BSM Staff
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Following the premiere of the first episode of the new season of Hard Knocks, New York Jets fans took to social media to express their excitement about the opening kickoff for the 2023 campaign. “Gang Green” is led by new quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and his presence at training camp has seemingly catalyzed a young Jets team to compete for a Super Bowl championship. The Jets were one of four teams eligible to appear on Hard Knocks and reportedly expressed resistance about appearing on the show. 

After the NFL selected the Jets to appear on the program, the team went about planning how they would ensure the cameras would not be a distraction. Now with the new season in production, the team’s leader feels that the show has had a surprising, yet positive effect on the team at training camp.

“We want our team to be as authentic as possible,” Rodgers said in an interview with Boomer & Gio on WFAN Tuesday morning. “When we’re a connected group and everybody’s pulling in the same direction, that’s when you can get something done. But I will say this has not been that at all. To me, it’s been very authentic with our guys and not a distraction at all.”

Boomer Esiason, co-host of the show, chimed in on the discussion and pointed out to Rodgers how he especially enjoyed a scene involving the quarterbacks. Rodgers, demonstrating the value of veteran leadership, implored his teammates to converse with others and get to know them. Throughout the interview, Rodgers stressed the importance of cohesion and the group playing together in order to snap a 12-year playoff drought and win an elusive Super Bowl championship.

“I don’t know how much we’re limiting access on certain things that may be more [distracting], but I think it’s been great,” Rodgers said. “They’ve asked for me to be mic’d up a few times and I’ve gladly done it. I think the content’s been good, it’s been real and I’m having a good experience with it.”

The second episode of Hard Knocks in training camp with the New York Jets premieres Tuesday night at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on HBO and will also be available to stream on Max.

Washington State Sports Radio Icon Mark Scholten Dies

BSM Staff
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Washington State Sports Radio Icon Mark Scholten Dies

The strength of sports radio as an industry is in local stations, personalities and conversations. Names one market has never heard of can be legendary in another and leave a void when they are gone. 

Bellingham, Washington is feeling that kind of void right now. Local sports radio icon Mark Scholten died on Monday.

Scholten was on the air in the market for more than 30 years. He made his debut on KPUG in 1992. His show The Zone was still heard locally at 3 pm each day.

In a state with a sports conversation dominated by Seattle’s pro teams, Scholten’s focus was on Western Washington. He was specifically renowned for his knowledge of local high school sports.

Scholten’s death has been attributed to natural causes. He was just 54 years old. His family says plans for a memorial will be announced soon.

Fred Toucher: Mike Greenberg has ‘Hacky, Dumb’ Radio Philosophy

BSM Staff
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If you have ever wondered what 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Fred Toucher thinks about Mike Greenberg, he made it very clear Tuesday morning. Toucher called the ESPN star a “no talent prick” as he read Greenberg’s opinion on the importance of radio teases.

He referenced an interview he saw on Facebook with Greenberg that made him question just how much Greenberg knows about entertaining people.

“This guy who’s making all this money, listen to his advice. ‘If you’re not writing out your teases, you’re not doing it. You’re not hosting a show.’ He’s like, ‘You could be the funniest guy, the most interesting guy. You could know the most about sports. But it doesn’t mean anything if you’re not holding people over the breaks.’”

Toucher called it “a hacky, dumb thing to say”. He added that to hear Greenberg tell it, being entertaining means nothing to listeners.

“Talk about like a guy like justifying his career! So that’s your career? Is that you’ve written out teases for what’s coming up next?”

Jon Wallach and Ryan Johnston were in studio on Tuesday morning with Toucher filling in for Rich Shertenlieb. The trio talked about Greenberg’s rise to prominence in radio on Mike & Mike alongside Mike Golic. 

Wallach shared that he has been told by former ESPN Radio employees that Golic and Greenberg were each given a packet of stories and stats each morning to help build their show. 

Toucher said that any radio host should be able to talk without relying on “a dossier of material,” which they would likely use very little of.

He added that for a show like Mike & Mike to receive that kind of information each day was hard to believe because his impression of the show was that it was more live reads than actual entertainment.

“You have five-minute breaks and then there is a bunch of shenanigans,” he said. “Subway! Just remember Subway. If you talk about Subway, we’re good.”

Stephen A. Smith: ‘I Want Kevin Garnett Across From Me on Set’

BSM Staff
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Could we someday hear the phrase “anything is possible” shouted to open an episode of First Take? Stephen A. Smith wouldn’t mind it.

On this week’s episode of Paul George’s Podcast P, the ESPN star was asked what NBA player he would love to share a debate stage with. Smith said the obvious answer is Charles Barkley because of what he has accomplished already on TV, but that doesn’t mean the TNT star is Smith’s top choice.

“The person that I would love to sit on a set with me or across from me any day of the week is Kevin Garnett,” he said.

When asked to explain the choice, Smith said it was about more than just what Garnett would have to say.

“First of all, being real is one thing, but your ability to articulate your position with presence and force matters.”

Kevin Garnett is not a stranger to television. Following his retirement from the NBA after the 2015-16 season, he signed on with TNT. He hosted a segment of Inside the NBA called “Area 21.” The segment was dropped prior to the start of the 2019-2020 season.

Stephen A. Smith thinks he and Garnett would make great television for basketball fans. He does have one concern though.

“We have to talk to KG because FCC airwaves, this brother sometimes don’t pay attention to that, you know?” he joked.

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