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Greg Moceri Knows The More News/Talk Changes, The More It Stays The Same

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Greg Moceri Knows The More News/Talk Changes, The More It Stays The Same

Greg Moceri has played a prominent role in the talk radio industry as a consultant and program director for many decades. He began his career at WOOD Radio in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and later achieved great success at WTIC in Hartford. He then became the Program Director and format Coordinator at WSB in Atlanta.

Throughout his career, Moceri has worked with a diverse range of clients, including Entercom, Bonneville, Salem Media, Tribune, and iHeart, helping them achieve unprecedented success. Additionally, he has played a crucial part in the success of multiple syndicated talk shows.

Upon taking over WSB in 1993, the station was ranked 12th and struggling. Undeterred, Moceri led WSB to great success with his visionary ideas and innovative tactics. From 1995 to 2000, he propelled the station to the top spot among the coveted 25-54 demographic.

During a sit-down with Barrett News Media, Moceri spoke about Rush Limbaugh’s influential legacy and its impact on the industry. He also shared insightful tips on bringing out the best in radio personalities and his expectations for the upcoming Barrett News Media Summit in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ryan Hedrick: As a news/talk radio consultant, what do you think are the most significant challenges and opportunities facing the industry today?

Greg Moceri: It’s the state of the business on the revenue side. The revenue side is not my bailiwick, but you must know the challenges. So much of radio has been cut into by other mediums. However, I would much rather be in the spoken word format on the radio than the music side by a mile. There are still plenty of opportunities in the spoken word for revenue. It’s still an incredibly viable format, and I’m excited for the future.

RH: Could you provide some information about changes in news/talk programming over the years and any current trends you have observed?

GM: That’s a tricky question because a lot remains the same. The format itself, news/talk, leans conservative. It’s an excellent vehicle for people who want to relate to what’s going on in their community and their world. If you have a special connection to a host or a personality, that’s nirvana for someone running a news/talk station.

There are some incredible opportunities. Syndication has grown over the years, and so has the number of syndicated talents. There are ways in which you can make syndicated talent part of your radio station and not consider that they’re piped in somewhere and not there. With the need for more familiarity with younger listeners, recruiting those people is getting more complicated and complex, and that’s the number one problem I see.

RH: What do you think about the people who replaced Rush Limbaugh after his passing, and what made Rush Limbaugh stand out so much?

GM: That is subjective to everyone’s point of view. Nobody could replace Rush; I don’t care who it is. Rush had that incredible ability and talent to be able to contextualize. He did everything I always thought a talk host should do to become an indelible part of your life. Some good people are coming up. Rush was fabulous at pointing out the absurd, a crucial ingredient to connection and engagement.

There’s not a lot that’s different to being a talk show host than there was 20 years ago. You must still be entertaining, use great audio, emotionally connect with your audience, and be innovative. Rush could put things into a context you could understand; that was his greatest talent to me.

RH: How can we effectively engage and entertain listeners in today’s environment when so many different platforms and options are vying for their attention?

GM: I’m a big believer in focusing on the basics. If you’re a program director of these stations, an executive producer, or a host, you must be as local as possible to your community. I know for many companies, that’s part of the challenge. The main challenge is whether you have a budget to be local rather than local for local sake. There are some incredible syndicated hosts out there that present a good show. I would choose those hosts over somebody that is local but isn’t that good. 

It’s essential; you have to be local as much as possible. When I was running WSB in Atlanta and working for Cox Media for so many years, we invested in research. That’s what’s missing. I wish people had the budget to invest in focus groups. Many stations still have it, but it’s different from how it used to be.

RH: With the growing popularity of podcasts and on-demand audio content, how can traditional news/talk radio stations adapt to remain relevant and attract new listeners?

GM: It’s another vehicle to the spoken word in a different format. In the end, podcasting has provided talented people with an actual broadcast. Podcasts are more personal than they are as a radio station. It’s just another one of the arsenals that’s available in the spoken word. It’s growing, it’s excellent, and it’s also starting to get tethered out. In other words, the good podcasters will stay, and those who aren’t so good will not.

RH: Could you give examples of successful and innovative programming approaches in the news/talk radio industry?

GM: You have a single host, two people, or an ensemble. You have to fill 38 minutes in an hour, you’re selling time, and many things are the same as they were. Now you have social media. There’s more opportunity as a potential arsenal of information you could pass along and connect to your audience. There has not been a lot of innovation. One great thing is more and more stations have been able to find an FM signal to go to and enhance their ability to reach more people. There are still some AM stations that are doing well.

We need innovation from the sales side. We have a lot of good content people, a lot of great programmers. There’s still too much focus on national sales instead of building regional sales because it puts people in a box. You and I know that the people with the money are 55-plus. Who cares whether they’re 35 or 40? There’s a stigma involved that thinking anyone over 55 is not as worthy as the national folks believe.

RH: What will happen to news/talk radio as technology advances? Are there any exciting technologies or trends that you are looking forward to?

GM: I am intrigued to see if AI will enhance or eliminate portions of radio. That’s the experimentation people will end up doing. We must continue to find great talent to emerge to be part of our business. I find that exciting. I would like to tell you that finding ways to enhance your emotional connection with your hosts to build across social platforms is essential.

RH: When you hear someone like Bob Pittman, the CEO of iHeartMedia, state that they won’t be shutting down broadcast stations, what are your thoughts on that?

GM: Radio is still a viable business, I read the article you’re referring to, and Pittman said, ‘Radio has never been in a better place.’ That statement could be arguable, but it’s great to hear that kind of endorsement from someone influential in our business for so long.

RH: You will speak at the first annual Barrett News Media Summit in September. Please provide insights on what distinguishes this event from other industry conferences or gatherings.

GM: So many conferences, seminars, and things like that, try to put too much into them. For instance, they may have a panel with six people on it and only 30 minutes to talk. I don’t think that’s the way [Jason] Barrett is looking at doing this. I think people really want to have some time to engage. You guys have put together some really good people. The more time you can spend with quality people, the better it will be. 

RH: How do you coach and train radio hosts to improve their performance and build a stronger connection with their audience?

GM: This is something that I am passionate about. I got into the business, evolved, and entered a bigger market. I worked at WTIC in Hartford and went to WSB in Atlanta, and then I wanted to come home with my family in Grand Rapids. What was interesting to me in that process was that I learned a lot about how to coach. It’s not about coddling or making excuses for bad performances.

Some people have said, and rightfully so, that some program directors are too critical of the people they’re supposed to help and coach. There are fundamentals that good programmers know inherently. The key to me is that you must have great relationships with your talent to build a better station. How do you do that? To me, it’s much more about emotional connectivity. Talent always does best with praise if it’s sincere and they don’t think you’re playing them.

RH: Do you think radio executives will start prioritizing influencers and individuals with large social media followings over traditional radio professionals who have gained experience in the field?

GM: It’s an opportunity for people in radio to hire people in that fashion. Some of the best talents I’ve ever known, coached, or worked with didn’t come up traditionally. Erick Erickson is a guy who I worked with at Cox Media. He didn’t have the traditional deep pipes, but he gave me context. He checked the boxes; he made me think. The influencers to me are the talent. Talent influences how much money we make and whether the station is doing well. Influencers on Tik Tok adapt to what they know well. Some of those people will be in traditional media as they get older.

Mike Breen: I Thanked Jamal Murray For Shouting Bang After Big 3

BSM Staff
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Mike Breen: I Thanked Jamal Murray For Shouting Bang After Big 3

NBA broadcaster Mike Breen has one of the most well-known signature calls in sports in “Bang,” and the legendary basketball voice always takes immense pride in players finding ways to pay homage.

In an interview on The Michael Kay Show on Tuesday, Breen said his call works because it’s only used in pivotal moments of a game.

“When it’s an actual call it’s got to be spontaneous,” he said. “And I try and keep it that way in terms of the use of ‘Bang.’ It’s not something I think ahead of time, ‘OK I’m gonna use it here, I’m gonna use it there.’ It’s more a feel.

“It it’s appropriate, if I feel it – it’s part of the emotion and the momentum of the game – I would use it,” Breen added.

In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets drained a 3-pointer with under 5 minutes left in the game that extended Denver’s lead over the Lakers to 12. Breen didn’t notice it, and analyst Mark Jackson pointed it out on the broadcast, but after Murray drained the shot, he looked right over at the ESPN announcers’ table and yelled “BANG!”.

Breen said he was very flattered that Murray even thought of that in the moment.

“The next day I went out of my way to find him and to thank him,” he said. “Because it’s very humbling in a big moment like that in a big playoff game he thinks that. My goal in moments is to try and enhance the moment, to document what these great players are doing and to do it justice. And if that’s what he’s thinking at that exact moment, then I’m doing my job the right way.”

Earlier this season, Breen’s call was also honored by Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry. Curry named the latest iteration of his Under Armour basketball shoes the “Double Bang.” He even gifted Breen a pair.

Breen said the feeling of catching the attention of some of the top players in the game is incredibly fulfilling.

“It’s an honor to call their games, and if you get any kind of recognition or appreciation from them in how you call their games, it’s a really wonderful, satisfying feeling,” he said.

Rachel Maddow Interview With E. Jean Carroll Provides MSNBC Major Boost

BNM Staff
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Rachel Maddow Interview With E. Jean Carroll Provides MSNBC Major Boost

Prominent interviews with two notable news figures were in focus on the week of May 15. On the night of May 15, former “Elle” magazine advice columnist E. Jean Carroll and her attorney Roberta Kaplan appeared on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show.  

Their guest spots took place six days following her legal victory against Donald Trump in which a jury found him $5 million liable for sexual abuse and defamation. Carroll and Kaplan stated they’d seek to expand those damages due to Trump’s defamatory comments about her during his infamous CNN town hall from May 10. (Carroll officially made that expansion request to the court on May 23.)

As stated in the show list at the end of this article, the hour drew 2.414 million total viewers including 276,000 within the key 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. Outside of FNC’s The Five, it was cable news’ top telecast of the week in both total viewers and adults 25-54.

In addition, it was MSNBC’s most-watched telecast since the Apr. 24 edition of Maddow (then, that week’s top cable news telecast overall) which came just hours following news of the dismissals of two of Maddow’s former prime-time competitors, Tucker Carlson from Fox News and Don Lemon from CNN.

Airing directly opposite Maddow on May 15 were FNC’s Hannity (1.974 million total viewers / 194,000 adults 25-54) and CNN Primetime  (454,000 total viewers / 114,000 adults 25-54) — the latter of which that 9 p.m. hour will soon be anchored by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, the moderator of the aforementioned Trump town hall.

Leading out of Maddow on MSNBC was Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (1.868 million total viewers / 150,000 adults 25-54) which offered post-analysis of Carroll’s guest appearance.

For the following evening (May 16), another NBC-owned news network scored another key interview: mega-billionaire Elon Musk, with financial journalist David Faber on CNBC.

Within the 70-minute discussion, Faber pressed the now-former Twitter CEO on his controversial tweets that spouted unverified conspiracy theories. Musk responded, “I’ll say what I want to say and if the consequences of that are losing money, so be it.” Former NBCUniversal advertising head Linda Yaccarino took over as CEO on June 5.

CNBC’s Musk interview delivered 257,000 viewers and 54,000 adults 25-54, the network’s top hour for the week in both data categories. Nonetheless, it could not top five hours of the Fox Business Network for that week, in total viewers: Varney & Company (the 9-10 a.m. hour on Mon. May 15, 274,000 viewers; and the entire 9 a.m.-noon slot on Fri. May 19, avg. 266,000 viewers) and the Thu. May 18 edition of Kudlow (271,000 viewers).

Cable news averages for May 15-21, 2023:

Total Day (May 15-21 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.097 million viewers; 129,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 0.715 million viewers; 83,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.361 million viewers; 73,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.188 million viewers; 21,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.118 million viewers; 31,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.105 million viewers; 23,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.103 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.081 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (May 15-20 @ 8-11 p.m.; May 21 @ 7-11 p.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.413 million viewers; 136,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 1.124 million viewers; 120,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.371 million viewers; 88,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.308 million viewers; 34,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.138 million viewers; 29,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.128 million viewers; 29,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.118 million viewers; 19,000 adults 25-54
  • NewsNation: 0.090 million viewers; 18,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.060 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54

Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:

1. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 5/16/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.802 million viewers

2. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 5/15/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.801 million viewers

3. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 5/17/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.673 million viewers

4. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 5/18/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.504 million viewers

5. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 5/19/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.420 million viewers

6. Rachel Maddow Show “E. Jean Carroll Interview” (MSNBC, Mon. 5/15/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.414 million viewers

7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 5/15/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.268 million viewers

8. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 5/18/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.221 million viewers

9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 5/16/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.087 million viewers

10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 5/17/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.022 million viewers

185. Smerconish (CNN, Sat. 5/20/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.636 million viewers

207. Eric Bolling The Balance (NMX, Wed. 5/17/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.587 million viewers

421. Forensic Files (HLN, late Fri. 5/19/2023 12:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.294 million viewers

441. Varney & Company (FBN, Mon. 5/15/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.274 million viewers

464. CNBC Special Report “16 May 2023 Elon Musk with David Faber” (CNBC, Tue. 5/16/2023 6:00 PM, 70 min.) 0.257 million viewers

500. Highway Thru Hell “(1118) Rise Up” (TWC, Sun. 5/21/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.232 million viewers

705. Cuomo (NWSN, Wed. 5/17/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.151 million viewers

860. FBI Files (COURT TV, Sun. 5/21/2023 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.102 million viewers

Top 10 cable news programs (and the top  programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:

1. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 5/16/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.330 million adults 25-54

2. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 5/15/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.281 million adults 25-54

3. Rachel Maddow Show “E. Jean Carroll Interview” (MSNBC, Mon. 5/15/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.276 million adults 25-54

4. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 5/17/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.268 million adults 25-54

5. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 5/18/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.266 million adults 25-54

6. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 5/16/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.264 million adults 25-54

7. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 5/17/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.245 million adults 25-54

8. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 5/19/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.242 million adults 25-54

9. Special Report/Biden-Medal of Valor (FOXNC, Wed. 5/17/2023 9:46 AM, 26 min.) 0.231 million adults 25-54

10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 5/15/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.221 million adults 25-54

51. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Wed. 5/17/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.168 million adults 25-54

221. Forensic Files (HLN, late Fri. 5/19/2023 12:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.087 million adults 25-54

319. Eric Bolling The Balance (NMX, Thu. 5/18/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.069 million adults 25-54

414. CNBC Special Report “16 May 2023 Elon Musk with David Faber” (CNBC, Tue. 5/16/2023 6:00 PM, 70 min.) 0.054 million adults 25-54

484. Highway Thru Hell “(1117) Know When To Hold Em” (TWC, Wed. 5/17/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.046 million adults 25-54

534. Newsnation Prime (NWSN, Sun. 5/21/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.042 million adults 25-54

586. Varney & Company (FBN, Fri. 5/19/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.036 million adults 25-54

630. Corrupt Crimes (COURT TV, Sun. 5/21/2023 7:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.032 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

Dan Bernstein: Joe Maddon Has ‘Gone Full Baseball Police’ on MLB Network

BSM Staff
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Dan Bernstein: Joe Maddon Has ‘Gone Full Baseball Police’ on MLB Network

Former Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon clearly isn’t a fan of Marcus Stroman’s celebratory dance moves on the mound, and 670 The Score host Dan Bernstein can’t believe what a stick in the mud Maddon has become.

Maddon was asked about the celebration recently on MLB Network, and he said it was brutal and that he really didn’t want anyone watching that kind of behavior.

Bernstein on Tuesday questioned if this is the real Joe Maddon now.

“Come on, Joe. He’s going full baseball police on us?” he said. “Hardcore, sirens blaring, Bud Norris baseball police.”

Co-host Laurence Holmes countered that by saying Maddon has always championed making sure the game is played in the right way. He used Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcel Ozuna and Chicago White Sox infielder Tim Anderson being benched for celebrations and not running as examples in which Maddon would take issue. But Bernstein said those two examples don’t equate to the situation with Stroman.

“That’s different. Hustle is different,” Bernstein said. “Marcel Ozuna – different. Tim Anderson – different. Hustle is different.”

Holmes said the mindset for Maddon has always been about control.

“I think that’s where a lot of this comes from with Joe,” he said. “I also think that you’re seeing the trappings of authoritarianism. Where when Joe talks about the way that a clubhouse should be, and who should be in charge of the clubhouse, he should be in charge of the clubhouse.”

Bernstein just pointed out that Maddon never use to be such a stickler. He wondered what happened to “Hippie Joe.”

“It’s getting weird,” Bernstein said.

Bob Fescoe: Chiefs Success Does Not Do Much For ESPN

BSM Staff
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Bob Fescoe: Chiefs Success Does Not Do Much For ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs visited the White House on Monday to celebrate their Super Bowl LVII championship. As part of the afternoon, the Chiefs received a tour of the historic presidential residence, were treated to a meal and participated in a ceremony with President Biden. The team presented Biden with a custom Chiefs jersey numbered “46” and with his name on the back, and created a viral moment when tight end Travis Kelce attempted to take the podium only to be shoved aside by quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs did not get to visit the White House when the team won Super Bowl LIV because of health and safety restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. It is safe to say the team made the most of the moment. It also gave the Chiefs time in the national media spotlight, which has been plentiful over the years, but perhaps garnered more respect from critics.

Bob Fescoe of 610 Sports Radio Kansas City recognized how the Chiefs were essentially counted out when the team traded star wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, but still won the Super Bowl. He feels the sentiment was being pushed by national media outlets in order to benefit business strategy and collect the highest ratings possible.

“Having the same team over and over again – unless it’s a New York-based team or a New England-based team – doesn’t do much for ESPN,” Fescoe said. “It just doesn’t do much for that network when it’s not a team that’s in the Northeast. They’re trying to push their narrative that the Kansas City Chiefs can be upset because they believe it’s probably better for business to have it happen that way, at least that’s the way I perceive it.”

The Chiefs have posted a winning record for the last decade and recently had its winningest season in franchise history, culminating in the Super Bowl championship. Now as the team prepares for another year of football, Fescoe and partner Josh Klingler are taking notice of those commentators continuing to count them out. However, there has been a change in the aggregate disposition concordant with the bonafide dynasty.

“As long as Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are running the show here in Kansas City, they’re going to have an opportunity to compete and contend for a Super Bowl,” Fescoe expressed. “I think acceptance is now starting to come around from the folks inside Bristol and some of the other national networks.”

Show co-host Josh Klingler found it notable that national shows were talking about the Chiefs as legitimate Super Bowl contenders with a chance to win three championships in a four-year span. The widespread recognition of the Chiefs as a talented football team and frontrunners to win the championship has ostensibly been a long time coming in the eyes of Kansas City sports fans.

Even so, there is still rhetoric pertaining to the Los Angeles Chargers and how if certain things had happened, the outcome of last season would have been drastically altered. Dan Orlovsky elocuted such remarks recently on ESPN, much to the chagrin of the morning drive show.

“He’s just out there throwing darts, man,” Fescoe said of Orlovsky.

Megyn Kelly: Jeff Zucker Ruined CNN, Chris Licht Is Just Struggling to Fix It

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Megyn Kelly: Jeff Zucker Ruined CNN, Chris Licht Is Just Struggling to Fix It

The profile of CNN CEO Chris Licht from The Atlantic continues to reverberate around the news media world, but SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly questions why Licht is the one taking all of the blame for CNN’s struggles.

During The Megyn Kelly Show Tuesday, the former Fox News host said she believes former CNN head Jeff Zucker is responsible for where the network currently finds itself, and took issue with comments he made to The New York Times.

“Jeff Zucker is…clearly trying to say ‘Chris Licht sucks and that all the CNNers are calling me saying how bad he is’. But Jeff Zucker is the one who ruined CNN,” Kelly said. “Chris Licht isn’t the one who ruined it, he’s just the one that’s struggling to fix it again.”

She then argued that while Licht isn’t responsible for the recent downturn in CNN’s ratings, the mission he has been put on by Warner Bros. Discovery head David Zaslav to return the network to its strictly news-gathering roots is a difficult one because Americans haven’t forgotten the shift CNN took during the Trump presidency.

“What Chris Licht is trying to do is take a bunch of avowed leftists, and make them fair and balanced reporters now, and stop them from being themselves,” Kelly argued. “He’s trying to undo the programming that Jeff Zucker let loose before realizing that all he had left was a bunch of wannabe MSNBC anchors and now those horses have left the barn.

“And now Chris Licht is trying to shove those horses back in the barn and fool the American people that they never left the barn and that they’re totally fair and balanced and you should trust them because now they’re going to say the right things. None of it works. It’s a recipe for disaster, and the ratings are showing it.”

Chris Plante: Laughable for Chuck Todd to Say There Was Never Propaganda On Meet The Press

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Chris Plante: Laughable for Chuck Todd to Say There Was Never Propaganda On Meet The Press

As Chuck Todd prepares to depart Meet The Press later this year, it seems unlikely WMAL host Chris Plante is sad to see him go.

During The Chris Plante Show, the host brought up several reasons why Todd — in his view — is misguided for stating that he, the show, and NBC News will never allow propaganda from either side to air on the program or network.

Plante described several cases that he believed showcased how that statement wasn’t true, alluding to the Steele Dossier as just one example. He then wondered aloud about the choice of Kristen Welker to be the one to succeed Todd.

“He’ll be replaced by a woman of color. Is she on the LGBTQ spectrum as well? Because if she’s not, why not?” questioned Plante. “Chunk (sic) actually says there’s no propaganda from him, Meet The Press, or NBC News. They don’t stand for that stuff.

“He’s just another old Democrat,” Plante continued. “He was a campaign guy for a Minnesota senator who was the most liberal member of the Senate at the time. Now his wife is a Democrat party apparatchik, who has her own company because her husband was the host of Meet The Press.”

Sports Media Praise Miami Reporter’s Stiff Arm on Obnoxious Fan

BSM Staff
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Samantha Rivera became a star overnight. The reporter is covering the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final for CBS News Miami. Monday night, during a report from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a fan tried to get in her live shot and was stopped in his tracks by a devastating stiff arm.

“I don’t know if I heard him or felt him, but I sensed him, and the second I did, my arm just came out,” she told Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina. “It’s not gonna happen! I was annoyed.”

The moment went viral on social media. Even the NFL took notice, drawing comparisons to Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans.

The stiff arm also elicited reactions from her colleagues at all levels of sports media.

WFLI Changes Format to News/Talk

BNM Staff
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WFLI Changes Format to News/Talk

WFLI, labeled as “The Big One”, will remain on the air in Chattanooga, but now with a new format.

After previously airing a classic hits format, the Tri-State Broadcasting station has flipped to a news/talk format.

After airing a simulcast of WTVC-TV’s morning show until 7:00 AM, the station will broadcast The Rick & Bubba Show until Noon. It will then add The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show from 12:00-3:00 PM, The Sean Hannity Show from 3:00-6:00 PM, and commentary from Bill O’Reilly from 6:00-7:00 PM.

The station, which is the flagship station for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs, will continue to hold a sports presence, airing the nationally syndicated OutKick Hot Mic with Jonathan Hutton and Chad Withrow on a delayed basis from 8:00-11:00 PM. The Press Box Radio Show featuring Brad Law, Mike Mote, J.D. Byars, and Mike Grace will also air on a delayed basis from 11:00 PM-1:00 AM.

WFLI airs on 1070 AM, 96.1 FM, and 100.3 FM, which are licensed to Lookout Mountain, GA; Hickson, TN; and Chattanooga, TN.

After Departure of Chuck Todd, What is the Future of ‘Sunday Shows’?

BNM Staff
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The tenure of Chuck Todd as Twitter’s favorite Sunday morning punching bag has ended. NBC’s political director and host of Meet The Press announced his departure yesterday, after a nearly 10-year run, claiming he is leaving “too soon” rather than “too late”.

Todd, who sat in the front row of the White House Press Room while I filled a similar seat at ABC, will now anchor a streaming show and contribute election analysis. He will be replaced by another former White House press corps colleague Kristen Welker in September.

Under Todd’s leadership, MTP has gone from first place to 3rd, and he has become the butt of many jokes and criticisms from those who do not believe he pushes back enough on lies and misinformation uttered to his face by politicians. The funniest line and perhaps sharpest critique came at last year’s White House Correspondents Dinner when comedian Trevor Noah called him out from the stage. “Chuck Todd, how are you?…I’d ask a follow-up, but you don’t know what that is”.

Unfortunately, that is a common malady among my former colleagues, and Mr. Todd is perhaps not the worst at fact-checking in real-time. But as salon.com pointed out, he once replied to Peter Navarro, a Donald Trump sycophant and prolific disinformation specialist with “I take your point”, after, without evidence, Navarro accused Democrats of eagerly rooting against the American economy to cripple Trump’s re-election attempt.

Todd can take some solace in the fact that if you read media critics and Twitter he is also disliked by right-wing “fake news” proponents who claim he shows bias against Republicans. Our old adage among journalists was if both sides hate you, you are doing something right. And the longing for Tim Russert is overplayed because we never got to see how Tim would have done up against the avalanche of disinformation that is today’s politics.

So what’s next? The Sunday shows are my favorite part of the week. The panels are civil and well thought out. Meet The Press has some very smart people from the left and right and unlike CNN or Fox, none who refuse to acknowledge the integrity of the 2020 election. ABC was often more entertaining, if not more informative with panels featuring Rahm Emanuel, now Donna Brazille on the left, and Chris Christie on the right. Face the Nation concentrates more on policy and less on pure politics.

But the best political interview show on TV isn’t on Sunday morning. Perhaps embarrassing to us in the actual field of journalism is that the best questioner and keen fact-checker on the fly is Jon Stewart, a comedian who hosts his own show The Problem with Jon Stewart on Apple TV.

Best example: Stewart’s interview with Oklahoma state senator Nathan Dahm, who has proposed less gun control and a ban on drag shows. It started with a simple question: “You want to ban drag show readings to children. Why?” Answer: “The government does have a responsibility to protect children.” Stewart’s clap back: “What’s the leading cause of death among children in this country? Here is a hint, it’s not drag shows.”

It’s not that hard to do. Stewart was not busy thinking about his next question or trying to fit too much into the interview. He prepared, had facts at hand, and listened to the state senator’s reply. Then calmly shut him down.

Here’s hoping my friend Kristen Welker watches a few of Stewart’s interviews. He routinely chops through talking points and knocks politicians off balance because he is quick, smart, and familiar with the concept of a follow-up.

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