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LIV Golf Stops Reporting Viewership As Audience Drops

BSM Staff
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LIV Golf Stops Reporting Viewership As Audience Drops

Despite early reporting showing less than stellar ratings for the first two tournaments of the season, LIV Golf hasn’t provided any ratings information on the four most recent events and doesn’t plan to release numbers moving forward.

LIV and CW owner Nexstar Media Group signed a two-year contract ahead of the 2023 season to make the network its U.S. TV home.

Golf.com writer James Colgan in late March reported that coverage of the season opener in Mexico averaged 537,000 viewers. The next tournament in Tuscon averaged 409,000 viewers.

Since then, four more events have taken place. The most recent was this past weekend in Tulsa, where a rain delay forced some CW affiliates to abandon coverage of the tournament’s conclusion and ensuing playoff in favor of regularly-scheduled programming.

LIV has said that Nielsen ratings for events airing on CW are inaccurate. Some CW affiliates aren’t even carrying coverage, and Nielsen only measures the audience watching the network during the specific LIV Golf broadcast window.

The league challenged Nielsen data that’s currently available, saying it’s not fully encompassing viewership.

Shane Riordan Absent from 670 The Score Following Lewd Comment About Dan Proft

BSM Staff
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Shane Riordan Absent from 670 The Score Following Lewd Comment About Dan Proft

Things have gone silent at 670 The Score regarding the absence of Shane Riordan, executive producer of Parkins & Spiegel. He has not been on the program since last Friday without an explanation. Many listeners, however, speculate it is because of a lewd comment he made on last Thursday’s program.

It all began when Danny Parkins began discussing a clip from The Herd with Colin Cowherd involving show co-host Jason McIntyre who said that the city of Chicago “is like a war zone right now,” comparing it to Afghanistan. McIntyre received considerable backlash for his statement from listeners and those in the industry, which originated from a response about Cowherd revealing that Chicago would be a city he would consider living in.

Some Chicagoians took umbrage over what had been said, with Riordan quote tweeting a clip of the incident and explicitly directing McIntyre not to talk about the city. He went on to call McIntyre uninformed, disgusting and “such a piece of shit” on his social media account. He later noted how he was unable to get over what had been said, seemingly incensed over the remark that had been made.

Shortly thereafter, AM 560 The Answer (WIND-AM) morning host Dan Proft responded to McIntyre on Twitter and expressed himself on the air. Riordan answered back on The Score’s airwaves and made a plea to fight for the reputation of the city and prohibit others from portraying it in a false light.

“He’s a horrible person, but this isn’t political to me,” Riordan said of Proft. “It’s standing up for my city, which is not Afghanistan…You don’t compare it to the Middle East and a war zone. You don’t talk about me like that. You know where the studio is. I’ll give you my address.”

It is perceived things went too far as Riordan escalated the situation, evidently making it personal by bringing up Proft’s deceased mother in a lascivious manner. The rest of the room laughed at Riordan’s comments.

An Audacy spokesperson told Jeff Agrest of The Chicago Sun-Times that the company has no comment on last week’s incident. Neither Riordan nor 670 The Score has not addressed what happened.

This comes just two weeks after Ryan Porth received a promotion to become the program director of the station, reporting directly to new vice president and station brand manager Mitch Rosen, who was also promoted. Whether or not Riordan returns to the airwaves remains to be seen, although he is reportedly not expected to be fired for the occurrence.

YouTube Strikes Steven Crowder After Alex Jones Hosted Louder With Crowder

BNM Staff
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YouTube Strikes Steven Crowder After Alex Jones Hosted Louder With Crowder

Steven Crowder has shared he has once again been the subject of sanctions by YouTube.

To begin Louder With Crowder Wednesday, the conservative digital host shared that he would be missing from the platform, at least briefly.

“Yesterday, we all here received five strikes, yes five strikes, against my two YouTube channels within five minutes,” Crowder said. “For some reason, my two channels have not been removed. We’re still waiting on some answers from the world’s most powerful media in existence — Alphabet, Google, YouTube — I’m sure they’ll get right on that…We won’t be on YouTube for at least two weeks. It remains to be seen.”

The strike stemmed from the decision by Crowder to have InfoWars host Alex Jones guest host the program on Monday.

“It’s not secret, all of big tech, including Twitter, in a concerted effort de-platformed Alex Jones years ago,” Crowder continued. “At that point in time, a lot of people just abandoned him. Some of those people were his lifelong friends. We here said no. Truth be told, Alex Jones and I were not close friends. We were acquaintances. We became closer friends immediately upon his de-platforming, despite our opinions. Alex Jones — as much as I disagree with him sometimes — is a friend. A God’s honest friend.”

Crowder then claimed that “leaving your friends” is not something he or his company is willing to do.

Jones was forced to file for bankruptcy last year after being found liable for more than $1 billion of damages to the families of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre. Even after the judgment and subsequent fallout, Jones received support from prominent media figures like Tucker Carlson, Charlie Kirk, and Crowder.

Gregg Giannotti: ‘The NFL Shouldn’t Be Laying Off Anybody’

BSM Staff
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Gregg Giannotti: ‘The NFL Shouldn’t Be Laying Off Anybody’

It all started with a Tweet. On Monday, Sports Illustrated journalist and former NFL Media employee Albert Breer conveyed his thoughts on the NFL’s deal with Peacock to give the streaming platform exclusive rights to carry a Wild Card Round playoff game. Breer asserted that since the NFL is reportedly receiving $110 million from Peacock in the deal, it is a genuine sign of who the owners are and their priorities.

One of the notable departures in the layoffs was Jim Trotter, coming after he publicly questioned NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about a lack of diversity in the leadership of NFL Media. He shared that he declined a three-month severance package from the league under the condition that he sign a non-disclosure agreement. On Wednesday morning, WFAN’s Boomer & Gio reacted.

“On the surface to me, the NFL shouldn’t be laying off anybody because if any business has been extremely successful in pro sports more than any of the others, it’s the NFL,” Gregg Giannotti said. “They keep finding ways to make new money, whether it’s overseas; whether it’s the new contract with YouTube, Amazon Prime [and] Peacock – it’s crazy the amount of money that they are pulling in.”

Indeed, the NFL is set to embark on the first season under a new media rights agreement with its primary production and distribution partners – including Paramount Global (CBS), FOX Corporation (FOX), Comcast (NBC/Peacock), The Walt Disney Company (ABC/ESPN/ESPN+), Google (YouTube/YouTube TV), Westwood One Radio and league-owned NFL Network. It is expected to generate approximately $12 billion in annual revenue for the league, on top of billions in advertising dollars for the media partners.

Giannotti likened the criticism to pushback ESPN received for announcing the addition of The Pat McAfee Show to its weekday programming lineup in a deal worth a reported eight figures. Even so, he is cognizant that business leaders do not look at both factors as mutually exclusive.

“People think that one has something to do with the other,” Giannotti said, “but really what they are thinking is, ‘We can give this guy ‘X’ amount of money and make more money on him, so that’s why we’re giving him that money.”

Goodell is not the sole decision maker when it comes to determining which employees to lay off and how to best operate the business. However, it is likely, according to Esiason, that he has to approve of certain moves being executed. Having a competent and prudential structure aligning the league for future prosperity is essential in its operations.

It points to why some employees feel they must strive to make themselves indispensable, but implicitly instantiating that culture in the past through layoffs has been shown to have mixed results, sometimes ultimately diminishing returns. The effect of NFL layoffs is largely unforeseen, for now, but it is fairly certain that the league will profit from its new media rights deal and encapsulate fans with new storylines next season.

“I just think it’s more about redundancy and the way things change and the way things are looked at differently,” Boomer Esiason said. “They may be firing some other people in other areas – older areas – and then in newer areas, hiring more people to be part of a growing aspect of a company.”

Greg Stocker: Some Companies Scared to Put Talk Radio on FM Dial

BNM Staff
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There’s genuine consternation in the news/talk landscape about the future of AM radio. Many auto manufacturers have begun removing the band from future and electric models, while members of Congress urge them to continue utilizing AM/FM radio. 1210 WPHT Brand Manager Greg Stocker shared his thoughts on the movement Wednesday morning.

During Kayal and Company, where he produces and serves as the third microphone on the station’s morning program, Stocker said the problems facing news/talk radio partially stem from a reluctance from the industry’s largest corporations being hesitant to put the format on FM stations.

“I’m at a point in my career that I really don’t care. There are companies — I’m not saying this one — that are afraid to put this type of radio on FM,” Stocker said. “That’s the God’s honest truth. They’re afraid. It’s not like we’re not profitable, because we are. It’s not like we don’t have ratings, because we do. If you put us on an even playing field with everybody else — the Audacy app, YouTube, stuff everyone can get — we compete with the best of the best. So we have two hands tied behind our backs by being on the AM dial. You put us on an even playing field — FM, Audacy app, YouTube — we can compete with anybody. But there are companies who are scared to put content like this on the FM dial.”

The 1210 WPHT brand manager then mentioned the potential pushback from listeners and advertisers is what keeps companies from moving news/talk, specifically conservative talk, to the more prominent FM bands.

“Music is safe. Sports radio is safe. That type of stuff is safe content. This is not safe content. So they don’t want the headlines of ‘Kayal says something stupid’ or ‘Zeoli says something dumb’. They don’t want the headache of that. So keep us over here on AM, we’ll be a ’boutique’ and we won’t ruffle any feathers. It’s infuriating to deal with on a day-to-day basis, and I’m dealing with it more and more on this end of the spectrum. I’m just being honest with you guys. It is a constant battle.”

Stocker then read a comment from a YouTuber viewer that said she hoped that 1210 WPHT — owned by Audacy — would move to the FM dial when sister station Newsradio KYW made the transition as well.

“You know what? So did I,” Stocker said. “But (that’s) not my decision.”

Subsequently, Stocker was celebrating his 20th anniversary of working at Audacy, previously Infinity, CBS Radio, and Entercom, in Philadelphia.

Pat McAfee Asks Audience to ‘Please Have Faith’ in ESPN Move

BSM Staff
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On Tuesday at The Walt Disney Company Upfront in New York City, it was announced that Pat McAfee is taking his digital show to ESPN. The reported eight-figure deal is unique in scope, as his show will air live on linear television and stream on ESPN’s YouTube channel simultaneously.

Prior to the conclusion of “Up to Something Season” being divulged, McAfee made sure to thank the fans of the show for believing him, and he is excited for the next chapter of the show. Yet there is also a deluge of people who believe McAfee and his show are “selling out” in going to ESPN, despite stating that the only change the show is making aside from operating in a block format is limiting its explicit language.

“I would also like a little bit of faith,” McAfee said on his show Wednesday. “Look at everything that I’ve been a part of – pretty much like everything. [It is a] little bit different, probably, than what other people have been a part of. No offense to anybody else, but the way my conversations normally go with people [are] a little bit different than how they normally go. The conversation with the powers that be at ESPN right now and at Disney all had the same exact line up.”

ESPN is home to a broad catalog of enticing content produced by a variety of studio and shoulder programming, including Get Up, First Take, College GameDay and Around the Horn among others. McAfee’s show has an unconventional approach in that it is more conversational and less formal in its structure, apropos to younger demographics predicated on instant gratification and evident dynamism. With McAfee’s show presumably slated to start the afternoons on ESPN – potential changes to the morning lineup notwithstanding – he hopes to alter the sports media ecosystem for years to come.

“Sports media has really been like one particular thing for a very long time,” McAfee said. “I know there’s people that do different things other than debate, but the debate era certainly became a thing in sports media and debates naturally lead to division and nitpicking and tearing people down…They start trying to mimic that and that’s become sports media pretty much.”

Rather than promulgating contentiousness, McAfee and his show want sports to act as a unifying force rather than an additional means of division. The host acknowledged that his program has people across the broad political spectrum.

“I think we have a real opportunity here to change sports media as a whole,” McAfee said. “Just like Stephen A. and Skip had success and everybody wanted to replicate it, if we’re able to get in there and showcase that, ‘Hey, you’re able to cover sports in a celebratory fashion; in a way that you’re happy for people as opposed to trying to prove why people shouldn’t be in the position that they’re in.’ I think there’s a chance that that could maybe ooze to other decisions that are being made.”

With the move to ESPN, McAfee is cognizant that the company will receive acclaim and pushback from its viewers, and is appreciative of them putting up with it. Even though the transition will have somewhat of an adjustment period for everyone involved, McAfee and his cast know they will be able to present an informative and innovative multiplatform show for everyone in the United States and abroad.

“Please have faith that we will be able to produce a show that is entertaining and still is so in our spirit,” McAfee implored, “because that is literally what the entire conversation was.”

Lachlan Murdoch: Fox News Has Survived Loss of ‘Superstars’ in the Past

BNM Staff
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It has been a tumultuous few months for Fox News, and Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch believes the seas can be steadied for the legacy cable organization.

During an appearance at the MoffettNathanson Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference, Murdoch refused to go into the particulars behind the firing of former host Tucker Carlson. He simply alluded to the decision being right for the network’s business.

“I’m not going to go into programming at Fox News short of saying that all our programming decisions are made with the long-term interests of the Fox News brand and the Fox News business at heart,” Murdoch said.

Many have questioned the future forward for Fox News after Carlson’s ouster. Some have boisterously claimed the network was in its final days. However, Murdoch used previous high-profile Fox News exits as proof of the network’s staying power in the news media landscape.

“Bill O’Reilly was a superstar. Megyn Kelly was a superstar. Glenn Beck was a superstar,” said Murdoch. “And we were able to move forward with programming decisions that ultimately result in long-term growth and profitability of the business.”

A decline in ratings has followed Fox News after Carlson’s departure. After garnering more than 3 million viewers in the timeslot, Fox News Tonight is only capturing roughly half of that figure.

Drudge Report claimed the network had finalized changes to its primetime lineup Wednesday, reporting that Sean Hannity would move into the role previously occupied by Carlson. A Fox News spokesperson, however, has denied that report.

Fox News Denies Drudge Report Claim of Revamped Primetime Lineup

BNM Staff
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On Wednesday, a report from Drudge Report claimed that Fox News had embarked on altering its entire primetime lineup, shuffling every current show to a new time slot, while replacing Tucker Carlson. However, a Fox News spokesperson has denied those claims.

According to Drudge Report, the network is poised to move Sean Hannity to the 8:00 PM ET window previously occupied by Carlson. In turn, Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld were listed as “moving to primetime”. Currently, Watters and Gutfeld appear on The Five for the network. Watters then hosts Jessee Watters Primetime at 7:00 PM ET, while Gutfeld hosts his late-night program at 11:00 PM ET. The report did not make any claims on the future of Laura Ingraham’s current program with Fox News.

“It’s our boldest and most fearless line-up ever,” Drudge’s alleged inside source claimed.

The network has subsequently denied the report, saying that nothing has been finalized.

“No decision has been made on a new primetime line-up and there are multiple scenarios under consideration,” a statement from the network read.

Fox News has experienced a drastic drop in viewership since Carlson was unceremoniously dumped in late April. After averaging more than 3 million viewers per night, the 8:00 PM ET window now garners roughly half of that figure since Carlson’s departure.

After Carlson’s exit, Fox News has used a rotating panel of hosts to fill the slot for a week at a time. Brian Kilmeade, Lawrence Jones, Kayleigh McEnany, and Will Cain have all been featured as temporary hosts for what the network is calling Fox News Tonight.

Matt Barrie ‘Fine With’ People That Don’t Want To See Him on PGA Championship

BSM Staff
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Beginning on Thursday, ESPN will have another alternate broadcast of the PGA Championship that is being played at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. Last year, Joe Buck was involved. This year, it will be Matt Barrie and Michael Collins leading into the television coverage the first two days (11 AM-1 PM ET).

Barrie was a guest on the Fairways of Life with Matt Adams Golf  podcast this week and he said the goal for the broadcast this week is for people to just enjoy golf being brought to them in a non-traditional way.

“We know that Thursday and Friday, we are the coverage leading into the coverage. We’ll hand it off to SVP and Jim Nantz. There’s a way to do it. There’s a way to have fun doing it. There’s a way to enjoy this sport with two guys sitting around watching and calling the coverage and having a conversation you and I would have.”

Barrie did not mention which specific guests will be on during the coverage, but he wants to prove that golf is more than just an old man’s game.

“That’s been the knock on the sport forever. How do we invite everyone in, watch a major championship together, and maybe laugh and have fun doing it? That’s the goal.”

While Barrie has been a part of golf coverage on ESPN for many years and is a familiar voice, he knows not everyone will be thrilled with the way he and Collins approach their coverage.

“I get it. There’s going to be people at 11 AM saying ‘What is this? Give me Jim Nantz! Give me SVP!’ It’s going to happen and I’m fine with that. I’m around the sport enough to know that I respect how it’s done and I always have, but let’s try something new. Let’s see if we can attract a younger audience and attract someone who may otherwise not think golf was fun or cool. I think we will have a good shot.”

77 WABC Host Rudy Giuliani Denies Allegations of Sexual Misconduct, Peddling Presidential Pardons

BNM Staff
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Explosive allegations against former New York Mayor and current 77 WABC host Rudy Giuliani were uncovered in a lawsuit earlier this week. He has subsequently denied the allegations on his radio show.

After interviewing James Bovard of The New York Post, he turned his attention to the newspaper’s recent reporting surrounding the allegations against him.

“They’re doing a hit job on me,” Giuliani said during his 77 WABC show Tuesday. “They reported a story that a woman sued me for all kinds of horrible things that I didn’t do. They fail to point out, and there’s so much to point out about her because it will come out eventually, but the dishonest New York Post didn’t call it to your attention.”

Noelle Dunphy alleges that Giuliani raped and sexually abused her during her tenure working for him. She also claims the 77 WABC host owes her more than $2 million in back pay. Additionally, she claims Giuliani required her to work naked and strip during video calls. She also shared that he made racist, sexist, and anti-Semitic remarks throughout her time in his office.

In an October 2016 story, The New York Post reportedly claimed Dunphy — who they chose not to name at the time — had a history of launching frivolous lawsuits against high-earning men.

Dunphy also claimed that Giuliani was offering Presidential pardons at the end of former President Donald Trump’s term. She alleges Giuliani was “selling” the pardons for $2 million, with he and Trump splitting the fee.

Giuliani — who served as Trump’s personal attorney — has denied those claims.

“I am a punching bag for these folks,” Giuliani said. “The New York Post won’t report what I’m telling you. MSNBC is talking about this. This is her third or fourth accusation of rape against me. What I’m telling you is 100% true. This is a woman who does this for a living. She sues men to get money for a living!”

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