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Westwood One Elevates Brandon Berman to President of Sales

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Westwood One Elevates Brandon Berman to President of Sales

Westwood One has announced the promotion of Brandon Berman to the role of President of Sales.

Berman, who has been with Westwood One for 17 years, previously held the position of Executive Vice President of Sales and Sports Partnerships.

In his new role, Berman will report to Suzanne Grimes, the President of the network. Berman’s appointment comes as Ron Russo, the outgoing President of Sales, departs from the company to pursue other opportunities. Russo assumed the position in February 2021, after previously holding the position of Executive Vice President of Sales for nearly six years.

“Brandon is a natural leader with a smart, strategic approach to the business that will enable us to manage through these economic headwinds and beyond with confidence, commitment, resilience, and results,” Grimes said in making the announcement.

“With his unparalleled command of our powerhouse sports business, proven success with integrated, and multi-platform client-focused selling, Brandon is uniquely well-suited to lead the team.”

The move is the second executive appointment this week for Westwood One. On Monday, Ryan Maguire was named the company’s new Vice President of Affiliate Sales for Sports.

Levack and Goz Joining FOX Sports 980

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Beginning Monday, May 1st, Levack and Goz will hit the airwaves of FOX Sports 980 in Albany.

Jeff Levack and Tom “Goz” Goslowski will reunite to host a new afternoon show in the New York state capital. They previously hosted the afternoon show together at 104.5 The Team in Albany.

A longtime host in the Capital Region, Levack departed 104.5 The Team in May 2021 to join the Albany Empire. He was Team President of the National Arena League franchise during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. During his tenure with the franchise, he hosted the coach and pregame shows, and was also named the National Arena League Executive of the Year in 2022.

Tom Goslowski joined iHeartMedia Albany late last year as the Program Director of both FOX Sports 980 and news/talk station WGY. He served in the same capacity with 104.5 The Team until leaving the station in January 2021 after nearly six years. Additionally, he worked as the morning drive host at 1260 The Score in Syracuse, and worked as a studio host for the Syracuse Mets and Syracuse University.

The pair hosted a Levack and Goz podcast together in July 2021, but haven’t released an episode since February 12th.

Both Levack and Goslowski are two-time New York State Broadcasting Award winners.

Levack and Goz will air from 3:00-5:00 PM on the station. It will replace The Doug Gottlieb Show in the daily lineup.

Court Rules MASN Owes Washington Nationals $105M

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Court Rules MASN Owes Washington Nationals $105M

A New York Court of Appeals has upheld a decision from an MLB committee that MASN owes the Washington Nationals more than $100 million in unpaid rights fees.

“While it is unfortunate that our decision may send this protracted litigation into extra innings, that result is necessitated by the settlement agreement’s terms,” Judge Madeline Singas wrote in the unanimous decision by the court, according to Front Office Sports. 

MASN — the regional sports network owned by the Baltimore Orioles — has argued for more than a decade with the Nationals over the local television rights for the team. When the Nationals moved to the nation’s capital from Montreal, MLB gave the club’s local television rights to the Orioles, with the fee paid to the club negotiated every five years.

However, the Orioles have disputed how much that fee should have been during the 2012-2016 seasons. The MLB panel has ruled that the figure is $105 million, which the New York appellate court reiterated.

The situation had reportedly caused a stall in a potential sale of the Washington franchise. Owner Ted Lerner announced he would explore a sale of the team last year, before he passed away in February. Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics owner Ted Leonsis reportedly offered to purchase the team for $2 billion, and also offered to purchase MASN from the Orioles, but was rebuffed.

Leonsis — who completed a purchase of NBC Sports Washington last year — was hoping to add the Orioles’ television rights to his network with the aim of creating a “D.C. area super network”, the report continued.

Matthew Berry Added to NBC’s Kentucky Derby Coverage

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NBC Sports fantasy football analyst Matthew Berry is branching out. He’ll join the network’s coverage of the 149th Kentucky Derby next weekend.

Berry will host a segment called “Handicapping 101 with Matthew Berry”, which will aim to highlight the basics of horse race betting to novice viewers.

“Being at the Kentucky Derby is a sports bucket list moment for me as a long-time fan and viewer of the race,” Berry said. “Getting to do my show from historic Churchill Downs and then be a part of NBC’s coverage of The 149th Kentucky Derby is awesome. I promise to wait till I’m off air to start in on the mint juleps.”

Additionally, Berry will hose a special edition of Fantasy Football Happy Hour on Peacock live from Churchill Downs in the run-up to the event. He will be joined by Jay Croucher, Connor Rogers, and NBC Sports handicapper Drew Dinsick.

Raceday coverage from the 149th Kentucky Derby begins at Noon ET on Saturday, May 6th on both NBC and Peacock.

Boomer Esiason: Tony Rizzo is Cleveland’s Joe Benigno

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Sports radio hosts love to play audio from other sports radio hosts. Our industry is full of people fascinated by one another and their approach and success. That played out Wednesday morning on WFAN as Boomer and Gio enjoyed audio from Tony Rizzo’s takedown of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“He’s like the pain in the ass guy that Cleveland has,” Gregg Giannotti said before playing audio of Rizzo listed who all “sucked” in the Cavs’ most recent loss to the New York Knicks. “You know, everyone’s got a pain in the ass guy.”

Boomer Esiason wondered who the “pain in the ass guy” is in New York. The show’s cast members took turns naming who the toughest person to work with at WFAN is.

Gio explained that he meant that Rizzo is the kind of guy that is a pain in the ass to the local teams because he doesn’t feel obligated to be a cheerleader. Rizzo is going to be honest and angry when things are going badly.

That brought the answer right into focus for Esiason.

“Oh Joe B,” Esiason said referring to Joe Benigno. “Wouldn’t that be it? I mean, for the last 25 years!”

It is an astute observation. Benigno was a part of the WFAN weekday lineup for a long time. Listeners, whether they supported the Giants or the Jets, delighted in Benigno’s catchphrase “oh the pain” whenever the Jets would let him down.

Giannotti added that honesty is something every market needs. Rizzo caught some flack for his harsh assessment of the Cavaliers, coach JB Bickerstaff, and star guard Donovan Mitchell on social media. When he addressed it the next day on his show, Rizzo did not apologize, but instead told his listeners that they need to understand that his job is to say on the air the things they are all saying about the team when they are watching at home.

“Unless his radio station’s the Cavs’ flagship I don’t know why he would have to apologize,” Gio said in praise of the move.

Abby Grossberg: Fox News Generates ‘Hatred in the Audience’

BNM Staff
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Former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg, who was fired by the network after filing a lawsuit claiming she was asked to lie during her deposition in the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit, made an appearance on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House to discuss Tucker Carlson’s exit from the network.

During the interview, Grossberg claimed there was a hostile, sexist, and anti-Semitic work environment while working for Carlson, and found working on his show to be challenging from an ethical standpoint.

“I found it difficult to cover the kind of stories that they wanted me to cover,” Grossberg said. “I wasn’t expecting it. Maybe I should have, that’s what some people say. For example, right at the end of my time there, the January 6th tapes were coming out. Tucker was very set on finding an FBI person who was implanted in the crowd and spinning this conspiracy that they were the ones responsible for the Capitol attack, not Fox News, as they’re about to go into the Dominion trial. It was really the FBI that set up this thing, and not Fox News, who had told the American people that the election was rigged and the voting machines did it.

“When I went back to them and said, ‘Look, there’s no conspiracy theory here,’ I called this attorney that’s representing one of the Proud Boys, and he flat out told me on two occasions, ‘There is no conspiracy. Get away from this stuff. This is dangerous. Tell Tucker to stop. I’ll come on your show and represent my client. But I absolutely will walk off if he asks me this,’. And the response was ‘Find somebody else, Tucker is really intent on this’.

“That wore on my mental health, too, because by that time I had really begun to connect the dots that the programming that we were putting on the air every night was not just generating business, but also generating hatred in the audience,” said Grossberg. “And after January 6th, I had this wake-up moment that this is hurting people. People are getting angry and people are acting out on that anger. And this is not okay. And I don’t want to be part of that.”

Grossberg claimed she was eventually demoted after speaking out about issues she had with the show behind the scenes.

Fox News has continually denied the claims made by Grossberg.

“Fox News Media engaged an independent outside counsel to immediately investigate the concerns raised by Ms. Grossberg, which were made following a critical performance review,” Fox News said in a statement.

“Abby Grossberg’s allegations in connection with the Dominion case are baseless and she had no bearing on the settlement. We will vigorously defend Fox against all of her unmeritorious legal claims, which are riddled with false allegations against the network and our employees.”

Megyn Kelly: Fox News Treated Tucker Carlson With ‘Dripping Disdain’

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As more information trickles out about Tucker Carlson’s exit from Fox News, former host on the network Megyn Kelly wonders what Carlson did to deserve the treatment he has received from his now former employer.

During The Megyn Kelly Show Tuesday, the former Fox News host began the program by questioning why someone like Carlson — who she believes helped the network weather a nasty storm — was treated with such hostility.

“He’s been at the company for years. He’d be in primetime for seven years and saw Fox News through one of the most difficult times in its history: the immediate era post-Roger Ailes, where they didn’t know left from right and up from down,” Kelly said. “They didn’t have strong management leading the company, and they had lost two of their biggest stars, Bill O’Reilly and me. So Tucker takes over, it’s a huge order that he was given. He did it. He smashed the ball out of the park.”

Kelly continued by saying she couldn’t really fathom a situation that could be Carlson’s fault to be treated in such a manner.

“What led them to treat their number one start with such disdain? I mean, dripping disdain, to the point where he no longer has access to his email. He doesn’t get to say goodbye. I mean this is absolutely disrespectful to him,” argued Kelly. “Unlike Don Lemon, he hadn’t been immersed in controversy after controversy inside the building, against his own colleagues…what was it? What would make your own company turn against you like that? The Fox News audience is clearly mad, and I don’t blame them.

“Fox News is banking on its audience not leaving it, on its audience being more in love with the Fox News brand than they were with Tucker. We’ll see whether or not that’s true. I just think the way they handled it was disrespectful and gross. I think Tucker Carlson deserved better.”

Kelly argued that while Fox News and Carlson negotiate a separation agreement, the network should allow him out of his non-compete clause so he can “go out there and get his voice on the air, now, when his audience will most be missing it”.

Steven Crowder, Candace Owens Trade Legal Threats After Extortion, Defamation Accusations

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A long-running feud between conservative commentators Steven Crowder and Candace Owens has devolved into threats of legal action between the pair.

In January, Owens took issue with Crowder’s blasting of The Daily Wire — her employer — for what he called a ridiculous contract offer as he pursued free agency. At the time, Owens told listeners to pray for Crowder because he had “a lot going on” in his personal life that was causing him to act in such an unbecoming manner.

During his digital show on Rumble Tuesday, Crowder revealed that he has been embroiled in what he called an “increasingly horrendous divorce” since 2021. He then accused Owens of extortion, saying that people close to him in “positions of power and influence” were aware of the situation, and “knew that the safety of my children” was important to him in keeping the situation private.

He then played the clip of the comments Owens made, alluding to problems in his personal life.

“I’ll be handling this through the proper legal avenues and channels available as a matter of record in which I have more than full confidence,” Crowder said.

In response, Owens addressed the idea that she had extorted Crowder on her podcast, saying she “will not take that lightly”.

“I am not going to take somebody going on to his platform and alleging that I either harassed, threatened, or did anything that would put his children at risk,” argued Owens. “That is very serious stuff that he is saying.”

She then claimed she had been in touch with an attorney about Crowder’s accusations.

“I contacted a defamation lawyer and I am sending Steven Crowder a cease and desist and I’m going to demand a full-throated retraction to the idea that Candace Owens threatened him or extorted him.”

Owens continued by saying Crowder’s actions “obviously means that something is going on personally”, but added that this time, she isn’t asking her listeners to pray for him.

Michael Smerconish: Greg Gutfeld Is Now ‘Most Important Personality’ at Fox News

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Michael Smerconish: Greg Gutfeld Is Now ‘Most Important Personality’ at Fox News

After the exit of Tucker Carlson, an argument could be made that Fox News is looking for its next primetime star. Michael Smerconish argues that Greg Gutfeld is now the network’s preeminent host.

During The Michael Smerconish Show on SiriusXM, the longtime host believed Gutfeld, who has self-branded himself as the new king of late night, carries the most weight at the cable outlet.

“I think arguably right now, the biggest personality on that network (is) Greg Gutfeld,” Smerconish said. “Gutfeld, I think arguably right now is the most important personality on that network…There’s always somebody waiting in the wings and the network will be fine.”

Smerconish also pushed back against claims from those who believe that Fox News will falter, or in the words of Bill O’Reilly “diminish”, without Tucker Carlson. He argued that Roger Ailes, O’Reilly himself, and Glenn Beck, among others, have exited the network, and Fox News continues to stay as the top-ranked cable news outlet.

“They’re fine! What Murdoch knows — father and son — that people really are expendable and interchangeable.”

Donald Trump Arraignment Gave Tucker Carlson Biggest Ratings Boost in 3 Years

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The historic scene from New York City on Tuesday Apr. 4 of the first former U.S. President in history being arraigned on criminal charges — here, due to alleged hush money Donald Trump paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election — was covered extensively by several TV networks, including the broadcast networks which preempted their regular daytime programming.

Cable news, of course, offered blanket coverage on Apr. 4. Each outlet can tout some ratings boon from that day as well as the entire week ending Apr. 9.

Fox News led all of cable in total day and primetime among both total viewers (2.25 million total day; 4.4 million primetime) and the key 25-54 demographic (331,000 total day; 713,000 prime time) on Apr. 4, according to Nielsen Media Research. CBS, with its all-FBI lineup averaging 6.4 million viewers, was the lone network to outdraw Fox News in prime time total audience that night. (As for the other outlets, in total day: MSNBC 1.57 million total viewers, 231,000 A25-54; CNN 1.19 million total viewers, 299,000 A25-54; in prime: MSNBC 2.67 million total viewers, 348,000 A25-54; CNN 1.75 million total viewers, 487,000 A25-54)

With 6.46 million from 8-9 p.m. ET (6.7 million for its latter 45 minutes), the now-defunct Tucker Carlson Tonight achieved its biggest total viewership in three years, thanks to its broadcast of Trump’s post-arraignment speech from his Mar-a-Lago estate. In addition, for Apr. 3-7, Carlson averaged 4.035 million total viewers which marked its best weekly average since February 2022.

FNC also had several of its programs that saw their best weeks of 2023 in both viewers and A25-54, including The Story (1.961 million viewers; 258,000 A25-54), Hannity (2.951 million viewers; 388,000 A25-54) and The Ingraham Angle(2.241 million viewers; 318,000 A25-54). Jesse Watters Primetime (362,000 A25-54) delivered its best week with adults 25-54 this year.

The recently beleaguered CNN showed its might in the key 25-54 demo, leading all of cable in the afternoon. For Trump’s booking from 1-4 p.m. ET, CNN drew 613,000 A25-54 while FNC (447,000) and MSNBC (361,000) were also potent. For Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s press conference during the 4-5 p.m. ET hour,  CNN (491,000) also topped FNC (440,000) and MSNBC (386,000).

For a week that also involved the expulsion of two Black legislators in Tennessee as a result of gun reform protests, MSNBC saw significant growth, compared to the year-ago week (Apr. 4-10, 2022), As indicated by the week’s network averages listed below, MSNBC is up 49 percent in total prime time viewers and up 44 percent in total day viewers; up 51 percent in prime time 25-54 and up 68 percent in the total day key demo. (Interestingly enough, despite this high-profile week, FNC (-21 percent) and CNN (-1.5 percent) were both down in total day 25-54 from the year-ago week.)

Newsmax, which normally hovers around 100,000 in total day viewers per day, posted 411,000 viewers from 2-4 p.m. on Apr. 4 for Trump’s arraignment and 862,000 viewers for his speech at 8 p.m.

NewsNation also peaked for Trump’s Mar-a-Lago speech at 8 p.m. with 225,000 viewers — a figure that’s more than twice the nascent news outlet’s normal primetime total-viewer figures.

Cable news averages for April 3-9, 2023:

Total Day (Apr. 3-9 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.429 million viewers; 189,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 0.950 million viewers; 124,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.586 million viewers; 133,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.116 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.111 million viewers; 10,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.106 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.101 million viewers; 28,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.101 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (Apr. 3-8 @ 8-11 p.m.; Apr. 9 @ 7-11 p.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 2.358 million viewers; 304,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 1.501 million viewers; 172,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.717 million viewers; 180,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.189 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.168 million viewers; 47,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.121 million viewers; 22,000 adults 25-54
  • NewsNation: 0.111 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.068 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.059 million viewers; 8,000 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. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 6.462 million viewers

2. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 4.178 million viewers

3. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 4.034 million viewers

4. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.687 million viewers

5. The Story (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.500 million viewers

6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 4/5/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.375 million viewers

7. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 4/5/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.256 million viewers

8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 4/3/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.246 million viewers

9. America Reports (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 2:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.245 million viewers

10. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 4/3/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.233 million viewers

16. Trump Arrest/Arraignment (CNN, Tue. 4/4/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.809 million viewers

17. Indictment of Donald Trump “SDNY Trump Arraignment” (MSNBC, Tue. 4/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.802 million viewers

210. Eric Bolling The Balance (NMX, Tue. 4/4/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.826 million viewers

333. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 4/9/2023 11:11 PM, 34 min.) 0.482 million viewers

335. The Daily Show “Apr 6, 23 – Roy Wood Jr” (CMDY, Thu. 4/6/2023 11:00 PM, 35 min.) 0.480 million viewers

386. Kudlow (FBN, Tue. 4/4/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.370 million viewers

441. Shark Tank “Shark Tank 1316” (CNBC, Wed. 4/5/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.295 million viewers

467. Highway Thru Hell “(1111) Get Er Done” (TWC, Sun. 4/9/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.243 million viewers

473. Forensic Files (HLN, late Fri. 4/7/2023 3:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.235 million viewers

481. Newsnation Special Report “Trump NYC Arraignment” (NWSN, Tue. 4/4/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.225 million viewers

851. Tooning Out The News “Tooning Out The News-120” (CMDY, Wed. 4/5/2023 11:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.104 million viewers

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

1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.087 million adults 25-54

2. Trump Arrest/Arraignment (CNN, Tue. 4/4/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.657 million adults 25-54

3. Trump Arrest/Arraignment (CNN, Tue. 4/4/2023 2:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.655 million adults 25-54

4. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.636 million adults 25-54

5. Donald Trump Indictment (CNN, Tue. 4/4/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.615 million adults 25-54

6. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.561 million adults 25-54

7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 4/4/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.540 million adults 25-54

8. Trump Arrest/Arraignment (CNN, Tue. 4/4/2023 1:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.528 million adults 25-54

9. Donald Trump Indictment (CNN, Tue. 4/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.494 million adults 25-54

10. Trump Arrest/Arraignment (CNN, Tue. 4/4/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.491 million adults 25-54

18. Katy Tur Reports “SDNY Trump Arraignment” (MSNBC, Tue. 4/4/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.392 million adults 25-54

181. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 4/9/2023 11:11 PM, 34 min.) 0.144 million adults 25-54

218. The Daily Show “Apr 6, 23 – Roy Wood Jr” (CMDY, Thu. 4/6/2023 11:00 PM, 35 min.) 0.127 million adults 25-54

243. Eric Bolling The Balance (NMX, Tue. 4/4/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.118 million adults 25-54

307. Shark Tank “Shark Tank 1316” (CNBC, Wed. 4/5/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.093 million adults 25-54

361. Forensic Files (HLN, late Thu. 4/6/2023 4:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.074 million adults 25-54

392. Storm Center (TWC, Tue. 4/4/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.065 million adults 25-54

479. Newsnation Special Report “Trump NYC Arraignment” (NWSN, Tue. 4/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.050 million adults 25-54

519. Mornings with Maria Bartiromo (FBN, Mon. 4/3/2023 7:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.044 million adults 25-54

711. Tooning Out The News “Tooning Out The News-120” (CMDY, Wed. 4/5/2023 11:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.027 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

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