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Eli Gold Plans Return to Alabama Radio Booth in 2023

BSM Staff
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After missing the 2022 Alabama football season due to health challenges, Eli Gold plans to return to the school’s radio booth in 2023.

During an interview with The Opening Kickoff on 105.5 WNSP, Gold admitted that he has lost 148 pounds while spending 186 days in hospitals and nursing homes after being diagnosed with cancer on Christmas Eve last year. He shared that his final chemotherapy treatment is scheduled for next Friday.

“Lord willing, and the creek don’t rise, I am planning to be back in time for the start of the regular season,” Gold said.

“I may show up with a walker, and if that’s the case, big darn deal,” he said. “There’s tons of people that use walkers in this world. If I can get by with a cane, I’ll do that. Whatever it is.”

Gold said he experienced a situation where he went to bed with no issues last year, but woke up and had no usage of either of his legs. He spent time at UAB Hospital, where doctors couldn’t nail down what his medical issues were. He ultimately discovered he had cancer after a persistent case of hiccups.

He continued by saying that doctors have been pleased with his recovery, and he looks forward to rejoining the Crimson Tide radio booth, where he’s served as the lead voice since 1988.

“It’s not been easy. It’s not been simple, by any stretch,” Gold said, admitting that there were times his wife was told by doctors he might not survive until the next day. “But I do have just one more chemotherapy session to go, and the doctors are really pleased, everybody is excited and if the doctors are pleased, then I’m pleased. I feel wonderful.”

Chris Stewart, the regular voice of Alabama basketball and baseball, filled in for Eli Gold on football games last season. He will be back in the booth this week for Alabama’s spring game.

Phoenix Brewery Honors Suns Broadcaster Al McCoy With Shazaam! Valley-Style IPA

BSM Staff
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PHX Beer Co. is honoring Al McCoy with a very limited edition product. The company will pay tribute to the recently retired voice of the Phoenix Suns with a beer called Shazaam! Valley-style IPA.

Only 51 cases of the beer are available. The number commemorates the 51 years that McCoy worked for the team.

Shazaam! Valley-style IPA is only available in two places in the Phoenix area. The beer went on sale Friday and can be found on tap at PHX Beer Co’s restaurant and brewery in Scottsdale. It will also be on tap and sold in four-packs at the company’s Taphouse location in Phoenix.

The celebration “special edition” is more about the can than the actual beer inside.
The can features Suns’ colors and McCoy’s catchphrase. Inside is PHX Beer Co.’s Monsoon IPA.

Al McCoy has earned several honors including induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame and a spot in the team’s Ring of Honor. During the 2021 NBA Finals, ESPN’s Mike Breen said of McCoy “I put him up there with Vin Scully and Ernie Harwell, and all the greats, all the legends.” He has been the voice of the Phoenix Suns since 1972. He will retire after the season ends.

Doris Burke: With Layoffs Looming, I Don’t Take ESPN, NBA Contract Renewal For Granted

BSM Staff
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Disney has a strong relationship with the NBA. ESPN carries the bulk of the company’s inventory with the league while the Finals air on ESPN. Doris Burke likes it that way, but she isn’t counting on it staying the same forever.

The league will hear pitches from potential suitors this summer as negotiations begin for the league’s next media rights deal. The price tag to carry the games is expected to climb significantly. Not only is the league hoping to triple its rights revenue but the involvement of big tech companies that want NBA games on their streaming platforms are expected to push the dollar amounts discussed to new heights.

Burke said the timing of these negotiations isn’t great for herself and her co-workers.

“The New York Post recently came out with a story sort of documenting that we can expect layoffs,” she told Owen Poindexter on the Front Office Sports Today podcast. “We can expect layoffs from coworkers. You can expect that from fellow announcers. I’ve lived through it once, and you know, it’s not good.”

ESPN has dedicated significant air time to the NBA. Games and studio programming are a centerpiece, but NBA content being rolled into other shows matters too. 

The significance of that isn’t lost on Doris Burke. She said it gives her a lot of hope as the NBA gets set to meet with Disney.

“Business is business,” she said. “You’re hoping and pulling for us to do the right things to get the contract renewed, but I’ll say this to you. In light of all the business implications for Disney and us, I’m optimistic we get it. But until we sign that contract, I take nothing for granted. Absolutely nothing.”

In addition to Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, which are the league’s current rights holders, NBC, Apple, and Amazon have all expressed a desire to land some amount of NBA games during these negotiations. It is expected that, at the very least, a third, streaming-exclusive package of games will be made available to bidders.

Tucker Carlson: Media ‘Celebrating’ Capture Of Pentagon Leaker

BNM Staff
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Yesterday, the alleged leaker of sensitive documents from the Pentagon was apprehended by federal authorities, and Fox News host Tucker Carlson believes several media outlets acted in conjunction with the federal government to catch the culprit.

On Tucker Carlson Tonight, the host lamented the arrest of 21-year-old Jack Teixeria, a Massachusettes Air National Guard member, after Carlson claimed the serviceman showcased the truth to the American people.

“And yet, tonight, the news media are celebrating the capture of the kid who told Americans what’s actually happening in Ukraine,” Carlson said. “They are treating him like Osama bin Laden. Maybe a little worse, actually, because, unlike al Qaeda, apparently this kid is a racist.”

Reports have surfaced that Teixeria has shared racist memes and made racist statements in the same Discord server in which he leaked the classified documents.

Carlson continued by specifically naming a pair of newspapers as being “complicit” with the Biden administration in the capture of Teixeria.

“The administration apparently used illegal surveillance techniques to identify this kid, apparently with the help of The Washington Post and The New York Times,” Carlson said. He added that the outlets are “accomplices that aren’t holding government accountable. They’re helping the government keep you from knowing what the government is doing.”

He then accused the Biden administration of giving The Washington Post a security clearance to view the documents purportedly leaked by Teixeria.

“If it’s illegal to see these documents, if you don’t have a security clearance, how is The Washington Post doing this legally?” questioned Carlson. “They don’t have a security clearance. Well, obviously, they were given them by the U.S. intel agencies and are working alongside them.”

Audacy Sports President Mike Dee Departing

BSM Staff
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Audacy Sports President Mike Dee Departing

Mike Dee, President of Sports for Audacy, is exiting the company after joining in 2017.

In an internal memo from Audacy Chairman, President, and CEO David Field, it was revealed that Dee approached Field about “redefining his role” with the company earlier this year so he could “free up some bandwidth” to explore other endeavors.

“Over the past six years, Mike has made invaluable contributions to the company, deepening and enhancing our league and team relationships, forging landmark customer partnerships, and launching new content and monetization opportunities,” wrote Field.

“During his tenure, Mike spearheaded our company’s foray into the rapidly growing sports betting space, including his work establishing record-breaking, multi-year partnerships with FanDuel and BetMGM, acquiring BetQL, and the launch of the BetQL Network.”

According to Field, Dee will transition into a new role as a senior advisor with the company.

Dee came to Audacy after a long tenure in professional sports, mostly in Major League Baseball. He worked as the CEO of both the San Diego Padres and Miami Dolphins, and was the COO of the Boston Red Sox.

Additionally, Audacy has announced that Executive Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Business Development Tim Murphy is also exiting the company. According to the memo, Murphy also suggested a change in role with the organization. Field claimed Murphy suggested that the “smartest path forward for the company would be to pivot away from a centralized businesses development role and distribute those responsibilities to our business development leadership across the various focus areas”.

Murphy has been with Auday for 15 years. He oversaw the company’s digital strategy before moving to the Business Development role.

Bomani Jones: Kendrick Perkins ‘Completely Shifted’ NBA MVP Discussion

BSM Staff
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Everyone had something to say about First Take last month when a debate between Kendrick Perkins and JJ Redick devolved into a shouting match. Redick took exception to Perkins implying that there was racial bias amongst NBA MVP voters.

At the time of the debate, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Nikola Jokić would win the award for the third consecutive year. Now, as the regular season comes to a close, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid is the betting favorite.

“I want to send a brief shout out to my man Perk, a quote ‘formerly great, now disgraced philosopher.’ No one man should have all that power,” Bomani Jones said Friday on The Right Time. “You say whatever you want. Perk completely shifted a national discussion.”

Perkins may have put a spotlight on how well Embiid was playing. That may have made some voters reconsider their vote, but Jones doesn’t think that is the only reason the predictions changed.

Even after the All-Star break, Jokić’s victory was considered a near certainty. He was putting up 26 points, 13 rebounds and 9.5 assists each night on 64% shooting. Jones noted that Embiid began playing in a way that is synonymous with MVP honors. He called it “one man band dominance” and said that is what truly changed the race.

“I think Embiid’s gonna end up getting it and honestly, at this point, I hope he does, because if he doesn’t, it’s gonna get unnecessarily dicey out here in these streets,” he said.

Shows like First Take are meant to get people talking. That happened when Kendrick Perkins questioned the motivations of MVP voters.

“What he was saying wasn’t ridiculous,” said Domonique Foxworth, who joins Jones on his podcast every Friday. “The response to it, I think, was disproportionate.”

Bomani Jones doesn’t expect that anyone is going to apologize to Kendrick Perkins or admit that he may have had a point. He thinks ESPN at least owes the former NBA champion and McDonald’s All-American a little more airtime now, saying he should be back on First Take regularly during the NBA Playoffs.

“I tell you this: They’d sure as hell have him back on the shows if he was wrong.”

He concluded that Kendrick Perkins probably feels justified in his comments, but it is likely he isn’t alone.

“You know who feels just as right? JJ,” Jones said. “You can’t say the writers have racial bias now if they vote for Embiid, now can you?”

620 WTMJ, 101.7 The Truth Launch Video Simulcasts of Local Shows

BNM Staff
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Good Karma Brands has announced new video stream capabilities for Newsradio 620 WTMJ and 101.7 The Truth.

Both stations will now provide video simulcasts of local shows that will be seen on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

The 620 WTMJ lineup will be streamed on the social media platforms from 5:00 AM-9:00 PM.

5 AM-9 AM – Wisconsin’s Morning News with Vince Vitrano
9 AM-12 PM – Steve Scaffidi
12 PM-3 PM – Jeff Wagner
3 PM-6 PM – Wisconsin’s Afternoon News with John Mercure
6 PM-9 PM – WTMJ Nights

The 101.7 The Truth lineup will feature video simulcasts from 7:00 AM-6:00 PM.

7 AM-9 AM — Truth Be Told with Denise Thomas & Telly Hughes
9 AM-12 PM — The Truth with Sherwin Hughes
12 PM-1 PM — Nothin’ But the Truth with Melanie Ricks
1 PM–4 PM — The Tory Lowe Show
4 PM–6 PM — The Truth in the Afternoon with Ken Harris

The addition of video streams for 101.7 The Truth comes after the station expanded its local lineup to include the Truth Be Told morning show and Nothin’ But The Truth with Melanie Ricks.

The stations will repurpose content from shows for social media content to promote the best segments of each station.

Jack Harris Can’t Host ‘Comeback Special’ Until Non-Compete Expires

BNM Staff
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Longtime Tampa radio personality Jack Harris lamented the fact he never got the chance to host a farewell show after being let go by Newsradio 970 WFLA last month.

However, after his feelings were made public, the Salem Media Group stations in the market took notice and offered Harris the chance to host a tribute show on their airwaves.

Unfortunately, Harris claimed that his non-compete agreement with the iHeartMedia station he was removed from was still in effect.

Not wanting to risk “any negative impact” on the longtime host, Salem Media Group has now announced it will wait until the non-compete agreement ends before allowing the 81-year-old the opportunity to bid his listeners farewell.

Salem Media Group now says the opportunity for Harris to host a show will take place later this fall.

“I’ve been in broadcasting for many years as well and though he’s been on a competing radio station, I’ve always admired and respected [Harris] and the way he connects with the Tampa Bay community,” Salem Media Group Tampa General Manager Barb Yoder said.

“So, to honor Jack we were going to devote one of our morning shows on The Answer Tampa (860 AM, 930 AM, and 93.7 FM) for a Jack Harris Tribute. We still intend to but have been advised that it would be best for Jack that we wait until a more suitable time.“

The station has also announced that longtime Tampa radio host Mason Dixon will also host what the company is calling a “comeback special” during The Bill Bunkley Show on Friday afternoon.

Chris Hayes: TikTok, Instagram Key for Reaching Younger Viewers

BNM Staff
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The average age of cable news viewers continues to climb with no remedy in sight. MSNBC’s Chris Hayes is cognizant of that and believes social media plays a major role in reaching younger audiences.

During an interview with TVNewser reminiscing on his 10-year run as the host of the network’s primetime show All In, Hayes admitted that the industry is struggling to reach viewers under the age of 55. He shared that there are now several outlets to reach younger news consumers.

“It’s hard to change people’s consumption behavior at a macro level. To get someone to be like, ‘I have never watched linear cable news, and now I’m going to sit down at 8’, that’s a tough thing,” said Hayes. “You can move people over from the pool of people who already have that behavior and already have that habit, but then the question becomes ‘How do you reach those people who are not doing that?’

“The podcast is one way we’ve done that; obviously, Twitter is another where I feel like I have a voice and a platform there to different kinds of people. I’ve been thinking somewhat obsessively about how we expand on Instagram Reels and TikTok for the same reasons. I think you just have to find ways to meet people where they’re at.”

Hayes added that it’s the responsibility of everyone in the cable news industry to find avenues to reach news consumers.

“I think the key for everyone in this business is just to try to find new audiences and meet them where they’re at,” Hayes continued. “The podcast (Why is This Happening?) is celebrating five years as well. It has had 50 million downloads, and a lot of people who listen to podcasts don’t watch the show. I meet them all the time. They tend to be younger, probably, than linear cable news.”

AM Radio Needs Entire Industry Behind It For Survival Fight

Pete Mundo
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AM Radio Needs Entire Industry Behind It For Survival Fight

AM Radio is in for the fight of its life.

As has been well reported in recent weeks, some car manufacturers have announced plans to no longer install AM radios into their new vehicles.

Most notably, Ford plans to stop putting AM radio in new gas-powered and electric vehicles beginning in 2024, including the all-electric Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning pickup.

“We are transitioning from AM radio for most new and updated 2024 models,” Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood told the Detroit Free Press. “A majority of U.S. AM stations, as well as a number of countries and automakers globally, are modernizing radio by offering internet streaming through mobile apps, FM, digital and satellite radio options. Ford will continue to offer these alternatives for customers to hear their favorite AM radio music, news and podcasts as we remove amplitude modulation — the definition of AM in this case — from most new and updated models we bring to market.”

Of course, having a dashboard that allows a driver to find your station’s app is not anywhere close to the same as having an AM radio in the vehicle that allows a user to scan the radio and find a station with ease.

Mike Ramsey, an analyst with Stamford, told the Detroit Free Press, “In my view, this isn’t that different from automakers discontinuing 8-track players, cassette players, and CD players. Technology has advanced.”

With all due respect to Mr. Ramsey, that’s a horrible analogy. CD players don’t create content and are not vehicles (no pun intended) of information. A CD player is simply a device that plays the music you already have purchased. Those phased out for more modern technology, but the avenues for how you discovered that music (radio, in many cases), remained the same. AM radio’s listening is still largely via the AM band, not apps. Could people transition? Yes. Will everyone? Absolutely not. 

The data overwhelmingly backs up the notion that radio is still the primary source of listening for those in vehicles. Of those surveyed in a new DTS study, AM/FM radio is the most used feature in-vehicle, far outpacing satellite radio, and Apple CarPlay. Data shows that 72% of those surveyed use AM/FM radio, compared to 24% who listen to satellite radio, and 14% who use Apple CarPlay. Also in the survey, AM/FM radio is where most go for local news and information, which is the second most popular in-vehicle entertainment choice.

But here’s the biggest tidbit from that survey: Of those that seek local news, 87% find it on AM/FM radio, 29% on satellite radio, and 14% on a dedicated news app.

AM radio is where they find the news.  That’s the best case that needs to be made going forward. 

On top of that, and not to be overlooked, is the charitable element of AM radio stations in markets across the country. Add it all together, and we’re easily talking about hundreds of millions of dollars on an annual basis that AM radio stations raise, through their audiences, for great charities around the country.

None of this is to excuse mistakes the radio industry has made in caretaking for its AM stations, and properly branding and promoting its AM radio stations, however despite those missteps, the industry is still a powerful form of information, entertainment, and influence in local markets and on a national level.

The radio industry needs to fight back, and fight back fast. Before it’s too late.

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