Home Blog Page 2167

Chris Licht Out As CNN CEO

BNM Staff
-
0

CNN CEO Chris Licht is leaving after a tumultuous 16-month tenure leading the venerable cable news outlet.

According to a report from Puck’s Dylan Byers, Licht will leave the network immediately. The news was confirmed during a CNN conference call with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. The report from Byers did not declare whether Licht was leaving on his own volition or if he was asked to step down by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

During the conference call, Zaslav told employees, “For a number of reasons it didn’t work out, and that’s on me. I take full responsibility. We have put a transition team in place. The acting leadership team will be Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, and Eric Sherling. They will be joined on the commercial operating side by David Leavy, who is the COO. That’s a group of four. They have full responsibility, effective immediately, for running this great organization that we all love so very much.”

Zaslav continued by discussing future plans for naming a new CEO. He said, “I have great confidence in this group, and will fully support them until a new CEO us named. We are in no rush. The CEO search will take months because I think it’s important that things settle down, and we’ve got to get this right. We will find a great leader from inside or outside, and off we go.”

The 51-year-old Licht was tabbed as the successor to Jeff Zucker, who left CNN after failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a subordinate. Under his leadership, CNN has seen numerous changes to its daily lineup, including the move of Don Lemon from primetime to a revamped morning show. Ultimately, Lemon was fired after several on-camera and behind-the-scenes missteps.

CNN This Morning — the program featuring Lemon, Poppy Harlow, and Kaitlan Collins — has failed to gain traction in regards to ratings. It frequently finished in third place behind competitors FOX & Friends and Morning Joe. It also at times failed to eclipse the previous CNN morning show New Day in audience size. Since its November launch, the show has seen both Lemon and Collins depart. The 31-year-old Collins was tabbed to host the timeslot previously occupied by Chris Cuomo in the network’s primetime lineup.

Licht’s departure comes on the heels of what has been described as a “disastrous” profile by The Atlantic’s Tim Alberta. The feature — which followed Licht for nearly a year — has been viewed as a detriment to his ability to lead the organization. In the story, Licht was critical of the way the journalists he now leads covered the COVID-19 pandemic, and also the presidency of Donald Trump.

Earlier this week, CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy claimed Licht had “lost the room” at the network after the profile’s publication.

Support for Licht inside the organization began to wane when it was announced that the network would host a town hall event with former President and current 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. Many at the network panned the decision to “platform” the former president, saying the event would be a disaster for the network. Public reaction was to the event was generally mixed along party lines, but the ratings for the network haven’t recovered since the event took place.

‘Tucker On Twitter’ Debuted Tuesday

BNM Staff
-
0
‘Tucker On Twitter’ Debuted Tuesday

On Tuesday, Tucker Carlson launched his new program called Tucker on Twitter, which marks his return after being fired by Fox News in April.

According to reports, Carlson is currently in discussions regarding his departure from Fox News, where he achieved high viewership with his primetime show “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” The network abruptly removed him from the airwaves after his final show on April 21, but he pledged to revive it in a different format on Twitter.

In the inaugural episode of his latest show, Carlson addressed the devastating incident involving the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine, describing it as a “terrorist act.”

A section of the dam and a nearby hydropower plant collapsed, resulting in the depletion of the Kakhovka reservoir and triggering extensive flooding in downstream regions. Ukrainian and Russian emergency teams worked together to evacuate numerous individuals. Both Russia and Ukraine have exchanged accusations regarding the failure of the dam.

“Blowing up the dam may be bad for Ukraine, but it hurts Russia more. And for that reason, the Ukrainian government has considered destroying it,” Carlson said.  “When the facts start coming in, it becomes much less of a mystery what might have happened to the dam. Any fair person would conclude that the Ukrainians probably blew it up.”

Situated in an area under Russian control, the dam and reservoir served as a vital source of freshwater for various regions in southern Ukraine and for the entirety of Crimea, which has been under Russian jurisdiction since its annexation in 2014. The reservoir also played a crucial role in supplying water to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Although the plant has an artificial lake to sustain its reactors, officials are concerned about the potential consequences once the lake becomes depleted in a few months’ time.

Subsequently, he delved into a critique of the “American media” that swiftly blamed the Russians for sabotaging their own infrastructure. He also directed criticism towards Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who is currently participating in the GOP primary for president due to their unwavering support for Ukraine.

Carlson targeted both the media and prominent individuals for readily accepting certain narratives as facts without conducting the proper examination. He asserted, “Not only do the media show no interest in any of these matters, but they also actively oppose anyone who does. In the realm of journalism, being curious is considered the most serious offense.”

According to Carlson, his new show aims to confront the established beliefs prevailing in the media, and he intends to continue airing it on Twitter as long as the platform upholds its dedication to free expression.

“We have now migrated to Twitter, which we hope will serve as the modern-day equivalent of clandestine short-wave radio. We’ve been informed that there are no authoritative filters in this space. If it turns out otherwise, we will withdraw. However, for now, we appreciate the opportunity to be present here,” stated Carlson.

Meet the Market Managers: David Yadgaroff, Audacy Philadelphia

Demetri Ravanos
-
0
Meet the Market Managers: David Yadgaroff, Audacy Philadelphia

David Yadgaroff doesn’t talk just to hear himself speak. He gets to the point and he does it quickly, whether he is telling you what he is thinking or he is answering your questions. That fact is evidenced by the length of this week’s entry to the Meet the Market Managers series presented by Point-to-Point Marketing.

It has been a wild ride for WIP over the last 18 months. Yadgaroff had to find a new PD, figure out the best way to send off the station’s iconic morning host, and launch new shows in two different day parts. In the middle of it all were World Series and Super Bowl runs to deal with, too.

Yadgaroff discusses all of it. He also makes time to weigh in on how he addresses Audacy’s stock issues with his staff, the climate of political advertising, and the best practices he has found for making sure advertisers are making the most of digital products.

Demetri Ravanos: Tell me about life since Angelo Cataldi retired. What has changed in terms of the atmosphere in the building? 

David Yadgaroff: It’s a great question. It’s hard to replace somebody as iconic as Angelo, who really lived and breathed his role, setting the agenda for the Philadelphia sports fan. But we’re really proud of what Joe (DeCamara), Jon (Ritchie), James (Seltzer), and Rhea (Hughes) have done in the morning to deliver a show that’s fresh and new, but also lives up to the expectation that Angelo set.              

The addition of Hugh Douglas to midday with Joe Giglio has been very fun, too, because Hugh is a great character and teammate, and fun around the office, as well as very compelling and entertaining radio. 

DR: So I do want to circle back on Jon and Joe here in just a second, but I do wonder, because Angelo had sort of made some hints before he officially announced his retirement. At the time you were looking for a new program director, was his decision about when to call that a career something that ever came up as you were searching for Spike’s successor? Is it something candidates wanted to know about? 

DY: Yeah, absolutely. Angelo was a great partner and expressed his interest in retiring. At that time, Spike had got promoted to New York, so we discussed the radio station as a whole. Angelo, obviously his brand was so closely tied to ours and ours so closely tied to his, he said that he’d do whatever we needed at the radio station to make the transition smooth. That is how we ended up with that last year where Angelo took Wednesdays off to give him a little bit of rest and peace as he finished out his agreement. Then, obviously, he wanted to remain on until the Eagles’ season finally ended, so we had the gift of having Angelo with us until February. 

DR: Let’s circle back on Joe and Jon. They are obviously known commodities to WIP’s advertisers. The job of getting that particular population on board with those guys moving into mornings, it’s very different than getting listeners on board, right? So many of your advertisers are going to be on in multiple dayparts, whereas the listeners may only come in on their drive to work or on their drive home from work. I would imagine on the business side, this was a pretty smooth transition. 

DY: Very smooth. We retained the vast majority of the legacy morning show advertisers, as well as retaining the advertisers that came from middays to mornings. The fresh perspective and excitement about the radio station helped drive more sales as well.                   

You think about the last 12 months of the radio station, Angelo is talking about his farewell, we’re doing a lot of fun stunts about that time, the Phillies postseason, the Eagles postseason, the farewell event, and officially the beginning of a new show that already was a fan favorite. Really, we are very fortunate to have been at the forefront of the sports media narrative in Philadelphia for quite some time. 

DR: The elephant in the room when it comes to Audacy right now is what’s going on with the company’s stock price. I know you cannot give me specific answers, but I do wonder, as somebody that is charged with leading a cluster, you have so many people that you are responsible for. Do you find yourself having conversations where you’re talking to someone that assumes you have more answers than you actually do right now? 

DY: Let me give you the general vibe. We have a very robust business with six radio stations creating a lot of multi-platform content, selling a lot of advertising, and doing fun things. So for our staff on this side of the building, it’s business as usual. We’re having success in many metrics and marching right along. 

DR: The thing I wonder about that’s different for you than other Audacy stations is you literally share a space with Audacy Corporate.

DY: I run a culture of transparency and when things happen that are newsworthy, I make sure to address them. When things aren’t newsworthy, I try to reinforce our core business here, which is one that is very profitable and healthy. 

DR: So last year was extraordinary sports-wise in Philadelphia. Tell me a bit about the new opportunities that were created for WIP, whether we’re talking about interest from new potential clients or an influx of new listeners. 

DY: So WIP has the benefit of being the voice of the fan for decades. We talk a lot about the Eagles. Fans want to talk Eagles 52 weeks a year, and when the Eagles perform, there’s such enthusiasm and excitement. So, yes, I think we pick up new listeners and I know we pick up new advertisers to be part of that fun.               

The Phillies’ season sort of picked up suddenly at the end. It was a much more concentrated and exciting time that everybody just got into from an advertising standpoint, analyst standpoint, and fan standpoint. It was a lot of excitement in a very short period of time.

DR: Given how much Audacy has embraced digital products and where we are in terms of consumption these days, everybody is so used to on-demand content. Nobody works on a station or network’s timetable anymore. Have you found any advertisers that are more interested in the on-demand product than the traditional radio broadcast? 

DY: I don’t think there’s a general statement that describes everyone’s appetite. We focus our salespeople on trying to sell multi-platform campaigns through re-marketing. We find that the more things advertisers are invested in, the more connected they are with our business and the more success they have. All of our salespeople are cross-trained. Ultimately, we try to focus on what an advertiser needs and then make successful recommendations for them. There’s a lot of attention on WIP, so obviously they’re doing a nice job of that. 

DR: Let’s talk about that cross-training as it relates to the stations in the cluster. I recently read this piece that said we are already on pace to see political advertising for the 2024 election cycle surpass what we spent in 2020. Last year, you guys have these two contentious elections inside of Pennsylvania. When it comes to revenue generation, has the fracture between the two parties been relatively good for business in radio? I mean, do you find that people that candidates are advertising further and further out from election day now? 

DY: I think there’s two folds to that question. One is the TV advertising environment gets so toxic and nasty with political ads. It forces out transactional advertisers. That gives us the opportunity to put those advertisers on the radio. So that’s one part. The second part of it is, yes, candidates for PACs are spending more and they’re spending more frequently. 

DR: I would imagine that KYW and WPHT see most of those buys in your cluster, but what about WIP? How much are those PACs and candidates and those campaigns looking to a format to spread their message where maybe the listener is not engaged in the political conversation 24 hours a day? 

DY: I think the first thought is that stations like KYW and PHT do the best, but it really depends on the campaign and the issue and what their strategy is. I mean, there are some issues and campaigns that come down that they can only want to buy. WBEB And WOGL because they are looking for a suburban mom. So it really depends. I think political advertisers are a lot more strategic than they were years ago where they just bought news and news talk. 

5 Candidates For Saudi Sports Investment After LIV Golf, PGA Merger

Demetri Ravanos
-
0
5 Candidates For Saudi Sports Investment After LIV Golf, PGA Merger

The term sports washing gets thrown around a lot. It’s usually used accurately, but honestly, I think we give the practice more credit than it deserves. Was there ever a moment where you thought to yourself “The Saudi government can’t be all bad. Just look at LIV Golf!”? 

LIV Golf was kind of a failure in the sports-washing realm. The organization had plenty of money, but the ratings and rhetoric all told the same story: that shit was a joke.

Then came Tuesday. Money changed hands. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan got his sweet deal and cushy new title and forgot his moral objections to Saudi blood money. Mike Francesa put it best: Saudi money is the future of golf.

Let’s play make-believe. Pretend you control the Saudi Public Investment Fund. You have just seen the narrative go from greedy, amoral golfers taking your blood money to now controlling everything about the sport on the professional level. 

Why would you stop? Wouldn’t it make sense to see where else you could inject your influence into American popular culture using sports?

Make-believe over. Did that thought make you uncomfortable? Me too, but I think it is a reality we have to prepare for. Here are five sports investments the SPIF could make next.

1. COLLEGE SPORTS

That second A in NCAA stands for association. In reality, college sports are a confederacy. It is a group of schools and conferences that are only willing to work as a collective because they see individual benefits.

Rumors of the most powerful college football programs breaking away from the NCAA to govern themselves have existed for years. You can understand why Ohio State might be salty that it makes the same amount from the Big Ten’s massive TV deals that Iowa does. Saudi money could expedite the process. 

Jay Bilas said earlier this year that he has heard a lot of grousing about the top schools in the top conferences wanting an alternative to the NCAA basketball tournament. If the SPIF could convince the likes of Kentucky, Duke, UConn and other bluebloods to bolt the NCAA, which tournament do you think broadcasters would be more interested in?

2. ESPN

Is Disney really interested in spinning off ESPN? If so, the Saudi government may not have a better opportunity to do a little sports washing. Say whatever you want about the quality of the programming or the future of traditional cable subscriptions, wherever sports fans go, ESPN establishes a presence and leads the conversation.

Buying ESPN would give Saudi Arabia influence over all of its partners. It would have prime advertising space to hock tourism and investment opportunities. 

Forget leagues or promotions. The biggest name in sports media makes for the biggest opportunity in sports washing.

3. FANDUEL

Whether you have ever placed a bet or not, the US is a nation that bets on sports now. Individual states get to make that call for themselves, and that is why buying the market leader amongst mobile sportsbooks offers the SPIF a serious opportunity for influence.

Fanduel is going to be involved in discussions to legalize sports gambling in every single state. If the Saudis bought a controlling share of the book and its parent company Flutter, it could feasibly lobby politicians and set policy. It’s something the Saudis know how to do. Just ask the Trump Administration and Jared Kushner. 

4. THE OLYMPICS

The International Olympic Committee is struggling to find countries and cities interested in hosting the games these days. The Internet has made everyone hip to the game. There is no way to justify the investment required to win an Olympic bid.

If Saudi Arabia wants to really use sports to reshape its age, why not buy the Olympics? Put the Winter Games in the same indoor facilities filled with synthetic snow and ice every four years. Put the Summer Games in the same sports village every four years. Make the whole endeavor an advertisement for Saudi Arabia.

5. SOCCER

This is the one that worries me the most, not because I am a soccer fan, but because there are so many different ways to do this. What if the SPIF poured billions into the MLS? Forget an aging Zlatan Ibrahimović or David Beckham. The SPIF could put enough money into the league to attract the likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé to come to the US right now while they are in their prime. 

The Saudis could revive the idea of a European Super League. NBC has proven that Americans are genuinely interested in international leagues so long as they are easy and free to access.

The SPIF could also follow the same model I suggested for the Olympics and just buy the World Cup. Let FIFA keep their name on it and reap all the other benefits and it is one hell of an investment.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not rooting for any of this. There are plenty of objectionable characters involved in sports already. It just seems like an inevitability.

PGA Media Partners Got No Warning of LIV Golf Merger

BSM Staff
-
0
PGA Media Partners Got No Warning of LIV Golf Merger

The announcement of the PGA Tour, DP Tour and LIV Golf merger on Tuesday morning was a major surprise to not only fans and golfers themselves, but also to PGA media partners.

Reports from Front Office Sports indicate that NBC, Golf Channel, CBS and ESPN were all blindsided when the news broke.

“We are still learning more about the PGA Tour-LIV-DP World Tour announcement and look forward to discussing the announcement and its implications with our partners,” an NBC Sports spokesperson said.

While the key points of the merger are an end to ongoing lawsuits over the Saudi-backed LIV Golf and peace among the three tours, details of how the media landscape will be affected by the merger are unclear.

For the remainder of the 2023 season, it appears nothing is going to change. The PGA events will continue to air across their four partner networks and their platforms, while LIV will carry on airing the final two rounds of their 2023 tournaments live on The CW.

NBC and CBS are paying $700 million annually for the rights to PGA Tour events, while ESPN pays $75 million to be the home of PGA Tour Live. The Worldwide Leader also has exclusive deals with Augusta National Golf Club to carry the first two rounds of The Masters each spring, while having a similar deal for the PGA Championship.

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

BNM Staff
-
0
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
-
0
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
-
0
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
-
0
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
-
0
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.

1...2,1662,1672,168...2,876Page 2,167 of 2,876