Home Blog Page 2182

Kaitlan Collins Bids Farewell to CNN This Morning as Primetime Show Looms

BNM Staff
-
0
Kaitlan Collins Bids Farewell to CNN This Morning as Primetime Show Looms

CNN This Morning anchor Kaitlan Collins signed off from the show for the final time Thursday as she begins preparations to move to the network’s primetime lineup.

Collins will begin hosting the 9:00 PM ET program for CNN as it looks to regain its footing from a yearslong slide in the ratings. Recently, the network has seen some programs, including Anderson Cooper’s 8:00 PM ET show, defeated in the ratings by upstart Newsmax.

As she shared her final moments on the program with co-anchor Poppy Harlow, Collins shared her appreciation for the relationship she had built with her co-host.

“The gift of this show, for me, has been you. Thanks for the laughs, the fun, the many Starbucks orders, mostly the friendship,” Harlow said to Collins.

CNN This Morning debuted last fall as a three-person program with Collins, Harlow, and the now departed Don Lemon. Lemon and Collins reportedly clashed behind the scenes during a November episode that saw Collins leave the program early. The morning show has failed to gain much traction with viewers thus far, sitting at or below the network’s previous iteration — New Day — in average audience.

Collins is slated to begin her new primetime program in June. It is yet to be titled and a firm debut date has not been announced.

In the meantime, CNN will pair Harlow with a rotating panel of guest co-hosts before settling on a replacement for Collins.

Ron DeSantis Defends Decision to Announce Campaign On Twitter Spaces In Erick Erickson Interview

BNM Staff
-
0

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has defended the decision to announce his 2024 Republican presidential campaign on a non-traditional platform like Twitter Spaces after things got off to a rocky start yesterday.

In an interview with radio host Erick Erickson, DeSantis claimed he wanted to do something different than the traditional in-person announcement in his home state, and take the message to where those most interested in his statements were.

“I think at the end of the day, there will be time to do a lot of those speeches and we’ve done a lot of speeches in front of a lot of people and we’ll have time to do more,” DeSantis admitted. “We thought doing something with Elon — given his notoriety and cachet — and then given the fact that Twitter is now viewed as the place where you can speak your mind as opposed to a lot of these other places that it was an interesting opportunity.

“I had never done one of these Twitter Spaces before. I don’t even have Twitter myself, but the accounts we do are manage by our folks, so I wasn’t even sure how it worked. Twitter said they were locked and ready to go, but they just had so many people that swarmed it that it basically melted the system,” continued DeSantis. “They were able to get that worked out. It was an interesting format. I think that these things live on, so that recording is, I guess, available.”

DeSantis then said the schedule would obviously allow for more traditional campaign rally stops throughout the primary season, but the said the chance to do something on a platform like Twitter was too good to pass up.

“We will be doing a bunch of rallies. We’ll be doing all of that. I think it was a unique opportunity, and I was glad we did it. I definitely think we got more buzz and I think we got more interest as a result. Obviously, I know, as someone who’s an elected official, that most Republican primary voters — even a small percentage — probably aren’t on Twitter, there’s a very small portion that actually are on Twitter.

“We understood that but felt like there would be a lot of buzz about it, and I think there has been. I think it was probably the biggest story in the world yesterday. So, hopefully, we’ll get some people interested in our campaign who may not have been otherwise.

The Junkies Hosting First Ever Pickleball Competition

BSM Staff
-
0
The Junkies Hosting First Ever Pickleball Competition

Pickleball is having a moment in the US. It is a moment that The Junkies want to be a part of in the nation’s capitol. 

The 106.7 The Fan morning show announced on Thursday that they are ready to host their first ever pickleball event in the coming weeks. The 2023 Junkies Pickleball Challenge will happen in Falls Church, VA on June 10.

The official slogan of the competition is “dink it against the donks and win some prizes.”

JP Flaim admitted that when Cakes Auville first got into pickleball, the entire show made fun of him. Then Eric Bickel started playing. Now, it is impossible to escape pickleball with public tennis and basketball courts around the DC area being converted. 

“Pickelball is mushrooming in popularity,” Cakes responded.

Challengers can enter the competition for $75. There will be pool play prior to a playoff to determine an overall champion. The Junkies will also host a show live from the event that morning.

Keith Olbermann: After Twitter Spaces Fiasco, Tucker Carlson Better Off Launching Show Via Fax

BNM Staff
-
0
Keith Olbermann: After Twitter Spaces Fiasco, Tucker Carlson Better Off Launching Show Via Fax

Things did not go well for Ron DeSantis Wednesday. The Florida governor experienced technical difficulties on Twitter Spaces as he tried to announce he was seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Podcaster Keith Olbermann reveled in the issues.

On Countdown With Keith Olbermann Thursday, the former cable news host shared his excitement that the issues happened on Elon Musk’s platform.

“The Twitter Space blowed up. Blowed up good. Blowed up real good; blowed up like an Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket,” Olbermann said in a stereotypical country voice. “I’ll spare you the other jokes except the one that Musk then tweeted that all presidential candidates were welcome on Twitter. And you have to wonder if two of them called Elon at the same time to say I’d like to come on. Elon’s phone system would melt.”

Olbermann then referenced a report from Axios that claimed that Twitter is on the verge of threatening Rupert Murdoch and FOX Corp. as the dominant media space for conservatives. He claimed that the snafus from Twitter Spaces proved the platform isn’t ready to take on that responsibility.

“Tucker Carlson told the site hours before the disaster ‘Thankfully, the old system is collapsing in real-time’. No. Sorry, Tucky. Good choice of words, though. It seems to be Elon’s the new system that’s collapsing in real time. And, oh look, you’re willing to forego $30 million from Fox to launch your new show on Twitter. Tucker, I hate your guts and you hate mine, but I’m gonna give you free advice: You’re better off launching your new show by fax.”

Study Finds 58% of College Students Have Gambled on Sports

BSM Staff
-
0

Sports betting is reaching a younger audience in a big way according to a study commissioned by the NCAA. When asked if they had ever placed a bet on a sporting event, 58% responded that they had.

Students that live on campus are even more likely to lay money down. 67% of them said they had placed a bet on sports before.

Advertising is clearly working on this demographic. Of the respondents that live on campus, 63% report having seen sports betting advertising. Overall, 58% of students say that ads make them more likely to gamble and 70% believe that consistent sports gambling is a way to supplement their income.

In recent years, schools have reassessed their relationship with sportsbooks. In fact, the study comes on the heels of Alabama firing baseball coach Brad Bohannon for allegedly providing inside information to a gambler and student-athletes at Iowa and Iowa State were ruled ineligible for placing bets on games.

College sports on TV and radio are havens for sportsbook ads. The NCAA may look to take more steps to address its relationship with gambling, but it is hard to imagine that will change.

The American Gaming Association revealed in February that the US betting market generated $7.5 billion in revenue last year. That is a 75% increase over 2021.

Jay Williams: ‘I’ve Been Forcing Nikola Jokic Into Conversation All Year’

BSM Staff
-
0
Jay Williams: ‘I’ve Been Forcing Nikola Jokic Into Conversation All Year’

The city of Denver is locked in on the idea that the entire sports media complex was lined up against the Nuggets and their superstar big man Nikola Jokic in the Western Conference Finals. Jay Williams wants people to know that isn’t true, at least for himself.

Williams talked to The Big Lead’s Liam McKeone at the Sports Business Journal Awards this week. He said fellow Blue Devil and ESPN commentor JJ Redick isn’t the only one that has pointed out that NBA media is too invested in a small handful of teams and stars.

“One of the things I’ve been on the whole year is, I’ve been forcing [Nikola] Jokic into conversations,” he said. “People quickly veer off because not everybody gets a chance to watch it because our primary focus is on star athletes. The Stephs, the LeBrons, the Kevin Durants, the drama. That’s all media.”

The Keyshawn, JWill and Max co-host says that Redick is not alone in his quest to change the way the media covers basketball. He pointed to another great story in the conference finals that former players are doing their best to put at the front of the conversation.

“I think what you have from the athlete side is that we’re trying to celebrate the stories that are worth telling. Like Caleb Martin. The fact that J. Cole got him on the team in Miami. You’re like, ‘Oh, I never knew that!’ but they’ve actually been talking about that all year long. It is a problem but that’s why you have athletes in media trying to change the culture.”

Jay Williams says he has taken a hands-on approach with his own show. He makes it a point to be present for production meetings both before and after the show so that he can have a hand in developing topics.

“I come on, I’m like, here are four or five things that I’m hot about and I want to make sure we’re able to have time to dedicate to that tomorrow,” he said. “Creative input, that’s what the show is all about.”

Darren McKee: Former Players Have To Careful With ‘You Didn’t Play’ Argument

BSM Staff
-
0
Darren McKee: Former Players Have To Careful With ‘You Didn’t Play’ Argument

Tuesday’s edition of First Take contained some fireworks between commentators JJ Redick and Stephen A. Smith. The two fiercley debated how the NBA was covered with Redick saying it was a disservice to the league that ESPN only focuses on a handful of teams and Smith arguing that it is a star-driven league and networks are just giving fans what they respond to.

“You didn’t play, Stephen A.,” Redick, a 15-year NBA veteran, said. “You don’t understand athletic mortality [with] three games at whatever… Winston-Salem State doesn’t count.”

“I got you. I understand,” Smith chimed back. “I got a degree and I’m here on TV with you; I must be doing something right.”

Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan’s afternoon program, The Drive, reacted to the light altercation amid the conversation about James. The show is hosted by former defensive end Derek Wolfe and commentator Darren McKee, presenting a similar type of dynamic with a former athlete and bonafide radio professional.

“I do think it can apply in certain circumstances,” McKee said Wednesday regarding former athletes accentuating their experience over all else. “I do think that you guys – ex-pros – I do think you can put it in your back pocket for some circumstances. If you use it all the time, it’s pretty weak.”

Wolfe replied by stating he does not try to use that epithet on the air because it does not make for a fair argument, but did assert that there are instances of events in locker rooms the media would be shocked to discover occur on a daily basis.

“Every day something wild happens,” Wolfe said. “It’s wild.”

While they took little issue with the back-and-forth between Redick and Smith, the part they were surprised about was First Take host Molly Qerim precipitously attempting to resume the conversation about James rather than letting the banter continue. At its core, sports studio shows provide both information and entertainment; however, they felt as if Qerim was acting in a paternal manner towards her colleagues.

“God forbid you have some fun conversation,” McKee said. “‘Oh come on guys. Stop it guys.’ Thanks Molly.”

The two apologized to one another on the air Wednesday to smooth over the situation, and Smith addressed it in detail on his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show. It is safe to say there is no hostility between the two, and that they will continue providing First Take fans with distinctive commentary. That is – unless Redick is named as the new head coach of the Toronto Raptors, as he reportedly interviewed to fill the vacancy earlier this month.

“I love JJ Redick by the way,” added Wolfe. “…People are seeing him say, ‘You didn’t play,’ but they’re not seeing the part where he took a shot at him to try to get it going.”

Carmen & Jurko: NFL Will Go to ‘Some Podunk Channel’ If They Get $1 Billion

BSM Staff
-
0
Carmen & Jurko: NFL Will Go to ‘Some Podunk Channel’ If They Get $1 Billion

Earlier in the week at the NFL Owners Meetings, the competition committee approved flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video. As a result, the company will now have the ability to flex up to two games per season between weeks 13 and 17. Fans will be inconvenienced.

While the NFL is trying to make streaming a part of the normal broadcast landscape ahead of a reported opt-out in its 11-year pact with Amazon, ESPN 1000’s Carmen and Jurko believe the issue stems from a deeper place.

“This is all because Jeff Bezos probably went running to Roger Goodell bitching and complaining about his slate of Thursday night games last year, and how the ratings didn’t come close probably to what they had expected or anticipated,” show co-host Carmen DeFalco said. “And he raised a stink and he’s invested a lot in the league and he’s got a lot of clout and influence, obviously.”

In its first year, Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video averaged 9.58 million viewers. Amazon own metrics alter the average viewership figure to 11.3 million, and six of the 15 games averaged more than 10 million viewers based on the Nielsen data alone. These numbers were down from the 2021 season when games were aired on FOX and NFL Network and attracted an average of 13.33 million viewers per game.

Despite industry executives expressing their satisfaction with the performance of the broadcast property in its first year, they are surely looking for ways to improve in the future. Play-by-play announcer Al Michaels did not hide his dissatisfaction with parts of the schedule last year, but conveyed in an interview with Barrett Sports Media how he was pleased with the production and team the outlet assembled.

The conversation on Chicago sports radio moved to focus on another recent broadcast deal – the NFL and NBCUniversal’s OTT streaming service, Peacock, striking a deal to broadcast an exclusive playoff game for a reported $110 million. To the average sports fan, this latest agreement means they will need to subscribe to yet another streaming service.

“I don’t have Peacock,” said DeFalco. “I don’t pay for that. Not all of us have Peacock. Am I going to miss an NFL playoff game?

“You love Sunday football, Monday Night Football, you love it,” replied show co-host John Jurkovic. “But at what point is it going to be where you’re looking up some podunk channel because the NFL decided to take $1 billion from them?”

Joe Scarborough: DeSantis Announcement Would Have Been Better Served on Cable News

BNM Staff
-
0

Yesterday’s announcement that Ron DeSantis would seek the 2024 Republican presidential nomination was plagued by technical difficulties. MSNBC host Joe Scarborough left questioning the motives of the newly launched campaign.

During Morning Joe Thursday, the former Republican Congressman argued that the two most important days for a political campaign are the launch day and election day, and said it was a botched exercise by the Florida governor.

“It really was an embarrassment for the DeSantis Campaign,” Scarborough said. “They said it broke the internet. They ended up with 200,000 people watching, listening, whatever they were doing.”

Scarborough then turned his attention to the avenue the DeSantis campaign chose to make the announcement. He believed it would have been better served on virtually any other platform.

“If they’d gone on Fox News, they would have had well over a million people. If they’d gone on, well, a lot of cable news shows, they’d have more. On broadcast, they would have had even more people. If they’d gone on some other show…it seems they made the worst overall choice. For a candidate and for Silicon Valley tech titans who hate the mainstream media, who hate ‘wokeness’, and always want to play the aggrieved, it probably worked.”

Laura Ingraham: Twitter Fiasco With Ron DeSantis ‘Has Happened to Me A Lot’

BNM Staff
-
0

Yesterday, Ron DeSantis announced that he would seek the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. It did not go well. The Twitter Spaces room he entered to make the announcement with Twitter owner Elon Musk saw numerous technical difficulties. However, Fox News host Laura Ingraham said she felt empathy for both Musk and DeSantis.

During The Ingraham Angle Wednesday, the Fox News host welcomed venture capitalist David Sacks — who moderated the event — to the show to discuss the announcement and subsequent fiasco.

“Other people would have been really unhappy,” Ingraham said. “This kind of thing has happened to me a lot, David, so I’m kind of laughing. I’m very empathetic when this kind of stuff happens. I’m glad it happens to Elon Musk because he’s a lot smarter than a lot of people like me on technology.”

When asked about the planning for the announcement, Sacks said Twitter had been prepared for any potential issues with the platform.

“Elon and I were together in a conference room at Twitter headquarters,” Sacks said of the Twitter setup for the event. “We’ve never had an event like this on social media where you’ve got literally a million-plus people trying to break down the door to get into a Twitter space. The only real way to really test the scalability of a tech platform is you just get to that next level of scale.”

Sacks joked that “normally it takes a Kardashian” to stress Twitter to the level that the DeSantis announcement did, viewing the situation as a positive for both the Florida Governor and the social media platform.

1...2,1812,1822,183...2,872Page 2,182 of 2,872