In a memo to staff this morning, SiriusXM CEO Jennifer Witz informed employees that 475 staffers will be laid off.
Witz said nearly every division of the company will be affected by the cuts, saying “Today is one of the most difficult days we’ve had to face as a team, and these changes impact each of us deeply. However, it is my belief that these tough decisions were necessary as we look to capture the opportunity in front of us.
“We streamlined our non-headcount costs by reducing content and marketing spend, decreasing our real estate footprint, and most recently, implementing tighter restrictions in our Travel and Entertainment policy,” Witz continued. “However, today’s decision to reduce our workforce was required in order for us to maintain a sustainably profitable company.”
The memo added that SiriusXM employees who would be cut will be notified shortly, and shared her appreciation for their efforts during their tenures.
“I want to acknowledge that this is going to be a challenging day, especially for those departing from the Company, and I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone for their contributions to SiriusXM. Regardless of the team, level, or tenure, you played a role in bringing our Company to where it is today and for that we are grateful. This was not an easy decision to make, nor one we took lightly. However, it is critical for us to take the right steps now to secure the long-term health and profitability of our business.”
The news of impending layoffs comes days after the satellite provider shared it brought in $2.283 billion in the final quarter of 2022, up from $2.281 billion in 2021, but parent company Liberty Media’s operating income was down from $529 million to $450 million.
When you work in the media business, it can be easy to forget that the word “business” is more important than the word “media” to the people at the top. As people in our industry try to search for clues about what Disney’s plans for ESPN are, Richard Deitsch offered some common sense advice – take what media reporters write with a grain of salt.
Reader Robby W. submitted a question to Deitsch’s “Media Mailbag” column at The Athleticthis week asking what we should expect to happen to ABC if Disney is indeed planning to sell ESPN.
“Candidly, I’d read the business press on this before a knucklehead such as myself,” Deitsch answered.
A recent restructuring made ESPN and all of its related businesses its own division of The Walt Disney Company. Last month, Disney CEO Bob Iger insisted that did not mean the company was preparing to spin-off the World Wide Leader.
Deitsch points out that those comments are not in line with most of the thinking on the matter. He provided a link to a column in the Los Angeles Times from Stephen Battaglio saying that if ESPN really is off the table, Iger has put tremendous pressure on himself and his employees to reduce costs. Deitsch provided another link recapping a report from Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall that calls selling ESPN “the best path forward” for Disney and noting that the company considers it “a reasonably probable late-’23 event.”
In a memo to staff this morning, SiriusXM CEO Jennifer Witz informed employees that 475 staffers will be laid off.
Witz said nearly every division of the company will be affected by the cuts, saying “Today is one of the most difficult days we’ve had to face as a team, and these changes impact each of us deeply. However, it is my belief that these tough decisions were necessary as we look to capture the opportunity in front of us.
“We streamlined our non-headcount costs by reducing content and marketing spend, decreasing our real estate footprint, and most recently, implementing tighter restrictions in our Travel and Entertainment policy,” Witz continued. “However, today’s decision to reduce our workforce was required in order for us to maintain a sustainably profitable company.”
The memo added that SiriusXM employees who would be cut will be notified shortly, and shared her appreciation for their efforts during their tenures.
“I want to acknowledge that this is going to be a challenging day, especially for those departing from the Company, and I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone for their contributions to SiriusXM. Regardless of the team, level, or tenure, you played a role in bringing our Company to where it is today and for that we are grateful. This was not an easy decision to make, nor one we took lightly. However, it is critical for us to take the right steps now to secure the long-term health and profitability of our business.”
The news of impending layoffs comes days after the satellite provider shared it brought in $2.283 billion in the final quarter of 2022, up from $2.281 billion in 2021, but parent company Liberty Media’s operating income was down from $529 million to $450 million.
While at CPAC last week, former advisor to President Trump Steve Bannon claimed had fiery words for Fox News and Chairman Rupert Murdoch. Conservative radio and television host Mark Levin countered the comments on the same stage later the next day.
During his appearance at CPAC, Bannon shared his disdain for Murdoch, calling him an “oligarch” and that his family is “a bunch of foreigners” who have given nothing to America.
“Look at Fox News,” Bannon said. “A guy gave you four years of peace and prosperity, announces he’s going to run again after having it stolen in broad daylight…They cover it live for 20 minutes and then they say ‘If there’s anything newsworthy, we’ll cut back’, and they go to some panel and some discussion.”
Bannon continued by saying “Note to Fox Senior management: When Donald J. Trump talks, it’s newsworthy.”
“They don’t respect you, read the depositions,” the former Trump advisor said of the cable channel. “They have a fear and loathing and contempt for you. And you’re the ones that can make changes.”
When Levin took the stage, however, he didn’t name Bannon but said conservatives pushing back against Fox News aren’t seeing the whole picture.
“We’ve had other people come up here and tell you that if we only could get rid of Fox News, everything would be better. Which is ridiculous,” said Levin. “You don’t have to agree with everything, but that means you wouldn’t hear Tucker or Pete or Will Cain or Duffy or me or a whole bunch.”
Levin has hosted his Fox News program Life, Liberty, & Levin since 2018. He agreed to a contract extension with the cable outlet in November of last year.
A report from The New York Times details the internal strife at Fox News after the network’s decision desk called Arizona for now-President Joe Biden in the 2020 Presidential Election.
The Times claims it came into possession of a Zoom call held between Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott, Fox News President Jay Wallace, and anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum the discuss how the network could avoid angering its conservative viewers in the future.
The network was fearful its audience would abandon it for more conservative outlets like Newsmax or OAN. While discussing options on how to avoid an uproar in the future, Scott reportedly admitted that the network’s ratings would have increased if it hadn’t called Arizona for Biden.
“Listen, it’s one of the sad realities: If we hadn’t called Arizona, those three or four days following Election Day, our ratings would have been bigger,” said Scott. “The mystery would have been still hanging out there.”
In the same call, Scott is alleged to have railed against the decision to call Arizona, saying Decision Desk director Bill Sammon failed in his job to “protect the brand”, believing that he failed to understand “the impact to the brand and the arrogance in calling AZ” in his decision.
A network spokesperson told The Times “Fox News stood by the Arizona call despite intense scrutiny. Given the extremely narrow 0.3 percent margin and a new projection mechanism that no other network had, of course there would be a wide-ranging post-mortem surrounding the call and how it was executed no matter the candidates.”
Scott reportedly said CNN is well-known to hold off on calling races to increase intrigue and viewership. A CNN spokesperson refuted that claim, saying the network will “make calls as soon as we’re confident they’re right”.
KYW afternoon anchor Jay Scott Smith has exited in a cost-cutting move from the Audacy-owned station.
Smith joined KYW as a part-time anchor in 2019 before ascending to afternoon anchor in 2020.
“I loved what I did there. I loved working with all of the guys in that room,” he told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I hate that it ended this way, and I wish I had gotten the chance to formally say goodbye.”
So, the proverbial cat’s already out of the bag. And s/o to @njvadala for reaching out and getting my name right ????.https://t.co/5B7kwjwtHG
The 43-year-old added his contract was slated to expire in November and had already contemplated moving in a different direction. He also said he would be interested in remaining in radio or television in the city.
“If anyone is in need of this voice of mine, I would be happy to step in,” said Smith. “I’ve got plenty more to say.”
Smith spent three years at Philadelphia public radio station WHYY as a reporter and anchor before joining KYW. He moved to Philadelphia after spending time at stations in Lansing and Flint, Michigan. The Michigan native also worked at The Detroit News and MLive.com.
Now in his 19th year of running 670 The Score in Chicago, Mitch Rosen never stops asking himself a very important question…
What’s next?
Guiding a successful all-sports radio station is not an easy task and there’s more to driving revenue than just putting together a lineup of shows and acquiring broadcast rights to local teams.
Rosen is looking forward to being part of the BSM Summit March 22-23 in Los Angeles to get some answers to his question.
“You hear from different markets,” said Rosen. “You hear from different technology. This industry continues to change. Five years ago, I was in the radio business. Today, I’m in the audio distribution business. I’m in the video and digital business.”
Rosen is just one of many broadcasters and executives who will be attending the summit and he will also be one of the panel speakers. After the 2021 BSM Summit was canceled because of the pandemic, last year’s event was held in New York City and now this year the summit is heading to Los Angeles.
“Going back to LA is just going to be great,” said Rosen. “The people and the speakers and the stature of the speakers is great but more so the people in the industry who attend and the networking and the rekindling of friendships and relationships in the industry is great. What I’m looking forward to is talking about talent and talent development and things like that.”
In addition to speaking about his role with The Score and how the industry is changing with the latest audio and video technology, Rosen will also be spending some time talking about his other role as the President of the BetQL Network.
Not only is the broadcasting industry changing because of technology, but the addition of sports betting to the DNA of sports radio stations across the country has become huge business. What was taboo just a few years ago is not part of the mainstream sports discussion.
“We label it as ‘wagertainment’,” said Rosen. “Did I think 5 or 10 years ago we would get to this point? No. But, it’s legal, it’s a huge revenue stream, there are great partnerships with a number of sports books around the country and our hosts have embrace it and our producers have embraced it.”
And that leads us back to that question of, not only what’s next, but who’s next?
Rosen is looking forward to engaging with people from all over the country to find out who will make up a new generation of sports talk talent that can not only talk sports but also sports betting.
“Who is next in our industry?” wonders Rosen. “Where do you look for that next personality in our industry? Sometimes, you have to take a step out of your market to find the next person who could do great things. The Summit does that. It opens your eyes and years to next opportunities in our industry.”
And for Mitch Rosen, a lot of those questions will be answered later this month in Los Angeles.
Within our globe, there are many ways people can give back, one of which is participating in local charitable endeavors. Whether it is building homes, granting a life-changing wish, or donating money, people can be the change and pay it forward. Being the change, though, is more effectively actualized through collaboration and solidarity, as was recognized and organized by Sam Acho when he co-founded Athletes for Justice.
The nonprofit organization, which began in 2018, pairs professional athletes with everyday people to fight against injustices and foster equality and fairness in neighborhoods. Before the organization though, Acho had emerged as a natural leader, raising $250,000 as a member of the Chicago Bears, being a two-time nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, and serving as vice president of the NFL Players Association.
Acho, who works as a color commentator and studio analyst with ESPN, endured a long, yet impactful journey to stand outside a healthy food source his organization catalyzed in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, Ill. Its groundbreaking was attended by figures across sports and government, including National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, along with other athletes from various Chicago sports teams.
It was a manifestation of conversations he organized between athletes and Chicago children and police officers pertaining to protests against racism. The next year, 670 The Score held a “What About Chicago Radiothon,” raising money to benefit nonprofit organizations including Athletes for Justice.
I'm not sure in my 16 plus years at @670TheScore I've been more proud of our team and our audience over the last 22 hours. Raising over $500k from our audience. Blown away by the support. @DannyParkins led the way and our team followed. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. #whataboutchicagohttps://t.co/Hr5rdOqHoy
During a visit to the Austin neighborhood with athletes – including Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews, former Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky, and former Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward – Acho recognized a preponderance of liquor stores and little to no grocery stores. Shortly thereafter, one of the children implored Acho and the others to think of their visit as more than just a field trip. She wanted them to return and genuinely try to spark change, further igniting the fire within that inspired Acho to start his organization in the first place.
“A lot of my hope is that people can realize they could make a change in their community,” Acho said. “You don’t have to go start a nonprofit or you don’t have to be the president of anything. You can just go and show up.”
From the time he was young, Acho was focused on achieving excellence both as an athlete and a student. In high school, he lettered in three sports as a multiple-time all-conference football selection (defensive end; tight end), basketball player, and track and field team member. Acho also had a penchant for learning and was a four-year honor roll student, erudition he carried over to the University of Texas.
While in college, he played as a defensive end where he caught the attention of pro scouts and was named the team’s most valuable player following his senior year. Additionally, he was the second university recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy, given to college football’s top scholar-athlete, and graduated with a double major in business honors and marketing. During his NFL career, he continued his education and earned his master’s in business administration in global management and global development at Arizona State University.
Sam Acho is officially in the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor!
Maintaining an avidity for scholarship while balancing multiple responsibilities went on to prove invaluable later in his career, but it was a paradigm he had to refine in college. The impetus to change his ways followed a grade of “C” in one of his classes within a program garnering a minimum GPA requirement.
“I would travel with my books and do homework on the plane as we went [to] and came from games,” Acho said. “It really was this wake-up call of, ‘If you’re going to be serious about [this], you need to be diligent in your work.’”
While he was playing college football, Acho was advised to answer questions from the media in the way most desirable to him. He felt the best way to do it was in taking a team-first approach, always defending his teammates and placating burdens from an individual to the group. Although he was not asked as many questions during his first four years in the NFL as a member of the Arizona Cardinals, he always ensured to treat the media with respect.
“When there were opportunities to interact with the media, I saw them as people,” Acho expressed. “There were definitely some media members who would abuse, if you will, that role. I always tried to see everyone as people so they would see me as a person as well.”
What Acho did not realize was that he would be among that contingent during his third year in the NFL. A leg injury he had sustained in an early season game sidelined him for the year, leaving him with a void to fill, and he called a local station to ask for an opportunity. He not only wanted to document his experience, but visit with those facing pain and suffering themselves to shine light on their stories.
Acho never planned on working in sports media as a player, instead remaining focused on the grind of the season. Yet there were instances where he remained engaged with it, including starting a podcast called Relevant Is Doing a Sports Podcast on the RELEVANT Network focused on the amalgamation of sports, faith, race, and social issues. As an alumnus of the University of Texas, Acho also appeared on the Longhorn Network where he participated in studio programming and color commentary alongside play-by-play announcer Lowell Galindo.
He always made sure to treat chances to appear on sports programming like a job, and was compelled to pursue it when people realized his potential. Moreover, he was watching his brother’s rise in the industry, which began on the Longhorn Network in 2016, ESPN in 2018, and FOX Sports in 2020, and viewed his journey from a familial perspective.
“Even before I thought about it seriously, I saw him doing it and I saw the struggle and the grind and the travel,” Acho said of his brother, Emmanuel. “I got a pretty solid understanding of it, even though I hadn’t experienced it.”
After four years with the Chicago Bears and one year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Acho’s playing career came to an end, energizing him to find work in sports media. He began appearing on programming with Stadium and eventually auditioned for a role with the Longhorn Network, taking a similar path to his brother. Once he completed his audition, one of the people there told Acho she was going to relay an affirmative message to ESPN.
“‘I’m going to tell the executives at ESPN that if they don’t hire you, I will,’” Acho recalls her saying to him. “….That was really helpful to hear and it was also helpful because it was a cool opportunity to say, ‘You know what? I’ll start at the bottom and figure it out,’ and then it was like, ‘Oh, there might be different opportunities elsewhere.’”
The executives at ESPN heeded the message and realized Acho’s talent, officially signing him to contribute to its football coverage in 2021. The career move curtailed The Home Team Podcast, which he was co-hosting with former NFL tight end Trey Burton and Pastor Steve Carter; however, it also amplified his platform to a linear national scale.
During his first year with ESPN, Acho appeared on studio shows to talk about the NFL and college football, including Get Up, First Take, and College Football Live. He also brought his talents to the broadcast booth as a color commentator for select matchups where he quickly discerned how to adapt based on the setting. Having played sports both at the collegiate and professional level, Acho feels he can make his esoteric perspectives of the sport comprehensible for the average viewer.
“I think I have a unique view that people who haven’t played professional sports don’t have,” Acho said. “That’s one thing that you don’t sometimes think about, but who else can say they’ve played almost a decade professionally, or better yet, more than saying it, who else has those experiences?”
As a color commentator, Acho entered the role with the false perception of having protracted lengths of time to talk and utilize his preparation. Once he began calling games though, he recognized that he needed to condense his analysis and use his knowledge to supplement the broadcast rather than divulging unnecessary information.
There are also instances where equipping preparation can make for a monotonous broadcast, such as if there are extraordinary circumstances and external storylines. The value Acho brings to the booth in those instances comes in being able to relate his own unique experiences to what others are facing.
“Every game has its own personality and you don’t know what that game’s going to look like until the game begins,” Acho said. “Early on, I’m thinking, ‘Okay, I’m going to give these stats about this player and these unique storylines. I’ve been studying and prepping [and] I want to share all this information.’ Then I started learning, ‘Well, sometimes it’s about the storylines or what’s actually happening as history is being made.’”
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19 years after its only season, the XFL relaunched in 2020 under the leadership of WWE Executive Chairman and Owner Vince McMahon. Once the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the United States, the league suspended play and filed for bankruptcy one month later, leaving its future in flux.
The XFL returned in its third iteration six days after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles to win Super Bowl LVII, led by an ownership group of Dany Garcia, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and RedBird Capital Partners (Gerry Cardinale).
Before its revival, the league agreed to a media rights deal with The Walt Disney Company, ensuring 40 regular season games, two playoff semifinals, and a championship game will appear across the company’s networks of ESPN, ABC, and FX through 2027. The league will also stream select games on ESPN+ and has partnered with the NFL to develop and test new aspects of football while protecting player health.
Acho’s broadcast team includes field reporter Taylor McGregor, field analyst Ian Fitzsimmons and play-by-play announcer Lowell Galindo. Together, they bring fans XFL action throughout its 10-week regular season. During Acho’s first two years with ESPN, he and Galindo called Texas Longhorns football games on the Longhorn Network (partially owned by ESPN), allowing them to develop synergy and familiarity with one another.
“Lowell and I have known each other for years, and we’ve actually worked together in this capacity for the last few years,” Acho said. “Now we get a chance to do it on a more consistent basis which is – yes, it’s fun – but [for] the fact that we know each other, we have chemistry.”
Beyond excited to be apart of the #XFL crew this year!! This is gonna be so much fun!! I can’t wait pic.twitter.com/zGt0G7y8Qw
The XFL is a professional football league; however, it does not follow the same rules and regulations as the NFL. For starters, the league consists of eight teams – the Arlington Renegades; DC Defenders; Houston Roughnecks; Orlando Guardians; St. Louis Battlehawks; San Antonio Brahmas; Seattle Sea Dragons; and Vegas Vipers – operating on a 35-second play clock.
There are also additional rule changes pertaining to kickoffs, extra points and overtime. Coaches also have the unique ability to challenge any call or non-call throughout the course of the game, and viewers are privy to discussions between the officials and the replay center since they are broadcast on the air.
“These players aren’t getting paid multi-million dollar contracts to play,” Acho said. “It’s this love of football and love of the opportunity to continue playing…. A lot of these players have been in the NFL before; they’ve played years in the NFL. Some have had injuries; some have gone through hardships; some of them haven’t played who want to be in the NFL. There are some really cool stories about players that are exciting.
Since there are several former NFL players in the league, Acho can speak directly regarding what it was like to either play with or against them on the gridiron. Entering sports media and being recently removed from partaking in professional football gives him that distinct advantage; however, he knows it is finite and that longevity will require astuteness and sagacity.
“As you start doing this career more and more and you’re not playing more, there’s people who you may not know or may not have played with,” Acho said. “I think there definitely is a benefit with the recency of just finishing two or three years ago and getting a chance to say: ‘No, I played with Josh Allen; I played with the Bills. I know what it’s like in that locker room, and I know what it’s like with some of these coaches as well.’”
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As a color commentator, Acho looks to help viewers make sense of the rules and remain engaged with the game. At the same time, he is continuing to adapt to the changes and think about how to provide shrewd analysis utilizing his observations and experiences. Having the ability to relate to the players and/or put himself in their situation engenders more cogent and veritable prose.
“I try to be empathetic and really understand where players are coming from and storylines, and of course, X’s and O’s,” Acho said. “The big thing about the XFL is that you can hear a lot of that. You can hear coaches making calls and players making calls; that’s one of the great things about the XFL. There’s a time and place to help analyze that and help explain to the viewer what’s going on.”
For example, Seattle Sea Dragons cornerback Chris Payton-Jones lost his father on the day of the team’s game against the St. Louis Battlehawks but decided to play at the request of his mother because she said that it is what his father would have wanted. Acho only learned the information through conversation with Sea Dragons head coach Jim Haslett, and it was something he could not have truly prepared for before the start of the game. In seeing Payton-Jones take the field and sharing his story (with permission), Acho was able to contextualize the situation for viewers and allowed them to realize the bigger picture.
“There’s going to be a time that he has to mourn,” Acho said. “Just being able to be in that moment and watch history be made and watch him succeed but also realize, ‘Man, there’s going to be some struggle’; that was one of the most memorable moments.”
In expressing personal anecdotes or using statistics to discern on-field play, Acho is divulging his personality to the audience. Some viewers enjoy hearing this side of the announcers, while others just prefer to hear the game and simply be told what is happening on the field. No matter the preference, Acho believes his personality can permeate into different focuses of the broadcast, aggregating a more versatile commentator.
“I think it’s just about me being me,” Acho said. “Some people will like it; some people don’t. Everyone has different personalities, and some people want to just hear the stats and there are people who [just] want to hear stories – and I think I can help with that as well.”
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Aside from being a sports media personality both in the booth and in the studio, Acho is also an author of several books through which he can channel his love of writing to catalyze change. His first book – Let the World See You: How to Be Real in a World Full of Fakes – was released in 2020 and discusses shedding societal expectations and embracing one’s identity.
Over the years, Acho has spoken and lectured on mental health where he has promulgated a message of discomfort being necessary for growth. For instance, when someone works out to build muscle strength, they are exerting stress on their muscles, leading to tears and associated soreness. Through this practice, the muscles produce lactic acid that allows them to build back stronger.
“Some of the most painful things I’ve been through oftentimes have been the ones that have brought me the most growth,” he said. “Some of the hardest times have been some of the most fruitful times – not the easy times. I’ve been through hard times. Sometimes we think it’s supposed to be easy and life just has no problems, but we all realize that problems and issues happen in life. Sometimes those problems or those issues; once you face them and you address them, you can grow from them and learn from them.”
Acho was inspired to write a second book through conversations with ordinary people who asked him how he galvanized groups to execute humanitarian and societal efforts during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. In being requested to share his stories of organizing and collaborating with others, he feels he will be able to rekindle the spirit of effectuating change and correcting moral injustice. The book – Change Starts With You: Following Your Fire to Heal a Broken World – is set to be released tomorrow, and Acho hopes it impacts and emboldens its readers.
“I love just trying to communicate, and [this] is a way to express some of the ideas I have about, ‘Here’s ways to make change,’ but there’s also ways to work on yourself,” Acho said. “….Sometimes, I think our fire has gone out. This book is this idea of, ‘What if we could reignite that fire?’”
Excited about my new book, Change Starts with You: Following Your Fire to Heal a Broken World! I believe it will change your life. Teach us all how we can be agents of change in our communities.. Find out more at https://t.co/ENT2CImzDhpic.twitter.com/fcM9VcjxAv
As his career in sports media continues, Acho wants to use his platform to do more than simply appear on different consumption outlets and discuss the game. Through his career on the gridiron and as a broadcaster, he aspires to give fans and consumers an understanding of the power they have to make change. He also seeks to do this through his other roles as director of human capital and impact at AWM Capital; an ambassador for the International Justice Mission; and traveling with his family on medical mission trips to Nigeria through his parent’s organization, Living Hope Christian Ministries.
In addition, he continues to look for mentors in sports media and aims to find different people whom he wishes to emulate in certain aspects of his broadcast style.
“[I] just want to continue to get better and continue to find those things that I really enjoy,” Acho said. “I look at a lot of people who have been doing it for years [and] working with the same partner when it comes to calling games. Part of me says, ‘Man, it’d be fun to find out that thing and see if I can really get really good at it and help audiences and help players and share stories.’”
Throughout his playing career, Acho kept a resolute focus on the game at hand and what he was able to control in its outcome. Although he did some occasional work in sports media, it was not until his career ended when he committed to exploring and constructing a career in the industry. Acho is concentrating on generating a stable growth trajectory and augmenting his versatility and potential as a broadcaster – just as he did when he was a player both collegiately and in the NFL.
Achieving that, however, requires a deft understanding of one’s own self-identity, and it is something Acho began to think about after he signed a lucrative multi-year contract with the Bears, but still felt immense emotional pain. It turned out Acho was masquerading his inner persona, instead evoking the toughness he displayed on the field and subsequently judging himself based on his football abilities.
Through his journey, he became comfortable living the way in which he felt was intended for him and recognizing his own self-worth, dissociating it solely on the basis of game-related benchmarks.
“Take the time to really find out who you are,” Acho advises. “Oftentimes we’ll just get so focused on our job, we’ll forget that there’s more to us than meets the ey
In a recent podcast episode, Joe Rogan criticized CNN for handling COVID-19 reporting, specifically regarding their coverage of Ivermectin.
Rogan accused the network of losing credibility by referring to the drug as a “horse de-wormer” to mock him and suppress the idea that he successfully treated his illness without being vaccinated.
Rogan suggested that CNN’s coverage was influenced by their advertisers and handlers, who prioritized promoting their interests over accurate information for the public.
Rogan had previously pushed back against CNN’s reporting of Ivermectin, calling it a “lie” and alleging that they consciously framed it as veterinary medicine. He also accused the network of manipulating footage of him to make him look bad on TV, further eroding their credibility.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, admitted that the network should not have referred to Ivermectin as a horse drug.
Gupta acknowledged the need to engage with a broader range of audiences and referred to his appearance on Rogan’s podcast as a “less comfortable place” to communicate about public health.
Newsmax’s CEO Chris Ruddy was cordially welcomed at the Conservative Political Action Conference, where he spoke alongside CPAC head Matt Schlapp.
According to Vanity, Ruddy claimed that DirecTV’s decision to end its relationship with Newsmax and drop One America News was an attempt to “de-platform” conservatives and an act of censorship. He argued that Fox News is the last remaining conservative option, but even that is changing. Ruddy stated that DirecTV has considered bringing Newsmax back, but a new deal is not guaranteed.
Fox provided a different level of coverage at CPAC than in previous years and did not return as an event sponsor. On the other hand, Newsmax set up a media booth and played ads on the venue’s big screen between speeches.
DirecTV has stated that its relationship with Newsmax was canceled due to a common carriage dispute, not political motives. The provider has said that keeping Newsmax would have cost it tens of millions, while Ruddy argues that the cost would have been a fraction of that amount. After failing to reach a new deal with Newsmax, DirecTV has also picked up The First TV, a conservative channel.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer has indicated that Republicans are preparing to investigate DirecTV for allegedly targeting Newsmax. Ruddy thanked Ted Cruz and Jim Comer for supporting the fight against DirecTV.
