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Opening Weekend of NBA Playoffs Score Best Ratings Since 2011

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Opening Weekend of NBA Playoffs Score Best Ratings Since 2011

The first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs are under way, and the opening slate of games saw an increase in TV ratings.

The first weekend of games averaged 4.15 million between ESPN, ABC and TNT. That number was up 3% year over year and the best since 2011.

Game 1 of the Kings/Warriors series averaged 6.26 million on Saturday night. The broadcast peaked at 7.56 million from 11-11:15 p.m. eastern. It placed third as the most-watched series opener in the last 20 years. The ABC broadcast also saw the largest audience of the season for the NBA.

The third biggest audience of the season in the league tuned in to Game 1 of Lakers/Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon. Coverage of that game also aired on ABC and averaged 5.54 million, peaking at 7.49 million.

Game 1 of the Clippers/Suns series was the most-watched program on TV in the 18-49 and 18-34 demographics. That game brought in 5.04 million viewers.

Fox News Settles Defamation Lawsuit With Dominion Voting Systems

BNM Staff
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After much deliberation, including a more than two-hour delay on Tuesday, Fox News has settled its defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that the reason the trial was delayed from Monday to Tuesday was for the two parties to work on a last-chance settlement at the behest of Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis.

Ultimately, the two sides were unable to come to an agreement before jury selection began. However, on Tuesday, CNN reporter Marshall Cohen claimed a Fox News lawyer approached a Dominion attorney and pointed to a piece of paper before the two left the courtroom to talk privately.

After a more than two-hour delay, which included lawyers being prepared to give their opening remarks, Davis returned to the courtroom and declared the two sides had settled their case.

“The parties have resolved their case,” Davis said, offering no additional details.

The conclusion of the case ends a longstanding back-and-forth between the cable news outlet and the election machine company. Dominion Voting Systems unveiled several damaging texts and emails sent by Fox News hosts and executives that showed the behind-the-scenes feelings toward now-former President Donald Trump.

Legal experts for other cable networks argued that Fox News was in a dangerous position by preparing to let its leading hosts sit for questioning in front of the jury. Some went as far to claim the network was in serious jeopardy of losing the case.

Dominion Voting Systems sought $1.6 billion in damages after it alleged Fox News deliberately aired falsehoods around the company’s role in a purported plot to rig the 2020 presidential election against Trump.

An attorney for Dominion Voting Systems said the settlement was for $787.5 million. Attorneys and company officials refused to answer questions on whether any other terms, like a retraction or a public apology, were included in the settlement.

“The truth matters.  Lies have consequences,” said Dominion’s attorney Justin Nelson.

“We are pleased to have reached a settlement of our dispute with Dominion Voting Systems. We acknowledge the Court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false,” a Fox News spokesperson told Barrett News Media.

“This settlement reflects FOX’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards. We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward from these issues.”

2023 NAB Crystal Radio Award Winners Announced

BNM Staff
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2023 NAB Crystal Radio Award Winners Announced

The National Association of Broadcasters has named its 36th annual Crystal Radio Award winners, with 10 stations being bestowed the honor.

The NAB Crystal Radio Awards honors stations for their “year-round commitment to community service”.

Newsradio 620 WTMJ in Milwaukee was the only news/talk station honored with the award.

Additionally, KTAR in Phoenix was awarded the prestigious Crystal Heritage Award during the ceremony. The award is given to stations that have been honored with a Crystal Radio Award five or more times. Bonneville Phoenix Senior Vice President and Market Manager Ryan Hatch accepted the award on the station’s behalf.

Other honorees include:
KBCO-FM Denver
KBXX-FM Houston
KCYY-FM San Antonio
KKHJ-FM Pago Pago, American Samoa
KOSI-FM Denver
KSTP-FM Minneapolis – St. Paul
WALR-FM Atlanta
WREW-FM Cincinnati
WUSL-FM Philadelphia

50 stations in total were named finalists for the award, with news/talk stations like WTOP (Washington D.C.), KIRO (Seattle), KFI (Los Angeles), WSB (Atlanta), and WTAM (Cleveland) nominated.

Phil Simms: ‘I Just Can’t Picture Tom Brady Up There Announcing Games’

BSM Staff
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Even after expressing that he’ll join the FOX Sports top NFL booth in 2024, many still don’t believe Tom Brady will ever be a regular game announcer for the network. You can place CBS Sports analyst Phil Simms in that camp.

During an interview with Front Office Sports, Simms was asked about Brady’s broadcast future and said he doesn’t view it as a slam dunk.

“I’ve got to see it – or hear it – to believe it. I don’t know. I just can’t picture Tom Brady up there announcing games. You know why? He’s Tom Brady. He’s just bigger than life…In this day and age, is it worth it for him? 

“Hey, I think they’ll use him in different ways. I don’t care. I’m going to say he doesn’t do games. They’ll put him on a pregame show and let him talk a little. There’s lots of ways to use him. He’s Tom Brady…He looks good. And he knows a lot of football, that’s for sure. So yes, I think they’ll use him in a different way. I don’t have any insight – and I don’t even care.  But I’ll be surprised if he does games. I will be. 

And you know, too, Greg Olsen did a good job this year. That has to make you sit back and wonder. So we’ll see.”

The 67-year-old Simms worked as the top NFL game analyst for CBS Sports after an impressive playing career.

Simms has also served as a longtime analyst for Inside the NFL, which will move from the Paramount+ streaming platform. He said the program will be something he’ll think fondly of.

“I will miss it. It was just a different platform. It was fun to do. There is a lot of freedom there,” concluded Simms.

Stephen A. Smith: Sports Fans ‘Don’t Want to Learn’ Anything From Me

BSM Staff
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When people meet Stephen A. Smith in public, rarely do they want an autograph. In a conversation with The New York Times, he says people want to play out their own First Take fantasies with him.

“I’ve told this to superstars that are at Lakers games or Knicks games — it could be Chris Rock or Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx,” he told writer David Marchese. “I said ‘People want your autographs and your pictures. Me, they want to debate.’ It’s much harder for me.”

Arguing about sports is what Stephen A. Smith does for a living. People are welcome to tell him their thoughts, but he isn’t going to engage for free.

“People try to generate a response from me, and a lot of times they think that I might be rude just because I’m silent. I’m silent because I’m saying ‘I do this for a living. I’m not going to do this in my off time’. Somebody walks up to me, they can get a picture. I’ll never say no. What I say no to is conversation. I won’t have time to live if I talk to everybody that wants to have a conversation with me.”

Smith said it can be exhausting to constantly be involved in debates. That is why he tries to disconnect as much as possible when he isn’t preparing for a show.

He said it is one of the things that made it hard to work with Max Kellerman. Smith described his style as “This is what I said. Deal with it.” He found that Kellerman needed debates to end with Smith telling him he was right. That isn’t what fans want from First Take or sports debate in general according to Smith.

“One time I said to him, ‘You’re a boxing aficionado, ain’t you?’ He said, ‘Absolutely.’ I said, ‘You know boxing better than anybody, right?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘Your friends that you grew up with, don’t they argue with you about boxing?’ He said, ‘Absolutely.’ I said, ‘Why do you think that is?’ I said, ‘The sports fan cannot be taught.’ They don’t want to learn from you. They want to hear whether you do or do not agree with them and why.”

Steve Lapa Launches ‘3 Minute Planner’ Sales Tool

BNM Staff
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Steve Lapa Launches ‘3 Minute Planner’ Sales Tool

Broadcast management and sales expert Steve Lapa has launched a new website that features a specifically designed platform designed to help sales teams strategize in three-minute videos and eBooks.

The platform aims to provide sales managers and teams with “concise, practical strategies that can be applied immediately”. Each video in the planner is paired with an eBook that expands on a given topic, and gives additional help to sellers and managers.

“Radio sales is about constant competition and pressure,” said Steve Lapa, Founder
of 3MINUTEPLANNER.COM. “The 3 Minute Planner is designed to provide managers
and sales teams with the strategic guidance they need to succeed. Our video-based re-
education approach makes it easy for anyone to learn and implement new strategies
quickly.”

Currently, 3 Minute Planner offers more than 100 topics and strategies to maximize sales efforts.

Lapa is a more than 40-year radio veteran, holding senior executive roles at more than 28 radio and television stations during his illustrious career.

Jim Trotter Joining The Athletic

BSM Staff
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Former NFL Media columnist Jim Trotter has joined The Athletic, the company announced.

Trotter exited NFL Network and NFL.com last month as the organization cut several positions from its staff. His departure coincided with Trotter questioning NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the lack of diversity in executive roles in the league’s newsroom. Trotter repeatedly reiterated that he didn’t view questioning Goodell as an “attack”, but an attempt at holding the Commissioner accountable after he said the league would have a better track record of hiring more diverse candidates in the league’s media organization.

After exiting NFL Media, Trotter claims he declined a three-month severance package that would have required him to sign an NDA.

“I’m honored and humbled by the opportunity to work with such a talented staff, and I’m excited about having the freedom and support to go where the news leads me,” Trotter said.

The New York Times — the owner of The Athletic — says Trotter will work for the digital publication’s “new opinion desk and report to Deputy Managing Editor Jorge Rojas”. He will continue to cover the NFL, while also writing columns on other sports.

“We are really excited to bring Jim on board,” said The Athletic’s Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg. “Jim has a deep understanding of the NFL and the issues that resonate in the world of sports, an extensive source network, and an innate sense for a great story. He will be a powerful new voice for The Athletic that will continue to make our coverage stand apart.”

Trotter’s first day with The Athletic will be Monday, May 8th.

ESPN 1000 Debuts Chicago Bears Radio Network Programming and Personnel

BSM Staff
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ESPN 1000 Debuts Chicago Bears Radio Network Programming and Personnel

The 2023 NFL season will mark the debut season for ESPN 1000 as the flagship radio home of the Chicago Bears, and the station announced the personnel that will helm the new radio network.

As previously reported, Jeff Joniak and Tom Thayer will remain the franchise’s radio crew. Jason McKie will serve as the sideline reporter. Joniak is embarking on his 23rd season as the radio voice of the Bears.

ESPN 1000 afternoon host Mark Silverman, better known as Silvy, will helm the network’s pregame show. He’ll be joined by Dionne Miller and former Bears linebacker Lance Briggs. Silvy will also host the network’s halftime show by himself, which the station says “will provide a fresh, fan-focused take on what fans expect from a typical halftime show”.

Carmen & Jurko host John Jurkovic will anchor the network’s postgame show. He’ll be joined by Peggy Kusinski of the station’s weekend program Peggy & Dionne.

“The hometown radio call continues to be an integral part of Bears football,” added Chicago Bears Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications Scott Hagel. “It provides the unique soundtrack of each season. Bears fans expect informed commentary and a shared passion for their favorite team as pillars to their experience. Good Karma has assembled a talented cast to deliver on both while providing a fresh take on Bears football not only for ESPN 1000 listeners but for fans across the entire national Chicago Bears Radio Network.”

Additionally, the station will launch The Chicago Bears Podcast. The daily offering will be hosted by local YouTube personality Pat the Designer. Each weekday, he will be joined by a different ESPN 1000 or Bears Radio Network member to discuss topics related to the team. That podcast will debut on Monday, April 24th.

“I am ecstatic for ESPN Chicago to enter a new era for exclusive Bears content 365 days a year while bringing together a diverse, energetic, and passionate group of talent with a deep knowledge of Chicago sports,” said ESPN 1000 Director of Content Danny Zederman. “Our talent has a real understanding of the importance of the Chicago Bears and what the team means to the fans because our team is made up of fans. We are counting down the days until kickoff!”

The Athletic SVP/GM Evan Parker Announces Exit

BSM Staff
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The Athletic SVP/GM Evan Parker Announces Exit

Evan Parker, a Senior Vice President and General Manager at The Athletic, has announced he is departing the digital outlet.

In a post on LinkedIn, Parker shared that Friday, April 21st will be his final day with the company.

“To call this experience a dream is an understatement,” wrote Parker.

Parker joined The Athletic in July 2019 after spending 8 years working in content for NASCAR.

“A big part of my motivation for joining The Athletic was to help create something long-lasting that would thrive well beyond my time with the company,” he added.

“I’m proud that we’ve done that, and under the ownership of The New York Times (which acquired us 14 months ago), I have zero doubt I’ll be able to read The Athletic until I’m old and gray.”

Parker did not share what his next step would be, simply stating that he is “going to be partnering with a few people I deeply respect and admire on a new project”. He added that he would share more details soon.

Nielsen Gets Accreditation Back For National TV Ratings

BSM Staff
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Nielsen Gets Accreditation Back For National TV Ratings

Nielsen got some good news this week. The Media Rights Council has reinstated accreditation to the company’s national television ratings. It had been suspended 18 months ago.

The accreditation was revoked because Nielsen’s data was consistently undercounting audiences during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Nielsen has undertaken strong efforts to correct the issues that led to its loss of MRC accreditation 19 months ago and to restore key aspects of its panel performance,” George W. Ivie, executive director and CEO of the MRC, said in a statement. “The MRC’s audit has shown these efforts have been successful, and as a result, our TV Committee and board agreed that accreditation should be reinstated.”

The work is not yet done for Nielsen. The company did not get accreditation reinstated for its local television ratings, which are also suspended. Nielsen One, a program designed to measure a show’s audience across multiple platforms, is still under audit.

While the Media Rights Council is satisfied with the improvements, Nielsen has not been without its issues. Earlier this year, a study found that the company’s data undercounted the audience for Super Bowl LVII by twenty percent.

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