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.’”
–
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.’”
–
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.”
–
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.
If you’re in the media business long enough, you learn not to let yourself ever get too disappointed. People and organizations are going to let you down. It is a natural byproduct of commercializing art. We have ideas and the people willing to pay us for those ideas have financial goals. Part of pursuing a career in any sort of arts-related field is accepting that most of the time, those goals take precedent.
Logic tells you that the broadcast business works because of the talent. Companies and sellers have something valuable to pitch to clients because of what is on the air between the commercial breaks. A part of me wanted to believe that a professional group called the National Association of Broadcasters would put the people behind the mics and in front of the cameras first.
What a sweet, simple boy I can be sometimes.
The power behind the NAB are the multi-market mega corporations that buy up stations they cannot afford and then clean house. It’s the companies that decide a city like New Orleans doesn’t need a local host on their urban station’s afternoon show. There’s a program director already running three stations in our Charlotte cluster that has a southern accent. Why not just add voice tracking the shift to her duties?
Congress was asked to consider doing away with non-compete clauses in our business. I shouldn’t be disappointed that the NAB fired off a letter framing the anti-capitalist practice as “pro competition,” but I am.
I should have alligator skin after 25 years in radio, but I’m disappointed because it confirms all of my worst fears about the broadcasting industry – not the media, mind you, but the broadcasting industry as a whole. Our jobs exist to make the air time between the commercials valuable, but that doesn’t make us valuable to the people that are supposed to have our best interests in mind.
Have you been laid off or fired? Were you expected to honor the non-compete clause in the contract your employer just broke? It’s not just unfair. It seems shitty, right? If the company that had been employing you up until today has a vision of a brighter future that doesn’t include you, why is it so important to them that you not be able to make a living in your industry in your city for another three, six or twelve months?
That’s not pro-competition. In fact, it’s the polar opposite. To frame it any other way is insulting.
Non-competes are just part of my problem. The position the NAB has taken on those is upsetting, but non-competes have been part of the reality of this business for my entire career and probably for at least the majority of the careers of a lot of people reading this. They are an injustice we have grown accustomed to.
What comes next for our industry is going to be genuinely disturbing.
Every industry can recognize benefits and red flags when they evaluate how artificial intelligence will impact businesses. As OpenAI’s products get more and more indistinguishable from human work, more and more jobs are at risk.
Artificial intelligence has already taken away jobs in the broadcasting industry. There are probably at least half a dozen stations in your town that do not have live bodies in their studios at all in certain day parts. Why do they need them when automation exists?
But go to an NAB conference and there are plenty of stories told about companies that saw the benefit of investing in local talent during mid days and nights. There are GMs that can tell you about clients that see the benefit of the connection the mid day guy at the classic rock station has with the blue collar workers that tune in on their lunch breaks. Those listeners have heard “Back in Black” and “Another Brick in the Wall” a million times each. They aren’t putting on The Eagle or The Rock or The Brew to hear those songs. They are tuning in to hear him.
Now we’re being told that that connection isn’t important anymore because Futuri’s RadioGPT is going to give the biggest companies the best of both worlds – full automation with a friendly voice to keep listeners tuned in between Adele songs.
Futuri is billing it as “live, local and powered by AI.” If the last part is true, then the first two cannot possibly be, right?
What is so depressing is that the same companies that pour money into staging those NAB conferences, where those stories of the importance of local, human connection with our audience are told cannot wait for the tech to be perfected.
Sports and talk hosts can be smug. Sure, this is coming for DJs’ jobs first. AI doesn’t have to be perfect to spit out 15-20 seconds about traffic on [insert local highway] or tickets for [concert by popular artist at local venue] going on sale.
Do you think that’s where this is all going to stop? Did Amazon build a website that sold some books, turn a profit and say “ah, good enough!”?
Companies are going to demand Futuri or someone else make this technology better and better until AI can spit out a solid ten minutes on what [local sports team] should do in free agency.
The National Association of Broadcasters should be advocating for BROADCASTERS, but after telling Congress about the benefits our industry gets from keeping talented people out of work, I have no faith it will. That letter showed me that the NAB is so shortsighted that it will advocate for profits over people straight up until the day there is no one left working in the broadcast industry to attend one of their events.
I don’t like it, but I can live with the NAB misleading lawmakers about who non-compete clauses benefit. I expect that. My fear is that the group will advocate its way to its initials standing for No Actual Bodies.
The Steinhardt School of NYU will introduce a new class in autumn 2023 named “The Business of Podcasting” as part of its Music Business curriculum. According to a press release, this course, instructed by Amplifi Media’s CEO Steve Goldstein, will be the only college-accredited program in the United States that solely concentrates on the business components of podcasting. Goldstein is an adjunct professor at NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
The Business of Podcasting is open to all NYU undergraduate students and will cover crucial elements of the growing podcast business, including content, marketing, economics, and trends. Students will learn about the podcast industry from all angles, including key players, production, ad sales, technology, and listeners. Additionally, they will create a business plan as part of the course.
Larry Miller, Clinical Professor and Director of the Music Business Program at NYU Steinhardt, praised Goldstein’s vast experience in podcasting and noted that although the university offers courses in audio journalism, linear storytelling, and sound design, they have not yet provided a course specifically focused on the business of podcasting. The course will expose students to the structure of the podcasting segment and provide them with a framework for show development, preparing them for the next generation of podcasting professionals.
Goldstein, an internationally recognized executive, and leader in scaling and refining audio initiatives across podcasting, radio, satellite radio, and voice platforms, created the course for NYU. The university approved an entire 14-week undergraduate course after a successful test run in April 2022 featuring top podcast executives.
“I am honored to join the faculty at NYU Steinhardt School and bring the first full-semester college-level podcast course that focuses on the podcasting business to our students,” said Steve Goldstein, Founder/CEO of Amplifi Media. “The mission is to stay on top of the fast-changing podcast space, and being in New York, we will introduce students to some of the top names in the field.”
Goldstein’s strategic audio advisory firm, Amplifi Media, is highly regarded for guiding clients such as ABC News, NBCUniversal TV, Ramsey Solutions, and EY through strategy, content development, organizational efficiency, and growth. For more information on Amplifi Media, visit their website at AmplifiMedia.com.
Last week, First Take did what First Take was designed to do. When Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim — in lockstep — argued that the NHL “doesn’t count” after Michael Kay said the New York Rangers were the next champion from the Big Apple, uproar rained down.
There seems to be an understanding of what First Take is and what Stephen A. Smith does: sports hot takery run amok. A show that thrives on preposterous, flamboyant, hyperbolic, 90-seconds-or-less soundbytes that ESPN television and radio hosts can use throughout the next 24 hours to start conversations that are thinly-veiled promos for the show, network, and Smith.
And yet, every couple of weeks, something on the show happens or is said that makes people drop their jaws and feign outrage.
“J.J. Reddick believes basketball is more physical now than in 1990s?! What an idiot!”
“Stephen A. Smith wouldn’t criticize Dana White for slapping his wife because ‘he’s a friend’? This is outrageous!”
“Why won’t Brian Windhorst just come out and say what’s going on? Why is he just pointing to the sky? ESPN doesn’t care about it’s viewers!”
Stop it. It’s exactly what the show wants and thrives on. You likely don’t care about any of the topics discussed on the show at any time throughout the week.
The selective outrage is disappointing. I’m a hockey fan. I love the sport, and I’ll die on the hill that it’s the best in-person event you can attend.
And do I care that the main cogs of First Take believe “hockey doesn’t count”? Hell no! Of course it doesn’t count to them. Hockey doesn’t count to the overwhelming majority of the audience. And that’s ok!
The idea that ESPN somehow pissed off the NHL by one of its hosting, in a throw away comment, saying the sport “doesn’t matter” is preposterous. And if Gary Bettman or anyone else inside the league office even so much as sent an email to ESPN about it, they should be ashamed of themselves.
The NHL’s fandom — or lack thereof — does not rest on what the opinion of the sport is from Molly Qerim or Stephen A. Smith. They are not going to gain or lose fans because of the opinion of either of them.
Furthermore, believing that Stephen A. Smith is the chief driver of sports discussion in America is a bigger issue. While he’s an divisive figure — and there’s no denying everything he says about the sports world or sports media is important — anyone who believes that Smith is a narrative shaper needs their head examined.
I hate to defend Stephen A. Smith, but his reaction to the blowback was correct and warranted. It was an innocuous comment, thrown out in a joking manner. The man admitted he doesn’t know enough about a topic to discuss it, and should be lauded for it, not torn down.
So relax. About Stephen A. Smith, about First Take, about everything. Not every comment is a slight. The faster more people learn that, the better.
Will NBA commissioner Adam Silver be the next CEO of Disney? It’s possible.
According to reporting from Charles Gasparino at FOX Business, Silver is among the pool of candidates being considered to take over for current CEO Bob Iger when he retires in two years.
Silver’s contract as NBA commissioner runs through 2024.
Disney’s relationship with the NBA through ESPN makes Silver being on a short list for CEO sensible. ESPN and ABC have been a media rightsholder since the 2002-03 season. They also have done business involving Disney World, including the failed NBA Experience attraction and the Covid bubble, which allowed the league to finish its 2019-2020 season.
Before becoming commissioner, Silver was the COO of NBA Entertainment.
The current media rights deal between the NBA and ESPN/ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery expires at the end of the 2024-25 season. Negotiations on a new deal are set to begin soon, and Iger has said that Disney has no intention of letting the rights get away.
Several others, including current Disney executives, are also being considered.
One of the big storylines heading in to the 2023 NFL Combine was potential top ten draft pick Jalen Carter being charged with two misdemeanors related to a car crash that killed a University of Georgia football staffer and offensive lineman.
Carter, who won back-to-back national championships with the Bulldogs the last two seasons, had a warrant out for his arrest by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department charging him with reckless driving and racing on highways/streets. He was booked at 11:33 p.m. on March 1 and was released 16 minutes later after posting a $4,000 bond.
Police investigating the accident that killed Chandler LeCroy and Devin Willcock believe the vehicle they were traveling in was moving in excess of 100 mph before it crashed.
Carter did not participate in any on-field workouts at the Combine but did interview with teams and take a physical. Reporting from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution indicated Carter had also recently been ticketed for going 89 mph in a 45 mph zone.
On Audacy’s 1st & Pod, co-host Andrew Fillipponi felt like he needed to come to the defense of ESPN mock draft expert Todd McShay for indicating back in December that Carter had “character issues.”
“I think everybody sort of owes Todd McShay an apology,” Fillipponi said. “There was this big rush to bury McShay for some of the things he said about Jalen Carter. He must’ve had good information on this guy because the story that was told to the police – differing stories twice. And I’m guessing that there were people around the Georgia football program and even people in the NFL who knew about that part of things.”
Carter initially left the scene of the crash before police and first responders arrived but returned about two hours later. He told police in one account of the accident his vehicle had been traveling beside and behind the one that crashed and killed LeCroy and Willcock.
Fillipponi said considering that Carter has only been charged with misdemeanors, his draft position next month should remain unaffected.
“I think that in the end unless teams think that he is a risk to do more stuff like this and is someone that has bad intentions, or is somebody that really doesn’t put football first, and just fools around and does reckless things I still think he’ll end up in the top ten,” he said.
