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Michael Kay Show Pays Tribute to Favorite Caller Following His Death

BSM Staff
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If you listen to The Michael Kay Show with any regularity, chances are you have heard the name Harry in Englewood Cliffs. The 99-year-old New Jersey resident was a frequent caller to the show and was a favorite of Kay, Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg. He passed away last week.

Harry Chakmakian was the caller’s real name. Kay revealed on Twitter that a member of the Chakmakian family emailed him to give him the sad news.

“Listeners to @TMKSESPN know Harry was a cherished part of our family and he will be terribly missed. Condolences to his family,” the host wrote. “RIP my friend.”

“Sorry to hear about the passing of Harry from Englewood,” La Greca added. “It was an honor to know him. We miss you and your passion for life.”

Peter Rosenberg paid tribute by posting a video of Chakmakian’s appearance on the show when it originated from the Jersey Shore.

La Greca and Rosenberg spoke to Harry on the air just last week. At that time, Chakmakian revealed he was sick and had been struggling to get better, but promised that he was “gonna beat it.”

Michael Kay admitted to The Bergen Record that news of Harry Chakmakian’s death brought him to tears.

“Over the years we all grew to love him and adored when he called in,” Kay said. “We became even closer to him when his son would drive him to our remotes and he would gleefully come on the air with us. He was that special, and we should all aspire to live life the way he lived it. He will be terribly missed by all of us.”

Tucker Carlson: Saying Sam Harris is Smart is ‘Demonstrably False’

BNM Staff
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As a stretch of religious holidays concludes, discussions on religion abound. Fox News host Tucker Carlson sat down with Charlie Kirk to discuss the rise of atheism in America, and Carlson took a shot at author and podcast host Sam Harris in the process.

During The Charlie Kirk Show podcast, Carlson said he has no tolerance for those who believe there is no God, noting Harris, who is one of the leaders of the “New Atheist” movement, which believes that superstiton, religion, and irrationalism should not be tolerated.

“My tolerance for people who are agnostic or aren’t really sure and are seeking (is high), but the idea that there are people who are completely certain as a matter of religious faith that there’s no God, I just find it hilarious, and so childish that I can’t take it seriously. I was talking with someone the other day that was like ‘Sam Harris is smart’, and I’m like ‘Do we have evidence that Sam Harris is smart? Sam Harris seems like a child to me. Like a terrified little child.’ Sam Harris seems like one of the dumbest people I’ve ever heard in my life. If you live in a world where ‘Sam Harris is very smart’, really? I’m not gonna agree with that because it’s demonstrably false. Sam Harris is a ridiculous figure.”

Harris hosts the Making Sense podcast, which he describes as exploring “important questions about the human mind, society, and current events”. In the past, Harris has been accused of Islamophobia for his views on the religion, characterizing it by saying “Islam is the mother lode of bad ideas”.

NBA Christmas Ratings Up 5% on ESPN/ABC Simulcast

BSM Staff
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NBA Christmas Ratings Up 5% on ESPN/ABC Simulcast

Even with competition from the NFL’s Christmas tripleheader, the NBA saw it’s five-game Christmas schedule make a ratings uptick.

All five games were simulcast on ESPN and ABC, and the slate averaged nearly 4.3 million viewers for the day. That number is up 5% from the 2021 Christmas schedule, but is down slightly compared to the 2020 schedule. However, the 2020 Christmas games were during the opening week of the season after the previous season’s schedule was extended by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent Orlando bubble.

The 5:00 PM ET game — featuring the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks — was the highest-rated game of the day. It averaged just over 6 million viewers, up 16% from last year’s contest in the same window.

The early afternoon game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks averaged 4.333 million viewers, while the primetime matchup featuring the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies saw 4.7 million viewers.

The day’s first game — the Philadelphia 76ers victory over the New York Knicks — averaged 4.036 million viewers. That number is an increase of 38% compared to 2021.

Matt Spiegel: NFL Scheduling Games on Christmas ‘Mean Spirited’ Towards NBA

BSM Staff
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The NBA has long viewed Christmas as its biggest day on the league calendar. However, the NFL has tried to encroach upon the day’s sports schedule, and 670 The Score host Matt Spiegel believes that’s a calculated move.

During Parkins & Spiegel Monday, Spiegel read a text message from a listener that said no one in his house asked to watched the NBA, with many commenting on how “nice” it was to have football available to watch on Christmas. The host then noted that isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

“Let’s go big picture here,” Spiegel said. “I know it’s on a Sunday so that’s why they had three games, but this is the third straight year the NFL has played games on Christmas…you don’t think the NFL is gonna look at this and say ‘Well, next year Christmas is on a Tuesday (sic), let’s still put three games on. It’s a holiday.’ They’re putting a game on Black Friday!”

After being told by Gabe Ramirez — who was filling in for Danny Parkins — that Christmas is on Monday in 2023, Spiegel replied “Do you think they’ll put a second game on next year? Make it a doubleheader? You know they could…it is an easier fit to have on in the background.”

Ramirez added it’s “dirty” of the NFL to add Christmas games, and Spiegel agreed.

“Do you think Adam Silver texted Roger Goodell when he saw this schedule at one point with a ‘Really? You’re doing this to me? Really?’,” Spiegel said.

“(Silver sent) a poop emoji,” Ramirez joked, before saying he believed the early afternoon windows should belong to the NBA, and then a competition between the NFL and NBA in the primetime windows.

Spiegel concluded by calling the move “mean spirited”.

Sport Science Returning to TV, Network to Be Announced

BSM Staff
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Sport Science is returning to television, with the network yet to be announced.

According to a tweet from John Brenkus — Sport Science host and executive producer — the show is returning, but it will not be on ESPN. Brenkus made the tweet after Awful Announcing joked that the show needed to explain ESPN NFL analyst Booger McFarland’s claim that he used to take shots of whiskey on the sidelines during cold games to stay warm, saying a “big announcement” about the show’s future was coming.

Sport Science originally aired on FOX Sports Network from 2007-2009. It then migrated to ESPN, which turned the brand into segments on SportsCenter.

Brenkus currently runs a production company — BASE Productions — which produces reality television programs. One of the company’s current shows airs on A&E.

Twitter Account of Piers Morgan Hacked, Briefly Deactivated

BNM Staff
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Former CNN host Piers Morgan saw his Twitter account hacked and then briefly deactivated Monday.

The hack came in the early morning hours, which saw the account begin rapidly tweeting vulgarity and several racial slurs. In addition to the offensive messages, the hackers also tweeted fake news items designed to illicit reactions from followers.

The hackers later leaked a direct message conversation between Morgan and tennis star Andy Murray. The leaked portions of the discussion were light-hearted in nature, mostly centered around the 2022 World Cup.

Morgan’s account was then deactivated by the social media platform, conceivably for its violation of the terms of service after the racially charged tweets. Morgan’s account has now been restored, but is completely blank.

The Daily Mail has inferred the hack could have come from a hacking group called the “Chuckling Squad”, which has previously hacked high-profile Twitter accounts in the past.

WBEN Radio Serves As Lifeline For Listeners During Blizzard

BNM Staff
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In Buffalo, New York an unrelenting blizzard over the Christmas holiday left thousands without power and killed dozens of people. Once again, local radio played a huge role in helping disseminate life-saving information. 

WBEN Radio remained fully staffed during the crisis using its regular local hosts and news staffers to provide critical updates, broadcast emergency press conferences, and update its digital platforms on a regular basis. 

WBEN Operations Manager Tim Wenger hosted a Christmas Day morning show with his wife Susan Rose from their home in Orchard Park. 

Longtime WBEN news anchor Tom Puckett was forced to spend days at the radio station.

“A very snowy Merry Christmas to all…I’m in the WBEN newsroom this morning, stranded by the Blizzard of 22!” Puckett said. 

A local restaurant donated food to WBEN employees who were stuck at the radio during the snowstorm. 

“Best Christmas gift for the crew @WBEN as the dedicated staff gained access to the Sunshine Cafe!” Tim Wenger tweeted. “Eggs and bacon for all and a re-energized staff to bring you the information you need. @TheJoeBeamer.” 

WBEN opened its phone lines for people stranded in their cars. Hosts and reporters are credited with serving as a lifeline to people and reconnecting them with their loved ones. On Christmas, a local nurse shared with listeners that she was trying to get to her local hospital to relieve some of her co-workers who had worked several straight days.  

Learn more about WBEN’s round-the-clock storm coverage by clicking this link. 

Kimberly Klacik Hired at WCBM, Will Officially Start on Jan. 2

BNM Staff
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Commentator and political activist Kimberly Klacik is headed back to Baltimore talk radio. The one-time Congressional candidate announced on Twitter that she will begin hosting a show on WCBM 680 on Jan 8. 

“I am excited to talk to everyone again. We have so much to discuss. Both national & local issues,” she tweeted. 

Klacik also announced that she will begin her tenure at WCBM a week earlier when she fills in for Derek Hunter on Jan 2. Klacik exited WBAL Radio in November. She had taken over the midday show from Yuripzy Morgan in April. 

WCBM’s current lineup is a mix of local and national shows. The station broadcasts live and local with Sean Casey and Bruce Elliot in the morning and Derek Hunter middays. 

Klacik was recently deposed in a defamation lawsuit she filed against the Daily Wire’s Candace Owens. A Tennessee judge ruled Klacik to pay a total of $115,000, which includes all attorney fees and discretionary expenses.

Last year, Klacik filed a $20 million lawsuit against her after Owens took to Instagram live with some explosive allegations. Among other things, Owens accused Klacik of using campaign funds for cocaine.

Klacik founded the political action committee (PAC) Red Renaissance, which according to its website, advocates for school choice, economic empowerment in the inner city and develops political candidates.  

WABC Radio Management Excited About 2023 and Beyond

BNM Staff
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When Red Apple Media owner John Catsimatidis purchased 77 WABC Radio from Cumulus Media in 2019, he pledged to make the radio station great again. As the station embarks on a new year, station management feels like it’s on the path to making that happen. 

In a news release received by Barrett News Media, WABC touted its centennial celebration as a recognition of service to the community coupled with a vision for what WABC will look like in 2023 and into the future. 

“77 WABC has been on the air during the Roaring ’20s, The Great Depression, two World Wars, the assassination of John F Kennedy, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and September 11th, 2001,” said Chad Lopez, President, Red Apple Media. 

Catsimatidis purchased WABC during the first month of the pandemic. 

“John Catsimaidis, thank you for making WABC fun again. And thank you for bringing success back to this crown jewel of American radio,” said WABC host James Golden. 

Earlier this year, the WABC family suffered a tragedy when morning show co-host Bernie died after a battle with prostate cancer. 

“His absence will leave a hole not just at WABC but across the airwaves and in America’s hearts. Bernie was our brother, our friend, our mentor, our colleague,” Lopez wrote in an email to staff at the time. 

Through ups and downs, WABC Radio heads into 2023 optimistic about its current direction. The station has a live and local lineup and a slew of familiar voices to keep listeners coming back. 

“The son of the soil who grew up listening to WABC and now we’re back to being the number one talk radio station in the nation,” host Curtis Sliwa said. 

The NFL Owns Christmas Now

Garrett Searight
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It was only a matter of time before the ever-hungry corporate behemoth that is the NFL gobbled up every bit of real estate on the fall and winter sports calendar for itself. And after the past two years it’s official: the NFL owns Christmas.

The NFL has made it clear under Roger Goodell’s leadership it doesn’t care about social justice, it doesn’t care about professional etiquette, it doesn’t care about unspoken agreements, or anything. The only thing the NFL cares about is money and how to get more of it.

So, you should not have been surprised when the league schedule was debuted and there were three (in theory) marquee games scheduled for Christmas, with the rest of the schedule taking place on Thursday, Saturday, and Monday.

Really, the NFL’s shift to try to own Christmas began in earnest in 2021, when it scheduled a pair of games in national windows on Christmas, which fell on a Saturday. It’s full out assault on winning the holiday came this year. In 2023, Christmas is on a Monday, and I’ll be flabbergasted if the only game on the schedule is Monday Night Football.

The NFL is completely in on Christmas from here on out. Even when the holiday falls on Tuesday, don’t be shocked to see the league schedule two or three games in the future. The only day where it may not make sense is when Christmas is a Wednesday. That schedule might be too tough to pull off that late in the season without risking having the same teams play in national windows on Wednesday and then again on the following Monday.

However, the NFL making the decision to “own” Christmas is one of the rare issues where it didn’t act alone in it’s complete money grab. The league got the slightest push from it’s TV partners not named ESPN, and fell head-over-heels in love with the idea of owning another day to itself. The NFL already has Thanksgiving in it’s back pocket, and will try to gobble up Black Friday in 2023 with a game on Amazon Prime Video. It’s only a matter of time until the league begins playing its season-opening game on Labor Day — in primetime, no doubt — and schedules the Super Bowl on the Sunday before President’s Day to ensure it holds the entire fall/winter calendar to itself.

There will come a time when the NFL will need a new television package to slice up and sell off to the highest bidder. Can you foresee a “holiday”/International package? The season opening game on Labor Day, a game on Halloween night with special uniforms, a Thanksgiving tripleheader, followed by Christmas Eve or Christmas Day games, in addition to games in Europe. Paired with the option to put a game or two on New Years Day, College Football Playoff or bowl games be damned. I’m assuming the NFL would love to make another $500 million a year from some suitable new partner — TBS/TNT, perhaps? — for 8-10 games on the schedule to help grow those ever expanding revenue sheets.

But, as I mentioned, the league didn’t act alone. FOX, NBC, and CBS propelled the league to this. And it makes sense, for a very long time, those networks simply allowed the ESPN/ABC/NBA triumvirate to control the holiday, and everyone else took a backseat. But now with simply the sheer amount of dollars put into sports television rights, you can’t concede any day. You can’t just allow your competition to have a win.

So, rather than pull in paltry ratings with re-runs of The Big Bang Theory, the Westminster Dog Show, and whatever second-rate Christmas movie marathon the networks decided to air while millions tuned into the premier NBA matchups of the season, FOX, NBC, and CBS decided to get in on the action.

Now that those networks have had a taste of the Christmas Day ratings bonanza, it’s unlikely they give it up anytime soon. Soon, the NBA and ESPN will long for the days that — for one single day — it was the 10,000 pound gorilla on the block. It will reminisce about the days where it was simply understood that it owned the sports schedule for the day. Because those days are over. The NFL now owns Christmas, like it owns every other Sunday, Monday, and Thursday between September and January. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

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