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Cumulus Launches 3rd Country Station in Dallas With Debut of Country Legends & Texas Classics 93.3 HD2

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Cumulus Launches 3rd Country Station in Dallas With Debut of Country Legends & Texas Classics 93.3 HD2

Cumulus Media has announced the launch of its third country station in the Dallas-Fort Worth market as Country Legends & Texas Classics 93.3 HD2 hit the airwaves on Monday.

The station signed on the air at Noon on Monday with “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind” by George Strait serving as the first song.

According to a statement from the company, the station will feature classic country artists like George Strait, Willie Nelson, Alabama, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, and Reba McIntyre among others.

“We are doubling down on our long-term commitment to Country music in Texas by launching Country Legends & Texas Classics 93.3 HD2,” Said Cumulus Dallas Regional Vice President Dan Bennett. “This station will give a voice to great Country hits from the 70’s and 80s. 

“Paired with our fan favorite DFW Country stations, 99.5 The WOLF and New Country 96.3, this creates a wall of Country for our station group and for the passionate Country music lovers in the DFW area and strengthens our belief in this incredible format,” Bennett concluded.

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WWE Returning SmackDown to 3 Hours on USA Network in 2026

BSM Staff
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WWE Returning SmackDown to 3 Hours on USA Network in 2026

WWE SmackDown is expanding in 2026, with USA Network airing three hours of coverage beginning when the calendar flips.

Previously, the show was on for two hours from its debut in 1999 to earlier this year, when the show moved to USA Network after previously being seen on FOX.

After slimming the broadcast to two hours in the middle of the year, USA Network will now broadcast a three-hour show beginning on Friday, January 2nd.

The news was announced on Friday’s latest episode of the two-hour version of SmackDown.

With the expansion of the show back to three hours each week, WWE now has more than eight hours of live weekly television programming between the Raw, NXT, and SmackDown brands.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

News Media Reacts to Statement From President Donald Trump on Murder of Rob

BNM Staff
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News Media Reacts to Statement From President Donald Trump on Murder of Rob

Actor and Director Rob Reiner and his wife were stabbed to death on Sunday, with their son in custody. President Donald Trump joined many in sharing reactions to the news, but his statement is drawing wide condemnation from many in the news media.

In a post on his Truth Social account, President Trump called the situation “a very sad thing.”

However, his statement then went on to blast Reiner, who was a public critic of Trump and the MAGA movement in his later years.

“Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDORME, sometimes referred to as TDS,” Trump wrote. “He was known to have drive people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, which his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all the goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May rob and Michele rest in peace.”

Many members of the news media — especially those from the conservative side of the aisle — took to social media to share their displeasure with Trump’s comments.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Scripps Sports President Brian Lawlor: NHL Teams Moving From RSNs ‘Basically Made Whole’ By Our Deals

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Scripps Sports President Brian Lawlor: NHL Teams Moving From RSNs ‘Basically Made Whole’ By Our Deals

Scripps Sports has made a heavy push into the local broadcast rights for professional sports teams. The network’s president, Brian Lawlor, says it’s worked for both the company and the NHL and NBA teams they’ve partnered with.

The company currently owns the rights to four NHL franchises, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, and Utah Mammoth. All of those teams left deals with regional sports networks on cable to take their broadcasts to free, over-the-air channels.

In a conversation with Sports Business Journal, Brian Lawlor says that the move has expanded the reach for the teams, and the increase in viewership has increased ad sales. That means the deals “basically make whole” the revenue figures the teams lost by leaving their RSNs for Scripps Sports.

He did note that the figures don’t work for every team or league, noting that the company ended conversations with a Major League Baseball franchise after learning it was receiving $70 million per year in its current deal, but said for other teams and leagues like the NBA and NHL, deals with his company makes plenty of sense.

“It’s been harder to make those big numbers work, but I think at the NBA and the NHL level, the ad model works and we can get there,” Lawlor said. “As more and more broadcasters get into sports and have these rights, they’re very valuable to the (distributors).”

He added that changes in the media landscape have made outlets like Scripps Sports much better competitiors than they were previously.

“Look, RSNs were a great business 10, 15, 20 years ago, when they reached 80% of the households. But they were successful because they had reach, and now they don’t anymore. And we have a platform that does,” he concluded.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Superadio ‘Remains Fully Committed to the Ebro Brand’ After Ebro in the Morning Departs HOT 97

BMM Staff
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Superadio ‘Remains Fully Committed to the Ebro Brand’ After Ebro in the Morning Departs HOT 97

Ebro in the Morning — the show hosted by Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez, and Peter Rosenberg — was abruptly canceled by HOT 97 on Friday. But that doesn’t mean the show is going away.

In the aftermath of the show’s cancellation, Ebro has been pushing listeners to a newly launched YouTube channel. After sharing a link to the channel, which is labeled as The Ebro Laura Rosenberg Show, the channel immediately featured more than 3,500 subscribers without sharing a video.

The release of the YouTube channel came after both Ebro Darden and Peter Rosenberg shared videos on social media discussing their exits from the station. Ebro in the Morning had been on HOT 97 since 2012.

In his video on social media, Darden said that he viewed his exit as politically motivated.

“They need my (expletive)-talking, anti‑Netanyahu, anti‑government, progressive (expletive) out the way, bro,” he said. “They need me out the way.”

Rosenberg said he’s looking forward to the future after the exit from HOT 97.

 “I told you guys for a long time, change is afoot,” he said. “Change can be beautiful. There are some changes on the horizon. Stay tuned.”

While the radio show may have ended, Superadio, the national syndicator of the morning program, has said that it remains in business with Darden, Stylez, and Rosenberg, and is also looking forward to the future.

“While the distribution of Ebro in the Morning in its current form is ending, Superadio remains fully committed to the Ebro brand,” the company said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to bring Ebro’s voice and talent to the masses across new platforms, which we’ll be sharing more about very soon.”

In addition to his work with HOT 97 and Superadio, Ebro Darden is the Global Editorial Head of Hip-Hop and R&B at Apple Music, where he hosts The Ebro Show and Rap Life Radio.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Black Box Group Launches 30/60/90-Day Brand Bursts

BMM Staff
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Black Box Group Launches 30/60/90-Day Brand Bursts

Black Box Group (BBG), the modern-scaled strategy shop led by Barrett Media columnist and veteran and award winning operator, programmer, talent coach and strategist Keith Cunningham has an announcement. The new brand is launching 30-Day, 60-Day, and 90-Day Brand Bursts for media groups. BBG’s rapid cycle strategic assessments and plan-builds are for brands looking to start 2026 sprinting, not snoozing.

“Brands don’t need six months of meetings with minimal progress,” said BBG Founder Keith
Cunningham. “They need to move fast to meet the market. I’ve built short-burst, high impact models
that move quickly, include hands-on assistance, and stay focused on the needle that matters most
— revenue.”

BBG’s 30/60/90-Day Brand Bursts combine strategic programming insight, revenue and NTR
development, talent optimization, audience and data analysis, and a network of specialists. All are aimed at accelerating brand momentum. Each Brand Burst is designed for different needs. They range from rapid strategy resets to full-scale revamps to advanced talent and research development.

Limited openings are available for Q1. For further details, contact Keith Cunningham at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com. Keith can also be reached on LinkedIn here.

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Funkmaster Flex Takes Mornings ‘Until Further Notice’ at HOT 97 Following Ebro in the Morning Exit

BMM Staff
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Funkmaster Flex Takes Mornings ‘Until Further Notice’ at HOT 97 Following Ebro in the Morning Exit

After the exit of Ebro in the Morning, featuring Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez, and Peter Rosenberg, HOT 97 has put Funkmaster Flex into the daypart.

Flex has been with the station for more than 30 years. It will be the second change for him this year, after moving up in the lineup to 5-10 PM ET in September. Previously, his program began at 7 PM.

MediaCo has stated that Funkmaster Flex will host the morning show until further notice. He began the duties on Monday morning.

Ebro in the Morning began in 2012 when Darden returned to mornings after previously working in the timeslot from 2004 to 2007.

HOT 97 has not announced who will take over the 5-10 PM window previously held by Funkmaster Flex.

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Curtis Sliwa to Guest Host The Mark Simone Show on 710 WOR

BNM Staff
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Curtis Sliwa to Guest Host The Mark Simone Show on 710 WOR

Curtis Sliwa is making his return to New York radio. At least, as a guest host, helming The Mark Simone Show on 710 WOR.

With Simone taking a vacation at the end of the calendar year, Sliwa will host the midday show for the iHeartMedia New York news/talk outlet from December 22nd through January 2nd.

It marks the first time Sliwa will return to the New York airwaves since falling in the city’s mayoral campaign last month.

“I’m honored to fill in for Mark Simone,” Sliwa said. “I have worked with him; I have competed against him. He has more connections to those in the know than anyone in New York City.”

“I have been in talk radio for 36 years, but ironically it all began when I was a guest on the Arlene Francis show on WOR in 1971,” Sliwa added. “I’ve been talking on the radio ever since, and it doesn’t get any better than to do it back on WOR, where it all started for me.”

“Curtis is a true New York original,” 710 WOR Program Director Tom Cuddy said. “His energy, knowledge of the city and ability to connect with listeners make him one of the most compelling voices in talk radio. We’re excited to have him on WOR for the holidays.”

Sliwa’s guest hosting role at 710 WOR comes after his high-profile exit from his longtime radio home, 77 WABC, after he said he felt betrayed by the hosts and station owner John Catsimatidis for their support of challenger Andrew Cuomo during the mayoral race. Cuomo, like Sliwa, ended up losing the bid for the city’s top office to Zohran Mamdani.

The Mark Simone Show airs from 9 AM to Noon.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

NewsNation Adds Katie Pavlich as New Primetime Host

BNM Staff
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NewsNation Adds Katie Pavlich as New Primetime Host

It didn’t take NewsNation long to find a replacement for Ashleigh Banfield, as Katie Pavlich will launch a new show in the 10 PM ET timeslot.

On Friday, NewsNation announced that Banfield would depart the primetime window to lead the network’s true crime digital vertical. At that time, it said a rotating cast of anchors would helm the timeslot before a decision about its future was made.

On Monday morning, however, the network revealed that Pavlich would take over the show beginning early next year.

“I am honored to join NewsNation during this dynamic period in its development, and the opportunity to anchor a primetime program is an exceptional privilege,” said Pavlich. “I look forward to bringing a fresh perspective on the news to Americans across the country, while presenting a venue for thoughtful debate across a wide spectrum of opinions. It’s a front row seat to history – I can’t wait to buckle in and get started.”

Katie Pavlich comes to NewsNation after working as a contributor at Fox News since 2013. During her tenure, she’s appeared on a bevy of shows, including The Five. Additionally, she’s also worked as the news editor of Townhall.com for the past 16 years before exiting last month.

“We’re pleased to give our primetime viewers an additional hour of political news and analysis that helps them make sense of the day’s most important headlines,” said Nexstar Networks President Sean Compton.

“NewsNation has always been committed to delivering straightforward, fact-based journalism for all Americans, which includes presenting diverse viewpoints and original ideas. Katie is a seasoned journalist and commentator, and we believe her unique voice will be a tremendous asset to our primetime audience.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Pete Sheppard Puts Show on Hiatus For New Position Outside Industry

BSM Staff
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Pete Sheppard Puts Show on Hiatus For New Position Outside Industry

Longtime sports talk radio host and podcaster Pete Sheppard has announced he’s placed his program on hiatus as he takes a new job outside of the broadcast industry.

Sheppard, perhaps most well known for when he worked in afternoon drive for WEEI from 1999 to 2010, has yet to publicly share what the new opportunity outside of the industry is.

However, he made the move known at the end of his program late last week.

In a post on social media, Pete Sheppard shared that he was stepping away, at least momentarily, from his program with the Coastal Sports Digital Network after accepting a new position.

“In case you missed the show yesterday, here is a brief recap. I have decided to take a position outside the broadcast world,” Sheppard said. “It’s an incredible opportunity with a great company. My show will be on hiatus until early 2026. I will re-evaluate at that time.”

Sheppard had been hosting the podcast after departing ESPN Southwest Florida in October 2023. He spent more than six years working at the Beasley Media Group station. He had been paired with Craig Shemon in afternoon drive at the time of his exit.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

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