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Why Curtis Sliwa Is Taking Aim at 77 WABC

Garrett Searight
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Why Curtis Sliwa Is Taking Aim at 77 WABC

Former 77 WABC host Curtis Sliwa ran for mayor of New York City, falling in his bid to capture the top office in the Big Apple.

In the run-up to the election, Sliwa’s polling numbers showed him behind fellow candidates former New York governor Andrew Cuomo (I) and state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D). That data led to 77 WABC hosts like Sid Rosenberg, Greg Kelly, Dominic Carter, and station owner John Catsimatidis to call for Sliwa to drop out of the race.

To say Curtis Sliwa didn’t take kindly to those calls would be an understatement.

In an appearance with Rosenberg, Sliwa revealed he would never return to the station after the way the hosts and Catsimatidis treated him during the campaign.

Despite the comments from Sliwa, and his subsequent appearances on competitor 710 WOR, where he heaped praise on the station and its morning show host, Larry Mendte, 77 WABC owner John Catsimatidis said he would welcome back the longtime New York news/talk radio host and let bygones be bygones.

During an interview last week, Sliwa reiterated that his days of working at 77 WABC are behind him.

In this Q&A, Curtis Sliwa discusses his reaction to his concession speech, what his talk radio future looks like, and whether or not he was surprised by the reactions from his former co-workers in the lead-up to election day.

Garrett Searight: I don’t know if you have seen the reaction to your speech from Tuesday night. A lot of folks were really impressed that you would say, “Hey, Zohran Mamdani’s success is our success, it’s New York’s success.” What has your reaction been, that so many people have been so receptive to your speech? 

Curtis Sliwa: Well, that’s the right thing to do. We want him to be successful because if he’s successful, the city’s successful. The same way there are a lot of people who did not wish Trump congratulations after that overwhelming victory over Harris. “Oh, you won the popular vote at seven battleground states?” Why wouldn’t you want Trump to succeed? What are you, a masochist? It’s the right thing to do.

But then also, the caveat to that is I am the loyal opposition. I have rallied my supporters to the barricades. This is like Les Misérables. I’m not naïve. My biggest concern is when he finally takes control on January 1, 2026. Will he weaken an already weakened Police Department? Will Public Safety suffer anymore? That’s when the battle begins 

GS: So for you, what do the next steps look like? 

CS: Well, number one, unlike all of those who have been gripped by this hysteria, fear, and fright, ‘Oh, I’m leaving, I’m out of here’, I stay and I fight for what I know is right. I believe you improve, you don’t move. That’s number one.

In terms of my own career outlook, I can be very specific with you: I will never return to WABC. My voice will never be heard on that station, other than, obviously, if they accept it as part of a news story. I will have nothing to do with all of them because they were all part of this dropout effort. It started at WABC. It spread like a virus through the ranks of people there who wouldn’t be working at WABC if not for me. You could be opposed to me, you could say ‘I don’t think he can win,’ but the vicious vitriol that came from some of these hosts, this cannot ever be rationalized in my mind.

GS: Is that about John Catsimatidis? Sid Rosenberg, Greg Kelly or Dominic Carter? If those people someday we’re not there any more, would you reconsider? Or is it just flat out ‘that ship has sailed’? 

CS: No, none of this. It was all organized by John and John alone to get me to drop out and to harp on this over and over so that I would be denied an opportunity to run for the mayoralty and discuss issues. Every day it was “dropout, dropout, dropout, dropout.”

Sid (Rosenberg) proved to be like the character Tessio in The Godfather. He actually tried to lure me into a meeting with Andrew Cuomo at Fresco’s, 12 noon, in the middle of the campaign. I’m saying to myself, “That’s where Andrew hangs out. Why would Sid be there?” But he wanted to create the impression that I was somehow open to the idea of dropping out and supporting, which let me tell you something, like the scene in Braveheart, that last scene where Mel Gibson is on the gurney and the executioner looks at him and says “Bow to the king of England, or we will impale you”. I say ‘impale me now'”, get me out. That would never happen. I would never have anything to do with Andrew Cuomo. So he tried to set it up.

And Greg Kelly and Dominic Carter? It was vicious, their criticisms of me. Greg Kelly saying I was running a “lazy campaign.” Lazy? No one ever accuses me of being lazy. 20 hours a day. All you had to do was see all the places I was. And Dominic Carter was attacking my family, saying that they were profiting from this. They were like Brutus and Cassius. They were just sticking the long knives in. I can’t look at them. I will never have a conversation with them. With me, I cannot forgive, nor forget. I don’t listen to WABC. I love talk radio, but I listen to WOR. That’s my alternative, and I suggest everybody do likewise. 

GS: Were you surprised that reactions, statements, comments, whatever word you’d like to use, got to be — as you said — “vicious”? 

CS: No, because obviously the man who signs their check wanted it that way. I’ve got to take you back to the 2021 campaign. So, I ran. John decides he’s not gonna run. I run instead. Running in the primary against Fernando Mateo, in the newsroom, they put up a big sign, which everybody remembers, “Do not discuss Curtis Sliwa on the radio.” They never once were permitted to discuss my run against John’s candidate in the general election, Eric Adams. Never once. But I forgave them. I forgot that. I sucked it up.

And I continued to do my job. I came back. Talk show host, obviously always available, a sort of program director also, helping them, guiding them. Any talk radio station always has drama. So I was the one they would come to to stabilize things, and I did it willingly, because I love doing talk radio. At this time, with a real opportunity to win in a three-person race, and then at the end, they turn WABC into “Always Broadcasting Cuomo.”

I mean, every day he was on. What happened to the Fairness Doctrine? You said you could only give me 10 minutes, I accept that. You’re giving him like 70 minutes. And then he gets into a discussion with Sid about the World Trade Center attack and Zohran. Sid is the only talk show host, he’s like bearing down, almost laughing. So when Cuomo had to take the heat on the campaign trail because his critics were calling him an Islamaphobe, he threw Sid under the bus. “Oh, that wasn’t me. That was Sid,” because he doesn’t understand talk radio. So I would suggest to John, give a nice radio show position to Andrew Cuomo, the most boring guy I’ve ever heard on radio.

GS: So with all that being said and knowing how much you love the medium, do you still want to do talk radio in New York?

CS: I don’t know. at this point. I know I love listening to WOR. I’m addicted to talk radio. That’s my alternative right now. I have so many other things to do. But I think everybody at WABC, they know me. I will not forgive. I will not forget. And I am looming over that station. They know that if I dig in, I’m coming right at WABC.

GS: What does that mean? 

CS: Well, depending on what I decide to do, they thought they ruled the world. They took out one of their own or as they described me “a family member”. They left me on the side of the road, bloody, bruised, and battered. And they wouldn’t even urinate on me to put out a fire if I was in the street. I will not forgive. I will not forget. I’m old school. I’m Old Testament. If I get back into the game, I’m coming right a WABC. Make of it what you want, but I am the guy with legacy in New York history and talk radio, and a huge following.

GS: If there’s anything else you want to add, you have the floor. 

CS: Elections have consequences. WABC picked the loser three times: Cuomo the first time, then Eric Adams, and then Cuomo this time. So if you wanna know, why there’s a Zohran Mamdani, just listen to WABC. They created the atmosphere for him to win instead of supporting their own person, the person they knew.

Call me selfish? That this was an ego trip? When I was always there to help them in their time of need? Always. And I never thought twice about it. But selfish? The last thing in the world you can call Curtis Sliwa is selfish. I dedicated my life to New York City. They know it more than anybody else. It’s a shanda. And they cannot wipe that stain from their legacy. I may become their worst nightmare. 

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.

Is Classic Rock’s Future Tied To Divorced Dads

Mike Stern
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Is Classic Rock’s Future Tied To Divorced Dads

I’ve got a crazy idea about what the future might look like for Classic Rock. Keep in mind our stations have already evolved so much from the format’s earliest incarnations to where it is today. Most stations have left the Beatles behind and adopted at least some amount of nineties product into their rotations. But the question remains: how do we stay relevant as time continues to march on?

Go with me on this:

Talking with Classic Rock Program Directors, there is a line in the sand between some types of rock music from the nineties that’s difficult to cross.

Grunge acts like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden are fine. Even secondary grunge-ish artists like Bush and Stone Temple Pilots feel good in the mix.

When you get to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, and other, more alternative acts from the nineties is when things start to get uncomfortable. Those artists just don’t correlate as well with Aerosmith, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin.

They feel a little bit off base.

What Is Divorced Dad Rock

What if we went a different direction? Enter Divorced Dad Rock. I had never heard of this phenomenon until recently, but now I’ve seen several articles about it and have started wondering if this could be the future. I know, it’s crazy, but hear me out.

Let’s start by defining Divorced Dad Rock. According to an article in Esquire, it’s a rebranding of what many might call the butt rock of the early 2000s. Writer Dave Holmes spoke to someone from the “Divorced Dad Rock Night Collective,” who explained it as uncool rock music where the uncoolness is the hook. The person explained that yes, the music has a cringe factor, but “people get passionate about these bands and now they’re at an age where their kids tell them their music is lame.”

According to what I’ve read. There are a lot of bands and songs from the late nineties and early 2000s that fit this mold, but the poster children for Divorced Dad Rock. The easiest examples to work with for our purposes—are Creed and Nickelback.

Two artists that were in healthy, loving relationships with their audiences but wound up tripping over their success and getting divorced from the public at the height of their popularity.

The breakup, however, was not with their die-hard fans, who still love and continue to champion their music. When it comes to touring, these artists are arena acts, and their songs are mostly big, arena-style anthems.

What To Consider

Think of it this way. The best Nickelback and Creed titles have more in common with the biggest Classic Rock songs from Aerosmith and Bad Company than anything from the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Green Day. Not saying ‘90s alternative doesn’t have a place at the format, but maybe they are more like The Police and The Clash—fringier elements.

Currently, neither Creed nor Nickelback has a real home at radio. Looking at Mediabase airplay numbers, Nickelback has one song in the top 500 most-played Classic Rock songs this year, and Creed has none. At Active Rock, Creed has two songs inside the top 300 most-played, while Nickelback has one song in the top 150 and one inside the top 400.

It’s possible this music is like Yacht Rock—sort of peripheral to the format—and will never be a great fit. Or, stick with me, as nostalgia for the early 2000s begins to ramp up—which it undoubtedly will—maybe the audience starts to ask for more of these acts, and they creep into music testing, where we find out there is passion for them.

I don’t know if it will, but it could happen.

By no means am I suggesting you rip your Creed CDs into the library and start rotating Chad Kroeger ballads. I’m just thinking aloud about the future of the format and wondering if this might be a part of it.

What do you think? Have I lost my mind? Let me know. I promise not to be offended.

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.

Des Rocs is the “New” Sound of New York

Terrie Carr
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Des Rocs is the “New” Sound of New York

Authenticity can’t be faked. Especially when you are from New York. That’s what you’ll find in one of the most electrifying new artists in rock, New York’s own Des Rocs.

Born on Long Island, Danny Rocco became Des Rocs in the clubs of NYC. He honed his craft, getting discovered to open for the Rolling Stones, carrying the torch for uncompromising originality like those that came from the region before him. Among them, The New York Dolls, Kiss, The Ramones, Beastie Boys, The Strokes, and now Des Rocs. 

I became aware of Des in 2018 but really became a fan in 2019. That was when I saw an unknown guy handpicked by the Stones camp open for the mighty Rolling Stones in Philadelphia. He performed to a massive crowd and had confidence and swagger. 

Des was signed to Sumerian Records in 2023. I did some radio promotion with him and his charisma was evident. 

A brand new artist who broke down his most powerful songs to acoustic performances, Des had a crowd of contest winners enthralled with his storytelling and magnetic talent. He scored opening slots for The Cult, Muse, Badflower and had a top 10 rock track with “I Am The Lightning”.

Recently, Des ‘Rockified’ the Johnny Cash classic “Ring Of Fire for the “Nobody 2” Soundtrack. 

I recently sat down with Des Rocs for my Carr Stereo Podcast to talk about his new song “This Land”. The track appears on the beloved game franchise – Borderlands 4. We discussed crafting his sound, tone, and overall approach to music in 2025.

A Conversation With Des Rocs

TC: Was there one person you emulated as Guitar Tone Master?

Des: You know. I was never good at emulating tones. It took a lot of technical knowledge of which I have almost none. For me it’s more like experimenting, trial and error. I have tons of weird pedals in drawers that people have given me over the years, and I twist knobs and find something that sounds really cool. For me it’s all gut. I go by what feels good in the moment and hate a lengthy tone trial process. That’s when someone is like “we are going to test all these pedals today and find the best tone and then we are going to record that”. I hate that. I’d prefer to just grab something, crank it, and it either feels good or it doesn’t and move on”. 

TC: You are such a “Feel” artist. What’s your process when you record?

Des: I would say my process is deeply inconsistent and deeply personal. I get in the mindset where I have to get in the studio and do something, every single day and I might do that for a month. I might get nothing. But then I’ll get three better ideas in the shower that will end up being on the album and are better than anything I did that whole month.

TC- How did you get involved in Borderlands 4? The song is great, as is the production. Did you produce “This Land”? 

Des: I did along with Dave Chicarelli who produced Morrisey, The White Stripes and The Strokes and my longtime friend Gerry Lange. Borderlands called when I was working on my album. It happened to be the perfect time and the perfect concept. 

They told me exactly what they wanted, each element of the game they wanted to capture and I thought, ‘Are you kidding me’? This is exactly what I’m doing now. I sent them the origin of “This Land” and it was a match made in heaven. 

TC: What’s the difference between Des Rocs as an artist now vs. your 2021 label debut? 

Des: I’m just more confident now in what I am and who I am at what I want to say artistically. At first on “A Real Good Person” there was a lot of free flowing, stream of consciousness, Jack Kerouac musical energy going on, just saying whatever comes to my mind. That was really fresh and inspiring to me at the time. Now I feel more grown up musically and I know what I want to say. And I care a lot less about what other people think, what will go to radio, what will be a single, and the pressure of it. I’m way more stoic about it now. I might do a whole album that doesn’t have a single thing for radio or I might do a dozen radio songs. I just want to make music that will resonate with people’s lives. 

Des Rocs promises a new album in early 2026. It’s complete, sequenced and ready to go. This one is going to blow us away.

Full video and audio of my interview with Des Rocs launches tomorrow. Just search ‘The Carr Stereo Podcast’ on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, iHeart or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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.

 

HD Radio Still Sucks — And I Still Want It Anyway

Perry Michael Simon
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HD Radio Still Sucks — And I Still Want It Anyway

Regular readers of this column may be under the impression that I hate radio and think it’s dead. I wouldn’t say either of those things.

It’s not dead, although the traditional form of linear broadcast radio is circling the drain, and I don’t hate radio. In fact…

Perhaps you recall me calling HD Radio doomed and useless except to feed translators and as a failed attempt to do something “digital” because everything else went digital and the industry had a bad case of FOMO.

I still think that, and I think I’ve been proven right over the years. Yet, there I was, browsing the new cars at a local dealership, checking the sticker prices — “$55,000 for THAT?!” — when I realized that I was checking each and every sticker to see if the car had HD Radio installed. I realized that I might be the only person on earth to consider HD Radio a must-have for any new car purchase.

I can’t explain it. There’s no programming on HD subchannels here that I want, or that isn’t duplicated on analog translators. There isn’t going to be anything I want to hear, other than perhaps Marlins games, since I can’t get the AM signals from either the flagship in Miami or the West Palm affiliate. The HD signals frequently drop out. It still sucks. And I can certainly stream whatever I want via Bluetooth.

But if we bite the bullet and buy a new car, HD Radio is going to have to be included, along with Apple CarPlay and, maybe, a hefty monthly payment. I absolutely abhor HD Radio, but somehow it’s a dealbreaker.

I’m weird that way (and other ways, but you know that). I mean, I know linear TV is mostly passé, and I already get all the networks I need because cable’s included in our HOA fee, but I am still driving myself crazy trying to find a cheap way to pull in the Miami broadcast stations. I’ve asked on Reddit, I’ve asked engineers, I’ve done my research, and I still can’t get the Fox/ABC and main independent stations despite being line of sight to the towers. I don’t even watch much on the local stations other than live sports and local news. But those Miami signals are out there, and I want them.

Do I need them, though? Nah. Other than local news, which is available via streaming anyway and is hyper-focused on violent crime, and the occasional NFL game that’s different from the one carried in West Palm, it’s all basically the same. I’m not a Luddite except for this. It’s bad enough that I own things that don’t work here, just because I want to have them. Portable DAB radio? Yup, got one — an ocean away from any country using DAB.

Old cell phones? I’ve got a bunch, from CDMA to 5G. I still have a StarTAC, a couple of Treos, a Windows Mobile phone I tried to convert to Android with limited success, and others I don’t even remember. Yes, I’ve tried charging them and seeing if they can find a network. No, they can’t; the networks they used are long gone. I don’t need them to work — I do have an iPhone — but once in a while, I fire them up and hope that, somehow, somewhere, there’s a cell tower where someone forgot to turn off the old antenna, just because.

If I’m critical of the radio industry, it’s not about hating radio. Radio, in all of its forms, is just part of me, and so are TV, cell phones, and whatever else is on the Island of Misfit Tech. Much to my wife’s consternation, I will never throw that stuff out, and I won’t stop tinkering with radios just to see what I can pull in.

Turns out I’m one of those guys — the ones filling the comments on Facebook radio groups with “back in my day” stuff. But I’m also one of those streaming, non-linear media advocates. Yes, you can be both. At least it gives me something to do with my time these days.

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.

Chris Foxx Steps Away From 97.1 The Point After 34 Years

BMM Staff
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Chris Foxx Steps Away From 97.1 The Point After 34 Years

After more than three decades on the Las Vegas airwaves, longtime Lotus Classic Rock 97.1 The Point host Chris Foxx has signed off for the final time. Foxx announced that he is stepping away from radio to pursue a full-time career in real estate. Marking the end of a remarkable 34-year run with the station.

In a Facebook post announcing his decision, Foxx reflected on his time at the station and the community that supported him throughout his career.

“Today marked the end of an era,” Foxx wrote. “After 34 years on the radio in Las Vegas, I have made the decision to hang up my headphones and move into real estate full-time. Las Vegas, I cannot THANK YOU enough for supporting me for 34 years!”

Foxx joined Lotus Broadcasting in 1990 and became an on-air voice for 97.1 The Point when the station launched. Over the years, he rose through the ranks to become Program Director. He spent the past two decades co-hosting the Foxx and MacKenzie morning show alongside Steph MacKenzie.

He went on to thank Lotus Broadcasting leadership. Including longtime executive Tony Bonnici, who hired him in the early 1990s, and General Manager Natalie Marsh for their support over the years. Foxx also shared an emotional tribute to his co-host and close friend Steph MacKenzie. Noting that their on-air chemistry mirrored their off-air friendship.

“I will miss seeing her beautiful smile every day, her laugh, and that 110% positive attitude,” he said. “What you hear on the air is truly how we are in real life — family.”

Though Foxx didn’t elaborate on his real estate plans. He expressed excitement for the next chapter of his career while acknowledging the bittersweet nature of leaving a station and city that became home far longer than he ever expected.

“When I first came to Las Vegas my plan was to be here for five years,” he wrote. “Who would’ve ever thought 34 years with the same company?”

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.

Catherine Herridge to Launch Weekly Podcast with Los Angeles Times

BNM Staff
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Catherine Herridge to Launch Weekly Podcast with Los Angeles Times

Catherine Herridge has announced she is set to launch a new weekly podcast in conjunction with the Los Angeles Times.

Straight to the Point with Catherine Herridge is set to debut on Sunday.

In a post on social media, Herridge shared the news, as well as her excitement for the development.

“This means more investigations and more big interviews that demand accountability,” Herridge wrote.

Catherine Herridge called the new endeavor a “first-of-its-kind collaboration” between the LA Times Media Group and an independent content creator.

“Our team retains 100% editorial control and I remain an independent journalist,” she shared. “This partnership acknowledges the media marketplace is changing.”

In a statement, Herridge called the partnership the best of both worlds.

“At a time when audiences are demanding independent journalism that is fair, thorough, and authentic, LATMG and Dr. Soon-Shiong are taking a bold and innovative approach, partnering with independent journalists. They’re giving us the tools and platform to follow the facts wherever they lead. That combination of independence and amplification, backed by an iconic brand, is exactly what this moment demands.”

“I have long admired Catherine’s work and her unwavering commitment to fact-driven journalism,” added LA Times Media Group Chairman and CEO Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong. “At LATMG, our mission is to empower independent journalists to pursue the truth with integrity and impact. Audiences are seeking authentic, unfiltered voices they can trust, and that’s exactly what Catherine and Straight to the Point deliver.”

Catherine Herridge has worked as an independent journalist since her exit from CBS News in 2024. She previously worked at Fox News from 1996 to 2019 before joining CBS in that same year.

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.

ESPN To Stream ‘College GameDay’ for Free Through Pat McAfee’s X Account, ESPN App Due To Ongoing YouTube TV Carriage Dispute

BSM Staff
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ESPN To Stream ‘College GameDay’ for Free Through Pat McAfee’s X Account, ESPN App Due To Ongoing YouTube TV Carriage Dispute

For the second consecutive week, College GameDay will stream live and for free on the ESPN app and X (formerly Twitter) as The Walt Disney Company continues its carriage dispute with YouTube TV.

Pat McAfee confirmed the move on Friday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show. Telling viewers that ESPN is again making the popular Saturday morning pregame show available to fans affected by the ongoing blackout.

“If you obviously are in the middle of this dispute that is taking place between ESPN and YouTube TV. If you have the X account at all, GameDay will be live on there for the second week in a row,” McAfee said.

The dispute between Disney and YouTube TV has left subscribers without access to ESPN and its affiliated networks for more than a week. Forcing the company to explore alternative distribution options for College GameDay. The decision to stream College GameDay on X marks a unique workaround that allows fans to stay connected to one of ESPN’s signature college football properties through the social media platform.

McAfee, who joined GameDay as a full-time analyst in 2022, said the partnership benefits not only fans but also X itself. As it continues to grow its footprint in live video content.

“This is kind of a trailblazer thing for X,” McAfee said. “Obviously, they’ve made deals. They’re getting in the content game with the NFL. They got deals with the WWE. They’re starting to try to get into the content game in a bigger way. They’re starting to be a hosting platform and trying their best. Remember, Elon Musk’s vision of X is a place for everything — not just words. We want pictures. We want to be in content creator world and want to do business.”

McAfee added that X’s ambitions align with Musk’s vision of transforming the platform into a “one-stop shop” for digital entertainment and commerce. He believes this partnership demonstrates that progress.

The current impasse between the two companies, which began on Oct. 31, has resulted in lost access for YouTube TV’s subscribers to ABC and ESPN’s slate of college football games. Plus one of the network’s crown jewels — last week’s “Monday Night Football” game. According to several reports, the two sides remain “far apart” from any incoming agreement or settlement.

This weekend’s ESPN college football schedule includes a Top 10 matchup between BYU and Texas Tech in the mid-afternoon. Along with a classic rivalry game between LSU and Alabama in primetime. Monday night’s NFL game is arguably the best matchup Monday Night Football has had all season. With the Philadelphia Eagles in Green Bay to play the Packers.

The Athletic obtained a letter sent to Disney employees on Friday laying out the company’s perspective on the network’s standoff with YouTube TV.

“Rather than compete on a level playing field, Google’s YouTube TV has approached these negotiations as if it were the only player in the game,” the memo that was obtained by The Athletic read. It was signed by three high-ranking Disney executives, Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, along with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.

While praising the innovation for tomorrow’s broadcast of College GameDay. McAfee credited ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro for helping to ensure College GameDay remains accessible to fans during the dispute.

“Jimmy Pitaro needs a lot of credit for this. He loves College GameDay and what it brings to people,” McAfee said. “He understands that people can be upset about everything that’s going on business-wise. So Jimmy Pitaro [is] zigging and zagging to try to get College GameDay to fans and college football fans as much as they possibly can.”

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.

ESPN Extends NBA Insider Brian Windhorst To Multi-Year Agreement

BSM Staff
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ESPN Extends NBA Insider Brian Windhorst To Multi-Year Agreement

ESPN has reached a new multi-year extension with Senior NBA Writer Brian Windhorst. Ensuring one of the network’s most prominent and well-sourced basketball voices will remain a key part of its NBA coverage for years to come.

Windhorst, who joined ESPN in 2010, will continue to deliver analysis and reporting across multiple ESPN platforms, including ESPN.com, television programming, and The Hoop Collective podcast, which he hosts. The network confirmed the new deal in a statement Thursday.

Known for his deep insight into league trends and front office maneuvering. Windhorst has become one of ESPN’s most respected NBA reporters. His blend of news reporting, storytelling, and on-air personality has made him a staple of the network’s basketball coverage. Especially during major news cycles surrounding player movement, free agency, and trade deadlines.

Windhorst covered the NBA from 2003-10 for the Akron Beacon Journal and Cleveland Plain Dealer. He first began covering LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers while at The Akron Beacon Journal and The Plain Dealer in Cleveland. Over his 14-year tenure with the network. He has evolved from team beat writer to national NBA insider. Often breaking major stories and providing nuanced analysis on league business, player relationships, and front office dynamics.

The Akron, Ohio, native graduated from Kent State University in 2000. He is the author of three NBA-related books.

Over the years, Windhorst has built a reputation for providing context and perspective beyond the scoreboard. Often connecting the dots on the league’s most significant developments. His appearances across ESPN’s news and information programming, including Get Up and First Take, have also made him a recognizable voice among casual fans and dedicated hoops followers alike.

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.

Ben Shapiro: I Offered to Do Podcast Episode With Tucker Carlson, But He Never Responded

BNM Staff
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Ben Shapiro: I Offered to Do Podcast Episode With Tucker Carlson, But He Never Responded

Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson have been at odds in recent weeks. Shapiro told Megyn Kelly he isn’t the source of the problem.

Last week, Carlson welcomed Nick Fuentes to his podcast. The controversial political commentator is a self-described Christian Nationalist who has previously shared admiration for Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.

That podcast appearance led Shapiro to publicly lambast Carlson for having someone like Fuentes on his show, calling the host “an intellectual coward” and a “terrible friend.”

After Carlson joined Megyn Kelly for a live tour stop earlier this week, Shapiro made a similar appearance on Thursday evening. He confirmed what Tucker Carlson had said: that Carlson had reached out in the days following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the two attempted to find common ground.

Carlson argued that he and Shapiro had agreed to no longer attack one another, but Shapiro did not follow up with his end of the bargain.

During the stop with Kelly, Ben Shapiro claimed to read texts between him and Tucker Carlson, purporting to show that he had gone as far as to suggest the two host a joint podcast episode.

“I texted him, and the exchange was very nice. Here’s what the actual conversation went like after the call: I texted him and said, ‘Thanks so much for calling. It means the world. It truly does. Should we do a show together talking about the DSA threat, Democratic Socialist America threat, and orienting in the same direction? Happy to do whatever it takes to bring everyone back together for the fight that matters.’

“Tucker then wrote back, ‘Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I’m going to spend the next week or two thinking about how to be most effective. The country is clearly on the brink.’ I reached out repeatedly after that, but nothing happened,” said Shapiro. “I thought it was a good idea at the time, but I felt differently after I saw what he did with Nick Fuentes.”

Shapiro added that he spoke of his relationship with Tucker Carlson “with sadness” because he believes that the host “used to be a deeply important part” of the conservative moment. However, he argued that the influence of Carlson has been clouded by his association with Fuentes.

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.

670 The Score ‘Mully & Haugh’ Win Best Morning Show at Illinois Association of Broadcasters Gala

BSM Staff
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670 The Score ‘Mully & Haugh’ Win Best Morning Show at Illinois Association of Broadcasters Gala

The Mully & Haugh Show on 670 The Score was awarded the best morning show award by the Illinois Broadcasters Association Thrusday evening. The longtime Chicago sports radio duo received the Silver Dome Award for the first time during the IBA’s annual ceremony honoring the state’s top television and radio stations.

For Mulligan and Haugh, the recognition was both unexpected and gratifying. The kind of moment that reminds even veteran broadcasters why they got into the business.

“Come on, man. I mean, how often does something like that happen?” Mulligan said Friday morning on 670 The Score. “You gotta love it. It’s so much fun. It was shocking. I was sitting there, next thing you know, we walk up there, and someone, as I was coming back, said, ‘Congratulations.’ And I said, I think there’s been a terrible mistake made in our favor.”

That self-deprecating humor is vintage Mulligan — one of Chicago’s most respected radio voices. He’s spent decades in the market, first as a journalist and now as one of its most listened-to morning hosts. His chemistry with Haugh, the former Chicago Tribune sports columnist, has been a cornerstone of 670 The Score’s weekday lineup since they paired up in 2018.

Haugh echoed his co-host’s appreciation, calling the win a testament to the passion and consistency of Chicago radio professionals.

“That was very nice. It was an exceptional evening,” Haugh said. “Lot of great people we saw in the TV market here in Chicago that we have known for years. A lot of people doing great radio as well. And we were fortunate, and yeah, to win the best morning show.”

The Mully & Haugh Show has built its reputation around smart, conversational sports talk. A blend of insider access, journalistic perspective, and a distinctly Chicago sensibility. The hosts dissect the Bears’ latest moves, debate the Cubs’ direction. Plus analyze every development in local and national sports with credibility and humor.

The night was also a celebration for other’s within The Score and Audacy Chicago. Imaging director Russ Mitera and executive producer Chris Tannehill were awarded the Best Station Imaging award for their collaborative “Bears Season Hype Promo.” Chicago Cubs radio broadcaster Pat Hughes was inducted into the IAB Hall of Fame, while Audacy stations WBBM Newsradio was awarded the coveted Station of the Year award.

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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