Home Blog Page 73

Jeff Bezos: ‘You Have to Work Hard to Make a Living in the News Business’

Garrett Searight
-
0
Jeff Bezos: ‘You Have to Work Hard to Make a Living in the News Business’

Jeff Bezos has received some criticism for layoffs at The Washington Post in recent months. He says there’s more than meets the eye.

What We Know: The Washington Post has undergone a series of layoffs in recent months. Much of the outlet’s sports staff was slashed, as were the majority of photographers. While speaking with CNBC‘s Squawk Box, he shared insight into what has gone right and wrong for the outlet.

What They Said: “What went wrong is we did not adapt. The news business, if you go back to the 90s, the local monopoly newspaper was the greatest business in the world. It was the printing press. The Washington Post had 70% of households in the Washington metro area. And it made money hand over fist. We live in a completely different environment now. Now you have to work hard to make a living in the news business.” -Jeff Bezos

What Remains Unclear: How the staffing cuts have affected the bottom line of The Washington Post. Bezos asserted during the interview that the outlet has more staffers now than when he originally purchased it. He noted that while there have been some cuts, it hasn’t affected the reporting of the outlet.

What It Means: Jeff Bezos went a step further and argued that he doesn’t want The Washington Post to “be a charity.” He balked at the idea of the outlet being a “public trust.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Rickey Smiley Reacts With Gratitude After Radio Hall of Fame Induction

Bethany Kent
-
0
Rickey Smiley Reacts With Gratitude After Radio Hall of Fame Induction

Rickey Smiley is headed to the Radio Hall of Fame. The comedian and morning show host will receive the great honor this October in Chicago.

What We Know: The Radio Hall of Fame revealed its Class of 2026. Smiley, who hosts mornings through Urban One and Reach Media, earned his spot alongside seven other inductees. Of the inductees, six come from votes from more than 950 industry professionals, and two choices from the Nominating Committee. The classes formal induction will be October 8 at the Fairmont Hotel Chicago.

What They Said: Radio Hall of Fame Co-Chair Kraig Kitchin offered this: “Our congratulations to each of our 2026 Inductees, on this well-deserved recognition. Each of these inductees has performed at the highest levels for a sustained period of time to make our industry that much more impactful to listeners and advertisers as a result. I’m thrilled to see them properly recognized by this announcement and the forthcoming Induction ceremony this October.”

On his show today, Smiley reflected on the grind: “We really work hard man. It’s hard to get up early in the morning. Radio is not a job, it’s a lifestyle. And in order to do radio, you have to go to bed at night, you have to have some discipline. Some structure. You gotta work hard. You gotta work on the weekend. Everyone that gave me the opportunity, I’m just really appreciative.”

What Remains Unclear: The Radio Hall of Fame did not disclose the official vote totals. Further programming or tribute details surrounding the October ceremony have yet to emerge publicly.

What It Means: Smiley’s induction underscores that personality-driven radio still commands deep respect. His recognition alongside executives like iHeartMedia’s Bob Pittman confirms both on-air talent and industry leadership matter equally. Together, this class signals the Radio Hall of Fame is honoring radio’s full scope.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Vox Media Split Into 2 Companies After James Murdoch Purchase

Garrett Searight
-
0
Vox Media Split Into 2 Companies After James Murdoch Purchase

James Murdoch is purchasing a large portion of Vox Media. That acquisition splits the company in two.

What We Know: James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems company is acquiring New York Magazine, the Vox Media Podcast Network, and Vox for $350 million. He’ll have the Vox Media name and brand going forward. A new independent company under a new name will combine the remaining outlets. They include SB Nation, The Dodo, The Verge, Eater, and Pop Sugar, among others.

What They Said: “Separating into two distinct companies best sets up our brands, shows, businesses, talent, and teams to continue to lead and prosper in the changing media landscape. Each company will be better positioned to grow within a focused portfolio of complementary businesses. Lupa’s investments in Tribeca Enterprises and Art Basel reflect the same belief in culture, creativity, and talent that defines New York Magazine, Vox, and the podcast network, a business that has become our fastest-growing over the past five years.” -Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff

What Remains Unclear: When the deal will officially be completed. Bankoff estimates that the deal will officially be complete in four to six weeks. The new independent company’s name also remains unknown. Staffing levels and any potential changes at those outlets are also unclear.

What It Means: Vox Media has been trying for a sustained length of time to sell. It hadn’t been shy in its hopes to split the company. It believed there was a greater value in two separate companies. It’s also interesting that Bankoff will serve as CEO of the Lupa Systems side of the company. His experience in operating the brand will be valuable to the new company.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Boomer Esiason Credits Teammates, WFAN Leadership for Radio Hall of Fame Selection

John Mamola
-
0
Boomer Esiason Credits Teammates, WFAN Leadership for Radio Hall of Fame Selection

WFAN morning co-host Boomer Esiason is heading to Chicago as an inductee into the Radio Hall of Fame this October. The sports radio veteran learned Wednesday morning he is part of the 2026 class. He shared his thanks for being recognized as one of the industry’s all time greats.

What We Know: Eight honorees were selected by a voting panel of more than 950 industry professionals, and two by the Nominating Committee. The inductees included Esiason, Dennis Green (COO Sun & Fun Media – Key Networks), Shotgun Tom Kelly (60’s on 6 – SiriusXM Radio), Helen Little (WLTW – New York City), Bob Pittman (Chairman/CEO iHeartMedia), Rickey Smiley (Urban One – Reach Media), Charlie Van Dyke (former national DJ), and Fred Winston (Former WLS-Chicago).

What They Said: Boomer Esiason on the honor “Thank you to the Hall of Fame voters for voting me in. When Chris Oliviero [Audacy Market Manager New York City] told me, I never thought this was going to be the case. I never thought my wildest 19 years ago when I started here, that was going to be part of this whole thing. It’s due in large part to a lot of people.”

Boomer Esiason on his success belonging to others as well “I’ve had great teammates, and it’s a great place. I love the job. I love the fact CBS Sports Network has been along for the ride. As well as MSG was along for the ride for a while there at the beginning. So, been very fortunate to be able to sit in this chair and love every minute of it. Hopefully people have enjoyed most of it.”

Boomer Esiason on the early guidance of former WFAN Program Director Mark Chernoff “Mark Chernoff, he would come into my office every morning when he was here, and we would sit and talk baseball literally for 20 minutes. I looked forward to those talks, because he was very knowledgeable. Of course, son running the Cleveland Indians. He was a big part of the initial success of Boomer and Carton. Quite frankly, if it wasn’t for him and Chris Olivero thinking that me and Craig could have made it together. There’s no way in the world that I’d be sitting here today.”

What Remains Unclear: The official vote count was not revealed by the Radio Hall of Fame.

What It Means: This honor validates what sports radio insiders have argued for years. Esiason arrived at WFAN without traditional radio training, yet ultimately built a career that outlasted nearly everyone who doubted him. Esiason’s induction is well deserved and his longevity in a market defined by success is proof.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

SiriusXM Adding Show Hosted by John Kasich to P.O.T.U.S.

Garrett Searight
-
0
SiriusXM Adding Show Hosted by John Kasich to P.O.T.U.S.

SiriusXM continues to expand its offerings on P.O.T.U.S. It is scheduled to debut a new show from an experienced Republican politician.

What We Know: Former Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) will host The John Kasich Show each Saturday. The weekly show will air from 11 AM to Noon. The show’s debut is scheduled for Saturday, May 23rd. There will be encore editions of the show on the Sunday lineup for the SiriusXM news/talk channel.

What They Said: “There’s too much shouting and not enough listening in our country right now. I’ve always believed in unity over division, personal responsibility, service to others, and the ability of everyday Americans to make a difference. This show is about slowing things down, having honest conversations, and creating a place where people can reflect, find clarity, and focus on what still unites us in a noisy world.” -John Kasich

What Remains Unclear: It is unclear if the program will air live or if Kasich will pre-record the weekly content. Former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) will appear on the inaugural episode.

What It Means: SiriusXM has beefed up its P.O.T.U.S. lineup with a wide variety of voices. Kasich’s experience as a U.S. Representative, Governor, and Republican presidential candidate will bring an interesting perspective to the channel. He joins the likes of Stephen A. Smith, Chris Cuomo, Michael Smerconish, Julie Mason, and Dan Abrams, among others, on the channel.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

NFL VP of Broadcast: Streaming Agreements Are Long Term Decisions, Not Money Grabs

John Mamola
-
0
NFL VP of Broadcast: Streaming Agreements Are Long Term Decisions, Not Money Grabs

The NFL is not chasing streaming platforms despite criticism and concern the league is moving more away from broadcast. Mike North, the league’s VP of Broadcast Planning, recently appeared on The Schrager Hour to pull back the curtain on how the NFL decides where its games land.

What We Know: The release of the NFL schedule saw games shift to Wednesday’s in week one and twelve. It also saw broadcast pick up additional games that were originally on ESPN, but left as part of the acquisition of NFL Network. The NFL has intentionally placed games on streaming platforms where audiences already spend time, according to North. Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and others each earned their packages by proving large-scale viewership. Notably, North confirmed YouTube remained an active bidder deep into the placement cycle for the 2026 season. Ultimately, Netflix secured the Wednesday night Thanksgiving package over YouTube and others.

What They Said Mike North on how the NFL chooses which streaming platforms to partner with “We’re not breaking new technology here. We’re going to places where our fans already are. We talked about Amazon. They’re doing broadcast level television viewership numbers. Everybody’s got Amazon, right? We all need paper towels. Everybody’s got Netflix, we all watch Stranger Things. We’re going where the people are, we’re fishing where the fish are. This is where the fans tell us that they’re ingesting their content now. Why wouldn’t live sports be part of that content?”

Mike North believes the league’s intentions with streaming platforms are not short-term “These are all 10-20-30 year decisions. I don’t think anybody’s just grabbing the money and running. I think this is all about sustained future health of this league. Right now, it’s working. If it starts to look differently on that little graph on that line chart, we’ll adjust.”

What Remains Unclear: While the NFL continues to hold a hard stance on the amount of games on broadcast networks, the future is still debatable. With the league reportedly seeking upwards of a 50% rights increase from their broadcast partners, several networks could be out of the bidding. The NFL rights deals all have opt-outs following the 2029 season, with ESPN the lone outlier with the 2030 season. No details were also shared on why YouTube chose to not agree to a game broadcast this upcoming season.

What It Means: According to North, the NFL is playing the long game with streaming platforms. However, it will be interesting to see if higher rights costs wet the appetite for streaming platforms to continue paying. If NFL product is not bringing in enough added subscribers to the platform, while networks continue to evaluate the cost of doing business with the NFL. The league could be in a pickle where no one will either desire nor afford the rights fees it feels it commands. If that were to come to pass, that would affect a league where the majority of revenue for teams is dependent on league media rights.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

World News Tonight Sees 13% Ratings Growth During Chinese Summit Week

Garrett Searight
-
0
World News Tonight Sees 13% Ratings Growth During Chinese Summit Week

The meetings between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping dominated the nightly newscasts last week. ABC’s World News Tonight led the way in the ratings.

What We Know: World News Tonight aired live from China on Tuesday through Thursday last week. NBC Nightly News aired live from the country from Tuesday through Friday. CBS Evening News was broadcast from Taiwan after anchor Tony Dokoupil reportedly experienced visa issues. The meetings between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping dominated the coverage for the week. During the week, the ABC News broadcast led the overall viewership category, as well as the key Adults 25-54 demographic.

What The Numbers Show:

Program Total Viewers Adults 25-54
ABC World News Tonight 7,889,000 962,000
NBC Nightly News 5,970,000 831,000
CBS Evening News 3,806,000 503,000

Each of the nightly newscasts saw ratings growth compared to the same week in 2025. That week last year was the first full week following the election of Pope Leo XIV.

Program May 11, 2026 Total Viewers May 12, 2025 Total Viewers % Change
ABC World News Tonight 7,889,000 6,966,000 ↑ 13.2%
NBC Nightly News 5,970,000 5,465,000 ↑ 9.2%
CBS Evening News 3,806,000 3,766,000 ↑ 1.1%

What Remains Unclear: How much of an impact the change in Nielsen’s measurement had on the overall viewership totals for the week of May 12th.

What It Means: The broadcasts from China showed interesting results. Despite year-over-year ratings growth, all three networks declined from the prior week. One could guess that it isn’t welcome news after the resources utilized to uproot the programs and take them to the Asian nations last week.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Chuck Damico Named Program Director of Philadelphia’s WXTU-FM by Beasley

David Hill
-
0
Chuck Damico Named Program Director of Philadelphia’s WXTU-FM by Beasley

Chuck Damico is adding a third Philadelphia radio brand to his portfolio. He takes over as Program Director of WXTU-FM effective May 23, 2026.

What We Know: Damico currently leads WMMR-FM and WMGK-FM in Philadelphia. His expanded role adds oversight of WXTU-FM, one of the country’s top Country radio stations. He steps in following the retirement of longtime Brand Manager and Program Director Mark “Razz” Radziewicz. Beasley Media Group made the announcement Tuesday.

What They Said: Beasley Philadelphia VP and Market Manager Paul Blake praised the move. “Chuck is an exceptional programming leader with a deep understanding of the Philadelphia market,” Blake said. Chief Content Officer Justin Chase added that Damico’s strategic vision makes him a strong fit. Damico called the opportunity an honor, saying he looks forward to building on Razz’s legacy.

What Remains Unclear: It’s unknown whether Beasley plans to hire additional programming support across the three stations. No details emerged about Radziewicz’s official last day. Furthermore, no changes to WXTU’s format or on-air talent were mentioned. The scope of Damico’s day-to-day responsibilities across all three brands has yet to be defined.

What It Mean: This move signals Beasley’s confidence in consolidating programming leadership in a single, trusted voice. Damico now oversees three major Philadelphia brands across rock and country formats. That’s a significant responsibility in one of the nation’s top radio markets. Ultimately, his success will depend on maintaining momentum while managing the demands of three distinct audiences.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Bussin’ With The Boys Launches NASCAR Program

John Mamola
-
0
Bussin’ With The Boys Launches NASCAR Program

NASCAR and Bussin’ With The Boys are teaming up. The partnership launches a brand-new weekly series called ‘Racin’ With The Boys.

What We Know: Hosts Taylor Lewan and Will Compton will guide the progam while Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions is leading production. The 14-episode series drops every Thursday starting May 28, living on the Bussin’ With The Boys YouTube channel. Additionally, this marks another expansion of the growing Bussin’ With The Boys franchise beyond its football roots.

What They Said: Bussin’ With The Boys host Taylor Lewan “Now that the NFL Draft has passed, we have a lot of time until next football season, so we were in search of a new sport to follow. We’ve decided to make NASCAR our summer vacation hobby, and learn everything we can in the shortest amount of time possible.”

Bussin’ With The Boys host Will Compton “We’re going to be fully immersed, and get as involved as possible with all parts of the NASCAR world. We’re excited to partner with NASCAR to bring our ideas to the sport in our own way.”

NASCAR EVP and Chief Brand Officer Tim Clark “We’re not trying to make NASCAR fit into someone else’s box. We’re letting Taylor and Will explore it their way. That’s where the fun is, and honestly, that’s how you reach people who might not have given the sport a shot before.”

What Remains Unclear: Whether the show extends beyond 14 episodes remains to be seen. Furthermore, it’s unclear how deeply the Bussin’ With The Boys brand may expand into other sports after this. The platform expanded more into college football last year with several other projects. Also, the access points the Bussin’ With The Boys team will have with the partnership is also unknown.

What It Means: This is the first vertical outside of football for the Bussin’ team. It will be interesting to see if their audience gravitates to the content in ways alike their football roots. For NASCAR, they’re the latest sport that has begun thinking differently with collaborated content with online creators. MLB last year was the first league to officially partner with a content creator hub in Jomboy Media. As Bussin’ With The Boys continues to expand their horizons, it also could lead to a play where certain verticals could be attractive to streaming platforms outside YouTube.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Marty Smith Joining TNT Sports NASCAR Coverage

John Mamola
-
0
Marty Smith Joining TNT Sports NASCAR Coverage

Marty Smith is returning to NASCAR coverage. The ESPN personality will host TNT Sports’ studio coverage for its five-cup series races this summer.

What We Know: According to reporting by Sports Business Journal, Smith will serve as studio host when TNT’s NASCAR slate kicks off June 28 at Sonoma. The run also includes Chicago, Atlanta, North Wilkesboro, and Indianapolis. Notably, Smith recently signed an extension with ESPN last month. His TNT deal is a side arrangement, allowing him to fulfill both commitments simultaneously.

What’s At Stake: Smith recently signed a multi-year extension to continue as a key contributor on college football, golf and NFL Draft coverage. He will also continue co-hosting Marty & McGee alongside Ryan McGee on SEC Network. The arrangement with TNT is separate from his agreement with ESPN. According to SBJ he will be able to fulfill both commitments.

What Remains Unclear: The specific terms of Smith’s TNT deal have not been disclosed officially by the network. It’s also unclear how the growing ESPN-TNT relationship factored into Smith’s selection specifically. The broader partnership between the two networks — spanning Inside the NBA, the Big 12, and the College Football Playoff — suggests this could be part of a larger arrangement. Whether Smith’s role could expand beyond this summer’s five races remains an open question.

What It Means: For Marty Smith, this is an absolute home run. A familiar face from a larger network joining coverage of NASCAR is a huge plus for viewers across the country. This move is a homecoming for Smith. He first joined ESPN in 2006 to cover NASCAR, later becoming the network’s lead NASCAR reporter through 2014. Before ESPN, he worked at NASCAR.com, Speed Channel, and FSN. With the sport continuing to struggle in viewership, it’s apparent that networks are attempting anything they can do to draw more eyeballs to the sport. Smith is a fine addition to that effort.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

1...727374...2,659Page 73 of 2,659