Bill Moyers, who spent time as a correspondent at both CBS News and PBS News in addition to his time serving as White House Press Secretary, has died.
Moyers wrote, produced, or hosted a wide variety of programs for PBS News during his tenure, including Frontline, Bill Moyers’ Journal, Moyers & Company, Now with Bill Moyers, and Creativity with Bill Moyers, among others between 1971 and 2010.
During his time with the outlet, he earned two Peabody Awards, four Primetime Emmys, and a three Humanitas Prizes.
In 1976, he joined CBS News as editor and chief correspondent for CBS Reports. He also worked on documentaries and provided commentary for CBS Evening News alongside Dan Rather beginning in 1981. He later departed the network in 1986 after famously stating that CBS News “steadily blurred” the lines between entertainment and news.
In 2006, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Emmy for “devoting his lifetime to the exploration of the major issues and ideas of our time and our country, giving television viewers an informed perspective on political and societal concerns.”
Before his time in television, he served as the White House Press Secretary from 1965 to 1967 in the Lyndon B. Johnson White House. He resigned from the position to become the publisher of Newsday.
He also worked at both NBC and MSNBC in the 1990s.
On Thursday, Boyers’ son told the Associated Press he had passed away after an extended illness at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Bill Moyers was 91.
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.
Fox News has announced the addition of Brett Cooper, the former Daily Wire podcast host, to its stable of contributors for the cable network.
From 2022 to 2024, Cooper hosted The Comments Section podcast for The Daily Wire. She later exited and has shared her displeasure that the outlet replaced her with her producer on the popular program, citing that the show had seen a dramatic drop in viewership after she departed.
After departing The Daily Wire, Cooper launched her own independent podcast. Titled The Brett Cooper Show, the program debuted in January and is focused on pop culture, politics, current events, and relationships, among others. She features more than 9 million followers across a variety of social media accounts.
The 23-year-old Cooper made her first appearance as a Fox News contributor earlier this week.
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.
Pablo Torre has had a wonderful run the past couple of months being one of the most discussed figures in sports media. It’s been a series of stories with headlines surrounding the background of Bill Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson, social media spats with Bill Simmons and Nick Wright, and now uncovering documents that may have the NFL and the NFLPA in hot water with the players themselves.
Pablo Torre has made more media appearances in the past couple of months than Pat McAfee has taken shots at ESPN brass. That’s mighty impressive.
However, one item from Torre’s most recent appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show struck a chord with me. Torre inferred that because of his reporting on potential collusion between the commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners, the NFL is now “monitoring his media appearances.” As much as I respect Torre to be a fine journalist, this statement is questionable as it takes away the shine from his findings and pivots the issue to be what is happening with him.
Everyone Is Always Watching and Listening
NFL players forever have always delivered the generic line about the “outside noise” when questioned about critics of their play. Why would a professional athlete pay attention to radio, newspapers, social media to hear anything and everything about their performance as a player on and off the field?
Sure, continue to humor me. Of course, we all know agents and team representatives are paid to constantly have their ear to the ground on everything that is said about their players when the narrative surrounds them. Then somehow, some way the athlete gets word that things are being said about his/her performance to only have them respond.
In sports, all words are heard no matter how often it’s proclaimed they aren’t.
Regarding Pablo Torre’s reporting, does he really believe that the NFL is just now paying attention to things he’s saying or items he’s reporting on? A national reporter, who also doubles as a commentator and podcaster, appearing on a national platform with worldwide reach is just now drawing attention from the National Football League?
If you believe that, I have land to sell you on Mars.
Torre Is Doing His Job, the NFL Is Doing Theirs
The NFL and its 32 teams have been, are, and will always be paying close attention to how their product is discussed in the civil discourse. You can’t hide your commentary in the digital age we live in. It’s so easy to see what anyone said about any team during any appearance by a member of the sports media.
Of course, the National Football League is listening to every word with every appearance that Torre makes for the foreseeable future. How is this news or even a stunning admission? They’ve already been doing it.
He uncovered evidence of potential collusion that could lead to a lawsuit against the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell. The concept that the league wouldn’t be keeping their ear to the ground after this report is foolish.
What I’m not comprehending here is why Torre would flaunt it on a public and national network like he did with Le Batard. Why flex when you don’t need to? You’re inferring that a billion-dollar company is caught in a gotcha moment, and you’re daring them to come at you.
What Torre is doing with this comment is he’s taking the focus off the reporting and now making it about himself. He had to be aware that single spoken sentences that are ‘shots fired’ type of moments will be fodder for aggregators to drive clicks and added awareness of the comment.
Why taunt the National Football League like that?
Any media member in any local market knows that every word is heard, read, and monitored. Words have consequences, and actions can (and have) been taken by organizations in all sports. From bloggers to podcasters and everything in between, there is nothing that is not seen or heard in the internet age.
The National Football League is a massive operation with worldwide reach and massive influence in media. There are reporters that uncover all sorts of stories regarding the teams they cover throughout the calendar year. What they don’t do is stage a “come at me, bro” moment by taunting the teams and subjects they cover.
Keep it focused on explaining the ‘why’ this is important, and you win.
A Sign Of The Media Environment
Maybe it’s the state of the media today that’s the issue. The race to be first clouds the goal of being correct. The desire for likes over the quality of the content. Where impressions and podcast appearances matter more than substance, and clout is currency. Why take shots when you can just stand on your reporting?
Victim culture doesn’t work for journalists that do their jobs, because the story is the subject and not the journalist.
Maybe Bill Simmons was correct.
The Ringer founder was critical of Torre following his reporting on Bill Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson, saying he “dined” for a week and a half while “pretending” to be a journalist. He was highly critical of Torre’s appearances in media following his reporting on the former Patriots’ head coach.
Since the uncovered document was released by Torre, what was the play? Hit the sports media circuit to talk about it and sell why his reporting is important. He made appearances with Le Batard, Dan Patrick, and 94 WIP among others attempting to explain why sports fans need to care about billionaires paying millionaires millions less than they should be making.
Those efforts worked in conjunction with ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio, who publicly called out NFL partner networks such as ESPN, CBS Sports, FOX Sports, and NFL Network for not reporting on Torre’s reporting. Is this journalism? Editorial? Opinion? Publicly bullying other networks on social media to aggregate reporting is a new twist I’m not familiar with.
Probably not a good idea to hold our breath waiting for NFL Network, ESPN, CBS, Fox, etc. to cover the most important sports legal ruling in decades — or the misguided effort to cover it up.
Should we hold a table for Torre and Florio as they dine on this story for the next two weeks? Reservation for two!
The unearthing of this document by Torre is fantastic and should be commended for his efforts. He didn’t win a Peabody for nothing. It’s a refreshing breath of fresh air to see such depth with journalism holding even the biggest sports entities accountable. He has been and continues to be a guiding voice for sports journalism in the modern digital age. The disappointing part is making the story about himself, playing the victim, and taking a shot by framing the obvious as being controversial with intent. Like any talent in sports media, if you simply let the reporting stand by itself, it’s more impactful.
However, if Torre truly feels that the league is just now paying attention to what he’s saying on the national platforms he’s featured on, maybe he’s learned nothing from what he’s already found out.
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.
He began his career in radio as an intern at WRIF in Detroit and worked as a Board Operator for Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg at WQBH. Pretty impressive introduction to the business for David Moore, Operations Manager and Brand Content Director for Classic Rock 100.7 KSLX, ALT AZ 93-3, and Oldies 92-7 KAZG at Hubbard Radio in Phoenix.
He’s been there for about ten years now. Before that, he was OM for Audacy in Madison, WI, for about a decade, and before that, he spent another decade programming WFYV/Rock 105 in Jacksonville.
“Dave & Mahoney” host mornings on KSLX, where they are based, and the station focuses on Veterans and Hunger. They are plugged into the Valley, despite being nationally syndicated and implement April Food’s Day, Need to Feed, Socktober and 10,000 for the Troops.
The station’s other passion project includes pets. “Right now, we are implementing Cause for Paws, a summer-long promotion tied in with a big advertiser, Fulton Homes,” explains Moore.
“And about every other Saturday, we are at a high-traffic location and invite people to stop by for free dog booties. This is a big deal around here because the pavement can get too hot to walk your dog. And as we all know, your dog does not understand the explanation that it is too hot to walk.”
On Alt AZ, the station’s passion projects include Pride, Phoenix Children’s Hospital and St. Mary’s Food Bank. “Mo, our Midday Talent, also hosts a weekly Homegrown program spotlighting local music. This is something she believes in and is super passionate about, and the local music community loves her as a result.”
“The unique thing about the Phoenix Market is the massive growth of the city,” says Moore. “There are lots of listeners from other places who did not grow up with the radio stations. This, combined with the Snowbird culture of large numbers of people leaving the market for the summer because of the heat, can create some unique challenges and opportunities.”
“For a Classic Rock station, it means that you have to be cognizant of the fact that you are regularly being exposed to potential P1s that are not very familiar with you. It’s kind of like always being on a first date.”
“It is tough to be a successful talent in an environment like this if you are not curious and charismatic. Being funny helps, too. There also needs to be some discipline and an ability to make solid content judgments on the fly.”
“But more than anything else, they need to be decent people who play well with others. There is no room for a-holes. Interestingly, I have found that the jerks are usually not the most talented people you can hire.”
“Here at Hubbard Phoenix, we have ‘Dave and Mahoney’ with Audrey Drake on KSLX mornings with Karen Dalessandro in afternoons. Both of these shows were recruited to come here, and both shows are loaded with talent and are incredibly easy to work with.”
In addition to starting the day with “Dave and Mahoney,” Long Paul, aka LP, hosts Middays, Dalessandro hosts afternoons, and market legend and resident Alice Cooper hosts Evenings.
“We also have long-tenured swing talent with Val More and Russ Egan,” says Moore. “That is a key factor in making the station sticky and more than a Classic Rock jukebox.”
“Mike Abad keeps the imaging sounding great, and there is always something happening promotionally. Usually, some sort of a Tap the Track or Keyword promotion. For example, we are currently implementing a Concerts and Cash promotion, where the method of entry involves tapping the KSLX app when a designated artist plays. That will be followed by a Bad Company promotion where they tap for a five-album vinyl set. We like to gamify the listening experience.”
“On Alt AZ, we have Izzy doing Mornings, Mo on Middays and APD Dustin Carlson doing Afternoons. All of these people are loaded with talent and are easy to work with as well. As for the musical lane, it’s pretty wide, even with more and more brands utilizing Alt Gold in their music recipe. Dustin Carlson does a tremendous job with the imaging on Alt AZ, and it cuts through.”
Moore says they’ve had plenty of discussions about the new three-minute PPM rule when considering programming strategy. “Phoenix was among the most-impacted markets,” he tells us. “Outside of a few minor tweaks on break placement, there were no other changes. Here at Hubbard, we talk a lot more about how to create great radio than how to manipulate breaks for Nielsen advantage.”
And as for the future of the industry, “I don’t know what it would look like, but we need to figure out a Gen Z/Alpha format,” insists Moore. “I don’t know exactly what it would sound like, but I bet some smart young programmer could figure it out.”
Connect with David Moore @davidmoorepd@facebook.com
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.
How much is too much? How often can or should you play the biggest star in Country music? And how much Morgan Wallen is too much Morgan Wallen?
When I started programming Country radio, I learned from the best. Bob Glasco and the late Rusty Walker at Rusty Walker Programming Consultants. At the time, the standard artist separation for my station was 55 minutes.
My on-air talent would have a fit when I had those rare occasions when Garth Brooks opened and closed the hour. Two Garth songs in an hour was the end of the world.
There were a couple of issues with that thinking. First, radio and television are the only industries that I know that reset themselves at the top of the hour. Can you imagine if, as an ordinary person, you stopped what you were doing at the top of the hour, stated your name and the town you were from? Silly right?
Plus, they were making the assumption that the beginning of the listener’s hour was also at the top of the hour. If they came in at 10 after then it hadn’t been 55 minutes since they last heard Garth.
I have always been a proponent of a tight playlist that played the hits and played them a lot. In 2018, I was tasked with turning around a Top 40 that had lost its way.
The first thing I did was cut the playlist to 112 songs and play Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande every 13 minutes. The result was a swift, no pun intended, quick and decisive turnaround.
So, for Country radio, how often should you be playing Morgan Wallen? He drops albums with 30-plus tracks, and the streaming data for that music surely indicates an appetite for his music.
To me, that means an artist separation of 12-15 minutes. Play the hits and play them a lot.
I asked Country’s Radio Coach John Shomby his thoughts.
“In my mind, with all of the songs he has, I would have a 20-25 minute separation at the most. He’s the format’s hottest artist, and the average listener can’t hear him enough.”
The additional problem with artist separation comes when an artist is featured on someone else’s song. Does that mean that they fall into a full artist separation or a special separation scheduler setting?
Shomby says, “I always made an ‘FT’ part of the separation rule, but it would depend on the sound and the participation of the artist. If he/she sings one verse and one chorus, I’d probably just separate it on its own by 10 -15 min with others.”
So, then you have the current and recurrents covered and separated. How can you force library titles in? The short answer is it’s going to be difficult. A shorter artist separation will help, but if you are like most and have gold scheduling last on your pass order, then you will likely have to hand-force it if you want gold to play.
Should the special artist separations be just for when an artist has a lot of new material out, or should it apply to our hottest artists and their library as well?
Shomby said, “Definitely the hottest first because they will usually have a lot of new material, PLUS the library stuff. Bailey Zimmerman, in my mind, would fall into that ‘artist with a lot of new material’ category. That separation would be the normal 45 minutes to an hour.
John Shomby
At the end of the day, it’s really pretty simple. Play the hits and popular artists, and play them frequently. Forget what we learned or what was right years ago. Attention spans are shorter.
No one is giving you all day listening anymore, not even at work stations. Tune-ins and occasions are shorter than ever.
Play the hits! No one ever went broke giving the people what they want.
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.
As June winds down and we gear up to celebrate America’s birthday next week, here are some hits to keep an eye on for airplay in various formats.
As I usually do, let’s begin in the Top40/Hot-AC space with this Ed Sheeran/ “Drive” it’s from “F1: The Movie. This is a cool rock song with Ed’s pop sensibilities. The guitar drives this song, and it’s a nice change of pace we have not heard from Ed in a few years.
Ava Max / “Lovin Myself” has a nice groove and hook and sounds like it has hit potential. Not much of a streaming story yet, but worthy of a listen and consideration.
One final pick for this week, Head And The Heart / “Arrow” has a solid hook and, for certain, leans more Pop than their previous songs.
Let’s jump into the Country world for this week.
One of the hottest Pop artists right now is Alex Warren. Well, he has a song with Jellyroll / “Bloodline.” It’s one you should definitely have your ears on. Kelsea Ballerini / “Baggage” is worthy of a revisit with nearly 60 million streams if you are not already spinning.
I’m also really liking Craig Campbell / “Missing You,” which is getting solid love from KSOP in Salt Lake City, KILT/Houston, Music Choice and a handful of others.
Over in the Rock world, in the AAA space, be sure to get Goose / “Your Direction” into your ears, great hook and reminds me a bit of Steely Dan.
In the Alternative world, my pick this week is Muse / “Unraveling” sounds like another solid record from this band.
Moving into the Rhythmic space, the one catching my ear this week includes Leon Thomas / “Not Fair”,
I’m also liking Feid ft. Ty Dolla $ign‘s /“Dallax” has a nice groove and hook, and is already receiving early love from Townsquare Media stations across the country.
Lastly, no streaming story to speak of at this point, but this sounds like a hit, Swedish House Mafia / “Wait So Long.”
So, there is the ear candy you should get familiar with if you are not already.
Happy weekend to all!
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.
Why are you so stiff? Yeah, you, Mr. tough-talking News/Talk radio host. When Donald Trump, the President of the United States — who is making decisions that will affect the world for decades to come — is looser than you, there’s a problem here.
And too often across the format, that’s the case.
Yes, these are turbulent times on the world stage, but you’re just hosting a radio show, for goodness’ sake. You’re not in charge of overseeing a bunch of men and women from Missouri flying to Iran to bomb nuclear sites. You’re not responsible for ensuring that European countries pay their fair share to NATO.
You’re in charge of informing and entertaining an audience at quarter-hour increments, building that audience to then, in turn, drive results for your sponsors.
And when I see the President and the White House social media account having more light-hearted moments than radio hosts, we’ve got a problem.
As you may have seen, the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Ruffe, referred to President Trump as “Daddy” this week when the President used the analogy of Israel and Iran fighting like two kids in the schoolyard.
News media then received a gift when an overseas reporter asked the President about this on Wednesday, saying, “The NATO chief called you daddy. Do you regard your NATO allies as children?”
As only President Trump can do, he responded, saying, “He did it very affectionately. ‘Daddy, you’re my daddy.'”
Upon the President’s return to the United States, the White House social media team played it, rolling with b-roll of President Trump as Usher’s song “Daddy’s Home” played in the background.
Here’s the brilliant video:
🎶 Daddy’s home… Hey, hey, hey, Daddy.
President Donald J. Trump attended the NATO Summit in The Hague, Netherlands. pic.twitter.com/asJb5FD2Ii
Of course, this capped off a week in which the President dropped the F-bomb on live television the morning after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran lasted all of a few hours.
It was before 8:00 a.m. on the East Coast when the President said to several reporters before departing for the Netherlands, “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f–k they’re doing.”
These are moments that should be radio gold, but don’t need to be handled like you’re the Secretary of State. You’re a radio host. You’re an entertainer. Show drops. Topic development. Caller involvement over “presidential” language. It’s all on the table.
Granted, it doesn’t mean the entire show is one big joke or goof-off session. There are profound implications to what is happening on the world stage, and your audience expects coverage and analysis from you, as well as quality guests.
But there are moments to be light-hearted and have fun with, whether you voted for him or not, the most entertaining President in American history. If his own team’s social media handlers are doing just that, there’s no excuse for you not to be doing it as well.
Stop being so stiff. No one hired you to save the world. Your audience will thank you, too.
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.
To begin June, Fox News was in the midst of a run of 13 straight weeks of failing to surpass 3 million total viewers in primetime, and eight straight weeks of not reaching 2.5 million viewers.
That has taken a dramatic turn in recent weeks, as the network has been rivaling some of its best performances of 2025 in the middle weeks of June.
During the week of June 16th, Fox News averaged 3.4 million viewers in the primetime hours. That’s a 9% increase in total viewers from the previous week, which was up 25% from the week of June 2nd when the network averaged 2.4 million viewers in primetime.
The finish by Fox News was its highest result in the primetime window since the week of March 3rd, which included President Donald Trump addressing a joint session of Congress in the daypart. The only other week that performed better for the network was also a week featuring a major event tied to President Trump, the week of his inauguration, when Fox News averaged 3.9 million viewers in primetime.
Similarly, it was the third-best week of the year for Fox News in the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic, behind the two aforementioned Trump-focused weeks. Last week, Fox News averaged 474,000 total viewers, a 17% jump compared to the previous week.
In the total day ratings, Fox News surpassed 2 million viewers for the first time in 13 weeks. During the week, the network featured 14 of the top 15 rated broadcasts in cable news, with The Five continuing to lead the way.
CNN Hits New 2025 High
The United States launching an offensive against nuclear sites in Iran wasn’t just a win for Fox News.
During the week of June 16th, CNN saw its highest primetime performance of 2025. An average audience of 831,000 total viewers tuned into the network throughout the week, besting the previous high — set during the prior week at 775,000 viewers.
That figure of nearly 1 million total viewers is a significant increase to where CNN had been in previous weeks. During the final week of May, the network had hit its low for the year averaging just 374,000 total viewers in the primetime window.
Additionally, the network saw a large increase in the Adults 25-54 demographic. CNN’s in-demo audience grew by 25% during the week of June 16th compared to the previous week, up to 208,000 viewers from that sector. That 208,000 figure is the highest non-Fox News figure compiled by a cable news network in that category in 2025.
NBC Nightly News Sees Bounceback During 3rd Week of Tom Llamas Era
Earlier this month, we noted that NBC News had seen a slight dip in the nightly newscast ratings after the departure of Lester Holt.
But unlike the situation CBS News has encountered — with their figures dropping drastically after Norah O’Donnell vacated the anchor chair in January — NBC News has seen an almost immediate bounceback after the first week of the Tom Llamas era for the venerable newscast.
During the week of June 16th, NBC Nightly News averaged 5.7 million viewers. That equals the performance of the final two weeks of Holt’s tenure leading the newscast, when rounded to the nearest 100,000.
When Llamas took over, NBC News saw an immediate drop of 4.7% in total audience compared to the previous week. That raised concerns after featuring a larger immediate drop off than what CBS Evening News featured in the wake of O’Donnell’s departure due to that network’s newscast falling to under 4 million viewers during the first month of April, which it failed to recover from until hitting 4.2 million during the week of June 9th.
Despite the increase in viewership for NBC Nightly News, it remained in second place behind ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, which finished with just under 7.5 million total viewers for the week. Of those 7.5 million viewers, just over 1 million came for the key Adults 25-54 demographics. CBS News saw a slight decline in overall viewership during the week, down to 4 million total viewers.
NewsNationSpikes During Aftermath of Iran Bombings
NewsNation delivered a significant ratings boost over the weekend, capitalizing on breaking news of U.S. missile strikes on Iran with extended live coverage. The network went wall-to-wall Saturday night, led by Chris Cuomo from 7–9 PM ET and Leland Vittert through 2 AM ET, followed by overnight special coverage until 7 AM.
Primetime from 8–11 PM ET averaged 200,000 viewers, with 41,000 in the 25-54 demo. The 10 PM ET hour– featuring President Donald Trump’s address — peaked with 256,000 total viewers and 68,000 in the demo.
Sunday’s NewsNation Live Weekend with Laura Ingle hit a series high at 156,000 viewers. The network also posted its third-best week ever in total day (74,000) and primetime (150,000) delivery, ranking #40 among cable nets. For June, NewsNation is tied for No. 1 in total day growth across all cable.
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.
A fiery back-and-forth erupted between ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons last night on X. Perkins took exception to Simmons mocking his prediction that the Toronto Raptors could finish as a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference this upcoming NBA season.
In a video posted to social media, Perkins blasted Simmons, calling him out for frequently referencing him on his podcast and questioning Simmons’ credibility in basketball discourse.
“Bill Simmons, Cupcake Ass. I always got my name in his mouth,” Perkins said. “What have you done, period, in the game of basketball? Have you ever played?”
Perkins defended his take on the Raptors, citing potential setbacks to other East contenders. “Tyrese Haliburton is most likely going to be out for the entire season. Jason Tatum with his Achilles, Boston blowing the whole damn thing up. When you look at the perimeter, [Toronto has] two All-Star caliber players. Maybe three if you include RJ Barrett.”
Frustrated by Simmons’ criticism, Perkins added, “You didn’t think before you started drinking them Heinekens. And then you got your little peanut gallery up on the podcast. Shut the hell up.”
Simmons didn’t hesitate to respond.
“I’m honored that you sat in a car for 2+ minutes to scold me on your iPhone like this, even though we are a combined age of like 92,” Simmons shared on X. “If you actually think Toronto will be top-6 in the East in anything other than ‘most fun place to visit’ — let’s wager on it ASAP.”
I’m honored that you sat in a car for 2+ minutes to scold me on your iPhone like this, even though we are a combined age of like 92.
If you actually think Toronto will be top-6 in the East in anything other than “most fun place to visit” — let’s wager on it ASAP.
Perkins, has long been outspoken about what he considers a lack of respect from media figures who critique players and analysts without firsthand experience. Simmons meanwhile is known for his sharp commentary and willingness to call out what he considers to be outlandish takes.
Perkins teased a longer rebuttal during a Sunday appearance on Road Trippin’, indicating that he’s not yet done addressing Simmons. Whether it results in further tension on X or the two men connecting on a podcast remains to be seen. It’s yet another example of how sports commentary has evolved, involving professionals who create content for different employers.
The Walt Disney Company and Charter Communications have reached an expanded distribution agreement under which users will gain access to Hulu with advertisements to all Spectrum TV Select customers at no additional cost. In addition, these customers are also going to receive complimentary access to the ad-supported version of Disney+ and the forthcoming ESPN direct-to-consumer service. Charter Communications estimates the retail streaming value of these premium entertainment experiences to be more than $100 per month.
“We began this journey to transform the video proposition for consumers with Disney, so it is befitting that this new agreement and the doubling down on our strategy continues with them,” Tom Montemagno, executive vice president of programming Acquisition for Charter Communications, said in a statement. “This extension is a true testament to our mutual confidence in this innovative model – which already is showing improvement in subscriber churn – and our commitment to work creatively together to achieve win-win outcomes for both of us and most importantly for our customers – all achieved mid-cycle and absent from any of the typical pressures from expiring agreements.”
In addition to the streaming platforms, eight Disney-owned linear networks have made their return to the channel lineup, some of which include Disney XD, Nat Geo Wild and Freeform. Disney and Charter reached an agreement in September 2023 that restored ESPN to approximately 15 million subscribers before the New York Jets debut of quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Monday Night Football. Charter Communications has reached several other carriage deals over recent years, including a contract with Comcast Corporation that granted access to Peacock at no additional cost for its subscribers.
“With the addition of Hulu and the return of our full portfolio of channels, we’re pleased to expand and extend our agreement with Charter – delivering the most robust and valuable combination of linear and streaming entertainment for years to come,” Sean Breen, executive vice president of Disney Platform Distribution for The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement. “This agreement reflects our continued focus on leaning into the strength of Disney’s best-in-class programming across every genre and platform – and our shared commitment with Charter to building innovative, consumer-focused distribution models that drive value across the board.”
ESPN is slated to launch its direct-to-consumer service in the fall through which its linear networks will be available without a pay television subscription for the first time in history. Concurrent with this venture, ESPN is also introducing an enhanced edition of its app that will have new features and experiences for fans.
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.
