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Cam Newton, Ashley Nicole Moss to Host ‘106 & Sports’ on BET

BSM Staff
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Cam Newton, Ashley Nicole Moss to Host ‘106 & Sports’ on BET

Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton and sports talk personality Ashley Nicole Moss will be working together on BET for a sports-focused spinoff of a classic series. In a similar ilk to 106 & Park, which was the highest-rated show on the network, the duo will be working together on 106 & Sports. The program is going to make its debut in the fall, and it will be covering the surrounding culture and communal aspects pertaining to competition on the field. Newton and Moss made the announcement during the BET Awards on Monday night from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.

Newton has not played in the NFL since 2021, but he has taken part in a variety of media enterprises that permit him to continue being connected to the gridiron. Outside of his appearances on ESPN where he has contributed to shows such as Get Up and First Take, he is also the host of two digital programs, which are titled 4th and 1 and Funky Fridays, respectively. Newton played 10 out of his 11 seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and was named to the Pro Bowl three times in his career.

“106 & Sports is about more than scores and statistics,” Newton said. “It’s about the culture around the game. The players, the personality, and of course, the fashion. But most importantly, it’s about the fans.”

Moss is currently a host with CBS Sports HQ and anchors both the Triple Threat and We Need to Talk NOW podcasts. Before this venture, she co-hosted the I Am Athlete podcast with SiriusXM and Laces Out through Sports Illustrated. Furthermore, she also has experience working  in the music and sports talk radio formats for iHeartMedia-owned stations, such as 103.5 The Beat and 940 WINZ. Moss is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University where she attained a degree in journalism and participated in various student media outlets.

“We’re going to laugh, we’re going to debate, and knowing us, we’re definitely going to argue a little bit,” Moss explained, “but it’s always going to be love, and most importantly, it’s going to be for the culture.”

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.

Former New Jersey 101.5 Morning Host Bill Spadea Loses Bid For Republican Nomination for Governor

BNM Staff
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Former New Jersey 101.5 Morning Host Bill Spadea Loses Bid For Republican Nomination for Governor

Earlier this year, Bill Spadea departed New Jersey 101.5 in an effort to chase the state’s Republican nomination for governor. It did not end with him securing the votes.

In the primary election held Tuesday, Spadea was defeated by former state representative Jack Ciattarelli.

According to results published by Decision Desk HQ, Spadea finished second in a field of five behind Ciattearelli. He garnered just under 100,000 votes, good for 22% of the total votes cast by Republicans in the state. He did not win any of New Jersey’s 21 counties.

Spadea had spent nearly a decade hosting mornings at New Jersey 101.5. But in June last year, he announced he would seek the Republican nomination for Governor in the state. As the primary began to heat up, he departed the news/talk station in January in an effort to spend more time campaigning for the state’s highest office.

His departure coincided with challenges by Ciattarelli’s camp that the station and parent company Townsquare Media were providing improper benefits to Spadea’s campaign by not following established equal time laws. However, both entities had previously been found not to have stepped afoul of the laws in a previous challenge by Ciattarelli before Spadea decided to leave the station.

As of this publication, Bill Spadea has yet to address the results of last night’s election. He has also previously remained mum on if he would be interested in a return to radio should he not be successful in his run for the nomination.

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.

Florida Gators Radio Broadcasts Returning To Tampa Bay’s WDAE

BSM Staff
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Florida Gators Radio Broadcasts Returning To Tampa Bay’s WDAE

The Florida Gators are returning to 95.3 WDAE and AM 620 in Tampa, FL following a six-year hiatus from the iHeartMedia brand. In an announcement Wednesday morning, WDAE announced a multi-year agreement to carry Florida Gators football and men’s basketball games on the Tampa Bay sports radio outlet beginning this coming season.

This marks the first time since 2019 that WDAE and the Florida Gators renew their historically long relationship which lasted more than a decade. Previously, the University of South Florida came to an agreement with the Tampa Bay radio outlet in 2019, but it left in 2022 for Cox Communications’ 102.5 The Bone, along with the broadcasting rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“The ink is literally drying as we speak. The contract is just officially signed, and something pretty cool is coming to WDAE,” said Nick Wize, Program Director of WDAE. “We are the going to be the brand new home of the Florida Gators.”

Wize mentioned that due to the contractual obligations with the Tampa Bay Rays, any Florida Gators games will then air on 1250am WHNZ. All games will also be streaming on iHeartRadio.

“I am beyond excited to be the new home of the Florida Gators,” said Wize in a statement to Barrett Media. “I couldn’t be happier to bring the Gators and SEC football and basketball to Tampa Bay on WDAE.”

Since 2019, the Florida Gators radio network was heard locally in Tampa Bay on WGUL 860AM.

The addition of the Florida Gators to WDAE is just the latest move since iHeartMedia’s latest layoffs in November of 2024. Following the cuts, the radio station added The Herd with Colin Cowherd in the midday timeslot vacated by Jay Recher and Zac Blobner, who were part of the layoffs. Nick Wize was announced as the new Program Director a week following the dismissal of John Mamola, and the station severed ties with their carriage of ESPN Radio talk programming for FOX Sports radio.

Currently the station lineup consists of The Pat and Aaron Show with Pat Donovan and Aaron Jacobson in mornings followed by Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd along with The Drive with TKras hosted by Tom Krasniqi.

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 the NBA Must Address Their Adversary From Within

John Mamola
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Why the NBA Must Address Their Adversary From Within

This weekend was a great reminder to anyone that works in sports media. Details matter. No matter how small you may think something is when presenting your product, someone will find something to call you out on if you fail to deliver what is expected. The NBA found this out after a massive wave of outcry over on-court signage that, in years past, marked the NBA Finals as the signature event of the NBA calendar.  

Could you imagine MLB opening day without any bunting surrounding the home stadiums? Is it possible to envision a Kentucky Derby without the traditional garland of roses for the winning horse? Would an Indianapolis 500 winner ever be caught chugging a sponsored energy drink instead of a chilled bottle of the finest milk from the American Dairy Association of America?  

Of course not, and the NBA got caught for not understanding details, even the smallest, matter. However, the outcry itself shows an even deeper issue with the NBA which it may never arise from unless addressed immediately.  

Can we all just admit first and foremost that social media is filled with toxicity?  

For all the good that social media does to connect people from around the world, not everyone is there for rainbows and lollipops. For professional sports organizations, it’s a marketing tool that brings fans closer to the team, players, and games. It’s also a haven for amplifying and facilitating negative commentary with no filter.  

The Needless Outcry Over NBA Finals Logos

When the NBA decided to remove the NBA Finals logos from the courts following the 2014 NBA Finals, was there social media outcry, dissent, or disgust with the league over such a bold move?  

There wasn’t, and there hasn’t been until this past weekend. Why? The biggest stars of NBA media have created a culture where it’s better to chastise than congratulate. Where it’s more welcoming to blast anyone or anything instead of lifting the game up and promoting the stars within it.  

NBA fans follow the narrative that sports media creates for them. I wrote about this last week.  

The narrative leading up to the tip of the NBA Finals was small market teams won’t draw viewership. Instead of focusing on storylines, they focused on viewership figures. Instead of focusing on matchups, they’re focused on market size.  

Then when the NBA Finals get underway, NBA media isn’t focused on the play by play. They’re focused on the logos that aren’t present on the floor, when they haven’t been in over a decade!  

The NBA media leads the narrative for the league; Adam Silver even admits it.  

He called the culture of the NBA a “media driven culture,” and he’s one hundred percent correct. If NBA media decries something is not good enough, it’s not good enough. If NBA media believes that a certain player isn’t worth his salary, he’s not worth his salary. Think I’m wrong?  

The Adversary From Within Lives On

Draymond Green is a current player in the league, one of the better defenders of a generation. He’s won NBA championships and has built a media empire while still playing in the league.  

When TNT Sports brought Draymond Green to be a contributor to their coverage of NBA All-Star weekend, they knew they were getting one of the leading voices of that “media driven culture” that Adam Silver proclaims.  

What did Green do? He put the weekend on blast calling the NBA All-Star format a “zero” and that “it sucks.” He said that the “rising stars” who played in the annual event “shouldn’t have been out there.” This is a signature event for the NBA, only for one of the biggest stars in NBA media to be trashing it on the actual broadcast of the event.  

Charles Barkley has forever been a dissenting voice of the current state of the NBA. Just google “Charles Barkley blasts” and you’ll be filled with pages of criticism from the leading analyst on the league’s signature pregame and postgame show. Load management, game time decisions, all while questioning his own network for giving up the rights to broadcast NBA games on TNT Sports.  

For over 20 years Barkley has not elevated the game from his analyst chair nor its current slate of budding superstars over what the game was of the past. He’s stuck in a state of nostalgia which does nothing more than feed the narrative in a “media driven culture” for fans to do the same.  

Shaquille O’Neal is just the latest example of feeing into the “media driven culture” of the NBA fan. Following game two of the NBA Finals, O’Neal proclaimed on NBA TV (The NBA’s owned and operated network) that he’s done watching the NBA Finals, because he’s going to the Bahamas. Why would one of the greatest players of a generation be telling the viewing audience that even he’s done watching the NBA Finals? Some things are better left unsaid.  

Do we even need to get into how Stephen A. Smith and First Take basically covered the NBA by micro-analyzing everything about the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks? Maybe instead of bashing LeBron James or showing your fanboy colors for the New York Knicks, you should be concentrating more on storylines, players and teams that play for championships and build up the rest of the NBA.  

The Time Is Now For Adam Silver

If Adam Silver wants to keep the “media driven culture” for his league, the time is no better than now to talk things through with your league’s media. Remind them that you can balance honesty with analysis. You can adjust offset criticism with insights. With new 11-year media deals beginning next year with Amazon, Disney and NBC, what better time to have sit downs and not control but converse about how the league needs to be showcased.  

The NBA should listen to its consumer. It should be a part of the day-to-day for any business.  

The deeper issue that needs work is how the league is framed by the media that cover it with the league’s largest audiences. Would it be out of the question that because of how the league was framed, the NBA choose to go to Amazon and NBC instead of TNT Sports? Could the years of bashing the league by Shaq and Charles led to the NBA finding another bride? Sure, money talks but how much criticism can you take from one of your biggest partners?  

The NBA found out this week that details matter when presenting your NBA Finals. NBA media must also be better for the league it covers, because their words matter and make more impact when you choose your spots instead of burning the house down from within.  

Details, no matter how small, matter. 

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 Urban Radio Should Handle Its ‘Diddy Dilemma’

Ken Johnson
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How Urban Radio Should Handle Its ‘Diddy Dilemma’

How does Urban Radio cover the Diddy trial? It’s a unique challenge—not just because a once-admired (and still admired by some) cultural icon faces an uncertain future that could derail a celebrated career. We’ve seen this before: Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, O.J. Simpson, and even Michael Jackson, to name a few.

As familiar as the scenarios may seem, the way the public receives updates has evolved. The mediums are numerous, fast, and often unfiltered. Gone are the days when we relied solely on ABC, CBS, NBC or cable outlets for official courtroom news.

Today, updates are delivered in real time by independent journalists, bloggers, influencers, and creators with direct access to courtroom proceedings. Some of the content makes the tabloid era of TMZ seem tame by comparison. The storytelling is vivid, the language explicit, and the accusations—whether substantiated or not—are often graphic.

So, how does radio compete in this environment? Especially Urban radio, which serves an audience that is both deeply connected to and deeply divided on the figures involved.

It’s not just about relaying headlines anymore. Radio personalities don’t have the luxury of graphic courtroom details, nor should they. The challenge is painting a picture of the picture—delivering context without becoming part of the chaos.

I remember the Michael Jackson trial clearly. I was doing mornings at the time, and yes, we gave daily updates. But I took it further. I believed in MJ’s innocence, so every day at 7:55 a.m., I played “Leave Me Alone” until the trial concluded.

Looking back, I was relieved when that case was settled—and even more relieved that, by the time the second trial came around, I was a corporate programmer and no longer on-air. I’m not sure if I would have taken such a bold stance again, belief or not.

Now, we face what I call the Diddy Dilemma. Social feeds and YouTube reports are full of conflicting narratives, some defending Diddy, others condemning him, many reacting to the witnesses and their stories.

The dilemma is real: you have to cover it, but how you cover it is critical. It’s not just a story; it’s a reflection of public perception, race, trauma, celebrity, and justice. And in the Black community, there’s a valid concern about how quickly prominent African American figures are brought down in the court of public opinion, often before the actual court makes a ruling.

Still, the charges and evidence can’t be ignored. On-air personalities must walk this line carefully. That means stations—especially Urban outlets—should absolutely cover the trial. But you don’t have to match the tone of online commentary.

Instead, acknowledge it. Describe the situation without diving into the most salacious details. The syndicated morning shows will bring their own flavor and framing, but it’s your midday and evening talent who can offer the nuance your local listeners need.

Keep it straightforward. “Here’s what happened today. Here’s what’s being said. Let us know your thoughts on our social platforms.” And then step back. Because ultimately, the listener’s voice is more important than any opinion you or your team might have.

There’s another important point here: While it’s easy to assume everyone is following the story closely on social media, the reality is that many listeners don’t have the time—or interest. They’re working, raising kids, and managing their lives. They rely on you to give them the essentials. You do it for them, not the trending thread.

So yes, cover the Diddy trial. Be consistent. Be clear. Don’t editorialize unless it’s deliberate and well thought-out. Don’t get pulled into sensationalism.

Your job isn’t just to report, it’s to connect, reflect, and, most of all, respect the complexity of what your listeners are navigating.

This isn’t just another celebrity scandal. It’s a moment that requires judgment, tone, and a clear strategy.

That’s the Diddy Dilemma.

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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. 

Mike Peterson: Alice 105.9 Has Always Been About Personality

Jeff Lynn
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Mike Peterson: Alice 105.9 Has Always Been About Personality

Mike Peterson is Vice President of Brands Denver, Brand Manager for Alice 105.9 and Vice President of Talent Development for Audacy.

Since Peterson is VP of Talent Development and one of my consistent questions is where radio will find the next generation of big talents, we began our discussion there.

“I think you have to have the mindset, Jeff, of finding charismatic, unique people. So, where do you find talent? You’re looking within radio stations, podcasting, anybody on the entertainment stage. It’s just looking for authentic, genuine personalities, and for the most part, some of them have radio experience or varying degrees of radio experience, and sometimes they don’t.

“Then it’s up to us in terms of the radio medium or the audio medium. Where we have to paint pictures with words and the tone of our voices, can we teach them to work within the framework of a cast and tell stories? When people are driving in their morning or afternoon commute, they can consume it and find it entertaining or informative, and develop an emotional connection.”

I ask if we run the risk of finding creative people who are unencumbered by no rules in a podcast and stifle them within the confines of radio formats.

“I can understand why somebody would say. You have to prioritize what you’re looking for and why you’re looking for that. Whatever that type of personality is. Then is radio a part of what they do? Is it the core content creator, or is it one of two or three things that a specific person might do? I think we live in a world where we can entertain somebody from another medium and ask, can you work within the framework of how radio functions?

And speaking of personalities, Alice 105.9 has always been about personality first. A cornerstone that the station still stands on today.

“Our personalities on Alice are the reason that Alice exists. When Alice was first introduced, it was designed with a personality-first, music-second, strategic mindset. We want to make sure that we do everything we can to hold true to that. It’s not that music is not important. It’s very important in what we do.”

The station has “BJ & Jamie” in the morning, who have been together for around 14 years, and their approach and content are unique.

BJ & Jamie Photo Alice 105.9 Website

“They’re just very dynamic and unique. I would put them right up there as one of the most original shows in the country. They prep differently.  Their content is different. It’s very much life through their lens. It can be topical or it can be personable. It can be relationship-driven. But it’s very original. They don’t do a lot of what many shows do. They don’t have the same benchmarks.”

Slacker anchors Alice 105.9 afternoons.

“’The Slacker and Steve Show’ changed a year ago when Steve left. So now we’re in the evolution of what the modern-day version of ‘The Slacker Show’ looks like. We’ve just hired Erica Shea. We’re very excited about what the future brings.”

Image Alice 105.9 Website

I asked about the evolution of music stations having teams in afternoon drive.

“I think more people are willing to take the risk. Here’s my position on it. Music strategy is super important on music-intensive stations. Alice is just not one of those radio stations.”

“Afternoon shows that function like morning shows scare a lot of people. It’s a risk, and it takes a lot of work. You have to give it time. You might fail a couple of times before you get it right.”

“That’s a hard thing for people to do. I don’t blame people for not doing it. Or not trying to do it. It takes a huge commitment. It takes programming, sales and market managers. If you work for a bigger company, you have the chain of command all the way to the top. How long are you going to give this? You have to have discipline in terms of that commitment. But once it does, it creates a dynamic for a radio station.”

“Alice 105.9 Cares For Kids Radiothon” is a Denver tradition that has raised over $26 million since 2001. Cause marketing is a significant focus for the station and its personalities.

“The big personalities are the key drivers, and the stories. We have a really strong relationship with the hospital. They know how we speak. They know our language. We know their language. It’s definitely one of the big identifiers for the radio station. We have a total team commitment to it. There’s not one person on our team who doesn’t believe in the power of that relationship and the greater good for the kids.”

With as many job plates as Peterson has spinning, I asked if he or his staff was making use of AI.

“We’re in the aggressive discovery mode, and what I mean by that is what works and what’s going to make our lives easier now versus experimenting with so many different types of AI. We’re now using it in some forms for video editing and are very happy with the results.”

And speaking of video, Peterson says that it is the focus of social media.

“We’re steering everything towards short-form video. What’s interesting about social media is that you really have to pay close attention to the trends and the algorithms. We have some smart people within Audacy that can help us with that.”

“But right now, everything’s being pointed towards video. In studio video, out of studio video. We understand that with Instagram Reels and YouTube, our content will be fed to people who aren’t necessarily followers of the brands. So, there is an actual marketing component there.”

“If you’re loyal listeners are consuming it, there’s engagement with the brand that is really powerful. We’re trying to work towards a goal of 75% of our content being video of some kind.”

Reach out to Mike Peterson by email here.

Listen to Alice 105.9 here.

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 Elon Musk Got TV to Air His Attacks on Donald Trump Without Saying a Word

Lauren Ashburn
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How Elon Musk Got TV to Air His Attacks on Donald Trump Without Saying a Word

It was a comic book come to life. Bam! Pow! Zing! The two most powerful men in the world broke up. Badly. Donald Trump will always trump anyone who goes up against him because, well, he’s the president who loves to fight. But Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is a worthy adversary who, by many accounts, went a little crazy attacking the president on social media.

TV news networks also went crazy, devoting hours and hours to this long-predicted eye-popping divorce of the masters of the universe. But for a medium that relies on interviews and video, Musk called their bluff. No interviews, only X posts. Silence. Of course, it helps that Musk owns X and hundreds of millions see his posts. A far cry from more modest news ratings.

And it’s remarkable in this age where pictures and sound make the story, news programs were forced to produce graphics from the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X. Nobody else could get away with this.

Trump took the traditional route: Talking on television, giving interviews, slamming his once-best friend. He supplemented his attacks on his social media platform, Truth Social, insisting he had asked Musk to leave the administration. And the result was the biggest entertainment fest of the year. You can’t blame the media for blowing this story out of the water. It was a jaw-dropping display of prowess and gut punches.

Musk, who spent almost $300 million on Trump’s campaign, fired the first shot, railing against his “big, beautiful bill,” which, if passed by the Senate, contains Trump’s entire domestic agenda. Musk called it an “abomination.” And he said it would drive up the federal deficit and undo the work he did cost-cutting for DOGE. Trump, playing hardball, threatened to cut off Musk’s billions of dollars in SpaceX contracts.

The president, who never lets an insult go unanswered, said Musk has “lost his mind” and he had “Trump Derangement Syndrome” and posted that he was, yes, “CRAZY.” It descended into more personal attacks with Musk essentially accusing Trump of being a pedophile when he was hanging out in the ‘80s with Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex trafficking of minors. He died in prison in 2019.

“Time to drop the really big bomb. @donaldtrump is in the Epstein files. This is the real reason they have not been made public, Have a nice day, DJT!”  Trump shared a post on Truth Social written by Epstein’s former lawyer saying, “I can say authoritatively, unequivocally, and definitively that he had no information to hurt President Trump. I specifically asked him!” 

And Musk shared another post calling for Trump’s impeachment, responding “yes.” Musk’s bull-headed, impulsive outbursts caused his net worth to take a nosedive. Tesla’s 18% drop cost him $157 billion in market share. He has since deleted the Epstein and impeachment posts.

Trump spent last Friday morning calling anchors with on-the-record comments about how he’s not thinking about Musk at all, though the phone blitz would strongly suggest otherwise. He told Fox’s Bret Baier that “Elon’s totally lost it,” and he has no interest in speaking to him. 

Besides the showbiz aspect of the smackdowns, the policy implications of the bill have real consequences for the country. And that alone justifies the coverage. It was the perfect storm for TV, which can pretend to be interested in the substance of the bill, while really going haywire over what MSNBC host Chris Hayes called the “Real Housewives of Mar-a-Lago.”

The bill includes provisions that would reduce Medicaid spending, and includes funding for border security and possibly completing the border wall. And it proposes making Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent. Even though he disputes the numbers, nonpartisan estimates say the bill would increase the budget deficit by at least $2.4 trillion over ten years. 

The slugfest leads us to wonder why this happened in the first place. I tend to agree with the New York Times, which said Musk was angry that his candidate to run NASA had his nomination withdrawn, though it was already known that he’d contributed to Democrats. But I also agree with Donald Trump, who said that Musk missed being in the White House spotlight after leaving his role as head of DOGE. He seemed to love having the world turn on his every action. Once the nonstop media attention died down, he went off the deep end.

Bad for him, but entertaining for the rest of us, if it wasn’t so tragic. 

Since we are talking about the hazards of social media posting, I’d be remiss if I didn’t address the controversy swirling around ABC’s Terry Moran, a longtime senior national correspondent who recently interviewed Trump. Late on Saturday night, he wrote that deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is a “world-class hater,” and put the president in that category as well. Moran continued by lambasting Trump: “But his hatred is only a means to an end, and that end [is] his own glorification. That’s his spiritual nourishment.” 

As White House officials expressed outrage, ABC suspended Moran, saying the company “stands for objectivity and impartiality in its news coverage and does not condone subjective personal attacks on others…the post does not reflect the views of ABC News and violated our standards…”

And late yesterday came word that ABC News had fired Terry Moran — not renewing an expiring contract — which was inevitable, given the way he blew up his career with those harsh and hateful attacks..  

Good for ABC. While right-wingers had been slamming Moran, left-wing pundits were hailing him, claiming he was telling the “truth” about Miller and Trump. It’s a mess of Moran’s own making that cost the veteran newsman his job, just like Elon’s posts cost him billions and his reputation. What a toxic mishmash for everyone involved.

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 iHeartMedia/Gray Television’s Jon Decker Ignited the Feud Between Donald Trump and Elon Musk With One Question

Garrett Searight
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How iHeartMedia/Gray Television’s Jon Decker Ignited the Feud Between Donald Trump and Elon Musk With One Question

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware of the ongoing feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. What you might not know is that the potshots taken by the world’s wealthiest man and the world’s most powerful man stem back to a question asked by iHeartMedia and Gray Television White House correspondent Jon Decker.

In a press conference at the Oval Office on Thursday, Jon Decker asked President Donald Trump about the comments made by Elon Musk about the “big beautiful bill,” and the billionaire’s staunch opposition to it.

But, having covered President Trump in his first term, in addition to having interviewed him since 1999, Decker knew he had to go about asking the question in the correct fashion.

“As I’m in the Oval Office, I’m actually in my head formulating how I’m going to ask that question,” Decker said. “The way I phrase it is different than if I actually quoted what Elon Musk had said about the Big Beautiful Bill. That’s not what he called it. He actually had a very derogatory name for the bill. And if I quoted him directly in asking that question, I honestly believe that I would not have gotten the type of lengthy, susbtantive answer that I got from the President.

“Instead, I paraphrased, essentially, what came out of those social media posts and describing it as criticism without explaining what the exact the actual criticism was. The President knew, no need for me to get a rise out of him by quoting Elon Musk’s post directly. But because I did that, and because I think I developed this extensive relationship with the President and trust with the President, he gave me such a substantive answer that, to me, was useful for a news audience, and certainly, was played quite a bit on every cable channel, and news outlet across the country.”

After Decker asked the president about the criticism from Elon Musk, Trump took 10 minutes to answer it, sharing his disappointment that his former ally had so publicly rebuked a mission from the new administration.

That lengthy response floored the iHeartMedia and Gray Television reporter.

“I’ve asked dozens of questions to the President over the course of his time as president, both in his first term and now in his second term, but I have never received such a lengthy answer to just one question coming from the President of the United States,” Decker admitted.

In the aftermath, Musk escalated the feud to what many called a “nuclear” level, asserting that the reason files relating to convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein haven’t been released is because President Donald Trump is included in the files.

The feud ultimately led every cable news and news/talk radio program on Thursday afternoon, with it carrying over into the weekend as well. Jon Decker admitted he’s never seen a question asked by him have such a worldwide impact.

“It impacted every news organization, not just in the United States, but worldwide. I received so many messages throughout Europe from friends who are seeing this all play out in real time. It impacted the news cycle. It impacted financial markets,” Decker noted. “After all, Tesla lost 14% of its value on Thursday alone. Elon Musk, on paper, lost $20 billion on Thursday alone. So I’ve never seen a question that I’ve asked to the President of the United States have such an impact on so many different levels.”

Trump’s comments were widely reported almost instantaneously after Decker’s question. And as Donald Trump continued to speak, Jon Decker said he knew the comments about Elon Musk would make worldwide headlines.

“As it’s playing out in real time, I’m listening to the president. He’s looking directly at me. He’s looking directly, directly at me as he’s answering my question and only me. It’s as if we’re just having a conversation, and as he’s looking directly at me,” he said. “I want to have him continue to answer that question as fully as he’s answering it, and I knew in the moment, this is huge news in the way that he answered the question, in the lengthy response that he gave, and in the content in terms of what he was saying to me, I knew this was going to be a huge story throughout the day.”

Decker has been covering the White House since 1995, when President Bill Clinton was in office, so he’s been around the block a time or two. He stated his belief that his longevity at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, in addition to working in a fair and unbiased manner, allows him to have a unique relationship with President Donald Trump and White House officials.

“For me, the relationship goes back literally decades, and that’s helpful. He trusts me, he respects me, and similarly, I respect him and the office of the presidency, and that’s why I think that he does answer my questions on a regular basis.

“Asking questions of the President does require, I think, some experience in the way to phrase a question to the President,” Decker continued. “You can get the same information that you desire by asking a question in a respectful way, rather than trying to, essentially, trip up the President or trying to get a rise out of the President.

“That’s not necessary. It’s unnecessary, I think, not only in the short term, but also in the long term, in terms of establishing a relationship with the President. What I’ve always thought in asking my questions … is what is a way for me to get a substantive answer from the president, but in a way that is respectful and in a way that continues that relationship that I’ve developed with him over the years.”

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93.3 FLZ’s ‘THEjoeSHOW’ Rebrands As ‘THEjosiahSHOW’

BMM Staff
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93.3 FLZ’s ‘THEjoeSHOW’ Rebrands As ‘THEjosiahSHOW’

Top 40 93.3 FLZ Tampa Bay’s “THEjoeSHOW” rebranded Tuesday morning as “THEjosiahSHOW. ” The show was honoring an area 13-year-old who rang the bell indicating his final chemo treatment.

Joshiah’s Mom reached out to the show to share the news. On Tuesday morning, the show and station rebranded, transitioning all regular show imaging and visual branding to reflect the new name.

The station teamed up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rays, Lightning, and Rowdies. Plus, Busch Gardens and other organizations to provide Josiah with some amazing experiences.

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.

Terry Moran Won’t Return to ABC News After Critical Social Media Posts of Donald Trump

BNM Staff
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Terry Moran Won’t Return to ABC News After Critical Social Media Posts of Donald Trump

ABC News has announced that Terry Moran will not return to the network after making social media statements that were critical of Donald Trump over the weekend.

In a statement to Barrett Media, the network confirmed that Moran — who was suspended after the comments — will not see his contract renewed.

“We are at the end of our agreement with Terry Moran and based on his recent post – which was a clear violation of ABC News policies – we have made the decision to not renew,” a network spokesperson said. “At ABC News, we hold all of our reporters to the highest standards of objectivity, fairness and professionalism, and we remain committed to delivering straightforward, trusted journalism.”

Just after Midnight on Sunday, Moran called President Donald Trump and advisor Stephen Miller “world-class haters.”

“The thing about Stephen Miller is not that he is the brains behind Trumpism,” Moran wrote. “Yes he is one of the people who conceptualized the impulses of the Trumpist movement and translates them into policy. But that’s not what’s interesting about Miller. It’s not brains. It’s bile. Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. He’s a world-class hater. You can see this just by looking at him because you can see that his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. He eats his hate. Trump is a world-class hater. But his hatred is only a means to an end, and that end is his own glorification. That’s his spiritual nourishment.”

Moran had subsequently deleted the post before the suspension from ABC News was announced.

Terry Moran served as the senior national correspondent for ABC News. He had been at ABC News since 1997. He served as the network’s Chief White House Correspondent from 1999 to 2005, before becoming the co-anchor of Nightline. After exiting the late-night news program in 2013, he became the network’s Chief Foreign correspondent, before assuming his current role in 2018.

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