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Westwood One/Cumulus Media Executive Collin Jones Elected as NAB Joint Board Chair

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Westwood One/Cumulus Media Executive Collin Jones Elected as NAB Joint Board Chair

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has announced that Westwood One and Cumulus Media Executive Collin Jones has been elected Chair of the NAB Joint Board.

Jones currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development for Cumulus Media in addition to working as the President of Westwood One.

He takes over the chairmanship from Nexstar Media Group chairman and CEO Perry Sook, who will remain on the executive committee as immediate past joint board chair.

On the Radio Board, Beasley Media Group Executive Vice President and General Counsel Chris Ornelas was elected chair. Mel Wheeler Inc. President Leonard Wheeler was elected first vice chair. Salem Media Group President Allen Power was voted second vice chair.

Eddie Harrell, who serves as the co-president of the Audio Division for Ubran One, was elected as major group representative.

Hearst Television Executive Vice President Nick Radziul was elected as the NAB Television Board chair. He was joined by Sinclair President and CEO Chris Ripley who was elected first vice chair, and WDBD Vice President and General Manager RaMona Alexander who was voted second vice chair. Cox Media Group President and CEO Dan York was elected third vice chair.

The elections took place at the NAB Board of Directors meeting, which was held on Monday, June 9th and Tuesday, June 10th.

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.

Yahoo Sports Facing Backlash for Using AI Generated Fantasy Sports Content

BSM Staff
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Yahoo Sports Facing Backlash for Using AI Generated Fantasy Sports Content

Yahoo Sports is not shying away from their use of artificial intelligence (AI) with their most recent fantasy sports content pieces. Following Andy Behrens’ departure from the publication late last week, several posts have begun appearing on the Yahoo Sports fantasy sports website, leading with an admission that the written content was created “with the assistance of Castmagic.”

According to its website, Castmagic is an artificial intelligence content tool that assists creators with written, podcast, and social content creation. Moreover, utilizing a Google search, Yahoo Sports has been using the Castmagic tool for several months in coverage of the NFL, NBA, and, most recently, fantasy sports coverage.

Each article posted to Yahoo Sports using the Castmagic AI leads with a disclaimer that reads: “This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an artificial intelligence tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.”

Noted fantasy expert Paul Charachian was the first to point out Yahoo Sports’ most recent use of Castmagic following the dismissal of Behrens and fellow fantasy sports analyst Dalton Del Don. Subsequently, this post was picked up by independent fantasy sports analyst Josh Larky, who shared his disappointment with the direction that Yahoo Sports has taken.

“Yahoo laid off two of its longest tenured (and prominent) analysts last week,” tweeted Larky. “Time to develop a backup plan if you’re working in this industry.”

The use of artificial intelligence is nothing new for sports media—or media in general. In fact, with cost cutting leading to widespread job reductions, there’s a growing demand for content production every day. According to a survey by Trint, which is an AI-powered transcription tool, over 42% of journalists surveyed said they are using generative AI tools at work that are not licensed by their company.

UPDATE (6:40pm): A Yahoo Sports spokesperson has provided the following statement to Barrett Media regarding the company’s use to AI with their online content.

“Our editorial team has been using an AI tool since the end of February to deliver written summaries of our podcasts. In each instance, these summaries are edited and published by a member of our editorial team and our use of the AI tool is disclosed at the beginning of the article. We will continue to invest in our content team and have exciting plans in place for the upcoming fantasy football season. We look forward to sharing more soon.”

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.

WURD Eliminates Several Positions in Round of Layoffs

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WURD Eliminates Several Positions in Round of Layoffs

WURD in Philadelphia has eliminated four positions from its ranks as it undergoes a round of cost-cutting measures.

Reality Check host Tonya Pendleton and her producer, Troy Wilmore — who had worked at the station for 18 years — have been let go. Also included in the cuts were a digital writer, Kiara Santos, and digital content producer Kala J. West.

“These are tough times,” Wilmore told The Philadelphia Tribune. “I just want the station to survive.”

In a statement to Axios, WURD CEO and President Sara Lomax said the decision to eliminate staffers was unfortunate but necessary.

“This decision was not made lightly,” she said. “As an independent media radio station, it is imperative that we maintain our ability to give Black Philadelphia a voice and a place to make their voices heard.”

The cuts at WURD come just shy of one year after the station was the subject of a major controversy, when host Andrea Lawful-Sanders admitted to asking questions approved by the Biden White House in an interview with the then-President. The revelation touched off a media firestorm, eventually leading to the host’s departure from the talk station.

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.

TNT Sports French Open Coverage up 25% From Last Year

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TNT Sports French Open Coverage up 25% From Last Year

TNT Sports‘ debut coverage of Roland-Garros in the United States delivered record-breaking viewership and engagement across its platforms, culminating in dramatic matchups during the Women’s and Men’s Singles Finals over the weekend.

Saturday’s Women’s Singles Final saw World No. 2 Coco Gauff rally to defeat World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling come-from-behind victory. The match averaged 1.5 million viewers across TNT and truTV, representing a 94% increase compared to 2024. It also became the most-watched Roland-Garros Women’s Final since 2016. Moreover, TNT Sports reported a 105% increase in the key P25-54 demographic.

On Sunday, the Men’s Singles Final between World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and World No. 1 Jannik Sinner captivated audiences with a marathon five-hour and 29-minute showdown—the longest final in Roland-Garros history. The match peaked at 2.6 million viewers at 2:30 p.m. ET and averaged 1.8 million viewers across TNT and truTV, marking an 8% increase over 2024. It was the most-watched Men’s Final since 2021, and viewership among the P25-54 demographic rose by 16%.

Throughout the tournament, TNT Sports achieved the highest total hours watched for Roland-Garros coverage on record through Friday’s matches, the most recent data available. Overall viewership across TNT’s two-week broadcast rose 25% compared to the previous year.

Additionally, TNT Sports’ digital and social platforms, including Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, redefined how a major sporting event is presented online. By providing continuous highlights, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and original features throughout the fortnight, the platforms garnered over 800 million video views collectively. As a result, this year’s Roland-Garros became the most socially viewed tennis tournament ever by a media partner.

TNT Sports’ multi-platform strategy not only delivered historic numbers but also signaled a new era in tennis broadcasting for U.S. audiences.

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.

Mr. Master Delivers Record Breaking Number Of Spots in 2024

BMM Staff
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Mr. Master Delivers Record Breaking Number Of Spots in 2024

Mr. Master, the industry’s top compliance and content distribution software suite, has announced a landmark achievement. The company processed a record-breaking 86+ million network radio spots in 2024, more than 1.6 million network spots per week.

This achievement highlights Mr. Master’s essential contribution to enhancing efficiency, reliability, and accountability within network radio and for national advertisers.

The success follows the introduction of three new products: Traffic Control, The Tracker, and On Demand.

“Radio holds an unmatched capacity to deliver audiences, and we’re committed to helping our partners fully leverage that potential,” said Stu Jacobs, President of Mr. Master. “Our partners recognize our end-to-end solutions as a key component to successfully running network ad campaigns. If a network spot is running anywhere in the US, there’s a good chance that our AIM software has processed it. With our unique insights, our goal is to continue to innovate so that radio outperforms other media.”

Jacobs added, “Mr. Master brings digital-like data and speed to radio by automatically delivering content within one minute, processing network spots, posting affidavits within 24 hours, and more. This efficiency and automation not only fosters a better advertising environment for advertisers, but it also increases radio advertising compliance and boosts the industry’s overall revenue.”

Julie Talbott, President of Premiere Networks, said, “Agencies today require transparent, quantifiable accountability for every campaign. With Mr. Master, we can get affidavits within 24 hours and provide the clear reporting that meets — and often exceeds — agency expectations for compliance. Mr. Master is transforming the way Premiere Networks and the industry at large achieves network ad accountability.”

Hiram Lazar, CFO of Compass Media Networks, shared, “With Mr. Master, Compass Media Networks has gained an invaluable partner in spot delivery and compliance. There is nothing else like their software on the market. Their technology not only saves us time and resources, but it also delivers the accountability and transparency our advertisers depend on, day in and day out. Mr. Master is a must-have tool.”

Used by Premiere Networks, Westwood One, Compass Media Networks, and Skyview Networks, Mr. Master is the leading traffic solution for the industry’s top radio networks.

Mr. Master’s flagship software solution is AIM Premium, designed to enhance revenue, productivity, and compliance for networks, radio groups, and radio stations. This tool automates the delivery and processing of network spots, makegoods, and shows into existing automation systems.

AIM Premium also promises affidavits within 24 hours. It provides near real-time compliance data, making it an essential resource for over 5,000 stations nationwide looking to streamline and optimize their daily workflows.

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.

Christopher ‘Mad Dog’ Russo Addresses ‘Jealousy’ Surrounding LeBron James

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Christopher ‘Mad Dog’ Russo Addresses ‘Jealousy’ Surrounding LeBron James

During a recent edition of the Mind the Game podcast, Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James recently addressed critics who have mentioned how he does not have a ‘bag.’ James talked about how when he was growing up, it was about reaching a spot in the fewest amount of dribbles necessary, but he acknowledged how he always sees the narrative about his lack of a proverbial ‘bag’ on social media. Yet he also mentioned how he is “sitting here with 50 billion points” as the all-time leading scorer in the National Basketball Association. Dan Patrick found it more remarkable that James has been able to score 42,184 career points despite the absence of a ‘bag,’ raising the point early on Tuesday’s episode of the Dan Patrick Show while interviewing Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo.

Patrick asked whether Russo could remember someone being criticized to such a magnitude as James has throughout his career. Furthermore, he reminisced on how Tom Brady was criticized a considerable amount but feels that “there seems to be a downright hatred for LeBron.” Through 22 years competing in the NBA, James has won four NBA championships, four MVP awards and has the most All-NBA selections in league history.

“There’s jealousy because he was such a phenom out of high school,” Russo said. “I think there’s jealousy because he was anointed the next Jordan right away, and that bothered people. Obviously going away – the way he went to Miami and joining Miami didn’t – that was an issue too, but he’s always stayed out of trouble. He’s never gotten himself in any kind of hot water off the court per se, he gives you everything he’s got.”

While Russo admitted that he would take James over Jordan, he also conveyed that James is an all-time player and was critical in the Cleveland Cavaliers winning a championship with a clutch blocked shot against Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala. Earlier in the year though, James confronted ESPN First Take featured commentator and incoming SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio host Stephen A. Smith over comments he made pertaining to his son, Bronny.

The Lakers selected Bronny James in the NBA Draft and gave him playing time in the Association, but Smith addressed LeBron James as a father and claimed that Bronny was in the NBA because of him. This narrative continued with Smith describing what took place and his perspectives and James commenting on the matter while appearing on The Pat McAfee Show.

“The Stephen A. thing was weird,” Russo said. “He shouldn’t be that worried about what Stephen A. says about his kid, and let’s face it. They drafted Bronny because LeBron was a Laker. They never would have done that – they did it for LeBron. I didn’t love that either, and he probably shouldn’t have made a big deal about it.”

The third game of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers tips off tomorrow, and Russo explained that the league “needs some juice” amid low ratings. While the first game of the series came down to the final seconds, the average of 8.91 million viewers was the least-watched NBA Finals Game 1 since 1988 (excluding 2020 and 2021), according to Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch. Once Russo wrapped up his point accentuating the importance, Patrick gave a comment about the nature of sports networks before progressing forward with the rest of the segment.

“The amount of programming that Aaron Rodgers and LeBron James have been responsible for at networks is remarkable,” Patrick said, “that when they retire, there’s going to be some real soul-searching at networks to go, ‘Who are we talking about now? What are we talking about?’”

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.

Visual Radio Ads Boost Intent to Purchase By Nearly 90%, New Data from Quu Shows

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Visual Radio Ads Boost Intent to Purchase By Nearly 90%, New Data from Quu Shows

New data from Quu suggests that in-car visual radio advertisements have a palpable impact on the intent to purchase by those viewing the ads on in-dash infotainment systems.

The data shows that 83% of consumers pay attention to what’s on the screen while listening to broadcast radio. An additional 57% said the messages displayed by those infotainment systems had a stronger brand recall of advertiser slogans.

Furthermore, 89% said their purchase intent grew due to visual advertising on in-car radios. 50% said they were more familiar with brands that had visual radio ads, while 58% had a higher favorability of those same brands.

“Combining radio’s most connected and loyal audiences with the power of a Visual Quu on screen generated a huge lift in brand equity for advertisers across the entire marketing funnel,” said Quu CEO Steve Newberry. “This study confirms that visuals displayed on dashboard screens move consumers from awareness to action.”

“This research sends a strong message to advertisers, especially national brands, that visuals displayed on the radio dramatically increase purchase consideration, intent, and usage,” said QuuVN Executive Vice President Sam Rogers. “Brands have a powerful opportunity to supercharge campaigns by adding visual radio ads to their media mix.”

The data from Quu came from a survey of more than 1,200 respondents in conjunction with Quantilope. The project — which featured survey participants listening to 374 radio stations in 75 United States markets — utilized Quu’s Content Partnership sponsorship, which is available nationally through the Quu Visual Network.

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.

Final College GameDay Broadcast For Lee Corso To Air August 30 for Texas vs Ohio State

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Final College GameDay Broadcast For Lee Corso To Air August 30 for Texas vs Ohio State

ESPN has announced that the season debut of College GameDay will broadcast live from the site of the Texas Longhorns taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, OH on August 30. Significantly, this will mark the final time that analyst Lee Corso will be joining the program after announcing he will be stepping away from the show this past April.

The location is particularly meaningful for Corso, and he wraps up a nearly 40-year career with ESPN in the same location where he made choosing the headgear of the team he’s selecting a College GameDay a weekly staple.

Furthermore, the three-hour program will be live from outside St. John Arena on Ohio State’s campus to start GameDay‘s 39th season.

Corso, who turns 90 in August, has been a fixture on College GameDay since its debut in 1987. Although he became a full-time analyst in 1989, he contributed from the show’s start and remains the only original member still on air. In recognition of his contributions, ESPN plans to honor and celebrate Corso’s career throughout the program in addition to the GameDay crew previewing the 2025 season.

Moreover, the plans for the season-opening episode include the show being located in its traditional spot on Ohio State’s campus before finishing the show inside ‘The Shoe’ where Corso will make his final headgear pick in front of a sold out crowd ahead of the Buckeyes’ noon kick.

Notably, Corso has picked Ohio State by donning Brutus Buckeye’s head a record 45 times of the 430 headgear picks he’s made in his career.

Additionally, the visit to Ohio State marks the 26th time the Buckeyes will host College GameDay, extending their own record for the most by any program, and will be the first time since 2014 that the reigning National Champions will be featured on the first GameDay road show of the season.

Impressively, Ohio State has a 45-21 record when appearing on the pregame show and is 19-6 when hosting College GameDay.

Meanwhile, College GameDay is coming off an historic season as the 2024 year delivered its most-watched regular season ever, averaging 2.2 million viewers, and was recognized with its 10th Sports Emmy for best weekly studio show.

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 Presentation of Belmont Stakes up 5% Over 2024

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FOX Presentation of Belmont Stakes up 5% Over 2024

As Sovereignty secured a victory in the 157th Belmont Stakes on Saturday night, FOX and FS1 registered an average of 3.83 million viewers for the race. Despite a Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing not hanging in the balance, the competition was still up 5% from the event last year and peaked with 5 million viewers during the 7 to 7:15 p.m. EST quarter-hour. FOX Sports broadcast the race for the third time and featured experienced broadcasters such as Curt Menefee, Charissa Thompson, Tom Rinaldi and Chris “The Bear” Fallica. Over its three years broadcasting the Belmont Stakes, FOX has averaged approximately 3.76 million viewers for the third leg of the Triple Crown.

FOX Sports broadcast the race live from Saratoga Race Course in addition to other surrounding events at the track on its Belmont Day on FOX and America’s Day at the Belmont programs airing on FOX and FS1, respectively. Frank Mirahmadi, who is the full-time track announcer at Santa Anita Park, was behind the microphone commentating the races airing on FOX. In addition, FOX NFL Sunday analyst Terry Bradshaw contributed to the Belmont Stakes coverage as well, taking part in panels and interviewing legendary trainer Bob Baffert.

Sovereignty attained a victory in the Kentucky Derby, which averaged 17.7 million viewers on NBC last month. Yet trainer Bill Mott informed the operators of the Preakness Stakes that the horse would not be participating in the proceedings, taking him out of contention to garner the Triple Crown. The viewing audience was one of the lowest ever without the Kentucky Derby winner being in the field, averaging 4.56 million viewers during its race segment. As a result, the company recorded its last-watched edition of the Preakness Stakes since 1995 on ABC.

No horse has won the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing since Justify took home the honors in 2018 at the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes. Horse jockey Mike Smith and trainer Bob Baffert helped secure the victory, which accrued more than 15 million viewers tuning in for the broadcast on NBC.

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 Outpaces ABC News, CBS News, NBC News on YouTube in May

BNM Staff
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Fox News Outpaces ABC News, CBS News, NBC News on YouTube in May

Fox News has put a strong focus on placing its content on YouTube. It’s safe to say that has paid off as the network bested ABC News, CBS News, and NBC News, among others, during May.

For the month, Fox News saw 362 million views on YouTube. The next closest cable brand was MSNBC, which ended May with just under 300 million views, with CNN finishing with 195 million.

An additional 63 million views were tabulated by the Fox Business Network YouTube channel during the month, while a newly-launched channel featuring clips from Fox News garnered 30 million more views.

Between YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and X, Fox News saw more than one billion video views during the month.

Networks like ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News saw significantly smaller audiences during the month. ABC News led the category with 114 million views, while NBC News was not far behind at 111 million views. CBS News was well behind the competition, ending May with 55 million views.

It is worth noting, however, that the sheer amount of content produced by the network works counterparts pales in comparison to what is produced by 24/7 cable news networks.

The New York Times saw 13 million video views on the digital video platform during the month, as well.

All figures were compiled by digital measurement company Emplifi.

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

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