Home Blog Page 904

Walt Disney Company Files Suit Against YouTube Over Reported Hire of Justin Connolly

0

The video streaming giant YouTube made news on Thursday afternoon, as it was reported that they had hired long-time Walt Disney Company executive Justin Connolly to serve as its first global head of media and sports. Connolly would be joining the streaming platform in a position that would put him in charge of the service’s relationships with major media companies, including those that supply content to YouTube TV. Furthermore, he would also be placed in charge of the company’s sports portfolio, according to a memo written by YouTube’s CBO Mary Ellen Coe, which was obtained by Bloomberg.

Shortly after the report, Connolly’s former employer at Walt Disney filed suit against YouTube in state court to halt the hire of Connolly to the streaming giant. According to the suit filed in Los Angeles, Disney alleges breach of contract, interference in contractual relationship, and unfair competition.

Specifically, the complaint states that Connolly signed a three-year agreement in November of 2024 that included a one-time right to terminate in March of 2027.

In recent years, YouTube has become a major player in attempting to acquire more broadcasting rights from sports leagues. For example, YouTube and YouTube TV have served as the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket since 2023. The package includes all out-of-market Sunday games broadcast on CBS and FOX, giving fans across the United States the chance to follow their favorite teams and players regardless of location.

Moreover, the NFL and Google, YouTube’s parent company, have been partners since 2015, when the league launched its official YouTube channel. Just last week, the NFL announced that YouTube will exclusively stream the Friday night Week 1 game of the 2025 NFL season live from São Paulo, Brazil, on September 5. The game will be available for free to a global audience on both YouTube and YouTube TV, marking the first time an entire NFL game will be streamed live and exclusively on the platform.

Connolly has spent over two decades working for Disney and ESPN, most recently serving as Disney’s head of platform distribution by licensing Disney’s TV networks to providers such as YouTube TV.

As of posting, YouTube, Connolly, and the Walt Disney Company have all not shared comment since the lawsuit was filed.

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.

Tony Reali Still Has Not Been Given a Reason by ESPN for ‘Around the Horn’ Cancelation

0

With the final Around the Horn set to air tomorrow, many are still debating what the reasoning could be as to why the show is being cancelled by ESPN in the first place. While some former panelists on the program believe the show was too “woke” for the network, many others are still left in the dark, including host Tony Reali.

Reali made an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Thursday and said he’s still waiting on a reason from ESPN as to why the show is being cancelled after nearly 5,000 episodes.

“Do I need one? I’ve gone through moments where, like, do I need one? Do I not need one?” questioned Reali. “I have to now (live with it) because of the absence of any explanation and any communication. They’ve got their hands full.”

In the days leading up to the finale, the Around the Horn host has been making a number of appearances on many different outlets across the country, reflecting on the 23-year run of the program featuring a long list of contemporaries as panelists. Furthermore, as to what will replace the show, ESPN has not yet stated what the network’s exact plans are. However, Reali shared what he would conceptualize for the time slot involving his former program Pardon the Interruption.

“I thought I could change their mind for many months, and maybe there was a plan. I would have to believe and hope there was a plan,” said Reali. “If I was in the business of running things, I would be paying the highest rated show all the money in the world and asking them to work as long as I possibly could. I don’t think it would be the best PTI if PTI expanded from 30 minutes to an hour. I sure as heck would want the highest rated show and my friends to be making so much more money to do more work.”

Additionally, Reali told The Dan Patrick Show his contract will be ending in August and he is looking forward to talking with everyone and anyone who will be willing to listen on ideas for his next step.

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.

Rock 106.7’s ‘Hooker & DB’ Host Fourth Annual Bikes or Bust

0

Rock 106.7’s Salt Lake City’s “Hooker & DB” have teamed up with Advocates Injury Attorneys and Bicycle Collective for the fourth annual “Bikes or Bust” an effort to collect used and old bicycles.

The Bicycle Collective provides refurbished bicycles and children’s educational programs for low-income households.

Bicycle Collective aims to encourage cycling as a viable and environmentally friendly mode of transportation and recreation, serving as a foundation for a cleaner, healthier, and safer community.

Rock 106.7’s Hooker said of the event, “Bikes or Bust is one of the most fulfilling charity events that I have been a part of in 25+ years of being in radio. It is kids helping kids and communities helping communities. It is so rewarding to help kids get on bikes for the summer and get them in the hands of people who need them most.”

The station’s website has donation details, including a Venmo link where people can donate cash. 

                      

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. 

Audacy Chicago Market Manager Kevin Cassidy Addresses Recent Changes At 670 The Score

0

It’s been a year of change for Audacy radio station 670 The Score in Chicago, with several lineup changes shuffling around names with brand familiarity to adjust to those changes. In just the last year alone, Danny Parkins left The Score for a role on Breakfast Ball on FS1. Additionally, Dan Bernstein was removed following a social media incident with a follower. Meanwhile, Laurence Holmes has moved from middays to afternoon drive, and Leila Rahimi has been elevated to full time in middays following Bernstein’s exit.

Given all these moves that have happened over the past year, Audacy market manager Kevin Cassidy told the Chicago Sun-Times on Thursday that while he would prefer no change, The Score has done a great job adjusting to it.

“I would rather not have change when you’re in the position of success that we’ve had, but it’s part of the reality of our world,” said Cassidy. “That’s why you see us continue to aggressively extend the bench of talent.”

Furthermore, Cassidy referenced the added roles and duties Rahimi and Mark Grote have taken on over the past year as an example of that extension. It’s been less than a month since The Score elevated Rahimi to the lead role in middays with Marshall Harris. And while the station did see some slight decline in ratings following Bernstein’s exit, he is not too concerned with the early returns.

“It’s a little early, obviously, for Leila and Marshall,” Cassidy noted. “What we have is very different than really anything we’ve done before. The engagement level is very high for them initially, which is great. It’s a different-sounding show, but I like that.”

According to the Sun-Times, the midday daypart for The Score dropped to a 6.3 share in the men 25–54 demo for the April ratings period, coming off a 7.7 share in the winter book (Jan–Mar). Nevertheless, Cassidy said that the station doesn’t just look at their ratings share for success. Rather, they also consider how the station has molded into the fabric of how a younger consumer takes in the product via video simulcasts on YouTube and Twitch.

“Our broadcast audience isn’t what it was 20 years ago,” Cassidy said. “But we are growing our digital assets and continue to engage large audiences through digital assets.”

Additionally, The Score also parted ways with executive producer Shane Riordan on the same day as the station announced Rahimi’s elevation to full time. However, there has been no official word on who will be replacing Riordan’s position in a full-time capacity with Spiegel and Holmes in afternoon drive.

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

Major Garrett to Turn ‘The Takeout’ Into New Show on CBS News 24/7

0

Earlier this year, Major Garrett ended his podcast for CBS News — The Takeout — by noting that there were other plans for the show. They’ve now been revealed. 

The network has announced plans to move the podcast to a digital video show on its streaming platform CBS News 24/7.

“Garrett will present the show’s main courses of in-depth interviews and original segments through the lens of the politics of culture and the culture of politics for the modern and on-the-go streaming audience,” the network said in a statement announcing the move.

The new show will make its debut on Tuesday, May 27th at 5 PM ET. It will also be available in podcast form across a variety of apps, as well as the CBS News app.

“It’s serious discussion, but we do not take ourselves too seriously,” Garrett said in the first promo for the new program.

Previous iterations of the podcast have including interviews with newsmakers in a variety of locations around Washington D.C.

Major Garrett serves as the chief Washington correspondent for CBS News. He also anchors America Decides, another daily digital video program on the streaming platform for the 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.

Danita Trahan Joins Mustang 107.1 Lafayette

0

Danita Trahan is joining Classic Country Mustang 107.1 Lafayette, LA, for middays. The midday slot has been open since Steve Wiley’s passing in January.

Johnette Cochran, VP/General Manager, said, “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Danita to the KOGM lineup. Her voice and energy will be a fantastic addition to our Classic Country brand, and we’re looking forward to what she brings to the station and our listeners.”

Trahan is a market veteran, previously working as Director of Content and morning show host at Country 99.1 Lafayette until January 2024. Other stops include Midland and Corpus Christi, TX.

In addition to her new position, she will continue as a liaison for Telemundo Lafayette.

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. 

Cincinnati Bengals Extend Radio Broadcasting Rights With iHeartMedia

0

As NFL franchises are counting down to mandatory mini camps beginning next month, the Cincinnati Bengals wrapped up some business Thursday by extending their broadcasting rights agreements with iHeartMedia’s Cincinnati cluster of radio stations. Consequently, the sounds of Dave Lapham and Wayne Box Miller on the call for every Bengals game will remain in the iHeartMedia family, with continued AM/FM simulcasts of every game this season.

As part of the extension through 2028, all game broadcasts will continue to be heard with a flagship station lineup of 700 WLW, 102.7 WEBN, and ESPN 1530. Notably, WLW will only carry games when scheduling does not conflict with Cincinnati Reds baseball coverage.

“We are thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with the Cincinnati Bengals and bring fans every electrifying moment of NFL action,” said iHeartMedia Division President DJ Hodge. “700 WLW, 102.7 WEBN and ESPN 1530 are the epicenter of Bengals Nation, and we look forward to delivering top-tier coverage and being the trusted home for Bengals football for years to come.”

According to a release, the 50,000-watt ESPN 1530 and 102.7 WEBN serve as the broadcast flagship stations for all Bengals games. Additionally, 700 WLW will also carry all games for which there is no conflict with Cincinnati Reds baseball broadcasts.

“iHeartMedia Cincinnati has been a great partner for many years, and we are excited to continue this relationship,” said Bengals Chief Business Officer Brian Sells. “The strong station lineup provides a great platform to reach a large number of fans on gamedays and throughout the week.”

Furthermore, according to a release, iHeartMedia Cincinnati will also continue to produce and distribute weekly in-season Bengals programming, including Bengals Line, Bengals Game Plan, and Bengals Pep Rally. In addition, a new weekly feature segment hosted by Bengals Team Reporter Marisa Contipelli will air on KISS 107.1, and the team’s training camp coverage will also be expanded under the new agreement.

The Cincinnati Bengals have been heard on 102.7 WEBN since 2008.

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.

Laura Ingraham: Jake Tapper ‘Trying to Rebuild’ Credibility with New Book About Joe Biden

0

CNN anchor Jake Tapper has a new book out about the mental acuity of former President Joe Biden, and Laura Ingraham isn’t buying it.

During her Fox News program, Ingraham chastised the author of “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again” for what she labeled as willfully ignoring the story for years in an effort to sell books.

“We all knew this!” Ingraham said of Tapper’s reporting in the book. “We hear a few anonymously-sourced tidbits to sell a book, and we’re all supposed to go, ‘Oooh, the journalists are being journalists today.’ But the truth is, someone was running this country. Someone or a group of people. It wasn’t the person elected by the voters.”

Ingraham added that she believed Tapper was “trying to rebuild cred by calling out the sleaze five years too later,” continuing by adding that the book would have been more impactful in 2022 than 2025.

The Fox News host joined several other conservative pundits in lobbing insults at Jake Tapper as his book hit newsstands on Tuesday. Tapper sat down with SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly for a wide-ranging discussion, including the host making similar arguments to that of Laura Ingraham to Tapper directly.

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.

‘The Bob & Tom Show’ Highlights Advertisers In Live Event

0

“The Bob & Tom Show” and its longtime flagship Q95 Indianapolis brought live radio and local businesses together for a unique live event to showcase personality-driven local advertising.

Twelve Indianapolis advertisers received a live commercial during the show, accompanied by “The Bob & Tom Show” band.

Host Tom Griswold, his musicians and comedy writers produced a custom jingle for each of the twelve advertisers.

Griswold said, “This allows local businesses to both have fun with radio advertising and then see the real results that follow when creative thinking is applied to focus on their product or service.”

The advertisers highlighted in the campaign were provided with professionally produced video and audio recordings of their performances, which they can leverage for future marketing efforts.

RAB CEO Mike Hulvey attended and said the event was “a model for how radio can remain fresh, fun, and deeply connected to the communities it serves.”

Photo Courtesy “The Bob & Tom 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. 

570 WWNC Earns Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Coverage of Hurricane Helene

0

Last fall, 570 WWNC served as a lifeline to Asheville area listeners after the region was devastated by the effects of Hurricane Helene. It has been awarded a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for its coverage.

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) continues to award regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, and 570 WWNC, the iHeartMedia news/talk station in Asheville, earned the Radio | Small Market win for Continuing Coverage for its work during Hurricane Helene.

Elsewhere, WCHS and MetroNews in Charleston, West Virginia earned two honors in the small market division. It won the Breaking News Coverage honors for informing the public about a rare tornado in the Mountain State. The station also earned the award for best Newscast in the division.

Every other award, in both the large market and small market divisions, were earned by Public Radio stations.

WFAE in Charlotte, WFDD in Winston-Salem, North Carolina Public Radio WUNC, WPLN and Nashville Public Radio, Blue Ridge Public Radio, Louisville Public Media, and WEKU in Lexington, Kentucky, among others, all earned awards.

For the RTDNA, Region 8 is comprised of Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

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.