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NewsNation Town Hall Shows Potential of a Changing News Media Landscape

Pete Mundo
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NewsNation Town Hall Shows Potential of a Changing News Media Landscape

NewsNation put together a tremendous Town Hall event on Wednesday night to highlight President Trump’s First 100 Days in office. The event featured President Trump on a 30+ minute phone interview with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with a lively panel and viewer interaction. 

The event was co-moderated by Chris Cuomo, Bill O’Reilly, Stephen A. Smith, and panelists like Steve Bannon and James Carville. There was a vast array of ideological diversity on the panel, which is the only kind of diversity that should matter in America.

While we like to think Americans are divided into two camps: Republican/Democrat or Conservative/Liberal, there are and have always been several subcategories under those broad umbrellas, and NewsNation did an excellent job representing several viewpoints.

While we haven’t seen any ratings for the Town Hall as of this column, the event was trending on social media on Wednesday night. Several clips from the event went viral on social media and were shared by President Trump’s team as well. 

While we’ve spent the last several years drifting away from those of different political viewpoints actually conversing with each other, is the pendulum possibly swinging back?

The NewsNation Town Hall was the latest example, but there is other evidence to suggest that robust conversation between people of different viewpoints may be what people are seeking.

CNN NewsNight, hosted by Abby Phillip, was CNN’s top-rated program for a third straight month in the coveted 25-54 demographic, growing by 31%. The show is defined by its sparring between conservative panelists Scott Jennings and Shermichael Singleton and the rest of the liberal panel. The clips often go viral, but they’re clearly also leading to a ratings boost. 

On Fox News, the most-watched show with overall audience and within the 25-54 demographic is The Five. It’s also a panelist-style show with differing viewpoints, typically one of the five panelists being a liberal Democrat.

Elsewhere, shows like Bill Maher and Joe Rogan aren’t defined by being echo chambers, and even Gavin Newsom’s new podcast gets the most attention when it has guests who disagree with him on the political news of the day.

The Trump era in 2015-16 kicked off the movement for more mainstream media outlets to become hyper-partisan. Networks saw a changing media landscape where the audience had more options than ever before and feared losing audience to platforms and/or shows where they could have any of their beliefs confirmed and only consume news and opinions they agreed with.

Ironically, Trump himself has never been one to avoid differing opinions, given the access he has provided to media outlets that are not considered “friendly” media. In the last week alone, he’s provided exclusive access and interviews to Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, along with an ABC News sit-down interview, along with the aforementioned NewsNation Town Hall.

This all despite the Media Research Center finding that 92% of media coverage on President Trump has been negative during his first 100 days. 

So it sure would be poetic justice for Donald Trump to be the bookend of this era as Americans go back to seeking robust, energetic, opinionated, but largely respectful, debate and conversation that was a mainstay in the American political discourse for decades.

I won’t predict that this happens overnight, but it’s a trend in our media ecosystem worth watching in the short and long term.

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How Fox News Radio Host Guy Benson Built His Audience in One of News/Talk Radio’s Most Competitive Timeslots

Garrett Searight
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How Fox News Radio Host Guy Benson Built His Audience in One of News/Talk Radio’s Most Competitive Timeslots

In recent months, The Guy Benson Show from Fox News Radio has seen explosive growth in its list of affiliates.

The show has added at least 15 new stations since September of last year, with several additions coinciding with the partnership between Westwood One and The Daily Wire ending.

Stations like 790 KABC in Los Angeles, WLS-AM 890 in Chicago, WJR 760 in Detroit, KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City, and The Mighty 990 KWAM in Memphis have all added the show in recent months, among nearly a dozen others.

And Guy Benson says he’s definitely noticed and felt the expansion in the interactions with his audience.

“No doubt about it,” said Benson. “With so many of these great new affiliates, we’re just thankful for all of them. There’s a number that happened to be really big stations and really big markets from KABC in Los Angeles to WLS — a station that I listened to for years when I was in Chicago in school and starting my career — to KCMO in Kansas City. We’ve had a great run at KTTH going back further in Seattle. We picked up affiliates in Houston, and we’ve got one coming up in Dallas. So we are really grateful, and that’s just to name check a few of them. There’s plenty more. I don’t wanna leave anyone out.

“I mean, just in terms of emails, social media interaction, messages, and calls, you can definitely tell that a lot of people, for the first time, are getting their ears on this show. We’re just trying to do our best every day to bring them a fabulous program over the course of three hours. We’ve seen growth in the podcast and the digital side, as well. So we’re just really excited about it. We’re honored to have the platform and the opportunity. And we’re trying to make the most of it and give people something that is unique and hopefully thoughtful, informative, and entertaining.” 

Despite having an increased audience and affiliate base, The Guy Benson Show host says he doesn’t believe the content of the show changes.

“I think we’re trying to stay true to ourselves and to what we do and what allowed us to build slowly but surely this far up to this point, and not necessarily change things all that dramatically,” Benson said. “We’ll maybe shout out certain affiliates when there are stories from their neck of the woods. That certainly is something that we do with increased frequency because we have the occasion to do that with all these new affiliates.

“But in terms of the nuts and bolts and the focus of the show and the editorial direction, the choices that we make, if we had one affiliate or if we had a thousand affiliates, we’re just trying to stay steady as she goes and do what we do.”

In addition to The Guy Benson Show with Fox News Radio — which airs live from 3-6 PM ET, Benson is also a frequent contributor on Fox News television shows throughout the cable network’s lineup. He understands the complexities that come with each and believes one can be a master at both.

“They’re completely different forms of media. Different art forms, if you will,” he shared. “On TV, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to make two points on the subject, and you want to generally try to make them your best points. The luxury of radio is the breathing room to develop points, to make points six, seven, and eight sort of at your leisure. We’re a fast-moving show, but sometimes, what’s so great about the medium is you actually have time.

“‘I’m gonna take my time when I do a few segments on this. I’m not gonna rush through it.’ The TV quick hit segment has its place and its own challenges. And I love the platform. I’ve been very grateful to be at Fox News now since 2013, which is kind of hard to believe it’s been 12 years, but for someone who enjoys not just talking and debating issues, but thinking through issues, the ability to go deeper on radio is something that I really cherish.

“And also, the ability to develop something of a relationship with the audience where they really– I think — feel like they’re getting to know me as a person. That is something that radio offers in a unique way that TV appearances don’t necessarily. There’s a bunch of other advantages on the TV side, of course, but in terms of radio, a few of the reasons I just mentioned are different, unique, and things that I value and treasure.”

Benson, whose Fox News Radio show airs in the same timeslot as his Fox News colleague Sean Hannity, called the longtime radio host the “800-pound gorilla in the room” when it comes to the 3-6 PM ET window on national radio. However, he said the Hannity host once gave him invaluable advice about the business. It’s a lesson that he still carries with him to this day.

“Years ago, I was an intern at Fox News … I got to tour his studios back when he was doing the show from a different studio in New York,” said Benson. “And he told me that his philosophy that had been passed down to him was there’s the business side of things and the politics of the industry. But he said whatever comes out of those speakers — meaning the program itself, what you were putting out — the content is king. That’s what matters most. And the rest will take care of itself. So I really have taken that to heart.

“We are now friendly competitors in the time slot,” Benson continued. “I like to see that we’re gaining on him a little bit, but you know he’s still the big kahuna.”

Guy Benson added that another one of his conservative media mentors is Salem Radio Network host Hugh Hewitt, who — ironically enough — moved into the 3-6 PM ET timeslot earlier this year as part of a shuffle at that network.

“To have two people that I considered to be friends, mentors, and colleagues in that same time slot — of course everyone’s competitive to an extent — but I think we all want what’s best for the country and it’s just an honor to be out there,” he concluded. “I definitely offer something different than either of them. So, I’m just sort of rooting for collective success and just excited to have momentum on our show.”

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It’s Time For Country Radio To Transform Remote Broadcasts

Jeff Lynn
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It’s Time For Country Radio To Transform Remote Broadcasts

I don’t think that I am going too far out on a limb to suggest that most Country programmers would not be upset if their stations never had to do another sales remote.

We’ve seen what they have diminished to over the years. Your talent shows up at the client’s event ten minutes before the start. Hopefully, by then, the promo assistants have set up the card table with its once-nice but now dirty tablecloth and a rickety-looking prize wheel.

Beside the prize wheel is a selection of station items. Koozies, keychains etc., that the lucky “winner” will most likely put in the bottom of a drawer somewhere. If it’s a Saturday car dealer remote, you might have one of your lucky prizes be a $5 off oil change.

Then, 15-20 minutes after the start, the sales rep shows up with a stack of pizzas or hot dogs and apologizes for being late.“They didn’t have the food ready.” Instantly, you are the most popular person in town. All the clients’ workers swarm to get free food before it is gone.

Oh, and then here comes the part that everyone fears. The sales rep comes over to introduce you to the client and says, “he/she would like to be on the air next break.” Of course, saying it in front of the client gives you no way to get out of it.

In the back of your mind, you are already thinking about the note you are going to get from the Program Director about the four-minute remote break you did.

The breaks are a tune-out. Most likely too long, and the talent likely spends more time promoting coming out to spin the wheel, eat a hot dog, and then, with ten seconds left, manages to talk a bit about the client paying for you to be there.

So that is what these have fallen to. But I would contend that, done right, they can be a marketing event for your station while also serving the client.

Before that, let’s start with one technical point. If the remote is from 10-1 on a Saturday (please tell me you aren’t doing any for over three hours) and your station runs it stopsets at :20 and :50, this is typically the problem.

After you set it up, it is 20 to 25 minutes before you do your first break. That gives the client ample time to begin complaining that “no one is showing up.” The last break at ten minutes before the event ends turns into a thanks for having us out speech.

When programming, I made the first break of a 10-1 remote at 9:50 and the last at 12:20. This eliminated the above two issues. However, it created an internal problem of your talent getting restless to leave after the last break, but that is easily overcome.

So, how can you turn this into a win-win situation? Stop thinking of it as a necessary evil and consider it a marketing opportunity.

It starts with the presentation. Ditch the 1980s setup and modernize it to at least this decade. Do you have a selfie area set up with a step-and-repeat? A place where your talent can record a TikTok or a Facebook reel with listeners.

One of the things I did for many years has a dated call to action, but could easily be tweaked to a combination of online and on-air.

We would hand out a business card-sized paper with this message.

“(station) thanks you for coming out to JoeBob’s BBQ. This is just for our loyal listeners. Listen to “The Ren & Stimpy Show” on Monday morning between 7 and 7:30. When you hear them play xxxxxxx be the sixth caller to win $500. (or a $500 gift certificate from JoeBob’s). You won’t hear about this on the air. It’s just for the people who joined us here today. P.S. We won’t be mad if you share this with all of your friends.”

Like I said, the call to action is dated, but it can easily be adapted to a digital and online format today.

You can fund this with a $100 upcharge on every remote dedicated to the cash prize fund.

Station scratch tickets are an affordable option from the insured contest providers. When I launched 105.1 The Buzz in Madison, WI, we called them Buzz Bucks.

Having them available at remotes became so popular that the sales department started selling Buzz Buck remotes, and the station made real good money on them, more than enough to cover the cost.

Get your talent out from behind the table and in front of the tent. Nothing shows disinterest more than putting a barrier between you and the listener. Stand up in plain view to be seen doing your breaks.

I’ve had talent who went to the van or turned their backs to do breaks. People who come to your events look at you as showbiz and love to get a peek behind the curtain and see you on air.

Every event has a vibe, even if it is a Saturday car dealer remote. I’m not picking on car dealers, but those Saturday remotes seem the most prevalent.

Your job is to communicate that vibe and create a compelling reason for people to come or give them something to dream of.

If you’re at a Chevrolet dealership, do your break in a new Corvette. Communicate that vibe. Use words like “imagine,” “picture yourself,” etc. Make people want to use the product.

I was at a concert recently. A station was set up outside the doors where people would enter. Being anonymous is sometimes good. I slowly walked by the table, looking at the items they had out. I did this four times, and neither of the two people behind the table looked up from their phones.

When the doors opened, I watched and they dashed out of there fast enough to win tomorrow’s Kentucky Derby.

The vibe was 80s rock. They could have made an impact by conveying that vibe and reminding people why they came. This was because it reminded them of what they were doing in that era, and they had fond memories of it. I know that’s why I was there.

Every event has a vibe!!

Just don’t vibe the eating of the free hot dogs.

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.

Taylor Jukes Shares Her Insights on Managing and Becoming An A+ Talent

Charese Fruge
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Taylor Jukes Shares Her Insights on Managing and Becoming An A+ Talent

Taylor Jukes is Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia San Diego, overseeing eight brands, and the Program Director of KIOZ-FM, KGB-FM and KSSX-FM. She also serves on the iHeart Top 40 brand team, working collaboratively with her colleagues from markets like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.

If that doesn’t sound impressive enough, Jukes is also wrapping up her final semester, earning an MBA from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management while working full-time in radio.

Her resume includes Program Director and Operations Manager positions, as well as hosting key on-air dayparts across multiple formats, such as Top 40, Hot AC, Classic Hits, and Rock, in markets like Vancouver, Toronto, Miami, and now San Diego.

In 2015, while programming 99.9 Virgin Radio Toronto (CKFM), Jukes had the opportunity to assist in the startup of iHeartRadio in Canada. Successfully launching signature Canadian events like iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Toronto and Secret Sessions led to a promotion as Head of Content for iHeartRadio Canada.

This provided an opportunity to blend marketing, digital, brand partnerships, key Canadian Artist integrations, and more. Which ultimately opened the door to a role in Florida as Program Director for the legendary Y100 Miami for five years. In early 2024, she was promoted to SVP of Programming for iHeartMedia San Diego.

“The San Diego cluster is an incredible one to be a part of,” says Jukes. “The 2024 San Diego iHeart Rady Children’s Giveathon raised nearly half a million dollars for Rady Children’s Hospital in a two-day radiothon, contributing to more than $3.235 million in recent years. Radio has always had a big part in connecting to the local community through both hardships and proactively adding value to the community through fundraising efforts.”

“In addition, with the large military and veteran presence in San Diego, we have also partnered with Warrior Foundation’s Freedom Station to raise funds for their incredible cause to assist those who have become injured or ill during service.”

“When it comes to natural disasters,  it’s all hands on deck for staff to band together to collect supplies for tragedies such as the historic San Diego winter storm in early 2024, which caused major flooding in the area. And with News Radio 600 KOGO, we have live and local talent in the newsroom, ready to flip to around-the-clock coverage when major events strike our community, like the 5.2 magnitude earthquake that shook San Diego on April 15th.”

Jukes has learned some important lessons over the years in the business. “A lot has changed…and FAST,” she says. “The pandemic was a ‘game changer.’ Everything we thought we knew needed a fresh perspective as we adapted to environmental changes that affected what the future would look like. Fairly rapidly, our traditional way of looking at two, five, and 10-year goals was tossed to the side to live ‘in the moment’ as presently as possible, and to pay attention to quickly shifting trends so we could keep up with the rapid growth in both technology and consumer behaviors.”

“Navigating the drastic shift in consumer behavior during the pandemic really pushed me to reflect on my management style and how to make the most of limited time and resources. With teams stretched thin, a more reactive culture setting in, and everyone being asked to do more, I had to rethink how to prioritize and lead effectively.”

“It helped me re-focus my own management strategy on what truly drives innovation and brand growth—even in tough conditions. I learned that carving out dedicated time for creative, forward-thinking work can be a huge difference-maker. That balance between responding to immediate needs and staying proactive became key to keeping morale and momentum high.”

“That’s critical to what’s badly needed in the industry right now. Radio could be better at talent development for younger generations. Gen Z, especially, as most carry a value-driven mindset, looking for more than just a paycheck, they seek purpose.

“The desire to grow, learn, and upskill is huge, but they want it with flexibility to work a second job. They want a positive work culture where there is an opportunity to grow. So, the bigger question is, how can we do a better job evolving our own hiring/employment practices to meet the future generation of both workers and leaders?”

Speaking of which, Jukes says here’s what’s needed to be considered A+ talent right now, “Some of the best talent in 2025 are those that have the right balance of authenticity, entertaining storytelling abilities, and can also adapt to change when analytics reveal opportunities.”

Photo Courtesy Taylor Jukes

“Talent needs to have a cross-platform strategy, understanding where to meet their audiences to keep them engaged. Being connected in 2025 means on-air, podcasts, social media, and being present in communities – both local and digital!”

And the growing use of AI in the industry? “My MBA cohort just discussed the benefits of organizations rolling out best practices for workers to maximize the use of AI in a complementary support role to aid in performance and productivity.”

“With a carefully crafted AI strategy that includes training, governance, encouragement, and investing in the right tools, organizations can foster a culture of experimentation that can help better achieve business goals. Monitoring impact, making smart decisions that don’t have high risk while embracing change really could change our future.”

“A quick and easy example for talent is to use AI as a marketing educational tool to design a strategy to grow their personal brand quickly. There are GPTs to Tutor, explore Canva, help build websites, and more.”

As for what’s ahead for Juke, “While I’m finally finishing my degree this month, I’m looking forward to what’s next –having time to travel a little more and explore beautiful San Diego. As a student of life, I’m always learning…  curious about how things work, I never stop asking questions and applying new learnings to what we do every day!”

Follow Taylor Jukes on Instagram: @taylorjukes  and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorjukes/

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.

Ratings Roundup: Fox News Sets Record During First 100 Days of Donald Trump’s Term

Garrett Searight
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Ratings Roundup: Fox News Sets Record During First 100 Days of Donald Trump’s Term

The Lead

Fox News got off to a blistering start in the cable news ratings to begin 2025. That was showcased as President Donald Trump hit the 100-day-in-office milestone earlier this week.

From Inauguration Day (January 20th) until Tuesday, April 29th — the 100th day of the Trump administration — Fox News averaged just over 3 million viewers in primetime, according to figures from Nielsen.

The previous record — also set by Fox News — was just over 2.8 million viewers during the first 100 days of the first Donald Trump administration.

Fox News saw a 25% increase compared to the first 100 days of the Joe Biden administration in 2021, and a 65% increase compared to the first 100 days of Barack Obama’s second term.

In the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic, Fox News averaged 375,000 viewers in primetime during the first 100 days of the Trump administration. Despite setting record highs in the total viewership categories, that’s the lowest figure in the demo for the network since Barack Obama’s first 100 days of his second term in 2013.

In the total day ratings, the Fox News audience was up 47% compared to the first 100 days of Joe Biden’s term. The network featured an average audience of just under 1.9 million viewers for Trump’s first 100 days. It’s a 69% increase compared to Obama’s second term in 2013 and a 118% increase compared to George W. Bush’s second term in 2005.

CNN saw its lowest ratings in the primetime window during the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term. It featured an average audience of 562,000 total viewers in the 8-11 PM ET window, according to Nielsen. The previous low — since Bill Clinton’s second term in 1997 — was during George W. Bush’s first term when the network averaged 669,000 total viewers in the primetime window.

CNN’s total primetime audience dropped by 60% from the first 100 days in 2021 to the same window in 2025.

The network averaged 117,000 total viewers in the key demographic during the 100-day period in 2025. That’s a 68% decrease compared to the audience it featured during Biden’s first 100 days in 2021 and a 72% decrease compared to the first 100 days of Trump’s first term.

As for MSNBC, the network saw a decline of 40% in 2025 compared to its finish during the first 100 days in 2021. MSNBC averaged 1.2 million viewers during the window this year.

While it saw a large decline, the finish in 2025 is actually an increase compared to the first 100 days of Obama’s terms in 2009 and 2013, when it finished 930,000 total viewers and 730,000 total viewers, respectively.

The ratings decline was larger in the key demographic for MSNBC in 2025. Compared to 2021, the network saw a 62% decrease in viewers from the Adults 25-54 sector.

NewsNation Sees Year-Over-Year Growth During April

NewsNation saw ratings gains in key windows during April compared to the same timeframe in 2024.

The Hill — the network’s 6 PM ET program helmed by Blake Burman — saw a 24% increase in total viewers during January, February, and March. It averaged 42,000 total viewers during the month

Additionally, Elizabeth Vargas Reports — which moved to 7 PM ET during the first quarter — grew to an average of 55,000 total viewers in April. That represented a 10% increase compared to the same window in 2024.

Cuomo, hosted by Chris Cuomo, saw the biggest growth for NewsNation during the month. The program featured an average audience of 167,000. The 8 PM ET timeslot saw 26% year-over-year growth.

In the total day ratings, NewsNation saw an uptick of 15% in total viewers and growth of 20% in the Adults 25-54 demographic.

Fox Business, CNBC Jockey For Top Positions in Business News

The business news sector has featured a tight battle in recent months, which was only exacerbated by fluctuations in the financial markets due to tariffs implemented by the Trump administration.

During the month of April, both Fox Business Network and CNBC won certain ratings categories.

CNBC earned the top spot during the month in the Business Day (Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-5 PM ET) and Market Hours (Monday-Friday, 9 AM-4 PM ET) categories.

In the business day ratings, CNBC narrowly defeated Fox Business Network, 228,000 total viewers to 225,000.

The market hours viewership was also a tight battle, with CNBC featuring 233,000 total viewers compared to Fox Business’ 214,000.

In the total day category, however, Fox Business topped CNBC 141,000 to 140,000 during the month. It marked the 13th consecutive month that Fox Business Network earned the top spot in the category.

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Joe Micheletti Retires from New York Rangers Broadcasts on MSG Networks

BSM Staff
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Joe Micheletti Retires from New York Rangers Broadcasts on MSG Networks

Joe Micheletti, the longtime television analyst for New York Rangers hockey on MSG Networks, has announced that he is retiring from the television booth after 19 seasons. This follows the retirement of play-by-play announcer Sam Rosen, meaning that the team will now have a new television pairing for the first time in 19 seasons in the fall. While his successor has yet to be determined, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reports that Albert’s longtime radio partner Dave Maloney is someone who “figures to be a top candidate” to replace Micheletti. Ryan Callahan, former captain of the Rangers and analyst on ESPN, could also be someone who is a possibility as well.

“From pond hockey in Minnesota, to the bright lights of Broadway, my hockey journey has been a magical ride,” Micheletti said in a statement. “My wife Kathy and I have been thinking about this for a few years, and we decided that now is the right time to retire, and we look forward to spending more time with our family. This career has been so special because of the amazing people that I’ve worked with at every stop along the way. Thank you to my remarkable family at MSG Networks, to the Rangers organization, and to all the teams that allowed me to do what I love for 40 years.”

Micheletti has been a part of broadcast teams in five Winter Olympic Games, 25 iterations of the Stanley Cup Final and 15 NHL All-Star games. Before his time working with Sam Rosen on Rangers broadcasts, he was the television analyst with Howie Rose on Fox Sports Net New York. Micheletti is also a former member of the St. Louis Blues radio and television broadcasting teams, and he was also a television analyst for the Minnesota North Stars. Prior to broadcasting, Micheletti played three seasons in the NHL for the Blues and Colorado Avalanche, and he was also a two-time national champion with the University of Minnesota.

“Joe’s experience as a player and coach, his good humor, his unparalleled preparation, his polished on-air skills, and his love of hockey combined to make him one of the hockey world’s premier analysts,” Andrea Greenberg, president and chief executive officer of MSG Networks, said in a statement. “MSG Networks and its viewers have been lucky to have him for 27 years as part of our broadcast team, the last 19 as our Rangers TV analyst. We thank Joe for those many years of outstanding service and wish him the very best in his retirement.”

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Dan Le Batard: I Believe CBS Journalist Who Interviewed Bill Belichick was ‘Overly Cheesy in a Number of Different Broadcaster-y Ways’

BSM Staff
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Dan Le Batard: I Believe CBS Journalist Who Interviewed Bill Belichick was ‘Overly Cheesy in a Number of Different Broadcaster-y Ways’

The recent interview on CBS Sunday Morning featuring eight-time Super Bowl champion and former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has been making headlines over the last several days. Jordon Hudson, Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend who he referred to as his “creative muse” in his book, “The Art of Winning,” shut down a question about how they met and reportedly interrupted the interview several times as well and stormed off the set.

The University of North Carolina hired Belichick to coach the football team last December, and he recently released a statement articulating that his expectation was for the interview to solely talk about contents of the book. Shortly thereafter, a spokesperson for CBS News contended that there were no preconditions or limitations for the conversation, something “confirmed repeatedly with his publisher before the interview took place and after it was completed.”

Dan Le Batard discussed the matter on the Thursday morning edition of his show with Pablo Torre and acknowledged that CBS Sunday Morning is “a magical show.” Yet he articulated that Tony Dokoupil, the journalist who conducted the interview with Belichick, was going about things in a manner that was “overly cheesy in a number of different broadcaster-y ways.” Le Batard wanted to get the perspective of Torre on the matter, who has been appearing on ESPN for several years and also contributes to MSNBC, and he played audio of the narration.

“It’s hard for me to say that no one talks like that when that is Mike Ryan’s impression of how I talk,” Torre said, referencing one of Le Batard’s longtime producers. “That would be a thing I feel like I’m stepping into as a matter of the trap that you’ve laid out for me.”

When Hudson was introduced in the interview, Dokoupil referenced Belichick referring to her as his “creative muse.” The show clipped the audio and continuously played it, leading Le Batard to ask if there was a question mark between the words ‘creative’ and ‘muse.’ In fact, it resulted in Le Batard seeing if Torre would give pause to the objectivity of Dokoupil in this scenario.

“There’s some sass in there,” Le Batard said. “Like he’s really judging it for America.”

“You can’t see it, but he’s clearly doing scare quotes,” Torre replied. “Like that is the verbal expression of scare quotes.”

Earlier in the interview, Torre divulged how Hudson has been involved in Belichick’s business dealings, specifically referencing a Super Bowl commercial for Dunkin’ Donuts in which they both appeared with Ben and Casey Affleck. Torre discovered that it was Hudson acting as Belichick’s representative leading up to the venture and that she “insinuated herself into the commercial and into every aspect of his life.” Torre proceeded to say that this has become a pattern that has been occurring and has elicited the concern from the wife of his son, Steven.

“The question now, Dan, is the people who care and love about Bill Belichick, right, they are clearly somewhat worried about the way this story has gone, which is beyond, ‘Wow, this go-getter is really getting a lot,’” Torre said. “It’s, ‘Is he okay?’ That would be the larger concern that people are articulating to me.”

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Steel City Promotes Three Managers In Kansas City

BMM Staff
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Steel City Promotes Three Managers In Kansas City

Dale Carter, Steve Serrano and Cherie Ramirez have all received promotions at Steel City Media’s Kansas City cluster.

Steve Serrano is promoted to cluster Operations Manager. He will continue as Program Director of Top 40 Mix 93.3 where he also hosts middays.

Steve Serrano

General Manager Marc Harrell said, “Steve’s ascent from intern to Operations Manager is a testament to his hard work and versatility. His leadership will be pivotal in driving our programming strategy forward.”

Dale Carter, a Country Radio Hall of Famer, will take on programming duties at New Country Q104 while retaining the Program Director and morning show duties for cluster mate Country 94.1.

Harrell said, “Dale’s unparalleled experience and passion for Country music have been instrumental in KFKF’s success. His dual leadership role will foster synergy between our stations, enhancing our reach and resonance with Country music fans.” 

Dale Carter

Cherie Ramirez will assume the role of Director of Sales. “Cherie’s extensive experience and deep understanding of our market dynamics make her the ideal choice to lead our sales team,” said Harrell. “Her strategic vision will be instrumental in driving revenue growth and client satisfaction.”

Cherie Ramirez


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Dennis Prager Won’t Rejoin Salem Radio Network in June

BNM Staff
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Dennis Prager Won’t Rejoin Salem Radio Network in June

Earlier this year, Salem Radio Network shared plans for the return of Dennis Prager after being paralyzed by a fall at his Los Angeles home last November. Those plans have now been tabled.

After Salem Radio Network announced plans to move all affiliates of The Dennis Prager Show to The Charlie Kirk Show, it shared that Prager would return on Monday, June 2nd. Plans were made for Prager to host a one-hour program.

In a statement, the network has revealed that Prager will not return to the lineup as scheduled.

”While it is nearly impossible to replace an icon like Dennis, our affiliates have made that transition work. Listeners love The Charlie Kirk Show, while at the same time are missing Dennis,” the statement reads. “We will continue to keep watching the recovery for Dennis and pray for his improvement.”

Prager has experienced a setback in his recovery efforts, leading the network to decide to put his return on hold indefinitely. After Carl Jackson served as the primary fill-in host for The Dennis Prager Show, Jack Posobiec was tabbed to continue to helm the program in Prager’s absence.

He’ll continue in that role for Salem Radio Network until a more concrete plan is put in place regarding Prager’s potential return.

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ESPN Studio Shows Register Strong Friday Viewership After Day 1 of NFL Draft: Report

BSM Staff
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ESPN Studio Shows Register Strong Friday Viewership After Day 1 of NFL Draft: Report

The 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wis. finished as the second most-watched iteration of the offseason event to date, averaging 7.5 million viewers on ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and digital channels. The three-day, seven-round venture, however, featured the storyline surrounding the precipitous slide of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders into the fifth round.

In the months leading up to the Draft, Sanders was projected to be among the top selections, but he ended up sliding to the 144th overall pick made by the Cleveland Browns. Following the first round, which proliferated by 11% year-over-year to average 13.6 million viewers, studio shows on ESPN garnered strong viewership the following day, according to a recent report from Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal.

The Friday, April 25 edition of Get Up featuring host Mike Greenberg accrued 618,000 viewers, marking its best Friday episode after the first round of the NFL Draft in show history. Two hours later, First Take with featured commentator and executive producer Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim elicited an average of 705,000 viewers, also representing the best Friday audience surrounding the NFL Draft. These viewership figures were confirmed by ESPN to Barrett Media.

Later in the day, the on-site edition of NFL Live in Green Bay featuring Laura Rutledge, Ryan Clark, Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky and Marcus Spears reportedly averaged 521,000 viewers, indicative of a 25% year-over-year rise from the same show last year. The 5 p.m. EST edition of College GameDay featuring Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Nick Saban is reported to have averaged 601,000 viewers for the day, the second-best NFL Draft Friday audience for the show in history and up 44% from the previous year. Over its three days of NFL Draft coverage, ESPN, ABC and ESPN2 reportedly averaged 6.2 million viewers, representing a 22% increase from the previous year.

The reported viewership success across the NFL Draft coverage and studio programs comes after ESPN registered its strongest first-quarter viewership since 2017, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. A record-setting January was included therein, which represented the most-watched month for ESPN for the entire year since 2015. Combined with sports programming airing on ABC, fans consumed 145.1 billion minutes of ESPN content, more than any other Nielsen-measured first quarter over the last 13 years.

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