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Matt Pinfield To Host First Public Event Since His Stroke

BMM Staff
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Matt Pinfield To Host First Public Event Since His Stroke

Matt Pinfield is set to make his first public appearance since he suffered a stroke this past January. The radio and television personality will host when Green Day gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Pinfield posting on X wrote, “Slowly but surely recovering… lots of physical therapy… Fighting my way back! One day at a time.”

Last month, Pinfield released his first public statement since the January 6 stroke (BMM 3/13), saying, “We were told I might not speak or walk again, and my voice is back, and I am doing five hours of physical therapy a day, and my walking continues to improve. There is nothing like my radio community.  I love you all.”

Pinfield is known for his time hosting “120 Minutes” for MTV, a weekly music show, “New & Improved w/ Matt Pinfield” on 95.5 KLOS Los Angeles, and Westwood One’s “Flashback.”

At the time of his stroke, Pinfield was working at 88.5 The SoCal Sound, KCSN, Los Angeles.

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.

Approaching The Summit: Marc Silverman, ESPN Chicago

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Approaching The Summit: Marc Silverman, ESPN Chicago

Approaching The Summit is a series of special interviews created in partnership with Point to Point Marketing featuring speakers at the upcoming 2025 BSM Summit in Chicago, IL. Follow along with this series as prominent names surrounding the event coming up on May 8-9 at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) inside the Edlis Neeson Theater and share their insights and expectations for what’s to come in the Windy City.

Marc Silverman is an afternoon drive host at ESPN Chicago and is attending the BSM Summit for the first time. Silverman has been working in sports radio since 1995 and has covered several championship events over the years. He is currently co-hosting the ESPN Chicago show with former Chicago Bears wide receiver Tom Waddle, with whom he has worked for the last 18 years on the airwaves. Prior to hosting in the sports talk radio format, Silverman was a reporter and graduated from Southern Illinois University.

Prior to the BSM Summit in May, Silverman spoke with Barrett Media about his anticipation for the event and topics that he hopes are addressed on stage.

*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.* 

BSM Staff: You are attending the BSM Summit for the first time this year. What are you looking forward to this year as the event makes its return to Chicago?

Marc Silverman: I’m looking forward to tons of things, like networking, listening, sharing, ideas, meeting people who I’ve looked up to for a long time and that I respect in the business. I read the Barrett Sports Media newsletter, one of the first things I do every morning. I’m a junkie when it comes to how other people have done it successfully, so I think it’s just such a great thing.

BSM Staff: What is the value for industry professionals to leave the office and attend the BSM Summit?

Marc Silverman: Leaving the office for anything that is going to continue to shape your craft and to get you better in the long run – leaving the office for a day, leaving the office for two even – I think the reward outweighs the leaving the office or putting some other busy work or even a show on the side for one day. You can gain so much knowledge out of this to implement in several future shows.

BSM Staff: What does it mean to represent ESPN Chicago and the sports media industry by speaking at the event?

Marc Silverman: It’s huge. I still do numerous gratitude checks where, ‘Oh, look what you’re getting to do today.’ Right now, I’m driving to Soldier Field to be at the Bears’ official Draft party, which (Tom) Waddle and I host, and after that, we’re on with (Jeff) Joniak and (Tom) Thayer for the Bears’ official draft coverage. It’s important to always reflect and to look at some of the things that you get to do. Being in my hometown and having the Summit come here to Chicago and to be asked to speak, that’s huge, but I’ll be listening more than I’m speaking.

BSM Staff: How do you feel the subsets of the sports media industry as a whole can continue fostering additional synergy and work together to ensure growth?

Marc Silverman: Evolve or die. That’s one of my keys, I think, that I’ve always been successful. There are other hosts I know who always think their way works or they know everything, but when you think that, I think it’s the end. If you’re not open to evolving and learning new things and knowing how the business is moving, not just as it moves, but even before it moves is so important.

We used to say ‘a radio station’ or ‘a radio show,’ it’s all content now – there’s so many different ways you can consume us. Whether it’s on YouTube, whether it’s on Twitch, whether it’s on the smart speaker, on our app, 1000, 100.3 HD2. So if we’re not moving with the times, you’re in trouble.

BSM Staff: As you view the return on investment with the BSM Summit, what do you hope to take away from the event and bring back to your station?

Marc Silverman: When you are around other smart people in our business, it just gives you an even greater pop on your energy. The reason why we’re here and [why] we’re going is because we care, and like the key word that you made, it’s an investment. There are going to be some things that I hear that won’t fit me, but there will be several things that I can reflect on and say, ‘Hmm, that’s very interesting,’ so I just think it’s very important to go in with an open mind.

2025 BSM Summit

Purchase your tickets to the 2025 BSM Summit here, and for more information, visit BSMSummit.com.

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

Stan Van Gundy Added To Amazon Prime Video NBA Coverage: Report

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Stan Van Gundy Added To Amazon Prime Video NBA Coverage: Report

Former NBA head coach Stan Van Gundy will be headed to join Amazon Prime Video’s coverage of the NBA as the streaming video network begins its 11-year agreement with the league. According to a report in The New York Times, Van Gundy will join Ian Eagle on Prime Video’s telecasts as part of the top play-by-play team on the network.

Since 2019, Van Gundy has been serving in a dual role with TNT Sports, calling games from the analyst position for both the network’s NBA coverage and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

However, according to the report, it is still undetermined if Van Gundy will continue in that role.

At 65 years old, Van Gundy brings significant coaching experience, having served as a head coach in the NBA for thirteen seasons. His career includes tenures in Miami, Orlando, Detroit, and New Orleans. Additionally, he has served as a president of basketball operations and is the older brother of former NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy.

In a recent episode of The Varsity Podcast hosted by Jon Ourand, he discussed what he hopes to do once his current deal with TNT Sports expires.

“I hope to be working, I really want to be working, and I would love it to still be in the NBA,” Van Gundy said. “It’s what I know best, it’s what I think I do best. And I’m hoping that will work out with somebody.”

Looking ahead, starting next season, NBA games will be televised by The Walt Disney Company, Comcast Corporation, and Amazon. This new media rights agreement is reportedly worth $76 billion and will distribute games across broadcast, cable television, and streaming platforms.

In preparation, Amazon has already begun crafting its NBA roster of on-air talent. Notably, the company has signed Taylor Rooks as its lead studio host, along with former NBA players Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki as pregame and postgame analysts. Furthermore, Cassidy Hubbarth has been signed to join the network as a sideline reporter.

Moreover, according to the report, Amazon has already begun discussions with other prominent names such as Kevin Harlan, Michael Grady, Dwyane Wade, and Steve Nash.

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.

Jemele Hill: Some Media Probably Gave Sheduer Sanders a Pass Because of Who His Father Is

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Jemele Hill: Some Media Probably Gave Sheduer Sanders a Pass Because of Who His Father Is

Sports media spent the better part of the weekend and into Monday micro-analyzing why Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders fell to pick number 144 in the NFL Draft. Opinions were far and wide as to why all 32 NFL teams passed on Sanders—from race, to interview sessions, to overall ability on the football field.

For example, Jemele Hill of The Atlantic was a guest on The Dan Le Batard Show Tuesday and shared her reasoning as to why she feels some media covering the Draft and Sanders may have given a pass to Sanders because of potential influence and relationships with his father, Deion Sanders.

“In the media, if anything, because of the reverence for Deion, I think a lot of people were kind of covering for it when it came to really evaluating Shedeur’s talent,” said Hill. “I think that they probably gave him some passes and maybe didn’t report as accurately or as honestly as they should have, because of who his father was.”

Furthermore, Shedeur Sanders, on many draft boards across all the networks, was either ranked the top or second-highest quarterback prospect in the NFL Draft pool of signal callers. Nevertheless, his slide into the fifth round of this weekend’s draft was easily the biggest storyline of the entire event and had Hill wondering if Deion Sanders’ previous work in media helped shadow some of the negatives surrounding his son’s hype ahead of the Draft.

“I think a lot of media members, rather than give another draft pick whose last name might not be Sanders. I think a lot of these stories that we heard about his approach and criticisms about his approach to the NFL, the combine, and to other things, I think those things would have probably been reported and talked about a lot sooner,” explained Hill.

In addition, reports surfaced just days before the NFL Draft about unnamed sources sharing information criticizing Sanders’ approach to pre-draft interviews and attitude, which were seen as red flags for teams.

“Between Deion building the hype and just being around this team, there was an expectation already built that Mel Kiper fed,” noted Hill. “A lot of people are feeling disappointed, and we’re feeling like this was a grave injustice. When it’s just, if you watched and studied the NFL and reported on the NFL, you understand how this could have possibly happened.”

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.

Jon ‘Stugotz’ Weiner Details His Battle With a Dental Emergency During a Recent Dan Le Batard Show

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Jon ‘Stugotz’ Weiner Details His Battle With a Dental Emergency During a Recent Dan Le Batard Show

Jon “Stugotz” Weiner, who has been the co-host of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz for the last two decades, recently returned to the program after a prolonged absence and revealed on social media that he was also launching a YouTube channel. During last Monday’s edition of the program, he informed Le Batard that he was not sure he would make it through the episode because of pain he was feeling.

Throughout his time behind the microphone for the show, he contends to have never said such a thing and was not sure what was going on, expressing that the right side of his mouth was killing him. Weiner expanded on the story during a recent appearance on The Greg Cote Show with Greg Cote podcast from Meadowlark Media.

“I took enough medication to get myself through two hours,” Weiner said. “It was a good two hours. Thankfully [Jonathan] Zaslow was there because I had to leave early and Zaslow was there to do the show with Dan, but it was a pain that I haven’t experienced in my entire life. It was shooting up the side of my head around the back and like down my side, and so I told Dan, ‘The dentist can get me in at noon or at 4:45,’ this is going back to Monday, and I said, ‘and I don’t know if I can make it till 4:45.’”

Weiner added that he was doing this all with a piece of bacon in his mouth and in his hand, something Cote pointed out helps with tooth issues. Cote then proceeded to ask if Weiner was feeling loopy while on the show having taken the medication amid the pain he was feeling. 

“It was a loopy two hours – it was a good two hours ‘cause a loopy Stugotz is a good Stugotz, and so I left at 11,” Weiner recalled. “Thankfully, the dentist identified very quickly what it was, which was a root canal that I had had previously that had gone bad, and so they needed to redo that. It’s a two-part thing, so I was in the dentist – I went Monday.”

Weiner expressed that his dentist said the issue was beyond his paygrade, and he subsequently went to see another doctor, presumably an endodontist, to undergo a two-part oral surgery the following two days. While taking part in the podcast, he stated that he was feeling a little bit better, although he did not divulge when he will make his return back to The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. From there, the show proceeded to discuss other topics in the world of sports, including the slide of quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft and the NBA Playoffs.

“Thank you, and for all the money we’re paying you to do this right now, I hope you’re feeling better,” Cote said to Weiner, “and if you’re not, you got to fake it.”

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.

Newsmax Inks Distribution Deals in Israel and Armenia

BNM Staff
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Newsmax Inks Distribution Deals in Israel and Armenia

Newsmax has announced it has signed distribution agreements with cable companies in both Israel and Armenia, making the cable news channel available to viewers in those areas.

In Israel, the network will be available on Cellcom Israel. Telecom Armenia has also added the cable news channel to its list of offerings for customers.

The expansion makes Newsmax available across five continents and in more than 100 countries with multiple languages available for viewers.

“Newsmax is excited to launch on Cellcom Israel and Telecom Armenia, who are leaders across their respective markets,” Newsmax Senior Vice President of Distribution Andy Biggers said. “The Newsmax brand continues to expand across the globe as it becomes a trusted source of news for people who really want to know what’s happening in the U.S. — without CNN’s filters.”

Currently, Newsmax provides coverage from Washington D.C., New York, London, Rome, and Jerusalem, among other locales.

The company says the global expansion is part of a “larger strategy to efficiently share U.S. news with a global audience, helping to strengthen ties with allies while promoting American values and freedoms to people around the world.”

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.

John Skipper: The NFL Draft ‘Is an Astonishing Phenomenon’

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John Skipper: The NFL Draft ‘Is an Astonishing Phenomenon’

Over the last several years, the National Football League has held its annual Draft across the country, welcoming in the next generation of football players amid capacity crowds. During a recent episode of The Sporting Class, host Pablo Torre contended that the event is “fully just part of the sports media industrial complex,” and it draws interest from fans around the country. John Skipper, the former president of ESPN, recalled that the NFL Draft used to be held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and he acknowledged that it was a “very smart decision” by the league to take the event on the road beginning in 2015.

“To me, the Draft is an astonishing phenomenon,” Skipper said. “It is not in and of itself particularly entertaining, and I know that the commissioner Roger [Goodell] has said that, ‘Gee, maybe they need to speed this up a little bit,’ but it is one of those things that is tediously fascinating, right? It’s not interesting to watch, but it’s hard to quit watching, particularly if you care about a team.”

The first day of NFL Draft coverage on ESPN, NFL Network, ABC, ESPN Deportes and other digital platforms averaged 13.6 million viewers, representing an 11% year-over-year increase. This momentum continued on the second day when the event realized a 40% gain from the proceedings last year, becoming the second most-watched Day 2 in the history of the NFL Draft with an average of 7.4 million viewers.

Skipper does not believe it matters where the event is being held, although he acceded that the Green Bay locale may have slightly helped in this instance. Even so, he referred to the entertainment as being “pretty modest” around the event and was not sure exactly what it was.

“The entertainment is all the media members who were giving you content hours and hours a day,” said David Samson, former president of the Miami Marlins and host of Nothing Personal. “Mel Kiper Jr., as an example, gets himself in the news because he’s so crazy over Shedeur Sanders, but people are watching that. People are watching different networks, whether it’s the NFL Network, ESPN, they’re waiting to hear what God Bless Football has to say, whatever the case is about the Draft and the picks. That is unique.”

Skipper recalled how he was recently waiting on a customs line and heard someone shout if anyone knew who the Miami Dolphins had selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. From there, the program discussed Sanders sliding to the fifth round and ultimately being selected by the Cleveland Browns, leading Samson to aver that the “craziness” was created because of the media surmising that he was going to be a high pick. Torre stated that the event is unpredictable, unscripted and possesses storylines accompanied by the countdown clock, essentially bringing the components of live sports to this program.

“I am the guy who’s going to point out that the Draft as a concept can be, from a logical perspective, disrupted and turned into all-out free agency and that we can reconstitute the programming,” Torre said to Skipper, “but every year, you’re argument, as it often does I must admit, that the way it is now is efficient in a way that should be respected, which is to say, ‘Look at this live event that is rating.’ It’s hard to argue with.”

“Success is hard to argue with,” Skipper replied. “I can personally not find it scintillating entertainment, but it does great. We loved it, we wanted it to go as long as possible. We wanted days and days of the Draft.”

Samson presumed that the NFL Draft would align with the interest of Netflix, which has reportedly been “keeping its options open” after it had previously been reported that it was not going to bid on the event. Netflix co-chief executive officer Ted Sarandos has stated that the company is trying to do live events, some of which fall into the sports category. The company is embarking on the second year of its media rights deal with the NFL to broadcast Christmas Day football games coming off last season’s doubleheader, which averaged more than 30 million global viewers.

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.

Mel Kiper Jr.: Seth Markman Informed Me I Was Trending on Twitter During NFL Draft

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Mel Kiper Jr.: Seth Markman Informed Me I Was Trending on Twitter During NFL Draft

With the conclusion of the NFL Draft from Green Bay, Wis., one of the key stories of the weekend surrounded the slide of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders into the fifth round. While he was ultimately selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th pick, viewers observed that ESPN senior NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. was shocked by this outcome and delivered impassioned discourse about the situation. The commentaries went viral on social media with several users perceiving him as having outbursts about this predicament after ranking Sanders as the No. 1 quarterback in the NFL Draft.

In an episode of The Adam Schefter Podcast following the NFL Draft with Adam Schefter and Field Yates, Kiper was asked if the noise and criticism coming from the public bothered him at all during the weekend. Kiper revealed that he did not know about it and recalled ESPN vice president of production Seth Markman informing him that he was trending on X, formerly known as Twitter. Although he did not read any of what was said, he believes that it was not nice and reflected on his statements in the presentation.

“I said even on the Draft [broadcast], ‘Maybe he’ll go into the UFL or the CFL. Maybe he’ll be Kurt Warner… maybe Shedeur should do that to prove to these guys in the NFL he can play,’” Kiper explained. “I don’t know – I don’t know what’s going to happen there, but they said I was trending on Twitter over Shedeur. I don’t know if I was trending when he was in the third, fourth, fifth round.

ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, who broke news of transactions throughout the proceedings last week, informed Kiper that he always says, “You’re a trendsetter.” This remark led to laughter from the longtime senior NFL Draft analyst, who has been a presence on ESPN coverage of the event since 1984.

Opening night of the NFL Draft averaged 13.6 million viewers across ESPN, NFL Network, ABC, ESPN Deportes and other digital platforms, indicative of an 11% rise from the previous year. The second night of the event averaged 7.3 million viewers, finishing as the second most-watched Day 2 of the NFL Draft on record and up 40% from the previous year.

In addition to Kiper’s work surrounding the NFL Draft, he previously hosted a weekend program on ESPN Radio alongside Dari Nowkhah for 14 years. Furthermore, he contributes to studio programming on the network such as SportsCenter and NFL Live while also co-hosting the First Draft podcast. Kiper is a graduate of Essex Community College and founded Draft Publications, Inc. while attending school, which is now known as Mel Kiper Enterprises, Inc.

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.

Lotus Communications Launches 93.3 HANK-FM In Tucson

BMM Staff
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Lotus Communications Launches 93.3 HANK-FM In Tucson

Lotus Communications continues to roll out the Classic Country HANK-FM brand, with the latest entry being 93.3 HANK-FM Tucson. KLPX-HD3 feeds the station.

The company is already airing the format in Seattle, Reno, Boise, and Las Vegas.

Debbie Wagner, GM of Arizona Lotus Corp., Tucson, said, “We are excited to bring the HANK format to Tucson, connecting Tucson fans with their favorite and currently under-played Country songs of the ’80s, ’90s, and beyond. There is a loyal audience out there that has been waiting for a station that more closely fits their taste in authentic Country music.”

The HANK-FM format’s core artists include George Strait, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, and Brooks & Dunn, and hits from the ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s.

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 ABC News, Fox News, MSNBC, and NewsNation Plan to Cover Donald Trump First 100 Days Milestone

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How ABC News, Fox News, MSNBC, and NewsNation Plan to Cover Donald Trump First 100 Days Milestone

Tuesday, April 29th marks the 100th day of the President Donald Trump administration, and news networks like ABC News, Fox News, MSNBC, and NewsNation have set coverage plans to mark the milestone.

Coverage of the first 100 days of the Trump administration ranges from special town hall events featuring a live studio audience to in-depth interviews with government officials appointed by the 47th President.

Here’s a look at publicly announced plans from major news networks and what coverage will entail over the following days.

ABC News

The network will have the first bite at the proverbial apple with Donald Trump as he marks the 100-day milestone.

The President will sit down with ABC News senior national correspondent Terry Moran, which will air as a primetime special on Tuesday evening.

President Trump the First 100 Days: The Interview in the Oval Office will air at 8 PM ET on ABC. It will also be available on the ABC News Live, Hulu, and Disney+ streaming platforms later this evening.

The news of the sit-down interview between Donald Trump and ABC News is notable after the President settled a defamation lawsuit he brought against the network last year for $15 million and a donation to his Presidential library.

MSNBC

MSNBC will have two specials based on the first 100 days of the Trump administration.

On Thursday, May 1st at 9 PM ET, Stephanie Ruhle — host of The 11th Hour — will helm a live town hall event. 100 Days of Trump: A Town Hall with Forced Out Federal Workers will include an appearance from Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ). Additionally, political and national correspondent Jacob Soboroff will contribute to the special.

“I’m viewing our audience as part of this conversation, not just there to stand up and ask questions the way you often see a traditional town hall,” Ruhle told The Hollywood Reporter about the special. “I see every person in that room as also an important guest, an important voice, because this is not about partisanship. This isn’t about this administration. This is about America, because much of what the President is trying to do right now is reshape the way we live, the way we work, the way we see our country, the way other countries see us.”

On Friday, May 2nd, MSNBC will broadcast a second special program. Anchored by Ari Melber, 100 Days of Trump: Law & Disorder will air at 7 PM ET. Melber will be joined by legal analysts Andrew Weissmann and Melissa Murray to discuss the first 100 days of the administration from a legal perspective.

“We are aiming to do fair, probing reporting on what happens when a White House dares the courts to make it follow legal orders, and the impact of these clashes on everyone, regardless of ideology or politics,” Melber told Mediaite about the special. “The stakes are clear, and it’s vital to cover these legal cases so people can make up their own minds about them, with all the facts.”

Fox News

Fox News is containing most of its coverage to today by featuring interviews in its regularly scheduled programming.

On Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning, border czar Tom Homan and Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy were interviewed by the morning show cast. A live studio audience was included as part of the coverage during the popular Fox News morning show on Tuesday.

Other interviews scheduled for the day include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Fox Business Network’s Kudlow at 4 PM ET.

Meanwhile, America Reports will include anchor John Roberts reporting from the White House’s North Lawn on the 1-3 PM ET program.

NewsNation

As previously announced, NewsNation is hosting a live town hall event on Wednesday, April 30th at 8 PM ET. Chris Cuomo will anchor the coverage and will be joined by Bill O’Reilly and Stephen A. Smith.

President Donald Trump will appear on the special as a telephone guest, and is scheduled to take questions from the live, in-studio audience.

Other guests scheduled to join the town hall are Sarah Palin, along with Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Democratic Party leaders.

The NewsNation town hall in New York City will include a live studio audience. Those in attendance will be Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.

Before the town hall begins, NewsNation will host a one-hour pre-show called Countdown to the Town Hall. Moderated by NewsNation Now host Anna Kooiman, the program will include appearances from Chris Stirewalt and Blake Burman.

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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