MSNBC Incites Live MSG Coverage With Nazi Clips

MSNBC is facing fierce backlash for using Nazi rally clips during its coverage of former President Donald Trump’s historic campaign event at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

According to The NY Post, the left-leaning network included footage from the 1939 Nazi rally at the New York City arena and compared it to Trump’s own rally, which packed the famed venue.

“But that jamboree happening right now, you see it there on your screen in that place is particularly chilling because in 1939, more than 20,000 supporters of a different fascist leader, Adolf Hitler, packed the Garden for a so-called pro-America rally,” the anchor said while rolling the footage.

Obama last week: "How did things get so divisive?"

MSNBC last night: pic.twitter.com/gGzVUvuu9m

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) October 28, 2024

The juxtaposition of the two videos was blasted as “shameful” by conservatives, who pointed out the diversity of the crowd.

“Yesterday’s Trump rally was filled with Americans from every walk of life including orthodox, conservative, reform, and secular Jews. I saw a woman in a burka. It wasn’t anything like a Nazi rally. Shame on MSNBC,” wrote X user @amuse.

Others pointed out that Holocaust survivor Jerry Wartski was among those in attendance.

Critics even went so far as to accuse the network of “incitement.”  Tesla founder Elon Musk, who spoke at the rally, also blasted MSNBC as the “scum of the Earth” on X.

Democrats have attempted to portray themselves as the party of positivity and unity. 

Trump's MSG Rally Was SRO

At one point, Trump was live on every TV News Channel

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump headlined a rally at New York's Madison Square Garden on Sunday that began with a series of vulgar and racist remarks by allies of the former president.

USA Today reports Trump, a New York celebrity for decades, hoped to use the event at the iconic venue known for Knicks basketball games and Billy Joel concerts to deliver his closing argument against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, even though the state last backed a Republican presidential candidate in 1984.

Trump spoke repeatedly about his plans to halt illegal immigration and deport migrants he described as "vicious and bloodthirsty criminals" if he wins the Nov. 5 election.

"On day one I will launch the largest deportation program in American history," he said. "I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered."

Trump called Harris a "very low IQ individual" and drew cheers from supporters for his tough-on-migrants rhetoric.

He vowed to ban sanctuary cities, which refuse to cooperate with the federal government in enforcing immigration laws, and to invoke the 1798 Alien Enemies Act law to deport immigrants with criminal records.

A long list of opening speakers varied widely from former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to Trump’s sons Eric and Don Jr.

Some used racist and misogynistic language in warming up a capacity crowd, reports Reuters.

In a 90-minute speech that broadcast live on all three cable news networks, Trump previewed the prospect of Congress passing the Alien and Sedition Act of 1798 in order to conduct mass deportations of illegal immigrants, his proposal of one-year imprisonment for people who burn the U.S. flag, and repeated his criticism of Democrats as the “enemy from within.”

“When I say the enemy within the other side goes crazy,” he said. “They have done very bad things, they are indeed the enemy from within.”

The Washington Examiner reports Donald Trump was introduced by his wife, former first lady Melania Trump, a surprise special guest appearing on the campaign trail for the first time this election cycle except for the convention who contended “New York City and America needs their magic back.”

Trump’s pre-speech entertainment spanned Tucker Carlson, who downplayed Harris as a “Samoan Malaysian low I.Q. former California prosecutor” to a shirt-ripping Hulk Hogan. The opening speeches included expletives and the middle finger from 10X equity fund manager Grant Cardone, a joke that Puerto Rico is an “island of garbage” from comedian Kill Tony, advice on anti-bullying from Dr. Phil McGraw, and a live painting exhibition from Scott Lobaido.

Front Page Ignores Rally

During the early stages of the rally, the comedian Tony Hinchliffe, who goes by the stage name Kill Tony, mocked Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” and also said Latinos have too many children. While Trump's campaign later sought to distance itself from the joke, it had already garnered condemnation from allies like Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott and the chairman of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico.

"This joke bombed for a reason," said Scott, a first-term senator who is in his own heated 2024 re-election race. "It's not funny and it's not true."

Two hours away at Philadelphia Youth Basketball’s Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center, Harris released her plan for Puerto Rico, a pitch to Pennsylvania‘s small but ever-increasing Latino population, as her campaign seized on the political split screen between that and Kill Tony’s joke about the U.S. island.

The Examiner reports Harris’s rally was briefly interrupted by a pro-Palestinian protester, whom she addressed during her remarks before returning to her stump speech.

“Philadelphia, we have nine days to get this done. And for the next nine days, no one is sitting on the sidelines,” she said. “There is too much on the line.”

33-Year-Old Voiceover Artist Bringing In $200,000+

CNBC reports the 33-year-old Victoria Carroll started her career as an actor and, after performing in a play in the Czech Republic in 2015, an audience member asked if she’d audition to voice a character in a video game called “Kingdom Come: Deliverance.” Carroll agreed, got the gig, and realized voiceover work might be a good moneymaking avenue.

She’s since built a full-time freelance career as a voiceover artist, recording an array of different types of content and working with companies including “Google, Apple, Nike, National Geographic, Adidas, Pepsi, Coke,” she says. She finds most of her work through Fiverr, she says, where her gigs start at $30 for 50 words.

She brought in more than $251,000 doing voiceovers in 2023, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. For anyone else keen to make it in a similar career, here’s her advice.

Carroll recommends putting in long hours and keeping prices minimal at first.

She created her Fiverr profile in 2018 “and didn’t say no to any work at the start,” she says. “And I was working sometimes literally 18-hour days and working seven days a week.” It was hard, but she stands by that level of dedication to building her businesses and client base.

She also kept her prices low to attract customers — sometimes she even did work for free to build up her portfolio. She’s in touch with other successful Fiverr freelancers “and we all started the same way,” she says, “really low prices and really long hours.”

Carroll also advises making sure your customer service is top notch.

“You want to respond to client requests really quickly,” she says. “You want to deliver really good work.” She always makes sure she understands exactly what the customer wants, delivers high-quality voiceovers and fixes anything they’re unhappy with.

Generally speaking, Carroll will only do one free revision. After that, she’ll charge for changes. The policy has “saved me a lot of strife,” she says. Still, if a client is willing to pay, she’s happy to keep tweaking. She recently worked with someone who asked for six revisions altogether.

Delivering high quality work and agreeing to revisions ensures your clients feel good about the product. Plus, especially on a freelance marketplace like Fiverr, “it’s really important that you get good reviews,” she says, adding that that “lets the Fiverr algorithm know that you are a quality seller and helps promote you more.”

Finally, Carroll recommends investing in good tech.

“You have to have a pretty good quality mic” to create those recordings, she says. She started out with a snowball mic, which these days goes for about $50. She then upgraded to a Shure SM7, which can go for about $400.

You’ll also want a quiet place to record. “99.9% of the voiceover actors I know record in a closet,” she says. “It’s small, it’s quiet. Clothing is a really good buffer for sound.” Some people add extra sound paneling as well. Carroll, who lives in Los Angeles, records in her closet or a home studio.

R.I.P.: Jim Donovan, Radio Voice Of NFL Browns

Jim Donovan, the beloved voice of the Cleveland Browns and a longtime sports anchor at WKYC, died Saturday at the age of 68.

Donovan, who began calling games on the Browns Radio Network upon their return to the NFL in 1999, followed in the footsteps of legendary Browns play-by-play voices Gib Shanley, Nev Chandler and Casey Coleman.

The Boston native quickly became one of Cleveland's favorite adopted sons as the voice of the Browns on radio dials every Sunday for 25 years.

However, Donovan was diagnosed with leukemia in 2000 and underwent a bone marrow transplant in 2011. In 2023, Donovan announced he was taking a medical leave of absence as he continued his treatment for leukemia. He returned to the booth during Week 11 of the 2023-2024 season. That week, Donovan served as the Dawg Pound Captain, bringing remarkable energy to the stadium ahead of game day.

News5 reports this past August, Donovan announced his retirement from the Browns so he could focus on his battle with cancer. He also did his last broadcast for WKYC in June, where he had worked since 1985.

In honor of Donovan's legacy with the team, he was inducted into the 2024 class of Browns Legend in September, an honor reserved for players who made an unforgettable impact in orange and brown, and now, a man who didn't play but certainly left his impact on the organization.

Election 2024: Podcasts Become 'Go To' Source

This past Friday, former president Donald J. Trump appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience.”  Everyone was talking about it. Indeed, the X post announcing that Trump would do the show had been liked almost 300,000 times (and viewed more than 10 million times) in less than 24 hours.

Rogan is arguably America’s most important, widely followed and influential media figure, writes Rafael Mangual for the NY Post.

Not one of the country’s primetime cable news show hosts. Not the editor of The New York Times. Those types have been falling further down that list for years. Taking their places are the often-uninitiated hosts of America’s most popular podcasts.

After all, Ask yourself: Why else would Donald Trump have joined comedians Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh on their “Flagrant” podcast earlier this month?

Why did Kamala Harris bother appearing on Alex Cooper’s popular podcast, “Call Her Daddy”? Why on earth would J.D. Vance agree to spend an hour being grilled on The New York Times’ “The Interview,” or two hours chatting with comedian Theo Von on “This Past Weekend”?

Because these shows have large, deeply engaged audiences, giving guests a direct line to a segment of the public that’s grown sharply since the turn of the century.

These shows showcase (or even expose) the true views and personalities of their guests.

In 2002, just 12% of Americans over the age of 12 reported having consumed audio content online in the preceding month, according to Pew Research. By 2023, that number came in at 75%, with 42% of Americans reporting having consumed a podcast in the prior month. Meanwhile, barely one-third of Americans now report closely following the news.

Earlier this month, Rogan hosted centrist author Michael Shellenberger, who recently ran for California governor. The episode was viewed over 1.1 million times on YouTube alone — that is, not counting views or downloads via platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. That’s significantly more eyes and ears — on just one platform — than will take in the primetime programming of CNN on a given day.

Those old enough to remember when the national narrative was driven by the likes of Walter Cronkite, Barbara Walters and Peter Jennings — respectable, suit-and-tie capital-J journalists — might be wondering why the old order has been upended by often-uncredentialed talking heads with no real institutional backing and closets full of t-shirts.

The answer is simple: Longform podcasts are harder to fake or filibuster your way through. By contrast, the typical cable news segment is just a few minutes long.

Even the panel portions of shows devote scant time to complex topics, leading to shallow exchanges in which very little substance is delivered.

Jessica Tarlov: The Liberal Fox News Viewers Love to Hate

A day after Bret Baier’s contentious interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Fox News punditocracy on “The Five,” the network’s most popular show, was celebrating. “She’s ice-cold, she’s unlikable, and her arguments are incoherent,” sneered Jesse Watters. “The look and the tone of a D.M.V. clerk who wants to take her break,” scoffed Greg Gutfeld.

But, reports The NY Times, a dissenter was in their midst.

“What Kamala Harris needed to do was to show up, to look tough, to not get rattled,” said Jessica Tarlov, the show’s resident Democrat and one of Ms. Harris’s most outspoken defenders in the cantankerous realm of cable news. She added, “I think she handled herself really well.”

Her co-hosts, avid supporters of former President Donald J. Trump, rolled their eyes. Ms. Tarlov, 40, paid no heed. She told Fox viewers that Trump was “unstable,” “unfit” and devoid of sympathy. She debunked the network’s usual talking points about a migrant-fueled crime wave, pointing out the national decrease in homicides.

Despite her un-Fox upbringing, Tarlov has thrived by bursting viewers’ bubbles on a network where pro-Harris voices are scarce. Her exchanges on “The Five” have become a staple of the @KamalaHQ social media account, which the Harris campaign uses to amplify positive media moments for its candidate.

She has even managed to stay on cordial terms with the Trump loyalists who try — teasingly, they say — to disparage her views on television on a daily basis. Jeanine Pirro says Ms. Tarlov is “smart as hell.” She is on texting terms with Mr. Watters’s mother, a registered Democrat, whose advice for dealing with her son on the air is simple: “Kick him.”

“I’m there to represent, at least of the voting public, the majority of Americans,” Ms. Tarlov said over a recent breakfast. “We” — she meant Democrats in 2020 — “got 81 million votes. There are more of me than there are of them.” Her goal, she said, is to inject a Democratic perspective into the Fox bloodstream, while showing viewers that ideological foes can still get along.

Since Tarlov became a regular on “The Five” in 2022 — she now shares the liberal chair with Harold Ford Jr., a former House Democrat — the program has remained the undisputed top draw in all of cable news, watched by a bigger audience than even Fox’s prime-time stars.

MLB: Game One Grand Slam Delivers Massive TV Ratings

LA Daily News 10/27/24

An average of 15.2 million viewers tuned into Fox, Fox Deportes, Univision and streaming services to watch Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, the biggest audience for a Fall Classic game since 2019, reports Field Level Media.

Viewers got to see Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman launch a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning to send Los Angeles to a 6-3 victory and a 1-0 series lead. Only four World Series games -- out of 36 -- since 2018 have brought in a television audience of over 15 million.

IT'S GONE
IT'S GONE
IT'S GONE
IT'S GONE
FREDDIE FREEMAN #WALKOFF GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/LlVU1ZGyGx

— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2024

The Nationals and Astros played in what had previously been the most watched World Series game, with an average of 23 million people witnessing Washington secure a title with a 6-2 win over Houston in Game 7 of the 2019 Fall Classic.

For the meeting between the Dodgers and Yankees on Friday, the audience topped out at 17.8 million, according to Nielsen. That peak came during the 10th inning and lasted until Freeman's shot into the right field seats.

Game 1 of this year's World Series had an audience that was 62 percent larger than that of the one that watched the first game of the 2023 World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks. An average of 9.35 million viewers watched that contest, the least-viewed Game 1 ever recorded.

Saturday's 4-2 victory by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the New York Yankees averaged 13.44 million on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming. That is a 65% increase over last year’s Game 2, which at 8.15 million was the second least-viewed World Series game on record.

It was the most-viewed Game 2 since 2018, when the Dodgers-Red Sox matchup averaged 13.51 million.

 The series shifts to New York for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday, with Game 5 slated for Wednesday, if necessary.

Fed Judge to Florida: 'It's The First Amendment, Stupid'

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ top deputies directed a Florida health department lawyer to threaten Florida television stations with criminal prosecution for running political advertisements that support enshrining abortion rights in the state’s Constitution, according to new court records.

The Tampa Bay Times reports Florida Department of Health general counsel John Wilson said he was given prewritten letters from one of DeSantis’ lawyers on Oct. 3 and told to send them under his own name, he wrote in a sworn affidavit Monday.

Although he had never participated in any discussions about the letters, Wilson sent them anyway, he wrote, setting off a firestorm that led to a federal judge last week ordering the state not to threaten any more TV stations.

Wilson abruptly quit Oct. 10, writing in his resignation letter, “A man is nothing without his conscience.” The letter did not explicitly say he was resigning over the controversy. But in his affidavit, Wilson said he quit to avoid sending out more letters to TV stations. His affidavit states DeSantis’ general counsel, Ryan Newman, and deputy general counsel, Jed Doty, directed him to send letters in his name.

The court records are the most detailed account yet of how the governor’s office is pressuring top administration officials and state employees to carry out a taxpayer-funded campaign to defeat Amendment 4, a ballot measure that if approved on Nov. 5 would broaden access to abortion.

Wilson’s letters threatened to criminally prosecute television stations with second-degree misdemeanors if they did not take down a 30-second ad in support of the amendment.

The ad features Caroline Williams, who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer two years ago while pregnant with her second child. The woman says Florida’s six-week abortion ban would have prevented her from receiving a potentially life-saving abortion.

Wilson’s letters said the ad was “categorically false” and that it constituted an illegal “sanitary nuisance” under state law that could put women’s health and lives at risk if it continued to be broadcast. At least one station, WINK-TV in Fort Myers, stopped running the ad.

The letters are now the subject of a federal lawsuit filed by Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group leading the “Yes on 4″ campaign. The group sued Wilson in his personal capacity, along with Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, the head of the Department of Health.

The group claimed the state agency’s threats were a violation of the group’s First Amendment rights to political speech, and a federal judge last week agreed to impose a temporary restraining order on the state from sending additional letters. The order expires later this month when a more complete hearing will be held.

“To keep it simple for the State of Florida: it’s the First Amendment, stupid,” U.S. District Judge Mark Walker wrote.

1A: You Mess With My Sign, You Mess With Me

Hundreds of Harris-Walz signs were found in some woods in Pennsylvania's Montgomery County in mid-October.

The Philadephia Inquirer reports the dumping ground was just one instance of several reports of theft and vandalism of campaign signs in Philadelphia’s collar counties. Both Republican and Democratic organizers have reported upticks.

While people mess with signs every election cycle, this behavior amid a heated presidential race has an undercurrent of animosity. It’s sparking ire and distrust, and has even led to doxing and social media threats after they are being reported.

“It’s almost like sign warfare out here,” said Bob Mason, a Democratic committeeperson in Levittown. He filed a report after signs were stolen in Bristol Township, as did registered Republican Denise DePaul after a man slashed and dismantled a Trump-Vance sign on her front lawn.

In other swing states, some communities have moved away from signs altogether to avoid disputes. Displaying them on private property is protected by the First Amendment. Stealing them in Pennsylvania is considered misdemeanor theft.

Don’t mess with the Trump sign or you’ll get a face of whatever just got blasted on this guy🤣 Mashed potatoes? pic.twitter.com/9rJjKXxCDU

— John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) October 25, 2024

This X-Video  incident was reportedly staged, but highlights the issue. Jokesters messing with signs is common every election cycle, organizers said, but this year’s mischief has an undercurrent of animosity. Some residents of Montgomery and Bucks Counties have filed police reports about threats and repeat visits from trespassers over their Harris and Trump signs.

Diddy Allegations: Fed Judge Issues Gag Order

Sean “Diddy” Combs won a small victory in court Friday after a judge slapped down federal agents suspected of leaking information in his sex trafficking case.

Diddy’s lawyers had asked for a gag order on the feds after The Post detailed the embattled musician’s depraved alleged “Freak Offs” and quoted a federal law enforcement source involved in the probe who called the orgies “sick s–t.”     

Sean Combs

In response, Manhattan federal judge Arun Subramanian issued an order late Friday warning federal prosecutors and other law enforcement officials working on the case to follow existing laws barring them from releasing any grand jury information or other non-public information that could impact a fair trial. 

“Those remarks, if made by an agent involved in the investigation or prosecution of this case, are plainly improper,” Subramanian wrote.

“To be clear, this order isn’t based on a finding that there has been any wrongdoing thus far, as the court has made no findings at this juncture relating to [Diddy’s] allegations that information related to the case has been leaked,” Subramanian added. 

“The point of this order is to help ensure that nothing happens from now on that would interfere with a fair trial.”

“The Court will take appropriate action for any violation of the rules,” he added. 

Good Times, Bad Times AM Radio Continues To Serve

For more than a century, AM radio has amassed a rich and storied history. That history includes Beatlemania, fireside chats with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Super Bowl. Now, in a world of Instagram, podcasts and TikTok, AM radio is seeking a lifeline.

For more than a century, AM radio has amassed a rich and storied history, but in an increasingly digital world, the number of AM stations has dwindled. @MacFarlaneNews looks at the renewed effort to keep its spot in cars and communities across the country. pic.twitter.com/Ja5c0PPMKc

— CBS Saturday Morning (@cbssaturday) October 26, 2024

Radio History: Oct 28

➦In 1922...WEAF in New York broadcast the first collegiate football game heard over a widespread radio network.  Princeton played the University of Chicago at Stagg Field in the Windy City. The broadcast was carried on phone lines to New York City, where the network transmission began.

➦In 1940...comedian Henry Morgan‘s radio career took a turn for the better as he debuted ‘Here’s Morgan,’ a nightly 15-minute strip on Mutual's WOR NYC.  He began his radio career as a page at New York City station WMCA in 1932, after which he held a number of obscure radio jobs, including announcing.

He strenuously objected to the professional name "Morgan". What was wrong with his own name, Henry van Ost, Jr.? he asked. Too exotic, too unpronounceable, he was told. "What about the successful announcers Harry von Zell or Westbrook Van Voorhis?" he countered. But it was no use, and the bosses finally told Henry he could take the job or leave it.

Thus began a long history of Henry's having arguments with executives.

➦In 1945...CHUM launched as a dawn-to-dusk radio station.

On May 27, 1957, at 6 AM, owner Allan Waters switched the station to a "Top 50" format that had proven itself popular in some U.S. cities; Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" was the first song played. "1050 CHUM" pioneered rock and roll radio in Toronto, and was noteworthy for hosting many noteworthy rock concerts including, among others, visits to Maple Leaf Gardens by Elvis Presley (1957) and The Beatles (1964, '65, and '66). While the station was rising to the top of the popularity ratings in Toronto in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it also built a new transmitter in Mississauga, Ontario (a few miles west of the current Toronto city line) along the Lake Ontario shoreline, and raised its power to its current 50,000 watts (DA-2) around the clock.

In the late 1950s, CHUM was calling itself "Radio One", as its ratings continued to increase. An important part of CHUM's success was the station's unpredictable morning man Al Boliska, who joined CHUM in October 1957, after working at station CKLC in Kingston, Ontario. By 1959, Boliska had made a name for himself as a disc jockey who got listeners talking. He also made them laugh, and became known for telling what he called the "World's Worst Jokes". Boliska also did a number of stunts, such as taking part in a professional wrestling match with Whipper Billy Watson. When he lost, that led to another stunt, where Boliska stayed away from his show for several days, saying he was now too discouraged by the loss to do his show. A hypnotist was called in, and Boliska's self-esteem was restored. Boliska left CHUM in late 1963 to go 'across the street' to CKEY.

He was replaced by WKBW Buffalo radio & TV personality Jay Nelson, popularly known as "Jungle Jay" from his role as host of a children's show on Buffalo's Channel 7 which was also popular among Toronto youngsters. Nelson was Morning Host for more than 20-years on CHUM.

CHUM became well known for its zany contests. In the 1950s and '60's, it was contests such as 'The Walking Man', where listeners had to spot CHUM's mystery walking man using only clues given out on the air. The 1970s' "I Listen to CHUM" promotion had DJs dialing phone numbers at random and awarding $1,000 to anyone who answered the phone with that phrase. In 1976, there was the CHUM Starsign promotion. Listeners wore a button featuring their astrological sign. If CHUM's 'Starsign spotter' saw you wearing your Starsign, you won prizes such as money or concert tickets to major events.

➦In 1946....Sky King debuted on ABC radio.  The radio seriedswas based on a story by Roy Winsor, the brainchild of Robert Morris Burtt and Wilfred Gibbs Moore, who also created Captain Midnight. Several actors played the part of Sky, including Earl Nightingale and John Reed King.