Good Karma Rebrands Emphasizing 'Sports'

Good Karma Brands is rebranding as Good Karma Sports this week, reflecting its evolution into a full-fledged sports media and marketing company ahead of its 30th anniversary in 2027. 

Founder and CEO Craig Karmazin summed up the change simply: “We’re a sports company, so we should be Good Karma Sports.” He added that the decision was straightforward, noting there was no reason not to make the switch beyond the familiarity of the longtime “GKB” shorthand among employees and partners. 

The Milwaukee-based firm, which Karmazin launched in 1997 as Good Karma Broadcasting with a single small-market radio station, became Good Karma Brands around 2010. It has since expanded dramatically, growing to more than 500 employees (called “teammates” internally) across 11 markets. Headcount has multiplied fivefold and billing eightfold over the past eight years, Karmazin said, amid what he described as “the explosion of sports.” 

Today the company operates a national sports platform with ties to the NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, college sports, ESPN, TNT Sports and other properties. It serves as the exclusive sales and operations arm for the ESPN Radio Network and ESPN Podcasts, handles play-by-play partnerships for teams including the New York Knicks and Rangers, Los Angeles Lakers, Rams and Angels, Chicago Bears and White Sox, Milwaukee Bucks and Brewers, and others, and advises on sales, content, distribution and team networks. 

“For nearly 30 years, we’ve built our business around sports, expanding our capabilities and relationships while staying deeply connected to the local markets we serve,” Karmazin said. “The business we’ve built gives brands a unique and customizable point of entry into the sports ecosystem… That’s what Good Karma Sports represents, and there is tremendous opportunity ahead.” 

The rebrand underscores the company’s shift from its radio roots into a broader sports media and marketing enterprise while retaining its core focus on local markets and sports partnerships.

Philly Radio: Jennifer Lynn Stepping Away Fron WHYY's Morning Edition

Jennifer Lynn is stepping down as WHYY’s Morning Edition host after a quarter century at the station to pursue new opportunities—and, perhaps, sleep in later.

She will remain on air on WHYY-FM through the end of September. 

Ahead of her departure, she sat down with WHYY executive producer Kevin McCorry to reflect on her career. Lynn called the decision difficult but said she was ready for the next step.

Lynn became the station’s full-time Morning Edition host in 2014, anchoring the flagship morning-drive slot with a steady, trusted voice. She brought her passion for politics, sports and music to the airwaves, interviewing former President Jimmy Carter, speaking with legendary shortstop Larry Bowa during the Phillies’ 2023 playoff run, and inviting a local trumpet master to demonstrate the high notes of the Olympic theme during the postponed 2021 Summer Games.

Jennifer Lynn

Some of her most vivid memories involve the early weeks and months of the COVID-19 pandemic. While employers across the region scrambled to determine who could work remotely and who needed to remain on site, Lynn was among the essential workers providing a dose of rhythm and normalcy that listeners demanded. She also launched a series of profiles highlighting how people in the region were navigating the crisis when the disease’s spread and dangers were still unclear.

Lynn’s path to the role began earlier. As a teenager growing up in Delaware, she practiced for a broadcasting career by recording herself reading the News Journal. In college she fell in love with NPR, though she spent the first chapter of her career in commercial radio. By 2001 she had gotten her foot in the door at WHYY as a fill-in host and producer of specials.

R.I.P.: Matt Bair, WIBC Traffic Reporter

Matt Bair (1977-2026)

Matt Bair, the longtime traffic reporter on Indianapolis radio station 93.1 FM WIBC, has died at age 48.

The station confirmed his death Monday in a post on its website. Bair had been a radio personality at WIBC for the past eight years and was best known across central Indiana for helping listeners navigate the Indianapolis area through his traffic reports.

His family is asking for privacy at this time.

Andrea Kahrer, WIBC’s vice president and general manager, said Bair will be deeply missed by coworkers, friends, family, and the many listeners who came to know his voice.

“We are heartbroken by his loss and are holding his family, friends and everyone who loved him close in our thoughts,” Kahrer said. 

“Matt was so much more than a colleague. He was a treasured and trusted voice, a compassionate advocate, and a true friend to so many. He brought joy to everything he did and that impact he made on our team, with our audience and this community cannot be overstated. We will truly miss him.”

Radio History: Aug 25

➦In 1921...Radio-TV host Monty Hall was born in Winnipeg.  He began his career at local radio station CKRC while still in school, then moved to Toronto in 1946, where at CHUM he hosted the nationally syndicated quiz Who Am I.   Moving to New York he guest hosted several TV game shows, hosted the Saturday night portion of NBC Radio’s Monitor, and was hockey radio analyst for the N.Y. Rangers. Then off to L.A. where he co-created & hosted the flamboyant TV game with which he will forever be identified, the original Let’s Make a Deal (1963-91.)   He suffered heart failure and died Sept. 30 2017 at age 96.

➦In 1949…NBC Radio debuted the sitcom "Father Knows Best."  The series was set in the Midwest, it starred Robert Young as the General Insurance agent Jim Anderson. His wife Margaret was first portrayed by June Whitley and later by Jean Vander Pyl. The Anderson children were Betty (Rhoda Williams), Bud (Ted Donaldson), and Kathy (Norma Jean Nilsson). Others in the cast were Eleanor Audley, Herb Vigran, and Sam Edwards. Sponsored through most of its run by General Foods, the series was heard Thursday evenings on NBC until March 25, 1954.

The Father Knows Best TV series premiered on October 3, 1954 and starred Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin.

Dick Clark

➦In 1962...The radio bug bit Dick Clark again - as he announced plans to syndicate a radio series for Top-40 stations.

The two-hour program would be broadcast five days a week and would be produced and distributed by Dick Clark Radio Productions and Mars Broadcasting Inc.

Dick Clark says the show will feature artist interviews and records and will be taped at Mars Broadcasting in Stamford, Conn. Clark was a Disc Jockey at WFIL 560 AM in Philadelphia when he landed the job as host  of TV's “American Bandstand.

Fred Wolf

➦In 1962...Detroit radio personality Fred Wolf celebrated 12 years as the morning man on WXYZ 1270 AM.

He started with the station in 1950 and stayed until 1965 when he left the after refusing to play some rock and roll records.

➦In 1962...Paul Sherman, 1010 WINS, New York replaced Bob (Bob-A-Loo) Lewis on its Saturday and Sunday “Freedomland” remote broadcasts. He would soon join rival 77WABC.

➦In 1966...WNBC 660 AM New York canceled the syndicated “Joe Pyne Show” after debuting last March. WNBC gives no reason for the cancellation. Discharged from the Marines at the end of World War II, Pyne attended a local drama school to correct a speech impediment. While studying there, he decided to try radio. He worked briefly in Lumberton, North Carolina, before he was hired at a new station, WPWA, in Brookhaven, PA.

Trump Asks Judge to Block BBC Access To Family

President Donald Trump has asked a federal judge to reject the BBC’s bid for court help in obtaining testimony and documents from three family members as part of his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster.

Trump’s personal lawyers argued in a Friday court filing that the BBC is pursuing “politically-driven leverage” by seeking to subpoena daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner and son Donald Trump Jr. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Kuntz in Miami, who was nominated by Trump and inherited the case less than a week ago, has not yet ruled. 

Jon Gruden Returns To The Broadcast Booth

Jon Gruden returned to the broadcast booth for the first time since 2018 during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 16-15 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night, pairing with Ronde Barber in a nontraditional setup that featured dual analysis rather than conventional play-by-play.

The Athletic reports Gruden, filling in on WFLA-TV because regular play-by-play announcer Chris Myers was assigned to Fox’s IndyCar Freedom 250, worked as the color analyst while Barber handled most of the down-and-distance calls, action setup and break transitions. The result was a somewhat disjointed broadcast that leaned heavily into commentary, resembling the “ManningCast,” with Gruden’s offensive expertise complementing Barber’s defensive insights.

R.I.P.: Shelley Fabares, TV Actress Scored Hit With 'Johnny Angel'

(1944-2026)

Shelley Fabares, the actress known as the wholesome daughter Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show, Elvis Presley’s co-star in three films, and Craig T. Nelson’s independent wife on Coach, has died at age 82.

She died Saturday in Los Angeles, her family announced. Survivors include her husband, MASH* actor Mike Farrell, whom she married in 1984.

FNC's Jesse Watters Lands Democrat Progressive for Primetime

Progressive Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed will appear Monday night on Jesse Watters Primetime on Fox News Channel.

El-Sayed, a Democrat seeking the open U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, is scheduled to discuss his campaign and policy positions during the primetime program. The appearance marks a rare crossover for the progressive physician-turned-politician onto a network often critical of left-leaning candidates. El-Sayed, a former Detroit Health Department director and 2018 gubernatorial candidate, has positioned himself as a progressive alternative in the 2026 Senate race. 

Talk Host Scott Jennings May Be ThisClose To TWH Job

Scott Jennings

Salem Media Talk Host/CNN Pundit Scott Jennings has emerged as an early favorite for the next White House press secretary, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN, though all stressed the process remains far from complete.

Chief of staff Susie Wiles recently met with Jennings, a CNN contributor, at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Washington, D.C., at the White House’s request, two sources said. 

CNN reports multiple staffers believe he has her backing. “He’s competent and good on TV,” one senior White House official said of the longtime GOP strategist, a former adviser to Sen. Mitch McConnell who also served in the George W. Bush administration. Jennings is one of several candidates under consideration. 

Pat Paxton To Exit as SrVP At Saga Communications

Saga Communications Senior VP of Content Pat Paxton is expected to leave the company at the end of August, with Ocala, FL OM Scott Chase and Clarksville, TN OM Ryan Ploeckelman taking over as co-chairs of the programming department under the new titles of Group Program Director.

Paxton remains with Saga through Friday, August 28, to assist with the transition. 

CEO Chris Forgy announced the departure internally on Friday. Paxton then emailed employees that he had been considering stepping away for several months. “I’ve had a long successful career in this business and I’ve loved every second of it,” Paxton wrote. “But I’m not as young as I used to be. I’ve been considering this for a few months and given the challenges Chris mentioned in his email, stepping away now makes perfect sense.” 

Arbitrator Orders WaPo To Rehire Columnist Karen Attiah

The Washington Post must rehire opinion columnist Karen Attiah and pay her back wages after an arbitrator ruled the newspaper lacked good cause to fire her over a social media post about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Private arbitrator Sarah Miller Espinosa determined in a written decision Thursday that the Post “did not have good and sufficient cause” to terminate Attiah and “violated” its labor agreement, according to the New York Times. 

Karen Attiah

The ruling also requires the newspaper to compensate her for lost pay.

Attiah, who was dismissed in September, said in a statement that she experienced a “wrongful termination” and hopes the decision “sends a message to journalists and media institutions everywhere that freedom of expression is always worth fighting for.” She added that she is “willing to go back” to work at the Post.

In a Bluesky post responding to public grief over Kirk’s killing, Attiah wrote that “Refusing to tear my clothes and smear ashes on my face in performative mourning for a white man that espoused violence is … not the same as violence.”

The Post’s termination letter said Attiah had harmed “the integrity” of the newspaper and violated company policies requiring employees to use social media with civility.

Good Morning! It's A New Week, Here's The Pulse for Aug 24

 

Radio Broadcasting

Jennings ThisClose: Salem Media Talk Host/CNN Pundit Scott Jennings has emerged as an early favorite for the next White House press secretary, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN, though all stressed the process remains far from complete.

Paxton Exits Saga: Saga Communications Senior VP of Content Pat Paxton is expected to leave the company at the end of August, with Ocala, FL OM Scott Chase and Clarksville, TN OM Ryan Ploeckelman taking over as co-chairs of the programming department under the new titles of Group Program Director.

Mets To Honor Rose: The New York Mets will honor longtime radio broadcaster Howie Rose with a special pregame retirement ceremony on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at Citi Field. The tribute will take place before the Mets’ final regular-season home game against the Philadelphia Phillies. 

CA Cancels Merger Talks With PSKY

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Sunday canceled a Monday meeting with Paramount representatives to discuss settling the state’s lawsuit seeking to block the company’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, accusing Paramount of acting in bad faith.

Bonta said Paramount leaked and misrepresented details of a Friday meeting between the parties. “Not only did Paramount leak the alleged substance of settlement discussions, but they misrepresented these discussions, demonstrating a lack of good faith,” he said in a statement to The NYTimes. 

“As soon as Paramount stops playing games and engages sincerely, my office is happy to meet again.”

A Paramount spokeswoman had no immediate comment Monday morning.

The canceled session was intended only as a preliminary discussion, with no guarantee of progress toward a settlement. Still, the prospect of talks had been viewed as a potential breakthrough after Paramount threatened to leave California and Gov. Gavin Newsom indicated a preference for resolving the case.

Paramount’s proposed purchase would combine two major movie studios, multiple streaming services, and the news outlets CNN and CBS News into a single media giant headquartered in Hollywood and employing large numbers of people in Los Angeles. Last month, California led a coalition of 12 state attorneys general in filing suit to block the deal, arguing it would give the combined company excessive market power in cable television and movie studios.

Bonta has said he would accept only structural remedies, such as requiring the sale of parts of the combined business—steps executives are often reluctant to take because of the financial assumptions already built into merger plans.

High Stakes Surround The Disney-FCC Lawsuit

Last week, Disney sued the FCC to block early license reviews for eight ABC-owned television stations, alleging that it is pretense for punishing the company for airing views that President Trump didn't agree with. The FCC has called the review part of its existing investigation into how its diversity, equity and inclusion practices violate federal law.

ABC's lawsuit marks the first time a major broadcaster has taken the Trump-era FCC to court over alleged retaliation for its editorial decisions, marking a notable shift from other media organizations. For Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, it represents a stark reversal of the company’s more accommodating approach under former CEO Bob Iger, who sought to ease tensions with President Donald Trump.

St. Louis TV: Network Affiliation Move Catches Eye of FCC

FCC Chair Brendan Carr is scrutinizing ABC’s planned switch of its St. Louis affiliate next month, from longtime Sinclair-owned KDNL to Gray Media-operated KMOV, as part of a broader probe into the power balance between major networks and local stations.

Carr has inquired about the change, according to people familiar with the matter. KDNL has carried ABC for more than 30 years. KMOV, already a CBS affiliate, plans to air ABC programming on a smaller digital subchannel with less reach, which could shrink the network’s audience in the market.

The move fits Carr’s more aggressive approach toward big broadcast networks in the second Trump administration compared with prior FCC chairs. It follows similar scrutiny of other affiliation shifts, including one involving Nexstar and Paramount’s CBS. Last year the FCC sought information on whether major networks had gained excessive leverage over local stations and whether affiliation deals were eroding stations’ control over programming and operations.

Where Things Stand: Press Independence

On Friday. The Pentagon fired the publisher (Max D. Lederer Jr.), editor-in-chief (Erik Slavin), and a Middle East reporter (Lara Korte) of Stars and Stripes, the long-running, government-funded military newspaper with a tradition of editorial independence. 

The firings, for alleged insubordination, followed a CBS interview in which Slavin and Korte emphasized that censorship of news for service members would cross a red line and affirmed that they work for the paper rather than the Pentagon or any administration. 

Lederer had recently announced his retirement, citing fundamental differences with Pentagon leadership over the paper’s direction. 

The moves, occurring under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid prior actions (such as dismissing the ombudsman), drew widespread criticism from journalism groups and raised concerns about threats to press freedom and the outlet’s independence while covering military issues, including hardships related to ongoing conflicts.

MLB Mets To Honor Broadcaster Howie Rose

Howie Rose

The New York Mets will honor longtime radio broadcaster Howie Rose with a special pregame retirement ceremony on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at Citi Field. The tribute will take place before the Mets’ final regular-season home game against the Philadelphia Phillies, scheduled for a 1:10 p.m. ET start. 

Rose, 72, announced earlier this year that the 2026 season would be his last as a full-time Mets radio play-by-play announcer, marking the end of nearly four decades with the franchise. 

NYC Radio: Michael Kay Thinks Mike Francesa Should Be On WFAN

New York Yankees TV Host Michael Kay is back hosting a solo weekday show on ESPN 880 AM from 1-3 p.m., and he remains shocked that neither WFAN nor ESPN New York has brought Mike Francesa back in any capacity.

Kay, whose Yankees broadcast team ranked fourth-best among local MLB radio crews in Awful Announcing’s 2026 rankings, shared the comments with Brandon Contes on The Awful Announcing Podcast. 

Michael Kay

He described mixed feelings about the years the two went head-to-head.“I have nothing against Mike Francesa,” Kay said. “We certainly are different people, and whatever the case may be. I’ve always said the best way I could describe it, if I got to the top of the mountain, I’d be really, really happy I was at the top of the mountain. Mike got to the top of the mountain and decided the best thing to do is to pee down on the people below him. And that’s just not the way I am. But you know what? It worked out great for Mike. Mike’s a legend. And when the history of sports talk radio is written, He’s going to be in the first page. That’s how great he was.”

Kay added that he is still surprised Francesa does not have a daily radio show despite his BetRivers work. “I think his voice is still needed. I think his voice is still valued. And if he wanted to, if either of the radio stations were smart, they’d bring him in for almost like what I do, a two-hour show. And I bet you would get a tremendous amount of traction because he’s a provocateur when it comes to radio. He knows what buttons to push. He’s really, really good.”