NYC Iconic News Anchor Chuck Scarborough To Semi-Retire

Chuck Scarborough announced his retirement as WNBC/4 anchor during the station's 6 p.m. broadcast Thursday, wrapping a historic run at Ch. 4 that reached the half-century mark this past March.

"I'd like to break some personal news -- the time has come to pass the torch after 50 years, eight months and seven days," Scarborough said at the end of the newscast, adding " I will step away from this anchor desk" on Dec. 12.

According to Newsday, no one individual — anchor or reporter — has appeared on any New York TV news broadcast longer than Scarborough, who turned 81 Nov. 4. And no single individual on TV has come to represent such a vast stretch of New York City's tumultuous history over these past 50 years.

Scarborough has anchored Ch. 4's coverage of 9/11, the COVID pandemic, AIDS, Superstorm Sandy, five major plane crashes, three blackouts, a couple of Wall Street crashes and seven mayors, beginning with Abe Beame. There was Son of Sam, a city's near-bankruptcy, John Gotti and Donald Trump.

There are believed to be only two anchors in the United States who have done this job longer — Dave Ward, of Houston's KTRK/13 (who retired in 2017 after 51 years) and Don Alhart, of Rochester's WHAM/13, who hit the 50-year mark in 2016 and retired this past June.

But Houston and Rochester are not New York City — far and away the most competitive TV news market in the nation. On the major stations, WABC/7's Bill Beutel came closest to Scarborough's record. He retired in 2003 after 37 years on the air (Beutel died in 2006). Rafael Pineda, of Univision flagship WXTV/41, came closer, at 41 years, until his retirement in 2013. Among active anchors, only WPIX/11's weekend anchor Kaity Tong — 43 years on the air in New York — is closest.

To look at this historic run from a different perspective, Scarborough — who joined Ch. 4 from Boston's WNAC/7 (now WHDH) on March 25, 1974 — started at Ch. 4 two years after Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" moved from 30 Rock to Burbank, and a year before "Saturday Night Live" launched. When he arrived at Ch. 4 to anchor a new 5 p.m. newscast, Scarborough's program originated out of the studio Carson had recently vacated.

Seattle Radio: Dave Ross, Colleen O’Brien Retiring From KIRO

Dave Ross, one of Seattle’s most influential and trusted broadcasters, and Colleen O’Brien, a broadcasting legend who’s hosted “Seattle’s Morning News” for 10 years alongside Ross, are both retiring from radio, leaving behind a legacy that has profoundly impacted the Seattle community.

Ross first joined KIRO Newsradio in 1978 as a news anchor, quickly becoming a trusted voice for listeners across the Pacific Northwest. Known for his thoughtful commentaries and balanced perspective, he began hosting “The Dave Ross Show” in 1987, where his engaging storytelling and sense of humor made complex topics accessible and relatable. In 2013, Dave began anchoring “Seattle’s Morning News,” kicking off Seattleites’ day with news analysis that boasted both clarity and insight.

“Dave Ross is more than just a broadcaster; he’s the heart and soul of KIRO Newsradio,” Cathy Cangiano, market manager for Bonneville Seattle, said. “His ability to present a balanced perspective and his distinctive voice has made him an irreplaceable part of our team. Dave prefers not to make a big fuss, but we can’t let this moment pass without honoring his incredible service to our station and our community.”

https://t.co/OJum9n1Pkb

— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) November 22, 2024

Ross joined KIRO Newsradio in 1978 as a news reporter and anchor, quickly becoming a central figure in Seattle media. Over the years, his commentary and balanced approach to the news have fostered trust among listeners across the Pacific Northwest. In 1987, he launched "The Dave Ross Show," bringing clarity and humor to complex topics. Since 2013, he has anchored "Seattle's Morning News."

MSNBC Chops $5M From Rachel Maddow's Contract

MSNBC slashed star anchor Rachel Maddow’s annual salary by $5 million as the left-leaning network continues to reel from parent company Comcast’s decision to spin off its struggling cable properties, according to The NY Post report.

Maddow — who rakes in $30 million a year for hosting “The Rachel Maddow Show” just one day a week on Mondays — renegotiated for a $25 million salary for the next five years, The Ankler reported on Thursday.

“This is a difficult time and they needed to keep her,” one executive told the news site. “No one else can do what she does. You can’t build a brand like it overnight.”

A source with knowledge disputed that Maddow’s haircut was for $5 million, but would not say how much less she will be earning.

The pay reduction comes as panic engulfed MSNBC’s 30 Rock headquarters in Midtown, as The Post reported, over Comcast’s plan to spin off off its cable channels by the end of 2025.

Splitting off MSNBC from NBC News could force the cable channel to change its name, logo and headquarters, and may lead to layoffs.

Fox News Digital Over Takes CNN Multiplatform Visitors

FOX News Digital finished October delivering year-over-year growth, overtaking CNN with total digital multiplatform unique visitors for the third time this year, according to Comscore.

While continuing to lead all news brands with multiplatform views and minutes, FOX News Digital secured 3.9 billion total multiplatform minutes (up 13% over October 2023), 2 billion total multiplatform views (up 9% over last year) and 115.8 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors (up 6% over October 2023).* 

Comparatively, CNN saw double digit declines across the board and lagged behind FOX News Digital in all three of these key categories, despite the historic run up to the presidential election. Additional highlights include:The FOX News Mobile App reached 6.5 million unique visitors in October.**

FOX News was once again the most engaged brand on social media in the competitive set in October, with 47 million total social interactions, more than doubling its interactions from the year prior, according to Emplifi. FOX News drove 17.1 million interactions on Facebook, 27.1 million Instagram interactions and 3.7 million X interactions. FOX Business drove 1.3 million social media interactions during October surpassing CNBC. On YouTube, FOX News secured 283.2 million video views, seeing an 11% year-over-year increase according to Shareablee.****

FOXBusiness.com drove 160 million multiplatform views in October, surpassing CNN Business for the 31st straight month and Bloomberg.com for the 42nd consecutive month. Additionally, the business site delivered 217 million multiplatform minutes and 23.3 million multiplatform unique visitors.*** 

FOX Business’ videos on YouTube remained the most viewed among the business news competitive set for the 34th straight month, achieving 59 million views in October.*****


OCTOBER 2024 FOX NEWS DIGITAL VS. CNN.COM AND NYTIMES.COM

Multi-Platform Total Views

• FOX News Digital – 2,012,000,000 (up 9% vs. October 2023)
• CNN.com – 1,192,000,000 (down 14% vs. October 2023)
• NYTimes.com – 1,595,000,000 (up 10% vs. October 2023)

Multi-Platform Total Minutes

• FOX News Digital – 3,885,000,000 (up 13% vs. October 2023)
• CNN.com – 1,868,000,000 (down 16% vs. October 2023)
• NYTimes.com – 1,578,000,000 (up 2% vs. October 2023)

Total Digital Multi-Platform Unique Visitors

• FOX News Digital - 115,809,000 (up 26% vs. October 2023)
• CNN.com – 115,500,000 (down 11% vs. October 2023)
• NYTimes.com – 79.605,000 (up 6% vs. October 2023)

Twin Cities Radio: Cumulus Promotes Marv Nyren to Regional VP

Cumulus Media announces that it has promoted Marv Nyren to Regional Vice President of Cumulus Media in Chicago, IL, and Minneapolis, MN. Nyren currently serves as Vice President/Market Manager for Cumulus Chicago and adds oversight responsibilities for Cumulus Minneapolis to his purview.

Nyren joined Cumulus Media in 2017 as Vice President/Market Manager of Cumulus Chicago. Prior to that, he was Vice President, Corporate Sponsorships for Chicago Public Media’s WBEZ-FM. Nyren also held roles as President/Regional Vice President for iHeartMedia’s 13 radio stations in Jacksonville, FL, and Brunswick, GA, and was Regional Vice President/Market Manager for Emmis Media for 12 years, managing the company’s stations in Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Indianapolis.

Marv Nyren

Dave Milner, President, Operations, Cumulus Media, said: “Marv brings a wealth of experience across multiple U.S. markets to this expanded role. Known for his highly effective and impactful leadership in Chicago, Marv will be a tremendous asset to our talented teams and strong brands in the Twin Cities.”

Marv Nyren commented: “I’m deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead the Cumulus Chicago team, and now, expanding to the Minneapolis market is truly a dream come true. Being part of both teams is a privilege, and I’m excited to contribute and make a positive impact in both markets.”

Cumulus Media owns and operates three radio stations in Chicago, including Q101/WKQX-FM (Alternative); 890 WLS AM (News/Talk); and 94.7 WLS FM (Classic Hits).

Cumulus Media owns and operates three radio stations in Minneapolis, including: 92 KQRS/KQRS-FM (Classic Rock); 93X/KXXR-FM (Rock); and Love 105 FM/WGVX-FM/WWWM-FM/WLUP-FM (Adult Contemporary).

Birmingham Radio: Layoffs Persist At Summit Media

Longtime Birmingham radio personalities have left the air as Summit Media replaces hosts with syndication.

On Oct. 29, Kim Moore, also known as The Night Bird, quit her decades-long, highly-rated night show on 98.7 Kiss FM. She worked at the station for more than 25 years.

AL.com reports Moore is one of multiple people who have left various stations so far this year. In June, Darryl Johnson of 98.7 Kiss FM and Young Dil of 95.7 Jamz were laid off. In October, Leo Taylor and Pisani Baldwin of 610 WAGG also were laid off. Baldwin made the announcement on Facebook.

“And just like that the station that has been a staple for our community is no longer as you’ve known it to be,” Baldwin said.

Summit Media owns radio stations around the country and is headquartered in Birmingham.

Kiss, JAMZ and WAGG are three urban stations that drove the highest radio ratings in Birmingham, according to Nielsen Ratings.

As of Nov. 20, the hosts have either been replaced by a syndicated personality that’s based in other markets or music has filled the time slot where they were previously on air.

Johnson, Dil, Taylor, Baldwin and Moore had all worked for the company since its inception in 2012. Prior to that, all of the stations were owned by Cox Media where the same talent previously worked.

Fox and Hulu Content Streaming Partnership

Fox Entertainment announced on Thursday a multi-year content deal whereby the Walt Disney will retain the streaming rights for Fox's extensive programming slate.

Reuters reports the agreement includes an expansion of their platform marketing arrangement, reportedly valued at over $1.5 billion across four years, according to Deadline.

The new deal builds upon both firms' partnership spanning more than two years, a period that saw a surge in consumer interest in streaming platforms, prompting traditional television companies to look for partners to house their shows and movies.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Fox's prime-time entertainment programming — including "The Masked Singer", "The Simpsons", and "Family Guy" — will continue to stream on Hulu a day after the telecast.

"Our collective marketing efforts, which will continue with this new deal, have generated impressive results and helped viewers successfully find the shows they want to watch, when they want to watch them," said Lauren Tempest, general manager at Hulu.

Disney's efforts to raise prices and crack down on password sharing helped the House of Mickey report a second straight quarterly profit for its streaming business.

Fox is also enjoying strong growth with its own streaming business Tubi, an ad-based platform which the company expects to cross the $1 billion revenue mark in this fiscal year.

The deal also includes a renewal of an agreement that allows Hulu to stream out-of-season episodes of a number of Fox's unscripted programs.

Tech-stock concentration a 'big concern,' says market expert

DirecTV, Dish Merger Plans End

DirecTV has decided to walk away from its proposed merger with rival Dish Network, abandoning a tie-up that the two satellite-TV companies have attempted several times. 

The Wall Street Journal reports DirecTV said that it informed Dish owner EchoStar it plans to scrap the deal at 11:59 p.m. ET Friday. The decision came after a rebuke from bondholders representing about $10.7 billion of debt in Dish and its DBS subsidiary. The broader tie-up depended on the creditors’ approval.

In September, DirecTV agreed to buy Dish from EchoStar for a nominal $1, plus the assumption of debt. The deal started to break apart last week after the companies failed to secure concessions from the key creditor group.

The merger’s failure poses another setback for the satellite companies and their respective owners, EchoStar and TPG. Executives had banked on saving both satellite operators’ flagging fortunes by pooling their resources to negotiate better rates for the TV programming they carry.

Private-equity firm TPG is still set to buy the remainder of DirecTV it doesn’t already own from AT&T but now faces the prospect of managing a debt-laden business without the benefit of future cost savings to lift its trajectory. TPG bought a 30% stake in DirecTV in 2021.

EchoStar Chairman Charlie Ergen had planned to shed Dish and its SlingTV service to focus on building a new wireless network operator. The company has said it plans to move forward with those plans regardless of the satellite merger’s outcome.

FCC Adopts Final Rules For FM Boosters To Originate Content

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted new rules allowing FM boosters to create programming for up to three minutes per hour. This will enable the use of the ZoneCasting geotargeting system, which had previously been allowed on a temporary basis.

The final rules were approved unanimously by the commissioners. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel highlighted that this change provides FM broadcasters with opportunities to deliver hyper-local content to different parts of their service areas.

This will potentially lead to more diverse content and new advertising opportunities for small businesses, helping them grow their audiences.

Here are takeaways from the final adoption:

• Stations using FM boosters to originate content must file a quarterly public service certification.
• Broadcasters must notify the commission at least 15 days in advance before using boosters.
• Procedures are in place to predict and address potential interference before construction, with a cap of 25 boosters per station.
• State Emergency Communications Committees must update their state EAS plans to reflect the use of program-originating boosters.
• Broadcasters using ZoneCasting must adhere to political advertising rules.
• The FCC's new rules primarily regulate the use of the ZoneCasting system from GeoBroadcast Solutions.
• Several broadcasters have applied for booster construction permits, but only one has applied for experimental authority for program origination.
• The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) opposes geotargeting, fearing it will harm small broadcasters and cause signal disruption.

The Commission’s decision to allow geo-targeting is a significant change for FM boosters, which in the past were designed to help a station improve its coverage where reception was poor, such as when a mountain blocked off a portion of a market from a signal.

“This can help broadcasters further serve their local communities. It is going to benefit a lot of small businesses along the way,” said Commissioner Brendan Carr, who championed the proposal with Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. “It has taken a lot of work to get here,” Carr noted.

The change is expected to enhance the ability of broadcasters to connect with listeners through more localized and relevant content, addressing specific needs of their communities while also opening doors for small businesses to reach a more targeted audience.

Twin Cities Radio: WCCO Raises $348K+ for Hunger Mission

Audacy Minneapolis’ 830 WCCO raised over $348,000 to provide meals and care for those in need for Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities during the 22nd annual “Hunger Mission Radiothon.” This brings the total amount raised to $4.6 million since the radiothon’s inception in 2003. Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities helps people rebuild their lives and aims to break the cycle of poverty. 

“We are deeply grateful to our fans who always show such tremendous generosity,” said Brad Lane, Brand Manager of WCCO. “This outpouring of support will continue helping UGMTC do the tremendous and necessary work they are engaged in every day here in the Twin Cities. It also demonstrates the power and relevance of this legacy station in the community!”

“Our partnership with WCCO for the Hunger Mission Radiothon 2024 reflects the heart of our mission at Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities – coming together as a community to extend hope and transform lives,” says Pam Stegora Axberg, Chief Executive Officer, Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. “We are deeply grateful for WCCO’s unwavering support in amplifying the stories of resilience and redemption that inspire us all to make a difference and bring the community together to give.”

830 WCCO’s 22nd annual “Hunger Mission Radiothon” was broadcast live on November 19 from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. inside the Mall of America Huntington Bank Rotunda. You can hear all of the interviews and support UGMTC with additional donations at wccoradio.com.

830 WCCO’s “Hunger Mission Radiothon” is part of Audacy’s commitment to making a meaningful difference at scale. Audacy uses its reach and personal connection with listeners to advance causes that promote strong mental health and build sound communities.

Mobile Radio: WABD Camp Out for Hunger Collects 3K+ Pounds

Cami Marlowe, WABD Promotions Director, and Mojo Wilson

Cumulus Media’s 97.5 WABD, the Gulf Coast’s Hit Music Station, and Mojo, On-Air Host, Middays, joined forces with Feeding the Gulf Coast and generous sponsors including Mobile Mitsubishi, Walmart, and Mobile Country Public Schools to present the station’s annual Camp Out for Hunger Food Drive. 

The popular charitable event kicked off on Friday, November 8th and continued through Monday, November 18th in Mobile, AL. Station personalities, staff, and sponsors were on hand throughout the event to collect donations of non-perishable food items for Gulf Coast families facing food insecurity.

Throughout the ten-day event, Mojo camped out on a school bus parked in the Walmart parking lot until the station collected enough food items to fill the entire bus. By Noon on Monday, the Mobile community had donated more than 3,000 pounds of food for area families in need this holiday season.

Don Boyd, Regional Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Mobile and Pensacola, said: “I couldn’t be prouder of Mojo and the entire Cumulus Mobile team for stepping up to meet such an important need in our community. Leveraging the power of our five market-leading radio stations and digital platforms, the team demonstrated the incredible impact we can have when we work together. A special shout-out to Mojo, whose dedication and commitment—camping out on a bus for 10 days—serve as an inspiring example for us all."

Vincent “Mojo” Wilson, On-Air Host, Middays, 97.5 WABD and Regional Operations Manager, Cumulus Mobile and Pensacola, FL, said: “I have had no sleep and heard every car alarm and parking lot sound that you can imagine, but it was all worth it. I am so grateful to the Gulf Coast community for showing up and giving back to Feeding the Gulf Coast. Special thanks to my co-host and friend Cami for keeping me sane and my onesies clean. My dream of making sure families don't go hungry started to take shape in the last few days of Camp Out for Hunger. I am going to catch a few days' rest before we order up our next school bus for December. Yes! We are stuffing another school bus! Details coming soon!”

Radio History: Nov 22

➦In 1899…Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America registered in New Jersey

➦In 1904...Actor Roland Winters was born in Boston.  He was the longtime radio announcer for John J Anthony’s Goodwill Hour.  In TV he had recurring roles on the series Mama, Door With No Name & Green Acres, as well as dozens of guest spots. He died Oct. 22 1989 after a stroke, at age 84.

➦In 1906...Actor & announcer Howard Petrie was born in Beverly Mass. He had many bigtime radio announcing assignments with Garry Moore, Jimmy Durante & Judy Canova, frequently taking part in the skits himself. In TV he had recurring acting assignments on Bat Masterson & The Edge of Night, plus scores of guest roles.  Howard died March 24 1968 at just 61.

➦In 1934...“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” was aired on radio for the first time, on NBC’s Eddie Cantor Show.

➦In 1955...RCA paid the unheard of sum of $25,000 to Sam Phillips of Memphis for the rights to the music of a truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi: Elvis Presley. Thanks to negotiations with Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, RCA tossed in a $5,000 bonus as well — for a pink Cadillac for Elvis’ mother.

➦In 1963…Most U-S radio stations suspended regular programming following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas.  The Number One song that week was 'Sugar Shack' by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs.

More than three hours of KLIF 1190 AM audio from November 22, 1963, the day of President Kennedy's assassination.

Coverage begins at 11:30 AM (Dallas time) on 11/22/63, with Joe Long of Dallas radio station KLIF reporting live from Love Field Airport as President Kennedy arrives in "Big D".

Today 1190 AM is the home of Talk KFXR.

Kennedy coverage as heard on WBAP 820 AM Fort Worth:

And From The Big One, WLW 700 AM Cincinnati (then an NBC Affiliate):

Here is the initial bulletin heard on the NBC Radio Network about the shooting of President Kennedy in Dallas. Robert MacNeil reports live from a telephone located inside the Texas School Book Depository Building, which is where the gunshots came from.

This is the line feed from the ABC Radio Network News in the initial moments of the coverage of the JFK Assassination. Included is the ABC Log Book notes on what they were airing. Someone in ABC Master Control had to log literally everything that was broadcast each day. Also included UPI and AP wire copy which you can see the network anchors are relying on for information.

➦1963…The Parlophone label released the Beatles' second album in the U-K, "With the Beatles," and the single, "Roll Over Beethoven." Capitol Records in Canada issued the album as "Beatlemania! With the Beatles," which has the distinction of being the first Beatles album ever released in North America. Most of the songs from the album were not released in the United States until January 20, 1964 when Capitol Records issued "Meet the Beatles!"

➦In 1980...actress Mae West  died at her Hollywood home at age 87 following a stroke.

CMA Music Awards: Broadcasters Honored

The 58th Annual CMA Awards took place on Wednesday night from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Luke Bryan and former NFL star Peyton Manning returned to host the ceremony, with last year’s entertainer of the year award winner – country music superstar Lainey Wilson – joining as cohost.

Morgan Wallen earned the most nominations with seven, followed by Cody Johnson and Chris Stapleton with five. Post Malone and Wilson earned four nods each.

Despite being seemingly plagued by sound quality issues, the show included several starry performances, including a show-opener from Malone and Chris Stapleton and a tribute to this year’s lifetime achievement award recipient George Strait.

Ladies and gentlemen, the King of Country Music@GeorgeStrait
#CMAawards pic.twitter.com/8abAESzNM6

— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 21, 2024

Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan, among many others, also took the stage to perform.

🎵CMA MUSIC AWARDS: Winner's List

🎤2024 CMA Broadcast Personality Of The Year Winners:

• Weekly National: Crook & Chase Countdown (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase) – Jim Owens Entertainment
• Daily National: The Bobby Bones Show (Bobby Bones, Amy Brown, “Lunchbox” Dan Chappell, Eddie Garcia, Morgan Huelsman, “SZN Raymundo” Ray Slater, “Mike D” Rodriguez, Abby Anderson, “Kick Off Kevin” O’Connell and Stephen “Scuba Steve” Spradlin) – iHeartMedia
• Major Market: Frito & Katy (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas
• Large Market: Jesse & Anna (Jesse Tack and Anna Marie) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Medium Market: Steve & Gina In The Morning (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa
• Small Market: The Eddie Foxx Show (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, N.C.

📻2024 CMA Radio Stations Of The Year:

• Major Market: WYCD – Detroit, Michigan
• Large Market: WQDR – Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
• Medium Market: WUSY – Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Small Market: WYCT – Pensacola, Florida

📻CMA BROADCAST AWARDS: Winner's List

The CMA Awards aired live on ABC and will be available to stream on Hulu on Thursday.

Rosenworcel To Step Down As FCC Chair

Jessica Rosenworcel

Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said on Wednesday she will step down from the agency that oversees U.S. telecommunications companies on Jan. 20 when Donald Trump assumes the presidency.

According to Reuters, Rosenworcel, who joined the FCC in 2012 and is the first female permanent chair, oversaw a dramatic expansion of commission work on space policy including the establishment of a Space Bureau.

She was also behind efforts to help more students get internet access, oversaw a government subsidy program to help 23 million households get broadband access and led an agency crackdown on the proliferation of Chinese telecoms equipment and other national security issues.

Rosenworcel said the job had been the honor of a lifetime, guiding "the FCC during a time when communications technology is a part of every aspect of civic and commercial life."

She led efforts to restore landmark net neutrality rules that were reversed by the FCC under then President Donald Trump and have since been put on hold by a court.

Net neutrality rules require internet service providers to treat internet data and users equally rather than restricting access, slowing speeds or blocking content for certain users. A federal appeals court in August blocked the FCC from enforcing the rules while an industry legal challenge plays out.

It's back with Jenin here 5 million two. Here it is. 5 million, two, would you say three online?

Rosenworcel is following long-standing commission precedent by stepping down when a new president takes office, which will leave the commission divided 2-2 between Democratic and Republican appointees.

This week, Trump named FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, a critic of the Biden administration's telecom policies and Big Tech, as new chair effective Jan. 20. Trump will need to nominate a replacement for Rosenworcel and win Senate confirmation before Republicans can take full control of the agency.

TV Ratings: Fox News Channel Wins With 28-Year High

During the week of November 11-17, FOX News Channel (FNC) triumphed posting the highest share of the cable news audience with total day in the network’s 28 year history across viewers and the younger demos.

The viewership wave that followed President-elect Donald Trump’s Election Night victory greatly benefited Fox News as the network crested to ratings high. And viewers have continued to stay tuned to Fox News as the new administration takes shape, with some appointees coming from within the network.

According to Fox News, the outlet drew a 69% share of the cable news audience in total day and a 72% share in primetime—the best performance in its 28-year history Meanwhile, MSNBC and CNN continued to swim at the bottom of that viewership wave as viewers continue to abandon both networks en masse. It should be noted that even as Fox News had plenty to boast about, all three networks saw double-digit drops compared to Election Week.

TV Newser reports Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week saw FNC average 2.974 million total viewers and 360,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. That translates to respective declines of -31% and -59% in the A25-54 demo relative to the week prior.  

In total day, Fox News averaged 1.862 million total viewers and 236,000 A25-54 viewers for declines of -29% and -50%, respectively.

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News finished as the No. 1 cable network with primetime total viewers, and No. 2 in the primetime demo. Across total day, it continued to lead in total viewers and dropped one spot to land at No. 2 in the demo.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 684,000 total viewers and 65,000 A25-54 viewers for steep week-to-week drops of -57% and -82%, respectively.

MSNBC dropped from third place to fifth place with primetime total viewers and tumbled from fourth to 28th in the primetime demo, tied with the Lifetime Movie Network. During total day, it was the No. 4 network in total viewers and feel from fourth to 21st in the demo.

In primetime, CNN averaged 464,000 total primetime viewers and 88,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week declines of -62% and -80%, respectively.

Across total day, the network attracted 337,000 total viewers and 58,000 A25-54 viewers, which translates to respective declines -53% and -73% compared to the previous week. The silver lining for CNN was that it once again finished ahead of MSNBC in the demo during primetime and total day. 

On the basic cable charts, CNN 10th most-watched network among primetime total viewers and 16th in the primetime demo.  

Fox News took all 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five (4.369 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) remaining at No. 1.

FNC’s daytime programming continued its reign over the competition as Outnumbered (weekdays 12 PM/ET; 2.4 million P2+), The Story (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 2.3 million P2+), The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 2.2 million P2+), America’s Newsroom (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 2.2 million P2+) and America Reports (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 2.2 million P2+) each surpassed CBS Mornings (2.1 million viewers), NBC’s TODAY Third Hour (1,945,000 P2+), NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna (1,365,000 P2+) ABC’s GMA3 (1,253,000 P2+), CBS’ The Talk (1,221,000 P2+) and NBC News Daily (1,160,000 P2+).

For the week: 

• The Five averaged a whopping 4.4 million viewers and 480,000 in the 25-54 demo, leading all of television. Notably, the program beat SNL with viewers. 
• At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 3.3 million viewers and 402,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle saw 3.4 million viewers and 416,000 in the 25-54 demo at 7 PM/ET. 
• At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime delivered 4.1 million viewers and 474,000 in the 25-54 demo. 
• At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 3.3 million viewers and 398,000 with A25-54. 
• At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.9 million viewers and 281,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s Gutfeld! continued to lead all late-night television across the board. 
• For the week, Gutfeld! drew 3.4 million viewers and 501,000 in the 25-54 demo, placing first with the younger demo. The program crushed CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (1.8 million P2+; 321,000 A25-54), ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1.5 million P2+; 220,000 A25-54), NBC’s The Tonight Show (1.3 million P2+; 379,000 A25-54) and Late Night with Seth Meyers (823,000 P2+; 203,000 A25-54).

Over the weekend, FNC won every hour with viewers and the 25-54 demo.

Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Week of 11-11-24 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54, P18-49. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats and include the corresponding program name.

Details Emerge About The Comcast Spin-Off Plan

Comcast Corp. detailed a plan Wednesday morning to spin off a $7 billion portfolio of its cable networks into their own publicly traded company.

The Philadelphia Business Journal ewpoera the new independent media business — tentatively dubbed SpinCo — is made up of NBCUniversal brands. The spinoff will group together brands including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel. With them will come certain other media assets including Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes, as well as sports management software GolfNow and Sports Engine.

The brands that will make up the spinoff generated about $7 billion in revenue in the last 12 months ending Sept. 30, according to Comcast. The company posted total revenue of $121.6 billion in 2023.

The new public company will not include the legacy NBC channel or streaming service Peacock, which Comcast has invested heavily in. Bravo and Telemundo are also not included. Additionally, production studios DreamWorks and Universal Pictures, as well as the Universal theme parks are not part of the spinoff.

The Philadelphia-based tech and media conglomerate is aiming to complete the spin off in about a year. It will have the same dual-class share structure as Comcast. The transaction will be structured as a tax-free spin to existing Comcast shareholders.

Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts will not be on the board of the new venture, but will hold a one-third voting stake.

NBCUniversal has its headquarters in New York, and the television studios mostly operate out of Hollywood, so it remains to be seen what impact — if any — the standalone media company will have on Comcast's Philadelphia operations.

The spinoff will be led by CEO Mark Lazarus, the current chairman of the NBCUniversal Media Group. He will team with COO and CFO Anand Kini, the current CFO of NBCUniversal and an executive vice president of strategy at Comcast.

Staffers Panic At MSNBC

The future of the relationship between NBC News and MSNBC, following Comcast’s decision to spinoff its cable networks on Wednesday, is now a mystery — even to those working at 30 Rock.

Panic engulfed MSNBC headquarters on Wednesday after parent company Comcast confirmed a massive spinoff of its cable properties — with a top executive even suggesting the left-leaning network may be forced to change its name.

MSNBC stars Rachel Maddow, Chris Jansing and Katy Tur joined a tense 10 a.m. meeting at 30 Rock in Midtown led by NBCUniversal chairman Mark Lazarus, who will lead the new company, sources told The NY Post.

Staffers fearing looming layoffs peppered him with questions about if the network will need to change its name, logos and headquarters after reports surfaced that the new entity could be cut off from the reporting muscle of NBC News, sources said.

The Wrap/Pro reports editorial staffers are “in the dark” on what the spinoff means for the NBC News-MSNBC connection moving forward.

The expectation, though, is that the two news teams will no longer work together, once the spinoff takes place in 2025.

Mark Lazarus

Comcast’s spinoff plan will create a separate company, aptly dubbed SpinCo, that houses CNBC, MSNBC, E!, Golf Channel, Oxygen, and Syfy. Combined, those channels generated $7 billion in sales between September 2023 and September 2024. Comcast will retain its Peacock streaming service, Bravo and NBC — which includes its news division.

The deal, which is expected to take about a year to complete, will likely sever ties between MSNBC and NBC News, one of its major news gathering arteries. How MSNBC will adjust will be worth monitoring — whether it’s beefing up its own news gathering team or leaning more into commentary from talking heads.

Another real possibility is that MSNBC will revamp its on-air lineup. The cable channel enjoyed a strong Election Night, beating CNN in the ratings for the first time ever, but its viewership has since cratered by 51% following the election. The corporate changes, combined with the ratings drop off, has MSNBC talent like “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough questioning their longterm future at the channel.

The man tasked with leading MSNBC going forward is Mark Lazarus, the current chairman of NBCUniversal’s media group who was named CEO of SpinCo on Wednesday.

News Corp Shareholders Reject Activist Bid

News Corp shareholders voted in favor of maintaining the company’s dual-class share structure, rejecting an activist investor’s proposal aimed at reducing the Murdoch family’s influence over the media conglomerate.

The Wall Street Journal reports the nonbinding proposal, which was submitted by activist investment firm Starboard Value in September and had garnered broad support from proxy-advisory firms, would have made each outstanding share of News Corp’s common stock equal to one vote. Currently, Class B have greater voting power than Class A shares.

Rupert Murdoch

The family of Chairman Emeritus Rupert Murdoch owns about 40% of Class B shares.

Starboard argued in a letter to shareholders in September that the dual structure wasn’t a best-in-class corporate-governance practice. The firm said the continuing legal fight involving Murdoch and his children over control of the media conglomerate was one example of a risk to the organization.

News Corp responded that the dual-class share structure promoted stability at the company.

News Corp said Wednesday that it was pleased its stockholders had convincingly supported the company and board on all matters. The company’s full slate of directors was also elected at the annual meeting of shareholders.

News Corp is the parent company of Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires.

Reports: Trump Considering Don Bongino To Head Secret Service

Don Bongino

President-Elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering radio host Dan Bongino to head the Secret Service, as the embattled security outfit seeks to rebuild credibility after multiple near-miss assassination attempts against Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign.

The host of the Westwood One syndicated Dan Bongino Show political podcast previously served as a Secret Service agent, and was a regular commentator and host on Fox News until last year.

Bongino said on his podcast last week he hadn’t had any formal conversations with the Trump administration.

In addition to his stints in the Secret Service and at Fox, he has previously served as a New York City police officer, and ran unsuccessfully for Congress three times.

In his media appearances, Bongino has frequently defended Trump and echoed his ideas, including criticizing the Mar-a-Lago search by the FBI that uncovered thousands of classified documents, and spreading unfounded claims about the 2020 election.

Bongino was permanently banned from YouTube in 2022 for allegedly spreading Covid misinformation.

The Secret Service has come under heavy scrunity during the 2024 election season, after two assassination attempts against Donald Trump, and after a third armed man was stopped outside a Trump rally.

NYC Radio: Yankees' Michael Kaye Negotiating New ESPN 880 Deal

After nearly two decades as a staple of New York Sports radio in the afternoon drive, the future of “The Michael Kay Show” is in limbo as host Michael Kay and ESPN negotiate, according to Andrew Marchand at The Athletic.

With Kay’s contract ending in the middle of December, ESPN 880 AM has indicated a desire to keep him on the air, but has yet to make a concrete offer for him to remain in drive time, the sources said.

Two years ago, Kay threatened to leave afternoons before then head of programming, Norby Williamson, gave Kay a multi-million dollar deal to keep him. This time, one of ESPN’s top executives, David Roberts, is at the helm.

Kay could remain on ESPN’s air with a lighter schedule. He could move to 1-3 p.m. with a work-from-home arrangement to continue opining on New York sports. If this happens, he is expected to be a solo act. There is a remote chance of a complete reversal and the afternoon trio of Kay, Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg stays together.

It is unclear if Kay’s show would continue to be simulcast on YES. However it plays out, Kay will remain the voice of the New York Yankees on the network.

The Kay decision will have an impact throughout the station. Kay, La Greca and Rosenberg were the trio that upended WFAN’s Mike Francesa’s long run of rating superiority.

If Kay were to move to mid-days, then the leading candidates for the afternoon spot are La Greca and Alan Hahn, according to sources briefed on the plans. Rosenberg also has an expiring contract but could be left without a chair in the La Greca-Hahn scenario. Rosenberg has other jobs, as he is a morning host on Hot 97 and is on WWE telecasts.

Hahn currently works with former Jet Bart Scott on ESPN New York mid-days. Scott would potentially continue with Dan Graca on a 10-1 slot, the sources said. That would mean Mike Greenberg’s show would not be on 880 AM in New York anymore.

Biden's DOJ Wants Google To Divest Of Chrome

The Department of Justice is calling for Google to divest its Chrome browser, following a ruling in August that the company holds a monopoly in the search market, reports CNBC.

Chrome, which Google launched in 2008, provides the search giant with data it then uses for targeting ads. The DOJ said in a filing on Wednesday that forcing the company to get rid of Chrome would create a more equal playing field for search competitors.

“To remedy these harms, the [Initial Proposed Final Judgment] requires Google to divest Chrome, which will permanently stop Google’s control of this critical search access point and allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet,” the 23-page filing reads.

Additionally, the DOJ said that Google be prevented from entering into exclusionary agreements with third parties like Apple and Samsung. The DOJ also said that Google be prohibited from giving its search service preference within its other products.

The DOJ also said that remedies should prevent Google from eliminating “emerging competitive threats through acquisitions, minority investments, or partnerships.” The DOJ said that the “proposed remedies run for a period of 10 years.” The filing also says the search company should be required to provide a technical committee with a monthly report outlining any changes to its search text ads auction.

“The proposed remedies are designed to end Google’s unlawful practices and open up the market for rivals and new entrants to emerge,” the filing reads.

Search advertising accounted for $49.4 billion in revenue in parent company Alphabet’s third quarter, representing three-quarters of total ad sales in the period.

The DOJ’s request represents the agency’s most aggressive attempt to break up a tech company since its antitrust case against Microsoft, which reached a settlement in 2001.

R.I.P.: Vic Flick, James Bond's Guitarman

 Vic Flick, a British guitarist whose driving riff in the theme for the James Bond movies captured the spy’s suave confidence and tacit danger, died on Nov. 14 in Los Angeles. He was 87, according to The NY Times.

His death, in a nursing facility, was announced on social media by his son, Kevin, who said the cause was Alzheimer’s disease.

The Bond films produced signature catchphrases (“shaken, not stirred,” “Bond, James Bond”) that have been endlessly recited and parodied since “Dr. No,” the first in the series, was released in Britain in 1962. But it was the sound of Mr. Flick’s guitar in the opening credits that helped make the spy thrillers instantly recognizable.

During the title credits of “Dr. No,” when moviegoers were introduced to or reacquainted with the works of the author Ian Fleming, who wrote the James Bond books, Mr. Flick’s thrumming guitar sounded out through a brass-and-string orchestra.

“He was a musician’s musician,” Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues wrote in the foreword to “Guitarman.” “He played for all the greats, and on so many treasured records. He was in demand, and he delivered.”

The result has been imprinted into the annals of cinema, and Mr. Flick would go on to work on the theme music for several more Bond films, including “Goldfinger” (1964).

He became a successful session musician, playing on tracks for Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield and Peter and Gordon’s album “A World Without Love.” His guitar playing can be heard in the 1964 film “A Hard Day’s Night,” featuring the Beatles, and he worked with Paul McCartney on the 1977 album “Thrillington.”

In 2013, he received a lifetime achievement award from the National Guitar Museum.

Radio History: Nov 21

➦In 1877…Thomas Edison unveiled his new "talking machine," later called the phonograph. The first thing recorded on Edison's new invention was the song "Mary Had a Little Lamb."  Recording made by Thomas A. Edison on August 12, 1927, at the Golden Jubilee of the Phonograph ceremony. In this recording Edison demonstrates how in 1877 he made the first record on his tinfoil phonograph. The original 1877 recording was not saved and no longer exists.  Edison received a patent three months later.

➦In 1944…"The Roy Rogers Show" aired for the first time featuring the Whippoorwills and the Sons of the Pioneers, was broadcast by the Mutual Broadcasting System. It began as a western music and variety show and evolved into an action-drama series during its 10-year run.

Roy's radio show lasted 11 seasons and the Roy Rogers Show On TV stayed on the air for 6 seasons.  Roy also made a ton of movies and appeared on numerous other radio and TV shows as a guest star! In addition, Roy had a successful recording career for several years with songs that made it to the top of the charts! Most people probably remember him and Dale Evans singing "Happy Trails to You" at the end of each show!

➦In 1963…U.S. President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, arrived in San Antonio, Texas. They were starting a two-day visit to Texas that would end in Dallas.

John B Gambling

➦In 1974...New York radio personality John B. Gambling died at age 77.  He was the first of three Gamblings to host the WOR 710 AM ‘Rambling With Gambling’ morning show over a span of 88 years.

He was a member of the The Gambling family, 3 generations of whom - John B., John A. and John R. were hosts of WOR Radio's morning show Rambling with Gambling (now known as The John Gambling Show).

John B. was the host from 1925 to 1959, when he retired in favor of his son, John A. Gambling. With his Musical Clock, his all-in-fun setting-up exercises, cheerio music, wheezy gags, weather information and news scraps, John B. Gambling was a WOR fixture.  At one time he had a in-studio tp provide music band and he aired the March of the Seven Dwarfs every morning at 7 am sharp.

➦In 1979…Personality Harry Harrison aired his last morning show on WABC 770 AM, New York.

Nielsen: Broadcast Hits its Stride in October

Broadcast viewership continued its seasonal ascent in October, lifted by gains in both sports and drama viewing, according to Nielsen’s October 2024 report of The Gauge™. The broadcast category exhibited 7% monthly growth and added 1.4 share points in October to finish at 24.0% of total time spent watching television—its largest monthly share of TV since January. October marked the third consecutive month of growth for broadcast, and the category has added 3.7 share points over that time period.

October gains in broadcast viewership were driven by a 29% increase in viewing to drama programs, and a 10% bump in sports viewership. NFL games once again dominated the month’s top broadcast telecasts, notching the top 16 most-watched programs. The Week 7 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers drew October’s largest audience with 27 million viewers on FOX. Outside of football, Game 1 of the World Series on FOX notched 15.2 million viewers and captured 17th on the list of top telecasts.

Cable viewing accounted for 26.3% of total TV usage in October (+0.2 pt.), and the category notched its first positive share change since April. Cable viewership was lifted by a 5% gain in news viewing, led by the Vice Presidential Debate on October 1 and month-long coverage leading up to Election Day, and a 52% boost in sports viewing driven by NFL Monday Night Football, college football and MLB playoff games. Sports and news programs were also at the top of the most-watched cable telecasts list in October, with the NFL Monday Night Football game between Kansas City and New Orleans taking the top slot with 14 million viewers on ESPN, followed by FOX News Channel’s presentation of the VP Debate which drew 7.9 million viewers on the network. On a yearly basis, cable news was up 17% compared to October 2023, while cable sports was up 14%.

The Gauge™: Broadcast Hits its Stride in October on Strength of Drama and Sports Programming | Nielsen

Streaming viewership in October was fairly flat compared to last month, with eight of the 11 reported streaming services within 0.1 share point or less of their September totals. The category accounted for 40.5% of total time spent watching TV (-0.5 pt.). Among the streamers with larger monthly differentials, The Roku Channel was up 12% and added 0.2 share points to finish the month at 1.8% of television, a high point for the FAST service. Netflix was down 4% with 7.5% of TV (-0.4 pt.), but still managed to own the top five streaming originals this month, led by Love Is Blind, which was also the top streaming title in October, with 4.4 billion viewing minutes.

* Note: A portion of Hulu’s viewing (estimated at approximately 25%) was inadvertently attributed to Disney+ during this interval. The issue was addressed at the end of October and will be correct moving forward. This will not impact the October Media Distributor Gauge.

TV Ratings: Morning Joe Tanks As Viewers Are Pissed

Based on Monday morning’s hour-by-hour ratings, Morning Joe viewers were not happy with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski’s announcement that they met privately with President-Elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last Friday.

Trump’s victory is so complete, Morning Joe has fully surrendered. Both hosts went to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring. Astonishing.
pic.twitter.com/iDcbuP7Gep

— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) November 18, 2024

Mediaite reports that nearly immediately, there has been a bipartisan backlash. The MSNBC morning show hosts’ stated goal of “time for a new approach” was openly derided as evidence that Scarborough and Brzezinski did not believe in the conviction of their previous criticisms. The criticism came from provocateurs and thought leaders from both ends of the political spectrum.

Podcastee Megyn Kelly aaks "How long have MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski been telling us that Donald Trump is an existential threat... Well, they have done a 180 on the matter – and that 180 comes as their ratings circle the bowl."

It turns out that MSNBC viewers were also not impressed, or at least they tuned out over the next four hours Monday. Nielsen ratings obtained by Mediaite show a significant drop in viewers in the 7 AM hour. Roughly 38% of the lucrative 25-54 demo also turned off MSNBC or switched to another network.

Morning Joe airs for four hours each morning, and given different times that people awake and tune in to cable news, the show regularly builds viewers hour over hour. The fact that people tuned out from the MSNBC morning show, and at such a significant clip, does not spell good fortune for the once influential opinion show that seems to have angered the anti-Trump resistance set and has long given up on the pro-Trump viewers going back roughly eight years.

MSNBC isn't the only outlet trying to repair relations with Trump amid broader mainstream media trust issues coming out of the election.

• Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong told Fox News Thursday he's making changes to ensure "the views of all" in his paper.
• The Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos congratulated Trump on his win, shortly after his paper reportedly lost 250,000 subscriptions due to his decision to yank the paper's endorsement of Harris.
• Social media influencers are leaning into the MAGA madness in an effort to curry favor with brands, per The Cut.