Cumulus Media announces that “KMJ: 100 Years in the Valley,” a documentary film detailing the origins and century of success of iconic Fresno, CA, News/Talk station KMJ-AM/FM, has been nominated for a regional Emmy Award.
"KMJ: 100 Years in the Valley" earned the prestigious nomination in the Cultural/Historical News or Long Form Content category. In this Valley PBS Original Documentary, filmmaker Jeff Aiello tells the rich history of News Talk 580 and 105.9 KMJ as it celebrates 100 years of being on the air. From its beginnings in music and popular serial programs to the leading News/Talk powerhouse station that it is today, the rich and storied KMJ journey is revealed by current and former on-air personalities who bring this story to life.
➦In 1903...comic actor Artie Auerbach was born in New York City. He became famous as “Mr. Kitzel”, first on the Al Pearce radio show in 1937, then as a regular on Jack Benny‘s radio & television shows for 12 years. He suffered a fatal heart attack Oct. 3, 1957 and died at age 54.
➦In 1938...the Radio quiz show "Information Please!" premiered on the NBC Blue Network
Information Please was one of the most popular radio shows in the 1930s and 1940s. Oscar Levant, Franklin P. Adams and John Kieran were regulars with Clifton Fadiman acting as host. RKO produced a series a films of the radio show and most of them have been lost.
➦In 1939...nearly 1800 fans crowded into the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle, New York to attend an unusual dual-network dance remote radio broadcast of the suddenly very popular Glenn Miller and His Orchestra that was aired on both NBC and Mutual.
➦In 1943...The Jack Kirkwood Show made its NBC debut, after 5 years locally on San Francisco radio. Kirkwood would eventually become second-banana on the Bob Hope radio show, and continue with his own various network radio features through early 1953.
➦In 1971...In the NYC Market, Country WJRZ 970 AM became Top40 WWDJ..The station was hampered by a directional signal that covered Manhattan and parts of New Jersey well but suffered in the rest of the five boroughs and was virtually non-existent on Long Island and western New Jersey. Eventually, FM competition from WCBS-FM and adult top 40 station WXLO (now WEPN-FM), and an evolution to adult Top 40 by WNBC (now WFAN), began to eat into WWDJ's ratings.
According to traxandgrooves.blogspot.com, the station first began as WAAT in Jersey City around the late 1920's (it was once at 940 kHz, shifted to 970 around 1941; relocated to Newark around the mid-'40's). In 1958, WAAT and its FM sister (94.7 MHz) were sold to National Telefilm Associates, which changed the call letters to WNTA. In 1961-62 NTA sold the stations to Bergen Broadcasting; '62 was when the WJRZ calls were first used. (The 94.7 frequency would end up going by the calls of WFME, now Entercom's WNSH.) WNTA also had a TV outlet (previously WATV) which NTA unloaded around the same time as it sold the AM and FM stations; the TV station is today PBS outlet WNET/13. It was around 1969 that Pacific & Southern Broadcasting took over WJRZ.Beatles, Beatles, and more Beatles.
WJRZ played all Beatle songs for a few days before becoming WWDJ top 40.When WWDJ started, it looked like it would fill the AM gap left by the demise of WMCA and in many ways it was (especially to those who only had AM in their cars). Although 97DJ was no 'MCA, they still played more of a variety music than 77 WABC. Unfortunately, as in the case of WMCA, it was another AM station with signal problems.
They were directional 5 kw both day and night.WWDJ was owned by Pacific & Southern, who also operated KKDJ about the same time in Los Angeles, which was an FM station. KKDJ used the same jingle package as its sister station WWDJ. Another problem that DJ had an idenity crisis in that it did not know whether to be a New York station or a New Jersey station.
In November 1973 it was ranked 15th in the Arbitron ratings.WWDJ changed format to Religious on April 1, 1974.
➦In 2004...actor Tony Randall, who began in radio as “Reggie” on I Love a Mystery, then starred in TV’s Mr. Peepers & The Odd Couple, and was an entertaining guest on hundreds of TV talk shows, died of pneumonia following heart surgery at age 84.
➦In 2006...NYC and Philadelphia radio personality Long John Wade died at the age of 66.
Todd Woods, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Educational Media Foundation (EMF), which is the parent organization of Christian radio networks K-LOVE and Air1, has announced his resignation. Here are the details:
Resignation Announcement: Todd Woods tendered his resignation, and it was announced to staff on May 15, 2024. He will continue to serve in an advisory capacity through June. EMF board chair Tom Stultz will step in as interim CEO during this transition period1.
Todd Woods
Background: Todd Woods joined EMF in September 2022 and became CEO in March 2023. Reflecting on his time with the organization, Woods expressed gratitude and said, “I have enjoyed my time serving in multiple roles at EMF. It’s been a privilege, and I look forward to serving wherever the Lord leads me from here.”
The board of directors and the ministry leadership team thanked Todd for his contributions and service with EMF and wished him well in his future endeavors1.
EMF will now conduct a thorough search for a new executive to lead the organization.
Educational Media Foundation is an American nonprofit Christian media ministry based in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. EMF is the parent company of K-LOVE and Air1—the world's largest contemporary Christian music radio networks.
As of 2022, EMF directly owns and operates more than 1,000 signals in all 50 U.S. states, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The organization is also among the top 10 U.S.-based audio streaming companies. In 2020, EMF launched AccessMore, a Christian podcast network, and K-LOVE On Demand, a free streaming platform offering live concerts, original programming, and other exclusive content. It also oversees WTA Media, a leader in faith-based films and publishing.
Todd Woods, named was named as CEO on March 21, 2023. Woods replaced Bill Reeves.
Hubbard Radio, LLC’s WTOP-FM in Washington, DC has once again continued its winning streak in 2023 and remains the top-billing radio station in the United States, according to BIA’s newly released Investing in Radio 2024, 1st Edition. If you’re keeping count, that’s 13 times in the last 14 years that WTOP-FM has been #1 on the list.
Hubbard owns additional stations in the DC market, but WTOP-FM tops them all… with its $66.3 million in over-the-air revenue accounting for nearly 29% of the total radio advertising revenue in the Washington DC market in 2023. Hubbard’s stations collectively account for 30.1% of revenue in the Washington, DC radio market.
Below is the Top 10 Radio Stations by Revenue in 2023, which reflects only over-the-air revenue.
Over-the-air revenues for the top 10 stations are down an average of 5.0% from 2022. Number 1 WTOP-FM is down the least, 3.9%.
Eight of the top ten are FM stations and two are AM. However, Audacy’s WINS-FM is replacing WINS(AM) on this list as the stations started simulcasting in late 2022. BIA attributes revenue to the FM station.
Hubbard and Beasley Media Group LLC each landed one station in the top ten, while iHeartMedia and Audacy each have four.
Four stations program a News format, one is Sports, one is Sports/Talk, and the remaining four have music programming.
Five of the top ten are in New York, two are in Los Angeles, and there’s one each in Chicago, Washington, and Boston.
At least two of the FM stations on the list are actually AM/FM simulcasts… Audacy’s WINS AM/FM and WFAN AM/FM in New York.
BIA notes a caveat about their reporting: BIA follows Nielsen reporting of Total Line Reporting (TLR) that allows stations like WINS FM and AM to combine their revenue and share into the FM. That means we don’t separate the share of revenue between AM and FM as it’s all rolled into FM.
Speaking of AM stations, the top ten billing AM radio stations in 2023 were:
Many of the AM stations on this list have benefited from having an FM simulcast. The revenues listed reflect TLR, and not AM billing only, as mentioned in the caveat above.
Cox Media Group Inc. and Cumulus Media Holdings Inc. each landed one station in the top ten, while Audacy has five and iHeartMedia has three.
Five stations program News, three program News/Talk, one has a combination of News/Talk/Sports, and one is Sports.
Two of the top ten are in Los Angeles, and there’s one each in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston-Galveston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Denver-Boulder.
ESPN’s presentation of the 2024 WNBA Tip-Off reached new viewership heights for WNBA on ESPN.
The Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun season opener – featuring Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut – was the most-watched WNBA game on ESPN platforms ever (regular season or playoffs). The game scored 2.1 million viewers across ESPN2, ESPN+ and Disney+, surpassing the Phoenix Mercury at Connecticut Sun (May 22, 2004).
The game peaked at 2.3 million viewers in the 7:45 p.m. – 7:59 p.m. window.
The second game of the night featuring the Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces averaged 464,000 viewers, up five percent year-over-year. The two games averaged 1.28 million viewers, up 192 percent versus last year’s regular season average on ESPN platforms.
WNBA Countdown presented by Google pre-game show leading into Indiana at Connecticut averaged 680,000 viewers across ESPN2, ESPN+, and Disney+, up 126 percent versus last year’s average across ABC and ESPN.
WNBA content across ESPN.com and the ESPN App delivered an increase of 409 percent unique visitors year-over-year. Total engagements for WNBA content across ESPN social accounts is also up 125 percent, year-over-year.
Note: Viewership is reported by Nielsen and includes streaming viewership from connected TVs only.
Coverage of the WNBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax continues Saturday, May 18, with an ABC doubleheader featuring Indiana Fever at New York Liberty (1 p.m. ET), Los Angeles Sparks at Las Vegas Aces (3 p.m.). Live presentation will be preceded by WNBA Countdown Presented by Google hosted by Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, and Andraya Carter (12:30 p.m.).
Walt Disney will cut its investment in programming for traditional television networks pretty dramatically as the company navigates the consumer shift to streaming, Chief Executive Bob Iger said on Wednesday.
Iger said linear channels such as ABC still serve as an important marketing tool and reach older viewers who are not watching series such as "Abbott Elementary" on Disney's streaming platforms.
Still, the goal is to "reduce pretty dramatically our investment in content specifically aimed at those traditional networks," Iger said at the MoffettNathanson’s 2024 Media, Internet and Communications Conference in New York.
On Disney's theme parks business, Iger said he expected continued growth but perhaps not at the same rate as in recent years.
"We've had double-digit revenue growth in that business for quite some time, and that's extraordinary," he said. "But I think we're being realistic, too, in that delivering double-digit revenue growth ... well into the future is not necessarily that achievable."
Continuous coverage of former President Donald Trump’s trial is benefiting one news network more than the others. MSNBC was the only network to avoid any week-to-week declines across the board and during both dayparts. Meanwhile, Fox News continued to lead the way in total day and primetime in both measured categories with CNN remaining in third place.
Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of May 6 saw FNC average 2.006 million total viewers and 186,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime. The network was flat in total viewers, but fell by -12% in the demo relative to the week prior. In total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.305 million total viewers and 147,000 A25-54 viewers for a flat result in the former category and a decline of -5% in the latter compared to the previous week.
Among all basic cable networks, Fox News fell back from second place to third place in total primetime viewers and dropped from fifth to sixth place in the primetime demo. In total day, the network held onto its No. 1 position in total viewers, but was stuck in third place in the total day demo.
MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 1.191 million total viewers and 117,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week. Compared to the week prior, it was flat in total viewers and up +6% in the demo. Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC remained the No. 4 cable network in total primetime viewers and moved from 18th to 15th place in the demo.
In primetime, CNN averaged 514,000 total viewers and 98,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week. That’s a drop of -13% in both categories compared to the previous week. CNN’s primetime lineup finished the week in 11th place with total viewers and tied for 19th place with A&E in the A25-54 demo—a two-spot drop in both measured categories from the week prior.
Fox had 11 out of the 15 most-watched cable news shows of the week, led by The Five (3.093 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET). MSNBC took the remaining four spots, with Deadline: White House with Nicole Wallace (1.780 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) leading the way at No. 7.
The Five also took the top spot in the A25-54 demo (279,000 viewers at 5 p.m. ET), with Fox claiming 13 out of the top 15 most-watched cable news show. MSNBC’s Deadline: White House (161,000 viewers at 4 p.m. ET) came in 12th place and 14th place (160,000 at 5 p.m. ET), respectively.
MSNBC’s leftward shift has delivered ratings success but also complicated matters for NBCUniversal.
The NY Times reports MSNBC has undergone significant changes in recent years, leading to both success and challenges. Let’s delve into the details:
Comfort TV for Liberals: MSNBC made a strategic move by positioning itself as “comfort TV” for liberal viewers. It doubled down on this approach by dedicating time slots to opinion hosts who often engage in Donald Trump-bashing. High-profile alumni from President Joe Biden’s administration, such as Jen Psaki, transitioned from hosting White House press briefings to having their own shows on MSNBC.
Huh? Rachel Maddow in 1990 vs. Today
Ratings Surge: These changes have resonated with viewers. MSNBC has surpassed CNN in ratings, securing second place in cable news, with Fox News remaining the perennial leader. The network’s leftward tilt has attracted a loyal audience, but it also comes with unintended consequences.
Challenges for NBC: As MSNBC’s parent company, NBC aims to appeal to a mass American audience. However, the cable network’s partisanship has raised concerns. Traditional political journalists at NBC worry that MSNBC’s bias could affect perceptions of their straight news reporting.Local NBC stations in non-coastal areas have repeatedly urged executives to preserve NBC’s nonpartisan brand, fearing that MSNBC’s blue-state focus might alienate red-state viewers.
Corporate Concerns: Even Comcast, NBC’s corporate owner, expressed concern when some MSNBC hosts and guests criticized Israel during the Hamas attack. This rare intervention led to an abrupt course correction in coverage. NBCUniversal News Group Chair Cesar Conde aims for inclusivity, but efforts to include conservative voices have caused newsroom tension.
President Biden and Donald J. Trump have agreed to two debates, one on June 27 on CNN and one on Sept. 10 on ABC News, the first onstage clashes between the former president and his successor in more than three years. While some of the details were still being hammered out, the agreement to the two debates, reached in a series of social-media posts Wednesday morning, raises the likelihood of the earliest general-election debate in modern history and immediately delivered a jolt of electricity to a campaign that had settled into something of a rut.
Pres. Joe Biden and Donald Trump have officially agreed to two debates, with the first in a matter of weeks. Trump has been pushing for a debate with Biden for months, but refused to debate his primary opponents. @marykbruce has more. https://t.co/1w68uWmob5pic.twitter.com/IfOHsaQyQV
➤BIDEN PROMISES BORDER SHUTDOWN, IF...: President Biden is planning executive action that would allow him to shut down the US-Mexico border once the number of migrant crossings reaches 4,000 per day. The order would match a provision in the bipartisan border bill that failed to pass the Senate in February, which gave the president authority to expel migrants when border crossings reached the same daily average. The legislative proposal would have given the homeland security secretary discretionary authority to carry out removals — but would have made deportations mandatory when illegal entries surpassed 5,000 per day over a one-week period. The bill allowed for the suspension of that authority two weeks after the seven-day average falls to 75% of those levels.
💸INFLATION EASES: U.S. inflation eased last month, offering relief to the Fed and investors after earlier economic data showed simmering price pressures.
The consumer-price index, a gauge for goods and service costs across the economy, rose 3.4% in April from a year ago, the Labor Department said. Core prices that exclude volatile food and energy items climbed 3.6% annually, their smallest gain since April 2021.
Markets set new records on Wednesday following the April inflation report showing a slight cooling from the previous month.
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) May 15, 2024
The report was in line with expectations. After three firmer-than-anticipated inflation readings earlier this year, Wednesday’s report alone won’t convince the Fed to change its calculus for if and when to begin cutting interest rates, but it keeps cuts on the table for later this year and soothes fears about further rate hikes. Investors' optimism manifested as the three leading U.S. stock indexes closed at all-time highs.
As fighting intensifies in northern Gaza, the Biden administration is preparing $1 billion in new arms for Israel after placing a hold on some weapons earlier this month. The news comes amid an unprecedented public rift in Israel. @MattGutmanABC reports. https://t.co/KBsFnQrTu3pic.twitter.com/eC0q3jlCdR
➤RUSSIA MAKES ADVANCES: Russia advanced on a new front, as outnumbered Ukrainian troops continued to wait for U.S. weaponry. Moscow’s move is aimed at threatening the regional capital of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Kyiv officials and Western analysts said that a direct assault now was unlikely, but the advance could gain territory and further stretch Ukraine’s forces. Meanwhile, Russia’s relationship with China is asymmetrical, despite their united front against the West. Contending with sanctions stemming from its Ukraine invasion, Moscow has increasingly turned to Beijing for economic and security support.
➤TWH FEARS RUSSIA IS WINNING: After months of slow Russian ground advances and technological leaps in countering American-provided arms, the Biden administration is increasingly concerned that President Vladimir V. Putin is gathering enough momentum to change the trajectory of the war, and perhaps reverse his once-bleak prospects. In recent days, Moscow’s troops have opened a new push near the country’s second-biggest city, Kharkiv, forcing Ukraine to divert its already thinned-out troops to defend an area that it took back from Russian forces in a stunning victory in the fall of 2022.
Suspect In Custody
➤SLOVAKIA'S PM SHOT: In an apparent assassination attempt, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and wounded on Wednesday as he made an appearance outside a community center. Fico, 59, was shot in the abdomen after a meeting in the town of Handlova, about 100 miles northeast of the capital Bratislava, in central Slovakia, and airlifted to a nearby hospital.
🚨 🇸🇰 Breaking: Slovakia
The Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico has just been shot in public.
This comes only days after Fico formally & publicly rejected The WHO Global Pandemic Accord ‼️ pic.twitter.com/QIZOgGQCyE
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) May 15, 2024
The alleged assailant, who has not been identified, was detained by police.
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards is upon us, and it promises to be a spectacular event celebrating the best in country music. Here are some highlights:
Date and Location: The awards show will take place on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas12.
Nominations: Luke Combs leads the pack with an impressive eight nominations. His nods include categories such as Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Single of the Year. Additionally, he’s up for Music Event of the Year alongside Riley Green for their song “Different 'Round Here.”
Megan Moroney is the female artist with the most nominations, receiving six nods. She’s in the running for Female Artist of the Year, New Female Artist of the Year, and has nominations for her song “Tennessee Orange” as both an artist and songwriter. She’s also recognized in the categories of Visual Media of the Year and Music Event of the Year for “Can’t Break Up Now” with Old Dominion3.
Global Streaming: The awards show will stream live exclusively on Prime Video for a global audience across 240+ countries and territories. Fans can also catch the official ACM Red Carpet on Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, and Amazon Live. The event promises unforgettable performances, exclusive collaborations, and unexpected moments that will captivate fans worldwide
📻Radio Winners Announced Last Month:
Radio Winners include ties in two categories (Major Market On-Air Personality of the Year and Medium Market Radio Station of the Year) and multiple first-time honorees.
On-Air Personality Of The Year Winners:
National Daily: Katie Neal | Katie & Company
National Weekly: B-Dub | B-Dub Radio Saturday Night
Major Market (Tie): Angie Ward | Angie Ward – WUBL – Atlanta, GA & Jason Pullman | The Jason Pullman Show – KPLX – Dallas, TX
Large Market: Annie Fox and Cole Dunbar | Annie & Cole – WLHK – Indianapolis, IN
Medium Market: Doc Medek and Chewy Medek | The Doc Show – WGGY – Scranton, PA
Small Market: Steve, Ben, and Nikki | Steve, Ben and Nikki – WXBQ – Bristol, VA
Radio Station Of The Year Winners:
Major Market: WXTU – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Large Market: WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio
Medium Market (Tie): WBEE – Rochester, New York AND WGGY – Scranton, Pennsylvania
Major League Baseball (MLB) has raised serious concerns about the ongoing restructuring process of Diamond Sports Group (DSG), the regional sports network operator. Let’s dive into the details:
Background: DSG manages 18 Bally Sports-branded local cable channels under the Sinclair Broadcast Group. The company has been undergoing a 14-month bankruptcy restructuring.
Recent Developments: Two weeks ago, DSG entered into a carriage dispute with Comcast, one of the major U.S. pay-TV operators. Unfortunately, this dispute led to a surprise blackout of Bally Channels on Comcast, impacting DSG’s revenue.
MLB’s Concerns: MLB has expressed doubt that DSG will emerge from bankruptcy as a going concern. The league believes that DSG’s restructuring plan is now at risk due to the loss of revenue from Comcast. MLB lawyers labeled the plan as “highly conditional” on factors like carriage renewal agreements.
Impact on MLB Clubs: 12 MLB clubs are affected by the Comcast blackout. MLB fears it may need to scramble for alternative local TV distribution arrangements for these teams, similar to last summer when DSG abruptly abandoned deals with the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Critical Situation: MLB’s statement suggests that DSG’s Chapter 11 cases now hang by the thinnest of threads.
The situation underscores the challenges faced by DSG and the delicate balance required for successful restructuring.
Netflix’s ad-supported tier has achieved a significant milestone, reaching 40 million monthly active users globally. This impressive number represents a substantial increase from the 5 million users reported just a year ago. Let’s delve into the details:
Growth Spurt: The ad-supported plan has seen remarkable growth, attracting over 40% of Netflix’s new sign-ups. This surge in popularity highlights the appeal of an ad-supported model for a substantial portion of the streaming audience.
Engagement Metrics: Over 70% of Netflix’s ad-supported members watch content for more than 10 hours per month. This engagement level is 15 percentage points higher than the nearest competitor, as per Nielsen data provided by Netflix.
Attention and Responsiveness: Users pay more attention to content as they continue watching. Specifically, three hours into a show, they are twice as likely to respond to an ad compared to other streaming services and linear TV. This unique behavior pattern provides advertisers with an opportunity to reach a highly engaged audience.
In-House Ad Tech: Netflix plans to bring its advertising technology in-house. This move aims to provide advertisers with better ways to buy and measure impact. By leveraging their expertise in streaming technology, Netflix aims to enhance the ad experience for both members and brands.
Strategic Approach: Netflix is strategic about ad presentation to ensure a phenomenal member experience. Deep consumer research guides their decisions, ensuring that opportunities benefit both viewers and advertisers.
Competition and Subscriber Base: Netflix faces competition from platforms like Disney+ (with 22.5 million ad tier subscribers) and Prime Video (reaching over 200 million monthly viewers, including 115 million in the United States). Despite a slower start in its ad tier, Netflix boasts a total of 269.6 million subscribers globally as of the end of Q1 2024.
Starting in Q1 2025, Netflix will adjust its reporting practices, focusing on annual revenue guidance, operating margin, and other key metrics while announcing major subscriber milestones.
Free Press, a media group financed by liberal billionaire George Soros, "is looking to incorporate global pressure to push Big Tech platforms to juice their censorship operations before the 2024 U.S. presidential election," according to Fox Business citing a Media Research Center (MRC) report.
Free Press, which is not affiliated with journalist Bari Weiss’ The Free Press, bills itself as an organization that "closely watches as the decisions shaping the media landscape are made and sounds the alarm when people’s rights to connect and communicate are in danger." However, in a new report, the conservative MRC found that Soros gave over $80 million to affiliated groups calling for "censorship" ahead of November’s critical election.
"One of the wealthiest men in the world is using his vast wealth and power to silence regular Americans ahead of the 2024 election. At a time when defending free speech is key, leftists are trying their best to shut down the voices of half of America, especially those who disagree with the radical agenda promoted by Biden, Soros and most Big Tech executives," MRC Free Speech America vice president Dan Schneider told Fox News Digital.
MRC associate editor Joseph Vazquez reported the Soros-funded media group "is at the helm of a new push to restrict free speech online," pointing to a recent press release as evidence.
Last month, Free Press boasted about a letter urging executives at Discord, Google, Instagram, Meta, Pinterest, Reddit, Rumble, Snap, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter and YouTube to keep online platforms "safe and healthy" in 2024 through six specific "interventions."
The letter was signed by "200 civil-society organizations, researchers and journalists," according to Free Press. The MRC found that "at least 45 of the signatories have had their coffers packed with Soros cash to the tune of a whopping $80,757,329 between 2016 and 2022 alone."
"The document attempted to justify that it was written with reducing ‘real-world harms’ and ‘the rise of extremism and violent attempts to overthrow democratic governments’ in mind. However, it appears its true design is to pressure Big Tech companies to silence speech the left despises as 60 countries across the globe gear up for their elections in 2024," Vazquez wrote.
Non-Com KQED in San Francisco will resort to layoffs after announcing a voluntary buyout program last month.
In an email to staff Monday obtained by Current, CEO Michael Isip said that he anticipates 18 to 25 employees will be laid off pending finalization of buyouts.
Isip announced the buyouts in April due to a “higher than expected budget deficit at the end of this fiscal year,” he said at the time. The layoffs will be part of a “range of cuts” at the station, Isip said. He did not specify what cuts are being considered beyond layoffs.
Isip said that four employees will leave through an early retirement program and that five additional staffers took buyouts. A “handful” of employees “have requested a package and we are still determining if their departures would create cost savings or help retain other staff members,” he wrote.
KQED Layoffs Due to Budget Constraints: KQED, the Bay Area’s notable public broadcaster, has faced financial challenges. In 2020, they laid off 20 staff members (5.5% of their workforce) due to a $7.1 million budget gap caused by the pandemic’s impact on corporate sponsorships.
Staff had until Friday to opt into the buyout program. The number of employees leaving the station voluntarily “will not produce enough savings to close our budget gap, and we will have to find additional savings,” Isip said.
Isip said the “next update” will be at a May 23 all-staff meeting and that more details about the budget reductions and layoffs will come “by the end of this month.”
Audacy announces its latest LAUNCH artists: Top 40 artist Muni Long and Country singer Kassi Ashton. Audacy LAUNCH is the Company’s music discovery program designed to spotlight emerging artists. By leveraging Audacy’s extensive multiplatform reach and the influential power of radio, Audacy introduces these artists to its vast audience of millions of listeners and fans.
Audacy LAUNCH allows listeners to explore upcoming artists’ music in ways that resonate with them most as musicians climb to new heights in their careers. Audacy will support Long and Ashton's work through broadcast and digital airplay, on-air artist vignettes, digital editorial and engaging social content.
Audacy’s inaugural LAUNCH artists are now at the forefront of the music industry. Three-time CMT winner Jelly Rolly, recipient of the CMT Breakthrough Male Video of the Year, Warren Zeiders and 2023 Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Doechii have received numerous accolades, nominations, record-setting hits and multiplying fanbases following the momentum created by LAUNCH. The Company is preparing for another year of growth from this next generation of LAUNCH artists as their journeys begin.
“Muni and Kassi are on the brink of something big, and LAUNCH will catapult that potential to unprecedented levels. This program creates an exclusive way for listeners to find who and what is bound to take over their favorite formats. The remarkable success amassed by our 2023 artists has proven it’s way more than that,” said Michael Martin, Senior Vice President of Programming and Head of Music Initiatives, Audacy. “LAUNCH has laid the foundation for talent to flourish, and it has been a testament to the influence of radio promotion and its position as a reliable source of music exposure. We will continue to foster our relationships with previous LAUNCH artists and their newly acquired fanbases as we continue uplifting rising stars year after year.”
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