A new survey from the philanthropy-funded Pew-Knight Initiative has found that nearly half of US residents who don’t pay for local news cite its free availability elsewhere as the main reason.
Only 15% of the survey respondents said they had paid for local news in the past year — approximately the same proportion as in 2018.
A third of the non-payers said they were simply not interested enough in local news to pay for it in the first place.
The Press-Gazette reports the research, titled Americans’ Changing Relationship With Local News, polled a representative sample of 5,146 adults in the US in January 2024 and found that the proportion of Americans who say they follow local news “very closely” has fallen from 37% in 2016 to 22% today.
Among US adults aged 29 or younger this figure was 9%, compared with 35% of people aged 65 and above.
Nonetheless, 85% of respondents said they considered local news outlets at least somewhat important to the wellbeing of their community, with 32% saying they were “very important” and 12% “very important”.
Philly sports teams are backing the Murdochs. That includes the Sixers (NBA), the Phillies (MLB), and the Flyers (NHL), according to Policyband.com.
In an undated letter, Philadelphia 76ers COO Lara Price is asking the FCC to renew the broadcast license of News Corp.-owned Fox 29 Philadelphia, which is being challenged by the Media and Democracy Project (MAD) over 2020 presidential election coverage by sister news outlet Fox News, a cable channel.
“Fox 29 has a great pulse on our city and without Fox 29, we would all lose a trusted source for local news. We ask that you take our strong recommendation and support local news by renewing Fox 29’s broadcast license,” Price said.
In a May 23 letter, Bonnie Clark, Vice President of Communications and Senior Advisor to the Managing Partner of the Philadelphia Phillies, praised the station for helping raise money for local charities. “We need Fox 29 Philadelphia,” Clark said.
“The network goes beyond just covering our wins and losses – they cover our community efforts across our city.” Todd Glickman, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer of the Philadelphia Flyers, said in an undated letter, said Fox 29 was valued not just for helping local charities but also for its “commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” pointing to educational programming about black history in the game of hockey.
Detroit's latest first is an all-Black led sports radio station that just launched on the airwaves.
"[This is] history-making," said Rob Parker. "[It's] groundbreaking, [and] we just believe that the time has come."
CBS Detroit reports a former Detroit sports anchor, Parker is at the helm of this endeavor. He launched Sports Rap Radio on WXYT AM 1270 on Tuesday, and this Black-owned radio station featuring all Black hosts is a first not only for the city of Detroit, but also across the country.
"Just four years ago, there were no Black full-time sports hosts on the radio in Detroit," Parker said. "In a city that's nearly 80% black, I looked at that as a problem."
He found a solution but said he couldn't do it alone. He assembled a team of co-owners, including his longtime friend Dave Kenney, former NBA player BJ Armstrong and former Detroit Country Day football star and University of Michigan wide receiver Maurice "Moe" Ways.
"Moe was the missing piece. I needed somebody young, smart, from the city," Parker said.
Parker and Ways met when Ways was in high school, and they've kept in touch ever since.
"[Rob's ] whole thing is passing the torch," Ways said. "He's been my mentor for ten years. We met [when I was] 18 [and] we had numerous conversations about life and career and my dreams and my goals."
An injury dashed Ways' NFL dreams just four years ago, but Sports Rap Radio puts him back in the mix, giving him a chance to add his voice to the conversation while helping fill a gap in the realm of sports radio.
Now that the station has officially launched, you can listen to an all-local lineup from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and some local programming on the weekends.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has filed a Petition for Partial Reconsideration with the FCC regarding the reinstatement of staff diversity data collection.
Here are the key points:
Form 395-B: This data collection involves gathering information about race, ethnicity, and gender from licensees. It was paused for 20 years but has now been resumed.
First Amendment Concerns: The NAB argues that forcing broadcasters to disclose employee demographic data to the public is a form of compelled speech that does not meet the strict scrutiny standard required by the First Amendment.
Fifth Amendment Concerns: The disclosure of such data could unfairly pressure broadcasters into adopting hiring practices that favor certain demographics, potentially leading to preferential hiring.
Privacy and Safety: Non-binary employees might face targeted harassment due to the public disclosure of their gender information.
The NAB questions the FCC’s authority to impose these rules on radio stations, arguing that the Communications Act does not explicitly mandate such regulation for radio as it does for television stations.
RadioInk reports the NAB urges the FCC to find alternative methods for collecting and utilizing this data that would not require public disclosure, safeguarding broadcasters’ rights and individual privacy.
While first set to take effect on June 3, the enforcement of any new or revised data collection requirements by the FCC’s Media Bureau is currently delayed until the Office of Management and Budget completes a review under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Media Bureau plans to announce the specific compliance dates through a future Public Notice once they are determined.
The NFL is currently embroiled in a high-stakes antitrust battle over media rights.
Here are the key details:
Case Overview: According to Front Office Sports the trial, which began in Los Angeles, involves a class-action antitrust case that has been nearly a decade in development. The plaintiffs consist of more than 2.4 million residential and 48,000 commercial subscribers to NFL Sunday Ticket on DirecTV1. They are seeking to hold the league liable and claim damages of up to $7 billion. Under federal rules, this figure could potentially triple, resulting in a total bill of $21 billion for the NFL.
Allegations: The plaintiffs argue that the current structure of NFL Sunday Ticket artificially drives up prices. Residential packages now start at $349 per year, and the plaintiffs contend that this pricing model is unfair.
Potential Impact: If the plaintiffs prevail, NFL teams could gain the freedom to negotiate their own individual and market-specific out-of-market rights deals. Consumers might also have the ability to purchase individual games or team-specific packages. On the other hand, the league is likely to present NFL Sunday Ticket as a premium-level product that expands consumers’ access to games.
Key Figures: The trial could lead to key figures such as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and former CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus being called to testify. This could provide rare insights into how the league develops crucial business contracts.
Unique Approach: Unlike some other major leagues, the NFL has not allowed team-specific options for out-of-market game packages. Even as the residential portion of NFL Sunday Ticket has moved to YouTube (worth $14 billion over seven years), the streamer is not a defendant in the lawsuit.
Courthouse News reports the NFL will try to persuade the jury that its football game telecasts are "a high-quality and popular entertainment product" based on the combined efforts of the league and its broadcast partners, and that Sunday Ticket "expands output by providing avid fans with a high-quality option to ensure access to live telecasts of all Sunday afternoon NFL games."
The league will also seek to introduce evidence through an expert witness that, contrary to what the plaintiffs claim, its way of showing games provides consumers with more benefits than other professional sports leagues, such as MLB and the NBA, including by showing more free, over-the-air games.
The plaintiffs, represented by veteran litigator Marc Seltzer and Bill Carmody of Susman Godfrey among a bevy of other attorneys, also seek an injunction to stop the allegedly anticompetitive arrangement, which could upend the NFL's exclusive deal with Google. Any such injunction won't be handed down by the jury but will have to come from the judge.
Last World War II vets converge on Normandy for D-Day . . . Veterans of World War II, many of them centenarians and likely returning to France for one last time, pilgrimaged Tuesday to what was the bloodiest of five Allied landing beaches on June 6, 1944. They remembered fallen friends. They relived horrors they experienced in combat. They blessed their good fortune for surviving. And they mourned those who paid the ultimate price. They also bore a message for generations behind them, who owe them so much: Don’t forget what we did.
Eighty years after American soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy, some of the veterans — who were teenagers at the time — return for the first time. @KellyCobiella reports on this D-Day anniversary. pic.twitter.com/TypsL86d7S
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) June 5, 2024
More than 4,400 Allied troops were killed on D-Day, including more than 2,500 Americans. The Allied toll grew appallingly in the Battle of Normandy that ensued, with 73,000 killed and 153,000 wounded.
For the last five years, World News Tonight has been documenting the stories of World War II veterans on the invasion of Normandy. Ahead of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, @DavidMuir reports on their journey that day, and their return to those beaches. https://t.co/wIixdvC4aqpic.twitter.com/C1WMHOkiku
➤HUNTER'S EXes TESTIFY ON HIS ADDICTIONS: Hunter Biden’s ex-wife and an ex-girlfriend testified about his history of addiction in his trial for allegedly lying about his drug use when buying a gun in 2018. Kathleen Buhle told jurors about confronting her then-husband in 2015 about a crack pipe she’d found in the porch of their Washington, D.C., home and his admitting to using crack cocaine. Then, Zoe Kestan, a woman who dated Hunter Biden in 2018, said that, throughout their relationship, she saw him smoking crack cocaine. President Biden’s son faces federal gun-related charges and has denied knowingly lying on a government form. During opening statements yesterday, the junior Biden’s lawyer said that the jury should consider whether the form’s questions were asked clearly.
On day three of Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial, his ex-wife and ex-girlfriend testified about his drug abuse. Jurors also saw an image of the president’s son holding what prosecutors say was a crack pipe, along with other images of drugs allegedly used. pic.twitter.com/ctDejgHqZI
➤TRUMP POLLING: Conviction has not harmed Trump in polls / An Issues and Insights (I&I)/TIPP poll published Monday revealed that Trump and Biden are tied at 41 percent in a head-to-head matchup. That is an improvement for Trump, who was behind Biden in an I&I/TIPP poll in May by two points (42 to 40). In a Morning Consult survey conducted on May 31, the day after Trump was found guilty, Biden led Trump by one point (45 percent to 44 percent) in a poll of 2,200 registered voters.
➤WATCHDOG SUES DOJ FOR TRUMP RECORDS: A conservative nonprofit is suing the Department of Justice after it failed to release records requested under the Freedom of Information Act pertaining to Matthew Colangelo, a key figure in the New York criminal trial of former President Trump. Colangelo left his high-ranking DOJ post to join Bragg's investigation of Trump months before the indictment of the former president. "It is not every day that the number three ranking DOJ official — the Acting Associate Attorney General — leaves his post to join a district attorney’s office," American First Legal said.
➤TRUMP FLIPS ON ABSENTEE VOTING: Trump flips his 2020 stance, launches absentee ballot and early voting push. Former President Trump is urging Republicans to use "every appropriate tool to beat the Democrats," which the presumptive GOP nominee says includes early voting and absentee balloting. It's a major reversal from Trump's stance four years ago, when he repeatedly condemned early-in-person voting and mail-in balloting and said they were to blame for what he argued was massive election fraud that led to his defeat at the hands of President Biden.
➤TRUMP AFTER PHILLY BLACK VOTERS: Two of Donald Trump’s most prominent Black surrogates, Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and Wesley Hunt of Texas, ventured into Philadelphia this week to make their pitch at an event billed as “Congress, Cognac and Cigars.” Between sips of Remy Martin and Hennessey and drags on Romeo Y Julieta cigars, the two Republicans tried to persuade the racially mixed, largely Black audience on why more Black voters would benefit from abandoning the Democratic Party.
➤BIDEN EXECUTIVE ORDER FULL OF LOOPHOLES: President Joe Biden’s executive order to limit illegal crossings on the southern border is full of exemptions for migrants who claim asylum, according to an internal memo from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But even after the border is allegedly shut down after 2,500 average illegal crossings a day over the course of the week, a number of migrants may still enter the United States. Any "noncitizen," the memo states, may be permitted to enter under "urgent humanitarian" conditions.
EXCLUSIVE: Army Major Harrison Mann, a 13-year veteran, has resigned in protest over U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza. Mann, who is Jewish, told CBS News' @JimAxelrod that civilian casualties from some U.S.-made weapons were a significant reason for his decision. pic.twitter.com/JJz7HYtmz5
➤ISRAEL TARGETS HAMAS COMPOUND IN SCHOOL BUILDING: Israel targeted a Gaza school on Thursday that it said contained a Hamas compound, killing fighters involved in the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the eight-month war, but Gaza media said the strike killed at least 27 people seeking shelter. Ismail Al-Thawabta, the director of the Hamas-run government media office, rejected Israel's claims that the U.N. school in Nuseirat, in central Gaza, had hidden a Hamas command post."The occupation uses lying to the public opinion through false fabricated stories to justify the brutal crime it conducted against dozens of displaced people," Thawabta told Reuters. Israel's military said that before the strike by Israeli fighter jets, the military took steps to reduce the risk of harm to civilians.
93.1 JACK FM (KCBS-FM) veteran Richard Blade will receive the 2,782nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, June 6 at 11:00 a.m. PT in front of The Aster at 1725 Vine St. in Los Angeles, CA.
To celebrate this honor, 93.1 JACK FM will rename the station 93.1 Blade FM for the day on June 6. Blade will also join sister station KROQ, where he was a top-rated morning drive host in the 1980s, for an interview with the “Klein/Ally Show.” He will also join KNX News 97.1 FM at 8:15 a.m. PT.
“We’re so incredibly lucky and proud to have Richard associated with our stations for the past 40 years,” said Jeff Federman, Regional President, Audacy. “His genuine love for music has entertained and inspired countless fans, making him a respected and admired figure in the world of radio and beyond.”
The ceremony will honor Blade in the Radio category and feature speeches from Walk of Famer Jimmy Kimmel and Richard Blade Fan Club Coordinator Oscar E. Alvarez, Jr. The event will be streamed live exclusively at walkoffame.com.
Blade travels the world as a public speaker and live DJ while he hosts weekday shows like Audacy’s “Flashback Lunch” on 93.1 JACK FM. Last year, the L.A. City Council proclaimed June 9 Richard Blade Day in Los Angeles. He has won numerous awards, including The Golden Microphone, California’s Best DJ, the Brit-of-the-Year and the American DJ Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Blade is also a best-selling author and director.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally recognized landmark in Los Angeles. It consists of stars branded with the names of industry icons lining the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce broadcasts 24 induction ceremonies annually worldwide, adding an average of two stars monthly to the tourist attraction.
For information about the Hollywood Walk of Fame dedication, please visit here.
📻Listeners can tune in to Blade FM (KCBS-FM) in Los Angeles on air and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.
Audacy has announced a new multi-year agreement with the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. This partnership will ensure that all Saints and Pelicans games are broadcast live on WWL (WWL-AM/FM), providing fans with comprehensive coverage of their favorite teams.
WWL has been the flagship station for the New Orleans Saints continuously since 1995, delivering unparalleled coverage and fostering a deep connection with the team's passionate fanbase. With this new agreement, WWL will expand its sports broadcasting portfolio by becoming the official radio home of the New Orleans Pelicans. Fans can look forward to uninterrupted play-by-play commentary, expert analysis, and exclusive interviews with players and coaches throughout the seasons. The broadcasts will not only include live game coverage but also pre-game and post-game shows, delivering in-depth insights and engaging content for the listeners, plus weekly Saints and Pelicans focused shows.
“We are honored to extend our partnership with the New Orleans Saints and excited to bring the New Orleans Pelicans into the WWL family,” said Dan Barron, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy New Orleans. “This agreement reaffirms our dedication to providing fans with the best sports broadcasting in the region. We are proud to be the go-to source for Saints and Pelicans coverage and are excited to bring every thrilling moment to our listeners.”
FOX News Channel's top-rated program, The Five (weekdays, 5-6 PM/ET) will broadcast live from Martell’s Tiki Bar in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey for a special “Beach Bash” on Friday, June 7.
Co-hosts Dana Perino, Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Jeanine Pirro, and Harold Ford Jr. will be joined by a variety of guests throughout the hour, including Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, who will be reading “live” fan mail.
Additionally, Gutfeld will speak with members of the live audience throughout the program.
➦In 1938...NBC radio introduced two melodramatic soaps to the daytime airwaves, Stella Dallas and Young Widder Brown, both produced by Frank & Anne Hummert. Stella Dallas, “the true to life story of mother love and sacrifice,” continued in 15 minute radio bursts until 1955. ‘Brown’ outlasted it by a year.
Radio soap opera titan Frank Hummert became a partner in a Chicago advertising agency, where in 1930 Anne Ashenshurst was hired as a copywriter and assistant to Hummert. Together, both before and after their 1935 wedding, Anne & Frank developed and supervised the production of early daytime radio dramas Just Plain Bill, Ma Perkins, Skippy, Backstage Wife and Young Widder Brown. They later produced Amanda of Honeymoon Hill, Front Page Farrell, John’s Other Wife, Little Orphan Annie, Judy and Jane, Mr. Chameleon, and Our Gal Sunday. The Hummerts also had longrunning prime time success with Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, Waltz Time and The American Album of Familiar Music.
Larry Lujack
➦In 1940...Superjock Larry Lee Blankenburg a.k.a Larry Lujack was born in 1940 in Quasqueton, Iowa, and reared in Caldwell, Idaho. At 18 he joined KCID-AM in Caldwell, adopting the surname of his idol, the Chicago Bears quarterback Johnny Lujack.
After working at stations in Idaho and Washington State, Mr. Lujack joined WCFL in 1967 and moved to WLS four months later. Except for a four-year stint back at WCFL, he remained with WLS for the next two decades.
In 1984 WLS gave Lujack a 12-year, $6 million contract, making him one of the country’s highest-paid radio personalities. (“I am not the least bit excited,” he was reported to have said.) But in 1987, amid declining ratings, the station’s corporate parent, Capital Cities-ABC, bought out his contract.
His honors include membership in the Illinois Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame (“It’s not Mount Rushmore,” he said on learning of his induction) and the National Radio Hall of Fame.
He passed away December 18, 2013.
➦In 1944….Radio covered first news of the Allies’ D-Day Invasion…
William Wright Bryan, a former editor of the Atlanta Journal was the first World War II correspondent to broadcast an eyewitness account of D-Day. He was the newspaper's managing editor, war correspondent and an NBC radio stringer when he became the first newsman to give a report on the D-Day invasion of France on June 6, 1944.
He covered the invasion from a transport plane dropping airborne troops. When the plane flew back to London, Bryan went on the air and made his broadcast immediately after a one-sentence announcement by the Allied command and tape-recorded statements by King George VI and President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
While covering the Allies' further advance across Europe, Bryan was wounded and captured by the Germans and spent six months in hospitals and in a prisoner of war camp in Szubin, Poland. He was freed by Soviet troops in January, 1945. Bryan died February 15, 1991 of pneumonia at the age of 85.
The Allies had gone to extreme measures to protect the location of the invasion including planting fake documents, fake troop placements, and fake announcements. Germany did all it could to try to find out just where the Allies would land. One tactic was to falsely claim the invasion had begun hoping to fool the Allies into revealing the real location.
So it was no surprise that the news organizations were shy to jump on any announcement of a pending invasion. News reports included flash announcements which were deemed immediate and important information received; the other were bulletins which were also important but not deemed as immediate.
On June 3rd there had been a flash announcement that the invasion was under way but within minutes the announcement was withdrawn as the source, the Associated Press, killed the story as false.
When the first announcements started coming in the early morning of June 6, there were cautions attached to the bulletins. NBC reportedly came on the air with announcements around 12:41 AM EST after waiting at least 3 minutes from the time the AP bulletin was received.
➤The music of Harry James and his Orchestra was broadcasting over WOR (Mutual) from the Hotel Astor in New York. Kitty Kallen had just begun singing ironically "In Times Like These" when her song was interrupted right after 12:45 AM for bulletin. Listen Here. Ned Calmer with CBS broadcast the bulletin around 12:48 AM. CBS waited until a second source, the Independent News Service, also released a bulletin.
➤Later repeats of the bulletins appeared over both networks. Irwin Darlington with CBS broadcast the breaking news. Listen Here. Over at NBC this bulletin was aired. Listen Here.
CBS reporter Darlington was very cautionary in his bulletin announcement reminding listeners of Winston Churchill's warnings of Allied feints and the expected invasion story from the Germans. He also carefully identifies where the information is coming from as well as the actual quotes. They also provide reports from the German DNB and German radio broadcasts.
NBC's bulletin was very formal and straight-forward with little warning that the information could be false. Later cautions came from the summary of news reports they broadcast later. (H/T: Radio Days)
➦In 1955…Bill Haley & Comets', "Rock Around the Clock" hit #1 on radio.
Hubbard Radio Minnesota’s VP/Market Manager, Dan Seeman, and KTMY myTalk 107.1 Brand and Content Manager, Amy Daniels, announced that Brittany Arneson and Kendall Mark will host afternoon drive on myTalk 107.1.
Kendall Mark
The Brittany & Kendall Show will replace legendary afternoon drive hosts Lori & Julia. After 22 years Lori Barghini and Julia Cobbs have decided to hang up their myTalk headphones.
“I couldn’t be more excited to announce that Brittany and Kendall will host afternoons on myTalk 107.1,” commented Daniels. “The myTalk 107.1 audience is already familiar with and loves Brittany. When Kendall came in for the on-air audition we knew within 15 minutes that she was the perfect fit!”
Brittany Arneson is familiar to the myTalk 107.1 audience, serving as a primary fill-in host during the past five years. Prior to that, Brittany was on the KQRS morning show and most recently co-hosted the Tom Barnard Podcast with Tom Barnard. Brittany also has a background as a digital media specialist and is a United States Veteran, serving as a Veteran Combat Medic in the US Army.
Brittany Arneson
Kendall Mark most recently worked as a reporter, anchor and host at Fox 9 in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Kendall hosted alongside Jason Matheson on the nationally syndicated “The Jason Show”. Prior to her six years at Fox 9, Kendall worked as an in-game host for the Minnesota Wild, a host and reporter for Fox Sports North and reporter at Canterbury Park.
“I am seriously the biggest myTalk fan .. I listen constantly,” commented Brittany. “I can’t believe this is the station I get to work at with the people I adore.” Kendall remarked, “Is this real life?! We have some big shoes to fill, the Drive Time Divas are absolute legends. What a privilege to be joining Brittany on this new adventure. We can’t wait to spend our afternoons with all of you, myTalkers!”
VP/Market Manager, Dan Seeman, commented, “Let me start off by recognizing the incredible achievements of Lori & Julia. They blazed trails for this entire radio station and will always be in the DNA of myTalk 107.1. Replacing Lori & Julia was a big challenge, but I think Amy Daniels found the future with Brittany and Kendall.” Lori & Julia’s final broadcast will be on June 27, 2024. Brittany and Kendall will launch their new show on July 8, 2024.
The head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently introduced a proposal that would require political advertisers to disclose when they use content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in broadcast television and radio ads1.
The move aims to address concerns about misleading content produced by rapidly advancing generative AI tools. If adopted, the FCC’s rules would add transparency by asking broadcasters to verify whether political ad content was created using AI tools such as text-to-image creators or voice-cloning software.
These rules would only apply to TV, radio, and some cable providers, excluding the significant growth in advertising on digital and streaming platforms.
The proposal comes as AI-generated content continues to play a role in political communications, and regulators seek ways to inform consumers about its use.
Additionally, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has expressed caution regarding the FCC’s proposed rules, recommending that any new regulations related to political advertising and AI be postponed until after the November 2024 elections.
The National Association of Broadcasters is taking a wait-and-see stand for now, awaiting the details of the proposal. “In an era marked by the rise of misinformation and disinformation online, local broadcasters play a vital role in delivering trusted information to their communities, going to great lengths to ensure accuracy of the information they put on the air,” a spokesman said
Paramount Global Tuesday revealed its business plan during a stockholders metting. The pln comes amid ongoing discussions about a potential sale.
Here are the key points:
Cost Cuts and Layoffs: Paramount’s new management structure, led by division heads George Cheeks, Brian Robbins, and Chris McCarthy, aims to implement $500 million in cost cuts. This includes undisclosed layoffs.
Asset Sales: The company is exploring the sale of certain assets to improve its financial position.
Paramount+ Streaming Service: The trio at the helm is also considering a joint venture for Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+.
Despite past challenges, including underinvestment and shifts in audience behavior, Paramount aims to unlock significant value. However, the sale process is still ongoing, and any deal with David Ellison’s Skydance Media awaits approval from controlling shareholder Shari RedstoneOnce a colossus of the entertainment industry, the Redstone family-controlled enterprise has fallen behind its traditional rivals, including Walt Disney Co. and Comcast, as well as upstart tech companies including Amazon and Netflix, according to The L-A Times.
Years of underinvestment, mismanagement, titanic shifts in audience behavior, the COVID-19 pandemic and a costly push into streaming have diminished its standing. Its once vibrant cable channels, including Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon, have dimmed in reputation and ratings. Exacerbating its debt issues, Bakish passed up opportunities to sell assets, including Showtime and BET.
Last year’s strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA slowed the content pipeline.
During the week of May 27 - June 2, FOX News Channel (FNC) led CNN and MSNBC combined with primetime viewers during the week of former President Donald Trump’s conviction.
In primetime (8-11 PM/ET), FNC earned 2,126,000 viewers, 226,000 in the 25-54 demo commanding all of cable news combined with viewers. In total day (6 AM-6 AM/ET), FNC posted 1.4 million viewers and 161,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing all of cable with viewers.
FNC saw week-over-week and year-over-year gains across the board, notably seeing a 57% increase with primetime viewers and 74% increase in the 25-54 demo in primetime compared to this week last year.
Notably, the network posted 71 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the week while America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, Outnumbered, America Reports, The Story, Your World, The Five and Special Report all posted their most-watched weeks of the year.
The Five averaged 3.4 million viewers and 327,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the most-watched show in cable news.
At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.6 million viewers and 278,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle at 7 PM/ET scored 2.4 million viewers and 240,000 in the 25-54 demo.
At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime was the most-watched primetime program in cable news, delivering 3 million viewers and 307,000 in the 25-54 demo.
At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 2.6 million viewers and 265,000 with A25-54.
At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.3 million viewers and 186,000 in the 25-54 demo.
On Thursday, FNC topped broadcast and cable television as the New York jury in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial found him guilty on all 34 felony counts in the 5 PM/ET hour.
According to data from Nielsen Media Research, FNC averaged over 4.7 million viewers and 665,000 in the 25-54 demo when chief legal analyst and FOX News Sunday’s Shannon Bream reported the verdict during the 5 PM/ET hour. Notably, it was the highest rated hour in cable.
The network also topped all broadcast and cable television from 4:45-6 PM/ET, beginning when news outlets reported a verdict was imminent and as the guilty charges came down averaging 4.4 million viewers and 610,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC was also number one during total day coverage leading up to the verdict with 1.9 million viewers and 241,000 in 25-54 demo.
Notably, on Friday, May 31st, MSNBC lost more than half of its audience following the breaking news of Trump’s guilty verdict. The network saw 58% viewership declines and was down 67% in the 25-54 demo in primetime compared to the previous night. CNN was down 46% with viewers and 56% in the 25-54 demo.
At 10 PM/ET, FNC’s late-night offering Gutfeld! averaged 2,420,000 viewers and 314,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the most-watched primetime cable news program in the 25-54 demo. Gutfeld! topped all of the broadcast competition with viewers outpacing ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,860,000 P2+), while The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon were off last week.
FNC’s daytime lineup continued to surpass broadcast programs during the week. The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 2,032,000 P2+), Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 1,937,000 P2+), The Story (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 1,804,000 P2+), America’s Newsroom (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 1,758,000 P2+), and America Reports (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 1,755,000 P2+) all beat NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna (1,399,000 P2+), ABC’s GMA3 (1,272,000 P2+) and CBS’ The Talk (1,218,000 P2+).
A federal judge has denied a request to immediately shut down conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ media company, Free Speech Systems, which includes Infowars. Jones filed for bankruptcy reorganization after losing two lawsuits and being ordered to pay $1.5 billion to relatives of victims from the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
The families have opposed Jones’ reorganization plans. On Sunday, they filed an emergency motion to convert Free Speech Systems’ bankruptcy reorganization into a liquidation, saying Jones has not made progress in showing how he will pay the lawsuit judgments. However, the judge allowed Jones to continue operating for the next two weeks while deciding whether to liquidate his assets.
The Associated Press reports Jones went on his web and radio show over the weekend with “emergency broadcasts” claiming Free Speech Systems, including his Infowars broadcasts, were going to be shut down at any minute by the federal government and bankruptcy system. That did not happen. At one point, he urged his followers to form a human chain around his studio in Austin, Texas, to protect it.
Jones had claimed that his company would be shut down imminently by the federal government, but that did not happen
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