TV Ratings: World Cup Draws Record Audience For Fox Sports

Fox drew a record audience for its coverage of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final but the game had fewer viewers than its NFL coverage that followed, reports The L-A Times.

Argentina’s victory on penalty kicks over France after overtime ended in a 3-3 tie averaged 16.783 million viewers on Fox and Fox Sports streaming services, the most for a men’s English-language World Cup telecast in U.S. television history, according to figures released Tuesday by Nielsen. The previous record was 15.491 million for the 0-0 U.S.-England group stage game Nov. 25, also on Fox.

The Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo and Peacock averaged 9 million viewers, a 65% increase from the 5.5 million average for the 2018 final between France and Croatia.

Fox’s NFL coverage averaged 18.658 million viewers, 41% more than last season’s comparable window.

“Wednesday” moved into second on Netflix’s all-time list for viewership for an English-language television series in its first 28 days of release, with another 173.96 million hours watched from Dec. 12-18, increasing its total to 1.196 billion hours in its 26 days of release through Sunday, according to figures released by the streaming service. The fourth season of “Stranger Things” holds the record with 1.352 billion hours streamed.

“Harry & Meghan” was second on Netflix for the week, with 97.71 million hours watched of its six episodes, including its final three, which were released Thursday. “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” was Netflix’s most-streamed movie, with 39.38 million hours in its first full week of release.

“60 Minutes” was the week’s top non-NFL program, averaging 9.594 million viewers, fourth for the week behind “Sunday Night Football,” the NFL Network’s telecast of Saturday’s Buffalo Bills-Dolphins game and the “Sunday Night Football” pre-kickoff show.

“Yellowstone” led all entertainment programs for the sixth time in the six weeks of its fifth season, averaging a combined 9.064 million viewers on Paramount Network and CMT, sixth for the week.

NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” drew its smallest audience of the season’s 15 games but still was the top-ranked prime-time program for the week of Dec. 12-18, with the New York Giants’ 20-12 victory over the Washington Commanders averaging 15.376 million viewers. The previous low was 15.534 million viewers for the Miami Dolphins’ 16-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers Oct. 23.

An NFL program has led the ratings each week of the 13-week-old 2022-23 prime-time television season.

The combination of “Sunday Night Football” and five hours of “The Voice” put NBC at the top of the network rankings for the 11th time in the season, averaging 5.57 million viewers. The only weeks NBC did not win this season came when Fox aired coverage of the World Series.

NBC’s top non-NFL programs were the two-hour season finale episodes of “The Voice” on Tuesday and its Monday edition, which respectively averaged 6.948 million and 6.897 million viewers, fifth and sixth among non-NFL programs and 11th and 12th overall. An additional hour of “The Voice” that ran before the season finale was 14th for the week, averaging 5.3 million viewers.

CBS was second for the week, averaging 4.51 million, and ABC third, 2.66 million.

ABC’s ratings leader was “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration,” 20th for the week, averaging 4.26 million viewers.

The top 20 prime-time programs consisted of three NFL games; five NFL pregame shows; “60 Minutes”; “Yellowstone”; five CBS scripted programs and its alternative series “Survivor”; all three episodes of the NBC singing competition “The Voice”; and “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.”

Saturday’s Buffalo-Miami game on NFL Network led all cable programming, averaging 11.058 million viewers, second for the week.

Report: NFL Sunday Ticket Deal With YouTube TV Worth $2B A Year

YouTube will pay an average price of roughly $2 billion a year to secure rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket franchise, people familiar with the deal said, the latest sign that the migration of sports from traditional television to streaming is chugging ahead, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The deal cements YouTube, a division of Alphabet Inc.’s Google, as a rising force in streaming online and on television sets. The business, which began as a website serving user-generated clips with little curation, now also sells the cable bundles and prime sports programming that it once set out to supplant.

Sunday Ticket is a subscription-only package that allows customers access to all Sunday afternoon games for out-of-market teams. DirecTV currently pays the National Football League an average fee of $1.5 billion per season for both residential and commercial rights. 

YouTube is licensing the residential rights for seven years, the people said. Those rights are valued at roughly $2 billion per season and could increase if certain benchmarks are reached, the people said. The NFL will also seek to license the commercial rights for bars and restaurants for an additional $200 million, the people said. 

Wake-Up Call: Winter Storm To Impact Every State

A winter weather system and cold blast is set to impact nearly every state and bring what the National Weather Service is calling a 'once in a generation event' to the United States - crippling travel just days before Christmas. The strengthening storm will bring more than a foot of snow and possible blizzard conditions to the Midwest, as the weather service warns of 'life-threatening' wind chills for millions. More than 90 million people are under winter weather alerts and more than 87 million are under wind chill alerts. The alerts stretch across 37 states, dipping as far south as the Texas/Mexico border.  Denver is opening recreation centers and libraries as daytime warming shelters (below) on Thursday and Friday for local to escape the wild weather. Thursday is expected to be the most difficult day for travel with more than one thousand flights across the US cancelled, according to FlightAware.

A major winter storm and cold blast will impact nearly every state and bring what the National Weather Service is calling a “once in a generation type event” that will cripple travel on some of the busiest travel days of the year. The strengthening storm will bring more than a foot of snow and possible blizzard conditions to the Midwest, as the weather service warns of “life-threatening” wind chills for millions.

More than 90 million people are under winter weather alerts and more than 87 million are under wind chill alerts. The alerts stretch across 37 states, dipping as far south as the Texas/Mexico border. The number of people under winter alerts and wind chill alerts has grown to over 100 million people, or roughly a third of the US population, according to the National Weather Service. The cold will stick around for Christmas weekend, making this the coldest Christmas in roughly 40 years for portions of the Plains and Midwest.

➤Z TO CONGRESS: 'YOUR MONEY IS NOT CHARITY': "Your money is not charity. It is an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way," Zelenskiy told a joint session of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, speaking in English. The world is too interconnected to allow any country to stand aside and feel safe, Zelenskiy said as he appealed for bipartisan support.

Pres. Zelenskyy to Congress: "Against all odds, and doom and gloom scenarios, Ukraine didn't fall. Ukraine is alive and kicking." https://t.co/telHQ5mvmu pic.twitter.com/RwDfSYvgtl

— ABC News (@ABC) December 22, 2022

Earlier, Zelenskiy, wearing his trademark olive green trousers and sweater on his first foreign wartime visit, met President Joe Biden, who called for support to keep flowing in 2023. The United States also announced another $1.85 billion in military aid for Ukraine, including a Patriot air defence system to help it ward off barrages of Russian missiles. Zelenskiy said the Patriot system was an important step in creating an air shield.

President Biden tells Zelenskyy he was named TIME’s ‘Man of the Year’ during White House visit https://t.co/iV4clG0OZF

— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 22, 2022

Earlier in the day, President Biden pledged the U.S. would continue to help Ukraine defend itself. His administration announced a $1.85 billion aid package that for the first time includes a Patriot air-defense system. Zelensky’s eight-hour visit to Washington, his first trip outside his home country since Russia’s invasion last February, comes on the 300th day of the conflict. The Ukrainian president is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress at 7:30 p.m. ET. Members of Congress are slated to provide an additional $44.9 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies through a fiscal 2023 spending bill.

D/FW Radio: KLIF-FM Repositions

Cumulus Media announces that Dallas/Fort Worth hit music radio station Hot 93.3/KLIF-FM has turned up the volume this week, taking the station’s CHR format to a new focus on CHR hits from the ‘90s and 2000s.

Listeners can now enjoy blockbuster hits from the hottest artists of the ‘90s and 2000s, including: Shakira, Beyonce’, Maroon 5, Eminem, Adele, Goo Goo Dolls, No Doubt, Rihanna, Pink, Alanis Morissette, Katy Perry, TLC, Green Day, Oasis, Black-Eyed Peas, Pitbull, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Beastie Boys, Semisonic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Backstreet Boys, Dave Matthews Band, Spice Girls, Shawn Mendes, Lady Gaga, blink-182, Linkin Park, and more – including today’s biggest hits from Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and more.

Dan Bennett, Regional Vice President, Cumulus Dallas/Houston, said: “We went back to the best times when Top 40 was on fire! Moms and daughters can come back to hit music in DFW. The music is instantly familiar, and you can sing along with it.”

Tucson Radio: KiiM-FM Penny Pitch Raises $54K+

Cumulus Media announces that Tucson radio station KiiM-FM 99.5 raised $54,721.89 for Arizona Children’s Association at its annual KiiM-FM  Penny Pitch fundraiser. The KiiM-FM Penny Pitch raised money by inviting the public to donate spare pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, or whatever they have during a three-day live broadcast on Wednesday, December 14, 2022,  through Friday, December 16, 2022, at Tucson Mall.  

The campaign’s goal each year is to raise one million pennies to benefit Arizona children in need. 100% of proceeds go direction to Arizona’s Children Association. Over the years, the popular Tucson Country radio station has raised nearly a quarter million dollars through KiiM-FM Penny Pitch, allowing Arizona’s Children Association to help many of Arizona’s children and families in crisis. Sponsors of this year’s KiiM-FM Penny Pitch  were Cummings Plumbing Heating & Cooling, Essential Pest Control, Finley Distributing, Saguaro Solar.  

Buzz Jackson, Program Director, KiiM-FM 99.5, said: “Over the years, we've helped raise more than a quarter of a million dollars for Arizona's Children Association with the support of our listeners and sponsors. What’s amazing about the funds raised during the Penny Pitch is that 100% of those proceeds are used for unexpected expenses AZCA families face throughout the year. Imagine that your car breaks down and you don’t have the money to fix it, but you need to get your children to school – that’s where the “KiiM-FM Emergency Fund” comes into play. It’s a really special thing.”

Houston Radio: KRBE Raises $122K+ For Texas Children's Hospitals

Cumulus Media’s 104.1 KRBE, Houston’s #1 Hit Music station, held its first-ever Houston’s Little Heroes Radiothon on Thursday, December 15, 2022, and raised $122,349 for Texas Children’s Hospitals. 

The station kicked off the full-day fundraising event with the popular The Roula & Ryan Show broadcasting live beginning at 6:00am at Houston’s Texas Children’s Hospital. 

Throughout the day, KRBE on-air talent shared with listeners impactful stories on how this great organization has impacted children’s lives. Listeners called and texted to donate, with all funds raised going to help local children and families served by Texas Children’s Hospitals.

Duke City Radio: Country Cares KRST Sets New Record For St. Jude's

Cumulus Media has announced that Albuquerque radio station 92.3 KRST Country and its listeners came together to raise a record-breaking $200,315 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through the fourth annual KRST Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon. The two-day fundraising event was held on Thursday, December 8th, and Friday, December 9th between 6am and 6pm, to support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude that no child should die in the dawn of life.

92.3 KRST Country on-air hosts including Bev, Eddie, Juan, Mandi, and Deda broadcasted live from the KRST studio and on social media through live stream, with special guests, interviews and more to support the kids of St. Jude. All funds raised by the KRST Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon will go directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and will support St. Jude patients and families who never receive a bill from St. Jude for the cost of treatment, travel, housing or food.

December 22 Radio History

➦In 1899...Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America registered.  It was established as a subsidiary of the British Marconi Company and held the U.S. and Cuban rights to Guglielmo Marconi's radio (then called "wireless telegraphy") patents.

American Marconi initially primarily operated high-powered land and transatlantic shipboard stations. In 1912, it acquired the extensive assets of the bankrupt United Wireless Telegraph Company, becoming the dominant radio communications provider in the United States.

During World War One the United States government assumed control of the radio industry. After the war government officials balked at returning the American Marconi stations to the original owners, distrusting British control of radio communication due to national security concerns.

Led by the U.S. Navy, the government pressured the Marconi companies to transfer American Marconi to a U.S. owner. The American Marconi assets were purchased by General Electric in 1919, which provided the foundation for creating its new subsidiary, the Radio Corporation of America.

Philly Radio: 94 WIP Launching New Midday Show

Audacy has announced programming updates for SportsRadio WIP 94.1 FM in Philadelphia. Hugh Douglas will join the station as midday show co-host, with night host Joe Giglio moving to middays to join him. The duo will be heard weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET, beginning in 2023, one week following the conclusion of the Philadelphia Eagles season.

“Few people have a deeper connection to the Philadelphia sports audience than Eagles legend Hugh Douglas, and we’re thrilled to bring him back to WIP,” said Rod Lakin, Brand Manager, SportsRadio 94WIP. “Joe Giglio has been a staple in evenings for WIP, and we’re very excited to see his role expand in middays. It’s an incredible opportunity to add two extremely talented hosts to the new WIP weekday lineup during one of the most exciting periods in Philadelphia sports history.”

“The best years of my NFL career were in Philly, and I cut my teeth in broadcasting at WIP,” said Douglas. “I’m so excited to be back and hosting middays with Joe Giglio. I’m coming home!”

Douglas is a former NFL defensive end who played for 10 years with the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars. During his football career, Douglas was elected to play three Pro Bowls and is ranked No. 4 on the Eagles all-time sack list. He was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in November of 2022. After playing, Douglas was hired as the Eagles’ Good Will Ambassador. His broadcasting career includes time as a co-host on WIP, a full-time analyst on ESPN2’s “Numbers Never Lie,” NFL Studios and as an analyst on ESPN programs such as “SportsCenter,” “NFL Live,” ESPN2’s “First Take” and ESPNEWS. Douglas has also spent time on BBC America and as a reporter with WTXF-TV in Philadelphia.

“I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to be part of the next midday show on WIP,” said Giglio. “Joe and Jon have set a standard to become appointment listening for every Philadelphia sports fan over the last five-plus years, and I can't wait to do the same with an Eagles legend, Hugh Douglas. Doing a daily show for the most passionate sports fans in the country is a privilege, and I'm thrilled to get rolling during one of the most exciting eras we've ever seen!”

Giglio broke into the industry after winning New York sister station WFAN’s Fantasy Phenom contest in 2012. A year later, Giglio joined WIP as a fill-in host. Since 2017, he has hosted evenings for the station, including Philadelphia Phillies pregame and postgame shows. Additionally, Giglio has been a host on “BetQL Daily,” weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET on the BetQL Network.

So How Much Does Mariah Carey Earn From Her Christmas Classic?

Mariah Carey’s holiday classic, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” is the gift that keeps on giving for its writers and label. In 2021, the master recording of Carey’s version of her song, co-written with Walter Afanasieff, generated 1.747 million song consumption units in the United States, according to Luminate. Of that, 48,000 were from track downloads, 200 million came from on-demand audio streams, 52.5 million came from video on-demand streams and 24 million from programmed streams.

Combined, those plays and downloads generated $1.36 million for Carey and her label, Sony Music, Billboard estimates.

Meanwhile, the song’s publishing, including mechanicals for the track from the physical sales of the five Carey albums it appears on brought in another $378,000 last year.

However, the United States only accounted for 51% of download sales and 30.7% of on-demand streaming, so when you look at the song globally and take into account a total of 94,000 song downloads and 823 million streams, Billboard estimates that in 2021 the Carey master recording version of the song brought in almost $4.5 million, while its publishing royalties generated another $1.66 million. Combined, that comes to $6.16 million in global revenue and publishing royalties.

Only In CA: 'Climate Change' Forcing FM To Sign-Off

KCBX announced today that after 39 years of bringing Santa Barbara residents a unique mix of news, entertainment and music, a change in atmospheric conditions due to climate change has created a frequency interference with another radio station. As a result, there is no avenue but to end the broadcast at 89.5 FM KSBX by the end of 2022. Listeners in the Santa Barbara area who are affected by this change are encouraged to tune in to KCBX’s online stream on the KCBX.org website, via smart speakers, and through the NPR apps. Some areas on the outskirts of Santa Barbara, including most of the city of Goleta, will still be able to listen on the KCBX 90.9 FM signal.

A phenomenon known as ‘ducting,’ created by warmer waters, changes how radio signals travel over bodies of water, allowing FM frequencies to travel farther across the ocean. As a result, broadcasts on a frequency many miles away are able to reach new coastlines and interfere with the same frequency that would previously be shielded from that interference based on distance alone. The KSBX frequency at 89.5 FM is an unfortunate victim of this phenomenon, being increasingly overrun by a station using the same frequency 200 miles away, creating an unintentional problem that that the other station cannot fix.

Report: YouTube TV Emerges As Frontrunner For NFL Sunday Ticket

Google and its affiliated YouTube TV are emerging as the leading contenders to land the package of every NFL game, The Post has learned. An announcement could come as soon as Wednesday.

Neither the NFL nor YouTube TV had comment, according to The NY Post.

Apple was for a long stretch considered the frontrunner to land the package, but talks between Apple and the NFL broke down last week.

A potential issue for subscribers is that YouTube TV does not have many RSNs, which makes it difficult to watch local sports, like baseball, basketball and hockey. For example, if the NFL is going to require fans to get YouTube TV, they will be forced to add a service that presently does not have the YES Network, which is the home to the Yankees or MSG for the Knicks and the local NHL teams. 

Buffalo Radio: Lexi Ziccardi Joins WEDG For PM Drive

Lexi Ziccardi

Cumulus Media announces that it has appointed on-air personality Alexis “Lexi” Ziccardi as On-Air Host, Afternoons, for Buffalo’s Alternative Rock station 103.3 The Edge/WEDG-FM. 

Lexi will be heard weekday afternoons from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, beginning Wednesday, December 28, 2022. In addition to her afternoon show, she will also serve as Promotions Coordinator for 103.3 the Edge.

A native Western New Yorker, Lexi returns to Buffalo from Jacksonville, FL, where she was Morning Producer and On-Air Personality for Cox Media Group. Prior to that, she worked in multiple on-air, producing and promotions roles with Entercom Buffalo. She holds a B.S. degree in Communications from SUNY Fredonia.

Jim Riley, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Buffalo, said: “Lexi is the perfect person to take over afternoons on The Edge. She is a great talent from Buffalo coming back home musically and culturally. She really understands what’s important to our Buffalo audience.”

Joe Siragusa, Operations Manager, Cumulus Buffalo, commented: “We’re thrilled to bring Lexi back to Buffalo. She’s got a passion for radio and audio entertainment, has a great depth of knowledge across our industry. She will be the perfect addition to Team Edge!”

Lexi Ziccardi remarked: “I am honored to be coming back to Buffalo to be on a station I grew up listening to. The Edge is legendary and I’m so excited to be part of the next chapter.”

Podcasts Heading Into More Cars

Cerence Inc., AI for a world in motion, has announced new partnerships with two of the world’s leading audio content providers – iHeartMedia, the number one audio company in the United States and home to iHeartRadio, the free all-in-one digital music, podcasting and live streaming radio service, and Radioline, which manages the largest audio content database of 110,000 radio and podcast streams from 161 countries – bringing enhanced, conversational AI-powered access to radio and podcast content to automakers and mobility OEMs.

In an increasingly connected content ecosystem, radio continues to prevail as a leading form of entertainment in the car, with nearly 90% of prospective car buyers stating that radio should be standard in every vehicle. With its deep focus on immersive, user-centric mobility experiences, Cerence has established a network of content partners in iHeartRadio and Radioline that enhances its audio entertainment domain with thousands of radio channels and podcasts. When combined with its industry-leading voice recognition and natural language understanding, Cerence unlocks a seamless infotainment experience that automakers and mobility OEMs can leverage to delight their drivers across languages and geographies.

"With the wide variety of content available to drivers on a minute-by-minute basis, radio and podcasts are still a critical piece of the in-car entertainment experience,” said Nils Schanz, Chief Product Officer, Cerence. “By partnering with iHeartRadio and Radioline, we bring the same global, user-centric approach we take to build Cerence-powered in-car experiences and apply it specifically to audio content, enabling automakers and mobility OEMs to meet the entertainment needs of their drivers worldwide.”

"We are proud to team up with Cerence to offer automakers access to new and innovate paths to accessing iHeart content,” said John Vermeer, Executive Vice President, Digital Distribution and Platform Partnerships for iHeartMedia. “Our goal is to provide listeners with the products and services they expect, and Cerence’s industry-leading natural language understanding will provide drivers with seamless voice-enabled access to our vast library of live radio stations and chart-topping podcasts as they travel across the U.S.”

Radioline’s extensive content library is available in local, regional, and thematic catalogs and enriched with metadata, EPG and advanced freemium features. Today, Radioline services are available worldwide across devices (mobile, CTV, auto, wearables, and more) and operating systems (iOS, Android, Linux, Harmony OS, etc.), empowering users with listening continuity and synchronization of favorites and bookmarks across their digital and device ecosystem. Radioline offers both B2C and B2B solutions, working with more than 50 partners including telcos, OEMs, middleware, media groups, and more.

Wake-Up Call: Mr. Zelensky Goes To Washington

Daily Mail US (12/21/22)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was making his way to Washington on Wednesday for a summit with President Joe Biden and to address Congress in his first known trip outside the country since Russia’s invasion began in February.

Zelenskyy said on his Twitter account that the visit was “to strengthen resilience and defense capabilities” of Ukraine and discuss cooperation between his country and the U.S with Biden.

The highly sensitive trip is taking place after 10 months of a brutal war that has seen tens of thousands killed and wounded on both sides of the conflict, along with devastation for Ukrainian civilians. It also comes as U.S. lawmakers are set to vote on a year-end spending package that includes about $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and as the Pentagon prepares to send Patriot surface-to-air missiles to the country to defend itself.

Zelenskiy paid a surprise visit on Tuesday to the frontline city of Bakhmut, where he hailed the "superhuman" troops waging a battle that has come to symbolise the grinding brutality of the war in Ukraine.

Zelensky’s “Bakhmut Speech” today.

A speech that will go down in the history books.pic.twitter.com/fH1HPCBQKl

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 20, 2022

Zelenskiy's office released video footage showing the president, dressed in khaki, handing out medals to soldiers inside a ramshackle industrial complex in the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region.

➤TRUMP TAX RETURNS TO BE MADE PUBLIC: A U.S. House of Representatives committee voted on Tuesday to release partially redacted tax filings from former President Donald Trump and said tax authorities had failed to properly scrutinize his returns while he was in office. The House Ways and Means Committee voted to release a summary of Trump's tax returns between 2015 and 2021, the years when he was running for president and serving in the White House, panel members said. It will take a few days to redact Donald Trump’s tax returns before they are ready to be released to the public.

The incredible congressional spending spree of 2022 https://t.co/tcfRVXCjt3

— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 21, 2022

➤2 DEAD, 12 INJURED AFTER MAGNITUDE 6.4 EARTHQUAKE ROCKS PARTS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: At least two people died and 12 were injured after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked Northern California early Tuesday. The earthquake was the strongest earthquake the area has seen in years, it also damaged infrastructure and cut off power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses around Humboldt County. Tuesday's fatalities mark the first deaths stemming from an earthquake in California since one person died in 2019 during a 7.1 magnitude quake.

➤8 TEENAGE GIRLS CHARGED IN STABBING DEATH OF TORONTO MAN: A 59-year-old person living in a shelter to keep people off the street was stabbed to death by 8 teenage girls in Toronto. The mob of underaged teens were between the ages of 13 and 16 years old, and the criminal killings is considered a swarming by police. Authorities said three of the eight suspects had been in trouble with police before attacking the deceased victim. The girls now face second-degree murder charges.

✞SONYA EDDY DIES AT 55: General Hospital actress Sonya Eddy (right) has passed away at the age of 55. Octavia Spencer shared the news of her death to Instagram Tuesday. “My friend @sonyaeddy passed away last night. The world lost another creative angel. Her legions of @generalhospitalabc fans will miss her … My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones, friends, and fans!” Spencer wrote. General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini also paid tribute to Eddy on Twitter. “I am heartbroken about the loss of the incredible @TheRealSonyaEd. I truly loved her not only as actress, but as a friend. The lights in the hub of the nurse’s station will now be a little dimmer, but her spirit and light will live on in both the show and our set,” he wrote.

➤ATTEMPTED ROBBERY SUSPECT SHOT, DIES AT HOSPITAL: DeKalb County police say a man who attempted to rob a victim was killed in the process. Police responded to a call for a person being shot. When they arrived, officials found Antwon June had been shot. Police say he was transported to the hospital where he died from his injuries related to being shot. According to DKPD, the suspect attempted an armed robbery of his victims and during the course of the incident, the suspect was shot.

Musk Says He Will Resign As Twitter CEO

Elon Musk will resign as Twitter CEO after being defeated in his own disastrous poll, he confirmed Tuesday night, reports The Daily Mail US. 

The Tesla boss said on Sunday he would 'abide by' the result of the poll he organized and promised to honor - where he asked users whether he should step down. 

He confirmed that he'd be stepping down from the role- after he finds a replacement 'foolish enough' to take over. 

The billionaire tweeted: 'I will resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job! After that, I will just run the software & servers teams.' The result of his poll was confirmed on Monday morning, with a total of 57.5 percent of more than 17 million accounts voting for him to step down from his position. 

Normally a prolific user of the platform, Musk, who also runs car maker Tesla and rocket firm SpaceX, did not tweet in the immediate hours following the poll.

Analyst Sees Disney Reshaping Its Portfolio

“We think Bob Iger is returning to Disney to make big changes. Spinning [off] ESPN/ABC is the best path forward, and we see it as a reasonably probable late-’23 event.” Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall opened a Tuesday report on The Walt Disney Co., led again by Iger as CEO, with a big call that is certain to cause debate.

According to The Hollywood Reporter the analyst, who has an “overweight” rating with a $125 price target on Disney, making it a “signature pick” of his firm, argued that it was “time for change.” Disney stock was trading at 86.14 a share Tuesday, down 45 percent year-to-date.

In the near term, Cahall expects Iger and his team to focus on content and cost rationalization. “However, over the longer term, we expect a deeper think on portfolio reshaping. Recall that Iger built Disney into what it is today: a franchise IP leader with global scale. ESPN, traditionally the cash cow, is neither owned-IP nor global the way the rest of Disney is. With linear and sports trends diverging from core IP, we think severing the company is increasingly logical.”

Separating ESPN and ABC “would leave remaining Disney as an attractive pureplay IP company,” the Wells Fargo expert emphasized. “We also think investors are increasingly put off by trying to determine how fast linear networks — most of which is ESPN/ABC — is declining as direct-to-consumer (DTC) profits improve. The seesaw creates a constant headache. Spinning ESPN/ABC provides price discovery for the asset at a Fox-esque multiple of 6-7 times enterprise value/earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), and then lets remaining Disney be more of a pureplay on global IP and streaming.”

Radio Deals Topped $68 Million in Q3

S&P Global Market Intelligence and it's Kagan unit, reports broadcast deals in the third quarter of 2022 reached $68.7 million in the radio market and $14.3 million in the TV section. 

Kagan registered six radio transactions of $10 million or higher this year. Three of them were announced in the third quarter, doubling the number of high-value deals.

The top radio deal of the quarter was a transaction five years in the making. In September, 2017, Dick Broadcasting Company of Tennessee announced plans to buy 18 radio stations in three small markets in Georgia and in the Carolinas from Alpha Broadcasting. The deal was valued at $19.5 million when it was announced, but it never closed. However, Dick Broadcasting operated the stations under a local marketing agreement (LMA).

In August, 2022, a new agreement was filed with the FCC, listing an initial purchase price of $17.85 million. The price will be adjusted taking into consideration the 2021 LMA fees.

In the second-largest radio deal of the quarter, Adams Radio paid $12.6 million for all 15 full-power and three low-power stations owned by Adams Radio Group. Adams Radio Acquisition is led by Adams Radio Corp. and Adams Broadcast Group former Chairman Stephen Adams.