Denver Radio: KKFN Tweaks Mornings, Afternoons

Bonneville Denver has announced an exciting update to the weekday programming on Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan.

The revamped schedule sees Brandon Stokley joining morning drive with Schlereth and Evans. Brandon Stokely makes the move to mornings after more than eight years hosting middays on the station.

“Brandon Stokley is one of the top radio personalities in the market. Placing his unique blend of energy, enthusiasm and textbook charm alongside an iconic duo like Schlereth and Evans will provide a much-needed shot of energy to your morning,” said program director Amanda Brown.

The change in programming provided an opportunity to give Denver Sports analyst Cecil Lammey the opportunity to step into a well-deserved full time host position as the middays co-host with Josh Dover.

“Cecil Lammey has been a staple in the Denver sports scene for nearly two decades. His passion for community and tireless dedication to his craft make him the perfect fit alongside fellow Colorado native Josh Dover,” added Brown.

“I’m excited to showcase Stokley and Cecil in different timeslots; these small shifts offer a big opportunity for them to entertain and engage with new audiences” said Katie Reid, Bonneville Denver SVP/market kanager.

Updated Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan weekday lineup effective immediately:

• 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Stokley and Evans with Mark Schlereth
• 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Dover and Cecil
• 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: The Drive with Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay
• 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.: Denver Sports Tonight

📻Listen on your radio at 104.3 FM or listen anywhere via the Denver Sports app.

TV Ratings: WNBA Viewers Grew In 2024

With the WNBA’s regular season and first round of the post season concluded, the league has had a memorable season, according to Forbes. 

Building on steady ratings growth in recent years and the popularity of this year’s Women’s March Madness, attendance, merchandise sales and advertiser interest has been on the upswing. In addition, there is an increase in social media posts and media coverage of league games bolstering the league’s growing popularity.

With a growing array of players becoming household names including the 12-player Olympic gold medal team and first-year phenoms Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, more talent will be entering the league from the college ranks. As a result, the WNBA recently signed a new media rights agreement and will be adding four new franchises in the upcoming years.

For the regular season, nationally televised WNBA games averaged 657,000 viewers, the highest audience in 24 seasons. Televised games with Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever averaged 1.18 million viewers compared to 394,000 for all other games. Sports Business Journal reports there were a record 22 games that averaged over one million viewers, 19 of which involved the Indiana Fever. The previous high had been in 1998 when 15 games averaged over one million viewers.

The ratings highlight of the season was the WNBA All-Star game in which the WNBA All-Stars defeated the U.S. Olympic team 117-109. The game aired live on ABC on July 20 (six days prior to the Opening Ceremonies) and averaged a record 3.44 million viewers. By comparison, last season’s All-Star game, another primetime contest, averaged 850,000 viewers.

The most watched regular season game was between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky with first-year WNBA (and former college) rivals Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. With Chicago defeating Indiana 88-87, the game aired on ESPN on June 23 and averaged 2.35 million, the most watched WNBA game in 23 seasons. The previous week another Indiana-Chicago matchup on CBS averaged 2.25 million viewers. 

According to Nielsen, all four networks that televised WNBA games reported strong year-over-year audience increases. ESPN averaged 1.19 million viewers, an increase of over 170% from 2023. ESPN, ABC and ESPN2 all had televised their highest rated WNBA game of all-time in 2024. The eight games televised by CBS averaged a record high 1.1 million viewers, an over 86% increase from last season. In its second season of televising WNBA games, Scripps Sports ION delivered an average audience of 670,000, an increase of over 133%. NBA TV televised 40 games and averaged 240,000 viewers, its best season in over a decade. The WNBA had a record 54 million unique viewers.

AT&T Gets $7.6B For It's Stake in DirecTV

AT&T said on Monday it would sell its entire 70% stake in satellite TV provider DirecTV to private equity firm TPG for $7.6 billion, exiting a business marked by declining distributions for the telecom operator.

AT&T, which acquired DirecTV in 2015, signed a joint-venture agreement with TPG in 2021, in which the private equity firm contributed about $1.8 billion in cash in exchange for a 30% stake in DirecTV that was valued at about $16 billion at the time.

Reuters reports the telecom company had agreed not to sell its stake in DirecTV for a three-year period, which expired on July 31.

The stake sale comes as a much-needed exit for AT&T, which has been seeing dwindling distributions from DirecTV over the past several years. For the year ended Dec. 31, distributions stood at $2.04 billion, down from $2.65 billion a year earlier.

For 2024, AT&T said it expects DirecTV distribution payments to be about $3 billion in aggregate.

The sale would also allow AT&T to focus on its core wireless and fiber connectivity operations and help improve its balance sheet.

AT&T would receive an initial payment of $2 billion in 2025, and additional payments through 2029, the company said in a filing on Monday. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025.

Upon closing, DirecTV will continue to be led by its current management team, including CEO Bill Morrow, TPG said on Monday.

Fresno Radio: KMJ Helps Raise $650K+ For Food Bank

Cumulus Media announces that NewsTalk 580/105.9 KMJ in Fresno, CA, joined forces with local agriculture company Gar Bennett to raise funds for the Central California Food Bank through the 11th Annual Feeding Families Fund Drive on Friday, September 20th. KMJ listeners responded to the one-day broadcast with generous donations to help their less fortunate neighbors, raising over $200,000 in a single day. Gar Bennett matched every donation with 50 cents on the dollar, for a grand total of $650,000 going to the Central California Food Bank. Co-Sponsor Farm Credit also pitched in with a large donation to the cause.

The annual one-day event has raised more than $4.5 million for the Central California Food Bank, providing 20 million meals in 11 years. This year’s record-breaking fundraising effort will feed over 2 million people who struggle with hunger in the Central Valley.

Karen Musson, Managing Partner, Gar Bennett, said: “We are truly grateful for the Central Valley's generosity in surpassing our expectations to help feed our Valley families struggling with hunger. Thank you to our sponsors, growers and donors for supporting the Feeding Families Fund Drive with millions in donations and providing 20 million meals since 2014.”

Patty Hixson, Regional Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Fresno, commented: “Our listeners and community overwhelm me with their graciousness, and we thank our them for their continued generous support of this important effort. And a huge and grateful thank you to the Gar Bennett team, who always steps up in a big way to help us care for those in need. Such a blessing to have our incredible partners!”

🎧For more information or to stream NewsTalk 580/105.9 KMJ, visit: https://www.kmjnow.com/.

R.I.P.: Pete Rose, Baseball's Charlie Hustle

Pete Rose (1941-2024)

As its 2024 regular season drew to a close Monday, Major League Baseball lost one of its most iconic players ever.

Pete Rose, the sport’s all-time leader in career hits, died Monday at the age of 83. USAToday reports a cause of death has yet to be reported.

The Reds are heartbroken to learn of the passing of baseball legend Pete Rose. pic.twitter.com/zOlU9NreWR

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 30, 2024

Rose was one of the biggest stars of his era, a 17-time all-star, a three-time batting title winner, and a three-time World Series champion who won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1973. His 4,256 hits are the most in MLB history, putting him 67 ahead of Ty Cobb.

While his SportsCenter interview about the MLB Postseason was about to end, an emotional Eduardo Pérez delivered breaking news that Pete Rose has died. pic.twitter.com/KeMU4CmHHF

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 30, 2024

His on-field heroics, however, only tell part of his broader life story. In 1989, Rose was banned from baseball by commissioner Bart Giamatti for gambling on his own team as a player and manager. After years of denying the accusations, Rose admitted in 2004 that the allegations were true. Because of the ban, Rose is ineligible for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Absolutely heartbroken to hear the devastating news about Pete Rose’s passing. 💔

He always brought a smile to my face when we worked together at Fox. He was true original and 1 of 1. Nobody loved baseball more than Pete and I’ll miss him terribly. pic.twitter.com/gNsjWOJaQM

— Alex Rodriguez (@AROD) October 1, 2024

For all the controversy he generated, Rose’s accomplishments and tenacious style of play — which earned him the nickname “Charlie Hustle” — made him a beloved figure for many, particularly in his native Cincinnati, where he played 19 of his 24 MLB seasons with the Reds. He also managed the Reds for six seasons, from 1984-89.

Radio History: Oct 1

➦In 1909...Everett H. Sloane born in NYC (Died – August 6, 1965). He was a character actor who worked in radio, theatre, films and television. He was also a songwriter and theatre director.

Sloane's radio work led him to be hired by Orson Welles to become part of his Mercury Theatre. Sloane recorded one program with The Mercury Theatre on the Air and became a regular player when the show was picked up by a sponsor and became The Campbell Playhouse

In the 1940s, Sloane was a frequent guest star on the radio theater series Inner Sanctum Mysteries and The Shadow, and was in The Mysterious Traveler episode "Survival of the Fittest" with Kermit Murdock.

Reportedly depressed over the onset of blindness, Sloane committed suicide in 1965 at age 55.

WJZ - 1922

➤In 1921...WJZ Radio signed-on. WJZ was the present day WABC in New York City. The original Westinghouse Electric Corporation, whose broadcasting division is a predecessor to the current broadcasting unit of CBS Corporation, launched WJZ in 1921, and was located originally in Newark, New Jersey.

WJZ was sold in 1923 to the Radio Corporation of America, who moved its operations to New York City, and on January 1, 1927, WJZ became the flagship station for the NBC Blue Network.

NBC Blue would become the American Broadcasting Company in 1942.  In 1953, ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres, and changed the call letters of their New York area stations to WABC.  Today, the WJZ call sign is assigned to 1300 AM in Baltimore.  It is owned by Entercom and airs  CBS Sports Radio.

➦In 1922...“The Radio Digest,” a daily news program got started on WBAY in New York City, which is now WFAN 660 AM.

➦In 1942…'People Are Funny' host Art Baker was replaced by Art Linkletter on the NBC Radio Network.  Linkletter remained with the show on radio until 1960 and hosted a TV version of the program on CBS from 1954 to 1960.

➦In 1952...'This Is Your Life' which aired on NBC radio from 1948 to 1952 began airing on NBC TV (until 1961).  Each show began with Edwards surprising some unsuspecting person. The show would then be present their life story, complete with friends and relatives.

➦In 1962...Johnny Carson made his debut as host of The Tonight Show.   Carson began his broadcasting career in 1950 at WOW radio and television in Omaha. Carson soon hosted a morning television program called The Squirrel's Nest. One of his routines involved interviewing pigeons on the roof of the local courthouse that would report on the political corruption they had seen. Carson supplemented his income by serving as master of ceremonies at local church dinners, attended by some of the same politicians and civic leaders whom he had lampooned on the radio.

The wife of one of the Omaha political figures Carson spoofed owned stock in a radio station in Los Angeles, and in 1951 referred Carson to her brother, who was influential in the emerging television market in Southern California. Carson joined CBS-owned Los Angeles television station KNXT.

Carson

In 1953, comic Red Skelton—a fan of Carson's "cult success" low-budget sketch comedy show, Carson's Cellar (1951 to 1953) on KNXT—asked Carson to join his show as a writer. In 1954, Skelton accidentally knocked himself unconscious during rehearsal an hour before his live show began. Carson then successfully filled in for him. In 1955, Jack Benny invited Carson to appear on one of his programs during the opening and closing segments. Carson imitated Benny and claimed that Benny had copied his gestures.

Carson hosted several shows besides Carson's Cellar, including the game show Earn Your Vacation (1954) and the CBS variety show The Johnny Carson Show (1955–1956). He was a guest panelist on the original To Tell the Truth starting in 1960, later becoming a regular panelist from 1961 until 1962.

After the primetime The Johnny Carson Show failed, he moved to New York City to host ABC-TV's Who Do You Trust? (1957–1962), formerly known as Do You Trust Your Wife? On Who Do You Trust?, Carson met his future sidekick and straight man, Ed McMahon. Although he believed moving to daytime television would hurt his career, Who Do You Trust? was a success. It was the first show where he could ad lib and interview guests,[15] and because of Carson's on-camera wit, the show became "the hottest item on daytime television" during his six years at ABC.

NBC's Tonight was the late-night counterpart to its early-morning show Today. Originating in 1954 with host Steve Allen, Tonight was somewhat experimental at the time, as the only previous network late-night program was NBC's Broadway Open House which starred Jerry Lester and Dagmar. Tonight was successful, and when Allen moved on to primetime comedy-variety shows in 1956, Jack Paar replaced him as host of Tonight. Paar left the show in 1962.

➦In 1975...Seattle radio station KOL changed its call letters to KMPS,surrendering forever the three-letter call that had served the Puget Sound well for nearly 50 years. While the modern incarnation of 1300 AM uses KOL as its ID, the official call sign is KKOL.

➦In 1979...the RKO Radio Network began operation.

Along Party Lines, FCC Okays Audacy Reorganizational Plan

FCC’s approval is a significant step for Audacy. The reorganization plan will allow the company to reduce its debt from around $1.9 billion to approximately $350 million. This restructuring was initially cleared by the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas back in February.

The FCC’s decision, which followed party lines with a 3-2 vote, enables Audacy to move forward with its Joint Prepackaged Plan of Reorganization2. This plan is crucial for Audacy to stabilize its financial situation and continue its operations in the radio and podcasting industry.

The FCC just released the text of its 3-2 decision to approve a Soros backed group’s purchase of 200+ radio stations.

The Commission’s decision today is unprecedented. Never before has the Commission voted to approve the transfer of a broadcast license—let alone the… pic.twitter.com/gnMbl2z8Jb

— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) September 30, 2024

FCC’s decision has sparked quite a debate among its commissioners. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized that the process used for Audacy’s license transfer is consistent with past bankruptcy proceedings for other media companies, aiming for a smooth transition out of bankruptcy. On the other hand, Commissioner Brendan Carr criticized the decision as unprecedented and not in line with established federal procedures.

The FCC’s approval indeed comes with some notable conditions. The temporary waiver for foreign ownership interests allows Audacy to proceed with its reorganization while ensuring compliance with the Communications Act. Audacy must file a petition for a declaratory ruling within 30 days of completing the transaction to address any foreign ownership that might exceed the 25% benchmark.

Additionally, the continuation of the waiver for the Kansas City market is significant. It allows Audacy to maintain an interest in nine commercial broadcast radio stations, which is above the usual ownership limits. This could help Audacy maintain a strong presence in that market, potentially stabilizing its operations during this restructuring phase.

Congressional Panel To Probe FCC's Handling of Soros-Audacy Deal

A Congressional probe has been launched into the FCC apparent accelerated approval of Soros Fund Management LLC’s acquisition of a significant stake in the prominent radio network Audacy, Inc.

Audacy is the second-largest radio network in the United States, with over 200 stations across 40 markets. It reaches over 165 million Americans and includes top conservative talk shows such as Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Dan Bongino. In February 2024, Soros bought $400 million of Audacy’s debt and subsequently asked the FCC to approve a change in Audacy’s ownership. 

Federal law generally prohibits granting licenses to or allowing foreign nationals or foreign corporations to hold such licenses. When it involves circumstances where the grant or holding of a license would involve an entity that has more than 25% foreign ownership, the FCC must determine whether “the public interest will be served by the refusal or revocation of such license.” 47 U.S.C. § 310(b)(4). 

The probe has been initiated by Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight, Rep. James Comer, and Rep. Nick Langworthy. They are looking into the apparent politicization of the FCC following the expedited review of the Soros-Audacy deal.

The proposed Audacy transaction involves circumstances involving more than 25% foreign ownership. The FCC has a standard review practice to assess whether such a transaction would serve the public interest, which includes a review of things such as national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, or trade policy issues. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr confirmed that the FCC needs to run its full and normal review process without fast-tracking this acquisition with foreign ownership of this magnitude. 

This transaction has raised alarms in Congress. On April 25, 2024, Congressman Rep. Chip Roy sounded the alarm on Soros’ petition to the FCC to disregard the security review of foreign ownership in the purchase of Audacy’s radio network. On August 9, 2024, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz sent letters to FCC Commissioners Carr and Simington urging them to “insist that the transaction be reviewed by the full Commission, including any order granting a waiver of the FCC’s foreign ownership rules to transfer Audacy’s broadcast licenses to the reorganized Soros-backed entity.”

Chicago Radio: Audacy Stations Silenced By System Failure

In the 11 o'clock hour morning this past Friday, an technical outage in the newsroom led to WBBM's signal coming off the air and news gathering systems going down.

Other than news WBBM 780 AM / 105.9FM, all other Audacy station were impacted, including 93.1 WXRT, WSCR 670 AM, WBMX 104.3 FM, WBBM-FM 96.3 and WUSN 99.5.

Most stations experienced about 10 minutes of silence.

In a fantastic show of professionalism, WBBM Anchor @RobHartWBBM kept things moving after an outage knocked our signal off the air and our systems went down. Take a listen here: https://t.co/P76Jg1XgLI pic.twitter.com/JfAraQUBME

— WBBM Newsradio (@WBBMNewsradio) September 27, 2024

WBBM news anchor Rob Hart was in the studio and brought people up to speed while things got running again.

Media Mogul Malone Calls Streaming 'A Terrible Business'

John Malone

John Malone – a major shareholder and power behind the throne at Warner Bros. Discovery, Charter Communications and Liberty Global – sat down with research company MoffettNathanson co-founders Michael Nathanson and Craig Moffett and senior analyst Robert Fishman for a wide-ranging conversation released last week that looked at cable, streaming, satellite TV, and wireless, and their increasingly messy interplay. reports Forbes.

Among other key thoughts, Malone said, the subscription streaming sector that has reshaped Hollywood media companies the past five years is “a terrible business.”

“In Dr. Malone’s view, ‘There shouldn't have been a Netflix,’” the analysts wrote in their not-quite-a-transcript of the conversation. “Instead, the transition to an on-demand world should have been a routine morphing of a linear business, adding random access to its content, and then going more a la carte, breaking it down to affordable bundles.”

None of that happened, at least in the United States, in part because the media companies making so much money from cable TV deals for four decades refused to allow a la carte bundles or other approaches that might have stranded some of their lesser or specialized networks.