Barrett Sports Media has announced that this year’s recipient of The Tony Bruno Award FOX Sports Radio morning host and Outkick The Coverage creator Clay Travis.
“The Tony Bruno Award” would be introduced at the 2019 BSM Summit at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on February 21-22, 2019.
According to BSM President Jason Barrett, Travis has provided a jolt to FOX Sports Radio’s morning timeslot and his show has grown to 300 affiliates due in part to his take no prisoners approach. Barrett adds Travis has shown an ability to create a stir on social media by taking on controversial subjects and high profile brands and personalities, in addition to authoring the book ‘Republicans Buy Sneakers Too‘. Showing a propensity to expand his brand, Clay also joined the cast of FOX Sports 1’s sports betting show ‘Lock It In‘, and his Outkick The Show podcast remains one of the top performers on the iTunes charts.
“When you think of national personalities who are cutting thru by delivering a unique, unfiltered, and unafraid presentation, few fit the description better than Clay Travis,” said Barrett. “Considering how Tony Bruno distinguished himself from others during his career by embracing similar traits, it’s a pleasure to pass the baton to Clay who not only epitomizes the award, but is leading the charge to keep national sports radio interesting and entertaining.”
Upon learning he had been selected to receive the award, Travis offered his appreciation: “I’m honored to win this award because since I started writing online in 2004 I’ve tried to embrace four key tenets in my work: be smart, be original, be funny, and be authentic. When you combine all four of those attributes I think you point towards one overarching theme — being fearless.”
Bruno was ecstatic as well when told who had been chosen as the first recipient of the award: “Clay Travis is one of the few national voices who is unafraid to shoot straight from the hip with facts and opinions many dislike – especially in this charged world where even sports are intertwined with politics. In a climate where talent is overly controlled by management, Clay’s freedom, smarts and rise in our medium is testament to what I feel is 'doing it right'.”
Judge Jeanine Pirro gave a second opener in the middle of her show on Saturday night to talk about Roger Stone‘s arrest.
She also hammered CNN for being alerted to the FBI’s plans, according to Mediaite.
Speaking of the pre-dawn raid, Pirro said this: “They begin banging on Stone’s home yelling, ‘FBI, open the door.’ The only people home were Stone, his wife, and his dog. And lo and behold, CNN is there, cameras in tow. Waiting for the FBI for an hour waiting for to it start. Why would they be there? Especially when the FBI considers this dangerous enough to have S.W.A.T. teams and guns drawn.”
She next played a clip of a CNN reporter saying they were there because of a reporter’s instinct based on unusual grand jury activity.
Pirro then cast doubt on that story.
“Unusual grand jury activity? Hey, Grand juries meet in secret,” Pirro continued on. “What do you know about the activity of the grand jury. What do you know about when they meet or if their schedules change? Does all unusual grand jury activity suggest indictments are being handed up?”
According to Pirro, "What the Mueller team did was not only laughable, it was embarrassing
to everyone in law enforcement. Waking a couple up pre-dawn is chaotic enough, but when the wife is deaf, a directive from someone with a gun drawn is a catastrophe waiting to happen."
She added, "This show of force was a transparent attempt to embarrass and intimidate Stone. He wasn't a flight risk and he had no guns. His passport was expired, or just about to expire. Mueller's other intent was to poison the jury pool to make Stone seem like public enemy No. 1 over an indictment for a nonviolent crime that has nothing to do with Russia or collusion. It's a process crime."
After reports that married MSNBC anchors Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski have been mysteriously broadcasting their show from Florida — sources speculated that the location is to benefit Scarborough’s tax situation.
The “Morning Joe” anchors have been reportedly on a home set in Jupiter, Fla., but using Washington, DC, backdrops.
Citing sources, The NY Post reports the reason for the locale was a “tax dodge” — albeit a completely legal one — since Scarborough has a home in Florida and would need to spend a certain amount of the time there for any tax benefit.
Scarborough, who’s still presently registered to vote in Connecticut., on Oct. 9, 2018 registered to vote in Palm Beach County, Fla. according to public records.
By moving to Florida, he’d reduce his tax burden by roughly $550,000. Scarborough reportedly makes $8 million a year and would pay 6.99-percent state income tax in Connecticut, while there’s no state income tax in Florida, the Post’s Josh Kosman reports. To qualify as a Florida resident, he’d need to be there 183 days a year.
An insider added that while the show suffers in quality from the couple’s makeshift Florida set, that NBC News boss Andy Lack allows it since he’s close with Scarborough, even though others at the network are not fans of the plan.
But other MSNBC sources insisted that the anchors’ Florida move is to spend more time with elderly parents who live in the Sunshine State.
News industry leaders are doubling down on their focus on subscription services going into 2019, with half of the Editors-in-Chief, CEOs, Managing Directors, and Heads of Digital citing subscription services as their main digital revenue source for the new year.
The news industry continues to find their footing as the field undergoes major changes grappling with the question of how to turn a profit. Notably, about one in three news industry leaders will be looking to display advertising and native advertising as their main revenue focus for the next year. Ad revenue was the industry’s bread and butter prior to the digital age.
Many people surveyed for the Reuters Institute for Journalism Predictions for 2019 cited the cut-neck and cut-rate advertising game fueled by big tech as the major reason news organisations are no longer able to play the advertisers game in the same way.
Platforms like Google and Facebook can provide access to a targeted audience more efficiently and at a scale that puts media organisations at a competitive disadvantage. This year is shaping up to be the year of diversified revenue streams as subscription services surge to the top of news industry leaders’ priorities.
After nearly four decades of baseball ownership, Tribune Media is selling its remaining 5 percent stake in the Chicago Cubs to the team’s parent company.
According to The Chicago Tribune, terms of the completed sale were not disclosed.
The deal comes nearly 10 years after the Ricketts family paid $845 million to acquire a 95 percent stake and controlling interest in the team from Chicago-based Tribune Media, which owns WGN-Ch. 9, WGN-AM 720 and dozens of TV stations nationwide.
Tribune Media retained its minority stake in the Cubs through a complicated transaction structured as a leveraged partnership rather than an outright sale in a bid to avoid capital gains taxes.
Chicago Entertainment Ventures, the Cubs’ parent company, exercised the purchase right under an agreement with Tribune Media, according to a news release.
The deal ends the last vestige of Cubs ownership for Tribune Media, formerly known as Tribune Co. In 1981, Tribune Co. bought the Cubs from the Wrigley family, founders of the chewing gum company, for $21.1 million.
In 2009, Tribune Co., then in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, sold majority interest in the team to the Rickettses, cashing out of an asset that, despite years of on-field futility, was worth 40 times its initial investment.
Under the Ricketts family, the Cubs ended a centurylong championship drought, winning the World Series in 2016. The Cubs are now valued at $2.9 billion, according to Forbes, ranking third-highest among Major League Baseball teams.
Tribune Media spun off the Chicago Tribune and other major newspapers into Tribune Publishing in 2014, retaining broadcast, real estate and other assets, including the stake in the Cubs.
In December, Nexstar Media Group agreed to buy Tribune Media for about $4.1 billion, pending approval from shareholders and federal regulators.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended his company's business practices in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Friday that comes after a slew of controversies over the social media giant's handling of user data.
According to The Hill, Zuckerberg said that his company works to make sure users have honest and easy-to-understand guidelines on how their data is used by Facebook and advertisers on the platform.
"We give people complete control over whether we use this information for ads, but we don't let them control how we use it for security or operating our services," the Facebook CEO wrote in the Journal op-ed. "And when we asked people for permission to use this information to improve their ads as part of our compliance with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, the vast majority agreed because they prefer more relevant ads.
"Ultimately, I believe the most important principles around data are transparency, choice and control. We need to be clear about the ways we're using information, and people need to have clear choices about how their information is used," he added.
Zuckerberg went on to deny accusations that Facebook sells user data to advertisers, which he argued would "reduce the unique value of our service to advertisers."
"We don't sell people's data, even though it's often reported that we do. In fact, selling people's information to advertisers would be counter to our business interests," Zuckerberg wrote.
Live Shows Begin Wednesday, Jan. 30, from Centennial Olympic Park
ESPN Deportes to Televise Super Bowl LIII in Spanish
ESPN Networks to Present Super Bowl LIII to More Than 68 Million Households in 75 Countries and Territories
ESPN’s coverage of Super Bowl LIII – the New England Patriots vs. the Los Angeles Rams – kicks off Wednesday, Jan. 30, and includes more than 40 hours of live programming from Atlanta.
SportsCenter, NFL Live and more will originate from ESPN’s Super Bowl headquarters at Centennial Olympic Park where viewing is free and open to the public. ESPN’s Super Bowl programming also features daily editions of Golic and Wingo and First Take from the Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart and, on Sunday, pre- and post-game shows from Mercedes-Benz Stadium (schedule).
First Take (Wed-Fri at 10 a.m. ET): ESPN’s popular morning debate show featuring Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and host Molly Qerim Rose will be live from the Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart. The show, which is free and open to the public, will welcome a full lineup of sports and entertainment guests.
NFL PrimeTime (Sun at 10:30 p.m. ET): Chris Berman, Randy Moss and Steve Youngwill deliver highlights and conduct interviews from the field following the game.
Throughout the week, Sal Paolantonio (covering the Patriots) and Josina Anderson(Rams) will report on the Super Bowl teams, and Dianna Russini (ESPN Social) and Dan Graziano (ESPN.com) will provide additional updates from Atlanta.
⏩ESPN Radio Shows Originating from Atlanta:
The following shows will be live from AmericasMart Wednesday-Friday and feature a lineup of special guests. ESPN Radio will also have a full slate of coverage on Super Bowl Sunday beginning at 6 a.m. ET, as well as leading up to and following the game.
First & Last (4-6 a.m. ET): Host Mike Golic Jr. on ESPN Radio
Golic and Wingo (6-10 a.m. ET): Hosts Mike Golic, Trey Wingo and Mike Golic Jr. on ESPN Radio, ESPN2 (6-8 a.m. ET) & ESPNEWS (6-10 a.m. ET)
The Stephen A. Smith Show (1-3 p.m. ET): Host Stephen A. Smith on ESPN Radio & ESPNEWS
⏩ESPN Digital
ESPN’s digital coverage of Super Bowl LIII will feature analysis, commentary, breaking news, video and more across ESPN.com and the ESPN App leading up to, during and after the game. ESPN.com’s roster of on-site journalists includes NFL senior writers Dan Graziano, Mike Sando, Mina Kimes, Ian O’Connor, Kevin Van Valkenburg and Seth Wickersham, NFL Nation reporters Mike Reiss (covering the Patriots), Lindsey Thiry (Rams), and Kevin Seifert (with the biggest, best, and controversial calls, and a full review), analyst Bill Barnwell (with a postgame breakdown of how the game was won), and more.
by James Cridland, Radio futurologist - writer, consultant and conference speaker
➤Switzerland: Radiodays Europe 2019 has posted its preliminary programme. I'm speaking, but don't let that put you off: there are also many excellent speakers (and my session is also with Tom Webster of Edison Research).
➤Australia: Commercial radio in Australia posts highest ever figures for audience. Yes, population growth is 1.7%, but commercial radio's audience figures are up by 1.9% if I've worked it out right. Audience revenue is also up by 3.4% year-on-year.
Classic Country KLIV 1590 AM in San Jose was set to sign off for good Sunday night after 73 years.
Back in the 1970s, it was a Top 40s station. Then, disco became its focus. Rock and big band music followed. In 1991, it switched to an all-news format centered on the South Bay. But then ratings started to nosedive, and they switched to classic country format in 2016.
KLIV was the San Jose area's top 40 radio station in the '60s. Among its memorable personalities was Mikel Hunter Herrington (known as Captain Mikey). Other personalities of the era were John McLeod, Dave Sholin, Bob Ray, Larry Mitchell, Jack Hayes, Tom Barry, Ross MacGowan, Ralph Koal, Scott St. James, Ray Morgan, Jim Sims, Squeeky Martin, and Mac McGregor.
KLIV personality Brian Lord discovered the single "Psychotic Reaction" by local psychedelic rock band the Count Five, a song that later made the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
KLIV changed hands on July 1, 1967, when it was acquired by former Rochester, New York radio executives Robert S. Kieve and James Trayhern and a group of Rochester investors, who had incorporated as Empire Broadcasting, for around $974,000.
Over the past two years, the station continued to lose money. Hot financial water has led the station to its farewell broadcast last night.
The sign-off follows the sale of the station's studio and transmitter site on Story Road in San Jose's Little Saigon neighborhood, as well as additional financial losses and low ratings with the "Country Gold" classic country format. KLIV owner Bob Kieve indicated his intention of donating the license to the city of San Jose, with the intent of using the station to broadcast city council meetings, committee meetings, and other civic events.
Brittney Cason, the former KOMP-92.3 FM Las Vegas morning radio personality, has died, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal citing a Facebook message from a friend of her family announcing her death. The Clark County Coroner’s office today also confirmed her death.
Jordan Fish, a close friend of Cason’s dating to their high school days, posted a message on Facebook on Friday night:
“At the request of Brittney’s family, they’ve asked me to post a statement regarding her.
It is with deep sadness that our dear friend, Brittney Cason, passed away on Wednesday, January 23, 2019. Just mere hours shy of what would have been her 38th birthday. Her family and close friends want to thank all of you who have sent messages, made phone calls, and expressed their deepest condolences over the past couple of days. They are greatly appreciated.
We understand people have questions, but privacy is requested during this difficult time. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers as we all take time to heal.”
Cason’s last Twitter post was a photo Wednesday from McCarran International Airport. She was reportedly in town to interview for a job with Beasley Broadcasting and to celebrate her birthday with friends. Cason’s last activity was Instagram “likes” at noon Wednesday.
Her family has not disclosed the cause of her death.
The sharp-witted Cason had for years hosted KOMP’s “B.S. In the Morning” show, and had also previously worked for CBS Sports radio, KISS 95.1 FM in Charlotte, N.C., and had freelanced for The Charlotte Observer.
Cason did not renew her contract with KOMP last fall, and in November left to return to her original hometown of Harrisonburg, Va. and live for a time with her parents.
➦In 1934...Walter Winchell, in his newspaper column, paid compliments to a local disc jockey in Washington DC.
As a result, 30-year-old Arthur Godfrey began receiving offers from talent scouts and producers, and eventually was adored by millions across the country on CBS radio and TV.
His trademark (strumming a ukulele and delivering down-home patter) endeared him to fans for the next 30 years.
Gary Moore
➦In 1940...The musical quizz show “Beat the Band” made its debut on NBC radio with emcee Garry Moore.
The band was that of Ted Weems and his 14-piece orchestra, who were joined by Elmo “The Whistling Troubadour” Tanner, and Country Washington. One other star of the show was a barber from the Pittsburgh area, who would record many hits for RCA Victor from 1943 right into the 1970s. His name was Perry Como, aged 27.
➦In 1956...Elvis Presley made his first appearance on national television on “The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show” on CBS. He sang “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Heartbreak Hotel”. After the appearance, sales of “Heartbreak Hotel” skyrocketed; however the national Elvis furor did not erupt until his subsequent appearances on the Milton Berle and Steve Allen TV shows.
➦In 1959...Radio personality Randi Rhodes was born
Burt Mustin on an episode of 'Leave It To Beaver'
➦In 1977...Actor and former KDKA Pittsburgh radio host Burt Mustin died at age 92. In 1921, he became the first announcer for a KDKA variety show.
➦In 1985...45 of the world’s top recording artists were invited to an all-night recording session for charity at the A&M studios in Los Angeles. As each of the artists walked through the studio door, they were greeted by a hand-lettered sign — put there by Lionel Richie. It simply said, “Check your ego at the door.” The session started at 10 p.m. with producer Quincy Jones conducting. At 8 the following morning, the project, “USA for Africa”, spearheaded by promoter, Ken Kragen, was recorded and mixed. The resulting song, “We Are the World“, featuring Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Sting, Harry Belafonte, Diana Ross, Paul Simon and many others, became the top song in the U.S. on April 13, 1985.
➦In 1986...the NASA shuttle orbiter mission STS-51-L and the tenth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger (OV-99) broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members on board: flight commander Francis Scobee; pilot Michael Smith; Ronald McNair; Ellison Onizuka; Judith Resnik; Gregory Jarvis; and schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe, who was to have been the first civilian in space.
The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 11:39 a.m. EST (16:39 UTC).
The disintegration of the vehicle began after a joint in its right solid rocket booster (SRB) failed at liftoff. The failure was caused by the failure of O-ring seals used in the joint that were not designed to handle the unusually cold conditions that existed at this launch. The seals' failure caused a breach in the SRB joint, allowing pressurized burning gas from within the solid rocket motor to reach the outside and impinge upon the adjacent SRB aft field joint attachment hardware and external fuel tank. This led to the separation of the right-hand SRB's aft field joint attachment and the structural failure of the external tank. Aerodynamic forces broke up the orbiter.
The crew compartment and many other vehicle fragments were eventually recovered from the ocean floor after a lengthy search and recovery operation. The exact timing of the death of the crew is unknown; several crew members are known to have survived the initial breakup of the spacecraft. The shuttle had no escape system, and the impact of the crew compartment at terminal velocity with the ocean surface was too violent to be survivable.
➦In 2000…Saxophonist Thomas "Beans" Bowles died of prostate cancer at the age of 73. He played on numerous Motown sessions including the Supremes' "Baby Love," Martha & The Vandellas' "Heat Wave" and Marvin Gaye's, "What's Going On." He also wrote the melody for Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips Pt. 2."
➦In 2003...NYC radio perdonality Stan Martin died at age 64. He worked at WQEW-FM and WNEW-AM, among other stations.
Stan Martin
Martin joined WQXR in 1992 as program director when The NYTimes changed the station's format from classical music and its name from WQXR-AM to WQEW. He eventually became the station manager.
He left in 1998, when The Times leased the station to ABC, for Radio Disney.
His radio career began in 1959 at WDLC in Port Jervis, N.Y. He then worked for several other stations, including WPIX-AM, WHN-AM and WFAN-AM in New York and WPEN-AM in Philadelphia.
After leaving WQEW, Martin was master of ceremonies for cabaret shows in Manhattan and host of a website.
➦In 2015…Veteran radio personality Lee 'Baby' Simms died at age 72.
Born Gilmore LaMar Simms in Charleston, South Carolina, Simms dropped out of high school at 16 and began jocking at WTMA as “Hot Toddio on the Radio.” Simms, by his own recollection, worked at 35 stations in 22 markets and was fired 25 times because he “never accepted an insult from anyone.”
While Simms was at KONO in San Antonio, program director Woody Roberts gave him the nickname “Lee Baby.” Simms also worked at WMBR in Jacksonville, WLOF in Orlando, WJBK in Detroit, WSHO in New Orleans, KTSA in San Antonio, WIST in Charlotte (where he doubled as program director), WGCL and WKYC in Cleveland, WPOP in Hartford and WMYQ in Miami.
On February 9, 1971, after spending three years as afternoon host at KCBQ in San Diego, Simms joined KRLA as 9-to-midnight host. He began his first airshift just 15 hours after the 6.6 Sylmar earthquake which killed 65 people and caused $500 million in property damage.
After a few months at KRLA, Simms traded time slots with 6-to-9 host Dave Diamond. Simms briefly worked at KROQ and KTNQ before moving to Hawai’i, where he jocked at KKUA, KORL, KDUK and KPOI. In the 1980s he worked at KFOG in San Francisco, WLVE in Miami, KKIS in Concord and KPRQ in Rohnert Park.
Simms was outraged in 1986 upon the release of an Indie film, Down By Law. Tom Waits played one of three men who were arrested and imprisoned and then plotted an escape. Waits’ character, Zack, was a New Orleans disc jockey known as Lee “Baby” Simms. The real Simms threatened a lawsuit but Waits later explained that he used the name as a tribute and had no idea Simms was still in radio. In the 1990s, Simms jocked at KOOL in Phoenix and KYA and KISQ in San Francisco. While at KISQ, his show was also heard via syndication on WUBT in Chicago.
Simms retired from radio in 2002.
➦Click Here for more historical events that happened on Jan 28.
