Westwood One Covers The NFL Starting Tonight

CUMULUS MEDIA’s Westwood One, the largest audio network in the U.S., embarks on its 34th consecutive year as the exclusive network radio partner of the National Football League. The season will kick off on Thursday, September 10, when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans. Pregame Coverage begins at 7:30 pm ET.

Westwood One will provide play-by-play coverage of the NFL’s 2020-2021 national regular season package of primetime games including Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, and Sunday Night Football plus Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, the entire postseason including the expanded Wild Card playoffs, and Super Bowl LV in Tampa. Millions of passionate listeners and football fans can hear each of Westwood One’s NFL broadcasts on nearly 500 terrestrial radio stations nationwide, as well as on SiriusXM and on NFL Game Pass.

Kevin Harlan, 2020 NSMA Sportscaster of the Year, and Hall of Fame Quarterback and NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner will be the lead broadcast crew, calling Monday Night Football, and Super Bowl LV for the network. Jim GRay will anchor the pregame and halftime shows with weekly guests Tom Brady and Larry Fitzgerald.

Ian Eagle, Ryan Radtke, Brandon Gaudin. Kevin Kugler and tom McCArthy qill also call play-by-play for the primetime package, and game analysts will include Hall of Famers James Lofton, Rod Woodson and Terrell Davis, as well as Mike Holmgren, Tony Boselli, James Laureinaitis, Ross Ticket and Derek Rackley. Scott Graham will serve as the studio host for all Sunday and Thursday Night Football games plus the NFL Playoffs.

In addition to live game coverage, Westwood One Sports will also offer the features NFL Insider, NFL Preview, NFL101, and NFL Fantasy Forecast.

SiriusXM Radio Ups Guidance For Year

SiriusXM has announced that it is increasing its full-year 2020 guidance for SiriusXM self-pay subscriber net additions to approximately 700,000.  This is an increase from the prior guidance of approximately 500,000, first issued on July 30, 2020. 

The Company also reiterated its existing 2020 financial guidance.

"Our business continues to demonstrate strong performance and favorable trends since we resumed providing our subscriber and financial guidance in conjunction with our second quarter earnings report.  Our conversion and churn performance remain excellent, and it's clear that demand for SiriusXM remains strong – quite simply, consumers continue to find immense value in our unique audio bundle and all of the entertainment and information it provides.  Additionally, improving new auto sales, combined with a rising new car penetration rate, have led to a robust trial funnel that we believe bodes well for the coming quarters," said Jim Meyer, Chief Executive Officer, SiriusXM.

"Today we also reiterate our full-year financial guidance for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow as we continue to see steady recovery in the advertising market coupled with the financial results of a very healthy core subscription business," added Meyer.

The Company's full-year 2020 guidance for self-pay net subscriber additions, revenue, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow are as follows:

• SiriusXM self-pay net subscriber additions of approximately 700,000,
• Total revenue of approximately $7.7 billion,
• Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $2.4 billion, and
• Free cash flow approaching $1.6 billion.

R.I.P.: Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang Co-Founder

Kool & the Gang co-founder Ronald "Khalis" Bell has died aged 68.

The cause of death for the singer - who had 10 children - is yet to have been released, but Ronald's wife was said to have been by his side.

Ronald formed the funk band with his brother Robert "Kool" Bell back in 1964, and they went on to have several hits which he co-wrote, including 'Jungle Boogie' - which has been sampled on a number of other songs - 'Celebration', 'Ladies Night' and 'Get Down On It'.

The group won a Grammy in 1978 for their work on the soundtrack for “Saturday Night Fever.” Their song "Open Sesame" was featured on the iconic album.

Their song "Summer Madness" was used in several films including “Rocky” and “Baby Boy." The hit was also used in a Nike shoe commercial featuring LeBron James.

Bell started the group with his brother Robert “Kool” Bell along with neighborhood friends Dennis “D.T.” Thomas, Robert “Spike” Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown and Ricky West.

The band have dabbled in numerous genres over the years, from jazz right through to funk-soul, but Ronald once admitted: "You had a hard time trying to get us to play R&B. We were diehard jazz musicians. We're not stooping to that."

He became a huge fan of hip hop in the 80s, and could hear his music in the background of Public Enemy's 'Fear of a Black Planet', as well as many other hip hop tunes.

Kool & The Gang - who were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2015 - dropped their self-titled debut album in 1970 and have gone on to sell more than 70 million records worldwide.

The Rundown: Trump Played Down Virus

TRUMP SPOKE IN FEB, MARCH ABOUT SERIOUSNESS OF CORONAVIRUS: President Trump told journalist Bob Woodward in February and March about the seriousness of the coronavirus, how it spread through the air and was deadlier than the flu, but said that he played it down publicly because he didn't want, quote, "to create a panic."

In the disclosures from Woodward's new book, called Rage, reported yesterday by the Washington Post and CNN, along with recordings Woodward made of his interviews of Trump for the book, Trump said in mid-March, "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down because I don’t want to create a panic."

Trump was saying publicly at the time that the coronavirus was no worse than the flu and was under control and would quickly disappear, even though he'd shared the severity of the new virus and its contagiousness with Woodward in early February, telling him, "You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed," and "It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus."

"I don't want people to be frightened. I don't want to create panic, as you say."

Trump responds to whether he misled public during early days of Covid-19 pandemic pic.twitter.com/zsF7Q8FwTs

— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) September 9, 2020

Asked about the disclosures yesterday, Trump acknowledged downplaying the coronavirus, saying, "The fact is I’m a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and I don’t want people to be frightened. I don’t want to create panic, as you say. . . . We want to show confidence. We want to show strength."

Joe Biden accused President Trump of "a life-and-death betrayal of the American people" hours after journalist Bob Woodward revealed ahead of the publication of his new book, "Rage," that Trump had concealed the true threat posed by coronavirus. https://t.co/UiDbqMI5bW pic.twitter.com/tpI6YCBeps

— CNN (@CNN) September 9, 2020

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden blasted Trump, saying at a Michigan campaign event yesterday, "While a deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job -- on purpose. It was a life or death betrayal of the American people." Biden also charged that Trump, quote, "lied to the American people. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months."

➤HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIAL SAYS PRESSURED TO SUPPRESS INTELLIGENCE TRUMP MIGHT NOT LIKE: Department of Homeland Security official Brian Murphy filed a whistleblower complaint in which he said he was pressured by senior Department officials to suppress information in intelligence reports that President Trump might not like, including about Russian interference in the election and the growing threat from white supremacists. Murphy, who was demoted in August from his job as principal deputy under secretary in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, also alleged that senior officials pressured him to alter reports so they'd reflect administration policy goals. Murphy charges he was demoted for refusing to go along with the changes and for filing confidential internal complaints about what he was being pressured to do, and is seeking to be reinstated. Murphy's complaint was released yesterday by Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, who condemned, quote, "the politicization of intelligence." A Homeland Security spokesman denied Murphy’s allegations.

Among Murphy's specific claims, he says that he was directed by acting deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli to change a section of a report to make the threat posed by white supremacists less serious, and to play up the threat posed by left-wing groups, to echo what the administration was saying amid the protests after George Floyd's death. Murphy also charges that acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told him in July to hold back reports on Russian election interference because they, quote, "made the president look bad."

Eli Harik wears a mask while gazing at the Bay Bridge and heavy orange skies due to nearby wildfires hanging over San Francisco on Wednesday, September 9 @sfchronicle pic.twitter.com/B2wahjkeRw

— Jessica Christian (@jachristian) September 9, 2020

➤THREE DEAD FROM CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES, WHICH TURNED SKIES ORANGE: Officials said Wednesday that three people had been killed by a fast-moving wildfire that was raging northeast of San Francisco, whipped by strong winds as it forced thousands of people to evacuate from their homes. Fire officials said the North Complex fire has damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and other buildings. Smoke from the wildfires caused eerie orange skies over the San Francisco Bay area, as well as orange and red skies in other areas as well. More than dozen wildfires are burning in California, and there are also blazes in Washington state, and in Oregon and Idaho, where people also had to evacuate their homes.

➤FEDERAL SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES AGAINST EX-NYC GYNECOLOGIST: A 62-year-old former New York City gynecologist was charged in federal court Wednesday (September 9th) with using medical examinations to sexually assault women and girls for nearly two decades, including the wife of former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang. The federal charges are the second brought against Robert A. Hadden for his alleged actions. After being charged in New York, he gave up his medical license, but didn't serve any jail time under a 2016 plea deal with Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance. The #MeToo movement contributed to growing outrage over his light punishment. Hadden pled not guilty yesterday to six counts of inducing others to travel to engage in illegal sex acts and was ordered released on $1 million bail.

Newsday 9/10/20

➤RAPTORS FORCE GAME 7 WITH DOUBLE-OVERTIME WIN: It took two overtimes, but the Toronto Raptors finally got a 125-122 win last night (September 9th) against the Boston Celtics to force a deciding Game 7 in their Conference Semifinals series. The reigning NBA champion Raptors and the Celtics are vying to take on the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

➤NBA PLAYOFFS: Results from Conference Semifinals yesterday:

• Toronto Raptors 125, Boston Celtics 122 (2OT) -- Series tied at 3-3 (East)
• L.A. Clippers 96, Denver Nuggets 85 -- Los Angeles leads 2 games to 1 (West)

➤NHL PLAYOFFS: Results from Conference Finals yesterday:

• Tampa Bay Lightning 2, New York Islanders 1 -- Tampa Bay leads 2 games to 0 (East)

➤NFL SEASON BEGINS TONIGHT WITH CHIEFS AGAINST TEXANS: The NFL season kicks off tonight with a game between the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Since there were no preseason games this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, this will be the first NFL game since the Super Bowl in February. State and local authorities are allowing the Chiefs to have fans at the game, but it's limited to 22 percent of capacity, which is about 17,000 fans. They'll be required to face masks whenever they can't maintain social distance.

➤SERENA WILLIAMS ADVANCES TO U.S. OPEN SEMIFINALS: Serena Williams has made it into the U.S. Open semifinals, winning her quarterfinal match yesterday (September 9th) against Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Williams is continuing her quest for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title. In the women's other quarterfinal, Victoria Azarenka defeated Elise Mertens in straight sets. In the semifinals today, Williams and Azarenka will play each other, and Naomi Osaka will take on American Jennifer Brady. On the men's side yesterday, second-seeded Dominic Thiem beat Alex de Minaur, and Number 3 Daniil Medvedev defeated Andrey Rublev, both in straight sets. The men's semifinals are on Friday.

The Braves scored 18 of their 29 runs via home runs 😱

That ties the most runs scored via homers in a game in MLB history. pic.twitter.com/dA0OJZaxw3

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 10, 2020

➤BRAVES SCORE 29 RUNS AGAINST MARLINS, TIED FOR SECOND-MOST: The Atlanta Braves scored 29 runs in their 29-9 win over the Miami Marlins last night (September 9th), tying for second-most in a game in the modern era, and falling just one run short of the major league record. The record is held by the Texas Rangers, who scored 30 runs against the Baltimore Orioles in 2007. The other teams to score 29 runs in a game were the Chicago White Sox in 1955 and the Boston Red Sox in 1950.

ViacomCBS, iHM Partner For Podcasts

ViacomCBS’ Entertainment & Youth Group Wednesday announced a three-year pact with iHeartMedia. The deal calls for the biggest global commercial podcast publisher to create dozens of original podcasts, both new and those that leverage iconic IP and extend powerhouse franchises from the biggest and most beloved brands.

The breadth of the portfolio – comprised of MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Smithsonian Channel, Pop TV, CMT, VH1, TV Land and Logo – will enable diverse and inclusive audio offerings that cater to every demographic and age group – from the coasts to the heartland – and across genres including music, comedy, pop culture and history. The initial slate includes:

• Comedy Central
• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah will be expanding its library of content by producing additional, original podcasts from the Correspondents and more.
• MTV
• Yo! MTV Raps, the seminal music and interview series that introduced hip hop to a general audience.

These upcoming series’ join two from Comedy Central - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: Ears Edition, launched in 2018 and featuring episode highlights and extended interviews and has delivered more than 170M+ downloads to date,  and The Daily Show: Podcast Universe, launched in 2019 and is an original, five-episode mini-series where each episode parodies a popular podcast or podcast genre.

“We are excited to partner with iHeartMedia, the leading global commercial podcast publisher to expand our hit shows and IP into hit franchises,” said Keyes Hill-Edgar, Chief Operating Officer, Entertainment & Youth Group, ViacomCBS. “iHeart’s wide distribution and availability across a number of leading platforms align well with our global reach and audiences.”

“These are some of the most iconic brands in the world.  First and foremost – as fans of these brands – we wanted to see them have a really strong presence in podcasting,” said Conal Byrne, President, the iHeartPodcast Network. “So our plan is simple: We will swing all of our resources behind these incredible brands – with support from our production teams, our huge distribution and marketing muscle, and the biggest and best audio sales team in the country – to make sure they get the audience they deserve in this incredible new medium.”

All of the audio series will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network and available on iHeartRadio in addition to wherever fans find their favorite podcasts.

iHM, Charlamagne Launching Black Podcast Network

iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God,one of the most influential and authoritative voices in media, announced today a historic joint venture partnership to launch The Black Effect Podcast Network.
The Black Effect Podcast Network is positioned to become the world’s largest podcast publisher dedicated to Black listeners, bringing together the most influential and trusted voices in black culture for stimulating conversations around social justice, pop culture, sports, mental health, news, comedy and more.

The multi-genre venture will feature a luminous roster of marquee talent and culture-shifting voices committed to enlightening, educating and entertaining audiences curated by Charlamagne himself. The programming will provide a bridge to understanding information and interaction rooted in diverse perspectives.

"Blackness has an immediate, culture shifting effect on everything,” said Charlamagne.  “Blackness controls the cool. Blackness is the culture, but Black Voices are not monolithic. The only way to appreciate the diversity of thought and experiences in Black culture is to build a platform for those voices to be heard. Our goal is to shift the narrative from Black creators signing transactional deals, to instead forming legacy partnerships that build generational wealth while allowing each creative to have an equitable stake in their future. As a long-time partner of iHeart, it’s an honor to make history with them."

The Black Effect Podcast Network creatives will include comedian/actress Jess Hilarious, Social Justice Activist Tamika Mallory, American attorney and TV Host Eboni K. Williams and many more. The Black Effect Podcast Network has also partnered with other widely successful podcasts like “All The Smoke,” "Drink Champs" and “The 85 South Show,” and will debut with 18 podcasts this fall on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are available.

Additionally, Charlamagne’s wildly popular, co-anchored, nationally syndicated radio show, “The Breakfast Club,” will bring its replay podcast to The Black Effect Podcast Network as its flagship show, effective immediately. With over 4.5 million weekly listeners, “The Breakfast Club” has become the most sought after media destination for A-list talent and influential thought leaders.

“As our country’s number one audio company and podcaster, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to give new voices a massive audience platform for creativity and innovation—and for important ideas that need to be heard,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. “Charlamagne Tha God is an unparalleled multi-platform creator whose impact extends across radio, digital, social, TV, events and podcasts. He is uniquely qualified to bring The Black Effect Podcast Network to life, and we are lucky and honored to be his chosen partner and to continue our successful partnership of over a decade in this exciting and fast-growing arena.”

Sony Music Plans To Release Podcasts

Sony Music's next big hit may be a podcast.

Bloomberg reports the world’s second-largest music company plans to release nearly 40 podcasts this year and is developing more than 100 original programs, according to a statement Wednesday. Sony’s slate of upcoming shows includes two new programs from director Adam McKay, as well as a music podcast that analyzes hits from the 1990s.

Through five joint ventures, Sony has already released shows such as “Morally Indefensible,” a companion to FX’s docuseries “A Wilderness of Error,” as well as the true-crime program “Smokescreen: Fake Priest.”

That slate of shows represents the biggest investment in podcasting to-date by a major music label, according to Dennis Kooker, the global head of Sony Music’s digital business. Kooker is eager to cash in on a booming audio business that could siphon away listeners -- and advertisers -- from radio and streaming services.

“We have a broad strategy and we want to be in every genre,” Kooker said. “We feel like we have a great story and want to be attracting advertisers.”

Record labels have seldom strayed from their business of identifying and developing new musicians. But they have grown more interested in podcasting as listenership has soared. More than 100 million people in the U.S. listen to a podcast every month, according to Edison Research. Ad sales grew 48 per cent last year, reaching US$708.1 million, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

Sony Corp.’s music division and its peers have become even more interested as Spotify Technology SA, their biggest partner, has invested hundreds of millions in the industry. Founded as a music streaming service, Spotify now identifies itself as an audio company and has argued that podcasting will grow into a multibillion-dollar advertising business.

In that sense, podcasting poses both a threat and an opportunity. The larger it gets, the less reliant Spotify is on music -- meaning record companies have less leverage. Music companies currently collect more than 70 per cent of Spotify sales.

But if podcasting does grow into a multibillion-dollar industry, Sony may be able to position itself to grab a substantial portion of those sales. “There is a tremendous opportunity for advertising in podcasts,” Kooker said.

TV Ratings: Tucker Carlson Has Strong Week

Controversial Fox News Channel personality Tucker Carlson had all five of his weeknight programs land in the Nielsen company’s 20 most popular programs last week. Four of them were in the Top 10.

The Associated Press reports Fox’s Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, as well as MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, all had programs in the Top 20 last week, a reflection of interest in the presidential campaign as well as the relative paucity of entertainment options on broadcast television.

Hannity’s program landed in the Top 20 three times, including two nights the host was on vacation.

None of the broadcast networks topped an average of three million viewers in prime time last week. NBC, with 2.82 million, narrowly edged ABC’s 2.81 million viewers. CBS had 2.6 million, Univision had 1.3 million, ION Television had 1.2 million, Fox had 1.17 million and Telemundo had 1.1 million.

Fox News Channel led the way among cable networks, averaging 3.43 million viewers in prime time last week. MSNBC had 2.11 million, TNT had 1.74 million, ESPN had 1.49 million and TLC had 1.28 million.

⏩The 20 most-watched programs (Total Viewers):

1. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 6.45 million.
2. “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 6.41 million.
3. “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 5.66 million.
4. NBA Playoffs: Houston vs. L.A. Lakers (Sunday), ABC, 5.43 million.
5. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Monday), Fox News, 4.94 million.
6. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Tuesday), Fox News, 4.92 million.
7. “Hannity” (Tuesday), Fox News, 4.85 million.
8. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Wednesday), Fox News, 4.8 million.
9. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Thursday), Fox News, 4.79 million.
10. “Hannity” (Wednesday), Fox News, 4.67 million.

11. “NCIS,” CBS, 4.31 million.
12. NBA Playoffs: Oklahoma City vs. Houston (Wednesday), ESPN, 4.29 million.
13. “Big Brother” (Thursday), CBS, 4.24 million.
14. “Hannity” (Thursday), Fox News, 4.17 million.
15. “Big Brother (Wednesday), CBS, 4.162 million.
16. “The Ingraham Angle” (Monday), Fox News, 4.16 million.
17. “Transplant,” NBC, 3.96 million.
18. “The Rachel Maddow Show” (Tuesday), MSNBC, 3.873 million.
19. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Friday), Fox News, 3.832 million.
20. “The Ingraham Angle” (Tuesday), Fox News, 3.828 million.

ABC’s “World News Tonight” led the evening news ratings race with an average of 8.2 million viewers. NBC’s “Nightly News” had 7.3 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 5.3 million.

Boston Radio: Fred Toucher Returns To The Sports Hub

Fred Toucher has returned to WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub’s morning show Wednesday, seven weeks after he took leave from the highly rated “Toucher and Rich” program to seek treatment for alcohol dependency.

“I’m back baby!,’’ wrote Toucher on his Instagram account a little past noon on Tuesday, captioning a photo with his wife and two children. “It’s been a crazy few weeks but I survived. I want to thank all of you for the tremendous support. I have read all your messages and they helped me more than you could imagine. I will tell my story starting tomorrow at 6am on Toucher and Rich 98.5 the sports hub.”

The Boston Glube reports Toucher took leave from the show on July 22, a day after an unsettling program in which he shared details of his personal life and the effect they were having on him. Co-host Rich Shertenlieb suggested during the July 21 program that perhaps he should take some time off.

On the 22d, Shertelieb explained Toucher’s absence. “Listen, with everything that’s going on, Fred’s going to take a couple of days off,’’ said Shertenlieb. “And we love the guy, can’t wait until he gets back.”

Toucher announced via Instagram on July 27 that he was going to receive treatment for alcohol addiction and would be leaving for rehabilitation the next day.

“Here is a non sarcastic post. I can’t sleep tonight because I’m going to rehab for my alcohol addiction tomorrow,’’ he wrote. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this scared in my life. I have read all of your posts and they have meant the world to me. You made me feel a lot better about my struggle. I am looking forward to get back to the radio but I need to get well. I hope I can make those of you that like the show still tune in. Once again I have been overwhelmed with your support. Thank you so much.”

The “Toucher and Rich” program has long been one of the most popular radio shows in the Boston market, starting out on now-defunct rock station WBCN before becoming a sports show when the 98.5 launched in August 2009. The show was No. 1 in its day part for the last full ratings period in the spring. The fall ratings period begins Thursday.

Indy Radio: Steve Dent Gets Wake-Up Duty At WNDX-FM

CUMULUS MEDIA announces that it has tapped Steve Dent as On-Air Host, Mornings, for WNDX-FM 93.9X, Indy’s Rock Station.

Dent debuts this week on WNDX’s morning show, which airs weekdays from 6:00am-10:00am.

A 20-year Rock radio veteran, Dent was previously Program Director and On-Air Personality for iHeartMedia’s WZDA (Alternative) and WTUE (Classic Rock) in Dayton, OH. Prior to that, he was Program Director and On-Air Personality for Alternative-formatted WXEG-FM in Dayton, OH.

Steven Lewis, Program Director, WNDX, commented: “93.9X has continued to grow and establish its brand since it launched last May. Steve Dent brings years of experience in the format, a passion for the music, strong on-air skills, and the tools to take Mornings to the next level. I couldn't be happier to have him on the station and part of our Cumulus Rock family."

Dent remarked: "I could not be more excited to be joining the amazing team at 93.9X. They are building something special here in Indy and I'm honored that I get to be a part of it. Thanks to Steven Lewis, Dave Milner, Doug Hamand, Chuck Fredrick, Boomer and Troy Hanson for the opportunity to join the Cumulus family and host Mornings for Indy’s Rock station. I can’t wait to get to know the XMOB!”

ESPN Radio's Burke Will Work As Analyst During NBA Finals

ESPN has announced that Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcaster Doris Burke will serve as game analyst for the NBA Finals on ESPN Radio this season.

Doris Burke

The pioneering commentator becomes the first woman to serve as a game analyst for the NBA Finals on any platform. She will provide radio commentary alongside play-by-play voice Marc Kestecher and analyst Jon Barry for the NBA Finals and both Conference Finals series on site at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. – home of the NBA Playoffs.

Burke has broken barriers several times throughout her Hall of Fame broadcasting career, including in 2017 when she became the first woman to serve as a full-time NBA television game analyst on ESPN and ABC – a role she continues to hold. She was also the first woman to serve as a national college basketball game analyst on ESPN. Additionally, Burke was the first woman to receive the prestigious Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

NBA Countdown, hosted by Maria Taylor, will serve as the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals pregame and halftime show. NBA Countdown will emanate from ESPN’s Seaport Studios in New York, N.Y. throughout the remainder of the postseason. Taylor’shigh-profile ESPN footprint includes roles as college football reporter and NCAA Women’s College Basketball Championship host. Taylor is joined on NBA Countdown by analysts Jalen Rose, Stephen A. Smith, Jay Williams and Paul Pierce as well as ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reporting from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Taylor begin hosting NBA Countdown on ESPN and ABC at the start of the 2019-20 NBA season. ESPN recently announced Smith had joined the NBA Countdown show.

ESPN host and journalist Rachel Nichols, who has hosted ESPN’s The Jump since 2016, will expand her role to become the sideline reporter for the NBA Finals on ABC and the Eastern Conference Finals on ESPN. Nichols will join the longest-tenured NBA Finals broadcast team of Mike Breen and analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson to call the action. The coveted role includes pregame, in-game and postgame interviews as well as hosting responsibilities for the NBA trophy presentation upon conclusion of the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals. Nichols will continue to host daily editions of The Jump throughout the NBA Playoffs from the NBA Florida Campus. ESPN NBA analyst Richard Jefferson will regularly join Nichols on The Jump from site with ESPN NBA reporters Adrian Wojnarowski, Malika Andrews and Marc Spears also making on-site contributions to the show.

Connor Schell, ESPN executive vice president, content:

“We’re proud of the tremendous collective effort put forth by our NBA commentators and all of our ESPN personnel – in front of the camera and behind the scenes – who have played vital roles in bringing the NBA back at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The incredible depth of our coverage team and its diverse array of voices has been on full display. We’re looking forward to an exciting remainder of the NBA Playoffs as we continue to work closely with our friends at the NBA to finish the season strong.”