Big changes are coming soon to your Facebook experience and they will start from the moment you open the app, reports USAToday.
You will find yourself on a tab called Home. This is where you will access short-form video feature Reels and Stories. It's also where Facebook will show you content that its automated systems recommend for you. Think of Home as Facebook’s answer to TikTok’s “For You” page.
So where are all your friends? You will find them under a new tab called Feeds.
Feeds is where you can catch up on the most recent updates from friends, pages and groups, according to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook parent company Meta.
The posts will be in chronological order, he said.
Feeds will show up as a tab in the shortcut bar. On iOS, this bar is at the bottom of the app. On Android, it’s at the top.
The tabs in the shortcut bar will change based on which ones you use the most. You can also pin a tab to your shortcut bar.
You will also be able to designate the people and communities you care most about in a “favorites” list and only see content from those folks.
Radio personality Davi Crimmins plans to discuss losing her job with the Bert Show next month, according to media watcher Rodney Ho at ajc.com citing her social media feed.
Outside of a couple of carefully worded statements vetted by her legal team, she has not said a word publicly to reveal her side of the story. But she has apparently changed her tune.
Crimmins, who was on the Bert Show in different capacities for the past decade including full-time on-air cast member since 2018, did not say how she will talk about what happened though she asked fans to text a particular number “to be the first in line for all the fun!”
Bert Weiss, her former boss and lead host of the morning show, let her go on June 14 and made a few statements on air, noting that there were unspecified “chemistry” issues between Crimmins and other unnamed members of the syndicated morning show, which is based out of WWWQ Q99.7′s studios in Atlanta and heard on more than 20 markets. He painstakingly avoided placing the entire blame on Crimmins.
“For reasons I cannot detail on the show, this is the move I painstakingly chose to make,” Weiss said on the show. “Some of you guys will get it twisted and assume that Davi must have been the problem. I assure you with all sincerity that is simply not the truth. In my eyes, the spirit of a studio is defined by all its members so this is not just a Davi issue and that’s why she’s not here anymore... We all have a responsibility in this.”
He has declined to comment beyond what he said on the air that day.
Two days after the firing, Crimmins released the following statement: “I’m as shocked and disappointed as our listeners. I have put forth every effort to solve the chemistry issue and improve the off air relationship. My efforts were noticed and complimented by management. I wish I had more answers for our listeners but at this time I’m going to concentrate on my next move. A huge thank you for the overwhelming support to all my fans!” She later noted she was not going to continue her separate podcast, which was under Weiss’ umbrella and included fellow Bert Show employee Cassie Young.
In August 2021, Crimmins signed a three-year extension deal with Weiss’ company. Weiss owns his show outright. The owners of Q99.7, Atlanta-based Cumulus Media, have no power over personnel decisions. How her firing impacted her contractual situation is unclear.
Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings believes that linear TV could end within the next decade, saying on the streaming giant's second-quarter earnings call earlier this week, "Streaming is working everywhere. Everyone is pouring in. It's definitely the end of linear TV over the next five, 10 years," according to Fox Business.
Linear TV is the traditional way of watching TV in which you view a TV show on the channel it's aired on at its scheduled time.
Hastings' prediction comes after Netflix lost 970,000 subscribers in the second quarter, after having lost 200,00 in the first quarter, its first decline in over a decade. Still, that was less than half the two million Netflix had thought it would lose in the second quarter, and despite the subscriber losses, Netflix said it drew more TV viewing time than any other outlet during the 2021-2022 TV season, nearly matching the combined total of CBS and NBC, the two most watched broadcast networks.
A singer and actress who appeared this year as blues singer Big Mama Thornton in the film "Elvis" was found dead in her Nashville apartment on Thursday, police said.
Shonka Dukureh
Reuters reports the body of Shonka Dukureh, 44, was found after one of her two young children found the actress unresponsive and ran to get a neighbor, who called 9-1-1, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a written statement.
Police said no foul play was suspected and that an autopsy had been scheduled to determine her cause of death.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted his condolences to Dukureh's family, saying that she had graduated from Fisk University in the city that she had called home for many years. Dukureh starred alongside Austin Butler as Elvis Presley and Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker in the 2022 film.
Variety reported that "Elvis" marked the first major film role for Dukureh, who was born in North Carolina.
➦In 1932...'The Father of AM' Reginald Fessenden died at age 65. The broadcasting inventor, engineer, had 300 radio patents.
Until the early-1930s, it was generally accepted that another early radio pioneer, Lee de Forest, who conducted a series of test broadcasts beginning in 1907, and who was widely quoted promoting the potential of organized radio broadcasting, was the first person to transmit music and entertainment by radio. De Forest's first entertainment broadcast occurred in February 1907, when he transmitted electronic telharmonium music from his laboratory station in New York City.
The first widely publicized information about Fessenden's early broadcasts did not appear until 1932, when an article prepared by former Fessenden associate Samuel M. Kintner, "Pittsburgh's Contributions to Radio", appeared in the December 1932 issue of The Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers.
This reviewed information included in a January 29, 1932 letter sent by Fessenden to Kintner. (Fessenden subsequently died five months before Kintner's article appeared). In this account, Fessenden reported that on the evening of December 24, 1906 (Christmas Eve), he had made the first of two radio broadcasts of music and entertainment to a general audience, using the alternator-transmitter at Brant Rock.
Fessenden remembered producing a short program that included a phonograph record of Ombra mai fu (Largo) by George Frideric Handel, followed by Fessenden playing Adolphe Adam's carol O Holy Night on the violin and singing Adore and be Still by Gounod, and closing with a biblical passage: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will" (Luke 2:14).
He also stated that a second short program was broadcast on December 31 (New Year's Eve).
The intended audience for both of these transmissions was primarily shipboard radio operators along the Atlantic seaboard. Fessenden claimed that the two programs had been widely publicized in advance, and the Christmas Eve broadcast had been heard "as far down" as Norfolk, Virginia, while the New Year Eve's broadcast had reached listeners in the West Indies.
➦In 1968...WIBC 93.1 FM Indianapolis became WNAP, but Naptown listeners didn't feel The Wrath of the Buzzard for a few more years.
➦In 1987..WNEW 1130 AM Radio/TV personality, former Today Show host Jack Lescoulie died.
Jack Lescoulie
On radio, he was billed as the "Grouchmaster" on The Grouch Club (1938–40), a program in which people aired their complaints about anything, created by future TV legend Nat Hiken, creator of The Phil Silvers Show /You'll Never Get Rich and Car 54, Where Are You?. In the 1940s, he was morning-drive partner to Gene Rayburn on WNEW radio (now WBBR 1130 AM) in New York City, before turning over his role in the team to Dee Finch. The Lescoulie and Finch pairings with Rayburn provided what are believed to be radio's first two-man morning teams.
During World War II, Lescoulie served as a war correspondent, flying in Air Force planes on bombing missions over Italy.
Today's Frank Blair, J. Fred Muggs Dave Garroway
In the fall of 1947, Lescoulie became the "all night radio man" on the Mutual Broadcasting System's New York affiliate WOR 710 AM. On April 12, 1948, he portrayed a mysterious newscaster in "Twelve to Five," a Quiet, Please fantasy drama which recreated an all-night request radio program so convincingly that some listeners phoned in with requests. He returned to Quiet Please June 4, 1949, in the horror drama, "Tanglefoot."
On Today, he was teamed with Dave Garroway for over nine years, covering sports, news and features. The tall, blond performer was called ''the saver'' by Garroway because of his ability to enliven lackluster interviews with his wit. Often characterized as a good-humored, all-American boy, his frequently lighthearted tasks for ''Today'' included wrestling a walrus, interviewing a penguin and eating six breakfasts in one sitting. He departed 'Today' in 1961.
During the 1950's, Lescoulie also made commercials for Milton Berle, was an announcer for ''The Jackie Gleason Show'' on CBS and was the host of an NBC sports-interview series called ''Meet the Champions.''He also filled in as host of NBC's ''Tonight: America After Dark,'' a show that briefly replaced the ''Tonight'' show in 1957.
Don Henley is 75
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Actor Louise Fletcher is 88.
Singer Chuck Jackson is 85.
Actor Terence Stamp is 84.
Singer George Clinton is 81.
Singer-actor Bobby Sherman is 79.
Actor Danny Glover is 76.
Writer-director Paul Schrader is 76.
Singer Don Henley is 75.
Actor-comedian-director Albert Brooks is 75.
Composer Alan Menken (“Little Mermaid,” ″Little Shop of Horrors”) is 73.
Singer-actor Lonette McKee (“The Women of Brewster Place”) is 69.
Musician Al Di Meola is 68.
Selena Gomez is 30
Actor Willem Dafoe is 67.
Actor John Leguizamo is 62.
Singer Keith Sweat is 61.
Singer Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls is 59.
Actor-comedian David Spade is 58.
Actor Patrick Labyorteaux (“JAG,” “Little House on the Prairie”) is 57.
Bassist Pat Badger of Extreme is 55.
Actor Irene Bedard (“Pocahontas”) is 55.
Actor Rhys Ifans (“Elementary,” ″Notting Hill”) is 55.
Actor-singer Jaime Camil (“Jane the Virgin”) is 49.
Musician Daniel Jones (Savage Garden) is 49.
Singer Rufus Wainwright is 49.
Actor Franka Potente (“The Bourne Identity”) is 48.
Actor Parisa Fitz-Henley (“Jessica Jones,” “Midnight, Texas”) is 45.
Actor A.J. Cook (“Criminal Minds”) is 44.
Actor Keegan Allen (“Pretty Little Liars”) is 35.
Singer-actor Selena Gomez is 30.
✞DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
Outlaw John Dillinger, the FBI's first "Public Enemy Number One," was shot to death by federal agents outside a Chicago movie theater on this day in 1934. He was 31.
Actress Estelle Getty, who played Sophia on TV's The Golden Girls, died on this day in 2008. She was 84.
In June, streaming captured 33.7% of total television consumption according to The Gauge, Nielsen's monthly total TV and streaming snapshot. This is streaming's largest share of TV usage to be measured by The Gauge since its inception in May 2021. Conversely, while viewership for broadcast and cable is traditionally lower during the summer months, June represented the smallest shares yet for the formats, which totaled 22.4% for broadcast and 35.1% for cable.
Total time spent watching TV in June increased slightly (+2%) from May, bolstered by an 8% uptick in streaming volume over the same interval. Time spent streaming jumped 23.5% on a year-over-year basis allowing the digital format to add 6 percentage points to its share of TV in 12 months.
This considerable increase in streaming had a similar effect on streaming platforms, four of which saw record-high viewing shares in June: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and YouTube (including YouTubeTV). Viewers spent 16% more time watching Netflix versus last month, and as a result, Netflix gained a full share point from May and captured 7.7% of total TV viewing—the largest month-to-month growth ever for a streaming platform. Compared to June 2021, all reported streaming platforms in The Gauge have seen significant growth in viewing, led by Amazon Prime Video (+31.9%), Disney+ (+22%) and Netflix (+18.1%).
While cable viewing in June fell 2% from the previous month, the category lost 1.4 share points of TV usage over the same period. Cable continues to show some of the largest year-over-year shifts of any viewing category, dropping 5 percentage points and -11.9% in viewing compared to June 2021.
Due to the conclusion of the traditional broadcast TV season, time spent watching broadcast was down 6.7% in June compared to May, and the share of viewing declined 2.1 percentage points. While these declines are fairly typical for this time of year, broadcast viewing this month was down 3.9% compared to June 2021, and a full share point lower.
The Gauge is underpinned by Nielsen's TV ratings service and Streaming Platform Ratings. The latter provides clients with audience measurement data that details the amount of time consumers spend streaming and on which platforms. This broad look at platform usage provides complimentary insights to Nielsen Streaming Content Ratings, which details viewing to subscription-based video on demand (SVOD) content at the title, program and episode level. By showcasing both the micro and macro-level data sets, the industry has a full picture of how this media is being consumed, as well as when and by whom.
Nielsen's approach to audience measurement, which leverages a geographically representative panel of real people and big data, is built for the future of media consumption. With The Gauge, the future of TV consumption is visible in a single view.
CNN CEO Chris Licht has set his executive team, firming up the direct reports who will help run the cable news channel’s global operations.
Licht’s appointments are mostly longtime CNN staffers, reflecting a desire to shift CNN’s focus toward hard news, rather than a desire to make dramatic change, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Kris Coratti Kelly’s hiring as CNN’s new head of global communications was among a series of announcements made by CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht as he filled out his leadership team, reports Deadline.
Chris Licht
In a memo to staffers, Licht said that Michael Bass would continue to serve as executive vice president of programming for CNN, while Virginia Moseley would serve as executive vice president for editorial for CNN U.S., an expanded role that includes the digital news team. Amy Entelis will continue as executive vice president of talent and content development, and Ken Jautz will stay as executive vice president of news. Sam Feist will continue as senior vice president and Washington bureau chief.
Licht also announced Johnita Due as executive vice president of integrity and inclusion, a newly created position.
He also wrote that they are undertaking a worldwide search for chief digital officer, after the departure of Andrew Morse in April. Wendy Brundige is serving as interim chief digital officer.
Licht also said that James Anderson, who has been interim head of communications, has decided to leave the company. Also departing is Calvin Sims, who has been executive vice president of standards and practices. His group will now report to Due.
Sources tell RadarOnline.com that CNN’s new boss Chris Licht, the man who made Joe and Mika morning TV stars on MSNBC, wants to bring the couple over to his new network.
Licht joined MSNBC as an executive producer in 2005. He developed a close relationship with Scarborough and the two created Morning Joe.
The EP stayed with MSNBC until 2011 when CBS hired him as vice president of programming. The following year, he was responsible for launching the network’s morning show, CBS This Morning.
“When CBS hired Chris, he wanted to hire Joe and Mika to head up his morning show instead of Gayle King. Joe and Mika were into it, but they couldn’t get out of their deal with NBC. Now Chris is pulling the same trick again as he starts his new job at CNN hoping this time, he will be able to pull it off,” sources tell RadarOnline.com. "It is unlikely MSNBC will let them out of their contract, but Chris is a patient man."
In February, Licht was appointed CNN President after Jeff Zucker resigned after admitting he failed to disclose an office romance to the network.
Weeks later, during a conference, Licht announced his plans to revamp the network which included his plan to shake up its morning programming.
“We will reimagine our morning show leveraging our correspondents and unmatched resources in the U.S. and around the world to provide news that viewers need to know as they start their day,” he said.
“Chris’ first priority will be fixing CNN’s morning and primetime programming,” sources added. “That is where the big advertiser money is. Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon, and the morning hosts should be concerned.”
Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton enters its 30th year in Syndication with Compass Media Networks. The three-hour weekly show recorded each week from Music Row in Nashville with host Lon Helton has been a staple on heritage Country radio stations since its inception in 1992. Each week Lon is joined by a different country star co-host while they count down the week’s Top 30 hits.
Lon is a prominent figure in Country Radio as host of Country Countdown USA, publisher of Country Aircheck and editor of the Mediabase Country Chart. Lon is a member of the Board of Directors of the Country Music Association and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Lon has been named CMA National Personality of the Year an astounding 11 times in the awards 22-year history (winners are not eligible to be nominated 2 years in a row) and the Academy of Country Music has bestowed its’ equivalent award 6 times in the last 12 years. Lon was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2006.
Lon Helton comments, “Country Countdown USA has had an amazing run of more than 30 years and more than 20 major awards with Westwood One. Many thanks to everyone there- present and past- for everything. Having worked with Peter in the past, I know that Compass Media Networks and the great team he has assembled is the perfect place to continue the legacy of Country’s most listened-to and most unique Country Countdown.”
“With open arms, humility, and much excitement, we welcome Lon Helton, his team, his audience, and his affiliates to Compass Media Networks,” says Peter Kosann, CEO Compass Media Networks. “This is a homecoming in that Lon and I had the pleasure of working together years ago — it is an absolute thrill to be reunited together again.”
Country Countdown USA joins Compass Media Networks established roster of Country programs including The Big D & Bubba Show, Taste of Country Nights, Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence, The Original Country Gold with Rowdy Yates, The Country Club with Dee Jay Silver, and Y’all Access with Kelly Sutton.
Affiliates of the show and those interested in finding out more are encouraged to contact Doug Ingold dingold@compassmedianetworks.com (310) 904-3864. The show will transition without a hitch and Lon’s first three co-hosts for August are Kane Brown, Maren Morris, and Chris Young!
Montreal broadcaster Dave Fisher, who retired from a radio career that spanned three decades at CJAD 800, has died. Fisher passed away Wednesday morning after suffering a heart attack, according to his family.
He was 71, according to a posting at the CJAD website.
Fisher worked at CJAD for 32 years, retiring in 2016 in front of a live audience for his final broadcast. Before signing off for the last time, his name was added to the CJAD Wall of Fame, marking an end to a remarkable career in broadcasting in the community that loved him just as much as he loved it.
The longtime Montreal radio personality amassed a devoted audience while hosting the station's weekly Trivia Show, a long-running mainstay of the station that remains on the airwaves and is among the market's highest-rated shows.
Veteran radio host Ken Connors told CTV News that he was "honored and flattered" when he was announced as Fisher's replacement in 2016 and called the broadcaster's sudden passing "a devastating blow" to Montrealers.
Fisher, a familiar voice on Montreal's airwaves for years, connected with the audience immediately during his segments in such a way that you considered him as part of the family, Connors said.
Fisher made his radio debut in Lindsay, Ont. before working at stints in Peterborough, Ottawa, and Winnipeg. He made Montreal his home in 1984, keeping his same time slot right up until his retirement.
The House committee investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol will hold its final hearing of the summer tonight, which will take place in prime time for the first time since the initial hearing in early June. Tonight's hearing will focus on what then-President Donald Trump did and did not do during the hours while the Capitol was being attacked. Included in the nearly two-hour hearing will be live testimony from two former White House aides, Matt Pottinger, who was deputy national security adviser, and Sarah Matthews, who was a press aide, both of whom resigned on January 6th after the events of the day. While this is the last planned hearing, the committee has said its investigation is continuing, and other hearings are possible. It plans to create a preliminary report this fall, and a final report by the end of this session of Congress.
EXCLUSIVE: In a Harvard study of more than 400 Jan. 6 rioters, their top motivation is clear: Trump https://t.co/UxKBiMoAQV
➤UKRAINIAN FIRST LADY SPEAKS AT CAPITOL, U.S., ALLIES SENDING MORE MILITARY AID: Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska spoke in the U.S. Capitol Wednesday (July 20th) as part of her visit to the U.S. this week, making the case for the U.S. to send more air defense systems to Ukraine to stop Russia missiles. Before an audience of Republican and Democratic lawmakers, Zelenska showed photos of Ukrainian children killed and wounded by Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, saying, "We want no more airstrikes. No more missile strikes. Is this too much to ask for?" On the same day yesterday, the U.S. and allies committed to sending more rocket systems, ammunition and other military aid to Ukraine. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described the current state of the conflict as a "grinding war of attrition," saying, "[U]nless there’s a breakthrough on either side -- which right now the analysts don’t think is particularly likely in the near term -- it will probably continue as a grinding war of attrition for a period of time until both sides see an alternative way out of this, perhaps through negotiation or something like that.”
Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, addressed the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, asking for more weapons to defend against what she called the "Russian hunger games" killing children and ripping apart families. "Russia is destroying our people," she said. https://t.co/HOJ8Q8i6r2pic.twitter.com/eiY2YmTDRC
➤BIDEN ANNOUNCES MODEST ACTIONS ON CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYS MORE ON WAY TO FIGHT 'EMERGENCY': President Biden announced modest new steps to fights climate change yesterday, and said that stronger action would be coming, saying, "This is an emergency and I will look at it that way." Some Democrats and environmental groups have been calling for Biden to declare a climate emergency, and while he didn't do that yesterday, he suggested he might still take that step. If he does declare a climate emergency, it would allow him to redirect federal resources to boost renewable energy programs that would help speed up the transition from fossil fuels. It could also be used to block oil and gas drilling or other projects, but such actions would likely be challenged in court. The executive actions announced yesterday will help the domestic offshore wind industry in the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast, and spend $2.3 billion to help communities cope with soaring temperatures.
Indiana police say 'Good Samaritan' took out mall shooter in 15 seconds, landed 8 of 10 shots https://t.co/lgF1irGKT1
➤TOP UVALDE SCHOOL OFFICIAL RECOMMENDS FIRING DISTRICT POLICE CHIEF: The top school official in Uvalde, Texas, has recommended firing school district police Chief Pete Arredondo, who's been the focus of blame for the botched law enforcement response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in May that left 17 children and two teachers dead. The Uvalde school board said yesterday that it will consider firing Arredondo at a special meeting on Saturday. School officials have previously resisted calls to fire Arredondo, but they've come under heavy pressure and criticism from the community, including the parents of the children who were killed.
➤CA. THEME PARK IMPLEMENTS 'CHAPERONE' POLICY: The Southern California theme park Knott’s Berry Farm is implementing a chaperone policy after repeated fights among younger visitors, including multiple fights that broke out this past Saturday, leading the park to close three hours early. Under the new policy, which will be in effect on Fridays and Saturdays, all guests age 17 or younger will need to be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old to get into the park. One chaperone may accompany no more than three guests age 17 or younger per day. The code of conduct says, "Chaperones must accompany their party during entry, remain with their party at all times during their visit to the park, and be available by phone throughout their stay."
➤ONE SOLDIER KILLED, NINE INJURED IN GEORGIA LIGHTNING STRIKE: One soldier was killed and nine others were injured by a lightning strike while they were carrying out a military field training exercise at Fort Gordon in Georgia late yesterday morning. A garrison spokesperson, public affairs officer Anne Bowman, told CNN that the extent of the nine soldiers' injuries was unknown. The name of the soldier who died wasn't released, pending family notification.
➤FUNERAL HELD IN NYC FOR IVANA TRUMP: A funeral was held in New York City yesterday for Ivana Trump, the businesswoman first wife of former President Donald Trump and mother of his three oldest children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric. Donald Trump, his wife Melania Trump, and all of his children were there, including Tiffany, his daughter with second wife Marla Maples, and Barron, his son with Melania. The funeral mass was held at St. Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic Church, just a few blocks from Ivana's home near Central Park. The former president wrote on his Truth Social social media platform, "A very sad day, but at the same time a celebration of a wonderful and beautiful life." Ivana was found dead at her home last Thursday, with her death ruled an accident from injuries she suffered as a result of a fall. She was 73.
➤MORTGAGE DEMAND FALLS TO 22-YEAR LOW: Mortgage applications in the U.S. fell a seasonally adjusted 6.3 percent last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's weekly survey, putting mortgage demand at its lowest point since 2000. MBA economist Joel Kan cited several reasons for the decline, including "the weakening economic outlook, high inflation, and persistent affordability challenges." Interest rates are two percentage points higher than a year ago, as the Federal Reserve has been hiking rates to try to bring down high inflation, and average home prices are still at historic highs in many markets across the country.
💸CEOs' AVERAGE PAY 324 TIMES HIGHER THAN EMPLOYEES': The average pay of the CEOs of the top 500 companies in the U.S. was 324 times higher than their employees in 2021, according to an AFL-CIO report. Executive compensation rose $2.8 million in the past year on average, according to the report, while worker wages fell 2.4 percent in 2021 after adjusting for inflation. CEO pay went up 18.2 percent last year, with the average compensation for the top CEOs in the country at $18.3 million, up more than $5 million over the past decade. Workers earned $58,260 on average last year, about a $1,300 increase annually over the past decade.
Nneka Ogwumike, Stephen Curry and Skylar Diggins-Smith share a powerful message about Brittney Griner.
"We cannot stop fighting for her. We cannot stop believing for her. And we will not stop hoping for the day when we can welcome her home safely." pic.twitter.com/gsxFD0iUT8
➤CURRY, RAPINOE, KING SPEAK ABOUT GRINER AS ESPYS AWARDED: Several athletes spoke about the continued detention in Russia of WNBA star Brittney Griner as The ESPYs awards ceremony last night in Los Angeles, including host Stephen Curry of the NBA's Golden State Warriors, WNBA players Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, U.S. women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe, and tennis great Billie Jean King. They urged support for Griner and doing all that's possible to keep urgency for getting her home, with Curry saying, "we urge the entire global sports community to continue to stay energized on her behalf."
The night's big winners included the NBA champion Golden State Warriors for best team, MLB's Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shoehi Ohtani winning best athlete in men's sports, and Olympic swimming champion Katie Ledecky, who won two golds and two silvers at the Tokyo Games last year, winning best athlete in women's sports. In addition to winning best team with the rest of the Warriors, Curry also won best NBA player and best record-breaking performance, for setting the mark for most three-pointers made in league history.
Former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, who's the mayor of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, in a country at war since Russia's February invasion, was given the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. ESPN college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, after having undergone multiple surgeries and six months of chemotherapy for lymphoma over the last year.
"This award is not for me. This award is for every Ukrainian who is fighting ... for the future of democracy, for the future of our homeland."
🏀HARDEN REACHES TWO-YEAR, $68.6 MILLION DEAL WITH 76ERS: Philadelphia 76ers free agent star James Harden has reached a two-year, $68.6 million deal to stay with the 76ers, ESPN first reported yesterday. The new deal pays him about $33 million this season with a $35 million player option for the 2023-24 season. The 10-time All-Star gave himself a pay cut, after having declined a $47.4 million player option for next season, wanting to give the 76ers salary-cap flexibility. 🏀HORNETS' BRIDGES PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHARGES: The Charlotte Hornets' Miles Bridges pled not guilty at arraignment Wednesday to felony domestic violence charges in Los Angeles County after he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children late last month. District Attorney George Gascon said Tuesday that they'd filed one felony charge against Bridges of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death. Bridges was arrested on June 29th and released on bond.
🏀WNBA'S SKY CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT WITH 78-74 WIN OVER STORM: The Chicago Sky became the first WNBA team to clinch a playoff spot with a 78-74 win over the Seattle Storm yesterday. Allie Quigley led Chicago with 18 points and Emma Meesseman had 16 points. The Sky have a league-leading 20-6 record.
🏌STENSON REMOVED AS RYDER CUP EUROPE CAPTAIN AFTER JOINING LIV GOLF: Swedish pro golfer Henrik Stenson was removed by Ryder Cup Europe as captain for the 2023 matches yesterday after he joined the controversial new Saudi-backed LIV Golf league. Stenson became captain just four months ago, and the 2023 matches are still 14 months away. Stenson tweeted that he was "hugely disappointed" at being removed. Both the European tour and PGA Tour have suspended players who signed up with LIV Golf.
