NYC Radio: WFAN Working Deal For Backup Yankees Radio Voice

Justin Shackil

John Sterling will turn 85 in July, but WFAN and the Yankees expect him to do most, but not all, of the games this upcoming season as the team’s radio play-by-player.

That is why Justin Shackil is on the verge of what one day could become a very big job, The NY Post is reporting. WFAN is expected to offer Shackil the job vacated by Sweeny Murti, as Yankees reporter and fill-in play-by-player.

Though terms still need to be agreed upon, and it is still being worked out whether Shackil will do both the pregame and postgame show, he would become Sterling’s permanent play-by-play backup with the expectation the 36-year-old would call 25 games this year, give or take. He could also continue to do some YES Network fill-in work.

Shackil will not be guaranteed to succeed Sterling if he ever does retire, but if a contract is agreed upon, he would have a long, public audition to be next in line. Besides YES and Yankee Stadium work, Shackil calls boxing for DAZN, and hosts a podcast with David Cone and YES researcher James Smyth.

NYT Reporters Slam Union for Backing Critics of Trans Coverage

On Tuesday, dozens of high-profile New York Times journalists signed onto a private letter defending the paper’s coverage of transgender issues and firing back against their own union leadership in what has become a deepening internal row over the paper’s transgender coverage.

The letter was sent to NewsGuild of New York president Susan DeCarava, taking her to task for suggesting that the paper’s coverage of transgender issues — including the adverse effects of hormonal and surgical intervention and the recent dramatic increase in gender dysphoria in girls — might have created a “hostile” workplace.

“Factual, accurate journalism that is written, edited, and published in accordance with Times standards does not create a hostile workplace,” reads the letter, which was signed by dozens of Times journalists.

The internal back-and-forth began on Wednesday, February 15, when two separate groups published open letters to the Times‘ leadership calling the paper biased in its coverage of transgender issues. The groups also singled out particular articles and authors. One letter was signed by a collection of LGBTQ organizations and the other was signed by hundreds of Times contributors.

The Times’ leadership didn’t take the criticism laying down. Executive editor Joe Kahn and opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury internally rebuked the staffers who joined the effort. “We do not welcome, and will not tolerate, participation by Times journalists in protests organized by advocacy groups or attacks on colleagues on social media and other public forums,” the pair wrote.

Cumulus CEO: Despite Economic Turbulence..'We Delivered'

• Total Revenue of $953.5 Million, Up 4% Year-Over-Year
• Digital Revenue of More Than $142 Million, Up 12% Year-Over-Year
• Net Income of $16.2 Million, Down 6% Year-Over-Year
• Adjusted EBITDA of $166.0 Million, Up 23% Year-Over-Year

Cumulus Media Inc. today announced operating results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2022.

Mary Berner

Mary G. Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cumulus Media, said, "Despite considerable economic turbulence, we delivered fourth quarter financial performance in the upper half of our guidance range, continuing a multi-year period of significant accomplishments. Operating through a series of difficult macroeconomic environments, including the pandemic, we successfully executed a strategic plan under which we developed and drove new areas of growth, right-sized the balance sheet, improved the Company’s operating leverage and returned capital to shareholders. As a result, we have delivered consistent revenue growth, built several digital businesses to a $150+ million revenue run-rate, reduced our net leverage to its lowest level in more than a decade, and boosted our liquidity to give ourselves optionality regarding capital allocation.”

Berner added, “Looking ahead to 2023, we continue to face substantial economic headwinds. However, our battle-tested skill in performing during challenging times, as well as our very strong financial position, gives us substantial confidence in our ability to not only weather this depressed ad environment but take full advantage of opportunities that may arise over the coming quarters.”

Wake-Up Call: Putin Rattles War Sabre

President Vladimir Putin said Russia will maintain increased attention on boosting its nuclear forces in an address to mark Thursday's Defender of the Fatherland public holiday and a day before the first anniversary of his invasion of Ukraine. Putin's comments follow his suspension of a bilateral nuclear arms control treaty with the United States. "As before, we will pay increased attention to strengthening the nuclear triad," said Putin, referring to nuclear missiles based on land, sea and in the air. Putin also said that for the first time, Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles - a weapon able to carry multiple nuclear warheads - would be deployed this year.

President Putin took a victory lap at a rally in Moscow today after giving his epic State of the Nation speech — an address that will go down in history as one of the greatest speeches of our generation. #Legend pic.twitter.com/cLmtyfcN3z

— LIZ CROKIN (@LizCrokin) February 22, 2023

To shore up war support, Putin's  government has doled out cash payments to citizens in the country’s impoverished regions and shut down the few remaining media outlets that challenged the official state version of events. In stage-managed events lavishly covered by the state media, Putin maintains the image that the war is far away, rarely referring to it directly, highlighting economic successes, new welfare benefits and renovated clinics. That was the message of his state-of-the-nation speech this week, which blamed the conflict on the US and its allies but offered to hint of when it might end. Instead, Putin offered new benefits to veterans and their families, touting the value of combat experience as the “best school of life.”

➤BIDEN IS BACK: President Joe Biden has returned to the White House after a historic three day visit to Europe, which included stops in Poland and war-torn Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky (inset). Shortly after 8.30pm on Wednesday, Air Force One landed at Joint Base Andrews, where Biden disembarked (left and right) without incident, but appeared to walk stiffly across the tarmac to Marine One. It came hours after Biden, 80, stumbled up the stairs of the presidential jet as he departed Warsaw. But upon arriving at the White House South Lawn, the president appeared more limber, jogging down the steps of Marine One.

More than 8 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded across Europe, nearly one year since Russia invaded, according to the U.N. refugee agency. https://t.co/T1bBbAMBC6

— ABC News (@ABC) February 23, 2023

➤UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT CHALLENGED WITH DOMESTIC ISSUES:  Ukraine’s domestic problems are challenging President Volodymyr Zelensky again His complications include corruption allegations against people linked to him, potential political rivals, strict broadcast rules and questions about Western aid. Zelensky‘s approval ratings are still high, but much of that support is conditional, according to political analysts. Outside Ukraine, there are other issues. The country’s grain exports have significantly slowed recently amid shipping delays and concerns Russia won’t extend a U.N.-backed deal to give grain ships safe passage after it expires March 19. Ukraine’s pro-Western neighbor Moldova fears it’s next on Moscow’s hit list. And gas prices are poised to rise again as Russian sanctions take effect.

➤RAILROAD ORDERED TO CLEAN UP OHIO MESS: The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Norfolk Southern to clean up the toxic mess caused by the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, of one of its rail cars carrying a load of toxic chemicals. The order, which is effective today, comes with the threat of a $70,000 per day fine if the company does not clean up the site and pay for it in full. Residents of the Ohio town have reported a variety of health problems since the derailment on February 3rd. In East Palestine, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw apologized to local residents at a town hall meeting staged by CNN last night. “I’m terribly sorry for what has happened to your community,” he said. “I want you to know that Norfolk Southern is here, and we’re going to stay here, and we’re going to make this right.”

TRUMP VISITS OHIO TOWN: Donald Trump visited the small Ohio town reeling from the toxic fallout of a Norfolk Southern Corp. train derailment in the hope of capitalizing politically on residents’ anger about the initial response by the Biden administration. But the trip also highlights the ex-president’s rolling back of rules that former regulators say could have improved rail safety. Trump met briefly on Wednesday with officials and residents affected by the Feb. 3 accident and brought bottled water. The derailment spewed hazardous chemicals into the air and ground of the community of about 4,700 people near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, forcing an evacuation as authorities intentionally vented and burned tank cars to prevent an explosion.

Trump just stopped at the local McDonalds in East Palestine to buy lunch for all the Firefighters and First Responders pic.twitter.com/9s4e0MFXZC

— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) February 22, 2023

➤FEDS PROMISE HELP: Federal and state authorities and Norfolk Southern have pledged to to do whatever it takes to clean up the site and ensure residents’ safety, including setting up a health clinic and removing contaminated soil and water. But the accident spurred complaints that US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other officials didn’t do enough to respond in the immediate aftermath of the accident. Tens of thousands of residents affected by the toxic train derailment in East Palestine will be offered free health checks amid fears of a looming public health crisis.  They will have their vital signs taken and be medically examined by a doctor to check for acute health problems. Mental health specialists and a toxicologist will also be available for consultation. The new clinic was opened by Ohio's Department of Health (ODH) in a church in East Palestine after trains carrying chemicals derailed in a crash three weeks ago and let off an explosion of toxic plumes.

TRUMP WAS RIGHT: IT'S A WITCH HUNT: The Georgia grand jury forewoman who laughed about bringing down the former president has a whacky Pinterest page with collections of pinned magic spells and all things witchy. Emily Kohrs, 30, has been on a bizarre media tour that is already causing headaches for prosecutors after she giggled during a televised interview with MSNBC when she said she 'kind of wanted' to subpoena Trump just to get the chance to swear him in. Many of Kohrs social media accounts have been deleted, but her Pinterest page remains with several collections of pins dedicated to Wicca and Witchcraft. 

Edison: 43 Percent Of Blacks Are Monthly Podcast Listeners

According to Black Podcast Listener Report 2.0 from Edison Research with SXM Media and Mindshare USA, 43% of the Black 18+ population in the U.S. has listened to a podcast in the last month. That percentage is larger than the number of the overall 18+ population that reports listening to a podcast in the last month, 38%.

Findings from the Black Podcast Listener Report 2.0 were shared in an online presentation by Edison Research Senior Director of Research Gabriel Soto, Nidia Serrano, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at SXM Media, and Alexis Reza, Associate Director of Communication Planning at Mindshare, and are now available to download.

Black women podcast listeners are more likely to be monthly listeners and Black men podcast listeners are more likely to be weekly listeners: Among Black monthly podcast listeners, 55% are women, but among Black weekly podcast listeners 52% are men.

Many Black monthly podcast listeners have begun listening to podcasts recently: 48% have been listening to podcasts less than a year; 27% have been listening less than six months.

34% of Black monthly podcast listeners have stopped listening to a podcast they used to listen to regularly, but creators can address some of the reasons why:  24% of those who stopped listening said it was because the show stopped producing new episodes, 20% said they forgot about the show between seasons, 12% said the host offended them. 

Black weekly podcast listeners are more likely to engage with podcast advertisers than the overall U.S. weekly podcast listener: After hearing an ad on a podcast they regularly listen to, 61% of Black weekly podcast listeners (compared with 49% of U.S. weekly podcast listeners) recommended a product to a friend or family member; 68% of Black weekly podcast listeners (compared with 63% of U.S. weekly podcast listeners) gathered more information about a company or product; 52% of Black weekly podcast listeners (compared with 44% of U.S. weekly podcast listeners) purchased a product or service.

Representation matters to Black podcast listeners: 75% of Black monthly podcast listeners frequently or occasionally follow or seek out content that focuses on Black stories and perspectives on podcasts. 

SiriusXM Names Gail Berger As SVP/Automotive Partnerships

SiriusXM has named Gail Berger to succeed Rodney Pickett as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Automotive Partnerships following Pickett's planned retirement at the end of this month. 

Berger joined SiriusXM in 2012 and most recently served in the role of Senior Vice President of Automotive Remarketing. Prior to joining SiriusXM, Berger spent 15 years with General Motors where she held several leadership roles, including leading partnership development for OnStar.

Gail Berger

"Gail is a proven leader with extensive relationships and experience in the automotive community and whose programs have delivered significant, positive results for our organization," said Verbrugge. "We are excited for Gail to lead our Automotive teams and to continue to drive growth of SiriusXM's dominant in-car presence."

"SiriusXM's strong and deep relationships with every major automaker and tens of thousands of dealers and remarketing organizations across the United States are a testament to our team's talent and capability," added Berger. "I am excited to step into this leadership position and continue to grow our business and deliver the best customer experiences in the vehicle."

"We thank Rodney for his 20-plus years of service with SiriusXM and wish him the best in retirement," said Verbrugge. "Rodney has played an integral role in SiriusXM becoming a ubiquitous in-vehicle audio entertainment platform and for growing SiriusXM's relationships with several major automakers."

Sinclair Broadcast Shares Slipped After Q4 Results

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.Wednesday reported financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2022. The results reflect the deconsolidation of the local sports segment comprised of the regional sports networks (RSNs), which are owned and operated by Diamond Sports Group (“DSG”) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, from the Company’s financial statements and accounted for under equity method of accounting, effective March 1, 2022. As such, the year-to-date 2022 consolidated financial results only include two months results of operations of the local sports segment, while the consolidated financial results for the comparable 2021 periods include results of operations of the local sports segment for the full periods.

Highlights:

• Sinclair Broadcast shares are down during Wednesday's intraday session despite reporting profit in Q4.
• The company saw revenue decline of 35% in the quarter, led by 35% reduction in Media revenues and 60% decline in distribution revenues.
• Excluding DSG, total revenues increased 18% and media revenues increased 19% Y/Y.
• Excluding DSG, distribution revenues decreased 2% Y/Y.
• Total advertising revenues grew 31% Y/Y to $503M.
• Adjusted EBITDA increased 32% Y/Y to $309M.

Chris Ripley

CEO Comment:

“Sinclair had a solid finish to 2022, setting records for our Broadcast and other advertising and distribution revenues. Strong political revenues were a big factor in the record results, demonstrating the strong value proposition TV continues to offer in reaching the masses,” said Chris Ripley, Sinclair’s President & Chief Executive Officer. “We entered 2023 financially strong and are well-positioned to weather whatever economic environment we face in the year ahead.”

Ripley continued, “Our focus remains on raising the bar of the viewing experience, through providing higher quality programming and increased functionality and interactivity, engaging the viewer at a whole new level. We are ramping up our investment in several areas this year to help drive our business forward, including investments in technology and in our four growth pillars – multi-platform content, marketing services, data distribution, and community & interactivity. We continue to build on our progress in developing the ATSC 3.0 broadcasting standard which we believe will offer numerous incremental business use cases for the entire industry, creating an important diversified revenue stream into the future. Our leadership position in helping develop the technology and in validating its market potential position us well to capitalize on this exciting next chapter of broadcasting.”

R.I.P.: Charlie Mitchell, Former WDSY Pittsburgh Radio Personality

Charlie Mitchell, a veteran Pittsburgh radio presence, has died. He was 65.  Mitchell, of Burgettstown, Washington County, worked at country station WDSY-FM from 1992 to 2004 and later worked part-time at the station.

"Charlie Mitchell was a brilliant radio personality and voice talent, but most importantly, a true friend," said former WDSY DJ Chris DeCarlo, who now works for WIND-FM in Florida. "I already miss his voice, his laugh and his long stories."

"He adored his family, cherished his friends, and I feel blessed and honored to have been among them."

Former WDSY morning show host Jimmy Roach said in a Facebook post, "To describe Charlie would take a few pages, so I’ll just say we were all made better by knowing him."

February 23 Radio History

➦In 1904...Print journalist and CBS Radio correspondent William Lawrence Shirer was born in Chicago (Died – December 28, 1993 at age 89).  He was was a journalist and war correspondent. He wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, a history of Nazi Germany that has been read by many and cited in scholarly works for more than 50 years.

Originally a foreign correspondent for the Chicago Tribune and the International News Service, Shirer was the first reporter hired by Edward R. Murrow for what would become a CBS radio team of journalists known as "Murrow's Boys". He became known for his broadcasts from Berlin, from the rise of the Nazi dictatorship through the first year of World War II (1940). With Murrow, he organized the first broadcast world news roundup, a format still followed by news broadcasts.

➦In 1927...President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill into law that created the Federal Radio Commission, “to bring order out of this terrible chaos.” The president was speaking, of course, of the nation’s then unregulated radio stations. The name was changed to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on July 1, 1934. The FRC regulated radio use in the United States from its creation in 1926 until its replacement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1934.

The Commission was created to regulate radio use "as the public interest, convenience, or necessity" requires. The Radio Act of 1927 superseded the Radio Act of 1912, which had given regulatory powers over radio communication to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor. The Radio Act of 1912 did not mention broadcasting and limited all private radio communications to what is now the AM band.

➦In 1970...Jay Reynolds, who generated  huge ratings in PM Drive at WIFE 1310 AM, the market leader at that time in Indianapolis, started at 77 WABC in NYC.

Reynolds did the all-night show for six years - not only the longest consecutive tenure during the station's 21 and a half years with a music format, but nine months longer than the combined time that Charlie Greer spent on the all-night show during his two stints.  He died in March, 1996.

➦In 2010...‘Boss radio’ co-creator Gene Chenault died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma at age 90.

NPR To Lay-Off About 10 Percent of Its Workkforce

NPR's chief executive announced the network would lay off roughly 10% of its current workforce – at least 100 people – and eliminate most vacant positions. CEO John Lansing cited the erosion of advertising dollars, particularly for NPR podcasts, and the tough financial outlook for the media industry more generally.

"When we say we are eliminating filled positions, we are talking about our colleagues - people whose skills, spirit and talents help make NPR what it is today," Lansing wrote in a memo to staff today. "This will be a major loss."

On an annual budget of roughly $300 million, Lansing says, revenues are likely to fall short by close to $30 million, although that gap could reach $32 million.

"We're not seeing signs of a recovery in the advertising market," Lansing says in an interview. "Nothing is nailed down yet except the principles and what we know we have to reach."

NPR's programming division, which produces its industry-leading podcasts, has more than doubled since 2019. Lansing says he remains committed to podcasting "1,000 percent," as well as the network's hallmark news magazines, such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

Lansing says he does not yet know who within NPR will be affected, but said the job cuts would not fall evenly across the organization. He vowed to make sure job cuts do not fall disproportionately on employees of color.

An NPR spokeswoman said final decisions on which jobs will be eliminated should occur by the week of March 20.

The organization said it already cut $14 million expenses through a hiring freeze, suspended internships and fellowships, as well as restricted travel. Lansing said 65% of the organization’s budget goes toward personnel, which can hover around 1,100 positions.

NPR earlier expected to have a $20 million shortfall in sponsorship revenue for the fiscal year, and, when it announced its near hiring freeze last year, said a major portion of its revenue comes from corporate sponsorships, which are typically sensitive to slowdowns in the broader economy. This recent memo again points to those sponsors’ spending reductions and a shaky economic outlook.

Boston Radio: Beasley Media Suspends Sports Hub Host Tony Massarotti

The Sports Hub's Tony Massarotti

Beasley Media has suspended 98.5 The Sports Hub host Tony Massarotti for the rest of the week without pay, days after he made a comment with racist overtones during Friday’s program, reports The Boston Globe.

Massarotti, cohost of the afternoon drive “Felger and Mazz Show,” apologized for the comment during Monday’s show, calling his words “hurtful” and “insensitive.”

On Tuesday, he was absent from the program, which also includes cohost Michael Felger and third voice Jim Murray. Felger opened the show by reading a statement from Beasley Media, the Sports Hub’s parent company.

“Tony, if you were listening yesterday, he made a heartfelt apology about comments that he made on the show on Friday, which were insensitive and hurtful,” said Felger. “Because Beasley Media strives to create a diverse and inclusive workplace [and] these comments went against these core values, the company has decided to suspend Tony for the rest of the week without pay.

“In addition, all of our on-air personalities at Beasley Boston will be taking sensitivity training to redouble our efforts to create a culture of understanding.”

The incident occurred late in Friday’s show. While Massarotti and Murray were in the Sports Hub’s Waltham studio, Felger was cohosting remotely from a hotel in New Orleans. He was participating in the show while people milled behind him in the hotel’s business center, where he set up because the WiFi wasn’t working in his room. At one point, two Black people were behind him, and Felger assured them that he would be off the air in a couple of minutes and out of the business center.

Don Lemon Returns To CNN This Morning

CNN's Don Lemon

Don Lemon returned to CNN early Wednesday, making no mention of the scandal over his sexist comments — saving it for a brief apology online moments before going on air, reports The NY Post.

After skipping the previous three episodes of “CNN This Morning,” the under-fire host immediately got back to business at 6 a.m. by praising President Biden.

He made eye contact with Poppy Harlow, the co-host who reportedly stormed off after his outrageous on-air claim last week that 51-year-old GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley “isn’t in her prime” because she’s a woman.

“What a day,” said Harlow, 40, seemingly also referring to Biden’s European trip supporting Ukraine and not her 56-year-old co-host’s recent scandal-spurred absence.

“Good morning, everyone, Don and I are here in New York, we’re glad you’re with us,” Harlow said as fellow co-host Kaitlan Collins was covering the president in Poland.

Under-fire CNN host Lemon clutches his back and complains about his age https://t.co/FrxNjPpdpD

— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) February 22, 2023

Lemon is apologized again for his comments last week about Nikki Haley before returning to his seat on CNN "This Morning."  "I appreciate the opportunity to be back on @CNNThisMorning today," he tweeted early Wednesday, shortly before going back on air. "To my network, my colleagues and our incredible audience — I’m sorry. I’ve heard you, I’m learning from you, and I’m committed to doing better. See you soon."

Spotify Podcast Executive To Exit

Max Cutler, a Spotify executive who oversaw the streaming service’s audio talk shows and partnerships, is exiting the company, according to Bloomberg.

Cutler’s departure comes just a month after that of Dawn Ostroff, who spearheaded the company’s expansion into podcasts. Spotify also laid off 6% of its staff last month, or about 600 employees, in an effort to cut costs.

Cutler co-founded the scripted podcast network Parcast, which was acquired by Spotify in 2019. At Spotify, he oversaw exclusive podcasts deals with Joe Rogan, Emma Chamberlain and Alex Cooper of “Call Her Daddy.” Julie McNamara, who leads the company’s global podcast studios, will take over leadership of licensed podcast exclusives, according to Variety.

Max Cutler

With Cutler’s pending departure, Julie McNamara will now take over leadership of Spotify’s exclusive licensing deals with creators like Rogan, Cooper and Chamberlain in addition to continuing to lead original content and major studio partnerships. Bryan Thoensen, who joined Spotify late last year from TikTok and initially reported up to Cutler, will oversee content partnerships with third-party creators. And Bill Simmons, who was promoted last May to lead Spotify’s sports content and strategy outside of the U.S., will be responsible for podcast monetization across Spotify’s portfolio of content. He will continue to lead The Ringer.

McNamara, Thoensen and Simmons will all report up to Sahar Elhabashi, the head of Spotify’s podcast business; Elhabashi reports up to Norström, whose purview includes Spotify’s content business.

Wake-Up Call: Russia Tested Missile With Biden In Ukraine

Russia carried out an intercontinental ballistic missile test on Monday while Joe Biden was in Ukraine, according to a report - but warned the U.S. in advance. Moscow was told several hours before Biden arrived in Kyiv that he would be there, and warned not to attack the city during that time. The bold visit, designed to emphasize U.S. support for Ukraine as the first anniversary approaches, was not publicized in advance. But on Tuesday, two sources told CNN that Russia has tested an ICBM known as Satan II while the president was meeting his Ukrainian counterpart. Moscow warned Washington in advance, and the U.S. officials told CNN they did not consider the launch to be an escalation. The test launch failed.

Today, President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow will suspend its participation in the 2010 START treaty, the sole arms reduction pact between the US and Russia.

Here's a look at the nuclear stockpiles of each nation: https://t.co/yA2D0S2Q1O

— USA TODAY Graphics (@usatgraphics) February 21, 2023

➤XI VISITING MOSCOW: Chinese leader Xi Jinping is preparing to visit Moscow for a summit with Russia’s president in the coming months, according to people familiar with the plan, as Vladimir Putin wages war in Ukraine and portrays himself as a standard-bearer against a U.S.-led global order. Beijing says it wants to play a more active role aimed at ending the conflict, and the people familiar with Mr. Xi’s trip plans said a meeting with Mr. Putin would be part of a push for multiparty peace talks and allow China to reiterate its calls that nuclear weapons not be used. Western capitals have expressed skepticism about China’s diplomatic initiative, the broad outlines of which were first previewed last week by the country’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, at the Munich Security Conference.

Sad to see some hoping this was Biden falling, but it was not. “A White House spokesperson told Newsweek that the person who fell was not Biden.
And a different video, shared to YouTube by ABC News, shows that Biden walked down the steps of the plane alone just fine.”

I didn’t… https://t.co/qLA0JjyP4G

— robinbiro (@robinbiro) February 22, 2023

➤'UKRAINE WILL NEVER BE A VICTORY FOR RUSSIA,' BIDEN ASSERTS AFTER COMBATIVE PUTIN SPEECH: President Joe Biden vowed Tuesday that Russia would never defeat Ukraine and reaffirmed Western support for Kyiv, just hours after the Kremlin said it would suspend participation in the last remaining nuclear arms treaty with the U.S. In a combative speech marking the approaching anniversary of Russia’s Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine, Biden praised Poland and other Western allies for funneling weapons, artillery and billions in aid that have helped a resilient Kyiv fend off Russian forces for a year.

Study: Gen Zers Have Shortest Attention Span

Technology impacts the attention span of people. To determine just how much, Solitaire Bliss ran a study and published the findings this week, revealing interesting insights into human behavior on smartphones.

Has your mom, even as an adult, told you to put your smartphone away while at the dinner table? Solitaire Bliss surveyed about 2,055 people in the United States between January 16 and January 20, 2023 to determine the extent of the distraction. Brands see smartphones as a lifeline, while others see them as a distraction.

MediaPost reports survey respondents ranged in age from 18 to 76 years of age and were about 52% female, 46% male, and 2% nonbinary. States not included due to lack of data include Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.

Residents of each U.S. state were asked a series of nine questions and used the answers to establish an average attention score for that state. With the nine questions each worth up to four points, the data found that people in the U.S. have an average attention span of 17 out of 36.

People in California, Pennsylvania, and Illinois have the shortest attention span. When segmenting people by generation, Gen Z have the shortest attention span compared with millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers.