Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Talker Larry Elder Sues To Have Name Added On CA Ballots


Talk radio host Larry Elder is suing over a decision by California election officials to block him from running in the September recall election that could oust Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The Associated Press reports the Republican said in a statement late Monday that he filed all the necessary paperwork to qualify for a slot on the ballot, including over 300 pages of tax returns that are required to become a candidate. But the secretary of state’s office did not include Elder on a preliminary list of 41 candidates last weekend, saying he filed incomplete information on those returns.

Elder’s campaign said he sued Monday, seeking an order from a court in Sacramento that would require Secretary of State Shirley Weber to list Elder as a candidate on the final certified list of candidates, scheduled to be issued Wednesday.

“We’ve complied with everything the secretary of state has required of us,” said Elder, a popular voice on the political right whose show is nationally syndicated by the Salem Radio Network. “The politicians in Sacramento know I’m the only candidate who can beat Gavin Newsom. They are afraid, and they are using whatever shenanigans they can to try to trip me up. It won’t work.”

“Frankly, this action by the secretary of state is not simply unfair and absurd but a dangerous and unconstitutional precedent,” said Elder, who also is an attorney.

If Elder fails to make the ballot, it would be a setback for recall organizers who hoped for a large field of prominent candidates to attract voters. When Elder announced his candidacy last week, he immediately became one of the most recognized Republicans in the race, given his years on talk radio and frequent appearances on Fox News.

In a statement, Weber’s office said the agency applies the same criteria to each candidate that seeks elected office.

The list of candidates issued “did not include Mr. Elder and others that failed to comply with those requirements. This is the first election where the gubernatorial candidate tax-disclosure law has been applied.”

Elder is facing a narrow window of time for the court to make a change. With the election less than two months away, election officials already are arranging for ballots to be printed. Mail-in ballots go out next month.

ESPN Inks Long Term Deals With 'SEC Now' Hosts


ESPN has reached multi-year contract extensions with its three SEC Now hosts: Peter Burns, Alyssa Lang and Dari Nowkhah.

Nowkhah and Burns have been anchoring SEC Now since SEC Network’s launch in August 2014, with Lang joining the SEC Now desk in fall 2018. The trio hosts the show both in-studio and on-the-road, including several SEC Championships, NCAA Championship events and the conference’s annual media days event, SEC Kickoff Presented by Regions. SEC Now is currently on site at this year’s event.

“One of our greatest strengths at SEC Network is the depth of our talent roster, and we are better having Dari, Peter and Alyssa in the SEC Now anchor chair throughout the week,” said Tom McCollum, ESPN senior coordinating producer. “Their collective passion for the conference, the connections they make with our viewers, and the relationships they’ve built with our analysts make the show a must-watch for fans.”
  • Dari Nowkhah: Nowkhah joined ESPN in June 2004, hosting SportsCenter, College Football Live and Baseball Tonight before being named a lead host for ESPNU in August 2011. The Tulsa, Okla. native has been with SEC Network since its launch in August 2014, hosting SEC Now both in studio and on site as SEC teams competed for national titles in football, basketball, baseball and more. Nowkhah is also the host of SEC Featured on Monday nights in the fall on SECN. In addition to his studio role on SEC Network, Nowkhah will continue to host his ESPN Radio show “Dari & Mel” and contribute play-by-play for basketball and baseball across ESPN networks. “I’ve been in TV for more than two decades, and have never felt more at home and at peace than right here with SEC Network,” Nowkhah shared. “The people with whom I work, the conference I represent and the fans who watch us on a nightly basis have come to mean so much to me. I’m thrilled to continue this journey with all of them.”
  • Peter Burns: Burns has been with SEC Network since its inception in 2014. The Baton Rouge, La. native is also the co-host of SEC This Morning on SEC Network and SiriusXM. Starting this fall, Burns and co-host Chris Doering will be live with SEC This Morning on both Monday and Friday mornings on SEC Network, in addition to their daily radio schedule on SiriusXM. The duo is currently hosting the show from SEC Kickoff Presented by Regions. In addition to his studio role on SEC Network, Burns has provided analysis as a course reporter on SEC Network’s live coverage of the SEC Men’s and Women’s Golf Tournaments, has contributed to studio programming across all ESPN networks, including The Paul Finebaum Show, College Football Live and SportsCenter, and recently served as a commentator on PGA Championship coverage on ESPN+. “Every day I pinch myself to make sure that I’m not dreaming and that this is what I get to do for my ‘job,’” Burns said. “There is not a person in media that loves covering this conference in every single sport more than I do, and I’m excited that I’ll get the honor to do that for a few more years.”
  • Alyssa Lang: In addition to her SEC Now duties, Lang serves as a sideline reporter for SEC Network college football and basketball. She is also the co-host of Out of Pocket, now moving to Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. on SEC Network. Lang will be joined on the show by SEC Network commentator Andraya Carter, with the duo focusing on SEC sports, laidback interviews and, of course, Lang’s signature passion for finding the best food the SEC has to offer. Lang also co-hosted ESPN Radio’s Primetime with Field Yates every NFL Sunday last fall, and has contributed to studio programming across ESPN networks, including The Paul Finebaum Show, SportsCenter and Get Up. “The first three years with SEC Network and ESPN have been the best of my career,” Lang noted. “I love this SEC family so much, and I’m excited to remain part of a team that brings top-tier coverage of the best teams in the country.”

The Southeastern Conference and ESPN launched SEC Network on August 14, 2014. The network televises hundreds of games across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. 

July 21 Radio History



Himan Brown
➦In 1910...Himan Brown born (Died  at age 99 – June 4, 2010). Known as Hi Brown, he was a producer of radio and television programs. Over seven decades, Brown produced more than 30,000 radio shows, including for major radio networks and syndication.

A recipient of the American Broadcast Pioneer and Peabody Awards, Brown was inducted in 1990s into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Brown produced The Adventures of the Thin Man, The Affairs of Peter Salem, Bulldog Drummond, CBS Radio Mystery Theater, City Desk, Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon, The General Mills Radio Adventure Theater, Grand Central Station, Green Valley, USA, The Gumps, Inner Sanctum Mysteries, Joyce Jordan, M.D., Marie, the Little French Princess, The NBC Radio Theater, The Private Files of Rex Saunders, Terry and the Pirates and numerous daytime soap operas.

When television arrived, Brown produced 26 episodes of the syndicated Inner Sanctum TV series, plus a daytime show, Morning Matinee. Realizing that "all these guys making TV, they have to have a set," he profited by acquiring the studios in Chelsea; they were used for 35 years by New York TV production firms.

Through his non-profit educational foundation, Brown produced They Were Giants, radio programs dramatizing the lives of such literary figures as Walt Whitman and H. G. Wells, and We, The Living, fact-based dramas about the lives of senior citizens.

After the end of most network radio programming in the early 60’s Brown persisted with such series as the CBS Radio Mystery Theater, thereby keeping the art of radio drama alive for another generation.


➦In 1980...WMCA 570 AM, New York, hosted a reunion of The Good Guys featuring Joe O'Brien, Harry Harrison, Dan Daniels, Jack Spector and B Mitchel Reed.


In 1960, WMCA began promoting itself by stressing its on-air personalities, who were collectively known as The Good Guys. Led by program director Ruth Meyer, the first woman to hold the position in New York City radio,  this was the era of the high-profile Top 40 disc jockey with an exuberant personality aimed at a certain audience segment.

In the early 1960s, the top 40 format was still young, and the field was crowded in New York City. Two major 50,000-watt stations, WMGM 1050 (now WEPN) and 1010 WINS, had battled each other, playing pop music for years. Then in 1960, 77WABC joined the action. Ultimately, it was WMCA's earnest competition with rival WABC that forced WMGM (in early 1962) and then WINS (in spring 1965) to abandon Top 40.

➦In 2011...WRXP 101.9 FM NYC changed call letters to WEMP

 In 

➦In 2013…Page Morton died at age 97. She was a cabaret singer who married William Black, founder of the catering and coffee business Chock full o'Nuts. As Page Morton Black she was known for singing the "Heavenly Coffee" jingle on the company's radio and TV advertisements and sponsored broadcasts. When Black died in 1983, she took over his charitable work with the Parkinson's Disease Foundation.

➦In 2016…Roger Ailes stepped down as CEO/Chairman of Fox News in the wake of sexual harassment allegations made by former Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson and as many as 20 other current or former female employees of the cable news network.

➦In 2016...Bill Cardille, the broadcaster known as “Chilly Billy,” who filled Pittsburgh airwaves for six decades as a newsman, television host, radio personality, actor and producer, died of pneumonia at age 87. His nickname originated from his host role on the weekly TV movie feature, “Chiller Theatre.”

Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) is 73

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

  • Movie director Norman Jewison (“Moonstruck,” “Fiddler on the Roof”) is 95. 
  • Actor Leigh Lawson (“Tess”) is 78. 
  • Singer Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) is 73. 
  • Cartoonist Garry Trudeau (“Doonesbury”) is 73. 
  • Actor Jamey Sheridan (“Homeland”) is 70. 
  • Singer-guitarist Eric Bazilian of The Hooters is 68. 
  • Comedian Jon Lovitz is 64. 
  • Actor Lance Guest (“Lou Grant”) is 61. 
  • Actor Matt Mulhern (“Major Dad”) is 61. 
  • Singer Emerson Hart of Tonic is 52. 
  • Actor Alysia Reiner (“Orange is the New Black”) is 51. 
  • Singer Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums is 51. 
  • Country singer Paul Brandt is 49. 
  • Keyboardist Korey Cooper of Skillet is 49. 
Vanessa Lengies is 36
  • Actor Ali Landry is 48. 
  • Comedian Steve Byrne (“Sullivan and Son”) is 47. 
  • Percussionist Tato Melgar of Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real is 44. 
  • Actor Justin Bartha (“The Hangover”) is 43. 
  • Actor Sprague Grayden (“Jericho,” “24”) is 43. 
  • Actor Josh Hartnett is 43. 
  • Contemporary Christian singer Brandon Heath is 43. 
  • Reggae singer Damian Marley is 43. 
  • Singer Brad Mates of Emerson Drive is 43. 
  • “American Idol” runner-up Blake Lewis is 40. 
  • Singer Romeo Santos is 40. 
  • Drummer Will Berman of MGMT is 39. 
  • Keyboardist Johan Carlsson of Carolina Liar is 37. 
  • Actor Vanessa Lengies (“Stick It,” ″American Dreams”) is 36. 
  • Actor Betty Gilpin (“GLOW,” “Nurse Jackie”) is 35.

    Tuesday, July 20, 2021

    Indy Radio: Emmis To Shutdown Sports WFNI At 1070 AM


    After decades on air, WIBC's original 1070 AM broadcast frequency will fall silent "indefinitely" starting Aug. 2. The current sports/talk format of WFNI The Fan also included 93.5 and 107.5.

    The tower site for the former WIBC towers has been sold, and the towers will be coming down.

    Emmis Communications, the parent company of WIBC and The Fan, is working to find the best solution for the future of the 1070 signal.

    “As long time owners of the 1070, we are working diligently on finding the next great use for the signal,” said Jeff Smulyan, founder and chairman of the board of Emmis. “We were offered a wonderful opportunity to monetize the property, and felt it was our obligation to explore that. Ultimately, it made the most sense.”

    1070 AM (50 Kw-D, 10 Kw-N)

    The frequency broadcasts via a six tower array, with four of those in use during the day. Broadcasts began at the site in 1966. WIBC went on the air October 30, 1938, operating for 69 years as an AM station on 1070 kc.  The call letters and news/talk format moved to 93.1 FM in 2007.

    More than one year ago, Emmis had the tower site for 1070 AM rezoned for mixed-use commercial, office, and residential developments.

    Report: Comcast, ViacomCBS Have Talked Streaming Partnership


    Comcast Corp. Chief Executive Brian Roberts met with ViacomCBS Inc. Chairman Shari Redstone in recent weeks to discuss a potential streaming partnership for international markets, according to The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter, a sign the media companies see opportunities to join forces.

    During the meeting, which was held around the end of June in New York, and which also included ViacomCBS CEO Robert Bakish, the executives discussed a variety of possible business partnerships that would allow the companies to enter non-U.S. markets together, the people said.

    The partnership talks come as both Comcast and ViacomCBS are preparing to expand their streaming services in international markets.

    In May, ViacomCBS said its Paramount+ service would be available in 45 markets by 2022. In April, Mr. Roberts said that Comcast was looking to strike partnerships with local programmers and distributors in overseas markets to boost Peacock, the service launched by its NBCUniversal division. Comcast’s Sky PLC unit in Europe also has a streaming operation. 

    Media companies across the industry are looking for ways to bolster their streaming services to better compete with giants such as Netflix Inc. and Walt Disney Co. ’s Disney+. Bundling services together through commercial partnerships is one option.

    Some companies have chosen to strike mergers. Amazon.com Inc. in May agreed to buy Hollywood studio MGM, and AT&T Inc. is spinning off WarnerMedia, home to HBO Max, into a venture with Discovery Inc.

    Cox Com CEO To Retire At End Of Year

    Cox Enterprises today announced that Cox Communications Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Patrick J. Esser will retire effective December 31, 2021 after leading the company for 15 years. Esser will be succeeded by Cox Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Mark Greatrex who will be named president.

    Pat Esser
    During Esser's leadership tenure, Cox has more than doubled its business to become the largest private telecom company in America serving nearly seven million homes and businesses across 18 states. 

    He has guided the company's aggressive investment in product and network leadership to support new services and applications for customers. 

    He has also sought growth outside the company, with recent investments and acquisitions in telecom infrastructure companies, home health logistics and cloud services.

    As Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Mark Greatrex (left) has been responsible for leading the company's residential sales team and marketing activities. Since joining Cox in 2011, Greatrex has transformed the marketing and sales functions to create a highly competitive team that has achieved significant growth in broadband market share. 

    Greatrex has also worked to develop the Cox brand to highlight the power of Cox technology to deepen human connections and brought to market innovations such as Gigablast, Contour TV and Panoramic Wifi.

    Comscore: Fox News Digital Stickier Than CNN During Q2


    Comscore data from the second quarter of 2021 reveals CNN had the most unique multiplatform visitors — extending its five-year streak — while Fox News led the way in total multiplatform views and minutes, reports The Wrap.

    Overall for the quarter, CNN pulled in 131.6 million total average unique visitors per month while Fox News Digital napped 86 million, on average. The race was closer in multiplatform total minutes, where Fox News Digital averaged 9.9 million and CNN averaged 8 million. In total views, Fox News Digital averaged 4.7 million across platforms while CNN took in 4.6 million across platforms, on average, for an even tighter race.

    Notably, both companies saw declines year over year, just as their television counterparts did. In multiplatform total minutes for the quarter, Fox News Digital was down 26% and CNN saw a decline of 47%. Fox News Digital also lost 18% of its average multiplatform total views compared to Q2 2020 while CNN lost 42%. In multiplatform average monthly uniques, Fox News Digital’s decline was 26% year over year while CNN’s was 19%.

    Those declines are in keeping with cable ratings trends, which are down for all the major networks in the year after a global pandemic, a contentious election, and President Joe Biden’s move into the White House.

    In June alone, CNN saw 128 million multiplatform unique visitors and Fox News saw 80 million. The New York Times brand was right behind Fox News with 79 million and then came NBC News’ digital site with 77.8 million and the Washington Post’s site with 77.7 million.

    On its mobile app in June, Fox News garnered almost 7 million unique visitors and CNN nabbed 6.7 million unique visitors, for yet another close race.

    CNN+ Stream To Launch 1Q 2022


    AT&T-owned WarnerMedia will launch a new subscription streaming video news service in the first quarter of 2022, the company said Monday, as WarnerMedia prepares to join forces with Discovery (DISCA.O) as part of a proposed new company the telecom and media giants announced in May.

    Reuters reports the CNN+ news service  will exist separately from cable channels CNN, CNN international, CNN en Español and news and true crime channel HLN and is geared toward “CNN superfans, news junkies and fans of quality non-fiction programming,” the company said in a press release.

    CNN did not disclose details on pricing.

    CNN rivals such as Fox News have also sought new revenue from subscription news services geared toward superfans.

    It is not clear whether CNN President Jeff Zucker, who in February said he intended to leave CNN at the end of 2021, will stay and be involved with the CNN+ launch. Zucker and Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav, who will lead Discovery Warner Bros. - the proposed new company - are former colleagues and friends.

    At launch, CNN+ will feature 8-12 hours of live, daily programming, which will include both library content and new original series and films developed for the service. The streaming service will be available on the CNN app, which will also include TV feeds of CNN and related cable channels for pay TV subscribers.

    Wake-Up Call: Infrastructure Debate Vote Set For Wednesday

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer yesterday set a vote for Wednesday to begin debate on bipartisan infrastructure legislation that members from both parties have been negotiating for several weeks. Schumer said yesterday, "They have been working on this bipartisan framework for a month already. It's time to begin the debate." However, Senate Republicans are threatening to use the filibuster to block allowing debate to begin unless the agreement is finalized by then. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "We need to see the bill before voting to go to it. I think that's pretty easily understood."


     ➤SENATE DEMS CONSIDERING LOWERING MEDICARE ELIGIBILITY AGE: In addition to the bipartisan infrastructure legislation that is being negotiated in the Senate, Senate Democrat are working on a second $3.5 trillion infrastructure package that they would pass under special rules that would require only 50 votes in the Senate, so it couldn't be blocked by Republicans using the filibuster. As part of that second package, however, Democrats are eyeing things that wouldn't traditionally be considered infrastructure, and one of them is lowering the age of eligibility for Medicare to 60. Although it wasn't in the original package that President Biden endorsed last week, some progressive Democratic senators, including Senator Bernie Sanders, are pushing for it to be included, which could put the support of centrist Democratic senators at risk.

    ➤MCCARTHY PROPOSES FIVE REPUBLICANS FOR HOUSE'S JANUARY 6TH COMMITTEE: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has selected five Republicans for the House's new select committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, indicating the GOP intends to participate even though they opposed the creation of the committee. The members chosen are Rep. Jim Banks, Rep. Jim Jordan, Rep. Rodney Davis, Rep. Kelly Armstrong and Rep. Troy Nehls. However, Speaker Nancy Pelosi must give her approval for the names. Pelosi named eight members of the committee earlier this month, seven Democrats and Republican Rep. Liz Cheney.


    ➤FIRST SENTENCE GIVEN FOR FELONY CHARGE IN JANUARY 6TH CAPITOL ATTACK: A 38-year-old Florida man who went onto the Senate floor during the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol while carrying a Trump campaign flag was sentenced to eight months behind bars yesterday in the first punishment for a January 6th felony charge. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss said in sentencing Paul Allard Hodgkins, "That was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a protest. It was . . . an assault on democracy." However, Moss imposed a lower sentence than the 18 months requested by prosecutors, in part because Hodgkins didn’t assault anyone, didn’t damage government property, and wasn’t among the lead attackers. Hodgkins, who pled guilty last month to obstructing an official proceeding, apologized to the court, and said he felt ashamed of his actions. More than 500 people have been charged so far for their participation in the attack.

    ➤2,500 AFGHANS WHO HELPED U.S. TO BE BROUGHT TO VIRGINIA MILITARY BASE: The Biden administration said Monday that some 2,500 Afghans who worked for the U.S. government during the long war in Afghanistan, many of them translators, and their family members will be evacuated to the Fort Lee military base in Virginia pending approval of their visas. As the U.S. moves to complete it withdrawal from Afghanistan, there has been concern about the fate of Afghans who worked for the U.S. over the past two decades of the war, particularly because the Taliban has been seizing control of major parts of the country. Some of them have faced threats from the Taliban. The group, who will be brought to Fort Lee starting next week, include 700 Afghans who worked for the U.S. and some 1,800 family members. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said they are expected to stay there for only a few days before being resettled by the State Department and refugee assistance groups. Another 4,000 applicants and family members who have finished most of the visa application process will be sent to non-U.S. locations to wait for it to be completed.

    ➤GITMO DETAINEE SENT HOME TO MOROCCO: Guantanamo Bay detainee Abdullatif Nasser was sent home to Morocco yesterday, after he'd been held without charge almost since the facility opened 19 years ago. The transfer was the first of a Gitmo detainee by the Biden administration. A review board had recommended that Nasser be returned home in July 2016, but he had remained under former President Donald Trump, who was opposed to closing the Guantanamo Bay detention site. In announcing the transfer yesterday, the Pentagon cited the board's determination that Nasser's detention is no longer necessary to protect U.S. national security. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was considering all options for safely transferring out the last detainees, a few dozen of whom are left, and shutting down Gitmo.

    ➤DOW JONES FALLS MORE THAN 700 POINTS AMID DELTA VARIANT FEARS: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 725 points on Monday, or 2.1 percent, its biggest drop since a 943-point decline last October, amid rising fears that the spreading coronavirus delta variant could threaten the U.S. economic recovery. Companies whose stocks were hit the hardest included those in the airline and hospitality industries.

    ➤PRINCE HARRY TO PEN MEMOIR ABOUT ROYAL LIFE:  Prince Harry has secretly been writing a memoir for a year, according to multiple reports. He’s sold it Penguin Random House, and it’s expected to be quite the page turner.

    Harry has reportedly been working with the Pulitzer Prize winner J.R. Moehringer, who has worked on books with tennis legend Andre Agassi and Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The manuscript is due in August, but the deadline has been pushed back to October.

    “I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become,” Harry said in a statement after the news broke. “I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story— the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”

    A blurb from the publisher, seen by Page Six, says, “In an intimate and heartfelt memoir from one of the most fascinating and influential global figures of our time, Prince Harry will share, for the very first time, the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him.”

    The book will reportedly cover “his lifetime in the public eye from childhood to the present day, including his dedication to service, the military duty that twice took him to the frontlines of Afghanistan, and the joy he has found in being a husband and father” and promises “an honest and captivating personal portrait.”

    Harry will be donating the proceeds from the book to charity, according to Page Six. The tentative release date is late 2022.

    Topics observers desperately want covered include his and wife Megan Markle's tortured exit and their rifts with the royal family members. An insider told Page Six: “Insiders are already discussing how much he’ll go in detail about his family after a huge fallout with William and accusing William and Charles of being trapped in their roles on the bombshell Oprah interview. He last saw William a few weeks ago at the Diana statue unveiling where, despite sharing a laugh with William, he jumped on a plane that afternoon to go home.”

    ➤VACCINATED AMERICANS CAN ENTER CANADA STARTING AUGUST 9TH: Canada announced Monday that U.S. citizens who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will be allowed to go to Canada starting on August 9th, with the 14-day quarantine requirement waived. However, the U.S. isn't yet changing its current restrictions at the land border for Canadians coming to the U.S.. Canadians are able to fly into the U.S. with a negative Covid-19 test. About 80 percent of eligible Canadians have gotten at least their first dose of vaccine, and 50 percent of those eligible are fully vaccinated.

    ➤BEN & JERRY'S TO STOP SELLING ICE CREAM IN WEST BANK, EAST JERUSALEM: Ben & Jerry’s said Monday that it will stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in contested east Jerusalem, territories sought by the Palestinians, saying doing so is, quote, "inconsistent with our values." Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett slammed the move, calling it "an immoral decision" and saying, "I believe that it will turn out to be a business mistake, too." The Israeli foreign ministry called the decision "a surrender to ongoing and aggressive pressure from extreme anti-Israel groups." The BDS movement, a Palestinian-led movement that advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israeli institutions and businesses, applauded Ben & Jerry’s decision.

    🚀BEZOS LAUNCHING INTO SPACE TODAY: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will be launching into space this morning in an 11-minute ride on his own company Blue Origin's rocket, on the 52nd anniversary of the first Moon landing. On board the New Shepard craft with Bezos will be his brother, Mark Bezos, as well as an 18-year-old who'll be the youngest ever in space and an 82-year-old who'll be the oldest. They'll lift off at 8:00 am. CT from a facility in the west Texas desert, and the event will be live streamed on BlueOrigin.com, starting 90 minutes before launch.

    ➤PASSPORT BACKLOG SURGING:  If you’re planning to travel this summer and your passport is expired you might have an issue. Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) says the passport application backlog has surged to 2.2 million as a security measure’s “operational issues” adds several weeks to wait times. This is because when the government receives a passport application, the file enters a “lockbox” and is given a secure number—a process that usually takes 24 hours and is now delaying applications up to six weeks, according to Lankford. In his letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he writes, “We must address the problems at this stage by applying pressure and providing resources to Citibank to restore the turnaround time to 24 hours.” A Citibank source says the delays are all COVID- and staff-related. The State Department offered no comment on the issues. It is known that in March 2020, the State Department dramatically reduced its passport operations to protect staff from spreading COVID-19. Now, as Americans begin traveling internationally once again, those without a valid passport will likely need to delay any summer trips abroad. The State Department says that more than 150 passport processing employees are returning to 21 agencies across the country, and that wait times for regular passports are 12 to 18 weeks. Lankford claims the processing time is up to 24 weeks. Pre-pandemic it took four to six weeks to get a regular passport.


    ➤STUDY...COFFEE CONSUMPTION CUTS RISK FOR HEART ARRHYTHMIA:  Coffee consumption might do some good things for your heart—the opposite of what science has said for a while. Published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, study authors argue that the common advice to avoid caffeine related to heart arrhythmia and AFib is based on a few studies using a small number of individuals. Study co-author Dr. Gregory Marcus, with the University of California, says “Given other potential health benefits of coffee, and the importance of simply enjoying a cup of coffee, broad-based prohibitions against coffee to reduce the risk of arrhythmias are likely unwarranted.” Still, he says you shouldn’t start drinking coffee with the intention of reducing an arrhythmia, and says for most people, one to two cups of coffee per day is likely a safe amount to drink.


    🏀BUCKS EYEING POSSIBLE NBA FINALS VICTORY IN GAME 6 TONIGHT: The Milwaukee Bucks are eyeing a possible NBA championship for the first time since 1971 if they win Game 6 of the NBA Finals tonight, which they are leading 3 games to 2. The Phoenix Suns, meanwhile, are hoping to stave off elimination and force a deciding Game 7, in which they'd be vying for the franchise's first-ever title. The teams will be facing off in Milwaukee, where the Bucks have a 9-1 postseason record.
     

    ➤U-S MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM GOES TO TOKYO WITHOUT LAVINE, WHO'S IN HEALTH PROTOCOLS: The U.S. men's basketball team headed to Tokyo Monday for the Olympics, but they were without guard Zach LaVine, who was put into health and safety protocols yesterday. USA Basketball said it was, quote, "out of an abundance of caution" that LaVine didn't travel with the team, and it's hoped he can rejoin them later this week. He's the third player to be affected this week by the Covid protocols, with Bradley Beal having to leave the team and Jerami Grant in contact tracing quarantine for four days.

    ➤U.S. WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS TEAM ALTERNATE EAKER POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS: U.S. women's gymnastics team alternate Kara Eaker has tested positive for the coronavirus in an Olympic training camp in Japan. The 18-year-old Eaker was vaccinated two months ago. Eaker and fellow alternate Leanne Wong have been placed in isolation. USA Gymnastics said, "The entire delegation continues to be vigilant and will maintain strict protocols while they are in Tokyo."

    🏒NHL'S PREDATORS' PROSPECT COMES OUT AS GAY: A 19-year-old prospect for the Nashville Predators, Luke Prokop, came out as gay yesterday, making him the first player signed to an NHL contract to do so. Prokop, a third-round pick in the 2020 draft last fall, made the announcement on Twitter, saying, "It has been quite the journey to get to this point in my life, but I cannot be happier with my decision to come out." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman commended Prokop for, quote, "sharing his truth and for being so brave," saying, "We do not take the meaning and importance of this announcement lightly." The Predators said in a statement that they are proud of Prokop, quote, "for the courage he is displaying in coming out today," and said they will support him "unequivocally."

    🏈RAIDERS PRESIDENT BADAIN RESIGNS AFTER 30 YEARS WITH TEAM: Las Vegas Raiders president Marc Badain resigned on Monday, 30 years after he began with the NFL team as a training camp intern in 1991, an announcement AP said was met with shock in the organization. The 51-year-old said it was time to, quote, "focus on my family and look ahead to new pursuits," and thanked owner Mark Davis. After moving up in the organization, Badain became interim president in 2013, and then permanent in the position in 2015.

    Chattanooga Radio: The Rise Guys Get Wake-Up Duty At WRXR


    Audacy has expanded the footprint of Greenville’s top-rated morning show “The Rise Guys.”  The show will now be heard on WRXR Rock 105 in Chattanooga from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET, in addition to WTPT 93.3 The Planet, Greenville, NC.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome ‘The Rise Guys’ to our weekday programming slate on Rock 105 and introduce this wildly entertaining show to our audience,” said Nichole Hartman, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Chattanooga. “We’re hoping this expanded footprint will not only help grow the show’s loyal fanbase – the P1s – but give Mattman, Nine, Paige and Fat Boy a larger platform to take their show to new heights.”

    Originating in 2003 from Greenville, South Carolina, hosts Mattman, Nine, Paige and Fat Boy combine to deliver the South's #1 Morning Radio Show among M25-54 and serve as the leaders of the esteemed “P1 Family.” The show launched After Hours with the Rise Guys, a weekly podcast featuring co-hosts Mattman and Nine, in 2020. In 2018, the show teamed up with Thomas Creek Brewery on the launch of the Rise Guys P1 Pilsner. The partnership expanded in 2020 with the launch of two additional beers.

    Listeners can tune in to Rock 105 (WRXR-FM) in Chattanooga on air, as well as nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

    ESPN Signs Paul Finebaum To Multi-Year Deal


    ESPN has reached a multi-year contract extension with SEC Network and ESPN Radio personality Paul Finebaum. Finebaum will continue to contribute across high-profile ESPN and SEC Network programming, including as the host of The Paul Finebaum Show and returning as an analyst on SEC Nation. In addition, The Paul Finebaum Show’s popular “Finebaum Friday” edition will be back on the road this fall.

    “I’m excited to continue our show on SEC Network and be part of the talented team at ESPN,” Finebaum said. “One of my favorite things about this role is connecting with our listeners, and I’m truly looking forward to bringing our show to campuses again this fall. Especially over the past year, I’ve gotten a firsthand look at what our show means to those who tune in every day, and it’s a responsibility I’m honored to have.”

    The “Mouth of the South” launched his eponymous show on ESPN Radio in August 2013, combining his trademark reporting with a vibrant mix of contributors to bring his signature show to the airwaves. Airing weekday afternoons on SEC Network from 3-7 p.m. ET, the program features Finebaum’s captivating callers, a bevy of conference coaches, players and administrators, and showcases his extensive knowledge of the SEC and the national college sports landscape.

    Complementing his hosting duties on The Paul Finebaum Show and weekly presence on SEC Nation throughout the fall, Finebaum is a valued contributor on a variety of ESPN programming, including Get Up, First Take, SportsCenter, College Football Live and College GameDay.

    “Over the years, Paul has brought his signature brand of commentary to The Paul Finebaum Show and across our networks,” said Lee Fitting, ESPN senior vice president of production. “Paul is entrenched in the SEC, and his connection to the conference and its fan base, as well as with the media who cover college sports, is unmistakable. We also look forward to his return to SEC Nation, where viewers have come to expect and enjoy both his quick wit and candor.”

    Biden Walks Back Facebook Comments


    Defeating Covid-19 in the U.S. is now mired in a partisan information war, a fight that President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress are ill-equipped to win, according to Bloomberg.

    Biden’s struggle to control the coronavirus and vaccine misinformation online was evident in his broadside Friday that companies like Facebook Inc. were “killing people.” He begged social media platforms to change and pleaded with the American people not to believe everything they read.

    Alphabet Inc.’s Google said Monday its YouTube video service will start labeling health videos with information on how authoritative the source is and Twitter Inc. says it’s working with public health authorities and will “continue to take enforcement action on content that violates our Covid-19 misleading information policy.”

    But Facebook went on the counterattack -- accusing the White House of “finger-pointing” for failing to meet its vaccination target -- indicating that the company is already doing everything it’s willing to do.

    Biden’s comments came after months of meetings with social media companies to address misinformation on their platforms, according to an administration official. Discussions with Facebook grew increasingly unproductive in recent months and the administration was unsatisfied with the company’s responses to requests for more details about its response to inaccuracies and unscientific speculation, the official said. Still, there wasn’t much the White House could do but complain.

    Biden walked back his earlier comments slightly on Monday, saying online misinformation is the culprit, not the companies themselves. When asked whether he would hold social media companies accountable, he said he’s “trying to make people look at themselves, look in the mirror” and imagine those falsehoods going to people they care about and act accordingly.

    Imran Ahmed, head of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, said that Biden’s plea reflects his frustration with the spread of vaccine inaccuracies online -- and his powerlessness to fix it.

    The Biden administration fell short of its goal for at least 70% of eligible Americans to receive one shot by July 4. Now 72.3% of the adult population, or 186 million Americans, has received at least one dose, while at least 161 million people have completed the vaccination regime. The vaccine rollout, however, has stalled, and now the gap between the most and least vaccinated counties in the U.S. has widened, leaving many communities vulnerable to continued outbreaks.

    FOX Settles Harassment Suit With Britt McHenry


    Fox News has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit with contributor Britt McHenry. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed by McHenry’s legal team Monday and she will leave Fox News.

    McHenry’s lawsuit, originally filed in 2019, alleged that her “Un-PC” co-host, George “Tyrus” Murdoch, harassed her. The lawsuit cited inappropriate behavior on Murdoch’s part, including sexually charged text messages that he used to threaten her if she kept “being negative.”

    In the 2019 suit McHenry sued Murdoch, Fox News, parent company Fox Corp. and three network executives — Jennifer Rauchet, John Finley and Monica Mekeel — after she said the network failed to adequately respond to her accusations of sexual harassment against Murdoch and then retaliated against her for coming forward.

    “I am very proud to have to stood up for my rights and hope that I have empowered other women to do the same,” McHenry said in a statement to TheWrap. “Although I fully stand by the truth of my allegations, I am pleased to put this matter behind me and move forward with my career.”

    “While Fox News is confident it would have prevailed in the lawsuit, we are pleased that we have been able to resolve this matter without further litigation,” Fox News said in a statement. 

    McHenry and Fox News filed a stipulation dismissal of the case in federal court Monday.

    While McHenry said her claims were met with retaliation and company executives sidelined her career, Murdoch continued appearing on regular programming.

    ESPN Lands The Mannings For Football Show

    Eli and Peyton Manning (NY Post photo)

    Peyton Manning is coming to “Monday Night Football” — and he’s bringing his brother, Eli, with him.

    However The NY Post reports Peyton is not fully committing to following Tony Romo into the booth, but Peyton and ESPN have agreed to a contract that will see him participate in 10 alternative “MNF” broadcasts beginning this season. Eli will join him.

    The deal is for three years and 30 games. The financial terms were not disclosed, but they would figure to be in the multiple millions.

    On ESPN/ABC, Steve Levy, Louis Riddick Jr. and Brian Griese will handle the traditional broadcasts.

    Peyton has been sports TV’s white whale, pursued by most of the NFL’s partner networks to be in the booth. ESPN has repeatedly tried to persuade him to join “Monday Night Football” — and he has repeatedly said no.

    Amazon/NBC, the new partnership to broadcast “Thursday Night Football” beginning in 2022-23, had Peyton high on its list to potentially join Al Michaels in the booth, according to sources.

    However, Peyton’s ESPN deal is exclusive, which will preclude Manning from possibly double-dipping.

    Initially, Peyton and Eli’s production will be on ESPN2 with the chance it also ends up on ESPN+. They will not have to travel to the games, as the “MegaCast” option will originate from remote locations, where, according to a press release:

    The Mannings’ version of “MNF” will be on the first three weeks of the season and then seven other weeks. There has been a feeling that Peyton has not wanted to call Tom Brady’s games. The Buccaneers do not appear on “MNF” in any of the first three weeks.

    TM Studios Unveils New, Upgraded Website


    TM Studios, a full-service sound agency with a legacy of success and recently purchased by Dave Bethell, Greg Clancy, and Chris “UK” Stevens, launches an exciting new line-up of products and the newly revamped TMSTUDIOS.COM. This launch includes the new TM NEXT updating jingle service, TM PRODUCTION MUSIC for spot and promo production, and TM COMMERCIAL, a bank of retail jingles for stations to sell to local advertisers.

    “We’ve been incredibly busy since we took over the business,” says Clancy. “We’ve spent the last eight months hyper-focused on what radio really needs right now. We feel this new line-up of products addresses how we can help stations thrive in the current environment, while bringing amazing new sounds and new technology to the industry. The new TM is not your father’s jingle company.”

    “The audio quality of the TM NEXT jingle service is without peer, and what you get with the updates is incredibly useful and easy to apply,” says Bethell. “TM NEXT is also extremely flexible. Our job is not to impose our sound on programmers. We’d rather listen to these pros and help create the sound they are envisioning.”

    The ultimate updating jingle service, TM NEXT offers radio stations the opportunity to create their own sound and unique brand with the help of TM’s talented composers and vocalists. TM NEXT comes in seven formats—CHR, Hot AC, Mainstream AC, Soft AC, Hot Country, Country, and News Talk.

    “TM PRODUCTION MUSIC is a brand-new one-of-a-kind service built specifically for radio by elite content creators,” adds Bethell. “It includes AI and Sounds-Like search to save clients significant time. There are tens of thousands of tracks that are all useful, clever, and relevant. There isn’t any waste in the library.”

    “TM Commercial is a ready-to-air library of sung jingle campaigns for almost any local business category,” Stevens adds. “Now, local sellers have a creative, market-exclusive tool to close deals with potential advertisers. We think stations will value TM COMMERCIAL as an investment with big returns, not an expense.”

    See these products and many more new offerings, by visiting TMSTUDIOS.com, or reach to Chris “US” Stevens for details at hello@tmstudios.com or 972.406.6838.

    R.I.P.: Robby Steinhardt, Member Of the Rock Band Kansas

    Robby Steinhardt

    Robert E. “Robby” Steinhardt, a violinist and vocalist with the progressive rock band Kansas, has died due to complications from pancreatitis. He was 71, reports The Detroit News.

    His wife, Cindy Steinhardt, said he died Saturday at a hospital in Tampa, Florida. She announced on Facebook Monday that he had just recorded his first solo album, and had been looking forward to being back on stage and going on tour.

    Steinhardt, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, was an original member of the band, teaming up with Topeka West High School graduates Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart and Dave Hope and with Steve Walsh, who grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri. Steinhardt performed with Kansas from 1973 to 1982 and 1997 to 2006, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported.

    The band sold more than 15 million records and notched up seven top 40 hits, including “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry on Wayward Son.”

    The band, which now makes its home in Atlanta, continues to perform with Williams and Ehart as the only original remaining members.