Podcast giant Joe Rogan offered advice to the legacy media as efforts to get him deplatformed from Spotify continue, reports Fox News.
On Thursday's installment of "The Joe Rogan Experience," Rogan spoke about the "problem" various news sources have with him that "more people believe me or trust me or want to listen to me talk."
"The answer is not to silence me, the answer is [for] you to do better," Rogan said. "The answer is for you to have better arguments. When you're on television talking about how I'm taking horse paste, and you know that's not true. 'He's taking horse dewormer.'"
"What you should have said, ‘How did Joe Rogan get better so quick? How come he got COVID that’s killing everybody and he was better in five days, negative in five days, working out in six days?' How come that's never discussed?" Rogan asked.
Joe Rogan
After clarifying he believed the monoclonal antibodies he took did more to help him during his bout with COVID than ivermectin, he pivoted to CNN, which heavily pushed the "horse dewormer" falsehood.
"If you're in business and your business is the news, and you want to get more people to pay attention, you should be honest," Rogan said. "And my thoughts for CNN, my advice to them … I don't hate CNN. I used to go to them every day for the news until they start f---ing hating on me
"If you want to do better, just f---ing change your model, change the way you do it. Stop this editorial perspective with guys like Brian Stelter and Don Lemon that nobody listens to. Nobody is like chiming in saying, ‘Oh, yeah, finally we get the voice of reason.’ Nobody thinks that," Rogan continued. "Have people that give out effective news, objective news, rather, and I'll support you. I would turn around 100% … and I'll be one of the people that tells people, 'I saw this on CNN, watch this on CNN."
Last year, several CNN stars accused Rogan of taking "horse dewormer" after the podcast host announced he had COVID and had taken ivermectin, prescribed to him by a doctor, among other treatments during his recovery.
Jon Stewart is coming to the defense of fellow podcaster Joe Rogan over the uproar surrounding “misinformation” about vaccines that has prompted calls for Spotify to sever ties with its $100 million star, reports The NY Post.
Stewart, the former star of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” who is now hosting his own podcast on Apple’s streaming service, said Thursday that “canceling” Rogan would be akin to banning Stewart from television for his opposition to the Iraq war in 2003.
“The New York Times, right, was a giant purveyor of misinformation, and disinformation,” Stewart said of the newspaper’s editorial support for the Iraq war.
“And that’s as vaunted a media organization as you can find, but there was no accountability for them.”
No such weapons were ever found in Iraq after American troops removed Saddam from power and installed a friendly government in Baghdad.
Stewart said Thursday that while he was “very vocal” in opposing the Iraq war in 2003, he was in the minority.
“Couldn’t I have gone down and fallen down this — if Viacom or Comedy Central had wanted to censor me — or had wanted to take me off the — look, I’m not owed a platform. Nobody is,” he said.
Stewart then added: “But my point is, these are shifting sands, and I think I get concerned with, well, who gets to decide?”
Rogan has been at the center of controversy in recent weeks after rocker Neil Young pulled his music from Spotify to protest the podcaster’s show. Young and others have assailed Rogan for interviewing medical officials who have been accused of “spreading vaccine misinformation.”
North Texas Public Broadcasting (NTPB) has announce Benjamin (Benji) McPhail is joining its Triple-A music station, KXT 91.7 FM, as Program Director.
“We are delighted to welcome Benji to lead KKXT as Program Director,” says Christopher Wagley, Chief Operations Officer of NTPB, which owns and operates KKXT, KERA News and KERA TV. “His creativity, industry knowledge and passion for music discovery are exciting assets to bring to the station and North Texas’ thriving music community.”
Benji McPail
McPhail joins KXT with extensive experience in both music and radio, including serving as Program Director of The Colorado Sound since the launch of the music discovery station in 2016. Under his leadership, The Colorado Sound became one of the fastest growing radio stations in the country. McPhail is also a member of NPR Music’s Slingshot Editorial Committee and a regular contributor to NPR Music’s Heavy Rotation series. In 2017, McPhail was named Program Director of the year by FMQB magazine.
“I am so excited to be the next Program Director for KXT,” says McPhail. “The entire organization is first class. We share the same vision of wanting to create a radio station that is a community resource for our members and listeners. The future for KXT is bright. I am thrilled to be a part of it.”
Jeff Penfield
NTPB was assisted in the search by Mike Henry, CEO of Paragon Media Strategies. Henry, who has worked with KXT since its launch in 2009, will continue to work with McPhail and the KXT team to deepen their commitment to music and the arts in North Texas.
As NTPB welcomes McPhail, the organization is also pleased to announce the promotion of Jeff Penfield to Program Director of KERA News 90.1 FM. Penfield, who has served as Manager of Radio Operations for KERA and KXT since 2019, will report to McPhail. Together, they will ensure both stations serve and reflect the diverse and growing population of North Texas through in-the-moment programming that is enlightening and entertaining.
KERA and KXT serve the fifth-largest media market in the country, with a combined average monthly audience of over 1 million listeners. KERA and KXT can be found over the air, online and across digital platforms.
Longtime Lexington radio personality Kerry Mallard received a 40-year sentence in prison for a guilty verdict of one count of continuous abuse of a child on Friday in Henderson County Circuit Court.
The Jackson Sun reports Mallard was charged in October 2019 with sexual abuse of a minor.
Mallard’s wife operated a daycare out of their home, and the alleged incidents occurred there during daycare hours.
The child’s mother said the child was instructed by Mallard not to tell anyone, and the child was reportedly called a liar by Mallard and his wife.
The child’s father read an emotional statement to the court.
“I challenged myself to protect my children,” the statement said. “Kerry Mallard has prevented that and has groomed and overstepped his boundaries for his sexual gratification.”
The father said his child was very trusting of Mallard and referred to him as “my buddy.”
Mallard has 22 other convictions of continuous sexual assault for which the sentencings were merged to cause the 40 years’ sentencing.
But he will have another court appearance on April 8 for a sexual battery case related to the 22 other counts.
Mallard served as advertising and sports director for WBFG-FM 96.5, a major West Tennessee sports station operated by Lexington Broadcasting. He also broadcasted Lexington High School sports games on the company's country music station WZLT-FM 99.3.
Ian McDonald, the multi-instrumentalist who was a founding member of both King Crimson and Foreigner, has died at the age of 75, reports Ultimate Classic Rock.
McDonald’s death was confirmed via press release, which noted that the rocker “passed away peacefully on February 9, 2022 in his home in New York City, surrounded by his family.”
McDonald co-founded King Crimson in 1968, alongside Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake and lyricist Peter Sinfield. The famed prog-rock group’s debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King, was released in 1969. McDonald’s fingerprints were all over the LP, with saxophone, flute, clarinet, Mellotron, harpsichord, piano, organ, vibraphone, backing vocals and production among his contributions.
Ian McDonald
“When we made it -- and I was basically at the forefront of the production -- I wanted to make sure if I could deliver everything that went into the record would bear repeated listening and hopefully stand the test of time,” McDonald recalled during a 2019 interview with UCR.
”Those early shows were fantastic,” he continued, looking back at King Crimson’s beginnings. “They were a mixture of arranged songs and group improvisations. One of the songs, [Donovan’s] 'Get Thy Bearings,' was a vehicle for improvisation. ... They could be quite adventurous, quite wild sometimes. And the arranged songs such as 'The Court of the Crimson King' and 'Epitaph,' were more structured. Speaking of 'Epitaph,' I think that's my favorite successful song in terms of the writing and structure and production and everything else.”
The multi-instrumentalist departed the band following their first U.S. tour. The final performance to feature King Crimson’s original lineup took place at the Fillmore West in San Francisco on Dec. 16, 1969.
Years later, McDonald would help launch another legendary act, Foreigner. The band’s initial lineup included guitarist Mick Jones, singer Lou Gramm, drummer Dennis Elliott, keyboardist Al Greenwood and bassist Ed Gagliardi, with McDonald providing rhythm guitar, woodwinds and additional keyboard. The multi-instrumentalist’s tenure lasted until 1980 and included three hugely successful, multi-platinum LPs: Foreigner, Double Vision and Head Games. “Feels Like the First Time”, “Cold As Ice”, “Hot Blooded” and “Double Vision” are just some of the classic tracks which featured McDonald’s playing, while the rocker also co-wrote several of the band’s deeper album cuts.
Longtime WJR 760 AM radio host and University of Michigan football play-by-play man Frank Beckmann is in critical condition at an Oakland County hospice facility, his family said Friday.
Karen Beckmann, his wife, told The Detroit News that doctors give him days to live.
The 72-year-old longtime media personality has been suffering from vascular dementia, a rare and untreatable brain disease.
“The doctors said they don’t expect him to last until Monday," his wife said.
Beckmannvretired from WJR last March, when his contract ended. The next month, he started exhibiting behavior unusual for him. By June, he had been diagnosed, his family said.
In October, he suffered a severe stroke and was hospitalized for 35 days. In December he was transferred to hospice and has since had four more strokes. He is currently semi-comatose, Karen Beckmann said.
He called UM football games for 33 years and spent several seasons as an announcer for both the Detroit Tigers and the Lions.
Beckmann also hosted a conservative-leaning morning talk show later in his career, when his topics included casting doubts about global warming, discussing the latest in politics, discussing "American Idol" and hosting weekly trivia contests.
➦In 1904...radio/TV talent show host Ted Mack was born William Edward Maguiness in Greeley Colorado. Mack died July 12, 1976 at age 72.
Mack succeeded Major Bowes as host of The Original Amateur Hour for the period 1948-52 on radio, and until 1970 on TV. His discoveries include Gladys Knight, Pat Boone, & Teresa Brewer. He also hosted TV’s Ted Mack Family Hour, a show similar to Ed Sullivan.
The Original Amateur Hour began on radio in 1934 as Major Bowes' Amateur Hour, and ran until the 1946 death of its creator, Major Bowes. Mack, a talent scout who had directed the show under Bowes, revived it in 1948 for ABC Radio and the DuMont Television Network.
The show lasted on radio until 1952 and until 1970 on television, where it ran on all four major networks, ending as a Sunday afternoon CBS staple. A success in the early days of television, the program set the stage for numerous programs seeking talented stars, from The Gong Show to Star Search to American Idol to America's Got Talent.
➦In 1909...singer/producer Barry Wood was born in New Haven Conn. He was the singing star of radio’s Lucky Strike Hit Parade in the early 40’s just ahead of Frank Sinatra, and went on to perform in lesser-known radio shows. In the TV era he was host of several shows including Places Please & Backstage with Barry Wood, and producer for The Bell Telephone Hour & Wide Wide World. He died July 19 1970 at age 61.
➦In 1910...Longtime radio announced Ken Roberts born (died at age 99 June 19, 2009). He was known for his work during the Golden Age of Radio and for his work announcing the daytime television soap operas The Secret Storm, Texas and Love of Life, each for a two-decade span.
Ken Roberts
His first announcing job was at WMCA in New York lasting three weeks. Next at WLTH in Brooklyn. In an interview for the book The Great American Broadcast, Roberts told Leonard Maltin that he had started at the Brooklyn station in 1930, where his responsibilities included answering phones and sweeping the floors, in addition to on-air roles playing piano and reading poetry.
During the 1930s and 1940s, at the height of the radio era, Roberts' voice appeared widely in live programming to introduce programs, moderate game shows and do live reads for commercials. Despite his Errol Flynn-like good looks and the frequent broadcasts featuring his voice, as often as several times each day, few listeners knew who he was or would have recognized him in public.
Radio credits include The Shadow (including the 1937-38 season on the Mutual Broadcasting System with a 22-year-old Orson Welles starring in the role of Lamont Cranston), the comedy Easy Aces, along with soap operas Joyce Jordan, M.D. and This is Nora Drake. In 1941, he achieved his goal of hosting his own quiz show, with Quick As a Flash on the Mutual network.
He also announced or hosted a number of game shows, such as What's My Name? and the parody It Pays to Be Ignorant, in which he would pose questions to actors portraying contestants such as "Who came first: Henry I or Henry VIII?" that would be answered incorrectly. At various times, he performed on eponymous programs for Fred Allen, Milton Berle, Victor Borge and Sophie Tucker.
In 1941, he achieved his goal of hosting his own quiz show, with Quick As a Flash on the Mutual network.
➦In 1912..Bigtime radio announcer Del Sharbutt was born in Cleburne Texas.
Del Sharbutt
His first appearance on radio was in 1929 as a singer on WBAP in Fort Worth, Texas. He became a staff announcer for CBS Radio in 1933, and is best remembered as spokesman for Campbell’s Soup (“Mmm mmm Good!”) beginning in the ’30’s. He was also TV announcer for Your Hit Parade, and worked until retirement in 1976 as newscaster for the Mutual Radio network. He died April 26, 2002 at the ripe old age of 90.
Old-time radio shows for which Sharbutt was an announcer included The Man I Married, Lavender and Old Lace, Guy Lombardo, Jack Pearl, Ray Noble, Bob Hope, The Song Shop, Hobby Lobby, Myrt and Marge, The Hour of Charm, Melody and Madness, Colgate Ask-It-Basket, Lanny Ross, Amos 'n' Andy, Club Fifteen, The Jack Carson Show, Lum and Abner, Your Hit Parade, The Campbell Playhouse, Request Performance, Meet Mr. McNutley and Meet Corliss Archer.
In 1958,Sharbutt became a disc jockey on 77WABC in New York City. He and another old-time radio announcer, Tony Marvin, began "hosting afternoon record shows in their distinctively deep voices."
He died April 26, 2002 at the ripe old age of 90.
➦In 1915...newscaster/actor Lorne Greene was born in Ottawa. He was called “The Voice of Doom” as the nightly newsreader on CBC Radio during World War Two.(1939-42) On TV he starred in Bonanza, Battlestar Gallactica & Code Red. He died Sept 11, 1987 after an operation for a perforated ulcer, at age 72.
➦In 1924…The Eveready Hour was the first commercially sponsored variety program in the history of broadcasting. It premiered February 12, 1924 (other sources: December 4, 1923 or November 4, 1923) on WEAF Radio (now WFAN) in New York City. Radio's first sponsored network program. it was paid for by the National Carbon Company, which at the time owned Eveready Battery
In early 1924 The Eveready Hour began to be carried simultaneously by a second station, WJAR in Providence, Rhode Island, and the number of outlets was expanded to a group of Eastern and Midwestern stations "as quickly as WEAF could add stations" to its "WEAF chain" radio network. On election night, November 4, 1924, the program, hosted by Wendell Hall, was carried by 18 stations, with Will Rogers, Art Gillham, Carson Robison and the Eveready Quartet entertaining between election returns given by Graham McNamee. Joseph Knecht led the Waldorf-Astoria Dance Orchestra.
The Bowery Boys were featured on the Eveready Hour
In 1926 the WEAF chain operations were purchased by the Radio Corporation of America, becoming the basis of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) in early 1927. The Eveready Hour continued as a featured broadcast on NBC until 1930.
Calvin Coolidge
➦In 1924...President Calvin Coolidge became the first President to make a political speech on the radio. It originated from New York City and was broadcast on five radio stations to an audience of an estimated 5M listeners. During his presidency, Coolidge made around 50 broadcasts. He soon learned how to make best use of the new technology, adding a consultant to his staff to help him polish his radio persona.
While Coolidge was a radio pioneer, the American president most associated with radio is Franklin D. Roosevelt. From 1933 to 1944, Roosevelt delivered 30 “fireside chats,” in which he addressed the American people in a friendly, plainspoken manner about his efforts to bolster the depressed economy through innovative government programs and about global challenges in the run-up to World War II.
➦In 1940…New York radio station WOR presented the first broadcast featuring the comic-strip hero, “Superman“. The 15-minute juvenile adventure became a feature of the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1942, three times a week to start, then daily.
\On Mutual, it was broadcast from August 31, 1942, to February 4, 1949, as a 15-minute serial, running three or, usually, five times a week. From February 7 to June 24, 1949, it ran as a thrice-weekly half-hour show. The series shifted to ABC Saturday evenings on October 29, 1949, and then returned to afternoons twice a week on June 5, 1950, continuing on ABC until March 1, 1951. In all, 2,088 original episodes of The Adventures of Superman aired on American radio.
The Man of Steel first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938. When Superman was first heard on radio less than two years after the comic book appearance, the character took on an added dimension with Bud Collyer in the title role.
During World War II and the post-war years, the juvenile adventure radio serial, sponsored by Kellogg's Pep, was a huge success, with many listeners following the quest for "truth and justice" in the daily radio broadcasts.
➦In 1951...Radio Personality, Pat St. John, was born in Detroit.
Pat St John age 18
In early 1969, at the age of 18, he landed his first gig as a radio personality on Windsor's CKLW, where he also worked for CKLW's 20/20 news doing newscasts one day a week, and part-time booth announcing on CKLW-TV Channel 9. In late 1970 he moved across the border to WKNR and was then hired in early 1972 at the ABC-owned album-oriented rock (AOR) station WRIF until 1973.
In April 1973, St. John began an almost 15-year stint at New York's WPLJ. He survived the station's transition from AOR to top 40 in 1983.
He left WPLJ in 1987, and returned to his rock roots on WNEW-FM, which had been WPLJ's rival during its AOR years. He became the station's program director in the early 1990s. St. John remained with the station until it switched to a hot talk format in 1998.
After the demise of WNEW's rock format, St. John was one of the first programmers hired by CD Radio in October 1998 as the Director of classic Rock Programming. CD Radio would later change its name to Sirius Satellite Radio, and then after acquiring XM Satellite Radio become known as SiriusXM, where he remains today as one of their most popular personalities on its '60 Gold Oldies channel.
He also joined WCBS 101.1 FM in 2002, followed by moving to WAXQ in 2004 where he stayed until late 2006. In July 2007, he returned to the re-incarnated WCBS-FM. For the first decade of the new century he was the announcer for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. He continues to do voiceover work for radio and TV commercials as well as station imaging for radio and television as well as narration.
In March 2015, St. John announced that he was leaving WCBS-FM and that he and his wife were moving to California to be closer to their grandson. He aired his final show on April 12, 2015 marking the end to a legendary career in New York City radio.
In March 2015, St. John announced that he was leaving WCBS-FM and that he and his wife were moving to California to be closer to their grandson. He aired his final show on April 12, 2015 marking the end to a legendary career in New York City radio.
St. John is known for his conversational on-air style with interspersed bits of music trivia, along with "Collectible Cuts" from his extensive record library. Pat has been called a "walking encyclopedia" when it comes to his knowledge of music.
➦In 1964...The Beatles made their third appearance in the U-S. They played two 25-minute concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City, concluding a very successful American tour. There was such a demand for tickets that some extra seating was arranged surrounding the stage. Tickets went for between $1.65 and $5.50. The New York Times review claimed it was the frenzied audience that put on the show and the Beatles merely accompanied them
The late promoter Sid Bernstein speaks about Brian Epstein, The Beatles , their first trip to America in 1964 and Carnegie Hall.
➦In 1999... the longtime voice of the Cleveland Indians Jimmy Dudley, also the lead announcer for the Seattle Pilots for their lone year (1969), died at age 89.
He began broadcasting in the late 1930s, starting out at a Charlottesville VA radio station. He moved up to calling Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox games from 1938–1941 before serving as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
Dudley was the Cleveland Indians' lead announcer from 1948 until his firing by the club in January 1968. In 1969, Dudley broadcast for the expansion Seattle Pilots; when the club moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers the following year, he did not join them.
Dudley broadcast for a number of minor league teams in the 1970s before retiring. As an announcer, Dudley was known for his friendly, homespun style and his signature catchphrases: "Hello, baseball fans everywhere" (to start a broadcast), "The string is out" (describing a full count on a hitter), "A swing and a miss!-he struck him out", "That ball is going...going...gone!" (to describe a home run) and "So long and lots of good luck, you hear?" (signing off at the game's end). Dudley called the 1954 World Series and All-Star Game for the Mutual network, and 1961's first All-Star Game for NBC Radio
In addition to baseball, Dudley also broadcast football at various times for the Ohio State University, the University of Washington, and the NFL's Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Colts.
Dudley was presented with the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
➦In 2015...Gary Owens, veteran of KFWB in the Top 40 heyday, two decades with the Station of the Stars 710/KMPC, KPRZ, KKGO, KFI, KLAC, and KGIL, died February 12, 2015, at the age of 80. A diabetic since the age of 8, Gary died in his home surrounded by family.
Gary Owens
Gary was voted the #1 disc jockey for the second half of the 20th century, by readers of Los Angeles Radio People. He was nationally known for holding his cupped hand over his ear while announcing the comedy breakthrough show Laugh-In. Gary is one of the most famous broadcasters in Los Angeles radio history.
Gary was born Gary Altman in Plankenton, South Dakota. He started on the air at KORN radio, worked at KMA-Shenandoah, Iowa, and KOIL-Omaha. It was at KOIL that Gary changed his name to Owens. After stops at KIMN-Denver, KILT-Houston, KTSA-San Antonio, WNOE-New Orleans, WIL-St. Louis, and KEWB-San Francisco, he moved to KFWB in 1961, where "G.O." became the morning man, with number one ratings.
A year later, he moved to KMPC, staying for two decades. Gary has made over 1,000 national on-camera tv appearances, been on over 10,000 radio shows, nearly 3,000 cartoon episodes, 35 videos, 20 albums and CDs (six Grammy nominations), 12 books on tape, thousands of commercials (he has won over 50 Clio awards) and appeared in 12 motion pictures.
Gary worked every episode of the Emmy award-winning Laugh In, making famous the phrase "Beautiful Downtown Burbank" which he had been using for years on his radio show. R&R and Billboard called him "a legend." Advertising Age and Adweek said he’s "the most decorated man in broadcasting." He was the emcee for the 1969 Grammy ceremony and the nighttime host of The Gong Show.
Gary's comedy writing included Bullwinkle and Fractured Flickers. He was the voice of Roger Ramjet. The Times named Gary 1968 Disc Jockey of the Year. At KFI he teamed with longtime friend Al Lohman. Gary was inducted into The National Broadcasters Hall of Fame, The National Radio Hall of Fame, The NAB Hall of Fame, and The South Dakota Hall of Fame - all in the same year. In 1979 he was the first radio personality to be inducted into the Hollywood Hall of Fame. In 1980, he was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame. He received the NAB Radio Award for lifetime achievement. In late 1995, Gary was listed in Vanity Fair's TV Hall of Fame as one of the legendary voices in the history of television. Gary was one of the original voices for the "Music Of Your Life" format and in early 1997, he became the announcer on the Rosie O’Donnell Show. (Previous content used by permission from Don Barrett at LARadio.com)
“Humor has helped protect me from the bruises of life, in addition to a daily supply of fantasy, illusion and talcum powder."
A gifted punster, Owens became known for his surrealistic humor. Among his trademarks were daily appearances by The Story Lady (played by Joan Gerber); the Rumor of the Day; myriad varieties of "The Nurney Song"; and the introduction of the nonsense word "insegrevious", which was briefly included in the Funk & Wagnalls Dictionary.
“Humor has helped protect me from the bruises of life, in addition to a daily supply of fantasy, illusion and talcum powder."
A gifted punster, Owens became known for his surrealistic humor. Among his trademarks were daily appearances by The Story Lady (played by Joan Gerber); the Rumor of the Day; myriad varieties of "The Nurney Song"; and the introduction of the nonsense word "insegrevious", which was briefly included in the Funk & Wagnalls Dictionary.
Owens also did amusing radio promotions, such as sending in for "Yours", which turned out to be a postcard from him at the radio station which simply said "Yours" on it; autographed pictures of the Harbor Freeway in Los Angeles; and his famous "Moo Cow Report", in which Gary and his character Earl C. Festoon would describe where cows were moving inbound on the crowded freeways of Los Angeles.
Joanna Kerns is 69
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Actor Joe Don Baker is 86.
Country singer Moe Bandy is 78.
Actor Maud Adams (“Octopussy”) is 77.
Actor Cliff DeYoung is 76.
Actor Michael Ironside is 72.
Chynna Phillips is 54
Guitarist Steve Hackett (Genesis) is 72.
Singer Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers) is 70.
Actor Joanna Kerns is 69.
Actor Zach Grenier (“The Good Wife,” ″Deadwood”) is 68.
Actor-talk show host Arsenio Hall is 66.
Actor John Michael Higgins (“Raising the Bar,” ″A Mighty Wind”) is 59.
Actor Raphael Sbarge (“Once Upon A Time,” “Mass Effect”) is 58.
Actor Josh Brolin (“True Grit,” ″No Country for Old Men”) is 54.
Singer Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips is 54.
Bassist Jim Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies is 52.
Keyboardist Keri Lewis of Mint Condition is 51.
Actor Jesse Spencer (“House”) is 43.
Rapper Gucci Mane is 42.
Actor Sarah Lancaster (“Chuck”) is 42.
Actor Christina Ricci is 42.
Actor Jennifer Stone (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) is 29.
Actor Baylie and Rylie Cregut (“Raising Hope”) are 12.
CUMULUS MEDIA's Westwood One, America’s largest audio network and the official network radio partner of the NFL, will present comprehensive live coverage and play-by-play of Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, February 13, 2022, when the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals face the NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams at home in SoFi Stadium.
Super Bowl LVI will be the 35th consecutive year and the 49th time overall Westwood One will broadcast America’s biggest sporting event.
Kevin Harlan will handle play-by-play duties for the Super Bowl for the 12th straight year, with Super Bowl XXXIV MVP and Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner returning for the fourth consecutive year as lead analyst. Former NFL referee turned rules analyst Gene Steratore will also join the radio broadcast booth for this year’s Super Bowl.
For the third time Laura Okmin will patrol the sidelines, along with former defensive lineman Mike Golic, who will make his Super Bowl debut with Westwood One’s broadcast crew. Scott Graham will anchor Westwood One’s pregame, halftime, and postgame show coverage, in his 13th Super Bowl with the network. He will be joined by NFL Network analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest.
Gameday coverage will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET, with “Super Bowl Preview,” co-hosted by Scott Graham, Mike Golic, and Kurt Warner, followed by “Super Bowl Insider” at 3:00 p.m. ET. Live coverage from the stadium will kick off at 4:00 p.m. ET with “Super Sunday,” the Super Bowl LVI pregame show, also hosted by Scott Graham. The Super Bowl game broadcast will begin at 5:00 p.m. ET, with kickoff expected at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET.
Millions of listeners around the globe will tune in to Westwood One’s Super Bowl LVI coverage across more than 600 radio stations nationwide. Fans can also hear the broadcast on SiriusXM, on TuneIn, and through NFL Game Pass, which is available on NFL.com and the NFL App.
The broadcast can also be heard worldwide via the American Forces Radio Network, which provides programming to America’s military forces. The network serves over one million men and women in uniform, Department of Defense personnel, American Embassies and Consulates in over 175 countries and territories, as well as on more than 200 U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and Military Sealift Command ships at sea.
Superstar quarterback Tom Brady is freshly retired from football, but he’s got plenty else to keep him busy. His production company, Religion of Sports, is looking to raise around $50 million, according to The Information citing people familiar with the situation.
Such a deal would value the four-year-old company, co-founded by Brady, former NFL star Michael Strahan and filmmaker Gotham Chopra, at more than $100 million, according to the people.
There’s likely to be plenty of interest. Big investors have been piling into content production to feed the proliferation of streaming services that has popped up in recent years. And sports-focused plays are emerging as a particularly hot alternative to general entertainment studios, investors say.
Religion of Sports, which is behind such shows as the Tom Brady documentary “Man in the Arena,” as well as “Simone vs. Herself,” about gymnast Simone Biles, has raised $16 million to date and counts Shari Redstone’s Advancit Capital among its investors. The company’s revenue was around $35 million in 2021, according to people familiar with the situation.
President Biden again warned Americans still in Ukraine that they should leave as soon as possible, in an interview yesterday with NBC News. He said, "It's not like we’re dealing with a terrorist organization. We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It’s a very different situation and things could go crazy quickly." He also again said he wouldn't send U.S. troops to Ukraine, responding when asked if there were any scenarios where he might do it to rescue Americans, saying, "There’s not. That’s a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another." There are very high tensions about the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine as Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops on its border with that country.
Analysis: Biden’s approval rating continues to erode, including with vital parts of his base https://t.co/Z4X1jfsFUd
➤DATA SHOWS INFLATION HIGHEST IN 40 YEARS: Inflation is at its highest rate in 40 years, according to data out yesterday from the Labor Department, which said consumer prices increased 7.5 percent last month compared to a year earlier, the highest increase from the same month the year before since February 1982. When inflation was measured from December to January, inflation was 0.6 percent, the same as from November to December, but more than economists had expected. The key factors playing into the inflation include a shortage of supplies and workers amid high demand and spending, including from all the federal aid that was distributed during the pandemic and very low interest rates. The Federal Reserve has indicated it will raise interest rates at its next meeting in March, and some economists suggested that after yesterday's inflation data, the Fed could raise its key rate by one-half a percentage point instead of its usual quarter-point increase.
“I’m going to work like the devil to bring gas prices down,” President Biden said Thursday assuring that his administration will lower health care costs, including prescription drug costs, for American families. pic.twitter.com/5ISJwFzasX
🚚U.S. URGES CANADA TO USE FEDERAL POWERS TO END TRUCK BLOCKADE OF KEY BRIDGE: The U.S. urged the Canadian government yesterday to use its federal powers to end the truck blockade of a key bridge by Canadians protesting Covid-19 mandates and restrictions in their country. The Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit was blocked for a fourth straight day by the truckers, and it's disrupting the flow of auto parts and other products between the U.S. and Canada, leading some auto plants on both sides of the border to close down or cut shifts. The bridge carries 25 percent of all trade between the two countries. Canada's Federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said Royal Canadian Mounted Police reinforcements were being sent to Windsor, Ottawa and Coutts, Alberta, where another border blockade is happening. Meanwhile, Windsor's mayor announced the city will seek a court injunction to end the occupation.
A bumper-to-bumper truck blockade by Canadians protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions is in its fourth day. https://t.co/lwNNO3JzuT
➤100TH CAPITOL RIOTER SENTENCED, FIFTH FOR ASSAULTING POLICE: A 52-year-old military veteran from Seattle who punched two police officers in the head during the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced to six months in prison yesterday, becoming at least the 100th person sentenced after pleading guilty to a Capitol riot-related charge, according to the Associated Press. Mark Leffingwell is also the fifth person to be sentenced for assaulting police that day, with the others getting sentences ranging from 41 months to 63 months. More than 730 people have been charged overall and 210 of them have pled guilty, mostly to misdemeanors with a maximum sentence of six months in prison.
➤BOMB THREATS AT D.C. HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THIRD DAY, DESPITE ARREST OF TEENAGER: There were bomb threats at high schools in Washington, D.C., for a third straight day Thursday, despite a teenager having been arrested for allegedly making some of the earlier threats. Five schools were evacuated and searched yesterday after getting phoned-in bomb threats, which came hours after the 16-year-old teenage boy was arrested. As with the previous threats, no bombs were found. The teen was charged with "terroristic threats." Police said that the fact that the bomb threats are continuing indicates multiple people are making them, including possibly copycats.
AUTOPSY..BOB SAGET HAD MULTIPLE SKULL FRACTURES PRIOR TO DEATH:
➤DOCTORS EXPLAIN WHAT TO DO—AND WHAT NOT TO DO—WHEN YOU HIT YOUR HEAD: Hitting your head can lead to an emergent situation. Emergency room physician Dr. Leana Wen explains, “When you hit your head, you could have bleeding in different ways. An epidural hematoma is a type of brain injury. You can also have a subdural hematoma, another possibility as well. A subdural hematoma is a very common hematoma. Both of these are when veins are ripped from a head injury that causes pooled blood to put pressure on the brain.” Wen says if you hit your head, your first step should be to tell someone, and to call your doctor if you’re particularly worried. If you’re an individual at higher risk—like if you’re taking a blood thinner, or if you’re older—you should be vigilant and seek medical attention if you hit your head. Symptoms you should look out for after hitting your head: losing consciousness (even briefly), forgetting the injury, any type of confusion, nausea, and vomiting. If you develop any sort of weakness or seizure-like activity you should go to an emergency room. Doctors recommend staying awake 2 to 3 hours after a head injury to make sure none of these symptoms present, but after that, your risk of any significant issue developing drops. Doctors also note that you don’t need to overreact every time you bump your head unless you have symptoms that worsen over time.
📺'DR. PHIL' REPORTEDLY A TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT: According to a BuzzFeed article published on Thursday, a dozen current and former employees of the Dr. Phil show say that the show fostered a toxic environment.
Dr. Phil
Sources told the outlet that workers were forced to perpetuate racist stereotypes on the show, told to prevent mentally ill guests from taking their medication, and forced to endure verbal abuse.
Although none of the people BuzzFeed News spoke with witnessed Phil McGraw engage in toxic workplace behaviors, two current and 10 former employees said that it was “common to be screamed at and berated by executive producer Carla Pennington and other senior-level staffers.”
According to the report, attorneys for McGraw and Pennington "categorically denied every allegation made in this story, insisting that Dr. Phil in no way fosters racism, inappropriate interactions with guests, bullying and harassment, or any other unprofessional behavior."
H. Patrick Morris, an attorney for the 71-year-old talk show host, said in a statement to E! News, "BuzzFeed was offered dozens of current and former staff to talk to but when the reporter started hearing the truth which ruined their salacious narrative they declined. Dr. Phil takes every guest and their circumstances very seriously and spends enormous amounts of time preparing for his time with them, including consulting with world class experts."
📻SEATTLE-AREA MAZDA DRIVERS REPORT RADIOS ARE STUCK ON THE LOCAL NPR STATION: Seattle-area drivers of Mazda vehicles from 2014-2017 have reported a strange problem—their radios are stuck on the local NPR station. The station confirmed it had been contacted by multiple Mazda drivers who reported the HD Radio in the Mazda infotainment center of their vehicles was stuck on the station. The drivers claim the radio is frozen on the station and the visuals on the dashboard screen are constantly rebooting, causing a visual hazard for some. KUOW 94.9 FM released a statement, saying, “We have been in contact with Xperi, the company who owns the technology behind HD Radio, and have given them complete access to our transmitters to investigate what is causing the issue.” Mazda said in a statement that affected customers should contact local dealers “who can submit a goodwill request to the Mazda Warranty department on their behalf, order the parts, and schedule a free repair when the parts arrive.”
🏈SUPER BOWL 56 PREVIEW:America's unofficial national holiday arrives on Sunday, when Super Bowl 56 will pit the Los Angeles Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals.
WHERE: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, home of the Rams as well as the L.A. Chargers. This is the second year in a row that one of the teams is playing in their home stadium, after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the first last year, when they beat the Kansas City Chiefs for the championship. It's the first Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium, which opened in 2020, and the first in the Los Angeles area since Super Bowl 27 in 1993.
Covid: Unlike last year, there won't be any attendance limits because of the pandemic. However, fans will have to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours, or a negative antigen rapid test taken within 24 hours. Additionally, masks will be required, except while actively eating or drinking, and every fan will be given a KN95 mask.
WHEN AND HOW TO WATCH: NBC will be airing the big game, and their broadcast will include hours of pre-game coverage before getting to the main event, with kickoff at 6:30 p.m. E.T. The game will be streamed on NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and NBC's streaming service, Peacock. However, you may have to link your cable or streaming provider to gain access on NBC websites, and for Peacock, you need to sign up for its Premium plan at $4.99 a month
THE TEAMS:
Rams: This will be the fifth Super Bowl for the Rams, who've only won one championship, beating the Tennessee Titans at the end of the 1999 season, when they were based in St. Louis. It will be the first Super Bowl appearance for quarterback Matthew Stafford, who's in his first year with the Rams. Until this season, Stafford had never even had a playoff win in his 12 previous seasons, all of them with the Detroit Lions. A key weapon for the Rams will be wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who this season became the fourth NFL player and first since 2005 to have the receiving triple crown by leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
Bengals: The Bengals will be trying to win their first Super Bowl in their third appearance in the championship game. They were last in the Super Bowl in January 1989, losing to the San Francisco 49ers. Until this year, the Bengals had not won a playoff game since the 1990 season, and had a league-worst 2–14 record just two seasons ago. Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow will be making his first Super Bowl appearance in just his second year in the NFL. One of the Bengals' key players will be wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who reunited with Burrow this season after being his teammate at LSU, and had the most receiving yards for a rookie in the Super Bowl era.
ENTERTAINMENT: Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige will perform during the halftime show. Country music's Mickey Guyton will sing the National Anthem, and "America the Beautiful" will be performed by R&B singer Jhené Aiko.
COMMERCIALS: The commercials have become part of the Super Bowl experience, with advertisers ramping up their creativity for the game's huge national audience. NBC hasn't said how much ads are costing this year, but a report in September, Dan Lovinger of NBC Sports Group cited a price of around $6.5 million, which would be a significant jump from the previous year's $5.5 million. Below is a look at a few of the ads that have already been released.
🎿BEIJING WINTER OLYMPICS Highlights:
Hearing to Decide if Russian Figure Skater Can Compete After Positive Drug Test - A hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport will determine whether 15-year-old Russian figure skating phenom Kamila Valieva can compete in the women's event next week, where she's heavily favored to win gold, after she tested positive for a banned heart drug six weeks ago at the Russian Figure Skating Championships. The International Olympic Committee is appealing to the Court to reinstate the provisional suspension of Valieva, which was imposed by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency after the positive result was returned this past Tuesday, and then lifted by the same agency, which would allow her to compete. Meanwhile, the Russian Olympic Committee said it would fight to keep the gold medal won days ago by a team that include Valieva, a process that could take months. If the Russian team is disqualified, the U.S., which won silver, would be awarded the gold.
Shaun White Finishes Fourth in Halfpipe in Final Olympics - American snowboarding legend Shaun White finished just out of the medals in fourth place in the halfpipe, in what is his final Olympics and the close of his competitive career. Ayumu Hirano of Japan won the gold. The best of the 35-year-old White's three runs was his second, and he fell on the final run, the last of his career. An emotional White said after the event, "I just want to thank everyone for watching. Everyone at home, thank you. Snowboarding, thank you. It's been the love of my life." Among all his accomplishments, White won three gold medals in five Olympics.
U.S. Skier Mikaela Shiffrin Finishes Ninth in Super-G - After being eliminated within seconds in her first two races in Beijing, U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin finished the super-G yesterday, but finished out of the medals in ninth place. The two-time Olympic gold medalist said afterward, "I didn’t think there was a very big chance to come in and win, or even medal, in this race. . . . But I also did get to the finish and that’s really nice for my heart to know." She also thanked everyone for all the support she'd gotten since her disqualifications in the giant slalom and slalom, which are usually her best events. Winning the super-G yesterday was Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland.
U.S. Wins Gold in Mixed Team Aerials in Its Olympic Debut - The U.S. won gold in mixed team aerials in the freestyle skiing event's Olympic debut. The team of two men and one woman, Christopher Lillis, Justin Schoenefeld and Ashley Caldwell, beat out the Chinese team for the win. Canada won bronze.
U.S. Women's Hockey Team Beat Czechs in Quarterfinals - The defending Olympic champion U.S. women's hockey team beat the Czech Republic 4-1 in their quarterfinal match.
U.S. Men's Hockey Team Beats China in First Game - The U.S. men's hockey team shut out host nation China 8-0 in the American men's first game in Beijing. Sean Farrell had a hat trick for the U.S. The U.S. team is made up mostly of NCAA players, with the NHL announcing in December that it wouldn't send players because the regular-season season schedule had been too disrupted by increasing Covid cases and games postponed as a result.
MEDAL COUNT: (As of 4:00 a.m. ET) - Austria is in first place with 14 medals, followed by Norway and Canada with 12 each, and the Russian Olympic Committee with 11. In the gold medal count, Germany is first with six, Norway has five, and the U.S., Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden have four each. The U.S. has 10 medals overall, four gold, five silver and one bronze. ESPN'S MEDAL TRACKER
OTHER SPORTS:
🏈AARON RODGERS WINS FOURTH NFL MVP AWARD: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers won his fourth NFL MVP award last night, getting 39 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. Only retired former quarterback Peyton Manning is ahead of Rodgers with five MVPs. Rodgers said as he got the award, "Being a four-time MVP is crazy. “They’re all different. They’ve all unique in their own ways and this one feels the sweetest." Rodgers didn't indicate what his future plans are and said no announcement is imminent.
🏀76ERS TRADE SIMMONS TO NETS FOR HARDEN: Ben Simmons finally got what he wanted, to be traded away from the Philadelphia 76ers, with Philly trading him to the Brooklyn Nets yesterday (February 10th) for star James Harden. The 76ers also sent guard Seth Curry, center Andre Drummond, a 2022 first-round draft pick and a 2027 first-round pick to Brooklyn, and the Nets included Paul Millsap with Harden. Simmons didn't play this season for the 76ers in the wake of a trade demand.
🏀MAVERICKS TRADE PORZINGIS TO WIZARDS: The Dallas Mavericks traded Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round draft pick to the Washington Wizards yesterday (February 10th) for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans. Washington also traded center Montrezl Harrell to the Charlotte Hornets for Vernon Carey Jr. and Ish Smith.
⚾MLB TO HAVE UNIVERSAL DESIGNED HITTER: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced yesterday (February 10th) that there will be a universal designated hitter starting in the upcoming season, meaning the DH is coming to the National League. He also said that a draft lottery will be added as a way to prevent tanking. Manfred's announcement comes as MLB and the players' union are set to have a negotiating session Saturday after an 11-day break. The players have been locked out by the league since December 1st.
🏀LEBRON, DURANT PICKS TEAMS FOR ALL-STAR GAME: LeBron James and Kevin Durant, the NBA All-Star Game captains, picked their team members during the live selection show last night on TNT. James had more all-star votes than Durant, so he chose first, picking the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Durant then chose the Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid with his first pick. Team members for the February 20th game were chosen by James and Duran from 22 players who were voted on by fans, media members and current players. See full rosters here.
Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. (SBS), CXR Radio LLC, as divestiture trustee, and Cox Radio LLC have announced that SBS will acquire FM radio broadcast stations WPYO-FM and WSUN FM, two stations serving the Orlando and Tampa radio markets.
The stations are held in trust by CXR Radio as a result of a divestiture trust mandate by the FCC, which arose from FCC ownership limitations and the sale of Cox Radio in 2019. CXR, which holds the stations’ FCC licenses and controls the operations of the stations, conducted a sales process resulting in today’s agreement with SBS, the parties said. Cox Radio, which has supported the trust’s operation of the stations, will also convey certain related station assets to SBS as part of the transaction. Cox Radio is a subsidiary of Cox Media Group.
“SBS is pleased to acquire WPYO FM and WSUN FM per FCC rules in order to serve the Hispanic communities of Orlando, Tampa and Central Florida and to foster minority ownership in media,” commented SBS Chairman and CEO, Raúl Alarcón.
Elliot Evers, the principal in CXR who has overseen the stations since the formation of the trust, said, “I am pleased that our sale process has produced full value for these two impressive stations. We engaged Houlihan, Lokey to assist with the process, and I am grateful for the instrumental role that the Houlihan team played in making this a success. Working with the CMG and SBS teams was an honor and a pleasure.”
Rob Babin, a Senior Vice President for Cox Media Group, who leads Cox Radio commented, “These stations have been a part of our Cox Media Group family for many years. We are saddened to see WPYO(FM) and WSUN(FM) leave our company, but we also are pleased to have fulfilled the FCC’s mandate to sell these stations – and we thank Elliot and his CXR team for all they did to oversee this process.”
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including FCC regulatory approval. The parties expect to close the transaction later in the first quarter of 2022.
iHeartMedia Miami’s WMIA 93.9 MIA…90’s to Now, announced today the debut of “The DJ Laz Morning Show with Kimmy B,” effective Thursday February 10, 2022. “The DJ Laz Morning Show with Kimmy B” will broadcast weekdays from 6-10 a.m.
Miami’s legendary DJ Laz will reunite with his former co-host, Kimmy B, for an all-new morning show. “The DJ Laz Morning Show with Kimmy B” will feature local and relevant lifestyle conversations of the day along with the biggest hits from the last three decades.
“We’re excited to bring Miami’s beloved duo, DJ Laz and Kimmy B, back together,” said Rob Miller, Senior Vice President Programming Miami. “With their infectious personalities and deep investment in our local communities, ‘The DJ Laz Morning Show with Kimmy B’ on 93.9 MIA will quickly become a favorite destination for South Floridians.”
“Kimmy B is Miami,” said DJ Laz. “Kimmy B’s all about the community, our listeners, and we’re ready to deliver some great morning radio.”
“I’m super excited to be back on-air co-hosting a morning show with the legendary DJ Laz, said Kimmy B. “We love morning radio and can’t wait to share good times and good vibes with our community.”
In addition, 93.9 MIA…90’s To Now, will continue to be the home for the greatest hits of the 90s while expanding its music library to include the top artists of the past two decades with a more robust playlist. The station consists of hits from Bruno Mars, Adele, Backstreet Boys, Rihanna, Maroon 5, and Justin Timberlake and 3 hours of commercial-free music to kick off the workdays, beginning weekdays at 9:30 a.m.
102.7 KIIS FM, L.A.’s #1 Hit Music Station, announced today that Kayla Thomas will join the station’s on-air talent lineup, hosting over nights and weekends, effective February 14. Thomas will be live on KIIS FM Monday -Thursday from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday from 2- 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 – 4 p.m.
“Kayla will be a perfect fit here in Los Angeles/Orange County,” said Beata Murphy, Program Director for KIIS FM. “She is passionate and charming and works hard to establish that ‘Best Friend’ relationship with the audience. Kayla has already accomplished so much in her career, and I am excited to work with her and see her continue to grow here in Los Angeles.”
Kayla is a Maryland native who grew up with a love for music, content creation and making people laugh. After graduating from Liberty University in 2016, she received her first shot in the radio world at a local radio station in Roanoke, Virginia. Kayla went from being an intern to doing weekends, nights, then middays at WXLK-K92. Her powerful voice and sassy personality quickly made her a recognizable voice throughout the Virginia Blue Ridge. In 2018, Kayla got the opportunity to move to New Jersey and become an on-air personality at Townsquare Media.
Not only did she do the night show at WPST in Trenton, but she also landed her very own nationally syndicated show at just 24 years old. In just three years, Kayla helped grow ‘Popcrush Nights’ into a number one show with over 50 affiliates across the country. In 2020, Kayla was named one of Radio Ink Magazine’s 30 Under 30 Superstars. Throughout her career, she has also interviewed some of the biggest names in music, such as Adele, BTS, Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo, Miley Cyrus, Lizzo and more. Major publications like People Magazine and Billboard have also featured her interviews.
“I’ve been dreaming of living in Los Angeles since I was a little girl and to be able to do what I love at the legendary KIIS FM is an indescribable feeling,” said Kayla. “Words cannot express how thankful I am to John Ivey and Beata Murphy for this exciting opportunity. Being a world away from home is bittersweet, but it’s still surreal to be living my childhood dream. I’m ready to bring my east coast flavor to this LA heat!”
Comcast Corp.’s NBCUniversal is finalizing a plan that would drastically change its partnership with Hulu, shifting high-profile programming to its own Peacock streaming platform, according to The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter.
Starting this fall, new episodes of shows like “The Voice,” “Saturday Night Live” and “American Auto” would no longer be available on Hulu soon after they air as a result of that plan, they said.
NBCUniversal has taken many steps recently to strengthen Peacock, which has struggled to establish itself in a crowded environment. The move would also be the latest indication of the changing relationship between Hulu’s co-owners—Walt Disney Co. and NBCUniversal—which went from streaming partners to direct competitors in recent years.
Comcast, which owns a third of Hulu, launched Peacock less than two years ago, while Disney, which owns the rest, introduced Disney+ in late 2019. The two new services have had varying fortunes: Disney on Wednesday said Disney+ had nearly 130 million subscribers globally, while NBCU last month said over 9 million people were paying for Peacock, which is available free of charge to subscribers of Comcast and other cable providers. Peacock also offers a no-frills, ad-supported version that is free to anyone.
Expanding Peacock’s subscriber base is one of Comcast’s top priorities, as the company is looking to become a streaming giant in its own right. Comcast is doubling its content spending for Peacock to $3 billion this year, and the service is betting that a series of high-profile sporting events—from the Beijing Winter Olympics to the coming Super Bowl—will help it attract more customers. Starting this year, NBCUniversal is also making most Universal movies available for streaming on Peacock as soon as 45 days after their theatrical release.
Hulu rose to prominence among cord-cutters as a destination for next-day airings of broadcast TV series, such as ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and NBC’s “This Is Us.” NBCUniversal is considering making next-day airings of future NBC shows exclusively on Peacock’s premium tier, which subscribers have to pay for, some of the people familiar with the matter said. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported NBCUniversal was considering removing content from Hulu and making it exclusive to Peacock.
NBCUniversal has until Friday to inform Disney of its plans regarding the Hulu content-sharing pact, people close to the situation said. The company was originally scheduled to announce its decision earlier this year, but the deadline was pushed back to Feb. 11 as the two sides continued to negotiate an exit strategy, they said. If NBCUniversal chose not to exercise the option to remove the shows, they would remain on Hulu through 2024.
The recent proliferation of streaming services—many of which are owned by companies that also produce content—has led to a major realignment of priorities for most players. Many media giants that were once happy to license their shows and movies to streaming platforms are now having to decide what to take back, giving up licensing revenue for the promise of attracting more subscribers. Shortly after it announced the launch of Peacock in 2019, Comcast said it would take away “The Office,” one of the most popular shows on streaming, from Netflix Inc. and offer it on Peacock exclusively.
