News Audio

Jon McTaggart To Resign From Minnesota Public Radio

“McTaggart reportedly issued an internal memo Tuesday with his plans to step down, according to the Star Tribune. “

Published

3 years ago

September 23, 2020

Minnesota radio executive Jon McTaggart announced he would resign after his employees sent a letter to listeners which claimed that they had lost trust in the company’s leadership. McTaggart ran American Public Media, the parent company of Minnesota Public Radio. He will stay on the job until his successor is chosen.

The letter comes a little more than a week after veteran reporter Marianne Combs abruptly resigned, accusing her editors of not publishing a story that dealt with the sexual misconduct of a DJ at another station owned by MPR who has since been terminated.

“The company, over its 53-year history, has also fostered a harmful working environment for women and journalists of color,” the letter said.

The company is also dealing with the recent firing of a black classical music host who reportedly switched out scheduled music to play pieces he felt were “more appropriate to the moment and more diverse.”

“Our company culture and our news coverage routinely prioritizes white audiences and their stories, neglecting communities of color,” the letter said. “We are tired of company leadership paying lip service to these issues without taking concrete action to do better.”

McTaggart reportedly issued an internal memo the same day his staff set their letter to listeners with his plans to step down, according to the Star Tribune.

“The Board and the entire leadership team are committed to continuing to listen carefully, learn from others and take actions … that ensure a work environment where everyone is truly safe, welcome, respected and appreciated.”

Ryan Hedrick

Ryan Hedrick works for WIBC in Indianapolis as a Morning News Anchor/Digital Content Producer. Prior to moving to Indy, he served as Assistant Program Director and Co-Host of the Morning News Express at WFMD. His career also includes stints at News Talk 103.7 FM in Chambersburg, PA, Sirius XM in Washington D.C., WBEN in Buffalo, NY, and WIBW-AM in Topeka KS where he earned the Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB) award for Major Market enterprise reporting in 2016. To connect with Ryan, find him on Twitter @SureToCover.

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News Audio

Mark Levin: Joe Scarborough Is A ‘Chameleon’ That Fails At Everything He Does

“He’s one of these disaffected Republicans who failed in Congress.”

Published

13 hours ago

November 28, 2023

Eduardo Razo

(Photo: Fox News)

Mark Levin slammed Joe Scarborough after the MSNBC host issued a doomsday reality should former president Donald Trump get re-elected in 2024.

Scarborough analyzed Trump’s vengeful motivators and drew a comparison between his politics and fascism.

Furthermore, he wound up taking the conversation up a notch by saying the media cannot treat Trump like a typical political candidate because “[Trump] is running to end American democracy as we know it.”

Nonetheless, Levin went after the Morning Joe host during his Tuesday appearance on Sid & Friends in the Morning, labeling him a failure.

“Scarborough is what he’s always been,” Levin told host Sid Rosenberg. “He’s a chameleon. He’s one of these disaffected Republicans who failed in Congress, failed on radio, failed on Fox, and then he winds up on this MSNBC, which has an audience of basically sonograms and airport radar. That’s pretty much where he is.”

On the latest edition of @sidandfriends77, @sidrosenberg spoke with @marklevinshow and shared their thoughts on recent comments made by Joe Scarborough and more.

Listen to the full interview here: https://t.co/MzvbsJWzo4 pic.twitter.com/PWWShCcUxw
— TalkRadio 77 WABC (@77WABCradio) November 28, 2023

Rosenberg laughed out loud as Levin made his comments.

“Comcast should have pulled his ticket a long time ago,” Levin concluded.

Eduardo Razo

Eduardo Razo is a news media writer for BNM, focusing on coverage of news/talk radio and news television. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at [email protected].

News Audio

Fox News Audio to Debut New Podcast Hosted by Benjamin Hall

Searching for Heroes with Benjamin Hall will debut on Monday, December 4th.

Published

16 hours ago

November 28, 2023

BNM Staff

(Photo: Benjamin Hall)

Fox News Audio is set to release a new podcast series hosted by Benjamin Hall early next month.

Searching for Heroes with Benjamin Hall will debut on Monday, December 4th. According to the network, the podcast “will highlight inspiring stories of community and compassion, while providing a voice to America’s unsung heroes.” After the initial debut, episodes will be released every Sunday at 3 PM ET.

Hall was injured in March 2022 while covering the war in Ukraine. The car Hall was riding in was struck by a projectile, killing colleagues Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshynova.

The first episode of the new podcast will feature a retrospective about the attack, the injuries he sustained while covering the war, and the efforts it took to return to work after suffering the injuries.

Benjamin Hall recently returned to Ukraine for the first time since the attack. He interviewed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his stay, which aired on November 21st.

BNM Staff

News Audio

News Media Well Represented on Apple’s Most Popular Podcasts Rankings

Both radio and digital news media companies fared well in the Top Free Channels category.

Published

17 hours ago

November 28, 2023

BNM Staff

Apple Podcasts has released its rankings for the most popular podcasts in several categories, with news media being well represented in the lists.

In the top overall podcasts of 2023, The Daily from The New York Times was listed as the second most popular podcast. Dateline NBC finished in third. An episode from The Daily — “The Fight Over Phonics” — was the third most shared podcast episode of the year.

Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra was the seventh most shared podcast of the year, according to Apple.

Both radio and digital news media companies fared well in the Top Free Channels category. iHeartPodcasts took the top spot, with The New York Times finishing third. ABC News was seventh, followed by The Daily Wire in eighth, and Cumulus Podcast Network taking 10th.

Apple Podcasts plans to release its Show of the Year on Tuesday, December 5th.

BNM Staff