Industry News

Report: ESPN Radio Readies New Shows

According to reports in the New York Post, ESPN Radio will name Chris Canty, Evan Cohen and Michelle Smallmon hosts of its national morning drive show that had been hosted byim Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams and Max Kellerman. Their program was cancelled last month. The Post also reports that Chris Carlin and Joe Fortenbaugh will host the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm program and Harry Douglas and Freddie Coleman are the new 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm co-hosts. Amber Wilson and Ian Fitzsimmons will host the 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm show. Read the Post piece here.

Industry News

Disney Takes Budget Axe to ESPN

Heading into the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Disney made approximately 20 cuts to ESPN’s on-air staff, laying off Keyshawn Johnson and Max Kellerman from the recently cancelled ESPN Radio morning driveim show, as well as NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy, ESPN television personality Suzy Kolber, and others.  These layoffs come as little surprise as Disney had announced earlier this year that it would be eliminating some 7,000 positions across the entire company.

Industry News

Report: Budget Cuts at Disney Cancel ESPN Radio Morning Show

According to numerous reports, including from the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand, the financial scalpel being applied to Disney’s ESPN Radio has dropped the nationally syndicated morning show hosted by Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams and Max Kellerman. The story also says that this move is just part ofim more “significant on-air layoffs” affecting ESPN personalities that could come as early as next week. Johnson, Williams and Kellerman have other roles with ESPN and their individual status with the company is not certain, but Marchand speculates that contract buyouts by ESPN are a possibility. ESPN will put a morning show back on the network, but the talent will need to make significantly less than the “Keyshawn, JWill and Max” hosts were making. Read the Post story here.