Media speed reads

• The latest SBJ Sports Media Podcast features my conversation with NBC Sports’ John Fanta dishing on college basketball.
• My colleague Richard Deitsch profiles one of the most well-traveled sportscasters in the industry, Kevin Harlan.
• The finale of the World Baseball Classic featuring Venezuela-U.S. attracted an audience rivaling some of the bigger MLB postseason figures, as Fox and Fox Deportes drew a combined audience of 10.8 million viewers.
• CBS and TNT Sports saw the most-watched opening day ever for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, with coverage across all windows on Thursday averaging a combined 9.8 million viewers.
• Scripps will launch a new FAST channel, dubbed Scripps Sports Network, on Tuesday, and it will carry a mix of content, including a package this season of live PWHL games, simulcast NWSL matches (from ION) and live Major League Volleyball matches.
• Total advertising spending during last season’s WNBA live games was more than triple what it was in 2023, SBJ’s David Broughton notes from iSpot.tv data.