Inspiration 92.3 FM

December 8, 2020

December 8, 2020December 8, 2020 IFM Social Media

Football Updates

OLYMPICS:
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have confirmed that Breaking – which is a competitive form of Breakdance, has been included as one of the sporting disciplines in the final line-up for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France.
Games organizers revealed they wanted to include sports in the programme – which were popular with new and younger audiences, and new IOC rules allow Olympic host Cities to handpick disciplines and propose them for inclusion – if they are popular in that country and can add to the Games appeal.
Breaking which has its origins in New York in the 1970’s, will join Surfing, Skateboarding and Climbing at the 2024 Olympic calendar but Squash, Chess, Billiard Sports and Parkour will not be part of the 2024 event.

CRICKET:
England’s ODI Tour of South Africa has finally been called off, following numerous positive Coronavirus test results.
A statement revealed the Tour was called off to ensure the mental, physical health and welfare of the players.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) say they would look to reschedule the ODI’s, which forms part of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Super League.

ATHLETICS:
Kenyan distance runner Kibiwott Kandie has set a new world-record in the Half Marathon, in a race where the Top Four finishers all beat the previous record in Valencia-Spain.
The 24 year-old shaved 29 seconds off the previous mark set by compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor in Copenhagen-Denmark last year to finish first in a time of 57 minutes, 32 seconds while Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda and Rhonex Kipruto of Kenya both places second and third respectively.
In the Women’s event, Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia won with a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes, 18 seconds ahead of Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya and Senbere Teferi of Ethiopia.

December 8, 2020

December 8, 2020December 8, 2020 IFM Social Media

Rashida Jones to become first black president of MSNBC

Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC for the past twelve years, will step down shortly after President-elect Biden’s inauguration in January.

Rashida Jones, a senior vice president with a wide portfolio at NBC News and MSNBC, will become president of the network on February 1.

The Wall Street Journal, which broke the news of her appointment, said that Jones will be the first Black person to run a major cable news network.

Conde said that Griffin came to him shortly after the presidential election and spoke about “his desire to depart at a time of his choosing and when he felt confident about the strength of the network he loves.”

The transition was announced by NBCUniversal News Group chair Cesar Conde on Monday afternoon.

“She has an outstanding track-record and she leads with a laser-like focus and grace under pressure. I know she will be an excellent leader for MSNBC,” Conde wrote in an internal memo.

Transitions in Washington, D.C. often lead to turnover in the news business as well.

Griffin, 64, “has many interests and passions outside news — and he is energized right now by the prospect of being able to participate in them professionally,” Conde said in his memo.

November was MSNBC’s most-watched month in its 24-year history. But the channel finds itself in a challenging competitive landscape at the end of President Trump’s time in office.

In November the channel still ranked third in cable news behind CNN and Fox News, since cable news viewership was up across the board during the election period.

MSNBC’s biggest strengths are political talk shows like “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “The Beat with Ari Melber,” which have big and loyal audiences.

Conde’s memo credited Griffin with “six straight record years” in the ratings, “each one better than the last,” which is in part a testament to intense interest in Trump’s campaign and presidency. The beginning of the Biden presidency may scramble the cable news wars in ways that remain to be seen.

Jones has been at MSNBC and NBC News since 2013. She previously worked at The Weather Channel and at local stations. She rose through the ranks at NBC and became the senior vice president for specials in 2017.

Jones’ portfolio was expanded earlier this year when she was put in charge of MSNBC’s daytime and weekend news schedule.

“In the last year alone that has meant, of course, that she has masterfully guided our coverage of the global pandemic, the social justice protests and unrest, Decision 2020, and the two most-viewed Democratic presidential debates in television history,” Conde wrote on Monday.

THIS STORY WAS FIRST REPORTED IN CNN