BizFeed: Josh Innes, Tony Bruno Fight Boiling Over, Report
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1. Where is Tony Bruno?
The News: Regular listeners of 94 WIP have likely realized that something has been missing from their afternoon sports radio show over the past two days — host Tony Bruno. And it doesn’t appear to be a summer vacation.
Instead, he’s in a cooling off period over a rift with co-host Josh Innes, according to Crossing Broad. Apparently, Bruno “was put off by Innes’ constant badgering and trolling of his own audience – a conclusion that is obvious to just about anyone listening,” said Crossing Broad. “Things may have come to a head a couple of weeks ago when Innes made fun of a caller who was clearly under the influence and had an admitted coke problem.”
Plus, Bruno retweeted one of the many tweets saying that Innes should be fired. Although it has been since deleted, Innes fired back, tweeting: “I appreciate the support from everyone…minus those who retweet about how I should be fired.”
Awkward…
Why It Matters: Is there a more polarizing figure in Philadelphia sports radio today than Innes? Just go on Twitter and you’ll see plenty of people who love him and plenty who think he should “go back to the midwest.” Still, it’s ratings gold, as the Innes-Bruno duo have consistently beaten Mike Missanelli at rival 97.5 The Fanatic. But is it sustainable or could the rift between the hosts doom the whole show? (Or is it all just a ploy to make us tune in?)
2. Uber Tests “Suggested Pickup Points”
The News: Popular car service Uber is testing out “suggested pickup points” telling customers to walk a bit to find the fastest ride.
TechCrunch explains: “When dragging the pickup pin, the feature explains that passengers can ‘save time at these locations’, and shows places nearby where it would quicker for the driver to pick them up. Users can drop their pin on these green dots, see the address, and then walk there to shorten their wait time.”
Why It Matters: By a customer simply walking around the corner, a driver could miss traffic lights and pick up passengers faster — creating more efficiency all around. The question is whether people already paying a premium for a car service will actually care.
3. Apple Watch Sales Decline Sharply
The News: Sales of the Apple Watch have trailed off significantly in June after a hot start in April and May, according to a new report from Slice Intelligence cited by Fortune.
“Among the ten [analysts] heard from so far—six professionals and four amateurs—the estimates range from 3 million units to 5.7 million. Average estimate among this group: 4.5 million,” said Fortune. Apple has not released any sales data about the product.
Why It Matters: The Apple Watch is looking more and more like a “want” not a “need.” The idea that it will be as ubiquitous as the iPhone or iPad is fading fast.
