The midway point of the week is where we celebrate the programs who entertain our audiences as they head home from work each afternoon. This category is ultra competitive and features some of the best talk talent on the radio airwaves, period.
When the Mid Market honors were handed out last year, the award was given to 3HL of 104.5 The Zone in Nashville. The Tennessee trio have been very successful for quite some time, but despite a stellar track record and strong showing in 2017, a new show has taken the afternoon crown this year.
Congratulations goes out to The Bull and Fox on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. Adam “The Bull” Gerstenhaber and Dustin Fox ended 2017 by finishing 1st in the ratings in their market with Men 25-54. Their performance throughout the year in one of America’s greatest sports cities was good enough to earn them this year’s honor.
As we acknowledge in each Top 20 posting, our rankings are determined by a panel of radio executives who use the following criteria below to make their choices. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best programs.
- Ratings success in their local market
- Quality content and on-air presentation
- An established track record of success in the format
- Spent more than six months hosting on a Mid Market sports radio station
- Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)
Please remember that these results reflect the group’s collective opinions. This means they are subjective. However, it’s difficult to argue with the success and respect of each of these shows in their respective markets.
We salute all of the shows who were recognized this year by our panel and are proud to bring to you “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Afternoon Shows of 2017”!
Additional Notes:
- 3HL earned the most 1st place votes (11); Bull & Fox were second with (10)
- Spots 2-3, 5-6, 10-11 and 15-19 were separated by only 3 points
- The Drive with CDot and Fanning finished 21st place, 3 points behind Frank Frangie
- 22-25 were Scott Garceau w/ Jeremy Conn, The Ride w/ JMV, The Big Show and Cofield & Company
- 10 of the 37 afternoon shows eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote
- This is the first list appearance for Frank Frangie, Bo Mattingly, The Huge Show and Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
