The first person I spoke to on September 11, 2001 was Scott Linn. He woke me up and told me to turn on the television. Not long after, a plane crashed into the Pentagon, it was the third or fourth (I can’t remember) terrorist hijacking of the morning.
It’s probably more coincidence than anything that Scott was the one who alerted me to the news and not a family member. Yet today, I feel like it’s a reminder of what my role should be in the midst of the first pandemic of our lifetime, a virus that in the short term will make our jobs very difficult. Scott Linn was my co-worker at the original sports radio station the market, then Sportstalk 980, and remains one of the most well known voices on the airwaves in our city. He was, and remains my friend.
I don’t remember much of what I said on the air at the time. I do recall being sad, angry, proud of my country, and a bunch of other emotions that I don’t have the adjectives for right now. It was a long time ago, but that call I received from Scott is one that I’ve never forgotten.
Scott reaching out to make sure I was aware of 9/11 is my personal reminder of what I owe my audience over the next period of days, weeks, months. Who knows how long it will take before we can be normal again. Those incredibly entertaining but non essential questions like whether the Redskins should select Chase Young with the second overall pick or if beating the Astros in this past World Series makes the Nationals one of the most unlikely champs in baseball history, aren’t as relevant right now.
Today, we need to be voices our audiences count on. On September 11, 2001, Scott was one for me, and there was something comforting in hearing him deliver me that news. Like all of you, I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to talk about for the next few weeks with no sports to speak of. For me, trying to make up segments that have some kind of sports tangent even if it doesn’t make any logical sense is not appealing. I’m not that kind of host anyway. A large percentage of my show ends up on non sports topics, and most of my understanding program directors have been cool with it.
My show like many others in local markets is sponsored by local businesses. Bars have us out for watch parties. Mortgage companies, window installers, car dealers ask me to personally endorse them. I’ve played a lot of free rounds of golf, had a ton of free meals, and been treated like I matter in my community, and so today, I’m going to pay that forward. My show will be open to my community to discuss how my supporters and business owners intend to keep their businesses afloat, and what needs to happen to help each other through what will be a massive health and economic disruption. I want those who sponsor my show, and the ones who don’t, to know that my show is only here because of the vibrancy of my city. If my show can help people through whatever is about to happen, then that’s the best service I can provide.
One thing I don’t do is fill time. There are a lot of people on social media asking how we intend to “fill time.” I’ve never done that. At least not on purpose. Sure I’ve done plenty of segments I’d like to have back, but I’ve never treated my show as something meant to kill space. This has always been a very personal role, never just a job. If someone tells me they listen, it’s a great compliment. I hope that when they say it that they know I’m just being me on air. Which is exactly who I’m going to be now.
The executives of our companies remind us that we’re there for diversion and not to be the CDC. Stick to Sports. I agree, somewhat. They’ll offer ideas to help guide us to stay in our lanes and be what the audience wants, but we’re more than just sports talk show hosts. I do agree though that our shows can’t stray too far from sports otherwise they could become unrecognizable. That’s why I believe we as talent and producers need to help each other as we navigate the difficult task of providing a diversion from the daily news.
We’re all part of different networks, and we all have our own shows to be concerned about, but over the next few months, we’re going to need each other. Can we reciprocate by appearing on each other’s shows regularly so that sports remains a key dynamic of the programming at large? I’d love to talk about the teams in every market if the hosts are willing to be part of my show. In exchange, I’ll go on anyone’s program who wants a sports perspective from DC. My email is bram@ampiremedia.com.
There is another opportunity for us during this time without sports. Can we collectively start thinking about creative ways to help our industry modernize? Have you thought about a new show that could double as a podcast that you never had time for or weren’t getting internal support to create? All ideas are good ideas right now. When things return to normal, maybe we’ll have an entire new arsenal of programming that didn’t exist thanks to this chance to reset. As a host and media entrepreneur (and many of you are as well) let’s talk, ideate and create. New partnerships and ideas are the lifeblood of our longevity.
Lastly, a note to the media executives who allow us to perform our craft: we know this disruption is going to affect the already fragile bottom line. Please try to work with us to navigate through it and lean on us to help you with clients. Our audiences are expecting us to be there when tip-off, kickoff, the puck drop and all the other sports return.
I’ve long felt privileged that my audience has stuck with me for 25 years, even after I left them to take a national opportunity, only to come home and ask them to give me another shot to be part of their lives. It’s a role I take very seriously and never for granted. I intend to prove that with your help now.
Bram Weinstein hosts afternoon drive on ESPN 630 The Sports Capitol in Washington DC. You can follow him on Twitter @RealBramW or reach him by email at bram@ampiremedia.com.
