Throughout the decade Scott Shapiro has been working with iHeartMedia on FOX Sports Radio, he has witnessed evolution in the business pertaining to audio consumption. While there are narratives surrounding the demise of radio, he remains optimistic about the medium, especially when it comes to sports content. The format has been able to withstand the pace of change within the media environment while also helping to drive innovation.
FOX Sports Radio in particular has been able to grow its platform, adding various affiliates and advertising partners over that time with a premier lineup of programming and hosts. The national audio network reaches nearly 15 million monthly listeners on more than 630 radio stations, and it can also be heard online and through iHeartRadio.
“You’re still having tremendous hosts, great producers and you’re really trying to create the best content that people listen to and that they rely upon,” Shapiro said. “Now the beauty is there’s way more places for them to get that, so it’s actually a very fun challenge. Despite listeners being everywhere and anywhere, it’s more fun because there’s more ability for people to hear the great content our folks are producing.”
Shapiro acknowledges that there are few parallels between his managerial approach a decade ago to where he is now. Recognizing the impact of previous experiences and the invaluable lessons he has learned, he is able to combat difficult experiences. Shapiro’s ability to enact prompt and effective remediation in problem solving has partially been derived through past occurrences, and he has also developed relationships internally that facilitate communication. At the same time, he knows that there is still room to grow and refine his approach, remaining committed to erudition and staying cognizant of industry trends.
“I know I’m not perfect,” Shapiro said. “I would never pretend to be, and listen, you have to learn from your mistakes. You have to be able to grow, you have to have those uncomfortable conversations with yourself, so I’ve been through a lot of different examples where something has hit my desk, and at first you’re like, ‘Wow, I’m not sure what to do with this,’ but by thinking it through, by going through it, by being placed in difficult situations where you have to problem solve, it makes you that much better on the other end.”
Amid his time with FOX Sports Radio, Shapiro has sought to maintain its growth amid heightened competition and the emergence of digital players and independent content creators. The landscape has unquestionably faced seminal trials and tribulations, but it has been collectively guided by a cadre of proficient and prudent media professionals aiming to bolster consumption and the bottom line.
“Our goal is to not leave anything on the table, and it’s really to maximize the talents of all of our people, and I’m lucky because we have great people that work within FOX Sports Radio through all levels of the company,” Shapiro said, “but ultimately, it’s about maximizing their performance and it’s about putting out the very best products possible, and there’s a lot of different ways to count the metrics.”
Don Martin, the longtime iHeartMedia executive vice president of sports, recently announced that he would be departing the cluster but remaining involved in the near term. The exit took place shortly after layoffs at the company as it cut hundreds of jobs around the country, reportedly equating to 5% of its workforce.
“We can control what we can control, and ultimately our job is to provide the absolute best content, make it very attractive to advertisers and attractive to affiliates and grow our business unit,” Shapiro said. “We can’t control how advertisers are spending [or] what their budgets are, but what we can certainly control is how good of a job we’re doing and how creatively we integrate their messages within our shows.”
Shapiro worked closely with Martin throughout his decade with the company, and he remembers speaking with him and Julie Talbott, the president of the Premiere Networks subsidiary, as he was applying for the role. Regarding them both as visionaries who have been able to lead their divisions and build success, he has considered it remarkable to have worked with both of them. The initial conversation surrounding the audio enterprise, which is managed by Premiere through a partnership with FOX Sports, depicted the network milieu to be premised on a familial spirit that endures today.
“It’s something that, if you don’t know better, you almost think it’s a cliché and something that everyone may say, but what I saw very quickly in my tenure here is that they mean it, and through 10 years, I see it every single day,” Shapiro said. “It’s a tremendous culture, it’s a tremendous atmosphere. I’ve had such a supportive environment since I started, and frankly, I’ve learned so much from both of them.”
Concurrent with Martin deciding to leave his role at iHeartMedia, along with KFI program director Robin Bertolucci, the company hired Brian Long to lead programming at both outlets. Shapiro is optimistic that Long is going to do well in the marketplace and feels that they share similar sensibilities. Even so, the industry felt the impact of Martin and Bertolucci announcing their departures as the production of sports and news media content continues to evolve.
“They are two heavyweights, certainly in this market and around the country, so he’s entering at a wonderful point because the stations are both in really good shape, but we’re very excited for him to come in and put his unique stamp on it,” Shapiro said. “And as the flagship of FOX Sports Radio – 570 – there’s going to be a lot of parallels and a lot of ways we’re going to strategize to try to grow the station and grow the network.”
As Shapiro begins his second decade with the company, he feels that the network is the best it has ever been and has more good days ahead. Part of this prosperity stems from a programming lineup that draws and retains consumers tuning in across multiple distribution points. A longtime sports media presence, however, will be stepping away from the business in December 2027 as he officially retires. Dan Patrick gave media executives and consumers significant notice pertaining to the end of the Dan Patrick Show, something that allows them to more effectively plan next steps.
“The great thing is he’s still putting up great numbers,” Shapiro said. “The show is still as strong as it’s ever been, so kudos to Dan and his team for just continuing to provide great content that our advertisers certainly want and that our affiliates want, but this is unique. It’s very rare in this business where you know an end date for a show, and thankfully he still has three full years, but it allows us to really map out the future, be prepared for it and really make the show special as it concludes its last three years.”
The FOX Sports Radio lineup is spread across the continental United States, airing a variety of programs that broadcast from different locales. While the network headquarters are located in Sherman Oaks, Calif., Patrick continues to broadcast his program from a studio in Milford, Conn. Immediately following the conclusion of Patrick’s show, the audio locus moves back cross-country to the FS1 studios in Los Angeles for The Herd. Colin Cowherd’s daily program is simulcast on radio as it airs on the national television network, but it will soon be moving to Chicago, Ill. in the spring. Cowherd has been with FOX Sports and Premiere Networks since 2015, further bolstering the on-air lineup with his blend of intellect, entertainment and authenticity.
“I really believe that when he came over nine-plus years ago, that swung the balance of power into FOX Sports Radio’s favor,” Shapiro said. “It really helped give credibility to our lineup and it made us the best in the game, and we’ve been able to grow quite a bit since then. So he’s been very important to our success, and because he came over, we’re primed for a tremendous road ahead.”
Cowherd has been reported as being in the midst of contract negotiations as his contract is said to be nearing expiration. Although no deal has been officially announced, there is purported optimism that the sides will reach an agreement for him to continue creating content on its platforms. In addition to his on-air work, Cowherd is the founder of The Volume, a sports podcast network that produces and disseminates content to multiple touchpoints in the media landscape.
“Colin’s been a big part of our success the last nine-plus years, and he’s still at the top of his game right now,” Shapiro said, “and we’re always interested in working with great people like him.”
With Doug Gottlieb in his first season as the head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, he continues to host his afternoon sports radio program. The unique arrangement of balancing both jobs simultaneously required collaboration between multiple entities, allowing him to host the show remotely. Even though there have been questions and criticisms towards the situation, he has been able to hold both positions for several months.
“I can only speak from the radio side, but Doug is very informed, very opinionated when it comes to the biggest sports topics,” Shapiro said. “He plays the hits exceptionally well, he always has a very unique perspective, and yeah, there’s some people that get bothered by his opinions, but all of his opinions are well thought out and he has very strong takes. Whether he’s a head coach in basketball or not, he is a very strong sports radio host, and he’s continued to be while also being a head coach.”
As Super Bowl LIX approaches, Shapiro is content with how FOX Sports Radio has covered the NFL season and values bringing the brand to the host city for on-site programming. Being able to provide value to listeners and affiliates, the potential boost stations could receive may be demonstrated in the forthcoming ratings book. Nielsen recently changed its credit threshold to a three-minute qualifier to receive listening credit for a quarter-hour, something that could resemble diminishing attention spans and fundamentally alter listening data.
“We do believe it’s going to have massive impact, and it helps us on the national side too because what we were nationally [is] an accumulation of all our local affiliates, so all of our local stations benefitting, that’s going to benefit us as well,” Shapiro surmised. “It’s going to be more national AQH, it’s going to be a tremendous thing to fuel our growth, so we’re primed, we’re excited about this.”
Even if Shapiro was not working at FOX Sports Radio, he hypothesizes that his listening patterns would result in him consuming the same type of content on the network. Realizing the privilege and prestige of the outlet and its place in the sports media ecosystem, he does not take his job for granted and looks forward to the years to come. For now, Shapiro is staying immersed in the creative process and focused on the team living up to its potential and appealing to the audience.
“Audio is hot, live sports are hot, and we’re able to combine the two,” Shapiro said. “So yeah, there’s some elements of audio that may not have the shine that they used to, but I’ll tell you as we’re growing in affiliates, as our podcast and our streaming continues to grow, we’re right where we want to be. We’re in the audio space entertaining America talking about sports. We’re in a pretty good spot, and with positive feedback we’ve heard from our advertisers, we’re very bullish on the future.”
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Derek Futterman is an associate editor and sports media reporter for Barrett Media. Additionally, he has worked in a broad array of roles in multimedia production – including on live game broadcasts and audiovisual platforms – and in digital content development and management. He previously interned for Paramount within Showtime Networks, wrote for the Long Island Herald and served as lead sports producer at NY2C. To get in touch, email Derek@BarrettMedia.com or find him on X @derekfutterman.
