Dan Bernstein saw his thirty year career go up in smoke last week at 670 The Score in Chicago. One of the market’s most successful personalities, got into an exchange on X (Twitter), which ultimately led to his demise. Had it been the first occurrence, maybe Bernstein gets warned or suspended, but because he’d had issues before, The Score felt they had to turn the page.
Knowing Mitch Rosen, The Score’s program director, I’m sure he hated this. Mitch had worked closely with Dan for decades, and he stands by his guys even amid controversy. He did so just a few months ago when Bernstein got into a spat with Barstool Sports, after Dave Portnoy took aim at the Score midday host over his treatment of Barstool Chicago personality, Barstool Eddie.
But talent have a responsibility when they take to social media. If lines get crossed, and reputations get damaged, leaders are put in position where they have to make calls, even if they hate to do so.
Which raises a bigger question, what exactly do top performers gain from being active on X?
Before you tell me it’s on the individual to control themselves and tweet responsibly, which I’ll agree with, I’ll still ask you ‘where is the win for the individual or brand?’ Who is more valuable to who, X to Adam Schefter or Adam Schefter to X? Stephen A. Smith, Clay Travis, Pat McAfee or Joe Rogan to X or X to those talens? If public figures are not being paid to offer their insights and opinions throughout the day on the platform, then why are they so compelled to share an endless stream of thoughts and reactions, spending more time on X than they do on their own outlets?
In 2012, Mike Francesa was the king of afternoon drive on WFAN. He ranted at that time that Twitter was dangerous, and an eventual threat to the media business. He cautioned that players would cut out the middle man, and people would start offering random thoughts 4,000x a day, something the world didn’t need. Mike stated that he’d not be active on the platform, and many in the media considered his response a case of an old school talent being out of touch. If this is where the audience was hanging out, then media people were supposed to be where they were.
But was that smart? Was it a good business decision? Why was Mike’s prioritizing of the radio station and dismissal of social media seen as wrong? How many successful personalities have we now seen in the past decade lose work not over a drop in ratings or revenue, but over mindless tweets? Too many!
Francesa felt his responsibility was first and foremost to WFAN. He wanted people to listen to him from 1p-630p each day, and felt they’d do less of it if he was on Twitter tweeting all day. He prioritized his paycheck, radio platform, employer relationship, and shared how he felt Twitter was becoming seen as a source for news despite being incorrect often. Mike felt there was a lot to lose and not much to gain.
Fast forward to today, and Mike does have an account, which he uses to promote his podcast for BetRivers. Never though do you see him on X getting into exchanges with people. He knows there is promotional value to gain from social media, which is especially helpful if you’re no longer on radio 5 days per week, but if ratings, downloads, and revenue can’t be proven to come from a platform, then how important and valuable is it?
If Dan Bernstein wasn’t on X, he wouldn’t have gotten into an exchange that embarrassed himself and The Score, and led to losing his job. Bernstein had performed well in his timeslot with multiple partners, and was a trusted name with listeners, advertisers, and local teams. Whether you liked him or didn’t, you knew he was a skilled host. To see that end after decades over a senseless exchange on X should have every talent reconsidering why they’re on social media. What are you sharing that’s essential? Why do you need to weigh in on everything you see on the platform when you have 3-4 hours per day to talk to an audience?
I’ve been a fan of social media for a long time. I think it has many positives, but if I’m a strong six figure earner for a high profile outlet with a ton to lose, I might consider signing off. The downside is higher than the upside. However, companies and brands have to support that too. Insisting they participate even if it affects their mental health, and leaves them susceptible to exchanges that can create problems isn’t smart.
Too many managers in recent years have pushed employees to be on social media without thinking of the consequences. Being accessible to an audience sounds great, but when high profile people are accessible anytime of the day by the entire world, they’re going to hear a lot of noise. Sometimes those tweets are designed to generate a negative reaction, and our industry’s most passionate people can’t always look away. We love and support them when it occurs on the air, but on social, if the world sees it, it often ends badly.
I am not excusing what Dan Bernstein did. He screwed up, and deserved to lose his job over this. I’m simply pointing out that sending fiery people into a public space, and expecting them to handle all situations smoothly isn’t wise. Why exactly does a high profile media professional NEED to be on social media? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Is it worth the risk to your business?
Most successful, high profile people handle conflict well on the air. But they offer their opinions and responses to issues in a controlled environment. On social, there are no guardrails. All it takes is catching a host on the wrong day at the wrong time with the wrong tweet, and the next thing you know, you’re doing damage control on behalf of the brand or having to part ways with an important employee.
Take a look around the sports radio business today. Two of the format’s most dominant shows are Felger and Mazz on 98.5 The Sports Hub, and The Mike Valenti Show with Rico on 97.1 The Ticket. Guess what they have in common besides featuring highly opinionated hosts? Mike Felger and Mike Valenti are not on X. They prioritize their shows, and save their responses and opinions for a controlled environment. Each is well respected and compensated, and has enjoyed a long relationship with their respective companies. They understand that there’s more to gain and lose on the radio than there is on X.
Dan Bernstein had a great situation in Chicago except he welcomed in the outside noise. Being accessible on social media rather than just between the hours of 10a-2p cost him everything. After dodging bullets in the past over prior issues on X, Bernstein should have realized he was a step away from losing it all. Had he pulled the plug on X or minimized his time and focus on the platform, he’d be hosting middays today on 670 The Score. Instead, he’s kicking himself for losing a great opportunity.
Maybe Mike Francesa was on the right track after all.
Audacy Leadership Changes
I try to to be fair when writing about media brands and people. Not everyone is going to like what I say all the time, friends included. It’d be much easier to blow kisses in everyone’s direction, but I’m not bought and paid for, and I don’t think you make an industry better by praising the good news, and ignoring the bad.
I’ve been critical of some decisions made by Audacy leadership before, so it’s only fair to provide credit when they do something well. Elevating Chris Oliviero to a larger role in the company is smart. Few people are more respected, liked, and appreciated for what they do than Chris. Given Audacy’s poor image in recent years, having someone out there who business people know, trust, like, and respect is important. I’m glad to see the company putting its trust in a proven performer.
Additionally, I’m glad to see Kelli Turner has been named the company’s permanent CEO. I don’t know Kelli but I think a clean slate is needed for Audacy. Some industry folks are concerned about Turner’s lack of radio experience, and though I’d love to hear that she lives and breathes the business, I don’t think that’s as important as understanding business, the industry, the people inside the company, repairing the company’s reputation, and creating a culture that makes people want to perform and improve results. Nobody cared if Steve Jobs had a passion for music or telephones when Apple created iPod’s and iPhone’s.
Will the exits of Susan Larkin, J.D. Crowley, Paul Suchman, and Andrew Sutor after the resignation of David Field turn out to hurt the company? Maybe, but you can’t fault new ownership for wanting to start fresh. Turner knows what the investors want, Oliviero knows what the people need, and Bob Phillips’ role is to help them become more profitable. I’m hoping all involved are able to make a positive difference to move the company forward.
Rest in Peace, Brian McKenna
St. Louis lost a good personality, but an even better human being over the weekend. Brian McKenna lost his life at the age of 61, being struck by a car while trying to cross the street at 1am CT. McKenna overcame cancer in recent years, and loved being a broadcaster, and helping his community. His passion to help people and local organizations is what made him truly special. A strong sense of humor and ability to deliver entertaining radio was a close second.
I worked with Brian from 2006-2008 at 590 The Fan, KFNS. From the second we met, we hit it off. He loved sports radio, wanted to be good at it, worked hard, and welcomed being coached. Regardless of what role he held, Brian poured his heart and soul into it. He was an easy guy to root for.
My favorite McKenna story dates back to when he and Joe DeNiro hosted mornings at KFNS. The show used Disturbed’s ‘Down With The Sickness’ as its theme, replaying at the top of each hour. I asked the guys to work in the line ‘thanks for being down with the sickness‘ when callers checked in, which would be followed by a drop of David Draiman’s ‘Oh-wah-ah-ah-ah‘. Soon enough, listeners would call in, say the line, and try to give their own renditions of the scream.
One day after his show, Brian asked if we could chat. He was concerned about the bit. When I asked why, he said it was getting out of hand. I was confused and asked for an example, to which he informed me that he was in a grocery store, when all of a sudden, a large woman started running down the aisle in his direction at full speed. She blurted out ‘Hey McKenna’, and when he turned around, she came within a few feet of him, belting out ‘Oh-wah-ah-ah-ah!’.
I started to laugh, he did too, and I asked ‘if the goal of a bit is to make sure it lands with the audience, isn’t that proof of it working?’ He then asked, ‘have you ever had a large woman run at you full speed in a grocery store and scream ‘Ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah!’ in your face? I replied, ‘I can’t say I have, but I didn’t sign up to be a host, you did.’ He digested the response, smiled, and said ‘fair point, let’s stick with it, but if next week I’m at the store and a little person runs in my direction and does the same thing, it’s got to go.’ We both laughed, and went about our day.
Heaven has no idea how many laughs its in for, and how many souls are going to be happier having Brian McKenna around.
Quick Hits
- More names will be announced soon for the 2025 BSM Summit. We’re up to 27 speakers already, and tickets and hotel rooms can be secured by clicking here. We’ll also announce our winners of our college contest in next Monday’s column. The deadline to apply for students is Friday March 28th.
- Speaking of announcements, next week’s column will have details of a few new additions to our music radio writing team. I’d also like to publicly thank the Bob & Tom Show and Rowdy Yates for signing on as new marketing partners of ours. Look for them in our newsletters starting in April.
- A great moment on Saturday night prior to the New York Rangers-Vancouver Canucks game. Longtime Rangers broadcaster Sam Rosen was honored, and gave a great speech. Rosen is retiring at the end of the season after 40-years with the franchise. This suggestion below by a fan and shared on social media by Howie Rose is something the team has to consider starting next year!
- Jeremy Boreing exiting as CEO of The Daily Wire is surprising. Ben Shapiro and Boreing founded the company in 2015 and were considered by many to be joined at the hip. The company parted with Candace Owens, ended its relationship with Westwood One, and spoke about being open to an acquisition offer from FOX. I’m curious to know why this decision was made now, and what the driving force was behind it.
- I loved seeing Robert Dawson of KOA in Denver highlight VCU student broadcasters Ben Rekosh and Marcus Leary. The two college students and roommates were in town working the NCAA Tournament for VCU.
- Nice job last week by 96.9 The Kat program director Ashley Wilson. Playing and promoting Eric Church’s new single ‘Hands of Time‘ on the air is one thing. Creating a nice image and promoting it across social media to drive tune ins is another. Sometimes the most simple and smart steps are the most effective. Well done.
- According to Edison Research‘s Infinite Dial study, YouTube has passed Spotify and Apple Podcasts as the most-used platform among those surveyed for podcast listening. What’s become crystal clear, podcasts are no longer just considered digital audio shows. They’re digital video shows too. Digest some of the key findings from the study here.
- A great moment captured on video and shared on social media by the New York Yankees. Backup catcher JC Escarra learned he had made the team in a private meeting with Aaron Boone. Just 3 years ago Escarra was driving for Uber. The Yankees recorded Escarra’s call home to his parents to let them know he was going to the show. Very cool behind the scenes digital content.
- Facebook has a new tool which allows you to preview songs from new albums. Though it’s cool, I still prefer going on YouTube to watch videos when listening to new songs. I listened last week to two new albums, one from Pop Evil and another from A Day to Remember. All My Friends by A Day to Remember, and Knife For The Butcher by Pop Evil were my favorites from the two records.
- If you missed CRS 2025, head to YouTube to watch the sessions and highlights. There were some valuable takeaways for radio professionals at the show.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
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.
