If you read Barrett Media regularly, you likely know that we produce a lot of original content. Over twenty people contribute here, and we’ve grown consistently since 2015 by offering consulting services, hosting conferences, and selling advertising on our website and newsletters. Since our arrival, I’ve tried to inform, celebrate, critique, challenge, and entertain media professionals. My expectation of our team is that they are accurate, actively promoting their content, responding in timely fashion to key stories, and focused on topics that matter so it results in our readers consuming the material.
When I launched this brand, I was told by many that it was a bad bet. The market for sports consulting was dwindling, interest in reading was declining, and generating business from the industry was a tall order. Those were valid warnings from friends. However, I trusted my gut, and listened to the James Earl Jones voice in my head, which said ‘if you build it, they will come‘. Nine and a half years later, we’re still here.
I’ve questioned the decision many times, especially during the pandemic. It’s not easy creating content for a niche audience, and attracting industry business, let alone getting people to read, share or retweet stories. Making it harder, I want to excel in every area that we cover. Sometimes though you have to walk before you can run. That said, I don’t do well with complacency, and if I sense we can get better, I take action.
As proud as I am of our growth, I’m always reviewing what is and isn’t working. I monitor our traffic, and study what the audience values most and least. I’ll also put surveys out to ask for input so we can make sure we’re meeting and exceeding our audience’s expectations. The quest to grow is never ending.
We started covering music radio in July 2024, and in less than a year, we’ve established a presence. Our features on people, the Top 20 series, our ratings section, and some breaking news stories have performed well. Columns though have been inconsistent. Music format professionals are still getting to know us, and we have a few things to tighten up. I’m determined though to make sure we become a daily destination for music radio pros.
On the news and sports media end, we do well. I’ll put our coverage of sports radio and news/talk radio up against any outlet on the internet. We kick ass in these two areas. But if I’m being honest, news and sports television are areas where we can be better. My editors hear it often, ‘how do we deliver an experience in those areas that rivals what we do for radio’? Interest in writing weekly columns from experienced TV professionals is less than what we receive from radio pros, but regardless, it’s my job to figure it out.
Social media meanwhile has lost its luster for publishers. Written content on X and Facebook gets reduced, making the need for others to share your content necessary. Video and conversation perform best, but if your core business is written content, what do you do? Throwing 25-50 posts on a platform that doesn’t want people to see it isn’t the answer. Neither is converting our operation to a video production, and prioritizing platforms where our audience isn’t at.
There are trade sites who haven’t posted on Facebook in 6 years, and national brands who post a few times per week on X including some who have left the platform completely. Though that feels wrong to me, I can’t say that it is. If they’re doing well in business, maybe social media isn’t vital for them. We are working on some video/audio content ideas, but I’m not sure yet if I want to dip my toe in or dive into the deep end. More needs to be studied before I make a decision.
Just because I see areas that we can improve in, doesn’t mean we can do it all. You need the right people, budget, support, promotion, and patience. The proper strategy, and knowing who you’re targeting, and why, is also critical. Growing brands requires constant adjustments, and to make sure we continue making progress, I’m tweaking our strategy, and adding some firepower to our music radio and news television coverage.
Starting with music radio, I’m excited to welcome Keith Cunningham, Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS as our Rock/Alternative Columnist. Jacobs Media consultant and former Emmis VP of Programming and Radio & Records Editor Mike Stern joins as our Classic Rock/Hits columnist. Former VP of Urban formats at Cumulus Media, and Director of Urban Programming for ABC Radio Networks Ken Johnson becomes our Urban/Hip-Hop Columnist. Lastly, former SiriusXM Director of Programming, and On-Air talent at Y100, Max 95.7, 102.9 WMGK, and currently with WAVV/WINK, and Free Country Chicago and Star 96.7, Jim Ryan hops on as our Hot AC Columnist, with an additional weekly feature, ‘Hits On Horizon‘.
Additionally, Jeff Lynn will shift his column’s focus to Country radio. Jeff will also continue featuring industry professionals and writing daily news. Kevin Robinson will prioritize Adult Contemporary, a lane he knows well, and Bob Lawrence will continue offering excellent perspectives on management and leadership. Charese Fruge will remain active telling stories about Rock/Alternative format professionals. I’m excited about the passion, knowledge, and industry experience these experts possess. I hope readers take advantage of reading their contributions.
Turning to news television, I’m excited to welcome Lauren Ashburn as a weekly news television columnist. Lauren has contributed to Fox News and The Daily Beast. She has also written for the Washington Post, Huffington Post, EWTN and the Wall Street Journal. Her 35-year career has included interviewing Presidents, reporting on-site in Iraq, and performing on camera and behind the scenes. We’re thrilled to add her to our team.
In addition, I’m pleased to welcome back an old friend. Jim Avila returns to Barrett Media as a weekly news television columnist. Jim wrote for us in 2023 before heading to San Diego to join KGTV as a Senior Team 10 Investigator. His storied career included working for ABC News as Senior White House Correspondent. He was also a correspondent for NBC news, and has reported on some of the biggest stories in the world including the O.J. Simpson murder, case, and the trials of Michael Jackson and Jerry Sandusky.
The additions to our team are bittersweet as they follow news of a few departures. I want to thank Krystina Alarcon Carroll for doing an outstanding job for us the past few years. Krystina is headed to Raw Story to serve as an editor. We wish her nothing but the best. I also want to thank Ron Harrell and Robby Bridges for their contributions. Both guys remain active in music radio, and are great people with a lot of knowledge and passion for the industry. Make sure to continue following them.
Lastly, Dave Greene is going to be leaving us at the end of April. We’ve had a great relationship, and have worked together for a while. With Dave’s workload increasing with Sports Hub STL, it’s time for him to focus on growing his company, and for us to find a writer with sports television experience. If you know the ins and outs of sports television and have an interest in writing about it, email me at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
Look for a bunch of new content to start hitting the website this week. As always, if you like what we’re doing or think something is missing, shoot me a note. I welcome the feedback and opportunity to serve our readers and partners.
2025 BSM Summit Ticket Winners
Our College Contest to win tickets to the 2025 BSM Summit in Chicago came to an end on Friday. I want to thank the professors who shared the news with their classes, and all of the students who submitted entries. Initially I planned to giveaway 5 tickets, but the response to the contest was strong. Knowing how valuable learning and networking is for younger folks, I’ve decided to give away a few extras. I look forward to seeing the winners below in person at the MCA on May 8-9, 2025.
- Caleb Evans – Northwestern University
- Rino Monteforte – Notre Dame University
- Audrey Flanagan – Notre Dame University
- Lauren Seib – Notre Dame University
- Jad Alhijazin – Chicago State University
- Charlotte Reis – Chicago State University
- Allison Bolden – Chicago State University
- Clarence Cooper – Chicago State University
Simultaneously, we ran a contest for advertising and media industry professionals. The following people have also earned free tickets to the 2025 BSM Summit presented by Point to Point Marketing.
- Pete Borchek – The Cellular Connection
- Scott McCarthy – Workhouse Media
- Garrett Chapman – 92.9 The Game
- Gail Sideman – G Publicity
- Bob Vilsoet – Accuvoice
- Kyle Smith – IFS
- Heath Cline – 680 The Fan
- Dean Lamb – Formerly of CDW
- Bob Snyder – Hometown Podcasts
- Rick Gubitz – Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance
Pat McAfee, LeBron James, and Stephen A. Smith
First, kudos to Pat McAfee and his team. Landing an hour long conversation with LeBron James doesn’t happen, and when the time is provided, you’ve got to maximize it. Without question, Pat hit a homerun. He was conversational, comfortable, prepared, and gave the audience a chance to see a side of LeBron James they don’t ever see. McAfee’s ability to guide conversations and get his guests talking openly is unmatched.
As I watched the entire discussion, I wondered ‘who’s more of the modern day Howard Stern, Joe Rogan or Pat McAfee?’. To his credit, LeBron knew how the show worked, what the audience valued, and spoke in a way that we’re not accustomed to hearing players of his stature speak. It was refreshing, compelling, and eye opening. The Lakers superstar also isn’t dumb, he knew going on ESPN with McAfee was the best way to create national attention, and get to Smith.
After James appeared on McAfee, Stephen A. Smith responded on his digital show, and the next day on First Take. If you searched Google Trends for the most searched items in America over the 48-hour period that followed, LeBron and Smith were in the top 10 in the sports category in many cities.
I know some media people don’t like these feuds. Some have even questioned if it’s real. Yet most can’t look away or stop talking about it. To think that First Take should focus on discussing NBA games, the NCAA Tournament, and MLB Opening Day over their top star being involved in a controversy with the most popular athlete on the planet shows a lack of understanding of how content works. To not lean into this would be a massive mistake for every single host, producer, and executive involved.
You don’t have to like it, but as I’ve said many times, people like to hear people talk with and about other people. That’s sports media in a nutshell. If you don’t think it’s important, powerful, and critical to success, just wait until the numbers come out for McAfee’s hour, and Smith’s next day on First Take.
Quick Hits:
- I will announce the 2025 recipient of the Jeff Smulyan Award tomorrow morning on the website. Our executive honor is presented annually at the BSM Summit. The ceremony takes place this year on Friday May 9, 2025 from 12pm-12:50pm.
- Derek Futterman‘s story on Tom Tolbert was excellent. Tom’s personality, sense of humor, and candor were a huge hit with KNBR listeners, and those qualities came through in this piece. When asked about the PD situation at KNBR a few months earlier, Tom said, “I think it was unfair of Cumulus to even ask him (Adam) to be the program director. He’s just getting his feet wet hosting a show, and it’s in a major market in prime time drive, and now you’re going to ask him to be the PD too? It’s hard for him to turn it down because it’s some extra cash, and he can do it. I thought it was unfair of them. Ultimately, he didn’t end up continuing on with it, and I think that’s probably for the best for both.”
- Have you heard of Last Take? It’s a comedy spoof on First Take, featuring comedians, Rashad Bashir, Idriss, and John Rickenbacker Jr.. The trio play the roles of Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, and Kendrick Perkins, and their Instagram is a must follow. Given the tension of the past week surrounding Stephen A. and LeBron, these guys lighten the mood. Very funny.
- Credit to Bobby Burack at Outkick. His interview with Michael Wilbon was fantastic. I especially enjoyed Mike’s reply when asked about accountability. He said, “Our business is a piece of shit a lot of days. There is nobody enforcing standards or having tough conversations. This is what happens when you no longer have functioning newsrooms, because everyone is working from hotel rooms, from their bedrooms, and maybe even from their beds. There are a bunch of 20-year-olds pitching stories, spending all day on social media and reinforcing each other’s bullshit. It’s 100% pandering, and I hate it.” Powerful stuff.
- Bloomberg reported a few weeks ago that Spotify‘s market cap is now $110 billion. That number is higher than Warner Music and Universal Music combined. As Spotify continues driving growth through content bundles, subscriptions, advertising, and strategically timed price hikes, I hope the radio/podcasting industry, and record labels remember they’re a serious threat, not just an app looking to promote your content.
- At the 2025 Morgan Stanley Tech, Media & Telecom Conference, Netflix CFO Spencer Neumann said the company plans to invest $18 billion dollars in content this year. That represents an 11% increase from 2024’s $16.2 billion. With Major League Baseball rights becoming available, and the UFC seeking a deal in excess of $1 billion per year, it seems like a safe bet that Netflix will be a key player.
- I watched Chris Haynes‘ video on Saturday morning. It is worth your time to watch, but be advised, it may make you angry. Thankfully, Chris and his daughter weren’t hurt, and the situation turned out ok. However, the laws in this country need to change. There is no reason a home owner should be at a disadvantage over a ‘squatter‘ who chooses to enter your place of residence, and live there until forced out by a court of law. How Chris handled the matter is exactly how I think most home owners would, myself included.
- Garrett Searight had a creative story this week on how News/Talk radio pros would’ve handled the situation if they were added to a group chat and exposed to sensitive information from white house officials. To keep it interesting, Garrett flipped the script, and asked how folks would’ve responded if the chain was from Team Biden rather than Team Trump. There were some excellent responses, but nobody said they’d save the big reveal for their show. If access to that information was available, I can’t believe nobody would use it, when it’s a given that they’d become the focus of the world’s conversation, likely boosting ratings, revenue, affiliate expansion, and additional media opportunities. Maybe there is more good in the world after all!
- It’s been 13 years since the All-American Rejects released an album. That’s finally changing. The band is releasing its first single, ‘Sandbox’ on April 24th. The new track is from the band’s forthcoming record. I’m looking forward to hearing it. Their last album, ‘Kids in the Street’ was excellent.
- Here are three new songs to be aware of. Nothing More‘s ‘Freefall‘ featuring Chris Daughtry is excellent. So too is Lakeview‘s cover of Hinder’s ‘Lips of an Angel‘. Tom MacDonald‘s ‘Can’t Cancel All of Us‘ is another song that will likely get played in the political sphere.
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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.
