The annual BNM Summit is set to take place in New York next week. Nationally syndicated host Erick Erickson has been a fixture at each of the events.
There’s one simple fact that keeps Erickson coming back to the BNM Summit year after year.
“I actually think it’s really important to get like-minded people together in a room to discuss trends and what works and what doesn’t, and get the thoughts of people,” he shared. “It’s a great networking opportunity for people. In-person gatherings, I think — particularly as we’re all more and more isolated in the digital age — are actually something we should all prioritize.”
The Erick Erickson Show is nationally syndicated through Compass Media Networks. That puts him at a disadvantage to other hosts who are syndicated with companies like Westwood One or Premiere Networks, as their parent companies own hundreds of radio stations across the country.
And having the ability to learn about what is working at smaller stations and syndicators around the country is an appealing proposition to Erickson.
“How do you get and build credibility with the station owners who are used to going to Premiere and Westwood One? You think you got a great product, and you wanna be on the radar,” Erickson said of what he hopes to learn most at the 2025 edition of the BNM Summit.
He added that he’s looking forward to sharing ways that news/talk radio stations can evolve beyond simply reacting to whatever President Donald Trump-related items are in the news cycle on a given day.
“I feel very strongly that conservative talk is making a mistake by being tied so dominantly to Washington and Trump, because he’s got three more years,” admitted Erickson. “The world is going to go on. There’s a lot of stuff out there in the country happening. (I want to) see if I can persuade the people who may be conservatives on talk (radio), you don’t necessarily need to be non-stop Trump and Washington. We’re gonna bore a lot of people who might otherwise listen if we talk about other stuff, too.”
Erickson is a conference creator in his own right. The Gathering — which Erickson launched in 2009 — had nearly 1,000 attendees at its 2024 version. He shared that he enjoys the ability to both learn and share at the BNM Summit, while also getting ideas for his own conference aimed at conservative voters, politicians, and media members in advance of his latest event.
“I do like to see what other people are doing with their conferences, but also, I come in I think with way more sympathy and ‘How can I help you at your conference?’, he joked. “‘Cause I know what a pain in the butt they are to pull off.”
Tickets for the 2025 BNM Summit are on sale now. More information about speakers at the Summit is available here.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
