Toast to 10: Connecting Across Music Radio

The Toast to 10 series presented by Premiere Networks, is a month-long series looking back on 10 years of Barrett Media. Throughout the month, you’ll hear from those who’ve shaped the company, managed and created the content, read the site, and partnered with the brand between 2015-2025 to share how they’ve seen it play a role in covering the media industry and educating, celebrating, and challenging the business.

Barrett Media’s connection across sports and news media is well documented. It’s been the core focus of our brand’s coverage for the past decade. Music radio meanwhile is a new space we’ve been writing about since July 2024. Despite only 15-months of activity, pros across all formats have started paying attention. From 20 Brands in 20 Days to our Top 20 in Music Radio, and numerous conversations with talent, programmers, and executives, Barrett Media has prioritized storytelling over simply sharing the news of the day.

The increased attention we’ve placed on music radio news, insights, and opinions has opened new doors, attracting new fans. We took the plunge into music radio coverage in July 2024, which was years ahead of what I had planned. I saw a large part of the radio industry searching for more after AllAccess exited in late 2023, and felt it was important to change our timeline. I knew it wouldn’t be perfect but the timing was right.

Savannah Bananas CEO Jesse Cole talks often about the launch of his team. They only sold a handful of tickets, weren’t ready to play Banana Ball, or take their show on the road. Now, they sell out NFL stadiums and have interest from every sports television network. As Cole says, you have to get through the messy to get to the great! The only way to do it is to just go out and do it. So that’s what we’ve done.

Readers of this series have learned how sports radio, sports television, news media and marketing partners view us. Now, it’s time to hear what music radio professionals think. I reached out to 8 talented pros to hear what they enjoy. How did they learn about us? What would they like to see improved? Are we making music radio feel as important as sports and news media coverage? Here is the feedback they provided.

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Rizzuto, 105.7 The Point

The Rizzuto Show has been a fixture in mornings on 105.7 The Point since 2014. Offering a blend of personal stories, listener interactions, and good ole fashioned ball busting, the program led by Rizzuto, features Moon Valjean, King Scott, Rafe Williams, and Lern. It is consistently among the top rated shows in St. Louis, MO.

Rizzuto is a regular reader of Barrett Media. He became familiar with the brand a few years ago when our newsletters started appearing in his inbox. The mixture of news and expertise has played a part in earning his attention. “Jason and his crew seem to be on it. It’s reliable and a great read while sitting on the “throne,” shared Rizzuto.

When asked what he values most and feels we can do better, he pulled no punches. “Honestly, Barrett is finally treating music radio like it matters. It’s giving the same deep dive it delivers for sports talk. It is talking about the real people on the air and the programmers making the calls, which is about damn time. Give us more stuff we can actually use to not suck at our jobs.”

Looking ahead, The Point’s leader of organized chaos sees BM’s coverage becoming more well rounded. “I see it moving from a “sports site that also covers music” to becoming the actual go-to for all radio pros. It needs to be the place that creates the “Top 20s” and starts the arguments that matter in our world. There will be way more interest in the future, but only if Barrett gives them stuff that helps them keep their jobs or get better ones. If you create the lists that everyone talks about and give real advice, people will have no choice but to read it every single day.”

Dave Bethell, TM Studios

The co-owner of TM Studios, Dave Bethell, is a longtime supporter and believer in the radio industry. Known for its best-in-class jingles, music and production services, TM Studios has helped countless brands elevate their sound. Dave’s relationships across the industry and his presence at key industry events alongside co-owner Greg Clancy, keep TM Studios in front of the industry’s best and brightest, and plugged in to what stations need to stand out amongst a crowded field.

Dave’s familiarity with Barrett Media extends to the outlet’s early days covering sports media. However, interest increased when AllAccess shut down and BM began covering music radio. By offering simple, digestible daily radio updates, and breaking news, Bethell now reads Barrett Media’s content regularly.

As far as what he’d like to see continue? Dave says it’s a mixed but important bag. “I’d like to see Barrett Media continue to remain “impartial” and on the side of radio. Call out bad practices across our industry. Be the voice for the voiceless. Address and bring awareness to difficult and challenging subjects. Be uplifting and shine a spotlight on the good in our industry, empowering and rewarding tomorrow’s rising stars and industry legends for their hard graft.”

Maynard, iHeartMedia

After years of knowing of each other through mutual connections and social media, I finally met Maynard at Radio MSBC 37. Our mutual connections and shared passion for radio ignited our initial conversation. iHeartMedia‘s EVP Programming Strategy learned about us through industry friends who previously worked for me. Our Top 20 in Music Radio series though changed his interest in the brand’s content.

“When Barrett launched the Top Programmers/Talent in America campaign, I got sucked in”, Maynard said. “The instant brand awareness and buzz it generated was a masterclass in strategy and execution. Being added to the distribution list didn’t hurt either.”

Knowing how programming executives are always trying to make products better, I asked him what he felt was working. His answer certainly didn’t disappoint.

“What I enjoy most is how dynamic the brand is. It’s not just radio—it’s editorial, reporting, keynote interviews (both large and small), and issue-driven content that opens my mind to other perspectives. You can tell this came from a news/sports team: they create FOMO, strong teases, and headlines that pull you in,” explained Maynard. “From “How Radio Can Better Address September 11th” to Erin Andrews offering tips on handling criticism, to “5 Easy-to-Execute Radio Ideas for Classic Rock” to “What Music Radio Can Learn from the NFL’s Winning Playbook,” it feels like the Barrett team is always identifying challenges we face and asking themselves, “What can we learn from this?”. They then seek out unique voices to speak to them.”

Karson Tager, Mix 104.1

Being voted the #1 AC Radio Show by industry executives likely didn’t hurt us with Karson Tager. Recognition aside, he’s followed the brand for years. “My 14 year old son’s name is Barrett so my first thought on seeing your content was to sue for copyright infringement. As a lifelong radio nerd, it was the Top 20 Sports Shows lists that initially caught my attention,” said Karson.

Having witnessed how we’ve covered other formats, I asked Karson what he feels we do well. I also wanted to know what he feels we can get better at. He said, “All Access was a landing spot for me every day during my radio career. I believe Barrett is well on its way to filling that void. Focusing on the talent and their careers is interesting but I’d like to see more on the content creation processes.”

To make sure we are meeting the needs of industry professionals, Tager believes evolution will be necessary. “How radio pros respond in the future will depend on what you stand for” explained Karson. “Breaking news, community, humor, and authentic writing should produce more interest, especially if you’re innovative with your features. Much like our show, I see Barrett evolving through personalities and strategy.”

Tim Roberts, Audacy

Tim Roberts is one of the sharpest programming minds in radio today. He has been with Audacy for nearly 20 years, and currently guides 99.5 WYCD and WOMC in Detroit, in addition to overseeing other brands, and helping programmers across the company. We met for the first time at CRS in February. He has always been helpful whenever I’ve asked for insight on how we can better serve music radio professionals.

Tim told me he’s known about us since the beginning. He’s a fan of the additional focus on music radio. With Audacy Detroit featuring news and sports stations in addition to music, he has kept an eye out to make sure he’s well versed on what’s happening across all formats.

“Barrett gets unique, in depth stories that nobody else does. There’s real reporting. I also love that recognition is given to people in the industry that no one else is talking about,” Roberts told me when asked what it is he feels the brand does well. Not wanting to only hear the good, though I asked Tim where we can improve. He added, “I see podcasting, and influencers as the next developing area of interest. I’m sure that content will come into play more and more for Barrett Media.”

Rowdy Yates, SuiteRadio

Rowdy Yates is a Country Radio Hall of Famer. He is someone we’ve had the privilege of working with during the past few months. His radio journey started when he was 17 years old, following in his father’s footsteps, a former newsman for a country station and a regular fill-in for Paul Harvey in the 80s and 90s. Rowdy hosts “The Original Country Gold with Rowdy Yates,” which runs on nearly 180 affiliates. He also delivers “The Rowdy Ride Home”, “Ridin’ With Rowdy” and “Rowdy on the Rise” through SuiteRadio.

I was curious to learn if he became familiar with us at CRS or prior to that. He told me, “We really started paying attention after Barrett branched out beyond sports, news and talk radio. When AllAccess went away, the industry lost a vital resource. Barrett was clearly on its way, but adding the music components, and branching out to cover a multitude of formats and personalities is what fetched most of the eyeballs in our office.”

Connecting with pros like Rowdy is high atop our priority list. We want to build deeper connections with music radio pros just as we have with sports and news/talk folks. Rowdy feels we’re on the right track.

“Barrett has stepped up to help our team of music programmers with another resource to make sure we do not miss out on what is on the way up, and on the way out,” explained Rowdy. “It is a *one stop shop* for people like me, which allows me to be a better informed programmer and manager simply because of my daily visits to the website. If readers are not going beyond the daily e-blasts, they are shorting themselves on all of the dynamite industry content you guys put out. I would like to see more spotlighting of younger talent that went down this career path, especially ones that stand out and are making an impact. I worry that radio is not SEXY anymore. These young stand-outs can help us.”

To make sure we’re on the right track moving forward, Rowdy says “I’d super-serve what readers love and cut back or cut off what they don’t. Please do not mistake that answer as a suggestion that you stop taking chances, and reduce the risk of trying something new. But if they don’t like it, punt it like a stiff record. Also, it’d be nice to see you give some guest-writers a shot to contribute-if you deem their stuff worthy. Hell, I’d love to contribute.”

Something tells me you may see a future submission on this site from Rowdy Yates!

Corey Dylan, Z90.3

Corey Dylan joined Z90.3 in San Diego in February 2025. Her presence in music radio spans more than 25 years. She hosts IN With Corey Dylan and is obsessed with social media. Corey loves it so much, she has started Social Media Smart, offering advice and information to help creators maximize impact.

I met Corey at Radio MSBC in August, but we connected prior to that via email. She’s smart, passionate about the industry, and a fan of the brand. She told me, “When AllAccess.com ceased operations, many in our industry sought a go-to resource for job postings and stories about what’s driving our profession. Colleagues started recommending Barrett Media in Facebook groups and it piqued my interest. What Barrett has built in 10 years is impressive and growing, especially during a time when much of the industry seems to be contracting.”

When asked what she values most and least, Corey shared, “Having a website that’s offering relatable content for whatever media format you’re currently working in is helpful, insightful, and critically needed. I realize there’s the general “Radio” section, but someone in News/Talk may not want to filter through music format news to find a story they care about and vice versa. It may be helpful to make finding radio content that’s important to you easier to find.”

Corey told me at MSBC that she believes Social Media is its own form of media and needs more attention. She may be right about that. Looking down the road, she said, “A radio executive recently told me that radio will likely be entirely digital in the next 10 years. A veteran programmer shared that they think the future for talent lies in being a sole proprietor or contractor of their services across different markets or companies. Radio pros are more in charge of their future in this business than ever before but perhaps not ready for the changes that are coming. Social Media has been democratized thanks to TikTok but if you’re producing good content, people will notice you.”

Tommy Chuck, iHeartMedia

As a former programmer myself, I’m always looking to help those responsible for growing audience and revenue. Managing today is more complex than ever, yet Tommy Chuck finds a way to excel at it in Tampa. He acknowledged that his eyes were opened to Barrett Media through our sports editor John Mamola. John previously programmed WDAE and WFLA in Tampa for iHeart, reporting to Tommy.

When asked what he enjoys most, Tommy said, “I enjoy the thought provoking articles about Nielsen data/research and commentary. The featured interviews with Programmers from around the country is always insightful, like the one this week featuring Jon Zellner. Since All Access went away, I believe there’s been a real void for radio industry coverage that Barrett is helping to fill.

As far as future growth is concerned, Tommy added, “There are so many PDs and record industry pros on the beach right now. There is tons of talent out there available to contribute.” That suggestion is duly noted and greatly appreciated.

Closing

Becoming more valuable to media industry professionals and aspiring broadcasters is what drives us. Knowing some of our content is connecting with music radio professionals is rewarding. That said, we have a LOT more work to do to earn consistent loyalty, trust, and readership from music radio pros. The interest and commitment is there on our end. Similar to building a great radio or TV brand though, you have to walk before you run.

We’ve earned trust from sports media folks by delivering 10-years of stellar content. News media has had 5 years of it. Music is less than 18-months old. We will get there, due in large part to great feedback from folks included in this story. My passion for covering music radio is as strong as it was when we launched in July 2024. However, I know that you can’t change habits overnight. We also have to evaluate which types of content perform best. If the audience seeks more stories on music, artists, labels, charts, tours, etc., it’s on us to adjust.

One thing I’m excited to see is record label reps taking more interest in our content, especially the Top 20 series (it will return in 2026). Expanding those relationships, furthering business, and producing compelling content to benefit artists, labels, and music radio talent and programmers remains an area of interest. Doing that right requires the right vision, staff, passion, and content. Location matters too. I’m hoping to add a new Country Radio Columnist, and an additional features writer. I’d also like to add a presence in the future in New York City, Nashville, and Los Angeles.

I want to thank everyone in music radio who has read our work, especially those who shared feedback for this column. If you work in music radio or at a label and have input you’d like to pass along or if you have a pitch or interest in writing a future guest column, I’m reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com. Thank you for continuing to support Barrett Media.

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.