The Toast to 10 series, presented by Premiere Networks, is a month-long look back at 10 years of Barrett Media. Throughout the month, you’ll hear from those who have shaped the company, managed and created content, read the site, and partnered with the brand between 2015 and 2025, sharing how they’ve seen it play a role in covering the media industry and educating, celebrating, and challenging the business.
Ten years ago, Barrett Media launched with a simple but ambitious goal: to cover the media industry with the same level of scrutiny, analysis, and passion that those industries devote to the teams and stories they broadcast.
A decade later, the brand has grown into one of the most respected voices in the media research world, offering insight that connects decision-makers, talent, and audiences in ways few outlets can replicate.
Executives, hosts, and programmers alike have come to rely on the site as a pulse check on where the industry is heading, whether that’s the challenges of digital transformation, the evolution of audience behavior, or the future of music, talk, and sports radio in a streaming-first world.
We spoke with several of the most prominent media research leaders and firms to gauge how they’ve benefited from coverage on Barrett Media, what they enjoy about the coverage, and how important it is for a publication to be in the media research lane.
Steve Newberry serves as the CEO of Quu. He said he learned of Barrett Media by happenstance while he was still working at the National Association of Broadcasters.
“I can’t remember the exact date, but I can remember the ‘how,'” he shared. ” I was still working at NAB, and I was having lunch with a colleague who referenced an article they had read that morning. They kept mentioning things like, ‘I read it in Barrett today’ and ‘the Barrett article said.’ I finally stopped them and asked, ‘Where do you read that?’ That was the first time I was really aware of the site and it became a part of my daily routine.”
Newberry said he and Quu have benefitted from the “business focus, the easy absorption, and the perspective Jason (Barrett) and his team bring to an industry they clearly love.”
He added that he believes a brand covering the business and research aspects of the media industry plays a paramount role in an ever-changing field.
“Legacy media is in a constant state of change, yet many times the forces of change are more external than internal,” Newberry said. “Most of us love the old business model of radio and TV – it is what we were drawn to. But that world is changing, and having a brand that covers the external and internal trends that are impacting us is vital.”
Fred Jacobs serves as the President of Jacobs Media, the group he founded in 1983. In 2018, Fred became the first consultant ever elected to the Radio Hall of Fame.
Jacobs joked that when he heard of Jason Barrett’s plans to start another industry trade publication, he “likely blurted out the question of whether the industry needed another trade.”
He admits he might have been shortsighted.
“In retrospect, Jason was thinking more expansively that me, and looking back on it, that was smart on his part,” Jacobs said.
He said there are two things he enjoys most about the brand, since it’s inception in September 2015.
“First, I enjoy two things – the broad coverage of ‘the media’ – and not just radio. These are turbulent times, and I credit Barrett Media with having ‘the stones’ to discuss all the pertinent issues, and not just the layups,” Jacobs said. “And I also enjoy the various columnists, many of whom I know and have worked with. I find it interesting to check out their writing styles, and what they prioritize to talk about. And I’ve gotten to know other columnists, and learning what they’re about. It’s a big group, but it requires boots on the ground to cover so many topics.
“And then there are your conferences,” he continued. “I’ve attended/presented at two of them, and they are quality events. Stephanie (Eads) is especially impressive. But everything about them is buttoned up and organized. As a speaker, this is appreciated (because they all don’t run smoothly).”
Jacobs concluded by noting that he views a brand discussing and highlighting the major challenges, wins, and advancements of the media industry as an important aspect of Barrett Media’s coverage.
“It is what powers the industry. As our zealous programmers had to learn at one point or another, painfully or otherwise, none of the content we create (formats, podcasts, apps, newsletters, etc.) or the brands we build mean squat if they aren’t being adequately monetized,” said Jacobs. “Whether you agree or disagree with how the industry is evolving (or ‘devolving’), understanding the business side is often the main story anyway.”
Warren Kurtzman is the President of Coleman Insights, a position he’s held since 2008. He previously served as the Vice President of the media research firm since joining in 1995.
He said he’s been familiar with the brand since the beginning.
“I first got to know Jason because we shared some clients that he was consulting, and we were doing research for,” said Kurtzman. “That goes back before Barrett Media, itself, I think, became a separate entity or its own entity. When Jason started doing the sports newsletters and then the news newsletters, and now, of course, covering all of radio and audio, I feel like I’ve known about it and been familiar with it really right from the beginning.”
Kurtzman says he’s been drawn to the brand by its strategy.
“I admire the approach that I feel you are trying to take with the business, which is building partnerships, both between you and companies like mine,” he shared. “And also between various companies that are part of the Barrett ecosystem, for lack of a better term. So I like the approach that you’re taking.”
He added that he appreciates the “tell-it-like-it-is” mantra of the brand’s tone, especially in today’s media sphere.
“Given the challenging times for radio, specifically, I think any entity that serves kind of as an advocacy and pro-radio role is a good thing and is badly needed,” he said. “And I think if you put all the collective intelligence of a lot of different companies together, we’ll stand a better chance of figuring out the best possible outcome for the industry in the long run.”
He said his relationship with Barrett Media has been a beneficial one to Coleman Insights, as well.
“I certainly have benefited from participating in some of Barrett’s events that bring people together,” he shared. “I spoke at the sports conference in LA a couple of years ago, and I thought that was valuable for my company, because what we do is much more widespread on the music side of the radio industry, and I think it opened some people’s eyes to the value of research in the sports area.
“I attended the 10th Anniversary in New York a couple of weeks ago, and that was just a great way to connect with some clients that we share and some people who I’d like to do business with. That networking with other people and businesses in the industry has probably been the most valuable thing for us.”
Amplifi Media founder Steven Goldstein says he’s followed the brand since Jason Barrett “told me he was going to launch a newsroom.”
Goldstein, who works as a professor at NYU in addition to his work with Amplifi Media, writes his own blog about “issues regarding on-demand audio and video.”
He’s served as an expert in several Barrett Media features over the years, as well as spoken at Barrett Media Summit events, too.
He said that he enjoys the “in-depth stories about radio and podcasting” shared by Barrett Media, which he labeled as the most impactful portion of the brand’s mission.
Glenda Bos, the founder of Crowd React Media and Managing Partner at Harker Bos Group, said that the original, sports-focused approach of Barrett Media is what initially drew her to the brand.
“We’ve worked with sports stations and ESPN, and followed the publications that covered that world,” said Bos. “Barrett Media felt like the first outlet that was truly dedicated to sports.”
She said the content reminds her of what Radio & Records used to be in its heyday, calling it “fresh and accessible.”
Bos, like others, believes that a publication covering the daily ins and outs of the media industry, especially one that will focus on emerging trends, technologies, and research, is imperative.
“Understanding the business side is essential. We need to know how management is thinking, where budgets are headed, and what priorities are shaping decisions. Barrett Media gives us that window,” she said, before adding, “And on a personal note, Stephanie has been such a treasure to work with. She’s always quick to help us with contacts or whatever we might need.”
Bos added that there are plenty of things other formats could learn from the news/talk and sports talk radio genres.
“Sports and news/talk have always been some of the most adaptable formats. They move seamlessly from issue to issue and topic to topic, which is why they’ve been able to thrive on social media and across new platforms,” she said. “There’s a lot that other formats can learn from them.”
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.
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.
