SiriusXM locked up Megyn Kelly to a contract extension this week. Between her on-air chops, strong opinions, impressive guest list, and digital presence, SiriusXM wisely decided not just to extend her show but, as Barrett Media reported this week, to build her brand.
As part of her contract extension, Megyn Kelly will get her own branded channel, taking over the Triumph Channel 111 brand, where her current show is already heard. Kelly’s expansion follows news revealed earlier this year that she would launch her own podcast network, featuring Mark Halperin, Link Lauren, and Maureen Callahan with new shows.
While SiriusXM has a long history of branding channels around personalities — Howard Stern being the most obvious example, with Mad Dog Sports Radio also coming to mind — their timing and decision now make incredible sense.
In a fragmented media world, one trend that continues to emerge is consumers’ increasing loyalty to specific personalities as brands, rather than to the platforms that distribute their shows. While there are exceptions, there’s no doubt the trend is moving away from institutional brands that once carried weight (think specific TV networks, radio stations, or newspapers) and toward the personalities themselves.
As the barrier to entry for distribution becomes lower than ever, and as gatekeepers no longer wield the influence they once did, we continue to curate a world where the personality may be bigger than the brand.
So, for SiriusXM to brand an entire channel around Megyn Kelly rather than the currently named “Triumph Channel” is a smart business move. “Triumph Channel” doesn’t mean much to most people, but branding the channel — and, by extension, the other shows — around its biggest star does. It also creates a natural opportunity for cross-promotion across the entire network.
Loyal Megyn Kelly fans may feel obligated to their favorite personality to consume the other shows tied directly to her name. Granted, those shows will have to stand on their own merits over time, but this approach gives the channel a communal, team-driven feel that it wouldn’t otherwise have without Megyn Kelly’s branding.
I’ve often wondered if local radio or television could adopt this model. I don’t see radio stations with legacy call letters rebranding anytime soon. But it’s fair to ask: do radio station call letters mean anything to anyone under the age of 45 anymore? While we need them for legal IDs, do we need names like Q97? Unless it’s a heritage brand, is that the best way to identify a station? And how many country music stations around the country are called “The Wolf”?
In some markets, it truly matters, and no one wants to squander years or decades of brand equity. But given the overall trends the industry is experiencing, thinking outside the box isn’t a bad thing right now.
Is there a rock-star personality with years of runway — like Megyn Kelly — that a local programmer could exclusively brand a station around? There’s always the risk that “the brand” leaves and you’re back to square one. But I’m pretty sure “The Wolf” or “The Bull” will still be available. This hypothetical probably doesn’t work at most stations, but with the future success of radio being driven by strong and relatable personalities rather than playlists, it seems like a reasonable conversation to have.
As Megyn Kelly said in her statement this week, “I’m thrilled to deliver our bold brand of no-BS news live on SiriusXM and to be expanding my relationship with such a stellar, blue-chip brand and great partner. Soon our listeners will have the Megyn Kelly Channel to enjoy and trust for the conversations and content they love.”
That builds brand loyalty far beyond a simple “Thank you to SiriusXM for extending my show.” It gets her diehard audience fired up to consume more of her content — and more of her channel’s content. And it just might be the kind of bold play that could work on a more local level.
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Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the Vice President of News/Talk for Cumulus Media, while also hosting “Mundo in the Morning” and programming KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on X @PeteMundo.
