The end of each year allows us an opportunity to relax, rewind, and reset. I value it because it affords me time to do things that are harder to tackle when I’m consulting clients and creating content. It also gives me a chance to clear my head, examine our company and our plans for the next 12 months, and step into the new year with renewed energy and focus.
But planning in business only works if what you’re counting on continues. If business grows or declines, you have to adjust. Partnerships and the people you work with change sometimes. Regardless of what happens around us, the brand has to move forward. Going backwards is not an option. Whether we’ve been a team of 1 or 24, I try to be transparent with our partners and audience. That continues today as I outline what lies ahead for Barrett Media in 2026.
Setting the Scene
Each December, I create three different plans for the year ahead. One shows how we will operate if we make heavier investments. The second shows how we’ll approach business if we stay flat. Option three details what has to change if reducing costs is required. After examining our revenue, partnerships, payroll, contracts, etc., we make a decision and do our best to support it.
We carry a lot of overhead for a brand our size covering a niche space. What we do is fun but we are still running a business that depends on being profitable. Like any business owner, I expect to grow. I review our content, traffic, newsletter statistics, social media analytics, advertising/consulting/affiliate partnerships, sales activity, and the individual performances of every writer. We can’t control market conditions or which industry changes provide high and low interest, but if our passion, effort, trust, and attention to detail are consistently strong, we’ll be just fine.
2025 Review
2025 can be summed up by one word, flat. For us, that was actually a positive. Consulting partnerships remained healthy, marketing partnerships were consistent, and our two Summit’s and the Barrett Bash hit all the right notes. Our web traffic was just 80K off our 2024 number despite three full-time editors/writers exiting. That’s a testament to the brand’s trust from the audience and John, Garrett and our crew doing a great job. Revenue and our newsletter database grew too, but so did our expenses. Being more prudent with our content expenses is a goal of mine for 2026.
Social media was a tale of two halves. January-July presented challenges due to lacking a point person, but August-December produced growth under Dylan Barrett. Early returns on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook were encouraging. Threads, Rumble and Bluesky were not. X remains important but the platform punishes publishers like us. LinkedIn is valuable for us in some ways, and less in others.
Digital Shows and Increased Video in 2026
We are launching two new digital shows in 2026. Others may follow later in the year. Stephanie, Dylan and I spent the past month building 4-5 studio sets in our home office. John, Garrett, Dylan and I have done a few tests, and have a few more to go. We plan to be more active on video in 2026. It will benefit industry professionals, our audience, and our advertising partners.
The 4Cast debuts the week of January 26-30. It will feature three members of the Barrett Media team and guests from inside the media industry. The goal is to tackle 4 issues per week in 20-25 minutes with each host leading different segments. The content will include a mix of sports, news, music and business.
The Jason Barrett Podcast is returning too. The first episode is planned for the week of February 9-13. Dylan Barrett, John Mamola and I are going to San Francisco for Super Bowl week to record episodes. We’ll also capture some Top 20 reactions on media row. If you’re making the trip, text me or email me at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
You will also see John Mamola, Garrett Searight and I appear for brief video commentaries on timely issues. We’re branding them as Quick Takes. There’s no set date for when they’ll start but keep your eyes open on social media.
YouTube will be our primary focus for our digital shows with audio versions available through Spotify, Apple, and the usual channels. The Barrett Media Minute and personality/executive clips will be pushed in 2026 too across our various platforms.
Top 20 Series Expansion
Our Top 20 series in sports, news and music radio is very popular. Decision makers take part in the voting process, which makes it matter more with folks who perform on-air. I’m excited to announce that the series will run in February 2026. Sports radio goes first February 2-6 and 9th. News/Talk is next, February 10-13 and 16-17. Music Radio takes us home February 18-20 and 23-27. Voters will be contacted in January regarding the voting process.
But that’s not all we’re doing with the Top 20 series in 2026. For the first-time ever, we’re spreading our wings to recognize other areas of the industry. We will run Top 20’s throughout the year recognizing top companies, executives, GM’s, agents, advertisers/agencies, record labels and much more.
The expansion starts with our first-ever Top 20 on Sports and News Television/Podcasting January 28-30. Voters will be contacted this week to take part in the process. When I write this column in January 2027, I’m confident the series will have produced larger attention than any other year.
Barrett Media Audio Summit
The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit in NYC is going to be a hit. The three day event takes place June 30-July 2, 2026. News Media is featured on 6/30, Sports Media on 7/1, and Music Radio on 7/2. Our new venue, the SVA Theatre is fantastic. Tightening the content for one-day for each format will bring more people in the room and make it more efficient and affordable for attendees. Ticket prices are also reduced to incentivize industry folks to attend.
We are thankful for Point to Point Marketing‘s support as our Presenting Sponsor of the three-day event. We’ve also received tremendous support from Premiere Networks, Core Image Studio, and MRN Radio. Businesses interested in sponsorship details can contact Stephanie at Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com.
For folks traveling to town, we’ll have details later this week or early next week regarding our hotel. Speakers will start getting announced in the next few weeks. I’ve received a ton of requests to speak and I appreciate the interest. As I’ve said before, we can’t accommodate everyone. I’m taking my time with the process because the goal is to deliver the best show and lineup possible. If you inquired about participating, I will follow up with you. Please just be patient.
Hiring
I’d like to add a FT Editor in early 2026. I’m just not sure yet if it will be a News Editor, Music Editor or FT Media News Writer. There are pros and cons to all three. Location, connections, writing style, passion for what we do, and ability to take direction are all vital. I can tell quickly who’s chasing a paycheck and who loves the business and covering it. If you enjoy writing, reporting, connecting, and being creative and busy, email Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
Adding PT support is not on my radar right now. We have a strong group of contributors. If the right Sports TV and/or Country Radio Columnist appeared we’d consider it. These aren’t roles for folks with minimal experience. We’re looking for a track record of industry success, and strong knowledge, connections, and opinions on the business. If you like our brand, fit the bill, and care to chat, email Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
Advertising Partnerships
A key goal of ours in 2026 is growing digital revenue. We do a lot well but have room for growth with direct and affiliate sales through our website, newsletters, and upcoming video/audio shows. Stephanie Eads and I juggle a ton, and there’s just too much to sell. We considered hiring a second seller but monetizing a brand like ours is different from traditional media advertising. Finding the right partner to sell our inventory across all digital spaces and syndicate our content online is a priority.
Brands with similar content and traffic, and less influential audience, generate higher revenues. Some of that is due to running more ads. I don’t care if we make more or less than others but I do want to make the most of our own opportunities. I’m not sure if we are.
We have a great partnership with Snack Media for our website’s affiliate marketing sales. Stephanie and I handle all of the direct business on the website, newsletters, conferences, and forthcoming digital shows. Having a partner who can sell across all areas is ideal. We’re going to review the options and see what makes the most sense to grow in 2026.
We’ll start taking conversations in January. The goal is to have a resolution in place by the end of Q1. Those capable of helping can inquire at Jason@BarrettMedia.com and Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com.
Feedback
Barrett Media has grown the past decade because of a strong bond with our audience and partners. If we’re doing things that you’d like to see more or less of, please let us know. We also accept guest submissions from professionals. If you work in the media business and have something of value to add, reach out to discuss.
I say this each year and I’m not sure if it’s received by those it’s intended for, but many companies across the media industry overvalue marketing externally and undervalue marketing internally. We can deliver your next executive, employee, advertising deal, expand your distribution, and improve your perception. Most of the groups who partner with us do so for years because we help grow their businesses. We can do the same for you. Maybe it’s time we set up a call to explore the possibilities.
Here’s to hoping everyone enjoys a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
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.
