If you’ve been checking out the Barrett Media 4-Cast over the past three months, you understand my stance on radio brands utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). It’s another tool in the tool bag, no different than a prep service. The difference is that it has nearly limitless possibilities and continues to expand what AI can do to assist radio brands in providing content.
From time to time, however, radio forgets the words of everyone’s favorite Uncle Ben. “With great power comes great responsibility.”
Mistakes happen; no radio brand is perfect. But every mistake should serve as a lesson on how to improve. Lord knows I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my media career, and I’ve attempted to be better the next day because of them. However, is a mistake worthy of a life sentence of ridicule if a radio brand gets “caught” using AI? Also, is it even fair to use the word “caught” anymore when it comes to media and AI?
I’ve made no secret of my use of AI while programming a sports radio brand in Tampa, FL. When I needed different angles for writing promos, AI was there to help. When identifying keywords for search optimization on articles where we posted podcasts, AI assisted. Even when reworking a social media post to gain more traction in the algorithm, AI provided value.
Any programmer or talent not thinking about how to use AI to benefit the brand they represent is holding themselves back while the rest of the world continues to sprint ahead.
When KNBR host Adam Copeland “caught” cross-town rival 95.7 The Game and their “fourth period” post on Facebook (which has been deleted), I didn’t laugh. In fact, it was a positive. A sign that a sports radio brand attempted to use AI to benefit the overall product.
AI isn’t perfect, and a mistake was made. That’s where the lesson comes into play.
From the first day I sat at the controls of a soundboard to my last day as a programmer with iHeartMedia. There was one principle I understood: content doesn’t reach the audience unless you allow it to. Talent is the starting point—the voice that delivers. Digital teams and producers are the last line of defense. They decide if the content is fully meets audience expectations.
Herm Edwards once proclaimed, “Think before hitting send.” Again, AI isn’t perfect, and mistakes happen when you don’t double-check the output of the tool you’re using.
AI in radio is becoming increasingly common. When it comes to social media, radio brands need different strategies for different platforms. Too many radio brands still keep their digital presentation uniform and assume that simply posting the same content in the same manner is enough to drive engagement.
That’s not a strategy; it’s lazy.
If you scroll through 95.7 The Game’s Facebook page, you’ll notice major differences in captions between shows and live events. That’s strategy—not a flaw.
Videos from live events feature simple, straightforward, one-sentence captions that allow the visuals to tell the story. From pregame walks around Oracle Park to postgame interviews with the Golden State Warriors, the approach is clean, simple, and direct. These clips consistently generate high engagement because they provide an IRL (in-real-life) perspective fans enjoy.
Meanwhile, show clips produced as reels from Steiny & Guru and Willard & Dibs include the show’s name in the caption, whereas The Morning Roast does not (at least till Friday morning following the “catch”). Instead, The Morning Roast reels include more detailed written context, often revealing the subject matter and takes before the viewer even presses play.
From the Facebook page alone, it’s clear there are different tools and approaches being used to maximize success. Even before Copeland “caught” The Game, clips from The Morning Roast featured different captions across platforms.
That’s strategy.
Different social platforms attract different audiences with unique preferences and habits. That requires radio stations to adopt platform-specific strategies. Using AI to assist in that strategy isn’t negative; it’s experimentation in the name of progress.
Sure, sports fans know there aren’t four periods in a hockey game. Rival stations and talent are always looking for opportunities to take shots at the competition and highlight a “fail” to gain social clout. But does that mean KNBR isn’t using AI in some capacity to enhance its product? If not, how long until it does?
Radio utilizing AI isn’t a negative, but it must understand that AI isn’t human. The tool is widely available, but it comes with flaws. The time saved by using AI should always be reinvested into ensuring the final product meets expectations.
That’s where this mistake becomes a learning opportunity as brands continue to adapt.
At some point, the radio industry has to decide what it wants the story to be. Is it that radio got something wrong on a Facebook post? Or is it that radio is finally embracing tools that can help it evolve in a media landscape that isn’t slowing down?
Because the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
AI isn’t the enemy, but it isn’t the savior either. It’s simply the latest extension of what radio has always done best—adapt. The brands that win won’t be the ones that avoid AI out of fear of being “caught.” They’ll be the ones that use it, refine it, challenge it, and, most importantly, take responsibility for it.
That’s the part that can’t be automated. Judgment. Accountability. Understanding your audience. Knowing when something is ready—and when it’s not.
Those are still human traits. They always will be.
So if there’s a lesson in all of this, it’s not about avoiding mistakes. It’s about owning the process. Use the tools. Push the boundaries. Try different strategies across platforms. But never forget that the final call still belongs to you.
To error is human. The fail is never evolving.
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.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
