Every day, businesses across the country are finding new avenues to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) in their day-to-day operations. Some have been open about using these platforms and showcasing their results, while others stay in the wilderness, hiding their use from public view. I’ve been a very vocal supporter of utilizing AI as a tool in sports radio. Not as a replacement, but as a vessel for a different spin or approach to a regular task.
The NFL hasn’t been shy this offseason about its use of AI. Just this past Super Bowl, the league celebrated its partnership with Microsoft. Using premium ad time, the league showcased the Tampa Bay Buccaneers utilizing AI to narrow down linebacker prospects. Last week, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch admitted his staff is using AI, stating that if teams aren’t leveraging it, they’re already behind.
There are nearly endless possibilities for how AI can be used in sports media, but Lynch’s comments and the Super Bowl advertisement sparked a new idea. While NFL teams are using the technology to determine which prospects best fit their winning formula, should sports media do the same?
As a former program director, I’ve made some great hires during my tenure. I’ve also made some terrible personnel decisions that still get a chuckle from former teammates. Still, I’ll stand behind my “batting average” when it comes to finding the right people to join my programming teams.
Now that AI is becoming part of everyday life, should hiring managers use the technology to determine who would be the best fit for their openings?
It depends on what matters most to you.
Metrics That Matter
In sports media, there is no 40-time, long jump, or measurable metric based on routes run over a college career. Instead, we evaluate service time, accolades, skill sets, and reference points. Most resumes today are likely generated with some level of AI, designed to hit specific keywords tied to job postings.
Most companies already use AI to filter candidates, identifying the strongest and weakest prospects based on the job criteria.
So, if AI is being used on the front end for resume creation and on the back end for resume filtration, why aren’t more managers using it to identify prospects?
What if the middle of the process is where AI actually delivers the most value?
Instead of simply scanning resumes or flagging keyword matches, hiring managers could use AI to evaluate the work—the part that actually matters in sports media. Airchecks, podcast clips, writing samples, and social posts are the modern equivalent of game film.
Just like a front office breaking down tape, AI can help identify patterns that are easy to miss when reviewing a large pool of candidates. This is especially valuable in the age of short-form video, where many managers still hire based on traditional formats and techniques.
AI can analyze engagement, reach, and overall digital impact across platforms. It can tell the story of a candidate beyond a traditional resume or attached .mp3 file or sizzle reel.
Working Smarter
Think about how often hiring decisions come down to time.
You may have a dozen candidates—or more—and only a few hours to evaluate them while balancing everything else in your day. AI can quickly surface trends: who consistently delivers strong segment openings, who builds compelling arguments, and who relies too heavily on clichés.
It’s not making the decision for you, but it provides a sharper lens before you begin narrowing the field.
It also creates a level of consistency that hiring in our business has rarely had. One hiring manager may value energy over structure, while another prioritizes storytelling over pace. AI can help standardize part of that evaluation, giving leadership teams a shared baseline before subjective debates begin.
Then there’s the part nobody likes to admit—bias. Whether it’s a familiar name, a big-market logo on a resume, or a recommendation from a trusted colleague, those factors influence decisions.
When used correctly, AI can remove some of that bias and force a focus on output—who sounds good and truly connects.
Those are the 40-times, long jumps, and metrics that matter most when making a successful hire in sports media. At the end of the day, hiring has always been a mix of instinct and information. AI doesn’t replace instinct—it sharpens the information, leading to more informed decisions.
Aid Not Decide
The question is whether an industry built on human connection is willing to embrace the tools shaping its future today.
The answer should be yes—because we’re already watching the blueprint play out in real time.
If NFL front offices can rely on AI to sort through hundreds of prospects, identify hidden value, and ultimately make smarter draft decisions, there’s no reason sports media can’t apply that same thinking to its own version of scouting.
The stakes may look different, but the goal is identical: find talent, project growth, and build a winning roster.
The next great host, reporter, or content creator isn’t always the loudest voice or the most polished resume. Sometimes it’s the one whose clips reveal a natural instinct for storytelling, whose social content quietly gains traction, or whose perspective cuts through in a crowded space.
Those are the intangibles that used to take hours—or days—to fully uncover. Now, they’re patterns that can be identified faster and with greater clarity.
That doesn’t mean handing over the decision-making process. It means approaching it better prepared.
Because just like in the NFL, the teams that win aren’t simply the ones with the best instincts—they’re the ones that pair those instincts with every available advantage.
In a business where the right voice can define a station, a network, or an entire era, passing on that kind of edge isn’t staying traditional—it’s falling behind.
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.
