Welcome to Summit Week. If you’ve been following the site over the past few weeks, you’ve seen we’ve been talking with members of the industry about what they expect from this week in New York City. We discussed everything from memories of past Summits to the conversations those interviewed hope will take place on stage at the SVA Theatre.
Over my career, I’ve attended the Barrett Media Audio Summit all but once. For many years, including the very first Summit held at the soundstage studio of Prudential Plaza 2 in Chicago, I’ve attended both as a participant and now as a member of the Barrett Media team. While my approach to the Summit has evolved over the years, a few things have always remained the same. This year, however, there are some subtle differences.
Another evolution will take place with the annual event this week. For the first time in Barrett Media history, the Summit will span three days, with each day dedicated to a different segment of the industry we cover.
Sports media was the foundation on which the Barrett Media Audio Summit was created. News media became the first expansion of the business. Music is the latest add and will be present for the first time at the Summit this week in New York City.
We even have a musical act closing out the after-party on night three as we welcome Triple Tigers artist Shane Profitt to the Summit. That’s pretty cool. I remember when the after-party consisted of a few beers and the World Baseball Classic on TV. Then and now, there have been plenty of memories made, with many more still to come later this week.
What remains the same, however, is the impact these few days can have on a career in sports, news, or music media. The speaker lineup this year is as impressive as ever. You’ll hear from some of the brightest minds, influential decision-makers, innovative digital leaders, and high-profile talent from around the country. It’s a combination of seminar and social gathering, where people come to learn, network, educate, challenge one another, and leave with a treasure trove of ideas to bring back to their markets.
Not everyone attends, and that’s their loss. Not every company supports employees by covering the cost of attending, and that’s unfortunate. Every Summit I attended over the years was paid for out of my own pocket. Flights, hotels, admission, and yes, even a few after-party cocktails. Not a cent ever came by my employer. Yet the value I received year after year proved invaluable to the future of my career.
So when I caught up with old friends and connected with new faces, they all asked what I expected to see this week in New York City.
Supporting Sports Radio
First, the Summit couldn’t come at a better time. The challenges of remaining employed in sports radio are greater than at any point I can remember. More is being demanded of fewer people than ever before. They’re expected to accomplish more with less support, fewer resources, and less attention from their employers.
Sports radio also continues to navigate how it competes in today’s content landscape. Stations no longer compete solely with other radio stations. They compete with everything because everything is just as accessible, if not more accessible, than sports radio has ever been. As companies continue reducing their workforce, they also lose talented, well-connected people who serve the local communities they call home.
My hope is that during this Summit, we discuss ways to ensure local talent continues to provide value to broadcast radio companies across the country. Today’s talent can accomplish more than ever before. They simply need support to get started and proper guidance on how to grow. That approach benefits not only the individual but also the company that employs them.
If there’s a content race to be won, companies must educate their own people on how to compete so they can win bigger down the road.
Video Needs The Radio Star
Second, sports radio needs to evolve its video distribution strategy. YouTube is dominating the podcast space. Netflix is spending enormous sums to join the conversation. If The Breakfast Club is streaming live on Netflix, why aren’t more brands around the country being given the same opportunities and resources that larger shows receive? It’s not just the technology. It’s also the staffing and education needed to succeed.
Simply installing webcams in studios and expecting radio staffs to know how to use them is a tremendous waste of money, time, and strategy.
But it’s about more than simply appearing on YouTube, X, or another platform where algorithms determine who sees your content. It’s about understanding short-form and long-form video, on-demand content, and podcasting. It’s about knowing how to edit, write, and produce radio content specifically for podcast audiences. They’re not the same. Thumbnails, titles, descriptions, timestamps, and effective marketing are all essential to success.
Video is becoming the new standard for podcast consumers. Every piece of research points in that direction. Ask yourself whether there’s a local sports radio station offering its podcasts in video form on Apple, Spotify, or another major distribution platform. If there is, how can the rest of the industry learn from that model?
By this time next year, both the audience and the industry will have shifted even further toward video. Sports radio must be ready to meet consumers wherever they choose to connect.
AI Adaption
Finally, AI is not your enemy. I criticized iHeartMedia for its mixed messaging about guaranteeing a human experience while buildings across the country lost human employees last week. The broadcast companies that succeed will be the ones that adapt to technology the best. That much is undeniable. But AI is unlikely to replace the human voice anytime soon. That’s why more sports radio talent should embrace AI for what it truly is: a tool to guide, assist, and elevate content across every platform.
Just as you might look up statistics on Baseball-Reference, you can ask AI for 20 questions surrounding a player’s performance over the past five years. Need a social media image? Guide AI toward what you’re trying to create while understanding that not everything it generates is appropriate or usable. Need a clever jingle, liner, or promo? You’re still the artist. Tell the tool what you’re trying to accomplish and see where it leads.
AI is the greatest therapist the creative mind has ever had. It listens, thinks, searches, takes direction, and provides guidance. Not just in theory, but through practical tools at your disposal. Every prompt, however, still begins with a human mind. The talent behind the microphone or the executive looking for a second opinion.
Like any other therapist, the result isn’t perfect. And yes, you should always ensure the final product meets your company’s standards. But AI is there to help, not replace. My hope is to leave the Summit energized by new and innovative ways AI can benefit every format in the years ahead.
And that’s the entire point of the Barrett Media Audio Summit. It’s a rare opportunity for the sports, news, and music audio industries to come together, collaborate, share ideas, and exchange strategies so everyone leaves better prepared for tomorrow. That’s how I’m approaching the Summit this week, and I can’t wait to see everyone in New York City.
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.
