In 1995, I was a promo jack-of-all-trades at Alice 105.9 in Denver when our PD made the call to air the OJ verdict live. I didn’t know if it was smart. In hindsight, it was — because it was the cultural moment. Now, nearly 30 years later, Diddy’s trial is testing how we think about coverage all over again.
Most RockTernative brands won’t be broadcasting the verdict, but the question is how the formats should cover the trial, if at all.
For some brands, this is an easy answer – run to the hills and avoid.
For others, there’s more to it. Strong arguments can be made on both sides, so let’s play this out in the Barrett Media courtroom. Below are opening arguments, featuring hypothetical but realistic dialogue that could be heard inside a morning show meeting.
Prosecution Argument (anti-coverage):
- We don’t play Diddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, Puff Daddy or Sean Combs. This doesn’t fit our audience profile or the brand’s music strategy.
- On our show, celebrity news and TMZish segments sound like bad shots clanking off the rim as the buzzer sounds.
- This isn’t one of those Britney is off the rails stories; there are innocent victims and gross, NC-17 allegations. We can’t discuss this when kids are in the car.
- Hip-Hop can have it. They have history with Diddy; it makes more sense for their shows or cable news – it’s not our lane.
Defense Argument (pro-coverage):
- Don’t we want to be the epicenter for what people need or want to know each morning? There’s no pandering or exploitation. What Diddy is accused of is disgusting. If he’s found guilty, let’s feed him to the crocs and do whatever we can to help the victims heal.
- This is a wide Cume story. Everyone knows Diddy; who hasn’t heard about this trial? Our listeners are being exposed to it, they have their opinions and are discussing it. Do we want to be in the conversation or not?
- This trial has everything a blockbuster movie wants, but it’s real life. A villain, shocking allegations, sex, drugs, celebrity, violence, and even rumors of high-ranking U.S. officials attending “Freak-Offs.”
- The True Crime category is huge right now.
Strong opposing arguments.
At RockTernative, this comes down to two simple things:
- Brand/Listener expectations
- Treatment (if covered)
The audience for a brand or show that is highly music-centric isn’t expecting or wanting Diddy coverage when they strap in to blast some Rock. It’s like putting apple sauce on burgers (IYKYK), so move on to that killer Foo Fighters song and live to fight another day.
For talk or content-heavy shows, content expectations often transcend the appeal of what the brand starts cranking at 10 am. It doesn’t mean Diddy is a no-brainer; it could go badly, but the discussion could be had.
That’s when treatment takes the stand — not whether you talk about it, but how you talk about it.
This is critical, not much is exclusive these days. No one needs a prep sheet to read Diddy testimony or about rednecks driving their mowers to the bar. The difference is how the great ones treat shared information or topics.
- Any show can do phone pranks, but War of the Roses treatment is the gold standard
- Most shows talk to listeners about dating, but Second Date Update makes it sound more interesting
- Ironically, long ago, Fark.com made one of Diddy’s home states, Florida, more infamous than ever. Big morning shows followed suit with their unique treatment like Florida or Anywhere Else, Germany or Florida, Morons on the March, etc.
I wouldn’t expect musicologists or niche-format talent to touch Diddy. Most will play it safe – and that’s fine. But for brands with confidence and the creative clarity to own a major cultural moment with smart treatment, this trial isn’t a risk. It’s a runway.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Keith Cunningham is a music industry and Rock/Alternative columnist for Barrett Media and the founder of Black Box Group, a modern-modeled creative & strategic consultancy built for brands that need strategies with teeth. He’s the former Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles for over a decade, a nationwide consultant, and has been repeatedly voted one of America’s top Program Directors and strategic thinkers. Keith has built his career by taking multi-million-dollar brands from worst to first and leading Marconi & Gracie award winners along the way. A data nerd with a rock-and-roll heart, he is an advisory council member for St. Jude fundraising, a fantasy football champion, and lover of his daughters & dogs. Reach him at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com or on LinkedIn or X.
