The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit presented by Point to Point Marketing is seven weeks away. If you love the media business and value staying ahead of the curve, this event belongs on your calendar. The lineup is packed. The News Media show kicks off on Tuesday, June 30th. Sports follows on Wednesday, July 1st. Our first-ever Music Radio show closes the Summit on Thursday, July 2nd.
All pertinent information regarding tickets, hotel accommodations, speakers, and sponsorships can be found in the Summit section at the top of our website. Companies interested in supporting the show should email Stephanie Eads at Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com. Twenty-four partners are already committed, and we appreciate every organization that has signed on to make this event possible.
The 2026 Mark Chernoff Award Winner
Barrett Media is proud to announce that Eric Spitz, Vice President of Sports Programming at SiriusXM, will receive the Mark Chernoff Award at the 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit. The presentation takes place on Tuesday, July 1st at the SVA Theatre during the Premiere Networks Awards ceremony.
Eric Spitz started as a desk assistant at WFAN in New York in 1987 — the same year the station launched. The fact that he receives an award named after WFAN’s legendary programmer Mark Chernoff on the same day WFAN celebrates its anniversary — and on his daughter’s birthday — makes this feel like more than just a coincidence.
Spitz ascending through the producer ranks at WFAN becoming Assistant Program Director and later its Program Director. In 2012, he took the reins of the newly launched CBS Sports Radio, overseeing programming for more than 300 affiliates. He led the network’s programming department for six years before joining SiriusXM in 2018.
At SiriusXM, Spitz leads the daily operation of the company’s sports channels — managing talent, programming development, and live sports scheduling. He runs the operation with the same attention to detail that defined every earlier stop in his career.
“I’m honored to receive this prestigious award as Mark represents the gold standard of sports programmers,” said Eric Spitz. “During our 25-year working relationship, Mark had a profound impact on me, both personally and professionally. That’s what makes this award so meaningful. My thanks to Barrett Media for the recognition. I look forward to seeing many colleagues on July 1st.”
Mark Chernoff responded with equal enthusiasm. “I am very excited that Eric is receiving the Mark Chernoff Award — it’s so well deserved. At WFAN it always felt like we were two number ones. He was an amazing contributor to the station’s success and is doing the same today for SiriusXM. Eric has all the tools — he understands sports radio, has compassion for his on-air talent, pays attention to details, and knows how to work with management, agents, and through any situation. He was a great sounding board for me, and I’m looking forward to recognizing him on July 1st.”
We look forward to celebrating Eric during the Premiere Networks Awards ceremony. That presentation closes out day two of the event.
6 Speakers Join the Summit Lineup
Lee Abrams is one of the most influential executives and consultants in the history of radio, having worked with more than 1,000 radio stations, 12 major print publications, over 20 TV stations and cable networks, and serving as the designer of XM Radio’s programming architecture from the ground up. He is credited with inventing and building Album Rock, designing the first Classic Rock format at San Francisco’s KFOG, and creating the first FM Urban/Dance format at New York’s WKTU — a body of work that has shaped the rules every programmer in the country operates by today. On Thursday, July 2nd, Buzz Knight unites Abrams, Fred Jacobs and Mike McVay for the first time to examine those rules, challenge them, and discuss what programming excellence demands in 2026. Every programming executive in the room will leave with something actionable.
Buzz Knight has accumulated a lifetime of experience in the business of audio. He has served as a media executive for Beasley Media Group, Greater Media, CBS Radio, and Saga Communications. Today he is the founder of Buzz Knight Media Productions, a content creation company committed to storytelling and building audiences. He hosts the popular Taking a Walk Podcast and his company creates some of the most widely followed music podcasts in the United States. At the Summit, Buzz moderates our Consultants Conversation alongside Fred Jacobs, Lee Abrams, and Mike McVay.
John Rosso serves as President and CEO of Triton Digital and President of the iHeart Technology Solutions Group. In this dual role, he leads the development and execution of advertising and measurement technologies across iHeart’s global audio and digital platforms. Triton also provides ad tech services for all iHeart products while expanding those capabilities to serve the broader industry. John joins Rich Tunkel and Cameron Hendrix for our State of Measurement panel on Thursday, July 2nd.
Rich Tunkel was named Managing Director of Nielsen Audio in late 2023. His career includes time at Nielsen, Arbitron, and Scarborough Research, where he joined as VP of Radio Sales in 1999. He then began a 12-year run with Arbitron that carried through the company’s 2013 acquisition by Nielsen. Since joining Nielsen, he has served as Senior Vice President and Sales Director while managing the Advisory Council and co-leading business development initiatives. Under his leadership, Nielsen Audio has expanded partnerships with Triton Digital, Magellan AI, and Edison Research. Rich joins John Rosso and Cameron Hendrix for our State of Measurement discussion on Thursday, July 2nd.
Cameron Hendrix is the Co-Founder of Magellan AI. Since 2016, Hendrix has grown the company from a podcast advertising analytics startup into a powerful attribution and ad intelligence suite. Global brands including iHeartMedia, Spotify, Cumulus, TED, and Gamut rely on the platform today. Prior to launching Magellan AI, Hendrix held roles at Thinkful, Burning Barn Labs, and Goldman Sachs. He joins John Rosso and Rich Tunkel on our State of Measurement panel on Thursday, July 2nd.
Rob Weisbord is the Chief Operating Officer of Sinclair, Inc. and President of Local Media. He oversees operations across 185 television stations in 86 markets and manages revenue for all company divisions including the Tennis Channel. Rob has served as the primary architect of Sinclair’s transition from a traditional broadcaster into a multi-platform content business. He specifically led the launch and expansion of the company’s dedicated podcast division, which includes sports podcasts featuring Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Matt Leinart, Jerry Ferrara, and more. Rob speaks on Wednesday, July 1st at our Sports Summit.
The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit takes place June 30-July July 2 at the SVA Theatre in New York City. The event serves executives, managers, programmers, talent, sales and advertising professionals, digital leaders, and anyone committed to understanding the present and the future of the audio business. Tickets, hotel information, and sponsorship details are available in the Summit section on BarrettMedia.com. We hope to see you there!
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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.
