On Thursday, Barrett Media announced that all panels from last week’s Barrett Media Audio Summit will be posted on YouTube. If you weren’t able to make the event in New York City, you’d be well served to watch as many of the panels as you can.
ake time after your shift, before your shift, on the weekends, or whenever you can to focus, take notes, and try to learn something (or multiple things) from each of these panels. Even as someone who was there, I plan to watch them back because I know I’ll find something that I didn’t pick up on in the moment. And while there’s nothing like being in the room, meeting new people, seeing old faces, and having the in-person experience, this is the second-best option.
With that, the three biggest takeaways that are relatable to hosts and programmers, while also being time-sensitive, are the following:
Playing The Trump Card
This panel with Sid Rosenberg of 77 WABC, Mark Simone of 710 WOR, and Larry O’Connor of Salem Radio Network, with Erick Erickson of Compass Media Networks as the moderator, was excellent.
Every host is trying to figure out how to navigate Trump World. It’s been 10 years of Donald Trump dominating the news cycle, and the current state of the world and country has divided Republicans and conservatives in a way we haven’t seen since the tumultuous but wildly entertaining primaries of 2015-16.
However, if you were looking for A-list stars to give you the green light to criticize the President when you disagree, you got it here. This doesn’t mean anyone on the panel regrets their vote or would prefer President Harris, but admitting you disagree with the administration should not be off-limits. Your listeners are regular people. Even if they voted for the President and are like-minded, it doesn’t mean they approve of every move the President makes.
So why do you feel like you have to? Because you host a news/talk radio show in 2026? Just open the mic, say what’s on your mind and heart, be honest with your audience, and welcome their reaction. That’s talk radio at its best.
Dollars on the Dashboard
Everyone is trying to figure out how to get, and then retain, a younger audience. One of the most obvious things to do is to use your dashboard effectively. Fred Jacobs’ presentation was excellent.
And when it comes to the things people want on their radio dashboard, three of the Top 5 are relatable for news/talk radio: Number Two was emergency weather (58%), Number Three was breaking news alerts (50%), and Number Four was breaking traffic alerts.
How can you efficiently and effectively utilize your dashboard, beyond the obvious of showing name/host/phone number, to keep the audience engaged?
They are telling us what they want, so now it’s our job to deliver.
Getting Serious with Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. was excellent in his sit-down with Jason Barrett. He’s a sponge who wants to get better every day and wants to keep learning. And just like in sports, that’s what the best do. They never think they have it figured out.
Stephen A. shared that he expects an e-mail after each of his SiriusXM shows from Dave Gorab, VP and GM of talk programming at SiriusXM Radio, critiquing that day’s show. And guess what? Dave delivers the said e-mail. And Stephen A. wants the good, the bad, and the ugly. He’s not looking for all the accolades.
I tracked Dave down after the show and told him how impressed I was with this part of the conversation and the work he does with Stephen A. He shared a personal anecdote: one day he forgot to e-mail Stephen A., and Gorab received a note from Stephen A. that evening asking if everything was OK and why he didn’t receive critiques for that day’s show.
That’s amazing. How many people do you know, or work with, who think they have it all figured out?
And then, one of the biggest stars in media is looking for and expecting constant feedback to continue to grow, get better, and stay ahead.
I could write another 10 takeaways, but hopefully this gives you the incentive to start diving in and watching on YouTube. Enjoy!
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Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the Vice President of News/Talk for Cumulus Media, while also hosting “Mundo in the Morning” and programming KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on X @PeteMundo.