Ken Johnson

37 POSTS
Ken Johnson is an Urban/Hip-Hop columnist for Barrett Media. Born and raised in Washington DC, his career experiences include serving as VP of Urban formats for Cumulus Media, holding the Director of Urban Programming post at ABC Radio Networks, and programming stations in Birmingham, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City. He has also managed affiliate relations for the Nick Cannon show, and worked as the Executive Producer of The Hughley Truth Podcast hosted by comedian DL Hughley. Ken currently runs Mean Ole Lion Media, a content creation company and podcast network. He can be reached by email at ken@kenjohnsonmedia.com.

Reflecting on Radio, Accountability, and Change As I Sign Off

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"Outside of the use of AI, there is almost nothing truly new in all radio and music."

Christmas in Focus: What Radio Programmers Should Know About Serving Black Audiences

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"You don’t want to have your station's head in the sand."

Urban Radio Stations Can’t Ignore the Most Important Issues Affecting Their Communities

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"I’m not advocating for turning your music station into a talk station. However, you can’t keep your head in the sand and ignore the elephant in the community."

What Urban Radio Listeners Should Expect From The Format’s Best

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I’m comfortable making an educated guess about what listeners want from their adult urban station. But what they expect and what they deserve are not necessarily the same thing.

AI Music in Urban Radio Lacks Passion and Soul

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In case you missed my disclaimer in last week’s article, let me say it again: that piece was written entirely by AI. Its purpose...
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Breaking

20 Brands In 20 Days: Brian Michel, KYGO & KOSI, Denver

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"What you can't do is create for the community unless you really are part of it and have lived it."

The Industry According To: Frank Kramer, KLOS/Los Angeles

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"As much as we have fun in our ridiculousness, the fact that our community comes together to support each other and we are that conduit gives the show and myself more purpose and satisfaction."

Why Netflix Can’t ‘Netflix’ The Field Of Dreams Game

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"Netflix has spent its first MLB season attempting to prove it can create a live sports event that feels different. Now, it has an opportunity to prove it understands something equally important: Different doesn’t always mean more."

Why Ben & Woods’ Latest Extensions Could Be Their Grand Finale With 97.3 The Fan

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"I got fifteen and a half years in San Diego doing morning radio. The last eight with Ben have been the most magical. Anything beyond that is just gravy for me. Honestly, if I had my way, this would be the last contract maybe."