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

"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

"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

"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

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

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...

Breaking

Fox & Friends Hosts Light Empire State Building During Fox News 30th Anniversary Celebration

"Fox continues to evolve, continues to get better, continues to respond to the audience. Every day we're thankful."

Dianna Russini Reportedly Hiring Crisis Publicist Ahead Of Potential Sports Media Return

"Russini resigned from The Athletic in April amid controversy over her relationship with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel."

Katie Zacharia, Former Fox News and Newsmax Commentator, Named White House Press Secretary

Zacharia’s appointment continues Trump’s practice of choosing communicators with experience in conservative media and administration messaging.

Gracie Awards Open Nominations for 2027 Ceremony

"We look forward to honoring the content that moved audiences in 2026 and continuing the Gracies’ long-standing investment in the people who will shape what comes next.”