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.

The Art of the Radio Rebrand: Intentional, Strategic, and Listener-First

Columns Ken Johnson Ken Johnson -
"Whatever the reason, there has to be a reason."

Urban Radio Needs More Live, Local, and Connected Talent

Columns Ken Johnson Ken Johnson -
"I'm hopeful that this is a glimpse of what’s ahead for the urban format."

What Today’s R&B Samples Reveal About the Urban Radio Format

Columns Ken Johnson Ken Johnson -
"Collabs in R&B aren’t new, but lately the quality of production has impressed me."

Urban Radio in 2025: Local Connection, New Artists, Real Results

Columns Ken Johnson Ken Johnson -
"As long as programmers and personalities keep that balance in mind, I believe urban radio has room to grow and even reassert its influence."

Why Urban Radio Must Get Back To Being the Voice of the People

Columns Ken Johnson Ken Johnson -
"The truth is, urban radio has always been filled with pioneers. It has never been just about playing records—it’s been part of a movement"
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Clay Travis: NFL Placing 87% Of Games On Free TV Means They’re “Violating The Law” 13% Of The Time

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"You guys have an important responsibility and an opportunity to apply the law fairly freely and help fans everywhere across the entire nation pay less and get more."

NBA Finals Game Three Viewership Highest Since 1998

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"Game 3 averaged 23.8 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, a 159% jump from last year's Game 3. The audience peaked at 26.3 million viewers at 11:15 p.m. ET."

CBS News Earned $362 Million From 60 Minutes, CBS Evening News, Others in 2025

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"Halfway through this year, CBS is still at 22% of the dollar share."

NAB President Curtis LeGeyt: Congress Must “Reaffirm The Scope” Of Sports Broadcasting Act Of 1961 With All Leagues

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"We're not here to scrutinize the NFL's business practices. We're here to affirm that if they want to take advantage of an antitrust exemption granted to them by this body, that there are certain public interest obligations that went along with that."