Mike Stern

94 POSTS
Mike Stern is a Classic Rock columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. He has been with Jacobs Media consulting stations in the Classic Rock, Rock, Alternative and AAA world for more than a decade. Prior to that he programmed stations in Chicago, Detroit, Denver Las Vegas and other markets. He also worked as News/Talk Editor for Radio and Records, wrote about Top 40 Radio for Billboard Magazine and had his own radio talent coaching business called Talent Mechanic. 

New Rolling Stones Music and Classic Rock’s Missed Opportunity

"Classic Rock radio's response to these releases was the equivalent of a big yawn."

Lou Brutus Reflects on 30 Years of Hard Drive and Rock Radio

“I used to have Professional Music Fan on my cards. It was the best answer when people asked what I did for a living. I could explain that I am a music fan who went pro.”

Classic Rock Radio’s Identity Crisis Reveals Radio’s Bigger Positioning Problem

"Listeners almost never parrot back a station's positioner. They know the station's frequency, and sometimes they know a station's moniker."

How Improv and Audience Interaction Fuel Heidi & Frank’s Success on 95.5 KLOS

"When I was coming up in the ‘90s, it was one of the best times to be in it. Then the accountants and lawyers started making programming decisions they had no right to make.”

Should Streaming Impact Radio Airplay on Classic Rock/Hits Stations?

"Seven Classic Rock songs are secretly dominating streaming in 2026."

Breaking

Five ESPN Studio Programs Earn Best May Viewership Ever

"PTI led all studio shows with 703K viewers, its best May since 2019."

Clay Travis: OutKick Now ‘Fully Grown’, Time to Build Something New

"I feel like OutKick is a fully grown site that's an adult. I'm looking forward to building something new. I'm going to share more details about that going forward."

Glenn Beck’s ‘The American Story’ to Air As Independence Day Special

The show is available as early as Friday, July 3rd.

Approaching the Summit: Joel Raab, Country Radio Programming Consultant

"Networking is more vital than ever as the industry shrinks."