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The Zalinski Effect: What a Movie Villain Teaches Us About Radio’s Talent Paradox

Kevin Callahan
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The Zalinski Effect: What a Movie Villain Teaches Us About Radio’s Talent Paradox

As we head into the holiday weekend, families are getting together. So, I thought I would share a family story about my Uncle “Big Tom Callahan” and my cousin “Little Tommy.” If you’ve ever spent time around the Callahan side of my family tree, you know we are a loud, passionate bunch. Who built a legacy on making quality auto parts in Ohio and treating our workforce like family. My uncle “Big Tom” was a force of nature who led with his heart. Tommy, despite his habit of setting model airplanes on fire or driving a Plymouth Satellite into a ditch, ultimately understood that a brand is absolutely nothing without the actual people who keep the lights on.

But every great heritage brand eventually runs into a Ray Zalinski.

You know the character Dan Aykroyd played so perfectly. The self-proclaimed “Auto Parts King” who stands in front of an American flag and look-at-me graphics, smooth-talking the audience by saying he makes parts for the American worker “because that’s what I am.” He positions himself as the ultimate champion of the consumer, yet he doesn’t care about the actual components, the craftsmanship, or the people sweating on the factory floor. He just cares about the logo on the box. He’s perfectly fine selling a guarantee with no substance as long as the marketing looks clean. Okay, by now you may have figured out the Toms aren’t really family, but hear me out.

The Corporate “Thud”

That exact Zalinski gymnastics routine was on full display recently. When the internal memos floated through the industry detailing the latest round of iHeartRadio layoffs, the corporate-speak attempted the ultimate pivot. The messaging was wrapped in a bow of “evolution” and “future-proofing,” explicitly claiming that these difficult organizational shifts would ultimately benefit the larger ecosystem, the product, and the consumers.

It fell with an absolute thud. It wasn’t buyable.

When you tell an air-staff, a cluster, or an industry that you are stripping away local, human capital to “benefit” the brand, you are putting a shiny guarantee on an empty box. The audience isn’t stupid. They can tell the difference between a station anchored by a living, breathing companion who lives in their zip code and a voice-tracked utility line piped in from three time zones away. In short, you cannot spin a loss of local connection as an upgrade for the listener.

The Data Disconnect

What makes this corporate playbook so baffling is that it flies directly in the face of every single piece of industry research we possess. Well, not that baffling I suppose. It’s about money.

Pick up any recent Techsurvey, Edison report, or dashboard study. The data is entirely unanimous: human talent is radio’s ultimate moat. Listeners tune into local radio for the companionship, the local context, the personalities, and the shared community experience.

So, how does this math work? How do we look at mountains of data proving that talent is the single most critical asset for securing our place in modern listening, and still conclude that the best way to move forward is to cut them?

When you strip out the quality inside the box just to save on production costs, you might save a buck this quarter. But eventually, the consumer buys the part, the car breaks down, and they never trust the logo again. Likewise, when we strip the human element out of our radio stations, we don’t optimize the brand — we just give the driver another reason to plug their phone in and leave us behind.

A Call for Compassion

Now we need to talk about the human cost.

This week, a lot of incredibly talented, dedicated, and hard-working broadcasters found out their livelihoods were eliminated via a cold notification, a few while on vacation. These are people who woke up early, stayed late, emceed the local charity events, and poured their souls into those call letters. They didn’t do anything wrong. They just caught the bad end of a corporate weather shift.

To everyone impacted by these cuts: please know that this is a reflection of a broken system, not your worth or your talent. Our industry needs your voices, your creativity, and your passion now more than ever, even if the current corporate structures don’t know how to properly value them.

As we head into this holiday weekend to spend time with the people who matter, let’s make sure we are reaching out to our peers who are navigating these tough waters right now. Let’s look out for our own.

My Uncle “Big Tom” and Little Tommy knew that a business is only as strong as the people who build it. It’s time the rest of the industry remembered the same thing.

Lastly, I am sorry if you hate the movie analogy. However, I almost wrote this one about an episode of the Twilight Zone (a show released many years before I was born) called “To Serve Man.” Ultimately, that one was about aliens that appeared to solve all of humanity’s problems. It turns out that their manual “To Serve Man” was ultimately a cookbook with humans on the menu.

If you were (to use their word) “impacted” by these moves and I can help, please use the contact info below.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

How the Foul Territory Network Is Leading a Baseball Media Revolution

John Mamola
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How the Foul Territory Network Is Leading a Baseball Media Revolution

The sport of baseball continues to evolve with time. From the implementation of the designated hitter to, more recently, the pitch clock, the game has undergone significant changes. Another aspect of that evolution involves how the media covers it. No longer are press boxes filled with smoke and typewriters. Some of baseball’s most impactful voices may never step foot in a press box all season.

Moreover, in the podcast space, there was a hole in the industry’s coverage of baseball. One that Scott Braun and Marc Weiner saw as an opportunity. The former producers leaned on their experience from various stops, including ESPN and MLB Network, and navigated a path to create a content destination that served an underserved baseball audience. In 2023, the Foul Territory Network was born as a podcast network focused on baseball the way it should be covered.

“We tried to take the playbook from what other sports were doing well and apply it to baseball. What we found was the baseball audience has their own uniqueness to it,” explained Braun, who serves as the executive producer and lead host of the flagship program on the Foul Territory Network.

Since 2023, the Foul Territory Network has grown from a single program with Braun as its lead host to a network of 30 programs serving audiences on both the local and national levels. The talent roster that comprises the network consists of a mix of personalities. From those surrounding the game, from former players and executives to local beat reporters and passionate fans of specific teams.

In less than three years, the Foul Territory Network has grown at a rate that is rare for on-demand content centered around a single sport.

“It happened a lot faster than we thought,” said Weiner, who serves as the CEO of Make Plays Media, the production company behind Foul Territory Network. “I did not think that we would grow that much this quickly. But once we started doing it, we found our formula for further growth.”

A Changing Dynamic Of Coverage

According to Braun, the origins of the network’s concept were rooted in feedback he received from former players. While other sports had former players and executives launching successful podcast platforms, baseball seemingly lagged behind. Adapting to the mission statement of covering baseball the way it should be covered, Braun feels launching the Foul Territory Network has, in turn, brought more attention to the sport itself.

“We want to grow the game. Our platform has grown the game in creating virality on a number of social platforms. Based on the views or stories that players share where they feel more comfortable here to share them here,” notes Braun. “You’re growing the game by allowing that player to share something they couldn’t before on one of our shows.”

To build a network, you need people and personnel. Currently, the Foul Territory Network houses 30 programs with multiple talents involved in each. Every show added to the network begins with a concept developed internally or someone approaching the company with either an idea or a proof of concept.

While the amount of growth over the past three years is impressive, it has also remained measured.

“We’re careful about growing too fast. We had never done anything like this before we started. Thankfully, people in our orbit shared some great advice about that,” said Weiner. “We’re careful about growing at the right pace. But also bringing the right people aboard to fit our vibe and putting them in places to succeed.”

Authenticity Wins

Both Braun and Weiner are students of their audience. They listen for the type of content fans desire and follow where the audience chooses to consume it. It’s a balance that requires patience and skill. With their television backgrounds, content must not only have depth but also look and sound as polished as any network production.

However, the biggest focus for Foul Territory is authenticity. With a mix of former players and executives who have worked in the game, ensuring their perspective is on point is vital. Adding current and former beat reporters to the mix provides up-to-date information and credibility. Regardless, the end product must always be consistent and honest with the audience.

“You need to be able to talk about the highs and the lows. If you’re not comfortable with that, we don’t want to put you in a bad spot,” explains Weiner. “We have so many writers and commentators who have a primary job. We’re happy they’re allowing us to work with their people. This allows them an expansion on what they’re doing and what they’re great at.”

There are many elements of Foul Territory’s approach that deserve credit for the growth it has earned over the past three years. However, perhaps the single greatest element was the company’s video-first approach from launch.

“It’s been huge and was a great call right from the jump,” said Braun. “That was super important for us. Just in the last three or four years, the industry has continued to shift to video-first. It doesn’t touch what you’re listening to; it just enhances what you’re watching… We have everything available on podcast platforms, but we wanted a true viewing experience and not a conference call.”

Weiner’s experience working behind the scenes at ESPN was a driving force behind not only the concept but also the execution. Every motion matters. Every graphic should be crisp and flow with the presentation. In an industry that continues to evolve daily in how audiences consume video content, the bar must continue to rise.

“We want it to look as close to TV as possible. There’s a lot of overhead with television. We wanted to be as close to that experience without going and buying a building,” said Weiner. “We have conversations all the time on how to improve. We’re all in this together. In a lot of ways, it’s growing, but it’s also shrinking as well. It’s a small community. We don’t look at others as competitors. We’re not just growing the game, we’re also growing the industry at the same time.”

With growth comes the question of expansion. While there’s a keen eye on not growing too quickly, both Braun and Weiner admit there are plenty of ideas for future expansion on the wish list. From creating different content verticals outside of sports to exploring new avenues with current talent on the roster.

An Uncertain Future For Baseball

One area where Foul Territory is already expanding is coverage of the continued labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA. With every step of the ongoing discussions involving a new CBA, Foul Territory plans to provide full and comprehensive coverage for as long as the conversations continue.

“From a content perspective, the only goal I have is to bring on as many people, ideas, and conversations to the network on all sides of the discussion,” said Braun. “No guest gets turned down that makes sense to have on. From Rob Manfred to Bruce Meyer. Anyone allowed to speak on the matter, we want to let them cook and speak on every idea while asking the right follow-ups.”

Because of the roster that Foul Territory has assembled, it provides perspective on all fronts of the conversation. From former players, executives, and general managers to insiders with connections around every angle of the story. The result is an objective, down-the-line approach that delivers discussions unique to the platform.

“In the digital space of baseball, who else could provide the approach we’ll provide to this topic,” asked Weiner. “Whatever your perspective is on this, we’re completely independent. That was so important to Scott and I. We’re not one side or the other. We’re bringing people on and having conversations. We must be mindful of people who are representing both sides so you can have the discussions that need to be had.”

While baseball’s immediate future is unknown, the spotlight on the Foul Territory Network continues to grow. With hopes of adding more shows and involving more current players, both Braun and Weiner believe there is no limit to how much growth the network could see over the next few years.

In many ways, Foul Territory’s rise mirrors the evolution of baseball itself. The game remains rooted in tradition, but the ways fans consume it continue to change. Braun and Weiner recognized that shift early, building a platform that prioritizes authenticity, accessibility, and meaningful conversation at a time when baseball fans were searching for more direct connections to the sport.

What began as a single show has quickly become one of the most influential baseball-focused content destinations in the industry. Yet despite the rapid growth, the mission remains unchanged: cover baseball the way fans want it covered and provide a platform where the game’s most important voices can be heard.

As the sport navigates new challenges, labor discussions, and an increasingly crowded media landscape, the Foul Territory Network appears positioned to remain at the center of the conversation.

If the first three years are any indication, Braun and Weiner are still only in the early innings of what they hope to build.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

AI Isn’t Replacing Sports Media Talent, It’s Replacing Those Who Ignore It

John Mamola
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AI Isn’t Replacing Sports Media Talent, It’s Replacing Those Who Ignore It

Day two of the Barrett Media Audio Summit was a smashing success. As someone who has attended the sports summits over the years, I thought the retooled approach to this year’s event was a smart pivot. Instead of two days full of content, discussion, and networking, organizers embraced a less-is-more approach. However, one element of this year’s annual gathering of the best in sports media stood out more than anything else. It should have been predictable, but unfortunately, I forgot to ask my AI agent about it.

Woven throughout every conversation was the role AI plays in the industry’s evolving workflow. From sales and marketing to programming, video editing, prep sheets, and even the occasional email, AI surfaced in every panel throughout the day. That’s a far cry from where we were just a couple of years ago, when AI seemed like something off in the distance.

How did we get here so quickly? What happened over the past few years that caused the sports media business to move AI from the back burner to the forefront of nearly every conversation at the Barrett Media Audio Summit?

The answer is actually pretty simple. AI stopped being a futuristic concept and became a practical one because the sports media industry isn’t unlike any other business today.

More Than Just A Tool

Sports radio has always embraced tools that create efficiency. We moved from carts to digital automation, from fax machines to email, from tape editing to Adobe Audition, and from physical media kits to digital marketing campaigns. Every technological shift initially produced skepticism before eventually becoming standard operating procedure.

AI is simply the next evolution. The difference is the speed at which it has happened.

It feels like only yesterday that conversations about AI centered on whether it would ever be reliable enough to use. Now the discussion isn’t whether you should use it. It’s how you’re using it and whether you’re getting more value from it than the station across town.

That distinction matters.

The best programmers I know aren’t looking for AI to replace creativity. They’re looking for it to remove friction. If AI can summarize a ratings book, generate multiple promotional concepts, organize research, build a social media calendar, create video captions, or produce a first draft of a presentation in minutes instead of hours, it frees leaders to spend more time coaching talent, building relationships with clients, developing content, and solving bigger strategic problems.

Talent should view it through the same lens.

Listeners don’t tune in because ChatGPT can write a monologue. They tune in because personalities have opinions, experiences, chemistry, and credibility that no software can replicate. But if AI helps organize prep, identify trends, transcribe interviews, clip social videos, brainstorm interview questions, or uncover story angles that otherwise might have been missed, it becomes another producer in the room helping make the show better.

No More Denying Facts

The misconception is believing AI is trying to replace personalities. In reality, it’s far more likely to replace the people who refuse to learn how to use it. That’s the message that emerged from day two of the Barrett Media Audio Summit.

The days of treating AI as just another tool are officially over. We’re now entering an era in which the industry will separate those who embrace AI from those who refuse to adapt.

That may sound harsh, but every major advancement in our business has rewarded those willing to evolve. The people who learned digital editing gained an advantage over those who insisted on razor blades and tape. The stations that embraced podcasting early built stronger brands before everyone else joined the party. Those who understood social media first created audiences that extended well beyond the radio signal.

AI feels remarkably similar, doesn’t it?

It doesn’t eliminate the need for creativity, judgment, or authenticity. If anything, it places an even greater premium on those qualities because the technology is available to everyone. Having access to AI isn’t the competitive advantage. Knowing how to ask better questions, refine better prompts, fact-check the results, and transform those outputs into compelling content is where the separation begins.

That’s a skill, and one that’s now potentially more valuable than any other in your programming arsenal.

Whether you’re a program director managing multiple brands, an account executive chasing new business, a digital producer wearing five different hats, or an on-air personality trying to maximize your reach across every platform, AI has become part of the daily workflow.

Ignoring it won’t make it disappear. It simply means someone else will become more efficient, more productive, and ultimately more valuable.

The Future Of The Industry

Walking out of the sports day at the Barrett Media Audio Summit, I found myself thinking less about AI itself and more about what it represents. Every panel reinforced the same message without intentionally trying to.

AI is no longer a niche discussion reserved for tech enthusiasts. It’s become part of the language of modern sports media.

Five years from now, I don’t think employers will ask whether applicants know how to use AI. They’ll simply assume they do, just as they assume candidates know how to send an email, edit audio, or post to social media. The differentiator won’t be whether you use AI. It’ll be how effectively you use it.

That’s why, more than any other takeaway from this year’s summit, AI wasn’t just another topic on the agenda. It was the underlying theme connecting every conversation. If that’s any indication of where our business is headed, learning how to work alongside AI may prove to be the most important investment anyone in sports media can make.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

SportsCenter: AM Has the Best Comedy Team on Sports Television

John Molori
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SportsCenter: AM Has the Best Comedy Team on Sports Television

The best comedy team on television today might just reside in the world of sports. I am talking about Gary Striewski and Randy Scott on ESPN’s SportsCenter: AM. Striewski and Scott embrace a similar strain of mischievous humor. Both have made names for themselves at ESPN separately, but when paired together, they create the kind of special chemistry that rarely happens on television.

SportsCenter anchors have long been known for sarcasm, humor, raised-eyebrow commentary, and general wisecracking, but Striewski and Scott take it to another level. From props and costumes to ribald humor, they are certainly a unique duo. Striewski and Scott have no envelope to push and no lines to cross. The result is a freewheeling and creative version of SportsCenter unlike any other. They are still decked out in suits and ties, but that’s where their similarities to other SportsCenter anchors end.

Striewski and Scott sound different and approach sports differently. Their whimsical, carefree style is ideal for the morning time slot. Great comedic teams play off each other, and Striewski and Scott are no exception. Their deadpan humor and spontaneous wit are highly effective.

On SportsCenter: AM, you truly get the feeling that neither anchor knows what the other is going to do or say next. SportsCenter: AM is scripted, of course, but with this pair, a sharp swerve away from that script is inevitable. If something quirky comes up in a highlight or sound bite, Striewski or Scott jumps all over it.

Late Night Approach In The AM

They remind me of two contemporary late-night talk show hosts: Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Fallon.

They possess Ferguson’s daring unpredictability combined with Fallon’s childlike tomfoolery. Striewski and Scott never force their humor on the audience. Instead, they work together in a smooth and natural manner. Successfully mixing sports and comedy on a highlight show is very difficult, yet Striewski and Scott do it better than any duo on sports television. They are unafraid to try new things, and if a joke or gag falls flat, they recover with self-deprecating humor.

They know who they are and understand what they are doing. In an odd way, they stay in their lane, but that lane seems to widen with every edition of SportsCenter: AM.

Striewski’s and Scott’s collective sense of humor is both highbrow and hokey. They deliver clever lines and witty turns of phrase while still appreciating the cheap laugh, as Scott recently did by wearing a kilt in homage to the Scottish FIFA World Cup team.

While Striewski and Scott come across as brothers from other mothers, their individual styles are not identical. Striewski is like the kid brother you’ve never had and maybe never wanted. He’s a regular guy, as evidenced by many of his family-related social media posts. Scott is a bit more adventurous and willing to take comedic chances. Neither fits the mold of the archetypal cookie-cutter, square-jawed broadcaster.

They are less Huntley and Brinkley and more Beavis and Butt-Head—almost nerdy in their coolness.

Being The Entertainer

One of the best attributes of this pair is that they do not try to one-up each other. It is not a competition to see who can be funnier. While they are easily the most creative team in ESPN’s daily SportsCenter lineup, they never push things too far. They recognize that they are, at their core, news anchors who often have to present serious and sobering stories. Both possess the ability to pivot seamlessly from humor to hard news.

They have earned that credibility, and their inanity never diminishes their integrity.

Striewski and Scott opened this past Monday’s episode of SportsCenter: AM by narrating highlights of the exciting FIFA World Cup match between Canada and South Africa. Both men understood the drama of the tightly contested matchup. They carried that same energy into the quadruple-overtime WNBA game between Portland and Washington. Whether you were a fan of soccer or basketball was immaterial. Striewski and Scott brought the highlights to life by interjecting comments and conversation as the clips rolled.

Comedy is part of the SportsCenter: AM repertoire, but both anchors know when to turn the laughs up and when to dial them back.

I loved the way they ran through highlights of the final contest in Boston’s four-game sweep of the Yankees. Striewski and Scott did not just tell viewers what happened. They also incorporated meaningful statistics, such as Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray recording the 2,000th strikeout of his career. For Striewski and Scott, the show is not all about them or the next joke. It’s about sports. They deliver the news in a way that’s both fun and inventive, combining substance with effervescence.

Chemistry Is Everything

There is a fluidity to a Striewski-Scott highlight. One opens the description but leaves room for the other to chime in, creating a natural rhythm. Again, neither tries to upstage the other. It is a collective effort and a beautiful thing to watch. Beyond highlights, Striewski and Scott also share interviews effectively. They alternate questions naturally, as they did with ESPN soccer analyst Alejandro Moreno.

In this case, the SportsCenter: AM humor rubbed off on the guest as Moreno donned a red, white, and blue hat and mask while talking about the United States team. The anchors loved it as Striewski started chanting, “One of us!” and Scott sarcastically said that Moreno’s gesture was “freedom personified.”

On Monday’s edition of SportsCenter: AM, Striewski and Scott ran through their Sunday Standouts, featuring sports ranging from golf to Formula 1 racing. From there, they segued into the Monday Matchup segment, previewing the week’s biggest games. Their versatility and depth allow them to interact naturally with ESPN’s talented roster of reporters. NBA insider Shams Charania joined them on this edition, offering a comprehensive look at the week’s NBA free-agent frenzy.

Striewski and Scott close SportsCenter: AM with the traditional Top 10 plays, but that is about the only thing traditional about this twosome. These guys are the very best at turning a sports news show into a dialogue, and their lighthearted style brings viewers into the conversation.

Striewski and Scott do not claim to be comedians, but they are hardly your typical studio desk jockeys. In truth, they are beyond labels. They are simply outstanding SportsCenter anchors who showcase their inimitable humor, genuinely enjoy working together, and produce a broadcast that is equally informative and entertaining.

I’ll wake up to that any day.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

How 104.1 KMOX’s Debbie Monterrey Keeps St. Louis Listeners Engaged

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
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How 104.1 KMOX’s Debbie Monterrey Keeps St. Louis Listeners Engaged

Before Audacy announced the sale of its St. Louis radio cluster to Hoffmann Media Group earlier this week, Barrett Media spoke with KMOX morning show host Debbie Monterrey about the diverse and unique region.

With the rise of AI, certain media markets are being inundated with data center proposals to keep up with the needs of society. “Some of the biggest stories that get the most attention are in the data center,” KMOX anchor Debbie Monterrey said. “We have a lot of data center proposals around the region, and people get really fired up about it.”

Keeping up with the needs of her audience is just one way she and the team ensure their morning show is one of the best in the St. Louis market.

Road to St. Louis

Her journey to Gateway City started at a young age. “My mom always tells the story that when I was little and could just talk, I would walk around the house with the plug to the coffee pot like I was talking into a microphone,” Monterrey, a native of Chicago, recalled. However, it wasn’t until high school that she decided to pursue this career. “I don’t ever remember wanting to do anything else.”

She bounced around markets, and even to the Wisconsin governor’s press office, before finding her forever home at KMOX. “I did live in St. Louis for a semester while I was interning [at a TV station here]. And I loved St. Louis, and I always thought about coming back.”

Then she received the call of a lifetime. “Out of the blue, I got a call from KMOX asking me if I’d be interested in doing the morning show. And I thought they were punking me, but that was 23 years ago, and I’m still here!”

Keeping the Community in Mind

Monterrey’s morning show tackles the most pressing news in the area while still keeping it an enjoyable show for the audience. “It’s just always a constant discussion to figure out how we continue to grow and engage our listeners.” The discussion almost always includes the listeners themselves. “We are always out and about in the community. So we get a lot of feedback from our listeners,” Monterrey affirmed.

“So we really feel like we kind of know what they want to hear, what they like to hear. And so the show is definitely different than when I first started. It’s different even than just a few years ago.” But of course, staples like traffic and weather are essential to the show.

Monterrey has also found other ways to stay connected with her listeners, but not just through social media. “Every morning, I podcast the newscast after I get off the air, and that has really grown. We went from about ten listeners to now getting hundreds.”

It’s a lot of extra work, but Monterrey believes it’s worth it. “In this day and age, you have to do it,” she affirmed.

For Monterrey, when she comes to the mic with news, it’s not just her reputation on the line, but also the reputation of KMOX. “We have to be very careful because information travels so quickly, and we feel KMOX has a news reputation to protect.”

She noted the industry’s tendency to just roll with the news, but she and the team ask more questions before reporting. “We are always the station that says, well, let’s make sure this is true first before we do it.”

Paying It Forward

Landing in the St. Louis market and becoming an integral part of the community is a dream come true for Monterrey. To show her gratitude, Monterrey is using her platform to highlight some of the great things the area has to offer. “I emcee a lot of events in the community and do a lot of work with nonprofits. So it’s an honor to be somebody at KMOX who is known in the community and being able to help all these great organizations.”

This includes being the outgoing president of the Tower Grove Park Membership Council and serving on the board of the Missouri Historical Society.

“There are so many really wonderful nonprofits in this area. And I may not have a million dollars to donate, but I can get up there and emcee, making sure everybody stays engaged and the event runs smoothly.” She went on to attest, “It’s nice to be able to help and make an impact.”

For those looking to follow in Monterrey’s footsteps and make an impact on the community she serves, Monterrey suggests, “People should read a lot, write a lot, stay on top of it, and just be very, very flexible.” She added, “The biggest thing you can be right now is very flexible and know the new technology, being able to turn on a dime. I think adaptability is probably the most crucial skill in this business right now.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox. 

Glenn Beck, Shannon Bream Imagine Interviewing the Founding Fathers

Garrett Searight
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Glenn Beck, Shannon Bream Imagine Interviewing the Founding Fathers

As America 250 approaches, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence has industry figures thinking about how they’d cover history’s biggest stories if they’d had a press pass in 1776. Barrett Media posed a hypothetical to two of broadcasting’s sharpest interviewers: what would you ask the Founding Fathers if a modern-style press conference had followed the signing?

Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream and The Glenn Beck Program host Glenn Beck each took on the exercise. Bream has built a reputation as one of television news’s most incisive questioners, while Beck has spent decades as a news/talk radio fixture and self-described history obsessive. Both approached the assignment from very different angles.

Their answers reveal as much about how they view journalism today as they do about the nation’s founding. Bream focused on legacy and stewardship, while Beck leaned into the mechanics of power and the fragility of a republic.

Together, their responses paint a picture of two broadcasters who take the “founding” part of Founding Fathers seriously.

Bream’s Question About Future Americans

Bream’s hypothetical question centered less on the mechanics of revolution and more on what the founders hoped Americans would carry forward. “I think so much of this is captured in the Declaration,” said Bream. But she’d still want to hear it directly from them, and her line of questioning reflects that instinct.

“But what would your message be to Americans 10 generations from now about how they steward this?” the Fox News Sunday host said. “And how important this place in the world is that the United States of America — what would become the USA — occupies?”

She continued probing the weight of the American experiment.

“What obligations do we have? What’s going to be the hardest part of holding on to what you’ve crafted?” Bream asked. “And what would you say to encourage them to hold fast?”

Beck Wonders About Divine Providence and Courage

Glenn Beck took a decidedly different approach, starting with the sheer audacity of the moment itself. “I probably would have said, ‘What makes you think you can defeat the strongest army and navy the world has ever known? Are you insane?'” Beck said.

From there, his hypothetical interview shifted toward faith, since he’d also want to explore the founders’ repeated references to a higher power.

“I would have asked them about Divine Providence because they talked a lot about that,” Beck stated. That thread, he explained, connects directly to a moment he considers even more consequential than the signing itself — the exchange between Benjamin Franklin and a citizen outside the Constitutional Convention.

Beck Reflects on Franklin’s Warning About the Republic

Beck’s imagined interview quickly zeroed in on Franklin’s famous response when asked what type of government the delegates had created.

“If I could ask any of the founders anything that I think would be important today, it would have been right after the Constitutional Convention, when Franklin is walking down the street, and a woman says, ‘What did you give us, Mr. Franklin?’ And he said, ‘A republic, if you can keep it,'” said Beck. “I’d like to do an interview with Ben Franklin on that.”

Beck continued by sharing insight into his thought process.

“What does that mean? What should we look out for? And what does it mean to be a citizen of a republic? What does it mean to keep the government in check?” Beck questioned. “I would have asked him a lot of questions about that.”

From there, Beck pivoted to what he believes the founders didn’t foresee. “I will tell you, I think they saw everything, including our own apathy,” Beck stated. He pointed to Woodrow Wilson’s relationship with the press and Congress’s willingness to offload lawmaking to federal agencies as developments the founders likely never anticipated, since both run counter to a system built on distributed power.

Beck closed his answer by pushing back on modern criticism of the founders’ limitations. “People say, ‘They were just slave owners, and they couldn’t see the future,'” Beck said. He argued the amendment process itself proves otherwise, calling it evidence of humility rather than shortsightedness, and he pointed to Thomas Jefferson’s rejection of rule “from the grave” as proof the founders expected — and welcomed — future generations to change course.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox. 

Chris Oliviero’s Risk-Taking Advice Is a Lesson for All of Radio

Garrett Searight
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Chris Oliviero’s Risk-Taking Advice Is a Lesson for All of Radio

Audacy Chief Business Officer Chris Oliviero said something at the 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit that immediately struck me as profound. He was accepting the Jeff Smulyan Award, an honor reserved for executives who take chances most people wouldn’t.

Part of the criteria is being a “risk-taker,” and Oliviero explained what that title actually requires.

“If you’re going to be a risk-taker, you have to be comfortable with failure,” he said. He then shared one of his own career failures, and he sounded just as proud of it as he did of his many wins.

I couldn’t agree with him more.

The radio industry has plenty of leaders who are afraid to fail. They’re not even afraid to fail, really — they’re afraid to make a mistake in the first place. Maybe it’s because I make mistakes often enough that failure has become comfortable for me. There aren’t many areas where I’d suggest people follow my lead, but this happens to be one of them.

Taking a chance is almost always a good thing, even when it doesn’t feel that way in the moment. So many people treat failure like the worst possible outcome.

I used to think the same way. When someone asked about my greatest fear, I’d answer instantly: failure. In my head, failure meant losing everything. That’s not usually what failure looks like, though. It looks like admitting you made the wrong call, then pivoting toward something better.

Failure Isn’t Always the Disaster You Picture

Are there scenarios where failure turns into something dire? Absolutely, and that’s exactly why smart risk-takers make calculated, well-informed moves instead of blind guesses. I’m not suggesting companies and leaders launch “recipe-talk radio” tomorrow morning. However, I do think there’s plenty of room for companies, executives, programmers, hosts, and producers to step out on a limb once in a while.

If a risk doesn’t pay off, the stakes usually aren’t as high as you might think going in. A programming decision that flops can be corrected. A format tweak that misses can get adjusted within a quarter.

Meanwhile, a bold move that hits can reshape a station’s entire trajectory. Radio has never rewarded the leaders who play it safest; it’s rewarded the ones willing to bet on themselves.

I try to remember the quote from the philosopher, Seneca, in situations like these: “We suffer more in our imagination than in reality.”

Oliviero’s Career Proves the Point

Oliviero’s own track record backs this up. Taking risks has worked out well for him, for his career, and for Audacy as a company. That’s precisely why he stood on stage accepting an award named after one of the greatest broadcast owners the industry has ever seen. Jeff Smulyan didn’t build his legacy by avoiding risk, and the executives who earn an award in his name typically share that same instinct.

Radio’s current landscape practically demands this mindset. Between shrinking ad budgets, ongoing layoffs, and audiences fragmenting across podcasts, streaming, and social platforms, standing still isn’t really an option anymore. Executives who wait for certainty before acting will keep watching competitors move first. Meanwhile, the ones willing to test something new, even if it flops, will learn faster and adapt sooner.

So don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Don’t be afraid to take that leap of faith, whether it’s a new format, a new platform strategy, or a new voice on the air. You, your company, and the radio industry will likely be better for it. Oliviero proved that once again on that stage, and it’s a lesson worth carrying into whatever comes next.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Majic 105.7 Cleveland Lands Keith Kennedy to Lead Morning Drive

David Hill
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Majic 105.7 Cleveland Lands Keith Kennedy to Lead Morning Drive

Keith Kennedy is leaving WKDD Akron after 16 years. He’s headed to mornings at Classic Hits “Majic 105.7 WMJI in Cleveland.

What We Know: Kennedy departs 98.1 WKDD after building one of Akron’s longest-running local morning shows. Morning co-host Jen Picciano joins him at WMJI. She’s been with the station since March 2021 and also reports for WOIO-TV. Kennedy remains on WKDD in afternoons and continues tracking middays at Country 99.5 WGAR Cleveland.

What They Said: On Wednesday, Kennedy teased the move on air. He told listeners he’s “really excited for you to get to know The Fred Show that will be here Monday morning.” That comment pointed directly to a syndicated replacement at WKDD.

What Remains Unclear: It’s not yet known when Kennedy officially begins mornings at WMJI. Additionally, details about The Fred Show’s full rollout at WKDD haven’t been announced. The long-term role of Jen Picciano at WMJI also remains to be defined publicly.

What It Means: This move is consistent with iHeart’s ongoing strategy of consolidating local talent into larger markets. Meanwhile, WKDD replaces a homegrown morning show with syndicated programming. At WMJI, current morning host Mark Nolan slides to afternoons. These changes also follow last week’s iHeart cuts, which included the exit of Kennedy’s co-host Tony McGinty.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

MOViN 92.5 Seattle Adds Israel Nunnelly to Afternoon Drive Lineup

David Hill
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MOViN 92.5 Seattle Adds Israel Nunnelly to Afternoon Drive Lineup

Hubbard Seattle has hired Israel “Izzy” Nunnelly as the new weekday afternoon host for MOViN 92.5 KQMV-FM. He starts July 20th.

What We Know: Nunnelly comes to Seattle from American Media’s KCAR-FM in Joplin, Missouri, where he hosted afternoons. He brings an interactive, phone-heavy approach to the role. His show is built around listener participation and real-time engagement. MOViN 92.5 is one of Seattle’s most recognized radio brands.

What They Said: Cat Thomas, Brand and Content Director for MOViN 92.5 and Warm 106.9, praised Nunnelly’s instincts immediately. “Radio has changed in many ways, but engaging and entertaining talent will always be our difference maker,” Thomas said. Nick Beyer, President and Market Manager of Hubbard Seattle, added that Nunnelly’s listener-first style fills a noticeable gap. “That kind of listener connection has been missing from a lot of modern radio, and Izzy brings it back in a way that feels fresh, natural, and completely in step with MOViN,” Beyer said.

What Remains Unclear: It’s not yet known what specific content or features Nunnelly will bring to the afternoon show. His exact timeslot within afternoon drive has not been announced. Additionally, whether any programming changes will accompany his arrival remains to be seen.

What It Means: Landing a major market gig in Seattle is a massive jump from Joplin, Missouri. Not every talent makes that leap — and fewer make it stick. Nunnelly’s move from a small market to one of the country’s most competitive radio cities says something. Hubbard Seattle clearly saw enough to take the shot.

That kind of market jump doesn’t happen by accident. It takes a specific combination of talent, timing, and the right people paying attention. Cat Thomas and Nick Beyer didn’t just fill a slot — they made a calculated bet on upside. For Nunnelly, this is the opportunity most radio people spend careers chasing.

Seattle is a different animal than Joplin. The audience is larger, the competition is fiercer, and the margin for error is thin. If Nunnelly can translate what worked in a smaller market into something that resonates at scale, the payoff could be significant. That’s a big if — but Hubbard Seattle is clearly banking on yes.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit Presented by Point to Point Marketing Day 2 Recap

John Mamola
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2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit Presented by Point to Point Marketing Day 2 Recap

Day 2 of the 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit Presented by Point to Point Marketing is taking place inside the SVA Theater in New York City. Barrett Media Sports Editor John Mamola is passing along key takeaways from this year’s sessions and speakers.

Check back throughout the day to find out what you’ve missed.

Point To Point

Barrett Media President Jason Barrett opened day two of the show by welcoming attendees to the SVA Theater in New York City. He began his opening thoughts by thanking the number of sponsors for the event, many of which were present in the audience. Referencing the band Shinedown, he talked about how much changed in the past year. With Barrett Media, the business has expanded into video, social, and better planning and partnering with Yahoo Sports. Partnerships are a big deal.

Then, Barrett talked about how Google has changed their search and the entire internet with AI overviews. How link posts on social media are no longer getting click throughs. Yet, some of the more powerful brands on social continue to post link throughs on social media and getting little return.

When Barrett questioned the digital strategy, it was unclear what brands are deciding what that means. With everything being more competitive than ever, digital competition now extends to every streaming platform. He questioned how brands are selling their digital product when there’s more competition for advertisers to put their dollars at.

9:10-9:50 AM: 39 Strong

  • Justin Craig (ESPN Radio)
  • Mitch Rosen (104.3 The Score)
  • Scott Shapiro (FOX Sports Radio)
  • Armen Williams (Westwood One Sports)
  • Moderator: Jason Barrett (Barrett Media)

Reflecting on 39 years ago, Barrett opened the panel with talking about how far the country and the format has come since launching sports radio 39 years ago. In reflecting on that journey over the 39 years, Shapiro said the growth of the format is “truly exceptional.”

“Find anyone who can holds your attention in two to five minutes who can hold your attention. We [sports radio] have talent that can do that for hours at a time,” said Shapiro.

He went on to talk about how social media is divided, but sports brings people together. The goal is always about companionship and sports radio has done a great job bringing people together.

Rosen talked about how sports radio is no longer radio, and sports radio talent are no longer on-air personalities. Instead, it’s about content distribution and influencers. That’s been the single biggest change so far within the industry to him.

Justin Craig believes the message and goal hasn’t changed for sports radio. He discussed that Mike Golic Jr, for instance, returned to ESPN Radio because of the connection that he has with the listening audience. He gets the business.

Barrett then shared a clip from St. Johns mens basketball coach Rick Pitino talking about leadership. Referencing confidence in your approach when it comes to playing the hits and talking about what sports matter to people. There is a world for sports fans where it comes to deciding on what hits that’s more segmented than ever.

Armen Williams says that it’s more about passion than popularity. You can lead with what typically plays with a traditional sports radio audience, but you can absolutely find topics of conversation that plays to different audience outside the hits. Craig built on that point talking about the relationship talent have with their audience. That is what leads the topic selection, because the listeners will tell you what happens to be the hit. It’s all about connection.

Rosen was asked about what his approach is, and he admits that all brands are not created evenly. He referenced how he works with talent about playing to the bigger local team headlines instead of what may be trending nationally. Local markets are different than national syndicators.

Shapiro says it’s all about trusting your host of knowing what the topics are that hit. However, it can’t be too formulaic. He talked about how he used algorithms to determine what’s been popular with the national audience. It’s more about being true to your audience, but also prepping and how you educate your audience.

Regarding digital, Rosen talked about how sometimes content on digital and Nielsen may not correlate. He talked about how technology aids the programmer in finding out what hits and misses, but it’s not an exact science in determining success.

Barrett then shifted to how these programmers search out for the next generation of who could be the faces of the sports radio industry. Williams shared his approach on the next stars of sports radio are not going to come from radio itself.

“We could teach anyone how to do radio, but you can’t teach people how to entertain and enlighten the listening audience,” said Williams. In talking about Westwood One Sports and their lineup that launched in December, his strategy revolved around beginning with reels on Facebook/Instagram to find out if they can entertain in short form versions.

Shapiro referenced the upcoming decisions about how he’s approaching the replacement of Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd. He said that it’s never been easier to search out talent across the country. There’s talent everywhere, and proof of concept lives online and is able to be found. “There’s so much talent out there that we’re in such a positive position for the industry moving forward,” said Shapiro.

Rosen talked about his approach in finding talent with Chicago roots that also has that youthful voice. It’s a balance between old school and leaning on the success of the past, and what’s going to have to be the next voice. Also in the programming role, it’s about identifying the next programmers as Rosen stated he’s not planning to remain in the business for another ten years.

Barrett then shifted to how he’s using AI to help guide the business model of the business. He then asked what these programmers are actually doing with AI to benefit the brands they represent.

Williams says that AI is helpful with consolidating time on creating documents mainly in his approach. However, when it comes to the content discovery, it’s not 100% accurate.

Craig talked about how AI is not there to replace, but enhance how he approaches his business and the day-to-day.

Rosen said he’s used AI for a campaign for an “I Score” on air imaging example. Throwing data into a prompt

Shapiro talked about different AI services that helps create clips from the radio programs for social. However, it’s more about finding the right content and how it will work on social video. He then talked about the need to ensuring you’re double checking your work with AI, and not leaning into all the data all the time. Craig then built on Shapiro’s comments talking about scripts being written and the faults of not having the personality of what makes an ESPN Radio talent.

Rosen then said he doesn’t feel AI will ever truly replace a local talent or imaging voice because of the faults that still exist with the AI.

When it comes to what is important with show success, Shapiro then talked more about ratings, revenue, and relevance are the keys to success. Craig then referenced how the consumer connects with programs outside of their daypart on the digital front. That’s the relevance he focuses on with ESPN Radio. Williams says it’s all about a content statement and using whatever data you have at your disposal. However, six months in with Westwood One Sports, it’s tough to tell if something has been successful or not just based on time.

Rosen echoed the success of The Score podcast consumption on the Audacy app. But also getting out and about around town is a good sign of impact. While not scientific, it’s a good sign of the impact that your talent have on a daily basis.

When asked to predict what will be hot over the next 5-10 years, Rosen said the one element that will become huge for success is interacting with the audience during off air moments during events through all the platforms at once. Craig echoed Rosen’s words about finding a way to relate to the audience in that moment with events. Williams said it doesn’t matter what platform you’re on, it’s all about trust. Shapiro talked about the impossibility to predict, but every metric says that sports is the hottest piece of content and the audio that accompanies it. That’s the best place to be if you’re in sports radio.

9:50-10:30 AM: Winning Back The Wallet

  • Dan Seeman (Hubbard – Minneapolis/St. Paul)
  • Natalie Marsh (Lotus Broadcasting – Las Vegas)
  • Christine Travaglini (Katz Media Group)
  • Michael Spacciapolli (Audacy)
  • Moderator: Lee Davis (Front Porch Media)

Davis opened up his commentary discussing how sports radio can never enough revenue earned. He then threw the question about revenue status across the sports radio industry. Marsh said business is good in her home market of Las Vegas. Spacciapolli talked about the strength of the format with Audacy, but he wishes he had more sports radio stations to sell. Seeman talked about the shift from sports radio to podcasting and video, and how it’s driving all types of revenue on every platform. Travaglini said that there is a good healthy balance now with Katz Media, even if local spot is slightly down.

When asked about the focus of these corporations on sports content, should the format/industry sell more with sports when it comes to a cluster sell.

“Sports is a door opener for us. It helps us sell across all the platforms and give you a full 360 view,” said Marsh. “It’s very helpful for us in our market.”

Spacciapolli said that sports is just different. Every seller in every market that has a sports entity has the best boost to help drive more revenue. Seeman is a big believer in the brand itself in his home market of Minneapolis/St. Paul. However, the power of the sports brand does drive a lot more attention than any other brand.

When it comes to a national advertiser, Davis asked who these markets are competing with. Marsh said the biggest competition comes from the partners in the local market of Las Vegas, but also competing with everything on digital from the biggest companies in the world. Both Spacciapolli and Seeman echoed those words talking mainly about how the local teams have entered the digital content space more over the past couple of years.

Davis then asked if it’s important to shift away from the radio when it comes to earning agency dollars. Spacciapolli said it’s absolutely necessary to shift away from the radio piece to earn those advertising dollars. Travaglini talked about the biggest selling point being finding an attachment to the teams and brand themselves. Utilizing local talent for advertising in local markets, and also tickets from the franchises also helps secure those advertising dollars as well.

Davis then turned to a reference by New York Knicks owner James Dolan talking about not who you play, it’s how you play when it comes in reference to earning advertising dollars. Marsh followed the example provided saying you can’t control everything. It’s more about making everything a win win for everyone involved. Tickets and entry points to team events do help, but the access is key to providing something no one else can provide.

Spacciapolli then talked about how Audacy builds their sports radio brands into a franchise of their own just like any other sports franchise in town. Travaglini then spoke about how you track success is if clients continue to come back year after year and season after season.

Seeman then opened up about the evolution of SKOR North from radio to digital. He said that the ratings at the time told the only story when it came to advertisers. Now, some years later, after the shift to podcasting and digital, SKOR North is now defined by the digital reach and footprint it’s established compared to just Nielsen ratings.

When Seeman was asked about how to pitch an advertiser on sports radio in 60 seconds, he leaned on the unification of what sports provides.

“There’s few pieces of content that does that, and sports does it. Who doesn’t want to be associated with that,” said Seeman.

Outside of the passion and loyalty that sports radio provides, Spacciapolli talked about the endless amount of creativity that the format provides for advertisers on all platforms. March spoke to the engagement of sports radio being the best selling point for an advertiser. However, when it comes to struggles with the conversations, Travaglini says the price structure is a little misguided. There needs to be more of a 360 approach to the agency and the advertiser together, and must be sold at such a higher level because of the content and the passion that comes with it.

Seeman says the difficulties now lie in the amount of competition that have invaded the sports content ecosphere. It’s harder than ever to break through the clutter of all the other messages where an advertiser can get their messaging heard.

In regards to play-by-play, with the higher costs of rights-fees on stations, from a sales standpoint that adds more pressure. Marsh didn’t deny that sports radio is an expensive format to run. However, when it comes to a deal with any team, it comes down for if you feel that you can monetize the rights being on your station. When asked about the local media rights deals in Pittsburgh, Spacciapolli said it comes down to risk with navigating rights deals. The station’s current deal with the Pirates pays the station in trade for inventory coming back to the team. However, as lucrative as the Steelers’ media rights could be, it doesn’t make a lot of fiscal sense for Audacy.

Regarding WGR losing the Buffalo Bills, Spacciapolli talked about how the morale dipped when the team took away the rights and moved to a competitor after many years. Seeman, who’s reference that SKOR North does not have any local media rights, says having rights is a double edged sword. Especially when it comes to content, it helps that you don’t have to ensure that the content fits the best model all the time for the good of your partners.

In regards to content, Davis asked about what the panel has learned about content since they’re solely focused on sales. Marsh talked about how winning on the field matters compared to the opposite. Positive vibes and finding ways to make the experience for the fanbase entertaining for the listener. Spacciapolli said the biggest item he’s learned that its good to have a brand manager that understands the role of sales and how it can fit and integrate into content.

Seeman said his talent understands that revenue is the most important part of having conversations about sales integrations with content. That relationship can only lead to more success.

Mr Master

10:30-11:05 AM: The AI Advantage

  • Daniel Anstandig (Futuri)

Anstandig open his comments by stating the obvious with AI using a quote from the CEO of Salesforce talking about how this generation is the last to manage just humans. 59% of the global workforce needs some sort of re-skilling in their line of work. AI can help that. He stated that AI will not replace people, but people who know how to use AI will be the ones who are doing the replacing.

There was a live poll conducted in the room of attendees on which AI platform is used the most by those in attendance. ChatGPT finished first, with Claude and Gemini finishing third. Anstandig talked about how each platform is more geared for certain types of strengths and best practices. Then another poll was conducted on how AI was being used at work. Getting information was the top selection, followed by data analysis and and creative thinking finishing third. Anstandig then revealed that many C-suite executives are utilizing more AI in their decision making process.

As AI continues to grow, it’s taking on four-times the amount of work every couple of months. Because of that, revenue growth is becoming more elusive. 74% are hoping for revenue generation where 26% are actually earning revenue because of AI.

Sports teams are also diving into the use of AI. From partnerships with big tech to using AI to track stats, analysis, and even conditioning athletes for avoiding injuries. The Golden State Warriors even built a digital brain to work through thousands of simulations of potential trades the franchise can make.

OpenClaw was then brought up as an automatous AI agent, and telling the story how the technology takes full control of your computer. Anstandig said that story is a foreshadow of what’s to come, but it a more positive form. That’s why the AI is moving from chatbots to agents. An agent is designed to accomplish a goal given to the human controlling the prompt. Which led to the question for the audience revealing that they use an AI agent more than 1-3 times per day. With 7 or more times per day, and 4-6 times per day finishing third. However, never finished last among the polling.

Anstanding says that AI Agents are now evolving into a more autonomous AI Agent in the years to come. However, with the rise of AI, energy concerns should be minimal. Energy tokens are no longer of great cost with AI providing output moving forward.

The conversation then shifted to the rise in after world models which provides more depth and detail in the output of the prompts. This will be the promise that will likely lead to advancements in intelligence in nearly every industry imaginable. The biggest questions that many businesses ask about how to inject AI, that leads to back office, growth and going to market. Also product ideations and delivery and content.

Back office is about working smarter, not harder. Growth and going to market is about revenue generation. Product ideation and delivery and content talks about actual content being produced and where it’s distributed. There’s two different styles of selling. Functional and programmatic and developments and direct. Both have their positives and negatives, but both are being used every day. Transactional and programmatic, according to Anstanding, will affect every industry.

Anstanding then discussed what he called the overlap window. Where humans and AI are not alone, but working together. That’s why the future belongs to people working with AI agents moving into the future. The more than you make AI more of your practice to automate your surroundings with you, you will eliminate clutter to make yourself more strategic.

AI integration starts with prompts using AI as a thought partner. The second level is connecting apps and data to allow the AI to act. There risk some IP risk with this because you’re exposing your business to AI insertion. That’s why a paid model with added security settings is vital. The third level is building and systematizing AI to work for you. This also comes with the highest risk with AI agents. The partner zone is connecting and building, but it does come with risk.

From a go to market seller point of view, AI provides a daily one on one. Thinking like a pit crew, every AI has a team member using these AI Agents to build upon every piece of the selling process. From spot creation, to script generation, to social media content generation.

In regards to media, the biggest challenge is 86% of buyers expect to use AI in media planning in 2026. Only 30% have fully integrated AI today. But 52% think AI will devalue agencies’ traditional buying/planning role over time. The window to lead using it is now. The goal should be producing better products and campaigns leaning on AI to show attribution and results for clients across the industry.

11:15 AM-12:00 PM: Setting The Standard

  • Boomer Esiason (WFAN – New York)
  • Gregg Giannotti (WFAN – New York)
  • Craig Carton (WFAN – New York)
  • Moderator – Jason Barrett (Barrett Media)

July 1 is the 39th anniversary of WFAN. Jason Barrett opened his comments talking about the impact of Boomer Esiason and his recent news that he’ll be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. Esiason talked about his experience growing up listening to 700WLW in Cincinnati and how it influenced him to consider a career in the sports radio industry.

Barrett then brought up the evolution of WFAN over the years, especially in the entertainment sphere. Carton then talked about how sports talk doesn’t need to be all sports talk. Talent have other interests, and so does the audience. Carton considers WFAN having more staying power because of that pivot. Giannotti says his goal is to get the listener to hear you, and not necessarily the topics of the day. He noted that the industry has shifted to more of an entertainment realm.

Barrett then asked about the transition to Giannotti from Carton in the daypart on WFAN. Esiason said it did take some time and months for the chemistry to work between both Carton and Giannotti. He credited the approach and evolution of both talent and the production staff around them that allowed the show to find its way.

Regarding when he knows if he knows if a show is successful or not, Carton said he knows it’s successful when he’s on it.

“I love radio. It’s not easy for everyone to do it,” said Carton. “I’ve put in the work. You have to believe in the art, because it’s an artform.”

With time, there’s also change on the program director level. As well as the staples of taking regular callers. Carton says that calls should be used as hit songs on a music station. Each show does have a relationship with certain callers, but it’s part of the show. Not the show, but an additive to take topics to the next level. Giannotti complimented Al Dukes (Boomer & Gio Producer) as an expert call screener who’s always preparing callers with terms for the talent. That’s so key in determining whether or not a caller is worth the airtime they would take up.

Esiason did hint that he did believed that Carton would reunite with him on WFAN. However, because of the rapport that Esiason had with Giannotti that didn’t happen.

The conversation did enter into the conversation about how WFAN talent go after other sports media personalities. Giannotti said there’s no real formula to it. However, every situation presents a different approach. He also noted that Carton is the one of the three talent that starts the most of them. Carton said his beef is with talent that attack the industry that serves them the platform.

Esiason says he enjoys being in the middle of the on air beefs with other sports media personalities. He complimented the unscripted nature of the programs he’s been a part of. He doesn’t consider any of these media beefs “boring” by any means, but it does stick with the listeners well.

Barrett then brought up about the importance of television for each of the talents. What was the change in the approach for each of them. Carton talked about his experience with television and how it different than radio. He says that morning sports content on FS1 will likely never be a destination for sports fans. In TV, staff might laugh but you have no idea if it lands until you get the ratings.

Giannotti talked about his experience with CBS Sports Network and how it didn’t match his initial expectations of walking into the room. The challenges was he felt completely out of the mix with the network. The goal for him was to leave Pittsburgh for the opportunity to be in the building of WFAN because Francesa was retiring and he wanted to be top of mind.

Regarding the future of WFAN, there’s a lot to figure out. Boomer Esiason says he doesn’t plan on retiring anytime soon. He’s been a part of the radio station for such a long time. Carton talked about his journey from intern to host. He says that listeners should pay attention to the depth of the behind the scenes crew including digital content producer Anthony Gallo. He shared the journey of his new co-host Chris McMonigle from overnights to afternoon drive.

The key Carton says is being someone who understands that great things will not come quickly at WFAN. But hard work will lead to opportunities. Carton stated that McMonigle will likely be in afternoon drive for years following Carton’s retirement. But also, Carton credited the success of WFAN being the reason why they each have built their success stories over time.

When it comes to advice, Giannotti says it comes down to passion and outworking everyone else in the business. Esiason said revenue is vital to success. Earning the trust and building relationships with the sales staff is key for success. Carton says that the ability to create yourself to be whatever you want to be is key. Younger broadcasters have the phone at their disposal. Figuring out your voice with the opportunities that are presented to you.

WFAN Logo

1:00-1:40 PM: The Transfer Portal Of Sports Media

  • Josh Pate (On3/ESPN/Yahoo Sports)
  • Paul Finebaum (ESPN/SEC Network)
  • Moderator: Kevin Clark (Omaha Productions)

Kevin Clark opened the conversation talking about the passion of college football fans and how impactful that is connecting with fans across the country. Finebaum took issue with Craig Carton’s comments about the value of callers. The approach that Finebaum has always taken is giving the show over to the fan of the program. Finebaum reasoned this because small town radio is build on the listener and not the a-list guest.

Pate built on Finebaum’s commentary about how he was represented with Finebaum’s program. How the program is like a lunch table conversation. He says that no matter the data that’s presented it doesn’t match what you see on the front lines in neighborhoods in the south. Clark noted the both Finebaum and Pate have both made college football into a year round sports radio topic. Pate credited Finebaum for his influence in assisting that mantra.

Clark then asked if the added layers of change within the sport of college football could be damaging to the interest in the sport of college football. Pate talked about while there’s concern for sure, the day that viewership begins to decline is the time when the sport is in real trouble. Finebaum said that college athletics is one of the worst business models in any industry. However, the sport is still alive despite these business challenges. Fans may not be able to spend the money like they once was to on tickets, but the content is appealing still to come to day in and day out.

Clark, Pate, Finebaum then shared their experience about non-exclusivity with the companies they work for. Pate, the freshest voice to this model, takes his approach year to year. He’s certain that there will be a good amount of churn with the content models that brands have. Pate talked about his partnerships with Yahoo Sports, On3, and ESPN have worked for him from a strategy standpoint. It’s more about being in all places that people consume content.

Clark then brought up the politics of the sport of college football. What the role of politics is in sports content, and how to navigate that with your audience. Pate considered the COVID pandemic began to scale bigger during that time because he listened to his audience. At the time, he ignored the politics of the day. Now, Pate said there was a pro and a con with his recent interview with Donald Trump. He understood how hindsight could factor into how people saw the moment involving Trump.

Finebaum then talked about how he used to follow Rush Limbaugh at one time on local radio, and then discussed how his evolution has moved to a role where he attempts to ignore politics.

Good Karma

1:40-2:20 PM: Field Of Streams

  • Kraig Riley (93.7 The Fan – Pittsburgh)
  • Matt Moscona (104.5 ESPN – Baton Rouge)
  • Rod Lakin (Sportsradio 94WIP – Philadelphia)
  • Paul Mason (104.5 The Zone – Nashville)
  • Moderator: John Mamola (Barrett Media)

Mamola noted that he would come to the Summit as a programmer in his previous role. And one of the things he was always curious about was the digital realm. He began by asking the panelists what they’ve learned about the digital space in the past year.

“If you’re going to a moment big, you can’t do it without (digital video),” Riley said.

“It’s just getting bigger,” Mason said. “Our audience could be on any different number of platforms. So we’re taking the content to where they are.”

“We were real early adopters of video,” Moscona said. “We built a TV studio for our radio shows in 2017. Now we have an audio strategy, a video strategy, and now a written-word strategy. We’re also zeroing in on how to grow our programmatic advertising revenue from social media.”

“We were not early adopters of video and YouTube,” Lakin admitted. “Lots of good learning there. We were late because we wanted to make sure we got it right. We were not ready. It looked horrible. It was like the early days of Zoom. So we had a lot of good learning there. We’ve tripled our subscriber base and getting better in producing shorts and thumbnails.”

Moscona noted that understanding your market is the easiest way to justify what you’re doing in the digital realm.

“If you know your audience, know what’s going to resonate. For us, we’re heavy LSU and Saints. Anything with Lane Kiffin’s face on it is going to work,” Moscona said. “I could talk about what he ate for breakfast, and it’s going to do numbers. But that plays in our market. So you have to know your market and know what’s going to play to your audience, but so much of that is scalability.”

Mason described how he defines success from what his station produces in clips.

“The clips the last couple of years have been the big thing,” Mason added. “I always tell people I look at as it’s basically a promo for the radio station. So you’re creating these short clips with the mindset you would a piece of imaging. You want people to discover you, which is going to bring you back to the brand one way or another.”

Mason added that he believes a YouTube strategy could still be viewed as the Wild West.

“We need more outside-the-box ideas,” Mason said. “Whether it’s watch-alongs or the afternoon show going live during a game. There’s all sorts of outside-the-box stuff. And we’ll take those ideas as they come.”

Moscona added that YouTube wants creators on its platform, so they want you to be successful. “They want your watch time to be up. They want your viewers up. That’s how they’re able to sell. They’re able to sell when everybody makes money. They give you the answers.”

Social media is an aspect of the digital space. 93.7 The Fan afternoon host Andrew Fillipponi is provocative on X. Is that just noise or is it a strategy? Riley had a strong answer.

“He does it differently than most,” Riley said, “in that he does sort of stir it up, but he doesn’t engage back. Which you wouldn’t think would necessarily work, but if you read his mentions, it’s probably better that he doesn’t, because we’d end up in a worse spot. But it’s really to each individual, it’s unique to them.”

Lakin admitted they have an easy discussion with 94 WIP’s talent about social media usage.

“I’d say on X: don’t get fired,” Lakin said. “We don’t do a very good job in engaging with people after the initial post. There’s a lot of back and forth, so that’s a big part of the role. You don’t need to be fighting people on Twitter. I don’t really have very many active discussions about social media strategy with the talent. Especially when it comes to platforms like X, where they have huge followings, and obviously they’ve developed those.”

2:20-3:00 PM: Raising The Stakes

  • Brandon Tierney
  • Jake Asman
  • Joon Lee
  • Moderator: Damon Amendolara (SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio)

Damon Amendolara opened the discussion about Brandon Tierney’s pivot into the digital realm with his YouTube page. Tierney discussed how he made the transition from local radio host to YouTube. He spoke about the transition and the growth of his YouTube channel and how he’s reached a new audience on the platform. With Jake Asman, he’s a radio original and took that approach to owning all the content regarding the New York Jets. He says he found a hole in the content space with the Jets and took a sports radio show on camera and found success.

Joon Lee then discussed his upbringing as a magazine writer, but also found there was a lens to talk about culture through the vessel of sports. He’s grown his YouTube following by finding that niche and explaining his content to a general audience. Amendolara then asked about how talent that shifted from sports radio to YouTube don’t have to return to content ideas in the same video. Tierney talked about letting go of the radio approach to content into his YouTube approach as been freedom he didn’t expect.

Asman built upon what Tierney discussed talking about how different the audience community is with YouTube versus traditional sports radio. Joon Lee said that YouTube analytics are Nielsen ratings on steroids and how he’s using that to his advantage with his content approach. He’s attempting to cater to the nerdy sports friend to the casual viewer, but also reshaping how sports can be fun again.

Amendolara talked about AI, and how everyone is using AI today. Tierney says he uses AI everyday, but doesn’t use it from a content perspective. Instead, he’s using it more for image generation. Something that he’s noted that followers and consumers are providing some resistance to. The one element that he’s enjoyed about using AI is that the AI knows what you like and what you don’t like. Asman also uses AI a ton when it comes to his game notes and how to consolidate the notes. He also uses it for taking data from social media in real time, and also for image generation.

The other item is titles on his YouTube content. Finding the absolute best way to market the content for the YouTube audience. It’s more about knowing how to use AI, and adapt your toolset. Lee uses AI as a complimentary tool for his content. While he doesn’t use everything that AI provides, he says everyone has their own taste when it comes what he uses AI for.

Amendolara then brought up the challenges of the algorithm. Tierney says he admittingly is still navigating figuring it out. He dives into the data and admits the emotions of the rollercoaster of the algorithm is tough to work with. However, he spins the challenge as a positive and something he’s encouraged to continue working at. Asman talks a lot about the trial and error of working with the algorithm. Finding new and creative ways with both live and on demand audiences is key for success. Overall, it’s about being consistent with everything.

Lee took issue with the algorithm conversation. He says most complaints should just remove algorithm with the word audience. The path to understand is about what topics, stories, themes click with his audience. It’s not always the biggest topic that gets the most views. It’s more about finding content that fits what the audience desires from the creator.

“Working with the algorithm is like slow dancing with a robot,” said Lee. “It’s kind of human, but it’s kind of not. But how do I work with that is the question to ask.”

it’s about setting the expectation with the audience from a content perspective. Then delivering on that approach.

When it comes to what they’ve learned about the YouTube experience, Tierney talked about how he made himself. Both in radio and now on YouTube. He says he doesn’t need a traditional media company to support him. However, the journey to YouTube has reenforced that belief. Asman built on that by informing the right path is to select a path to what you’re most passionate about. It takes luck, direction and grind to win in the YouTube game. Lee then talked about the business and editorial side mix more than ever. He referenced how he’s not taking any gambling money as a guide to open more doors to content concepts with the idea that he’s not influenced by advertising revenue.

Point To Point

3:10-3:50 PM: Sports Talk’s Front Seat Advantge

  • Juan Galdamez (Xperi)

Galdamez began the session by discussing the capabilities of Xperi’s DTS AutoStage, and the data that is provided. More than 6 million vehicles are now equipped with the ability to report data on what drivers are listening to. It’s also a balance of vehicles from luxury automobiles to the average lower models.

“It’s all AM/FM, HD, translators,” Galdamez shared. “We launched our metrics two-and-a-half or three years ago. We launched our new portal and added more data going into the NAB Show. And we added this ranker that shows any station’s share, cume, average time spent listening, and total time spent listening.”

For instance, in a market like Buffalo, there was data provided by more than 25,000 individual cars. That allows next-day data of those metrics. DTS AutoStage is now nearing 300 different markets, with every market having the same level of access to the data no matter where you are.

“Having access to data like that before has never been possible,” Galdamez noted. “How we deliver data in New York is how we deliver data in Kenosha, Wisconsin.”

The figures can also be broken out by daypart activity in addition to the entire day, and four-week trends. A heatmap, showing the point of consumption for each listener, is also made available.

Regarding certain sports data, the DTS data showed that there was more tune in the day of the final game of the New York Knicks and the Monday following. Both seeing upwards of 45% increased listening using DTS AutoStage. Using certain examples of MLB play by play, the data showed over 100% increases in tune in for game broadcasts on the radio. Play by play is pretty consistent when it comes to added tune in for sports radio stations.

3:50-4:30 PM: Sports Without Borders

  • Mike Foss (ESPN)
  • Ryan Spoon (Yahoo Sports)
  • Peter Gianesini (Sinclair)
  • Moderator: Chad Millman (The Volume)

Chad Millman opened the panel talking about how content from each of their individual networks no longer are living just behind it’s own borders. Gianesini talked about the difficulties that people have to try and define what type of content matters most and if it’s the same. From Sinclair’s point of view, it’s not about pointing the consumer to certain platforms over one another. When it comes to Spoon’s approach to navigating talent recruitment, there’s no real thinking about it. It’s more about working alongside with partners and housing their content on Yahoo Sports, instead of your own content creation. The filter for talent is about versatility, not one versus another.

For Mike Foss, sports without borders means being as resonate across every platform as good as possible. It’s more about being the absolute best as it can be when it comes to content produced by ESPN programming. Be excellent in the platform where it originates, but navigate how to get that content on all platforms.

When it comes to coaching talent for the clip economy, it comes down to understanding what works best. It comes down to people understanding what works best on different platforms. Spoon discussed his time at ESPN and what he learned the most. That included measuring everything in time spent. Reaching new users and getting them to spend more time with you. Either in a session or in sessions. The job of the talent is to get more time spent with the talent. Foss said aiming for content to be viral is a bad proposition. It’s more about compelling pieces of content instead.

He referenced how the Pat McAfee Show begins their day with a conversation. How it’s less about the A story or C story, but more about navigating to find out what’s the most passionate play for all the talent involved. Then, while clipping the live show for social media, they use those analytics to see what’s working to place on other platforms and programs.

Millman then talked about how the word synergy is no longer a term at ESPN, but there’s more synergy happening than ever before ESPN. Foss, who’s been with ESPN since 2017, talked about how the evolution of his position grew over time by taking chances and trying different things with social media and digital. He talked about certain moments that changed the path of pivoting at ESPN including Pat McAfee joining the network in 2023.

In regards to Sinclair, Gianesini says the metric for success was audio being on TV. Now, with local television stations supporting the podcasts with Sinclair, it’s critical for play on TV but they’re not made for television. It’s all about growing the footprint of all the digital products by extending the reach instead of being incumbent from them.

For Yahoo Sports, Spoon says the approach is entering with pure flexibility. The conversation always starts with making you a smarter sports fan. The brand is built with personalities that cater to certain sections of the business, but they lean on partners to fit the rest of the sports model.

When it came to how YouTube has democratized what sports radio has brought, Gianesini says that the platform allows different audiences to digest different types of content. Now, instead of aiming to have the short-form video drive people back to the original product. it’s more about finding more consumption in different areas.

When it comes to data with programming, the conversation has changed especially with more content on YouTube. Foss said that the ubiquity of what YouTube provides has forced traditional brands to adapt. It’s more about real connection with a quality experience on YouTube which builds more connection with more audience. Therefore, he’s seen gains in viewership on the traditional platforms because of that specific.

Spoon, however, says it’s not a YouTube specific item. It’s more about the ability to go live when you choose to based on the biggest events in sports. That leads to more engagement with the audience on those platforms in real time building on that connection.

When the discussion came up regarding IP, the term used to be a nonstarter for many networks in the past. Today, the ownership of IP is more paramount than ever before. Gianesini talked about the model that he has with The Triple Option podcast which features three talents from FOX Sports. On a local level, it’s more about the teams the content represents instead of the station or talent. The approach is audience first as opposed to a corporate one.

Spoon spoke more about partnerships with incentives being aligned and working backwards from there. Foss agreed, but ensuring the main thing is the main thing. Not just brand equity, but also talent equity. The partnership has to work for both talent and network.

When asked about advice for a local sports radio talent, Gianesini says the content must always pass the “who cares test.” It’s more about the people who are speaking on the content, leading to trust and talent that are interested in building that relationship with the audience.

A question was asked to talk about determining how a show is a successful product on Yahoo Sports. Spoon talked about momentum and if a show feels like it’s growing. However, the revenue support is just as important. Gianesini spoke to how he judges success based on affiliates showing growth on traditional linear for the Sinclair product being presented.

When it comes to AI, Foss talks about the success with WSC Sports. The approach is human intervention, but it’s continued to grow into aspects of SportsCenter For You within the ESPN app. He considers AI is tool for growth in the future. Gianesini talked about how he’s used AI to repurpose his own time to where he could listen to more programming to coach talent.

The Volume

4:30-5:00 PM: Sports Media Awards Ceremony

The Mark Chernoff Award – Winner: Eric Spitz (SiriusXM Radio)

Spitz accepted the Mark Chernoff Award with a story about his career and how his father was a P1 to Don Imus so many years ago. Plus how his career spanned starting as a phone operator with an hour into his career he felt it might end before it really got going. He credited working alongside Mark Chernoff and the lessons he learned from those experiences. The main thing lesson he learned was making time to everyone who reaches out. He encouraged the next generation of broadcasters to network and get their voice heard by those who can make decisions. Another lesson he learned from Chernoff is sticking to a work/life balance. Its a practice he’s attempted to honor his entire career. He took credit for launching Chris Oliviero’s career with his internship rejection letter. Referencing the P.O.K.E. approach to content, he also congratulated Paul Finebaum on earning his lifetime achievement award.

The Jeff Smulyan Award – Winner: Chris Oliviero (Audacy)

Oliviero opened his comments thanking Barrett Media for continuing to arrange elements to celebrate the industry. He then talked about how the launch of WFAN is what led him to chasing a career in sports radio. He thanked previous winners of the award for their service and guidance over the years. Risk was the theme of Oliviero’s comments. Talking about the concept that failure leads to success. He then referenced Free.FM as a concept in 2006-2007 in which it didn’t work at the time. However, the lessons of that failure is what shifted the FM push for sports radio brands across the Audacy. He says he’s proud of the failures as much as his success. Which includes being turned down by Eric Spitz for an unpaid internship so many years ago.

The Lifetime Achievement Award – Winner: Paul Finebaum (ESPN/SEC Network)

Finebaum opened his acceptance talking about being introduced to sports when he was told about Bobby Thompson’s

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