Paul Schadt, the veteran co-host of “The Paul Schadt & Sarah Lee Morning Show” on 96.9 The Kat, WKKT will officially sign off tomorrow morning (3/11). Schadt has had a 44-year career in Charlotte radio, with 27 years at 96.9 The Kat.
Schadt has received numerous accolades from the ACM and CMA and is recognized as the longest-running radio personality in Charlotte. Following his retirement, he will serve as a station ambassador, participating in on-air segments and various events.
Leaders at iHeartMedia commended Schadt’s legacy, highlighting his enduring impact on both the station and the community.
Schadt announced his intent to retire this past October saying at that time, “This has been the toughest decision of my life by far, because I love what I do. I’m a very lucky guy, I’ve had the most remarkable ‘job’ anyone could ever ask for. Growing up, I never would have believed the people I’d meet and work with, the experiences I’d have, and all the lives I’d get to be a part of every day.”
Schadt began his career at WSOC, Charlotte in 1981.
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Last week, 830 WCCO evening host Henry Lake was one of several hundred employees laid off by Audacy amid the latest round of cuts. But the departure lasted less than a day, as Lake was back on the air Friday evening.
Lake and his producer Chris Tubbs were two of the employees included in the Audacy cuts. The heritage radio station shared that it was ending all local programming after 6 PM, except for the station’s coverage of the Minnesota Twins, where it serves as the flagship for the MLB franchise.
However, leaders at the Twin Cities cluster for the company sent a note to staffers the following day saying that Lake and Tubbs will continue in their roles with the company.
To begin his show Friday, Henry Lake said he has gone through a “roller coaster of emotions.”
“Has the last 36 hours been a little bit awkward? Not gonna sit here and lie,” Lake said. “I am thankful. I am happy to be here, happy to be speaking with you. Happy to be doing a show to all of you on this iconic radio station.”
“I feel gratitude,” he added. “I’m thankful that we’ve got good leadership here at WCCO, and the higher-ups appreciate me and Chris.”
Lake has been with 830 WCCO for the past six years after joining from iHeartMedia’s KFAN 100.3. The Lake Show with Henry Lake airs from 7-10 PM on the Audacy Minneapolis station.
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West Virginia news/talk network MetroNews has announced plans for a new midday talk show hosted by Amanda Barren and Dave Allen.
Metro Middays is set to be heard from 12-3 PM. The show will be heard on several stations throughout the Mountain State.
Amanda Barren is a veteran television anchor in the state, serving at WOWK-TV 13 News and also host of Tonight Live.
“I am honored to come work alongside a team that I hold in such high regard,” said Barren.
She will anchor the first hour of the show solo, delivering both MetroNews updates and national news alongside in-depth interviews.
Dave Allen — who works as a host at WCHS Radio in Charleston for WVRC Media, parent company of MetroNews — will join in the second and third hours of the show.
Allen is a West Virginia native and attended Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College as well as Marshall University. Spending four decades in broadcasting, Allen has been a part of the WVRC Media team since 2020. He currently hosts 580 Live on WCHS Radio from 9-10 AM.
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Over the last decade, there has been a proliferation of athlete-driven content in the sports media ecosystem wherein competitors tell their stories and shape narratives directly. Authentically conveying their thoughts and opinions through production companies and original content ventures, these competitors are able to leverage their insights and expertise in the world of media. For example, former athletes Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird founded A Touch More, a podcast and production company that has elicited a large following telling stories from those who move the culture forward. Rapinoe was part of a panel about athlete-driven content from the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference alongside industry luminaries Constance Schwartz-Morini and Marie Donoghue.
Donoghue, who works as the chief business and growth officer of DraftKings, previously collaborated with Schwartz-Morini on the Coach Prime documentary series while at Amazon. Within her remarks, she professed the presence of trends in the marketplace that can catalyze alterations in consumer taste. Yet she is a believer in storytelling and affirms that it is more important in finding the right partner as well. Donoghue enjoys working on and watching athlete-driven documentaries, but she also sees another vertical with palpable momentum in the overall ecosystem.
“I think podcasts have been having a moment and [are] going to continue to grow,” Donoghue said. “I just saw something the other day that YouTube now has their podcast traffic is bigger than every other platform.”
YouTube recently divulged that there are more than 1 billion monthly active users watching podcast content on the platform. The data corroborates that YouTube is currently the most frequently used service to hear podcasts around the country, and the company referenced award-winning shows based in sports media such as Club Shay Shay and New Heights within its announcement.
“One of the reasons I love podcasts – and we did this back in the day with Grantland – it was such a great touchpoint with fans because it’s so intimate,” Donoghue said. “You take them on walks, you take them on runs, they’re in your ear.”
Schwartz-Morini, the co-founder and chief executive officer of SMAC Entertainment, has had the chance to work with prominent sports figures such as Deion Sanders and Tony Gonzalez, and her company is also in the midst of developing a scripted project about the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. On top of that, she also works with FOX Sports reporter Erin Andrews on various ventures, including the Calm Down podcast she co-hosts with colleague Charissa Thompson. Schwartz-Morini mentioned the project while answering if she has a preference in terms of content format.
“The Buccaneers just did a ‘She is Football’ [Summit on Friday],” Schwartz-Morini said. “Eight-hundred women showed up, people were flying from all over the country, so the demand is there, and so long as there’s demand, I can check a box for all of this.”
Donoghue was curious if Rapinoe had seen a dichotomy between fans who knew her as a soccer player and those who listen to the podcasts. In response, Rapinoe articulated that she is not sure if she feels that yet, but she acceded that there is something different about the podcasts and that they ultimately drive the content. Furthermore, she discussed her interest in the longer format that licenses more nuanced discussion about a variety of topics.
“Women’s sports – it’s rarely just what the headline is,” Rapinoe said. “There’s always going to be a sort of deeper lens that we need to look through it with and talk about it with, and I feel like that gives us – podcasting gives us the ability to do the headlines and sort of say what’s going on in women’s sports but also have a more nuanced on take on why this is happening and sort of the historical context of that that we miss so much.”
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ESPN Honolulu and the University of Hawaii is without one of its most legendary voices, as the station announced Sunday the passing of host Bobby Curran at the age of 69. Curran was most notably known as the voice of the University of Hawaii football team. However, he also lent his talents to calling basketball, baseball, and women’s volleyball over his three decades with the University.
The longtime voice of Hawaii athletics also hosted a weekday program on the local ESPN Radio affiliate called The Bobby Curran Show. A native of New York, Curran’s radio career began at UH’s KTUH radio station, which led him to cover high school sports before becoming a sideline reporter and color analyst for the University’s football program.
“Bobby Curran’s voice was a staple in Hawaii’s sports community for decades, and his passion for the University of Hawaii and its teams was unparalleled,” said Susan Eichor, CEO of aio. “His insightful commentary and knowledge of both local and national sports brought people together and had an impact far beyond the airwaves.”
On Sunday night, the University of Hawaii released a statement reflecting on Curran’s legacy.
“His smooth, colorful voice was synonymous with UH football and basketball,” UH Athletics said via a statement to Hawaii News Now. “Bobby was so much more than just a voice. He was respected by the players and coaches and, most importantly, beloved by his listeners, the fans. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Jo and sons Max and Finn, and the entire Curran ‘ohana. Mahalo Bobby, may you rest in aloha.”
Throughout his accomplished career, Curran received numerous accolades. He was inducted into the University of Hawaii Circle of Honor in 2023 and was named Hawaii Sportscaster of the Year six times. After initially retiring in 2022 due to a double lung transplant needed to treat an aggressive form of emphysema, Curran made a brief return to call basketball games for the University. He ultimately called his final game in March 2024.
Following the news of his passing, ESPN Honolulu took to social media to honor his legacy.
“With heavy hearts, we share the passing of longtime ESPN Honolulu broadcaster Bobby Curran,” said ESPN Honolulu via X. “His voice, passion, and dedication to local sports left an unforgettable mark on our community. Bobby’s impact will never be forgotten, and his legacy will continue to inspire.”
With heavy hearts, we share the passing of longtime ESPN Honolulu broadcaster Bobby Curran. His voice, passion, and dedication to local sports left an unforgettable mark on our community. Bobby’s impact will never be forgotten, and his legacy will continue to inspire. pic.twitter.com/1EGM22xsQO
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This week’s eavesdropping feature will start with a bit of an apology. On behalf of everyone in the business, I want to apologize to veteran sports talk hosts Carl Dukes and Mike Bell, who make up the Dukes & Bellafternoon drive show on Audacy’s 92.9 The Game in Atlanta. Nobody—and I mean nobody—should have to do 25 hours of sports talk radio per week, as this show does, airing weekdays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. So, sorry you have to do that, fellas.
Nobody wants to host for five hours a day, and nobody wants to listen to anyone host for five hours a day. Personally, I think more than two hours is too much for any one host or set of hosts. However, I can understand why, in certain circumstances, three hours makes sense. Four is just too much, and, well, five is just unfair to everyone. With that off my chest, I will say—these guys make it work, mainly because they are that good.
Dukes and Bell bring a dynamic and engaging approach to sports commentary, and both have done so for a long time. Carl Dukes has over 20 years of experience in radio and television. Before joining 92.9 The Game, he worked in the format in San Antonio and Houston. Mike Bell was a prominent figure on 790 The Zone for 16 years until mid-2014 when he made the move over to the FM sports station. Both hosts are incredibly engaging and seem to have great knowledge of not just the Atlanta sports market but of sports in general, making it easy to see why the show is one of the top-rated sports talk programs in Atlanta.
I tuned in for the first hour of their show on Friday, March 7, and found a great mix of fun energy, insider information, and strong opinions.
The show has a signature way of starting each day and each hour, with the two hosts yelling out, “Hey, man!”—and then they’re off to the races. As this hour began, the hosts were talking about how they were at State Farm Arena the previous night for 92.9 The Game Night, which sounded like it was a lot of fun. The hosts got to hang out courtside, interact with fans, and do giveaways during breaks in the game.
That Hawks game against the Pacers was the main topic early on, as the guys noted the team had a slow start but fought back to win. Trae Young had a big night, not just scoring but also dropping 16 assists. As the hosts broke the game down, they weren’t just reading a box score; they were providing a lot of context about what happened and what it means for the team moving forward.
Next, they switched gears to NFL free agency, and you could tell the hosts love talking about the Falcons—their passion kicked into a higher level. They discussed how the team hadn’t made any big moves yet, even though a lot of other teams were already clearing cap space and signing players. The frustration was real.
Later, former NFL player and current CBS Sports NFL analyst Bryant McFadden joined the show. McFadden basically called out teams for being cheap in free agency, saying that if you want a winning team, you have to pay for talent.
The trio also hit on the Falcons’ quarterback situation with both Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. on the roster. McFadden was very direct, saying the Falcons should just cut ties with Cousins and move on.
They also had some fun trying to guess which teams have a chance to make a huge leap in 2025—or even go from ‘worst to first.’ In the end, the Bears and Cardinals were the two teams discussed, mostly because of Caleb Williams and Kyler Murray at quarterback.
I liked how, in this hour, Dukes and Bell covered a wide range of topics and weren’t afraid to revisit key discussions, knowing their audience had likely turned over. When they returned to the Hawks, they focused on what head coach Quin Snyder had said after the game and gave their take on Trae Young’s defensive improvement.
Then, to really make sure they covered it all, they checked in on the Braves at Spring Training. One of the big storylines they were following was Ian Anderson, a pitcher coming back from injury and trying to prove he still belongs in the rotation. However, since he’s out of minor league options, he could find himself not just out of the rotation but out of a job entirely, at least with Atlanta.
Mike Bell also brought up the idea that the Braves should extend Ronald Acuña Jr. sooner rather than later—before his price skyrockets.
As the hour wound down, the guys played a clip of Charles Barkley going off on ESPN, calling them out for only talking about the Lakers and Warriors instead of teams like the Cavs or the Thunder, who, according to Barkley, are playing great basketball. “Y’all are idiots!” Barkley said, mostly about Kendrick Perkins. Dukes and Bell had some fun with the topic and shared their own frustrations about how national sports media always pushes the same teams, even when better storylines exist.
Overall, I was entertained, I was informed, and the time I spent with Dukes & Bell flew by. As I listened, I kept thinking to myself that these guys are the very definition of a pro’s pro.
I can’t imagine being on the air for that long each day, but if anyone can do it, it’s Carl Dukes and Mike Bell. I just know that five hours per day makes me think less “Hey, man!” and more “C’mon, man!”
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If you expected me today to beat a dead horse and write about the Audacy layoffs again, sorry to disappoint you. I said what I said in last week’s group column, meant every word, and don’t want to discuss it further. Instead, I want to turn my attention to something that should be a positive, Stephen A. Smith earning a record breaking contract from ESPN, which resets the market.
I say that it should be a positive because anytime an individual creates massive success for a long period of time, and receives a large contract that paves the way for other top performers to be paid their worth, others should be thankful. ESPN showed with this deal that it invests in top performers. Smith was also able to retain his digital freedom in addition to grabbing the bag.
But unfortunately, I saw a lot of industry people showcase their jealousy and pettiness last week. The list of DMs, texts and public tweets bitching about Smith getting paid was not surprising though disappointing. Every single one of them missed the larger point.
The more Stephen A. Smith or any accomplished talent makes, the better your chances of earning a better future if you perform. Your company is not reducing your paycheck or eliminating your position if you deliver results at a high level. They’re doing so if what you contribute is considered non-essential or not as valuable as what others provide.
Whether you love Smith or don’t, you know who he is, and what he does because he commands your attention. First Take has been #1 for 13 years with Smith as the key figure. Like it or not, it’s the show that draws the most attention to everything ESPN does. Skip Bayless and Max Kellerman have come and gone, contributors have been changed, and regardless, the show remains on top because Smith is an attraction.
And that’s just First Take.
How many other programs, events, and shoulder programming around big sporting events has Smith been a part of for ESPN over the past 15-20 years? When Smith appears, shows receive greater attention. Even outside the company, look at his appearances on The View, Jimmy Fallon, Cuomo on NewsNation, Fox News, etc.. When Smith shows up, people tune in. As TKO CEO Mark Shapiro said last week at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Stephen A. Smith draws eyeballs.
When Stephen A. wrote his book ‘Straight Shooter‘, people bought it. If he’s asked to appear on a radio show, podcast or speak at a business function, he says yes. You don’t have to love his style or content but his grind deserves respect. His track record of success also warranted higher compensation.
I always expected ESPN and Stephen A. Smith to extend their relationship. He deserved more than Pat McAfee, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, and others. Stephen A. has delivered more audience than McAfee, works more than Buck and Aikman, and is the face of the company. Industry people love the glory days of ESPN and celebrating the impact Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, Stuart Scott, Chris Berman, and Bob Ley had, but over the past 20 years, nobody has been more important to ESPN’s success than Smith.
Negotiations may have been bumpy. But that’s just business. Smart people get over it and understand that they’re better together than apart. It’s why Bob Iger, Jimmy Pitaro, and Stephen A. Smith and his team were able to reach the finish line.
For folks like McAfee, Clay Travis, Shannon Sharpe, Colin Cowherd, Nick Wright, Big Cat, Shaq, Charles Barkley, Dan Le Batard, etc. this is great news. It’s evidence that shows that top companies will still reward top talent for top results. That will come up in future negotiations when individuals look to see how their employers value their contributions. It means less in radio circles, but a similar precedent should exist. The better Mike Felger, Fred Toucher, and Chris Russo get treated, the better that is for Mike Valenti, Boomer & Gio, Jim Rome, and other successful talent.
Smith’s new deal shows that there’s a reward for being at the top of your profession. Furthermore, it suggests that being the best in sports media can be more lucrative than playing or coaching sports. As an industry, we collectively express frustration, anger and disappointment when jobs are lost, but don’t express enough enthusiasm when people in our business get rewarded. That needs to change. When one person wins, it opens the door for the next one to shine.
Congrats to @stephenasmith on the five years and $100 million+. Well deserved. Never understood why anyone in media roots against big paydays. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Jimmy Pitaro has invested in stars since taking the reins at ESPN. It’s a good strategy. In the cluttered media environment we’re in, spending top dollar on people who command attention is smart business. Whether it’s been Stephen A. Smith, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Jason Kelce, Joe Buck & Troy Aikman, Scott Van Pelt or the upcoming partnership with TNT for ‘Inside The NBA’, Pitaro knows top talent and programming produces higher ratings and revenue. That’s a business plan that other media executives would be wise to follow.
Around The Horn
I watchedTony Reali‘s on-air confirmation of Around The Horn coming to an end in May, and then watched his interview with Dan Le Batard. How can you not like and root for that guy? His energy, positivity, and likability are off the charts. And it’s not fake. I’ve met Tony twice at the ESPN Edge Conference, and he genuinely enjoys conversation, and goes out of his way to say hello and engage.
I have no idea what ESPN is going to put in place of ATH. That said, I hope the company has a plan for Tony Reali. He belongs on a top show. If Scott Hanson steps away from RedZone, Reali would be a perfect replacement. Regardless of where he lands, I’ll be rooting for Tony Reali.
Audacy Layoffs Blunder
Letting hundreds of employees go is bad enough, but informing people that they’ve lost their job, only to tell them a day later that they’re not gone is embarrassing. The good news is that Henry Lake and Chris Tubbs are back at WCCO in Minneapolis. Kudos to PD Brad Lane and Market Manager Jeff Gonsales on fighting for their people. Folks up top though can’t make mistakes like that. It shows sloppiness at the corporate level.
To all friends, colleagues, college coaches, professional sports executives and listeners that have texted, called, sent me messages the last 48 hours: Thank you. I appreciate everyone reaching out.
Stephanie Eads and I will be in Las Vegas April 6-9 for the NAB Show. If you’re making the trip and want to meet to discuss business, email Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com. Jeff Lynn will also be attending to work on some stories for the site including a Countdown series prior to the show.
Tucker Carlson will appear tonight on NewsNation with Chris Cuomo. It’ll be the second conversation between the two popular hosts. Cuomo airs at 8pm ET.
Westwood OneannouncedVince Coglianese as the replacement for Dan Bongino. I wish Vince the best as he enters national syndication. Dan Bongino‘s newly formed production company, Silverloch Productions will produce the show’s podcast with distribution provided by Cumulus Podcast Network.
Awesome job by Froggy 98 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The radio station celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8th by featuring songs from only women artists. In addition, a spotlight was shined on the station’s female employees. That’s a cool one-day programming initiative that gets people talking, and gives listeners incentive to tune in, and advertisers a reason to continue investing. Cool idea.
Congrats to Jeremiah Crowe, Tom Tolbert, John Lund, Paul McCaffrey, Tony Rhein and Daniel Ogden on the launch of the Bay Area Sports Collective. With so many talented people in the Bay Area no longer on the San Francisco airwaves, there’s an opening in the sports digital space. The question moving forward is how do advertisers respond to it. From a talent standpoint, BASC has a lot to offer.
Audacy Boston Market Manager Mike Thomas took batting practice at Red Sox spring training with Jonny Gomes and Jarrod Saltamacchia standing nearby to offer encouragement. Thomas held his own in the cage, which for his sake is important. The on-air talent would’ve had a field day with him had he bombed.
New tunes I’ve been enjoying this week include A Day to Remember‘s ‘LeBron‘, Struggle Jennings featuring Jelly Roll ‘Only God Knows‘, and the ‘Dust in the Wind‘ cover by Corey Taylor and Bad Omens.
Look for the next 2025 BSM Summit announcement tomorrow. Five more speakers are being added to our lineup. The show comes to Chicago May 8-9, 2025 at the MCA. Get your tickets here. We’re also planning to announce our annual college contest soon.
Radio industry layoffs. We don’t seem as surprised anymore, and that’s not good. Last week’s latest radio reduction-in-force was hosted by Audacy, America’s second largest radio station company. The news generated criticism from analysts and pundits for the next 72 hours and then faded as other stories grabbed our Goldfish-like attention span.
Dozens of the estimated 200-300 employees on the job-loss list used social media to share the moment and express gratitude to their company, co-workers, bosses, and the audience. That’s a social media benefit in 2025. Twenty years ago, no one outside of your family and friends would know what happened to you until you crossed the street to another radio station.
As I read through the names of people willing to share their dismissal with popular media publications like this one, I had these reactions: “Oh, wow. He was there a long time. Great run.” Or, “No way. That’s a big loss.” Here’s one of my favorite reactions in the multi-job era, “How is this a savings? Those guys were hosting a morning show in one market, an afternoon show in another market and serving as an APD!”
One show caught my eye Friday morning as I read through the updated and curated list of cuts. “The Johnny Dare Show” on Rock 98.9, KQRC Kansas City. This one got the, “Oh, wow. He was there a long time,” response. Yeah, 32 years as the morning show host on the same radio station. That’s four careers in dog-years…or in government-job-years these days.
The last line of the two sentences about the Johnny Dare Show grabbed my attention. The show will get to host one final show tomorrow morning. No other show or talent on the list was allowed to say goodbye as far as I could tell.
Reading the updated list on Friday morning during my second cup of French Roast, I realized the show had 90 minutes remaining. So, I pulled up the Audacy app and found KQRC. I know the Johnny Dare Show from hearing shared bits and audio through the years, but I never listened to it in its live form.
Based on that experience, I’m sure “The Johnny Dare Show” would be a daily experience if I lived in the Kansas City market and commuted during the morning drive hours. It’s one of those shows where I would get a loud rock song to energize the mind-numbing commute and ask myself, “What are these guys talking about today?”
Yes, I was listening to the final 90 minutes of a heritage show’s existence, so it was the best of the Best Of. However, there was something else that captivated me during Friday’s listening experience besides the oh wow tune from Jackyl. They shared stories and characters I knew nothing about and connected me to an experience. I believed them.
Would the Friday show have been as emotional had they not found out about their downsizing at 9:30 last Thursday morning? Not for the same reasons, but I’m certain there would’ve been something to make me laugh, smile or emotionally agree and disagree.
Here are three takeaways from my experience with “The Johnny Dare Show:”
Act like you’ll win but play the game like you’re behind.
There’s a common message among the tenured talent who shared their goodbyes. They couldn’t believe the job lasted, 15, 20, or 32 years. And while that’s true in this transient business, I think most people had the internal confidence that they would be in these great jobs as long as they wanted. Believe in yourself because spreadsheets don’t.
On-Air Goodbyes are rare, but the experience provides clarity and closure.
“The Johnny Dare Show” got an FCC fine, and they let him have a final show after he was RIF’ed. Do we really think the heritage AC morning show will say something wrong during their goodbye show?
The goodbye show brings closure and transparency to an audience. You’re asking, “Ron, won’t the farewell show and the downsizing announcement to the audience hurt the radio station’s image?” What’s worse, telling your fans why you’re leaving or evaporating one day?”
There’s another angle with the goodbye shows: marketing. Kansas City TV news mentioned the cuts and the social media jumped on the farewell Johnny Dare Show.
What an absolutely classy exit this morning by the legendary Johnny Dare and team. He’s still a media giant and I’ll just bet he’s not done yet. Congrats Johnny ! Onward ! @989TheRockKQRC@Audacy@KMBCpic.twitter.com/pV6I9MKkSs
Understand our purpose in the process. One of Johnny’s final lines caused me to write it down. “This is a closing love letter to a city.” I think he understood the magnitude of those 32 years of entertaining his audience with fun, goodwill, sarcasm, irreverence, charity… and an FCC fine.
After the closing montage of audio and bits from the show, the VO talent said, “This was the Johnny Dare morning show.” Someone was paying attention to details.
Brian Figula is Director of Programming Operations and KOIT/KBLX/KUFX Program Director for Bonneville San Francisco. He recently made the Barrett Media Top 20 Program Directors for both AC and Classic Rock.
“Grateful is the word that I say. I was on the AC and Classic Rock list. And I’m grateful to be on that list. That’s my summary. I like how Jason and the team let the peers influence who’s on that list and who’s not on that list. It was pretty cool and pretty good. I didn’t see anything that I went, come on.”
When I talked to Figula, Audacy was amid a massive company-wide layoff, so I asked him what advice he would offer to those caught in the downsizing.
“First, don’t panic. Believe. We’re an industry in transition, locating non-traditional ways of generating revenue, whether digital events or audio distribution. Get on the transition bus, invest a little more than your neighbor, and see where it goes. That’s good advice. That’s my attitude.”
“I wake up every day with the attitude that, yeah, some days suck. But for somebody who’s invested 30 years in this industry, am I just going to give up and quit? Let’s face it, that attitude will eventually be noticed by management. At a time when companies are looking at ways of reducing resources and putting together their A-team, don’t get caught up on that Debbie Downer train.”
With radio in transition, Figula believes that reflecting on the past is ok, but don’t let it destroy your attitude because it isn’t what it used to be.
“I think it’s fun to reflect on the good old days and the past and yesterday. But if you catch yourself in an environment that isn’t good and you’re down, quickly pick yourself up and find a way to make it happen.”
That extends to program directors rethinking their role.
“Program directors need to work closely with sales, senior, and corporate management, and share ideas and new ways to generate revenue from content. I think there’s also a little bit of experimental time, which is scary, but also super exciting because we get to evolve the industry.”
And what should talent be doing to make themselves known?
“Network, period. I’ll share a story. I was in Cleveland doing afternoon drive, and I was more hungry than ever in my career. I’m in afternoon drive on WQAL, working for CBS and Infinity, and think about all the things that came with it.”
“I started reaching out to some of my favorite DJs, asking for feedback on my demo. Not on how I could get a job at the radio station, but being sincere. “Hey, you’re one of my favorite DJs to listen to, and I would love for you to spend a minute listening to my air check and giving me some constructive criticism. I only had one or two people respond. One of those people who responded was Race Taylor. He was at WPLJ at the time and is now at WCBS.”
“He wrote back and said, hey, you sound really good, dude. Keep up the good work. That was it. He didn’t say hey, that second break sucked. It was just that. Wow that’s motivating.”
It’s a moment and a lesson that has impacted Figula to this day.
“If we could all do that right now to each other, we’d lift people up. Just reply to emails. Take 10, 20 or 30 seconds and listen to that air check, and understand how you’re going to inspire people. Those people were inspiring to me, and they gave me the motivation to continue to grow. Right now, we could use that more than ever.”
And that story had a full circle moment. “I ended up a few years later working at WDVD in Detroit. I was filling in for somebody and got a call on the request line. It was Race Taylor. ‘What’s up Fig, it’s Race Taylor.’ I’m like, seriously? He said, “I just want to tell you, you sound great, dude. I can’t believe it. You’re on DVD. You sound great.”’
Race Taylor Photo Facebook
“He was in town for the holidays. And again, inspired. He took the time to talk to me for one minute on the request line. During the layoff times of PLJ and going to Christian Music, I reached out to Race and said, hey, is there anything I can do for you during this transition? He said, absolutely. Keep your ears open. Give me feedback.”
“He inspired me, and I’ve never told him this whole story, but he’s inspired me to pass along that tradition. Because it works, it worked for me.”
Mentoring and giving back is important to Figula.
“I have a story with that. I currently have a part-time opening on KOIT. And I posted the job, obviously got dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of resumes. Who would not apply for a job at KOIT? That’s a big gig. And one of the applicants is in his teens.”
“This kid is in my listening area and has his own syndicated night show. Streaming, super, super small, unrated markets. And he needs a mentor. He needs a coach. He’s not ready for this position, but this guy’s in my backyard. He needs direction, but he’s passionate about radio. He’s all in on radio.”
“We have to capitalize on that, and reach out to those people and say, I want to meet you. Here is my email. Don’t ever hesitate to reach out to me. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything here for you. You’re not the right fit, but I want you to know that you have my email and phone number. You can call me anytime, and I’d love to help you with your career.”
Figula says it’s important to mentor young talent and pay attention to one’s own team.
“I had a high-up company VP tell me that they took on a new territory, and one of the DJs hadn’t been air checked in over 15 years. All the jaws dropped. The VP’s jaws dropped, and my jaw dropped. This is at a big company. That’s a huge problem for our industry.”
And what about the often-heard excuse that PDs and OMs are just too busy and have too much on their plates?
“One solution is delegation. Find your future replacement or your future APD that is good and a little more advanced in a certain area, where you need to invest in one of the talents. Set up a weekly or bi-weekly air check or hire people. There’s a ton of people for very reasonable prices like Tracy Johnson or Ron Harrell.”
“There’s a bunch of people out there that you can hire at a very cost-effective price tag to help out. And if you’re not investing in talent, you’re probably in the wrong position.”
I asked Figula if he had one secret weapon in his programming toolbox?
“Invest in and stay interested in. That’s my trick: go above and beyond and invest. Invest in learning new technologies, new trends, networking, and asking for feedback. That’s how any great manager or leader in any industry stays vibrant and successful: being willing to learn and being open-minded to change.”
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When sports talk radio legend Norm Hitzges announced his retirement from Sportsradio 96.7/1310 The Ticket after more than four decades on the Dallas-Fort Worth airwaves, plaudits and tributes celebrating his momentous career poured into the station. Hitzges had made a name for himself as a solo host for most of his career, but he had also contributed on Dallas Cowboys postgame shows on the station alongside Donovan Lewis. Longtime program director Jeff Catlin informed Lewis of interest in pairing him with Hitzges in 2015, and The Norm & D Invasion established itself as appointment listening for sports fans in the metroplex.
Lewis needed to make a profound transition in terms of how he approached the show while also realizing Hitzges was working to assimilate into the new format. In the beginning, there were some occurrences when Lewis would suggest something and find that Hitzges felt hesitant, but as time went on, they cultivated unequivocal rapport and synergy. Despite pairing for seven years on the postgame show, the weekday program was a significant alteration, but it enriched Lewis’ understanding of the craft and created a formidable daily product.
“When you’re working with someone else, it seems like you’re overloaded with things to talk about, and that’s exactly what he did and that’s what he kind of taught me, almost preparing to do the show like you’re doing it by yourself, but you’re bouncing ideas off of someone else,” Lewis said. “And if you prepare like you’re doing it by yourself, it’s going to make it easier for you, and he was correct in that.”
Once Hitzges announced his retirement, station executives were trying to determine where Lewis would fit in the programming lineup. Before working in middays, Lewis had been assigned to the BaD Radio early afternoon program with Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell, but he initially found himself struggling to adjust his position. Accustomed to only speaking when addressed in his youth, comfortably finding his position without being timid to expatiate his notions took time.
“They were willing to make sure that we made this thing work and my addition was going to help the show overall,” Lewis said. “It wasn’t just three separate people, it’s three people trying to do one show, so they were cool and fortunately it all worked out.”
Through experience in various hosting configurations and dayparts, Lewis augmented his versatility and gleaned a panoptic view towards editorializing on sports in the locale with a fervent consumption base. The station aims to nurture and maintain relationships with listeners, including P1s who drive audience engagement and interaction with the programs. Possessing industry knowledge and previous experience, Lewis had never seen a cadre of fans as passionate as P1s and does not foresee discovering a subliminal group in the future.
“They make us who we are, these P1s really, truly do, and some that have been there from the beginning, they feel that we’re family members,” Lewis explained. “I don’t know if I’ve ever done that with someone that I listened to on a regular basis when I was coming up as far as radio listening, and this is just something different.”
As the station welcomed Matt McClearin as a new member of The Invasion program with Lewis, the hosts quickly gained familiarity and built unfeigned chemistry. The first edition of the show took place live from Cowboys training camp, and the on-site broadcast further facilitated the adjustment by ostensibly coercing the duo to spend time together outside of the studio.
Lewis contends that McClearin is “a radio lifer” who truly cares about the business and always arrives prepared to execute behind the microphone. In fact, the duo has not had a single disagreement over nearly two years on the airwaves, and the show has flourished on linear and digital platforms while captivating a broad audience. Although there is a stark contrast towards how McClearin and Hitzges approach a show, Lewis has been successful working with both personalities and finding ways to thrive.
“I don’t want to say it’s night and day difference between Norm and Matt,” Lewis explained. “Norm is old school, and he writes things on his yellow pad and he is all about the stats and all those other things. And Matt is, sometimes when he’s talking about the teams that he loves, he’s a fan, and he kind of comes from that fan perspective, which is kind of refreshing because a lot of people who are listening feel the exact same way.”
Safeguarding against coming off as disingenuous or duplicitous in his elocution, Lewis strives to remain true to himself and lucid in his rhetoric. Through exegesis of the overall landscape, he can discern obfuscatory signals in demarcating sports talk with two people arguing about a given point. This differs from what Lewis and McClearin offer to the listening audience, abstaining from perfunctory segments or other hackneyed conversations and prioritizing authenticity.
“I am always, always going to tell you exactly how I feel and what I’m thinking about a game and not trying to do it just to spur on an argument or other conversations,” Lewis said. “I’m just going to tell you what I think and what I feel, and if you disagree, hey, that’s life. You’re never going to always agree with what I have to say, but I’m always just trying to be straightforward.”
Hosting in middays has been enjoyable for Lewis, who avers that the show can help guide people through their workdays and supplement the surrounding drive time programs. With pride towards the allotted time for the show, he does not take any segment for granted and strives to garner stellar ratings and avoid complacency. Even though the program has accumulated triumphs amid traditional paradigms measuring consumption, the content is also accessible through other means beyond terrestrial radio frequencies.
“We’re really happy with where things are right now, but we know that we still have a lot of work to do and we got to keep going,” Lewis said. “You can enjoy ratings success for a day or two, and then you got to keep grinding to make sure that you don’t lose the people that are listening to you.
Coming off of its highest-rated year in program history, The Musers morning show recently cut back its hours of operation in order to continue the program. Because of this scheduling change, The Invasion has been broadcasting for one additional hour per day, a significant change that has altered Lewis’ daily routine.
“We have no issues filling the extra hour as far as content goes, but we just want to make sure it’s the right content and we’re doing the best job that we possibly can,” Lewis said. “It is challenging, and we’ve accepted the fact that we have this extra hour to do five [days] a week, which doesn’t seem like a lot to a lot of people, but man, in radio terms, that extra hour is almost like a dog year trying to fill that hour every day and all week.”
Growing up with a passion for the craft, Lewis attended East Texas State University and studied under professors concentrated in television and radio. With a mindset of hosting a music show centered around R&B or hip-hop, he learned the fundamentals but was then told by his radio professor that he did not surmise him being cut out for the business. Rather than changing his direction, he used the incredulity to stay motivated and navigate other difficulties wherein he gained empirical proficiency and aptitudes.
“I was going to teach one time, I was going to work in insurance one time because I didn’t think that this thing was meant for me or this business or this career was meant for me, and then something happened to where I stuck around,” Lewis said. “And then now it’s just come to this point now to where this is the dream job that I thought about, and now I have it and I’m having fun every single day.”
When Lewis graduated from college in 1993, he networked with journalist Bob Ray Sanders, who was also hosting an evening talk show at 570 KLIF. One week later, Sanders called and encouraged Lewis to apply for an open position at the station, and he was subsequently hired as a board operator filling in on weekday and weekend shows. Lewis is grateful that he concentrated on radio rather than television in part due to the intimacy and accessibility of the medium despite mass layoffs occurring throughout the business.
“It’s always one of those to where you feel badly about the people losing their jobs around in this marketplace, in this landscape,” Lewis said, “but on the other side, it’s really nice knowing that your company is behind you and that you just have to keep showing how valuable you are as far as a space and a show to have them keep investing in the station and the show.”
While staff reductions impact professionals in the business, the format is also competing with a variety of other platforms that provide alternative options. Lewis seeks to compel listeners that he is an ideal option to hear the latest sports talk, and he feels the familiarity with the hosting lineup helps in this endeavor. At the same time, he looks to refrain from patronization or vain proclivities despite prominent accolades such as a sixth-place finish on the Barrett Media Top 20 list coinciding with their market size and daypart.
“We appreciate the honor, definitely, but again, that ‘little Ticket’ mentality just kind of keeps being ingrained in our heads as far as just, ‘Keep doing it,’” Lewis explained. “We love it – we really, truly love coming in every single day, working with each other, trying to figure out how we’re going to do the show and then going out and doing the show.”
The Ticket made history last fall when it became the first sports talk radio outlet in nearly three decades to win the NAB Marconi Radio Award for ‘Major Market Station of the Year,’ a category that includes several other formats. This victory coincided with the entity celebrating 30 years on the airwaves, and it was an achievement that Lewis does not think everyone has still fully understood. Even so, he is humbled to be part of this station and help The Ticket further ascend beyond its presumed potential.
“It’s something that everyone there should be proud of and shouldn’t be ashamed to kind of tap your chest a little bit and let everybody know because that’s something [where] I don’t think a Dallas station has won ‘Major Market Station of the Year’ before. For us to be the first to do that, it’s a special moment for everybody, and everybody’s taking pride in the fact that The Ticket has been recognized for an award like that.”
Lewis avoids defining his current state as the supposed pinnacle of his career, but he would not be disappointed if it ended up being true. Considering every show to be a blessing, he looks forward to continuing to work with McClearin and The Ticket bringing a sonorous blend of sports talk in middays replete with information, opinion and repartee. Lewis remains excited about the appeal of audio and consistent presence of sports as the station chugs along the tracks with valor and fortitude through a dynamic media ecosystem.
“This is something I never thought would happen as far as hosting my own show in a major market like Dallas, and since I’ve been here for a while now, some of that has kind of gone away, but just going in and having fun and talking and laughing with my friends on the air – that feeling of having fun like that I don’t think will ever go away,” Lewis said. “And as long as that feeling is there, then I’m going to be happy going into that office every single day doing that exact same thing.”
