We’ve reached the end of the Barrett Sports Media Top 20 series presented by Steve Stone Voiceovers. Today, we recognize the Sports Radio format’s top Major and Mid Market Stations of 2024. To see all of this year’s results, and any from the past, click on the BM Top 20 tab up top on the website. You’ll be able to check out everything we’ve produced over the past 10 years. Additionally, you can stay updated on everything we do by following us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and signing up for our newsletters. Dave Greene and I will be recording a video later today recapping this year’s results. Keep an eye out for it.
As you review the results, please remember that they represent the collective feedback shared by our industry voters. I do not vote in this process. My role is to assemble the group, collect their votes, and present the information. For those who are unaware, Major Markets are defined as those operating in markets #1-#20. Mid Markets consist of those performing in markets #21 and up.
Important Information
#1 – These results are based on 2024’s performance. 2025 changes to local stations have no effect on the voting.
#2 – Our executive panel consists of forty six (46) program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Beasley, Good Karma Brands, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Radio One, and a number of independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large group in this process in order to include feedback from all parts of the country, as well as to prevent the results from heavily favoring one company.
#3 – Voters were asked to consider a bunch of factors when making their selections. The criteria included the ear test, originality, multi-platform impact, ratings success, clearance (national shows) and industry buzz. Keep in mind that our voters live in different cities, work for different companies, have different tastes, and value certain factors higher than others. This is not a perfect system but it’s one we feel good about using to showcase the industry’s best.
#5 –A total of 33 sports stations were eligible for voting consideration in the Major Market Sports Radio Stations category.
I want to thank Dylan Barrett for his help with our graphics, and Stephanie Eads for her assistance with the voting process. I’d also like to thank every single voter who made time to participate. Now without further delay, here are the Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Stations of 2024.
Additional Notes:
98.5 The Sports Hub enjoyed a forty one (41) point win over Sports Radio1310/96.7 The Ticket. The Hub received a category best eight (8) first-place votes on its way to victory.
Spots 21-25 belonged to 560 WQAM, 93.3 KJR, ESPN Los Angeles 710, Sports Radio 610, and AM 570 LA Sports.
The closest contest saw 97.5 The Fanatic edge ESPN New York 880 by one (1) point.
Of the 33 Sports Stations to appear on submitted ballots, nine (9) received at least one 1st place vote.
We’ve reached the end of the Barrett Sports Media Top 20 series presented by Steve Stone Voiceovers. Today, we recognize the Sports Radio format’s top Major and Mid Market Stations of 2024. To see all of this year’s results, and any from the past, click on the BM Top 20 tab up top on the website. You’ll be able to check out everything we’ve produced over the past 10 years. Additionally, you can stay updated on everything we do by following us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and signing up for our newsletters. Dave Greene and I will be recording a video later today recapping this year’s results. Keep an eye out for it.
As you review the results, please remember that they represent the collective feedback shared by our industry voters. I do not vote in this process. My role is to assemble the group, collect their votes, and present the information. For those who are unaware, Major Markets are defined as those operating in markets #1-#20. Mid Markets consist of those performing in markets #21 and up.
Important Information
#1 – These results are based on 2024’s performance. 2025 changes to local stations have no effect on the voting.
#2 – Our executive panel consists of forty six (46) program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Beasley, Good Karma Brands, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Radio One, and a number of independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large group in this process in order to include feedback from all parts of the country, as well as to prevent the results from heavily favoring one company.
#3 – Voters were asked to consider a bunch of factors when making their selections. The criteria included the ear test, originality, multi-platform impact, ratings success, clearance (national shows) and industry buzz. Keep in mind that our voters live in different cities, work for different companies, have different tastes, and value certain factors higher than others. This is not a perfect system but it’s one we feel good about using to showcase the industry’s best.
#5 –A total of 51 sports stations were eligible for voting consideration in the Mid Market Sports Radio Stations category.
I want to thank Dylan Barrett for his help with our graphics, and Stephanie Eads for her assistance with the voting process. I’d also like to thank every single voter who made time to participate. Now without further delay, here are the Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2024.
Additional Notes:
WJOX 94.5 landed a twelve (12) point victory over 97.1 The Fan. JOX tied for the most first-place votes with 97.1 The Fan and 104.5 The Zone with three (3)
Spots 21-25 belonged to ESPN 850 Cleveland, 97.3 The Game, 1010 The Fan, 99.9 The Fan, and ESPN 94.5 Milwaukee.
The closest contests saw 104.5 The Zone and 92.9 ESPN hold off their closest competitors, 101 ESPN and 105.7 The Fan by one (1) point.
Of the 51 Sports Stations to appear on submitted ballots, thirteen (13) received at least one 1st place vote.
Longtime news/talk radio programmer Peter Thiele is joining Zimmer Communications as its new news/talk radio format captain.
In his new role, Thiele will have oversight of the Missouri news/talk outlets KWOS in Jefferson City, 93.9 The Eagle in Columbia, and KWTO in Springfield.
Thiele will be based in Columbia as he assumes his new role. It is a return to the company for Peter Thiele, as he previously served as Program Director and morning show host at KRZG in Joplin for Zimmer Communications.
Most recently, he had served as the Director of Spoken Word Programming for iHeartMedia Des Moines, overseeing news/talk 1040 WHO and sports station 1460 KXNO. He exited that post in July of last year.
Thiele has led stations in New York City, San Francisco, Little Rock, Greenville, and Huntsville in addition to his roles in Des Moines and Joplin. Additionally, he worked at stations in Minneapolis and San Antonio in a variety of roles.
Peter Thiele also writes a weekly column for Barrett Media.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
The Big Game is over. There’s another big game playing on every device right now. I’m referring to the game that started on January 20th at Noon. Or is it? Donald Trump-themed stories have led daily newscasts and digital news feeds for the last two weeks.
I listen to a lot of radio. One of my rotating top-of-the-hour habits is the BBC World Service. They have one of the best TOH IDs in radio: “This is the BBC World Service, The World’s Radio Station,” followed by those six iconic beeps and the British host with the lead story. For the last week, nearly every time I tuned in, that story was in the category of “What is Donald doing now?”
Are the sweeping government policy changes being enacted by the 47th president of the United States the biggest concerns right now? Not if you look at GoogleTrends. I reviewed those trends last Saturday, the day before Sunday’s big game, and the #1 searched item on Google Trends was playstation network status. Yeah, the PlayStation network was down for 20 hours, and the Earth stood still.
The #2 story was bill belichick girlfriend. The former Patriots coach is 72, and his girlfriend is 24. However, the stories focused on her outfit and what Snoop Dogg said about them at last week’s NFL event. You’re going to search for it now.
Coming in at #3 was super bowl time. People wanted to know when to add the Velveeta cheese to the crock pot. I scrolled down to trend #29 to find the first government-themed story. It’s maxine waters, the story about the U.S. congresswoman and some of her colleagues being denied access to the Department of Education building last week.
It was odd to scroll down that far to find anything related to politics or world affairs. The trend filter was set to Past 48 hours. Ahh, that’s it. Let me expand the search. So, I opened it up to the Past 7 days.
The PlayStation story dropped to #3, and two new trends entered the countdown. Do your best Casey Kasem impersonation for this next sentence. Coming in at #2 is luka doncic, the story about the Dallas Mavericks superstar being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
And coming in at #1…bianca censori grammys! She’s Kanye’s wife and appeared with him at the red carpet event in a nude dress at last Sunday’s Grammy Awards.
What about the politics and world events occupying so much of our news algorithms? In the expanded 7-day search, I scrolled down to #27 for the gaza entry to find stories about Trump’s comments on how to reimagine the war-torn Gaza Strip in the Middle East.
Music radio struggles with political stories. There was a time when music stations had news departments and full-time news hosts to cover the big stories and shelter the morning show hosts from having to talk about a polarizing story.
Through fragmented music formats, economic recessions, and consolidation, the news positions became isolated figures in the annual budget process.
Decades later, most music stations ignore political stories unless the host or station has the trust of the audience to “go there.” Unlike 20 years ago, listeners aren’t bombarded with politics on their smartphones or social media accounts.
It isn’t research, but maybe the Google Trends analysis reminds us of what the average audience craves: everything but the polarizing political stories. It’s a great season to create some escapism through music, conversation, and companionship.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Barrett Media’s Top 20 series wraps up today with Sports Radio’s Top 20 Major and Mid Market Sports Stations. Our 10th season was our biggest yet as we added Music Radio alongside Sports and News/Talk. Judging by the amount of attention over the past month, it looks like many of you enjoyed it. My thanks to all who voted, checked out the lists, shared them on social, and talked them up on the air. An even bigger thank you to Steve Stone Voiceovers, Radio.Cloud and JJ Surma Voiceovers for supporting the Top 20 series.
Later today, Dave Greene and I will record a video to recap the results of the sports radio series. It will be posted on the Barrett Media YouTube page once its ready. Jeff Lynn and I previously recorded one for the Music Radio crowd. Garrett Searight and I taped one for the News/Talk audience as well. By the way, I created a tab up top on the website to make the lists from all years easier to find. Just click the BM Top 20 tab and you’ll be able to sort from 2015-2024.
I’ve had a lot of people ask ‘what about doing a list on small markets, night hosts, producers, Spanish/Christian formats, Imaging Directors’, etc.. I appreciate the interest and enthusiasm. We’ll always consider ways to improve the series, but we can’t do it all. Not every category is broad enough to make sense. For that reason, we’re planning to stick with the current model, while keeping the door open on possible additions. One thing I’d like to do is expand the series into television and digital/podcasting. Stay tuned.
I know that the Top 20 series gets a lot of people fired up. It’s a celebration of their work and the brands they represent, and to learn that your peers value what you contribute to the industry is a great feeling. These lists are very subjective though, so if you didn’t make the cut, it’s not the end of the world. I had a ton of emails, DMs, tweets, and phone calls from folks who were upset over not making the list or being ranked too low. I appreciate the competitiveness, but if you feel that way you’re missing the larger point.
First of all, if you’re focused on your own performance, chances are you’re not monitoring what others are doing. You’re not going to know the revenue and ratings story of most out of market shows or how programmers and executives view the originality of those programs or the buzz they produce inside the business. You may have higher ratings and host a show in a bigger city on a great station, but that doesn’t mean you have a better show or deserve a higher ranking.
I remember a publication putting out a list of Top PDs across all formats back during my programming days. One person in the Top 7 hadn’t had a content meeting with his on-air team in 3 years. People inside the building were stunned. This is why I involve industry leaders in the voting process. They may not get it all right, but they’re at least aware of those type of situations. I consume more content than most, and have access to a lot of data, but I don’t vote because it’s about how the industry views itself, not how Jason Barrett sees it.
Rather than getting worked up over not making the list or not being rated as high as you think you should be, have fun with it. No show in the country did that better than Melissa and Austin on US99 in Chicago. They could’ve gotten bent out of shape over a top 3 market morning show being left off the Country list. Instead, they stayed on brand and turned the omission into a brilliant piece of content. This was easily the best thing I saw created this year around the series.
The bigger reason why the Top 20 series matters is because it highlights the rich amount of talent and quality brands across all formats in the radio business. Radio is often overlooked and talked negatively about by many on the outside of the business. Frequent layoffs, declining stock prices, and attacks on the industry from automakers, and competitors like Spotify don’t help paint a colorful picture either.
But when you see the faces and logos of the industry’s top talent, programmers, and stations, it reminds you that there’s still a ton to be excited about. 220 shows/stations/PDs in News/Talk, 320 in Music Radio, and another 220 in Sports Radio were recognized over the past month. A lot of great radio is happening across America’s airwaves, and we’ve got to do a better job as an industry telling that story. Seeing the excitement on-air and across social media from industry folks reminded me of why we invest so much time in putting this together.
As cool as it is to share your rankings with fans, friends, and family, I hope you also forwarded the lists/results to your sales team. Make sure they are sharing the news with advertisers and media buyers. It won’t change how much those clients invest in you, but it reinforces to them that they’re in business with a winner, at least in the eyes of those who know inside the industry. Anything that helps keep your brand image strong in the eyes of business partners is something you have to do to remain valued and supported. It might not be a bad idea to do the same with your GM or Executive bosses.
I started the Top 20 series to celebrate the radio business. We do it to show respect to many who are doing outstanding work, but don’t always receive the recognition they deserve. Hopefully you enjoyed following along as much as we did creating the lists. My only request for next year, take some damn photos guys! You’re inside of studios with cameras everywhere. There’s no reason for your last photo on social media to be 5-10 years old.
As I put a bow on this, I want to thank Dylan Barrett, Stephanie Eads, and the rest of our team for keeping content on track during the series. I’d also like to thank the voters and sponsors because none of this works without them. I appreciate everyone supporting the series, and look forward to making next year, bigger and better!
2025 BSM Summit Planning
With the Barrett Media Top 20 series now in the books, our focus turns to the 2025 BSM Summit presented by Point to Point Marketing. I’m planning to reveal our next group of speakers next week. I’ve got a ton of requests to speak to sort through, and as I state each year, I can’t accommodate all requests. Delivering the best content with the most informed, recognized, and successful people in the industry is the top priority. Submissions though can be emailed to Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
A special February ticket sale is in progress to help folks save $25 on individual tickets. We’ve also secured our After Party location for the show, The Chicago Sports Museum & Harry Caray’s 7th Inning Stretch. The venue is located at Water Tower Place, 835 North Michigan Avenue, and it’s just blocks away from the MCA, our Summit venue. We’ll host the After Party at 6pm on Thursday May 8th, an hour after Day 1 of the Summit. Additional thanks to Magellan AI, Core Image Studio, MRN, and Quu for signing on as event partners. If interested in exploring sponsorship opportunities, please email Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com.
Those traveling to Chicago for the event, and in need of a room can find one with our hotel partner, The Westin Michigan Avenue. A special nightly rate of $249.99 has been reserved for Summit attendees. To book your room, go here.
CRS
Jeff Lynn just started an eight-day series for the website titled ‘Countdown to CRS‘. His first feature is on RJ Curtis. Check it out. I’m happy to share that Stephanie Eads and I will be in Nashville this year for CRS. I’ve heard great things about the show, and I’m excited to learn and meet a lot of new people. If you’re planning to attend, email Jason@BarrettMedia.com and if schedules align, we’ll be happy to say hello. For details on CRS 25, go here.
Barrett Media Staffing Additions and Needs
I’m pleased to welcome John Mamola as a columnist and contributor to the Barrett Media writing team. John and I have known each other for a decade. He did excellent work for WDAE in Tampa, and is very familiar with our brand. He’s supported our Summit’s, shared numerous pieces we’ve produced on social media, and has a firm grasp on the sports radio business. I’m excited to add his insights to the brand to both challenge and inform our audience. He starts contributing content next week!
In addition to John, I’m thrilled to share that Charese Fruge is adding more to her plate for Barrett Media. Charese’s industry features on music radio broadcasters have been well received. I’m excited to give her extra content to produce to further serve music radio professionals.
We are committed as a brand to covering the ins and outs of the business across all formats. Sports and News/Talk have been strong for years, and our entry into covering Music Radio started in July. We have a strong team in place for covering Country, AC, Rock, Alternative, and Classic Rock/Hits, but one format we’re thin on is Urban/Hip Hop. I’m looking to add a Features Writer to highlight brands and individuals in the Urban/Hip Hop format. If that’s you or if you know someone, email Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
I’m also searching for a Social Media Coordinator. X, Facebook and LinkedIn don’t love brands that promote written content. However, we’re an industry online publication, not a radio or TV outlet. I’m looking for someone with video editing experience, a knack for creating catchy graphics/images, a passion for broadcasting, and an ability to write. Essentially a well rounded, creative, multiplatform producer. I’ve talked to some sharp people, and feel good about a few candidates, but until we’ve made a hire, the process remains open. If you or someone you know fits the bill, email Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
Lastly, I want to officially welcome Newsmax, Mike Gallagher, Quu, Harker Bos Group, and Radio America as 2025 marketing partners. Stephanie Eads and I have been working hard to build relationships to grow the business, and serve our clients. We are grateful for the support, and have a few others in progress who we’re looking forward to reaching the finish line with soon. To cover this business as extensively as we do, support is needed. We’re fortunate to work with great people and brands to do just that.
Worth Reading
My column last week on David Field generated a lot of attention. I appreciate all who reached out to share that they felt the piece was fair. I’d be lying if I said I felt comfortable writing it. I have a lot of respect for David, but knew it was a topic that had to be addressed. Expecting people to read and respect your work is much harder if you disappear when big industry issues occur.
If you haven’t read Dave Greene’s column from last week, do it. He addressed the reality of layoffs in the media business after seeing news of Kevin Winter being let go by ESPN Radio. If you work in the business, you owe it to yourself to stay informed, and ready for anything.
Derek Futterman was in New Orleans last week, and did a great job for us on media row. He wrote a few good pieces tied to Super Bowl angles, and captured a number of video reactions from sports radio shows to their Top 20 rankings. If you missed the videos, make sure you’re following Barrett Media on X.
Dr. Ed Cohen‘s column last week on Programmatic Video Advertising was very interesting. Advertising and TV folks will want to go back and read it if they missed it during Super Bowl week.
When you take a look at the history of the BSM Top 20 National Sports Radio Shows category, you’ll notice The Dan Patrick Show has never finished below third. For both 2023 and 2024, however, the show took the top spot on the list and after eavesdropping in on the show while they were live in New Orleans covering Super Bowl Week, I was reminded why it is considered one of the best national sports shows, certainly in the conversation for one of the best of all-time.
Dan Patrick may be doing some of his best work on this way out. If you recall, back on July 19, 2023, Patrick announced he would retire at the end of 2027 at the age of 70. Patrick started doing radio in 1999, so it will be 28 total years for him when he steps aside.
“That’s when the microphone gets turned off for the final time. I’m going to take my hairpiece and I’m going to give it to Fritzy,” Patrick said at the time, referencing Executive Producer Todd Fritz.
“It’s a young man’s game,” he added. “Like, I’m the oldest guy doing this. And I enjoyed doing it. But by the end of 2027, that’ll be it. It’ll be it, you have my word. So, plan accordingly.”
Nobody will really plan accordingly except for those that have to. It will sneak up on most of us and 2027 will be here before we know it and the retirement tour will go even quicker.
But don’t get the rocking chairs or knitted blankets out just yet, Patrick and his crew of ‘Danettes’ are still putting out great content daily. And Patrick sounds like he is having as much fun as he has ever had, certainly on radio.
(L-R): Patrick “Seton” O’Connor, Todd Fritz, Dan Patrick, Marvin Prince, Paul Pabst Courtesy: Derek Futterman, Barrett Sports Media
As I listened in to the Friday February 7th show as the crew was in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl, I was super excited because I knew that while on location at an event like this, Dan would be doing a lot of what he is best at these days – conversing with major sports celebrities and big names in media.
The first thing that stands out as you tune in is Dan himself. That voice. So iconic and immediately recognizable. But it’s also the silky-smooth delivery and the way, while he is aware of who he is, he never seems to make anyone feel like they are less than his equal, unless he is razzing one of the guys – who aren’t afraid to throw it back, which makes it fun.
This was a ‘Meat Friday’ so you could almost hear and smell the Traeger Grills through the audio, which I consumed via Apple Podcast. The show was off and rolling and came out firing hitting on several of the big topics of the day.
A separate topic that came up was a recent gathering Patrick was at where people were discussing the wagers they had on the NFL end of the season awards. One of the big stories had been late money coming in on eventual winner Josh Allen, even though Lamar Jackson had been a heavy favorite, until he wasn’t.
The show is the very definition of guys sitting around talking sports and having a great time, at least that is what comes through. Dan is obviously the lead but the team of Todd Fritz, Paul Pabst, Patrick ‘Seton’ O’Conner and Marvin Prince all chip in to make it an ensemble show.
They do a good job of weaving in quick sponsored segments like ‘Stat of the Day’ and ‘Play of the Day’ and it all moves along quickly. Dan is still as professional as it comes with his broadcasting skills, so it all sounds well-polished and he knows just went to reel it all in when things get rowdy.
The crew is fired up because not only are they in New Orleans covering the Super Bowl, but Colorado head football coach and NFL legend Deion Sanders is the first guest on the show. Deion is on site promoting his partnership with California Almonds. Whatever the reason he is on, it was gold.
Dan Patrick and Deion Sanders. That is really all that needs to be said and most sports fans would assume it was great and something you need to listen to. And they would all be exactly right.
Deion brought the heat as always. When asked what kind of shoes he liked to wear, he of course took the time to promote his own brand and when asked why he doesn’t wear Jordan shows, he replied, “It’s kind of different when you know Jordan.”
And with that it was off and running. The main topic became Deion’s sons and Travis Hunter, who is like a son to him, and where they might be headed in the NFL draft. While most people have Hunter and Shedeur Sanders both coming off the board in the first six picks, Deion predicts neither will go past No. 3.
This was a great conversation. And that is the charm of Patrick and what makes his show a three-time overall winner in the BSM Top 20 National Sports Radio Show category – it is a conversation. Patrick has earned the respect that het gets and this talk with Sanders was a perfect example.
Deion isn’t always the best person to interview because there is usually an agenda behind him wanting to talk. However, with someone like Patrick, he let his guard down a little. Patrick’s style and experience makes it easier on someone like Deion because he knows Patrick is going to ask great questions and converse, not try and trick you or go down some rabbit hole the guest isn’t going to be comfortable with.
In that realm, on the radio side, I think you have to put Patrick at the top of the list. He would probably be the pick of most athletes and top media members if they had to choose one national show to go on that had the perfect mix of credibility and reach.
Later, Sanders was very compelling when he talked about the Cowboys, Jerry Jones and why he wouldn’t want to coach in the NFL if it meant having to coach against one of his sons.
Deion also referred to the current setup of NIL in college football as “Pay-Per-View,” and suggested a cap on how much a high school player or first year player can receive until they have proven it on the field. Sanders predicts eventually football will separate itself from the rest of college athletics and have a certain number of teams who will all work off some sort of controlled financial system.
Fun is the name of the game on the show, and it even happens during the breaks when the guys will typically have some sort of competition. In this case it was Pickleball, and ‘Fritzy’ was the big winner. The quick discussion about it made for good content and then was made even better when Patrick put Fritz on his list of all-time great Jewish athletes behind the likes of Sandy Koufax and Shawn Green.
Later on, ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky joined the show. Orlovsky is always a quality football guest, although right now it seems he could use to decline an appearance or two. Most of it comes from ‘The Mothership’ as Patrick refers to ESPN, having Orlovsky pop up in a lot of places.
On this occasion, he and Patrick had good discussions on who MVP awards should be given to, are given to and how much it would change if the award was voted on when the entire season was finished instead of at the end of the regular season.
Booger McFarland would later join in, and it was another example of things Patrick can do that other hosts cannot. McFarland is someone that is heard from quite a bit, but his talks with Dan are better than most others. Again, it was a conversation about football. Dan pulled good stuff out of Booger because he asked good questions, listened to the answers, and came back based on what was said.
McFarland was excellent in the segment and his takes on the MVP Award really stood out. He said, “feelings get in the way” with the voting and that, in his opinion, Josh Allen won this year because Lamar Jackson had won it twice previously, not necessarily because he deserved it more than Jackson or Saquan Barkley.
If you are a sports fan, The Dan Patrick Show is either a must-listen or a must-follow on social media. The team does a great job with clips and putting out the content in multiple ways.
If you read my eavesdropping pieces on the regular, you know I like to point out shows that really make an effort to engage with their listeners, especially those that still take phone calls. Patrick doesn’t take many, but you know those that get on have to find it incredibly exciting to get a chance to talk directly with Patrick. You also realize most of the callers talk like they are members of the family – which is the overall vibe of the show.
After tuning in on Friday, I’d have to say the voters got it right again, The Dan Patrick Show is still the best.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Today marks the first of a two-week series, “Countdown To CRS.” For the next eight days, I will highlight Country Radio Program Directors and Industry leaders to discuss what the Country Radio Seminar means to them, their best memories, and takeaways.
To begin the series, I talked to RJ Curtis, CRB Executive Director, who said he is proud that CRS continues to flourish while several other industry seminars have folded or significantly scaled back.
“I’m really proud of that. It’s a wonderful compliment that people pay us. I don’t say that to be self-congratulatory, but I do hear that a lot and that makes my team, our board, and our whole organization really, really proud. I would attribute that, Jeff, to the care and feeding we put into the event. We have always put a premium on the educational aspect of CRS.”
“That was sort of the foundation of the whole idea of it. The educational process of bringing disparate parts of the industry together to better understand what each other does with the goal of making the genre rise, all boats rise. And that has been since I’ve been involved with CRS as an agenda person starting in 1997 and even before that, coming to CRS starting in 1985 and helping the agenda committee with room counts and things like that.”
For Curtis and his team, education and actionable ideas that attendees can take back to their radio stations are mission-critical.
“The constant message is the educational part; the things that we can bring to attendees that they can take back to the radio station are critical, and the planning and the preparation and strategy behind each session is such that it’s useful and it’s applicable almost immediately. The other thing is it’s a format exclusive event. We know that Country radio, the labels, and the artists have a close family-like relationship.”
“I will say, you’ve seen this at CRS. I am proud of the fact that it is for a week-long event, and then I think the afterglow continues for a couple of months after that. There is a strong enthusiasm and a renewed belief that the things that people are doing in their day-to-day jobs are working and, meaningful, and important. I think that’s what we provide to the industry, and we put a lot of work into that.”
Describe what a first-time attendee might expect to experience.
“Well, over the past six years in my role as Executive Director, a lot of people have come to CRS for the first time, and then they follow it up and send me emails, and I’ll call them later on. I think that their mind is blown.”
“For people who’ve been going to CRS for a long time, it’s like they know the rhythm of it, right? But for first-timers, there’s just so much going on. There’s so much education.”
“There are so many opportunities to see new music, to see music from artists that they’re familiar with, and to meet people that they only read about in the trades or heard about, such as industry superstars. I don’t mean the artists; I mean the people who are programmers and executives and things like that. That’s what they’re going to see.”
“They’re going to see it all; it is a lot to take in. It is a firehose of stimuli coming at them. And you know, if they can get their arms around just a small part of that, I think they’ll have a really rewarding experience.”
And you can’t discount the knowledge and ideas you can pick up just by chatting with people in the halls.
“To your point, the socialization and the getting together and having fun and having drinks is certainly there, but when you meet people, you tend to look at one subject at CRS, right? That’s Country music and what we all do; you’re just going to hear new ideas. You’re going to share some and hear some, and then in addition to the sessions, you can take that home, and that happens in the hallways, too.”
“You probably know that you can have the conversation of the year with someone in a hallway that is just as mind-blowing as anything else you’d see at CRS. I think that’s a really important organic component of CRS. We can’t plan those types of things. That’s just part of the culture and experience that people can have at CRS.”
I have always admired the blending of established radio and music people and their willingness to accommodate young programmers just starting out.
“I’m proud of that, too, and I think all of our attendees have that same feeling about CRS, whether they’re Mike McVay or Cindy Mabe or whoever. They’re willing to talk to anybody. I always encourage new attendees at CRS to go up to people they’ve read about or famous industry executives and say hi. I think that that’ll be the experience that they wanted it to be. That they imagined it to be.”
Curtis is especially excited about this year’s agenda.
“We’re super excited about the agenda. Just the overall educational stuff that we’ve talked about, Jeff, and then some of the special things that we’re working on, like the artist interview. I’m excited about a couple of things on the artist level: the non-performing side, the cycle of a song.”
“I think people will find that to be really interesting. It’s a complete journey from the time that the artist wrote that song, the arc of it landing and then becoming a mainstream hit or a streaming success.”
“Eric Church is going to interview Jelly Roll. That’ll turn into a conversation between two artists. And I like the way we’ve pivoted that artist interview into two artists talking to one another. When you get two artists together, the rest of us are just a fly on the wall. Right?
CRS 2025 is February 19-21 at the Omni Nashville Hotel in downtown Nashville. Online registration is closed, but walk-up registration is available at $799 starting on February 19.
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Upon walking into Hall G of the kilometer-long Ernest N. Morial Convention Center along the Mississippi River in New Orleans, the convergence of more than 150 media outlets is hardly inconspicuous. Straight ahead is an alcove of sports talk radio stations from a range of cities, some of which include Boston, Houston and Washington, D.C. The flagship outlets for the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, both of whom took the field for Super Bowl LIX on Sunday night, were also present. Yet situated on the perimeter of the space, attendees could find sprawling sets belonging to a variety of outlets at which visual content was being produced and distributed.
On top of that, virtually every table with microphones also contained a camera, lights and a backdrop. Whereas it was previously referred to as “Radio Row” when it first began ahead of Super Bowl XXVII in 1993 from Los Angeles, the space has been renamed “Media Row” and reflects the evolving world of production and distribution that better aligns with consumers.
Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, who broadcast the Mike and the Mad Dog afternoon drive program from the lobby of the Hyatt hotel in Minneapolis, witnessed the inception and growth of the space originally constructed for radio stations. More than 6,000 media members were credentialed during this year’s week of festivities that featured an array of star-studded interviews, unique activations and unparalleled camaraderie. Many companies in the room see value in the remote enterprise, but it has served as a sobering reminder for traditional media to keep pace with digital innovations.
“I think that we can keep up okay,” Russo said. “We get good guests, probably better guests than they will because we’re in our own little location. Somebody doesn’t want to go in there – they’re surrounded – so I think our guests will be a little better. It is SiriusXM – they got a million stations. I don’t know enough about the digital media world, but I think we’ll be okay, I really do.”
Among audio companies in the space, SiriusXM had the largest set at Media Row with four radio stations broadcasting live and a branded lounge in which guests and employees could relax. Furthermore, the enterprise housed a variety of podcasts and shows from other outlets, including SportsGrid Radio and VSiN, along with a golf simulator for attendees to enjoy. Stephen A. Smith, who works with Russo on Wednesday editions of First Take on ESPN, appeared on Mad Dog Unleashed as a guest and was surrounded by other media members capturing content spread across various distribution hubs.
“Well, I think radio’s not going to keep pace,” Smith said. “I think the digital stratosphere is something to be fully cognizant and aware of. I think that the mistake the audio business is making is that there’s not a video component. People don’t care about listening to radio outside of their cars. They want to listen to it while they’re driving, but once they’re stationery and they’re sitting still, they want to watch.”
Courtesy: Derek Futterman, Barrett Sports Media
Through his Straight Shooter Media production company, Smith continued to host and produce episodes of his podcast from an off-site location in New Orleans. Smith, who formerly hosted his own program on FOX Sports Radio, used to work alongside Don Martin, who recently stepped away from his role as executive vice president of sports at the company.
In addition to his job with iHeartMedia, Martin also served as the senior vice president of AM 570 LA Sports, the flagship home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. As he remains involved in the near term with Premiere Networks and FOX Sports Radio, he contends to be more excited about the future of the audio business than ever before. In order to facilitate the evolution of radio though, Martin argues that deviating from the archetypal nomenclature is necessary.
“It’s just content,” Martin said. “It’s audio – guys, it’s audio. Whether it’s on a stream, whether it’s over the air, whether it’s digitally on a YouTube video, whether it’s on a podcast, it’s all the same. So everybody’s hung up on this name ‘radio.’ It’s such an antiquated term.”
Rather than solely focusing on the over-the-air radio broadcast, Martin believes audio personalities need to effectively serve as five-tool players for their audiences and employers. Along with the regular program, shows are disseminated digitally on streams, through video platforms, a standalone podcast and social media content. In this sense, it can be discerned that many outlets are using radio as an alias per se that encompasses several modes of delivery.
“You can’t call it ‘Apple’ – it’s already taken,” Martin said. “Call it ‘Banana,’ I don’t care what you call it, but today, what you’re seeing out here is exactly what it’s supposed to be…. If you’re just sitting down at a desk and saying you’re doing radio, it’s time to pack your bags and go home.”
FOX Sports Radio presented its on-air lineup live from Media Row and has found that it tends to align with large spikes in listenership. Scott Shapiro, the senior vice president of FOX Sports Radio and podcasts at Premiere Networks, explained that advertisers always want to be a part of big events and that it is a great opportunity for the staff located across the country to collaborate in person. With more than 600 affiliated stations airing the national content, FOX Sports Radio assists its various partners and is able to encapsulate the action surrounding the annual championship game.
“What we’ve seen quite a bit in recent years is a lot less local stations are there,” Shapiro said. “It’s gotten very expensive to travel to the Super Bowl, so it’s a tremendous service that we’re providing to local stations around the country to be there – to get the sights, to get the flavor, to be on the ground and have the audience and these stations live vicariously through us – so that’s what we love.”
With digitally-focused brands such as Bleacher Report, Overtime, FanDuel TV, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings Network and Threads in the periphery, FOX Sports Radio presented its shows on a stage with televisions displaying graphics and show titles in the background. Continuing the tradition of broadcasting live ahead of the Super Bowl, the company sought to deliver for its partners and continue providing stellar coverage of the NFL season.
As an attendee moved from the FOX Sports Radio setup, they approached two areas for ESPN, the first of which housed The Pat McAfee Show in afternoons. Situated directly next door was the ESPN Radio Airstream studio trailer, a mobile unit that the company leases through a deal with Roadwerx. ESPN Radio branding was prominent throughout the space.
Making its return to Media Row for the first time in five years, ESPN Radio broadcast its flagship morning program, UnSportsmanLike, from the set featuring Evan Cohen, Michelle Smallmon and Chris Canty. Later in the day, Joe Fortenbaugh hosted with Harry Douglas, and the trailer was also used for other interviews featuring athletes and celebrities. Outside of Media Row, ESPN also captured linear and digital content from Fulton Square with live television programming such as Get Up, First Take and NFL Live.
“Everything is digital and it has to be because we have to be on every single platform,” said Justin Craig, vice president of audio and digital production at ESPN. “Platform-agnostic doesn’t exist. There has to be multiple places for people to find their content, and that’s what I love about it. Media Row has changed so drastically because in the past, you used to see everything was just a table, and now you’ve got these big sets [and] people walking around with cameras [so they can] capture whatever content you can. It’s great. We have to be everywhere for everybody.”
Courtesy: Derek Futterman, Barrett Sports Media
Richelle Markazene, the head of audio for Omaha Productions, was working from Media Row during the week as the entity broadcast shows hosted by Mina Kimes and Kevin Clark from its set. The company has traveled to the Super Bowl over the last few years but learned how to better optimize its time and setup, one alteration of which has been a slightly diminished footprint. The downsizing has not impacted opportunities to land guests for the shows, and the operation has remained efficient and published informative, engaging content in a timely manner.
“We’ve learned that some days are going to be totally packed, and other days might not be quite as packed, so just get out to people early so we can line up guests throughout the day and make sure that the other little things [are taken care of],” Markazene said. “We have our editor here with us, so it makes it faster for her to grab the content and start editing right away. I think we have our routine down a little bit more just having been here a couple of years.”
More digital programs stole the spotlight throughout the week, including a three-hour livestream of Nightcap, the hit podcast from Shay Shay Media and The Volume with Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. During its Wednesday afternoon broadcast, the show elicited a crowd around the set as the two former NFL superstars interviewed guests such as Jayden Daniels, Fred Warner and Denzel Ward. Yahoo Sports, which has also invested in its division with new hires to cover football, basketball and college sports over the last year, recorded shows live on a sponsored set. Sam Farber, the head of content for Yahoo Sports, attributed the augmented presence of digital media to evolution in sports media.
“Everybody used to write stories and send reporters out into the field, which still happens, but I think now with almost every company having a podcasting presence, a show presence, it makes sense when you have the number of guests and the entire football, sports and entertainment world in one place,” Farber said. “It makes sense to take advantage of that and bring all of your shows and all of your talent to capture it in real time. I really think it’s just a reflection of sort of how all of these digital media companies are oriented nowadays.”
Audacy Sports had its own designated area with sports talk radio stations, including the recently rebranded BetMGM Network, and its Infinity Sports Network was headquartered nearby as well. Other audio conglomerates brought stations to Media Row, including Cumulus Media with 1310 The Ticket, Bonneville International with Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan and Beasley Media Group-owned 98.5 The Sports Hub. Most of these locations had video capabilities embedded within the setup and were dispersed among other podcasting and digital arrangements.
“I was joking with my guys [that], ‘We should probably change it from Radio Row to, like, Content Central,’ and we’ve got a digital video setup out here,” said Parker Hillis, program director of SportsRadio 610. “I think if you come out here just as a traditional radio market or traditional radio medium, you’re falling behind. The opportunity, just in the same way that the NFL has grown to multiplatform and multiple different capacities, we have to do the same thing.”
Courtesy: Derek Futterman, Barrett Sports Media
Matt Moscona and the team from Guaranty Media-owned ESPN 104.5 Baton Rouge also made the trip and set up their space in a similar fashion. As the afternoon drive host and program director of the station, he has catalyzed equipment upgrades and also simulcasts his show weekdays on YouTube with a video manager and audio producer. Consolidating elements of the show on multiple platforms is a manner not to fade into obscurity and retain relevance amid a landscape with numerous sources vying for attention.
“Radio can’t just be radio anymore,” Moscona said. “If it is, you’re losing. The amount of people that say to me, ‘I love your YouTube channel,’ or, ‘I love your TikTok,’ it’s just as many people that say to me, ‘I listen to your radio show.’ If you don’t evolve, you die. If you don’t evolve, you become Blockbuster, you become Toys’R’Us. We live in a digital era. You have to be everywhere your audience is, and if you’re not, you’re irrelevant.”
As media professionals travel home after a productive week in New Orleans covering the Super Bowl, the composition and layout of Media Row could change in future years. The Super Bowl next year will take place from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., a destination that could bring more stations and media outlets to the central location for sports media content during the week. Many brands continue to see the venture as a valuable part of their years through the accessibility and distinctive vantage points it yields but are prioritizing content that can thrive on multiple verticals.
“If you’re putting on good content, you continue to get recognized, and I think radio people need to adapt and be digital people as well,” said Zach Gelb, afternoon host on Infinity Sports Network. “Obviously the product on the air is the most important part, but when your show ends, your show isn’t over, and you’ve got to pump stuff out to the digital world, whether it’s coming to events like this or just having a camera on you whenever you’re doing your show.”
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Since starting this column back in 2023, I’ve eschewed interviews as there are plenty of others in the vast content you can read in Barrett Media. Occasionally though, an interview with someone you may not have heard about can offer some enlightenment. For my first interview column, I spoke with Dan McDonald, who is Vice President of Research for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in Washington.
Dan is a friend of mine and prior to my move out of the DC area, we spent a number of hours talking about any number of topics while enjoying the offerings at Brewers Alley in Frederick, Maryland. Dan and I will both offer a hearty endorsement of that fine establishment. If you visit, be sure to try my favorite, the nut brown ale.
Prior to arriving at NAB, Dan spent time in research positions with Viacom/CBS and Comcast among other stops. While not a radio person, he’s worked hard to understand the measurement issues in our medium during his NAB tenure.
Whether your company is a member or associate member of NAB, the organization advocates on your behalf. The key radio issues remain the AM For Every Vehicle Act (just reintroduced) and the Local Radio Freedom Act, which is the continuing effort to quash performance royalties. And yes, Dan has some involvement with those in a support role.
When it comes to ratings, NAB is involved directly through two groups, the Committee on Local Radio Audience Measurement and the Committee on Local Television Audience Measurement, better known by their acronyms, COLRAM and COLTAM (full disclosure: I’m a member of COLRAM), both of which are run by NAB. Both large and small broadcasters are represented on both committees and Dan is always looking for potential new members.
NAB also holds two seats on the Media Rating Council (MRC), which accredits (or doesn’t accredit) any number of measurement services. Dan acts as NAB representative for MRC and votes for what he perceives the members want and if that’s not clear, what he sees as being in the best interests of NAB members.
COLRAM has a unique role today. While the MRC is pre-eminent, that group can only evaluate services that desire MRC accreditation and submit to the MRC audit and review process. COLRAM can talk to any company, whether it’s Nielsen Audio or a startup that you may not have heard of before but has visions of bringing a service to market. COLRAM members and NAB staff gain insight and the vendor receives unblemished feedback from potential clients. This “sounding board” role is one of COLRAM’s most unique functions.
Dan’s perch at NAB gives him a clear view of the changes going on. During our chat, he cited a “fundamental shift in the idea of how we are going to measure media” citing bias, the incredible amount of choice, and the granularity of the measurement. He believes panels need to shift from “controlling” to “informing” audience estimates given their size relative to big data sources (see my discussion of the Nielsen Panel + Big Data service a few weeks back). Of course, the “bogeyman is cost.”
Dan sees the future for audio measurement as a merger of the Nielsen video and audio panels although he recognizes not all NAB members agree with that view. Nielsen has discussed this in the past and I’ve taken them to task for the lack of movement. Today, Dan will tell you that the panel sizes are “woefully inadequate”.
What if your station/cluster (NAB member, of course) is having issues with Nielsen Audio or any other measurement service for that matter? If it’s a contractual matter, don’t talk to Dan…NAB can’t help you there. If the problem is methodological, Dan may be able to offer some guidance, but the NAB operates on a bigger scale.
NAB is best known for working with Congress, holding conventions, and working on technical issues. But NAB does have a research component and Dan’s a good person to know. And if you have an idea for COLRAM, such as a new service or just a question that the committee can delve into, let him know. NAB works for the membership, sometimes in more ways than you may have assumed.
Let’s meet again next week.
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How do you define local news? More to the point, how does the rest of the public define local news?
I don’t propose that we ask anyone that question; I’d look instead of what they post and where they post it. For all the publicity X and BlueSky and even TikTok get, that’s not where people sound off on local issues. No, it’s on Nextdoor, Reddit, Ring Neighbors, and Facebook groups that the real issues are discussed.
Issues like these in my local Nextdoor feed:
“With all of the fast food places being built, I think Palm Beach County needs a White Castle.”
“Can anyone recommend the cleanest drop-off laundromat in Lake Worth to Boynton?”
“HELP! Squirrels ate big holes in my screen!”
Plus countless appeals to find the best hair stylist/gardener/nail salon/mechanic in the area. It’s the same in every town in America.
As for Ring Neighbors, any concern that it would be used as a tool for police to spy on the public takes a back seat to many lost cats and dogs and deep concern about loud noises (at least twice an evening, “Did anyone just hear gunshots?” or “Helicopters flying overhead at Atlantic and Jog – any idea what’s going on?” (A recent favorite: “JETS IN THE SKY,” which would be alarming if we didn’t live a few miles from Palm Beach International Airport.) And my community has its own Facebook group, which consists of posts about cover bands playing by the pool and complaints about the HOA and assessments.
That’s what people consider local news. Whatever the Mayor and council are doing with their tax dollars matters only when it identifiably affects their bank accounts. It’s mostly mundane concerns mixed with minor paranoia. And it’s what you’re up against when you’re talking about, or reporting on, national and international news: Sure, people care that outrageous and likely unconstitutional things are happening that threaten our democracy and put everyone’s privacy at risk, but even so, life is going on, Trump didn’t lower grocery prices like he promised, and the car needs an oil change and Mom’s roots are showing and those bangs and pops and other sounds outside are still a mystery.
People want to know about big national news stories, but they’re also – maybe more – interested in why a dozen police cars are clustered at a local intersection, or what those bright lights hovering in the night sky might be.
Relying on other users for answers works only for recommendations or for finding Whiskers and Fido (does anyone name their cats Whiskers and their dogs Fido anymore?). Why the cops are in the neighborhood, what those booms might be, why there’s no Trader Joe’s within 15 miles of town… weeding through the comments on those topics is a fool’s errand. Nobody knows the answers, but everyone feels the need to weigh in.
It would be nice if there happened to be a business model for a news organization that covers the little things like that, but if there isn’t enough business for TV, radio, and print, who’d take the risk that there’s enough local retail business to support a niche of a niche? It’d probably be easier to sell ads on deli placemats. (Deli placemats around here have ads for attorneys, gun shops, and financial advisors – yes, Lawyers, Guns and Money. Enjoy every sandwich, indeed.)
The situation means that local news is ripe for misinformation, but unless you can figure out an effective business model for it, that can’t be helped other than having other users correct those posts. It’s not ideal, and often fails, but we don’t have an alternative right now. Besides, it’s not so much a business opportunity as it is entertainment. Come on, screen-eating squirrels, mysterious things in the sky, unexplained police activity… who needs TikTok when there’s plenty of weirdness right in your neighborhood?
(P.S.: This column had to be written and submitted several hours before the Super Bowl, which explains why I didn’t mention the Eagles. You know what happened by now. I’m hoping it’ll be good news, but if it isn’t, just leave me alone for a while.)
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