After 12 years with Talk Radio 102.3 WGOW, Brian Joyce has exited the Cumulus Media Chattanooga news/talk station.
Joyce confirmed he is no longer hosting Unfiltered from 10 AM-Noon. Any reference to his program has been cleared from the station’s website.
Brian Joyce joined the station in 2012 to host afternoons before shifting to mornings in 2018 as the new lead host on the show after the departure of longtime host Jeff Styles.
However, in October 2023, Joyce was moved to middays as new hosts Jed Mescon and Jim “JR” Reynolds took over morning drive.
“Goodbye Talk Radio 102.3,” Joyce said in a post to Facebook. “It’s been fun! See you on the other side.”
Joyce told The Chattanoogan he will be “seeking other ventures” after departing the Cumulus news/talk outlet.
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Latino Media Network (LMN) has appointed new Regional General Managers designed to create a regionalized model with three strategic marketing groups.
Vicky Guerrero will handle the Texas markets, including McAllen, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
Mauricio Palacios will manage the California and Nevada markets, including Los Angeles, Fresno, and Las Vegas.
Miami Market Manager Mike Sena will add oversight of Chicago.
“This realignment reflects LMN’s unwavering commitment to growth and our mission to fill a much-needed gap in the market for the U.S. Hispanic community,” said LMN Interim Chief Executive Officer Marc Manahan. “Our stations are critical touchpoints for information, particularly in addressing the community’s concerns in moments of crisis or natural disasters, such as those we recently experienced in Los Angeles. By focusing on three regions, we are able to have additional sales and promotional efforts for our stations, which better positions us to amplify our impact in the local market and the communities we serve.”
Reporting to Raysa Rodriguez-Leon for sales and Ken Wilkey for operations, the three will be responsible for driving sales and operational excellence.
LMN said the moves “is part of a long-term strategy to innovate in the media landscape, support local communities, and celebrate the voices and stories of the country’s vibrant Hispanic-American population.”
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KUZZ Bakersfield hosted its 20th annual radiothon benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, raising $249,323.
The radiothon was held this past Wednesday and Thursday, with the total exceeding last year’s by more than $10,000.
KUZZ Program Director Brent Michaels told Barrett Media, “We’ve been so lucky for 20 years to broadcast in a community that is so generous and willing to get behind St Jude. We always say we have amazing listeners, and this is just the proof of it. Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough.
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Classix 102.9 Atlanta is shifting from Adult R&B to Classic R&B and Today’s Southern Soul, effective tomorrow (2/1).
The adjustment will be a blend of Classic R&B with Southern Soul and is aimed at honoring Atlanta’s music roots. The station will continue to air “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show.”
Program Director Tony Richards said, “Southern Soul is where it’s at. We are gearing up to deliver this dynamic genre in a fun and powerful way while still cherishing the Classic R&B hits our audience adores.”
Cluster OM Derek Harper added, “We are happy to serve our listeners with the music they love. Southern Soul is rapidly gaining traction as a favorite genre, and we are proud to feature it prominently throughout our daily lineup.”
The new mix will feature artists like King George, Tucka, Sir Charles Jones, and Calvin Richardson.
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Julie Stewart-Binks, a former anchor and reporter for FOX Sports on FS1, has filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging that network executive vice president Charlie Dixon sexually assaulted her in 2016. Within the lawsuit, Stewart-Binks alleged that Dixon had pushed her against a wall, pinned her arms and forcibly kissed her at a meeting in January of that year while meeting to discuss a forthcoming assignment for the Super Bowl. While she reported the conduct to a human resources representative at the network, she contends that the network made a decision to protect Dixon and allow him to remain with the company. The allegations were first reported by Katie Strang of The Athletic.
Stewart-Binks was a full-time employee at FS1 when the network launched in 2013, and she remained with the company until 2016. The lawsuit describes a meeting with Dixon in which he allegedly informed her that she was “not funny, interesting or talented,” along with being unable to handle “big moments on TV.” This meeting is said to have taken place at a hotel bar in Marina Del Ray, Calif., and also included a remark that Stewart-Binks was “not hot enough to be a hot girl on TV.” FOX Sports did not reply to a request for comment on this story.
Stewart-Binks was then invited to come to Dixon’s hotel room for a beer and to see the view from his balcony. The complaint claims that the request set off “alerts” in her mind, but she felt compelled to oblige since he was her boss. After the aforementioned meeting, she allegedly fled the room and called a friend to explain what had happened.
A few days later, Stewart-Binks was working as a host on a Super Bowl show featuring Jason Whitlock. During a subsequent production meeting, the lawsuit alleges that a producer informed the crew that former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had recently revealed having been a stripper in college. The producer and others are said to have encouraged Stewart-Binks into having Gronkowski doing moves reminiscent of Magic Mike with hopes of creating “a viral moment.”
The lawsuit claims that she agreed to this request in an attempt “to prove that she was fun and belonged in FS1’s new regime.” One month later, she was said to have been informed that her contract would not be renewed by the network, and she was contacted by a human resources official the following June as they were looking at allegations made against former FS1 executive Jamie Horowitz.
Stewart-Binks is also said to have informed the human resources official about what occurred with Dixon and provided the employee with the names of two people at FOX that she informed about the account. The two employees corroborated this account with the official, according to the complaint. Horowitz was fired from the company in July 2017, but Dixon remained at the network as its executive vice president of content.
This lawsuit follows a separate lawsuit filed earlier in the month by former network hairstylist Noushin Faraji that has brought forth allegations against Dixon, along with Skip Bayless and Joy Taylor. That lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, could also be expanded to include FOX Sports executives Eric Shanks and Mark Silverman based on discovery.
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Kelli Turner, the interim president and chief executive officer of Audacy, addressed employees at the company for the first time since assuming the position within an all-staff email. Turner is taking over following the departure of David Field, who worked in a leadership position with the company over the last 27 years. Turner joined the Audacy company board four months ago as it finalized plans to exit Ch. 11 bankruptcy, proceedings for which were officially closed this week by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez.
Within the internal memo, Turner discussed her excitement to take on the position and how she was impressed by the work and dedication of Audacy employees. Moreover, she articulated her gratitude for Field and divulged that his insights will be important for her and the Board as he begins to transition into an advisory role for the company.
“Over the next few months, I will work closely with our executive team to ensure we remain focused on our principles, make smart investments, and implement changes that will generate long-term success and efficiency,” Turner wrote, as divulged by Radio Insight. “The team has my full confidence and support as we move forward and begin the search for a permanent CEO. I ask for your patience as we develop and implement these strategies, and I promise to deliver clear and transparent communication at each milestone.”
Turner is a graduate of the University of Michigan, an institution where she earned a degree in accounting and her Juris Doctor. After starting her career in banking, she moved into the media business with Time Warner as its vice president of investor relations. Over the years, she worked at a variety of entities, including RSL Management Corporation and SESAC Holdings. Turner started working in private investment in 2021 with Sun Capital Partners, and she was approved to the Board of Directors as part of its overall restructuring.
“I encourage you to continue doing what Audacy does best: create great content, serve our clients, and support each other,” Turner said. “We have a bright future ahead of us, and I am excited to see what we will accomplish together. I look forward to meeting everyone and being part of the team!”
Turner takes on the interim role as the company has completed a financial restructuring that has reduced 80% of its debt from about $1.9 billion to $350 million. The company reaches over 200 million monthly listeners and possesses over 220 local radio brands within its portfolios. Audacy also has a podcast division with titles spanning multiple genres and is also the flagship home of 37 professional sports teams.
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Stephanie McMahon, who formerly served as the chief brand officer of World Wrestling Entertainment, will be launching a new show on ESPN+ titled Stephanie’s Places. McMahon made the announcement while appearing in the studio on The Pat McAfee Show in Indianapolis. The program will make its premiere in march that will include episodes featuring WWE stars, some of whom include Steve Austin, Charlotte Flair and Roman Reigns. McMahon is working on the show that is produced in partnership with WWE and Omaha Productions, and it will be part of the Peyton’s Places franchise that currently airs on the platform as well.
The show aired a sizzle reel surrounding Stephanie’s Places, which includes McMahon riding in a helicopter, being crowned at MetLife Stadium and riding on a yacht in Florida. McMahon admitted that she was nervous to embark on the project, referring to it as her “first step back” into the business, but she has found the venture to be rewarding. McAfee informed McMahon that she knows the history of the business and was curious to find out what the goal of the new ESPN original show was going to be.
“It’s really to tell the stories that haven’t been told, and to find out more about the people behind the characters,” McMahon said. “What I want to do is bring some type of advice to the audience. These people are all hugely successful, but like most people, they’ve been knocked around a lot, so, ‘How did they overcome the challenges that were put in front of them? How did they get over certain things to become who they are today?,’ and it’s really their journey. That’s what I’m trying to tell is their story, their journey of how they’ve gotten to where they are.”
McMahon stepped down as the co-CEO of WWE in January 2023 and was participating in her first media interview since that time. In conversation with McAfee, she expressed that she had never stopped being proud but felt as if she needed “to disappear for a little while.” McMahon also articulated that each journey on the show is different as she discovers the story of different participants and disseminates them to the viewing audience.
“In some cases, I’m the younger person who remembers them as a big star and, ‘How do we this?,’ and then in other cases, I’m the older person and I’m trying to pull things out of a younger superstar,” McMahon said. “It’s no one show is the same, and it’s just a lot of fun.”
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On Super Bowl Sunday, Tom Brady will complete his first season as an analyst for the NFL on FOX. The erstwhile quarterback GOAT has hardly been a sacred cow to critics, meeting with mixed reviews for his performance this season. The criticism has ranged from justified to just plain mean, but in fact, Brady improved as the 2024 season progressed.
Many of Brady’s detractors compared his TV maiden voyage to that of Tony Romo who terrifically burst onto the broadcasting scene in 2017. Romo himself has drawn the ire of critics; many of whom feel he has slipped in performance since that sparkling rookie season with CBS.
Romo and Brady were front and center calling the AFC Championship and NFC Championship games respectively this past weekend, and while the pair of ex-quarterbacks are at quite different points in their analyst careers, it is worthwhile drawing some comparisons between the two in several areas.
This is not about deciding who is a better broadcaster. Romo gets that nod as he should, given his eight years of experience. Rather, it is a study of the craft and an overview of both talents, reflecting on their performances in the 2024 season.
Content
Both Romo and Brady are certified football gurus with a shared knack for seeing plays and telling viewers what went right or wrong on a given call. Over the years, Romo has been adept at illuminating even the most subtle errors causing a play or scheme to fail.
As a player, Brady saw all aspects of the field better than anyone in the history of the game. This gift has not withered as a broadcaster. Both analysts possess great offensive mindsets. Romo the quarterback clearly did not get enough credit for his intellect, often reduced to a mere gunslinger in the mode of Brett Favre. As a broadcaster, he is just the opposite, using intelligence more than instinct.
In terms of pure football knowledge on both the offensive and defensive sides, I’m going to give the knowledge edge to Brady. This may be expected given that Romo played 13 NFL seasons while Brady nearly doubled that playing 23 seasons.
Communication
No current color analyst communicates the intricacies and technical aspects of football better than Romo. He is the absolute best at breaking down complex football theory and presenting it to viewers in an easy to understand manner. Most importantly, when you watch and listen to Tony Romo, you are going to learn something that you previously did not know.
Romo is quite adept at taking in the whole field and, in the few moments he has between the end of one play and the start of another, telling viewers exactly what happened. He possesses a tight vocabulary of the game, and his analysis doesn’t just rehash the play, it reveals the play.
While Brady is the smartest guy in any football room, his number one priority as he moves forward as an analyst must be to improve the way he communicates this knowledge. The first step can be reduced to two words: Slow down. While Romo will dissect a play naming one or two things that occurred, Brady tries to jam four or five different thoughts into the short amount of airtime he has.
Let’s look at plays from last weekend’s games as examples. Kansas City‘s first touchdown of the AFC championship game featured a 12-yard run by Kareem Hunt. In describing the replay, Romo pointed out that KC’s right guard Trey Smith pulled for a block and tackle Jawaan Taylor sealed the edge creating a scoring lane for Hunt. In a very calm and clear manner, he highlighted and explained two key aspects that allowed the play to succeed.
Conversely, Brady’s nervous excitement was on display after Saquon Barkley scored the Eagles’ first touchdown in the NFC Championship tilt versus Washington. With a wide shot replay, Brady stumbled in his words a couple of times because he was overly hyped and thinking faster than he was talking.
He started his commentary saying the play was simple, and then mentioned a jet sweep and a cross crack – two descriptions that are anything but simple to the casual football fan. Brady then stated that Barkley was in space and mentioned the names of two Washington defenders who were not able to tackle Barkley.
Can you see the difference? Romo mentioned two parts of his play, while Brady mentioned six. Moreover, Brady told viewers what was happening while Romo explained why it happened. You can call this nitpicking, but it is this technical aspect of broadcasting that separates a decent color analyst from a great one.
Whether you are a player or a broadcaster, football is very much about tempo and timing. Brady has a lot to say about each play, but it is impossible to say everything at one interval. This is what Brady tries to do. His voice rises and his analysis, while sound, comes off as rushed and forced.
Collaboration
A solid broadcast team must jive together like a lyricist and musician. Romo and Brady are fortunate to work with two of the best football play by play announcers in the business in Jim Nantz and Kevin Burkhardt. Nantz does not possess the dramatic voice of Al Michaels, but his cerebral and deliberate commentary are reminiscent of such greats as Curt Gowdy.
Romo’s immediate success in the booth can be partly traced to the talent level and assistance of Nantz. Back in 2017, it was clear that they had done a lot of rehearsal work together. Burkhardt was faced with an entirely different situation being teamed with Brady. He was partnering with the single most decorated football player who ever lived – a man who set countless records and won seven Super Bowls.
Keep in mind that Brady was also replacing one of the best color analysts in the business in Greg Olsen. Burkhardt had to move from an experienced analyst to a total novice. What both Romo and Brady have done very well is take advice from people who know more about broadcasting than they do.
Burkhardt has worked hard to set Brady up and ask pertinent questions to bring out his partner’s best. There is a real trust and developing chemistry between the two of them. I like the interplay between Burkhardt and Brady both in pregame and during the game. It will only improve with time.
Comfort
Romo and Brady are the analysts on their respective network’s number one NFL broadcast team. This gig is not a beauty contest, but on air presence is part of the overall presentation. How Brady and Romo appear in pregame, in-game, and postgame conversations is crucial. Both men excel in this area, but I give a slight edge to Romo simply due to his more relaxed demeanor.
In pregame, Brady actually offers more in-depth specifics, while Romo’s thoughts are more generalized. Still, it is clear that this is new and unchartered territory for Brady. Let’s not forget that this is one of the most tightly-wound athletes in the history of sports. His intensity is the stuff of legend. This intensity, however, needs to be tempered as a game analyst.
When I watch Tom Brady, I see a guy who is not that far removed from being a player. He still gets pumped up and excited with his LFG attitude, but it comes off as nervous energy. Brady certainly has experience in front of the camera, but there is a difference being a color analyst as opposed to an interview subject, corporate spokesman, press conference, or studio commentator.
Romo has taken some criticism for his seemingly nonchalant approach, but I see it as a quiet confidence in knowing who you are and what you are about to say.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that Tom Brady wants to live where Tony Romo already resides. There are a lot of dudes sitting behind a bowl of Cheez-Its who think they can do what Brady and Romo do. They can’t. It’s a lot harder than it looks.
Being a color analyst at the highest level involves the highest level of content, communication, collaboration, and comfort. It is quite different from being in a huddle or a locker room. There’s no one to block for you or protect your blind side. The lights are bright, the cameras are rolling, and everyone is watching.
As a player, Tom Brady was the ultimate film rat, working his butt off to become the very best. With his singular work ethic, I have no doubt that he will do the same as a broadcaster. He can start by watching clips of Tony Romo.
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93.3 WMMR’s Preston And Steve graced the top of the list of Barrett Media’s Best Rock Shows of 2024 last week. It’s a list that was voted on by industry professionals and peers, which makes the honor that much more meaningful. The duo, Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison have been together as a morning show since 1998 at WPLY and on WMMR together since 2005.
Preston started in radio in 1990 in rural Missouri eventually landing at WKBQ in St. Louis doing Middays and MD from 92-96. He moved to Philly in January of 96 to do afternoons and MD at WDRE. That’s where he met Steve, a standup comic who had been asked to do a weekly live remote with him on Friday nights. His next step to WPLY is where the morning magic happened (eventually), and they’ve been together ever since.
Steve grew up in New York, where he went to school for radio, television, and film production. In his freshman year, he started doing stand-up comedy while performing with a local improv group. It was during this time that he was asked to do comedy bits for the Long Island radio station WBAB—He was off and running…From BAB, it was on to WDRE, an alternative rock station, where he provided the same services.
About a year after DRE (Steve’s original partner) was blown out, he ended up auditioning for Preston’s morning show (Preston & Marilyn) at Y100 in Philadelphia as a comedy element.
After Marilyn left, the show was rebranded as the “Preston and Steve Show.” “With Casey, the producer, and the addition of Kathy Romano and Nick McIlwain, we became pretty much the version of the show that is heard today, except, when we moved to WMMR, Marisa Magnatta joined as another producer,” explains Steve.
Needless to say, both Preston and Steve are extremely confident about and extremely happy with the team they have in place. “So, I drive the program,” says Preston. “Get us in and out, set the topics, direct the flow, answer the calls, etc. Steve is the rapid-fire comedy of the show. Character voices galore and a great conversationalist. Casey Foster is the finest Executive Producer in our biz and is not only my caddy on the board, giving me everything I need, but he also has this uncanny ability to offer us little nuggets of a quirky candor from an extremely local Philly mind. Sometimes, he gives us gold to run with!”
“Kathy Romano wears a few hats as News/Traffic director as well as running a weekend feature called ‘Her Story’ but it’s her being her that we love. She’s both a friend and foe. Prissy but filthy. An extremely organized mess and puts together some fantastic features that highlight local activities and events that are very detailed and a huge hit.”
“Nick McIlwain is our associate producer who sits in the info guy position. He’s got a great delivery and can load us up with any details we need to know about anything in the moment. He’s also connected to several of the Philly sports execs and writes up our sports reports. If we need an on-the-street guy, it’s usually him.”
“And finally, Marisa Magnatta is an amazing associate producer. She’s 90% off air, but the core loves her. All of those moving parts off-air are hers. Phones, clips, songs, guests, zoom, interns, contest setups, etc. She also runs the entire intern program AND all of our socials. It’s a crazy amount of work.”
All of the show members except Preston and Steve are Philly-born and bred. They also do individual guest booking. “We are insanely lucky to have this group!” insists Preston. “It’s really a case of the right people finding each other and forming a team.”
According to Steve, “Casey is the finest producer in radio, also a great personality and fodder for much of what we discuss on the show. Kathy brings lots of attitude and critical ‘Mom’ energy to the show. Her life is an open book, and she lets us get away with murder. Nick is a fountain of information and has a robust, infectious laugh. He’s a live conduit to listeners through the text board, YouTube channel, and more. And Marisa does the work of a hundred people, grabbing audio clips faster than anyone on Earth while keeping our social media game strong.”
Unlike a lot of Rock shows, “The Preston & Steve Show” plays a big role in the community. “I always see our main mission as keeping people up and entertained no matter what kind of crap they are dealing with,” says Steve. “We avoid divisive issues, and stay away from politics. We’re the place to go to if you want a break from everything while still being plugged into the world.”
“We’re a nice distraction for people who are dealing with what is generally the shitty part of the day,” adds Preston. “That’s priority one. We also have some signature events that serve the area including our Camp Out for Hunger event That brings in both millions of pounds of food and millions of dollars. It’s considered the biggest food drive in the country. Our annual blood drive is one of the largest in the US as well. And we also try to really help out our base with mentions of charity events big and small.”
Between the two of them, Preston and Steve are like mad scientists when it comes to show prep. When I first saw their routines I seriously thought they were messing with me. “I do a shitload of prep,” Preston explains. “I’ve got three stages of prep. Gather, edit, and sort. For gathering, I spend most of my time digging around for stories by using news aggregator sites. I cut and paste the text, print up the documents, and do this throughout the day.
“In the afternoon, I sit down for the edit phase. I use a highlighter to cut through the bullshit and get to the meat of everything needed. Then I sort. It’s taken me a few years to get to a system that really works for me. I separate the stories into categories: bizarre/fascinating, medical/scientific, food, surveys, entertainment/music, local, miscellaneous.”
“I’ll use color-coded paper clamps so that I can identify each packet easily. I still like to use printed paper stories because I find that it’s easier to carry on a conversation while shuffling papers than it is while scrolling on a pad. I keep a backlog of some of the prep for off days that might pop up, too.”
“Technically, life is prep for us,” adds Steve. “But every day involves getting in at 4:30 in the morning, scouring websites, newspapers, and prep services. I shoot stories over to Preston, who then pops them into the various segments we do on the show. After the show, which usually ends close to 11:00—everyone breaks off and does short-term and long-term prep. And every weekday, we have a conference call at 6 p.m. during which we discuss topics in the news, things we experienced, and guests for the next day.”
As far as big events that have turned the show upside down over the years, Preston says it was the switch from Y100 to WMMR, while Steve says it was 9/11.
“We were really starting to get our stride at Y100 when we saw the writing on the wall, and it looked like there was a format flip coming,” says Preston. “We had a feeling that our current base would follow us over to WMMR, but we had no idea how the active rock community would feel about us coming in. Fortunately, we didn’t have to do too much in the way of changing our approach, but dealing with the detractors, in the beginning, was a bit of a challenge. We just kept doing what we always do, and slowly but surely, we won them over, and in no time, we had a new loyal base.”
“I kind of have to go with the money shot on this one…turning the show upside down,” says Steve. “Being live on air when 9/11/2001 played out was a mind trip. We’d just finished a segment about me not being sure how to refer to my mother-in-law when all hell broke loose. We stayed on air for quite a long time and were literally using the resources we had—pre-social media and viable internet—to convey the news and keep our listeners from completely going out of their minds.”
“We literally had an intern in a separate room, writing down notes from everything they heard on the live TV reports and running in and handing them to us as we carried on the conversation,” adds Preston. “It was very scary for all of us, but I think we held it together pretty well and managed to rise to the occasion, even though our program has always been very much entertainment-based. I remember being thoroughly exhausted after that particular show.”
Over the last 30-plus years together as a morning show, both Preston and Steve have a lot of exciting memories to share.
“Having big celebrities in the studio is always an exciting thing for us. We’ve been fortunate to have some really fantastic interviews with some pretty big people,” says Preston. “Some of the notables would include John Travolta, Kevin Costner, Richard Gere, Jane Goodall, and James Taylor. Before working on The Morning Show, I personally had a chance to sit down with a couple of biggies too, like Paul McCartney and Elton John. Outside of interviews, it’s always exciting to be on stage in front of thousands of people and hear the reaction we get when brought out before the audience. That never gets old!”
“For me, the most exciting things often distill down to being in the moment, on the show, making people laugh, and knowing a lot of Philadelphia is with us—in their cars, at home, wherever,” adds Steve. “That sense of family is unlike anything you can imagine. Besides that, getting into the National Radio Hall of Fame was pretty exciting because it probably was a clerical error that got us in, and we’re pretty sure someone on the judging committee was fired because of it.”
Preston and Steve with Bruce Beasley
As far as the challenges over the years, both Preston and Steve agree they are pretty much the norm. “Look, when people run into raging fires and defuse bombs for a living, it’s hard to list the challenges of doing a morning radio show,” says Steve. “The basics are what you would assume. The early wake-up call can be tough, and putting on a happy face no matter what you are facing in your personal life can be taxing, but the balance with the blessing this job is makes it all more than manageable.”
As for what they want the show to be remembered for, “Preston and I have discussed this ever since the show began,” says Steve. “We want to have made things just a bit better for the amazingly kind people who have supported us all these years and know that every now and then, somebody will say—and mean it—’I miss that show.’”
“I mainly want us to be known as a group of people who had a good time in the morning along with the listeners who tuned in every day,” says Preston. “I also want to be remembered as a show that had a good heart. I’m very proud of the fact that during the 2000s, we didn’t get sucked into the world of being negative and mean on the air the way so many other shows were at the time. The airways were filled with so much alpha male bullshit, and we proved that you didn’t need to do that to be successful.”
Follow Preston and Steve on Instagram @prestonelliot, @steveofprestonandsteve, and @prestonandsteveshow.
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.
It’s been said, “It takes 30 years to build a reputation and 30 seconds to destroy it.”
I used to remember that phrase every time I walked into the studio to go on air at legendary 1040 WHO Des Moines—a station where Ronald Reagan worked.
In a recent interview (BMM 1/16), Kenn and Ness, the morning team at KUZZ in Bakersfield, talked about being mindful every day of the legacy of Country music legend Buck Owens, who started the station and created the Bakersfield Sound in Country music.
It doesn’t matter if you’re on the red team or the blue team; I think you will agree that the United States is probably more divided than at any time since the Civil War.
For Music Radio, this division and political climate can potentially be your station’s kryptonite.
Someone recently asked me, “How should my morning shows handle the political climate on air?”
Many programming philosophies can be debated and opinions weighed. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM. You cannot thread the needle and play it down the middle if you are a music radio station.
It won’t work. Stay away from it. Period.
I’ve seen it happen too many times. One remark sends you into days and days of damage control, takes all the good things your station has done, and flushes them down the toilet.
At least half your audience will go from loving you to hating you. And the social media fallout will be spectacular.
It’s a good time to remind your on-air team that politics is off-limits. No good will come from your morning team taking sides.
Your station’s reputation is too important. Let the talkers do what they do. Don’t violate the audience’s expectations. You don’t want to spend another 30 years rebuilding it.
Community Connections:
103.1 The Wolf WWWF in Nassau-Suffolk, NY, is set to host an exclusive private concert featuring emerging artists Josh Ross and Bryce Leatherwood. The “Live from the Wolf Den” event will take place tonight (1/31).
Listeners can win complimentary tickets with a suggested donation of $10.31 to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Mitchell Tenpenny, Megan Patrick, Randall King, and Chayce Beckham will play Country 94.7 QDR, Raleigh, NC, Hometown Heroes Guitar Pull. The show set for March 30 benefits Paddling For Pennies, an active duty and veterans organization.
Industry Happenings:
NuVoodoo Media will present Country music research titled “The Country Fan – Reviewing, Retaining, and Recruiting Your Listeners” at this year’s Country Radio Seminar (CRS).
The Museum of Broadcast Communications will accept nominees for the 2025 class of the Radio Hall of Fame. The nomination period runs from February 1 through March 31. This year’s induction ceremony is on October 30 in Chicago. Nominations can be made here.
The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate its 100th anniversary with “Opry 100: A Live Celebration.” The special hosted by Blake Shelton will air on March 19 from 8-11 (ET) on NBC and Peacock.
Add ons:
7 Mountains Media’s Chuck Seese has been named Pennsylvania 2025 Radio Broadcaster of the Year. The award presented by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters comes as Seese celebrates 40 years in broadcasting.
Midwest Communications Classic Country Y’all 106.3, Nashville, is launching “Talking with Taylor,” a new weekend feature hosted by Taylor Stanford. The show will allow listeners to hear from Music Row insiders and artists. Standford will be joined each week by a celebrity co-host.
“Talking with Taylor” will air on Sundays at noon (CT).
Bit Of The Week:
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