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Beasley Media Parts Ways With WMGK Program Director, and WROR Midday Host Eric Johnson

BMM Staff
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Beasley Media Parts Ways With WMGK Program Director, and WROR Midday Host Eric Johnson

Beasley Media has made a change that effects two of its brands, 102.9 WMGK in Philadelphia, and 105.7 WROR in Boston. Eric Johnson’s position has been eliminated. As a result, his run as WMGK’s program director, and WROR’s midday host comes to an end.

Johnson shared the news earlier this morning on Facebook. This marks the end of his second run with the company. Johnson left Townsquare Media’s New Jersey operation in 2017 to run 95.7 The Fanatic before being let go in 2019. Beasley Media then rehired him in June 2020 as PD/Host at MIX 99.5 WJBR in Wilmington, Delaware before having him return to Philadelphia in September 2023.

This is the second high-profile change at WMGK in recent months. Popular afternoon personality Andre Gardner was let go in October.

In his Facebook post, Johnson shared that he was proud of WMGK’s ratings success across various demos. He was also ranked by Radio Ink as one of radio’s Top 10 programmers. The news was so fresh that as of this posting, Johnson’s profile remains active on WMGK’s website.

Beasley has not yet announced their plans for leading WMGK moving forward or who will step in at WROR in middays. As more information becomes available, we will pass it along.

For those interested in talking to Eric Johnson about future opportunities, you can email him here.

Music Radio Must Update Its Playbook To Be Ready For Community Disasters

Ron Harrell
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Music Radio Must Update Its Playbook To Be Ready For Community Disasters

Southern California wildfires. We’re familiar with the annual routine of the burns, but the recent Los Angeles area fires have branded the names of Palisades and Eaton in our memories for a long time.

Radio and broadcasters shine in these moments of natural disaster and public panic. We know the power of News/Talk and News brands during these times. But what is the responsibility of music stations when the community is hurting?

When the fires were exploding last week and dominating news and social media, I grabbed my smartphone and started listening to KNX on the Audacy app and KFI on the iHeart app. The information was all fires, all the time, as it should’ve been.

After an hour of bouncing back and forth between those News and Information icons, I asked, “What are the music stations doing?” So, I bounced around the apps for a while.

Note: I wasn’t analyzing each station’s approach. I could’ve recorded these stations and evaluated the entire hour to observe the strategy. But I wanted to listen as a person jumping around the dial. What impression would I get when I landed on the station? If the station was playing a song, I listened to the song until the next human break.

My first music format stop was World Famous Rock, KROQ-FM, 106.7. I heard the Klein/Ally show in the middle of a break, promoting updates on their sister station, KNX. They played a Blink-182 song, set up the new 8 am hour, and played the bumper for the daily bit “A.D.D. News.” However, the content was all fire updates and comments about the fires from the hosts.

Because I was on the Audacy app, I searched for KROQ’s sister station 94.7 The Wave. A Leon Bridges song was playing, and I continued to listen until host Liz Henandez back-announced the song and talked about the fires. She did a good job describing the scene and the realities of what was happening. At this point, the fire departments had 0% fire containment.

The iHeart app was my next stop, and 102.7 KIIS-FM was my first thought. Ryan Seacrest back-announced a Chapell Roan song, teased an upcoming content bit, and played “APT.” by Rose & Bruno Mars. Seacrest back announced the song and talked about it being played throughout Times Square when he was there for the NYE Countdown. The conversation moved to a discussion about a new phone scam, followed by a tease to win Justin Timberlake tickets that morning. He said it was “Wednesday,” but I didn’t hear an acknowledgment about the fires during those two songs.

Approaching the bottom of the 8 am hour, I clicked on Salem’s 95.9 The Fish. I caught the final minute of a song followed by a traffic report that didn’t mention the fires. Scott & Sam played Cody Carnes’s “Take You At His Word,” followed by a break about garbage seen in parking lots and the general increase in human hopelessness. There was no mention of the fires before playing MercyMe.

The next stop was Radio Free 102.3 KJLH, with The Steve Harvey Morning Show. I connected during a stop set when the local host, Adai Lamar, was talking about the fires and the latest updates. It was followed by a stop set, then back to Junior and Sports Talk. The show teased the next bit, followed by a song.

I went back to two iHeart stalwarts, starting with 104.3 MyFM at 8:55 am. Valentine In The Morning was in the middle of an entertainment news break with Jill. They were laughing when Valentine mentioned the need for laughs today. He acknowledged MyFM would have fire updates throughout the day.

At 9:00 am, Ellen K, morning host of 103.5 KOST, came out of a Cyndi Lauper song and quickly started sharing fire information with a well-executed update on the situation, complete with sound bites and a live legal ID. 

The app listening tour continued with The Heidi and Frank Show on 95.5 KLOS. They talked about the fires for a while. Frank revealed the fires looked like they were moving close to where he lives. This became a frequent mention for several days across the dial when other broadcasters opened up about the possibility of the disaster affecting them.

At the end of the Heidi and Frank segment, Frank teased they had Toto concert tickets to giveaway during the hour. Sarcastic laughter was next because they knew a concert ticket contest was low on the list of listener priorities that day. But Frank was in the moment and said, “Hey, it’s about balance right now.”

The final stop happened in the afternoon on K-EARTH 101.1 KRTH. I tuned in during a stop set. It was followed by a produced fire update, and the reporter ended it by promoting continuous updates on sister station KNX. The station went back to music and played “Major Tom” by Peter Schilling. The next song was Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,” and midday host Lara Scott promoted a money contest starting Monday. She tied it all together and created an in-the-moment break over that iconic song intro when she said, “We’re all looking forward to brighter days ahead.”

Later in the day, I heard K-EARTH’s Greg Simms come out of The Eagles’ “Take It Easy” and segue into “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears for Fears. Greg gave fire updates, including new information about the evacuation line being extended to Hollywood Hills, all over the song intro.

Music radio has the unique challenge of balancing the expectations of the format with the information needs of the moment. These brands are primarily used by an audience attracted to specific genres of music. The presentation by the talent and everything else that comes “between the records” is the art of producing a radio brand that goes beyond the music.

When your market is on fire, boarding up for hurricanes, or finding interior walls during tornado warnings, where do you call audibles and change the plays without violating the expectations of the brands? Here are three considerations based on my fragmented listening experience last week:

BE IN THE MOMENT:

Radio isn’t on-demand, but it is in the moment. If we want to be different from generic streaming services, then empower the talent to connect with the audience during these times. Change your imaging if it violates the mood of the community or makes you sound out of touch.

Celebrate the edited jock and the power of the sentence fragment. One of the best moments I heard was Greg Simms giving an updated fire line evacuation break over a song intro. He didn’t violate the flow of the formatics, and he created a visualization moment for his audience. Ignoring the moment creates a disconnect between the brand and the listener.

MATCH THE MOMENT:

Most of my listening was in the morning so there’s a higher percentage of bits and features. The Klein/Ally Show didn’t drop the A.D.D. feature, but they changed the content because the fire updates were a bigger attraction than the whacky content typically delivered in that bit. Valentine continued with the entertainment report, but he didn’t want me to think he wasn’t aware of what was going on in my world, so he said something like, “We could use the laughs today.”

ACKNOWLEDGE THE OBVIOUS:

A station’s talent may be 100% imported from outside the marketplace. No live jocks in the studio. Or, you may have syndicated shows on your station. Find ways to get updated lines from the voice-tracked talent, even if it’s one an hour.

If your cluster doesn’t have a spoken word outlet to supply your station with updates, then network with a local TV affiliate to supply the breaks. It is easier than ever to get access to audio and quickly upload it to your scheduling software. 

Music radio has an important role in connecting with the audience and disseminating important information during times of crises and disasters because most of radio’s audience is listening to these music-based brands. 

Update your playbook for 2025 so you’ll be ready to serve the community when the moment arrives.

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.

3 Real Concerns For The Radio Industry

Jason Barrett
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3 Real Concerns For The Radio Industry

I appeared last week on Sid Rosenberg’s radio show on 77WABC in New York, and am visiting with Bill Cunningham on 700 WLW in Cincinnati today. Both are very successful in their respective cities, which is supported by their high rankings in the BNM Top 20 of 2024. If you haven’t seen the results, click here.

During my conversation with Sid, he asked a question at the end of our discussion which we could have spent hours on. Sid said he didn’t think radio was launching new stars and shows the way it once did. He shared how Tim McCarthy agreed, and wanted to know if I did too, and if I was concerned.

The easy answer is that digital content creation and interaction appeals more to younger folks than radio. Every executive in the radio industry should be concerned about that. I’m not sure they are though. Radio relies heavily on established voices to win the current quarter and year. Digital brands meanwhile prioritize the long game while also competing in the current climate. Having the benefit of speaking to young people at various schools, they often express greater interest in podcasting, social media, and TV than they do radio.

In ten years, where are you going to find better sports audio and video content? Radio or Digital? TV or Digital? You could argue digital content is already better. The dashboard is the one thing radio still owns but once it starts to resemble your iPhone or the inside of a Tesla, it’s going to be an uphill climb for radio. It’s why apps, smart speakers, cameras, and even brand names are being changed across the industry.

Though changes in technology are forcing operators to meet the audience where they’re at, that’s not the only thing happening. I see three key problems facing the radio business, which aren’t given the attention they require.

Finding and Investing in New Voices

Radio groups are hesitant to invest in young talent the way others do. Major market stars like Boomer & Gio, Mike Valenti, Felger & Mazz are paid well but those are proven voices. What about the next crop of stars? Do brands expect to develop and retain great personalities by investing less than one hundred thousand dollars in them? A solid host can make that themselves on YouTube, and if they have enough of a following, they’ll earn interest and better compensation from digital outlets.

In the past five years alone, sports radio hosts like Danny Parkins, Nick Wright, Joy Taylor, Joe Fortenbaugh, Amber Wilson, and John Middlekauff just to name a few, have moved away from local sports radio. These are the voices who should be featured in cities across the medium for the next decade or two. Instead, they’re leading the charge for TV and digital brands.

Barstool Sports has done as good of a job launching new talent as any brand in the game. The easy hires to highlight are Big Cat, KFC, and PFT Commenter, but Will Compton, Taylor Llewan, Brandon Walker, Frank The Tank, Ben Mintz, Kayce Smith and many others have also become players in sports media while working for the outlet. The reason they’ve done well, they were talented, and given shows, and promotion to cut through.

Watch this video below of Dave Portnoy talking about the financial structure he created for Grace O’Malley. O’Malley recently left Barstool Sports and told Theo Von that she didn’t have a great deal at Barstool. She’s another great example of a homegrown talent who Barstool built up. The company’s approach reminds me of what professional sports teams do with young stars who they hope to build around for years to come.

@stoolpresidente

Grace went on Theo Von podcast and sort of insinuated like we didn’t pay her fairly so I figured I’d just say what she made here so people can decide for themselves. She was in the last year of a 3 year deal.

♬ original sound – Dave Portnoy

Once a talent blossoms, they’re going to want more. Pat McAfee, Alex Cooper, Caleb Presley, Jared Carrabis, and others did the same leaving Barstool, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, few will agree that Barstool doesn’t pay young talent well. Knowing what I know of sports media deals, especially for new talent without proven track records and established followings, Grace was compensated well. Radio executives won’t like the Barstool structure because it shows a stark difference in the way they value young talent.

Marketing Our Product

Over the weekend, I saw this post below from Danny Parkins. FS1 recently had Mark Schlereth, Craig Carton, and Parkins take part in a photo shoot in NYC for billboards to promote their show ‘Breakfast Ball’, and Parkins’ performance as the top picker for the 2024 football season.

Danny pointed out that during his entire time in radio, he never had a billboard promote his program. Keep in mind, Parkins led a top rated show in Chicago at The Score, and in Kansas City at 610 Sports. Why is it that FS1 sees value in marketing its new morning show, but local sports radio brands don’t?

By the way, this isn’t just a sports radio issue either. This applies to all radio formats. Ginny Morris, Curtis LeGeyt, and Tim McCarthy have all told me before that radio needs to market itself better, but where is David Field, Bob Pittman, Mary Berner, and every other radio executive on this issue? If we want people to consume radio, work in radio, and most importantly, advertise on radio, we have to show that we put our money where our mouth is. It’s hypocritical to ask advertisers to buy commercials on our airwaves, promising it will grow their businesses, but not being willing to make the same investment ourselves in our own.

Identifying a ‘Hit’ and ‘Star’

Lack of opportunity, and marketing are two real issues, but so is creating GREAT programming. How many programmers today are hunting for new talent, and creating content that can’t be missed? Are you bold enough to make decisions that put a bullseye on your back? More importantly, can you identify what a ‘hit’ or ‘future star’ is? Hiring people is one of the benefits of being a programmer. However, not everyone is good at it. Some are also too stubborn to admit they need help.

The funny thing about hiring talent is that when corporate gets involved they chase resumes. They want what’s safe and easy for sales rather than betting on something that could be big. It’s why the Frank The Tank’s of the world aren’t launching today in sports radio. Many are more concerned about job security, and handling the flood of responsibilities they’ve been given. They’re also hesitant to challenge bosses for more resources due to the instability with radio’s larger companies. They’re essentially doing the best they can with what they have, and trying to stay under the radar.

The problem with that is that other mediums are getting better while sports radio becomes stagnant. Who believes that sports radio is stronger in 2025 than it was in 2015? How about in 2005? This format used to launch the biggest and best shows in the business. From ‘Mike and the Mad Dog’ to ‘Felger & Mazz’ to the ‘Razor and Mr. T’, ‘2 Live Stews’, etc., originality, new voices, and powerful hosts dominated the airwaves. Many made fortunes off of it. Now, how many ‘hit’ shows exist featuring talent under 35 years old?

Guys like Mark Chernoff, Andy Roth, Spike Eskin, Mike Thomas, Mitch Rosen, and Ryan Maguire did excellent work identifying, developing, and building hit shows around new voices. It was a strength of mine as well. When I hired Joe Fortenbaugh and John Middlekauff in San Francisco despite never having hosted radio shows full time, both were under 35. Others like Guy Haberman, Sean O’Connell, Zach McCrite, Daryle ‘Guru’ Johnson, Brandon Tierney, John Lund, Bob Stelton, Chris Duncan, and Damon Bruce were either under 35 or just above it. Bruce Gilbert preached at ESPN Radio to program to the 32-year old, and it just made sense that if you hoped to reach the middle of the demo, you needed people who related to them, and could grow with them.

The Long Game

I listen to a lot of sports radio across the country, certainly more than most people. As a consultant, I’ve helped hire or develop talent and shows in Charlotte, Houston, Denver, Jacksonville, and other cities that needed time to grow, but are now established and doing well. It’s what makes the work rewarding. You’ve got to protect the present while building for the future. If you ignore the outside noise and internal bullshit, trust your gut, and focus on the long game, more times than not things turn out OK if you’ve done your homework. A personality can have all the tools to succeed, but they still need a leader who’s willing to bet on them.

If you swing and miss on a decision, is your life going to end? No. Is your family going to disown you or label you a failure? No. So what exactly is there to be afraid of? Losing a job? Those can be replaced. Making decisions on behalf of an audience requires bold leadership not a yes man or woman.

Many look at what could go wrong, rather than what could go right when hiring people. But to create special content and memorable shows, you need unique, emerging talent, and a leader willing to roll the dice. That requires scouting, and trusting your eyes and ears. A brand leader has to find original voices, feature them, promote them, coach them, and work with the sales team to sell them. Anyone can fill out a lineup card. Not everyone can find the right leadoff and cleanup hitter, and win the game.

If radio hopes to compete against the best sports content brands in the media industry (not just radio), finding new stars, and providing opportunities will be critical. With 7-days per week and 24-hours per day of air time available, not to mention social media platforms, websites, and podcasting channels, showcasing new voices should be simple. For the past 5-10 years, GM’s and corporate bosses have been giving program directors less budget and time to find and develop new programming. If you’re not investing in your future, you’re just existing, and waiting to be replaced.

I hear a lot of fine, solid, and good programming, but not enough great, memorable, appointment level content. Especially from talent under 35. Many I talk to across the industry feel similar. Maybe we’re all old, and out of touch, but I think there’s a real concern here. Building hit shows and creating must-listen content is a brand leader’s most important responsibility. Without it, your monetization opportunities decrease. Few remember the programmer who scheduled clocks great, analyzed ratings sheets or turned in everyone’s paperwork on time. They never forget the hit makers.

If history has taught us anything, if we don’t create opportunities, invest in talent, and market our programming, others will, and they’ll beat us at our own game. Maybe then we’ll take these threats more seriously.

ESPN Chicago Hosts Marc Silverman and Tom Waddle Deliver the Goods in Afternoon Drive on ‘Waddle & Silvy’

Dave Greene
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ESPN Chicago Hosts Marc Silverman and Tom Waddle Deliver the Goods in Afternoon Drive on ‘Waddle & Silvy’

When it comes to sports in Chicago, there are always certain names that pop in your head immediately. Names like Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Ryne Sandberg, Jeremy Roenick and Phil Jackson. For sports radio listeners in Chicago, the names Marc Silverman and Tom Waddle from ESPN Chicago are just as synonymous with Chicago sports.

The two hosts are the longest running sports talk duo in Chicago, having started together in 2007. These days, the pair start their on-air shift with a thirty-minute Crosstalk segment with the midday show, Carmen and Jurko and hosts Carmen DeFalco and John Jurkovic. From 3 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., the airwaves belong to the show I eavesdropped in on this week, Waddle & Silvy.

The thirty-minutes from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. is a change that was put in place early last year, extending the midday show an additional hour, while keeping Silverman and Waddle on for four total hours.

‘Silvy’ has been a sports radio personality for the last three decades, with his first daytime hosting role coming as a sidekick to Jay Mariotti in 2004. Tom Waddle was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent wide receiver in 1989 and played for the team his entire six-year NFL career. He started his media career after his playing days were over and after being in the space for a decade, he found himself paired with Silverman.

As they get set to celebrate 18 years together later this year, you know the duo has to be doing something right. Most shows and/or partnerships don’t last this long. However, as you tune into the show, you quickly realize these are two guys who love to talk sports together, and more specifically, love to talk football together.

I chose this show for this week because I am genuinely interested in what the Bears will do with their head coach opening as I think it will make for great content. Either Bears ownership will completely change their standard practices and compete for one of the top names available, or they stick to what they are known for and the fans and media in Chicago respond accordingly.

Following Crosstalk, the beginning of the show starts with talk about Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and whether or not he should be who the Bears target. Here, you learn very quickly that even though the station is the home of the Bears, you are going to get conversation that is presented from all sides.

After talking about why the team might want to target Freeman, Waddle asks, “If you’re Marcus Freeman, why would you want the chaos of this franchise? … Maybe the Notre Dame job, from his perspective, is a better job at the moment than the Bears job.”

The show is a true ‘voice of the fan’ and unlike a lot of shows these days, the fans are welcome to take part in the show via the phone lines. After Silverman and Waddle talk thoroughly about the Bears head coaching search and flush out the idea of Freeman as a candidate, they engage with the listeners and get some of their opinions.

Later, another former Bears player and current Bears analyst Tom Thayer would jump in for a sponsored visit. In addition to talking Bears, the interview is timely because Thayer played at Notre Dame, although he admitted he is much more wrapped up in what is happening in the NFL.

A technical difficulty occurred when Thayer got disconnected from his Comrex unit, but ‘Silvy’ is a pro and after having some fun with it and then realizing it might take a few minutes to get him back, he threw it to sound from Paul Finebaum talking about the Notre Dame job and how things have changed since Freeman took over. By the time the audio had played, Thayer was back, and they went right into his thoughts on whether or not Freeman had made Notre Dame more likeable.

Thayer was an excellent guest and had some great thoughts on what the next Bears head coach needs to be. Silverman asked him, “What is your priority as far as the next head coach?” Thayer talked about accountability and said, “That’s what I need to see out of every member of the football team that goes into that locker room every day.”

With the Bears coaching search being what most sports fans are talking (worrying) about in Chicago, the visit from Thayer was perfect. It was what the hosts had talked about and now the guest was brought in to give their take on the topic. And, noticeably, neither Silverman or Waddle felt the need to show off how much they know and not ask questions, they brought up the topics they had been discussing and let Thayer have the floor to respond.

‘Silvy’ would later ask Thayer about the prospect of hiring someone like Ben Johnson, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator who is high on a lot of lists as the top coordinator candidate for head coaching vacancies. He asked how you know someone like that can be what you need them to be when they have no history as a head coach. Thayer talked about that being up to the people in the room during the interview process to judge if they see a leader or just someone selling themselves to get the job.

Later in the show, Doug Kezerian, the Chief Content Officer and Senior Betting Analyst for Only Players comes on in another sponsored segment and talks wagering. The guys do a good job of making the segment as relatable as possible, in this case talking about former Bears quarterback Justin Fields and some wagers related to his Pittsburgh Steelers in their playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens.

I always like to point out how shows execute picks segments. In this case, the segment was filled with great information a football fan might want even if they don’t ever plan to place a bet. This is much better than just throwing out games and having picks without context or explanation.

Later on, there was a sponsored segment called ‘Waddle’s World’ where Waddle throws out various topics that might be trending in sports or entertainment, other items of interest or odd news that comes up. In this episode there was talk about Zion Williamson, the NBA becoming a league of ‘Dunk n Chill’, the new owner of Michael Jordan’s Chicago home selling shares of his investment in it, the ‘Costco Guys’ and other social influencers, $.25 cent burgers at Wendys, and more.

Robert Mays who covers the Bears for The Athletic joined as a guest for even more opinion on the Bears coaching search. Mays likes Ben Johnson but points out he may get better offers with better offensive situations. He also said he is surprised Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is not someone the Bears have shown interest in. He backs that up by mentioning Coen having worked under Sean McVay and names others who have also been part of McVay’s ‘Coaching Tree’ including the Bengals’ Zac Taylor, the Packers’ Matt LaFleur and the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell list.

In a rather heartwarming moment at the end of the Bears talk, Silverman brought up Mays having lost a longtime pet recently which led to several sharing similar losses in the past. It was one of those things that can happen in a show, unexpectedly, which has a lasting impression on the audience, as it shows the human side of the hosts in a relatable topic to almost everyone.

A second picks segment came later on, which is cleverly named ‘Like it, Love it, Just a Taste of It.’ You’ll be surprised to hear it was a sponsored segment and it was the hosts along with producers Jeff Meller and Tyler Aki competing in a challenge where each one picks an upcoming wager they like, one they love and one they might be interested in putting just a little taste on. It was also well done for a picks segment, although with all of the various picks being made there was less time for support of the picks being made. The segment did, however, give us a great line from ‘Silvy’ who said he loved the Eagles at -5 over Green Bay simply because, “I think the Eagles are good and the Packers are not.”

As the show started to wrap up, they recommended some television shows, series and movies for people to watch over the weekend in a ‘What to Watch For’ segment which did in fact have a sponsor attached to it. Then, after talking about friend of the show Barstool Big Cat’s confession that he did not grow up in Chicago, it was Aki who finished out the week with a segment called ‘Aki’s A-List.’

Chicago sports fans know exactly what they’ll get when they tune into ESPN Chicago in afternoon drive. They know Marc ‘Silvy’ Silverman and Tom Waddle will have segments that will keep them informed and give them lots of strong opinion on the topics they care most about. They know they’ll have segments where they’ll laugh and be entertained.

And they know all of those segments will be sponsored (kudos to the ESPN Chicago sales team!).

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.

Power Brokers: Sandy Montag Drives Value with Persistence and Loyalty for Clients at The Montag Group

Derek Futterman
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Power Brokers: Sandy Montag Drives Value with Persistence and Loyalty for Clients at The Montag Group

Many of the sports media professionals represented by Sandy Montag and his team at The Montag Group are seasoned veterans who resonate with audiences and represent themselves in a professional manner. Whether it is Bob Costas, Mike Tirico or Jim Nantz, he works with them to ensure that they successfully sustain their brands as on-air talent and are fairly compensated. Many seminal industry moves involving Montag have shaped the sound of sports divisions within media conglomerates, and he is also someone to whom media executives turn for suggestions and advice. Although Montag keeps up with the news cycle, he is often prescient about key business negotiations and transactions well in advance.

Even though part of Montag’s job is to act as an agent for clients, he does not like the designation and believes it holds a negative connotation. Conversely, he thinks of himself and his colleagues as career guidance counselors, vernacular that places augmented emphasis on working in the best interest of clientele. The agency has talent, consulting, content and media services under its umbrella, and it looks to accommodate and support its patrons on a daily basis.

“A lot of agents are like, ‘Oh my God, if this client goes here, this client goes there, we’re going to make more money as an agency,’” Montag explained. “We’re in the service industry, so I don’t think about how much money we make. I think about servicing our clients, and if we’re doing a good job, everyone’s going to do well.”

Not all media talent utilize representation, but Montag contends that it holds value through access to comprehensive, recondite industry knowledge and foresight. Navigating corporate labyrinths and knowing how to facilitate conversation and close deals also provides reasons for people to explore representation.

“I just think it’s the power of you have to be represented by people who have the power to talk to people at the top of a network or the top of the team or a league and also be represented by people who are in the know and not surprised when something comes out,” Montag said. “….I don’t really like surprises.”

Maintaining a line of constant communication prevents Montag from being nonplussed or astonished with new developments or changes in client attitude. Rather than simply being involved in contract negotiations, he is regularly attending sports games and events where he interacts with stakeholders and networks. Furthermore, Montag remains accessible and routinely speaks with his clients, who could voice displeasure about assignments, losing rights to a broadcast property or another issue.

“One of the other perceptions is you do a five-year deal [and it is], ‘Okay, I’ll talk to you in five years,’” Montag said. “No, the way we operate is, ‘Alright, we did a five-year deal. I’ll talk to you tomorrow,’ and it’s more we’re not just dealmakers.”

Sports media professionals face heightened competition as more companies venture into broadcasting, including technology firms and digital-focused brands. For example, Netflix continues to assimilate into sports and entertainment through deals to broadcast NFL games on Christmas Day, WWE Raw and the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament. Montag recognizes the importance of talent to be versatile and distinctive, part of which is having large social media followings to generate engagement and exhibit reach.

“A lot of our clients have millions and millions of followers on different social media platforms,” Montag said. “That’s how younger demographics are consuming sports, so I think it’s those ways where you can sign talent that can get to the demographic that really matters today.”

Before he began his own talent agency, Montag started working in the sports media business as a Chyron operator for CBS Sports broadcasts of NFL games with its lead broadcast team of Pat Summerall and John Madden. One day, someone informed him that Madden was looking for someone to travel with him by train since he had an aversion to flying. Upon interviewing and receiving the position, Montag started taking the long train rides and learned more about the former head coach and Super Bowl champion.

While working as Madden’s assistant, Montag was on the payroll for International Management Group (IMG), the company that represented him, and later ended up becoming his agent. One of his first major deals was with Greyhound Lines to provide Madden with a customized bus and drivers for advertising and speaking events. The vehicle became known as the “Madden Cruiser,” and it became synonymous with the football analyst and personality amid his three-decade broadcasting career.

“Just seeing the country on the ground, I think you just learned a lot about a lot of different things really,” Montag said, “and I was a 23-, 24-year-old kid having that opportunity to do that and see different types of people and different types of cultures throughout America.”

Montag recognized that Madden was a popular presence among advertisers and would usually receive inquiries from companies rather than having to pitch their services. Yet he estimates Madden to have declined opportunities nine out of 10 times and always signed multi-year contracts, staying true to his values and demonstrating loyalty to brands. In fact, he once declined a seven-figure offer from an airline to fly from San Francisco to Oakland and say, “These fares are so low, I’ve started flying again.”

“It’s a lot easier to negotiate when you have leverage really, and clearly as a broadcaster, there was no one like him really,” Montag said. “He was so far better and in a different category than anyone else at that time, and any time his network contract was up, we just always had every network really interested in talking to us about it. And I think because of that, he did the rare thing of essentially working for every network in his career.”

Since Montag was affiliated with IMG, he would watch incoming tapes during the offseason of broadcasters and begin to differentiate skill levels. Under the guidance of Mark McCormack, Barry Frank and Jean Sage, he learned more about representation and listened to phone conversations on office couches. After some time with the company, Montag began to land more clients and continued to showcase his skills.

“A lot of it was just I was the low man on the totem pole when it came to representation,” Montag said. “When there was interest in signing someone else, a lot of times I was the person, and just really in the late ‘80s and 1990s, I just started building out a client roster.”

As Montag worked his way to become the head of client representation over 31 years with IMG, the company was sold several times. Upon Ted Forstmann passing away in 2011, the company was purchased by William Morris Endeavor and Silver Lake for $2.3 billion. Montag was then given the opportunity to run the clients division with President Mark Shapiro, but he informed co-chief executive officer Ari Emanuel that he was not interested.

“At the time really, [it] was something that I wanted to do,” Montag said, “and [I] had a lot of loyalty from my clients who came with me and several key employees who started it with me.”

Within the first four years of business, the firm merged with IF Management and Vision Sports Group, bolstering the venture and adding further expertise. Furthermore, the company adopted the verbiage of ‘group’ in its name because of Montag’s belief in teamwork and that several people should work with each client. The agency has a team of experienced professionals with comprehensive business proficiency, some of whom include Maury Gostfrand, Alex Flanagan, Nick LoPinto and Matt Massimino.

“There should be no internal competition on, ‘Hey, don’t talk to my client,’” Montag said. “It’s our client, and I think that we have a culture of teamwork, and I clearly represent a lot of our high-end people, but I also get involved in everyone’s clients just from helping out and from helping them grow and using our connections. And so to me, the team approach is extremely important [in] what we do and important in representation.”

Montag and his colleagues help guide their clients through the expeditious information highway and interact with the media, but they also refrain from breaking confidentiality clauses or trying to plant stories. Even though he conveyed there to be misinformation being circulated regarding salaries, there is a widespread desire to conceal pecuniary figures and other details. Montag does not feel that there is any significant advantage to having a salary in public, classifying it as a bit of a game in sports media.

“It’s a little different on free agency [with] team sports and positioning your client and all that, I just think,” Montag said. “We’ve never consciously put out a client’s salary to give us an advantage in negotiation. I know what everyone makes in the industry, and if I were to use any information like that, I’d use it privately in a negotiation, not publicly.”

Montag does not surmise the best deals for his clients as those that do not leave any money on the table. While he ultimately wants to receive as much money as possible for a client, there can be perdurable effects and other aspects that may factor in surrounding the role and services. Montag discerns that a good deal benefits both parties and tries to preserve harmonious synergies and concordance for the future.

“Say it’s a five-year deal, you then have to live with that deal for five years, and that’s servicing the client, managing the relationship between the network and the client,” Montag said, “and if you’re going to leave that negotiation with a bad taste in your mouth from the other side, there’s going to be some ill will going forward.”

Wasserman acquired The Montag Group as part of a transaction in January 2022 that allowed the firm to continue operating under its name. The impetus of entering this transaction was based on recognition that the companies could help one another in certain genres. At the time, Wasserman did not have a bonafide media division, while The Montag Group had a dearth of access to current athletes. The deal has helped facilitate movement into these spaces, such as Montag’s company representing New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan, who will work with FOX Sports for Super Bowl LIX.

“It’s an extremely competitive landscape,” Montag said. “Almost every athlete [says], ‘Oh, I’ll just go into television when I’m done playing,’ and there’s just not enough jobs really to go around for that, so you really have to start thinking about your post career during your current career, and I think we form relationships and help athletes really work on that craft while they’re still playing.”

As Montag continues to assist his clients in this new year, he remains grateful to have fostered meaningful relationships with industry professionals and the chance to work alongside his children. With professionals situated coast to coast, he continues helping to drive the proverbial cruiser on a road towards prosperity for each of his clients, who set and adjust the route accordingly. Montag immerses himself in the lives of those he represents, and he appreciates receiving thanks for being responsible for a portion of their success.

“I love the people I work with, represent and work within the industry,” Montag said. “They’re lifelong friends, and we’ve kind of lived through our business lives and our personal lives together. If I didn’t do this, I have no idea what else I would do.”

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.

Radio Stations Like KFI, KNX, and KABC Were There During a Natural Disaster — Will Yours?

Perry Michael Simon
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Radio Stations Like KFI, KNX, and KABC Were There During a Natural Disaster — Will Yours?

Well, yeah, if you’re watching much of Los Angeles burn down on TV from a few thousand miles away, it is surreal. But for stations like KFI, KNX, and KABC, it was real life.

The fires did not get down to where we used to live, but they absolutely devastated areas with which we were very familiar, where friends lived and we shopped and dined and drove around gawking at the sights. It’s hard to watch, hard to imagine even though it’s right there on TV and one of the reasons we moved was the fear of wildfires (not that moving to Hurricane Alley is much better).

You don’t know the terror of wildfires until you get the dreaded evacuation order and the flames are in your neighborhood. Everyone who’s lived in the L.A. area, including us, has had the experience of looking out the window and seeing flames on a hillside, or smelling the smoke from a fire many miles distant, blown in your direction by the Santa Ana winds.

And everyone from L.A. also knows the weird feeling far away from the fires, business going on as usual while entire neighborhoods burn down. “Hey,” you think, as the entire area smells like an ashtray, “it’s the Palisades and I’m in Palos Verdes. It’s safe to go get Starbucks.”

You can’t imagine what it feels like when the wildfires start unless you’ve been through it.

And, once again, it’s radio’s time to shine, and, from all accounts, it did. KFI and KNX were on it around the clock, they had boots on the ground, and they had all the information residents needed to survive. So did television, with incredible visuals as well, but if you’re in the process of evacuating your home, you’re not toting your 85-inch OLED; you’re racing to get out of Dodge in your car.

Television can’t help you there, and nor can social media, especially when cell phone signals are spotty and your mind is split between losing your home and possessions and where the hell you’re going, because no matter how prepared you are, circumstances get in the way and a simple question like “where do you go if you have to leave your house” gets complicated by traffic and no-vacancy hotels and not knowing where it’s safe. Radio’s there for you. X and Facebook aren’t. Spotify isn’t.

All of this raises some points we’ve made here before. Emergency planning is essential for all broadcast stations, including not just staffing and getting practical (and accurate) information on the air, but setting up alternate studio and transmission and STL facilities. You can’t assume your regular studio or transmitter will be available.

For a time, the main TV and FM antenna farm on Mount Wilson/Mount Harvard was threatened by fire, and stations without auxiliary facilities on other mountains faced going dark at the worst possible time. (Television can still pump out programming to cable systems through fiber, but radio doesn’t have that option.)

Fires, hurricanes, tornadoes – if your station’s in the path of the storm, you need to be ready to broadcast from someplace else and through some other antenna, and the importance of being on the scene means that switching to the studio of a sister station in another market hours away won’t cut it.

This costs real money. Good luck getting radio operators to spend for that. And that’s the biggest concern for radio: the one thing it can do that can’t be done better by any other medium — emergency information in a ubiquitous, uninterrupted manner — is dependent on budgets that a lot of stations just don’t have. What happens if a disaster happens in a smaller market on which the station owners don’t think it’s worth spending?

I don’t want to think about that. I also don’t want to think about the fires, and the friends and others who are losing all their possessions and homes. Can’t help it, though, and at least radio’s coming through for them. We can put the “radio is dead” argument aside for the moment and appreciate its service in this emergency, can’t we?

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.

Should Radio Worry About Advertising Competition From Best Buy and United Airlines Entering The Media Space?

Dr. Ed Cohen
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Should Radio Worry About Advertising Competition From Best Buy and United Airlines Entering The Media Space?

As if radio needs more competition for advertising dollars, it appears that nearly every major retailer has figured out that it makes sense to get into the advertising business. A recent article from Modern Retail (December 30, 2024) covered what to expect from retail media networks in 2025.

The contemporary retail media network business began at Amazon in 2012 with the introduction of the Amazon Ads Platform (AAP). In 2023, AAP generated $39.5 billion in US ad revenue. Yes, that’s more than twice what the entire US radio industry generated. 

Amazon was the pioneer, but it appears that just about every major retailer has determined that their stores and online presence are media, which means advertising can be sold. According to Modern Retail, Amazon, Walmart, and Target are the big three. The three were expected to take in around a fifth of the $140 billion spent on retail media in 2024, per eMarketer. Newcomers to the field include not only traditional retailers like Best Buy, but Chase Bank, United Airlines, and RE/MAX. 

As an example, Lowe’s Media Network offers four channels: email, in-store audio, paid search, and direct mail for installation services. You can also procure a good spot in the Lowe’s app. Home Depot has similar offerings under the Orange Apron Media banner. Dollar General Media Network claims to reach “unique audiences”, especially rural customers. Kroger Precision Marketing offers “full funnel retail media solutions” and had a suite at CES last week.

According to eMarketer, in-store retail media ad spending will increase by about 47% in 2025. That’s not a typo and I did not neglect to include a decimal point…the prediction is a gain of 47%.

When you think about it, the idea of retail media networks makes a lot of sense. Radio’s portability has always been a strong argument for reaching customers just prior to purchase, especially for “bricks and mortar” retailers. Radio advertising can help direct traffic to the stores as a complement to the retail media supposedly reaching customers at the actual point of purchase.

It all makes sense if only buyers would think a little outside the “big box” and realize that while advertising at the point of purchase can be very useful, radio can be an inexpensive addition to layer on more persuasion. When I go into a Lowe’s or Best Buy, I generally know why I’m there and what I plan to buy. With Amazon, I’m always cautious about the product that comes up first as it’s usually from an ad rather than reviews or the best fit for my needs. Radio could help.

This leads us to the issue that has bedeviled commercial radio for so long, the spot load. Radio people all seem to agree that we run too many spots, but no one has figured out the holy grail to run fewer spots without a corresponding loss of revenue, yet we know that too many spots chase listeners away. Broadcast and cable TV are learning the same lesson, the hard way. Recent trade press articles have noted that even some podcasts have increased spot loads to a point where the “annoyance factor” may be triggered.

When you walk into a store, how much advertising are you willing to tolerate? Do you pay attention to retail video ads, for example, Grocery TV or Gas Station TV? Grocery TV is in over 5,000 stores and the latter, which prefers to be known as GSTV, claims they provide more than two billion moments of attention and action. A study by comScore cited on their website claims GSTV reaches over 115 million unique viewers a month.

I find it amazing that when I visit the doctor’s office I’m assaulted by ads, even in the exam room. “Yeah, I know I’m only in for a checkup, doc, but could you please prescribe the last two meds that were on the screen? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right?”

Will there be a backlash as we’ve seen in radio and television? Or will Americans simply accept the volume of messages and persuasion as a part of modern society? Can radio somehow take advantage of this evolution of advertising dollars? Can the industry find a way to partner with the retail media networks to pick up some new business?

Lots of good questions, but there are no obvious answers. In the meantime, the next time you’re in a retail store, see if you’re being reached by the billions of dollars being spent. Judge for yourself how retail media looks when you’re the target.

Let’s meet again next week.

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.

Learfield Renews 16-Year Relationship with Mississippi State Athletics in a Long-Term Agreement

BSM Staff
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Learfield Renews 16-Year Relationship with Mississippi State Athletics in a Long-Term Agreement

Mississippi State Athletics and Learfield announced a renewal of their 16-year relationship with a long-term agreement for Learfield to continue as the exclusive rights holder managing all multimedia and sponsorship agreements.

“Learfield is a long-time trusted partner of Mississippi State,” MSU Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said in a statement. “We are excited for this opportunity to extend our relationship and grow our collaboration with them. This new agreement is integral to Mississippi State Athletics’ success as we continue elevating our revenue generation, sponsorship opportunities, content and storytelling, NIL activations for student-athletes and fan experience in the new, ever-evolving world of college athletics.”

By aligning with Learfield’s flagship multimedia rights division, digital solutions leader SIDEARM Sports, digital ticketing and marketing platform provider Paciolan, and ticket sales and development arm Learfield Amplify, Mississippi State Athletics says it will also maximize opportunities for revenue growth through access to fan data from Learfield’s Fanbase infrastructure.

“From my first interactions with Zac – dating back years ago, and now as he leads the organization at Mississippi State – I’ve been so impressed by his creativity and tenacity, which are needed more than ever in college athletics,” said Cole Gahagan, President and CEO of Learfield. “We’re beyond fortunate to now extend our partnership with Zac and his team, pairing those extraordinary characteristics with our unique leadership around fan data management, NIL opportunities, global sales, and revenue optimization. The future is bright in Starkville!”

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.

ESPN Announces Coverage Plans for Vikings-Rams NFL Wild Card Matchup

BSM Staff
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ESPN Announces Coverage Plans for Vikings-Rams NFL Wild Card Matchup

ESPN will broadcast an NFL Wild Card game for the fourth consecutive year, televising the action as the Minnesota Vikings face the Los Angeles Rams. As wildfires have been devastating the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the game was moved in an interest of public safety to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., the home of the Arizona Cardinals.

The Rams are remaining the home team in the matchup and will look to eliminate the Vikings, who are the first 14-win team in NFL history to play in the Wild Card round. ESPN Monday Night Football play-by-play announcer Joe Buck, analyst Troy Aikman and sideline reporters Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge will be on the call for the traditional broadcast airing on ESPN and ABC.

Buck and Aikman have called more than 60 NFL playoff games and six Super Bowl championships in their 23 years working together. Salters is working in her 12th NFL playoff game, while Rutledge will be on the sidelines for the fourth time in postseason play. Russell Yurk, former NFL officiating executive, is making his playoffs broadcast debut for ESPN as its rules analyst. The Monday Night Football broadcast property averaged 15 million viewers, its second most-watched season since 2006, and reached 112 million fans.

The fourth season of Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli concludes with the Wild Card Game presentation with a lineup of special guests that will be announced in the coming days. Bill Belichick, eight-time Super Bowl champion and new head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels football team, will be on the show for most of the first half. The alternate broadcast averaged 1 million viewers per episode during its 10-game regular-season slate.

ESPN studio programming will air live from State Farm Stadium, beginning with a special edition of NFL Live from 3 to 5 p.m. EST. Rutledge will host the show alongside Ryan Clark, Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, Marcus Spears and Adam Schefter. One hour later, Monday Night Countdown will begin with Spears, Clark and Schefter, along with Scott Van Pelt, Jason Kelce and Michelle Beisner-Buck. The two-hour program until 8 p.m. EST, with kickoff of the matchup preceding shortly thereafter.

Ahead of the other games on Wild Card Weekend, two editions of Postseason NFL Countdown will air, both of which begin at 10 a.m. EST. Mike Greenberg will host the show with Tedy Bruschi, Rex Ryan and Alex Smith providing analysis. Schefter will contribute with insights and reports surrounding the games, and ESPN betting analyst Erin Dolan will provide information and analysis about the betting lines. Furthermore, the show will have reporters situated around the country at all of the games, including Jeff Darlington, Dan Rgaziano, Kimberley A. Martin, Sal Paolantonio and Lindsey Thiry. ESPN digital platforms are also covering Wild Card Weekend with articles available on ESPN.com and ESPN+.

A new episode of NFL Matchup will air on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. EST on ESPN followed by multiple editions of SportsCenter in the morning. Moreover, the latest edition of The Breakdown with Peyton Manning and Bill Belichick is available on ESPN+ and will air several times on ESPN2. To conclude each day, NFL Primetime will be live on ESPN+ following the last game of the night with Chris Berman and Booger McFarland.

ESPN will also be broadcasting a game within the divisional round of the playoffs as part of The Walt Disney Company’s 10-year media rights deal with the NFL, reportedly worth $2.7 billion annually. The sports media company will broadcast the Super Bowl at the conclusion of the 2026 and 2030 seasons as well.

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.

Trident MMP Launches Promotion Marketing And Artist Management Company

BMM Staff
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Trident MMP Launches Promotion Marketing And Artist Management Company

This week, Trident MMP launched a promotion, marketing, and artist management company.

Led by industry veterans Chris Siciliano, Elana Riggle, Todd Haller, and Val Garris, Trident offers customizable services, including artist radio promotion, full-scale digital and social campaigns, promotional tours, and marketing plans.

CEO/Founder Chris Siciliano said, “With the industry shrinking every day, we believe that a back-to-the-basics, focused approach to marketing and management is more important than ever.”

“I have brought together some of the most respected professionals from all aspects of the business. Our team is exceptionally knowledgeable, driven, and committed to the same basic cause: breaking artists.”

Find out more at tridentmmp.net

Reach Siciliano by email here.                

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.

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