Walter Sterling has exited his evening program at 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia after taking over the overnight show on 77 WABC.
Last week, Sterling began hosting The Other Side of Midnight. That program is nationally syndicated by Red Apple Audio Networks. The program airs from 1-5 AM ET.
With the launch of the show, Sterling Every Damn Night has exited 1210 WPHT. That show aired from 10 PM-1 AM ET on the Audacy Philadelphia news/talk station.
Walter Sterling began hosting the show in May 2024. Before hosting the evening show on 1210 WPHT, he hosted Sterling on Sunday with Walter Sterling as a nationally syndicated offering for more than a decade. Previously, he worked at SiriusXM and also served as the Vice President of ABC Radio Networks. He was also the Executive Vice President of NBC-owned FM stations.
He replaced Lionel as the host of The Other Side of Midnight. Lionel had worked on the show since June 2025. After departing the weekday show, Lionel is hosting Another Side of Midnight, the weekend version.
Former WBAP host Casey Bartholomew has been hosting the daypart on 1210 WPTH in a fill-in capacity following Sterling’s exit.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
NBC Sports has found its new lead voice for LPGA Tour coverage. Cara Bankssteps into the play-by-play role, debuting this weekend at the Chevron Championship in Houston.
Banks’ officially begins her role with calling the third round Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. She returns Sunday for the final round at 2 p.m. ET on the same platforms.
The broadcast team surrounds her with strong talent. Morgan Pressel, the 2007 Chevron winner, joins as analyst alongside Tom Abbott and Paige Mackenzie. Jim “Bones” Mackay and Emilia Doran work on-course. Amy Rogers handles interviews.
Banks isn’t new to LPGA duties. She handled select play-by-play assignments in 2025, covering the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, Mizuho Americas Open, and U.S. Women’s Open lead-in coverage.
Cara Banks’ NBC Sports resume runs deep. She recently reported alpine skiing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. She hosted for CNBC and E! during the 2024 Paris Olympics. NBC honored her as part of the Paris Olympics team with a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Live Special – Championship Event.
Banks joined Golf Channel in 2015 as a Morning Drive co-host. She later anchored Golf Central and covered majors for Golf Central Live.
Cara Banks to Call The Chevron Championship, the First Major Of 2026 Season, This Weekend on NBC and Peacock
Colorado Public Radio has a new face for its most important morning slot. Bazi Kanani takes over as local host of NPR’s Morning Edition beginning April 27.
Kanani joined CPR in 2024. She has co-hosted the station’s daily news podcast, Colorado Today, since then.
“Morning Edition has been part of my own daily routine for decades,” Kanani said. “I’m honored to be part of carrying on this important work with my colleagues at CPR News.”
Kanani brings serious credentials to the role. She launched her career at TV and radio stations in Nevada, Michigan, Western New York, and Colorado. In 2012, ABC News sent her to Nairobi, Kenya as an international reporter. She later reported from the Washington, D.C. bureau.
Her work has earned a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, a Heartland Emmy, and honors from the Colorado and National Association of Black Journalists, the Colorado Associated Press Broadcasters Association, and Gracie Awards.
CPR News Executive Editor Kevin Dale praised the hire. “She quickly established herself as an engaging host with the authoritative voice of the veteran that she is,” Dale said. “We’re thrilled to have Bazi bring her strong editorial judgement and enthusiasm for Colorado stories to Morning Edition.”
Morning Edition is the most-listened-to news radio program in America. CPR airs the show weekdays from 4-9 AM.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Adam Silver is ready to give the NBA a signature sound. The commissioner says the league has not done enough to connect music with its biggest moments. He wants that to change — starting with the postseason.
“Music has historically been such a big part of the NBA,” Silver said Wednesday on Pardon My Take. “The whole hip hop movement, in a way, was correlated directly to the rise of the league. I think we haven’t done enough with it [music].”
Silver pointed to the NFL’s Super Bowl as a model. He believes the NBA Finals deserves a similar identity.
“There’s so much attention now focused on these big events, and obviously the NFL does a spectacular job with the Super Bowl,” he said. “I think there’s more we can do.”
Silver hinted that an announcement is coming as the league has already hired a composer to begin working on identifying a signature sound.
“We engaged a well known composer to be thinking about tracks designed for the league,” Silver said.
The goal is to create music tied specifically to the conference finals and NBA Finals. Silver says players will respond just as fans do.
“When you get to the conference finals and finals, there should be special music that comes on,” he said. “As a fan, what’s also interesting is the players are like fans in certain ways. They respond to all the sort of accouterments, the trappings of big events too.”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit presented by Point to Point Marketing is coming to New York City, June 30th-July 2nd. The show takes place at the SVA Theatre on West 23rd Street each day from 9a-5p ET. It starts with our News Media Summit on Tuesday 6/30, the Sports Media Summit on 7/1, and wraps up with our first-time ever Music Radio Summit on 7/2. After parties follow all three events.
1-Day, 2-Day and 3-Day passes are discounted until 11:59pm ET tonight! We also created a special Cluster Rate to help Executives/Market Managers limit expenses for larger groups. To purchase tickets, reserve a hotel room, and see our speakers list, click here or visit the Summit section up top.
Be advised, you must work in the media industry to attend. This conference is not open to the general public. Our full event schedule gets released closer to the event. We do it this way because industry issues tend to change prior to a show. Offering fresh, relevant, and focused content on the most important issues is our top priority. Our speakers are experienced, trusted, and accomplished. We’re sure their insights, ideas, and opinions will help others in the room. If you work in music, radio or in a business that connects to either, we hope you’ll make time to join us.
Introducing the Latest Lineup Additions
With today’s announcement, we’re up to 24 speakers for the Music Radio show. By the time the show rolls around, 35+ will grace our stage. Let’s share some background on our two new additions.
Joel Raab is one of the most respected and trusted consultants in Country radio. His client roster includes Audacy, Beasley, Bonneville, Max Media, Americom, Forever Media, Saga Communications, Renda Broadcasting, VerStandig, Leighton, and others. Prior to consulting, Joel programmed and served as an on-air personality in New York, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. He entered the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2015, has served on the Board of Directors for Country Radio Broadcasters since 2009, was Chairman of the CRS research committee from 2013–2018, and was Co-Chairman of the Country Radio Hall of Fame Selection Committee from 2019-2020. We’re thrilled to have him guiding our Country panel.
Mark “Hawkeye” Louis hosts the longest running FM Morning Show in Dallas – Fort Worth. The New Country 96.3 morning man is a member of the Country Radio Hall of Fame, the Texas Radio Hall of Fame and winner of the Billboard Air Personality of the Year, and The Country Music Association’s and Academy of Country Music’s DJ of the Year. He was also nominated in 2025 for the National Radio Hall of Fame. Mark has helped raise millions of dollars through his work on the Board of the BMW Dallas Marathon. He’s also the author of the critically acclaimed best selling guidebook San Antonio Uncovered. We’re excited to have him joining our Country panel alongside Tim Roberts, Andie Summers, and Joel Raab.
Barrett Media’s two new Music Radio editors, David Hill and Bethany Kent will both be involved too. Both can now be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com and Bethany@BarrettMedia.com. Details on their roles are still to come.
The current group of speakers scheduled to participate at the Music Radio Show on Thursday, July 2nd
Thank You to Our Partners
We are fortunate to have great partners for this conference. The list is extensive and we couldn’t pull this off without every single one of them. My thanks to Point to Point Marketing, Premiere Networks, Collette, Core Image Studio, JJ Surma Voiceovers, Omaha Productions, Boneville International, MRN Radio, Quu, Xperi, Ramsey Solutions, Red Apple Audio Networks, Harker Bos Group, Benztown, Salem Media Network, Murphy, Sam & Jodi, Jim Cutler NY, Backbone, and Gamut Podcast Network for their support.
Opportunities for the show are still available but they’re running out fast. If you represent a company and want to be involved, email Stephanie Eads at Stephanie@BarettMedia.com. She can let you know which slots are still available.
We are less than 70-days away from gathering the industry in NYC this summer. A strong group is expected to join us. Whether you are a CEO, Executive, Market Manager, Program Director, Host, Producer, Seller, Buyer, Advertiser, Podcaster, Digital/Social expert, Researcher, Consultant or in any other role that connects to the audio industry, you will learn a lot, make great connections, and leave the room with actionable information to improve your brand and yourself.
I hope to see you in NYC. Please save some money on tickets and take advantage of today’s sale!
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
The NFL isn’t waiting around. The league met last week with senior FCC officials to defend its media-rights approach amid growing federal scrutiny, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
The meeting, requested by the NFL, followed the FCC’s probe into sports media’s streaming shift. The Justice Department is also investigating whether leagues are engaging in anticompetitive practices.
According to the report, NFL media chief Hans Schroeder led the presentation. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr greeted league officials before handing off to his advisers. Carr has publicly targeted sports leagues over the streaming migration.
Schroeder defended the NFL’s 65-year-old antitrust exemption, which lets the league negotiate rights for all 32 teams collectively. The league argued that individual team negotiations would create more viewer confusion and higher costs.
The numbers back the NFL’s position. Schroeder said 87% of NFL games air on broadcast TV via CBS, NBC, Fox, and ABC. Even streaming deals include local market simulcasts.
“Facts are stubborn things,” Schroeder said.
The FCC isn’t fully convinced. In February, the agency warned that streaming’s growth could hurt local broadcasters’ ability to serve their communities, including producing local news. Fox Corp echoed those concerns, telling the FCC that making streaming “the default viewing option for live sports could have devastating consequences for consumers and broadcast stations alike.”
Schroeder pushed back, calling the NFL’s streaming expansion measured.
“Even as we’ve gone on to new platforms like Netflix or Amazon…we are doing so in a very selective and appropriate way,” he said.
NFL Makes Its Case to FCC During Regulatory Scrutiny Over Sports Migration To Streaming. https://t.co/C89DQgMZF9
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
KSL Sports Zone has overhauled its weekday talk lineup. In a company announcement, the biggest change comes in middays. Scott Garrard now teams with Tim LaComb for a new 10AM–2PM show called Scotty G. and The Coach. Garrard had been hosting the timeslot solo since Hans Olsen departed the station in January.
KSL Sports Program Director Lloyd Cole shared his excitement on welcoming LaComb to the KSL Sports Zone lineup.
“Tim LaComb brings years of coaching experience and an infectious positive energy that has helped him build authentic relationships with some of the biggest names in sports,” Cole said. “That coupled with the continued charismatic brilliance of Scott Garrard will provide the listener with an incredible show the likes of which has never been witnessed here in Utah.”
The afternoon slot also sees a notable return. Jake Scott is back in afternoon drive for the first time since 2021. He’s joined by KSL Sports Zone Utah Jazz Insider Ben Anderson from 2–6PM. They replace the former afternoon show hosted by Jeremiah ‘JJ’ Jackson and Alex Kirry. Kirry posted he is remaining with KSL with a new project being crafted.
Jake and Ben aren’t strangers. The duo previously shared the 10AM–12PM slot together five years ago. Now they reunite with a bigger platform and a later time slot.
KSL Sports Zone carries Utah Jazz, Utah Mammoth, Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals, Utah State Aggies, and Salt Lake Bees coverage.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
The Radio Hall of Fame released its list of nominees for the 2026 class, and a familiar name reappeared: Larry Elder. One of his bosses says it’s past time for the Salem Radio Network host to be inducted.
2026 marks the fifth time Larry Elder has been nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame. “The Sage from South Central” has been unsuccessful in getting over the hump and earning election to the prestigious institution.
Phil Boyce, the Senior Vice President of Content for Salem Media, says it’s past time to elect Elder.
“Larry has built one of the most recognizable and enduring brands in talk radio,” said Boyce. “To be nominated again by a new group of industry leaders speaks to the strength of his voice, his audience connection and the impact he continues to have across the country. We believe he is more than deserving of this honor.”
After departing Salem Radio Network in 2021 to run for Governor of California, Elder returned in 2024. He now helms the 6-9 PM ET window for the nationally syndicated network.
The Class of 2026
The Radio Hall of Fame announced 24 nominees for the class of 2026 on Wednesday morning.
This year’s nominees include:
Andie Summers
Big D & Bubba
B-ob Stroud
Boomer Esiason
Charlie Van Dyke
Enrique Santos
Fred Winston
Funkmaster Flex
Helen Little
Joey Reynolds
John & Ken
Johnny Magic
Kevin Matthews
Kid Leo
Larry Elder
Lee Arnold
Monica May
Pat Hughes
Raul Brindis
Rickey Smiley
Ryan Cameron
Shotgun Tom Kelly
The Electrifying Mojo
Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!
The class will be announced on Wednesday, May 20th. Honorees will be celebrated on October 8 at a ceremony taking place at the Fairmont Hotel Chicago
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Prime Video delivered a strong debut with its exclusive coverage of the NBA Play-In Tournament. Prime Video averaged 2.79 million U.S. viewers across six games. That figure marks an 18% increase over last year’s linear television average.
The gains extended across key demos. Viewership jumped 35% among Adults 18-34. Adults 18-49 rose 34%. Adults 25-54 increased 29%.
The audience also skewed younger. The median age landed at 45.6 years old. That’s more than four years younger than last year.
Prime Video dominated primetime during the event. It ranked as the most-watched network among viewers under 50 each night. That included Adults 18-34, Adults 18-49, and Adults 25-54. Male demos in those same groups also led the way.
The most-watched game featured the Warriors and Suns on April 17. That matchup delivered 3.65 million viewers. Warriors-Clippers drew 3.15 million. Magic-76ers followed with 2.66 million.
Postgame coverage also performed well. NBA Nightcap averaged 1.08 million viewers throughout the tournament. The show peaked with 1.33 million viewers after Warriors-Suns.
Globally, the numbers were just as impressive for the NBA. Amazon reported 52 million devices streamed the Play-In Tournament worldwide. Total watch time exceeded 2.5 billion minutes.
The event reached fans in more than 200 countries and territories. Top international markets included Japan, Brazil, and Mexico. Australia, India, Spain, and France also delivered strong audiences.
🏀 📈 @NBAonPrime’s exclusive coverage of the @NBA Play-In Tournament averaged 2.79M, topping last year’s delivery on linear channels by 18%! pic.twitter.com/xcMavm4QXx
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Nexstar Media Group is in the midst of attempting to acquire TEGNA in a multi-billion-dollar deal. The company’s CEO, Perry Sook, shared insight into the move while speaking at the NAB Show.
Currently, the transaction is being held up after a federal judge ruled in favor of the likes of DirecTV, Newsmax, and a coalition of state attorneys general who argued that the move was likely to harm the satellite company and consumers who lived in the challenging states.
While speaking at the NAB Show in Las Vegas with former Inside Edition host Deborah Norville, Sook used similar language to that of FCC chair Brendan Carr, calling the situation a “break-glass moment.”
He said that in the near future, “two or three companies” will survive to control the local television business.
“It’s only a matter of time … Make no mistake about it. There are many companies in both television and radio that are financially struggling right now,” Sook said.
Some have argued that Nexstar Media Group’s ownership of multiple stations in a single market is a net negative. Critics claim the deal is bad for the media and news businesses and hurts viewers. Sook disagreed.
“If we maintain the status quo, newsrooms will close. I don’t close newsrooms. I just move them into one building,” the Nexstar CEO said.
While the acquisition of TEGNA is paused, Perry Sook was adamant that his company will ultimately own the stations involved in the deal.
“We’re not in control of the timetable,” he said. “It will play out over a series of months here. We have confidence that we will prevail on the facts and on the law. We’ll be vigorous in our defense.”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
