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ESPN Pushed the SEC Propaganda Machine Into Overdrive This Season

Demetri Ravanos
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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 and the SEC have a cozy relationship that long predates the exclusive media rights deal that began this season. Between the SEC Network being run by Disney, the conference having tie-ins to so many bowls owned by the network, and the overwhelming amount of games the ESPN networks carried even when CBS got the pick of the litter, SEC football has just meant more to ESPN for about two decades.

You have no doubt heard the conspiracies. ESPN will step in when it needs to and tip the scales towards whatever SEC team needs the benefit of the doubt. The College Football Playoff is a TV show, after all. Wouldn’t it make sense for the network airing it to make sure one, or sometimes even two, teams from the conference that draws the best ratings are included?

Let me be clear, I do not think there is any way that anyone capable of divorcing themselves from emotion can believe Alabama didn’t deserve the final spot in last year’s playoff over Florida State, but what I will acknowledge is that this year, ESPN has gone a bit overboard. The talent is outright rooting for and lobbying the committee on behalf of the SEC.

This isn’t just happening on The Paul Finebaum Show, where such a conversation should occur. It’s not just happening on College GameDay, which was designed to set the tone of conversation about the sport. It’s happening in the middle of game broadcasts.

It’s shameless, and it undermines the credibility of a lot of knowledgeable and talented people.

College football is a game built on tradition. No one has more tradition than the SEC. Even the most casual of football fans can recognize Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee helmets. Adding Oklahoma and Texas to the lineup only strengthened that position.

The conference has three legitimate title contenders this year and will likely have four teams finish amongst the top twelve in the country. The SEC does not need the reputation assist from ESPN to get the deserving amount of teams into the College Football Playoff. 

Joe Tessitore is taking time every week, in the middle of games, to spread propaganda. It’s happened multiple times this year and it’s always off-putting. Just this week, he was downplaying a truly remarkable season from the Indiana Hoosiers in the name of “justice” for three-loss SEC teams.

Tessitore is an accomplished broadcaster. He has his own legion of fans online because of the passion he brings to every assignment. Simping for the SEC is beneath him and it puts him in a position that justifiably draws contempt. 

Expanding the College Football Playoff to 12 teams was never supposed to be about more representation. It was always a plan to get more money to the SEC and the Big Ten – the two biggest brands in the sport. In fact, those two conferences already have a plan to expand the playoff further and make any other conference participating even harder. 

Despite all of that though, we have seen a lot of new names and faces rise up this season. Indiana deserves a College Football Playoff bid. SMU deserves a College Football Playoff bid. Ashton Jeanty at Boise State deserves a national stage. 

It’s been an extraordinary season and the sport’s most powerful voice wants you to believe that none of it matters if it didn’t happen in a collection of 11 states in the bottom right corner of the country. Not only is it insulting, it doesn’t even make sense. ESPN carries a lot of conference’s games. Doesn’t it benefit the network to tell you that they all matter?

Greg Sankey, the SEC’s Commissioner, carries a lot of weight in the sports media business. It makes sense. He controls a desirable product. His network partner should want to keep him happy.

I don’t mind him lobbying for the quality of his teams and the depth of his conference. It’s what he’s paid to do. Seeing supposedly neutral parties echo his message without scrutiny or even editing makes a mockery of the network and the sport, though. It invites deserved skepticism of what SEC teams could accomplish without college football’s most powerful megaphone being drunk on the conference Kool Aid.

No one at ESPN has to listen to me. Everyone inside the SEC offices in Birmingham have every right to tell me to shut up. I am a peon. My hope is that those powers that be would consider that if someone like me, a guy that grew up inside of the conference footprint, graduated from the University of Alabama, and truly believes that SEC football is a product that has no equal, is making this observation, there has to be some truth to it.

Being Mindful Of Personal And Professional Gratitude Daily

Kevin Robinson
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Being Mindful Of Personal And Professional Gratitude Daily

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.

“Gratitude will shift you to a higher frequency, and you will attract much better things.” – Rhonda Byrne

Gratitude. Something we should mindfully practice each day.

For perspective, we weren’t born in the Rhodesian Outback in Southern Africa, where waterholes are scarce, or in The Gansu Providence in China with their struggles to have the food basics. 

Acknowledging the triteness of these words, there’s a roof over our heads, an automobile in the garage, and ready food access.

Oh – and you can afford the device in front of your face.

In America, no matter how grave a hurricane situation, the wildfire raging miles away, or political strife among us, we’re still sitting in – America.

In a short 48 hours, most reading this will gather in some form with family, food and football. All of which should shine with gratitude.

While charged with penning a MUSIC column in this space, let’s pause a week and hear from those in the music RADIO business from an array of talent.

Where is their 2024 personal and professional – gratitude?

Me thinks you’ll find them glowing with – gratitude

David Moore – Operations Manager – Hubbard Radio Phoenix

Personally, I wake up every morning and do an accounting of all the ways I am incredibly lucky. I have a great wife, we have a kid about to graduate from college, and we live in a place we love.

Professionally, I am grateful to work for a company like Hubbard and for a boss like Trip Reeb. I get the tools I need to succeed and work with good people who want to win. We have a beautiful facility; I have a view of Camelback Mountain outside my office window and an AC/DC pinball machine in the hallway.

Michelle Matthews – Program Director – WDVD/Detroit (recently severed)

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday for the food and the time with family and friends; I have so much gratitude for my life and my family. This year, it’s even stronger. My Mother passed away in 2022, and Thanksgiving was the first holiday we spent without her. It was always a special day in the kitchen with her. The grief of losing her is being filled with gratitude for the memories and pieces of her that are still with me on this holiday- going through her cookbooks as I plan, remembering stories, and feeling like she is standing right next to me in the kitchen. 

In my professional world, I feel blessed by the people I have had the opportunity to work with—my ‘work family.’ From the mentors who continued to push and challenge me to the team members from whom I have learned, 2024 was a profound year, and for that, I am quite grateful.

Dr. Len O’Kelly – Associate Professor – Grand Valley State University

“What are you most grateful for?” This is an excellent opportunity to take a step back to think about life’s journey. How did I get here – on whose shoulders am I standing? My family. I was fortunate to have grown up in a home where I was encouraged to find my own path, learn, and make mistakes, knowing there was a strong support network for me. As an adult, I’m thankful for my family’s role in helping me to be the best person that I can be. Players in our families change, and new people join through marriage and births. The family unit still offers us the backbone we need to stand tall.

Professionally, I’m thankful for both careers that I have had. My first one, 25 years in broadcasting, allowed me to learn from the legends. Watching Dick Biondi work the crowd at a car dealership, John Records Landecker put together a radio show, sitting beside Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards, telling stories. That experience prepared me for my second career, training the next generation of broadcasters. I’m grateful that there is a vibrant next generation who wants to reach audiences through our beloved medium. I’m also thankful for the support of Grand Valley State University in giving me the space and resources.

Taylor J – Midday Personality – Cumulus – Indianapolis

Personally, 2024 has proven to be tough for so many of us.  I lost a significant personal relationship, and both of my parents are dealing with serious health issues.  I have one of those milestone birthdays coming up before the end of the year, and it’s made me reflect with great hope for the future. I’m grateful that there is an increasing importance on all of our mental health.  I am learning to stop sweating the small stuff.  I always make sure that I have some live music to look forward to; in close second, it would be a social gathering with quality friends! 

Professionally, I have an abundance of gratitude. I’m grateful that I’ve found myself in afternoon drive on an incredible Classic Hits radio station in Indy!  I went through an extremely difficult period where, as a woman in radio, I fought for respect and worked in environments where I felt I wasn’t receiving it.  I am grateful for the plans we have for 2025 and moving forward with a super talented team.  I’m grateful to continue to do what I’ve loved doing for the past 30 years while evolving with its evolution, and excited to see what happens next!

Ron Allen – Brand Manager – Midwest Communications – Nashville

I’m very thankful that I have a healthy, amazing family, especially my wife and three boys. I love living in Franklin, Tennessee. It’s an amazing place to raise a family, and you’re only 15 miles from the best music anywhere. I’m sort of thankful for my two-year-old Bulldog, Ozzie. If you have been around Bulldogs much, you understand why it’s just “sort of,” but mostly, I’m thankful for the people who continue to be part of my life.

Professionally, I have a lot to be thankful for. I’m fortunate to have worked with some really great people who took an interest in me.  I’ve been really lucky to work with great teams and big brands! Now, I’m thankful that I can pass all that experience on to the young folks that are coming up in the ranks of programming. I’m also thankful that I work for a company that allows me to make decisions and use my skills to program. A nice plus to all this is I get to work and live in Music city, one of the greatest places to be if you’re a radio guy.

Scott Roddy – Reginal Vice-President Country – Audacy

Forty-nine years ago, in a single-wide trailer near the track of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 16-year-old high school girl gave her chubby newborn boy up for adoption. My adoptive parents gave me the best upbringing they could. They encouraged creativity and to follow my dream of being an entertainer.

My folks bought me a five-channel mixer, a cassette deck, and an “on air” light for my 11th birthday. I set up a studio and “played radio” in my basement bedroom. At the age of 14, my parents drove me an hour, ONE WAY, to my first job at a small-town Country station EVERY Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Today, I start every day with a gratitude list of 10 things I’m grateful for. Every day I begin with gratitude for my family, the opportunity to continue “working” in my dream career and – most importantly – the people who mentored me and that I continue to learn from. I tell my team I work for them. They teach me—every day. I strive to let students realize the same dream I had when I was eighteen of getting on the radio and engaging in human communication.

“When you are grateful, fear disappears, and abundance appears.” – Tony Robbins

The pile of gratitude THIS writer receives through a healthy family, time spent with those family members, and each present moment is high – even through recent waves of grief.

I am grateful to Jason Barrett for offering this platform to share perspectives and to you – the reader.

Thank you for opening your minds as you continue to be active learners.

Steve Scaffidi is Always Learning About Milwaukee, Radio, and Himself on 620 WTMJ

Garrett Searight
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Steve Scaffidi is Always Learning About Milwaukee, Radio, and Himself on 620 WTMJ

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.

Earlier this year, 620 WTMJ reshaped its lineup in the wake of Jeff Wagner’s retirement. In the process, Steve Scaffidi saw his on-air presence shrink from a three-hour show to a one-hour program.

While many would take that as a demotion or a hit to the ego, Scaffidi has taken the opposite approach. He now relishes the opportunity that hosting The Political Power Hour — a program solely focused on Wisconsin politics that airs from 9-10 AM — provides.

“Politics on radio now is one side or the other, for the most part, other than like heavy news stations,” Scaffidi said. “So I sort of live in that world, and I love to hear the perspectives of both sides. The challenge for me is to get to the point right away, to get the audience engaged. As much as sometimes radio people think everybody cares about politics, sometimes they don’t. So you have to find a unique way to get into their head and get into their world of consuming all this stuff. That’s the challenge for me and that’s the part I love.”

The former mayor of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Steve Scaffidi joined 620 WTMJ in 2017 in a full-time capacity. That past experience helps him relate to listeners and give them an insider’s perspective on what matters to elected leaders.

“How can we take these complex political stories … and target people who may not know a lot about some of the things that we talk about? It’s sort of an educational tool, but sort of a primer on what this means to all of us,” Scaffidi said of his show’s focus. “And we’re going to do it on the economy, we’re going to do it on certainly crime and immigration going forward, because those are the things that were obviously big campaign issues.

“What will that look like, feel like in the context of new president? What will that feel like, the things he wants to try to do? How is that going to relate to the Wisconsin dairy industry? What’s the impact? How does that change the economy in Wisconsin? So that’s sort of the outward part for me,” he continued. “And that is really fascinating, because we can sort of dig deep in an hour on one topic, one issue, whereas we may have meandered for three hours in the past. I sort of like that laser focus.”

Nearly 10 months into the new program, Steve Scaffidi is still embracing the change and getting used to the show. He’s especially focused on what the future of the program looks like outside of an election cycle, which is all it has known. But he has the right mindset, because Scaffidi doesn’t fear change.

“I come at it from a different perspective. I haven’t been talking in a microphone for 40 years,” he shared. “For me, one of my mottos as mayor was ‘Change is a good thing.’ And when I’m energized, when I go to work, I see all these 20 something, 30-somethings, 40-somethings who look at things in a different way — and we often engage off the show on politics — it forces me to sort of rethink how we should approach these issues.

“Because, as you know, millennials, Gen Z, Gen X, Boomers, and the silent generation, we all think differently on this stuff. We do tend to follow the hurt a little bit. So sort of breaking that status quo is something I’m fascinated by, and I do think it sets this show, apart from traditional political radio shows, where it’s often one side of the other. It’s a fascinating way for me to stay plugged into what everybody’s thinking about and not just one group.

Few news/talk stations in the country have embraced the digital realm as 620 WTMJ. The Good Karma Brands Milwaukee station features a strong presence on social media, digital video platforms like YouTube, and features a robust podcast portfolio.

While others might malign the fact that they need to produce extra content, Steve Scaffidi has welcomed the new avenues.

“It just gives me so many more opportunities,” he said. “I can do, really as many podcasts as I want. We are certainly tapping into all of the visual stuff … maybe taking a nugget from a show that maybe wasn’t even the most important thing said, but it’s curious. It provides curiosity to one specific group, and we present that in a part of a post or a video clip.”

The 620 WTMJ host added that he’s continually looking to expand in that space and grow his audience.

“That’s the challenge for the host and my producer (Jaslyn Snell). We have to figure out ways, sort of expand what we do as much as traditional radio has always been: ‘Here’s what I think about it. I’m gonna tell you about what I think. And then we may take some phone calls.’ That’s not the way the future of this is going,” he noted. “And that’s the cool part for me, because I have digital listeners all over the United States now, and that’s something that I never really thought about until we started making that push for digital. So this has allowed me to understand that, one.

“And two, to sort of build on that, based on a different kind of consumption I’m fascinated by,” Steve Scaffidi continued. “There’s still a lot I have to learn about it, but I love that challenge. Every day we’re sort of thinking in a different way and I think that’s what sort of sets us apart with some of the things we’re trying to do here.”

Dave Portnoy: Advertisers Are Flocking to Barstool Sports to Work with Jon Gruden

BSM Staff
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Dave Portnoy: Advertisers Are Flocking to Barstool Sports to Work with Jon Gruden

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.

Barstool Sports recently announced the addition of former NFL head coach Jon Gruden to its team. Founder Dave Portnoy says advertisers want in on the content he’s producing.

“Home run hire,” Portnoy said of the signing of Gruden while speaking with Ryan Whitney and Kirk Minihane on The Unnamed Show podcast. “People love him. He’s all in. People coming out of the woodwork wanting to work with him, advertisers.”

There were questions about Gruden’s marketability due to his high-profile 2021 exit from the NFL. Emails sent by the former ESPN Monday Night Football analyst showed sexist and racist language and photographs to others in the league.

However, Portnoy said that has not been an issue since announcing the move earlier this month. He previously said Gruden is “as bought in and ready to do this as anyone we’ve had for someone of his stature. You never know, but I think he’s going to be an unbelievable hire for us.”

Gruden had started his own YouTube channel in recent months. In a short time, he grew his following to more than 200,000 subscribers before announcing a multi-year contract with Barstool Sports.

And that obsession, Portnoy argues, is what makes Jon Gruden loveable to the average fan.

“He truly loves football. He’s obsessed,” Portnoy said. “It’s just football, football, football, football. He just wants to donate back to football.”

When Whitney said the company must have gotten a contract with Gruden for “pennies on the dollar,” Portnoy agreed.

“We got a good deal,” he said. “He’ll make a ton if we do it right. It’s not like we’re screwing him.”

Brad Gillie Promoted to Lead Anchor on Performance Racing Network

BSM Staff
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The Performance Racing Network (PRN) has revealed that veteran broadcaster Brad Gillie will be working as the lead anchor on its coverage of races starting in the 2025 NASCAR season. Gillie steps into the role succeeding Doug Rice, who recently retired after a 36-year career in the position. For the 2025 NASCAR season, Gillie will work alongside Mark Garrow while continuing as the host of Fast Talk on PRN and The Late Shift on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

“The obvious choice to succeed me is Brad Gillie,” Rice said in a statement. “He has been an integral part of our broadcast team for decades. He is an excellent broadcaster that our fans trust and are very familiar with, which I know will make this a smooth transition.”

Gillie has worked in motorsports for more than two decades, beginning his career in 1998 at Texas Motor Speedway. During his 16-year tenure working at the track, he served as the manager of short track operations, the general manager of the Lone Star Legends racing series and hosted the Total Access syndicated radio program. Gillie began broadcasting live NASCAR events with the Performance Racing Network in 2006, and although he worked in a variety of positions, he could primarily be found serving as a pit reporter.

After having occasionally worked as an anchor on these broadcasts in the past, Gillie is now moving into the broadcast booth on a full-time basis. Furthermore, he serves as the director of programming and affiliations for the Performance Racing Network, playing a pivotal role in curating its sound and partnerships with affiliate radio stations. The Performance Racing Network begins its broadcast season with the Ambetter Health 400 weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 22.

“I am truly grateful to PRN and Speedway Motorsports for the opportunity to continue building on a long legacy of exceptional broadcasts,” Gillie said in a statement. “It is an honor to move up to the anchor chair and, along with our great team, deliver the excitement of NASCAR to our listeners and affiliate stations. I also want to thank Doug Rice for his friendship and mentorship. His values and commitment to excellence have made PRN an elite network recognized throughout the motorsports and radio industries.”

Jon ‘Stugotz’ Weiner: We Are Using a Tier System to Determine ‘How Badly You Want Me on Your Show’

BSM Staff
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Jon ‘Stugotz’ Weiner: We Are Using a Tier System to Determine ‘How Badly You Want Me on Your Show’


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.

As The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz celebrates its 20th anniversary on the air, the team at Meadowlark Media has reminisced on the journey of the show and its impact on the sports media landscape. Coinciding with the milestone, co-host Jon “Stugotz” Weiner is set to release a new written work, titled “Stugotz’s Personal Record Book,” in which he gives his commentary on several professional sports and milestones therein.

The book comes out on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and Weiner has been incentivizing consumers to pre-order the work to receive discounts, autographs and other perks. It turns out that he is engaging in a similar process with radio stations and podcasts looking to schedule him as a guest on their shows to discuss the publication.

In a video posted to X on Saturday, Weiner outlined a tier system in which broadcast entities will be considered based on how many copies of the book they purchase. Reaching out to Weiner’s team on social media, outlets need to send proof of purchase, and from there, they will determine which shows and stations on which he will make appearances.

“So really, it depends on how badly you want me on your show,” Weiner said, “and by ‘how badly you want me on your show,’ what I mean is, ‘How many books are you willing to buy to get me on your show?’”

During Monday’s episode of the show, Le Batard emphasized that the release of the book is an important moment for the program as it celebrates its time on the air. The work is co-written by Dan Stanczyk, to whom Weiner attributed most of the material and expressed his gratitude. The discussion surrounding his book took place just before ‘Weekend Observations,’ which Le Batard surmised is one of Weiner’s most popular bits.

“This book is a real thing, and Stugotz wants it to be a New York Times bestseller, and it launches tomorrow,” Weiner said. “The pre-orders are crazy already, all sorts of gifts to the people who have gotten in early, but this thing is happening. I’ve seen the book, it exists and tomorrow it’s no longer a broken promise.”

Weiner conveyed his gratitude for the people who contributed to the book and everyone on social media as well. In fact, he expressed how it was touching to see how many listeners purchased the book, and he thanked them for their patronage and support. Weiner has been promoting the book on the show and through his social media channels, generating enthusiasm and excitement towards the compilation surrounding his views on sports records.

“Twentieth year, I was moved over the weekend,” Weiner said. “It was nice, it was a relaxing weekend. The Jets weren’t playing. I watched former Jets perform and excel all over the NFL – Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, just to name a few – and I really had some time to reflect on the last 20 years and what this audience means to me, and this audience means everything to me, so thank you.”

ESPN Promotes Alex Farmartino to Vice President of Production for ACC Network, NCAA Studio

BSM Staff
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ESPN Promotes Alex Farmartino to Vice President of Production for ACC Network, NCAA Studio

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 has named Alex Farmartino as the vice president of production for the ACC Network and NCAA Studio. Farmartino has been involved in production for Atlantic Coast Conference content for over two decades and has been a member of ESPN since the launch of the ACC Network in 2019. Before joining the network, he worked at Raycom Sports for 15 years in a variety of roles, including as a coordinating producer for two years.

Under his new position, he will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of the ACC Network, along with the College GameDay franchise for men’s and women’s basketball. Additionally, he will have purview over select NCAA Championship studio content, a franchise with which ESPN recently extended its relationship under a new eight-year media rights deal. Farmartino will be based in Charlotte, N.C. and also support the ACC Network’s studio production team located in Bristol, Conn.

“Alex has devoted a majority of his professional career to Atlantic Coast Conference sports and he brings tremendous experience from all levels of production to this role,” Meg Aronowitz, ESPN senior vice president of production, said in a statement. “His deep passion, knowledge and enthusiasm for the ACC and college sports makes him uniquely qualified to lead this talented team.”

Farmartino first joined ESPN in 2019 as a live event producer for the debut of the ACC Network, and he has served as the lead game producer for football and basketball coverage on the platform during his time at the company. Moreover, he served as lead game producer for the United Football League (UFL) earlier in the year and has also produced broadcasts across other sports on ESPN platforms.

“As a University of Virginia graduate and someone who has spent two decades covering the ACC for Raycom Sports and now ESPN, this conference is near and dear to my heart,” Farmartino said in a statement. “Our ACC Network team will excel at bringing viewers the many great stories – past, present and future – of this proud league.”

FOX Sports 920 in Milwaukee Shuffles Daily Lineup, Adds VSiN Programming to Nights

BSM Staff
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FOX Sports 920 in Milwaukee Shuffles Daily Lineup, Adds VSiN Programming to Nights

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.

FOX Sports 920 in Milwaukee has adjusted its daily lineup and has added VSiN programming to its nights and overnight timeslot.

After previously airing the regionally syndicated Bill Michaels Show, the station has replaced it in the 11 AM-2 PM timeslot with the nationally syndicated The Herd with Colin Cowherd.

Included in the changes to the daily lineup was the addition of VSiN programming from 6 PM to Midnight. The timeslot allows for portions of Follow The Money, VSiN PrimeTime, and Cashing Out to air in the window. The shows are hosted by Mitch Moss, Pauly Howard, Matt Youmans, Jonathan Von Tobel, Tim Murray, and Joe Ceraulo.

The program from Bill Michaels was the only locally-based show on the iHeartMedia Milwaukee station. With the changes, the station now features a completely nationally syndicated lineup, with other FOX Sports Radio programs like The Dan Patrick Show and The Doug Gottlieb Show also being heard on the station.

FOX Sports Radio is currently featured on 97.3 The Game — sister station of FOX Sports 920 — in the 6 PM-Midnight window, leaving the window open for VSiN programming on the AM signal that was rebranded from The Big 920 WOKY earlier this month.

WXPN’s Bruce Warren Entering ‘Phased Retirement’

BMM Staff
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WXPN’s Bruce Warren Entering ‘Phased Retirement’

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.

Bruce Warren, longtime programmer at Adult Alternative WXPN Philadelphia (88.5), will step down in January 2025 and enter a phased retirement following his departure.

Warren has been with the station for 36 years, playing a pivotal role as one of the founding producers of NPR’s syndicated program “World Cafe.” His extensive experience includes serving as Program Director/Music Director, Executive Producer, and Assistant Station Manager for Programming.

Starting in January, Warren will step back from his role as Program Director but will remain part of WXPN. He will continue to host his Saturday radio show, serve as Executive Producer for “World Cafe,” and oversee WXPN’s ongoing digital and social media advancements.

Warren said, “For my entire life here at XPN, it’s always been about the journey of building discovery through our programming—whether on XPN, nationally on World Cafe, through our festivals, Free At Noons, streaming, videos, or social platforms. Watching indie artists build their audiences and seeing the joy our community gets from the music has been the most rewarding part.”

“Bruce has been the heart and guiding voice of an incredible programming team for over three decades,” WXPN General Manager Roger LaMay said in the announcement. “His creativity, vision, and unwavering dedication to music and the artists we champion have elevated this station to a national treasure.”

Starting in January, APD Jim McGuinn will assume the position of Acting Program Director. McGuinn rejoined the station in August 2022 and served as Program Director at “89.3 The Current” KCMP in Minneapolis from 2009 until his departure in April 2022.

With an extensive background in the market, he also hosted the afternoon show at WXPN from 2007 to 2009 while programming the online radio station “Y-Rock on XPN.” McGuinn was the Program Director for the former Philly modern rock station WDRE until it signed off in 1996 and led “Y100” WPLY from 1997 until 2004, when the station ceased operations.

Gunner Jackson Steps Down As KMLE Phoenix Morning Host

BMM Staff
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Gunner Jackson Steps Down As KMLE Phoenix Morning Host

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.

After five years, Gunner Jackson has announced his departure as a morning host at Audacy’s Country 107.9 KMLE Phoenix, AZ.

Jackson explained the situation on Instagram, saying, “Just wanted you to hear the news from me first. I have stepped away from hosting the morning show on KMLE Country 107.9. I’ll cherish the memories and relationships I’ve been able to make with our great listeners in The Valley. My family and I will be forever grateful for the love, support and prayers we received from you when my daughter Taytem went through her battle with cancer. Now I’m going to focus on what’s best for my family and what is next for me in this industry that I love.”

Jackson and co-host Cheyenne Davis joined KMLE in December 2019 after leaving Townsquare Media Country’s “92.9 The Bull” KDBL in Yakima, WA, where they hosted the morning show, and he held the position of Brand Manager.

Davis continues to be part of the team.

His experience also includes serving as the morning show producer for Kiss 106.1” KBKS in Seattle, acting as PD and Morning Host for Country “Kissin 97.7” KYSN in Wenatchee, WA, and Kick 104” KIQK in Rapid City, SD. Additionally, he has been on-air at Top 40 “Power 99.1” KUJ-FM in Kennewick, WA.

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