ACC Network is expanding its football coverage this coming football season. The network will add SiriusXM’s ACC Today to its Monday and Thursday schedule starting tomorrow. Also, the network will welcome former Pittsburgh quarterback Nate Peterman and former North Carolina wide receiver J.J. Jones to its talent roster.
What We Know: ACC Today currently airs weekdays from 8-10 a.m. ET on SiriusXM’s ACC Radio channel. Now, the show will also air on ACC Network on Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET throughout football season. Hosts Wes Durham, Roddy Jones, EJ Manuel and Eric Mac Lain will lead the expanded broadcast. The move adds to ACCN’s existing slate, which includes ACC PM, Inside ACCess and Saturday’s ACC Huddle.
What’s At Stake: By expanding the roster of talents and added programming, it builds for a strengthened position for the network heading into another exciting college football season.
What Remains Unclear: Why the program will only air on Monday’s and Thursday is unknown. Also, how Peterman and Jones are slated to make appearances is also unknown.
What It Means: ACC Network continues building out its football studio presence ahead of the season. Adding ACC Today gives the network more content across Mondays and Thursdays. Meanwhile, new analysts Peterman and Jones bolster Saturday coverage alongside returning voices like Jimbo Fisher and Mark Richt. Together, these moves signal a deeper investment in year-round conference coverage.
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ESPN’s 2026 US Open coverage begins Sunday, August 30. For the first time, the network is bringing its NFL RedZone format to tennis.
What We Know: ESPN plans to air every match from all 16 courts across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App. Meanwhile, RedZone debuts at the Open, running August 30 through September 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. The format follows ESPN’s January deal for NFL Network assets, including RedZone distribution, which gave the NFL a 10% stake in ESPN. Rece Davis anchors ABC’s three Sunday broadcasts, while Malika Andrews and Katie George host on-site.
What’s At Stake: This is the first time the network has used the RedZone branding for a sporting event since the acquisition with the NFL and NFL Network. If the results prove successful, it could lead to other options for coverage in event solely on ESPN and ABC properties.
What Remains Unclear: How the network will frame the RedZone coverage to tennis instead of how sports fans are used to seeing RedZone action is unknown. Also, whether or not commercials will air in RedZone coverage is also not specified. That was a hot topic of discussion for many NFL RedZone viewers last season.
What It Means: RedZone’s arrival signals ESPN leaning on its NFL relationship well beyond football season. Additionally, the format could reshape how fans consume tennis’s crowded, multi-court opening days. Ultimately, expect the network to test similar whip-around coverage across other live sports it controls if this experiment proves successful.
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Dan Bongino is adding another daily radio program as Westwood One expands its partnership with the conservative media personality. The new show will give affiliates access to Bongino programming during the morning hours.
What We Know: Westwood One announced The Bongino Report AM, a new one-hour nationally distributed radio program hosted by Dan Bongino. The show will debut Monday, September 21, and air weekdays from 5-6 AM ET, with affiliates able to air it between 6-9 AM ET. The announcement comes shortly after Bongino launched The Bongino Report PM, which airs from 3-6 PM ET. Shawn Farash hosts the first hour of that program, while Bongino’s podcast is repurposed during the final two hours.
What They Said: “What’s better than Dan Bongino in the morning and afternoon? Twice a day with Dan Bongino coverage! On the heels of launching The Bongino Report PM, we’re thrilled to now offer listeners Dan Bongino in the morning with The Bongino Report AM.” -Westwood One President Collin Jones
What Remains Unclear: The announcement doesn’t specify whether The Bongino Report AM will air live. It also doesn’t explain when Bongino will create the content or whether the morning program will feature new material, repurposed content, or a combination of both.
What It Means: Westwood One now offers stations Bongino programming across both morning and afternoon dayparts. The expansion gives affiliates another option for conservative talk programming while extending Bongino’s reach beyond his podcast audience. Meanwhile, the format of the new morning show could determine how much stations use it as a traditional live morning program.
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Rick Thomas joins Malama Media Group as Senior VP of Programming. The veteran radio executive brings decades of multi-market expertise to Hawaii’s newest premier radio cluster.
What We Know: Malama Media Group welcomed Thomas to lead programming strategy across its Hawaii cluster and future acquisitions. His resume spans some of radio’s most competitive markets. Additionally, he’s programmed iconic stations in New York and Los Angeles. Moreover, his background includes top-rated success at KYLD/San Francisco, KSFM/Sacramento, and the Beasley Tampa cluster. Previously, Thomas served as VP of Programming for Ohana Broadcasting Honolulu, so he knows the market well.
What They Said: Josh Villa, Managing Partner and Market President, emphasized Thomas’s broad expertise. “When you look at the breadth of what Rick has accomplished, from programming iconic stations in New York and Los Angeles to leading multi-format clusters in some of the country’s most competitive markets, you’re looking at someone who truly knows how to build winning brands and winning teams,” Villa stated. Monroe Greer, General Managing Partner, highlighted their shared history. “Rick and I go back 45 years. We came up together at XHTZ in San Diego, crossed paths again at KOY-FM in Phoenix, and then again at XHRM in San Diego,” Greer reflected. Thomas expressed his enthusiasm: “Coming back to Hawaii feels like coming home. I raised my family in Honolulu. I have a special love for creating great radio and serving the people here.”
What Remains Unclear: Exactly how Thomas will reshape existing programming across the cluster remains to be seen. Further details about acquisition strategies and timeline are forthcoming. The specific format priorities for future multi-market growth haven’t been announced. Listeners will watch closely how station lineups evolve under his leadership.
What It Means: Rick Thomas’s reputation as a free thinker paired with Malama Media Group’s forward-thinking approach could create a potent combination. Innovation typically flourishes when bold programming executives meet ambitious ownership willing to take calculated risks. This hire signals the company isn’t interested in status quo radio—they’re building something different. Time will reveal whether this partnership transforms Hawaii’s competitive radio landscape.
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When news broke yesterday that Dolly Parton had died at 80, programmers somewhere were likely wondering whether “Jolene” fit the format. That’s the wrong question.
Here’s what really matters: How should we own this moment? Great radio stations understand there are days when normal rules don’t apply. The clock can wait. The research can wait. The format can even bend a little. Something happened that the audience cares about deeply. For a few hours, a radio station has an opportunity to become something more than songs, commercials, and sweepers…Dolly Parton’s death was exactly that kind of moment.
Country Radio’s Natural Advantage
Country radio obviously had the strongest connection. Dolly was part of the format’s foundation. There was music to play, stories to tell, and archival audio to find. Additionally, listeners shared their memories, and reactions poured in from generations of country artists.
But some stations went even further. In the hours after the news broke yesterday, certain stations went wall-to-wall with Dolly Parton. Those are the stations that truly understood the moment.
Consider Audacy Country’s immediate response — Katie Neal opened her Superstar Power Hour with a full tribute. Holly Hutton hosted a special Dolly Parton Top 7 hit countdown at 7pm on the Rob & Holly show across America. Most of Audacy’s local markets followed suit, programming all-Dolly hours throughout the day. For example, KSON in San Diego had its morning show, John and Tammy, stay on through 3pm. They tracked down former employees and artists who shared stories about working with Dolly. They also opened the phone lines to their audience.
Moreover, production teams across Audacy’s network created special imaging and tribute pieces that made the coverage feel intentional and reverential. Meanwhile, social media teams activated on all their pages simultaneously. The stations threw out the normal log. They played obvious songs and deeper cuts. Additionally, they pulled old interviews, shared stories, and gave listeners a place to collectively remember Dolly.
They may not still be doing it today — but that’s not the point. For those few hours, they stopped worrying about normal programming. Instead, they recognized what belonged on the station right then. That’s owning the moment.
Beyond Genre Boundaries
And it wasn’t just country radio. Dolly Parton became bigger than a single format long ago. AC, Classic Hits, Adult Hits, and many other formats have audiences who knew her music. Furthermore, even people who weren’t Dolly Parton fans understood what she represented in American culture.
KLOS — a rock station in Los Angeles — made room for Dolly. Think about that. Nobody listening suddenly wondered whether KLOS had flipped to country. Nobody needed an explanation for why a Dolly Parton song played on a rock station. They understood the moment. That’s what owning it looks like. It doesn’t require abandoning your brand. Instead, it requires having confidence in your brand. Recognize when something in the world matters more than protecting every line of the music log.
Radio’s Unique Advantage
Spotify can build a Dolly Parton playlist in seconds. YouTube can serve up decades of performances. Social media was immediately filled with clips, tributes, and memories. However, radio went deeper — Audacy created an exclusive 24/7 Dolly Tribute channel on the Audacy app that’s still running around the clock. Broadcast radio cannot beat those platforms at being libraries. However, it can beat them at being human.
A personality saying, “I know we don’t normally play this song, but today we’re going to,” means something. So does a listener calling and explaining that “Coat of Many Colors” reminds her of her mother. Similarly, someone remembering seeing Dolly at a local venue thirty years ago carries weight. Perhaps somebody on your staff interviewed her years ago and has a story nobody else in town can tell. That content belongs to your station and your community. That’s radio’s advantage. Consider Holly Hutto, co-host of the nationally syndicated Rob + Holly Show alongside ACM and CMA Award-winning personality Rob Stone, hosting a special Dolly Parton Top 7 hit countdown at 7pm. That broadcast reached across America and created a shared moment where millions of listeners experienced the same tribute simultaneously. A personal connection that only radio can deliver.
Bringing the Story to the Community
Radio’s reach extends far beyond the airwaves. On-air personalities became the voice of the community’s grief and celebration. Country Radio Hall of Fame Inductee Heather Froglear represented country radio across local news affiliates, radio, and television outlets alike. Similarly, US99 Chicago’s Marci Braun shared Dolly’s story on WCCO and local Chicago television. Additionally, personalities appeared on Fox 2 Detroit and other regional news outlets. Furthermore, Hubbard’s myTalk 107.1 seized the moment immediately by getting a billboard up that displayed across the Twin Cities.
Photo Credit: myTalk 107.1, Minneapolis
The local appearances and promotion brought Dolly’s legacy into broader conversations — not just among country fans, but throughout entire communities. By placing talent on news outlets and paying tribute to a legend through billboard activations, radio became the trusted source for how people should feel about the moment. That’s the intersection of being live, local, and human.
This Sunday at 8am across all of Audacy’s Country stations, Heather Froglear will host Forever Dolly: A 90’s Country with Heather Tribute Show. The two-hour special will spotlight Dolly’s BIGGEST hits and stories of inspiration from the pop culture icon! This is a great example of proving that owning the moment doesn’t end when the initial news cycle fades.
The Path Forward
We spend enormous time talking about how radio competes with Spotify, podcasts, YouTube, TikTok, and every other platform fighting for attention. Sometimes I think we make the answer more complicated than it needs to be. You don’t build a memorable radio station by making every Tuesday sound exactly like the Tuesday before. Nobody remembers that you missed a scheduled song yesterday. However, they will remember that when Dolly Parton died, their radio station was there for them — truly, comprehensively, and authentically.
The Bigger Picture
And this isn’t really just about Dolly Parton. The next moment could be another artist’s death. It could be the local team winning a championship. Additionally, a massive concert announcement could break news. A hometown tragedy, a snowstorm, or something completely unexpected might suddenly have everybody in town talking.
Those are the moments when radio needs to be alive. The worst mistake isn’t playing the wrong song. Instead, it’s sounding like nothing happened. If everyone at work, on television, on social media, and around the dinner table is talking about something — but your radio station sounds exactly like it did the day before — we should probably stop bragging about being live and local. Great radio understands when the moment becomes bigger than the format. And when those moments arrive, great radio owns them.
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I won’t lie to you. I was beyond saddened to hear about Dolly Parton’s death on Tuesday. The first word out of my mouth was four letters, and it shared a few letters with the word “firetruck.” Once the shock settled, one station and one host kept coming to mind: SuperTalk 99.7 WTN and afternoon host Matt Murphy.
Dolly Parton was everything America is, can be, and should be. She lived the rags-to-riches story we tell ourselves is still possible in this country, then spent her riches lifting up her community and humanity as a whole. I’m fighting back tears just writing this, thinking about her greatness and the fact that it’s now been extinguished. I posted on social media Tuesday afternoon, and I meant every word: Dolly Parton belongs insanely high on the list of the greatest Americans of all time.
So, in an attempt to snap out of my sorrow, I started scanning the dial to see how stations were covering her death. This is one of those moments that transcends format. Sports stations covered it. Music stations covered it. And news/talk radio, which so often gets criticized for chasing controversy, had a chance to show what it’s actually built for. I tuned into SuperTalk 99.7 WTN in Nashville to hear how things sounded on one of the biggest brands in Music City. What I heard was broadcast excellence.
It was a masterclass in owning the moment. Nashville felt this loss differently than Seattle or Boston did, and 99.7 WTN understood that instinctively. Because Parton wasn’t just a icon to that market — she was a neighbor, a benefactor, and in many ways the city’s conscience. You could hear that gravity in every segment Tuesday afternoon.
Murphy Set the Tone Early
In the first 10 minutes of his show, I laughed. Then I cried. Then I felt a genuine connection with a host whose admiration for Parton mirrored my own.
But Murphy went further than simply reacting. He told listeners flat-out that if they didn’t want to hear four hours about Dolly Parton, the station wasn’t for them on Tuesday.
That’s a bold declaration. And it’s exactly the kind of conviction news/talk radio needs more of. Local radio succeeds when it commits fully to the moment its community is actually living through, rather than hedging toward whatever’s “safe.”
It also shows an understanding of the situation. Unmistakably, SuperTalk 99.7 WTN is a conservative news/talk radio station. On the surface, the death of a country music star wouldn’t seem like a natural topic for a station like that. But by throwing the format and usual talk radio topics out the window, Murphy and the station showed a knowledge of the market that matters.
Murphy opened the phone lines, giving Nashville listeners a place to grieve out loud together. That’s a service a national feed simply can’t replicate, and it’s a reminder of why local hosts still matter so much in an increasingly consolidated industry.
Star Power on Short Notice
Beyond the emotion, Murphy delivered access. He welcomed Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), and Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN), among others, to discuss Parton’s legacy and what she meant to the state of Tennessee. Then he connected with country star Ricky Skaggs for his memories of her.
Pulling that lineup together with only a few hours’ notice speaks to relationships built over years, not scrambled together in a crisis. That’s the kind of bench strength stations should be cultivating well before tragedy demands it.
Consequently, what could have been a scattered, reactive afternoon instead played like a thoughtfully produced tribute. Nothing about it felt rushed, and nothing about it felt hollow.
Matt Murphy and SuperTalk 99.7 WTN deserve every bit of praise coming their way for Tuesday afternoon. It was everything news/talk radio can be and should be, especially in moments like this one. There was a variety of emotions. Thought-provoking commentary. Solidarity. Community. Connection. It was comfort and companionship at a time when I — and probably many others, too — needed it most.
Dolly Parton gave America so much for so long. It’s only fitting that her hometown station gave her the send-off she earned.
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Over my more than two decades of experience working in sports radio buildings, there have been plenty of things that have bothered me about the trajectory of the industry itself. How the industry fails to adjust to changing content consumption models. The lack of focus on monetizing locally produced podcasts is another. But one trend bothered me was when programmers were either forced or chose to become on-air talent with weekly programming responsibilities.
That trend is nothing new. In fact, it has almost become less trendy and more of an expectation. Having programmers as talent saves on costs and headcount while keeping local voices alive in local markets. The practice is more stopgap than growth plan, and, in too many cases, it creates more problems than it solves.
On Monday, SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio elevated Steve Torre to become the new morning co-host on the channel following the departure of Damon Amendolara. Torre is a seasoned veteran of Mad Dog Sports Radio. He worked alongside Danny Kanell and even hosted evenings before Stephen A. Smith’s arrival at the channel last year.
This isn’t a knock on Torre. His credentials speak for themselves, and I wish him luck with the added role. However, this is a criticism of the optics and likely outcome of the selection.
The Missing Logic
Amendolara is a proven commodity and far too talented to be on the beach. Yes, contracts are not easy, and agreements don’t always come to fruition. That’s business.
What doesn’t make sense is the response to the departure. Amendolara has years of brand equity with the morning audience. The replacement is his boss? Should ESPN have replaced Ryan Clark with Burke Magnus? When Dan Patrick retires in February 2028, is Scott Shapiro taking over the syndicated daypart? Was Mitch Rosen a better replacement for Mike Mulligan over Jarrett Payton?
Also, just because a programmer has experience hosting doesn’t mean that’s the right selection. Now, with Torre handling morning drive, it likely will put added work not just on Torre but on his support staff around him. What’s the incentive? Is everyone who gets delegated additional duties receiving a stipend from what Amendolara was getting paid?
More than likely, they’re not.
The other thing to consider is the talent’s relationship with the programmer. Torre is a seasoned veteran of the channel and likely has the trust of his talent roster. That’s not the case in every situation as this trend becomes the norm.
By taking on the added role of host, that impacts how other talent take in your advice, guidance and coaching. It’s human nature. Talent will begin to think, “Is this the standard that he/she holds himself/herself to?” All things being equal, if the talent is also a programmer and isn’t meeting his or her own points of emphasis with others, the coaching falls on deaf ears.
I often wonder if this is ever considered.
Stealing Opportunity To Grow
In my experience as a programmer, I was asked numerous times over the years if I would consider hosting a daily program on the station I oversaw. Every time, I declined. Not because I didn’t feel I could fill the void. Playing to my own ego, I’ve hosted successful programs in a market many of my own talents will never reach.
It was because doing so would take an opportunity away from others to grow. It would create an environment where talent doesn’t look to you as someone who always has their back. Also, most importantly, it would bleed trust from the relationships that matter most for growth while simply plugging a hole.
I always used to joke that working in sports radio was more about putting out fires instead of starting them. Anytime a station on any platform elevates a programmer to a talent role, you’re enrolling in the fire department.
Sports radio isn’t getting better because programmers are becoming talent. In too many cases, it’s getting worse.
Programming is supposed to be about developing talent, building brands, creating opportunities and preparing the next person to take the next step. When the person responsible for doing those things becomes part of the talent lineup, the priorities inevitably become blurred.
That’s where the practice becomes problematic. A programmer can be talented on the air and still be the wrong person to fill a vacant chair. The issue isn’t whether the programmer can do the job. The issue is whether doing the job prevents that person from effectively doing the job they were originally hired to do.
There will always be situations where a programmer can legitimately add value on the air. Steve Torre may prove to be one of them. But one successful example doesn’t make the practice a sound strategy. A programmer filling a vacant chair may solve a staffing problem today, but it doesn’t necessarily solve the bigger problem of how you build a better station tomorrow.
Sports radio doesn’t need more programmers trying to prove they can do a talent’s job. It needs more programmers committed to making their talent better. Because when the person responsible for putting out the fires is also behind the microphone, eventually you have to ask: Who’s left to run the fire department?
If that becomes the model, sports radio shouldn’t wonder why the industry keeps getting worse instead of better.
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Eric Wellman arrived at Q104.3 in the early 2000s with a mandate and a conviction: the word “classic” in classic rock was becoming a constraint, not a descriptor. Three decades after Q104.3 changed to Classic Hits from Active Rock music, the station had been in rock format life for nearly 35 years. Yet Wellman and his predecessor Bob Buchmann completed a transformation that’s still unfolding today. Last fall, Q104.3 made the symbolic decision to drop “Classic” from the station’s identity. The market noticed. The audience noticed. And the format proved its staying power in ways that most of radio wrote off long ago.
“Once you’re over the age of 54, you don’t exist anymore to an advertiser, apparently,” Wellman explains with wry honesty. That reality forced the station’s hand. For years, Q104.3 had been steadily advancing what classic rock meant. However, the language itself — “classic” — was becoming a barrier to entry for younger listeners who heard it and thought, “Oh, it’s my dad’s station. My grandparents’ station.”
The irony? The audience data said otherwise.
From Classical to Rock: The Long Evolution
The story of Q104.3 begins in 1994, when the station first flipped to what would eventually become classic rock. Before that, the station was primarily a classical music outlet (WNCN) for years. Indeed, when Wellman’s grandmother discovered he’d be working there, she was upset. “I had to apologize to her!” he recalls. “Her memory lurks over me every day as I play things that aren’t classical.”
By 1996, the station had evolved into what was termed a classic hits format. When Wellman arrived at the turn of the millennium alongside Buchmann, they had a clear vision. They wanted to complete the transformation into a full classic rock station. Then they would figure out how to keep it alive as the world changed around it. That evolution hasn’t stopped.
The playlist spans from Elton John to Linkin Park — a four-generation bandwidth that most radio formats wouldn’t dare attempt. Yet research shows that the same audience that loves classic rock icons also embraces modern rock. “It’s a big tent and there’s room for everyone!” Wellman observes. “The music itself is everything from Elton John to Linkin Park, and that’s pretty amazing when you think about it.”
A Murderer’s Row of Talent
What makes Q104.3 truly distinct isn’t just the format philosophy — it’s the on-air roster. This is where Wellman’s greatest asset reveals itself. Walk through the day parts and you’ll find a Hall of Fame lineup. Most programmers couldn’t photocopy yesterday’s schedule and run the same staff schedule forever. As Wellman puts it, referencing the Yankees dynasty of his youth: “I feel like when the Yankees were going through their streak, back in the core four days, late ’90s, early 2000s, when Joe Torre was managing, he didn’t have to fill out a lineup card. He knew who was going to be there.”
Morning:Jim Kerr is a Radio Hall of Famer, a figure so integral to New York rock radio history that his presence alone anchors the morning drive. He has the kind of tenure and connection to the format that transcends modern radio turnover. “You have to force him at gunpoint to take a vacation,” Wellman says. “There’s nothing he likes better in his life than being on the radio.” His new partners – Christin Marks and Trevor Marden round out a fantastic lead in to the day.
Midday: Maria Milito is our longest tenured staffer and the highest rated daypart consistently. A work day companion for New York since the beginning.
Afternoon Drive:Ken Dashow carries the legacy forward. He is a Brooklyn-born lifer who traces his roots back to WNEW. He worked at the short-lived WAPP commercial-free rock experiment of the early ’80s. “A born and bred Brooklyn guy, and a self-avowed Beatles geek.” The afternoon drive slot handles a unique challenge. Listenership doesn’t actually end at 5 p.m. anymore. It’s shifted earlier. “It’s more like the 3 o’clock whistle,” Wellman notes. “By 5 o’clock, the market is down to about 50% of the audience.” Dashow carries people through with the “Daily Three at Three” — a contest featuring three songs with a theme, usually tied to current events. It’s become one of the highest-rated quarter hours on the station. He also does a “Live at Five” feature daily with tracks tied to concerts, birthdays, or moments in rock history. Additionally, Dashow hosts a Sunday morning Beatles show that’s been running for 25 years.
Gerry Martire handles Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in the afternoon slot. He also serves as primary swing shift fill-in across the roster. It’s a one-two punch that’s been working since the year 2000.
Nights:Carol Miller is another Radio Hall of Famer and appears in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame too. A legend with nearly as much tenure as Jim Kerr, she’s been a personal friend of Led Zeppelin since the band’s early days. She produces the syndicated “Get the Led Out” show, which runs in-person on Q104.3. “Much like Jim, she’s forgotten more stuff than most of us know,” Wellman says. “The personal experience of having known so many of the rock stars we play on our radio station is tremendous.”
The reality speaks for itself. From 2005 until the recent morning changes, Wellman didn’t hire anyone new. That’s two decades of continuity in an industry that hemorrhages talent constantly. “We have this murderer’s row of all the best rock DJs in New York in New York history on our radio station for a long, long time,” he explains.
The Philosophy: One Song, One Band at a Time
Wellman’s approach to evolution is deliberate and methodical — what he calls “turning a cruise ship, not a speedboat.” In 2001, the idea of a classic rock station playing Pearl Jam, Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, or Green Day seemed insane. Today, it’s business as usual. However, he didn’t make a sudden format flip. He started with a couple of songs. Then those worked, so he added a few more. Then he moved to another band that was “a standard deviation away” — a term from mathematics he uses to describe incremental risk.
First deviation: grunge and alt-rock bands like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains. Second deviation: deeper cuts. Third and fourth deviations: Linkin Park represents the most obvious shift. Yet Wellman frames it simply: “It’s still a rock song, and that’s fine.”
He’s already eyeing the next phase. “Probably the next thing on the horizon is starting to look at some of those other early 2000s active rock things we didn’t touch over the years, like Shinedown or Breaking Benjamin. There might be a song or two there that we start looking into.”
His decision-making metric is simple — the “craps game” analogy. “There’s really only one place on that table where you should be putting your money that gives you the best odds. When we’re picking music, I want to play the songs that give me the most chance of having anyone tuning in loving it.”
Authenticity as Strength
What keeps Wellman optimistic about rock radio’s future is rooted in something deeper than format theory. It’s authenticity. “People have been burying classic rock or rock in general for years, probably since 1991 when Nirvana came and blew everything up,” he says. “And here we are, 35 years later. Not only did it not blow up, those bands are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and we’re playing all of them.”
His closing argument is one of conviction: “We have people who made the best music that’s ever been made, and continue to do so. Who can play their instruments, who can sing without help. And when you add that into the murderer’s row of air personalities who have that connection to our audience going back years and years and years to say ‘this is okay’ — there’s nothing wrong with these bands. They’re great, and we love the Foo Fighters as much as we love the Rolling Stones. They can all fill stadiums. So what’s wrong with that?”
Q104.3 has done it for 30 years. “Do we have another 30? Why not?”
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Few television shows have experienced the longevity that College GameDay on ESPN has achieved. Entering the program’s 40th season beginning next week, the cast of characters that has become a Saturday morning staple is set to return. Kirk Herbstreit enters his 31st season on the program, flanked by Desmond Howard, Nick Saban and Pat McAfee, and hosted by Rece Davis, who enters his 12th season with the program.
“Fans still cherish those Saturdays. They want to be a part of something that celebrates their school and the big game. The fact that they’ve decided that we’re worthy of their time and attention over the years is something I’m very grateful for,” says Davis.
Davis is no stranger to the ESPN audience. Over his three decades of work for the network, his main priority remains serving as the host of College GameDay for both football and basketball. His resume continues to grow, with experience covering everything from auto racing to the NBA and, most recently, Wimbledon.
A Different Kickoff
As he enters his 12th college football season as host of College GameDay, this year begins differently than any other. For the first time, the program enters a new season without Lee Corso at the desk. Last season, College GameDaysaluted Corso with a farewell broadcast ahead of the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes matchup, live from Columbus, Ohio.
“My best memory of that day was the love and gratitude that everyone showed Lee [Corso]. Truly, for what he meant to the show and the sport,” noted Davis. “They let us move to our set to midfield, spelled out the man’s name with the band. They let us broadcast on the pa in the stadium, and a rival network carried it live. Pretty amazing stuff. The cooperation that every had ensured that was memorable.”
Davis credited both Ohio State and Texas for allowing the tribute in the fashion they did. A unique salute without letting it affect the magnitude of the top two teams in the sport opening the season by playing one another.
Corso’s exit also meant the signature sendoff that became the show’s most popular segment was coming to an end. No longer would a host wear the headgear as the grand finale selection moving forward. Davis shared that, several years prior to Corso’s exit, discussions began about how to move past the loud crescendo of GameDay’s weekly finale that Corso had made his own.
“The great thing about the headgear at the end was it was authentic. It was genuine to the person that was doing it. I think we’ve found exactly the right way to end the show with Pat [McAfee] making his pick. It’s not forced. It’s authentic and unique to him,” explained Davis. “It was great that we were able to do that without figuring out how we were going to end the show. It’s not replacing the headgear, because they’re both great ways to sign off the show.”
Crafting The Official Visit
As ESPN continues to count down to the kickoff of the college football season, Davis was front and center in ramping up excitement for the season with The Official Visit. Davis participated in the ESPN series for the second consecutive year, helping build excitement for the upcoming season.
This year, Davis visited five different schools and universities around the country. He gained exclusive access for one-on-one conversations with news making college football coaches and players. The process of selecting who to profile was something that took time between Davis and a team of ESPN staff.
“The goal is to choose one program from each power four conference, and we added Notre Dame for the second straight year because of the storylines. Plus, it gives us a full week of content,” said Davis. “What we look for is who we think will be the most interesting people going into the season. Plus, how we could show another side of the subject away from the field.”
Not every request was granted. Davis noted that the network attempted to secure an episode with new LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin. However, both sides decided mutually to wait until GameDay’s debut in Baton Rouge next week for an exclusive.
The five-part series featured Davis profiling three head coaches and two quarterbacks. Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, Miami’s Mario Cristobal and Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire filled the coaching episodes. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr were the two players featured.
“I think we could apply these types of interviews to other sports for sure,” notes Davis about whether he feels the “Official Visit” setting could work with other sports. “It gets you out of the old knee-to-knee interview. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but it does give you a different feel to the discussion.”
The Role Of Host
Now with the Official Visit schedule in the rearview mirror, Davis is focused on hitting the road for another football season in the fall. Every week is filled with constant communication with the GameDay team and personalities. The team builds a living and breathing rundown for the program throughout the week.
Not to mention the group dinners on Friday nights, where talent and staff can share stories and talk football. Davis notes those opportunities on the eve of GameDay are some of the best parts of the experience.
Then comes Saturday morning. Large crowds at every stop enjoy a party-like atmosphere as the kickoff to another college football Saturday begins. This is where the work begins for Davis: being the timekeeper, the point guard, but also navigating and participating where he sees fit.
“I try to be genuine to who I am and be involved in the conversation. There’s a thing our producers like to joke with me. Because I don’t love it when they tell me to tee up other talent on the desk. My standard joking response to them is if you need somebody to tee something up, you can go hire a trained seal. They’re pretty good at putting balls up on a tee,” explained Davis.
Davis believes a host is at their best when they are present in the conversation while understanding their limits in expertise.
“I’m never going to argue with Desmond Howard about how to get off press coverage,” joked Davis. “You have to know where your guys on the desk have expertise where you don’t… You want to have everyone on your set shine and look great by letting everyone be a part of the conversation.”
Davis leans on that approach with every talent at the desk. Each personality brings their own credentials and experience, adding different layers to the program. The additions over the past several years of Pat McAfee and Nick Saban continue to show ESPN’s level of commitment to ensuring College GameDay remains destination programming on Saturdays for years to come.
A Busy Summer
Aside from his Official Visit series, Davis remained busy this offseason. For the first time in his career, Davis provided coverage as host of ESPN’s coverage of The Championships, Wimbledon. The assignment came up during contract discussions last year, but it was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.
“It was really rewarding as a sports fan. Wimbledon is one of those events that even if you’re not a hardcore tennis follower, it was great to experience one of the great traditions in sports,” said Davis. “To be able to be a part of that was awesome. We had an amazing team both on camera and behind the scenes.”
Davis admits that after he received the assignment, he had to brush up on his tennis knowledge. He followed the sport more frequently at one time, but likened his preparation for the Wimbledon role to another assignment he had taken on previously.
“It was very much when I did horse racing in some ways. I knew some things about tennis, but I didn’t know anything about horse racing when I got that assignment. I called jockeys and trainers to learn the basics, like how to read a racing form,” explained Davis. “So, I likened the experience to horse racing. Because it had been some time since I done something that was totally new to me. It was like learning a new language. Thankfully, I was fortunate that everyone on that team was so dedicate to the sport, craft and the event. We have some rising stars on the tennis side with our group of analysts.”
Sunday, ESPN wrapped up its record breaking ’26 #Wimbledon coverage
Shoutout to the entire ESPN tennis team, in front of the camera and behind the scenes👏 pic.twitter.com/xYl0TAS3xU
Davis notes that Wimbledon was one of the bucket-list sports events he had ever attended and worked for ESPN. Now, he’s expanding his role with tennis for ESPN. Davis is scheduled to be part of the network’s coverage of the US Open on Sundays during the very early parts of the college football season. Davis notes he also hopes to have more opportunities over the next few years calling more college football games for the network.
For Davis, that versatility may be what makes the start of this season feel so significant.
College GameDay is entering its 40th season, but the show is not simply celebrating its history. It is moving forward without one of the most recognizable figures in its history while continuing to evolve the way it connects with fans.
Davis has been at the center of that evolution for more than a decade. He’s helps guide the program through changes in talent, format and the sports television landscape. All while allowing the personalities around him to remain themselves. Now, with another season approaching, he will once again take his place at the center of the chaos, the conversations and the traditions that have made GameDay a Saturday morning institution.
There will be a new season, new campuses and new storylines. There will also be a noticeable absence. But as the show prepares to begin its historic 40th season, Davis understands that the responsibility is not to recreate what College GameDay was. It is to make sure the next chapter is worthy of everything that came before it.
As he learned from Corso himself, “It’s entertainment, sweetheart.”
Every Saturday morning this fall, as the buses roll in, the crowds gather and another college football season takes center stage, Davis will once again be there to help lead the way.
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Las Vegas radio is getting a shakeup, and Kemp Broadcasting is at the center of it. Starting Tuesday, September 1st, 106.9 KVGQ will drop its classic hip hop format and launch as a conservative news/talk station, picking up several nationally syndicated shows that suddenly found themselves without a home in the market.
The move comes after Audacy announced that 840 KXNT, the market’s longtime news/talk outlet, would go dark on August 31st due to a lease dispute over its towers. That left shows like The Glenn Beck Program and The Mark Levin Show searching for a new signal, and Kemp Broadcasting saw an opportunity to consolidate its position in the format.
The company already operates 670 KMZQ as a conservative talk station, and rather than compete head-on with a new entrant, Kemp decided to build out a two-station approach instead. KVGQ will lean national, while KMZQ shifts toward a more locally driven identity.
How the Deal Came Together
Marty Basch, Executive Vice President of Kemp Broadcasting and Digital Outdoor, said the timeline moved unusually fast once KXNT’s exit became public.
“It was a quick turnaround,” said Basch. “The other station was going off the air basically, and they pretty much rolled out that the end of the station would be on the 31st of August. There were a number of shows that, through their press releases, weren’t picking up a home in the Vegas market.”
Because so many shows lacked a landing spot, Kemp moved quickly to lock down names that would otherwise have gone dark in the market. Basch described the calculation as straightforward once the opportunity became clear.
“We have a chance here to pretty much own the talk format in the market between the two stations,” Basch said. “They chose not to pick up Glenn Beck. They chose not to pick up Mark Levin. Dana Loesch, they weren’t picking up.”
Once those shows became available, Kemp built a lineup around them rather than starting from scratch. Basch also pointed to internal moves the company made to strengthen the schedule further.
“If we can pick up Glenn Beck, I can take from my AM station, from KMZQ, I can bring Clay Travis and Buck Sexton over,” Basch said. “We could pick up Hugh Hewitt from Salem, pull in Mark Levin, and then the Dana show with Dr. Dahlia, and at that point we have one of the stronger lineups in the country, we think, as far as talk goes.”
That confidence traces back to decades of experience in the market. Basch has deep roots in Las Vegas radio, having served as general manager of KXNT under CBS Radio between 2001 and 2008.
“I understand the talk business. I understand the radio business,” the Kemp Broadcasting executive shared. “I’ve been in the radio business for almost 40 years now in Las Vegas.”
A Local-National Split Across Two Stations
Kemp’s strategy hinges on differentiating its two talk outlets rather than letting them overlap. KMZQ will keep hosts like Steve Sanchez and Kevin Wall, along with Wayne Allyn Root, all of whom Basch describes as embedded in the local market despite being nationally syndicated. A new addition, Tom Letizia and his show Middle Ground, joins the AM lineup after the elections.
Meanwhile, KVGQ will carry the bulk of the national programming, including Beck, Levin, Hewitt, and the Travis-Sexton pairing. Basch believes the split gives Kemp an edge that Audacy’s KXNT never fully built.
“I’ll have that local input, that local flair,” Basch said. “Along with the national news that we run at the top of the hour, I’ll also run local news. I do local traffic and then I also do local sports as well.”
Selling the two stations as a package presents its own challenge, though Basch remains optimistic. Because Kemp operates independently rather than through a larger corporate structure, decisions moved without layers of approval slowing things down.
“We don’t have to go to corporate and get approval to do these different things,” Basch said. “It’s really getting the staff together and sitting down and brainstorming.”
Basch also framed the shift as a way to protect jobs rather than cut them. Unlike companies facing budget shortfalls that lead to layoffs, Kemp’s expansion adds responsibility, and in some cases hours, for existing staff.
“This just gives maybe some more responsibilities to a few different department heads,” Basch said. “But that’s also an important part.”
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