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Kirk Herbstreit: ESPN “Guilty” of Lack of College Football Coverage on Daily Studio Shows

John Mamola
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Kirk Herbstreit: ESPN “Guilty” of Lack of College Football Coverage on Daily Studio Shows

Kirk Herbstreit is calling out his own network over a lack of college football coverage on daily studio programs. The longtime ESPN analyst says college football gets buried on the network’s daily studio shows in an interview with Bussin’ with the Boys.

What We Know: Herbstreit raised the issue on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast this week. He argued that ESPN’s morning studio shows favor the NFL, the NBA and MLB over college football. Meanwhile, his comments echo ESPN content president Burke Magnus, who has said previously the network undercovers the sport. In fact, ESPN is also launching Bussin’ & Pate on Campus, a new Friday show with Josh Pate, Will Compton and Taylor Lewan, debuting September 4 in Baton Rouge.

What They Said: (All comments via Bussin’ with the Boys):

Kirk Herbstreit says ESPN is guilty of not providing enough college football conversation on studio shows: “I’ll be honest with you, man. Our own place [ESPN] has been very guilty, those morning shows. It’s NFL or LeBron James or the Yankees or the Dodgers. They’re playing the hits. They’re not breaking down what’s going on in Nebraska unless there’s turmoil. Unless there’s some kind of controversy, then they’re going to want to get into it. They’re not talking college football. Wait a second, why are you always talking NBA and MLB and WNBA? Where’s college football on your rundown? It’s the second biggest sport.”

Kirk Herbstreit says ESPN needs more college football programming on a daily basis: “The more college football and the more personalities like you guys [Bussin’ With The Boys] and Josh [Pate] who love it and care about it. Man, I wish you guys would do it [Bussin’ & Pate on Campus] Monday through Friday. Maybe this Friday show will lead to a Monday through Friday. I think we need more college football on ESPN.”

What Remains Unclear: However, it remains unclear whether ESPN will expand beyond the new Friday show with Lewan, Compton and Pate.

What It Means: Herbstreit’s comments echo network management about the realization of underserving college football coverage throughout the week. After all, Burke Magnus has said the sport deserves more airtime given its audience size. The new Friday show is a start, but Herbstreit wants daily coverage. Moreover, with time, the network will likely continue to build upon what it has built already. In addition, ESPN does oversee the SEC Network, ACC Network, and several other networks surrounding college athletics.

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Gregg Giannotti: Replacing Damon Amendolara With Steve Torre a “Weird” Choice for Mad Dog Sports Radio

John Mamola
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Gregg Giannotti: Replacing Damon Amendolara With Steve Torre a “Weird” Choice for Mad Dog Sports Radio

WFAN’s Gregg Giannotti is a little confused on the announcement by SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio yesterday that Steve Torre is the new morning show co-host on the channel. The WFAN host says Steve Torre’s new gig sounds like small-market radio, and not a move SiriusXM typically makes.

What We Know: Damon Amendolara exited Mad Dog Sports Radio’s morning show last Friday, ending a three-year run with Mike Babchik. SiriusXM then tapped Torre late Monday afternoon as his replacement. Torre is the channel’s program director, and will begin co-hosting with Mike Babchik on September 8. Torre previously hosted evenings and worked alongside Danny Kanell before adding programming duties. Giannotti addressed the move on Boomer & Gio Tuesday morning.

What They Said: (All quotes via WFAN Boomer & Gio Show):

Gregg Giannotti says the announcement of Steve Torre is similar to small market radio: “You’re telling me you’re going to be the program director and the morning guy? What is this? Omaha? That’s what they do in Charlesville, Pennsylvania.”

Gregg Giannotti on Steve Torre replacing Damon Amendolara on Mad Dog Sports Radio: “Everybody’s walking around the guillotine over their head when you get to a certain level. But if I were [Damon Amendolara], you replaced me with the program director? That’s a tough pill to swallow. DA’s been doing mornings for a long time. He’s had success. People like him. The program director replaced him?”

Gregg Giannotti on a programmer replacing a talent with himself: “It seems strange. In any other instance in media, where the guy who’s sort of behind the scenes, then they get rid of the guy who’s been doing it. Then he, as the boss, who is the person who makes decisions, is now making a decision to hire himself in mornings.”

Gregg Giannotti thought Mad Dog Sports Radio would have brought in someone on the level of Amendolara or better: “It just struck me as strange. I thought, when they were going to replace it, they replace it with someone who’s done it for a long time. Maybe as long as Damon [Amendolara], or maybe longer. Or someone who had done it at a high level somewhere for maybe a few years. I guess that’s the way it works over there.”

What Remains Unclear: Whether Amendolara resurfaces elsewhere remains unclear, though he’ll keep hosting the NFL Tailgate Show. Torre hasn’t said whether his programming role changes once mornings start in any capacity.

What It Means: Giannotti’s comments highlight an interesting decision by SiriusXM management. Replacing a host with significant experience in morning drive with his boss does come off as a cost-cutting measure more than a long term solution. It will be interesting to see how Torre and Babchik work for the subscriber base of Mad Dog Sports Radio. Especially with added competition in more than twenty Audacy sports radio stations coming to the satellite platform. Consequently, Torre now faces pressure to prove the move wasn’t self-serving in many minds. Whether that bet pays off will shape morning drive rankings for years.

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David Pollack Partners With On3 For Distribution Of See Ball Get Ball

John Mamola
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David Pollack Partners With On3 For Distribution Of See Ball Get Ball

David Pollack has a new distribution home. The College Football Hall of Famer is joining On3, bringing his popular show See Ball Get Ball with him.

What We Know: Pollack, a three-time All-American at Georgia, spent more than a decade at ESPN, anchoring coverage on College GameDay. He left ESPN in 2023 to launch See Ball Get Ball. Since then, he’s built it into a growing hub for candid college football analysis. Now, his content will run across On3.com, video and social platforms.

What They Said: David Pollack: “College football is what I love, and I’ve had a blast building See Ball Get Ball. When you look at the audience On3 has built, the momentum behind the brand and how committed they are to college football, uniting with On3 was a no-brainer. I’m excited about what we can build together.”

Shannon Terry, Founder & CEO of On3: “David Pollack is one of the most respected and recognizable voices in college football. He brings credibility, personality and a lifetime of football experience. Adding David and See Ball Get Ball to what we’re building strengthens our national coverage and is a big win for the On3 audience.”

What Remains Unclear: On3 hasn’t announced a launch date for Pollack’s new content distribution. Meanwhile, it hasn’t disclosed financial terms, either.

What It Means: The move adds serious star power to On3’s college football coverage, who annually forms partnerships with the games biggest voices. Meanwhile, Pollack gains a bigger stage without fully leaving where he built See Ball Get Ball behind. Moreover, for fans, it simply means more Pollack, more often and in more places. In addition, On3 continues to add more talent partnerships ahead of the college football season.

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.

Political Advertising on Radio Jumps 22% as 2026 Midterms Approach

Garrett Searight
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Political Advertising on Radio Jumps 22% as 2026 Midterms Approach

Political advertising on radio has jumped 22% in the past month as campaigns prepare for the midterm election’s biggest spending stretch. AdImpact reports radio has collected $124 million in political ad spending so far this cycle.

What We Know: All of the information comes from AdImpact, which reports radio spending has risen from $101 million to $124 million in the past month. The increase comes as political advertisers prepare for a major spending surge after Labor Day. AdImpact’s data from the 2022 and 2024 election cycles shows radio spending accelerated sharply from August through September before roughly doubling again in October. Meanwhile, about $6.1 billion has been spent across broadcast television, cable, radio, digital, satellite, and connected TV during the 2026 races.

What the Numbers Show: Radio’s $124 million ranks behind broadcast television at $3.12 billion, connected TV at $1.14 billion, digital at $937 million, and cable at $770 million. However, radio has outpaced satellite, which has received $51 million. Issue groups account for $4.09 billion of overall spending, while candidates have spent $1.98 billion. AdImpact also projects the 2026 election cycle will set a record for political advertising spending, with total spending expected to reach $11.6 billion.

What Remains Unclear: Radio has captured about 45% of AdImpact’s $273 million projection for the medium. However, the current pace doesn’t guarantee radio will reach or exceed that figure. Much of the remaining spending will depend on the intensity of competitive races and how campaigns allocate their budgets across media platforms.

What It Means: Radio appears positioned to benefit as campaigns enter the most expensive portion of the election cycle. After Labor Day, spending should accelerate further as candidates and outside groups make their final pushes. If previous election cycles provide a guide, October could bring another significant wave of political advertising dollars to radio.

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.

Walt Disney Company Reportedly Offering Voluntary Early Retirement Packages For Executives

John Mamola
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Walt Disney Company Reportedly Offering Voluntary Early Retirement Packages For Executives

The Walt Disney Company is reportedly offering longtime executives an early exit. The buyout program comes as deeper cuts loom company-wide.

What We Know: According to Deadline, Disney’s Sonia Coleman unveiled the Voluntary Early Retirement Offer in a memo to directors and above. Eligible executives must hit 65 points, combining age and tenure, with minimums of 50 and 10 years. Meanwhile, the program follows April and July layoffs and supports Disney’s broader cost-cutting push. More involuntary reductions are reportedly expected into next year.

What They Said: Disney EVP and Chief People Officer Sonia Coleman (memo obtained via Deadline): “Over the past few years, we’ve made real changes to how we operate, and we’re still in that process. As you heard on our most recent earnings call, we’re focused on meaningfully reducing costs as part of our ongoing transformation, so we can continue to invest in the areas that will drive our future growth: content, technology, and experiences. We’ve been evaluating a range of options, and the next phase includes introducing a Voluntary Early Retirement Offer (VERO) for a defined group of eligible executives.”

What Remains Unclear: The length of the election window remains unspecified. However, it’s also unclear how many senior executives will ultimately accept the offer. Disney hasn’t detailed the total financial cost of the program.

What It Means: The offer somewhat softens the blow of Disney’s ongoing corporate restructuring. It rewards veteran executives while trimming costs ahead of involuntary layoffs. For eligible leaders, ‘VERO’ likely beats waiting for a potential layoff. Still, it signals that more organizational change is coming under new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro.

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Netflix Reportedly Wanting To Add Peacock, Fox One Access Within Its Platform

John Mamola
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Netflix Reportedly Wanting To Add Peacock, Fox One Access Within Its Platform

Netflix reportedly is considering adding Peacock and Fox One inside its app. The New York Times reports discussions are already underway. With Netflix looking to compete with YouTube and Roku on a different playing field.

What We Know: According to a report by the New York Times, Netflix has discussed adding Peacock and Fox One to its app with NBCUniversal and Fox. No deal is imminent, and terms remain undecided. In June, however, Netflix added a live feed of France’s TF1 broadcaster, its first move of this kind. That integration keeps viewers inside Netflix’s app longer, echoing the bundling push at YouTube and Roku.

What They Said: Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters called the early results of the TF1 partnership “very promising” on last month’s earnings call. “If we see additional deals that similarly serve our members that work for our partner, that work for us, we’ll certainly consider them.”

What Remains Unclear: Netflix hasn’t officially said whether it would absorb Peacock and Fox One content. Much like YouTube did, or sell subscriptions like Amazon does. That choice affects revenue splits and who controls the customer relationship. Other media firms may follow too, since Paramount’s WBD merger could reshape Paramount+ and HBO Max distribution. Pricing and timing for any Netflix deal remain unannounced.

What It Means: A Netflix that hosts rival apps would echo Amazon’s long-running playbook. It also reverses Netflix’s own claim, two years ago, that it “already operates as a go-to destination for entertainment.” Distributing elsewhere carries trade-offs, too. Companies lose revenue share and the direct customer relationship, but they save on marketing and tech costs. If Netflix moves forward, it could deepen its hold on viewers’ attention.

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Australia Bans AI-Generated Music From Official Charts

David Hill
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Australia Bans AI-Generated Music From Official Charts

Australia bans AI-generated music from official charts. New ARIA rules take effect this Friday.

What We Know Australia’s Recording Industry Association updated its Charts Code of Practice Friday. The new rules exclude songs created wholly or mostly by artificial intelligence. However, “substantially human-made” recordings using AI assistance can still chart eligibility. ARIA leadership can remove ineligible tracks, alter positions, and revoke chart awards accordingly.

What’s at Stake The music industry signals a clear boundary on AI authenticity. ARIA aligns with July’s International Federation of Phonographic Industry framework affecting 20-plus chart programs. Artists now face defined rules rather than uncertainty about AI tool usage. This move directly addresses Queensland DJ Josh Fawaz’s Madonna cover incident from last month.

What Remains Unclear Enforcement mechanisms for “substantially human-made” determinations stay vague currently. The exact threshold between AI assistance and human-made work remains undefined. Whether appeal processes will prove effective for contested exclusions stays uncertain. How streaming platforms will coordinate with ARIA’s decisions hasn’t been fully clarified.

What It Means Global recording bodies now establish consistent AI eligibility standards worldwide. The industry prioritizes protecting human creators amid broader copyright disputes. Australian courts may face appeals challenging specific exclusion decisions. Producers must now strategically document human contributions to recordings going forward. And the big question, will the United States follow?

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Erin Austin Returns to 100.3 The Bull Houston Afternoon Show

David Hill
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Erin Austin Returns to 100.3 The Bull Houston Afternoon Show

Erin Austin returns to 100.3 The Bull KILT-FM Houston. The Audacy Country station names her afternoon host, replacing Nick Russo after twelve years.

What We Know Austin previously served as Assistant Music Director and midday host at KILT-FM from 2009 to 2020. Since 2021, she’s hosted middays on WLFP Memphis and afternoons on WRVR Memphis. Additionally, Austin tracks afternoons at 92.5 WBEE Rochester and 93.1 WPAW Greensboro. Russo departs after joining KILT-FM in 2014 as a weekend host, eventually rising to afternoons in 2016.

What’s at Stake The Houston Country market continues evolving with this move. KILT-FM reinforces its commitment to experienced talent with deep market knowledge. Austin’s eleven-year tenure at the station previously makes her a familiar voice to listeners. This decision signals Audacy’s confidence in internal mobility within its Country cluster.

What Remains Unclear The exact start date for Austin hasn’t been announced yet. Her tracking duties across other Audacy markets remain undefined at this time. Whether Russo will pursue opportunities elsewhere in the Audacy cluster stays unknown. Details about any format adjustments or promotional initiatives haven’t surfaced.

What It Means Audacy invests in continuity by bringing back proven talent. Austin’s extensive background across Country and Hot AC formats strengthens KILT-FM’s afternoon positioning. This move demonstrates the value of developing relationships with former employees. Houston listeners will reconnect with a voice they haven’t heard locally since 2020.

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Jack-FM Returns to Full Power in Kansas City

David Hill
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Jack-FM Returns to Full Power in Kansas City

Jack-FM returns to full power in Kansas City tonight. Cumulus Media simulcasts the brand to 107.3 KMJK and K273BZ translator at midnight.

What We Know Cumulus brings Jack back to a robust signal for the first time since 2016. The translator at K273BZ covers downtown areas. Meanwhile, 107.3 KMJK reaches the Missouri side. This dual approach mirrors successful strategies used elsewhere. Additionally, the brand last dominated with a full signal on 105.1 KCJK before moving to streaming.

What’s at Stake Competitor Bob-FM at 102.1 has momentum. The station jumped from 4.6 to 6.3 share recently. Therefore, Cumulus deploys Jack as a flanker to protect 94.9 KCMO-FM. The Classic Hits station previously posted mid-teens shares. Moreover, the radio landscape shifted after Cumulus dropped Nielsen tracking last year. This move signals renewed confidence in Variety Hits appeal.

What Remains Unclear Will the full power signal recapture Jack’s former strength? Industry observers wonder if dual-format strategy fragments the audience. Additionally, it’s uncertain how much the 107.3 KMJK signal canreach key demos. Finally, Bob-FM’s momentum may continue regardless of competitive positioning.

What It Means Kansas City’s Cumulus cluster now flexes its full toolbox. The company clearly prioritizes defending market dominance. Furthermore, this reminds stations that format variety matters in competitive markets. Ultimately, Jack-FM’s return marks another chapter in the market’s evolving radio landscape. The brand launched here in October 2004—making this homecoming historically significant.

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.

DAZN Partners With Monumental Sports Network For Secondary Streaming Option

John Mamola
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DAZN Partners With Monumental Sports Network For Secondary Streaming Option

DAZN has landed another U.S. based marquee partner. Monumental Sports Network’s streaming app Monumental+ will soon live on the global platform as a subscription channel

What We Know: Monumental+ will become available through DAZN, expanding access to MNMT’s live games and original programming. The deal builds on DAZN’s fast-growing U.S. sports footprint, which already includes NFL Game Pass, NHL.tv, and games from NBA, MLB and NHL teams. DAZN recently acquired ViewLift, the direct-to-consumer streaming technology that powers Monumental+ itself. That acquisition lets DAZN offer leagues and teams a hybrid model, blending their own platforms with DAZN’s global reach.

What They Said: Zach Leonsis, President of Media and New Enterprises for Monumental Sports & Entertainment: “Monumental Sports Network has incredible reach across the DMV, and we continue to pursue opportunities that engage fans wherever and however they choose to watch. DAZN has built a highly innovative global sports entertainment platform and offers an extensive portfolio of premium sports content. We’re pleased to give fans another way to watch our live games and other programming.”

Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group: “Monumental Sports Network has created a compelling local sports offering, and DAZN is delighted to collaborate with them to expand its reach. As we continue to grow our portfolio of premium US sports content – from NFL Game Pass and NHL.tv to live games from leading NBA, MLB and NHL teams – partnerships such as this highlight the benefits of DAZN’s built-for-sport platform for rights holders, ensuring fans have more ways to access the sports they love.”

What Remains Unclear: DAZN and MNMT have not disclosed financial terms or a launch date for access to the app. It’s also unclear whether MNMT’s debut on the streaming platform will expand its existing DMV footprint or purely add distribution.

What It Means: The deal deepens DAZN’s push into local and regional U.S. sports rights. For MNMT, it adds another top-tier partner alongside cable, streaming and direct-to-consumer options. Meanwhile, DAZN strengthens its case as a one-stop hub for teams seeking global reach without giving up their own platforms. Ultimately, fans gain one more easy way to watch Capitals, Wizards and Mystics games.

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