iHeartMedia has announced Vince Richards as the new Program Director of 97.1 The Eagle and Lone Star 92.5.
Richards had previously served as the Vice President of Rock Programming at Audacy before joining the iHeartMedia Dallas cluster.
“I’m excited, focused and motivated to lead the talented teams at these two iconic radio stations in the DFW market, and I look forward to maximizing our positions in North Texas,” Richards said. “Thanks to the iHeart team for the opportunity to take the reins of 97.1 The Eagle and Lone Star 92.5.”
In addition to his tenure leading rock programming for Audacy, Richards has spent time in Sacramento, Kansas City, New Orleans, and Houston, among others.
“Any time you have the opportunity to add someone with Vince’s experience and reputation to your team, it’s a tremendous win for everyone involved,” said iHeartMedia Dallas-Fort Worth Region President Chris Long. “We’re excited to welcome Vince to our Dallas team and look forward to the impact he’ll make.”
In his new role, Vince Richards will report to Executive Vice President of Programming Marc Sherman.
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ESPN’s daily studio lineup delivered a strong start to 2026, posting significant year-over-year audience growth across multiple dayparts. According to Nielsen data, ESPN’s signature studio shows averaged 485,000 viewers during the first quarter.
That figure represents a 14% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Momentum built quickly, fueled by strong January performances that carried through March.
Several programs led the charge with record-setting quarterly averages.
Get Up turned in its best first quarter on record. The morning show averaged 464,000 viewers, up 18% from a year ago. Each month set a new benchmark, including January, February and March.
The Pat McAfee Show also reached a new high for Q1. The program averaged 520,000 viewers across linear and digital platforms. Monthly growth remained consistent, highlighted by its most-watched January in show history.
In the afternoon window, the 2 p.m. edition of SportsCenter delivered its strongest first quarter performance to date. The program averaged 326,000 viewers and showed double-digit growth year-over-year.
Meanwhile, NBA Today posted a 24% increase, finishing the quarter with an average audience of 360,000.
Late-night remained a major driver for ESPN. SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt led all studio shows with an average of 868,000 viewers. The program benefited from strong lead-ins tied to the NFL playoffs and the College Football Playoff.
January proved especially impactful, with the show averaging 1.9 million viewers for the month.
Other established programs also delivered notable gains.
Pardon the Interruption averaged 777,000 viewers, marking its best first quarter since 2019. The show improved 16% compared to last year. The 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter followed with 533,000 viewers, its highest first quarter average in nearly a decade.
The addition of co-anchor Christine Williamson alongside Kevin Negandhi helped fuel that growth.
NFL Live posted one of the largest jumps, climbing 30% year-over-year to 469,000 viewers. It marked the show’s best first quarter performance since 2015. Additional gains came from First Take, which averaged 524,000 viewers, and several editions of SportsCenter across early morning, weekend and overnight windows. Each recorded year-over-year increases.
ESPN also saw early success from its newer programming. The 5 p.m. edition of SportsCenter, which debuted in May 2025, averaged 477,000 viewers in its first measured first quarter. That total represented a 10% increase over the same timeslot last year.
Metrics for the Q1 viewership totals are based on the Nielsen Big Data + Panel and YouTube Analytics. The Nielsen Big Data + Panel methodology began use in September of 2025.
Multiple ESPN studio shows surged to record first quarter viewership
📈 Daily studio shows up 14% for Q1 '26 📈 5 shows scored their highest Q1 average audiences ever
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As one of the most recognizable voices in sports broadcasting, Joe Buck has heard his share of criticism. Now at ESPN, he says dealing with that scrutiny has evolved over time. During a recent appearance on Sports Media with Richard Deitsch, Buck offered a candid look at how social media feedback has impacted him throughout his career.
While many broadcasters claim to ignore the noise, Buck admitted that wasn’t always the case.
“I did let it bother me,” Buck said. “Unless you’re a psychopath, when you see things written about you and they’re not nice, it’s hard to just slough that off.”
He described the accumulation of criticism as something that gradually wears on a person. Even dismissive advice about ignoring online comments never fully resonated with him.
“People say, ‘Why do you care about somebody in their mom’s basement?’” Buck said. “Well, maybe they’re not in their mom’s basement. Maybe they’re CEO, and they think you suck. So, I don’t subscribe to that either.”
However, Buck made it clear that perspective has come with experience. As his resume grew to include some of the biggest events in sports at FOX Sports and now with ESPN, so did his understanding of the job’s realities. From calling the Super Bowl to the World Series, Buck said criticism is simply part of the territory.
“If you’re going to cash the check and you’re going to be there all puffed up getting ready to do World Series, Stanley Cup, or the Super Bowl… This is part of the job,” he said. “You have to be an adult and realize that not everybody’s gonna like you. I realized that a long time ago. It wasn’t easy and it hurt.”
Buck acknowledged that earlier in his career, negative feedback felt more personal and more difficult to process. Over time, though, he learned to separate performance from perception. Still, the platform delivering that criticism has changed the equation.
Buck pointed to the immediacy of smartphones as a key factor in how he receives feedback today.
“When it’s on your phone, it feels personal,” he said. “When it comes to this thing, and it’s in your hand and it’s on the same thing that your family and your daughters text you, I love you. Then you see, oh, you suck. You’re the worst I’ve ever heard. Good thing you had a famous dad. It’s all filtered in the same machine, and it feels like it’s more personal.”
That proximity, he explained, blurs the line between professional critique and personal attack. As a result, even seasoned broadcasters can feel the sting more sharply. Hence why Buck decided to move away from reading his critics on his phone moving forward.
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David Samson is taking a measured approach to one of the most scrutinized stories in sports media, choosing patience over immediacy as the situation involving Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel continues to unfold.
During Monday’s episode of Nothing Personal with David Samson, the former Miami Marlins president explained why he initially held back from addressing the controversy. Samson admitted the decision was not about avoiding the topic. Rather weighing how his comments could impact colleagues at Meadowlark Media, including Dan Le Batard.
“I was concerned about my friend Dan… and how he would view a story about this,” Samson said. He added that while the situation typically would have prompted immediate reaction, he instead focused on how quickly public opinion formed without complete information.
“I would have brought up immediately and not because of the affair part. The interesting part to me is the conclusory nature of people and how it is they react in a crisis,” explained Samson.
The broader controversy centers on Russini, a national NFL reporter for The Athletic, who is reportedly under internal review after photos surfaced showing her with Vrabel at an Arizona resort. Both parties have denied any inappropriate relationship. However, the optics have sparked debate about journalistic boundaries and the perception of objectivity.
As more details emerged, Samson shifted his attention to how the situation was handled publicly. He questioned the decision-making behind initial responses from both individuals and their employer.
“Why is it that people have this urge to explain something wrong and think that no one’s gonna find out,” Samson said. “Do you know that when you release a statement that you know is wrong, and then your company supports you. Then they find out that it could be wrong, and then all of a sudden, you’re suspended and being investigated and not allowed to do your job. Because the company that backed you has a boss too? We all have a boss and then says, Wait a minute, we may have a journalistic integrity issue here.”
At the same time, Samson broadened the discussion beyond this specific case. He argued that relationships between reporters and sources are more common than many fans realize, and they often operate within a transactional dynamic.
“If you think that self-dealing doesn’t go on and relationships don’t exist both sexual and not sexual in nature… you’re just naive,” Samson said. “If you think that reporters do not have relationships with certain people in industries… then you’re not paying attention.”
While he stopped short of making direct accusations about Russini or Vrabel, Samson emphasized that perception plays a powerful role in media trust. Even the appearance of blurred lines, he suggested, can create lasting questions for both journalists and the outlets they represent.
Ultimately, Samson made clear that his delayed response was intentional. Rather than contribute to speculation, he chose to wait for additional reporting and context before weighing in fully.
Last week, Le Batard opened up about the same delay in addressing the story saying he was uncomfortable with the “dirtiness” of what his former profession has become.
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Nexstar Media Group is looking to use NewsNation as its source for nationally produced packages on its local TV stations.
Previously, Nexstar stations have used segments produced by ABC, CBS, and NBC throughout its local newscasts. Now, it is asking stations to use content from NewsNation.
Nexstar Media Group owns more than 200 stations in 116 U.S. markets. It simultaneously operates the NewsNation cable channel.
A report from Bloomberg shares that Nexstar has ended the agreements it previously had with NBC for nationally reported segments.
Nexstar Media Group CEO Perry Sook previously told company employees that he believes NewsNation will ultimately become the “exclusive wire service and national news partner” for all of its local news operations.
The news comes amid Nexstar’s bid to acquire TEGNA in a $3.5 billion deal. After being granted approval for the move last month by the FCC, a coalition of state attorneys general has sued to block the move.
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After more than 20 years at CNN, including two separate stints, Stephanie Elam has announced she’s exiting the network.
Elam has worked as a Los Angeles-based correspondent for the network. She spent time from 2003 to 2011 with the network before exiting. She returned in 2013 and has remained since.
In a post on social media, Elam shared her appreciation for the network and the time she spent at CNN.
“For more than 20 years I’ve been in the CNN orbit developing and delivering news stories on everything from the environment and entertainment to business and breaking news of all kinds,” she said.
“I’m so proud of my CNN career,” she continued. “Live or taped, writing packages or doing a show-and-tell, I’ve done it all, and having a front row seat to document history has been a gift.”
Elam has yet to announce what her next move will be.
“Stephanie brought clarity, credibility, and heart to every story she touched over her two decades at CNN. Her versatility and natural ability to connect with audiences made her a trusted voice and a valued colleague,” CNN said in a statement confirming the news. “We are grateful for her many contributions and wish her continued success in her next chapter.”
Elam becomes the latest to announce their exit from the company. Last month, early morning anchor Rahel Solomon also departed the network.
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After more than three decades behind the microphone, longtime ESPN play-by-play voice Mark Jones signed off for the final time Sunday. Jones called the regular-season finale between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, closing a 36-year run with the network.
The moment carried added weight as colleagues across ESPN and the NBA paused to recognize his career.
Ahead of tip-off, Jones appeared on Inside the NBA. The studio crew — Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal — greeted him with a standing ovation.
Jones reflected on his journey during the appearance. He said the network had been his only home in television and expressed gratitude for the relationships built along the way.
“I have a very full and a very heavy heart today as I say goodbye to the only place that I’ve really worked in network television,” said Jones. “They talk about it being not about the destination but the journey. And my journey’s been outstanding.”
Once coverage shifted courtside at TD Garden, broadcast partner Doris Burke offered her own tribute. She praised Jones for his longevity and professionalism while noting the significance of the moment for everyone involved in the production.
Jones responded emotionally, thanking Burke before pivoting back to the task at hand. He told viewers the crew would handle the broadcast with the same energy and preparation that defined his career.
“Thanks to all my colleagues at ESPN. This has been an incredible ride, just implausible,” said Jones. “Doris [Burke], I appreciate you for always holding me down when it counted the most through the years. I love you and appreciate you. That sentiment goes to everybody at ESPN.”
Jones described his decision as the right time to move forward and expressed confidence that his best work remains ahead. While he did not detail the reasons behind his exit, Jones told the Miami Herald the decision was his. He also confirmed he will continue serving as the television voice of the Sacramento Kings on NBC Sports California.
Jones indicated he plans to remain in that role long term, citing his appreciation for the organization and the reception he has received in Sacramento.
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Pearson Broadcasting has reached an agreement with the Baker Family Trust to acquire 93.7 FM, a move that will significantly expand the reach of ESPN Arkansas. The company confirmed the deal in an April 10 release.
As part of the agreement, ESPN Arkansas will shift its programming to the 93.7 FM signal. Meanwhile, KISR — branded as Kisser 93 — will relocate to 93.1 FM while maintaining service to listeners across the River Valley.
The move gives ESPN Arkansas access to a 100,000-watt signal, dramatically increasing its coverage area. The station will now reach Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Northwest Arkansas, Harrison, Mountain Home and parts of eastern Oklahoma.
ESPN Arkansas General Manager Tommy Craft said the upgrade positions the brand for long-term growth.
“This is a true game-changer for us,” Craft said. “We’re excited to grow our footprint and bring our programming to more listeners across the state. Expanding our coverage means more fans can connect with our local shows and be part of the conversation.”
Craft added that sports remain a central part of daily life in Arkansas. He emphasized the importance of creating a platform where fans can engage with coverage of in-state teams and storylines. The deal also reflects a strategic shift for KISR, which will move to a slightly different position on the dial while sharpening its local focus.
Fred Baker, president of KISR, said the decision aligns with the station’s long-standing commitment to local programming. He noted that a previous tower relocation expanded signal reach but created new challenges.
“We’ve always believed in being live and local,” Baker said. “When your signal stretches across a wide region, it becomes harder to serve each community in a meaningful way.”
By transitioning frequencies, Baker said KISR can better tailor its content to its core audience while ESPN Arkansas takes advantage of the broader regional signal.
The transaction remains subject to FCC approval. Company officials expect the deal to close in early summer 2026.
— ESPN Arkansas & HitThatLine.com (@HitThatLineAR) April 10, 2026
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The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit presented by Point to Point Marketing continues to get stronger. We are excited today to add five more accomplished speakers to this summer’s show. Their additions bring our speakers total to 53. Many more will be announced in the weeks and months ahead. The Summit takes place June 30-July 2 at the SVA Theatre in New York City. The News Summit is on 6/30, Sports on 7/1, and Music on 7/2.
A few folks I spoke to recently shared that budget challenges are forcing them to wait to confirm plans. My advice, reach out to IMAR Entertainment. They have barter opportunities available to help attendees reduce costs. To learn more, click here.
I also suggest reserving your hotel room with Hotel Hayden sooner rather than later. We struck a deal to make sure folks have affordable lodging, but once our block is full we can’t add more. Rates in NYC during the week of the show are not cheap, so don’t wait until the last minute and put yourself in a jam. Details on how to reserve your room can be found here just below the speakers list.
Summit Sale Starts NOW
In addition, we are introducing a SALE through Wednesday, April 22nd to help attendees save $25 on 1-day, 2-day and 3-day passes. One-day and/or Two-day passes can be used for either day(s). If that’s not enough, we are also introducing a special cluster rate for Executives and Tri-State area GMs/Market Managers to save even more. We have kept prices lower this year to encourage more professionals to attend. Tickets are available here.
Meet The Speakers
Jimmy Failla: Jimmy is a popular TV host, Radio Host, and New York Times Best Selling Author. The former New York City cab driver hosts Fox News Saturday Night w/ Jimmy Failla. He also appears regularly on all of Fox’s top shows including Hannity, Jesse Watters Primetime, and the Ingraham Angle. His Nationally Syndicated Radio Show, Fox Across America w/ Jimmy Failla airs daily on 165 radio stations. In addition, Jimmy is the author of the New York Times Best Seller, “Cancel Culture Dictionary.” His one hour standup special, “They’re Just Jokes,” is the highest rated comedy on the Fox Nation streaming platform.
Jim Kerr: Q104.3’s morning host has been entertaining listeners for over fifty years. A radio hall of famer and staple of the New York City radio scene, Jim has loved the industry since first cracking the mic at age 14 in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He’s worked in Howell, Ann Arbor, and Detroit, Michigan, Orlando, Florida, and Chicago, Illinois, and became New York’s youngest morning show host at WPLJ, earning the job at 21 years old. He has worked mornings for six NYC stations, including WPLJ and Q104.3. He is the longest running morning radio personality in NYC history.
Skip Dillard: Skip serves as Audacy’s Format Vice President of Rhythmic Adult Contemporary and Throwback Formats and brand manager of 94.7 The Block in NYC. He joined the company in 2021 following 12 years as VP and Operations Manager of WBLS and WLIB. Dillard’s career has included hosting and programming stints in Detroit, Buffalo, New Orleans, San Francisco and Washington D.C. He also served as Top 40 and Urban Managing Editor for Billboard Magazine’s “Airplay Monitor” from 2003 to 2004. Born in Queens and raised in Greensboro NC, Skip is a graduate of Hampton University with a B.A. in mass-media.
Phil Boyce: Salem Media Group’s Senior Vice President of all Spoken Word Formats has led the company to consistent radio and digital programming success since February 2012. Prior to joining the group to oversee and teach programming for news/talk and business stations, Phil spent 14 years as program director at WABC in New York City, where he hired Sean Hannity, syndicating his show nationally via ABC in 2001. He later hired Mark Levin and took him into syndication too in 2006. Earlier in his career, he led WJR in Detroit, hiring Paul W. Smith and Mitch Albom. Many consider Phil one of the best programming minds in the history of news/talk radio.
Paul Mason: Paul has called Nashville home since April 2020, when he arrived to lead the programming department at 104.5 The Zone. Under his watch, The Zone has dominated the local sports scene, delivering strong local programming and live broadcasts of Tennessee Titans football. He became Spoken Word Programming Operations Manager in 2024, adding programming duties for SuperTalk 99.7 WTN. Prior to moving to music city, he served as PD of NewsTalk 850 WFTL and Fox Sports 640 in West Palm Beach. He also spent six years in Cincinnati as the Assistant Program Director of 700WLW.
Sponsorships
We want to thank and welcome Jim Cutler, and the Salem Radio Network as partners of this year’s Summit. Eighteen (18) groups are supporting this year’s show. We expect a few more to sign on this week. Sponsorship opportunities remain available but are filling up fast. For more information, contact Stephanie Eads at Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com.
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Fox News is already making noise about America 250. CNN and MS NOW? Not so much. That gap might tell us more about the state of cable news than any ratings book ever could.
To be fair, we’re still months away from the July 4, 2026 celebration. Nobody expects wall-to-wall coverage right now. But Fox News has begun rolling out programming plans, and the silence from its competitors is rather noticeable. It raises a question worth asking now rather than later: can MS NOW and CNN authentically celebrate America’s 250th birthday the way most of the country will want to?
Here’s where it gets complicated. We’ve entered an era where a significant portion of the media views nearly everything through the lens of the current administration. President Trump’s presence in the White House has made even patriotic milestones feel politically charged to some outlets. That’s a problem. Not because criticism of the president is wrong, but because America 250 deserves to exist outside that framework entirely.
Think about what this anniversary actually represents. 250 years. It’s the kind of moment that should stop people, regardless of their politics, and make them say, yeah, this is f—ing awesome. Fox News seems to understand that instinctively. Whether MS NOW and CNN can get there is the real question.
And frankly, I’m not sure they can. That’s not a knock on the talent at either network. It’s more a structural concern. Both outlets have spent years cultivating audiences who view the current political climate with deep suspicion. Pivoting to genuine, full-throated American celebration — without hedging, without asterisks, without reminding viewers every ten minutes that this all sucks because of who’s in the White House — would require a kind of editorial courage that hasn’t exactly been on display lately.
There’s also the geography problem. This is something the media industry doesn’t discuss nearly enough. The newsrooms driving decisions at CNN and MS NOW are largely populated by people who live and breathe the I-95 corridor — New York, D.C., and everything in between. That’s a very specific American experience. It’s not wrong. But it’s incomplete.
Meanwhile, the average viewer in the Midwest, the South, or the Mountain West is going to throw a party on July 4th, wave a flag, and feel genuinely proud. They won’t be looking for caveats. They won’t want to hear about how everything sucks. They’ll be looking for a network that meets them where they are. Right now, Fox News is the largest cable outlet that appears ready to do that.
That’s a missed opportunity for the others. America 250 is the kind of event that could actually help a struggling network rebuild some trust with viewers it’s lost. CNN has been working to reposition itself. MS NOW knows its identity, but it still working on leaning into widening its viewership outside of its primetime stars. Leaning hard into a once-in-a-lifetime national celebration would be a smart play, both journalistically and commercially.
But that requires setting aside the resistance to anything that might look like it benefits the current administration’s narrative. And that’s a harder ask than it sounds.
So where does that leave us? Fox News enters this stretch with a head start and an audience already primed for celebration. CNN and MS NOW have time to course-correct, but the clock is ticking.
America 250 is going to be a big damn deal. It deserves to be. It’s a milestone that should feel unifying. Whether every network rises to that moment remains to be seen. I wouldn’t bet heavily on all of them getting it right. And that’s a shame, because this one’s too big to get wrong.
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