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The Masters Shows Sports Radio How To Build Lasting Traditions Again

John Mamola
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The Masters Shows Sports Radio How To Build Lasting Traditions Again

This past weekend, the nation sat back and enjoyed another weekend at Augusta. The Masters. One of golf’s four majors, and easily the one most rooted in tradition. The same course, rules, and customs that other sports lost long ago.

It’s a tournament that doesn’t change with trends. Fans have the same expectations each year, from those watching on television to the many lucky enough to attend in person. While networks continue to lean into nostalgia in their presentations, The Masters consistently delivers a tradition unlike any other.

That got me thinking about sports radio and how signature events once considered tradition have seemingly disappeared over time. While going down a rabbit hole, I began to wonder if sports radio has forgotten that signature events can become a tradition unlike any other.

The last time the Barrett Sports Media conference was held in Los Angeles, I attended a panel on sports radio promotions. Jason Barrett opened the discussion with a simple question: Name the best sports radio event in the country.

The answer was nearly unanimous. The Wing Bowl, created by Sportsradio 94 WIP’s Angelo Cataldi and Al Morganti in 1993. The problem with that answer? The Wing Bowl was last held in 2018.

Since that conference, sports radio brands have faced more cuts, which has meant fewer opportunities for promotions. I can attest to this personally. When I began running WDAE, the station hosted two annual golf tournaments. Both raised funds for local charities and showcased the best of the station, our partners, and the local listening community.

Now, my former station holds no signature annual events. No traditions that help the brand stand out. When cuts happen, excuses tend to follow. Is the cost worth the return? Can a team realistically rally together when everyone is already pulling double or triple duty more than ever before?

This isn’t to say that’s the case everywhere, but the format as a whole has scaled back. Across the country, it’s encouraging to see stations still taking fans to sporting events through ticket trades with local partners. The occasional pub crawl remains a personal highlight. Some brands even continue to host annual golf tournaments.

However, what is sports radio’s next Wing Bowl-type event? Is there one? What will capture the attention of peers across the industry and inspire them to replicate that success in their own markets?

It’s a fair question. As sports radio battles for attention while podcasting continues to chip away at audience share, shouldn’t that be even more reason to create in-person connections through signature events?

That’s why sports radio should look to The Masters for inspiration. What makes it a tradition unlike any other?

The first element is the event itself. A golf tournament set in a stunning location. Yes, there’s history among the azaleas, but at its core, it’s still golf presented with a “wow” factor. For sports radio, what location could create that same feeling? When you give your audience access to something special, the setting matters. It’s often the difference between a one-time event and an annual tradition.

The second element is affordability. Yes, tickets to The Masters aren’t cheap. However, once inside, nothing feels overpriced. You can still get a ham and cheese sandwich and a beer for under $10. Food and drink prices remain reasonable and don’t break the bank. We’ve seen similar approaches in the NFL, minor league baseball, and college athletics. Keeping the in-event experience affordable helps fans overlook the initial ticket cost.

The third element is identity. The Masters knows its audience. It understands what its patrons value and delivers it year after year. For sports radio, that means looking at your local community. What do people enjoy doing on weekends? What events already draw attention and align with your audience? From there, the challenge becomes finding a unique twist that makes the concept your own based on your research.

The Masters has, does, and always will have a built-in audience. It has evolved from a golf tournament into a piece of golf culture by refusing to abandon what makes it unique. Its setting, pricing, and commitment to delivering an exclusive experience have shaped its legacy.

It doesn’t chase a new audience because it has always served its core audience exceptionally well.

That’s what sports radio must reclaim by building traditions of its own with the core audience that continues to support you.

Because the truth is, events like The Masters didn’t become iconic overnight. They became essential by committing to an identity, protecting it, and showing up for their audience the same way year after year.

Sports radio doesn’t need to chase viral moments or reinvent itself every six months. It needs to plant a flag. Create something listeners can circle on their calendar. Something they talk about months in advance and remember long after it ends.

The next Wing Bowl doesn’t have to involve eating wings. It doesn’t have to be outrageous. It just has to be yours. A can’t-miss weekend in a signature setting that creates a shared experience and turns listeners into a community.

Most importantly, it requires a commitment to do it again next year, and the year after that, until it becomes part of your brand’s fabric. That’s the lesson—not just from Augusta, but from every great event that has stood the test of time.

Stop asking what sports radio lost, and start building what it can own next.

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.

Guitar Legends Explain Why Music Lovers Are Obsessed With the Guitar

Terrie Carr
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Guitar Legends Explain Why Music Lovers Are Obsessed With the Guitar

John Mellencamp once said, “Forget all about that macho s**t and learn how to play guitar. No matter what curveballs or changes life throws at us, there is one constant we can all agree on — we love the guitar.

National Guitar Month was founded in 1987. It was a collaboration between the Guitar & Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) and the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). History tells us the first guitar was born in Spain in the 15th century. Since then, we have had a love affair with strings ever since.

I’m really lucky. For over thirty years, I’ve had the honor of interviewing my guitar heroes. We have spoken of tones, solos, influences, frets, and no frets. But sometimes a simple question really cuts through. Why do we love the guitar so much?

I asked the master Joe Satriani in a recent interview, and he summed it up pretty well.

“Well, I’m still fascinated by the fact that you touch it, it vibrates in your hand and you feel it in your fingertips,” said Satriani. “When you’re holding on to the guitar, whether it’s an acoustic or an electric, it vibrates against your body. This vibration is a connection to the music. That’s really personal.”

Satriani attempted to compare the experience to those of other instruments. All still important, but nothing like the feel a guitar gives you.

“When you think about it, a piano, it just kind of sits in one place. You don’t hug it, and don’t embrace it. You just put your fingers on it, but you don’t touch the strings,” Satriani explained. “Stringed instruments are unique because they only make a sound if you touch it. You really do stimulate this thing. And in turn, it stimulates you.”

He continued to explain what he feels separates the experience of playing guitar among the rest. Not only on a physical level, but also ticking the human senses across the spectrum.

“It helps you to express yourself in a way that other instruments maybe don’t in the same way. In the same physical way, it’s intellectual, visceral, spiritual, and emotional,” said Satriani. “It’s got all the components to stimulate us that way. So it can be very personal or it can help you be an extrovert if that’s what you want.”

Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder remembered getting started on the instrument at a very young age.

“When I started playing music, I was 10 years old. Living in destitute poverty on a dirt road in the deep south from Gainesville, Florida. We didn’t really have two dimes to rub together,” explained Felder. “There was no internet or iPhones and nothing to do. I felt madly in love with music, got a guitar and started teaching myself.”

Those early beginnings have resulted in music that transcends generations. Music that created memories standing the test of time.

“Before there were Grammys, before there were rock stars, except for maybe Elvis or something like that. But I didn’t go into music for any other reason other than just being madly obsessed and in love with playing music. That’s what’s driven me for the last 70 years. All the ups and downs, it doesn’t matter,” said Felder.

I also spoke with Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, who is one of the most incredible and influential players of the last 30 years. Bumblefoot’s out-of-this-world solo work has always mesmerized me. He’s played for several bands over his career including Guns N’ Roses, Sons Of Apollo, Art Of Anarchy, and Whom Gods Destroy. He is an innovator who is in a league of his own.

*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*

Terrie Carr – It’s 30 years since your debut album. But you’ve been playing over 50.

Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal – I’ve been playing for over 50 years. I started in 1975 when I was five years old and the Kiss Alive album came out. I heard that album and thought that’s what I wanted to do. So, I started trying to figure out a way to make that happen, but I didn’t know guitar.

Just to be part of that team that makes sound, that makes people feel the way this stuff is making me feel. That was it. I started writing songs and was very into Carl Sagan type stuff. Planet, space, astronomy and cosmology and all that stuff.

I had a very inquisitive mind as a child. I was a smart kid, progressively getting dumber with age. So, I would write songs about planets and things that a six-year-old was interested in. The songs were better then than they are now. I wrote catchy songs. There were some good songs.

TC – A lot of people call that debut record, which was very organic and raw, a masterpiece. People wanted it back, and it went out of print for a while. Everyone was asking where is was. How do you get a deal on Shrapnel Records? Especially being this guy who is into planets, guitars, and not doing what people in the 90s were doing.

Because the mid-to-late 1990s was an odd time in music. You had grunge kind of peaking and alterna-pop was big, but on its way out. The nu metal movement was just beginning. Yet, there you are. Intergalactic planetary guitar-playing Bumblefoot.

RT – My path was always to just be in a rock band. That’s what I loved. All the classic rock that we all grew up on, we all loved. So that was the plan.

It really started in 1989. That was the first legit thing, when I got in a Guitar Magazine. I got a write up, and it was a column on unknown guitar players called Spotlight Column in Guitar Player Magazine in August 1989.

Jeff Healey was on the cover, and the person writing the article was Mike Varney, the owner of Shrapnel Records.

Bumblefoot’s journey has been nothing short of magnificent. He is a master player, band member, philanthropist, teacher, and entrepreneur.

To learn about his life through the strings, how he got his name, and hear one of his first performances at six years old, check out my full Carr Stereo Podcast interview. He even attempted to give me a guitar lesson.

Also, check out an incredible performance he gave me of Simon In Space from his 2025 release Bumblefoot Returns. A brilliant collection that features guest collaborations with Steve Vai, Brian May, and more.

Guitar sales saw a massive increase in the years following the COVID pandemic, with a 60% jump in 2020 and 2021. Even though things have leveled off in 2026, sales continue to remain healthy as content creators — both young and old — bring their passion and talents to the internet instead of just their bedrooms.

Grab a guitar this month, noodle away, and unleash your inner rock star.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

The Self Inflicted Wound Public Broadcasting Continues to Create

Dr. Ed Cohen
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The Self Inflicted Wound Public Broadcasting Continues to Create

Over the nearly three years that I’ve written this column, I’ve tried to stay clear of politics. Even when commenting about an article or publication that has a slant, my goal has been to find an interesting broadcasting or research angle. What I think about an issue shouldn’t matter to you. That includes public broadcasting.

I’m not a regular user of public broadcasting — or for that matter, an irregular user — thus I’ve had no reason to comment here beyond challenging the question wording used in a study supporting NPR, or when I called “BS” on those who thought the services would die with the end of federal funding.

Both columns were based on research, not what I felt about the services. Since the end of the subsidy and the closure of CPB, public radio and TV remain on the air, although some people lost their jobs, some programs have ended, and there has been some consolidation. Those of you in the commercial media world know how that works.

A key reason that public broadcasting lost federal funding was the perception of bias. Many conservatives feel that the journalistic side, especially public radio, is biased leftward. True or not, occasionally the organizations can offer ammunition to their critics, even the music services.

A case in point is The Current, the AAA music service from Minnesota Public Radio. Last summer, when I took over as faculty advisor for WWHR-FM, Western Kentucky’s student radio station, I looked into The Current. Since WWHR is under the oversight of WKU Public Media, we have a relationship with that world, and my understanding was that The Current had some great programming that might fit for overnights when we wouldn’t have students available for airshifts. I didn’t know if The Current syndicated their programming or not, so I checked the website.

You can find out a great deal about organizations if you dig into their websites, and something in The Current’s website struck me as odd. If you click the “About” link and continue down the page, you’ll find the MPR Music Service EIDA Statement, which has not changed since I first read it last year. Here’s chapter and verse:

“Equity, Inclusion, Diversity & Access (EIDA) are critical to our mission to serve our audiences.

We acknowledge that the music industry in all its forms, including those at MPR, have long benefited from and contributed to systems of oppression and white supremacy.

To that end, we, the music services at Minnesota Public Radio, are united in our commitment to our audiences to transform ourselves into antiracist organizations that can lead change across Minnesota.

Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, and Access at The Current and Classical MPR starts in our workplace and extends to every region we touch, and we will use our resources and platforms in an impactful and responsible way.

We pledge to develop a better understanding of bias and injustice through training, listening, analysis, and structural change. We will build bridges to those who feel unheard … Additionally, we will distance ourselves from those who do not share our values of inclusivity and anti-racism.

The music services at MPR will work diligently to listen, learn, and incorporate activities that improve our delivery of inclusive, equitable, and diverse content, programming, and dialogue that better represents the diversity of our world.”

The same statement appears on the MPR Your Classical website. The MPR News website has no EIDA statement, but the simple tagline “Stay Curious. Stay Connected” — which seems “right” for a journalistic endeavor.

One can argue about whether MPR Music’s EIDA statement remains appropriate in 2026, but Minneapolis was the epicenter of the George Floyd protests of 2020, given that he was murdered there. Any number of organizations put out “anti-racist” or diversity statements around that time, many of which eventually disappeared.

What struck me was the line “…we will distance ourselves from those who do not share our views of inclusivity and anti-racism.” In other words, if you don’t agree with us — even if you like our music — please go away. You’ll have to get your Kacey Musgraves or Mozart somewhere else. Do the MPR music services ask potential contributors if they own or have read books by Ibram X. Kendi or Robin DiAngelo as a litmus test? Is it necessary to include that line? The services’ stance is crystal clear without it.

I tried to find another media equivalent. If you dig into the Fox News website, you’ll find: “Fox News Media offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets, and diversity of thought, as an alternative to left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.” It’s clear where Fox stands, but they don’t tell liberals or progressives to watch something else.

MS NOW doesn’t have anything that I could find saying “conservatives go away.” I checked Eternal Word Television, the major Catholic network, to see if they were telling non-Catholics to either convert or leave, but all I could find was a history of their operation. If you look at the Pacifica Foundation’s website, the mission statement about their radio operations is essentially “peace, love, and kumbaya.” Perhaps there is another broadcast entity out there that tells those who don’t agree to go somewhere else, but I’ll leave that more extensive research to others.

My guess is the statement was written in 2020 at the height of the protests. Perhaps it’s time for MPR’s leadership to do a thoughtful review. Some free advice: Don’t tell listeners to find somewhere else to spend their valuable media time.

Let’s meet again next week.

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.

Classic Rock Is Still Everywhere You’re Not Looking

Mike Stern
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Classic Rock Is Still Everywhere You’re Not Looking

It can be easy to forget the power of the music being played on Classic Rock and Hits stations. It’s a library of gold tracks they play repeatedly. It’s easy to start to become numb to just how powerful and culturally relevant this music really is.

But every now and then, the rest of the world sends a message reminding me just how universally popular this body of music is. It usually strikes me when I run into our music “in the wild.” Away from the stations and the Selector databases. So, this week I wanted to capture a few examples for you.

The first comes from Saturday Night Live. The same show that gave us the iconic Blue Öyster Cult sketch that needed more cowbell. This piece, called “Husbands,” probably won’t be as culturally relevant for as long. But it’s almost as good.

A bunch of husbands get thrown together, meeting for the first time when their wives — who are longtime friends — are hanging out in another room.

Eventually, they find something to bond over: Classic Rock.

There is one part where one of the characters says, “I can’t believe we all know this song.” But of course they all do. It’s a famous Classic Rock song. Now, I’ve spent some time thinking about what non-Classic Rock song would have fit this sketch, the closest thing I’ve thought of would be “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. But it wouldn’t have been as good.

The second example is a little more mysterious, revolving around Mr. Fantasy. At this point it will be easy to tell how old each person reading this article is, based on whether you immediately thought of the viral artist with 1.2 million followers on TikTok or jumped to the song by Traffic.

In this case we are talking about the viral artist widely thought to be the alter ego of actor KJ Apa, best known for playing Archie on the show Riverdale. The twenty-eight-year-old recently did an interview with Elite Daily — in character, of course — where he named his three biggest influences: Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson.

Not current artists, not anyone from the 2000s even. Three artists that all get significant airplay on Classic Rock and Hits stations. And if you’re wondering, the first song he learned to play on guitar was “Stairway to Heaven,” but his favorite is “Ramble On.” It’s just another reminder of the impact the music on these stations has on multiple generations.

If you aren’t familiar but are curious, here’s Mr. Fantasy’s latest single, “One Last Night”:

Third, a more traditional but equally impressive note. There are four movies about The Beatles scheduled to come out in April of 2028. Each movie will center on one member of the Fab Four. Collectively, they will be a complete biopic of the band’s incredible journey during the sixties.

According to an article in GQ, the movies are currently filming in the UK with production expected to continue all year. A few months ago I wrote a column about how John Lennon’s son Sean is concerned people might actually forget about The Beatles as time passes, so a major studio investing in four full motion pictures about the band just reinforces the power of their music and Classic Rock overall.

Finally, one more example. For too long now, I have been hooked on a game on my phone called Marvel Snap. It’s like Magic: The Gathering, where you collect cards that have various effects, build decks, and play against other people to see who can score the most points. It just so happens these cards appeal to my inner nerd because they feature characters from Marvel Comics.

In addition to the cards, the game also gives players silly sayings to put with their various decks. These are awarded randomly, and my jaw nearly dropped when I received this new one just a day ago.

This mobile game — really built for people younger than me and available around the world — just randomly served up a reference to a song by The Who that was released in 1971.

And there you have it. Just in case you’ve become numb to the power and cultural relevance of the music on Classic Rock and Hits stations.

And — if you happen to play Marvel Snap and want to join my alliance, just reach out. We need a few more people to earn the weekly premium variant award.

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.

Longtime Radio Executive Dave Alpert Passes Away Following Cancer Battle

BSM Staff
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Longtime Radio Executive Dave Alpert Passes Away Following Cancer Battle

The radio industry lost one of its respected leaders this week. Dave Alpert, a longtime market manager with deep roots in the business, passed away after a private battle with cancer. His wife, Angela, shared the sad news on Facebook.

“Last night my husband, my love, my best friend Dave passed away,” she wrote. She explained that Alpert chose to keep his four-year cancer battle off of social media. As a result, many colleagues were unaware he was even ill. Angela noted that the final weeks came quickly, and doctors could not do more for him. Details on a Celebration of Life will be announced soon.

Alpert built a distinguished career spanning multiple markets and companies. He spent 13 years in Kansas City, where he served as Senior Vice President and Market Manager for Entercom. Before joining Entercom, he managed stations for Susquehanna in Kansas City from 2000 to 2003. He later held a similar role with Cumulus Media in the same market from 2006 to 2007.

His responsibilities eventually grew well beyond Kansas City. Following Entercom’s merger with CBS Radio in 2017, Alpert stepped into a Regional President role. In that capacity, he oversaw stations in Indianapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Wichita. He remained in that position until a company realignment in October 2020.

Earlier in his career, Alpert served as General Manager in Fort Myers, Greenville, Nashville, and Sarasota. Those experiences shaped him into the versatile leader the industry came to know. He returned to the sunshine state in early 2021, which is where he resided until his passing.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, colleagues will remember him as passionate, genuine and committed. Barrett Media’s Jason Barrett holds him in high regard as he was one of the first executives to retain Barrett for consultation. Our thoughts go out to Angela and the entire Alpert family.

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.

Rich Eisen Excited About ‘SportsCenter’ Return, Makes Offer to Dan Patrick for the Same

BSM Staff
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Rich Eisen Excited About ‘SportsCenter’ Return, Makes Offer to Dan Patrick for the Same

Nearly 23 years after his abrupt departure from ESPN, Rich Eisen is set for a full-circle moment. The longtime ESPN Radio host will return to Bristol, Connecticut, on Sunday night to anchor SportsCenter for the first time since 2003.

Eisen shared his thoughts during an appearance Friday on The Dan Patrick Show, offering a mix of excitement, curiosity and reflection.

“It’s exciting. I can’t wait, and I also have no idea what to expect,” Eisen said. “I’ve been told it’s gotten massive since I last set foot on that campus 23 years ago.”

Eisen’s return marks a notable chapter in a career that has spanned multiple networks and platforms. However, his previous exit from ESPN remains a vivid memory.

“They handed me a cardboard box in late May of 2003 and I have not been back since then,” he said. “They definitely watched as I put a box together and walked out the door. That actually did happen.”

Since then, Eisen built a prominent presence at NFL Network, becoming one of the faces of the league’s media arm. Still, he acknowledged that his early years at ESPN shaped his professional identity.

“It was my identity at the time,” Eisen said. “If you [Dan Patrick] were so clear-eyed about it, you should have told me, ‘Don’t worry about it. You’ll be back 23 years later, and NFL Network will be owned by ESPN.’”

That perspective adds another layer to Sunday night’s appearance, which serves as both a homecoming and a reminder of how much the media landscape has changed. Eisen also used the opportunity to float a potential reunion idea.

He extended an on-air invitation to Dan Patrick, his former ESPN colleague, to join him behind the desk.

“That would make my day, night and year, to do another SportsCenter with you, Dan,” Eisen said. “If you’re up for it, I would love to do something like that.”

Whether that reunion materializes remains to be seen. Nonetheless, Eisen’s return to Bristol offers a compelling blend of nostalgia and evolution for one of sports media’s most recognizable voices.

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.

Nielsen Responds to Cumulus Attempt to Uphold Lawsuit: Bankruptcy Doesn’t Change Status

BNM Staff
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Nielsen Responds to Cumulus Attempt to Uphold Lawsuit: Bankruptcy Doesn’t Change Status

After filing for bankruptcy, Cumulus Media tried to uphold its restraining order against Nielsen, the ratings company it accused of tying local and national ratings together.

In its filing, Cumulus directly connected its financial troubles to that Nielsen policy, calling the link between local and national ratings a “significant contributing cause” of its pre-packaged Chapter 11 filing.

Nielsen, however, disagrees.

“All along, Cumulus said emergency relief was needed to avert imminent crisis,” Nielsen lawyers argued in a filing. “That premise is gone. Bankruptcy has now occurred, and a preliminary injunction cannot stop what has already happened.”

Nielsen also noted that a district court already ruled that Cumulus’ “dire financial state is not Nielsen’s problem.”

Additionally, Nielsen’s filing asks the Second Circuit court to overturn the preliminary injunction. The company argues it was forced to sell its data on terms Cumulus dictated — terms it says don’t violate antitrust laws.

The lawsuit between the two companies is currently paused due to Cumulus’ bankruptcy proceedings. Still, the radio company’s expected emergence from Chapter 11 in the coming weeks should pave the way for the legal battle to resume.

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.

Joe Buck Aiming To Stay With ESPN “Rest of My Career” With a Year Remaining on Current Agreement

BSM Staff
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Joe Buck Aiming To Stay With ESPN “Rest of My Career” With a Year Remaining on Current Agreement

As his current deal approaches its final season, Joe Buck made it clear he sees his long-term future with ESPN. Buck, who ESPN in 2022 after a lengthy run with FOX Sports. He tells Sports Business Journal he would have no hesitation signing an extension if one were presented today.

He emphasized how much he has enjoyed his current role with ESPN.

“I’ve loved every second of it and I am hopeful that I’m at ESPN for the rest of my career,” Buck says. “If something gets thrown at me and I have to shift, I’ll shift. But I would be hopeful to stay right where I am until I’m finished.”

While Buck revealed that no formal negotiations have taken place, Buck expressed confidence in the relationship between both sides. He noted that neither party has created uncertainty about continuing their partnership.

The timing is notable. ESPN is gearing up for a major stretch of NFL coverage, highlighted by its first Super Bowl broadcast in February 2027. The network has branded the lead-up as The Year of the Super Bowl, a company-wide initiative designed to build momentum across platforms. Buck will play a central role in that effort alongside longtime partner Troy Aikman.

The duo headlines ESPN’s Monday Night Football coverage, joined by Laura Rutledge and Lisa Salters. He said the opportunity excites him rather than adding pressure.

“I love being at a place that holds this thing up. Like this is our chance. That’s a great feeling as an announcer. … The buildup, I love. I don’t think it adds any pressure. It doesn’t add any pressure to me. It just means that the people that I work for are excited about it and that’s good.,” Buck said.

However, before the NFL season ramps up, Buck will return briefly to baseball. He will be on the call for the national broadcast featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets from Dodger Stadium. The game will honor Jackie Robinson Day. For that assignment, Buck will team with analysts Ron Darling and Orel Hershiser, along with reporter Buster Olney.

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.

Townsquare Media Takes Talk 103.9 in Lubbock Silent

BNM Staff
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Townsquare Media Takes Talk 103.9 in Lubbock Silent

Townsquare Media has silenced Talk 103.9 in Lubbock, ending the station more than seven years after flipping the format.

The company took the station silent on April 1st, ending a 73-run for the signal in the Texas city.

In its filing with the FCC, Townsquare Media pointed to “economic conditions in the market” as reason for the move.

The news/talk format seen on the station was implemented in 2019. Previously, the station had featured a sports talk format. It also spent time as the radio flagship of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

KKAM-AM is a Class C signal with 1,000 watts of power.

The Lubbock market remains served in the news/talk format by the 790 KFYO brand, also owned by Townsquare Media. Earlier this year, a new conservative talk station, 92.3 The Hub, joined 790 KFYO and Talk 104.3 in the market.

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.

FOX & Friends Taking Cross-Country RV Trip to Celebrate America 250

BNM Staff
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FOX & Friends Taking Cross-Country RV Trip to Celebrate America 250

FOX & Friends, the Fox News morning show, is set to embark on a road trip around the nation to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S.

Beginning on Friday, April 24th, the show will begin a six-stop trip around the country.

Stops on the tour include:

  • Houston, Texas
  • Lenexas, Kansas
  • Destin, Florida
  • Jekyll Island, Georgia
  • Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
  • Wildwood, New Jersey

As part of the tour, the company will give away the RV used to complete the road trip to a lucky viewer, in conjunction with Camping World.

“As we get ready to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we’re hitting the open road,” Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt told The Hollywood Reporter. “We are hopping in an RV and heading across the country with so many special stops along the way. There’s nothing more American than a road trip and we can’t wait to meet the people and visit the places that truly are the heartbeat of America.”

“I actually got to drive the Freedom Traveler we are giving away and when I got behind the wheel it triggered my inner Clark Griswold. Vacation!” added Steve Doocy. “For some lucky viewer, this RV will make it possible for them to travel the country with their family, making memories that last a lifetime.”

The RV will be given away on Friday, July 3rd. Fox News will cover the tax bill for the winner.

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.

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