Hubbard has selected Declan Moore to succeed Joel Oxley as President and Market Manager in Washington, D.C. Moore will lead WTOP and the company’s other Washington media properties.
What We Know: Oxley has spent his entire career at WTOP. He joined the station in 1992 before rising to Senior Vice President and Market Manager of the cluster. He’ll retire next year after more than three decades with the station. Meanwhile, Moore joins Hubbard after serving as Head of International for Wondery, the podcast company owned by Amazon. Earlier in his career, Moore spent 23 years as an executive at National Geographic.
What They Said: “I’m honored to have the opportunity to build on the extraordinary legacy Joel Oxley has created here in Washington. WTOP, Federal News Network and 2060 Digital are exceptional brands with deep connections to the communities they serve throughout the National Capital Region. I’m energized by the opportunity to work with the talented teams here to build on those strengths and help these businesses continue to evolve and grow.” -Declan Moore
“We are thrilled to welcome Declan as the next leader of WTOP, FNN and 2060 Digital in Washington, DC. While he has very big shoes to fill following in the footsteps of Joel Oxley, Declan has a strong track record of retaining the essence and legacy of media brands while leading them into the future … We look forward to seeing him work with the exceptional team of professionals at Hubbard Washington D.C. on building upon the nearly 60-year legacy of connecting with and serving the local community with local news and information” -Hubbard CEO Ginny Hubbard
What Remains Unclear: Hubbard hasn’t detailed when Moore will officially assume the position. It has also not provided additional information about Oxley’s transition following his retirement.
What It Means: Moore brings experience across traditional media, digital media and podcasting to one of Hubbard’s most prominent markets. His arrival also gives Hubbard an executive with experience managing established brands while navigating changing audience habits. However, replacing Oxley represents a significant leadership transition for WTOP after more than three decades under his influence.
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ESPN has locked in its distribution deals for Unlimited. Now it’s chasing deeper engagement through added short-form video and social content.
What We Know: According to a report by Axios, ESPN vice president of sports products and strategy Brian Marshall says the network plans on bringing more ESPN content created elsewhere. In forms such as short-form video, original reporting and social media content and bringing it into the app experience. ESPN Unlimited leans on personalization tools to keep fans engaged currently. Verts, its vertical-video product, drew over 24 million users and generated 1.5 billion minutes watched over the past year. Multiview let more than 5 million fans watch multiple events at once, creating over 12,000 unique viewing combinations. ESPN also produced more than 40,000 personalized “SportsCenter For You” segments.
What They Said:Brian Marshall, ESPN vice president of sports products and strategy (via Axios): “It allows us to think about the space holistically. We’re agnostic to how fans end up subscribing to ESPN.”
What Remains Unclear: Marshall didn’t detail how much additional short-form or social content ESPN plans to add. ESPN has not released the amount of subscribers the Unlimited tier has gained since launching one year ago. Meanwhile, it’s unclear how the new Disney-TikTok partnership will shape future features. No timeline for rollout was disclosed.
What It Means: Engagement, not just reach, will define ESPN’s next phase. Now one year into the network’s direct-to-consumer app, fans using interactive features already watch twice as long as those who don’t. That gap suggests personalization tools could become key retention drivers going forward. Expect ESPN to lean harder into creator partnerships and short-form formats.
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Spotify commits $1.5 billion to repurchasing its shares. Combined with remaining funds, the total authorization reaches $2.223 billion.
What We Know Spotify disclosed the aggressive buyback authorization this week. The move follows Universal Music’s recent $160 million share purchase. Both streaming powers face declining stock valuations in 2026. Importantly, the timing for all repurchases remains flexible. Additionally, the company emphasized that actual share counts depend on market conditions and other factors.
What’s at Stake Buyback programs directly return capital to existing shareholders. They can also bolster stock prices during uncertain market periods. For Spotify specifically, the move signals management confidence. However, the company acknowledged potential user-growth slowdowns recently. Furthermore, the strategy shows a tactical approach to stock valuation challenges.
What Remains Unclear The market still heavily questions Spotify’s profitability path. Analyst price targets range from $420 to $685. The broader streaming landscape continues facing structural challenges. Moreover, execution timing could significantly impact program effectiveness. Additionally, competitive pressures from Apple Music remain unresolved.
What It Means Spotify’s strategy mirrors industry-wide cost and capital management. Nevertheless, buybacks alone don’t solve underlying business concerns. This move reflects cautious optimism rather than transformative conviction. Investors should recognize that long-term holders benefit most.
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Brazos Valley Communications has added Tino Cochino Radio to KBXT (101.9 The Beat). The personality-driven show launches in afternoons from 2-6pm.
What We Know: KBXT, a hip-hop formatted station in College Station, TX, replaced The Dana Cortez Show with Tino Cochino Radio. YEA Networks produces the four-hour afternoon program. The show features popular segments including Battle of the Rosas and Serina’s Tea. Beyond this, the station expects strong community integration.
What They Said: Program Director Edward Sanchez and Joseph Sanchez said the show brings “a refreshing, upbeat sound to The Beat’s airwaves.” They emphasized that Tino Cochino Radio maintains incredible personality and chemistry. Furthermore, Tino Cochino himself highlighted his Texas roots. “Being from Texas, it always feels special to welcome new Texas affiliates,” Cochino shared. “Texas has always been home, so every new partnership in the Lone Star State means a little more. I can’t wait to connect with the community and make Aggieland part of the TCR familia!”
What Remains Unclear: Contract length and renewal options haven’t been announced. Additionally, specific ratings targets for the daypart stay undisclosed. Promotion details and launch timing also remain private. Finally, cross-promotion plans with other Brazos Valley properties aren’t yet public.
What It Means: This addition demonstrates KBXT’s focus on personality-driven content. Meanwhile, YEA Networks continues expanding its Texas affiliate network. Ultimately, Bryan-College Station listeners now have fresh entertainment during peak afternoon drive time. The move signals radio’s ongoing emphasis on show chemistry over music alone.
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Damon Amendolara is exiting morning drive at SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio. Amendolara announced he’s departing the D.A. & Babchik program effective immediately after three years in morning drive with Mike Babchik.
What We Know: Amendolara joined SiriusXM in 2023, teaming with Mike Babchik on the network’s morning drive show. He will continue to host The SiriusXM NFL Tailgate Show on NFL Radio ahead of Sunday’s games. Amendolara signed a one-year extension last November. It is expected that SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio will make an announcement regarding a new morning show on Monday afternoon. A new lineup expected to launch after Labor Day.
Before joining SiriusXM, Amendolara has been a leading voice in sports radio since 2017. He hosted The D.A. Show on the CBS Sports Radio Network, which reached an audience across 150 North American radio stations. Amendolara also has spent stints in several local markets and contributions to networks such as NFL Network, MLB Network, NFL Films, SNY, and NBC Sports Boston. He also served as the sideline reporter for Major League Soccer telecasts of the New England Revolution.
What They Said: Damon Amendolara (via SiriusXM Radio): “There are changes coming to Mad Dog Sports Radio. Unfortunately, I will not be part of the channel after those changes. Those changes will be in effect, I believe, after Labor Day. A full scope of what the changes are going to be announced by Doggy [Chris Russo] I think on Monday. So you’ll have to wait the weekend to see. I’ll have to wait the weekend to see. But I will no longer be part of the morning show here on Mad Dog Sports Radio.”
Damon Amendolara (via SiriusXM Radio): “Do not feel bad for me. I have lived an incredibly charmed life. I’ve been on both sides of this equation. I have replaced others. I’ve been part of new shows. I’ve had an incredible run of good fortune over 25 years in the business. So everything’s going to be fine. It always is.”
Damon Amendolara (via SiriusXM Radio): “I’m still part of NFL Radio on SiriusXM Channel 88. So Sunday mornings, I’ll see you throughout the football season, I’m super excited about that. As it unfolds in life, you kind of just have to have patience, and we’ll see. There’s nothing set yet. I don’t have a Monday through Friday. So, DMs are open. You can always contact me because I’m always looking for the next thing.”
Damon Amendolara (via SiriusXM Radio): “I’m not worried, and I’m not sad, and I’m not angry or frustrated. I am eternally fortunate and lucky, and it’ll continue to be just nothing but gratitude for this channel. Specifically all these great people that I got to work with.”
What Remains Unclear: SiriusXM has not named a replacement host for the morning slot yet. Additionally, it’s unclear whether Amendolara will remain in sports radio elsewhere. Currently, Amendolara hosts a number of programs on his YouTube channel which currently has over 19,000 subscribers.
What It Means: The departure ends a three-year run filled with a lot of positives. Amendolara brought over two decades of local and national sports radio experience when he joined SiriusXM in 2023. He followed the departure of Evan Cohen to ESPN Radio. While there is still questions yet to be answered on where both Amendolara and SiriusXM go from here, Babchik’s future on the show remains a storyline worth watching.
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Fifteen years ago, Clay Travis launched OutKick. The outlet was designed to sit at the intersection of sports, pop culture and politics. For years, it drove conversation online about sports and culture from a conservative perspective. It leaned into the passion for college football, took network television talent to task and challenged the establishment. It made Travis a media star — and very rich, too.
Not bad for a guy who was making only $45,000 and had two young kids when he founded the company.
Earlier this week, Travis launched his second act, Sport & State. A media and content company built to be smart, original, funny and authentic. The content strategy sounds familiar: 70% sports, 15% pop culture and 15% where politics intersects with sports. Travis’ words himself.
In other words, it sounds a lot like the formula that made OutKick successful. Yet Travis insists he doesn’t view OutKick as competition. Instead, he sees the two brands as companions.
I’m not buying it. And frankly, I don’t think Travis should either.
A Hot Start
In business, history is difficult to repeat. Rarely does a second act following significant success rise to the level of, much less surpass, its predecessor. How many sequels are better than the original? That’s the challenge facing Sport & State.
Granted, Travis is starting from a completely different playing field than he was 15 years ago. He has name recognition, relationships, capital, an established audience and years of experience building a media company. The early returns reflect that advantage.
The company is also launching with infrastructure already in place. It has a title sponsorship with Hard Rock Bet, which reportedly owns 10% of the company. Travis is leveraging partnerships with companies he owns or holds a stake in to drive advertising sales. iHeartRadio is assisting with the advertising effort and selling ads across radio and digital.
The foundation is set. The lineup is in place. Now comes the hard part. Can it compete? The answer is yes. In fact, it already is.
Breaking Away Is Tough
In my opinion, Clay Travis was OutKick. He wasn’t simply the founder, CEO and Godfather of the digital brand. He was its biggest star, its loudest champion and the personality most closely associated with it, even years after selling the company to Fox. That matters.
Personality-driven media brands create a different relationship with their audiences. Followers become attached to the person as much as the logo. There’s history, familiarity and a connection between creator and consumer. It happens in radio, television, and digital media.
Where the star goes, the audience follows. That’s what Travis is betting on with Sport & State.
OutKick is Travis. Travis is OutKick. Johnny Carson was synonymous with The Tonight Show. Dave Portnoy is inseparable from Barstool Sports. Bill Simmons is forever connected to The Ringer. You can sell the company, change the logo, and build a new website. What you can’t do is completely separate a creator from the brand he helped build.
Over 10k followers in less than 9 hours 🤯
The audience is what makes these things possible… thanks for the support on Day One everybody!
That’s why Travis saying he doesn’t plan to compete with OutKick makes little sense. Of course he’s competing with OutKick.
Blow The Whistle
Sport & State will compete with Barstool Sports. It will compete with The Ringer. It will compete with every digital outlet fighting for sports fans’ attention. But it will compete with OutKick in a uniquely personal way because of the person sitting at the center of both brands. Travis knows his audience. More importantly, he helped create the lane in which that audience lives. Why else would Withrow and Hutton join Sport & State after leaving OutKick, with Travis’ departure coming just a month later? Kelly In Vegas switched platforms, too.
Travis didn’t build a lineup that was completely foreign to his previous audience. He built one that looked familiar. That’s intentional. It’s also smart. Travis is right. OutKick and Sport & State aren’t necessarily Pepsi and Coke. His peanut butter-and-jelly comparison makes sense. But here’s the problem with that analogy: Consumers still have to decide which jar they’re reaching for.
Some people like more jelly. Others like more peanut butter. Either way, they’re making a choice. The same is true with media.
There are only so many hours in a day. Only so much attention an audience can give. Only so many clicks, video views, podcast downloads, social interactions, advertising dollars and subscriptions available to competing companies. Call them companions if you want. They’re still competing for the same shelf space. And that competition could be the best thing to happen to both brands.
Push One Another
OutKick now has a reason to remind its audience why it remains relevant. Craig Carton coming to the brand was a significant addition ahead of Travis’ announcement. The company now has another reason to make sure its content, talent and personality remain compelling.
Sport & State has an entirely different challenge. It has to prove that Travis can build something that stands on its own. Not OutKick 2.0. Not the company Travis wishes he had built the first time. Something new. Both brands now have an incentive. That’s where competition becomes valuable. Competition creates urgency. Travis should understand that better than almost anyone.
OutKick became successful because it didn’t spend its early years trying to be everything to everyone. It identified an audience, understood what that audience wanted and relentlessly pursued it. Sport & State is now attempting to do the same thing. So let it. Sport & State doesn’t need to pretend OutKick isn’t competition. OutKick doesn’t need to pretend Sport & State doesn’t exist. And Travis certainly doesn’t need to convince anyone that two brands built around the same creator, competing for overlapping audiences and talent aren’t going to compete.
They will. The question isn’t whether Sport & State and OutKick are competitors. The question is whether both sides are willing to embrace it. Because competition isn’t necessarily a threat. Sometimes, it’s the thing that makes you better.
If Travis’ second act is as ambitious as his first, the biggest winner may not be Sport & State or OutKick. It may be the audience. Two brands. One crowded marketplace. Two reasons for Travis to keep swinging.
Let them compete.
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Yonni Rude arrived at 97.9 The Box in Houston just over two and a half years ago. He stepped into a station with a long and storied history spanning multiple ownership eras. “The Box has been around for a long time,” he explains. “It was Clear Channel first, then went over to Radio One. This was in the ’90s… April 1991 is when Box signed on. Though relatively new to Houston, Rude brings decades of programming experience across multiple markets, formats, and platforms.
His resume includes stops in Fayetteville, Charleston, Detroit, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Richmond — a career spanning diverse markets and formats. His track record in station success earned him the inaugural Mike McVay Award, one of radio’s most prestigious honors. Yet when you ask him what drives his work at The Box, you’ll hear something more personal than accolades. He demonstrates deep commitment to mentorship. He honors the tenured voices that define a station’s identity. Moreover, he nurtures the next generation of talent that will carry radio forward.
The Current Lineup: Experience and Elevation
The Box’s on-air landscape reflects Rude’s philosophy of building around established talent while creating room for emerging voices. The morning show, Good Morning H-Town, carries the torch from decades past. “Every member of the show, from J-Que, who we just added to the lead chair in February, to J-Mac and Young Jas, they were all members of the Madd Hatta Morning Show, which of course was on the box for decades,” Rude notes. For Rude, local continuity matters enormously in today’s media landscape. “Houston’s very local,” he says. “I know that’s kind of rare in 2026, but in Middays, Keisha Nicole, who previously hosted the first incarnation of Good Morning H-Town… is an amazing talent, who’s just been great at connecting with the audiences. Great in person, great on air.”
In afternoon drive, G-Man anchors the schedule — a personality who has been with the company “for a couple decades as well too.” Notably, what stands out most about The Box’s staff isn’t star power alone, but staying power. “One thing you’ll notice about the box,” Rude observes, “the Box staff has been there for a while. Most people, when they get to the box, they stay there.” He calls it marination rather than mere seasoning — a slow-cooked development that builds institutional knowledge and audience loyalty across years.
Managing, Developing, and Unleashing Potential
When pressed on how he manages tenured talent while still pushing for evolution and growth, Rude returns to first principles. He was asked a similar question while speaking to students at Virginia State University in 2017. His answer reveals the core of his philosophy. “I look for hunger, humility, and the willingness to learn,” he says. “One of them said, ‘Well, what about running the board and all that stuff?’ I said, ‘Oh, I can teach you that. I can’t teach you to be hungry. I can’t teach you to be humble. I can’t teach you to want to learn. So I think that’s the key with the veteran talent as well as the young talent, right? Because if someone thinks they already know it all, there’s nothing you can tell them.'”
This approach extends to how he cultivates mentorship without making it feel forced or obligatory. When discussing a young talent he hired, he described a moment where one of his veteran personalities — “someone who is very seasoned and considered not just the best in the market, but in the industry” — offered unsolicited encouragement. “I had to tell him later,” Rude recalls. “I don’t think you realize how much that meant to her for you to say that. I can tell her that all the time, but at the same time, for someone else, not only one of her peers, but one who is respected and considered the best to say that, carries a lot of weight.”
Importantly, Rude has never asked anyone to mentor younger talent. Mandatory mentorship becomes a chore. Instead, he creates an environment where peer-to-peer growth happens organically. “I’ve never asked anyone to do that, because how many people want to do a chore?”
The Arc of Recognition
The honors have arrived in succession. First, he earned the Marconi Award for Urban Station of the Year in 2025 with Magic 102.1 and then in 2026 came the inaugural Mike McVay Award. When he received the call about the McVay honor, his first instinct was disbelief. “I really asked that question. Why me, right?” he says. “Because when you keep your head down and you’re just you’re going forward, this is what you do, and then you realize, oh, there are other people actually realizing what you do. It really means a lot.”
What strikes him most about the award is its connection to McVay’s legacy across formats and markets. “When you have someone who has been so instrumental in the industry and in programming across different formats… I don’t think I can really put it into words how much that really means.” However, he’s careful to reframe both accolades as team achievements. “While it looks like an individual award, I still look at it as a team award because again, like I said at the Barrett Media Summit, my team makes me look good. THEY do the work.”
Paying It Forward
The thread that ties Rude’s career together isn’t ambition for the next title or the next market — it’s gratitude and obligation. When asked what mountain comes next, he’s honest: “I really don’t know what the next one is.” That openness reflects a man anchored by what came before. He thinks constantly about what he owes to those who helped him climb.
“There are people who helped me get to where I am. I have to pay that forward too,” he explains. At WZFX,Dee Cherie stopped him walking through the studio and asked what he wanted to do. At his very first remote, Lamont Swyng saw his nerves and helped him through the breaks. These small acts of attention and encouragement shaped his entire career. Indeed, at The Box — one of two heritage brands he shepherds in Houston — that same debt is being repaid daily. “I feel that’s what we should all do, but not everybody does. And I think it’s important for me to make sure that I do that.”
That’s the real legacy Yonni Rude is building. He’s not just chasing awards or ratings. It’s like his grandfather once asked him, “Now that you have their attention, what are you going to teach them?” He’s creating a station culture where seasoned professionals and emerging voices lift one another up. Local radio remains sacred in his world. The next generation knows exactly where to find their mentors.
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Five years have passed since Phil Valentine died, but the people who worked alongside him at SuperTalk 99.7 WTN in Nashville still speak about him in the present tense. His voice shaped the station for decades, and his influence still lingers in the building today. Colleagues describe a broadcaster who understood his craft, his community, and his audience better than almost anyone in the format.
Valentine passed away on August 21, 2021, after contracting COVID-19. Before his death, he shared deep remorse over his earlier skepticism toward the vaccine, urging his listeners to take the virus seriously and get vaccinated themselves. That transparency, those who knew him say, was simply who he was.
Three people who worked closest to Valentine agreed to reflect on his life and legacy. John Bozeman, known to many in the industry as “Johnny B,” produced Valentine’s show for more than 30 years. Dan Mandis, now host of Nashville’s Morning News on the station, served as Valentine’s final program director. Mike McVay, who spent years as Executive Vice President of Content and Programming at Cumulus Media, worked with Valentine during the final stretch of his career.
A Nashville Radio Legend
Bozeman put Valentine in rare company when discussing his talent behind the microphone.
“I’ve always put him up there with Rush Limbaugh,” said Bozeman. “He had the same kind of connection to his audience. He was a great radio man like Rush was… He understood theater of the mind.”
Mandis pointed to longevity as the defining trait of Valentine’s career.
“The thing about Phil is longevity,” Mandis said. “He was in Nashville for years and years and years. He had a brief stint in Philadelphia, but then he came back home. He was instrumental in what Nashville remains today, which is a state that does not have a state income tax.”
McVay’s history with Valentine stretched back even further, to the days before either of them arrived at Cumulus.
“He just always was a guy who knew how to connect to an audience and how to connect to a community,” the former Cumulus executive stated. “He cared about the community. He cared about people, and he cared about providing a viewpoint that he was passionate about.”
Mandis also credited Valentine with shaping SuperTalk 99.7 WTN‘s identity long after his passing.
“I think the station still gets some of that glow from the Phil Valentine years,” Mandis said. “When people ask me what I do, and I say, ‘I work at WTN,’ they’ll look at me kind of quizzically, and I’m like, ‘The station that Phil Valentine was on.’ Oh, yeah, Phil.”
Mandis added that the station still uses Valentine’s voice in its legal IDs. “People still thank me for doing that five years later. That’s how much people loved him.”
Transparency in His Final Days
Valentine’s skepticism toward the COVID-19 vaccine defined the final chapter of his public life, and McVay didn’t shy away from that reality.
“Probably the most controversial thing was he was very much anti-vaccine as the pandemic began,” the former Cumulus executive stated. “As he got COVID and ultimately died, he changed his tune while he was in the hospital.”
That shift, according to McVay, revealed the same honesty that defined Valentine’s entire career.
“I believe some of the trade publications even printed words from him saying, ‘Take it from me, get the vaccine. Don’t go through what I’m going through,'” McVay shared. “That’s the transparency he had.”
Bozeman echoed that sentiment when discussing how Valentine should be remembered.
“That’s one thing I hope people take away from their memories of him — not how he died, but how the guy knew how to live,” said Bozeman. “I think that’s what endeared him to people, especially listeners, and even those that he worked with.”
The Man Behind the Microphone
Beyond the ratings and the political commentary, those closest to Valentine remember a man defined by generosity. Bozeman recalled how Valentine treated everyone at the station equally, regardless of title or position.
“The cleaning crew at the radio station, I don’t care who you were, he talked to everybody and treated you equally,” Bozeman shared. “When it was Christmas, Phil gave the cleaning crew a bonus. He didn’t have to, but he did. That was the kind of guy he was.”
Mandis experienced that same generosity firsthand when he first arrived in Nashville 12 years ago as WTN’s new midday host. Valentine, already a market legend, reached out with an offer few would expect from someone of his stature.
“Hey, if you need help moving into your new place, me and my sons would be right over,” Mandis said. “That just doesn’t happen. I was amazed.”
That humility, paired with genuine talent, is what made Valentine so respected across Nashville radio. Mandis described their working relationship as collaborative rather than hierarchical, even after Mandis became his program director.
“He never fought me. He’d say, ‘Have you ever thought about this or that or the other?'” said Mandis. “It was very collaborative in nature, and I always appreciated that about Phil.”
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Kennedy Elsey has spent more than 16 years on Boston mornings. Over that time, she has now found her true purpose and is using the megaphone of radio to make an impact where it matters.
I have been aware of Elsey’s work in mental health advocacy for a handful of years. I worked alongside her helping to curate content for Audacy’s I’m Listening initiative. But it’s only been recently, since living back in New England and commuting most mornings, that I’ve been able to spend enough time listening to her on-air to really get a full understanding of her work.
Elsey is co-host of “Karson & Kennedy” on Audacy’s Mix 104.1 and recently received the 2026 MIW Airblazer Award. She was chosen by last year’s honoree, Karen Carson. For Elsey, that detail mattered as much as the award itself.
“I was just honored to be honest,” Elsey said. “To be chosen by a woman I truly respect and to be included amongst the women who came before was unreal. She and I are so similar, and we share what it is to be a woman in the industry.”
Passing It Forward to the Next Generation
The Airblazer Award recognizes women who lift up others in the industry. It makes sense that when asked about who she wants to spotlight in the next generation of female radio talent, Elsey already has a list of names.
“Oh my gosh, I love my girly pops,” she said, naming Kira in Columbia, Hannah B in Chicago, and Kadie Daye among the talent she roots for. Her advice to them is simple and direct. “I want them to know that they have value, no matter their age or how long they’ve been in the game. Take up space, my loves.”
That message traces back to her own early years in the format, when confidence took time to build. Now she wants to shorten that timeline for the women coming up behind her.
A Walk That Keeps Growing, and Why That Matters
Elsey’s mental health advocacy has become inseparable from her on-air identity. Her Wicked Long Walk fundraiser has gained a ton of local attention and grown year to year.
“In two years, our listeners donated $113,000,” Elsey said. “I live with a litany of mental health issues, and once I started talking about it on-air, the world changed. Our listeners are the most kind and giving people on earth, and hearing about the donations and stories while I walk is something I will never be able to truly articulate.”
That openness did not stay confined to fundraising season. Once Elsey started sharing her own story regularly on the air, listeners started sharing back.
“It has changed everything,” she said. “Listeners have come up to me, emailed, or DM’d me that because of my story, they have started therapy, or their kid asked them if they could start therapy. I’ve even had a few say that by speaking out, I’ve saved them from taking a dark path. It’s such an honor.”
Few morning hosts can point to a direct line between their show and someone else’s decision to seek help. Elsey can, and she does not take it lightly.
Not every side project carries that same weight. Earlier this year, Elsey volunteered at Franklin Park Zoo where she relished in the opportunity to have a bit of rare anonymity by dressing in a penguin costume.
The gig made for an epic on-air bit for Mix 104.1 listeners, when Elsey had to miss work due to an allergic reaction to the penguin costume. What struck me as a listener was hearing her talk about how she loved being able to interact with the public while hidden inside the suit.
“My social anxiety is bonkers, which makes it hard to be at events and in public,” Elsey said. “Being able to hide a bit and just be a ‘normal girl’ keeps me humble and makes it easier for me to interact.”
For someone whose career depends on being recognized, a costume that erased her identity for a day offered a strange kind of relief. It is a small window into how Elsey manages the pressure of a public-facing job while carrying private struggles.
On lighter terrain, “Karson & Kennedy” built one of radio’s more durable contesting franchises in “Can’t Beat Kennedy.” Elsey credits programmer Steve Reynolds with bringing the feature to the show, and it has since spread to more than 50 stations.
“CBK is an animal that has grown and become our most popular feature,” she said. “It’s just fun. You don’t need a prize, although the money is nice. People just want to play along.”
The feature has become a generational touchstone for some listeners. Elsey said people in their 20s tell her they played along with their parents on the school run. One listener even listed beating Elsey as a fun fact on her Hinge profile, which Elsey called a highlight of her year.
Nearly Two Decades In, and Still Learning
Elsey and co-host Karson Tager have shared a Boston morning show since 2009. Sixteen-plus years in, Elsey said the rhythm of the job looks nothing like it did at the start.
“We know what we are doing now, and that took a looooong time,” she said. “We were flying by the seat of our pants in the early years. But with time and guidance from Steve Salhany and Steve Reynolds, we were able to fine-tune it into what we have now. We are such good friends and have been for 25-plus years, which helps.”
That friendship, paired with two decades of trial and error, shows up in how the show connects with its city. Elsey pointed to that local connection as the show’s clearest edge over syndicated or AI-generated competition.
“We focus on being hyperlocal,” she said. Explaining that “we are part of the community. We are friends with our listeners. We meet them where they are.”
What Comes Next
Between the Airblazer honor, the growth of the Wicked Long Walk, and a viral zoo shift, Elsey has had a packed year outside the studio. Even so, she is not chasing a new project. She is doubling down on where she sees her impact most valuable.
“I will continue to focus on my mental health work,” she said. “I realize now that THAT is why I was put in front of a microphone. It’s been life-changing.”
For Elsey, the mission is already set. The next chapter is simply doing more of it.
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It’s one thing when the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducts R&B artists that cause the internet to melt down, or when the Grammys hands out Rock hardware to a Pop band — we’ve come to expect that. And as perplexing as that still is, news came crashing down this week that MTV has dropped the “Rock Category” from the VMAs.
What?
They dropped a still-thriving genre that was unquestionably one of the most instrumental in making MTV famous? Let’s give New Wave, Pop, and Michael Jackson their flowers, but who can even imagine MTV in the late ’80s and ’90s without: Metallica, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, and Headbanger’s Ball?
MTV’s Golden Age
Then came Nirvana, which transformed the channel seemingly overnight. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” played multiple times per hour — more spins per hour than Madonna was getting at Top 40 radio.
The Rock removal ends a 35+ year run of representation at the VMAs. Importantly, there is still “Alternative,” or MTV’s questionable definition of what Alternative is, which is another whole discussion. Ideally, at least there’s faint hope an electric guitar or real drum set might be on the show’s backline rider. (Let’s not hold our breath.)
The Bigger Picture
Certainly, let’s not hate on MTV too much. MTV isn’t a music outlet anymore — it’s a reality-TV network that occasionally cosplays as a music brand once a year. It’s their awards show, so they can do whatever they want with it. However, the bigger questions remain. Why dump Rock when other genres remain? And why won’t they explain it?
It can’t be streaming relevance. Rock remains one of the top global streaming genres. It can’t be touring strength. Rock acts crush touring revenue every year in arenas, stadiums, and festivals. It can’t be broad appeal. According to Luminate, Rock is the #2 most consumed music genre in the United States, beating Pop, Country, Latin, and EDM. The only answer that makes sense is that Rock simply isn’t the audience MTV is going for anymore. Notably, maybe if someone on Jersey Shore were in a rock band, things might be different.
Although MTV and the VMAs don’t carry the cultural punch they once did, I’d rather see the Rock category remain. Fortunately, Rock will be just fine without it. Rock is still everywhere — there’s no shortage of radio stations, streams, and platforms blasting Rock — old and new.
Rock as the Underdog
In fact, isn’t this how the Rock story is supposed to go? Rock is always the underdog. The outsider. The thing that makes its way in, steals the girl, rights the ship, kills the bad guys, and everyone cheers at the end. Perhaps the VMAs are doing Rock a favor? (Don’t blame a guy for trying to find a silver lining.)
I wanted to find out what friends and colleagues thought. Therefore, I reached out to a few for their thoughts.
Expert Voices
“MTV hasn’t had any credibility with rock fans for a very long time. This is unfortunate, but I’m not surprised.” Ryan Castle — VP of Rock Formats, Audacy
“Seriously, since the VMAs decided to exclude ‘Rock’ from their anachronistic awards program, I’ve actually heard more buzz about the show than I have in years. So, that’s saying something.” Fred Jacobs — President, Jacobs Media
“If you can name any of the last 3 ‘Best Rock’ Winners without Googling, I’ll give you a dollar. (Answer: Coldplay, Lenny Kravitz, and Maneskin). In fact, can you name any winner of any MTV award from the last 3 years? It’s hard to get too worked up over losing a ‘platform’ that wasn’t doing a whole lot of elevating to begin with.” Derek Madden — VP of Mainstream Rock Formats, Cumulus Media
“For MTV to drop the Rock category is surprising and feels as if they’re misaligned with how music migrates across formats in an era where streaming is the music leader and has no format borders. The Foo Fighters, Shinedown, Jack White may appear on the Alternative charts, but they’re Rock bands. How do they not warrant their own category?” Mike McVay — President, McVay Media Consulting
“I loved the rock-fueled years I was at MTV and VH-1. It’s disappointing they dropped the Rock category because there’s certainly enough going on to justify one, or a few. MTV used to create music pop culture, and the VMAs would award it. Today, MTV isn’t in the music game, so dropping the Rock category is probably more about what direction they’re heading in, not an indictment of the music.” Matt Pinfield — Former MTV/VH-1 VJ, Award Winning Rock Culturalist
The Irony
I heard from many others, and to no surprise, the collective sentiment is clear. It’s not only disappointing and surprising — without any explanation, it comes across as tone deaf or like an embarrassing oversight. Completely ignoring a massive genre that helped get the network to the dance in the first place feels like:
But really, in one of the oddest twists of irony, it’s all good. MTV’s most played and most popular show these days, by a wide margin, is named Ridiculousness.
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