Donald Trump and Kamala Harris took the stage on Tuesday night, with each hoping to become the next President of the United States. By now, you’ve read, listened, and heard enough takes analyzing the good moments and bad moments.
But when I watched the debate, I couldn’t help but think to myself: Both candidates could have been much more, as we call in radio, “PPM friendly”. That would be a reference to the Personal People Meters that we rely on for our Nielsen ratings.
Both candidates struggled to get clearly and concisely to their point when asked a question.
Let’s start with the economy. Kamala Harris was first asked about how to improve the economy.
Harris’ answer began, “So, I was raised as a middle-class kid. And I am actually the only person on this stage who has a plan that is about lifting up the middle class and working people of America. I believe in the ambition, the aspirations, the dreams of the American people. And that is why I imagine and have actually a plan to build what I call an opportunity economy.”
Kamala Harris was 15 seconds into her answer on the No. 1 issue on the minds of the American people, and she hadn’t even begun to scratch the surface of a serious and memorable answer. And in these debates, you want those memorable moments, ideally on the top issues that the American people care about.
Later in the debate, Donald Trump was asked how he would deport illegal immigrants.
Trump’s answer began like this, “Yeah. It is much higher because of them. They allowed criminals. Many, many, millions of criminals. They allowed terrorists. They allowed common street criminals. They allowed people to come in, drug dealers, to come into our country, and they’re now in the United States. And told by their countries like Venezuela don’t ever come back or we’re going to kill you.”
Is Donald Trump even close to answering the question he was asked? Of course not.
By the way, millions of Americans are dying to know the answer to that question. Most realize that the current levels of illegal immigration are unsustainable, so how will the next President fix it? We don’t know.
So, millions of Americans who are tuning in hoping to get a feel for their next leader of the free world are dejected, disheartened, and entirely confused.
The candidates (at least Harris) reportedly spent days preparing for this night’s debate. While it’s always a politician’s job to obfuscate, to some degree, the consulting class would do well to teach their candidates that in a society that is losing its concentration at a rapid pace and has untold sums of content and distractions at its fingertips, you better make your point clearly and concisely and make it right away.
We see the research in PPM that if you are not engaging in your content in seconds when you’re back from a break, your audience is likely moving on. If you aren’t capturing their attention, they’ll find someone who will.
Neither Donald Trump nor Kamala Harris achieved that on Tuesday night. The ultimate loser remains the American people, who are looking for answers to their most pressing questions.
I’m not expecting a second debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, but if we get one, it’s time to get some PPM-experts in the room, show them the data, and help them get right to the point. That would also allow us to reduce the debate time by 30-40 minutes. And that’s one thing that might be bipartisan.
Radio station managers have a lot of jobs. Everything from hiring staff and budgeting down to turning off the lights and taking out the trash, and literally anything and everything in between. However, perhaps the biggest job is to motivate, to be positive and to bring high energy every day.
If we’ve had the pleasure of working together you already know I love to sing. I’m not good at it, but I love to sing (or rap) and I generally do it when I am walking, or sitting, or really any time. It didn’t start out as a thing, I just naturally did it all the time. But then I saw how people would respond, generally with laughter – but then also usually followed by them joining in the song with me or belting out the next line. So, I kept doing it and had fun with it just as a way to keep everyone smiling and loose during the day.
Being positive and having an aura around you of high energy and excitement for what we get to do in this business each day is a must, especially today. Getting to do what we get to do, as challenging as it often is, is still a privilege and many would love to be in our positions. As a manager of any kind in our industry, if you’re asking your staff to not only work their tails off with less resources and pay, you can’t also ask them to do it in an environment filled with negativity.
Behind closed doors, have at it. Managers should use their time with other managers to air out the things you should never talk about in front of the staff. If it isn’t something they need to worry about, do not let it become something they concern themselves with.
Pace is important as well. One of the best compliments I ever received in my career was from a boss who said, “When you move through the office, wind blows.” Initially I thought that was a fat joke, but then he explained my pace in the office is one of being energized, I move with a purpose and don’t mosey along like I have nothing else to do.
We have all seen those people in the office. The ones who take up so much of your time because they want to stand around and talk rather than work and never have anything positive to say. You wonder why they stay as unhappy as they seem to be. There’s no time for these people in the business anymore.
Aggressive, creative, go-getters. That is what the industry needs and that starts at the very top with the leaders. Then it trickles down to all sides of the office. If your talent is energized and loves the environment and feels supported, they are going to be better on the air. If your sales team feeds off your great energy, they are going to be that much more hyped up to do their jobs and represent the brand(s). We know there is a lot of ‘suck’ to embrace in a media sales job, so you have to walk into that office each day knowing it is your job to lift everyone up. The team will feed off of you.
Energy and passion often lead to creativity and those three things can take you a long way in our business. Sometimes the best ideas can come from the strangest places when people feel energized and believe everyone is rowing in the same direction, wanting the same outcomes.
As managers, we need to be pulling from the front, setting the example, rather than pushing from the back and expecting others to lead the way.
Without question the best thing I watched recently was the NFL RedZone channel during Week 1 of the NFL season. Hearing and seeing Scott Hanson back on my television means it is the best time of the year and for my money, the RedZone is the best way to spend a Sunday.
If somehow you are unaware of RedZone or have never tuned in, if you are an NFL fan or you have a fantasy football team, you have to at least check it out. Basically, it is seven hours of live football, features up to eight games at once and pretty much just shows you all of the stuff that matters. Meanwhile Hanson does an excellent job navigating you through the coverage bouncing from game to game and doing his best to keep up with everything so you can sit back and enjoy.
You can find out more about NFL RedZone by clicking here.
We lost one of the great actors and voices this past week when James Earl Jones passed away at the age of 93. To me, I will always think of ‘Field of Dreams’ and his unbelievable performance in that movie when I think of him, although his voice really is what most of us think of first.
Mark Kreidler wrote about Jones recently and talked about the many different sports roles he played in his amazing career. A career that cannot possibly be defined by any one single role he played.
Kreidler wrote, “He was Darth Vader, sure. But he was more. And Jones understood sports, both on stage and in film, as one way to process his own American experience – but also as a way to share that experience with people who might not otherwise be interested in hearing the story.”
Last week, Terrie Carr, PD/MD/midday talent at Beasley Rocker WDHA/Morristown, NJ, detailed the community built around – and connections made because of – her and the station’s Rock ‘n’ Ruff program. Carr and the station bring shelters in to highlight their adoptable dogs on-air and online with mentions and videos, and they also hold a bunch of events to get listeners engaged in real-time with adoptable animals.
“Sponsors love to be associated with it,” Carr says, giving reasons to get involved that go beyond simply being part of a nice community-building campaign. She mentions that we’re coming up on Puptoberfest, which involves multiple in-person events with thousands of people. Puptoberfest is just one of a few sub-brands that she and WDHA have established around Rock ‘n’ Ruff, some of which feature station artists coming out and getting involved.
“Theory of a Deadman wanted to do an event with us. They raised just shy of $10,000 in a day for one of our shelters,” she says. “It was great because people were able to see where their money went – it costs money to feed, house, and treat these shelter dogs, so listeners got to see how we were using their donations.”
The station also puts together an annual dog calendar, which is sold to raise money for shelters and related charities. The pictures featured in each calendar are submitted by listeners, with their dogs judged live and in person during the WDHA Ultimate Rock Dogs Contest, which happens as part of Puptoberfest. “It’s a fun hang. We have a bunch of record label people who love to judge,” Carr says, calling out friends and ”celebrity judges” like Gary Jay and Dave Lombardi, who also help out with Rock ‘n’ Ruff during the year.
Photo: Joe Frazz Photography
Having that label boost helps Carr with this kind of thing since it gets bands to come out to events. “We have a car dealership who’s into the program – they opened their doors for an event, and one of the label people brought a band by,” she says, adding that having a Rock artist helps draw out more listeners, which makes a sponsor’s involvement seem even more worth it to them. “It’s remarkable how many people come for the events – and Rock artists who ask about which dogs will come to an event if they’re showing up or performing.”
Asked how another station might spin up something similar, Carr says it’s essential you have someone who loves animals and feels passionately about the cause. “I love these animals… I put lip gloss on all of these dogs. If there’s a dog around, no one else in the room matters to me. People ask if I remember them, but I remember their dogs,” she admits. “You need to get together with credible shelters – make sure they are 501(c)3 organizations – and that everything is above-board with disclosures. The animals have to be vetted, tested, declawed if appropriate, all the things.”
Beyond that, it’s important to incorporate good partners. “You have to have people you trust and enjoy working with,” says TC. “Make sure you have great community partners who have great reputations.” Finally, your program champion has to believe in the program and be willing to “get their hands dirty,” as Carr puts it. “I donate a lot of time personally – I go out and host a lot of events and galas,” she says. “I never mind doing that because it’s part of the job, too. But you have to be authentic about it – that’s when people come to believe it.”
When Rock ‘n’ Ruff first started, Terrie had some difficulty – including saying goodbye to the dogs when they’d come to the studios, especially after hearing some of their stories. “I’d get really emotional,” she admits. “But I realize how much we help and how much we do. The dogs come in on Tuesdays, and it’s the best day of the week for me. The staff gets love, too. It’s just a great feeling to have those dogs around, and it changes the whole dynamic of the day.”
Carr continues to describe Rock ‘n’ Ruff as a win-win all around for her, WDHA, sponsors, artists who get involved, shelters, pet companies and more. “There’s definitely a brand loyalty that’s built in, and I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish,” she says. “We’re just trying to do as much locally as we can – it’s all about community.”
While she likes seeing other stations implement campaigns like Rock ‘n’ Ruff, WDHA definitely was the first, and it shows with how sticky and impactful the station is with a lot of its listeners. “I have people who call in from places like Florida or Wisconsin,” Carr says. “They stream us online, and they wanted to let us know they went to their local shelter and adopted a dog because we inspired them wherever they are.”
On a personal level, Terrie adopted her own dog, rescuing her from a situation involving a hoarder. “I just looked at her, and I knew,” Carr declares. “Rosie was scrappy. I was like, I have to have that puppy. She’s my constant companion; she’s the best. I couldn’t survive without her.”
One of the differences in managing a new radio client versus a digital advertising client is attending the weekly or bi-weekly status or check-in meeting. This meeting is designed to check in on results, make adjustments, and see how things are working. With a performance stats-driven ‘dashboard’ tracking all the various KPIs, it’s a lot to cover. Especially if the client isn’t selling more stuff at the end of the day, clients can get frustrated by a lack of conversions despite solid metrics like impressions, clicks, or engagement. To handle this situation effectively and avoid having KPIs become “meaningless,” you and your team can take several steps:
It’s All About the Funnel
Explain the Customer Sales Path: Help the client understand that KPIs such as clicks, impressions, or engagement show different sales funnel stages. It is similar to the radio sales funnel. For example, strong CTRs indicate interest but may not always lead to immediate purchases. The bigger the customer purchases, the longer the sales cycle.
Show the Conversion Path: Use Google Analytics to demo how people moved through their website or how leads are progressing. Explain that purchasing decisions often take multiple touchpoints. Maybe the customer is stopping at the price sheet and leaving the website. That may mean pricing doesn’t match up with the customers’ expectations.
Track Conversion Metrics: Focus on metrics such as form fills, lead generation, or phone calls to show concrete actions beyond clicks, especially for high-consideration products or services that require more deliberation. Ensure whoever handles those form fills gets the correct info and knows what to do with it.
Look for Bumps in the Road
Analyze Conversion Rates: If people are clicking through but not purchasing, there may be an issue with the landing page, messaging, or user experience. You can analyze bounce rates or time on the page to identify where potential customers might be dropping off and suggest fixes. You were hired to get the prospects there, and now you must help them stay. MAKE SURE THE CLIENT KNOWS THIS! As radio reps, we often deliver the customers to the business and then have no control over what happens, but not so with digital!
Investigate Product or Service Fit: It’s possible that the product/service isn’t resonating with the audience. A survey monkey or feedback loop could help the client understand why interest is not moving to immediate sales.
Use Attribution Models
Explain Attribution Windows: Some clients may not see immediate purchases, but that doesn’t mean the campaign isn’t effective. Purchases may happen after multiple touchpoints, and tools like Google Ads or Facebook Ads can help demonstrate where in the journey ads influenced the decision. The bigger the purchase or lifestyle change, like a new home, the longer the window should be.
Multi-Touch Attribution: Use attribution models to show your campaigns’ role in multiple stages of the customer’s decision-making process. This helps explain how ads contributed to the eventual sale, even if the conversion didn’t happen immediately.
Set Client Expectations
Be Realistic: At the outset, ensure the client has realistic expectations. If the product or service has a longer sales cycle or requires more customer education, they must be prepared for that reality and wait for the results.
Show Benchmarks: Compare your KPIs against industry benchmarks. Exceeding averages for your sector proves the campaign works, even if immediate sales haven’t materialized.
Suggest Testing & Optimization
A/B Testing: Offer to test different ad creatives, calls-to-action (CTAs), or landing pages. Small changes can sometimes make a big difference in conversion rates.
Optimize for Conversions: Focus on retargeting or remarketing campaigns to follow up with potential customers who didn’t purchase the first time. This can help nudge people who have shown interest but haven’t completed the purchase yet.
Review External Factors
Market Conditions: Explain that market conditions, seasonality, or competitive factors might influence buying behavior, even if the campaign KPIs are strong.
Pricing & Promotions: If the product or service isn’t competitive in terms of pricing, customers may click through but not convert. Suggest revisiting pricing strategies or running promotions to entice conversions.
The key to avoiding a disconnect between strong KPIs and perceived sales outcomes is to have transparent, data-driven conversations with the client. Walk them through the sales funnel, adjust expectations, and use a combination of data analytics, attribution models, and conversion tracking to show how your efforts contribute to their overall business goals.
Chris Booker is currently Co-host of ‘ALT Afternoons with Booker and Stryker’ on ALT 98.7, KYSR, Los Angeles. The two have over twenty years of history together, appearing on opposite coasts back in the day, working for the same company, Booker for the former K-ROCK in New York (for several tours) and Stryker on Los Angeles’ KROQ (for several years). Booker is also currently on air in Middays on the legendary Rock 105.3, KIOZ, San Diego.
Before asking for a brief background on his career history, I read his Wikipedia page, which only covered a description of his on again off again somewhat abusive relationship with K-ROCK New York. A clear parallel of his charming self-deprecating humor which makes him so engaging as talent today. But I knew there was much more to it. “I’m not sure if there’s a ‘brief’ version of the timeline of my career, but I’ll give it a shot,” he says. “WOMP FM Wheeling, WV, while in college. Then 3 different stations in the Carolinas. Kansas City KISF for mornings. 1994 WNRQ Pittsburgh, WXRK in 96. Started at MTV/MTV2/VH1 as a VJ in 99. Moved to WNEW for a year, then to SIRIUS, Z100, back to WXRK which eventually flipped to WFNY, then was hired as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, Mornings WIOQ, back to WXRK, then KAMP, back to NY on Alt 92.3 WNYL and ending here at KYSR! I have also been the cohost on the Perez Hilton podcast for the past 9 years with a Patreon show as well. I also currently track KIOZ in SD. My day usually starts with tracking. I podcast twice a week, and I have five live afternoon shows on KYSR’s ‘Booker and Stryker.’ I’ve been an AMD, an MD, a morning guy, afternoon host, night guy… if it involves a radio, I’ve probably done it.”
“I’d forgotten that I had a wiki page, by the way. When I worked on K-Rock in NY, our listeners were so involved or maybe invested in how we destroyed one another (in fun) on the air that sometimes they’d get in on it. Anyhow, I do recall the listeners changing it quite a few times, and some of them were outrageous. Anyhoo, I just tried to read mine and got bored. It looks to be around 30% correct.”
So many times, Booker has gone between pop and rock formats, and now he’s on both alt & rock, so I had to ask, “What is the significant difference between these formats, and how do you adjust, or do you have to?” “When I worked at WYAV in Myrtle Beach, Jim Bosch was our morning guy, and he was a guy that had worked everywhere, and he said something that I always remembered.. ‘same show, different microphone.’ It’s true,” he says. “Just be yourself and be consistent with it, and you’ll be fine. I like pop music, I like rock, I like Alt and even some country. So, it hasn’t really been too hard to segue between the formats. I just sound like Booker.”
There is something about So Cal Rock and Alt that is so different from the rest of the country. I speak from experience, having programmed both formats on the West Coast for a time, “What is it that makes it so unique?” “The music here has incredible roots,” explains Booker. “Alternative/Modern Rock/ Punk Rock all have their own identity that’s truly woven into the culture. So many genres were literally created in So Cal. So yes, it’s a very important part of the soundscape. I can’t speak for the rest of the country, but it has a past that’s pretty important here.”
“The state of Alternative music now?… That’s a loaded question,” says Booker. “Here’s my opinion. PPM HAS LITERALLY RUINED RADIO. When a handful of people decide the fate of a ‘music community,’ you end up playing only to them. And you become beholden to play only the most familiar music. It doesn’t bode well for new music. Let’s be honest; we’re here to get ratings. I laugh at every 80s programmer patting themselves on the back for great ratings when they play only the most familiar, best-testing 250 songs to a group of people who barely understand what streaming is. Here’s Summer of 69’ again… Give me a break.”
As for working with another strong personality on a show together, Booker says, “Stryker is the best dude I know. We genuinely root for one another, and at times, it feels like we’re just playing verbal tennis. We have fun every day. We both have a lot of experience and understanding of what we’re doing in that room. The secret is the friendship. He lifts me up when I blow, and I try to do the same for him.”
“As for the use of AI in the industry, ‘AI Booker’ would be hilarious. It f$&ks up often and tells terrible jokes, and gives the audience at least 30 seconds of dead air a week. But How about ‘AI Suits’ instead? I have no idea what half of those people do…besides the posing for pictures with artists?”
It’s a brave new world, and Linkin Park just announced a new singer, album, and tour, “What are your thoughts on the addition of Emily Armstrong?” I ask. “We just had Shinoda in. I think he put it so well,” says Booker. “I’m paraphrasing here… He said he understands that it’s so strange to hear anyone singing those lyrics not named Chester. It’s weird for them. They lost a friend. They get that some might be all in from day one, and others may not be feeling it. He just hopes people give it a chance because they are very excited to be repping Linkin Park again. So, naturally, I’m gonna root for them.”
“Is there anyone who could replace Steven Tyler if Aerosmith decided to do the same thing?” “STP did with Chester,” says Booker. “INXS did it. Van Halen did. Journey did. Alice In Chains did. Fuel did. So, why not try if they’re still into it? If you don’t want to go and see them, don’t.”
“What other shows are you listening to right now?” “My favorite DJ at the moment is Maria Palmer on Rock 103.5 in Chicago. Her social media is better than anything I’ve seen from any other radio person in years. Bobby Bones is an incredible interviewer. I’m forever a Howard guy too… Hey now.”
“And where can we find you on social media?” “I’m @chrisbooker everywhere. I’m personally waiting for it to die. I’m not into this fraudulent selling of lives that people are constantly trying to pitch. Get off my lawn…”
Once Jason Benetti was officially hired as a play-by-play announcer for television broadcasts of Chicago White Sox baseball, he received a phone call from the longtime voice of the organization. Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, the idiomatic, energetic broadcast touchstone for generations of fans, spoke to Benetti before they started splitting the regular-season television slate of games. Benetti was told to be himself, and he evinced that the dichotomy between he and Harrelson provided consumers with a balance of what they wanted. After all, he had entered the prestigious role after working across Minor League Baseball for a decade and felt somewhat naïve about the pressure inextricably tied to the job.
Once Harrelson retired after the 2018 season, Benetti became the full-time voice of the team while also balancing national broadcast work with ESPN. Despite arriving at the major-league level, Benetti still listened to his tape every day and identified both strengths and weaknesses to foster improvement. These sessions containing scrutiny and subsequent deliberation oftentimes represented the best part of his day.
“It’s not that I blocked out the pressure – I didn’t see it like that,” Benetti said. “I saw it as an opportunity finally for me to say, ‘Yeah, what you have worked on; what your life’s work is can play.’”
The White Sox organization is in the midst of its worst season in franchise history, accumulating over 115 losses and on pace to finish with the most single season defeats in Major League Baseball. Benetti, however, did not leave his role on the television broadcasts because of the on-field play of the team, nor did it pertain to the craft itself. After all, he grew up in the Chicago metropolitan area, and being able to broadcast for his hometown team was a distinction he treasured, but he recognized the need to make a change.
“The decision wasn’t as difficult as you might think because it’s about where you’re going and not where you’re coming from,” Benetti said, “and all I’ve ever wanted since college is to have that collaborative environment and to have a place where getting better is paramount and really progressing and making sure that the work is better and better. That’s what I wanted.”
In the end, the decision came down to quality of life and happiness, leading him to hear the Detroit Tigers out as to why the franchise wanted him to fill the same role. The process was, in part, catalyzed during a speaking engagement for a corporation in Chicago when Benetti was asked about the best team on which he has ever worked. In thinking about his previous experiences in large-scale operations, he recognized that the answer was WAER-FM, the student-run radio station at Syracuse University, a disconcerting reality in that the endeavor had been long complete.
Throughout his inaugural season in the broadcast booth with the Tigers, Benetti has been behind the microphone for several flourishes and marquee moments as the team battles for a postseason spot. Amid the season, the regional broadcast team is still growing accustomed to one another, and Benetti evinces that it still has strides to make, but he is appreciative of the warm welcome and feels that everyone has meshed well.
“It’s not about showing what I can do – it really isn’t,” Benetti said. “It’s about creating an atmosphere where the people next to me and the people in the truck and everybody can go do what’s on their mind and what is of their take, and do it well and not have pushback because you hire people for a reason.”
Benetti views play-by-play announcing as a role partially prefaced on natural improvisation, and he attempts to emit a free-wheeling, collaborative spirit during the game. On top of that, he implements pop culture references and will often draw connections between baseball and other genres. Benetti hopes that in addition to keeping people informed and aware about the Tigers, his broadcasts elicit sentiments of curiosity and inquisitiveness.
“Play-by-play, for me, is a test of all your knowledge you’ve gathered until that day about the subject matter and about anything else in the world that might come up because you never know,” Benetti said. “You could cut to somebody in the crowd who’s wearing any T-shirt, and if you don’t know what it is, then you just go by it, but if you know exactly what it is, it might create a conversation, and having interests that are beyond the scope of the sport can create relationships with players and conversation with players.”
In addition to announcing Tigers games regionally, Benetti is part of the MLB on FOX broadcast property and calls various regular-season and postseason matchups throughout the year. No matter who he is working with in the broadcast booth, traveling around the league to see different teams assists in broadening his perspective and enhances his work elsewhere. Benetti grew up watching national baseball broadcasts and can extrapolate consumer affinity to when the hometown teams are featured to the national audience.
“One of the best things that comes from doing those games is the opportunity we have for a one-on-one, two-on-one [meeting] with the manager of each team,” Benetti said. “And because I watch baseball over the course of the season and I’m doing it every day, to have that access to talk about the game and the issues of the game, I feel like I’m more knowledgeable, even when I come back to the Tigers, about the way baseball is and the current state in 2024.”
Benetti has been able to craft a broadcast career despite being diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a young age, a neurological disorder affecting mobility and balance. Reflecting on his case, he is fortunate to have few physical limitations and that he is able to function. Nonetheless, Benetti has grown accustomed to the perception it cultivates to the point where he is indifferent whether or not observations about his condition are disseminated.
“I have had some weird experiences whereby someone will try to talk very slowly to me and try to help me with something, and then three minutes later, I’ll get recognized for being a sports announcer, and somebody will, way too much, be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so excited to meet you!,’ which is awesome and the best part of the job,” Benetti explained. “But there is substantial whiplash from the moment when people are talking to you like you’re 5, and then somebody’s talking to you like you’re Taylor Swift for that moment.”
Over the years, Benetti has grown more comfortable on camera after beginning his career commentating on the radio. Preceding his arrival to ESPN in 2011, he had limited television experience working for the Syracuse Chiefs because of a deal the team had with Time Warner Cable in which 20 live game broadcasts would be available on the outlet. Benetti remembers attending a seminar at ESPN with an image consultant who suggested to a room of media professionals to wear more mundane ties so viewers’ attention would be fixated on what they were saying. When he met with the image consultant individually, she suggested that he should do the opposite.
“I was like, ‘What? You just told the whole room that bright ties take attention away from – oh, I get it. I get it. You think that it’s better for people to pay a little more attention to my tie than my eyes,’ which like, you know, [she was] just doing her job, I don’t begrudge anybody for it, but it’s a hilarious story,” Benetti said. “And again, I’ve had some great producers, great analysts [and] people who taught me, ‘Just be you, and it’ll kind of work out.’”
Benetti recognizes that ESPN helped him grow, frequently calling college football and baseball games for the media company. The partnership he had with the late Bill Walton is something he will treasure forever, along with his appearances on Statcast-focused presentations of Sunday Night Baseball. In addition to establishing himself on television, Benetti also equipped his penchant for rigorous academia and legal education to assist in formulating questions and his overall approach. Benetti took the LSAT examination and proceeded to attend Wake Forest University, where he learned more about trials and how to communicate the facts of a case to the jury.
“I can’t control what people hear or don’t hear, and it’s not to say you should accept falsity, but if I don’t say it with enough clarity that they go into the jury room and say, ‘Well, he said this,’ then that’s on me,” Benetti conveyed. “The law school piece of this taught me it’s kind of always on us as communicators. If we don’t pass something along successfully to make it land for 100% of the audience, we probably could have been more clear.”
Throughout the year, Benetti is balancing a variety of different sports that requires him to follow players and leagues and always remain prepared. Whenever he is in the midst of working on one sport, however, he tries to focus on the task at hand and eliminate any distractions.
“I don’t know that it matters in terms of what you are in the business, but it is nice to be able to comprehend multiple sports just as an intellectual exercise for me,” Benetti said. “I get bored when I don’t have something to dive into, and so a lot of it is just, ‘Hey, I loved watching sports as a kid all the way through the year,’ and so I had a storehouse of knowledge of a lot of sports, and I enjoy the challenge of picking up a rule book and understanding it and everything that goes into that.”
One of the top voices in sports is coming to the 313!
Renowned broadcaster @jasonbenetti has inked a multi-year contract to be our television play-by-play announcer.
Benetti remains motivated to collaborate with the best people in the industry, focusing on his teammates rather than attaining coveted assignments such as the Super Bowl or World Series. Moreover, he hopes to serve as an example of how the force of will and good work can help change the perception of people who think that he is incapable of doing things or does not belong. That being said, he is not going to judge the success of his career based on whether or not he calls the championship rounds within the leagues.
“We have no idea if somebody would put a person with a disability that’s so open and obvious on the biggest game in the world,” Benetti said. “We don’t know that; I don’t know that. Nobody’s tried, so it would be a little far-fetched for me to say that that’s what I’d want to do and my career’s a failure if I don’t get to do that.”
In the moments when he reflects on his career and the job he performs, Benetti recognizes that there are people who have much more difficult occupations that get paid less than he does who just want to watch the game and have a good time. Earning the opportunities he has to communicate with the audience as a credible, trusted voice in the sports media ecosystem is a distinct responsibility he recognizes at which he safeguards against failure. Benetti ultimately wants the audience to enjoy the game and impart the elements of drama, comedy, tragedy and victory embedded therein through vivid, compendious prose.
“I’ve been afforded the opportunity to get to do this even as somebody who doesn’t look the same as everybody else,” Benetti said. “The more I do it and the more I get to put creativity out in the world, the better of a chance it is that this industry keeps thriving and the more joy you can put out in the world. Everybody says, ‘Put out in the world what you want the world to look like,’ and I get a chance to do that every night, and that’s not something I take lightly at all.”
Last week, Premiere Networks announced it had added The Michael Berry Show to its lineup of nationally syndicated news/talk offerings.
For Berry, the move had been a long time coming. Based in Houston at iHeartMedia’s Newsradio 740 KTRH, Berry had previously been regionally syndicated in most Texas and Louisiana markets. But beginning on October 7th, he’ll be available for stations nationally.
And moving to national syndication has been a validating experience for the longtime news/talk radio host.
“I think it says a lot about how media has changed, because no longer must every show have a lack of an accent and an attempt to be all things to all people,” said Berry. “This is the second show out of Houston that Premiere has syndicated in the last couple of years, the other one is my dear friend, Jesse Kelly. And what you’re seeing is on the shelves of the marketplace of entertainment, they’re recognizing — and the audiences are responding — to more different, diverse accents, ideology, backgrounds, and experiences. I think that’s good for listeners.
“I don’t think any one show should be the only show for all people. And so I think that really reflects sort of what cable news did to network news a number of years ago, and then what the digital formats did to cable news. Listeners want different options, and maybe different options at different times, and depending on the mood and depending on the issue or the topic. It’s just fun to get to be part of that mix.”
A self-avowed fan of news/talk radio titan Rush Limbaugh, the idea that he is now joining the network that was once the home of the legendary host isn’t lost on Michael Berry.
“Premiere Networks, and the names of Kraig Kitchin and Julie Talbott and the legends of that business were always something I held in high esteem,” shared Berry. “So when the call came, it was a simple question of how can we make this work because we want to make this work, because it’s good for everybody.”
Michael Berry has found success doing a local show in Houston and another regionally syndicated program. And he doesn’t expect the formula he’s put together, or the content of his show, to change once he’s offered to a national audience in the 6-8 PM ET timeslot.
“I watched an interview with Rush Limbaugh a few months after he went national — and he really changed talk radio and created the modern talk radio. He was doing an interview with just a simple little municipal channel in New Jersey when he had gone on in New York, and they asked him how things had changed now that he was in the big leagues,” Berry began. “And he said, ‘I sit in a studio and I talk through the glass at a producer on the other side. The only difference is now, instead of a few people listening, millions are listening, and the President, and Congress, and every governor is listening, but I’m still doing the exact same show.’
“If you compare that to say baseball, when you were on your high school baseball field, you may have had a few dozen people watching. And in college, a few hundred. In double A, triple A, more. But when you get to the pros and you walk into the big stadium and there’s 30,000 people, it’s still the same bat and the same baseball but you’re on a different field. With radio, you’re still talking into the same microphones across the same glass, it’s just a lot more people listening.”
Michael Berry hopes his story — a former politician turned radio host who has now reached a national platform after more than two decades of trial, error, and paying his dues — will motivate other radio professionals.
“I think it’s important for people to understand there is still a lot of opportunity in traditional media, like radio. You can come up through the ranks, or you can create your own show. You can be different. And you don’t need to be the most coached talent in the industry. The knock on me almost 20 years ago was we weren’t like we weren’t following the formats. We weren’t doing what were supposed to,” Berry admitted.
“And I think, sort of like a Jimmy Buffet, we created our own lane, in our own genre, and that’s worked out well for me. And I would encourage other hosts — whether you’re sports or talk or news or whatever that may be — find your true voice and be that. And present that and have confidence in that. Eventually, you’ll build an audience and then you can enjoy what you’re doing, instead of being something that a program director told you to be.”
The Michael Berry Show will officially join the Premiere Networks lineup on Monday, October 7th. The show airs live from 6-8 PM ET.
Wade Linder has stepped down as the PD of Cumulus Media’s Classic Rock KQRS/Minneapolis, a role he has held since June 2023. In addition to his PD duties, Linder also handled special projects for Cumulus Media’s Corporate Programming team. Before this, he served as the company’s VP of Classic Rock.
Linder, a seasoned programming veteran, previously served as PD for the Classic Hits WLS-FM/Chicago, overseeing the cluster as OM. Before that, he was PD of the former Classic Rock WLUP-FM (The Loop). Linder began his career in 1986 at KQDS/Duluth, arrived at KQRS in 1990, and spent nearly two decades programming the Rock sister KXXR (93X)/ Minneapolis.
The Chicago Sports Network, a new regional sports network offering in the Chicago area, is expected to launch this fall with broadcast rights to three of the five local teams in the area. The Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks will all broadcast games on the entity, moving away from NBC Sports Chicago and engaging in this joint venture between the teams and Standard Media Group. NBC Sports Chicago will officially cease operations at the end of the month after recently celebrating its 20th year anniversary on the air. Ahead of the new basketball and hockey seasons, the network is reportedly closing in on its first distribution deal.
Chicago Sports Network is said to be nearing a carriage deal with DirecTV, according to a new report from Jeff Agrest of the Chicago Sun-Times. When the network officially launches on Oct. 1, subscribers of DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-Verse TV are expected to witness a smooth transition from NBC Sports Chicago to the new regional sports network. The report states that Chicago Sports Network is expected to have the same channel location as NBC Sports Chicago and appear across the same five-state geographic area.
Although the network could reportedly be available on DirecTV, the outlet has yet to reach a deal with Comcast, which is the largest cable provider in the marketplace. The Xfinity service is estimated to be in roughly half of the households, but reaching a deal could prove challenging because of Comcast moving RSNs to its highest programming tier due to the augmented cost of carrying sports. Earlier in the summer, Comcast and Diamond Sports Group agreed to terms on a carriage deal that moved Bally Sports-branded regional sports networks to the “Ultimate TV” tier for customers in X1 packaging, requiring subscribers to pay more to access such channels.
Chicago Sports Network will televise more than 300 live White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks games annually, in addition to pregame and postgame coverage and 24/7 multi-sport programming. Studios for the network will be located from production studios at United Center and Guaranteed Rate Field. The network is expected to launch this October with preseason games for the Blackhawks and Bulls, providing users the ability to watch through traditional cable and streaming services, along with availability on free, over-the-air broadcast television.
The Los Angeles City Council honored Heidi Hamilton and Frank Kramer, co-hosts of Meruelo Media’s Rocker KLOS/Los Angeles Morning Show, by proclaiming September 10th as “Heidi and Frank Day” in the city.
The resolution, introduced by Councilmember John S. Lee, recognized Heidi, Frank, and their entire morning team’s exceptional contributions to the local community. The Council unanimously approved the special recognition.
Kramer said, “I stand here with Heidi with gratitude; this is a testament to storytelling, community, and the shared experiences that we all have together,” Frank continued. “We’ve been on the air together for 24 years. We weren’t born here, we were born in Indiana, a couple of small-town kids, and if you would have told us that we’d be standing here in front of the Los Angeles City Council, getting a day honored, we wouldn’t have believed it. We weren’t born here, but we remain here. We love Los Angeles.”
Hamilton added, “I still can’t believe this. It feels like my alarm is gonna go off. I’m gonna wake up, and I’m gonna go, OK, did I just dream this? But it is a dream and thanks for making our dream come true, thank you so much.”
Otto Padron, Pres. Meruelo Media, commented, “Heidi and Frank are a daily validation of our company’s unwavering mission of live and local radio.”
Pio Ferro, Meruelo, SVP/Audio Brands, added, “Heidi and Frank are among the best morning shows in the country. We’re proud to honor their significant impact on Los Angeles and its communities.”
