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2024 BNM Summit – Day 2

BNM Staff
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2024 BNM Summit – Day 2

Day 2 of the 2024 BNM Summit has kicked off in Washington D.C. at the Jack Morton Auditorium at The George Washington University. We’re updating this column throughout the day to keep you aware of the key information and news delivered on stage by this year’s exceptional group of speakers. Barrett Media News Editor Garrett Searight will be adding tidbits throughout the day as each session wraps up, so be sure to check back multiple times to avoid missing anything important.

9:10-9:50 AM — Cutler’s Laboratory

  • Jim Cutler (Voice Artist)

Cutler began his presentation by showcasing the idea that content isn’t necessarily timebound as much as it is interesting-bound. Audiences will stay engaged if the content is still interesting.

The rise of TikTok has created much shorter attention spans, with the “swipe factor” being incredibly prevalent, especially in video content. “TikTok brain applies to everything,” Cutler said.

He showcased examples of what good and bad imaging entails. Fluff is out, topical promos and imaging are in. Urgency matters to listeners more than ever.

He continued that using great classic audio from speeches is a great idea for ways to create imaging and content.

Social Proof is something that many in the entertainment and political sphere. It is something that radio and media entities don’t do well, Cutler said. Whether it is digital, phone calls, social media, or any other form of social proof, you can utilize it.

9:50-10:30 AM — The Programming Party

A photo of the Radio America
  • Drew Anderssen (KRLD)
  • Chris Berry (iHeartMedia)
  • Julia Ziegler (WTOP)
  • Steve Moore (KMOX/97.1 FM Talk)

Barrett began the panel by asking the programmers about whether or not there is an election fatigue in regard to President Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Kamala Harris.

“I think it depends on the brand,” Anderssen said. “Obviously, you’ve got to cover the headlines of an election. I think it’s really about the talk show hosts and finding the balance for those shows and those audiences. We’re figuring that balance out. This is my first big election cycle in DFW. One thing I would say is I’m always encouraging our hosts to cover the headlines and then move on. Let’s give something different and unique that’s local and more connected and provides escapism. If you’re beating that same drum every day, you’re begging your audience to go to classic rock.”

“Topic A is always going to be Topic A,” said Berry. “The reality is that you’re always going to be Topic A. This is our Super Bowl. I would imagine that if you were in a swing state like Arizona, I can assure you that this morning at KFYI, James T. Harris was talking about Trump vs Harris.”

“We have conversations about whether or not it should even be a discussion point,” Moore said. “What we should do is let the newsroom handle it from a news perspective.” He added that thinks for KMOX are different for 97.1 FM Talk.

“For us, it’s always local, local, local. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, we’re going to focus on local,” Ziegler said. “We’re obviously gonna hit on the top political stories of the day, we’ll hit the top headlines, and then we’re moving on. We’re not gonna analyze what happened, we’re just gonna tell you ‘Here’s what happened,’ and let you decide.”

The next subject was about reaching younger audiences. KRLD recently moved away from it’s all-news format to a more talk-based format. Drew Anderssen part of that change was with looking for younger audiences in mind.

“We’re challenged more today than ever before,” Anderssen said. “In Nielsen, you’ve got time spent listening and cume. We were struggling with a cume perspective in the middle of the day. It wasn’t about leaning into conservative talk or any particular ideal.” He continued by noting that attracting younger talent likely helps in attracting younger listeners.

“We made a decision years and years ago to have a one newsroom concept. When our reporters go out in the field, they’re not just doing audio. They’re taking photographs, they’re doing standups for social media videos. On the digital side, we’ve said if you work on our website, you also need to know how to get a great interview. You need to be able to get great sound and crosstrain. That has really helped us. Because then you have a newsroom full of people who are multimedia journalists. So when something crazy is going on, people can help wherever needed. We’ve really invested in storytelling and great content (in an effort to attract younger audiences and also have a multiplatform strategy).”

Chris Berry was asked about how he quantifies success by individual talents.

“A lot of people in this room are news/talk programmers as opposed to all-news programmers. Rush Limbaugh used to say ‘You can get the news from anybody but this is the only place you can get the news from me.’ And we teach our brands that. You can figure out when you’re doing something right. It’s pretty obvious. You don’t need to wait for a book in the mail to come in three months.”

“Every one of our talent are different. We have talent that just want to go on the radio and talk. We have talent that are interested in YouTube. For each person, we’re kind of hand-holding. We’re trying to get more engagement back into the radio station,” said Moore. “It’s a challenge and it’s something we’re gonna have to work our way through.”

10:30-11:10 AM — State of News Media Coverage

  • Chris Plante (Westwood One/Newsmax)
  • Steven Portnoy (ABC News Radio)

Portnoy started the conservation by asking Plante about the “trust desert” in mainstream news media.

Plante shared that trust in the media peaked directly after the Watergate scandal and has been on a decline since then. “Now, you see faith and confidence and trust in the media, if you’re lucky, in the 30s,” said Plante. “18% have a great deal of trust in the news media. People feel like they’ve been misled, deceived, lied to, or had facts left out purposely. The American people get it, even if you don’t follow the news closely. The reason there’s not a lot of trust and confidence is because the news media doesn’t deserve a lot of trust and confidence.”

Portnoy then questioned Plante on criticisms from the left that the media isn’t tough enough on Trump.

“Half of what he says he thinks is funny. Part of what he does is schtick. He’s one part Rodney Dangerfield … the news media say that the problem is too generous and too kind to him. You can say in 2015 and 2016, they promoted him. They put him front and center. They made him a political star when they thought he was going nowhere and was just mockable. They propped him up. I think, primarily, because he’d be easy to destroy or self-destruct. Then something went terribly wrong and then it was just ‘Katie, bar the door.'”

“What should be the proper role of journalists in covering politics?” Portnoy asked.

Plante, whose step-father Bill Plante was a longtime CBS News reporter, said it’s about truth and facts.

“There’s a great Albert Einstein quote ‘The right to search for the truth implies also a duty; one must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be the truth’,” said Plante, adding that he believes the biggest lies the media tell are omissions. “Don’t give me half of the story. It’s always the same half of the story. That’s why conservative media rose in the first place. It’s because people are starved. You shouldn’t have to look for the other half of the story.”

Portnoy asked if there was a market for “down the middle news” coverage.

“That’s a great and fair question,” Plante admitted. “You have identifiably left-leaning news and identifiably right-leaning news. So there’s a space in the middle. But people choose their news by their already-existing believes. You’ve seen it forever. Is there space in the middle? I’d like to think that there is, but it’d have to be marketed and sold. But we’re so polarized, so finding the middle ground is a tough sell right now.”

11:20 AM-12:00 PM — The Keynote Conversation

  • Curtis LeGeyt (NAB)

The first question posed to LeGeyt was about the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.

“What’s so strange about this legislation is the bedfellows that have come together to co-sponsor this legislation,” LeGeyt said, pointing to Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) working together to bring the bill to Congress. He noted that 62 Senators and more than 250 members of the House have shared their support for the bill.

“My view here is we have all the ingredients we need to get a bill passed into law. We’re just beholden to some of the larger atmospherics in Washington right now. The U.S. Senate works in such a way that any one piece of legislation is really difficult to get a week of discussion on the floor,” he shared, stating the the organization’s hope is to tack the bill onto another larger piece of legislation.

Jason Barrett asked LeGeyt his reasoning for why AM radio is still so important in the car.

“In times of real emergency, whether you’re talking about an earthquake, wildfire, or national security is, AM radio has a reach, is freely available, and is durable. More than 70 stations are primary entry points that work with FEMA for emergency alerts,” she said. “But there’s a second piece here. In that time of emergency, if you’re getting that emergency alert on AM radio, these stations are the entry point that allows those emergency alerts to ripple throughout the country. The viability of the AM band is a matter of public safety.”

“What we have said to the auto industry is put public safety above your bottom line,” LeGeyt continued. “What this is about is the auto industry’s want to monetize every bit of commerce that happens in the automobile. This is part of a larger plan to move listening away from AM/FM radio. If you’re a broadcaster, you need to be for this legislation because the same principles leading the auto companies to prioritize tech away from the consumer, it is part of a larger plan.”

Big Tech now accounts for 65.6% of all advertising revenue in 2024, and LeGety believes it needs to be addressed by legislators.

“This is the area where Washington needs to step up, period. We could spend two hours talking about the big tech platforms — Google being the most significant — and every way they have affected the economy, which is net-bad for consumers and net-bad for business,” said LeGeyt. “We need modernization of FCC limits on ownership limits, period. The FCC needs to do something about that. There’s an advertising element to this, and what’s fair to our programming element to this. Make no mistake, there are fundamentals here that no local media is going to be able to compete with Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon are without intervention with policymakers.”

AI is obviously a hot-button issue in the media.

“There are unquestionably some benefits there,” he shared. “No doubt, for local stations across the country who are facing challenges on how to allocate their resources, there are going to be things that are better done by utilizing AI technologies. We’d be having a very different conversation in 12 months, 16 months.”

Barrett asked LeGeyt about the role of broadcasters in the 2024 presidential election.

“If our audiences trust us, these politicians will be on our airwaves getting their message across. Our ability to maintain trust will draw candidates onto our airwaves,” he shared. “Frankly, a major issue from where I sit is how do we keep our journalists safe? We know it’s a very tense political environment. We know that the rhetoric of certain politicians is to demonize the press and really rally certain types of political engaged groups to carry that mantle and villanize any sort of reporting that doesn’t agree with any particular agenda. We need to stay above it but also keep our journalists safe.”

12:00-12:20 — BNM Summit Awards Ceremony

  • Gold Standard in Leadership Award: David Kantor (Radio One)

Kantor accepted the award by noting that he’s worked in radio for 40 years and said he’s never been asked to speak about leadership. “I’m not sure I have a specific leadership style. Mine is organic and adaptive,” he shared.

“I’ve realized there are a lot of things that go into being a good leader. Have a mission, build a team, have passion, work hard, and know the psychological contract you have with your people. That contract will get your people to follow you anywhere,” he continued. “Explain and emphasize your goals to your team over and over again. Reinforce the positive. Everyone wants to be part of a winning team. The ability to have and convey that mission will get your people excited and willing to go that extra mile.”

He continued by noting that his stance has always been to hire great people and get out of their way, which led him to accepting the award today.

Kantor added that programmers should aspire to be similar to all-star baseball players, hitting .300 and failing 70% of thee time. He advocated programmers to take chances and that what matters most is that you’re swinging, not that you’re correct in 100% of the choices you make. “We’re a business of innovation,” he said.

“As a leader, you need to be willing to do anything to help your team,” Kantor continued of his leadership style. “Sometimes, its more important do things that are important to others than ourselves.”

1:30-2:10 PM — A View From the Top

  • Dan Mason (Seventy Six Capital)
  • Alfred Liggins (Urban One)

Mason began the session by admitting he spent too much time earlier in his career defending the term “radio,” noting that he — in retrospect — was “defending an appliance instead of defending local audio content.”

Liggins shared that he changed the name of his company from Radio One to Urban One because the company had diversified its holdings, not because it no longer values radio. “We changed it Urban One so we can identify ourselves across the different channels we’re in. I’ve had several requests from markets that want to move to just Urban One because the products we sell aren’t just radio. There’s a movement now to be more ubiquitous.”

Mason shared that he believed a few years ago, a 50,000-watt AM station could still compete. But he has changed his tune. “Don’t get me wrong, I still think there’s a need for AM Radio, but if you’re a stand-alone AM in a market like San Diego, New Orleans, or Vegas, you have to an FM companion,” said Mason.

Liggins pointed to Charlotte news/talk station WBT as an example of what the future looks like for AM radio.

“The audience is very old. These are people who have the habit of going to that frequency for decades. You get a big 12+ number, but when you look 25-54, you’re ranked very low. I believe we need to find an FM home for it for it to remain viable for the future. We had a couple of options, but we really need a real FM signal for a brand like that. I agree with you 100%. I think AM is gonna have a place in a place where areas are different, like in Alaska, or if you have a format you can’t get anywhere else. In news or talk, it is available in places other than AM radio.”

Mason continued that he was a big proponent of PPM measurement from Nielsen. But is not any longer.

“PPM was very tough for urban radio,” Liggins said. “The diary was recall and perceived listening. At the end of the day, when PPM came along, it showed urban radio with lower shares. There were big numbers. I don’t know that you could have avoided it. Was that the best device? Cleary it wasn’t. Voltaire was a mess and we came to it late. And then everybody had it. Intellectually, you say the industry needs to move some form of a sophisticated way of tracking it … It has not been good for radio. In fact, it’s been bad for radio. I ultimately think the industry needs to move to its own consortium for measurement. We don’t have another option so we’re beholden to the profit motive of Nielsen.”

Liggins concluded by noting that many expected format changes for stations like WBT — which the company bought in 2020 — or WIBS — which it purchased in 2022. But that wasn’t the case and won’t be the case.

“If you see us buy a news/talk radio station, our plan is not to change the format,” he joked.

2:10-2:50 PM — The Final Phase

  • Gordon Borrell (Borrell Associates)

Borrell began by pointing out that digital media has seen a meteoric rise from 2000 to 2027, up to $14 billion, while print media, broadcast media, and outdoor advertising have all plummeted. Local media companies get about 14% of digital advertising. Print companies now receive 50% of their revenue from digital advertising, Borrell said.

He calls this period from 2024 to 2027 as “the final phase” as every media entity moves to a digital advertising focus, which slows the purchasing. 75% of all local advertising will be digital by 2027. “We’ve got a greater sense of competition., but we’ve also got a greater sense of local advertisers. They’ve gotten smarter from a local marketing standpoint.”

In 2018, 72% of local ad buyers said they were novices. That figure dropped to 50% in 2023. 22% said they were masters in 2018, while 27% responded similarly in 2023. In 2017, local buyers were buying 8 different types of media. In 2023, that list dropped to five, with half being a digital media. The different media companies dropped from seven in 2010 to 6 in 2018 to four in 2023. The median is now two, with the most frequent answer being that local advertisers are buying from one media company.

In 2019, 7% of local ad buyers never dealt with sales reps. That figure jumped to 20% by 2023. Buyers value a high-level marketing expertise from their local media company as the biggest cause of selecting their marketing partner.

Previously, television was viewed as the best overall marketing expertise and print media companies were viewed as the best in digital marketing expertise. Borrell shared that radio is now viewed as the #1 entity for both sectors.

Borrell shared that radio buyers are utilizing over-the-top television and are losing some of their advertising dollars to that new category.

The company projects that by 2030, one media company in each market will see its net revenue grow again consistently.

2:50-3:30 PM — Preparing for Tomorrow

  • Dave Greene (Barrett Media)
  • Michael Spacciapolli (Audacy Pittsburgh)
  • Tim Wenger (Audacy Buffalo)
  • Marsha Landess (Radio One Charlotte/Richmond)

Greene asked the panel about how they have approached non-traditional revenue streams for their markets and what they’re doing in that space.

“We’ve had a ton of great ideas for political NTR events,” Wenger said. “It’s hard to do a politically driven event. That’s something I’m really interested in, but can’t stand here and say we’ve brought in six-figure revenue from.”

“From an integrated content standpoint, we’ve integrated things that we’ve been able to find sponsorships around,” Spaccapolli said. “Whether it’s fixed position or set programs, we’ve been able to get new dollars.”

“Through the month of October, we’re doing two StreamYards a week leading up to a News & Brews event and Talktoberfest,” said Landess. “When the listeners walk in that brewery, they sit down and ask questions, we get great sponsorships, it’s great listener events, and it’s a community builder.”

Finding talent has been an issue. Spaccapolli said the KDKA Next Take program the station launched earlier this year has led to the brand seeing a pair of hires come from the program.

Wenger said he followed that program closely, and is something more markets should attempt to replicate. He added that he is constantly interviewing for sales executives and is disappointed often by what they find.

Landess said Radio One in Charlotte just yesterday offered a job to a recent college graduate after finding out about the candidate at a birthday party. She joked that you need to find good talent anywhere. “Schools, universities, networking, however you can find them.”

Spaccoapoli said that culture and environment are important in recruitment. “People know what’s going on inside your group,” he shared. “Recruitment is an all the time thing. It is an everyday thing. Finding great people is tough, but when you find them, they make a significant difference.”

The future is always at the forefront of what the industry is focused on. So what will be important in five years?

“Staying local, staying relevant, staying focused on what is important on the local market,” Landess said.

“Local gets thrown around a lot and it’s such an important word in what we do, without exclusive content, I think we’re all dead,” said Wenger. “If they can get the music or information somewhere else and it’s easier, they will. Having that strategic, unique content gives you an edge. Because now you have something to sell. It’s unique to the advertiser, too.”

The topic shifted to the perception of the industry from younger people and how radio can make the industry more enticing to younger employees.

“This is a fun industry, this is an energized industry,” Wenger said. “I share excitement for the industry. It’s up to us to build that culture in our buildings.”

“I’m excited about our local content,” Spaccapoli said. “We have built a group that could be replicated in a lot of places that year after year be in a content perspective that can drive product and we have so much control over … and we can use our talent as influencers and proving that they can have a major impact on our revenue.”

3:40-4:20 PM — On The Spot

  • Jeff Wade (WBAL)
  • David Wood (WIBC)
  • Mike Schaefer (WBT)

Barrett began the conversation by asking about what the brand-building focus looked like for each station.

Wood began by talking about community and events, noting their importance. “It was reaffirming to hear about that this week, because we’ve been focused on that.”

“I feel like WBT needs to put forth a stronger effort on social and digital from a programming effort and meet our audience where they are more effectively,” said Schaefer.

“Diversifying how you’re reaching the audience. More of finding partnerships and developing community relationships and events so newer audiences can see them, that’s something that’s going to be really important,” said Wade.

The first question from an assembled group was from JJ Surma. He asked the panel what they look for in a branding voice, and what they wish they knew sooner in their mission of branding a station.

“It’s one that reflects the attitude of the station,” said Schaefer. “WBT leans toward the irreverent. No one is afraid of poking fun at themselves or being poked fun at. So the branding voice should echo that. I believe in not having a single, solitary voice. I lean heavily into the secondary voice. I have a male/female team. We’re able to reflect the audience. I think it lends to a more dynamic sound.”

“I look for voices that can match the immediacy of the copy and marry the message with the tone,” Wade added. “That’s the thing that I look for most. That’s something that’s really important for me.”

“First and foremost, flexibility,” said Wood. “Also, versatility. We like to do irreverent stuff, too. I think that’s really important.”

The next question came from KOA 850 program director Dave Tepper. His question was about the shrinking attention span from audiences.

“Studies show people are making decisions now in six seconds. With topics, the thing that I counsel my hosts on are that you have to remain interesting and compelling. Once you run out of gas on something, you’re just wasting everyone’s time,” Wade said. “We talk about things like the topic tree and different angles so it’s not the same discussion over and over and over again. You have to make the audience want to stick around.”

“We made the listener listen to four or five minutes to their least favorite thing on the station: commercials. Let’s get to it and give them something that pulls them in right away,” said Wood. “What I think is important is every two minutes, and that’s just a number I made up, you need to do something that catches people’s attention. Whether it’s playing a piece of audio, playing music, or taking a sharp right turn.”

Schaefer said he would tell callers when he was a call screen “Tell your story as quick as possible, ask your question, and if you don’t, he’s gonna hang up on you,” in an effort to get to the content faster. “Most people are with you somewhere between 20 and 35 minutes, so you have to give them what they need.”

Another question from Erick Erickson was about how the programmers attempt to get a balance between timely news and live listens versus monetizing a podcast.

“I want to encourage people to listen to the radio station now,” said Schaefer. “If we’re repurposing it later, sure, drive the heck out of it.”

“Timeliness is the thing that’s going to help us all survive. It’s the one advantage we have over podcasts,” added Wade. “We carry live events and press conferences because people aren’t going to get that in podcasts. We live in the moment. There’s an audience for that, for sure. The thing that’s really going to separate us from that space and keep us relevant is bringing people things as they happen.”

“I almost don’t view show replays as podcasts,” Wood said. “Technically they are, but it’s just on-demand. The other thing is I have my guys doing things outside of the show. I’ve got two of my guys doing a gambling podcast. I got two other guys in recovery doing a sobriety podcast.”

Marcus Spears Hosting New ‘Swagu’ Podcast with ESPN

BSM Staff
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Marcus Spears Hosting New ‘Swagu’ Podcast with ESPN

ESPN has revealed that former NFL defensive end and current NFL analyst Marcus Spears will be starting his own podcast with new episodes available across multiple platforms on Wednesdays and Fridays. The show, titled Swagu, will give viewers the opportunity to hear from Spears as he delivers his thoughts on sports, pop culture and a variety of additional topics. Spears will bring listeners his genuine personality and opinions on several matters, and consumers can tune in on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and several other platforms as well. The former national champion for the LSU Tigers will also bring rotating guests from within the sports world and beyond as part of the show.

Spears first joined ESPN as a college football analyst on the SEC Network in 2014, and he began making appearances on NFL Live in 2019. Since that time, Spears has been a regular member of the show with host Laura Rutledge and analysts Ryan Clark, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky with NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Before starting his own individual podcasting venture, he co-hosted the Swagu & Perk podcast with ESPN NBA analyst and former center Kendrick Perkins. When accessing the show page for the new program, the content loads to reflect the new program being hosted by Spears. In the debut episode of the show, Spears explained that he and Perkins’ schedules did not line up, causing him to take on a solo podcast, but added that they have a good relationship.

“Here’s the thing,” Spears said in a preview clip for the show. “There will be some contention sometimes; there will be some disagreement. There will even be some times where you use a few choice words about me, and undoubtedly, I’m going to use some choice words about you because I promise y’all, if y’all know me for one thing, y’all know we [are] going to have a damn good time.”

The first episode of the show, which was released on Wednesday afternoon, started with a discussion surrounding Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers, his alma mater, after dropping the Week 1 matchup against the USC Trojans. Spears also discussed the importance of the transfer portal before transitioning to the NFL and previewing the forthcoming Friday night matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers. Additionally, Spears talks about his take on the race for WNBA Rookie of the Year between Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese.

Quest Global Research Group Acquires Coleman Insights

BNM Staff
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Quest Global Research Group Acquires Coleman Insights

Quest Global Research Inc. has announced it has acquired Coleman Insights.

The two prominent media research firms joining forces “will enable both companies to broaden their offerings and deliver enhanced services to clients across the market research community,” a statement from the company reads.

“We are thrilled to welcome Coleman into the Quest family,” said Greg Matheson, co-CEO of Quest. “This acquisition is a significant milestone in our growth strategy, enabling us to expand our service offerings and provide even greater value to our clients. The synergies between our companies will drive innovation and allow us to better support our clients’ needs.”

“After partnering with them for more than a decade, we know that Quest shares our commitment to quality and client satisfaction,” added Coleman Insights President Warren Kurtzman. “By joining forces, we can enhance our offerings and provide our clients with a broader range of services, all backed by the expertise and resources of a larger organization. This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for Coleman Insights, and we look forward to what we can achieve together.”

Coleman Insights was founded in 1978 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Quest, meanwhile, was founded in 2003 and is based in Oakville, Ontario.

Five NFL Broadcasters Who Will Shine in 2024

John Molori
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Five NFL Broadcasters Who Will Shine in 2024

Five is not a huge number when it comes to football. There is no five-minute warning or five-point conversion, and let’s be honest, five is an awful number to draw in a football pool. I mean, has anyone ever consumed a five pack of beer while watching a game? Of course not.

In NFL media however, five can be truly interesting and excellent. So, as we embark on another gridiron grind, here is my quintet of new and veteran broadcasters to keep an eye on during the upcoming NFL season.

Coachspeak

Bill Belichick may not be coaching in the NFL in 2024, but that does not mean he doesn’t have a job – make that several jobs. This season, the erstwhile tightlipped and terse Patriots’ head coach will be on TV more than Ryan Seacrest.

Belichick is already making an impact as a guest commentator on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show, silencing the raucous studio cast with his dissection of X’s and O’s as well as player contract negotiations. Seriously, this normally vociferous crew sits there in fearful awe as if the principal unexpectedly showed up in a high school cafeteria.

Belichick will also appear on ESPN’s Monday Night Football ManningCast alongside brothers Peyton and Eli and this week, he signed on with The 33rd Team, a website that covers the NFL from all angles and aspects.

Inside the NFL on The CW is another landing spot for Belichick this season along with a stint on Underdog Fantasy, a popular sports app. Yes, I just used the words fantasy and app in talking about Bill Belichick, a guy who takes to technology like Donald Trump at a Wu-Tang Clan show. 

If you plan on watching Bill Belichick on any of these platforms, get ready to be jolted by his joviality. The guy is nothing short of terrific on the air. As shown when he co-hosted NFL Network’s NFL 100 with Rich Eisen, Belichick is effusive in his personality, analysis, and charm on the air. Belichick’s media stints this season may also serve to get him back on the sidelines next season.

A lot of teams stayed away from hiring him because of his hard edged, old-school manner. Watch what happens after this season. The NFL world is going to see a different side of Bill Belichick, which could help propel him to a coaching gig in 2025.

Game Planning

There has never been a more anticipated NFL analyst debut than Tom Brady on FOX this season. After a stellar career that stamped him as the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Brady is ready to take his talents to the lead FOX broadcast booth alongside Kevin Burkhardt.

It may be a stretch to say that Brady will be an instant success, but if Tony Romo could do it, why can’t Brady? One thing we know is that Brady will be ultra-prepared for the challenge. This dude leaves nothing to chance. As an NFL quarterback, he worked as hard in the film room as he did on the field. He planned for all circumstances and situations.

Troy Aikman ‘s work ethic in learning the broadcast business after retiring from football is the stuff of legend. His longtime broadcast partner Joe Buck talked about this on NFL Network’s A Football Life. I can only imagine that Brady will take that work ethic to a new level.

I covered Brady’s entire career in New England, and mark my words, he will no doubt hit the broadcasting ground running and never look back. As conscious as Brady is about his image and legacy, there is no way that he would take on this job without knowing that he can do it at the highest level.

As a viewer and football fan, I can’t wait to see Brady not only analyze quarterbacking and offense, but all aspects of the game. Nobody read defenses, did check downs, and saw the whole field like Brady. All of these skills will transfer nicely to the booth. 

Numbers Game

A huge college football upset victory over Florida State is not the only good thing to come out of Boston College this week. Cynthia Frelund, a BC graduate and resident statistic and analytics guru for NFL Network, returns as one of the most compelling personalities on the football media landscape today.

Frelund has ridden the wave of statistical analysis in the NFL to the utmost degree. She has carved a niche for herself as the best in the business in analyzing trends and using numbers and tendencies to present facts and insight to viewers.

Her TV game is not just about arithmetic, however. Frelund brings a little majesty to the math. She has style, on-camera presence, appeal, and enthusiasm. Her uncanny knowledge, statistical breakdowns, and heretofore unseen factoids are a huge hit on NFL Fantasy Live and NFL GameDay Morning. If Belichick is the principal showing up during a food fight, then Frelund is the calculus teacher hushing the class with a pop quiz.   

I can only imagine the facts and figures floating around in her mind, but Frelund’s real expertise is in presenting these facts to viewers in an understandable way. In football, timing is everything, and Frelund arrived on the scene just as analytics, fantasy football, and betting trends were blossoming into the mainstream. In this light, she is the perfect broadcaster for her time.

Good Hands

Throughout his illustrious career, Randy Moss established himself as wide receiver royalty culminating with his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2018. In addition to his gifted mitts, Moss also had the gift of gab. Never at a loss for a fiery quote, Moss was a reporter’s dream. He was always ready to stir the pot and grab headlines, whether it was explaining how he pays his fines (“Straight cash, homey.”) or mock-mooning Packers’ fans at Lambeau Field.

Moss’s moves on the football field were at different times rugged, graceful, eye-popping, and shocking, but he was always a double-edged sword of sorts, wearing out his welcome in Minnesota, Oakland, and even New England after some record-breaking performances.

Fast forward to today where Randy Moss has used television to completely transform this aspect of his image. Gone are the wild hairstyles and often self-destructive demeanors but remaining are the utter fearlessness, deep knowledge, and cutting opinions on football.

I enjoy watching Randy Moss in his role as an analyst on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown. He looks at the game, not only from a strategic standpoint, but from a gritty, locker room angle, telling us what players are feeling, not just thinking. Moss the broadcaster is all about the feel and emotion of the game.

At Tom Brady ‘s elaborate Patriots’ Hall of Fame ceremony at Gillette Stadium this past June, Moss was one of the former Patriot receivers on stage for roundtable discussion. When he began speaking, the full house crowd erupted in applause, giving Moss a rousing and lengthy standing ovation that moved him to tears. I don’t think he realized what an impact he had on the fickle New England faithful.

Similarly, I am not sure the business recognizes how great Moss is on TV. This is today’s Randy Moss – a deep-thinking analyst who brings multiple levels of insight to all of his commentary.

Top Billing

In the world of sports media, we are all now living on Tirico time. The versatile NBC talent has become the flagship personality for the network doing lead play-by-play on Sunday Night Football and anchoring coverage of Triple Crown horse racing, the Indianapolis 500, and golf’s U.S. Open and Open Championship.

Tirico has risen to an exalted level at NBC and deservedly so. There is a quiet, calm, and smooth texture to his broadcasting. You don’t just hear him; you sense his mastery of the situation.

I watched NBC’s preseason game between the Patriots and Commanders. The date was August 25, but the broadcast made it seem like October 25. Tirico was truly in midseason form, adeptly setting up analyst Cris Collinsworth, and adroitly tossing to sideline reporter Melissa Stark.

The broadcast was as seamless, flowing, and entertaining as ever. NBC might just have hit the television trifecta with this crew. You can make the strong argument that Tirico, Collinsworth, and Stark are the very best in football broadcasting at their respective jobs.

Still, it is Tirico who sets the tone. He truly has grown into his role as NBC’s MVP. If I am an NBC programmer or producer, I am putting Mike Tirico in the studio, in the field, or in the booth. Then, I’m putting my feet on the desk, lighting a good cigar, pouring a bourbon, and enjoying the show.

I would not put Mike Tirico on the Mount Rushmore of all time football broadcasters yet, but he’s got the ropes, pulleys, and carabiners working and is scaling that mountain briskly.

TV Partnerships: What Is Your Radio Station Really Getting?

Peter Thiele
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TV Partnerships: What Is Your Radio Station Really Getting?

What are you getting from your radio station TV partnerships? Many News/Talk stations have a TV partner for weather and/or news. I have seen a lot of these deals over the years and the radio station usually gets the bad end of the stick. What are you really getting? Let us go through actual real-life scenarios.

A local TV station provides weather for your cluster. This is featuring the market TV weather star. Frequently, radio stations think that this will add CUME and/or prestige to the weather information on the station. In some cases, it really does. If your station is partnering with the biggest weather name in the market, it can be a win.

Are you always getting that big name on the weather forecast twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year? If you are not, you are being robbed. The big name is the big name. The weekend weather meteorologist is not the star. The morning weather meteorologist is not the star. If these people were that important, the TV station would use that person in the late news. The weather promos start and end with the weather star. Ok, does the TV weather star mention your radio station in the forecast? Why not? Has the TV weather star recorded a promo for your station? Why not? So, the TV meteorologist is on your News/Talk station 4 times an hour every day. How much do four thirty-second spots sell for at your station? What are you getting for this partnership?

You receive access to audio from the TV station for your station’s news coverage. Sadly, news departments on radio stations have seen cutbacks on staff. There are reasons to get access to this audio especially for times that the radio newsroom is unoccupied. Is the TV station giving you access to their sound or are they providing audio specifically for the radio station? This can be negotiated, by the way. What are you getting for allowing the TV station’s audio to air on your radio station? What are you getting? I will tell you what you should receive later in this article.

Radio newsrooms have a tough time showing ROI. What is the return on investment? There are several factors in determining this number depending on the company. Frequently, it is money tied to newscasts. Some stations sell these sponsorships for huge amounts of sweet cash money. I have seen some stations where news is sold as a freebie to a big schedule on a station.

Generally speaking, if your station is missing sales goals, the bean counters begin to look at every expense. If the ROI is low, on paper, your news team will be sacrificed. I love our Account Executives and Sales Managers. They keep food on our tables. If you are a programmer, you should really investigate how your newscasts are monetized. If newscasts are given away for free, I would sit with the Market Manager and Sales Manager to discuss protecting the staff.

What should you get in your TV partnership? Radio is a business, and this relationship should be a quid pro quo. I believe that all exposure on your radio station should receive much better exposure on the TV station. So, four weather reports an hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That is 672 thirty-second spots a week.

Just for argument’s sake, your station’s average spot rate for a 30 second commercial is $50. That is $33,600 dollars of exposure on your radio station every week. That is $1,747,000 a year. What are you getting for it? I have seen these partnerships so one sided that radio is being robbed. I have seen just a radio station logo at the end of the late news. Is that equitable? Is your weather partnership worth $1.7 million dollars of freebies a year? Does your weather partnership benefit your brand? Realize that local TV viewership has cratered over the past decade.

What should you get for that partnership? I would sure negotiate that your station receive trade in spots with that TV partner. Now, what does that look like? I doubt that a TV station will give you dollar for dollar trade. I would trade out a commentary or analysis from a talk show host on the station’s news. Many TV stations have a show with guests that pay for that exposure. Nexstar has a show called, “Living Well.” Get appearances on that. I would seek 15 second and 30 second spots. That number is totally up to you. Think this through. Be ready to walk away from the partnership and use a weather service.

Your radio station is a valuable resource to your community. Your station should not bastardize The Brand. If your TV partnership is diluting your brand, it may be time to move along. Your TV partner is likely playing you for suckers and morons. This ain’t 1987. Local TV is not that big of a deal anymore. Radio is much more vibrant than your TV station is. Don’t live in the past, live for today. I would fully assess your TV partnership and renegotiate the terms. I guarantee you that the TV station will be more than compliant to get something done. Don’t be scared to walk away. Your radio station’s brand is worth protecting.

Consumers Are Screaming At Radio ‘Give Me Personalities’

Robby Bridges
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Consumers Are Screaming At Radio ‘Give Me Personalities’

With all the cutbacks and layoffs in the industry right now (99% of them a result of publicly traded radio companies facing huge debt and trying to please shareholders with their profit margins), it IS encouraging to see great talent land opportunities and when companies are willing to try something different, for whatever reason.

Kudos to the legendary Hollywood Hamilton moving up to mornings on WKTU New York and cross-town the TJ Show experiment on WEPN-FM; meanwhile, LA rock radio vet Marci Wise moves up to the Bay Area’s KITS and Nina and Joe land at WHUR in DC.

All good talent, all good moves. But, as I say, they are the exception to the rule of late, and that is simply bad business. Don’t take it from my opinion; in the 2024 Tech Survey, 61% of respondents listed DJs/Hosts/Shows as the number one reason they use terrestrial radio, the third answer.

What were the top 2? It’s easy followed by it’s free. Favorite songs was fourth. Now couple this with a share of ear audio consumption study released by Edison Research last month, and you’ll AM/FM declined in the last decade by 15%, with more time mostly to YouTube and streaming (i.e., Spotify/Apple, etc.)

What is the takeaway here, and what is my point referencing major market, high-profile talent moves? AM/FM consumers have songs they like, and when they do hear music on their radio station of choice, yes, they want to hear songs they enjoy, but they can also get their music and get it at their fingertips (and commercial-free if they want to pay) on YouTube and streaming.

Let’s not forget (if they pay) that there is Sirius XM, Vevo, and Music Choice, and I’m sure I’m forgetting others. So, what is radio’s value proposition? The consumer is telling us clearly: Content created by personalities. Sure, get the music right when you play it, but being a jukebox?

Yeah, radio is free and easy (and convenient in MOST car dashboards), but we are competing with the other options who can offer the same as us and really better with vast libraries on demand and minimal commercials, even for non-premium users.

Now, I do believe much of the time now spent and then some (because it’s easy) by consumers away from radio is akin to when a person listened to their own records or tapes years back; now it’s streaming. BUT, more so than “the good old days” consumers are screaming to radio “give me personalities”. And when those talents are live and local? 9 times out of ten, they connect with listeners and deliver advertiser relationships all the more effectively.


The competition for ad dollars, the pressure of debt and shareholders every quarter, and the many cooks in the kitchen, particularly in big corporate radio, are tough. As the pie is sliced up continually, and as younger demos have a less engrained relationship with AM/FM radio, one thing is clear: on-air talent and resources to support them are the last and the wrong thing to cut. I’m glad to see a few were elevated this week. Here’s to more!

Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Curt Menefee

Andy Masur
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Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Curt Menefee

While Curt Menefee may be the full-time host of Fox NFL Sunday, his job description is more than that. He’s a part-time therapist, traffic cop, mediator and friend. Menefee, now in his 19th season, handles the gig with a smile, seemingly ready for whatever may come his way that particular show. It’s live television, there are moving parts, some egos and time constraints to deal with, but they are no trouble for him.

He grew up in Atlanta and graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he not only received his Bachelor of Arts degree, but also an honorary doctorate in journalism. That’s where his career began as an undergrad. It’s also where veteran sportscaster Fred Hickman went to school. Hickman was working at CNN at the time and Menefee decided to pick up the phone and call Hickman.

A day later, Hickman called back, and the two had a conversation that led to an internship at CNN. He was responsible for logging games and other less than glamorous assignments. Menefee got noticed for his dedication and responsibility, staying late wanting to learn other aspects of the industry, like editing and producing segments. That willingness to explore and go above and beyond his duties, endeared him to producers which helped start him on his path.

ROAD TO FOX NFL SUNDAY AND BEYOND

Early in Menefee’s career, he hosted a live two-hour daily sportscast on Sports News Network, a nationwide cable sports program. He also served as a sports anchor and reporter at WISC-TV in Madison, Wisconsin, WLTV in Jacksonville and then at WOI-TV in Des Moines, Iowa.

From there, he moved on to Dallas where Menefee served as the sports director and weeknight sports anchor at KTVT. He also hosted a daily two-hour radio show on “The Ticket” sports radio.

By age 29, he started with FOX 5 NY as a sports anchor. It was then in 1997 he started at FOX Sports as a sideline reporter, then moved to play-by-play for FOX’s NFL Europe and FOX NFL coverage.

In 2007, Menefee became the host of FOX NFL Sunday. But he’s moonlighted in other sports for the network as well. He appeared on MLB on FOX as the play-by-play announcer for a game between the Angels and White Sox.

Menefee also hosted the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final on Fox, in the first broadcast of the tournament’s championship game on over-the-air TV in the US.

This year Menefee added another full-time gig to his resume. On January 7, WNYW announced that Menefee would co-host Good Day New York. Don’t worry FOX NFL fans, he will continue to host FOX NFL Sunday.

WHY IS HE SO GOOD?
What Menefee does so seamlessly makes him stand out among other hosts across the country. His job is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. Trying to rein in personalities like Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson, Jay Glazer and Rob Gronkowski is a balancing act. Viewers love the personalities, but producers love to stick to their plan and make sure sponsors are happy with the product. Menefee allows both to happen simultaneously.

As host, he’s smooth, and an easy watch and listen. He is extremely charismatic and the enjoyment he gets out of his job is quickly noticeable. Menefee is quick on his feet and has to be, basically working without a net on a live show with multiple strong personalities. The fact that he is unassuming should not be misinterpreted as being weak or afraid of these guys, it’s quite the opposite. Menefee is so comfortable in his own skin on the show, he doesn’t have to ‘take it over’ or away from his panelists to be appreciated and respected. The solid job he does is reward enough for him, or so it seems and comes across as a viewer.

“I’ve always tried to keep in mind who I am. I mean, look, all four of the guys that are on the set with me are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You know, they’ve all won Super Bowls. Jimmy’s won two. Terry’s won four, you know?” Menefee told Yahoo Sports in 2022. “So, when people are tuning in to hear someone’s opinion about something, mine probably ranks fifth or sixth on that list, you know what I mean? I’m just being honest.”

But that doesn’t mean he isn’t valued, because he plays his part and plays it quite well.

“I think as long as you’re comfortable with who you are, and remember who you are, and, again, it’s not that you have no value. That’s your value, is understanding your role. It’s like being, you know– people like to use the basketball analogy– a point guard.” Menefee told Yahoo Sports. “You know, you don’t drive the lane and try to score all the time if there are a bunch of 7-footers in there. Sometimes you’re better off just passing, and letting the other guy score, and getting the assist.”

Menefee allows the panelists to be who they are, but at the same time, his command over the show comes into play when it’s time to move on with the show. I believe that the respect he shows for those that played the game comes back to him exponentially from the guys on set with him. They joke with him, like he’s one of the guys, because he is.

“People have no idea what he does for us,” Glazer told The Athletic last year. “He’s our leader. He’s our therapist. There are six of us on the show, so there’s 19 personalities — and Bradshaw and I got 12. For Curt to be able to keep us in check like this … you know, we’re family.”

Menefee has a tremendous working knowledge of the game and that comes across in every show. You can also tell how much he prepares for these broadcasts. The host never really knows for sure what the panel will bring to the show or what they may leave out. He’s the guy that fills the gaps to make not just himself look good, but the entire ensemble.

FOX NFL Sunday is ‘must view television’ during the season, because the formula really works and is presented well. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Menefee hosted a couple of firsts on FOX Sports. In 2015, he hosted the inaugural coverage of FOX Sports coverage of the U.S. Open Championship. Also, in 2023, Menefee hosted FOX’s inaugural coverage of the Belmont Stakes.

For Carmichael Dave, Sacramento is More Than a City

Demetri Ravanos
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For Carmichael Dave, Sacramento is More Than a City

Carmichael Dave is no fool. He knows how rare it is in this business to have nearly two decades on air in one place, let alone in your hometown. That’s why feels comfortable being honest. There are more yesterdays than tomorrows left in his radio career. He knows it and he doesn’t hide it from the people in his studio or in his audience.

He doesn’t have a date in mind for a final broadcast, but he knows it will happen in the next handful of years. His goal is to make sure he has time to really soak in the memories and that his audience isn’t in the dark the day they can no longer hear his voice on Sactown Sports 1140.

“I don’t want to do it where you go to sleep on a Friday doing one thing, and you wake up Monday doing the other,” he says. “This town has raised me. I’ve grown up with a lot of these people that used to listen to my night show that now have children of their own. We are a family. I know people throw that out all the time, but this is my city. These are my people. They’ve lifted me up in times of need. I’ve done my best to lift them up. We’ve grown up together. They deserve a lot more than ‘Alright. See you later. Take care,” because I will never fall out of love with these people. They are my whole world outside of my family.”

That town is Sacramento. Dave Weiglin is fiercely loyal to it. His entire life has been spent in that city or its suburbs, which is how he got his on-air name. Carmichael is where he grew up.

But when his radio days are over, his new name might be Huddersfield Dave. That’s because he has taken on a role in the front office of English soccer club Huddersfield Town AFC. The opportunity presented itself to Dave thanks to his relationship with Sacramento Republic FC, both soccer teams are owned by Kevin Nagle.

“I now use my vacation weeks to go over to Europe,” he says. “I work with the soccer club every day. I get up at 3 am, and from then to about 4:30 am, I’m in meetings with England, which is eight hours ahead of me. And then when I get done on the air at 10 a.m., I’m back on the phone with England, where it is 6 pm to wrap things up.”

Working two demanding jobs isn’t a problem. Dave says he is “so happy to do it.” It has even become great content for the show. It lets the listeners he calls his family get to know him better, and thanks to Huddersfield Town’s relationship with Sacramento Republic, those topics can actually matter to sports fans in California’s capitol.

Sacramento is an interesting sports market. While it’s one of the most populous cities in America, it’s not likely it will ever attract another major league team. Sitting so close to the Bay Area, means that an attempt to put any kind of team in the city would likely be met with resistance from an already established organization.

It’s why Dave relishes what is there now. His radio career started out with phone calls. He was given preferential treatment when he would call into the Kings’ postgame show. He has seen the best of times and the worst of times with that team. 

The guy that was taking those calls eventually became Carmichael Dave’s boss and now, the two are partners in morning drive.

“Jason Ross is the best human being on earth,” Dave says of his partner. “We all know these types. He’s one of those people where if somebody comes up to you and they have an issue with Jason, you immediately know that it’s that person with the issue, not Jason Ross. Nobody dislikes him because he’s an incredible human being.”

Dave has been known to take his listeners down all sorts of rabbit holes. He can’t just stick to sports because he deals with ADD. 

“Not the fashionable type,” he clarifies. “I was on Ritalin and different things growing up.”

It’s part of the reason he holds Jason Ross in such high regard. Ross knows when the ship needs steering and when the best thing he can do is let Dave cook on something like celebrity birthdays or the origin of an odd turn of phrase.

“I think Jason actually recognizes that for my own mental health, I need to sometimes go on these tangents,” he jokes.

Anyone that has tuned into Sactown Sports in recent years has noticed some big changes. The station added a new afternoon show and then launched a local midday show in lieu of syndicated programming. Then both day parts changed. The station hired a PD. Then it hired another PD. Hell, the station wasn’t even called Sactown Sports just two years ago!

Amidst all of this change, a reliably entertaining caller that turned into the nighttime host was suddenly one of its senior-most voices! Carmichael Dave believes that comes with some responsibility, especially when you are as close with your listeners as he is. This is someone that takes time to check his social media mentions and DMs and reply even when he is on vacation.

Maybe he was supposed to shut up and just read a corporate-approved statement when they would ask him where some of their favorite voices went and who are the new guys they are hearing, but that isn’t how Carmichael Dave does business.

“These people have other radio stations that are putting out incredible programing every day. They have podcasts. You can watch TV on your phone anywhere you go. There are so many options and the fact that they choose to start their mornings, they choose us to yammer on and listen to us. I owe them explanations,” he says. “Now, I may not have all the answers, certainly, but I’m not going to pussyfoot around it if they have questions. I just am as honest as I can be.”

Sactown Sports seems to be in a pretty good place. Carmichael Dave is definitely in a good place. He’s exactly where he wants to be doing exactly what he wants to do…for now anyway. The day will come when that won’t be the case, but it won’t come by surprise to the listeners, and it won’t happen without plenty of soul searching from the man himself.

Risk Taking, Long Commutes Pay Off for Josh Martinez

BMM Staff
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Risk Taking, Long Commutes Pay Off for Josh Martinez

Josh Martinez took a lot of risks and a lot of public transportation to reach his radio goal. He worked for over a decade just to earn an interview at New York City’s Z100. Now, he’s the number one nighttime host at Z100 and at Chicago’s 103.5 KISS FM, both IHeartMedia Top 40 stations. The 36-year-old continues to dominate in the nation’s number one and three markets.  A championship wrestling fanatic, he also hosts a nationally syndicated wrestling interview podcast, “Superstar Crossover.”  

Native New Yorker

While having his voice on Z100 is a goal fulfilled, Josh had a rough start in life. His tenth birthday was especially traumatic. That was when his mother, Nauri, took Josh and his three siblings away from their abusive father in Brooklyn to start over in Staten Island.

“We grew up poor,” he recalls. “At the end of the day, I slept on a bunk bed in the living room.” Radio, sports, and championship wrestling were his escape.

Josh, who’s “100 percent Puerto Rican,” says when he was a kid, New York radio “was not very Puerto Rican.”

“There was some flavor missing, you know what I’m saying? There were three male jocks on Z100, and I couldn’t tell who was who. The puking voice. They were all pukers.”

Then he heard Top 40 radio host Angie Martinez on New York’s Hot 97. “I said, ‘Martinez, that sounds like me.’ She was on English-speaking radio and not doing something over-the-top on Spanish radio because Spanish radio, to this day, pukes. I thought that’s really cool.”

College Try

“There’s a reason they call it the ‘college try,’” says Josh, who realized after three semesters as an Acting Major at the City University of New York College of Staten Island that college was not for him. With financial support from his brother, he enrolled in the Connecticut School of Broadcasting in the hopes of being a sportscaster.

While he wanted sports, he ended up with an internship at a music radio station, 103.5 KTU, on Long Island. “I thought this may be my only opportunity. Let’s see where it goes.” He was surprised to fall in love with the music side of radio and decided to pursue it.

The Extra Mile

Josh went the extra mile in a big way to work an overnight air shift on WBLI on Long Island. He rode three hours each way “on every form of New York public transportation” from Staten Island for the gig. “Six hours, round trip. $41.50 to make $11 dollars an hour on a five-hour shift, so after taxes, I actually lost money. It was a hell of a gamble,” he says, “but I had no backup.”

A layoff left Josh with few options, so he took a huge risk and moved to Des Moines, Iowa, in 2012, where he was host at a small station.

“Moving with only my clothes and a WWF belt was the risk I was willing to take. I knew nothing about Iowa. Have you ever felt -40 degrees? I was at the bottom of the totem pole. The sales team doesn’t know you exist, but everyone back home is bolstering you, so it’s a mind game.

“Adversity came from being alone at the age of 22. You’re used to having your buddies around and watching games.”.

What’s more, Josh didn’t look or sound like an Iowan. While his Program Director told him to “peel back on the accent,” he says the locals loved his New York swagger.

“I went to a bar because I’m kind of sociable. I told a girl I was from New York City, and she looked at me like I was the coolest motherf***er on the planet. She called her friend over just to hear me speak, and that’s how I realized this shit was going to work for me.”

Locals love to let you know where to go in their area for the best restaurants and attractions, he says, and asking about that is a great way to engage the listeners.

“I’m a big when in Rome guy,” he says, “and want to put money back in the local community.”

The New York native was surprised to learn that in some parts of the country, “bless your heart” is code for “f**k you.”

In 2015, he moved to Hot 95.7 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he was Program Director and Afternoon Host for a year. Then, it was off to Kiss 107.1 in Cincinnati. He stayed at the Top 40 station from 2016 to 2021 as Program Director, where he ran multiple radio stations across Ohio and hosted a radio show five days a week.

Josh always had his sights set on Z100, and in 2021, he got the call to return home to New York.

“Everything I did in my career from 2008 until 2021 was a chess move to increase the chances of ending up at Z100,” he says, “since I found out Z100 was the number one station and the pinnacle of radio sixteen years ago.

“May 2021, I got the call, and my first day was the 25-year anniversary of ‘The Elvis Duran Show,’ so I’ll always remember it.”

As he did for his overnight New York radio gig years ago, Josh once again takes public transportation to work, traveling over an hour each way from Staten Island to NYC. His commute saves him $2000 a month, he says, which is money he’s banking for a very important reason: to support his eleven-month-old daughter, Genevieve Rose. Gigi and her mother, Lauryn Bayliff, live in Ohio, where Josh jets (no public transport) every couple of weekends.

Wild About Wrestling

The 36-year-old has long been obsessed with wrestling.

“WWF title wrestling is something that has grown up with me. It was always there for me to put up with the kind of b.s. my dad put us through.” He says his adult goal was to work at Z100. His childhood dream was to work for the WWF.

He shares his passion for the sport through his wrestling-focused interview podcast “Superstar Crossover,” available globally, where all podcasts are found.

He’s had a twelve-year relationship with the WWE and has added All Elite Wrestling to “Superstar Crossover” more recently.

“My approach is let’s have a conversation and get a human side of the performer. I switch wrestling companies from week to week, and my big hook is that the current guest asks the next week’s guest a question.

“These are people who you never see interacting, interacting.  Everybody and their mother has a podcast now, and my knowledge of wrestling and approach makes me stand out.”

Major Moments

His work on “Superstar Crossover” has paid off as he recently was a guest of WWE on the floor at WrestleMania, fulfilling another childhood fantasy.

He’s had many major moments in his three years at Z100, including warming up the crowd in Madison Square Garden for IHeartMedia’s Jingle Ball.

“That was the stuff. Being on stage at Madison Square Garden with a microphone in my hand is easily in my life’s top three moments. Growing up with my obsession with MSG based on my obsession with sports to know that I was on stage and a sold-out crowd is listening to me and then asking them to do something and then they do it. Surreal.

“I look up, and I see the retired Rangers numbers; on the other side, I see the retired Knicks numbers. I just started to cry. Who am I to be on the stage at MSG with a mic, you know what I’m saying?

He also emceed in Central Park before the Global Citizen Concert, which was attended by 60,000 people and featured the reunited Fugees.

“There’s a makeshift locker room with a curtain, and it’s Charlize Theron, Katie Holmes, Chris Rock, and Josh Martinez.

“There’s a lot of times I feel I don’t belong. I’m most comfortable with a microphone in my hand and people listening to me, as weird as that sounds. Emceeing and hosting, I love that shit.”

Another mind-blowing personal best for Josh was hosting New York’s 116th Street Festival. The huge party in Spanish Harlem is the day before New York’s Puerto Rican Parade, which is the largest celebration of cultural pride in the United States.

“This festival has been going on since my childhood, and to be asked to host was insane. In my heart, I’m still that kid whose bed is in the living room. The imposter syndrome is real. I go to therapy for a reason,” he says.

Pays It Forward

Josh has a reputation for helping those who are starting out in the business. He shares his personal story on podcasts, panels, and college radio shows. A former Z100 intern calls him “the epitome of a great teammate.”

He’s helped aspiring musicians, radio wannabees, and others who ask for a hand on the way up by giving them a chance behind the scenes, on the mic, or on stage. “I love helping people who want to work for it. When you see how things are done, that’s when the passion comes into high drive,” he explains.

He was ignored when he asked radio pros for guidance at the start of his career and says he doesn’t want to be that guy. Also, he says, folks you help may help you if you’re struggling in the future.

“Don’t let anyone tell you shit about your dreams; whatever your dream is, go for it,” says the number one DJ. He also says poor ratings don’t mean everything. “It takes one video, one article, one snippet to change your life.”

The former acting student sees radio as entertainment, like acting or pro wrestling.

Turn it Up

“Wrestling great Stone-Cold Steve Austin says the best performers in wrestling are just themselves turned up to ten. Be yourself so it’s authentic but be a little extra angry, a little extra sensitive. As long as it’s authentic, it’s all just a form of entertainment. I took that and ran with it and have been doing it ever since.”

You can hear his unique approach on New York’s #1 Hit Music Station Z100, from 6 -10 pm weeknights, on Chicago’s 103.5 KISSFM weeknights from 7 pm to midnight, on the IHeartRadio network and on his wrestling interview podcast, “Superstar Crossover,” (1) YoJoshMartinez – YouTube.   

KMOX & KFTK Brand Manager Steve Moore Looks Forward to Idea Sharing at the BNM Summit

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
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KMOX & KFTK Brand Manager Steve Moore Looks Forward to Idea Sharing at the BNM Summit

Today, the final day of the BNM News Summit, we will hear from a number of brand management heads including Steve Moore, Operations Manager for Audacy St. Louis and Brand Manager for KMOX AM and KFTK FM. “I haven’t been to many radio conferences in a long time, so reconnecting with a lot of peers to me is great,” Moore said.

“It’s kind of reinvigorating and you get to share ideas, and you get to hear what other people are doing. KMOX is a very unique radio station in St. Louis and local really matters. So, talking to people that are not necessarily doing political, they’re doing things that are a little bit out of the box, trying to hear new ideas. To me, that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Growing up in St. Louis, Moore developed a love of radio from an early age thanks to his dad. “I grew up with a dad who was in the car business. You had to listen to what he listened to and as a fan of sports you listened to a lot of St. Louis Cardinals baseball. So, I always imagined that I was going to one day be broadcasting right next to Jack Buck, and I would be doing Cardinal baseball on KMOX radio. So that’s the beginning of the dream of where radio comes from. I pursued it right out of high school into college.”

Moore graduated from Central Missouri State University and said, “I ended up with a degree in broadcast and film with a minor in coaching and physical education. So, they all kind of tied together. That’s really what I do as a brand manager or program director. You’re working with talent and you’re coaching them. So, I feel like it all kind of aligned very well.”

Moore called coaching an art and noted how important of a skill it is to broadcasting. “The ability to relate with different personalities, to get them to work together, to work on technique, to develop a strategy that ultimately will get you to find success. Some personalities are more demanding. Some personalities are more laid back. Some need a pat on the back, some need a kick in the rear.”

Not only does the talent needs coaching but so does everyone who is looking to make a better product for the station. “It’s just about finding a way to be collaborative and get the most out of them, and for them to get the most out of their experience in a team environment,” Moore said. “So, it’s very much the same. Doesn’t matter if it’s an individual show or we’re working with producers. Everybody needs to understand what their role is in how they play a part in the overall success of the team.”

Another way Moore is looking to ensure the success of his team is getting prepared for digital-audio converging. “Clearly radio and digital are going to intersect and trying to see how those two things align in a time like this is really interesting. Every year that goes by, we can see that they’re intersecting more and more. I’ve been fascinated to watch how digital and the use of video and writing and audio are all coming together on the platforms to deepen the experience with the user. Not just the listener, but the user.”

What is important for him (and his team) is to keep their station local. “Personally, for me, local is really important,” he said. “That’s something that’s significant about this particular market and my particular radio station, local really matters. Then, how we take everything that we’re doing, and we provide a more immersive experience for the user, whether that is in the written form for those that are seeking it, a video form for those that are seeking it or just audio.”

Moore never thought he’d be at the same station for 25 years, but he is grateful. “You figure that you would jump around. But I still love it. I mean, I like radio, I love KOMX. I have a great deal of passion about this. I have a great deal passion about our cluster. I work very closely with 97.1 KFTK, which is our sister station. I oversee that brand as well. So now I have two stations.”

While two stations might seem like a lot, the veteran brand manager loves what he does. “I deal with a more narrowly targeted conservative radio station [at KTFK] and [KMOX is] the broader station. I like the diversity of our product. I like the diversity of our cluster. I work with the sports team. So, my experience is negotiating the contracts with the St. Louis Cardinals or St. Louis City Soccer Club or the St. Louis Blues, whatever we’re dealing with, I’m in the middle of that. There’s no two days that are alike for me, that’s fun for a job, that’s a lot more fun.”

For those looking to follow in Moore’s footsteps he advises to pay attention to the changes happening around us. “It is clear technology is changing the way that we’re going to go about delivering information that we’re going to go about entertaining, that we’re going to go about communicating,” he said. “There’s going to be a pivot from towers to a digital platform of some sort. In the end, it’s still going to be about connectivity and community and local and so don’t lose sight of that.”

Moore also noted to be sure to remember the community you are serving. “Never lose sight of who your audience is,” he said. “What is your community talking about? Make sure that you are an interesting person and that you find people that are interesting to put on the radio and online. Because people follow people that are interesting. People don’t want to be bored. They want to be entertained, and they want to find people that bring information that they don’t normally have. So, it’s really community focus and I think that local is a big part of where we go.”

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