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Bleacher Report, House of Highlights Collect Strong Summer Metrics

BSM Staff
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Bleacher Report, House of Highlights Collect Strong Summer Metrics

Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, digital outlets within the TNT Sports division of Warner Bros. Discovery, recently completed a strong June and July that underscored their impact among the next generation of sports fans. Among consumers in the Persons 18-34 demographic, the Bleacher Report platform attained 14 million unique visitors during the month of June. Additionally, these users averaged 128 minutes per visit, contributing to Bleacher Report and House of Highlights combining to record 5 billion cross-platform views on social media in the month.

Last week, the House of Highlights Creator League hosted dodgeball and five-on-five basketball showdown events at Dream Con 2024 in Atlanta, Ga. and surpassed previous records pertaining to live viewership and social media scale. The basketball game peaked at 427,000 live viewers, a 126% increase over the last time the company presented the event. Live viewers watched the event for more than 23 minutes on average, which represents another high for the company. The basketball stream became the No. 1 trending video on the YouTube ‘Global Trending’ list amid the Opening Weekend of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The dodgeball stream amassed a live concurrent viewership that peaked at 259,000, the second-best mark in Creator Lague history. Social media channels for House of Highlights featuring content from Creator Lague events catalyzed over 138 million cross-platform views and 11 million cross-platform engagements, the most-viewed original content moment in the history of the company. Several innovations were showcased during the venture, including a mic’d up creator referee, celebrity creator coaches, an in-game one-on-one challenge and surprise participation from other creators.

Bleacher Report named Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons as the president of B/R Gridiron in accordance with a multiyear extension continuing his digital show, The Edge with Micah Parsons, with the company. Warner Bros. Discovery branded its sports tier on Max using the company name, which features live game broadcasts, on-demand programs and other distinctive content available for subscribers. Bleacher Report and House of Highlights have been implemented within recent media rights agreements at Warner Bros. Discovery and TNT Sports, including the French Open, Big East Conference and the Mountain West Conference.

Phil Luce Exits Mornings At KIX 95.3, Hoquiam, WA

BMM Staff
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Phil Luce Exits Mornings At KIX 95.3, Hoquiam, WA

Phil Luce is out as host of “The Luceman -Mornings” on Alpha Media’s KXXK (KIX 95.3)/Hoquiam, WA.

He confirmed the news on his Facebook page, posting, “Well, friends, I have some bad news. Effective immediately, I am no longer employed by Alpha Media. This was a corporate decision. Local management had nothing to do with the decision. There was nothing they could do. July marked my 20th year doing the morning show on Kix 95.3, and I have enjoyed every last minute of it. I just want to thank all my family and friends for supporting me over the last 20 years by listening to my show, coming out to events, etc. And to those of you who listened every day, I can’t thank you enough! I have loved being your morning guy! As far as what I’m going to do, I’m not sure yet, but I will at least get to sleep tomorrow morning.”

Luce spent just over 20 years with the station. In addition to mornings, he was the station’s Music Director and Content Director.

Townsquare Media SVP of Sales Bob Freeman Dies

BNM Staff
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Townsquare Media SVP of Sales Bob Freeman Dies

Townsquare Media Senior Vice President of Sales Bob Freeman has died after a nearly decade-long battle with cancer.

Freeman had been with the radio company since it acquired GapWest Broadcasting in 2010. During his time with the organization, Freeman worked both as a Regional Vice President as well as the Senior Vice President of Sales.

Former colleagues took to social media to remember Freeman.

Townsquare Vice President of Digital Eric Davis shared how Freeman personally helped him acclimate to his new role in the company.

“When I was promoted to VP of digital solutions and training for Townsquare, It was a seriously intimidating bubble in time for me,” Davis wrote. “Bob was there emailing, calling, meeting me for lunch periodically as my mentor offering sage advice.”

Erik Hellum, the Chief Operating Officer of Townsquare Media, added that Freeman was “so much more” than his title of Senior Vice President of Sales.

“For our whole team, whether you needed a great sales idea, a kick in the pants, a shoulder to cry on, or a much-needed chuckle, Bob was always there for you,” he wrote in a social media post.

Ian Kelly Named PD at 92.9 ZZU, Seattle

BMM Staff
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Ian Kelly Named PD at 92.9 ZZU, Seattle

Ian Kelly has been promoted to PD at Morgan Murphy Media’s Top 40 KZZU/Spokane. Kelly will continue to host PM Drive as well as PD of sister Rhythmic KEZE (Hot 96.9). He takes the position vacant since Ken Hopkins departed in June.

Kelly said of the promotion, “I grew up listening to KZZU-FM and have always loved radio. After nearly two decades, I am so incredibly honored to carry on the legacy of KZZU-FM in Spokane as Program Director. I look forward to driving the creative vision and continuing to deliver exceptional content for our listeners, community, and advertisers.”

Tery Garras Morgan Murphy, VP/Radio, added, “Ian is a highly skilled and passionate programmer who has consistently exhibited exceptional work ethic, resourcefulness, and a steadfast commitment to excellence. His promotion is a testament to his outstanding contributions to the company and his readiness to embrace greater responsibilities. This advancement not only reflects Ian’s achievements but also highlights our confidence in his ability to lead and innovate in his expanded role.”

NFL Sunday Ticket Verdict Overturned by Federal Judge

BSM Staff
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NFL Sunday Ticket Verdict Overturned by Federal Judge

A federal judge in California overturned a jury verdict in a class-action lawsuit that was filed by subscribers to the NFL Sunday Ticket out-of-market broadcasting package. The approximate $4.7 billion in damages, which could have been tripled under federal antitrust law, was brought to court on behalf of over 2.4 million residential subscribers and over 48,000 commercial establishments utilizing the service. The jury alleged that the league violated antitrust law through conspiring to fix prices for the service, placing consumers at a disadvantage.

Within the ruling from U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez, which came one day after he heard a post-trial motion from the NFL, determined that the jury did not adhere to court instructions and referred to the testimony of two witnesses for the plaintiffs as “flawed.” This resulted in Gutierrez deciding to grant the NFL motion for judgment as a matter of law, eliminating the verdict determined by the eight-person jury.

Prior to the final decision being made, the NFL had criticized Gutierrez and how certain aspects of the case were handled, asserting that damages were determined by using a “made-up methodology.” Furthermore, the league argued that plaintiffs had not proved wrongdoing because of the rejection of damages calculations that had been presented by witnesses. Gutierrez agreed that testimony from Daniel Rascher and John Zona, two witnesses on behalf of the plaintiffs, should be excluded from the case since their models were not based on a rational methodology.

“The Court agrees that Dr. Rascher’s and Dr. Zona’s testimonies based on their flawed methodologies should be excluded,” Gutierrez said. “And because there was no other support for the class-wide injury and damages elements…. judgment as a matter of law for the Defendants is appropriate.”

If the decision had been upheld, the NFL broadcast model of selling exclusive television media rights packages to various media entities could have been jeopardized. Shortly after the jury ruling five weeks ago, the NFL stated that it intended to appeal the decision should it be upheld. The NFL entered into a seven-year agreement with Alphabet Inc. reportedly worth a collective $14 billion that rendered YouTube TV as the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket. The broadcast package had previously been accessible through DirecTV since launching at the start of the 1994 NFL season. Following the verdict, the NFL expressed gratitude towards the decision in the case.

“We believe that the NFL’s media distribution model provides our fans with an array of options to follow the game they love, including local broadcasts of every single game on free over-the-air television,” the NFL said in a statement. “We thank Judge Gutierrez for his time and attention to this case and look forward to an exciting 2024 NFL season.”

The Court concluded that jury damages were more akin to “guesswork or speculation” rather than on the basis of “evidence and reasonable inference.” In its decision, the jury used $102.74 as the price class members would have paid if there was no agreement to restrict the output of the service, the average price that all residential DirecTV subscribers paid for the service. Gutierrez identified this as “problematic,” postulating that the average price paid cannot be the price that class members should have paid in this instance.

Moreover, the price plaintiffs actually paid for NFL Sunday Ticket was also based on the “residential list price for two years in the class period,” a premise that did not have evidence as applying to the whole class period or that the price was indeed remunerated. Plaintiffs are able to appeal the verdict to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

“The jury did not follow the Court’s instructions and instead relied on inputs not tied to the record to create its own ‘overcharge,’” Gutierrez wrote. “…And ‘even where the defendant by his own wrong has prevented a more precise computation, the jury may not render a verdict based on speculation or guesswork.’ The Court thus finds that jury’s damages verdict is clearly not supported by the evidence and must be vacated.”

Under the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB were provided with an antitrust exemption authorizing them to enter into these contracts on behalf of their member teams, pooling individual franchise broadcast rights. In addition, stipulations within the legislation mandate that it does not protect the NFL from antitrust law if it broadcasts “all or a substantial part” of any professional football game on Friday after 6 p.m. EST or on Saturdays between the second Friday in September to the second Saturday in December from any television station within 75 miles of the location for a college or high school football game.

Throughout the litigation process, the NFL conveyed that its Sunday Ticket broadcast offering is a “premium product” and that most of the league’s games are available to watch on broadcast television. Last season, NFL games were presented on the CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC television networks as part of its 11-year media rights deal reportedly worth a collective $110 billion. The league is reportedly able to opt out of its contracts with Paramount Global, Fox Corporation, Comcast, The Walt Disney Company and Amazon in 2029.

Last year, NFL games accounted for 93 of the 100 most-watched television broadcasts in the United States, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. These contests averaged 17.9 million viewers in the regular season, which was up 7% year-over-year, and exhibited momentum that continued through the postseason. The Paramount Global presentation of Super Bowl LVIII on CBS and Nickelodeon averaged 123.7 million viewers, rendering it the most-watched program in television history.

Glory to 960-102.9 WKVX, Wooster, OH

BMM Staff
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Glory to 960-102.9 WKVX, Wooster, OH

“Glory Radio” has arrived at River Radio Ministries WKVX 960-102.9/Wooster, OH. The station transitions from Westwood One’s Classic Hits format which was carried by the station’s previous owner.

When the station was acquired earlier this year, it was sports-heavy, with the Cleveland Guardians, Cavaliers, and Browns, along with local high school sports and College of Wooster play-by-play.

Future plans include dropping the professional teams.

Radio One CEO David Kantor to Receive Barrett Media’s Gold Standard in Leadership Award at the 2024 BNM Summit

Jason Barrett
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Radio One CEO David Kantor to Receive Barrett Media’s Gold Standard in Leadership Award at the 2024 BNM Summit

I started hosting conferences in 2018. Two days of experimentation in Chicago with forty five programmers and executives convinced me we could turn a private affair into a productive live event. We then took that plunge in Los Angeles in 2019, creating a successful two-day live event. Five years later, we’ve since held three shows in New York City, another event in Los Angeles, and created a signature show, which attracts the best and brightest across the sports media universe.

Growth of our sports conferences led me to wonder if we could do the same for the news media industry. We took our shot in 2023, launching the first event in Nashville at Vanderbilt University. Feedback from attendees was positive, so we took a second turn, this time in the nation’s capital during an election year. On September 4-5, 2024, the BNM Summit comes to George Washington University. To join us, simply purchase a two-day ticket for $299.99 on BNMSummit.com. Discounted hotel rooms are available until COB on Monday for those traveling into town, but act fast because rates increase on Tuesday. The hotel tab on the conference website has all the details.

We have recognized the industry’s top executives, programmers, talent, and difference makers at our sports conferences each year thanks to Premiere Networks. They have been an awesome partner. Honoring those who improve and grow the business has been one of the most popular attractions at our shows, and it’s important to me to make sure we not only educate, but also celebrate too. As we began building our strategy for the 2024 BNM Summit, I knew I wanted to honor difference makers at our BNM Summit, and thanks to Premiere Networks, we’re making that happen.

Four awards inn total will be presented at the 2024 BNM Summit. Ceremonies will take place on Wednesday September 4th, and Thursday September 5th between 12:00-12:20. Newsmax will then make sure everyone is fed during the lunch break that follows.

Today, it is time to announce the first recipient of our Gold Standard in Leadership Award. It is my honor and privilege to announce that our first honoree is Radio One and Reach Media CEO David Kantor. David will join us in Washington D.C. on Thursday September 5th to accept the award and address the room during our awards ceremony.

David Kantor and Tom Joyner

I first met David at an NAB Show after Radio One acquired Entercom’s Charlotte cluster. I had heard good things about him prior to our meeting, and we hit it off immediately. He’s passionate, sharp, straight to the point, and gives his people the tools to win. In return, he expects results. That’s how it should be. It’s no surprise that two of the company’s acquired news/talk assets, WBT in Charlotte, and WIBC in Indianapolis are strong performers, and the station’s two sports brands in those cities, WFNZ in Charlotte, and The Fan in Indy remain powerful as well.

David started in local radio research, programming, and sales, and spent time as an executive at Cox Cable and Satellite Music Network. ABC Radio Networks then named him President in the 1990s. He helped launch the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Radio Disney, and ESPN Radio, and in 2003, partnered with Joyner to co-found Reach Media, eventually selling the company to Urban One.

Since 2004, Kantor has worked for Radio One. He’s helped grow the company’s radio portfolio, leading expansion efforts in Houston, Charlotte, and Indianapolis. Altogether, he oversees 57 radio stations across 13 markets along with Reach Media’s syndicated shows.

David will be retiring at the end of 2024, which many learned of last month. He has earned that right by leaving his prints on many different areas of the industry. He has accomplished a lot and given so much to the radio industry, and I’m excited to return the favor by recognizing his contributions at the BNM Summit. I hope you’ll join us for the special occasion.

Mike Missanelli Returning to 97.5 The Fanatic

BSM Staff
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Mike Missanelli Returning to 97.5 The Fanatic

Just over two years after his departure from 97.5 The Fanatic following 15 years on its airwaves, Mike Missanelli is returning to the Philadelphia sports radio station. Missanelli will start hosting The Mike Missanelli Show in the midday time slot on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting on Monday, Aug. 12. Missanelli will be joined by Bill Colarulo, a former attorney who was recently added to 97.5 The Fanatic as a sports talk radio host.

Since Missanelli left the station, he had been hosting a podcast for BetRivers and was also part of the Philadelphia Eagles postgame show from JAKIB Media. Over the last several months, there had been rumors surrounding a potential return of Missanelli to 97.5 The Fanatic after he had announced that he received an offer from the station earlier this summer.

“We’re excited to welcome Mike Missanelli back to 97.5 The Fanatic,” Paul Blake, vice president and cluster manager of Beasley Media Group Philadelphia, said in a statement. “With over 25 years as an iconic sports radio talk show host, Mike’s insightful commentary and engaging style, along with his passion and expertise, make him the perfect fit to lead our station into an exciting new era.”

The news follows the station’s decision to move on from Bob Cooney, who had been assigned to the midday slot this past March following lineup changes at the station that paired John Kincade and Andrew Salciunas together in morning drive. Cooney had been a member of the morning drive daypart since his return to 97.5 The Fanatic in 2017. Kincade and Salciunas will continue hosting in morning drive, while Tyrone Johnson, Missanelli’s former producer, will continue hosting The Best Show Ever? with Ricky Battaldio in afternoon drive.

“I am excited to welcome Mike back to the Fanatic,” Scott Masteller, program director of 97.5 The Fanatic, said in a statement. “I know that both previous and new listeners will be anxious to hear his insight and perspective on Philadelphia Sports.”

Missanelli joined the Kincade and Salciunas morning program on Friday where the announcement pertaining his return to the station was officially revealed. As the news was divulged, Missanelli stated that just when he thought he was out, the station found a way to bring him back in. Kincade expressed that Missanelli helped build the station throughout the 15 years he was with the entity, including a move to the FM signal.

“The station [is] near and dear to my heart obviously,” Missanelli said. “The way I look at it now is that in my last contract, I had a two-year, three-month vacation, so I’m ready to return to [the station].”

Missanelli expressed that he will continue to do his podcast with BetRivers, but that a lot of things occurred in Philadelphia sports since his departure. When he got up, he found himself wanting to interact with callers and get back into the “action” and “reaction” with people and their perception of what occurred. The Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia Phillies both played in their respective league championship games over the last two years, and there has been significant discussion surrounding the other sports teams as well.

“It’s like a new beginning, man,” Missanelli said. “I’ve got to be honest with you – it feels a little surreal. When you’ve been away from it for a while and you walk into a studio and you go, ‘I used to do this?,’ so I got to find a way to get that back.”

ESPN New York and Good Karma Brands Are Now ‘On The Clock’

Dave Greene
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ESPN New York and Good Karma Brands Are Now ‘On The Clock’

Well, it’s August 2024. Ten months ago, it was reported that Good Karma Brands had made the decision to no longer lease 98.7 FM for ESPN New York when their current agreement with Emmis Communications runs out, which happens August 31. So, soon, it will be a reality that the big station in the big city, will save big money by dropping the big signal and focusing on 1050 AM, the station app, video and other means of distribution.

This is, well, in a word: big. Really big.

As an eternal optimist, I keep thinking of the ramifications of this being really successful. This could be an absolute game-changer in the industry. It could be historic.

When the news broke, Andrew Marchand was still at the New York Post and he had a quote in his story from GKB CEO and founder Craig Karmazin which had a part in it that said, “…investing in an FM signal was not relevant in the way it was a decade ago.”

While I realize we are talking about $12.5 million per year for a lease or $50 million to buy an FM signal in New York, the question could be asked, if this works for GKB, why would anyone need to invest in a big FM signal, or any signal at all for that matter? And what does that mean for the value of radio stations like the other ones that Good Karma owns?

The story Marchand wrote went on to say that Good Karma had data which showed that “60 percent of ESPN New York’s listenership is outside of radio and, of the 40 percent who rely on the radio, eight out of 10 are expected to find the station on AM.”

The math here seems a little fuzzy, but I realize they have to position it how they have to position it. They have some great content on the station and have built up a loyal audience and if something like this is going to work, this seems to me like it could be the perfect storm coming together. They wouldn’t do this unless a situation like this which forced their hand, but they also wouldn’t do it if they didn’t think it would work. If that happens and the No. 1 market in the country has a mostly digital sports property that kills it, how long will it be before that gets done in other big markets? It’s already working in Minneapolis, but is that just a fluke with a really good operator?

Where I live in St. Louis, the AM ‘competitor’ to monster FM sports talk station 101 ESPN, just went to all FOX Sports Radio and plans to sell. I have fielded several calls asking my thoughts on if an AM sports station is viable or not in the market still. To those who have asked, I have said my belief is that it could only work as a companion to a complete digital content strategy. And I’m not really certain the signal is necessary if that’s done correctly.

Now, in New York, we are talking about big name talent. Michael Kay, Bart Scott, Rick DiPietro and many others who have had loyal followings for years. A lot of their talent have big social media followings. This is by no means starting something new from scratch. I think it is very reasonable for the station to expect a majority of their listeners to continue to find the programming. If the digital side of the strategy is executed well, that should lead to new audience consuming the content and perhaps even a younger audience.

Additionally, the station has done some really unique things to promote what will be happening to their listeners. The have run an entire campaign around ‘Reset Your Preset,’ to get people to download the station app. Listeners have been asked to submit photos of a device playing the ESPN New York app. When they do, the listeners have been registered for prizes, but the prizes are experiences with station talent. Things you can’t buy. Great idea.

Listeners have had a chance to win the opportunity to visit Michael Kay in the broadcast booth at Yankee Stadium, a pair of WWE SmackDown ringside tickets next to Peter Rosenberg, dinner with Don La Greca and Dave Rothenberg (ok, you might be able to buy that one) and a visit to the ESPN New York studios to hang out with the Bart & Hahn show.

They have also done special ‘crosstalk’ shows. This is something I think stations should do more often anyway, mix it up a bit and have different personalities work together. ESPN New York has had various host combinations do a couple of hours together and the special shows have only aired on 1050 AM and the station app. So, if you wanted to hear Peter Rosenberg and Bart Scott or Rick DiPietro with Michael Kay, which were a couple of the combinations, you had to use one of the two ways which will be how you will listen to the station moving forward. Change the habits. That’s smart.

If the execution moving forward matches the preparation prior to the move happening, things should work out just fine. But make no mistake, this is something to keep your eye on.

This could be a turning point in our industry. A big one.

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The Best Thing I’ve Heard/Watched Recently

I’m not a big Olympics person. I will say I’ve enjoyed the Gold Zone a few times and my wife and three daughters are super into the Games and have it on constantly, so it has been on a lot in the background for me. The men’s basketball, however, I’ll make an appointment to watch. In all honesty, the first game I just wanted to see if the hype that this team could be a Dream Team-esque team was real. It was not.

With that said, the best thing I’ve heard /watched recently is Noah Eagle calling that first basketball game for the US men’s team against Serbia. I don’t want to overstate things, but Noah Eagle is on a path to be one of the great sports announcers in history. He is 27 years old and is not just really good for his age, he’s just really good. He appears to have it all – the dulcet tones, the humor, the knowledge. I know this is not going out on a limb to say he is going to be great, but I thought it was very noticeable just how good he was on the call of that game.

You can watch some highlights from the game with Eagle’s calls by clicking here.

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In Case You Missed It

Earlier this week my colleague Demetri Ravanos mentioned me in his column that took Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav out to the woodshed over the loss of NBA media rights for TNT Sports. I recently confronted Ravanos outside his house, slapped him in the face and said, “Keep my name out of your…” Just kidding.

However, I actually have a different take on this. By no means do I think it was smart for Zaslav to say they didn’t need the NBA, but after seeing what the networks paid for the rights, I’m not sure they won’t be the ‘winners’ in the end. As I wrote last week, I think it was always going to end this way, and I am of the belief Zaslav and those around him have known as well and prefer not to swim in these ridiculously expensive waters. We talk about the four-decade history, but in most of those decades the Amazon’s of the world didn’t exist. I don’t know what TNT’s plan is, but I think you can make a strong case for a company in the position WBD is in, to want to get away from a deal that reached ‘GTFOH’ levels.

If you didn’t have a chance to read Demetri’s column, check it out by clicking here.

A Peloton Lesson: Call Your Listeners Out By Their Names

BMM Staff
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A Peloton Lesson: Call Your Listeners Out By Their Names

I was lucky: I ordered my Peloton in February 2020, so when the pandemic hit a few weeks later, I was already in queue to get mine. It was delivered in April 2020, and it’s probably the reason why I didn’t gain 500 pounds while we were all in lockdown. Even my wife, who initially scoffed at the Peloton, became a convert, and she’s used it more than I have over the past few years.

Yes, Peloton has lost some of its luster since the pandemic subsided. But those who have stuck around are hardcore fans… #PeloP1s, if you will. They engage with their favorite instructors on social media. They share their favorite classes with their friends. They display their hashtags proudly because it helps them connect with and show off their community within the larger Peloton family.

One of the big things is shoutouts for milestones and birthdays. Riders absolutely love it when their favorite instructors mention their screen names during a live ride, and they make an effort to join those scheduled rides to get their shoutout. They even complain publicly on Facebook and Reddit when they don’t get an anticipated mention.

Seems like the kind of engagement we’d like listeners to have with radio stations, no?

Radio prides itself on our ability to interact. “Live and local,” right? (I’ll give you a minute to recover and catch your breath from that.) However, the concept is still roughly the same.

Peloton is not just on-demand, it’s also appointment riding. Instructors have live classes where the schedule is made public ahead of time, so riders can schedule their milestones to fall on a particular ride or with a certain instructor. They can take a live ride on their birthday to try for good wishes.

And now, the million-dollar idea: Scheduled shoutouts on-air. While radio tries to be as current and up-to-the-minute as possible, it’s sometimes impossible to react in real-time, especially if a shift is voicetracked. But listeners likely know their schedules ahead of time, and if they can indicate when they’re in a position to listen to your station, you can try to align shoutouts with your breaks.

While sending in their schedules a day or two ahead of time may break some of the illusion of spontaneity about radio, the flip side is that it gives you a chance to create appointment listening – and do it in a way that fits with how you’re potentially assembling a shift in advance. And while those listeners are tuned in during their window, you can give them other reasons to stick around.

It’s Tom’s birthday tomorrow. Mention that his wife, Ashley, wishes him a happy birthday sometime tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. because he loves the Throwback Lunch. Kelsey and Aaron are celebrating their anniversary. Give them a shoutout tomorrow evening in the 6 p.m. hour because they’ll be on their way to their celebratory dinner during that time and will listen in the car.

If they know a name-check is coming, they’re more likely to stay with your station for an extended period of time, which gives you a chance to showcase what you’re about—either through music teasers, new music positioning, features, snippets of the morning show, or whatever. You’ll have a captive audience. And when people hear others being mentioned, they’ll want to get in on it, too, so the effect snowballs.

If there’s a company out there that wants to build a CRM database tie-in, you could even send email cards to the listener being targeted ahead of time, if the person submitting supplies their email address: “Hey, Kent, someone sent in a shoutout for you! Listen to X92.5 tomorrow between 2-3pm to hear it.” There’s even a sales arm here, where you could get sponsors to buy in on this, like if someone shows their shoutout email at Moe’s Sandwiches, they get a free soda.

As always, I welcome feedback, even if you want to tell me I’m blatantly incorrect (although I refuse to debate the fact that “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” defies the “odd-numbered Trek movies are bad” trope). Hit me up at keithberman@gmail.com.

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