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What’s Next for Worldwide News Network After Lee Harris’ Exit?

Garrett Searight
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What’s Next for Worldwide News Network After Lee Harris’ Exit?

Lee Harris is out at Worldwide News Network, and the fledgling network now faces its first real test of leadership stability. Barrett Media broke the news Wednesday evening that Harris was exiting the network — a departure that comes just over three months after he arrived to help lead the operation. For a startup news venture still finding its footing, losing your most recognizable face this quickly isn’t a great look.

Harris brought instant credibility when Worldwide News Network launched. His high-profile run at 1010 WINS, followed by a stint at NewsNation, gave him a level of trust with audiences that’s tough to replicate. Finding another name with that kind of built-in cache won’t be easy. And I assume the network knows that.

Still, the exit raises an obvious question: what happens next? Some in the industry have speculated that 77 WABC owner John Catsimatidis interfered with editorial content, pushing Harris toward the door. Multiple sources inside the organization have told me that isn’t true. According to those sources, Catsimatidis remains committed to fact-based reporting, and he isn’t looking to turn the network into a mouthpiece for his own views.

The “Worldwide” Name Isn’t Just Branding

High-level sources have also indicated that international markets are a genuine priority for the network, not a marketing gimmick. Germany, Spain, and France have all come up as key regions the company wants to develop, and that global ambition helps explain some of the early growing pains domestically.

Building out international infrastructure and relationships takes resources, and resources spent abroad are resources not spent shoring up the U.S. product.

That doesn’t excuse the instability at the top. Losing a lead anchor after three months is a red flag by any standard, and it’s fair for industry observers to wonder whether the network’s foundation is as solid as its ambitions suggest.

However, a global build-out does offer context for why the domestic side might feel unfinished right now. Patience is part of the plan, whether audiences love hearing that or not.

Catsimatidis Has Been Here Before

Worldwide News Network takes a real hit without Harris running the operation. His name carried weight, and replacing that kind of recognition won’t happen overnight. Yet the network still has one major asset working in its favor: an owner who has built businesses before and understands that early turbulence doesn’t have to be fatal.

Catsimatidis isn’t new to high-stakes ventures, and he’s shown a willingness to absorb short-term pain for long-term payoff throughout his career. Sources close to the situation described him as fully aware of the bigger picture, even as this particular chapter gets messy. Building a credible, fact-based news operation with global reach isn’t a six-month project, and it was never going to be.

So where does Worldwide News Network turn now? Expect the network to search for a replacement who can offer both credibility and staying power, since another quick exit would compound the damage already done.

Meanwhile, don’t be surprised if international expansion accelerates as a way to demonstrate momentum while the domestic anchor search plays out.

Because ultimately, growing pains are normal for a startup network — the real test is whether Worldwide News Network can turn this moment into a lesson rather than a pattern.

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

Why ESPN Should Make Its 2 p.m. Hour a Year-Round Football Destination

John Mamola
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Why ESPN Should Make Its 2 p.m. Hour a Year-Round Football Destination

College football season is almost here. In less than two weeks, the feeling of fall returns. No more Saturdays just sitting on the couch hoping for something to satisfy the country’s appetite for football on television. Ahead of the arrival of a new season is signing season in sports media. Yesterday, ESPN made its latest signing, announcing a new one-hour college football road show featuring Josh Pate, Taylor Lewan and Will Compton from Bussin’ With The Boys.

The announcement didn’t come as a surprise. ESPN has continued to dip its strategic toes into the magic waters of the creator economy for some time now. Pat McAfee is the network’s biggest signee and has worked out extremely well. The network’s ill-fated attempt with Barstool Sports did not. However, last year’s efforts by Pate and the Bussin’ team have earned them a new opportunity this season.

There are a lot of benefits to the new program. It allows ESPN to gain added exposure on campuses where College GameDay will broadcast from the next morning. It’s taking what Pat McAfee has done with his Friday road show and elevating the expectation and coverage.

Pate, along with Lewan and Compton, are proven voices in the college football digital community. Last year, the three partnered for The Locker Room: CFB, which drew added engagement, reach and shared marketing for all the talent involved.

More Football

The other benefit is it’s more college football coverage throughout the ESPN weekly schedule. ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus hasn’t been shy about his feelings regarding ESPN underserving the college football fan in the past. This new program is an answer to that call and should prove to be another tip of the cap to a network that essentially owns college football and the College Football Playoff.

But this is bigger than just a college football show on a singular day during the season. If you’ve been following the reporting, it looks as though ESPN is betting on NFL Monday through Thursday in the 2 p.m. ET timeslot with Peter Schrager. Following the news yesterday, that means Bussin’ & Pate On Campus on Fridays ahead of the college football weekend. If that’s the plan, that’s an intentional push in betting that ESPN can still develop studio shows with talent inside the walls and out.

That’s a far cry from criticism that studio shows becoming a thing of the past at ESPN.

SportsCenter Growth

However, with any change comes some level of risk.

If you’ve been following the viewership of the 2 p.m. hour, SportsCenter has done extremely well in the time allotted. The program had its best first-quarter viewership this winter since entering the timeslot just three years ago. That momentum hasn’t slowed, with rises in April (394,000 | +64%), May (342,000 | +55%) and June (304,000 | +45%) compared to the same months year over year.

The hope is that momentum will continue. It may very well be the case. Adding familiar talent with a focused content approach on everything NFL Monday through Thursday and college football on Friday could prove to be an elixir capable of capitalizing even further on the daypart.

The gamble is more about the interest in the sport of football than the talents being inserted into the daypart. But if it’s a gamble worth making, why not make it year round? If the move in programming is seasonal, is that really accomplishing what Magnus looked to address for college football fans or football fans in general?

A Year Round Appointment

If the NFL and college football have proven anything, it’s that their storylines can play to a national audience year-round. There’s literally no shortage of topics that a one-hour football program could deliver to an audience year-round. The opportunity for ESPN is bigger than simply filling the 2 p.m. hour during football season. If the network truly believes football deserves a larger, more consistent investment, then it should make that commitment year-round.

NFL and college football doesn’t disappear when the games end. The storylines simply change. Free agency, the draft, OTAs and training camp carry the NFL through the spring and summer, while the transfer portal, NIL, coaching moves, spring practice and conference media days keep college football relevant long before the first Saturday kickoff.

ESPN has the talent, the access and the rights to own that conversation every day. Rather than treating the 2 p.m. hour as a seasonal football play, the network should turn it into a year-round destination for football fans. If ESPN to stop underserving college football, this is the opportunity to prove it and expand on it. Keep the focus on football — college and pro — 52 weeks a year. The audience is there. The stories are there.

Now ESPN simply needs to commit to them.

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

The Voices Speak: Why Voiceover Artists Aren’t Totally Threatened By the Rise of AI

Garrett Searight
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The Voices Speak: Why Voiceover Artists Aren’t Totally Threatened By the Rise of AI

Voiceover artists across the radio and media industries are confronting a question that predates artificial intelligence: what happens to a craft when an industry keeps settling for “good enough”? Rates have been falling for years, and that decline started long before AI-generated voices became a viable alternative. Budget cuts, station consolidation, and shrinking creative departments reshaped the business well before any algorithm got involved.

Still, AI’s rapid improvement adds new urgency to the conversation, and it extends beyond individual voice performance into audio branding and production as a whole. Some companies now weigh professional talent against inexpensive, unlimited AI-generated alternatives, and many choose the cheaper option. That shift raises real questions about quality, legal exposure, and the long-term value of genuine human connection in advertising and broadcast.

BarrettMedia spoke with six voice and audio branding professionals — JJ Surma, Jim Cutler, Dawn Cutler, Loren Raye, Neil Wilson, and Steve Stone — about where the industry stands today. Their responses, lightly edited for clarity, appear below.

The State of the Industry

Garrett Searight: What is the biggest issue facing the voiceover community right now?

JJ Surma: Definitely the devaluation of the work. Even before AI became capable and easy to use, rates were plummeting, jobs were disappearing, and the industries we serve were changing drastically. Increased competition, consolidation, and changes in the broadcast industry have all contributed to lowering rates across the board.

Loren Raye: From a radio imaging standpoint specifically, I’m seeing VO opportunities continue to move in-house. Do I like it? No. But I understand the reality of budgeting constraints.

Neil Wilson: While AI is at the forefront of the conversation when it comes to VO, I believe there has never been a better time to really connect to the stories being told. Much of the issue we all face is because of a repetition in the creative process, a byproduct of shrinking budgets and the compression of workforces and roles.

But when it comes to a station’s identity and brand, we must go back to the art of telling the story. Really connect with the music, personalities, and listeners that drive the connection people have with their local radio station. Programmers, marketers, salespeople, talent, and even the voice of your station need to double, triple, and quadruple down on connecting to the words they speak. This is why we see the push behind sports by companies like Audacy — there is almost nothing more human and connecting than the love we have for our team. Go 49ers!

Jim Cutler: I originally thought AI would be the biggest challenge, but so far, it hasn’t been. The bigger issue is something much more familiar: companies relentlessly pursuing efficiencies and deciding where “good enough” is. One major television group, for example, eliminated voice talent across more than 260 stations. They experimented with AI and apparently weren’t satisfied with the results.

But instead of returning to the previous model, they found extremely inexpensive alternatives offering essentially unlimited voice work. The people doing it realize under $100 a month after taxes for unlimited daily work. That’s part of a larger change begun by radio. Many TV stations have eliminated Creative Services Directors, promotion departments and producers — the very people who once protected the quality of what went on the air. In their place, a few people are producing TV for 10 or 15 markets. The unfortunate part is that you can really hear the difference. So, to me, the biggest threat isn’t AI. It’s the institutional acceptance of “good enough” as a creative standard.

Steve Stone: For my work in voiceover and audio branding production, it’s the use of AI. While the quick promise of “savings” by streamlining voiceover or production services with AI may be enticing, in the long term it will be detrimental to what makes content unique and desired.

Where AI Fits In

GS: How concerned about the rise of AI voices are you?

Neil Wilson: I’m not not concerned. I’ve lost work and income because of it. But I’ve also seen clients come back because of it too. AI can do the repetitive tasks in all industries, including VO, which is why I’m really focused on being an interesting human. Living an interesting life and telling compelling stories. AI can’t do that. It doesn’t connect.

Jim Cutler: If what you need is simply “words said,” AI can already say words and sentences. There are hundreds of AI voice offerings now, so competition will continue driving that price down while the technology continues getting better. But that’s not really the business we’re in. We work with roughly a thousand people every week, and we know the stations, their sensibilities and what they’re trying to accomplish. AI will improve, unquestionably. When it can consistently deliver something better than what we bring to the work, it will have earned that business.

Loren Raye: I’ve lost some jobs to AI, and I’m not mad about it, because I know it’s not personal. However, a human being will always convey emotion better than AI, unless the VO artist is just phoning it in — in which case, call me and we can fix that.

JJ Surma: I’m not threatened by it, but I am aware, and I’m adjusting. As a performer, I’m doubling down on wild lines, alternate takes, jokes, burps, snorting, anything that can bring copy to life and add that secret sauce you can’t get out of a voice-to-speech application. I welcome the competition, because I’m uniquely me, and I believe people can hear the difference.

Steve Stone: Of course I’m concerned about the use as a replacement. AI voices as a creative tool could be beneficial, but I don’t think it’s being viewed that way at all right now. With media consolidation, the enticement of potential cost savings for companies is the primary focus.

Why Human Talent Still Matters

GS: Why should companies continue to use human voice artists?

Dawn Cutler: Anyone who has worked successfully in this business for a long time develops a tremendous amount of intuition about what individual stations and producers actually mean when they give direction. A producer might say, be loose with this, or make it wry, or conversational. Those descriptions cover an enormous range. But when you’ve worked with someone for years, you know where their version of conversational sits on that spectrum. AI can interpret a prompt and deliver the words. A great human talent understands the intent behind them.

JJ Surma: Just like a Beatles song or a Dylan song or a Fleetwood Mac song hits different than AI slop on Spotify, people can sense the humanity of a real voice actor. That shared humanity is the bridge that ideas travel on, so working with a human voice actor gives you immediate credibility. When you hire a pro with industry experience, you get someone who’s willing to say, okay, here’s what you wrote, I’ll read it as-is, but I think you mean this — have you considered saying it like this? That collaboration isn’t something you’ll get from AI, and I believe it’s priceless.

Loren Raye: Let’s be real: if you’re using any sort of VO to reinforce your brand, your goal is for the audience to feel something. At our core, humans crave connection, and AI VO cannot accomplish that in the way a human can. Full stop. Additionally, a human VO artist can serve as a partner to a client, not simply a tool. I had a session with a UK-based creative team, and the script mentioned being on holiday. Any American knows this isn’t how we speak; instead, we’d say on vacation. So I performed the script as asked, and once we nailed that, I pointed out that we should do alternate takes with the American terminology, since their audience is Americans.

Neil Wilson: Technology is cool. But being a human is so much cooler. People feel connection. We all understand the financial impacts of AI, but the legal aspects are starting to catch up. Currently, there is legislation at the federal level that has passed the House and now sits in judiciary committees in the Senate — look up the No Fakes Act, and also AB12 in California. A recent study with HarkerBos showed that trust is a major concern with AI voices. Earlier this year, a company using AI voices woke up to all their imaging voices being completely gone — removed from the server in one keystroke. AI isn’t doing anything more than shifting dollars from humans to companies without a vested interest in these products. Humans are just interesting. Being good at AI isn’t creative — it’s just being good at tech shit.

Jim Cutler: Of the roughly thousand people we serve every week, I can’t think of one who comes to us because they merely want the words said. They want us to bring something to them — humor, attitude, playfulness, sincerity, cool, deadpan, restraint, surprise. And sometimes the most valuable thing we contribute is a take the writer never imagined. That moment is difficult to reduce to a prompt. So I’m not interested in competing with AI at simply saying sentences. I want to work with the people who want someone who brings a point of view and makes the work better than it was on the page.

Steve Stone: Because one size does not fit all. Aside from on-air or on-camera talent, it’s the one thing that creates the unique personality of any radio and TV broadcast brand. It’s the touchpoint that ultimately makes or builds on the personal connection with the consumer via content and presentation.

GS: Anything else you’d like to include that I didn’t ask?

Loren Raye: Part of being a VO artist is being playful and imaginative and offering performances from different perspectives. Does it mean you know better than the creative team? Absolutely not. But it means that you’re doing your job right by giving them plenty to choose from and offering a surprise perspective they hadn’t considered before. That’s the value of a human being.

Neil Wilson: The way we’ve told the story of our station’s brand must evolve. No longer is it about dial position and station slogan, and it’s for sure not about how it sounds. Go deeper on the stories behind your talent, songs, listeners, and buyers. And use professional human storytellers to help tell those stories.

JJ Surma: If executives and decision makers are reaching for the next generation, they need to be aware of how much of a turn-off AI art, music, and podcasting is to them. I believe that employing more AI voices is the quickest way to show you’re out of touch with a generation you’re desperate to have embrace your content. They can smell fake a mile away.

Steve Stone: Any creative service or provider that supports the branding of media content, which is what we are all part of, should be seen as fundamental and not an easily cut luxury item on a spreadsheet.

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

Ben and Skin’s Dallas Radio Formula Includes Laughs, Bits, Sports, and More

Mike Stern
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Ben and Skin’s Dallas Radio Formula Includes Laughs, Bits, Sports, and More

There are a lot of myths surrounding Ben Rogers and Jeff Wade — better known to fans as Ben and Skin — who just this week took over hosting mornings on iHeartMedia Classic Rock KZPZ/Dallas. First, the easiest myth to dispel is that they keep getting canned because they’ve worked at several stations in the market.

“The reality is we’ve never been fired from a radio job, which is really remarkable considering we’ve been doing it full time since 2008,” Ben says. “But we have chased opportunities because we’ve always believed in ourselves.”

For context, they have worked at numerous radio stations over the years. After starting at legendary sports talk station The Ticket (KTCK-AM), they have been heard at Live 105.3 (KLLI), ESPN Radio 103.3 (KESN), 105.3 The Fan (KRLD), and 97.1 The Eagle (KEGL-FM) — which was also known as The Freak during their tenure.

Myth Two: They’re Just Sports Guys

Another unfounded belief is that because they came up in Sports Talk, that’s all they can do. Yet now they are anchoring mornings at a Classic Rock station. The main reason for the switch is that, in their experience, many Sports Talk shows are based on conflict. Importantly, that’s not the type of show they prefer. “It’s not really in our DNA to tear one another down,” Skin says. “Our DNA is to build one another up. We come at our show from a different perspective.”

Ben adds that he really doesn’t want to argue with Skin because he’d lose. “If we were doing that old school style show where we had to debate every day, I would have killed Skin by now because I cannot beat him in a debate. If I walk outside and the sky is blue, he could beat me in a debate about whether or not the sky was blue. And I would lose very badly.”

Instead, they prefer to focus on companionship. “The goal is to create an environment or a vibe where people are comfortable listening to us because they know who we are,” Skin says. “There’s a lot of ways to garner that dedication from a listener, but we believe the number one thing is to make people laugh.”

Their show includes bits, skits, pranks, and conversations about everyday life that lend themselves to humor. And to be clear, they still discuss some sports — but differently. “We’re not going to talk about a salary cap on Lone Star. It’s basically: did the Cowboys win? Why or why not? Now we move on,” explains Skin.

However, they will poke fun at their old format. “We like to make fun of tropes like Sports Talk shows that pair two guys from two different cities together. We exaggerate the characters so one is some meathead who played sports but doesn’t know what he’s doing and the other is super announcer-y.”

Myth Three: They’re Not Sports Guys

Ben and Skin will set up an interview with an unsuspecting sports blogger but perform the call as a fake team. For example, there is Nigel and Whippy. Nigel is in his late eighties, while Whippy is in his twenties with no respect for his elders. “Meanwhile, the guest we booked is being held hostage in an improv comedy sketch they think is real,” Skin explains.

While it’s their names on the marquee, the show is truly an ensemble with two other talented people. They are Newshound Kevin “K.T.” Turner and Producer Krystina “K-Ray” Ray. K.T. has been with the guys since 2013. Ben says he can do anything: “he’s an incredible hard worker and he just makes doing radio easy. He gets nowhere near enough credit.”

Krystina went to college with K.T. and adds a unique perspective. “She brings a good feminine vibe, but she also can totally hang with us,” Ben says. “We played Fortnite together and she cussed more than anyone I’ve heard in my life. Honestly, our audience probably likes her more than they like the other three of us.”

While they say their partnership with iHeartRadio and their show on Lone Star is their number one priority, they haven’t completely walked away from sports-related content. Earlier this year, they launched The Haymaker Network — a local sports talk network that exists on YouTube.

Myth Four: They’re Just Content Creators

Still in its infancy, the network already offers several shows. These include The House of Haymaker, which features a cast of creators talking sports; Haymaker Presents, which showcases sports stars in longform interviews; and Star Time, a Dallas Cowboys focused show.

Future plans for the network include more sports-related content. Additionally, they’re stepping into pop culture with The Haymaker Lounge. “For example, it will have a show called Tastemakers, where we find the best burgers, best tacos, best music, best movies,” Ben explains. “It’s a pop-culture show on steroids where we can talk about whatever we want that is not sports.”

While this is a passion project for Ben and Skin, they also know their limitations. Rather than trying to build a podcast network infrastructure on their own, they hired Matt Czizek — who had worked for the Dallas Mavericks at their Studio 41 video streaming operation — as Chief Content Officer. “We think everybody is rushing to do podcasts on video but not everyone knows how to make them look good,” Ben says. “We think that’s a big separator so we went out and hired the best guy we could possibly find to make our stuff look incredible.”

Haymaker Studio is not the pair’s only non-radio venture. Notably, they’re also partners in a brewery called Rollertown Beer Works. They explain that while the obvious choice would have been to name the brewery after themselves, it didn’t seem appropriate because they weren’t actually making the beer.

Instead, much like with Haymaker, they respected their limitations. “We’ve learned from radio that we don’t like it when people come in and tell us how to do our show,” Ben says. “So we don’t want to tell somebody how to make beer. Instead, we went out and found the most talented brew master we could and just stay out of his way.”

Their Superpower

That left them in need of a name. Because they desired to honor the area where their brewery would be located, they settled on a reference to the Frisco Railway. “When the railway came through, they just laid out where they were going and didn’t care if it ruined towns that weren’t on the line,” Ben explains. “So the most resilient towns put their buildings on rollers and used steam engines to roll the town to the railroad in order to survive. We think it’s a great metaphor. If the life you want is over there, you got to be willing to go get it. If you want to pursue a dream, get up off your ass and go do it.”

So far, the venture has been successful. Not only have they already moved to a bigger location, but their beer is also distributed in bars, restaurants, stadiums, and grocery stores. Their biggest seller is The Big German — which was created to honor Dallas Mavericks’ great Dirk Nowitzki. The slogan for the beer, which Ben credits to Skin, is “minimal hops with a smooth finish.” This aptly describes both the beer and the player.

Friends since they were twelve years old, Ben and Skin have always been adventurous. They almost had a career as rappers. However, it didn’t work out. But the failure taught Ben a valuable lesson. “When the music dream crashed and burned, I was devastated. I thought that was my whole identity, which was foolish,” he says. “But once you chase a dream and you don’t catch it, you have this like bulletproof protection to chase another one. You realize ‘I survived failure. It’s not the end of the world.'”

It was that feeling that led to the two working their way into radio on The Ticket. For two people with minimal experience, starting at an extraordinarily successful station in Dallas might have seemed unlikely. But not to Ben: “The idea of it being a long shot to work our way into one of the greatest sports talk radio stations in the country never registered with me. It was more like, ‘sure, why wouldn’t we try that.'”

And it’s that attitude that Skin credits for their success. “Ben’s unwavering belief that we can do anything has been a huge catalyst for all this,” he says. Ben prefers to think of it as the team’s hidden superpower. “I am foolish enough to believe that we can do some crazy shit, and Skin is foolish enough to believe in me.”

But perhaps the best way to sum up their philosophy can be found on the Rollertown Beerworks website. They have posted a manifesto created with help from Ben’s brother. You can see the whole proclamation here, but the first two paragraphs give a good indication of how the guys think:

We are not ones to sit by and let life happen to us. We are not here to be passive recipients or to live in someone else’s vision of the world. We believe the world is what you make of it. We believe that with imagination and hard work anything is possible. We believe in ourselves.

To Ben, the manifesto underscores the energy they use to approach everything. “It fuels our belief that we could host a morning show on Lone Star, that we could start a brewery, that we could create our own podcast network. We are swinging for the fences, chasing dreams.”

But he also knows the road isn’t always smooth. “It doesn’t mean our dreams are all going to happen. Our journey started off by failing a million times and we’ll fail a million more. But what gets us excited about life is when you don’t know how successful something is going to be. That is more interesting and fulfilling than just taking a paycheck doing something you don’t like.”

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

20 Brands in 20 Days: Andre Yancey: 94.7 The Block, NYC & 102 JAMS, San Francisco

David Hill
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20 Brands in 20 Days: Andre Yancey: 94.7 The Block, NYC & 102 JAMS, San Francisco

Andre Yancey’s trajectory through radio demonstrates what happens when you combine genuine warmth with strategic rigor. At eighteen, he showed up at KMEL in San Francisco with ambition and a dream born from listening to Rick Chase on afternoon drive. He’d spent three years trying to get on a street team, driven by a single image: a radio companion making people feel less alone. When the morning zoo stuck a microphone in his face during a gas giveaway, he went for it. It worked.

Now, decades later, he straddles two coasts for Audacy as Assistant Brand Manager at 94.7 The Block (KXBK-FM) in New York and Brand Manager of 102 JAMS (KRBQ-FM) in San Francisco. That instinct — to keep people company, to make them feel less alone — runs through everything he does. But he backed it up with a full MBA from NYU, graduating in 2025, with a focus on organizational and change management, finance, and strategy. He’s the rare radio leader thinking in parallel about both the soul of the medium and the mathematics that keep it alive. At Audacy, where he’s built consecutive award-winning content, that balance between artistry and analytics has become his defining leadership approach.

Radio is for Everybody

Walk into a conversation with Yancey, and you’ll quickly notice he talks about the audience as dynamic human beings, not demographic buckets. This philosophy came from growing up in the South Bay, where his friends and family didn’t organize around format boundaries. He watched KMEL and KYLD dominate as twin cultural forces and understood something fundamental: the Bay Area’s power came from its diversity and refusal to be sorted.

“There’s a time where, whether it was a hip hop, rock song, or even country, people would say that’s my jam, and I want to bring the essence of that back,” he explains. “My generation, I believe, was the first to not be constrained by our parents won’t listen to X, Y, and Z. It was all available to us, and I want that unification and that coalition to really sing loud, and that’s how we’re going to represent the Bay Area properly.”

This ethos now defines both 102 JAMS and 94.7 The Block. At 102 JAMS in San Francisco, he’s rebuilding radio as fundamentally inclusive. “We’re here for everybody,” he says. “So again, I’m going to reference KMEL. When I grew up, they had this tagline called the People Station, music across color lines. This music right here, because of growing up in the South Bay, where my friends were all races and shapes and sizes, just like my family, the same people that were listening to Wu Tang Clan, the same people that were listening to hip hop, were also listening to Linkin Park. They were listening to Metallica. They were listening to Jewel. And they were listening to Nirvana. All of those.”

Building Bridges Between Worlds

What separates Yancey from other radio leaders is his graduate education. While many run their careers on instinct, Yancey recognized a gap: he could feel the industry’s pain but lacked the framework to articulate solutions at scale. He went to grad school to understand why the industry works.

“I went to grad school because I saw what was happening to our industry — the constraints and the pains of it,” he explains. “I grew up on the personality side and on the street team side, and then grew into leadership. What happens after I’m in brand management? How do I create help create a balance between business and the craft? I studied that from a private equity vantage point at NYU. I would go in, speak with my professors, and think through how I could build a bridge between the two so that we can serve — have personalities serve locally while also maintaining a healthy business.”

This is what compassion and intelligence look like in practice: studying financial models not to become a suit, but to protect radio itself. To keep voices on air. To keep people employed.

Teaching the Why, Not Just the What

When Yancey left radio to explore other industries, he hit a wall. A McKinsey executive told him his skill set had no currency elsewhere. The experience triggered a commitment to understanding the entire ecosystem. He realized he’d been operating inside radio’s language without understanding radio’s business.

So he went back. He studied. He learned the metrics. “I learned how everything works — how they come up with AQH when TSL is brought up, where that comes from,” he says. “I started understanding the formulas. Then it’s okay, what do ratings actually mean? We need people to listen in different occasions. The biggest stations really win with Nielsen because people are leaving and coming back, leaving and coming back.”

When he moved to New York in 2021, he relaunched the morning program at WCBS-FM post-pandemic, then helped establish 94.7 The Block as Audacy’s most-used urban streaming brand. But here’s where compassion kicks back in: he didn’t keep that knowledge to himself. “Once I understood that, I started talking to my colleagues,” he says. “Often we’re trained to do our job, but we’re not taught all of the whys. And now I try to help as many people as possible because you can perform and knock it out of the ballpark, but you need to understand the why.”

The Two Cities, One Philosophy

At 94.7 The Block in New York, Yancey applies the same inclusive framework as Assistant Brand Manager, helping craft a format that’s become one of Audacy’s most-used urban streaming brand. Rather than retreat from New York gatekeeping, he dug in and learned from tastemakers like DJ Mister Cee and DJ Scratch. The Block format emerged from the same “People Station” philosophy from KMEL, but applied to contemporary streaming and mix show culture. When DJ Mister Cee passed away in 2024, Yancey understood the platform’s deeper meaning — it was a gathering place where tastemakers could be honored and the community could mourn together.
Meanwhile, at 102 JAMS in San Francisco, his role as Brand Manager puts him at the helm of rebuilding a new Audacy station from the ground up. This is his chance to architect an entire brand philosophy, not just support one. The station is a love letter to the Bay Area, as he describes it — a place where companionship and connection are central to everything they broadcast. He’s bringing everything he learned at The Block to San Francisco, but with the freedom to shape the station’s complete identity.

“I want to celebrate women 12 months of the year,” he says. “There’s Pride Month, well, let’s have Pride all the time. Doesn’t matter if you’re from the hood or from the cul-de-sac. This music has affected all of us. How can we be as inclusive as possible so that we can take that strain and stop that chip on the shoulder that everybody carries as they try to make it through these crazy times in this incredibly fast city?”

That’s both a compassionate vision and a strategic one: radio as relief, not division. In a streaming age, the biggest audiences come from removing barriers.

The Message for What Comes Next

As we wrapped our conversation, Yancey offered closing thoughts that crystallize why this combination matters. He believes in radio — all of it. Radio may not look the same in five years, but the core mission — being a companion, creating connection — won’t change. His message was aimed at people grinding it out right now.

“Growth is more than getting a promotion,” he says. “Growth is understanding why we’re doing what we’re doing. For personalities, keep honing your craft. If you want to learn programming, reach out to people and ask. That’s it.”

Simple. Direct. But underneath it is everything Yancey has learned: that craft without business acumen won’t survive, and business acumen without craft is just noise. Compassion without intelligence is sentiment. Intelligence without compassion is cold.

Andre Yancey doesn’t operate from a playbook. He operates from a heart that wants to lift people up and a mind that understands how radio — the business, the craft, and the human connection — actually works. That combination is rare. That combination is winning.

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

Why Teenagers Ignore Radio But Love Music

Keith Cunningham
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Why Teenagers Ignore Radio But Love Music

The industry is in round-the-clock panic about attracting younger listeners. However, let me tell you something: RockTernative isn’t struggling with teenagers at all. I took my 13-year-old daughter and two of her friends to see AC/DC and The Pretty Reckless in the Bay Area — three hours of high voltage energy in a packed stadium of multiple generations. Notably, the kids were more fired up than I ever was at their age.

How Teens Discover Music Today

Hannah found out about the show herself. Certainly, it wasn’t from radio or an ad or social. Instead, she hunted it down because she wanted to see AC/DC “before it’s too late.” She’s a self-made rocker whose favorite artist changes weekly, this week it’s Ozzy. Her personal playlists bounce from genre to genre.

For me, the night out was going to be a proud Dad moment — and a chance to gather intel.

I’m a walking focus group. Typically, when I’m around anyone with opinions on RockTernative music, radio, morning shows, or social content, my moderator alarm goes off. It’s like we’re being attacked by the Russians, and I go into overdrive — into intel-gathering mode.

But I couldn’t go full-court moderator. Otherwise, Hannah would’ve bailed out the window. So I did as much listening as asking. Importantly, this isn’t quantitative or qualitative data, but I don’t care — there’s something here.

What These Teens Actually Want

Despite not being in the 25-54 demographic, these three girls are exactly the kind of RockTernative fans radio dreams of. If they showed up at station events, staffs would plaster their photos on one-sheets just to prove it’s not all geezers and oxygen tanks.

But more importantly, they know the music. They want the stories. They go to shows, collect vinyl, wear the band shirts. All three play instruments. Two are in a punk band. One is an admitted Swiftie. And all three are headed into 8th grade.

I remember 8th grade — radio was a best friend. Not for these girls. Notably, radio is only for when their parents put it on. That may not shock you, but there’s more to this:

They don’t dislike radio. They’re not “too cool” for it. They’re not tired of “the hits.” They just already have “the hits” in their pocket. The problem? They’re not seeking out radio because the medium isn’t giving them anything they don’t already have. That’s the key.

The Real Opportunity

They’d seek out radio if it gave them something they cared about — and something they can’t get from their phones. Specifically, they want discovery (Gold and New), personality, storytelling, community, and a tribal identity. If they feel invited and think it’s worth their time — they’ll listen (on an app, of course).

My mission isn’t to turn teenagers into weeklong P1s. While that would be nice, today’s programmers would settle for a few check-ins or a specialty appointment each week. But most believe radio won’t ever convert the younger generation. They think it needs to go commercial free or become the obscure songs medium. That’s wrong.

Attracting younger demos isn’t impossible. Furthermore, it doesn’t require saying goodbye to 35+ listeners. Brands just need to find the right levers, but they won’t be found unless the right questions are asked. When was the last time you actually spoke to teenagers about radio?

What Their Music Choices Revealed

But here’s what really resonated that night. The drive to the show was an all-AC/DC playlist and they knew every song. On the way home, I let them pick any songs they wanted at max volume. I was prepared for an indie music explosion, but their choices said everything:

  • No Doubt – Just A Girl
  • The Pretty Reckless – Death By Rock & Roll (triggered by the concert)
  • ABBA – Dancing Queen
  • The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry
  • Bratmobile – I’m In the Band
  • Billy Idol – Rebel Yell
  • RHCP – Can’t Stop
  • Damone – What We Came Here For
  • Rolling Stones – Start Me Up
  • Dorothy – I Come Alive
  • Offspring – Come Out and Play

Is that the perfect hour on your station? No. On any station? No. But it was the perfect hour for them.

Put ABBA and the Stones aside — any RockTernative programmer can see how some of their peanut butter can be mixed with your chocolate, in the right setting.

What This Music Selection Means

Not one of those songs is too old, too new, too niche, or too mainstream. In fact, notice they didn’t even choose one “current.” These kids are less concerned with the hottest new thing. Instead, they’re more about vibe, authenticity, a song’s personality or message, and what they can sing along with.

RockTernative music isn’t losing teens — but radio did lose teens by ignoring them. And if nothing changes, the upper demo won’t be far behind.

Give them a real reason and they’ll be dancing in the aisles just like they did at Levi’s Stadium. These teenage girls dragged ME to AC/DC — and they’ll drag themselves to radio too, if radio gives them something worth dragging toward.

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

Could Christmas 2026 Be The Greatest Day In American Sports History

John Lund
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Could Christmas 2026 Be The Greatest Day In American Sports History

I’ve spent the last week trying to figure out whether Christmas 2026 is the greatest sports day in American history. The more I look at it, the harder it becomes to argue against it.

Forget the Super Bowl, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day. Forget Final Four Saturday. All those days are iconic. But none of them can match the combination of star power, television audiences, revenue, and juicy storylines we’re getting under the tree on December 25, 2026.

Plan Accordingly

The day begins at noon Eastern with an NBA Finals rematch. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs taking on Jalen Brunson and the defending champion Knicks at Madison Square Garden. In most years, that would be the Christmas headliner. In 2026, it’s simply the opening act.

One hour later, the NFL enters the picture with Packers-Bears, featuring Caleb Williams and Jordan Love in one of the oldest rivalries in American sports. Before that game even reaches halftime, the NBA rolls out Heat-Celtics, featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.

By late afternoon, it’s a playoff rematch when Josh Allen and the Bills face Bo Nix and the Broncos. That could be one of the most-watched regular-season games of the year. Then LeBron James goes back to LA when the 76ers meet Luka Doncic and the Lakers on another channel.

The night only gets bigger. At 8 p.m. Eastern, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder meet Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves in a matchup that could easily preview the Western Conference Finals. Fifteen minutes later, the NFL counters with an NFC Championship rematch featuring Rams-Seahawks, the best rivalry in the NFL right now.

Then, just when most people should be winding down for the night, Nikola Jokic and Stephen Curry take center stage with Nuggets-Warriors. Featuring two future Hall of Famers, the game won’t even tip off until 10:30 p.m. Eastern. Yet it could still attract a larger audience than most nationally televised games during the NBA season.

A Rare Combination

What makes this day feel different is not just the schedule. It’s the concentration of star power and storylines. The NFL and NBA have placed many of the biggest stars in American sports under one giant Christmas tree.

The audience numbers could be staggering. Recent NFL Christmas games have drawn audiences that rival playoff games. There is every reason to believe Packers-Bears could exceed 25 million viewers. Bills-Broncos could approach 20 million, while Rams-Seahawks could draw numbers that most primetime broadcasts would envy.

The NBA’s five-game Christmas package should add tens of millions more viewing occasions throughout the day. When everything is totaled, Christmas Day could easily generate more than 100 million viewing occasions across the NFL and NBA.

That’s an important distinction: not viewers, but viewing occasions. The same fan might watch Wembanyama at noon, Caleb Williams in the afternoon, LeBron at dinner, Josh Allen in the late afternoon, Stafford in primetime, and Steph Curry before midnight. Networks love that because attention has become the most valuable currency in sports media.

The longer they can keep viewers engaged, the more valuable every commercial, sponsorship, and streaming subscription becomes.

That’s why Netflix fought for Christmas football, and why the NFL continues expanding its holiday footprint. That’s why the NBA refuses to surrender the day it invented. None of these leagues are competing for a three-hour window anymore. They’re competing to own an entire day of consumer attention.

What makes Christmas unique is that everyone is available. Nobody is at work. Kids are out of school. Families are home. The food is on the table, presents have been opened, and millions of Americans are gathered around televisions.

For the leagues and networks, it’s the closest thing to a perfect environment.

Time To Decide

That brings us back to the original question. What sports day is better?

The Super Bowl is bigger, but it’s one game. Masters is more prestigious, but it’s one event.

Thanksgiving gives us three NFL games. New Year’s Day provides a handful of major college football matchups. All are fantastic.

However, none offer eight marquee events featuring some of the biggest stars in sports stretched across 11 consecutive hours.

That is why Christmas 2026 feels different. It’s not just one game or one moment. It’s an entire day built around sports. From Wembanyama at noon to Steph Curry approaching midnight, plus star NFL quarterbacks throughout. Fans will have a constant stream of meaningful games, superstar athletes, and must-see television.

The NFL and NBA have created their own version of a sports Christmas feast and served it on the biggest holiday of the year.

The only problem is that somewhere between Josh Allen, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Victor Wembanyama, and all the rest, we’re supposed to find time to celebrate Christmas too.

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

Why Talk Radio Has a Built-In Advertising Advantage Over Independent Podcasters

Pete Mundo
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Why Talk Radio Has a Built-In Advertising Advantage Over Independent Podcasters

News/talk radio has spent years debating whether podcasting competes with the radio show. That debate is long over. The data continues to show that the advertising dollars have decided it for us.

A new study from Magellan AI showed that podcast spending climbed 23% in the 2nd quarter. The increase came as advertisers expanded podcast campaigns and added thousands of new brand commitments. And on top of that, 1,297 brands advertised on podcasts for the first time.

Who spent the money? Insurance spending jumped 60% quarter over quarter, making it the fastest-growing industry tracked by Magellan AI. Energy followed with a 52% increase, while jewelry spending rose 47%. VPN advertisers also increased spending by 42%. Those are perfect industry fits for News/Talk listeners. They’re often business owners; they have disposable income, and they are incredibly engaged with the content they consume.

Radio Already Has the Infrastructure — It Just Isn’t Using It

Now, as for the content itself, what if I told you that there was a medium that already had the hosts? It already has the studios. It already has producers. It already has guests.

It already creates 15-20 hours of original content every week. And it has a massive platform to promote these podcasts.

A podcaster would kill to start with that infrastructure. Yet plenty of stations still treat the podcast as the place where yesterday’s radio show goes to die.

It just can’t be viewed as supplemental gravy anymore. And while many stations are doing a great job on this front, some are still too lazy. They’re simply uploading Hour 1, Hour 2, and Hour 3. There’s no hook in the headline. Segments aren’t broken up to serve the consumer.

Advertisers are either purposefully buying or, through programmatic ads, sampling their marketing with your brands. It’s our job to give the new advertisers and the (hopefully) growing consumer base a reason to keep coming back. Make their lives easy and hassle-free. Make the content stand out. And promote it.

Cannibalization Isn’t the Real Threat — Losing the Listener Elsewhere Is

The question isn’t whether podcasting will cannibalize radio. The bigger risk is allowing others to monetize our listeners after they turn off the radio.

And they will turn it off, not because they don’t like radio, but simply because other options are available and intriguing, and if they’re home, traveling, or just out for a walk, time-delayed listening may be more convenient for them. The consumer has more power than ever before. As does the advertiser. And to combat it, we have to put our best foot forward. Not just for the radio product.

From a host and programming perspective, if someone listens to your morning show live three days a week and consumes two segments via podcast the other two days, you haven’t lost a radio listener. You’ve extended the relationship with that listener. And now you’ve created additional inventory to monetize.

That’s where your cannibalization line becomes even stronger. Radio spent too long worrying that on-demand listening would replace terrestrial listening. But the consumer made that decision irrelevant. They’re going to listen on demand somewhere. The only question is whether they’re consuming your content when they do it.

The good news: It’s not too late. No matter what the doomsdayers claim. Every day, new podcasts launch from people with nowhere near talk radio’s built-in audience. Many will fail. A few will succeed. With talk radio’s head start, the opportunity is there for the taking. The time is now: Execute. Implement. Own the space.

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

Carsen Talks Country Radio, Big D & Bubba, and Life Behind the Mic

Bethany Kent
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Carsen Talks Country Radio, Big D & Bubba, and Life Behind the Mic

Jessica “Carsen” Humphreville never set out to become a country radio fixture. She grew up in Connecticut, and country music was not exactly the soundtrack of her childhood. But nearly a decade after joining Big D & Bubba, she now hosts her own syndicated midday show, Country with Carsen, runs day-to-day operations for Silverfish Media, and has become one of the most recognized voices in the format.

Ahead of another award-nomination season, I caught up with Carsen to reflect on how she got here and where her focus lies today.

A Connecticut Kid Discovers Country

Carsen grew up in Connecticut, not exactly a location known for country music. But Carsen’s introduction to country music came from an unlikely source: her father, who worked at NBC. He came home one night talking about a concert airing that evening, featuring “some guy named Garth Brooks.” She watched him perform in a hat, sing about a rodeo, and get soaked in the rain before jumping off a ladder. The next day, she found 92.5 WWYZ on the radio and never looked back.

“90s country reeled me in, and altered the trajectory of my life,” she said. Even as the “weird kid” who listened to country in a school full of other tastes, she found something in the format that felt real. “Country is accessible, relatable, and genuine,” she explained, “even if I didn’t know what latigo was.”

That early spark carried her through college and eventually into a radio career that would take her far from Connecticut.

Joining a Team That Wanted Her to Be Herself

When Silverfish Media brought Carsen on board in 2016, she became the first female cast member of Big D & Bubba. Looking back nearly ten years later, she does not take that moment lightly.

“I don’t take it for granted, getting to join a team that was already at the top of their game,” she said. According to Carsen, the team wanted a female voice, but they wanted her to bring her own personality rather than fit a preset mold. There was no script to follow and no character to play.

Since then, she and her castmates have grown together. “They make me sharper and better and more creative every day,” she added. She credits the team for opportunities she says would not have existed otherwise, and she does not plan on going anywhere. “I will never have a better job than this,” she said, “and I hope to never have to prove that. They’re stuck with me.”

The Interviews That Stay With Her

Talking with country’s biggest stars is part of Carsen’s daily routine, but a few conversations stand out. She would talk to Garth Brooks every day if she could. “He’s so thoughtful in the answer to every question he’s asked,” she said.

Brad Paisley and Keith Urban also rank among her favorites, largely because both artists love discussing music beyond their own catalogs. She and Paisley have spent hours talking about the Rolling Stones’ country influences, while she and Urban share a mutual love of Iron Maiden.

For Carsen, those moments capture why she got into radio in the first place. “I got in this business because I love music, and talking about music is my favorite way to connect with people,” she said. Whether the guest is famous or not, finding that connection remains the highlight of any conversation for her.

That philosophy also shapes what she hopes listeners take away from her show. She wants new listeners to hear themselves reflected in her interviews, not through talk of a new single or project, but through shared, ordinary moments. “I’d love listeners to hear themselves in my interviews with their favorite artists,” she said. Laughing about an artist’s kids or their dog resonates more than a promotional plug ever could. “Those silly human things,” she added, “tie us all together.”

Trading the Mic for a Management Title

In 2023, Carsen added a new title to her résumé: Director of Operations & Programming for Silverfish Media. Despite the promotion, her priorities have not shifted much. “Whatever the title may imply, my focus remains on the content of our shows,” she said. Day to day she’s booking interviews, selecting music, and building programming that stations want to carry.

The hardest part of the job, she said, is saying no. “I don’t enjoy the turn down,” she admitted. Turning down an interview that does not fit the audience, or holding off on adding a song she personally loves, does not come easily to her. And that decision-making happens only after she wraps up ten hours of daily radio between Big D & Bubba and Country With Carsen.

Home Is Where the Couch Is

Ask Carsen for a favorite Nashville spot that is not on any tourist list, and she will point you toward her own living room. “It’s huge, and easily accessible to Diet Coke and snacks,” she said. Guests are always welcome, though if she is forced to leave the house, she recommends the Eighth Room, a spot within walking distance of her condo so the couch is never too far away.

Right now, her playlist centers on nostalgia. Beautiful Creatures’ self-titled debut album turns 25 this month, and Carsen recently filmed a video with the band’s bassist and guitarist to mark the anniversary. “It didn’t get its due back in the day,” she said, and she hopes fans finally give it a listen. She hopes the renewed attention could lead to a reunion show or two on the calendar, joking that she might need a few days off if that happens.

Passing the Mic

As has become tradition, I asked Carsen who she would like to spotlight in the format. She had high praise for Gideon Dean of WBQK, calling him deeply passionate about country radio and clever with social media. “I adore him,” she said, “he’s so passionate about our format and beyond clever with social media.” She also pointed to his show, Equal Play, as proof of his commitment to supporting women in the format.

She also hopes someone hires Ashley “Lux” Elzinga, who recently lost her job. Carsen has long admired Elzinga’s connection to her communities and her range across music radio, marketing, sports, and social media. “Whoever grabs her will be getting a superstar,” she said.

From a curious kid in Connecticut to a leading voice in Nashville radio, Carsen’s story reflects what keeps country listeners coming back: connection, honesty, and a genuine love for the music.

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

Nick Rivers Joins Beasley Media Charlotte Radio Cluster

David Hill
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Nick Rivers Joins Beasley Media Charlotte Radio Cluster

Charlotte’s radio landscape just shifted. Beasley Media Group hired Nick Rivers as Assistant Program Director for WSOC-FM/Country 103.7 and WKQC-FM/K104.7.

What We Know: brings nearly two decades of radio experience to this role. Most recently, he spent 6.5 years with Hubbard Radio in West Palm Beach as assistant brand manager and music director for WIRK and WEAT. He also hosted afternoon drive on WIRK and nights on WUBE in Cincinnati. Notably, Rivers returns to Charlotte—where his career began nearly 20 years ago—and he’ll host afternoon drive at Country 103.7.

What They Said: “Nearly 20 years after my career began in Charlotte, I’m coming home,” Rivers told leadership. Proximity to his daughter Charleigh made this particularly meaningful. Vice President Mac Edwards praised Rivers’ “programming expertise, on-air creativity and fresh energy.” He called Rivers “the perfect fit for this key role.” Chief Content Officer Justin Chase said Rivers’ “experience and passion for great radio” matter. These qualities become “tremendous assets” to both stations.

What Remains Unclear: The months-long search process generated considerable attention, yet specifics about competing candidates remain undisclosed. Furthermore, the full scope of programming changes beyond Rivers’ afternoon shift hasn’t been announced. Additionally, his strategic role shaping content direction across both stations needs clarification. Questions about Charlotte’s broader competitive positioning also linger.

What It Means: This appointment signals Beasley’s investment in strengthening Charlotte operations. Moreover, it reflects a broader industry trend: experienced talent returning to foundational markets. Consequently, Rivers’ leadership could meaningfully reshape the competitive dynamic at both Country 103.7 and K104.7. Rivers officially starts August 24, 2026.

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

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