What We Know: Calhoun signed off following his show yesterday, closing a chapter that began in June 2018. Before joining WMZQ, he served three years as APD at sister station Country 97.5 WAMZ Louisville. Earlier in his career, he programmed iHeart’s Country 102.5 WYNR and CHR WQGA in Brunswick, GA, and Cumulus CHR WLTO in Lexington, KY. His roots trace back to Top 40, starting as an intern at WWWQ Atlanta.
What They Said: Calhoun marked the occasion with a heartfelt farewell. “8 years ago today I started at WMZQ, how time flies. Today is also my last day,” he wrote. He added, “Thank you Jeff Kapugi for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity & taking a chance on me! Excited for my next chapter coming soon. Just know I won’t forget you.”
What Remains Unclear: Calhoun has not yet disclosed his next role, though he confirmed an announcement is coming soon. It’s also unknown whether iHeartMedia has identified a replacement. Additionally, no timeline has been provided for when his next chapter will officially begin.
What It Means: WMZQ now faces a significant void at a key programming position. Calhoun’s dual role as Music Director and evening host made him a central figure in the station’s identity. His departure signals a transition moment for one of DC’s most prominent Country outlets. Meanwhile, the industry will be watching closely to see where his next move lands.
Charles Barkley made his first appearance on ESPN’s Get Up Friday morning. The Inside the NBA analyst reflected on a landmark debut season at his new network — including a first-ever crack at the NBA Finals.
What We Know: After more than two decades anchoring Inside the NBA on TNT Sports, Barkley and co-hosts Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal transitioned to ESPN this season. The move came under an 11-year sublicensing agreement, ending TNT’s long run as an NBA broadcast partner. As a result, the Inside the NBA crew worked the NBA Finals on ESPN/ABC for the first time. Previously, TNT’s rights deal excluded postseason Finals coverage entirely.
What They Said: Charles Barkley on the opportunity to work the NBA Finals for the first time with ESPN: “Working for the greatest sports network ever has been an honor and a privilege. Every kid who’s ever touched a ball wanted to be on ESPN. To work with you guys, it’s been awesome. But to get to do the NBA finals, it was exciting, fun, and we had a blast.”
What Remains Unclear: What the plans are for Inside the NBA moving into next season. Several ESPN content executives have expressed a desire for more episodes. Also, more frequency throughout the entire NBA calendar. The show will air on site from every game of this season’s NBA Finals. However, the official schedule for next season is unknown.
What It Means: Despite his criticisms of the network over many years, Barkley now loves ESPN. Last offseason, Barkley shared many questions and concerns. That tenor was present with many media appearances about the future of the program. Yet, now he seems to be very satisfied with the overall outcome of the season. It will be interesting to see if ESPN and TNT Sports can work on more flexibility for more episodes of the program next season covering more of the NBA calendar. This season, the show often was seen for the better part of the first half of the season. Some, myself included, feel that because of the shift in network the program has lost some of the spark it once had. For now, the NBA Finals are better when Inside the NBA is present.
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Nearly two decades removed from ESPN, Dan Patrick insists he isn’t going back full time. He is, however, telling others they shouldn’t leave as he revealed in an interview with Rich Eisen.
What We Know: Patrick departed ESPN in 2007 after 18 years with the network. He has since built an independent media operation with The Dan Patrick Show. He occasionally appears on ESPN programming but said he has declined previous full-time return opportunities, including a proposed 6 p.m. SportsCenter revival alongside Keith Olbermann. Most recently, speculation about Rich Eisen’s move to ESPN reignited questions about Patrick’s own future — questions he quickly dismissed. In an interview on This Was SportsCenter, Patrick also revealed that he has counseled four ESPN employees to remain at the network instead of leaving.
Dan Patrick on being asked once to return to ESPN for the 6pm SportsCenter slot with Keith Olbermann: “I think what we did, when we did it. How we did it was interesting and groundbreaking. It shaped the business in some ways. But we did it, and then I didn’t want to. They reached out to Keith [Olbermann] and I to do the 6 o’clock SportsCenter years ago. I love what I do now, and I just didn’t want to go backwards.”
Dan Patrick on still refusing to go back fully to ESPN: “Somebody said, ‘Hey, Rich Eisen’s going to ESPN. Are you going to ESPN?” No. They didn’t call with anything right there. There’s no reason to go back there, but I’m on good terms with people.”
Dan Patrick on counseling people to stay at ESPN: “I’ve counseled or given guidance to four people at ESPN and told them not to leave. I’ve been gone 20 years than I did 18 years working there. People would say, “Hey, I want what you got.” I told them you’re not going to get it. I’m in a small town, and we’re very lucky. There’s 12 people that work on this show. Stay there. Those four letters are extremely powerful, because you’re going to get your ass handed to you. If you leave there, and you think everybody’s going to fawn all over you, think again.”
What Remains Unclear: ESPN has not confirmed Patrick’s claims that he has received offers in the past in a full time role with Keith Olbermann. His occasional appearances on ESPN platforms keep the door ajar creatively, but not professionally. Patrick also did not name the four ESPN people that he counseled to remain with the network.
What It Means: Patrick’s position is genuinely paradoxical. He won’t return to ESPN himself, yet actively discourages others from leaving. That tension reveals something important. The brand equity of ESPN remains significant to Patrick — even to someone who walked away from it. For talent weighing independence against institutional security, Patrick’s advice carries weight precisely because he chose the harder path and still respects what he left behind. On a broader sense, the amount of transparency in the debut episode of This Was SportsCenter should provide some fascinating nuggets of information and story for longtime fans of the network.
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60 Minutes has been in the headlines for several weeks. But that doesn’t mean the FCC is preparing to investigate, says Chairman Brendan Carr.
What We Know: After the firings of Scott Pelley and Cecilia Vega, both have stated that they were pressured by CBS News leaders to inject political biases into their stories. A spokesperson for CBS News has denied those accusations. However, as part of its regulatory approval to purchase the network, Paramount Skydance was required to appoint an ombudsman to ensure there would be no political bias at the network. Despite that, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the commission wouldn’t be investigating the allegations.
What They Said: “We’ve not been in touch with the CBS bias ombudsman. I think this is one, though, where thankfully people can judge it with their own eyes. There were transcripts of these communications between the employees and CBS. I think a lot of people, including across the political spectrum, think that they’re reporting on how Scott Pelley behaved was just simply unprofessional. It’s not the type of stuff you get away with as an employee at Taco Bell, let alone at an institution like CBS. I don’t think there’s a lot of people that have concerns that this was about bias. I think it was about unprofessional behavior.” -FCC Chairman Brendan Carr
What Remains Unclear: Whether an investigation will actually occur. Carr was non-committal about an investigation, but also said he was unsure if CBS News would do its own investigation.
What It Means: It appears as if Carr is taking a “hands-off” approach to the situation. The messaging thus far has been that it is a problem for CBS News and 60 Minutes to look at. Not the FCC.
— Jeff Storobinsky (@JeffStorobinsky) June 4, 2026
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Another round of layoffs is reportedly coming to ESPN. The cuts will affect both on-air talent and behind-the-scenes staff, according to a report by Front Office Sports.
What We Know: ESPN is reportedly preparing a new wave of layoffs this summer. Both on-camera talent and non-camera-facing employees will likely be part of the cuts. This follows a spring round that eliminated roughly 30 behind the scenes positions as part of broader Disney company-wide cuts.
What They Said: In an April note to employees, Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro signaled more cuts were coming: “Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs. As a result, we will be eliminating roles in some parts of the company and have begun notifying impacted employees.”
What Remains Unclear: The exact number of people that will unfortunately feel the effect of the layoffs. It’s also uncertain how deeply the cuts will penetrate ESPN’s current on-air roster. Additionally, ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network complicates the picture — headcount reductions are common following corporate acquisitions. Deadline previously reported that Disney’s broader layoff initiative may not be finished.
What It Means: This shouldn’t come as any surprise. Unfortunately, with ESPN taking on the amount of NFL Network staff and talent with the network’s acquisition of the brand, decisions are a part of that process. With the summer months being crucial to lining up top talent and staff ahead of the NFL season, names will likely begin to surface soon. ESPN is heading into it’s first year broadcasting the Super Bowl. Ensuring the right talent are in place for the network’s debut is crucial for success.
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Denver radio host Johnny Wilde is expanding beyond the airwaves. Wiilde has launched The Scrollstoppers Show, a new video interview series focused on digital creators.
What We Know: Wilde hosts early afternoons on 106.7 The Bull (KWBL) in Denver and is heard on iHeart country and classic rock stations nationwide. He is a three-time CMA Award winner with more than 30 years in radio. The Scrollstoppers Show explores the stories behind viral content. New episodes are available now on YouTube and across social media platforms.
What They Said: “Radio has always been about connecting with audiences through great stories,” Wilde said. “The Scrollstoppers Show is an opportunity to learn from the creators who are doing exactly that in today’s digital world. Whether they’re reaching hundreds of people or hundreds of millions, I want to understand what makes audiences stop, watch, and engage.”
What Remains Unclear: It is not yet known how frequently new episodes will drop. Additionally, whether The Scrollstoppers Show will expand into a podcast format or pursue distribution beyond YouTube has not been announced. The long-term guest pipeline also remains unconfirmed.
What It Means: The launch reflects a growing trend of traditional radio talent bridging broadcast and digital media. The debut episode features Sebastian Garrett-Davis — Executive Producer of the syndicated Woody Show and the creator behind CartNarcs, which has topped 100 million YouTube views. Wilde’s move signals that radio professionals are actively building platforms beyond the dial. The creator economy is no longer just for influencers.
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A brief conversation with Jodi Koontz of the syndicated Murphy Sam and Jodiradio show makes it clear why the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation selected her for a 2026 Gracie Award. The award recognizes exemplary individual achievement and representation in media. Jodi is also quick to note that while she was the one honored. But, it reflects a team effort shared with her two co-hosts — one of whom is also her husband.
As she shared in her remarks at the award ceremony. And the road to this prestigious accolade began with an important life lesson about being willing to chase your dreams.
It started when Murphy and Sam were hosting a two-person morning show. While they had instant chemistry with each other, Murphy says the show just wasn’t resonating with the audience. “We were having fun, but it really wasn’t moving the needle.”
The decision was made to add a female voice to the mix. They hired a woman named Amy who didn’t work out and left the show two years later. But over that time the guys learned a lot. “I think Sam and I realized (having a female co-host) adds something to the show that he and I couldn’t do. Without it we’re just two dudes clowning around, and to be successful the show needed a different dimension,” explains Murphy. “After two years with Amy we understood our show’s appeal had shifted in a very different way and we embraced it.”
That’s when Jodi, who was already a producer on the show, decided she knew the perfect person to take over for Amy. “I knew from the first day I was in this room with them that we had chemistry. I immediately felt like I had found my people in these two guys.”
Asking for the Seat
She knew they were looking for someone with morning drive experience. She didn’t officially have it — but she didn’t let that stop her. “I decided I’ve got to ask for this. I’m right here and while they don’t see me, I want this.” She talked to Murphy and asked for a chance to sit in as a co-host for a couple of days. Murphy agreed, and the rest is history.
“The reason I think it’s important to tell that story is because that’s the day I learned you have to ask for what you want,” Jodi says. “Do not assume people know what your wishes are, professionally or personally. I learned to ask for what I want and if I hadn’t I might not be here.”
Since that initial audition, Jodi’s role on the show has grown from being the new person joining an established two-person show to being “the anchor of the show,” according to Murphy. That’s a significant change considering that while shows led by women are becoming more common, overall, they are still rare.
To Murphy, it makes perfect sense. The show is built on authenticity, and that is what connects them to the audience. “In my opinion, for every show, the lead needs to be the closest to the target demographic because that’s where you find relatability.” Jodi echoes that sentiment, adding that “women do love to hear men on the radio, but they relate to other women.”
When the Professional Became Personal
Over the years, as Jodi grew into being the leader of the show, something unexpected occurred — Murphy and Jodi fell in love and got married. She says that being in the same room every day led her to quickly realize Murphy had become her best friend.
“I knew he felt the same way when he started inviting me to lunch,” Jodi says. “He’d say, ‘Let’s go to lunch and talk about promotions.'” That also tipped Sam off that something was going on. “Before that, Murphy used to invite me to lunch to discuss promotions,” Sam says. “The difference was, we actually talked about promotions.”
Working together as a married couple presents unique challenges that Jodi feels are easier to navigate because the professional relationship came first. “That level of respect preceding the marriage has helped us get through the toughest moments in the studio. And we’ve had some tough moments,” says Jodi. But, she adds, “they are outnumbered by the great moments a hundred to one.”
What people might not realize about working with your significant other is that the challenges aren’t only when your personal life comes to the office — the reverse is also true, which Jodi thinks is tougher to deal with. “If I’m laying on the sofa watching a documentary and petting the dog I don’t want to talk about some new way to manage something at work. I’m in my bubble.”
Three’s Company — Even in the Studio
For Murphy, that meant learning there is a time to put things down. “I’m a troubleshooter by nature. I want to tackle things in the moment, and I’ve had to learn that not everything needs to be discussed right now.”
Regardless of any difficulties, Jodi firmly sees the marriage as a strength for the show, making them more relatable to listeners. “I think it works in our favor. Our job is to be the listener’s best friend and sharing our marriage with them is so personal it brings it to another level.”
Of course, the happy couple aren’t the only ones facing unique challenges due to the marriage. Sam is in the studio with them every day — good or bad. He says it’s easier now, but the show’s previous studio was small and his seat was trapped between Murphy and Jodi, so if things got rough between them he couldn’t escape. “When it would start I would often be like ‘ok, that’s going to take ten minutes to iron out, what am I going to do now? Hey, let’s check out the internet.'”
All that said, Sam mainly focuses on staying out of the way when it comes to marriage-related issues. “I usually don’t get involved unless I know I can help resolve something or push us forward so we can get done what we need to do that day. Mostly I stay out of it.”
Sam’s Own Story Adds to the Show
Sam also added his own contributions to the show’s relationship-related content, having weathered divorce and co-parenting challenges of his own over the years. “Some of Sam’s changes over the years have added an extra dose of authenticity and reality to the show that we might not have naturally embraced,” Jodi says. “We might have incorrectly thought the audience wasn’t interested.”
And if the dynamics of a three-person morning show and a marriage weren’t enough, after five years together, in 2002, the team took the show into syndication. They partnered with June Colbert, President of Colbert Media Group. “She was our life changer when it comes to syndication and the first person to take a chance and go into business with us,” Murphy says.
Over the years, the show has teamed with several syndicators and at the start of this year joined forces with Premiere Networks. “It’s such an exciting new chapter for us,” Murphy says. “We still own and operate the show but we’re growing into the Premiere Model and it’s so exciting for us.”
Grateful for the Journey
The team behind the show doesn’t stop there. Over the years, the show has benefited from many great coaches, a great agent, and others. “I’m always concerned about leaving somebody out when we start talking about people that have helped along the way,” Murphy says. “I know we can’t name everybody, but we do want to thank everyone who has helped give us the opportunity to be successful.”
And while that is a very humble sentiment, the real story of the show comes back to their chemistry. “It’s a gift and you either have it or you don’t,” says Jodi. “If you are lucky enough to have it, then you have to pair it with hard work and the desire to succeed. You have to keep showing up when other people would quit.”
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Who doesn’t love game shows? I grew up watching a ton of them. Every evening, Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek kept the family company during dinnertime. It didn’t improve my education or keep my brain sharp, but it did bring the family together to play along. Pat McAfee is without question sports media’s ultimate ringmaster. But next week he’ll become sports media’s greatest game show host.
Yesterday, McAfee announced the first-ever ‘Progrum Feud,’ pitting the staff of his weekday program against the crew of NFL Live. During the second hour of the show on June 11, McAfee will become the modern-day sports media version of Richard Dawson. There will be drama, suspense, and wagering. Yes, wagering. McAfee’s show next Thursday will become the first ESPN studio program to create specific programming that viewers can officially wager on.
For years, sports radio and television programs have shared best bets, stone-cold locks, and picks of the day. Of course, those segments have always been accompanied by reminders that the picks are “for entertainment purposes only,” followed by disclaimers promoting responsible gambling and resources for those who may need help.
However, this ‘Progrum Feud’ debut takes programmatic advertising to an entirely different level.
Following McAfee’s announcement earlier this week that he had entered a multi-year partnership with DraftKings, the show wasted little time finding ways to integrate that relationship into its content. Within the first week of the partnership, Pat McAfee and his staff developed programming designed not only to market the product/partner but also to create a new form of audience interaction not seen ever on ESPN.
If you’ve been paying attention this week, you’ve likely noticed a major push from partners and influencers emphasizing that DraftKings’ prediction market is available in all 50 states. What better way to reinforce that message than by creating programming on your own show that viewers can actually wager on through the app?
Talk about an effective way to drive home a marketing message.
Survey Says….
However, the larger question is whether this represents a glimpse of what’s coming next. On its face, there are a lot of questions surrounding the makeup of ‘Progrum Feud’ next Thursday on ESPN.
For starters, consider the participants. NFL Live and the network’s lead NFL insider, Adam Schefter, are among those being promoted for the program. The date matters because June 11 is the final day of mandatory minicamp for 12 NFL teams. Another 15 teams will be conducting OTA workouts that day.
I’m not suggesting ESPN can’t cover 28 NFL teams and the news of the day without Schefter or the NFL Live crew readily available. However, when nearly the entire league is either wrapping up offseason work or generating headlines on the practice field, the timing does create an interesting programming decision.
If significant NFL news breaks during the game show, does the game continue uninterrupted? If it doesn’t, what happens to an event on which viewers can actively wager? I’m sure there are plenty of legal and operational details already worked out behind the scenes, but inquiring minds want to know.
The other question I ponder is whether this is what sports fans want from studio programming on ESPN. If ‘Progrum Feud’ is deemed a success by both ESPN and Pat McAfee, could we see similar concepts spread across other studio shows?
Will Monday Night Countdown feature prediction-market tie-ins tied to analyst picks? Could College GameDay eventually offer viewers the chance to wager on elements of McAfee’s weekly kicking competition? Might First Take or Get Up experiment with similar concepts?
Content Selection….
When I was a programmer, part of my job was poking holes in on-air ideas. It was also my responsibility to ask whether a concept made sense for the audience being served. There’s little doubt that McAfee’s audience includes a high percentage of sports bettors. There’s also little doubt that influencers help drive engagement for the products and brands they endorse.
But what about everyone else? What about viewers who don’t wager? What about fans tuning in for sports discussion, analysis, and breaking news? If the New York Knicks sweep the San Antonio Spurs, is the right choice for programming a trivia contest for the ESPN audience? If there’s breaking NFL news from any of the 28 teams with OTA or mini camp workouts going on, do viewers want more “survey says” and less insight and conversation?
Those are big “what if” questions to consider, because at what point does the balance between content and promotion begin to shift? There’s a reason sports radio stations traditionally save game shows and novelty programming for slower periods on the sports calendar.
Again, I’m simply asking the questions.
The Start of Something More…
The much larger elephant in the room is whether this is a one-off early summer stunt or the beginning of something much bigger.
ESPN already maintains a significant relationship with DraftKings, which serves as the network’s official odds provider and sportsbook. Viewers see betting lines and odds integrated into ESPN programming every day. The ESPN app prominently displays money lines and totals alongside scores and schedules. The corporate explanation is simple: these integrations enhance the viewing experience.
But are we merely at the beginning of opening Pandora’s box?
Maybe that’s the real significance of ‘Progrum Feud.’ It’s not about whether the NFL Live crew beats Pat McAfee’s crew, or vice versa. It’s not even about whether viewers wager a few dollars on the outcome. Moreover, it’s about testing how much farther sports programming can blur the line between content, promotion, wagering, and participation.
For years, gambling companies sponsored segments, purchased ad inventory, and integrated odds into broadcasts. Then came branded content. Then came alternate telecasts, betting-focused shows, and real-time odds appearing alongside highlights.
Now we’re arriving at a place where the studio programming itself becomes the betting market.
If ‘Progrum Feud’ succeeds, it won’t be because of who wins the game. It’ll be because it proves audiences are willing to engage with sports media in an entirely new way. Maybe next Thursday is a harmless one-off summer stunt. Or maybe it’s the first glimpse of where the industry is headed.
The answers won’t be revealed on the survey board. They’ll be revealed in the ratings, the engagement numbers, and whether ESPN decides to do it again.
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A report surfaced Thursday that Joe Rogan was being considered for a role on 60 Minutes, and it’s worth addressing — not because it deserved the traction it got, but because buried inside the absurdity was actually a conversation worth having. The report came from RadarOnline. That alone should’ve been enough for every newsroom to keep scrolling.
60 Minutes is certainly bruised right now. The exits of Anderson Cooper, Scott Pelley, Cecilia Vega, and Sharyn Alfonsi in rapid succession left the show without several of its marquee names. CBS News is navigating choppy waters, and the brand isn’t as untouchable as it once was. But even in a state of flux, the idea of Rogan suiting up as a 60 Minutes correspondent ranks somewhere between unlikely and laughable — about as plausible as me waking up next to Salma Hayek. It didn’t pass the smell test from RadarOnline, and it certainly shouldn’t have passed one at any reputable outlet that picked it up.
That said, let’s not waste the conversation entirely.
The Rooney Question
Here’s where things get at least a little interesting: what if Rogan didn’t fill a correspondent’s role, but something closer to what Andy Rooney once did? Rooney spent years closing out 60 Minutes every Sunday with a few minutes of pointed, opinionated commentary on whatever struck him that week. He was, at his core, an opinionist. And opinion is the thing Rogan does better than almost anyone else alive.
A four-to-five minute weekly segment where Rogan sounds off on a topic? That’s not a heavy lift for him. He’ll talk for four hours on a Tuesday without blinking — trimming it to five minutes is arguably the harder task, but it’s doable. And for CBS News, the production investment would be minimal. You’re not asking Rogan to stake out a conflict zone or wrangle sources. You’re asking him to talk. He’s spent his entire career proving he can do that.
Would the topic always land perfectly for a 60 Minutes crowd? That’s a fair question. Rogan’s wheelhouse skews younger, more male, and more counterculture than the show’s traditional viewership. Not every Rogan tangent plays in that living room. But Rooney didn’t always swing and connect either, and the segment kept its place for decades anyway. The fit wouldn’t be seamless, but it wouldn’t be impossible.
The Case for Both Sides
Think about what a pairing like this would actually do for each party involved. For Rogan, it’s hard to argue he needs much. The Joe Rogan Experience is one of the most consumed pieces of audio and video content on the planet, and he’s not exactly starving for reach. But it’d open a new lane. The overlap between his typical listener and the average 60 Minutes viewer likely isn’t overwhelming — it might not even be significant. That gap cuts both ways. A 60 Minutes appearance would put Rogan in front of an audience that’s probably never sat through an episode of JRE, and for a guy whose brand is built on exposure and conversation, that’s not nothing.
From CBS News’s side, the math is even clearer. The show’s audience skews older, and it’s been skewing older for a while. That trajectory doesn’t reverse itself on its own. New names drive new eyeballs, and there’s no debating that Rogan is a name. He’d create appointment television in a way few media figures still can. He’d drive digital conversation and traffic in a way that network newsmagazines rarely do. And frankly, in a media climate where 60 Minutes is fighting to reassert itself, bold and counterintuitive isn’t the worst place to start.
Is a Rogan-60 Minutes arrangement likely? No. Was it ever realistic in the way RadarOnline implied? Absolutely not. But does some version of it — something Rooney-shaped, something limited and opinionated — make at least a sliver of sense for both sides? Surprisingly, yes. The report was bad. The underlying idea wasn’t entirely crazy.
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Recently, Clay Travis caught my attention when he spoke on his nationally syndicated radio show, Clay & Buck, about how he was unable to secure an interview with Spencer Pratt ahead of Tuesday’s Los Angeles mayoral election. Pratt has been getting enormous attention for his campaign to be mayor through interviews, online ads, and more.
Travis noted on his show, “There are a lot of people that just don’t realize how big this show is. And I think that’s true for a lot of people that maybe are non-traditional in the political universe. I understand it, because it’s challenging. This show has 600 affiliates. Most of the Republican Party side gets it. But I think Spencer Pratt is a political novice. He DM’d me and said he’s gonna come on. We’ve emailed with his team. I think when he becomes a finalist, and the campaign continues, I’m confident we’ll get him.”
Now think about that. If a show with 600 affiliates — with millions of daily listeners across all its platforms — can have a problem booking guests who may not understand the show’s power, what does that mean for you on the local level?
Perception Is Reality
We can complain about it, or we can do something about it. And while I hate to use a cliché, “perception can be reality.” You get the point.
The radio medium certainly has its challenges, like all of traditional media in recent years, but it’s still an enormous driver with a consistent audience. It’s not a medium that relies on the right algorithm hit from YouTube to determine whether a video gets 1,000, 10,000, or 100,000 views. The audience is fiercely loyal to its stations and hosts, and in news/talk land, it drives guaranteed voters.
The next part of this column is about how to combat the perception of being an “old” medium. Of course, the irony is that Clay & Buck are doing all of the right things. They’re streaming on multiple platforms, they have a visual element to the show, their social game is strong — and yet they still struggle to book guests who should be shoe-ins.
Building Your Local Profile
So for local markets, make that perception reality in terms of being widely known as the can’t-miss show in your community. You have to be podcasting in 2026, because if nothing else, it helps you book guests who then know they can share the interview with their immediate circle. You need to promote them on social media channels with pre-promotion, post-production, graphics, and more.
This snowball effect in your community will lead power players in politics, business, sports, and more to see their peers visiting with you, which will raise your credibility in the market. The average guest will care much more about exposure across multiple platforms than they do your latest 25-54 AQH. You can’t afford not to do these things. And while many stations are doing them, they can always be done better and more effectively.
Now, considering Spencer Pratt flew 3,000 miles across the country to do multiple in-studio appearances on Fox News last week, I could make a pretty strong case that a 10-to-15-minute interview with Clay & Buck — from whatever location he’s at in the country — would have been a wise decision. But that gets back to industry perception.
As an industry, we need to realize that a rising tide lifts all boats. Many shows and stations are where they need to be with their digital game, but many are still well behind the curve.
The better we all get, the better the industry gets. Booking guests will then be less of a hurdle for Clay & Buck, and for your local show as well.
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