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The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit Welcomes Jeff Smulyan, Mark Chernoff, Kevin Clark, Brandon Tierney, Joon Lee and Kraig Riley

Jason Barrett
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The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit Welcomes Jeff Smulyan, Mark Chernoff, Kevin Clark, Brandon Tierney, Joon Lee and Kraig Riley

The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit presented by Point to Point Marketing continues bolstering its lineup to assure attendees learn from the best in the sports media business. The 3-day event takes place June 30-July 2, 2026 at the SVA Theatre in NYC. Anyone working in the media business, whether in management, on-air, production, producing, advertising, sales, digital or up top, is welcomed to attend. Students pursuing degrees in broadcasting related fields may attend as well. Tickets are on-sale HERE.

This year’s gameplan is different than past conferences. The News/Talk Summit starts us off on Tuesday, June 30th. The Sports Media Summit takes place Wednesday, July 1st. And our very first Music Radio Summit closes out the event on Thursday, July 2nd. 48 speakers have been announced for the show so far, and there’s more still to come. The full list is available here.

We host this event to help the broadcasting industry. Learning from others that you don’t cross paths with who run businesses differently provides valuable insight. The networking opportunities in the hallways and at the after parties are also beneficial. Celebrating those who create impact and make a difference is the icing on the cake. We do all of that, and hope you’ll join us to see for yourself.

Meet the Speakers

Jeff Smulyan: Dubbed “The Father of the Sports Talk Format”, Jeff launched sports radio in New York City in 1987, overseeing WFAN’s early rise before selling the station in 1991 for $70 million dollars. It was the highest price ever paid for a radio station at the time. Jeff serves as CEO and Chairman of Emmis Communications, and is a radio hall of famer, former chair of the Radio Advertising Bureau, and former director of the National Association of Broadcasters. In addition, he was the principal shareholder of a group that purchased the Seattle Mariners in 1989. An honored guest and friend, Jeff has attended every Sports Summit we’ve hosted since 2019. He presents one radio industry executive with The Jeff Smulyan Award, an award that celebrates risk taking, leadership, and impact. We appreciate him making the trip to join us.

Mark Chernoff: The architect of WFAN’s rise to prominence from the 1990’s to the early 2020’s, Mark Chernoff is known as one of the greatest programmers in sports radio history. Still active on the radio airwaves in New Jersey on 107.1 The Boss and WFDU-FM and in Washington D.C. on 94.7 The Drive, Mark‘s love and passion for the radio industry remains strong. We’re grateful to have him on hand to present the Mark Chernoff Award to this year’s top sports program director.

Kevin Clark: The host of the widely successful, “This is Football“, and a regular contributor to ESPN television, Kevin Clark has become known for his insightful conversations with the biggest names in the NFL. He has covered the league since 2016, previously writing for The Ringer, and Wall Street Journal. One of Omaha Productions’ most popular personalities, Clark’s program has gained exposure on ESPN2 while attracting nearly 350,000 subscribers on YouTube. A graduate of the University of Miami with a degree in history and communications, this will be his second appearance at the Barrett Media Summit. We appreciate him making time to be a part of the show.

Brandon Tierney: Unwavering passion is what Brandon delivers anytime he gets behind the microphone. An accomplished host with local stints at WFAN, ESPN New York, 95.7 The Game, WDFN 1130 and a national run at CBS Sports Radio, Brandon is now building his own brand and business, hosting BT Unleashed on YouTube. In less than 90-days, Tierney’s channel gained nearly 20,000 subscribers, surpassing one million views, and securing multiple sponsorships. This is Brandon’s first appearance at the Summit since 2020. We’re excited to having him back.

Joon Lee: An independent sports journalist, Joon delivers exceptional content on YouTube, with over 41,000 subscribing to his channel. He has written op-eds for The New York Times and The Boston Globe and worked for ESPN, Bleacher Report and The Washington Post. Now, after building a foundation in traditional media, he is thriving independently, generating large numbers of views for each piece of content he creates. Joon was named a Creator on the Rise by YouTube in May 2025. Attendees will learn a lot when he takes the stage in NYC. We’re thrilled to have him participating.

Kraig Riley: Responsible for the programming direction of 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, Kraig has overseen consistent ratings success while moving the brand forward digitally. A strong commitment to video, social media, and original digital content, while simultaneously maintaining focus on serving the traditional radio audience explains why 93.7 The Fan is highly respected. This will be Kraig’s first appearance on stage at the Summit. His fresh perspective and insight on what keeps 93.7 The Fan thriving will be a strong addition.

Tickets and Hotel Room Details

The 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit presented by Point to Point Marketing takes place in New York City, June 30-July 2, 2026. News Talk kicks things off on Tuesday, June 30th. Sports is next on Wednesday, July 1st. Music takes us home on Thursday, July 2nd. Once each show concludes, after parties will take place to celebrate and network.

For those traveling to NYC, rooms are more expensive this summer due to the World Cup. However, Hotel Hayden is offering a discounted rate ($288 per night) for Summit attendees. Rooms will not last though, so act now before they fill up. Details are available on the Summit page.

In addition, brand leaders looking to reduce expenses do have a barter option. IMAR Entertainment is able to cover costs to allow industry professionals to attend the show. For details, click HERE or the photo below.

New Sponsors

We are excited to add Omaha Productions as our Sports Registration partner and Backbone as a featured Vendor. They join Point to Point Marketing, Premiere Networks, Core Image Studio, Xperi, JJ Surma Voiceovers, Red Apple Audio Networks, Collette, Ramsey Solutions, Harker Bos Group, Murphy, Sam & Jodi, Quu, Motor Racing Network, and Benztown Branding as conference partners. Without their support, shows like this are not possible.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available but going fast. To have your company involved with the media industry’s premiere conference, email Stephanie at Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com.

We are just 91 days away from showtime. Secure your ticket, reserve your room, and let’s make this year’s event, the best one yet. I hope to see you this summer in the big apple!

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.

Social Media is Dead: Here’s What Replaced It, And Why That’s Bad for News Media

Garrett Searight
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Social Media is Dead: Here’s What Replaced It, And Why That’s Bad for News Media

Social media, as we once understood it, is gone. It didn’t die quietly. It transformed into something far more insidious — and the consequences for news media are only beginning to unfold.

Gary Vaynerchuk put it plainly over the weekend. He argued that social media has been replaced by what he calls “attention media.” The premise is simple. Platforms don’t reward connection anymore. They reward attention. And attention, it turns out, is most easily captured through outrage.

Think about how the cycle works. Outrage fuels engagement. Engagement fuels monetization. Monetization then demands more outrage. It’s a loop with no natural exit, and it’s reshaping every corner of media — including news.

That’s a real problem. News organizations aren’t selling widgets. They’re supposed to be informing the public. But now they’re operating inside a system that financially rewards the loudest, angriest, most provocative version of any story. The incentives are broken, and everyone can feel it.

Here’s something worth remembering: boring news is often good news. Stable markets, quiet diplomatic progress, a President that can form a complete sentence without going off on a tangent, a city council that balanced its budget — none of that earns clicks. Yet it all matters. In an attention economy, though, “it matters” isn’t enough. It has to agitate. It has to make someone feel something hot and immediate.

So instead, we get wall-to-wall outrage. Stories get framed to provoke rather than inform. Headlines are engineered to trigger a response before the reader even opens the article. Journalists who should be focused on storytelling are, instead, chasing engagement metrics. The craft suffers. The audience suffers too, even if they don’t realize it.

It isn’t a new phenomenon, by the way. “If it bleeds, it leads” wasn’t devised in the past decade. But there used to be plenty of other ways to monetize content, too. As we’ve seen in both radio and television, the ability to simply point to Nielsen numbers and say “This many people are watching/listening. Now give me your money,” feels like a bygone era.

News media is at its best when storytelling drives the work. The best content you’ll ever see operates from curiosity, not controversy. Reporters find the human thread in complicated stories and pull it carefully, giving audiences something they couldn’t find elsewhere. That’s the work that builds trust. That’s the work that lasts.

But trust doesn’t trend. Nuance doesn’t go viral. And so, unfortunately, neither gets rewarded in the current environment.

We’re already living with the consequences. News media is already fractured sharply along political and ideological lines. Audiences self-select into bubbles. Outlets have learned — correctly, from a business standpoint — that serving a passionate, enraged niche pays better than serving a broad, curious public. So that’s what they do. The fracture deepens. The trust erodes further.

It’s going to get worse before it gets better. How much worse is anyone’s guess.

The real danger isn’t just that news becomes less accurate or less fair, though both are genuine risks. The deeper danger is structural. If the only viable monetization model for news content runs through outrage and attention, then the industry will keep recruiting for that skillset. It’ll keep rewarding that behavior. Eventually, it won’t just be that bad incentives exist — it’ll be that no one inside the system remembers what the good incentives used to look like.

Vaynerchuk is a marketing mind, not a media critic. Still, he identified something the industry has been slow to name clearly. Calling it “attention media” instead of “social media” goes past semantics. It’s a diagnosis of sorts. Attention, by itself, is neutral. But attention harvested through manufactured outrage is corrosive — especially when the product you’re selling is supposed to be the truth.

The question now isn’t whether the model is broken. It clearly is. The question is whether enough people inside news media have the will to build something different before the damage becomes permanent.

Some are trying, but it won’t be easy. Algorithms aren’t going to help. But the alternative — a news landscape permanently optimized for outrage — isn’t really news at all. It’s just noise with a dateline.

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 Radio’s Next Move Could Define How It Views It’s Future

John Mamola
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Why ESPN Radio’s Next Move Could Define How It Views It’s Future

Clinton Yates had an impossible task: replacing a legend. That’s been the challenge ESPN Radio has faced for more than a decade. Colin Cowherd leaves for FOX Sports Radio, and Dan Le Batard steps in. Le Batard leaves ESPN, and Mike Greenberg’s Greeny takes over. Greenberg steps away from ESPN Radio, and Clinton Yates steps into the role.

Now, just a year later, ESPN Radio is about to fill the midday time slot for the fifth time in a little over a decade. That doesn’t even account for the rotation of cast members in morning drive since Mike & Mike split.

Syndicated sports radio continues finds itself at a crossroads. Veteran, legacy talent is aging out, retiring, or pursuing other avenues in sports. Dan Patrick is expected to retire within two years. Doug Gottlieb chased his passion for college basketball. Colin Cowherd continues building his podcast empire at age 62. Mike Greenberg says he expects to return to radio one day, but when? And how? More importantly, why?

Clinton Yates’ departure leaves opportunity—an opportunity for ESPN Radio to rethink how it evolves within the sports radio industry.

When Mike Greenberg decided to step away after five years hosting middays solo, plenty of questions followed. First and foremost: how would Clinton & Friends appeal to an audience accustomed to a Hall of Fame-caliber host like Greenberg? Those shoes aren’t easy to fill, and they wouldn’t be for anyone.

When ESPN Radio announced Clinton & Friends, the network also shifted Q Myers to co-host with Joe Fortenbaugh from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., as Chris Carlin moved to ESPN New York. That created five hours of brand-new national programming for listeners.

Just 13 months later, all five hours are gone from the weekday lineup. Joe & Q was replaced by The Rich Eisen Show. Now, we wait to see what replaces Clinton & Friends.

ESPN Radio likely has plenty of options. Would the company consider leaning on its Good Karma Brands partners and elevate Jorge Sedano and Scott Kaplan from ESPN LA to the national stage from 10 a.m. to noon ET? Their show moved to morning drive in September and features voices familiar to a national ESPN Radio audience.

Could ESPN pursue another licensing agreement similar to the one with Rich Eisen? Might the company expand its partnership with Omaha Productions and tap into a roster of signature podcasts featuring ESPN’s top personalities?

The options may be plentiful—but will any of them break through in an evolving sports radio industry?

ESPN Radio has recognition. It carries the sound of a national brand. Its visuals are already top-tier and likely to improve. The reach and branding are there.

Now, it’s about the future—the next generation and a new way to connect with the audience.

When Westwood One Sports launched its new lineup this past December, I credited the effort and especially the approach. The lineup wasn’t built around former athletes or recycled ESPN talent. It was young, social, and energetic. It featured talent grinding through multiple jobs while experimenting across digital platforms.

While many sports radio brands across the country stopped trying new approaches and allowed opportunities to pass, Westwood One took a different path. It was a step toward competing in a lane the industry had yet to fully explore—content-first, but not radio-only.

Now, ESPN Radio has that same opportunity. The goal should be to connect with audiences on multiple levels, across every viable platform, and establish itself as a destination for programming that resonates widely. The infrastructure and assets are in place. The question is whether the company will use them.

Or will ESPN Radio stick to its traditional formula?

Too often, sports radio brands and stations fall back on what once worked. They return to the same playbook, hoping history repeats itself.

That trend extends beyond local sports radio.

This isn’t a criticism of the executives making these decisions—it’s an observation about perception. Too often, the message suggests that protecting the present matters more than building for the future. Meanwhile, the younger audiences the industry claims to covet continue to shift to new platforms, while the core audience sports radio was built on steadily ages out.

Credit to Clinton Yates, who spent a decade at ESPN filling every role asked of him. His contributions won’t—and shouldn’t—fade quietly. Anyone placed in that chair, in that time slot, understood the uphill climb ahead.

Now, it’s on ESPN Radio to decide. Filling the time slot doesn’t require replicating the past, but it does require building for the future. That demands bold decisions and leaders willing to try something different.

Because this isn’t just about replacing a host—it’s about redefining what ESPN Radio wants to be.

The next voice in that chair won’t simply follow Colin Cowherd, Dan Le Batard, or Mike Greenberg. They’ll step into an ecosystem that no longer plays by the same rules those names once dominated. The audience has changed. The platforms have changed. The expectations have changed.

So this decision can’t be about comfort. It can’t be about familiarity. And it definitely can’t be about recreating something that no longer exists.

It has to be about vision.

If ESPN Radio leans into what’s next—not what’s been—this vacancy becomes less of a problem and more of a turning point. A chance to build something that doesn’t just survive in today’s audio landscape, but competes in it.

And if they don’t?

Then this won’t be the last time we’re having this exact same conversation a year from now.

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.

How Chris Van Vliet Found Accidental Success With Consistency, Content, and Wrestling Storytelling

John Mamola
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How Chris Van Vliet Found Accidental Success With Consistency, Content, and Wrestling Storytelling

Accidents happen all the time in everyday life. Oftentimes, those moments are viewed as singular failures. Few, however, produce an outcome that leads to something better. For Chris Van Vliet, he never thought his interest in wrestling would lead to the level of national success it has reached. It all happened by accident.

“2007, I was at MTV2 Canada in Vancouver, and I saw that WWE was coming to town soon. I asked my boss if we could interview a WWE superstar. It blew my mind that they said yes. I was going to get paid to do it,” explained Van Vliet. “It was the merging of two things I’m super passionate about. Broadcasting and wrestling.”

A simple request led to an opportunity for Van Vliet and began a journey he couldn’t have predicted. A one-off interview in Vancouver set the foundation for him to build a nationwide platform for in-depth interviews with stars in sports entertainment.

“I was taking those interviews with wrestlers at the time and putting them on my YouTube channel. I wanted people to see these interviews that maybe we’re watching that local television station at the time,” explained Van Vliet. “It’s kind of a digital library. That’s how this all began.”

Growth Not By Accident

Van Vliet’s platform has become a dominant force in the wrestling media landscape. Supported by a loyal following, Insight with Chris Van Vliet ranks among the top wrestling podcasts in the world and consistently appears among leading sports and entertainment shows on Apple and Spotify. His YouTube channels (CVV Clips, Chris Van Vliet) boast nearly two million subscribers and more than 2.8 billion views.

Van Vliet credits the growth of his content to consistency. For years, he balanced his passion with a traditional career, then navigated the challenges of becoming an independent creator.

“When I decided to pick certain days to put out new episodes, that’s when everything changed,” notes Van Vliet. “That was the biggest thing knowing that if I would show up on certain days, the audience would start to show up as well.”

Consistency also builds familiarity. As wrestling fandom has grown more passionate, clips from Van Vliet’s interviews frequently circulate across social media. His experience in radio and television helped him develop the skill set needed to build his brand from within.

Over time, he has earned the trust of guests by delivering interviews rooted in depth and strong storytelling.

“I’ve have been bootstrapping this for a long time. It’s really been over the last three years that I invested in equipment and started renting studios to make this look better,” explained Van Vliet. “At the core of all of this is the conversation. The storytelling, and that will always be the focus. But for me, I wanted it to look good and be something that someone would want to have on their television. People are watching YouTube more on their television than they ever have.”

The Art Of The Interview

The conversations Van Vliet conducts are exactly that—conversations. They offer perspective, insight, and depth. Rather than focusing on headlines, he emphasizes the journey behind the story. He describes his interviews as “reverse engineering success,” studying those at the top of the wrestling industry and applying those lessons to his own life while sharing them with his audience.

“I want to do these conversations always in person. If someone is willing to say yes, I will do whatever it takes to sit down with them because it’s such a different vibe,” says Van Vliet. “It just deepens the conversation. If that makes the conversation just one percent better, it’s worth it.”

His approach is not to interrogate or chase headlines with hot takes. Instead, Van Vliet prioritizes evergreen interviews—conversations that remain meaningful years after they are recorded.

“I relate to what Marshall McLuhan once said. The medium is the message,” says Van Vliet. “You need to keep that in mind with the type of content you’re creating. There’s a life cycle on it. If I’m going to put something on YouTube that might get suggested as a recommended video months from now. I want the viewer to click on that and not be disappointed.”

Choosing guests is simple for Van Vliet. He interviews people he genuinely wants to talk with and share a moment of conversation. He admits he constantly fills his phone’s notes app with potential ideas and questions for future interviews.

Once a guest is secured, Van Vliet works closely with his team, including writer Alex Hunt. They dive into the research. Uncovering moments from a wrestler’s career that may not have been discussed before, and craft questions to guide the conversation.

“I write down bullet points of the topics I want to cover, but I’m never married to the topic order,” notes Van Vliet. “The most important thing any interviewer is listen. Larry King once said, ‘I never learned anything while I was talking.’ It doesn’t make sense to ask a question and not be present and listen to the response. Sometimes that doesn’t happen in interviews.”

Wrestling Shaped As Sports

Professional wrestling is scripted entertainment at its core. Because of that, Van Vliet notes there are times when guests request certain topics be avoided due to ongoing storylines. In some cases, quotes from his interviews have even been incorporated into storylines themselves.

Van Vliet says he enjoys the current era of wrestling, where everything counts—from behind-the-scenes access to late-night talk show appearances. Every moment, across every medium, helps draw fans deeper into the story.

As his platform continues to grow, Van Vliet believes there is still room for more voices. He applauds companies like WWE for expanding into podcasting, including partnerships with Fanatics to launch new content platforms. The demand for wrestling content remains at an all-time high.

Yet, traditional sports radio often continues to overlook the popularity of the medium.

“Wrestling in general doesn’t get treated on the same level as sports. I understand that one is a sport, and one is a television program. Especially when you’re leading up to a big event in wrestling. It feels like it should be something that’s discussed,” says Van Vliet. “It’s a white space that a lot of these radio stations are missing out on.”

WrestleMania On Cable

Later this month, WWE will produce its 42nd WrestleMania in Las Vegas, a two-night event showcasing the best the company has to offer in a Super Bowl–esque presentation.

This year, WWE and ESPN have agreed to air the first hour of WrestleMania on both nights—ESPN2 on Saturday and ESPN on Sunday. It marks the first time WWE’s premier event will air on basic cable. The goal is to drive viewers to ESPN’s direct-to-consumer platform for the remainder of the event through subscriptions.

“I’m curious to see what the conversation rate is. How many people are going to watch the first hour and then subscribe to the ESPN app to watch the rest,” said Van Vliet. “I’m also curious to see what the viewership is going to be, because I think it’s going to be big. There’s going to be a lot of people watching that.”

Van Vliet calls the move an “interesting test,” noting that wrestling thrives on nostalgia. Placing WrestleMania on ESPN could attract new fans while reconnecting with those who drifted away from the product.

In an industry built on larger-than-life personas and scripted outcomes, Chris Van Vliet has carved out something real. What began as a chance assignment in Vancouver has evolved into a platform rooted in curiosity, preparation, and authenticity—a space where the stories behind the spectacle matter just as much as the spectacle itself.

The “accident” that started it all was never truly an accident. It was preparation meeting opportunity, fueled by a genuine passion for storytelling and professional wrestling.

As wrestling continues to expand across platforms and audiences, voices like Van Vliet’s are not just contributing to the conversation—they are helping define it. By choosing depth over noise and longevity over immediacy, he is proving there is still room for meaningful storytelling in a fast-moving digital world.

For Van Vliet, the mission remains simple: keep showing up, keep listening, and keep telling stories.

Because sometimes, the most impactful journeys do not begin with a grand plan—they begin with a simple yes.

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.

Phil’s Future Five: Why You Need to Be On Bella Kay, Ella Langley, and Luke Combs

Phil Becker
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Phil’s Future Five: Why You Need to Be On Bella Kay, Ella Langley, and Luke Combs

This week’s Phil’s Future Five includes a look at songs from Luke Combs, Ella Langley, and Bella Kay, among others.

Programmers love to say they “follow the audience,” but a number of them only do that when the audience and the impact week are holding hands.

The minute a record requires a little nerve, a little imagination, or – heaven forbid – stepping out (cue dun dun dah SFX), suddenly we need three meetings, two weeks of callout, and one corporate blessing from someone whose station still plays a song in power because it tested well in (checks notes) Q4 of 2024, with Q3 momentum, in the key demo of the key demo’s demo.

That is why Phil’s Future Five exists.

To help you quickly spot records outside the Top 30, regardless of format, that are positioned to break before everybody else acts like they discovered “fire.” Gen Z reference, not caveman reference, though in some of radio’s case, both feel weirdly accurate.

To the hundreds of programmers I’ve managed, I always say: Test three. Add two. Own one.

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CHR: Bella Kay – “iloveitiloveitiloveit”
Current Mediabase Position: #36

While the song is spelled like my keyboard got stuck, Bella had a strategy behind the track, her aesthetic, her rollout and asking the audience to make it the theme song for bad decisions.

There is also a major stat here that is much bigger than “nice streaming story, call me later.” She has the most-streamed 2026 release by any female artist on Spotify!

So yes, by all means, keep waiting if you want your station to be the theme song for bad decisions.

Why Move Now: See above
Risk Level: Low
Prediction: CHR Top 5

Early Believers: Cox, SiriusXM, Adams Radio Group, Steven’s Broadcasting

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Rhythmic: Don Toliver – “E85”
Current Mediabase Position: #30

If a song talks about being in a car – your number one listening location- and is produced by Travis Scott, has tempo for spring, and is doing well over 11 million streams this week, you don’t need a twelve-person task force to decide whether to play it, and you don’t t need to wait for Atlantic to call you and tell you they are switching singles.

In a format where absolute stiffs can chart when the machine drives it, this is one that actually deserves to be driven. Hit the gas, E85 pun intended.

Why Move Now: A better storyline than a lot of records already getting spins.
Risk Level: Medium
Prediction: Top 10

Early Believers: Audacy, Summit, Lotus, Reynolds

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Country: Ella Langley – “Be Her”
Current Mediabase Position: #30

Ella Langley feels like what happens when Dolly Parton, Stevie Nicks, and Jaclyn Smith all walk into a writer’s room. She has the look. And she has a point of view. She has the work ethic, and most importantly, she has the songs.

I saw her in person a few weeks ago, and she’s the real deal. An artist with both range and repeatability. “Be Her” keeps the momentum going, while “Dandelion” and “Loving Life Again” make it clear she is not some one record, one format fluke.

And her profile only got bigger this week after taking home iHeart’s Best New Country Artist honor. You know, that award show from the company with the lowercase i, uppercase H branding choice. Not to be confused with Apple, which basically turned the lowercase i into ip. iSee you, iHeart.

Why Move Now: She can work across multiple lanes without losing the room she came from.
Risk Level: Very low
Prediction: #1

Early Believers: Audacy, Connoisseur, Summit

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Country: Luke Combs – “Be By You”
Current Mediabase Position: #73

Maybe because I was a two-time presenter at CRS earlier this month, but yes, this week I am putting two country songs in Future Five.

Luke Combs is a great example of a nice guy not finishing last.

Arena headliner, podcast superstar guest, family man, balancing the road with being home for his three young boys; somewhere Taylor Sheridan is already writing.

Multiple stories have talked about how deliberately he is scheduling his 2026 run around family life, which only adds to me rooting for him even more.

Right now, Luke has two of the top 10 songs at Country radio, and “Be By You” is here waiting to go in your concert promo and hopefully your playlist.

Why Move Now: Broad format trust, and a public narrative that makes him feel connected.
Risk Level: Very low
Prediction: #1

Early Believers: Bonneville, Audacy, Cumulus

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Outside the Lines Pick of the Week

CHR / Hot AC: Sienna Spiro – “The Visitor”
Current Mediabase Position: #275

In the last three weeks, The Hollywood Reporter profiled her as a breakout artist, the Chicago Sun-Times called her “the next ‘it’ girl,” and her single “The Visitor” is the No. 1 trending song in the U.K.

Internationally, it is already making noise, No. 14 in Ireland, and No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.

At just 20, Sienna’s early story has a little Adele vibe, the same kind of young but old soul arrival that gave us 19, 21, and 25; perfect Adele albums and Powerball numbers.

Why Move Now: Critical co-signs, chart proof, and an Olivia Dean-meets-Adele energy.
Risk Level: Medium
Prediction: Top 20
Early Believers: None

Phil’s Future Five is not just to identify records that will chart. It is to get back to judging songs for what they are, what they sound like, and putting the fan first.

Not what the email says, not what another market did, and not what feels safest in a meeting full of people trying not to be blamed.

I’ll see you in two weeks with five more (covers crystal ball).

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.

Whether It’s March Madness or the Radio Business, It’s Always About the Team

Jim Ryan
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Whether It’s March Madness or the Radio Business, It’s Always About the Team

Even if you’re not a basketball fan, you had to be aware of March Madness and the spectacular games from both the men’s and women’s teams going down to the Final Four. Braylon Mullins’ incredible 3-point shot to give the University of Connecticut the victory over Duke on Sunday was the exclamation point on the Elite Eight weekend of men’s games.

If you watched any of these March Madness contests, you had to admire the teamwork. Even in the post-game press conferences, there was no grandstanding — it was all about the team. Before Braylon Mullins made the winning basket, he passed the ball to another player. Alex Karaban, who had far more experience, passed it back to Mullins as he was open for the shot. And the kid is a freshman. He was not the leading shooter on the team, but someone who, at that moment, was in the best position to help the team. It was not uncommon throughout these games to hear a player talk about one more unselfish pass to a teammate who had a better shot.

The old saying “teamwork makes the dream work” was certainly true on the March Madness court this weekend. Hopefully, it is also true at your station. Just like building a great basketball team starts with recruiting the right players from high schools and the transfer portal, building a successful radio station begins with hiring people who fit your station’s culture.

When you hire great people who fit your culture, those people can advance in your organization, which also helps team building. There were two promotions this week that underscore that point. Debbie Kenyon joined the CBS team in Detroit 25 years ago and rose to become Market Manager. Her team building was rewarded with a promotion to Regional President of Audacy.

Trevor Marden was recruited from his position with Scott Shannon at CBS-FM and hired by iHeart in 2019. His work there led to the producer job at Jim Kerr’s morning show. This week, Trevor — the consummate team player — was promoted to co-host.

Both Debbie and Trevor always operated with the attitude of creating maximum success for their team. Debbie’s stations always outperformed her competitors. She was the biggest advocate of her star programmer Tim Roberts, and was the first to highlight his wins. Trevor stepped up during COVID and made sure the show went on every day for Jim Kerr. He did whatever was needed for the team. They were two outstanding promotions.

Every radio station I know of has a smaller staff than it did six years ago. Everyone needs to step up their game for the team. Over the years, I’ve collected a few items that work. Some are simply common sense, but here they are.

There is no place on the team for someone who says, “It’s not my job.” There’s no job in a radio station beneath any of us. Chances are, with economics being what they are, you’re not about to have an abundance of assistants any time soon.

We all make mistakes. If you have any part in one, take responsibility. Saying “I screwed up — that could have been done better” not only takes the pressure off your teammates, but ends the worst part of any problem: finding out who was at fault.

When you find an error from a member of the team, go directly to them instead of going to management or ignoring it — and do it in a non-threatening manner. A simple “hey, I happened to notice your facts were incorrect” on something like a social media post enables a quick fix.

Give recognition to someone who deserves it. There is nothing more powerful in a team meeting than shouting out an achievement by one of your co-workers. Maybe even buy them a coffee, a drink, or lunch to celebrate their victory.

When talking about accomplishments, always explain the successes with “we,” not “I.” It might have been your idea, or you may have done the majority of the work, but nobody will ever think less of you for sharing credit.

Share content with other shows that you think they may be interested in. Not everyone can read every publication or get the same social media feeds. When you see something unique, share it — even if you’re going to use it on your show.

If you watch the Final Four games this weekend, stay a couple of extra minutes for the post-game interviews. Odds are that the March Madness winners will always talk more about the team’s accomplishments than what they did individually. These kids have learned well from their coaches.

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.

No Politics, No Problem: How Tim Conway Jr. Built a Loyal LA Audience on KFI-AM 640

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
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No Politics, No Problem: How Tim Conway Jr. Built a Loyal LA Audience on KFI-AM 640

Minimal sports and close to no politics. KFI AM-640’s Tim Conway Jr. has a better approach to getting the audience’s attention.

“We concentrate on local (expletives),” the evening host quipped. “And in Los Angeles, there’s never, ever, ever a shortage of that crew.”

Growing up, Conway loved hearing legendary radio casters Vin Scully and Bob Miller. “[They] are the two reasons I really wanted to do this,” he recalled. “But I wasn’t good enough or committed enough to do sports, because you have to read all the time.”

Conway added, “You have to know all the players, and I didn’t want that kind of commitment in life.”

Covering politics can also be a pretty big commitment. “We don’t really do much politics anymore because everybody’s so entrenched. Everybody’s in one camp or the other, and there’s no way you can convince them to get out.”

So, jeering at local nuisances stuck. Luckily for Conway, the City of Angels has no shortage of demons trying to dismantle it. “The high-speed chases, the people breaking into your car, people stealing, people robbing, the fires,” the evening host said. “We do some sports as well, but not a lot. It’s basically keeping an eye on — and focusing on — the people that make life miserable in LA.”

After ranking #5 on Barrett Media’s Top 20 Major Market News/Talk Afternoon Shows, Conway and the team at KFI decided to move his show back to his nightside home.

“The program director wanted more local politics, more national politics during the day, and I just didn’t want to do that,” Conway admitted. “I love the audience at night, 6 to 10 p.m. That’s where I started at KLSX and did it for 12 years, and then I was at KFI doing that for 10 or 11 years [before] they moved me to the afternoon.”

Another reason Conway is excited about his evening timeslot: “I think [this audience is] the funniest audience in the world. I really enjoy being back.” He added, “This audience is able to relax a little, take the edge off, and I just think that night owls — guys and women who are up at night — are under a little more pressure than morning people, and that pressure equates to comedy.”

The return of his evening timeslot might bring back one of his most beloved segments, “What the Hell Did Jesse Jackson Say?” For those not familiar with the segment, Conway elaborated, “We’d play Jesse Jackson clips, and then we’d give away prizes if you could identify what he said.”

He added, “We even had Jesse on one night, and I said, ‘Hey, Jesse, it’s Conway from LA. Can I play you a clip? Can you tell me what you’re saying?’ And I think he was a little confused, and he said, ‘Yeah, sure, go ahead.’ We played the clip, and I said, ‘What are you saying here?’ And he goes, ‘I have no idea.'”

When Jackson got sick, Conway determined it was not appropriate to continue the segment. Conway noted, “The day that I went back to evenings, 6 to 10 p.m., is the exact same day he died.” Listeners might see a return of the beloved segment.

But one of the most meaningful moments from his show came when he was on KFI working nightside, 10 to 15 years ago. “This kid, Jack Chavez, called us up, and I always say at the end of the conversation [with a kid], ‘You got 30 seconds here. Tell me why you have the best mom or dad in the world.'”

Chavez’s answer still gets Conway choked up to this day. “[This kid Jack Chavez] said, ‘Well, my dad and I used to listen to talk radio together, and then he passed away. Now my mom takes care of me, and she puts a roof over my head and feeds me.'”

Conway remarked, “To hear a kid at 10 years old say he thanks his mom for feeding him just killed me. I know I sound like an emotional wreck, but it wiped me out.”

Conway knew this Chavez was special and wanted to help out. So Conway, along with his audience, raised money for Chavez and his mom to go to Disney.

“We put together a GoFundMe, hoping to raise $5,000 and send him to Disney World. So we did that on a Tuesday.” Conway recalled, “By Thursday morning, we had raised over $75,000 for this kid.”

Chavez has been a recurring caller for Conway and the team. “He and his mom still call once a year to thank us. He’s gone through junior high and high school. He’s going off to college. And he’s just a really great, sweet kid. That’s like the number one call we’ve ever gotten.”

This is why Tim Conway Jr. believes he has “the best audience in the world. The KFI audience is the best audience in the world.”

He also noted that having a great audience is one of the key ingredients to a great show. “When you’re driving, nobody gets home by five o’clock in LA. Nobody gets home by six. Everybody’s in the car still,” Conway affirmed. “When you’re driving alone in your car, we’re the other passenger.”

For those looking to follow in Conway’s footsteps, he said, “I’ve been on the radio for almost 30 years, and I know less about it now than when I got in.”

“Things change so quickly with the internet,” Conway said. “The only real advice that I have is not just for radio — it’s for anything. Enthusiasm. You’ve got to be enthusiastic.”

He continued, “All the energy and all the money goes to all the actors and all the directors and the politicians and the athletes who are enthusiastic.” Conway asserted, “That’s my big lesson to everybody. Enthusiasm, enthusiasm, enthusiasm. As long as you have that, everything else is a piece of cake.”

He offered up another golden nugget of success. “The key to staying in radio for a very, very long period of time — I learned from Rick Dees on the second day I was on the radio. He said, ‘Hey, congratulations on the job. Can I give you a piece of advice?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Warm up to the salespeople and always treat them right. It’s the hardest job in radio, being a salesperson — calling up a company and saying, hey, will you spend some money on my show and gamble that it’s going to work?'”

Conway added, “So if I were going into radio, I would say to anybody: just be friends with all the salespeople and become friends with all of the advertisers — all the people who send money to the station — because you’re going to need them.”

“Radio used to be a ratings business — who’s up, who’s down, and you get paid accordingly. But now I’ve seen a shift in the last 30 years where the people who run the radio companies have just one question, and it’s how much money do you bring in?”

Conway further affirmed, “They don’t care what the rating is. They don’t care how many hours you’re on. They want to know how much money you bring into the station. And I’ve noticed that for the last 10 years or so, if you bring enough in, you get to hang out. But if you don’t, you’re gone.”

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.

Jamie Cutburth Joins iHeartMedia as Executive Vice President of Marketing

BMM Staff
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Jamie Cutburth Joins iHeartMedia as Executive Vice President of Marketing

iHeartMedia is making a significant investment in its marketing leadership. The company is adding industry veteran Jamie Cutburth as Executive Vice President of Marketing.

Cutburth arrives with an impressive résumé. He spent over a decade at NBCUniversal, most recently serving as EVP of Marketing and Brand Partnerships, where he drove B2B marketing and advertiser strategy across some of the most recognizable names in media — NBC, Bravo, E!, Peacock, NBC News, and Telemundo. During his tenure, he managed high-profile partnerships with flagship franchises such as Saturday Night Live and The Today Show, as well as major live events. Prior to NBCUniversal, he held leadership positions at A&E Networks, working across HISTORY and A&E.

In his new role, Cutburth will have a wide mandate. He’ll oversee iHeartMedia‘s full marketing strategy. That will include everything from positioning and go-to-market planning to sales enablement, cross-platform packaging, and large-scale brand storytelling initiatives designed to drive advertiser demand. He’ll report directly to Lisa Coffey.

Coffey highlighted Cutburth’s decades of experience building marketing platforms and partnerships at major media companies when discussing his addition. She noted that Cutburth’s approach aligns well with iHeartMedia’s ongoing focus on innovation and growth across its expansive portfolio.

In a company press release, Cutburth added, “My role sits at the intersection between brand, revenue, content and culture. I will ensure that iHeart shows up in the market with a clear story and a modern marketing engine. I am excited to bring my years of building successful partnerships and experiences to this team and to a company so clearly focused on innovation and growth.”

Cutburth’s hire signals that iHeartMedia isn’t standing still. With reach that touches broadcast radio, streaming, podcasting, live events, and digital, the company has a powerful story to tell advertisers. Landing someone with Cutburth’s background suggests they’re serious about telling it better than ever.

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.

Mike Golic Jr. Announces Departure From FanDuel Sports Network

BSM Staff
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Mike Golic Jr. Announces Departure From FanDuel Sports Network

Mike Golic Jr. is on the move again, announcing that his run with FanDuel Sports Network has come to an end.

The departure for Golic Jr. comes just under a year after joining the company to co-host the flagship afternoon program Golic & Golic on the network.

“So, today was my last day at FanDuel Sports Network,” tweeted Golic Jr. “Unfortunately things didn’t go the way we all planned, but that’s life.”

While FanDuel Sports Network has not officially released a statement on the future of Golic & Golic, Golic Jr. confirmed the Barrett Media the program is over.

“Thank you to everyone on our show staff who worked their asses off every day and made the last 10 months a ton of fun. On to the next one,” wrote Golic Jr.

The brief but candid message offers insight into a departure that comes sooner than expected. Golic Jr. is one of many upcoming layoffs for the FanDuel Sports Network as parent company Main Street Sports Group continues to wind down towards potential Chapter 7 and liquidation.

Sports Business Journal reported in late December that Main Street Sports began to miss payments to the St. Louis Cardinals and that it was pitching a last-ditch sale to the streaming and entertainment platform DAZN in order to save its business.

More missed payments followed and Main Street’s talks with DAZN are reportedly done. Nine MLB teams that exited their agreements with Main Street Sports while the network continues to carry broadcasts for NHL and NBA partners through the end of their current seasons.

Before joining FanDuel Sports Network, Golic Jr. held roles at ESPN and DraftKings, among others. For Golic Jr., the next step is unclear, but his track record suggests he will remain a visible presence. He has built a following that extends beyond any single platform, which gives him options in a crowded market place.

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.

SummitMedia VP Of Sales Joe Bell Recovering From Health Scare

BMM Staff
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SummitMedia VP Of Sales Joe Bell Recovering From Health Scare

SummitMedia veteran radio executive Joe Bell is recovering after a recent medical emergency, according to an update shared by his wife, Cathy Bell. In a Facebook post, Cathy Bell said her husband went into heart failure two weeks ago while visiting family in Kentucky.

She noted that doctors quickly intervened, and Bell underwent procedures to receive both a pacemaker and a new heart valve.

“We are very grateful that he happened to be in Kentucky when this occurred,” wrote Cathy Bell. “Considering he was only going to be here for three days. Having it happen close to our families and fabulous hospitals was a blessing.”

Despite the severity of the situation, Cathy Bell said her husband is expected to make a full recovery.

Bell currently serves as Senior Vice President of Sales for SummitMedia, based in Birmingham. He joined the company after a long tenure with Beasley Media Group, where he spent nearly 25 years in various leadership roles.

The update prompted an outpouring of support from friends and colleagues across the radio industry. Cathy Bell acknowledged those messages, thanking those who have reached out with prayers and encouragement during what she described as a challenging stretch.

Bell is expected to remain in Northern Kentucky till receiving full clearance to do so. After receiving medical clearance, the family plans to return to their home in Birmingham.

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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