Barrett News Media took its first step into hosting news media conferences in 2023. Our Nashville show attracted professionals across the nation, and was well received, providing inspiration to take a second shot at uniting the industry. Once we decided to do it again in 2024, picking the right venue and city was critical. We found that in the Jack Morton Auditorium at the George Washington University in the nation’s capital.
But up to this point, all industry folks have known is that we’re hosting an event. For three months, we’ve promoted the dates and location, a ticket sale in January, and we’ve put out a call for speakers. With a sports summit on our schedule in March, we had to focus on that first before turning attention here. Now today, we’re ready to start moving forward and building the news media industry’s premiere event of 2024.
I am thrilled to reveal the first fourteen (14) speakers to the 2024 BNM Summit. It is a pleasure to welcome WTOP SVP/GM Joel Oxley, Former CBS Radio CEO Dan Mason, ABC Audio/ABC News VP Liz Alesse, Audacy’s VP of News/Talk and KRLD Brand Manager Drew Anderssen, WTOP PD Julia Ziegler, 93.1 WIBC PD David Wood, WIBC morning host Tony Katz, WMAL PD and Cumulus VP of News/Talk Bill Hess, WSB PD Ken Charles, Audacy Buffalo SVP/MM Tim Wenger, Silver Oak Political President Steve Passwaiter, WRVA afternoon host Jeff Katz, McVay Media President Mike McVay, and voice talent extraordinaire Jim Cutler.
These fourteen accomplished professionals will join us at the 2024 BNM Summit on September 4-5, 2024. To celebrate our first announcement, BNM has lowered tickets from $299.99 to $249.99 for this week only. To take advantage of reduced rates, visit BNMSummit.com. Normal rates return on Monday April 8.
In addition to revealing our first group of speakers, I’m also excited to welcome our first five 2024 BNM Summit partners. We are excited to team up with Newsmax, Premiere Networks, Quu, MRN, and JJ Surma Voiceovers for this year’s show. A few others are nearing the finish line and will be announced during the next speaker’s update. To get your brand or company involved in the show, email Stephanie Eads at Sales@BarrettSportsMedia.com.
Demand for the 2024 BNM Summit from a sponsorship standpoint has been higher than any other we’ve created so far, including our sports conferences. Ticket sales have also been higher. I’m not sure if that’s due to the success of the first show, being in D.C., hosting the Summit just before an election or something else, but we greatly appreciate the support.
If you’ve reached out to express interest in speaking, please understand that I’m not done building the show. We’ll have 40-60 people on stage by the time we get to September. However, interest in participating is not a guarantee that I’ll be able to include you. I want to deliver the best and most informative show for industry professionals, doing that requires a focus on tech, sales, content, programming, digital, podcasting, AI and more. If it isn’t going to educate or excite the room, I’m likely to pass.
Feedback on our shows is consistently strong because we value every session. I cast a wide net building this show because I want successful business people from all areas of the industry in the room. The goal is to educate on stage, and increase professional relationships at the after parties or in the hallways. I know we’re not getting rich off of these events so for me, it has to be about the quality. Otherwise, why do it?
I’m attending the NAB Show in Las Vegas in a few weeks where I’ll meet with a few potential speakers. Discussions with a few prominent folks are also ongoing. If there’s someone you’d like to hear speak at the show, I always welcome feedback at Jason@BarrettNewsMedia.com. I am hoping to pass along another update at the start of May, if not sooner. This is going to be a big event, and I hope you’ll join us in Washington D.C. on September 4-5.
Over the past decade, we’ve seen talent start to bet on themselves rather than perform for the brands that helped build them. Many outlets across the country still feature hit shows and top personalities, but little by little, the era of the independent creator grows.
In Seattle, Jason Puckett walked away from KJR and launched his own website/show after his partner Jim Moore was laid off. But it’s not just happening in Seattle. This is happening in other cities too.
In Dallas, Dan McDowell and Jake Kemp left The Ticket to go out on their own. The Next Round exited WJOX in Birmingham to become their own bosses. Damon Bruce and Larry Krueger started second acts in San Francisco after years spent on KNBR and 95.7 The Game, and Doug Franz in Phoenix, Kevin Keitzman in Kansas City, Mitch Levy in Seattle and and Jonathan Zaslow in Miami are all grinding away in the digital space.
Others too have either left terrestrial radio for digital opportunities or pursued new situations after ending partnerships with their former radio employers. Case in point, Anthony Gargano joined AllCity, Mike Francesa and Mike Missanelli signed on with BetRivers, and Kirk Minihane moved to Barstool Sports. Even Zach Bingham and Austin Stanley built AtoZ Sports in Nashville, and Kevin Jones created Blue Wire after being let go by local radio stations.
Making the decision to operate independently doesn’t come without risk. Not every host is capable or comfortable with handling sales, billing, technical setups, paying for benefits or broadcasting to a social media audience. But replacing a salary that ranges between seventy five thousand and a few hundred thousand dollars isn’t impossible, especially for hosts with years of equity in a local market. Sure, the audience size may be smaller, but does it matter if you talk to ten thousand or one hundred thousand people if you enjoy what you do and make enough money to support your passion?
I’ve raised this issue before with executives, and many seem unconcerned. The feeling is that the company can pay more and provide more stability, while adding relevancy and larger reach. There’s some truth in that, but once a great talent has been on top, they tend to want more. That could mean a larger stage to be seen or heard, a whole lot of cash or more control. If they’re important enough to the brand and business, the company eventually has to give in or risk losing an asset (ex: Craig Carton, Chris Russo, etc.).
Many are curious to see how Stephen A. Smith’s situation plays out. He’s a big enough star that he could leave ESPN and succeed on his own. Fox Sports will go through this too when Colin Cowherd’s deal comes up. We’ve all seen Dan Le Batard, Bill Simmons, Pat McAfee, Big Cat and PFT and Dan Patrick prove they can thrive on their own, but those are national acts. What about local shows and talent? Couldn’t they do the same thing and create major issues for the local brand(s) they’ve worked for?
What if Mike Valenti took the plunge in Detroit? Or Mike Felger and Tony Masarotti? Or Danny Parkins, Mason and Ireland or The Power Trip? Would executives be concerned then? Are the brands that employ these stars more important to the talent than they are to the brands they represent? Who needs who more?
Taking care of your talent financially is part of this but so too is keeping them happy and challenged. At some point, the best want more. If all you have to show them is the same stage with a few more dollars, eventually they look around. It gets even worse if you try to restrict them. Like it or not, stars are going to want to do more than just host a radio show. They’re going to want a TV deal, podcast deal, social media deal, writing deal, etc.. Try to control all of those things, and you’re likely to lose your best performers.
Athletes who possess the skill to talk are going to build their own empires. They’ve got the money, the fans, the high-profile relationships, and the platforms available to do as they wish. But the best broadcasters in your building can do it too. They’ve spoken for your local businesses, built trust with your listeners, and have developed relationships with the local teams and media members. Your outlet may have helped them create their identity, but we’re in a ‘what have you done for me lately’ world.
Your best performers want to feel valued, and challenged. They’d rather focus on the part of their job they love the most instead of juggling ten different things. But if forced to do it, they will, and they’ll find a way to pluck away some of your audience. Treat them right and show that they’re a valued part of the company, and you stand a good shot of staying in business together. Take them for granted or restrict them from maximizing their worth, and don’t be surprised if they’re building a healthy business at your brand’s expense.
I’ve announced our first fourteen (14) speakers for the BNM Summit in Washington D.C.. Our conference for news/talk media professionals takes place September 4-5 at the Jack Morton Auditorium at George Washington University. To celebrate our first reveal, we’ve reduced tickets for the week to $249.99. They’ll return to $299.99 on April 8th so take advantage of the discount while it lasts.
We’ll have more speakers to announce in the weeks and months ahead leading up to the show. Tickets for the Summit have been hotter than any other event we’ve hosted this early in the process. We’ve also had great demand for sponsorships. I’m thrilled to welcome Newsmax, Premiere Networks, MRN, Quu, and JJ Surma Voiceovers as partners. For more details, visit BNMSummit.com. To learn about sponsorship opportunities, email Stephanie Eads at Sales@BarrettSportsMedia.com.
– Got something to say? BSM and BNM accept guest column submissions. Craig Carton, Erick Erickson and numerous other talents and decision makers have contributed over the years. If you have something of value to offer the sports or news media business, put it in writing and reach out by email to JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com.
– If you thought Facebook was yesterday’s news and only read by old people, take a look at your account on your birthday. It’s insane. The platform isn’t as cool as it once was, and it’s littered with way too many ads and recommended content that offers little value, but people are on there much more than you think.
1010XL: Last week I challenged sports media to raise the bar on innovating. Today, 1010XL is doing something about it. The station has redesigned its lineup to feature six two-hour shows between 10a-10p. Only the morning show will run longer. This is being done to capitalize on shorter attention spans, and feature a wider array of programming.
We've been keeping a secret…
Starting TOMORROW, we introduce our brand new, DAILY show lineup!
As part of the move, the station is taking a bold step, adding a new 12-2 show featuring three talented female hosts. ‘Helmets and Heels‘ has been featured on Tuesday nights’ for years. The program has helped launch the careers of a few talented women, but now, it’s receiving greater attention. I’m looking forward to seeing Lauren Brooks, Mia O’Brien and Taylor Doll make a mark on the format. Decision makers, take notice. Progress only happens by taking risks.
Marc Hochman: Ten years in Miami on WQAM’s airwaves is a feat worth celebrating. That’s what Marc Hochman will do on Monday afternoon when he settles in alongside Channing Crowder. The South Florida host has been a staple of consistency in the market. Here’s to the next 10, Hoch!
10 years ago today, we started promoting the April 1st launch of my new show on 560 WQAM. pic.twitter.com/AK5fng6JwK
3HL: When people ask a show to describe what makes their program unique, it’s often hard to explain in less than two minutes. When a caller though does it for you, that’s the best type of marketing. Take a listen to this gem. When people know the show this well, it tells your PD and talent, you’re hitting the right notes.
KJR: The Seattle sports station laid off Jim Moore, which was unfortunate, but part of life in the radio business. What wasn’t cool was negotiating with Moore’s partner, Jason Puckett, and thinking they’d lock him into a new deal, and then pull the rug out from underneath him by axing his partner. Sometimes radio stations create their own unnecessary damage. Is it too much to expect KJR to be up front with Puckett or handle Moore’s situation before exploring a new deal? Kudos to Puckett for saying ‘thanks, but no thanks.’
NFL: I subscribe to Peacock, so I’ll be able to watch the NFL season opener if I want to. But, I’m with Chris Russo on this. The NFL season opener should not be taking place in Brazil and airing on a streaming service. If the goal is to grow the game, how is the league doing that by making it available to less people, and moving it out of the country? The NFL is so money hungry and consumed with global domination that it continues to take for granted the American sports fan.
Loyalty. Not a word you hear thrown around a lot in the media business these days. The media business tends to lean more towards an ‘every man for themselves’ type of environment. So, when a story pops up like it did with Jason Puckett and Jim Moore out in Seattle, and you see some real loyalty in this industry, I feel like it needs to be highlighted.
Now, I don’t know Jason Puckett from Kirby Puckett, but there won’t be anybody I’ll be rooting harder for than him.
If you haven’t been keeping up with your sports media news through Barrett Sports Media, and shame on you if that is the case, there was a bit of a shakeup at iHeartMedia’s KJR in Seattle recently.
The quick overview is that Puckett had been hosting a show with media veteran Jim Moore. Puckett’s contract was up, and he had been in negotiations with iHeart. At some point they decided he should take time off the show, and he expected it to be a few days. It turned out to be much longer, but in the end, he got the deal he had wanted and was ready to sign the dotted line and move forward.
Then, a few hours after receiving his agreement, Puckett was told his partner, Jim Moore, had been laid off in yet another round of iHeartMedia layoffs. “A corporate decision,” it was said.
If that were the end of the story I could go on and on about how this is why people have a difficult time trusting “Big Media.” It’s one thing to have layoffs or go bankrupt, at least at some point you have to be honest about those things, because they have to actually happen publicly. But the way some things are handled with certain companies is just complete garbage sometimes.
In the end, iHeartMedia had played games with the wrong person. You see, Jason Puckett has a conscience, and he was going to have trouble sleeping at night with the thought that even one person might think he got his new deal on the back of his partner getting fired. So, he walked.
Working without a contract since January, negotiating his deal, mutually agreeing for him to step back from the show while they finish up, then getting the deal he was happy with only to get the rug pulled out from under him. It’s clearly been a difficult first few months of the year for Jason Puckett.
Now, here is why I’ll be rooting for him. Puckett launched a new website, PuckSports.com, and he made the decision he would go out on his own. Do his own thing. Reading between the lines, Jim Moore will join him for some part of it, but sounds like he might have to wait a bit.
Here is the part I absolutely love. In an introductory post on his new YouTube page, Puckett gave his side of the story of what happened and talked about what he has planned for the short and long-term. He started to thank many people who have helped him out and named off several advertisers whom he said didn’t hesitate to help support his new venture.
To all of the talent I have worked with over my career – YOU SEE!?!? This is what I was always telling you. Relationships matter more than you will ever know. Puckett said something that really hit me in his video, which was that the sponsors said their loyalty was to him, not the station.
It’s 2024, if you are talent and you are not working your rear end off to build relationships with your listeners and your sponsors, you are out of your mind. And, most likely, at some point will be out of a job.
Jason Puckett cannot walk away from his job, from supporting his family, if he doesn’t have strong connections with the business owners who have supported him. And, obviously, when you hear ‘Puck’ talk about how quickly the sponsors gave him their support, you know he did a great job building relationships and putting effort into promoting his partnerships.
I hope Jason Puckett kills it with his new venture and that his audience finds him quickly and helps him build a loyal community who support him and those that support his content. I hope his current advertisers tell other businesses about what a great job he does for them so he can get even more support and that Jason ends up doing much better in every way possible than had he taken that contract offer.
Cheers, Jason, you are a good man. Best of luck to you as you go out on your own.
As they say, “It’s hard to say goodbye.” Well, Ronnie Lane and Tom Krasniqi did just that this week when their show, Ronnie & TKras, came to an end on Wednesday after nearly a decade together on WDAE in Tampa.
Neither is retiring or leaving, Lane decided to pull back a bit and not have the daily grind of a three-hour show. Instead, he will host the pre, pre-game show for Rays baseball in addition to continuing the work he does for the station in covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Krasniqi is staying in afternoon drive with producer Chris Mathis for a new show, The Drive.
It’s not that often that a show gets a proper goodbye, but this one did. Kudos to Mathis as the final show had humorous voicework, surprise guests, produced messages from celebrities, co-workers and more. It also had raw emotion. You can tell these two enjoyed working together and are both excited for what is next.
You can listen to the final episode of Ronnie & TKras by clicking here.
Social media is hard to keep up with. I don’t mean the content, I mean the algorithms, the rules, the monetization and those sorts of things. I was taken back a bit a couple of months ago when Jim Rome announced he would take the video stream of his CBS Sports Radio show off of CBS Sports Network, and would soon be airing the video feed on X. There are other big name hosts in other genres who have also made deals with X. This is something to keep an eye on as the platform formerly known as Twitter starts to compete more with YouTube than Facebook.
Demetri Ravanos talked about this subject in his column last Tuesday, Jim Rome is More Valuable to X Than X is to Jim Rome. Demetri gives a few thoughts on why the move makes a lot more sense than I first thought.
“Educate, inform, inspire and entertain,” Fox News’ Emily Compagno said of her TV mantra in a recent conversation with Barrett News Media over a Zoom call.
The co-host of Outnumbered added, “I’m very conscious that every time I open my mouth on Fox, I’m a steward of the viewer’s time, and [the viewer’s time is of] the utmost importance to me, that I use that time wisely for them so that anyone watching doesn’t feel I wasted it and comes away hopefully being a little bit better for it.”
Born in a Naval Hospital in California, Compagno grew up dreaming of a different career, saying, “I wanted to be a fighter pilot, and I wanted to be a test pilot for NASA. So I went to Space Camp and Space Academy and the Air Force Academy Summer scientific seminar, and did Air Force ROTC and all of these things. And then up until the very last day when I had to sign on the dotted line to commit, and I was just too short to be a fighter pilot doing it. So my hopes were dashed.”
So she went to Plan B.
“Even though [flying] sort of defined my passions for so long, my backup plan — because I’d always been taught to have a backup plan — was law school. I had always been interested in law and clearly talking and American History.” She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Washington. She later attended law school at the University of San Francisco.
During both undergrad and graduate school, Emily Compagno was able to travel the globe, literally. “I had the honor of sailing around the world on a study abroad program and visiting, 13 countries, and it opened my eyes to so much peril and trauma that was happening.”
Compagno went on to say, “While living on that ship, sailing around the world, going to those countries, I emphasize my study on political science and religion. So before traveling to each country, I would study the political system and their religion. Then in that country, all of my experiences would be sort of tailored to both of those. And that was obviously personally and academically just beyond rewarding.”
While studying in law school, Emily Compagno lived in Brazil and South Africa.
“Those were incredibly rewarding experiences and the law touches everything. I felt so cognizant that as a future attorney, law was the common denominator of everything. So no matter what you were passionate about or how you wanted to help, you could always do so by being an agent of the law.”
One other influence directed the course of Compagno’s career? “While in law school, that’s when I was first exposed to the new model of seeing a legal analyst on television, augmenting a segment and helping to educate viewers as a subject matter expert. So at that time, that’s when the title Legal Analyst came into my world and became a goal of mine.”
While a practicing attorney, Emily Compagno became an NFL cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders. “On my rookie card at Raiders, it says, ‘What does Emily want to be?,’ and it says ‘Legal Analyst.’ And so that was the goal I held. Ultimately, I obviously had the honor of achieving that goal.”
While with the Raiders, she was able to visit troops in Iraq and Kuwait, calling the experience, “one of the honors of my life.”
She went on to say, “Upon separation from the federal government, as I was a federal attorney, I got into legal analysis and began conducting legal analysis for different broadcast stations. And after some years of doing that, in combination with my career as an attorney, I had the utmost pleasure of being hired by Fox News as a contributor, and then became a co-host of Outnumbered.”
For the 10th anniversary of Outnumbered, Compagno said, “Viewers will be treated to some behind-the-scenes footage and a look back in time as we show some of our most memorable moments from the past ten years. Plus, behind-the-scenes footage will be of (co-hosts) Harris (Faulkner), Kayleigh (McEnany), and I in our daily lives, preparing for the show and on the couch.” When you can’t watch Compagno on TV you can hear her on The Fox True Crime Podcast.
Launching just over a year ago, Emily Compagno is most proud of the unique stories she gets to tell saying, “We are centering the voices that are the closest to the story. So what listeners have to look forward to is the survivor herself telling the story, the tenacious detective telling the story, the brother of the missing individual, sharing his story.”
She added, “At times, who we have on might surprise you because we also have the criminals themselves sharing their stories, from mob bosses to the undercover agents that put the mob bosses in jail to people that got away with the crime. To loved ones still searching for the missing and to those who turned their trauma into advocacy, every week it’s something special and unique and never before heard.”
Long before she hit the national airwaves, Emily Compagno was involved with several philanthropic endeavors, including mission trips to Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia with Children of the Nations. She also participated in a mission trip right here at home in Mississippi.
“It was one year after Hurricane Katrina and that was with God’s Katrina Kitchen. We served three meals a day, just off the sand to those who had been rendered homeless or without any food options after Katrina,” Compagno said.
The former Federal Attorney is involved with several charities and philanthropic endeavors because she said, “I have a heart for this. It’s very important to me to use this platform for good, and I take it very seriously to be a messenger for other people’s good works and the angels among us.”
For those looking to follow in Compagno’s footsteps, be it law or journalism, she gave advice in two parts. The first part is faith.
“God has ordered our steps, so, my number one advice to anyone is to walk by faith and know that you are never alone and that Jesus Christ is always with you.” She added, “If you chase God, the blessings will follow. And he has put on your heart what he has anointed you for so you can live a purpose-driven and fulfilling life. So I would say, don’t ignore your dreams. Don’t ignore what’s on your heart. Pursue both with passion.”
Most importantly she said, “You are enough. Everyone was created uniquely and wonderfully made. Therefore, you are all that you need to accomplish your dreams, and I hope everyone enjoys the journey along the way. Don’t give up and enjoy every day in the process.”
The second part of Compagno’s advice was more “pragmatic” saying, “What I found served me so well was the never giving up and always having that articulated goal and the concept of reloading that a no was just a no in that moment, or a no from that source. I never took a no as the final word. Only God knows how many no’s you’re going to hear until you get that Yes. Doesn’t matter how many No’s. All that matters is that one. Yes.”
She continued, “There were plenty of things that I rejected because I knew it didn’t serve me.” An example she gave is social media. “I always felt very strongly that I despised social media and I did not want it as a tool for myself, I knew I could succeed without it. I never had a Facebook account. All of them are imposters.”
She concluded by pointing out, “At the end of the day, as you’re navigating your own path, it’s important to recognize what is serving you and what feels natural to you. Because if it doesn’t, then it’s not you.”
Jacksonville’s sports radio leader, 1010XL has announced changes to its weekday lineup. The moves are designed to feature shorter shows, allowing the station to quicken the pace, and expand programming choices for the city’s most passionate fans.
One of the key changes will see three talented women join forces in middays. Lauren Brooks, Mia O’Brien, and Taylor Doll have already been key parts of the station’s on-air schedule. They now gain a greater opportunity with their popular Tuesday night show ‘Helmets & Heels‘ moving into the weekday schedule.
“We must take advantage of every moment we have to command our listener’s attention,” said 1010XL General Manager Steven Griffin. “The departure from fewer, longer programs is our opportunity to reach, inform and entertain our Jacksonville audience with more, varied voices.”
The new weekday schedule will continue to feature The Drill with Dan Hicken and Jeff Prosser from 6a-10a. The morning show is the only program on 1010XL to run four hours. After Hicken and Prosser comes Jags Today with Mike Dempsey and Tony Smith from 10a-12p.
The morning block is unaffected. Afternoons though will have a different look and sound.
From 12-2, 1010XL will feature Helmets & Heels with Brooks, O’Brien and Doll. XL Primetime with Joe Cowart, Leon Searcy and Matt Hayes airs next from 2p-4p. The Frangie Show with Frank Frangie and Hays Carlyon takes listeners home from 4p-6p. Then Into The Night with Rick Ballou and Hacker After Dark with Ryan Green take over the evening hours.
“I believe we already have the acceptance and approval from our listeners for 2-hour shows with the success of Jaguars Today, Into the Night and Hacker After Dark. Moving to this line-up duplicates a proven strategy,” Griffin explained. “With 2-hour shows, our hosts will have a greater sense of urgency to improve listener connections. That allows them to focus on making a daily impact versus just delivering a show.”
1010 has a new energy in place. The station was able to create change without eliminating any jobs in the process. Being aware of their shows debuting on April Fool’s Day, which some could assume is a possible stunt, the station selectively dropped an announcement video on social media on Sunday at 10:10am ET. The early response to the moves has been mostly positive.
Three shows between 12-6 gives the station a new approach. The move that’ll garner a lot of attention is the addition of Helmets & Heels to the weekday lineup. Three women in middays, M-F doesn’t exist on sports talk radio. Mia, Lauren and Taylor know it’s a big step, but having already played key roles on the station’s shows, they’re ready to show they can raise the bar.
For more information on 1010XL and their new lineup, visit 1010XL.com.
In a recent Barrett Media column, Andy Bloom raised the question of whether stations need Nielsen anymore. If you didn’t read it, you should because he raised some good questions, and it would prove that cross-promotion truly works!
I’ve made a living working with ratings for most of my career and in years, that’s well beyond 30. Not only did I work for Arbitron and then Nielsen, I also spent a couple of years with Birch/Scarborough, a long ago competitor to Arbitron. When I worked in group positions with Clear Channel (the pre-iHeart days) and Cumulus, I spent much of my time working with ratings data as well as my time at the National Association of Broadcasters. My point is to make sure you understand where my thoughts are coming from.
The industry needs audience measurement. Call it ratings or whatever you want, we need to understand the composition of our audiences. Whether it’s the sheer volume of listeners, their demographics, “qualitative” aspects, or where or how they are listening, we need to know. I would argue that this information is even more important today with all the media competition attempting to take up part of each individual’s day.
As I see it, the problem is cost/benefit. Nielsen subscribers may find that the service is the second biggest expense in their operation. If not, it’s a major cost, but is the value there? What is the ROI for Nielsen?
Andy made reference to the news that Meruelo Media in Los Angeles dropped Nielsen Audio and then reached a deal to resubscribe a short time later. Meruelo has some major stations in the market and as the number two population market and typically the number one radio revenue market, a lot of business comes through agencies using the data.
While I haven’t been around the buy/sell process that much, there are two problems inherent in dropping Nielsen. One is that your stations will no longer appear in the summary data set which is what the agencies are typically working with for buys. If you don’t show up, it’s hard for agencies to justify a buy as Meruelo Media apparently discovered rather quickly.
Meanwhile, your reps may know what the numbers are, but they can’t say anything. Nielsen fiercely protects their copyright (and Arbitron was very good at this as well) and if you’re caught “pirating” the data, the result will be very expensive. Simply put, it’s an exposure.
There is an exception to the “no show” rules. Minority and female-owned stations that don’t subscribe will be in the summary data set with some conditions. I’m not sure that I agree with that policy, but you can find it in the Description of Methodology and judge for yourself.
Nielsen Audio is essentially a monopoly. Yes, Mike Gould at Eastlan will be happy to measure your market, but your decision is most likely a binary choice, yes or no to Nielsen.
Perhaps you can go the route of Ed Levine at Galaxy Media in Syracuse and Utica. Andy’s column covered his conversations with Ed who bailed on Arbitron many years ago (he was on the Arbitron Advisory Council at the time he dropped his subscription!) and has never looked back. He’s been successful without Nielsen, but you have to consider that Ed is a local hands-on operator, doing local radio the way it should be done. And while Galaxy is not a Nielsen subscriber, they may be subscribing to Eastlan which measures both Syracuse and Utica.
Rather than suggest that you stick with Nielsen or drop it, here are some questions to consider if you have any input into the decision:
If you dropped Nielsen, what would you do with the “found money?” Hire more sellers? More “live and local” talent? More promotions and marketing? Take it to the bottom line?
Can you estimate how much business you might lose? Would you make up that business at good rates?
Can you control your sellers so that they don’t use data you didn’t pay for, in other words, avoiding a call from a Nielsen attorney? Whether you subscribe or not, you’ll likely see the data in some form and know how your stations performed.
Would your programmer(s) be able to make good decisions? Can they create other sources of information? How do you measure their success without Nielsen?
All of the above is pretty cut and dried. Here’s the big question: at what point does Nielsen change the system to cut their costs and cut the prices paid by subscribers, in other words, a new equilibrium? Sure, Nielsen is planning an online version of the diary, but are there other options?
Nielsen has a lot of competition in the video marketplace today and you can bet that prices are declining based on competition. Without serious competition, radio pays. It’s simple economics, but if enough clusters/groups drop the service, at some point, Nielsen will say “Ouch.”
Maybe Nielsen will work with the industry to come up with a 21st-century system that provides most of what we have today for less money. If not Nielsen, then someone else should jump in and the industry should support them.
Sports fans in the city of Boston have witnessed a number of triumphs since the turn of the century, embracing the positions that their favorite teams found themselves in for a prolonged stretch. For example, the New England Patriots garnered six Super Bowl championships on the strength of 17 playoff appearances in that period, establishing itself as a preeminent, dominant force in the National Football League. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox broke an 86-year championship drought and then proceeded to earn three more World Series titles. There have evidently been victories to celebrate in recent years, and Courtney Cox has maximized the opportunities she has had to communicate with the fanbase and give her opinions and insights.
Awareness and experience of fandom in the area has provided Cox with a clear understanding of the marketplace and WEEI. As a co-host of The Greg Hill Show in morning drive, she is part of an enthusiastic assemblage of on-air talents that inform and entertain their audience through a blend of enthusiasm, wittiness and revelry. Cox always wanted to be part of a personality-driven talk show and convey her genuine persona to the consumers, but she never foresaw it occurring through radio. When she hosted an hour with Greg Hill and Jermaine Wiggins as part of her audition, she could evince a strong connection with the city of Boston.
“I want to do a show that’s going to make people smile hopefully; make people happy [and] have fun, but also get good interviews,” Cox said. “We talk to legends on that show, and it’s in the middle of probably the most fun four hours that I get to have in my day, so how can you beat that? It’s the perfect fit for the type of life; for the type of career that I want.”
Cox is approaching her third year with WEEI, which represents her first full-time job in the sports radio format. Reaching a decision to leave her job in sports television was difficult, especially after she had completed a radio internship while in college that she remembers was enjoyable but also an indication that radio was not for her.
Prior to the one-hour audition, Cox felt terrified and did not sleep, sentiments that were quickly alleviated as soon as she took the air. Despite minimal familiarity in working with Hill or Wiggins, she knew who they were and felt accepted and respected from the onset. Nonetheless, there were challenges in successfully assimilating into the Boston radio landscape within a three-person hosting format.
“I think that if anything, it taught me to be assertive much quicker than it would be if I was in a two-person show and able to just have a conversation,” Cox said. “I’m also with Wiggy, who is very loud and boisterous, and Greg is the same way, so I had to figure out my lane and how to stay in it but also make sure that I’m not just a passenger; that I can step into the topics and make sure my voice is heard.”
The variety offered on The Greg Hill Show is something Cox finds seldom executed for a sports radio program, but it represents a value proposition that has helped sustain the WEEI morning show and lead to consistent success. On a daily basis, she and her colleagues work to present an entertaining product that refrains from negativity and results in sanguinity and optimism leading into the day.
“There’s enough stress in the world,” Cox said. “I think the morning drive slot is for you to wake up, get a little bit of information for what’s going on in the world when it comes to sports, and for our show elsewhere, and feel like you can take on the rest of your day with a smile.”
When Cox joined the cheerleading team at Boston College in her freshman year, senior captain Molly McGrath recognized her interest in sports broadcasting. McGrath, who is now a college football reporter at ESPN, took the initiative to meet with the school athletic director and create her own student-reporter role at the school.
As McGrath was nearing her graduation, she recognized that Cox was taking many of the same classes and encouraged her to audition to take over the show she had launched, which was called Eagle Eye View. Cox ended up landing the role and balanced it with in-game hosting and assisting with other athletic department endeavors. Through it all, she continued cheerleading until her senior year and was named a team captain.
“I think cheerleading helps young women and men figure out how to go through anything with a smile on their face, which is always helpful, especially when you’re in a live situation,” Cox said. “I think we all misspeak; we all fumble our words and you have the cheerleading background where you could be falling on a hardwood court in front of hundreds of people and kind of get up with a smile on your face and shake it off and move on.”
As a senior in college, Cox focused on her reporting and began working with Dirty Water Television where she covered several events around Boston to encapsulate the fan experience. Dirty Water Media content aired on New England Sports Network (NESN) over the weekends, an advantage that ultimately lended to a substantive demo reel supplementing her job search.
After her graduation, Cox moved to Charlotte, N.C. where she began working in a dual role as a host and production assistant for the ACC Digital Network. The platform was in its early stages and running out of an uptown warehouse building, and she was the only woman at the network. One of the directors and camera operators at the network took time to work with Cox after work on her standups and providing her with honest feedback so she would survive her early years in the business.
“Staying within the conference was super helpful because I knew so much when it came to [Boston College],” Cox said, “and when I was cheerleading, I got to travel to a lot of the other schools in the conference, so I felt like I knew a lot of people once I started there.”
While she enjoyed the opportunity with the ACC Digital Network, Cox missed her family and considered a move back to the Boston area. She discovered that Major League Lacrosse and New Balance were backing a new venture called the LAX Sports Network and learned that she could host longer-form shows containing interviews. On the day she visited the studios, Cox accepted the job offer and broadened her lacrosse knowledge and versatility.
Cox remembers affirming to her parents that she wanted to work at NESN, and the aspiration ultimately manifested itself when she was hired at the regional sports network as a host and reporter. The role for which she was hired was split between two other women, and while they were all seeking the same opportunities, they became and remain close friends. In her five years with NESN, Cox had the chance to cover various marquee events such as the Super Bowl, World Series and Stanley Cup Final.
“I think a lot of people from the outside would see that as such a competition and maybe setting women up for failure when it comes to mean girl mentality, and I keep saying, ‘I’m so lucky,’ but I truly am,” Cox said. “Boston, I think, has such an unbelievable group of women that work in sports that are all super supportive of one another, so that helped.”
Cox was excited to join The Greg Hill Show once she learned she landed the role, but she precipitously realized the impact of the program on the same day of her audition. Following the hour-long appearance, she went to dinner and had people approach her at the bar who had heard her on the air. The entire ordeal resulted in an epiphany in which Cox recognized that she wanted to work in sports radio.
“At NESN, there’s definitely a distance between you and the viewer,” Cox said. “You write your script, you shoot your shows and then people will maybe interact with you on social media or on the website or in person, but not that much.”
Once Cox started working at WEEI on a full-time basis, she ensured that she would not try to be something she is not, instead remaining steadfast to her own characteristics. There is no acting when she takes the air; rather, she is being genuine and forthright with the listeners and allowing them to settle on an opinion for themselves. No matter the topic, consumers can be certain that they are listening to Cox express herself in earnest with no fabrication or embellishment in her delivery or takes.
“I am who I am, and I had to realize that not everybody was going to like that and be okay with that,” Cox said. “I’d rather be disliked for who I am as a person, and who I am, if you meet me out, I’m the same person on air and off air than being liked for something I’m not.”
Hill, Wiggins and Cox work with show producers Chris Curtis and Chris Scheim, both of whom also bring their knowledge and opinions to the airwaves. Cox views herself as the millennial sports fan who can assimilate social media narratives and other opinions that fans who are not technically savvy or present on those platforms would otherwise miss. Combined with Hill’s background in music radio and Wiggins’ experience as a tight end in the National Football League, the program contains a wide array of viewpoints and opinions that intersperse the conversation.
“Once you mix all of that together, that is a recipe for entertainment,” Cox said, “and while it’s unbelievable the success that 98.5 [The Sports Hub] has and a lot of other stations, this is a mix of so many different things that I think nobody can turn their eye from.”
Cox is focused on impacting the lives of listeners and excited for a new season of road shows to commence in April. She views her colleagues at The Greg Hill Show as a family and sometimes forgets that there are people listening.
“I never know what the show’s going to be, and there are days that I laugh so hard that I’m crying,” Cox said. “It’s the coolest thing to be in a moment knowing that it’s a moment that’s going to live on for a very long time on that show, and we get those multiple times a week.”
Cox is one of two women who are part of the weekday prime programming lineup at WEEI and is proud to serve as a role model for aspiring sports media professionals. Meghan Ottolini, who has been a full-time member of the afternoon show since 2022, is someone Cox considers to be a good friend and extremely knowledgeable. Yet there have been various misogynistic commentaries and contentious assertions directed towards Cox while at WEEI.
“It’s hard because I have so many role models that I look up to in the industry,” Cox said, “and while I’m super lucky to work with guys who treat me with respect and don’t talk down to me or don’t treat me any differently than they would their male co-worker, there will always be listeners or social media watchers who try to throw a jab in there just because you’re a woman.”
On this past Friday’s edition of The Greg Hill Show, a caller encouraged Hill and Wiggins to recognize the audience composition of the program and asserted that Cox needs to speak less. Additionally, he believed that the feminization of the program had grown out of control and openly spoke his mind, contextualizing it as a first-world problem. Hill immediately questioned this chauvinistic opinion and a subsequent belief that it is killing him inside, leading everyone to ask the caller what he would ideally like to hear on the radio station.
During the first two years at the station, Cox had a difficult time combating social media backlash as she transitioned from focusing on television to radio. Those in Boston evidently make people aware every time they disagree with something she says, something she recognizes occurs from passion and candor. There are moments where she decides to put someone on blast for perpetuating sexist prejudice through both public comments and private messages, an action she does not usually regret and oftentimes results in an apology.
“Wiggy and Greg were my sounding boards and were so supportive and reassuring with me,” Cox said, “and I’m so lucky that I had because I remember any time I was upset, my mom would say, ‘Go talk to Wiggy; go talk to Greg. They always calm you down,’ and they really did.”
The caller on Friday’s show began most of his answers with an ostensibly crass laugh, and he eventually compared Cox speaking to nails on a chalkboard. Furthermore, he stated that whenever she goes on a rant, he immediately flips the dial to another radio station. Several listeners subsequently called into the show to show their support for Cox and castigate the caller, one of whom prayed that he was not the father of a daughter and encouraged him to start his own ‘boys club’ radio station.
“People have forgotten how to just be kind to one another and people think they can say whatever they want, and that has to change because there are so many people that I see that are unbelievably talented in their roles when it comes to broadcasting that are leaving the industry because of mental health issues, and that’s a big, big issue and something that I’m always stressing whether it’s an athlete or somebody in the industry [or] a coach,” Cox articulated.
“The mental health crisis in the U.S. is only fueled by the hate that some people feel like they can spew, so whether it’s misogyny or just somebody being a jerk, I think me trying to be a role model, I’m going to call out people and say that that’s not right.”
As the show continues, Cox hopes to continue moving up in the ratings and meeting people in the community, affirming that she would do the job for the rest of her life. Through her work at WEEI, she has also become involved with The Greg Hill Foundation, which is geared to immediately assist families whose lives have been impacted by tragedy.
Cox does not perceive inertia or apathy on the program, instead moving forward with a vectorized combination of magnitude and direction towards continued success. Even though it can be unnerving to hear the narrative of radio dying and/or being superseded by podcasts, she regularly hears from listeners and is honored that The Greg Hill Show is part of their livelihood.
“I think that there’s a turn right now where people want that reliable show that they can count on for four hours of their day Monday through Friday to become part of the routine. I know I’m like that,” Cox said. “I get off the show, I listen to the same thing – I go to the gym, I watch the same thing. We’re all creatures of habit, and to know that we are that habit for a lot of people, that’s exciting.”
Former KFAN and ESPN 1500 sports radio personality Jeff Dubay has pleaded guilty after a recent drug-related arrest in Todd County, Minnesota. Dubay has a long string of previous convictions for drug possession, as well as other convictions for assault, domestic assault, and driving offenses.
Dubay, 56, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving while under the influence of an illicit drug after being pulled over on March 8. In exchange for the guilty plea, Dubay will have a felony-level 3rd-degree drug possession and an additional driving under the influence charge dismissed.
“On the evening of March 8, a state trooper saw an SUV traveling erratically before stopping in the West Union Catholic Church parking lot. The SUV then left the parking lot, prompting the trooper to pull the driver over.
Dubay explained he was heading to Fargo and got off the freeway in order to get the Minnesota Gophers hockey game on his cellphone. Dubay, beneath a blanket and naked, said he had been sleeping at a rest stop near Avon earlier.
The trooper saw that Dubay was restless, sweaty and speaking rapidly. He explained that he stopped taking his medication. He acknowledged using methamphetamine about a week earlier.
As Dubay got out of his SUV to perform sobriety testing, he was covered in vegetable oil that came from a bottle he had with him. Drug smugglers have been known to use various cooking oils to conceal meth as it is shipped.
Dubay failed numerous aspects of the sobriety testing. A law enforcement search of his vehicle turned up methamphetamine and two small bottles of adhesive remover. “It was suspected that Dubay may have been huffing from those bottles,” the charges read. While at the jail, Dubay acknowledged using meth that morning.“
Dubay told the Star Tribune in a brief phone call that “the police report is full of misinformation and horrible assumptions.”
Dubay was a longtime sports talker on KFAN as a co-host with Paul Allen. He was fired after his arrest in 2008 for cocaine possession. Dubay later returned to sports radio in 2013 with 1500 ESPN, however, he was laid off in 2014.
After 12 years, NBC News correspondent Harry Smith will depart the network.
Smith reported for NBC Nightly News, Today, and other properties for NBC during his tenure with the network.
After departing the network, Smith will join the faculty at Central College in Pella, Iowa, his alma mater.
“We are absolutely ecstatic to announce (Harry Smith) ‘73 will be returning to Central College as an executive in residence Fall 2024! We can’t wait for our students to learn and benefit from his heart for others and extensive experience at (NBC News),” the college wrote on social media.
We are absolutely ecstatic to announce @HarrySmith ‘73 will be returning to Central College as an executive in residence Fall 2024! We can’t wait for our students to learn and benefit from his heart for others and extensive experience at @NBCNews. #foreverdutchpic.twitter.com/QYDY6cuIto
“I have nothing but gratitude,” Harry said. “Every time I would always come on this show, I was always welcomed so generously. I’ve had just this unbelievable array of phenomenal experiences since coming to NBC, and so I’m really full of nothing but gratitude. Every time I’ve come on, everyone would drop their phones, pay attention to the story and then respond.”
Brian Kilmeade — in addition to hosting Fox & Friends on Fox News — hosts a successful talk radio show syndicated by Fox News Radio. He believes that program wouldn’t have reached the heights it has without the help of Sid Rosenberg and 77 WABC.
While joining Rosenberg on Friday, Kilmeade gave the New York host and station props for where his own show is in its success.
“You are killing it, Brian Kilmeade,” Rosenberg told the Fox News host.
He had congratulated the host for his ability to secure an exclusive interview with former President Donald Trump this week. That interview was originally scheduled to last for 10 minutes, but the Republican nominee ended up speaking for 25 minutes.
“I appreciate the support, man,” Kilmeade said during his weekly appearance on the 77 WABC morning show. “This show would not be close to successful without you, so I appreciate it, and everybody there at WABC.”
The Brian Kilmeade Show is heard from 9 AM-Noon, and airs from 10 AM-Noon on the Red Apple Media-owned station.
