How many times have you heard it said, the best things in life happen by accident? You make a plan, put it in motion, and it doesn’t hit how you intended. Yet in that process, you stumble into a spectacular situation.
That’s what happened at the 2022 BSM Summit in New York City.
We created a Mike and the Mad Dog Award and had a great plan. Felger and Mazz would receive the award, accept it by video since they couldn’t be in the room, and two of sports radio’s top afternoon shows would share a moment.
The concept made sense but then Mike Francesa and Chris Russo took the stage with live microphones and everything changed.
Attendees couldn’t look away. The magic and chemistry between Mike and Chris was undeniable, and even though the ceremony ran late, shortening lunch, nobody cared. Greatness was on display, and when that happens, you step aside and let the stars shine.
Mike and Chris hadn’t been together in seven years. But they reconnected that day as if they just talked a day prior. It was truly a special moment.
After that Summit, I knew we had to change our plan. Rather than trying to create an award to connect people, I wanted to celebrate true greatness. That led to introducing the Lifetime Achievement Award last year in Los Angeles.
Our first official honoree was the great Al Michaels. He was simply fantastic. Everyone in the room was excited to hear him speak, shake his hand and offer a round of applause when he was done. They waited to say hi and thank him for the exceptional work he’s done for decades. The class act that he is, Al took questions from the crowd, stayed and took pictures, and made conversation with everyone. Another truly special moment.
So for 2024, I wanted to build on that momentum by honoring a host who forever changed the sports radio game. I am thrilled to share that our 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented this year to Angelo Cataldi.
Ratings, revenue and relevance have been strong in Philadelphia for decades. At the center of it all was Angelo Cataldi. WIP’s kingpin dominated morning drive, operating at an extremely high level. He was authentic, passionate, loud, entertaining and never settled for less than the best. One glance through this piece gives you an idea of how well respected Angelo is by industry friends and competitors.
WIP remains a dominant force today thanks in part to the foundation Angelo helped build. The next group of stars are thriving and they recognize how vital his contributions were to the brand, the audience, the advertisers, and more importantly, the city of Philadelphia.
Upon learning he had been chosen as this year’s recipient Angelo said, “I was never at a loss for words during my 33 years in sports radio, but this incredible honor has left me speechless. Thank you to Barrett Sports Media for recognition that is beyond my biggest dreams. All I ever tried to do at WIP Radio in Philadelphia was give my honest opinion about sports every day. The previous winners of this award are media heroes. I’m just a guy who was lucky enough to talk sports for a living with the most passionate fans in America.”
Angelo will receive his award on Wednesday March 13th. The ceremony will take place between 11:40am-12:15pm. We will also recognize the Mark Chernoff Award winner during that same day. Details on this year’s recipient of that award will be revealed soon.
To secure your seat for the Summit and reserve a hotel room, visit BSMSummit.com. We look forward to seeing you there.
The feud on X between former Washington Commanders quarterback Robert Griffin III and former head coach Jay Gruden has provided plenty of fodder for social media, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas is here for it.
Thomas told his ThomaHawk Show co-host Andrew Hawkins that based on his experience in the locker room with the now ESPN football analyst, this sort of back and forth between Gruden and Griffin was a common occurrence.
“I loved being teammates with RG3 because we got stuff like this every single day,” Thomas said. “I have so many memories from the one year when he was my quarterback that were so lovely. And he’s a great friend. I love the guy, but I am so glad that I did never have to coach that guy, because he will get your ass fired and killed, and I love the fact that he is savvy enough that he’s just gonna start throwing bombs at other coaches and man, he gets them with the little hook and pulls them onto the show.”
Joe said what he appreciates about Robert Griffin III is that he keeps it authentic all the time, even on social media.
“That’s what I love about the guy,” he said. “He just has no shame whatsoever, and the fact that he couldn’t see that maybe Jay Gruden had said some things in confidence to try to boost his confidence in himself in those moments when he was coaching him and maybe weren’t exactly the truth with everything. And then he’s gonna use those as bombs to throw back now that they’re not working together is just typical RG3.”
Hawkins, who played under Gruden in Cincinnati, said it was clear two similar personalities clashed so mightily.
“I think that RG3 has a very specific like perspective on anything he remembers a certain way. And that is who he is. Jay Gruden is also that way,” Hawkins said. “Jay Gruden has an offense that would be like, it was like enough detail that if it worked, it was great coaching. But if it was bad, it was definitely Andy Dalton’s fault all the time.”
“Him going back and forth with RG3 is so on brand for both of them, it is the funniest shit that I’ve ever seen in my life,” he added.
From the outside, the future of afternoon drive on SportsRadio 94WIP in Philadelphia was not a topic that seemed to need addressing. Ike Reese and Jon Marks were thriving in the daypart, and the program demonstrated no signs of slowing down. Over the summer, the show was attributed to Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner emerging from perceived underperformance after it compelled fans to give him a standing ovation before a plate appearance. The show finished the most recent Nielsen fall ratings book with a 12.8 share among Men 25-54, contributing to the 14.1 share in weekday prime hours (M-F, 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.) in the demographic.
Yet Reese could perceive its evanescence because of conversations he had with Marks indicating a change in his priorities. Marks inked a one-year contract with the station last year as he continued to partake in negotiations with Audacy management. In the meantime, Reese and other colleagues tried to convince him to stay at WIP. The effort ultimately proved unsuccessful when Marks announced that he was leaving the station last December. While it caught the listeners by surprise, it was a disconcerting reality to which Reese had succumbed nearly a year earlier.
“It’s almost like, ‘I don’t know why you would ever want to leave this,’ and so we’ve had those conversations, but I think when a man has conviction about something [and] he believes in something, you’ve got to let him follow what his heart is telling him,” Reese articulated. “I could only say so much and do so much.”
The resolution is disappointing for Reese, who had been working with Marks since 2017 when Chris Carlin relocated to join the afternoon program at WFAN. Reflecting back to the start of the program, Reese feels that Marks came in without an ego or self-centered plans.
As they continued to learn each other’s tendencies, the sports world came to a halt due to the global pandemic. The show abandoned its adversarial nature and instead adopted a congenial, cohesive approach that engendered subsequent success.
“I think if you [debate] over and over and over again, you can start to build up animosity and you don’t even know you’re building up animosity because you’re anticipating every day, ‘Okay, how am I going to win this argument? How do I get the last word in? How do I make my point to counter his point?,’” Reese expressed. “I don’t know if that was all that healthy for us in our beginning stages because we didn’t have any working history with each other.”
The absence of sports to discuss in the early stages of the global pandemic essentially transformed the environment and forced the show to adapt to the new conditions. Hosting remotely outside of the studio strengthened the overall chemistry, and it ultimately fostered a setting that felt less contrived and more natural overall.
“We all became reliant on each other and we started incorporating the callers a little bit more, and we found a formula,” Reese said. “Once we found the formula, it was like, ‘Okay, this is it. We just need to continue to perfect this,’ and eventually I think the show became a fun show for people to listen to and want to be a part of.”
Reese was able to cultivate his own hosting style when he received his first repetitions at WIP, which was primarily on 610 AM at the time. The evening program, Ike at Night, was a full-time solo hosting endeavor that proved to be learning by doing. Although the formative outings presented various challenges, the nine-year NFL veteran took solace in implementing callers and engaging in pertinent conversation surrounding the show. In essence, the program was utilized as a frame of reference to determine if he would sink or swim.
In the near future, Reese will be part of a remodeled afternoon show equipping a three-host format. Afternoon show producer Jack Fritz has been named a co-host of the program, along with Audacy vice president of programming and former SportsRadio 94WIP brand manager Spike Eskin. Marks had predicted Fritz’s elevation, a sentiment Reese corroborated because of his precipitous growth over the last several years. As a collegiate baseball player and shrewd, insightful fan, Reese called him the strongest baseball personality at the outlet.
“When Jon made his decision on what he was going to do, one of the things that I talked to Rod about and I wanted to make clear to them is that, ‘Whatever we do, I want Jack to remain a major part of what we do next,’” Reese affirmed. “That’s how much I depend on him and how much he means to what I do in my psyche and when and where I want to be at coming into a show.”
Even though Eskin was most recently responsible for the programming on WFAN and CBS Sports Radio, he continued hosting his Rights to Ricky Sanchezpodcast in the process, centered around the Philadelphia 76ers. He is responsible for hiring many of the existing on-air personalities at WIP today and brings a deft knowledge of the corporate world. When the idea was first presented as a hypothetical to Reese by current brand manager Rod Lakin, he felt nonplussed and asked for time to process the possibility.
“I think I wound up either calling him that night or the next morning and I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s the move. That’s the move; that’s a brilliant idea,’” Reese said. “I needed time to digest it and think about all the great possibilities that could happen, as well as I thought about how it could backfire and things of that nature, but when I thought about those things, the positives just far outweighed what could possibly go wrong.”
Reese hosted alongside Eskin’s father, Howard, in his first stint on afternoon drive, a period in which he gained more confidence in his broadcasting abilities. While he was playing for the Eagles, Reese would listen to Eskin in afternoon drive and enjoyed the program. Eskin extrapolated added passion from him upon joining the show, replete with his genuine personality and cogent analysis on the air.
“If you have conviction in your opinions or your thoughts, you better stick to them,” Reese said. “Working with Howard wasn’t necessarily the easiest as it pertains to just having somebody help you along, but I kind of learned as we had our banter back and forth, and almost on a daily basis – and some of them got heated on air – my skin got thicker working with Howard.”
Co-hosting the afternoon program with Spike Eskin will be a unique opportunity that Reese is not going to take for granted, especially since he did not foresee it as plausible. By approaching the show with the background he fostered from his youth and recent managerial work, Eskin could serve as an X-factor of sorts. There exists the possibility that Eskin could bring part of the digitally-based audience for his podcast to the new show, which may lead to bolstered radio ratings. Additionally, he has experience and proficiency in other audio-based formats, augmenting the versatility of conversation.
“I think we just got stronger as an overall unit by adding that type of knowledge and structure and discipline to the show,” Reese said. “He’s our former brand manager, and so now he gets to be our co-worker but he still has sort of those executive tendencies that can only help you. When things get off-kilter a little bit or we want to do something a little wacky, I think Spike is there to dot the Is and cross the Ts for everything.”
One thing that Reese knows the program will not have to worry about is dead air since all three hosts are candid, opinionated and steadfast to sports radio. Finding a way to divide the time and bring out each other’s strengths could take time, but it is something Reese is excited to sort out. In the end, he wants to ensure Fritz and Eskin thrive while providing what he can and executing his responsibilities with aplomb.
“I think there’s a healthy amount of ego in all of us and then there’s even more of a healthy amount of humility in all three of us,” Reese said. “The fact that we have relationships prior to working with each other – we’re all friends – I think it’s going to at least allow us, at times, to be able to suppress our own egos [and] egotistical ways. I’m talking to myself too by the way.”
Prognosticating on the layout of the show, Reese foresees Eskin serving as its driver while he and Fritz remain ready to give their opinions. He is intrigued to hear how Eskin goes about hosting the four-hour program and assimilates into the daily grind of covering and discussing Philadelphia sports. Based on his previous experiences and triumphs in the industry, Reese is cognizant that Eskin can evince ideas that ultimately have considerable impact. By taking this kind of approach, he is confident the show can build off its previous success and appeal to more listeners in the city.
Reese has trust in brand manager Rod Lakin, who has made decisions pertaining to the on-air lineup with turnover at the outlet following various successful years. The station remains a vigorous force in the marketplace despite introducing new morning and midday programs last year. In fact when Angelo Cataldi retired from the station, Reese was asked about his interest in joining the morning show, a daypart he had moderate interest in but ultimately decided against.
Even though the exact date on which the new show will begin has yet to be determined based on Eskin’s responsibilities in his existing role, there is palpable excitement for his impending return to Philadelphia. Bringing back someone with an earnest familiarity and veneration for the history of the station, along with a keen awareness on the transformation of the medium, is a transaction that he expects to enhance the show. Furthermore, he postulates that the revamped lineup in its entirety could pay dividends over the next 15 to 20 years.
“He did a great job in New York working with the FAN, and I think he would have continued to do that because that’s just Spike,” Reese said. “He’s great at whatever he does, but ultimately I know Spike well enough and we talk enough that I know in his heart, this is home, and so he’s back home and I know this is adding something to an already-great roster.”
When Eskin was at the helm of SportsRadio 94WIP, the station was posting stellar quarterly performances, and the transition to Lakin did not have an effect on its momentum. Reese noticed how Lakin did not rush to make sweeping changes, instead observing the structure in place while getting to know his colleagues. During the last calendar year, Lakin, along with Audacy senior vice president and market manager David Yadgaroff, made prominent lineup decisions that have maintained and amplified the impact of the outlet.
“I think he has the right temperament to be able to understand people and really get his point across in a manner in which it allows you to at least accept it and think on it, and more likely once you do, you usually come around to what he’s advising, or if not, what’s even better is that he’s willing to listen,” Reese said. “It’s not his way or the highway – he’s certainly willing to listen to things – and so as far as he and I go, we’ve been fine.”
With Eskin returning to the station, Reese presumes it will be an interesting dynamic and divulged that it has been a question among people involved. In considering the manner, Reese does not think Eskin would have returned if the dynamic between him and his successor would be an issue. Even with Eskin in New York over the last two years, numerous on-air talent extol him and his decisions in meetings with Lakin. Reese emphasizes it is not intended to be a slight towards Lakin, but more out of appreciation for what Eskin did for their careers.
“I think Rod can respect that and I think Spike can respect where Rod is at right now, and I expect both of those guys to be able to work together and respect each other’s roles,” Reese said. “I don’t really see it being an issue just because I think both guys have the same goal, which is to make WIP the best sports talk radio station in America.”
With Eskin coming back and Fritz’s rise as a producer, Reese will aim to coincide and cultivate synergies between the hosts and the listening audience. Utilizing the preponderance of distribution platforms, he will proffer his viewpoints and opinions based on previous experience as an athlete and apropos commentaries. Reese intends to bring his perspectives and remain prepared to shift roles if warranted.
“I’m more of almost a problem-solver versus putting the problem out there,” Reese said. “I feel like I’m the guy who sort of feels like I can talk or work my way through answers and have sort of logical reasoning and explanations as to why I feel the way that I do.”
Reese is in the midst of enduring the second hosting iteration outside of his own addition to the show since moving to the daypart, and he hopes it is the last. He aspires for Eskin and Fritz to be harbingers of long-term commitment and prosperity, conveying the indispensable nature of dedication and his own disdain for having to learn the personalities of even more full-time compatriots. Just as he displayed on the gridiron, Reese yearns to be a good teammate and is actively focused on raising the bar to maximize the potential not only of the afternoon show, but of SportsRadio 94WIP in its entirety.
“Quite frankly to be selfish, I [feel] like this is what’s going to take me to that level that I ultimately envision being and us being in this town,” Reese said. “I think with the three guys that we have, I don’t see why we can’t become the No. 1 show in the city completely.”
FS1 Undisputed contributor and comedian Jerry Morgan is bringing his podcast The Bubba Dub Show to Shannon Sharpe’s Shay Shay Media and The Volume.
The show will air on Morgan’s YouTube, which boasts 303,000 subscribers. Morgan sports some 2 million followers across social media.
The Bubba Dub Show will feature a mix of sports and culture takes, comedy sketches, and Morgan’s love-hate relationship with the Dallas Cowboys.
The Volume’s lineup of content now offers more than 20 shows, among them including The Colin Cowherd Podcast, Club Shay Shay, The Draymond Green Show, and The Richard Sherman Podcast.
Championship Sunday in the NFL features two excellent matchups, and while the NFC Championship game featuring the Detroit Lions at the San Francisco 49’ers has its merit, the featured clash is definitely in the AFC. It is a classic bout – the established champion Kansas City Chiefs versus the team that has been close, but not close enough in the Baltimore Ravens.
Analysis and commentary on this game has been endless throughout the week, but the best look at the much anticipated game came from the guys at First Things First on FS1. One of the reasons might just be the personal stake that two of the show’s debaters have in the game. Nick Wright is an avid Chiefs fan and Chris Broussard is a Ravens maven.
On the Wednesday, January 24 edition, moderator Kevin Wildes was dishing dimes left and right to the pumped up Wright and Broussard leading to some explosive commentary. The trio used graphics, statistics, and lively repartee to give viewers an all-encompassing look at the AFC title game.
One of my favorite aspects of First Things First is the variety of personalities on the program. Each personae brings a different skill set and attitude to the airwaves. Broussard is a respected reporter, best known for his basketball acumen, but able to transport his knowledge and eloquence seamlessly across the sports landscape. Wildes provides a level of sanity to the program. His opinions are lucid, fact-filled, sarcastic when necessary and to the point.
And then there is Nick Wright – one of the most unique, grandiloquent, and at times mesmerizing personalities on sports television today. With his long hair and beard, depth of discussion, and vociferous confidence, he is a mystical cross between Jimmy “Mouth of the South” Hart, Roy Firestone, Jr., and Kenny Powers.
Wright and Broussard raised their games jousting on Chiefs-Ravens producing the best game preview and analysis of the week. This is the matchup everybody wanted to see, and the significance was not lost on the First Things First trio, all TV vets who know a good story when they see one.
The emotion of actually being fans of the teams buoyed the discussion. We are living in an age where television sports gabbers openly admit their allegiances to a given team – a move once considered taboo.
We know that NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe is an Eagles’ fan, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is a Steelers fan and Boston Connor Campbell of The Pat McAfee Show roots for the Patriots. I am good with this shift. It is cool for viewers to see that these television stars are just fans at heart. It connects them with fans and provides a parallel and common denominator.
First Things First showed a great graphic showing that the Ravens won 9 games against winning teams this season all by at least a 14 point margin. That was a telling statistic that I had not previously seen, a consistent strength of First Things First.
There are a lot of entertaining sports shows on television, but this program offers heretofore unknown stats and information. You actually learn something. Broussard floated the idea that the Chiefs could actually get blown out in the AFC Championship game causing Wright’s ire to begin to cook.
Wildes sensed that Wright was about to explode and reminded him not to be so angry when talking about the Chiefs. Honestly though, there is nothing like witnessing Wright’s facial expressions just before he speaks. It’s almost like watching a classic Jackie Gleason slow boil just before he unloads on Art Carney.
Wright furtively unfurls his wit and candor better than anyone on television. He starts at a calm and relaxed pace and rhythm, works up the dander and volume, and then explodes into his main point. On this occasion, he also ended with a quintessential Nick Wright quote, “I’m frustrated that I’m always right and no one listens.”
Wright called Broussard’s contention that the Ravens could blow out the Chiefs “disrespectful and ridiculous,” and countered with a graphic showing that the Chiefs have only one 14-plus point loss since Week 8 of the 2021 season including playoffs.
Broussard came back with a graphic showing that the 8 other teams that had blown out 6 or more teams with winning records all won the Super Bowl. It was like dueling graphics with Broussard on guitar and Wright on banjo. All we needed was Ned Beatty and a canoe.
Wright had a great line stating that every year, the Chiefs season starts in the AFC Championship game. He is correct. The Chiefs are the current incarnation of the dynastic Patriots. They are the big boys on the block. Each year, experts say they are not as strong, or this is the year someone can beat them, but nobody beats them.
In his banter with Wright, Broussard brings a refined cool. He knows what he’s talking about and explains his position clearly and concisely. Broussard and Wright are often at odds with each other but recognize that they are also working in concert, setting up each other’s retorts to an argument. There may be no better pair on television at doing this.
Wright agreed that this is definitely a different Chiefs’ team, less about prolific offense and more built on defense. He argued that this is a plus because they can still win without Mahomes dominating and threw out that stat that Kansas City has allowed 30-plus points only once in the last 35 games. Broussard added a counterpoint that the Ravens’ defense is historic leading the league in scoring defense, sacks, and takeaways.
The First Things First trio also talked history saying that Josh Allen versus Mahomes is not the latter day Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady, but that Lamar Jackson versus Mahomes could be if Jackson wins on Sunday. Wright had the final word on that averring that as of right now, Patrick Mahomes does not have a rival.
The lively analysis of the AFC Championship game continued with a discussion on how Mahomes thrives on bulletin board material and all doubters. On this edition, Wildes astutely played the role of narrator letting the thespians Broussard and Wright take center stage. Still, Wildes knows when to interject. He slyly gives his compadres just enough rope to either tie a slick slipknot or hang themselves.
The ultimate strength of First Things First is its ability to back up the bluster with bona fide facts. There are no weak links on this program, and no one person has to carry the conversation. These distinct personalities meld together and provide a tremendous back-and-forth with different perspectives and styles.
The police scanner told of a high-speed chase in progress near me. When I arrived, the runner had been stopped and arrested. As a young news reporter, I managed to get a few words with one of the officers involved and rolled tape. He told me what had happened and finished by saying, “We apprehended the suspect as he exited the vehicle.”
I grinned slightly.
“What’s wrong?”
Embarrassed, I said, “Oh, nothing but I wonder if you can give me that last part again, only this time say – ‘We caught the guy when he got out of the car’?”
The officer laughed and said sure, and he did.
I know that was unprofessional of me. I was a young knucklehead news pup. Luckily I had a cop with a sense of humor and I’m sure he told the story around the precinct.
As broadcast news professionals words are our tools. We shouldn’t tell our interview subjects how to speak, but learning to choose our own words carefully distinguishes our ability to accurately, concisely, and naturally tell a story. We need to speak simply. When we lapse into newspeak and cop talk we sound stiff, dull, and condescending. There’s no faster way to disconnect from our audience.
The U.S. Department of Justice provides a Media Relations Guide for law enforcement personnel who interact with reporters:
“Avoid legal terms, acronyms, and law enforcement lingo that the public may not understand. And whether your words are written or spoken, think of how they will sound when quoted. Consider providing your own quotable ‘sound bites.’”
That’s a pretty decent guide for broadcast reporters as well as federal agents and media relations officers. We all want to sound smart but going too far will slide us right into the BS zone. Listeners will get bored and sense they’re being gamed.
Police talk about suspects, subjects, persons of interest, and victims. They talk that way to avoid bias in legal proceedings. As reporters, we aren’t constrained from talking naturally as long as we don’t slander people or convict them by implication. We use cop talk as a crutch. Rather than simply saying a police officer shot a man we call it “an officer-involved shooting.” That’s what police call it but it doesn’t pass the human sniff test. To most people, it sounds like you’re trying to avoid the obvious: a cop shot a guy.
Freda Ross, longtime reporter and News Director at WBAP and KLIF, Dallas, explains her approach: “When coaching reporters, I tell them to listen to what the official is saying and then write it in everyday language that the average person can understand…The job of a good reporter is to comprehend what the newsmaker is saying and break it down for the listener.”
It should be as simple as that but something human happens to us when we sit down behind a microphone and keyboard: that natural tendency to sound smart and blow smoke; and more importantly, to avoid unforeseen legal problems. That’s why we soak ourselves in the words, “alleged” and “suspect”.
“Alleged” has been so overused and misused that it has become irrelevant. Choose a dictionary, they all say the same thing: “Alleged means ‘asserted to be true as described’ or ‘accused but not yet tried.’” – Black’s Law Dictionary 82 (8th Ed.2004)
Period.
If a crime occurred it is a fact, not an allegation. Yet, to shield ourselves from accusations of bias we write and talk about “alleged” murders, kidnappings, robberies, etc.
Excuse me, the guy was found with his hands tied and a bullet in his head. That’s not an allegation, it’s a murder. As a news person, you’re allowed to say that.
Here’s a piece of news copy I found in my morning rundown not long ago. Red highlighting is mine. Notice, the words “alleged victims” also appear at the bottom.
When I was working in Chicago at FM-101, our program director — former L.A. reporter Andy Friedman — started something I thought was brilliant. He walked into the newsroom one day and stuck some words on the wall; it was a literal and symbolic wall of words to be avoided.
“There are so many words you hear in crime stories, but not in conversations between ordinary people,” Andy explains. “Our idea was to have everyone contribute to a list of ‘police-ese’ words that we would not use on the air. These included things like, ‘traveled at a high rate of speed,’ ‘offenders were apprehended’ and ‘the motorist exited the vehicle.’ We made this a fun group exercise, but the message was serious. We wanted to relate to our audience by speaking like them.”
That wall was instructive and served as a constant reminder to all of us. As Andy hoped, everyone did contribute. It became a rallying point for writers, reporters, and hosts, where every newly posted word or phrase was proudly proclaimed, discussed, and cheered. That wall of banned words bound us to each other as news professionals and to the two-word cliche that kept us focused: Words matter.
Over the years I’ve started and abandoned many lists of words and phrases to be avoided, words I heard or read where I was working at the time. Though I am something of an obsessive word nerd, there didn’t seem to be a point for the list except as a reminder to myself and to vent my momentary professional frustration. Fortunately for us all, I have a former colleague and very close friend who may be as anal about it as I am.
My camping buddy, Bret Burkhart, holds more major news awards than anyone I know, including multiple Murrows, from his years of work at KGO in San Francisco. He’s now co-hosting afternoon drive at KCBS.
I asked Bret for his list and here’s what he gave me. It’s straight off the top of his head and only a start:
apprehend
pursuit
seize
authorities
300 block of (any given street or any address)
fatal or fatality
homicide
residence
notified
next-of-kin
approximately
vehicle
1-alarm fire (or 2 or 3 or 4)
officer-involved shooting
subject
suspect
altercation
discharge
interchanging burglary for robbery as if they’re the same thing
service weapon
using exact dates rather than just saying this Friday, next week, next month, etc.
press conference
officials
assembly district (any number – use the location)
legislators
using a question for a lede
tips in general: (I think the audience doesn’t need to be told to bring an umbrella or to wear sunscreen. Just give them the damn weather.)
infrastructure
beachgoers
eatery
traveling public
establishment
Again, this is Burkhart’s partial list. You don’t have to agree with all of it but, hopefully, you’ll bear down on the need to think about the words you use for clarity and believability.
Last year, CBS News Radio Vice President and General Manager Craig Swagler raised eyebrows by leaving his post after 22 years with the outlet. At the time of his departure, he mentioned he was moving to Baltimore to be closer to family. That job in Baltimore was as President and General Manager of Baltimore Public Media – A Your Public Radio Company.
Many in the industry wondered what would lead Swagler to depart CBS News Radio. But like many others, the COVID-19 pandemic allowed the longtime executive the opportunity to reassess his professional priorities and passions.
“Many people went through that kind of journey during the pandemic, kind of just taking stock of things, and I, like many others did the same,” said Swagler. “CBS went through a lot of change and I was looking at things that would align with my passions, and my drive towards why radio was so important to me. And it’s the impact piece; it’s the making a difference. It’s why I got into journalism. It’s why I am radio.”
During that reassessment, Swagler realized some hard truths about that point of his career.
“It felt that I was not as effective at the organization I was at, being able to achieve that. So I began to look at different areas, and was always a big fan of public media and public radio for what it was achieving in the sense that it was having much more substantive conversations about things than what was happening in the commercial radio world,” Swagler added.
“I’m very proud of many that were created at CBS that do that, and are still there to this day, but it wasn’t the day in day out component of the content. We have very short content. It’s about the mission of what it’s there for, and commercial radio is ultimately there at the end of the day — like any commercial business — to make a profit. That is central to its survival.”
The creativity public media — both news/talk and music stations — allowed was enticing to Swagler.
“Being in an organization where the first discussion is about creativity, community impact and effectiveness and not about profitability was a very exciting concept to me, because I believed like the old saying, content is king,” admitted Swagler. “If you’re so hyper-focused on the dollar piece of it, you missed the whole value proposition of why this business exists, and the unique, creative ability that radio can only deliver and I think in many areas, and many businesses across this country where radio stations are being affected by that.”
Many radio stations around the country feature executives and leaders at the local level who only have experience in the sales arena. Craig Swagler has an extensive background in programming and content and believes leaders must have a deep knowledge and understanding of that area of the business.
“It’s absolutely essential. I cannot be an effective leader, advocator, and the biggest cheerleader of the organization — my job is to go out and find money from a donor perspective from advertisers in the underwriting world and also from grants, in a very senior leadership position.
“How can I be successful in doing that if I don’t have a good concept around what we’re actually executing on air, what we’re trying to accomplish, and the people we’re trying to reach?,” he said. “Now, it’s not efficient or healthy for me to understand every element of how the sausage is made and be a micromanager, but I do need to understand fundamentally what we’re trying to do, and to set the scene of making sure that our vision and our mission that I’m talking about allows aligns with our execution.
“We’d have a very big problem, if I’m out, or any leader, is out in a community advocating for something we’re doing and it is not exactly what we’re doing, or aligning with what we’re trying to accomplish.
“So I think it’s very important to have an understanding of the programming because you’re a better salesperson. You’re a better advocate if you understand what you’re trying to advocate for. And you have an intimate knowledge of the importance that it plays in the community’s lives. I get down in the weeds to understand those things. I think that’s absolutely important.”
Like many forms of media, NPR and Public Radio as a whole have been faced with charges of political bias since the rise of former President Donald Trump. Many on the conservative side of the political aisle often argue that the medium should see its funding removed, and claim taxpayer dollars are being used in disinformation and propaganda campaigns.
However, Craig Swagler defended NPR and public radio from such claims, arguing that critics, rather than the outlet, are the biased ones.
“I think the biggest problem is that the American people have a problem with seeking affirmation, not information. There is a desperate need to be affirmed of the world you live in, and is comfortable than to be questioning anything, and to be challenged upon your view of the world,” Swagler stated. “NPR does that and they do it very directly. Now, if that’s viewed as liberalism, I’ll stand there all day.”
He added that NPR’s news product doesn’t dabble in commentary and editorializing like other media outlets, and that’s a large distinction.
“I would disagree very strongly that NPR has a slant or a bias to their reporting, any more than any other legitimate news organization that is in that space,” he said. “I would say that there are many news organizations out there that do have biases built into them that lean both to the proverbial right and left. Many of them live in the cable world. And many of them, ultimately, they put on the persona by calling them a news organization, but at the end of the day, they are not news they’re giving commentary.”
While many critics argue that federal funding shouldn’t be used to prop up public radio, Craig Swagler shared that the perception that the network and outlets are fully funded by taxpayer dollars is nothing close to reality.
“Something that people aren’t aware of — that I wasn’t aware of until I came here — is that the amount of money we get from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the smallest amount compared to our own P&L. It is not a lot of money,” he admitted. “The majority of our money has to be raised by our community.
“So it’s really, when we say we’re a community broadcaster, the guy giving us $10, which is no different than someone deciding whether they’re gonna subscribe to Netflix or some other kind of service, but the value proposition you’re investing in an organization that’s going to be beholden and responsible to the community, we have to have public meetings, we have to be involved in a community outreach group. It’s a very different value and responsibility level than what the commercial broadcasters live in.”
Sports Illustrated host Robin Lundberg is getting out in front of his potential exit from the outlet. The former ESPN New York host launched his YouTube channel on Thursday.
“In the wake of some stuff that I’ve had going on in my life, I didn’t really know what to do, and this is what I know how to do,” Lundberg said in his first upload.
“It’s a tough situation to be in, and of course when something like that goes down, you start to wonder what’s gonna be next. And I don’t have the answers to that. I don’t,” he said.
Lundberg remembered back to being part of 2017 layoffs at ESPN and having to go to a wedding a few days later where a lot of his ESPN colleagues would be. Lundberg said it was advice he remembered getting from legendary voiceover artist Jim Cutler that helped spark his decision to give YouTube a try.
“He says to me, ‘I’m a huge fan of yours,'” Lundberg said. “He says, ‘You’ve got an edge. You’ve got something a lot of people here don’t have.'”
“He told me back then, ‘You should do YouTube,'” he added. “He said, ‘You should do YouTube,’ and I got the SI job so quickly. I got the SI job so quickly that I just never got on it.”
Robin Lundberg felt like he was so engulfed in making the most of his role at SI that he never gave much thought to getting into the YouTube space on his own.
“YouTube never jumped to mind as the thing I needed to get on and the thing I needed to do – until now,” he said. “Because I don’t know what to do. I’m just being real with you. I don’t know. I’m still employed, I’m still getting a paycheck. I don’t want to do anything to risk that. My family’s right upstairs.”
“In this time of uncertainty, I’m gonna do what I know how to do,” Lundberg added. “And I’m gonna follow Jim Cutler’s advice.”
Finding the right price for advertising should be a win-win for small- to medium-sized business owners and media sales reps. If you want to purchase advertising from radio, tv, digital or print media representatives, here are some key tips to get the best deal and ensure both parties win. Optimizing your advertising investment will guarantee that every buck spent contributes to your bottom line.
Knowledge is Power
To understand what the market bears, you must start with research and a realistic understanding of market rates. Say you are interested in purchasing radio airtime from your favorite station. If you want to buy commercials during the morning drivetime, find out what the top stations charge and how much audience they deliver. At times, you will find that some stations may have a smaller audience, but it is a valuable niche that the station has plenty of demand for but not enough supply. Other stations may have massive audience numbers, and if you purchase enough ads or a long-term agreement, they may be willing to offer discounts. Realistic expectations based on market knowledge can be a powerful tool during negotiations. Without doing your homework, you can fall victim to unrealistic expectations for pricing and cut off a more robust relationship.
When reaching out to media outlets, make sure you are genuinely interested in their inventory, and ask them directly about any promotional packages or how you can achieve a discount off their rate cards. Doing so can create an atmosphere of collaboration during the negotiation process.
Know Your Budget For Advertising
Establishing a budget range early on gives a clear path for negotiation. Please read this to determine your spending level because it is critical to helping the media salesperson present realistic options. Be flexible, though, in defining your length of advertising investment. On average, if you decide to spend less than you can, it will take longer to get your desired results. If you seek immediate results, you may need to pay more to break through the clutter and reach buyers in the market RIGHT NOW. Know what you want and can afford to do.
Negotiation on the length of investment and the amount spent can help with ad placement and frequency. Make sure you explore packaging options for multiple platforms or time slots, maximizing the exposure of your advertising efforts. Most radio and TV stations have digital options that help surround your customer and can lift overall results when used with over-the-air commercials. By adding radio advertising to your internet or digital campaign, you can expect a 15-18% increase in effectiveness for your overall campaign. Consider the price you pay if you buy a meal ala carte versus a “full meal deal.”
Build Bridges, Don’t Burn Them
Focus on building a long-term partnership rather than settling for a one-time deal. Nobody gets in better shape by exercising only one week a month. Stick with it! If you have some existing partnerships that a media company may profit from being involved with, invite them to submit a proposal.
Be patient with this process. Take the time to build a rapport with the sales rep. Remember, it’s not just about getting the best price; it’s about tapping into the rep’s resources to build a strategy that works for you. By telling a rep their prices are too high and you see no value in what they offer, you may not get any further with them. On average, the media rep will tell you what you can achieve and by when with the money you have available to spend. Think partnership, not win-lose relationship.
Invest, Don’t Buy
Negotiating media advertising for your SMB requires a strategic approach beyond the transactional. You can create authentic win-win situations by doing the research, being flexible, and focusing on relationship-building. Ensure every advertising dollar invested generates a long-term result that will compound your return.
Sports Illustrated writer and host-in-limbo, Jimmy Traina, addressed the publication’s issues on his podcast and discussed it further with NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt, a longtime fan of SI.
On the latest SI Media Podcast, Jimmy Traina addressed the elephant in the room — the news that his company, Sports Illustrated, laid off its entire editorial staff due to a licensing issue between its parent company Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and The Arena Group. Traina begins with a brief discussion of the news and his status as of now:
“I can’t tell everyone out there how much I appreciate the reaching out, the kind words for my work. It was really overwhelming on Friday, I heard from so many people about the podcast continuing and being a fan. I do appreciate it. I’m not really going to get into it in full right now because there’s a lot of stuff that still has to be worked out and I don’t want to get into it until that happens.
Here’s what I can tell you: Sports Illustrated is still functioning, we’re still running. Despite people saying Sports Illustrated is over — we’re not over. We’re still in business, we’re still functioning. There’s some business stuff at the top that’s way out of my stratosphere that’s going on…and they need to settle some things. I’d rather talk about this in full in a couple weeks…when things get straightened out.
For your purposes, the pod is still here right now, my column is still here right now. I don’t know what’s going to happen 1,2,3,4 months from now, but right now we’re here, and I’ve been told that we’re going to be here for a little while at least, and we’ll see what happens.”
Following his brief monologue, Traina welcomed Brandt, who began his appearance with kind words about SI and the company’s future. “I could not join you on this program without starting by saying that I am chagrined, concerned, and crestfallen about some of the news I am seeing about the Sports Illustrated brand,” Brandt said. “I fully support it, I was raised on it…I think it forged a relationship with my father — and it’s not just nostalgia, I think it’s highly important today…I just want to acknowledge that to anybody and everybody who is listening particularly people of influence, it is that important and that special to so many people in this country and I’m one of them.”
