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6 Radio Pet Peeves

Peter Thiele
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6 Radio Pet Peeves

I am an angry little man who has a laundry list of things that drive me nuts. The radio stuff is almost pervasive in our industry. So, here is a small sample of things that irritate the hell out of me…

I love keeping things conversational. While I was working in Alabama there were two towns, Gurley (pronounced “Girlie”) and Warrior. There was a news story about “Gurley Man Shoots Warrior Woman.” Writing “Man From Gurley Shot His Girlfriend From Warrior” makes so much more sense. Now, if the term Florida Man is used, fine, we know that mayhem will ensue in the coming sentences. “Tuesday morning at 6 AM.” I have heard more than I can stomach. Say “Tuesday morning at 6” or “This morning at 11.” It is more conversational and direct. “Tonight at 6 PM.” That makes me mad as hell.

People who mispronounce words and just don’t care. I had a news guy who was amazing in almost anything that he did but he could not pronounce the word “Eastern.” He said “Eastren.”  Not kidding. This really good guy and hardworking news dude could say the word “Western.”  So, I told him to avoid the word. He occasionally said the word, “Eastren.”

I had another radio news anchor who could not say “Vehemently.” She continually pronounced the word, “Va – Home – Ently”. When I corrected her, she went bonkers. I said, “Don’t be mad at me, it’s not my fault. Check the dictionary.”  The anchor said that I humiliated her. I let her know that she humiliated herself every time she said, “Va – Home – Ently” on the air. You are on the air.  Don’t come across as a moron! 

People who say that they cannot learn. I have spoken with these people. It’s so frustrating.  Life is about learning. There is never enough knowledge that you can obtain. I learn so much every day. I just moved after accepting a new job, and I am learning roads, restaurants, radio automation systems, and staff members’ names. It is exciting to learn these things. 

I am not in my 20s anymore. Let’s talk about when we were young. Gen Z, I am talking to you creeps. I was the smartest man alive in my late teens through my 20s. As time has gone on, I realized that I didn’t know that much. Learn from the cotton heads. These people know stuff.  I told my grandfather about how amazing it was that he was alive and sharp in his 80s. Gramps took a sip from his cocktail and said this… “It’s great to have lived so long. I got to see my grandchildren grow up. The tough part is that nearly all my lifelong friends have died.” I was 20. I now realize how stupid my statement was. My grandfather’s wisdom is with me to this day. 

I have a friend who is always bitching about his health. He is diabetic and seemingly has never had it under control. So, I asked him a few questions. What are you eating?  “Pop tarts, Nutrigrain Bars, Lucky Charms, Pasta…” Dude, have you ever thought of taking out the carbs?  His answer was, “Why?” I told him that Carbs become sugar. I asked him if he had ever gone to a nutritionist. “Yes.” Pop Tarts? The dude said “Pop Tarts have vitamins.”

Show some intellectual curiosity. We are given one life. We have all committed transgressions against our own bodies. How much exercise are you doing? How is your drinking? Are you eating nutritionally dense foods? Do you smoke? It ticks me off when people don’t realize the gift that we are given. It ticks me off when great people are not living their best lives. 

Here is something else that I hate: Not reaching your potential. We all have special gifts. We also have our limits. Take it to your capacity. When was the last time that you put yourself in a position where you could fail? Lots of people are frightened to fail. If you are scared to fail, you will never succeed. What is the summit of Mount Everest for you?  

I scream at terrible drivers. Focus on the damn road. I had not lived in a community with consistent winter weather in a decade. Des Moines got hammered with 20 inches of snow and -17 weather in my first week here. I drove in every day and watched the shockingly frequent vehicles in the ditch. I white-knuckled my driving on the first day of the weather events. 

Negative people really enrage me. If everything is terrible, reassess. If everyone is stupid, change your thinking. In my radio career, I have had unique opportunities. I once had breakfast at the Harvard Club in Manhattan, and I didn’t go to Harvard. I was a ham and egger.  Regular guy. To be completely candid, I used to sit with truckers every Saturday Morning at the Waffle House. These people were more well-read than most folk that I have met. Be positive.  Be grateful. 

Ok, this is what angers me. Not all of it pertained to radio. But now I wonder if I am truly an angry little man.

Kevin Burkhardt Reveals How He Stays Grounded Before Calling NFL Games

BSM Staff
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Kevin Burkhardt Reveals How He Stays Grounded Before Calling NFL Games

FOX NFL play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt knows games like the Super Bowl are not just another game. Whether it’s the NFC Championship game or the World Series, Burkhardt recognizes the magnitude of the event, but his approach to working those broadcasts doesn’t change.

Burkhardt was the guest on Jay Glazer’s podcast Unbreakable, and Glazer asked what the announcer’s attack for a game like the NFC title game on Sunday.

Kevin fell back on his decades of experience in the business, especially the last 10 or so working as the number two NFL play-by-play voice at the network behind Joe Buck before he and Troy Aikman left for ESPN. He’s become the new number-one NFL voice for FOX with Greg Olsen since then.

“I had done a decade of football at FOX so the games weren’t new to me,” Burkhardt said. “I’ve done the World Series and hosted that and handed away the trophy in the World Series, which is about as nerve-wracking as it gets.”

When talking about calling the Super Bowl last year for the first time, Kevin said the stretch of time leading to his arrival in Phoenix drove up his nerves.

“I gotta tell you, doing that for the first time, it was the week leading up that had me anxious,” he said. “It wasn’t the game. As crazy as that sounds, I know 115 million people watched it. But it was just getting to the game. It was the anxiety of like staying healthy, not getting sick, making sure you’re taking care of all your prep. Doing X, Y, and Z and all the other stuff that comes along with Super Bowl week as you’ve done a million times.”

“It was all of that, and I felt like, of course, there’s pressure,” Burkhardt continued. “You go into that, you know if you handle it, you feel great about yourself, you’re in a good spot. And if you don’t, it could kill your career. It’s a lot of pressure. So I will say the Sunday when I woke up the day of the game, I felt so good. My mind was clear, and it just felt like, ‘OK, I’ve done a million of these games. There’s just more people watching this one.’ At that point, it did feel like another game to me.”

Kevin said it’s a balancing act you have to do. You know it’s a huge game or a huge moment, but at the same time the stage doesn’t change how you handle your business.

“I would say everything else leading up to it, if you say it’s another game, I agree it’s horseshit. It’s not,” he said. “But if you approach it different, like if your prep is different, and if you think about it differently and you psych yourself up in a different way, I think you fail. I take the same approach – and this I mean – I take the same approach and the same excitement level for our preseason game as I did for the big playoff games. Cause I don’t know any other way. I can’t cheat on the test. I can’t skimp on prep. I’m just not wired that way. So that’s what helps me.”

Glazer asked what Burkhardt does to combat nervousness prior to a big broadcast, and Kevin said he just tries to live in the moment and trust all the prep and work he’s put in prior to getting behind the microphone.

“If you can’t enjoy this, then what are we even doing?” he asked. “And that doesn’t mean that you’re not stressed, that you’re not nervous, that you don’t get exhausted. Like that’s normal stuff. Just because we love what we do and we have an amazing job doesn’t mean all of that doesn’t come into play, cause it does.”

“But I mean reality, like going back to the Super Bowl stuff, I said to myself, if I’m not going to enjoy this, why have I done this for the last 30 years of my life?” Burkhardt added. “This is everything you dream of as a kid. Have fun with it and let the chips fall where they may. I’m a firm believer in that. Here’s the deal. Go out swinging, be yourself, and then where things go, they go. That’s the only thing you can control. I can’t control if certain things happen and if people like it or they don’t. But I feel good about myself if I’m gonna enter it and be me and do it my way.”

If Tom Brady Bumps Greg Olsen on FOX, CBS Should Pair Him with Jim Nantz

Andy Masur
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If Tom Brady Bumps Greg Olsen on FOX, CBS Should Pair Him with Jim Nantz

It was a great Divisional Round game in Buffalo last weekend. The Bills and the Chiefs went back and forth before Kansas City escaped with a win to head to yet another AFC Championship game. The Buffalo fan base was once again bitten by a field goal that went “wide right”, which could have tied the game. Tyler Bass’ 44-yard attempt sailed well wide and Jim Nantz in the CBS booth was all over it, nailing the significance of the miss.

“Wide right. The two most dreaded words in Buffalo.” The miss reopened a wound, with memories of the first “wide right” suffered on Jan. 27, 1991, when Scott Norwood missed a 47-yard kick, “wide right”, in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXV. The miss allowed the Giants to win the game 20-19.

Nantz was up to the task the entire game, proving once again why he is one of the best to ever call NFL games. Then there was his partner, Tony Romo. I know I wrote about him a couple of weeks ago, lamenting how ill prepared he is for games, but I watched the game and found myself shaking my head time and time again. I’m not sure why he feels the need to cover all the down time in between plays with senseless ramblings about nothing. This isn’t Seinfeld, it’s the NFL and it’s a game to determine who heads to the championship game. It was a game between two of the best quarterbacks, who have developed a friendship along with a rivalry. In other words, the game had meaning. Romo wasn’t up to it.

CBS executives have to be scratching their heads at this point. They are financially invested in a big way. Romo burst on the scene in 2017 as the bright new analyst with the ability to predict plays before they happened. But something has changed in the last few years and not for the better.

There is a simple solution to this. Ok maybe not simple, because it would involve lots of cash being paid out, but a change is needed. If I’m CBS, I am on the phone with Greg Olsen’s agent YESTERDAY, about joining the number one booth on the network. Olsen is likely to be squeezed out when FOX brings in the unproven, big name, Tom Brady next season. Olsen is very good and getting better. Kevin Burkhardt and Olsen have each proven their worth to FOX, but the higher ups at the network have fallen in love with a name (Brady) and show no signs of turning back.

Olsen deserves a chance to stay in a high-profile spot. His analysis is excellent, you can tell he’s prepared for every broadcast and he understands the job. Tell people in terms they can understand what is going on during a game. He’s not polished by any stretch, but that’s good. Olsen isn’t trying to be somebody else, what you see is what you get. That’s refreshing. He’s approaching the future in a practical manner.

“I was confident in myself that I could take advantage of this opportunity for as long as it lasted.” Olsen told Waddle and Silvy on ESPN 1000 earlier in the week. “We went in to it thinking it would be one year, ended up being two years. I got twice as much and we will see if there is a third. We will see what happens.” Olsen is no stranger to the competitive nature of the NFL, having been a player he understands the nature of the beast.

Olsen is exactly what CBS needs alongside Nantz. He doesn’t try too hard to be funny, or interesting or any of that. He understands the importance of the job his play-by-play partner and exists in the booth, knowing he’ll have his time to make a point. Forcing it doesn’t do anybody a lick of good. Viewers know when an analyst extends himself/herself. Most of the time those results reach the point of the viewer saying “what are they talking about?”

It’s hard to question Romo’s credentials as I stated a couple of weeks ago. The man knows the game of football. He can point out things as a former QB that most of us don’t see. Pulling guards, cover two, cover zero and check downs. But its seemingly what happens in between plays that gets him in trouble on CBS. There were several blunders in last Sunday’s game alone.

To start the game, CBS cameras had a shot of Patrick Mahomes on the screen, Nantz says, “Tonight there are 70-thousand plus, rooting against him.” Very salient point, since it was the QB’s first road playoff game. What followed should have tipped everyone off it was going to be a long night. Romo exclaimed, “Well, that’s how many fans I play in front of, normally at my house, they pretend like they’re all there, but there’s zero.” Huh?

Late in the game with the Bills driving, Josh Allen faced a 3rd and 9 with around 2 minutes to go. Allen missed an open man over the middle and a throw to the endzone was well off the mark. It was hard to tell live if something affected the throw. After seeing the replay, Allen was pressured but not hit. Somehow even after watching that same replay, Romo gave Allen a free pass on the play, “He gets hit right when he throws it. It’s not a missed throw.” He didn’t get touched.

NFL history was a problem too. In the opening minute of the game, Buffalo tight end Dalton Kincaid batted a fumbled Bills ball out of bounds to prevent a recovery from Kansas City. 

But Kincaid’s batted ball traveled forward and out of bounds, earning the Bills an illegal batting penalty. Romo said, “That’s the old Franco Harris play.” Wrong. Harris was involved in the “Immaculate Reception”, it was Dave Casper, the former Raiders tight end that caused that rule to come into effect with the “Holy Roller.”

Even pop culture eluded Romo again. When Taylor Swift was shown on camera, Travis Kelce’s brother Jason was in the shot, without a shirt, drinking a beer. Directing commentary to Swift, “There’s your brother-in-law, right behind you,” Romo said. Nope. Taylor and Travis still aren’t married.

His enthusiasm gets away from him and often it sounds like he loses his way as he’s trying to make a point.  I’m not against an analyst being exuberant in the booth when appropriate, but Romo is using that emotion to hide underlying issues, like getting things right. It’s not clear to me whether or not Romo is still having fun, or cashing a paycheck? A hefty one at that after signing a reported 10-year deal worth 170-million dollars.

I know the job isn’t an easy one. You open yourself up for criticism, fair or unfair. Fans are never going to be completely satisfied and that’s ok. That’s not the issue. Fans deserve an analyst that’s prepped and ready for every game and has a good grasp on the game and its history.

Romo doesn’t need the job, he did very well for himself as a quarterback for the Cowboys. The only things in question, is he enjoying it? Is he evolving? Does he still want to do this? The network is going to have to take a long hard look at the future. Olsen is just that. He may not be as ‘personable’ or ‘excitable’ as Romo, but the work he’s done to this point speaks for itself.

Nick Kayal: MSNBC Hosts Committing Career Suicide With Coverage of Donald Trump

BNM Staff
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MSNBC has continually received criticism for its failure to air live speeches from former President Donald Trump. 1210 WPHT host Nick Kayal shared his displeasure with the move, and questioned if hosts on the network understand the damage they’re doing to their careers in the process.

On Tuesday evening, MSNBC continued its policy of not airing Trump speeches live after his victory in the New Hampshire primary. During Kayal and Company, Nick Kayal questioned the motives of the networks.

“MSNBC will not cover anything Trump that’s positive. But when he has his day or days — and there’s lots of days — in court, they go with coverage,” said Kayal. “So they will really only show the left-wing viewer Trump in a negative light. They won’t show him in victory. They won’t show him smiling. They won’t show him laughing or having a good time congratulating Ron DeSantis retiring ‘DeSanctimonious’, things like that.”

Nick Kayal continued by questioning the overall direction of cable news, and wondered why the networks would spite themselves in their coverage of Trump.

“We can definitely tell from the MSNBC perspective — and to a little bit of a lesser extent CNN — they just will not show Trump in any positive frame or light,” continued Kayal, “which is also if you think about it, in many regards, career suicide for them. Because CNN’s ratings were at their best during the Trump presidency. So it’s fascinating that they’re willing to cut off their nose to spite their face with this moral journalistic duty.”

News Media Reacts to Jon Stewart Returning to The Daily Show

BNM Staff
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It was announced Wednesday that former The Daily Show host Jon Stewart would return to the Comedy Central program to host the Monday edition each week through the 2024 Presidential Election.

Stewart helmed the program for 16 years before stepping away in 2015. He was replaced by Trevor Noah, who departed the show last year.

Since departing the show, Stewart launched a program with AppleTV — The Problem with Jon Stewart — which he eventually exited due to “creative differences” with the streaming platform and its executives over the content of the show.

On a Tuesday through Thursday basis, the program will be anchored by a rotating cast of correspondents from the show.

Stewart made the announcement on social media, joking that he was announcing his move to the “transfer portal”, similar to college football players.

In response, several news media figures opined about Stewart’s high-profile return to television. Sentiments ranged from excitement to disappointment, to mocking his need for attention and questioning the timing of the move.

NPR Names Katherine Maher New President and CEO

BNM Staff
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NPR has announced it has named Katherine Maher as its new President and CEO. She will replace outgoing CEO John Lansing, who announced his intention to retire last year.

Currently, Maher is the CEO of Web Summit and also serves on its board of directors. Previously, she served as the CEO of Wikimedia Foundation, the parent company of Wikipedia. She led the organization for seven years, including a fundraising drive that ensured the digital platform remained financially sustainable for years to come.

“We are delighted to welcome Katherine Maher to lead NPR into its next chapter,” said Jennifer Ferro, Chair of the NPR board. “The board searched for a leader with the ability to reach audiences on new and existing platforms and leverage the network of local organizations that are providing high quality, relevant content to 99% of the country. Katherine is an extraordinary leader who has tackled the issues around reliable and accessible information for all.”

“NPR has been a lifelong part of my soundscape, expanding my worldview and stoking my curiosity. NPR inspired in me an appreciation for the power of civic institutions and a commitment to free inquiry and information,” Maher said. “As NPR’s mission of informing America continues to grow more essential; so too does our need to reinvent and reimagine ourselves in step with our ever-changing world. I am tremendously excited to take on this challenge and join NPR as a steward of our mission and founding values of news, curiosity, and culture for a diverse, robust public trust.”

Katherine Maher will begin her duties on Monday, March 25th.

Dennis Prager Inks Extension With Salem Media Group for Shortened Show

BNM Staff
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Dennis Prager has signed an extension to keep The Dennis Prager Show with Salem Media Group. However, he’ll shrink the show from three hours down to two.

In a press release, Salem claims it was Prager’s idea to shrink the program so he could focus on completing a five-volume commentary on the Bible, and other books.

As a result of the lack of a third hour, Dennis Prager will host an additional five-minute segment at the beginning of each hour of his shortened show, allowing listeners the “opportunity to hear what’s on Dennis’s mind straight up at the top of the hour”. according to a release from the network.

“I love Salem and have enormous gratitude for this partnership over the last 25 years when I became a nationally syndicated host with Salem,” said Prager. “I am blessed to have the daily opportunity to influence America’s culture for good and I think listeners will really appreciate the new added talk-time in each of my two hours.”

“Dennis Prager is a true talk radio icon and has been for the last 42 years since he first began on the radio at KABC in Los Angeles hosting the original ‘Religion on the Line,’” added Salem Senior Vice President of Spoken Word Phil Boyce. “Millions of listeners spend the day with Dennis, enjoying his wit, wisdom, and knowledge. He is one of the most viral talk hosts on the air today, and we wanted him to remain on the Salem Radio Network for years to come.”

In the place of Prager’s final hour, Salem Radio Network will offer affiliates The Charlie Kirk Show.

Prager has been part of the Salem Radio lineup since 1999, and while a timeframe wasn’t placed on his new deal, the company claims he will remain a staple of the network “for the foreseeable future”.

Mark Dondero Is Leaving WEEI For 98.5 The Sports Hub

BSM Staff
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Mark Dondero Is Leaving WEEI For 98.5 The Sports Hub

Mark Dondero, who has been heard on WEEI for the last seven years, is headed across the street to 98.5 The Sports Hub. Dondero announced the move by posting a video to his X account.

According to a report from the Boston Herald, Dondero will be a part-time, on-air host, mainly on weekends. In a statement to the newspaper, a 98.5 spokesperson said, “Similar to our other part time hosts, he will occasionally fill in during the week to help cover vacations, holidays, etc.”

Dondero has most recently been heard as co-host of the Mark and Kichen Show with Ben Kichen on WEEI. In a video posted to his X account, Dondero said, “The list of things that I enjoy doing more than a radio show with Ben Kichen is not long.”

Dondero continued about Kichen, “Obviously I’ve learned a ton from him. About the radio business, talking in general,” he said. “And I’ll say this, Ben Kichen is a star and an underrated talent in this business, whether you’ve heard of him or not. And it has been an absolute joy and pleasure to work with him on the air for almost seven years.”

Report: Barstool Sports, DraftKings Near Agreement on Sports Betting Deal

BSM Staff
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Report: Barstool Sports, DraftKings Near Agreement on Sports Betting Deal

Barstool Sports is back in the gambling space following news of a partnership with DraftKings. The deal would make DraftKings Sportsbook the preferred gambling app of Barstool, where the company would then promote lines and provide promo codes for new signups.

According to Sportico, the deal will be, “a multiyear deal that will pay Barstool in the low eight figures per year.” Nothing concrete can be announced until after the Super Bowl due to Barstool’s ongoing separation from former owners Penn Gaming.

Last year, Penn sold Barstool back to founder Dave Portnoy for $1 following plans to harness Barstool’s rabid audience to promote the Barstool Sportsbook, a wagering app with Barstool branding and exclusive plays from Barstool talent. Unfortunately, the app never met Penn’s expectations, and the company instead partnered with ESPN to launch ESPN Bet. Former CEO Erika Ayers Badan said the partnership between Penn and Barstool “was not working” and ultimately led to the two sides parting ways.

It was only a matter of time until Barstool linked up with another online sportsbook. It has dedicated gambling shows like Barstool Sports Advisors and Barstool Picks Central. Even outside of dedicated gambling shows, the company’s talent discusses gambling on many of its popular podcasts and properties, including Pardon My Take, Spittin’ Chiclets, Barstool Radio, and more. The company also livestreams watch-along content from a room in the Barstool office called “The Gambling Cave,” making it all that more inevitable that a partnership with one of the major online sportsbooks was coming. There is also some synergy between Barstool and DraftKings, as former Barstool employee Jared Carrabis works for DraftKings.

The Ticket in Dallas Will Celebrate 30 Years All Year Long

BSM Staff
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The Ticket in Dallas Will Celebrate 30 Years All Year Long

Happy 30th birthday to The Ticket, Dallas-Fort Worth’s first all sports station. Cumulus Media announced KTCK The Ticket (96.7 FM/1310 AM), will be kicking off a year-long celebration starting with an event this Friday night at House of Blues in Dallas.

The station first hit the airwaves on the morning of January 24, 1994, and is a four-time winner of the NAB Marconi Award, capturing the coveted honor in 2007, 2013, 2017, and 2021. The Marconi Award recognizes the Best All-Sports Station in the U.S.

In addition to generating high ratings and garnering national awards, The Ticket is very involved in the local community and has raised over $12 million dollars for local non-profit organizations and causes.

Jeff Catlin, Program Director, Sportsradio 96.7 FM and 1310 AM The Ticket, said: “The relationship we have with our listeners over the past three decades is special. Nobody takes that for granted and everyone at The Ticket works extremely hard to honor it every day.”

The Ticket’s 30th Birthday Party will be followed by a two-day “Ticketstock” event on February 23rd and 24th at the Plano Event Center. The 30th Birthday celebration will continue with special events and promotions to be announced throughout the year.

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