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MLB Now’s Roster Depth Was the Perfect Trade Deadline Call up for Baseball Fans

John Molori
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MLB Now’s Roster Depth Was the Perfect Trade Deadline Call up for Baseball Fans

MLB Network has built a rugged and powerful roster of daily programs that cover the game from all angles. One of those shows is MLB Now, hosted by the terrific Brian Kenny. The former ESPN stalwart is one of the network’s true stars. The quintessential analytics guy, all about baseball’s statistics, tendencies, and percentages.

This past week, Jamison Coyle filled in as host of MLB Now, and the program did not miss a beat. Coyle joins analyst and former Major Leaguer Chris Young and New York Post columnist and MLB Network insider Joel Sherman on this episode.

Coyle, Young, and Sherman made for a combination as smooth as Tinkers to Evers to Chance. MLB Now is not a show where you are going to hear many bodacious opinions or controversial bluster. Instead, it is a true discussion show that dives into the intricacies and inner workings of the game while still offering insightful takes on the day’s highlights and headlines.

It is an important time in the MLB season. True contenders are revealing themselves. The “wait till next year” clubs are planning for 2027, and the MLB Trade Deadline is fast approaching on August 3. Baseball has been especially exciting over the past month, led by the always-interesting Boston Red Sox, who have transformed from awful to awesome.

This is a perfect time to sit back and watch Coyle, Young, and Sherman ply their respective crafts on MLB Now.

A Triple Play

Coyle has always delivered, whether serving as the lead host or stepping in off the bench. He is a solid, meat-and-potatoes sports broadcaster who commands attention and runs a show extremely well. Coyle always arrives prepared and gets the very best out of his analysts.

Sherman brings print journalism integrity to the program, but he is hardly a paper-and-ink relic. This cat has been all over MLB Network and the internet recently, reporting on and discussing potential trade scenarios and teams to watch.

Young put this time of year into perspective by noting that every Major League team wants to make deals for a pennant run, but not every club can do it. He said some organizations need to be smart and think long term. Young is really good. He excels at analyzing the statistical side of the game while also bringing the gritty clubhouse experience of a former player. Young enjoyed a solid 13-year career with six teams. He wasn’t a superstar, but that varied experience adds credibility to his analysis.

If you asked me for one word to describe MLB Now, it would be “perspective.”

Coyle brings a savvy media perspective. Young offers the perspective that only a former player possesses. Sherman contributes the outsider’s perspective of a working writer and columnist. The trio is aided by a talented technical crew. The open is a visually vibrant artistic mishmash of baseball statistics and lingo. The lower-third and full-screen graphics constantly display pertinent statistics, while the ever-present crawl provides breaking news and headlines.

Together, they give viewers a colorful, hour-long look at Major League Baseball.

Sherman has the outward appearance of a baseball geek. However, if you listen to him, he is more of a baseball junkie. I like the way he digs beneath the surface and uncovers the real story. After Coyle and Young discussed the surging Texas Rangers winning three of four from the Mariners and taking first place in the AL West, Sherman shifted the conversation back to Seattle. He believes the Mariners were actually the bigger story.

He noted that Seattle was coming off an epic ALCS loss to Toronto and was under tremendous pressure to finally reach the World Series. With the help of a graphic, Sherman also pointed out that the Mariners had used only 10 starting pitchers since the start of the 2024 season. With arm injuries a constant in Major League Baseball, that is a true anomaly.

Coyle also orchestrated a lively conversation about which NL Wild Card contenders face the most pressure. Instead, Young pointed to the Diamondbacks. He said they are viewed as a small-market team but have consistently tried to make win-now moves.

I found myself locked in as a viewer because I genuinely wanted to hear what each panelist had to say. After running through highlights of the Marlins’ walk-off win over the Phillies, Coyle asked whether it was a bigger win for Miami or a worse loss for Philadelphia, which had fallen 5.5 games behind in the NL East.

Baseball Balance

MLB Now combines crunch with hunch. The program acknowledges today’s emphasis on analytics while still respecting the situational instincts of old-school baseball. The amount of information delivered through the hosts and graphics is impressive without becoming overwhelming. The show maintains a comfortable flow while providing thoughtful discussion.

Another telling graphic compared the American League Wild Card standings from July 3 to July 28. While the Yankees remained in front and the Guardians stayed in the top three, the Red Sox climbed from the bottom of the heap into the second Wild Card spot.

As Young alluded to earlier in the program, this is the time of year when Major League Baseball resembles the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, with several teams on the bubble deciding whether to become buyers or sellers. It is not really March Madness. More like July Jitters. Sherman pointed to the Detroit Tigers, who at the time sat six games back in the AL Central and four games out of a Wild Card spot. They were not top contenders, but they were hardly out of the race.

What does a team like that do at the Trade Deadline? Sherman provided an excellent breakdown of Detroit’s options.

MLB Now gets viewers involved through its “Thinking Fan” poll question. On this edition, fans were asked which division lead they believed would change before the end of the season. The results produced a close race among the AL Central, AL West, and AL East. Coyle discussed the results while graphics displayed fans’ social media posts, complete with their reasoning. The show concluded with more game highlights, a trivia question, and closing commentary. Sherman ended the show by arguing that the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies should move to a different point in the season so they are not overshadowed by marquee games and the Trade Deadline. It was a compelling point.

Major League Baseball is heading into its most exciting two months of the season, and MLB Now has elevated its game while strengthening an already impressive lineup for what should be a terrific stretch run.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Michael Wallace Had a Front Row Seat to the Birth of Worldwide News Network

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
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Michael Wallace Had a Front Row Seat to the Birth of Worldwide News Network

If you wake up with the Worldwide News Network, you’re likely to hear Michael Wallace. Launching in May of this year, Wallace told Barrett Media the whole thing came together in a matter of weeks, all thanks to Radio Hall of Famer Lee Harris.

“He got this whole thing up and running in about three weeks. They gave him the keys and said, ‘OK, we’re going to pay for this. You start it.'”

With 35 years in the business, including time at both WCBS and CBS News Radio as they shuttered the mics, Wallace had no trepidation about taking to the mic once more at a startup network.

Wallace was one of Harris’s first hires, and within three weeks, the network went live with a full staff. “[Lee Harris is] just a radio genius,” Wallace affirmed. “So I knew when they appointed him to run this new network — and, more importantly, to launch it — that he knew what he was doing, and I had full trust that he was going to be able to pull this off.”

Launching a New Radio Network

Calling the launch “really exciting and kind of scary,” Wallace, who was once Harris’s morning show competitor (Wallace on WCBS and Harris on 1010 WINS) for a decade, was elated to be the first anchor to go on air for the network’s launch.

“We went on the air May 23rd at midnight. He wanted me to anchor the first cast. I think I got in there at nine o’clock that night, and I hadn’t even seen the setup, the computer, or the board we were using,” Wallace recalled. “So I had to learn all of that real quick.”

The Worldwide News Network is live 24/7, meaning it is almost always the first to break news from across the world, including the death of Senator Lindsey Graham and the catastrophic flooding that hit Pakistan. “This is a global network. It’s not just the U.S. and Canada, like most of the other radio networks are.”

Wallace went on to note, “The whole world is a really big thing to cram into just three minutes at the top of that cast. There’s a lot of decision-making that has to happen about what we’re covering and how much time we’re giving to each story, because you don’t have a whole lot of time to do it. But that’s kind of the fun part of it.”

Straight News, No Opinion

Most importantly, Wallace stressed there is no opinion on the network. “We’re just giving you a very comprehensive view of what’s going on in the world. As Lee Harris is fond of saying, no opinion. We’re not like some of these other networks that have a slant or a bias. We’re just giving it to you straight, and I think a lot of people appreciate that.”

This may have been his first launch, but it’s not Wallace’s first radio rodeo. From listening to WBZ and WRKO in Boston, he went on to work at legendary stations like KTRH in Houston, WDBO in Orlando, the Wall Street Journal radio network, WCBS in New York, and CBS News Radio.

Of course, that meant learning to drop all the New England “R’s” along the way. “That was not easy. It’s funny — I have some tapes from my early college radio years, and we dug some up a few years ago when we were moving boxes around. I popped in a cassette and played it just to see what was on it,” Wallace recalled. “My wife kind of chuckled and said, ‘Oh, my God, listen to that Boston accent! Who was that?’ And I said, ‘That’s me!'”

From a Kid with a Tape Recorder to the Mic

Long before Michael Wallace had to tweak his accent, he was just Mike Wallace, a 10-year-old kid from Boston with a dream and a tape recorder. “I think it was my ninth or tenth birthday, and my parents got me a tape recorder, so for fun, I started walking around and interviewing people.”

It wasn’t until Wallace arrived in Houston that his news director asked him to go by Michael instead of Mike. “Even as Michael Wallace, when I would call people as a reporter at the time and ask to interview them, people would hang up on me — they still thought I was the tough-guy Mike Wallace, and they didn’t want anything to do with that.”

There is no relation between the two newsmen, and while they never met in person, Wallace was able to build a great rapport with the famed 60 Minutes anchor via email. “When I was at WCBS, I used to get his email all the time,” Wallace recalled. “The standard email at CBS was, you know, first name dot last name at CBS dot com. So that was my email. His email was MW at CBS dot com.”

Most people who were trying to reach the Wallace of 60 Minutes didn’t know about the mix-up. “Sometimes I would get his email, and I’d have to forward it to him. He would reply, ‘Thank you.'” Wallace added, “He was a good sport about it.”

Looking Toward the Future

After all this time, Wallace is still a big believer in the medium. “A lot of people say it’s dying and it’s gone, and they’ve been saying that ever since I joined the business.” He elaborated, “I’ve been doing news radio now for 35 years, and 35 years ago, people were saying people aren’t listening to radio that much. But we’re still going. There are still millions of people who listen to the radio every day, and some young people, too. I think you just can’t beat the immediacy of radio, especially for news.”

For young people who have caught the radio bug, Wallace truly believes, “Radio is here to stay in some way, shape, or form, whether it’s on AM or FM or in some sort of stream or on the internet. There’s always going to be demand for audio content.”

He believes the most important thing for success in radio is to “write, write, write.” He added, “You’ve got to work on your writing — make sure it’s quick, accurate, and concise.” If you have the ability to write well, Wallace believes there will always “be plenty of outlets and opportunities.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

WTOP Exits 103.9 FM as K-LOVE Signs Lease Deal with Hubbard

Garrett Searight
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WTOP Exits 103.9 FM as K-LOVE Signs Lease Deal with Hubbard

WTOP will soon leave 103.9 FM in Frederick. Hubbard has agreed to lease the signal to K-LOVE.

What We Know: Beginning Saturday, August 1, Hubbard will lease the 103.9 WTLP-FM signal to K-LOVE, ending WTOP’s simulcast on the translator after nearly two decades. The move affects WTLP-FM, a 350-watt Class A FM translator, while WTOP’s primary 44,000-watt Class B signal at 103.5 FM will continue serving the Washington, D.C. market. The arrangement runs through December 31, 2029, and will automatically extend for three additional years unless either party provides written notice of termination by March 31, 2029. WTLP-FM has carried a simulcast of WTOP since 2007. Although listeners in Frederick will lose the 103.9 FM simulcast, WTOP will remain available on its full-power 103.5 FM signal.

What They Said: “Our main signal on 103.5 FM covers most of Frederick County’s population. And with the advent of streaming, listeners can get us anywhere in the country.” -Hubbard Washington VP/GM Joel Oxley

What Remains Unclear: Hubbard hasn’t disclosed which Educational Media Foundation brand will ultimately occupy the signal. While the lease is with K-LOVE, the organization also operates Air1, and no programming plans have been confirmed. K-LOVE’s network already reaches portions of the Frederick area via 107.3 WLVW. It is also expected to be available on 100.7 WZBA following that pending acquisition.

What It Means: The lease allows Hubbard to streamline distribution of WTOP while relying on its stronger 103.5 FM signal. Meanwhile, K-LOVE gains another Washington-area outlet to strengthen its regional coverage, even as questions remain about which of its national brands will debut on 103.9 FM.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Dan Patrick Shares Concerns About Enjoying Retirement

John Mamola
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Dan Patrick Shares Concerns About Enjoying Retirement

Dan Patrick addressed his upcoming retirement again Wednesday. This time, he detailed the mindset driving it and the concerns that he has surrounding it.

What We Know: Patrick plans to retire from The Dan Patrick Show after Super Bowl LXII in Atlanta 2028. That’s roughly one and a half years away. He’s hosted the syndicated show since 2007, following his run at ESPN. Unlike that ESPN exit, though, Patrick wants this departure to feel earned. He discussed his feelings approaching retirement on Wednesday’s edition of The Dan Patrick Show.

What They Said: (All quotes via The Dan Patrick Show)

Dan Patrick on how he wants to retire from The Dan Patrick Show: “I want to go out where I’m proud of what I’m doing. I left ESPN and I wasn’t proud of what I was doing. Now it had nothing to do with my abilities. It just had to do with a mindset. ESPN had changed. I had changed, and I wasn’t proud of the last couple of years I did SportsCenter. But here, I do love coming in every single day.”Dan Patrick says his wife shares his concerns about being happy in retirement

Dan Patrick says his wife shares his concerns about being happy in retirement: “We’ve had discussions about this. And she said, “Are you going to be happy? Are you going to be able to watch the show? Are you going to be able to find other things to do?” Those are all concerns. Those are legitimate concerns that I have.”

Dan Patrick says he wants to ensure he leaves before his skills falter: “Part of the reason why I got to this point of this was going to be my last contract is I’m going to be close to being 72. Maybe that doesn’t sound ancient, but in this business it is. This is three hours every day, and it’s live. And I want to make sure I’m sharp.”

What Remains Unclear: It’s still unclear how Patrick will fill his routine once the show ends. Producer Seton O’Connor told Barrett Media earlier this year he has pitched several projects to work alongside Patrick following retirement.

What It Means: The vulnerability in Patrick’s remarks show true concerns. As any longtime sports radio talent would show with a devoted audience. There is still plenty to figure out following Patrick’s retirement regarding the future of the radio program and staff. His focus on his own concerns are just part of that process. For once, listeners get a candid look at retirement anxiety near the top of a career. Meanwhile, two seasons remain before Patrick closes one of sports radio’s most enduring runs.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Columbus Blue Jackets to Simulcast TV Broadcast on Radio, Bob McElligott Won’t Return

Garrett Searight
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Columbus Blue Jackets to Simulcast TV Broadcast on Radio, Bob McElligott Won’t Return

The Columbus Blue Jackets will unify their television and radio game coverage next season. Fans will hear the same broadcast on both platforms beginning in 2026-27.

What We Know: The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that every game broadcast will be simulcast across television and radio starting with the 2026-27 NHL season. As a result, the television audio feed will air throughout the club’s radio network, including flagship station 97.1 The Fan in Columbus. Steve Mears will continue handling play-by-play, while former Blue Jacket Jody Shelley remains the color analyst. Additionally, radio listeners will now hear Shelley’s analysis, which has also appeared on TNT and Amazon Prime NHL broadcasts. Meanwhile, the club confirmed it didn’t renew the contract of longtime radio play-by-play announcer Bob McElligott after 17 seasons. Dylan Tyrer will remain part of the radio coverage as host.

What They Said: “Bob McElligott has made significant contributions to the Blue Jackets organization on the air and in the community over the past 17 years. Bob’s voice was at the heart of many of our club’s unforgettable moments and helped shape memories that will live on for years to come. We sincerely thank him and wish him nothing but success moving forward.” -Columbus Blue Jackets Vice President of Business Intelligence & Broadcasting Marc Gregory

What Remains Unclear: The organization hasn’t finalized its television distribution plans for the upcoming season. Consequently, it’s unknown whether any additional broadcast changes could accompany the new simulcast model.

What It Means: The move aligns the Blue Jackets with a growing industry trend of using a single broadcast team across multiple platforms. It also gives radio listeners access to the same analysis and presentation television viewers receive while reducing the need for separate game broadcasts. At the same time, the departure of McElligott closes a lengthy chapter for the franchise after nearly two decades behind the microphone.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

How News/Talk Radio Covered the Anthony Fauci Testimony Before Congress

Garrett Searight
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How News/Talk Radio Covered the Anthony Fauci Testimony Before Congress

News/talk radio zeroed in on Anthony Fauci’s congressional testimony Wednesday morning. Hosts quickly reacted as Fauci repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during questioning.

What We Know: Anthony Fauci’s appearance before Congress immediately became one of the biggest topics across news/talk radio. As lawmakers questioned the former public health official, Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination rather than answer questions. That decision fueled extensive live commentary from hosts across the country, many of whom interrupted regular programming to discuss the hearing as it unfolded. Several prominent personalities argued Fauci’s testimony raised new questions about his conduct during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Others focused on the political implications, especially after Fauci previously received significant media attention throughout the pandemic.

What They Said: “Fauci won’t answer. There is this question of whether or not the pardon protects him from things like this. I don’t have a good answer for that yet. I’m going to need to read from some people who know the law better than I to figure out what the argument is here. But in a court of public perception, this dude’s guilty.” – 93 WIBC morning host Tony Katz

“He’s being asked about that today and just taking the Fifth Amendment over and over and over again. And I’ll show you what a weasel this guy is. He agreed to testify. I mean, it’s not a case of agreeing. He had no choice. But he comes before Congress to testify today, he brings six attorneys with him. Now, who’s paying for these six attorneys? Al Capone didn’t bring six attorneys! Six attorneys are with him. Fauci’s taking the fifth and will not answer any questions.” – 710 WOR midday host Mark Simone

“The big news right now is that Dr. Anthony Fauci has invoked the Fifth Amendment at his hearing that is playing out right now with Rand Paul in the Senate. Dr. Fauci pleaded the Fifth during his opening statement and says he will decline to answer questions before Congress today. I was categorically wrong. I have never been happier to be wrong in my life because I’m happy now. I’m ecstatic. Rand Paul has impaled Fauci on his own words, his own journal, his own diary, and that little gray-haired toad that had the audacity to disparage millions of Americans for perhaps wanting a second opinion, and this guy is there invoking the Fifth. It looks like almost universally across the board.” – 1210 WPHT morning host Nick Kayal

“I think one of the things that is a legit question is you were enjoying the adulation of Hollywood and the media and all of the media attention and being interviewed. Remember the ‘Fauci Five’? Where on one Sunday he was on every single weekend show on the networks? He was so enamored with himself and all of the publicity that he was getting, the attention that he was getting. Is it possible, perhaps, that some of the recommendations and the decisions that he was making were designed to get him more media attention? I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me if he did. Because he was intentionally doing everything that he could to get on TV to try to score another Fauci Five. People like Anthony Fauci, that’s what they get excited about.” – SuperTalk 99.7 WTN morning host Dan Mandis

What Remains Unclear: It’s still unknown whether Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment will lead to additional legal or congressional action. Likewise, lawmakers haven’t indicated whether they’ll seek further testimony or pursue additional investigative avenues. Questions also remain about how the hearing will shape broader public opinion as more testimony and evidence emerge.

What It Means: Wednesday’s hearing demonstrated that Anthony Fauci remains one of the most polarizing figures in news/talk radio. Hosts across multiple major markets devoted significant airtime to the testimony, often providing immediate analysis as events unfolded. Their reactions also reflected the format’s continued focus on pandemic-era accountability and government oversight. As additional developments emerge, the hearing will likely remain a major discussion point for conservative news/talk programming and could generate continued audience interest in the weeks ahead.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Zimmer Communications, Mid-West Family Merge Springfield Operations

David Hill
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Zimmer Communications, Mid-West Family Merge Springfield Operations

Two Missouri media companies plan to merge their Springfield radio operations. Zimmer Communications and Mid-West Family will combine their nine stations pending FCC approval.

What We Know The merger combines Mid-West Family’s four stations with Zimmer’s existing five properties. As a result, Zimmer will operate nine heritage stations across Springfield. Moreover, both companies boast decades of southwest Missouri roots in local broadcasting. Therefore, together they aim to strengthen local news, digital marketing, and advertising solutions.

What They Said Zimmer President John Zimmer emphasized the partnership’s potential. “By combining forces, we’ll offer advertisers more effective marketing solutions,” he stated. Meanwhile, Mid-West Family President Mike Paterson noted the company’s 35-year Springfield presence. He called the merger “incredibly exciting” for building on both legacies.

What Remains Unclear The FCC must approve the deal before year-end 2026. How the companies will integrate operations remains unspecified. Employee retention plans haven’t been announced. Specific programming changes depend on regulatory decisions.

What It Means This merger is a survival blueprint for medium-market broadcasters. Zimmer identified Mid-West Family’s complementary strengths and merged portfolios to eliminate redundancy. Rather than compete directly, combining forces amplifies market power and operational efficiency. Expect similar-sized broadcasters to follow this model. The lesson: understand your weaknesses, find a rival whose strengths offset them. Consolidation lets smaller players compete against national companies. Broadcasters who fail to assess vulnerabilities early risk irrelevance. Those who strategically merge survive.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

CBS Sports Lands Concacaf Champions Cup English-Language Media Rights Through 2030

John Mamola
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CBS Sports Lands Concacaf Champions Cup English-Language Media Rights Through 2030

CBS Sports and Concacaf struck a new multi-year media rights deal. Paramount+ becomes the exclusive English-language U.S. home for three top Concacaf club competitions through 2030.

What We Know: Paramount+ will stream every match from the Concacaf Champions Cup, Central American Cup and Caribbean Cup. That totals 137 matches annually, including all 51 Champions Cup fixtures. Additionally, select Champions Cup games will air on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network. Meanwhile, CBSSports.com and Golazo social channels will offer supplemental coverage.

What They Said: Concacaf President and FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani: “The Concacaf Champions Cup showcases the very best of club football across our region, bringing together champion clubs and some of the world’s best players in a competition that continues to grow in quality, prestige and global appeal. Through our new partnership with CBS Sports and Paramount+, we are excited to bring every match to fans across the United States with world-class coverage. Building on the tremendous success CBS Sports has achieved with elite international club football, this partnership will further elevate the profile of our clubs, our competitions and our game.”

What Remains Unclear: Financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed as well.

What It Means: This deal deepens CBS Sports’ investment in international club football, looking to capitalize on the increased interest in the sport following the World Cup. Consequently, Concacaf gains a stable, high-profile broadcast partner through 2030. For fans, comprehensive streaming access replaces fragmented viewing options. Ultimately, both organizations aim to grow the sport’s reach across the region.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Don Lemon Partnering with Libsyn to Expand Podcast Network

Garrett Searight
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Don Lemon Partnering with Libsyn to Expand Podcast Network

Don Lemon has a new podcast partner. Libsyn will host and monetize the growing independent media network.

What We Know: Don Lemon and Libsyn have entered an exclusive hosting and advertising partnership covering Lemon Media Network’s podcast lineup. The agreement includes The Don Lemon Show along with its companion programs, Lemon Live at 5, Hot Topics, and Lemon Drop. The deal gives Libsyn exclusive responsibility for hosting and monetizing both the audio and video versions of the network’s programming. Meanwhile, advertisers will gain access to Lemon’s audience across news, politics, culture, and current events. Lemon launched Lemon Media Network after departing CNN and has continued building a direct-to-consumer media business.

What They Said: “We’re witnessing a fundamental shift in media, where trusted journalists are building direct relationships with audiences and creating sustainable businesses on their own terms. Our role is to provide the technology, distribution, and monetization infrastructure that helps creators like Don Lemon grow without compromising their voice. That’s the future of podcasting, and we’re proud to help power it.” -Libsyn CEO Brendan Monaghan

“I’ve spent my career helping people make sense of the world around them through honest, thoughtful reporting and not shying away from tough conversations. As The Don Lemon Show continues to grow, partnering with Libsyn lets us bring that work to even more people across streaming platforms, and on our terms. I’m excited about the reach and resources it unlocks, but most of all that it helps us keep delivering independent journalism without compromise.” -Don Lemon

What Remains Unclear: Neither company disclosed financial terms or the length of the exclusive agreement. Additionally, Libsyn didn’t outline whether the partnership will expand beyond the current slate of Lemon Media Network shows.

What It Means: The agreement strengthens Libsyn’s position in the competitive news podcast market while giving Don Lemon additional infrastructure to grow his independent media business. As more high-profile journalists build audiences outside traditional television, podcast platforms continue competing for exclusive partnerships that combine hosting, advertising, and distribution under one roof.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

The Wall Street Journal Hires Samantha Henig to Lead Audio and Video

Garrett Searight
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The Wall Street Journal Hires Samantha Henig to Lead Audio and Video

The Wall Street Journal announced a key media hire on Tuesday. Samantha Henig will join as its new Head of Multimedia.

What We Know: Samantha Henig will begin her new role on Tuesday, September 8. She’ll oversee the publication’s Audio and Video departments in a newly created leadership position. The move adds an accomplished digital executive to The Wall Street Journal as it continues expanding its multimedia efforts. Previously, Henig founded the Audio division at The New York Times, helping build one of podcasting’s most influential networks. Before that, she served as Editor-in-Chief of BuzzFeed News. In a memo to staffers, Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker shared her excitement for the move.

What They Said: “I’m pleased to share that Samantha Henig will join The Wall Street Journal as Head of Multimedia, overseeing the Audio and Video departments in a newly created role. Sam is an experienced media strategist and editorial leader. She will set the team’s editorial direction, develop our portfolio and align our resources with our broader audience and commercial goals.” -Emma Tucker

What Remains Unclear: The company hasn’t detailed Henig’s immediate priorities after she starts in September. Likewise, it hasn’t outlined whether additional staffing, new programming, or expanded podcast and video initiatives will accompany the leadership change.

What It Means: Henig’s hiring gives The Wall Street Journal an executive with a proven record of building successful operations. Her experience at The New York Times aligns with the industry’s continued emphasis on growing audiences through podcasts and video. As traditional publishers diversify beyond text, her arrival could accelerate The Wall Street Journal‘s efforts to strengthen its multimedia portfolio and expand commercial opportunities.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

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