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Glen Kuiper Announces He’s Signed on for San Francisco Giants’ Broadcasts in 2026

BSM Staff
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Glen Kuiper Announces He’s Signed on for San Francisco Giants’ Broadcasts in 2026

Glen Kuiper is officially returning to Major League Baseball broadcasts, this time joining the San Francisco Giants. The longtime Bay Area play-by-play announcer announced that he has been hired by the organization to be part of its broadcast team for the 2026 season, marking his first full-season role in a major league booth since his dismissal from the Oakland Athletics in 2023.

“I have been hired by the San Francisco Giants to be part of their broadcast team for 2026,” Kuiper said. “Excited, grateful to the Giants for this opportunity.”

The move places Kuiper alongside one of baseball’s most respected broadcast crews, a group that includes Hall of Fame broadcaster Jon Miller along with longtime Giants voices Duane Kuiper, Mike Krukow and Dave Flemming.

Kuiper acknowledged that joining that group carries both prestige and responsibility.

“They’re the best broadcasting team in all of baseball. It’s pretty well known,” Kuiper said. “Jon Miller is a Hall of Famer. Duane Kuiper should be a Hall of Famer. Mike Krukow should be a Hall of Famer. Dave Flemming is one of the best broadcasters out there. To be joining that group, honestly, it’s quite an honor. And again, I’m very thankful.”

It has not been officially announced as of yet what Kuiper’s role will be on the broadcasts. He has also not been added as of Monday morning to the Giants’ broadcasters webpage.

The reported hiring follows a his appearance on the Giants’ broadcasts during spring training earlier this year. Kuiper handled radio play-by-play for an exhibition game against Team USA at Scottsdale Stadium, which represented his most visible return to a major league broadcast booth since leaving Oakland.

Kuiper spent more than 15 seasons as the television play-by-play voice of the Athletics. The organization dismissed him in May 2023. The decision followed a pregame broadcast referencing a visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.

Kuiper immediately apologized and later maintained that the comment stemmed from an accidental verbal mistake. The Athletics suspended him the following day and terminated his contract roughly two weeks later, ending a broadcasting tenure that had spanned more than two decades in the Bay Area.

Since then, Kuiper remained active in baseball media through a mix of digital content and live events while waiting for another opportunity in a major league booth. He hosted postgame gatherings at Oracle Park’s Gotham Club alongside his brother, Duane Kuiper, and launched a YouTube-based platform called “The Glen Kuiper Show,” where he continued offering analysis on the Giants and Major League Baseball.

Now returning to the air with the Giants, Kuiper said he intends to approach the opportunity with a clear sense of purpose.

“I will take that responsibility of being a San Francisco Giants announcer very seriously,” Kuiper said. “I will do a good job when given the opportunity. I’m very excited about it, and I just wanted to share it from me to you.”

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.

106.1 WBLI Announces Multi-Year Contracts With Skye, Ally Ali and Show Rebrand

BMM Staff
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106.1 WBLI Announces Multi-Year Contracts With Skye, Ally Ali and Show Rebrand

106.1 WBLI has made a significant change to its morning lineup, officially elevating Ally Ali to co-host status alongside longtime morning personality Syke.

Effective immediately, the program formerly known as The Syke Morning Show with Ally Ali has been renamed Syke & Ally Ali in the Morning, reflecting the expanded role Ali has developed since joining the show.

The announcement accompanies new multi-year contracts for both hosts, solidifying their positions as the lead voices of the station’s morning programming moving forward.

Station leadership views the move as both recognition of the on-air chemistry the duo has cultivated and a signal of long-term confidence in the show’s continued growth. Chris Lloyd, Director of Operations, Branding and Programming for the station, said the decision reflects what the audience already experiences each morning.

“Ally Ali has become an essential part of the show and a true partner to Syke on the air,” Lloyd said. “Their chemistry and connection with listeners continues to grow, and this change reflects the show our audience hears every morning.”

WBLI leadership said the rebranding acknowledges the evolving dynamic between Syke and Ali and the impact the pair has made with listeners across Long Island. While Syke has long served as the central voice of the station’s morning drive programming, Ali has increasingly emerged as an equal presence on the broadcast through conversation, audience interaction and personality-driven segments.

Since joining the program, Ali has helped shape the show’s tone and pacing while adding another perspective to the mix of lifestyle conversation, pop culture commentary and listener-driven interaction that defines the program. The show also continues to feature contemporary hit music throughout the broadcast, a staple of WBLI’s format.

Syke & Ally Ali in the Morning airs weekday mornings on 106.1 BLI and continues to focus on entertainment news, lifestyle topics, humor and listener participation alongside the station’s music playlist.

Outside of her role in mornings, Ali also remains a daily presence on the station’s midday lineup. She hosts WBLI’s midday show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., extending her on-air reach across a large portion of the station’s weekday schedule and further strengthening her connection with the Long Island audience.

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.

Pat McAfee: WWE Is In a Good Spot Without Me

BSM Staff
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Pat McAfee: WWE Is In a Good Spot Without Me

Pat McAfee has built a reputation as one of the most versatile figures in sports media. But one of his most visible side ventures — his work with WWE — remains on pause.

The host of the highly successful The Pat McAfee Show and key contributor to College GameDay responded to a fan’s question during an open chat on social media. Asked about his status with the WWE, McAfee indicated that nothing had changed and may not any time soon.

“I don’t think you ever say never, especially with the WWE,” said McAfee. “But right now, it does not feel like it is something that is supposed to happen. It feels like that business has kind of passed me by a little bit.”

McAfee added that he remains grateful for the opportunity, particularly the chance to work alongside Michael Cole, whom he called “the GOAT.”

“I grew up loving it, dreamed of working it, [and] feel honored that I got the opportunity,” McAfee said. He then remarked, “I feel like the business is in a good spot without me.”

McAfee has worked both a commentator and occasional in-ring performer for WWE. His WWE run began in 2020 when he joined the NXT broadcast booth. Over the next few years, he took part in multiple matches, including high-profile moments at WrestleMania, while serving as a popular color commentator alongside longtime play-by-play voice Michael Cole.

Aside from a brief appearance last September when the WWE started its partnership with ESPN with the WrestlePalooza premium live event in Indianapolis, McAfee has been missing from WWE programming. His last regular appearance was in June 2025.

Pat acknowledged that the physical and mental toll left him feeling exhausted. His focus now is on his sports media work. He said that he remains a viewer and fan of the wrestling business, even if a role with the WWE isn’t in the cards at the moment.

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.

Baseball’s Biggest Global Event Still Ignores Massive Opportunity on Terrestrial Sports Radio

John Mamola
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Baseball’s Biggest Global Event Still Ignores Massive Opportunity on Terrestrial Sports Radio

There’s a lot you can say about how the game of baseball has any number of issues. Entering this season, between the ongoing RSN mess for viewership and battles once again over a salary cap that may lead to a work stoppage, there are several ways the sport trips over itself while trying to hype the start of a new season.

Twenty years after its debut, the World Baseball Classic is back for a sixth attempt at drawing interest to the sport ahead of the MLB season. This year, 78 players from MLB are participating, including all 36 MLB All-Stars from last season. This year in particular is significant because the event literally follows the Winter Olympics for the first time. You would think the sport of baseball would look to capitalize on the massive national success the Winter Games had just under a month ago.

The biggest challenge is where to find the games. Contests are on the FOX family of networks, plus the FOX Sports app and Tubi. Yet the sport’s attempt at its Olympic-style competition has no terrestrial radio broadcasts, again. That means the outlets that navigate the daily conversation about the sport from spring training to the World Series have no access points to deliver the passion of country and help hype the season to come. Again, another swing and a miss by the sport of baseball.

Despite the lack of World Baseball Classic play-by-play on terrestrial sports radio, fans still have a listening option. However, access comes with a subscription fee.

SiriusXM announced last week it will exclusively produce national radio broadcasts for every Team USA game. The company will air 15 World Baseball Classic games in total. Each broadcast will run on the MLB Network Radio channel. Mike Ferrin will handle play-by-play, with Ryan Spillborghs serving as analyst.

So technically, you could say baseball does have a radio broadcast plan for the World Baseball Classic. However, the data shows baseball is missing out on a massive audience by ignoring AM/FM sports radio.

According to Edison’s latest “Sports Audio Report,” released last year, 52% of those surveyed say they often listen to sports content through AM/FM sports radio. That’s more than double the number who said they listen on SiriusXM Radio (24%). Of those surveyed, sports fans said they listened to AM/FM radio 57% of the time compared to SiriusXM at 11%.

And which demographics listen the most to AM/FM sports radio? The same ones baseball continues to rely on. The report shows 58% of those ages 35–54 listen via AM/FM radio, along with 85% of listeners age 55 and older.

If baseball truly cared to generate hype for the start of its season by leveraging the World Baseball Classic as the entry point, the broadcasts should be available on terrestrial sports radio and not limited only to a satellite option.

The World Baseball Classic is not solely a Major League Baseball event. It’s a tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation in partnership with Major League Baseball and the MLBPA. MLB remains a critical factor in the tournament’s success because the league allows its players to participate.

In 2023, the World Baseball Classic was broadcast in 163 territories through 63 media partners and in 13 different languages. MLB said the tournament generated nearly $100 million in revenue and became one of the sport’s most viewed events.

There’s no denying the Classic continues to grow in viewership, revenue and prestige. Yet MLB once again stops short of taking a fully committed approach to presenting the event through one of the sport’s most powerful megaphones: broadcast radio.

There were several ways baseball could have approached this.

Since the Classic’s television rights belong to FOX, why not carry the Team USA television audio on FOX Sports Radio? The network currently distributes no play-by-play rights to affiliates. A two-week global baseball tournament with live play-by-play would create a compelling programming opportunity. It would also give FOX Sports another national advertising platform for the broadcasts.

It would also make sense considering FOX Sports Radio is already heard on SiriusXM channel 83.

ESPN offers another option. The network once held Spanish-language radio rights to the Classic, but ESPN currently has no involvement with this year’s broadcasts. Did ESPN and MLB miss an opportunity during their latest rights negotiations to include the World Baseball Classic on ESPN Radio affiliates across the country?

ESPN Radio still maintains exclusivity as MLB’s national radio partner even after ESPN gave up Sunday Night Baseball in its most recent television rights deal. ESPN Radio will continue to broadcast Sunday Night Baseball, the World Series, the MLB postseason, the MLB All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby.

And once again, ESPN Radio is also heard on SiriusXM channel 80.

Those are just two examples of options MLB could have explored to showcase the sport’s Olympic-style tournament. By embracing a terrestrial radio partnership alongside its SiriusXM deal, the event could reach a far larger audience.

There’s another benefit as well.

If the Classic aired on terrestrial sports radio stations across the country, those stations would have a stronger incentive to invest promotional resources into the tournament. Local hosts would talk about the games more. Stations would market the broadcasts. The conversation around the event would grow organically.

The irony is baseball already has the product, but it continues to swing and miss on massive opportunities to promote it.

The World Baseball Classic delivers star power, national pride and the type of moments that remind fans why they fell in love with the sport in the first place. What it lacks is the full megaphone of the medium that helped carry baseball’s stories for more than a century.

For a sport constantly searching for ways to grow its audience and reconnect with fans, the World Baseball Classic should be an easy win. It’s global, star-driven and perfectly positioned to build momentum heading into Opening Day.

Instead, by keeping radio coverage behind a satellite paywall, baseball makes the game harder to find. It does not make the event easier to follow. If the sport wants stronger connection, it must be on the stations fans tune into daily.

When the sport limits how fans can hear the games, it limits the conversation that fuels excitement around them.

For a sport built on daily dialogue and generational fandom, leaving AM/FM sports radio on the sidelines turns what should be a grand slam opportunity into yet another swing and a miss.

Then again, that’s just baseball.

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.

Two Important Reminders Courtesy of Barrett Media’s Top 20 Series

Jason Barrett
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Two Important Reminders Courtesy of Barrett Media’s Top 20 Series

This is the first time in 7 weeks that Barrett Media isn’t releasing Top 20 results. The series is awesome and it captivates the entire media industry year after year but man am I glad to have a break. The widespread love and support for it again in 2026 was truly incredible. I could be wrong but I don’t think there’s anything else like it. Whether you made the list or not, I hope you enjoyed following along.

Be advised, it’s not over. This was just the Top 20 for radio shows and programmers. We have plans for additional projects this year focused on executives, advertising, betting, television and more. John Mamola and I addressed the Sports Top 20 in a video on the Barrett Media YouTube page. My thoughts on the Music Top 20 are available down below in a video. Garrett Searight and I will create a News Top 20 reaction video today or tomorrow.

As proud as I am to publish our Top 20 in Radio series, it’s an exhausting process. It involves gathering input from 300+ decision makers across music, news and sports media, creating lists, inviting 400-500 to vote, answering follow up questions, creating layouts, finding images, tallying votes, etc.. All of that has to be done in addition to consulting brands, writing content, publishing newsletters, promoting our work across social media, selling advertising, building conferences, traveling for client projects and more.

I wish there was an easier way to do it but there isn’t. However, I recognize how fortunate we are to have the responsibility of showcasing the power of this industry. If sleepless nights are needed to make sure it delivers, then that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. I especially appreciate Strategic Solutions Research and JJ Surma Voiceovers supporting it.

With the series in our rear view mirror, there are two things I want to remind you of that are important but far too often pushed aside.

Two Key Takeaways

First, recognition matters.

Stars want to make money and be successful, but they also want to hear that their work stands out. Creative people crave connection, making a mark, and hearing feedback from those they trust. They know they’re talented and in a prime spot for a reason, but that doesn’t mean they stop valuing feedback. Communication and support between talent and management should be ongoing.

It works this way for brand leaders too. They invest so much of themselves in the outlets they manage that the simplest ‘thank you’ or first-bump from an executive/GM, host or salesperson goes a long way. If your PD was recognized during the Top 20 series and you didn’t take time to say ‘congrats’, you may want to rethink your approach. I promise you, things like that matter to them.

Secondly, the media business remains exciting to those on the outside looking in. Unfortunately, many on the inside lose sight of that.

Have a candid conversation with someone in the business and within ten minutes they’ll tell you how screwed up things are inside their operation. Go even deeper and they’ll address the state of the industry, the issues with their employer, a lack of interest from young people, and so much more.

Now have the same conversation with someone who listens to your brand. It’s a night and day difference. People took to Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to react to the shows and hosts recognized. They were supportive, appreciative, and congratulatory of those they listen to. The audience sees our people as rock stars who they want to be friends with. They’re impressed by our content and brands, and excited to share in our success.

We need to remember this, value it and protect it.

Our stars, brands, content, and access matter to those who listen. Few care about our year-to-year revenue performance, ratings being up or down or the financial difficulties our parent companies are dealing with. They don’t view radio as a bad business, they see it as a friendly companion inside their home, office or car.

People enjoy spending time with us. They tell everyone they know about us and listen to us frequently, reciting our words in detail. Furthermore, they sink their dollars into the businesses associated with us because they understand how important it is to support those who support us.

Our on-air talent know this and so do many programmers. Folks on the sales and executive end need to remember it too.

Too often, the ones looking down on our industry are either inside our hallways or angling to invest less in us. All we can do to combat it is support each other, challenge each other, market ourselves, and take pride in our work. What we do matters to millions. It’s time to stop apologizing for that and lean in to what sets us apart.

That may sound like a rah-rah speech from someone who overdosed on positivity after seven weeks of celebrations. However, when you see the industry celebrate hundreds/thousands of shows and programmers for weeks, you’re reminded that there’s a lot of good happening. We just suck at remembering it.

The Top 20 series does one thing few can debate. It showcases the best of our business. Our industry looks much better when people lift it up rather than tear it down

Barrett Media Audio Summit Speaker Announcements

Now that the Top 20 of 2025 for on-air shows and program directors across sports, news and music radio is behind us, the attention turns to continuing to build the 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit presented by Point to Point Marketing. I want to thank Red Apple Audio Networks, Ramsey Solutions, Harker Bos Group, Quu, and Benztown Branding for signing on as conference partners. Opportunities for companies still remain but they are moving fast. Reach out to Stephanie Eads at Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com to learn which sponsorships are available.

By the time we arrive at the SVA Theatre in New York City, the lineup will be second to none. We’ve already announced a number of heavy hitters for the show, which you can see here. However, I am far from done.

This Wednesday, we will announce our next group of Music speakers for the show on July 2nd. I’ll then follow that up with an announcement on Friday regarding new additions to the sports and news shows. Making this year’s summit our best one yet is a personal goal. I hope you’ll buy a ticket and join us. You can do so by clicking the banner above or by visiting the Summit section up top. On the page you’ll find information on discounted hotel rooms courtesy of Hotel Hayden.

Quick Hits

  • Dylan Barrett, Stephanie Eads and I will be in Nashville, TN for CRS 2026 March 17th-20th. RJ Curtis, his team and the entire Country Music Industry do an outstanding job with this show. For the full agenda, click here. If you’re attending and want to connect, reach out in advance to myself or Stephanie.
  • We’ve produced six episodes of The 4-Cast and so far, so good. Subscribe to the Barrett Media YouTube page to avoid missing future episodes. It’s been fun featuring familiar industry pros alongside John Mamola and Garrett Searight. If you work in the industry and want to be a future guest, email John@BarrettMedia.com and/or Garrett@BarrettMedia.com. We’re planning to launch The Jason Barrett Podcast in the future too and are working on other projects as well. Stay tuned.
  • I don’t talk much about our website traffic because we’re a B2B brand with a strategic and targeted approach but we started 2026 with our second and third best months ever. Only one month in 2022 out performed our past two. Thank you to all who continue to read, share, and engage with our content and crew. Corporations, investors and shareholders don’t fund us. There’s no large staff managing our workflow. We’re a small team of passionate people who love the industry and work hard to keep professionals honest and informed. Your support and promotion of our work matters a great deal. We greatly appreciate it.

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.

Fearless Females Are Paving The Way For The Future Of Rock

Terrie Carr
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Fearless Females Are Paving The Way For The Future Of Rock

March is Women’s History Month, and I have been a woman in rock for more than half my life. Want to know what it’s like for females in the rock radio business or trying to get on the charts firsthand? Ask me.

For me, it was rock radio’s early days. Listening to those who came before me (although there were not many): Allison Steele and Carol Miller. They created a place for women on the radio that wasn’t limited to being a news reporter or someone giving the traffic reports.

I still decided to venture into the rock radio world as a career. Even though I often saw the struggles that amazingly talented women had getting on the radio. Rarely women earned prime slots and or even getting into radio as a career.

The programming part? I was often told, “Women don’t do that on rock radio. You can be the music director.” Hard pass. I didn’t listen.

It’s inspiring to see the landscape for artists evolve as well. I remember the phrase all too well: “We have a female on the playlist. We are playing Heart and The Pretenders, no more room.”

Also there is, “Please code the music so women don’t play next to each other.”

What a bogus concept. It was, still is and not earth-shattering to hear Heart and Halestorm in the same quarter hour. How the heck did we buy into such nonsense?

In 2018, I created a female rock show called The Queens of Noise. It was originally born in 2007 when I was programming at WHTG. I decided to put the show in prime time on Fridays at 2 p.m., and it quickly became one of the station’s most popular and highly rated features. It also became an advertiser favorite.

QON highlighted the pioneers. The ’80s, ’90s, 2000s. Plus new music, and a sprinkling of local ladies.

Someone asked me, “Who could you play for a WHOLE hour?” Who could I play? What a question.

A typical hour included Janis Joplin, Lita Ford, L7, Alanis Morissette, Dorothy, The Breeders, Joan Jett, The Pretty Reckless, Pretenders, Stevie Nicks, Flyleaf, and Halestorm. Pretty solid if you ask me.

Not buried on a Sunday night, and no gender coding. There were always phenomenal female rockers checking into the show to be interviewed. Plus, the male feedback for the show was off the charts.

It’s also been great to see female-fronted bands and female artists build musical careers that last much longer than they once did.

Evanescence is embarking on an all-female-fronted tour. Poppy, Halestorm, and The Pretty Reckless dominate the charts. The Warning is innovative, doing things their way while building a massive fan base. The metal world has too many new rock goddesses to mention.

There is now room for female solo guitar heroes. Orianthi, Nita Strauss, and Sophie Lloyd are revered. My favorite band, Rush, has added a female drummer. The incredible Anika Nilles has joined the band for their “Fifty Something” tour playing the songs that rock’s greatest drummer, Neil Peart.

There was shock and awe of male prog drummers everywhere. Not because Anika is female, but because she’s an incredible talent. That’s the progress we need.

While the radio business sometimes seems almost non-existent for jobs, it’s even tougher for us girls.

Drive-time slots in rock radio are usually reserved for men, leading to fewer gigs. Programming opportunities are less likely as well. However, it has been fantastic to see a few women evolve into their own morning shows this year with their names front and center.

For the month of March, as I celebrate “Girl Power,” I have created a series on my website and YouTube channel highlighting some of my favorite interviews over the years. The series includes Heart, Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, Amy Lee of Evanescence, Morgan Lander from Kittie, Suzi Quatro, and more, with new interviews posted daily.

These were game-changing moments for these artists. It has always been my passion to grab that torch passed to me way back and throw it forward.

Let’s keep it going.

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 Nielsen’s mSurvey Brings the Diary System Into the Smartphone Era

Dr. Ed Cohen
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How Nielsen’s mSurvey Brings the Diary System Into the Smartphone Era

When we use the term “paper and pencil,” it’s usually derogatory. Next month, Nielsen Audio will make the big step into the world of online data collection for the venerable diary service with the introduction of mSurvey. Yes, the online diary will debut in the Spring 2026 survey for a limited part of the sample, meaning some percentage of diary respondents will not have to find a pen to fill out a paper Nielsen diary.

It’s easy to take potshots at Nielsen Audio for waiting this long. You can imagine people asking if the company had heard about this new technology called the internet. I’m no apologist for Nielsen Audio, but I’m not willing to point fingers at them in this instance.

It helps that I’m old and can bring up history in this column. Arbitron implemented an online diary in the Winter 2007 survey period. It was pulled because return rates dropped. Another attempt to design an online diary was made in the early teens with something called Project Leapfrog. Per the old saying, that frog was being boiled before it figured out that it couldn’t leap. Much like the Stalin era, when Soviet officials who “disappeared” were airbrushed from photos, Leapfrog disappeared as well and was never spoken of again. Bet you never expected to read an analogy involving Joseph Stalin and radio ratings.

Nielsen finally came around to a reasonable online diary system with the new mSurvey. Perhaps the company should have started the initiative after Leapfrog was killed off, but at least we’re here. The company has announced that the first use of the instrument will begin shortly in the Spring 2026 survey.

Based on what Nielsen has shown, the mSurvey works best on a smartphone, which makes sense in 2026. The online diary asks the same questions as the paper diary and has a couple of features that paper can’t provide. For example, the mSurvey will not let you report listening for a day in the future. A paper diary keeper can fill in the diary any time they please.

The mSurvey has an “other” category. For a long time, the paper diary has included instructions to include internet listening to broadcast radio stations and satellite listening. If you didn’t know, listening to SiriusXM counts in PUR but is not reported — either at an aggregate level or by channel — regardless of whether the listening meets minimum reporting standards. However, the paper diary only offers “AM” and “FM” categories. This is another positive change. On the negative side, the mSurvey does away with the examples of how to enter listening that exist in the paper diary.

Nielsen has shown some results from its testing and announced plans to go ahead with mSurvey for specific types of households. The households are:

  • Black households without the presence of a 55+
  • Non-Hispanic households without the presence of a 55+
  • Renter households without the presence of a 55+

The reasoning is that testing showed that for those groups, “ratings are comparable or higher for all key buying demos.” Young Hispanic households without a 55+ showed “generally comparable” ratings in the test markets except for Fresno. For the other households, the problem was that ratings were lower for people 45+.

The open secret in the diary service is the vertical “line.” In other words, some diary keepers write down 8AM and draw a line to 5PM. Edit rules say that’s nine hours of listening, and in fact, the instructions show how to use the “line.” The mSurvey doesn’t have a line, but you can enter 8:00AM as a start time and 5:00PM as an end time. The end result is the same.

So far, the mSurvey looks good, but my concerns center around disclosure. The call with NAB’s COLRAM committee on March 2 showed only “weighted” results, where the mSurveys were rolled up with paper diaries. The fact that the mSurvey results alone were not reported suggests that something isn’t quite as positive as Nielsen suggests. In the past, reporting the results with the test group alone would be standard practice.

The reason is probably that unless mSurvey was a complete failure, Nielsen planned to go ahead with implementation. An online diary must be less expensive than mailing paper diaries, which means “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead,” even if “full speed ahead” in the audience measurement world is slow.

Overall, mSurvey is a necessary change and looks positive. They’ll keep working at it to determine how to spread the change to other demos, but a little more openness would be appreciated. Let your clients and the industry make up their own minds about the effect of this major methodological change.

Let’s meet again next week.

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.

What Snoop Dog Can Teach Music Radio About Alternate Broadcasts

Mike Stern
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What Snoop Dog Can Teach Music Radio About Alternate Broadcasts

When a hip hop legend like Snoop Dog calls the third period of an Olympic hockey game, it’s time to give some thought to the rapidly growing concept of the Alt-Cast.

If the previous sentence reads like gibberish, allow me to explain. NBC’s Olympics coverage included a series of special reports from a one-of-a-kind correspondent, Snoop Dogg.

To me, it seemed like his reports — and especially his outfits — were one of the best parts of the Milan Cortina Winter Games coverage. Then, to top it off, he hosted a special broadcast of the third period of the men’s quarterfinal hockey game against Sweden.

He didn’t replace the regular coverage of the game. Instead, the Snoop-cast was available as an alternative on the Peacock streaming platform. As Front Office Sports pointed out in an article about Snoop’s hockey exploit, this is part of a bigger trend of networks rolling out alternative versions of big-event programming to give consumers more choices.

The premiere example of an Alt-Cast is the so-called ManningCast, which features Peyton and Eli Manning doing an alternate Monday Night Football broadcast. The Barrett Media staff recently wrote a piece about how being invited to be a guest on the Mannings’ show has become a coveted opportunity.

For me, there are two questions that come out of considering the growing popularity of the Mannings and Alt-Casts overall.

Question 1: Is your morning show as good as the Mannings?

When ESPN announced the return of the ManningCast for last season, the network pointed to three strengths that are eerily similar to what great morning shows do. Consider each of these points:

  • Big-Name Guests: The show brings in personalities that go beyond the sports world, including pop culture celebrities and several former presidents. This is a staple of the show that fans have come to expect. It begs the question: What is your morning show known for?
  • Peyton’s Interactive Whiteboard: The whiteboard, which Peyton uses to provide in-game analysis, and other gadgets have become a regular part of the show — much like having a strong daily benchmark that gives the show at least one consistent piece of entertaining programming. Does your morning show have a go-to piece of content it can count on?
  • Fan-Centered Content: As opposed to the announcers on the regular broadcast, Peyton and Eli watch the game like fans, reacting to the plays in real time with excitement, disbelief, and other emotions. Does your morning show come off like real people the listeners could easily sit in a bar with, or do they seem like announcers in an ivory tower broadcasting to the lowly masses?

Question 2: Have you changed things up lately?

It’s true radio stations don’t have additional channels like NBC or ESPN to host Alt-Casts on. But there are lots of ways to safely change up your station’s normal format without taking any big risks. Consider these scenarios:

  • Guest Hosts: When a talent is on vacation, instead of rolling a “best of” show or having someone from the air staff fill in, find a guest host. It could be someone well known in town, a former talent from another station, or someone from a band.
  • Listener Control: Pick an hour and give control of the station to a listener. Pre-record their breaks and give them some leeway in selecting the music. It’s incredibly memorable for that listener and proof to the rest of your audience that you care about having them involved.
  • Use a Turntable: Especially on Classic Rock or Classic Hits stations, playing music from vinyl is surprisingly powerful with your P1 listeners. They will appreciate the feeling that the station is more than just a computer.
  • Concert Replays: This is not a new idea. Program the station to play the setlist of a big show in town starting at the time people who attended are getting to their cars. Track it with a talent talking about the artist and the music. It’s virtually risk-free because it takes place at night, and it’s a great way to heighten the experience for listeners who went to the show.

Those are just a few ideas for how to create our version of an Alt-Cast. Just like how ESPN maintains its regular broadcast alongside the ManningCast, I’m not suggesting you throw your regular format out the window. Instead, consider taking calculated risks so listeners who are tired of the same old station every day have something unique and fun to look forward to.

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.

Can CBS News Invigorate CBS Mornings With an Unconventional Approach?

Garrett Searight
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Can CBS News Invigorate CBS Mornings With an Unconventional Approach?

Something’s stirring over at CBS News, and if the recent rumblings prove accurate, CBS Mornings might be about to make the most interesting programming move in morning television in years.

With Gayle King’s contract renewal dominating the industry conversation and the departure of the show’s executive producer creating an obvious inflection point, the whispers are getting louder: a meaningful format overhaul could be coming — and it might be exactly what this program needs.

Let’s be blunt about what CBS Mornings has been for most of its existence. It’s been third. Not occasionally third. Consistently, predictably, stubbornly third. Behind Today. Behind Good Morning America. Playing catch-up in a race it wasn’t really built to win.

Here’s the thing, though. You don’t close that gap by copying the leaders. You don’t beat NBC and ABC at their own game by simply repackaging celebrity sit-downs and cookie-baking segments with a slightly different color palette. That’s a slow surrender dressed up as programming.

The suggestion is that the new direction could lean hard into news — harder news, more substance, less fluff. Gone could be the morning show trappings that CBS Mornings was never quite as good at anyway. In their place? A genuine commitment to the kind of reporting CBS News built its legacy on decades ago.

Enter Bari Weiss. The CBS News Editor-in-Chief isn’t exactly known for her fondness of puff pieces. She’s opinionated, provocative, and she pushes back. Whether you agree with her worldview or not, Weiss has demonstrated she doesn’t believe journalism’s job is to be comfortable. That sensibility filtering down into a morning show format would represent a genuine departure — the kind of departure that actually gives viewers a reason to choose CBS Mornings instead of simply defaulting to whoever’s habit they already have.

Does this come with risk? Absolutely. Morning television audiences are creatures of routine. They want to ease into their day, not necessarily wrestle with it. There’s a real question about whether viewers who wake up at 6 AM are ready for the kind of content Weiss might champion. Ratings don’t lie — morning news is still a comfort format for most of America.

But here’s the counter-argument, and it’s a compelling one. The landscape is shifting. Podcast listeners are hungry for substance. News junkies are multiplying. Trust in traditional media is fragile. A morning show that actually treats its audience like adults — one that informs rather than just entertains — could find a loyal audience that the celebrity-interview model was never going to attract anyway.

CBS Mornings isn’t going to out-entertain GMA. It’s not going to beat the Today show at water-cooler moments and concert series. Trying to do so is the definition of running someone else’s race. But a news-forward, substance-first identity? That’s a lane nobody else is really in right now.

The executive producer transition creates a natural reset point. King’s contract renewal provides continuity and star power. The structural pieces are there. What’s needed is the will to actually be different rather than just slightly repositioned.

It won’t be easy. It won’t be immediate. Ratings take time to move, and audiences take time to find new habits. But if CBS Mornings is going to matter — really matter — in morning television, this might be its best shot at earning a reason to exist beyond simply being the other option.

Sometimes you’ve got to bet on your own identity. CBS News appears ready to do exactly that.

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.

Online Casino Bonus Philippines: Maximizing Player Value

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Online Casino Bonus Philippines: Maximizing Player Value

Online casino platforms are growing fast in the Philippines. Every day, a multitude of players sign up to benefit from exciting promotions and enjoy entertainment. The bonuses offered in Online Casino Philippines to players who register or deposit are among the main draws.

Being aware of the workings of bonuses may help you become a smarter player, no matter how many years you have been playing. This tutorial explains everything in a format that is easy to understand so that you can easily maximize your player value.

What Is an Online Casino Bonus?

A promotion offered by a casino app to players as a reward is known as an online casino bonus. It may take various forms some of which include:

  • Welcome bonus
  • Deposit match bonus
  • Free spins
  • Cashback
  • Reload bonus
  • VIP rewards

Attracting new players and rewarding loyal customers are the objectives of the Online Casino Bonus Philippines promotions.

Remember, though, that a bonus is not direct free money. Typically, it has guidelines known as “terms and conditions.”

Why Online Casino Bonuses Are Popular

The Philippines’ online gaming sector is still expanding due to:

Mobile access is simple.

Easy methods of payment are bank transfers and e-wallet.

Promotions are competitive.

At home, players take pleasure in entertainment.

Numerous authorized platforms collaborate with reputable providers.

Types of Online Casino Bonus Philippines Offers

1. Welcome Bonus

After registration, you get this promotion right away.

For instance:

  • Make a ₱100 deposit.
  • Receive a 100% bonus.
  • The total comes to ₱2,000.

Because it provides you with beginning capital, this is one of the most appealing online casino bonus Philippines offers.

2. Bonus Spins

You can play slot games with free spins without spending any of your own money.

You might get:

5 bonus spins

10 bonus spins

15 bonus spins

These are usually applied to particular slot games.

Free spins are good as beginners get to experience games with fewer risks.

3. Reload Bonus

Existing players are eligible for a reload bonus. The casino provides you an additional 5% when you make another deposit.

For instance:

Put down ₱2,000.

Receive a 30% bonus.

Get an additional ₱600.

Loyal players can play with greater value as a result.

4. Cashback Bonus

The casino refunds some of your losses in the form of cash back.

For instance:

In just one week, lose ₱5,000.

Receive 5% in cashback.

Get your ₱250 back.

This kind of online casino bonus in the Philippines benefits in ensuring safety and loss reduction.

5. Loyalty and VIP Benefits

Regular players are rewarded by several casinos with:

Increased withdrawal restrictions

Managers of personal accounts

Special offers

Bonuses for birthdays

The goal of VIP programs is to raise players’ long-term worth.

Knowing the Minimum Standards for Wagering

The wagering requirement is defined as the number of times that you need to bet the bonus until it can be withdrawn.

For instance:

Bonus of ₱1,000

20 times the wagering requirement

You have to bet a specific amount to participate or withdraw.

Before using any bonus offer, make sure to review this.

Players benefit from lower wagering restrictions.

Ways to Increase Player Value

Let’s now discuss clever tactics.

1. Read the terms carefully.

Prior to taking a bonus:

Verify the wagering requirements.

Verify the game’s limitations.

Confirm the bonus’s expiration date.

Verify the withdrawal caps.

Later annoyance can be avoided by knowing the rules.

2. Choose Completely Contributing Games

For instance:

Slots typically make up 100%.

Table games may contribute to 10% of the total.

3. Place Smaller Bets First.

Stay clear of high-risk wagering.

Make use of tiny stake amounts.

This might have a higher chance of achieving wagering requirements.

4. Examine Different Casinos

Bonuses are not all created equal.

Compare:

Bonus percentage

The requirement for wagering

Maximum amount taken out

Eligibility for games

The highest percentage is not necessarily the best offer.

How to Play Wisely and Responsibly

Bonuses could be exciting, but it is essential to play reasonably.

Observe these guidelines:

Decide on a budget.

Avoid chasing losses.

Take pauses.

Play for amusement.

The safe gaming resources includes:

Limits on deposits

Reminders for sessions

Options for self-exclusion

Responsible behavior enhances the amount of long-term satisfaction and trust.

How to Find a Legit Online Casino

Safety should always come first.

Select casinos that:

Possess current licenses

Make use of safe encryption.

Offer accurate terms and conditions.

Offer assistance to customers.

Possess favorable player reviews

Stay away from platforms that:

Promise wins that are assured.

Keep bonus terms hidden.

Withdrawals with delays

Lack of contact assistance

Is a Bigger Bonus Always Better?

Not necessarily.

Example:

Casino A:

200% bonus

40x wagering

Casino B:

100% bonus

15x wagering

Casino B might be easier to complete and withdraw.

The real value of an online casino bonus in the Philippines depends on:

Fair conditions

Realistic betting

Rules that are transparent

Experience Counts: The Actions of Smart Players

Compare casinos before making a bet.

Select modest bonuses.

Avoid making emotional decisions.

Early withdrawal of winnings

Long-term value is created by wise behaviors.

Making the Most of Online Casino Bonus Offers

There are several chances and competition in the online casino business. Players now have more options than ever before because of the numerous sites that offer significant promotions.

Bonuses will allow you to play more and have better chances, but you need to spend them wisely.

The combination of knowledge, self-control, and safe platforms can help to make promos a real advantage.Bonuses offered by online casinos are resources that, when used properly, may enhance your gaming experience, increase your playtime, and make it more fun.

Online casino platforms are growing fast in the Philippines. Every day, a multitude of players sign up to benefit from exciting promotions and enjoy entertainment. The bonuses offered in Online Casino Philippines to players who register or deposit are among the main draws.

Being aware of the workings of bonuses may help you become a smarter player, no matter how many years you have been playing. This tutorial explains everything in a format that is easy to understand so that you can easily maximize your player value.

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