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Why the Radio Industry Will Never Cut Its Way to Prosperity

Dr. Ed Cohen
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Why the Radio Industry Will Never Cut Its Way to Prosperity

Reductions in force (RIFs) are nothing new to the radio business. There was a great deal of consternation over the firing of Greg Papa from Cumulus’ KNBR in San Francisco, considering that he’s dealing with a serious cancer fight. Jason Barrett wrote a long piece on it, and he’s not the only one. Plenty of recent Cumulus employees are now former employees as well, and hopefully they’re in better health than Greg Papa.

Regardless of how the economy and the stock market are doing, radio is in a recession. In the second quarter of 2026, every publicly traded radio company’s revenue was down, except in one case where the radio division was down while overall revenue was up slightly. Cumulus and Beasley were both down nearly 10% in Q2 revenue versus 2026. Urban One and Saga were both down year over year.

Now that Audacy is private, we don’t know how the number two radio company performed, nor do we know about Connoisseur Media, which is also privately held.

Radio Can’t Cut Its Way to Prosperity

Times are tough for our business. As it’s often said, you can’t cut your way to prosperity. Sometimes reducing the headcount is needed, but this has been consistent in radio for a long time and, based on the results, doesn’t seem to be the answer.

Here’s an idea: how about if we prove that radio works beyond the data? Pierre Bouvard and his Audio Active Group at Westwood One have turned out wonderful pieces. The RAB does as well. Yet the revenue keeps dropping.

Why not pick a mid-sized market and have one operator go all out? Personalities on all day, live and local. Even in the evenings. Budgets for promotion and research. Lots of local liaison — in other words, the way radio used to be when it was successful. Maybe the companies contribute a few stations to a consortium, get top-notch folks to run it, and see what happens. I don’t know if it will work, but if cutting, great data, and stories aren’t improving the situation, why not try what lots of radio people already believe?

Next, it may not be publicized, and if I’m wrong, so be it, but I haven’t heard many top folks at publicly held radio companies say, “Our companies aren’t doing well. I’ve made a lot of money, so I’m going to work for a greatly reduced salary and benefit package until we can turn this around. That might save some jobs in my company.”

Executive Tenure and Leadership Change

Perhaps it’s even time for changes at the top. According to Russell Reynolds, which tracks such things, the average tenure of a departing CEO in the first half of 2026 was 9.0 years, up from 7.1 years for all of 2025. Let’s consider the radio industry.

Audacy replaced David Field with Kelli Turner as the post-bankruptcy CEO early last year. Field had been CEO of Audacy (previously Entercom) since 2002 — a span of over 22 years.

Mary Berner is wrapping up her 11th year as CEO of Cumulus. One could blame the first bankruptcy on the Dickeys, but the second one is on her and her management team.

Last week, I celebrated my 72nd birthday. I’m not feeling that old, and I don’t think I look 72, although those of you who know me might argue otherwise (the picture used with the column is 13 years old, so don’t go by that). But even at 72, I’m a few months younger than Bob Pittman, assuming his Wikipedia page is correct. Bob has had a fantastic career, both in and out of media. But he has been at the helm of iHeart for almost 15 years. Notice a trend here?

AM Radio and Nielsen’s Diminishing Role

Every week, we see trade press blurbs about companies turning in AM licenses. That’s why we need AM in every car, because these stations aren’t worth enough to the licensees to keep them on the air. Don’t blame the NAB for pushing this initiative on Capitol Hill. The organization does what its board, mostly elected by broadcaster members, tells it to do. If the priorities of the NAB Board change, the NAB’s priorities will change as well.

Then there’s Nielsen. It seems that the company has let go as many people on the audio side as any group owner. In the meantime, Nielsen and Cumulus keep battling in court. Does this help our industry at all? Can’t something be worked out to the benefit of both sides, rather than to the benefit of their respective high-end law firms?

For that matter, when was the last time you heard about Nielsen doing anything for the radio/audio business? A press release here and there?

You may have read that the RAB, along with NuVoodoo Research, is doing a study of audio account executives. Why isn’t Nielsen involved? We did a similar study at Arbitron back around 2001, on the company’s dime. Go back and look at studies conducted by Edison, Coleman, Jacobs Media, and others, all paid for by Arbitron. Remember the Consultant Fly-Ins? Arbitron paid for it if you could get yourself to Maryland. Perhaps that was a different era, but it showed the concern for making the industry stronger.

I’m not sure any of these ideas will solve radio’s long-term issues, and you may have other good ideas. What I think we can agree on is that the status quo isn’t working.

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.

Chuck Armstrong is Living His Rock Radio Dream at Townsquare Media

Mike Stern
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Chuck Armstrong is Living His Rock Radio Dream at Townsquare Media

Typically, when you hear someone say they are “living the dream,” it is the height of sarcasm. Most people saying this are likely doing anything but actually living out their childhood dreams. That’s why when you come across someone like Chuck Armstrong who is actually, honestly living his dream, it’s a story worth telling.

Armstrong is currently serving in a dual role for Townsquare Media as VP, Content Operations and the host and Show Runner for the syndicated nighttime Rock show Loudwire Nights. These two roles fit him perfectly because he is fueled by two somewhat separate but certainly equal passions: the radio industry and Rock music.

Both passions began at an early age. Growing up in what he describes as middle-of-nowhere Kansas, he was heavily influenced by his father’s lifetime love of music. “I grew up surrounded by music and records and hearing stories about my dad seeing Black Sabbath in Kansas City in 1972.”

Moreover, he could pick up KQRC, known as 98.9 The Rock, out of Kansas City where he discovered a love for the medium. “Listening to The Rock led to me developing this massive passion for Rock Radio. I remember listening to Johnny Dare every morning driving to school and frequently being late because I didn’t want to turn the radio off.”

Yet it took a while for Armstrong to realize his passion could also be his career. “It wasn’t until I got to college at Kansas State that I even realized radio or music was a job that you could have,” Armstrong says. In the commons at Kansas State, he saw the college station 91.9 KSDB-FM recruiting students. This became his epiphany. “The guy behind the table said, ‘hey, you want to DJ?’ And it just clicked. Then I realized that of course, people have this job because I grew up listening to it. That changed my life.”

From there, a fairly familiar progression followed. He became Program Director of the college station. Subsequently, he interned at several places including Entercom in Kansas City, which he parlayed into a first job working for the cluster that included the station he grew up on, KQRC. “It was like a dream I never even knew I had. I just love the medium of radio. And it wasn’t just wanting to be on air. It was just wanting to be part of it in whatever way.”

Representing the Website

That desire to be in the business in any way possible eventually led to Townsquare. There, he has worked at the corporate level in a number of different capacities and taken over both host and show runner duties for their syndicated nighttime Rock show Loudwire Nights.

The show was launched in 2014, and Armstrong was part of the team that built out the initial concept. This included working with Kevin Vargas, Program Director at KLAQ/El Paso, and original host Full Metal Jackie.

The goal of Loudwire Nights is to be an audio extension of the website with the same name. “Loudwire.com was not very old when we launched the show, but it had already grown to be a go-to site for Rock fans,” Armstrong says. “That’s a huge part of what we want the show to be as well. The source of information about rock.”

So, while he plays a lot of music each hour, Armstrong wants what comes between the records to be what sets the show apart. “We’re always trying to make sure we’re delivering on what Loudwire has been known for, but in a unique way that connects with the listener and makes them bigger fans of the music, the artists, and the whole genre.”

However, the website does tend to lean toward covering the heavier end of music in the Rock spectrum. Much of this music doesn’t fit well on the radio, a disconnect Armstrong is well aware of. “No one is reading every story on Loudwire.com, or any website for that matter. So, the challenge is how do we give listeners the best of the best on the radio show and leave room to dive deeper on the website. The answer, I think, is coming at it from a fan’s perspective.”

Representing The Fans

If anyone can host the show and represent the fans, it’s Armstrong. Even now, several years into being named the host of the show, he’s still traveling to events and attending an endless number of shows. “I love going to the machine shop in Flint and hanging out with the WWBN-FM family. I love going to the Upheaval Festival in Grand Rapids and hanging out with the WGRD family. I love going to Sturgis and hanging out with the KSKY family,” Armstrong says. “Having the connection of a local show on a national level is nearly impossible. But you can try. And getting to talk to the audience and hearing them say that they listen — that’s the personal outreach that reminds me why I love what I do.”

Another important part of both being a fan and representing the fans is the opportunity to interview artists. Armstrong appreciates having the opportunity to talk with the musicians he loves. Yet the focus remains on delivering for the audience. “I remember growing up being a listener hearing artist interviews, and how cool that was. Now we have access to bring the artists to the listeners, so I want to continue making that connection.”

He takes great pride in presenting interviews on the show. Moreover, he has modeled his approach after the person he grew up listening to, Johnny Dare. “He could have an engaging conversation, and make it relevant, make it funny, make it personal, make it emotional with anybody, whether it was a huge rock star or an actress in a movie that I’ll never watch. I think about that all the time. Especially because it was one of the reasons I was often late for school.”

Representing the Format

As the Rock format lead for Townsquare, Armstrong is responsible for working with all the company’s Mainstream Rock stations. This gives him a broad perspective on the state of the format. And when many others, including MTV who for the first time ever will not have a Video Music Award for Rock, are skeptical, he’s bullish on the music.

“I think the Rock format is healthy. I’m always listening to Townsquare stations and other stations and I’m excited about the music that’s playing and the health of the stations,” says Armstrong. “Specifically in the last couple of years it feels strong and legitimate. There is a good handful of bands that may not be staples yet but have become known quantities for radio stations.”

Typical of his fan-level approach, that opinion is formed by being at shows and seeing how people react. “At so many of the shows I go to for newer bands, like the ones we’re talking about, the crowds are packed in and singing every word,” recounts Armstrong. “Does that translate directly to radio? No, of course not. I understand that. But I do think there’s an appetite for this new music and I do think it can work.”

The difference between Rock and other genres of new music that may be struggling more to build fanbases are the artists’ stories. “I understand all the data that we have access to but I, more than anything, want to hear a good song. Then I want to know the story of the band or the singer. Where they’ve been, what they’ve done,” he says. “It’s cool to have a gazillion streams and I would never discredit that. But listeners care about connection. I think that’s pretty foundational to Rock and you don’t necessarily get that just because an artist has a gazillion streams.”

And that’s where hopefully Armstrong, and other hosts in the format, come into play. “Introducing a band is more than just adding a song. It’s interviewing the artist or having them in the studio,” he says. Additionally, that’s a strength of the format he loves. “I think the hosts on rock stations in general are some of the truest music-loving DJs. And I think that’s always been a very special part of the format.”

Representing the Classics

Don’t take all of that to mean Armstrong only believes in new Rock. “I do think new music is great right now. I think we’re in a healthier place than we’ve been. And I’m excited about that,” he says. “But that doesn’t detract from the incredible and critical importance of playing the artists who got us here, who brought us to the party. Elevating core artists and making them a part of that station.”

He points to how the format celebrated Ozzy Osbourne after his passing a little over a year ago. “There wouldn’t be what we have today without Ozzy. You can easily see how there wouldn’t be this band without Metallica or that band without Soundgarden or whoever. I personally love the connection of what we would call Classic Rock to new music. I think it’s something almost all fans and listeners connect with.”

And with the mention of Metallica, it becomes necessary to address Armstrong’s biggest fandom — his near obsession with the band. “Growing up with a dad and older brother who loved music there was just something about Metallica and pulling out the Master of Puppets CD or And Justice for All or listening to Load with my brother when it came out.”

That has led to a lifetime of fandom including launching his own weekly Metallica radio show. He has attended every special event Metallica has been part of over the years. “Watching this band tour after tour, year after year, just continue to grow and never get complacent or get tired is inspiring.”

Beyond the music, he loves how the band gives back. “Even if I didn’t love Metallica and wasn’t obsessed with them I would think that creating a foundation to just be at the ready to help communities is cool. Who doesn’t love a story about when an artist steps up and helps people in need?” Armstrong says. “That’s just one of the many reasons I think they are the greatest band in the history of the world.”

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.

Radio Celebrated Itself for National Radio Day. Now It Has to Earn It.

Bethany Kent
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Radio Celebrated Itself for National Radio Day. Now It Has to Earn It.

My social feeds spent Thursday (aka National Radio Day) full of old studio photos, career throwbacks and heartfelt posts about why radio matters. Stations, personalities and companies all joined in. Honestly, it was nice to see.

But the day is over now. And I keep coming back to one question: how can we make sure we’re still celebrating for many years to come?

We celebrated the right things. Now we have to prove them.

Scroll through enough National Radio Day posts, and you’ll see the same words again and again: local, personality, community, immediacy. Those aren’t just nice sentiments. They’re radio’s real advantages over Spotify, podcasts and every algorithm competing for the same ears.

Still, those words only mean something if they show up on a random Tuesday in October, not just one day in August.

Is your station actually local?

Radio loves to say “we’re local” like it’s automatic. It isn’t. After all, broadcasting from a tower in a city doesn’t make a station part of that city.

So ask the harder questions. Does your afternoon host know what’s happening around town this weekend? Does your station show up at community events, or just promote them? When something big happens locally, does your programming actually change?

I have been commuting lately as I’m back in an in-person 9-5 role for the first time since before the pandemic. Even with Google maps going, I still find myself looking for local traffic updates on the radio. On Thursday there was a massive accident during my commute home. I was impressed that Cat Country 98.1 WCTK/Providence was all over it on-air. Is it a sad world that I’m impressed with a jock immediately addressing something in the market live on-air? Maybe. But it felt SO local in that moment, that my radio nerd heart grew three sizes.

Here’s a test worth sitting with: if someone listened to your station for an hour without hearing the call letters, would they know what city they were in?

Having announcers isn’t the same as having personalities.

Radio also claims personality as an edge over streaming. Fair enough, but only if we’re actually developing personalities, not filling airtime between songs.

Do your listeners know anything real about the people on air? Do they know their opinions, their stories, their recurring bits? Is there an actual relationship with the audience? Or is it just liners and legal IDs with a name attached?

Last week I interviewed Kennedy of Mix 104.1 in Boston. She and her morning show co-host Karson have such a deep relationship with their listeners. It is really worth giving them a listen and hearing their authenticity come through on-air.

If personality really is one of our best advantages, then talent development can’t be the first line item cut when budgets tighten. Instead, it has to be treated like an investment.

Community isn’t a slogan. It’s a collective effervescence.

This is where radio can do something almost nothing else can. It can take an audience that normally exists separately in cars, kitchens and dentist’s offices, and physically bring them together in one place.

You don’t need a stadium-sized event for that, though. A small-market station at the town festival creates the same kind of connection as a massive concert. What matters most is that people show up because of your station. They felt driven to do so by a sense of community orchestrated by you.

If we’re the immediate medium, we need to act like it.

Radio’s oldest bragging right is being live and immediate. But does a station still have permission to break format when something actually happens? Breaking local news, a weather emergency, a hometown team winning it all, a beloved artist’s death… these are the moments radio was built for.

If we don’t sound live and immediate when it counts, then we’re handing away one of our biggest advantages for free.

We need to stop defending radio and start making it worth defending.

Here’s the part I think about most. Radio people spend a lot of energy insisting radio isn’t dead, that people still listen, that we still matter. All of that is true. Even so, the more we defend radio, the more we accidentally suggest it needs defending.

I asked this in a recent column, and I still think it’s the only question that matters: would anyone notice if your station disappeared tomorrow? Would listeners miss the morning show? Would the community miss the charity drive? Would a local business miss the partnership? Would an artist miss the platform?

In the end, that’s relevance. Not a slogan. A real answer to a real question.

Earning the next one

National Radio Day deserves to be celebrated. This industry has built careers, friendships and memories most of us never expected. But the best way to honor radio isn’t posting an old studio photo every August 20th.

The posts are done. Now let’s make something worth posting about.

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.

SVP of Content Pat Paxton to Exit Saga Communications

Jason Barrett
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SVP of Content Pat Paxton to Exit Saga Communications

Widely respected and accomplished radio executive Pat Paxton is exiting Saga Communications as the company’s Senior VP of Content. The announcement was made internally today at Saga Communications. Paxton joined Saga in June 2023 following a brief break after a 22-year run with Entercom/Audacy. His career stops include time spent in Boston, MA, Houston, TX, Orlando, FL, La Crosse, WI, Sioux Falls, IA, Hungtington, WV and Yankton, SD.

What We Know: CEO Chris Forgy shared the news with company employees via email on Friday. Paxton followed up with a note of his own to thank everyone for their collaboration and hard work. Forgy revealed that Ocala, FL OM Scott Chase, and Clarksville, TN OM Ryan Ploeckelman will co-chair the department moving forward, earning the titles of Group Program Director. Paxton will stay on through Friday, August 28th to help ease the transition process.

What They Said: Pat Paxton, SVP of Content (via an internal note to Saga employees):

Chris was gracious enough to allow me to reach out to you all to say a personal goodbye. I’ve had a long successful career in this business and I’ve loved every second of it. But I’m not as young as I used to be. I’ve been considering this for a few months and given the challenges Chris mentioned in his email, stepping away now makes perfect sense. Scott and Ryan are two of the smartest programming minds out there, so I am 100% certain the transition will be smooth and easy.

Five years ago, after running programming for Audacy for 22 years, I retired for the first time. I intended to stay retired, or at least semi-retired. Then in 2023 I met with Chris, Wayne, and Sam at the Embassy Suites in Detroit. I came out of that meeting thinking I might want to do this again. So I did, and it’s been a pleasure every step of the way. You will not find three more dedicated, compassionate, and insightful people anywhere else in this business.

To our Content Directors. You are the best. No one works harder than you. No one wears more hats than you. And you do it all with energy and passion. I feel blessed that I had the chance to work with and get to know you.

I will miss you all but feel like I’m a better person having worked with each of you.

What Remains Unclear: Paxton didn’t say if he was retiring but after entering the industry in the 1980’s, he has little left to prove. Saga hasn’t shared specifics of how Chase and Ploeckelman will operate moving forward or if their appointments include additional contractual adjustments. Forgy acknowledged in his internal note that the radio industry’s challenges were affecting Saga as well. Whether that will result in additional changes in the future is to be determined.

What It Means: Saga is losing a key programming executive with a strong reputation, a track record of success, and deep knowledge and skill. Chase and Ploeckelman will have big shoes to fill in helping steer the programming department forward through challenging times. For Paxton, is this it? If so, is he ready to turn the page on what has been a tremendous career? Pat’s views on the industry can be better absorbed in this excellent piece written previously by Keith Cunningham.

We wish Pat nothing but the best moving forward and offer our congratulations to Scott and Ryan as they step into their new roles at Saga.

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.

Mike Mulligan, Marshall Harris Depart 104.3 The Score in Chicago

John Mamola
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Mike Mulligan, Marshall Harris Depart 104.3 The Score in Chicago

Mike Mulligan and Marshall Harris have departed 104.3 The Score. Mulligan’s tenure with the Chicago based radio station lasted more than two decades. Harris had been with the station in a full-time capacity since 2024.

What We Know: Mulligan departs after two decades with the Chicago sports station. Throughout his tenure, he co-hosted both in middays and morning drive alongside Brian Hanley till 2018, and David Haugh since then. Additionally, Marshall Harris has also parted ways with The Score. Meanwhile, the Rahimi & Grote Show will remain in the 10am-2pm slot starting Monday. A new morning show co-host for Haugh will be named on Monday.

What They Said: Mitch Rosen, The Score Vice President (via a statement to staff obtained by Barrett Media):

“Today, we made some very difficult programming decisions. After more than 20 years with The Score, we have parted ways with Mike Mulligan of the “Mully and Haugh Show.” Mully has been a vital part of The Score family and a major part of our history and success. We are incredibly grateful for his many contributions over the past two decades.

I wish Mully nothing but the best in whatever comes next from the bottom of my heart. We will announce a new morning show co-host on Monday.

Also, we parted ways with Marshall Harris. We thank Marshall for his time with The Score. He has been a great teammate and an important part of our team, and we wish him the very best in the future. Starting Monday, the “Rahimi & Grote Show” will air in its current timeslot of 10am-2pm.” These decisions are never easy, and today was especially difficult for everyone involved. I know there will be questions, and I understand that.”

What Remains Unclear: No word yet on who will join Haugh in mornings moving forward. No reasons were given on the staffing decisions made by the radio station.

What It Means: This shake-up reshapes both the morning and midday lineups. Consequently, longtime listeners face a notably different on-air roster. Mulligan’s tenure at The Score lasted longer than most to the station’s most recognizable talent in the station’s three decades plus history. Mully & Haugh won the “Best Morning Show Award” from the Illinois Association of Broadcasters in November of 2025. As for Harris’ departure, this is the second change in the daypart following the dismissal of Dan Bernstein last summer. Both Harris and Mulligan hosted their programs in full today prior to news of their departures.

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.

Mike Z Joins KNAC After KCAL-FM Classic Rock Flip

David Hill
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Mike Z Joins KNAC After KCAL-FM Classic Rock Flip

Mike Z departs KCAL-FM following its Classic Rock flip. His Hard Rock show lands at Heftel Broadcasting’s KNAC cluster.

What We Know Barstow-based KNAC and sister stations KHDR and KHYZ-HD3 now carry Mike Z’s weekly “Wired” show. The Hard Rock and Heavy Metal program premiered Thursday at 12-2pm on KNAC, with Saturday 8-10pm repeats. Meanwhile, Mike Z anchored KCAL-FM Redlands for 22 years before the station flipped to jockless Classic Rock this month. He previously worked at KCXX San Bernardino, KLLY and KRAB Bakersfield, plus promotions roles at KCBS-FM and KLYY Los Angeles.

What They Said “What an honor it is for me to add those legendary call letters to my resume,” Mike Z shared, noting he purchased his first KNAC t-shirt at La Casa De Candles in Puente Hills Mall. “I never thought I would one day be on air there,” he added. KNAC Program Director Gonzo Greg expressed enthusiasm: “We are so stoked to have Mike Z bring ‘Wired’ to Pure Rock KNAC. As the premiere hard rock and heavy metal show in the Inland Empire, we’re excited to share the noise with High Desert neighbors.”

What Remains Unclear The format flip’s impact on other KCAL air talent hasn’t surfaced publicly yet. Furthermore, details about “Wired’s” performance across KNAC’s expanded footprint remain unknown. So far, no announcement indicates whether other KCAL personalities will pursue new opportunities.

What It Means Regional market format flips continue reshaping the talent landscape. Additionally, syndication and jockless formats create openings in niche programming. Ultimately, community figures like Mike Z find homes where personality-driven rock radio survives.

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.

94.9 The Fan Nashville Adds Greg Pogue, Darren McFarland Program To Mornings

John Mamola
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94.9 The Fan Nashville Adds Greg Pogue, Darren McFarland Program To Mornings

Nashville sports radio just got a major shake-up. Greg Pogue and Darren McFarland are teaming up for a new show on ESPN Radio 94.9FM.

What We Know: The Greg Pogue & Darren McFarland Show debuts Monday on ESPN Radio 94.9 The Fan. It airs weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon and covers local sports from high schools to the pros. Together, Pogue and McFarland bring more than 50 years of Nashville sports radio experience. Pogue calls play-by-play for Tennessee State football and MTSU women’s basketball, while McFarland has hosted Predators Radio Network pregame and postgame coverage for a decade.

What They Said: Chase McCabe, Director of Operations and Sports Programming for Cromwell Nashville: “I am personally excited to have two of my mentors back with us in the Cromwell family. They have done a lot for me and for this market and are truly two legends. To add Greg and Darren to our local sports talk show line up on ESPN 94.9 The Fan as well as our great lineup on ESPN 102.5 The Game is a huge win for us.”

What Remains Unclear: It’s unclear whether Cromwell Nashville plans additional lineup moves beyond this pairing. Additionally, how Pogue’s Kats duties and McFarland’s Predators work fit around the new schedule remains unaddressed.

What It Means: Ultimately, this move signals Cromwell Nashville is doubling down on veteran, market-tested talent. By pairing two established voices, the station bets on built-in credibility over untested chemistry. Consequently, ESPN 94.9 strengthens its midday lineup as 102.5 The Game nears its 15th anniversary. Also as part of the announcement, the return for a second season of the Metro Nashville Public High Schools Game of the Week.” It will air on The Game 102.5-FM starting tonight.

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.

Roy Philpott Named Danny Kanell’s New Co-Host in Mornings, Dusty Dvoracek Shifts to Middays at SiriusXM College Sports Radio

John Mamola
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Roy Philpott Named Danny Kanell’s New Co-Host in Mornings, Dusty Dvoracek Shifts to Middays at SiriusXM College Sports Radio

Dusty Dvoracek and Danny Kanell wrapped their final show together. Five years of morning college football radio on SiriusXM came to a close. With the end of the program came an announcement that Roy Philpott will be stepping in and replacing Dvoracek, while he shifts to a role in middays.

What We Know: Danny Kanell stays in mornings, joined by new co-host Roy Philpott starting Monday. Philpott has hosted several shows on SiriusXM’s college channel and filled in on mornings numerous times before. He also works for ESPN as a play-by-play announcer since 2016, calling college football, basketball, baseball and softball games as well as contributing to ESPN’s UFL coverage on ABC. Dusty Dvoracek, meanwhile, shifts to middays, College Sports Today, airing noon to 3 p.m. He’ll host alongside Kris Budden, Nicole Auerbach, E.J. Manuel and Bobby Carpenter.

What They Said: (All quotes from SiriusXM College Sports Radio):

Dusty Dvoracek on working with Danny Kanell: “We started this thing on Tuesdays. [Greg] McIlroy was gone, and I’d come in, and it felt like instant chemistry. You kind of just knew this is gonna work. It’s been so much fun. I love holding you accountable, but it’s all good natured fun. I’m gonna miss you tremendously.”

Dusty Dvoracek on the difficulty leaving the program: “I’ve been doing radio now for almost 15 years. I’ve enjoyed every co-host that I’ve worked with. But this one’s been really special. It’s why it’s so hard to say goodbye. I was hoping we could find a way to make it work. Just not going to work out, and I hate it. But you know, I appreciate you. These five years have been tremendous.”

Dusty Dvoracek excited to see the program he’s leaving continue to grow: “It’s not like I’m dying or I’m going away. I’ll still be talking college sports. But unfortunately, it won’t be with you boys in the morning. But I appreciate all of you. Thank you for this ride. It’s been tremendous fun, and I can’t wait to see how the show is going to move on from here and what’s to come for all of us in the future.”

Danny Kanell on Dusty Dvoracek: “I don’t think anybody knows the sacrifice you’ve made to get up at 4:15, 4:30 in the morning local time to come here and deliver every single morning. Bringing the energy, and bringing the knowledge. You just [made] this show easy to do as a co-host. It’s been awesome. I’ve had an absolute blast last five years. I’ll miss working with you every single morning. Like you said, you’re not going away.”

Danny Kanell shares his thanks for Dusty Dvoracek: “We talk more to each other than we do to our spouses. That’s the reality of doing three hours of radio every day for five years together. Love you like a brother. I’ll still be watching, texting you during games that you’re calling. I’m gonna miss you, man. It’s been an incredible run.”

Danny Kanell announces Roy Philpott as his new co-host: “Roy Philpott, our buddy. You’ve heard him here on the channel across a lot of the different times that we have shows on here. We’ve heard him in here as a fill-in when one of us are gone. We’ve worked together a lot over the past month. He’s going to be stepping in to fill your shoes. Oh boy, I’ve already gotten some complaints that there’s going to be an ACC bias.”

Danny Kanell on his excitement to welcome Roy Philpott to mornings: “I’m fired up to be working with Roy here moving forward, and should be a blast. It should be awesome. So hopefully we’ll keep our fans that you and I built together, and they’ll just expand across the whole day where they can listen to you in the afternoon and be in the morning with Roy.”

What Remains Unclear: It’s unclear how Philpott’s ESPN duties will mesh with a daily morning slot. Dvoracek’s frequency of appearances in middays was also not mentioned.

What It Means: The end of Dusty and Danny closes a five-year chapter in college sports radio. However, neither host is truly leaving the network. Instead, SiriusXM is restructuring its college football audio lineup. Meanwhile, Dvoracek’s expanded ESPN role suggests a growing crossover between radio and television commitments in sports media. Philpott’s addition is a welcome one with much familiarity to the audience. It should provide an easy transition for the listening audience in the mornings.

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.

Elle Duncan: Criticism of Netflix Sports Very Similar To Experience With ESPN

John Mamola
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Elle Duncan: Criticism of Netflix Sports Very Similar To Experience With ESPN

Elle Duncan says Netflix critics hit just as hard as ESPN’s ever did. She made the comparison during a recent appearance on Casuals with Katie Nolan.

What We Know: This was the first year of MLB play by play coverage on Netflix. The results were mixed but the feedback online caught most of the attention. As for viewership, MLB Opening Night on Netflix averaged 3 million viewers in March. The Home Run Derby then drew a 23-year ratings low of 5.3 million. Field of Dreams sank further, pulling only 1.66 million viewers on August 13. Netflix also loses the Field of Dreams broadcast to NBC starting next season. Now with the first year of MLB coverage in the rear view mirror, Netflix Sports host Elle Duncan reflected on the amount of criticism the three-event package received.

What They Said: (All quotes via Casuals with Katie Nolan):

Elle Duncan on criticism of Netflix Sports on social media: “These traditional media companies have had a 50-year head start. Also, with the frequency with which they do sporting events means that they can really work on things and then correct them the next day. Like we have to wait two months in between things. Luckily I understand the tenor of social media. I don’t really give a s**t. I don’t care. Really, I don’t give a s**t.”

Elle Duncan says criticism at Netflix and ESPN is very similar: “I thought I worked for the Yankees when I worked at ESPN, where it was just constantly people just trying to pick things apart. Trying to tear you down and rip you to shreds. But I have discovered no, that is where we’re at with Netflix now. I think that some of that is just because it is Netflix. It is an established IP. They feel like the big boogeyman to a lot of companies. So, they want us to already sort of be where some of the traditional broadcasts have been.”

Elle Duncan on the difference between new ideas with Netflix Sports and other networks: “These other companies have a 50-year head start. So, we’re doing all of this very publicly, but we listen. We [Duncan & Katie Nolan] both worked at companies where everything has to be proven and run through 55 channels before it’ll be approved. Netflix is kind of like, try it. If it doesn’t work, we’ll pivot.”

Elle Duncan on listening to viewer feedback on things: “We try things, and we listen to feedback. We heard you on the score bug. So, we gave you a huge score bug Field of Dreams. We heard you on the promos. We listen because we certainly want to make sure that we’re you know providing what the folks are looking for at home. But ultimately, like just give us some grace and some time. It’s kind of like throwing things against the wall.”

Elle Duncan says younger viewers are coming to baseball on Netflix: “There is a reason why MLB wanted to partner with Netflix. When you look at sort of the demo that makes up who’s watching baseball on Netflix, it’s younger. That’s always the white whale that everyone’s chasing is a younger demographic. Baseball is amongst the oldest of the fan bases, along with golf.”

What Remains Unclear: How Netflix’s adapts into year two of their MLB coverage is unknown.

What It Means: For Duncan, the backlash mirrors years of scrutiny she already absorbed at ESPN. She treats it as noise, not validation, pointing to fixes like the bigger scorebug as proof Netflix listens. Still, the ratings slide pressures Netflix’s “try it, pivot” approach as it courts younger fans. Ultimately, Duncan is asking critics for patience, not perfection.

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.

Former KNX News, KFI Anchor Rob Archer Joining 95.5 WSB

Garrett Searight
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Former KNX News, KFI Anchor Rob Archer Joining 95.5 WSB

Rob Archer is joining 95.5 WSB after decades of anchoring in Los Angeles. The move reunites the veteran broadcaster with former KNX News boss Ken Charles.

What We Know: Archer spent 10 years anchoring at KNX News before exiting in 2025 amid companywide layoffs at Audacy. Before that, he spent eight years as an anchor at KFI-AM 640 in Los Angeles. Overall, Archer has worked in radio for more than 45 years. Now, he’ll bring that experience to 95.5 WSB in Atlanta. The move also marks a reunion with Ken Charles, the station’s Program Director. Charles previously held the same role at KNX News during Archer’s tenure.

What They Said: “Whenever I’ve been laid off from somewhere, I’ve told people, ‘The future, as they say, is wide open.’ It’s a way of saying that the routine has been disrupted and life is about to be different. Well, now I can say that about starting something new. I’m getting another ride on the radio machine — the business that’s been a lifelong love. The future, truly, is wide open. There’s a lot to do, of course. I’ve been an Angeleno for 27 years. We’ve got places to sell, plans to make, and many things to figure out. But I’m truly excited to start this brand-new chapter — a chapter I honestly didn’t think I was going to get.” -Rob Archer

What Remains Unclear: Archer’s specific role, start date, and schedule at 95.5 WSB haven’t been detailed publicly. The station also hasn’t announced additional details surrounding his responsibilities.

What It Means: For Archer, the move provides another opportunity to continue a career that has spanned more than four decades. Meanwhile, 95.5 WSB gains a veteran anchor with extensive experience across two major Los Angeles radio brands. Additionally, Charles’ presence gives the move a familiar connection for Archer. After his unexpected exit from KNX News, the opportunity represents a new chapter for one of radio’s longtime voices.

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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