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ESPN ‘Strategic Partner’ Likely to Come From Tech Sector

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As Disney searches for a strategic partner to purchase an equity stake in ESPN amid shifting revenue streams, it will reportedly target a technology company. Andrew Marchand of the New York Post says that telecommunications companies including T-Mobile and Verizon are in play, in addition to technology giant Microsoft. Moreover, companies that have become involved in the sports media space through live broadcast rights and other media packages are in consideration, such as Amazon (Thursday Night Football), Apple (Friday Night Baseball; MLS Season Pass) and Google (NFL Sunday Ticket).

The minority investment will aim to broaden distribution as ESPN works on executing “Project Flagship,” a plan to unveil a direct-to-consumer offering. Sources told The Post that the launch is expected to take place sometime in 2025, but no later than 2026.

ESPN once reached over 110 million homes but has been subject to the effects of cord-cutting, which eclipsed a record in the first quarter of this year. Through the second quarter, Guggenheim affirms that distributors are down 3.2 million people over the last 12 months, marking a stark contrast and threatening the viability of the business. The “Worldwide Leader” now reaches approximately 72 million homes, and even with the new DTC product, still plans to keep its presence on linear television.

If it strikes a deal with Apple, ESPN could come as a preloaded product on new iPhones or other devices. This would represent an ostensible advantage for the network since the technology company has 57.4% of the U.S. market using its cell phones. Since many people see products from technology companies as a quotidian necessity in their lifestyles, the distribution of networks could, theoretically, be augmented by means of partnership.

Previous reports stated that ESPN could partner with one of the major professional sports leagues, which could presumably make securing live broadcast rights easier in the future. The network’s deal with the NBA expires after the 2024-25 regular season, with renewal talks expected to begin soon. The league is introducing a new in-season tournament featuring group play and knockout rounds, with games to be televised by ESPN/ABC (The Walt Disney Company) and TNT (Warner Bros. Discovery).

ESPN, seen as its own distinct business entity under Iger’s reorganization of The Walt Disney Company, will report its own earnings for the first time this November. No deal is imminent, but the report conveys that Disney values its lead sports property between $40 to $50 billion. A 10 percent stake in ESPN, as a result, would be valued at $4 to $5 billion, expenditures that technology companies could afford after leading the stock market in the second quarter. This helped accentuate 34.2% growth in the NASDAQ, exceeding the percentage value it lost last year.

Pat McAfee Show Not Joining ESPN Radio in the Fall

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Pat McAfee will not be on ESPN Radio. At least, not when his distribution deal with the network begins in the fall according to Andrew Marchand.

In his Monday newsletter for The New York Post, Marchand writes that he has heard from sources that despite ESPN’s desire, McAfee’s multi-platform approach will not include the soon-to-be-overhauled radio network. 

“ESPN could revisit the plan a year from now,” Marchand writes.

McAfee chose to leave broadcast radio for satellite in 2020, saying that he found FCC rules constraining considering how his show began. Surely, the same issues would likely arise if McAfee and crew were on ESPN affiliates across the country.

Many of the network’s local radio affiliates expressed optimism when news broke last week that ESPN was hoping to put McAfee’s show on radio. Given all of the recent upheaval at the network, he could have added some serious star power to the middays, when stations are most likely to turn to syndicated programming.

The implications of this revelation are interesting. Does ESPN Radio go with a “temporary fix?” Certainly there will be local stations that want something permanent in place, but the appeal of a future with McAfee on the air is hard to deny.

Good Karma Brands Takes Over Sales Operations for ESPN Audio & Events

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ESPN and Good Karma Brands have entered a new era of their relationship. The network is turning all sales and sales operations for its audio products and live events over to Good Karma. GKB President Steve Politiziner will oversee the effort.

“This partnership reaffirms ESPN’s commitment to audio while endorsing KB as a trusted operating partner and primary sales representative across multiple platforms – audio, digital, and events,” Good Karma founder and CEO Craig Karmazin said in a memo to his staff. “Our relationship with ESPN began over 20 years ago with KB’s affiliate relationship with ESPN through our radio stations and has grown to encompass Florida-based bowl games with ESPN Events, ESPN’s digital assets, and our recent purchases of their largest market radio stations. We are thrilled to now lead sales for ESPN Radio and ESPN Podcasts connecting advertising partners with passionate sports fans across the country.”

Norby Williamson, ESPN’s Executive Editor & Head of Event and Studio Production, re-affirmed the network’s commitment to audio. ESPN will continue to lead content, distribution and marketing efforts internally.

He added that from a sales perspective, the goals of ESPN and Good Karma Brands are perfectly aligned. The two companies have a relationship that dates back to 1997.

“ESPN has been leading and innovating in the audio space for over 30 years with our national radio lineup as well as our live event schedule with over 300 signature events annually and always-expanding podcast library,” he said. “This latest iteration of our long-standing partnership with Good Karma Brands reinforces our commitment and ability to further grow the business.”

The new iteration of the relationship expands what the two companies have in New York and LA to the entire radio network. It could certainly open up plenty of future opportunities for Good Karma to have conversations about ESPN Radio programming. For now, though, that doesn’t appear to be on the table.

CNN Adds Daniel Strauss as National Political Reporter

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CNN has announced that The New Republic senior political correspondent Daniel Strauss is joining the network in a similar role.

Strauss will cover national politics and be based in Washington D.C. for CNN as the 2024 presidential election cycle heats up. According to the network, Straus will cover “the political trends that emerge and the issues that are top of mind for voters.”

Before joining The New Republic, Strauss spent time as a Washington-based reporter for The Guardian, Politico, and Talking Points Memo.

His first journalism job was covering breaking news for The Hill.

The addition of Strauss is the latest of several additions CNN has made as the 2024 presidential election cycle continues. In recent weeks the network has added former Biden White House official Kate Bedingfield as a political analyst.

It has also announced that former CNBC host Kayla Tausche would join the network as Senior White House Correspondent.

Jim Rome Bans Listener for Quality of Takes

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Jim Rome knows the value of his nationally-syndicated radio program the platform it provides listeners that want to interact. He does not take it for granted and implores people to participate for a shot to attain a “golden ticket,” referring to exposure on the air.

On Friday, ahead of taking a vacation from the show as per the “Rome Vacation Schedule,” which he described as two weeks on the air and then a two-week break, Rome implemented his audience and began the second segment of his show with an email. The message came from “Wells in the 360,” who wrote Rome an email that read as follows:

“I loved DeAndre Hopkins’ clawback. You know I’m a huge fan of wife smacks. Signed, Dana White.”

Hopkins, the star wide receiver acquisition for the Tennessee Titans, recently quote-tweeted a clip of him making a difficult catch in training camp by writing, “I was told he doesn’t practice…” This, of course, refers to reports of NFL executives being concerned with his practice regimen and work ethic, which came after his release by the Arizona Cardinals upon skipping voluntary team activities. Rome did not appreciate the wording of the message, nor the take itself, and decided to address the participant directly.

“You have no credibility because you are the author of the worst take in the history of the program,” Rome said. “Rare is the person that gets banned from this show, but if you do get banned from this show, it’s because you’ve said something racist; you’ve done something absolutely unacceptable or reckless [or] you’ve threatened one of the staff members…. Those are all reasons to get run from the show – banned from the show. Nobody has ever been banned, however, for their quality of takes, but you are this close to becoming the first.”

Rome referenced a previous take made by Wells that Shohei Ohtani was an overhyped and overrated Major League Baseball player. This comes the day after Ohtani became the second player since 1971 to throw a shutout and hit two home runs in the same day.

“Anything you have to say – anything at all – means nothing to anybody because you’re on the record with the worst take of all,” Rome said. “In fact, such a bad take I could ban you from this show on the quality of your take alone, something I’ve never done in 30-plus years, so don’t talk to me about Dana White, Wells. Don’t talk to me about anything – and especially about Shohei.

“This is why soon, Wells, you will be banned, and if I don’t ban you, it’s because I have great empathy. It’s got to be hard to be you, Wells. It’s got to be hard to go through life walking around with that kind of nonsense rattling around in your ahead.”

While Rome seemed a bit undecided on whether he would issue the ban, he ultimately seems to have passed down an ultimatum disseminated with a slight euphemism to perhaps soften the blow.

“My man, I’m going to do you a favor and ignore you,” Rome tergiversated. “You no longer get what you want from me – run on an incredible radio program. Come on dude, stop. And when I mean stop, I mean stop. You’re free to listen, and I can’t stop you from tweeting, but I can stop you from seeing the light of day on this show because your terrible takes are bringing the brand down.”

Wells in the 360 responded to Rome’s decision on Twitter, asserting that he backed up his take on Ohtani with stats over multiple months and spoke about his fatigue. He also claimed that he never stated that Ohtani was a bad baseball player, instead stating that he was not as good as media members were making him out to be. Even so, Rome has ostensibly made his decision and, in the process, made history by banning Wells from “The Jungle” based on his takes.

Tavis Smiley Taking Show to Syndication

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Tavis Smiley has announced his daily African American liberal talk program will be launched into national syndication.

Smiley, whose program originates from the station he owns, KBLA-AM, has already inked an affiliate in 1230 WBOK in New Orleans.

“We’re excited to bring our radio program to listeners across America,” said Smiley. “Our innovative programming with groundbreaking, exclusive interviews has filled a void for African American and progressive listeners in Southern California and soon in markets throughout the United States.”

More stations will be added as affiliates in the coming weeks, with several expected to be announced after Labor Day according to a press release.

The announcement that Smiley’s show would be taken to syndication comes after his acquisition of KBLA 1580 was contested by a Ukrainian group. The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America filed a petition with the FCC looking to block Smiley’s purchase of the station, alleging that he is unfit to be granted a license.

In April, the former BET, PBS, and NPR host filed to acquire the remainder of the station for an adjusted sales price of $6.896 million after originally agreeing to buy the station in November 2020 for $7.15 million.

2023 Radio Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

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The Museum of Broadcast Communications has announced the eight inductees that will be enshrined into the Radio Hall of Fame and its class of 2023.

Six of the inductees were voted on by a panel of nearly 1,000 industry professionals, while two inductees were voted on by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee.

The 2023 Radio Hall of Fame Inductees are:

  • John DeBella 
  • Gerry House 
  • Deborah Parenti 
  • Bob Rivers 
  • Pat St. John 
  • Shadoe Stevens 
  • Nina Totenberg 
  • Charles Warfield 

“My congratulations to our newest inductees. I’m thrilled to see each individual receive this recognition from the industry they’ve devoted their professional lives to,” Radio Hall of Fame co-chair Kraig Kitchin said. “My thanks to the members of the 2023 Nominating Committee for their tireless work and contributions, as well as to the hundreds of industry members who took time to vote.” 

“On behalf of the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, we are proud to induct eight individuals into the Radio Hall of Fame who have made an indelible impact upon the industry,” added Radio Hall of Fame co-chair Dennis Green. “It is a pleasure to honor the careers of these individuals who quite simply define excellence in the industry and have earned the right to be called a Hall of Famer. Congratulations!” 

Son of Phoenix Reporter Killed in Helicopter Crash Speaks with Mike Broomhead on Anniversary

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It’s been 16 years since a tragic incident in Phoenix, where two TV helicopters collided while covering a high-speed chase, killing four people, including ABC15 cameraman Rick Krolak. His son, Colton Krolak, is a reporter on KTAR News 92.3 FM. On Friday, he joined The Mike Broomhead Show to discuss his father’s death anniversary.

Changes to federal guidelines governing news helicopter operations were made after the incident. Colton was only 14 years old when his father passed away. 

“A single event can change every aspect of your life moving forward forever, and that’s really what it was,” said Krolak. “It was a nightmare that you just kept waiting to wake up from, and it just never happened. Like a bad dream, you’re waiting for the alarm clock to go off, and it just never came.”  

Colton was getting ready to start high school when the crash occurred. He credits his mother’s love with helping him get through that traumatic period in his life.   

“They weren’t married at the time, but still, they were very close; they worked as a team to bring me up, which is sometimes hard in divorce to have that compassion for each other and to want the best for your child, and they did.”  

The incident also killed Craig Smith, the pilot of Channel 15 (KNXV), as well as Scott Bowerbank and Jim Cox, who served as the pilot and cameraman, respectively, for Channel 3 (KTVK). 

“My dad took an early shift at the station; he worked at 3 AM so that he could be off in time to pick me up from school,” said Colton. “That’s the kind of relationship that they (his parents) had, as they always put me first.”  

Colton expressed his appreciation for the anniversary because it signifies that his father and colleagues are still being held in people’s memories. 

“These people that watch these journalists, they became a part of their lives,” said Colton. “The people who cover the story became the story which made it so fascinating to people and so tragic for an entire community.  

Bill Reiter Isn’t Faking Anything on the Radio

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When someone sets out for a career in the sports media, he or she could get into writing, television or radio. Bill Reiter has accomplished all three.

“I’ve been really lucky,” said Reiter, the host of Reiter Than You, heard weekdays from 10am to 12pm eastern time on CBS Sports Radio. 

But Reiter, who also is an NBA Insider for CBS Sports HQ and NBA columnist for CBSSports.com, has developed a very strong passion for radio. His first experience in radio came with Fox Sports, but he had to relinquish that role when CBS Sports hired and then eventually came his first tour of duty with CBS Sports Radio in the spring of 2017.

“I love radio,” said Reiter, a graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism in 2000 and former writer for the Chicago Tribune, Des Moines Register and Kansas City Star. 

“I don’t know what it is. I got into it later than most people. It wasn’t what I planned to do like a lot of folks when I was in college. I absolutely love it.”

When Reiter first joined CBS Sports Radio in April of 2017, he moved his family to from Los Angeles to New York and he hosted an evening show from 6pm to 10pm eastern time. But, in December of 2019, a bigger role with CBS Sports HQ would prevent him working radio at night, so he and his family moved back to Los Angeles.

He wanted to stay with CBS Sports Radio, but they didn’t have a time slot available that would fit into his schedule.

“We just couldn’t facilitate the opportunity during the day,” said Reiter. “I missed it and I loved it.”

Eight months after Reiter moved back to Los Angeles, that daytime opportunity at CBS Sports Radio would become available when Pat McAfee did his last show for CBS Sports Radio on August 26th, 2020 and moved his program to Sirius XM Radio.

That opened the door for Reiter’s return to the network and management welcomed him back with open arms.

“This (CBS Sports and Audacy) is the best culture I’ve ever worked for, especially in radio,” said Reiter. “It was coming back to a group of people who I really trusted and a group of people I really like working with. The return to CBS Sports Radio and the ability to do a five day a week show is probably the most joyous thing that’s happened to me in my career.”

Reiter’s return to CBS Sports Radio paired him with producer Tom DeCelestino. It didn’t take long for them to develop a strong chemistry on and off the air. That is very evident if you listen to the show on a regular basis, especially during the “buy and sell” segment when DeCelestino brings up various sports takes for Reiter to ponder.

It’s a great chance for the two of them to enter a unique back and forth.

“I like to bust chops a little bit,” said Reiter. “Tom is a really good sport and funny but he bristles at that so I think it sounds really good. I think it works really well. I love working with Tom. He’s got a very no-nonsense New Jersey/New York sensibility and he’s a very strait-laced guy and I can be wacky, confrontational and poking the bear.” 

For DeCelestino, working with Reiter has been a very special opportunity.

“Bill has made me a better producer and my two plus years working with him have been the most fun I’ve had in my radio career,” said DeCelestino. “His unique approach to sports talk radio keeps the audience engaged and me on my toes. ” 

Reiter’s show is one of the most transparent and honest sports talk radio programs in the industry, either at the local or national level. The host speaks from his heart and gives the listeners a no-nonsense approach to sports.

While Reiter and DeCelestino have some fun going at it with each other, the sports content is genuine. There’s no room for BS.

“I can’t personally fake things in radio,” said Reiter. “I can’t pretend to have a perspective that I don’t have, I can’t pretend to be outraged and I can’t pretend to like people on the air who I don’t like. I like Tom and I find him hilarious and I do find it hilarious to give him a hard time. He certainly finds it hilarious to try and get a rise out of me.”

In addition to his radio duties, Reiter remains busy with his other gigs, especially at CBS Sports HQ, a streaming video sports channel launched by CBS Sports on February 26th, 2018.

That day just happened to be Reiter’s 40th birthday.

“The joke is as that era began; my youth came to an end,” said Reiter. “It’s awesome. I love the TV side. There’s some talk, maybe at some point, about doing an NBA show again. I’m an NBA guy. It’s great to be back to my roots doing what got me into the business on the TV end. I love it.”

Bill Reiter has a lot on his plate these days and he wants to keep it that way.

“I want to keep working hard,” said Reiter. “You can’t take success for granted and you can’t let failure frustrate you if it arrives. My goal is to keep grinding and keep doing good work and keep hoping my bosses like me and keep me around.”

Another reason why, in many ways, Bill is “Reiter” about a lot of things.

Martha Maurer Hopes to Be a Trailblazer for KTAR News

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New KTAR News Program Director Martha Maurer doesn’t just talk about leadership – it’s a value that was ingrained in her from a young age.

Her mother worked tirelessly, taking on multiple jobs to provide for her family. She worked as a caregiver, working with people with disabilities. Despite Maurer’s success in news and working for numerous talented and influential people, Maurer’s mother remains her source of strength. As a single parent, she showed her children the importance of hard work and commitment through her example. 

Maurer’s journey at KTAR began in 2011. She had just returned from Mexico, working in PR and marketing and freelancing as a journalist. She had graduated from the prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University years earlier but, upon returning to the U.S., realized that her skills were outdated because of the underway digital revolution.   

Maurer’s career is an example of the rewards of consistent hard work. When she first joined KTAR, she had no experience in English-speaking news radio for a commercial station. However, she was determined to succeed from the beginning. When management asked her about her goals for the future, she expressed an interest in the news director position.

Although she had never considered becoming the program director, she was named the first Latina news director in KTAR’s history. Maurer is not interested in political discussions. Instead, she focuses on her community and strives to open doors for other aspiring journalists. 

KTAR News is a highly respected news organization that boasts award-winning journalists. It is a top brand in the industry and is known for producing reliable work. Maurer, who was named the station’s program director earlier this month, has no plans to make major changes or disrupt the team’s work. She has confidence in their ability to maintain the high standards for which KTAR is known. In today’s climate, where misinformation is widespread, she focuses on strengthening the connections between KTAR’s past, present, and future. 

In this interview, we delve into her distinctive career trajectory, the pattern of women reaching upper management positions with news/talk brands, and her thoughts on the major challenges she may face at KTAR in the future. 

Ryan Hedrick: After graduating from Arizona State University, what career path did you pursue? 

Martha Maurer: I went to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism (at ASU) and graduated in 2007. While at ASU, I started my internship, leading to a job at the local Univision TV station (Spanish television). I worked production and then worked my way up to being a weekend program host of a small community show that aired at 6 AM on Saturdays, and then little-by-little would do stories for the actual evening newscast both on-air and off-air. So, that was my start in journalism from 2006 to 2008.   

I moved back to Mexico for a little over three years, and while I was there, I did a little bit of freelancing in Spanish TV and radio until I came back to the U.S. in mid-2011 and I found out that I was outdated because there was this digital revolution that swept through and I couldn’t find a job in television news with someone who wanted to teach me from the ground-up. I started looking around and found an opportunity with KTAR as a news desk editor/assignment editor, and that’s how I got my start in radio.  

RH: During your initial interview at KTAR, did you have any indication that the company would eventually prepare you for the role of program director? 

MM: When I interviewed for the assignment desk editor position, I had never done English news radio before for a commercial station. The little bit of radio that I had done had been at ASU and then the freelancing in Mexico, but it was a private, small station, nothing like it is here [in Phoenix].

So I came not knowing anything about the radio industry or having worked in a large newsroom but what I did know, while I was away [in Mexico], is that I did appreciate working with a big team. When I was working in PR and marketing, I ended up overseeing a large team at a five-star resort.

I walked into this newsroom, knowing that I wanted to climb up the ladder. On the day of that interview for the assignment editor job, the then VP of Programming — who happens to be Ryan Hatch (now Senior VP and Market Manager of Bonneville) — walked into the office during the interview and asked me a few questions where I saw myself in 5-10 years. (Maurer made it clear that she was applying for an entry-level position, and Hatch took the time to express interest in her future goals at the station.) 

I pointed to the news director chair, and I told him I would love to be in his chair; I want to grow, and I want to get to a point where I lead a newsroom. As opportunities came up and I took them, that showed that I was someone who worked hard and was willing to get to the next position.  

I had never considered becoming a program director up until a few years ago. I’d be lying to you if I told you I always wanted to get to this point. I always thought that I could offer some great leadership. Leadership has always been important to me. It was shown to me by my mom, it was shown to me throughout my school, high school and at ASU, and I always tried to stay involved with leadership programs because it gave me self-love to believe if you work hard, you can get it done.  

RH: It is becoming increasingly common to see women in the news/talk radio industry hold high-ranking positions and receive recognition for their achievements, including at KTAR. Can you provide some insight into this trend and how it relates to your recent successes? 

MM: I’ve been the news director for KTAR for five years. At that time, when I was named news director, I was the first woman and the first Latina at the then 96-year-old station. Our station just turned 101 years old this summer. To have that accomplishment back then meant so much to me because, for that time, there hadn’t been a person of my background leading a newsroom. I take the responsibility of leading this newsroom seriously.  

At the end of the day, no matter what your background is, you still have to be able to do the work. You have to show that you are the best person for the job. So, now as I step into this role as program director, I take that as a great accomplishment as well. I’m really proud; though I may not be the first woman in this role at our station (first female PD), I still am the first of Mexican-American descent, and I’m able to be in a position where I can open doors for more diverse people in our newsroom to match the makeup of Arizona which is a diverse state.

But more importantly, to provide our audience with the kind of content and diversity in the voices that they can identify with.  

I’m very proud of all the women who have worked their way up in this male-dominated industry. Being from Arizona, growing up in Arizona, and going to ASU, I see diversity everywhere. That makes me feel proud of where I went to school and the work we’re doing here at KTAR.  

RH: Under your leadership, how do you see the programming at KTAR evolving? 

MM: That’s a tough question. Certainly, I hope to be able to bring that diversity into everything that we do. We have very talented people here at KTAR, many have been here for decades, and that’s important because at the end of the day, for this heritage station and for the people that we work for, Bonneville is a company that truly cares about its people. I want to continue to keep that in mind, to be guided by the principles of Bonneville for everybody who works for us and for our community.  

We’re not just here trying to make some money; we’re trying to do better for the community. One of the things [I am trying to accomplish] is not changing our station; it’s strengthening the work that we do. Locally, here in the valley, telling the stories that really matter and impact and are important to our audience.

We can’t forget our next generation. More people will be coming into this industry, and we want to keep it alive. Radio is not just the radio industry; it’s the media industry, we have to evolve to the changing demands and needs and the way that people consume the content.

RH: Based on your experience in television, do you have any unique ideas or plans for cross-media partnerships that you would like to implement at KTAR? 

MM: Locally, we already have a partnership with the ABC affiliate (ABC15) here. I hope to be able to branch that into perhaps a Spanish-speaking affiliation at some point. Again, back to diversity. Provide more opportunities for all Arizonians to consume the content in another language, with more intent to cover specific communities. (Nothing specific in in this area to share right now)  

RH: As a new program director at KTAR, what do you consider to be your biggest challenge so far, just over a week into the job? 

MM: We are about to go into another big election, which always comes with challenges. We want people to trust our station. Overall, trust in journalism could be higher. Our job is to maintain our ability to be the place that people can go to and trust the source. 

I think [the greatest challenge] is staying true to who we are, delivering on the promise that we have to our communities, and hopefully, people will continue to listen, however that may be, whether it’s digitally, mobile device, or on video. It’s not just about the radio. It’s about being where the audience is. Finding new channels, new avenues to provide the content, and staying true to ourselves so that our audience can continue to trust the information we give them.