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MLB Local Television Crisis Risks Eroding Fan Loyalty and Competitive Balance

John Mamola
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MLB Local Television Crisis Risks Eroding Fan Loyalty and Competitive Balance

It wouldn’t be a baseball season with some sort of change in the wind. This year, it’s less about replay debates and robot umpires. Instead, a good majority of MLB fans have no clue on exactly how they’re going to watch their home team this season.

What Major League Baseball is experiencing right now with local media rights is not a short-term disruption. It is a structural problem that is eroding fan loyalty, destabilizing revenue projections, and quietly reshaping competitive balance across the league in ways that should concern everyone involved.

With nine MLB teams still searching for a permanent local broadcast home just six weeks before games are played, the league is once again asking fans to adapt on the fly. For the consumer, that means new apps, unfamiliar platforms, and potentially new costs layered on top of an already fragmented sports viewing experience. The simplicity of just wanting to watch your local team just got more difficult.

The economics of the regional sports network issues with baseball doesn’t only extend to the fans. For the teams, it means uncertainty at a time when certainty is essential for both budgeting and brand stability. And for MLB as a business, it represents another step toward an uneven and increasingly fragile local media ecosystem.

The teams at the center of this latest disruption are not operating in a vacuum. Their instability stems from the ongoing fallout involving Main Street Sports Group, whose missed payments have already forced clubs to rethink how they fund payrolls and project future revenue.

While league-controlled distribution through Major League Baseball Media offers a temporary solution, it does not replace the predictability and scale that traditional regional sports network deals once provided.

For fans, the damage is immediate and personal. Local broadcasts are the heartbeat of baseball fandom. They are how generations connect with a team over 162 games, through long summers and quiet nights. When that access becomes unstable and ever changing, loyalty suffers. Each new distributor asks fans to relearn habits, download another app, or pay another monthly fee.

Even the most devoted supporters have limits, and casual fans are far more likely to disengage entirely.

This erosion of trust is not theoretical. Baseball already fights a perception problem with younger audiences who see the sport as inaccessible and overly complicated. Local blackout rules, shifting platforms, and last-minute broadcast changes only reinforce that narrative.

When fans do not know where to find their team, they eventually stop looking. There are too many other items in people’s lives where constantly searching out where to watch your local team becomes less important. That lost attention is almost impossible to reclaim.

From a revenue standpoint, the uncertainty is just as damaging. Local MLB media rights have long served as the financial backbone for many franchises, particularly those without massive national followings. When teams lose guaranteed rights fees, or are forced into short-term or league-managed solutions, revenue projections become conservative by necessity.

Conservative projections lead to conservative spending, and conservative spending shows up on the field.

Payrolls across several affected teams have already felt the impact of missed payments from Main Street Sports Group. Without guaranteed RSN millions for their TV deals, impacted teams are seeing a serious dent in their bottom line. An RSN executive told Sports Business Journal last year that media rights dollars account for roughly a quarter of annual club revenue.

That’s not anything to swing and whiff at.

While ownership groups rarely say it publicly, media instability changes how front offices approach roster construction. Long-term contracts become riskier. Aggressive free-agent spending becomes harder to justify. Development timelines stretch, and competitive windows narrow.

This is where the problem extends beyond individual franchises and becomes a league-wide issue. Teams that own or control their own regional sports networks, or that operate in massive media markets, remain insulated from much of this chaos. Their revenue streams are diversified. Their payroll flexibility remains intact. Meanwhile, smaller and mid-market teams face tougher choices that directly affect competitiveness.

That’s not good for the business of baseball when only 60% of the league can truly compete with no cap nor floor on salaries.

The result is an uneven playing field that continues to widen. Baseball has long wrestled with competitive balance, but the local media crisis adds another layer of inequity. When some teams are forced to slash payroll projections due to broadcast uncertainty while others continue to spend freely, the quality of the on-field product suffers.

Fans notice when games feel less competitive. Then their wallets begin doing the talking for them.

This is bad business by any measure. Competitive balance is not just a philosophical ideal; it is a revenue driver. Parity fuels interest, sells tickets, and sustains national media value. When the local media system undermines parity, it undercuts the league’s long-term growth.

There is also a branding cost. Constant network changes fracture a team’s identity. Broadcast teams get displaced. Marketing partnerships reset. Local advertisers hesitate to commit when distribution remains unclear.

Over time, the sense of continuity that binds a franchise to its community weakens.

MLB deserves credit for stepping in to ensure games remain available, at least online. But stopgap solutions are not a strategy. League-controlled distribution can stabilize access, yet it often shifts financial risk back to the teams and the league itself. That risk ultimately flows downstream to payroll decisions and fan experience.

The timing makes matters worse. Asking fans to adapt to new platforms weeks before spring training games begin sends the wrong message. Baseball thrives on routine. Spring training, opening day, and early-season storylines are moments when engagement should be building, not strained by confusion over where to watch.

If MLB wants to protect fan loyalty, it must prioritize simplicity and consistency. That means fewer platforms, clearer messaging, and pricing models that do not punish the most dedicated viewers. It also means acknowledging that local media rights can no longer be treated as a purely team-by-team issue.

The system is too interconnected, and the failures too widespread.

Long term, the league may need to rethink how local rights are structured entirely. A more centralized model could provide stability and fairness, even if it requires difficult negotiations with ownership groups that currently benefit from the status quo.

Doing nothing, or relying on temporary fixes, only prolongs the damage.

Baseball is built on trust. Fans trust that their team will be there every night, on the same channel, with familiar voices guiding them through the season. Right now, that trust is fraying. Each unresolved broadcast deal and each missed rights payment sends another signal that the system is not working as intended.

For a league that relies so heavily on daily connection, that is a risk baseball cannot afford to keep taking.

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.

Do National News/Talk Radio Hosts Now Need a TV Companion for Career Success?

Garrett Searight
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Do National News/Talk Radio Hosts Now Need a TV Companion for Career Success?

There’s a quiet question about News/Talk radio I’ve been pondering, and it’s getting harder to dodge.

Success used to be defined by reach, ratings, and recognition on the radio dial. Today, the scoreboard feels a lot more crowded, and the lines between platforms keep blurring.

Barrett Media’s Top 20 national news/talk radio shows of 2025, released this week, put that reality front and center. The top half of the list reads like a TV guide as much as a radio ranking. That isn’t an insult. It’s an observation worth unpacking.

At number one sits Clay Travis, who’s a regular presence on Fox News, who hosts his radio show alongside Buck Sexton. Sean Hannity follows at number, and he anchors a Fox News primetime show. Literally, no one in the history of cable news has appeared more than Sean Hannity. Glenn Beck checks in at number three, bringing with him a long TV résumé that includes Fox News, Headline News, and now his own Blaze Media streaming platform.

Megyn Kelly was at number four, after years as one of Fox News’ biggest stars. Dave Ramsey was number five, and he spent years on Fox Business Network. Mark Levin ranked sixth and hosts a Fox News program. Brian Kilmeade comes in at number seven with a daily Fox News gig. Scott Jennings rounds out the top eight and appears regularly on CNN.

That’s not a coincidence. It’s a pattern. You could argue it’s a clear one, at that.

So here’s the uncomfortable question. Are these hosts widely viewed as the best in the business because they’re elite broadcasters who happen to have TV exposure? Or are they dominant radio brands because television gave them name recognition, credibility, and scale that radio alone rarely provides anymore?

The honest answer is probably both. Talent matters, obviously, and nobody climbs to the top of national radio by accident. These are sharp hosts who understand what it takes to get to the top. They know how to create appointment listening, even in an on-demand world.

Still, it’s fair to ask whether radio alone could’ve built these brands in 2025. Decades ago, the answer would’ve been an easy yes. Rush Limbaugh didn’t need a nightly TV show to become a cultural force. Neither did Howard Stern in his prime. Radio once created stars that television chased, not the other way around.

That balance has flipped. Television, streaming, podcasts, and social media now act as accelerants. They widen the funnel, reinforce authority, and turn a host into a “known quantity” before a listener ever finds the station or the app.

Can you just be a “news/talk radio host” today and still win big? I want to believe the answer is yes. Talented radio-first voices are doing strong work across the country. Many connect deeply with loyal audiences who don’t care where else the host appears.

But scale is the sticking point. Influence in today’s media ecosystem is about being unavoidable. It’s about showing up in clips, headlines, panels, podcasts, and feeds. Radio still builds trust, but TV and digital amplify it faster and farther.

That doesn’t mean radio is broken. I think it just means that the job has changed. The most successful hosts aren’t thinking in terms of platforms anymore. The idea of being “just” a radio host is a foreign concept today. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is another topic for another day.

The best hosts are now thinking in terms of presence. Radio is the foundation, not the entire house.

This might say less about individual talent and more about the era we’re in. Attention is fragmented. Loyalty is harder to earn. Audiences expect their favorite voices everywhere, all the time.

Radio-only success still exists, but the ceiling is lower than it used to be. The evidence is sitting right there in the rankings. To dominate nationally in 2025, it helps to sound great on the radio. It helps even more if viewers recognize your face when they turn on the TV.

That’s not a knock on radio. It’s a reminder that today’s biggest voices don’t live on one dial anymore.

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.

Why Did Green Day, Bad Bunny Remain Politically Silent in Their Super Bowl LX Performances

Mike Gunz
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Why Did Green Day, Bad Bunny Remain Politically Silent in Their Super Bowl LX Performances

Sunday’s Super Bowl preshow performance featuring Green Day and the Halftime Show featuring Bad Bunny had not only the music community talking, but the world itself. Especially across social media.

Yet, despite the expected reactions from both sides of the political aisle there is a larger conversation to be had. That conversation centers on expectations. For two artists who have built reputations on political awareness and activism, what stood out most from Sunday’s performances wasn’t what was said, but rather what was noticeably absent.

That rebellious moment never came from either artist, leaving some fans extremely disappointed. Others wondered if it proved that the Super Bowl, and everything that comes with its corporate-heavy spectacle, is simply too big to challenge.

For music programmers, the performances also provided a firsthand look at the reaction artists that stations play can generate, both positive and negative.

Unfair Expectations?

In today’s ultra-polarized, social-media-hysteric world, many expected both Green Day and Bad Bunny to go full political during their sets. This is why Turning Point USA provided a counterprogrammed halftime show.

However, when both Green Day and Bad Bunny ended their sets, some fans remained unfulfilled.

This year’s Super Bowl took place during a midterm election year and against the backdrop of President Trump. Headlines of ICE enforcement masked the NFL’s continued involvement in culture-war politics. If this wasn’t the perfect opportunity for both artists to speak out, then what was?

From a music media standpoint, it’s interesting to examine whether symbolism alone is enough to satisfy an artist’s vocal fanbase. Or if societal expectations have shifted so dramatically that fans now expect direct confrontation and call-outs.

Past Statements

In the week leading up to the Super Bowl, both Green Day and Bad Bunny had no problem making political statements, something they have done throughout their careers.

“To all the ICE agents out there, wherever you are, quit your sh***y-ass job… because when this is over, and it will be over at some point in time, Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller, JD Vance, Donald Trump, they’re gonna dry like a bad f*****g habit. Come on this side of the line,” Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong said at the Super Bowl Spotify pre-show party on Saturday night.

During the previous Sunday’s Grammy Awards, Bad Bunny declared, “ICE out!” while accepting his trophy. He empathized that, “We’re not savages. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.”

Despite that history, neither artist mentioned Trump or directly addressed politics during their Super Bowl Sunday performances. For many, the fact that both artists performed at all was symbolic enough of the changing times. The sheer representation of punk rock legends alongside a Latin music superstar felt meaningful on its own.

For others, past behavior and previous statements led them to expect more overt messaging.

Green Day Stuck To The Music

During Green Day’s 2000 hit song American Idiot, Armstrong kept the original lyrics: “You can hear the sound of hysteria / The subliminal mindf**k America?”

He has previously been known to ad-lib and change lyrics to include anti-Trump messaging during recent performances. This time, there were no additional signs of political activism. No lyric changes in other songs or words taped onto guitar amps.

Green Day simply rocked out and kept it about the music.

By comparison, when Rage Against the Machine played Saturday Night Live in 1996, the band famously hung upside-down American flags on their guitar amps. Their second song was cut. They were escorted from the building, and reportedly banned from the show entirely.

And we all know what Sinéad O’Connor did—and what happened to her career afterward.

Expectations vs. Reality

Some Green Day fans expressed frustration, questioning why the band chose restraint during such a prime opportunity. A massive amount of devout fans expressed disappointment for not saying more with a captive worldwide audience.

To be fair, Green Day was likely well aware that NBC’s producers were prepared to censor the performance if the band veered from its expected three-song set.

NBC did mute the curse word “f**k,” which is standard procedure when vulgar language is used.

Bad Bunny Celebrated Culture

Bad Bunny’s reaction was different, largely because his presence alone felt like a victory for many fans. For the overwhelming majority of his audience, he met expectations culturally, if not politically.

Some even praised him for not taking the “bait” that would have pleased right-leaning political commentators. They argued that a more overtly political set would have taken away from what Bad Bunny said the performance was meant to represent.

Inclusion, acceptance, and love for all.

Others still wanted more, believing he should have leveraged the moment more forcefully.

The Super Bowl and Politics

This isn’t about what Green Day or Bad Bunny should or shouldn’t have said. Rather, it’s about expectations once a certain bar has been set. That tension exists for many artists. In particular, those who have historically spoken out on political issues.

Whether it’s “When will Taylor Swift come out and endorse a candidate?” or Kid Rock launching his 2026 Freedom Tour. Expectations often follow past behavior.

The same holds true for music programmers, who have seen firsthand the praise or backlash that comes from playing certain artists. Especially in recent times as audiences grow more vocal.

Ultimately, there’s something to be said for the idea that two politically active global artists performed on the biggest stage in American sports. Moreover the decision to let the music speak for itself. That may signal that the Super Bowl spectacle, for all its cultural reach, is not the place for artists to “do or say more.”

Regardless of what some fans might want.

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 SiriusXM’s Andrew Wilkow Turned 90 Seconds Into a National Show

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
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How SiriusXM’s Andrew Wilkow Turned 90 Seconds Into a National Show

Before Twitter gave the world 140 characters to express itself, there was Andrew Wilkow’s 90-second opinion on RADIO 104 WMRQ in Hartford, between music sets.

“I thought girls would like me if I became a rock radio DJ, and I naively thought that you had something to do with how music got on the radio,” the SiriusXM host said of how he got into the media industry.

It’s a love affair that started for Wilkow in third grade, but really launched with some blue humor in West Virginia. “I started doing a morning show at night,” Wilkow recalled of his early radio days. “We would have local pro wrestlers, we were running ads for one of the strip clubs, and sometimes I would have pro wrestlers and strippers in there doing all this crazy stuff. But I was also giving my political opinion.”

But the blue humor was not in his heart, so Wilkow moved on to Hartford, Connecticut, where he had just two minutes to express his political opinion. “I was saying things that were getting on the radar, but I wasn’t getting in trouble. I wasn’t getting FCC fines,” Wilkow remarked. “Then 9/11 happened, and that’s really where I was using the 45 to 90 seconds that I had to opine.”

That caught the attention of WABC Radio in New York City. “Next thing I know, I’m getting a call asking if I’d like to try out as a fill-in host, like a weekend fill-in host on WABC,” Wilkow said. “And I thought it was a joke. I actually hung up the phone. I thought it was a prank.”

It was not a prank. Wilkow soon found himself filling in for Mark Levin’s weekend show. “The program director, now my father-in-law, said, ‘If you can do for two hours what you’re doing for two minutes, maybe we can make you a talk show host.’ It really was a slow burn. I was working only one weekend show if the host was off.” Wilkow earned his own show at WABC before joining SiriusXM in 2006. Twenty years later, he is still hosting the same Monday through Friday 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT time slot.

Wilkow’s strong opinions are sure to get the left riled up. However, he welcomes well-informed dissenting calls. If you come armed with facts, Wilkow is more than happy to give “any Democrat caller on this program three minutes uninterrupted.”

However, the angry, descending-opinion callers are on the decline. “35 years ago,” Wilkow affirmed, “if you were on AM radio, you were out to the general audience, and you would get those kinds of calls. Now they pretty much relegate themselves to Patriot, Progress, POTUS, and other talk avenues.”

He added, “People tend to cloister in their tribe.”

This hasn’t stopped The Wilkow Majority from welcoming Democrats. “If I can get a civil-minded person who can stay off the personal insults and isn’t driven by emotion, I’ll have that debate all day,” Wilkow said. “We’ve exhausted ourselves inviting Democrats onto this program. They just won’t come anymore.”

Christine Pelosi, daughter of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, used to come on his show often. “She wouldn’t be afraid to give me insight from her mom or Democrats she was talking to, and it never got personal. It never got insulting.” More importantly, Wilkow believes the segments “made for really good radio.”

Over time, those segments have dissipated. Wilkow believes this is because “I don’t think Democrats want to get into the type of depth of questioning that someone like me and other hosts on this channel are going to put them through.” He added, “I will read a piece of legislation right back to them, and I do it on this program all the time. I just don’t think they want to be on record giving those types of answers.”

It’s this push for answers that helps propel his listeners to be MAGAtive about what is happening in government today.

Today, Wilkow loves what he does, but the childhood love for the music radio medium hasn’t left. “If the opportunity came along to do something fun and one-off, yeah, I would do it. Yeah, of course.”

But he couldn’t do it every day for one simple reason. “For about 10 years of my life, I couldn’t really appreciate a lot of the music that was coming out because it was my job to play it. It was work.”

It’s a perspective all aspiring and current members of the media should keep in mind. “If you work a concert, you’re not there enjoying it. You’re working. Whether you’re security, running the board, or a radio personality, that’s your job.”

Wilkow went on to add, “To the outside, it looks like fun, and it is. It can be fun. But it’s still the job for you, and it’s like you kind of miss that part the audience loves when you go from being in the audience to being a part of it.”

For those looking to follow in Wilkow’s footsteps in music or talk radio, he admits it is a very different world from when he started, but there is still one applicable lesson.

“I had gotten myself into the program at WRUF-FM. I don’t even know if I was fully on the air yet, and the program director said, ‘I need someone to work…’ Before he could finish the phrase ‘Saturday morning,’ which is SEC tailgating, I put my hand up.”

“I solved the program director’s problem right there. Nobody wanted to do it. He said, ‘I’m going to have to pick someone.’ And I learned very quickly that if you’re willing to solve the program director’s problem, you’re willing to give up a Friday night, an overnight, or work the holidays. The more time on the air you have,” Wilkow added, “the better you’re likely to get at it. So I took every single opportunity.”

“I don’t think you could ever go wrong with hard work, meaning if you’re on your own producing your own podcast and you can get enough traction, maybe somebody with a company that provides greater support and algorithm knowledge will say, ‘Okay, this person is really getting it done as an independent,’” Wilkow said. “That’s what I would say to a young person. If you can afford the time to do something independent, get it out there as best you can.”

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

The Rise of Cross-Platform Storytelling in Modern Sports Coverage

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The Rise of Cross-Platform Storytelling in Modern Sports Coverage

Sports fans today do not just sit down to watch a full match on television. They scroll through highlights, tap through player stories, and listen to match reactions while on the move. The game now lives on screens, in headphones, and across social feeds simultaneously.

Mobile phones, apps, and social platforms have completely changed how people keep up with their favourite teams. Content moves faster, arrives in shorter bursts, and appears in many different formats. Fans expect more access, more interaction, and less waiting between moments.

Because of these changes, media outlets, clubs, and independent creators have had to rethink how sports stories are told. Instead of relying on a single channel, coverage now spreads across clips, podcasts, graphics, and live updates that follow fans wherever they are.

When Sports Coverage Was Simpler

In the past, sports coverage followed a predictable rhythm. Television broadcasts aired at set times, radio offered live commentary for those who could not watch, and newspapers delivered match details the next day. Most fans received updates in limited windows, usually as scores or brief summaries.

That slower, more organised style no longer fits modern habits. Fans now want updates constantly, and even waiting an hour for highlights can feel outdated. What matters is not only what happened, but how quickly and clearly it is shared.

This shift is visible beyond traditional media formats. Canada’s sports-themed casino gaming scene reflects a similar trend, using sports narratives, visual themes, and interactive mechanics to keep users engaged across digital platforms. From virtual betting options to sports-inspired slot games, fans interact with teams, leagues, and statistics in ways that echo modern storytelling methods.

What Fans Expect Now

Today’s fans want more than a final score. Before a match begins, they look for predicted lineups, professional analysis, and data-driven graphics. During the game, they follow live updates, tactical insights, and social media reactions in real time. Once the final whistle blows, the conversation continues through player interviews, statistical breakdowns, and fan discussions.

Many fans do not watch an entire match from start to finish. Instead, they keep up through short clips, trending posts, and podcast summaries. Time is limited, and attention spans are shorter. The demand is for concise content that highlights what matters most without requiring a full ninety minutes.

Clubs, media outlets, and creators respond by breaking matches into moments. A key pass, a goal, or a controversial call becomes a short clip, a meme, or a poll inviting fans to weigh in. Each moment adds another layer to the story.

How Broadcasters Adapt

Major broadcasters no longer rely solely on television schedules. To remain relevant, they publish content across platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Match previews, expert panels, and highlight clips are now designed for mobile viewing, with subtitles, fast loading times, and shareable formats.

Some broadcasters integrate live statistics, heat maps, and visual analysis while a match is still in progress. This adds depth for fans watching at home or on the move. Once the game ends, extended analysis and expert reactions often appear online within minutes.

Interaction has also become essential. Through live chats, viewer questions, and online polls, broadcasters invite fans to participate. Modern sports coverage increasingly treats the audience as part of the storytelling process rather than passive observers.

Podcasts Continue the Conversation

Podcasts have become a central part of sports media. They allow fans to tune in on their own schedule, whether during a commute, at the gym, or while handling daily tasks. Without the time constraints of television, podcasts offer space for longer discussions and deeper analysis.

Shows range from weekly recaps to tactical breakdowns, transfer rumours, and personal perspectives from former players. The format encourages personality and openness, helping listeners build trust with hosts over time.

Many fans place more trust in their favourite podcast than in traditional post-match press conferences. The tone is conversational, accessible, and less scripted, which suits audiences accustomed to multitasking and on-demand content.

Online Services Make It Instant

Social media delivers sports coverage in real time. Fans see lineups, warmups, and behind-the-scenes footage before a match even begins. When the action starts, goals and key moments are clipped and shared within seconds.

Teams, leagues, and media outlets actively engage on these platforms. They post updates, interact with fans, and react as events unfold. Short videos, polls, gifs, and informal commentary dominate feeds on platforms like Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Many fans follow matches almost entirely through social media. They may never turn on a broadcast, yet they stay fully informed through their feeds. Smaller clubs and independent creators thrive in this environment as well, producing reaction videos and matchday content that can rival major networks in reach and impact.

Final Words

Cross-platform storytelling has reshaped how fans experience sport. Coverage is faster, more personal, and constantly available. Watching the match is only one part of the experience. The rest unfolds through podcasts, clips, posts, and conversations that travel with fans wherever they scroll.

KFI AM 640 Announces Upcoming Weekday Lineup Changes Featuring John Kobylt, Tim Conway Jr., Chris Merrill and Michael Monks

BNM Staff
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KFI AM 640 Announces Upcoming Weekday Lineup Changes Featuring John Kobylt, Tim Conway Jr., Chris Merrill and Michael Monks

KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles is making changes to bolster its weekday lineup. The moves are designed to return some of the brand’s most popular personalities to familiar dayparts while also introducing new voices to move the radio station forward.

As announced on-air today, John Kobylt is returning to afternoon drive, from 3p-6p PT. Kobylt previously commanded the daypart for years as part of the legendary John & Ken Show. With Kobylt returning to his former drive time slot, Tim Conway Jr. returns to evenings from 6p-10p, bringing back his popular evening program.

To cover Kobylt’s midday spot from 12p-3p, KFI will introduce a brand new show. Chris Merrill and Michael Monks, will team up in middays to launch the new Monks & Merrill Show.

Chris Merrill is a familiar voice to KFI’s audience. He has hosted shows and worked for the station in various roles for years. Merrill recently exited KTAR 92.3 in Phoenix where he had been co-hosting the midday show with Joe Huizenga.

Michael Monks meanwhile has gained notoriety as an award-winning senior reporter/host for KFI News. Together, Monks and Merrill will strive to deliver a unique sound while entertaining and tackling Southern California’s biggest issues.

For those who missed it, here is how the announcement sounded live on KFI’s airwaves.

The new weekday line up on KFI AM 640 will be as follows: 

  • 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. – Bill Handel
  • 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Gary & Shannon
  • 12p.m. – 3 p.m. – Monks & Merrill
  • 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. – John Kobylt
  • 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. – Tim Conway Jr.

In announcing the changes, iHeartMedia Los Angeles Division President, Paul Corvino shared his enthusiasm: “The new lineup change continues with a tradition built on excellence. This is a great opportunity to add two new dynamic voices, Chris Merrill and Michael Monks, to our already nationally recognized roster of talent. It’s an incredibly exciting time for our brand advertisers and the greater Southern California listeners.”

KFI Program Director Brian Long also weighed in on the decision to once again feature John Kobylt in afternoons and Tim Conway Jr. in evenings: “The chance to put John Kobylt back in drivetime and move Tim Conway Jr. and his entertaining brand of talk a bit later for the evening crowd is a homerun for the KFI listeners. Starting the day with Wake-Up Call, Bill Handel, Gary & Shannon, our award-winning news team, and now the addition of the new Monks & Merrill Show makes KFI the most stimulating talk lineup in America.”

KFI’s new weekday lineup hits the Los Angeles airwaves starting February 17th.

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.

Super Bowl LX Second Most-Watched of All Time, Peaking at All Time High 137.8 Million Viewers on NBC Sports

BSM Staff
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Super Bowl LX Second Most-Watched of All Time, Peaking at All Time High 137.8 Million Viewers on NBC Sports

NBC Sports didn’t just broadcast Super Bowl LX — it used the NFL’s biggest stage to redefine what a modern, multi-platform sports moment can deliver at scale. The network’s presentation set an all-time U.S. television record when 137.8 million viewers tuned in during the second quarter as the Seattle Seahawks held a 6–0 lead over the New England Patriots.

That peak stands as the largest audience ever measured for a single moment on American television and underscored the Super Bowl’s unmatched ability to command national attention.

Across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL+, the Seahawks’ 29–13 victory averaged 124.9 million viewers, according to Nielsen’s live plus same-day Big Data and panel measurement. The audience ranks as the second-most watched program in U.S. history, trailing only Super Bowl LIX on FOX, and now stands as the most-watched show in the history of NBCUniversal, which marks NBC’s 100th anniversary in 2026.

“The Super Bowl and the NFL once again delivered a blockbuster audience across the NBC broadcast network, Peacock, and Telemundo,” said Rick Cordella, president of NBC Sports. Cordella also pointed to the event’s strategic value, noting that the game provided an unprecedented lead-in to NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage.

Super Bowl LX also capped a milestone season for Sunday Night Football. The franchise delivered a record 23.5 million viewers this season and remains on pace to finish as primetime’s top show for an unprecedented 15th consecutive year, further solidifying NBC’s long-term investment in the NFL.

Spanish-language viewership reached historic levels as well. Telemundo averaged 3.3 million viewers, marking the most-watched Super Bowl in U.S. Spanish-language history. That audience peaked during the halftime show with 4.8 million viewers, setting another record and highlighting the growing cultural impact of the event across diverse audiences.

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show starring Bad Bunny extended that impact far beyond television. Total social consumption reached four billion views within the first 24 hours, a 137% year-over-year increase, with more than half of those views coming from international markets. The top three most-viewed NFL social posts of all time now belong to halftime clips from this year’s performance.

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show averaged 128.2 million viewers from 8:15-8:30 p.m. ET in the United States. Full global viewership for the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show will be available early next week.

Viewership momentum carried into NBC’s postgame programming. Following the Lombardi Trophy presentation, Mike Tirico hosted Primetime in Milan, featuring events from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The presentation averaged 42 million viewers, representing NBCUniversal’s largest Winter Games audience since the 2014 Sochi Olympics and a 73% increase over the comparable 2022 Beijing broadcast.

Meanwhile, Peacock logged its best day ever in reach and hours streamed, fueled by Super Bowl viewing and the postgame debut of “The Burbs,” which became the platform’s most-watched original launch on Day 1.

Taken together, Super Bowl LX reinforced the NFL’s unrivaled power while illustrating how broadcasters now measure success across television, streaming, social, and global engagement — all in a single Sunday.

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.

Red Seat Ventures Acquires Supercast Subscription Platform

BNM Staff
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Red Seat Ventures Acquires Supercast Subscription Platform

Red Seat Ventures continues to expand its footprint in the creator economy after announcing the acquisition of Supercast, a subscription platform built specifically for podcast creators. Red Seat Ventures operates as a division of Fox Corporation’s Tubi Media Group, and the deal further strengthens its strategy of offering creators multiple revenue paths under one umbrella.

The acquisition brings Supercast into Red Seat Ventures’ growing portfolio of creator-focused digital services while allowing the company to continue operating independently. Supercast Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jason Sew Hoy will remain in charge, maintaining day-to-day leadership as the platform scales with new backing and resources.

“From the very first conversation with Chris Balfe at Red Seat Ventures and Paul Cheesbrough at Tubi Media Group, it was clear that we shared the same worldview: that creators can own their audience, control their brand and build significant, sustainable media businesses on their own terms,” said Jason Sew Hoy, Supercast Founder and CEO. “We’re excited to accelerate investment in the Supercast platform and bring even more opportunities to our creators and partners by leveraging the power of Red Seat Ventures, Tubi Media Group and FOX.”

Founded in 2019, Supercast has positioned itself as a key player in podcast subscriptions by helping creators generate recurring, creator-owned revenue. The platform supports a wide range of podcasters, from independent hosts to larger networks, while offering tools for exclusive audio and video content, premium memberships, and community engagement. According to the company, Supercast’s top 10 podcasters generate more than $26 million annually in subscription revenue, underscoring the growing appetite for direct-to-fan media models.

For Red Seat Ventures, the move represents a strategic effort to unify podcast advertising and subscription monetization under one partner. The company already works closely with creator-led brands across audio, video, and digital media, and the addition of Supercast allows it to address two of the most important revenue streams in podcasting without forcing creators to juggle multiple vendors.

“Jason and his team share our mission of empowering influential voices by offering meaningful opportunities to monetize their content and expand audience reach,” said Chris Balfe, Founder and CEO of Red Seat Ventures. “The rapid growth of direct-to-fan subscriptions has proven the value of recurring creator revenue, and this acquisition accelerates our strategy to provide a one-stop shop that helps creators grow their audience and monetize across channels.”

The deal also fits into a broader expansion strategy for Red Seat Ventures, which continues to add creator-led and digital-first businesses to its portfolio. Together, Red Seat Ventures and Supercast plan to explore additional opportunities across sponsorships, live events, merchandise, and video distribution, while maintaining a focus on creator independence and direct audience relationships.

With Red Seat Ventures’ backing, Supercast plans to increase investment in product development, expand its creator ecosystem, and grow its internal team.

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.

Apple News Biased Against Conservative Media, New MRC Study Suggests

BNM Staff
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Apple News Biased Against Conservative Media, New MRC Study Suggests

A new Media Research Center (MRC) study argues that Apple News is biased against conservative media sources, making it more difficult for users to receive that information.

MRC President David Bozell shared that the implications of the situation are greater than just a simple media bias. He pointed to admissions by Apple News that its methods for collecting news aren’t based on neutral algorithms.

“Apple publicly acknowledged that its curation system is human-driven,” Bozell said during an interview with 105.9 WMAL afternoon host Derek Hunter. “There’s a lot of editorial decision making going on at Apple, certainly a lot more than some of the others.”

According to the MRC study, of the top 620 stories featured by the app during January, none came from conservative media outlets.

The MRC study labeled outlets like The Washington Post, The Associated Press, NBC News, The Guardian, The New York Times, Apple, NPR, Politico, USA Today, and Bloomberg News as “left-leaning outlets”, while arguing that The Wall Street Journal and Reuters were “center outlets.” Those labels were applied utilizing the AllSides media bias ratings.

Bozell argued that the bias in the Apple News app is detrimental to the greater news consumer.

“They’re just going to pop on Apple and see what’s happening,” he said. “And it’s always negative against the President and this administration.”

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Mike Salk: MLB Should Have Been Promoted After the Super Bowl Broadcast on NBC Sports

BSM Staff
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Mike Salk: MLB Should Have Been Promoted After the Super Bowl Broadcast on NBC Sports

Seattle Sports host Mike Salk believes Major League Baseball missed a high-profile promotional opportunity during the Super Bowl, criticizing the league for failing to advertise its new broadcast relationship with NBC Sports on the biggest television stage of the year.

During Tuesday’s episode of Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports, Salk questioned why MLB did not capitalize on the conclusion of the Super Bowl to spotlight Sunday Night Baseball, which will air on NBC as part of the network’s newly acquired MLB package.

“Major League Baseball swung and missed Sunday night at the Super Bowl,” Salk said. “Why were there no promos, no nothing during and especially after the Super Bowl for the Sunday Night Baseball on NBC? What are we doing?”

The criticism centered on timing and visibility, two factors that Salk argued should matter deeply to a league often searching for ways to broaden its reach. The Super Bowl routinely draws more than 100 million viewers, including casual sports fans who may not actively ponder about baseball coverage in February.

For Salk, the absence of any MLB messaging during or immediately following the broadcast represented a failure to connect the end of football season with the traditional ramp-up to baseball.

NBC’s Super Bowl broadcast marked the network’s first opportunity to showcase its upcoming baseball coverage since finalizing its deal with MLB. However, viewers saw no promotional bridge from football’s finale to baseball’s approach, even as spring training nears and the sport prepares to reenter the national conversation.

“Baseball should have 1,000% had a commercial airing the second the Super Bowl ended, saying we got next,” Salk said.

Salk suggested that MLB should have treated the moment as symbolic, reinforcing the idea that baseball naturally follows football on the American sports calendar. In his view, a simple, assertive message would have helped reset attention toward the sport.

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