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The Industry According To: Jeff Sottolano, Audacy

Keith Cunningham
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The Industry According To: Jeff Sottolano, Audacy

Thank you for checking out The Industry According To… Every Tuesday we speak with a different expert or leader from somewhere in the vast music industry — label executives, artist managers, programmers, talent, artists, consultants, and beyond. To appear as a future guest, email me at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com.

Today we sit down with an industry leader, veteran, and passionate advocate for our medium who works with more influential programmers, talent and brands than just about anyone else in the country, Jeff Sottolano. He is the Chief Programming Officer for Audacy, responsible for the content strategy and performance of all local brands across all formats in broadcasting, streaming, and podcasting.

In his role, Jeff leads key company initiatives including the sustained excellence of its local brands, development of new national and syndicated programs including Katie Neal and Bru, the multiplatform evolution of its local sports and entertainment brands into podcasting and video, and countless artist-partnership programs like Audacy’s LAUNCH program which has helped propel the careers of artists like Jelly Roll and Alex Warren. Jeff has spent his whole career with Audacy and its predecessors CBS Radio and Entercom, starting his career as a college intern in Rochester, NY 25 years ago.

So, let’s dive in.

*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*

The Culture Reset

Keith: I’ve heard first-hand that the culture inside Audacy has become very positive and an environment where people really enjoy working. You’ve been a central force in reshaping the internal culture. What did you see that needed to evolve — and what were the first steps you took to shift a company that big after CBS and Entercom merged to form Audacy?

Jeff: It really wasn’t until the CBS Radio/Entercom merger in 2017 that I really understood the impact culture has on an organization and its employees’ performance. The merger, the pandemic and navigating the bankruptcy process were really challenging and noisy environments for our teams to operate in. Under Kelli and Chris’ leadership, I believe we have an increased sense of purpose, clarity in our mission, and an understanding of what it takes to win. I have always believed deeply in transparency with my teams. We have real challenges as an industry – who doesn’t?! – and I think in some cases, rose colored glasses weren’t helping us enable the kind of change we needed to enact to transform those challenges into opportunities. 

Content-First

Keith: It’s been widely reported that the company is going through a major restructuring, transitioning from a traditional geography-based model to a content-first strategy centralized around format verticals. Explain some of the benefits of this transition for both the company and the audience, and how it differs from how the company operated even earlier this year.

Jeff: If you think about the way the local media industry has operated for most of its existence, you essentially had locally operated businesses with market CEOs that were multi-disciplinary and oversaw resources across departments as varied as sales, content, engineering and human resources. That has changed, obviously. Like every other business in the modern economy, we need to embrace the benefits of both specialization and subject-matter expertise. The goal of our new market and programming structure is to enable our leaders to be most impactful in the areas where they can make the biggest difference. We are seeing increased collaboration across markets and content leadership, and it’s enabling better outcomes for our local brands and increased monetization opportunities across markets. At the same time, our revenue leaders have increased their capacity to develop new business and really understand our clients’ needs.  

The Modern Programming Mandate

Keith: Being a good programmer previously meant mastering the basics of music, clocks, promotions and execution. Today it’s more complex — understanding numerous data systems, designing content for multiple platforms, getting more out of smaller teams, competing with an entirely different universe of content, and the need for good talent coaching has never been more important. If you had to isolate one or two, what are the most important skills PDs must be great at today?

Jeff: I think about programmers the way I think about talent. A select few of them are outstanding across every single discipline, including coaching talent, developing big revenue-generating ideas, understanding research and analytics, creative writing, and managing a P&L.  At the end of the day, my job is to put them in the right position to amplify their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses by providing them with the right support. I value three soft skills more than anything. First is Creativity, not just traditional ideas but also resourcefulness. Second is Collaboration. Great leaders have to be able to motivate teams towards a common goal and not just their direct reports. Third is Ethic. Putting in the reps and being obsessed with the work is often the difference maker in delivering results.

The Talent Equation

Keith: Nearly everyone agrees, talent is still the biggest differentiator in audio, but the talent pipeline at radio is thinner, budgets to pay talent are smaller, yet expectations to improve content quality and quantity are higher. How is Audacy developing and discovering younger talent?

Jeff: This has to be a collective effort and point of emphasis for each and every one of us in radio in 2026. We do it the traditional ways – through engagement with universities, local career fairs, etc. – and the non-traditional ways – through sourcing candidates from social media, scouting talent at local comedy clubs. I met with a recent SU grad in our offices last week and offered to put him in touch with the head of programming at another company. I would love for him to work for us, but it’s more important to me that his passion for this medium is rewarded – even if that means working for a “competitor.” 

What Does Local Even Mean

Keith: “Local” is having a renaissance — but what does local even mean in 2026? Top podcasts aren’t local to any city. Syndicated shows still crush at radio. Updates on city council, lost-dog reports, garage sales, and road construction won’t lure listeners or advertisers, so how should stations be thinking about local these days?

Jeff: We have to understand the distinction between local content and local relevance. We have to be RELEVANT and COMPELLING to local audiences. Sometimes that means we do it with local content – certainly that’s the case in news and sports. But do sports stations not air the NFL playoffs or the Super Bowl when their team is not playing? Of course not! Is Taylor Swift’s NYC wedding a bigger story than that weekend’s turnip festival? Of course it is! It’s a false choice to pit local against national, whether it’s content, talent, or distribution. Great content wins – our job is to figure it out when it matters most to be locally relevant and how to leverage scale when it makes sense.  

The Ratings Reality

Keith: Nielsen is important, advertisers agree, but even Nielsen admits their numbers are only estimates based on an ever-changing panel that’s less than 1% of the market — yet those metrics shape the entire radio economy. What in-house data systems has Audacy developed to use along with Nielsen numbers to help give your sales teams and programmers the most accurate lay of the land?

Jeff: For a long time, we have considered Nielsen to be only part of how we evaluate our brands, talent and content performance for ourselves and our advertisers. Certainly, the biggest development has been our access to first-party data from digital distribution, including streaming on the Audacy app, through our partnerships with iHeartRadio and TuneIn, on smart speakers, and increasingly across video and podcasts. This gives us real-time information on the performance of our content without having to account for either Nielsen’s small sample size or the delay in receiving that data.

Now the Revenue Reality

Keith: Everyone in the industry knows the revenue picture is challenging — stop sets can’t get any bigger, and traditional dollars are shrinking faster than digital dollars are growing. From your vantage point, where does the next wave of meaningful revenue come from, and how should content teams be evolving to meet that reality?

Jeff: The word community has never been hotter in marketing, and it speaks to exactly what we’ve been doing for 100 years – building communities around our local brands and talent. The real opportunity lies in how we create new ways for marketers to engage with those communities beyond traditional linear inventory. At Audacy, we’re experimenting with subscription products, an expansion of our live events strategy to sports and podcasting and newsletters as ways we can do that – all while continuing to draw on and strengthen the relationship between our listeners and our brands.

The Transmitter Question

Keith: Streaming changed everything, and it feels inevitable that at some point transmitters won’t be the primary way audiences consume radio. Inside a company like Audacy, what’s the realistic timeline you’re planning for when towers become secondary — used mostly for emergencies or outlier coverage — and digital becomes the clear, dominant platform for consumption?

Jeff: If I knew the answer to this question, I’d be speaking as a futurist at a TED conference instead of appearing in this column. There remains a love affair between Americans, cars and radio and as long as that’s the case, the towers aren’t going anywhere. I think it’s less about planning for when they go away and more about being opportunistic to find new distribution channels and reach new audiences. Clearly, that’s been a big shift at Audacy – we want our content to be distributed everywhere – largely because we believe we produce best-in-class content that can win and attract an audience wherever we put it.  

Jeff the Intern

Keith: I love your story — you started as an intern at CBS Radio, which technically means you’ve been with the same company since then. Now, you’re focused on massive budgets, acquisitions, the necessary pains of downsizing or rightsizing, rights fees, and even lawsuits. What duties do you remember doing as an intern, and what words of advice do you have for someone who may become a radio intern this summer?

Jeff: I remember getting called into the office to be told I was being hired as a part timer by Mike Danger – then PD at WZNE and WPXY and now our Rochester Operations Manager and a Regional Top 40 Brand Manager – and Jason Beatty – then Promotions Director and now a broadcast media professor at UNLV. I was told my first job would be to clean out the station van, and I had the biggest grin on my face as I did it.

I was fortunate to work in a market like Rochester, which was competitive and featured big-time operators. Still, I was also small enough that I got to do it all – from board operating the Howard Stern show to being on-air to working club events to building bonfires at the Ralph before a Bills game to raising a marti pole at a Dave Matthews Band remote. My advice to anyone starting in radio or any career is to say yes to everything. Your career is unlikely to be as linear as you think it will be. Every job no one else wants to do is an opportunity for you to learn more about another aspect of the business and for you to distinguish yourself through your work ethic. Lean in and have fun!

The One Situation

Keith: Given your resume, you’ve seen everything from ratings and revenue wins in the biggest markets to hair-on-fire crisis situations in cities we’ve never heard of. What’s the one situation you had to deal with that still sticks in your mind as something you didn’t see coming and you still have no idea how you got through it?

Jeff: For me, I guess it’d have to have been those early days of COVID in the spring of 2020, particularly being in Manhattan at the time. We were managing multiple crises at once – the public health crisis, the enormous disruption to our advertising revenue and the need to upend our broadcast infrastructure overnight to allow for more remote work with the health and safety of our employees in mind. Our teams did such incredible work during this team – whether it was our news teams informing their audiences of critical health updates, our sports teams figuring out how to cover the bubble and shortened seasons and shift their content when teams suddenly stopped playing and our music and entertainment brands offering audiences an escape from the largest disruptions to their daily lives we will likely ever experience in our lifetime. 

The Blank Slate

Keith: Last question — blank slate — say anything you want to any sector of the industry. What do you want them to hear?

Jeff: Stop looking back – there is only going forward. As an industry, we spend too much time and give too much oxygen to people who are obsessed with reminding us about the way things used to be.  Guess what – the world has changed, and radio is hardly alone in that respect. This remains an amazing and unique business with opportunities every day to make a difference in the lives of our consumers and results for our partners. If it’s not fun for you anymore – that’s ok – get out and make room for someone else!

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.

Approaching The Summit: Armen Williams, Westwood One Sports

John Mamola
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Approaching The Summit: Armen Williams, Westwood One Sports

Approaching The Summit is a series of special interviews created in partnership with Point to Point Marketing featuring speakers at the upcoming 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit in New York City. Follow along with this series as prominent names surrounding the event June 30-July 2 share their insights and expectations for what’s to come in the big apple. The Summit takes place at the SVA Theatre on West 23rd Street. For tickets and hotel room reservations, click here or visit the Summit section at the top of the website.   

Armen Williams is the executive director of Westwood One Sports. He currently oversees all aspects of Westwood One’s sports talk content. This includes day-to-day technical operations, brand management, and social media strategy. Williams resume includes more than two decades of experience in programming and content leadership. He has held senior roles at Audacy, Bonneville, and Townsquare Media prior to Westwood One Sports. 

Williams has the distinction of attending and speaking at numerous Barrett Media Sports Summit in the past. He is scheduled to be speaking at the event later this month. He sat down with Barrett Media from his office in Dallas, TX. 

*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.* 

John Mamola: What are you looking forward to the most in attending the summit later this month?

Armen Williams: The networking aspect. It has become the premiere event in our industry. To see and be seen, I just love meeting intelligent people within our industry that are successful.

In recent years, we’ve also begun to have individuals that are looking for their next break. You just never know what kind of talent you’re going to meet or the executives you’re going to bump into and be able to shake hands with. I just enjoy the breaking of the bread of it all.

John Mamola: With your experience, what’s something that you feel that both attendees and industry professionals walk away with from the panels at the Barrett Media Audio Summit?

Armen Williams: The creativity. People who think outside the box. There’s a lot of great minds there.

When people are on stage, they’re talking about the different approaches and different way of looking at things. That’s ultimately the best aspects of what you can take away. You have the biggest and brightest minds in what we do in that room. To hear how they view the industry and the future of it is fascinating.

John Mamola: This year will be a different dynamic for you in attending. Now you’re not representing just a station, you’re representing a network. With your position now, what do you hope to leave the Audio Summit this time that might be different from just representing one individual brand previously?

Armen Williams: Having a grasp on talent and technology nationally. Running a national network, it doesn’t matter geographically where I’m at or where others are at. The majority of our on-air staff is completely remote.

I have an approach now where geographical boundaries don’t exist. So, I find it interesting coast to coast what people are thinking. Where they’re at, and kind of what their perspective is.

John Mamola: Now being the head of a national network, this also could be an opportunity to sell your network to brand managers around the country. Are you looking at that as a possible opportunity with the Audio Summit with the people in that room?

Armen Williams: I haven’t thought of it that way. Ryan Maguire is incredible. It’s not exactly my role, but Ryan McGuire’s incredible in that role.

I’ve been a programmer for the majority of my entire professional career. So, being able to hang out and see people that I’ve known for 20-25 years and reconnect with them, it might naturally come up. As well as questions regarding what network they’re carrying, or questions around our network. It’s super advantageous just to be around those people, and it’s a lot of fun.

These are some of the closest friends of my life that’ll be in that room that week.

John Mamola: You’ve been on the stage at the Audio Summit before. What do you hope attendees take away from your experience participating as a speaker at the summit?

Armen Williams: In 2026 we are programming to the new generation. The next generation, and current generation. What does that look like? Navigating ways to continue pushing ourselves and be innovative. Continuing to try and reinvent the wheel. To reinvent how we look and deliver content. Who we are, how we position ourselves.

Those words and line of thinking might be something that we say a lot. But we truly, more than ever, are better for it if we have that type of mindset.

John Mamola: I understand you’ve not attended the Audio Summit in a couple of years. However, from afar. How have you seen this event evolve over time?

Armen Williams: The summit has evolved with the industry and the multi-platform aspect. It continues to bring in minds that are relative to that.

The Audio Summit has evolved into the premiere, if not the only, event that covers our industry from such a broad and unique perspective. This summit has become the one event that you try to attend as a programmer. Plus, a talent as well if it’s applicable.

John Mamola: Are you planning on attending the other two days of this year’s Audio Summit as well? What would someone in your position look for from those two days and watching those panels?

Armen Williams: There’s definitely interest. Anyone on that stage knows what they’re talking about. They’re experienced and good at what we do.

At the end of the day, we’re all the same medium.

Continuing to get a fresh take and perspective on how they approach their day to day on their platform is fascinating. We have individuals on Westwood One Sports that are talent that don’t have a vast sports talk radio background. A couple of them have music backgrounds. Others have entertainment backgrounds.

That’s what you’re listening for when you’re there the other days as well. You’re hearing from people that might not have the same exact sports talk background, but the meat of it is there. So, what can you learn that they’re doing that can help sports talk continue to advance as well.

John Mamola: Entering this Audio Summit, what biggest challenges and opportunities that you believe should be addressed on stage for the industry?

Armen Williams: The opportunities and challenges probably remain the same that they’ve been the last five to eight years since the Audio Summit has been going on. I’m still looking for new ideas in this area of how we come through.

There’s more noise than ever. There’s more platforms. Anybody can become a content creator. So, how do we put our brands in a position to continue to gain listenership digitally, terrestrially.

What does it look like? What are the main platforms? What’s the investment? How do people staff that in 2026?

Who are they looking for? What is the skill set that is most important in 2026 that people hire for?

I think a lot of that would be pretty fascinating as to what’s next and what to prepare for.

John Mamola: As someone who’s attended the Audio Summit previously, how would you advise somebody who’s on the fence of why this is important to attend as an investment in your future?

Armen Williams: I’ve gotten the call in the past for both talent and programmers asking me if it’s worth the investment. If their goal is to meet prominent individuals in the industry and be around really sharp people when it comes to what we do, this is a premiere event to do that. I’ve always encouraged people to attend and to meet as many people as possible.

Write notes. I always find it helpful to look at the agenda beforehand. Star and highlight the topics and round tables that you want to attend. Prioritize those, and then around those build out the rest of your day with people you want to meet.

See if they’re available for five minutes for coffee, or whatever it might be. It’s a no-brainer for somebody trying to grow in the industry. If somebody wants to be doing this for a long time, it’s worth the investment.

Armen Williams WW1 Sports (Canva | LinkedIn Screengrab)
Armen Williams WW1 Sports (Canva | LinkedIn Screengrab)

Purchase your tickets to the 2026 BSM Summit here, and for more information BarrettMedia.com 

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.

FOX Played the Streaming Long Game and It Paid Off with Roku

Garrett Searight
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FOX Played the Streaming Long Game and It Paid Off with Roku

FOX and Roku are about to become one company, and the media world won’t be the same. FOX announced Monday that it’s acquiring Roku in a deal worth roughly $22 billion. Together, the two companies will form the third-largest television provider in the United States.

The numbers behind this deal are staggering. FOX agreed to pay $160 per share in a mix of cash and FOX Class A stock, and the transaction values Roku at roughly $22 billion in enterprise value. Once everything closes — which FOX expects sometime in the first half of 2027 — existing FOX shareholders will own about 73% of the combined company, while Roku’s shareholders will hold the remaining 27%.

This isn’t just a financial transaction, though. Roku reaches more than 100 million streaming households around the globe, and that includes more than half of all broadband households in America. FOX now gets direct access to that audience, along with The Roku Channel, Roku’s first-party data, and one of the most widely used operating systems in connected TV.

A Genius Play

Let’s call this what it is: a genius move by FOX.

Roku gives FOX so many new avenues to explore. Sports fans can find FOX’s NFL and MLB coverage. News junkies can tune into FOX News Media’s programming. Weather updates, movies, and FOX’s existing Tubi library all become part of Roku’s massive footprint. Advertisers, meanwhile, get a direct pipeline into one of the largest connected TV audiences in America.

Roku isn’t just hardware. It’s also software, and it’s arguably the leading platform in digital video today. FOX didn’t just buy a streaming service — it bought the infrastructure that millions of Americans use every single day to watch television. That’s the kind of acquisition that pays dividends for decades.

Think about how many living rooms have a Roku remote sitting on the coffee table. Now think about FOX content showing up front and center every time that remote gets picked up. This deal puts FOX squarely in the middle of how people actually watch TV in 2026, and that’s worth far more than $22 billion over time.

FOX Played the Long Game

For years, FOX seemed sheepish about diving headfirst into streaming. While competitors like Disney, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery poured billions of dollars into platforms, infrastructure, and original content, FOX largely sat back. Some criticized the company for moving too slowly, especially as rivals raced to build out their own apps and bundles.

But patience paid off. FOX watched its rivals overspend on content nobody wanted and struggle to turn streaming into a profitable business. Meanwhile, FOX built Tubi into a legitimate ad-supported service without breaking the bank, learning what worked and what didn’t along the way.

Then, when the timing was right, it went out and hooked the biggest fish imaginable. Instead of building its own connected TV platform from scratch, it bought the company that already dominates that space. Interestingly enough, the company once owned a small stake in Roku years ago and sold it to help fund the Tubi purchase. Now FOX owns the whole thing, and that’s a remarkable turn of events.

The Verdict

This move makes all the sense in the world for FOX. It pairs the company’s live sports and news content with the platform millions of Americans already use to access streaming. It opens up new advertising revenue streams across an enormous footprint. And it positions FOX as a legitimate player in the connected TV space without years of costly trial and error.

Of course, deals this size come with risk, and Wall Street’s initial reaction wasn’t exactly celebratory. But the strategic logic here is hard to argue with.

FOX should be applauded for making a move like this. Other media companies spent years and billions of dollars trying to build what FOX just bought outright. That’s not luck — that’s strategy, and it’s the kind of bold, calculated bet that defines an era.

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.

A Stephen A. Smith Reunion With Pat McAfee May Have No Better Time Than Now

John Mamola
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A Stephen A. Smith Reunion With Pat McAfee May Have No Better Time Than Now

Every sports program has that one elusive guest they simply can’t find a way to book. Every show has one. Producers exhaust every avenue to make it happen, often with no success. Hosts even work their own sources to get messages through to the guest in an attempt to sway favor in their direction. However, when miraculous moments happen in sports, miraculous things can happen. Which leads me to ask: Will Stephen A. Smith appear this week on The Pat McAfee Show?

In case you missed it over the weekend, the New York Knicks are NBA champions. For the first time since 1973, the city of New York has united around its legacy basketball team. Crowds erupted, buses burned, and Stephen A. Smith showcased himself as ESPN’s chief cheerleader for it all.

Everyone loves a good story about overcoming hurdles. Let’s face it, Stephen A. Smith has been the face of New York Knicks fandom on ESPN for many years. He has shown his anger when they struggled and his joy as they celebrated their crowning victory.

A couple of weeks ago, he even went so far as to take credit for the team’s run to the NBA Finals. Why? Because he took his team to task on national television, which was followed by an 11-game winning streak on the way to the NBA Finals.

No More Perfect Time

Now, the Knicks are champions. Smith opened First Take on Monday with everything but the champagne goggles to begin the week. Never mind the Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup, UFC Freedom 250, or anything else from the night before. It was all about the Knicks, and Stephen A. Smith was ready to make ESPN his personal stage for celebration.

No show on ESPN celebrates sports more than The Pat McAfee Show. It’s often been dubbed a safe haven for sports fans. There are no hard-hitting debates or complicated analysis. It’s simply sports being fun and entertaining. Boys playing games. Pomp and circumstance. Baseball, bets, and beers, all in the name of giving sports the attention they deserve.

It’s time for The Pat McAfee Show’s celebration of sports to welcome the face of the New York Knicks on ESPN for an interview. For the first time since December 2023, it’s time for Stephen A. Smith to make an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

Yes, you read that right. 2023. It’s been nearly three years since the two biggest faces of ESPN shared a screen together. But has there ever been a better time for a reunion than now?

A New Day

Obviously, a lot has changed since that last appearance in 2023, which happened to be McAfee’s first year on ESPN programming. Smith signed a massive $100 million extension in the spring of last year. The First Take host has also taken on a new role with SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio, where he hosts a daily show from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Smith has also scaled back some of his ESPN responsibilities over the past year, reaching an agreement to step away from NBA Countdown.

In McAfee’s case, he’s added work to his ESPN portfolio as well. Outside of his daily show, he continues to be a major presence on College GameDay and also hosts alternate broadcasts surrounding ESPN’s biggest sporting events. Not to mention the work he has continued to do with WWE over the past two and a half years.

McAfee is reportedly in discussions with the network on an extension that could pay him between $60 million and $65 million. The deal would keep McAfee aligned with ESPN while reportedly adding NFL responsibilities to his plate.

Despite rumors of a rift between the two megastars, both continue to insist they are on good terms. McAfee’s program hosted LeBron James for an hour last year, and the future Hall of Famer used part of that appearance to take shots at Smith over his criticism of Bronny James. That interview led to further escalation between Smith and James, a dispute that still appears unresolved today.

But why hasn’t Stephen A. Smith made an appearance during the height of the Knicks’ championship run? And will he make one before the celebration concludes this weekend with a parade through ‘The Big Apple?’

Sure, logistics could be a concern. Smith’s SiriusXM program begins an hour after First Take ends. However, McAfee has conducted plenty of interviews with ESPN talent while they were traveling. How many times have Adam Schefter, Peter Schrager, or other ESPN personalities joined the show from the road while still making time to talk football?

If there was ever a moment to make it happen, this is it.

Bring Together The Megapowers

The New York Knicks have finally climbed the mountain. Stephen A. Smith is enjoying one of the greatest weeks of his professional and personal life as the most visible Knicks fan in sports media. Meanwhile, McAfee’s show has built its identity around celebrating the biggest moments in sports with the same passion fans bring to them.

An appearance by Smith on The Pat McAfee Show wouldn’t just produce compelling television. It would immediately put to rest any lingering speculation that ESPN’s two biggest personalities have a strained relationship. For the past couple of years, rumors have circulated whenever they haven’t shared a screen. One conversation, one celebration, and one championship victory lap would be enough to remind everyone that the relationship is far healthier than outsiders often suggest.

ESPN has spent years building around star power, and no two stars shine brighter than McAfee and Smith. With New York celebrating its first NBA title in more than five decades, the timing couldn’t be better.

The biggest Knicks fan in sports media and one of ESPN’s premier entertainers coming together to celebrate a historic championship feels less like a booking opportunity and more like a television moment waiting to happen.

Some guests are impossible to get. Some moments are impossible to create. But when sports delivers something this rare, sometimes the guest and the moment arrive at exactly the same time.

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 Disappearance of Managers Should Concern All of Us

Bob Lawrence
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The Disappearance of Managers Should Concern All of Us

Management positions have traditionally been viewed as the ultimate career destination. We work hard, keep our noses to the grindstone, and eventually find our way up the proverbial ladder. Careers have been built on the expectation that we will become supervisors, department heads, directors, or vice presidents — the top dogs. These manager roles usually offer higher pay, greater stature, more influence, increased pride, and perhaps most importantly, a sense of security.

Welcome to the new world, where that assumption is being challenged.

Companies across most industries, particularly our own, are eliminating management positions at an alarming rate. The reasons often include restructuring, advances in technology, cost-cutting initiatives, and new organizational models. Whatever the reason, traditional management layers are shrinking. Those “safe” career paths we once hoped for have now become “targets of reduction.”

Several factors are driving this alarming trend.

Technology has dramatically changed how nearly every company operates. Communication platforms, project management tools, AI, and analytics now allow managers to oversee larger teams with fewer middle managers. Operations that once required multiple supervisors can now be managed through automation and real-time dashboards.

Leaner operations remain a priority. Corporate leaders frequently argue that reducing layers of management improves efficiency. It speeds up decision-making, and lowers costs. In many companies, middle managers have come to be viewed as an expense rather than a necessity. During periods of economic uncertainty, a GM position may now be among the first considered for elimination.

Remote and hybrid work environments have changed traditional management responsibilities as much as any other factor. Team members are increasingly expected to be self-motivated, self-directed, and self-accountable. Executives are placing greater emphasis on individual contributors who thrive on independence. Reducing what has long been considered the need for constant oversight.

The consequences of all this, however, could be more significant than many realize. For most of us, a GM or Market Manager has traditionally served as the conduit between senior leadership, ownership, and frontline employees. As a manager, my responsibilities always involved coaching and mentoring. In addition to training, evaluating, motivating, and resolving conflicts.

In essence, a manager bridges corporate strategy and practical local execution.

A Disappearing Act

When management layers disappear, their responsibilities do not disappear with them. Instead, those duties are often pushed onto already overwhelmed senior leaders. Or possibly employees who may lack the skills and experience to handle them effectively.

A leadership gap is also created when organizations employ fewer managers. Since most executives develop through managerial experience, fewer opportunities may leave companies struggling to identify and prepare the next generation of leaders. Just as we have seen with on-air talent. The leadership pipeline may slowly erode, leaving fewer qualified candidates on the bench.

The impact on career security may be the most concerning consequence of this trend. For years, many of us believed that advancing into management provided a measure of protection from layoffs and automation. We assumed our security rested largely on our performance.

Today, the very positions once considered secure are being scrutinized and eliminated.

In the final analysis, career security is no longer tied to a job title. Instead, it depends on an individual’s adaptability, commitment to continuous learning, and ability to create measurable value.

This issue appears to be more than a staffing trend. It represents a fundamental shift in organizational structure. Companies may improve short-term financial performance and efficiency by reducing management layers. However, they should be cautious about the long-term consequences. In many cases, those decisions come at the expense of the leadership, mentorship, and experience that strong managers provide.

Remember this. A company’s greatest assets walk out the front door every afternoon. Whenever they walk out for the last time, the organization has fewer assets remaining inside the building the next day.

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 Oliver Tree’s Death Matters More to Radio Than You Think

David Hill
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Why Oliver Tree’s Death Matters More to Radio Than You Think

Oliver Tree was 32. He was not Elvis. He was not Cobain. He was not Lennon, Tupac, Prince, or Michael Jackson. And yet, that framing misses the point entirely.

The right question for radio is not how large the cultural footprint was. The right question is simpler. Did this artist matter to the audience your format claims to serve?

Tree belonged to a very real subculture — one that was internet-native, alternative-adjacent, visually absurd, and completely indifferent to radio format lanes. His fans moved between alternative, electronic, pop, and social media culture without asking permission from any gatekeeper. They did not need a station to validate him, because they already had TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, Reddit, and each other. Radio was, at best, a secondary relationship.

That dynamic is uncomfortable for an industry that still prefers clean categories. However, modern music culture does not organize itself around format labels. Instead, it organizes around communities, aesthetics, shared humor, algorithms, and identity. Radio has been slow to accept that reality.

Jeff Buckley and the Power of Unfinished Stories

Jeff Buckley tells a different version of the same story. He mattered deeply to AAA, college radio, modern rock, critics, and serious music fans. At the time of his death in Memphis in 1997, he had one completed studio album and was not yet a mass-market superstar. Then the lore grew. His recording of “Hallelujah” became one of the defining recordings of its era, and his influence outlasted his catalog long after his story ended.

That is what losing an artist early does to an audience. Listeners do not only mourn the music — they mourn the trajectory. They mourn the next album, the next creative turn, and the chapter that will never be written.

Reading the Room the Right Way

Radio has to read that room carefully. The wrong move is manufacturing emotion around every artist death and turning grief into content. However, the other wrong move is ignoring it entirely because the artist does not fit an older definition of “icon.”

The best response starts with an honest internal question. Does your audience care? Did this artist connect to your format, your market, or a subculture your station claims to serve? If yes, acknowledge it like a human being. That may mean one song, a short break from the night jock, or a morning show conversation about why certain artists become generational markers for one audience and background noise for another.

It may also mean asking a younger staffer to explain it, rather than assuming the room already understands. Radio too often processes culture from the top down — the program director decides what matters, the brand manager decides what fits, and the consultant decides whether it’s on strategy. In moments like this, the people closest to the audience may have the sharpest read. Ask them.

What Radio Can Still Do That No Algorithm Can

Streaming can build a playlist. Algorithms can surface the catalog. Social media will flood the feed with tributes and clips. But radio still has one advantage when it chooses to use it correctly. It can put a person behind the microphone who says, “This is strange. This is sad. This meant something to people.” That does not require drama. It requires honesty.

The bigger lesson is that icons are not what they used to be. Some are global superstars, while others are niche artists whose impact is nearly impossible to explain in a traditional music meeting. Jeff Buckley reminds us that a small catalog can cast a long shadow. Similarly, Oliver Tree reminds us that audiences attach to artists in ways radio does not always see coming.

The job is not to rank the grief. The job is to recognize it.

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

Bicentennial Nostalgia Offers a Powerful Blueprint for Radio Strategy

Kevin Robinson
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Bicentennial Nostalgia Offers a Powerful Blueprint for Radio Strategy

America is just 18 days away from our 250th birthday. This is a once-in-a-generation celebration for our country and a golden opportunity for local radio.

If you were around – like I was – for America’s Bicentennial in 1976, you knew it was a huge deal for the country and for event merchandising.

Americans sucked up anything displaying Bicentennial themes.

There were commemorative plates, collectible glasses from retailers, Bicentennial watches (when everyone actually wore one), and reproductions of historical swag from the Colonial era. Many of those items are still being traded today. My mom even bought a line of Bicentennial shirts for me from K-Mart to celebrate the event.

A Golden Opportunity

With our nation’s birthday less than three weeks out, many among us will flavor our brands with patriotic sonics, a few theme-friendly songs, and dress up our digital platforms with America-centric visuals.

However, for radio, the nation’s Semiquincentennial presents a greater opportunity. This is America’s 250th birthday! Most listeners alive today have never experienced a national milestone of this magnitude, and most won’t see another one.

This is the perfect summer to go beyond regular programming and create memorable on- and off-air experiences that grab listener attention, possibly generate revenue, and solidify your cluster as a community leader. Let’s look at some examples.

Branded Collectible Tchotchkes

Offer listeners swag that’s branded and can’t be duplicated. Low-hanging fruit examples are t-shirts, can koozies, and key chains. What about a “collectible” listeners will save for years?

With today’s tech, companies can turn branded trinkets around quickly. The Pin Center – among others – can handle large orders in under two days.

Create a numbered collectible pin and have listeners wear them to your local 4th of July celebration. Then, have staff spot pins on listeners and award them with ice cream gift certificates from your local vendor.

Better yet – challenge listeners to 3D-print a version of a branded collectible. Someone in nearly every neighborhood has a 3D printer, and the technology has come down in price significantly. Entry into the 3D printing world is easier than ever.

Story of Your Town

Every town and surrounding area has a story connected to America’s long history.

Working with your local historical society, develop short daily vignettes that tell the story of local historical landmarks, founding figures, military heroes, and significant events that shaped your community. For example, consider a two-minute feature airing several times throughout the day that educates listeners and creates sponsor opportunities.

Don’t just go back to the Revolutionary War. For instance, a client non-profit station runs a daily feature entitled “Yesteryear” that spans hundreds of years of their county’s history. The local paper does all the heavy research and feeds the information to the station weekly. In your town, there has to be a cemetery containing war veterans or a hometown business that’s been serving your community for a century. Stories like these create programming that differentiates us from satellite and streaming services.

Voices of America

Radio excels at storytelling. Invite listeners to share what America means to them.

Have listeners email audio clips about what America means to them – our freedom, local family traditions, military service, or memorable Fourth of July celebrations. Then, air them throughout the day during the week leading up to Independence Day – which falls on a Saturday.

We have clients that highlight stories about first responders year-round. A Bicentennial feature like this would also give listeners a chance to hear about local teachers, veterans, healthcare workers, and local business owners who do great community service.

American Music

Create a feature spotlighting songs that defined different eras of American music. Also, build montages from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, framed around national events, cultural shifts, and shared American experiences. News clips for major events are readily available on YouTube. Just be mindful of copyright protection.

Listeners love historical trivia, and gold-based format listeners especially love nostalgia. Tying favorite tunes to America’s story creates a strong emotional connection.

The Bottom Line

Treat America’s 250th birthday as more than a one-day event. Integrate the birthday celebration into everything you do through the summer and into the fall.

If you’re of a certain age, thinking back to 1976 is a fun trip. The Bicentennial was a cultural phenomenon. Indeed, retailers experienced record sales of patriotic memorabilia, commemorative coins, and heritage collectibles. You can still find those items in attics and antique stores today. Also, a look back at 1976 shows how much the economy has changed:

  • Postage stamps cost 13 cents.
  • Movie tickets were $2.
  • A dozen eggs cost roughly 83 cents.
  • Americans watched Bicentennial celebrations on three television networks – ABC, CBS, and NBC.

Today, we know digital platforms compete fiercely for our listeners. Building events like those outlined above reminds the listener – and us in broadcasting – of the power in local radio.

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 Stations for Sale: How Profitability Is Reshaping Small Markets

Peter Thiele
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Radio Stations for Sale: How Profitability Is Reshaping Small Markets

Tradition is a huge part of radio. The brand that you are working at or in charge of leading may have been there for 100 years. This is a part of what we do. There has been some weeping and gnashing of teeth over the changes at 60 Minutes. The heritage show is changing. Your show and station are changing. This is the nature of life.

Human behavior is centered on habits. I shower every morning before going out. My dog, Maggie, knows that either I am going somewhere or we are going for a car ride. Brushing teeth, doom-scrolling TikTok for 40 minutes, checking your bank balance, and eating some sort of breakfast to get ready for the day — these are all habits.

Whenever there is a change of routine, we become uncomfortable. It is hardwired into us. This has likely been part of humanity since we were living in tribal communities tens of thousands of years ago. So, CBS has new ownership. The emotional connection to any program or tradition is likely not the same as it is for some viewers of CBS programs, nor does it align with a dedication to maximizing profit. CBS is first and foremost a business. 60 Minutes is a dinosaur. It has been there forever. My grandparents never missed it.

Like any tradition, the people working on it have developed a certain loyalty to their work. We all seek significance and want to believe that our daily work and relationships mean something to all who consume the product. By all reports, 60 Minutes is a revenue juggernaut but is exceptionally expensive to produce. Skydance paid 8 billion dollars for Paramount. Skydance Media didn’t invest that money to keep things the same.

I am sure they are looking for every way to maximize ratings and revenue while seeking to eliminate unprofitable products. This is the way of the world. I know many of us in radio were saddened by the loss of CBS Radio News. I certainly know people who worked there. CBS has been quitting radio for a long time. When CBS dropped radio news, I was not surprised.

Nothing Lasts Forever — Not Even 60 Minutes

The Earth rotates every 24 hours and circles the sun every 365 days. At one point, giant reptiles roamed the land. They disappeared. Humans once lived as hunter-gatherers, traveling in bands of people who were likely extended family members searching for their next meal. Those traditions are gone. 60 Minutes is not going anywhere for now, but — like anything else — one day, it will be gone, too.

Now about your radio station — as an industry, we have been adjusting to the new reality of no longer being part of a limited number of choices for consumers and advertisers. We have been through changes in ownership and priorities. The first station I worked at flipped from news/talk radio to sports. I was kind of sad, but I realized that ownership had concluded the format change was best for that station and for the company.

My sentimentality didn’t really mean anything, nor should it have, to the company I once worked for. I have openly stated that I hope the change is good for everyone involved.

The house I grew up in was a charming Cape Cod in suburban Minneapolis. The house did need some updating, and the new owners seemed to understand that. Sadly, they have basically destroyed the charm of the place. The house is no longer a Cape Cod and was repainted in a color reminiscent of light green vomit.

Well, these changes are what the owners want for their home. These people think those changes are wonderful. My feelings about the changes are not important, nor are they even on the radar of the people who have destroyed that home’s character.

It Comes Down to the Business

Every organization has bloat and needs to evaluate efficiencies. Humanity needs change. The company you work for has a bottom line for the return on investment for any station, show, or event. This could be 4-6 times earnings. Likely, your station’s market president is struggling to make sure those numbers are met. They know that if the station does not meet its numbers, layoffs are likely, or the market manager will lose their job. Business does not know sentimentality. Businesses know about making money.

Tradition is nice, but it is not necessarily embraced by advertisers or listeners. We have all worked in a cluster where there is a dedication to tradition over market realities. There is that station with dropping revenue and ratings, but a big fear of making the necessary changes for the long-term survival of its brand. Media is changing very quickly. We must evaluate what is next while maximizing ratings and revenue. This is not an easy task.

Your next steps are being dictated by corporate initiatives, market realities, growing competition for attention, and diverse advertising opportunities for businesses. For our corporate leaders, the road is more complicated than ever. Radio companies have been turning off signals because of profitability and are unable to find a buyer.

If you have ever thought about owning radio stations at an affordable price, this is the time. You may be able to purchase some of these small-market stations for almost nothing.

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.

Terry Bradshaw Not Planning On Leaving FOX Sports To Retire Anytime Soon

John Mamola
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Terry Bradshaw Not Planning On Leaving FOX Sports To Retire Anytime Soon

Terry Bradshaw isn’t planning to retire anytime soon. The FOX Sports analyst says the decision may not even be his to make if it were to happen.

What We Know: Bradshaw has been a fixture on NFL on FOX’s pregame since the network acquired the rights in 1994. He addressed his future during an appearance on the Sports Business Radio Podcast. Bradshaw made clear he has no personal plans to step away from broadcasting. However, he acknowledged his FOX Sports role specifically could end at the network’s discretion.

What They Said: Terry Bradshaw on retirement (via Sports Business Radio Podcast): “I may not be with FOX Sports. That would be their call, not mine. But I would still be speaking, and if not doing that, I’ll still work the bourbon trail. Billy Graham said that the day that you retire is the day you start dying. I do believe a lot of people when they stop using their brain, their thought processes moving and advancing. I believe you age, and people end up dying. How many people die within a year after retirement? So, I don’t want to do that. I see myself staying fully active to the end.”

What Remains Unclear: It’s unknown whether FOX Sports has discussed any changes to Bradshaw’s role. Bradshaw will be 78 years old this NFL season. His comments didn’t reference a contract timeline or renewal status. However, he did state that any decision to leave FOX Sports would be up to the network, and not himself.

What It Means: Bradshaw’s remarks suggest he intends to stay active regardless of his FOX Sports status. He will be entering his 32nd season of coverage with the network alongside Howie Long. While he hasn’t hinted at retirement at all, questions do remain to see if the 78 year old can still accomplish the job responsibilities. Jimmy Johnson stepped down from his role on the program before last season.

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.

Tim Wenger to Exit Audacy Buffalo

Garrett Searight
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Tim Wenger to Exit Audacy Buffalo

Tim Wenger, who has spent 40 years with Audacy Buffalo, is exiting the organization later this month.

What We Know: Wenger has decided to depart the cluster after 40 years. He rose from a reporter at WBEN to ultimately become the Senior Vice President and Market Manager of the cluster. He also served as the News/Talk Format Vice President for Audacy during his tenure. Tim Wenger was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2023.

What’s at Stake: Wenger’s exit comes as he ultimately declined a new position within the company. Earlier this year, Audacy announced plans to eliminate its Market Manager position across its local clusters. It is using a broader approach with a focus on regional leadership.

What Remains Unclear: Who, if anyone, will replace Tim Wenger in the role. It is also unknown if Wenger has a specific landing spot in mind as he departs the organization.

What It Means: Wenger has a strong institutional knowledge of the cluster, the market, and the people. His departure means much of that knowledge is leaving with him. He’s helped usher the group through many iterations and changes. What his media future looks like will be of intrigue to many in both the market and the news/talk format.

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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